bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Legitimacy beyond borders: Indian software services firms in the United States, 1984 to 2004
Authors: Pant Anirvan , Ramachandran J.
Published: August 2012

The emergence of developing country multinational companies (DMNCs) provides us an opportunity to redress the neglect of the process of cross‐border legitimation. We argue that DMNCs face three challenges to legitimation in developed country markets—liability of foreignness, liabilities of origin, and liability of advantage. By means of a qualitative inquiry into the cultural‐cognitive legitimation of Indian software services firms in the United States over the course of two decades, we identify five core legitimation dynamics that explain how DMNCs respond to the aforesaid challenges and acquire legitimacy in developed country markets. Our study suggests that global strategy is not merely about deploying competitive advantage, but is also about overcoming competitive disadvantage as reflected, say, in the absence of host country legitimacy.
Extending theory by analyzing developing country multinational companies: Solving the Goldilocks debate
Authors: Cuervo‐Cazurra Alvaro
Published: August 2012

I analyze how the study of developing country multinational companies (DMNCs) can help extend theory. The renewed interest in DMNCs has generated a ‘Goldilocks’ debate, with one camp arguing that the analysis of DMNCs is ‘hot’ and requires new theory, another camp arguing that it is ‘cold’ and no new theory is required, and a third camp arguing that it is ‘just right’ and it can be used to extend theory. I follow this third camp and argue that the unique conditions of developing countries influence the internationalization of DMNCs, creating a laboratory for extending theory. I illustrate this idea by reviewing some of the key theories and models of the multinational company and explaining how they can be extended with the study of DMNCs.
Mechanisms of intrinsic and acquired resistance to kinase‐targeted therapies
Authors: Bagrodia Shubha , Smeal Tod , Abraham Robert T.
Published: August 2012

Cancer drugs that target pivotal signaling molecules required for malignant cell survival and growth have demonstrated striking antitumor activities in appropriately selected patient populations. Unfortunately, however, therapeutic responses are often of limited duration, typically 6–12 months, because of emergence of drug‐resistant subclones of tumor cells. In this review, we highlight several of the mechanisms of emergent resistance to several kinase‐targeted small molecule therapies used in melanoma, non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other solid tumors as illustrative examples. We discuss the implications of these findings for the development of new treatment strategies to delay or prevent the onset of drug resistance.
Melanosome–iron interactions within retinal pigment epithelium‐derived cells
Authors: Kaczara Patrycja , Zaręba Mariusz , Herrnreiter Anja , Skumatz Christine M. B. , Żądło Andrzej , Sarna Tadeusz , Burke Janice M.
Published: August 2012

Melanosomes were recently shown to protect ARPE‐19 cells, a human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell line, against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide. One postulated mechanism of antioxidant action of melanin is its ability to bind metal ions. The aim here was to determine whether melanosomes are competent to bind iron within living cells, exhibiting a property previously shown only in model systems. The outcomes indicate retention of prebound iron and accumulation of iron by granules after iron delivery to cells via the culture medium, as determined by both colorimetric and electron spin resonance analyses for bound‐to‐melanosome iron. Manipulation of iron content did not affect the pigment's ability to protect cells against H2O2, but the function of pigment granules within RPE cells should be extended beyond a role in light irradiation to include participation in iron homeostasis.
The effect of copper conversion plates on low‐Z target image quality
Authors: Parsons David , Robar James L.
Published: August 2012

Purpose:

Common electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) contain a 1.0 mm copper conversion plate to increase detection efficiency of a therapeutic megavoltage spectrum. When used in imaging with a photon beam generated with a low atomic number (Z) target, the conversion plate attenuates a substantial proportion of photons in the diagnostic range, thereby reducing the achievable image quality. In this work, we measure directly dependence on low‐Z target image quality as a function of copper plate thickness, for both planar imaging and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methods:

Monte Carlo modeling was used to quantify changes to the diagnostic spectrum and detector response for low‐Z target beams generated with either 2.35 or 7.00 MeV electrons incident on a carbon target. Planar contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) and spatial resolution measurements were made as a function of copper thickness. CNR measurements were made for CBCT imaging as a function of dose both with and without the copper plate present in the EPID.

Results:

The presence of copper in the EPID decreased the diagnostic photon population by up to 20% and suppressed the peak detector response (dose deposited in the scintillator) at 60 keV by a factor of 6.4. Planar CNR was increased by a factor ranging from 1.4 to 4.0, depending on the material imaged, with no copper present compared to a standard 1.0 mm thickness. Planar spatial resolution was only slightly degraded with increasing copper thickness. Increases in CBCT image CNR ranged from a factor of 1.3–2.1 with the copper plate removed.

