bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organisational Change and Acceptance
Authors: Wells Marilyn
Published: December 2011

This chapter reports on the development of the technology acceptance model from 1986 when Davis investigated technology acceptance from an individual’s view as to the ease of use and perceived usefulness of a system. Since then, many variations have been presented in attempts to explain how and what influences a computer system user’s uptake of new technology within an organisation. Whilst all variations were developed explicitly to predict users’ acceptance or rejection of new technology, these variations are in essence predictors of acceptance or rejection of change. Factors such as the organisational change environment and informal communication (rumours), together with social influence as exercised by colleagues should be considered major contributors to the perceptions of new technology and therefore acceptance. This chapter extends the original model to include the variations and proposes that rather than look at technology acceptance in isolation, acceptance of new technology should be viewed as acceptance of change. The author proposes the model Social Influence and Change Acceptance (SICAM) to reflect the inclusion of TAM’s variations in an organizational change context.
The Theory of Constraints
Authors: Rahman Shams
Published: December 2011

In the late 1970s, a new approach to the management of operations was developed by Goldratt. Now known as the theory of constraints (TOC), it provides a coherent management theory for running an organisation. It has two major components: a philosophy which underpins the working principle of on-going improvement and a generic approach for investigating, analyzing, and creating solutions to problems, called the “thinking process” (TP). Several books, numerous articles, and a few journal special issues have been published on TOC. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of TOC concepts, philosophy, and working principles.
Online Laboratory Education
Authors: Albon Simon P. , Cancilla Devon A.
Published: December 2011

The Integrated Laboratory Network (ILN) is an initiative to provide anytime, anyplace access to advanced scientific instrumentation and online laboratories for science education. To date, the ILN has been used successfully in high schools, community colleges, and universities, both nationally and internationally, and has provided new learning opportunities that incorporate instrumentation into the broader curriculum. The ILN uses open source software to facilitate remote access to instrumentation and curricular materials and to support video conferencing during online laboratory sessions. This chapter describes the principles and best practices of the ILN. Specifically, the history of the ILN, the technologies used by the ILN, and the pedagogical issues and strategies related to the design, implementation, delivery, and evaluation of online ILN labs will be discussed. Current activities toward the development of laboratory science kits enhanced with remote instrumentation and the formation of an international consortium of online laboratory developers will also be presented.
Web-Enabled Remote Control Laboratory Using an Embedded Ethernet Microcontroller
Authors: Dubey Chandresh , Wong Hong , Kapila Vikram , Kumar Parth
Published: December 2011

In this chapter, we report on the use of the TINI (Tiny InterNet Interface) microcontroller platform, DSTINIM400, as a cost effective solution to deploy feedback control laboratory experiments online. The DSTINIM400 has a built-in 10/100 Base-T Ethernet capability and provides 24 digital inputs/outputs. A TINI runtime environment, embedded in the DSTINIM400, allows developers to interact with the microcontroller like a network terminal where Java program code is downloaded and executed via the Ethernet communication protocol. The use of Java programming environment on the TINI microcontroller yields a simple interface to many Ethernet protocols allowing programmers to intuitively define a data communication link between the TINI microcontroller and a remote graphical user interface (GUI) control panel. We utilize the DSTINIM400 to interface with a variety of laboratory experiments, execute user-selectable control algorithms, and establish Internet data communication with remote GUI control panels. We provide remote GUI control panels in the form of Java applet webpages, where sensor data is presented to remote users as a plot GUI component and control system structure and parameter values are presented as binary switches, sliders, and text boxes. Finally, safety protocols are evaluated and implemented to safeguard online laboratory experiments.
What do Students Gain from Laboratory Experiences?
Authors: Trevelyan James , Razali Zol Bahri
Published: December 2011

The University of Western Australia invested significant funding to develop and test new technologies for student learning using the internet, including a substantial investment in remote access laboratories. Over 15 years of operation, some significant limiting factors have become apparent. The technology has not been widely adopted, either in our own faculty or elsewhere. Nearly all engineering laboratory classes still follow traditional patterns, as do lecture and tutorial classes. Therefore it is worth asking why the adoption of such an apparently attractive technology has been so much slower than expected. To answer this question we started a project to understand more about the practical learning outcomes from traditional laboratory classes. When we applied tools from psychologists to measure practical intelligence in an electronics laboratory class, we not only found we could measure a significant gain in hands-on practical intelligence, but also predict students’ ability to diagnose equipment faults. For the first time, therefore, we can demonstrate that there are real advantages inherent in hands-on laboratory classes, and we can measure this advantage. It is possible that measurements of practical intelligence may reveal new and more powerful ways for students to acquire practical knowledge and skills from remote laboratories as well.
Stakes and Issues for Collaborative Remote Laboratories in Virtual Environments
Authors: Fayolle Jacques , Callaghan Michael , Gravier Christopher , Harkin Jim , Jailly Benjamin
Published: December 2011

