bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Terrestrial fishes: rivers are barriers to gene flow in annual fishes from the African savanna
Authors: Bartáková Veronika , Reichard Martin , Blažek Radim , Polačik Matej , Bryja Josef
Published: July 2015

Aim

We compared the genetic variability and phylogeographical structure of three sympatric clades of annual killifishes (the Nothobranchius furzeri complex, N. orthonotus complex and N. rachovii complex) inhabiting annually desiccating savanna pools. Hypotheses on the mechanisms affecting intraspecific structure and speciation were tested.

Location

Temporary pools in Mozambique (Africa).

Methods

The study is based on spatially detailed samples covering the entire range of all three species complexes. A set of 12–13 microsatellites (1638 individuals, 96 populations) and cytochrome b sequences (463 fish, 152 populations) were used as genetic markers. Phylogenetic and population genetic approaches were used to describe the spatial genetic structure and to test the respective roles of river channels and river basins on diversification.

Results

Profound genetic differentiation among populations was evident; some populations located only a few kilometres apart were genetically very distinct, suggesting a significant role of genetic drift and low dispersal ability. Large rivers (Zambezi, Save, Limpopo) formed major barriers to gene flow, with minor differences among the three complexes. Further, the demographic expansion of previously isolated lineages was often limited by the river channel, and rivers were also confirmed as factors affecting speciation events. River basins and elevational gradient had a smaller, but non‐negligible, role in population structuring.

Main conclusions

River channels are the main barriers to gene flow in Nothobranchius fishes. The study demonstrated low dispersal ability and congruence in the phylogeographical pattern of all three complexes. Cases where Nothobranchius appear to have crossed river channels result from the dynamics of river morphology rather than from rare dispersal events. This conclusion is supported by simultaneous crossing events across lineages. A further division, also consistent among the three complexes, was detected between drier inland and wetter coastal areas. The phylogeographical pattern of Nothobranchius is unique in that it combines features of both aquatic and terrestrial taxa.
Ebola virus disease: societal challenges and new treatments
Authors: Mirazimi A.
Published: July 2015

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a zoonotic disease that causes severe haemorrhagic fever, with high fatality rates of up to 90% in humans. Today, there is no effective treatment available. Person‐to‐person transmission occurs through exposure to blood or body fluids, which can threaten other household members and first‐line healthcare workers. The first cases of EVD in Guinea were identified on 22 March 2014. It was initially believed that this like previous outbreaks would be self‐limiting. However, lack of public health infrastructure, delays in virus detection and late implementation of control interventions contributed to widespread transmission of EVD in a region inexperienced in dealing with the disease. Socio‐cultural and economic factors probably also played a key role in the spread of the disease, resulting in the current large‐scale outbreak. Some promising candidate treatments for this disease are now being developed.
FIRM PRODUCTIVITY AND INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY: EVIDENCE FROM ITALIAN INDUSTRY
Authors: Lasagni Andrea , Nifo Annamaria , Vecchione Gaetano
Published: July 2015

This paper aims to contribute to the debate on the determinants of differentials in firms’ productivity. We test the hypothesis that macro factors, especially the quality of local institutions, play a central role in explaining firm productivity in Italy. To this end, we construct measures of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) for about 4,000 firms by means of different estimation techniques, and a province‐level index of institutional quality. Then, we estimate the relationship between institutional quality and firm‐level TFP. Our results show that the existence of better local institutions might help firms to become more productive.
The Impact of Illicit Use of Amphetamine on Male Sexual Functions
Authors: Chou Nan-Hua , Huang Yung-Jui , Jiann Bang-Ping
Published: July 2015

Introduction

Data concerning the impact of amphetamine on male sexual functions are limited, although amphetamine has been used as an aphrodisiac.

Aims

This cross-sectional study was to assess the impact of illicit use of amphetamine on male sexual functions.

Methods

Male illicit drug users in a Drug Abstention and Treatment Center were recruited to complete a self-administered questionnaire, and data were compared with age-matched controls.

Main Outcome Measures

The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and global assessment questions were used to assess sexual functions.

Results

Of 1,159 amphetamine mono-illicit drug users, the mean age was 31.9 ± 7.5 (18–57) years, and mean duration of drug use was 30.7 ± 52.2 (median 9, range 0.1–252) months. Half of them reported that drug use had no impact on their sexual functions. The other half reported drug impacts as reduced erectile rigidity and sexual life satisfaction, enhanced orgasmic intensity, and prolonged ejaculation latency time more often than the opposite effects, while they reported enhanced or reduced effect equally on sexual desire. Dosing frequency of amphetamine was associated with its impact on sexual functions, but duration of its use had little association with that. Compared with 211 age-matched controls, the amphetamine mono-illicit drug users had lower IIEF scores in the domains of erectile function, orgasmic function, and overall satisfaction, but there are no significant differences in intercourse satisfaction and sexual desire scores. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) was significantly higher in the drug users than in the controls (29.3% vs. 11.9%). The odds ratio of ED for amphetamine use was 2.1 (95% confidence interval 1.2–3.6) after adjustment for other risk factors.

