bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolution of the 'Modern' Transitory Shelter and Unrecognized Settlements of the Negev Bedouin
Authors: Meir Isaac A. , Stavi Ilan
Published: January 2012

This study reviews the factors involved in the transition from the traditional Bedouin black tent to the tin shack. Many economic, social, and macro-political factors are involved in this transition. It is shown that in functional terms the tin shack is very similar to the traditional tent. However, compared with the traditional tent, the climatic performance of the tin shack is much worse, amplifying ambient temperature extremes, and increasing respiratory related complications. In spite of this poor performance, tin shacks have become the mainstream dwelling form of Bedouin settlements in the Negev during the last three decades.
Politics of Scale in a High Mountain Border Region: Being Mobile among the Bhotiyas of the Kumaon Himalaya, India
Authors: Bergmann Christoph , Gerwin Martin , Sax William S. , Nüsser Marcus
Published: January 2012

Pastoral mobility in mountain environments always implicates indigenous forms of agency vis-à-vis the surrounding states with which people are interlinked, for instance through trade relations, contested border demarcations or natural resource regulations. In this paper, we analyse such interactions in terms of an ongoing 'politics of scale', that is to say a politics of the spatial dimensions structuring social life. Our case study focuses on the Bhotiyas, former trans-Himalayan traders who practise a sort of combined mountain agriculture in the high valleys of the Kumaon Himalaya, bordering China. The interdisciplinary approach foregrounds several registers of mobility, from agro-pastoral to ritual techniques and from property rights to ethnic identities.
Impact Response of Plates Under Drop Weight Impact Testing
Authors: Elavenil S , Knight GM Samuel
Published: January 2012

Concrete structures are often subjected to long term static and short term dynamic loads. Due to a relatively low tensile strength and energy dissipating characteristics, the impact resistance of concrete is poor. Research work carried out so far towards the development of concrete that exhibits improved impact resistance than conventional concrete showed that the steel fibre reinforced concrete has a good potential as a viable structural material for such applications. The overall objective of the study is to investigate the dynamic behaviour of steel fibre reinforced concrete plates under impact loading with respect to displacement, velocity and acceleration. In the drop weight test, eighteen plate specimens were tested with three different thicknesses of 20,25 and 30mm and with three different steel fibre contents of 0.5,0.75 and 1%.The edges of the plates were fixed on all sides. Displacement versus time, velocity versus time and acceleration versus time behaviour for all the plates tested were studied. It was found that when the aspect ratio of fibres is 50 and 75 there is a marginal increase in energy absorption for change in fibre content from 0.5 to 0.75%. There is a steep increase in energy absorption for a steel fibre content of 1% when the aspect ratio of fibre is 100.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/diujst.v7i1.9580Daffodil International University Journal of Science and Technology Vol.7(1) 2012 1-11
Analysis of Drought in Eastern Part of Bangladesh
Authors: Keka A Israt , Matin I , Rahman M , Banu DA
Published: January 2012

Analysis of drought is very important for the irrigation purpose of a country. In this work analysis of drought in the eastern part of Bangladesh has been studied. Yearly meteorological drought has been analyzed by comparing the yearly rainfall deficiency with the mean yearly rainfall. Yearly drought analysis has also been performed by three climatic indexes. The climatic indexes are De Mortone Aridity Index, IdM; Seleaninov Hydrothermic Index, IhS; and Donciu Climate Index, IcD. With the help of annual rainfall assurance (A%) yearly drought analysis has been performed by the climatic indexes. Monthly drought analysis has been done with the rainfall data, considering average rainfall and minimum rainfall for a month. In this study 17 meteorological stations have been chosen for analysis. Distribution of rainfall, annual variation of rainfall, yearly drought and percentage of drought affected areas has been presented with the help of different figures and tables. Monthly drought analysis shows that generally the month of January, February, March, November and December are drought affected. The month of April faces drought almost every year. May and October face drought occasionally. The months June, July, August and September experience heavy rainfall. Keywords: Drought; IdM; IhS; IcD; Annual rainfall assurance (A%).   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/diujst.v7i1.9643 Daffodil International University Journal of Science and Technology Vol.7(1) 2012 20-27
Study of the Effect of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) and Acridine Orange on the Isolation of Plasmid and Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Clinical Isolates of Klebsiella Sp
Authors: Shahriar Mohammad , Mawla Shumaila , Bhuiyan Mohiuddin Ahmed , Hossain Mahboob
Published: January 2012

