bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plantes sauvages à fruits comestibles dans les environs de Kisangani (Zaïre)
Authors: Mosango M. , Szafranski F.
Published: July 2014

Les auteurs ont recensé 48 espèces de plantes sauvages à fruits comestibles utiles à la population environnante de Kisangani. Ils indiquent aussi la distribution phytogéographique, les types morphologiques, les périodes de fructification, les types de fruits et les modes de consommation ainsi que les noms vernaculaires de ces plantes.
Naissance et obsolescence du concept de quatre qualités en gustation
Authors: Faurion Annick
Published: July 2014

Le goût au quotidien n'est pas la sensation gustative qu'étudient les physiologistes ; ce terme recouvre en général un ensemble de sensations y compris olfactives et somesthésiques. Les descripteurs sémantiques qui varient avec l'histoire et les langages traduisent cette confusion multimodalitaire. L'ensemble de nos sensibilités gustatives n'est pas réduit à quatre qualités comme le laisserait supposer l'existence de 4 descripteurs (les Japonais ont proposé umami comme 5e descripteur, nous pouvons proposer le réglisse comme 6e, etc.). Nous avons montré que l'espace gustatif est multidimensionnel et continu, c'est dire que toutes les molécules sont distinguables et qu'une dizaine de mécanismes accepteurs au moins sont nécessaires pour rendre compte du codage complexe d'un nombre infini de sensations gustatives différentes. Le codage est alors conçu en terme d'ensembles et de combinatoire. Pour expliquer les différences de sensibilité interindividuelles, nous devons faire appel à l'hypothèse d'un équipement en chimio-récepteurs légèrement différent d'un individu à un autre. Il en résulte que chaque individu présente une perception particulière de toute molécule. En général cette expérience est incommunicable mais on peut l'objectiver parfois. Ainsi le méthyl alpha d mannopyranoside est amer pour certains et sucré pour d'autres sujets.
Sucres et "faux sucres" de la forêt équatoriale : évolution et perception des produits sucrés par les populations forestières d'Afrique.
Authors: Hladik Claude Marcel , Hladik Annette
Published: July 2014

The occurence of sugars in the fruits of many rain forest species is discussed according to various hypothèses about coévolution of animais and plants. Sugar mimics in the fruits of peculiar species are presented with respect to coévolution, the target for mimicry being the vertebrate taste bud response. An hypothesis is proposed about the possible influence of environmental conditions, including species richness and sugar abundance, on the taste thresholds for sugars of the human populations inhabiting the African rain forest.
La faim de sel
Authors: Gillet Hubert
Published: July 2014

Dans cet article, nous avons tenté de montrer les relations qui existent d'une part entre les plantes et le sel, d'autre part entre les animaux et le sel, en particulier dans les régions de l'Afrique sèche, au contact du Sahara. Nous avons également indiqué comment les agropasteurs ont mis au point des solutions pour pallier la carence de sel propre à ces régions.
Le sucre, les sucres, les édulcorants : leurs diverses utilisations
Authors: Lemordant Denis
Published: July 2014

Le but de cette mise au point est de présenter les différents édulcorants naturels ou synthétiques. Les considérations de physiologie, de métabolisme et de pathologie ne sont que brièvement rappelées ; celles de nutrition, sujettes à controverse, ne sont qu'à peine abordées, leur développement n'ayant pas sa place ici.
Sucre candi et confiseries de Quinsai : l'essor du sucre de canne dans la Chine des Song (Xe-XIIIes.)
Authors: Sabban Françoise
Published: July 2014

On connaît l'importance de la production de canne à sucre liée aux transformations profondes de la société dans la Chine des Song, notamment dans le domaine de l'économie. Après un bref rappel de l'histoire des édulcorants en Chine ancienne, cet article présente une mise au point de la technologie sucrière dans la Chine du XIIe siècle et montre dans le détail comment se concrétise cet essor des différents sucres de canne en fonction de leurs qualités et des types de clientèles auxquels ils sont destinés. Cette étude est fondée sur l'analyse et la confrontation de plusieurs textes contemporains : Traité du sucre candi de Wang Zhuo, Livres de cuisine et Descriptions de la capitale.
Ngon ngot, c'est bon, c'est sucré. Note sur le sucre et les sucreries traditionnelles au Quang Nam (Viêt Nam)
Authors: Krowolski Nelly
Published: July 2014

Through a presentation of the various forms and usages of sweets in a province of Central Vietnam, we can see lhat while sugar highlights celebrations and festivities, it has also become so highly valorized, due to its rarity, that the qualificative «sweet», whether in association with other words or not, is synonymous with savoury.
Le doux et le fort (Japon)
Authors: Cobbi Jane
Published: July 2014

Abundance of sea sait and scarcity of sugared products characterize the japanese archipielago and it is évident that the division between the salted categories and the sugared ones resuit in much larger distinctions.
The Relevance of Value Theory for the Ethical Discussion of Human Enhancement
Authors: Hainz Tobias
Published: July 2014

