bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
BODIPY-Based Ratiometric Fluoroionophores with Bidirectional Spectral Shifts for the Selective Recognition of Heavy Metal Ions
Authors: Hafuka Akira , Taniyama Hiroki , Son Sang-Hyun , Yamada Koji , Takahashi Masahiro , Okabe Satoshi , Satoh Hisashi
Published: December 2012

Two novel asymmetric BODIPY fluoroionophores with dipicolylamine (BDP-DPA, dipicolylamine: bis(pyridylmethyl)) and terpyridine (BDP-TPY) are described. These fluoroionophores display opposite wavelength responses on complexation with heavy metal ions. Furthermore, the fluorescence spectra vary depending on the ionic species. In particular, BDP-DPA shows a high affinity toward Cr3+ and upon complexation, the fluorescence spectrum blue-shifts from 591 to 566 nm. In contrast, BDP-TPY preferentially binds to Zn2+ and the fluorescence spectra red-shifts from 539 to 567 nm. BDP-TPY is the first example of asymmetric BODIPY with a pyridyl receptor at the 3 position showing red-shifted fluorescence by complexation with metal ions. The concentration of each metal ion was successfully determined by ratiometric measurement. The wavelength-responses characteristics of these fluoroionophores could be very useful in the development of novel ratiometric fluoroionophores for metal ions.
Chemistry of Anthracene–Acetylene Oligomers. XXI. Structures and Stereochemistry of Chiral Anthracene–Acetylene Dimers with an Intra-Annular Alkoxy Group
Authors: Tsuya Takuya , Iwanaga Tetsuo , Toyota Shinji
Published: December 2012

Anthracene–acetylene cyclic dimers having a methoxy or an ethoxy group at the intra-annular position were synthesized by cross-coupling reactions. DFT calculations suggested that the alkoxy–alkyl groups were perpendicular to the planar rigid framework leading to a chiral structure. The enantiomers were resolved by chiral HPLC and their chiroptical properties were characterized by optical rotation and CD spectral measurements. Their absolute stereochemistries were assigned by the theoretical calculation of CD spectra by using the TDDFT method. Kinetic measurements revealed that the barriers to enantiomerization were 122 and >142 kJ mol−1 for the methoxy and ethoxy compounds, respectively. The structures and stereochemistries are compared with those of intra-annular alkyl derivatives.
Electrochemical Preparation of Controllably Large-sized Mesoporous Platinum Films by Using Diblock Copolymers and an Organic Expander
Authors: Sekine Kaori , Doi Yoji , Takai Azusa , Yamauchi Yusuke , Kuroda Kazuyuki
Published: December 2012

Mesoporous Pt films with controllably large-sized mesopores were prepared by using a diblock copolymer (polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide), PS-b-PEO) and an organic expander (polystyrene homopolymer, h-PS). With the increase in the molecular weight of PS-b-PEO, the mesopore size gradually increased. All films possess spherical cage-type mesopores irrespectively of both the molecular weight of PS-b-PEO and the use of the expander.
Changeover of the Thermodynamic Behavior for Hydrogen Storage in Rh with Increasing Nanoparticle Size
Authors: Kusada Kohei , Kobayashi Hirokazu , Ikeda Ryuichi , Morita Hitoshi , Kitagawa Hiroshi
Published: December 2012

We first report the hydrogen storage properties of Rh nanoparticles having a diameter over 10 nm and the change in the temperature dependences of hydrogen storage based on particle sizes of Rh nanoparticles. Hydrogen storage was investigated by hydrogen pressure–composition isotherm and solid-state 2H NMR measurements. We demonstrate that Rh nanoparticles with dimensions of ca. 10 nm absorb hydrogen similar to smaller Rh nanoparticles; however, the enthalpy of hydrogen storage in Rh nanoparticles is changed from exothermic to endothermic with increasing particle size, with a critical size between 7.1 and 10.5 nm. The thermodynamics of hydrogen storage in Rh can be tuned by controlling the particle size.
Oxygen-17 NMR Study of Defects in LnO1.5–CeO2 (Ln = La and Nd)
Authors: Ando Mariko , Oikawa Itaru , Ohki Shinobu , Tansho Masataka , Shimizu Tadashi , Maekawa Hideki , Kiyono Hajime
Published: December 2012

The local structure around the oxide ions in LnO1.5–CeO2 (Ln = La, Nd) was studied by using 17O NMR spectroscopy. Each spectrum of LnO1.5–CeO2 showed a broad peak due to a distribution of oxygen tetrahedra. From the peak separation, the relative numbers of oxygen tetrahedra, O[Ce]4, O[Ce]3[Ln], and O[Ce]2[Ln]2, were determined quantitatively. In the La2O3–CeO2 system, the amounts of O[Ce]4, O[Ce]3[Ln], and O[Ce]2[Ln]2 deviated from the calculated value for over 20 mol % La-doped ceria (LDC). The distribution of oxygen tetrahedra for LaO1.5–CeO2 differed from those in LnO1.5–CeO2 (Ln = Nd, Y). These results suggest that the stability of the oxygen tetrahedra changes with the size of the doped ions.
Promoting Effect of CeO2 on the Catalytic Activity of Rhodium Supported on Y-Stabilized ZrO2 for NO–CO–C3H6–O2 Reactions
Authors: Haneda Masaaki , Sawada Hirotaka , Kamiuchi Naoto , Ozawa Masakuni
Published: December 2012

