bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reducing Delay of Carotid Endarterectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients
Authors: Witt Agnes Hauschultz , Johnsen Soren Paaske , Jensen Leif Panduro , Hansen Allan Kornmaaler , Hundborg Heidi Holmager , Andersen Grethe
Published: February 2013

Background and Purpose—

Guidelines recommend carotid endarterectomy (CEA) within 2 weeks from an ischemic event. However, previous studies have shown that only a minority of patients undergo CEA within this period. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a multidisciplinary nationwide initiative aimed at reducing time to CEA after acute ischemic stroke.

Methods—

We examined a historic population-based observational cohort based on individual patient-level records from the Danish Stroke Registry and the Danish Vascular Registry. The implementation of early ultrasound examination of the carotids (within 4 days from admission) in medical departments coupled with fast CEA after referral to a department of vascular surgery were monitored and audited systematically from 2008 and onward.

Results—

A total of 813 acute ischemic stroke patients underwent CEA during 2007-2010. The percentage of patients undergoing CEA within 2 weeks increased from 13% in 2007 to 47% in 2010 (adjusted odds ratio, 5.8 [95% CI, 3.4–10.1]). The overall median time decreased from 31 days to 16 days. The percentage of relevant acute ischemic stroke patients receiving early ultrasound examination of the carotids increased from 41% in 2008 to 72% in 2010. The time from referral to operation at a vascular department was reduced by ≈40%.

Conclusions—

Establishing time limits of 4 days to ultrasound examination of the carotids and of 2 weeks to CEA from onset of stroke followed by a systematic multidisciplinary monitoring and auditing of processes was associated with a substantial increase in the proportion of acute ischemic stroke patients who undergo CEA within 2 weeks in Denmark.
If You Build it Will They Come? Teachers’ Online Use of Student Performance Data
Authors: Tyler John H.
Published: February 2013

Testing of students and computer systems to store, manage, analyze, and report the resulting test data have grown hand-in-hand. Extant research on teacher use of electronically stored data are largely qualitative and focused on the conditions necessary (but not sufficient) for effective teacher data use. Absent from the research is objective information on how much and in what ways teachers use computer-based student test data, even when supposed precursors of usage are in place. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by analyzing the online activities of teachers in one mid-size urban district. Utilizing Web logs collected between 2008 and 2010, I find low teacher interaction with Web-based pages that contain student test information that could potentially inform practice. I also find no evidence that teacher usage of Web-based student data are related to student achievement gains, but there is reason to believe these estimates are downwardly biased.
The Principle of Ambituity and the Prohibition against Excessive Collateral Damage to the Environment during Armed Conflict
Authors: Koppe Erik V.
Published: February 2013

This article aims to clarify the legal basis of the protection of the environment during armed conflict in general, and of the prohibition against excessive collateral damage to the environment in particular. It is submitted that the legal basis for the conventional and customary rules which protect the (intrinsic value of the) environment during armed conflict cannot be deduced from the four fundamental principles of the law of armed conflict: the principles of military necessity, distinction, proportionality and humanity. Rather, the specific obligations relating to environmental protection in times of armed conflict flow from the fundamental principle of ambituity. Similar to the principle of humanity, the principle of ambituity, which qualifies as a general principle of law in the sense of Article 38(1)(c) ICJ Statute, provides for an absolute limitation to the necessities of war. As such the principle of ambituity may be used to interpret existing conventional or customary rules of international law during armed conflict, to supplement, or under exceptional circumstances to modify or set aside these rules. With regard to the prohibition against excessive collateral damage to the environment during armed conflict, it is submitted that this prohibition flows from a customary rule which emerged in the 1990s, rather than from Articles 51 and 52 of Additional Protocol I, and which complements Articles 35 and 55 AP I (i.e. for States Parties to AP I). This article argues that any military action which causes collateral damage to the environment must first be assessed under this relatively new customary prohibition; and subsequently, if no breach can be established and if applicable, by reference to Articles 35(3) and 55 AP I. In order to enhance the scope of this prohibition and provide better protection for the environment against collateral damage it is suggested that further investigations should be conducted into the consequences of warfare on the environment.
Conflict Management in Divided Societies: The Many Uses of Territorial Self-Governance
Authors: Wolff Stefan
Published: February 2013

Conflict over territorial control in divided societies is widespread, frequently violent and difficult to resolve, and thus merits systematic analytical and empirical engagement. Extending the discussion of territorial approaches to conflict management in divided societies beyond the usually narrower focus on federation and autonomy, this article develops the concept of territorial self-governance as a form of state construction and conflict management, arguing that it encompasses five distinct arrangements from confederation and federation to federacy, devolution and decentralisation and illustrates their manifestations with examples from 12 countries across three continents. The article establishes and tests a framework to explain their emergence, examines the conditions under which they are combined with other conflict management strategies, such as power sharing, and reflects on their track record of providing stability in divided societies, finding it more promising than its critics allow.
The Åland Example as Norm Entrepreneurship
Authors: Wigell Mikael
Published: February 2013

