bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electromagnetic Fields and Radiofrequency Radiation
Authors: SAVITZ DAVID A. , AHLBOM ANDERS
Published: March 2010

This chapter discusses the link between electromagnetic fields and cancer, focusing on the nonionizing part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and within that range, only with frequencies up to 300 GHz. Topics covered include the interaction of nonionizing radiation with biological systems, potential mechanisms of carcinogenicity, public concern with nonionizing radiation, and exposure sources and populations studied.
Air Pollution
Authors: SAMET JONATHAN M. , COHEN AARON J.
Published: March 2010

This chapter provides an overview of the evidence on the connections between outdoor and indoor air pollution and lung cancer, as well as other types of malignancy. The evidence on air pollution and lung cancer is now extensive and the review in this chapter is selective, emphasizing the most recent findings, primarily from the epidemiologic literature.
Water Contaminants
Authors: CANTOR KENNETH P. , WARD MARY H. , MOORE LEE E. , LUBIN JAY H
Published: March 2010

This chapter discusses water contaminants that may contribute to the human cancer burden. Specifically, it addresses the epidemiologic evidence for several contaminants and includes information on their levels and environmental distribution, as well as individual susceptibility, where data exist. The three categories of drinking water contaminants that may be carcinogenic and that have been studied most systematically are arsenic, disinfection by-products, and nitrate. In addition, radionuclides, microbiological agents, organic compounds from human commerce, and asbestiform particles have been reported to cause cancer, either as they occur in drinking water or in other media, giving rise to suspicion about their carcinogenicity when ingested. Future research priorities and prevention strategies are discussed.
Diet and Nutrition
Authors: WILLETT WALTER C.
Published: March 2010

This chapter considers dietary factors that may be important in the cause and prevention of cancer. Topics covered include general approaches to the study of diet and cancer, measurement of diet in epidemiological studies, methodological issues in nutritional epidemiology, associations of diet with specific cancers, and prevention of cancer by dietary means.
Genetic Modifiers of Cancer Risk
Authors: CAPORASO NEIL E.
Published: March 2010

This chapter discusses genetic modifiers of cancer risk. Topics covered include rationale for the study of low-penetrance genes, the role of low-penetrance genes in cancer susceptibility, methodological issues, gene selection in population studies, overview of candidate genes, overview of cancer-specific associations, and gene-environment interaction.
Cancers of the Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinuses
Authors: LITTMAN ALYSON J. , VAUGHAN THOMAS L.
Published: March 2010

This chapter reviews the epidemiology of cancers of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Cancers arising in the sinuses and nasal cavity occur rarely in the United States and in most areas of the world. In 2002, an estimated 2,000 people in the United States developed the disease. The incidence of sinonasal cancer (SNC) has remained relatively steady during the past twenty-five years at 0.7 cases per 100,000 persons per year, with a median survival of 5.7 years. The classification, demographic patterns, environmental factors, host factors, pathogenesis, and prevention of SNC are discussed.
Nasopharyngeal Cancer
Authors: YU MIMI C. , YUAN JIAN-MIN
Published: March 2010

Cancer of the nasopharynx is a rare human malignancy with an incidence well under 1 per 100,000 population per year. Regardless of race and geography, the commonest form of nasopharyngeal cancers are those arising from the epithelial cells lining the nasopharynx. This chapter reviews the epidemiology of nasopharyngeal Cancer (NPC). Topics covered include classification, demographic patterns, environmental factors, host factors, and preventive measures.
Cancer of the Lung
Authors: SPITZ MARGARET R. , WU XIFENG , WILKINSON ANNA , WEI QINGYI
Published: March 2010

This chapter provides an update on the epidemiology of lung cancer with an emphasis on the rapidly expanding literature exploring host susceptibility to tobacco carcinogenesis. It also reviews chemoprevention and lung screening trials.
Cancers of the Oral Cavity and Pharynx
Authors: MAYNE SUSAN T. , MORSE DOUGLAS E. , WINN DEBORAH M.
Published: March 2010

This chapter reviews the epidemiology of cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, lip, and salivary glands. In the United States (1996–2000), invasive cancers of the OCP/lip/salivary gland account for 2.7% of cancers among men and 1.5% of cancers among women. It is estimated that 27,700 cases will be diagnosed with these malignancies in the United States in 2003 and about 7,200 will die from these cancers. The lifetime risk of being diagnosed with OCP/lip/salivary gland cancers for a US male is 1.4% and 0.7% for a US female.
Liver Cancer
Authors: LONDON W. THOMAS , MCGLYNN KATHERINE A.
Published: March 2010

