bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validating the value of industry-university collaborations in graduate engineering education
Authors: Sawhney Rapinder , Maleki Sima , Thakur Kaveri
Published: May 2014

The Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) program within the Center for Productivity Innovations (CPI) in the Industrial and Systems Engineering department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville provides an opportunity for students to utilize industry as a laboratory for learning and developing research ideas. This paper presents an effective educational model being used in ISE-CPI to prepare a new generation of industrial engineering leaders. These young leaders' educational experience is enhanced as they are equipped with the technical, organizational, and social skills necessary for them to tackle global challenges and create value for society. A survey was developed to assess the contribution of the ISE-CPI program (in comparison with other mechanisms of acquiring education) from the students' perspective. The results validate the success of the ISE-CPI program model in combining formal education and career experiences to train effective leaders through industry-related projects.
An overview of GRCSE: Graduate Reference Curriculum for Systems Engineering
Authors: Towhidnejad Massood , Hilburn Thomas B.
Published: May 2014

With the ever increasing complexity of engineered systems, there is a need for educating and training additional systems engineers to meet future demand. Over the last three years, educators and professional systems engineers from around the world have been working on the development of a Graduate Reference Curriculum for Systems Engineering (GRCSE™), which is scheduled to be released by December 2012. This work has been supported by the US Department of Defense and many international organizations such as the IEEE Computer Society, IEEE Systems Council, INCOSE, and ACM.
Competition-driven robot design
Authors: Yilmazer Nuri , Yilmaz Muhittin , Nekovei Reza , Ozcelik Selahattin , Abdul-Razzak Hayder
Published: May 2014

The study presents a successful methodological robot design approach for the 2011 IEEE Region-5 competition to improve innovation skills of students through a National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored project that aimed to develop a laboratory-based, competition-driven robotics curriculum in a minority serving institution.
The current state of industry-academia relations in the Arab Gulf states: Problems and potential solutions
Authors: Akili Waddah
Published: May 2014

This paper focuses on the current state of industry-academia relationships in the Arab Gulf states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), and argues that meaningful, long-lasting relations have begun to develop. But, there is much more that can and must be done. There is a need for increased “relevancy” of engineering education, with greater industry-academia collaboration on many fronts. It was inspired by a round table discussion, where engineering graduates of region's colleges have suggested ways to start developing viable and enduring connections between local industries and academic institutions. Strategies to help promote the collaboration effort are outlined. In particular, activities (plans, and scenarios) perceived as effective in closing the gap between academia and industries are described. Training, capstone courses, consulting by faculty and joint research projects, aimed at serving the interest of both parties (academia and the industrial partners) are also addressed. The paper sheds light on: the mission, the nature, and relevant benchmarks of this collaborative effort. Slanting curricula and programs toward industrial relevance and “practice”, will help equip graduates with the “tools of the trade”, thus lessening the burden on industry, in having to spend time and effort preparing and training employees at the start of their career. To this end, the author draws on his own experience as a faculty member in the Arab Gulf states; in addition to views and suggestions of colleagues, students, graduates, and business leaders in the Region.
How to develop engineering students' problem solving skills using cooperative problem based learning (CPBL)
Authors: Mohd-Yusof Khairiyah , Phang Fatin Aliah , Helmi Syed Ahmad
Published: May 2014

Problem solving has been identified as the top priority attribute in engineering graduates for the 21st century. Nevertheless, the question remains on how to actually develop skills for solving real world problem in engineering students. Cooperative problem based learning (CPBL) has been shown to significantly enhance problem-solving skills among engineering students in a typical course. CPBL is the integration of cooperative learning (CL) in the problem based learning (PBL) cycle to enable efficient and effective implementation in a class of up to sixty students with one instructor acting as a floating facilitator. Research on students' perception of CPBL also showed that while many students may not initially like the drastic change from the usual “spoon-feeding” culture to learning inductively through CPBL, most of them were gradually won over as they go through several problems and CPBL cycles, especially when they realized the enhancement in skills and knowledge that they gained through the technique. This paper puts forth a summary of the research findings on CPBL, and explains how to conduct CPBL in developing and enhancing problem solving skills in engineering students.
Development of a remote experiment under a unified remote laboratory framework
Authors: Chen Xuemin , Osakue Daniel , Wang Ning , Parsaei Hamid , Song Gangbing
Published: May 2014

In this paper, a Smart Vibration Platform (SVP) remote experiment under a novel unified framework for implementing remote laboratory is presented. In this unified remote laboratory framework, a Comet solution via Node.js and its Socket.IO package was implemented on the server side. A new web socket protocol, which lets the experiment to communicate with Socket.IO, was created for the workstation. With this unified framework, the user can remotely conduct the experiment by using any portable device without installing any plug-in.
International study programs: The role of internships, R&D projects, and their evaluation
Authors: Dispert Helmut , Boudin Christine , Morgan Joseph A. , McMahon Mark
Published: May 2014

