bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
No apparent ecological trend to the flight-initiating jump performance of five bat species
Authors: Gardiner James D. , Nudds Robert L.
Published: June 2011

The jump performance of five insectivorous bat species (Miniopterus schreibersii, Myotis blythii, Myotis capaccinii, Myotis myotis and Rhinolophus blasii) was filmed using a high-speed camera. All study bats jumped using a similar technique, with the wing musculature providing the force. The bats jumped off the wrist joint of their wings, typically with their feet already off the ground. Contrary to expectations, jump performance did not correlate with ecology and was instead strongly determined by body size. In general, the larger bats produced more jump force, left the ground at higher speeds and jumped higher than the smaller bats. The differences in force production disappeared when the data were corrected for body size, with the exception of Myotis capaccinii, which produced significantly less force. Scaling of jump performance with body size measured here was compared against two existing muscle performance scaling models. The model suggesting that muscle contraction velocity is proportional to muscle length was better supported than that based on muscle cross-sectional area. Both models, however, failed to accurately predict the scaling of jump forces, with the slope of the relationship being significantly steeper than predicted, highlighting the need for further investigations of vertebrate muscle performance scaling. The results of this study indicate that a bat's jumping ability is a secondary locomotor ability that uses the strongly selected-for flight apparatus with no apparent ecological trend present, i.e. flight so dominates bat locomotor morphology that other locomotor abilities tend to be derivative.
The diving bell and the spider: the physical gill of Argyroneta aquatica
Authors: Seymour Roger S. , Hetz Stefan K.
Published: June 2011

Argyroneta aquatica is a unique air-breathing spider that lives virtually its entire life under freshwater. It creates a dome-shaped web between aquatic plants and fills the diving bell with air carried from the surface. The bell can take up dissolved O2 from the water, acting as a ‘physical gill’. By measuring bell volume and O2 partial pressure (PO2) with tiny O2-sensitive optodes, this study showed that the spiders produce physical gills capable of satisfying at least their resting requirements for O2 under the most extreme conditions of warm stagnant water. Larger spiders produced larger bells of higher O2 conductance (GO2). GO2 depended on surface area only; effective boundary layer thickness was constant. Bells, with and without spiders, were used as respirometers by measuring GO2 and the rate of change in PO2. Metabolic rates were also measured with flow-through respirometry. The water–air PO2 difference was generally less than 10 kPa, and spiders voluntarily tolerated low internal PO2 approximately 1–4 kPa before renewal with air from the surface. The low PO2 in the bell enhanced N2 loss from the bell, but spiders could remain inside for more than a day without renewal. Spiders appeared to enlarge the bells in response to higher O2 demands and lower aquatic PO2.
Remnant lipoprotein-cholesterol is a predictive biomarker for large artery atherosclerosis in apparently healthy women: usefulness as a parameter for annual health examinations
Authors: Taguchi Mikiyasu , Ishigami Masato , Nishida Makoto , Moriyama Toshiki , Yamashita Shizuya , Yamamura Taku
Published: June 2011

Background

Recently, remnant lipoprotein is expected to be a new therapeutic target in the age of ‘beyond LDL-cholesterol’. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical significance of remnant lipoprotein cholesterol (RemL-C) determination in annual health examinations with the focus on large artery atherosclerosis.

Methods and results

Subjects investigated were men ( n = 528) and women ( n = 318) who underwent annual health examinations at Osaka University. RemL-C was measured with a newly developed homogeneous assay. Carotid and aortic atherosclerosis was estimated by intima-media thickness (IMT) and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), respectively. First, simple regression analysis revealed that the RemL-C levels positively correlated with maximum IMT, mean IMT and CAVI in the whole group ( P < 0.05). Next, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the most effective levels of RemL-C for predicting carotid and aortic atherosclerosis were 0.21 mmol/L ( P < 0.05) and 0.22 mmol/L ( P < 0.01) or more, respectively. Odds ratios (ORs) of high RemL-C levels (0.21 mmol/L or more) for carotid and aortic atherosclerosis were significantly increased, especially in low-risk, apparently healthy women (OR: 4.20, P < 0.05 and 3.79, P < 0.01, respectively). Five out of 13 female low-risk cases (38%) with carotid atherosclerosis showed high serum RemL-C levels. It should be emphasized that conventional risk factors are still strong predictors for large artery atherosclerosis in the whole group.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that high serum RemL-C level is a predictive hallmark for large artery atherosclerosis in apparently healthy women. Determination of RemL-C should be employed as one of the parameters in annual health examinations.
Case Article—Inkjet Printer Pricing
Authors: Leong Thin-Yin , Ma Nang-Laik
Published: June 2011

The inkjet printer business had adopted the “bait and hook,” also known as the “razors and blades” or “tied-products,” business strategy, offering a basic printer product at a very low (possibly below cost) price but charging a highly marked-up price for its proprietary ink cartridge. This case explores the pricing of two interrelated products: the printer and its ink cartridge to maximize the overall profit.

This case is designed as an introductory-level case study that emphasizes the basics of spreadsheet modeling. The learning goals for this case are to improve students' skills of modeling a business problem of this nature, determining the parameters involved, exploring the tradeoffs between different pricing criteria, and analyzing how profit can be affected by variations in the input parameter values such as printer cost, cartridge cost, printer price elasticity, and cartridge-to-printer projected sales ratio.

