bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strategic Constituency Manipulation in State Legislative Redistricting
Authors: MAKSE TODD
Published: April 2012

Scholars often identify gerrymanders by examining changes to districts' partisan composition. However, advantages can also be gained by systematically varying the extent to which incumbents' constituencies remain the same. In this article, I examine the post‐2000 redistricting in 22 state legislatures. I find that parties, particularly in legislatures with low turnover levels, gain advantages from constituency manipulation, but that these advantages are counteracted by geographic redistricting regulations. Lastly, I find that ostensibly bipartisan outcomes nonetheless feature partisan constituency manipulation. These findings echo a growing literature that analyzes the geographic aspects of gerrymandering and highlight how turnover patterns motivate redistricting strategies.
Mid‐gestation pregnancy is not disrupted by a 5‐day gastrointestinal mucosal cytoprotectant oral regimen of misoprostol
Authors: JACOBSON C. C. , SERTICH P. L. , MC DONNELL S. M.
Published: April 2012

Reasons for performing study:To investigate effects of a 5‐day oral misoprostol regimen recommended for use in horses as a gastrointestinal mucosal cytoprotectant during colic on mid‐gestation pregnancies.

Objectives:To monitor cervical tone, ultrasonographic characteristics of the uterus, cervix and conceptus, as well as serum progesterone and oestrone sulphate concentrations, and observations of general health, behaviour and comfort of mid‐gestation mares given a 5‐day course of misoprostol or control treatment.

Methods:Eleven light horse and pony mares with known breeding dates were administered 5 µg/kg bwt misoprostol orally, twice daily for 5 days. General health and pregnancy status were monitored daily during treatment via general physical examination, as well as palpation and ultrasonographyper rectumof the uterus, cervix and conceptus. Jugular serum was obtained during and for 5 days following treatment for assay of progesterone and oestrone sulphate concentrations. Additionally, daily 12 h video samples of the mares were obtained to evaluate behaviour and comfort.

Results:All findings, including cervical tone, ultrasonographic characteristics of the uterus, cervix and conceptus, as well as progesterone and oestrone sulphate concentrations, and observations of general health, behaviour and comfort, were similar during misoprostol and control treatment.

Conclusions:Treatment of pregnant mares with a gastrointestinal mucosal cytoprotectant regimen of oral misoprostol for 5 days did not disrupt pregnancy, nor adversely affect the general health and comfort of these mares. Additional investigation of treatment at earlier and later stages of gestation, for longer‐term treatment, as well as evaluating neonates for developmental disturbances, would add further information on safety of misoprostol during gestation.

Potential relevance:These results provide some assurance of safety of a 5‐day gastrointestinal mucosal cytopretectant regimen of oral misprostol in mid‐gestation pregnant mares.
Systemic blockade of nicotinic and purinergic receptors inhibits ventilation and increases apnoea frequency in newborn rats
Authors: Niane Lalah M. , Joseph Vincent , Bairam Aida
Published: April 2012

We hypothesized that the combined blockade of peripheral cholinergic and purinergic receptors alters the baseline breathing pattern and respiratory responses to carotid body stimuli (hypoxia, hyperoxia and hypercapnia). Rat pups at 4 (P4) and 12 days of postnatal age (P12) received an intraperitoneal injection of either saline vehicle or hexamethonium + suramin (Hex, 1 mg kg−1, nicotinic receptor antagonist; Sur, 40 mg kg−1, P2X receptor antagonist; both of which act mainly on peripheral receptors). Compared with the control animals (saline‐injected rats), the Hex + Sur‐treated rats demonstrated the following features: (1) decreased baseline ventilation and increased frequency of apnoea and breath‐by‐breath irregularities, with a larger effect in the P4 than in the P12 rats; (2) a decreased peak minute ventilation and respiratory frequency response to hypoxia (fractional inspired oxygen 12%), with a greater effect in the P12 than in the P4 rats; (3) an attenuated decline of the respiratory frequency during hyperoxia (fractional inspired oxygen 50%) to a similar magnitude in rats of both ages; and (4) a decreased hypercapnic ventilatory response (fractional inspired carbon dioxide 5%) to a similar magnitude in rats of both ages. We conclude that the cholinergic nicotinic and purinergic P2X receptors are essential to maintain an adequate baseline pattern in normoxia. They also contribute, albeit not exclusively, to the hypoxic ventilatory response, with an age‐specific effect, most probably linked to the cholinergic component, which might partly underlie the postnatal maturation of peripheral chemoreceptors.
Probabilistic High-Cycle Fretting Fatigue Assessment of Gas Turbine Engine Components
Authors: Chan Kwai S. , Enright Michael P. , Golden Patrick J. , Naboulsi Samir , Chandra Ramesh , Pentz Alan C.
Published: April 2012