The aim of this chapter is to provide a practical introduction to the central issues of value theory in order to demonstrate their relevance for the ethical discussion of human enhancement technologies. Among the value-theoretical issues discussed are value lexicality, the monism-pluralism dichotomy, and incommensurability. A particular enhancement technology analyzed from a value-theoretical perspective is radical life extension, the direct and intentional extension of the maximum human life span. Several examples are given to show how value-theoretical concepts are implicitly reflected in arguments for and against human enhancement. At the end of the chapter, it should be clear that value theory can and should make stronger contributions to the ethical discussion of human enhancement and that, in this discussion, an increased awareness of value-theoretical issues is desirable.
Of Robots and Simulacra
Authors: Salvini Pericle
Published: July 2014

In this chapter, the author proposes a theoretical framework for evaluating the ethical acceptability of robotic technologies, with a focus on social robots. The author proposes to consider robots as forms of mediations of human actions and their ethical acceptance as depending on the impact on the notion of human presence. Presence is characterised by a network of reciprocal relations among human beings and the environment, which can either be promoted or inhibited by technological mediation. A medium that inhibits presence deserves ethical evaluation since it prevents the possibility of a mutual exchange, thus generating forms of power. Moreover, the impact of social robots on human beings should be carefully studied and evaluated for the consequences brought about by simulated forms of human presence, which have both physical and psychological dimensions and are still unknown, especially with respect to weak categories, such as children, elderly, and disabled people.
Technoethics
Authors: Heller Peter
Published: July 2014

Technoethics relates to the impact of ethics in technology and technological change in biological, medical, military, engineering, and other applications. Accordingly, new questions arise about the moral right and wrong of corresponding technological issues. These, in turn, generate novel trade-offs, many of them controversial, involving the desirable versus undesirable ethical aspects of the new invention or innovation from a moral viewpoint. The discussion in this chapter suggests that frequently much can be said on both sides of an ethical argument and that therefore, at times, agonizing decisions must be made about which side has the greater moral merit based on numerous variables. The minicases sprinkled throughout the text and the longer automobile engineering case at the end are used as illustrations.
Gambling with Laws and Ethics in Cyberspace
Authors: Gillam Lee , Vartapetiance Anna
Published: July 2014

The online world, referred to by some as cyberspace, offers a wide variety of activities: reading written content, interacting with others, engaging with multimedia and playing games of various kinds, and obtaining goods and services. However, many will ignore the written agreements and laws that govern these activities, and because of this, cyberspace can turn into a dangerous place. This chapter explores a small sample of legal and ethical issues that can arise in the interface between cyberspaces and real places for those not paying attention to such matters. The authors note how laws in the physical world remain applicable in the “virtual” world, requiring knowledge of jurisdiction, and discuss the potential for creating systems that protect the user from harm by embedding adherence to laws and providing support for ethics. The authors further explain how such embedding can work to address the complex legalities and potential need for intervention in addictive situations in online gambling.
A Study of Cyber Crime and Perpetration of Cyber Crime in India
Authors: Mittal Saurabh , Singh Ashu
Published: July 2014

The world is facing a new era of criminal activities in cyber space, which are being committed across the world, irrespective of geographical boundaries. These cybercrime acts may be financially driven acts, related to computer content, or against the confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of computer systems. The relative risk and threat differs between governments and businesses. The level of criminal organization represents a defining feature of the human association element behind criminal conduct. India accounts for close to $8bn of the total $110bn cost of global cyber crime. The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, specifies the acts that are punishable. Cyber crime has also affected the social media. A crime prevention plan with clear priorities and targets needs to be established, and government should include permanent guidelines in its programmes and structure for controlling crime and ensuring that clear responsibilities and goals exist within government for the organization of crime prevention. This chapter seeks to find out the motives and suspects of cyber crime perpetration and suggests measures for crime prevention.
Antinomies of Values under Conditions of Information Age
Authors: Baeva Liudmila V.
Published: July 2014

The information age with its unprecedented acceleration changes a person's world and creates new virtual environments, forms of communication, and creative work. The character of these changes is antinomic to a large degree: information technologies give rise to super-powers, entrust a person with the power in time and space, but they create new challenges to individuality, freedom, and intelligence. Virtualization of communication, education, leisure, art following the evolution of high technology production, and consumption contribute to the substitution of real relations and amenities with virtual versions and simulacra. This chapter is devoted to studying of value antinomies of the modern age: information and knowledge, virtuality and reality, feelings and game, friendship and contacts, etc. Since values are the projections of the future in the present, this chapter helps to elicit to some extent the main trend of the social-cultural dynamics of the modern high-tech society.
Built Environment and Driving Outcomes
Authors: Wang Xiaoguang , Kostyniuk Lidia , Barnes Michelle
Published: July 2014