The catalytic activity of Rh supported on Y-stabilized ZrO2 for NO–CO–C3H6–O2 reactions under stoichiometric conditions was improved by the addition of 5 mol % CeO2, whereas an excess amount of CeO2 of more than 10 mol % caused a decrease in the NO reduction activity. The improvement was ascribed to the formation of easily reducible Rh species through interaction with a Ce–Zr solid solution.
Anion Effect on Femtosecond OHD-RIKES and Raman Spectroscopy of Imidazolium-based Room-temperature Ionic Liquids
Authors: Lu Rong , Wang Wei , Yuan Shuwei , Yu Anchi
Published: December 2012

The femtosecond optical heterodyne-detected Raman-induced Kerr-effect spectroscopy (OHD-RIKES) time profiles of [Bmim][PF6], [Bmim][BF4], and [Bmim]I present similar damping oscillations, indicating that their femtosecond OHD-RIKES signals mainly arise from [Bmim]+ cations. Both the femtosecond OHD-RIKES fast Fourier-transform spectra and the Raman spectra of [Bmim][PF6], [Bmim][BF4], and [Bmim]I reveal that the interactions between two [Bmim]+ cations in [Bmim]I are stronger than those in [Bmim][PF6] and [Bmim][BF4].
Antibacterial Activity of Chemically Reduced Graphene Oxide Assembly with Chitosan through Noncovalent Interactions
Authors: Ko Tae Yun , Kim So Yeon , Kim Hyun Gu , Moon Gi-Seong , In Insik
Published: December 2012

Noncovalent functionalization of antibacterial chitosan on chemically reduced graphene oxide (RGO) provides both dispersion stability and antibacterial activity for RGO, which is an insoluble and nonbioactive carbon nanomaterial. In situ chemical reduction of graphene oxide (GO) in the presence of chitosan under acidic conditions produces a stable dispersion of RGO/chitosan assemblies. The prepared RGO/chitosan assemblies show enhanced antibacterial activity for Escherichia coli JM109 compared with GO, suggesting that noncovalent chemistry can minimize any detrimental effects on the bioactivity, which is one of the critical features for biofunctionalization of carbon nanomaterials such as graphene.
Estimated Mobility of Ambipolar Organic Semiconductors, Indigo and Diketopyrrolopyrrole
Authors: Kojima Hirotaka , Mori Takehiko
Published: December 2012

The title organic molecules, recently used as building blocks of ambipolar π-conjugated polymers, are investigated by molecular orbital calculations. The tendency that the transfer integral and the reorganization energy increase at the same time helps the accomplishment of balanced hole and electron mobilities.
Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Effect of Hexagonally Arranged Gold Nanoparticle Array with 29-nm Particles and 23-nm Gaps Using Liquid-crystalline Block-copolymer Template
Authors: Hadano Shingo , Handa Hiroshige , Nagai Keiji , Iyoda Tomokazu , Li JingZe , Watanabe Shigeru
Published: December 2012

A hexagonally arranged gold nanoparticle array with a particle size of 29 nm and gap of 23 nm was fabricated on a silicon wafer substrate through the block-copolymer templating method. Its molecular sensing ability was examined on the basis of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). With 4-sulfanylpyridine (4-Spy) used as a target molecule, the SERS enhancement factor (EF) for this array was 7.0 × 104. A linear relationship between the SERS signal and the amount of 4-Spy was obtained, with a dynamic range of four orders of magnitude. The highly reproducible SERS sensing originates from the well-ordered gold nanoparticle arrangement over the whole substrate.
Nanoparticle Fabrication with Biodegradable Block Copolymer Composed of Hydrophilic Poly(trimethylene carbonate) Derivative and Hydrophobic Polylactide
Authors: Chu Hong , Ajiro Hiroharu , Takahashi Yoshikazu , Chen Mingqing , Akashi Mitsuru
Published: December 2012

A poly(trimethylene carbonate) derivative with a methoxyethoxyl group, poly[5-(2-methoxyethyoxymethyl)-5-methyl-1,3-dioxan-2-one] (poly(TMCM-MOE1OM)), was used as a block copolymer component with polylactide. The hydrophilic properties of the poly(TMCM-MOE1OM) segment resulted in nanoparticles with acetonitrile/water through a self-organized precipitation process. Wide applications of the obtained nanoparticles are expected owing to the biodegradability of both the interior and exterior parts, which are composed of different polymer backbones.
Exfoliation of Layered Octosilicate by Simple Cation Exchange with Didecyldimethylammonium Ions
Authors: Osada Shimon , Iribe Aoi , Kuroda Kazuyuki
Published: December 2012

Layered octosilicate was exfoliated by stirring didecyldimethylammonium-exchanged silicate in pentane with ultrasonication. The silicate framework was retained at least partly even after the exfoliation. Loosely arranged decyl groups in the interlayers probably induce the exfoliation. This exfoliation method should be applicable to other layered alkali silicates.
The role of doctors in investigation, prevention and treatment of torture
Authors: Mccoll Helen , Bhui Kamaldeep , Jones Edgar
Published: December 2012