Liver cancers, 75%–90% of which are hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), caused more than 600,000 deaths in 2002. They are the third most common cause of cancer deaths among men and sixth most common among women. Approximately 80% of HCCs and the resulting deaths occur in the developing countries of Asia and Africa. This chapter reviews the epidemiology of cancers that originate in the liver. Topics covered include classification, demographic patterns, environmental factors, host factors, pathogenesis, and preventive measures.
Cancers of the Small Intestine
Authors: BEEBE-DIMMER JENNIFER L. , SCHOTTENFELD DAVID
Published: March 2010

Malignant neoplasms of the small intestine are relatively rare in the United States with an estimated 5,420 new cases diagnosed in 2005, which is less than 0.5% of the total number of new cancers diagnosed in this country. The projected number of new cases among men, 2,840, is similar to that in women, 2,580. This chapter reviews the epidemiology of cancers of the small intestine. Topics covered include classification, demographic patterns, host factors, environmental factors, and preventive measures.
Multiple Myeloma
Authors: ROOS ANNECLAIRE J. DE , BARIS DALSU , WEISS NOEL S. , HERRINTON LISA J.
Published: March 2010

Myeloma presently accounts for almost 10% of all hematologic malignancies and 1% of cancer deaths in Western countries. Although myeloma is a rare malignancy, there is relatively high mortality, with a five-year survival of 28%. This chapter reviews the epidemiology of myeloma. Topics covered include classification, incidence and mortality, host factors, and environmental factors.
Thyroid Cancer
Authors: RON ELAINE , SCHNEIDER ARTHUR B.
Published: March 2010

Cancer of the thyroid is relatively uncommon, although it is the most common malignancy of the endocrine system and is the eighth ranking cancer among women. The prognosis is extremely good for papillary and follicular carcinoma and extremely poor for anaplastic carcinoma. This chapter reviews the epidemiology of thyroid cancer, taking histology into account whenever possible.
Cervical Cancer
Authors: SCHIFFMAN MARK H. , HILDESHEIM ALLAN
Published: March 2010

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women, ranking first in many developing countries. This chapter reviews the epidemiology of cervical cancer. Topics covered include classification, precursor lesions, molecular characteristics, demographic patterns, environmental risk factors, host factors, pathogenesis, and preventive measures.
Cancers in Children
Authors: ROSS JULIE A. , SPECTOR LOGAN G.
Published: March 2010

Nearly 12,400 children and adolescents under the age of twenty years will be newly diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. This means that a newborn has an approximately 1 in 315 chance of developing cancer in the first two decades of life. This chapter reviews the epidemiology of cancer in children. Topics covered include overall incidence, mortality and morbidity, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, brain/central nervous system cancers, lymphomas, sympathetic nervous system tumors, soft tissue sarcoma, renal cancers, bone tumors, germ cell tumors, retinoblastoma, and hepatic tumors.
Cancer Risk Communication and Comprehension
Authors: EMMONS KAREN M. , CUITE CARA , WATERS ERIKA
Published: March 2010

This chapter presents a summary of key issues that must be considered in risk communication. There has been a long-standing effort to improve patient understanding of the risks and benefits of medical procedures and treatments. The challenge of risk communication related to cancer and cancer prevention has become even more complex over the past decade, as more data is available to provide detailed risk estimates to different population subgroups. Further, it is increasingly possible to tailor treatment strategies to individual characteristics.
Cancer Chemoprevention
Authors: VINER JAYE L. , HAWK ERNEST , LIPPMAN SCOTT M.
Published: March 2010

This chapter reviews principles of cancer chemoprevention and suggests opportunities for future research. Topics covered include carcinogenesis as the target of prevention, germline mutations, somatic mutations, biomarkers, mitochondrial genomic mutations, chemopreventive agents, and toxicity and safety standards for chemoprevention.
Building off-the-shelf tissue-engineered composites
Authors: Burg Timothy , Cass Cheryl A. P. , Groff Richard , Pepper Matthew , Burg Karen J. L.
Published: March 2010

Rapid advances in technology have created the realistic possibility of personalized medicine. In 2000,
Time
magazine listed tissue engineering as one of the ‘hottest 10 career choices’. However, in the past decade, only a handful of tissue-engineered products were translated to the clinical market and none were financially viable. The reality of complex business planning and the high-investment, high-technology environment was not apparent, and the promise of tissue engineering was overstated. In the meantime, biologists were steadily applying three-dimensional benchtop tissue-culture systems for cellular research, but the systems were gelatinous and thus limited in their ability to facilitate the development of complex tissues. Now, the bioengineering literature has seen an emergence of literature describing biofabrication of tissues and organs. However, if one looks closely, again, the viable products appear distant. ‘Rapid’ prototyping to reproduce the intricate patterns of whole organs using large volumes of cellular components faces daunting challenges. Homogenous forms are being labelled ‘tissues’, but, in fact, do not represent the heterogeneous structure of the native biological system. In 2003, we disclosed the concept of combining rapid prototyping techniques with tissue engineering technologies to facilitate precision development of heterogeneous complex tissue-test systems, i.e. systems to be used for drug discovery and the study of cellular behaviour, biomedical devices and progression of disease. The focus of this paper is on the challenges we have faced since that time, moving this concept towards reality, using the case of breast tissue as an example.
Vascular tissue engineering by computer-aided laser micromachining
Authors: Doraiswamy Anand , Narayan Roger J.
Published: March 2010

