bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mandibular symphysis and ramus as sources of osteoblastic cells for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Ferraz EP , Xavier SP , de Oliveira PT , Beloti MM , Rosa AL
Published: April 2013

Objectives

Autografts from mandibular symphysis and ramus are often used for bone reconstruction. Based on this, we hypothesized that these sites could be useful cell sources for bone tissue engineering approaches. Thus, our study aimed at evaluating the proliferation and osteoblast phenotype development of cells derived from mandibular symphysis and ramus.

Materials and Methods

Cells were isolated from bone fragments of four patients by enzymatic digestion and cultured under osteogenic condition for up to 17 days. Cultures were assayed for cell proliferation, gene expression of key bone markers runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), distal‐less homeobox 5 (DLX5), SATB homeobox 2 (SATB2), Osterix (OSX), family with sequence similarity 20, member C (FAM20C), bone sialoprotein (BSP), osteopontin (OPN) and osteocalcin (OC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression and activity, and extracellular matrix mineralization. Data were compared by two‐way ANOVA or t‐test for independent samples when appropriate.

Results

Cells derived from ramus displayed lower proliferative activity and higher gene expression of Runx2, DLX5, SATB2, OSX, FAM20C, BSP, OPN and OC, ALP protein expression and activity and extracellular matrix mineralization compared with symphysis‐derived cells.

Conclusion

Symphysis and ramus may be considered as cell sources for bone tissue engineering approaches but due to the higher osteogenic potential, ramus‐derived cells are more appealing for constructing cell‐based biomaterials.
Fragmented Images: The Last Tomb Paintings of Tarquinia
Authors: Roth Roman
Published: April 2013

Cultural decline as a result of the Roman conquest is usually invoked to explain the gradual disappearance of Tarquinian tomb paintings during the third century BC. By contrast, this paper argues that, first, the late tomb paintings of Tarquinia markedly differed from their predecessors by decorating individual burials (fragmentation), as opposed to entire chamber tombs, which should be seen as a culturally meaningful development in the iconographic approach towards representing the deceased; and that, second, the disappearance of this time‐honoured type of monument be seen as part of wider changes in the ways in which Tarquinian and other Etruscan elites chose to materialize their ideologies during the cultural and political realignments of the period of the Roman conquest.
A Fresh Eye on Familiar Objects: Rethinking Toiletry Sets in Roman Britain
Authors: Morrison Wendy A.
Published: April 2013

Toiletry sets are often commonplace on rural Romano‐British sites, leading to speculation that the indigenous population aspired to Roman standards of hygiene and grooming. Artefacts interpreted as cosmetic grinders have been seen as further evidence for body modification for the sake of appearances; these objects are often prominent in discussion of Romanization and identity. Drawing on ethnographic evidence, this paper offers an alternative to the traditional and seemingly unquestioned function of the Pre‐Roman Iron Age (PRIA)/ Romano‐British toiletry sets and cosmetic grinders. It is suggested that they may have had a role in the treatment of trachoma, an eye disease which may have been rampant in some areas of Roman Britain. It is hoped that this view may generate some discussion not only about the artefacts themselves, but also about how we interpret function, often in the face of a real paucity of evidence.
Modification of anesthesia practice reduces catheter‐associated bloodstream infections: a quality improvement initiative
Authors: Martin Lizabeth D. , Rampersad Sally E. , Geiduschek Jeremy M. , Zerr Danielle M. , Weiss Gillian K. , Martin Lynn D.
Published: April 2013

Background

A major strategic hospital goal is the prevention of catheter associated bloodstream infections (CABSI). In 2009, at our institution, the CABSI rate for patients who traveled out of the ICU to the operating room and other procedural areas under the care of an anesthesiologist was increased compared to patients who remained on the unit.

Aims

Our objective was to develop countermeasures to improve intraoperative cleanliness by anesthesia providers, minimize contamination of intravenous access points, and ultimately reduce CABSIs.

Materials & Methods

A multidisciplinary team identified barriers to following best practices for reducing contamination of intravenous line entry‐ports. Using Continuous Performance Improvement (CPI) or Lean techniques, staff directly impacted by the changes developed countermeasures to improve anesthesia practice. Compliance with the new “best practices” improved with coaching and feedback.

Results

Postimplementation, CABSI rates for patients traveling off the ICU with anesthesiology providers decreased from 14.1 per thousand trips off the ICU preintervention in 2009 to 9.7 per 1000 trips in 2010 and to 0 per 1000 trips in 2011 postintervention. Hospital‐wide CABSI rates decreased from 3.5 per 1000 central line days preintervention to 2.2 per 1000 central line days after.