Doctors may assess and treat torture survivors; some may document crucial evidence of torture in medico-legal reports. However, there is a lack of education on torture and related ethical and legal issues at undergraduate and postgraduate level and many doctors are not aware of opportunities to work with organisations for the prevention of torture. This paper defines Torture, describes methods used, and sets out the human rights instruments and codes of ethical practice that mandate efforts to prevent torture. Medical complicity in torture is discussed and the need for national and international medical associations to prevent torture by both supporting doctors and recognising and tackling medial complicity. The paper offers guidance for assessing and documenting torture, and for providing health care for survivors of torture.
Phlebosclerosis in lower extremities veins
Authors: Labropoulos N , Tzogias L , Malgor R D , Antoniou G , Giannoukas A D
Published: December 2012

Objectives: To determine the prevalence, distribution and extent of phlebosclerosis in an outpatient population referred to vascular clinic.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Patients and Methods: Seven hundred and forty consecutive patients, 302 (41%) men with a cohort median age of 49 (range, 18–84), were referred to the vascular clinic for detection of lower extremity acute or chronic venous disease. A total of 1000 limbs were assessed using duplex ultrasonography. Deep veins were not assessed. Characteristics of venous wall and lumen were studied. Phlebosclerosis was diagnosed based on the increased echogenicity and thickness or calcification of the venous wall. Patients with known trauma or any surgery in the lower extremities were excluded. Two control groups were used for comparison, one of consecutive patients undergoing vein mapping ( n = 100) and the other of younger volunteers free of any vein disease ( n = 25).

Results: Of the 1000 limbs (right: 458, left: 542) studied by duplex ultrasound, 21 limbs had intense brightness of the venous wall. Fifteen of them had also calcifications and 61 wall thickening. The prevalence of phlebosclerosis was significantly higher in the patient group when compared with control groups 1 (P = 0.019) and 2 (P = 0.011). The mean age of patients with phlebosclerosis was higher compared with the whole patient group (57 versus 49 years, P < 0.0001). Phlebosclerosis affected all superficial veins with greater prevalence in the small saphenous vein (SSV). The mean length of the phlebosclerotic lesion was 2 cm (range 1–7 cm).

Conclusion: The prevalence of phlebosclerosis in the lower extremities appears to be low with no significant sex differences. Age and chronic venous disease are important factors for its development. It may be present in the absence of thrombosis or reflux. A greater prevalence of phlebosclerotic lesions was found in the SSV.
Lipid Droplets and Peroxisomes: Key Players in Cellular Lipid Homeostasis or A Matter of Fat—Store ’em Up or Burn ’em Down
Authors: Kohlwein Sepp D , Veenhuis Marten , van der Klei Ida J
Published: December 2012

Lipid droplets (LDs) and peroxisomes are central players in cellular lipid homeostasis: some of their main functions are to control the metabolic flux and availability of fatty acids (LDs and peroxisomes) as well as of sterols (LDs). Both fatty acids and sterols serve multiple functions in the cell—as membrane stabilizers affecting membrane fluidity, as crucial structural elements of membrane-forming phospholipids and sphingolipids, as protein modifiers and signaling molecules, and last but not least, as a rich carbon and energy source. In addition, peroxisomes harbor enzymes of the malic acid shunt, which is indispensable to regenerate oxaloacetate for gluconeogenesis, thus allowing yeast cells to generate sugars from fatty acids or nonfermentable carbon sources. Therefore, failure of LD and peroxisome biogenesis and function are likely to lead to deregulated lipid fluxes and disrupted energy homeostasis with detrimental consequences for the cell. These pathological consequences of LD and peroxisome failure have indeed sparked great biomedical interest in understanding the biogenesis of these organelles, their functional roles in lipid homeostasis, interaction with cellular metabolism and other organelles, as well as their regulation, turnover, and inheritance. These questions are particularly burning in view of the pandemic development of lipid-associated disorders worldwide.
Dementia and amputation
Authors: Schuch Vera , Moysidis Theodoros , Weiland Dorothea , Santosa Frans , Kröger Knut
Published: December 2012

Objectives

To our experience dementia seems to play an increasing role for major amputation in patients suffering from peripheral arterial disease (PAD). To confirm our impression, we analysed the rate of dementia associated with different surgical procedures using the information of the federal statistics in Germany.

Patients and Methods

Detailed lists of cases hospitalized with the principal diagnosis (PAD), abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), myocardial infarction (MI) and hip fracture (HF), and of the procedures minor or major amputation, endovascular aortic repair (EVAR), total endoprosthesis for hip replacement (THR) and coronary aortic bypass graft (CABG) in Germany in the years 2008 to 2010 were provided by the Federal Statistical Office.

