bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cultural identities and their relevance to school practice
Authors: Hviid Pernille , Villadsen Jakob Waag
Published: March 2014

In accordance with Esteban-Guitart and Moll’s proposal of the notions of Funds of Knowledge and Funds of Identity as complementary, this paper investigates the notion of identity and its applicability in an educational setting. Our analysis adds a historical developmental dimension to the notion of Funds of Identity without which, the culture as well as the person tends to become fixated and perceivable only as objects in themselves. With a developmental attention, sensitive to the processes of creating novelties and maintenance over time, the exclusive separation is inevitable replaced with an inclusive separation, stressing the interdependent nature of psychological phenomena. In the last section of the paper, we investigate the implications of the proposal, now on an educational methodological level. Drawing on the Italian educational tradition called Sfondo Integratore, our investigations points to potentials beyond using students evolving identities as suitable ‘channels’ to the individual child’s learning in an otherwise unaffected school.
Caring in the gym
Authors: Gano-Overway Lori , Guivernau Marta
Published: March 2014

Caring has been discussed as foundational to developing quality physical activity settings that promote social and personal responsibility and are synonymous with effective teaching practice in physical education. However, how physical educators practice caring in the gym is unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore how physical education teachers describe their experiences of caring in the classroom. Six middle school teachers, rated as caring by students, were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Inductive content analysis was used to cluster the raw data quotes into thematic categories which were compared and contrasted to insure uniqueness among the emergent themes. Three overarching themes emerged focusing on 1) being in relation including lower order themes of developing relationships, encouraging/developing caring, and creating connections, 2) creating an inclusive and accepting environment including lower order themes of respecting and trusting students, creating a safe and accepting place, treating students fairly, and being inclusive, and 3) empowering students including lower order themes of supporting development, engaging in caring discipline, and promoting ownership. Results support previous work in the caring literature and further inform practitioners how to work toward developing caring within their own physical activity setting.
Political humor in comic strips: A comparative analysis between Oriental and Occidental approaches
Authors: Sosa-Abella Mireya , Reyes Ricardo M.
Published: March 2014

The humor utilized by Quino and Lat, cartoonists who belong to cultures that are far apart, is the starting point of this work. This investigation analyzes the topic of politics viewed from these two different cultural backgrounds and therefore from two different perspectives. The researchers seek to go more deeply into the topic of politics, and aim to uncover the differences and similarities in the way these two artists approach this subject through the use of humor, specifically in four of their cartoons. The main findings are that Quino’s approach can be considered universal, while Lat’s approach tends to be more localized. It is found that cultural predispositions make humor social by nature. Neither of the artists seeks social change through their work, but rather social awareness.
Gendered discipline and protective custody of trafficking victims in Asia
Authors: Lee Maggy
Published: March 2014

In many parts of Asia, critics have noted the common but hitherto under-researched practices of detaining victims of human trafficking in semi-carceral institutions or ‘shelters’, in the name of victim protection and rescue. Although the formal justification for immigration detention and ‘protective custody’ may be different, there are clear parallels between the experience of trafficking victims in semi-carceral institutions and what Kalhan has termed ‘a quasi-punitive system of immcarceration’. This article seeks to add to the critical work on the changing nature and harms of immigration control by exploring the logic and practices of protective custody in Asia. How can we make sense of the regulatory purposes performed by semi-carceral institutions for trafficking victims? What do we know about women and girls’ experiences of protective custody in South and South-East Asia? In what ways does the dominant anti-sex trafficking discourse of ‘protection’ and ‘rescue’ intersect with gendered notions of belonging and citizenship? And, ultimately, what can a study of gendered carceral practices tell us about the problems and paradoxes of trafficking control?
1000 Voices: Reflective online multimodal narrative inquiry as a research methodology for disability research
Authors: Sunderland Naomi , Chenoweth Lesley , Matthews Nicole , Ellem Kathleen
Published: March 2014

This article outlines the research approach used in the international 1000 Voices Project. The 1000 Voices project is an interdisciplinary research and public awareness project that uses a customised online multimodal storytelling platform to explore the lives of people with disability internationally. Through the project, researchers and partners have encouraged diverse participants to select the modes of storytelling (e.g. images, text, videos and combinations thereof) that suit them best and to self-define what both ‘disability’ and ‘life story’ mean to them. The online reflective component of the approach encourages participants to organically and reflectively develop story events and revisions over time in ways that suit them and their emerging lives. This article provides a detailed summary of the project's theoretical and methodological development alongside suggestions for future development in social work and qualitative research.
Politics of literary humour and contested narrative identity (of a region with no identity)
Authors: Ridanpää Juha
Published: March 2014

