bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MODELING THE ELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE OF CARBON NANOTUBE RIBBON
Authors: LI WEIFENG , BULMER JOHN , RUFF BRAD , SONG YI , SALUNKE PRAVAHAN , SHANOV VESSELIN , SCHULZ MARK J.
Published: February 2013

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) ribbon is a thin layer of aligned, partially overlapping CNTs drawn from a forest of CNTs grown on a substrate. The electrical properties of the ribbon must be understood to put this material into multifunctional applications. Measurements show that CNT ribbon exhibits interesting characteristics including frequency-dependent electrical impedance. The impedance is mainly a combination of resistive and capacitive impedance. The magnitude of the impedance of ribbon increases moderately with increasing frequency then decreases significantly at higher frequency, MHz and above. An electrical model was developed to approximate the electrical impedance of the CNT ribbon. Based on this model, some important properties of the CNT ribbon can be understood. The ribbon capacitance, CNT–CNT contact resistance and resistivity can be approximated using the model. This information is useful in determining the suitability of ribbon for different applications. Methods to improve the electrical conduction of CNT ribbon are also discussed.
THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS AND EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH OF TRANSCRITICAL CO2 CYCLE WITH INTERNAL HEAT EXCHANGER AND DUAL EXPANSION
Authors: WANG Z. , GONG Y. , WU X. H. , ZHANG W. H. , LU Y. L.
Published: February 2013

This work presents the experimental evaluation of the energy performance of transcritical CO2 refrigeration and heat pump systems. The optimal gas cooler pressures and the optimal COP have been analyzed from a thermodynamic point of view. The systems used a new dual expansion valve and a balance CO2 liquid receiver adjustment device, which can control high and low side pressure effectively. Moreover, we demonstrate the influence of the internal heat exchanger (IHX) on the systems' performances, on the basis of the analysis of the relative COP index RCOPI, the compressor power index RPCI and other parameters which can confirm the truth of. The experimental evaluation covers five evaporating levels (-10 to 10°C) and in a wide range of gas cooler pressures (75 to 120 bar). It is concluded that with the IHX system, compressor power is relatively low when the high side pressure is over 100 bar, and the evaporation temperature is below 0°C. The COP of the system without the IHX is slightly higher than the system with the IHX; it is increasing about 3% to 5%, when the evaporation temperature is over 5°C. Relative to the single expansion process, the dual expansion cycle can decrease the influence of pressure fluctuations of CO2 supercritical fluid and liquid mixture on the systems.
MAGNETO-OPTIC FARADAY EFFECT ON SPIN ANISOTROPIC Co ULTRATHIN FILMS AND POST-NITRIDIZATION ON ZnO(002) CRYSTAL
Authors: SU C. W. , CHANG S. C. , CHANG Y. C.
Published: February 2013

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in the initial growth of epitaxial in-plane anisotropic Co ultrathin films on the ZnO (002) crystal surface was discovered. The critical thickness of weak spin reorientation transition phenomenon in deposition process from in-plane to out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy is around 2 nm. Ultrathin 1.2 nm Co film was stabilized by post-irradiation of low-energy N ions from the observation of hysteresis loop transforming from an S-shape soft magnetic state to a square hard magnetic state. The addition of N affected the magnetic behavior. The time-dependent nitridization process was observed using Auger electron spectroscopy. Magneto-optical Faraday effect measurements were used to observe the magnetic properties of high-transmission Co/ZnO (002) and Co–N/ZnO (002) surface. A strong polar magneto-optic Faraday effect was dominated in the 2.0–4.0 nm Co/ZnO (002) surfaces. From the N+ implantation that reduces the corresponding coercivity, a hexagonal c-axis lattice structure of Co with a preferred perpendicular anisotropy on the ZnO (002) surface may be explained.
CONFIGURATION AND POLARIZATION DEPENDENT TRANSVERSE DOMAIN WALL MOTION AND DOMAIN WALL SWITCHING IN FERROMAGNETIC NANOWIRE
Authors: BARMAN S. , GANGULY A. , BARMAN A.
Published: February 2013

We report that the current induced translational motion of transverse domain wall and domain wall switching in ferromagnetic nanowire is primarily governed by the configuration and polarization of the domain wall. The out-of-plane torque due to nonadiabacity and spin relaxation is found to be the dominant mechanism in the configuration and polarization dependent translational motion of the domain wall. The transverse domain wall undergoes a damped periodic back and forth translational motion along with a periodic switching from +ve polarization to -ve polarization and vice versa under the application of a pulsed current. The domain wall switching occurs at the start of each period of translation.
Electromagnetic Simulation of the Near-Field Distribution around a Wind Farm
Authors: Yang Shang-Te , Ling Hao
Published: February 2013

An efficient approach to compute the near-field distribution around and within a wind farm under plane wave excitation is proposed. To make the problem computationally tractable, several simplifying assumptions are made based on the geometry problem. By comparing the approximations against full-wave simulations at 500 MHz, it is shown that the assumptions do not introduce significant errors into the resulting near-field distribution. The near fields around a3×3wind farm are computed using the developed methodology at 150 MHz, 500 MHz, and 3 GHz. Both the multipath interference patterns and the forward shadows are predicted by the proposed method.
Conservative Approach in the Management of Radicular Cyst in a Child: Case Report
Authors: Penumatsa Narendra Varma , Nallanchakrava Srinivas , Muppa Radhika , Dandempally Arthi , Panthula Priyanaka
Published: February 2013

