bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Defining the characteristics of effective MDT working in cancer care
Authors: Taylor C , Ramirez A-J
Published: May 2011

Introduction and aims

Cancer multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) aim to improve clinical outcomes, co-ordination of care and patient experience by including all relevant health professionals in discussions about individual patients. MDTs vary in performance according to national peer review data. Defining the characteristics of effective MDT working is a necessary first step to address this. Due to the dearth of relevant evidence and to gain clinical engagement, we sought views from MDT members' regarding the characteristics of MDT effectiveness.

Methods

An on-line survey was conducted between January and March 2009. Invitations to participate were filtered to MDT members through cancer networks and by a link on the NCIN website. Subsequently a series of workshops with stakeholders developed findings into working definitions of the characteristics of an effective MDT.

Results

2054 MDT members responded to the survey, including representatives from all core professional groups, and most tumour types. Domains of MDT-working (including the team, infrastructure for meetings, organisation and logistics, patient-centred clinical decision-making and team governance) was agreed to be important for effective teamworking by most (78–99%) MDT members. At least 80% of members agreed with most (62/87) statements relating to these domains. Few differences in views by professional group or tumour type were evident. Findings were translated to ‘The characteristics of an effective MDT’ (NCAT, 2010).

Conclusion

‘The characteristics of an effective MDT’ provides a framework from which to facilitate teams to work optimally. A mechanism to self-assess against characteristics combined with the necessary support to facilitate change is now required.
COMPASS collaborative research Strand 3: Research into practice: implementing a complex psychoeducational intervention to promote early presentation in older women with breast cancer
Authors: Forbes L J L , Ramirez A J
Published: May 2011

Women over 70 have poorer breast cancer survival than younger women, largely due to later stage at diagnosis. Promoting early presentation (PEP) in women attending for final round of breast screening may reduce stage cost-effectively, and is unlikely to lead to overdiagnosis. We tested the radiographer-delivered PEP Intervention to promote early presentation by increasing breast cancer awareness in a randomised controlled trial. Delivered in a positive, motivational way, the intervention aims to equip older women with the knowledge, motivation and skills to present promptly to primary care with breast symptoms.

In the trial, research radiographers delivered the intervention in a separate room after the mammogram, requiring considerable service reconfiguration. Training was intensive, and ongoing quality assurance involved performance feedback on videorecordings of interventions.

At 2 years, the PEP Intervention increased the proportion of women breast cancer aware compared with usual care four-fold. The NHS Breast Screening Programme has now commissioned its implementation in three breast screening services. Early piloting showed that reconfiguring the service as extensively as in the trial was not sustainable. The training deterred some radiographers, and storing videorecordings for ongoing quality assurance was not feasible.

We have, therefore, developed a shorter version of the PEP Intervention, delivered in the mammography room. Training is less intensive, and ongoing quality assurance will consist of direct observations and coaching as necessary. We will now measure feasibility of implementation and the effect on breast cancer awareness in routine practice. If implemented across the whole programme, the PEP Intervention has the potential to reduce avoidable deaths from delayed presentation in older women.
The UK breakthrough cancer pain registry: origin, methods and preliminary data
Authors: Ward J , Laird B , Fallon M
Published: May 2011

Introduction and aims

Breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) is a debilitating element of cancer pain. Rapidly absorbed formulations of fentanyl, such as fentanyl sublingual tablets (FST, Abstral, proStrakan, Galashiels, UK), are well matched to the rapid onset and short duration of BTcP episodes. Only limited data are available on the use of such agents outside clinical trials. The UK BTcP Registry was initiated to record patients' and clinicians' experiences of titration and treatment with FST.

Methods

The UK BTcP Registry is an ongoing prospective, multi-centre programme. Any patient prescribed FST at a participating centre is eligible for inclusion. Patients and clinicians complete BTcP questionnaires at baseline and after successful titration or cessation of FST therapy; questions include disease history, analgesic use, pain response and medication preference. Questionnaire results are uploaded via a secure online system. The questionnaires and online system also provide clinicians with a method for ongoing monitoring of patients' experiences and outcomes.

Results

To date, 33 patients have been recruited from 12 centres. In a preliminary analysis (n=31), patients experienced a mean of 4.9 BTcP episodes/day. 23/33 patients (70%) successfully titrated, and did so in a mean of 5.1 days; for 19/23 patients (83%), titration was easy/acceptable. Median pain relief was 70% with titrated FST, compared to 50% at baseline. 12/14 patients (86%) preferred FST to their previous medication.

Conclusion

The UK BTcP Registry is a valuable developing resource, providing data on the effectiveness of FST (Abstral) outside of a clinical trial setting. It also provides a monitoring tool for front-line clinicians.
Evaluation of expressive writing as an intervention for patients following a mastectomy for breast cancer – a feasibility study
Authors: Pini S , Harley C , O'Connor D , Velikova G
Published: May 2011

Background

Breast cancer and treatment can significantly affect bodily appearance. Older women are as likely as younger women to experience body dissatisfaction that is significantly related to poorer mental health. Despite this, the needs of older women for psychological support during cancer treatment remain under-studied.

Aim

This feasibility study investigated the efficacy and limitations of expressive writing as an intervention for body dissatisfaction following mastectomy for breast cancer.

