bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Negative Poisson’s ratio behavior of idealized elastomeric auxetic cellular structures for various carbon black nanoparticles loadings
Authors: Farhan Muhammad , Shahid Muhammad
Published: March 2014

Auxetic materials exhibit a negative Poisson’s ratio behavior that makes them useful for a variety of structural applications by virtue of their ability to counterintuitively deform due to a reentrant cellular structure. This property allows the cellular material to expand laterally when pulled in the longitudinal direction or, conversely, contract laterally when compressed, with the manner of deformation of the internal structure depending upon the configuration of the cellular structure. The purpose of this research was to develop carbon black nanoparticle-reinforced natural rubber vulcanizates and to investigate the effects of carbon black reinforcement on the mechanical behavior of an idealized auxetic foam structure using modeling and numerical simulation techniques. This has been achieved by mechanically characterizing vulcanized natural rubber of various nanoparticle loadings and then using the test data to perform finite element (FE) simulations on the foam models. Material models have been developed in the FE simulation software ANSYS by curve fitting experimental data (hyperelastic) to theoretical material models. Large deformation analysis of this foam structure has been carried out to determine structural reorganizations and negative Poisson’s ratio effect in the foam structure.
Interpersonal Dynamics in Assessment Center Exercises
Authors: Oliver Tom , Hausdorf Peter , Lievens Filip , Conlon Peter
Published: March 2014

Although interpersonal interactions are the mainstay of many assessment center exercises, little is known about how these interactions unfold and affect participant behavior and performance. More specifically, participants interact with role players who have been instructed to demonstrate behavior reflecting specific dispositions as part of the exercise. This study focuses on role player portrayed disposition as a potentially important social demand relevant to participant behavior and performance in interpersonal simulations. We integrate interpersonal theory and trait activation theory to formulate hypotheses about the effects of role player portrayed disposition on participant behavior and performance in 184 interpersonal simulations. A significant effect of portrayed disposition was found for participant relationship building and directive communication behavior. Furthermore, portrayed disposition moderated the relationship between participant use of these behaviors and performance ratings. Conceptually, this study sheds light on the complementary mechanisms and social demands that produce participant performance differences across exercises. At a practical level, this study provides valuable evidence-based guidance for developing interpersonal simulations.
A Multilevel Analysis of the Relationship Between Cell Sharing, Staff–Prisoner Relationships, and Prisoners’ Perceptions of Prison Quality
Authors: Molleman Toon , van Ginneken Esther F. J. C.
Published: March 2014

Prisons worldwide operate under crowded conditions, in which prisoners are forced to share a cell. Few studies have looked at the relationship between cell sharing and the quality of prison life in Europe. This study aims to fill this gap with a multilevel analysis on the link between cell sharing and quality of prison life, using results from a Dutch prisoner survey. Findings show that cell sharing is associated with lower perceived prison quality, which is partially mediated by reduced quality of staff–prisoner relationships. Cell sharing thus undermines the Dutch penological philosophy, which considers staff–prisoner relationships to be at the heart of prisoner treatment and rehabilitation. It is recommended that prisoners are held in single rather than double cells.
Geometry design and mathematical model of a new kind of gear transmission with circular arc tooth profiles based on curve contact analysis
Authors: Chen Bingkui , Liang Dong , Gao Yane
Published: March 2014

A new meshing relationship for gear drive to characterize the conjugation geometry is studied in this paper based on conjugate curves. Conjugate curves are described as two smooth curves always keep continuous and tangent contact with each other in given contact direction under motion law. The general principle of curve meshing is developed for the given spatial or plane curve. The meshing equation along arbitrary direction of contact angle is derived. The properties of geometric and motion of the contact of conjugate curves are discussed. According to the equidistance-enveloping method, tubular meshing surfaces are proposed to build up circular arc tooth profiles, which inherit all properties of conjugate curves. The geometry design and mathematical model of the gears are established. Three types of contact pattern of tooth profiles are generated: convex-to-convex, convex-to-plane and convex-to-concave. A calculation example for convex-to-concave tooth profiles of gears is provided. Theoretical and numerical results demonstrate the feasibility and correctness of proposed conjugate curves theory and it lays the foundation for the design of high performance gear transmission.
Wall shear stress distributions in a model of normal and constricted small airways
Authors: Evans David J , Green Anthony S , Thomas Nicholas K
Published: March 2014

Previous studies have highlighted flow shear stress as a possible damage mechanism for small airways, in particular those liable to constriction through disease or injury due to mechanical ventilation. Flow experiments in vitro have implicated shear stress as a relevant factor for mechanotransduction pathways with respect to airway epithelial cell function. Using computational fluid dynamics analysis, this study reports velocity profiles and calculations for wall shear stress distributions in a three-generation, asymmetric section of the small airways subjected to a steady, inspiratory flow. The results show distal variation of wall shear stress distributions due to velocity gradients on the carina side of each daughter airway branch. The maximum wall shear stresses in both normal and constricted small airways are shown to exceed those calculated using data from previous simpler one-dimensional experimental analyses. These findings have implications for lung cell flow experiments involving shear stress in the consideration of both normal airway function and pathology due to mechanotransduction mechanisms.
Mucinous Tubular and Spindle Cell Carcinoma of the Kidney
Authors: Sorrentino Mario , Bernardi Sergio , Bruschi Ferdinando , Scannavacca Fabio , Brizzolari Marco , Hysko Fioralba , Cataldi Palmina , Londero Ambrogio P. , Bertozzi Serena
Published: March 2014