Radicular cyst is the most common odontogenic cystic lesion of inflammatory origin. It is also known as periapical cyst, apical periodontal cyst, root end cyst, or dental cyst. It arises from epithelial residues in the periodontal ligament as a result of inflammation. The inflammation usually follows the death of dental pulp. This paper presents a case report of a patient with radicular cyst associated with a primary molar.
Zinc Protoporphyrin Upregulates Heme Oxygenase-1 in PC-3 Cells via the Stress Response Pathway
Authors: Kwok Simon C. M.
Published: February 2013

Zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP), a naturally occurring molecule formed in iron deficiency or lead poisoning, is a potent competitive inhibitor of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). It also regulates expression of HO-1 at the transcriptional level. However, the effect of ZnPP on HO-1 expression is controversial. It was shown to induce HO-1 expression in some cells, but suppress it in others. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of ZnPP on HO-1 expression in prostate cancer PC-3 cells. Incubation of PC-3 cells with 10 μM ZnPP for 4 h showed only a slight induction of HO-1 mRNA and protein, but the induction was high after 16 h and was maintained through 48 h of incubation. Of all the known responsive elements in the HO-1 promoter, ZnPP activated mainly the stress response elements. Of the various protein kinase inhibitors and antioxidant tested, only Ro 31-8220 abrogated ZnPP-induced HO-1 expression, suggesting that activation of HO-1 gene by ZnPP may involve protein kinase C (PKC). The involvement of PKCα,β,δ,η,θ, andζisoforms was ruled out by the use of specific inhibitors. The isoform of PKC involved and participation of other transcription factors remain to be studied.
A Quantitative Assessment Approach to COTS Component Security
Authors: Chen Jinfu , Lu Yansheng , Wang Huanhuan , Mao Chengying
Published: February 2013

The vulnerability of software components hinders the development of component technology. An effective assessment approach to component security level can promote the development of component technology. Thus, the current paper proposes a quantitative assessment approach to COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) component security. The steps of interface fault injection and the assessment framework are given based on the internal factors of the tested component. The quantitative assessment algorithm and formula of component security level are also presented. The experiment results show that the approach not only can detect component security vulnerabilities effectively but also quantitatively assess the component security level. The score of component security can be accurately calculated, which represents the security level of the tested component.
An Unusual Location of Juvenile Angiofibroma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Pillenahalli Maheshwarappa Ravishankar , Gupta Amit , Bansal Juhi , Kattimani Mahesh Virupaksha , Shabadi Sachin Shivayogappa , Baser Suresh Chandra
Published: February 2013

A 10-year-old boy presented with left-sided nasal obstruction and epistaxis. Endoscopic evaluation revealed a polypoid mass in the vestibule arising from the lateral wall of the nasal cavity anteroinferior to the left inferior turbinate. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed a soft tissue opacity in the vestibule of the left nasal cavity. After the endoscopic excision of the mass, postoperative and histopathological analyses confirmed the diagnosis of an angiofibroma.
An Approximate Analytical Method for the Evaluation of the Concentrations and Current for Hybrid Enzyme Biosensor
Authors: Krishnaperumal Indira , Lakshmanan Rajendran
Published: February 2013

Mathematical modeling of amperometric biosensor with cyclic reaction is discussed. Analytical expressions pertaining to the concentration of substrate, cosubstrate, reducing agent and medial product and current for hybrid enzyme biosensor are obtained in terms of Thiele module and saturation parameters. In this paper, a powerful analytical method, called homotopy analysis method (HAM) is used to solve the system of nonlinear differential equations. Furthermore, in this work the numerical simulation of the problem is also reported using Scilab/Matlab program. Our analytical results are compared with simulation results. A good agreement between analytical and numerical results is noted.
RobustH∞Control for a Class of Uncertain Switched Fuzzy Time-Delay Systems Based on T-S Models
Authors: Cui Yang , Liu Kaiqing , Zhao Yang , Wang Xue
Published: February 2013

The problem of robustH∞control for a class of uncertain switched fuzzy time-delay systems is discussed for system described by T-S fuzzy model with Lyapunov stable theory and linear matrix inequality approach. A sufficient condition in terms of the LMI is derived such that the stability of the closed-loop systems is guaranteed. The continuous state feedback controller is built to ensure the asymptotically stable closed-loop system for all allowable uncertainties, with the switching law designed to implement the global asymptotic stability of uncertain switched fuzzy time-delay systems. In this model, each and every subsystem of the switched systems is an uncertain fuzzy one to which the parallel distributed compensation (PDC) controller of each sub fuzzy system system is proposed with its main condition given in a more solvable form of convex combinations. Such a switched control system is highly robust to varying parameters. A simulation shows the feasibility and effectiveness of the design method.
Thermodynamic Property Study of Nanostructured Mg‐H, Mg‐Ni‐H, and Mg‐Cu‐H Systems by High Pressure DSC Method
Authors: Shao Huaiyu , Xin Gongbiao , Li Xingguo , Akiba Etsuo
Published: February 2013

