bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Collaborative Technologies
Authors: Rojas Evelyn Paola Soto , Batocchio Antonio
Published: November 2011

Currently, to meet the continuous challenges of the business environment, which increasingly becomes more dynamic, competitive, and global, organizations are innovating in the form of a relationship, to respond with greater flexibility and agility to change and adapt to a new world reality. In this context, new organizational structures are emerging based on collaboration, such as Virtual Enterprise (VE), the setting that lets you explore a business opportunity emerging in the best possible way. Due to the characteristics of the life cycle of VE, one sees a strong need for the use of information systems based on different technology platforms, enabling it to establish a quality increase in the forms of interaction, share resources and information among network members, and look for a richer and more complex involvement of people in effective ways of collaboration. Given this context, this paper proposes the implementation of new collaborative technologies, Enterprise 2.0, aiming to support information management and knowledge management in VE.
From Social to Business Networks
Authors: Ziouvelou Xenia
Published: November 2011

Internet technology has undoubtedly revolutionised our personal and business lives, however “the ‘killer application’ of the internet turns out to be other human beings” (Kang, 2000, p. 1150). The fusion of the computer and mobile technologies has created a World Wide Web of computer networks, which have brought about limitless opportunities for communication (Rheingold, 2002) and collaboration among social entities (Weaver and Morrison, 2008). Social networks, apart from facilitating user-to-user social interaction, can be seen as a very effective business approach for entrepreneurs, business professionals, and companies (Dimicco et al., 2009). In this chapter we present distinct aspects of networks. Initially, we describe and define social networks, emphasizing upon their key characteristics. Subsequently, we review the different network types and we proposed a holistic network taxonomy based on four distinct dimensions: network focus, network openness, network orientation, and social space. Finally, we examine the strategic perspectives of social networks for business actors, while focusing on organisational benefits and associated risks.
Social Software in Customer Relationship Management
Authors: Memari Ammar , Gómez Jorge Marx , Asaad Waad
Published: November 2011

In this chapter, we present PurpleBee, a tool on top of Instant Messaging networks that serves as a communication point between the company and their customers. The application manifests itself as a “buddy” on the list of buddies the customer has on his IM service and allows him to interact in different ways with the company through sending and receiving Software Agents.
Hybrid Intelligence through Business Socialization and Networking
Authors: Liyanage Jayantha P.
Published: November 2011

Managing industrial complexities and inherent risks in the modern economic climate has become quite a challenging task for more sectors than ever before. Apart from more formal financial constraints and risks, various industrial environments encounter a wide range of risks and uncertainties due to the inherent dynamics of the business environments. Capitalizing on business opportunities and realizing commercial ambitions in these sensitive business environments demands prudent and innovative solutions to manage different functional and operational modes where resources and capabilities are organized and deployed in a relatively different manner within the business clusters. It not only relies on economical capabilities, but also importantly on technology-dependent social capabilities. Interestingly, this leads to some form of structural re-configuration in a business-to-business transactional context generating an environment of so-called Hybrid Intelligence (Hybrid-I). This chapter explores and elaborates on the Hybrid-I concept as a modern scenario with reference to developments within the offshore oil & gas production sector.
An Evaluation Framework for MPs Websites
Authors: Lappas Georgios , Yannas Prodromos
Published: November 2011

The use of the internet as an important political marketing tool has been recognized by elected representatives as their websites become more and more active, while their maturity level grows. Providing an evaluation framework, which underlines among other important issues the maturity level of the website on the web, we offer ways members of parliament (MPs) can upgrade their web activities and operate in an e-democracy environment. The proposed four-maturity stage framework is cross-national and can be applied to any political actor website. The advantage of the proposed framework over other attempts is the importance it attaches to user needs in maintaining their interest on the website. This framework has the added advantage to evaluate and compare websites along a maturity four-maturity stage ladder starting from online presence progressing to interactivity stage, advancing to an e-democracy stage, and culminating in the final integration stage. The proposed framework is applied to MPs’ websites of the Greek parliament, revealing interesting patterns.
Cosmopolitanism and Ethics
Authors: Sukholutsky Roman
Published: November 2011

A unified and peaceful cosmopolitan humanity is a state of political organization, which is clearly worthwhile, and presents values of political stability, peace, co-existence, resolution of global problems and economic and cultural prosperity. The end of the Cold War raised expectations that the international community would take practical steps to try and reach a higher level of humanity’s unity. The actual developments were very different, and the cosmopolitan ideal has been widely criticized by both politicians and intellectuals. This article’s research question is why humanity remains divided despite its understanding of unity’s benefits and the expectations of moving in that direction. The failed implementation of the cosmopolitan ideal is explained by its inherent characteristics. In this chapter I claim that Cosmopolitanism is a philosophical term and is primarily used in philosophical debate. It is not a political ideology, which constitutes one of the major obstacles in establishing the conditions of cosmopolitan world order. Therefore, the chapter states that to achieve the actual development of cosmopolitan conditions in the present world order, the supporters of Cosmopolitanism must redefine the concept of humanity’s unity, and move it from the level of pure philosophical debate to the realm of political ideology. On the other hand, such a transformation, though seemingly vital for the cosmopolitan project, entails a variety of ethical problems for the nature and basic concepts of the cosmopolitan ideal. This work will describe and analyze the ethical dilemmas that arise from the attempt to implement the Cosmopolitan ideal in international relations.
EU—GCC Clean Energy Cooperation
Authors: Doukas Haris , Makarouni Ioanna , Karakosta Charikleia , Marinakis Vangelis , Psarras John
Published: November 2011

