bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bottleneck-based opportunistic maintenance model for series production systems
Authors: Zhou Binghai , Yu Jiadi , Shao Jianyi , Trentesaux Damien
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a bottleneck-based opportunistic maintenance (OM) model for the series production systems with the integration of the imperfect effect into maintenance activities.

Design/methodology/approach

– On the analysis of availability and maintenance cost, preventive maintenance (PM) models subjected to imperfect maintenance for different equipment types are built. And then, a cost-saving function of OM is established to find out an optimal OM strategy, depending on whether the front-bottleneck machines adopt OM strategy or not. A numerical example is given to show how the proposed bottleneck-based OM model proceeded.

Findings

– The simulation results indicate that the proposed model is better than the methods to maintain the machines separately and the policy to maintain all machines when bottleneck machine reaches its reliability threshold. Furthermore, the relationship between OM strategy and corresponding parameters is identified through sensitivity analysis.

Practical implications

– In practical situations, the bottleneck machine always determines the throughput of the whole series production system. Whenever a PM activity is carried out on the bottleneck machine, there will be an opportunity to maintenance other machines. Under such circumstances, findings of this paper can be utilized for the determination of optimal OM policy with the objective of minimizing total maintenance cost of the system.

Originality/value

– This paper presents a bottleneck-based OM optimization model with the integration of the imperfect effect as a new method to schedule maintenance activities for a series production system with buffers. Furthermore, to the best of the knowledge, this paper presents the first attempt to considering the bottleneck constraint on system capacity and diverse types of machines as a means to minimize the maintenance cost and ensure the system throughput.
Subsea maintenance service delivery
Authors: Uyiomendo Efosa E. , Tore Markeset
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to propose a multi-variable analysis (MVA) model for predicting potential delays in the delivery of subsea inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) services.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on data from 351 subsea IMR service jobs executed between 2006 and 2008, a MVA model is proposed for predicting the potential delays in the delivery of IMR services in different plausible scenarios.

Findings

– A model for predicting the delays in IMR service delivery, based on four practical variables that are readily available during the planning phase, was developed and tested. The factors contributing to delays in petroleum subsea IMR services based on importance are: water depth, weather, job complexity, job uncertainty as well as job complexity mix.

Research limitations/implications

– The MVA model is developed based on analyzing subsea IMR service jobs performed in the petroleum industry from 2006-2008. The model can be used in the planning stage to predict potential delays in service delivery based on practical variables available.

Originality/value

– The research proposes a MVA model for predicting delays in service delivery. The model is useful for predicting potential delays in service delivery and for improving the plan based on model analysis results.
Foreclosure Discount: Definition and Dynamic Patterns
Authors: Zhou Hanqing , Yuan Yuan , Lako Christopher , Sklarz Michael , McKinney Charles
Published: February 2015

The lack of a consistent definition of foreclosure discount gives rise to discount rates that vary from nonexistent to sizeable across locations and time. We define the foreclosure discount as the discount of the real estate owned (REO) sale price relative to a normal‐sale estimated market value. With a dataset of 1.34 million REO sale transactions, across 16 CBSAs between 2000 and 2012, we find three noteworthy empirical findings. First, a high REO sale concentration in a market increases the foreclosure discount. Second, foreclosure discount is negatively related to recent house‐price appreciation. Third, the often reported high foreclosure discount for lower value properties is likely due to property condition.
Traumatic Injury Pattern Analysis in a Light Rail Transit Death: A Retrospective Case Study
Authors: Kendell Ashley E. , Fleischman Julie M. , Fulginiti Laura C.
Published: February 2015

Within the context of medical examiner's offices, forensic anthropologists are increasingly being asked to assist with the interpretation of traumatic skeletal injury. This case study presents an example of trauma analysis performed by forensic anthropologists at the Maricopa County Forensic Science Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The primary goal of this study is to document an uncommon pattern of traumatic injury—severe grinding abrasions of the lower appendage that macroscopically resemble sharp force trauma, especially as observed in dismemberment cases—resulting from an individual being dragged beneath a Light Rail train for c. 1.7 miles. The abraded skeletal elements include a femoral shaft fragment, a femoral head portion, and the right foot. Second, this study aims to illustrate the efficacy of forensic anthropological analysis of patterned skeletal trauma. Finally, this study demonstrates the critical importance of analyzing scene information before drawing conclusions as to the etiology of a traumatic injury pattern.
Prognosis associated with cutaneous melanoma metastases
Authors: Pan Yan , Haydon Andrew M , McLean Catriona A , McDonald Priska BB , Kelly John W
Published: February 2015

Background/Objective

Information on the prognosis for patients with regional cutaneous melanoma metastases has been sparse and difficult to establish. In 2009 the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) melanoma staging has for the first time provided survival rates for patients who manifest intralymphatic metastases. We sought to validate the new staging system in this contemporary, prospectively collected cohort of patients following the development of cutaneous metastases as the first evidence of metastatic disease and explored the factors that influenced their prognosis.

Methods

The Victorian Melanoma Service database was searched to identify all patients with cutaneous melanoma metastases. Patients who were found to have lymph node or visceral metastases at the time they were diagnosed with cutaneous metastatic disease were excluded. Survival curves were generated and univariate and multivariate assessments of prognostic factors associated with survival were performed.