For a six months period a total of 25 Klebisiella sp. samples collected from different diagnostic centers were tested for their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern against 16 antimicrobials. All isolates under study showed resistance against cephalexin, cephradine, ciporfloxacin, cloxacillin, erythromycin, oxacillin, rifampicin and tetracycline. Most of the isolates were resistant to amoxicillin (92%), vancomycin (96%), neomycin (84%) and chloramphenicol (76%). Least number of isolates showed resistance to tetracycline (36%), ceftriaxone (40%) and gentamycin (56%), respectively. Out of the 25 isolates, 7 multidrug resistant isolates were selected and they were grown in varying concentrations of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) in Luria broth and their plasmid profile was analysed. Distinct bands of plasmid were observed when the multidrug resistant strains of Klebsiella sp. were grown in 5% SDS and acridine orange (10μg/ml) in Luria broth. On being treated with 5% SDS and 5% SDS along with acridine orange, one isolate (isolate no. 3) developed sensitivity against ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, co-trimoxazole, gentamycin and neomycin. Keywords: Klebsiella sp.; plasmid; antimicrobial susceptibility; multidrug resistance; sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/diujst.v7i1.9646   Daffodil International University Journal of Science and Technology Vol.7(1) 2012 38-43
Enhancement of Brillouin Scattering Signal in Perfluorinated Graded-Index Polymer Optical Fibers
Authors: Mizuno Yosuke , Nakamura Kentaro
Published: January 2012

Perfluorinated graded-index polymer optical fibers (PFGI-POFs), fabricated by replacing the hydrogen atoms of standard polymethyl methacrylate-based POFs with fluorine atoms, have been extensively studied due to their relatively low propagation loss even at telecommunication wavelength. Recently, Brillouin scattering, which is one of the most significant nonlinear effects in optical fibers, has been successfully observed in PFGI-POFs at 1.55-μm wavelength. The Brillouin Stokes signal was, however, not large enough for practical applications or for detailed investigations of the Brillouin properties. In this paper, we review our recent work on Stokes signal enhancement. First, we induce stimulated Brillouin scattering based on the so-called pump-probe technique, and discuss its applicability to temperature sensors. Then, we investigate the influence of the core diameter and length of PFGI-POFs on Stokes signal, and observe the Brillouin linewidth narrowing effect. We believe our work is an important technological step toward the implementation of practical Brillouin-based devices and systems including distributed strain and temperature sensors.
Trends in Intense Typhoon Minimum Sea Level Pressure
Authors: Durden Stephen L.
Published: January 2012

A number of recent publications have examined trends in the maximum wind speed of tropical cyclones in various basins. In this communication, the author focuses on typhoons in the western North Pacific. Rather than maximum wind speed, the intensity of the storms is measured by their lifetime minimum sea level pressure (MSLP). Quantile regression is used to test for trends in storms of extreme intensity. The results indicate that there is a trend of decreasing intensity in the most intense storms as measured by MSLP over the period 1951–2010. However, when the data are broken into intervals 1951–1987 and 1987–2010, neither interval has a significant trend, but the intensity quantiles for the two periods differ. Reasons for this are discussed, including the cessation of aircraft reconnaissance in 1987. The author also finds that the average typhoon intensity is greater in El Nino years, while the intensity of the strongest typhoons shows no significant relation to El Nino Southern Oscillation.
Control Parameters for Boundary-Layer Instabilities in Unsteady Shock Interactions
Authors: Isaacson LaVar King
Published: January 2012

This article presents the computation of a set of control parameters for the deterministic prediction of laminar boundary-layer instabilities induced by an imposed unsteady shock interaction. The objective of the study is exploratory in nature by computing a supersonic flight environment for flow over a blunt body and the deterministic prediction of the spectral entropy rates for the boundary layer subjected to an unsteady pressure disturbance. The deterministic values for the spectral entropy rate within the instabilities are determined for each control parameter. Computational results imply that the instabilities are of a span-wise vortex form, that the maximum vertical velocity wave vector components are produced in the region nearest the wall and that extended transient coherent structures are produced in the boundary layer at a vertical location slightly below the mid-point of the boundary layer.
Suicidal Ideation and Associated Factors among School-Going Adolescents in Thailand
Authors: Peltzer Karl , Pengpid Supa
Published: January 2012

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and identify associations between suicidal ideation and indicators of psychosocial distress and social-environmental factors in Thai adolescents. Using data from the Thailand Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) 2008, we assessed the prevalence of suicidal ideation and its associated factors among adolescents (N = 2,758). Overall the prevalence of suicidal ideation in the past 12 months was 8.8% (9.9% males and 7.7% females). Variables influenced the suicidal ideation in multivariable analysis were sadness (Odds Ratio = OR: 6.03; 95% Confidence Interval = CI (3.00–12.14), lack of parental attachment (OR = 2.26, CI = 1.09–4.67), current alcohol use (OR = 2.32, 1.21–4.44), and ever having had sexual intercourse (OR = 4.16, CI = 3.40–7.68). Psychosocial, health-risk behaviours and lack of protective factors appear to effect suicidal ideation in this youth population.
Welcome to Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks
Authors: Fischer Stefan
Published: January 2012

