bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attentional control is partially impaired in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
Authors: Tulek Baykal , Atalay Nart Bedin , Kanat Fikret , Suerdem Mecit
Published: February 2013

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is associated with executive cognitive impairment. An important question is whether impairment in executive functioning in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is independent of dysfunction in attention. Attentional control is a subcomponent of executive functioning that is mediated by frontal lobe processing. In the current study, we investigated whether attentional control is deficient in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Attentional control processes were investigated through conflict adaptation and conflict frequency paradigms. These neuropsychological paradigms were assessed by using the Simon, Flanker and Stroop tasks. We additionally analysed post‐error slowing data within these tasks. Error processing is another index of cognitive control that is mediated by frontal lobe functioning. Our sample consisted of 14 healthy adults and 24 patients with untreated moderate–severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Results indicated that attentional control is partially dysfunctional among patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Attentional control processes were deficient when focal attention (Flanker task) processes were involved, but were intact when observed using the Simon and Stroop tasks. A non‐significant trend in post‐error slowing data suggested that error processing, assessed with the Flanker task, was diminished among patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. These results support the view that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome leads to some amount of frontal lobe dysfunction, and that attentional control and error processing might be particularly affected by obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
Did the alien calycophoran Muggiaea atlantica outcompete its native congeneric M. kochi in the marine lakes of Mljet Island (Croatia)?
Authors: Batistić Mirna , Lučić Davor , Carić Marina , Garić Rade , Licandro Priscilla , Jasprica Nenad
Published: February 2013

The calycophoran siphonophore Muggiaea atlantica was recorded for the first time in the marine lakes of Mljet Island (South Adriatic) in 2001. The presence of M. atlantica in such semi‐enclosed environments provided a unique opportunity to describe its life cycle based on in situ observations of the annual variability of its asexual nectophore stage, sexual eudoxid stage (produces gonophores) and calyconula larvae. Muggiaea atlantica was present the whole year in the Malo jezero (Small Lake, SL), where it was actively reproducing between May and September 2001, with a maximum density of gonophores in May (141 gonophores m−3) and nectophores and larvae in June (37 nectophores m−3 and 80 larvae m−3). Higher temperatures below the thermocline (average 14.5–15.6 °C), and the availability of prey (e.g. small copepods, chaetognaths and bivalve larvae) were the main environmental factors related to successful reproduction of M. atlantica in SL. In the Veliko jezero (Great Lake, GL) nectophores and gonophores of M. atlantica were found in low numbers, mainly in the upper 20 m, between September and November 2001 and no larvae were recorded. In 2001, Muggiaea kochi, the sole calycophoran siphonophore previously reported in the GL, was not recorded in the Mljet lakes. We hypothesize that the cold (<13 °C) conditions over winter of 2000/2001 were not suitable for the warm‐temperate M. kochi and may have favoured its cold‐temperate congener, M. atlantica, which has progressively colonized the southern Adriatic since the mid‐1990s.
Seasonal patterns in the abundance of Ectopleura crocea (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) on a shipwreck in the Northern Adriatic
Authors: Di Camillo Cristina Gioia , Giordano Giuseppe , Bo Marzia , Betti Federico , Mori Mario , Puce Stefania , Bavestrello Giorgio
Published: February 2013

Ectopleura crocea is an Anthomedusan hydroid, frequently recorded and abundant on artificial substrates. Here we examine whether the abundance of this species varies seasonally on a shipwreck in the Northern Adriatic at a depth of 10–12 m. Individuals were first found in late autumn when temperatures had dropped below 15 °C, forming scattered colonies composed of a few, small hydranths bearing immature gonophores. Substratum cover and density increased throughout late winter and spring, reaching a peak in April. At temperatures of about 19 °C, colonies were no longer present in June and remained absent throughout the summer. The polyp gut contents comprised mostly crustaceans.
A redescription of the post‐larval physonect siphonophore stage known as Mica micula Margulis 1982, from Antarctica, with notes on its distribution and identity
Authors: Grossmann Mary M. , Lindsay Dhugal J. , Fuentes Verónica
Published: February 2013

The samples obtained during the 2008 Collaborative East‐Antarctic MARine Census (CEAMARC) campaign in the Southern Ocean on the TR/V Umitaka Maru contained many specimens of the physonect post‐larval stage known as Mica micula, in varying stages of development, allowing us to complement the existing descriptions. M. micula appears to be endemic to the Southern Ocean, and its possible position in the family Pyrostephidae, in particular the species Pyrostephos vanhoeffeni, is discussed. For the first time, the definitive nectophores were observed, but they were still too underdeveloped to be assigned conclusively to any known physonect species.
Cell migration during growth and morphogenesis in thecate hydroids
Authors: Kosevich Igor A.
Published: February 2013

