bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long‐term Forecast of the Demographic Transition in Japan and Asia
Authors: KOMINE Takao , KABE Shigesaburo
Published: May 2009

The demographic structure of Asia is expected to change rapidly from around 2020 up to around 2050. Following Japan, which is already at an advanced stage of aging and birthrate decline, China, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore will also witness a further decline in their birthrates and an aging of their populations. Next in line will be the remaining countries of the Association of South‐East Asian Nations as well as India. Such changes, accompanied by a decline in the labor force, will not only adversely affect economic growth, but also have a major impact on voting structures, savings rates, and social security systems. Moreover, the process of demographic aging in Asia will be faster than in Japan, and its extent will be substantial, both of which exacerbates the negative effects. On positive side, these trends will give rise to the emergence of new markets.
Aging, Asset Markets, and Asset Returns: A View From Europe to Asia
Authors: BÖRSCH‐SUPAN Axel , LUDWIG Alexander
Published: May 2009

The extent of the demographic changes is dramatic especially in some Asian and European countries. This paper investigates the effect of aging on global asset markets and asset returns, focusing on markets for productive capital, and especially on interactions between European and Asian economic development. Aging has complex effects on the markets for real capital. If elderly people save less than younger people, interest rates will increase. At the same time, however, the younger generation becomes smaller, which reduces the demand for new investment. The equilibrium effect is thus uncertain. Our multicountry computational equilibrium model delivers a subtle picture: there will be some decline in the return from productive capital, but it is relatively small. We find noticeable interaction effects between labor market and pension reforms in Europe on the one hand, and the demographic and economic developments in Asia, especially India and China, on the other hand.
Patterns of reproduction in two sympatric gerbil species in arid Egypt
Authors: SOLIMAN Sohail , MOHALLAL Eman M.
Published: May 2009

Despite a significant number of studies on the reproductive characteristics of small mammals, very little of this work has been conducted on species in Egpyt. Here, the Egyptian greater gerbil (Gerbillus pyramidum Saint‐Hilaire, 1825) and Anderson's lesser Egyptian gerbil (Gerbillus andersoni De Winton, 1902) in northeastern Egypt were surveyed. Breeding behavior in these species was synchronized with rainfall in the winter and spring months. Surprisingly however, the removal of individual gerbils throughout the course of study resulted in an extension of reproductive activity into the dry summer and autumn months in the latter part of the sampling. These results are discussed in the context of density‐dependent reproductive behavior in small mammals.
Applying Organizational Justice: Questionable Claims and Promising Suggestions
Authors: Greenberg Jerald
Published: May 2009

With an eye toward promoting applications of organizational justice, I respond to commentaries on my focal article (Greenberg, 2009a). Specifically, I challenge questionable claims regarding (a) characterization of applied research, (b) why we don't conduct more applied justice research, (c) moral versus instrumental rationales for promoting justice, (d) the validity of intervention studies, and (e) interpretations of Lewin's classic observation about the practical value of theory. I also identify and comment upon two suggestions for promoting applied justice research: (a) promoting cooperation between researchers and practitioners and (b) conducting comprehensive, integrative interventions.
Bats and Emerging Zoonoses: Henipaviruses and SARS
Authors: Field H. E.
Published: May 2009

Nearly 75% of all emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) that impact or threaten human health are zoonotic. The majority have spilled from wildlife reservoirs, either directly to humans or via domestic animals. The emergence of many can be attributed to predisposing factors such as global travel, trade, agricultural expansion, deforestation/habitat fragmentation, and urbanization; such factors increase the interface and/or the rate of contact between human, domestic animal, and wildlife populations, thereby creating increased opportunities for spillover events to occur. Infectious disease emergence can be regarded as primarily an ecological process. The epidemiological investigation of EIDs associated with wildlife requires a trans‐disciplinary approach that includes an understanding of the ecology of the wildlife species, and an understanding of human behaviours that increase risk of exposure. Investigations of the emergence of Nipah virus in Malaysia in 1999 and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in China in 2003 provide useful case studies. The emergence of Nipah virus was associated with the increased size and density of commercial pig farms and their encroachment into forested areas. The movement of pigs for sale and slaughter in turn led to the rapid spread of infection to southern peninsular Malaysia, where the high‐density, largely urban pig populations facilitated transmission to humans. Identifying the factors associated with the emergence of SARS in southern China requires an understanding of the ecology of infection both in the natural reservoir and in secondary market reservoir species. A necessary extension of understanding the ecology of the reservoir is an understanding of the trade, and of the social and cultural context of wildlife consumption. Emerging infectious diseases originating from wildlife populations will continue to threaten public health. Mitigating and managing the risk requires an appreciation of the connectedness between human, livestock and wildlife health, and of the factors and processes that disrupt the balance.
Numerical Solution of Two-Fluid Electroosmotic Flow
Authors: Gao Yandong , Yap Y. F. , Wong T. N. , Chai J. C. , Yang C. , Ooi K. T.
Published: May 2009