Conclusions

The impact of illicit use of amphetamine on male sexual functions varied among users, and their ED prevalence was higher than the controls.
The responses of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Lake Wamala (Uganda) to changing climatic conditions
Authors: Vianny Natugonza , Richard Ogutu‐Ohwayo , Jackson Efitre , Fredrick Muyodi , Dismas Mbabazi , Mark Olokotum , Laban Musinguzi , Shamim Naigaga , Sharon Namboowa
Published: July 2015

Changes in the catches of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758), in Lake Wamala (Uganda) have been observed since its introduction. The factors contributing to these changes, however, are not well understood. This study examined changes in species composition, size structure, size at first maturity, length–weight relationship and condition factor of Nile tilapia in Lake Wamala, in relation to changes in temperature, rainfall and lake depth, to provide a better understanding of the possible role of changing climatic conditions. There was an increase in the minimum, maximum and average temperatures since 1980, but only the minimum (0.021 °C year−1) and average temperatures (0.018 °C year−1) exhibited a significant trend (P < 0.05). Rainfall increased by 8.25 mm year−1 since 1950 and accounted for 79.5% of the water input into the lake during the period 2011–2013, while evaporation accounted for 86.2% of the water loss from the lake. The lake depth was above 4 m during the years when the rainfall exceeded the average of 1180 mm, except after 2000. The contribution of Nile tilapia to total fish catch and catch per unit effort (CPUE) increased with rainfall and lake depth up to the year 2000, after which they decreased, despite an increased rainfall level. The lake depth was positively correlated with the average total length and length at 50% maturity (r = 0.991 and 0.726, respectively), while the slopes of the length–weight relationships differed significantly between high and low lake depths [t(6) = 3.225, P < 0.05]. Nile tilapia shifted from an algal‐dominated diet during the wet season to include more insects during the dry season. The results of this study indicate Nile tilapia in Lake Wamala displays a typical r‐selected reproductive strategy, by growing to a small size, maturing faster and feeding on different food types, in order to survive high mortality rates under unfavourable conditions attributable to higher temperatures, low rainfall and low lake water levels.
Thermal response in pre‐imaginal biology of Ochlerotatus albifasciatus from two different climatic regions
Authors: GARZÓN M. J. , SCHWEIGMANN N.
Published: July 2015

The biological processes on mosquito could be variable in response to local climatic characteristics. The thermal effects on time and the rate larval development, immature survival and adult size in local populations of Ochlerotatus albifasciatus (Macquart) (Diptera: Culicidae) from cold (Sarmiento) and temperate (Buenos Aires) regions from Argentina were evaluated. This species affects livestock production and human health. Larvae of both regions were placed in breeding thermal baths (11–32 °C range). Development and survival were recorded daily until adult emergence. The development temperature threshold and thermal constant for Sarmiento (4.59 ± 3.08 °C, 204.08 ± 7.83 degree days) was lower and higher than Buenos Aires, respectively (8.06 ± 1.81 °C, 149.25 ± 2.6 degree days). At cold temperatures (11–16 °C), Sarmiento larvae demonstrated 5 days faster development and higher survival (56%) than Buenos Aires (15%), whereas at warm temperatures (20–32 °C) were up to 2 days slower and similar survival (16% vs. 18%). The size did not show differences between populations. An Ochlerotatus albifasciatus population seems to present local thermal responses. The favourable temperature for survival and rate of development would vary within a cold or warm range, and these differential responses would explain the wide geographical distribution in different climatic regions of southern South America.
Toxocara canis infection: Unusual trigger of systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Levy Michaël , Bourrat Emmanuelle , Baudouin Véronique , Guillem Colette , Peuchmaur Michel , Deschênes Georges , Fila Marc
Published: July 2015

Infection by Toxocara canis can cause systemic vasculitis. We report here a unique case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) triggered by T. canis infection. An 8‐year‐old girl was treated with albendazole therapy for common toxocariasis, but she developed two weeks later, asthenia, fever, infiltrated maculopapular eruption of the face, peripheral vascular disease with necrosis of the fingers and inflammatory anemia with proteinuria. Anti‐nuclear, anti‐DNA and anti‐Sm antibodies positivity, together with minimal change nephritis with mesangial exclusive IgM deposit on renal biopsy and clinical relapse after initially successful steroid therapy, led to the diagnosis of SLE. T. canis infection can trigger systemic lupus but must also be ruled out of the differential diagnosis given its association with autoimmunity.
Objective Consequentialism and the Rationales of ‘ “Ought” Implies “Can” ’
Authors: Andrić Vuko
Published: July 2015

