bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Division I Men and Women Athletes Do Not Differ on Perceptions of Worth
Authors: Lockhart Barbara D. , Black Nate , Vincent William J.
Published: May 2012

Historically, especially prior to the increased interest in women's athletics with the passage of Title IX in 1972, there have been negative perceptions of women as athletes. If these social perceptions still hold in part today, as is indirectly suggested by unequal press coverage and less basic support for women athletes, one might predict that collegiate female athletes would rate themselves lower on self-esteem and worth than collegiate male athletes. 176 Division I male ( n = 90) and female ( n = 86) athletes rated their perceptions of self on the Worth Index which measures basic human worth, personal security, performance, and physical self; these are divided into intrinsic (unconditional worth) measures and behavior or performance (conditional worth) measures. There were no significant sex differences in the ratings of any aspect of perceived worth, in contrast to prior results among non-athletes. In spite of less support given to women athletes, perhaps the long-term high-intensity competition that is required to reach Division I status tends to eliminate sex differences in self-worth.
Comparative Interinstrument Reliability of Uniaxial and Triaxial Accelerometers in Free-Living Conditions
Authors: Vanhelst Jérémy , Gottrand Frédéric , Baquet Georges , Béghin Laurent
Published: May 2012

The aim of this study was to measure the inter-instrument reliability of the ActiGraph and RT3 accelerometers in free-living conditions. 15 healthy adults wore eight ActiGraph accelerometers and five RT3 accelerometers fastened to their back with an elastic belt and adjustable buckle in free-living conditions. For both accelerometers, the inter-instrument coefficient of variation (CV) decreased with increasing physical activity intensity. The inter-instrument CV of the ActiGraph (3% to 10.5%) was significantly lower than that of the RT3 (12.6% to 35.5%; p < 0.05). This finding demonstrates that the ActiGraph has higher inter-instrument reliability than the RT3. For both accelerometers, the inter-instrument reliability was higher for moderate and vigorous physical activity, the two intensities recommended for public health purposes. Studies using these devices can be compared with a low risk of misclassification of participants who meet the recommendation to perform moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Application of Regression and Neural Models to Predict Competitive Swimming Performance
Authors: Maszczyk Adam , Roczniok Robert , Czuba Miłosz , Zajαc Adam , Waśkiewicz Zbigniew , Mikołajec Kazimierz , Stanula Arkadiusz
Published: May 2012

This research problem was indirectly but closely connected with the optimization of an athlete-selection process, based on predictions viewed as determinants of future successes. The research project involved a group of 249 competitive swimmers (age 12 yr., SD = 0.5) who trained and competed for four years. Measures involving fitness (e.g., lung capacity), strength (e.g., standing long jump), swimming technique (turn, glide, distance per stroke cycle), anthropometric variables (e.g., hand and foot size), as well as specific swimming measures (speeds in particular distances), were used. The participants ( n = 189) trained from May 2008 to May 2009, which involved five days of swimming workouts per week, and three additional 45-min. sessions devoted to measurements necessary for this study. In June 2009, data from two groups of 30 swimmers each ( n = 60) were used to identify predictor variables. Models were then constructed from these variables to predict final swimming performance in the 50 meter and 800 meter crawl events. Nonlinear regression models and neural models were built for the dependent variable of sport results (performance at 50m and 800m). In May 2010, the swimmers' actual race times for these events were compared to the predictions created a year prior to the beginning of the experiment. Results for the nonlinear regression models and perception networks structured as 8-4-1 and 4-3-1 indicated that the neural models overall more accurately predicted final swimming performance from initial training, strength, fitness, and body measurements. Differences in the sum of absolute error values were 4:11.96 ( n = 30 for 800m) and 20.39 ( n = 30 for 50m), for models structured as 8-4-1 and 4-3-1, respectively, with the neural models being more accurate. It seems possible that such models can be used to predict future performance, as well as in the process of recruiting athletes for specific styles and distances in swimming.
The Effect of Implicit and Explicit Practice in the Development of Decision Making in Volleyball Serving
Authors: Lola Afrodite C. , Tzetzis George C. , Zetou Helen
Published: May 2012

This experiment investigated the effect of explicit, implicit, and sequential learning (implicit-explicit) on the acquisition and retention of decision-making skill in volleyball. The participants were 60 female novices, aged 10–12 years. The experimental groups followed three different methods of training: (a) explicit practice for development of declarative knowledge, (b) implicit practice for the development of procedural knowledge, (c) sequential practice (implicit first and then explicit), and (d) no practice (only measurements) - a control group. At pre-testing, post-testing, and retention testing there were measurements of the participants’ decision-making response time and accuracy. Analyses indicated that all experimental groups improved over time while the control group did not. The sequential group was faster and more accurate than the implicit group, and the latter was faster and more accurate than the explicit group. The sequential group outperformed implicit and explicit groups on both speed and accuracy. It seems that both explicit and implicit processes, when they take place in sequence, interact positively, and this method improves speed and accuracy of decision making rather than when each mode of learning (implicit or explicit) occurs separately. If the role of working memory is reduced at the early stages of learning, the accumulation of declarative knowledge (explicit learning) may benefit from accumulation of procedural knowledge and enhance decision-making skill.
Visual Perceptual Abilities of Chinese-Speaking and English-Speaking Children
Authors: Lai Mun Yee , Leung Frederick Koon Shing
Published: May 2012