Conclusion

Practice modification by anesthesiology providers in the operating room can decrease workspace contamination and is associated with decreased CABSI rates.
Translatability and the scripting of other peoples’ souls
Authors: Wierzbicka Anna
Published: April 2013

If anthropology aims at ‘understanding “others” ’, then obviously anthropologists must be interested in the meaning of what those ‘others’ say. But to understand what speakers of a language other than our own say, we need to know what exactly the words and grammatical categories of that other language mean. This article argues that translating indigenous categories into academic English does not allow us to capture indigenous perspectives and leads to what Geertz calls ‘scripting other people's souls’. Focusing on cognitive and cultural categories from Australian Aboriginal languages usually linked with English labels such as ‘kinship obligations’ and ‘odd‐numbered generations’, the article shows how the ways of thinking encoded in these languages can be explicated from the insider's point of view, in simple words and simple sentences directly cross‐translatable into the indigenous languages themselves.
Third‐way neoliberalism and conditional cash transfers: The paradoxes of empowerment, participation and self‐help among poor Uruguayan women
Authors: Corboz Julienne
Published: April 2013

The Latin American literature on Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) welfare programs has typically involved the quantitative evaluation of social and economic impact, with fewer studies addressing the qualitative and gendered impacts of CCTs. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork in poor squatter settlement communities in Uruguay, this article explores the everyday social realities of poor single mothers who have been disconnected from their kinship networks and must rely on CCT payments for survival. I locate these women's experiences within the third‐way neoliberal discourses of ‘empowerment’, ‘participation’ and ‘self‐help’ espoused by the state, and the various structural conditions, including crime, violence and unequal gender relations, that impact negatively on women's abilities to comply with their social and civic duties. I argue that rather than producing responsible and empowered subjects, Uruguay's recent CCT welfare program has paradoxically limited some women's participation in civic and public life and reproduced their dependent relations with men.
Intermarriage and reciprocal household exchange practices in a mixed community in Roti, Indonesia
Authors: Carnegie Michelle
Published: April 2013

For several generations, intermarriage has been common between indigenous Rotinese Christians and migrant Muslims and their descendants in the Indonesian village of Oelua on Roti Island. Muslims have engaged with the customary institutions upheld by indigenous Rotinese Christians—namely, those associated with marriage proposals and bridewealth. They have also engaged in reciprocal inter‐household exchanges to raise the cash to pay for weddings and bridewealth, as well as for other life cycle events such as funeral feasts and gatherings in the post‐funeral mourning period. This article argues that intermarriage and inter‐household monetary exchanges are important, among other factors, in promoting low conflict relations between the two groups, primarily because of the regular opportunities generated to interact in both public and private spheres. Marriage preferences in Oelua are changing, however, with young Muslim men preferring to marry women who subscribe to the same religion and similar customs. Muslim attitudes are also changing with respect to their involvement in inter‐household reciprocal exchanges, with many wanting to engage in different ways, or not at all. The article discusses what these changing attitudes and practices may mean for maintaining congenial inter‐group relations between Christians and Muslims in the future.
Home Firm Performance After Foreign Investments and Divestitures
Authors: Engel Dirk , Procher Vivien
Published: April 2013

An almost undisputed aim for firms in today's globalised world is to operate internationally. Several papers find a positive relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and the domestic performance of firms. In this paper, we address the ‘FDI – export’ relationship to better understand this trend. Furthermore, by presenting results on firm's post‐divestiture employment growth at home, we are able to provide a more comprehensive view on firm performance after stepping in and out of foreign markets. We apply a propensity score matching technique in combination with a difference‐in‐difference estimator to analyse the performance dynamics of French firms that either invested abroad or carried out foreign divestitures during the period 2000–2007. FDI has, on average, a positive effect in terms of export share, operating turnover and employment in firm's domestic market. Industry differences reveal that firms in high‐tech industries experience a strong increase in their domestic performance, whereas firm performance in low‐tech industries increases only moderately in post‐investment periods. In contrast, the divestiture impact on the post‐divestiture performance is rather negligible.
The voltage‐dependent L‐type Ca2+ (CaV1.2) channel C‐terminus fragment is a bi‐modal vasodilator
Authors: Bannister John P. , Leo Marie Dennis , Narayanan Damodaran , Jangsangthong Wanchana , Nair Anitha , Evanson Kirk W. , Pachuau Judith , Gabrick Kyle S. , Boop Frederick A. , Jaggar Jonathan H.
Published: April 2013

Key points

Voltage‐dependent L‐type Ca2+ (CaV1.2) channels are the major Ca2+ influx pathway and are central to contractility regulation in arterial smooth muscle cells.

CaV1.2 exists as a full‐length channel and undergoes cleavage to a short CaV1.2 and a C‐terminus (CCt) fragment in rat and human arterial smooth muscle cells.

CCt decreases CaV1.2 transcription and shifts the voltage dependence of current activation and inactivation to more depolarized potentials in arterial smooth muscle cells.

CCt reduces pressure‐ and depolarization‐induced vasoconstriction.

CCt is a bi‐modal vasodilator.

