bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A protocol for classifying normal‐ and flat‐arched foot posture for research studies using clinical and radiographic measurements
Authors: Murley George S , Menz Hylton B , Landorf Karl B
Published: July 2009

Background

There are several clinical and radiological methods available to classify foot posture in research, however there is no clear strategy for selecting the most appropriate measurements. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a foot screening protocol to distinguish between participants with normal‐ and flat‐arched feet who would then subsequently be recruited into a series of laboratory‐based gait studies.

Methods

The foot posture of ninety‐one asymptomatic young adults was assessed using two clinical measurements (normalised navicular height and arch index) and four radiological measurements taken from antero‐posterior and lateral x‐rays (talus‐second metatarsal angle, talo‐navicular coverage angle, calcaneal inclination angle and calcaneal‐first metatarsal angle). Normative foot posture values were taken from the literature and used to recruit participants with normal‐arched feet. Data from these participants were subsequently used to define the boundary between normal‐ and flat‐arched feet. This information was then used to recruit participants with flat‐arched feet. The relationship between the clinical and radiographic measures of foot posture was also explored.

Results

Thirty‐two participants were recruited to the normal‐arched study, 31 qualified for the flat‐arched study and 28 participants were classified as having neither normal‐ or flat‐arched feet and were not suitable for either study. The values obtained from the two clinical and four radiological measurements established two clearly defined foot posture groups. Correlations among clinical and radiological measures were significant (p < 0.05) and ranged from r = 0.24 to 0.70. Interestingly, the clinical measures were more strongly associated with the radiographic angles obtained from the lateral view.

Conclusion

This foot screening protocol provides a coherent strategy for researchers planning to recruit participants with normal‐ and flat‐arched feet. However, further research is required to determine whether foot posture variations in the sagittal, transverse or both planes provide the best descriptor of the flat foot.
Improved breast cancer survival following introduction of an organized mammography screening program among both screened and unscreened women: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Kalager Mette , Haldorsen Tor , Bretthauer Michael , Hoff Geir , Thoresen Steinar O , Adami Hans-Olov
Published: July 2009

Introduction

Mammography screening reduces breast cancer mortality through earlier diagnosis but may convey further benefit if screening is associated with optimized treatment through multidisciplinary medical care. In Norway, a national mammography screening program was introduced among women aged 50 to 69 years during 1995/6 to 2004. Also during this time, multidisciplinary breast cancer care units were implemented.

Methods

We constructed three cohorts of breast cancer patients: 1) the pre-program group comprising women diagnosed and treated before mammography screening began in their county of residence, 2) the post-program group comprising women diagnosed and treated through multidisciplinary breast cancer care units in their county but before they had been invited to mammography screening; and 3) the screening group comprising women diagnosed and treated after invitation to screening. We calculated Kaplan-Meier plots and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models.

Results

We studied 41,833 women with breast cancer. The nine-year breast cancer-specific survival rate was 0.66 (95%CI: 0.65 to 0.67) in the pre-program group; 0.72 (95%CI: 0.70 to 0.74) in the post-program group; and 0.84 (95%CI: 0.80 to 0.88) in the screening group. In multivariable analyses, the risk of death from breast cancer was 14% lower in the post-program group than in the pre-program group (hazard ratio 0.86; (95%CI: 0.78 to 0.95, P = 0.003)).

Conclusions

After nine years follow-up, at least 33% of the improved survival is attributable to improved breast cancer management through multidisciplinary medical care.
“The Tyrant Is Dead!” The Revolt of the Periquitos in Bahia, 1824
Authors: Reis João José , Kraay Hendrik
Published: July 2009

This article analyzes politics in the Brazilian province of Bahia from mid-1823 when Portuguese troops were expelled from the capital of Salvador to early 1825. During this time many opposed the province’s adhesion to the increasingly authoritarian monarchy of Pedro I established in Rio de Janeiro in 1822. It focuses on the October–November 1824 rebellion of the Periquitos battalion and the other manifestations of social and political unrest of these years. These radical liberal movements expressed many Bahians’ mistrust of the monarch, particularly after he closed the constituent assembly in November 1823 and imposed a constitution in March 1824. They also evinced strong sympathy with the Confederação do Equador rebellion centered in Pernambuco, although the Bahian movements failed to establish a formal connection with that province’s resistance to the emperor. Bahia’s radical liberals drew strong support from the nonwhite lower classes in the city of Salvador and from the army rank and file. These popular movements reveal the widespread appeal of the radical liberal program. The repression that followed these movements indicates that the Bahian planter class accepted the centralized monarchy as a guarantor of social order and abandoned its desire for greater control over local affairs.
The Race to Progress: Census Taking and Nation Making in Brazil (1870–1920)
Authors: Loveman Mara
Published: July 2009