Sensor and actuator networks have been the focus of a lot of research for quite a number of years now, and results in these fields had a tremendous influence on computer science as a whole. Take for example the fact that energy efficiency questions have never played a major role before, and today, there are journals, conferences, and complete research programs on this important issue. In general, sensor and actuator networks are considered to be an important part of the Future Internet, be it in the Internet-of-Things community, in Smart-City discussions, or in the more general field of Real-World Internet. Therefore, even though we have already come a long way, there is still a lot to do in order to make sensor and actuator networks usable and useful tools for everyday life in all kinds of domains. This new journal wants to provide a forum for researchers in the field to present their ideas and results and to discuss with others in order to advance the state of the art. [...]
New Cytotoxic Cembranolides from the Soft Coral Lobophytum michaelae
Authors: Wang Shang-Kwei , Duh Chang-Yih
Published: January 2012

Six new cembranolides, michaolides L–Q (1–6), and a known cembranolide, lobomichaolide (7) were isolated from the CH2Cl2 extract of the soft coral Lobophytum michaelae. Their structures were established by extensive spectral analysis. The anti-HCMV (human cytomegalovirus) activity of 1–7 and their cytotoxicity against selected cell lines were evaluated.
Modulation of the Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells by Different Concentrations of β-Glycerophosphate
Authors: Liu Mingyue , Sun Yao , Liu Yang , Yuan Mengtong , Zhang Zhihui , Hu Weiping
Published: January 2012

Dentinogenesis is a necessary prerequisite for dental tissue engineering. One of the steps for dentinogenesis is to obtain large quantities of highly purified odontoblasts. Therefore, we have undertaken an experiment applying different concentrations of β-glycerophosphate (β-GP) to induce the differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in a long-term 28-day culture. In the meanwhile, we have studied the time- and maturation-dependent expression of matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE) and that of the odontoblast-like marker-dentin sialoprotein (DSP), in order to investigate an optimized mineralized condition. Western blot results revealed that the expression of DSP became lower when accompanied by the increase of the β-GP concentration, and there was also an influence on MEPE expression when different concentrations of β-GP were applied. Meanwhile, the mineralized groups had an inhibitory function on the expression of MEPE as compared with the control group. Above all, all experimental groups successfully generated mineralized nodules by Alizarin Red S and the 5 mM β-GP group formed more mineralized nodules quantitated using the CPC extraction method. In conclusion, there is a significant modulation of the β-GP during the differentiation of the DPSCs. The degree of odontoblast differentiation is β-glycerophosphate concentration dependent. A low concentration of β-GP (5 mM) has been shown to be the optimal concentration for stimulating the maturation of the DPSCs. Moreover, MEPE accompanied with DSP clearly demonstrates the degree of the differentiation.
Synthesis of Novel IP Agonists via N-Aminoethyl Cyclic Amines Prepared by Decarboxylative Ring-Opening Reactions
Authors: Morita Yasuhiro , Ishigaki Takeshi , Kawamura Kuniaki , Hayashi Ryoji , Isogaya Masafumi , Kitsukawa Mika , Miyamoto Mitsuko , Uchida Masashi , Iseki Katsuhiko
Published: January 2012

An efficient synthesis of a highly potent and selective IP (PGI2 receptor) agonist that is not structurally analogous to PGI2 is described. This synthesis is accomplished through the following key steps: Nucleophilic ring-opening of 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-oxazolidin-2-one prepared by a one-pot procedure with 4-piperidinol and selective O-alkylation of 1-(2-(4-chlorophenylamino)ethyl)piperidin-4-ol. The obtained compound is a potent and selective IP agonist displaying a long duration of action.
Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of New Substituted Anilides of Quinaldic Acid
Authors: Bobal Pavel , Sujan Josef , Otevrel Jan , Imramovsky Ales , Padelkova Zdenka , Jampilek Josef
Published: January 2012

In this study a one step method for the preparation of substituted anilides of quinoline-2-carboxylic acid was developed. This efficient innovative approach is based on the direct reaction of an acid or ester with substituted anilines using microwave irradiation. The optimized method was used for the synthesis of a series of eighteen substituted quinoline-2-carboxanilides. The molecular structure of N-(4-bromophenyl)quinoline-2-carboxamide as a model compound was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group with four molecules within the unit cell and the total structure of the compound can be described as “a slightly screwed boat”.
Brain Computer Interfaces, a Review
Authors: Nicolas-Alonso Luis Fernando , Gomez-Gil Jaime
Published: January 2012

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a hardware and software communications system that permits cerebral activity alone to control computers or external devices. The immediate goal of BCI research is to provide communications capabilities to severely disabled people who are totally paralyzed or ‘locked in’ by neurological neuromuscular disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, brain stem stroke, or spinal cord injury. Here, we review the state-of-the-art of BCIs, looking at the different steps that form a standard BCI: signal acquisition, preprocessing or signal enhancement, feature extraction, classification and the control interface. We discuss their advantages, drawbacks, and latest advances, and we survey the numerous technologies reported in the scientific literature to design each step of a BCI. First, the review examines the neuroimaging modalities used in the signal acquisition step, each of which monitors a different functional brain activity such as electrical, magnetic or metabolic activity. Second, the review discusses different electrophysiological control signals that determine user intentions, which can be detected in brain activity. Third, the review includes some techniques used in the signal enhancement step to deal with the artifacts in the control signals and improve the performance. Fourth, the review studies some mathematic algorithms used in the feature extraction and classification steps which translate the information in the control signals into commands that operate a computer or other device. Finally, the review provides an overview of various BCI applications that control a range of devices.
A Compact Inductive Position Sensor Made by Inkjet Printing Technology on a Flexible Substrate
Authors: Jeranče Nikola , Vasiljević Dragana , Samardžić Nataša , Stojanović Goran
Published: January 2012

