bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Academic MIS Model Used in Higher Education to Resolve Typical Problems in Indonesia
Authors: Moertini Veronica S. , Yuliaty Tety , Rumono Wisnu , Tjhia Buddy S.
Published: January 2012

In response to education regulations for quality assurance (QA), universities in Indonesia strongly require an integrated management information system (MIS), such as Academic MIS (AMIS). In developing AMIS, the main issues that must be addressed are the urgent need for implementing university QA standards (even though departments have already implemented their best practices for years and show reluctance to change), changing requirements, and the need for a quick delivery system despite the fact that AMIS is very large in scope. This paper contributes to modeling AMIS, which is suitable for universities in Indonesia. This research has been conducted at one of the best private universities, Parahyangan Catholic University. Having measured the quality of AMIS using several key business measures, results indicated that the proposed model successfully resolved the issues at stake.
The Impact of Training on Virtual Project Teams
Authors: Beranek Peggy M. , Clairborne M. Cathy
Published: January 2012

As organizations adapt to competitive pressure and simultaneously leverage scarce resources, workers are increasingly operating in virtual project teams where members may never meet face to face. One of the factors that can affect how well virtual project teams communicate is relational links. This study explores the effects of relational link development training on group interactions by administering training to selected groups and tracking measurements of their cohesiveness, perceptions of the process, satisfaction with outcomes over time, and tracking group communications using McGrath’s TIP theory as a framework. This project compared virtual project teams trained in the concept of relational links with teams that received no training. All electronic communications between team members were recorded and analyzed using McGrath’s time, interaction, and performance (TIP) framework and all teams completed pre and post surveys measuring their levels of cohesion, perceptions of the process and satisfaction with outcomes. It was found that teams that received training spent more time in the member support function, more time in the inception mode, and less time in the conflict resolution mode. In addition, teams receiving training had higher ending levels of cohesion, perception of the process and satisfaction with outcomes.
Graph-Based Shape Analysis for MRI Classification
Authors: Long Seth , Holder Lawrence B.
Published: January 2012

Searching for correlations between brain structure and attributes of a person’s intellectual state is a process which may be better done by automation than by human labor. Such an automated system would be capable of performing classification based on the discovered correlation, which would be means of testing how accurate the discovered correlation is. The authors have developed a system which generates a graph-based representation of the shape of the third and lateral ventricles based on a structural MRI, and classifies images represented in this manner. The system is evaluated on accuracy at classifying individuals showing cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s Disease. Classification accuracy is 74.2% when individuals with CDR 0.5 are included as impaired in a balanced dataset of 166 images, and 79.3% accuracy when differentiating individuals with CDR at least 1.0 and healthy individuals in a balanced dataset of 54 images. Finally, the system is used to classify MR images according to level of education, with 77.2% accuracy differentiating highly-educated individuals from those for whom no higher education is listed, in a balanced dataset of 178 images.
The Perceptions of Health and Social Care Students of using Mobile 360 Degree Performance Feedback Tools in Practice Placement Settings
Authors: Taylor J. D. , Dearnley C. A. , Laxton J. C. , Nkosana-Nyawata I. , Rinomhota S.
Published: January 2012

This study evaluated the students’ perspective of using mobile 360 degree performance feedback tools, in Health and Social Care (H&SC) practice placement settings. By using the tools students are able to record immediate, rich (360 degree) feedback of their performance from the different viewpoints of those involved in the assessment scenario. This included a large-scale implementation of mobile technology with over 900 users across a range of professions and clinical settings. The mobile assessment processes and tools are described and the outcomes of the second stage of an action research study related to the benefits and challenges of the mobile delivery are discussed. The authors conclude that mobile assessment delivers a promise for the future in terms of pedagogy and technology.
Guided Sampling Using Mobile Electronic Diaries
Authors: Morrison Kenny
Published: January 2012

Pocket Interview is an easily configurable handheld electronic data collection and diary tool. The Pocket Interview system can be used to apply experience sampling methods that allow the collection of data in real-time and in the user’s natural environment. The system client is usually run on a personal digital assistant or smartphone. It can prompt the user to make diary entries at fixed and/or random intervals and includes an option that allows this sampling to be ‘guided’ whereby inconvenient prompts are temporarily deferred until a more convenient time through the use of contextual audio information. Subjects participating in real-time studies require high levels of commitment and exhibit difficulties maintaining their motivation. This paper describes a series of studies using Pocket Interview that explore how Guiding offers to reduce the perceived burden on study participants, improve response rates and increase the quantity and quality of replies.
Cooperative Tracking of Multiple Targets by a Team of Autonomous UAVs
Authors: Hirsch Michael J. , Ortiz-Peña Héctor J. , Eck Chris
Published: January 2012

