bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Staff Relations and Work–Life Balance: Course Outline
Authors: Harvey Ashley , Durrance Dana , Couger Greg
Published: August 2015

Changes in the American workforce have intensified the need for veterinary medical education regarding staff relations and work–life balance. A 20-hour, one-week elective course was offered to junior veterinary students in order to provide a forum for lecture and discussion covering topics such as team building, conflict resolution, stress management, and work–life balance. Instructors are master’s level counselors.
Evaluating innovation. Part 2: Development in neurosurgery
Authors: Schnurman Zane , Kondziolka Douglas
Published: August 2015

OBJECT

Patients, practitioners, payers, and regulators are advocating for reform in how medical advances are evaluated. Because surgery does not adhere to a standardized developmental pathway, how the medical community accepts a procedure remains unclear. The authors developed a new model, using publication data and patterns, that quantifies this process. Using this technique, the authors identified common archetypes and influences on neurosurgical progress from idea inception to acceptance.

METHODS

Seven neurosurgical procedures developed in the past 15–25 years were used as developmental case studies (endovascular coil, deep brain stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-l-nitrosourea wafer, and 3 radiosurgery procedures), and the literature on each topic was evaluated. A new metric the authors termed “progressive scholarly acceptance” (PSA) was used as an end point for community acceptance. PSA was reached when the number of investigations that refine or improve a procedure eclipsed the total number of reports assessing initial efficacy. Report characteristics, including the number of patients studied, study design, and number of authoring groups from the first report to the point of PSA, were assessed.

RESULTS

Publication data implicated factors that had an outsized influence on acceptance. First, procedural accessibility to investigators was found to influence the number of reports, number of patients studied, and number of authoring groups contributing. Barriers to accessibility included target disease rarity, regulatory restrictions, and cost. Second, the ease or difficulty in applying a randomized controlled trial had an impact on study design. Based on these 2 factors, 3 developmental archetypes were characterized to generally describe the development of surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Common surgical development archetypes can be described based on factors that impact investigative methods, data accumulation, and ultimate acceptance by society. The approach and proposed terminologies in this report could inform future procedural development as well as any attempts to regulate surgical innovation.
Long-term cure of high-grade spinal cord glioma in a pediatric patient who underwent cordectomy
Authors: Crowley R. Webster , Burke Rebecca M. , Lopes M. Beatriz S. , Hamilton D. Kojo , Jane John A.
Published: August 2015

High-grade spinal cord gliomas are rare and carry a poor prognosis. A number of treatment modalities exist for spinal cord gliomas, but no consensus exists regarding their management. Cordectomy represents a possible option for treating these lesions; however, few cases have been reported in adults, and none have been reported in the pediatric population. The authors describe the use of cordectomy for the treatment of a high-grade spinal glioma in a 9-year-old boy who remains cancer free 14 years following his initial presentation.
Robust Rank Reduction Algorithm with Iterative Parameter Optimization and Vector Perturbation
Authors: Li Peng , Feng Jiao , De Lamare Rodrigo
Published: August 2015

In dynamic propagation environments, beamforming algorithms may suffer from strong interference, steering vector mismatches, a low convergence speed and a high computational complexity. Reduced-rank signal processing techniques provide a way to address the problems mentioned above. This paper presents a low-complexity robust data-dependent dimensionality reduction based on an iterative optimization with steering vector perturbation (IOVP) algorithm for reduced-rank beamforming and steering vector estimation. The proposed robust optimization procedure jointly adjusts the parameters of a rank reduction matrix and an adaptive beamformer. The optimized rank reduction matrix projects the received signal vector onto a subspace with lower dimension. The beamformer/steering vector optimization is then performed in a reduced dimension subspace. We devise efficient stochastic gradient and recursive least-squares algorithms for implementing the proposed robust IOVP design. The proposed robust IOVP beamforming algorithms result in a faster convergence speed and an improved performance. Simulation results show that the proposed IOVP algorithms outperform some existing full-rank and reduced-rank algorithms with a comparable complexity.
Mie LIDAR Observations of Tropospheric Aerosol over Wuhan
Authors: Gong Wei , Liu Boming , Ma Yingying , Zhang Miao
Published: August 2015

Wuhan is a rapidly developing large city in central China. To analyze the aerosol characteristics over Wuhan, the optical properties of the nocturnal aerosol layers in the lower troposphere were observed using a ground-based LIDAR(Light Detection And Ranging) located in the Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing (LIESMARS) from Wuhan University, China (114°21′E, 30°32′N) in January 2013–January 2015. The vertical distribution and temporal variation of tropospheric aerosols over Wuhan were summarized. The atmospheric boundary layer height (ABLH) was mainly at an altitude of 1.5–2 km (~33.1% probability), with an annual average of 1.66 km. The ABLH was higher in spring–summer (~2 km) and lower in autumn–winter (~1.2 km). The aerosol optical depth (AOD) was higher in spring–autumn than in summer–winter. The highest AOD was about 0.79 in October and the lowest was about 0.08 in January. The annual average was about 0.3. To study the relationship between the AOD and the particulate matter ≤2.5 µm in the aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) in the lower troposphere, a typical haze event from 9–14 October 2014 was investigated. The results showed a correlation coefficient of 0.5165 between these two variables.
Autophagy and Neurodegeneration: Insights from a Cultured Cell Model of ALS
Authors: Navone Francesca , Genevini Paola , Borgese Nica
Published: August 2015