Globalization has lead to a fundamental change of the paradigms covering our systems of higher education. The so-called Bologna process has initiated fundamental reforms, not only in the content and duration of university study programs, but also in the way application-oriented education is viewed and implemented worldwide – and especially in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). This paper outlines new approaches to allow students to get international and professional experience and project-oriented know-how. A detailed discussion and comparison will be given, including the following educational programs: ISPS – International Study and Project Semester, EPS – European Project Semester, MUTW – Multinational Undergraduate Team Work, and Praxis – the Thematic Network dedicated to project/internship-based teaching and learning. Also presented will be the support system ACE – Academic Clearing-House for Excellence. Although theses programs are open to all types of study areas, currently the emphasis is on the engineering sciences, computer science & engineering, and information technology. All these programs are built around the central idea that state of the art university level education should be a mix of theory-based study programs and industry-oriented practical phases. The final part of this paper will cover the areas of accreditation and evaluation.
On teaching non-technical skills for the engineers of 2020
Authors: Dukhan Nihad , Rayess Nassif
Published: May 2014

The paper presents how a U.S. university was able to implement curricular content in a specially designed engineering course to teach students critical non-technical skills of the engineers of 2020, as described by educational, industrial and governmental organizations. The course targeted issues that directly affect the engineering profession, i.e., nature of the knowledge-based economy, the nature and need for innovation, the various kinds and advantages of entrepreneurship and business models associated with it, public speaking and communication skills, working in teams, and the need for life-long learning. The course also included content targeting the ability for an engineer to manage his/herself with a corporate setting in today's knowledge-based economy. This paper describes the course design, content and rubric that were used to assess some of the course outcomes, as well as the results of the assessment. In general, the results show that the vast majority of students agreed that the course had been effective in teaching and making them aware of.
Biomarkers for arterial and venous thrombotic disorders
Authors: Mannhalter C.
Published: May 2014

The haemostatic system maintains the blood in a fluid state, but allows rapid clot formation at sites of vascular injury to prevent excessive bleeding. Unbalances within the haemostatic system can lead to thrombosis. Inspite of successful research our understanding of the disease pathogenesis is still incomplete. There is great hope that genetic, genomic, and epigenetic discoveries will enhance the diagnostic capability, and improve the treatment options. During the preceding 20 years, the identification of polymorphisms and the elucidation of their role in arterial and venous thromboses became an important area of research. Today, a large body of data is available regarding associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes with plasma concentrations and e. g. the risk of ischaemic stroke or myocardial infarction. However, the results for individual polymorphisms and genes are often controversial. It is now well established that besides acquired also hereditary risk factors influence the occurrence of thrombotic events, and environmental factors may add to this risk. Currently available statistical methods are only able to identify combined risk genotypes if very large patient collectives (>10 000 cases) are tested, and appropriate algorithms to evaluate the data have yet to be developed. Further research is needed to understand the functional effects of genetic variants in genes of blood coagulation proteins that are critical to the pathogenesis of arterial and venous thrombotic disorders. In this review genetic variants in selected genes of the haemo static system and their relevance for arterial and venous thrombosis will be discussed.
Liquid Carbon Dioxide Use in the Extraction of Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Olive Paste
Authors: Romano Raffaele , Manzo Nadia , Montefusco Immacolata , Romano Annalisa , Santini Antonello
Published: May 2014

In this study the use of liquid carbon dioxide, CO2, for extraction of oil from olive paste (Peranzana cultivar) were examined and extracted oil was compared with oils obtained by centrifugation, pressure and use of chemical solvent.

It is well known that the use of CO2 has many advantages: miscibility with a wide range of molecules, food safety, non-flammability, absence of residues in the extract, possibility of total solvent recovery and no production of olive mill waste water that are highly polluting for the environment and require expansive disposal.

Samples were subjected to the following analyses: determination of Free Fatty Acids (FFA), Peroxides Value (PV), Spectrophotometric Indices, Fatty Acids Composition (FA), determination of biophenols content and determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). All samples showed FFA, PV and ?K values within the limits established by law for extra-virgin olive oil. The use of CO2 did not catalyze hydrolysis, oxidation and condensation of double bonds. Centrifuged oils and oils extracted with carbon dioxide presented the lowest PV and FFA values. Extraction with liquid carbon dioxide contributed to an increasing of phenolic content with a value of 270.5 mg/kg, a value twice that of the oils extracted with centrifugation (135.3 mg/kg) or pressure methods (173.2 mg/kg). Oil extracted with liquid carbon dioxide showed the greatest amount of t-2-octenal and t-2-heptenal, giving herbaceous and pungent notes. Moreover the presence of aromatic compounds such as limonene, generally absent in olive oils, was only detected in the sample extracted with liquid carbon dioxide.
La réponse de l’islam à la modernité
Authors: Baum Gregory , Houle Jacques-André
Published: May 2014

Fethullah Gülen, sage et penseur religieux, fondateur d’un mouvement d’éducation en Turquie, réagit de façon créatrice aux conditions de la modernité en faisant la promotion d’une éthique islamique orthodoxe qui favorise les sciences, appuie l’éducation, stimule le travail et l’entreprise, approuve la démocratie, apprécie le pluralisme religieux et encourage le dialogue interreligieux.
Posthumain, où es-tu ?
Authors: El Moujabber Farid
Published: May 2014