The level of development of renewable energy and energy efficiency is low until now in the Arab States of the Gulf. However, the situation is changing rapidly, as their governments now put climate change on the top of their priorities’ list towards sustainable development. The European Union (EU) is engaged in a process of strengthening energy cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and supports them in addressing and successfully tackling clean energy issues. To respond to this common interest and provide a supportive instrument for the development of cooperation activities, this Chapter presents a methodological framework for the identification and comparative evaluation of appropriate renewable and energy efficiency solutions towards EU-GCC “clean” energy cooperation. The adopted procedure uses an existing Multi Criteria Decision Making method, giving emphasis on the formulation of a collective interactive process, comprising different rationales for intervention, to elaborate more realistic and transparent outcomes.
Consulting Stakeholders?
Authors: Vasileiadou Eleftheria
Published: November 2011

The participation of stakeholders in policy formation has increased, based on the recognition that policy-makers today face increasingly complex and non-linear problems, requiring flexible modes of governance. In this chapter, I analyse the role of formalised stakeholder consultations in EU energy policy and their potential of integrating climate change issues. More specifically, I empirically investigate how stakeholder consultation processes influenced the formation of the EU Energy Communication of 2007. The analysis shows that there was limited diversity of participation in consultations, as actors from civil society or NGOs were not included. Moreover, the role of scientific knowledge in the consultations was minimal. Actors at the regional and sub-national level are generally ignored in such formalised consultation processes. Recommendations for EU policymakers and organisers of consultations are provided.
Towards Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB)
Authors: Fokaides Paris A.
Published: November 2011

In 2009, European Union (EU) member states forged a long-awaited compromise on the recast buildings directive, agreeing that all new buildings would have to comply with high energy-performance standards by the end of 2020. The recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which was finally announced in May 2010, requires the public sector to take the lead by owning buildings with “nearly zero” energy consumption standards by the end of 2018, which is two years in advance of the private sector. The objective of this chapter is to discuss both the range of potential consequences to European cities resulting from widespread implementation of zero energy buildings (ZEBs) and the relevant environmental technologies in accordance with the national goals set by the EU Member States. As EU member states are moving ahead with their targets and strategies for ZEBs, this chapter presents the most possible scenarios for the implementation of the EU recast buildings directive regarding ZEBs by 2020. A detailed review regarding the existing EU member states’ definitions and policies on low energy buildings and ZEBs, and the current status of RES technologies for ZEBs is also presented. Finally, some first thoughts are provided regarding the minimisation of energy consumption in the building sector and the green city goal, as energy is considered to be one of the most important chapters when evaluating a green community. The next step for the integration of green buildings would be the adoption of principles resulting from ZEB analyses and descriptions in existing green building models.
Context-Aware Recommendations using Topic Maps Technology for the Enhancement of the Creativity Process
Authors: Sielis George A. , Mettouris Christos , Tzanavari Aimilia , Papadopoulos George A.
Published: November 2011

Learning can be observed in the creativity process. When this process is supported by a Creativity Support Tool (CST), considering the context in which ideas are developed, as well as the context around the user himself and the task he is carrying out can potentially enhance creativity.The tool’s awareness of such context can be exploited in the offering of useful context-aware recommendations to the users on topics such as relevant resources, people, ideas, projects, et cetera. These recommendations can help users during the creativity process and the learning involved, by providing productive stimuli. In the work presented in this chapter we focus on describing a method for enhancing the creativity process through context-aware recommendations. The method uses ontologies for the knowledge representation of context and the topic maps technology for storing, managing, and delivering content used as recommendations. Furthermore we present the software system that has been developed to support this method in a particular collaborative CST, as well as its evaluation.
Leptospirosis Prevalence in a Population of Yucatan, Mexico
Authors: Joel Navarrete Espinosa , Maribel Moreno Muñoz , Beatriz Rivas Sánchez , Oscar Velasco Castrejón
Published: November 2011