This paper reports an investigation of Chinese-speaking and English-speaking children's general visual perceptual abilities. The Developmental Test of Visual Perception was administered to 41 native Chinese-speaking children of mean age 5 yr. 4 mo. in Hong Kong and 35 English-speaking children of mean age 5 yr. 2 mo. in Melbourne. Of interest were the two interrelated components of visual perceptual abilities, namely, motor-reduced visual perceptual and visual-motor integration perceptual abilities, which require either verbal or motoric responses in completing visual tasks. Chinese-speaking children significantly outperformed the English-speaking children on general visual perceptual abilities. When comparing the results of each of the two different components, the Chinese-speaking students' performance on visual-motor integration was far better than that of their counterparts ( ES = 2.70), while the two groups of students performed similarly on motor-reduced visual perceptual abilities. Cultural factors such as written language format may be contributing to the enhanced performance of Chinese-speaking children's visual-motor integration abilities, but there may be validity questions in the Chinese version.
Gait Speed Measure: The Effect of Different Measuring Distances and the Inclusion and Exclusion of Acceleration and Deceleration
Authors: Wang Ching-Yi , Lin Yi-Huang , Chen Tou-Rong , Liu Mei-Hui , Chen Yueh-Chi
Published: May 2012

The purposes of this study were to examine the effects of different distances and the inclusion and exclusion of acceleration and deceleration distances on the measurement of self-paced and fastest gait speeds in younger and older adults. The self-paced and fastest gait speeds of younger and older adults were measured over 4-m and 10-m walkways with the acceleration and deceleration distances included and excluded in the measuring distance. The results indicated gait speeds (both self-paced and fastest) measured over different distances were comparable only if a distance for acceleration and deceleration was excluded from the measuring distance to obtain stable and comparable gait speeds. Similar results were found for younger and older groups.
The relationship between daily Internet use time and school performance in Korean adolescents
Authors: Kim Dong-Hyun , So Wi-Young
Published: May 2012

This study investigates whether daily Internet use time is related to the school performance of Korean adolescents. We therefore analyzed raw data from the 2009 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey-V (KYRBWS-V), in which 75,066 students from the middle-school first grade to the high-school third grade participated. We assessed the association between daily Internet use time and school performance by using multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, body mass index, education level of parents, and economic status of the family. For boys, the odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] for recording ≥ average school performance and daily time spent on Internet use was 1.876 (1.752–2.008, p < 0.001) for ≤1 hour, 1.564 (1.467–1.667, p < 0.001) for >1–≤2 hours, 1.158 (1.079–1.242, p < 0.001) for >2–≤3 hours, and 0.759 (0.695–0.828, p < 0.001) for over 4 hours, when compared to those who never used the Internet. For girls, the OR (95% CI) for recording ≥ average school performance and daily Internet use time was 1.729 (1.607–1.860, p < 0.001) for ≤1 hour, 1.503 (1.399–1.616, p < 0.001) for >1–≤2 hours, 1.193 (1.100–1.293, p < 0.001) for >2–≤3 hours, and 0.809 (0.725–0.903, p < 0.001) for over 4 hours, when compared to those who never used the Internet. It was concluded that Korean adolescents who spend ≤3 hours per day on the Internet are predisposed to an increase in performance levels at school, whereas those who spend over 4 hours per day on the Internet are predisposed to a decrease in school performance levels.
Statistical interpretation of medical data of patients with alcohol abuse
Authors: Bardarov Ventzislav , Simeonova Pavlina , Neikova Ludmila , Bardarov Krum , Simeonov Vasil , Tsakovski Stefan , Kanev Kamen
Published: May 2012

An attempt is made to assess a set of biochemical, kinetic and anthropometric data for patients suffering from alcohol abuse (alcoholics) and healthy patients (non-alcoholics). The main goal is to identify the data set structure, finding groups of similarity among the clinical parameters or among the patients. Multivariate statistical methods (cluster analysis and principal components analysis) were used to assess the data collection. Several significant patterns of related parameters were found to be representative of the role of the liver function, kinetic and anthropometric indicators (conditionally named “liver function factor”, “ethanol metabolism factor”, “body weight factor”, and “acetaldehyde metabolic factor”). An effort is made to connect the role of kinetic parameters for acetaldehyde metabolism with biochemical, ethanol kinetic and anthropometric data in parallel.
Parasite fauna of rodents (Murinae) from El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain): a multidisciplinary approach
Authors: Feliu Carlos , López Mercedes , Gómez María , Torres Jordi , Sánchez Santiago , Miquel Jordi , Abreu-Acosta Néstor , Segovia Juan , Martín-Alonso Aarón , Montoliu Isabel , Villa Mercedes , Fernández-Álvarez Ángela , Bakhoum Abdoulaye , Valladares Basilio , Orós Jorge , Foronda Pilar
Published: May 2012

