bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Bond Rating on Share Prices
Authors: Lal Jawahar , Mitra Mamta
Published: January 2012

Credit-rating agencies play a key role in financial markets by helping to reduce the informative asymmetry between lenders and borrowers regarding the creditworthiness of the latter. While the various bond-rating areas have been extensively evaluated for mature markets, similar evidence for emerging markets, such as India, is limited. In particular, the issues relating to know the efficiency of stock markets to assimilate bond-rating changes announcements made by rating agencies from time to time have been ignored. The present article constitutes an attempt in this direction to examine the effects of rating changes announcements on share prices in India. This article has examined the announcement effects of bond-rating changes on equity share prices in India during the six-year period, 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2008. Using a sample of ratings of 117 long-term debt instruments from 98 companies, the announcement effects have been examined by using event-study methodology. The empirical evidence indicates that the improved (deteriorated) financial and operating conditions of the companies were realized by the investment community before the ratings were changed by the bond-rating agency.
Management Approach and Conditions of Training
Authors: Punia B.K. , Saharan Teena
Published: January 2012

Training is an important strategic function in many organizations because it has an impact on employees’ knowledge, potential, efficiency and effectiveness. Training can offer added value, but a measured and inaccessible determination of training effectiveness is difficult because personnel performance depends not only on training delivery, but also on many other factors such as management perspective regarding training, supervision, procedures, training aids, pre-training briefings, management and employee expectations from training, and the hurdles that affect the training efficacy and motivation of the workforce regarding training. The present comparative study between service and manufacturing industries is to provide information on management purview about training and the hurdles these industries are facing in maximizing training effectiveness. Under this assertion, suggestions can be quoted for reinforcing and improving the overall training effectiveness by analyzing strengths and weaknesses of training programmes of both organizations.
Case of Two GMs at Wave Telecom Ltd
Authors: Vyas Kamlesh
Published: January 2012

The identification of managerial competencies followed by assessments and training based on the same has been an effective method of creating high performance culture within organizations. But, within this framework, if enough thought and contextual logic is not applied and appropriate methods not used, the entire exercise may just end up being a complex and jargon-filled fiasco with poor business outcomes. Also to be considered are trade-offs between simple concepts applied well vs detailed intellectualization that run the risk of inadequate implementation. Further, there exist some roots—Individual Core Competencies—from the combinations of which evolve a vast majority of all competencies. How could we apply these while modelling and profiling competencies? Lastly, what may be a better approach between considering a team member as a self-sufficient resource with his set of competencies vs focusing on the team as the unit which has a set of complimentary competencies? What could be the pitfalls, in general, in competency based assessments?
How Simulation/Gaming Transformed My Life
Authors: Ellington Henry
Published: January 2012

In this invited autobiography, the author describes the impact that educational gaming and simulation has had on his professional career. He begins by reviewing his early life and education in Aberdeen and his subsequent work as a research scientist, schoolteacher, and physics lecturer. He then shows how he changed disciplines from physics to educational technology in 1973, and almost immediately became heavily involved in the development and promotion of educational games and simulations. He describes the first three projects in which he and his colleagues were involved and shows how these led to a wide range of spin-off exercises, most of which were published and marketed by prestigious external bodies. He then describes the contributions that he and his team made to the general promotion of such exercises as educational and training tools and to the theory of game design. Next, he shows how his work as an educational developer diversified during the latter part of his career, covering such areas as academic staff development, distance learning, academic quality, and embedding the systems approach into curriculum development. He concludes by outlining the various things that he has done since he retired from full-time employment in 2001.
Motor anticipation failure in infants with autism: a retrospective analysis of feeding situations
Authors: Brisson Julie , Warreyn Petra , Serres Josette , Foussier Stephane , Adrien-Louis Jean
Published: January 2012

Previous studies on autism have shown a lack of motor anticipation in children and adults with autism. As part of a programme of research into early detection of autism, we focussed on an everyday situation: spoon-feeding. We hypothesize that an anticipation deficit may be found very early on by observing whether the baby opens his or her mouth in anticipation of the spoon’s approach. The study is based on a retrospective analysis from family home movies. Observation of infants later diagnosed with autism or an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (n = 13) and infants with typical development (n = 14) between 4 and 6 months old show that the autism/ASD group has an early anticipation deficit.
Creation and validation of a ligation-independent cloning (LIC) retroviral vector for stable gene transduction in mammalian cells
Authors: Patel Asmita , Muñoz Anisleidys , Halvorsen Katherine , Rai Priyamvada
Published: January 2012

Background

Cloning vectors capable of retroviral transduction have enabled stable gene overexpression in numerous mitotic cell lines. However, the relatively small number of feasible restriction enzyme sequences in their cloning sites can hinder successful generation of overexpression constructs if these sequences are also present in the target cDNA insert.