Many conventional technologies for fabricating tissue engineering scaffolds are not suitable for fabricating scaffolds with patient-specific attributes. For example, many conventional technologies for fabricating tissue engineering scaffolds do not provide control over overall scaffold geometry or over cell position within the scaffold. In this study, the use of computer-aided laser micromachining to create scaffolds for vascular tissue networks was investigated. Computer-aided laser micromachining was used to construct patterned surfaces in agarose or in silicon, which were used for differential adherence and growth of cells into vascular tissue networks. Concentric three-ring structures were fabricated on agarose hydrogel substrates, in which the inner ring contained human aortic endothelial cells, the middle ring contained HA587 human elastin and the outer ring contained human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells. Basement membrane matrix containing vascular endothelial growth factor and heparin was to promote proliferation of human aortic endothelial cells within the vascular tissue networks. Computer-aided laser micromachining provides a unique approach to fabricate small-diameter blood vessels for bypass surgery as well as other artificial tissues with complex geometries.
Novel synthesis strategies for natural polymer and composite biomaterials as potential scaffolds for tissue engineering
Authors: Ko Hsu-Feng , Sfeir Charles , Kumta Prashant N.
Published: March 2010

Recent developments in tissue engineering approaches frequently revolve around the use of three-dimensional scaffolds to function as the template for cellular activities to repair, rebuild and regenerate damaged or lost tissues. While there are several biomaterials to select as three-dimensional scaffolds, it is generally agreed that a biomaterial to be used in tissue engineering needs to possess certain material characteristics such as biocompatibility, suitable surface chemistry, interconnected porosity, desired mechanical properties and biodegradability. The use of naturally derived polymers as three-dimensional scaffolds has been gaining widespread attention owing to their favourable attributes of biocompatibility, low cost and ease of processing. This paper discusses the synthesis of various polysaccharide-based, naturally derived polymers, and the potential of using these biomaterials to serve as tissue engineering three-dimensional scaffolds is also evaluated.

In this study, naturally derived polymers, specifically cellulose, chitosan, alginate and agarose, and their composites, are examined. Single-component scaffolds of plain cellulose, plain chitosan and plain alginate as well as composite scaffolds of cellulose–alginate, cellulose–agarose, cellulose–chitosan, chitosan–alginate and chitosan–agarose are synthesized, and their suitability as tissue engineering scaffolds is assessed. It is shown that naturally derived polymers in the form of hydrogels can be synthesized, and the lyophilization technique is used to synthesize various composites comprising these natural polymers. The composite scaffolds appear to be sponge-like after lyophilization. Scanning electron microscopy is used to demonstrate the formation of an interconnected porous network within the polymeric scaffold following lyophilization. It is also established that HeLa cells attach and proliferate well on scaffolds of cellulose, chitosan or alginate. The synthesis protocols reported in this study can therefore be used to manufacture naturally derived polymer-based scaffolds as potential biomaterials for various tissue engineering applications.
Atomic layer deposition-based functionalization of materials for medical and environmental health applications
Authors: Narayan Roger J. , Adiga Shashishekar P. , Pellin Michael J. , Curtiss Larry A. , Hryn Alexander J. , Stafslien Shane , Chisholm Bret , Shih Chun-Che , Shih Chun-Ming , Lin Shing-Jong , Su Yea-Yang , Jin Chunming , Zhang Junping , Monteiro-Riviere Nancy A. , Elam Jeffrey W.
Published: March 2010

Nanoporous alumina membranes exhibit high pore densities, well-controlled and uniform pore sizes, as well as straight pores. Owing to these unusual properties, nanoporous alumina membranes are currently being considered for use in implantable sensor membranes and water purification membranes. Atomic layer deposition is a thin-film growth process that may be used to modify the pore size in a nanoporous alumina membrane while retaining a narrow pore distribution. In addition, films deposited by means of atomic layer deposition may impart improved biological functionality to nanoporous alumina membranes. In this study, zinc oxide coatings and platinum coatings were deposited on nanoporous alumina membranes by means of atomic layer deposition. PEGylated nanoporous alumina membranes were prepared by self-assembly of 1-mercaptoundec-11-yl hexa(ethylene glycol) on platinum-coated nanoporous alumina membranes. The pores of the PEGylated nanoporous alumina membranes remained free of fouling after exposure to human platelet-rich plasma; protein adsorption, fibrin networks and platelet aggregation were not observed on the coated membrane surface. Zinc oxide-coated nanoporous alumina membranes demonstrated activity against two waterborne pathogens,
Escherichia coli
and
Staphylococcus aureus
. The results of this work indicate that nanoporous alumina membranes may be modified using atomic layer deposition for use in a variety of medical and environmental health applications.
Osteoblast adhesion, proliferation and growth on polyelectrolyte complex–hydroxyapatite nanocomposites
Authors: Verma Devendra , Katti Kalpana S. , Katti Dinesh R.
Published: March 2010

