bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Designing Optimal Aviation Baggage Screening Strategies Using Evolutionary Algorithms
Authors: Aguirre Anuar , Espiritu Jose F. , Hernández Salvador
Published: March 2013

Various mathematical methods and metaheuristic approaches have been developed in the past to address optimization problems related to aviation security. One such problem deals with a key component of an aviation security system, baggage and passenger screening devices. The decision process to determine which devices to procure by aviation and security officials, and how and where to deploy them can be quite challenging. In this study, two evolutionary algorithms are developed to obtain optimal baggage screening strategies, which minimize the expected annual total cost. Here, the expected annual cost function is composed of the purchasing and operating costs, as well as the costs associated to false alarms and false clears. A baggage screening strategy consists of various hierarchical levels of security screening devices through which a checked bag may pass through. A solution to the aviation baggage screening problem entails the number and type of devices to be installed at each hierarchical level. Solutions obtained from a comparison of a Genetic and a Memetic algorithm are presented. In addition, to illustrate the performance of both algorithms, different computational experiments utilizing the developed algorithms are also presented.
Geospatial Applications in Disease Surveillance
Authors: Blatt Amy J.
Published: March 2013

Given the current attention on national health care reform and the electronic exchange of health information, this article highlights the major developments in disease surveillance and identifies a number of public health opportunities for geospatial thought leaders to undertake. Issues surrounding spatial data quality and resolution, the legal and ethical issues of volunteered geographical health information, and the technical demands of formulating a synthetic and integrative disease surveillance system represent the types of research questions that only geographers can address successfully.
Geographical Distribution and Surveillance of Tuberculosis (TB) Using Spatial Statistics
Authors: Agnihotri Ila , Joshi PK , Tiwari Neeraj
Published: March 2013

Socio-demographic and health indices vary across the administrative units in a country. Thus, reported morbidity and mortality figures vary and inter/intra state comparison becomes a challenge. To handle such issues and administer a centralized health management system, identifying disease clusters and providing services to high risk population become important. Exploring a small part of the immense potential of geographic information systems (GIS) in centralized health management, this study presents a method of generating effective information for proper health management at local level. Such information is important for infectious diseases like tuberculosis (TB). The present paper discusses quarterly GIS mapping and assessment of TB in 1,965 villages of Almora district, Uttarakhand, India from 2003 to 2008. The values for Morbidity Rate (MBR) are depicted in risk maps for each quarter. Moran’s I indices were used to estimate the global spatial autocorrelation between the morbidity rates. Local Moran’s I (LISA) was used to detect spatial clusters and outliers, and for the prediction of hotspots of the disease. The result of this study has the potential to reflect a realistic assessment of the disease situation at the local level. Future work on this study can be utilized for planning and policy framework related to TB and other diseases.
Light-Weight Composite Environmental Performance Indicators (LWC-EPI)
Authors: Jamous Naoum
Published: March 2013

In light of rapid environmental changes, the relevance of current environmental policies is being scrutinized. The paper begins by shedding light on the usefulness of environmental management information systems (EMIS) which are being followed to assess whether relevant regulations have been adequately applied to successfully curtail and mitigate the enterprise’s impact on the environment while running its business. Based on this finding, the authors further investigate areas of weaknesses and subsequently identify enterprise corrective action to meet regulations. Furthermore, and taking into consideration the growing needs of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for EMIS, faced with an ever high cost of the required software solutions, this paper is a first attempt at providing recommendations on how to develop an appropriate EMIS for SMEs. The paper provides a brief summary of the LWC-EPI system’s approach, the motivation behind its adoption, the system expectation and its underlying architecture.
Lessons from the Virtual Campus
Authors: Stevens Kathryn E. , Stevens Scott P.
Published: March 2013

Second Life is a virtual world where many universities have established an educational presence. Hoping to serve as a useful example for others that are considering the creation of a virtual campus, this article follows how the Second Life campus of James Madison University was created in 2008. It details the nontraditional ways that it was used by faculty and students for museum studies, student projects, and in-world conferencing. It also reviews the major reasons why the project failed in April 2012 after four years of successful use, concluding with thoughts on best practices for Second Life university campuses.
THE IMPACT OF HARVESTING COCONUTS AT MONTHLY INTERVALS
Authors: Mathes D. T. , Marikkar J. M. N.
Published: March 2013

From the time immemorial coconut bunches were harvested at two monthlyintervals. In general two such bunches are harvested at a given harvest.However on the average a coconut bunch matures more or less everymonth. If these could be harvested at monthly intervals without any adverseeffect on the nuts there will be several benefits. These are availability ofnuts over the months, savings on mature nut fall which otherwise wouldhave lost, steady monthly income to the pickers and thereby reducing therisk of extension of skilled pickers. There was however no informationabout the nature of impact monthly harvesting has on the production ofyield. In order to address on this issue three long term experiments wereconducted at three different agro climatic zones, to study the impact ofmonthly harvesting on yield as compared to two monthly harvesting. Oneexperiment ran over a period of 10 years, while the other two over a periodof five years. Overall results were promising, by way of, increased nuts,quality of copra unaffected, mature nut fall reduced to a bear minimum andsubstantive gain in income to the pickers who play a vital role in theproduction of coconut, for harvesting coconuts at monthly intervals.
Phosphorus Status of Major Coconut Growing Soils of Sri Lanka on the performance of Pueraria phaseoloides
Authors: Wijebandara D. M. D. I.
Published: March 2013