The paper concerns the reading of humour, literary imaginativeness, social structures, local identities, as well as their emancipation, and their interconnected nature. Humour is approached here as a tool through which the writer as well as the reader can self-consciously rise above the social and cultural discourses within which the text itself is written. These themes are discussed by investigating how literary humour is used in the process of narrativizing the marginalized histories and identities of the Tornedalen (Torne Valley) region of Sweden. The specific focus is on the humour of novelist Mikael Niemi, a native of the region, and his novel Popularmusik Från Vittula. The paper examines how Niemi’s literary humour is embedded in the questions of spatiality and otherness, and how they are both constructed and contested through irony directed at the common regional stereotypes of Tornedalen, a ‘region with no identity’. The key argument here concerns how perceiving the world through humour, and humour through social criticism, are alternative manners of acknowledging, understanding and interpreting the processes on-going in space and society.
Appreciative Inquiry as a method of transforming identity and power in Pakistani women
Authors: Duncan Graham , Ridley-Duff Rory
Published: March 2014

This paper describes a three-year action research project that used Appreciative Inquiry to work with marginalised Pakistani women living in Sheffield. The research encountered many of the difficulties and dilemmas that have been previously identified in the theory and practice of Appreciative Inquiry. However, it also empowered the participants to develop critical thinking, particularly around issues of power and identity. Through generating authentic and untold stories, Appreciative Inquiry enabled participants to discuss, subvert and challenge the identities that had been constructed for them by sources of power within their community and culture. The paper describes the innovative application of Appreciative Inquiry, offers a theoretical response to criticisms of Appreciative Inquiry and suggests how it may be effective in enabling marginalised people to critically address issues of power.
Undernutrition Among Indian Men
Authors: Patil Yashwant Pandharinath , Shinde Ramkrishna Lahu
Published: March 2014

The objective of this study was to evaluate zonal and state-wise prevalence and risk factors of undernutrition among Indian men in the age-group of 15 to 54 years based on sampled data of 74,369 respondents from the National Family Health Survey-3. A common anthropometric measure, body mass index, is used to determine the prevalence as it is considered to be a good measure of undernutrition. Overall, 28.6% ( SE = 0.17%) of Indian men are classified as underweight, and 52.5% ( SE = 0.62%) of the younger age-group (15-19 years) are underweight. The highest prevalence of underweight men in Indian states is observed in Tripura (39.8%; SE = 1.85%), followed by Rajasthan (39.3%; SE = 1.28%), Chhattisgarh (37.2%; SE = 1.3%), and Gujarat (35.7%; SE = 1.3%). The highest and lowest prevalence among zones are reported for central (34.5%; SE = 0.39%) and northeast (18%; SE = 0.34%) zones, respectively. The bivariate analysis using chi-square test concludes the significant association ( p < .001) between the body mass index groups and each of the explanatory variable. Significant difference ( p ≤ .002) is reported in the mean heights of underweight and non–underweight men among four out of six zones of India. From multivariate logistic regression analysis, we observed that for India as a whole, men with no education, low/medium standard of living, and the younger age-group (15-19 years) have significantly ( p < .001) higher chances of being underweight. We also observed similar results for many Indian states at different significance levels. In conclusion, the distribution of underweight in India remains segregated by socioeconomic status.
Tensile properties and microstructures of investment complex shaped casting
Authors: Kang M. , Gao H. , Wang J. , Wang K. , Ling L. , Sun B.
Published: March 2014

The tensile properties of complex shaped nickel based superalloy casting were investigated at elevated temperature. Specimens were prepared from investment casting with/without hot isostatic pressing (HIP) treatment. Grain size and microstructure of specimen are examined through optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results show that the tensile properties change remarkably, although the specimens were cut from the same casting; the ultimate tensile strength and elongation in semilogarithmic scale of the specimens have obvious linear relationship with grain size. The HIP treatment can not only improve the tensile properties but also increase the sensitivity of elongation in terms of grain size, which roots from the morphology and redistribution of bifilms, δ phase, Laves phase and γ″ precipitates. The present work will provide a better understanding of the local profile–property relationships of complex shaped casting in bottom filling system and suggest that the local profile should be considered seriously in design and manufacture of the complex shaped superalloy casting.
Side peak cancellation method for sine-BOC(m,n)-modulated GNSS signals
Authors: Attia Salim , Rouabah Khaled , Chikouche Djamel , Flissi Mustapha
Published: March 2014

In this paper, we propose an efficient scheme for side peak cancelation in binary offset carrier (m,n) (BOC(m,n)) with integer modulation order. The proposed scheme reduces significantly the width of the main peak of the auto-correlation function (ACF) and thus the range of influence of the multipath (MP) in BOC-modulated signals. It is based on the use of reference ACFs like that of ideal pseudo random noise (PRN) code generated by linear feedback shift register (LFSR) and used in global positioning system (GPS) and the Russian Globalnaya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS). In MP environment, the proposed method is used in combination with fast iterative maximum likelihood algorithm (FIMLA) that is adapted to future modernized GPS and Galileo signals. As a result, the obtained ACF of the proposed scheme does not contain any side peaks, and thus, the discriminator function (DF) has no ambiguity in the delay-locked loop (DLL) code tracking operation. The simulation results show that the proposed technique has superior performances in MP mitigation and permits the same resistance to noise compared to the traditional techniques.
Genetic polymorphisms in warfarin and tacrolimus-related genes VKORC1, CYP2C9 and CYP3A5 in the Greek-Cypriot population
Authors: Hadjipanagi Despina , Chrysanthou Stephanie , Voskarides Konstantinos , Deltas Constantinos
Published: March 2014

Background

Two variants in the gene encoding the cytochrome P450 2C9 enzyme (CYP2C9) are considered the most significant genetic risk factors associated with bleeding after warfarin prescription. A variant in the vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKORC1) has been also associated by several studies with warfarin response. Another variant in the P450 3A5 enzyme (CYP3A5) gene is known to affect the metabolism of many drugs, including tacrolimus.