In this work, we have investigated osteoblast adhesion, proliferation and differentiation on nanocomposites of chitosan, polygalacturonic acid (PgA) and hydroxyapatite. These studies were done on both two- and three-dimensional (scaffold) samples. Atomic force microscopy experiments showed nanostructuring of film samples. Scaffolds were prepared by freeze-drying methods. The mechanical response and porosity of the scaffolds were also determined. The compressive elastic modulus and compressive strength were determined to be around 0.9 and 0.023 MPa, respectively, and the porosity of these scaffolds was found to be around 97 per cent. Human osteoblast cells were used to study their adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. Optical images were collected after different intervals of time of seeding cells. This study indicated that chitosan/PgA/hydroxyapatite nanocomposite films and scaffolds promote cellular adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. The formation of bone-like nodules was observed after 7 days of seeding cells. The nodule size continues to increase with time, and after 20 days the size of some nodules was around 735 μm. Scanning electron microscope images of nodules showed the presence of extracellular matrix. The alizarin red S staining technique was used to confirm mineralization of these nodules.
Biologically active collagen-based scaffolds: advances in processing and characterization
Authors: Yannas I. V. , Tzeranis D. S. , Harley B. A. , So P. T. C.
Published: March 2010

A small number of type I collagen–glycosaminoglycan scaffolds (collagen–GAG scaffolds; CGSs) have unusual biological activity consisting primarily in inducing partial regeneration of organs in the adult mammal. Two of these are currently in use in a variety of clinical settings. CGSs appear to induce regeneration by blocking the adult healing response, following trauma, consisting of wound contraction and scar formation. Several structural determinants of biological activity have been identified, including ligands for binding of fibroblasts to the collagen surface, the mean pore size (which affects ligand density) and the degradation rate (which affects the duration of the wound contraction-blocking activity by the scaffold). Processing variables that affect these determinants include the kinetics of swelling of collagen fibres in acetic acid, freezing of the collagen–GAG suspension and cross-linking of the freeze-dried scaffold. Recent developments in the processing of CGSs include fabrication of scaffolds that are paucidisperse in pore size, scaffolds with gradients in physicochemical properties (and therefore biological activity) and scaffolds that incorporate a mineral component. Advances in the characterization of the pore structure of CGSs have been made using confocal and nonlinear optical microscopy (NLOM). The mechanical behaviour of CGSs, as well as the resistance to degradative enzymes, have been studied. Following seeding with cells (typically fibroblasts), contractile forces in the range 26–450 nN per cell are generated by the cells, leading to buckling of scaffold struts. Ongoing studies of cell-seeded CGSs with NLOM have shown an advantage over the use of confocal microscopy due to the ability of the former method to image the CGS surfaces without staining (which alters its surface ligands), reduced cell photodamage, reduced fluorophore photobleaching and the ability to image deeper inside the scaffold.
On epistasis: why it is unimportant in polygenic directional selection
Authors: Crow James F.
Published: March 2010

There is a difference in viewpoint of developmental and evo-devo geneticists versus breeders and students of quantitative evolution. The former are interested in understanding the developmental process; the emphasis is on identifying genes and studying their action and interaction. Typically, the genes have individually large effects and usually show substantial dominance and epistasis. The latter group are interested in quantitative phenotypes rather than individual genes. Quantitative traits are typically determined by many genes, usually with little dominance or epistasis. Furthermore, epistatic variance has minimum effect, since the selected population soon arrives at a state in which the rate of change is given by the additive variance or covariance. Thus, the breeder's custom of ignoring epistasis usually gives a more accurate prediction than if epistatic variance were included in the formulae.
The population genetics of beneficial mutations
Authors: Orr H. Allen
Published: March 2010

The population genetic study of advantageous mutations has lagged behind that of deleterious and neutral mutations. But over the past two decades, a number of significant developments, both theoretical and empirical, have occurred. Here, I review two of these developments: the attempt to determine the distribution of fitness effects among beneficial mutations and the attempt to determine their average dominance. Considering both theory and data, I conclude that, while considerable theoretical progress has been made, we still lack sufficient data to draw confident conclusions about the distribution of effects or the dominance of beneficial mutations.
Measurements of spontaneous rates of mutations in the recent past and the near future
Authors: Kondrashov Fyodor A. , Kondrashov Alexey S.
Published: March 2010