Mg, Ni, and Cu nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrogen plasma metal reaction method. Preparation of Mg2Ni and Mg2Cu alloys from these Mg, Ni, and Cu nanoparticles has been successfully achieved in convenient conditions. High pressure differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique in hydrogen atmosphere was applied to study the synthesis and thermodynamic properties of the hydrogen absorption/desorption processes of nanostructured Mg‐H, Mg‐Ni‐H, and Mg‐Cu‐H systems. Van’t Hoff equation of Mg‐Ni‐H system as well as formation enthalpy and entropy of Mg2NiH4 was obtained by high pressure DSC method. The results agree with the ones by pressure‐composition isotherm (PCT) methods in our previous work and the ones in literature.
In Search of Early Time: An Original Approach in the Thermographic Identification of Thermophysical Properties and Defects
Authors: Balageas Daniel L.
Published: February 2013

Active thermography gives the possibility to characterize thermophysical properties and defects in complex structures presenting heterogeneities. The produced thermal fields can be rapidly 3D. On the other hand, due to the size of modern thermographic images, pixel-wise data processing based on 1D models is the only reasonable approach for a rapid image processing. The only way to conciliate these two constraints when dealing with time-resolved experiments lies in the earlier possible detection/characterization. This approach is illustrated by several different applications and compared to more classical methods, demonstrating that simplicity of models and calculations is compatible with efficient and accurate identifications.
State-of-the-Art Fusion-Finder Algorithms Sensitivity and Specificity
Authors: Carrara Matteo , Beccuti Marco , Lazzarato Fulvio , Cavallo Federica , Cordero Francesca , Donatelli Susanna , Calogero Raffaele A.
Published: February 2013

Background. Gene fusions arising from chromosomal translocations have been implicated in cancer. RNA-seq has the potential to discover such rearrangements generating functional proteins (chimera/fusion). Recently, many methods for chimeras detection have been published. However, specificity and sensitivity of those tools were not extensively investigated in a comparative way.Results. We tested eight fusion-detection tools (FusionHunter, FusionMap, FusionFinder, MapSplice, deFuse, Bellerophontes, ChimeraScan, and TopHat-fusion) to detect fusion events using synthetic and real datasets encompassing chimeras. The comparison analysis run only on synthetic data could generate misleading results since we found no counterpart on real dataset. Furthermore, most tools report a very high number of false positive chimeras. In particular, the most sensitive tool, ChimeraScan, reports a large number of false positives that we were able to significantly reduce by devising and applying two filters to remove fusions not supported by fusion junction-spanning reads or encompassing large intronic regions.Conclusions. The discordant results obtained using synthetic and real datasets suggest that synthetic datasets encompassing fusion events may not fully catch the complexity of RNA-seq experiment. Moreover, fusion detection tools are still limited in sensitivity or specificity; thus, there is space for further improvement in the fusion-finder algorithms.
Simultaneous Larva Migrans and Larva Currens Caused byStrongyloides stercoralis: A Case Report
Authors: Corte Liliam Dalla , da Silva Mariana Vale Scribel , Souza Paulo Ricardo Martins
Published: February 2013

Strongyloidiasis is an infectious disease caused by theStrongyloides stercoralislarvae, which penetrate the skin, go through the lymphatic circulation, and migrate to the lungs before reaching the intestines. They mature and may cause cutaneous strongyloidiasis, known as larva currens because of the quick migratory rate of the larva. The authors describe a case in which the larvae did not follow their natural lymph route, and after penetrating into the intertriginous area, they migrated to the dermis, developing larva migrans in the early phase, and later associated with the typical lesions of larva currens. The diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of larva in the skin biopsy.
Abdominal Cocoon and Adhesiolysis: A Case Report and a Literature Review
Authors: Al-Thani Hassan , El Mabrok Jamila , Al Shaibani Noof , El-Menyar Ayman
Published: February 2013

Abdominal cocoon is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction. It is difficult to diagnose in most of the cases preoperatively. Surgical removal of the membrane resulted in complete recovery in the majority of the cases. The exact etiology of abdominal cocoon is still unknown. We reported a male patient who presented with features of intestinal obstruction and has been diagnosed as abdominal cocoon intraoperatively.
Exact Solutions of Equation Generated by the Jaulent-Miodek Hierarchy by(G’/G)-Expansion Method
Authors: Taha Wafaa M. , Noorani M. S. M.
Published: February 2013

The(G’/G)-expansion method is proposed for constructing more general exact solutions of the nonlinear(2+1)-dimensional equation generated by the Jaulent-Miodek Hierarchy. As a result, when the parameters are taken at special values, some new traveling wave solutions are obtained which include solitary wave solutions which are based from the hyperbolic functions, trigonometric functions, and rational functions. We find in this work that the(G’/G)-expansion method give some new results which are easier and faster to compute by the help of a symbolic computation system. The results obtained were compared with tanh method.
Regulation of Recombination between gtfB/gtfC Genes in Streptococcus mutans by Recombinase A
Authors: Inagaki Satoko , Fujita Kazuyo , Takashima Yukiko , Nagayama Kayoko , Ardin Arifah C. , Matsumi Yuki , Matsumoto-Nakano Michiyo
Published: February 2013