High-cycle fatigue (HCF) is arguably one of the costliest sources of in-service damage in military aircraft engines. HCF of turbine blades and disks can pose a significant engine risk because fatigue failure can result from resonant vibratory stresses sustained over a relatively short time. A common approach to mitigate HCF risk is to avoid dangerous resonant vibration modes (first bending and torsion modes, etc.) and instabilities (flutter and rotating stall) in the operating range. However, it might be impossible to avoid all the resonance for all flight conditions. In this paper, a methodology is presented to assess the influences of HCF loading on the fracture risk of gas turbine engine components subjected to fretting fatigue. The methodology is based on an integration of a global finite element analysis of the disk-blade assembly, numerical solution of the singular integral equations using the CAPRI (Contact Analysis for Profiles of Random Indenters) and Worst Case Fret methods, and risk assessment using the DARWIN (Design Assessment of Reliability with Inspection) probabilistic fracture mechanics code. The methodology is illustrated for an actual military engine disk under real life loading conditions.
Position Analysis and Path Planning of the S-(nS)PU-SPU and S-(nS)PU-2SPU Underactuated Wrists
Authors: Di Gregorio Raffaele
Published: April 2012

In a previous work, this author showed that ten topologies for underactuated parallel wrists can be generated from a fully parallel wrist (FPW). Three of them are obtained by simply replacing a spherical pair (S) with a nonholonomic spherical pair (nS). The S-(nS)PU-SPU and S-(nS)PU-2SPU wrists are two among these three. The position analysis of these two wrists is studied here. In particular, all the four position-analysis problems, which are necessary for implementing their path planning, are addressed and solved in closed form. Despite their different topology, the position analysis of these two wrists can be practically solved by using the same formulas and algorithms. Based on the deduced formulas, a path-planning algorithm is proposed. The obtained results make the studied wrist topologies able to replace “ordinary” wrists in the manipulation tasks which do not require tracking.
Performance-Oriented Design of Inverse Kinematics Algorithms: Extended Jacobian Approximation of the Jacobian Pseudo-Inverse
Authors: Karpińska Joanna , Tchoń Krzysztof
Published: April 2012

For redundant robotic manipulators, we study the design problem of Jacobian inverse kinematics algorithms of desired performance. A specific instance of the problem is addressed, namely the optimal approximation of the Jacobian pseudo-inverse algorithm by the extended Jacobian algorithm. The approximation error functional is derived for the coordinate-free representation of the manipulator’s kinematics. A variational formulation of the problem is employed, and the approximation error is minimized by means of the Ritz method. The optimal extended Jacobian algorithm is designed for the 7 degrees of freedom (dof) POLYCRANK manipulator. It is concluded that the coordinate-free kinematics representation results in more accurate approximation than the coordinate expression of the kinematics.
Teeth Clearance and Relief Grooves Effects in a Trochoidal-Gear Pump Using New Modules of GeroLAB
Authors: Gamez-Montero P. J. , Garcia-Vilchez M. , Raush G. , Freire J. , Codina E.
Published: April 2012

As trochoidal-gear pump specifications become more demanding and design cycles shorter, the use of an innovative tool for modeling and simulation can be a cost effective and valuable guide to a more effective experimental work. The existing methodologies and software fail to thoroughly address the design by taking into account real effects to maximize efficiency and reduce flow fluctuation. Two new modules are added to the structured methodology of GeroLAB: minimum clearance module, teeth clearance related to leakage phenomenon, and relief groove effective port area module, modeling sharp rims with relief grooves in the porting plate which are related to flow performance. An analysis of the manufactured tolerance is conducted in four gear sets and results are compared and contrast. By using the bond graph model of a specific gerotor pump, flow performance is studied in nine cases with different relief grooves geometries and significant results are drawn. As a conclusion, these new modules aim to continue leading the designer to enhance the efficiency of a gerotor pump and the manufacturer to reduce costs by reducing time in experimental stage.
Completeness map evaluation demonstrated with candidate next‐generation cardiac CT architectures
Authors: Liu Baodong , Bennett James , Wang Ge , De Man Bruno , Zeng Kai , Yin Zhye , Fitzgerald Paul , Yu Hengyong
Published: April 2012

Purpose

: In this report, the authors introduce the general concept of the completeness map, as a means to evaluate the completeness of data acquired by a given CT system design (architecture and scan mode). They illustrate the utility of completeness map by applying the completeness map concept to a number of candidate CT system designs, as part of a study to advance the state‐of‐the‐art in cardiac CT.

Methods

: In order to optimally reconstruct a point within a volume of interest (VOI), the Radon transform on all possible planes through that point should be measured. The authors quantified the extent to which this ideal condition is satisfied for the entire image volume. They first determined a Radon completeness number for each point in the VOI, as the percentage of possible planes that is actually measured. A completeness map is then defined as a 3D matrix of the completeness numbers for the entire VOI. The authors proposed algorithms to analyze the projection datasets in Radon space and compute the completeness number for a fixed point and apply these algorithms to various architectures and scan modes that they are evaluating. In this report, the authors consider four selected candidate architectures, operating with different scan modes, for a total of five system design alternatives. Each of these alternatives is evaluated using completeness map.

Results

: If the detector size and cone angle are large enough to cover the entire cardiac VOI, a single‐source circular scan can have ≥99% completeness over the entire VOI. However, only the central z‐slice can be exactly reconstructed, which corresponds to 100% completeness. For a typical single‐source architecture, if the detector is limited to an axial dimension of 40 mm, a helical scan needs about five rotations to form an exact reconstruction region covering the cardiac VOI, while a triple‐source helical scan only requires two rotations, leading to a 2.5x improvement in temporal resolution. If the source and detector of an inverse‐geometry (IGCT) system have the same axial extent, and the spacing of source points in the axial and transaxial directions is sufficiently small, the IGCT can also form an exact reconstruction region for the cardiac VOI. If the VOI can be covered by the x‐ray beam in any view, a composite‐circling scan can generate an exact reconstruction region covering the VOI.