Le « manque » et la « totalité » sont deux traits caractéristiques de la condition humaine dans sa quête de soi depuis les mythes fondateurs jusqu’au progrès phénoménal de la technologie auxxiesiècle. Néanmoins, ces deux concepts revêtent des connotations différentes et souvent contradictoires selon le contexte et les aspirations qui les sous-tendent. En quête de l’humanité parfaite, le posthumanisme prône la totalité comme le but ultime de la vie humaine, et refuse catégoriquement le manque dans son aspect négatif et écrasant. Par contre, une lecture sémiotique du texte de la Genèse révèle que le manque fait partie intégrante de la condition de l’homme, en opposition à la totalité qui s’avère mortelle. À cet égard, comment une nouvelle interprétation d’un texte datant de milliers d’années a le potentiel de jeter un regard nouveau sur des questions d’actualité ? Comment se déploient les espaces de la condition humaine entre manque et totalité ?
Beyond triple collocation: Applications to soil moisture monitoring
Authors: Su Chun‐Hsu , Ryu Dongryeol , Crow Wade T. , Western Andrew W.
Published: May 2014

Triple collocation (TC) is routinely used to resolve approximated linear relationships between different measurements (or representations) of a geophysical variable that are subject to errors. It has been utilized in the context of calibration, validation, bias correction, and error characterization to allow comparisons of diverse data records from various direct and indirect measurement techniques including in situ remote sensing and model‐based approaches. However, successful applications of TC require sufficiently large numbers of coincident data points from three independent time series and, within the analysis period, homogeneity of their linear relationships and error structures. These conditions are difficult to realize in practice due to infrequent spatiotemporal sampling of satellite and ground‐based sensors. TC can, however, be generalized within the framework ofinstrumental variable(IV) regression theory to address some of the conceptual constraints of TC. We review the theoretics of IV and consider one possible strategy to circumvent the three‐data constraint by use of lagged variables (LV) as instruments. This particular implementation of IV is suitable for circumstances where multiple data records are limited and the geophysical variable of interest is sampled at time intervals shorter than its temporal correlation length. As a demonstration of utility, the LV method is applied to microwave satellite soil moisture data sets to recover their errors over Australia and to estimate temporal properties of their relationships with in situ and model data. These results are compared against standard two‐data linear estimators and the TC estimator as benchmark.
Spaceborne lidar observations of the ice‐nucleating potential of dust, polluted dust, and smoke aerosols in mixed‐phase clouds
Authors: Tan Ivy , Storelvmo Trude , Choi Yong‐Sang
Published: May 2014

Previous laboratory studies and in situ measurements have shown that dust particles possess the ability to nucleate ice crystals, and smoke particles to some extent as well. Even with coatings of pollutants such as sulphate and nitrate on the surface of dust particles, it has been shown that polluted dust particles are still able to nucleate ice in the immersion, deposition, condensation, and contact freezing modes, albeit less efficiently than unpolluted dust. The ability of these aerosols to act as ice nuclei in the Earth's atmosphere has important implications for the Earth's radiative budget and hence global climate change. Here we determine the relationship between cloud thermodynamic phase and dust, polluted dust, and smoke aerosols individually by analyzing their vertical profiles over a ∼5 year period obtained by NASA's spaceborne lidar, Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization. We found that when comparing the effects of temperature and aerosols, temperature appears to have the dominant influence on supercooled liquid cloud fraction. Nonetheless, we found that aerosols still appear to exert a strong influence on supercooled liquid cloud fraction as suggested by the existence of negative temporal and spatial correlations between supercooled liquid cloud fraction and frequencies of dust aerosols from around the world, at the −10°C, −15°C, −20°C, and −25°C isotherms. Although smoke aerosol frequencies were also found to be negatively correlated with supercooled liquid cloud fraction, their correlations are weaker in comparison to those between dust frequencies and supercooled liquid cloud fraction. For the first time, we show this based on observations from space, which lends support to previous studies that dust and potentially smoke aerosols can globally alter supercooled liquid cloud fraction. Our results suggest that the ice‐nucleating ability of these aerosols may have an indirect climatic impact that goes beyond the regional scale, by influencing cloud thermodynamic phase globally.
Revealed and stated preference valuation and transfer: A within‐sample comparison of water quality improvement values
Authors: Ferrini Silvia , Schaafsma Marije , Bateman Ian
Published: May 2014

Benefit transfer (BT) methods are becoming increasingly important for environmental policy, but the empirical findings regarding transfer validity are mixed. A novel valuation survey was designed to obtain both stated preference (SP) and revealed preference (RP) data concerning river water quality values from a large sample of households. Both dichotomous choice and payment card contingent valuation (CV) and travel cost (TC) data were collected. Resulting valuations were directly compared and used for BT analyses using both unit value and function transfer approaches. WTP estimates are found to pass the convergence validity test. BT results show that the CV data produce lower transfer errors, below 20% for both unit value and function transfer, than TC data especially when using function transfer. Further, comparison of WTP estimates suggests that in all cases, differences between methods are larger than differences between study areas. Results show that when multiple studies are available, using welfare estimates from the same area but based on a different method consistently results in larger errors than transfers across space keeping the method constant.
P wave radial anisotropy tomography of the upper mantle beneath the North China Craton
Authors: Wang Jian , Wu Huohua , Zhao Dapeng
Published: May 2014