Streptococcus mutans produces 3 types of glucosyltransferases (GTFs), whose cooperative action is essential for cellular adhesion. The recombinase A (RecA) protein is required for homologous recombination. In our previous study, we isolated several strains with a smooth colony morphology and low GTF activity, characteristics speculated to be derived from the GTF fusions. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of those fusions. S. mutans strain MT8148 was grown in the presence of recombinant RecA (rRecA) protein, after which smooth colonies were isolated. The biological functions and sequences of the gtfB and gtfC genes of this as well as other clinical strains were determined. The sucrose‐dependent adherence rates of those strains were reduced as compared to that of MT8148. Determination of the sequences of the gtfB and gtfC genes showed that an approximately 3500 bp region was deleted from the area between them. Furthermore, expression of the recA gene was elevated in those strains as compared to MT8148. These results suggest that RecA has an important role in fusions of gtfB and gtfC genes, leading to alteration of colony morphology and reduction in sucrose‐dependent adhesion.
Nitric Oxide-Dependent Regulation of Cytokines Release in Type-II Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Elahi Maqsood M. , Matata Bashir M.
Published: February 2013

The mechanism of release of proinflammatory cytokines by blood granulocytes in diabetes is unknown. We investigated whether diabetes mellitus affects the production of cytokines by granulocytes (PMN) and mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and whether this is modulated by NO. Isolated PMN and PBMC from with or without type-II diabetes mellitus were incubated at 37°C for 6 h with S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) at 0, 1, and 100 μM with or without lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulation (1 μg/mL). Supernatants were assayed for tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) by sandwich ELISA. Significant increases in TNF-α and IL-8 were observed only in PMN from diabetic subjects with or without LPS stimulation and that exogenous NO inhibited further production of cytokines in a concentration-dependent manner. However, activity of PBMC when stimulated with LPS was greatly enhanced by diabetes, but not affected by NO production. Hence, suggesting that granulocytes activation and participation in diabetes related complications is modulated by NO bioavailability.
Mixed Transportation Network Design under a Sustainable Development Perspective
Authors: Qin Jin , Ni Ling-lin , Shi Feng
Published: February 2013

A mixed transportation network design problem considering sustainable development was studied in this paper. Based on the discretization of continuous link‐grade decision variables, a bilevel programming model was proposed to describe the problem, in which sustainability factors, including vehicle exhaust emissions, land‐use scale, link load, and financial budget, are considered. The objective of the model is to minimize the total amount of resources exploited under the premise of meeting all the construction goals. A heuristic algorithm, which combined the simulated annealing and path‐based gradient projection algorithm, was developed to solve the model. The numerical example shows that the transportation network optimized with the method above not only significantly alleviates the congestion on the link, but also reduces vehicle exhaust emissions within the network by up to 41.56%.
A Novel Nanoscale FDSOI MOSFET with Block-Oxide
Authors: Lin Jyi-Tsong , Eng Yi-Chuen , Lin Po-Hsieh
Published: February 2013

We demonstrate improved device performance by applying oxide sidewall spacer technology to a block-oxide-enclosed Si body to create a fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) nMOSFET, which overcomes the need for a uniform ultrathin silicon film. The presence of block-oxide along the sidewalls of the Si body significantly reduces the influence of drain bias over the channel. The proposed FDSOI structure therefore outperforms conventional FDSOI with regard to its drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL), on/off current ratio, subthreshold swing, and threshold voltage rolloff. The new FDSOI structure is in fact shown to behave similarly to an ultrathin body (UTB) SOI but without the associated disadvantages and technological challenges of the ultrathin film, because a thick Si body allows for reduced sensitivity to self-heating, thereby improving thermal stability.
n5-STZ Diabetic Model Develops Alterations in Sciatic Nerve and Dorsal Root Ganglia Neurons of Wistar Rats
Authors: Ferreira-da-Silva Francisco Walber , Silva-Alves Kerly Shamyra da , Lemos-dos-Santos Matheus , Oliveira Keciany Alves de , Joca Humberto Cavalcante , do Vale Otoni Cardoso , Coelho-de-Souza Andrelina Noronha , Leal-Cardoso José Henrique
Published: February 2013