A 27-year-old women requesting assistance for an unspecified abdominal pain localized in the right flank that worsened after a recent delivery was discovered to have a solid mass in the upper pole of her right kidney. Radiological findings showed benign characteristics but without a clear diagnosis. Subsequently, a laparotomic nephron-sparing enucleation of a solid, encapsulated, brownish-white mass, localized in the cortical portion of the upper kidney pole, was performed. Pathological examination of the specimen showed a rare mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma with an almost total mucinous component. To our knowledge, this is the first case of this disease discovered during pregnancy or puerperium. A multidisciplinary approach should be mandatory in order to correctly recognize and treat such a rare disease and to avoid administration of excessive adjuvant treatment to patients with a low-grade malignancy during pregnancy or puerperium.
Metaplasticity in Human Cortex
Authors: Müller-Dahlhaus Florian , Ziemann Ulf
Published: March 2014

Metaplasticity refers to the modification of plasticity induction (direction, magnitude, duration) by previous activity of the same postsynaptic neuron or neuronal network. In recent years evidence from animal studies has been accumulated that metaplasticity significantly contributes to network function and behavior. Here, we review the evidence for metaplasticity at the system level of the human cortex as investigated by non-invasive brain stimulation. These studies support the notion that metaplasticity is also operative in the human brain and is mostly homeostatic in nature, that is, keeping network activity within a physiological range. However, non-homeostatic metaplasticity has also been described, which can increase non-invasive brain stimulation–induced aftereffects on cortical excitability, or learning. Current evidence further suggests that aberrant metaplasticity may underlie some neurological and psychiatric diseases. Finally, first proof-of-principle studies show that the concept of metaplasticity can be harnessed for treatment of patients suffering from brain diseases.
A comparison of toxicity and health care resource use between eribulin, capecitabine, gemcitabine, and vinorelbine in patients with metastatic breast cancer treated in a community oncology setting
Authors: Dranitsaris G , Beegle N , Kalberer T , Blau S , Cox D , Faria C
Published: March 2014

Background

Capecitabine (C), gemcitabine (G), and vinorelbine (V) are commonly used as single agents in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Eribulin (E) is one of the most recent cytotoxic agents to gain regulatory approval for metastatic breast cancer in the United States as a single agent. EMBRACE – a large randomized trial demonstrated the safety and overall survival benefit of eribulin in heavily pretreated metastatic breast cancer patients compared to treatment of physician's choice. In this analysis, toxicity and the associated health care resource use were compared between the four agents in a sample of metastatic breast cancer patients treated in a US community oncology setting.

Methods

This study identified 411 patients (C=144, G=81, V=96, and E=90) who were treated in 19 community oncology clinics over the preceding two-year period. Data collection included baseline patient and disease characteristics, duration of therapy, use of supportive care drugs, type of dose limiting toxicities, and their impact on overall health care resource use.

Results

The median lines of therapy for C, G, V, and E were second, third, third, and fourth, respectively. Patients were comparable with respect to baseline comorbidities, performance status, serum creatinine, hemoglobin, neutrophil, and platelet counts. The proportion reporting at least one adverse event (any grade) with C, G, V, and E was 45%, 65%, 75%, and 63%. The most commonly reported toxicities (regardless of grade) for C, G, and V were diarrhea (19.4%), anemia (34.6%), and neutropenia (50.0%), respectively. The most common toxicity for E was neutropenia (32.2%). Overall, 5.6%, 19.8%, 22.9%, and 22.2% of patients receiving C, G, V, and E required at least one medical intervention to manage a toxic event. Toxicity was the cause of treatment discontinuation in 25.7%, 8.6%, 11.5%, and 8.9% of C, G, V, and E patients, respectively. The primary cause for treatment discontinuation in all four cohorts was disease progression.

Conclusions

Eribulin demonstrated a comparable patient safety profile to gemcitabine and vinorelbine, even when administered after three lines of prior therapies. Capecitabine was generally used in earlier lines, had less neutropenia and anemia, but more treatment discontinuations due to toxicity.
An Approach to Track Maintenance Prioritization for Urban Rail Transit
Authors: Ma Jiaqi , Ma Xiaohua , Zhou Fang , Ma Huazhou
Published: March 2014