Methods

32 women who had mastectomy for breast cancer in the last 5 years were randomised to intervention (expressive writing) or control (factual writing) arms. Both arms completed 3×20-min writing sessions. The intervention arm wrote about their deepest feelings regarding surgery and the impact this had on how they feel about their body. The control arm wrote about their daily activities. Patients completed quality of life assessments 2 weeks and 3 months post intervention and attended an exit interview at 3 months.

Results

Analysis of the exit interviews showed that patients in the expressive writing group experienced a variety of benefits including; catharsis, reflection, expressing themselves anonymously and the facilitation of future discussions with friends, family and professionals. Negative experiences of the writing included; difficulties expressing emotions, ‘dredging up’ negative experiences and resistance to reflection.

Conclusions

Expressive writing is low-cost intervention that may benefit patients experiencing body dissatisfaction following mastectomy. Patients felt the intervention would be well received at the end of treatment and would be suitable to a broad range of patients who may not typically use support or therapeutic services.
A tool to assess lay cancer carers' changing needs in general practice
Authors: Mitchell G K , Girgis A , Jiwa M , Sibbritt D , Burridge L H
Published: May 2011

Introduction/aims

No General Practitioner (GP)-based tools exist for managing the multidimensional needs of lay carers of people with advanced cancer. This project aims to test a tool for carers to self-identify their needs, and manage them routinely with their GP.

Methods

A Needs Assessment Tool for Carers (NAT:C) was tested in a randomised controlled trial. Intervention carers assessed their level of concern for 33 items spanning several domains of need, and identified a maximum of three to discuss at the consultation. Carers completed then discussed the NAT:C with their GP at baseline and 3 months, and their needs on both occasions were compared.

Results

At November 2010, 54 carers had completed the NAT:C at baseline and 30 at 3 months. A mean of 14.1 (SD 6.4) concerns were identified at baseline, and 10.8 (SD 5.8) at 3 months. At the baseline consultation, a mean of three (median one) required immediate attention and 3.5 (SD 6.3) at a later time. At the 3 month consultation these decreased to 2.1 (median 0) immediate concerns and 1.1 (SD 2.7) for later attention. Caregiver fatigue, and anxiety about unexpected patient problems were the most common immediate concerns at baseline. Caregiver fatigue, planning for the unexpected and carers' own health needs were the most common at 3 months. Carers started to express a need to plan for the future.

Conclusion

Carers' focus of concern shifts from thinking about the patient's needs and onto their own needs and the future as the patient approaches death.
Description of fossil muskoxen and relative abundance of Pleistocene megafauna in central Alberta
Authors: Jass Christopher N. , Burns James A. , Milot Peter J.
Published: May 2011

Significant work has gone into describing Ice Age faunas from Alberta, but relatively little work has been dedicated to understanding the actual structure of Quaternary faunal assemblages in the province. Development of such a data set is necessary to fully understand differences in faunal assemblages that existed before and after the last glacial maximum, and may eventually provide an important historical perspective for understanding the impact of large-scale ecosystem disturbance. Muskoxen fossils from central Alberta were examined to differentiate specimens of Bootherium and Ovibos . Those remains, along with other fossils of Pleistocene megafauna collected from gravel deposits near Edmonton, were used to examine patterns of relative abundance from both pre- and postglacial maximum time periods. Relative abundance for genera of Pleistocene megafauna was calculated using the number of individual specimens (NISP) from 11 individual localities (i.e., gravel pits) in central Alberta. Preglacial localities with statistically significant numbers of specimens (n ≥ 30) are dominated by horse ( Equus ). Mammoth ( Mammuthus ) and bison ( Bison ) are common, but other megafauna, such as Jefferson’s Ground Sloth ( Megalonyx jeffersoni ) and Yesterday’s Camel ( Camelops hesternus ), are comparatively rare. Current data for the postglacial fauna indicate a shift in which Bison becomes the most abundant large herbivore on the landscape, a pattern observed in other parts of North America.
Laterally extensive modified placer gold deposits in the Paleoproterozoic Mississagi Formation, Clement and Pardo Townships, Ontario
Authors: Long D.G.F. , Ulrich T. , Kamber B.S.
Published: May 2011

Local gold concentrations are found in laterally extensive pyrite-bearing, framework-supported, cobble and boulder conglomerates in the basal 30 m of the Mississagi Formation in the south eastern part of the Huronian outcrop belt. These were deposited as part of a valley-fill succession, in shallow gravel-bed braided rivers with local hyperconcentrated flows. The basal contact with underlying Archean psammites is typically highly irregular and shows no obvious sign of weathering suggesting that deposition took place soon after retreat of the glaciers responsible for deposition of the Ramsey Lake Formation. Highest gold concentrations are associated with moderately well-sorted medium to large pebble conglomerate that show some signs of reworking during low flow events. Depositional elements are typically lenticular and of limited lateral extent. Unlike the older pyritic quartz-pebble conglomerates at the base of the Matinenda Formation in the Elliot Lake and Blind River areas, these conglomerates contain no uraninite and are polymict with material derived from a highly restricted catchment area with marked local and regional topographic relief. Porous detrital allogenic pyrite and euhedral post-depositional pyrite have overlapping, generally positive δ34S values, indicating a closed system during diagenesis and metamorphism. The presence of biotite-enriched rims on many of the metavolcanic and metasedimentary clasts in the conglomerates suggests that gold was partly leached from the allogenic pyrite grains at the peak of the Penokean Orogeny at 1.85–1.5 Ga. The potential source of the Au-bearing detrital allogenic pyrite appears to be an as yet undiscovered Archean volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposit located 1 to 8 km north of the deposit.
A fission track transect across Nares Strait (Canada–Greenland): further evidence that the Wegener Fault is a myth
Authors: Hansen Kirsten , Dawes Peter R. , Frisch Thomas , Jensen Peter Klint
Published: May 2011

