bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A distributed algorithm for large-scale generalized matching
Authors: Manshadi Faraz Makari , Awerbuch Baruch , Gemulla Rainer , Khandekar Rohit , Mestre Julián , Sozio Mauro
Published: June 2014

Generalized matching problems arise in a number of applications, including computational advertising, recommender systems, and trade markets. Consider, for example, the problem of recommending multimedia items (e.g., DVDs) to users such that (1) users are recommended items that they are likely to be interested in, (2) every user gets neither too few nor too many recommendations, and (3) only items available in stock are recommended to users. State-of-the-art matching algorithms fail at coping with large real-world instances, which may involve millions of users and items. We propose the first distributed algorithm for computing near-optimal solutions to large-scale generalized matching problems like the one above. Our algorithm is designed to run on a small cluster of commodity nodes (or in a MapReduce environment), has strong approximation guarantees, and requires only a poly-logarithmic number of passes over the input. In particular, we propose a novel distributed algorithm to approximately solve mixed packing-covering linear programs, which include but are not limited to generalized matching problems. Experiments on real-world and synthetic data suggest that a practical variant of our algorithm scales to very large problem sizes and can be orders of magnitude faster than alternative approaches.
The LLUNATIC data-cleaning framework
Authors: Geerts Floris , Mecca Giansalvatore , Papotti Paolo , Santoro Donatello
Published: June 2014

Data-cleaning (or data-repairing) is considered a crucial problem in many database-related tasks. It consists in making a database consistent with respect to a set of given constraints. In recent years, repairing methods have been proposed for several classes of constraints. However, these methods rely on ad hoc decisions and tend to hard-code the strategy to repair conflicting values. As a consequence, there is currently no general algorithm to solve database repairing problems that involve different kinds of constraints and different strategies to select preferred values. In this paper we develop a uniform framework to solve this problem. We propose a new semantics for repairs, and a chase-based algorithm to compute minimal solutions. We implemented the framework in a DBMS-based prototype, and we report experimental results that confirm its good scalability and superior quality in computing repairs.
Making queries tractable on big data with preprocessing
Authors: Fan Wenfei , Geerts Floris , Neven Frank
Published: June 2014

A query class is traditionally considered tractable if there exists a polynomial-time (PTIME) algorithm to answer its queries. When it comes to big data, however, PTIME algorithms often become infeasible in practice. A traditional and effective approach to coping with this is to preprocess data off-line, so that queries in the class can be subsequently evaluated on the data efficiently. This paper aims to provide a formal foundation for this approach in terms of computational complexity. (1) We propose a set of Π-tractable queries, denoted by ΠT
Q
0
, to characterize classes of queries that can be answered in parallel poly-logarithmic time (NC) after PTIME preprocessing. (2) We show that several natural query classes are Π-tractable and are feasible on big data. (3) We also study a set ΠT
Q
of query classes that can be effectively converted to Π-tractable queries by refactorizing its data and queries for preprocessing. We introduce a form of NC reductions to characterize such conversions. (4) We show that a natural query class is complete for ΠT
Q
. (5) We also show that ΠT
Q
0
⊂ P unless P = NC, i.e., the set ΠT
Q
0
of all Π-tractable queries is properly contained in the set P of all PTIME queries. Nonetheless, ΠT
Q
= P, i.e., all PTIME query classes can be made Π-tractable via proper refactorizations. This work is a step towards understanding the tractability of queries in the context of big data.
Answering planning queries with the crowd
Authors: Kaplan Haim , Lotosh Ilia , Milo Tova , Novgorodov Slava
Published: June 2014

Recent research has shown that crowd sourcing can be used effectively to solve problems that are difficult for computers, e.g., optical character recognition and identification of the structural configuration of natural proteins. In this paper we propose to use the power of the crowd to address yet another difficult problem that frequently occurs in a daily life - answering planning queries whose output is a sequence of objects/actions, when the goal, i.e, the notion of "best output", is hard to formalize. For example, planning the sequence of places/attractions to visit in the course of a vacation, where the goal is to enjoy the resulting vacation the most, or planning the sequence of courses to take in an academic schedule planning, where the goal is to obtain solid knowledge of a given subject domain. Such goals may be easily understandable by humans, but hard or even impossible to formalize for a computer.

We present a novel algorithm for efficiently harnessing the crowd to assist in answering such planning queries. The algorithm builds the desired plans incrementally, choosing at each step the 'best' questions so that the overall number of questions that need to be asked is minimized. We prove the algorithm to be optimal within its class and demonstrate experimentally its effectiveness and efficiency.
Reducing uncertainty of schema matching via crowdsourcing
Authors: Zhang Chen Jason , Chen Lei , Jagadish H. V. , Cao Chen Caleb
Published: June 2014

Schema matching is a central challenge for data integration systems. Automated tools are often uncertain about schema matchings they suggest, and this uncertainty is inherent since it arises from the inability of the schema to fully capture the semantics of the represented data. Human common sense can often help. Inspired by the popularity and the success of easily accessible crowdsourcing platforms, we explore the use of crowdsourcing to reduce the uncertainty of schema matching.