The Åland Example has generated considerable international attention as a successful solution to a complicated ethno-territorial dispute. This article looks at how it has been used as a basis for norm entrepreneurship by political actors in both Åland and Finland. For Åland itself, the Åland Example provides normative capital that is used to influence domestic politics. As such, the article shows how norm entrepreneurship may provide a useful political device for a minority or an autonomous region as it strives to preserve or develop its status and identity vis-à-vis the majority and host country. Herein the case of the Åland Example also shows how norms are a strategic asset that can be used for different political purposes and how this may create conflicting agendas between domestic interests with a stake in the international advocacy of the norm. For Finland, the Åland Example provides a potential asset when constructing its foreign policy profile. Yet, it has been used relatively sparingly as such a brand-enhancing device in Finnish foreign policy. The article finds two main reasons for this. First, being a minority solution, it does not generate the sort of emotional attachment that would get Finnish policy-makers to invest in its full potential. As such, it is being somewhat ignored. Second, from the perspective of state diplomacy, the Åland Example has its drawbacks. Under some circumstances, visibly marketing it can do more harm than good for Finnish diplomacy, which is why Finnish foreign policy-makers choose to tread carefully with promoting the Åland Example. The article thus provides a glimpse of the partly overlapping, partly conflicting agendas between majority and minority actors in their international advocacy of norms.
Nordic (Minority) Autonomies and Territorial Management in Europe: Empowerment through Regionalisation?
Authors: Malloy Tove H.
Published: February 2013

The participation of traditional minority autonomies is seldom discussed in relation to territorial management in Europe. Yet, several traditional minorities and indigenous people enjoying autonomous powers participate in regional co-operation efforts. This article discusses the involvement of Greenland, the Faroe Islands and the Åland Islands in the development and co-operation of macro-regions. Regional co-operation has long been a corner stone of Europe’s integration project, and macro-regions is the latest concept in the effort to strengthen regions economically in the wake of the onset of globalisation and indeed global economic crises. In contradistinction to the perceived notion of traditional minorities as conflict prone troublemakers, it is argued that in the effort to maintain the peace and overcome persistent challenges common to both majorities and minorities, traditional minorities are increasingly pro-active and working for the survival of their autonomous regions. This is manifested, among other, in the manner in which they participate – albeit unevenly – in regional co-operation aimed at economic development and integration.
Spatial Reasoning and GIS in Linguistic Prehistory. Two Case Studies from Lower Fungom (Northwest Cameroon)
Authors: Di Carlo Pierpaolo , Pizziolo Giovanna
Published: February 2013

Being an ontologically multidisciplinary topic, language change is among the best candidates to be addressed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS can integrate datasets from diverse disciplines along with real-world geographical information, hence facilitating the investigation of (i) the spatial relations existing between research items and (ii) (past) landscapes. Drawing from an ongoing project focused on the historical development of the extremely diverse linguistic situation documented in the Lower Fungom region (Northwest Cameroon), this article explores the possibility of placing authentic interdisciplinary research pivoting on linguistic issues within a GIS framework.
Long-Term Evaluation of Temperature Profiles Measured by an Operational Raman Lidar
Authors: Newsom Rob K. , Turner David D. , Goldsmith John E. M.
Published: February 2013

This study investigates the accuracy and calibration stability of temperature profiles derived from an operational Raman lidar over a 2-yr period from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2010. The lidar, which uses the rotational Raman technique for temperature measurement, is located at the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement site near Billings, Oklahoma. The lidar performance specifications, data processing algorithms, and the results of several test runs are described. Calibration and overlap correction of the lidar is achieved using simultaneous and collocated radiosonde measurements. Results show that the calibration coefficients exhibit no significant long-term or seasonal variation but do show a distinct diurnal variation. When the diurnal variation in the calibration is not resolved the lidar temperature bias exhibits a significant diurnal variation. Test runs in which only nighttime radiosonde measurements are used for calibration show that the lidar exhibits a daytime warm bias that is correlated with the strength of the solar background signal. This bias, which reaches a maximum of ~2.4 K near solar noon, is reduced through the application of a correction scheme in which the calibration coefficients are parameterized in terms of the solar background signal. Comparison between the corrected lidar temperatures and the noncalibration radiosonde temperatures show a negligibly small median bias of −0.013 K for altitudes below 10 km AGL. The corresponding root-mean-square difference profile is roughly constant at ~2 K below 6 km AGL and increases to about 4.5 K at 10 km AGL.
Women in power
Authors: Edling Christofer , Farkas Gergei , Rydgren Jens
Published: February 2013