From the mid-nineteenth century, central statistics agencies contributed to nation-state building through their dual mission of producing statistical description and policy prescription in the name of national progress. This article examines how one such agency, Brazil’s Directoria Geral de Estatística, worked to simultaneously measure and promote national progress from 1870 to 1920. The article documents a fundamental shift in this period in the DGE’s vision of the qualities of the population essential for Brazil’s progress as a nation. In the 1870s, the DGE saw educational statistics as the key measures of national progress and lobbied for government investment in primary schools to ensure the advancement of the nation. By the 1920s, the DGE looked instead to immigration and racial statistics to measure progress and advocated cultural and biological “whitening” of the population to improve the Brazilian nation. Analysis of a broad range of archival and published primary sources reveals the gradual racialization of the DGE’s institutional definition of “progress.” The study contributes to a growing body of research that examines how racial thought influenced the development and official practices of state agencies in Latin America.
Nonparametric estimation of boundary measures and related functionals: asymptotic results
Authors: Armendáriz Inés , Cuevas Antonio , Fraiman Ricardo
Published: July 2009

We study a nonparametric method for estimating the boundary measure of a compact body G ⊂ ℝd (the boundary length when d = 2 and the surface area for d = 3) in the case when this measure agrees with the corresponding Minkowski content. The estimator we consider is closely related to the one proposed in Cuevas, Fraiman and Rodríguez-Casal (2007). Our method relies on two sets of random points, drawn inside and outside the set G, with different sampling intensities. Strong consistency and asymptotic normality are obtained under some shape hypotheses on the set G. Some applications and practical aspects are briefly discussed.
Random transceiver networks
Authors: Balister Paul , Bollobás Béla , Walters Mark
Published: July 2009

Consider randomly scattered radio transceivers in ℝd, each of which can transmit signals to all transceivers in a given randomly chosen region about itself. If a signal is retransmitted by every transceiver that receives it, under what circumstances will a signal propagate to a large distance from its starting point? Put more formally, place points {xi} in ℝd according to a Poisson process with intensity 1. Then, independently for each xi, choose a bounded region Axi from some fixed distribution and let be the random directed graph with vertex set whenever xj ∈ xi + Axi. We show that, for any will almost surely have an infinite directed path, provided the expected number of transceivers that can receive a signal directly from xi is at least 1 + η, and the regions xi + Axi do not overlap too much (in a sense that we shall make precise). One example where these conditions hold, and so gives rise to percolation, is in ℝd, with each Axi a ball of volume 1 + η centred at xi, where η → 0 as d → ∞. Another example is in two dimensions, where the Axi are sectors of angle ε γ and area 1 + η, uniformly randomly oriented within a fixed angle (1 + ε)θ. In this case we can let η → 0 as ε → 0 and still obtain percolation. The result is already known for the annulus, i.e. that the critical area tends to 1 as the ratio of the radii tends to 1, while it is known to be false for the square (l∞) annulus. Our results show that it does however hold for the randomly oriented square annulus.
On the probability of the existence of fixed-size components in random geometric graphs
Authors: Díaz J. , Mitsche D. , Pérez-Giménez X.
Published: July 2009

In this work we give precise asymptotic expressions for the probability of the existence of fixed-size components at the threshold of connectivity for random geometric graphs.
The chord length distribution function for regular polygons
Authors: Harutyunyan H. S. , Ohanyan V. K.
Published: July 2009

In this paper we obtain an elementary expression for the chord length distribution function of a regular polygon. The formula is derived using δ-formalism in Pleijel identity. In the particular cases of a regular triangle, a square, a regular pentagon, and a regular hexagon, our formula coincides with the results of Sulanke (1961), Gille (1988), Aharonyan and Ohanyan (2005), and Harutyunyan (2007), respectively.
One-dimensional distributions of subordinators with upper truncated Lévy measure, and applications
Authors: Covo Shai
Published: July 2009

Given a pure-jump subordinator (i.e. nondecreasing Lévy process with no drift) with continuous Lévy measure ν, we derive a formula for the distribution functionFs(x;t) at timetof the associated subordinator whose Lévy measure is the restriction of ν to (0,s]. It will be expressed in terms of ν and the marginal distribution functionF(⋅;t) of the original process. A generalization concerning an arbitrary truncation of ν will follow. Under certain conditions, an analogous formula will be obtained for thenth derivative, ∂nFs(x;t) ∂xn. The requirement that ν is continuous is shown to have no intrinsic meaning. A number of interesting results involving the size ordered jumps of subordinators will be derived. An appropriate approximation for the small jumps of a gamma process will be considered, leading to a revisiting of the generalized Dickman distribution.
A fluid cluster Poisson input process can look like a fractional Brownian motion even in the slow growth aggregation regime
Authors: Fasen Vicky , Samorodnitsky Gennady
Published: July 2009

We show that, contrary to common wisdom, the cumulative input process in a fluid queue with cluster Poisson arrivals can converge, in the slow growth regime, to a fractional Brownian motion, and not to a Lévy stable motion. This emphasizes the lack of robustness of Lévy stable motions as ‘birds-eye’ descriptions of the traffic in communication networks.
Extremes of autoregressive threshold processes
Authors: Brachner Claudia , Fasen Vicky , Lindner Alexander
Published: July 2009

