bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DAGL‐dependent endocannabinoid signalling: roles in axonal pathfinding, synaptic plasticity and adult neurogenesis
Authors: Oudin Madeleine J. , Hobbs Carl , Doherty Patrick
Published: November 2011

Until recently, endocannabinoid (eCB) signalling was largely studied in the context of synaptic plasticity in the postnatal brain in the absence of detailed knowledge of the nature of the enzyme(s) responsible for the synthesis of the eCBs. However, the identification of two diacylglycerol lipases (DAGLα and DAGLβ) responsible for the synthesis of 2‐arachidonoylglycerol (2‐AG) has increased the understanding of where this eCB is synthesised in relationship to the expression of cannabinoid receptor (CB)1 and CB2. Furthermore, the generation of knockout animals for each enzyme has allowed for the direct testing of their importance for established and emerging eCB functions. Based on this, we now know that DAGLα is enriched in dendritic spines that appose CB1‐positive synaptic terminals, and that 2‐AG functions as a retrograde signal controlling synaptic strength throughout the nervous system. Consequently, we have built on the principle that expression of eCB components dictates function to identify additional physiological functions of this signalling cassette. A number of studies have now provided support for DAGL‐dependent eCB signalling playing important roles in brain development and in cellular plasticity in the adult nervous system. In this article, we will review evidence based on the localisation of the enzymes, as well as from genetic and pharmacological studies, that show DAGL‐dependent eCB signalling to play an important role in axonal growth and guidance during development, in retrograde synaptic signalling at mature synapses, and in the control of adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus and subventricular zone.
Fatigue‐induced increase in intracortical communication between mid/anterior insular and motor cortex during cycling exercise
Authors: Hilty Lea , Langer Nicolas , Pascual‐Marqui Roberto , Boutellier Urs , Lutz Kai
Published: November 2011

In the present study, intracortical communication between mid/anterior insular and motor cortex was investigated during a fatiguing cycling exercise. From 16 healthy male subjects performing a constant‐load test at 60% peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) until volitional exhaustion, electroencephalography data were analysed during repetitive, artefact‐free periods of 1‐min duration. To quantify fatigue‐induced intracortical communication, mean intra‐hemispheric lagged phase synchronization between mid/anterior insular and motor cortex was calculated: (i) at the beginning of cycling; (ii) at the end of cycling; and (iii) during recovery cycling. Results revealed significantly increased lagged phase synchronization at the end of cycling, which returned to baseline during recovery cycling after subjects’ cessation of exercise. Following previous imaging studies reporting the mid/anterior insular cortex as an essential instance processing a variety of sensory stimuli and signalling forthcoming physiological threat, our results provide further evidence that during a fatiguing exercise this structure might not only integrate and evaluate sensory information from the periphery, but also act in communication with the motor cortex. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to empirically demonstrate that muscle fatigue leads to changes in interaction between structures of a brain’s neural network.
ETHNIC DIVERSITY, PUBLIC SPENDING, AND INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT FOR THE WELFARE STATE: A REVIEW OF THE EMPIRICAL LITERATURE
Authors: Stichnoth Holger , Van der Straeten Karine
Published: November 2011

We review the empirical literature that studies the effect of ethnic diversity on public spending and on individual support for the welfare state. The survey puts a particular focus on the fast‐growing literature that uses experiments to study the effects of ethnic diversity. Many of these studies have appeared since the pioneering survey by Alesina and La Ferrara and have not been covered by a survey before.
Disaster risk reduction capacity assessment for precarious settlements in Guatemala City
Authors: Miles Scott B. , Green Rebekah A. , Svekla Walter
Published: November 2011

This study presents findings of an institutional capacity analysis of urban disaster risk reduction for informal settlements in the Guatemala Metropolitan Region. It uses a resource access perspective of vulnerability, actor‐network theory, and qualitative data collection. The analysis reveals that there is interest in disaster risk reduction for the informal settlements; however, there is little in the way of direct financial or oversight relationships between informal settlement residents and all other actors. Respondents observed that informal settlements would probably remain inhabited; thus, there is a need for disaster risk reduction within these settlements. Disaster risk reduction capacity for informal settlements exists and can be further leveraged, as long as steps are taken to ensure appropriate access to and control of resources and oversight. Further, the nascent institutional arrangements should be strengthened through increased communication and coordination between actors, a decentralization of oversight and financial relationships, and mediation of identified resource conflicts.
The living environment and children's fears following the Indonesian tsunami
Authors: Du Ye Beverly , Lee Christopher Thomas , Christina Desy , Belfer Myron L. , Betancourt Theresa S. , O'Rourke Edward James , Palfrey Judith S.
Published: November 2011

