bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Habituation of exploratory behaviour in VPA rats: animal model of autism
Authors: Olexová Lucia , Senko Tomáš , Štefánik Peter , Talarovičová Alžbeta , Kršková Lucia
Published: March 2014

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with multifactorial aetiology, represented as impairment in social behaviour, communication and the occurrence of repetitive activities, which can be observed in the early life. The core features are frequently accompanied by other manifestations, including limited environmental exploration. The aim of the presented study, realised on an animal model of autism - VPA rats, i.e. animals prenatally affected with valproic acid on gestation day 12.5, was to investigate the habituation process of exploratory activity (manifested by a gradual decrease in the intensity of locomotor activity), which reflects the stage of the central nervous system. VPA rats were tested in open-field in three developmental periods - weaning (postnatal day 21 - PND 21), puberty (PND 42) and adulthood (PND 72). In each period of ontogenesis, the rapidity of habituation was evaluated by using the method of linear regression. Compared to controls, VPA rats showed a significant decrease in the intensity and an increase in the rapidity of exploratory activity habituation during puberty and adulthood. Our results indicate that the animal model of autism, i.e. VPA rats, showed disabilities in the development of the nervous system. These findings can help confirm not only the validity of this animal model of autism but can also help better understand neuronal changes in humans with autism
Global Financial Crisis – Policy Response
Authors: Dakić Milojica
Published: March 2014

Six years after the outbreak of the financial crisis that had shaken the global financial system, experts and analysts all over the world continue discussing the effectiveness, scope and adequacy of mechanisms and measures implemented in the meantime, as well as the adequacy of the underlying theoretical concept. A global consent has been reached on ensuring financial stability through the interaction of monetary, fiscal and prudential policy to ensure the necessary macroprudential dimension of regulatory and supervisory frameworks. The USA crisis spilled over to Europe. Strong support of governments to bail out banks quickly resulted in sovereign debt crises in some peripheral EU Member States. Fiscal insolvency of these countries strongly shook the EU and increased doubts in the monetary union survival. The European Union stood united to defend the euro and responded strongly with a new complex and comprehensive financial stability framework. This supranational framework is a counterpart to the global financial stability framework created by the G20 member countries. Starting from the specific features of the monetary policy whose capacities are determined by euroisation, available instruments and resources for preventive supervisory activities, as well as the role of the government in crisis management, Montenegro created a framework for maintaining financial stability and prescribed fostering and maintaining financial stability as the main objective of the Central Bank of Montenegro.
Framework for Preserving Financial Stability in Montenegro
Authors: Žugić Radoje , Fabris Nikola
Published: March 2014

The global financial crisis has challenged the traditional monetary policy framework of one instrument (short-term interest rates) - one objective (price stability). More and more central banks nowadays consider financial stability as a monetary policy objective, whereas the Central Bank of Montenegro is the only one that has identified financial stability as its primary objective. As this is a relatively new objective, all central banks endeavouring to attain this objective have been facing numerous difficulties. Therefore, the article analyzes some of these difficulties such as defining financial (in)stability, the selection of indicators, macroeconomic environment for preserving financial stability, and the like. The main objective of the paper is to analyse the framework for preserving financial stability in Montenegro and the challenges that the Central Bank of Montenegro has been facing in accomplishing this objective
A study about the measurement method of the homogeneity of radioactivity along an iridium-192 wire used in brachytherapy
Authors: Costa Osvaldo L. , Calvo Wilson A. P. , Zeituni Carlos A. , Rostelato Maria E. C. M. , Moura João A. , Feher Anselmo , Souza Carla D. , Somessari Samir L.
Published: March 2014

The Nuclear and Energy Research Institute has produced, since 1998, iridium-192 wires used in low dose rate brachytherapy. In the paper the authors studied the influence of wire profile on the homogeneity distribution of radioactivity of iridium-192 along the wire. The authors propose the improvements in the quality control procedure that will provide more accurate measurement data and suggest changes in control devices.
The synthesis of tripolyphosphate using a one-stage method and a laboratory rotary kiln
Authors: Kowalski Zygmunt , Makara Agnieszka
Published: March 2014

In the study, sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) was obtained according to the one-stage method. Batch mixes with varied degrees of soda ash neutralization were produced using thermal or wet processing phosphoric acid and/ or recycled STPP calcined in a laboratory rotary kiln. Chromatographic analysis of the phosphate forms showed that products containing as much as 94.73% of a single component were produced. At STPP recycling rates of 2.5 and 5, products with a low bulk density ranging between 0.437-0.547 kg/dm3 were obtained. The recycling of STPP reduces the insoluble substance content, which affects the properties of the product. The phase composition of the products largely depends on the type of recycled phase of sodium tripolyphosphate (phase I and/or phase II) and the calcining temperature.
Utilization of waste gypsum in fertilizer production
Authors: Malinowski Przemysław , Borowik Mieczysław , Wantuch Wiesław , Urbańczyk Leszek , Dawidowicz Michał , Biskupski Andrzej
Published: March 2014