Findings

We conducted a population genetic study in 148 unrelated healthy Greek-Cypriot volunteers (through PCR-RFLP assays), in order to determine the frequencies of the above pharmacogenetics variants and to compare allele frequencies with those in other major ethnic groups. The allele frequencies of CYP2C9*2, CYP2C9*3 and CYP3A5*3 were found to be 0.162, 0.112 and 0.943 respectively, whereas VKORC1 - 1639A was 0.534. The latter frequency differs significantly when compared with Caucasians, Asians and Africans (p < 0.001) and is still significant when compared with the geographically and culturally closely related to Greek-Cypriots, Hellenes of Greece (p = 0.01). Interestingly ~18% of our population are carriers of four or three risk alleles regarding warfarin sensitivity, therefore they have a high predisposition for bleeding after taking high or even normal warfarin doses.

Conclusions

Our data show no significant difference in the frequency of CYP2C9 and CYP3A5 allelic variants when compared to the Caucasian population, but differ significantly when compared with Africans and Asians (p < 0.001). Also, the frequency of variant VKORC1 - 1639A differs between Greek-Cypriots and every other population we compared. Finally, about 1/5 Greek-Cypriots carry three or four risk alleles and ~50% of them carry at least two independent risk alleles regarding warfarin sensitivity, a potentially high risk for over-anticoagulation.
Trastuzumab emtansine: mechanisms of action and drug resistance
Authors: Barok Mark , Joensuu Heikki , Isola Jorma
Published: March 2014

Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) is an antibody-drug conjugate that is effective and generally well tolerated when administered as a single agent to treat advanced breast cancer. Efficacy has now been demonstrated in randomized trials as first line, second line, and later than the second line treatment of advanced breast cancer. T-DM1 is currently being evaluated as adjuvant treatment for early breast cancer. It has several mechanisms of action consisting of the anti-tumor effects of trastuzumab and those of DM1, a cytotoxic anti-microtubule agent released within the target cells upon degradation of the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-T-DM1 complex in lysosomes. The cytotoxic effect of T-DM1 likely varies depending on the intracellular concentration of DM1 accumulated in cancer cells, high intracellular levels resulting in rapid apoptosis, somewhat lower levels in impaired cellular trafficking and mitotic catastrophe, while the lowest levels lead to poor response to T-DM1. Primary resistance of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer to T-DM1 appears to be relatively infrequent, but most patients treated with T-DM1 develop acquired drug resistance. The mechanisms of resistance are incompletely understood, but mechanisms limiting the binding of trastuzumab to cancer cells may be involved. The cytotoxic effect of T-DM1 may be impaired by inefficient internalization or enhanced recycling of the HER2-T-DM1 complex in cancer cells, or impaired lysosomal degradation of trastuzumab or intracellular trafficking of HER2. The effect of T-DM1 may also be compromised by multidrug resistance proteins that pump DM1 out of cancer cells. In this review we discuss the mechanism of action of T-DM1 and the key clinical results obtained with it, the combinations of T-DM1 with other cytotoxic agents and anti-HER drugs, and the potential resistance mechanisms and the strategies to overcome resistance to T-DM1.
Renal replacement therapy for critically ill patients: an intermittent continuity
Authors: Ricci Zaccaria , Romagnoli Stefano
Published: March 2014

Choice of the right renal replacement therapy for severe acute kidney injury in critically ill patients has been investigated many times in the last two decades. Although some questions have been answered, in current practice many different approaches are still used in the ICU. One basic and important issue is the frequency of renal replacement delivery: apart from pathophysiological speculations, in terms of hard outcomes (namely mortality and length of hospital stay) should dialysis be delivered continuously or intermittently? The authors of the CONVINT study provided a (last) response to this debate: in expert hands, the two treatments provide similar outcomes. This study confirms previous studies and is also important for other aspects, such as the possibility that the two modalities are complementary and may be indicated for different purposes.
Human-specific epigenetic variation in the immunological Leukotriene B4 Receptor (LTB4R/BLT1) implicated in common inflammatory diseases
Authors: Wilson Gareth A , Butcher Lee M , Foster Holly R , Feber Andrew , Roos Christian , Walter Lutz , Woszczek Grzegorz , Beck Stephan , Bell Christopher G
Published: March 2014

Background

Common human diseases are caused by the complex interplay of genetic susceptibility as well as environmental factors. Due to the environment’s influence on the epigenome, and therefore genome function, as well as conversely the genome’s facilitative effect on the epigenome, analysis of this level of regulation may increase our knowledge of disease pathogenesis.

Methods

In order to identify human-specific epigenetic influences, we have performed a novel genome-wide DNA methylation analysis comparing human, chimpanzee and rhesus macaque.