This research is concerned with dynamically determining appropriate flight patterns for a set of autonomous UAVs in an urban environment, for persistent and accurate tracking of moving ground targets. The authors assume that there are limited communication capabilities between the UAVs, and that there exist possible line of sight constraints between the UAVs and the targets. Each UAV (i) operates its own dynamic feedback loop, in a receding horizon framework, incorporating local information on the targets (from UAV i perspective) as well as remote information on the targets (from the perspective of the ‘neighbor’ UAVs) to determine the optimal flight path of UAV i over the planning horizon. This results in a decentralized and more realistic model of the real-world situation. As the flight-plan optimization formulation is NP-hard, a new heuristic for continuous global optimization is applied to solve for the flight plan. Results show that efficient flight patterns for the UAVs can be achieved.
Application of Methodologies for Environmental Flow Determination in an Andean and a Mediterranean Basin
Authors: Carvajal-Escobar Yesid , Mimi Ziad , Khayat Saed , Sulieman Saleh , Garces Wilson , Cespedes Guillermo
Published: January 2012

The demand for sustainable water management has promoted the development of methodologies for estimating environmental flows (EF). In this paper, the EF in an Andean river (Pance, Colombia) for conservation and a Mediterranean river (Wadi-Zomar, Palestine) for restoration purposes is made. Different methodologies are applied given the objectives for each river. The authors used hydrological indices proposed for watersheds with different water regimes and adaptations and validations were made to the local context. These methods allow for estimating the EF at various points in the river and the assessment of disruption scenarios for decision-making. In the Wadi Zomar River, three sampling points were selected. The water samples were then examined for the presence of pathogens. No one indicator or simple hydrological parameter is entirely suitable for all environmental systems and pathogens. In the base flow conditions, the amount of pollutant load varied temporally according to the amount of load from point sources along the Wadi, and spatially with distance from the same sources. Significant variation was observed in response to the hydrological behavior of the catchment. The assessment for the water quality in the Zomar reflects a potentially serious threat to the environment. The results emphasize the need for regulating the seepage effluent from industries and sewage system along the stream.
ANN Based Approach to Integrate Smell Sense in Multimedia Systems
Authors: Al-Bastaki Yousif , Al-Mutawah Khalid A.
Published: January 2012

Despite the wide usage of multimedia in several applications, research in the field of olfaction is immature in helping humans work and communicate through multi-sensory interfaces, including smell. There is no consistent method of testing user capability of smell. Therefore, smell detection and generation systems are not well integrated into today’s multimedia systems. In this paper, the authors propose an odor sensing system with the capability of the discrimination among closely similar 20 different odor patterns and propose an on-line classification method using a handheld odor meter (OMX-GR sensor) and neural network that can be used in different multimedia applications. The proposed system is integrated to enhance the functionality of an online multimedia shopping system that is capable of selling products with visual and auditory senses.
Unintended Affordances as Violent Mediators
Authors: Bardone Emanuele
Published: January 2012

This paper outlines a theoretical framework meant to help people understand the emergence of violent mediators in human cognitive niches enriched by technology. Violent mediators are external objects that mediate relations with the environment in a way facilitating – not causing – the adoption of violent behaviors. In order to cast light on the dynamics violent mediators are involved in, the author illustrates the role played by what is called unintended affordances. In doing so, the author presents three specific examples of unintended affordances as violent mediators: multitasking while driving, desultory behavior and cyberstalking. The last part of the paper presents the notion of counteractive cognitive niche as a possible, yet partial, solution to the problem concerning the emergence of unintended affordance.
Facilitating Deep Learning in a Learning Community
Authors: Lee Hea-Jin , Baek Eun-ok
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this study is to explore how the integration of online discussion into a mathematics methods course affected pre-service teachers’ learning. Students’ transcription of online discussion was analyzed using a mixed methods approach, combining computer-mediated discourse analysis and Chi-square test analysis. The data revealed that the online discussion helped pre-service teachers not only deepen their learning of mathematics methods, but also demonstrated their abilities to teach mathematics in different ways. It also indicated that the depth of their learning depended on the levels of threads and topics of discussion. Deep learning occurs 1) more often in the first level thread than subsequent level threads, and 2) in discussion topics, primarily those related to practice-based issues rather than theory-based topics.
The Development of E-Portfolio Evaluation Criteria and Application to the Blackboard LMS E-Portfolio
Authors: McKenna Gary F. , Stansfield Mark
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this paper is to develop e-portfolio evaluation criteria which will be used to review the Blackboard LMS e-portfolio being used at one Higher Education (HE) institution in the UK as evaluation criteria for reviewing e-portfolio provision does not exist in the literature. The approach taken was to initiate a wide literature search which involved reviewing over 600 articles by their abstract dating from 1995 to 2010. The findings show that little has been written about the development of e-portfolio effective practice frameworks. Therefore e-learning effective practice frameworks were used as a basis from which to design and develop an e-portfolio evaluation framework and then apply it to the university case which uses a Blackboard e-portfolio to support Personal Development Plans. The research provides a starting-point for further research into the development of robust e-portfolio evaluation models and frameworks.
Learning Management Systems and Learning 2.0
Authors: Soumplis Alexandros , Koulocheri Eleni , Kostaras Nektarios , Karousos Nikos , Xenos Michalis
Published: January 2012