Two-fluid flows in microchannel are often found in biological analysis, such as during ion exchange or solvent extraction from one phase to another. In this article, a numerical scheme is presented to describe a two-fluid flow in microchannel with electroosmotic (EO) effects. In this two-fluid system, the interfacial viscous force of a high EO mobility fluid drags a low EO mobility fluid; the high EO mobility fluid is driven by electroosmosis. We particularly analyze the electric double layer (EDL) regions close to the wall and the interface in the high EO mobility fluid. As the governing equation of the electrical potential is singularly perturbed, finer meshes are adopted to capture these EDL regions. In simulation, the interface between the two fluids evolves along the flow direction as the flow develops. Level set method is used to capture the interface implicitly. A localized mass preservation scheme is used to ensure mass conservation. A finite-volume method is used to solve the coupled electric potential equation, level set equations and Navier-Stokes equation. The validity of the numerical scheme is evaluated by comparing its predictions with the results of the analytical solutions in the fully developed regions. The interface positions; pressure gradients; mass flow rates and velocity profiles of the two fluids along the channels are obtained numerically.
Orientation-Free Micro Heat Pipe
Authors: Sakurai Hisashi , Koizumi Yasuo , Ohtake Hiroyasu
Published: May 2009

A simple design micro-heat pipe was proposed. It was composed of a 20.0 × 20.0 mm square flow circuit which had two adjacent narrow-sides (1.0 × 1.0 mm2 or 0.5 × 1.0 mm2) and two adjacent wide-sides (5.0 × 1.0 mm2 or 2.5 × 1.0 mm2). A heating spot was at the narrow side and a cooling spot was at the wide side. Working fluid was ethanol. The flow circuit was placed horizontally. Bubbles generated at the heating spot migrated toward the wide side, the bubbles coalesced there to form a large bubble, and then the large bubble moved to the cooling spot. Finally, the large bubble was condensed at the cooling spot. This cycle repeated continuously. As a result of it, heat transport from the heating spot to the cooling spot was produced in the micro heat pipe even if it was arranged horizontally. It was confirmed that this simple device works as the heat pipe. An analysis of a flow mechanism was performed by solving a simple flow equation based on the flow resistance. It was proved that one-way circulation flow could be formed in the flow circuit. Predicted flow velocities were close to measured velocities. The heat transport performance of the proposed micro heat pipe was much better than the heat conduction of a stainless steel plate.
Transient Joule Heating and Its Effects on Electroosmotic Flow in a Microcapillary Packed Wth Microspheres
Authors: Kang Yuejun , Yang Chun , Huang Xiaoyang
Published: May 2009

The Joule heating induced temperature development and its effects on the electroosmotic flow in a capillary packed with microspheres is analyzed in this paper using finite-difference based numerical method. The model incorporates the coupled momentum equation for the electroosmotic velocity, the energy equations for temperature distributions, and the mass and electric current continuity equations. The temperature-dependent physical properties of the electrolyte solution are taken into consideration. The simulation predicts that, in the presence of Joule heating, there exists a significant axial temperature gradient in the thermal entrance region. This high temperature gradient strongly enhances the local electric field at the entrance, resulting in a non-uniform distribution along the flow direction. The temperature shows a parabolic radial profile but the gradient is very small due to the small system Biot number. The non-uniform temperature distribution in turn greatly affects the EOF velocity by means of changing the local viscosity and the dielectric constant of the fluid phase, and the local electric field strength. The results by this model are found to be in a good agreement with published analytical and experimental works in the literature.
Electrokinetic Concentration Gradient Generation Using a Converging-Diverging Microchannel
Authors: Lee Jacky S. H. , Hu Yandong , Li Dongqing
Published: May 2009

Creation of concentration gradients is important in the study of biological and chemical processes that are sensitive to concentration variations. This paper presents a simple method to generate a linear concentration gradient in electroosmotic flow in microchannels with converging and diverging geometries. The method is based on the enhanced diffusive mixing inside the microchannel. By varying the converging-diverging geometries, the degree of diffusive mixing can be controlled. Different concentration gradients can be obtained by varying the applied potential and the geometry. Concentration profiles with minimal axial variations can be achieved with a deviation of 7% and 3% over a channel length of 3mm and 1mm, respectively, for a 400μm wide microchannel. Although the underlying physics and mechanisms for creating concentration profiles in a converging-diverging microchannel are the same as a T-shaped micromixer, the converging-diverging microchannel can produce desired concentration profiles in a much shorter distance (shorter by a factor of 2∼3.5 compared to a T-shape mixer). A serially connected concentration gradient generator is also realized with the ability to generate two concentration gradient ranges in the same microchannel. Numerical simulations and experiments were carried out to investigate the factors contributed to the generation of the concentration gradients.
Silicon Microstructures for High Throughput Mixing Devices
Authors: Kockmann Norbert , Kiefer Thomas , Engler Michael , Woias Peter
Published: May 2009