Track infrastructure is the most fundamental among various elements of urban rail transit (URT) systems, and thus, ensuring the optimal allocation of resources between track segments for inspection and maintenance is a vital objective of rail transit agencies. This article proposes an integrated approach, combing analytic hierarchy process, and improved fuzzy synthetic evaluation, to evaluate the potential risks in track systems and prioritize the inspection and maintenance of various track segments of urban rail systems. Three major steps are determining evaluation indicators, calculating relative importance among indicators, and deciding potential risk levels and crisp values (quantitative actionable results). A case study on a track segment of Beijing URT is conducted to illustrate the evaluation process. The result shows that the risk levels and crisp values obtained from this method are very promising and helpful in evaluating and ranking risk levels for maintenance prioritization.
Socially Responsible Customers and the Evaluation of Service Quality
Authors: Wattanakamolchai Somyot , Singal Manisha , Murrmann Suzanne K.
Published: March 2014

Customers, increasingly, seem concerned about social and environmental issues that often affect their buying behavior and attitudes toward the quality of goods and services purchased. Despite this trend, there exists little empirical research regarding how socially responsible consumers evaluate services and service quality. In this study, we investigate the role that consumer attitudes toward social responsibility play in evaluating service quality. The results of factor analysis show that social responsibility is a salient dimension of service quality and that high socially responsible customers use the concept of social responsibility more pronouncedly than others when evaluating service quality. Our study contributes to the current literature on the evaluation of service quality by a growing customer segment and outlines implications for managers and for future research.
Altered functional connectivity and performance variability in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis
Authors: Wojtowicz Magdalena , Mazerolle Erin L , Bhan Virender , Fisk John D
Published: March 2014

Background:

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) demonstrate slower and more variable performance on attention and information processing speed tasks. Greater variability in cognitive task performance has been shown to be an important predictor of neurologic status and provides a unique measure of cognitive performance in MS patients.

Objectives:

This study investigated alterations in resting-state functional connectivity associated with within-person performance variability in MS patients.

Methods:

Relapsing–remitting MS patients and matched healthy controls completed structural MRI and resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) scans, as well as tests of information processing speed. Performance variability was calculated from reaction time tests of processing speed. rsfMRI connectivity was investigated within regions associated with the default mode network (DMN). Relations between performance variability and functional connectivity in the DMN within MS patients were evaluated.

Results:

MS patients demonstrated greater reaction time performance variability compared to healthy controls ( p<0.05). For MS patients, more stable performance on a complex processing speed task was associated with greater resting-state connectivity between the ventral medial prefrontal cortex and the frontal pole.

Conclusions:

Among MS patients, greater functional connectivity between medial prefrontal and frontal pole regions appears to facilitate performance stability on complex speed-dependent information processing tasks.
An empowerment model of workplace support following disclosure, for people with MS
Authors: Kirk-Brown AK , Van Dijk PA
Published: March 2014

Background:

Vocational interventions aimed at increasing job retention for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are reliant upon a partnership with a supportive work environment. A better understanding of the types of psychosocial support that are most conducive to retaining employees’ sense of work-efficacy will enhance the success of interventions aimed at reducing workplace barriers to job maintenance.

Objective:

The objective of this study is to identify the types of psychosocial support that people with MS require post-disclosure, in order to maintain their employment status. In particular, we examined the roles of psychological safety and work-efficacy.

Methods:

We interviewed 40 employees with MS either individually ( n = 25) or within three focus groups ( n = 15). These interviews were audio-taped and the content analysed, using an inductive thematic approach.

Results:

Themes to emerge in organisational responses to disclosure were: a focus on ability (leading to enhanced perceptions of psychological safety and higher work-efficacy) and on disability (leading to diminished psychological safety and reduced perceptions of work-efficacy).

Conclusion:

Organisational responses to disclosure demonstrating trust and inclusive decision making, and focussing on employee abilities, enhance perceptions of psychological safety at work. This increases the likelihood that employees with MS will retain their sense of work-efficacy and reduce their intentions to leave.
The road to change? A case study examining educational reform in Sibiu County, Romania
Authors: Tucker Stan , Trotman Dave , Rusu Horatiu , Mara Daniel
Published: March 2014

This article examines processes of educational reform and change in a post-Communist Eastern European country. Focusing on the experiences and challenges facing one geographical community in Sibiu County, Romania, an attempt is made to understand some of the macro and micro factors, influences and external policy drivers, shaping the organization and management of schools, training of teachers, realignment of the curriculum and emergence of new pedagogical practices. The article utilizes a series of ‘narrative portraits’ constructed out of a case study, involving interviews with school inspectors, school managers, university academic staff and school teachers. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities, run by two of the authors, also provided a rich source of data. The article considers the tensions and challenges accompanying reform, together with the emergence of innovatory strategies and practices that have the potential to transform and improve the educational experiences of children living in Sibiu County, Romania
Implementation of mandatory nutritional guidelines in South Australian primary school canteens: A qualitative study
Authors: Abery Elizabeth , Drummond Claire
Published: March 2014