Women occupy a small minority of elite positions in contemporary society. In addition, the minority of women who gain access to influential elite positions are often assumed to have their actual influence circumscribed by mechanisms of marginalization. However, systematic evidence to support the latter view is relatively scarce. We apply social network analysis to study sex differences in local elite networks in Sweden, and show empirically that, despite the fact that women are the minority group across all elite dimensions, female elites uphold the same ‘structural status’ as male elites.
Meeting the Decent Homes Standard: London Housing Associations’ Asset Management Strategies
Authors: Morrison Nicola
Published: February 2013

The English government’s 10-year flagship Decent Homes programme ended in 2010. The purpose of this article is to examine the asset management strategies that a sample of London housing associations took to meet the Decent Homes Standard. Drawing on the concept of institutional logics, the article outlines the social housing sector’s conflicting regulatory context, whereby organisations were statutorily obliged to improve housing standards, without being able to raise rents as a way to fund improvements. Depending on whether the housing association adopts a market-orientated or traditional, task-orientated approach to asset management, the associations sampled have either disposed of non-decent stock to generate cash flows or else retained the stock, undertaking minimal repairs to meet the government’s target deadline. The article concludes that not only has this national performance target triggered different organisational responses, it has also led to longer-term unintended consequences for existing and future tenants.
Functional Analysis of the Verbal Interaction Between Psychologist and Client During the Therapeutic Process
Authors: Ruiz-Sancho Elena M. , Froján-Parga María Xesús , Calero-Elvira Ana
Published: February 2013

The goal of this study is to analyze the verbal interaction that takes place between client and therapist over the course of a clinical intervention so as to analyze the potential learning processes that may be responsible for changes in the client’s behavior. A total of 92 sessions were analyzed, corresponding to 19 clinical cases treated by 9 therapists specializing in behavioral therapy. The variables considered were therapist and client verbal behaviors, and these were categorized according to their possible functions and/or morphologies. The Observer XT software was used as a tool for the observational analysis. The results led to the conclusion that the therapist responds differentially to client verbalizations, modifying the verbal contingencies as his or her client content approaches or becomes more distant from therapeutic objectives. These results suggest the possible existence of verbal “shaping” processes through which the therapist guides the client’s verbal behavior toward more adaptive forms. In addition, this study proposes an alternative to the traditional controversy regarding the relevance of the therapeutic relationship versus the treatment techniques used to explain clinical change. This article suggests that such differentiation is unnecessary because the therapeutic relationship and the treatment techniques should act in the same manner, this is, in providing the context for the occurrence of what is truly therapeutic, namely, the learning processes.
Integrative Toxicopathological Evaluation of Aflatoxin B1 Exposure in F344 Rats
Authors: Qian Guoqing , Wang Franklin , Tang Lili , Massey Michael E. , Mitchell Nicole J. , Su Jianjia , Williams Jonathan H. , Phillips Timothy D. , Wang Jia-Sheng
Published: February 2013

In this study, male F344 rats were orally exposed to a single dose of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) at 0, 50, 250, or 1,000 µg/kg body weight (BW) or repeated dose of 0, 5, 10, 25, or 75 µg/kg BW for up to 5 weeks. Biochemical and histological changes were assessed together with the formation of AFB1-lysine adduct (AFB-Lys) and liver foci positive for placental form glutathione S transferase (GST-P+). In single-dose protocol, serum aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) showed dose-related elevation, with maximal changes observed (>100-fold) at day 3 after treatment. Animals that received 250 µg/kg AFB1 showed concurrent bile duct proliferation, necrosis, and GST-P+ hepatocytes at 3 day, followed by liver GST-P+ foci appearance at 1 week. In repeated-dose protocol, bile duct proliferation and liver GST-P+ foci co-occurred after 3-week exposure to 75 µg/kg AFB1, followed by proliferation foci formation after 4 week and dramatic ALT, AST, and CK elevations after 5 weeks. Liver GST-P+ foci were induced temporally and in a dose-related manner. Serum AFB-Lys increased temporally at low doses (5–25 µg/kg), and reached the maximum after 2-week exposure at 75 µg/kg. This integrative study demonstrated that liver GST-P+ cells and foci are sensitive biomarkers for AFB1 toxic effect and correlated with bile duct proliferation and biochemical alterations in F344 rats.
Spur gear multi-tooth contact dynamics under the influence of bearing elasticity and assembly errors
Authors: Wang Jianhong , Lim Teik C , Yuan Liding
Published: February 2013

A numerical model is formulated to analyze the tooth contact dynamic load distribution and dynamic transmission error of a pair of spur gears under the influence of bearing elasticity and gearbox assembly errors. In the proposed model, the deformation of the tooth is computed by applying a combination of finite elements and contact mechanics. The elasticity of the bearings is represented with infinitesimal linear spring elements, while the shafts and gears except the teeth that are in engagement are assumed to be rigid bodies. Applying those assumptions, three sets of highly coupled governing equations representing the meshing teeth flexible behavior, gear-bearing assembly translation dynamics and gear rotation dynamics are derived. The resultant model is then used to predict the dynamical behaviors of the geared rotor system, tooth contact dynamic load, and dynamic transmission error. A set of parametric studies is also performed to analyze the gear dynamic response.
Community-managed reconstruction after the 2012 fire in Old Fadama, Ghana
Authors: Owusu Mensah
Published: February 2013