Objective. To measure the prevalence of leptospirosis with two techniques in inhabitants of Izamal, Yucatan and to determine its relation with some exposure factors.Material and Methods. Transversal study in populations belonging to the HR62—IMSS-Opportunities working force in Izamal, Yucatan. Population, including 6 years of age or more, was randomly selected to participate in the study. A questionnaire was applied for personal ID and exposure factors; blood samples were taken for leptospirosis diagnosis. Simple frequencies, proportions, tendency and dispersion measures, prevalence and odd ratios and confidence intervals (CI) of 95%, and logistic regression model were obtained.Results. 204 patients, between 9 and 80 years old were included; 180 were positive (88.2%) with the dark-field technique; using MAT cutoff at , 178 patients (87.3%) were positive, while at there were 103 positive (50.5%). The predominant serovar was Hardjo (94%). The highest prevalence was in women (96.3%) and in the >45-year-old group (95.7%); feminine gender (RM = 2.31 IC 95% 3.59–28.6), housewife (RM = 22.8 IC 95% 4.9–106.1), being in contact with stagnant water (RM = 5.2 IC 95% 1.7–15.9), and being in contact with domestic animal feces (RM = 5.1 IC 95% 1.9–13.1), these being the most significant variables in the final logistic regression model.Conclusions. The prevalence found was higher than the one nationally and internationally reported, representing an important finding, being in turn a local public health, maybe nationally. It is urgent to reinforce this research as well as to establish preventive and control measure to avoid exposure and health damages.
Cost Awareness among Doctors in an Irish University-Affiliated Teaching Hospital
Authors: Tiong William H.C. , O'Shaughnessy Michael , O'Sullivan Sean T.
Published: November 2011

Previous studies in USA and Canada have found that physicians and physicians in training have a limited understanding of medical care costs. In this study, we set out to survey all grades of doctors in the surgical department, emergency department, and anaesthetic department in a university-affiliated, Irish teaching hospital. Open-ended questionnaires on cost of 25 routinely used items in the hospital were sent to each department. The aims of the study were to assess the present knowledge of cost among the various grades of doctors, and to evaluate the level of professional experience on cost awareness and their confidence in their estimates. We had an overall response rate of 56.8% with 68.5% of doctors admitted to have estimated more than 90% of their responses. Ninety three percent of doctors have no confidence in their estimates on cost of listed items. We found that the lack of cost awareness was universal among doctors of all grades (P = 0.236). The doctors in our study population showed a high level of inaccuracy on their estimates of cost of routinely used items with 84% of the items overestimated. Our results were discouraging and demonstrated that considerable educational activity will be necessary if doctors are to be more cost effective in meeting the national health care budget.
Prevalence and Predisposing Factors of Atrial Fibrillation in a Multi-Ethnic Society: The Impact of Racial Differences in Bahrain
Authors: Garadah Taysir , Gabani Saleh , Alawi Mohamed Al , Abu-Taleb Ahmed
Published: November 2011

Background

The prevalence and epidemiological data of atrial fibrillation (AF) among multi-ethnic populations is less well studied worldwide.

Aim

Evaluation of the prevalence and predisposing factors of AF in patients who were admitted to acute medical emergencies (ER) in Bahrain over the period of one year.

Methods

Two hundred and fifty three patients with onset of AF were studied. The mean difference of biochemical data and clinical characteristics between Middle Eastern (ME) and sub continental (SC) patients was evaluated. The odds ratio of different predisposing factors for the development of clinical events in AF patients was assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

Out of 7,450 patients that were admitted to ER over one year, 253 had AF based on twelve leads Electrocardiogram (ECG), with prevalence of 3.4%. In the whole study, the mean age was 59.45 ± 18.27 years, with 164 (65%) male. There were 150 ME patients (59%), and 107 (41%) SC, 55 (22%) were Indian (IND) and 48 (19%) were South Asian (SA). In the whole study clinical presentation was of 48% for palpitation, pulmonary edema was of 14%, angina pectoris on rest of 12%, 10% had embolic phenomena, 6% had dizziness, and 7% were asymptomatic. The odds ratio of different variables for occurrence of clinical events in the study was positive of 2.2 for history of hypertension, 1.8 for sickle cell disease, 1.2 for high body mass index (BMI) >30, 1.1 for mitral valve disease. The ME patients, compared with SC, were older, had significantly higher body mass index, higher history of rheumatic valve disease, sickle cell disease with high level of uric acid and lower hemoglobin. The history of hypertension, DM and smoking was higher among the SC patients. The rate of thyroid disease was equal in both groups.

Conclusion

The prevalence of atrial fibrillation was 3.4% with male predominance of 65%. Patients of sub continental origin were younger with a significantly high history of hypertension and ischemic heart disease. The patients of Middle Eastern origin had significantly high rate of rheumatic heart disease, and sickle cell disease. The history of hypertension was the most important independent clinical predictor of adverse events in patients presented with AF.
Current Knowledge of Leishmania Vectors in Mexico: How Geographic Distributions of Species Relate to Transmission Areas
Authors: González Camila , Rebollar-Téllez Eduardo A. , Ibáñez-Bernal Sergio , Becker-Fauser Ingeborg , Martínez-Meyer Enrique , Peterson A. Townsend , Sánchez-Cordero Víctor
Published: November 2011