Abstract  Voltage‐dependent L‐type Ca2+ channels (CaV1.2) are the primary Ca2+ entry pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells (myocytes). CaV1.2 channels control systemic blood pressure and organ blood flow and are pathologically altered in vascular diseases, which modifies vessel contractility. The CaV1.2 distal C‐terminus is susceptible to proteolytic cleavage, which yields a truncated CaV1.2 subunit and a cleaved C‐terminal fragment (CCt). Previous studies in cardiac myocytes and neurons have identified CCt as both a transcription factor and CaV1.2 channel inhibitor, with different signalling mechanisms proposed to underlie some of these effects. CCt existence and physiological functions in arterial myocytes are unclear, but important to study given the functional significance of CaV1.2 channels. Here, we show that CCt exists in myocytes of both rat and human resistance‐size cerebral arteries, where it locates to both the nucleus and plasma membrane. Recombinant CCt expression in arterial myocytes inhibited CaV1.2 transcription and reduced CaV1.2 protein. CCt induced a depolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of both CaV1.2 current activation and inactivation, and reduced non‐inactivating current in myocytes. Recombinant truncated CCt lacking a putative nuclear localization sequence (Δ92CCt) did not locate to the nucleus and had no effect on arterial CaV1.2 transcription or protein. However, Δ92CCt shifted the voltage dependence of CaV1.2 activation and inactivation similarly to CCt. CCt and Δ92CCt both inhibited pressure‐ and depolarization‐induced vasoconstriction, although CCt was a far more effective vasodilator. These data demonstrate that endogenous CCt exists and reduces both CaV1.2 channel expression and voltage sensitivity in arterial myocytes. Thus, CCt is a bi‐modal vasodilator.
Enhanced Critical Heat Flux During Quenching of Extremely Dilute Aqueous Colloidal Suspensions With Graphene Oxide Nanosheets
Authors: Zhang Liang , Yu Zitao , Li Danyang , Fan Liwu , Zhu Yuanzheng , Hong Ronghua , Hu Yacai , Fan Jianren , Cen Kefa
Published: April 2013

In this Technical Brief, we report on preliminary results of an experimental investigation of quenching of aqueous colloidal suspensions with graphene oxide nanosheets (GONs). Extremely dilute suspensions with only 0.0001% and 0.0002% (in mass fraction) of GONs were studied and their critical heat fluxes (CHF) during quenching were determined to increase markedly by 13.2% and 25.0%, respectively, as compared to that of pure water. Such efficient CHF enhancement was interpreted to be caused primarily by the improved wettability of the quenched surfaces, due to deposition of the fish-scale-shaped GONs resulting in self-assembly quasi-ordered microscale morphologies.
Memories from Rictor
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: April 2013

By inducing actin polymerization in hippocampal synapses, mTORC2 promotes the formation of long-term memories in flies and mice.
Metabolomics Guides Rational Development of a Simplified Cell Culture Medium for Drug Screening against Trypanosoma brucei
Authors: Creek Darren J. , Nijagal Brunda , Kim Dong-Hyun , Rojas Federico , Matthews Keith R. , Barrett Michael P.
Published: April 2013

In vitro
culture methods underpin many experimental approaches to biology and drug discovery. The modification of established cell culture methods to make them more biologically relevant or to optimize growth is traditionally a laborious task. Emerging metabolomic technology enables the rapid evaluation of intra- and extracellular metabolites and can be applied to the rational development of cell culture media. In this study, untargeted semiquantitative and targeted quantitative metabolomic analyses of fresh and spent media revealed the major nutritional requirements for the growth of bloodstream form
Trypanosoma brucei
. The standard culture medium (HMI11) contained unnecessarily high concentrations of 32 nutrients that were subsequently removed to make the concentrations more closely resemble those normally found in blood. Our new medium, Creek's minimal medium (CMM), supports
in vitro
growth equivalent to that in HMI11 and causes no significant perturbation of metabolite levels for 94% of the detected metabolome (<3-fold change; α = 0.05). Importantly, improved sensitivity was observed for drug activity studies in whole-cell phenotypic screenings and in the metabolomic mode of action assays. Four-hundred-fold 50% inhibitory concentration decreases were observed for pentamidine and methotrexate, suggesting inhibition of activity by nutrients present in HMI11. CMM is suitable for routine cell culture and offers important advantages for metabolomic studies and drug activity screening.
Increased Resistance to Staphylococcus aureus Endophthalmitis in BALB/c Mice: Fas Ligand Is Required for Resolution of Inflammation but Not for Bacterial Clearance
Authors: Sugi Norito , Whiston Emily A. , Ksander Bruce R. , Gregory Meredith S.
Published: April 2013

FasL was recently shown be required for bacterial clearance in C57BL/6 mice that express the FasL.1 allotype. The FasL.2 allotype is expressed in BALB/c mice and exhibits increased binding affinity to and increased cytotoxic activity against Fas+target cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that BALB/c mice would be more resistant toStaphylococcus aureus-induced endophthalmitis. To test this hypothesis, C57BL/6, BALB/c, and BALB(gld) mice received intravitreal injections of 2,500 CFU ofS. aureus(RN6390). Clinical examinations, electroretinography (ERG), histology, and bacterial quantification were performed at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h postinjection. The myeloperoxidase (MPO) assay was used to quantitate neutrophil infiltration. At 96 h postinfection, 86% of C57BL/6 mice presented with complete destruction of the eye, compared to only 29% of BALB/c mice with complete destruction. To our surprise, in the absence of Fas ligand, BALB(gld) mice showed no difference in bacterial clearance compared to BALB/c mice. However, histology and ERG analysis revealed increased retinal damage and significant loss of retinal function. MPO analysis revealed equal numbers of neutrophils in BALB(gld) and BALB/c mice at 24 h postinfection. However, at 48 h, the neutrophil numbers remained significantly elevated in BALB(gld) mice, correlating with the increased retinal damage observed in BALB(gld) mice. We conclude that the increased resistance toS. aureusinduced endophthalmitis in BALB/c mice is not dependent upon the FasL. However, in contrast to C57BL/6 mice, FasL is required for resolution of inflammation and protecting host tissue from nonspecific damage in BALB/c mice.
High Dietary Salt Intake Exacerbates Helicobacter pylori-Induced Gastric Carcinogenesis
Authors: Gaddy Jennifer A. , Radin Jana N. , Loh John T. , Zhang Feng , Washington M. Kay , Peek Richard M. , Algood Holly M. Scott , Cover Timothy L.
Published: April 2013

