bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theory of 3-rotation symmetric cubic Boolean functions
Authors: Cusick Thomas W. , Cheon Younhwan
Published: December 2014

Rotation symmetric Boolean functions have been extensively studied in the
last 15 years or so because of their importance in cryptography and coding theory. Until
recently, very little was known about such basic questions as when two such functions are
affine equivalent. This question in important in applications, because almost all important
properties of Boolean functions (such as Hamming weight, nonlinearity, etc.) are affine
invariants, so when searching a set for functions with useful properties, it suffices to consider
just one function in each equivalence class. This can greatly reduce computation time. Even
for quadratic functions, the analysis of affine equivalence was only completed in 2009. The
much more complicated case of cubic functions was completed in the special case of affine
equivalence under permutations for monomial rotation symmetric functions in two papers
from 2011 and 2014. There has also been recent progress for some special cases for
functions of degree

>
3

${> 3}$

. In 2007 it was found that functions satisfying a new notion of
k-rotation symmetry for k > 1 (where the case k = 1 is ordinary rotation symmetry)
were of substantial interest in cryptography and coding theory. Since then several researchers
have used these functions for k = 2 and 3 to study such topics as construction of bent
functions, nonlinearity and covering radii of various codes. In this paper we develop a detailed
theory for the monomial 3-rotation symmetric cubic functions, extending earlier work for
the case k = 2 of these functions.
IGF-II expression and methylation in small for gestational age infants
Authors: Zhang Shulian , Zhai Guanpeng , Wang Jin , Shi Wenjing , Zhang Rong , Chen Chao
Published: December 2014

Low birth weight is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes in many diseases in adult life. We investigated the expression of IGF-II and the status of differentially methylated regions (DMR) in small for gestational age (SGA) infants after birth.

Plasma IGF-II, IGF-II receptor (IGF2R), IGF-I, and IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) levels were measured after birth in 150 newborn infants. These included 30 term appropriate for gestational age (AGA), 30 term SGA, 30 term large for gestational age (LGA), 30 preterm AGA, and 30 preterm SGA infants.

Plasma IGF-II levels after birth were lower in both term SGA (435.1±33.82 vs. 620.4±44.79, p=0.002) and LGA infants (483.7±33.8 vs. 620.42±44.79, p=0.018) than in term AGA infants. The expression of

IGF-II was associated with birth weight and expressed at high levels, which suggests that IGF-II may continue to play an important role after birth.
The reliability of body mass index in the diagnosis of obesity and metabolic risk in children
Authors: Marković-Jovanović Snežana R. , Stolić Radojica V. , Jovanović Aleksandar N.
Published: December 2014

Body mass index (BMI) is the most widespread and the simplest method for the evaluation of body mass; it is often used as a sole technique in the diagnosis of obesity in children. The objective of the study was to evaluate the relationship between anthropometric and biochemical parameters and the incidence of the metabolic syndrome in obese children.

A total of 110 children, aged 2–17 years, participated in the study. No overweight children (BMI 85–95 percentiles) were included. BMI was interpreted using the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Growth Charts. The skinfold measurements were performed using an John Bull British Indicators Ltd. calipers, and interpreted using an the reference table values.

In addition to lower sensitivity (mentioned in several earlier studies), BMI also shows a lower specificity in the diagnosis of obesity in children: BMI showed at least 10% of non-concomitance with skinfold thickness and waist circumferences and 8% with waist-to-height ratio. In addition, subscapular skinfold thickness, waist circumference, and waist/height ratio showed stronger correlations with serum insulin levels, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and family history than BMI itself.

The unreliability of BMI as the sole parameter for diagnosing obesity in children was found in our study. Even when overweight children were excluded from the study, the lack of specificity of BMI was demonstrated. We propose utilization of waist circumference and waist/height ratio along with the BMI for definitive diagnosis instead of relying on BMI only. In addition, waist circumference and subscapular fold thickness may be even better in estimation of metabolic risk than BMI.
Barn owl pellets collected in coastal savannas yield two additional species of small mammals for French Guiana
Authors: Baglan Antoine , Catzeflis François
Published: December 2014

A sample of 251 pellets regurgitated by the barn owl in an old building located in Sinnamary (French Guiana) provided a rare opportunity to get a preliminary inventory of small rodents and opossums living in grassy savannas along the coastal non-forested landscapes of this Guianan region. From a total of 329 specimens of vertebrate remains, we focused on 259 small rodents and opossums that could be positively identified. Two species previously unknown in French Guiana were evidenced: a very small opossum of the genus
Polycarbonate-based benzo-δ-sultam films for high-dose dosimetry in radiation processing
Authors: Feizi Shazad , Ziaie Farhood , Ghandi Mehdi
Published: December 2014

In this work characteristics of the polycarbonate films with
20 μm in thickness containing different weight
percentage of Benzo-δ-sultam were studied for use as a high
dose dosimetry system in radiation processing facilities. The
sensitivity of the dosimeters and the linearity of dose-response
curves were investigated under 60Co γ-rays in
a dose range of 0–100 kGy, and obtained results were
compared with the commercial CTA and FWT film dosimeters. The results
show that the absorbance at 348 nm depends linearly on the
dose in the investigated dose range. The effects of pre-irradiation
(shelf-life) and post-irradiation storage in dark and in indirect
sunlight are also discussed. The results show that the dosimeters
characteristics are stable within 1% at
25 ℃, 3 months after the irradiation.
Phosphonates as alternative to tributyl phosphate for the separation of actinides from fission products
Authors: Vyas Chirag K. , Brahmmananda Rao C. V. S. , Jayalakshmi S. , Joshirao Pranav M. , Manchanda Vijay K.
Published: December 2014