Results

Dementia is documented as additional diagnosis in approximately one fourth of cases having the principal diagnosis HF, 5% to 6% of cases with the principal diagnosis MI and PAD, but only in approximately 2% of AAA cases. Dementia is documented as principal or additional diagnosis in one fourth of amputation procedures (major amputation approximately 18% and minor amputation approximately 8%), in approximately 5% THR, 2% of EVAR and only 0.3% of CABG. The rate of documentation of dementia is higher in patients treated by major amputation than in the hospitalized PAD population. Vice versa, the rate of documentation of dementia is lower in patients getting THR than in the hospitalized HF population.

Conclusion

The presented analysis supports the assumption that dementia plays a relevant role in older patients suffering from PAD receiving major amputation in Germany.
Elevation of monocyte-platelet aggregates is an early marker of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Patkó Zsófia , Császár Albert , Acsády György , Őry Iván , Takács Éva , Fűrész József
Published: December 2012

Background

Diabetes has been shown to be an accelerating factor in the progression of atherosclerosis. The metabolic changes in diabetes contribute to modified platelet function and enhanced leukocyte-platelet aggregate formation. The attachment of activated platelets leads to the activation of leukocytes causing enhanced cytokine production and upregulation of surface adhesion molecules. Therefore, platelet-leukocyte aggregates may be of great importance in the development of cardiovascular complications.

Materials and Methods

Monocyte-platelet aggregates and monocyte Mac-1 expression were measured by flow cytometry to obtain differences between type 2 diabetic and healthy subjects. Inflammatory mediators were evaluated to assess the presence of inflammation.

Results

We found no signs of inflammation in type 2 diabetes; however, we observed enhanced aggregation level of monocytes and platelets. The expression of Mac-1 did not differ between diabetic and control subjects, but it was significantly higher on monocytes bearing platelets in both groups.

Conclusions

Elevation of monocyte-platelet aggregates is an early marker of diabetes, which precedes the signs of inflammation. Enhanced Mac-1 expression can be observed on monocytes bearing platelets, independent from the presence of diabetes.
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging of isolated perfused pig hearts in a 3T clinical MR scanner
Authors: Schuster Andreas , Chiribiri Amedeo , Ishida Masaki , Morton Geraint , Paul Matthias , Hussain Shazia T. , Bigalke Boris , Perera Divaka , Schaeffter Tobias , Nagel Eike
Published: December 2012

Purpose

An isolated perfused pig heart model has recently been proposed for the development of novel methods in standard clinical magnetic resonance (MR) scanners. The original set-up required the electrical system to be within the safe part of the MR-room, which introduced significant background noise. The purpose of the current work was to refine the system to overcome this limitation so that all electrical parts are completely outside the scanner room.

Methods

Four pig hearts were explanted under terminal anaesthesia from large white cross landrace pigs. All hearts underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) scanning in the MR part of a novel combined 3T MR and x-ray fluoroscopy (XMR) suite. CMR scanning included real-time k-t SENSE functional imaging, k-t SENSE accelerated perfusion imaging and late gadolinium enhancement imaging. Interference with image quality was assessed by spurious echo imaging and compared to noise levels acquired while operating the electrical parts within the scanner room.

Results

Imaging was performed successfully in all hearts. The system proved suitable for isolated heart perfusion in a novel 3T XMR suite. No significant additional noise was introduced into the scanner room by our set-up.

Conclusions

We have substantially improved a previous version of an isolated perfused pig heart model and made it applicable for MR imaging in a state of the art clinical 3T XMR imaging suite. The use of this system should aid novel CMR sequence development and translation into clinical practice.
Experimental validation of numerical simulations on a cerebral aneurysm phantom model
Authors: Bordás Róbert , Seshadhri Santhosh , Janiga Gábor , Skalej Martin , Thévenin Dominique
Published: December 2012

The treatment of cerebral aneurysms, found in roughly 5% of the population and associated in case of rupture to a high mortality rate, is a major challenge for neurosurgery and neuroradiology due to the complexity of the intervention and to the resulting, high hazard ratio. Improvements are possible but require a better understanding of the associated, unsteady blood flow patterns in complex 3D geometries. It would be very useful to carry out such studies using suitable numerical models, if it is proven that they reproduce accurately enough the real conditions. This validation step is classically based on comparisons with measured data. Since in vivo measurements are extremely difficult and therefore of limited accuracy, complementary model-based investigations considering realistic configurations are essential. In the present study, simulations based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have been compared with in situ, laser-Doppler velocimetry (LDV) measurements in the phantom model of a cerebral aneurysm. The employed 1:1 model is made from transparent silicone. A liquid mixture composed of water, glycerin, xanthan gum and sodium chloride has been specifically adapted for the present investigation. It shows physical flow properties similar to real blood and leads to a refraction index perfectly matched to that of the silicone model, allowing accurate optical measurements of the flow velocity. For both experiments and simulations, complex pulsatile flow waveforms and flow rates were accounted for. This finally allows a direct, quantitative comparison between measurements and simulations. In this manner, the accuracy of the employed computational model can be checked.
Time course for arm and chest muscle thickness changes following bench press training
Authors: Ogasawara Riki , Thiebaud Robert S. , Loenneke Jeremy P. , Loftin Mark , Abe Takashi
Published: December 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the time course of hypertrophic adaptations in both the upper arm and trunk muscles following high-intensity bench press training. Seven previously untrained young men (aged 25±3 years) performed free-weight bench press training 3 days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) per week for 24 weeks. Training intensity and volume were set at 75% of one repetition maximum (1-RM) and 30 repetitions (3 sets of 10 repetitions, with 2–3 min of rest between sets), respectively. Muscle thickness (MTH) was measured using B-mode ultrasound at three sites: the biceps and triceps brachii and the pectoralis major. Measurements were taken a week prior to the start of training, before the training session on every Monday and 3 days after the final training session. Pairwise comparisons from baseline revealed that pectoralis major MTH significantly increased after week-1 (p=0.002), triceps MTH increased after week-5 (p=0.001) and 1-RM strength increased after week-3 (p=0.001) while no changes were observed in the biceps MTH from baseline. Significant muscle hypertrophy was observed earlier in the chest compared to that of the triceps. Our results indicate that the time course of the muscle hypertrophic response differs between the upper arm and chest.
Transradial rotablation in a patient with dextrocardia and acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Showkathali Refai , Davies John R.
Published: December 2012