Persistent colonization of the human stomach with
Helicobacter pylori
is a risk factor for gastric adenocarcinoma, and
H. pylori
-induced carcinogenesis is dependent on the actions of a bacterial oncoprotein known as CagA. Epidemiological studies have shown that high dietary salt intake is also a risk factor for gastric cancer. To investigate the effects of a high-salt diet, we infected Mongolian gerbils with a wild-type (WT)
cagA
+
H. pylori
strain or an isogenic
cagA
mutant strain and maintained the animals on a regular diet or a high-salt diet. At 4 months postinfection, gastric adenocarcinoma was detected in 100% of the WT-infected/high-salt-diet animals, 58% of WT-infected/regular-diet animals, and none of the animals infected with the
cagA
mutant strain (
P
< 0.0001). Among animals infected with the WT strain, those fed a high-salt diet had more severe gastric inflammation, higher gastric pH, increased parietal cell loss, increased gastric expression of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and decreased gastric expression of hepcidin and hydrogen potassium ATPase (H,K-ATPase) compared to those on a regular diet. Previous studies have detected upregulation of CagA synthesis in response to increased salt concentrations in the bacterial culture medium, and, concordant with the
in vitro
results, we detected increased
cagA
transcription
in vivo
in animals fed a high-salt diet compared to those on a regular diet. Animals infected with the
cagA
mutant strain had low levels of gastric inflammation and did not develop hypochlorhydria. These results indicate that a high-salt diet potentiates the carcinogenic effects of
cagA
+
H. pylori
strains.
Magnetic gold nanoparticles as a vehicle for fluorescein isothiocyanate and DNA delivery into plant cells
Authors: Hao Yuzhi , Yang Xiaoyan , Shi Yongzhong , Song Steven , Xing James , Marowitch Janet , Chen Jianmin , Chen Jie
Published: April 2013

Magnetic gold nanoparticles (mGNPs) with uniform size and morphology synthesized by our sonication treatment method were covalently bound with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) molecules. Driven by an external magnetic field, FITC-labelled nanoparticles were delivered into plant cells with and without cell walls, evident from sectional transmission electron microscopy images. Confocal images further indicate that the green fluorescence in canola protoplasts and walled cells indeed came from the FITC molecules, instead of the chloroplasts’ autofluorescence. FITC-labelled nanoparticles had a delivery efficiency of 95% based on confocal images. In further study, plasmids were covalently bound with mGNPs, and delivered into canola cells with and without cell walls. After culturing for 48 h followed by staining with 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-β-d-glucuronic acid (X-Gluc), blue colour appeared in the protoplasts, while the walled canola cells showed a green colour that can be interpreted as the combination of blue and yellow from the suspension cells themselves. The presence of the blue colour indicates the expression of the GUS gene; therefore, the plasmids were successfully delivered into the canola cells. Furthermore, on examination, mGNPs were considered to be noncytotoxic by fluorescein diacetate staining.
COALITIONAL VALUES AND COST ALLOCATION PROBLEMS
Authors: COSTA JULIÁN , GARCÍA-JURADO IGNACIO
Published: April 2013

In this paper, we explain why the field of cost allocation problems with a coalition structure is a wide and promising unexplored research direction. In particular, we pose some open questions for airport games with a coalition structure.
COMPARING POWER INDICES
Authors: BERTINI CESARINO , FREIXAS JOSEP , GAMBARELLI GIANFRANCO , STACH IZABELLA
Published: April 2013

This paper aims to give a global vision concerning the state of the art of studies on 13 power indices and to establish which of them are more suitable for describing the real situations which are, from time to time, taken into consideration. In such contexts, different comparisons have been developed in terms of properties, axiomatic grounds and so on. This analysis points out various open problems.
SOME OPEN PROBLEMS IN SIMPLE GAMES
Authors: BERTINI CESARINO , FREIXAS JOSEP , GAMBARELLI GIANFRANCO , STACH IZABELLA
Published: April 2013

This paper presents a review of literature on simple games and highlights various open problems concerning such games; in particular, weighted games and power indices.
ON ALLOCATING SEATS TO PARTIES AND DISTRICTS: APPORTIONMENTS
Authors: DEMANGE GABRIELLE
Published: April 2013