Since it is typical to ask simple questions on crowdsourcing platforms, we assume that each question, namely Correspondence Correctness Question (CCQ), is to ask the crowd to decide whether a given correspondence should exist in the correct matching. We propose frameworks and efficient algorithms to dynamically manage the CCQs, in order to maximize the uncertainty reduction within a limited budget of questions. We develop two novel approaches, namely "Single CCQ" and "Multiple CCQ", which adaptively select, publish and manage the questions. We verified the value of our solutions with simulation and real implementation.
A probabilistic optimization framework for the empty-answer problem
Authors: Mottin Davide , Marascu Alice , Roy Senjuti Basu , Das Gautam , Palpanas Themis , Velegrakis Yannis
Published: June 2014

We propose a principled optimization-based interactive query relaxation framework for queries that return no answers. Given an initial query that returns an empty answer set, our framework dynamically computes and suggests alternative queries with less conditions than those the user has initially requested, in order to help the user arrive at a query with a non-empty answer, or at a query for which no matter how many additional conditions are ignored, the answer will still be empty. Our proposed approach for suggesting query relaxations is driven by a novel probabilistic framework based on optimizing a wide variety of application-dependent objective functions. We describe optimal and approximate solutions of different optimization problems using the framework. We analyze these solutions, experimentally verify their efficiency and effectiveness, and illustrate their advantage over the existing approaches.
Counting and sampling triangles from a graph stream
Authors: Pavan A. , Tangwongsan Kanat , Tirthapura Srikanta , Wu Kun-Lung
Published: June 2014

This paper presents a new space-efficient algorithm for counting and sampling triangles--and more generally, constant-sized cliques--in a massive graph whose edges arrive as a stream. Compared to prior work, our algorithm yields significant improvements in the space and time complexity for these fundamental problems. Our algorithm is simple to implement and has very good practical performance on large graphs.
An experimental analysis of iterated spatial joins in main memory
Authors: Sowell Benjamin , Salles Marcos Vaz , Cao Tuan , Demers Alan , Gehrke Johannes
Published: June 2014

Many modern applications rely on high-performance processing of spatial data. Examples include location-based services, games, virtual worlds, and scientific simulations such as molecular dynamics and behavioral simulations. These applications deal with large numbers of moving objects that continuously sense their environment, and their data access can often be abstracted as a repeated spatial join. Updates to object positions are interspersed with these join operations, and batched for performance. Even for the most demanding scenarios, the data involved in these joins fits comfortably in the main memory of a cluster of machines, and most applications run completely in main memory for performance reasons.

Choosing appropriate spatial join algorithms is challenging due to the large number of techniques in the literature. In this paper, we perform an extensive evaluation of repeated spatial join algorithms for distance (range) queries in main memory. Our study is unique in breadth when compared to previous work: We implement, tune, and compare ten distinct algorithms on several workloads drawn from the simulation and spatial indexing literature. We explore the design space of both index nested loops algorithms and specialized join algorithms, as well as the use of moving object indices that can be incrementally maintained. Surprisingly, we find that when queries and updates can be batched, repeatedly re-computing the join result from scratch outperforms using a moving object index in all but the most extreme cases. This suggests that--given the code complexity of index structures for moving objects -- specialized join strategies over simple index structures, such as Synchronous Traversal over R-Trees, should be the methods of choice for the above applications.
Horton+
Authors: Sarwat Mohamed , Elnikety Sameh , He Yuxiong , Mokbel Mohamed F.
Published: June 2014

Horton+ is a graph query processing system that executes declarative reachability queries on a partitioned attributed multi-graph. It employs a query language, query optimizer, and a distributed execution engine. The query language expresses declarative reachability queries, and supports closures and predicates on node and edge attributes to match graph paths. We introduce three algebraic operators, select, traverse, and join, and a query is compiled into an execution plan containing these operators. As reachability queries access the graph elements in a random access pattern, the graph is therefore maintained in the main memory of a cluster of servers to reduce query execution time. We develop a distributed execution engine that processes a query plan in parallel on the graph servers. Since the query language is declarative, we build a query optimizer that uses graph statistics to estimate predicate selectivity. We experimentally evaluate the system performance on a cluster of 16 graph servers using synthetic graphs as well as a real graph from an application that uses reachability queries. The evaluation shows (1) the efficiency of the optimizer in reducing query execution time, (2) system scalability with the size of the graph and with the number of servers, and (3) the convenience of using declarative queries.
Towards social data platform
Authors: Li Rui , Wang Shengjie , Chang Kevin Chen-Chuan
Published: June 2014