The tsunami that struck South‐east Asia on 26 December 2004 left more than 500,000 people in Aceh, Indonesia, homeless and displaced to temporary barracks and other communities. This study examines the associations between prolonged habitation in barracks and the nature of fears reported by school‐age children and adolescents. In mid‐2007, 30 months after the tsunami, the authors interviewed 155 child and parent dyads. Logistic regression analysis was used to compare the fears reported by children and adolescents living in barracks with those reported by their peers who were living in villages. After adjusting for demographic factors and tsunami exposure, the data reveals that children and adolescents living in barracks were three times more likely than those living in villages to report tsunami‐related fears. The study demonstrates that continued residence in barracks 30 months after the tsunami is associated with higher rates of reporting tsunami‐related fears, suggesting that barracks habitation has had a significant impact on the psychological experience of children and adolescents since the tsunami.
Efficient Depth of Field Rasterization Using a Tile Test Based on Half‐Space Culling
Authors: Akenine‐Möller Tomas , Toth Robert , Munkberg Jacob , Hasselgren Jon
Published: November 2011

For depth of field (DOF) rasterization, it is often desired to have an efficient tile versus triangle test, which can conservatively compute which samples on the lens that need to execute the sample‐in‐triangle test. We present a novel test for this, which is optimal in the sense that the region on the lens cannot be further reduced. Our test is based on removing half‐space regions of the
(u, v)
‐space on the lens, from where the triangle definitely cannot be seen through a tile of pixels. We find the intersection of all such regions exactly, and the resulting region can be used to reduce the number of sample‐in‐triangle tests that need to be performed. Our main contribution is that the theory we develop provides a limit for how efficient a practical tile versus defocused triangle test ever can become. To verify our work, we also develop a conceptual implementation for DOF rasterization based on our new theory. We show that the number of arithmetic operations involved in the rasterization process can be reduced. More importantly, with a tile test, multi‐sampling anti‐aliasing can be used which may reduce shader executions and the related memory bandwidth usage substantially. In general, this can be translated to a performance increase and/or power savings.
Racial Salience and the Obama Vote
Authors: Schaffner Brian F.
Published: November 2011

Barack Obama's successful campaign for president renewed both scholarly and popular interest in understanding the extent to which race remains a barrier for African American candidates in American elections. Despite a substantial body of work that indicates that African Americans do face significant barriers to winning White votes, initial interpretations of the 2008 election results suggest that the Obama vote was not depressed because of his race. In this paper, I introduce a relatively unobtrusive measure of racial salience to examine whether these initial interpretations are correct. I find that when race was a more salient factor for White voters, they were substantially less likely to vote for Obama and were more likely to think that Obama was focusing attention on African Americans during the campaign. I estimate that the salience of race for some Whites may have cost Obama as much as 3% of the White vote. Thus, this paper indicates that even in Obama's historic 2008 campaign, African American candidates continue to face barriers to winning White support.
Priming and the Obama Effect on Public Evaluations of the United States
Authors: Dragojlovic Nicolas Isak
Published: November 2011

This article investigates the psychological basis for the dramatic improvement in the Canadian public's evaluations of the United States following President Obama's inauguration. It attributes this change to a media priming effect triggered by Obama's increased visibility in Canadian news coverage of the United States in 2008 and 2009. A survey experiment conducted on a sample of undergraduate students at a Canadian university is used to illustrate this priming effect. Mentioning President Obama in an unrelated question leads participants to evaluate the United States more positively than in a control group. This assimilation effect is particularly strong when compared to a condition in which former President Bush is mentioned instead of President Obama. The results also show that the Obama priming effect is moderated by political awareness such that individuals with intermediate levels of awareness are most sensitive to the Obama prime.
Statistical Methods for Healthcare Regulation: Rating, Screening and Surveillance
Authors: Spiegelhalter David , Sherlaw-Johnson Christopher , Bardsley Martin , Blunt Ian , Wood Christopher , Grigg Olivia
Published: November 2011

Current demand for accountability and efficiency of healthcare organizations, combined with the greater availability of routine data on clinical care and outcomes, has led to an increased focus on statistical methods in healthcare regulation. We consider three different regulatory functions in which statistical analysis plays a vital role: rating organizations, deciding whom to inspect and continuous surveillance for arising problems. A common approach to data standardization based on (possibly overdispersed) Z-scores is proposed, although specific tools are used for assessing performance against a target, combining indicators when screening for inspection, and continuous monitoring using risk-adjusted sequential testing procedures. We pay particular attention to the problem of simultaneously monitoring over 200000 indicators for excess mortality, both with respect to the statistical issues surrounding massive multiplicity, and the organizational aspects of dealing with such a complex but high profile process.
Building employer solidarity? Britain's experience of coordinated bargaining, 1979 to 1997
Authors: Ingram Peter , Lindop Esmond
Published: November 2011

The election of the Conservative government in 1979 is seen as a watershed in pay determination in the UK, ending formal pay policies. While the government withdrew, the UK's major employer organisation, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), endeavoured to operate an alternative system of employer coordination on pay between 1979 and 1997. Had this approach succeeded, the UK's approach to pay determination would have become much more aligned to the models adopted within other EU Member States. We analyse the development of this alternative to government‐imposed incomes policy and measure its impact on the growth of earnings. We conclude that, despite the CBI's policy, the actions of individual employers suffered from classic market failure until the British economy was subjected to mounting competitive pressures from the international environment.
The use of clarified butter sediment waste from dairy industries for the production of mosquitocidal bacteria
Authors: POOPATHI SUBBIAH , ABIDHA SURESH
Published: November 2011