We present the first P wave radial anisotropy tomography of the crust and upper mantle beneath the North China Craton (NCC), determined using a large number of high‐quality arrival‐time data of local earthquakes and teleseismic events. Our results show a prominent high‐velocity (high‐V) anomaly down to ∼250 km depth beneath the Ordos block, a high‐V anomaly in the mantle transition zone beneath the eastern NCC, and a low‐velocity (low‐V) anomaly down to ∼300 km depth beneath the Trans‐North China Orogen (TNCO). The Ordos block exhibits significant negative radial anisotropy (i.e., vertical Vp > horizontal Vp), suggesting that its cratonic lithosphere has kept the frozen‐in anisotropy formed by vertical growth via high‐degree melting mantle plume in the early Earth. Prominent low‐V anomalies with positive radial anisotropy (i.e., horizontal Vp > vertical Vp) exist beneath the Qilian and Qaidam blocks down to ∼400 km depth, suggesting that the horizontal material flow resulting from the Tibetan Plateau is blocked by the Ordos thick lithosphere. Beneath the eastern NCC, high‐V anomalies with negative radial anisotropy exist in the upper mantle, possibly reflecting sinking remains of the Archean cratonic lithosphere. A high‐V anomaly with positive radial anisotropy is revealed in the mantle transition zone under the eastern NCC, which reflects the stagnant Pacific slab.
Widespread, rapid grounding line retreat of Pine Island, Thwaites, Smith, and Kohler glaciers, West Antarctica, from 1992 to 2011
Authors: Rignot E. , Mouginot J. , Morlighem M. , Seroussi H. , Scheuchl B.
Published: May 2014

We measure the grounding line retreat of glaciers draining the Amundsen Sea sector of West Antarctica using Earth Remote Sensing (ERS‐1/2) satellite radar interferometry from 1992 to 2011. Pine Island Glacier retreated 31 km at its center, with most retreat in 2005–2009 when the glacier ungrounded from its ice plain. Thwaites Glacier retreated 14 km along its fast flow core and 1 to 9 km along the sides. Haynes Glacier retreated 10 km along its flanks. Smith/Kohler glaciers retreated the most, 35 km along its ice plain, and its ice shelf pinning points are vanishing. These rapid retreats proceed along regions of retrograde bed elevation mapped at a high spatial resolution using a mass conservation technique that removes residual ambiguities from prior mappings. Upstream of the 2011 grounding line positions, we find no major bed obstacle that would prevent the glaciers from further retreat and draw down the entire basin.
A multicomponent model of phytoplankton size structure
Authors: Brewin Robert J. W. , Sathyendranath Shubha , Tilstone Gavin , Lange Priscila K. , Platt Trevor
Published: May 2014

Size‐fractionated filtration (SFF) is a direct method for estimating pigment concentration in various size classes. It is also common practice to infer the size structure of phytoplankton communities from diagnostic pigments estimated by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In this paper, the three‐component model of Brewin et al. (2010) was fitted to coincident data from HPLC and from SFF collected along Atlantic Meridional Transect cruises. The model accounted for the variability in each data set, but the fitted model parameters differed for the two data sets. Both HPLC and SFF data supported the conceptual framework of the three‐component model, which assumes that the chlorophyll concentration in small cells increases to an asymptotic maximum, beyond which further increase in chlorophyll is achieved by the addition of larger celled phytoplankton. The three‐component model was extended to a multicomponent model of size structure using observed relationships between model parameters and assuming that the asymptotic concentration that can be reached by cells increased linearly with increase in the upper bound on the cell size. The multicomponent model was verified using independent SFF data for a variety of size fractions and found to perform well (0.628 ≤ r ≤ 0.989) lending support for the underlying assumptions. An advantage of the multicomponent model over the three‐component model is that, for the same number of parameters, it can be applied to any size range in a continuous fashion. The multicomponent model provides a useful tool for studying the distribution of phytoplankton size structure at large scales.
Assessment of observed and model‐derived soil moisture‐evaporative fraction relationships over the United States Southern Great Plains
Authors: Ford Trent W. , Wulff Christoph O. , Quiring Steven M.
Published: May 2014