Many novel applications have been built based on analyzing tweets about specific topics. While these applications provide different kinds of analysis, they share a common task of monitoring "target" tweets from the Twitter stream for a topic. The current solution for this task tracks a set of manually selected keywords with Twitter APIs. Obviously, this manual approach has many limitations. In this paper, we propose a data platform to automatically monitor target tweets from the Twitter stream for any given topic. To monitor target tweets in an optimal and continuous way, we design Automatic Topic-focused Monitor (ATM), which iteratively 1) samples tweets from the stream and 2) selects keywords to track based on the samples. To realize ATM, we develop a tweet sampling algorithm to sample sufficient unbiased tweets with available Twitter APIs, and a keyword selection algorithm to efficiently select keywords that have a near-optimal coverage of target tweets under cost constraints. We conduct extensive experiments to show the effectiveness of ATM. E.g., ATM covers 90% of target tweets for a topic and improves the manual approach by 49%.
Effects of Nb and V on the Precipitation Phases of MX in Q345E Applicable to Cryogenic Flange
Authors: Li Jie , Fan Dingdong , Xia Yunjin
Published: June 2014

Thermodynamic software (Thermo-Calc) is utilized to Q345E applicable to cryogenic flange. The aim is to study the equilibrium precipitation phases between 400 and 1600 °C, and the solubility of Nb and V in austenite. The effects of alloying elements, such as C, N, Nb and V, on these equilibrium precipitation phases are also discussed. Besides theoretical calculation, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is used to observe these precipitation phases. The results show that main equilibrium precipitation phases are M7C3, MX#1 (Nb-rich), MX#2 (V-rich) and AlN. Among them, the MX#1 phase is composed of major elements (Nb, C, and N) and minor elements (V and Cr). For MX#2 phase, its major elements are V, C, Nb, and N, and minor element is Cr. The precipitation amount and temperature of MX#1 phase were controlled by Nb content, and little affected by the contents of C, N and V. TEM results reveal that the size of precipitation phases varied from several nanometers to more than 100 nm. Large precipitation particles belong to MX#1 phase (Nb-rich), and their morphology tends to be cubic. On the other side, the small precipitation particles are attributed to MX#2 phase (V-rich), and their morphology is spherical or elliptical. These results are consistent with the thermodynamic calculation results about phase composition and precipitation temperature of MX#1 and MX#2.
Crystal structure of (E)-3-mesityl-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one, C18H18O
Authors: Barakat Assem , Al-Majid Abdullah M. , Mabkhot Yahia N. , Ghabbour Hazem A. , Fun Hoong-Kun
Published: June 2014

C
Emergency Department and Urgent Care for Children Excluded From Child Care
Authors: Hashikawa Andrew N. , Brousseau David C. , Singer Dianne C. , Gebremariam Achamyeleh , Davis Matthew M.
Published: June 2014

BACKGROUND:

Children in child care are frequently unnecessarily excluded for illness. We investigated parental use of urgent medical evaluation for sick children unable to attend child care.

METHODS:

In May 2012, authors conducted a nationally representative survey of parents, who completed online questions regarding child illness causing absence from child care and their medical care-seeking behavior. Main outcome was parents’ use of emergency department or urgent care (ED/UC).

RESULTS:

Overall survey participation rate was 62%. Of participating parent cohort with children 0 to 5 years old, 57% (n = 357) required child care, of which 84% (n = 303) required out-of-home child care. Over 88% of parents sought acute medical care for their sick children unable to attend child care. Approximately one-third of parents needed a doctor’s note for employers and/or child care. Parents sought medical evaluation (>1 option possible) from primary care (81%), UC (26%), or ED (25%). ED/UC use was most common for rash (21%) and fever (15%). Logistic regression indicated ED/UC use was significantly higher among single/divorced parents (odds ratio [OR] = 4.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.5–13.5); African American parents (OR = 4.2; 95% CI: 1.2–14.6); parents needing a doctor’s note (OR = 4.2; 95% CI: 1.5–11.7); and those with job concerns (OR = 3.4; 95% CI: 1.2–9.7).

CONCLUSIONS:

A substantial proportion of parents whose sick children cannot attend child care seek care in ED/UC. Training child care professionals regarding appropriate illness exclusions may decrease ED/UC visits by lowering child care exclusions.
Caregiver-Mediated Intervention for Low-Resourced Preschoolers With Autism: An RCT
Authors: Kasari Connie , Lawton Kathy , Shih Wendy , Barker Tyson V. , Landa Rebecca , Lord Catherine , Orlich Felice , King Bryan , Wetherby Amy , Senturk Damla
Published: June 2014

OBJECTIVES:

To compare 2 short-term, community caregiver training interventions for preschool-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder who had low resources. Low resource was defined by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development low-income index or 1 “indicator,” (eg, Medicaid eligibility). Child outcomes focused on joint engagement, joint attention, and play.