This paper describes how the residents of Accra’s largest informal settlement, Old Fadama, responded to a disastrous fire on 21 May 2012. Although they received no official support for reconstruction, they organized to rebuild using permanent materials, which reduced fire risks and also demonstrated to city authorities their capacities.
Estimating the Social Marginal Cost of Public Funds
Authors: Bessho Shun-ichiro , Hayashi Masayoshi
Published: February 2013

In this study, we recast the formula of the social marginal cost of public funds (SMCF) and highlight the role of what we call individual marginal costs of public funds (IMCF). After elaborating on aspects of distributional weights, we estimate the wage elasticity of labor supply and the IMCFs on a household basis. This allows us to explore not only the distributions of the elasticity and the IMCFs but also their relations to household income, which helps us assess the assumptions made in previous studies. Further, we use the SMCF estimates to evaluate the system of personal income taxes in Japan.
Examining professionals’ and parents’ views of using transanal irrigation with children
Authors: Sanders Caroline , Bray Lucy
Published: February 2013

Irrigation as a bowel management approach has been reportedly used with children for more than 20 years. Parents managing their child’s chronic bowel problem have previously been shown to have increased emotional stress. The aim of this study was to explore professionals’ ( n = 24) understanding and parents’ ( n = 18) experiences of using transanal irrigation with children at home as a mid to longer term bowel management approach. This study was underpinned by action research methodology and used mixed methods determined by an action research group of parents, professionals, researchers, a voluntary sector worker, commercial representative and independent observer. Data informed the study outcome which was the development and evaluation of a shared health resource to support professionals in their holistic approach when prescribing transanal irrigation and guide parents in the areas of education, management, problem solving, support and goal setting. The resource includes constructed case studies from parents of their experiences to inform choice and decision-making between parents and professionals. The shared health resource provides an approach to initiating and evaluating transanal irrigation and is available in a paper format from key Internet sites across hospital, community and voluntary services.
Leading questions: The end of leadership – redux
Authors: Kellerman Barbara
Published: February 2013

The article proposes that patterns of dominance and deference have changed throughout human history. It further proposes that in the last half century such change has – due to culture and technology – accelerated. These fundamental shifts have not, however, had an impact on the leadership industry, which continues, erroneously, to presume that leaders are all-important, that followers are unimportant, and that context is other than central. It is concluded that leadership education and development must themselves adapt to the changing times – times in which leaders generally are losing power and influence, while followers generally are gaining.
Radio on the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Arboledas Luis , Bonet Montse
Published: February 2013

This article aims to compare Portuguese and Spanish radio broadcasting systems from the mid-1970s to the present, from a political economy approach. It analyses the regulatory framework (communication policies) and the ownership structure. It explains how a highly similar situation has been reached despite having stemmed from a situation defined by different principles, when both political transitions began. To do so, this work also analyses the role of deregulation and its globalising nature. The study focuses on three key periods: the initial period in both transitions, the years following both countries’ admission into the European Community and the start of the new century.
In vitro antitumor actions of extracts from endemic plant Helichrysum zivojinii
Authors: Matić Ivana Z , Aljančić Ivana , Žižak Željko , Vajs Vlatka , Jadranin Milka , Milosavljević Slobodan , Juranić Zorica D
Published: February 2013

Background

The aim of this research was to determine the intensity and mechanisms of the cytotoxic actions of five extracts isolated from the endemic plant species Helichrysum zivojinii Černjavski & Soška (family Asteraceae) against specific cancer cell lines. In order to evaluate the sensitivity of normal immunocompetent cells implicated in the antitumor immune response, the cytotoxicity of extracts was also tested against healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

Methods

The aerial parts of the plants were air-dried, powdered, and successively extracted with solvents of increasing polarity to obtain hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl-acetate, n-butanol and methanol extracts. The cytotoxic activities of the extracts against human cervix adenocarcinoma HeLa, human melanoma Fem-x, human myelogenous leukemia K562, human breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-361 cells and PBMC were evaluated by the MTT test. The mode of HeLa cell death was investigated by morphological analysis. Changes in the cell cycle of HeLa cells treated with the extracts were analyzed by flow cytometry. The apoptotic mechanisms induced by the tested extracts were determined using specific caspase inhibitors.

Results

The investigated Helichrysum zivojinii extracts exerted selective dose-dependent cytotoxic actions against selected cancer cell lines and healthy immunocompetent PBMC stimulated to proliferate, while the cytotoxic actions exerted on unstimulated PBMC were less pronounced. The tested extracts exhibited considerably stronger cytotoxic activities towards HeLa, Fem-x and K562 cells in comparison to resting and stimulated PBMC. It is worth noting that the cytotoxicity of the extracts was weaker against unstimulated PBMC in comparison to stimulated PBMC. Furthermore, each of the five extracts induced apoptosis in HeLa cells, through the activation of both intrinsic and extrinsic signaling pathways.