An 82-year-old gentleman with situs inversus and dextrocardia was admitted to our unit following thrombolysis for inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Due to ongoing ischemic symptoms, he underwent emergency transradial coronary angiography. His culprit right coronary artery (RCA) was heavily calcified with severe stenosis in the mid and distal segments. Therefore, rotational atherectomy was performed for debulking, and four drug eluting stents were deployed in the RCA. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of successful transradial rotablation percutaneous coronary intervention in acute STEMI in a patient with dextrocardia. We also did not use temporary pacemaker wire insertion (TPW) because of the risk of right ventricular perforation (RV) in inferior STEMI with RV involvement.
Ratio‐dependent predation in a field experiment with wasps
Authors: Spataro Thierry , Bacher Sven , Bersier Louis-Félix , Arditi Roger
Published: December 2012

The functional response is a key component of trophic interactions since it quantifies the per capita rate of prey consumption. Determining whether this rate depends on the prey density only (which is the standard assumption), on both prey and predator densities, or simply on their ratio is essential to understand interacting populations. Several experiments have convincingly demonstrated ratio dependence but, with very few exceptions, they were conducted in laboratory conditions. The difficulty of collecting the required data (initial prey density, prey consumption, predator density) probably explains the lack of evidence from functional responses observed in natural systems. A field experiment was previously conducted with a paper wasp and its prey, shield beetle larvae. Both densities were manipulated and the prey consumption was measured. A first analysis led to the conclusion that the functional response of the wasps depended on both prey and predator densities but could not be considered being ratio dependent.

Here, we perform an improved analysis of these data, making better justified assumptions and using more appropriate statistical methods. We fit several functional response models to the data and select the best one with information‐theoretic criteria. We also estimate the model parameters and their confidence intervals. This more reliable analysis significantly modifies the original conclusion. Both model selection and parameter estimation indicate that ratio dependence governs the functional response of paper wasps preying on shield beetles in the field. Therefore, ratio dependence is not a laboratory artefact and should be more systematically considered as a potential model for describing functional responses.
Optimal node placement of industrial wireless sensor networks based on adaptive mutation probability binary particle swarm optimization algorithm
Authors: Wang Ling , Ye Wei , Wang Haikuan , Fu Xiping , Fei Minrui , Menhas Ilyas
Published: December 2012

Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks (IWSNs), a novel technique in industry
control, can greatly reduce the cost of measurement and control and improve
productive efficiency. Different from Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) in
non-industrial applications, the communication reliability of IWSNs has to be
guaranteed as the real-time field data need to be transmitted to the control
system through IWSNs. Obviously, the network architecture has a significant
influence on the performance of IWSNs, and therefore this paper investigates
the optimal node placement problem of IWSNs to ensure the network reliability
and reduce the cost. To solve this problem, a node placement model of IWSNs
is developed and formulized in which the reliability, the setup cost, the
maintenance cost and the scalability of the system are taken into account.
Then an improved adaptive mutation probability binary particle swarm
optimization algorithm (AMPBPSO) is proposed for searching out the best
placement scheme. After the verification of the model and optimization
algorithm on the benchmark problem, the presented AMPBPSO and the
optimization model are used to solve various large-scale optimal sensor
placement problems. The experimental results show that AMPBPSO is effective
to tackle IWSNs node placement problems and outperforms discrete binary
Particle Swarm Optimization (DBPSO) and standard Genetic Algorithm (GA) in
terms of search accuracy and the convergence speed with the guaranteed
network reliability.
Superior performance of using hyperbolic sine activation functions in ZNN illustrated via time-varying matrix square roots finding
Authors: Zhang Yunong , Jin Long , Ke Zhende
Published: December 2012