Dairy industries worldwide discard ghee sediment waste and clarified butter sediment waste (CBSW) in bulk every day. The aim of the present study was to explore the possibility of utilising the CBSW to prepare culture media so as to produce mosquitocidal bacteria. The bacteria achieved complete degradation of CBSW for its toxin synthesis. The bacterial growth, biomass, toxin production and larvicidal activity against mosquito vectors were comparable with those using conventional culture medium (NYSM) as a control. We obtained a cell mass yield of 9.7 g/L and larvicidal activity (LC50 and LC90) of 0.0036 mg/L and 0.01 mg/L against Culex quinquefasciatus using bacteria grown in CBSW. Cost‐effective analysis indicated that CBSW is highly economical.
Structural contributions of antipsychotic drugs to their therapeutic profiles and metabolic side effects
Authors: Jafari Somayeh , Fernandez‐Enright Francesca , Huang Xu‐Feng
Published: November 2011

J. Neurochem. (2012) 120, 371–384.

Antipsychotic drugs have various neuropharmacological properties as a result of their structural diversity. Despite their therapeutic benefits, most of the prescribed atypical antipsychotics can induce severe side effects, including weight gain, type II diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases. Among the developed atypical antipsychotic agents, tetracyclic dibenzodiazepine and thienobenzodiazepine compounds, particularly clozapine and olanzapine, are associated with the greatest weight gain and metabolic disturbances. However, the unique chemical structure of these compounds causes the low risk of side effects reported for typical antipsychotics (e.g. extrapyramidal symptoms and tardive dyskinesia). This report reviews the recent discovery of the potential role of the chemical structure of antipsychotics in their therapeutic properties and metabolic disturbances. By developing structure–activity relationship studies for atypical antipsychotics, we will improve our understanding of the structural modifications of these chemical classes that lead to reduced weight gain, which will be an invaluable step toward the discovery of the next generation of atypical antipsychotics. In this review, we suggest that a novel dibenzodiazepine or thienobenzodiazepine antipsychotic drug with lower affinity for H1 receptors may significantly advance schizophrenia therapy.
Proteomic analysis of age‐dependent changes in protein solubility identifies genes that modulate lifespan
Authors: Reis‐Rodrigues Pedro , Czerwieniec Gregg , Peters Theodore W. , Evani Uday S. , Alavez Silvestre , Gaman Emily A. , Vantipalli Maithili , Mooney Sean D. , Gibson Bradford W. , Lithgow Gordon J. , Hughes Robert E.
Published: November 2011

While it is generally recognized that misfolding of specific proteins can cause late‐onset disease, the contribution of protein aggregation to the normal aging process is less well understood. To address this issue, a mass spectrometry‐based proteomic analysis was performed to identify proteins that adopt sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)‐insoluble conformations during aging in Caenorhabditis elegans. SDS‐insoluble proteins extracted from young and aged C. elegans were chemically labeled by isobaric tagging for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) and identified by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Two hundred and three proteins were identified as being significantly enriched in an SDS‐insoluble fraction in aged nematodes and were largely absent from a similar protein fraction in young nematodes. The SDS‐insoluble fraction in aged animals contains a diverse range of proteins including a large number of ribosomal proteins. Gene ontology analysis revealed highly significant enrichments for energy production and translation functions. Expression of genes encoding insoluble proteins observed in aged nematodes was knocked down using RNAi, and effects on lifespan were measured. 41% of genes tested were shown to extend lifespan after RNAi treatment, compared with 18% in a control group of genes. These data indicate that genes encoding proteins that become insoluble with age are enriched for modifiers of lifespan. This demonstrates that proteomic approaches can be used to identify genes that modify lifespan. Finally, these observations indicate that the accumulation of insoluble proteins with diverse functions may be a general feature of aging.
Diagnostic challenges and treatment options of a suspected pericardial metallic projectile foreign body in a dog
Authors: Elliott Joshua M. , Mayhew Philipp D.
Published: November 2011

Objective

To describe a case of a suspected pericardial metallic projectile foreign body in a dog with a history of trauma to the left shoulder and to review the literature regarding the management of cardiac and intracardiac foreign bodies.

Case Summary

A 3‐year‐old male, neutered Brittany spaniel presented with a 10‐day history of decreased activity and partial anorexia. Serial thoracic radiographs identified a migrating pericardial metallic projectile foreign body and an echocardiogram diagnosed pericardial effusion and abdominal ultrasound identified the presence of ascites. Concern for a possible effusive‐constrictive pericarditis prompted a subphrenic pericardectomy performed via thoracoscopy. The foreign body was not recovered. Six months postsurgery, the dog remained asymptomatic.