METHODS:

Participants included 112 families of a child who had Autism Spectrum Disorder who met criteria for being low-resourced and who were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 3-month interventions, group caregiver education or individualized caregiver-mediated intervention (CMM). Children were assessed for social communication skills pre- and post-treatment, and followed up at 3 months.

RESULTS:

All children improved in joint engagement and initiating joint attention, with significantly greater improvement by the CMM group. Outcomes on play skills were mixed, with improvement of symbolic play for the CMM group and no change in functional play skills. Joint engagement maintained over time for the CMM group, and initiating joint attention maintained for both groups over time.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study is among the first randomized trials comparing 2 active interventions with a large sample of low-resourced families. Results suggest improvements in core autism deficits of joint engagement, joint attention, and symbolic play with relatively brief, caregiver-mediated interventions, but additional support is necessary to maintain and generalize these gains over time.
Autism Spectrum Disorders and Race, Ethnicity, and Nativity: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Becerra Tracy A. , von Ehrenstein Ondine S. , Heck Julia E. , Olsen Jorn , Arah Onyebuchi A. , Jeste Shafali S. , Rodriguez Michael , Ritz Beate
Published: June 2014

OBJECTIVE:

Our understanding of the influence of maternal race/ethnicity and nativity and childhood autistic disorder (AD) in African Americans/blacks, Asians, and Hispanics in the United States is limited. Phenotypic differences in the presentation of childhood AD in minority groups may indicate etiologic heterogeneity or different thresholds for diagnosis. We investigated whether the risk of developing AD and AD phenotypes differed according to maternal race/ethnicity and nativity.

METHODS:

Children born in Los Angeles County with a primary AD diagnosis at ages 3 to 5 years during 1998–2009 were identified and linked to 1995–2006 California birth certificates (7540 children with AD from a cohort of 1 626 354 births). We identified a subgroup of children with AD and a secondary diagnosis of mental retardation and investigated heterogeneity in language and behavior.

RESULTS:

We found increased risks of being diagnosed with AD overall and specifically with comorbid mental retardation in children of foreign-born mothers who were black, Central/South American, Filipino, and Vietnamese, as well as among US-born Hispanic and African American/black mothers, compared with US-born whites. Children of US African American/black and foreign-born black, foreign-born Central/South American, and US-born Hispanic mothers were at higher risk of exhibiting an AD phenotype with both severe emotional outbursts and impaired expressive language than children of US-born whites.

CONCLUSIONS:

Maternal race/ethnicity and nativity are associated with offspring’s AD diagnosis and severity. Future studies need to examine factors related to nativity and migration that may play a role in the etiology as well as identification and diagnosis of AD in children.
Disentangling above‐ and belowground neighbor effects on the growth, chemistry, and arthropod community on a focal plant
Authors: Kos Martine , Bukovinszky Tibor , Mulder Patrick P. J. , Bezemer T. Martijn
Published: June 2014

Neighboring plants can influence arthropods on a focal plant, and this can result in associational resistance or associational susceptibility. These effects can be mediated by above‐ and belowground interactions between the neighbor and focal plant, but determining the relative contribution of the above‐ and belowground effects remains an open challenge. We performed a common garden experiment with a design that enabled us to disentangle the above‐ and belowground effects of five different plant species on the growth and chemistry of the focal plant ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris), and the arthropod community associated with this plant. Aboveground effects of different neighboring plant species were more important for the growth and quality of J. vulgaris and for the arthropod abundance on this plant than belowground effects of neighbors. This remained true when only indirect neighbor effects (via affecting the biomass or quality of the focal plant) were considered. The aboveground neighbor effects on arthropod abundance on the focal plant were strongly negative. However, the magnitude of the effect depended on the identity of the neighboring species, and herbivore abundance on the focal plant was higher when surrounded by conspecific than when surrounded by heterospecific plants. We also observed interactions between above‐ and belowground neighbor effects, indicating that these effects may be nonadditive. We conclude that above‐ and belowground associational effects are not equally strong, and that neighbor effects on plant–arthropod interactions occur predominantly aboveground.
Serum Endothelin-1, MMP-9, and Myeloperoxidase and Coronary Artery Morphology as Detected by Multi-Slice CT Angiography in Intermediate and High Risk Asymptomatic Subjects
Authors: Goldhammer E. , Moshe Y. Ben , Lubovich A. , Rivlin Y. , Maor I. , Zeina R. , Rosenschein U.
Published: June 2014

Objectives:

To study possible correlation between Endothelin-1, Matrix-metallo-proteinase- 9, and Myeloperoxidase serum activity and coronary CT angiography findings of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease in intermediate - high risk asymptomatic subjects.