The relationship between soil moisture (SM) and evaporative fraction (EF) is an important component of land‐atmosphere interactions. Frequently, land‐atmosphere studies are based on land‐surface models and not on observations. This study examines SM‐EF interactions over the United States Southern Great Plains using both in situ observations and simulations from the Variable Infiltration Capacity hydrologic model. Specifically, we evaluate how the relationship between SM and EF varies by season, we determine why these variations occur, and we compare model‐derived and observed SM‐energy flux relationships. Data from four sites (2004–2008) that are part of the United States Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement—Southern Great Plains network are used in this study. Results show that SM‐EF interactions in both the model and observations are in general agreement with the evaporative regime theory described in past studies. That is, EF is a linear function of SM when SM is between the wilting point and the critical value, and when SM is above the critical value, EF is not dependent on SM. However, SM‐EF relationships vary substantially from year to year. EF is a linear function of SM only when daily net radiation is above normal. Our results suggest that the strength of SM‐EF interactions is not solely controlled by soil wetness but is also strongly influenced by daily net radiation and meteorological conditions.
Turbulence regimes and the validity of similarity theory in the stable boundary layer over complex terrain of the Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Liang Jiening , Zhang Lei , Wang Ying , Cao Xianjie , Zhang Qiang , Wang Hongbin , Zhang Beidou
Published: May 2014

To gain an insight into the characteristics of turbulence in a stable boundary layer over the complex terrain of the Loess Plateau, data from the Semi‐Arid Climate and Environment Observatory of Lanzhou University are analyzed. We propose a method to identify and efficiently isolate nonstationary motions from turbulence series, and then we examine the characteristics of nonstationary motions (nonstationary motions refer to gusty events on a greater scale than local shear‐generated turbulence). The occurrence frequency of nonstationary motions is found to depend on the mean flow, being more frequent in weak wind conditions and vanishing when the wind speed, U, is greater than 3.0 m s−1. When U exceeds the threshold value of 1.0 m s−1 for the gradient Richardson number Ri ≤ 0.3 and 1.5 m s−1 for Ri > 0.3, local shear‐generated turbulence on timescales of less than 4 min depends systematically on U with an average rate of 0.05 U. However, for the weak wind condition, neither the mean wind speed nor the stability is an important factor for local turbulence. Then turbulence is categorized into three regimes based on the behaviors of nonstationary motions and local turbulence. Regime 1 considers stationary turbulence with a wind speed greater than 3.0 m s−1, and the Monin‐Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) can be used to calculate the turbulence momentum flux. Regime 2 examines intermittent turbulence where the MOST is competent to evaluate the local turbulence momentum flux but not nonstationary motions. Regime 3 involves wind speed that is less than the threshold value, where nonstationary motions are dominant, local turbulence is independent of the mean flow, and where the MOST may well be invalid.
Predictions of the solar wind speed by the probability distribution function model
Authors: Bussy‐Virat C. D. , Ridley A. J.
Published: May 2014

The near‐Earth space environment is strongly driven by the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field. This study presents a model for predicting the solar wind speed up to 5 days in advance. Probability distribution functions (PDFs) were created that relate the current solar wind speed and slope to the future solar wind speed, as well as the solar wind speed to the solar wind speed one solar rotation in the future. It was found that a major limitation of this type of technique is that the solar wind periodicity is close to 27 days but can be from about 22 to 32 days. Further, the optimum lag between two solar rotations can change from day to day, making a prediction of the future solar wind speed based solely on the solar wind speed approximately 27 days ago quite difficult. It was found that using a linear combination of the solar wind speed one solar rotation ago and a prediction of the solar wind speed based on the current speed and slope is optimal. The linear weights change as a function of the prediction horizon, with shorter prediction times putting more weight on the prediction based on the current solar wind speed and the longer prediction times based on an even spread between the two. For all prediction horizons from 8 h up to 120 h, the PDF Model is shown to be better than using the current solar wind speed (i.e., persistence), and better than the Wang‐Sheeley‐Arge Model for prediction horizons of 24 h.
Paleocene‐Eocene foreland basin evolution in the Himalaya of southern Tibet and Nepal: Implications for the age of initial India‐Asia collision
Authors: DeCelles P. G. , Kapp P. , Gehrels G. E. , Ding L.
Published: May 2014

Siliciclastic sedimentary rocks derived from the southern Lhasa terrane, sitting depositionally upon rocks of the northern Indian passive continental margin, provide an estimate of the age of initial contact between the continental parts of the Indian and Asian plates. We report sedimentological, sedimentary petrological, and geochronological data from Upper Cretaceous‐Paleocene strata in the Sangdanlin section, located along the southern flank of the Indus‐Yarlung suture zone in southern Tibet. This is probably the most proximal, and therefore the oldest, record of the India‐Asia collision. These strata were deposited by high‐density turbidity currents (or concentrated density flows) and suspension settling of pelagic biogenic debris in a deep‐marine setting. An abrupt change from quartz‐arenitic to feldspatholithic sandstone compositions marks the transition from Indian to Asian sediment provenance. The abrupt compositional change is accompanied by changes in U‐Pb ages of detrital zircons diagnostic of a sediment provenance reversal, from Indian to Asian sources. The timing of the transition is bracketed between ~60 Ma and 58.5 ± 0.6 Ma by detrital zircon U‐Pb ages and zircon U‐Pb ages from a tuffaceous bed in the upper part of the section. In the context of a palinspastically restored regional paleogeographic framework, data from the Sangdanlin section combined with previously published data from the northern Tethyan Himalaya and the frontal Nepalese Lesser Himalaya and Subhimalaya suggest that a flexural wave migrated ~1300 km southward across what is now the Himalayan thrust belt from Paleocene time to the present.
Exterior Vehicle Noise Development: Assessment and Control
Authors: Fernández Ismael , García‐Bonito Juan J. , Iturbe Javier
Published: May 2014

Noise in modern cities has reached levels great enough to affect the comfort and well‐being of citizens and vehicle exterior noise is the main contributor to this situation.