Leishmaniases are a group of vector-borne diseases with different clinical manifestations caused by parasites transmitted by sand fly vectors. In Mexico, the sand fly Lutzomyia olmeca olmeca is the only vector proven to transmit the parasite Leishmania mexicana to humans, which causes leishmaniasis. Other vector species with potential medical importance have been obtained, but their geographic distributions and relation to transmission areas have never been assessed. We modeled the ecological niches of nine sand fly species and projected niches to estimate potential distributions by using known occurrences, environmental coverages, and the algorithms GARP and Maxent. All vector species were distributed in areas with known recurrent transmission, except for Lu. diabolica, which appeared to be related only to areas of occasional transmission in northern Mexico. The distribution of Lu. o. olmeca does not overlap with all reported cutaneous leishmaniasis cases, suggesting that Lu. cruciata and Lu. shannoni are likely also involved as primary vectors in those areas. Our study provides useful information of potential risk areas of leishmaniasis transmission in Mexico.
Pteropid Bats are Confirmed as the Reservoir Hosts of Henipaviruses: A Comprehensive Experimental Study of Virus Transmission
Authors: Halpin Kim , Hyatt Alex D. , Fogarty Rhys , Middleton Deborah , Bingham John , Epstein Jonathan H. , Rahman Sohayati Abdul , Hughes Tom , Smith Craig , Field Hume E. , Daszak Peter
Published: November 2011

Bats of the genus Pteropus have been identified as the reservoir hosts for the henipaviruses Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV). The aim of these studies was to assess likely mechanisms for henipaviruses transmission from bats. In a series of experiments, Pteropus bats from Malaysia and Australia were inoculated with NiV and HeV, respectively, by natural routes of infection. Despite an intensive sampling strategy, no NiV was recovered from the Malaysian bats and HeV was reisolated from only one Australian bat; no disease was seen. These experiments suggest that opportunities for henipavirus transmission may be limited; therefore, the probability of a spillover event is low. For spillover to occur, a range of conditions and events must coincide. An alternate assessment framework is required if we are to fully understand how this reservoir host maintains and transmits not only these but all viruses with which it has been associated.
Anemia and Helicobacter pylori Seroreactivity in a Rural Haitian Population
Authors: Shak Joshua R. , Sodikoff Jamie B. , Speckman Rebecca A. , Rollin Francois G. , Chery Marie P. , Cole Conrad R. , Suchdev Parminder S.
Published: November 2011

Anemia is a significant health concern worldwide and can be the result of nutritional, environmental, social, and infectious etiologies. We estimated the prevalence of anemia in 336 pre-school children and 132 adults in the rural Central Plateau of Haiti and assessed associations with age, sex, household size, water source, sanitation, and Helicobacter pylori seroreactivity using logistic regression analysis; 80.1% (269/336) of children and 63.6% (84/132) of adults were anemic. Among children, younger age was associated with increased prevalence of anemia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5–11.1 for children 6–11 months compared with children 48–59 months). Among adults, 50.8% were H. pylori-seropositive, and seropositivity was inversely associated with anemia (aOR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2–0.9). Anemia prevalence in this region of Haiti is very high and not attributable to sanitary conditions or a high prevalence of H. pylori infection.
Evidence for Genetic Susceptibility to Developing Early Childhood Diarrhea among Shantytown Children Living in Northeastern Brazil
Authors: Pinkerton Relana C. , Oriá Reinaldo B. , Kent Jack W. , Kohli Anita , Abreu Claudia , Bushen Oluma , Lima Aldo A. M. , Blangero John , Williams-Blangero Sarah , Guerrant Richard L.
Published: November 2011

To explore the genetic components of susceptibility to early childhood diarrhea (ECD), we used a quantitative genetic approach to estimate the heritability of ECD among children from two Brazilian favelas. Shared environment was used to model common exposure to environmental factors. Genetic relatedness was determined from pedigree information collected by screening household participants (n = 3,267) from two geographically related favelas located in Fortaleza, Brazil. There were 277 children within these pedigrees for whom diarrheal episodes in the first two years of life were recorded. Data on environmental exposure and pedigree relationship were combined to quantitatively partition phenotypic variance in ECD into environmental and genetic components by using a variance components approach as implemented in Sequential Oligogenic Linkage Analysis Routines program. Heritability accounted for 54% of variance in ECD and proximity of residence effect accounted for 21% (P < 0.0001). These findings suggest a substantial genetic component to ECD susceptibility and the potential importance of future genetics studies.
Can We Use a Lower Dose of Liposomal Amphotericin B for the Treatment of Mucosal American Leishmaniasis?
Authors: Amato Valdir S. , Tuon Felipe F. , Camargo Raphael A. , Souza Regina M. , Santos Carolina R. , Nicodemo Antonio C.
Published: November 2011

Liposomal amphotericin B has been used as an alternative treatment of mucosal leishmaniasis, but the optimal dose is not established. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcome of eight patients with mucosal leishmaniasis treated with liposomal amphotericin B. The mean total dose was 35 mg/kg (range 24–50 mg/kg), which resulted in the healing of all the lesions in all patients and no recurrences were observed during the follow-up period (mean 25 months; range 7–40 months).
In Vitro and In Vivo Activity of First Generation Cephalosporins Against Leptospira
Authors: Harris Brande M. , Blatz Peter J. , Hinkle Mary K. , McCall Suzanne , Beckius Miriam L. , Mende Katrin , Robertson Janelle L. , Griffith Matthew E. , Murray Clinton K. , Hospenthal Duane R.
Published: November 2011