In this paper we study the tail and the extremal behaviors of stationary solutions of threshold autoregressive (TAR) models. It is shown that a regularly varying noise sequence leads in general to only an O-regularly varying tail of the stationary solution. Under further conditions on the partition, it is shown however that TAR(S,1) models of order 1 withSregimes have regularly varying tails, provided that the noise sequence is regularly varying. In these cases, the finite-dimensional distribution of the stationary solution is even multivariate regularly varying and its extremal behavior is studied via point process convergence. In particular, a TAR model with regularly varying noise can exhibit extremal clusters. This is in contrast to TAR models with noise in the maximum domain of attraction of the Gumbel distribution and which is either subexponential or in ℒ(γ) with γ > 0. In this case it turns out that the tail of the stationary solution behaves like a constant times that of the noise sequence, regardless of the order and the specific partition of the TAR model, and that the process cannot exhibit clusters on high levels.
The extremes of random walks in random sceneries
Authors: Franke Brice , Saigo Tatsuhiko
Published: July 2009

In this article we analyse the behaviour of the extremes of a random walk in a random scenery. The random walk is assumed to be in the domain of attraction of a stable law, and the scenery is assumed to be in the domain of attraction of an extreme value distribution. The resulting random sequence is stationary and strongly dependent if the underlying random walk is recurrent. We prove a limit theorem for the extremes of the resulting stationary process. However, if the underlying random walk is recurrent, the limit distribution is not in the class of classical extreme value distributions.
Asymptotics for the moments of the overshoot and undershoot of a random walk
Authors: Cui Zhaolei , Wang Yuebao , Wang Kaiyong
Published: July 2009

In this paper we obtain some equivalent conditions and sufficient conditions for the local and nonlocal asymptotics of the φ-moments of the overshoot and undershoot of a random walk, where φ is a nonnegative, long-tailed function. By the strong Markov property, it can be shown that the moments of the overshoot and undershoot and the moments of the first ascending ladder height of a random walk satisfy some renewal equations. Therefore, in this paper we first investigate the local and nonlocal asymptotics for the moments of the first ascending ladder height of a random walk, and then give some equivalent conditions and sufficient conditions for the asymptotics of the solutions to some renewal equations. Using the above results, the main results of this paper are obtained.
On the expectation of total discounted operating costs up to default and its applications
Authors: Cai Jun , Feng Runhuan , Willmot Gordon E.
Published: July 2009

In this paper we first consider the expectation of the total discounted claim costs up to the time of ruin, and then, more generally, we study the expectation of the total discounted operating costs up to the time of default, which is the first passage time of a surplus process downcrossing a given level. These two quantities include the expected discounted penalty function at ruin or the Gerber–Shiu function, the expected total discounted dividends up to ruin, and other interesting quantities as special cases among a class of risk processes. As an illustration, we consider a piecewise-deterministic compound Poisson risk model. This model recovers many risk models appearing in the literature such as the compound Poisson risk models with interest, absolute ruin, dividends, multiple thresholds, and their dual models. We derive and solve the integro-differential equation for the expected present value of the total discounted operating costs up to default. The solutions to the expected present value of the total discounted operating costs up to default can be used as a unified approach to solving many ruin-related quantities. As applications, we derive explicit solutions for the expected accumulated utility up to ruin, the absolute ruin probability with varying borrowing rates, the expected total discounted claim costs up to ruin, the Gerber–Shiu function with two-sided jumps, and the price for a perpetual American put option with two-sided jumps.
Reward distributions associated with some block tridiagonal transition matrices with applications to identity by descent
Authors: Stefanov Valeri T. , Ball Frank
Published: July 2009

Markov and semi-Markov processes with block tridiagonal transition matrices for their embedded discrete-time Markov chains are underlying stochastic models in many applied probability problems. In particular, identity-by-descent (IBD) problems for uncle-type and cousin-type relationships fall into this class. More specifically, the exact distributions of relevant IBD statistics for two individuals in either an uncle-type or cousin-type relationship are of interest. Such statistics are the amount of genome shared IBD by the two related individuals on a chromosomal segment and the number of IBD pieces on such a segment. These lead to special reward distributions associated with block tridiagonal transition matrices for continuous-time Markov chains. A method is provided for calculating explicit, closed-form expressions for Laplace transforms of general reward functions for such Markov chains. Some calculation results on the cumulative probabilities of relevant IBD statistics via a numerical inversion of the Laplace transforms are also provided for uncle/nephew and first-cousin relationships.
Job replication on multiserver systems
Authors: Kim Yusik , Righter Rhonda , Wolff Ronald
Published: July 2009