Convective mixing in microstructures gives good mixing results in a very short time. In this work a theoretical and experimental study was performed on convective micro mixing in different mixing structures and their combinations. Various mixing elements had been integrated on a silicon chip to achieve a device for a high mass flow above 15 kg/h. These test structures were fabricated and tested concerning their flow behavior and mixing characteristics. Flow measurements with pH neutralisation and indication by Bromothymol Blue confirm the numerical simulations of the flow characteristics and mixing behaviour. The integral mixing quality in the micro mixer is measured with the iodide-iodate-reaction (Villermaux-Dushman) and shows excellent values for high Re numbers. This opens the potential of microstructures for new applications in the production of chemicals.
Selective Surface Modification and Patterning on Self-Assembled Monolayers by a Micro-Plasma Discharge
Authors: Chai Jinan , Li Baoming , Kwok Daniel Y.
Published: May 2009

In this paper, we will demonstrate a selective surface patterning method by a micro-plasma discharge. In this method, argon plasma is ignited through a hole of copper clad polyimide microstructure electrodes. As an illustration, experiments were performed in which an octadecanethiol (CH3(CH2)17SH) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a gold film is exposed to a microdischarge and subsequently followed by immersion into the 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (COOH(CH2)15SH) solution. The octadecanethiol SAM is desorbed upon Ar plasma exposure, allowing the formation of a second SAM on the damaged region [Chai et al, App. Phys. Lett., 86, 034107 (2005)]. The patterned samples are viewed by using optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy. The advantage of this approach is that it is noncontact and eliminates the need of photolithography. The patterned samples can be employed to microfluidic self-propelled movement.
Direct Measurements of Viscoelastic Flows in Micro-Contractions
Authors: Gulati Shelly , Muller Susan J. , Liepmann Dorian
Published: May 2009

Direct measurement techniques are employed to quantify the kinematics of DNA flows in micro-contraction devices. Flow through micro-contractions subjects the fluid to large spatial gradients in velocity, thereby eliciting viscoelastic effects. Additionally, in this microfluidic flow environment, the fully extended length of the macromolecule L will approach the characteristic length scale of the channel geometry h. This is a unique flow environment that is not yet well understood. Knowledge of the fundamental physics that govern this flow regime will have a profound impact on optimization of lab-on-a-chip systems incorporating macromolecular flows. This study investigates the flow of semi-dilute λ-DNA solutions in a 2:1 micro-contraction where L/h ∼ 0.32. Video microscopy and streak images of semi-dilute DNA flows reveal large vortex regions in the corners of the contraction, which are indicative of strong elastic behavior. Velocity fields constructed using Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) demonstrate the first use of this tool for obtaining velocity measurements of viscoelastic flows in microfluidic systems.
Mechanical and Microfluidic Interconnects Fabricated in SU-8 Photopolymer
Authors: Gray Bonnie L. , Jaffer Seema
Published: May 2009

SU-8 photopolymer is employed to fabricate interlocking structures through which high-density fluidic connections are provided between microchannel containing substrates. Each interconnect is composed of a compliant SU-8 cylinder that deforms to fit when inserted into a silicon or SU-8 hole that is 1–2 μm smaller in initial diameter. Interconnects up to 200 μm in outer radii in SU-8 films 200 μm thick were analyzed and simulated using ANSYS to determine relative strengths and weaknesses of different interconnect designs, as well as determine forces required for assembly and disassembly. Fabricated 200 μm radius interconnects were tested both mechanically and for fluid pressurization. First-order pull-out forces using weights were measured to be 35 mN for fully assembled 100 μm deep interconnects. Pressure testing on a microfluidic board resulted in a maximum pressure of 30 psi (200 kPa) with no leakage using a computer controlled pressure source and water.
Scaling for Microfluidic Mixing
Authors: Chao Shih-hui , Holl Mark R. , Koschwanez John H. , Seriburi Pahnit , Meldrum Deirdre R.
Published: May 2009

Mixing in microfluidic channels or chambers is typically dominated by molecular diffusion. A common method used to evaluate mixing involves the examination of a time series of instantaneous concentration maps of fluid tracers (colorimetric or fluorescent) that enable visualization of fluid layering and simultaneous diffusive mixing. A scale often used to characterize micromixer performance is the global deviation of these concentration maps. While useful, this measurement scale does not provide a sensitive metric for evaluating fluid layering in the mixing process. This paper proposes an analytical approach that examines spatial concentration gradients and a global gradient-based scale, a normalized L2 norm of the gradient map, for micromixer performance evaluation. This gradient-based scale is complementary to deviation-based scales and is especially useful for the class of micromixers that enhance mixing by stretching and folding of fluids, whether the dominant mode of mixing is diffusion or chaotic advection. The algorithm is easy for micromixer designers to implement and will reveal performance metric information that remains implicitly hidden when deviation-based scales are used. The use of gradient-based mixing performance evaluation is illustrated with baker’s transform, a series of discrete mappings similar to kneading dough. The changes in both the deviation-based and gradient-based scale created by discrete fluid stretching and folding are discussed. The results from the one-dimensional discrete mixing problem are extended to a realistic mixing problem that simulates continuous stretching and folding.
Quantitative evaluation of simultaneous reconstruction with model‐based crosstalk compensation for dual‐isotope simultaneous acquisition brain SPECT
Authors: Du Yong , Frey Eric C.
Published: May 2009