Conclusion

Extracts obtained from the endemic plant Helichrysum zivojinii may represent an important source of novel potential antitumor agents due to their pronounced and selective cytotoxic actions towards malignant cells.
Phase I study of hypofractionated intensity modulated radiation therapy with concurrent and adjuvant temozolomide in patients with glioblastoma multiforme
Authors: Jastaniyah Noha , Murtha Albert , Pervez Nadeem , Le Duc , Roa Wilson , Patel Samir , Mackenzie Marc , Fulton Dorcas , Field Colin , Ghosh Sunita , Fallone Gino , Abdulkarim Bassam
Published: February 2013

Purpose

To determine the safety and efficacy of hypofractionated intensity modulated radiation therapy (Hypo-IMRT) using helical tomotherapy (HT) with concurrent low dose temozolomide (TMZ) followed by adjuvant TMZ in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

Methods and materials

Adult patients with GBM and KPS > 70 were prospectively enrolled between 2005 and 2007 in this phase I study. The Fibonacci dose escalation protocol was implemented to establish a safe radiation fractionation regimen. The protocol defined radiation therapy (RT) dose level I as 54.4 Gy in 20 fractions over 4 weeks and dose level II as 60 Gy in 22 fractions over 4.5 weeks. Concurrent TMZ followed by adjuvant TMZ was given according to the Stupp regimen. The primary endpoints were feasibility and safety of Hypo-IMRT with concurrent TMZ. Secondary endpoints included progression free survival (PFS), pattern of failure, overall survival (OS) and incidence of pseudoprogression. The latter was defined as clinical or radiological suggestion of tumour progression within three months of radiation completion followed by spontaneous recovery of the patient.

Results

A total of 25 patients were prospectively enrolled with a median follow-up of 12.4 months. The median age at diagnosis was 53 years. Based on recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) criteria, 16%, 52% and 32% of the patients were RPA class III, class IV and class V, respectively. All patients completed concurrent RT and TMZ, and 19 patients (76.0%) received adjuvant TMZ. The median OS was 15.67 months (95% CI 11.56 - 20.04) and the median PFS was 6.7 months (95% CI 4.0 – 14.0). The median time between surgery and start of RT was 44 days (range of 28 to 77 days). Delaying radiation therapy by more than 6 weeks after surgery was an independent prognostic factor associated with a worse OS (4.0 vs. 16.1 months, P = 0.027). All recurrences occurred within 2 cm of the original gross tumour volume (GTV). No cases of pseudoprogression were identified in our cohort of patients. Three patients tolerated dose level I with no dose limiting toxicity and hence the remainder of the patients were treated with dose level II according to the dose escalation protocol. Grade 3–4 hematological toxicity was limited to two patients and one patient developed Grade 4 Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia.

Conclusion

Hypo-IMRT using HT given with concurrent TMZ is feasible and safe. The median OS and PFS are comparable to those observed with conventional fractionation. Hypofractionated radiation therapy offers the advantage of a shorter treatment period which is imperative in this group of patients with limited life expectancy.
A FEMA P695 Study for the Proposed Seismic Performance Factors for Cold-Formed Steel Special Bolted Moment Frames
Authors: Sato Atsushi , Uang Chia-Ming
Published: February 2013

The objective of this study was to verify the adequacy of the proposed Seismic Performance Factors for the newly developed Cold-Formed Steel Special Bolted Moment Frames in the AISI S110 Seismic Standard. The FEMA P695 methodology, Qualification of Building Seismic Performance Factors, was used for this purpose. A total of 13 archetype designs, representing two seismicity and two gravity load levels, were designed and analyzed. The computed results from all individual archetypes and four performance groups showed that the proposed seismic performance factors met the acceptance criteria and could provide a sufficient margin against collapse under the maximum considered earthquake.
Global Earthquake Fatalities and Population
Authors: Holzer Thomas L. , Savage James C.
Published: February 2013

Modern global earthquake fatalities can be separated into two components: (1) fatalities from an approximately constant annual background rate that is independent of world population growth and (2) fatalities caused by earthquakes with large human death tolls, the frequency of which is dependent on world population. Earthquakes with death tolls greater than 100,000 (and 50,000) have increased with world population and obey a nonstationary Poisson distribution with rate proportional to population. We predict that the number of earthquakes with death tolls greater than 100,000 (50,000) will increase in the 21st century to 8.7±3.3 (20.5±4.3) from 4 (7) observed in the 20th century if world population reaches 10.1 billion in 2100. Combining fatalities caused by the background rate with fatalities caused by catastrophic earthquakes ( >100,000 fatalities) indicates global fatalities in the 21st century will be 2.57±0.64 million if the average post-1900 death toll for catastrophic earthquakes (193,000) is assumed.
Effect of Uplift and Soil Nonlinearity on Plastic Hinge Development and Induced Vibrations in Structures
Authors: Qin X. , Chen Y. , Chouw N.
Published: February 2013