Third generation cephalosporins are commonly used in the treatment of leptospirosis. The efficacy of first generation cephalosporins has been less well-studied. Susceptibility testing of 13 Leptospira strains (11 serovars) to cefazolin and cephalexin was conducted using broth microdilution. Median minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for cefazolin and cephalexin ranged from < 0.016 to 2 μg/mL (MIC90 = 0.5 μg/mL) and from 1 to 8 μg/mL (MIC90 = 8 μg/mL), respectively. Efficacy of cefazolin and cephalexin in an acute lethal hamster model of leptospirosis was studied. Survival rates for cefazolin were 80%, 100%, and 100%, and survival rates for cephalexin were 50%, 80%, and 100% (treated with 5, 25, and 50 mg/kg per day for 5 days, respectively). Each treatment group showed improved survival compared with no treatment (P < 0.01), and none of the therapies, regardless of dose, was statistically significantly different than doxycycline. These results support a potential role for first generation cephalosporins as alternative therapies for leptospirosis.
Rotavirus Prevalence in the Primary Care Setting in Nicaragua after Universal Infant Rotavirus Immunization
Authors: Becker-Dreps Sylvia , Paniagua Margarita , Zambrana Luis Enrique , Bucardo Filemon , Hudgens Michael G. , Weber David J. , Morgan Douglas R. , Espinoza Félix
Published: November 2011

Nicaragua was the first developing nation to implement universal infant rotavirus immunization with the pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RV5). Initial studies of vaccine effectiveness in Nicaragua and other developing nations have focused on the prevention of hospitalizations and severe rotavirus diarrhea. However, rotavirus diarrhea is more commonly treated in the primary care setting, with only 1–3% of rotavirus cases receiving hospital care. We measured the prevalence of rotavirus infection in primary care clinics in León, Nicaragua, after introduction of the immunization program. In the post-vaccine period, 3.5% (95% confidence interval = 1.9–5.8) of children seeking care for diarrhea tested positive for rotavirus. A high diversity of rotavirus genotypes was encountered among the few positive samples. In conclusion, rotavirus was an uncommon cause of childhood diarrhea in this primary care setting after implementation of a rotavirus immunization program.
Human Pentastomiasis Caused by Armillifer moniliformis in Malaysian Borneo
Authors: Latif Baha , Omar Effat , Heo Chong Chin , Othman Noriah , Tappe Dennis
Published: November 2011

We report a case of visceral pentastomiasis caused by Armillifer moniliformis in a 70-year-old aboriginal farmer from rural Malaysian Borneo. The patient complained of upper abdominal pain, jaundice, and loss of weight. Radiological investigations and subsequent histopathological examination revealed an adenocarcinoma of the pancreas with an adjacent liver nodule containing a nymph of A. moniliformis. This report constitutes the first documented human pentastomid infection in the whole of Malaysia after nearly 40 years, and it is the third description from Malaysian Borneo. Cases of human and animal pentastomiasis in Malaysia are discussed.
The first estimates of global nucleation mode aerosol concentrations based on satellite measurements
Authors: Kulmala M. , Arola A. , Nieminen T. , Riuttanen L. , Sogacheva L. , de Leeuw G. , Kerminen V.-M. , Lehtinen K. E. J.
Published: November 2011

Abstract. Atmospheric aerosols play a key role in the Earth's climate system by scattering and absorbing solar radiation and by acting as cloud condensation nuclei. Satellites are increasingly used to obtain information on properties of aerosol particles with a diameter larger than about 100 nm. However, new aerosol particles formed by nucleation are initially much smaller and grow into the optically active size range on time scales of many hours. In this paper we derive proxies, based on process understanding and ground-based observations, to determine the concentrations of these new particles and their spatial distribution using satellite data. The results are applied to provide seasonal variation of nucleation mode concentration. The proxies describe the concentration of nucleation mode particles over continents. The source rates are related to both regional nucleation and nucleation associated with more restricted sources. The global pattern of nucleation mode particle number concentration predicted by satellite data using our proxies is compared qualitatively against both observations and global model simulations.
Rate coefficients for the reaction of methylglyoxal (CH3COCHO) with OH and NO3 and glyoxal (HCO)2 with NO3
Authors: Talukdar R. K. , Zhu L. , Feierabend K. J. , Burkholder J. B.
Published: November 2011

Abstract. Rate coefficients, k, for the gas-phase reaction of CH3COCHO (methylglyoxal) with the OH and NO3 radicals and (CHO)2 (glyoxal) with the NO3 radical are reported. Rate coefficients for the OH + CH3COCHO (k1) reaction were measured under pseudo-first-order conditions in OH as a function of temperature (211–373 K) and pressure (100–220 Torr, He and N2 bath gases) using pulsed laser photolysis to produce OH radicals and laser induced fluorescence to measure its temporal profile. k1 was found to be independent of the bath gas pressure with k1(295 K) = (1.29 ± 0.13) × 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 and a temperature dependence that is well represented by the Arrhenius expression k1(T) = (1.74 ± 0.20) × 10−12 exp[(590 ± 40)/T] cm3 molecule−1 s−1 where the uncertainties are 2σ and include estimated systematic errors. Rate coefficients for the NO3 + (CHO)2 (k3) and NO3 + CH3COCHO (k4) reactions were measured using a relative rate technique to be k3(296 K) = (4.0 ± 1.0) × 10−16 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 and k4(296 K) = (5.1 ± 2.1) × 10−16 cm3 molecule−1 s−1. k3(T) was also measured using an absolute rate coefficient method under pseudo-first-order conditions at 296 and 353 K to be (4.2 ± 0.8) × 10−16 and (7.9 ± 3.6) × 10−16 cm3 molecule−1 s−1, respectively, in agreement with the relative rate result obtained at room temperature. The atmospheric implications of the OH and NO3 reaction rate coefficients measured in this work are discussed.
Long term NO2 measurements in Hong Kong using LED based Long Path Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy
Authors: Chan K. L. , Pöhler D. , Kuhlmann G. , Hartl A. , Platt U. , Wenig M. O.
Published: November 2011