The paper presents the problem of choosing the representatives in an assembly when the whole electoral region is subdivided into several electoral districts. Because of the two dimensions, geographical (districts) and political (parties), the problem is called bi-apportionment. The main purpose of the paper is to discuss fairness and proportionality axioms and to describe their implementation.
MULTIMODAL AFFECT MODELING AND RECOGNITION FOR EMPATHIC ROBOT COMPANIONS
Authors: CASTELLANO GINEVRA , LEITE IOLANDA , PEREIRA ANDRÉ , MARTINHO CARLOS , PAIVA ANA , MCOWAN PETER W.
Published: April 2013

Affect recognition for socially perceptive robots relies on representative data. While many of the existing affective corpora and databases contain posed and decontextualized affective expressions, affect resources for designing an affect recognition system in naturalistic human–robot interaction (HRI) must include context-rich expressions that emerge in the same scenario of the final application. In this paper, we propose a context-based approach to the collection and modeling of representative data for building an affect-sensitive robotic game companion. To illustrate our approach we present the key features of the Inter-ACT (INTEracting with Robots–Affect Context Task) corpus, an affective and contextually rich multimodal video corpus containing affective expressions of children playing chess with an iCat robot. We show how this corpus can be successfully used to train a context-sensitive affect recognition system (a valence detector) for a robotic game companion. Finally, we demonstrate how the integration of the affect recognition system in a modular platform for adaptive HRI makes the interaction with the robot more engaging.
FACE-TO-FACE WITH A ROBOT: WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT?
Authors: MIRNIG NICOLE , WEISS ASTRID , SKANTZE GABRIEL , AL MOUBAYED SAMER , GUSTAFSON JOAKIM , BESKOW JONAS , GRANSTRÖM BJÖRN , TSCHELIGI MANFRED
Published: April 2013

While much of the state-of-the-art research in human–robot interaction (HRI) investigates task-oriented interaction, this paper aims at exploring what people talk about to a robot if the content of the conversation is not predefined. We used the robot head Furhat to explore the conversational behavior of people who encounter a robot in the public setting of a robot exhibition in a scientific museum, but without a predefined purpose. Upon analyzing the conversations, it could be shown that a sophisticated robot provides an inviting atmosphere for people to engage in interaction and to be experimental and challenge the robot's capabilities. Many visitors to the exhibition were willing to go beyond the guiding questions that were provided as a starting point. Amongst other things, they asked Furhat questions concerning the robot itself, such as how it would define a robot, or if it plans to take over the world. People were also interested in the feelings and likes of the robot and they asked many personal questions — this is how Furhat ended up with its first marriage proposal. People who talked to Furhat were asked to complete a questionnaire on their assessment of the conversation, with which we could show that the interaction with Furhat was rated as a pleasant experience.
EMOTIONAL SYNCHRONIZATION-BASED HUMAN–ROBOT COMMUNICATION AND ITS EFFECTS
Authors: LI YI , HASHIMOTO MINORU
Published: April 2013

This paper presents a natural and comfortable communication system between human and robot based on synchronization to human emotional state using human facial expression recognition. The system consists of three parts: human emotion recognition, robotic emotion generation, and robotic emotion expression. The robot recognizes human emotion through human facial expressions, and robotic emotion is generated and synchronized with human emotion dynamically using a vector field of dynamics. The robot makes dynamically varying facial expressions to express its own emotions to the human. A communication experiment was conducted to examine the effectiveness of the proposed system. The authors found that subjects became much more comfortable after communicating with the robot with synchronized emotions. Subjects felt somewhat uncomfortable after communicating with the robot with non-synchronized emotions. During emotional synchronization, subjects communicated much more with the robot, and the communication time was double that during non-synchronization. Furthermore, in the case of emotional synchronization, subjects had good impressions of the robot, much better than the impressions in the case of non-synchronization. It was confirmed in this study that emotional synchronization in human–robot communication can be effective in making humans comfortable and makes the robot much more favorable and acceptable to humans.
PRESSURE FLOW OF A SECOND GRADE FLUID THROUGH A CHANNEL OF VARYING WIDTH WITH APPLICATION TO STENOSED ARTERY
Authors: SIDDIQUI A. M. , HAROON T. , BANO Z. , ISLAM S.
Published: April 2013

Analytical solutions are obtained for steady flow of an incompressible second grade fluid in an axisymmetric channel of varying width. Three approximate methods are used depending upon three different geometrical configuration. The results obtained are applied to study the flow of a second grade fluid through a smooth constriction. To understand the flow behavior near stenosis, resistance to the flow, shear stress at the wall and stress at the stenosis throat are calculated. The results obtained are numerically evaluated for different values of dimensionless non-Newtonian parameters λ1 and λ2 and maximum height of the stenosis δm. It is observed that as we increase the value of these parameters the resistance to the flow, wall shear stress and stress at the stenosis throat increase.
Automatic thesaurus construction for cross generation corpus
Authors: Zohar Hadas , Liebeskind Chaya , Schler Jonathan , Dagan Ido
Published: April 2013