The rate of spontaneous mutation in natural populations is a fundamental parameter for many evolutionary phenomena. Because the rate of mutation is generally low, most of what is currently known about mutation has been obtained through indirect, complex and imprecise methodological approaches. However, in the past few years genome-wide sequencing of closely related individuals has made it possible to estimate the rates of mutation directly at the level of the DNA, avoiding most of the problems associated with using indirect methods. Here, we review the methods used in the past with an emphasis on next generation sequencing, which may soon make the accurate measurement of spontaneous mutation rates a matter of routine.
Rate and effects of spontaneous mutations that affect fitness in mutatorEscherichia coli
Authors: Trindade Sandra , Perfeito Lilia , Gordo Isabel
Published: March 2010

Knowledge of the mutational parameters that affect the evolution of organisms is of key importance in understanding the evolution of several characteristics of many natural populations, including recombination and mutation rates. In this study, we estimated the rate and mean effect of spontaneous mutations that affect fitness in a mutator strain ofEscherichia coliand review some of the estimation methods associated with mutation accumulation (MA) experiments. We performed an MA experiment where we followed the evolution of 50 independent mutator lines that were subjected to repeated bottlenecks of a single individual for approximately 1150 generations. From the decline in mean fitness and the increase in variance between lines, we estimated a minimum mutation rate to deleterious mutations of 0.005 (±0.001 with 95% confidence) and a maximum mean fitness effect per deleterious mutation of 0.03 (±0.01 with 95% confidence). We also show that any beneficial mutations that occur during the MA experiment have a small effect on the estimate of the rate and effect of deleterious mutations, unless their rate is extremely large. Extrapolating our results to the wild-type mutation rate, we find that our estimate of the mutational effects is slightly larger and the inferred deleterious mutation rate slightly lower than previous estimates obtained for non-mutatorE. coli.
Functional Cyanobacterial β-Carboxysomes Have an Absolute Requirement for Both Long and Short Forms of the CcmM Protein
Authors: Long Benedict M. , Tucker Loraine , Badger Murray R. , Price G. Dean
Published: March 2010

Carboxysomes are an essential part of the cyanobacterial CO2-concentrating mechanism, consisting of a protein shell and an interior of Rubisco. The β-carboxysome shell protein CcmM forms two peptides via a proposed internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) within the ccmM transcript in Synechococcus PCC7942. The abundant short form (35 kD, M35) consists of Rubisco small subunit-like repeats and binds Rubisco. The lower abundance long form (58 kD, M58) also contains a γ-carbonic anhydrase-like domain, which binds the carboxysomal carbonic anhydrase, CcaA. We examined whether these CcmM forms arise via an IRES or by other means. Mutations of a putative internal start codon (GTG) and Shine-Dalgarno sequence within ccmM, along with a gene coding for M35 alone, were examined in the high-CO2-requiring (HCR) carboxysomeless mutant, ΔccmM. Expression of wild-type ccmM in ΔccmM restored the wild-type phenotype, while mutation of putative start and Shine-Dalgarno sequences led to as much as 20-fold reduction in M35 content with no recovery from HCR phenotype. These cells also contained small electron-dense structures. Cells producing little or no M58, but sufficient M35, were found to contain large electron-dense structures, no CcaA, and had a HCR phenotype. Large subcellular aggregates can therefore form in the absence of M58, suggesting a role for M35 in internal carboxysome Rubisco packing. The results confirm that M35 is independently translated via an IRES within ccmM. Importantly, the data reveal that functional carboxysomes require both M35 and M58 in sufficient quantities and with a minimum stoichiometry of close to 1:1.
Carbon Starved AntherEncodes a MYB Domain Protein That Regulates Sugar Partitioning Required for Rice Pollen Development
Authors: Zhang Hui , Liang Wanqi , Yang Xijia , Luo Xue , Jiang Ning , Ma Hong , Zhang Dabing
Published: March 2010

In flowering plants, sink tissues rely on transport of carbohydrates from photosynthetic tissues (sources) for nutrition and energy. However, how sugar partitioning in plants is regulated at the molecular level during development remains unknown. We have isolated and characterized a rice (Oryza sativa) mutant, carbon starved anther (csa), that showed increased sugar contents in leaves and stems and reduced levels of sugars and starch in floral organs. In particular, the csa mutant had reduced levels of carbohydrates in later anthers and was male sterile. The csa mutant had reduced accumulation of 14C-labeled sugars in anther sink tissue. CSA was isolated by map-based cloning and was shown to encode an R2R3 MYB transcription factor that was expressed preferentially in the anther tapetal cells and in the sugar-transporting vascular tissues. In addition, the expression of MST8, encoding a monosaccharide transporter, was greatly reduced in csa anthers. Furthermore, CSA was found to be associated in vivo and in vitro with the promoter of MST8. Our findings suggest that CSA is a key transcriptional regulator for sugar partitioning in rice during male reproductive development. This study also establishes a molecular model system for further elucidation of the genetic control of carbon partitioning in plants.
Public libraries: political vision versus public demand?
Authors: Boughey Alan , Cooper Mike
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to review UK government policy on public libraries since 2003, and to examine its relationship to other forms of demand for public libraries

Design/methodology/approach

The published literature from government and professional bodies is reviewed, alongside published statistics on library use.