Abstract. In this study we present the first long term measurements of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) using a LED based Long Path Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (LP-DOAS) instrument. This instrument is measuring continuously in Hong Kong since December 2009, first in a setup with a 550 m absorption path and then with a 3820 m path at about 30 m to 50 m above street level. The instrument is using a high power blue light LED with peak intensity at 450 nm coupled into the telescope using a Y-fibre bundle. The LP-DOAS instrument measures NO2 concentrations in the Kowloon Tong and Mong Kok district of Hong Kong and we compare the measurement results to concentrations reported by monitoring stations operated by the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department in that area. Hourly averages of coinciding measurements are in reasonable agreement (R = 0.74). Furthermore, we used the long-term data set to validate the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) NO2 data product. Monthly averaged LP-DOAS and OMI measurements correlate well (R = 0.84) when comparing the data for the OMI overpass time. We analyzed weekly patterns in both data sets and found that the LP-DOAS detects a clear weekly cycle with a reduction on weekends during rush hour peaks, whereas OMI is not able to observe this weekly cycle due to its fix overpass time.
Mass and heat transfer from or to a single sphere in simple extensional creeping flow
Authors: Zhang Jingsheng , Yang Chao , Mao Zai‐Sha
Published: November 2011

The first detailed numerical investigation on the mass and heat transfer both outside and inside a solid or liquid sphere immersed in a simple extensional flow for a larger range of Peclet numbers (1–100,000) is presented. By making use of the known Stokes velocity field at small Reynolds numbers, a finite difference method with the control volume formulation is adopted to solve the convection‐diffusion transport equation. Simulation results show that the transport rate, which is represented by Sherwood number, is significantly affected by Peclet number and viscosity ratio. The flow direction, no matter a uniaxial extensional flow or a biaxial extensional flow, has no effect on the total transport rate but affects the concentration distribution a lot. Some comparisons between present simulations and previous studies are made to validate each other and confirm the reliability and applicable scopes of reported correlations. A few new correlations are put forward to predict the transfer rate at finite Peclet numbers for various values of viscosity ratios. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 58: 3214–3223, 2012
Effect of the polymer microstructure on the behavior of syndiotactic polypropylene/organophilic layered silicate composites
Authors: Palza H. , Zurita A.
Published: November 2011

Syndiotactic polypropylenes (sPPs) with several microstructures (i.e., syndiotacticities and molecular weights) and synthesized by means of two metallocenic catalysts were melt‐blended with 1 and 3 wt % organophilic layered silicates in the presence of a compatibilizer. X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the clay was well dispersed in the composites, although the filler morphology depended on the polymer microstructure. Polypropylenes with low syndiotacticities and molecular weights presented the best clay dispersion. Nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed that the polymer microstructure and the clay content modified the thermal behavior of the composites. The compatibilizer and the clay acted as nucleant agents to increase the crystallization temperature of the matrix. Moreover, the double endothermic peak observed during heating scan and associated with the melt/recrystallization/remelt processes of the pure polymer matrix was reduced in the composites. With regard to the mechanical properties under tensile conditions, a synergic effect of the compatibilizer and the clay was observed. In particular, the addition of the compatibilizer alone was able to increase by about 20% the elastic modulus relative to the neat samples, whereas increases between 35 and 50% were measured when the clay was also added, depending on the polymer microstructure. Our results show that the microstructure of sPPs had strong effects on the behavior of its composites with clay in the presence of a compatibilizer. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Role of silane crosslinking on the properties of melt blended metallocene polyethylene‐g‐silane/clay nanocomposites at various clay contents
Authors: Chen W.‐C. , Lai S.‐M. , Qiu Rong Yu , Tang Shi‐Xian
Published: November 2011