Conclusions

: The completeness map evaluation provides useful information for selecting the next‐generation cardiac CT system design. The proposed completeness map method provides a practical tool for analyzing complex scanning trajectories, where the theoretical image quality for some complex system designs is impossible to predict, without yet‐undeveloped reconstruction algorithms.
Using Phun to Study “Perpetual Motion” Machines
Authors: Koreš Jaroslav
Published: April 2012

The concept of “perpetual motion” has a long history. The Indian astronomer and mathematician Bhaskara II (12th century) was the first person to describe a perpetual motion (PM) machine.1 An example of a 13th- century PM machine is shown in Fig. 1. Although the law of conservation of energy clearly implies the impossibility of PM construction, over the centuries numerous proposals for PM have been made, involving ever more elements of modern science in their construction. It is possible to test a variety of PM machines in the classroom using a program called Phun2 or its commercial version Algodoo.3 The programs are designed to simulate physical processes and we can easily simulate mechanical machines using them. They provide an intuitive graphical environment controlled with a mouse; a programming language is not needed. This paper describes simulations of four different (supposed) PM machines.4
Source-tract interaction with prescribed vocal fold motion
Authors: McGowan Richard S. , Howe Michael S.
Published: April 2012

An equation describing the time-evolution of glottal volume velocity with specified vocal fold motion is derived when the sub- and supra-glottal vocal tracts are present. The derivation of this Fant equation employs a property explicated in Howe and McGowan [(2011) J. Fluid Mech. 672, 428–450] that the Fant equation is the adjoint to the equation characterizing the matching conditions of sub- and supra-glottal Green’s functions segments with the glottal segment. The present aeroacoustic development shows that measurable quantities such as input impedances at the glottis, provide the coefficients for the Fant equation when source-tract interaction is included in the development. Explicit expressions for the Green’s function are not required. With the poles and zeros of the input impedance functions specified, the Fant equation can be solved. After the general derivation of the Fant equation, the specific cases where plane wave acoustic propagation is described either by a Sturm-Liouville problem or concatenated cylindrical tubes is considered. Simulations show the expected skewing of the glottal volume velocity pulses depending on whether the fundamental frequency is below or above a sub- or supra-glottal formant. More complex glottal wave forms result when both the first supra-glottal fundamental frequencies are high and close to the first sub-glottal formant.
Cross-correlation in band-limited ocean ambient noise fields
Authors: Buckingham Michael J.
Published: April 2012

Observations of ambient noise in the ocean are generally band limited, because of the natural spectral shape of the noise or the restricted bandwidth of the detection system. Either way, the noise may be regarded as white noise to which a band-limiting filter has been applied. An analysis of the two-point cross-correlation function of such filtered noise is presented for two cases, isotropic and surface-generated noise. The most pronounced effects occur with high-pass and bandpass filters when the low-frequency cut-off falls well above the first few zeros in the coherence function. In this situation, the sensor separation is very many times the longest acoustic wavelength (associated with the lowest frequency) in the passband. The filtering then produces sharp pulses at correlation delays equal to the numerical value of the acoustic travel time between the sensors. Although these pulses are narrow, they have a finite width, within which a fine structure appears in the form of multiple rapid oscillations, due to the differentiating action of the filter. The number of such oscillations increases as the low-frequency roll-off of the filter becomes steeper. This fine structure is evident in several recently published experimental determinations of the cross-correlation function of band-limited ocean ambient noise.
Effects of pulsing of a target tone on the ability to hear it out in different types of complex sounds
Authors: Moore Brian C. J. , Glasberg Brian R. , Oxenham Andrew J.
Published: April 2012

Judgments of whether a sinusoidal probe is higher or lower in frequency than the closest partial (“target”) in a multi-partial complex are improved when the target is pulsed on and off. These experiments explored the contribution of reduction in perceptual confusion and recovery from adaptation to this effect. In experiment 1, all partials except the target were replaced by noise to reduce perceptual confusion. Performance was much better than when the background was composed of multiple partials. When the level of the target was reduced to avoid ceiling effects, no effect of pulsing the target occurred. In experiment 2, the target and background partials were irregularly and independently amplitude modulated. This gave a large effect of pulsing the target, suggesting that if recovery from adaptation contributes to the effect, amplitude fluctuations do not prevent this. In experiment 3, the background was composed of multiple steady partials, but the target was irregularly amplitude modulated. This gave better performance than when the target was unmodulated and a moderate effect of pulsing the target. It is argued that when the target and background are steady tones, pulsing the target may result both in reduction of perceptual confusion and recovery from adaptation.
A note on the modal kurtosis and the concentration factor in reverberation rooms
Authors: Jacobsen Finn
Published: April 2012

The effect known as “weak Anderson localization,” “coherent backscattering,” or “enhanced back-scattering” is a physical phenomenon that occurs in random systems, e.g., disordered media and linear wave systems, including reverberation rooms: The mean square response is increased at the drive point. In a reverberation room, this means that one can expect an increase of the reverberant sound field at the position of the source that generates the sound field. This affects the sound power output of the source and is therefore of practical concern. The relative increase of reverberant energy is described by the concentration factor, which is usually assumed to be 2. However, because of the stronger direct sound field at the source position, it is obviously very difficult to measure this quantity directly under steady-state conditions. A related parameter of crucial importance for the ensemble statistics of responses in rooms is the modal kurtosis, which is usually assumed to be 3. The modal kurtosis is also very difficult to measure directly. This paper presents the results of an indirect experimental estimation of the two parameters.
Spectro-temporal modulation energy based mask for robust speaker identification
Authors: Chi Tai-Shih , Lin Ting-Han , Hsu Chung-Chien
Published: April 2012