Findings

Since 2003 public libraries have been the subject of sustained interest from UK government, in the form of a range of policy initiatives and incorporation in the Best Value and more recent Common Area Assessment monitoring frameworks. Alongside this, professional bodies and other commentators have put forward views on the role of libraries, but even taken together it is not clear that these represent the needs or aspirations of library service users.

Originality/value

This paper provides an overview of the demand for UK public libraries, and its synthesis will be of value to librarians, government departments and professionals in this and related fields.
Effects of socio-economic factors on the consumption of milk, yoghurt, and cheese
Authors: Celik Ates Hacer , Ceylan Melike
Published: March 2010

Purpose

– People living in rural and urban areas experience different socioeconomic conditions, which should affect their consumer behaviour. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of these socio-economic differences on the consumption of milk, yoghurt, and cheese.

Design/methodology/approach

– Face-to-face interviews are conducted with 191 households in the city of Van (Eastern Turkey). The collected data are evaluated using SPSS – Multiple Correspondence Analysis.

Findings

– Results of the evaluations show that there are socio-economical differences between urban and rural populations in terms of age, education, occupation, and income, which affects their consumption behaviour. The rural consumers generally consume raw (unpasteurized, unpackaged) milk. These consumers tend to have low income and be illiterate. The urban consumers, on the other hand, consume pasteurized milk and have higher incomes compared with the rural consumers and have a mid-level to university education. In the rural areas, consumers usually make their own yoghurt but those who purchase their yoghurt pay attention to its packaging the most. In the rural areas, consumers who make their own cheese have mid-level income and primary school education.

Originality/value

– The paper analyses the current effects of socio-economic differences in rural and urban areas on the consumption behaviour of milk, yoghurt, and cheese using the Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). MCA analysis has rarely been used in this area.
Evaluating academic library portal effectiveness
Authors: Noorman Masrek Mohamad , Jamaludin Adnan , Awang Mukhtar Sobariah
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of a specific library portal at the University of Technology MARA based on the opinions of students in the Faculty of Information Management.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is survey based; 400 self‐administered questionnaires were sent out to students of Faculty of Information Management, University of Technology MARA.

Findings

In terms of information quality assessment, respondents had indicated that the library portal met their expectations. All the information quality attributes, namely completeness, comprehensiveness, accuracy, timeliness, reliability and appropriateness of format were rated highly by users. Equally important to information quality is systems quality and service quality. When asked to evaluate the systems quality aspect of the library portal, respondents have also rated highly.

Research limitations/implications

The paper utilizes effective existing methods to determine portal effectiveness. It provides a study of only one portal, however, and as such the results are indicative only of the views of one group of students using the portal.

Originality/value

This paper offers a snapshot of a library portal and the opinions of users as regarding its effectiveness and would be of value to digital library researchers, or others interested in library portal effectiveness or design.
Three‐dimensional measurements: a review of technologies and applications
Authors: Bogue Robert
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of three‐dimensional (3D) measurement technologies and their applications.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper first describes 3D measuring techniques and then considers a selection of key applications, citing a number of specific examples. Reference is also made to certain new developments and research activities.

Findings

It is shown that both active and passive techniques are used to conduct 3D measurements. The former includes various forms of laser scanning such as time of flight, triangulation and phase measurements and photogrammetry is the main passive method. Laser‐based Doppler shift techniques are used to monitor dynamic phenomena, notably vibration, in three dimensions. These methods are used across a diversity of industries and disciplines in a wide and varied range of applications.

Originality/value

The paper provides a technical review of the leading 3D measurement technologies and their uses.
Advances in inductive position sensor technology
Authors: Golby John
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to outline the basic principles of inductive position sensors.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains one company's advances in inductive position technology in detail, together with some of the applications for which they are now suitable.

Findings

It is shown that concentrating on high volume applications in market sectors such as automotive, user interfaces, and utility metering, where the low cost of these sensors and their moderate accuracy (typically<1 percent of full scale) offers an attractive price/performance ratio.

Originality/value

An original and useful contribution direct from an international technology consulting, product development, and intellectual property [IP] licensing organisation with a reputation for successfully commercialising emerging science and technology. Which, for more than a decade, has made innovations in inductive position sensors and developed application‐specific sensor systems.
Predicting e‐procurement adoption in a developing country
Authors: Gamal Aboelmaged Mohamed
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to predict e‐procurement adoption through integrating the constructs of the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

A structural equation modelling is conducted through the analysis of 316 usable questionnaires.

