bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extraction of allyl isothiocyanate from horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) and its fumigant insecticidal activity on four stored‐product pests of paddy
Authors: Wu Hua , Zhang Guo‐An , Zeng Shuiyun , Lin Kai‐chun
Published: May 2009

BACKGROUND: Isothiocyanates (ITCs) extracted from Armoracia rusticana Gaertn., May & Scherb. have been shown previously to have insecticidal activity. Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), a major component of ITCs with high volatility, was therefore extracted using different methods and tested as a fumigant against four major pest species of stored products, maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch.), lesser grain borer Rhizopertha dominica (F.), Tribolium ferrugineum (F.) and book louse Liposcelis entomophila (Enderlein).

RESULTS: Whereas there was no significant difference between hydrodistillation and supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction in extraction rate for AITC from A. rusticana, both methods resulted in higher extraction efficiency than water extraction. AITC fumigation showed strong toxicity to the four species of stored‐product pests. Adult mortality of 100% of all four pest species, recorded after 72 h exposure to AITC fumes at an atmospheric concentration of 3 µg mL−1, showed no significant difference from that of insects exposed to phosphine at 5 µg mL−1, the recommended dose for phosphine.

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest good insecticidal efficacy of AITC against the four stored‐product pests, with non‐gaseous residuals on stored products. AITC obtained from A. rusticana may be an alternative to phosphine and methyl bromide against the four pest species. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Measurement and analysis of shocks to products packaged in pails in single parcel ground shipments
Authors: Singh Sher Paul , Singh Jay , Kittipinyovath Pakapol
Published: May 2009

The objective of this study was to measure and analyse the shocks and impacts experienced by pails in the single parcel distribution environment, with and without a secondary corrugated shipper. The study was conducted in the FedEx Ground shipping environment in the USA. Instrumented 5 gal pails were shipped with and without an outer corrugated box, and with and without handling (precautionary warning) labels, from East Lansing, Michigan to destinations in California and New York. Data recorders were used to collect and analyse shock distribution data (drop heights, drop orientations and number of drops). The results showed that the precautionary labels had no effect in improving the handling or reducing the drop height levels for both corrugated boxes and pails in this environment. Pails without boxes experienced 10 drops per one‐way trip with an average drop height of 0.23 m (9 in). Pails with boxes experienced 18 drops per one‐way trip with a higher average drop height of 0.30 m (12 in), which amounted to 80% more drops at a 25% higher drop height level than pails without boxes. Impact orientations of pails without boxes showed that 60% of the drops occurred on the sides, and 40% on the bottom. Pails shipped in corrugated boxes showed 22% of the drops occurred on the bottoms, 34% on the side faces, 28% on edges and remaining 16% on the corners. The data collected was analysed to develop pre‐shipment package performance tests that can be conducted in a lab environment. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Atlantic inflow to the Saharan heat low: observations and modelling
Authors: Grams C. M. , Jones S. C. , Marsham J. H. , Parker D. J. , Haywood J. M. , Heuveline V.
Published: May 2009

The inflow of relatively cold and stably stratified air from the Atlantic Ocean into western Mauritania and into the southwestern part of the Saharan heat low is studied using the mesoscale COSMO model. This model was used to provide operational forecasts for the GERBILS field campaign, which was conducted by the Met Office in West Africa in June 2007. The forecasts were validated against airborne measurements as well as satellite imagery and were found to represent the main synoptic features of the region accurately.

A complex mesoscale feature in western Mauritania, which we call the Atlantic Inflow, was identified in the COSMO model output. The main component of the Atlantic Inflow is the sea breeze and associated front. The sea breeze interacts with larger‐scale, higher‐altitude fluctuations in the thermal and humidity advection. During the day the balance between horizontal advection of cool maritime air and turbulence in the convective boundary layer over land results in a stationary sea breeze front at the coast. Once turbulence dies down in the evening, the sea breeze front penetrates inland. Above the sea breeze layer, thermal advection in the Saharan Atmospheric Boundary Layer (SABL) also controls the structure of the Atlantic Inflow. A marked baroclinic zone was observed, in which the temperature and humidity made a relatively smooth transition from values typical of the Atlantic air to values characteristic of the SABL. Budget calculations showed that, through its cooling and occasional moistening at low levels, the Atlantic Inflow has an important impact on the regional heat and moisture budgets. Copyright © Royal Meteorological Society and Crown Copyright, 2009
Stability and robust position control of hysteretic systems
Authors: Valadkhan Sina , Morris Kirsten , Khajepour Amir
Published: May 2009

Position control of a wide class of hysteretic systems, which includes those described by a Preisach model, is considered. The main focus of this paper is stability, tracking and the trajectories of a hysteretic system controlled by a PI controller. The system output (not its derivative) is measured and controlled. It is shown that, for arbitrary reference signals, the closed‐loop system is bounded‐input–bounded‐output‐stable with a finite gain of one. Furthermore, the absolute value of the error decreases monotonically for a constant reference signal. In this case, provided that the desired output is within the limits of the system output, zero steady‐state error is guaranteed. A bound on the time required to achieve a specified error is obtained. Only a simple condition on the controller parameters is required. The results imply that stability and position control are guaranteed, even if large errors in the model exist. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A secure and resistant architecture against attacks for mobile ad hoc networks
Authors: Rachedi Abderrezak , Benslimane Abderrahim
Published: May 2009