The present work investigates the role of increase in the basicity of
organophosphorus extractant (dialkylalkyl phosphonates) on the uptake
of actinides and fission products vis-à-vis tributyl phosphate
(TBP), currently employed as a universal extractant. Two dialkylalkyl
phosphonates viz. dibutylpropyl phosphonate (DBPrP) and dibutylpentyl
phosphonate (DBPeP) were synthesized, characterized and evaluated for
their solvent extraction behavior towards U(VI), Th(IV),
Eu(III) and Tc(VII) in nitric acid medium ranging from
0.01–6 M. It was observed that increasing the basicity of the
phosphoryl oxygen enhanced the uptake of the actinides and the
distribution coefficient values were significantly larger as compared
to TBP. The limiting organic concentration (LOC) value was estimated
for Th(IV) for these extractants and compared with the TBP
system. The separation factors of actinides with phosphonates over
Tc(VII) are distinctly better than that with TBP.
A DFT-D study of the interaction of methane, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen with cation-exchanged SAPO-34
Authors: Fischer Michael , Bell Robert G.
Published: December 2014

Density-functional theory calculations including a semi-empirical dispersion correction (DFT-D) are employed to study the interaction of small guest molecules (CH4, CO, N2) with the cation sites in the silicoaluminophosphate SAPO-34. Eight different cations from three different groups (alkali cations, alkaline earth cations, transition metals) are included in the study. For each case, the total interaction energy as well as the non-dispersive contribution to the interaction are analysed. Electron density difference plots are used to investigate the nature of this non-dispersive contribution in more detail. Despite a non-negligible contribution of polarisation interactions, the total interaction remains moderate in systems containing main group cations. In SAPOs exchanged with transition metals, orbital interactions between the cations and CO and N2 lead to a very strong interaction, which makes these systems attractive as adsorbents for the selective adsorption of these species. A critical comparison with experimental heats of adsorption shows reasonable quantitative agreement for CO and N2, but a pronounced overestimation of the interaction strength for methane. While this does not affect the conclusions regarding the suitability of TM-exchanged SAPO-34 materials for gas separations, more elaborate computational approaches may be needed to improve the quantitative accuracy for this guest molecule.
Experimental Study of Turbulence-Chemistry Interactions in Perfectly and Partially Premixed Confined Swirl Flames
Authors: Dem Claudiu , Stöhr Michael , Arndt Christoph M. , Steinberg Adam  M. , Meier Wolfgang
Published: December 2014

A gas turbine model combustor (Turbomeca Burner) for premixed
methane/air flames has been operated at atmospheric pressure in two
different modes of premixing. In the partially premixed mode, fuel was
injected into the air flow within the swirl generator shortly upstream
of the combustion chamber while in the perfectly premixed mode fuel
and air were mixed far upstream. The main objective of this work is
the study of the influence of the mode of premixing on the combustion
behavior. Stereoscopic particle image velocimetry has been applied for
the measurement of the flow field, OH chemiluminescence imaging
for the visualization of the flame shapes and single-shot laser Raman
scattering for the determination of the joint probability density
functions of major species concentrations, mixture fraction and
temperature. The mixing and reaction progress and effects of
turbulence-chemistry interactions are characterized by scatterplots
showing the correlations between different quantities. To isolate
effects of mixing from combustion instabilities that were frequently
observed in this combustor, operating conditions without
thermo-acoustic oscillations or coherent flow structures were
chosen. While the mode of premixing had no major influence on the
general flame behavior characteristic differences were observed with
respect to flame anchoring, the flow field in the inner recirculation
zone and the CO concentration level. The results further extend
the data base of previous experimental and numerical investigations
with this burner.
On Predicting Char Burnout in Pulverized Coal Combustion
Authors: Weber Roman , Mancini Marco
Published: December 2014

The objective of this paper is twofold: to summarise the basic
knowledge on kinetics of heterogeneous reactions and to clarify
several misconceptions concerning both derivation and usage of
expressions for calculating char oxidation rates. This paper is
concerned with char reactions only; coal devolatilization is not
considered although it may affect char oxidation rates.
Synthesis of Carbon Nanowalls and Few-Layer Graphene Sheets on Transparent Conductive Substrates
Authors: Höltig Michael , Ruhmlieb Charlotte , Strelow Christian , Kipp Tobias , Mews Alf
Published: December 2014