The unprecedented growth of Web 2.0 has affected learning and has made the growth of learning networks possible. Learning networks are shaped by communities to help their members acquire knowledge in specific areas and are the most notable feature of Learning 2.0, the new learning era that focuses on individual learning needs. The evolution of learning forces traditional Learning Management Systems (LMS) to incorporate more Web 2.0 features and slowly transform to Personal Learning Environments (PLEs). A Personal Learning Environment is a loosely structured collection of tools with strong social networking characteristics, which gives users the ability to create, maintain, and redistribute their own learning content. This paper is a field study of the most well-known and established LMSs and their support for specific features within several categories of tools of Web 2.0. The incorporation of Web 2.0 features within those LMSs differentiates them regarding their ability and potential to be used as PLEs.
Exploring the Influence of Affiliation Motivation in the Effectiveness of Web-Based Courses
Authors: Testa Maurício Gregianin , Luciano Edimara Mezzomo
Published: January 2012

Students are considered the central element of any learning process. This article examines one specific characteristic of students in Web-based courses: their affiliation motivation. The objective is to explore the influence of affiliation motivation on students in the effectiveness of Web-based courses. The authors conducted a case study of a Brazilian Web-based course. Six different data collection strategies were used: open and semi-structured interviews, direct observations, record and document analyses, and a structured survey. The results show the significant influence of three main constructs related to affiliation motivation (attention, positive stimulation, and emotional support) in four dimensions related to students: (1) their satisfaction, (2) their perceptions of course results and quality, (3) their perceptions of the effectiveness of Web-based courses compared with that of on-site courses, and (4) their perceptions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of Web-based courses.
Emotional Assistance in Thalassaemia: Pilot Implementation of a Standard Protocol
Authors: Veit M.T. , Macieira R.C. , Zendron M. , Pedrosa H. , Cantu S. , Teixeira A.P.
Published: January 2012

This study aims to describe the creation process of standard procedures to make possible multicentre studies related to emotional aspects of thalassaemic patients, their families and caregivers; and the pilot phase of the routine implementation. The objectives defined to perform this goal are: (i) develop routines to assess and manage/treat emotional issues; (ii) adjust the ABRASTA - Brazilian Association of Thalassaemia computer system to the input of collected data and its compilation; (iii) conduct a pilot implementation of the routines; (iv) discuss the whole process and propose next steps. Forty patients were assisted following the above mentioned routines of psychological evaluation, follow-up assistance and management of specific emotional issues. Conclusions are that the routines are adequate to enable multicenter research to compare findings and develop specific interventions to Thalassaemia patients, their families and caregivers; information gathered through them is an important means of supporting medical doctors and other members of the professional team, both in the therapeutic planning and in the communication process with patients and families; finally, considering the nature of the information, psychologists and psychiatrists are the most indicated professionals to perform the assessment and the interventions related to emotional issues, due to their professional background, training and specific skills that allow a free and candid communication with the patients and their families.
Coagulation and Thrombotic Risk in Thalassemia Intermedia
Authors: Taher A.T. , Musallam K.M.
Published: January 2012

As the life expectancy of β-thalassemia patients has markedly improved over the last few decades, several manifestations are increasingly recognized. The presence of a high incidence of thromboembolic events, mainly in thalassemia intermedia patients, has led to the identification of a hypercoagulable state in thalassemia. In this review, the current clinical experience attributed to the coagulopathy in thalassemia intermedia patients is summarized. Recommendations for thrombosis prophylaxis are also discussed.
From Bench to Bedside: Ways and Steps of Drug Discovery
Authors: Alkan Ş.Ş.
Published: January 2012