Tissues of cnidarian polyps have no permanent cell composition. During growth and development of the organism different types of the cells continually migrate from the places of their proliferation towards the location of their final functioning. Here we studied the role and mode of cell migration during development of the shoot internode in the colonial hydroid Gonothyraea loveni (Thecata, Campanulariidae). The internode formation starts with emergence of a new growing tip and ends by differentiation of a hydranth. We experimentally placed a ligature proximal to the growing tip to prevent tissue and cell migration towards the tip. A normal‐shaped and viable hydranth was formed. However, the ‘experimental hydranths’ had problems opening the hydrotheca and lacked nematocytes. During the life of the ‘experimental hydranths’ no nematocytes appeared in their tentacles. When the ligature was removed, numerous nematoblasts and morular gland cells migrated towards the ‘experimental hydranth’ from the proximal part of the shoot coenosarc. Within a short time, the nematocytes appeared in the tentacles and the gland cells occupied the gastric region of the hydranth. This suggests that a subset of the cells migrate into the hydranth, during or after the final steps of its differentiation, from the proximal region of the shoot or from the stolon coenosarc. Our results also confirm the absence of cell proliferation in the hydranths of the thecate hydroid.
New observations on Dromalia alexandri Bigelow, 1911, a rhodaliid physonect siphonophore from Southern Californian waters
Authors: Mapstone Gillian M. , Ljubenkov John C.
Published: February 2013

Dromalia alexandri is a short‐stemmed physonect siphonophore found regularly in bottom trawls from the shelf waters of southern California, including biannual samples taken to monitor sewage outflow from Los Angeles and San Diego. Since the last description of the species in 1983, a greater size range of specimens is here examined, some with particularly well preserved cormidial units and detached zooids. Higher abundance and larger sizes of D. alexandri specimens collected from the Southern California Bight might be due to increased nutrient levels derived from sewage outflow. Small and large colonies are illustrated and described, and two growth zones identified in the zone of proliferation, including the first siphosomal horn to be identified in a rhodaliid. Nectophores of D. alexandri are found to lack a descending surface diverticulum, and nectophoral lamellae were identified in the naked zone below the aurophore in two specimens. In the largest colony studied, a larger number of young cormidial units are present at the beginning of the first whorl than previously reported, giving a total of c. 57 in whorl one, and in the smallest specimen whorl one has only 10 units, fewer than previously found. Much larger and more complete cormidial units of D. alexandri are figured and described than previously published, as are also a detached mature bract and mature male and female gonophores. Cormidial units are found to comprise only three full cormidia (composed of a gastrozooid, bract, and a gonodendron with gonophores and gonopalpons) when mature, and typically one or two additional bracts. Descriptions of the colony and zooids are based on axes for siphonophores standardized by recent authors and applied here for the first time to D. alexandri. A revised distributional map of the species is included covering a larger geographical area than earlier maps, and based on a greater number of records than previously available. The paper concludes with a comparison and discussion of the main characters of D. alexandri and those of five other species in the family Rhodaliidae.
Benthic hydroids from off Low Island (Southern Ocean, Antarctica)
Authors: Peña Cantero Álvaro Luis
Published: February 2013

A survey of marine benthic community biodiversity off Low Island (Southern Ocean) was carried out by the Spanish Antarctic Expedition Bentart 2006, using the BIO Hespérides. Samples from the expedition included an important collection of hydroids. A total of 39 species was recorded, two of them being new to science (Eudendrium bentart sp. nov., and Orthopyxis curiosa sp. nov.), belonging to the subclasses Anthoathecata and Leptothecata. Anthoathecates are represented by only two species, both referable to the genus Eudendrium. The 37 leptothecate species belong to the families Campanulinidae, Lafoeidae, Haleciidae, Schizotrichidae, Kirchenpaueriidae, Sertulariidae and Campanulariidae. Sertulariidae is the most diverse family with 16 species (41%), followed by Campanulariidae with five species (13%) and Haleciidae, Schizotrichidae and Kirchenpaueriidae with four species (10%) each. At the generic level, the predominant genera are Symplectoscyphus with nine species (23%) and Halecium, Oswaldella and Schizotricha with four species (10%) each. Fifteen of the 39 species represent new records for the waters surrounding Low Island, as also are three (Lafoeina, Opercularella and Orthopyxis) of the 16 genera. In all, 33 species (c. 81%) are endemic to Antarctic waters, either with a circum‐Antarctic (20 species, c. 49%) or West Antarctic (13 species, c. 32%) distribution. Thirty‐eight species (c. 93%) are restricted to Antarctic or Antarctic/sub‐Antarctic waters; only three species have a wider distribution. The Low Island hydroid fauna is composed of typical representatives of the Antarctic benthic hydroid fauna, with good representation of some of the most diverse and widespread Antarctic genera such as Antarctoscyphus, Oswaldella, Schizotricha and Staurotheca.
Retinoic acid influences antero‐posterior positioning of peptidergic neurons in the planula larva of the hydrozoan Clava multicornis
Authors: Pennati Roberta , Dell'Anna Alessandro , Zega Giuliana , De Bernardi Fiorenza , Piraino Stefano
Published: February 2013