A model‐based method has been previously developed to estimate and compensate for the crosstalk and downscatter contamination in simultaneous dual‐isotope SPECT imaging. In this method, photon scatter in the object is modeled using the effective source scatter estimate technique. Photon interactions with the collimator‐detector are estimated using precalculated Monte Carlo simulated point response functions. Two different approaches, simultaneous and alternating model‐based compensations, have been proposed for iterative reconstruction‐based crosstalk and downscatter contamination compensation. In this work, both model‐based approaches were evaluated in the context of quantitative accuracy when imaging the dopaminergic system using both Monte Carlo simulated and experimentally acquired data. Results indicate that model‐based estimates of the crosstalk and downscatter contamination in both energy windows were in good agreement with the truth for the simulated data. The effects of the contamination reduced image contrast and overestimated absolute activity in all structures by up to 66%. Compensation using both model‐based approaches improved image contrast. Errors in absolute activity quantitation were also reduced to less than ±5% for most brain structures. The accuracy of striatal specific binding potentials, calculated as the ratio of activity in various striatal structures to the background, was also greatly improved after model‐based compensation. In conclusion, model‐based compensation of simultaneously acquired images of and labeled brain imaging agents provided image quality and quantitative accuracy that were comparable to the image without crosstalk. Both proposed compensation approaches can potentially be applied clinically, but when reconstruction time is a limiting factor, the alternating model‐based compensation may be preferable.
Four‐dimensional inverse treatment planning with inclusion of implanted fiducials in IMRT segmented fields
Authors: Ma Yunzhi , Lee Louis , Keshet O. , Keall Paul , Xing Lei
Published: May 2009

The purpose of this study is to develop a 4D inverse planning strategy capable of controlling the appearance of the implanted fiducial(s) in segmented IMRT fields for cine MV or combined MV/kV image‐guided IMRT. This work is focused on enhancing the visibility of the implanted fiducial(s) in 4D IMRT inverse planning, whose goal is to derive a set of time‐resolved (or phase‐tagged) MLC segments to cater for the motion of the patient anatomy extracted from the emerging 4D images. The task is to optimize the shapes and weights of all the segments for each incident beam, with the fiducial(s) being forced/encouraged to be inside the segmented fields. The system is modeled by a quadratic objective function with inclusion of a hard/soft constraint characterizing the authors’ level of preference for the fiducial(s) to be included in the segmented fields. A simulated annealing algorithm is employed to optimize the system. The proposed technique is demonstrated using two clinical cases. A segment‐based inverse planning framework for 4D radiation therapy, capable of providing tempospatially optimized IMRT plans, has been established. Furthermore, using the described 4D optimization approach, it is demonstrated that the MLC blockage of the implanted fiducial(s) during the segmented delivery is avoided without severely compromising the final dose distribution. The visibility of implanted fiducials in 4D IMRT can be improved without significantly deteriorating final dose distribution. This is a foundation for the authors to use cine MV or combined MV/KV to effectively guide the 4D IMRT delivery.
Influence of phantom material and dimensions on experimental dosimetry
Authors: Tedgren Åsa Carlsson , Carlsson Gudrun Alm
Published: May 2009

In treatment planning of brachytherapy, absorbed dose is calculated by superposing predetermined distributions of absorbed dose to water in water for the single source according to the irradiation pattern [i.e., placement of the source(s) or dwelling position(s)]. Single‐source reference water data are derived from Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and/or experiments. For reasons of positional accuracy, experimental brachytherapy dosimetry is most often performed in plastic phantoms. This work investigates the water equivalence of phantoms made from polystyrene, PMMA, and solid water for dosimetry. The EGSnrc MC code is used to simulate radial absorbed dose distributions in cylindrical phantoms of dimensions ranging in size from diameter and height of 20 cm to diameter and height of 40 cm. Water equivalence prevails if the absorbed dose to water in the plastic phantom is the same as the absorbed dose to water in a water phantom at equal distances from the source. It is shown that water equivalence at a specified distance from the source depends not only on the size of the plastic phantom but also on the size of the water phantom used for comparison. Compared to equally sized water phantoms, phantoms of polystyrene are less water equivalent than phantoms of PMMA and solid water but compared to larger water phantoms they are the most water equivalent. Although phantom dimension is the most important single factor influencing the dose distributions around sources, the effect of material properties is non‐negligible and becomes increasingly important as phantom dimensions increase. The importance of knowing the size of the water phantom whose data underlies treatment planning systems, when using such data as a reference in, e.g., detector evaluation studies, is discussed. To achieve the highest possible accuracy in experimental dosimetry, phantom‐specific correction factors should be used.
Investigation of intracranial peripheral dose arising from the treatment of large lesions with Leksell GammaKnife® Perfexion™
Authors: Ruschin Mark , Nordström Håkan , Kjäll Per , Cho Young‐Bin , Jaffray David
Published: May 2009