This article describes methods for semiautomatic thesaurus construction, for a cross generation, cross genre, and cross cultural corpus. Semiautomatic thesaurus construction is a complex task, and applying it on a cross generation corpus brings its own challenges. We used a Jewish juristic corpus containing documents and genres that were written across 2000 years, and contain a mix of different languages, dialects, geographies, and writing styles. We evaluated different first and second order methods, and introduced a special annotation scheme for this problem, which showed that first order methods performed surprisingly well. We found that in our case, improving the coverage is the more difficult task, for this we introduce a new algorithm to increase recall (coverage)—which is applicable to many other problems as well, and demonstrates significant improvement in our corpus.
Runtime verification for multicore SoC with high-quality trace data
Authors: Backasch Rico , Hochberger Christian , Weiss Alexander , Leucker Martin , Lasslop Richard
Published: April 2013

Multicore System-on-Chip (SoC) implementations of embedded systems are becoming very popular. In these systems it is possible to spread out computations over many cores. On one hand this leads to better energy efficiency if clock frequencies and core voltages are reduced. On the other hand this delivers very high performance to the software developer and thus enables complex software systems to be implemented. Unfortunately, debugging and validation of these systems becomes extremely difficult. Various technological approaches try to solve this dilemma. In this contribution we will show a new approach to observe multi-core SoCs and make their internal operations visible to external analysis tools. Also, we show that runtime verification can be employed to analyze and validate these internal operations while the system operates in its normal environment. The combination of these two approaches delivers unprecedented options to the developer to understand and verify system behavior even in complex multicore SoCs.
A study of row-based area-array I/O design planning in concurrent chip-package design flow
Authors: Lee Ren-Jie , Chen Hung-Ming
Published: April 2013

IC-centric design flow has been a common paradigm when designing and optimizing a system. Package and board/system designs are usually followed by almost-ready chip designs, which causes long turn-around time communicating with package and system houses. In this article, the realizations of area-array I/O design methodologies are studied. Different from IC-centric flow, we propose a chip-package concurrent design flow to speed up the design time. Along with the flow, we design the I/O-bump (and P/G-bump) tile that combines I/O (and P/G) and bump into a hard macro with the considerations of I/O power connection and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. We then employ an I/O-row based scheme to place I/O-bump tiles with existed metal layers. By such a scheme, it reduces efforts in I/O placement legalization and the redistribution layer (RDL) routing. With the emphasis on package design awareness, the proposed methods map package balls onto chip I/Os, thus providing an opportunity to design chip and package in parallel. Due to this early study of I/O and bump planning, faster convergence can be expected with concurrent design flow. The results are encouraging and the merits of this flow are reassuring.
The survivability of design-specific spare placement in FPGA architectures with high defect rates
Authors: Agarwal Amit , Cong Jason , Tagiku Brian
Published: April 2013

We address the problem of optimizing fault tolerance in FPGA architectures with high defect rates (such as nano-FPGAs) without significantly degrading performance. Our methods address fault tolerance during the placement and reconfiguration stages of FPGA programming. First, we provide several complexity results for both the fault reconfiguration and fault-tolerance placement problems. Then, we propose a placement algorithm which, in the presence of randomly generated faults, optimizes spare placement to maximize the probability that the FPGA can be reconfigured to meet a specified timing constraint. We also give heuristics for reconfiguration after faults have been detected. Despite the hardness results for both the placement and reconfiguration problems, we show our heuristics perform well in simulation (in one scenario, increasing the probability of successful reconfiguration by as much as 55% compared to a uniform spare placement).
Enabling the blind to see gestures
Authors: Quek Francis , Oliveira Francisco
Published: April 2013

Human discourse is an embodied activity emerging from the embodied imagery and construction of our talk. Gesture and speech are coexpressive, conveying this imagery and meaning simultaneously. Mathematics instruction and discourse typically involve two modes of communication: speech and graphical presentation. Our goal is to assist Individuals who are Blind or Severely Visually Impaired (IBSVI) to access such instruction/communication. We employ a haptic glove interface to furnish the IBSVI with awareness of the deictic gestures performed by the instructor over the graphic in conjunction with speech. We present a series of studies spanning two years where we show how our Haptic Deictic System (HDS) can support learning in inclusive classrooms where IBSVI receive instruction alongside sighted students. We discuss how the introduction of the HDS was advantageous to all parties: IBSVI, instructor, and sighted students. The HDS created more learning opportunities, increasing mutual understanding and promoting greater engagement.
Moving and making strange
Authors: Loke Lian , Robertson Toni
Published: April 2013

There is growing interest in designing for movement-based interactions with technology, now that various sensing technologies are available enabling a range of movement possibilities from gestural to whole-body interactions. We present a design methodology of Moving and Making Strange, an approach to movement-based interaction design that recognizes the central role of the body and movement in lived cognition. The methodology was developed through a series of empirical projects, each focusing on different conceptions of movement available within motion-sensing interactive, immersive spaces. The methodology offers designers a set of principles, perspectives, methods, and tools for exploring and testing movement-related design concepts. It is innovative for the inclusion of the perspective of the mover, together with the traditional perspectives of the observer and the machine. Making strange is put forward as an important tactic for rethinking how to approach the design of movement-based interaction.
Effort, resources, and abstraction vs performance in high-level synthesis
Authors: Malik Jamshaid Sarwar , Palazzari Paolo , Hemani Ahmed
Published: April 2013