One experimental model of diabetes mellitus (DM) similar to type
II DM, called n5-STZ, is obtained by a single injection (via i.p.)
of streptozotocin (STZ) in the 5th day of life of newborn rats.
The present investigation aimed to characterize alterations in
excitability of rat peripheral neurons in n5-STZ model. n5-STZ DM
was induced, and electrophysiological evaluation was done at 12th
week of rat life. Rats developed glucose intolerance, sensory
alteration, and hyperglycemia or near-normoglycemia (21.2±1.6 and 7.4±0.4 mmol/L). In near-normoglycemia group the significant
electrophysiological alteration observed was decreased in
amplitude of 2nd wave (2nd component, conduction velocity:
48.8 m/s) of compound action potential (CAP) of sciatic nerve. For
hyperglycemic rats, decreased excitability, amplitude, and
conduction velocity of 2nd CAP component of sciatic nerve were
found; a depolarization of resting potential (4-5 mV) and reduction
in maximum ascendant and descendant inclinations of action
potential were found in DRG neurons but no alteration on
Na+ current (INa+).
Thus, n5-STZ rats develop alterations in
excitability which were related to glycemic levels but were not
likely attributable to changes on INa+. Our data confirm that
n5-STZ model is a useful model to study type II DM.
The iOSC3 System: Using Ontologies and SWRL Rules for Intelligent Supervision and Care of Patients with Acute Cardiac Disorders
Authors: Martínez-Romero Marcos , Vázquez-Naya José M. , Pereira Javier , Pereira Miguel , Pazos Alejandro , Baños Gerardo
Published: February 2013

Physicians in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are specially trained to deal constantly with very large and complex quantities of clinical data and make quick decisions as they face complications. However, the amount of information generated and the way the data are presented may overload the cognitive skills of even experienced professionals and lead to inaccurate or erroneous actions that put patients’ lives at risk. In this paper, we present the design, development, and validation of iOSC3, an ontology-based system for intelligent supervision and treatment of critical patients with acute cardiac disorders. The system analyzes the patient’s condition and provides a recommendation about the treatment that should be administered to achieve the fastest possible recovery. If the recommendation is accepted by the doctor, the system automatically modifies the quantity of drugs that are being delivered to the patient. The knowledge base is constituted by an OWL ontology and a set of SWRL rules that represent the expert’s knowledge. iOSC3 has been developed in collaboration with experts from the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) of the Meixoeiro Hospital, one of the most significant hospitals in the northwest region of Spain.
Brugada Pattern Electrocardiogram Unmasked with Cocaine Ingestion
Authors: Alraies M. Chadi , Chamsi-Pasha Mohammed A. R. , Baibars Motaz , Alraiyes Abdul Hamid , Shaheen Khaldoon
Published: February 2013

Cocaine is considered a leading cause of drug-related deaths. This is usually sudden, unwitnessed, and without prodromal features. It has been reported that in-hospital mortality is close to 2%. Cocaine has powerful central nervous system effects1and acute cocaine overdose has been associated with hyperthermia, agitation, paranoid ideation, status epilepticus, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and myocardial infarction (MI). The mechanisms of cocaine-related death remain poorly understood. We report a patient who survived massive cocaine ingestion with psychomotor agitation and generalized seizures followed by asystolic cardiac arrest and transient Brugada pattern on electrocardiogram (ECG).
Exact Solutions of the Mass-Dependent Klein-Gordon Equation with the Vector Quark-Antiquark Interaction and Harmonic Oscillator Potential
Authors: Bahar M. K. , Yasuk F.
Published: February 2013

Using the asymptotic iteration and wave function ansatz method, we present exact solutions of the Klein-Gordon equation for the quark-antiquark interaction and harmonic oscillator potential in the case of the position-dependent mass.
Heath Beliefs of UK South Asians Related to Lifestyle Diseases: A Review of Qualitative Literature
Authors: Lucas Anna , Murray Esther , Kinra Sanjay
Published: February 2013

Objective. To review available qualitative evidence in the literature for health beliefs and perceptions specific to UK South Asian adults. Exploring available insight into the social and cultural constructs underlying perceptions related to health behaviours and lifestyle-related disease.Methods. A search of central databases and ethnic minority research groups was augmented by hand-searching of reference lists. For included studies, quality was assessed using a predetermined checklist followed by metaethnography to synthesise the findings, using both reciprocal translation and line-of-argument synthesis to look at factors impacting uptake of health behaviours.Results. A total of 10 papers varying in design and of good quality were included in the review. Cultural and social norms strongly influenced physical activity incidence and motivation as well as the ability to engage in healthy eating practices.Conclusions. These qualitative studies provide insight into approaches to health among UK South Asians in view of their social and cultural norms. Acknowledgement of their approach to lifestyle behaviours may assist acceptability of interventions and delivery of lifestyle advice by health professionals.
Comparison of Nasal Epithelial Smoking‐Induced Gene Expression on Affymetrix Exon 1.0 and Gene 1.0 ST Arrays
Authors: Zhang Xiaoling , Lenburg Marc E. , Spira Avrum
Published: February 2013

We have previously defined the impact of tobacco smoking on nasal epithelium gene expression using Affymetrix Exon 1.0 ST arrays. In this paper, we compared the performance of the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Gene 1.0 ST array with the Human Exon 1.0 ST array for detecting nasal smoking‐related gene expression changes. RNA collected from the nasal epithelium of five current smokers and five never smokers was hybridized to both arrays. While the intersample correlation within each array platform was relatively higher in the Gene array than that in the Exon array, the majority of the genes most changed by smoking were tightly correlated between platforms. Although neither array dataset was powered to detect differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at a false discovery rate (FDR) <0.05, we identified more DEGs than expected by chance using the Gene ST array. These findings suggest that while both platforms show a high degree of correlation for detecting smoking‐induced differential gene expression changes, the Gene ST array may be a more cost‐effective platform in a clinical setting for gene‐level genomewide expression profiling and an effective tool for exploring the host response to cigarette smoking and other inhaled toxins.
Single Directional SMO Algorithm for Least Squares Support Vector Machines
Authors: Shao Xigao , Wu Kun , Liao Bifeng
Published: February 2013