This paper argues that objective consequentialism is incompatible with the rationales of ‘ “ought” implies “can” ’ – with the considerations, that is, that explain or justify this principle. Objective consequentialism is the moral doctrine that an act is right if and only if there is no alternative with a better outcome, and wrong otherwise. An act is obligatory if and only if it is wrong not to perform it. According to ‘ “ought” implies “can” ’, a person is morally obligated to φ only if the person can φ. The rationales of ‘ “ought” implies “can” ’ include considerations related to intuitive plausibility, action‐guidance, blameworthiness and fairness, and the nature of practical reasons.
Co‐Location Synergies: Specialised Versus Diverse Logistics Concentration Areas
Authors: van den Heuvel Frank , van Donselaar Karel , de Langen Peter , Fransoo Jan
Published: July 2015

Although anecdotal evidence suggests that co‐location can bring about several benefits for co‐located logistics companies, implying the need to incorporate such considerations in location decisions, these benefits have hardly been analysed empirically. This paper provides detailed insights for decision making by precisely analysing the synergies attained through the co‐location of logistics firms in specialised and diverse logistics concentration areas. The paper analyses whether co‐location in logistics concentration areas that specialise in fresh produce provides additional benefits over co‐location in diverse logistics concentration areas that do not specialise in any particular type of products. A survey of managers of 127 logistics firms located in logistics concentration areas tested for differences in synergies through co‐location in specialised versus diverse logistics concentration areas. Logistics firms co‐located in fresh produce logistics parks share knowledge, combine transport and storage capacities, and trade products more than logistics firms co‐located in diverse logistics concentration areas.
Involvement of central relaxin‐3 signalling in sodium (salt) appetite
Authors: Smith Craig M. , Walker Lesley L. , Chua Berenice E. , McKinley Michael J. , Gundlach Andrew L. , Denton Derek A. , Lawrence Andrew J.
Published: July 2015

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Sodium appetite is controlled by conserved neuronal transmitter–receptor systems. Here, we tested the contribution made by relaxin family peptide 3 receptor (RXFP3), the cognate G‐protein‐coupled receptor for the neuropeptide relaxin‐3.

What is the main finding and its importance?

Intracerebroventricular infusion of an RXFP3 antagonist reduced in a dose‐dependent manner the volume of 0.3 m NaCl consumed by sodium‐depleted C57Bl/6J (wild‐type) mice. This effect was absent in sodium‐depleted Rxfp3 knockout mice, and RXFP3 antagonist infusion did not alter water consumption in wild‐type mice subjected to multiple thirst tests, indicating both the pharmacological and the physiological specificity of observed effects. Our findings identify endogenous relaxin‐3–RXFP3 signalling as a modulator of sodium appetite.

Overconsumption of highly salted foods is common in Western diets and contributes significantly to metabolic disorders such as hypertension, renal dysfunction and diabetes. Sodium appetite, or the desire of terrestrial animals to seek and consume sodium‐containing salts, is a behaviour mediated by a set of evolutionarily conserved neuronal systems. In these studies, we tested whether this instinctive behavioural drive is influenced by the G‐protein‐coupled relaxin family peptide 3 receptor (RXFP3), the cognate receptor for the neuropeptide relaxin‐3, because relaxin‐3–RXFP3 signalling can modulate arousal, motivation and ingestive behaviours. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of the selective RXFP3 antagonist, R3(B1‐22)R, reduced in a dose‐dependent manner the volume of 0.3 m NaCl solution consumed when offered to sodium‐depleted C57Bl/6J wild‐type mice, relative to vehicle‐treated control animals. Notably, i.c.v. R3(B1‐22)R infusion did not alter 0.3 m NaCl consumption relative to vehicle in sodium‐depleted Rxfp3 knockout mice, confirming the pharmacological specificity of this effect. Furthermore, i.c.v. R3(B1‐22)R did not alter the volume of water consumed by wild‐type mice in three tests where water drinking was the normal physiological response, suggesting that the ability of R3(B1‐22)R to reduce activated salt appetite is specific and not due to a generalized reduction in drinking behaviour. These findings identify, for the first time, that endogenous relaxin‐3–RXFP3 signalling is a powerful mediator of salt appetite in mice and further elucidate the functional role of the relaxin‐3–RXFP3 system in the integrative control of motivated behaviours.
Examining the Relationship Between Perfectionism Dimensions and Burning Out Symptoms in Deaf and Hearing Athletes
Authors: Ho Mimi S. H. , Appleton Paul R. , Cumming Jennifer , Duda Joan L.
Published: July 2015

This study examined whether the relationships between self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism and symptoms of burning out (i.e., reduced accomplishment, emotional and physical exhaustion, sport devaluation, negative affect, and symptoms of physical ill-health) were moderated by hearing ability. A total of 417 athletes (hearing = 205, deaf = 212) completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Hewitt & Flett, 1991, 2004), the negative affect subscale of the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988), the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (Raedeke & Smith, 2001), and the Physical Symptoms Checklist (Emmons, 1991). Regression analyses revealed the hypothesized relationships were generally consistent across both groups. The current findings provide insight into the potential effects of perfectionism dimensions for hearing and deaf athletes’ health.
Host Sialic Acids: A Delicacy for the Pathogen with Discerning Taste
Authors: Haines-Menges Brandy L. , Whitaker W. Brian , Lubin J.B. , Boyd E. Fidelma
Published: July 2015