Conclusions:

It is possible to increase the proportion of photons in the diagnostic energy range (25 keV–150 keV) reaching the phosphor screen by as much as 20% when removing the copper conversion plate. This results in significant increases of planar and CBCT image CNR. Consequently, we suggest that the copper conversion plate be removed from the EPID when used for low‐Z target planar or CBCT imaging.
Titan Cell Production Enhances the Virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Crabtree Juliet N. , Okagaki Laura H. , Wiesner Darin L. , Strain Anna K. , Nielsen Judith N. , Nielsen Kirsten
Published: August 2012

Infection withCryptococcus neoformansbegins when desiccated yeast cells or spores are inhaled and lodge in the alveoli of the lungs. A subset of cryptococcal cells in the lungs differentiate into enlarged cells, referred to as titan cells. Titan cells can be as large as 50 to 100 μm in diameter and exhibit a number of features that may affect interactions with host immune defenses. To characterize the effect of titan cell formation on the host-pathogen interaction, we utilized a previously describedC. neoformansmutant, thegpr4Δgpr5Δ mutant, which has minimal titan cell productionin vivo. Thegpr4Δgpr5Δ mutant strain had attenuated virulence, a lower CFU, and reduced dissemination compared to the wild-type strain. Titan cell production by the wild-type strain also resulted in increased eosinophil accumulation and decreased phagocytosis in the lungs compared to those with thegpr4Δgpr5Δ mutant strain. Phagocytosed cryptococcal cells exhibited less viability than nonphagocytosed cells, which potentially explains the reduced cell survival and overall attenuation of virulence in the absence of titan cells. These data show that titan cell formation is a novel virulence factor inC. neoformansthat promotes establishment of the initial pulmonary infection and plays a key role in disease progression.
Postmenopausal woman with vaginal mass: do not forget to see for uterine inversion
Authors: Darji Parth , Banker Hiral , Gandhi Viplav , Thakkar Gurudatt
Published: August 2012

Inversion of the uterus is a rare clinical problem. It is encountered as an obstetric emergency and is a diagnostic challenge in gynaecology. Non-puerperal inversion usually results from a tumour implanted on fundus of the uterus. Treatment depends on the associated pathology and the stage of the inversion. A rare case of non-puerperal uterine inversion caused by a large fundal submucous fibroid in a 58-year-old woman resulting in lower abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding was reported. After removal of fibroid, reduction of the inversion was successful and then abdominal hysterectomy was performed.
Unusual intraorbital foreign body
Authors: Srirangam Ramesh , Gokhale Suvarna K , Kulkarni Adwait Uday , Gadre Kiran S
Published: August 2012

A case of a 41-year-old patient presenting late post-trauma with out any major signs or symptoms is presented herewith. On radiological investigation, a peculiar foreign body was identified in the orbital floor. To our surprise the point of entry of the foreign body was not proportionate with the size of it. Moreover, the trajectory and final location of foreign body did not concur with the symptom less presentation of patient. After what was thought to be adequate investigation, the patient was taken under general anaesthesia to reveal an additional foreign body that put most of the preoperative queries to rest. This case in retrospect emphasises the need for ruling out foreign body in the case of any penetrating injury of orbit with the help of not just radiographs and CT scans but also ultrasonography and MRI.
Capnocytophagabacteraemia following rituximab treatment
Authors: Pokroy-Shapira Elisheva , Shiber Shachaf , Molad Yair
Published: August 2012

A case is presented ofCapnocytophagabacteraemia, in a juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) patient receiving steroids, methotrexate and rituximab. This Gram-negative bacillus commonly found in dog saliva has been described to cause illness in immune compromised hosts such as oncology patients, those receiving cytotoxic or biological drugs, alcoholics or postsplenectomy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report ofCapnocytophagabacteraemia following rituximab treatment.
In situ free-floating craniectomy: an unusual cause of chronic post-traumatic cephalalgia
Authors: Kaliaperumal Chandrasekaran , Raveendran Savitha
Published: August 2012

We describe a case of post-traumatic cephalalgia in a 54-year-old man with chronic right parieto-occipital headache 3 years posthead injury. At the initial presentation, his Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was 13/15 and CT brain revealed an acute subdural haematoma with fronto-temporal contusions. After 24 h his GCS dropped to 8/15 and subsequently he underwent a right-sided craniotomy and evacuation of the subdural haematoma and contusionectomy and intracranial pressure monitoring. To manage the cerebral oedema, the cranial bone flap was left in situ free-floating and was managed in an intensive care setting. He made good clinical recovery and 3 months postoperatively he complained of right-sided headache not relieved with medication and occipital nerve block. Three years later he underwent an exploration of the previous craniotomy scalp wound and the free-floating bone flap under the scalp was immobilised. The headache completely resolved following the procedure and is currently asymptomatic.
COMPLEX NETWORKS EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS USING GENETIC ALGORITHMS
Authors: AGUILAR-HIDALGO DANIEL , ZURITA ANTONIO CÓRDOBA , FERNÁNDEZ Ma CARMEN LEMOS
Published: August 2012

Gene regulatory networks set a second order approximation to genetics understanding, where the first order is the knowledge at the single gene activity level. With the increasing number of sequenced genomes, including humans, the time has come to investigate the interactions among myriads of genes that result in complex behaviors. These characteristics are included in the novel discipline of Systems Biology. The composition and unfolding of interactions among genes determine the activity of cells and, when is considered during development, the organogenesis. Hence the interest of building representative networks of gene expression and their time evolution, i.e. the structure as the network dynamics, for certain development processes. The complexity of this kind of problems makes imperative to analyze the problem in the field of network theory and the evolutionary dynamics of complex systems.