Results

In total, 72 patients presented with cutaneous metastases as the first evidence of metastatic disease. The median melanoma‐specific survival of patients with only regional cutaneous metastases (n = 56) was 5.07 years and their 5‐year survival rate was 52%. Distant cutaneous metastases and thickness of the primary melanoma were found to be significant negative predictors of survival.

Conclusion

We were able to validate the new AJCC melanoma staging system survival for patients with cutaneous metastatic disease. Patients presenting with regional cutaneous metastases have a much better prognosis than those with distant cutaneous metastases.
New Zealand National GDM Guidelines: an alternative view of some good practice points
Authors: Rowan Janet , Allen Helen , Budden Astrid , Elder Rose , Farrant Matthew , Hughes Ruth , Ivanova Valeria , Moore Peter , Marnoch Catherine , McGrath Nicole
Published: February 2015

The New Zealand Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) Guidelines, commissioned by the Ministry of Health, contains many good points, but several recommendations are creating controversy. This opinion piece discusses an alternative approach to early pregnancy screening for diabetes. We suggest that it is reasonable to refer women with an HbA1c ≥41 mmol/mol (5.9%) for further management, rather than the recommended referral threshold of ≥50 mmol/mol (6.7%). We also suggest that, for subsequent screening for GDM at 24–28 weeks' gestation, a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test should be offered rather than a 50 g glucose challenge test.
The Neuropsychology of Cluster Headache: Cognition, Mood, Disability, and Quality of Life of Patients With Chronic and Episodic Cluster Headache
Authors: Torkamani Mariam , Ernst Lea , Cheung Lok Sze , Lambru Giorgio , Matharu Manjit , Jahanshahi Marjan
Published: February 2015

Background

Cluster headache (CH) is commonly regarded as one of the most disabling headache conditions, and referred to as one of the most painful conditions known to humankind. Although there has been some research indicating the severe impact of CH, there is little comprehensive evidence of its impact on quality of life, disability, mood, and cognitive function in both its episodic (ECH) and chronic (CCH) variants.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study investigates various aspects of cognitive function including intelligence, executive function, and memory, and mood, disability, and quality of life in 22 patients with ECH and CCH compared with age‐matched healthy controls.

Results

The results showed that intelligence and executive functions are intact in patients with CH, but that patients with CH perform significantly worse than healthy controls on tests of working memory and (all P < .05) report greater cognitive failures (P < .05). Around one third of both the ECH and CCH groups achieved “caseness” for depression, while self‐reported anxiety was higher in those with CCH than the ECH patients, with 75% of the former compared with 38% of the latter groups achieving “caseness” on the measure of anxiety. Patients with CH reported high levels of disability, which was not significantly different between the 2 groups (P > .05). The patients with CH reported poor quality of life compared with healthy controls; however, this difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

Patients with CH show worse working memory, disturbance of mood, and poorer quality of life compared with healthy controls. The differences between patients with ECH and CCH, and the implications of these findings for the management of CH are discussed.
Introducing loupes to clinical practice: dental hygienists experiences and opinions
Authors: Hayes MJ , Taylor JA , Smith DR
Published: February 2015

Objectives

Recent literature has identified a number of potential advantages in wearing loupes for dental hygienists, including improved quality of care and ergonomics. The aim of the study was to determine dental hygienists' opinions about wearing loupes.

Methods

A short online survey was distributed to all dental hygienists who had recently participated in a study investigating the efficacy of loupes on musculoskeletal disorders; all had only worn loupes for a 6‐month period, and prior to the study had not worn loupes. All of those invited completed the survey (n = 12), achieving a 100% response rate.

Results

The majority of respondents noted that the loupes were adaptable to wear; however, only one‐quarter of hygienists surveyed were wearing them often following the study. Respondents identified that the biggest advantage to loupes was calculus removal (91.7%), and most indicated that they felt the quality of their work increased when wearing loupes (75%). The biggest disadvantage to wearing loupes was the adjustment period (50%), with limited depth of vision, headache, vertigo and infection control noted by at least one‐third of respondents.

Conclusions

This study revealed that hygienists identify both benefits and limitations to wearing loupes, and therefore, ongoing support may be required for hygienists adopting their use in clinical practice.
Geometric isomers of sex pheromone components do not affect attractancy of Conopomorpha cramerella in cocoa plantations
Authors: Vanhove W. , Vanhoudt N. , Bhanu K. R. M. , Abubeker S. , Feng Y. , Yu M. , Van Damme P. , Zhang A.
Published: February 2015