In this paper, we propose a new architecture based on an efficient trust model and secure distributed clustering algorithm (SDCA) in order to distribute a certification authority (CA) for ensuring the distribution of certificates in each cluster. We use the combination of a fully self‐organized security for trust models like pretty good privacy (PGP) adapted toad hoctechnology and the clustering algorithm which is based on the use of trust and mobility metrics, in order to select the clusterhead and to establish a public key infrastructure (PKI) in each cluster for authentication and exchange of data. Furthermore, we present a new approach: the dynamic demilitarized zone (DDMZ) to protect the CA in each cluster. The principal idea ofDDMZconsists in selecting the dispensable nodes, also called registration authorities (RAs); these nodes must be confident and located at one‐hope from theCA. Their roles are to receive, filter and treat the requests from any unknown node to theCA. With this approach, we can avoid the single point of failure in each cluster. Moreover, we propose a probabilistic model to define the direct connectivity between confident nodes in order to study the resistance degree of theDDMZagainst different attacks. In addition, we evaluate the performance of the proposedSDCAand we estimate the robustness and the availability ofDDMZthrough the simulations. The effects of direct connectivity and transmission range on the stability and security of the network are analyzed. The simulation's results confirm that the proposed architecture is scalable, secure, and more resistant against attacks. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Incremental dynamic analysis of high‐rise towers
Authors: Asgarian Behrouz , Yahyai Mahmood , Mirtaheri M. , Samani Hamid Rahmani , Alanjari Pejman
Published: May 2009

The performance study of high‐rise towers has been attracting attention recently. Powerful analysis methods are used to assess local and global behaviour of tall structures. Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) is one the most powerful methods for accurate estimation of seismic performance of structures.

In this paper, IDA is applied on high‐rise towers, specifically Tehran telecommunication tower. Three different finite element models have been developed. The first model is a two‐dimensional fibre beam element model on which IDA is applied. The other two models are finely meshed three‐dimensional elastic and inelastic multi‐axial‐element‐based models, which are used to investigate the validity of the two‐dimensional model. Furthermore, the efficiency of different Intensity Measures and Engineering Demand Parameters is investigated. The results show that there is a good agreement between the results of two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional models in linear and nonlinear domains. It is also observed that Sa(T1) is more efficient than peak ground acceleration (PGA) as spectral acceleration is a structural specific intensity measure in comparison with, which is site‐specific. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clinical Implications of an Aberrant Right Hepatic Artery in Patients Undergoing Pancreaticoduodenectomy
Authors: Lee Jae‐Myeong , Lee Young‐Joo , Kim Chan‐Wook , Moon Ki‐Miung , Kim Myung‐Wook
Published: May 2009

Background

Sometimes, it seems to be difficult to preserve the aberrant hepatic artery (HA) during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), with respect to en bloc lymph node dissection, especially in the case of aberrant right hepatic artery (RHA). Therefore, we evaluated the influence of incomplete en bloc lymph node (LN) dissection when aberrant RHA arises.

Methods

We reviewed 103 patients with mid‐to‐distal common bile duct (CBD) cancers who underwent PD by one surgeon at Asan Medical Center from December 1994 to November 2005 (73 men, 30 women; mean age, 61.1 ± 9.4 (range: 40–84) years). The mean follow‐up period was 32.7 months. We compared the normal RHA group with the aberrant RHA group.

Results

Eighty‐eight cases showed normal RHA anatomy, including nine cases (8.7%) of aberrant left hepatic artery (LHA) with normal RHA cases (normal HA group). RHA anomalies were observed in 15 cases (14.6%, aberrant HA group). In all cases, there was no direct invasion of cancer to aberrant HA. Among two groups, 43 cases (41.7%) showed recurrence and there was no significant difference in recurrence between two groups (p = 0.202). Three‐year and 5‐year overall survivals were 33.3% and 28.5% in the normal HA group, whereas 47.1% and 28.3% in the aberrant RHA group, respectively. There also was no statistically significant difference in survival (p = 0.763).