The results of the study regarding utilization of the waste gypsum formed as a by-product during the production of the magnesium sulphate from dolomite have been presented. The use of this waste have been proposed for the production of granulated multi-component fertilizers containing 25% N; 8% S; 14% CaO and 3.5% MgO. In the process of fertilizer production, the urea which will be bounded with the calcium and magnesium sulphate from the waste in the form of adducts of CaSO4 . 4CO(NH2)2 and MgSO4 . CO(NH2)2 . 3H2O will be the source of nitrogen in the fertilizer. It has been stated on the basis of the laboratory tests that the fertilizer with the assumed composition can be obtained by means of granulation of the raw material pulp, along with the dried and ground product return. The possibility of the production of the fertilizer with good physical properties according to the assumed concept has been confirmed in the pilot scale
An infrared-based device for non-invasive monitoring of eyelid movement during sleep
Authors: Wojewnik Piotr , Żmigrodzki Jakub
Published: March 2014

The increased movement of eyes and eyelids is characteristic of the rapid eye movement (REM)
sleep stage, making it an important indicator in sleep monitoring. A device was designed
to detect this activity in a non-invasive way by means of measuring infrared light intensity
reflected off the eyelid. The system converts the light intensity into current through
a photodetector, performs analog signal processing and analog to digital conversion (ADC).
The data is transmitted wirelessly to a computer, where the results can be displayed, stored
and analyzed with a dedicated software, which also provides control over the device.
The hardware is embedded in a mask, which is put over the patient's eyes. User safety in terms
of mechanical, electrical and optical dangers has been ensured. The device was tested
on a napping subject.
2-Methyl-2,4-pentanediol gas sensor properties of nano-SnO2 flat-type coplanar gas sensing arrays at low detection limit
Authors: Zhu Chao , Huang Kaijin , Yuan Fangli , Xie Changsheng
Published: March 2014

Nano-SnO2 flat-type coplanar 2-Methyl-2,4-pentanediol (MPD) gas sensor arrays were fabricated by a screen-printing technique based on nano-SnO2 powders prepared by a hydrothermal method. The results show that the fabricated gas sensor arrays have good MPD gas sensing characteristics, such as good selectivity and response-recovery characteristics. Especially, they can be used for detecting the concentration of MPD gas as low as 1 ppm which is much lower than the legal concentration of 20 ppm or 25 ppm. The good sensing properties indicate that the SnO2 gas sensor arrays have great potential for on-line or portable monitoring of MPD gas in practical environments.
Online fault diagnosis of wireless sensor networks
Authors: Mahapatro Arunanshu , Khilar Pabitra
Published: March 2014

This paper proposes an adaptive online distributed solution for fault diagnosis in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Fault diagnosis is achieved by comparing the heartbeat message generated by neighboring nodes and dissemination of decision made at each node. Time redundancy is used to detect the intermittent faults since an intermittent fault will not occur consistently. The diagnosis performance degradation due to intermittent faults in sensing and transient faults in communication is analyzed. A near optimal trade-off between detection latency and number of tests required to detect intermittent faults is obtained. Simulation results are provided and they show that this work performs better, from both time and energy complexity viewpoint.
A dynamic traffic light management system based on wireless sensor networks for the reduction of the red-light running phenomenon
Authors: Collotta Mario , Pau Giovanni , Scatà Gianfranco , Campisi Tiziana
Published: March 2014

The real-time knowledge of information concerning traffic light junctions represents a valid solution to congestion problems with the main aim to reduce, as much as possible, accidents. The Red Light Running (RLR) is a behavioural phenomenon that occurs when the driver must to choose to cross (or not) the road when the traffic light changes from green to yellow. Most of the time the drivers cross even during transitions from yellow to red and, as a consequence, the possibility of accidents increases. This often occurs because the drivers wait too much in the traffic light queue as a consequence of the fact that the traffic light is not well balanced. In this paper we propose a technique that, based on information gathered through a wireless sensor network, dynamically processes green times in a traffic light of an isolated intersection. The main aim is to optimise the waiting time in the queue and, as a consequence, reduce the RLR phenomenon occurrence.
Nepali Hindu Women's Thorny Path to Liberation
Authors: Dhungana Raj Kumar
Published: March 2014

This article explains how Nepali Hindu women's oppressive position was created in the past and how they are still struggling for their full liberation – mukti. It also reflects that Hindu women's long journey towards freedom and equality has been moving through a thorny path. Deriving mainly from literatures, this paper discusses how Nepali Hindu women's identity 'Aimai' was constructed and how, through their continuous struggle, they are getting better condition as dignified 'Mahila' yet far from their reach to the position of fully liberated women –mukta Mahila.
Local Similarity Search to Find Gene Indicators in Mitochondrial Genomes
Authors: Moritz Ruby , Bernt Matthias , Middendorf Martin
Published: March 2014