This investigation involves quantifying the extent of intracranial peripheral dose arising from simulated targets situated in the skull‐base or upper‐spine region using the Leksell GammaKnife® Perfexion™ treatment unit. For each of three spherical target volumes—denoted as , , and —three treatment plans were manually generated, one for each of the three collimator sizes—4, 8, and 16 mm. Each of the plans was delivered to a spherical dosimetry phantom with an insert containing EBT Gafchromic film. The total dose at 70 mm from the targets’ edges, , was measured as a function of elevation angle and expressed as a percentage of the prescription dose. The film insert was placed centered in the median sagittal plane (Leksell ) and was measured for the angular range from 0° (superior/along axis) to 90° (anterior/along axis). For a given collimator , the irradiation time to treat a spherical target of volume using the 50% isodose line was observed to follow a power‐law relationship of the form where was the maximum dose divided by collimator dose rate and was the volume encompassed by the 50% isodose line for a single shot. The mean value of was 0.61 (range: 0.61–0.62). Along the superior direction and up to angles of around 30°, the was always highest for the 4 mm plans, followed by the 8 mm, followed by the 16 mm. In this angular range, the maximum measured was 1.7% of the prescription dose. The intracranial peripheral dose along the superior direction (combined scatter and leakage dose) resulting from irradiation of upper‐spine or base‐of‐skull lesions is measured to be less than 2% of the prescription dose, even for very large targets. The results of this study indicate that, for a given target volume, treatment plans consisting of only 4 mm shots yield larger peripheral dose in the superior direction than 8 mm shot only plans, which in turn yield larger peripheral dose than 16 mm shot only plans.
Development of an irradiation method with lateral modulation of SOBP width using a cone‐type filter for carbon ion beams
Authors: Ishizaki Azusa , Ishii Keizo , Kanematsu Nobuyuki , Kanai Tatsuaki , Yonai Shunsuke , Kase Yuki , Takei Yuka , Komori Masataka
Published: May 2009

Passive irradiation methods deliver an extra dose to normal tissues upstream of the target tumor, while in dynamic irradiation methods, interplay effects between dynamic beam delivery and target motion induced by breathing or respiration distort the dose distributions. To solve the problems of those two irradiation methods, the authors have developed a new method that laterally modulates the spread‐out Bragg peak (SOBP) width. By reducing scanning in the depth direction, they expect to reduce the interplay effects. They have examined this new irradiation method experimentally. In this system, they used a cone‐type filter that consisted of 400 cones in a grid of 20 cones by 20 cones. There were five kinds of cones with different SOBP widths arranged on the frame two dimensionally to realize lateral SOBP modulation. To reduce the number of steps of cones, they used a wheel‐type filter to make minipeaks. The scanning intensity was modulated for each SOBP width with a pair of scanning magnets. In this experiment, a stepwise dose distribution and spherical dose distribution of 60 mm in diameter were formed. The nonflatness of the stepwise dose distribution was 5.7% and that of the spherical dose distribution was 3.8%. A 2 mm misalignment of the cone‐type filter resulted in a nonflatness of more than 5%. Lateral SOBP modulation with a cone‐type filter and a scanned carbon ion beam successfully formed conformal dose distribution with nonflatness of 3.8% for the spherical case. The cone‐type filter had to be set to within 1 mm accuracy to maintain nonflatness within 5%. This method will be useful to treat targets moving during breathing and targets in proximity to important organs.
Development and evaluation of an efficient approach to volumetric arc therapy planning
Authors: Bzdusek Karl , Friberger Henrik , Eriksson Kjell , Hårdemark Björn , Robinson David , Kaus Michael
Published: May 2009

An efficient method for volumetric intensity modulated arc therapy (VMAT) planning was developed, where a single arc (360° or less) is delivered under continuous variation of multileaf collimator (MLC) segments, dose rate, and gantry speed. Plans can be generated for any current linear accelerator that supports these degrees of freedom. MLC segments are derived from fluence maps at relatively coarsely sampled angular positions. The beam segments, dose rate, and gantry speed are then optimized using direct machine parameter optimization based on dose volume objectives and leaf motion constraints to minimize arc delivery time. The method can vary both dose rate and gantry speed or alternatively determine the optimal plan at constant dose rate and gantry speed. The method was used to retrospectively generate variable dose rate VMAT plans to ten patients (head and neck, prostate, brain, lung, and tonsil). In comparison to step‐and‐shoot intensity modulated radiation therapy, dosimetric plan quality was comparable or improved, estimated delivery times ranged from 70 to 160 s, and monitor units were consistently reduced in nine out of the ten cases by an average of . Optimization and final dose calculation took between 5 and 35 min depending on plan complexity.
Applied Radiobiology: Continuous Irradiation and Brachytherapy
Authors: Williamson Jeffrey
Published: May 2009