Phosphorus status of major coconut growing soils in the Intermediate Zone of Sri Lanka on the growth parameters and root nodulation of Pueraria phascoloides was studied in plant house and field experiments. In the plant house experiment, Pueraria phaseoloides was planted in Non Calcic Brown, Red Yellow Podzolic, Sandy Regosols, Yellow Latosols and Alluvial soils treated with phosphorus at the rate of 1g of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) per pot (T1) along with a control (T0-no TSP) treatment. In the field experiment, Pueraria phascoloides was grown on above soils with application of Eppawela Rock Phosphate (ERP) at the rate of 912 kg ha-1 (T1) along with a control (T0) treatment. The relationships between the relative increase of each crop parameter (X) due to phosphate treatment, which is defined by [T1 (X) – T0(X)] / T0 (X) and the initial available soil phosphorus determined by the 2.5 % Acetic acid and Olsen’s bicarbonate were studied. The critical level for available soil phosphorus was determined by fitting the data in above relationships to the Cate and Nelson model. The results of the pot experiment showed that Pueraria phaseoloides significantly responded to P fertilizer application on soils containing available phosphorus less than 5 mg kg-1 in both extraction methods. In the field experiment, the limiting value of soil phosphorus was 10 mg/kg-1 as determined by 2.5 % acetic acid and 9 mg kg-1 as determined by Olsen’s method. Results revealed that the inherent phosphorus levels of most of the coconut growing soils in the Intermediate zone were below the limiting values and phosphate fertilizer application to Pueraria phascoloides is essential to enhance its growth and root nodulation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/cocos.v19i1.4746
Transitory Carbohydrate Reserves in Vegetative Organs of Coconut Under Different Growth Conditions and Its Relation with Reproductive and Vegetative Growth of The Palm
Authors: Ranasinghe C S , Illankoon I M I , Silva L R S , Premasiri R D N , Pradeep A P C
Published: March 2013

The study evaluated the non structural carbohydrate reserves in vegetative organs and vegetative and reproductive growth rates of a 25 year old Tall x Tall coconut (Cocos nucifera L) during the peak season of coconut yield (May/June) under S2 and S4 Land Suitability Classes (LSC) in three Agro Ecological Regions (WL3, IL1a and DL3). Trunk (inner and outer), root (new roots and mature roots) and leaf samples (petiole, leaf blade and leaf ekel from 9th, 14th and 22nd fronds) were collected, total soluble sugars (TSS) and starch concentrations were analyzed and TSS and starch reserves at palm level were estimated. Growth rate of trunk and leaves (vegetative) and developing nuts of all bunches of a palm (reproductive) were measured. The highest (3.86 kg month-1) and the lowest (0.81 kg month-1) reproductive growth rates and the highest (3.8 kg month-1) and the lowest (2.1 kg month-1) vegetative growth rates were found in the palms grown under S2 and S4 LSC in the DL3, respectively. There was a constant vegetative growth rate of 3.3 kg month-1 for the palms in WL3 and IL1a irrespective of the AER or LSC. The most dominant nonstructural reserve substance in the vegetative organs of coconut was soluble sugars (TSS) and the starch concentration was approximately half the TSS concentration in all vegetative parts irrespective of the AER or the LSC. TSS and starch showed a marked pattern of distribution, with highest concentration in trunk (114-134 mg g-1 TSS and 60-83 mg g-1 starch), intermediate in leaves (69-117 mg g-1 TSS and 33-69 mg g-1 starch) and lowest in roots (22-79 mg g-1 TSS and 17-33 mg g-1 starch). The highest TSS and starch reserves in leaf compartments (kg per palm) were found in the S2-grown palms of the DL3 which had the highest reproductive and vegetative growth rates during May-June season. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/cocos.v19i2.4753
Effect of In situ Cultivation and Incorporation of Green Manure Crops on the Yield of Coconut
Authors: VIJAYARAGHAVAN H. , RAMACHANDRAN T.K.
Published: March 2013

A field experiment was carried out in Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India withsix green manure crops to study their ability to grow and establish in the coconutbasin and to evaluate their effect on nut yield. Among the crops tested, Desmodiumtortuosum was found to be the best producing 12.8 kg of green leaf matter per basinfollowed by cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and sunhemp (Crotolaria juncea). The drymatter production was also found to be superior in Desmodium compared to others.Incorporation of Desmodium added 250 g of N per crop per basin which was thehighest. In situ cultivation and incorporation of Desmodium and sunhemp significantlyincreased the nut yield of coconut.
Fertility Preservation in Gynecological Cancers
Authors: Chhabra Shakuntala , Kutchi Imran
Published: March 2013