Results

We have identified that the immunological Leukotriene B4 receptor (LTB4R, BLT1 receptor) is the most epigenetically divergent human gene in peripheral blood in comparison with other primates. This difference is due to the co-ordinated active state of human-specific hypomethylation in the promoter and human-specific increased gene body methylation. This gene is significant in innate immunity and the LTB4/LTB4R pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of the spectrum of human inflammatory diseases. This finding was confirmed by additional neutrophil-only DNA methylome and lymphoblastoid H3K4me3 chromatin comparative data. Additionally we show through functional analysis that this receptor has increased expression and a higher response to the LTB4 ligand in human versus rhesus macaque peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Genome-wide we also find human species-specific differentially methylated regions (human s-DMRs) are more prevalent in CpG island shores than within the islands themselves, and within the latter are associated with the CTCF motif.

Conclusions

This result further emphasises the exclusive nature of the human immunological system, its divergent adaptation even from very closely related primates, and the power of comparative epigenomics to identify and understand human uniqueness.
Replication of Ordered Mesostructure on the Surface of 2D Hexagonal Mesoporous Silica Film as Exemplified by the Formation of Striped Cu Nanopatterns
Authors: Kobayashi Maho , Kanno Yosuke , Kuroda Kazuyuki
Published: March 2014

The surface of 2D hexagonal mesoporous silica film has been successfully etched with ammonium fluoride to form an uncovered and well-defined mold surface. The surface can be effectively used to replicate striped Cu nanopatterns with the same mesoscale periodicity by vapor deposition of Cu.
Determination of Chromium Speciation in Tap Water Using Diffusive Gradients in Thin Film Technique
Authors: Guo Lianwen , Chen Hong , Zhang Yangyang , Bo Le , Li Jianrong
Published: March 2014

A dual diffusive gradients in thin film (DGT) device method for in situ fractionation of dissolved inorganic Cr was developed by simultaneously deploying two types of DGT devices with different binding phases in tap water. The concentration of Cr(III) in the tap water determined by a DGT device with sodium poly(aspartic acid) (PASP) solution as the binding phase (PASP DGT) was 3.18 µg L−1, and the recoveries of the spiked Cr(III) were 97.9%–105.3%; the concentration of Cr(VI) in the tap water determined by a DGT device with poly(quaternary ammonium) salt (PQAS) solution as the binding phase (PQAS DGT) was 2.92 µg L−1, and the recoveries of the spiked Cr(VI) were 98.2%–107.7%. The ratios of the total Cr measured by DGT to the total Cr measured by ICP-MS were 102.9%–105.7%.
I Think I Can, I Think I Can: Brand Use, Self-Efficacy, and Performance
Authors: Park Ji Kyung , John Deborah Roedder
Published: March 2014

When consumers struggle with a difficult task, using a brand can help them perform better. The authors report four studies showing that brand use can enhance feelings of self-efficacy, which can lead to better task performance. Students scored higher on difficult Graduate Records Examination questions when they took the test using a Massachusetts Institute of Technology pen (Study 1) and showed better athletic performance when they drank water from a Gatorade cup during strenuous athletic exercise (Studies 2 and 3). These increases in task performance were mediated by feelings of self-efficacy (Studies 3 and 4). Furthermore, the results show that not everyone experiences the beneficial effect of brand use; it depends on the person's implicit self-theory. Across studies, users adopting entity theories (“entity theorists”) showed increased self-efficacy and better task performance, whereas users adopting incremental theories (“incremental theorists”) were unaffected by brand use.
GAL: The German Association for Applied Linguistics
Authors: Göpferich Susanne
Published: March 2014

The article introduces the German Association for Applied Linguistics (GAL). After a description of the history of GAL, its concept of applied linguistics is explained and its scope of activities today described. The article concludes with information on the status of applied linguistics in Germany today and contact information.
Erratum to
Action of a Frobenius-like group with fixed-point free kernel
[J. Group Theory 17 (2014), 863–873]
Authors: Ercan Gülin , Güloğlu İsmail Ş.
Published: March 2014

Erratum to http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jgt-2014-0002.
Reinforcement of carboxylated acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (XNBR) with graphene nanoplatelets with varying surface area
Authors: Laskowska Anna , Marzec Anna , Zaborski Marian , Boiteux Gisele
Published: March 2014

Graphene nanoplatelets (xGnP-C) with specific surface areas varying from 300 to 750 m2/g were investigated as novel reinforcing fillers for carboxylated acrylonitrile- butadiene rubber (XNBR). The effects of graphene nanoflakes loadings up to 15 parts per hundred rubber (phr) on the rheometric characteristics, stress-strain behavior, crosslink density (ν), resistance to UV radiation and thermo-oxidative aging of the XNBR/ZnO/graphene xGnP-C composites were investigated. Substantial improvement in the mechanical properties of XNBR with increased contents of xGnP-C filler was achieved. It was found that the addition of 5 phr of graphene significantly increased UV stability, tensile strength (TS) and modulus at 100%, 200% and 300% elongation of rubber material. The effect was more pronounced for composites containing graphene with the highest specific surface area 750 m2/g. The chemical information on the functional groups on the xGnP-C surface was obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) method. In this case, the reinforcing effect of graphene xGnP-C may result from an additional chemical bonding which is possible between the -COOH groups of the rubber and the reactive, oxygen-containing groups on the filler surface.
Study of nanoclay blends based on poly(ethylene terephthalate)/poly(ethylene naphthalene 2,6-dicarboxylate) prepared by reactive extrusion
Authors: Zouai Foued , Bouhelal Said , Cagiao M. Esperanza , Benabid Fatma Zohra , Benachour Djafer , Calleja Francisco J. Baltá
Published: March 2014