Various laws have entered into force since 1970 to control exterior noise from vehicles, and over the last 40 years the automotive industry has made a great effort to reduce vehicle noise levels.

However, over the last 15 years the automotive industry's efforts to reduce vehicle noise have not been reflected in a reduction in urban noise because the actual test procedure does not reflect real driving conditions in our cities. Then, a new measuring procedure has recently been developed. This new procedure has not entered into force yet. In it vehicles are tested in accelerating and constant speed conditions, allowing better representativeness of average urban use conditions of vehicles.
Association of Health‐Related Quality of Life in Childhood‐Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus With Ethnicity: Results From a Multiethnic Multicenter Canadian Cohort
Authors: Levy Deborah M. , Peschken Christine A. , Tucker Lori B. , Chédeville Gaëlle , Huber Adam M. , Pope Janet E. ,   Canadian Network for Improved Outcomes in SLE (CaNIOS) 1000 Faces Investigators, Silverman Earl D.
Published: May 2014

Objective

To evaluate the influence of ethnicity on self‐reported health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in the Canadian childhood‐onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) population.

Methods

Patients with cSLE at 4 pediatric centers were consecutively enrolled. Sociodemographics and multiple disease activity measures were collected. The Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) was administered and analyzed by ethnicity.

Results

We enrolled 213 cSLE patients, and complete data from 196 patients with the following ethnicities were analyzed: white (33%), Asian (32%), South Asian (16%), African American (11%), Latino/Hispanic (5%), and Aboriginal (4%). Compared to healthy children, cSLE patients rated their HRQOL significantly more poorly in 9 of 10 individual domains, and in 4 of 10 domains when compared to a cohort of juvenile arthritis patients. Within the cSLE cohort, CHQ scores were lower in 5 of 10 domains in white patients versus nonwhite ethnicities (P < 0.05 for each). Physical summary scores were lower for white patients compared to the other ethnicities aggregated together (mean ± SD 46.0 ± 11.9 versus 50.4 ± 10.1; P = 0.009); however, psychosocial summary scores were similar among the groups (mean ± SD 40.5 ± 14.6 versus 42.8 ± 12.7; P = 0.26). Disease activity measures, including the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000, the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure, Revised, and physician global visual analog scale, were similar across ethnicities. However, patient‐reported Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Activity Questionnaire symptom scores were greater in patients of white ethnicity compared to those of Asian ethnicity (mean ± SD 8.2 ± 5.8 versus 4.5 ± 4.7; P = 0.004).

Conclusion

The self‐ and parent‐reported health status of Canadian cSLE patients differed across ethnicities, with white patients reporting lower HRQOL despite similar and overall low disease activity.
Switching Treatment Between Mycophenolate Mofetil and Azathioprine in Lupus Patients: Indications and Outcomes
Authors: Al Maimouni Hesham , Gladman Dafna D. , Ibañez Dominique , Urowitz Murray B.
Published: May 2014

Objective

To determine the reasons for changing treatment from mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) to azathioprine (AZA) or vice versa in lupus patients and to evaluate the effect of the change.

Methods

Lupus patients were identified from the University of Toronto Lupus Clinic database. Global disease activity in the 6 months prior to the change in therapy and 6 months after the change was calculated. The reasons for changing therapy were identified.

Results

One hundred eight switches occurred among 92 lupus patients: 89 switches from AZA to MMF and 19 from MMF to AZA. There was significant improvement in disease activity in the 6 months after drug switching compared to the 6 months prior to the switch when the reason was a drug failure. There was no statistically significant deterioration in disease activity in the 6 months after drug switching when the reason for the switch was a side effect, pregnancy, renal transplant, or financial. In the 19 patients who switched because of side effects, 15 (79%) had resolution of the side effects.

Conclusion

Switching from AZA to MMF is most often due to AZA failure, whereas switching from MMF to AZA is mostly due to side effects and pregnancy. When the reason for the switch was drug failure, improvement in disease activity occurred and there was a reduction of steroid dose after 6 months. When the reason for switching was something other than drug failure, there was no deterioration in global disease activity. Switching for side effects usually resulted in elimination of the side effect.
Time Trends in Glucocorticoid Use in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results From a Population‐Based Inception Cohort, 1980–1994 Versus 1995–2007
Authors: Makol Ashima , Davis John M. , Crowson Cynthia S. , Therneau Terry M. , Gabriel Sherine E. , Matteson Eric L.
Published: May 2014

Objective

To examine trends in glucocorticoid (GC) use and dosing among patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over time.

Methods

A population‐based inception cohort of RA patients diagnosed during 1980–2007 was followed longitudinally through their medical records until death, migration, or December 31, 2008. GC start and stop dates were collected, along with doses in prednisone equivalents.