The mainstream adoption of remote laboratories and 3D virtual environments for teaching in the field of electrical and electronic engineering education is continuing to grow. This chapter will investigate opportunities and issues related to the integration of remote laboratories and virtual worlds in this context. Some practical implementations of this integrated approach using the Sun Wonderland project and Second Life will be discussed with a particular focus on the perceived advantages of virtual worlds, e.g. collaborative group working, group awareness/interaction, and the 3D Graphical user interface. From this discussion initial guidelines related to creating a standardized architecture for integrating remote labs into virtual worlds are presented and the role of each individual component of the architecture catalogued.
Towards an Immersive Virtual Environment for Physics Experiments Supporting Collaborative Settings in Higher Education
Authors: Gütl Christian , Scheucher Tina , Bailey Philip H. , Belcher John , Ricardo dos Santos Fabio , Berger Stefan
Published: December 2011

Literature survey on science education suggests the inclusion of interactive exploratory and collaborative learning experiences. However, recent remote laboratories and simulations do not sufficiently support the collaborative component. Thus, this book chapter introduces the development of an immersive virtual environment built on top of OpenWonderland to collaboratively experience remote laboratory experimentation and simulations. Motivated by previous experiences, utilizing iLab-based remote lab and TEAL simulations within MIT’s physics courses, our research project focuses on the enhanced integration of physics phenomena. However, most of the outlined experiences and results are well able to be transferred to other subjects in science education. This book chapter outlines development and findings along the path of our research endeavor so far; it also gives related background knowledge and discusses possible future trends.
Does Anybody Read SMS-Advertising?
Authors: Gauzente Claire
Published: December 2011

This study explores mobile users’ perceptions about SMS advertising. The empirical study uses a double methodology. First, a qualitative study using the Q-method is conducted. Qualitative analysis reveals that negative attitudes are commonly shared, and that ad-clutter is perceived critically. Therefore, in a second step, a quantitative study is adopted to assess the impact of attitudes towards SMS advertising and perceived ad-clutter on reading behaviour. The main test is conducted over a representative sample of 302 mobile owners. From a behavioural standpoint, the results show ambivalent behaviour in most cases. In particular, the role of perceived ad-clutter is ascertained. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.
From Domain-Based Identity Management Systems to Open Identity Management Models
Authors: Thomas Ivonne , Meinel Christoph
Published: December 2011

One of the main reasons is the problem of establishing trust relationships between independent parties—a problem inherent to open environments with multiple trust domains. In open environments, participants often do not know each other, but nevertheless require an existing trust relationship to perform critical transactions. Governments, commercial organizations, and academia alike have addressed this issue by providing better assurance guidelines for identity management. The outcome is a number of identity assurance frameworks that identify and cluster certain security criteria into levels of trust or levels of assurance (LoA). These approaches are described, compared, and assessed with regard to their role towards a reliable identity management across the Internet. Limitations are identified and trust levels for attributes are proposed as potential fields for further research.
Coming of Age or Just off the Boat?
Authors: Sharman Raj , Kendrick Ryan , Gupta Manish
Published: December 2011

Identity management (IdM) systems are information systems that help to manage an individual’s credentials. This occurs through the establishment, description, maintenance, and eventual destruction of an identity. There are numerous IdM systems in place today that follow a general framework, yet provide users of the system with different solutions. This chapter will present architecture and applications that will help in establishing and analyzing the framework that IdM system follow. It will define the role of IdM systems in today’s electronic age, while examining challenges that arise during implementation, management, and integration of the systems. The latter part of the chapter examines eighteen commercial off-the-shelf IdM software solutions. We provide brief discussion on each of the solutions to highlight differences and advantages. The discussions and presentations in the chapter can aid system managers and security professionals in understanding current landscape of Identity Management Solutions and Technologies and analyses we provide can significantly facilitate their decision making and risk management.
Denial of Service Resilience of Authentication Systems
Authors: Bocan Valer , Fagadar-Cosma Mihai
Published: December 2011

Cryptographic authentication systems are currently the de facto standard for securing clients access to network services. Although they offer enhanced security for the parties involved in the communication process, they still have a vulnerable point represented by their susceptibility to denial of service (DoS) attacks. The present chapter addresses two important aspects related to the security of authentication systems and their resistance against strong DoS attacks, represented by attack detection and attack prevention. In this respect, we present a detailed analysis of the methods used to evaluate the attack state of an authentication system as well as of the countermeasures that can be deployed to prevent or repel a DoS attack.
Developing Proactive Security Dimensions for SOA
Authors: Yamany Hany F. EL , Allison David S. , Capretz Miriam A.M.
Published: December 2011