Parallel processing is a way to use resources efficiently by processing several jobs simultaneously on different servers. In a well-controlled environment where the status of the servers and the jobs are well known, everything is nearly deterministic and replicating jobs on different servers is obviously a waste of resources. However, in a poorly controlled environment where the servers are unreliable and/or their capacity is highly variable, it is desirable to design a system that is robust in the sense that it is not affected by the poorly performing servers. By replicating jobs and assigning them to several different servers simultaneously, we not only achieve robustness but we can also make the system more efficient under certain conditions so that the jobs are processed at a faster rate overall. In this paper we consider the option of replicating jobs and study how the performance of different ‘degrees’ of replication, ranging from no replication to full replication, affects the performance of a system of parallel servers.
Geochemical Evidences of Natural Gas Migration and Releasing in the Ordos Basin, China
Authors: Sun Yuzhuang , Liu Chiyang , Lin Mingyue , Li Yanheng , Qin Peng
Published: July 2009

Natural gas, in its migration from source rocks to release zones may travel a long distance and change the geochemical characteristics of the rocks which it flowed through. In order to study the geochemical evidence of the natural gas migration, 24 samples were taken from different natural gas migration zones in the Ordos Basin, China. Five samples of them are from natural gas release zones (dark sandstone samples), 17 samples are from bleaching zones (bleaching sandstone samples), and two samples are from non-release zones (background samples). These samples were analyzed by organic and inorganic geochemical methods. The results of GC traces and ICP-MASS indicate that three zones show different organic and inorganic geochemical characteristics. Natural gas migration and releasing may be recognized by the geochemical evidences.
Characterisation of Surface Ionisation and Adsorption of Phenol and 4-Nitrophenol on Non-Porous Carbon Blacks
Authors: Carrott P.J.M. , Carrott M.M.L. Ribeiro , Vale T.S.C. , Marques L. , Nabais J.M. Valente , Mourão P.A.M. , Suhas P.A.M.
Published: July 2009

The adsorption of phenol and 4-nitrophenol from aqueous solutions by carbon blacks was studied. Particular attention was paid to the characterisation of the surface chemistry and ionisation of the carbon blacks by use of a simple carbon surface ionisation model, as well as the use of a normalised form of the Freundlich equation for the analysis of the adsorption isotherms. The results indicated that the solutes interact directly with the graphene layers and that the adsorption is sensitive to the π-electron density. Phenol has a weaker interaction and is more sensitive to the system conditions. In particular, it is more sensitive to oligomerisation under certain conditions. Comparison of the results with those previously reported for activated carbons with similar points of zero charge prepared from cork confirms the existence of a significant micropore-narrowing effect in the adsorption of organic solutes by activated carbons and which can lead to up to a doubling of the value of the Freundlich exponent, nF.
Impact of the Carbonization Atmosphere on the Properties of Phosphoric Acid-Activated Carbons from Fruit Stones
Authors: Puziy A.M. , Poddubnaya O.I. , Martínez-Alonso A. , Suárez-García F. , Castro-Muñiz A. , Tascón J.M.D.
Published: July 2009

Activated carbons were obtained by phosphoric acid activation of a mixture of fruit stones (apricot and peach) in two different atmospheres (argon and air) at various temperatures in the 400–1000°C range. The evolution of several characteristic parameters of the resulting carbons (bulk density, yield, BET surface area, ultramicropore, supermicropore and mesopore volumes and cation-exchange capacity) with activation temperature was examined. The above parameters were re-calculated on a volume basis (practical effectiveness) and a volume-yield basis (economic efficiency). It was concluded that carbons obtained in an argon atmosphere exhibit some practical advantages over those obtained in air regarding cation adsorption, although those obtained in air may represent an interesting alternative regarding porous structure.
Preparation and Characterization of a Cerium(IV)-incorporated Manganese Oxide OMS-2. Effect of Cerium(IV) Template on Octahedral Molecular Sieves of Manganese Oxide and Characterization of Manganese Oxide Molecular Sieves with Cerium(IV) as Dopant
Authors: Hapeshi Evroula , Theocharis Charis R.
Published: July 2009

The manganese oxide material K-OMS-2 was synthesized both via a redox reaction between potassium permanganate and manganese nitrate in an acidic medium (nitric acid) under reflux conditions and by the sol–gel reaction between KMnO4 and maleic acid employed in a 3:1 molar ratio. Cerium(IV) was then added by an ion-exchange method. The structures, morphologies, chemical compositions and thermal stabilities of the resulting materials were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption/desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and TGA techniques. Both the morphologies and the surface properties of the materials synthesized by these two methods were different. Thus, the material prepared via the sol–gel process possessed a higher surface area and exhibited both a different type of adsorption isotherm and smaller crystallite sizes than the material synthesized by redox reaction under reflux conditions.