Working set selection is a major step in decomposition methods for training least squares support vector machines (LS-SVMs). In this paper, a new technique for the selection of working set in sequential minimal optimization- (SMO-) type decomposition methods is proposed. By the new method, we can select a single direction to achieve the convergence of the optimality condition. A simple asymptotic convergence proof for the new algorithm is given. Experimental comparisons demonstrate that the classification accuracy of the new method is not largely different from the existing methods, but the training speed is faster than existing ones.
A Patient-Based Needs Assessment for Living Well with Parkinson Disease: Implementation via Nominal Group Technique
Authors: Kleiner-Fisman Galit , Gryfe Pearl , Naglie Gary
Published: February 2013

Background. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition with complex subtleties, making it challenging for physicians to fully inform their patients. Given that approximately 50% of Americans access the Internet for health information, the development of a multimedia, web-based application emphasizing targeted needs of people with Parkinson’s disease (PwP) has the potential to change patient’s lives.Objectives. To determine what information PwP perceive could enhance their quality of life.Methods. Group sessions utilizing nominal group technique (NGT) were conducted. Participants were asked “what information do you want to know about that would help you live well with PD?” Silent generation of ideas preceded discussion followed by anonymous ranking of items. A “summary score” (sum of rank × frequency) was calculated.Results. 36 individual items were collapsed into 9 categories. Coping with emotions, changing relationships, and social implications of PD were ranked as most important. Financial supports and skills for self-advocacy were also highly ranked.Conclusions. Qualitative research methodology was utilized to determine the unmet needs of PwP. Results of this survey will inform the development of a patient-oriented, online resource, the goal will be to provide information and strategies to improve symptom management, reduce disability and address all relevant concerns important to those affected by PD.
Novel Visceral-Anastomosis-First Approach in Open Repair of a Ruptured Type 2 Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Causes behind a Mortal Outcome
Authors: Dregelid Einar , Daryapeyma Alireza
Published: February 2013

Case reports to analyze causes and possible prevention of complications in a new setting are important. We present an open repair of a ruptured type 2 thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm in a 78-year-old man. Lower-body perfusion through a temporary extracorporeal axillobifemoral arterial prosthesis shunt was combined with the use of a branch to the permanent aortic prosthesis to enable rapid visceral revascularization using a visceral-anastomosis-first approach. The patient died due to transfusion-induced capillary leak syndrome and left colon necrosis; the latter was probably caused by a combination of back-bleeding from lumbar arteries causing a steal effect, an accidental shunt obstruction, and hemodynamic instability towards the end of the operation. The visceral-anastomosis-first approach did not contribute to the complications. This approach reduces the time when visceral organs are perfused only via collateral arteries to the time needed for suturing the visceral anastomoses. This may be important when collateral perfusion is marginal.
Dynamics of a Diffusive Predator-Prey Model with Allee Effect on Predator
Authors: Wang Xiaoqin , Cai Yongli , Ma Huihai
Published: February 2013

The reaction-diffusion Holling-Tanner prey-predator model considering the Allee effect on predator, under zero-flux boundary conditions, is discussed. Some properties of the solutions, such as dissipation and persistence, are obtained. Local and global stability of the positive equilibrium and Turing instability are studied. With the help of the numerical simulations, the rich Turing patterns, including holes, stripes, and spots patterns, are obtained.
The Protection of the Natural Environment in Armed Conflict – Existing Rules and Need for Further Legal Protection
Authors: Droege Cordula , Tougas Marie-Louise
Published: February 2013

Considerable research has been conducted, particularly since the Iraq-Kuwait war of 1991, on the legal protection of the environment in armed conflicts. Much of this research has focused either on the specific protections provided in international humanitarian law (IHL), or on the applicability of international environmental law to situations of armed conflict. Rather than focusing on these specific provisions, this article seeks to examine the general protections under IHL, in particular the characterisation of the natural environment as a civilian object and the legal protection flowing from this characterisation – namely the general rules on the conduct of hostilities. After addressing these general rules, it briefly recalls some other relevant provisions of IHL before turning to possible avenues to strengthen the legal protection of the environment in armed conflict by clarifying or further developing IHL in this respect, taking into account the protection provided by international human rights law and international environmental law.
Advancing the Legal Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflict: Protocol I’s Threshold of Impermissible Environmental Damage and Alternatives
Authors: Thomas Carson
Published: February 2013