Security is one of the largest challenges facing the development of a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA). This is due to the fact that SOA security is the responsibility of both the service consumer and service provider. In recent years, many solutions have been implemented, such as the Web Services Security Standards, including WS-Security and WS-SecurityPolicy. However, those standards are insufficient for the promising new generations of Web 2.0 applications. In this research, we describe an Intelligent SOA Security (ISOAS) framework and introduce four of its services: Authentication and Security Service (NSS), the Authorization Service (AS), the Privacy Service (PS) and the Service of Quality of Security Service (SQoSS). Furthermore, a case study is presented to examine the behavior of the described security services inside a market SOA environment.
User-Centric Privacy Management in Future Network Infrastructure
Authors: Gomez-Skarmeta Antonio , Mendez Alejandro Perez , Garcia Elena Torroglosa , Millán Gabriel Lopez
Published: December 2011

Finally, it is analyzed how the inclusion of IdM in business organizations can provide economical benefits. These benefits range from a reduction in resource requirements to the increment of potential clients thanks to the incorporation of the organization in an identity federation. Special attention is placed on the case where the telecommunications operator is established as the main point of identity providing, as a straightforward result of its already established trust relationships with a wide range of parties (clients and service providers).
Leveraging Access Control for Privacy Protection
Authors: Antonakopoulou Anna , Lioudakis Georgios V. , Gogoulos Fotios , Kaklamani Dimitra I. , Venieris Iakovos S.
Published: December 2011

Modern business environments amass and exchange a great deal of sensitive information about their employees, customers, products, et cetera, acknowledging privacy to be not only a business but also an ethical and legal requirement. Any privacy violation certainly includes some access to personal information and, intuitively, access control constitutes a fundamental aspect of privacy protection. In that respect, many organizations use security policies to control access to sensitive resources and the employed security models must provide means to handle flexible and dynamic requirements. Consequently, the definition of an expressive privacy-aware access control model constitutes a crucial issue. Among the technologies proposed, there are various access control models incorporating features designed to enforce privacy protection policies, taking mainly into account the purpose of the access, privacy obligations, as well as other contextual constraints, aiming at the accomplishment of the privacy protection requirements. This chapter studies these models, along with the aforementioned features.
Harm Mitigation from the Release of Personal Identity Information
Authors: Patrick Andrew S. , Camp L. Jean
Published: December 2011

In August 2007 approximately 445,000 letters were sent to retirees who belonged to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). This was a routine mailing, but all or a portion of each pensioner’s Social Security Number (SSN) was printed on the address panel of the envelopes, making this event all but ordinary. This massive breach of sensitive SSNs, along with names and addresses, exposed these people to potential identity theft and fraud. What are the harms associated with a data breach of this nature? How can those harms be mitigated? What are, or should be, the costs and consequences to the organization releasing the data? While it is very difficult to predict the specific consequences of a data breach of this nature, a statistical model can be used to estimate the likely financial repercussions for individuals and organizations, and the recent settlement in the TJX case provides a good model of harm mitigation that could be applied in this case and similar cases.
Mining Organizations’ Networks
Authors: Danowski James A.
Published: December 2011

This chapter presents six examples of organization-related social network mining: 1) interorganizational and sentiment networks in the Deepwater BP Oil Spill events, 2) intraorganizational interdepartmental networks in the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), 3) who-to-whom email networks across the organizational hierarchy the Ford Motor Company’s automotive engineering innovation: “Sync® w/ MyFord Touch”, 4) networks of selected individuals who left that organization, 5) semantic associations across email for a corporate innovation in that organization, and 6) assessment of sentiment across its email for innovations over time. These examples are discussed in terms of motivations, methods, implications, and applications.
Critical Care Staff Nurses: Empowerment, Certification, and Intent to Leave
Authors: Fitzpatrick Joyce J. , Campo Theresa M. , Lavandero Ramón
Published: December 2011

Background

Certification is a voluntary process that is used to recognize specialized knowledge and skills. Little research has been focused on staff nurses with specialty certification.

Objective

To determine if perceptions of empowerment and intent to leave the position and the profession differed among staff nurses who were certified by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, nurses certified by other certifying organizations, and nurses who were not certified.

Methods

A comparative descriptive study was used to analyze the results of a 2007 to 2008 Web-based survey of members of the association. Data were available on 4268 staff nurses.

Results

Total empowerment scores and intent to leave either the position or the profession did not differ between nurses who were certified and those who were not. However, perceptions of informal power, opportunity, and support did differ between the 2 groups.