Given a set of nucleotide sequences we consider the problem of identifying conserved substrings occurring in homologous genes in a large number of sequences. The problem is solved by identifying certain nodes in a suffix tree containing all substrings occurring in the given nucleotide sequences. Due to the large size of the targeted data set, our approach employs a truncated version of suffix trees. Two methods for this task are introduced: (1) The annotation guided marker detection method uses gene annotations which might contain a moderate number of errors; (2) The probability based marker detection method determines sequences that appear significantly more often than expected. The approach is successfully applied to the mitochondrial nucleotide sequences, and the corresponding annotations that are available in RefSeq for 2989 metazoan species. We demonstrate that the approach finds appropriate substrings.
Influence of Reduction Promoters on Stability of Cobalt/g-Alumina Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Catalysts
Authors: Jacobs Gary , Ma Wenping , Davis Burtron
Published: March 2014

This focused review article underscores how metal reduction promoters can impact deactivation phenomena associated with cobalt Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalysts. Promoters can exacerbate sintering if the additional cobalt metal clusters, formed as a result of the promoting effect, are in close proximity at the nanoscale to other cobalt particles on the surface. Recent efforts have shown that when promoters are used to facilitate the reduction of small crystallites with the aim of increasing surface Co0 site densities (e.g., in research catalysts), ultra-small crystallites (e.g., <2–4.4 nm) formed are more susceptible to oxidation at high conversion relative to larger ones. The choice of promoter is important, as certain metals (e.g., Au) that promote cobalt oxide reduction can separate from cobalt during oxidation-reduction (regeneration) cycles. Finally, some elements have been identified to promote reduction but either poison the surface of Co0 (e.g., Cu), or produce excessive light gas selectivity (e.g., Cu and Pd, or Au at high loading). Computational studies indicate that certain promoters may inhibit polymeric C formation by hindering C-C coupling.
Non-Equilibrium Liouville and Wigner Equations: Moment Methods and Long-Time Approximations
Authors: Álvarez-Estrada Ramon
Published: March 2014

We treat the non-equilibrium evolution of an open one-particle statistical system, subject to a potential and to an external “heat bath” (hb) with negligible dissipation. For the classical equilibrium Boltzmann distribution, Wc,eq, a non-equilibrium three-term hierarchy for moments fulfills Hermiticity, which allows one to justify an approximate long-time thermalization. That gives partial dynamical support to Boltzmann’s Wc,eq, out of the set of classical stationary distributions, Wc;st, also investigated here, for which neither Hermiticity nor that thermalization hold, in general. For closed classical many-particle systems without hb (by using Wc,eq), the long-time approximate thermalization for three-term hierarchies is justified and yields an approximate Lyapunov function and an arrow of time. The largest part of the work treats an open quantum one-particle system through the non-equilibrium Wigner function, W. Weq for a repulsive finite square well is reported. W’s (< 0 in various cases) are assumed to be quasi-definite functionals regarding their dependences on momentum (q). That yields orthogonal polynomials, HQ,n(q), for Weq (and for stationary Wst), non-equilibrium moments, Wn, of W and hierarchies. For the first excited state of the harmonic oscillator, its stationary Wst is a quasi-definite functional, and the orthogonal polynomials and three-term hierarchy are studied. In general, the non-equilibrium quantum hierarchies (associated with Weq) for the Wn’s are not three-term ones. As an illustration, we outline a non-equilibrium four-term hierarchy and its solution in terms of generalized operator continued fractions. Such structures also allow one to formulate long-time approximations, but make it more difficult to justify thermalization. For large thermal and de Broglie wavelengths, the dominant Weq and a non-equilibrium equation for W are reported: the non-equilibrium hierarchy could plausibly be a three-term one and possibly not far from Gaussian, and thermalization could possibly be justified.
Conventional and Innovative Processing of Milk for Yogurt Manufacture; Development of Texture and Flavor: A Review
Authors: Sfakianakis Panagiotis , Tzia Constatnina
Published: March 2014

Milk and yogurt are important elements of the human diet, due to their high nutritional value and their appealing sensory properties. During milk processing (homogenization, pasteurization) and further yogurt manufacture (fermentation) physicochemical changes occur that affect the flavor and texture of these products while the development of standardized processes contributes to the development of desirable textural and flavor characteristics. The processes that take place during milk processing and yogurt manufacture with conventional industrial methods, as well as with innovative methods currently proposed (ultra-high pressure, ultrasound, microfluidization, pulsed electric fields), and their effect on the texture and flavor of the final conventional or probiotic/prebiotic products will be presented in this review.
The Molecular Basis of Retinal Dystrophies in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Muhammad , Azam Maleeha , Ajmal Muhammad , Collin Rob , Den Hollander Anneke , Cremers Frans , Qamar Raheel
Published: March 2014