The success of processing compatible blends, based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/poly(ethylene naphthalene 2,6-dicarboxylate) (PEN)/clay nanocomposites in one step by reactive melt extrusion is described. Untreated clay was first purified and functionalized “in situ” with a compound based on an organic peroxide/sulfur mixture and (tetramethylthiuram disulfide) as the activator for sulfur. The PET and PEN materials were first separately mixed in the molten state with functionalized clay. The PET/4 wt% clay and PEN/7.5 wt% clay compositions showed total exfoliation. These compositions, denoted nPET and nPEN, respectively, were used to prepare new nPET/nPEN nanoblends in the same mixing batch. The nPET/nPEN nanoblends were compared to neat PET/PEN blends. The blends and nanocomposites were characterized using various techniques. Microstructural and nanostructural properties were investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results showed that the exfoliation of tetrahedral clay nanolayers is complete and the octahedral structure totally disappears. It was shown that total exfoliation, confirmed by wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements, contributes to the enhancement of impact strength and tensile modulus. In addition, WAXS results indicated that all samples are amorphous. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study indicated the occurrence of one glass transition temperature Tg
, one crystallization temperature Tc and one melting temperature Tm for every composition. This was evidence that both PET/PEN and nPET/nPEN blends are compatible in the entire range of compositions. In addition, the nPET/nPEN blends showed lower Tc and higher Tm values than the corresponding neat PET/PEN blends. In conclusion, the results obtained indicate that nPET/nPEN blends are different from the pure ones in nanostructure and physical behavior.
Compressibility and solid-state sintering behavior of W-Cu composite powders
Authors: Ardestani Mohammad , Rafiei Mohsen , Salehian Sina , Raoufi Mohammad Reza , Zakeri Mohammad
Published: March 2014

In this research, compressibility and the effect of cold compaction pressure on sintered density of tungsten (W)-15% wt copper (Cu) and W-75% wt Cu composite powders were investigated. The powders were prepared by milling and reduction of WO3/CuO powder mixtures. The crystalline size and lattice strain of WO3 and CuO were determined using Debye-Scherrer’s formula after mechanical milling. Heckel and Panelli-Ambrosio equations were used to evaluate cold compaction behavior of the reduced powders. The results showed that Heckel equation represents better correlation between compaction pressure and relative density of W-75% wt Cu composite powders. However, it was confirmed that the preferred relation for evaluating the compaction behavior of W-15% wt Cu composite powders is Panelli-Ambrosio equation. The green compacts were sintered at 1000°C. It was shown that, by increasing the cold uniaxial pressure prior to sintering, the difference between green and sintered densities of W-15% wt Cu composite powder compacts was decreased. However, the W-75% wt Cu powders showed a different manner and higher compaction pressures led to higher densification during sintering.
Effect of Pyrolysis Temperature on Adsorbent Properties of Carbon From Leather Buffing Dust and Sawdust
Authors: Putshaka J. D. , Adamu K. I. , Jauro A. , Tanko S. F.
Published: March 2014

Tannery solid waste in the form of buffing dust and conventional feedstock such as sawdust were used to produce adsorbents (activated carbon) under the same experimental conditions. The adsorbent from both feedstocks were produced after carbonization at temperatures of 500°C–800°C and characterized. Adsorption performance of the activated carbon samples produced was comparatively studied using methylene blue as adsorbate. Results reveal that activated carbon obtained from sawdust after carbonization at 800°C exhibited better adsorption properties than its counterpart produced at the same temperature. Conversely, activated carbon produced from tannery buffing dust after carbonization at 500°C displayed superior adsorption capacity than that obtained from sawdust at the same temperature. The effect of carbon dosage and time on adsorption by both carbon samples was also determined. The Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherm model used in this study reveals that, although the Freundlich isotherm had a better fit (R2 = 0.980) for tannery buffing dust than sawdust (R2 = 0.943), Langmuir isotherm exhibited the best overall fit R2 = 0.9893 and R2 = 0.9896 for sawdust and tannery buffing dust, respectively. The low temperature used in production and the good adsorption performance of activated carbon obtained from tannery buffing waste in this study makes it a more cost effective adsorbent to produce than activated carbon produced from sawdust.
Field Test Method for Residual Stress in Plain Concrete Pavements and Structures
Authors: Castaneda Daniel I. , Henschen Jacob D. , Lange David A.
Published: March 2014