Many workers continue to model Nares Strait between Greenland and Ellesmere Island, Canada, as a plate boundary and locus of major Cenozoic compression and strike-slip, marked by the postulated Wegener (transform) Fault. This, despite continuity of Precambrian–Paleozoic provinces across the seaway including an undeformed Neoproterozoic mafic dyke swarm that crosses at a high angle. As a test of the speculative plate kinematic modelling, apatite fission track (AFT) dating was undertaken along a transect across the Paleoproterozoic shield of Smith Sound, at the south end of Nares Strait, running from sea level to ca. 600 m elevation and as much as 70 km inland on both sides. The shield is overlain by three sedimentary basins separated by major hiatuses. The AFT ages fall into two groups: 282 ± 34 and 650 ± 51 Ma. They indicate maximum depth was >4 km in the lower Paleozoic from both coasts to 50 km inland, and at >50 km inland temperatures were below the annealing interval throughout Phanerozoic time. During the past ca. 280 million years, the rocks of both age groups suffered only minor displacements. The ages form an unbroken, harmonious pattern along the transect with no evidence of thermotectonism since the Permo-Carboniferous. These quantitative data support the field mapping that demonstrates Smith Sound and environs constitute an intact crustal block unaffected by lithospheric fracturing. Nares Strait is not the site of a plate boundary. The Wegener Fault does not exist.
Buried bedrock valleys and glacial and subglacial meltwater erosion in southern Ontario, Canada
Authors: Gao Cunhai
Published: May 2011

Morphometric features from a recently compiled bedrock topography map by the Ontario Geological Survey suggest a glacial erosion origin for the buried large bedrock valleys and troughs in southern Ontario. The bedrock valleys at Milverton, Wingham and Mount Forest are tunnel valleys, resulting from subglacial meltwater erosion beneath the Huron ice lobe, probably during or shortly after the Late-Wisconsinan glacial maximum. Diagnostic features for this interpretation include abrupt valley beginning and termination, uneven longitudinal valley profiles and up-slope gradients. The Dundas bedrock valley is the western extension of the Lake Ontario Basin. No comparable bedrock valleys were found to connect it to the Milverton valley for a joint drainage system as previously suggested. The Laurentian bedrock trough is the southeastward extension of the Georgian Bay Basin, both developed along shale bedrock between the Precambrian shield highlands and the Niagara Escarpment, resulting from long-term mechanical weathering associated with Pleistocene glacial erosion. This bedrock low has a floor that exceeds 50 km in width and is 26 m and more below the current water level of Georgian Bay. It could drain Georgian Bay should the drift cover be removed. There is no evidence to suggest that a preglacial river channel, if it existed, is still preserved in the floor of the Laurentian trough as previously suggested. The framework for an intensely glacially sculpted bedrock surface differs from the previous view for simple modification of a preglacial landscape and is, therefore, important in regional subsurface geological mapping and groundwater studies.
THE SEARCH FOR DARK MATTER (WIMPs): AT LOW MASS AND WITH NEW METHODS
Authors: CLINE DAVID B.
Published: May 2011

We briefly review the constraints on the search for low mass WIMPs (<15 GeV) and the various experimental methods. These experiments depend on the response of detectors to low energy signals (less than 15 keV equivalent energy). We then describe recent fits to the data and attempt to determine L eff , the energy response at low energy. We find that the use of a liquid Xenon two-phase detector that employs the S2 data near threshold is the most sensitive current study of the low mass region. We rely on some talks at Dark Matter 2010.
CODES AND SHIFTED CODES OF PARTITIONS
Authors: HIRD J. T. , JING NAIHUAN , STITZINGER ERNEST
Published: May 2011

In a recent paper, Carrell and Goulden found a combinatorial identity of the Bernstein operators that they then used to prove Bernstein's theorem. We show that this identity is a straightforward consequence of the classical result. We also show how a similar approach using the codes of partitions can be generalized from Schur functions to also include Schur Q-functions and derive the combinatorial formulation for both cases. We then apply them by examining the Littlewood–Richardson and Pieri rules.
PROPERTIES OF K-RINGS AND RINGS SATISFYING SIMILAR CONDITIONS
Authors: LEE CHANG IK , LEE YANG
Published: May 2011

Jacobson introduced the concept of K-rings, continuing the investigation of Kaplansky and Herstein into the commutativity of rings. In this note we focus on the ring-theoretic properties of K-rings. We first construct basic examples of K-rings to be handled easily. It is shown that a semiprime K-ring of bounded index of nilpotency is a commutative domain. It is proved that if R is a prime K-ring then its classical quotient ring is a local ring with a nil Jacobson radical. We also show that if R is a π-regular K-ring then R/P is a field for every strongly prime ideal P of R. The basic structure of a condition, unifying K-rings and reversible rings, is studied with respect to zero-divisors in matrices and polynomials.
COSET ENUMERATION FOR CERTAIN INFINITELY PRESENTED GROUPS
Authors: HARTUNG RENÉ
Published: May 2011