Case Teaching Note: Interested Instructors please see the Instructor Materials page for access to the restricted materials. To maintain the integrity and usefulness of cases published in ITE, unapproved distribution of the case teaching notes and other restricted materials to any other party is prohibited.
Using Mixed-Integer Programming to Win a Cycling Game
Authors: Beliën Jeroen , Goossens Dries , Van Reeth Daam , De Boeck Liesje
Published: June 2011

This paper presents an application of optimization modeling to the winning of a popular cycling game. The application includes real-life data of contempory cyclists. It also has the potential to motivate students with a competitive but fun “race” for a solution. Because the developed optimization model contains features of knapsack problems, multiperiod inventory problems, and logical constraint modeling, it is perfectly suitable for a concluding case study in an undergraduate operations research/management science course. The application was originally developed for an MBA operations research course focusing on spreadsheet modeling skills, but it can also be used in courses that focus on algebraic modeling of optimization problems.
Case Article—Flight Delays at RegionEx
Authors: Farahat Amr , Martonosi Susan E.
Published: June 2011

In this case about two fictitious airlines, RegionEx, a small regional airline, is a contracted regional carrier for MississippiDelta Airlines (MDA), a major U.S. airline. In September, RegionEx exhibited a worse flight delay record than MDA, and is now at risk of losing its contract. The flight operations manager at RegionEx is tasked with analyzing the flight delay records and explaining RegionEx's seemingly poor performance to RegionEx's chief operations officer. Reflecting the recommendations of the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) published by the American Statistical Association, this case emphasizes statistical literacy and conceptual understanding of data analysis rather than rote procedures. Undergraduate and MBA students will use basic data analysis techniques, such as graphical analysis, descriptive statistics, and two-sample hypothesis testing and correlation, to discover important paradoxes in the flight delay data. They will learn that subtle differences in the definition of business performance metrics can radically change their interpretation; graphical analysis of data can provide information about distributions that are masked by summary statistics; aggregating data across disparate sample sizes can skew means (Simpson's paradox); and correlation does not imply causation.

Case Teaching Note: Interested Instructors please see the Instructor Materials page for access to the restricted materials. To maintain the integrity and usefulness of cases published in ITE, unapproved distribution of the case teaching notes and other restricted materials to any other party is prohibited.
Effects of Carbamazepine/Oxycodone Coadministration in the Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia
Authors: Siniscalchi Antonio , Gallelli Luca , Avenoso Tiziana , Squillace Aida , De Sarro Giovambattista
Published: June 2011

OBJECTIVE:

To report on a patient with trigeminal neuralgia who responded positively to combined carbamazepine/oxycodone treatment.

CASE SUMMARY:

A 48-year-old woman with a 4-month history of left facial pain consisting of episodes lasting less than 5 minutes was brought to our institution for clinical evaluation. Clinical, laboratory, and neuroradiologic findings led to a diagnosis of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. Carbamazepine treatment was started at 200 mg every 12 hours and increased at discharge to 300 mg every 8 hours. Two weeks later the patient was readmitted with trigeminal neuralgia symptoms that had persisted since the previous admission, although they had decreased in intensity. Carbamazepine was reduced to 200 mg every 8 hours and oxycodone 5 mg every 12 hours was added to the treatment regimen, with a complete resolution of pain within 7 days.

DISCUSSION:

Pathophysiological mechanisms involved in both the genesis and the maintenance of trigeminal neuralgia have not yet been defined. Several hypotheses could explain this disorder, ranging from peripheral neural ectopic pacemaker to central disinhibition. Both the interruption of the sodium channel and the modulation of both κ-and μ-opioid receptors contributed to antinociceptive effects in trigeminal neuralgia.

CONCLUSIONS:

Treatment with a combination of carbamazepine, a sodium channel blocker, and oxycodone, a mixed κ-and μ-opioid receptor agonist, may be useful in alleviating symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia.
Diagnostic value of pro-gastrin-releasing peptide for small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis
Authors: Yang Hui-jie , Gu Ying , Chen Chu , Xu Can , Bao Yi-xi
Published: June 2011

Background: Lung cancer, of which 15%–20% is small cell lung cancer, is the leading cause of cancer mortality and shows a high incidence worldwide. While pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) has been reported as a predictive diagnostic factor, it has not been widely accepted because of inconsistent conclusions. The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate ProGRP as the diagnostic standard for small cell lung cancer.

Methods: All published studies on ProGRP in the diagnosis of small cell lung cancer from January 1994 to April of 2010 were retrieved. By measuring methodological qualities, 11 papers were selected for this study. The overall diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were used to evaluate ProGRP as the diagnostic standard for small cell lung cancer using Meta DiSc statistical software.

Results: There were 5146 subjects included in this meta-analysis. The sensitivity and specificity (95% confidence interval) of ProGRP was 0.716 (0.688–0.743) and 0.921 (0.909–0.932), respectively. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve of ProGRP was 0.9236. The index of Q* was 0.8575.