This study demonstrates a segment-based approach to integrate GIS and GPS data to address questions about the connections between the built environment and travel behaviors. Methods and challenges of GPS/GIS integration are discussed, and an application integrating GPS naturalistic driving data from Southeast Michigan together with GIS data from several sources is demonstrated. The integrated dataset is used to explore connections between the built environment and driving behavior, specifically between business concentration, driving speed, vehicle stops and rear-end crashes. Driving speed, an important determinant of driver behavior linked to traffic safety, is found to be inversely related to business concentration, a pattern that does not vary by time of day. Rear-end crashes are found to increase with vehicle stops which increase with business concentration. This demonstration showed that fusing GPS and GPS data provides spatial intelligence which can be used to address planning, traffic safety, and transportation related issues.
Geographic Information System Effects on Policing Efficacy
Authors: Zhang Yan , Hoover Larry , Zhao Jihong (Solomon)
Published: July 2014

GIS technology is credited with substantially improving police crime analysis and related resource allocation. Although GIS has been said to be an efficient and effective technology in policing, limited empirical assessment has been conducted. An examination of functions and a review of the literature suggests four major applications of GIS in policing: computerized crime mapping/crime analysis; “hot spots” identification; improving command-level decision making; and geographical investigative analysis (primarily offender profiling). The primary objective of this qualitative review is to identify the extent of empirical evaluations of the effectiveness of a GIS. Although there is some research reference offender profiling, results are mixed. Only two empirical evaluations have been published that examine crime mapping, and both are limited to effects on perceptions. No empirical work links GIS to police deployment effectiveness.
Analysis and Evaluation of Sketch Recognizers in the Creation of Physics Simulations
Authors: Costa Abílio , Pereira João P.
Published: July 2014

Sketch-based interfaces can provide a natural way for users to interact with applications. Since the core of a sketch-based interface is the gesture recognizer, there is a need to correctly evaluate various recognizers before choosing one. In this paper the authors present an evaluation of three gesture recognizers: Rubine's recognizer, CALI and the $1 Recognizer. The evaluation relied on a set of real gesture samples drawn by 32 subjects, with a gesture repertoire arranged for use in SketchyDynamics, a programming library that intends to facilitate the creation of applications by rapidly providing them with a sketch-based interface and physics simulation capabilities. The authors also discuss some improvements to the recognizers' implementation that helped achieving higher recognition rates. In the end, CALI had the best recognition rate with 94% accuracy, followed by $1 Recognizer with 87% and finally by Rubine's recognizer with 79%.
What Makes Students to Participate in Online Collaborative Settings Through Second Life?
Authors: Pellas Nikolaos
Published: July 2014

Motivational factors that may affect adult participation in educational activities have attracted educators' interests and probably are one of the most discussed topics in the field of adult education. The current study seeks to investigate the students' participation in collaborative online activities based on the interpretive framework of adult participation theories stapling to interpret motivational factors, and recommended by McGivney (1993). A qualitative (comprehensive) research was conducted and a voluntary sample of Higher education by eighty students (n=80) who participated in online collaborative settings through the virtual world of Second Life and wanted to share experiences from their participation. The added value of this effort is to understand the educational community theoretically based on the utilization of adult theories that might motivate adult participation in different aspects and more practically to enunciate the key factors influencing their decisions to participate in team-based activities held in Second Life.
Classification and Comparison of Strategic Information Systems Planning Methodologies
Authors: Kandjani Hadi , Mohtarami Amir , Taghva Mohammad Reza , Andargoli Amirhossein Eslami
Published: July 2014

Strategic planning for information systems remains as one of the top concerns and continues to be a critical issue for many chief information officers and their organisations. Also, a comprehensive review of the recent information systems planning literature reveals that selecting a proper methodology used in developing an information systems plan is one of the success factors related to the success of the IS planning process. Although this individual success factor should have attracted more research and discussions, there have not been enough attempts to create a framework to compare and classify strategic information systems planning methodologies to select a proper method for a specific organisation with its unique requirements, hence a gap in literature. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is primarily to bridge this gap by proposing a conceptual framework to classify strategic information systems planning methodologies to choose the suitable methodology(ies) according to specific requirements of an organisation.
A Study towards the Relation of Customer Relationship Management Customer Benefits and Customer Satisfaction
Authors: Mohammadhossein Nastaran , Ahmad Mohammad Nazir , Zakaria Nor Hidayati , Goudarzi Shidrokh
Published: July 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of customer relationship management (CRM) benefits for customers in relation to customer satisfaction. A model has been developed and empirically tested through survey data collected from 150 customers of three Malaysian companies. The results indicate that the benefits of CRM for customers have had a significant positive effect on their satisfaction in marketing companies. Personalized service, responsiveness to customer's needs, customer segmentation, customization of marketing, multichannel integration, time-saving and improving customer knowledge are the benefits that we proposed would affect customer satisfaction in order to significantly improve marketing performance. Additionally, the results reveal that all the benefits found, with the exception of time-saving, enhanced customer satisfaction. This paper contributes to the existing literature by incorporating the benefits of CRM for customers and the relationships of these benefits with their satisfaction in the proposed model.
A Secure and Optimized Proximity Mobile Payment Framework with Formal Verification
Authors: Ahamad Shaik Shakeel , Sastry V.N. , Udgata Siba K.
Published: July 2014