This article presents both legal and strategic arguments for increasing the level of environmental protection in wartime within the legal context created by Articles 35 and 55 of Additional Protocol I. These provisions bifurcate the legal protection of the environment in armed conflict. Above the threshold, environmental damage is prohibited. Beneath the threshold, other international humanitarian law instruments and customary principles apply and may offer environmental protection, usually by balancing environmental damage against military necessity. The objective of this article is to propose legal and strategic frameworks to be addressed to military decision-makers considering environmentally harmful actions. It argues that the principle of military necessity, including strategic considerations, can be found compatible with enhanced environmental protections.
Environmental Protection in Armed Conflict: Filling the Gaps with Sustainable Development
Authors: Das Onita
Published: February 2013

Recent years have witnessed growing concern over the ever more increasing urgent and pervasive global environmental problems. Environmental problems and challenges in relation to armed conflict are amongst them. Such environmental pressures can cause violent or armed conflict which in turn can cause devastating damage and destruction to the environment. This article explores the possibility of utilising the overarching concept of sustainable development and its relevant substantive principles to fill the gaps of environmental protection provided by international humanitarian law. The concept of sustainable development generally refers to development or the process of improving the quality of life of the present generation without compromising the future generations. This article thus reviews the limits of the protection of the environment during armed conflict within the current legal framework and suggests setting out a new, more comprehensive set of Environmental Rules based on the ‘Berlin Rules’ approach. It is argued that these proposed Rules, by comprehensively and clearly prescribing rights and duties in respect of the ecological impact of armed conflict including the integration of the concept of sustainable development, could not only mitigate the impact of conflict-related environmental damage on both the environment and the human population, it could further contribute to the development of international law and conflict-related environmental protection specifically.
From Engines for Conflict into Engines for Sustainable Development: The Potential of International Law to Address Predatory Exploitation of Natural Resources in Situations of Internal Armed Conflict
Authors: Dam-de Jong Daniëlla
Published: February 2013

Since the end of the Cold War, natural resources have proven an adequate replacement for external funding of armed conflicts. The prospects for parties to an armed conflict to gain ‘easy’ profits from resource exploitation encourage these parties to engage in predatory practices that are highly detrimental to environmental conservation. The environmental degradation caused by predatory resource exploitation by parties to an armed conflict also severely hampers efforts towards the post-conflict reconstruction of a State. Environmental degradation of land may spark new tensions in the fragile phase of post-conflict reconstruction. In addition, natural resources are an important engine to restart the economy of a war-torn State after the conflict has come to an end. If the resources are severely degraded or even exhausted as a consequence of their exploitation during armed conflict, it becomes even more difficult to kick-start the economy of a State emerging from conflict. This article argues that current international law is not sufficiently equipped to deal with these challenges. The existing regulatory framework is fragmented and imprecise. It is only through case specific responses under Security Council sanctions regimes that the challenges are currently addressed.
Internal Self-Determination and the Role of Territorial Autonomy as a Tool for the Resolution of Ethno-Political Disputes
Authors: Spiliopoulou Åkermark Sia
Published: February 2013

Since the end of the Cold War, autonomy arrangements have been increasingly perceived and used as tools for resolving ethno-political conflicts as well as part of the affirmation of indigenous claims and self-determination struggles. One important reason for this is that the all-or-nothing dichotomy of statehood and external self-determination seems to have sustained conflict at least as much as having resolved conflict. However, the theoretical underpinnings of territorial autonomy have not yet been elaborated in international law. While the Canadian Supreme Court started formulating some requirements of what it takes to have a “meaningful access to government” in the Reference re Secession of Quebec case, the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice seems to pull international law back into the perennial discussion of secession, this time dubbed “remedial”. Territorial autonomy as an institution is about more than the division of competences between centre and periphery; it is about creating comprehensive structural solutions and processes of representation, accountability and decision-making. International law needs thus to engage seriously with the conditions influencing the quality, stability and adaptability of territorial autonomy arrangements. Among those are issues of timing; responses to the traumas of conflict; the quality of democratic involvement and institutional design; as well as the influence of external actors.
Review of Madagascaran Agalliini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Megophthalminae) with descriptions of a new genus and six new species
Authors: VIRAKTAMATH C. A. , GONÇALVES ANA CLARA
Published: February 2013

Studies on the Agalliini leafhoppers collected from the Terrestrial Arthropods of Madagascar inventory project of the Cal-ifornia Academy of Sciences, resulted in the discovery of one new genus Agallidwipa gen. nov. (type-species: A. biramosa sp. nov.) with three new species, A. biramosa sp. nov., A. bispinosa sp. nov. and A. webbi sp. nov. and three new species of the genus Igerna Kirkaldy, I. delta sp. nov., I. flavocosta sp. nov. and I. malagasica sp. nov. Two new combinations proposed are Agallidwipa pauliana (Evans) comb. nov. (from genus Agalliana Oman) and Igerna neosa (Webb) comb. nov. (from genus Stonasla White), a species previously recorded from Aldabra Islands. A previous record of Igerna bi-maculicollis (Stål) from Madagascar is shown most likely to be a case of misidentification. All the taxa are described and illustrated. Keys to species of Agalliini from Madagascar are included along with notes on the distinction between Agal-liana and Agallidwipa.
Cercyon hungaricus, a new junior subjective synonym of C. bononiensis (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae)
Authors: FIKÁČEK MARTIN , ROCCHI SAVERIO
Published: February 2013