Results

The study population comprised 349 patients (68% women) diagnosed in 1980–1994 and 464 (69% women) diagnosed in 1995–2007, with a median followup of 15.3 and 5.7 years, respectively. A higher proportion of patients started GCs in their first year of disease in 1995–2007 (68% versus 36%; P < 0.001), but the starting dose (mean 8.7 versus 10.3 mg; P = 0.08) and cumulative dose in the first year of use (mean 1.8g [mean daily dose 4.9 mg] versus 2.1 gm [mean daily dose 5.8 mg]; P = 0.48) were not different. A higher proportion also discontinued GCs in their first year of disease in the 1995–2007 cohort (P < 0.001). These differences in GC initiation and discontinuation persisted throughout followup. Prevalence of GC use was higher in the 1995–2007 cohort for the first 3 years of disease.

Conclusion

More patients are starting GCs early in their disease course now compared to previously, which is consistent with established treatment guidelines. A higher proportion are also discontinuing GCs, but the proportion of patients taking GCs at any given point of disease during the first 4 years is higher now than previously. Despite early addition of a disease‐modifying antirheumatic drug, some patients may not be able to discontinue GCs over the long term.
Microfluidic Thermally Activated Materials for Rapid Control of Macroscopic Compliance
Authors: Balasubramanian Aditya , Standish Mike , Bettinger Christopher J.
Published: May 2014

Macroscopic structures that can undergo rapid and reversible stiffness transitions can serve as functional polymeric materials for many applications in robotics and medical devices. Thermomechanical phase transitions can provide a suitable mechanism for transient control of mechanical properties. However, the characteristic time scale for actuation is large and dictated by the dimensions of the structure. Embedding vascular networks within bulk polymers can reduce the characteristic length scale of the material and permit rapid and reversible thermomechanical transitions. Here, perfusable bulk materials with embedded microvascular networks are reported that can undergo rapid and reversible stiffness transitions. Acrylate‐based thermoplastic structures exhibit storage moduli with a dynamic range between E′ = 1.02 ± 0.07 GPa and E′ = 13.5 ± 0.7 MPa over time scales as small as 2.4 ± 0.5 s using an aqueous thermal perfusate. The spatiotemporal evolutions of temperature profiles are accurately predicted using finite element simulations and compared to experimental values. Rigid‐compliant transitions are leveraged in a demonstration in which a microvascularized device is used to grasp an external object without the aid of moving parts.
Demonstrating kHz Frequency Actuation for Conducting Polymer Microactuators
Authors: Maziz Ali , Plesse Cedric , Soyer Caroline , Chevrot Claude , Teyssié Dominique , Cattan Eric , Vidal Frederic
Published: May 2014

This paper reports results on ionic EAP micromuscles converting electrical into micromechanical response in open‐air. Translation of small ion motion into large deformation in bending microactuator and its amplification by fundamental resonant frequency are used as tools to demonstrate that small ion vibrations can still occur at frequency as high as 1000 Hz in electrochemical devices. These results are achieved through the microfabrication of ultrathin conducting polymer microactuators. First, the synthesis of robust interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) is combined with a spincoating technique in order to tune and drastically reduce the thickness of conducting IPN microactuators using a so‐called “trilayer” configuration. Patterning of electroactive materials as thin as 6 μm is demonstrated with existing technologies, such as standard photolithography and dry etching. Electrochemomechanical characterizations of the micrometer sized beams are presented and compared to existing model. Moreover, thanks to downscaling, large displacements under low voltage stimulation (±4 V) are reported at a frequency as high as 930 Hz corresponding to the fundamental eigenfrequency of the microbeam. Finally, conducting IPN microactuators are then presenting unprecedented combination of softness, low driving voltage, large displacement, and fast response speed, which are the keys for further development to develop new MEMS.
Cardiogenesis of Embryonic Stem Cells with Liquid Marble Micro‐Bioreactor
Authors: Sarvi Fatemeh , Jain Kanika , Arbatan Tina , Verma Paul J. , Hourigan Kerry , Thompson Mark C. , Shen Wei , Chan Peggy P. Y.
Published: May 2014

A liquid marble micro‐bioreactor is prepared by placing a drop of murine embryonic stem cell (ESC) (Oct4B2‐ESC) suspension onto a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) particle bed. The Oct4B2‐ESC aggregates to form embryoid bodies (EBs) with relatively uniform size and shape in a liquid marble within 3 d. For the first time, the feasibility of differentiating ESC into cardiac lineages within liquid marbles is being investigated. Without the addition of growth factors, suspended EBs from liquid marbles express various precardiac mesoderm markers including Flk‐1, Gata4, and Nkx2.5. Some of the suspended EBs exhibit spontaneous contraction. These results indicate that the liquid marble provides a suitable microenvironment to induce EB formation and spontaneous cardiac mesoderm differentiation. Some of the EBs are subsequently plated onto gelatin‐coated tissue culture dishes. Plated EBs express mature cardiac markers atrial myosin light chain 2a (MLC2a) and ventricular myosin light chain (MLC2v), and the cardiac structural marker α‐actinin. More than 60% of the plated EBs exhibit spontaneous contraction and express mature cardiomyocyte marker cardiac troponin T (cTnT), indicating that these EBs have differentiated into functional cardiomyocytes. Together, these results demonstrate that the liquid‐marble technique is an easily employed, cost effective, and efficient approach to generate EBs and facilitating their cardiogenesis.
Non‐linear associations between stature and mate choice characteristics for American men and their spouses
Authors: Stulp Gert , Mills Melinda , Pollet Thomas V. , Barrett Louise
Published: May 2014