We describe an algorithm that computes the index of a finitely generated subgroup in a finitely L-presented group provided that this index is finite. This algorithm shows that the subgroup membership problem for finite index subgroups in a finitely L-presented group is decidable. As an application, we consider the low-index subgroups of some self-similar groups including the Grigorchuk group, the twisted twin of the Grigorchuk group, the Grigorchuk super-group, and the Hanoi 3-group.
CLUSTERING SEGMENTATION FRACTAL INTERPOLATION ON NONLINEAR CURVES
Authors: HUANG CHIH-CHIN , CHENG SHU-CHEN , HUANG YUEH MIN
Published: May 2011

General fractal interpolation cannot deal with data concerning the features of closed curves, and the production or reconstruction of similar natural formations usually consumes a lot of resources and time, herein we propose Clustering Segmentation Fractal Interpolation (CSFI) to enhance the efficiency of data interpolation, especially for closed curves. Furthermore, we propose Affine-Distance Function Selection (ADFS) to reduce the iterations in order to achieve faster interpolation. Our series of experiments has demonstrated that the combination of the two methods increases the efficiency of CSFI by 57–97% and that of ADFS by 62–84%. The higher efficiency enhances the entire process with obvious effects.
MINIMIZING PERIODIC TRENDS BY APPLYING LAPLACE TRANSFORM
Authors: LIN AIJING , SHANG PENGJIAN
Published: May 2011

Rescaled range analysis (R/S analysis), detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) and detrended moving average (DMA) are widely-used methods for detection of long-range correlations in time series. Detrended cross-correlation analysis (DCCA) is a recently developed method to quantify the cross-correlations of two non-stationary time series. Another method for studying auto-correlations and cross-correlations was presented by Sergio Arianos and Anna Carbone in 2009. Recent studies have reported the susceptibility of this methods to periodic trends, which can result in spurious crossovers. In this paper, we propose the modified methods base on Laplace transform to minimizing the effect of periodic trends. The effectiveness of our techniques are demonstrated on stock data corrupted with periodic trends.
SELF-INTERSECTION POINTS OF GENERALIZED KOCH CURVES
Authors: CANTRELL MICHAEL , PALAGALLO JUDITH
Published: May 2011

We present a two-parameter family of curves Ka, θ that are modifications of the Koch curve. For each θ, there is a corresponding pivotal valuea(θ) of a, where Ka, θ is simple if a > a(θ), and Ka, θ is self-intersecting if a < a(θ). We find a(θ), for θ ∈ (0, π/3], then show that the pivotal-valued curves comprise two classes of self-intersecting curves that we characterize by whether or not θ = π/n for some even positive integer n>2.
ON THE ASSOUAD DIMENSION OF GRAPH DIRECTED MORAN FRACTALS
Authors: OLSEN L.
Published: May 2011

We give a simple and direct proof of the fact that the Assouad dimension of a graph directed Moran fractal satisfying the Open Set Condition coincides with its Hausdorff and box dimensions.
FRACTIONAL TIME ACTION AND PERTURBED GRAVITY
Authors: SADALLAH MADHAT , MUSLIH SAMI I. , BALEANU DUMITRU , RABEI EQAB
Published: May 2011

In this paper, we used the scaling concepts of Mandelbrot of fractals in variational problems of mechanical systems in order to re-write the action integral function as an integration over the fractional time. In addition, by applying the variational principle to this new fractional action, we obtained the modified Euler-Lagrange equations of motion in any fractional time of order 0 < α ≤ 1. Two examples are investigated in detail.
CONCEPT RETRIEVAL BASED ON A COMBINATION OF FRACTAL CODING, FUZZY RULE BASED SYSTEM AND SVM
Authors: LOTFI EHSAN , YAGHOOBI MAHDI
Published: May 2011

Most information retrieval systems make indirect use of human knowledge in their retrieval process. The new method we present here aims to efficiently use human knowledge directly in combination with fractal coding and support vector machine (SVM) for clustering. As illustrated in this paper, this approach is particularly applicable to soccer concept retrieval from video databases. The first phase consists of extracting suitable features and key frames from video shots. Then, using a fractal coding, soccer shots are retrieved, and using a fuzzy rule base containing the experiences of experts, shots that do not include significant soccer events are removed. Finally, the last phase uses SVM to classify results coming from the fuzzy system. The results of the classification phase are accompanied by a textual description and enables retrieval through text based query. Experimental results show proper classification and satisfying retrieval process.
VECTOR RANDOM FIELDS WITH LONG-RANGE DEPENDENCE
Authors: MA CHUNSHENG
Published: May 2011

It is well-known that the crucial ingredient for a vector Gaussian random function is its covariance matrix, where a diagonal entry termed a direct covariance is simply the covariance function of a component but it seems no simple interpretation for an off-diagonal entry termed a cross covariance, which often make it hard to specify. In this paper we employ three approaches to derive vector random functions in space and/or time, which are not homogeneous (stationary) in general but contain the stationary case as a special case, and have long-range or short-range dependence.
FRACTAL DIMENSION OF COALESCENCE HIDDEN-VARIABLE FRACTAL INTERPOLATION SURFACE
Authors: PRASAD SRIJANANI ANURAG , KAPOOR G. P.
Published: May 2011