We report on the growth of carbon nanowalls and few-layer graphene
sheets on glass substrates coated with different transparent
conductive oxides or gold. The growth is accomplished by
a capacitively-coupled radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor
deposition setup with a gas mixture of C2H2,
H2, and Ar or He. This system allows the
synthesis of thin vertical carbon nanosheets without catalyst at mild
reaction conditions due to the low plasma density, which is preferable
for sensitive substrate materials. In fact, the electrical properties
of the transparent conductive indium tin oxide and fluorine-doped tin
oxide stay intact upon carbon growth. Carbon nanowalls and few-layer
graphene sheets on transparent conductive oxides are promising
candidates for solar-cell applications while these nanostructures on
gold coated glass can act as catalyst support material.
Easy and Fast Phase Transfer of CTAB Stabilised Gold Nanoparticles from Water to Organic Phase
Authors: Kittler Susann , Hickey Stephen G. , Wolff Thomas , Eychmüller Alexander
Published: December 2014

Spheric and anisotropic gold nanoparticles (GNPs) such as rods, stars
or nanoprism prepared using hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB)
as the stabilising agent have received a great deal of interest in the
last years. The literature procedures exploited lead to GNPs in
aqueous solution. We herein describe a fast, efficient, and cheap
method to transfer particles of different shapes from water into
toluene solution via ligand exchange (CTAB to dodecanethiol),
which was mediated by acetone as a cosolvent. Absorption spectra and
TEM-pictures before and after the transfer revealed that the particles
survived the transfer intact and without change in shape.
Ion Beam and Plasma Technology for Improved Biocompatible Surfaces
Authors: Solnick-Legg Hillary , Legg Keith
Published: December 2014

Medical implant devices are being increasingly used to replace or stimulate damaged or diseased body parts. Because the body rejects any foreign matter, these components should appear, to the body, to be of natural or nonforeign material. An obvious approach is to construct prosthetics or other implant devices of “natural” material, such as bone mineral. While this can be done, in practice it is not feasible for large components since bone mineral does not possess sufficient structural or mechanical strength. Furthermore, items such as pacemakers or electrodes cannot be fabricated from bone mineral.

Since it is the surface of the medical implant that is in direct contact with the body, one solution in designing the device is to choose the bulk material for mechanical strength or other properties and to hide the surface of the device with a coating of biocompatible material. Since bone mineral is one of the most biocompatible materials known, much effort has been devoted to developing surface treatment processes to deposit this material on prosthetics and other implants.

The material bones and teeth are composed of is quite complex. Tooth enamel, itself a coating, is very durable and primarily composed of a hydrated form of calcium phosphate called hydroxylapatite (Ca10(PO4)A(OH)2), or HA. Bones are approximately 60–70% HA. However, it is not sufficient to simply produce a coating with the same chemical constitutents as HA.
On the elastoplastic stability problem of the thin round cylindrical shells subjected to complex loading processes with the various kinematic boundary conditions
Authors: Dung Dao Van
Published: December 2014

In this paper, the elastoplastic stability of cylindrical shells simultaneously subjected to compression force along the generatrix and external pressure has been presented. Two types of considered kinematic boundary conditions are simply supported and clamped at the butt-ends. The expressions for determining the critical forces by using the Bubnov-Galerkin method [3] have been established. The sufficient condition of extremum for a long cylindrical shell also is considered. Some results of numerical calculation have been also given and discussed.
Dynamic force analysis of a six-link planar mechanism under consideration of friction at the joints
Authors: Dien Nguyen Phong , Khang Nguyen Van
Published: December 2014

The dynamic analysis of mechanisms with joints friction is complex since the frictional force depends nonlinearly on the resultant reactive force between the two mating surfaces of the joint. In this paper a non-iterative approximate method is used for determining the joint reaction forces and the driving torque of mechanisms is considered. By using the computing program MATLAB the dynamic forces of a six-link planar mechanism are calculated with this method.
A numerical analysis for some non-linear constitutive problems in solid mechanics
Authors: Nhu Ngo Huong
Published: December 2014

The paper deals with the application FEM for solving nonlinear constitutive problems in solid mechanics. The basis equations and algorithms of iterative processing are presented. Some programs written by languages Gibian and special operators in Castem 2000 are established. The problem for the spherical shell made of elasto-plastic material subjected to monotone increasing pressures is solved and calculated results are compared with the theoretical solution and give a good agreement. The influence of the pressure values on the plastic regions of sphere is investigated. The stress, displacement and plastic deformation states for spherical shell and plate with hollow acted on by complex cyclic loads are considered. These given programs can be applied in other problem with more complex geometry, load and material conditions.
Effects of shear deformation on large deflection behavior of elastic frames
Authors: Kien Nguyen Dinh
Published: December 2014

In this paper, the effects of shear deformation on the large deflection behavior of elastic frames is investigated by the finite element method. A two-node nonlinear beam element with the shear deformation is formulated and employed to analyze some frame structures. The element based on the energy method is developed in the context of the corotational approach. A bracketing procedure u ed the lowest eigenvalue of structural tangent stiffness matrix as indicating parameter is adopted to compute the critical loads. An incremental iterative procedure with the arc-length control technique is employed to trace the equilibrium paths. The numerical results show that the shear deformation plays an important role in the critical load and the large deflection behavior of the frames constructed from the components having low slenderness. A detail investigation is carried out to highlight the influence of slenderness on the behavior of the frames under large deflection.
Effect of higher approximation of Krylov-Bogoliubov-Mitropolskii's solution and matched asymptotic solution of a differential system with slowly varying coefficients and damping near to a turning point
Authors: K. C. Roy , Alam M. Shamsul
Published: December 2014