The customary consanguineous nuptials in Pakistan underlie the frequent occurrence of autosomal recessive inherited disorders, including retinal dystrophy (RD). In many studies, homozygosity mapping has been shown to be successful in mapping susceptibility loci for autosomal recessive inherited disease. RDs are the most frequent cause of inherited blindness worldwide. To date there is no comprehensive genetic overview of different RDs in Pakistan. In this review, genetic data of syndromic and non-syndromic RD families from Pakistan has been collected. Out of the 132 genes known to be involved in non-syndromic RD, 35 different genes have been reported to be mutated in families of Pakistani origin. In the Pakistani RD families 90% of the mutations causing non-syndromic RD and all mutations causing syndromic forms of the disease have not been reported in other populations. Based on the current inventory of all Pakistani RD-associated gene defects, a cost-efficient allele-specific analysis of 11 RD-associated variants is proposed, which may capture up to 35% of the genetic causes of retinal dystrophy in Pakistan.
Association Claims in the Sequencing Era
Authors: Pulit Sara , Leusink Maarten , Menelaou Androniki , De Bakker Paul
Published: March 2014

Since the completion of the Human Genome Project, the field of human genetics has been in great flux, largely due to technological advances in studying DNA sequence variation. Although community-wide adoption of statistical standards was key to the success of genome-wide association studies, similar standards have not yet been globally applied to the processing and interpretation of sequencing data. It has proven particularly challenging to pinpoint unequivocally disease variants in sequencing studies of polygenic traits. Here, we comment on a number of factors that may contribute to irreproducible claims of association in scientific literature and discuss possible steps that we can take towards cultural change.
University Community Partnerships
Authors: Cooper Jonathan , Kotval-K Zeenat , Kotval Zenia , Mullin John
Published: March 2014

University-Community Partnerships have been recognized as a valuable contribution to both the academic community and our cities and towns. In the words of Henry Cisneros, former U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Design secretary, “The long-term futures of both the city and the university in this country are so intertwined that one cannot—or perhaps will not—survive without the other.” Increasingly, colleges and university are bringing their time, energy and resources to bear on local problems. They are using their other physical, financial and intellectual capital to facilitate economic development, provide social services, technical assistance and create opportunities for applied research.
Comparing the Selection and Placement of Best Management Practices in Improving Water Quality Using a Multiobjective Optimization and Targeting Method
Authors: Chiang Li-Chi , Chaubey Indrajeet , Maringanti Chetan , Huang Tao
Published: March 2014

Suites of Best Management Practices (BMPs) are usually selected to be economically and environmentally efficient in reducing nonpoint source (NPS) pollutants from agricultural areas in a watershed. The objective of this research was to compare the selection and placement of BMPs in a pasture-dominated watershed using multiobjective optimization and targeting methods. Two objective functions were used in the optimization process, which minimize pollutant losses and the BMP placement areas. The optimization tool was an integration of a multi-objective genetic algorithm (GA) and a watershed model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool—SWAT). For the targeting method, an optimum BMP option was implemented in critical areas in the watershed that contribute the greatest pollutant losses. A total of 171 BMP combinations, which consist of grazing management, vegetated filter strips (VFS), and poultry litter applications were considered. The results showed that the optimization is less effective when vegetated filter strips (VFS) are not considered, and it requires much longer computation times than the targeting method to search for optimum BMPs. Although the targeting method is effective in selecting and placing an optimum BMP, larger areas are needed for BMP implementation to achieve the same pollutant reductions as the optimization method.
Polymorphisms in DNA Repair Genes (APEX1, XPD, XRCC1 and XRCC3) and Risk of Preeclampsia in a Mexican Mestizo Population
Authors: Sandoval-Carrillo Ada , Méndez-Hernández Edna , Vazquez-Alaniz Fernando , Aguilar-Durán Marisela , Téllez-Valencia Alfredo , Barraza-Salas Marcelo , Castellanos-Juárez Francisco , Llave-León Osmel , Salas-Pacheco José
Published: March 2014

Variations in genes involved in DNA repair systems have been proposed as risk factors for the development of preeclampsia (PE). We conducted a case-control study to investigate the association of Human apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease (APEX1) Asp148Glu (rs1130409), Xeroderma Pigmentosum group D (XPD) Lys751Gln (rs13181), X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC) Arg399Gln (rs25487) and X-ray repair cross-complementing group 3 (XRCC3) Thr241Met (rs861539) polymorphisms with PE in a Mexican population. Samples of 202 cases and 350 controls were genotyped using RTPCR. Association analyses based on a χ2 test and binary logistic regression were performed to determine the odds ratio (OR) and a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for each polymorphism. The allelic frequencies of APEX1 Asp148Glu polymorphism showed statistical significant differences between preeclamptic and normal women (p = 0.036). Although neither of the polymorphisms proved to be a risk factor for the disease, the APEX1 Asp148Glu polymorphism showed a tendency of association (OR: 1.74, 95% CI = 0.96–3.14) and a significant trend (p for trend = 0.048). A subgroup analyses revealed differences in the allelic frequencies of APEX1 Asp148Glu polymorphism between women with mild preeclampsia and severe preeclampsia (p = 0.035). In conclusion, our results reveal no association between XPD Lys751Gln, XRCC Arg399Gln and XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphisms and the risk of PE in a Mexican mestizo population; however, the results in the APEX1 Asp148Glu polymorphism suggest the need for future studies using a larger sample size.
Predictive Validity of Non-g Residuals of Tests: More Than g
Authors: Coyle Thomas
Published: March 2014