Findings

The results show that the proposed model has good explanatory power and confirms its robustness, with a reasonably strong empirical support, in predicting users' intentions to use e‐procurement technology. Behavioural intention toward e‐procurement technology is mainly determined by user's attitude and additionally influenced by perceived usefulness and subjective norm.

Practical implications

The paper provides procurement system developers and managers with a useful adoption model that demonstrates the significance of perceived usefulness of e‐procurement system in influencing the adoption decision. This highlights the importance of maximizing the benefits of e‐procurement system for potential users to facilitate the adoption process.

Social implications

System developers and procurement managers should also consider the role of social influences, such as these from supply chain partners, in the adoption process and how such influences may facilitate or inhibit e‐procurement adoption process.

Originality/value

The paper is the first study that examines e‐procurement adoption in the United Arab Emirates. Also, the findings allow us to understand the importance of both technology‐related aspects and social influence in e‐procurement adoption.
Business integration model with due‐date re‐negotiations
Authors: Park Mokmin , Lee Dongmyung , Shin Kitae , Park Jinwoo
Published: March 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to enhance the responsiveness of enterprises with regard to delivery schedules in a supply chain. Based on the observations in industry, it seems that companies often re‐negotiate their due‐dates. These phenomena have begun to appear only recently, as a result of the advancements of information technology and flexibility in the supply chain. However, these due‐date re‐negotiation processes are haphazard and ad hoc in nature, and a formal process is needed to respond to market fluctuations more quickly. In this paper, a re‐negotiable order processing method is developed that can change the already‐assigned due‐dates or allow partial shipments to increase the flexibility of firm response to a rush order from a prior customer (PC).

Design/methodology/approach

A due‐date re‐negotiation process is defined and a formal system for handling customer orders is proposed. The new data and business process integration model are proposed for the due‐date re‐negotiation process based on RosettaNet's Partner Interface Processes. Web services and ubiquitous computing technologies are used in the proposed system architecture to allow for responsive sales order management.

Findings

The paper shows that assigned due‐dates can also be re‐negotiated by enhancing the connectivity and visibility of the supply chain with co‐operative customers. In the early stage of the product life cycle or high‐regional demand variation environments, it is better to re‐negotiate due‐dates than to meet scheduled due‐dates.

Practical implications

In some instances, meeting the due‐date requested by a customer relates to the success or failure of a particular sales order. The proposed re‐negotiation method could help the sales offices of the MF to respond to PC requests quickly and flexibly. Rush orders from PC might be acceptable based on the slack gained through the re‐negotiation of co‐operative customers' assigned orders.

Originality/value

There has been a considerable volume of studies on the due‐date assignment, order releasing, and scheduling problems. However, these previous studies considered due‐dates as exogenous parameters or fixed endogenous variables. In this paper, the assigned due‐dates for pre‐contracted co‐operative customers are considered as re‐negotiable variables. On the other hand, most studies on ubiquitous computing technologies, especially those relate to radio frequency identification (RFID), have focused mostly on asset management and processing time reduction. This paper suggests other benefits of increased visibility and traceability of RFID technology in enhancing responsiveness and flexibility in the sales order management system.
Emerging patterns and trends in utilizing electronic resources in a higher education environment
Authors: Deng Hepu
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an investigation of the extent to which electronic resources are utilized in higher education in Australia. It seeks to explore the pattern and trend of accessing and using electronic resources in a university library for helping university libraries manage their resources better. This leads to the identification of the underlying motivation for such emerging patterns and trends in the use of electronic resources in the university library. It also aims to identify the critical factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted to investigate the use of electronic resources in a university library and for identifying the emerging pattern and trend in accessing and using electronic resources. A comprehensive review of the relevant literature was carried out on the utilization of electronic resources, which led to the development of an online survey instrument with respect to the user profile, the frequency of use, the purpose of use, the reasons for use, and the critical factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources in a university library.

Findings

The study reveals that the usage of electronic resources is common in a university environment with the rapid advance of information and communication technologies. It shows that the use of electronic resources is very much dependent on the user and the purposes of using electronic resources. The awareness and the quality of the available electronic resources are the two important factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources. The findings shed light on the use of electronic resources and help university libraries to understand better the perception and experience of users in using electronic resources, leading to more effective and efficient use of electronic resources.

Research limitations/implications

The online survey was conducted in one university with a student population of about 57,000. It is a purposeful survey in which 305 valid responses to the survey were obtained. The survey was distributed through the university weekly news bulletin. As a result, the response rate to this survey is hard to determine owing to the insufficient information on the size of the real population in the survey. This is due to the fact that not everyone in a university will pay attention to every news item in the weekly bulletin.