Earthquakes may cause separation at the interface of the footing and the supporting ground. When a structure vibrates the contact interface between the footing and the soil is reduced. Because of the concentration of stress in the remaining contact area the soil beneath the footing can deform plastically. In this experimental study, the effect of footing uplift and soil plastic deformation on the development of a plastic hinge in the structure was investigated. A small scale model, with uplift permitted, was subjected to shake table excitations to simulate the seismic response of the prototype structure. To scale the structure a reformulated Cauchy number was developed. While the ductile behaviour of the structure was simulated by installing an artificial plastic hinge in the model, the potential for footing settlement was included by utilising a box of sand. The ground excitations were simulated based on Japanese design spectra that incorporate different frequency content. The combined effect of footing uplift, foundation soil plastic deformation and structural ductile behaviour on the induced vibrations is discussed.
Semi-Active Vibration Control with Harmonically Varying Damping (Performance Improvement of Base Isolation for SDOF System and Vibration Control of Coupled SDOF Systems)
Authors: Hirohata S. , Iba D. , Nakamura M. , Moriwaki I.
Published: February 2013

This study demonstrates two types of semi-active vibration control with harmonically varying damping. The first one is performance upgrade of semi-active base isolation method for single-degree-of-freedom system and the other one is a semi-active vibration control method for parallel coupled single-degree-of-freedom system. Recent researches have demonstrated a new method for the utilization of variable damping. In those studies, the damping coefficient was harmonically controlled. Previous studies have confirmed vibration mitigation of a base-isolated structure by interference cancellation with the harmonically varying damping. However the results of previous studies had still room for improvement. Consequently, this study suggests a method for the performance augmentation. However, no such study considering the multi-degree-of-freedom system has been conducted. This paper presents the effect of the harmonically varying damping on the multi-degree-of-freedom system, especially; the influence on two structures in parallel with a variable damper between the structures is discussed.
Structural Damage Detection in a Truss Bridge Model Using Fuzzy Clustering and Measured FRF Data Reduced by Principal Component Projection
Authors: Yu Ling , Zhu Jun-Hua , Yu Li-Li
Published: February 2013

This study deals with vibration-based damage detection in a truss bridge model and suggests a novel methodology based on fuzzy clustering and measured frequency response function (FRF) data reduced by principal component projection. A six-bay truss bridge model is designed and fabricated in laboratory, various connection damages are simulated by loosening the end connecter bolts, and the environmental effects are taken into account by changing in excitation force levels of a shaker. The FRFs of the healthy and the damaged structure are used as initial data. The FRF data normalization is performed for eliminating the effects caused by the environmental and operational variability. Two data projection algorithms, namely principal component analysis (PCA) and kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) are adopted for data compression and the median values of principal components are defined for damage feature extraction. The fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering algorithm is used to categorize these features for structural damage detection. The illustrated results show that the proposed method can effectively identify the bridge damages simulated by loosening the bolted joints of the truss bridge structure. It is sensitive to the structural damage but it is non-sensitive to the effect of the environmental and operational variations. This makes it quite generic and permits its potential development for real and complex truss bridges in site.
A Finite Element Method for Modelling Waves in Laminated Structures
Authors: Renno Jamil M , Manconi Elisabetta , Mace Brian R
Published: February 2013

The generality and complexity of laminated structures raises issues regarding modelling their dynamics and optimising their design. In this paper, a wave and finite element (WFE) method for modelling the dynamic behaviour of plane and axisymmetric laminated structures is described. A small segment of the structure is modelled using conventional finite element (FE) methods, typically using a commercial package. The mass and stiffness matrices are found, periodicity conditions are applied, and an eigenvalue problem is formulated and solved to find the dispersion relations. The frequency dependence of viscoelastic material properties and pre-stress can be taken into account straightforwardly. A hybrid FE/WFE approach for determining transmission characteristics of joints is described. Numerical examples are presented, including anisotropic, plane and cylindrical foam-cored laminated sandwich constructions with pre-stress. The method is simple in application, provides accurate results at low computational cost and is a valuable tool for evaluating the vibro-acoustic behaviour of multi-layer panels and optimising their design.
Application of Neural Network for Prediction of Unmeasured Mode Shape in Damage Detection
Authors: Goh Lyn Dee , Bakhary Norhisham , Rahman Azlan Abdul , Ahmad Baderul Hisham
Published: February 2013