In this paper the authors propose a Secure and Optimized Proximity Mobile Payment (SOPMP) Framework using NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, WPKI (Wireless Public Key Infrastructure), UICC (Universal Integrated Circuit Card). The novelty of this proposed mobile payment framework is messages are exchanged in the form of Digital Signature with Message Recovery (DSMR) and merchant sends Invoice in the form of Digital Invoice Certificate (DIC) (which is digitally signed by the merchant). The communication link between mobile phone and merchant POS (Point Of Sale) is NFC. Digital Signature with Message Recovery based on ECDSA eliminates the need of adopting PKI cryptosystems thereby reducing the consumption of resources i.e. it consumes less computational and communication cost. DSMR eliminates the need of certificates validation and removes the hurdle of PKI thereby reducing storage space, communication cost and computational cost. The authors proposed protocol ensures Authentication, Integrity, Confidentiality and Non Repudiation, achieves Identity protection from merchant and Eavesdropper, achieves Transaction privacy from Eavesdropper and Payment Gateway, achieves Payment Secrecy, Order Secrecy, forward secrecy, and prevents Double Spending, Overspending and Money laundering. In addition to these our proposed protocol withstands Replay, Man in the Middle and Impersonation attacks. The security properties of the proposed protocol have been verified using AVISPA and Scyther Tools and presented with results.
Effect of Soil on Ground Motion Amplification of Kolkata City
Authors: Shiuly Amit , Sahu R. B. , Mandal S.
Published: July 2014

This paper presents the ground motion amplification factors at different time period bands and fundamental time period of soft sedimentary deposit in densely populated Kolkata city for seismic microzonation. 1D seismic wave propagation technique SHAKE2000 is used for ground motion amplifications at different locations of Kolkata city. Fundamental time period (), amplification at fundamental time period, average amplification and amplification at different frequency band for soil columns are computed and corresponding contours are plotted for variety of end users. The study reveals that Kolkata may suffer severe damage even due to moderate earthquake.
A Syncretic Approach Towards a Meta-Integrative Platform for Effective Disaster Management
Authors: Venkatesan S. , Rajabifard A. , Lam N.T.K. , Gad E.F. , Goldsworthy H.M. , Griffin G.
Published: July 2014

Disaster management is widely recognised as a complex task. Despite well-established techniques, each disaster continues to frustrate the government and the community. A number of issues and challenges have been reported in the literature following a disaster. These include: a lack of awareness, authoritative support and direction, preparation and planning; ineffective response, ineffective communications and miscommunications, inadequate recovery and policy vacuum besides many other factors. Developing effective disaster management strategies to combat the known issues should also consider emerging drivers of change such as globalisation, climate change, and technological development, social construct of communities, global finance and education. In addition, fundamental hazard modelling techniques and real time modelling of a disaster cannot be ignored as they are central to the accuracy of information required during pre and post disasters. In recent times spatial information has been considered as the fourth element of decision making. Further the need to develop adaptive capacities and empower communities is also well stated. Despite the recognition of such complex issues, requirements, and increased knowledge, the pace of development seems to be inadequate. This is mainly due to the lack of an approach that can integrate the myriad of issues with the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders such as governments, practitioners and the community. Recognising the need to develop an informed decision making process, this paper reviews the challenges and issues based on current practice. A review of relevant new knowledge that can improve current practice is also undertaken. Based on these reviews it is identified that a spatially enabled platform can be developed to overcome the aforementioned issues related to disaster management. A preliminary roadmap in which the `stakeholder position' is considered as the vital point of integration is presented. It is anticipated that the roadmap will provide governments with the direction needed for future planning, policy development, implementation and control. Future developmental needs of the platform are also presented.
Macrophage- and Neutrophil-Derived TNF-α Instructs Skin Langerhans Cells To Prime Antiviral Immune Responses
Authors: Epaulard Olivier , Adam Lucille , Poux Candice , Zurawski Gerard , Salabert Nina , Rosenbaum Pierre , Dereuddre-Bosquet Nathalie , Zurawski Sandra , Flamar Anne-Laure , Oh Sangkon , Romain Gabrielle , Chapon Catherine , Banchereau Jacques , Lévy Yves , Le Grand Roger , Martinon Frédéric
Published: July 2014