Sialic acids, or the more broad term nonulosonic acids, comprise a family of nine-carbon keto-sugars ubiquitous on mammalian mucous membranes as terminal modifications of mucin glycoproteins. Sialic acids have a limited distribution among bacteria, and the ability to catabolize sialic acids is mainly confined to pathogenic and commensal species. This ability to utilize sialic acid as a carbon source is correlated with bacterial virulence, especially, in the sialic acid rich environment of the oral cavity, respiratory, intestinal, and urogenital tracts. This chapter discusses the distribution of sialic acid catabolizers among the sequenced bacterial genomes and examines the studies that have linked sialic acid catabolism with increasedin vivofitness in a number of species using several animal models. This chapter presents the most recent findings in sialobiology with a focus on sialic acid catabolism, which demonstrates an important relationship between the catabolism of sialic acid and bacterial pathogenesis.
Individualised dual antiplatelet therapy in a patient with short bowel syndrome after acute myocardial infarction with coronary artery stenting
Authors: Droppa Michal , Karathanos Athanasios , Gawaz Meinrad , Geisler Tobias
Published: July 2015

Short bowel syndrome after extensive surgical resection of the intestine is characterised by inadequate digestion and absorption of nutrients. Additional clinical problems include impaired absorption and metabolism of diverse drugs requiring individualised medical therapy or alternative treatments. We report a case of individualised dual antiplatelet therapy in a patient who underwent an extensive intestinal resection complicated by acute myocardial infarction requiring percutaneous coronary intervention and stent implantation. Genetic testing of CYP2C19 gene polymorphisms and platelet aggregation testing were used to assess responses to aspirin, clopidogrel, prasugrel and ticagrelor. Given its unique pharmacokinetics with good absorption and without need of metabolism to an active substance, ticagrelor appears to be the best for patients with short bowel syndrome who require dual antiplatelet therapy after coronary stent implantation.
Chyluria: a scourge of our region
Authors: Sinha Rajan Kumar , Ranjan Nikhil , Singh Neha , Amit Keshri
Published: July 2015

Chyluria is endemic in the Gangetic belt of India with an average of 90 cases treated annually at our institute. It is almost exclusively caused byWuchereria bancroftiin tropical areas. Chylomicrons and triglycerides are lost in the urine from an abnormal lymphourinary fistula due to obstructive lymphatic stasis, most commonly at the renal pelvis. It is a distressingly recurrent condition with multiple exacerbations and remissions over years. Severe weakness, weight loss and haematuria occur in some patients. Diagnosis can be made by visual examination of milky urine along with the ether test of urine for chylomicrons. Intravenous urography is used to locate the site of the fistula, although the detection rate is poor. Treatment starts with conservative measures such as a high-protein low-fat diet and diethylcarbamazine therapy. In cases where conservative measures fail, endoscopic sclerotherapy (renal pelvic instillation of silver nitrate, povidone iodine or others) and surgical therapy are used.
A novel surgical approach for treatment of sigmoid gallstone ileus
Authors: Cargill Abbey , Farkas Nicholas , Black John , West Nicholas
Published: July 2015

We report a rare case of large bowel obstruction secondary to a gallstone impacted within the sigmoid colon, in the presence of sigmoid diverticular disease. An 89-year-old woman presented with an 8-day history of increasing abdominal distension, pain and associated nausea. Abdominal X-ray demonstrated large bowel dilation. CT scan revealed a fistula between an inflamed gallbladder and the hepatic flexure of the colon, with a large gallstone in the sigmoid colon. Proximal dilated large bowel was evident to the caecum. Flexible sigmoidoscopy was performed as the least invasive potential treatment method with a view to basket retrieval or fragmentation of the stone. Owing to poor views and risk of diverticular perforation, the procedure was abandoned, hence laparotomy was performed. Antegrade manipulation and per-rectal evacuation were attempted but failed due to a thickened, angulated sigmoid colon. Retrograde milking of the stone to the caecum and retrieval via modified appendicectomy was successful.
Oesophageal lesions as first manifestation of necrotising sarcoid granulomatosis
Authors: Attou Rachid , Duttmann Ruth , Devriendt Arnaud , De Bels David
Published: July 2015

Necrotising sarcoid granulomatosis is a rare disease associating sarcoid-like granulomas, vasculitis and necrosis in the lungs and seldom in extrapulmonary locations. We report the case of a 23-year-old woman with an initial symptom consisting of epigastric pain. Oesophagoscopy demonstrated oesophagitis. Evolution was marked by fever, dyspnoea and pulmonary lesions. The first presumptive diagnosis was Wegener disease but biopsies (of the lungs and the oesophagus) demonstrated the diagnosis of necrotising sarcoid granulomatosis. Evolution was favourable under corticoid therapy. Necrotising sarcoid granulomatosis may present as an extrapulmonary disease and is an important differential diagnosis of other disease such as Wegener disease.
Pilonidal sinus involving the nasal bridge: a rare manifestation
Authors: Junaid Montasir , Ahmed Sadaf Qadeer , Kazi Maliha , Ali Naeem Sultan
Published: July 2015