Autophagy plays a major role in the elimination of cellular waste components, the renewal of intracellular proteins and the prevention of the build-up of redundant or defective material. It is fundamental for the maintenance of homeostasis and especially important in post-mitotic neuronal cells, which, without competent autophagy, accumulate protein aggregates and degenerate. Many neurodegenerative diseases are associated with defective autophagy; however, whether altered protein turnover or accumulation of misfolded, aggregate-prone proteins is the primary insult in neurodegeneration has long been a matter of debate. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease characterized by selective degeneration of motor neurons. Most of the ALS cases occur in sporadic forms (SALS), while 10%–15% of the cases have a positive familial history (FALS). The accumulation in the cell of misfolded/abnormal proteins is a hallmark of both SALS and FALS, and altered protein degradation due to autophagy dysregulation has been proposed to contribute to ALS pathogenesis. In this review, we focus on the main molecular features of autophagy to provide a framework for discussion of our recent findings about the role in disease pathogenesis of the ALS-linked form of the VAPB gene product, a mutant protein that drives the generation of unusual cytoplasmic inclusions.
Nuclear Import of Yeast Proteasomes
Authors: Burcoglu Julianne , Zhao Liang , Enenkel Cordula
Published: August 2015

Proteasomes are highly conserved protease complexes responsible for the degradation of aberrant and short-lived proteins. In highly proliferating yeast and mammalian cells, proteasomes are predominantly nuclear. During quiescence and cell cycle arrest, proteasomes accumulate in granules in close proximity to the nuclear envelope/ER. With prolonged quiescence in yeast, these proteasome granules pinch off as membraneless organelles, and migrate as stable entities through the cytoplasm. Upon exit from quiescence, the proteasome granules clear and the proteasomes are rapidly transported into the nucleus, a process reflecting the dynamic nature of these multisubunit complexes. Due to the scarcity of studies on the nuclear transport of mammalian proteasomes, we summarised the current knowledge on the nuclear import of yeast proteasomes. This pathway uses canonical nuclear localisation signals within proteasomal subunits and Srp1/Kap95, and the canonical import receptor, named importin/karyopherin αβ. Blm10, a conserved 240 kDa protein, which is structurally related to Kap95, provides an alternative import pathway. Two models exist upon which either inactive precursor complexes or active holo-enzymes serve as the import cargo. Here, we reconcile both models and suggest that the import of inactive precursor complexes predominates in dividing cells, while the import of mature enzymes mainly occurs upon exit from quiescence.
Connected Vehicles, V2V Communications, and VANET
Authors: Jiménez Felipe
Published: August 2015

Communications between vehicles are seen as a solution for road transport problems, such as accidents, inefficiencies, traffic congestions, fuel consumption, and exhaust emissions. However, before implementing such a solution, some preliminary analysis is needed. First, the most convenient communications technologies should be selected for each application and specific communications architecture should be deployed to support such services. Standardization is essential for successful deployment.[...]
A Uniform Voltage Gain Control for Alignment Robustness in Wireless EV Charging
Authors: Gao Yabiao , Farley Kathleen , Tse Zion
Published: August 2015

The efficiency of wireless power transfer is sensitive to the horizontal and vertical distances between the transmitter and receiver coils due to the magnetic coupling change. To address the output voltage variation and efficiency drop caused by misalignment, a uniform voltage gain frequency control is implemented to improve the power delivery and efficiency of wireless power transfer under misalignment. The frequency is tuned according to the amplitude and phase-frequency characteristics of coupling variations in order to maintain a uniform output voltage in the receiver coil. Experimental comparison of three control methods, including fixed frequency control, resonant frequency control, and the proposed uniform gain control was conducted and demonstrated that the uniform voltage gain control is the most robust method for managing misalignment in wireless charging applications.
The Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor BML-210 Influences Gene and Protein Expression in Human Promyelocytic Leukemia NB4 Cells via Epigenetic Reprogramming
Authors: Borutinskaitė Veronika , Navakauskienė Rūta
Published: August 2015