This paper describes the design, simulation and fabrication of an inductive angular position sensor on a flexible substrate. The sensor is composed of meandering silver coils printed on a flexible substrate (Kapton film) using inkjet technology. The flexibility enables that after printing in the plane, the coils could be rolled and put inside each other. By changing the angular position of the internal coil (rotor) related to the external one (stator), the mutual inductance is changed and consequently the impedance. It is possible to determine the angular position from the measured real and imaginary part of the impedance, in our case in the frequency range from 1 MHz to 10 MHz. Experimental results were compared with simulation results obtained by in-house developed software tool, and very good agreement has been achieved. Thanks to the simple design and fabrication, smaller package space requirements and weight, the presented sensor represents a cost-effective alternative to the other sensors currently used in series production applications.
Mining Arabidopsis thaliana RNA‐seq data with Integrated Genome Browser reveals stress‐induced alternative splicing of the putative splicing regulator SR45a
Authors: Gulledge Alyssa A. , Roberts April D. , Vora Hiral , Patel Ketan , Loraine Ann E.
Published: January 2012

• Premise of the study: High‐throughput sequencing of cDNA libraries prepared from diverse samples (RNA‐seq) can reveal genome‐wide changes in alternative splicing. Using RNA‐seq data to assess splicing at the level of individual genes requires the ability to visualize read alignments alongside genomic annotations. To meet this need, we added RNA‐seq visualization capability to Integrated Genome Browser (IGB), a free desktop genome visualization tool. To illustrate this capability, we present an in‐depth analysis of abiotic stresses and their effects on alternative splicing of SR45a (AT1G07350), a putative splicing regulator from Arabidopsis thaliana.

• Methods: cDNA libraries prepared from Arabidopsis plants that were subjected to heat and dehydration stresses were sequenced on an Illumina GAIIx sequencer, yielding more than 511 million high‐quality 75‐base, single‐end sequence reads. Reads were aligned onto the reference genome and visualized in IGB.

• Key results: Using IGB, we confirmed exon‐skipping alternative splicing in SR45a. Exon‐skipped variant AT1G07350.1 encodes full‐length SR45a protein with intact RS and RNA recognition motifs, while nonskipped variant AT1G07350.2 lacks the C‐terminal RS region due to a frameshift in the alternative exon. Heat and drought stresses increased both transcript abundance and the proportion of exon‐skipped transcripts encoding the full‐length protein. We identified new splice sites and observed frequent intron retention flanking the alternative exon.

• Conclusions: This study underlines the importance of visual inspection of RNA‐seq alignments when investigating alternatively spliced genes. We showed that heat and dehydration stresses increase overall abundance of SR45a mRNA while also increasing production of transcripts encoding the full‐length SR45a protein relative to other splice variants.
Sequential Bilateral Cochlear Implantation in a Patient with Bilateral Ménière’s Disease
Authors: Holden Laura K. , Gail Neely J. , Gotter Brenda D. , Mispagel Karen M. , Firszt Jill B.
Published: January 2012

This case study describes a 45-yr-old female with bilateral, profound sensorineural hearing loss due to Ménière’s disease. She received her first cochlear implant in the right ear in 2008 and the second cochlear implant in the left ear in 2010. The case study examines
the enhancement to speech recognition, particularly in noise, provided by bilateral cochlear implants.Speech recognition tests were administered prior to obtaining the second implant and at a number of test intervals following activation of the second device. Speech recognition in quiet and
noise as well as localization abilities were assessed in several conditions to determine bilateral benefit and performance differences between ears. The results of the speech recognition testing indicated a substantial improvement in the patient’s ability to understand speech in noise
and her ability to localize sound when using bilateral cochlear implants compared to using a unilateral implant or an implant and a hearing aid. In addition, the patient reported considerable improvement in her ability to communicate in daily life when using bilateral implants versus a unilateral
implant.This case suggests that cochlear implantation is a viable option for patients who have lost their hearing to Ménière’s disease even when a number of medical treatments and surgical interventions have been performed to control vertigo. In the case presented, bilateral
cochlear implantation was necessary for this patient to communicate successfully at home and at work.
Challenges in Fitting a Hearing Aid to a Severely Collapsed Ear Canal and Mixed Hearing Loss
Authors: Oeding Kristi , Valente Michael , Chole Richard
Published: January 2012