Pilonidal sinus is very commonly associated with the sacrococcygeal area, but its presence within the head and neck is still unknown to many. Once diagnosed, it is easy to treat and should, therefore, be kept in mind as a possibility when coming across a discharging sinus swelling. We share our experience of two cases of pilonidal sinus presenting over the nasal bridge and their management.
A cardiac haemangioma: the contribution of myocardial contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis
Authors: Papadopoulos Kyriacos , Makrides Constantinos Andreas , Eleutheriou Eleutherios
Published: July 2015

Cardiac haemangiomas are extremely rare and account for approximately 2% of all primary resected cardiac tumours. They can occur in any chamber and at any level, from pericardium to endocardium. Myocardial contrast echocardiography is an imaging tool for the assessment of myocardial microcirculation. It can also be used for the evaluation of the relative perfusion of a cardiac mass. We report a case of a 17-year-old male patient who was referred for cardiological evaluation because of a 2/6 systolic murmur. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a mass in the left ventricle. Using myocardial perfusion contrast echocardiography, the mass was rapidly filled with contrast greater than the adjacent myocardium, suggesting intense vascularisation. The mass was successfully resected and the subsequent histopathological examination showed a cardiac haemangioma. Therefore, myocardial perfusion contrast echocardiography appears to be a valuable diagnostic tool in differentiating the different types of cardiac masses.
A severe case of vasoplegic shock following metformin overdose successfully treated with methylene blue as a last line therapy
Authors: Graham Rachel Erin , Cartner Michaela , Winearls James
Published: July 2015

A 44-year-old man presented to hospital 24 h after an intentional overdose of metformin and gliclazide. He had a critical metabolic acidosis on presentation with a pH of 6.88, and very rapidly deteriorated into distributive shock refractory to large volume fluid resuscitation and massive doses of vasopressors. We introduced a methylene blue infusion as a rescue therapy in an attempt to improve the patient's haemodynamics, which was successful. The patient made a full recovery with no long-term sequelae.
Thyroglossal duct cyst carcinoma: diagnostic and management considerations in a 15-year-old with a large submental mass
Authors: Seow-En Isaac , Loh Amos Hong Pheng , Lian Derrick Wen Quan , Nah Shireen Anne
Published: July 2015

A 15-year old boy presented with a 2-year history of a painless slowly enlarging submental neck mass. Head and neck imaging showed a multicystic mass with a central solid component that was closely applied to the hyoid bone. Core needle biopsy under general anaesthesia revealed a papillary thyroid neoplasm. The mass was resected and frozen section histology confirmed papillary carcinoma. Intraoperatively, enlarged cervical lymph nodes were palpable. Bilateral neck dissections and total thyroidectomy with parathyroid reimplantation were performed. On histological examination, the thyroid gland was not involved. The patient recovered uneventfully from the surgery and is planned for radioactive iodine therapy and thyroxine suppression, with subsequent follow-up with serum thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroglobulin for surveillance. We review the literature and discuss challenges in the diagnosis and surgical management of this rare entity in the paediatric age group.
Quantifying micro–macro entanglement of a single-photon entangled state by virtue of Wigner function method
Authors: Yuan Hong-Chun , Wang Zhen , Chen Qin-Miao , Dou Xiao-Ming
Published: July 2015

In this paper, using Wigner function (WF) method in phase space, we re-investigate micro–macro entanglement of a single-photon entangled state after one-sided amplification and de-amplification proposed by Simon’s group, and discuss the effects of the amplification and the loss. For the input–output process, we first build the relation between the input WF and the output WF. Next, the analytical expression of the output WF is derived related to the factors of the amplification and the loss. Finally, based on the above results, using the trace rule we also obtain the exact expressions of the detected probability and concurrence to quantify micro–macro entanglement, and analyze numerically the results. The results show that it is possible to detect micro–macro photon-number entanglement for reasonable values of photon loss.
Factorization in the quantum mechanics with the generalized uncertainty principle
Authors: Chung Won Sang
Published: July 2015

In this paper, we discuss the quantum mechanics with the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) where the commutation relation is given by [Formula: see text]. For this algebra, we obtain the eigenfunction of the momentum operator. We also study the GUP corrected quantum particle in a box. Finally, we apply the factorization method to the harmonic oscillator in the presence of a minimal observable length and obtain the energy eigenvalues by applying the perturbation method.
Seiberg duality, quiver gauge theories, and Ihara’s zeta function
Authors: Zhou Da , Xiao Yan , He Yang-Hui
Published: July 2015