Conclusions: ProGRP has better sensitivity and high specificity as an auxiliary indicator for the diagnosis of small cell lung cancer.
Post-mortem biochemistry of vitreous humor and glucose metabolism: an update
Authors: Boulagnon Camille , Garnotel Roselyne , Fornes Paul , Gillery Philippe
Published: June 2011

Post-mortem biochemistry, also called thanatochemistry, has proved useful in forensics for estimating the time since death and assessing the cause of death. Ketoacidosis is a frequent complication of diabetes mellitus which can be lethal, with possible medicolegal implications. However, interpretation of biochemical analyses is difficult because of post-mortem blood alterations involving glucose metabolic pathways. Vitreous humor is better preserved than blood after death, and therefore is preferentially used in thanatochemistry. However, both the lack of experience of most biochemists with this matrix in clinical practice, and the paucity of post-mortem studies make interpretation of post-mortem analyses difficult. This review examines the recent advances in the knowledge of glucose metabolism in vitreous humor, and the methods used for the post-mortem diagnosis of diabetic complications.
Development of a micro electrochemical cell forin-situdeposition of63Ni for use in electron capture detector (ECD) in gas chromatography
Authors: Dash Ashutosh , Udhayakumar J. , Kumar Manoj , Shukla Rakesh , Gandhi Shyamala S. , Tyagi A. K. , Venkatesh Meera
Published: June 2011

In this work, we describe a novel electrochemical approach to deposit63Ni coatings on the inner surface of a copper annular ring for its application as an ionization source in electron capture detector of gas chromatograph. A description of the electrolytic cell, the process of deposition and the experimental set up used, analysis of the nickel deposit and results are presented in this article. Sources containing ∼370 MBq (∼10 mCi)63Ni could be prepared. The quality of the prepared source in terms of nonleachability, uniform distribution of activity and stability that are necessary before application were evaluated and found to be highly satisfactory.
Stability and change in the self-system
Authors: Pataki Ferenc
Published: June 2011

Az én (én-rendszer) szilárdságának és változékonyságának kölcsönviszonyát gyakran és hevesen vitatják az én-pszichológia művelői. Olykor egymást kizáró ellentéteknek tekintik őket, holott kölcsönösen feltételezik egymást: a változás a stabilitást szolgálja, a stabilitás a változás révén érvényesül. Az én-rendszer alapjellegzetessége a dinamikus stabilitás. Ezt az én-funkciók stabilitása, valamint a helyzetfüggő, kontextuális én folyamatos szerkesztése biztosítja. Az én-rendszer koherenciáját az értékelő-önértékelő funkció teremti meg. Az élettörténeti forgatókönyv fordulópontjai, valamint a történeti-társadalmi sorsesemények kritikus változásokat indukálnak a rendszerben. Az ilyenkor fellépő önreflexiós kényszerrel szemben gyakran ellenállás mutatkozik. Az én-élmény s az én-rendszer stabilitásának legfontosabb funkcionális tényezői: az általános önértékelés pozitív kimenetelének tartóssága; a társválasztási autonómia érvényesülése és a társas háló arányos kiegyensúlyozottsága; az élettörténeti és önismereti narratívumok koherenciája és kidolgozottsága; a szomatikus történet alakulása és reflektáltsága.
Focusing effects in the memory representation of Hungarian sentences
Authors: Pléh Csaba , Sinkovics Balázs
Published: June 2011

Két akusztikus mondatfelismerési kísérletben a 0-tól 43 másodpercig tartó intervallumban variáló felismerési időket, valamint a célmondat és a próbamondatok közötti viszonyokat változtatva vizsgáltuk. A magyar nyelv jó ellenőrzési lehetőséget nyújt azokra a hagyományos elméletekre nézve, amelyek szerint, miközben a mondatok formáját könnyen elfelejtjük, a mondatok jelentését megőrizzük. A magyarban a mondatok információs szerkezete könnyen szembeállíthatóvá teszi a semleges, valamint a jelentéssel kapcsolatos szórendi változatokat. A kísérlet e-mail-anyagában a célmondatként való felismerést hasonlítottuk össze azonos, semleges szórendi változatokkal, parafrázisos és fókuszbaemelést használó mondatokban. Az eredmények részben alátámasztották kiinduló hipotéziseinket, ugyanakkor az is kiderült, hogy a magyar mondattan finomságai,Sachs(1967), valamintJohnson-LairdésStevenson(1970) eredeti téziseinek finomítását igényli. A fókuszbaemelést használó mondatok még 40 másodperc után is világosan szembeálltak a fókuszt nem használó kiinduló célmondatokkal. Úgy tűnik tehát, hogy a magyar mondatok emlékezeti leképezésében az információstruktúrát valamiféleképpen megtartjuk. Klasszikus eredményekkel összhangban a semleges szórendi változatok az esetek 60%-ában, már 16 másodperc után is téves felismeréshez vezetnek. Várakozásainkkal ellentétben azonban a parafrázisokat még 40 másodperc után is 60%-ban helyesen ismerték fel. Ahhoz tehát, hogy az emlékezeti parafrázis egyenértékűség jelek közötti variációit tisztázzuk, többféle parafrázis jellegű mondatanyag összehasonlítására lesz szükség. Vizsgálataink alátámasztották kísérletünk fő gondolatmenetét: a magyar mondatok információs szerkezetét a hosszú távú emlékezetben is megőrizzük, szemben a semleges szórendi változatokkal. Ez az eredmény felveti azt, hogy részletesebb vizsgálatokra van szükség, gazdagabb ingeranyaggal annak tisztázására, hogy mi is a forma, és mi is a jelentés az emlékezeti rendszerben.
Prevalence of Sinus Augmentation Associated With Maxillary Posterior Implants
Authors: Seong Wook-Jin , Barczak Michael , Jung Jae , Basu Saonli , Olin Paul S , Conrad Heather J
Published: June 2011