Dendritic cells are major APCs that can efficiently prime immune responses. However, the roles of skin-resident Langerhans cells (LCs) in eliciting immune responses have not been fully understood. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that LCs in cynomolgus macaque skin are capable of inducing antiviral-specific immune responses in vivo. Targeting HIV-Gag or influenza hemagglutinin Ags to skin LCs using recombinant fusion proteins of anti-Langerin Ab and Ags resulted in the induction of the viral Ag-specific responses. We further demonstrated that such Ag-specific immune responses elicited by skin LCs were greatly enhanced by TLR ligands, polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid, and R848. These enhancements were not due to the direct actions of TLR ligands on LCs, but mainly dependent on TNF-α secreted from macrophages and neutrophils recruited to local tissues. Skin LC activation and migration out of the epidermis are associated with macrophage and neutrophil infiltration into the tissues. More importantly, blocking TNF-α abrogated the activation and migration of skin LCs. This study highlights that the cross-talk between innate immune cells in local tissues is an important component for the establishment of adaptive immunity. Understanding the importance of local immune networks will help us to design new and effective vaccines against microbial pathogens.
Modulation of TNF-Induced Macrophage Polarization by Synovial Fibroblasts
Authors: Donlin Laura T. , Jayatilleke Arundathi , Giannopoulou Eugenia G. , Kalliolias George D. , Ivashkiv Lionel B.
Published: July 2014

Mesenchymal stromal cells have emerged as powerful modulators of the immune system. In this study, we explored how the human macrophage response to TNF is regulated by human synovial fibroblasts, the representative stromal cell type in the synovial lining of joints that become activated during inflammatory arthritis. We found that synovial fibroblasts strongly suppressed TNF-mediated induction of an IFN-β autocrine loop and downstream expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), including chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 that are characteristic of classical macrophage activation. TNF induced the production of soluble synovial fibroblast factors that suppressed the macrophage production of IFN-β, and cooperated with TNF to limit the responsiveness of macrophages to IFN-β by suppressing activation of Jak–STAT signaling. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis showed that cocultured synovial fibroblasts modulate the expression of approximately one third of TNF-regulated genes in macrophages, including genes in pathways important for macrophage survival and polarization toward an alternatively activated phenotype. Pathway analysis revealed that gene expression programs regulated by synovial fibroblasts in our coculture system were also regulated in rheumatoid arthritis synovial macrophages, suggesting that these fibroblast-mediated changes may contribute to rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis. This work furthers our understanding of the interplay between innate immune and stromal cells during an inflammatory response, one that is particularly relevant to inflammatory arthritis. Our findings also identify modulation of macrophage phenotype as a new function for synovial fibroblasts that may prove to be a contributing factor in arthritis pathogenesis.
Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells as a Potential Therapy for Experimental Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis
Authors: Li Yan , Tu Zhidan , Qian Shiguang , Fung John J. , Markowitz Sanford D. , Kusner Linda L. , Kaminski Henry J. , Lu Lina , Lin Feng
Published: July 2014

We recently demonstrated that hepatic stellate cells induce the differentiation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) from myeloid progenitors. In this study, we found that adoptive transfer of these MDSCs effectively reversed disease progression in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG), a T cell–dependent and B cell–mediated model for myasthenia gravis. In addition to ameliorated disease severity, MDSC-treated EAMG mice showed suppressed acetylcholine receptor (AChR)–specific T cell responses, decreased levels of serum anti-AChR IgGs, and reduced complement activation at the neuromuscular junctions. Incubating MDSCs with B cells activated by anti-IgM or anti-CD40 Abs inhibited the proliferation of these in vitro–activated B cells. Administering MDSCs into mice immunized with a T cell–independent Ag inhibited the Ag-specific Ab production in vivo. MDSCs directly inhibit B cells through multiple mechanisms, including PGE2, inducible NO synthase, and arginase. Interestingly, MDSC treatment in EAMG mice does not appear to significantly inhibit their immune response to a nonrelevant Ag, OVA. These results demonstrated that hepatic stellate cell–induced MDSCs concurrently suppress both T and B cell autoimmunity, leading to effective treatment of established EAMG, and that the MDSCs inhibit AChR-specific immune responses at least partially in an Ag-specific manner. These data suggest that MDSCs could be further developed as a novel approach to treating myasthenia gravis and, even more broadly, other diseases in which T and B cells are involved in pathogenesis.
Principles of medicine in Africa
Authors: Louis Jenkins
Published: July 2014

No abstract available
Personalization of Chemotherapy for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Sasahara Yuriko (Ito) , Narimatsu Hiroto , Suzuki Syuhei , Fukui Tadahisa , Sato Hideyuki , Shirahata Nakao , Yoshioka Takashi
Published: July 2014

Erlotinib is an approved drug for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer; however, its survival benefit is small and its cost is high, and the decision to use the drug may often be personalized according to the patient's background. A 72-year-old Asian man in good general condition chose gemcitabine monotherapy over combination therapy with gemcitabine plus erlotinib because the survival benefit of the latter was small. The cost of the drug did not appear to affect this decision. This report details the process of decision making with respect to whether a patient receives targeted therapy, and suggests that the use of molecular-targeted drugs must be personalized from many perspectives, including the patient's social situation.
On the Significance of Fuzzification of the N and M in Cancer Staging
Authors: Yones Sara A. , Moussa Ahmed S. , Hassan Hesham , Alieldin Nelly H.
Published: July 2014

The tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) staging system has been regarded as one of the most widely used staging systems for solid cancer. The “T” is assigned a value according to the primary tumor size, whereas the “N” and “M” are dependent on the number of regional lymph nodes and the presence of distant metastasis, respectively. The current TNM model classifies stages into five crisp classes. This is unrealistic since the drastic modification in treatment that is based on a change in one class may be based on a slight shift around the class boundary. Moreover, the system considers any tumor that has distant metastasis as stage 4, disregarding the metastatic lesion concentration and size. We had handled the problem of T staging in previous studies using fuzzy logic. In this study, we focus on the fuzzification of N and M staging for more accurate and realistic modeling which may, in turn, lead to better treatment and medical decisions.
Electromagnetic Interference with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators Causing Inadvertent Shock: Case Report and Review of Current Literature
Authors: Akhtar Muhammad , Bhat Tariq , Tantray Mohmad , Lafferty Chris , Faisal Saiful , Teli Sumaya , Bhat Hilal , Raza Muhammad , Khalid Mariam , Biekht Soad
Published: July 2014

As the number of patients having implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) devices is increasing, it is important for the physicians and patients to be aware of situations and conditions that can result in interference with normal functioning of these devices. There are multiple cases of malfunction of ICDs reported in literature and it may be of great significance to have an overview of these incidents for appropriate recognition and future prevention. Here we are reviewing the available literature as well as reporting an interesting case of electromagnetic interference (EMI) resulting from leak of current in pool water causing firing of ICD.
Modeling Wildfire Spread in Mountain Pine Beetle-Affected Forest Stands, British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Perrakis Daniel D. B. , Lanoville Rick A. , Taylor Stephen W. , Hicks Dana
Published: July 2014

The mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosaeHopkins; MPB) has killed lodgepole pines (Pinus contortaDougl. ex Loud.) across 20 million hectares of central British Columbia, Canada, since the late 1990s, challenging land managers as well as fire management personnel. Although recent studies have used models to simulate how MPB might affect fire spread, very little fire behaviour has been documented in MPB-affected stands. We documented rate of spread (ROS) in experimental fires and wildfires in recent MPB-killed stands in British Columbia using interpretations of oblique photographs, airborne measurements of wildfire spread, and experimental burns. Fire spread observations were used to develop ROS models following the empirical approach of the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS). Sixteen fire runs were examined that occurred in mature MPB-affected pine stands from 1 to 5 years since peak attack. Observations of ROS were associated with corresponding weather measurements from nearby weather stations and non-linear regression curves were fit to paired ROS and Initial Spread Index (ISI) data according to CFFDRS convention. Although the dataset is less robust than a strictly experimental approach, fires had faster spread and more crown fire than predicted, with a linear average of 2.7 times higher ROS in best fit models than expected for unaffected pine. The most likely crown fire initiation threshold (P= 0.5) was ISI 5.5. Fire intensity is likely higher in early post-MPB stands due to increased ROS, lower crowning thresholds, and greater consumption of fine dead branches. Further studies on fire behaviour in MPB-affected stands are needed, but the present findings can help reduce uncertainty in fire and land management decisions in the interim.
Characteristics of Burns Conducted under Modified Prescriptions to Mitigate Limited Fuels in a Semi-Arid Grassland
Authors: Augustine David J. , Derner Justin D. , Smith David P.
Published: July 2014

In semi-arid grasslands of the North American Great Plains, fire has traditionally been viewed as having few management applications, and quantitative measurements of fire behavior in the low fuel loads characteristic of this region are lacking. More recently, land managers have recognized potential applications of prescribed fire to control undesirable plant species and to manage habitat for wildlife in this region. Working in the shortgrass steppe of northeastern Colorado over a 7-year period, we quantified peak temperatures, heating duration, and heat dosage produced near ground level during prescribed burns conducted under a wide range of fuel loads and weather conditions. We use an information theoretic approach to develop models that predict peak temperature and heat dosage as a function of weather parameters and fuel loads. Under the weather conditions that we examined, successful burns (>80 % of target area burnt) occurred with fuel loads varying from 350 kg ha−1 to 1175 kg ha−1, while burns with fuel loads <350 kg ha−1 generally failed to spread and burned less than 60 % of target areas. Peak temperatures, heat duration, and heat dosage during shortgrass burns: 1) were lower than reported for mixed grass prairies, 2) increased linearly with increasing fuel loads, and 3) were secondarily influenced by wind speed, ambient air temperature, and relative humidity. Compared to desert grassland, heat doses near the ground surface were similar, but peak temperatures were lower and heat duration longer in shortgrass steppe burns. Our findings provide quantitative predictions for heat production from fires in shortgrass steppe near the ground surface, where most plant meristems are located. Based on these relationships, we provide suggestions for burn prescriptions to achieve goals such as reducing abundance of undesirable plant species and providing habitat for native grassland birds.
Synthesis of observed air–sea CO2 exchange fluxes in the river-dominated East China Sea and improved estimates of annual and seasonal net mean fluxes
Authors: Tseng C.-M. , Shen P.-Y. , Liu K.-K.
Published: July 2014