For cancers of reproductive system in women, fertility preservation is complex. Fertility is also affected by therapies, however prevention is possible. Radiotherapy affects gonads, uterus, and subsequent pregnancy outcomes in all ages. However, degree and damage depend on dose, irradiation field, and age at the time of exposure. Ovarian transposition is considered if ovarian involvement is unlikely. Gonadotoxic effects of chemotherapy are related to agent's type, cumulative doses, age, and ovarian reserve. Some agents are highly toxic. Rendering follicular development quiescent by suppression of gonadotropins does reduce the ovarian damage. Simple or radical trachelectomy can be used in early cervical cancer. Fertility saving surgery is possible only in early stage low grade epithelial cancers of the ovary, however, in germ cell tumors even in advanced stages it may be possible to preserve fertility. There are no standard recommendations for endometrial cancer. Embryo, oocyte, and ovarian tissue cryopreservation are possible. The human embryo is very resistant to damage. In view of these possibilities, it is advocated that attention to long term health and quality of life in gonadotoxic therapy must be incorporated into plans as early as possible.
Monitoring Adherence to Evidence-Based Practices
Authors: Tulu B. , Lawley M. , Konrad R.
Published: March 2013

Background: Clinical pathways are evidence-based recommendations for treating a diagnosis. Although implementations of clinical pathways have reduced medical errors, lowered costs, and improved patient outcomes, monitoring whether a patient is following the intended pathway is problematic. Implementing a variance reporting program is impeded by the lack of a reliable source of electronic data and automatic retrieval methods.

Objectives: Our objective is to develop an automated method of measuring and reporting patient variance from a clinical pathway.

Methods: We identify a viable and ubiquitous data source for establishing the realized patient’s path- Health Level Seven (HL7) formatted message exchanges between Hospital Information Systems. This is in contrast to current practices in most hospitals where data for clinical pathway variance reporting is obtained from multiple data sources, often retrospectively. This paper develops a method to use message exchanges to automatically establish and compare a patient’s path against a clinical pathway. Our method not only considers pathway activities as is common practice, but also extracts patient outcomes from HL7 messages and reports this in addition to the variance.

Results: Using data from our partner hospital, we illustrate our clinical pathway variance analysis tool using major joint replacement patients. We validate our method by comparing audit results for a random sample of HL7 constructed pathways with data extracted from patient charts. We report several variances such as omitted laboratory tests or additional activities such as blood transfusions. Our method successfully identifies variances and reports them in a quantified way to support decisions related to quality control.

Conclusions: Our approach differs from previous studies in that a quantitative measure is established over three dimensions: (1) omissions from the pathway, (2) additions to the pathway, and (3) patient outcomes. By examining variances providers can evaluate clinical decisions, and support quality feedback and training mechanisms.

Citation: Konrad R, Tulu B, Lawley M. Monitoring adherence to evidence based practices – a method to utilize HL7 messages from hospital information systems. Appl Clin Inf 2013; 4: 126–143

http://dx.doi.org/10.4338/ACI-2012-06-RA-0026
A pilot study of the impact of an educational intervention aimed at improving medical record documentation
Authors: Farzandipour M , Meidani Z , Rangraz Jeddi F , Gilasi H , Shokrizadeh Arani L , Fakharian E , Saddik B
Published: March 2013

Introduction: Studies have shown the importance of medical staff education in improving chart documentation and accuracy of medical coding. This study aimed to examine the effect of an educational intervention on recording medical diagnoses among a sample of medical residents based at Kashan University of Medical Sciences.

Methods: This pilot study was conducted in 2010 and involved 19 residents in different specialties (internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and surgery). Guidelines for recording diagnostic information related to surgery, obstetrics and internal medicine were taught at a five-hour lecture. Five medical records from each resident from before and after the educational intervention were assessed using a checklist based on relevant diagnostic information related to each discipline. Data were analysed using a paired t-test and Wilcoxson signed rank test.

Results: There was no improvement in the quality and accuracy of the recording of obstetric diagnoses (type, place, outcome and complications of delivery) after the training. There was also no effect on the documentation of underlying causes and clinical manifestations of disease by internal medicine and surgery residents (p=0.285 and p=0.584, respectively).

Conclusion: The single education session did not improve recording of diagnoses among residents. The gathering and recording of complete, accurate and high quality medical records requires interaction between the hospital management, health information management professionals and healthcare providers. It is therefore essential to develop a more sophisticated portfolio of strategies that involves these key stakeholders.
Sir Harry C Sinderson Pasha (1891–1974): physician, medical educator and royal confidant
Authors: Jawad AS
Published: March 2013