Cercyon bononiensis Chiesa, 1964 was described from two specimens collected in northern Italy in 1924–1925. For some time, these specimens were identified as C. inquinatus Wollaston, 1854. Only 40 years later, having examined the type of the latter species, Chiesa (1964) realized that the two specimens belonged to an undescribed species that he then described as Cercyon bononiensis. Based on the chagrined elytra mentioned in the original description, C. bononiensis has been placed in the Cercyon tristis group by subsequent authors. Recently, we examined a small number of Cercyon specimens from northern Italy and surprisingly found two specimens of C. hungaricus Endrödy-Younga, 1967, an easily recognizable member of the C. tristis group which was previously considered a Pannonian endemic by Fikáček et al. (2009) but was recently also found in northern Germany (Bäse 2010). The presence of this unusual species led us to question whether C. hungaricus might be conspecific with C. bononiensis. This was subsequently confirmed by the study of the types of both species. Here, we provide a summary of our studies and synonymize C. hungaricus with C. bononiensis. Examined specimens are deposited in the following collections: Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary (HNHM), Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Milano, Italy (MSNM), collection of S. Rocchi at the Museo di Storia Naturale dell'Università di Firenze, Sezione di Zoologia "La Specola" (CRO).
Do Less Effective Teachers Choose Professional Development Does It Matter?
Authors: Barrett Nathan , Butler J. S. , Toma Eugenia F.
Published: February 2013

Background:

In an ongoing effort to improve teacher quality, most states require continuing education or professional development for their in-service teachers. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of various professional development programs have assumed a normal distribution of quality of teachers participating in the programs. Because participation in many professional development programs is either targeted or voluntary, this article suggests past evaluations of the effectiveness of professional development may be subject to selection bias and policy recommendations may be premature.

Research Design:

This article presents an empirical framework for evaluating professional development programs where treatment is potentially nonrandom, and explicitly accounts for the teacher's prior effectiveness in the classroom as a factor that may influence participation in professional development. This article controls for the influence of selection bias on professional development outcomes by generating a matched sample based on propensity scores and then estimating the program's effect.

Results:

In applying this framework to the professional development program examined in this article, less effective teachers are found to be more likely to participate in the program, and correcting for this selection leads to different conclusions regarding the program's effectiveness than when ignoring teacher selection patterns.
Contemporary evolutions in costing methods: Understanding these trends through the use of equivalence methods in France
Authors: Levant Yves , Zimnovitch Henri
Published: February 2013

At the beginning of the 1950s, the main costing methods used in France, including the so-called sections homogènes method, were subjected to a lot of criticism because of their excessive complexity. This opened the door to new equivalence methods that claimed to offer a solution to the problem. They were, however, supplanted by the simpler direct costing method that came into use in France in 1960s, and just about fell into oblivion. The economic situation at the end of the 1980s nevertheless rekindled interest in the allocation of indirect costs, including the Activity Based Costing (ABC) method. Setting up this method, however, presented problems that were similar to those of the sections homogènes method, thus favouring a rebirth of equivalence methods, to which Time Driven ABC (TDABC), which appeared in 2005, can be linked. In this article we retrace this history, combining economic factors and the determinism inherent in the technique, in order to examine how methods of costing have evolved with regard to relative complexity.
Auditors and the supervision of retail finance: Evidence from two small-sized building societies, 1976–1978
Authors: Bátiz-Lazo Bernardo , Noguchi Masayoshi
Published: February 2013

This study examines features of delegated monitoring in the context of major defalcations in two small-sized building societies (namely the Wakefield and the Grays). The factors causing the defalcations were the dominance of an individual over a building society’s systems, and poor systems of internal control and supervision. The auditors of both societies were criticised for failing to discharge their duties as expected under the Building Societies Act 1960, and the Wakefield and Grays cases constituted a turning point in the supervision of retail financial intermediaries. Previously, the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies had adopted a reactive approach to supervision, which effectively delegated the monitoring of the societies to external auditors. The defalcations revealed that there was a lack of productive communication between the Registry and external auditors. As a result, it was felt that there was a need to reform and adopt a proactive approach to supervision under which the Registry was to examine directly the quality of the auditors’ work.
A Public Health Approach to Intimate Partner Violence Prevention in Uganda
Authors: Wagman Jennifer A. , Namatovu Fredinah , Nalugoda Fred , Kiwanuka Deus , Nakigozi Gertrude , Gray Ron , Wawer Maria J. , Serwadda David
Published: February 2013

Research from Rakai, Uganda, suggests intimate partner violence (IPV) is common and attitudes condoning it are widespread. We used a public health approach to develop and implement an evidence-based IPV prevention intervention named the Safe Homes and Respect for Everyone (SHARE) Project. SHARE was designed on the Transtheoretical Model of behavior change and adapted IPV prevention strategies from Raising Voices and Stepping Stones. SHARE was implemented in four regions of Rakai. This article describes the design and implementation of SHARE, provides details on strategies and activities used, discusses challenges and lessons learned, and provides recommendations for other violence prevention programmers.