This comment argues that an important issue in intelligence research is to identify constructs with validity beyond g, and that non-g residuals of tests represent a promising target.
Assessment of Spatial-Temporal Expansion of Built-up and Residential-Commercial Dwellings with Some Economic Implications: A Case Study in the Lower Hunter of Eastern Australia
Authors: Manandhar Ramita , Odeh Inakwu , Ancev Tihomir
Published: March 2014

Built-up areas have been expanding throughout the world. Monitoring and prediction of the build-up is not only important for the economic development but also acts as sentinels of environmental decline important for ecologically sustainable development of a region. The aim of this paper is to model the growth of built-up and residential-commercial dwellings over the recent past and thus predict the near future growth for a popular tourist destination of the Lower Hunter of New South Wales, Australia. The land use and land cover change analysis, based on classification of Landsat imageries from 1985 to 2005 at a 5-yearly interval, indicates that built-up areas increased steadily; it was 2.0% of the total landscape in 1985 but increased to 4.2% by the year 2005. If this trend continues, the built-up area will have grown to over 6.5% by 2025—which is equivalent to growth of over 325% from the 1985 base. In order to further evaluate the residential and commercial growth, orthorectified aerial photographs of nearby periods of 1985, 1995 and 2005 were utilized to manually delineate residential/commercial dwellings, and thereby dwelling densities were derived. The results indicate that the mean dwelling density has more than doubled within a decade.
N-{[(4-Nitrophenyl)amino]methyl}benzamide
Authors: Buzarevski Antonio , Mikhova Bozhana , Popovski Emil
Published: March 2014

We report the synthesis of N-{[(4-nitrophenyl)amino]methyl}benzamide from (benzamidomethyl)triethylammonium chloride and 4-nitroaniline in aqueous media. The structure of the newly synthesized compound was characterized on the basis of 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and FTIR spectroscopy.
Emerging Applications of Liquid Crystals Based on Nanotechnology
Authors: Sohn Jung , Hong Woong-Ki , Choi Su , Coles Harry , Welland Mark , Cha Seung , Kim Jong
Published: March 2014

Diverse functionalities of liquid crystals (LCs) offer enormous opportunities for their potential use in advanced mobile and smart displays, as well as novel non-display applications. Here, we present snapshots of the research carried out on emerging applications of LCs ranging from electronics to holography and self-powered systems. In addition, we will show our recent results focused on the development of new LC applications, such as programmable transistors, a transparent and active-type two-dimensional optical array and self-powered display systems based on LCs, and will briefly discuss their novel concepts and basic operating principles. Our research will give insights not only into comprehensively understanding technical and scientific applications of LCs, but also developing new discoveries of other LC-based devices.
Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Monogalactosyl Diacylglycerols and a Monoacylglycerol from the Edible Brown Seaweed Fucus spiralis Linnaeus
Authors: Lopes Graciliana , Daletos Georgios , Proksch Peter , Andrade Paula , Valentão Patrícia
Published: March 2014

A monoacylglycerol (1) and a 1:1 mixture of two monogalactosyl diacylglycerols (MGDGs) (2 and 3) were isolated from the brown seaweed Fucus spiralis Linnaeus. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic means (NMR and MS) and by comparison with the literature. Compound 1 was composed of a glycerol moiety linked to oleic acid (C18:1 Ω9). Compounds 2 and 3 contained a glycerol moiety linked to a galactose unit and eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5 Ω3) combined with octadecatetraenoic acid (C18:4 Ω3) or linolenic acid (C18:3 Ω3), respectively. The isolated compounds were tested for their cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. All of them inhibited NO production at non-cytotoxic concentrations. The fraction consisting of compounds 2 and 3, in a ratio of 1:1, was slightly more effective than compound 1 (IC50 of 60.06 and 65.70 µg/mL, respectively). To our knowledge, this is the first report of these compounds from F. spiralis and on their anti-inflammatory capacity.
Nutraceutical Value of Yellow- and Red-Fleshed South African Plums (Prunus salicina Lindl.): Evaluation of Total Antioxidant Capacity and Phenolic Composition
Authors: Venter Alet , Joubert Elizabeth , De Beer Dalene
Published: March 2014

Ten South African plum cultivars and selections, including yellow- and red-fleshed plums from two harvest seasons were evaluated in terms of nutraceutical value (phenolic composition, total polyphenol content (TPC) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC)) and fruit attributes (colour, fruit mass, etc.). Plums were evaluated at two maturity stages, i.e., directly after harvest (unripe) and after a commercial cold storage and ripening regime (ripe). The phenolic composition of South African plums varied greatly, both qualitatively and quantitatively, between cultivars and selections. Neochlorogenic acid, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and quercetin-3-O-glucoside were the predominant hydroxycinnamic acid, anthocyanin and flavonol, respectively, although not present in all plums. The flavan-3-ols, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin and procyanidins B1 and B2, were present in all plums. Red-fleshed plums tended to display higher TAC and TPC than yellow-fleshed plums. The flavan-3-ol content was highly correlated with TAC. The effect of harvest season was cultivar-dependent, but cultivar differences were not obscured. In terms of maturity stage, the ripe fruits tended to contain higher levels of anthocyanins and some flavonol compounds, although the TPC and TAC were not affected in most cases. South African plums, especially the red-fleshed selections PR04-32 and PR04-35, were shown to provide generally high TAC and TPC compared to literature values.
Readily Available Sources of Long-Chain Omega-3 Oils: Is Farmed Australian Seafood a Better Source of the Good Oil than Wild-Caught Seafood?
Authors: Nichols Peter , Glencross Brett , Petrie James , Singh Surinder
Published: March 2014