For the public two things are not easy to understand about drugs [...]
Storm-time longitudinally propagating asymmetric modes at low latitudes
Authors: Singh A. K. , Sinha A. K. , Rajaram R. , Pathan B. M.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. The westward flowing toroidal ring current at about 2–7 RE in the Earth's equatorial plane consists of symmetric and asymmetric parts. Zonal mean of H disturbances from longitudinally distributed low latitude stations represents the symmetric contribution, whereas departure from the zonal mean gives local time dependent asymmetric component at each of the stations. Through a standard analysis of closely spaced low latitude geomagnetic data we demonstrate 24 h periodicity in the asymmetric component of the storm-time ring current, which is related to the changing local time due to rotation of the Earth. Detailed examination of shorter period oscillations, when observed globally, often show westward propagating modes. Eastward propagating mode was also observed in one case. Based on satellite and radar observations covering a narrow longitude region, westward and eastward propagating modes had been reported in earlier studies. In this study, we report that similar propagating modes which are available on global scale, can be identified using ground-based magnetometer data. These globally propagating modes, observed from ground-based studies, find obvious practical application in diagnostics of the magnetosphere, especially the ring current region. Simultaneous use of satellite and ground-based data should establish the morphology of such modes.
Tropical Pacific spatial trend patterns in observed sea level: internal variability and/or anthropogenic signature?
Authors: Meyssignac B. , Salas y Melia D. , Becker M. , Llovel W. , Cazenave A.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. We investigate the spatio-temporal variability of sea level trend patterns observed by satellite altimetry since 1993, focusing on the Tropical Pacific. The objective of this study is two fold. On the basis of a 2-D past sea level reconstruction (over 1950–2009) – based on a combination of observations and ocean modelling – and multi-century control runs (i.e. with constant, preindustrial external forcing) from eight coupled climate models, we investigate how these sea level trend patterns evolved during the last decades and centuries, and what their characteristic time scales are. Using 20th century coupled climate model runs, we also examine whether observed trend patterns are driven by external forcing factors (i.e. solar plus volcanic variability and changes in anthropogenic forcing) or if they essentially result from natural climate variability. For this analysis, we computed sea level trend patterns over successive 17 yr windows (i.e. the length of the altimetry record) both for the reconstructed sea level and model runs. We compared them to altimetry-based observed trends. The 2-D sea level reconstruction shows similar spatial trend patterns to those observed during the altimetry era. The patterns appear to have fluctuated with time with a characteristic time scale of the order of 25–30 yr. Similar behaviour is found in multi-centennial control runs of the coupled climate models. The same analysis, performed on 20th century model runs does not display significant differences. This suggests that Tropical Pacific sea level trend fluctuations are still dominated by the internal natural variability of the ocean-atmosphere coupled system. While our analysis cannot rule out any influence of anthropogenic forcing, it concludes that the latter effects on the regional sea level patterns are still hardly detectable.
Engaging the students of today and preparing the catchment hydrologists of tomorrow: student-centered approaches in hydrology education
Authors: Ngambeki I. , Thompson S. E. , Troch P. A. , Sivapalan M. , Evangelou D.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. As hydrologists confront the future of water resources on a globalized, resource-scarce and human-impacted planet, the educational preparation of future generations of water scientists becomes increasingly important. Although hydrology inherits a tradition of teacher-centered direct instruction – based on lecture, reading and assignment formats – a growing body of knowledge derived from engineering education research suggests that modifications to these methods could firstly improve the quality of instruction from a student perspective, and secondly contribute to better professional preparation of hydrologists, in terms of their abilities to transfer knowledge to new contexts, to frame and solve novel problems, and to work collaboratively in uncertain environments. Here we review the theoretical background and empirical literature relating to adopting student-centered and inductive models of teaching and learning. Models of student-centered learning and their applications in engineering education are introduced by outlining the approaches used by several of the authors to introduce student-centered and inductive educational strategies into their university classrooms. Finally, the relative novelty of research on engineering instruction in general and hydrology in particular creates opportunities for new partnerships between education researchers and hydrologists to explore the discipline-specific needs of hydrology students and develop new approaches for instruction and professional preparation of hydrologists.
Controlled clinical trial comparing biaxial microincision with coaxial small incision for cataract surgery
Authors: Dick H. Burkhard
Published: January 2012

Purpose

Clinical outcomes of biaxial microincision versus coaxial small incision cataract surgery were compared in a prospective, controlled, paired-eye clinical study.

Methods

A total of 84 eyes of 42 patients underwent cataract surgery using the biaxial microincision (B-MICS) technique in either the right or left eye. The fellow eye was to undergo cataract surgery using the standard coaxial small incision (SICS) technique. All surgeries were performed using the Stellaris Vision Enhancement System and all eyes were implanted with an aspheric microincision intraocular lens (IOL). The 1.2-mm B-MICS incision was widened to 1.8 mm for IOL insertion. The main outcome measure was the change from baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Secondary outcome measures were uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), surgically induced astigmatism (SIA), manifest subjective refraction in spherical equivalent (MRSE), absolute phacoemulsification time (APT), effective phacoemulsification time (EPT), mean phacoemulsification power, and endothelial cell count (ECC). Follow-up was at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, and 2 months.