Methods:

65 consecutive asymptomatic subjects, 53 males and 12 females, mean age 58.8 +/-10.9 s.d., referred by their primary practitioner for the evaluation of coronary artery atherosclerotic disease by Cardiac CT exam were selected for the study. One serum sample was drawn from each participant and examined for the levels of Endothelin -1, MMP-9, MPO serum activity. Obstructive coronary artery disease was defined as at least 50 percent stenosis of one or more coronary segments. Plaques were identified as calcified or soft according to the CT Hounsfield attenuation number.

Results:

The Endothelin activity level was significantly elevated in subjects with significant obstructive coronary artery disease (p=0.022). Furthermore, high Endothelin activity level was found to correlate with calcified plaque burden (p=0.006), and to be an independent determinant of lesion severity (R2 = 0.124, R2 change = 0.006, p= 0.008)

Conclusions:

Endothelin-1 may be a marker of significant obstructive coronary disease and calcified plaque burden in asymptomatic subjects. The significance of MMP-9 and MPO as markers of atherosclerosis in such subjects has not been definitely clarified.
Relationships Among Power Distance, Collectivism, Punishment, and Acquiescent, Defensive, or Prosocial Silence
Authors: Rhee Jaehoon , Dedahanov Alisher , Lee Dohyung
Published: June 2014

We investigated the relationships among power distance, collectivism, punishment, and a multidimensional construct of silence. Participants were 628 full-time employees of 27 heavy-industry companies in South Korea. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were
performed to test our hypothesized model. The results revealed that power distance induced acquiescent silence; however, power distance did not have any impact on defensive silence. Collectivism also generated acquiescent silence but did not influence prosocial silence; and punishment increased
defensive silence.
The Mediating Role of Intrinsic Motivation on the Relationship Between Developmental Feedback and Employee Job Performance
Authors: Guo Yun , Liao Jianqiao , Liao Shudi , Zhang Yanhong
Published: June 2014

Although previous researchers have paid significant attention to the effect of feedback on employee behavioral outcomes, few have specifically examined the influence of developmental feedback on employee job performance. In this study we examined the influences of intrinsic motivation
and social exchange on the relationship between developmental feedback and job performance. Participants were 202 supervisor-subordinate dyads from 12 enterprises in China. We found that developmental feedback had a significant positive effect on both intrinsic motivation and job performance.
In addition, intrinsic motivation had a significant positive relationship with job performance but it also had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between developmental feedback and job performance. Managerial implications and directions for further research are discussed.
Effects of HIV/AIDS Public Service Announcements On Attitude and Behavior: Interplay of Perceived Threat and Self-Efficacy
Authors: Zhang Jueman (Mandy) , Zhang Di , Chock T. Makana
Published: June 2014

We examined how perceived threat affected attitude and behavior toward condom use with main and nonmain partners, among at-risk young adults with varying levels of self-efficacy. Participants were 170 heterosexually active, single students at a northeastern university in the United
States. Exposure to HIV/AIDS public service announcements was found to increase perceived susceptibility, which facilitated a positive attitude toward condom use with main partners but not with nonmain partners. High self-efficacy promoted a positive attitude toward condom use with main partners,
and condom use with main and nonmain partners. The interaction effects revealed that high, compared to low, self-efficacy motivated more condom use with main and nonmain partners when perceived susceptibility was lower.
Effects of an Integrated Olympic Education Program on Adolescent Athletes' Values and Sport Behavior
Authors: Šukys Saulius , Majauskien Daiva
Published: June 2014

We examined the effect of an integrated program of Olympic education on adolescent athletes' Olympic values and their behavior in sport. Participants were 747 adolescent athletes (482 boys and 265 girls aged between 13 and 18 years) attending Lithuanian schools implementing (n
= 430) or not implementing (n = 317) an integrated Olympic education program. Participants completed questionnaires about Olympic values and prosocial and antisocial behavior in sport. Results showed that adolescent athletes from schools not implementing an Olympic education program
scored lower than athletes from schools where this program was implemented, on human values of Olympism, social virtues of Olympism, individual pursuit of excellence, and prosocial behavior in sport.
The Role of Anonymity in the Effects of Inadvertent Exposure to Online Pornography Among Young Adult Males
Authors: Shim Jae Woong , Paul Bryant M.
Published: June 2014