Pneumatization of the maxillary sinus limits the quantity of alveolar bone available for implant placement and may result in a lack of primary stability and difficulty in achieving osseointegration. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze a group of patients who had implants placed in the posterior maxilla, calculate the prevalence of sinus augmentation, and identify factors related to sinus augmentation. With institutional review board approval, dental records from a population of patients who had implants placed in the maxillary posterior region between January 2000 and December 2004 were used to create a database. Independent variables were classified as continuous (age of the patient at stage 1 implant surgery [S1], time between extraction and S1, time between extraction and sinus augmentation, and time between sinus augmentation and S1) and categorical (gender, implant failure, American Society of Anesthesiologists system classification, smoking, osteoporosis, residual crestal bone height, implant position, implant proximity, prostheses type, and implant diameter and length). The dependent variable was the incidence of a sinus augmentation procedure. Simple logistic regression was used to assess the influence of each factor on the presence of sinus augmentation (P < .05). The final database included 502 maxillary posterior implants with an overall survival rate of 93.2% over a mean follow-up period of 35.7 months. Of 502 implants, 272 (54.2%) were associated with a sinus augmentation procedure. Among variables, residual crestal bone height (P < .001), implant position (P < .001), implant proximity (P < .001), prosthesis type (P < .001), implant failure (P < .01), and implant diameter (P < .01), were statistically associated with sinus augmentation. Within the limitations of this retrospective study, the results suggest that more than half (54.2%) of the maxillary posterior implants were involved with a sinus augmentation procedure. The prevalence of sinus augmentation increased with decreased residual crestal bone height, more posterior implant locations, and complete or partial edentulism. Sinus augmentation was significantly associated with implant failure and wide implants.
A Functional Open-Tray Impression Technique for Implant-Retained Overdenture Prostheses
Authors: Ozcelik Tuncer Burak , Yilmaz Burak
Published: June 2011

Several implant impression techniques with different materials have been described in the literature. Generally, border molding, functional, and final impressions have been made with 3 different materials, which makes the procedure technique-sensitive and time-consuming. A combination of open-tray and functional impression techniques is described in this technical report. Border molding and functional impression procedures are made at the same time using a vinyl polysiloxane impression material, which makes this technique a simple and time-efficient alternative for clinicians.
Constraint and adaptation in the evolution of carnivoran skull shape
Authors: Figueirido Borja , MacLeod Norman , Krieger Jonathan , De Renzi Miquel , Pérez-Claros Juan Antonio , Palmqvist Paul
Published: June 2011

The evolutionary history of the Order Carnivora is marked by episodes of iterative evolution. Although this pattern is widely reported in different carnivoran families, the mechanisms driving the evolution of carnivoran skull morphology remain largely unexplored. In this study we use coordinate-point extended eigenshape analysis (CP-EES) to summarize aspects of skull shape in large fissiped carnivores. Results of these comparisons enable the evaluation of the role of different factors constraining the evolution of carnivoran skull design. Empirical morphospaces derived from mandible anatomy show that all hypercarnivores (i.e., those species with a diet that consists almost entirely of vertebrate flesh) share a set of traits involved in a functional compromise between bite force and gape angle, which is reflected in a strong pattern of morphological convergence. Although the paths followed by different taxa to reach this “hypercarnivore shape-space” differ because of phylogenetic constraints, the morphological signature of hypercarnivory in the mandible is remarkably narrow and well constrained. In contrast, CP-EES of cranial morphology does not reveal a similar pattern of shape convergence among hypercarnivores. This suggests a lesser degree of morphological plasticity in the cranium compared to the mandible, which probably results from a compromise between different functional demands in the cranium (e.g., feeding, vision, olfactory sense, and brain processing) whereas the mandible is only involved in food acquisition and processing. Combined analysis of theoretical and empirical morphospaces for these skull data also show the lower anatomical disparity of felids and hyaenids compared to canids and ursids. This indicates that increasing specialization within the hypercarnivorous niche may constrain subsequent morphological and ecological flexibility. During the Cenozoic, similar skull traits appeared in different carnivoran lineages, generated by similar selection pressures (e.g., toward hypercarnivory) and shared developmental pathways. These pathways were likely the proximate source of constraints on the degree of variation associated with carnivoran skull evolution and on its direction.
Does morphological variation buffer against extinction? A test using veneroid bivalves from the Plio-Pleistocene of Florida
Authors: Kolbe Sarah E. , Lockwood Rowan , Hunt Gene
Published: June 2011