Second approximate solution of a second order differential equation with slowly varying coefficients and damping is obtained by Krylov-Bogoliubov-Mitropolskii method. The method is illustrated by an example. The second or higher order approximate solution is able to give better results than first approximate solution when the reduced frequency is many times larger than the small parameter. On the contrary, higher order solution diverges faster than the lower order solution when the reduced frequency becomes small (i .e., near to a turning point). In these situations matched asymptotic solution is important. An example is made to illustrate the matter.
The influence of the mechanical fatigue on the energy loss of ferromagnetic steel by magnetic method
Authors: Thinh Van Huu , Hung Nguyen Xuan
Published: December 2014

In this paper we present some experimental results of the influence of the fatigue on the energy loss due to hysteresis of the rotating sample made from ferromagnetic steel in the fatigue testing. By measuring and calculating the energy loss per cycle due to hysteresis, we discover the energy loss increase depending on number of fatigue cycles. The results are used for evaluating the fatigue state, the working life, and technical diagnosing for rotating samples.
Instability behavior of arches under quasi-static concentrated load
Authors: Kien Nguyen Dinh
Published: December 2014

The present paper investigates the instability characteristics of arch structures under quasi-static concentrated load. The arches are idealized as equivalent frameworks and analyzed by the finite element method using the nonlinear co-rotational beam elements. The numerical algorithms for computing the limit load and tracing the equilibrium path are presented. In particular, the automatic cutting and automatic increment techniques needed for the incremental/iterative procedure are described in detail. The effects of geometry, boundary condition, shear deformation, loading condition as well as the material characteristics on the instability behavior of both the elastic and elasto-plastic arches are numerically investigated.
Storm wave modeling with swan comparison of measurement data and modeling results for the storm MUIFA 11/2004
Authors: Hung Nguyen Manh , Thuy Do Le , Dien Duong Cong
Published: December 2014

With the average of 4-5 storms hitting the Vietnamese coastline every year, our country is suffering from great damage of infrastructures and lost of human life. Most storms induce significant waves which, especially in the coastal zones, can destroy houses, coastal structures and move large amounts of sand from beaches to offshore resulting in shoreline erosion. Therefore modeling of storm waves is an important task of engineers, scientists, weather forecasting specialists of our country. In order to meet the need of mitigation storm effects, to improve the storm wave forecasting capability in general and to study the coastal evolution in the Red River Delta (RRD) in particular, the authors have developed the S\i\TAN model for the storm wave calculation in the East Sea. In the paper some formulations of the model has been used to get the best agreement with the measured wave field in the storm MUIFA 11 /2004. The wind and wave data at the oil platform MSPl and wave height field over the sea were used to compare the model results. The obtained results afford the promising of using the SWAN model in research and weather forecast.
Editorial
Authors: Araújo André Luis Calado
Published: December 2014

A pesquisa no CEFET-RN teve início formal a partir da publicação da Revista da ETFRN em 1985. A revista tinha como seu editor a Profa Maria Emília Guedes Gonçalves e três membros no seu conselho editorial. A revista apresentava como objetivo ser um veículo de comunicação da produção intelectual técnico-científica do público interno da Instituição, apresentando na primeira publicação oito artigos.

Com a mudança de Escola Técnica (ETFRN) para Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica (CEFET-RN), em janeiro de 1999, foi estabelecida uma maior área de atuação Institucional, criando novos desafios. O CEFET-RN passa a ministrar cursos em todos os níveis de Educação Profissional (básico, técnico e tecnológico) e no Ensino Médio, ampliando o horizonte da pesquisa na Instituição. A Revista da ETFRN originou a HOLOS (Revista do CEFET-RN) no sentido de ampliar o nível de divulgação dos trabalhos realizados principalmente pela comunidade interna, mas também aberta para contribuições externas. Na sua primeira edição (HOLOS, Ano 15, No 1, setembro/1999) apresentava um conselho editorial de cinco membros, todos internos, e foram publicados onze artigos.

Através do processo de capacitação contínua do seu quadro de funcionários e a imersão cada vez mais profunda nas atividades de pesquisa, o CEFET-RN conta hoje vários núcleos de pesquisa distribuídos nas suas Unidades Educacionais. Também é importante destacar o apoio Institucional a pesquisa através da criação do Programa de Iniciação Científica, que contempla alunos dos cursos superiores.

Nesse contexto, a HOLOS apresenta papel fundamental na divulgação Institucional e, a partir desta edição, será publicada em versão on line. Além da mudança na forma de divulgação o seu Conselho Editorial foi ampliado contando atualmente com mais de trinta membros, internos e externos, indicados pelos núcleos de pesquisa.