Conclusions

When performing PD for CBD cancer, aberrant RHA should be preserved if there was no cancerous invasion and it does not seem to affect the recurrence of disease and overall survival of patients.
On ethical order
Authors: Xiren SONG
Published: May 2009

The existent ethical relationships are the result of the historical amalgamation of objective and subjective conditions. Ethical relationships are essential relationships in the real and rational order, which are maintained by a system of regulations on morals, laws and customs, and infused with a spirit of subjectivity. Rationality and legitimacy are the primary concerns of those relationships. A distinction between morals and ethos needs to be made when studying ethical order. Sound ethical order lies in effective regulation of morals and effective control of law. In the process of social reform, ethical order promotes social development through the dialectical movement of freedom and necessity. A harmonious society is a society which is based on legitimate and just ethical order.
Moral instinct and moral judgment
Authors: Liangkang NI
Published: May 2009

Human beings’ moral life can be divided into two forms, one based on moral instincts and the other on moral judgments. The former is carried on without deliberation, while the latter relies upon valuations and judgments. The two can ultimately be viewed as man’s innate moral nature and acquired moral conventions. Theoretically, preference for the former will lead to naturalism and for the latter to culturalism, but this is the reality of man’s moral life. Moreover, there may be a parallel relation between the moral structure of human life and the grammatical structure of human language.
Aristotle’s view on “the right of practice”: An investigation into Aristotle’s theory of action
Authors: Shenbai LIAO
Published: May 2009

The concept of right or fit is an important element entailed, but not fully articulated, in the concept of action or practice in Aristotle’s theory of virtue; which, however, turns to be of the utmost importance in later Western ethics. Right is concerned with both feelings and actions, and is not the same for all individuals. It lies in between the two extremes of the spectrum of practical affairs, yet by no means equidistant from them. This account of the concept of fitness or right is derived from the categories of quantity, relationship, and quality rather than from that of substance. Thus, it seems that virtue is relative to vice or error within a continuous existence. If, however, the right of passion and action is environmental and concrete, is it multiple and not singular? To this question, Aristotle gives his reply on two levels: On the level of concrete practitioners, what is right and fit to one man might not be so to another man, and hence the right of practice is not singular but multiple; whereas on the level concerned with the only right choice compared with the two extremes or errors, the right of practice will always be singular.
Surface Plasmon Resonance from Bimetallic Interface in Au–Ag Core–Shell Structure Nanowires
Authors: Zhu Jian
Published: May 2009

Transverse surface plasmon resonances (SPR) in Au–Ag and Ag–Au core–shell structure nanowires have been investigated by means of quasi-static theory. There are two kinds of SPR bands resulting from the outer surface of wall metal and the interface between core and wall metals, respectively. The SPR corresponding to the interface, which is similar to that of alloy particle, decreases and shifts obviously with increasing the wall thickness. However, the SPR corresponding to the outer surface, which is similar to that of pure metal particle, increases and shifts slightly with increasing the wall thickness. A mechanism based on oscillatory surface electrons under coulombic attraction is developed to illuminate the shift fashion of SPR from bimetallic core–shell interface. The net charges and extra coulombic force in metallic wall affect the SPR energy and the shift fashion.
Effect of Bilayer Phospholipid Composition and Curvature on Ligand Transfer by the α‐Tocopherol Transfer Protein
Authors: Zhang Wen Xiao , Frahm Grant , Morley Samantha , Manor Danny , Atkinson Jeffrey
Published: May 2009

We report here our preliminary investigations on the mechanism of α‐TTP‐mediated ligand transfer as assessed using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays. These assays monitor the movement of the model α‐tocopherol fluorescent derivative ((R)‐2,5,7,8‐tetramethyl‐chroman‐2‐[9‐(7‐nitro‐benzo[1,2,5]oxadiazol‐4‐yl amino)‐nonyl]‐chroman‐6‐ol; NBD‐Toc) from protein to acceptor vesicles containing the fluorescence quencher TRITC‐PE. We have found that α‐TTP utilizes a collisional mechanism of ligand transfer requiring direct protein–membrane contact, that rates of ligand transfer are greater to more highly curved lipid vesicles, and that such rates are insensitive to the presence of anionic phospholipids in the acceptor membrane. These results point to hydrophobic features of α‐TTP dominating the binding energy between protein and membrane.
Effects of maternal separation on dynamics of urocortin 1 and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor in the rat non‐preganglionic Edinger‐Westphal nucleus
Authors: Gaszner Balázs , Jensen Kai‐Ole , Farkas József , Reglődi Dóra , Csernus Valér , Roubos Eric W. , Kozicz Tamás
Published: May 2009

Although mood disorders are frequently genetically determined and to some degree gender‐dependent, the concept of early life ‘programming’, implying a relation between perinatal environmental events and adult mood disorders, has recently gained considerable attention. In particular, maternal separation (MS) markedly affects various stress‐sensitive brain centers. Therefore, MS is considered as a suitable experimental paradigm to study how early life events affect brain plasticity and, hence, cause psychopathologies like major depression. In adult mammals, the classical hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA‐) axis and the urocortin 1 (Ucn1)‐containing non‐preganglionic Edinger‐Westphal nucleus (npEW) respond in opposite ways to chronic stressors. This raises the hypothesis that MS, which is known to increase vulnerability for adult mood disorders via the dysregulation of the HPA‐axis, will affect npEW dynamics as well. We have tested this hypothesis and, moreover, studied a possible role of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in such npEW plasticity. By triple immunocytochemistry we show that BDNF and Ucn1 coexist in rat npEW‐neurons that are c‐Fos‐positive upon acute stress. Quantitative immunocytochemistry revealed that MS increases the contents of Ucn1 and BDNF in these cells. Furthermore, in males and females, the c‐Fos response of npEW‐Ucn1 neurons upon restraint stress was blunted in animals with MS history, a phenomenon that was concomitant with dampening of the HPA corticosterone response in females but not in males. Based on these data we suggest that the BDNF‐containing npEW‐Ucn1 system might be affected by MS in a sex‐specific manner. This supports the idea that the npEW would play a role in the appearance of sex differences in the pathogenesis of stress‐induced mood disorders.
With suspicious (but happy) minds: Mood's ability to neutralize the effects of suspicion on persuasion
Authors: DeCarlo Thomas E. , Barone Michael J.
Published: May 2009