Spectro-temporal modulations of speech encode speech structures and speaker characteristics. An algorithm which distinguishes speech from non-speech based on spectro-temporal modulation energies is proposed and evaluated in robust text-independent closed-set speaker identification simulations using the TIMIT and GRID corpora. Simulation results show the proposed method produces much higher speaker identification rates in all signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions than the baseline system using mel-frequency cepstral coefficients. In addition, the proposed method also outperforms the system, which uses auditory-based nonnegative tensor cepstral coefficients [Q. Wu and L. Zhang, “Auditory sparse representation for robust speaker recognition based on tensor structure,” EURASIP J. Audio, Speech, Music Process. 2008, 578612 (2008)], in low SNR (≤ 10 dB) conditions.
Correlations between ultrasonic guided wave velocities and bone properties in bovine tibia in vitro
Authors: Lee Kang Il , Yoon Suk Wang
Published: April 2012

Correlations between ultrasonic guided wave velocities and bone properties were investigated in bovine tibia in vitro. The velocities of the first arriving signal and the slow guided wave, termed VFAS and VSGW, along the long axis of the tibia were measured at 200 kHz in 20 bovine tibiae using the axial transmission technique. VFAS yielded significant negative correlation coefficients of −0.54 to −0.66 with the bone properties. In contrast, VSGW yielded strong positive correlation coefficients of 0.68–0.84. The best univariate predictor of VFAS and VSGW was the cortical thickness yielding adjusted squared correlation coefficients of 0.41 and 0.69, respectively.
Me Tarzan, You Jane
The Origins of Grammar
Language in the Light of Evolution

by James R. Hurford

Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2012. 807 pp. $65, £35. ISBN 9780199207879.
Authors: Berwick Robert C.
Published: April 2012

Hurford considers the earliest forms of human communication and the development of the grammars that enable communication and underlie all languages.
Epidemiology of and Diagnostic Strategies for Toxoplasmosis
Authors: Robert-Gangneux Florence , Dardé Marie-Laure
Published: April 2012

The apicomplexan parasiteToxoplasma gondiiwas discovered a little over 100 years ago, but knowledge of its biological life cycle and its medical importance has grown in the last 40 years. This obligate intracellular parasite was identified early as a pathogen responsible for congenital infection, but its clinical expression and the importance of reactivations of infections in immunocompromised patients were recognized later, in the era of organ transplantation and HIV infection. Recent knowledge of host cell-parasite interactions and of parasite virulence has brought new insights into the comprehension of the pathophysiology of infection. In this review, we focus on epidemiological and diagnostic aspects, putting them in perspective with current knowledge of parasite genotypes. In particular, we provide critical information on diagnostic methods according to the patient's background and discuss the implementation of screening tools for congenital toxoplasmosis according to health policies.
Epithelial Cell Responses to Infection with Human Papillomavirus
Authors: Stanley Margaret A.
Published: April 2012

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection of the genital tract is common in young sexually active individuals, the majority of whom clear the infection without overt clinical disease. Most of those who do develop benign lesions eventually mount an effective cell-mediated immune (CMI) response, and the lesions regress. Regression of anogenital warts is accompanied histologically by a CD4
+
T cell-dominated Th1 response; animal models support this and provide evidence that the response is modulated by antigen-specific CD4
+
T cell-dependent mechanisms. Failure to develop an effective CMI response to clear or control infection results in persistent infection and, in the case of the oncogenic HPVs, an increased probability of progression to high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive carcinoma. Effective evasion of innate immune recognition seems to be the hallmark of HPV infections. The viral infectious cycle is exclusively intraepithelial: there is no viremia and no virus-induced cytolysis or cell death, and viral replication and release are not associated with inflammation. HPV globally downregulates the innate immune signaling pathways in the infected keratinocyte. Proinflammatory cytokines, particularly the type I interferons, are not released, and the signals for Langerhans cell (LC) activation and migration, together with recruitment of stromal dendritic cells and macrophages, are either not present or inadequate. This immune ignorance results in chronic infections that persist over weeks and months. Progression to high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia with concomitant upregulation of the E6 and E7 oncoproteins is associated with further deregulation of immunologically relevant molecules, particularly chemotactic chemokines and their receptors, on keratinocytes and endothelial cells of the underlying microvasculature, limiting or preventing the ingress of cytotoxic effectors into the lesions. Recent evidence suggests that HPV infection of basal keratinocytes requires epithelial wounding followed by the reepithelization of wound healing. The wound exudate that results provides a mechanistic explanation for the protection offered by serum neutralizing antibody generated by HPV L1 virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines.
Genome Sequence of the Model Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Thermococcus litoralis NS-C
Authors: Gardner Andrew F. , Kumar Sanjay , Perler Francine B.
Published: April 2012