Com estas mudanças, esperamos estar incentivando cada vez mais a participação de todos nas atividades de pesquisa e na criação das memórias dessas atividades através da publicação dos seus resultados.
GÊNEROS TEXTUAIS NA INTERNET: UMA EXPERIÊNCIA DE EDUCAÇÃO PELA PESQUISA
Authors: Henrique Ana Lúcia Sarmento
Published: December 2014

Este artigo descreve uma experiência de educação pela pesquisa implementada no CEFETRN. Fundamenta-se em Demo (2000), para quem ensinar através da pesquisa é ensinar um posicionamento reflexivo, crítico, reconstrutivo e inovador; e em Echeverría (2002), que defende que ensinar por meio da pesquisa é ensinar em valores científicos. Propôs-se à turma a preparação de um artigo. Para sua consecução, a classe foi dividida em grupos. Cada um selecionou um gênero textual encontrado na Internet. Foram distribuídos dois

roteiros, realizaram-se encontros em sala para discussão do progresso das pesquisas, cujo resultado foi apresentado em forma de seminário aberto à comunidade. O processo não foi

isento de dificuldades, mas os pontos positivos prevaleceram: a integração dos conteúdos da disciplina em uma atividade prática, a construção de conhecimento novo resultante de

análise e reflexão; e a reflexão sobre fenômenos cotidianos, para provocar o estranhamento e conseqüente ad-miração daquilo que já se tornou habitual.

Palavras-chave: educação, pesquisa, valores científicos, gêneros textuais.
INVENTÁRIO DE EMISSÕES DE DIÓXIDO DE CARBONO (CO2) GERADAS POR FONTES MÓVEIS NO ESTADO DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE – PERÍODO DE JANEIRO DE 2003 A JUNHO DE 2004
Authors: Macêdo Rafael Freire de
Published: December 2014

A elevada contribuição de fontes móveis para o aumento das concentrações de dióxido de carbono na atmosfera torna-se fator de estudo. O estado do Rio Grande do Norte apresenta

um alto índice de motorização, cerca de 35 veículos por cada 100 habitantes, portanto, um elevado consumo de combustíveis derivados do petróleo. Estatísticas apontam que 97% das emissões veiculares são de CO2, comprovando a preocupação de se realizar inventários destas. A método top-down, reconhecido internacionalmente e recomendado pela ONU, foi seguido para a quantificação de gases de efeito estufa emitidos pela combustão de combustíveis fósseis em motores de veículos rodoviários, comprovando os altos teores de poluentes atmosféricos lançados na atmosfera do estado. A poluição atmosférica afeta a saúde ambiental bem como a estética urbana, acarretando perdas econômicas. A

substituição do modal de transporte particular pelo coletivo e a adoção de novas tecnologias trarão ganhos ambientais além de impulsionar novas matrizes energéticas.
Direct bioelectrocatalysis at the interfaces by genetically engineered dehydrogenase
Authors: Yucesoy Deniz Tanil , Karaca Banu Taktak , Cetinel Sibel , Caliskan Huseyin Burak , Adali Esref , Gul-Karaguler Nevin , Tamerler Candan
Published: December 2014

There is an emerging interest in developing bio-functionalisation routes serving as platforms for assembling diverse enzymes onto material surfaces. Specifically, the fabrication of next-generation, laboratory-on-a-chip-based sensing and energy-harvesting systems requires controlled orientation and organisation of the proteins at the inorganic interfaces. Herein, the authors take the initial steps towards designing multifunctional, enzyme-based platforms by genetically integrating the engineered material-selective peptide tags for tethering redox enzymes onto electrode surfaces. The authors engineered a fusion protein that genetically conjugates gold-binding peptide to formate dehydrogenase derived from Candida methylica. The expressed proteins were tested for both enzyme activity and self-directed gold-surface functionalisation ability. Their findings demonstrate the successful self-immobilisation of the engineered enzyme onto different gold electrodes while retaining the catalytic activity. Building on the functionalisation by the peptides, a fusion enzyme-integrated circuit-based biosensor system was designed. The catalytic conversion of the formate by the engineered dehydrogenase was successfully monitored on the electrode surface at subsequent intervals. The engineered peptide-mediated self-integrated electrode systems can be extended to develop a wide range of biosensing and energy-harvesting platforms using different combinations of materials and biomolecules. This paper contains supporting information that will be made available online once the issue is published.
Bonding carbon-fibre plates to highway structures in winter: a case study
Authors: Boath Alexander
Published: December 2014

The operational life of a 1960s reinforced concrete interchange on Britain's M5 motorway was successfully extended with carbon-fibre plates 2 years ago. The structure had previously been strengthened in the 1970s by an externally bonded steel plate system, but this had reached the end of its serviceable life. This paper describes the many challenges faced during the design of a replacement carbon-fibre plate system, given the needs for minimum disruption and maximum adhesion. Innovative solutions led to achievements such as maintaining live load conditions throughout works and ensuring the plates were securely bonded in winter conditions with low temperatures. The paper then demonstrates how early contractor involvement helped to deliver the most efficient, effective, sustainable and safest solution on time and to budget.
Design of a homogeneous radiation field in an LED photo-reactor
Authors: Yu Linlong , Achari Gopal , Langford Cooper H.
Published: December 2014

In this paper, a radiation field model for a light-emitting diode-based photocatalytic reactor has been developed. The model was tested using experimental data, and good agreement between the model and experimental results was noted. The model was used to investigate the impact of irradiated distance on the homogeneity of radiation field because it is shown that a homogeneous radiation field is the most efficient. The model can be used to design an efficient photoreactor by selecting the optimal gap between adjacent light-emitting diodes, the irradiated distance and the light output of light-emitting diodes.
Bison foraging responds to fire frequency in nutritionally heterogeneous grassland
Authors: Raynor Edward J. , Joern Anthony , Briggs John M.
Published: December 2014