All this has led us to investigate, in a first step, the evolutionary dynamics in generic networks. Thus, the results can be used in experimental researches in the field of Systems Biology. This research aims to decode the transformation rules governing the evolutionary dynamics in a network. To do this, a genetic algorithm has been implemented in which, starting from initial and ending network states, it is possible to determine the transformation dynamics between these states by using simple acting rules. The network description is the following: (a) The network node values in the initial and ending states can be active or inactive; (b) The network links can act as activators or repressors; (c) A set of rules is established in order to transform the initial state into the ending one; (d) Due to the low connectivity, frequently observed, in gene regulatory networks, each node will hold a maximum of three inputs with no restriction on outputs. The "chromosomes" of the genetic algorithm include two parts, one related to the node links and another related to the transformation rules.

The implemented rules are based on certain genetic interactions behavior. The rules and their combinations are compound by logic conditions and set the bases to the network motifs formation, which are the building blocks of the network dynamics.

The implemented algorithm is able to find appropriate dynamics in complex networks evolution among different states for several cases.
DYNAMICS OF PERSISTENT INFECTIONS IN HOMOGENEOUS POPULATIONS
Authors: SANZ JOAQUÍN , FLORÍA LUIS MARIO , MORENO YAMIR
Published: August 2012

Modeling the dynamics of persistent infections presents several challenges. These diseases are characterized by long latency periods, which makes it compulsory to consider populations of varying sizes. In this paper, we discuss a model for the spreading of persistent infections in homogeneous, well-mixed, populations. We first derive the equations describing the system's dynamics and find the epidemic threshold by a stability analysis. Analytical solutions are then shown to agree with results obtained with numerical simulations. The present model, although simple, opens the path to more complex approaches to the spreading of persistent infections.
COMPLEX DYNAMICAL BEHAVIORS OF DEFLECTION ROUTING ON GRID NETWORKS
Authors: THONG WILSON WANG-KIT , CHEN GUANRONG
Published: August 2012

Deflection routing is a mechanism to route packets away from congestion. Traditional shortest path routing uses only the static topological information as input, whereas deflection routing takes into account the dynamic queue length information. In the simplest form of deflection routing, a packet being dropped due to queue buffer overflow is "rescued" and is rerouted to other links. Deflection routing can thus reduce the rate of packet drops and allow a network to carry more packets without the need of additional bandwidth. However, it can also lead to unstable deflecting behavior in some congestion scenario. It is important to study deflection behavior when operating near the point of congestion. In this paper, the performance in terms of packet drop rate and traveling time are studied through extensive simulation, and complex behavior in the traffic with self-similarity property is observed and discussed.
STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS: THE TRANSITION FROM NONEQUILIBRIUM TO EQUILIBRIUM IN INTEGRATE-AND-FIRE DYNAMICS
Authors: COMIN CESAR H. , BATISTA JOÃO L. B. , VIANA MATHEUS P. , COSTA LUCIANO DA F. , TRAVENÇOLO BRUNO A. N. , KAISER MARCUS
Published: August 2012

The transient and equilibrium properties of dynamics unfolding in complex systems can depend critically on specific topological features of the underlying interconnections. In this work, we investigate such a relationship with respect to the integrate-and-fire dynamics emanating from a source node and an extended network model that allows control of the small-world feature as well as the length of the long-range connections. A systematic approach to investigate the local and global correlations between structural and dynamical features of the networks was adopted that involved extensive simulations (one and a half million cases) so as to obtain two-dimensional correlation maps. Smooth, but diverse surfaces of correlation values were obtained in all cases. Regarding the global cases, it has been verified that the onset avalanche time (but not its intensity) can be accurately predicted from the structural features within specific regions of the map (i.e. networks with specific structural properties). The analysis at local level revealed that the dynamical features before the avalanches can also be accurately predicted from structural features. This is not possible for the dynamical features after the avalanches take place. This is so because the overall topology of the network predominates over the local topology around the source at the stationary state.
PINNING IMPULSIVE STABILIZATION OF NONLINEAR DYNAMICAL NETWORKS WITH TIME-VARYING DELAY
Authors: LU JIANQUAN , WANG ZIDONG , CAO JINDE , HO DANIEL W.C. , KURTHS JÜRGEN
Published: August 2012

In this paper, a new impulsive control strategy, namely pinning impulsive control, is proposed for the stabilization problem of nonlinear dynamical networks with time-varying delay. In this strategy, only a small fraction of nodes is impulsively controlled to globally exponentially stabilize the whole dynamical network. By employing the Lyapunov method combined with the mathematical analysis approach as well as the comparison principle for impulsive systems, some criteria are obtained to guarantee the success of the global exponential stabilization process. The obtained criteria are closely related to the proportion of the controlled nodes, the impulsive strength, the impulsive interval and the time-delay. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the designed pinning impulsive controllers.
MODELING THE EVOLUTION OF ITEM RATING NETWORKS USING TIME-DOMAIN PREFERENTIAL ATTACHMENT
Authors: LAVIA EDMUNDO F. , CHERNOMORETZ ARIEL , BULDÚ JAVIER M. , ZANIN MASSIMILIANO , BALENZUELA PABLO
Published: August 2012