Although investigations into the independent effects of mood and suspicion are plentiful, work examining their interactive impact on persuasion is nonexistent. To address this void in the literature, we consider how positive mood can affect the influence of suspicion on persuasion. In doing so, we investigate the potential for positive mood to neutralize the suspicion that consumers associate with sales agents in an interpersonal persuasion context. Two studies provide converging evidence of this neutralization effect. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed as are avenues for future work in this area.
Evaluating greenhouse gas mitigation practices in livestock systems: an illustration of a whole-farm approach
Authors: STEWART A. A. , LITTLE S. M. , OMINSKI K. H. , WITTENBERG K. M. , JANZEN H. H.
Published: May 2009

As agriculture contributes about 0·08 of Canada's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reducing agricultural emissions would significantly decrease total Canadian GHG output. Evaluating mitigation practices is not always easy because of the complexity of farming systems in which one change may affect many processes and associated emissions. The objective of the current study was to compare the effects of selected management practices on net whole-farm emissions, expressed in CO2equivalents (CO2e) from a beef production system, as estimated for hypothetical farms at four disparate locations in western Canada. Whole-farm emissions (t CO2e) per unit of protein output (t) of 11 management systems (Table 2) were compared for each farm using a model based, in part, on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) equations. Compared with the baseline management scenario, maintaining cattle on alfalfa-grass pastures showed the largest decrease (0·53–1·08 t CO2e/t protein) in emissions for all locations. Feeding lower quality forage over winter showed the greatest increase in emissions per unit protein on the southern Alberta (S.AB) and northern Alberta (N.AB) farms, with increases of 1·36 and 2·22 t CO2e/t protein, respectively. Eliminating the fertilization of forages resulted in the largest increase (4·20 t CO2e/t protein) in emissions per unit protein on the Saskatchewan (SK) farm, while reducing the fertilizer rate by half for all crops showed the largest increase (11·40 t CO2e/t protein) on the Manitoba (MB) farm. The findings, while approximate, illustrate the importance of considering all GHGs simultaneously, and show that practices which best reduce emissions may vary among locations. The findings also suggest merit in comparing emissions on the basis of CO2e per unit of protein exported off-farm, rather than on the basis of total CO2e or CO2e per hectare.
Measuring voice outcomes: state of the science review
Authors: Carding P N , Wilson J A , MacKenzie K , Deary I J
Published: May 2009

Researchers evaluating voice disorder interventions currently have a plethora of voice outcome measurement tools from which to choose. Faced with such a wide choice, it would be beneficial to establish a clear rationale to guide selection. This article reviews the published literature on the three main areas of voice outcome assessment: (1) perceptual rating of voice quality, (2) acoustic measurement of the speech signal and (3) patient self-reporting of voice problems. We analysed the published reliability, validity, sensitivity to change and utility of the common outcome measurement tools in each area. From the data, we suggest that routine voice outcome measurement should include (1) an expert rating of voice quality (using the Grade-Roughness-Breathiness-Asthenia-Strain rating scale) and (2) a short self-reporting tool (either the Vocal Performance Questionnaire or the Vocal Handicap Index 10). These measures have high validity, the best reported reliability to date, good sensitivity to change data and excellent utility ratings. However, their application and administration require attention to detail. Acoustic measurement has arguable validity and poor reliability data at the present time. Other areas of voice outcome measurement (e.g. stroboscopy and aerodynamic phonatory measurements) require similarly detailed research and analysis.
Ancient schwannoma of the oesophagus presenting with stridor: case report
Authors: George M , Augustine A M , Mathew J , Cherian V T , Cherian V K
Published: May 2009

Objective:

We report a rare presentation of ancient schwannoma of the oesophagus, management of which required tracheal resection.

Case report:

A 40-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a six-year history of progressively worsening stridor. She had undergone laser excision of a tracheal tumour thrice in the past. Fibre-optic bronchoscopy showed a tumour arising from the posterior wall of the trachea. Computed tomography scanning showed evidence of extension along the retrotracheal plane. The patient required tracheal resection and anastomosis due to significant involvement of the posterior tracheal wall. The mass was seen to be arising from the oesophagus, and was able to be enucleated from the oesophageal wall. Histopathology was typical of an ancient schwannoma.