A study to investigate matrix properties and their interaction with loaded nanoclay was designed under controlled clay dispersion. Metallocene polyethylene grafted vinyltriethoxy silane (mPE‐g‐silane) was served as the matrix, with or without silane crosslinking (grafting and post crosslinking with catalyst versus only grafting without catalyst), to assess the strength of commercial organoclay (20A)‐filled nanocomposites prepared via a melt mixing. According to X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses, all nanocomposites achieved similar dispersion degrees at specific clay contents mainly due to the silane interaction with the dispersed clay via hydrogen bonding and/or chemical bonding. Chemical bonding of grafted silane with clay was inferred based on the slightly higher crosslinking degree with increasing clay content for crosslinked cases. For uncrosslinked cases, the crosslinking degree was virtually zero regardless of clay content. The dynamic mechanical properties revealed enhanced interaction between mPE‐g‐silane and clay with increasing clay content based on the increased glass transition temperatures. Young's modulus of nanocomposites with crosslinked cases showed higher values in comparison with uncrosslinked cases at a specific clay content, indicating the significance of matrix crosslinking effect and the effective interfacial interaction between silane and clay especially at higher clay content. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first study which generally maintains similar clay dispersions through the effect of uncrosslinking (only grafting) and crosslinking (grafting and post crosslinking), and then probes the effect of matrix properties and interfacial interactions at the large deformation state (tensile test) and small deformation state (cutting test). © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Atomic Layer Deposition of Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Materials Based on Unsaturated Linear Carboxylic Acids
Authors: Klepper Karina B. , Nilsen Ola , Levy Thomas , Fjellvåg Helmer
Published: November 2011

The atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique has been further developed as a tool for producing thin films of organic–inorganic hybrid materials. Trimethylaluminium (TMA) and unsaturated linear carboxylic acids such as maleic acid, fumaric acid and trans,trans‐muconic acid have been used as precursors, providing the possibility of also exploring the possible effect of cis‐ and trans configurations of the precursors. Quartz crystal microbalance measurements of the growth dynamics indicate that all systems are of a self‐limiting ALD‐type. Nevertheless, temperature‐dependent growth, with decreasing growth rates with increasing deposition temperature, was observed. Growth rates were found to be in the range 0.24–1.19 nm/cycle. FTIR spectroscopy proved that the deposited films have a hybrid character. The carboxylic acids formed either bidentate or bridging complexes, and the cis‐ and trans configuration of the precursor influenced the preference for the type of bonding to the cation. All films were X‐ray amorphous as deposited. The films were further analyzed by atomic force microscopy to determine the surface roughness and topography, UV/Vis spectroscopy and ellipsometry to evaluate the optical properties, and the goniometer method was employed to measure sessile drops for the surface wetting properties. All films are stable in contact with water. The films are generally smooth, transparent and have a refractive index in the range 1.5–1.6. Although the obtained films are dense when compared to attractive porous metal–organic framework (MOF) bulk materials, the present work shows that controlled growth of functionalized hybrid materials is offered by the ALD technique.
Type 2 diabetes and hepatocellular carcinoma: A case–control study in patients with chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Li Qiang , Li Wen‐Wen , Yang Xia , Fan Wen‐Bo , Yu Jin‐Hong , Xie Shuang‐Shuang , Liu Li , Ma Li‐Xian , Chen Shi‐Jun , Kato Naoya
Published: November 2011

Type 2 diabetes has been suggested as an independent risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the role of Type 2 diabetes on the development of HCC in the presence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains inconclusive. We conducted this hospital‐based case–control study to evaluate the roles of Type 2 diabetes in HCC development in patients with CHB. From January 2004 to December 2008, a total of 6,275 eligible consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were recruited. A total of 1,105 of them were patients with HBV‐related HCC and 5,170 patients were CHB but without HCC. We used multivariate logistic regression models to investigate the association between Type 2 diabetes and HCC risk. The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes is higher among HCC patients without cirrhosis than among those with cirrhosis (12.1% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.003). Type 2 diabetes was associated with a significantly high risk of HCC in female patients after adjusting for age, family history of HCC, city of residence, hepatitis B e antigen and cirrhosis with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval, CI) of 1.9 (1.1–3.4). Restricted analyses among female patients without cirrhosis indicated that Type 2 diabetes was strongly associated with HCC risk with adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) of 5.6 (2.2–14.1). In conclusion, Type 2 diabetes is independently associated with the increased risk of HCC in female CHB patients. Female CHB patients with Type 2 diabetes are of a high HCC risk population and should be considered for HCC close surveillance program.
Number of screens for overdetection as an indicator of absolute risk of overdiagnosis in prostate cancer screening
Authors: Wu Grace Hui‐Min , Auvinen Anssi , Määttänen Liisa , Tammela Teuvo L.J. , Stenman Ulf‐Håkan , Hakama Matti , Yen Amy Ming‐Fang , Chen Hsiu‐Hsi
Published: November 2011