The parasite fauna (protozoa, helminths and insects) of the two most widespread Murinae rodents in El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain), the black rat (Rattus rattus) and the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) was studied. Faunistic, ecological, ecotoxicological data, as well as information on the biology of some nematode parasites of R. rattus are provided. The present work is unprecedented in the Canary Islands, and provides the first data on the parasite biodiversity in Murinae from the archipelago. Concerning to parasitofaunas stands out: a) impoverishment of biodiversity of helminths respect of which have the same hosts in other islands; b) increasing the number of species of Siphonaptera, even compared with flea species that parasitize the same hosts from continental biotopes.
Advanced stages of embryonic development and cotylocidial morphogenesis in the intrauterine eggs of Aspidogaster limacoides Diesing, 1835 (Aspidogastrea), with comments on their phylogenetic implications
Authors: Świderski Zdzisław , Poddubnaya Larisa , Gibson David , Młocicki Daniel
Published: May 2012

Ultrastructural aspects of the advanced embryonic development and cotylocidial morphogenesis of the aspidogastrean Aspidogaster limacoides are described. The posterior or distal regions of the uterus are filled with eggs containing larvae at advanced stages of morphogenesis and fully-formed cotylocidia. Various stages and organs of this larva are described in detail, including the aspects of the developing and fully-differentiated cotylocidium, the body wall (tegument and musculature), glandular regions and the protonephridial excretory system. Blastomere multiplication by means of mitotic divisions takes place simultaneously with the degeneration or apoptosis of some micromeres; this frequently observed characteristic is compared and discussed in relation to corresponding reports for other neodermatans. During the advanced stages of the embryonic development of A. limacoides, the vitelline syncytium disappears and the size of the embryo increases rapidly. Evident polarization of the differentiating larva was observed; towards one pole of the egg, cytodifferentiation of the mouth, surrounded by the oral sucker and cephalic glands, takes place, whereas, towards the opposite pole, differentiation of the posterior sucker (incipient ventral disc) occurs. The oral and posterior suckers are formed from numerous embryonic cells which have differentiated into myocytes. The central part of the oral sucker undergoes invagination and forms the future pharynx and intestine. Fully-developed cotylocidia of A. limacoides have a neodermatan type of tegument, flame cells and two types of glandular structures. These results suggest a sister relationship between the Aspidogastrea and the Digenea, although the systematic position of aspidogastreans in relation to other platyhelminth taxa remains somewhat equivocal.
Magnetic chains formed from tetra-coordinate Co(II) complexes
Authors: Idešicová Monika , Krutošíková Alžbeta , Mrázová Viera , Boča Roman
Published: May 2012

Two tetra-coordinate Co(II) complexes, [CoCl2(bzfupy)2] and [CoCl2(p-tol)2] with N-donor ligands, are apparently mononuclear systems. The magnetic susceptibility at low temperature attains a maximum which is a fingerprint of the exchange interaction. The exchange coupling constant fitted to a model of 1D-magnetic chain yields J/hc = −0.50 cm−1 and −0.57 cm−1, respectively. The magnetic interaction is mediated by the π-π stacking in the first complex, and the short Cl…Cl contacts in the second.
A Combined Early Cognitive and Physical Rehabilitation Program for People Who Are Critically Ill: The Activity and Cognitive Therapy in the Intensive Care Unit (ACT-ICU) Trial
Authors: Brummel Nathan E. , Jackson James C. , Girard Timothy D. , Pandharipande Pratik P. , Schiro Elena , Work Brittany , Pun Brenda T. , Boehm Leanne , Gill Thomas M. , Ely E. Wesley
Published: May 2012

Background

In the coming years, the number of survivors of critical illness is expected to increase. These survivors frequently develop newly acquired physical and cognitive impairments. Long-term cognitive impairment is common following critical illness and has dramatic effects on patients' abilities to function autonomously. Neuromuscular weakness affects similar proportions of patients and leads to equally profound life alterations. As knowledge of these short-term and long-term consequences of critical illness has come to light, interventions to prevent and rehabilitate these devastating consequences have been sought. Physical rehabilitation has been shown to improve functional outcomes in people who are critically ill, but subsequent studies of physical rehabilitation after hospital discharge have not. Post-hospital discharge cognitive rehabilitation is feasible in survivors of critical illness and is commonly used in people with other forms of acquired brain injury. The feasibility of early cognitive therapy in people who are critically ill remains unknown.

Objective

The purpose of this novel protocol trial will be to determine the feasibility of early and sustained cognitive rehabilitation paired with physical rehabilitation in patients who are critically ill from medical and surgical intensive care units.

Design

This is a randomized controlled trial.

Setting

The setting for this trial will be medical and surgical intensive care units of a large tertiary care referral center.

Patients

The participants will be patients who are critically ill with respiratory failure or shock.

Intervention

Patients will be randomized to groups receiving usual care, physical rehabilitation, or cognitive rehabilitation plus physical rehabilitation. Twice-daily cognitive rehabilitation sessions will be performed with patients who are noncomatose and will consist of orientation, memory, and attention exercises (eg, forward and reverse digit spans, matrix puzzles, letter-number sequences, pattern recognition). Daily physical rehabilitation sessions will advance patients from passive range of motion exercises through ambulation. Patients with cognitive or physical impairment at discharge will undergo a 12-week, in-home cognitive rehabilitation program.

Measurements

A battery of neurocognitive and functional outcomes will be measured 3 and 12 months after hospital discharge.