Results

The treatment groups did not differ in baseline characteristics. Improvement in BCVA over baseline logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) was statistically significantly greater with B-MICS than SICS at 1 day (B-MICS −0.1, SICS −0.05; 95% CI −0.26 to −0.05, p=0.005). Mean improvement in UCVA from baseline was greater with B-MICS at 1 day (B-MICS −0.33, SICS −0.12; 95% CI −0.35 to −0.10, p=0.001), 3 days (B-MICS −0.39, SICS −0.26; 95% CI −0.22 to −0.02, p=0.022), 1 week (B-MICS −0.44, SICS −0.33; 95% CI −0.20 to −0.009, p=0.033), and 2 months (B-MICS −0.47, SICS 0.38; 95% CI −0.19 to +0.002, p =0.054). At 2 months, SIA was significantly lower with B-MICS than SICS (B-MICS 0.70 D, SICS 0.89 D; 95% CI −0.39 to −0.1, p=0.045), as was endothelial cell loss (B-MICS −1.4%, SICS −7.8%; p=0.05). The EPT was lower with B-MICS (B-MICS 1.60 s, SICS 2.80 s; 95% CI −1.68 to −0.77, p<0.001) with no difference in mean phaco power.

Conclusions

Compared to the standard small incision technique, B-MICS showed earlier improvement in BCVA, better overall UCVA, less SIA, and less endothelial cell loss.
Labyrinths of Deceit
Authors: Walker Richard J.
Published: January 2012

Prominent citizens in nineteenth-century England believed themselves to be living in a time of unstoppable progress. Yet running just beneath Victorian triumphalism were strong undercurrents of chaos and uncertainty. Richard Walker plumbs the depths of those currents in order to present an alternative history of nineteenth-century society. Mining literary and philosophical works of the period, Walker explores the crisis of identity that beset nineteenth-century thinkers and how that crisis revealed itself in portrayals of addiction, split personalities, and religious mania. Victorian England will never look the same.
Poststructuralism and Postcoloniality
Authors: Hiddleston Jane
Published: January 2012

This book explores the relation between poststructuralist thought and postcoloniality, and identifies in that interaction the expression of a particular anxiety concerning the form of theoretical writing. Many so-called poststructuralist thinkers, such as Derrida, Cixous, Lyotard, Barthes, Kristeva and Spivak, have turned their attention at some point in their career towards questions either of postcolonialism, or of cultural domination and difference. For all these thinkers, however, a reflection on such questions has generated a sense of unease concerning the assumed neutrality of theoretical discourse, and the inevitable subjective or autobiographical investments of the writing self. The book argues that this anxiety betrays an unprecedented lucidity concerning the particular challenges of writing about ourselves and others at a time of postcolonial upheaval.
Representing Epilepsy
Authors: Stirling Jeannette
Published: January 2012

At least 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy. Representing Epilepsy, the latest volume in LUPs acclaimed Representations series, seeks to understand the epileptic body as a literary or figurative device intelligible beyond a medical framework. Jeannette Stirling argues that neurological discourse from the late-nineteenth century through to the mid-twentieth century is as much forged by the cultural conditions and representational politics of the times as it is by the science of western medicine. Along the way she explores narratives of epilepsy depicting ideas of social disorder, tainted bloodlines, sexual deviance, spiritualism and criminality in works as diverse as David Copperfield and The X Files. This path-breaking book will be required reading for cultural disability studies scholars and for anyone seeking greater understanding of this common condition. Representing Epilepsy offers a clever exploration of the cultural history of this condition, based on an effective interdisciplinary approach. It will be of particular interest to scholars and students in the field of Medical Humanities, as well as to all those involved in the care of people with epilepsy, who wish to improve their understanding of the socio-cultural repercussions of the condition. Maria Vaccarella, Kings College London
Race and Antiracism in Black British and British Asian Literature
Authors: Gunning Dave
Published: January 2012

Race and Antiracism in Black British and British Asian Literature offers the first extended exploration of the cultural impact of the politics of race and antiracism in Britain through focussing on a selection of recent novels by black British and British Asian writers. The study argues that an understanding of how race and ethnicity function in contemporary Britain can only be gained through attention to antiracism: the politics of opposing discrimination that manifest at the level of state legislation, within local and national activism, and inside the scholarly exploration of race. It is antiracism that now most strongly conditions the emergence of racial categorisations but also of racial identities and models of behaviour. This sense of how antiracism may determine the form and content of both political debate and individual identity is traced through an examination of ten novels by black British and British Asian writers. These authors range from the well known to the critically neglected: works by Monica Ali, Nadeem Aslam, Fred DAguiar, Ferdinand Dennis, Hanif Kureishi, Gautam Malkani, Caryl Phillips, Mike Phillips, Zadie Smith, and Meera Syal are carefully read to explore the impacts of antiracism. These literary studies are grouped into three main themes, each of which is central to the direction of racial political identities over the last two decades in Britain: the use of the continent of Africa as a symbolic focus for black political culture; the changing forms of Muslim culture in Britain; and the emergence of a multiculturalist ethos based around the notion of ethnic communities.
Postcolonial Asylum
Authors: Farrier David
Published: January 2012