Seafood consumption enhances intake of omega-3 long-chain (≥C20) polyunsaturated fatty acids (termed LC omega-3 oils). Humans biosynthesize only small amounts of LC-omega-3, so they are considered semi-essential nutrients in our diet. Concern has been raised that farmed fish now contain lower LC omega-3 content than wild-harvested seafood due to the use of oil blending in diets fed to farmed fish. However, we observed that two major Australian farmed finfish species, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and barramundi (Lates calcifer), have higher oil and LC omega-3 content than the same or other species from the wild, and remain an excellent means to achieve substantial intake of LC omega-3 oils. Notwithstanding, LC omega-3 oil content has decreased in these two farmed species, due largely to replacing dietary fish oil with poultry oil. For Atlantic salmon, LC omega-3 content decreased ~30%–50% between 2002 and 2013, and the omega-3/omega-6 ratio also decreased (>5:1 to <1:1). Australian consumers increasingly seek their LC omega-3 from supplements, therefore a range of supplement products were compared. The development and future application of oilseeds containing LC omega-3 oils and their incorporation in aquafeeds would allow these health-benefitting oils to be maximized in farmed Australian seafood. Such advances can assist with preventative health care, fisheries management, aquaculture nutrition, an innovative feed/food industry and ultimately towards improved consumer health.
All Green Composites from Fully Renewable Biopolymers: Chitosan-Starch Reinforced with Keratin from Feathers
Authors: Flores-Hernández Cynthia , Colín-Cruz Arturo , Velasco-Santos Carlos , Castaño Víctor , Rivera-Armenta José , Almendarez-Camarillo Armando , García-Casillas Perla , Martínez-Hernández Ana
Published: March 2014

The performance as reinforcement of a fibrillar protein such as feather keratin fiber over a biopolymeric matrix composed of polysaccharides was evaluated in this paper. Three different kinds of keratin reinforcement were used: short and long biofibers and rachis particles. These were added separately at 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt% to the chitosan-starch matrix and the composites were processed by a casting/solvent evaporation method. The morphological characteristics, mechanical and thermal properties of the matrix and composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis. The thermal results indicated that the addition of keratin enhanced the thermal stability of the composites compared to pure matrix. This was corroborated with dynamic mechanical analysis as the results revealed that the storage modulus of the composites increased with respect to the pure matrix. The morphology, evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, indicated a uniform dispersion of keratin in the chitosan-starch matrix as a result of good compatibility between these biopolymers, also corroborated by FTIR. These results demonstrate that chicken feathers can be useful to obtain novel keratin reinforcements and develop new green composites providing better properties, than the original biopolymer matrix.
Modeling and Performance of Bonus-Malus Systems: Stationarity versus Age-Correction
Authors: Asmussen Søren
Published: March 2014

In a bonus-malus system in car insurance, the bonus class of a customer is updated from one year to the next as a function of the current class and the number of claims in the year (assumed Poisson). Thus the sequence of classes of a customer in consecutive years forms a Markov chain, and most of the literature measures performance of the system in terms of the stationary characteristics of this Markov chain. However, the rate of convergence to stationarity may be slow in comparison to the typical sojourn time of a customer in the portfolio. We suggest an age-correction to the stationary distribution and present an extensive numerical study of its effects. An important feature of the modeling is a Bayesian view, where the Poisson rate according to which claims are generated for a customer is the outcome of a random variable specific to the customer.
Postbuckling Investigations of Piezoelectric Microdevices Considering Damage Effects
Authors: Sun Zhigang , Wang Xianqiao
Published: March 2014

Piezoelectric material has been emerging as a popular building block in MEMS devices owing to its unique mechanical and electrical material properties. However, the reliability of MEMS devices under buckling deformation environments remains elusive and needs to be further explored. Based on the Talreja’s tensor valued internal state damage variables as well as the Helmhotlz free energy of piezoelectric material, a constitutive model of piezoelectric materials with damage is presented. The Kachanvo damage evolution law under in-plane compressive loads is employed. The model is applied to the specific case of the postbuckling analysis of the piezoelectric plate with damage. Then, adopting von Karman’s plate theory, the nonlinear governing equations of the piezoelectric plates with initial geometric deflection including damage effects under in-plane compressive loads are established. By using the finite difference method and the Newmark scheme, the damage evolution for damage accumulation is developed and the finite difference procedure for postbuckling equilibrium path is simultaneously employed. Numerical results show the postbuckling behaviors of initial flat and deflected piezoelectric plates with damage or no damage under different sets of electrical loading conditions. The effects of applied voltage, aspect ratio of plate, thick-span ratio of plate, damage as well as initial geometric deflections on the postbuckling behaviors of the piezoelectric plate are discussed.
Use of Local Intelligence to Reduce Energy Consumption of Wireless Sensor Nodes in Elderly Health Monitoring Systems
Authors: Lampoltshammer Thomas , Pignaton de Freitas Edison , Nowotny Thomas , Plank Stefan , Da Costa João , Larsson Tony , Heistracher Thomas
Published: March 2014