Background:Collapsed ear canals typically occur when an outside force, such as a headset for audiometric testing, is present. However, when a collapsed ear canal occurs without external pressure, this creates a challenge not only for performing audiometric testing but also for
coupling a hearing aid to the ear canal.Purpose:This case report highlights the challenges associated with fitting a hearing aid on a patient with a severe anterior-posterior collapsed ear canal with a mixed hearing loss.Research Design:A 67-yr-old female originally presented
to Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine in 1996 with a long-standing history of bilateral otosclerosis. She had chronic ear infections in the right ear and a severely collapsed ear canal in the left ear and was fit with a bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA®) on the right
side in 2003. However, benefit from the BAHA started to decrease due to changes in hearing, and a different hearing solution was needed. It was proposed that a hearing aid be fit to her collapsed left ear canal; however, trying to couple a hearing aid to the collapsed ear canal required unique
noncustom earmold solutions.Conclusions:This case study highlights some of the obstacles and potential solutions for coupling a hearing aid to a severely collapsed ear canal.
Pediatric Vestibular Evaluation: Two Children with Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Valente L. Maureen , Goebel Joel A. , Sinks Belinda
Published: January 2012

These two cases illustrate several important areas of vestibular evaluation with children. The two case reports represent two children who display very different vestibular findings despite having significant sensorineural hearing loss.These case reports highlight that pediatric findings
can differ significantly from adult findings, stressing the importance of comparing pediatric results with pediatric normative data. These two cases also highlight that vestibular techniques may successfully be adapted for use with hearing-impaired children. That is, rotary chair, computerized
dynamic posturography, and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials can be adapted to use with children, including those who demonstrate significant sensorineural hearing loss. Although there is a paucity of research and clinical work in this area, some investigators (Eviatar and Eviatar, 1977;
Buchman et al, 2004; Jacot et al, 2009) have reported very rapid recovery from pediatric vestibular deficits. However, it is important for audiologists to be aware that techniques may successfully be adapted for children and that many children should undergo thorough vestibular evaluation.
Against the Odds: Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss—Results from Delayed Treatment
Authors: Mareing Robert , Ogden M. Allison
Published: January 2012

A 79-yr-old male was evaluated by the authors 4‐6 wk following a rapid decline in perceived hearing in the right ear. Initial treatment with self-administered external ear canal irrigations and topical antibiotic prescribed by the patient's primary care physician resulted in
no apparent improvement. The initial hearing evaluation revealed a mild-to-severe sloping sensorineural loss above 1000 Hz in the left ear and a moderately severe to severe sensorineural loss with a “flat” configuration in the right ear. There was normal word recognition in the
left ear, with no measurable word recognition in the right ear. Initial treatment with oral steroids suggested some subjective improvement, and an intratympanic dexamethasone injection was performed. A repeat audiogram obtained approximately 1 mo postinjection showed significant improvement
in pure tone thresholds and significant improvement in the word recognition score in the right ear. One week later a second intratympanic injection was completed, again, with follow-up in 1 mo. This case report reviews treatment options for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL),
including usual time lines for treatment and expected outcomes and the specific treatments and evaluation results for this patient for whom delayed treatment was unusually effective.
Miroitements
Authors: Farasse Gérard
Published: January 2012

Résumé Cette étude essaie de résoudre une énigme, celle de la rencontre entre un auteur (Pierre Michon) et l’un de ses commentateurs (Jean-Pierre Richard). Après l’examen des notions d’ emportement et d’ autolégende , puis des motifs théologiques de la filiation et de l’incarnation, l’hypothèse est émise que cette rencontre a d’abord lieu dans le rythme.
The lifecycle of Qaf in Jordan
Authors: Al-Wer Enam , Herin Bruno
Published: January 2012

Le « cycle de vie » de Qaf en Jordanie Bien que la variable Qaf soit souvent présentée comme « la variable sociolinguistique la mieux étudiée » de l’arabe, force est de constater qu’il persiste, dans notre connaissance de la progression d’une forme A à une forme B de cette variable, des lacunes importantes. Ainsi, le « problème de l’évaluation » (Weinreich et al. 1968) est souvent résolu en faisant appel aux notions de « prestige », de « stigmatisation », de « féminité / masculinité » ou « d’urbain / rural », sans analyse, en amont, des facteurs empiriques qui ont pu conduire à l’émergence de ces valeurs sociales ou de leur évolution. Cet article s’intéresse au « cycle de vie » de la variable Qaf en Jordanie. Il s’appuie sur des données linguistiques recueillies par les auteurs dans plusieurs communes jordaniennes, dont la capitale, Amman, ainsi que sur une analyse des facteurs socioéconomiques et des développements politiques qu’a connus le pays. Il se penche sur les causes ayant conduit à l’émergence de la variation, sur la transition d’un groupe social à l’autre et sur l’enracinement du changement au fur et à mesure de sa progression dans le système social de la communauté. La valeur d’une explication qui fournit une analyse rigoureuse des données linguistiques en relation avec le contexte social réside dans sa généralité. L’objectif de notre analyse est de fournir de telles possibilités de généralisation.
Estimating the chloride transport in cement paste
Authors: Princigallo A.
Published: January 2012