We investigated how the sexist attitudes of young adult males were affected when they were inadvertently exposed to online pornography, and the role of the sense of anonymity in subsequent selection by these individuals of sexually explicit material. Participants were 84 male university
students. Results showed that participants were more likely to pursue extreme pornography when they felt anonymous, as compared with situations in which they did not feel anonymous. This tendency was especially apparent for those exposed for 10 seconds to sexual online pop-up commercials that
include pornographic content. The results also showed that inadvertent exposure to such sexual online pop-up commercials, coupled with feelings of anonymity, could increase participants' sexist attitudes toward women. The implications of these findings for future research are discussed.
Patient Preferences for Noninsulin Diabetes Medications: A Systematic Review
Authors: Purnell Tanjala S. , Joy Susan , Little Emily , Bridges John F.P. , Maruthur Nisa
Published: June 2014

OBJECTIVE

An evidence-based synthesis of patient preferences for management of hyperglycemia is needed. Our objective was to systematically review patient preferences for noninsulin diabetes medications in adults with type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We searched the PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and EconLit databases for articles published on or before 23 January 2013. We included English-language studies of adult patients with type 2 diabetes that assessed patient preferences for diabetes medication treatment. Titles, abstracts, and articles were reviewed by at least two independent reviewers. Study data and quality were abstracted with standard protocols.

RESULTS

Of 2,811 titles identified in our original search, 10 articles met inclusion criteria for the systematic review. Studies were conducted from 2007 to 2012 among diverse patient populations in the U.S., Sweden, Denmark, and the U.K. Methods used to assess patient preferences included discrete choice experiments (e.g., conjoint analysis), time tradeoff exercises, standard gamble, and patient surveys. Key attributes of diabetes medication associated with patient preferences included treatment benefits (e.g., glycemic control and weight loss/control), treatment burden (e.g., administration, frequency, and cost), and side effects (e.g., weight gain, gastrointestinal effects, and hypoglycemia).

CONCLUSIONS

Various clinical and quality of life–related factors influence patient preferences for noninsulin diabetes medications. Treatment efficacy with regard to glycemic control and weight loss/control and the risk of treatment-related hypoglycemia and gastrointestinal effects are reported to be important drivers of patient treatment selections. Future work is needed to identify practical methods for incorporating patient preferences into treatment decision making and patient-centered care.
Association between Finger Tapping, Attention, Memory, and Cognitive Diagnosis in Elderly Patients
Authors: Rabinowitz Israel , Lavner Yizhar
Published: June 2014

This study examined the association between spontaneous finger tapping and cognitive function, with a detailed analysis of the two main phases of finger tapping, the touch-phase and the off-phase. 170 elderly patients (83 men, 87 women; M age = 82.1yr., SD = 6.2) underwent cognitive assessment including the Mini-Mental State Examination, a forward digit span test, and 15sec. of finger tapping. Results indicated a significant increase in the length and variability of the finger-touch phase among participants with mild cognitive impairment or dementia compared to participants with no cognitive impairment, suggesting a relationship between finger tapping and attention, short-term memory, and cognitive diagnosis. Pattern classification analyses on the finger tapping parameters indicated a specificity of 0.91 and sensitivity of 0.52 for ruling out cognitive impairment.
Humor Styles and Loneliness: A Study among Hong Kong and Hangzhou Undergraduates
Authors: Yue Xiao Dong , Wong Ashley Yuen Man , Hiranandani Neelam Arjan
Published: June 2014

This study examined the relationship between humor styles and loneliness among a sample of Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese. A total of 159 Hong Kong undergraduates and 178 Hangzhou undergraduates were recruited to complete a survey composed of the Humor Styles Questionnaire and the Emotional and Social Loneliness Scales. Multiple regression analyses showed that self-defeating humor explained significant variance in both social and emotional loneliness for Hong Kong students, but only in social loneliness for Hangzhou students. Hong Kong students scored significantly higher on aggressive humor and self-defeating humor, and scored significantly lower on affiliative humor and self-enhancing humor than did their counterparts in Hangzhou. This could be attributed to the greater influence of Confucianism in Mainland China than in Hong Kong.
Differences in Cognitive Process-Related Skills between Taxi and Non-Taxi Drivers between 50 and 70 Years Old
Authors: Chuang Kai-Hsiang , Jeng Ming-Chang , Chun-Chia Hsu , Doong Ji-Liang , Lin Chih-Yung , Lai Ching-Huei
Published: June 2014

This study investigated differences between 50- to 70-yr.-old taxi and non-taxi drivers with respect to cognitive process-related skills. Psychological indicators associated with perceptuomotor, attentional, and spatial memory recall abilities were collected for 173 taxi drivers (7 women, 166 men; M age = 57.5yr.) and 175 non-taxi drivers (85 women, 90 men; M age = 58.2yr.). The taxi drivers had shorter reaction times and motor times in response to stimuli in simple stimulus-response tasks. There was an age-related decline in monocular vision detection on both sides, processing speed for fovea stimuli, and higher-level cognition for drivers. Accordingly, the frontal visual information processing speed of the taxi drivers was superior to the non-taxi drivers, but a distinct age-related decline was observed for all drivers.
Effects of Spacing between Items and View Direction on Errors in the Perceived Height of a Rotated 3-D Figure
Authors: Chen Chen-Fu , Lin Chin-Chiuan , Huang Kuo-Chen
Published: June 2014