Conclusions

If feasible, these interventions will lay the groundwork for a larger, multicenter trial to determine their efficacy.
Microlens array production in a microtechnological dry etch and reflow process for display applications
Authors: Knieling T. , Shafi M. , Lang W. , Benecke W.
Published: May 2012

The fabrication of arrays consisting of densely ordered circular convex microlenses with diameters of 126 µm made of quartz glass in a photoresist reflow and dry etch structure transition process is demonstrated. The rectangular lens arrays with dimensions of 6 mm × 9 mm were designed for focussing collimated light on the pixel center regions of a translucent interference display, which also was produced in microtechnological process steps. The lenses focus light on pixel centers and thus serve for increasing display brightness and contrast since incoming collimated light is partially blocked by opaque metallic ring contacts at the display pixel edges. The focal lengths of the lenses lie between 0.46 mm and 2.53 mm and were adjusted by varying the ratio of the selective dry etch rate of photoresist and quartz glass. Due to volume shrinking and edge line pinning of the photoresist structures the lenses curvatures emerge hyperbolic, leading to improved focussing performance.
Spatially encoded localized wavepackets for ultrafast optical data transfer
Authors: Grunwald R. , Bock M.
Published: May 2012

Arrays of highly localized wavepackets enable for an efficient multichannel processing of optical data because of their undistorted propagation in space and time domain. Reconfigurable arrangements of supercollimated and temporally nondiffracting few-cycle pulses were generated by microaxicons programmed into the phase map of a liquid-crystal-on-silicon spatial light modulator. As an example, the transfer of quick response code data with few-femtosecond pulses of a Ti:sapphire laser oscillator is reported. Data encoding in beam arrays via maps of temporal and spectral moments is proposed.
Large-Scale Evaluations of Curricular Effectiveness
Authors: Bhatt Rachana , Koedel Cory
Published: May 2012

We use data from one of the few states where information on curriculum adoptions is available—Indiana—to empirically evaluate differences in performance across three elementary-mathematics curricula. The three curricula that we evaluate were popular nationally during the time of our study, and two of the three remain popular today. We find large differences in effectiveness between the curricula, most notably between the two that held the largest market shares in Indiana. Both are best characterized as traditional in pedagogy. We also show that the publisher of the least-effective curriculum did not lose market share in Indiana in the following adoption cycle; one explanation is that educational decision makers lack information about differences in curricular effectiveness.
Single-session and multisession CyberKnife radiosurgery for spine metastases—University of Pittsburgh and Georgetown University experience
Authors: Heron Dwight E. , Rajagopalan Malolan S. , Stone Brandon , Burton Steven , Gerszten Peter C. , Dong Xinxin , Gagnon Gregory J. , Quinn Annette , Henderson Fraser
Published: May 2012

Object

The authors compared the effectiveness of single-session (SS) and multisession (MS) stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for the treatment of spinal metastases.

Methods

The authors conducted a retrospective review of the clinical outcomes of 348 lesions in 228 patients treated with the CyberKnife radiosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and Georgetown University Medical Center. One hundred ninety-five lesions were treated using an SS treatment regimen (mean 16.3 Gy), whereas 153 lesions were treated using an MS approach (mean 20.6 Gy in 3 fractions, 23.8 Gy in 4 fractions, and 24.5 Gy in 5 fractions). The primary end point was pain control. Secondary end points included neurological deficit improvement, toxicity, local tumor control, need for retreatment, and overall survival.

Results

Pain control was significantly improved in the SS group (SSG) for all measured time points up to 1 year posttreatment (100% vs 88%, p = 0.003). Rates of toxicity and neurological deficit improvement were not statistically different. Local tumor control was significantly better in the MS group (MSG) up to 2 years posttreatment (96% vs 70%, p = 0.001). Similarly, the need for retreatment was significantly lower in the MSG (1% vs 13%, p < 0.001). One-year overall survival was significantly greater in the MSG than the SSG (63% vs 46%, p = 0.002).

Conclusions

Single-session and MS SRS regimens are both effective in the treatment of spinal metastases. While an SS approach provides greater early pain control and equivalent toxicity, an MS approach achieves greater tumor control and less need for retreatment in long-term survivors.
Burden and outcome of acute copper sulphate poisoning in a teaching hospital
Authors: Mollick SH , Mollick KA , Bakar A , Miah María
Published: May 2012

Copper sulphate poisoning is the most common poisoning next to organophosphorus poisoning with significant mortality. Gastrointestinal, liver, renal and haematological toxicities are common. A prospective observational study was conducted in department of medicine, KMCH, Khulna during the period of September, 2005 to March, 2007 to observe the presentation and outcome of copper sulphate poisoning. Forty patients with acute copper sulphate poisoning of different age group of both sexes were studied. Patients were evaluated through detailed history, clinical features, laboratory investigations and they were monitored closely at regular interval during hospital stay. Copper sulphate poisoning was found mostly in rural people (85%) and maximum (62.5%) patient were in the young age group of 16-25 yr. All patients had taken it as a suicidal attempt. Almost all patients presented with gastrointestinal symptoms-nausea (100%), vomiting (100%) and abdominal pain (90%). Subsequently hepatic toxicity was manifested by jaundice (32%), yellowish discoloration of urine (35%) which developed usually on the 2nd or 3rd day. Renal toxicities were manifested by oliguria (25%), haematuria (32.5%), albuminuria (30%) and renal dysfunction (30%). 35% of the patients were found to have anemia with Hb below 60%. Eight patients (20%) became unconscious at the terminal stage and died.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bmjk.v44i1-2.10468 Bang Med J (Khulna) 2011: 44(1&2) 7-10
Result of closed interlocking intramedullary nail in tibial shaft fracture
Authors: Kamruzzaman AHSM , Islam S
Published: May 2012