The understanding of the structure and dynamics of the intricate network of connections among people that consumes products through Internet appears as an extremely useful asset in order to study emergent properties related to social behavior. This knowledge could be useful, for example, to improve the performance of personal recommendation algorithms. In this contribution, we analyzed five-year records of movie-rating transactions provided by Netflix, a movie rental platform where users rate movies from an online catalog. This dataset can be studied as a bipartite user-item network whose structure evolves in time. Even though several topological properties from subsets of this bipartite network have been reported with a model that combines random and preferential attachment mechanisms [Beguerisse Díaz et al., 2010], there are still many aspects worth to be explored, as they are connected to relevant phenomena underlying the evolution of the network. In this work, we test the hypothesis that bursty human behavior is essential in order to describe how a bipartite user-item network evolves in time. To that end, we propose a novel model that combines, for user nodes, a network growth prescription based on a preferential attachment mechanism acting not only in the topological domain (i.e. based on node degrees) but also in time domain. In the case of items, the model mixes degree preferential attachment and random selection. With these ingredients, the model is not only able to reproduce the asymptotic degree distribution, but also shows an excellent agreement with the Netflix data in several time-dependent topological properties.
DEPENDENCY NETWORK AND NODE INFLUENCE: APPLICATION TO THE STUDY OF FINANCIAL MARKETS
Authors: KENETT DROR Y. , PREIS TOBIAS , GUR-GERSHGOREN GITIT , BEN-JACOB ESHEL
Published: August 2012

Much effort has been devoted to assess the importance of nodes in complex networks. Examples of commonly used measures of node importance include node degree, node centrality and node vulnerability score (the effect of the node deletion on the network efficiency). Here we present a new approach to compute and investigate the mutual dependencies between network nodes from the matrices of node–node correlations. The dependency network approach provides a new system level analysis of the activity and topology of directed networks. The approach extracts topological relations between the networks nodes (when the network structure is analyzed), and provides an important step towards inference of causal activity relations between the network nodes (when analyzing the network activity). The resulting dependency networks are a new class of correlation-based networks, and are capable of uncovering hidden information on the structure of the network. Here, we present a review of the new approach, and an example of its application to financial markets. We apply the methodology to the daily closing prices of all Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index components for the period 1939–2010. Investigating the structure and dynamics of the dependency network across time, we find fingerprints of past financial crises, illustrating the importance of this methodology.
SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PREDICTORS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL CAREER INTENTION: EVIDENCE FROM HISPANIC ADULTS IN THE U.S.
Authors: ABEBE MICHAEL A.
Published: August 2012

While there is a burgeoning literature on entrepreneurial career intentions, much scholarly work is yet to be done in understanding the dynamic factors that influence entrepreneurial venture formation among minority groups. In this study, I specifically examined the social (i.e. perceived social status, perceived social support) and institutional (perceived institutional support) predictors of entrepreneurial career intentions among 186 young Hispanic American Adults in the southern part of U.S. After controlling for personality, work experience and educational attainment, the results provide strong empirical support for the social, not institutional, predictors of entrepreneurial career intentions. Overall, the findings of this study contribute to the on-going research on minority entrepreneurship in general and Hispanic entrepreneurship in particular by identifying important social predictors of entrepreneurial career intentions. Practical implications of the study are also discussed.
NONLINEAR ANALYSIS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNALS: A REVIEW
Authors: FAUST OLIVER , BAIRY MURALIDHAR G.
Published: August 2012

This paper reviews various nonlinear analysis methods for physiological signals. The assessment is based on a discussion of chaos-inspired methods, such as fractal dimension (FD), correlation dimension (D2), largest Lyapunov exponet (LLE), Renyi's entropy (REN), Shannon spectral entropy (SEN), and approximate entropy (ApEn). We document that these methods are used to extract discriminative features from electroencephalograph (EEG) and heart rate variability (HRV) signals by reviewing the relevant scientific literature. EEG features can be used to support the diagnosis of epilepsy and HRV features can be used to support the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases as well as diabetes. Documenting the widespread use of these and other nonlinear methods supports our thesis that the study of feature extraction methods, based on the chaos theory, is an important subject which has been gaining more and significance in biomedical engineering. We adopt the position that pursuing research in the field of biomedical engineering is ultimately a progmatic activity, where it is necessary to engage in features that work. In this case, the nonlinear features are working well, even if we do not have conclusive evidence that the underlying physiological phenomena are indeed chaotic.
ANALYZING UPPER LIMB REFLEXIVE RESPONSES FOR PROSTHETIC APPLICATIONS
Authors: YU WENWEI , SOMA HIROKAZU , GONZALEZ JOSE
Published: August 2012