Residual stresses form in concrete structures and rigid pavements as a result of differential shrinkage, loss of subgrade support, and physical restraint by the superstructure. These stresses diminish a concrete member's capacity to carry its design load, making the structure vulnerable to premature cracking and failure. Few methods for quantifying the residual stress in concrete exist, although several methods have been developed for measuring material stresses in metals and rocks. Here, a new field test method for concrete pavements and structures, inspired by the ASTM E837 method for measuring residual stress in steel, is presented. The test is performed by installing strain gages on the surface of a concrete pavement or structure and then saw-cutting around the gages to isolate the gages from the bulk concrete material. The difference between the strain reading before and after the saw-cuts is used to compute the stress present at the surface of the concrete material. The method was developed and validated in laboratory experiments, and finite element modeling was conducted to enhance understanding of the three-dimensional strain distribution around saw-cut notches in materials with residual stress. Full-scale testing on plain concrete pavements demonstrated the method's potential as a field test method.
Decision-Related Activity in Sensory Neurons May Depend on the Columnar Architecture of Cerebral Cortex
Authors: Nienborg Hendrikje , Cumming Bruce G.
Published: March 2014

Many studies have reported correlations between the activity of sensory neurons and animals' judgments in discrimination tasks. Here, we suggest that such neuron-behavior correlations may require a cortical map for the task relevant features. This would explain why studies using discrimination tasks based on disparity in area V1 have not found these correlations: V1 contains no map for disparity. This scheme predicts that activity of V1 neurons correlates with decisions in an orientation-discrimination task. To test this prediction, we trained two macaque monkeys in a coarse orientation discrimination task using band-pass-filtered dynamic noise. The two orientations were always 90° apart and task difficulty was controlled by varying the orientation bandwidth of the filter. While the trained animals performed this task, we recorded from orientation-selective V1 neurons (n= 82,n= 31 for Monkey 1,n= 51 for Monkey 2). For both monkeys, we observed significant correlation (quantified as “choice probabilities”) of the V1 activity with the monkeys' perceptual judgments (mean choice probability 0.54,p= 10−5). In one of these animals, we had previously measured choice probabilities in a disparity discrimination task in V1, which had been at chance (0.49, not significantly different from 0.5). The choice probabilities in this monkey for the orientation discrimination task were significantly larger than those for the disparity discrimination task (p= 0.032). These results are predicted by our suggestion that choice probabilities are only observed for cortical sensory neurons that are organized in maps for the task-relevant feature.
A Distinct Contribution of the Frontal Eye Field to the Visual Representation of Saccadic Targets
Authors: Noudoost Behrad , Clark Kelsey L. , Moore Tirin
Published: March 2014

The responses of neurons within posterior visual cortex are enhanced when response field (RF) stimuli are targeted with saccadic eye movements. Although the motor-related activity within oculomotor structures seems a likely source of the enhancement, the origin of the modulation is unknown. We tested the role of the frontal eye field (FEF) in driving presaccadic modulation in area V4 by inactivating FEF neurons at retinotopically corresponding sites within the macaque monkey (Macaca mulatta) brain. As previously observed, FEF inactivation produced profound, and spatially specific, deficits in memory-guided saccades, and increased the latency, scatter, and duration of visually guided saccades. Despite the clear behavioral deficits, we found that rather than being eliminated or reduced by FEF inactivation, presaccadic enhancement of V4 activity was increased. FEF inactivation nonetheless diminished the stimulus discriminability of V4 visual responses both during fixation and in the presaccadic period. Thus, without input from the FEF, V4 neurons signaled more about the direction of saccades and less about the features of the saccadic target. In addition, FEF inactivation significantly increased the suppressive effects of non-RF stimuli on V4 activity. These results reveal multiple sources of presaccadic modulation in V4 and suggest that the FEF contributes uniquely to the presaccadic specification of visual target features.
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Enhances Error Awareness in Older Age
Authors: Harty Siobhán , Robertson Ian H. , Miniussi Carlo , Sheehy Owen C. , Devine Ciara A. , McCreery Sarahjane , O'Connell Redmond G.
Published: March 2014

The ability to detect errors during cognitive performance is compromised in older age and in a range of clinical populations. This study was designed to assess the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on error awareness in healthy older human adults. tDCS was applied over DLPFC while subjects performed a computerized test of error awareness. The influence of current polarity (anodal vs cathodal) and electrode location (left vs right hemisphere) was tested in a series of separate single-blind, Sham-controlled crossover trials, each including 24 healthy older adults (age 65–86 years). Anodal tDCS over right DLPFC was associated with a significant increase in the proportion of performance errors that were consciously detected, and this result was recapitulated in a separate replication experiment. No such improvements were observed when the homologous contralateral area was stimulated. The present study provides novel evidence for a causal role of right DLPFC regions in subserving error awareness and marks an important step toward developing tDCS as a tool for remediating the performance-monitoring deficits that afflict a broad range of populations.
Adrenal steroidogenesis following prenatal dexamethasone exposure in the spiny mouse
Authors: Quinn Tracey A , Ratnayake Udani , Castillo-Melendez Margie , Moritz Karen M , Dickinson Hayley , Walker David W
Published: March 2014