We study Ihara’s zeta function for graphs in the context of quivers arising from gauge theories, especially under Seiberg duality transformations. The distribution of poles is studied as we proceed along the duality tree, in light of the weak and strong graph versions of the Riemann Hypothesis. As a by-product, we find a refined version of Ihara’s zeta function to be the generating function for the generic superpotential of the gauge theory.
DETERMINANTS OF THE CUSTOMER'S PERCEPTION OF INNOVATIVENESS: AN INVESTIGATION IN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
Authors: NGUYEN NHA , MARCOUX GILLES , GUIHUR IZOLD
Published: July 2015

The purpose of this study is to identify informational elements used in customers' perceptions of a service organisation's innovativeness, specifically in the context of higher education. With data collected from 445 university students, the results show that the information is related to service offering and contact personnel. Essentially, it is possible to say that core service (curriculum) goes along with main staff responsible for providing core service (faculty members). These two inseparable elements exert a predominant effect on customers' perception of innovativeness. For a higher education institution, it is obvious that the key role of the training provided should be highlighted in the institution's strategy to influence or modify the decisions of various groups. Support staff responsible for providing peripheral services should not be neglected in this strategy because of their inherent role in the process of core service delivery. The limitations and research implications of the reported study are also discussed.
MOTIVATION ORIENTATIONS IN INNOVATION CONTESTS: WHY PEOPLE PARTICIPATE
Authors: PELLIZZONI ELENA , BUGANZA TOMMASO , COLOMBO GABRIELE
Published: July 2015

Innovation contests allow companies to involve the general public or specific target groups in solving innovation problems. The increasing importance of innovation contests suggests the need for further research on why people become involved in non-compulsory innovation activities, such as innovation contests. The purpose of this paper was to examine which motivation orientations explain such participation and the quality of the ideas submitted. Drawing on motivation theories, this paper discusses the links between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and problem-solver participation as well as solution quality. Our findings suggest that different levels of participation are driven by different motivation orientations. Low performers participated in contests based on a rational understanding of the extrinsic benefits and perceived effort required, as did non-participants. However, such extrinsic reasoning is insufficient for high-performer motivation; high performers participate in the task due to its intrinsic value. These findings have important implications for both researchers and practitioners.
A STORY OF BREAKTHROUGH. THE CASE OF COMMON RAIL DEVELOPMENT
Authors: MESSENI PETRUZZELLI ANTONIO
Published: July 2015

This paper investigates the development of breakthrough technological innovations by analysing the individual, organisational, and contextual forces and dynamics shaping their emergence. To this end, I use a longitudinal case study of Fiat Group's development of common rail technology for diesel injection systems. Thereby, by presenting and discussing its story and evolution, I contribute to the existing literature on innovation offering a multilevel perspective of the diverse and heterogeneous factors interaction to generate breakthroughs.
An Extensible Platform to Evaluate Semantic Web Services Automatic Composition Approaches
Authors: Silva Eliazar de Carvalho , Prazeres Cassio Vinicius Serafim
Published: July 2015

The problem of automatically composing Web Services that can match client's request has been the focus of several researchers. However, only a small number of such studies have evaluated and compared these different techniques on equal terms. Generally, these techniques have been evaluated on an ad hoc basis. This article presents a platform for evaluating the different techniques for the automatic composition of Semantic Web Services. The proposed platform provides: (i) an extensible architecture that enables the inclusion and evaluation of different techniques; (ii) a suite of metrics aimed at evaluating these techniques.
Efficient Parallel Discrete Event Simulation on Cloud/Virtual Machine Platforms
Authors: Yoginath Srikanth B. , Perumalla Kalyan S.
Published: July 2015

Cloud and Virtual Machine (VM) technologies present new challenges with respect to performance and monetary cost in executing parallel discrete event simulation (PDES) applications. Due to the introduction of overall cost as a metric, the traditional use of the highest-end computing configuration is no longer the most obvious choice. Moreover, the unique runtime dynamics and configuration choices of Cloud and VM platforms introduce new design considerations and runtime characteristics specific to PDES over Cloud/VMs. Here, an empirical study is presented to help understand the dynamics, trends, and trade-offs in executing PDES on Cloud/VM platforms. Performance and cost measures obtained from multiple PDES applications executed on the Amazon EC2 Cloud and on a high-end VM host machine reveal new, counterintuitive VM--PDES dynamics and guidelines. One of the critical aspects uncovered is the fundamental mismatch in hypervisor scheduler policies designed for general Cloud workloads versus the virtual time ordering needed for PDES workloads. This insight is supported by experimental data revealing the gross deterioration in PDES performance traceable to VM scheduling policy. To overcome this fundamental problem, the design and implementation of a new deadlock-free scheduler algorithm are presented, optimized specifically for PDES applications on VMs. The scalability of our scheduler has been tested in up to 128 VMs multiplexed on 32 cores, showing significant improvement in the runtime relative to the default Cloud/VM scheduler. The observations, algorithmic design, and results are timely for emerging Cloud/VM-based installations, highlighting the need for PDES-specific support in high-performance discrete event simulations on Cloud/VM platforms.
Undecidable Propositional Bimodal Logics and One-Variable First-Order Linear Temporal Logics with Counting
Authors: Hampson Christopher , Kurucz Agi
Published: July 2015