The management of tibial diaphyseal fractures has always held a particular interest for orthopedic surgeons. Not only they are relatively common but also they are often difficult to treat. This prospective study was carried out at Rangpur from April 2008 to November 2009. 34 patients were treated by closed interlocking intramedullary nail. Goal of this study was to find out a safe & effective management of fracture, early mobility of patient, functional joint motion and short stay in hospital. Routine follow up was carried out in 29 patients. In 24 cases, fracture (81.76%) were united, 4 cases (13.79%) needed dynamisation with autogenous bone grafting and 1 case devoloped non union. Study showed interlocking nailing in tibia provides early mobility of patients, reduces hospital stay and fracture unites without joint stiffness and less complication.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bmjk.v44i1-2.10470Bang Med J (Khulna) 2011: 44(1&2) 15-17
Cervical ectopic pregnacy mimicking missed abortion
Authors: Saha E , Paul AK
Published: May 2012

Cervical pregnancy is a rare variety of Ectopic pregnancy. It is a life threatening form of ectopic pregnancy. The diagnosis of cervical pregnancy can be missed by an unsuspecting mind inspite of the routine use of first trimester Ultrasonography. Careful evaluation is necessary for immediate proper management of such case.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bmjk.v44i1-2.10474Bang Med J (Khulna) 2011: 44(1&2) 28-30
ELISPOT Assay for Monitoring Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes (CTL) Activity in Cancer Vaccine Clinical Trials
Authors: Malyguine Anatoli M. , Strobl Susan , Dunham Kimberly , Shurin Michael R. , Sayers Thomas J.
Published: May 2012

The profiling and monitoring of immune responses are key elements in the evaluation of the efficacy and development of new biotherapies, and a number of assays have been introduced for analyzing various immune parameters before, during, and after immunotherapy. The choice of immune assays for a given clinical trial depends on the known or suggested immunomodulating mechanisms associated with the tested therapeutic modality. Cell-mediated cytotoxicity represents a key mechanism in the immune response to various pathogens and tumors. Therefore, the selection of monitoring methods for the appropriate assessment of cell-mediated cytotoxicity is thought to be crucial. Assays that can detect both cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) frequency and function, such as the IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT) have gained increasing popularity for monitoring clinical trials and in basic research. Results from various clinical trials, including peptide and whole tumor cell vaccination and cytokine treatment, have shown the suitability of the IFN-γ ELISPOT assay for monitoring T cell responses. However, the Granzyme B ELISPOT assay and Perforin ELISPOT assay may represent a more direct analysis of cell-mediated cytotoxicity as compared to the IFN-γ ELISPOT, since Granzyme B and perforin are the key mediators of target cell death via the granule-mediated pathway. In this review we analyze our own data and the data reported by others with regard to the application of various modifications of ELISPOT assays for monitoring CTL activity in clinical vaccine trials.
An Entropic Estimator for Linear Inverse Problems
Authors: Golan Amos , Gzyl Henryk
Published: May 2012

In this paper we examine an Information-Theoretic method for solving noisy linear inverse estimation problems which encompasses under a single framework a whole class of estimation methods. Under this framework, the prior information about the unknown parameters (when such information exists), and constraints on the parameters can be incorporated in the statement of the problem. The method builds on the basics of the maximum entropy principle and consists of transforming the original problem into an estimation of a probability density on an appropriate space naturally associated with the statement of the problem. This estimation method is generic in the sense that it provides a framework for analyzing non-normal models, it is easy to implement and is suitable for all types of inverse problems such as small and or ill-conditioned, noisy data. First order approximation, large sample properties and convergence in distribution are developed as well. Analytical examples, statistics for model comparisons and evaluations, that are inherent to this method, are discussed and complemented with explicit examples.
Characteristic Evaluation on the Cooling Performance of an Electrical Air Conditioning System Using R744 for a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle
Authors: Lee Moo-Yeon , Lee Ho-Seong , Won Hong-Phil
Published: May 2012

The objective of this study was to investigate the cooling performance characteristics of an electrical air conditioning system using R744 as an alternative of R-134a for a fuel cell electric vehicle. In order to analyze the cooling performance characteristics of the air conditioning system using R744 for a fuel cell electric vehicle, an electrical air conditioning system using R744 was developed and tested under various operating conditions according to both inlet air conditions of the gas cooler and evaporator and compressor speed. The cooling capacity and coefficient of performance (COP) forcooling of the tested air conditioning system were up to 6.4 kW and 2.5, respectively. In addition, the electrical air conditioning system with R744 using an inverter driven compressor showed better performance than the conventional air conditioning system with R-134a under the same operating conditions. The observed cooling performance of the developed electrical air conditioning system was found to be sufficient for cooling loads under various real driving conditions for a fuel cell electric vehicle.
Modification of MCF-10A Cells with Pioglitazone and Serum-Rich Growth Medium Increases Soluble Factors in the Conditioned Medium, Likely Reducing BT-474 Cell Growth
Authors: Khoo Boon Yin , Miswan Noorizan , Balaram Prabha , Nadarajan Kalpanah , Elstner Elena
Published: May 2012