Although morphological variation is known to influence the evolutionary fates of species, the relationship between morphological variation and survivorship in the face of extinction-inducing perturbations is poorly understood. Here, we investigate this relationship for veneroid bivalves in association with the Plio-Pleistocene extinction in Florida. Fourteen pairs of related species were selected for analysis, with each pair including one species that survived the Plio-Pleistocene extinction and another that became extinct during the interval. Morphological landmark data were acquired for more than 1500 museum specimens, representing 19 localities that encompass four well-known Plio-Pleistocene units in the study region. Procrustes superimposition was applied to each sample, and overall multivariate variation was calculated as the mean squared partial Procrustes distance between specimens and their mean form. Morphological variation was calculated at three geographic scales for each species, and differences in variation between survivors and victims were examined within each species pair. Results indicate that species surviving the Plio-Pleistocene extinction were significantly more variable morphologically than victims. Greater morphological variation may promote survivorship by directly enhancing species adaptations to changing conditions or by permitting the occupation of a larger geographic range. Alternatively, high morphological variation and survivorship may both be mediated by a third variable, such as large geographic range.
On taxonomic membership
Authors: Wilkinson Bruce H.
Published: June 2011

Taxonomic membership frequencies exhibit distributions in which groups with few numbers of subtaxa are much more common in a clade than those with more subtaxa. Here, a “broken plate” model is developed to describe such taxonomic memberships; some higher taxonomic group (the plate) is randomly subdivided into intermediate taxonomic units (plate fragments), whose sizes are dependent on the number of taxonomic subunits that they each contain. Theoretical distributions of membership frequencies produced by this model yield a superior fit to data from both modern and fossil groups, as illustrated by classifications for primarily fossil brachiopods and entirely modern mammals. The nature of these distributions is consistent with the contention that Linnaean membership frequencies result from the random partitioning of taxonomic/morphologic space. Moreover, numbers of taxa contained within hierarchically equivalent groups are unrelated, as are membership numbers at taxonomically higher and lower levels of consideration. Agreement between observed taxonomic memberships and those anticipated from the random partitioning of diversity as described by the “broken plate” model bears directly on a number of fundamental questions including the significance of extreme polytypy and inferred causes of adaptive radiation within many taxonomic groups.
Herbal Tonic Does Not Inhibit Estrogen Receptor Negative Mammary Tumor Development in a Transgenic Mouse Model
Authors: Bennett L. Michelle , Montgomery Jennifer L. , Collins N. Keith , Steinberg Seth M. , Kulp Kristen S.
Published: June 2011

Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer often self-administer complementary and alternative medicines to augment their conventional treatments, improve health, or prevent recurrence. Flor-Essence® herbal tonic is a complex mixture of eight herbal extracts used by cancer patients because of anecdotal evidence that it can treat or prevent disease. In this study four experimental groups of female MMTV-Neu mice were left untreated or treated with 3% Flor-Essence® in utero, from birth until 5 weeks of age, or throughout their lifetime. Palpable mammary tumor incidence and body weight was determined weekly for each group. The mice were sacrificed at 28 weeks of age and mammary tumors were enumerated to determine average tumor incidence and multiplicity for each group. Female mice exposed to Flor-Essence® herbal tonic in utero weighed significantly more than the control group (p < 0.001). The average tumor incidence and tumor multiplicity in the experimental mice treated with Flor-Essence® herbal tonic did not differ from the control animals. Flor-Essence® does not inhibit mammary tumor incidence or mammary tumor multiplicity in MMTV-Neu transgenic mice. Flor-Essence® exposure in utero causes increased body weight in experimental animals. This conclusion challenges widely available anecdotal information as well as the hopes of the consumer that this product will inhibit or suppress tumor development.
Hepatoprotective Activity of Cyperus tegetum Rhizome Against Paracetamol-Induced Liver Damage in Rats
Authors: Haldar Pallab K , Bera Samit , Panda Siva P , Bhattacharya Sanjib , Chaulya Nitai C , Mukherjee Arup
Published: June 2011

In present study the methanol extract of Cyperus tegetum rhizome (MECT) was evaluated for its effect on paracetamol-induced liver damage in Wistar rats. Serum biochemical parameters viz. serum glutamine oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamine pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total serum protein, total bilirubin content and liver biochemical parameters such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and reduced glutathione content were estimated. Biochemical and histopathological observations indicated that MECT had remarkable hepatoprotective effect against paracetamol-induced liver damage in rats.
Law for sustainable soils: International and national aspects
Authors: Boer Ben
Published: June 2011

Work on the development of adequate international and national legal
frameworks for sustainable soils has been underway for over a decade.
Significantly, the initial drafting work on the need for an international
convention or other instrument on soil came from the soil science community.
In 1999, as a result of an approach from soil scientists to the IUCN
Commission on Environmental Law a Specialist Group on Sustainable Soils and
Desertification was established in order to investigate both international
and national legal regimes to promote the sustainable use of soil. This paper
looks at the development of an international legal instrument on sustainable
soils, and explores the scope and range of possibilities for the form of such
an instrument. It then canvasses the basic elements that should be included
in the drafting of national of national legislation. It concludes by making
some preliminary suggestions regarding the development of legal and
institutional frameworks for soil management in Balkan countries.
Hydrological heritage: New direction in hydrology and geoheritage
Authors: Simic Sava , Gavrilovic Ljiljana , Belij Srdjan
Published: June 2011