New or Unique Information Provided

Considering the high rate of complications that develop in human patients where the foreign bodies are not removed, veterinarians should be aware of risks associated with long standing pericardial foreign bodies even when no clinical signs are present. Guidelines from the human literature may be considered for investigation of, and treatment options for, cardiac and intracardiac metallic projectile foreign bodies in dogs.
The Role of the Antebrachiocarpal Ligaments in the Prevention of Hyperextension of the Antebrachiocarpal Joint
Authors: Milgram Joshua , Milshtein Tomer , Meiner Yaron
Published: November 2011

Objective

To evaluate the role of the medial collateral ligament, lateral collateral ligament, and the palmar carpal ligaments in the prevention of hyperextension of the antebrachiocarpal (AC) joint.

Study Design

In vitro experiment.

Animals

Cadaveric canine thoracic limbs (n = 12 pair).

Methods

Thoracic limbs from 12 healthy mixed breed dogs, free of carpal joint pathology, were assigned to 1 of 6 groups, defined by the order in which the ligaments stabilizing the AC joint were cut. The antebrachium, carpus, and proximal metacarpal (MC) bones were stripped of all muscle tissue, preserving the carpal joint capsule. After specimens were prepared for biomechanical testing, the manus was loaded using a system of weights and pulleys to extend the carpus. Extension was measured using a single motion tracking sensor fixed to the MC bones. All specimens were tested with all ligaments intact and after cutting each of the ligaments.

Results

Cutting each of the ligaments resulted in a significant change in the angle of extension of the carpus when compared with carpal extension with the ligaments intact. Cutting the palmar AC ligaments resulted in a significantly larger change in extension angle than occurred after cutting the medial and lateral collateral ligaments.

Conclusion

Each of the ligaments tested contribute to the prevention of hyperextension of the AC joint.
Who Controls the Content of Supreme Court Opinions?
Authors: Carrubba Cliff , Friedman Barry , Martin Andrew D. , Vanberg Georg
Published: November 2011

Conventional arguments identify either the median justice or the opinion author as the most influential justices in shaping the content of Supreme Court opinions. We develop a model of judicial decision making that suggests that opinions are likely to reflect the views of the median justice in the majority coalition. This result derives from two features of judicial decision making that have received little attention in previous models. The first is that in deciding a case, justices must resolve a concrete dispute, and that they may have preferences over which party wins the specific case confronting them. The second is that justices who are dissatisfied with an opinion are free to write concurrences (and dissents). We demonstrate that both features undermine the bargaining power of the Court's median and shift influence towards the coalition median. An empirical analysis of concurrence behavior provides significant support for the model.
Examining Implementation of the National Voter Registration Act by Nonprofit Organizations: An Institutional Explanation
Authors: LeRoux Kelly
Published: November 2011

The 1993 National Voter Registration Act authorizes nonprofit social service organizations to conduct nonpartisan voter registration drives, with the aim of making the process more accessible for low‐income citizens and segments of the population historically underrepresented in the political process. Although more than 15 years have elapsed since this important reform was enacted, very little is known about the extent to which nonprofits have embraced this practice, and what factors explain their decision to do so. Drawing upon institutional theory, this article examines the propensity of nonprofit social service organizations to carry out nonpartisan voter registration and voter mobilization campaigns in a national election year. A series of hypotheses are tested using data from a random sample of several hundred nonprofit service organizations in the United States that were surveyed prior to the 2008 election. Findings suggest that institutional factors, especially state laws, are highly influential in shaping the decision of local level nonprofits to register voters. The article concludes with a discussion of policy implications of this study.
Postural stability and occlusal status among Japanese elderly
Authors: Song‐Yu Xuan , Rodis Omar M. M. , Ogata Sagiri , Can‐Hu Jin , Nishimura Michiko , Matsumura Seishi
Published: November 2011

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00596.x
 
Postural stability and occlusal status among Japanese elderly

Background:  There are still no data available on the relationship between postural stability and occlusal status among the elderly.

Objectives:  To examine relationships between postural stability and occlusal status through a cohort study among elderly Japanese.

Method:  Oral examination, occlusal status, postural stability and a questionnaire were conducted and given to 87 community‐dwelling Japanese at enrolment.

Results:  The average occlusal pressure of the female group was statistically higher than the male group while average occlusal pressure and postural stability length were lesser in the group with more remaining teeth. Postural stability area and number of remaining teeth showed statistically significant correlations. Postural stability length was lesser in the group with strong occlusal force. Furthermore, the number of decayed teeth was fewer in the good hygiene group.