Applied Radiobiology: Continuous Irradiation and Brachytherapy Wigg David R. with CD of interactive graphs. Applied Radiobiology: Continuous Irradiation and Brachytherapy Wigg David R. Medical Physics Publishing, Madison, WI, 2008. Hardcover 288 pp. Price: $140.00. ISBN: 9781930524392 (book), 9781930524453 (interactive CD)
Research involving adults who lack capacity: how have research ethics committees interpreted the requirements?: Figure 1
Authors: Dixon-Woods M , Angell E L
Published: May 2009

Two separate regulatory regimes govern research with adults who lack capacity to consent in England and Wales: the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 (“the Regulations”). A service evaluation was conducted to investigate how research ethics committees (RECs) are interpreting the requirements. With the use of a coding scheme and qualitative software, a sample of REC decision letters where applicants indicated that their project involved adults who lacked mental capacity was analysed. The analysis focuses on 45 letters about projects covered by the MCA and 12 letters about projects covered by the Regulations. The legal requirements for involving incapacitated adults in research were not consistently interpreted correctly. Letters often lacked explicitness and clarity. Neither consent nor assent from third parties is a legally valid concept for purposes of the MCA, yet they were suggested or endorsed in 10 post-MCA letters, and there was evidence of confusion about the consultee processes. The correct terms were also not consistently used in relation to clinical trials. Inappropriate use of terms such as “relative” had the potential to exclude people eligible to be consulted. Unless the correct terms and legal concepts are used in research projects, there is potential for confusion and for exclusion of people who are eligible to be consulted about involvement of adults who lack capacity. Improved clarity, explicitness and accuracy are needed when submitting and reviewing applications for ethical review of research in this area.
Standards for research ethics committees: purpose, problems and the possibilities of other approaches
Authors: Davies H , Wells F , Czarkowski M
Published: May 2009

Criticism of ethical review of research continues and research ethics committees (RECs) need to demonstrate that they are “fit for purpose” by meeting acknowledged standards of process, debate and outcome. This paper reports a workshop in Warsaw in April 2008, organised by the European Forum for Good Clinical Practice, on the problems of setting standards for RECs in the European Union. Representatives from 27 countries were invited; 16 were represented. Problems identified were the limited and variable resources, difficulties of setting standards for ethical debate and its outcomes and that REC members, as volunteers, may resent the imposition of standards. Other ways to set standards were discussed, including analysis of current multicentre review, collecting REC member reports for review, learning from appeals and feedback from applicants, and use of other regional and national meetings. The place of a central, national board or ethics committee was debated as was the need for collaborating with partners in other fields.
Navigating the chasm between religious and secular perspectives in modern bioethics
Authors: Jotkowitz A B , Glick S
Published: May 2009

In the past 3 years, three landmark laws relating to bioethics have been passed in the Israeli parliament. These are the Terminally Ill Patient Law (in 2005) and the Organ Donation Law and the Brain Death/Respiratory Law (in 2008). To reach consensus on these difficult issues in a multicultural society such as Israel was not an easy undertaking. Using learning from previous failed attempts, compromise, dialogue and work done in the absence of hysteria and publicity were crucial to the process. In all three laws, compromises were obtained between the secular and religious factions, from which an acceptable law was developed. The Israeli experience is a model of a country working to synthesise an ancient tradition with the complexities of modern life and could serve as an example for other countries struggling with similar issues.
Survey of genome size in 28 hydrothermal vent species covering 10 families
Authors: Bonnivard Eric , Catrice Olivier , Ravaux Juliette , Brown Spencer C. , Higuet Dominique
Published: May 2009

Knowledge of genome size is a useful and necessary prerequisite for the development of many genomic resources. To better understand the origins and effects of DNA gains and losses among species, it is important to collect data from a broad taxonomic base, but also from particular ecosystems. Oceanic thermal vents are an interesting model to investigate genome size in very unstable environments. Here we provide data estimated by flow cytometry for 28 vent-living species among the most representative from different hydrothermal vents. We also report the genome size of closely related coastal decapods. Haploid C-values were compared with those previously reported for species from corresponding orders or infraorders. This is the first broad survey of 2C values in vent organisms. Contrary to expectations, it shows that certain hydrothermal vent species have particularly large genomes. The vent squat lobster Munidopsis recta has the largest genome yet reported for any anomuran: 2C = 31.1 pg = 30.4 × 109 bp. In several groups, such as Brachyura, Phyllodocida, and Veneroida, vent species have genomes that clearly rank at the high end of published values for each group. We also describe the highest DNA content yet recorded for the Brachyura (coastal crabs Xantho pilipes and Necora puber ). Finally, analysis of genome size variation across populations revealed unexpected intraspecific variation in the vent shrimp Mirocaris fortunata that could not be attributed simply to ploidy changes.
Capital structure optimization for build–operate–transfer (BOT) projects using a stochastic and multi-objective approach
Authors: Yun Sungmin , Han Seung Heon , Kim Hyoungkwan , Ock Jong Ho
Published: May 2009