Until recently hydrological heritage has practically existed in science
neither as an idea nor a subject. Definitions of the main terms, general
classification of hydrological heritage, as well as expanded classification
of hydrological heritage of Serbia are presented in the paper which is the
starting point needed for further determination of new direction in hydrology
and geoheritage. The paper has also pointed to the key reasons for the
previous unfavourable status of hydrological heritage and its scientific and
national significance, as well as the necessity of its existence and complex
development.
Postoperative influence of interferon alpha on patients with renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Levakov Ivan , Vojinov Sasa , Jeremic Dimitrije , Djozic Jasenko , Vignjevic Olivera
Published: June 2011

The aim of this study was to show whether immunotherapy should be
administered in patients with renal cell carcinoma after radical nephrectomy
in N0 and N1 stage of disease. The research was conducted in 60 patients with
renal adenocarcinoma after radical nephrectomy. The study group included two
subgroups of patients: the treatment group consisted of 30 patients receiving
immunotherapy, of whom 15 had N1 disease stage and 15 had N0 disease stage;
and the observation group consisted of 30 patients who did not receive
immunotherapy, of whom 15 had N1 disease stage and 15 had N0 disease stage.
It was shown that the administration of immunotherapy in N0 stage neither
improved the overall survival nor postponed the appearance of metastases and
that immunotherapy in N1 stage even worsened the prognosis in overall
survival as compared with the observation group. There is no benefit of
administering immunotherapy in patients with N0 and N1 stage of disease
after radical nephrectomy.
Autoimmune thyroid disease and other non-endocrine autoimmune diseases
Authors: Todorovic-Djilas Ljiljana , Icin Tijana , Novakovic-Paro Jovanka , Bajkin Ivana
Published: June 2011

Introduction, Autoimmune diseases are chronic conditions initiated by the
loss of immunological tolerance to self-antigens. They constitute
heterogeneous group of disorders, in which multiple alterations in the immune
system result in a spectrum of syndromes that either target specific organs
or affect the body systematically. Recent epidemiological studies have shown
a possible shift of one autoimmune disease to another or the fact that more
than one autoimmune disease may coexist in a single patient or in the same
family. Numerous autoimmune diseases have been shown to coexist frequently
with thyroid autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune thyroid disease and other organ
specific non-endocrine autoimmune diseases. This part of the study reviews
the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease coexisting with: pernicious
anaemia, vitiligo, celiac disease, autoimmune liver disease, miastenia
gravis, alopecia areata and sclerosis multiplex, and several recommendations
for screening have been given. Autoimmune thyroid disease and other organ
non-specific non-endocrine autoimmune diseases. Special attention is given to
the correlation between autoimmune thyroid disease and rheumatoid arthritis,
systemic lupus erythematosus, syndrome Sj?gren, systemic sclerosis and mixed
connective tissue disease. Conclusions. Screening for autoimmune thyroid
diseases should be recommended in everyday clinical practice, in patients
with primary organ-specific or organ non-specific autoimmune disease.
Other?wise, in patients with primary thyroid autoimmune disease, there is no
good reason of seeking for all other autoimmune diseases, although these
patients have a greater risk of developing other autoimmune disease. Economic
aspects of medicine require further analyzing of these data, from
cost/benefit point of view to justified either mandatory screening or medical
practitioner judgment.
Quantum computation and entangled state generation through a cavity output process
Authors: Xia Yan , Hu Chun , Song Jie , Song He-Shan
Published: June 2011

We propose a protocol to realize quantum phase gates and generate entangled states between two atoms trapped in one cavity. In Lamb-Dick limits, it is not necessary to require coincidence detections, which will relax the conditions for the experimental realization. The protocol can be generalized to generate N-atom entangled states.
Methylprednisolone release from agar-Carbomer-based hydrogel: a promising tool for local drug delivery
Authors: Rossi Filippo , Casalini Tommaso , Santoro Marco , Mele Andrea , Perale Giuseppe
Published: June 2011

A number of studies and works in drug delivery literature are focused on the understanding and modelling of transport phenomena, the pivotal point of a good scaffold design for tissue engineering. Accurate knowledge of the diffusion coefficient of an active drug plays a key role in the analysis, prediction of their kinetics and formulation of efficient drug delivery systems. In this work, the kinetics of the release of methylprednisolone from agar-Carbomer hydrogel were studied taking into consideration the different drug concentrations and clearances typically achieved in in vitro or in vivo tests. Starting from the experiments it is possible to model the transport phenomenon and to calculate the diffusion coefficient through the hydrogel matrix.
Sensorless control of SRM at medium speed range
Authors: Urbański Konrad
Published: June 2011

Sensorless control of SRM at medium speed range

The paper deals with the problem of position and speed estimation methods in SRM (Switched Reluctance Motor) drive equipped with hysteresis band current controller with MRAS (Model Reference Adaptive System) type observer. An adaptive flux model uses equation set of one-dimensional equations instead of one two-dimensional equation. The reference model is the formal one. Instead of measured current the observer utilizes reference current. Such drive system works well at speed range up to 600 rad/s. The observer's gains must change depend on the speed range. The robustness on motor parameter poor estimation is presented.
Numerical analysis of hysteresis loss in pulse transformer
Authors: Łyskawiński Wiesław , Sujka Piotr , Szeląg Wojciech , Barański Mariusz
Published: June 2011