Abstract. Limited observations exist for a reliable assessment of annual CO2 uptake that takes into consideration the strong seasonal variation in the river-dominated East China Sea (ECS). Here we explore seasonally representative CO2 uptakes by the whole East China Sea derived from observations over a 14-year period. We firstly identified the biological sequestration of CO2 taking place in the highly productive, nutrient-enriched Changjiang River plume, dictated by the Changjiang River discharge in warm seasons. We have therefore established an empirical algorithm as a function of sea surface temperature (SST) and Changjiang River discharge (CRD) for predicting sea surface pCO2. Syntheses based on both observations and models show that the annually averaged CO2 uptake from atmosphere during the period 1998–2011 was constrained to about 1.8 ± 0.5 mol C m−2 yr−1. This assessment of annual CO2 uptake is more reliable and representative, compared to previous estimates, in terms of temporal and spatial coverage. Additionally, the CO2 time series, exhibiting distinct seasonal pattern, gives mean fluxes of −3.7 ± 0.5, −1.1 ± 1.3, −0.3 ± 0.8 and −2.5 ± 0.7 mol C m−2 yr−1 in spring, summer, fall and winter, respectively, and also reveals apparent interannual variations. The flux seasonality shows a strong sink in spring and a weak source in late summer–mid-fall. The weak sink status during warm periods in summer–fall is fairly sensitive to changes of pCO2 and may easily shift from a sink to a source altered by environmental changes under climate change and anthropogenic forcing.
Fluctuations of sulfate, S-bearing amino acids and magnesium in a giant clam shell
Authors: Yoshimura T. , Tamenori Y. , Kawahata H. , Suzuki A.
Published: July 2014

Abstract. We used micro-X-ray fluorescence combined with X-ray photoabsorption spectroscopy to investigate speciation-specific sulfur profiles in the inner shell layer of a giant clam (Hippopus hippopus). The sulfate, S-bearing amino acids, and total sulfur profiles indicated that inorganic sulfate was the dominant component in the shell of this bivalve. Sulfur profiles in the inner shell layer showed clear annual fluctuations that varied by more than one order of magnitude, from < 50 to 1420 ppm, and sulfate and total sulfur maxima became higher with age, whereas no ontogenetic trend was noticeable in the profile of S-bearing amino acids. A change in the carbonate ion concentration in the calcifying fluid would suggest that an ontogenetic increase in the relative activity of sulfate ions to carbonate ions in the calcifying fluid affects sulfate concentrations in the shells. These results suggest that trace sulfur profiles in the shell of the giant clam may reflect both cyclic shell growth related to environmental factors such as insolation and temperature and ontogenetic changes of the calcifying fluid chemistry mediated by physiological processes. The observed S profile implies a clear change in calcifying fluid chemistry towards less alkaline condition with age. Magnesium fluctuations suggested that Mg was incorporated into the shells at high growth rates during warm seasons. The spectrum of Mg K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and comparison of Mg and S-bearing amino acids profiles indicated that a pronounced effect of the organic fraction or disordered phases were observed in aragonitic shell of H. hippopus rather than regulated substitution into the aragonite crystal lattice.
Integrating microbial physiology and physio-chemical principles in soils with the MIcrobial-MIneral Carbon Stabilization (MIMICS) model
Authors: Wieder W. R. , Grandy A. S. , Kallenbach C. M. , Bonan G. B.
Published: July 2014

Abstract. A growing body of literature documents the pressing need to develop soil biogeochemistry models that more accurately reflect contemporary understanding of soil processes and better capture soil carbon (C) responses to environmental perturbations. Models that explicitly represent microbial activity offer inroads to improve representations of soil biogeochemical processes, but have yet to consider relationships between litter quality, functional differences in microbial physiology, and the physical protection of microbial byproducts in forming stable soil organic matter (SOM). To address these limitations, we introduce the MIcrobial-MIneral Carbon Stabilization (MIMICS) model, and evaluate it by comparing site-level soil C projections with observations from a long-term litter decomposition study and soil warming experiment. In MIMICS, the turnover of litter and SOM pools is governed by temperature-sensitive Michaelis–Menten kinetics and the activity of two physiologically distinct microbial functional types. The production of microbial residues through microbial turnover provides inputs to SOM pools that are considered physically or chemically protected. Soil clay content determines the physical protection of SOM in different soil environments. MIMICS adequately simulates the mean rate of leaf litter decomposition observed at temperate and boreal forest sites, and captures observed effects of litter quality on decomposition rates. Moreover, MIMICS better captures the response of SOM pools to experimental warming, with rapid SOM losses but declining temperature sensitivity to long-term warming, compared with a more conventional model structure. MIMICS incorporates current microbial theory to explore the mechanisms by which litter C is converted to stable SOM, and to improve predictions of soil C responses to environmental change.
Drivers of trophic amplification of ocean productivity trends in a changing climate
Authors: Stock C. A. , Dunne J. P. , John J. G.
Published: July 2014