The hyperthermophilic archaeon
Thermococcus litoralis
strain NS-C, first isolated in 1985, has been a foundational organism for archaeal research in biocatalysis, DNA replication, metabolism, and the discovery of inteins. Here, we present the genome sequence of
T. litoralis
with a focus on the replication machinery and inteins.
Sequence and Annotation of Rickettsia sibirica sibirica Genome
Authors: Sentausa Erwin , El Karkouri Khalid , Robert Catherine , Raoult Didier , Fournier Pierre-Edouard
Published: April 2012

Rickettsia sibirica sibirica
is the causative agent of Siberian or North Asian tick typhus, a tick-borne rickettsiosis known to exist in Siberia and eastern China. Here we present the draft genome of
Rickettsia sibirica sibirica
strain BJ-90 isolated from
Dermacentor sinicus
ticks collected in Beijing, China.
Shotgun Genome Sequence of the Large Purple Photosynthetic Bacterium Rhodospirillum photometricum DSM122
Authors: Duquesne K. , Sturgis James N.
Published: April 2012

Here, we present the shotgun genome sequence of the purple photosynthetic bacterium
Rhodospirillum photometricum
DSM122. The photosynthetic apparatus of this bacterium has been particularly well studied by microscopy. The knowledge of the genome of this oversize bacterium will allow us to compare it with the other purple bacterial organisms to follow the evolution of the photosynthetic apparatus.
Genome Sequence of Strain HIMB55, a Novel Marine Gammaproteobacterium of the OM60/NOR5 Clade
Authors: Huggett Megan J. , Rappé Michael S.
Published: April 2012

Strain HIMB55 is a phylogenetically unique member of the OM60/NOR5 clade of the
Gammaproteobacteria
isolated from coastal seawater of Kaneohe Bay on the northeastern shore of Oahu, Hawaii, by extinction culturing in seawater-based oligotrophic medium. Here we present the genome sequence of strain HIMB55, including genes for bacteriochlorophyll-based phototrophy.
Genome Sequence of the Polyhydroxybutyrate Producer Pseudomonas extremaustralis, a Highly Stress-Resistant Antarctic Bacterium
Authors: Tribelli Paula M. , Raiger Iustman Laura J. , Catone Mariela V. , Di Martino Carla , Revale Santiago , Méndez Beatriz S. , López Nancy I.
Published: April 2012

Pseudomonas extremaustralis
14-3b presents genes involved in the synthesis of different polyhydroxyalkanoates, in tolerance and degradation of pollutants, and in microaerobic metabolism. Several genomic islands were detected. Genetic machinery could contribute to the adaptability to stressful conditions. This is the first genome sequence reported from a
Pseudomonas
isolated from cold environments.
Draft Genome Sequence of Rhizobium sp. Strain PDO1-076, a Bacterium Isolated from Populus deltoides
Authors: Brown Steven D. , Klingeman Dawn M. , Lu Tse-Yuan S. , Johnson Courtney M. , Utturkar Sagar M. , Land Miriam L. , Schadt Christopher W. , Doktycz Mitchel J. , Pelletier Dale A.
Published: April 2012

Rhizobium
sp. strain PDO1-076 is a plant-associated bacterium isolated from
Populus deltoides
, and its draft genome sequence is reported.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Anaerobic, Nitrate-Dependent, Fe(II)-Oxidizing Bacterium Pseudogulbenkiania ferrooxidans Strain 2002
Authors: Byrne-Bailey Kathryne G. , Weber Karrie A. , Coates John D.
Published: April 2012

Pseudogulbenkiania ferrooxidans
strain 2002 was isolated as a lithoautotrophic, Fe(II)-oxidizing, nitrate-reducing bacterium. Phylogenetically, it is in a clade within the family
Neisseriaceae
in the order
Nessieriales
of the class
Betaproteobacteria
. It is anticipated that comparative genomic analysis of this strain with other nitrate-dependent, Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria will aid in the elucidation of the genetics and biochemistry underlying this critically important geochemical metabolism.
Genome Sequence of a Salinibacterium sp. Isolated from Antarctic Soil
Authors: Shin Seung Chul , Kim Su Jin , Ahn Do Hwan , Lee Jong Kyu , Lee Hyoungseok , Lee Jungeun , Hong Soon Gyu , Lee Yung Mi , Park Hyun
Published: April 2012

The draft genome of
Salinibacterium
sp. PAMC 21357, isolated from permafrost soil of Antarctica, was determined. Here we present a 3.1-Mb draft genome sequence of
Salinibacterium
sp. that could provide further insight into the genetic determination of its cold-adaptive properties.
Genome Sequence of the Invasive Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serotype Enteritidis Strain LA5
Authors: Grépinet Olivier , Rossignol Aurore , Loux Valentin , Chiapello Hélène , Gendrault Annie , Gibrat Jean-François , Velge Philippe , Virlogeux-Payant Isabelle
Published: April 2012

Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serotype Enteritidis is one of the major causes of gastroenteritis in humans due to consumption of poultry derivatives. Here we report the whole-genome sequence and annotation, including the virulence plasmid, of
S.
Enteritidis LA5, which is a chicken isolate used by numerous laboratories in virulence studies.
Whole-Genome Sequences of Bacillus subtilis and Close Relatives
Authors: Earl Ashlee M. , Eppinger Mark , Fricke W. Florian , Rosovitz M. J. , Rasko David A. , Daugherty Sean , Losick Richard , Kolter Roberto , Ravel Jacques
Published: April 2012