Numerical analysis of hysteresis loss in pulse transformer

In the paper, the mathematical model of coupled electromagnetic and thermal phenomena in the pulse transformer taking into account the magnetic hysteresis is presented. For the mapping of magnetic hysteresis, Jiles-Atherton model is applied. In order to solve field equations, the finite element method (FEM), "step-by-step" procedure and Newton-Raphson algorithm are used. Software elaborated on this basis is used for analysis of hysteresis loss in the core. Selected results of investigations are shown.
Deformation of earth's surface caused loading of tall building
Authors: Kollar P. , Mojzeš M. , Vaľko M.
Published: June 2011

Deformation of earth's surface caused loading of tall building

Tall buildings can cause deformations of the earth's crust for long distances from the area of their realization. Monitoring the deformation of tall big buildings from geodetic networks realised near the building can also have deformations from this point of view, and analysis of the measurements can result in false conclusions. The loading effect of the earth crust must be excluded from the measurement parameters. The paper presents a model computation of the loading effect produced by tall buildings constructed of simple geometric forms on the earth's crust.
On M. Sato's Classification of Some Reductive Prehomogeneous Vector Spaces
Authors: Kimura Tatsuo , Ishii Yukimi , Ryu Inhyun , Hamada Michio , Kurosawa Yoshiteru , Ouchi Masaya , Kamiyoshi Tomohiro
Published: June 2011

Under some condition, M. Sato classified reductive prehomogeneous vector spaces of the form

(G_{0}\times G,\Lambda _{1} \otimes \rho ,V(n)\otimes V)

. In this paper, under the other condition, we classify the prehomogeneous vector spaces of the same form. We consider everything over the complex number field

\mathbb{C}

.
Baker–Akhiezer Modules on the Intersections of Shifted Theta Divisors
Authors: Cho Koji , Mironov Andrey , Nakayashiki Atsushi
Published: June 2011

The restriction, on the spectral variables, of the Baker–Akhiezer (BA) module of a

g

-dimensional principally polarized abelian variety with the non-singular theta divisor to an intersection of shifted theta divisors is studied. It is shown that the restriction to a

k

-dimensional variety becomes a free module over the ring of differential operators in

k

variables. The remaining

g

–

k

derivations define evolution equations for generators of the BA-module. As a corollary new examples of commutative rings of partial differential operators with matrix coefficients and their non-trivial evolution equations are obtained.
Algebraic Analysis of Minimal Representations
Authors: Kobayashi Toshiyuki
Published: June 2011

Small representations of a group yield large symmetries in the representation space. Analysis of minimal representations utilizes large symmetries in their geometric models, and serves as a driving force in creating new interesting problems that interact with other branches of mathematics. This article discusses the following three topics that arise from minimal representations of the indefinite orthogonal group:

with emphasis on the prominent role of Sato's ideas in algebraic analysis.
Microlocal Geometry and Valued Fields
Authors: Loeser François
Published: June 2011

This is an overview of some recent connections between non-archimedean geometry and microlocal analysis, with some emphasis on the motivic Milnor fiber and the properties of tangent cones.
The Laplace Transform of the Cut-and-Join Equation and the Bouchard–Mariño Conjecture on Hurwitz Numbers
Authors: Eynard Bertrand , Mulase Motohico , Safnuk Bradley
Published: June 2011

We calculate the Laplace transform of the cut-and-join equation of Goulden, Jackson and Vakil. The result is a polynomial equation that has the topological structure identical to the Mirzakhani recursion formula for the Weil–Petersson volume of the moduli space of bordered hyperbolic surfaces. We find that the direct image of this Laplace transformed equation via the inverse of the Lambert W-function is the topological recursion formula for Hurwitz numbers conjectured by Bouchard and Mariño using topological string theory.
The Ruins of Participation: Claude Imbert's Anthropology of Logic
Authors: Keck Frédéric
Published: June 2011

This article proposes a reading of the work of Claude Imbert through the concept of participation. This concept comes from the logical tradition of Plato, in which it designates the inscription of the intelligible within the sensible. But Imbert, following the Stoics, gives it an anthropological turn, showing that it opens onto a reading of the syntaxes by which an event is correlated to another. This turn can be considered as a continuation of the genealogy going from Lévy-Bruhl to Lévi-Strauss in the anthropological reflection on the participation of the intelligible and the sensible.
Biologically Important Eremophilane Sesquiterpenes from Alaska Cedar Heartwood Essential Oil and Their Semi-Synthetic Derivatives
Authors: Khasawneh Mohammad A. , Xiong Yeping , Peralta-Cruz Javier , Karchesy Joe J.
Published: June 2011

The essential oil of Alaska cedar heartwood is known to contain compounds which contribute to the remarkable durability of this species. While previous research has identified several compounds, a complete description of this oil has not been undertaken. In this research a profile of the oil is given in which the major components are identified by GC, isolation and spectroscopic techniques. The major components of the steam distilled essential oil were identified as nootkatin, nootkatone, valencene, nootaktene, carvacrol, methyl carvacrol, nootkatol (2), and eremophil-1(10),11-dien-13-ol (3). The last two compounds were isolated for the first time from Alaska cedar in this research. The absolute stereochemistry at C-2 of nootkatol was shown to have the (S) configuration using the Mosher ester method. Assignment of stereochemistry for valencene-13-ol (3) was established by synthesis from valencene (6). Finally, two related sesquiterpenoids were synthesized from nootkatone and valencene. These sesquiterpenoids were nootkatone-1,10-11,12-diepoxide (5) and valencene-13-aldehyde (4), respectively.
A Standard CMOS Humidity Sensor without Post-Processing
Authors: Nizhnik Oleg , Higuchi Kohei , Maenaka Kazusuke
Published: June 2011