Today, cancer is understood as an epigenetic as well as genetic disease. The main epigenetic hallmarks of the cancer cell are DNA methylation and histone modifications. Proteins such as histone deacetylases (HDACs) that cause modifications of histones and other proteins can be targets for novel anticancer agents. Recently, interest in compounds that can inhibit HDACs increased, and now there are many HDACs inhibitors (HDACIs) available with different chemical structures, biological and biochemical properties; hopefully some of them will succeed, probably in combination with other agents, in cancer therapies. In our study we focused on the novel HDACI–BML-210. We found that BML-210 (N-phenyl-Nʹ-(2-Aminophenyl)hexamethylenediamide) inhibits the growth of NB4 cells in dose- and time-dependent manner. In this study we also examined how expression and activity of HDACs are affected after leukemia cell treatment with BML-210. Using a mass spectrometry method we identified proteins that changed expression after treatment with BML-210. We prepared RT-PCR analysis of these genes and the results correlated with proteomic data. Based on these and other findings from our group, we suggest that HDACIs, like BML-210, can be promising anticancer agents in promyelocytic leukemia treatment.
The Essential Role of Vitellogenin Receptor in Ovary Development and Vitellogenin Uptake in Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)
Authors: Cong Lin , Yang Wen-Jia , Jiang Xuan-Zhao , Niu Jin-Zhi , Shen Guang-Mao , Ran Chun , Wang Jin-Jun
Published: August 2015

The vitellogenin receptor (VgR) functions as an essential component in uptaking and transporting vitellogenin (Vg) in female adults, which is involved in ovary development and oviposition. This study aimed to clarify the molecular characteristics and function of VgR in the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). Here, we identified the full-length of BdVgR (GenBank Accession No. JX469118), encoding a 1925 residue (aa) protein with a 214.72 kDa molecular mass and several typical motifs of low-density lipoprotein receptor superfamily (LDLR). Phylogenic analysis suggested that BdVgR was evolutionary conserved with other Dipteran VgRs. The expression of BdVgR was exclusively detected in the ovaries rather than head, thorax or other tissues. The developmental expression patterns showed that the signal of BdVgR was detectable in very beginning of adult stage, and positively correlated with the growth rate of ovaries and the expression levels of its ligands. In addition, we also demonstrated that the expression level of BdVgR, and ovary development were significantly suppressed after being injected with BdVgR-targeted dsRNA. Together, all of these results indicated that BdVgR was critical for yolk protein absorption and ovary maturation in B. dorsalis, playing a vital role in female reproduction.
Novel Electrocardiographic Patterns for the Prediction of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy—From Pathophysiology to Practical Implications
Authors: Angeli Fabio , Angeli Enrica , Verdecchia Paolo
Published: August 2015

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a major cause of poor outcome, including placental abruption, organ failure, cerebrovascular accident and disseminated intravascular coagulation. These disorders are associated with increased fetal risk of intrauterine growth restriction, intrauterine death and prematurity. Electrocardiography (ECG) recently emerged as a useful tool to evaluate cardiovascular complications during pregnancy. Specifically, left atrial abnormalities detected by standard ECG are associated with a fourfold increased risk of developing hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. The mechanisms linking left atrial abnormality on ECG with hypertensive disorders are still elusive. Several mechanisms, possibly reflected by abnormal left atrial activation on ECG, has been suggested. These include increased reactivity to angiotensin II and up-regulation of angiotensin type 1 receptors, with activation of autoantibodies targeting these receptors.
Personal Identification and the Assessment of the Psychophysiological State While Writing a Signature
Authors: Lozhnikov Pavel , Sulavko Alexey , Samotuga Alexander
Published: August 2015

This article discusses the problem of user identification and psychophysiological state assessment while writing a signature using a graphics tablet. The solution of the problem includes the creation of templates containing handwriting signature features simultaneously with the hidden registration of physiological parameters of a person being tested. Heart rate variability description in the different time points is used as a physiological parameter. As a result, a signature template is automatically generated for psychophysiological states of an identified person. The problem of user identification and psychophysiological state assessment is solved depending on the registered value of a physiological parameter.
Dense Clustered Multi-Channel Wireless Sensor Cloud
Authors: Sivakumar Sivaramakrishnan , Al-Anbuky Adnan
Published: August 2015

Dense Wireless Sensor Network Clouds have an inherent issue of latency and packet drops with regards to data collection. Though there is extensive literature that tries to address these issues through either scheduling, channel contention or a combination of the two, the problem still largely exists. In this paper, a Clustered Multi-Channel Scheduling Protocol (CMSP) is designed that creates a Voronoi partition of a dense network. Each partition is assigned a channel, and a scheduling scheme is adopted to collect data within the Voronoi partitions. This scheme collects data from the partitions concurrently and then passes it to the base station. CMSP is compared using simulation with other multi-channel protocols like Tree-based Multi-Channel, Multi-Channel MAC and Multi-frequency Media Access Control for wireless sensor networks. Results indicate CMSP has higher throughput and data delivery ratio at a lower power consumption due to network partitioning and hierarchical scheduling that minimizes load on the network.
The Marine-Derived Fungus Clonostachys rosea, Source of a Rare Conjugated 4-Me-6E,8E-hexadecadienoic Acid Reducing Viability of MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells and Gene Expression of Lipogenic Enzymes
Authors: Dias Ana , Ruiz Nicolas , Couzinet-Mossion Aurélie , Bertrand Samuel , Duflos Muriel , Pouchus Yves-François , Barnathan Gilles , Nazih Hassan , Wielgosz-Collin Gaetane
Published: August 2015