Primary schools are identified as being in a primary position to offer nutrition education. Moreover, primary schools can offer an environment which is conducive to the promotion of healthy eating while influencing eating behaviours of children to benefit their health, well-being and academic development and performance. School canteens are one area where a healthy ethos can be encouraged and within Australia, canteens have been the target of recommended or mandated healthy eating state government policies. This is comparable to other Australian health policies mandated in schools in an effort to support good nutrition and physical health among students. Using a qualitative case study approach, this article discusses the implementation of the ‘Right Bite Healthy Food and Drinks Strategy for South Australian Schools and Preschools’ (Right Bite). The case study was undertaken in two primary schools to gain a thorough and in-depth investigation of emerging issues regarding the school canteen and used focus group and face-to-face interviews as well as observation. The data collected were coded and analysed into themes. Respondents claimed that Right Bite had merit although barriers such as: resistance from parents and children to purchase healthy options, difficulties associated with serving and preparing fresh food at school, inadequate canteen facilities, and counteracting heavy marketing of unhealthy foods to children impeded implementation. While Right Bite encourages South Australian school children to make better choices through education and support so as to improve their health, well-being and academic performance, more support must be provided to schools for greater uptake and implementation of policy.
The ethics of narrative: A return to the source
Authors: Greenberg Susan
Published: March 2014

If there is a single thing that distinguishes literary journalism from other forms of reporting, it is the use of narrative rather than expository prose. This involves the dramatisation of actions that have consequences. In the case of nonfiction storytelling, the consequences are not invented but real; or at least, verifiable. As a result, an engagement with literary journalism often leads to a struggle to reconcile the twin demands of truth and beauty. The long-running debate about how to do so is heavily influenced by Aristotle’s classical texts, The Art of Rhetoric and the Poetics. It is productive to return to those early statements of principle, which provide a blueprint not only for practice in the art of dramatised storytelling, but also for reflection about its ethical dimensions. Because of its specific character, literary journalism therefore puts itself at the heart of a foundational discussion. The tantalising possibility arises that the choice is not between ethics and aesthetics, but ethics therefore aesthetics; and by the same measure, aesthetics therefore ethics.
Phase behavior of polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate blends: Studies on miscibility window, composition dependency of interfacial interactions, and enhanced toughness
Authors: Hemmati Farkhondeh , Garmabi Hamid , Modarress Hamid
Published: March 2014

Liquid–liquid phase separation of polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer binary blends was investigated employing rheometry, mechanical experiments, optical, and electron microscopy as well as thermal analysis. The observed phase diagram has shown that the studied polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate blends possess upper critical solution temperature behavior, i.e. phase separation of two components occurs in the molten state before polyethylene crystallization begins. Moreover, the interfacial interaction of phases was found to be dependent on the blend composition, and it varies considerably by the occurrence of phase inversion. In the solid state, however, the miscibility of phases is controlled by the melt temperature and cooling rate of final process. In addition, it was confirmed that imposing restrictions on phase separation leads to a noticeable improvement in the toughness of blends.
Bilinear Calderón-Zygmund operators of type "Equation missing" on non-homogeneous space
Authors: Zheng Taotao , Tao Xiangxing , Wu Xiaomei
Published: March 2014

Let

(
X
,
d
,
μ
)

be a geometrically doubling metric spaces and the measure μ satisfy the upper doubling condition. The aim of this paper, under this assumption, is to study the boundedness of the bilinear Calderón-Zygmund operator of type

ω
(
t
)

. As an application, we obtain the Morrey boundedness properties of the bilinear operator.

MSC:42B20, 42B25, 42B35.
T-cell activation discriminates subclasses of symptomatic primary humoral immunodeficiency diseases in adults
Authors: Picat Marie-Quitterie , Thiébaut Rodolphe , Lifermann François , Delbrel Xavier , Adoue Daniel , Wittkop Linda , Fauchais Anne-Laure , Rispal Patrick , Moreau Jean-François , Viallard Jean-François
Published: March 2014

Background

Symptomatic Primary Humoral Immunodeficiency Diseases (PHID) constitute a highly heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by a shared hypogammaglobulinemia, resulting in increased risk of recurrent or severe infections. Associations have been described with a variety of immunological abnormalities involving B and T-cell differentiation, T-cell activation and innate immunity. However, PHID discrimination remains based on B-lymphocyte abnormalities and other components of the immune system have not been sufficiently taken into account. We carried out unsupervised and supervised methods for classification in a cohort of 81 symptomatic PHID patients to evaluate the relative importance of 23 immunological parameters and to select relevant markers that may be useful for diagnosis and prognosis.

Results

We identified five groups of patients, among which the percentage of PHID complications varied substantially. Combining the set of markers involved in PHID supported the existence of two distinct mechanisms associated with complications. Switched memory B-cell attrition and CD8+ HLA-DR + activated T-cell increase were the prominent abnormalities observed in PHID complications. Furthermore, in a subgroup of 57 patients with common variable immunodeficiency, the classification that added CD8+ HLA-DR + to the consensual EUROclass classification was better than the EUROclass model in predicting complications.