Results

Utilizing ligation-independent cloning (LIC) technology, we have modified the highly efficient retroviral transduction vector, pBABE, to eliminate reliance on restriction enzymes for cloning. Instead, the modified plasmid, pBLIC, utilizes random 12/13-base overhangs generated by T4 DNA polymerase 3' exonuclease activity. PCR-based introduction of the complementary sequence into any cDNA of interest enables universal cloning into pBLIC. Here we describe creation of the pBLIC plasmid, and demonstrate successful cloning and protein overexpression from three different cDNAs, Bax, catalase, and p53 through transduction into the human prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP or the human lung cancer line, H358.

Conclusions

Our results show that pBLIC vector retains the high transduction efficiency of the original pBABE while eliminating the requirement for checking individual cDNA inserts for internal restriction sites. Thus it comprises an effective retroviral cloning system for laboratory-scale stable gene overexpression or for high-throughput applications such as creation of retroviral cDNA libraries. To our knowledge, pBLIC is the first LIC vector for retroviral transduction-mediated stable gene expression in mammalian cells.
Isolated granulocytic sarcoma of the pancreas: A tricky diagnostic for primary pancreatic extramedullary acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Messager Mathieu , Amielh David , Chevallier Caroline , Mariette Christophe
Published: January 2012

We report two clinical cases of primary granulocytic sarcoma of the pancreas that were diagnosed on the surgical specimen. Atypical clinical and morphological presentations may have lead to pretherapeutic biopsies of the pancreatic mass in order to indicate primary chemotherapy. Literature review of this rare clinical presentation may help physicians to anticipate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Both common variations and rare non-synonymous substitutions and small insertion/deletions in CLU are associated with increased Alzheimer risk
Authors: Bettens Karolien , Brouwers Nathalie , Engelborghs Sebastiaan , Lambert Jean-Charles , Rogaeva Ekaterina , Vandenberghe Rik , Le Bastard Nathalie , Pasquier Florence , Vermeulen Steven , Van Dongen Jasper , Mattheijssens Maria , Peeters Karin , Mayeux Richard , St George-Hyslop Peter , Amouyel Philippe , De Deyn Peter P , Sleegers Kristel , Van Broeckhoven Christine
Published: January 2012

Background

We have followed-up on the recent genome-wide association (GWA) of the clusterin gene (CLU) with increased risk for Alzheimer disease (AD), by performing an unbiased resequencing of all CLU coding exons and regulatory regions in an extended Flanders-Belgian cohort of Caucasian AD patients and control individuals (n = 1930). Moreover, we have replicated genetic findings by targeted resequencing in independent Caucasian cohorts of French (n = 2182) and Canadian (n = 573) origin and by performing meta-analysis combining our data with previous genetic CLU screenings.

Results

In the Flanders-Belgian cohort, we identified significant clustering in exons 5-8 of rare genetic variations leading to non-synonymous substitutions and a 9-bp insertion/deletion affecting the CLU β-chain (p = 0.02). Replicating this observation by targeted resequencing of CLU exons 5-8 in 2 independent Caucasian cohorts of French and Canadian origin identified identical as well as novel non-synonymous substitutions and small insertion/deletions. A meta-analysis, combining the datasets of the 3 cohorts with published CLU sequencing data, confirmed that rare coding variations in the CLU β-chain were significantly enriched in AD patients (ORMH = 1.96 [95% CI = 1.18-3.25]; p = 0.009). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) association analysis indicated the common AD risk association (GWA SNP rs11136000, p = 0.013) in the 3 combined datasets could not be explained by the presence of the rare coding variations we identified. Further, high-density SNP mapping in the CLU locus mapped the common association signal to a more 5' CLU region.

Conclusions

We identified a new genetic risk association of AD with rare coding CLU variations that is independent of the 5' common association signal identified in the GWA studies. At this stage the role of these coding variations and their likely effect on the β-chain domain and CLU protein functioning remains unclear and requires further studies.
TGFBI promoter hypermethylation correlating with paclitaxel chemoresistance in ovarian cancer
Authors: Wang Ning , Zhang Hui , Yao Qin , Wang Yankui , Dai Shuzhen , Yang Xingsheng
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this study is to determine the methylation status of Transforming growth factor-beta-inducible gene-h3 (TGFBI) and its correlation with paclitaxel chemoresistance in ovarian cancer. The methylation status of TGFBI was examined in ovarian cancer and control groups by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP). The TGFBI expression and cell viability were compared by Quantitative Real-Time PCR, Western Blotting and MTT assay before and after demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dc) treatment in 6 cell lines (SKOV3, SKOV3/TR, SKOV3/DDP, A2780, 2780/TR, OVCAR8). In our results, TGFBI methylation was detected in 29/40 (72.5%) of ovarian cancer and 1/10 (10%) of benign ovarian tumors. No methylation was detected in normal ovarian tissues (P < 0.001). No statistical correlation between RUNX3 methylation and clinicopathological characteristics was observed. A significant correlation between TGFBI methylation and loss of TGFBI mRNA expression was found (P < 0.001). The methylation level of TGFBI was significantly higher in paclitaxel resistant cell lines (SKOV3/TR and 2780/TR) than that in the sensitive pairs (P < 0.001). After 5-aza-dc treatment, the relative expression of TGFBI mRNA and protein increased significantly in SKOV3/TR and A2780/TR cells. However, no statistical differences of relative TGFBI mRNA expression and protein were found in other cells (all P > 0.05), which showed that re-expression of TGFBI could reverse paclitaxel chemoresistance. Our results show that TGFBI is frequently methylated and associated with paclitaxel-resistance in ovarian cancer. TGFBI might be a potential therapeutic target for the enhancement of responses to chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients.
Ethyl pyruvate reduces liver injury at early phase but impairs regeneration at late phase in acetaminophen overdose
Authors: Yang Runkuan , Zou Xiaoping , Koskinen Marja-Leena , Tenhunen Jyrki
Published: January 2012