Conclusions:  This study identified a close relationship between occlusal status and postural stability of Japanese older individuals. Occlusal hypofunction was observed more in those with occlusal problems, and a decrease in their occlusal functions resulted in postural instability.
CALLING: THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SCALE MEASURE
Authors: DOBROW SHOSHANA R. , TOSTI‐KHARAS JENNIFER
Published: November 2011

This study clarifies the definition of calling—a consuming, meaningful passion people experience toward a domain—and develops a 12‐item scale measure of calling. Drawing on multiwave longitudinal, 2‐wave longitudinal, and cross‐sectional data from 1,500 participants (2,278 observations) in 4 separate domains, music, art, business, and management, we demonstrate the scale's reliability and unidimensional structure across contexts and over time. We establish the scale's convergent validity and discriminant validity. We determine criterion‐related validity through the scale's relationship to satisfaction with the calling domain, career‐related self‐efficacy, clarity of professional identity, career insight, attending a calling‐oriented college program, professional pursuit of the calling domain, and differences across the 4 domains. We discuss implications of this reliable, valid measure for theory and research on calling, meaning of work, and careers.
Social categorization of social robots: Anthropomorphism as a function of robot group membership
Authors: Eyssel Friederike , Kuchenbrandt Dieta
Published: November 2011

Previous work on social categorization has shown that people often use cues such as a person's gender, age, or ethnicity to categorize and form impressions of others. The present research investigated effects of social category membership on the evaluation of humanoid robots. More specifically, participants rated a humanoid robot that either belonged to their in‐group or to a national out‐group with regard to anthropomorphism (e.g., mind attribution, warmth), psychological closeness, contact intentions, and design. We predicted that participants would show an in‐group bias towards the robot that ostensibly belonged to their in‐group – as indicated by its name and location of production. In line with our hypotheses, participants not only rated the in‐group robot more favourably – importantly, they also anthropomorphized it more strongly than the out‐group robot. Our findings thus document that people even apply social categorization processes and subsequent differential social evaluations to robots.
Heat Transfer to a Fluid Flowing Inside a Pipe Rotating About Its Longitudinal Axis
Authors: Cannon J. N. , Kays W. M.
Published: November 2011

In this paper the effects of tube rotation on heat transfer to a fluid flowing inside a tube are examined. The most pronounced influence is noted to be on the transition from laminar to turbulent flow region with lesser effects in the laminar region, and no measurable effects once the flow has become fully turbulent. Heat transfer data are presented for a wide range of through-flow and rotational Reynolds numbers. A brief examination of the flow by visual means revealed that tube rotation tends to stabilise laminar flow, and in fact can cause an already turbulent flow to revert back to a laminar flow. When the tube is rotating, the transition from laminar to turbulent flow as through-flow Reynolds number is sufficiently increased is characterized by a very distinct “burst of turbulence” phenomenon, photographs of which are presented in this paper.
Heat Transfer and Laminar Boundary-Layer Distributions in an Internal Subsonic Gas Stream at Temperatures Up to 13,900 Deg R
Authors: Massier P. F. , Back L. H. , Roschke E. J.
Published: November 2011

Radial distributions of velocity, enthalpy, and mass flux have been evaluated experimentally in a laminar boundary layer from calorimetric probe measurements obtained in a subsonic flow of arc-heated argon in the entrance region of an axisymmetric constant-diameter duct. Longitudinal distributions of heat flux were also determined. Because of the large free stream to wall temperature ratios the boundary-layer mass flux exceeded that of the free stream sufficiently to produce negative values of the displacement thickness. The longitudinal distributions of the heat transfer and the radial distributions of the enthalpy difference and the velocity were found to agree reasonably well with laminar boundary-layer predictions which account for large variations in properties.
Stochastic Averaging for Identification of Feedback Nonlinearities in Thermoacoustic Systems
Authors: Hagen Gregory
Published: November 2011

We present algorithms based on stochastic averaging for estimating nonlinear feedback parameters obtained from time series data with application to noise-driven nonlinear vibration systems, with particular emphasis on limit-cycling thermo-acoustic systems. The harmonic and Gaussian components of relevant signals are estimated from the probability density function (pdf) of an output signal from a single experiment. The respective feedback gains, along with a phase-shifting element are fit to a nominal (given) linear oscillator model from which the parameters of a nonlinearity are fit. When input-output data are available from multiple experiments, the feedback nonlinearity can be estimated point-wise via an iterative algorithm, applicable when the appropriate input signals have a constant (Gaussian) variance. The estimation procedures are demonstrated on a benchmark thermo-acoustic model and applied to time-series data obtained from a limit-cycling combustor rig experiment. In the latter case, relations between the feedback parameters and the fuel to air ratio are briefly discussed.
A feasibility study of using couch‐based real time dosimetric device in external beam radiotherapy
Authors: Prabhakar Ramachandran , Cramb Jim , Kron Tomas
Published: November 2011

Purpose:

Measurement of actual dose delivered during radiotherapy treatment aids in checking the accuracy of dose delivered to the patient. In this study, a couch‐based real time dosimetric device has been proposed to measure the exit or entrance dose to a patient during external beam radiotherapy. The utility and feasibility of such a device using a 2D array of diodes has been demonstrated.

Methods:

TwoMAPCHECK devices: MAPCHECK (1175) and MAPCHECK 2 (both SunNuclear) were embedded in a foam block in the treatment couch of a Varian 21iX linear accelerator. The angular dependence of the detector response for both devices was studied before implementing the MAPCHECKs for experimental purposes. An Alderson Rando head phantom was scanned with the MAPCHECK and MAPCHECK 2 devices separately and four different treatment plans were generated with target volumes at three different positions simulating typical clinical situations. The analytical anisotropic algorithm (AAA) was used to compute the doses in an Eclipse treatment planning system (Varian Medical Systems). The Rando phantom with the MAPCHECK device was exposed in Clinac 21iX linear accelerator. The measured dose distribution was compared with the calculated dose distribution to check for the accuracy in dose delivery.