Conclusion:

This case emphasises the need to consider oesophageal schwannomas in the differential diagnosis of posterior tracheal tumours; it also highlights the need for careful pre-operative assessment in the management of these tumours in order to avoid complications.
In vitroactivities of fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole against otomycotic fungal pathogens
Authors: Yenişehirli G , Bulut Y , Güven M , Günday E
Published: May 2009

Objective:

To determine the causative pathogens of otomycosis, and to evaluate thein vitroactivity of antifungal agents against these pathogens.

Materials and methods:

A total of 96 fungal isolate were taken from 92 patients suspected of otomycosis. Thein vitroactivity of fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole against otomycotic pathogens was tested using the E-test method.

Results:

The most common pathogen wasAspergillus fumigatus(40.6 per cent), followed byA niger(35.4 per cent),A flavus(12.5 per cent) andCandida albicans(11.5 per cent). AllAspergillusspecies were found to be resistant to fluconazole (minimum inhibitory concentration ≥256 µg/ml). The mean minimum inhibitory concentrations of voriconazole forA fumigatus,A niger,A flavusandC albicanswere significantly lower than those of itraconazole for the same pathogens.

Conclusion:

This study found that the most common otomycotic fungal pathogen wasA fumigatus, and that voriconazole had more potentin vitroactivity than itraconazole against allAspergillusspecies as well as againstC albicans.
Case of coexisting, ipsilateral nonrecurrent and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerves
Authors: Yang Y S , No S K , Choi S C , Hong K H
Published: May 2009

Objective:

We report an extremely rare case of coexisting, ipsilateral nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve.

Method:

We present a case report and a review of the world literature concerning ipsilateral nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve.

Results:

The presence of a coexisting, ipsilateral nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve is a very rare embryological aberration which is associated with a right subclavian artery originating from the aortic arch. We report a case of coexisting, ipsilateral nonrecurrent and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerves associated with this vascular anomaly.

Conclusion:

The surgeon must be aware of the possibility of coexisting, ipsilateral nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve, and thus must trace the nerve in its entirety. Occasionally, what appears to be a nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve will actually be a communicating branch between the recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve and the oesophageal or sympathetic ganglia. If such a neurological variant is present, the consequences of careless dissection could include not only vocal fold paralysis but also dysphagia (if the pharyngeal and oesophageal branches of nonrecurrent or recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve are injured).
Patient quality of life with bone-anchored hearing aid: 10-year experience in Glasgow, Scotland
Authors: Mace A T M , Isa A , Cooke L D
Published: May 2009

Objectives:

This study aimed to ascertain the usefulness of the bone-anchored hearing aid and its impact on the quality of life of patients fitted in Glasgow between 1996 and 2006.

Method:

The Entific Medical Systems questionnaire and the Glasgow Benefit Inventory were posted to patients in order to assess their satisfaction and quality of life changes.

Results:

Sixty adult patients were identified, with a questionnaire response rate of 63 per cent. Thirty-two respondents (85 per cent) reported using their bone-anchored hearing aid for more than eight hours per day. Twenty-nine respondents (75 per cent) found their bone-anchored hearing aid to be generally better than their previous, conventional aid. Twenty-seven respondents (71 per cent) reported that their bone-anchored hearing aid improved their quality of life. The median total Glasgow Benefit Inventory score was +33.3.

Conclusions:

Bone-anchored hearing aid usage rates and satisfaction levels were high amongst patients in Glasgow. Glasgow Benefit Inventory indices were comparable to published findings from other centres. Despite this, bone-anchored hearing aid funding is still not universally available within the National Health Service in Scotland.
Negotiation criteria for multiagent resource allocation
Authors: Iyer Karthik , Huhns Michael N.
Published: May 2009

Negotiation in a multiagent system is a topic of active interest for enabling the allocation of scarce resources among autonomous agents. This paper presents a discussion of the research on negotiationcriteria, which puts in context the contributions to resource allocation from the fields of economics, mathematics, and multiagent systems. We group the criteria based on how they relate to each other as well as their historical origin. In addition, we present three new criteria: verifiability, dimensionality, and topology. The criteria are organized into five categories. The allocation category contains criteria concerning fairness and envy-freeness with respect to how resources are allocated to agents. The protocol category covers criteria for stability, strategy-proofness, and communication costs. The procedure category includes criteria about the complexity of allocation procedures. The resource category has criteria for the properties that various resources can take and how they affect allocation. The paper concludes with a discussion of the criteria for agent utility functions. The overall objectives of this paper are (1) to create a starting point for protocol engineering by future negotiation designers and (2) to enumerate the criteria and their measures that enable negotiation and allocation mechanisms to be compared objectively.
Impact during the proterozoic era possibly inundated the earth with phosphorus
Authors: Sisodia M.S.
Published: May 2009