The physical and chemical properties of the Ce–K-OMS-2 materials were similar to those of pure cryptomelane. TGA and XRD studies showed that the K-OMS-2 and Ce–K-OMS-2 materials exhibited a greater thermal stability in O2 rather than N2 atmospheres. In fact, the Ce(IV) derivatives were more stable thermally than the pure material. For Ce–K-OMS-2R, the data obtained showed that part of the manganese in the framework was substituted by Ce(IV) ions. In contrast, the data for Ce–K-OMS-2S indicated that not only did Ce(IV) ions substitute part of the manganese in the framework but that Ce(IV) ions also replaced the K+ ions in the tunnel structure of the material.
Glass-Like Carbon Spheres — Activation, Porosity and Application Possibilities
Authors: Inagaki Michio , Park Chong-Rae , Skowronski Jan M. , Morawski Antoni W.
Published: July 2009

A brief review on spherical carbons, including fullerenes and related spherical particles, is first provided, followed by a review of the results on air activation, porosity and applications focused on glass-like carbon spheres derived from phenolic resin spheres. Kinetic studies of the oxidation in air provide a fundamental understanding of activation process of glass-like carbon spheres. On the basis of the results, a new activation procedure, viz. two-step activation, is proposed, which provides ca. 10% higher oxidation yield in obtaining a comparative pore structure. Some possibilities for applications of these glass-like carbon spheres are also described, such as the adsorption/desorption of CO2 gas and chlorinated methanes, the adsorption of organic molecules from their aqueous solutions, and the provision of electrodes for electric double layer capacitors and lithium ion rechargeable batteries.
Enhanced Adsorption of Mercury(II) Ions from Aqueous Solution by Carbon-Based Adsorbents Containing Cl-, S- and N-functional Groups
Authors: Zhu Jianzhong , Deng Baolin , Yang John
Published: July 2009

Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic metal which occurs in surface and ground waters as the Hg2+ ion. The aim of the present study was to develop carbon-based adsorbents that contain chlorine (Cl), sulphur (S) or nitrogen (N) functional groups in an attempt to enhance the removal of Hg2+ ions from aqueous environments. Thus, activated carbon (AC) was oxidized by treatment with nitric acid and then with thionyl chloride, followed by reaction with ethylenediamine, dithio-oxamide and 1,2-ethanedithiol, respectively. Such chemically-modified activated carbons were characterized by scanning electron microscopy in conjunction with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and potentiometry.

Batch experiments to study the kinetics and equilibrium of Hg2+ ion adsorption were performed to evaluate the efficacy of the functionalized carbon adsorbents. Sample characterizations indicated that chlorine, sulphur or nitrogen functional groups were effectively immobilized onto the activated carbon surface, thereby generating more negative surface charges favouring cation adsorption. Adsorption kinetics and equilibrium experiments showed that Hg2+ ion adsorption by activated carbons modified with ethylenediamine (ACNN), dithio-oxamide (ACNS) and 1,2-ethanedithiol (ACSS) was fast (e.g. ACNN < 30 min) and had a high capacity (e.g. ACNN =/> 200%) over AC. The adsorptive capacity decreased in the order ACNN (120 mg/g) > ACSS (105 mg/g) > ACNS (90 mg/g) > AC (60 mg/g), suggesting a high Hg2+ ion affinity for the modified carbons.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Refrigeration Equipment in Malaysia
Authors: Saidur R , Sattar MA , Masjuki H.H. , Jamaluddin M.Y.
Published: July 2009

This paper presents an analysis of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from refrigeration equipment. The refrigeration equipments use refrigerants such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons HFCs, which are believed to contribute the ozone depletion and global warming. Refrigeration equipment thus contributes indirectly through emission due to electricity consumption and directly due to the emission of refrigerants. Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the burning of fossil fuels are quantified and presented in this paper. The calculation was carried out based on emissions per unit electricity generated and the type of fuel used. The direct emission of refrigerant was calculated based on emission factor and according to the procedure of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USA. A study was conducted to evaluate the refrigerant losses to the atmosphere and the CO2 emission from fossil fuels to generate power to run the refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. In this paper, total appliance annual energy consumption by refrigerator-freezer and air conditioner as well as emission has been estimated for a period of 19 years (1997–2015) using the survey data. Energy savings and emission reductions achievable by raising thermostat set point temperature have been calculated for a period of 10 (i.e. 2005–2015) years.
Development of Pem Fuel Cell in Pakistan
Authors: Raza R. , Hayat S. A. , Chaudhry M. Ashraf , Muhammad J.
Published: July 2009

There is a worldwide awareness for finding alternate energy sources. Fuel cells are seen as potential candidates to fill the upcoming energy shortage gap. In line with this global approach, an initiative has been undertaken for developing Fuel Cells in Pakistan. Accordingly, a prototype Fuel Cell was developed. Different experiments were conducted to gauge its performance. The results are presented in the graphical form. The study has also been extended to measure the impact of catalyst on various performance determining parameters of the Fuel Cell.
Evaluation of the Feasibility of the Energy Policy Developed to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Chun-Wei , Chen Chia-Yon , Chen Yen-Yin
Published: July 2009