Foraging decisions by native grazers in fire‐dependent landscapes modulate the fire–grazing interaction. Uncovering the behavioral mechanisms associated with the attraction of grazers to recently burned areas requires understanding at multiple spatial scales in the ecological foraging hierarchy. This study focused on feeding in the area between steps in a foraging bout, the feeding station, as forage chemistry and vegetation architecture play central roles in these fine‐scale, feeding‐station decisions. The forage maturation hypothesis (FMH) uses the temporal dynamics of forage quality and quantity in grasslands to explain the distribution of large herbivores, but does not address herbivore responses to inter‐patch variation caused by fire‐induced nutrient increases of forage quality. Using an experimental setting with contrasting fire treatments we describe the effects of variable burn history on foraging kinetics by bison at Konza Prairie Biological Station (KPBS). We assessed the potential to link the FMH in a complementary fashion to the transient maxima hypothesis (TMH) to explain temporal variation in bison responses to grassland forage quality and quantity in response to burning at different temporal frequencies. Forage attributes met predictions of the TMH that allowed us to investigate how forage maturation affects feeding station foraging behavior across watersheds with varying burn frequency. At sites burned in the spring after several years without burning, both bite mass and intake rate increased with increasing biomass at a greater rate during the growing season than during the transitional midsummer seasonal period. In these infrequently burned watersheds, early growing season bite mass (0.6 ± 0.05 g; mean ± SE), bite rate (38 ± 1.5 bites/min), and intake rate (21 ± 2.3 g/min) was reduced by ~15%, 13%, and 29% during the midsummer transitional period. A behavioral response in foraging kinetics at the feeding station occurred where a nonequilibrial pulse of high‐quality resource was made available and then retained by repeated grazing over the growing season. Our results provide the first experimental evidence for demonstrating the fine‐scale behavioral response of a large grazer to fire‐induced changes in forage attributes, while linking two prominent hypotheses proposed to explain spatial variation in forage quality and quantity at local and landscape scales.
The ARRA investment in CER: a description of the midstream evaluation and how the funds were allocated and CER priorities addressed
Authors: Esposito Dominick , Yong Pierre L , Rich Eugene , Geonnotti Kristin , Kimmey Laura D
Published: December 2014

Aim:
To describe the evaluation design of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 comparative effectiveness research (CER) investment, how funds were allocated and how CER priorities were addressed.
Materials & methods:
Primary and secondary data included information from redacted project proposals, an investigator survey and federal project officers, investigators and expert panel discussions.
Results:
More than 420 projects (US$1.1 billion) were awarded. Those generating new or synthesizing existing CER made up the plurality (194, or US$524 million). Data infrastructure projects were the second-largest area (28%, US$302 million). More than three-fourths addressed at least one priority population, condition category or intervention category.
Conclusion:
These investments expanded the nation's CER activities and its future capacity to conduct CER.
Evaluating collaborations in comparative effectiveness research: opportunities and challenges for social network analysis
Authors: Zickafoose Joseph S , Kimmey Laura D , Tomas Amber , Esposito Dominick , Rich Eugene
Published: December 2014

Multidisciplinary, multi-institutional collaboration has become a key feature of comparative effectiveness research (CER), and CER funders have made promotion of these types of collaboration an implicit, and sometimes explicit, goal of funding. An important challenge in evaluating CER programs is understanding if and how different forms of collaboration are associated with successful CER projects. This article explores the potential use of social network analysis to address research questions about the associations between collaboration and the success of CER projects.
Characterization of a rare species of Neurospora isolated from a river water sample in China
Authors: Yang Xia , Huang Siliang , Zhang Yubian , Zhang Xiaoqiang
Published: December 2014

A fungal isolate (ZZS4408) was obtained from a river water sample in Henan,
China, and identified as a member of Neurospora brevispora, a rare species of
Neurospora based on its morphological characteristics and ribosomal DNA
internal transcribed spacer (rDNA-ITS) sequence. The temperatures suitable
for growth of the isolate were 28-37?C with 31?C as the optimum. The growth
rates of hyphal tips were 19.1-42.5 (av. 31.9) ?m min-1 at 32?C. The pH
suitable for vegetative growth ranged from 5 to 7, with pH 5.5 as the
optimum. The heterodisaccharides (sucrose and lactose) and D-alanine were
found to be most favorable for vegetative growth of the isolate, as carbon
and nitrogen sources, respectively. The vegetative growth of the isolate was
more significantly influenced by nitrogen sources compared to carbon sources.
N. brevispora could be considered a desirable fungal species for
morphodifferentiation studies due to its rapid growth rates under favorable
conditions.
Manganese concentration in plants of the protected natural resource, Kosmaj, in Serbia
Authors: Stankovic Dragica , Ivetic Vladan , Ocokoljic Mirjana , Jokanovic Dusan , Oljaca Rodoljub , Mitrovic Suzana
Published: December 2014

This study was focused on determining the manganese (Mn) concentration in
vegetative organs of 10 plant species (8 woody and 2 herbaceous), from four
sites in the protected natural resource Kosmaj. The concentration of Mn was
analyzed at the beginning of the vegetation period, during a two-year period
(2012-2013). The results indicate a wide range of Mn concentrations,
depending on site and plant species.
Poe’s Vision of Atonement: The Anthropic Principle in Eureka
Authors: Bulz Adriana Carolina
Published: December 2014