Objectives

Although male height is positively associated with many aspects of mate quality, average height men attain higher reproductive success in US populations. We hypothesize that this is because the advantages associated with taller stature accrue mainly from not being short, rather than from being taller than average. Lower fertility by short men may be a consequence of their and their partner's lower scores on aspects of mate quality. Taller men, although they score higher on mate quality compared to average height men, may have lower fertility because they are more likely to be paired with taller women, who are potentially less fertile.

Methods

We analyzed data from The Integrated Health Interview Series (IHIS) of the United States (N = 165,606). Segmented regression was used to examine patterns across the height continuum.

Results

On all aspects of own and partner quality, shorter men scored lower than both average height and taller men. Height more strongly predicted these aspects when moving from short to average height, than when moving from average to taller heights. Women of a given height who scored lower on mate quality also had shorter partners.

Conclusions

Shorter men faced a double disadvantage with respect to both their own mate quality and that of their spouses. Scores of taller men were only marginally higher than those of average height men, suggesting that being tall is less important than not being short. Although effect sizes were small, our results may partly explain why shorter and taller men have lower fertility than those of average stature. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:530–537, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Defining the phenotype associated with microduplication reciprocal to Sotos syndrome microdeletion
Authors: Novara Francesca , Stanzial Franco , Rossi Elena , Benedicenti Francesco , Inzana Francesca , Di Gregorio Eleonora , Brusco Alfredo , Graakjaer Jesper , Fagerberg Christina , Belligni Elga , Silengo Margherita , Zuffardi Orsetta , Ciccone Roberto
Published: May 2014

NSD1 point mutations, submicroscopic deletions and intragenic deletions are the major cause of Sotos syndrome, characterized by pre‐postnatal generalized overgrowth with advanced bone age, learning disability, seizures, distinctive facial phenotype. Reverse clinical phenotype due to 5q35 microduplication encompassing NSD1 gene has been reported so far in 27 cases presenting with delayed bone age, microcephaly, failure to thrive and seizures in some cases, further supporting a gene dosage effect of NSD1 on growth regulation and neurological functions. Here we depict the clinical presentation of three new cases with 5q35 microduplication outlining a novel syndrome characterized by microcephaly, short stature, developmental delay and in some cases delayed bone maturation, without any typical facial or osseous anomalies. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
α‐synuclein in the inner retina in parkinson disease
Authors: Bodis‐Wollner Ivan , Kozlowski Piotr B. , Glazman Sofya , Miri Shahnaz
Published: May 2014

Behavioral, electrophysiological, and imaging data reveal impaired visual processing and altered retinal morphology in Parkinson disease. Are visual changes epiphenomena? We report the presence of misfolded α‐synuclein in the retina, not hitherto shown, in discrete retinal neurons within the inner retina. They demonstrate the histopathology that may underlie impaired vision and retinal remodeling in Parkinson disease. Furthermore, the histological localization of α‐synuclein gives clues to the nonsynaptic mode of α‐synuclein propagation. ANN NEUROL 2014;75:964–966
Steroid‐responsive, progressive, focal measles virus brain infection
Authors: Steiner Israel , Livneh Vered , Hoffmann Chen , Nass Dvora , Mor Orna , Chapman Joab
Published: May 2014

Chronic measles virus infection of the brain causes subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a progressive, relentless fatal disorder. We report a 52‐year‐old male who developed focal, chronic persistent measles virus infection of the brain following interferon and ribavirin therapy for hepatitis C, and who responded to steroid therapy. This case, diametrically different from SSPE, has 2 unique features, its focal nature and its permissive response to steroids, that may add to the understanding of the pathogenesis of SSPE and the mechanism enabling viruses to evade the immune response and establish persistent brain infection. Ann Neurol 2014;75:967–970
Metal‐Free Triplet Phosphors with High Emission Efficiency and High Tunability
Authors: Koch Michael , Perumal Karthikeyan , Blacque Olivier , Garg Jai Anand , Saiganesh Ramanathan , Kabilan Senthamaraikannan , Balasubramanian Kallupattu Kuppusamy , Venkatesan Koushik
Published: May 2014

Design of highly efficient phosphorescent emitters based on metal‐ and heavy atom‐free boron compounds has been demonstrated by taking advantage of the singlet fission process. The combination of a suitable molecular scaffold and appropriate electronic nature of the substituents has been utilized to tailor the phosphorescence emission properties in solution, neat solid, and in doped PMMA thin films.