Conclusions

The differences between nurses who were certified and those who were not may be related to variables other than certification. Further research and theoretical model testing is needed to determine the value of certification.
Low-Dose Corticosteroids to Treat Septic Shock: A Critical Literature Review
Authors: Yarema Tania Christine , Yost Spencer
Published: December 2011

Septic shock is the 13th leading cause of death in the United States. The rate of severe sepsis nearly doubled and mortality increased more than 60% during the 10-year period ending in 2003. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome has noninfectious and infectious causes. Noninfectious ones include burns, trauma, severe pancreatitis, and therapy with monoclonal antibodies or immunomodulatory drugs such as interleukin 2. Progression from sepsis syndrome to septic shock is caused by a series of immune responses. As an infectious injury progresses, host activation of the coagulation, immunological, and stress response systems ensues, resulting in tissue hypoperfusion and organ failure. Early studies with small numbers of patients suggest that treatment with low-dose corticosteroids has marked beneficial effects on shock reversal, the immune system, and the hemodynamic profile. Low-dose corticosteroids should only be administered to a subset of patients with septic shock who are unresponsive to fluid replacement and vasopressor therapy.
Using a Nursing Productivity Committee to Achieve Cost Savings and Improve Staffing Levels and Staff Satisfaction
Authors: McKenna Erin , Clement Kristina , Thompson Elizabeth , Haas Kathy , Weber William , Wallace Michelle , Stauffer Cindy , Frailey Jan , Anderson Aimee , Deascenti Missy , Hershiser Lisa , Roda Patricia Inama
Published: December 2011

Challenged by rising costs, higher registered nurse vacancy rates and declining staff morale, a Nursing Productivity Committee was formed to analyze productive and nonproductive hours and seek improvements in our staffing models and scheduling processes. The changes implemented led to lower nurse to patient ratios, better control of labor costs, elimination of agency staff, greater staff satisfaction, and introduction of new technologies. Nurse managers, nursing supervisors, and frontline staff are now more knowledgeable and empowered to use creative solutions to manage their budgets and schedules in these times of fluctuating census and varying vacancy rates.
UXT-V1 Facilitates the Formation of MAVS Antiviral Signalosome on Mitochondria
Authors: Huang Yuefeng , Liu Heng , Ge Rui , Zhou Yi , Lou Xiwen , Wang Chen
Published: December 2011

Virus infection induces the MAVS–TNFR-associated factor (TRAF) 3 signaling axis on mitochondria. It remains to elucidate the corresponding regulatory processes. In this study, we identify UXT-V1 as a novel TRAF3-binding protein. UXT-V1 is critical for the virus-induced activation of NF-κB and IFN regulatory factor 3. Reduction of UXT-V1 impairs the induction of IFN-β and attenuates the host antiviral responses. The N-terminal TRAF-binding motif of UXT-V1 binds to the C-terminal TRAF domain of TRAF3, thus facilitating the interaction between TRAF3 and MAVS. Notably, TRAF3 and TNFR-associated death domain protein are recruited onto mitochondria upon virus infection. These translocations are blocked when knocking down UXT-V1. Thus, UXT-V1 represents a novel integral component of the MAVS signalosome on mitochondria, mediating the innate antiviral signal transduction.
Multiple Sclerosis in an Adrenoleukodystrophy Carrier
Authors: Jenkins Thomas , Sarasamma Priya , Gillett Godfrey , Coley Stuart , Sharrack Basil
Published: December 2011

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a rare inherited metabolic disorder, in which accumulation of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) results in damage to the central nervous system. As the disease is X-linked, males are affected severely, but female carriers may also present with neurological symptoms. We report the case of a young adult female, who presented with episodic sensorimotor symptoms. Although she was a heterozygous female carrier of X-ALD, subsequent investigations confirmed a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a female X-ALD carrier in which the clinical features were more consistent with co-existent MS than ALD-related pathology. The case serves as a reminder that alternative, more common diagnoses should also be considered in carriers of rare neurological syndromes.
Partial Splenic Embolization for Refractory Thrombocytopenia
Authors: Best Irwin
Published: December 2011

When the platelet count falls below 20¥ 109/L, the risk of spontaneous life threatening hemorrhage is concerning for both physician and patient. When medical management fails, splenectomy is often used to manage the severe thrombocytopenia before spontaneous, life-threatening gastrointestinal or intracranial bleeding occurs. We present the non surgical management of such a patient with refractory sever thrombocytopenia who refused surgical intervention. She underwent partial splenic embolic therapy with 500-700 ? particles. Her platelet count spontaneous recovered from less than 20¥109/L to normal range. Her counts remained in normal range after discharge home. Further study is needed to determine the most appropriate role for embolization in patients who are refractory to medical management and those with chronically low platelet counts requiring frequent plate transfusions for invasive procedures.
The OnControl Bone Marrow Biopsy Technique Is Superior to the Standard Manual Technique for Hematologists-In-Training: A Prospective, Rrandomized Comparison
Authors: Reed Louis Juden , Raghupathy Radha , Strakhan Marianna , Philbeck Thomas E. , Kim Mimi Y. , Barrini Ramakrishna , Hussain Zulfiqar , Abdullah Shaad , Schweber Sarah , Bala Kamalesh , Pacello Thomas
Published: December 2011