The stromatolites of the Precambrian Aravalli Supergroup outcropping around Udaipur, Rajasthan, India are classified into two distinct lithofacies: the older carbonate stromatolites facies and the younger phosphate-bearing stromatolite facies. Phosphate-bearing stromatolites of the same age have been reported from China, Russia and Australia. The phosphate-bearing stromatolites of Udaipur show fossil cyanobacteria. These cyanobacteria grew luxuriantly in the absence of any competitors and accumulated abnormal amounts of phosphorus from the novo phosphorus-rich environment, eventually forming a workable phosphate deposit owing to their post-mortem alteration. There is a sharp and abrupt contact between the two facies. This sharp contact or diastem underlying the phosphate-bearing stromatolites is of extreme importance as it denotes a stratigraphic hiatus characterizing a period of overall change in the environment. This change could be due to some catastrophic episode. The Earth during its geologic history has been subjected to several such episodes caused by certain high-energy events, such as impacts by extraterrestrial bodies. These impacts caused mass extinctions as occurred at the Permian–Triassic or Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary or the emergence of new flora and fauna as occurred at the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary. It is therefore argued that the diastem noted between carbonate and phosphate-bearing stromatolites is possibly due to an impact that inundated the Earth with phosphorus. Phosphorus is a key constituent of proteins, which are the major repository of chemical energy for metabolism. Its abundance after this event triggered the emergence of new advanced species.
Gravity waves resolved in ECMWF and measured by SABER
Authors: Schroeder S. , Preusse P. , Ern M. , Riese M.
Published: May 2009

The limited resolution of most general circulation models (GCMs) is not sufficient to simulate gravity waves (GWs) explicitly. ECMWF (European Center for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts) data have now a horizontal resolution of °, so parts of the mesoscale GWs can be resolved although most source processes still contain sub‐grid phenomena. We validate the GWs resolved in ECMWF by comparison with corresponding results obtained from global SABER (Sounding of the Atmosphere Using Broadband Emission Radiometry) satellite observations. For this comparison, effects of the radiative transfer and satellite retrieval procedure are accounted for. Globally, GWs can be attributed to various GW sources and the GW spectrum is modulated by the background winds. Correlation analysis comparing SABER and ECMWF temperature fluctuations indicate good agreement with respect to mountain waves, for example, over the southern tip of south America or over Scandinavia, as well as GWs at the edge of the winter polar vortex.
Computing magnetospheric equilibria with anisotropic pressures
Authors: Wu L. , Toffoletto F. , Wolf R. A. , Lemon C.
Published: May 2009

We present initial results from an equilibrium code that has been modified to include the effect of anisotropic pressures. This equilibrium code uses a frictional technique to iterate a set of modified MHD equations to equilibrium. We describe the modifications made to the original isotropic equilibrium code, including changes to the initial conditions that include a procedure to enforce the specified anisotropy with the restriction that the total energy on a flux tube be conserved. This allows ready comparisons with an isotropic version of the code. The initial pressure distribution is obtained from a one‐dimensional curve fit and the empirical model of that specifies the pressure anisotropy as a function of position down the tail. The initial magnetic field is a magnetic field model. As a preliminary exercise with the code, we examined the differences in the equilibrium magnetic field between an anisotropic and an isotropic equilibrium pressure distribution for the same total energy per flux tube under various initial magnetic field configurations. Using anisotropy‐driven instabilities and chaos effects as a guide, we made a further modification by choosing the boundary where the anisotropy transitions to zero in the tail. When the modified boundary was used, this initial investigation found that differences on the magnetic field between the anisotropic and isotropic case can be very sensitive to where we set the isotropy boundary.
Shallow subduction beneath Italy: Three‐dimensional images of the Adriatic‐European‐Tyrrhenian lithosphere system based on high‐quality P wave arrival times
Authors: Di Stefano R. , Kissling E. , Chiarabba C. , Amato A. , Giardini D.
Published: May 2009

This paper presents a velocity model of the Italian (central Mediterranean) lithosphere in unprecedented detail. The model is derived by inverting a set of 166,000 Pg and Pn seismic wave arrival times, restricted to the highest‐quality data available. The tomographic images reveal the geometry of the subduction‐collision system between the European, Adriatic, and Tyrrhenian plates, over a larger volume and with finer resolution than previous studies. We find two arcs of low‐Vp anomalies running along the Alps and the Apennines, describing the collision zones of underthrusting continental lithospheres. Our results suggest that in the Apennines, a significant portion of the crust has been subducted below the mountain belt. From the velocity model we can also infer thermal softening of the crustal wedge above the subducting Adriatic plate. In the Tyrrhenian back‐arc region, strong and extensive low‐Vp anomalies depict upwelling asthenospheric material. The tomographic images also allow us to trace the boundary between the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian plates at Moho depth, revealing some tears in the Adriatic‐Ionian subducting lithosphere. The complex lithospheric structure described by this study is the result of a long evolution; the heterogeneities of continental margins, lithospheric underthrusting, and plate indentation have led to subduction variations, slab tears, and asthenospheric upwelling at the present day. The high‐resolution model provided here greatly improves our understanding of the central Mediterranean's structural puzzle. The results of this study can also shed light on the evolution of other regions experiencing both oceanic and continental subduction.
Inducing in situ, nonlinear soil response applying an active source
Authors: Johnson Paul A. , Bodin Paul , Gomberg Joan , Pearce Fred , Lawrence Zack , Menq Farn‐Yuh
Published: May 2009