In the present study, we aimed to preincubate MCF-10A cells with pioglitazone and/or serum-rich growth media and to determine adhesive and non-adhesive interactions of the preincubated MCF-10A cells with BT-474 cells. For this purpose, the MCF-10A cells were preincubated with pioglitazone and/or serum-rich growth media, at appropriate concentrations, for 1 week. The MCF-10A cells preincubated with pioglitazone and/or serum-rich growth media were then co-cultured adhesively and non-adhesively with BT-474 cells for another week. Co-culture of BT-474 cells with the preincubated MCF-10A cells, both adhesively and non-adhesively, reduced the growth of the cancer cells. The inhibitory effect of the preincubated MCF-10A cells against the growth of BT-474 cells was likely produced by increasing levels of soluble factors secreted by the preincubated MCF-10A cells into the conditioned medium, as immunoassayed by ELISA. However, only an elevated level of a soluble factor distinguished the conditioned medium collected from the MCF-10A cells preincubated with pioglitazone and serum-rich growth medium than that with pioglitazone alone. This finding was further confirmed by the induction of the soluble factor transcript expression in the preincubated MCF-10A cells, as determined using real-time PCR, for the above phenomenon. Furthermore, modification of the MCF-10A cells through preincubation did not change the morphology of the cells, indicating that the preincubated cells may potentially be injected into mammary fat pads to reduce cancer growth in patients or to be used for others cell-mediated therapy.
Microwave Synthesis Under Solvent-Free Conditions and Spectral Studies of Some Mesoporphyrinic Complexes
Authors: Boscencu Rica
Published: May 2012

A series of A3B and A4 type mesoporphyrinic complexes were synthesized with superior yields using microwave irradiation under solvent-free conditions. The structures of the complexes were confirmed using elemental analysis, FT-IR, UV-Vis, EPR and NMR spectral data. The influence of environmental polarity on spectral properties of the mesoporphyrinic complexes was investigated. The obtained results indicate that the shape of absorption and fluorescence spectra does not depend on the solvent polarity under the experimental conditions used. The small shifts of the absorption and emission maximums that occur by increasing of solvent polarity reflects the physical interaction between the porphyrinic substituents and the solvent molecules.
Eag1 Channels as Potential Cancer Biomarkers
Authors: Rodríguez-Rasgado Jesús Adrián , Acuña-Macías Isabel , Camacho Javier
Published: May 2012

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. New early tumor markers are needed to treat the disease at curable stages. In addition, new therapeutic targets are required to treat patients not responding to available treatments. Ion channels play major roles in health and disease, including cancer. Actually, several ion channels have been suggested as potential tumor markers and therapeutic targets for different types of malignancies. One of most studied ion channels in cancer is the voltage-gated potassium channel Eag1 (ether à go-go 1), which has a high potential to be used as a cancer biomarker. Eag1 is expressed in most human tumors, in contrast to its restricted distribution in healthy tissues. Several findings suggest Eag1 as a potential early marker for cervical, colon, and breast cancer. In addition, because Eag1 amplification/expression is associated with poor survival in leukemia, colon and ovarian cancer patients, it has also been proposed as a prognosis marker. Moreover, inhibition of either expression or activity of Eag1 leads to reduced proliferation of cancer cells, making Eag1 a potential anticancer target. Using Eag1 in cancer detection programs could help to reduce mortality from this disease.
Using LS-SVM Based Motion Recognition for Smartphone Indoor Wireless Positioning
Authors: Pei Ling , Liu Jingbin , Guinness Robert , Chen Yuwei , Kuusniemi Heidi , Chen Ruizhi
Published: May 2012

The paper presents an indoor navigation solution by combining physical motion recognition with wireless positioning. Twenty-seven simple features are extracted from the built-in accelerometers and magnetometers in a smartphone. Eight common motion states used during indoor navigation are detected by a Least Square-Support Vector Machines (LS-SVM) classification algorithm, e.g., static, standing with hand swinging, normal walking while holding the phone in hand, normal walking with hand swinging, fast walking, U-turning, going up stairs, and going down stairs. The results indicate that the motion states are recognized with an accuracy of up to 95.53% for the test cases employed in this study. A motion recognition assisted wireless positioning approach is applied to determine the position of a mobile user. Field tests show a 1.22 m mean error in “Static Tests” and a 3.53 m in “Stop-Go Tests”.
Herpes Virus Fusion and Entry: A Story with Many Characters
Authors: Eisenberg Roselyn J. , Atanasiu Doina , Cairns Tina M. , Gallagher John R. , Krummenacher Claude , Cohen Gary H.
Published: May 2012