Following the end of the First World War, several British orientalists had a significant influence on politics and development in a number of Arab countries in the Middle East. These include familiar figures such as TE Lawrence in Hejaz, Jordan and Syria, Gertrude Bell in Iraq, Harry St John Philby (later Sheikh Abdullah) in Saudi Arabia and Sir John Glubb (Glubb Pasha) in Jordan. There are however other less well-known individuals, of whom Harry Sinderson Pasha is one. Sinderson was a physician who played a significant role in the development of health and medical education in modern Iraq after it was established by the British in 1920. He was personal physician to the Royal family of Iraq, a confidant to King Faisal I and then to the Prince Regent, and he played an important role in the politics of that period.
Changes in soil carbon stocks in Brazil due to land use: paired site comparisons and a regional pasture soil survey
Authors: Assad E. D. , Pinto H. S. , Martins S. C. , Groppo J. D. , Salgado P. R. , Evangelista B. , Vasconcellos E. , Sano E. E. , Pavão E. , Luna R. , Camargo P. B. , Martinelli L. A.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. In this paper we calculated soil carbon stocks in Brazil using 17 paired sites where soil stocks were determined in native vegetation, pastures and crop-livestock systems (CPS), and in other regional samplings encompassing more than 100 pasture soils, from 6.58° S to 31.53° S, involving three major Brazilian biomes: Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, and the Pampa. The average native vegetation soil carbon stocks at 10 and 30 cm soil depth were equal to approximately 33 and 65 Mg ha−1, respectively. In the paired sites, carbon losses of 7.5 Mg ha−1 and 11.9 Mg ha−1 in CPS systems were observed at 10 cm and 30 cm soil depth averages, respectively. In pasture soils, carbon losses were similar and equal to 8.3 Mg ha−1 and 12.2 Mg ha−1 at 10 cm and 30 cm soil depths, respectively. The average soil δ13C under native vegetation at 10 and 30 cm depth were equal to −25.4‰ and −24.0‰, increasing to −19.6 ‰ and −17.7‰ in CPS, and to −18.9‰, and −18.3‰ in pasture soils, respectively; indicating an increasing contribution of C4 carbon in these agrosystems. In the regional survey of pasture soils, the soil carbon stock at 30 cm was equal to approximately 51 Mg ha−1, with an average δ13C value of −19.6‰. Key controllers of soil carbon stock at pasture sites were sand content and mean annual temperature. Collectively, both could explain approximately half of the variance of soil carbon stocks. When pasture soil carbon stocks were compared with the average soil carbon stocks of native vegetation estimated for Brazilian biomes and soil types by Bernoux et al. (2002) there was a carbon gain of 6.7 Mg ha−1, which is equivalent to a carbon gain of 15% compared to the carbon soil stock of the native vegetation. The findings of this study are consistent with differences found between regional comparisons like our pasture sites and local paired study sites in estimating soil carbon stocks changes due to land use changes.
Modeling root reinforcement using root-failure Weibull survival function
Authors: Schwarz M. , Giadrossich F. , Cohen D.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. Root networks contribute to slope stability through complicated interactions that include mechanical compression and tension. Due to the spatial heterogeneity of root distribution and the dynamic of root turnover, the quantification of root reinforcement on steep slope is challenging and consequently the calculation of slope stability as well. Although the considerable advances in root reinforcement modeling, some important aspect remain neglected. In this study we address in particular to the role of root strength variability on the mechanical behaviors of a root bundle. Many factors may contribute to the variability of root mechanical properties even considering a single class of diameter. This work presents a new approach for quantifying root reinforcement that considers the variability of mechanical properties of each root diameter class. Using the data of laboratory tensile tests and field pullout tests, we calibrate the parameters of the Weibull survival function to implement the variability of root strength in a numerical model for the calculation of root reinforcement (RBMw). The results show that, for both laboratory and field datasets, the parameters of the Weibull distribution may be considered constant with the exponent equal to 2 and the normalized failure displacement equal to 1. Moreover, the results show that the variability of root strength in each root diameter class has a major influence on the behavior of a root bundle with important implications when considering different approaches in slope stability calculation. Sensitivity analysis shows that the calibration of the tensile force and the elasticity of the roots are the most important equations, as well as the root distribution. The new model allows the characterization of root reinforcement in terms of maximum pullout force, stiffness, and energy. Moreover, it simplifies the implementation of root reinforcement in slope stability models. The realistic quantification of root reinforcement for tensile, shear and compression behavior allows the consideration of the stabilization effects of root networks on steep slopes and the influence that this has on the triggering of shallow landslides.
Numerical tools to estimate the flux of a gas across the air–water interface and assess the heterogeneity of its forcing functions
Authors: Vieira V. M. N. C. S. , Martins F. , Silva J. , Santos R.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. A numerical tool was developed for the estimation of gas fluxes across the air–water interface. The primary objective is to use it to estimate CO2 fluxes. Nevertheless application to other gases is easily accomplished by changing the values of the parameters related to the physical properties of the gases. A user-friendly software was developed allowing to build upon a standard kernel a custom-made gas flux model with the preferred parameterizations. These include single or double layer models; several numerical schemes for the effects of wind in the air-side and water-side transfer velocities; the effects of atmospheric stability, surface roughness and turbulence from current drag with the bottom; and the effects on solubility of water temperature, salinity, air temperature and pressure. An analysis was also developed which decomposes the difference between the fluxes in a reference situation and in alternative situations into its several forcing functions. This analysis relies on the Taylor expansion of the gas flux model, requiring the numerical estimation of partial derivatives by a multivariate version of the collocation polynomial. Both the flux model and the difference decomposition analysis were tested with data taken from surveys done in the lagoon system of Ria Formosa, south Portugal, in which the CO2 fluxes were estimated using the infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) and floating chamber method, whereas the CO2 concentrations were estimated using the IRGA and degasification chamber. Observations and estimations show a remarkable fit.
Predicting subglacial lakes and meltwater drainage pathways beneath the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets
Authors: Livingstone S. J. , Clark C. D. , Woodward J.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. In this paper we use the Shreve hydraulic potential equation to predict subglacial lakes and meltwater drainage pathways beneath the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. For the Antarctic Ice Sheet we are able to predict known subglacial lakes with a >70% success rate, which demonstrates the validity of this method. Despite the success in predicting known subglacial lakes the calculations produce two-orders of magnitude more lakes than are presently identified, covering 4% of the ice-sheet bed. The difference is thought to result from our poor knowledge of the bed (which has resulted in artefacts associated with the interpolation method), intrinsic errors associated with the simplified modelling approach and because thousands of subglacial lakes, particularly smaller ones, remain to be found. Applying the same modelling approach to the Greenland Ice Sheet predicts only 90 lakes under the present-day ice-sheet configuration, covering 0.2% of the bed. The paucity of subglacial lakes in Greenland is thought to be a function of steeper overall ice-surface gradients. As no lakes have currently been located under Greenland, model predictions will make suitable targets for radar surveys of Greenland to identify subglacial lakes. During deglaciation from the Last Glacial Maximum both ice sheets had more subglacial lakes at their beds, though many of these lakes have persisted to present conditions. These lakes, inherited from past ice-sheet configurations would not form under current surface conditions, suggesting a retreating ice-sheet will have many more subglacial lakes than an advancing ice sheet. This hysteresis effect has implications for ice-stream formation and flow, bed lubrication and meltwater drainage. The lake model also allows modelling of the drainage pathways of the present-day and former Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. Significantly, key sectors of the ice sheets, such as the Siple Coast (Antarctica) and NE Greenland Ice Stream system, are shown to have been susceptible to drainage switches and capture by neighbouring networks during deglaciation thus far.
The Nine-Dash Line in the South China Sea: History, Status, and Implications
Authors: Gao Zhiguo , Jia Bing Bing
Published: March 2013