Postcolonial Asylum is concerned with asylum as a key emerging postcolonial field. Through an engagement with asylum legislation, legal theory and ethics, David Farrier argues that the exclusionary culture of host nations casts asylum seekers as contemporary incarnations of the infrahuman object of colonial sovereignty. Postcolonial Asylum includes readings of the work of asylum seeker and postcolonial authors and filmmakers, including J.M. Coetzee, Caryl Phillips, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Leila Aboulela, Stephen Frears, Pawel Pawlikowski and Michael Winterbottom. These readings are framed by the work of postcolonial theorists (Homi Bhabha, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Paul Gilroy, Achille Mbembe), as well as other influential thinkers (Giorgio Agamben, Jacques Derrida, Jacques Rancière, Emmanuel Levinas, Étienne Balibar, Zygmunt Bauman), in order to institute what Spivak calls a step beyond postcolonial studies; one that carries with it the insights and limitations of the discipline as it looks to new ways for postcolonial studies to engage with the world.
Esterification
Authors: Iwasaki Takanori , Maegawa Yusuke , Ohshima Takashi , Mashima Kazushi
Published: January 2012

Esters are ubiquitous functional groups in natural and synthetic organic compounds, and thus esterification of alcohols, giving the corresponding acylated products, is one of the most fundamental and important reactions in organic synthesis. This review consciously summarizes valuable synthetic methods of esters.
Platinum‐Group Metals
Authors: Seymour Richard J. , O'Farrelly Julia
Published: January 2012

The platinum‐group metals (PMGs), ie, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium, and iridium, all have high melting points and exceptional corrosion resistance. Platinum, rhodium, and iridium are particularly stable to oxidation at high temperatures. These metals, especially platinum and palladium, show exceptional catalytic properties. In nature, platinum‐group metals frequently occur with nickel, copper, and iron sulfides. The principal producing region is South Africa. In the refining of these metals, solvent extraction technology is increasingly replacing conventional hydrometallurgical processes. Benefits include increased recovery, improved efficiency and significantly shortened process times. Resources and processes are discussed. The primary end use for palladium, platinum, and rhodium is for catalytic converters in the automotive industry. Other uses for PMGs are in the jewelry sector, electronics, petroleum refining, glassmaking, medical sector, automotive sensors, coatings of aircraft turbine blades and spark plugs. Platinum is purchased as small bars and coins.
Azides
Authors: Muller Thierry , Bräse Stefan
Published: January 2012

Inorganic and organic azides (RN
3
) likewise have fascinated scientists for over 150 years now. These versatile compounds have a very broad application spectrum due to their chemical reactivity, which is often orthogonal to a lot of chemical functionalities and thus is ideally suited to introduce chemical diversity in the presence of other reactive chemical functions without alternation of the latter. Besides, azides frequently allow for very mild reaction conditions tolerating a lot of other chemical functionalities as well as moisture and air. Thus, this has led to some general applications like the Staudinger ligation or the concept of Click chemistry which have found widespread use beyond the chemicals borders, eg, in biochemistry, polymer, and material sciences. Some azides are produced on industrial scale and are used, for example, in the automotive sector.

Although azides are multipurpose compounds in chemistry and beyond, their laboratory and especially their industrial production have always been limited by their acute toxicity and their explosive nature. A lot of inorganic and organic azides are indeed highly toxic and their more or less pronounced tendency to liberate nitrogen gas (N
2
) spontaneously upon shock, heating or electric discharge in an explosive fashion makes them relatively tricky to handle, especially on a large scale.

Regardless of the health and safety issues, azides have never been completely abandoned by the scientific community and have known several revivals during their 150 years old history. Whenever dealing with azides, one should however always bear in mind their potential toxicity and explosive tendency and handle them accordingly.
Stilbenes Synthesis and Applications
Authors: Likhtenshtein Gertz I.
Published: January 2012

Stilbenes and their derivatives, stilbenoids, form a multidisciplinary field that combines many important branches of chemistry, biology, and physics. The number of publications on stilbenes available on the Internet has reached approximately 32,000. Classical and modern synthetic organic chemistry (more than 6300 articles) provide a whole arsenal of stilbenes of different structures. The unique features of this class of compounds, including a combinatihon of fluorescence, phosphorescence, photochrome, photochemical, and photophysical properties, are paving the way for numerous fundamental research and practical applications. Specifically, (1) stilbenes are used as dyes, brighteners, whiteners of paper and textile, and photobleachers; (2) stilbenes and its combination with polymers and inorganic materials have been made as a basis for numerous optical and measuring instruments, devices, and apparatuses for dye lasers, organic solid lasers, and scintillators, phosphorus, neutron, and radiation detectors, electrophotographic photoconductor and image‐forming apparatus, and photochromic, light‐transmitting, dichroic, electroluminescent nonlinear optic, and organic–inorganic hybrid multichromophoric optical limiting materials; (3) stilbenoids are naturally present in plants and have been used as drugs and antitumor agents; and (4) stilbene derivatives have been used as molecular probes and labels for investigation of structure and dynamic properties of proteins and biomembranes. This article concisely covers the main aspects of stilbenes synthesis, chemical activity, and application.
Tribology
Authors: Takadoum Jamal
Published: January 2012

Derived from the Greek wordtribos, meaning friction, the wordtribologywas first used in 1966 in Great Britain to describe the scientific and technical domains focused on the study of friction, wear, and lubrication.