This work provides new perspectives on impact of design effort, consumed resources and design abstraction on hardware performance in a high-level synthesis flow. We have shown that counter to published literature as well as intuition; more design effort may not always result in better performance. We developed a kernel that simulates Brownian motion, and investigated improvement in hardware performance with design effort at various abstraction levels. Our results indicate that a designer should be careful in putting more effort at a particular abstraction level. In our case, we achieved best performance/effort ratio at algorithm level rather than lower abstraction levels. This strongly suggests that design effort is not always proportional to corresponding improvement in performance.
Eventual Consistency Today: Limitations, Extensions, and Beyond
Authors: Bailis Peter , Ghodsi Ali
Published: April 2013

In a July 2000 conference keynote, Eric Brewer, now VP of engineering at Google and a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, publicly postulated the CAP (consistency, availability, and partition tolerance) theorem, which would change the landscape of how distributed storage systems were architected. Brewer’s conjecture--based on his experiences building infrastructure for some of the first Internet search engines at Inktomi--states that distributed systems requiring always-on, highly available operation cannot guarantee the illusion of coherent, consistent single-system operation in the presence of network partitions, which cut communication between active servers. Brewer’s conjecture proved prescient: in the following decade, with the continued rise of large-scale Internet services, distributed-system architects frequently dropped "strong" guarantees in favor of weaker models--the most notable being eventual consistency.
Open Educational Resources in the Post MOOC Era
Authors: Matkin Gary W
Published: April 2013

It's clear that the landscape of the open education movement is changing every day. The history of MOOCs has been a fascinating tale of supply and demand. The need for open educational resources (OER) have been demanded from learners all over the world and with the immense supply of open educational resources available from schools everywhere demonstrate the importance of MOOC. In response to the ever changing OER movement, UC Irvine's Open Chemistry project leads the way in offering a full, coherent curriculum of lectures and courses—rather than individual courses. Another major milestone for MOOCs is the opportunity for learners to earn credits for certain courses—again furthering the possibilities of the OER movement by lowering the cost of higher education. Various plans and projects are underway to further explore the options of open degree programs and the many possibilities MOOCs can offer.
In Situ Performance Analysis of a High Temperature PEM Fuel Cell Stack at Loads
Authors: Zhu Ying , Zhu Wenhua H. , Tatarchuk Bruce J.
Published: April 2013

A high temperature PEM fuel cell stack, consisting of 65 planar single cells, was operated in a commercial power module with pure hydrogen and ambient air. AC impedance tests were conducted on the stack module after it reached a steady operating status. The equivalent circuit diagram with three time constants was derived to simulate the measured impedance data. The impedance measurement and simulation were performed to the stack module at different operation settings of stack temperature and load current in order to validate the derived equivalent circuit diagram. In this way, the kinetic and mass transfer processes occurring inside the stack were mechanistically discriminated and identified.
Electrodeposition of Thick SmCo Films: Influence of Current Density and Time Deposition
Authors: Chouarbi Katia , Woytazik Marion , Dufour-Gergam Elisabeth , Lefeuvre Elie , Moulin Johan
Published: April 2013

Electrodeposition of SmCo in aqueous solution has been studied using a Hull cell. Different concentrations of cobalt ion in the electrolyte, addition of supporting electrolyte and different deposition time have been tested. High samarium contents and thicknesses have been obtained: up to 50 % of Sm in the deposit and several microns. The oxygen contamination is linked to the samarium content and two elaboration parameters have been targeted for limiting this contamination: addition of supporting electrolyte and long deposition time.
Verrucous Carcinoma of the Foot with Bone Invasion: A Case Report
Authors: Pempinello C. , Bova A. , Pempinello R. , Luise R. , Iannaci G.
Published: April 2013

Verrucous carcinoma of the foot often affects deep structures such as tendons, muscles, or bones. A 74-year-old man presented with a foot lesion that had been diagnosed as a skin infection 7 years earlier. He was treated with multiple excisions and superficial biopsies associated with antibiotic therapy without success. In our department he underwent an aggressive and accurate debridement with marginal excision harvesting multiple biopsies. Pathological evaluation of tissue at the time of operation confirmed the diagnosis of verrucous carcinoma of the foot. Therefore, the patient underwent an amputation below knee, and there were no postoperative complications; the patient was able to walk with the aid of a prosthesis with no signs of recurrence. The lesion follows a chronic course evolving from a discrete focal lesion to a large fungating deeply penetrating mass often compromised by local infection. The slow growth and confusing early-stage appearances can lead to delays in diagnosis of 8 to 15 years causing the extracutaneous involvement that requires a leg amputation. Many patients are initially treated with many topical medications without success, and most tumors have been treated as recalcitrant warts or corns for some time, whereas the basic approach is surgical.
Effect of Viscoelasticity on the Natural Frequencies of Axially Moving Continua
Authors: Özhan B. Burak , Pakdemirli Mehmet
Published: April 2013