The South China Sea has generally been a calm area of sea since ancient times. Until the late twentieth century, it had provided a fertile fishing ground for local fishermen from China and other littoral states, and a smooth route of navigation for the nations of the region and the rest of the international community. This tranquility has been disturbed, however, by two recent developments. The first was the physical occupation of the Nansha, or Spratly, Islands by some of the coastal states in the 1970s. This process continued through the rest of the century. Now, nearly all the islands and insular features within the Spratly Islands have been subjected to physical control by one littoral state or another.
Metal Concentration in Commonly Used Medicinal Herbs and Infusion by Lebanese Population: Health Impact
Authors: Korfali Samira I. , Mroueh Mohamad , Al-Zein Mohammad , Salem Rosin
Published: March 2013

The levels of K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Pb, As, Cd, Cr, and Pb in commonly used medicinal herbs and their infusions by Lebanese were analyzed by EDXRF and ASS techniques, respectively. The order of metal contents in the herbs was found to be: K (6990-19850 ug/g) > Ca(1630-14450 ug/g) > Fe(80-3650 ug/g) > Mn (28-458 ug/g) > Zn (23-108 ug/g) > Cu (5-71 ug/g) > Cr (3.1-55 ug/g) Pb> (1.1-10.3 ug/g) > As (nd-10.8 ug/g) > Cd (nd-1.7 ug/g). The mean levels of toxic metals in herbs Pb, As and Cd were below WHO permissible levels. Cluster analysis indicated metals are most probably in plants due to wastes disposal and irrigation with contaminated wastes and/or from atmospheric waste particulates. The levels of Mn, Cr, Pb and As in herbal infusions were found to be higher in soaked than boiled preparations and correlated with Fe, while Zn and Cu levels were higher in boiled infusions. The highest weekly intake from herbal infusions of toxic metals Cr (492.8 ug), As (77.0 ug), Pb (291.2 ug) and Cd (19.0 ug) were below the recommended permissible tolerable weekly intake respectively 1260 ug, 900 ug, 1500 ug, and 150 ug. Therefore, the consumption of these traditional medicinal herbs does not pose any health risk provided full compliance with recommended daily doses.
Robust Adaptive Control for a Class of Nonlinear Systems Using the Backstepping Method
Authors: Zouari Farouk , Saad Kamel Ben , Benrejeb Mohamed
Published: March 2013