Tribology is now a wide‐ranging, multidisciplinary field of study and research aimed at:

reducing material wear and increasing the lifetime and reliability of mechanical and mechatronic systems; and

controlling (or optimizing) friction (note that in some cases, eg, vehicle brakes, we aim for maximum friction, whereas in others, eg, skiing and surfing, the aim is to minimize its effects).

Despite their apparent simplicity, the problems of tribology are in fact very complex. They involve the bulk properties of materials as well as their microscopic surface characteristics and their interaction with the surrounding environment.

This article introduces and describes tribology by the concepts of friction, wear, and lubrication.
Do People Comprehend Legal Language in Wills?
Authors: Greene Edith , Fogler Kethera , Gibson Sheri C.
Published: January 2012

This study assessed the ability of laypeople to understand a document that most have read and signed: a last will and testament. We focused on concepts that are frequently included in wills, examined whether understanding can be enhanced by psycholinguistic revisions, and assessed comprehension as a function of age. Participants ages 32 to 89 years read will‐related concepts in (i) their traditional format, (ii) a version revised to increase readability, or (iii) a version in which, in addition to those changes, we explained archaic and legal terms. Results showed that increasing the readability and explaining terms enhanced participants' abilities to apply will‐related concepts to novel fact patterns and to explain their reasoning. We found no age‐related effects on comprehension, consistent with well‐documented findings that processing at the situation level of text comprehension is preserved in older adults. We discuss the implications of these findings and suggest ideas for further research. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effects of Masculinity and Suspect Gender on Perceptions of Guilt
Authors: Ward Charlotte , Flowe Heather , Humphries Joyce
Published: January 2012

This study investigated whether perceptions of guilt for both male and female suspects co‐varied with masculine physical appearance. In addition, the study tested whether the relationship between masculine physical appearance and perceptions of guilt was dependent upon whether the crime is stereotypically male perpetrated. Participants read one of three crime scenarios (burglary, child abuse and neglect, fraud and forgery) and evaluated the likelihood that suspects of varying masculine appearance committed the crime in question. Masculine physical appearance significantly affected guilt ratings across all crime types for both male and female suspects. Additionally, guilt ratings for male compared with female suspects were higher for burglary, a crime that was viewed as stereotypically male perpetrated by research participants. The results are discussed in relation to applied implications and future research directions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Processing Differences between Feature‐Based Facial Composites and Photos of Real Faces
Authors: Carlson Curt A. , Gronlund Scott D. , Weatherford Dawn R. , Carlson Maria A.
Published: January 2012

Computer‐generated faces (composites) constructed by select2ing individual facial features (e.g. eyes, nose, mouth) are poorly recognized because this process contrasts with the natural holistic processing of real faces. This result suggests that there should be differences in the cognitive processing of these composites compared with photos of real faces, which would make these stimuli problematic for theories seeking to explain real face processing. We conducted five experiments to test potential conditions for moving composite processing closer to how real face photos are processed, first taking the perspective of researchers who construct composites with a random selection of available features and then taking a perspective closer to police by creating each composite to match a real face photo. Composites with randomly selected features (but configured like real faces) showed no face inversion effect and recognition memory for these composites benefited from increased encoding time, unlike real face photos. Although composites constructed to match real face photos yielded an inversion effect, they still were remembered differently than the photos. Researchers should not use feature‐based composites as proxies for real face photos. We conclude with a discussion of alternative methods of constructing composites. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sliding mode control theory‐based algorithm for online learning in type‐2 fuzzy neural networks: application to velocity control of an electro hydraulic servo system
Authors: Kayacan Erdal , Kaynak Okyay
Published: January 2012

In this paper, a novel sliding mode control theory‐based learning algorithm is proposed to train an interval type‐2 fuzzy neural network using type‐2 fuzzy triangular membership functions. The structure considered is a type‐2 Takagi–Sugeno–Kang fuzzy logic system in which the antecedents are type‐2 fuzzy sets, and consequents are crisp numbers (A2‐C0). In the proposed learning algorithm, instead of trying to minimize an error function as is generally performed, the weights of the fuzzy neural network are tuned by the proposed algorithm in a way that the error is enforced to satisfy a stable equation. The parameter update rules to achieve this are derived, and the convergence of the parameters is proved by the use of Lyapunov stability method. To illustrate the applicability and the efficacy of the proposed method, we tested it on the velocity control of an electro hydraulic servo system in the presence of flow nonlinearities and internal friction. The motivation behind testing the proposed learning algorithm on this system is that it contains several nonlinearities that limit the ability of conventional controllers in achieving a satisfactory performance. The simulation studies indicate that the type‐2 fuzzy neuro structure with the proposed learning algorithm results in a better performance than its type‐1 fuzzy counterpart. Moreover, the proposed learning algorithm is easy to implement because of its simple structure, which makes it less complicated than the other learning algorithms seen in literature. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microwave‐Enhanced Efficient Regioselective Synthesis of 1,3,4‐Trisubstituted 2‐Mercaptoimidazoles on a Soluble Support
Authors: Yellol Gorakh S. , Chou Cheng‐Ting , Chang Wang‐Jin , Maiti Barnali , Sun Chung‐Ming
Published: January 2012