Introduction

Inflammation may critically affect mechanisms of liver injury in acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity. Kupffer cells (KC) play important roles in inflammation, and KC depletion confers protection at early time points after APAP treatment but can lead to more severe injury at a later time point. It is possible that some inflammatory factors might contribute to liver damage at an early injurious phase but facilitate liver regeneration at a late time point. Therefore, we tested this hypothesis by using ethyl pyruvate (EP), an anti-inflammatory agent, to treat APAP overdose for 24-48 hours.

Methods

C57BL/6 male mice were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of APAP (350 mg/kg dissolved in 1 mL sterile saline). Following 2 hours of APAP challenge, the mice were given 0.5 mL EP (40 mg/kg) or saline treatment every 8 hours for a total of 24 or 48 hours.

Results

Twenty-four hours after APAP challenge, compared to the saline-treated group, EP treatment significantly lowered serum transaminases (ALT/AST) and reduced liver injury seen in histopathology; however, at the 48-hour time point, compared to the saline therapy, EP therapy impaired hepatocyte regeneration and increased serum AST; this late detrimental effect was associated with reduced serum TNF-α concentration and decreased expression of cell cycle protein cyclin D1, two important factors in liver regeneration.

Conclusions

Inflammation likely contributes to liver damage at an early injurious phase but improves hepatocyte regeneration at a late time point, and prolonged anti-inflammation therapy at a late phase is not beneficial.
Oxygen-Generating Gel Systems Induced by Visible Light and Application to Artificial Photosynthesis
Authors: Okeyoshi Kosuke , Yoshida Ryo
Published: January 2012

Toward complete artificial photosynthesis systems to generate hydrogen and oxygen using visible light and water, we firstly design and fabricate oxygen-generating gel systems using the electrostatic interactions of ionic functional groups and steric effects of a polymer network. By using a graft polymer chain with Ru(bpy)32+ units as sensitizers to closely arrange RuO2 nanoparticles as catalyst, the functional groups transmit multiple electrons cooperatively to generate oxygen. In this study, a novel strategy is shown to design a hierarchical network structure using colloidal nanoparticles and macromonomers.
Occlusal Concepts Application in Resolving Implant Prosthetic Failure: Case Report
Authors: Jamcoski Vanessa Helena , Faot Fernanda , de Mattias Sartori Ivete Aparecida , Vieira Rogéria Acedo , Tiossi Rodrigo
Published: January 2012

The prosthetic management of a poor implant treatment is presented in this case report. The recommended occlusion concepts for implant-supported prostheses were applied for the resolution of the case. The rehabilitation of the posterior segments provided a mutually protected occlusion with adequate distribution of the axial and lateral bite forces with stable posterior occlusion. The clinical exam indicated the need for modification in the vertical dimension of occlusion. Sufficient interocclusal rest space was present to test the alteration in the vertical dimension. The aim was to achieve an occlusion scheme that followed four specific criteria: (1) centric contacts and centric relation of the jaw-to-jaw position; (2) anterior guidance only; (3) shallow anterior angle of tooth contact; and (4) vertical dimension of occlusion with acceptable tooth form and guidance. The success of an oral rehabilitation relies in following the aforementioned criteria, appropriate interaction between the dental laboratory technician and the clinician, careful elaboration of the provisional rehabilitation with all the desired details to be reproduced in the final prosthetic restoration and sufficient follow-up time of the provisional prostheses before placing the final restoration.
Caries Experience in a Sample of Adolescents and Young Adults with Cleft Lip and Palate in Brazil
Authors: Freitas Amanda Beatriz Dahdah Aniceto , De Barros Letízia Monteiro , Fiorini João Evangelista , Boriollo Marcelo Fabiano Gomes , Moreira Allyson Nogueira , Magalhães Claudia Silami
Published: January 2012

Objective

To compare the caries experience of adolescents and young adults with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) with a noncleft control group.

Design

Thirty CL/P subjects and 30 controls were clinically examined to obtain the decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) and the decayed, missing and filled surfaces (DMFS) indices, gingival bleeding index, plaque index, and active caries lesions. Data concerning oral hygiene, access to fluoridated water, mother's education level, and family income were also collected.

Setting

Pro-Smile Center, a reference center for the treatment of facial deformities, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Subjects

Subjects aged 12 to 21 years with CL/P and without associated syndromes were matched to noncleft controls by sex, age, living habits, and use of orthodontic devices.