First-order temporal logics are notorious for their bad computational behavior. It is known that even the two-variable monadic fragment is highly undecidable over various linear timelines, and over branching time even one-variable fragments might be undecidable. However, there have been several attempts at finding well-behaved fragments of first-order temporal logics and related temporal description logics, mostly either by restricting the available quantifier patterns or by considering sub-Boolean languages. Here we analyze seemingly “mild” extensions of decidable one-variable fragments with counting capabilities, interpreted in models with constant, decreasing, and expanding first-order domains. We show that over most classes of linear orders, these logics are (sometimes highly) undecidable, even without constant and function symbols, and with the sole temporal operator “eventually.”

We establish connections with bimodal logics over 2D product structures having linear and “difference” (inequality) component relations and prove our results in this bimodal setting. We show a general result saying that satisfiability over many classes of bimodal models with commuting “unbounded” linear and difference relations is undecidable. As a byproduct, we also obtain new examples of finitely axiomatizable but Kripke incomplete bimodal logics. Our results generalize similar lower bounds on bimodal logics over products of two linear relations, and our proof methods are quite different from the known proofs of these results. Unlike previous proofs that first “diagonally encode” an infinite grid and then use reductions of tiling or Turing machine problems, here we make direct use of the grid-like structure of product frames and obtain lower-complexity bounds by reductions of counter (Minsky) machine problems. Representing counter machine runs apparently requires less control over neighboring grid points than tilings or Turing machine runs, and so this technique is possibly more versatile, even if one component of the underlying product structures is “close to” being the universal relation.
Who's Next? Scheduling Personalization Services with Variable Service Times
Authors: Liu Dengpan , Sarkar Sumit , Sriskandarajah Chelliah
Published: July 2015

Online personalization has become quite prevalent in recent years, with firms able to derive additional profits from such services. As the adoption of such services grows, firms implementing such practices face some operational challenges. One important challenge lies in the complexity associated with the personalization process and how to deploy available resources to handle such complexity. The complexity is exacerbated when a site faces a large volume of requests in a short amount of time, as is often the case for e-commerce and content delivery sites. In such situations, it is generally not possible for a site to provide perfectly personalized service to all requests. Instead, a firm can provide differentiated service to requests based on the amount of profiling information available about the visitor. We consider a scenario where the revenue function is concave, capturing the diminishing returns from personalization effort. Using a batching approach, we determine the optimal scheduling policy (i.e., time allocation and sequence of service) for a batch that accounts for the externality cost incurred when a request is provided service before other waiting requests. The batching approach leads to sunk costs incurred when visitors wait for the next batch to begin. An optimal admission control policy is developed to prescreen new request arrivals. We show how the policy can be implemented efficiently when the revenue function is complex and there are a large number of requests that can be served in a batch. Numerical experiments show that the proposed approach leads to substantial improvements over a linear approximation of the concave revenue function. Interestingly, we find that the improvements in firm profits are not only (or primarily) due to the different service times that are obtained when using the nonlinear personalization function—there is a ripple effect on the admission control policy that incorporates these optimized service times, which contributes even more to the additional profits than the service time optimization by itself.
Management of Overweight during Childhood: A Focus Group Study on Health Professionals’ Experiences in General Practice
Authors: Larsen Lone Marie , Ledderer Loni , Jarbøl Dorte Ejg
Published: July 2015

Background. Because of the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in childhood in the Western world, focus on the management in general practice has also increased. Objective. To explore the experiences of general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses participating in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing two management programmes in general practice for children who are overweight or obese. Methods. Three focus groups with GPs and nurses participating in the RCT. Transcribed data were analysed using systematic text condensation followed by thematic analysis. Results. Health professionals considered it their responsibility to offer a management programme to overweight children. They recognised that management of overweight during childhood was a complex task that required an evidence-based strategy with the possibility of supervision. Health professionals experienced a barrier to addressing overweight in children. However, increasing awareness of obesity in childhood and its consequences in society was considered helpful to reach an understanding of the articulations concerning how best to address the issue. Conclusions. Health professionals in general practice recognised that they have a special obligation, capacity, and role in the management of obesity in childhood. Implementation of future management programmes must address existing barriers beyond an evidence-based standardised strategy.
The Dynamic Analysis of Two-Rotor Three-Bearing System
Authors: Yao Jianfei , Gao Jinji , Zhang Ya , Wang Weimin
Published: July 2015