In the present paper, the bounds on fractal dimension of Coalescence Hidden-variable Fractal Interpolation Surface (CHFIS) in ℝ3 on a equispaced mesh are found. These bounds determine the conditions on the free parameters for fractal dimension of the constructed CHFIS to become close to 3. The results derived here are tested on a tsunami wave surface by computing the lower and upper bounds of the fractal dimension of its CHFIS simulation.
CONTROL OF STEADY-STATE VIBRATIONS OF RECTANGULAR PLATES
Authors: ALSAIF K. A. , FODA M. A.
Published: May 2011

The focus of the present research is to eliminate the undesired steady-state vibrations at selected lines or locations in a vibrating plate by means of adding attachments at arbitrary selected locations. These attachments can be either added concentrated masses and/or translational or rotational springs which are connected to the plate at one end and grounded at the other. The case of attachment of translational and/or rotational oscillators systems is examined. In addition, imposing lines of zero displacements (nodal lines) at selected locations are also investigated. The dynamic Green's function method is employed. Several numerical examples are cited to verify the utility of the proposed method. In addition, sample experiments to measure the plate free and forced vibrations for the given boundary conditions are conducted and the experimental measurements are compared with the analytical results.
A FAST AND ACCURATE STEP-BY-STEP SOLUTION PROCEDURE FOR DIRECT INTEGRATION
Authors: KUO SHYH-RONG , YAU J. D.
Published: May 2011

Very small time steps are usually needed in numerical computation as conventional time integration methods are used to compute the response of a structure subjected to a dynamic loading with rapid changes or load discontinuity. To overcome this drawback, this study proposed a fast, fourth-order accurate step-by-step time integration (FASSTI) algorithm that is unconditionally stable and allows larger time steps for linear dynamic problems. From the stability and accuracy analysis, it is shown that the FASSTI algorithm retains the features of unconditional stability, accuracy, and fast convergence than the Newmark method. As a first test, a closed-form solution of an excited single degree of freedom (SDOF) system is derived and used to verify the reliability of the present algorithm in solving linear dynamic problems. In the numerical examples, the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method is demonstrated in the solution of the dynamic response of an SDOF system under a series of impulse-type forces.
NONLOCAL THEORY FOR BUCKLING OF NANOPLATES
Authors: PRADHAN S. C. , PHADIKAR J. K.
Published: May 2011

Classical plate theory (CLPT) and first-order shear deformation plate theory (FSDT) of plates are reformulated using the nonlocal elasticity theory. Developed nonlocal plate theories have been applied to study buckling behavior of nanoplates. Nonlocal elasticity theory, unlike traditional elasticity theory introduces a length scale parameter into the formulation to take into account the discrete structure of the material to some extent. Both single-layered and multilayered nanoplates have been included in the analysis. Navier's approach has been used to obtain exact solutions for buckling loads for simply supported boundary conditions. Dependence of the small scale effect on various geometrical and material parameters has been investigated. Present study reveals the presence of significant small scale effect on the buckling response of nanoplates. The theoretical development and the numerical results presented in the present work are expected to promote the use of nonlocal theories for more accurate prediction of stability behavior of nanoplates and nanoshells.
EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL STUDY ON IN-PLANE BEHAVIOR OF BRICK MASONRY WALL PANELS
Authors: GANAPATHI S. CHITRA , MURTHY A. RAMA CHANDRA , IYER NAGESH R. , LAKSHMANAN N. , BHAGAVAN N. G.
Published: May 2011

This paper presents the details of studies conducted on brick masonry units and wall panels. The investigation includes, compressive strength of brick unit, prisms, flexural strength evaluation, and testing of reinforced brick wall panels with and without opening. Nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) of brick wall panels with and without opening has been carried out by simulating the actual test conditions. Constant vertical load is applied on the top of the wall panel and lateral load is applied in an incremental manner. The in-plane deformation is recorded under each incremental lateral load. Displacement ductility factors and response-reduction factors have been evaluated based on experimental results. From the experimental study, it is observed that fully reinforced wall panel without opening performed well compared to other types of wall panels in lateral load resistance and displacement ductility. In all the wall panels, shear cracks originated at loading point and moved toward the compression toe of the wall. The force-reduction factors of a wall panel with opening are much less when compared with fully reinforced wall panel with no opening. The displacement values obtained by nonlinear FEA were found to be in good agreement with the corresponding experimental values. The difference in the computed and experimental values is attributed to the influence of mortar joint which was not considered in FEA. The derived response-reduction factors will be useful for adopting elastoplastic design procedures for lateral forces generated due to earthquakes.
TWO-NODE CATENARY CABLE ELEMENT WITH RIGID-END EFFECT AND CABLE SHAPE ANALYSIS
Authors: YANG Y. B. , TSAY JIUNN-YIN
Published: May 2011