Herpesviridae comprise a large family of enveloped DNA viruses all of whom employ orthologs of the same three glycoproteins, gB, gH and gL. Additionally, herpesviruses often employ accessory proteins to bind receptors and/or bind the heterodimer gH/gL or even to determine cell tropism. Sorting out how these proteins function has been resolved to a large extent by structural biology coupled with supporting biochemical and biologic evidence. Together with the G protein of vesicular stomatitis virus, gB is a charter member of the Class III fusion proteins. Unlike VSV G, gB only functions when partnered with gH/gL. However, gH/gL does not resemble any known viral fusion protein and there is evidence that its function is to upregulate the fusogenic activity of gB. In the case of herpes simplex virus, gH/gL itself is upregulated into an active state by the conformational change that occurs when gD, the receptor binding protein, binds one of its receptors. In this review we focus primarily on prototypes of the three subfamilies of herpesviruses. We will present our model for how herpes simplex virus (HSV) regulates fusion in series of highly regulated steps. Our model highlights what is known and also provides a framework to address mechanistic questions about fusion by HSV and herpesviruses in general.
L'économie sociale et solidaire, virage ou mirage ?
Authors: Frémeaux Philippe
Published: May 2012

Résumé Philippe Frémeaux étudie le monde complexe et méconnu de l’économie sociale et solidaire, en souligne les mérites sans en dissimuler les travers. Il ausculte ainsi sans complaisance un acteur social et économique de premier plan qui mérite d’être mieux connu.
Facteurs de mutation et spécificités nationales de la GRH : résultats d'une étude des grandes tendances RH en Suisse romande
Authors: Davoine Eric , Emmenegger Steeves , Mimouni Serge
Published: May 2012

Résumé Plusieurs études européennes récentes de tendances et de prospective utilisent des méthodes très similaires, inspirées par la démarche Delphi, pour identifier les facteurs de mutation des métiers et des fonctions de l’entreprise, y compris pour la fonction RH. Cet article présente les résultats d’une étude de tendances menée en Suisse romande avec ce type de démarche méthodologique. Après une présentation critique de la méthode utilisée, nous présentons les principaux facteurs de mutations externes et internes, ainsi que les dossiers RH prioritaires, identifiés par un groupe de 34 experts. Nous en discutons les spécificités contextuelles suisses à partir des études récentes menées en France et en Allemagne.
Implication organisationnelle et performance au travail chez les infirmières et infirmiers diplômés d'Etat au Bénin
Authors: Agonhossou Damase K. , Godonou Célestin K.
Published: May 2012

Résumé La présente recherche vise à mieux comprendre les relations qui existent entre la performance au travail des infirmières et infirmiers diplômés d’Etat et l’implication organisationnelle. Une analyse qualitative exploratoire portant sur un échantillon de huit agents de santé, a permis de formuler les hypothèses de recherche. L’analyse de régression multiple a mis en évidence une relation positive entre les deux sous dimensions de l’implication organisationnelle calculée - sacrifices perçus et manque d’alternatifs perçus - et les variables de performance au travail telles que la satisfaction au travail, le taux de rotation, l’absentéisme, la promotion et le retard.
Manager les tensions stratégiques entre le local et l'international : le cas des pôles de compétitivité
Authors: Castro Goncalves Luciana , Chabault Denis , Tixier Julie
Published: May 2012

Résumé Cet article s’attache à comprendre comment les pôles de compétitivité et ses parties prenantes managent les tensions stratégiques entre les périmètres local et international. L’analyse du pôle Cosmetic Valley sous l’angle de la littérature des parties prenantes associée au concept de dualité institutionnelle, montre la nécessité d’élargir la prise en compte de la dynamique spatiale des acteurs et la notion même de territoire.
Profil généraliste ou profil technique, quand les compétences des pilotes opérationnels influencent le pilotage des Systèmes Productifs Locaux
Authors: Loubaresse Élodie
Published: May 2012

Résumé L’importance des pilotes opérationnels des réseaux territorialisés d’organisations et de leurs compétences est reconnue empiriquement mais fait l’objet de relativement peu de travaux académiques. Grâce à l’étude de trois Systèmes Productifs Locaux, nous analysons l’influence des compétences des pilotes sur le pilotage du réseau. Deux profils, généraliste et technique, sont identifiés et coïncident avec des rôles spécifiques des pilotes, fondant deux types de pilotage, orientés vers l’animation territoriale ou vers le transfert de connaissances. Les choix opérés par la gouvernance stratégique en matière de compétences des pilotes semblent dictés par le contexte initial du réseau et intrinsèquement liés à son cycle de vie.
Intermédiation et création de valeur dans les canaux : une revue de littérature
Authors: Filser Marc
Published: May 2012

Résumé De même que la recherche en marketing a accordé une importance dominante à l’analyse du comportement du consommateur, la recherche en distribution s’est concentrée sur le fonctionnement du point de vente, et les comportements qu’il suscite chez le chaland. Or, l’évolution des marchés, industriels comme de grande consommation, sous l’effet de la mondialisation des échanges et du développement d’Internet, est caractérisée par une profonde mutation des intermédiaires qui organisent le fonctionnement des canaux de distribution. À partir d’un retour sur les fondations théoriques des modèles des canaux proposées par l’économie, la sociologie et l’analyse stratégique, cet article se propose d’identifier les principes qui permettent de rendre compte de la mutation des fonctions des intermédiaires et de leur contribution à la création de valeur par le canal.
La saga de la banane
Authors: Dehaudt Marc
Published: May 2012

Resumé Alistair Smith, La saga de la banane , Charles-Léopold Mayer, 2010, 284 p., 21 €
Éthique du mariage, la vocation sociale du mariage
Authors: Hériard Claude
Published: May 2012