A finite element model considering the shear effect and gyroscopic effect is developed to study the linear and nonlinear dynamic behavior of two-rotor three-bearing system named N+1 configuration with rub-impact in this paper. The influence of rotational speed, eccentric condition, and the stiffness of coupling on the dynamic behavior of N+1 configuration and the propagation of motion are discussed in detail. The linear rotordynamic analysis included an evaluation of rotor critical speed and unbalance response. The results show that the critical speed and unbalance response of rotors are sensitive to coupling stiffness in N+1 configuration. In the nonlinear analysis, bifurcation diagram, shaft-center trajectory, amplitude spectrum, and Poincaré map are used to analyze the dynamic behavior of the system. The results of the research transpire that these parameters have the great effects on the dynamic behavior of the system. The response of the system with rub-impact shows abundant nonlinear phenomena. The system will exhibit synchronous periodic motion, multiperiodic motion, quasiperiodic motion, and chaotic motion patterns under rotor-stator rub interaction conditions. The dynamic response is more complicated for flexible coupling and two mass eccentricities than that of system with rigid coupling and one mass eccentricity.
Supervised Kernel Optimized Locality Preserving Projection with Its Application to Face Recognition and Palm Biometrics
Authors: Lin Chuang , Jiang Jifeng , Zhao Xuefeng , Pang Meng , Ma Yanchun
Published: July 2015

Kernel Locality Preserving Projection (KLPP) algorithm can effectively preserve the neighborhood structure of the database using the kernel trick. We have known that supervised KLPP (SKLPP) can preserve within-class geometric structures by using label information. However, the conventional SKLPP algorithm endures the kernel selection which has significant impact on the performances of SKLPP. In order to overcome this limitation, a method named supervised kernel optimized LPP (SKOLPP) is proposed in this paper, which can maximize the class separability in kernel learning. The proposed method maps the data from the original space to a higher dimensional kernel space using a data-dependent kernel. The adaptive parameters of the data-dependent kernel are automatically calculated through optimizing an objective function. Consequently, the nonlinear features extracted by SKOLPP have larger discriminative ability compared with SKLPP and are more adaptive to the input data. Experimental results on ORL, Yale, AR, and Palmprint databases showed the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Equilibrium Points and Related Periodic Motions in the Restricted Three-Body Problem with Angular Velocity and Radiation Effects
Authors: Perdios E. A. , Kalantonis V. S. , Perdiou A. E. , Nikaki A. A.
Published: July 2015

The paper deals with a modification of the restricted three-body problem in which the angular velocity variation is considered in the case where the primaries are sources of radiation. In particular, the existence and stability of its equilibrium points in the plane of motion of the primaries are studied. We find that this problem admits the well-known five planar equilibria of the classical problem with the difference that the corresponding collinear points may be stable depending on the parameters of the problem. For all planar equilibria, sufficient parametric conditions for their stability have been established which are used for the numerical determination of the stability regions in various parametric planes. Also, for certain values of the parameters of the problem for which the equilibrium points are stable, the short and long period families have been computed. To do so, semianalytical expressions have been found for the determination of appropriate initial conditions. Special attention has been given to the continuation of the long period family, in the case of the classical restricted three-body problem, where we show numerically that periodic orbits of the short period family, which are bifurcation points with the long period family, are connected through the characteristic curve of the long period family.
Interaction of Glucagon G-Protein Coupled Receptor with Known Natural Antidiabetic Compounds: MultiscoringIn SilicoApproach
Authors: Baig M. H. , Ahmad K. , Hasan Q. , Khan M. K. A. , Rao N. S. , Kamal M. A. , Choi I.
Published: July 2015

Glucagon receptor (GCGR) is a secretin-like (class B) family of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) in humans that plays an important role in elevating the glucose concentration in blood and has thus become one of the promising therapeutic targets for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. GCGR based inhibitors for the treatment of type 2 diabetes are either glucagon neutralizers or small molecular antagonists. Management of diabetes without any side effects is still a challenge to the medical system, and the search for a new and effective natural GCGR antagonist is an important area for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In the present study, a number of natural compounds containing antidiabetic properties were selected from the literature and their binding potential against GCGR was determined using molecular docking and otherin silicoapproaches. Among all selected natural compounds, curcumin was found to be the most effective compound against GCGR followed by amorfrutin 1 and 4-hydroxyderricin. These compounds were rescored to confirm the accuracy of binding using another scoring function (x-score). The final conclusions were drawn based on the results obtained from the GOLD andx-score. Further experiments were conducted to identify the atomic level interactions of selected compounds with GCGR.
A Binary Cat Swarm Optimization Algorithm for the Non-Unicost Set Covering Problem
Authors: Crawford Broderick , Soto Ricardo , Berríos Natalia , Johnson Franklin , Paredes Fernando , Castro Carlos , Norero Enrique
Published: July 2015

The Set Covering Problem consists in finding a subset of columns in a zero-one matrix such that they cover all the rows of the matrix at a minimum cost. To solve the Set Covering Problem we use a metaheuristic called Binary Cat Swarm Optimization. This metaheuristic is a recent swarm metaheuristic technique based on the cat behavior. Domestic cats show the ability to hunt and are curious about moving objects. Based on this, the cats have two modes of behavior: seeking mode and tracing mode. We are the first ones to use this metaheuristic to solve this problem; our algorithm solves a set of 65 Set Covering Problem instances from OR-Library.