Since the Kyoto Protocol officially came into effect on February 16, 2005, many countries have gradually changed their wait-and-see attitudes, becoming more serious in confronting the possible future impact of global warming. Finding a balance among economic development, energy consumption, and environmental protection has become a common concern to the international community. For this reason, it may be important for Taiwan to increase the speed at which it implements regulations related to greenhouse gas and thereby reduce emissions. This paper will discuss and evaluate in depth the various energy policies and objectives that emerged after Taiwan's first National Energy Conference held in 1998 using a decomposition input–output analysis model. We also analyze the effects of different energy policies on reducing CO2 emissions. This analysis not only helps the relevant governmental organizations understand the possible effects of various policies, but it also serves as an important reference for future energy policy-making and allocations of governmental resources.
Sustainability of Micro-Hydrosystems — A Case Study
Authors: Chhetri A.B. , Pokharel G.R. , Islam M.R.
Published: July 2009

Energy development and management has been a crucial subject due to recent concerns of energy shortages and increasing oil prices. Energy is not only the major driver of economic development but also a major precursor for global environmental problems due to emission of pollutants including greenhouse gases. The development of sustainable energy systems that do not have net negative impacts into ecology, economy and society has been given due considerations recently. In order to determine whether a particular energy system is sustainable, a set of criteria can be used to evaluate them. In this study, a decentralized community based micro hydro system in Nepal has been evaluated for its sustainability by using environmental, economic and social criteria. From the sustainability analysis, it is found that decentralized community based micro hydro systems are sustainable in the long-term. This model can also be applied to evaluate sustainability of any other energy systems of similar settings.
Emissions Benefits from Alternative Fuels and Advanced Technology in the U.S. Transit Bus Fleet
Authors: Wayne W. Scott , Sandoval Jairo A. , Clark Nigel N.
Published: July 2009

Alternative fuels and technologies offer potential for reducing emissions in public transportation. These potentials were explored by determining emissions levels and fuel consumption from the U.S. transit bus fleet and comparison of hypothetical scenarios in which implementation of specific alternative fuels and technologies is considered. Impacts from current transit bus procurements were also evaluated. Emissions benefits above and beyond the natural course of transit bus procurements were examined for new diesel buses running on ULSD fuel, diesel-electric hybrid buses, gasoline-electric hybrid buses, compressed natural gas and biodiesel. According to the analysis, reductions in emissions of CO, NMHC, NOx, PM and CO2, as well as fuel consumption, may be attained, and diesel hybrid buses yield the largest reductions in CO2 emissions and are the only technology to reduce fuel consumption relative to the present fleet. Introducing diesel-electric hybrid buses in 15% of the U.S. transit bus fleet would reduce annual end-use emissions by nearly 1,800 tons of CO, 400 tons of NMHC, 4,400 tons of NOx, 200 tons of PM, 491,400 tons of CO2, and fuel consumption by 50.66 millions of diesel gallons.
Layered Blast Capacity Analysis of FRP Retrofitted RC Member
Authors: Wu Chengqing , Oehlers Deric John , Day Ian
Published: July 2009

Fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) retrofitting of RC structures against blast loading is an emerging research area of major significance. Currently, several guidelines are available for the FRP retrofitting of RC structures against monotonic and seismic loads. However, no advice is provided from these guidelines for the retrofit RC structures against blast loading. This paper formulates a layered model that allows for both FRP strengthening and the consideration of strain rate effects on the blast resistant capacity of flexural structural members. The layered model is incorporated into a single degree of freedom model for dynamic analyses and it is validated with blast tests. The validated model is then used in a parametric study which investigates the changes in strength, ductility and energy absorption capacities of flexural FRP strengthened members under blast loads. It is found that the capacity of a flexural member to resist a blast load can be increased greatly with the use of compressive face plating with the ductility of the flexural member being the key factor.
Finite Element Analyses of Flush End-Plate Connections between Steel Beams and Columns at Elevated Temperatures
Authors: Shrih Ali , Rahman Adeeb , Al-Jabri Khalifa S.
Published: July 2009

This paper presents a finite element analysis procedure developed to study the behaviour of a flush end-plate connection between steel beams and a column at elevated temperatures and generates temperature-rotation diagrams that describe the behaviour of the connection. The analysis uses a highly detailed three dimensional finite element model that is created using the commercial ANSYS software. The steel connection properties are selected in a way that reflects commonly used connections in steel framed buildings. The results of the finite element model are calibrated and compared to the results of experimental fire tests conducted on similar connections. This comparison shows a deviation of about 12% which is reasonable considering the complexity and the nonlinear nature of the analysis. Furthermore, the same methodology used to create the finite element model of isolated steel connections is then used to create a sub-frame constructed with similar connections. Both the applied loads and the dimensions of the model represent a part of a typical steel framed building that is subjected to a fire outbreak in one of its bays. The results indicate that at low temperatures, the main beam is snugly fixed and the joints at both sides provide full rigidity whereas at elevated temperatures the central deflection is rapidly increased because of plastic hinge formation. Although this frame has not been tested in reality, the finite element model gives a prediction of the failure mechanism of such a frame under fire loads without the use of expensive full scale testing facilities.
Effect of Directly Welded Stringer-To-Beam Connections on the Analysis and Design of Modular Steel Building Floors
Authors: Annan C.D. , Youssef M.A. , El-Naggar M.H.
Published: July 2009