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in upper limb prosthetic hand control, but most of these studies focused on the detection of exact motion intentions. Few results have been reported on the perturbation resistance of prostheses, which is extremely important for their uses in daily life. Understanding the human upper limb reflexive mechanism would provide an efficient solution to improve the perturbation resistance of prostheses. In this study, upper limb reflexive responses to force perturbation were measured in the conditions as determined from activities of daily living. Specifically, not only muscle activities, but also joint angle changes of the reflexive responses to multi-direction, multi-site perturbation during a reaching motion were recorded and analyzed. Results showed a direction-dependency of the upper limb reflexive mechanism and the different roles of shoulder, elbow, and wrist during the responses. The results could be applied to the control system of prosthetic devices for improving their perturbation resistance.
POSTURE CONTROL AND BALANCE DURING TAI CHI CHUAN PUSH HANDS MOVEMENTS IN A FIXED STANCE
Authors: WANG LIN-HWA , LO KUO-CHENG , SU FONG-CHIN
Published: August 2012

The present study investigated the adequacy of the interaction between the center of mass (COM) and the center of pressure (COP) for maintaining dynamic stability during Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) Push Hands movements in a fixed stance. The COM of the whole body and COP were calculated. Four TCC experts, with 10.3 ± 1.7 years' experience in the Push Hands technique, and 4 TCC beginners, with 2.5 ± 1.3 years' Push Hands experience, were recruited. An Expert Vision Eagle motion analysis system collected kinematic data and 4 Kistler force plates collected the ground reaction force data. The expert group of TCC practitioners showed a significantly more vertical (P = 0.001) direction in the neutralizing circle, and significantly larger values for anterior–posterior (A–P) (P = 0.006) and vertical (P = 0.0004) displacement in the enticing circle, than the beginner group. Compared with the beginner group, the expert group demonstrated significantly greater velocity A–P (P = 0.001) and vertical (P = 0.001) COM displacements in the enticing circle. A significant extent main effect (P = 0.0028) was observed for the COPA–P excursion between the expert and beginner groups during Push Hands movements. The greater A–P force generated by both groups during the initiation of the Push Hands cycle probably reflects the more rapid and forward-oriented nature of this movement. The TCC beginners might have difficulties with movement transfers because of disruptions in the temporal sequencing of the forces. Overall, results indicated that the initial experience-related differences in COM transfers are reflected in the Push Hands movement cycle.
AMENABLE ACTIONS, INVARIANT MEANS AND BOUNDED COHOMOLOGY
Authors: BRODZKI JACEK , NIBLO GRAHAM A. , NOWAK PIOTR W. , WRIGHT NICK
Published: August 2012

We show that amenability of an action of a discrete group on a compact space X is equivalent to vanishing of bounded cohomology for a class of Banach G-modules associated to the action, that can be viewed as analogs of continuous bundles of dual modules over the G-space X. In the case when the compact space is a point, our result reduces to a classic theorem of Johnson, characterising amenability of groups. In the case when the compact space is the Stone–Čech compactification of the group, we obtain a cohomological characterisation of exactness, or equivalently, Yu's property A for the group, answering a question of Higson.
An Epidemiological Model of Rift Valley Fever with Spatial Dynamics
Authors: Niu Tianchan , Gaff Holly D. , Papelis Yiannis E. , Hartley David M.
Published: August 2012

As a category A agent in the Center for Disease Control bioterrorism list, Rift Valley fever (RVF) is considered a major threat to the United States (USA). Should the pathogen be intentionally or unintentionally introduced to the continental USA, there is tremendous potential for economic damages due to loss of livestock, trade restrictions, and subsequent food supply chain disruptions. We have incorporated the effects of space into a mathematical model of RVF in order to study the dynamics of the pathogen spread as affected by the movement of humans, livestock, and mosquitoes. The model accounts for the horizontal transmission of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) between two mosquito and one livestock species, and mother-to-offspring transmission of virus in one of the mosquito species. Space effects are introduced by dividing geographic space into smaller patches and considering the patch-to-patch movement of species. For each patch, a system of ordinary differential equations models fractions of populations susceptible to, incubating, infectious with, or immune to RVFV. The main contribution of this work is a methodology for analyzing the likelihood of pathogen establishment should an introduction occur into an area devoid of RVF. Examples are provided for general and specific cases to illustrate the methodology.
Using Primary Care Parenting Interventions to Improve Outcomes in Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Case Report
Authors: Tellegen Cassandra L. , Sanders Matthew R.
Published: August 2012