A marine-derived strain of Clonostachys rosea isolated from sediments of the river Loire estuary (France) was investigated for its high lipid production. The fungal strain was grown on six different culture media to explore lipid production changes. An original branched conjugated fatty acid, mainly present in triglycerides and mostly produced when grown on DCA (23% of total fatty acid composition). It was identified as 4-Me-6E,8E-hexadecadienoic on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. This fatty acid reduced viability of MCF-7 breast cancer cells in a dose dependent manner (up to 63%) at physiological free fatty acid human plasma concentration (100 μM). Reduction of gene expression of two lipogenic enzymes, the acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) and the fatty acid synthase (FAS) was evaluated to explore the mechanisms of action of 4-Me-6E,8E-16:2 acid. At 50 μM, 50% and 35% of mRNA gene expression inhibition were observed for ACC and FAS, respectively.
Pheonolic Compounds from the Fruits of Viburnum sargentii Koehne
Authors: Xie Yang , Wang Jing , Geng Yan-Mei , Zhang Zhi , Qu Yan-Fei , Wang Guang-Shu
Published: August 2015

Seven phenolic compounds were isolated from the fruits of Viburnum sargentii Koehne by silica gel column chromatography and preparative HPLC. On the grounds of chemical and spectroscopic methods, their structures were identified as (−)-Epicatechin (1), 5,7,4′-trihydroxy-flavonoid-8-C-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-[4-(3-α-L-rhamnopyranoxypropyl)-2-methoxyphenoxy]-1,3-propane-diol (erythro) (3), 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-[4-(3-α-L-rhamnopyranoxypropyl)-2-methoxyphenoxy]-1,3-propanediol (threo) (4), (R)-4-hydroxylphenol O-(6-O-oleuropeoyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (5), (R)-3-methoxy-4-hydroxylphenol O-(6-O-oleuropeoyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (6), quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (7). Compounds 5 and 6 are new monoterpene phenolic glycosides, compounds 1, 3 and 4 were isolated from the Viburnum genus for the first time, and compounds 2 and 7 from the Viburnum sargentii Koehne for the first time. Compounds 1–7 were also assayed for their antioxidant activities with DPPH free radicals.
Preparation and Characterization of Polyvinylidene Fluoride/Graphene Superhydrophobic Fibrous Films
Authors: Moradi Rasoul , Karimi-Sabet Javad , Shariaty-Niassar Mojtaba , Koochaki Mohammad
Published: August 2015

A new strategy to induce superhydrophobicity via introducing hierarchical structure into the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film was explored in this study. For this purpose nanofibrous composite films were prepared by electrospinning of PVDF and PVDF/graphene blend solution as the main precursors to produce a net-like structure. Various spectroscopy and microscopy methods in combination with crystallographic and wettability tests were used to evaluate the characteristics of the synthesized films. Mechanical properties have been studied using a universal stress-strain test. The results show that the properties of the PVDF nanofibrous film are improved by compositing with graphene. The incorporation of graphene flakes into the fibrous polymer matrix changes the morphology, enhances the surface roughness, and improves the hydrophobicity by inducing a morphological hierarchy. Superhydrophobicity with the water contact angle of about 160° can be achieved for the PVDF/graphene electrospun nanocomposite film in comparison to PVDF pristine film.
Mass Detection in Viscous Fluid Utilizing Vibrating Micro- and Nanomechanical Mass Sensors under Applied Axial Tensile Force
Authors: Stachiv Ivo , Fang Te-Hua , Jeng Yeau-Ren
Published: August 2015

Vibrating micro- and nanomechanical mass sensors are capable of quantitatively determining attached mass from only the first three (two) measured cantilever (suspended) resonant frequencies. However, in aqueous solutions that are relevant to most biological systems, the mass determination is challenging because the quality factor (Q-factor) due to fluid damping decreases and, as a result, usually just the fundamental resonant frequencies can be correctly identified. Moreover, for higher modes the resonance coupling, noise, and internal damping have been proven to strongly affect the measured resonances and, correspondingly, the accuracy of estimated masses. In this work, a technique capable of determining the mass for the cantilever and also the position of nanobeads attached on the vibrating micro-/nanomechanical beam under intentionally applied axial tensile force from the measured fundamental flexural resonant frequencies is proposed. The axial force can be created and controlled through an external electrostatic or magnetostatic field. Practicality of the proposed technique is confirmed on the suspended multi-walled carbon nanotube and the rectangular silicon cantilever-based mass sensors. We show that typically achievable force resolution has a negligibly small impact on the accuracy of mass measurement.
Human-Computer Interaction in Smart Environments
Authors: Paravati Gianluca , Gatteschi Valentina
Published: August 2015