Private financing has long been recognized as playing an important role in providing public infrastructure facilities worldwide. Private investors–operators, however, are often exposed to the financial risk of low profitability due to the inaccurate forecast of facility demand, operating income, and maintenance costs. From the operator’s perspective, a sound and thorough financial feasibility study is required to establish the appropriate capital structure of a project. To this end, operators are likely to reduce the equity amount to minimize the level of risk exposures, whereas creditors or lenders continue to raise it in an attempt to secure a decent level of financial responsibility from the operators. This paper presents an optimized capital structure model for both creditors and operators to reach an agreement for a balanced structure that synchronizes both profitability and repayment capacity. The model is developed with the use of Monte Carlo simulation and a multi-objective generic algorithm (GA) for drawing an optimal level of equity ratio. Results of a case study on a railway project show that the proposed model provides a proper range of capital structure for privately financed infrastructure projects while accounting for the project-specific risks under variable conditions.
Development of a sustainability assessment model for underground infrastructure projects
Authors: Koo Dae-Hyun , Ariaratnam Samuel T. , Kavazanjian Edward
Published: May 2009

The concept of sustainable development is receiving much attention throughout the global community. The concept embraces the traditional paradigm of infrastructure development and is expanding to a wider range of implications from social and environmental impacts caused by infrastructure development. Enhancement of sustainability is generally summarized using a triple bottom line approach of (i) minimizing environmental impact, (ii) maximizing economical benefit, and (iii) minimizing adverse social–cultural impact. Sustainability assessment should consider complications and interrelationships of all sustainability aspects throughout the entire life cycle. This paper presents a methodological development for a sustainability assessment modeling framework aimed at underground infrastructure construction projects. The modeling framework is based on assessing multiple proposed design alternatives and eliciting the most sustainable alternative through multiple assessment processes and a decision making process.
Fuzzy set approach to condition assessments of novel sustainable pavements in the Canadian climate
Authors: Golroo Amir , Tighe Susan L.
Published: May 2009

Since the use of pervious concrete pavement structures (PCPSs) is essentially still in the trial stage in Canada, long-term and quantitative pavement condition data are not available. The existing approaches applied to assess pervious concrete pavement structure (PCPS) conditions are ad hoc and suffer from methodological limitations. A fuzzy set technique is proposed herein as an efficient tool for dealing with qualitative and incomplete pavement condition data on distress types, severities, densities, and weighting factors. Using this method, a comprehensive fuzzy condition index was developed based on Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) methodology and using fuzzy pavement condition data. This fuzzy condition index was converted to a single value that allowed for comparisons of pavement conditions using several ranking techniques. A case study of 24 PCPS sites was utilized to demonstrate how the fuzzy representations of the condition index compared with associated single values. It is shown that this approach can effectively provide extensive condition indices for PCPSs and rank them accordingly, using only limited and imprecise pavement condition data.
Comparative genomic analysis ofAcidithiobacillus ferrooxidansstrains using theA. ferrooxidansATCC 23270 whole-genome oligonucleotide microarray
Authors: Luo Hailang , Shen Li , Yin Huaqun , Li Qian , Chen Qijiong , Luo Yanjie , Liao Liqin , Qiu Guanzhou , Liu Xueduan
Published: May 2009

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is an important microorganism used in biomining operations for metal recovery. Whole-genomic diversity analysis based on the oligonucleotide microarray was used to analyze the gene content of 12 strains of A. ferrooxidans purified from various mining areas in China. Among the 3100 open reading frames (ORFs) on the slides, 1235 ORFs were absent in at least 1 strain of bacteria and 1385 ORFs were conserved in all strains. The hybridization results showed that these strains were highly diverse from a genomic perspective. The hybridization results of 4 major functional gene categories, namely electron transport, carbon metabolism, extracellular polysaccharides, and detoxification, were analyzed. Based on the hybridization signals obtained, a phylogenetic tree was built to analyze the evolution of the 12 tested strains, which indicated that the geographic distribution was the main factor influencing the strain diversity of these strains. Based on the hybridization signals of genes associated with bioleaching, another phylogenetic tree showed an evolutionary relationship from which the co-relation between the clustering of specific genes and geochemistry could be observed. The results revealed that the main factor was geochemistry, among which the following 6 factors were the most important: pH, Mg, Cu, S, Fe, and Al.
Effects of leaching on fungal growth and decay of western redcedar
Authors: Chedgy Russell J. , Lim Young Woon , Breuil Colette
Published: May 2009