Parenting is central to the health and well-being of children. Children with developmental disabilities have been shown to be at increased risk of developing emotional and behavioral problems. Parent training programs are effective interventions for improving child behavior and family functioning. This paper describes the outcomes of a brief 4-session parenting intervention (Primary Care Stepping Stones Triple P) targeting compliance and cooperative play skills in an 8-year-old girl with Asperger’s disorder and ADHD combined type. The intervention was associated with decreases in child behavior problems, increases in parenting confidence, and decreases in dysfunctional parenting styles. This paper demonstrates that low-intensity parenting interventions can lead to significant improvements in child behavior and family functioning. Such brief interventions are cost effective, can be widely disseminated, and have been designed to be delivered within primary health care settings. Pediatricians can play a key role in identifying parents in need of assistance and in helping them access evidence-based parenting interventions.
Analysis of Scaling Law and Figure of Merit of Fiber‐Based Biosensor
Authors: Lin Jui-Teng , Cheng Da-Chuan , Jiang Minshan , Chiang Yueh-Sheng , Liu Hsia-Wei
Published: August 2012

This paper presents a normalized transmitted signal (NTS) of a fiber‐based sensor using gold nanorods as the plasmon excitation medium of the evanescent wave. The NTS and the refractive index (RI) sensitivity is calculated as a function of the gold aspect ratio (R), the RI of the sensing medium, and a scaling parameter given by the ratio of the fiber length and its diameter. Finally, the optimal value of gold aspect ratio is calculated to be R = (3.0–4.0) for maximum figure of merits (FOMs) defined by the ratio of the refractive index sensitivity and the full width at half maximum. The scaling laws and the FOM presented in this paper may serve as the guidelines for optimal designs in fiber‐based nanosensors.
Association of Active Human Herpesvirus-6, -7 and Parvovirus B19 Infection with Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Authors: Chapenko Svetlana , Krumina Angelika , Logina Inara , Rasa Santa , Chistjakovs Maksims , Sultanova Alina , Viksna Ludmila , Murovska Modra
Published: August 2012

Frequency of active human herpesvirus-6, -7 (HHV-6, HHV-7) and parvovirus B19 (B19) infection/coinfection and its association with clinical course of ME/CFS was evaluated. 108 ME/CFS patients and 90 practically healthy persons were enrolled in the study. Viral genomic sequences were detected by PCR, virus-specific antibodies and cytokine levels—by ELISA, HHV-6 variants—by restriction analysis. Active viral infection including concurrent infection was found in 64.8% (70/108) of patients and in 13.3% (12/90) of practically healthy persons. Increase in peripheral blood leukocyte DNA HHV-6 load as well as in proinflammatory cytokines' levels was detected in patients during active viral infection. Definite relationship was observed between active betaherpesvirus infection and subfebrility, lymphadenopathy and malaise after exertion, and between active B19 infection and multijoint pain. Neuropsychological disturbances were detected in all patients. The manifestation of symptoms was of more frequent occurrence in patients with concurrent infection. The high rate of active HHV-6, HHV-7 and B19 infection/coinfection with the simultaneous increase in plasma proinflammatory cytokines' level as well as the association between active viral infection and distinctive types of clinical symptoms shows necessity of simultaneous study of these viral infections for identification of possible subsets of ME/CFS.
The Experimental Performance of an Unglazed PVT Collector with Two Different Absorber Types
Authors: Kim Jin-Hee , Kim Jun-Tae
Published: August 2012

Photovoltaic-thermal collectors combine photovoltaic modules and solar thermal collectors, forming a single device that produces electricity and heat simultaneously. There are two types of liquid-type PVT collectors, depending on the existence or absence of a glass cover over the PV module. The glass-covered (glazed) PVT collector produces relatively more thermal energy but has a lower electrical yield, whereas the uncovered (unglazed) PVT collector has a relatively low thermal energy and somewhat higher electrical performance. The thermal and electrical performance of liquid-type PVT collectors is related not only to the collector design, such as whether a glass cover is used, but also to the absorber design, that is, whether the absorber is for the sheet-and-tube type or the fully wetted type. The design of the absorber, as it comes into contact with the PV modules and the liquid tubes, is regarded as important, as it is related to the heat transfer from the PV modules to the liquid in the tubes. In this paper, the experimental performance of two liquid-type PVT collectors, a sheet-and-tube type and a fully wetted type, was analyzed.
Sharp Integral Inequalities Based on a General Four-Point Quadrature Formula via a Generalization of the Montgomery Identity
Authors: Pečarić J. , Ribičić Penava M.
Published: August 2012

We consider families of general four-point quadrature formulae using a generalization of the Montgomery identity via Taylor’s formula. The results are applied to obtain some sharp inequalities for functions whose derivatives belong to spaces. Generalizations of Simpson’s 3/8 formula and the Lobatto four-point formula with related inequalities are considered as special cases.
Complete Hydatidiform Mole Presenting as a Placenta Accreta in a Twin Pregnancy with a Coexisting Normal Fetus: Case Report
Authors: Aguilera Marijo , Rauk Philip , Ghebre Rahel , Ramin Kirk
Published: August 2012