Here, we provide an overview of the content of the Special Issue on “Human-computer interaction in smart environments”. The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight technologies and solutions encompassing the use of mass-market sensors in current and emerging applications for interacting with Smart Environments. Selected papers address this topic by analyzing different interaction modalities, including hand/body gestures, face recognition, gaze/eye tracking, biosignal analysis, speech and activity recognition, and related issues.
Reconceptualising the Gender of Fitness Doping: Performing and Negotiating Masculinity through Drug-Use Practices
Authors: Andreasson Jesper
Published: August 2015

This article analyses self-portrayals and gender constructions among Swedish male bodybuilders who are engaged in fitness doping. The empirical material comes from a larger ethnographic investigation into gym culture. The results show that there is a strong propensity to conform with particular gender fantasies that rests heavily on a binary understanding of gendered, doped bodies. However, this storyline does not apprehend the entire self-presentation of the analysed drug users. Negotiations and inclusive subversions of traditional gender norms are also expressed. For example, the narratives show how the use of performance-enhancing substances makes it possible for (heterosexual) men to approach, touch and express feelings of desire towards other men and their bodies. As such, this practice can be viewed as a contestation of hegemonic gender values, in which masculinity and fitness doping are detached from a quite heterosexist understanding, and turned into a symbolic world of homoerotic pleasure.
Collar Option Model for Managing the Cost Overrun Caused by Change Orders
Authors: Lee Sanghyo , Kim Kyunghwan
Published: August 2015

Effective change order management is very important in maintaining the financial sustainability of various stakeholders related to construction projects by minimizing cost overruns. In this study, we propose a zero-cost risk management approach based on the collar option model in order to control for the loss caused by change orders, the main cause of cost overruns in construction projects. We apply this model to actual projects for empirical analysis. The analysis, based on 237 projects, indicates that insurance buyers benefit from the collar option model in 46% of the cases, while insurance sellers do so in 53% of the cases. In most cases, the insurance buyer is the owner. According to the model, the owner experiences a loss when the cost overrun caused by change orders is lower than what was expected. In such cases, it is appropriate to conclude that the loss is not caused by the collar option model, but by the absence of additional revenue. However, the insurance seller suffers a loss if the cost overrun is higher than the strike price of the call option. Thus, the insurance seller needs to have expertise in construction management.
Diversity and Abundance of Soil Animals as Influenced by Long-Term Fertilization in Grey Desert Soil, China
Authors: Jiang Maibo , Wang Xihe , Liusui Yunhao , Sun Xueqing , Zhao Chengyi , Liu Hua
Published: August 2015

The relationship between soil fauna and different fertilizer management practices is of growing concern. The aim of this research was to investigate the response of soil fauna to fertilization regimes, to explore the relationships among the community of soil animals, soil moisture and crop yields. The application of organic fertilizers (i.e., sheep manure or crop residues) increased crop yields and promoted the number of individuals and species of soil fauna owing to the exogenous organic matter that fertilizers provided for the survival and development of soil fauna. Furthermore, the treatments that applied sheep manure (i.e., sheep manure only or nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sheep manure plus) were significantly beneficial for increasing crop yields and diversity of soil fauna compared to treatments with crop residues returned (i.e., crop residues returned only or nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and crop residues returned to the field) (p < 0.05) due to the response of soil fauna to diverse exogenous nutrients and the effect of soil fertility. Therefore, the finding that soil fauna abundance is significantly positively correlated with soil moisture and crop yield may mean the effects of fertilizer applications on soil animals were partly masked by the soil moisture and crop yield.
Characterization of the HCMV-Specific CD4 T Cell Responses that Are Associated with Protective Immunity
Authors: Wunsch Marie , Zhang Wenji , Hanson Jodi , Caspell Richard , Karulin Alexey , Recks Mascha , Kuerten Stefanie , Sundararaman Srividya , Lehmann Paul
Published: August 2015

Most humans become infected with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Typically, the immune system controls the infection, but the virus persists and can reactivate in states of immunodeficiency. While substantial information is available on the contribution of CD8 T cells and antibodies to anti-HCMV immunity, studies of the TH1, TH2, and TH17 subsets have been limited by the low frequency of HCMV-specific CD4 T cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC). Using the enzyme-linked Immunospotr assay (ELISPOT) that excels in low frequency measurements, we have established these in a sizable cohort of healthy HCMV controllers. Cytokine recall responses were seen in all seropositive donors. Specifically, interferon (IFN)- and/or interleukin (IL)-17 were seen in isolation or with IL-4 in all test subjects. IL-4 recall did not occur in isolation. While the ratios of TH1, TH2, and TH17 cells exhibited substantial variations between different individuals these ratios and the frequencies were relatively stable when tested in samples drawn up to five years apart. IFN- and IL-2 co-expressing polyfunctional cells were seen in most subjects. Around half of the HCMV-specific CD4 cells were in a reversible state of exhaustion. The data provided here established the TH1, TH2, and TH17 characteristic of the CD4 cells that convey immune protection for successful immune surveillance against which reactivity can be compared when the immune surveillance of HCMV fails.
Radiation losses in the microwave Ku band in magneto-electric nanocomposites
Authors: Kaur Talwinder , Kumar Sachin , Sharma Jyoti , Srivastava A K
Published: August 2015