Null Hypothesis Formulated Prior to Data Collection

Caries experience in CL/P adolescents and young adults is similar to that observed in noncleft controls.

Statistical Analysis

Data were analyzed using SPSS 17.0 software for Windows Data Editor. The CL/P and control groups were compared using the McNemar test, paired t test and Wilcoxon test. A significance level of 5% was adopted for all tests.

Results

There were no significant differences between the groups for oral hygiene and contact with fluoride. Significant differences were found in per capita income, presence of active caries, decayed surfaces, plaque index, and gingival bleeding.

Conclusions

The caries experience of CL/P subjects was higher than that of the noncleft individuals.
Perceived Auditor Independence and Audit Litigation: The Role of Nonaudit Services Fees
Authors: Schmidt Jaime J.
Published: January 2012

This study investigates whether audit litigants act as if they believe jurors will associate auditor-provided nonaudit services (NAS) with impaired auditor independence, and thus substandard auditor performance. Using GAAP-based financial statement restatements disclosed from 2001–2007 as an indicator for audit failure, I find that the amount of NAS fees and the ratio of NAS fees to total fees is positively associated with the likelihood that a restatement results in audit litigation. I also find that when plaintiff attorneys argue that auditor independence was impaired due to dependence on client fees and, in particular, NAS fees, restatement-related audit litigation is more likely to result in an auditor settlement and a larger amount of settlement. These results suggest that audit litigants act as if they believe NAS fees will strengthen the case against the auditor, and thus affect the court resolution if the lawsuit is taken to verdict.

Data Availability: All data are publicly available from sources identified in the study.
The Effect of Taxes on Conventional Preferred Stock: Evidence from the 2003 JGTRRA Dividend Tax Reduction
Authors: Dunbar Amy , Veliotis Stanley
Published: January 2012

This study examines the extent to which investor-level taxes affect the pricing and pre-tax returns of securities. Specifically, we investigate whether the pre-tax yield on outstanding conventional preferred stock (CPS) decreased after the 2003 Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (JGTRRA) reduced the individual's tax rate on dividends. Our research design for detecting tax effects is strong for two reasons: (1) JGTRRA provides a quasi-experimental setting that permits a pre/post design, and (2) we use trust preferred stock (TPS) issued by the same firm as the tax-disfavored benchmark asset, which permits a matched-pair design that controls for risk. Additional tests including CPS issues without TPS counterparts confirm the effect of JGTRRA on CPS issues. The results indicate that investors reacted to the new tax-favored status of CPS by bidding up its price, which lowered its yield.

Data Availability:  All data are available from public sources identified in the paper.
An Investigation of the Impact of Preparer Penalty Provisions on Tax Preparer Aggressiveness
Authors: Hansen Victoria J. , White Richard A.
Published: January 2012

The Small Business Work Opportunity Act of 2007 enacted significant changes in tax return preparer penalties. This study uses an experiment to examine the effectiveness of the revised preparer penalty provisions at reducing tax preparer aggressiveness. Specifically, we examine the impact of two significant components of the changes to the preparer penalty provisions—penalty amount and reporting standard required to avoid penalty imposition—on tax preparers' recommendation and signing decisions involving an aggressive tax position. We find that the increase in penalty amount has no effect on tax preparers' recommendation decisions, but does affect their signing decisions. A higher reporting standard significantly reduces both tax preparers' willingness to recommend an aggressive position and to sign a tax return containing an aggressive position.

Data Availability: Data used in this study are available from the first author upon request.
Lehman on the Brink of Bankruptcy: A Case about Aggressive Application of Accounting Standards
Authors: Caplan Dennis H. , Dutta Saurav K. , Marcinko David J.
Published: January 2012

In September 2008, Lehman became the largest company in U.S. history to file for bankruptcy. Nine months earlier, Lehman had reported record revenue and earnings for 2007, and had started the year with a market capitalization of over $30 billion. Lehman's precipitous fall has been attributed to a high-risk business strategy and to aggressive interpretation of accounting rules. Lehman was both a victim of—and an important contributor to—the worst U.S. economic recession since the Great Depression, and the firm's accounting choices warrant scrutiny.

This case is structured around collateralized short-term borrowings, commonly used by financial institutions, called repurchase agreements. Lehman modified the terms of the standard agreement and used an aggressive interpretation of SFAS No. 140 to account for these modified agreements as a sale of the collateral. These transactions, called Repo 105s, affected the firm's reported financial position. The case requires students to evaluate those effects, interpret financial ratios, critically read authoritative accounting literature, and consider important questions about auditors' responsibilities. Key issues include the relative merits of principles-based versus rules-based accounting standards, corporate governance, ethics, materiality, and whistleblowing.
The Determinants and Consequences of Heterogeneous IFRS Compliance Levels Following Mandatory IFRS Adoption: Evidence from a Developing Country
Authors: Bova Francesco , Pereira Raynolde
Published: January 2012