As with wide‐spread use of prostate cancer (Pca) screening with prostate‐specific antigen testing, overdetection has increasingly gained attention. The authors aimed to estimate absolute risk of overdetection (RO) in Pca screening with various interscreening intervals and ages at start of screening. We estimated age‐specific preclinical incidence rates (per 100,000 person‐years) for progressive cancer (from 128 for age group 55–58 years to 774 for age group 67–71 years) and nonprogressive cancer (from 40 for age group 55–58 years to 66 for age group 67–71 years), the mean sojourn time (7.72 years) and the sensitivity (42.8% at first screen and 59.8% at the second screen) by using a multistep epidemiological model with data from the Finnish randomized controlled trial. The overall number of screens for overdetection (NSO) was 29 (95% confidence interval (CI): 18, 48) for screenees aged 55–67 years, equivalent to 3.4 (95% CI: 2.1, 5.7) overdetected Pcas per 100 screenees. The NSO decreased from 63 (95% CI: 37, 109) at the first screen to 29 (95% CI: 18, 48) at the third screen and from 43 (95% CI: 36, 52) for age 55 years to 25 (95% CI: 8, 75) at age 67 years at the first screen. In conclusion, around 3.4 cases for every 100 screened men would be overdetected during three screen rounds (∼ 13 years of follow‐up) in the Finnish randomized controlled trial. Elucidating the absolute RO under various scenarios makes contribution for evaluating the benefit and harm of Pca screening.
Chemoprevention of familial adenomatous polyposis by bromo‐noscapine (EM011) in the ApcMin/+ mouse model
Authors: Li Shiwang , Ghaleb Amr M. , He Jing , Bughani Usha , Bialkowska Agnieszka B. , Yang Vincent W. , Joshi Harish C.
Published: November 2011

Germline mutation of the tumor suppressor gene, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), is responsible for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) with nearly 100% risk for colon cancer at an early age. Although FAP is involved in only 1% of all colon cancer cases, over 80% of sporadic cancers harbor somatic mutations of APC. We show here that bromo‐noscapine (EM011), a rationally designed synthetic derivative of a natural nontoxic tubulin‐binding alkaloid‐noscapine, that reduces the dynamics of microtubules, causes a reversible G2/M arrest in wild type murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), but an aberrant exit from a brief mitotic block, followed by apoptosis in MEFs after APC deletion with small interfering RNA. Furthermore, both β‐catenin levels and activity fell to half the original levels with a concomitant reduction of cell proliferation‐inducing cyclin D1, c‐Myc, and induction of cytostatic protein p21 before caspase‐3 activation. Additionally, we show a statistically significant reduction in the number of newly emerging intestinal polyps (to 35% compared with untreated mice) as well as the mean size of polyps (to 42% compared with untreated mice) in EM011‐treated ApcMin/+ mice as compared to their sham‐treated control littermates. The remaining polyps in the EM011 treated group of ApcMin/+ mice showed evidence of elevated apoptosis as revealed by immunohistochemistry. We failed to detect any evidence of histopathological and hematological toxicities following EM011 treatment. Taken together, our data are persuasive that a clinical trial of EM011 is possible for the prevention/amelioration of polyposis in FAP patients.
TRANSACTIONS COSTS, INDEX ARBITRAGE AND NON‐LINEAR DYNAMICS BETWEEN FTSE100 SPOT AND FUTURES: A THRESHOLD COINTEGRATION ANALYSIS
Authors: Tao Juan , Green Christopher J.
Published: November 2011

We apply threshold cointegration to study the dynamics between the London FTSE100 spot index and its futures price, using percentage mispricing as the threshold variable to identify the no‐arbitrage band. Estimated asymmetries in the band suggest that short sale restrictions in the spot market represent a hurdle for arbitrage. Factors other than transactions costs did not affect the width of the no‐arbitrage band but did affect the price dynamics more directly. The evidence supports a conclusion that LSE SETS (1997) and LIFFE CONNECT (1998) trading systems reduced transactions costs and hence the width of the no‐arbitrage band. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Heat treatment of Na2O‐CaO‐P2O5‐SiO2 bioactive glasses: Densification processes and postsintering bioactivity
Authors: Sola A. , Bellucci D. , Raucci M. G. , Zeppetelli S. , Ambrosio L. , Cannillo V.
Published: November 2011

Because of their excellent bioactivity, bioactive glasses are increasingly diffused to produce biomedical devices for bone prostheses, to face the dysfunctions that may be caused by traumatic events, diseases, or even natural aging. However, several processing routes, such as the production of scaffolds or the deposition of coatings, include a thermal treatment to apply or sinter the glass. The exposure to high temperature may induce a devetrification phenomenon, altering the properties and, in particular, the bioactivity of the glass. The present contribution offers an overview of the thermal behavior and properties of two glasses belonging to the Na2O‐CaO‐P2O5‐SiO2 system, to be compared to the standard 45S5 Bioglass®. The basic goal is to understand the effect of both the original composition and the thermal treatment on the performance of the sintered glasses. The new glasses, the one (BG_Na) with a high content of Na2O, the other (BG_Ca) with a high content of CaO, were fully characterized and sintering tests were performed to define the most interesting firing cycles. The sintered samples, treated at 880°C and 800°C respectively, were investigated from a microstructural point of view and their mechanical properties were compared to those of the bulk (not sintered) glass counterparts. The effect of sintering was especially striking on the BG_Ca material, whose Vickers hardness increased from 598.9 ± 46.7 HV to 1053.4 ± 35.0 HV. The in vitro tests confirmed the ability of the glasses, both in bulk and sintered form, of generating a hydroxyapatite surface layer when immersed in a simulated body fluid. More accurate biological tests performed on the sintered glasses proved the high bioactivity of the CaO‐rich composition even after a heat treatment. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2012.