Conclusion

These results highlight the importance of T-cell activation that may improve discrimination of PHID patients in specific subgroups and help to identify patients with different clinical outcomes.
Building interior layout reconstruction from through-the-wall radar image using MST-based method
Authors: Chen Bo , Jin Tian , Lu Biying , Zhou Zhimin
Published: March 2014

In order to reconstruct the building interior layout from the through-the-wall radar image, this paper proposes a method based on minimum spanning tree (MST) which comes from the graph theory. The building layout graph (BLG) model is firstly established using the wall-wall-floor trihedrals inside the building. The vertex set and the edge set including the weight between any two nodes of the graph are defined afterwards. Then, the MST-based method is used to reconstruct the building interior layout. We have also improved the traditional method by applying the MST model with restricted conditions to solve the reconstruction problem when there exist interference targets in a building. The anechoic chamber measurements are carried out to demonstrate the suitability and efficacy of the MST-based method.
High-resolution measurements of the multilayer ultra-structure of articular cartilage and their translational potential
Authors: He Bo , Wu Jian Ping , Kirk Thomas Brett , Carrino John A , Xiang Chuan , Xu Jiake
Published: March 2014

Current musculoskeletal imaging techniques usually target the macro-morphology of articular cartilage or use histological analysis. These techniques are able to reveal advanced osteoarthritic changes in articular cartilage but fail to give detailed information to distinguish early osteoarthritis from healthy cartilage, and this necessitates high-resolution imaging techniques measuring cells and the extracellular matrix within the multilayer structure of articular cartilage. This review provides a comprehensive exploration of the cellular components and extracellular matrix of articular cartilage as well as high-resolution imaging techniques, including magnetic resonance image, electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, second harmonic generation microscopy, and laser scanning confocal arthroscopy, in the measurement of multilayer ultra-structures of articular cartilage. This review also provides an overview for micro-structural analysis of the main components of normal or osteoarthritic cartilage and discusses the potential and challenges associated with developing non-invasive high-resolution imaging techniques for both research and clinical diagnosis of early to late osteoarthritis.
The ‘availability’ bias: underappreciated but with major potential implications
Authors: Fares Wassim H
Published: March 2014

Many biases have been described that potentially introduce prejudice or a systemic error into a study that would favor one outcome versus another. One major source of bias has, so far, been underappreciated: the availability bias. When the study intervention is available to clinicians outside of the clinical trial, the trial could become biased to favor the control study arm. Clinicians may, consciously or unconsciously, use this intervention outside of the trial on patients whom they believe would benefit from the intervention, and enroll in the trial those patients for whom they do not feel strongly about the benefit of the intervention. The clinicians do not always share the equipoise of the study investigators. This could have major implications on the analysis of clinical trials, including the systematic reviews that originate from such trials.
ITK tunes IL-4-induced development of innate memory CD8+ T cells in a γδ T and invariant NKT cell-independent manner
Authors: Huang Weishan , Huang Fei , Kannan Arun Kumar , Hu Jianfang , August Avery
Published: March 2014

True memory CD8+ T cells develop post antigenic exposure and can provide life-long immune protection. More recently, other types of memory CD8+ T cells have been described, such as the memory-like CD8+ T cells (IMP; CD44hiCD122+) that arise spontaneously in Itk−/− mice, which are suggested to develop as a result of IL-4 secreted by NKT-like γδ T or PLZF+ NKT cells found in Itk−/− mice. However, we report here that whereas IMP CD8+ T cell development in Itk−/− mice is dependent on IL-4/STAT6 signaling, it is not dependent on any γδ T or iNKT cells. Our experiments suggest that the IMP develops as a result of tuning of the CD8+ T cell response to exogenous IL-4 and TCR triggering by ITK and challenge the current model of IMP CD8+ T cell development as a result of NKT-like γδ T or iNKT cells. These findings suggest that some naive CD8+ T cells may be preprogrammed by weak homeostatic TCR signals in the presence of IL-4 to become memory phenotype cells with the ability to elaborate effector function rapidly. The role of ITK in this process suggests a mechanism by which IMP CD8+ T cells can be generated rapidly in response to infection.
Applications of the synchrosqueezing transform in seismic time-frequency analysis
Authors: Herrera Roberto H. , Han Jiajun , van der Baan Mirko
Published: March 2014

Time-frequency representation of seismic signals provides a source of information that is usually hidden in the Fourier spectrum. The short-time Fourier transform and the wavelet transform are the principal approaches to simultaneously decompose a signal into time and frequency components. Known limitations, such as trade-offs between time and frequency resolution, may be overcome by alternative techniques that extract instantaneous modal components. Empirical mode decomposition aims to decompose a signal into components that are well separated in the time-frequency plane allowing the reconstruction of these components. On the other hand, a recently proposed method called the “synchrosqueezing transform” (SST) is an extension of the wavelet transform incorporating elements of empirical mode decomposition and frequency reassignment techniques. This new tool produces a well-defined time-frequency representation allowing the identification of instantaneous frequencies in seismic signals to highlight individual components. We introduce the SST with applications for seismic signals and produced promising results on synthetic and field data examples.
Q-compensated reverse-time migration
Authors: Zhu Tieyuan , Harris Jerry M. , Biondi Biondo
Published: March 2014