A method was developed to measure the diffusion coefficient of chloride ions in cement paste based on an analytical solution to Fick’s 2nd law in a cylindrical coordinate system. This natural method yielded diffusivity results within as little as a month. Testing time was reduced by exploiting the three-dimensional inward flux in the specimen. In an attempt to determine the saturation concentration, dense portland cement pastes were exposed to a concentrated chloride solution. The method proved to be useful for exploring cement hydration-induced changes in the diffusion coefficient of cement paste.
A Tale of Two Cities
Authors: Zwicker Manuel , Seitz Juergen , Wickramasinghe Nilmini
Published: January 2012

Over the last forty years, the average percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) spent on healthcare by members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries has risen considerably. Challenges including longer life expectancy, ageing population and technological changes have and continue to exponentially impact rising health expenditures. Reducing these expenditures as well as offering effective and efficient quality healthcare treatment has become a priority globally to healthcare. Technology and automation in general have the potential to reduce these costs; hence many countries are now looking at how to use information and communication technologies (ICT) in general and e-health solutions in particular to address these challenges. Hence, this paper focuses on such attempts by two countries. Specifically, it focuses on the German and Australian e-health solutions. The paper provides an assessment of these two solutions, the possibility for any lessons learnt with regard to designing and implementing successful and appropriate e-health solutions as well as understanding the major barriers and facilitators that must be addressed. Finally, ANT will be used to provide a rich lens to investigate the key issues in these respective e-health solutions.
Vesico vaginal fistula
Authors: De Silva WAS
Published: January 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/slju.v11i1.4052SLJU 2010; 11(1): 1-6
Renal cell carcinoma in a crossed ectopic kidney
Authors: Premachandra ND , Perera ND
Published: January 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/slju.v11i1.4056 SLJU 2010; 11(1): 19-21
Squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis
Authors: Abeygunasekera AM , Gihan LU , Palihakkara D
Published: January 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/slju.v11i1.4058 SLJU 2010; 11(1): 24-25
Tissue-Resident Ecto-5′ Nucleotidase (CD73) Regulates Leukocyte Trafficking in the Ischemic Brain
Authors: Petrovic-Djergovic Danica , Hyman Matthew C. , Ray Jessica J. , Bouis Diane , Visovatti Scott H. , Hayasaki Takanori , Pinsky David J.
Published: January 2012

Ectoenzymes expressed on the surface of vascular cells and leukocytes modulate the ambient nucleotide milieu. CD73 is an ecto-5′ nucleotidase that catalyzes the terminal phosphohydrolysis of AMP and resides in the brain on glial cells, cells of the choroid plexus, and leukocytes. Though CD73 tightens epithelial barriers, its role in the ischemic brain remains undefined. When subjected to photothrombotic arterial occlusion, CD73−/− mice exhibited significantly larger (49%) cerebral infarct volumes than wild-type mice, with concordant increases in local accumulation of leukocyte subsets (neutrophils, T lymphocytes, macrophages, and microglia). CD73−/− mice were rescued from ischemic neurologic injury by soluble 5′-nucleotidase. In situ, CD73−/− macrophages upregulated expression of costimulatory molecules far more than wild-type macrophages, with a sharp increase of the CD80/CD86 ratio. To define the CD73-bearing cells responsible for ischemic cerebroprotection, mice were subjected to irradiative myeloablation, marrow reconstitution, and then stroke following engraftment. Chimeric mice lacking CD73 in tissue had larger cerebral infarct volumes and more tissue leukosequestration than did mice lacking CD73 on circulating cells. These data show a cardinal role for CD73 in suppressing ischemic tissue leukosequestration. This underscores a critical role for CD73 as a modulator of brain inflammation and immune function.
Mutation of a Positively Charged Cytoplasmic Motif within CD1d Results in Multiple Defects in Antigen Presentation to NKT Cells
Authors: Shin Jung Hoon , Park Ji-Young , Shin Young Hyun , Lee Hyunji , Park Yoon-Kyung , Jung Sundo , Park Se-Ho
Published: January 2012

CD1d is an MHC class I-like molecule that presents glycolipid Ags to types I and II NKT cells. The YxxI motif in the cytoplasmic tail of CD1d contributes to its intracellular localization to the endolysosomal compartment and is important for Ag presentation to type I NKT cells. In this study, we identified the 327–329RRR motif in CD1d and showed that it is critical for the control of CD1d intracellular trafficking and Ag presentation. The replacement of the arginines in this motif with alanines resulted in the extensive accumulation of CD1d in lysosomes but did not affect the cell surface expression. The defect in its cellular localization was accompanied by defects in Ag presentation to both type I and type II NKT cells. These results demonstrated that the 327–329RRR motif of CD1d is required for proper cellular distribution of CD1d and optimal Ag presentation to both type I and type II NKT cells.
Potently Immunosuppressive 5-Fluorouracil–Resistant Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Completely Remit an Experimental Autoimmune Disease
Authors: Oh Ding Yuan , Cui Peng , Hosseini Hamid , Mosse Jennifer , Toh Ban-Hock , Chan James
Published: January 2012