The purpose of this study was to compare a novel bone marrow device with the standard marrow needle in a prospective, randomized study in a teaching hospital employing hematologists- in-training. The new device, the OnControl Bone Marrow (OBM) Biopsy System, utilizes a battery-powered drill to insert the needle. Fifty-four bone marrows (27 standard and 27 OBM) were performed by 11 fellows under the observation and supervision of 3 attending hematologists and 1 research technologist. The primary endpoint of the study, the mean length of the marrow biopsy specimens, a surrogate for marrow quality, was determined by a pathologist in a blinded manner. The mean length of the marrow biopsy specimens was significantly longer (56%) for the OBM group (15.3 mm) than for the standard bone marrow (SBM) group (9.8 mm), p < 0.003. An objectively determined secondary endpoint; mean procedure time, skin-to-skin; also favored the OBM group (175 s) versus the SBM group (292 s), p < 0.007. Several subjective secondary endpoints also favored the OBM group. Only minor adverse events were encountered in the OBM and SBM study groups. It was concluded that bone marrow procedures (BMPs) performed by hematologists-in-training were significantly faster and superior in quality when performed with the OBM compared to the SBM. These data suggest that the OBM may be considered a new standard of care for adult hematology patients. OBM also appears to be a superior method for training hematology fellows.
A geostatistical approach for two-dimensional seismic velocity modelling
Authors: Claprood M , Duchesne M J , Gloaguen E
Published: December 2011

This study tests two geostatistical approaches, kriging with external drift (KED) and cokriging (CK), for building two-dimensional seismic velocity models for the reprocessing of vintage seismic reflection data collected in Canadian Western Arctic Islands between
the late 1960s and the early 1980s. The interval thickness between horizons is estimated at all Common Mid Points (CMPs). The interval thickness evaluated at three well is used as the primary variable of kriging and the timethickness estimated from seismic horizon picking at all CMPs is used as the
external drift to represent time-depth variations along the seismic line. The depth to horizons estimated by KED honours perfectly the depth evaluated at three wells, while the lateral variations of the horizons in depth closely follow those of the horizons picked in time-depth. In contrast to
constant lateral velocity layer models often used in seismic processing, the velocity calculated from the KED allow modelling lateral velocity variations within each layers, providing a more realistic representation of the subsurface geology.
Reinventing the African State: Issues and Challenges for Building a Developmental State
Authors: Kehinde Olayode
Published: December 2011

contentious issue of the state–market interactions in Africa’s development agenda and processes, particularly since the 1960s independence era. At the heart of this debate has been the contestation over the agency for development. The global wave of democratisation that swept through most parts of the developing world in the late 1980s and early 1990s revived this debate on the linkage between democracy, sustainable development, and state capacity in Africa (Leftwich 1996). The twenty-first century is witnessing a resurgence of confidence in a new type of activist state: democratic and developmental in character and content. The fundamental concern of this study is whether the exigencies of globalisation can be reconciled with democratisation andsustainable development. This provokes further questions such as: how can fragile democratic regimes improve their prospects for consolidation at a moment when the distributive impact of concurrent programmes of economic liberalisation and adjustment are highly contestable? Are the economic reforms prescribed by Bretton Woods Institutions (BWI) and bilateral donors compatible with democratisation and developmental processes? How can the state’s systematic loss of capacity to manage the economy be reconciled with demands for a more democratic polity? Finally, this paper examines the strategies forbuilding the capacity of the African state as agent of development and partnership in the democratisation process.
The Welfare State Within the Context of Liberal Globalisation in Africa: Is the Concept Still Relevant in Social Policy Alternatives for Africa?
Authors: Tukumbi Lumumba-Kasongo
Published: December 2011

Africans are struggling to reclaim their rights to wealth, liberty, and democracy as mechanisms of articulating social progress. Is the concept of the welfare state still relevant within the existing dominant paradigms of liberal globalisation? In this study, using a historical-structuralist framework, I examine the nature of the arguments about the welfare state. I categorize three types of regimes, namely, social welfare state, liberal welfare state, and transitional democracy and I compare their performances in selected sectors. My main objective is to search for correlative explanations between the ideological foundation of each regime and its social program policy. Based on the data used, it was demonstrated that global liberal democratisation has not yet created any conditions for greater social development and equity in Africa. In all sectors, transitional democracies have performed poorly as compared to other democracies. Liberal democracies have performed lower than social democracies. And social democracies have been systematically ranked higher in the selected social indices. It was concluded that the concept of welfare is still relevant, and thus should provide the epistemological and social basis for rethinking African democracies.
Dust aerosol impact on North Africa climate: a GCM investigation of aerosol-cloud-radiation interactions using A-Train satellite data
Authors: Gu Y. , Liou K. N. , Jiang J. H. , Su H. , Liu X.
Published: December 2011