A study on radiation losses in conducting polymer nanocomposites, namely La–Co-substituted barium hexaferrite and polyaniline, is presented. The study was performed by means of a vector network analyser, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron spin resonance spectroscopy and a vibrating sample magnetometer. It is found that the maximum loss occurs at 17.9 GHz (−23.10 dB, 99% loss) which is due to the composition of a conducting polymer and a suitable magnetic material. A significant role of polyaniline has been observed in ESR. The influence of the magnetic properties on the radiation losses is explained. Further studies revealed that the prepared material is a nanocomposite. FTIR spectra show the presence of expected chemical structures such as C–H bonds in a ring system at 1512 cm−1.
Designing and Implementing an Innovation Management System in Young Academic Institutions Using Agile Methodology
Authors: Ahuja Sachin , Mantri Archana
Published: August 2015

This chapter proposes the use of agile methodology in designing the innovation management system in young academic institutes. Technology innovations from most universities and research institutes originate out of chaos. As a result, it is difficult to associate structure to its management. While there have been many social science research methodology based studies on this subject under the broad umbrella of “Innovation and Technology Management”, there is usually an absence of well defined process to help young academic institutions to manage their intellectual property better. There is a strongly desired need to associate a clearly articulated structure for translation of ideas into technology innovations that will help young academic institutes to inculcate research in students and faculties and would help identify the best commercial application of technology innovations. Agile methodologies are best suited to be adopted in the academic scenario as rapidly changing environment of academic institutes can be easily handled using agile methodology. The aim of this chapter is to produce an evolutionary advance practical innovation management process for academic institutes out of this chaos to inculcate research in students and faculties using agile methodologies.
A Cross-Platform Architecture with Intelligent Agents for Dynamic Processes and Services Composition
Authors: Pang Chung-Yeung
Published: August 2015

To meet business demands, enterprise software systems are required to be more dynamic, flexible and adaptive. Business processes must often be context-aware. Things get complicated when enterprise software systems, after a decade of evolution, comprise heterogeneous platforms and different technological stacks. This chapter presents the design and implementation of a cross-platform architecture with intelligent agents for dynamic business rules, process flows and services composition. The architecture includes an Enterprise Service Bus for service integration. Service agents are used to handle services. A Central Intelligent Agent that contains a Prolog-style rule-based engine is designed to execute business rules and processes. These agents are implemented in both Java and COBOL. Business process flows are completely rule- and context-driven. The services and components for the business processes are dynamically constructed. The proposed architecture and programming model enables fast prototyping and rapid development in an agile development process across different platforms.
Disaster Management and Exhibition Loans
Authors: Gibbons Patti
Published: August 2015

Materials on loan to libraries and other cultural heritage institutions are very often historically significant, highly valuable, and frequently irreplaceable, yet traditional disaster management planning literature does not address the additional needs that items loaned for exhibitions present. In the event of an unforeseen incident, this omission leaves loan participants vulnerable to risk and exposed to potential loss. Disaster preparedness and response policies that address risks presented by exhibition loans, and that detail procedures for these materials, can help libraries minimize the potential loss of often prized and high profile borrowed materials in the event of an emergency. The chapter provides information and guidelines on how to address the needs of loaned materials into institutional contingency planning.
Shortcomings and Successes
Authors: Jones Ashley
Published: August 2015

Through the presentation of a case study, this chapter will address the lessons learned from a small scale, anthropogenic water disaster that occurred in the stacks area of Miami University's Wertz Art and Architecture Library. The purpose of this chapter is to assess the shortcomings and the successes of the incident response, and to show how even small-scale disasters can highlight both the strengths and weaknesses of a disaster plan. Key lessons learned include the importance of an updated and usable disaster plan; the importance of clear communication before, during, and after an event; and the importance of developing a good relationship with outside responders. Recommendations and solutions taken by MU Libraries are also discussed.
Disaster and Digital Libraries in Developing Countries
Authors: Ifijeh Goodluck , Idiegbeyan-Ose Jerome , Isiakpona Chidi D. , Ilogho Julie
Published: August 2015

Digital libraries have become a modern day phenomenon. Their roles in information generation,organization, dissemination and storage cannot be overemphasized. This chapter articulates the importance of digital libraries and the need to preserve them from disasters. It highlights the causes and effects of disasters in digital libraries. Prevention and management of disasters were also discussed. Issues and challenges around information and communication technology (ICT), that has direct bearings on digital libraries and disaster management in developing countries were raised. In addition, recommendations were made on how to improve on disaster prevention and control.
Gamifying Recruitment, Selection, Training, and Performance Management
Authors: Armstrong Michael B. , Landers Richard N. , Collmus Andrew B.
Published: August 2015