This study investigated the errors in the perceived height of virtual cones presented on the screen. 80 students (50 women, 30 men; M age = 18.8yr., SD = 1.2 using a duodecimal system) participated in the study. They judged the height of virtual cones in several conditions: (a) different spaces between the items in the array (2, 4, and 6 cm); (b) different viewing directions – bottom-up or top-down; (c) cones presented in different forward-rotated angles (15, 30, and 45°). Results indicate that fewer errors in the perceived heights of virtual cones were made when: the space between items was 2 cm, judgment was made in a bottom-up view and at a 15° angle. These results may have implications for graphics-based interface design such as interior design, driver navigation systems, geological models, and flight-simulation systems.
Unsuccessful Treatments of “Writer's Block”: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: McLean Derrick C. , Thomas Benjamin R.
Published: June 2014

A wide literature of the unsuccessful treatment of writer's block has emerged since the early 1970's. Findings within this literature seem to confer generalizability of this procedure; however, small sample sizes may limit this interpretation. This meta-analysis independently analyzed effect sizes for “self-treatments” and “group-treatments” using number of words in the body of the publication as indication of a failure to treat writer's block. Results of the reported findings suggest that group-treatments tend to be slightly more unsuccessful than self-treatments.
Numerical Solution of Fractional Neutron Point Kinetics Model in Nuclear Reactor
Authors: Nowak Tomasz Karol , Duzinkiewicz Kazimierz , Piotrowski Robert
Published: June 2014

This paper presents results concerning solutions of the fractional neutron point kinetics model for a nuclear reactor. Proposed model consists of a bilinear system of fractional and ordinary differential equations. Three methods to solve the model are presented and compared. The first one entails application of discrete Grünwald-Letnikov definition of the fractional derivative in the model. Second involves building an analog scheme in the FOMCON Toolbox in MATLAB environment. Third is the method proposed by Edwards. The impact of selected parameters on the model’s response was examined. The results for typical input were discussed and compared.
Positivity and Asymptotic Stability of Descriptor Linear Systems with Regular Pencils
Authors: Kaczorek Tadeusz
Published: June 2014

The positivity and asymptotic stability of the descriptor linear continuous-time and discrete-time systems with regular pencils are addressed. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the positivity and asymptotic stability of the systems are established using the Drazin inverse matrix approach. Effectiveness of the conditions are demonstrated on numerical examples.
Dynamic Systems with a Finite Degrees of Freedom Number
Authors: Ładziński Radosław
Published: June 2014

Taking as a starting point the law of conservation of the total energy of the system, and introducing two basic state functions - the Lagrangian and the Rayleigh function, the general form of the equation of motion for any dynamic system with a finite number of degrees of freedom is derived. The theory is illustrated by considering the rotating - type electromechanical energy converter with six degrees of freedom being the model of all essentially important types of DC and AC machines, including rotating power amplifiers, induction - and synchronous type motors - all of them discussed from both, the steady-state and the transient point of view. In the next part of the paper there is described a simple electric circuit with its model characterized by the holonomic constraints of the velocity-type. Finally, there is presented the kinematics and dynamics of the interesting mechanical system - the gyroscope placed on the rotating Earth.
Simulation of thermal fluid dynamics in parabolic trough receiver tubes with direct steam generation using the computer code ATHLET
Authors: Hoffmann A. , Merk B. , Hirsch T. , Pitz-Paal R.
Published: June 2014

In the present feasibility study the system code ATHLET, which originates from nuclear engineering, is applied to a parabolic trough test facility. A model of the DISS (DIrect Solar Steam) test facility at Plataforma Solar de Almería in Spain is assembled and the results of the simulations are compared to measured data and the simulation results of the Modelica library “DissDyn”. A profound comparison between ATHLET Mod 3.0 Cycle A and the “DissDyn” library reveals the capabilities of these codes. The calculated mass and energy balance in the ATHLET simulations are in good agreement with the results of the measurements and confirm the applicability for thermodynamic simulations of DSG processes in principle. Supplementary, the capabilities of the 6-equation model with transient momentum balances in ATHLET are used to study the slip between liquid and gas phases and to investigate pressure wave oscillations after a sudden valve closure.
Experimental study of flow inversion in MTR upward flow research reactors
Authors: Khedr A. , Abdel-Hadi E. A. , Talha K. A. , Abdel-Latif S. H.
Published: June 2014