The effect of rigid ends is considered in the formulation of a general two-node cable element for the analysis of cable-supported structures. The stiffness matrix of the catenary cable element was derived as the inverse of the flexibility matrix, with allowances for self-weight and pretension effects. In modeling the cables of suspension bridge, distinction is made between single cables (e.g., stay cables and hangers) and multi segment cables (e.g., main cables). The unstressed length of each cable element in terms of the pretension force is determined by a trial-and-error procedure prior to structural analysis. Cable shape analysis was conducted to determine the configuration of main cables for cable-supported bridges under the dead loads. It was demonstrated that the effect of rigid ends cannot be ignored for taut cables, that is, cables with large pretensions. Further, the cable element derived can be reliably used in the analysis of cable-supported bridges, regardless of the sag magnitudes.
INTEGRATED OPTIMAL PLACEMENT OF DISPLACEMENT TRANSDUCERS AND STRAIN GAUGES FOR BETTER ESTIMATION OF STRUCTURAL RESPONSE
Authors: ZHANG X. H. , ZHU S. , XU Y. L. , HOMG X. J.
Published: May 2011

Although a variety of sensors provide more comprehensive information and advanced features of structures, their distinct properties and limitations considerably complicate the design procedure of multi type sensor systems. This paper is focused on the optimal design of integrated sensor systems with both strain gauges and displacement transducers. Unlike traditional sensor placement approaches, in which these two types of sensors are often designed separately to monitor structural deformations and displacements respectively, the integrated design procedure presented in this study treats the sensor system as a whole. The number and locations of strain gauges and displacement transducers are optimized simultaneously, and their measurement data are fused together to better predict the unobserved structural response. The theoretical criterion for the optimization procedure is first formulated based on the strain and displacement mode shapes extracted from finite element models. Then, the initial candidate sensor locations are reduced to a smaller optimal set with minimized prediction error of structural response. A two-dimensional cantilever beam is then analyzed as a numerical example to investigate the effectiveness and accuracy of the presented optimal sensor placement approach. The results indicate that the integrated sensor system provides better estimation of structural response than single-type sensor system.
A NONLOCAL CURVED BEAM MODEL BASED ON A MODIFIED COUPLE STRESS THEORY
Authors: LIU Y. P. , REDDY J. N.
Published: May 2011

A nonlocal Timoshenko curved beam model is developed using a modified couple stress theory and Hamilton's principle. The model contains a material length scale parameter that can capture the size effect, unlike the classical Timoshenko beam theory. Both bending and axial deformations are considered, and the Poisson effect is incorporated in the model. The newly developed nonlocal model recovers the classical model when the material length scale parameter and Poisson's ratio are both taken to be zero and the straight beam model when the radius of curvature is set to infinity. In addition, the nonlocal Bernoulli–Euler curved beam model can be realized when the normal cross-section assumption is restated. To illustrate the new model, the static bending and free vibration problems of a simply supported curved beam are solved by directly applying the formulas derived. The numerical results for the static bending problem reveal that both the deflection and rotation of the simply supported beam predicted by the new model are smaller than those predicted by the classical Timoshenko curved beam model. Also, the differences in both the deflection and rotation predicted by the current and classical Timoshenko model are very large when the beam thickness is small, but they diminish with the increase of the beam height. Similar trends are observed for the free vibration problem, where it is shown that the natural frequency predicted by the nonlocal model is higher than that by the classical model, and the difference between them is significantly large only for very thin beams. These predicted trends of the size effect at the micron scale agree with those observed experimentally.
DECOMPOSABLY-GENERATED MODULES OF SIMPLE LIE ALGEBRAS
Authors: HE JUNHUA , TAN YOUJUN
Published: May 2011

It is shown that there are finitely many irreducible finite-dimensional orthogonal modules V (up to isomorphism) over any complex simple Lie algebras such that Spin0(V) is decomposably-generated in the sense of Panyushev [The exterior algebra and "Spin" of an orthogonal 𝔤-module, Trans. Groups6 (2001) 371–396]. The case of simple Lie algebras of type A is discussed.
INTEGRAL GROUP RING OF THE MATHIEU SIMPLE GROUP M24
Authors: BOVDI VICTOR , KONOVALOV ALEXANDER
Published: May 2011

We study the Zassenhaus conjecture for the normalized unit group of the integral group ring of the Mathieu sporadic group M24. As a consequence, for this group we give a positive answer to the question by Kimmerle about prime graphs.
ON SOME EMBEDDING OF LIE ALGEBRAS
Authors: CHIBRIKOV E.
Published: May 2011

In this paper we prove that every recursively presented Lie algebra over a field which is finite extention of its simple subfield can be embedded in a recursively presented Lie algebra defined by relations which are equalities of (nonassociative) words of generators and α + β = γ(α, β, γ are free generators).
COCHARACTERS OF POLYNOMIAL IDENTITIES OF UPPER TRIANGULAR MATRICES
Authors: BOUMOVA SILVIA , DRENSKY VESSELIN
Published: May 2011

Let T(Uk) be the T-ideal of the polynomial identities of the algebra of k × k upper triangular matrices over a field of characteristic zero. We give an easy algorithm which calculates the generating function of the cocharacter sequence χn(Uk) = Σλ⊢nmλ(Uk)χλof the T-ideal T(Uk). Applying this algorithm we have found the explicit form of the multiplicities mλ(Uk) in two cases: (i) for the "largest" partitions λ = (λ1,…,λn) which satisfy λk+1+⋯+ λn= k - 1; (ii) for the first several k and any λ.
INTERSECTION GRAPH OF SUBMODULES OF A MODULE
Authors: AKBARI S. , TAVALLAEE H. A. , GHEZELAHMAD S. KHALASHI
Published: May 2011