The adoption of international accounting standards, namely the IFRS, at the country level has sparked two contrasting, but not mutually exclusive, viewpoints. One view is that IFRS engenders better reporting standards, and uniform adoption allows for greater comparability. The upshot is that IFRS adoption will improve a firm's information environment and hence contribute toward a lower cost of capital. The alternative view is that disclosure quality is shaped by political and economic forces, and hence higher-quality accounting standards will not necessarily translate into higher-quality reporting. We empirically evaluate these arguments on IFRS adoption using both private and public-traded firm observations from Kenya, a developing country with relatively open capital markets but limited enforcement resources. Our analysis takes advantage of a unique dataset involving firm-specific measurements of IFRS compliance. We find that while both private and public firms are required to adhere to IFRS, public, rather than private firms, exhibit greater IFRS compliance. Highlighting the influence of capital market openness, we find that foreign ownership is positively and significantly correlated with IFRS compliance. Probing the underlying causal relationship, additional analysis suggests that greater foreign ownership leads to greater IFRS compliance. Examining the effects of IFRS compliance, higher compliance is positively associated with share turnover. Overall, our evidence illustrates both the importance of economic incentives in shaping IFRS compliance and the capital market benefits to being compliant with IFRS in a low enforcement country.

JEL Classifications: M41; M44; M47; G15; G38.
Visualization of Geographical Information System and Automatic Vehicle Location Data to Explore Transit Performance
Authors: Currie Graham , Mesbah Mahmoud
Published: January 2012

This paper describes a new methodology to explore the operational performance of on-road transit on a network-level basis. The approach mines stop-level automatic vehicle location (AVL) data and uses new visualization methodologies in geographical information systems (GIS) to explore spatial and temporal patterns of changes in operational performance. The focus is a large historical AVL data set for the tram (streetcar) network of Melbourne, Australia. A major aim is to illustrate how a spatial perspective on networks can improve understanding of transit operational performance. AVL records for 24,451 tram vehicle trips in March 2001 and 26,155 trips in March 2004 were analyzed for 175 tram stops. Arrival travel times and differences between scheduled and actual arrival times were computed for each stop. The Arcview GIS system and spatial surface interpretation with the inverse distance weighted methodology were used to explore spatial variations in the data. Five analyses explored network variations in operational performance: (a) an analysis of tram travel time to Melbourne's central business district, (b) a reliability analysis exploring variations between actual versus scheduled travel time for 2001, (c) an examination of 2001 tram travel time variation with the use of the coefficient of variation, (d) an analysis of changes in tram travel times between 2001 and 2004, and (e) a trend analysis of changes in tram reliability from 2001 to 2004 with the use of the coefficient of variation. Overall the analysis demonstrated that a networkwide and spatial perspective in exploring the operational performance of large transit systems was a new, original, and worthwhile approach to identify transit issues for further investigation.
Hate to Wait
Authors: Yoh Allison , Iseki Hiroyuki , Smart Michael , Taylor Brian D.
Published: January 2012

A large and growing body of research suggests that transit users hate to wait. Given broad policy goals to increase public transit use in U.S. cities, this research sheds light on cost-effective ways to increase transit use by decreasing the perceived burdens of waiting at stops and stations. The goal of this study was to determine (a) the relative importance of stop and station amenities and attributes and (b) how the importance of these amenities and attributes varies with wait time. For this goal to be accomplished and for the duration of wait time when amenities become important to be determined a transit user survey that asked more than 2,000 travelers to rate both the importance of amenities at their stops or stations and their wait times was analyzed. Regardless of wait time, safety and on-time performance were paramount to riders; these also ranked highest relative to all other station and stop amenities examined. Lighting, cleanliness, information, shelter, and the presence of guards were less important to travelers when waits were short, but were more important with longer wait times. Thus, improving service frequency and reliability reduces the need for amenities at stations. This end suggests that when transit managers have a choice and when riders feel safe and secure managers should favor service improvements over station and stop amenities. Finally, some amenities become more important with long wait times, such as restrooms and food and drink facilities. Although provision of basic needs amenities is intuitive, restrooms and food and drink sales are most likely present at high-passenger-volume, high-service-frequency stops and stations, where they are valued least by travelers.
Development and Application of Rail Transit Capacity Models in Taiwan
Authors: Jong Jyh-Cherng , Lai Yung-Cheng (Rex) , Huang Sheng-Hsuan , Chiang Pei-Chun (Sofi)
Published: January 2012

Rail transit systems are often the backbone of the transportation system in major cities; hence, the quality of the systems usually has a substantial impact on overall transportation efficiency. The assessment of the level of service and rail capacity plays an important role in monitoring the performance of an existing system and determining whether to undertake new resource planning projects. In this study the general concepts in the TCRP Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual were adopted, followed by the development of a set of comprehensive capacity models with consideration of modern signaling systems and a complete set of possible movements at critical track layouts. These models were implemented and validated by rail transit operators in Taiwan according to the operational data and practices. The proposed capacity models can help rail transit operators with similar operational environments to monitor their systems’ performance and identify critical bottlenecks.
Scheduling of Feeder Vehicles for Intermodal Services for Special Events
Authors: Teng Jing , Chen Yu-Yi , Zhao Ming , Yang Xiao-Guang , Shen Bo
Published: January 2012