Retinoic acid (RA) is a derivative of vitamin A known to be involved in the regulation of many developmental and physiological processes in chordates. Recently, evidence showing its presence and function in invertebrate deuterostomes and protostomes indicated the early evolutionary origin and conservation of the RA developmental machinery, with a key role also in neural differentiation. Moreover, it is known that retinoids can influence pattern specification in polyps of the hydroid Hydractinia echinata. The planula larvae of the hydrozoan Clava multicornis are characterized by a complex nervous system formed by a frontal neural plexus composed by two distinct peptidergic cell populations with antero‐posterior organization: a first, anterior‐most GLWamide immunoreactive (GLW‐IR) population and an RFamide immunoreactive (RF‐IR) cell belt just posterior to the first population. In contrast to most swimming planulae, C. multicornis larvae display a smooth gliding movement on the substrate, characterized by alternate bending of the anterior pole. We tested the effects of RA and of a RA antagonist on C. multicornis development by analyzing the nervous system organization and the photoresponsive behavior of larvae exposed to RA during their embryogenesis. After the exposure, the nervous system became completely disorganized, leading to the displacement of RFamide‐IR cells. Moreover, RA‐treated larvae did not exhibit the typical phototropic behavior of control specimens. Our results suggest that RA can alter the normal development of nervous elements in this hydroid species, supporting the hypothesis that the morphogenetic activity of RA predates the origin of chordates.
Depth‐ and substrate‐related patterns of species richness and distribution of hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) in Arctic coastal waters (Svalbard)
Authors: Ronowicz Marta , Włodarska‐Kowalczuk Maria , Kukliński Piotr
Published: February 2013

Hydroid diversity and species composition were studied in Arctic coastal waters around the Norwegian Svalbard Archipelago. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of physical factors (depth and substrate type) on the distribution and diversity of the benthic hydrozoan fauna that has been poorly studied in the high‐latitude polar region. The study is based on a total of 557 samples collected between 1996 and 2007. Over 1200 colonies and 70 taxa of Hydrozoa were collected by SCUBA divers, dredges and van Veen grabs. The distribution patterns with respect to major environmental factors were studied based on presence/absence data. Four substrate types were most commonly colonized by hydroid colonies: algae, bryozoans, rocks and hydrozoans. The highest species richness was noted on algae and rocks. Shallow water communities of the study area were characterized by a high hydroid species richness. A number of species decrease along the depth gradient. Some species have shown some preferences towards selected substrates or one of the two depth zones, but most hydroid species were generalists in terms of both the depth and substrate preferences. No species could be classified as substrate‐specific (i.e. occurring only on one substrate type). The substrate heterogeneity was shown to be an important driver of hydroid species richness in Arctic coastal waters.
Urinary cystatin C levels as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in patients with acute kidney injury
Authors: Park Moo Yong , Choi Soo Jeong , Kim Jin Kuk , Hwang Seung Duk , Lee Yong Wha
Published: February 2013

Aim

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication in critically ill patients and is associated with a high mortality. Clinicians have limited tools to predict the course of AKI at the time of serum creatinine increase. We evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic utility of urinary cystatin C (uCysC) in patients with AKI.

Methods

In this study, serum and uCysC and urinary creatinine (uCr) were measured in patients presenting with acute kidney injury. The patients were divided into two groups: those with prerenal AKI and those with an intrinsic AKI. Prerenal AKI was defined as a new‐onset increase in serum creatinine (sCr) that resolved within 72 h and returned to the baseline kidney function level. Patients with intrinsic AKI were defined and classified according to the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria.

Results

Of the total number of patients (n = 213), 40.4% (n = 86) were judged to have prerenal AKI and 59.6% (n = 127) intrinsic AKI. uCysC values and the uCysC/uCr ratio were significantly higher in intrinsic AKI versus prerenal AKI. In intrinsic AKI, the uCysC concentration increased with AKI severity. The uCysC/uCr ratio was significantly higher in the RRT group versus the non‐RRT group (0.15 vs. 0.08, respectively; P = 0.037). In a multivariate analysis, the uCysC/uCr ratio was associated with in‐hospital mortality (P = 0.019).

Conclusions

uCysC level and the uCysC/uCr ratio were useful biomarkers of intrinsic AKI, and the uCysC/uCr ratio was predictive of in‐hospital death in AKI patients.
Emotion Regulation in Workgroups: The Roles of Demographic Diversity and Relational Work Context
Authors: Kim Eugene , Bhave Devasheesh P. , Glomb Theresa M.
Published: February 2013

Drawing on the social identity perspective, we investigate the cross‐level relationship between demographic diversity in workgroups and emotion regulation. We propose that age, racial, and gender diversity in workgroups relate positively to emotion regulation because of demography‐related in‐group/out‐group dynamics. We also examine the moderating role of the relational work context, specifically task interdependence and social interaction, on the relationship between demographic diversity and emotion regulation. Results from a sample of 2,072 employees in 274 workgroups indicate that working in a group with greater age diversity is positively related to an employee's emotion regulation. Results suggest the operation of the age diversity effect can be attributed primarily to younger employees when they are in workgroups with older coworkers. Results reveal asymmetric effects for racial diversity such that racial out‐group members engage in higher levels of emotion regulation than racial in‐group members when racial diversity is low, whereas racial in‐group members engage in higher levels of emotion regulation than racial out‐group members when racial diversity is high. Race effects also suggest a moderating effect of social interaction; specifically, social interaction weakens the relationship between racial diversity and emotion regulation. Gender effects are not significant.
Applicants' and Employees' Reactions to Corporate Social Responsibility: The Moderating Effects of First‐Party Justice Perceptions and Moral Identity
Authors: Rupp Deborah E. , Shao Ruodan , Thornton Meghan A. , Skarlicki Daniel P.
Published: February 2013