Reduced amplitude and distorted dispersion of seismic waves caused by attenuation, especially strong attenuation, always degrades the resolution of migrated images. To improve image resolution, we evaluated a methodology of compensating for attenuation ([Formula: see text]) effects in reverse-time migration ([Formula: see text]-RTM). The [Formula: see text]-RTM approach worked by mitigating the amplitude attenuation and phase dispersion effects in source and receiver wavefields. Source and receiver wavefields were extrapolated using a previously published time-domain viscoacoustic wave equation that offered separated amplitude attenuation and phase dispersion operators. In our [Formula: see text]-RTM implementation, therefore, attenuation- and dispersion-compensated operators were constructed by reversing the sign of attenuation operator and leaving the sign of dispersion operator unchanged, respectively. Further, we designed a low-pass filter for attenuation and dispersion operators to stabilize the compensating procedure. Finally, we tested the [Formula: see text]-RTM approach on a simple layer model and the more realistic BP gas chimney model. Numerical results demonstrated that the [Formula: see text]-RTM approach produced higher resolution images with improved amplitude and phase compared to the noncompensated RTM, particularly beneath high-attenuation zones.
Expression of squid iridescence depends on environmental luminance and peripheral ganglion control
Authors: Gonzalez-Bellido P. T. , Wardill T. J. , Buresch K. C. , Ulmer K. M. , Hanlon R. T.
Published: March 2014

Squid display impressive changes in body coloration that are afforded by two types of dynamic skin elements: structural iridophores (which produce iridescence) and pigmented chromatophores. Both color elements are neurally controlled, but nothing is known about the iridescence circuit, or the environmental cues, that elicit iridescence expression. To tackle this knowledge gap, we performed denervation, electrical stimulation and behavioral experiments using the long-fin squid, Doryteuthis pealeii. We show that while the pigmentary and iridescence circuits originate in the brain, they are wired differently in the periphery: (1) the iridescence signals are routed through a peripheral center called the stellate ganglion and (2) the iridescence motor neurons likely originate within this ganglion (as revealed by nerve fluorescence dye fills). Cutting the inputs to the stellate ganglion that descend from the brain shifts highly reflective iridophores into a transparent state. Taken together, these findings suggest that although brain commands are necessary for expression of iridescence, integration with peripheral information in the stellate ganglion could modulate the final output. We also demonstrate that squid change their iridescence brightness in response to environmental luminance; such changes are robust but slow (minutes to hours). The squid's ability to alter its iridescence levels may improve camouflage under different lighting intensities.
Windscape and tortuosity shape the flight costs of northern gannets
Authors: Amélineau Françoise , Péron Clara , Lescroël Amélie , Authier Matthieu , Provost Pascal , Grémillet David
Published: March 2014

When animals move across a landscape, they alternate between active searching phases in areas with high prey density and commuting phases towards and in-between profitable feeding patches. Such active searching movements are more sinuous than travelling movements, and supposedly more costly in energy. Here we provide an empirical validation of this long-lasting assumption. To this end, we evaluated simultaneously energy expenditure and trajectory in northern gannets (Morus bassanus) using GPS loggers, dive recorders and three-dimensional accelerometers. Three behavioural states were determined from GPS data: foraging, when birds actively searched for prey (high tortuosity, medium speed); travelling, when birds were commuting (straight trajectory, high speed); and resting (straight trajectory, low speed). Overall dynamic body acceleration, calculated from acceleration data, was used as a proxy for energy expenditure during flight. The impact of windscape characteristics (wind force and direction) upon flight costs was also tested. Energy expenditure of northern gannets was higher during sinuous foraging flight than during more rectilinear travelling flight, demonstrating that turns are indeed costly. Yet wind force and direction also strongly shaped flight energy expenditure; within any behavioural state it was less costly to fly with the wind than against it, and less costly to fly with strong winds. Despite the major flight costs of wind action, birds did not fully optimize their flight track relative to wind direction, probably because of prey distributions relative to the coastline and wind predictability. Our study illustrates how both tortuosity and windscape shape the foraging costs of marine predators such as northern gannets.
Carbon-coated Li2S Synthesized by Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) and Acetylene Black for Lithium Ion Battery Cathodes
Authors: Liu Jun , Nara Hiroki , Yokoshima Tokihiko , Momma Toshiyuki , Osaka Tetsuya
Published: March 2014

A carbon-coated Li2S was prepared through an adsorption and successive annealing process by using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and acetylene black (AB) as carbon source with Li2S powder. The coating layer was composed of amorphous carbon and embedded AB particles. The carbon coating was found to effectively alleviate the dissolution of polysulfide and the discharge capacity at the first 15 cycles was 800 mA h g−1 with gradual fading afterward.
Catalytic Properties of Mn-Modified Hexagonal YbFeO3: Noble-metal-free Combustion Catalysts
Authors: Hosokawa Saburo , Masuda Yuichi , Nishimura Tatsuya , Wada Kenji , Abe Ryu , Inoue Masashi
Published: March 2014