Results:

Measured and computed dose distribution were found to agree with more than 93% of pixels passing at 3% and 3 mm gamma criteria for all the treatment plans. The couch‐based real time dosimetry system may also be applied for noncoplanar beams where electronic portal imaging device (EPID) is not practical to measure the dose. Other advantages include checking the beam stability during the patient treatment, performing routine morning quality assurance (QA) tests in the linear accelerator, and to perform pretreatment verification of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). One of the drawbacks of this system is that it cannot be used for measuring the dose at 90° or 270° gantry angles.

Conclusions:

This preliminary study shows that a 2D array of detectors may be used as part of the treatment couch for real time patient dosimetry in studying the dose delivered to the patient in real time and also for performing routine quality assurance.
Virulence Factors and TEM-Type β-Lactamases Produced by Two Isolates of an Epidemic Klebsiella pneumoniae Strain
Authors: Robin Frédéric , Hennequin Claire , Gniadkowski Marek , Beyrouthy Racha , Empel Joanna , Gibold Lucie , Bonnet Richard
Published: November 2011

Two
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolates of the same strain, identified in Poland, produced either TEM-47 or TEM-68, which differed by the Arg275Leu substitution. They harbored a few virulence factors, including an iron-chelating factor and capsule overproduction, suggesting that these factors were sufficient to enhance their nosocomial potency. TEM-68 and TEM-47 had similar enzymatic activities, but TEM-68 was less susceptible to inhibitors than TEM-47. These results confirm the role of the Arg275Leu substitution in the evolution of TEM enzymes.
CAN AGENT INTELLIGENCE BE USED TO ACHIEVE FAULT TOLERANT PARALLEL COMPUTING SYSTEMS?
Authors: VARGHESE BLESSON , MCKEE GERARD , ALEXANDROV VASSIL
Published: November 2011

The work reported in this paper is motivated towards validating an alternative approach for fault tolerance over traditional methods like checkpointing that constrain efficacious fault tolerance. Can agent intelligence be used to achieve fault tolerant parallel computing systems? If so, "What agent capabilities are required for fault tolerance?", "What parallel computational tasks can benefit from such agent capabilities?" and "How can agent capabilities be implemented for fault tolerance?" need to be addressed. Cognitive capabilities essential for achieving fault tolerance through agents are considered. Parallel reduction algorithms are identified as a class of algorithms that can benefit from cognitive agent capabilities. The Message Passing Interface is utilized for implementing an intelligent agent based approach. Preliminary results obtained from the experiments validate the feasibility of an agent based approach for achieving fault tolerance in parallel computing systems.
HIGH LEVEL SIMULATION OF SVP MANY-CORE SYSTEMS
Authors: UDDIN M. IRFAN , VAN TOL MICHIEL W. , JESSHOPE CHRIS R.
Published: November 2011

The Microgrid is a many-core architecture comprising multiple clusters of fine-grained multi-threaded cores. The SVP API supported by the cores allows for the asynchronous delegation of work to different clusters of cores which can be acquired dynamically. We want to explore the execution of complex applications and their interaction with dynamically allocated resources. To date, any evaluation of the Microgrid has used a detailed emulation with a cycle accurate simulation of the execution time. Although the emulator can be used to evaluate small program kernels, it only executes at a rate of 100K instructions per second, divided over the number of emulated cores. This makes it inefficient to evaluate a complex application executing on many cores using dynamic allocation of clusters. In order to obtain a more efficient evaluation we have developed a co-simulation environment that executes high level SVP control code but which abstracts the scheduling of the low-level threads using two different techniques. The co-simulation is evaluated for both performance and simulation accuracy.
q-ADDITIVE FUNCTIONS ON POLYNOMIAL SEQUENCES
Authors: MADRITSCH MANFRED G.
Published: November 2011

The present paper deals with functions acting only on the digits of an q-ary expansion. In particular, let n be a positive integer, then we denote by [Formula: see text] its q-ary expansion. We call a function f strictly q-additive if it acts only on the digits of a representation, i.e. [Formula: see text] The goal is to prove that if p is a polynomial having at least one coefficient with bounded continued fraction expansion, then [Formula: see text] This result is motivated by the asymptotic distribution result of Bassily and Kátai and a similar result of Peter.
POLYMER SCAFFOLDS FOR REGENERATIVE THERAPIES — DESIGN OF HIERARCHICALLY ORGANIZED STRUCTURES AND THEIR MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION
Authors: SAUTER TILMAN , WEIGEL THOMAS , KRATZ KARL , LENDLEIN ANDREAS
Published: November 2011