The major problem in the vibration-based damage detection field is still a limited number of sensors and the existence of uncertainties. In this paper, a new approach combines a multi-stage ANN model and statistical method to detect damage based on the limited number of sensors with consideration of uncertainties. The first stage of the ANN is used to predict the unmeasured mode shapes data based on limited measured modal data. The second stage ANN is devoted to predicting the damage location and severity using the complete modal data from the first-stage ANN. To incorporate the uncertainties in modal data, Gaussian noise is applied to the input variables and the probability of damage existence is calculated using Rosenblueth's point estimate method. The feasibility of the proposed method is demonstrated using an analytical model of a continuous two-span reinforced concrete slab. The application of a multi-stage ANN showed results having a high potential of overcoming the issue of using a limited number of sensors in structural health monitoring.
Revitalizing Arja in Globalized Bali
Authors: Dibia I Wayan
Published: February 2013

The author has produced three new arja: Meeting in Tampaksiring (Katemu Ring Tampaksiring, 2004 ), King Adhipusengara (Prabu Adhipusengara, 2006 ), and Rape of Sukreni (Sukreni Gadis Bali , 2008 ). While keeping the essential elements of arja intact, each production shows significant aesthetic changes and theatrical innovations, intended to prevent arja from disappearing in globalized Bali.
Malaysian Theatre Resources
Authors: Nanney Nancy
Published: February 2013

This bibliography presents a selection of materials in English about Malaysian theatre, with an emphasis on modern drama. Included are articles, chapters in books, encyclopedia entries, DVDs, books, Malay plays translated into English, English-language plays, and additional resources. This material was initially prepared for the Association for Asian Performance roundtable titled “Current Resources for Teaching Asian Theatre— An Evaluation” at the 2004 Association for Theatre in Higher Education Conference in Toronto. The listing was updated in 2011.
Building Texts + Reading Fabrics: Metaphor, Memory, and Material in John Ruskin's Stones of Venice
Authors: Kite Stephen
Published: February 2013

We cannot remember without [architecture], declares John Ruskin (1819-1900) in "The Lamp of Memory" of his The Seven Lamps of Architecture (1849) (Cook and Wedderburn, 1904, vol. 8, p. 224). For Ruskin, the city is a place of collective memory, a space where buildings are analogized as texts—"the criticism of the building is to be conducted precisely on the same principles as that of a book," he contends ( Works , 10: 269). In the evangelical tradition of Ruskin's upbringing, this interpretation of architecture is a kind of lectio divina ; a great building is a sacred palimpsest for those who read the fabric with patience and insight. Equally, a text such as the three volumes of his Stones of Venice is endowed with a tectonic in counterform to the city it depicts. Thus, the first volume is constructed from quarry to cornice; Ruskin demands his readers to roll up their sleeves, gives them "stones, and bricks, and straw, chisels and trowels, and the ground, and then asks [them] to build" ( Works , 9: 73). In exploring these analogous spaces of text and architecture, this research operates within the empirical and documentary arena of Ruskinian interpretation, working with the primary notebooks, worksheets, and diaries from which the Stones of Venice was constructed. It examines the reciprocity between Ruskin's multiple readings of the urban fabric, the erection of the manuscript of Stones , and the playing out of his intimate physical knowledge of the city in themes of metaphor, memory and material.
Music Discovery Requirements: A Guide to Optimizing Interfaces
Authors: Newcomer Nara L. , Belford Rebecca , Kulczak Deb , Szeto Kimmy , Matthews Jennifer , Shaw Misti
Published: February 2013

Music materials, particularly scores and recordings, pose unique demands that must be considered for their successful discovery. Some of the discoverability challenges of music materials in public search interfaces can be addressed simply by ensuring that needed bibliographic description fields are appropriately displayed and indexed in discovery interfaces. Other problems are more difficult to solve. This Music Discovery Requirements document explores the issues and gives concrete recommendations for discovery interfaces. Given that most libraries will be dealing with databases containing large bodies of legacy data recorded according to AACR2 and encoded in MARC, particular attention is paid to MARC data and to AACR2; RDA is addressed to the extent possible. The discussions and recommendations will be useful to those creating or guiding the development of discovery interfaces that will facilitate access to music materials. Furthermore, because the document identifies areas where deficient data create particular problems for discovery, those inputting or creating standards for data can use this document to identify areas with particular needs for fuller, more consistent data.
Reading Mary Stuart's Casket Sonnets: Reception, Authorship, and Early Modern Women's Writing
Authors: Smith Rosalind
Published: February 2013

The reception history of the casket sonnets attributed to Mary Queen of Scots is a rich archive of material, revealing the complex ways in which histories of reading intersect with the early modern woman writer's relationship to the institutions of authorship. By tracing the reception of these sonnets over four centuries, I argue that competing religious, historical, and geopolitical formations work to privilege or occlude Mary Stuart's authorship at different historical moments. Understanding these formations and their relationships to authorship and gender allows a new perspective on the canonical biases still at work in the field of early modern women's writing.
Midbrain-Derived Neurotrophins Support Survival of Immature Striatal Projection Neurons
Authors: Baydyuk Maryna , Xie Yuxiang , Tessarollo Lino , Xu Baoji
Published: February 2013