Mn-Modified YbFeO3 with a metastable hexagonal phase prepared via a solvothermal method exhibited much higher catalytic activity for propane combustion at low temperatures than conventional noble-metal catalyst Pd/Al2O3.
The Economic Importance of Financial Literacy: Theory and Evidence
Authors: Lusardi Annamaria , Mitchell Olivia S.
Published: March 2014

This paper undertakes an assessment of a rapidly growing body of economic research on financial literacy. We start with an overview of theoretical research, which casts financial knowledge as a form of investment in human capital. Endogenizing financial knowledge has important implications for welfare, as well as policies intended to enhance levels of financial knowledge in the larger population. Next, we draw on recent surveys to establish how much (or how little) people know and identify the least financially savvy population subgroups. This is followed by an examination of the impact of financial literacy on economic decision making in the United States and elsewhere. While the literature is still young, conclusions may be drawn about the effects and consequences of financial illiteracy and what works to remedy these gaps. A final section offers thoughts on what remains to be learned if researchers are to better inform theoretical and empirical models as well as public policy. (JEL A20, D14, G11, I20, J26)
The Turnpike Solutions in the Quantum Systems Control Problem
Authors: Гусева Ирина , Guseva Irina , Гурман Владимир , Gurman Vladimir , Фесько Олесь , Fesko Oles
Published: March 2014

The optimization problem in a spin chain on the basis of Shr¨odinger equation is considered. The hamiltonian of the equation contains a combination of linear and nonlinear controls. Using the the degenerate problems theory, the problem is reduced to a regular derived problem. This transformation essentially increases the effectiveness of its investigation by iterative methods. The procedure is demonstrated in computational experiments with the use of visual example.
Specifics of ontology editor’s user interface
Authors: Подобряев Алексей , Podobryaev Aleksey , Куршев Евгений , Kurshev Evgeniy , Власова Наталья , Vlasova Natalya , Виноградов Андрей , Vinogradov Andrey , Сулейманова Елена , Suleymanova Elena
Published: March 2014

The paper touches upon ontology contents visualization issues. Several graphic user interface features are suggested to support the painstaking process of ontol-ogy construction and maintenance.
Constructive synthesis of Web-based application user interfaces
Authors: Кочуров Евгений , Kochurov Evgeniy
Published: March 2014

The article discusses the application of the method of constructive

program synthesis to create user interfaces for Web-based applications. Specialized

constructive logic is introduced, which allows to synthesize models of guaranteed

right user interfaces. We consider the software implementation and results of the

practical application of the model.
Igneous Rock Associations 12. A Geologist’s Look at Archaeological Ceramics and Glass
Authors: Owen J. Victor , Greenough John D.
Published: March 2014

Ceramics and glass represent synthetic metamorphic rocks and obsidian, respectively. Consequently, it is not surprising that many archaeologists have collaborated with geologists on projects dealing not only with lithic artifacts, but with ceramic and glass objects as well. This paper presents an overview of these latter two materials from a geological perspective, considering in turn how they are characterized and classified, their ages constrained, provenance and in some instances use determined, and how they were made. SOMMAIRELa céramique et le verre représentent respectivement des roches métamorphiques et l'obsidien synthétiques. En conséquence, il n'est pas étonnant que beaucoup d'archéologues aient collaboré avec des géologues sur des projets traitant non seulement des objets façonnés lithiques, mais également des objets en céramique et en verre. Ce document présente un aperçu de ces derniers deux matériaux d'une perspective géologique, considérant comment ils sont caractérisés et classifiés, leurs âges, provenances et emploies parfois déterminés, et comment elles ont été faites.
Modern Analytical Facilities 2. A Review of Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) Procedures for Lithogeochemical Data
Authors: Piercey Stephen J.
Published: March 2014

Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) are critical components of modern analytical geochemistry.  A properly constructed QA/QC program identifies both the source of analytical error and provides a means of establishing confidence in and assessing limitations of analytical data. A QA/QC program involves monitoring precision, accuracy, and potential contamination from sampling to analysis.  Precision can be monitored via the systematic insertion of sample, pulp, and analytical duplicates, and reference materials; the resulting data are subsequently evaluated using scatterplots, statistical tests (e.g. % relative standard deviation), Thompson-Howarth plots, and the average coefficient of variation (CVavg (%)).  Accuracy is determined through the submission of reference materials and monitored using statistical tests (e.g. % relative difference, t-test) and Shewart control charts.   Blanks test contamination and results are monitored using Shewart control charts.SOMMAIREL'assurance de la qualité et le contrôle de la qualité (AQ-CQ) sont deux composantes essentielles à la géochimie analytique moderne.  Un programme AQ-CQ bien conçu défini à la fois la source de l'erreur d'analyse et un moyen d'établir la confiance et d’évaluer les limites des données analytiques.  Un programme AQ-CQ comprend le contrôle de la précision, de l'exactitude et de la contamination potentielle, de l'étape d’échantillonnage à l'analyse.  La précision peut être contrôlée via l'insertion systématique d'échantillon, de pulpes, et de doublons d'analyse, et de matériaux de référence; les données obtenues sont ensuite évaluées en utilisant des diagrammes de dispersion, des tests statistiques (pourcentage d’écart type relatif, par ex.), des courbes de Thompson-Howarth, et des  coefficients de variation moyens (CVm %).  La précision est déterminée par la soumission de documents de référence et de contrôle par des tests statistiques (différence relative en %, t-test, par ex.) et des graphiques de contrôle de Shewhart.  La contamination d’essais à blanc et les résultats sont contrôlés par des graphiques de contrôle Shewhart.
The Timing of Strike-Slip Deformation Along the Storstrømmen Shear Zone, Greenland Caledonides: U–Pb Zircon and Titanite Geochronology
Authors: Hallett Benjamin W. , McClelland William C. , Gilotti Jane A.
Published: March 2014