Let R be a ring with identity and M be a unitary left R-module. The intersection graph of an R-moduleM, denoted by G(M), is defined to be the undirected simple graph whose vertices are in one to one correspondence with all non-trivial submodules of M and two distinct vertices are adjacent if and only if the corresponding submodules of M have nonzero intersection. We investigate the interplay between the module-theoretic properties of M and the graph-theoretic properties of G(M). We characterize all modules for which the intersection graph of submodules is connected. Also the diameter and the girth of G(M) are determined. We study the clique number and the chromatic number of G(M). Among other results, it is shown that if G(M) is a bipartite graph, then G(M) is a star graph.
ON A PROBLEM OF A. V. GRISHIN
Authors: BEKH-OCHIR C. , RANKIN S. A.
Published: May 2011

In this paper, we offer a short proof of V. V. Shchigolev's result that over any field k of characteristic p > 2, the T-space generated by [Formula: see text] is finitely based, which answered a question raised by A. V. Grishin. More precisely, we prove that for any field of any positive characteristic, [Formula: see text] for every positive integer d, and that over an infinite field of characteristic p > 2, L2 = L3. Moreover, if the characteristic of k does not divide d, we prove that [Formula: see text] is an ideal of k〈X〉0 and thus in particular, [Formula: see text]. Finally, we show that over any field of characteristic p > 2, [Formula: see text] and L1 ≠ L2.
A MONOIDAL STRUCTURE ON THE CATEGORY OF RELATIVE HOPF MODULES
Authors: BULACU DANIEL , CAENEPEEL STEFAAN
Published: May 2011

Let B be a bialgebra, and A be a left B-comodule algebra in a braided monoidal category [Formula: see text], and assume that A is also a coalgebra, with a not-necessarily associative or unital left B-action. Then we can define a right A-action on the tensor product of two relative Hopf modules, and this defines a monoidal structure on the category of relative Hopf modules if and only if A is a bialgebra in the category of left Yetter–Drinfeld modules over B. Some examples are given.
GENERALLY t-LINKATIVE DOMAINS
Authors: LUCAS THOMAS G.
Published: May 2011

An overring t of an integral domain R is t-linked over R if for each finitely generated nonzero ideal I of R, (T : IT) ⊋ T implies (R : I) ⊋ R. A t-linkative domain is one for which each overring is t-linked. The notion of a generally t-linkative domain is introduced as a domain R such that [Formula: see text] is t-linkative for each finite type system of ideals [Formula: see text]. In general, R is generally t-linkative if and only if RM is generally t-linkative for each maximal ideal M. All Prüfer domains are generally t-linkative as are all one-dimensional domains and all pseudo-valuation domains. If R is Noetherian and not a field, then it is generally t-linkative if and only if it is one-dimensional. In contrast, an example is given of a two-dimensional Mori domain that is generally t-linkative.
COHERENT RINGS AND GORENSTEIN YOKE MODULES
Authors: GAO ZENGHUI , WANG FANGGUI
Published: May 2011

Let R be a right coherent ring. For any positive integer n, we prove that a left R-module is a Gorenstein n-yoke module if and only if it is an n-yoke module. Some known results are obtained as corollaries.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION SOURCES ON THE INNOVATION PERFORMANCE OF LARGE AND SMALL BUSINESSES
Authors: GOMES CLANDIA MAFFINI , KRUGLIANSKAS ISAK , SCHERER FLÁVIA LUCIANE
Published: May 2011

This paper is part of a broader empirical research study about Brazilian industrial firms with innovative characteristics. The study involved more than 70 enterprises in the sample. Its aim was to provide inferences on the relationships between the management of sources of technological information and the innovation performance of the firms studied. In this paper, an analysis compares larger and smaller enterprise and identifies what the differences are between them. The analysis of the data suggests there are associations between many of the indicators of the management of sources of technological information, and the indicators of innovation performance studied. Approximately 100 significant relationships were found and many of them differ between larger and smaller enterprises.
ORGANISING FOR MODULARITY IN DYNAMIC MARKETS
Authors: PASCHE MAXIMILIAN HANS , PERSSON MAGNUS
Published: May 2011

Facing constantly increasing product variety and changing customer demands, many companies have adopted a product modularisation strategy to increase strategic flexibility. Despite the dominant view that product modularisation directly increases strategic flexibility, it is argued here that the causal link between product modularisation and strategic flexibility is mediated by specific complementary organisational factors which enable firms with a modular product structure to develop strategic flexibility. Moreover, the interrelationship between product architecture and organisational structure is regarded as reciprocal. That is, product architecture and organisational structure are considered to co-evolve and mutually influence each other. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate how firms applying a modularisation strategy organise in order to increase the strategic flexibility, and how the organisational structure is interrelated with the product architecture, especially the ability to maintain a modular product architecture over time. Two International automotive companies, both of them implemented a modularisation strategy in the mid-1990s, have been studied. From the cases it can be concluded that the alignment of product and organisational architecture, decision-making structures, and the management of knowledge affect a firm's ability to evolve its products and maintain a modular product structure over time.
STRATEGIC INNOVATION IN ESTABLISHED COMPANIES: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF APPROPRIATE AMBIDEXTERITY STRATEGIES
Authors: BERGHMAN LISELORE ANN
Published: May 2011

As strategic innovation may lead to high revenue and profit growth a deeper understanding of any enabling organizational capabilities is highly relevant to both researchers and managers. Therefore, in this paper we focus on the concept of "ambidexterity". More specifically, we use a qualitative research in five Dutch industrial sectors to study the ambidexterity strategies that established firms use for their systematic creation of strategic innovations.