Neuronal death occurs at several stages during embryogenesis and early postnatal development; however, it is unknown how the survival of immature neurons at their origin is regulated before these cells migrate to their final destination. Striatal projection neurons, known as medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs), in both the direct and indirect pathways are generated in the lateral ganglionic eminence (LGE). Here we report that brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 are anterogradely transported from midbrain dopaminergic neurons and support the survival of immature MSNs of the indirect and direct pathways, respectively, in the developing mouse striatum and LGE. These results reveal a novel mode of neurotrophic action in the nervous system by linking neurotrophins to the survival of immature neurons at their origin, while also suggesting that innervating neurons may control the size of their targeting neuronal population in the brain.
Differential Effects of Amygdala, Orbital Prefrontal Cortex, and Prelimbic Cortex Lesions on Goal-Directed Behavior in Rhesus Macaques
Authors: Rhodes Sarah E. V. , Murray Elisabeth A.
Published: February 2013

We assessed the involvement of the orbital prefrontal cortex (PFo), the prelimbic region of the medial prefrontal cortex (PL), and the amygdala in goal-directed behavior. Rhesus monkeys were trained on a task in which two different instrumental responses were linked to two different outcomes. One response, called “tap,” required the monkeys to repeatedly touch a colored square on a video monitor to produce one kind of food reward. The other response, called “hold,” required persistent contact of an identical stimulus, and it produced a different kind of food reward. After training, we assessed the effects of sensory-specific reinforcer devaluation as a way to probe each monkey's use of goal-directed behavior. In this procedure, monkeys were allowed to consume one of the two foods to satiety and were then tested for tap/hold preference under extinction. Unoperated control monkeys showed a reduction in the response associated with obtaining the devalued food, called the “devaluation effect,” a hallmark of goal-directed behavior. Monkeys with bilateral lesions of PFo or the amygdala exhibited significantly reduced devaluation effects. Results from monkeys with PL lesions were equivocal. We conclude that both PFo and the amygdala play a significant role in goal-directed behavior in monkeys. Notably, the findings for PFo challenge the idea that orbital and medial prefrontal regions are exclusively dedicated to object- and action-based processes, respectively.
Boron Segregation and Out-diffusion in Single-Crystal Si 1-y C y
Authors: Stewart E. J. , Sturm J.C.
Published: February 2013

Boron segregation and its effect on carbon diffusion is studied in single-crystal Si1-yCy. We find that boron segregates from silicon to Si0.996C0.004 at a level m=[B]SiC/[B]Si = 1.7 during a 2 hour, 850°Cannealin N2. After this anneal, if most of the carbon is then removed from the Si1-yCy layer (via an oxidation-enhanced out-diffusion process), most of the boron segregation is removed as well. This argues against immobile B-C defects as the predominant mechanism driving the segregation. Boron is shown to increase carbon diffusion during the N2 anneal, but also appears to enhance carbon precipitation during a subsequent oxidation.
Physics-Based Diffusion Simulations for Preamorphized Ultrashallow Junctions
Authors: Cowern N.E.B. , Colombeau B. , Lampin E. , Cristiano F. , Claverie A. , Lamrani Y. , Duffy R. , Venezia V. , Heringa A. , Wang C.C. , Zechner C.
Published: February 2013

In recent years there have been major advances in our understanding of the energetics, Ostwald ripening and transformations between various types of extended self-interstitial defect in Si and Ge ion-implanted silicon. As a result we can now predict the detailed time- and temperature-dependent supersaturation of interstitials during thermal evolution of these defects. This opens the way to predictive simulation of transient enhanced diffusion and dose loss in preamorphized ultrashallow junctions, where dopant movement is driven by free interstitials emitted by self-interstitial “end-of-range” defects. We present recent progress on this topic, emphasizing novel effects in highly doped ultrashallow junctions. Two key influences – the chemical pump effect due to the high concentration of dopants in ultrashallow junctions, and the ‘long hop’ behaviour of the dopant – are discussed in detail. The paper concludes by presenting simulation results that explain the recent observation of ‘uphill diffusion’ of B ultrashallow junction profiles.
O 'combate' às doenças tropicais na imprensa colonial alemã
Authors: Correa Sílvio Marcus de Souza
Published: February 2013

Demonstra o quanto determinados jornais em língua alemã constituíram veículo de divulgação para o público leigo sobre o 'combate' às doenças tropicais. Pela imprensa, imigrantes e seus descendentes no Brasil eram informados não apenas sobre as doenças que acometiam os colonos alemães na África, mas também sobre medidas de saneamento, profilaxia, experimentos da medicina tropical etc. A partir de fontes hemerográficas, demonstra o quanto as comunidades alemãs no ultramar lograram compartilhar suas experiências em relação à saúde em regiões tropicais e/ou subtropicais.