The cocoa pod borer (CPB), Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen), sex pheromone was previously identified as a blend of (E,Z,Z)‐ and (E,E,Z)‐4,6,10‐hexadecatrienyl acetates and corresponding alcohols. These pheromone components were synthesized by modification of an existing method and the relative attractiveness of synthetic blends that included different levels of non‐target pheromone components and chemical purities was tested in a cocoa field using Delta traps. Male captures were not significantly different among traps baited with pheromone blends containing 5% to 47% (based on four identified pheromone components) of other geometric acetates [(E,Z,E)‐, (Z,Z,Z)‐, (Z,E,Z)‐ and (Z,E,E)‐4,6,10‐hexadecatrienyl acetates], indicating that C. cramerella males did not discriminate among the pheromone components and other geometric isomers in the blends. Therefore, neither antagonistic nor synergistic effects from other pheromone geometric isomers were observed. The modified synthetic pathway offers the prospect of more economical production of CPB sex pheromone. During 17 weeks when C. cramerella monitoring coincided with the main cocoa pod harvest period in 2013–2014, CPB trap catch data from some blends showed a good correlation with the number of pods with C. cramerella infestation symptoms.
ASSESSING THE SPATIAL ACCESSIBILITY OF MICROFINANCE IN NORTHERN BANGLADESH: A GIS ANALYSIS
Authors: Khan Akib , Rabbani Atonu
Published: February 2015

This paper attempts to understand and operationalize the notion of spatial accessibility (SA) in the context of microfinance. Using geographic information system (GIS) data from northern Bangladesh, we have generated a kernel‐smoothed map and found remarkable spatial variation in access to microcredit. Results suggest that areas isolated from physical infrastructure, administrative establishments, and prone to ecological shocks, exhibit lower degree of SA. Moreover, using an instrumental variable framework, we found that SA has a significant positive impact on household's decision to borrow and on the number of loans: one standard deviation higher SA is associated with a rise in participation probability and average number of microloans by, at least, 3.5 percentage points and 16 percent, respectively.
Targeting and function of proteins mediating translation initiation in organelles of Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Haider Afreen , Allen Stacey M. , Jackson Katherine E. , Ralph Stuart A. , Habib Saman
Published: February 2015

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has two translationally active organelles – the apicoplast and mitochondrion, which import nuclear‐encoded translation factors to mediate protein synthesis. Initiation of translation is a complex step wherein initiation factors (IFs) act in a regulated manner to form an initiation complex. We identified putative organellar IFs and investigated the targeting, structure and function of IF1, IF2 and IF3 homologues encoded by the parasite nuclear genome. A single PfIF1 is targeted to the apicoplast. Apart from its critical ribosomal interactions, PfIF1 also exhibited nucleic‐acid binding and melting activities and mediated transcription anti‐termination. This suggests a prominent ancillary function for PfIF1 in destabilisation of DNA and RNA hairpin loops encountered during transcription and translation of the A+T rich apicoplast genome. Of the three putative IF2 homologues, only one (PfIF2a) was an organellar protein with mitochondrial localisation. We additionally identified an IF3 (PfIF3a) that localised exclusively to the mitochondrion and another protein, PfIF3b, that was apicoplast targeted. PfIF3a exhibited ribosome anti‐association activity, and monosome splitting by PfIF3a was enhanced by ribosome recycling factor (PfRRF2) and PfEF‐GMit. These results fill a gap in our understanding of organellar translation in Plasmodium, which is the site of action of several anti‐malarial compounds.
Historical perspective onChlamydomonasas a model for basic research: 1950–1970
Authors: Goodenough Ursula
Published: February 2015

During the period 1950–1970, groundbreaking research on the genetic mapping ofChlamydomonas reinhardtiiand the use of mutant strains to analyze photosynthesis was conducted in the laboratory of R. Paul Levine at Harvard University. An account of this era, based in part on interviews with Levine, is presented.
Measurement of plasma gentamicin concentrations postchemical ciliary body ablation in dogs with chronic glaucoma
Authors: Rankin Amy J. , Lanuza Rick , KuKanich Butch , Crumley William C. , Pucket Jonathan D. , Allbaugh Rachel A. , Meekins Jessica M.
Published: February 2015

Objective

To investigate the absorption of gentamicin into the plasma after an intravitreal injection in dogs and to report the success rate of this procedure in lowering the intraocular pressure.

Animals

Twenty‐four client‐owned dogs with chronic, end‐stage glaucoma.

Procedures

Dogs received a unilateral (22) or bilateral (2) intravitreal injection of 25–40 mg of gentamicin (mean ± SD dose 2.57 ± 1.65 mg/kg and range 0.61–7.50 mg/kg) and 1 mg of dexamethasone per eye. Blood samples were collected at various time points following the intravitreal injection. Plasma concentrations of gentamicin were determined by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.

Results

The total plasma concentration of gentamicin ranged from 0.21 to 9.71 μg/mL (mean ± SD 2.15 ± 2.03). The mean gentamicin CMAX was 2.29 μg/mL at 2.54 h with a terminal half‐life of 9.8 h. The success rate of the chemical ablation procedure was 86.4% (19/22 eyes) in dogs that had at least 1 month of follow‐up.

Conclusions

Intravitreal injection of gentamicin in eyes with chronic glaucoma resulted in detectable plasma levels in dogs and was successful in lowering the intraocular pressure in 86.4% of the eyes after the first procedure.
Differential effects of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 on microvascular recruitment and glucose metabolism in short‐ and long‐term insulin resistance
Authors: Sjøberg Kim A. , Rattigan Stephen , Jeppesen Jacob F. , Lundsgaard Anne‐Marie , Holst Jens J. , Kiens Bente
Published: February 2015

Key points

Acute glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) infusion reversed the high fat diet‐induced microvascular insulin resistance that occurred after both 5 days and 8 weeks of a high fat diet intervention.