Modular Steel Buildings (MSBs) are fast evolving as an effective alternative to conventional on-site steel construction. An explanation of the concept of modular steel design, including its unique detailing requirements is given in this paper. The paper also focuses on a typical MSB floor system which is achieved by welding the webs of the stringers directly to the floor beams. A typical modular floor grid structure is designed using conventional methods. The floor is then modelled using the finite element method and analyzed under the effect of dead and live service loads. This allows an assessment of the effect of direct welding between stringers and floor beams on the analysis and design of floor beams, stringers, and welded connections. The results reveal that consideration of the true behaviour of direct welding leads to a distribution of forces and moments which is different from those found in conventional steel buildings. A simplified analytical model is proposed to capture such behaviour. Regression functions have been developed to describe the model. In practice, the proposed model can predict the actual forces and moments, leading to a reliable design of modular steel floors.
Image descriptions in early and mid‐level vision: What kind of model is this and what kind of models do we really need?
Authors: Dry M. J. , Kogo N. , Putzeys T. , Wagemans J.
Published: July 2009

In The utility of image descriptions in the initial stages of vision: A case study of printed text, Watt and Dakin (2010) describe a model that integrates mechanisms at both early and middle stages of visual processing, and provide a demonstration of the application of the model to the relational organization of printed text. In the following, we discuss a number of the merits of this approach, but argue that it is (at this stage) highly difficult to assess the utility of this model as a plausible description of human visual processing. First, we indicate that the authors' description of the model is underspecified. Second, we question the generalizability of the model. Third, we argue that the model needs to be directly compared to quantitative empirical data. Fourth, we argue that the model needs to be directly compared to alternative models.
Illness perceptions in anorexia nervosa: A qualitative investigation
Authors: Higbed Laurie , Fox John R. E.
Published: July 2009

Objectives. Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by the egosyntonic nature of symptoms, denial of illness, and ambivalence about treatment engagement. Within the physical health literature, people's beliefs about their illness have been found to impact upon coping and treatment outcomes and this has largely been explored using the self‐regulation model. This model has also been applied to mental health and more recently to AN, with beliefs about the disorder being associated with readiness to change. However, qualitative investigations have indicated that physical health models have limited applicability for assessing people's beliefs about mental illness. This may be particularly pertinent to AN, given the complexity of the disorder. Therefore, this study explored illness perceptions in AN using a qualitative design which was not restricted by a physical illness model but focused on personal models of AN from the perspective of those experiencing the disorder.

Design. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with thirteen participants who were currently in treatment for AN.

Method. Interview transcripts were analysed using grounded theory methodology.

Results. An interpretative theory of illness perceptions in AN was developed and comprised four related categories: ‘making sense of AN’, ‘the relationship between AN and the self’, ‘the recovery struggle’, and ‘coping with treatment’.

Conclusion. Patient's accounts transcended the dimensions offered by physical illness models, with the implication that methods for assessing illness beliefs in AN require adaptation for a full understanding to be gained and the complexity of perceptions to be captured.
Autobiographical memory specificity, depression, and trauma in bipolar disorder
Authors: Mowlds William , Shannon Ciaran , McCusker Christopher G. , Meenagh Ciaran , Robinson Derek , Wilson Angela , Mulholland Ciaran
Published: July 2009

Objectives. In a bipolar disorder (BD) sample, the present study investigated: (i) the prevalence of trauma; (ii) the specificity of autobiographical memory (AM); (iii) the influence of childhood trauma on AM specificity, current inter‐episode depressive mood, and BD severity; (iv) if AM specificity moderates the influence of childhood trauma on current inter‐episode depressive mood and BD severity.

Methods. Fifty‐two participants were recruited from a geographically well‐defined mental health service in Northern Ireland. The AM test, self‐report measures of lifetime experience of trauma, childhood trauma, and depression were administered. Severity of BD was estimated utilizing a systematic tool for reviewing all available clinical data of participants.

Results. A high prevalence of trauma was found. A total of 94.2% (49/52) of participants reported experiencing a traumatic event in either childhood or adulthood. AM specificity was significantly lower than previous reports of such in major depression. However, whilst childhood trauma predicted current inter‐episode depressive mood, childhood trauma was not predictive of BD severity or AM specificity. Moreover, the association between childhood trauma and depressed mood was not moderated by AM specificity.