During special events, shuttle services provided by a feeder bus system can be very useful for providing passengers access to the mass rapid transit system, especially passengers in suburban areas where regular transit service is not usually available. During Expo 2010 Shanghai in China, such shuttle services connected the major terminals and the expected locations of passenger generation. Because of constrained vehicle resources and the staggered characteristics of peak hours, the free time spans of regular vehicles were used to complete the fixed feeder timetables. An integer-linear programming model was developed to obtain the optimal schedules of the feeder vehicles, and an associated coordination mechanism was proposed to adjust the model-developed schedules to obtain feasible solutions. This model was applied to the feeder system in Jiading district during Expo 2010 Shanghai. The results showed that the temporary feeder system could serve Expo passengers with a relatively high level of service without causing evident degradation in the regular bus service.
Sampling of Redistribution of Empty Vehicles for Personal Rapid Transit
Authors: Lees-Miller John D. , Wilson R. Eddie
Published: January 2012

A personal rapid transit (PRT) system uses compact, computer-guided vehicles running on dedicated guideways to carry individuals or small groups directly between pairs of stations. PRT vehicles operate on demand when a passenger requests service at his or her origin station. Because the number of trips requested from a station need not equal the number of trips ending there, some empty vehicles must move to balance the flows. The empty vehicle redistribution (EVR) problem prompts the decision to move empty vehicles reactively in response to known requests or proactively in anticipation of requests. This paper develops a new algorithm for the EVR problem called “sampling and voting” (SV). SV results in the choice of reactive movements with the use of a simple nearest-neighbor rule; the selection of proactive movements is derived by the generation of an ensemble of possible sequences of future passenger requests, the solution of a deterministic optimization problem for each sequence individually, and the discovery of the empty vehicle movements that are common among the sequences. Moving vehicles proactively is essential for providing short passenger waiting times. The new SV algorithm was tested in simulation with several case study systems, and it produced significantly shorter passenger waiting times than did existing EVR algorithms. Variants of the SV method developed here for PRT are also applicable to conventional taxi systems and emergency response systems.
Relocating Children in Daytime No-Notice Evacuations
Authors: Liu Sirui , Murray-Tuite Pamela , Schweitzer Lisa
Published: January 2012

Under no-notice conditions in which family members are collecting dependents, the geographic location and the characteristics (e.g., the number of entrances and exits) of the pickup points become factors crucial to efficient evacuation. This paper presents a linear integer mathematical program for facilities to relocate dependents who need to be picked up in an optimal manner. The program is iterated with a traffic simulation model to obtain an optimal set of locations to which dependents are relocated, on the basis of anticipated travel times. The entire methodology is applied to a sample network based on the Chicago Heights, Illinois, network with three safety time thresholds. The results indicated that the safe evacuation time threshold is important to the relocation strategy. When the safe evacuation time threshold is adequate, the relocation of dependents increases the number of successful evacuees and increases the average travel speed of the network; it also significantly benefits those who rely on public transit to evacuate because new sites are closer to bus stops and walking times to those stops are reduced. Application of the proposed methodology can assist local decision makers with taking effective measures during no-notice evacuations, and the relocation sites could be part of local evacuation management plans.
Intersection Origin–Destination Flow Optimization Problem for Evacuation Network Design
Authors: Xie Chi , Waller S. Travis , Kockelman Kara M.
Published: January 2012

In a lane-based evacuation network design problem that incorporates lane reversal and crossing elimination strategies, the network can be virtually decomposed to a number of roadway subnetworks and intersection subnetworks. Lane reversal and crossing elimination are implemented on roadway subnetworks and intersection subnetworks, respectively. Although this network decomposition mechanism naturally offers an appealing algorithmic approach for network solutions by relaxing the crossing elimination constraints, one needs to consider—from the solution feasibility perspective—the mutual connectivity requirements imposed by the two capacity–reallocation and connectivity–reallocation network settings simultaneously. This paper considers an intersection origin–destination flow distribution problem arising from the evacuation network design and outputs whether the crossing elimination constraints are satisfied or violated given a lane reversal solution. The main contribution of this work is to provide a condition of network flows sufficient for the existence and validity of the problem and develop an efficient simplex-based method to obtain solutions to the problem. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the method's effectiveness and efficiency.
Internal Dynamics of Dendritic Molecules Probed by Pyrene Excimer Formation
Authors: Duhamel Jean
Published: January 2012