We find that established companies have to cope with different ambidexterity frictions in the initiation and commercialization phases of strategic innovation projects. These results add to the emerging academic discussion on ambidexterity by showing that the appropriate ambidexterity approach may not only differ by innovation type but also by the specific phase of the innovation project. Our findings are also relevant to managerial practice as they suggest a limited value of isolated business development units for strategic innovation initiation.
A DIAGNOSTIC PERSONALITY TEST TO IDENTIFY LIKELY CORPORATE BOOTLEG RESEARCHERS
Authors: AUGSDORFER PETER
Published: May 2011

This paper examines the proposition that bootlegger entrepreneurs can be identified by their creativity. This is done with the help of a standard psychological test. Bootleg researchers can be identified by applying the test because they are very creative people. With this test a firm might be able to discourage or encourage employment of potential candidates for its R&D department. Thus, a firm can indirectly control the number of bootleg innovations produced in the firm or simply avoid wasting time consuming management resources, as bootleg entrepreneurs can be difficult to manage at times. The result of this research adds new evidence to current literature.
THE ADOPTION AND REJECTION PATTERNS OF PRACTITIONER-DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGIES: A REVIEW, A MODEL AND A RESEARCH AGENDA
Authors: STOREY JOHN , FORTUNE JOYCE , JOHNSON MICHAEL , SAVORY CLIVE
Published: May 2011

While many of the factors which help explain the rate and scale of innovative technology adoption have been identified, one important variable (the influence of insider, practitioner-developed versus commercial, externally-developed technology) has been under-explored. Focusing on healthcare in particular, the purpose of this paper is to explore the insider-innovator/user dynamic. Relevant literature is used to draw-out and examine the prima facie reasons why insider innovator status might enhance, or conversely impede, widespread adoption. From the literature, a model depicting adoption activity pathways and adoption processes is developed. The paper concludes with a research agenda for future empirical study.
CHEMICAL MODULATION OF PHOTODYNAMIC INJURY OF GLIAL CELLS
Authors: KOMANDIROV M. A. , KNYAZEVA E. A. , FEDORENKO Y. P. , RUDKOVSKII M. V. , BEREZHNAYA E. V. , KOVALEVA V. D. , UZDENSKY A. B.
Published: May 2011

Photodynamic therapy based on photogeneration of cytotoxic singlet oxygen and following oxidative stress is currently used in neuro-oncology for destruction of brain tumors. However, along with a tumor, it damages healthy neurons and glial cells. We studied the involvement of the glutamate-related signaling pathway in photodynamic damage to normal glial cells in the crayfish stretch receptor. This model object consists of a single neuron surrounded by glial cells. It was photosensitized with alumophthalocyanine Photosens and irradiated by the diode laser (670 nm). Application of enzyme inhibitors and ion channels modulators showed that exogenous L-glutamate decreased photoinduced apoptosis of crayfish glial cells. The natural neuroglial mediator N-acetylaspartylglutamate, which releases glutamate after splitting by glutamate carboxypeptidase II, also inhibited photoinduced apoptosis. Inhibition of glutamate carboxypeptidase II, oppositely, enhanced glial apoptosis. This confirmed the antiapoptotic activity of glutamate. Glutamate agonist NMDA or inhibitor of NMDA receptors MK801 did not influence photodynamic death of glial cells, i.e., these receptors did not participate in glial apoptosis. Inhibition of metabotropic glutamate receptors mGluRI with AP-3 reduced PDT-induced apoptosis of glial cells. Thus, chemical modifiers of various signaling processes can modulate photoinduced necrosis or apoptosis of glial cells and thus modify efficiency of photodynamic therapy.
IMAGING REDOX STATE HETEROGENEITY WITHIN INDIVIDUAL EMBRYONIC STEM CELL COLONIES
Authors: XU HE N. , ADDIS RUSSELL C. , GOINGS DAVIDA F. , NIOKA SHOKO , CHANCE BRITTON , GEARHART JOHN D. , LI LIN Z.
Published: May 2011

Redox state mediates embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation and thus offers an important complementary approach to understanding the pluripotency of stem cells. NADH redox ratio (NADH/(Fp + NADH)), where NADH is the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and Fp is the oxidized flavoproteins, has been established as a sensitive indicator of mitochondrial redox state. In this paper, we report our redox imaging data on the mitochondrial redox state of mouse ESC (mESC) colonies and the implications thereof. The low-temperature NADH/Fp redox scanner was employed to image mESC colonies grown on a feeder layer of gamma-irradiated mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) on glass cover slips. The result showed significant heterogeneity in the mitochondrial redox state within individual mESC colonies (size: ~200–440 μm), exhibiting a core with a more reduced state than the periphery. This more reduced state positively correlates with the expression pattern of Oct4, a well-established marker of pluripotency. Our observation is the first to show the heterogeneity in the mitochondrial redox state within a mESC colony, suggesting that mitochondrial redox state should be further investigated as a potential new biomarker for the stemness of embryonic stem cells.