A twin pregnancy with a complete hydatidiform mole and a coexisting normal fetus (CHMF) is a rare clinical scenario, and it carries many associated pregnancy and postnatal risks. Limited numbers of case studies exist reporting an outcome of live birth, and only three prior cases report the presentation of a hydatidiform mole as a placenta previa. We report a case of CHMF with the molar component presenting antenatally as a placenta previa, which ultimately resulted in placenta accreta at the time of delivery. A live male infant was delivered at 34 weeks’ gestation via planned cesarean section, and a hysterectomy was performed following unsuccessful removal of the molar component. We additionally utilized previously described methods of placing internal iliac balloons and ureteral stents prior to delivery. In such a high-risk pregnancy with a known molar previa component, these surgical preparation measures may be of benefit.
Challenging Regional Psoriasis and Ustekinumab Biotherapy: Impact of the Patterns of Disease
Authors: Hermanns-Lê Trinh , Berardesca Enzo , Piérard Gérald E. , Lesuisse Marianne , Piérard-Franchimont Claudine
Published: August 2012

In some patients, psoriasis appears refractory to many treatments, particularly when the disease is confined to some specific body regions. In this respect, palmoplantar psoriasis and palmoplantar pustulosis are possibly related conditions in their immunopathomechanisms involving Il-12, IL-23, and Th17. Nail psoriasis and scalp psoriasis are two other particular psoriasis manifestations. Accordingly, ustekinumab was tested in a few of these patients. The present paper is limited to peer-reviewed case reports. Data were not supported by bioinstrumental assessments and controlled trials. Overall, they are indicative of potential efficacy. The cost-effectiveness and the risk-benefit assessments merit further investigations.
Substance P Regulates Environmental Tobacco Smoke-Enhanced Tracheal Smooth Muscle Responsiveness in Mice
Authors: Xiao Lan , Wu Zhong-Xin
Published: August 2012

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is an environmental trigger that leads to airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in susceptible individuals and animals, but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Substance P (SP) release from sensory nerve fibers has been linked to AHR. The present experiments characterize the role of SP in tracheal smooth muscle on ETS-increased airway responses. The mice were exposed to either sidestream tobacco smoke (SS), a surrogate to ETS, or filtered air (FA) for 1 day or 5 consecutive days. Contractions of tracheal smooth muscle to SP and electrical field stimulation (EFS) were not significantly altered in 1 of day SS-exposed mice. However, 5 of days SS exposure significantly increased airway smooth muscle contractions to SP and EFS. Administration of CP-99994, an antagonist of the neurokinin (NK)1 receptor, attenuates the SS exposure-enhanced tracheal smooth muscle responses to EFS. Furthermore, the immunohistochemistry showed that SP nerve fibers were increased in tracheal smooth muscle after 5 of days SS exposure. These results suggest that the increased SP production may contribute to SS-enhanced smooth muscle responsiveness in mice trachea.
Complications Associated with Insertion of Intrauterine Pressure Catheters: An Unusual Case of Uterine Hypertonicity and Uterine Perforation Resulting in Fetal Distress after Insertion of an Intrauterine Pressure Catheter
Authors: Rood Kara M.
Published: August 2012

Insertion of intrauterine pressure catheters is a routine procedure performed in labor and delivery departments, with few associated complications. There are several reports of maternal and neonatal morbidity associated with the use of intrauterine pressure catheters and their rare adverse outcomes. We report an unusual case of uterine hypertonicity resulting in fetal distress, immediately after the placement of an intrauterine pressure catheter. An emergent Cesarean section was performed for fetal distress and revealed a 5 cm vertical rent in the posterior lower uterine segment. The uterine perforation was repaired intraoperatively. Mother and infant did well and were discharged home on postoperative day four.
Theoretical Analysis for a Class of Rheonomous Affine Constraints on Configuration Manifolds—Part I: Fundamental Properties and Integrability/Nonintegrability Conditions
Authors: Kai Tatsuya
Published: August 2012

We analyze a class of rheonomous affine constraints defined on configuration manifolds from the viewpoint of integrability/nonintegrability. First, we give the definition of A‐rheonomous affine constraints and introduce, geometric representation their. Some fundamental properties of the A‐rheonomous affine constrains are also derived. We next define the rheonomous bracket and derive some necessary and sufficient conditions on the respective three cases: complete integrability, partial integrability, and complete nonintegrability for the A‐rheonomous affine constrains. Then, we apply the integrability/nonintegrability conditions to some physical examples in order to confirm the effectiveness of our new results.
Pulmonary Complications following Cytoreductive Surgery and Perioperative Chemotherapy in 147 Consecutive Patients
Authors: Preti Vinicius , Chang David , Sugarbaker Paul H.
Published: August 2012