This review exposes the current poor understanding of the internal segmental chain dynamics of dendrimers in solution probed by monitoring the process of excimer formation between pyrene labels covalently attached to the chain ends of dendrimers. The review begins by covering the bases of fluorescence and the kinetics of pyrene excimer formation before describing a procedure based on the Model Free (MF) analysis that is used to analyze quantitatively the fluorescence decays acquired for dendrimers, the ends of which have been fully and covalently labeled with pyrene. Comparison of the various trends obtained by different research groups describing the efficiency of pyrene excimer formation with the generation number of dendrimers illustrates the lack of consensus between the few studies devoted to the topic. One possible reason for this disagreement might reside in the presence of minute amounts of unattached pyrene labels which act as potent fluorescent impurities and affect the analysis of the fluorescence spectra and decays in an uncontrolled manner. The review points out that the MF analysis of the fluorescence decays acquired with pyrene-labeled dendrimers enables one to account for the presence of unattached pyrene and to retrieve information about the internal segmental dynamics of the dendrimer. It provides guidelines that should enable future studies on pyrene-labeled dendrimers to yield results that are more straightforward to interpret.
Vingt ans de solidarité entre les entités fédérées (1989-2009)
Authors: Pagano Giuseppe , Vandernoot Julien , Tyrant Thomas
Published: January 2012

La solidarité prévue par la loi de financement en 1989 a un impact budgétaire de plus de deux milliards d’euros par an. Au moment où un accord a été conclu sur la révision de cette loi, il est opportun de faire le point sur la solidarité mise en place depuis 20 ans : son ampleur, son évolution et ses effets pervers. En ce qui concerne les régions, l’intervention de solidarité nationale a engendré jusqu’en 2002 une situation paradoxale dans laquelle la région la plus riche disposait, après solidarité, de recettes par habitant moins élevées que la région la moins riche. Depuis 2003 subsiste un piège à la pauvreté budgétaire : si les régions wallonne et bruxelloise accroissent leur contribution à l’IPP, leur financement diminue. La volonté d’abolir cet effet pervers est un des motifs de la réforme du système actée par l’accord du 11 octobre 2011. Du côté des communautés, la répartition de la masse TVA selon le nombre d’élèves constitue une forme de solidarité au bénéfice de la Communauté française. Mais d’autres éléments jouent en faveur de la Communauté flamande et tempèrent la solidarité au bénéfice des francophones. Ainsi, l’attribution à la Communauté flamande du coefficient démographique francophone, nettement plus favorable que le coefficient flamand, augmente artificiellement ses recettes. Quant au refinancement prévu en 2001, il comportait, lui aussi, une part importante de solidarité au profit de la Communauté française, mais qui s’inversera à partir de 2012 au profit de la Communauté flamande. Au final, les avantages de la Communauté française et de la Communauté flamande ne s’équilibrent cependant pas, et on peut chiffrer à quelque 905 millions d’euros la solidarité nette dont la Communauté française a bénéficié en 2010.
« N'abîmons pas la France ! »
Authors: Delporte Christian
Published: January 2012

Résumé La question environnementale surgit à la télévision avec l’émotion que suscite la catastrophe du Torrey Canyon (1967) et s’y installe avec l’émission qui lui est dédiée, « La France défigurée » (1971-1978). Selon cette émission, fidèle à la politique gouvernementale, la préservation de l’environnement rejoint d’abord la défense du paysage français, maltraité par les urbanistes et pollueurs de tout poil. Si elle refuse de globaliser la question environnementale, si sa vision rassurante se démarque de l’alarmisme des écologistes, « La France défigurée » a le mérite de familiariser les téléspectateurs avec le thème de la protection de la nature. Imposant son regard et ses thématiques, elle contribue alors à marginaliser le discours et l’action des écologistes, même après la candidature Dumont à l’élection présidentielle (1974). Nourrissant l’idée selon laquelle l’environnement est l’affaire de tous, la télévision des années 1970 nie le bien-fondé de l’écologie politique et l’utilité même d’un mouvement écologiste.
L'affaire de la Vanoise et son analyste
Authors: Charvolin Florian
Published: January 2012

Résumé L’« affaire de la Vanoise », comme on l’appelle traditionnellement dans les témoignages oraux et dans l’historiographie de la protection de la nature des années 1960, est à la fois un enjeu mémoriel pour les écologistes et une archive pour l’historien, après avoir été un champ de lutte constitutif d’une des premières confrontations contemporaines d’envergure entre le public et les aménageurs en France. Elle met en scène, à propos du parc national de la Vanoise, les premières tentatives de dérogation à la loi sur les parcs nationaux, les intérêts de promoteurs privés de stations touristiques, la politique locale des collectivités territoriales et la fédération des protecteurs de la nature dans un réseau. L’article étudie cette émergence d’une « forme » historique particulière, en s’inspirant de la sociologie des problèmes publics, et de celle des contenus scientifiques.
De la plainte légale à la subversion environnementale
Authors: Corral Broto Pablo
Published: January 2012