Resumé Philippe Bordeyne, Éthique du mariage, la vocation sociale du mariage , DDB, 2010, 286 p., 25 €
Religions et mondialisation, exils, expansions, résistances
Authors: de Lassalle Jacques
Published: May 2012

Resumé Bernadette Rigal-Cellard, Religions et mondialisation, exils, expansions, résistances , Presses universitaires de Bordeaux, 2010, 422 p., 26 €
Les formes de la délibération interprofessionnelle
Authors: Higelé Jean-Pascal
Published: May 2012

Résumé La délibération politique sur et dans la protection sociale est marquée par un vocabulaire très présent mais dont les définitions semblent particulièrement flexibles : dialogue social et civil, partenaires sociaux, société civile, gouvernance. Pour autant, la flexibilité sémantique de ces notions ne signifie pas qu'elles sont sans effet pratique.En premier lieu, cet article défend l'idée que le dialogue social et civil, le partenariat social et la gouvernance forment un univers sémantique commun et qu'à ce titre ne sont pas des modèles de délibération étrangers l'un à l'autre. En second lieu il cherche à déconstruire le sens du dialogue et partenariat social et de la gouvernance. L'objectif en est de réinterroger la nature des relations professionnelles au niveau national et interprofessionnel à partir de deux cas ­ l'assurance chômage et l'assurance maladie complémentaire ­ qui donnent sens aux notions de dialogue social dans un cas et de dialogue civil dans l'autre. Ces outils revendiqués de la gouvernance et du partenariat social et civil permettent de montrer les modalités réelles de délibération interprofessionnelle : alors que la gouvernance prétend laisser place à une délibération partagée avec des partenaires sociaux et de la société civile, cet article montre par l'analyse croisée des règles de la délibération politique et des pratiques des acteurs qui en découlent, que la logique même du dialogue social et civil, consubstantielle à la gouvernance, se traduit par un renforcement du poids de l'État dans la délibération politique interprofessionnelle.
ADAPTIVE SPARSE REPRESENTATION FOR MRI NOISE REMOVAL
Authors: Khalilzadeh Mohammad Mahdi , Fatemizadeh Emad , Behnam Hamid
Published: May 2012

Sparse representation is a powerful tool for image processing, including noise removal. It is an effective method for Gaussian noise removal by taking advantage of a fixed and learned dictionary. In this study, the variable distribution of Rician noise is reduced in magnetic resonance (MR) images by sparse representation based on reconstruction error sets. Standard deviation of Gaussian noise is used to find these errors locally. The proposed method represents two formulas for local error calculation using standard deviation of noise. The acquired results from the real and simulated images are comparable, and in some cases, better than the best Rician noise removal method due to the advantages of stability and low sensitivity to the parameters. Additionally, the devised algorithm acts automatically, because the proposed method includes the phase that estimates the noise properties.
Microscope Volume Segmentation Improved through Non-Linear Restoration
Authors: Ponti Moacir P.
Published: May 2012

An efficient segmentation technique based on the use of a modified k-Means algorithm and the Otsu’s thresholding method is improved through a non-linear restoration of microscope volumes. An algorithm is proposed to automatically compute the k value for the clustering k-Means method. The unsupervised algorithm is used in the context of segmentation by considering regions as clusters. A comparison between the segmentation results before and after restoration is presented. The evaluation of the region segmentation included the root mean squared error and a normalized uniformity measure. Results showed significant improvement of segmentation when using the non-linear restoration method based on prior known information, such as the imaging system and the noise statistics.
Efficient Robust Optimization of Structures Subjected to Earthquake Load and Characterized by Uncertain Bounded System Parameters
Authors: Chakraborty Subrata , Bhattacharjya Soumya
Published: May 2012

An efficient robust design optimization (RDO) procedure is proposed in the framework of an adaptive response surface method (RSM) for structures subjected to earthquake load and characterized by uncertain but bounded system parameters. The basic idea of the proposed RDO approach is to improve the robustness of a design by using a new dispersion index which utilizes the relative importance of the gradients of the performance function. The same concept is also applied to the constraints. The repeated computations of stochastic responses and their sensitivities for evaluating the stochastic constraint of the associated optimization problem are efficiently obtained in the framework of an adaptive RSM. The proposed RDO approach is elucidated through the optimization of a three-storied concrete frame structure. The numerical study depicts that the proposed RDO results are in conformity with the conventional RDO results. However, definite improvements are achieved in terms of robustness and computational time requirements indicating its efficiency over the conventional RDO approach.
Applications of Topology Optimization Techniques in Seismic Design of Structure
Authors: Ghabraie Kazem
Published: May 2012

During the last two decades, topology optimization techniques have been successfully applied to a wide range of problems including seismic design of structures. This chapter aims to provide an introduction to the topology optimization methods and a review of the applications of these methods in earthquake engineering. Two well-established topology optimization techniques are introduced. Several problems including eigenfrequency control of structures, compliance minimization under periodic loading, and maximizing energy absorption of passive dampers will be addressed. Numerical instabilities and approaches to overcome them will be discussed. The application of the presented approaches and methods will be illustrated using numerical examples. It will be shown that in seismic design of structures, topology optimization methods can be useful in providing conceptual design for structural systems as well as detailed design of structural members.