We sequenced four strains of
Bacillus subtilis
and the type strains for two closely related species,
Bacillus vallismortis
and
Bacillus mojavensis
. We report the high-quality Sanger genome sequences of
B. subtilis
subspecies
subtilis
RO-NN-1 and AUSI98,
B. subtilis
subspecies
spizizenii
TU-B-10
T
and DV1-B-1,
Bacillus mojavensis
RO-H-1
T
, and
Bacillus vallismortis
DV1-F-3
T
.
Performance of the Roche LightCycler Real-Time PCR Assay for Diagnosing Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis
Authors: Gous N. , Scott L. E. , Wong E. , Omar T. , Venter W. D. F. , Stevens W.
Published: April 2012

The Roche LightCycler mycobacterium detection molecular assay for
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
,
M. avium
, and
M. kansasii
, was applied to tissue specimens. It performed well on lymph node and cerebrospinal fluid specimens and less well on lung, liver, and bone marrow core biopsy specimens, but used in conjunction with a clinical suspicion of tuberculosis, it could augment patient management.
Characterization of a Novel Bipartite Double-Stranded RNA Mycovirus Conferring Hypovirulence in the Phytopathogenic Fungus Botrytis porri
Authors: Wu Mingde , Jin Fengyin , Zhang Jing , Yang Long , Jiang Daohong , Li Guoqing
Published: April 2012

The ascomycete
Botrytis porri
causes clove rot and leaf blight of garlic worldwide. We report here the biological and molecular features of a novel bipartite double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) mycovirus named

B

otrytis

p

orri
R
NA
v
irus 1 (BpRV1) from the hypovirulent strain GarlicBc-72 of
B. porri
. The BpRV1 genome comprises two dsRNAs, dsRNA-1 (6,215 bp) and dsRNA-2 (5,879 bp), which share sequence identities of 62 and 95% at the 3′- and 5′-terminal regions, respectively. Two open reading frames (ORFs), ORF I (dsRNA-1) and ORF II (dsRNA-2), were detected. The protein encoded by the 3′-proximal coding region of ORF I shows sequence identities of 19 to 23% with RNA-dependent RNA polymerases encoded by viruses in the families
Totiviridae
,
Chrysoviridae
, and
Megabirnaviridae
. However, the proteins encoded by the 5′-proximal coding region of ORF I and by the entire ORF II lack sequence similarities to any reported virus proteins. Phylogenetic analysis showed that BpRV1 belongs to a separate clade distinct from those of other known RNA mycoviruses. Purified virions of ∼35 nm in diameter encompass dsRNA-1 and dsRNA-2, and three structural proteins (SPs) of 70, 80, and 85 kDa, respectively. Peptide mass fingerprinting analysis revealed that the 80- and 85-kDa SPs are encoded by ORF I, while the 70-kDa SP is encoded by ORF II. Introducing BpRV1 purified virions into the virulent strain GarlicBc-38 of
B. porri
caused derivative 38T reduced mycelial growth and hypovirulence. These combined results suggest that BpRV1 is a novel bipartite dsRNA virus that possibly belongs to a new virus family.
How reliable are clinical systems in the UK NHS? A study of seven NHS organisations
Authors: Burnett Susan , Franklin Bryony Dean , Moorthy Krishna , Cooke Matthew W , Vincent Charles
Published: April 2012

Background

It is well known that many healthcare systems have poor reliability; however, the size and pervasiveness of this problem and its impact has not been systematically established in the UK. The authors studied four clinical systems: clinical information in surgical outpatient clinics, prescribing for hospital inpatients, equipment in theatres, and insertion of peripheral intravenous lines. The aim was to describe the nature, extent and variation in reliability of these four systems in a sample of UK hospitals, and to explore the reasons for poor reliability.

Methods

Seven UK hospital organisations were involved; each system was studied in three of these. The authors took delivery of the systems' intended outputs to be a proxy for the reliability of the system as a whole. For example, for clinical information, 100% reliability was defined as all patients having an agreed list of clinical information available when needed during their appointment. Systems factors were explored using semi-structured interviews with key informants. Common themes across the systems were identified.

Results

Overall reliability was found to be between 81% and 87% for the systems studied, with significant variation between organisations for some systems: clinical information in outpatient clinics ranged from 73% to 96%; prescribing for hospital inpatients 82–88%; equipment availability in theatres 63–88%; and availability of equipment for insertion of peripheral intravenous lines 80–88%. One in five reliability failures were associated with perceived threats to patient safety. Common factors causing poor reliability included lack of feedback, lack of standardisation, and issues such as access to information out of working hours.

Conclusions

Reported reliability was low for the four systems studied, with some common factors behind each. However, this hides significant variation between organisations for some processes, suggesting that some organisations have managed to create more reliable systems. Standardisation of processes would be expected to have significant benefit.
ON THE EXACTNESS OF KOSTANT–KIRILLOV FORM AND THE SECOND COHOMOLOGY OF NILPOTENT ORBITS
Authors: BISWAS INDRANIL , CHATTERJEE PRALAY
Published: April 2012

We give a criterion for the Kostant–Kirillov form on an adjoint orbit in a real semisimple Lie group to be exact. We explicitly compute the second cohomology of all the nilpotent adjoint orbits in every complex simple Lie algebra.
TOWARDS NEW MEMBRANE FLOW FROM DE WIT–NICOLAI CONSTRUCTION
Authors: AHN CHANGHYUN , PAENG JINSUB , WOO KYUNGSUNG
Published: April 2012

The internal 4-form field strengths with 7-dimensional indices have been constructed by de Wit and Nicolai in 1986. They are determined by the following six quantities: the 56-bein of 4-dimensional ${\mathcal N} = 8$ gauged supergravity, the Killing vectors on the round seven-sphere, the covariant derivative acting on these Killing vectors, the warp factor, the field strengths with 4-dimensional indices and the 7-dimensional metric.