Antenatal stress disturbs the development of the fetal hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and adrenal steroidogenesis. We investigated the effect of brief maternal exposure to high glucocorticoids (dexamethasone (DEX)) at mid- and late-pregnancy on adrenal structure and production of steroids in spiny mouse. Pregnant spiny mice were treated for 60 h with 125 μg/kg DEX or saline s.c. by osmotic minipump at day 20 (0.5) or 30 (0.75) of gestation. Immunohistochemical expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory-protein (StAR), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3βHSD), 17-hydroxylase,17-20lyase (P450C17), and cytochromeb5 (CYTB5) was determined in adrenals on postnatal (P) day 170±20. DHEA, testosterone, and cortisol were measured by RIA. Maternal DEX at 20 days significantly reduced the expression of STAR, P450C17 (CYP17A1), and CYTB5 in the adrenal zona reticularis (ZR) of adult offspring, with greater change in male vs female offspring (P<0.05). Plasma DHEA was decreased in male offspring from DEX-treated (6.84±1.24 ng/ml) vs saline-treated (13±0.06 ng/ml;P=0.01) dams, and the DHEA:cortisol ratio was lower in males (P<0.05). Testosterone levels increased in male offspring from DEX (266.03±50.75 pg/ml) vs saline (83.47±32.3 pg/ml,P<0.05)-treated dams. DEX treatment at 0.75 gestation had no significant effect on any parameters measured. This study shows that brief exposure to excess glucocorticoid has long-term impacts on the ZR and adrenal steroidogenesis, affecting the secretion of DHEA and testosterone in male offspring, an effect produced at 0.5 but not at 0.75 gestation. DHEA is important for brain development, and its suppression in adult life might contribute to the neurobehavioral pathologies that can arise after illness and stress during pregnancy.
Isolated But Not Alone: The Utility of Hohokam Isolated Occurrences from Florence Military Reservation, Middle Gila River Valley, Arizona
Authors: Pagoulatos Peter
Published: March 2014

The nature of Hohokam-related (A.D. 300-1450) isolated occurrences is still poorly understood in the middle Gila River Valley of southern Arizona. In this study, isolated occurrence data from Florence Military Reservation is classified to discern the range of cultural activities across different topographic settings in lower-lying terrace and more elevated upland, or bajada zones. While terrace-based isolated occurrences reflect a focus upon lithic procurement and quarrying tasks, topographic settings in bajada zones produce artifact and feature distributions more oriented toward wild plant and farming activities. Although isolated occurrence data closely mirror Hohokam site-specific distributions, new information has become available which significantly increases our understanding of changes to pre-Classic and Classic period settlement patterns. This study also demonstrates that isolated occurrence data should receive increased attention and scrutiny, and that recommendations are made for the standardization of both isolated occurrence and site definitions across the region.
A mathematical model and simulation of the drying process of thin layers of potatoes in a conveyor-belt dryer
Authors: Salemovic Dusko , Dedic Aleksandar , Cupric Nenad
Published: March 2014

This paper presents a mathematical model and numerical analysis of the
convective drying process of small particles of potatoes slowly moving
through the flow of a drying agent - hot moist air. The drying process was
analyzed in the form of a one-dimensional thin layer. The mathematical model
of the drying process is a system of two ordinary nonlinear differential
equations with constant coefficients and an equation with a transcendent
character. The appropriate boundary conditions of the mathematical model were
given. The presented model is suitable in the automated control. The
presented system of differential equations was solved numerically. The
analysis presented here and the obtained results could be useful in
predicting the drying kinetics of potatoes and similar natural products in a
conveyor-belt dryer.
Soft sensing of coal quality
Authors: Zhao Zheng , Zeng Deliang , Hu Yong , Gao Shan
Published: March 2014

This study presents a soft sensing model of coal quality for utility boilers.
This model is based on the coal quality information obtained from exhaust
gas. The mechanism modeling method combined with data driving theory is used
in the modeling process. The procedure for solving the nonlinear equations
for coal quality applies the inner loop iteration of dry ash-free basis of S
(Sdaf) and outside loop iteration of dry ash-free basis of N (Ndaf) within a
limited range, and dry ash-free basis of C (Cdaf) is searched from the entire
range during outside loop iteration. The upper and lower limits of Ndaf are
defined according to the NOX content in the exhaust gas, thereby solving the
iterative initial value selection problem. Finally, the effectiveness of the
proposed method is verified via several simulations and comparisons, the
results show that this method is credible and effective and it can be used in
power plant for control system optimization.
A Higher-Complex Carbohydrate Diet in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Achieves Glucose Targets and Lowers Postprandial Lipids: A Randomized Crossover Study
Authors: Hernandez Teri L. , Van Pelt Rachael E. , Anderson Molly A. , Daniels Linda J. , West Nancy A. , Donahoo William T. , Friedman Jacob E. , Barbour Linda A.
Published: March 2014

OBJECTIVE

The conventional diet approach to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) advocates carbohydrate restriction, resulting in higher fat (HF), also a substrate for fetal fat accretion and associated with maternal insulin resistance. Consequently, there is no consensus about the ideal GDM diet. We hypothesized that, compared with a conventional, lower-carbohydrate/HF diet (40% carbohydrate/45% fat/15% protein), consumption of a higher-complex carbohydrate (HCC)/lower-fat (LF) Choosing Healthy Options in Carbohydrate Energy (CHOICE) diet (60/25/15%) would result in 24-h glucose area under the curve (AUC) profiles within therapeutic targets and lower postprandial lipids.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Using a randomized, crossover design, we provided 16 GDM women (BMI 34 ± 1 kg/m2) with two 3-day isocaloric diets at 31 ± 0.5 weeks (washout between diets) and performed continuous glucose monitoring. On day 4 of each diet, we determined postprandial (5 h) glucose, insulin, triglycerides (TGs), and free fatty acids (FFAs) following a controlled breakfast meal.