Résumé Dans l’Espagne franquiste, la politique hydraulique du modèle productiviste n’obtint pas un consensus total. Cet article, portant sur une approche régionale, afin de considérer les différentes échelles du conflit et d’assurer l’exploitation d’un maximum de sources, analyse comment le caractère conflictuel de l’environnement a contribué à un changement politique, par quelles stratégies collectives il a été produit et comment elles l’ont justifié. L’action collective et son discours vis-à-vis de la pollution industrielle et des grands travaux hydrauliques ont progressivement mis en évidence l’incapacité de cette dictature à mener une gestion équitable de la ressource en eau. L’étude historique nous permet de comprendre la transformation de l’action environnementale institutionnelle en action politique d’une plus grande envergure sociale, horizontale et démocratique, à partir d’une interrogation des sources par le biais des conceptions politiques modernes de publicité des débats, d’égalité et de citoyenneté.
Écologie et politique dans les années 1970
Authors: Vrignon Alexis
Published: January 2012

Résumé Fondés en 1970, les Amis de la Terre-France sont l’un des principaux acteurs de l’écologie politique dans les années 1970. Participation aux élections et contestation antinucléaire sont deux facettes d’une même réflexion sur le rôle des citoyens et de la société civile dans la résolution des problèmes environnementaux. Si les Amis de la Terre remettent en cause la définition de l’environnement promue par les pouvoirs publics, ils peinent à mettre en place une organisation capable de mener à bien leur projet. Les groupes locaux se concertent difficilement, cependant qu’aucune procédure ne permet un contrôle efficace des animateurs nationaux, situation qui alimente suspicion et tensions. Au début des années 1980, l’association adopte des statuts plus habituels et une définition de l’environnement analogue à celle des pouvoirs publics ; ces décisions marquent la fin des ambitions des années 68 pour une organisation qui devient alors une ONG environnementale.
Th2 Skewing by Activation of Nrf2 in CD4+ T Cells
Authors: Rockwell Cheryl E. , Zhang Mingcai , Fields Patrick E. , Klaassen Curtis D.
Published: January 2012

NF erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that mediates the upregulation of a battery of cytoprotective genes in response to cell stress. Recent studies showed that Nrf2 also modulates immune responses and exhibits anti-inflammatory activity. In this article, we demonstrate that a common food preservative, tert-butylhydroquinone, can activate Nrf2 in T cells, as evidenced by Nrf2 binding to the antioxidant response element and the subsequent upregulation of Nrf2 target genes. The activation of Nrf2 suppresses IFN-γ production, while inducing the production of the Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Nrf2 activation also suppresses T-bet DNA binding and promotes GATA-binding protein 3 DNA binding. Collectively, the present studies suggested that Nrf2 activation skews CD4+ T cells toward Th2 differentiation and, thus, represents a novel regulatory mechanism in CD4+ T cells. Further studies are needed to determine whether the commercial use of Nrf2 activators as food preservatives promotes food allergies in humans.
Role of Mast Cells and Basophils in IgE Responses and in Allergic Airway Hyperresponsiveness
Authors: Sawaguchi Minoru , Tanaka Shinya , Nakatani Yuriko , Harada Yasuyo , Mukai Kaori , Matsunaga Yuko , Ishiwata Kenji , Oboki Keisuke , Kambayashi Taku , Watanabe Naohiro , Karasuyama Hajime , Nakae Susumu , Inoue Hiromasa , Kubo Masato
Published: January 2012

We established a diphtheria toxin (DT)-based conditional deletion system using Il4 enhancer elements previously shown to be specific for IL-4 production in mast cells (MCs) or basophils (Mas-TRECK and Bas-TRECK mice). DT treatment of Bas-TRECK mice resulted in specific deletion of basophils, whereas both MCs and basophils were deleted in Mas-TRECK mice. DT-treated Mas-TRECK mice had impaired passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, IgE-mediated passive systemic anaphylaxis, and IgE-mediated chronic allergic inflammation, whereas DT-treated Bas-TRECK mice had impaired IgE-mediated chronic allergic inflammation. Using these mice, we also sought to tease out the role of MCs and basophils in airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Although MC deletion resulted in a slight increase in basal Ag-specific IgE levels and significant increases in basal IgE levels, we found that this deletion markedly impaired the AHR effector phase and was accompanied by decreased histamine levels. By contrast, basophil deletion had no effect on the AHR effector phase or on IgE production induced by systemic OVA immunization. Our results, using these newly established Mas-TRECK and Bas-TRECK models, demonstrated an indispensable role for MCs as effector cells in AHR.
Human γδ T Lymphocytes Are Licensed for Professional Antigen Presentation by Interaction with Opsonized Target Cells
Authors: Himoudi Nourredine , Morgenstern Daniel A. , Yan Mengyong , Vernay Bertrand , Saraiva Luisa , Wu Yin , Cohen Cyrille J. , Gustafsson Kenth , Anderson John
Published: January 2012

Activated human blood γδ T cells have also been previously demonstrated to behave as professional APCs, although the processes that control APC function have not been characterized. n this study, we show that the acquisition of potent APC function by human blood γδ T cells is achieved after physical interaction with an Ab-coated target cell, a process that we refer to as licensing. In cancer models, licensing of γδ T cells by tumor-reactive mAbs promotes the uptake of tumor Ags and professional presentation to tumor-reactive αβ T cells. We propose that licensing by Ab is a mechanism whereby the adaptive properties of γδ T cells are induced by their innate functions in a spatially and temporally controlled manner.