In this paper, by projecting out the remaining mixed 4-form field strengths in an SU(8) tensor that appears in the variation of spin-½ fermionic sector, we also write down them explicitly in terms of some of the above quantities. For the known critical points, the ${\mathcal N} = 8$ $SO(8)$ point and the nonsupersymmetric SO(7)+ point, we reproduce the corresponding 11-dimensional uplifts by computing the full nonlinear expressions. Moreover, we find out the 11-dimensional lift of the nonsupersymmetric SO(7)+ invariant flow. We decode their implicit formula for the first time and the present work will provide how to obtain the new supersymmetric or nonsupersymmetric membrane flows in 11 dimensions.
CURRENT DRIVEN SWITCHING IN CoPt/Au/CoPt NANOPILLAR WITH INTERFACE ANISOTROPY
Authors: SABAREESAN P. , DANIEL M.
Published: April 2012

Current driven magnetization switching dynamics induced by spin-transfer torque in CoPt / Au / CoPt nanopillar device with interface anisotropy is investigated by solving the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert–Slonczewski (LLGS) equation numerically. The switching of magnetization in the free layer CoPt / Au / CoPt nanopillar with a thickness of 3 nm occurs above the threshold current density of 0.84×108 A/cm 2. This reduces to 0.30×108 A/cm 2 when the free CoPt layer of the device has interface anisotropy in it. The presence of interface anisotropy also reduces the magnetization switching time from 8.4 ps to 3.1 ps when the device is operated by a current with a density of 2.78×108 A/cm 2.
WARM-LOGAMEDIATE INFLATIONARY UNIVERSE MODEL
Authors: HERRERA RAMÓN , OLIVARES MARCO
Published: April 2012

Warm inflationary universe models in the context of logamediate expansion are studied. General conditions required for these models to be realizable and discussed. This study is done in the weak and strong dissipative regimes. The parameters of our models are constrained from the observational data.
EXAMINATION OF THE ASTROPHYSICAL S-FACTORS OF THE RADIATIVE PROTON CAPTURE ON 2H, 6Li, 7 Li, 12C AND 13C
Authors: DUBOVICHENKO SERGEY , DZHAZAIROV-KAKHRAMANOV ALBERT
Published: April 2012

Astrophysical S-factors of radiative capture reactions on light nuclei have been calculated in a two-cluster potential model, taking into account the separation of orbital states by the use of Young schemes. The local two-body potentials describing the interaction of the clusters were determined by fitting scattering data and properties of bound states. The many-body character of the problem is approximatively accounted for by Pauli forbidden states. An important feature of the approach is the consideration of the dependence of the interaction potential between the clusters on the orbital Young schemes, which determine the permutation symmetry of the nucleon system. Proton capture on 2H, 6Li, 7Li, 12C and 13C was analyzed in this approach. Experimental data at low energies were described reasonably well when the phase shifts for cluster–cluster scattering, extracted from precise data, were used. This shows that decreasing the experimental error on differential elastic scattering cross-sections of light nuclei at astrophysical energies is very important also to allow a more accurate phase shift analysis. A future increase in precision will allow more definite conclusions regarding the reaction mechanisms and astrophysical conditions of thermonuclear reactions.
COMPLEX DYNAMICS IN A MODIFIED MACARTHUR–ROSENZWEIG MODEL WITH PREDATOR PARING
Authors: AKHTAR SYED KASHIF , PEET ALISON B. , PEACOCK-LÓPEZ ENRIQUE
Published: April 2012

In this work we propose an ecological model, which is a modified version of the Bazykin model. This model of predator–prey interaction emphasizes predator pairing that yields steady state, periodic and extinction stable solutions. Moreover, we find attractor coexistence between limit cycles, steady states, and the extinction solution, which is always a stable attractor. We also study this model as a spatially extended system in one and two dimensions and obtain Turing patterns such as stripes and spots as well as the so-called black-eye patterns, and, as in the homogeneous case, the spatial patterns coexist with the homogeneous extinction solution.
PREDICTION OF ACOUSTIC WAVE PROPAGATION IN A SHALLOW WATER CONFIGURATION USING THE METHOD OF FUNDAMENTAL SOLUTIONS
Authors: COSTA E. G. A. , GODINHO L. , PEREIRA A. , SANTIAGO J. A. F.
Published: April 2012

An efficient and accurate numerical frequency domain formulation is proposed to investigate the 2D acoustic wave propagation within a shallow water region with a rigid bottom and a free surface. The proposed configuration combines different regions that have either a sloping or a flat rigid bottom.