RESULTS

There were no between-diet differences for fasting or mean nocturnal glucose, but 24-h AUC was slightly higher (∼6%) on the HCC/LF CHOICE diet (P = 0.02). The continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) revealed modestly higher 1- and 2-h postprandial glucose on CHOICE (1 h, 115 ± 2 vs. 107 ± 3 mg/dL, P ≤ 0.01; 2 h, 106 ± 3 vs. 97 ± 3 mg/dL, P = 0.001) but well below current targets. After breakfast, 5-h glucose and insulin AUCs were slightly higher (P < 0.05), TG AUC was no different, but the FFA AUC was significantly lower (∼19%; P ≤ 0.01) on the CHOICE diet.

CONCLUSIONS

This highly controlled study randomizing isocaloric diets and using a CGMS is the first to show that liberalizing complex carbohydrates and reducing fat still achieved glycemia below current treatment targets and lower postprandial FFAs. This diet strategy may have important implications for preventing macrosomia.
Functor of extension in Hilbert cube and Hilbert space
Authors: Niemiec Piotr
Published: March 2014

It is shown that if Ω = Q or Ω = ℓ 2, then there exists a functor of extension of maps between Z-sets in Ω to mappings of Ω into itself. This functor transforms homeomorphisms into homeomorphisms, thus giving a functorial setting to a well-known theorem of Anderson [Anderson R.D., On topological infinite deficiency, Michigan Math. J., 1967, 14, 365–383]. It also preserves convergence of sequences of mappings, both pointwise and uniform on compact sets, and supremum distances as well as uniform continuity, Lipschitz property, nonexpansiveness of maps in appropriate metrics.
Upper bounds on relative class numbers of cyclotomic fields
Authors: Louboutin S.
Published: March 2014

We explain how one can use the explicit formulas for the mean square values of L-functions which we established elsewhere to obtain explcit upper bounds on relative class numbers of cyclotomic number fields. As an example, we show that the relative class numbers of the cyclotomic fields of conductor 4p, p ≥ 3 a prime, are less than or equal to 8√p(p/16)(p−1)/2.
Complex Hydrides – When Powder Diffraction needs Help
Authors: Schouwink Pascal , Černý Radovan
Published: March 2014

'Real life' energy-related materials such as solid-state hydrogen storage compounds or components of electrochemical cells are usually polycrystalline, poorly crystallized, highly reactive and dynamic systems. Powder diffraction at modern high brilliance X-ray sources is the most useful
tool to investigate such systems because it is easy, fast and extremely versatile with respect to measurement conditions as well as in situ setups. However, it is in the nature of these systems that they undergo processes that cannot be investigated by diffraction alone. The central
role in hydrogen storage materials is played by hydrogen itself, the worst X-ray scatterer in the periodic system. Gas release, the purpose of a hydrogen storage material, is not detected by diffraction. Amorphous components are badly characterized. We want to show how a complementary approach
combining different methods allows to overcome limitations imposed on powder diffraction by the sample nature of 'real' hydrogen storage materials.
Biocrystallography in Switzerland: Achievements and Future Perspectives
Authors: Grütter Markus G.
Published: March 2014

The first protein crystallography group in Switzerland was installed at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel approximately 40 years ago. Since then protein crystallography has grown and matured remarkably and is now established in the molecular biology, biochemistry or biological
medicine departments of most major Swiss Universities as well as in the pharmaceutical industry and in biotech startup companies. Swiss X-ray biocrystallography groups have made remarkable contributions from the beginning and have brought Switzerland to the forefront in biostructural research
during the last 5 to 10 years. Switzerland has now a leading position in the areas of supramolecular complexes, membrane proteins and structure-based drug design in pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Protein crystallography on the outer membrane protein ompF as well as the development
of the lipidic cubic phase crystallization methodology has been pioneered at the Biozentrum. The latter found its somewhat late recognition through the recent explosion in structure determinations of the seven transmembrane helix G-coupled receptors. Highlights from Swiss structural biology
groups in the field of supramolecular complexes include the structures of ribosomal particles, of the nucleosome and the pilus assembly complex of uropathogenic E. coli. On the membrane protein side advances in the field of ABC transporters and ion channels are world-recognized achievements
of Swiss structural biology. Dedicated laboratories at many academic and industrial institutions, their current research programs, the availability of excellent infrastructure and the continuing efforts to build new facilities such as the SwissFEL indicate an even brighter future for structural biology in Switzerland.