Abstract. The climatic effects of dust aerosols in North Africa have been investigated using the atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) developed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The model includes an efficient and physically based radiation parameterization scheme developed specifically for application to clouds and aerosols. Parameterization of the effective ice particle size in association with the aerosol first indirect effect based on ice cloud and aerosol data retrieved from A-Train satellite observations have been employed in climate model simulations. Offline simulations reveal that the direct solar, IR, and net forcings by dust aerosols at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) generally increase with increasing aerosol optical depth (AOD). When the dust semi-direct effect is included with the presence of ice clouds, positive IR radiative forcing is enhanced since ice clouds trap substantial IR radiation, while the positive solar forcing with dust aerosols alone has been changed to negative values due to the strong reflection of solar radiation by clouds, indicating that cloud forcing associated with aerosol semi-direct effect could exceed direct aerosol forcing. With the aerosol first indirect effect, the net cloud forcing is generally reduced for an ice water path (IWP) larger than 20 g m−2. The magnitude of the reduction increases with IWP. AGCM simulations show that the reduced ice crystal mean effective size due to the aerosol first indirect effect results in less OLR and net solar flux at the top of the atmosphere over the cloudy area of the North Africa region because ice clouds with smaller size trap more IR radiation and reflect more solar radiation. The precipitation in the same area, however, increases due to the aerosol indirect effect on ice clouds, corresponding to the enhanced convection as indicated by reduced OLR. The increased precipitation appears to be associated with enhanced ice water content in this region. The 200 mb radiative heating rate shows more cooling with the aerosol first indirect effect since greater cooling is produced at the cloud top with smaller ice crystal size. The 500 mb omega indicates stronger upward motion, which, together with the increased cooling effect, results in the increased ice water content. Adding the aerosol direct effect into the model simulation reduces the precipitation in the normal rainfall band over North Africa, where precipitation is shifted to the south and the northeast produced by the absorption of sunlight and the subsequent heating of the air column by dust particles. As a result, rainfall is drawn further inland to the northeast. This study represents the first attempt to quantify the climate impact of the aerosol indirect effect using a GCM in connection with A-train satellite data. The parameterization for the aerosol first indirect effect developed in this study can be readily employed for application to other GCMs.
Arctic clouds and surface radiation – a critical comparison of satellite retrievals and the ERA-interim reanalysis
Authors: Zygmuntowska M. , Mauritsen T. , Quaas J. , Kaleschke L.
Published: December 2011

Abstract. Clouds regulate Earth's radiation budget, both by reflecting part of the incoming sunlight leading to cooling and by absorbing and emitting infrared radiation which tends to have a warming effect. Globally averaged, at the top of the atmosphere the cloud radiative effect is to cool the climate, while at the Arctic surface, clouds are thought to be warming. Ground-based observations of central Arctic Ocean cloudiness are limited to sporadic field campaigns. Therefore many studies rely on satellite- or reanalysis data. Here we compare a passive instrument, the AVHRR-based retrieval from CM-SAF, with recently launched active instruments onboard CloudSat and CALIPSO and the widely used ERA-Interim reanalysis. We find that the three data sets differ significantly. In summer, the two satellite products agree having monthly means of 70–80 percent, but the reanalysis are approximately ten percent higher. In winter passive satellite instruments have serious difficulties, detecting only half the cloudiness of the reanalysis, active instruments being in between. The monthly mean long- and shortwave components of the surface cloud radiative effect obtained from the ERA-Interim reanalysis are about twice that calculated on the basis of CloudSat retrievals. We discuss these discrepancies in terms of instrument-, retrieval- and reanalysis characteristics.
A structure generator for modelling the initial sediment distribution of an artificial hydrologic catchment
Authors: Maurer T. , Schneider A. , Gerke H. H.
Published: December 2011