A novel efficient synthetic method for regioselective synthesis of optically active 2‐mercaptoimidazoles with three points of structural diversity was investigated on a polyethylene glycol (PEG) support. The key synthetic steps involve (i) synthesis of thiourea derivatives of polymer‐supported amino acids with isothiocyanates and (ii) one‐pot regioselective condensation of PEG‐linked thiourea with α‐bromo ketones to furnish the 2‐mercaptoimidazole skeleton under microwave conditions. An excellent regioselectivity was observed during this one‐pot condensation reaction which was further supported by NOE studies. In addition to three sets of structural diversity, supplementary chirality at the α‐position of the 2‐mercaptoimidazole skeleton is the key feature of this synthesis. A representative set of 2‐mercaptoimidazoles was efficiently assembled on soluble support utilizing various L‐amino acids, isothiocyanates and α‐bromoaryl ketones with good yields.
Domino Carbopalladation‐Carbonylation: Investigation of Substrate Scope
Authors: Seashore‐Ludlow Brinton , Danielsson Jakob , Somfai Peter
Published: January 2012

This work gives an in depth account of our domino carbopalladation‐carbonylation method for substrates possessing β‐hydrogens. The scope of the method is examined for allylic amines containing trisubstituted olefins and we detail our attempts toward the diastereospecific synthesis of contiguous quaternary centers using this technology. The results give key insights into the relative rates of the competing reactions of the alkyl palladium intermediates, which is crucial for the understanding and development of new domino processes.
New Developments in Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis: Growth and High‐Impact Research for Green Organic Synthesis
Authors: Richmond Joe P.
Published: January 2012

Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis has continued on the upward curve in 2011 and passed several milestones along the way. The submissions exceeded 1000, the number of printed pages reached 3500, and the number of published articles passed the 400 mark. With 2010 impact factors of 5.25 (2‐year IF) and 5.36 (5‐year IF) ASC continued to be at the top for green synthesis. Submissions and published papers from Europe and from Asia continue to dominate. Over one quarter of the published papers now come from China and Hong Kong. The percentage of communications continued to grow and is now 54% of the published articles. The new Editorial and Advisory Boards have settled in and with them Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis will further change and develop over the next years. The goal of Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis continues to be to publish seminal research as chemists move toward greener synthesis: “new catalytic systems effecting perfect chemical reactions that give only the desired products, with 100% selectivity and 100% yield without unwanted wastes.”
Search for a gene responsible for Floating‐Harbor syndrome on chromosome 12q15q21.1
Authors: Lopez Estelle , Callier Patrick , Cormier‐Daire Valérie , Lacombe Didier , Moncla Anne , Bottani Armand , Lambert Sandy , Goldenberg Alice , Doray Bérénice , Odent Sylvie , Sanlaville Damien , Gueneau Lucie , Duplomb Laurence , Huet Frédéric , Aral Bernard , Thauvin‐Robinet Christel , Faivre Laurence
Published: January 2012

Floating‐Harbor syndrome (FHS) is characterized by characteristic facial dysmorphism, short stature with delayed bone age, and expressive language delay. To date, the gene(s) responsible for FHS is (are) unknown and the diagnosis is only made on the basis of the clinical phenotype. The majority of cases appeared to be sporadic but rare cases following autosomal dominant inheritance have been reported. We identified a 4.7 Mb de novo 12q15‐q21.1 microdeletion in a patient with FHS and intellectual deficiency. Pangenomic 244K array‐CGH performed in a series of 12 patients with FHS failed to identify overlapping deletions. We hypothesized that FHS is caused by haploinsufficiency of one of the 19 genes or predictions located in the deletion found in our index patient. Since none of them appeared to be good candidate gene by their function, a high‐throughput sequencing approach of the region of interest was used in eight FHS patients. No pathogenic mutation was found in these patients. This approach failed to identify the gene responsible for FHS, and this can be explained by at least four reasons: (i) our index patient could be a phenocopy of FHS; (ii) the disease may be clinically heterogeneous (since the diagnosis relies exclusively on clinical features), (iii) these could be genetic heterogeneity of the disease, (iv) the patient could carry a mutation in a gene located elsewhere. Recent descriptions of patients with 12q15‐q21.1 microdeletions argue in favor of the phenocopy hypothesis. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.