The numerical approach used here is based on the method of fundamental solutions (MFS). In this model only the vertical interface between different regions is discretized, as the model incorporates Green's functions that take into account the free water surface and the presence of either a horizontal or sloping rigid bottom.
EXHAUST SYSTEM RELIABILITY EVALUATION
Authors: LIN SHENGBIN BURT
Published: April 2012

Road vibrations cause fatigue failures in the automotive exhaust system. Evaluation of exhaust system reliability is investigated by using bivariate joint distribution model to account for dependence between exhaust components. Cumulative damages are derived to be used as the random variables in the distribution model. In the case study with a light duty truck exhaust system, the model parameters were estimated using maximum likelihood method based on marginal distributions. The dependence parameters between components were determined through bench tests of twelve (12) exhaust systems. Result comparison demonstrated the influence of component dependence on the point estimate and statistic inference of the system reliability.
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT RELIABILITY: A REVIEW, ANALYSIS METHODS AND IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES
Authors: DHILLON B. S.
Published: April 2012

This paper presents facts and figures, directly or indirectly, related to medical equipment reliability and reviews various important aspects, directly or indirectly, concerned with medical equipment reliability including classifications of medical devices/equipment, human error in medical equipment, useful guidelines for reliability and other professionals to improve medical equipment reliability, and medical equipment maintenance. A number of methods considered useful for performing medical equipment reliability analysis are also presented. Useful sources and organizations for obtaining medical equipment failure-related data are listed.
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF BEAM BY A QUASI-STATIC MOVING VEHICULAR LOAD
Authors: WANG CHUNG-YUE , HUANG CHIN-KUO , CHEN CHIN-SHIAN
Published: April 2012

This paper presents a new approach of health monitor using the curvature of the influence line. The study included numerical simulation and experimental test of H-beam to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new approach. The specific work includes: loading test method for moving vehicular to measure displacement influence line of beam structure, obtaining Eigen-damage intrinsic mode function (IMF) of displacement influence line with ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), processing the second-derivative on displacement influence line to obtain curvature influence line of Eigen-damage IMF, fitting against which through polynomial to obtain quasi-undamaged curve, using the product of absolute difference from both curvature influence line and quasi-undamaged curve to identify damage location of beam structures by means of the product of curvature difference map after fitted. Theoretical development and experimental verification are carried out on H-beam in this paper. In the experiment, measures of displacement influence line at middle span (L/2) of the H-beam when moving vehicular pass by. EEMD, curve fitting and calculating curvature of displacement influence line, etc. methods are used to process displacement influence line. The advantages of this experimental method are fast, time-saving, simple equipment set-up, and can avoid the disturbance of surrounding environmental vibration, but also trouble in a shortage of undamaged condition for the structure. ANSYS software in the paper simulates displacement influence line at middle span under loading test for H-beam to understand the change of displacement influence line for damage identification, which is used as a basis of theoretical development. Finally, conduct loading test method for moving vehicular to measure displacement influence line at middle span of H-beam; connecting with EEMD, curve fitting, and calculating the curvature of displacement influence line can effectively and quickly identify damaged location.
ASSESSING DISCONTINUOUS DATA USING ENSEMBLE EMPIRICAL MODE DECOMPOSITION
Authors: BARNHART BRADLEY LEE , NANDAGE HONDA KAHINDO WA , EICHINGER WILLIAM
Published: April 2012

This investigation presents an improved ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) algorithm that can be applied to discontinuous data. The quality of the algorithm is assessed by creating artificial data gaps in continuous data, then comparing the extracted intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) from both data sets. The results show that errors increase as the gap length increases. In addition, errors in the high-frequency IMFs are less than the low-frequency IMFs. The majority of the errors in the high-frequency IMFs are due to end-effect errors associated with under-defined interpolation functions near the gap endpoints. A method that utilizes a mirroring technique is presented to reduce the errors in the discontinuous decomposition. The improved algorithm provides a more locally accurate decomposition of the data amidst data gaps. Overall, this simple but powerful algorithm expands EEMD's ability to locally extract periodic components from discontinuous data.
FULLY POLYNOMIAL-TIME APPROXIMATION SCHEMES FOR THE MAX–MIN CONNECTED PARTITION PROBLEM ON INTERVAL GRAPHS
Authors: WU BANG YE
Published: April 2012

We study how to partition an interval graph with non-negative vertex weights into k connected subgraphs such that the minimum total weight of any part of the partition is maximized. For k = 2, it is shown that for any ε > 0, a (1 + ε)-approximation can be found in O((1/ε)n3) time, i.e., it admits a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme (FPTAS). For any fixed k > 2, the problem also admits an FPTAS when restricted to k-connected interval graphs.
THE TIME-DEPENDENT ONE-ZONE HADRONIC MODEL: FIRST PRINCIPLES
Authors: DIMITRAKOUDIS STAVROS , PETROPOULOU MARIA , MASTICHIADIS APOSTOLOS
Published: April 2012

We present some results on the radiative signatures of the one zone hadronic model. For this we have solved five spatially averaged, time-dependent coupled kinetic equations which describe the evolution of relativistic protons, electrons, photons, neutrons and neutrinos in a spherical volume containing a magnetic field. Protons are injected and lose energy by synchrotron, photopair and photopion production. We model photopair and photopion using the results of relevant MC codes, like the SOPHIA code in the case of photopion, which give accurate description for the injection of secondaries which then become source functions in their respective equations. This approach allows us to calculate the expected photon and neutrino spectra simultaneously in addition to examining questions like the efficiency and the temporal behaviour of the hadronic models.