The Storstrømmen shear zone (SSZ) in the Greenland Caledonides is widely interpreted to have formed in a transpressional regime during sinistral, oblique collision between Baltica and Laurentia in the Silurian to Devonian. New mapping of the SSZ at Sanddal documents a 100 m thick, greenschistfacies mylonite zone cutting the eclogite to amphibolite-facies gneiss complex. We present U–Pb ion probe geochronology on zircon and titanite from a variety of lithologies that shows the SSZ was active from late Devonian to the Carboniferous (at least until 350 Ma). The age of thrusting in the foreland is not well known, but must be younger than the age of eclogite-facies metamorphism at ~400 Ma. It is, therefore, possible that contraction is the same age as strike-slip motion, and that transpression is a viable model. The timing of the SSZ is synchronous with dextral strike-slip displacement on the Germania Land deformation zone. Simultaneous displacement on sinistral and dextral, conjugate shear zones suggests that the SSZ is part of a strikeslip fault system that led to lateral escape of material northward (present day coordinates) during the waning stages of plate convergence between Laurentia and Baltica.SOMMAIRELa zone de cisaillement de Storstrømmen (SSZ) dans les Calédonides du Groenland est généralement comprise comme ayant été formée durant un régime de transpression sénestre lors de la collision oblique entre Baltica et Laurentie, du Silurien au Dévonien.  Une nouvelle cartographie de la SSZ à Sanddal décrit une zone de 100 m d’épaisseur de mylonite au faciès des schistes verts qui recoupe un complexe de gneiss au faciès éclogite à amphibolite.  Notre analyse géochronologique par sonde ionique U-Pb sur zircon et titanite sur diverses lithologies, montre que la SSZ a été active de la fin du Dévonien jusqu’au Carbonifère (au moins jusqu’à 350 Ma).  L’âge du chevauchement dans l’avant-pays n’est pas bien connue, mais il doit être plus jeune que le métamorphisme au faciès d’éclogite à ~400 Ma.  Il est donc possible que la contraction soit du même âge que le mouvement de coulissage, et que la transpression soit un modèle viable.  La chronologie de la SSZ est synchrone au mouvement de coulissage dextre de la zone de déformation de Germania Land.  Les déplacements simultanés, sénestre et dextre, sur des zones de cisaillement conjuguées permettent de penser que la SSZ fait partie d’un système de décrochement qui a engendré une éjection latérale de matériau vers le nord (selon les coordonnées actuelles) durant les stades de convergence des plaques Laurentie et Baltica.
Money Talks: Rebate Mechanisms in Reputation System Design
Authors: Li Lingfang (Ivy) , Xiao Erte
Published: March 2014

Reputation systems that rely on voluntary feedback from traders are important in creating and sustaining trust in markets. Feedback nevertheless is a public good, and providing it is often costly. We combine theory with a laboratory experiment to study the effect of a seller precommitment mechanism: Sellers have an option to commit by providing a rebate to reduce the buyer's feedback reporting cost before making purchasing decisions. Our theory predicts that this mechanism induces noncooperative sellers to cooperate in the listed-price market. Using a buyer–seller trust game with a unilateral feedback scheme, we find that the seller's rebate decision has a significant impact on the buyer's purchasing decision via signaling the seller's cooperative type. More importantly, market efficiency under the precommitment mechanism increases with the probability that sellers will provide a rebate. Compared with the no rebate mechanism market, more efficient trades can be achieved when the sellers offer a rebate to the buyers in the market with the rebate mechanism, even when the rebate does not cover the full cost of feedback reporting.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2013.1848 .

This paper was accepted by Teck-Hua Ho, behavioral economics.
Una nota sobre la responsabilidad moral individual frente a la calamidad del hambre
Authors: Alemany García Macario
Published: March 2014

El texto da cuenta sucintamente del viejo problema de la responsabilidad moral de los ricos frente a las calamidades del hambre y la pobreza absoluta. Para ello, se presentan las propuestas de Ernesto Garzón y Peter Singer sobre el nivel de responsabilidad exigible y se señalan algunas críticas plausibles a las mismas. A continuación, se explica la última iniciativa de Singer para promover el fin de la pobreza absoluta y las tensiones que la misma entraña para su propia teoría. Finalmente, se aboga por considerar el asunto desde el punto de vista de la ética de las virtudes.