This paper develops a robust adaptive control for a class of nonlinear systems using the backstepping method. The proposed robust adaptive control is a recursive method based on the Lyapunov synthesis approach. It ensures that, for any initial conditions, all the signals of the closed-loop system are regularly bounded and the tracking errors converge to zero. The results are illustrated with simulation examples.
Human Object Recognition Using Colour and Depth Information from an RGB-D Kinect Sensor
Authors: Southwell Benjamin John , Fang Gu
Published: March 2013

Human object recognition and tracking is important in robotics and automation. The Kinect sensor and its SDK have provided a reliable human tracking solution where a constant line of sight is maintained. However, if the human object is lost from sight during the tracking, the existing method cannot recover and resume tracking the previous object correctly. In this paper, a human recognition method is developed based on colour and depth information that is provided from any RGB-D sensor. In particular, the method firstly introduces a mask based on the depth information of the sensor to segment the shirt from the image (shirt segmentation); it then extracts the colour information of the shirt for recognition (shirt recognition). As the shirt segmentation is only based on depth information, it is light invariant compared to colour-based segmentation methods. The proposed colour recognition method introduces a confidence-based ruling method to classify matches. The proposed shirt segmentation and colour recognition method is tested using a variety of shirts with the tracked human at standstill or moving in varying lighting conditions. Experiments show that the method can recognize shirts of varying colours and patterns robustly.
Seat Adjustment Design of an Intelligent Robotic Wheelchair Based on the Stewart Platform
Authors: Hsu Po Er , Hsu Yeh Liang , Lu Jun Ming , Chang Cheng-Hao
Published: March 2013

A wheelchair user makes direct contact with the wheelchair seat, which serves as the interface between the user and the wheelchair, for much of any given day. Seat adjustment design is of crucial importance in providing proper seating posture and comfort. This paper presents a multiple-DOF (degrees of freedom) seat adjustment mechanism, which is intended to increase the independence of the wheelchair user while maintaining a concise structure, light weight, and intuitive control interface. This four-axis Stewart platform is capable of heaving, pitching, and swaying to provide seat elevation, tilt-in-space, and sideways movement functions. The geometry and types of joints of this mechanism are carefully arranged so that only one actuator needs to be controlled, enabling the wheelchair user to adjust the seat by simply pressing a button. The seat is also equipped with soft pressure-sensing pads to provide pressure management by adjusting the seat mechanism once continuous and concentrated pressure is detected. Finally, by comparing with the manual wheelchair, the proposed mechanism demonstrated the easier and more convenient operation with less effort for transfer assistance.
Three Different Approaches for Localization in a Corridor Environment by Means of an Ultrasonic Wide Beam
Authors: Spedicato Luigi , Giannoccaro Nicola Ivan , Reina Giulio , Bellone Mauro
Published: March 2013

In this paper the authors present three methods to detect the position and orientation of an observer, such as a mobile robot, with respect to a corridor wall. They use an inexpensive sensor to spread a wide ultrasonic beam. The sensor is rotated by means of an accurate servomotor in order to propagate ultrasonic waves towards a regular wall. Whatever the wall material may be the scanning surface appears to be an acoustic reflector as a consequence of low air impedance. The realized device is able to give distance information in each motor position and thus permits the derivation of a set of points as a ray trace-scanner. The dataset contains points lying on a circular arc and relating to strong returns. Three different approaches are herein considered to estimate both the slope of the wall and its minimum distance from the sensor. Slope and perpendicular distance are the parameters of a target plane, which may be calculated in each observer's position to predict its new location. Experimental tests and simulations are shown and discussed by scanning from different stationary locations. They allow the appreciation of the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.
Positive Economics and the Normativistic Fallacy: Bridging the Two Sides of CSR
Authors: Schreck Philipp , Aaken Dominik van , Donaldson Thomas
Published: March 2013

In response to criticism of empirical or “positive” approaches to corporate social responsibility (CSR), we defend the importance of these approaches for any CSR theory that seeks to have practical impact. Although we acknowledge limitations to positive approaches, we unpack the neglected but crucial relationships between positive knowledge on the one hand and normative knowledge on the other in the implementation of CSR principles. Using the structure of a practical syllogism, we construct a model that displays the key role of empirical knowledge in fulfilling a firm’s responsibility to society, paying special attention to the implications of the “ought implies can” dictum. We also defend the importance of one particular class of empirical claims; namely, claims from the field of economics. Even positive economic theory, which is often criticized for endorsing profits rather than values, can cooperate in intriguing ways with non-economic concepts in the implementation of CSR goals.
Práticas de Sustentabilidade, Governança Corporativa e Responsabilidade Social afetam o risco e o retorno dos investimentos?
Authors: Milani Bruno , Righi Marcelo Brutti , Ceretta Paulo Sérgio , Dias Valéria Da Veiga
Published: March 2013