The percentage of elderly people in European countries is increasing. Such conjuncture affects socio-economic structures and creates demands for resourceful solutions, such as Ambient Assisted Living (AAL), which is a possible methodology to foster health care for elderly people. In this context, sensor-based devices play a leading role in surveying, e.g., health conditions of elderly people, to alert care personnel in case of an incident. However, the adoption of such devices strongly depends on the comfort of wearing the devices. In most cases, the bottleneck is the battery lifetime, which impacts the effectiveness of the system. In this paper we propose an approach to reduce the energy consumption of sensors’ by use of local sensors’ intelligence. By increasing the intelligence of the sensor node, a substantial decrease in the necessary communication payload can be achieved. The results show a significant potential to preserve energy and decrease the actual size of the sensor device units.
Application of an Instrumental and Computational Approach for Improving the Vibration Behavior of Structural Panels Using a Lightweight Multilayer Composite
Authors: Sánchez Alberto , García Manuel , Sebastián Miguel , Camacho Ana
Published: March 2014

This work presents a hybrid (experimental-computational) application for improving the vibration behavior of structural components using a lightweight multilayer composite. The vibration behavior of a flat steel plate has been improved by the gluing of a lightweight composite formed by a core of polyurethane foam and two paper mats placed on its faces. This composite enables the natural frequencies to be increased and the modal density of the plate to be reduced, moving about the natural frequencies of the plate out of excitation range, thereby improving the vibration behavior of the plate. A specific experimental model for measuring the Operating Deflection Shape (ODS) has been developed, which enables an evaluation of the goodness of the natural frequencies obtained with the computational model simulated by the finite element method (FEM). The model of composite + flat steel plate determined by FEM was used to conduct parametric study, and the most influential factors for 1st, 2nd and 3rd mode were identified using a multifactor analysis of variance (Multifactor-ANOVA). The presented results can be easily particularized for other cases, as it may be used in cycles of continuous improvement as well as in the product development at the material, piece, and complete-system levels.
Enhanced Monocular Visual Odometry Integrated with Laser Distance Meter for Astronaut Navigation
Authors: Wu Kai , Di Kaichang , Sun Xun , Wan Wenhui , Liu Zhaoqin
Published: March 2014

Visual odometry provides astronauts with accurate knowledge of their position and orientation. Wearable astronaut navigation systems should be simple and compact. Therefore, monocular vision methods are preferred over stereo vision systems, commonly used in mobile robots. However, the projective nature of monocular visual odometry causes a scale ambiguity problem. In this paper, we focus on the integration of a monocular camera with a laser distance meter to solve this problem. The most remarkable advantage of the system is its ability to recover a global trajectory for monocular image sequences by incorporating direct distance measurements. First, we propose a robust and easy-to-use extrinsic calibration method between camera and laser distance meter. Second, we present a navigation scheme that fuses distance measurements with monocular sequences to correct the scale drift. In particular, we explain in detail how to match the projection of the invisible laser pointer on other frames. Our proposed integration architecture is examined using a live dataset collected in a simulated lunar surface environment. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Seluge++: A Secure Over-the-Air Programming Scheme in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Doroodgar Farzan , Razzaque Mohammad , Isnin Ismail
Published: March 2014

Over-the-air dissemination of code updates in wireless sensor networks have been researchers’ point of interest in the last few years, and, more importantly, security challenges toward the remote propagation of code updating have occupied the majority of efforts in this context. Many security models have been proposed to establish a balance between the energy consumption and security strength, having their concentration on the constrained nature of wireless sensor network (WSN) nodes. For authentication purposes, most of them have used a Merkle hash tree to avoid using multiple public cryptography operations. These models mostly have assumed an environment in which security has to be at a standard level. Therefore, they have not investigated the tree structure for mission-critical situations in which security has to be at the maximum possible level (e.g., military applications, healthcare). Considering this, we investigate existing security models used in over-the-air dissemination of code updates for possible vulnerabilities, and then, we provide a set of countermeasures, correspondingly named Security Model Requirements. Based on the investigation, we concentrate on Seluge, one of the existing over-the-air programming schemes, and we propose an improved version of it, named Seluge++, which complies with the Security Model Requirements and replaces the use of the inefficient Merkle tree with a novel method. Analytical and simulation results show the improvements in Seluge++ compared to Seluge.
Synthesis of complex intermediates for the study of a dehydratase from borrelidin biosynthesis
Authors: Hahn Frank , Kandziora Nadine , Friedrich Steffen , Leadlay Peter Francis
Published: March 2014