A special class of recurrent neural network (RNN), termed Zhang neural
network (ZNN) depicted in the implicit dynamics, has recently been proposed
for online solution of time-varying matrix square roots. Such a ZNN model can
be constructed by using monotonically-increasing odd activation functions to
obtain the theoretical time-varying matrix square roots in an error-free
manner. Different choices of activation function arrays may lead to different
performance of the ZNN model. Generally speaking, ZNN model using hyperbolic
sine activation functions may achieve better performance, as compared with
those using other activation functions. In this paper, to pursue the superior
convergence and robustness properties, hyperbolic sine activation functions
are applied to the ZNN model for online solution of time-varying matrix
square roots. Theoretical analysis and computer-simulation results further
demonstrate the superior performance of the ZNN model using hyperbolic sine
activation functions in the context of large model-implementation errors, in
comparison with that using linear activation functions.
Application of grid-based k-means clustering algorithm for optimal image processing
Authors: Shi Tingna , Wang Penglong , Wang Jeenshing , Yue Shihong
Published: December 2012

The effectiveness of K-means clustering algorithm for image segmentation has
been proven in many studies, but is limited in the following problems: 1)
the determination of a proper number of clusters. If the number of clusters
is determined incorrectly, a good-quality segmented image cannot be
guaranteed; 2) the poor typicality of clustering prototypes; and 3) the
determination of an optimal number of pixels. The number of pixels plays an
important role in any image processing, but so far there is no general and
efficient method to determine the optimal number of pixels. In this paper, a
grid-based K-means algorithm is proposed for image segmentation. The
advantages of the proposed algorithm over the existing K-means algorithm
have been validated by some benchmark datasets. In addition, we further
analyze the basic characteristics of the algorithm and propose a general
index based on maximizing grey differences between investigated objective
grays and background grays. Without any additional condition, the proposed
index is robust in identifying an optimal number of pixels. Our experiments
have validated the effectiveness of the proposed index by the image results
that are consistent with the visual perception of the datasets.
Active semi-supervised framework with data editing
Authors: Zhang Xue , Xiao Wangxin
Published: December 2012

In order to address the insufficient training data problem, many active
semi-supervised algorithms have been proposed. The self-labeled training data
in semi-supervised learning may contain much noise due to the insufficient
training data. Such noise may snowball themselves in the following learning
process and thus hurt the generalization ability of the final hypothesis.
Extremely few labeled training data in sparsely labeled text classification
aggravate such situation. If such noise could be identified and removed by
some strategy, the performance of the active semi-supervised algorithms
should be improved. However, such useful techniques of identifying and
removing noise have been seldom explored in existing active semi-supervised
algorithms. In this paper, we propose an active semi-supervised framework
with data editing (we call it ASSDE) to improve sparsely labeled text
classification. A data editing technique is used to identify and remove noise
introduced by semi-supervised labeling. We carry out the data editing
technique by fully utilizing the advantage of active learning, which is novel
according to our knowledge. The fusion of active learning with data editing
makes ASSDE more robust to the sparsity and the distribution bias of the
training data. It further simplifies the design of semi-supervised learning
which makes ASSDE more efficient. Extensive experimental study on several
real-world text data sets shows the encouraging results of the proposed
framework for sparsely labeled text classification, compared with several
state-of-the-art methods.
University campus social network system for knowledge sharing
Authors: Du Zhao , Fu Xiaolong , Zhao Can , Liu Ting , Liu Qifeng
Published: December 2012

Public online social network services have achieved dazzling success in
recent years. As a result, vertical social network services for universities
are expected warmly by campus users. As the majority of activities in
university campus are knowledge and social interaction intensive, one of the
core functions of campus social network system is to facilitate knowledge
sharing on campus. In the cyberspace of universities, knowledge is stored in
various kinds of digital resources such as documents, photos, videos etc. In
this paper, we discuss the design and implementation of our campus social
network system, concentrating on knowledge sharing mechanism in the system.
The knowledge sharing mechanism has five features including the utilization
of users? personal social network to facilitate the dissemination of digital
resources, the use of a six-tuple model based tagging to realize the unified
labeling for digital resources, the fine-grained access control based on
friend lists for safer knowledge sharing, the adoption of a multiscale
evaluation method for digital resources and personalized recommendation for
digital resource with social graph based collaborative filtering as its core
idea. With all these considerations, we expect to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of knowledge while enlarging the dissemination scope of digital
resources carrying it in cyberspace of universities.
Formal verification of signature-monitoring mechanisms by model checking
Authors: Tan Lanfang , Tan Qingping , Xu Jianjun , Zhou Huiping
Published: December 2012

In recent decades, reliability in the presence of transient faults has been a
significant problem. To mitigate the effects of transient faults,
fault-tolerant techniques are proposed. However, validating the effectiveness
of fault-tolerant techniques is another problem. In this paper, we present an
original approach to evaluate the effectiveness of signature-monitoring
mechanisms. The approach is based on model-checking principles. First, the
fault tolerant model is proposed using step-operational semantics. Second,
the fault model is refined into a state transition system that is translated
into the input program of the symbolic model checker NuSMV. Using NuSMV, two
reprehensive signature-monitoring algorithms are verified. The approach
avoids the state space explosion problem and the verification was completed
with practical time. The verification results reveal some undetected errors,
which have not been previously observed.
Automatic T-S fuzzy model with application to designing predictive controller
Authors: Su Zhi-Gang , Wang Pei-Hong , Zhang Yu-Fei
Published: December 2012