When GLP‐1 was co‐infused with insulin it had overt effects on whole body insulin sensitivity as well as insulin‐mediated skeletal muscle glucose uptake after 5 days of a high fat diet, but not after 8 weeks of high fat diet intervention.

Acute GLP‐1 infusion did not have an additive effect to that of insulin on microvascular recruitment or skeletal muscle glucose uptake in the control group.

Here we demonstrate that GLP‐1 potently increases the microvascular recruitment in rat skeletal muscle but does not increase glucose uptake in the fasting state. Thus, like insulin, GLP‐1 increased the microvascular recruitment but unlike insulin, GLP‐1 had no direct effect on skeletal muscle glucose uptake.

Acute infusion of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) has potent effects on blood flow distribution through the microcirculation in healthy humans and rats. A high fat diet induces impairments in insulin‐mediated microvascular recruitment (MVR) and muscle glucose uptake, and here we examined whether this could be reversed by GLP‐1. Using contrast‐enhanced ultrasound, microvascular recruitment was assessed by continuous real‐time imaging of gas‐filled microbubbles in the microcirculation after acute (5 days) and prolonged (8 weeks) high fat diet (HF)‐induced insulin resistance in rats. A euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp (3 mU min−1 kg−1), with or without a co‐infusion of GLP‐1 (100 pmol l−1), was performed in anaesthetized rats. Consumption of HF attenuated the insulin‐mediated MVR in both 5 day and 8 week HF interventions which was associated with a 50% reduction in insulin‐mediated glucose uptake compared to controls. Acute administration of GLP‐1 restored the normal microvascular response by increasing the MVR after both 5 days and 8 weeks of HF intervention (P < 0.05). This effect of GLP‐1 was associated with a restoration of both whole body insulin sensitivity and increased insulin‐mediated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle by 90% (P < 0.05) after 5 days of HF but not after 8 weeks of HF. The present study demonstrates that GLP‐1 increases MVR in rat skeletal muscle and can reverse early stages of high fat diet‐induced insulin resistance in vivo.
The fat Wnt where?
Authors: VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: February 2015

Wnt signaling influences differences in regional fat accumulation.
A survey-based cross-sectional study of doctors’ expectations and experiences of non-technical skills for Out of Hours work
Authors: Brown Michael , Shaw Dominick , Sharples Sarah , Jeune Ivan Le , Blakey John
Published: February 2015

Objectives

The skill set required for junior doctors to work efficiently and safely Out of Hours (OoH) in hospitals has not been established. This is despite the OoH period representing 75% of the year and it being the time of highest mortality. We set out to explore the expectations of medical students and experiences of junior doctors of the non-technical skills needed to work OoH.

Design

Survey-based cross-sectional study informed by focus groups.

Setting

Online survey with participants from five large teaching hospitals across the UK.

Participants

300 Medical Students and Doctors

Outcome measure

Participants ranked the importance of non-technical skills, as identified by literature review and focus groups, needed for OoH care.

Results

The focus groups revealed a total of eight non-technical skills deemed to be important. In the survey ‘Task Prioritisation’ (mean rank 1.617) was consistently identified as the most important non-technical skill. Stage of training affected the ranking of skills, with significant differences for ‘Communication with Senior Doctors’, ‘Dealing with Clinical Isolation’, ‘Task Prioritisation’ and ‘Communication with Patients’. Importantly, there was a significant discrepancy between the medical student expectations and experiences of doctors undertaking work.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that medical staff particularly value task prioritisation skills; however, these are not routinely taught in medical schools. The discrepancy between expectations of students and experience of doctors reinforces the idea that there is a gap in training. Doctors of different grades place different importance on specific non-technical skills with implications for postgraduate training. There is a pressing need for medical schools and deaneries to review non-technical training to include more than communication skills.
The Men's Safer Sex (MenSS) trial: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial of an interactive digital intervention to increase condom use in men
Authors: Bailey Julia V , Webster Rosie , Hunter Rachael , Freemantle Nick , Rait Greta , Michie Susan , Estcourt Claudia , Anderson Jane , Gerressu Makeda , Stephenson Judith , Ang Chee Siang , Hart Graham , Dhanjal Sacha , Murray Elizabeth
Published: February 2015

Introduction

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are a major public health problem. Condoms provide effective protection but there are many barriers to use. Face-to-face health promotion interventions are resource-intensive and show mixed results. Interactive digital interventions may provide a suitable alternative, allowing private access to personally tailored behaviour change support. We have developed an interactive digital intervention (the Men's Safer Sex (MenSS) website) which aims to increase condom use in men. We describe the protocol for a pilot trial to assess the feasibility of a full-scale randomised controlled trial of the MenSS website in addition to usual sexual health clinical care.