A 2 µW power dissipation, voltage-output, humidity sensor accurate to 5% relative humidity was developed using the LFoundry 0.15 µm CMOS technology without post-processing. The sensor consists of a woven lateral array of electrodes implemented in CMOS top metal, a Intervia Photodielectric 8023-10 humidity-sensitive layer, and a CMOS capacitance to voltage converter.
Second Life: A Virtual Learning Center for the Study of Sharks
Authors: Papadamou Tryfonas , Gavrilakis Costas , Tsolakidis Costas , Liarakou Georgia
Published: June 2011

In this work the educational capabilities of the virtual world Second Life are researched and tested. A virtual world is constructed to support education for sustainable development. The life and characteristics of the shark is studied as this fish has received a lot of negative publicity and is in the danger of extinction. A virtual museum was developed for this purpose. The research question is focused on whether it can be used effectively in a modern classroom and how difficult is for an educator to develop such an application. To achieve that, a number of learning activities were developed, a number of on line questionnaires were issued and a series of virtual meetings were held. Teachers used the application and answered the questionnaires. The entire effort was attempted through Internet exclusively.
Development and Evaluation of Gaze Tracking Integrated E-Learning Contents
Authors: Li Kai , Iribe Yurie
Published: June 2011

No learning could take place without input attention. In order to promote studentsâ?? attention in e-learning content, this study focuses on gaze tracking data as a kind of enhanced input. Gaze tracking integrated video and slide synchronized e-learning contents were developed and evaluated in the study. An eye mark is showed at e-learning contents to indicate where the teacher is explaining. A comparison survey is conducted. As a result, studentsâ?? learning attention is promoted with gaze tracking data in e-learning.
Vitamin D, Sunlight and Prostate Cancer Risk
Authors: Donkena Krishna Vanaja , Young Charles Y. F.
Published: June 2011

Prostate cancer is the second common cancer in men worldwide. The prevention of prostate cancer remains a challenge to researchers and clinicians. Here, we review the relationship of vitamin D and sunlight to prostate cancer risk. Ultraviolet radiation of the sunlight is the main stimulator for vitamin D production in humans. Vitamin D's antiprostate cancer activities may be involved in the actions through the pathways mediated by vitamin D metabolites, vitamin D metabolizing enzymes, vitamin D receptor (VDR), and VDR-regulated genes. Although laboratory studies including the use of animal models have shown that vitamin D has antiprostate cancer properties, whether it can effectively prevent the development and/or progression of prostate cancer in humans remains to be inconclusive and an intensively studied subject. This review will provide up-to-date information regarding the recent outcomes of laboratory and epidemiology studies on the effects of vitamin D on prostate cancer prevention.
Resistant Hypertension and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the Primary-Care Setting
Authors: Demede M. , Pandey A. , Zizi F. , Bachmann R. , Donat M. , McFarlane S. I. , Jean-Louis G. , Ogedegbe G.
Published: June 2011

We ascertained the prevalence of resistant hypertension (RH) among blacks and determined whether RH patients are at greater risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) than hypertensives.Method. Data emanated from Metabolic Syndrome Outcome Study (MetSO), a study investigating metabolic syndrome among blacks in the primary-care setting. Sample of 200 patients (mean age = 63 ± 13 years; female = 61%) with a diagnosis of hypertension provided subjective and clinical data. RH was defined using the JNC 7and European Society guidelines. We assessed OSA risk using the Apnea Risk Evaluation System ARES), defining high risk as a total ARES score ≥6.Results. Overall, 26% met criteria for RH and 40% were at high OSA risk. Logistic regression analysis, adjusting for effects of age, gender, and medical co morbidities, showed that patients with RH were nearly 2.5 times more likely to be at high OSA risk, relative to those with hypertension (OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.03–5.88,P<.05).Conclusion. Our findings show that the prevalence of RH among blacks fell within the range of RH for the general hypertensive population (3–29%). However, patients with RH were at significantly greater risk of OSA compared to patients with hypertension.
Histologically Measured Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy Correlates with Body Height as Strongly as with Body Mass Index
Authors: Tracy Richard E. , Sander Gary E.
Published: June 2011

Cardiac myocytes are presumed to enlarge with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). This study correlates histologically measured myocytes with lean and fat body mass. Cases of LVH without coronary heart disease and normal controls came from forensic autopsies. The cross-sectional widths of myocytes in H&E-stained paraffin sections followed log normal distributions almost to perfection in all 104 specimens, with constant coefficient of variation across the full range of ventricular weight, as expected if myocytes of all sizes contribute proportionately to hypertrophy. Myocyte sizes increased with height. By regression analysis, height2.7as a proxy for lean body mass and body mass index (BMI) as a proxy for fat body mass, exerted equal effects in the multiple correlation with myocyte volume, and the equation rejected race and sex. In summary, myocyte sizes, as indexes of LVH, suggest that lean and fat body mass may contribute equally.