A novel methodology is proposed to automatically extract T-S fuzzy model with
enhanced performance using VABC-FCM algorithm, a novel Variable string length
Artificial Bee Colony algorithm (VABC) based Fuzzy C-Mean clustering
technique. Such automatic methodology not requires a priori specification of
the rule number and has low approximation error and high prediction accuracy
with appreciate rule number. Afterward, a new predictive controller is then
proposed by using the automatic T-S fuzzy model as the dynamic predictive
model and VABC as the rolling optimizer. Some experiments were conducted on
the superheated steam temperature in power plant to validate the performance
of the proposed predictive controller. It suggests that the proposed
controller has powerful performance and outperforms some other popular
controllers.
A formal approach to testing programs in practice
Authors: Liu Shaoying , Shen Wuwei , Nakajima Shin
Published: December 2012

A program required to be tested in practice often has no available source
code for some reason and how to adequately test such a program is still an
open problem. In this paper, we describe a formal specification-based testing
approach to tackle this challenge. The principal idea is first to formalize
the informal requirements into formal operation specifications that take the
interface scenarios of the program into account, and then utilize the
specifications for test case generation and test result analysis. An example
and case study of applying the approach to an IC card system is presented to
illustrate its usage and analyze its performance.
Agent negotiation on resources with nonlinear utility functions
Authors: Tong Xiangrong , Zhang Wei , Huang Houkuan
Published: December 2012

To date, researches on agent multi-issue negotiation are mostly based on
linear utility functions. However, the relationship between utilities and
resources is usually saturated nonlinear. To this end, we expand linear
utility functions to nonlinear cases according to the law of diminishing
marginal utility. Furthermore, we propose a negotiation model on multiple
divisible resources with two phases to realize Pareto optimal results. The
computational complexity of the proposed algorithm is polynomial order.
Experimental results show that the optimized efficiency of the proposed
algorithm is distinctly higher than prior work.
Modeling of structural and thermodynamics properties of sigma-phase for the Fe-Cr system
Authors: Udovskya A. , Kupavtseva M.
Published: December 2012

The three- sub-lattice model (3SLM) for description of atom?s distribution of
two components with different coordination numbers (12, 14 and 15), into
s-phase structure depended on composition and temperature is depictured in
this paper. Energetic parameters of 3SLM were calculated by fitting procedure
fixed to results obtained by ab-initio calculations conducted for
paramagnetic states of differently ordered complexes stayed at the
sigma-phase?s crystal structure for Fe-Cr system at 0 K. Respective algorithm
and computer program have allowed to calculate an atom distribution of
components upon the sub-lattices of s-phase at 300 - 1100 K. There is
satisfactory agreement between calculated results and the experimental data
obtained by neutron and structural research methods. Obtained results
demonstrate satisfactory agreement between calculated and experimental data
of BCC solutions and sigma - phase of the Fe-Cr system stayed at an
equilibrium state.
Teachers’ assessments of demonstration of student initiative
Authors: Komlenovic Djurdjica , Polovina Nada
Published: December 2012

This paper explores student initiative or student engagement in activities in
school environment, as an aspect of students? functioning that is assumed to
be a prerequisite for their contribution to the quality of instruction and
better use of possibilities for education and development in school
environment. We approach this topic from teachers? perspective since it is
our aim to observe how teachers assess the initiative of their students (how
important it is, how it is manifested, how present it is in different
segments of school activities). In the first part of the paper we analyze the
construct ?student initiative? and a similar construct ?student engagement?.
In the second part of the paper we present the results of a research in which
primary school teachers (N=182) from the territory of Serbia expressed their
views on student initiative. Teachers? answers to open- and close-ended
questions from the questionnaire (19 items in total) were processed by
quantitative and qualitative methodology. Research results indicate that the
majority of teachers believed that student initiative was a very important
general feature of behavior in school environment, independent of age, which
was most present in the domain of peer socializing and relationship with
teachers, and least present in the very domains of student functioning that
teachers deemed the most desirable (mastering the curriculum, regulation of
disciplinary issues).
The effects of problem-based learning about modern concepts of education and classroom discipline models in education of students of the Teachers’ Training Faculty
Authors: Tadic Aleksandar , Radovanovic Ivica
Published: December 2012

The paper elaborates the necessity of including the contents related to
theoretical approaches to classroom discipline, research results on this
topic and prevention models of classroom discipline in the curriculum of
university education of future class teachers. Learning about the features of
modern concepts of education and their understanding should precede learning
about modern classroom discipline models in education of students of the
Teachers? Training Faculty. The selection of a discipline model and
strategies for maintaining classroom discipline should be consistent with the
concept of education accepted by the teacher. The aim of the conducted
research was to determine the effects of problem-based learning about modern
concepts of education and classroom discipline models on students? opinions
about the nature of children and adequate disciplinary measures in conflict
situations. A quasi-experiment with parallel groups was used in the research,
comprising 53 respondents, 32 in the control group and 21 in the experimental
group. The results of the conducted experiment indicate that, compared to the
control group, the experimental group was much more optimistic about the
nature of children, considerably more attached to positive educational
procedures, more consistent in elaborating disciplinary measures and more
successful at articulating and explaining their attitudes.
Teachers’ intuition and knowledge in detecting specific learning disabilities
Authors: Obradovic Svetlana , Krstic Nadezda
Published: December 2012