Conclusions. The findings of this study suggest a relationship between early psychosocial adversity and current inter‐episode depressive mood in BD. In addition, levels of overgeneral AM are similar to that reported for depression, but are unrelated to childhood trauma, current inter‐episode depressive mood, or BD severity. Clinical implications include the importance of routine assessment of trauma in BD and the need for adjunctive evidenced‐based psychological therapies.
The effects of telephone prompting on attendance for starting treatment and retention in treatment at a specialist alcohol clinic
Authors: Jackson Katie R. , Booth Peter G. , Salmon Peter , McGuire James
Published: July 2009

Objective. To examine the effects of telephone prompting on attendance for the start of treatment and retention in treatment in a specialist alcohol clinic.

Method. The study setting was a specialist alcohol treatment clinic. Participants were 172 clients attending as out‐patients. An ABABAB design was used with planned alternating conditions, respectively, with or without a telephone prompt the day before the client was due to attend, over a succession of six consecutive 4‐week periods.

Results. Clients who were prompted were more likely to start treatment and attend further treatment sessions than clients who were not prompted.

Conclusions. Telephone prompting is a simple and effective way to improve attendance for the start of treatment and retention in alcohol treatment.
Low maternal vitamin D status and fetal bone development: Cohort study
Authors: Mahon Pamela , Harvey Nicholas , Crozier Sarah , Inskip Hazel , Robinson Sian , Arden Nigel , Swaminathan Rama , Cooper Cyrus , Godfrey Keith
Published: July 2009

Recent findings suggest that maternal vitamin D insufficiency during pregnancy has consequences for the offspring's bone health in later life. To investigate whether maternal vitamin D insufficiency affects fetal femur growth in ways similar to those seen in childhood rickets and study the timing during gestation of any effect of maternal vitamin D status, we studied 424 pregnant women within a prospective longitudinal study of maternal nutrition and lifestyle before and during pregnancy (Southampton Women's Survey). Using high-resolution 3D ultrasound, we measured fetal femur length and distal metaphyseal cross-sectional area, together with the ratio of femoral metaphyseal cross-sectional area to femur length (femoral splaying index). Lower maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin vitamin D concentration was not related to fetal femur length but was associated with greater femoral metaphyseal cross-sectional area and a higher femoral splaying index at 19 weeks' gestation [r = −0.16, 95% confidence interbal (CI) −0.25 to −0.06 and r = −0.17, 95% CI −0.26 to −0.07, respectively] and at 34 weeks' gestation (r = –0.10, 95% CI −0.20 to 0.00 and r = −0.11, 95% CI −0.21 to −0.01, respectively). Three groups of women were identified with 25-hydroxyvitamin vitamin D concentrations that were sufficient/borderline (>50 nmol/L, 63.4%), insufficient (25 to 50 nmol/L, 30.7%), and deficient (≤25 nmol/L, 5.9%). Across these groups, the geometric mean femoral splaying indices at 19 weeks' gestation increased from 0.074 (sufficient/borderline) to 0.078 (insufficient) and 0.084 (deficient). Our observations suggest that maternal vitamin D insufficiency can influence fetal femoral development as early as 19 weeks' gestation. This suggests that measures to improve maternal vitamin D status should be instituted in early pregnancy. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Mapping of human autoantibody binding sites on the calcium-sensing receptor
Authors: Kemp E Helen , Gavalas Nikos G , Akhtar Samia , Krohn Kai JE , Pallais J Carl , Brown Edward M , Watson Philip F , Weetman Anthony P
Published: July 2009

Previously, we have demonstrated the presence of anti-calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) antibodies in patients with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS1), a disease that is characterized in part by hypoparathyroidism involving hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, and low serum levels of parathyroid hormone. The aim of this study was to define the binding domains on the CaSR of anti-CaSR antibodies found in APS1 patients and in one patient suspected of having autoimmune hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (AHH). A phage-display library of CaSR peptides was constructed and used in biopanning experiments with patient sera. Selectively enriched IgG-binding peptides were identified by DNA sequencing, and subsequently, immunoreactivity to these peptides was confirmed in ELISA. Anti-CaSR antibody binding sites were mapped to amino acid residues 41–69, 114–126, and 171–195 at the N-terminal of the extracellular domain of the receptor. The major autoepitope was localized in the 41–69 amino acid sequence of the CaSR with antibody reactivity demonstrated in 12 of 12 (100%) APS1 patients with anti-CaSR antibodies and in 1 AHH patient with anti-CaSR antibodies. Minor epitopes were located in the 114–126 and 171–195 amino acid domains, with antibody reactivity shown in 5 of 12 (42%) and 4 of 12 (33%) APS1 patients, respectively. The results indicate that epitopes for anti-CaSR antibodies in the AHH patient and in the APS1 patients who were studied are localized in the N-terminal of the extracellular domain of the receptor. The present work has demonstrated the successful use of phage-display technology in the discovery of CaSR-specific epitopes targeted by human anti-CaSR antibodies. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research