Abstract. Pronounced projected 21st century trends in regional oceanic net primary production (NPP) raise the prospect of significant redistributions of marine resources. Recent results further suggest that NPP changes may be amplified at higher trophic levels. Here, we elucidate the role of planktonic food web dynamics in driving projected changes in mesozooplankton production (MESOZP) found to be, on average, twice as large as projected changes in NPP by the latter half of the 21st century under a high emissions scenario. Globally, MESOZP was projected to decline by 7.9% but regional MESOZP changes sometimes exceeded 50%. Changes in three planktonic food web properties – zooplankton growth efficiency (ZGE), the trophic level of mesozooplankton (MESOTL), and the fraction of NPP consumed by zooplankton (zooplankton-phytoplankton coupling, ZPC), were demonstrated to be responsible for the projected amplification. Zooplankton growth efficiencies (ZGE) changed with NPP, amplifying both NPP increases and decreases. Negative amplification (i.e., exacerbation) of projected subtropical NPP declines via this mechanism was particularly strong since consumers in the subtropics already have limited surplus energy above basal metabolic costs. Increased mesozooplankton trophic level (MESOTL) resulted from projected declines in large phytoplankton production, the primary target of herbivorous mesozooplankton. This further amplified negative subtropical NPP declines but was secondary to ZGE and, at higher latitudes, was often offset by increased ZPC. Marked ZPC increases were projected for high latitude regions experiencing shoaling of deep winter mixing or decreased winter sea ice – both tending to increase winter zooplankton biomass and enhance grazer control of spring blooms. Increased ZPC amplified projected NPP increases associated with declining sea ice in the Artic and damped projected NPP declines associated with decreased mixing in the Northwest Atlantic and Southern Ocean. Improved understanding of the complex interactions governing these food web properties is essential to further refine estimates of climate-driven productivity changes across trophic levels.
sedFlow – an efficient tool for simulating bedload transport, bed roughness, and longitudinal profile evolution in mountain streams
Authors: Heimann F. U. M. , Rickenmann D. , Turowski J. M. , Kirchner J. W.
Published: July 2014

Abstract. Especially in mountainuous environments, the prediction of sediment dynamics is important for managing natural hazards, assessing in-stream habitats, and understanding geomorphic evolution. We present the new modelling tool sedFlow for simulating fractional bedload transport dynamics in mountain streams. The model can deal with the effects of adverse slopes and uses state of the art approaches for quantifying macro-roughness effects in steep channels. Local grain size distributions are dynamically adjusted according to the transport dynamics of each grain size fraction. The tool sedFlow features fast calculations and straightforward pre- and postprocessing of simulation data. The model is provided together with its complete source code free of charge under the terms of the GNU General Public License (www.wsl.ch/sedFlow). Examples of the application of sedFlow are given in a companion article by Heimann et al. (2014).
Comparing microbial and chemical kinetics for modelling soil organic carbon decomposition using the DecoChem v1.0 and DecoBio v1.0 models
Authors: Xenakis G. , Williams M.
Published: July 2014

Abstract. Soil organic matter is a vast store of carbon, with a critical role in the global carbon cycle. Despite its importance, the dynamics of soil organic carbon decomposition, under the impact of climate change or changing litter inputs, are poorly understood. Current biogeochemical models usually lack microbial processes and thus miss an important feedback when considering the fate of carbon. Here we use a series of modelling experiments to evaluate two different model structures: one with a standard first-order kinetic representation of soil decomposition (DecoChem v1.0, hereafter chemical model) and one with control of soil decomposition through microbial activity (DecoBio v1.0, hereafter biological model). The biological model includes cycling of organic matter into and out of microbial biomass, and simulates the decay rate as a functional of microbial activity. We tested two hypotheses. First, we hypothesized different responses in the two models to increased litter inputs and glucose additions. In the microbial model we hypothesized that this perturbation would prime microbial activity and reduce soil carbon stocks; in the chemical model we expected this perturbation to increase C stocks. In the biological model, responses to changed litter quantity were more rapid, but with the residence time of soil C altering such that soil C stocks were buffered. However, in the biological model there was a strong response to increased glucose additions (i.e. changes in litter quality), with significant losses to soil C stocks over time, driven by priming. Secondly, we hypothesized that warming will stimulate decomposition in the chemical model and loss of C, but in the biological model soil C will be less sensitive to warming, due to complex microbial feedbacks. The numerical experiments supported this hypothesis, with the chemical model soil C residence times and steady-state C stocks adjusting strongly with temperature changes, extending over decades. On the other hand, the biological model showed a rapid response to temperature that subsided after a few years, with total soil C stocks largely unchanged. The microbial model shows qualitative agreement with experimental warming studies that found transient increases in soil respiration that decline within a few years. In conclusion, the biological model is largely buffered against bulk changes in litter inputs and climate, unlike the chemical model, while the biological model displays a strong priming response to additions of labile litter. Our results have therefore highlighted significantly different sensitivities between chemical and biological modelling approaches for soil decomposition.