Methods and analysis

Participants: Men aged 16 or over who report female sexual partners and recent unprotected sex or suspected acute STI. Participants (N=166) will be enrolled using a tablet computer in clinic waiting rooms. All trial procedures will be online, that is, eligibility checks; study consent; trial registration; automated random allocation; and data submission. At baseline and at 3, 6 and 12 months, an online questionnaire will assess condom use, self-reported STI diagnoses, and mediators of condom use (eg, knowledge, intention). Reminders will be by email and mobile phone. The primary outcome is condom use, measured at 3 months. STI rates will be recorded from sexual health clinic medical records at 12 months. The feasibility of a cost-effectiveness analysis will be assessed, to calculate incremental cost per STI prevented (Chlamydia or Gonorrhoea), from the NHS perspective.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval: City and East NHS Research Ethics Committee (reference number 13 LO 1801). Findings will be made available through publication in peer-reviewed journals, and to participants and members of the public via Twitter and from the University College London eHealth Unit website. Raw data will be made available on request.

Trial registration number

Current Controlled Trials.ISRCTN18649610. Registered 15 October 2013http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN18649610.
An ecosystem-driven model for spatial dynamics and stock assessment of North Atlantic albacore
Authors: Dragon Anne-Cécile , Senina Inna , Titaud Olivier , Calmettes Beatriz , Conchon Anna , Arrizabalaga Haritz , Lehodey Patrick
Published: February 2015

An application of the Spatial Ecosystem And POpulation DYnamics Model (SEAPODYM) is developed for the North Atlantic albacore (Thunnus alalunga) population. We investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of this species, distinguishing the influences of environment and international fishing. Incorporating historical data (1960–2008), a maximum likelihood approach allows the estimation of biological parameters (thermal and oxygen tolerance) and stock spatial distribution varying over time. Juvenile albacore are predicted in warm surface waters, whereas adults inhabit cooler and deeper waters. Positive correlations between juveniles and tropical large-scale climate indices highlight the importance of environmental drivers when estimating stock recruitment biology and spatiotemporal distribution. A methodology is proposed to use SEAPODYM outputs to estimate stock abundance and maximum sustainable yield (MSY). MSY is computed taking into account the spatial dynamics of the species and the environmental variability and is based on a mechanistic modelling of larval recruitment. MSY estimates converge towards an asymptotic value (15 997 t) of the same magnitude than standard stock assessment estimates conducted for the international tuna commission. In agreement with all assessment studies, the stock status is estimated from overfished in the 1990s to recovered in the 2000s. Our results show that the stock recovery results both from fishing actions, including total allowable catches established in the 2000s, and from the beginning of a North Atlantic Oscillation warm phase, leading to more favourable recruitment conditions. Following a parsimonious ecosystemic approach, SEAPODYM offers a faithful and spatially dynamic modelling framework that now includes direct tools for spatialized management advice and for distinction between environmental and fishing effects.
Variation in carbon and nitrogen concentration among major woody tissue types in temperate trees
Authors: Martin Adam R. , Gezahegn Sossina , Thomas Sean C.
Published: February 2015

Quantifying variation in the wood chemical traits of trees is critical for parameterizing forest biogeochemical budgets and models. Available data on wood chemical traits are based largely on samples taken from main stems; few studies have evaluated how wood chemical traits vary among major woody tissue types. We examined variation in wood carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations in 17 temperate tree species across five woody tissue types: sapwood, heartwood, small branches, coarse roots, and bark; analyses were corrected for losses of volatile C. Both C and N varied significantly among tissue types, but differences were driven mainly by high C and N in bark, a pattern observed for nearly all species. Among nonbark tissue types, bivariate correlations among sapwood, heartwood, small branches, and coarse roots were highly significant and positive for wood C (r = 0.88–0.98) and N (r = 0.66–0.95) concentrations. We suggest that intraspecific variation in C across tissue types is less important than interspecific variation for assessment and modeling of forest-level C dynamics. In contrast, differences in N among tissue types were larger and appeared to be more important to incorporate into forest-level nutrient assessments and models. Our results suggest that, with the exception of bark, wood chemical trait values derived from stemwood can be used to accurately represent whole-tree trait values in models of forest C and N stocks and fluxes, at least for temperate species.
Exploring the spiral of silence in adjustable social networks
Authors: Wu Yue , Du Ya-Jun , Li Xian-Yong , Chen Xiao-Liang
Published: February 2015

This study extends the understanding of the spiral of silence theory by taking into account four factors, including the topology of networks, the time factor of information transmission, the node degree of individuals and the freedom of expression. Simulation experiments analyze the silencers, public opinion in steady state and relaxation time in small-world networks, scale-free networks and community-structured networks by adjusting the initial conditions. Results highlight that individuals are easier to keep silent in scale-free network, especially when the individual with big degree and minority opinion starts the discussion. Conversely, there are only a few individuals keep silent in the community-structured network when the two communities hold opposite opinions. Moreover, the number of silencers grows as the degree of coupling increases, and it decreases as the freedom of expression goes up. By analyzing the public opinion evolution, we also find some important conditions, such as the network topology, the potential public opinion distribution, and the status and sides of the first speaker, can drive the minority reversal.
Generalized twist deformations of Poincaré and Galilei quantum groups
Authors: Daszkiewicz Marcin
Published: February 2015