This article aims to verify whether the investments in companies with better practices of Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Governance and Sustainability presents performance differences in relation to investments in companies that represent the market. To this end, we analyzed the series of daily returns of Ibovespa, IGC, IGCT, ISE and ITAG through GARCH model and mean differences tests. The results show that the conditional volatility of the differentiated practices indexes is significantly smaller than the Ibovespa volatility, although the correlation between the returns is very high. Besides that, the Sharpe Index (1966) of the better practices indexes shows that their return per unit of risk is significantly higher than Ibovespa’s. Thus, in general, it is possible to conclude that investments in different practices constitute a less risky and more profitable alternative to the investor.
Gestão de resíduos sólidos domésticos na zona rural: a realidade do município de Pranchita - PR
Authors: Rocha Adilson Carlos , Ceretta Gilberto Francisco , Botton Juliana Santi , Baruffi Luciane , Zamberlan João Fernando
Published: March 2013

The present study aimed to identify the destination of the household waste produced in the countryside and also endorse the program of collection of such waste in the municipality of Pranchita - PR. The paper presents a theoretical background on issues pertaining to production and environmental impacts of waste and the legislation that regulates on the subject. The study in question had an exploratory-descriptive. For data collection, 100 questionnaires were applied, they developed based on theoretical assumptions about the subject of study. To assess and meet the waste collection program in rural areas existing in the municipality conducted a documentary analysis using as source the Master Plan of the municipality (2009). The results showed that the majority of household waste produced in the rural area of research, does not receive the correct destination, according to basic rules to prevent environmental pollution. It was also found that the majority of people surveyed do not receive guidance on how to appropriate treatment to be given to the waste produced and also no incentive for such actions. As for the waste collection program, this does not seem to be efficient, because it was evident that the program does not meet most of the communities in rural areas. According to the opinion of the program users did not have a good rating, because 55.8% of users indicated that the program is poor and fair.
Students as Mathematics Consultants
Authors: Jensen Jennifer L.
Published: March 2013

Five problems—relating to gas mileage, the national debt, store sales, shipping costs, and fish population—require students to use functions to connect mathematics to the real world.
Clinical-Scale Derivation of Natural Killer Cells From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Cancer Therapy
Authors: Knorr David A. , Ni Zhenya , Hermanson David , Hexum Melinda K. , Bendzick Laura , Cooper Laurence J.N. , Lee Dean A. , Kaufman Dan S.
Published: March 2013

Adoptive transfer of antitumor lymphocytes has gained intense interest in the field of cancer therapeutics over the past two decades. Human natural killer (NK) cells are a promising source of lymphocytes for anticancer immunotherapy. NK cells are part of the innate immune system and exhibit potent antitumor activity without need for human leukocyte antigen matching and without prior antigen exposure. Moreover, the derivation of NK cells from pluripotent stem cells could provide an unlimited source of lymphocytes for off-the-shelf therapy. To date, most studies on hematopoietic cell development from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have used incompletely defined conditions and been on a limited scale. Here, we have used a two-stage culture system to efficiently produce NK cells from hESCs and iPSCs in the absence of cell sorting and without need for xenogeneic stromal cells. This novel combination of embryoid body formation using defined conditions and membrane-bound interleukin 21-expressing artificial antigen-presenting cells allows production of mature and functional NK cells from several different hESC and iPSC lines. Although different hESC and iPSC lines had varying efficiencies in hematopoietic development, all cell lines tested could produce functional NK cells. These methods can be used to generate enough cytotoxic NK cells to treat a single patient from fewer than 250,000 input hESCs/iPSCs. Additionally, this strategy provides a genetically amenable platform to study normal NK cell development and education in vitro.
Study on Availability of Various Macro and Micro-Minerals in Lactating Buffaloes under Field Conditions of Sabarkantha District of Gujarat
Authors: Bhanderi B.M. , Garg M.R. , Goswami Ajay
Published: March 2013

A study was conducted in the Sabarkantha district of Gujarat to assess the status of some macro and micro-minerals in lactating buffaloes. Feeds and fodder samples were collected from 17 representative villages of the district for analysis of macro and micro-minerals. Calcium content in cottonseed cake (0.17%), crushed maize (0.03%) and maize cake (0.22%) was found to be below the critical level (0.30%). The phosphorus content in concentrate ingredients was high (0.32-0.67%) but low in dry roughages (0.06-0.20%). Feeds and fodder were found to be adequate in magnesium (0.40%), sodium (0.29%) and potassium (1.15%). Straws were found to be deficient in sulphur (0.16%). Green roughages were good source of copper (12.31 ppm). Wheat straw was found to be low in zinc (19.71 ppm) but comparatively high in manganese (47.88 ppm) and iron (630.24 ppm). Lucerne and chikori green were found to be rich source of cobalt (>0.35 ppm). Selenium (0.68 ppm) was present in appreciable quantities in most of the feedstuffs. Lactating buffaloes were also found to be excess in energy and crude protein (70%), whereas, calcium and phosphorus were deficient in the ration (65%). Ration of lactating buffaloes was found to be deficient in Ca, P, S, Cu, Zn and Co. Supplementing the deficient minerals through area specific mineral mixture could alleviate the deficiency and improve productivity and reproduction efficiency of lactating buffaloes.
Concepts of Ethnicity and Culture in Andean Archaeology
Authors: Stovel Emily M.
Published: March 2013