Game-thinking is beginning to appear in a wide variety of non-game contexts, including organizational support settings like human resource management (HRM). The purpose of this chapter is two-fold: 1) to explore the opportunities for game-thinking via gamification and serious games in HRM based on current and previous HRM literature and 2) to identify future research areas at the intersection of game-thinking and HRM. Prevailing HRM theories will be applied to the use of game-thinking in different sub-fields of HRM, including recruitment, selection, training, and performance management.
Three Perspectives on Video Game Learning
Authors: Tanes Zeynep
Published: August 2015

Video games and gamified applications have been used for various purposes including helping businesses (in commercial marketing), or helping the individual, community or society (in social marketing). Video games are systems with rules, play structures, and narratives; while gamified applications utilize game elements, mechanics, and ways of thinking to generate meaningful, playful and fun experiences. Both video games and gamified applications require a learning process including learning to play, and learning through the game. This chapter advocates that learning is an inherent component of video games and gamified applications. The main purpose of this chapter is to examine the concept of ‘game learning' from three major theoretical positions, namely Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism. In doing so, this chapter first explains, compares, and contrasts these three positions, then elaborates on how learning takes place in specific games designed for commercial and social marketing with the lens of these three positions.
Games and Quizzes in Online Journalism
Authors: Wojdynski Bartosz W.
Published: August 2015

The competition for online news page views increasingly involves strategies designed to promote the “viral” nature of content, and to capitalize on the content's spread by ensuring that the content does not quickly lose timeliness or relevance. As a result of the pressure for these stories, news experiences which can be revisited by consumers are at a premium. In this ecosystem, interactive games and quizzes which can be played to receive different feedback or reach a different ending offer promise for news organizations to receive ongoing and widespread reward for their efforts. This chapter provides an overview of the state of gamification in journalism, challenges and opportunities for the growth of games in online news, and discusses evidence for the impact of increasingly gamified news content on how users process and perceive news information.
The Gamification of Journalism
Authors: Conill Raul Ferrer , Karlsson Michael
Published: August 2015

Traditional news outlets are on the decline and journalism has embraced digital media in its struggle to survive. New models of delivering news to the public are being explored in order to increase the levels of readership and user engagement.The narrative of this chapter focuses on the future of journalism and media, and the potential benefits and dangers of gamifying journalism. Since gamification is a new trend, a thorough look at the intersection between the enhancements of public mobility, the digitalization of news services, and the engagement of gamified systems can bring better understanding of future channels of reading news to the users, to researchers, and to the industry. This chapter aims to bridge the gap between gamification as an emerging practice in news distribution and yet a vastly uncharted area or research.
Storytelling and Narrative Marketing in the Era of Social Media
Authors: Ferrari Sonia
Published: August 2015

This chapter is focused on the elements that, in post modern era, have greatly changed our society, both in terms of buying and consumption habits and, more generally, in terms of lifestyles. This is mainly due to the Internet, which provides low cost, faster and interactive information and communication. As described in detail in the chapter, companies have been forced to adopt new marketing strategies and, thanks to the spread of social media and viral marketing, tools such as word of mouth and storytelling have become even more effective than in the past. But today companies need to use them in a different way, actively involving the consumers, because they attribute a greater value to a product if they participate in the process of creation of its image and elements of differentiation. If managed in an innovative way, focusing on sensory and transmedia aspects, storytelling becomes a very powerful Customer Relationship Marketing and image building medium and, above all, a source of enduring competitive advantage.
Developing Augmented Reality Applications Using Branded Authoring Environments
Authors: Deliyannis Ioannis , Honorato Dalila
Published: August 2015

In this chapter, we present the main interaction design issues that arise during the development of edutainment scenarios through the use of branded augmented reality (AR) authoring environments. Most proprietary AR systems offer limited interaction features within their entry-level version, while licensing unlocks the desired advanced features. In order to overcome this problem we employ experimental multimedia development methods for the design of content for those platforms, enabling the development of fully featured case studies where interaction is implemented both physically and virtually. The introduction and literature research sections are complemented by selected experimental case studies that explore the interaction capabilities. It is shown how these may be implemented using limited AR resources. The chapter concludes with the presentation of the social software perspective of the communication process, as the application areas and the content domain presented in this work feature clear collaborative potential that needs to be addressed by system design.
Affective Audio Synthesis for Sound Experience Enhancement
Authors: Drossos Konstantinos , Kaliakatsos-Papakostas Maximos , Floros Andreas
Published: August 2015