It is well known that soil sites have a profound effect on ground motion during large earthquakes. The complex structure of soil deposits and the highly nonlinear constitutive behavior of soils largely control nonlinear site response at soil sites. Measurements of nonlinear soil response under natural conditions are critical to advancing our understanding of soil behavior during earthquakes. Many factors limit the use of earthquake observations to estimate nonlinear site response such that quantitative characterization of nonlinear behavior relies almost exclusively on laboratory experiments and modeling of wave propagation. Here we introduce a new method for in situ characterization of the nonlinear behavior of a natural soil formation using measurements obtained immediately adjacent to a large vibrator source. To our knowledge, we are the first group to propose and test such an approach. Employing a large, surface vibrator as a source, we measure the nonlinear behavior of the soil by incrementally increasing the source amplitude over a range of frequencies and monitoring changes in the output spectra. We apply a homodyne algorithm for measuring spectral amplitudes, which provides robust signal‐to‐noise ratios at the frequencies of interest. Spectral ratios are computed between the receivers and the source as well as receiver pairs located in an array adjacent to the source, providing the means to separate source and near‐source nonlinearity from pervasive nonlinearity in the soil column. We find clear evidence of nonlinearity in significant decreases in the frequency of peak spectral ratios, corresponding to material softening with amplitude, observed across the array as the source amplitude is increased. The observed peak shifts are consistent with laboratory measurements of soil nonlinearity. Our results provide constraints for future numerical modeling studies of strong ground motion during earthquakes.
Continent elevation, mountains, and erosion: Freeboard implications
Authors: Whitehead J. A. , Clift Peter D.
Published: May 2009

To the simplest approximation, Earth's continental crust is a floating aggregate on the planet's surface that is first attracted to subduction zones and, upon arrival, thickened by mountain building (then producing some extension). Thickened regions are thinned again by erosion. A comparison between 65 Ma and the present shows that the modern state is significantly more mountainous. An estimated average continental elevation increase relative to average ocean floor depth of about 54 m and sea level decrease relative to the ocean floor of about 102 m add up to a 156‐m increase of continent elevation over sea level since 65 Ma. Both are affected most strongly by the roughly 1.7% continent surface area decrease caused by Cenozoic mountain building. This includes contributions from erosion. Volumes of sediments in deltas and submarine fans indicate an average thickness of 371 m deposited globally in the ocean basins since 65 Ma. This relatively large change of continent area over a short span of Earth history has significant consequences. Extrapolating, if continent area change exceeded 5% in the past, either severe erosion or flooded continents occurred. If continent elevation (freeboard) remains at the present value of a few hundred meters, the past continent‐ocean area ratio might have been quite different, depending on earlier volumes of continental crust and water. We conclude that, along with the ages of ocean basins, continental crustal thickening exerts a first‐order control on the global sea level over hundreds of million years.
A multisite daily rainfall generator driven by bivariate copula‐based mixed distributions
Authors: Serinaldi Francesco
Published: May 2009

This work describes a simple and parsimonious multisite Markov model deduced from bivariate copula‐based mixed distributions useful for modeling and generating daily rainfall series. The structure of the model (involving only joint probabilities of wet/dry condition, a copula, the distribution of positive rainfall values, and a spatial cross‐correlation matrix) allows preserving spatial and temporal intermittency and several other properties of hydrologic interest (e.g., wet spell length, daily rainfall amount, rainfall accumulated on wet spells, first steps of the autocorrelation function, and spatial Kendall's correlation coefficient). The model does not require marginal transformations of the observed values, and non‐Gaussian temporal structures of dependence can be introduced by copulas. The spatial dependence is accounted for by simulating temporally independent but spatially correlated standard uniform random sequences. Application to observed rainfall time series and Monte Carlo simulations are carried out to assess the model performances. The approach appears to be a viable way to simulate daily rainfall sequences in a fairly easy way.
Variability of the propagation coefficients due to rain for microwave links in southern Africa
Authors: Mulangu C. T. , Afullo T. J.
Published: May 2009

We use the Mie scattering approach and the dielectric model of Liebe to determine the propagation coefficients and rain attenuation distribution for four locations in Botswana, southern Africa, using R0.01 = 68.9 mm/h for Gaborone, R0.01 = 137.06 mm/h for Selebi‐Phikwe, R0.01 = 86.87 mm/h for Francistown, and R0.01 = 64.4 mm/h for Kasane over the frequency range of 1–1000 GHz. The results show that the extinction coefficients depend more strongly on temperature at lower frequencies than at higher frequencies for lognormal distribution. The absorption coefficient is significant but decreases exponentially with rain temperature at lower microwave frequencies. The application of the proposed model with various distributions is corroborated using practical results for Durban in South Africa.
Climate response to physiological forcing of carbon dioxide simulated by the coupled Community Atmosphere Model (CAM3.1) and Community Land Model (CLM3.0)
Authors: Cao Long , Bala Govindasamy , Caldeira Ken , Nemani Ramakrishna , Ban‐Weiss George
Published: May 2009

Increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2 decrease stomatal conductance of plants and thus suppress canopy transpiration. The climate response to this CO2‐physiological forcing is investigated using the Community Atmosphere Model version 3.1 coupled to Community Land Model version 3.0. In response to the physiological effect of doubling CO2, simulations show a decrease in canopy transpiration of 8%, a mean warming of 0.1K over the land surface, and negligible changes in the hydrological cycle. These climate responses are much smaller than what were found in previous modeling studies. This is largely a result of unrealistic partitioning of evapotranspiration in our model control simulation with a greatly underestimated contribution from canopy transpiration and overestimated contributions from canopy and soil evaporation. This study highlights the importance of a realistic simulation of the hydrological cycle, especially the individual components of evapotranspiration, in reducing the uncertainty in our estimation of climatic response to CO2‐physiological forcing.
Modeling Considerations for In Vivo Quantification of the Dopamine Transporter using [11C]PE2I and Positron Emission Tomography
Authors: DeLorenzo Christine , Kumar JS Dileep , Zanderigo Francesca , Mann J John , Parsey Ramin V
Published: May 2009

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is an important imaging target as changes in DAT have been implicated in a variety of neurologic and psychiatric disorders and can result from certain classes of medications. [11C] N-(3-iodoprop-2 E-enyl)-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-methylphenyl)nortropane ([11C]PE2I), a radioligand with high specificity for DAT, has been shown to exhibit favorable kinetics and to produce high contrast positron emission tomography (PET) images. To better characterize this ligand and to assess its measurement reliability, PET images of seven subjects were acquired in a test–retest paradigm. For optimal model performance, each subject was scanned for 120 mins, ensuring that high binding regions could reach equilibrium, a validated coregistration method was performed for accurate anatomic delineations and an exhaustive search for a reference region having one-tissue compartment kinetics was undertaken. Eleven modeling methods were tested and six metrics were used for method evaluation. A noniterative two-tissue compartment method with 100 mins of scanning time was found to be optimal for characterizing [11C]PE2I.
Dose-Related Neuroprotective versus Neurodamaging Effects of Estrogens in Rat Cerebral Ischemia: A Systematic Analysis
Authors: Strom Jakob O , Theodorsson Annette , Theodorsson Elvar
Published: May 2009

Numerous studies of the effects of estrogens for stroke prevention have yielded conflicting results in human and animal studies alike. We present a systematical analysis of study design and methodological differences between 66 studies where estrogens' impact on ischemic brain damage in rat models has been investigated, providing evidence that the differences in results may be explained by high estrogen doses produced by slow-release pellets. These pellets have been used in all studies showing increased neurologic damage because of estrogens. Our data indicate that the increased neurologic damage is related to the pellets' plasma concentration profile with an early, prolonged, supraphysiological peak. Neither the method of inducing the ischemic brain lesions, the choice of variables for measuring outcome, the measured plasma concentrations of estrogens at the time of ischemia nor rat population attributes (sex, strain, age, and diseases) are factors contributing to the discrepancies in results. This suggests that the effects of estrogens for stroke prevention are concentration related with a complex dose-response curve, and underscores the importance of carefully validating the experimental methods used. Future studies of hormone-replacement therapy in women may have to take dosage and administration regimens into account.
MRI-Based Characterization of Vascular Disruption by 5,6-Dimethylxanthenone-Acetic Acid in Gliomas
Authors: Seshadri Mukund , Ciesielski Michael J
Published: May 2009

The well-vascularized nature of gliomas has generated a lot of interest in antiangiogenic therapies. However, the potential of vascular disrupting agents (VDAs) against gliomas has not been investigated extensively. In this study, we examined the in vivo efficacy of the tumor-VDA 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA) against gliomas. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion-weighted MRI were used to characterize the vascular and cellular responses of GL261 and U87 gliomas to DMXAA treatment. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Before VDA treatment, minimal enhancement was detected within the tumor in both models. Longitudinal relaxation rate ( R1 = 1/ T1) maps acquired 24 h after treatment showed marked extravasation and accumulation of the contrast agent in the tumor indicative of treatment-induced vascular disruption. Normalized change in relaxation rate (ΔR1) values of the tumor showed a significant increase ( P<0.01 GL261; P<0.05 U87) after therapy compared with baseline estimates. Mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were significantly increased ( P = 0.015) 72 h after therapy in GL261 but not in U87 gliomas. Vascular disrupting agent therapy resulted in a significant ( P<0.01) increase in median survival in both models evaluated. The results highlight the potential of VDAs against gliomas and the utility of MRI in the assessment of glioma response to VDA therapy.