This research explored individuals’ reactions to perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) using a multimotive framework. In 2 studies, the authors explored the boundary conditions of CSR effects among job applicants and internal employees. A scenario‐based experiment (N = 81) showed that the effect of CSR perceptions on job applicants’ job pursuit intentions was mitigated by applicants’ first‐party justice experiences, whereas it was amplified by their moral identity (Study 1). Survey data from 245 full‐time employees (Study 2) further supported the interactive effects revealed in Study 1. Specifically, first‐party justice perceptions attenuated the positive relationship between employees’ CSR perceptions and their organizational citizenship behavior (OCB); and the relationship between CSR perceptions and OCB was more pronounced among employees high (versus low) in moral identity. Our findings bridge the CSR and organizational justice literatures, and reveal that the effects of individuals’ CSR perceptions are more complicated than previously thought. The findings shed light on micro (employee)‐level CSR phenomena and offer implications for both research and practice.
The morphology and function of thrombolitic calcite precipitating biofilms: A universal model derived from freshwater mesocosm experiments
Authors: Pedley Martyn
Published: February 2013

Microbialites with laminar (stromatolite) and thrombolitic (thrombolite) fabrics are ubiquitous within the Cenozoic freshwater sedimentary record. However, the biology and physiology of the living prokaryote–microphyte biofilms which produced them is only now becoming understood. The present contribution describes a flowing water experimental mesocosm study spanning over 2·5 years and run under near‐natural conditions. This work focussed on microbial biofilm precipitation mechanisms which produce thrombolitic carbonate micro‐fabrics capable of preservation in the geological record. In particular, the roles of microbial guilds and carbonate precipitation processes were examined and recorded at all stages of thrombolite development. The mesocosm experiments convincingly demonstrated that the biofilm community actively encouraged calcium ion precipitation derived from flowing waters. This precipitation took the form of amorphous calcium carbonate nanosphere clusters. These clusters were not randomly distributed within the biofilm extracellular polymeric substances but were focussed in the close vicinity of living filament and coccoid bacterial clusters within individual living biofilm layers. Significantly, the precipitates never replaced microbial cell walls and never buried the living microbes. During nanosphere precipitation extracellular polymeric substances were progressively occluded from between the developing nanosphere clusters. However, extracellular polymeric substances were never totally removed from within the amorphous calcium carbonate clusters until they had neomorphosed into microspar crystals. The orientation of precipitating microspar crystals within the biofilm appeared to be controlled by the host extracellular polymeric substance fabric (cf. typical crystal growth from solid substrates). Precipitates were organized around the margins of a cancellate microfabric developed by a range of microbial guilds within each biofilm layer. This produced a distinct thrombolitic fabric within the biofilm which was quite distinct from laminar stromatolite fabrics. It is concluded that the mesocosm grown freshwater biofilms and their associated microbialite calcite micro‐fabrics present a universally applicable model. Importantly, they provide a mechanism for thrombolite micro‐fabric developments throughout the geological record.
Linear relationship between lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood and buffy coat collected during extracorporeal photopheresis
Authors: Liu Chang , Shah Kalpna , Dynis Marian , Eby Charles S. , Grossman Brenda J.
Published: February 2013

Background

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is commonly used to treat patients with graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) and lung transplant rejection (LTR) in our institution. The quantitative relationship between the number of white blood cells treated during ECP and the cell count in peripheral blood is unclear.

Study Design and Methods

Patients with GVHD and LTR receiving ECP with either UVAR XTS or CELLEX (Therakos) were prospectively recruited for this study. A complete cell count with differential was performed on preprocedural peripheral blood and samples from the collected buffy coats. Correlation analysis and linear regression were performed between cell counts in peripheral blood and buffy coat. Collection efficiency was compared between UVAR XTS and CELLEX.

Results

In all 52 patients, lymphocyte counts in buffy coat and peripheral blood showed strong correlation (r values were 0.85 and 0.983 for UVAR XTS and CELLEX, respectively; p < 0.001) with slopes of 2 and 5.1 for UVAR XTS and CELLEX, respectively (p < 0.001). The quantitative relationship remained robust in patients stratified by diagnoses. Monocytes also showed consistent correlation and linearity, but not neutrophils or combined white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets. CELLEX enriched approximately twice as many lymphocytes and monocytes than UVAR XTS per procedure (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The preprocedural peripheral lymphocyte count can predict the number of lymphocytes within the buffy coat collected during ECP, which may justify the use of peripheral lymphocyte count as a surrogate for the cell dose treated per procedure. Peripheral monocyte counts may serve as an alternative. CELLEX is more efficient in collecting lymphocytes and monocytes than UVAR XTS under conditions tested.
Exchange Rate Volatility Before and After the Float
Authors: Wali Muammer , Manzur Meher
Published: February 2013

This paper provides a descriptive analysis of broad features of major exchange rates since the early 1970s and compares these features with those of the 1960s. The analysis is then extended to investigate whether these features are manifested in interest rates and in commodity prices. The results indicate that while the exchange rates have become more volatile during the current floating rate regime, the moments are comparable with those for interest rates and commodity prices.
Involvement of emergency medical services at unplanned births before arrival to hospital: a structured review
Authors: McLelland Gayle E , Morgans Amee E , McKenna Lisa G
Published: February 2013

Objective

While infrequent, unplanned births before arrival (BBAs) are clinically significant events at which, conceivably, paramedics will be the first health professionals in attendance. This review aims to demonstrate that paramedics not only attend and transfer birthing women, but also use critical clinical and decision-making skills. It further proposes strategies that will support paramedics manage out-of-hospital obstetric emergencies.