We treated mice with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) to isolate a quiescent and undifferentiated mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) population from the bone marrow. We examined these 5-FU–resistant MSCs (5-FU–MSCs) free from hematopoietic components for CFU fibroblasts (CFU-Fs) and assessed their immunosuppressive potential in vitro and in vivo. We differentiated fibroblastic CFU-Fs (Fibro–CFU-Fs) from mixed CFU-Fs, based on the absence of in situ expression of CD11b and CD45 hematopoietic markers, as well as on their differentiation capacity. Fibro–CFU-Fs were associated with increased numbers of large-sized Fibro–CFU-Fs (≥9 mm2) that displayed enhanced capacity for differentiation into adipogenic and osteogenic mesenchymal lineages. Administration of these 5-FU–resistant CD11b−CD45− MSCs 6 d after myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) immunization completely remitted MOG-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis after initial development of mild disease. The remission was accompanied by reduced CNS cellular infiltration and demyelination, as well as a significant reduction in anti-MOG Ab and splenocyte proliferation to MOG. MOG-stimulated splenocytes from these mice showed elevated levels of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6) and decreased IL-17. Compared with untreated MSCs, 5-FU–MSCs demonstrated potent immunosuppression of Con A-stimulated splenocytes in vitro, even at a 1:320 MSC/splenocyte ratio. Immunosuppression was accompanied by elevated IL-1ra, IL-10, and PGE2. Blocking IL-1ra, IL-10, and PGE2, but not IL-6, heme oxygenase-1, and NO, attenuated 5-FU–MSC–induced immunosuppression. Together, our findings suggested that immunosuppression by 5-FU-MSC is mediated by a combination of elevated IL-1ra, IL-10, and PGE2, anti-inflammatory Th2 cytokines, and decreased IL-17. Our findings suggested that 5-FU treatment identifies a population of potently immunosuppressive 5-FU–MSCs that have the potential to be exploited to remit autoimmune diseases.
Manipulation of CD98 Resolves Type 1 Diabetes in Nonobese Diabetic Mice
Authors: Lian Gaojian , Arimochi Hideki , Kitamura Akiko , Nishida Jun , Li Shigen , Kishihara Kenji , Maekawa Yoichi , Yasutomo Koji
Published: January 2012

The interplay of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells targeting autoantigens is responsible for the progression of a number of autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate T cell activation is crucial for designing effective therapies for autoimmune diseases. We probed a panel of Abs with T cell-modulating activity and identified a mAb specific for the H chain of CD98 (CD98hc) that was able to suppress T cell proliferation. The anti-CD98hc mAb also inhibited Ag-specific proliferation and the acquisition of effector function by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in vitro and in vivo. Injection of the anti-CD98hc mAb completely prevented the onset of cyclophosphamide-induced diabetes in NOD mice. Treatment of diabetic NOD mice with anti-CD98hc reversed the diabetic state to normal levels, coincident with decreased proliferation of CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, treatment of diabetic NOD mice with CD98hc small interfering RNA resolved T1D. These data indicate that strategies targeting CD98hc might have clinical application for treating T1D and other T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.
C11 cyclopentenone from the ascidian Diplosoma sp. prevents epidermal growth factor-induced transformation of JB6 cells
Authors: Fedorov Sergey N. , Dyshlovoy Sergey A. , Shubina Larisa K. , Guzii Alla , Kuzmich Alexandra S. , Makarieva Tatyana N.
Published: January 2012

C11 cyclopentenone, 5-hydroxy-7-prop-2-en- (E)-ylidene-7,7a-dihydro-2H-cyclopenta[b] pyran-6-one, isolated earlier from the sponges and ascidians, is known as a natural product possessing antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties. However, its cancer preventive activity has not been studied. Cancer preventive and proapoptotic properties of the compound as well as its effect on the main Mitogen- Activated Protein-Kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were examined by the methods of epidermal growth factor- induced (EGFinduced) JB6 Cl41 P+ cell transformation in soft agar, flow cytometry, and MTS test of cell viability. Results: the compound inhibits EGFinduced neoplastic JB6 Cl41 P+ cell transformation in soft agar and induces apoptosis of HL-60 and THP-1 human leukemia cells. Jun N-terminal Kinase and p38 MAPK signaling pathways are involved in the cellular response to the treatment by the compound. Conclusions: 5-hydroxy-7-prop-2-en-(E)-ylidene- 7,7a-dihydro-2H-cyclopenta[b]pyran-6- one and other related marine C11 cyclopentenones have potential for development of a new antitumor agent in cancer prophylactics and should be further investigated.
Primary Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Thyroid Lymphoma: A Rare Thyroid Neoplasm of Extrathyroid Origin
Authors: Peppa Melpomeni , Nikolopoulos Panagiotis , Korkolopoulou Penelope , Lapatsanis Dimitrios , Dimitriadis George , Hadjidakis Dimitrios , Raptis Sotirios A.
Published: January 2012