Originality/value

The paper provides, for the first time, empirical data for understanding the perception and experience of users on the use of electronic resources in a university environment. It identifies the critical factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources. Such findings are of practical significance for the continuous development of electronic resources in a higher education environment.
The software implementation of decoding for RS code based on a new degree computationless modified Euclid (DCME) algorithm
Authors: Bao Tao , Xu Jiadong , Wei Gao
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to design a decoding software for the Reed‐Solomon (RS) codes, which are using an efficient degree computationless algorithm based on the Euclidean algorithm. As a consequence, the complexity of this new decoding algorithm is dramatically reduced.

Design/methodology/approach

Applying the rules of polynomial in finite field, operation modules which can carry out multiplication, inverse calculation in GF(28) are designed with “C++” language, and a RS codec software based on these is implemented. In this software, the new decoding algorithm computes the error locator polynomial and the error evaluator polynomial simultaneously without performing polynomial divisions, and there is no need for the degree computation cell and the degree comparison cell.

Findings

Owing to the help of this software, the paper can easily perform the RS code for different values of t and different primitive polynomials over GF(2m) without re‐designing the programme.

Originality/value

It will be served as an efficient auxiliary technique for algorithm development and verification together with hardware design and debugging. Furthermore, an illustrative example of (255, 223) RS code using this program shows that the speed of the decoding process is approximately three times faster than that of the conventional decoding software.
Rate control in H.264 wireless video communication system
Authors: Zeng Qiangyu , He Xiaohai , Lv Rui , Wu Wei
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce an efficient rate control algorithm for the H.264/AVC video coding in wireless communication. The adaptive rate control algorithm can reduce rate fluctuation, effectively prevent the skipping frame, and be suitable to the characteristics of wireless channel. The experimental result indicates that this plan can guarantee the quality of service of video transmission.

Design/methodology/approach

A motion complexity measure is developed to enhance the existing mean of absolute difference (MAD)‐based algorithm and is applied to bit allocation for rate control. Time and space relativities in frames are also used in the proposed rate control algorithm for MAD prediction. A quantitative parameter (QP) control scheme is used to adjust the computed QP based on actual encoding results of previous coded macroblocks (MBs) in a frame.

Findings

The proposed rate control algorithm always outperforms JM 8.6. The adaptive MAD model can reduce the prediction error. Both the subjective and objective reconstructed video qualities are improved, and the luminance PSNR is increased by up to 0.53 dB (or an average of around 0.37 dB).

Originality/value

The adaptive rate control algorithm based on motion complexity and MAD prediction with space and time relativities will be suitable for wireless communication applications.
Characteristic analysis of switching voltage power spectra under the mode of random carrier‐frequency modulation
Authors: Guo Haiyan , Li Zhaoji , Zhang Bo
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical platform for studying the characteristic of random carrier frequency (RCF) modulation and analyze the related parameters in terms of electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppressing.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the expression of the amplitude of switching voltage power spectra under the RCF mode is presented. According to the expression, the effectiveness of related parameters on EMI mitigation is discussed. Theoretical predictions are confirmed with a closed‐loop boost converter which power is 7.5 W and nominal switching frequency is 200 KHz. Finally, special attention has been paid to output voltage ripple.

Findings

Under RCF scheme, with increasing of random degree, the spectrum of switching voltage is dispersed, so the power spectrum density amplitude of switching voltage falls, and then the level of EMI is lowered. This theory shows that the voltage power spectrum density attains maximum when d=0.5, so in the spread spectrum modulation, the duty cycle of 0.5 should be avoided in terms of conducted EMI mitigation.

Originality/value

The analytical expression of switching voltage power spectra under the RCF mode is presented, providing a theoretical platform for the related research. The selection of duty cycle has effect on EMI level is put forward for the first time. Voltage ripple is discussed in close‐loop circuit.
Interfacial gradient priors‐based geodesic geometric flows for 3D medical image segmentation
Authors: Hao Jiasheng , Shen Yi , Xu Hongbing , Zou Jianxiao
Published: March 2010

Purpose

The 3D medical image segmentation is a really difficult problem. The purpose of this paper is to present a novel segmentation method for cases that some regions of interest to be segmented from 3D medical images have strong similarities such as gradient between adjacent slides.

Design/methodology/approach

This method brings gradient characteristics of the adjacent‐segmented slide, called interfacial gradient priors, into the slide waiting for segmentation and to help the contour converge to actual boundary more accurately.

Findings

This method will improve the stopping criterion of curve evolution through introduction of adjacent slide's prior information into edge detection function, so that the leakage phenomena that exists in geometric active contour model when discontinuous or weak edges appear is reduced.

Originality/value

Introducing adjacent slide's priors improves the precision and stability of geodesic geometric flows in 3D medical image segmentation.