The three quantum groups dual to the generalized twist deformed Poincaré Hopf algebras are provided with use of FRT procedure. Their Galilean counterparts are obtained by nonrelativistic contraction scheme.
Review of physics results from the Tevatron: Electroweak physics
Authors: Kotwal Ashutosh V. , Schellman Heidi , Sekaric Jadranka
Published: February 2015

We summarize an extensive Tevatron (1984–2011) electroweak physics program that involves a variety of W and Z boson precision measurements. The relevance of these studies using single and associated gauge boson production to our understanding of the electroweak sector, quantum chromodynamics and searches for new physics is emphasized. We discuss the importance of the W boson mass measurement, the W/Z boson distributions and asymmetries, and diboson studies. We highlight the recent Tevatron measurements and prospects for the final Tevatron measurements.
Subcarrier and Power Allocation Algorithm for Spectral Efficiency Maximization in Superposition Coding OFDMA Systems
Authors: de Paula Marques Mateus , Abrão Taufik
Published: February 2015

This paper addresses the optimization problem on subcarrier and power allocation of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) system under spectral efficiency (SE) metric when deploying superposition coding (SC) transmission strategy. An algorithm with polynomial time complexity, of the order of (UN log 2(N)) has been proposed for sub-optimal SE maximization. Results indicate that the system SE increases with the use of SC technique. Besides, the throughput gain with SC adoption increases when the number of users (U) approaches the number of subcarriers (N) available in the system.
RTSMate
Authors: Cunha Renato Luiz De Freitas , Machado Marlos C. , Chaimowicz Luiz
Published: February 2015

Real Time Strategy (RTS) games can be very challenging, especially to novice users, who are normally overwhelmed by the dynamic, distributed, and multi-objective structure of these games. In this paper we present RTSMate, an advice system designed to help the player of an RTS game. Using inference mechanisms to reason about the game state and a decision tree to encode its knowledge, RTSMate helps the player by giving him/her tactical and strategical tips about the best actions to be taken according to the current game state, aiming at improving player's performance. This paper describes the main ideas behind the system, its implementation, and the experiments performed using the system in a real game environment. Results show that RTSMate fulfills its objective: most players considered the system useful and were able to improve their performance by using it.
Electric Agents
Authors: Revelle Glenda , Reardon Emily , Cook Kristin , Takeuchi Lori , Ballagas Rafael , Mori Koichi , Horii Hiroshi , Raffle Hayes , Sandberg Maria , Spasojevic Mirjana
Published: February 2015

Electric Agents is a transmedia game that presents new ways for children to actively engage with television content. A typical-looking educational television show transforms into an interactive game in which children collaborate through a mobile augmented reality experience to find and collect vocabulary words that are missing from the show. The players return the words to the show by throwing them back into the television using their mobile devices. This blend of a linear video narrative and an interactive game strives to make educational television content more engaging and participatory while fostering collaborative play with vocabulary words. We describe the technical implementation to support this collaborative mobile augmented reality experience and report findings from a pilot user study. Results demonstrate patterns of collaborative activity, scaffolded learning, and parasocial relationships that have been linked in previous literature to educational benefits.
Clinical Value of Thymidine Kinase and Tissue Polypeptide Specific Antigen in Breast Cancer
Authors: Mansour O. , Motawi T. , Khaled H. , El-Ahmady O.
Published: February 2015

Thymidine kinase (TK) and tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) were determined in breast cancer (BC) patients (n=83), normal healthy women (n=30) and 18 women with different benign mastopathies. Mean serum levels of TK and TPS in BC patients showed significant increases from their corresponding levels in healthy women and those with benign breast diseases. Diagnostic sensitivity of TK and TPS was 47% and 58% respectively at the selected cut‐off values 8 VlL for TK and 110 U/L for TPS (96% specificity). Pre‐operati ve serum levels of TK and TPS showed significant correlation with the stage of disease and with other classical prognostic factors; clinical stage, tumour size, lymph node involvement and distant metastasis. Nineteen BC patients were followed‐up by serial monthly measurements of TK and TPS (4‐10 samples). Both markers seemed to be valuable in monitoring drug efficacy. TK and TPS were able to detect systemic recurrence before clinical diagnosis (average 2 months lead time). TPS was greatly affected by liver diseases.
Luminoimmunometric Assay of Tissue Polypeptide Antigen (Tpa) and Cancer Antigen 125 (Ca‐125) in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: El-Ahmady O. , A.-B. Halim , Eissa S.
Published: February 2015

Serum TPA and CA‐125 were determined in 86 individuals (66 with breast cancer representing the different stages and grades of the disease and 20 normal healthy controls). TPA and CA‐125 were estimated using the L1A reagents supplied by BYK Sangtec. TPA showed sensitivity rates of 31.8%, 42.4% and 51.5% while CA‐125 showed sensitivities of 16.3%, 18.6% and 25.6% at specificity levels of 100%, 95% and 90% respectively. Combined determination of the two markers resulted in some improvement in sensitivity. For follow‐up of breast cancer patients after surgery both markers were of value and showed near‐identical patterns.
Targeted T-cell Therapy in Stage IV Breast Cancer: A Phase I Clinical Trial
Authors: Lum Lawrence G. , Thakur Archana , Al-Kadhimi Zaid , Colvin Gerald A. , Cummings Francis J. , Legare Robert D. , Dizon Don S. , Kouttab Nicola , Maizel Abby , Colaiace William , Liu Qin , Rathore Ritesh
Published: February 2015

Purpose: This study reports a phase I immunotherapy trial in 23 women with metastatic breast cancer consisting of eight infusions of anti-CD3 × anti-HER2 bispecific antibody (HER2Bi) armed anti-CD3–activated T cells (ATC) in combination with low-dose IL-2 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor to determine safety, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), technical feasibility, T-cell trafficking, immune responses, time to progression, and overall survival (OS).