Abstract. Artificially-created hydrological catchments are characterised by sediment structures from technological construction processes that can potentially be important for modelling of flow and transport and for understanding initial soil and ecosystem development. The subsurface spatial structures of such catchments have not yet been sufficiently explored and described. Our objective was to develop a structure generator programme for modelling the 3-D spatial distribution patterns of dumped sediments depending on the technical earth-moving and deposition processes. We are focussing in a first step on integrating sediment dumping, particle size, and bulk density modification processes on the catchment scale. For the model development, the artificially-constructed hydrological catchment "Chicken Creek" located in Lower Lusatia, Germany, served as an example. The structure generator describes 3-D technological sediment distributions at two scales: (i) for a 2-D-vertical cross-section, texture and bulk density distributions are generated within individual spoil cones that result from mass dumping, particle segregation, and compaction and (ii) for the whole catchment, the spoil cones are horizontally arranged along trajectories of mass dumping controlled by the belt stacker-machine relative to the catchment's clay layer topography. The generated 3-D texture and bulk density distributions are interpolated and visualised as a gridded 3-D-volume body using 3-D computer-aided design software. The generated subsurface sediment distribution for the Chicken Creek catchment was found to correspond to observed patterns already without calibration. Spatial aggregation and interpolation in the gridded volume body modified the generated distributions towards more uniform (unimodal) distributions and lower values of the standard deviations. The modelling approach is generally applicable to all situations where large masses of unconsolidated sediment are moved and dumped thereby allowing generation of basic soil structures and patterns of hydrological systems.
Tetrodotoxin Poisoning Due to Pufferfish and Gastropods, and Their Intoxication Mechanism
Authors: Noguchi Tamao , Onuki Kazue , Arakawa Osamu
Published: December 2011

Marine pufferfish generally contain a large amount of tetrodotoxin (TTX) in their skin and viscera, and have caused many incidences of food poisoning, especially in Japan. Edible species and body tissues of pufferfish, as well as their allowable fishing areas, are therefore clearly stipulated in Japan, but still 2 to 3 people die every year due to pufferfish poisoning. TTX is originally produced by marine bacteria, and pufferfish are intoxicated through the food chain that starts with the bacteria. Pufferfish become nontoxic when fed TTX-free diets in a closed environment in which there is no possible invasion of TTX-bearing organisms. On the other hand, TTX poisoning due to marine snails has recently spread through Japan, China, Taiwan, and Europe. In addition, TTX poisoning of dogs due to the ingestion of sea slugs was recently reported in New Zealand. TTX in these gastropods also seems to be exogenous; carnivorous large snails are intoxicated by eating toxic starfish, and necrophagous small-to-medium snails, the viscera of dead pufferfish after spawning. Close attention must be paid to the geographic expansion and/or diversification of TTX-bearing organisms, and to the sudden occurrence of other forms of TTX poisoning due to their ingestion.
Adenocarcinoma of the Urinary Bladder
Authors: Roy Somak , Parwani Anil V
Published: December 2011

Primary adenocarcinoma of urinary bladder is an uncommon neoplasm and is a source of diagnostic confusion with adenocarcinomas arising in adjacent organs, especially colon. These tumors show varied histologic picture and degree of differentiation. Clinical association with bladder exstrophy and schistosomiasis has been well documented. Primary bladder adenocarcinomas have overlapping histologic and immunohistochemical features with adenocarcinomas arising from other primary sites and the suggested immunohistochemical panel includes cytokeratins 7 and 20, 34βE12, thrombomodulin, CDX2, and β-catenin. Clinical, imaging, histologic, and immunohistochemical correlation should be done while rendering this diagnosis, as prognosis and therapeutic options for primary versus metastatic adenocarcinoma vary widely.
Correlation of Histopathologic Follow-up Findings With Vaginal Human Papillomavirus and Low-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion Papanicolaou Test Results
Authors: Bansal Mona , Austin R Marshall , Zhao Chengquan
Published: December 2011

Context.—Data on high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) DNA test results in vaginal, liquid-based cytology (LBC) specimens and corresponding cytologic and histopathologic correlation data are limited.

Objective.—To analyze follow-up correlation data associated with vaginal (after hysterectomy) low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) LBC and hrHPV test results.

Design.—Hospital records were searched for vaginal LSIL LBC and hrHPV results between July 1, 2005, and July 30, 2009. Histopathologic and Papanicolaou test follow-up correlation data were analyzed.

Results.—During the study period, 2892 patients with test results from both posthysterectomy vaginal LBC and hrHPV were identified: 148 (5.1%) of the patients had vaginal Papanicolaou test results reported as LSIL, with hrHPV detected in 113 of the 148 patients (76.4%). Of 148 patients, 59 of those with vaginal LSIL including 48 (81.4%) with positive HPV testing and 11 (18.6%) with negative HPV testing results had a follow-up vaginal biopsy. Histopathologic vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN) 2/3 was diagnosed in 7 of 59 patients (11.9%) with biopsies. In all 7 patients who were diagnosed with VAIN 2/3, hrHPV was detected in the LBC vial. No VAIN 2/3 diagnoses were documented in the biopsy specimens from the 11 patients with hrHPV− LSIL Papanicolaou test results. Histopathologic VAIN 2/3 was diagnosed from vaginal biopsies in 7 of the 48 patients (14.6%) with vaginal hrHPV+ LSIL test results.