The aim of the study was to investigate primary school teachers? proficiency
in detecting the ability-achievement discrepancy as a landmark of possible
specific developmental learning disabilities (SLD). Twenty-two teachers in
five schools attempted to select, in accordance with their perception and out
of a larger preliminary sample, those students whose school results revealed:
(a) discrepancy between school achievement and general abilities (the group
of purportedly disharmonic children, GPD) or (b) concordance between general
abilities and achievement (the group of purportedly harmonic children, GPH).
The children were tested by REVISK, while teachers re-assessed students?
reading, writing and arithmetic performance against a simple structured
questionnaire based on demands of the approved elementary school program
delineated by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia. Research
results indicate that more than 60% of children originally qualified to GPH
have actually shown significant discrepancy between targeted scholastic
skills and (normal) general intelligence. The data suggested some association
between students? disparity in attainment and teachers? attribution accuracy,
while the only homogenous quantitative marker of misplaced children were
decreased values on some of the REVISK Verbal subscale tests. This study has
shown that teachers can use their professional knowledge to enhance their
capability to detect children with specific learning disabilities. In absence
of criterion-referenced tests of reading, writing and mathematics, a
structured approach to the projected course of skill progress might support
teachers? confidence regarding likely SLD.
Modelling the fathering role: Experience in the family of origin and father involvement
Authors: Mihic Ivana
Published: December 2012

The study presented in this paper deals with the effects of experiences with
father in the family of origin on the fathering role in the family of
procreation. The results of the studies so far point to great importance of
such experiences in parental role modelling, while recent approaches have
suggested the concept of introjected notion or an internal working model of
the fathering role as the way to operationalise the transgenerational
transfer. The study included 247 two-parent couple families whose oldest
child attended preschool education. Fathers provided information on
self-assessed involvement via the Inventory of father involvement, while both
fathers and mothers gave information on introjected experiences from the
family of origin via the inventory Presence of the father in the family of
origin. It was shown that father?s experiences from the family of origin had
significant direct effects on his involvement in child-care. Very important
experiences were those of negative emotional exchange, physical closeness and
availability of the father, as well as beliefs about the importance of the
father as a parent. Although maternal experiences from the family of origin
did not contribute significantly to father involvement, shared beliefs about
father?s importance as a parent in the parenting alliance had an effect on
greater involvement in child-care. The data provide confirmation of the
hypotheses on modelling of the fathering role, but also open the issue of the
factor of intergenerational maintenance of traditional forms of father
involvement in families in Serbia.
Comprehension of exhaustive wh-questions of typically developing preschool children
Authors: Vuksanovic Jasmina , Avramovic-Ilic Irena , Bjekic Jovana
Published: December 2012

Wh-questions are among the most important and the most frequent types of
utterance, which presumably reflects the role of questions in everyday life
in gathering various types of information. There is a limited body of
research on the exhaustivity comprehension in multiple wh-questions in
children (such as, for example, Who drives what, Who gives something to
whom?). However, previous results suggest that exhaustivity emerges at the
age of four, although there is considerable variability depending on the
language. In this paper two aims were proposed: first, to explore when
typically developing Serbian speaking monolingual children comprehend
exhaustivity property within multiple wh-questions, and, second, cognitive
relevancy of structural complexity of multiple wh-questions. 40 typically
developing Serbian speaking monolingual children subdivided in three age
groups from 3,6 - 7,1 years participated in this study. The
question-after-picture test, which consists of 20 tasks with pre-vocabulary
check, was used. The tasks were classified according to complexity index into
paired and triple wh-questions. Results indicate that children acquire
comprehension of exhaustive wh-questions gradually, first in paired
wh-questions and then in triple wh-questions. The research provides data on
language development, and also offers guidelines for diagnostic and clinical
work with children with specific language impairment.
The struggle for liberation and visions of freedom perspectives in African films
Authors: Breitinger Eckhard
Published: December 2012

In this paper, I will examine how films recreate memories of resistance and define, both visually and in film narration, the difference between imperial aggressors and local protagonists of resistance. The examples are taken from the Brazilian film Quilombo that describes the resistance of the 17th and 18th century Maroon communities against the onslaught of the Portuguese colonial powers (political and military). Med Hondo’s (Mauretania) Sarraounia deals with the resistance in West Africa against the Jihad of the Sokoto Fulani and the (in)famous French “exploratory” expedition under the command of Voulet. Both films are based on “real” histories as they were generally communicated from the colonialist perspective. And both films present themselves as counter-discursive revisions of history. The analysis in this paper focuses on the visual representation of the resistance heroes, first isolating them from the continuity of film narration in a type of still image, thus emphasizing the contrastive imagology between aggression and resistance. In the second step, aggressors and resistors are examined in terms of how they relate socially to their fellow combatants and to their communities. The obvious difference is that the aggressors have no immediate community to relate to socially or emotionally. Particular emphasis is put on the associative and symbolic meanings of the scenic setting, in which the antagonistic characters are placed.