Scaffolds for tissue regeneration aim to temporarily support the damaged tissue site while allowing cells to infiltrate and regenerate functional tissue. As natural tissue is highly hierarchically organized, scaffold designs aim to follow these structural concepts. This review highlights current achievements in the field of hierarchically organized scaffolds with respect to scaffold preparation and morphological characterization. Special emphasis is placed on self-assembled structures and processing of polymer-based scaffolds with and without the application of templates. Morphological characterization techniques are discussed with respect to the hierarchical level (resolution) that can be achieved. Finally, a short outlook on future perspectives of hierarchically structured scaffolds for applications in the field of induced auto-regeneration and tissue engineering is given, and challenges in fundamental research, such as the usage of multifunctional polymers or multiscale morphological analysis as well as the implementation of modeling approaches for realization of defined scaffold designs or prediction of scaffold properties are discussed.
PARTONIC INTERPRETATION OF GENERALIZED PARTON DISTRIBUTIONS
Authors: GOLDSTEIN G. R. , LIUTI SIMONETTA
Published: November 2011

Dispersion relations have been applied to hard exclusive processes suggesting that generalized parton distributions can be fully determined from their values on a kinematical ridge. We show significant pitfalls associated that vitiate this approach. We suggest an improved treatment of this assumption. Secondly, in order for a partonic interpretation to hold throughout the accessible kinematic region, semi-disconnected diagrams should not contribute. We show, however, that this condition is not satisfied for non-forward kinematics at leading order. Lastly we present our recent flexible parameterization of GPDs and indicate its application to neutral pseudoscalar electroproduction.
Unipolar Ni/GeOx/PbZr0.5Ti0.5O3/TaN Resistive Switching Memory
Authors: Chou Kun-I , Cheng Chun-Hu , Chen Po-Chun , Yeh Fon-Shan , Chin Albert
Published: November 2011

In this study we propose a resistive random-access memory (RRAM) using stacked GeO
x
and PbZr0.5Ti0.5O3 (PZT). Under unipolar-mode operation, the bilayers Ni/GeO
x
/PZT/TaN RRAM shows a large resistance window of >102, for 85 °C retention, and a good DC cycling of 2000 cycles, which are significantly better than those shown by the single-layer Ni/PZT/TaN RRAM without the covalent-bond-dielectric GeO
x
.
Laser Wavelength Dependence on Photochemical Surface and Interface Modifications of Aluminum Thin Films on Silica Glass
Authors: Iwai Kazufumi , Okoshi Masayuki , Nojiri Hidetoshi , Inoue Narumi
Published: November 2011

Photochemical surface and interface modifications of Al thin films on silica glass were successfully carried out using a 157 nm F2 laser for micropatterning. The surface modification phenomenon was discussed in relation to by changing the laser wavelength using a 193 nm ArF laser or a 266 nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser. The ArF laser could induce the surface modification of Al thin films to form a protective Al2O3 layer resistant to KOH aqueous solution, similarly to the F2 laser. However, the mechanical hardness of the ArF-laser-irradiated sample was clearly lower than that of the F2-laser-irradiated sample. The origin of the surface modification was examined by irradiating the F2 laser in vacuum. The interface modification phenomenon was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in the three cases. The adhesion strengths of the samples were also compared. The 266 nm Nd:YAG laser was not effective for the present photochemical modifications.
Photoluminescence of ZnS–SiO2:Ce Thin Films Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering
Authors: Mizuno Masao
Published: November 2011

Photoluminescent emissions of zinc sulfide–silica–cerium thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering were observed. The films consisted of ZnS nanocrystals embedded in amorphous SiO2 matrices. ZnS–SiO2:Ce films exhibited photoluminescence even without postannealing. Their emission spectra showed broad patterns in the visible range; the emitted colors depended on film composition.
The phenomenal challenge of designing transparent technologies
Authors: Bird Jon
Published: November 2011

The boundaries between 'the digital' and our everyday physical world are dissolving as we develop more physical ways of interacting with computing. This forum presents some of the topics discussed in the colorful multidisciplinary field of tangible and embodied interaction.

Eva Hornecker, Editor
Formal analysis of MPI-based parallel programs
Authors: Gopalakrishnan Ganesh , Kirby Robert M. , Siegel Stephen , Thakur Rajeev , Gropp William , Lusk Ewing , De Supinski Bronis R. , Schulz Martin , Bronevetsky Greg
Published: November 2011

The goal is reliable parallel simulations, helping scientists understand nature, from how foams compress to how ribosomes construct proteins.
Why i came back to Ada
Authors: Carlisle Martin C.
Published: November 2011

After the Air Force Academy switched its curriculum to Java, I extracted myself from the Ada community and moved on to other research interests, particularly computer security. In this talk, I'll explain the new developments that brought me back to Ada and how Ada and SPARK may be a secret weapon in the 21st century.
Improving quality of Ada software with range analysis
Authors: Abraham Jay , Chapple Jeff , Preve Cyril
Published: November 2011