We tested the effect of leaching on the concentration of western redcedar (WRC; Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don) heartwood extractives that are known to exhibit antimicrobial activity and correlated this with fungal growth and decay. We assessed the extractive tolerance of the following fungal species: Acanthophysium lividocaeruleum , Coniophora puteana , Heterobasidion annosum , Pachnocybe ferruginea , Phellinus sulphurascens , and Phellinus weirii by measuring their growth rate (mm/day) on media with or without WRC leachate. These data were correlated with the ability of the fungal species to grow on and decay leached versus nonleached WRC. We used an ergosterol assay to estimate growth and a standard soil-block test to assess decay. We estimated that leaching reduced the concentration of 5 major extractives: (–)-plicatic acid, β-thujaplicin, γ-thujaplicin, β-thujaplicinol, and thujic acid by ~80%. Phellinus sulphurascens exhibited the lowest extractive-tolerance in vitro, grew poorly on and caused minimal decay in nonleached WRC, but it grew well on and decayed pine and leached WRC. Coniophora puteana, H. annosum, and P. weirii displayed moderate to high tolerance to leachate, grew on and caused decay in nonleached as well as leached WRC, but their growth and decay were always greatest on leached WRC and pine, suggesting that leaching enhances decay by these fungi. Acanthophysium lividocaeruleum and Pachnocybe ferruginea exhibited high extractive-tolerance. Whereas A. lividocaeruleum clearly caused decay on all types of wood, no decay was observed with Pachnocybe ferruginea, which grew very slowly in the different wood species, and it may or may not be able to decay wood.
Fusobacterium nucleatum, the first Gram-negative bacterium demonstrated to produce polyglutamate
Authors: Candela Thomas , Moya Marie , Haustant Michel , Fouet Agnès
Published: May 2009

Poly-γ-glutamate has been described in many Gram-positive organisms. When anchored to the surface, it is a capsule and as such a virulence factor. Based on sequence similarities, few Gram-negative organisms have been suggested to synthesize poly-γ-glutamate. For the first time, a Gram-negative bacterium, Fusobacterium nucleatum , is shown to produce and secrete poly-γ-glutamate. Putative poly-γ-glutamate-synthesizing genes from Gram-negative organisms have been compared with their Gram-positive homologs by in silico analysis, i.e., gene sequence and phylogenetic analysis. Clusters of three instead of four genes were highlighted by our screen. The products of the first two genes display similarity with their Gram-positive equivalents, yet the sequences from the Gram-negative organisms can be distinguished from those of the Gram-positives. Interestingly, the sequence of the predicted product of the third gene is conserved among Gram-negative bacteria but displays no similarity to that of either the third or fourth gene of the Gram-positive operons. It is suggested that, like for Gram-positive bacteria, poly-γ-glutamate has a role in virulence for pathogens and one in survival for other Gram-negative bacteria.
Characterization of Microbacterium sp. F10a and its role in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon removal in low-temperature soil
Authors: Sheng X. F. , He L. Y. , Zhou L. , Shen Y. Y.
Published: May 2009

A polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degrading bacterium isolated from oil-polluted soil was identified as Microbacterium sp. F10a based on 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. Plant growth promoting characteristics of the strain, degradation rate of phenanthrene and pyrene, and cell surface hydrophobicity characteristics of the strain were further characterized. The strain was also evaluated for promoting the growth of wheat and phenanthrene and pyrene removal from soil artificially contaminated with a mixture of phenanthrene (200 mg·kg–1) and pyrene (150 mg·kg–1) in pot experiments. The strain had the plant growth promoting characteristics of producing indole acetic acid, siderophore, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity and solubilizing inorganic phosphate. The strain also has a cell surface hydrophobicity that could increase the aqueous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon solubility. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis showed that the degradation rates of phenanthrene (50 mg·L–1) and pyrene (20 mg·L–1) were 98% and 65%, respectively, under 28 °C after 7 days. Inoculation with the strain was found to significantly increase (p < 0.05) the growth of wheat and phenanthrene and pyrene removal in the unplanted or planted soils in a low-temperature environment. There were no significant differences in culturable bacterial numbers between live bacterial inoculation and dead bacterial inoculation controls in the unplanted and planted soils. However, the numbers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degrading bacteria were significantly greater in the inoculated planted or unplanted soils compared with the dead bacterial inoculation controls.
USER INTERFACE PROTOTYPE GENERATION TECHNIQUE SUPPORTING USAGE-CENTERED DESIGN
Authors: LEE CHANG-MOG , KIM YOUNG-WON
Published: May 2009

Usage-centered design is becoming increasingly important in the rapidly growing web environment. In this paper, we propose a development process and algorithm to generate a user interface prototype automatically on the basis of a usage-centered design. For this purpose, the transition objects of the user interface are modeled from the requirement analysis, while abstract modeling rules and algorithms of business events are formed for the generation of the user interface. These processes allow unskilled designers to develop qualified user interface prototypes, improve the user's understanding of the business tasks and reduce the number of prototype iterations.
COMMUNICATION IN XYZ ALL-TO-ALL QUANTUM NETWORKS WITH A MISSING LINK
Authors: BOSE SOUGATO , CASACCINO ANDREA , MANCINI STEFANO , SEVERINI SIMONE
Published: May 2009

We explicitate the relation between Hamiltonians for networks of interacting qubits in the XYZ model and graph Laplacians. We then study evolution in networks in which all sites can communicate with each other. These are modeled by the complete graphKn and called all-to-all networks. It turns out that Kn does not exhibit perfect state transfer (PST). However, we prove that deleting an edge in Kn allows PST between the two non-adjacent sites, when n is a multiple of four. An application is routing a qubit over n different sites, by switching off the link between the sites that we wish to put in communication. Additionally, we observe that, in certain cases, the unitary inducing evolution in Kn is equivalent to the Grover operator.