Although Andean archaeology has long used the term “ethnic” to refer to human groups, new understandings of ethnicity have injected less static understandings of contextualized identity construction into our models of the past. A review of recent work on ethnicity in the field reveals, however, that methodological approaches to these social entities do not always follow suit and rather favor normative synchronie comparisons. This paper explores the origins and trends in the study of ethnic groups and ethnicity in Andean archaeology, arguing that we may be seeing the persistence of the culture concept in the guise of ethnicity. It also examines best practices in the literature in order to make recommendations concerning the adoption of local, contextual, and diachronic methods in conjunction with multiple lines of evidence. These practices are more likely to expose the processes of identity construction by rendering explicit the relationships among culture, ethnicity, and the use of emblemic material culture. It argues, thereby, for the provision of proof of this process rather than its assertion.
Posthumous Body Manipulation in the Classic Period Mixtequilla: Reevaluating the Human Remains of Ossuary I from El Zapotal, Veracruz
Authors: Tiesler Vera , Romano-Pacheco Arturo , Gómez-Valdés Jorge , Daneels Annick
Published: March 2013

Our interdisciplinary study provides new information and interpretations of Ossuary I, a large assemblage of human bones associated with the ceremonial center dedicated to a life-size clay figure of a splendidly attired human skeleton (often identified as Mictlantecuhtli in the archaeological literature) at the site of El Zapotal in south-central Veracruz-Recovered in 1971, this assemblage has been interpreted as a ritual deposit of women who died during childbirth, whose bodies were dedicated in later Aztec lore to the Tlazolteotl goddess. The present paper provides new insights into the depositional sequence, the type and number of individuals within the assemblage, the sex and age profile of the mostly female cohort, the distribution of artificial head shapes as an ethnic marker, and evidence of perimortem violence and postmortem processing in the form of flaying. Our evidence indicates that Ossuary I represents the slow accumulation of loose bones and limb segments of partially skinned individuals in a circular shaft. Postdating the functioning of the Death God adoratorio and showing fluctuations in the patterns of pre-depositional body treatment, the assemblage expresses the Late Classic period ritual practice of flaying both males and females in Veracruz. In later stages, the ossuary was used again for a female cult, consistent with the original interpretation of women who died during childbirth.
The Deep Prehistory of Indian Gaming: Possible Late Archaic Period Game Boards at the Tlacuachero Shellmound, Chiapas, Mexico
Authors: Voorhies Barbara
Published: March 2013

Ten or more features, each consisting originally of an open circle formed by a series of small holes, are present on two Late Archaic superimposed prepared floors at a shellmound on the outer coast of Chiapas, Mexico. These puzzling features bear a strong resemblance to ethnographic and ethnohistoric scoreboards used in indigenous dice games. Accordingly, the approximately 5,000 year-old features also were most likely game boards. Archaeologists have traced other Mesoamerican games into deep prehistory, including rubber ball games and another dice game known in Aztec times as patolli. These data provide evidence for the cultural importance and longevity of gaming in Mesoamerica.
Avuncular Listening: The Unsuspected
Authors: Mowitt John
Published: March 2013

This essay approaches the topic of translation through the motif of “transmutation”, Roman Jakobson’s term for a modality of translation understood to be inter-semiotic as opposed to either intra or inter-linguistic. Instead of developing transmutation as a re-wording of “adaptation” (for example, the elaboration of a novel as the screenplay for a film), this text brings transmutation into contact with “remediation”, a concept used within media studies to describe how, as McLuhan famously put it, media are always comprised of other media. More specifically, and with an eye toward the particular tension between radio and film, this text shows how remediation repeats with a difference what Raymond Williams meant by “residualism”, the survival within the cultural dominant of politically charged cultural technologies and practices from an earlier moment. Key here is the rivalrous character of this tension, that is, the fact that media that include other media typically do so by subjecting them to their own formal and narrative logics. Here is explored this dynamic through a reading of Michael Curtiz’sThe Unsuspectedfrom 1947, a film that narrativizes the rivalry between radio and film.
La citation visuelle contemporaine. Le cas du changement de médium dans l’oeuvre Le Radeau de la Méduse (100 Mile House) 1 d’Adad Hannah
Authors: Bannon Lynn
Published: March 2013

L’article porte sur la citation dans l’imagerie contemporaine, plus exactement sur le transfert de l’image citée dans un autre médium en prenant à témoin l’oeuvre Le Radeau de la Méduse (100 Mile House) 1 d’Adad Hannah. L’objectif est de démontrer comment, en choisissant un médium autre que celui de l’image citée, l’artiste citant se présente et se représente comme réformateur des arts. Pour le citateur, l’acte citationnel repose sur deux objectifs qui se confrontent : celui de s’identifier à l’autre cité et de reconnaître la valeur exemplaire du modèle; celui de s’approprier l’image source et de la recomposer par le biais d’une pratique personnelle dans un contexte qui favorise les mélanges et les déplacements de tous ordres, notamment à l’égard des hiérarchies conventionnelles qui s’en trouvent ainsi renouvelées.