Experimental Design: ATC were expanded from leukapheresis product using IL2 and anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody and armed with HER2Bi. In 3+3 dose escalation design, groups of 3 patients received 5, 10, 20, or 40 × 109 armed ATC (aATC) per infusion.

Results: There were no dose-limiting toxicities and the MTD was not defined. It was technically feasible to grow 160 × 109 ATC from a single leukapheresis. aATC persisted in the blood for weeks and trafficked to tumors. Infusions of aATC induced anti-breast cancer responses and increases in immunokines. At 14.5 weeks after enrollment, 13 of 22 (59.1%) evaluable patients had stable disease and 9 of 22 (40.9%) had progressive disease. The median OS was 36.2 months for all patients, 57.4 months for HER2 3+ patients, and 27.4 months for HER2 0–2+ patients.

Conclusions: Targeting HER2+ and HER2− tumors with aATC infusions induced antitumor responses, increases in Th1 cytokines, and IL12 serum levels that suggest that aATC infusions vaccinated patients against their own tumors. These results provide a strong rationale for conducting phase II trials. Clin Cancer Res; 21(10); 2305–14. ©2015 AACR.
Chromosome Segregation in Vibrio cholerae
Authors: Ramachandran Revathy , Jha Jyoti , Chattoraj Dhruba K.
Published: February 2015

The study of chromosome segregation is currently one of the most exciting research frontiers in cell biology. In this review, we discuss our current knowledge of the chromosome segregation process in Vibrio cholerae, based primarily on findings from fluorescence microscopy experiments. This bacterium is of special interest because of its eukaryotic feature of having a divided genome, a feature shared with 10% of known bacteria. We also discuss how the segregation mechanisms of V. cholerae compare with those in other bacteria, and highlight some of the remaining questions regarding the process of bacterial chromosome segregation.
Structural Maintenance of Chromosome Complex in Bacteria
Authors: Kleine Borgmann Luise A.K. , Graumann Peter L.
Published: February 2015

In all organisms, from eukaryotes to prokaryotes, the chromosome is highly compacted and organized. Chromosome condensation is essential in all cells and ranges from 1,000- to more than 10,000-fold between bacterial and eukaryotic cells. Replication and transcription occur in parallel with chromosome segregation in bacteria. Structural maintenance of chromosome proteins play a key role in chromosome compaction and segregation, their coordination with the cell cycle, and in various other chromosome dynamics, including DNA repair. In spite of their essential nature in almost all organisms, their function at a molecular level is only slowly beginning to emerge.
MukBEF, a Chromosomal Organizer
Authors: Rybenkov Valentin V. , Herrera Viridiana , Petrushenko Zoya M. , Zhao Hang
Published: February 2015

Global folding of bacterial chromosome requires the activity of condensins. These highly conserved proteins are involved in various aspects of higher-order chromatin dynamics in a diverse range of organisms. Two distinct superfamilies of condensins have been identified in bacteria. The SMC-ScpAB proteins bear significant homology to eukaryotic condensins and cohesins and are found in most of the presently sequenced bacteria. This review focuses on the MukBEF/MksBEF superfamily, which is broadly distributed across diverse bacteria and is characterized by low sequence conservation. The prototypical member of this superfamily, the Escherichia coli condensin MukBEF, continues to provide critical insights into the mechanism of the proteins. MukBEF acts as a complex molecular machine that assists in chromosome segregation and global organization. The review focuses on the mechanistic analysis of DNA organization by MukBEF with emphasis on its involvement in the formation of chromatin scaffold and plausible other roles in chromosome segregation.
Olga's Notes: This Whole New World
Authors: Arsanios Marwa
Published: February 2015

Olga's Notes is a script for a movie. This project tells a story composed of various collected notes, written mainly while reading Al-Hilal magazine (an Egyptian publication from the 1960s), thinking about the disciplined body, labor, and nation-state building through dance.
Pineapples in Paradise: Why Islam Does Not Necessarily Support Human Rights and Why That Is a Good Thing
Authors: Shirazi Sam
Published: February 2015

Liberal Muslims answer in the affirmative to the question of whether Islam supports human rights. This article argues that such an approach to human rights falls into the same fallacy that causes more conservative Muslims to reject human rights. Just as pineapples are not mentioned in the Qur’an, human rights are also not specifically mentioned because neither concept existed in 7th century Arabia. As a result, it does make sense to debate whether there are pineapples in paradise or whether Islam supports human rights. Islam cannot support or reject human rights because human religious knowledge on the topic is necessarily incomplete. Liberal Muslims should make this argument and then present practical reasons why human rights are right for Muslim societies. Such a move will bring the debate about human rights back to the temporal realm and away from a theological debate which can never be won.
Shaking Our Foundations, Part 1: Occupational Therapy — Its Path to Professionalisation
Authors: Green Susie
Published: February 2015