Design

The bibliographic databases EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL and Maternity and Infant Care were searched from 1991 to 2012 for relevant English language publications using key words and Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms. Data were extracted with respect to study design, incidence of BBAs, attendance of paramedics, complications and recommendations.

Results

Fourteen studies were selected for inclusion arising from the US, UK and Europe. While all studies acknowledged paramedics attend BBAs, seven reported the incidence of BBAs attended by paramedics, and two discuss issues specifically encountered by paramedics. Paramedics attended between 28.2% and 91.5% of all BBAs. While the articles reviewed noted that most of the births encountered by paramedics were uncomplicated, they all reported maternal or neonatal complications. Eight articles reported the most common maternal complication was excessive bleeding after birth, and nine reported the most frequent neonatal complication was hypothermia regardless of gestation.

Conclusions

Paramedics need to be adequately educated and equipped to manage BBAs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Protocols should be developed between health and ambulance services to minimise risks associated with BBAs. A dearth of information surrounds the incidence of BBAs attended and the management performed by paramedics highlighting the need for further research.
BRANCHING RULES OF SINGULAR UNITARY REPRESENTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO SYMMETRIC PAIRS (A2n-1, Dn)
Authors: SEKIGUCHI HIDEKO
Published: February 2013

The irreducible decomposition of scalar holomorphic discrete series representations when restricted to semisimple symmetric pairs (G, H) is explicitly known by Schmid [Die Randwerte holomorphe funktionen auf hermetisch symmetrischen Raumen, Invent. Math.9 (1969–1970) 61–80] for H compact and by Kobayashi [Multiplicity-Free Theorems of the Restrictions of Unitary Highest Weight Modules with Respect to Reductive Symmetric Pairs, Progress in Mathematics, Vol. 255 (Birhäuser, 2007), pp. 45–109] for H non-compact. In this paper, we deal with the symmetric pair (U(n, n), SO* (2n)), and extend the Kobayashi–Schmid formula to certain non-tempered unitary representations which are realized in Dolbeault cohomology groups over open Grassmannian manifolds with indefinite metric. The resulting branching rule is multiplicity-free and discretely decomposable, which fits in the framework of the general theory of discrete decomposable restrictions by Kobayashi [Discrete decomposability of the restriction of A𝔮(λ) with respect to reductive subgroups II — micro-local analysis and asymptotic K-support, Ann. Math.147 (1998), 709–729].
RESULTS RELATED TO PRESCRIBING PSEUDO-HERMITIAN SCALAR CURVATURE
Authors: HO PAK TUNG
Published: February 2013

In this paper, we consider the problem of prescribing pseudo-Hermitian scalar curvature on a compact strictly pseudoconvex CR manifold M. Using geometric flow, we prove that for any negative smooth function f we can prescribe the pseudo-Hermitian scalar curvature to be f, provided that dim M = 3 and the CR Yamabe invariant of M is negative. On the other hand, we establish some uniqueness and non-uniqueness results on prescribing pseudo-Hermitian scalar curvature.
POISSON BOUNDARIES OVER LOCALLY COMPACT QUANTUM GROUPS
Authors: KALANTAR MEHRDAD , NEUFANG MATTHIAS , RUAN ZHONG-JIN
Published: February 2013

We present versions of several classical results on harmonic functions and Poisson boundaries in the setting of locally compact quantum groups. In particular, the Choquet–Deny theorem holds for compact quantum groups; also, the result of Kaimanovich–Vershik and Rosenblatt, which characterizes group amenability in terms of harmonic functions, admits a noncommutative analogue in the separable case. We also explore the relation between classical and quantum Poisson boundaries by investigating the spectrum of the quantum group. We apply this machinery to find a concrete realization of the Poisson boundaries of the compact quantum group SU q(2) arising from measures on its spectrum.
A FULLY INTEGRATED MULTIBAND CMOS 0.35 μM LNA FOR IEEE802.16 STANDARD
Authors: BEN AMOR MERIAM , LOULOU MOURAD , QUINTANEL SEBASTIEN , PASQUET DANIEL
Published: February 2013

In this paper we present the design of a fully integrated low noise amplifier for WiMAX standard with AMS 0.35 μm CMOS process. This LNA is designed to cover the frequency range for licensed and unlicensed bands of the WiMAX 2.3–5.9 GHz. The proposed amplifier achieves a wide band input and output matching with S11 and S22 lower than -10 dB, a flat gain of 12 dB and a noise figure around 3.5 dB for the entire band and from the upper to the higher frequencies. The presented wide band LNA employs a Chebyshev filter for input matching and an inductive shunt feedback for output matching with a bias current of 15 mA and a supply voltage of 2.5 V.
HARDWARE REDUCTION IN FPGA-BASED MOORE FSM
Authors: BARKALOV ALEXANDER , TITARENKO LARYSA , MALCHEVA RAISA , SOLDATOV KYRYLL
Published: February 2013

The methods are proposed targeting to reduce the numbers of both look-up table elements and embedded memory blocks in the logic circuit of a Moore finite state machine. The proposed methods are based on binary encoding of both classes of pseudoequivalent states and collections of microoperations. Examples of synthesis and results of investigations are given.
ON THE COMPLEXITY OF DECIDING HOMOMORPHISM-HOMOGENEITY FOR FINITE ALGEBRAS
Authors: MAŠULOVIĆ DRAGAN
Published: February 2013