Herein, we describe the syntheses of a complex biosynthesis-intermediate analogue of the potent antitumor polyketide borrelidin and of reference molecules to determine the stereoselectivity of the dehydratase of borrelidin polyketide synthase module 3. The target molecules were obtained from a common precursor aldehyde in the form of N-acetylcysteamine (SNAc) thioesters and methyl esters in 13 to 15 steps. Key steps for the assembly of the polyketide backbone of the dehydratase substrate analogue were a Yamamoto asymmetric carbocyclisation and a Sakurai allylation as well as an anti-selective aldol reaction. Reference compounds representing the E- and Z-configured double bond isomers as potential products of the dehydratase reaction were obtained from a common precursor aldehyde by Wittig olefination and Still–Gennari olefination. The final deprotection of TBS ethers and methyl esters was performed under mildly acidic conditions followed by pig liver esterase-mediated chemoselective hydrolysis. These conditions are compatible with the presence of a coenzyme A or a SNAc thioester, suggesting that they are generally applicable to the synthesis of complex polyketide-derived thioesters suited for biosynthesis studies.
Medical Management of Tinnitus: Role of the Physician
Authors: Shi Yongbing , Robb Michael J.A. , Michaelides Elias M.
Published: March 2014

Tinnitus is a common auditory complaint that can be caused by many auditory as well as nonauditory systems diseases. Comorbidities including insomnia, anxiety, and depression are common in severe tinnitus. Other factors such as personality characteristics and socioeconomic difficulties
can also contribute to tinnitus distress. Management of tinnitus therefore requires diagnosis and treatment expertise by physicians to adequately address existing etiologies and comorbidities, as well as relevant expertise by nonphysician specialists such as audiologists and psychologists.
In assessing the efficacy of tinnitus treatments, nonspecific effects such as placebo effects must be taken into consideration. Management of complex tinnitus cases often requires a multidisciplinary team approach. Physicians and nonphysician specialists need to promptly refer patients to
relevant specialist colleagues for adequate evaluation and treatment when such needs are present.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments for Tinnitus: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Cima Rilana F.F. , Andersson Gerhard , Schmidt Caroline J. , Henry James A.
Published: March 2014

Background:Tinnitus can be defined as the perception of an auditory sensation, perceivable without the presence of an external sound.Purpose:The aim of this article is to systematically review the peer-reviewed literature on treatment approaches for tinnitus based on cognitive-behavioral
therapy (CBT) and to provide a historical overview of developments within these approaches.Research Design:Experimental studies, (randomized) trials, follow-up assessments, and reviews assessing educational, counseling, psychological, and CBT treatment approaches were identified as
a result of an electronic database metasearch.Results:A total of 31 (of the initial 75 studies) were included in the review. Results confirm that CBT treatment for tinnitus management is the most evidence-based treatment option so far. Though studied protocols are diverse and are usually
a combination of different treatment elements, and tinnitus diagnostics and outcome assessments vary over investigations, a common ground of therapeutic elements was established, and evidence was found to be robust enough to guide clinical practice.Conclusions:Treatment strategy might
best be CBT-based, moving toward a more multidisciplinary approach. There is room for the involvement of different disciplines, using a stepped-care approach. This may provide brief and effective treatment for a larger group of tinnitus patients, and additional treatment steps can be provided
for those suffering on a more severe level.
The insurance market in Spain : from fragmentation to concentration (1880-2010)
Authors: Pons Pons Jerónia
Published: March 2014

La modernisation du marché espagnol de l’assurance a commencé vers 1870, au cours de la première mondialisation, lorsque les premières multinationales françaises, britanniques, américaines et allemandes se sont implantées dans le pays. En outre, plusieurs compagnies nationales se sont constituées à partir de la fusion de firmes cherchant à être compétitives sur un marché à croissance lente. C’est ainsi que se sont créées les deux compagnies qui ont dominé le secteur jusqu’en 1980 : La Unión y El Fénix Español et El Banco Vitalicio de España. Après la loi de 1908, le marché a été caractérisé par la croissance continue du nombre de sociétés d’assurances et, en particulier, des sociétés nationales. Ces firmes ont bénéficié du nationalisme économique des gouvernements successifs, de la politique d’autarcie qui a été adoptée au début du régime franquiste, et d’une loi très bureaucratique et très interventionniste qui n’a exercé qu’un contrôle mineur sur la solvabilité et les opérations d’assurances. Qui plus est, pour les petites sociétés opérant à l’échelon local et régional et pour les mutuelles les exigences en matière de capital, de réserves et de dépôts ont été minimales. De ce fait, il y avait 666 firmes dans le secteur de l’assurance en 1970. Cette fragmentation du marché n’a commencé à changer que lorsque l’Espagne est entrée dans la Communauté Économique Européenne en 1986 et s’est adaptée à la législation européenne. Cette étape a coïncidé avec la deuxième vague de mondialisation et avec l’intérêt croissant de groupes multinationaux pour le marché espagnol. Le secteur a connu une vague de fusions, acquisitions et liquidations qui a renforcé la concentration du marché de l’assurance.