These two articles attempt to clarify the problem of role anxiety through a review of some of the literature on the processes of professionalisation and a description of a qualitative study examining the relationships between occupational therapists and their helpers. The first article describes the nature and processes of professionalisation according to various sociological models. The problem of defining the knowledge base of people in ‘caring’ professions is identified and it is suggested that this needs to be related to a dynamic view of social structures.
Description logic–based knowledge merging for concrete- and fuzzy-domain ontologies
Authors: Kumar Sri Krishna , Harding Jennifer A
Published: February 2015

Enterprises, especially virtual enterprises, are nowadays becoming more knowledge intensive and adopting efficient knowledge management systems to boost their competitiveness. The major challenge for knowledge management for virtual enterprises is to acquire, extract and integrate new knowledge with the existing source. Ontologies have been proved to be one of the best tools for representing knowledge with class, role and other characteristics. It is imperative to accommodate the new knowledge in the current ontologies with logical consistencies as it is tedious and costly to construct new ontologies every time after acquiring new knowledge. This article introduces a mechanism and a process to integrate new knowledge into the current system (ontology). Separate methods have been adopted for fuzzy- and concrete-domain ontologies. The process starts by finding the semantic and structural similarities between the concepts using WordNet and description logic. Description logic–based reasoning is used next to determine the position and relationships between the incoming and existing knowledge. The experimental results provided show the efficacy of the proposed method.
A successful form of trade-off in compensatory policy classrooms
Authors: Vors Olivier , Gal-Petitfaux Nathalie , Potdevin François
Published: February 2015

Since 2010, French middle schools with a high enrolment of difficult students have benefited from a compensatory policy called ‘Écoles Collèges et Lycées pour l'Ambition, l'Innovation et la Réussite’ (ECLAIR) (Primary and Secondary Schools for Ambition, Innovation and Success). These difficult students frequently misbehave, disengage from academic tasks and provoke conflict in the classroom. However, some physical education (PE) teachers are able to develop successful teaching strategies. This case study has analysed precisely the activity of the teacher in relation to the activity of the students in these difficult classes. It examined the successful forms of interaction between teachers and students in PE classes and sought to determine the meaning of these interactions in structuring a ‘difficult’ classroom culture. The study was conducted within a situated cognitive anthropology framework in middle schools enrolled in the ECLAIR programme. Eight successful PE teachers and 24 students between the ages of 12 and 16 were involved in this qualitative study. The results revealed that, in spite of divergent intentions, the respective activities of the teachers and students remained coordinated. This coordination was based on a recurrent form of classroom interaction that made use of processes of ostentation and masking.
Biosensor for human IgE detection using shear-mode FBAR devices
Authors: Chen Ying-Chung , Shih Wei-Che , Chang Wei-Tsai , Yang Chun-Hung , Kao Kuo-Sheng , Cheng Chien-Chuan
Published: February 2015

Film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) have been evaluated for use as biosensors because of their high sensitivity and small size. This study fabricated a novel human IgE biosensor using shear-mode FBAR devices with c-axis 23°-tilted AlN thin films. Off-axis radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method was used for deposition of c-axis 23°-tilted AlN thin films. The deposition parameters were adopted as working pressure of 5 mTorr, substrate temperature of 300°C, sputtering power of 250 W, and 50 mm distance between off-axis and on-axis. The characteristics of the AlN thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The frequency response was measured with an HP8720 network analyzer with a CASCADE probe station. The X-ray diffraction revealed (002) preferred wurtzite structure, and the cross-sectional image showed columnar structure with 23°-tilted AlN thin films. In the biosensor, an Au/Cr layer in the FBAR backside cavity was used as the detection layer and the Au surface was modified using self-assembly monolayers (SAMs) method. Then, the antigen and antibody were coated on biosensor through their high specificity property. Finally, the shear-mode FBAR device with k

t

2 of 3.18% was obtained, and the average sensitivity for human IgE detection of about 1.425 × 105 cm2/g was achieved.
On the k-Buchsbaum property of powers of Stanley–Reisner ideals
Authors: Minh Nguyên Công , Nakamura Yukio
Published: February 2015

Let S = K[x1,x2,…,xn] be a polynomial ring over a field K. Let Δ be a simplicial complex whose vertex set is contained in {1, 2,…,n}. For an integer k ≥ 0, we investigate the k-Buchsbaum property of residue class rings S/I(t); and S/It for the Stanley-Reisner ideal I = IΔ. We characterize the k-Buchsbaumness of such rings in terms of the simplicial complex Δ and the power t. We also give a characterization in the case where I is the edge ideal of a simple graph.
Crowdsourcing digital history online
Authors: Valatsou Despoina
Published: February 2015

Digital history, among other things, offers the possibility for people to collaborate and work together on historical projects online. The notion of crowdsourcing is essential in this process, as well as in the theoretical study and approach of the field of digital humanities.