In 2006, Cameron and Nešetřil introduced the following variant of homogeneity: we say that a structure is homomorphism-homogeneous if every homomorphism between finitely generated substructures of the structure extends to an endomorphism of the structure. In several recent papers homomorphism-homogeneous objects in some well-known classes of algebras have been described (e.g. monounary algebras and lattices), while finite homomorphism-homogeneous groups were described in 1979 under the name of finite quasi-injective groups. In this paper we show that, in general, deciding homomorphism-homogeneity for finite algebras with finitely many fundamental operations and with at least one at least binary fundamental operation is coNP-complete. Therefore, unless P = coNP, there is no feasible characterization of finite homomorphism-homogeneous algebras of this kind.
INDIVIDUAL-BASED MODELS FOR BACTERIAL CHEMOTAXIS IN THE DIFFUSION ASYMPTOTICS
Authors: ROUSSET MATHIAS , SAMAEY GIOVANNI
Published: February 2013

We discuss velocity-jump models for chemotaxis of bacteria with an internal state that allows the velocity-jump rate to depend on the memory of the chemoattractant concentration along their path of motion. Using probabilistic techniques, we provide a pathwise result that shows that the considered process converges to an advection-diffusion process in the (long-time) diffusion limit. We also (re-)prove using the same approach that the same limiting equation arises for a related, simpler process with direct sensing of the chemoattractant gradient. Additionally, we propose a time discretization technique that retains these diffusion limits exactly, i.e. without error that depends on the time discretization. In the companion paper,21 these results are used to construct a coupling technique that allows numerical simulation of the process with internal state with asymptotic variance reduction, in the sense that the variance vanishes in the diffusion limit.
LOSS OF RESOLUTION FOR THE TIME REVERSAL OF WAVES IN RANDOM UNDERWATER ACOUSTIC CHANNELS
Authors: GOMEZ CHRISTOPHE
Published: February 2013

In this paper we analyze a time reversal experiment in a random underwater acoustic channel. In this kind of waveguide with a semi-infinite cross-section a propagating field can be decomposed over three kinds of modes: the propagating modes, the radiating modes and the evanescent modes. Using an asymptotic analysis based on a separation of scales technique we derive the asymptotic form of the the coupled mode power equation for the propagating modes. This approximation is used to compute the transverse profile of the refocused field and show that random inhomogeneities inside the waveguide deteriorate the spatial focusing. This result, in an underwater acoustic channel context, is a counterexample of the classical results about time reversal experiment in other configurations for which randomness in the propagation medium enhances the refocusing.
RELAXATION OF A MODEL IN FINITE PLASTICITY WITH TWO SLIP SYSTEMS
Authors: CONTI SERGIO , DOLZMANN GEORG , KREISBECK CAROLIN
Published: February 2013

The macroscopic material response of a variational model in geometrically nonlinear elasto-plasticity with two active slip systems, rigid elasticity, and hardening is determined. In particular, an explicit formula for the relaxation of the underlying energy density is given, both in the two-dimensional and a related three-dimensional setting. Finally, it is shown that the assumption of elastically rigid material behavior is justified since models with rigid elasticity can be obtained as Γ-limits of models with finite elastic energy for diverging moduli of elasticity.
INVARIANTS OF CLOSED BRAIDS VIA COUNTING SURFACES
Authors: BRANDENBURSKY MICHAEL
Published: February 2013

A Gauss diagram is a simple, combinatorial way to present a link. It is known that any Vassiliev invariant may be obtained from a Gauss diagram formula that involves counting subdiagrams of certain combinatorial types. In this paper we present simple formulas for an infinite family of invariants in terms of counting surfaces of a certain genus and number of boundary components in a Gauss diagram associated with a closed braid. We then identify the resulting invariants with partial derivatives of the HOMFLY-PT polynomial.
A COMPARISON OF ONE- AND TWO-SIDED KRYLOV–ARNOLDI PROJECTION METHODS FOR FULLY COUPLED, DAMPED STRUCTURAL-ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS
Authors: PURI R. SRINIVASAN , MORREY DENISE
Published: February 2013

The two-sided second-order Arnoldi algorithm is used to generate a reduced order model of two test cases of fully coupled, acoustic interior cavities, backed by flexible structural systems with damping. The reduced order model is obtained by applying a Galerkin–Petrov projection of the coupled system matrices, from a higher dimensional subspace to a lower dimensional subspace, whilst preserving the low frequency moments of the coupled system. The basis vectors for projection are computed efficiently using a two-sided second-order Arnoldi algorithm, which generates an orthogonal basis for the second-order Krylov subspace containing moments of the original higher dimensional system. The first model is an ABAQUS benchmark problem: a 2D, point loaded, water filled cavity. The second model is a cylindrical air-filled cavity, with clamped ends and a load normal to its curved surface. The computational efficiency, error and convergence are analyzed, and the two-sided second-order Arnoldi method shows better efficiency and performance than the one-sided Arnoldi technique, whilst also preserving the second-order structure of the original problem.
PREDICTING SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES OF WRIST AND FINGER GANGLIA
Authors: Rollins K. E. , Ollivere B. J. , Johnston P.
Published: February 2013