I will focus on the imaginative contribution that Edgar Allen Poe brought to scientific debates regarding the fate of our universe. At the basis of many a nightmarish vision of apocalyptic destruction, there lies the unwillingness of the human mind to make allowance for divine intervention or to make an imaginative appeal to the soothing power of such a morally superior instance. For all his avantgardistic vision, Poe insists upon and constructs his cosmological model around the principle of a Divine Essence, which initially created the universe and which is omnipresent, being embodied and living through all God’s creatures. As the instrument to detect this force, Poe proposes intuition and, empowered by it, he is able to state “calmly” an “absolute truth” - confirmed by present-day cosmology - namely that our universe is evolving, its existence a mere cycle in the beating of the Divine Heart. The cornerstone of Poe’s visionary cosmology consists of what is known as “the anthropic principle”, which will be used in the present paper as a possible key to achieving a dialogic interface between Science and Religion at a time when such an opportunity constitutes a rather stringent necessity.
Heisenberg Hausdorff Dimensionof Besicovitch Sets
Authors: Venieri Laura
Published: December 2014

We consider (bounded) Besicovitch sets in the Heisenberg group and prove that Lp estimates forthe Kakeya maximal function imply lower bounds for their Heisenberg Hausdorff dimension.
Endometrial Cytology at Luteal and Follicular Phases of the Ovarian Cycle in Cows
Authors: Brodzki Piotr , Brodzki Adam , Kurek Łukasz , Marczuk Jan , Tatara Marcin R.
Published: December 2014

The aim of the study was to examine cytological changes in the uterus in cows during the follicular and luteal phases of the ovarian cycle, as well as to compare two different methods (brush and flushing) used for cytological material collection and to evaluate their usefulness for monitoring of the endometrium. Ovarian cycle phases were confirmed by ultrasound and by the level of sex hormones (17-β-estradiol and progesterone). The following types of cells were identified in the cytological smears: type I - surface cells; type II - intermediate cells; type III - basal cells; polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs); L - lymphocytes. The number of type I and III cells was statistically significantly higher in the follicular phase than in the luteal phase, both in smears prepared using a brush (P<0.001) and by uterine flush (P=0.003). The number of type II cells was statistically significantly higher in the luteal phase than in the follicular phase in both methods (P<0.001). The results of the study show that phases of the ovarian cycle in cows can be identified based on changes in the quality and percentage of different types of endometrial cells in a cytological examination.
Acute Stress, Hypothalamic-Hypophyseal-Gonadal Axis and Testicular Function – A Review
Authors: Damián Juan Pablo , Bausero María , Bielli Alejandro
Published: December 2014

The fact that the stress response affects testicular function in several animal species, has been established for several decades. The aim of the present review was to describe how the mechanisms involved in the acute stress response affect directly or indirectly the testicular function at different levels. Both neuroendocrine axes linked to the stress response, i.e., the sympathetic-adrenomedullar (SAM) axis and the hypothalamic-hypophyseal-adrenal (HHA) axis, affect the functioning of the hypothalamus-hypophyseal-gonadal (HHG) axis. Furthermore, both axes affect testicular function directly. Several reports support the concept that, in general terms, the HHA axis (as well as the hormones belonging to it) inhibits the HHG axis and also has direct effects on testicular function. The information regarding the effects of the SAM axis either on the HHG axis or as direct effects on testicular function are contradictory, and depends on whether the studies were performed in vivo or in vitro. Nevertheless, in general, stimulative effects are reported by the SAM axis. Both hormonal axes linked to the stress response exert direct effects on testicular function, on Leydig, Sertoli, myoid, and germ cells.
On Exponential Trichotomy of Cocycles over Semiflows
Authors: Biriş Larisa , Retezan Raluca
Published: December 2014

The paper considers a concept of exponential trichotomy for cocycles over semiflows in Banach spaces and as a particular case the corresponding dichotomy concept. Our main objective is to give a characterization of exponential trichotomy for a cocycle over a semiflow in terms of exponential dichotomy of two associated cocycles over the same semi ow.
Study of Fixed Point Theorem for Common Limit Range Property and Application to Functional Equations
Authors: Nashine Hemant Kumar
Published: December 2014

The aim of our paper is to use common limit range property for two pairs of mappings deriving common fixed point results under a generalized altering distance function. Some examples are given to exhibit different type of situation which shows the requirements of conditions of our results. At the end the existence and uniqueness of solutions for certain system of functional equations arising in dynamic programming with the help of a common fixed point theorem is presented.
On the Solutions of a Class of Nonlinear Integral Equations in the Banach Algebra of the Continuous Functions and Some Examples
Authors: Özdemir Ismet , Ilhan Bekir , Çakan Ümit
Published: December 2014

In this paper, we study the existence of the solutions of a class of functional integral equations which contain a lot of classical nonlinear integral equations as special cases. We consider the solvability of the equations in the Banach algebra of continuous functions on a closed and bounded interval. The main tools here are the measure of noncompactness and the suitable fixed point theorem for the product of two operators in the Banach algebra.
Experiments and Recommendations for Partitioning Systems of Equations
Authors: Mafteiu-Scai Liviu Octavian
Published: December 2014