Software in critical embedded systems used in aerospace, military, and transport applications, that is, systems where quality and reliability are imperative, continues to become more complex. For example, the Boeing 787 aircraft flight control system will have about 6.5 million lines of code, the avionics software for the F-22 Raptor consists of 1.7 million lines of code and avionics software for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is expected to have 5.7 million lines of code. The Ada programming language has been a key component in these applications and is a language of choice for critical systems where reliability matters. As these systems are becoming more sophisticated, software development organizations must meet stringent software quality objectives that are mandated by the organization itself or required by customers or by government regulations. For software teams to meet these objectives, and to ideally achieve software with minimal defects, the Ada programming language alone may not provide sufficient reliability margins. Coupling the Ada language with state of the art testing and verification solutions may improve the predictability of risk. This paper examines software verification and testing approaches that have been applied to Ada programs.
Computer Language Effciency via Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Ellero Andrea , Pellegrini Paola
Published: November 2011

The selection of the computer language to adopt is usually driven by intuition and expertise, since it is very diffcult to compare languages taking into account all their characteristics. In this paper, we analyze the effciency of programming languages through Data Envelopment Analysis. We collected the input data fromThe Computer Language Benchmarks Game: we consider a large set of languages in terms of computational time, memory usage, and source code size. Various benchmark problems are tackled. We analyze the results first of all considering programming languages individually. Then, we evaluate families of them sharing some characteristics, for example, being compiled or interpreted.
Awake Fibreoptic Intubation in the Sitting Position in a Patient with a Huge Goitre
Authors: Saxena Kirti Nath , Kumar Sudhir , Taneja Bharti , Gaba Prachi
Published: November 2011

A 46-year-old woman was anesthetized for total thyroidectomy. The thyroid was massive, deviating the trachea to the right and causing attenuation of the trachea radiologically. She had symptoms of respiratory obstruction in the supine position. Awake FOB-guided intubation was done in sitting position after airway topicalisation, and the airway was intubated with difficulty with 7.0 mm cuffed orotracheal tube. We describe this case in detail and discuss the significance of careful approach to planning and preparation in the management of such a case.
Regional Anesthesia in Trauma Medicine
Authors: Wu Janice J. , Lollo Loreto , Grabinsky Andreas
Published: November 2011

Regional anesthesia is an established method to provide analgesia for patients in the operating room and during the postoperative phase. While regional anesthesia offers unique advantages, as shown by the recent military experience, it is not commonly utilized in the prehospital or emergency department setting. Most often, regional anesthesia techniques for traumatized patients are first utilized in the operating room for procedural anesthesia or for postoperative pain control. While infiltration or single nerve block procedures are often used by surgeons or emergency medicine physicians in the preoperative phase, more advanced techniques such as plexus block procedures or regional catheter placements are more commonly performed by anesthesiologists for surgery or postoperative pain control. These regional techniques offer advantages over intravenous anesthesia, not just in the perioperative phase but also in the acute phase of traumatized patients and during the initial transport of injured patients. Anesthesiologists have extensive experience with regional techniques and are able to introduce regional anesthesia into settings outside the operating room and in the early treatment phases of trauma patients.
Moderate Exercise Plus Sleep Education Improves Self-Reported Sleep Quality, Daytime Mood, and Vitality in Adults with Chronic Sleep Complaints: A Waiting List-Controlled Trial
Authors: Gebhart Carmen , Erlacher Daniel , Schredl Michael
Published: November 2011

Research indicates that physical exercise can contribute to better sleep quality. This study investigates the six-week influence of a combined intervention on self-rated sleep quality, daytime mood, and quality of life. A nonclinical sample of 114 adults with chronic initiating and the maintaining of sleep complaints participated in the study. The intervention group of 70 adults underwent moderate physical exercise, conducted weekly, plus sleep education sessions. Improvements among participants assigned to the intervention group relative to the waiting-list control group (n=44) were noted for subjective sleep quality, daytime mood, depressive symptoms and vitality. Derived from PSQI subscores, the intervention group reported increased sleep duration, shortened sleep latency, fewer awakenings after sleep onset, and overall better sleep efficiency compared to controls. The attained scores were well sustained and enhanced over a time that lasted through to the follow-up 18 weeks later. These findings have implications in treatment programs concerning healthy lifestyle approaches for adults with chronic sleep complaints.
A Hardware Design of Neuromolecular Network with Enhanced Evolvability: A Bioinspired Approach
Authors: Lin Yo-Hsien , Chen Jong-Chen
Published: November 2011

Silicon‐based computer systems have powerful computational capability. However, they are easy to malfunction because of a slight program error. Organisms have better adaptability than computer systems in dealing with environmental changes or noise. A close structure‐function relation inherent in biological structures is an important feature for providing great malleability to environmental changes. An evolvable neuromolecular hardware motivated by some biological evidence, which integrates inter‐ and intraneuronal information processing, was proposed. The hardware was further applied to the pattern‐recognition domain. The circuit was tested with Quartus II system, a digital circuit simulation tool. The experimental result showed that the artificial neuromolecularware exhibited a close structure‐function relationship, possessed several evolvability‐enhancing features combined to facilitate evolutionary learning, and was capable of functioning continuously in the face of noise.