Primary thyroid lymphoma is a rare malignancy, representing 2–8% of all thyroid malignancies and 1–2% of all extranodal lymphomas. The majority of cases concern non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of B cell origin, following by Hodgkin's disease, T cell lymphomas and rarely marginal zone B-cell mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas. MALT lymphomas have been associated with long-standing autoimmune Hashimoto's thyroiditis. We present the case of a 44-years-old woman with thyroid MALT lymphoma in the background of multinodular goiter of autoimmune origin.
Combining Lexico-semantic Features for Emotion Classification in Suicide Notes
Authors: Desmet Bart , Hoste Véronique
Published: January 2012

This paper describes a system for automatic emotion classification, developed for the 2011 i2b2 Natural Language Processing Challenge, Track 2. The objective of the shared task was to label suicide notes with 15 relevant emotions on the sentence level. Our system uses 15 SVM models (one for each emotion) using the combination of features that was found to perform best on a given emotion. Features included lemmas and trigram bag of words, and information from semantic resources such as WordNet, SentiWordNet and subjectivity clues. The best-performing system labeled 7 of the 15 emotions and achieved an F-score of 53.31% on the test data.
Discovering Fine-grained Sentiment in Suicide Notes
Authors: Wang Wenbo , Chen Lu , Tan Ming , Wang Shaojun , Sheth Amit P.
Published: January 2012

This paper presents our solution for the i2b2 sentiment classification challenge. Our hybrid system consists of machine learning and rule-based classifiers. For the machine learning classifier, we investigate a variety of lexical, syntactic and knowledge-based features, and show how much these features contribute to the performance of the classifier through experiments. For the rule-based classifier, we propose an algorithm to automatically extract effective syntactic and lexical patterns from training examples. The experimental results show that the rule-based classifier outperforms the baseline machine learning classifier using unigram features. By combining the machine learning classifier and the rule-based classifier, the hybrid system gains a better trade-off between precision and recall, and yields the highest micro-averaged F-measure (0.5038), which is better than the mean (0.4875) and median (0.5027) micro-average F-measures among all participating teams.
A synthesis of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel combustion
Authors: Andres R. J. , Boden T. A. , Bréon F.-M. , Ciais P. , Davis S. , Erickson D. , Gregg J. S. , Jacobson A. , Marland G. , Miller J. , Oda T. , Olivier J. G. J. , Raupach M. R. , Rayner P. , Treanton K.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. This synthesis discusses the emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil-fuel combustion and cement production. While much is known about these emissions, there is still much that is unknown about the details surrounding these emissions. This synthesis explores our knowledge of these emissions in terms of why there is concern about them; how they are calculated; the major global efforts on inventorying them; their global, regional, and national totals at different spatial and temporal scales; how they are distributed on global grids (i.e. maps); how they are transported in models; and the uncertainties associated with these different aspects of the emissions. The magnitude of emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels has been almost continuously increasing with time since fossil fuels were first used by humans. Despite events in some nations specifically designed to reduce emissions, or which have had emissions reduction as a byproduct of other events, global total emissions continue their general increase with time. Global total fossil-fuel carbon dioxide emissions are known to within 10% uncertainty (95% confidence interval). Uncertainty on individual national total fossil-fuel carbon dioxide emissions range from a few percent to more than 50%. The information discussed in this manuscript synthesizes global, regional and national fossil-fuel carbon dioxide emissions, their distributions, their transport, and the associated uncertainties.
On the influence of topographic, geological and cryospheric factors on rock avalanches and rockfalls in high-mountain areas
Authors: Fischer L. , Purves R. S. , Huggel C. , Noetzli J. , Haeberli W.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. The ongoing debate about the effects of changes in the high-mountain cryosphere on rockfalls and rock avalanches suggests a need for more knowledge about characteristics and distribution of recent rock-slope instabilities. This paper investigates 56 sites with slope failures between 1900 and 2007 in the central European Alps with respect to their geological and topographical settings and zones of possible permafrost degradation and glacial recession. Analyses of the temporal distribution show an increase in frequency within the last decades. A large proportion of the slope failures (60%) originated from a relatively small area above 3000 m a.s.l. (i.e. 10% of the entire investigation area). This increased proportion of detachment zones above 3000 m a.s.l. is postulated to be a result of a combination of factors, namely a larger proportion of high slope angles, high periglacial weathering due to recent glacier retreat (almost half of the slope failures having occurred in areas with recent deglaciation), and widespread permafrost occurrence. The lithological setting appears to influence volume rather than frequency of a slope failure. However, our analyses show that not only the changes in cryosphere, but also other factors which remain constant over long periods play an important role in slope failures.