Introduction: Ganglia are the commonest cause of swellings of the hand and wrist; the documented success of outcomes varies considerably. There is little published data to help predict patients likely to benefit from each treatment modality. We sought to identify factors predicting success of each intervention to provide an evidence basis to inform referral criteria and treatment decisions. Materials and Methods: A retrospective series of 140 serial patients referred with confirmed hand and wrist ganglia between June 2005 and January 2011 was studied to a minimum of 12-month follow-up to determine predictors of successful treatment. Treatment was deemed to be successful if the patient did not develop recurrence. Analysis was completed for predictors of successful treatment at presentation; examining gender, presence of pain, duration of symptoms, anatomic location and treatment modality. Results: Treatment success rate following aspiration was 34% for wrist and 58% for finger ganglia and for surgical excision 7% for wrist and 4% for finger ganglia. Surgical excision was significantly more successful than aspiration (p < 0.01). Duration of symptoms greater than one year was significantly associated with increased recurrence rates (relative risk 2.33, p < 0.05) and male sex was associated with lower recurrence (relative risk: 0.54, p = 0.14). Subgroup analysis of different varieties of soft tissue ganglia did not show any statistically significant factors predictive of recurrence, although both painless presentation and male sex were of borderline significance. Discussion and Conclusions: Duration of symptoms less than one year and male sex can be used to identify patients likely to benefit from interventional treatments and guide treatment decisions. Surgical excision was significantly more successful than aspiration (p < 0.01).
IMPROVED PATIENT AWARENESS AND SATISFACTION USING PROCEDURE SPECIFIC CONSENT FORMS IN CARPAL TUNNEL DECOMPRESSION SURGERY
Authors: Arnander M. , Teoh V. , Barabas A. , Umarji S. , Fleming A.
Published: February 2013

Carpal tunnel decompression (CTD) is a common procedure amenable to procedure specific consent forms (PSCFs). These may help better inform patients and so increase patient satisfaction with the consent process. We assessed the use of a PSCF for CTD. The PSCF mentions eight complications of carpal tunnel surgery and alternative non-operative treatments.

Two groups of 40 patients each were compared prospectively. Patients in one group were issued with a PSCF prior to admission whereas those in the other group were not. After standard pre-operative consent, patients were interviewed prior to surgery and assessed for their awareness of complications and alternative treatment options. The patients who received a PSCF showed greater awareness of different complications and alternative treatments and reported greater satisfaction with the consent process. We conclude that using PSCFs is a very useful and inexpensive adjunct to improve patient awareness and satisfaction with the consent process.
EVALUATION OF THE FIRST METACARPAL PROXIMAL FACET INCLINATION AS A PROGNOSTIC PREDICTOR FOLLOWING ARTHROPLASTY FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE THUMB CARPOMETACARPAL JOINT
Authors: Tonogai Ichiro , Hamada Yoshitaka , Hibino Naohito
Published: February 2013

We have retrospectively reviewed 17 thumbs in 16 patients with osteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal joints, for which arthroplasty was performed using Kaarela's method. Postoperatively, three thumbs in two patients had poor outcomes; both patients had a sharp slope of the base of the first metacarpal. Serial radiographic measurements suggested that this sharp slope affected the adducted position of the first metacarpal, and led to the appearance of a metacarpophalangeal joint hyperextension deformity of the thumb. This radiological finding could be a prognostic predictor after surgery for osteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal joint.
AN UNUSUAL COMPLICATION AFTER SUSPENSIONPLASTY WITH THE ABDUCTOR POLLICIS LONGUS TENDON FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS AT THE CARPOMETACARPAL JOINT OF THE THUMB
Authors: Minami Akio , Suda Kota , Iwasaki Norimasa , Motomiya Makoto
Published: February 2013

Suspensionplasty was performed using the abductor pollicis longus tendon for osteoarthritis at the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb. The operated wrist had a full range of motion four months after operation; however, there was swelling on the dorsoradial aspect of the wrist and, upon terminal wrist extension, pain was present at the maximum dorsiflexion. Suddenly, one year after operation the patient could not extend the interphalangeal joint of the thumb. Surgical exploration revealed rupture of the extensor pollicis longus tendon. Tenosynovitis at the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon, where the abductor pollicis longus tendon is sutured, might cause extensor pollicis longus tendon rupture. Late postoperative complications such as this extensor pollicis longus tendon rupture after suspensionplasty using the abductor pollicis longus tendon are extremely rare and this is the first case in the literature.
Hindustan Unilever Ltd
Authors: Vishwanath S. R. , Singh Kulbir
Published: February 2013

In early 2008 an analyst at a prominent Investment Bank in India was analyzing the dividend policy of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), a well-known multinational. The case's protagonist, an equity analyst, must figure out the implications of the firm's dividend policy on the investment and financing activities and the valuation of the firm. She also has to decide what investment recommendation she should give in the light of the analysis. The case describes the Indian FMCG industry as India enters the new millennium. The case details HUL's financial position in an era of increasing competition. Priya must decide whether the dividend policy of HUL is sustainable.
TOPOLOGICAL EQUIVALENCE FOR DISCONTINUOUS RANDOM DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS
Authors: QIAO HUIJIE , DUAN JINQIAO
Published: February 2013