Partitioning the systems of equations is a very important process when solving it on a parallel computer. This paper presents some criteria which leads to more efficient parallelization, that must be taken into consideration. New criteria added to preconditioning process by reducing average bandwidth are pro- posed in this paper. These new criteria lead to a combination between preconditioning and partitioning of systems equations, so no need two distinct algorithms/processes. In our proposed methods - where the preconditioning is done by reducing the average bandwidth- two directions were followed in terms of partitioning: for a given preconditioned system determining the best partitioning (or one as close) and the second consist in achieving an adequate preconditioning, depending on a given/desired partitioning. A mixed method it is also proposed. Experimental results, conclusions and recommendations, obtained after parallel implementation of conjugate gradient on IBM BlueGene /P supercomputer- based on a synchronous model of parallelization- are also presented in this paper.
Physiological and perceptual responses to three consecutive official matches in female boxer. A case study
Authors: Obmiński Zbigniew , Turowski Dariusz
Published: December 2014

Study aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the physiological cost of three consecutive official boxing fights played during a 3-day tournament and two non-contact specific drills against handheld pads of the same time-profile as the contest, 4 × 2 minutes with 1-minute intervals between them. This assessment was based on the determination of selected hormones and metabolites in the blood sampled directly prior to the contests and throughout short-term post-contest recovery.

Material and methods: A female amateur boxer was enrolled on the study during a 3-day Polish Boxing Championship, where one match was played on each day. The timing of capillary blood sampling during each match and the drill was as follows: 10 minutes prior to the effort, and 3 and 30 minutes after its completion. Cortisol (C), testosterone (T), and glucose (G) were determined in the serum, while lactate (LA) was determined in the blood. In addition, prior to each effort, serum creatine kinase (CK) and urea (U) was determined. Directly after each effort, the perception of fatigue (PF) was rated.

Results: G, C, and T during official matches were significantly higher than those during non-contact drills. Post-event G, C, T, and LA were higher compared to pre-event values.

Conclusions: An official boxing match produced higher stress than a drill of the same time-profile and similar modality. Changes in blood indices corresponded well with the perception of fatigue.
Modelling and analysis of lower limb joint loads during the Naeryo chagi technique in taekwondo
Authors: Górski Michał , Lekszycki Tomasz , Buśko Krzysztof , Mazur-Różycka Joanna
Published: December 2014

Study aim: estimate reaction forces and muscle torque in lower limb joints during the Naeryo chagi technique in taekwondo.

Material and methods: the parameters of the Naeryo chagi kick were measured with a Vicon motion tracking system comprising ten MX T40S cameras, two reference cameras and four AMTI BP600900-2000 force plates. Additional measurements were performed using the BTS-4AP-2K force analysis system equipped with a WB-4AP punching bag. The acquired raw data were processed and synchronized using Matlab v.R2007a software. A computer simulation created on the basis of the adopted mathematical model was used to identify reaction forces and control moments.

Results: the highest joint loads occurred at the moment when the striking leg reversed its movement direction from rising to rapidly falling towards the target. The knee and ankle joints of the supporting leg were subject to greatest reaction forces and muscle torque.

Conclusions: it is recommended to follow an exercise routine aimed at strengthening and stabilizing the structures of motor system subject to the greatest load.
Cardio-pulmonary fitness and anthropometric features in men aged 50+ trained in long-distance running and those not trained
Authors: Witek Katarzyna , Mazurek Krzysztof , Mróz Anna , Czajkowska Anna , Kęska Anna
Published: December 2014

Study aim: the aim of study was assessment somatic features and selected cardio-ventilatory indices in men above 50 years old with different physical activity levels.

Materials and methods: the study included 55 men on average aged 54.5 ± 4.32, classified to the trained group (T), n = 33, and not trained group (NT), n = 22. Total physical activity was assessed using the SDPAR Questionnaire. Measurements: anthropometric indices, ventilatory indices and VO2 peak, hemodynamic indices and fatigue using Borg scale during exercise maximal test.

Results: daily energy expenditures for sport and recreation differ significantly between T and NT groups, 6.82 METs vs. 0.2 METs, respectively (p < 0.001). Men in T and NT groups significantly differ in somatic features, and cardio-pulmonary indices including: time of physical tests effort (s) 1103 ± 193 vs. 681 ± 328; max speed (km/h) 14 ± 1.5 vs. 10 ± 1.4, VE peak 135.9 ± 21.17 l/min vs. 112.9 ± 21.49 l/min; VO2 peak 61.8 ± 8.83 ml/kg/min vs. 41.9 ± 8.55 ml/kg/min; HR rest (beat/min) 69 ± 16.95 vs. 83 ± 14.48; HR peak (beat/min) 171 ± 1.23 vs. 163 ± 15.28; SV peak (ml) 162 ± 24.23 vs. 135 ± 33.22; CO peak 27.4 ± 4,3 vs. 21.6 ± 5.17.

Conclusions: men aged 50+ who practice running training differ favourably and significantly from men not trained in anthropometric as well as cardio-ventilatory indices. Significant correlations were found between DEE and FAT(%), VO2 peak (ml/kg/min), SV peak (ml) and COpeak (l/min) as well between CO peak and VO2peak was record linear relationship (r = 0.56).