With the advances of technology, multimedia tend to be a recurring and prominent component in almost all forms of communication. Although their content spans in various categories, there are two protuberant channels that are used for information conveyance, i.e. audio and visual. The former can transfer numerous content, ranging from low-level characteristics (e.g. spatial location of source and type of sound producing mechanism) to high and contextual (e.g. emotion). Additionally, recent results of published works depict the possibility for automated synthesis of sounds, e.g. music and sound events. Based on the above, in this chapter the authors propose the integration of emotion recognition from sound with automated synthesis techniques. Such a task will enhance, on one hand, the process of computer driven creation of sound content by adding an anthropocentric factor (i.e. emotion) and, on the other, the experience of the multimedia user by offering an extra constituent that will intensify the immersion and the overall user experience level.
Euterpe
Authors: Kokkidou May , Dionyssiou Zoe
Published: August 2015

This work focuses on the application of experimental multimedia in the field of music education. The end-system produced is a multimedia service designed to support music teachers who wish to generate and implement teaching scenarios, during their singing teaching session, as this progresses and evolves dynamically. The system allows them to adjust on the fly their educational content, in order to cover their classroom needs that evolve continuously during practice. The end-system combines a fully searchable multimedia database complemented by an access process designed to serve constantly changing content requirements. Most importantly, the system is designed to provide meaningful teaching-learning scenarios with the appropriate content on demand, through the implementation of a task-specific system-as-a-service access method. This chapter provides a walk through the most important characteristics of the process from the content expert perspective. This information was actively employed by developers enabling the system parameterization to cover the functional requirements of the teaching-learning process.
Dealing with the Uncertainty of Satisfaction Surveys in Organizations That Employ Interactive Multimedia
Authors: Zimeras Stelios , Kostagiolas Petros , Lavranos Charilaos
Published: August 2015

The meaning of customer satisfaction has introduced many research analyses in many scientific fields during the recent years. Customer satisfaction represents a modern approach for evaluating quality in any kind of organizations. Customer satisfaction provides a useful and objective feedback about preferences and expectations. This can be particularly important for the design of services based on multimedia and interactive technologies, which are novel to most users. During the evaluation process, surveys analysis must be applied with main task to understand customer satisfaction. For that reason questionnaires have been proposed to reflect the previous analysis. Many times in that process, individuals that participate in the interviewing process misunderstand the pose questions leading to false answers and error results, without evaluating all recourses during the interview. The aim of this chapter is to analyze a statistical modeling of that false answers considering categorical data analysis through a digital music library case study. This chapter focuses on a proposed method which is based on the probabilities of the positive or negative TRUE and FALSE answers, with main task to reduce the variability of the errors during the survey.
Microbial Ligninolysis
Authors: Paliwal Rashmi , Giri Krishna , Rai J.P.N
Published: August 2015

Lignin is the second most abundant natural polymeric carbon source on earth after cellulose. It is a plant-originated polymer with three-dimensional network of dimethoxylated (syringyl), monomethoxylated (guaiacyl), and non-methoxylated (phydroxyphenyl) phenylpropanoid and acetylated units. The structural complexity and insolubility of lignin make it highly recalcitrant for degradation. Its biological degradation is critical to the global carbon cycle. Bioligninolysis involves application of microorganisms and their enzymes in degradation of lignin whichprovide environmental friendly technology for various industrial applications. As a major repository of aromatic chemical structures, lignin bears paramount significance for its removal from woody plants/lignocellulosic material, owing to potential application of bioligninolytic systems on commercial scale. This chapter provides an overview of microbial ligninolysis and its role in carbon cycling, various industrial process and pollution abatement for natural ecosystem management.
Vegetation Filters
Authors: Singh Mohini , Srivastava R.K.
Published: August 2015

Vegetation filter is an emerging wastewater treatment option in which phytoremediation strategies are employed for municipal applications. Short rotation woody crops combine both treatment and reuse of effluent and operate on ‘zero discharge' concept. This multifunctional system has become a viable alternative solution for wastewater treatment as well as biomass production by utilizing nutrient rich wastewater as cost efficient fertilizer. Fast growing species like Salix, Eucalyptus, and Populus with high water and nutrient requirements, highly selective heavy metal uptake and high evapotranspiration rate are generally preferred as vegetation filters for wastewater treatment. However, site-specific factors such as wastewater composition, climate, soil type, permeability, species or clonal characteristics must be taken into account when considering irrigation with municipal wastewater. This chapter discussses the prospects for vegetation filters to remediate contaminated water and soil and also facilitate recycling of valuable resources in society.
Role of Biotechnology in Bioremediation
Authors: Mohanta Tapan Kumar , Mohanta Yugal Kishore , Mohanta Nibedita
Published: August 2015

The global environment is now facing a highly critical situation due to rapid urbanization and industrialization as well as increasing population in the limited natural resources. The population growth reflects the drastic changes of the life style of the people that created anthropogenic stress on the environment. There is requirement of highly developed environmental management systems and search of biotechnological technology to remove the contaminated materials and reestablish the natural resources Bioremediation is now considered as the most useful alternative method for eradicate the contaminated material from the nature for sustainable waste management. Now with recent advancement of the genetic approach multiplies the bioremediation process for protection of the natural environment by recycling the waste materials. This chapter covers detail notes on the use of most advanced technology to boost up the bioremediation process.