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic perioperative chemotherapy (HIPEC) has become a treatment option for selected patients with peritoneal metastases (PMs) from gastrointestinal malignancies. The purpose of this study is to evaluate our most recent data regarding pulmonary complications (respiratory distress, pleural effusion, and pneumonia) and attempt to identify risk factors associated with this management plan. This study includes the most recent 4-year experience with appendiceal and colorectal carcinomatosis patients treated in a uniform manner between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2009. A prospective morbidity and mortality database was maintained and pulmonary adverse events were analyzed with special attention to subphrenic peritonectomy. There were 147 consecutive patients with a mean age of 49.9 years. Fourteen patients (10%) presented grades I–IV pulmonary complications for a total of 26 events. The peritonectomy of right upper quadrant was performed in 74% and right plus left in 49% of the patients. Statistically, there were no more pulmonary complications among patients submitted to peritoneal stripping of right or right and left hemidiaphragm as compared to no subdiaphragmatic peritonectomy (P=1.00andP=0.58, resp.). In an analysis of 18 quantitative indicators and clinical variables with pulmonary adverse events, only blood replacement greater than six units showed a significant correlation (P=0.0062). Pulmonary adverse events were observed in 10% of patients having CRS and HIPEC. Subphrenic peritonectomy was not a specific risk factor for developing these adverse events.
Least‐Squares Parameter Estimation Algorithm for a Class of Input Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Xiong Weili , Fan Wei , Ding Rui
Published: August 2012

This paper studies least‐squares parameter estimation algorithms for input nonlinear systems, including the input nonlinear controlled autoregressive (IN‐CAR) model and the input nonlinear controlled autoregressive autoregressive moving average (IN‐CARARMA) model. The basic idea is to obtain linear‐in‐parameters models by overparameterizing such nonlinear systems and to use the least‐squares algorithm to estimate the unknown parameter vectors. It is proved that the parameter estimates consistently converge to their true values under the persistent excitation condition. A simulation example is provided.
Background Traffic-Based Retransmission Algorithm for Multimedia Streaming Transfer over Concurrent Multipaths
Authors: Cao Yuanlong , Xu Changqiao , Guan Jianfeng , Zhang Hongke
Published: August 2012

The content-rich multimedia streaming will be the most attractive services in the next-generation networks. With function of distribute data across multipath end-to-end paths based on SCTP's multihoming feature, concurrent multipath transfer SCTP (CMT-SCTP) has been regarded as the most promising technology for the efficient multimedia streaming transmission. However, the current researches on CMT-SCTP mainly focus on the algorithms related to the data delivery performance while they seldom consider the background traffic factors. Actually, background traffic of realistic network environments has an important impact on the performance of CMT-SCTP. In this paper, we firstly investigate the effect of background traffic on the performance of CMT-SCTP based on a close realistic simulation topology with reasonable background traffic in NS2, and then based on the localness nature of background flow, a further improved retransmission algorithm, namedRTX_CSI, is proposed to reach more benefits in terms of average throughput and achieve high users' experience of quality for multimedia streaming services.
Optical and Electrical Properties of Magnetron Sputtering Deposited Cu–Al–O Thin Films
Authors: Zhang Yongjian , Liu Zhengtang , Zang Duyang , Feng Liping , Che Xingsen , Li Yanyan
Published: August 2012

We have successfully prepared Cu–Al–O films on silicon (100) and quartz substrates with copper and aluminum composite target by using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method. We have related the structural and optical-electrical properties of the films to the sputtering area ratio of Cu/Al for the target (rCu/Al). The deposition rate of the film andrCu/Alcan be fitted by an exponential function.rCu/Alplays a critical role in the final phase constitution and the preferred growth orientation of the CuAlO2phase, thus affecting the film surface morphology significantly. The film with main phase of CuAlO2has been obtained withrCu/Alof 45%. The films show p-type conductivity. With the increase ofrCu/Al, the electrical resistivity decreases first and afterwards increases again. WithrCu/Alof 45%, the optimum electrical resistivity of 80 Ω·cm is obtained, with the optical transmittance being 72%–79% in the visible region (400–760 nm). The corresponding direct band gap and indirect band gap are estimated to be 3.6 eV and 1.7 eV, respectively.
Feasibility of Carbonaceous Nanomaterial-Assisted Photocatalysts Calcined at Different Temperatures for Indoor Air Applications
Authors: Jo Wan-Kuen , Kim Kun-Hwan
Published: August 2012

This study examined the characteristics and photocatalytic activity of multiwall carbon nanotube-assisted TiO2(MWNT-TiO2) nanocomposites calcined at different temperatures to assess their potential indoor air applications. It was confirmed that the composites calcined at low temperatures (300 and 400°C) contained TiO2nanoparticles bound intimately to the MWNT networks. Meanwhile, almost no MWNTs were observed when the calcination temperature was increased to 500 and 600°C. The MWNT-TiO2composites calcined at low temperatures showed higher photocatalytic decomposition efficiencies for aromatic hydrocarbons at indoor concentrations than those calcined at high temperatures. The mean efficiencies for benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and o-xylene (BTEX) by the composite calcined at 300°C were 32, 70, 79, and 79%, respectively, whereas they were 33, 71, 78, and 78% for the composite calcined at 400°C, respectively. In contrast, the efficiencies decreased to close to zero when the calcination temperature was increased to 600°C. Moreover, the MWNT-TiO2exhibited superior photocatalytic performance for the decomposition efficiencies compared to TiO2under conventional UV-lamp irradiations. Consequently, these carbonaceous nanomaterial-assisted photocatalysts can be applied effectively to indoor air applications depending upon the calcination temperature.