After defining non-Gaussian Lévy processes for two-sided time, stochastic differential equations with such Lévy processes are considered. Solution paths for these stochastic differential equations have countable jump discontinuities in time. Topological equivalence (or conjugacy) for such an Itô stochastic differential equation and its transformed random differential equation is established. Consequently, a stochastic Hartman–Grobman theorem is proved for the linearization of the Itô stochastic differential equation. Furthermore, for Marcus stochastic differential equations, this topological equivalence is used to prove the existence of global random attractors.
HOW MULTIPLE AUXIN RESPONSIVE ELEMENTS MAY INTERACT IN PLANT PROMOTERS: A REVERSE PROBLEM SOLUTION
Authors: MIRONOVA VICTORIA V. , OMELYANCHUK NADYA A. , SAVINA MARIA S. , PONOMARENKO PETR M. , PONOMARENKO MIKHAIL P. , LIKHOSHVAI VITALY A. , KOLCHANOV NIKOLAY A.
Published: February 2013

Plant hormone auxin is a key regulator of growth and development. Auxin affects gene expression through ARF transcription factors, which bind specifically auxin responsive elements (AuxREs). Auxin responsive genes usually have more than one AuxRE, for example, a widely used auxin sensor DR5 contains seven AuxREs. Auxin responsive regions of several plant genes have been studied using sets of transgenic constructions in which the activity of one or several AuxREs were abolished.

Here we present the method for analysis of the datasets on promoter activity assays having promoter sequences, namely, number and sequences of AuxREs, altogether with their measured auxin induction level. The method for a reverse problem solution considers two extreme models of AuxRE cooperation. Additive model describes auxin induction level of a gene as a sum of the individual AuxREs impacts. Multiplicative model considers pure cooperation between the AuxREs, where the combined effect is the multiplication of the individual AuxRE impacts.

The reverse problem solution allows estimating the impact of an individual AuxRE into the induction level and the model for their cooperation. For promoters of three genes belonging to different plant species we showed that the multiplicative model fits better than additive. The reverse problem solution also suggests repressive state of auxin responsive promoters before auxin induction. The developed method provides possibility to investigate AuxRE structure-activity relationship and may be used as the basis for a novel approach for AuxRE recognition.
A CASE-BASED REASONING SYSTEM FOR GENOTYPIC PREDICTION OF HIV-1 CO-RECEPTOR TROPISM
Authors: EVANS MARK C. , PAQUET AGNES C. , HUANG WEI , NAPOLITANO LAURA , FRANTZELL ARNE , TOMA JONATHAN , STAWISKI ERIC W. , GOETZ MATTHEW BIDWELL , PETROPOULOS CHRISTOS J. , WHITCOMB JEANNETTE , COAKLEY EOIN , HADDAD MOJGAN
Published: February 2013

Accurate co-receptor tropism (CRT) determination is critical for making treatment decisions in HIV management. We created a genotypic tropism prediction tool by utilizing the case-based reasoning (CBR) technique that attempts to solve new problems through applying the solution from similar past problems. V3 loop sequences from 732 clinical samples with diverse characteristics were used to build a case library. Additional sequence and molecular properties of the V3 loop were examined and used for similarity assessment. A similarity metric was defined based on each attribute's frequency in the CXCR4-using viruses. We implemented three other genotype-based tropism predictors, support vector machines (SVM), position specific scoring matrices (PSSM), and the 11/25 rule, and evaluated their performance as the ability to predict CRT compared to Monogram's enhanced sensitivity Trofile®assay (ESTA). Overall concordance of the CBR based tropism prediction algorithm was 81%, as compared to ESTA. Sensitivity to detect CXCR4 usage was 90% and specificity was at 73%. In comparison, sensitivity of the SVM, PSSM, and the 11/25 rule were 85%, 81%, and 36% respectively while achieving a specificity of 90% by SVM, 75% by PSSM, and 97% by the 11/25 rule. When we evaluated these predictors in an unseen dataset, higher sensitivity was achieved by the CBR algorithm (87%), compared to SVM (82%), PSSM (76%), and the 11/25 rule (33%), while maintaining similar level of specificity. Overall this study suggests that CBR can be utilized as a genotypic tropism prediction tool, and can achieve improved performance in independent datasets compared to model or rule based methods.
A MATHEMATICAL APPROACH TO DESYNCHRONIZATION OF COUPLED OSCILLATORS: APPLICATION TO A NEURONAL ENSEMBLE
Authors: MONTASERI GHAZAL , ADHAMI-MIRHOSSEINI ARAS , YAZDANPANAH MOHAMMAD JAVAD
Published: February 2013

Synchronization of neurons plays an important role in vision, movement and memory. However, many neurological disorders such as epilepsies, Parkinson disease and essential tremor are related to excessive synchronization of neurons. In the line of therapy, stimulations to these pathologically synchronized neurons should be capable of breaking synchrony. As the first step of designing an effective stimulation, we consider desynchronization problem of coupled limit-cycle oscillators ensemble. First, the desynchronization problem is redefined in a nonlinear output regulation framework. Then, we design an output regulator (stimulation) which forces limit-cycle oscillators to track exogenous sinusoidal references with different phases. The proposed stimulation is robust against variations of oscillators' frequencies. Mathematical analysis and simulation results reveal the efficiency of the proposed technique.