Linear models of axially moving viscoelastic beams and viscoelastic pipes conveying fluid are considered. The natural frequencies of the models are calculated. For both models, viscoelasticity terms are assumed to be of order one. Natural frequencies corresponding to various beam and pipe parameters are presented. Effects of viscoelasticity on the natural frequencies are discussed.
An Activin Receptor IA/Activin-Like Kinase-2 (R206H) Mutation in Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
Authors: Herrera-Esparza Rafael , Pacheco-Tovar Deyanira , Bollain-y-Goytia Juan José , Torres del Muro Felipe , Ramírez-Sandoval Roxana , Pacheco-Tovar María Guadalupe , Castañeda-Ureña María , Avalos-Díaz Esperanza
Published: April 2013

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an exceptionally rare genetic disease that is characterised by congenital malformations of the great toes and progressive heterotopic ossification (HO) in specific anatomical areas. This disease is caused by a mutation in activin receptor IA/activin-like kinase-2 (ACVR1/ALK2). A Mexican family with one member affected by FOP was studied. The patient is a 19-year-old female who first presented with symptoms of FOP at 8 years old; she developed spontaneous and painful swelling of the right scapular area accompanied by functional limitation of movement. Mutation analysis was performed in which genomic DNA as PCR amplified using primers flanking exons 4 and 6, and PCR products were digested withCac8IandHphIrestriction enzymes. The most informative results were obtained with the exon 4 flanking primers and theCac8Irestriction enzyme, which generated a 253 bp product that carries the ACVR1 617G>A mutation, which causes an amino acid substitution of histidine for arginine at position 206 of the glycine-serine (GS) domain, and its mutation results in the dysregulation of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling that causes FOP.
Neuromuscular Damage and Repair after Dry Needling in Mice
Authors: Domingo Ares , Mayoral Orlando , Monterde Sonia , Santafé Manel M.
Published: April 2013

Objective. Some dry needling treatments involve repetitive and rapid needle insertions into myofascial trigger points. This type of treatment causes muscle injury and can also damage nerve fibers. The aim of this study is to determine the injury caused by 15 repetitive punctures in the muscle and the intramuscular nerves in healthy mouse muscle and its ulterior regeneration.Methods. We repeatedly needled thelevator auris longusmuscle of mice, and then the muscles were processed with immunohistochemistry, methylene blue, and electron microscopy techniques.Results. Three hours after the dry needling procedure, the muscle fibers showed some signs of an inflammatory response, which progressed to greater intensity 24 hours after the procedure. Some inflammatory cells could still be seen when the muscle regeneration was almost complete seven days after the treatment. One day after the treatment, some changes in the distribution of receptors could be observed in the denervated postsynaptic component. Reinnervation was complete by the third day after the dry needling procedure. We also saw very fine axonal branches reinnervating all the postsynaptic components and some residual sprouts the same day.Conclusion. Repeated dry needling punctures in muscle do not perturb the different stages of muscle regeneration and reinnervation.
Potential Mechanisms of Exercise in Gestational Diabetes
Authors: Golbidi Saeid , Laher Ismail
Published: April 2013

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance first diagnosed during pregnancy. This condition shares same array of underlying abnormalities as occurs in diabetes outside of pregnancy, for example, genetic and environmental causes. However, the role of a sedentary lifestyle and/or excess energy intake is more prominent in GDM. Physically active women are less likely to develop GDM and other pregnancy-related diseases. Weight gain in pregnancy causes increased release of adipokines from adipose tissue; many adipokines increase oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Increased intramyocellular lipids also increase cellular oxidative stress with subsequent generation of reactive oxygen species. A well-planned program of exercise is an important component of a healthy lifestyle and, in spite of old myths, is also recommended during pregnancy. This paper briefly reviews the role of adipokines in gestational diabetes and attempts to shed some light on the mechanisms by which exercise can be beneficial as an adjuvant therapy in GDM. In this regard, we discuss the mechanisms by which exercise increases insulin sensitivity, changes adipokine profile levels, and boosts antioxidant mechanisms.
Cumulative Impacts of Human Interventions and Climate Change on Mangrove Ecosystems of South and Southeast Asia: An Overview
Authors: DasGupta Rajarshi , Shaw Rajib
Published: April 2013

The paper provides an insight into the chronological extinction of the Indo-Malayan mangroves along the South and Southeast Asian coast and categorizes several area-specific anthropogenic and climatic factors that triggered the annihilation of 1.9 million ha of diverse mangroves. On a regional scale, coastal agricultural land development and shrimp farming were identified as major factors accounting for 90% of the reported loss. The paper also focuses on the existing mangrove management framework of nine developing countries of this region and conducts a comparative analysis of the prevailing legislative arrangement for mangrove management. In general, weak enforcements of legal measures and improper monitoring have been identified as major drawbacks in conservation and restoration initiatives. On the other hand, this paper strongly encourages the prospects of community-based mangrove management (CBMM) and provides good examples from the ecoregion through comparative case studies. Finally, it concludes with recommendations that outline a suitable mangrove management strategy involving more community empowerment, legalization and mainstreaming of comanagement initiatives, inclusive benefit sharing, and regional cooperation for transboundary ecosystem management.