Conclusions.—Sensitivity and specificity of hrHPV test results associated with histopathologic follow-up diagnoses of VAIN 2/3 in patients with vaginal LSIL results were 100% and 21.2%, respectively. The positive predictive value of a vaginal hrHPV+ LSIL result for a subsequent histopathologic VAIN 2/3 diagnosis was 14.6%. No cases of VAIN 2/3 were diagnosed in the 11 patients with vaginal hrHPV− LSIL results. Correlations of vaginal cytologic, histopathologic, and human papillomavirus findings were quite similar to correlation findings previously reported in older women with cervical LSIL test results.
Metabolic and Behavioral Effects of Nicotine in Swim Stressed Mice
Authors: Bibi Zehrah , Saeed Shabana , Bano Samina
Published: December 2011

Nicotine, in the form of tobacco smoking, is the most commonly abused drug throughout the world. It contributes to the harmful tobacco smoking habit leading to high morbidity and mortality throughout the world. The drug has addictive properties and causes drug dependence. Apart from these effects, nicotine alters a number of metabolic pathways such as lipid profile and glucose homeostasis leading to increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Present study investigated the metabolic and behavioral effects of nicotine in stressed mice. For this purpose adult male mice were subjected to chronic nicotine treatment(3.08 mg/100 ml in drinking water) for 3 weeks followed by forced swim test (FST) and serum glucose, lipid profile and tryptophan were investigated. When swim stressed mice were compared with chow control, it was found that serum glucose (P<0.001), total cholesterol (P<0.001), triglycerides (P<0.01), and LDL cholesterol (P<0.01) were increased. Similarly glucose concentration (P<0.05), total cholesterol (P<0.05), triglycerides (P<0.01) and LDL cholesterol (P<0.05) were increased in drug treated swim stressed mice. However HDL remained unaltered in both groups. Serum tryptophan was decreased (P<0.01) in swim stressed and nicotine treated swim stressed mice. During FST, swimming behavior was significantly increased at the cost of climbing with no change in immobility in nicotine treated mice as compared to controls. It is concluded that nicotine worsens lipid profile and glucose homeostasis in stressful situations thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in chronic smokers and the drug induced behavioral alterations may be related to the serotonergic pathway.
Dye–Sensitized Solar Cells: An Overview
Authors: Andrade Luísa , Ribeiro Helena Aguilar , Mendes Adélio
Published: December 2011

Today, a particular interest in the development of alternative energy sources arises, especially motivated by the need of decreasing the dependency on fossil‐fuel resources, and also for the prospect of reducing CO2emissions. An attractive strategy to overcome the present energy problem is using renewable energy sources, such as the solar radiation, for producing clean energy. This article describes the main features of dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSCs), explaining their structure and working principles, and highlighting the characteristics of the main materials for high‐performance DSCs. After this brief discussion, the fundamentals behind electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are described in order to allow the interpretation of the charge‐transfer kinetics of the different phenomena occurring in a DSC under operation. A phenomenological model addressing the major charge‐transfer mechanisms and energy losses is presented for a better understanding of the factors that limit the performance of DSCs. While a steady‐state approach allows the construction of the current‐voltage characteristics of the cell, the transient approach model is an invaluable tool to relate the phenomenological behavior with certain dynamic techniques, such as EIS.
Synthesis of a new compatibilisant agent PVC‐g‐MA and its use in the PVC/alfa composites
Authors: Hammiche Dalila , Boukerrou Amar , Djidjelli Hocine , Beztout Meriama , Krim Salem
Published: December 2011

The main objective of this research was to synthesize a new compatibilisant agent (PVC‐g‐MA), which was grafted from the maleic anhydride on the PVC chains. The presence of maleic anhydride grafting on PVC was made evident by infrared analysis. PVC‐g‐MA was used like compatibilisant to solve the problem of the incompatibility between the hydrophobic polymeric matrix (PVC) and hydrophilic fiber (alfa). Composites samples were prepared with different alfa fiber loading (10, 20, and 30 wt %) and incorporating PVC‐g‐MA (1, 3, and 5 wt %) or PP‐g‐MA (3 wt %). The tensile properties, the thermal stability and the morphology of the composites were investigated. The result indicated that the PVC‐g‐MA increased the interfacial adhesion between the fibers and the polymer matrix and this effect was better than that obtained for the maleated‐polypropylene‐coupled composites. Microstructure analysis of the fractured surfaces of MAPP modified composites confirmed improved interfacial bonding. The addition of alfa and PVC‐g‐MA increased the thermal stability of the composites. The temperature of degradation of the polymer matrix increased about 16°C in comparison to the noncoupled composite, indicating that PVC‐g‐MA improved the thermal stability of the polymer. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012