The core cooling of upward flow MTR pool type Research Reactor (RR) at the later stage of pump coast down is experimentally handled to clarify the effect of some operating parameters on RR core cooling. Therefore, a test rig is designed and built to simulate the core cooling loop at this stage. The core is simulated as two vertical channels, electrically heated, and extended between upper and lower plenums. Two elevated tanks filled with water are connected to the two plenums. The first one constitutes a left branch, connected to the lower plenum, and is electrically heated to simulate the core return pipe. The second one constitutes the right branch, connected to the upper plenum, and is cooled by refrigerant circuit to simulate the reactor pool. Channel coolant and wall temperatures at different power and branch temperatures are measured, registered and analyzed. The results show that at this stage of core cooling two cooling loops are established; an internal circulation loop between the channels dominated by the difference in channel's power and an external circulation loop between the branches dominated by the temperature difference between branches. Also, there is a double inversion in core flow, upward-downward-upward flow. This double inversion increases largely the channel's wall temperature. Complementary safety analysis to evaluate this phenomenon must be performed.
Electric Field Effects on Photoluminescence of CdSe Nanoparticles in a PMMA Film
Authors: Nakabayashi Takakazu , Ohshima Ruriko , Ohta Nobuhiro
Published: June 2014

External electric field effects on spectra and decay of photoluminescence (PL) as well as on absorption spectra were measured for CdSe nanoparticles in a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film. Electrophotoluminescence (E-PL) spectra as well as electroabsorption spectra show a remarkable Stark shift which depends on the particle size, indicating a large electric dipole moment in the first exciton state. The E-PL spectra also show that PL of CdSe is quenched by application of electric fields, and the magnitude of the field-induced quenching becomes larger with increasing size. The PL decay profiles observed in the absence and presence of electric field show that the field-induced quenching of PL mainly originates from the field-induced decrease in population of the emitting state prepared through the relaxation from the photoexcited state.
Some Trends in Quantum Thermodynamics
Authors: Von Spakovsky Michael , Gemmer Jochen
Published: June 2014

Traditional answers to what the 2nd Law is are well known. Some are based on the microstate of a system wandering rapidly through all accessible phase space, while others are based on the idea of a system occupying an initial multitude of states due to the inevitable imperfections of measurements that then effectively, in a coarse grained manner, grow in time (mixing). What has emerged are two somewhat less traditional approaches from which it is said that the 2nd Law emerges, namely, that of the theory of quantum open systems and that of the theory of typicality. These are the two principal approaches, which form the basis of what today has come to be called quantum thermodynamics. However, their dynamics remains strictly linear and unitary, and, as a number of recent publications have emphasized, “testing the unitary propagation of pure states alone cannot rule out a nonlinear propagation of mixtures”. Thus, a non-traditional approach to capturing such a propagation would be one which complements the postulates of QM by the 2nd Law of thermodynamics, resulting in a possibly meaningful, nonlinear dynamics. An unorthodox approach, which does just that, is intrinsic quantum thermodynamics and its mathematical framework, steepest-entropy-ascent quantum thermodynamics. The latter has evolved into an effective tool for modeling the dynamics of reactive and non-reactive systems at atomistic scales. It is the usefulness of this framework in the context of quantum thermodynamics as well as the theory of typicality which are discussed here in some detail. A brief discussion of some other trends such as those related to work, work extraction, and fluctuation theorems is also presented.
A-769662 Protects Osteoblasts from Hydrogen Dioxide-Induced Apoptosis through Activating of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK)
Authors: Zhu Yalong , Zhou Jianhua , Ao Rongguang , Yu Baoqing
Published: June 2014

Here we report that 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) agonist A-769662 inhibited hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced viability loss and apoptosis of human and mouse osteoblast cells. H2O2-induced moderate AMPK activation in osteoblast cells, which was enhanced by A-769662. Inactivation of AMPK by its inhibitor compound C, or by target shRNA-mediated silencing and kinase dead (KD) mutation exacerbated H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in osteoblast cells. A-769662-mediated protective effect against H2O2 was also blocked by AMPK inhibition or depletion. A-769662 inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation by H2O2 in osteoblast cells. Meanwhile, H2O2-induced ATP depletion was inhibited by A-769662, but was aggravated by compound C. Further, H2O2 induced AMPK-dependent and pro-survival autophagy in cultured osteoblast cells, which was enhanced by A-769662. Our results suggested that activation of AMPK by H2O2 is anti-apoptosis and pro-survival in osteoblast cells, probably due to its anti-oxidant, pro-autophagy and ATP preservation abilities, and A-769662-mediated cell-protective effect in osteoblast cells requires AMPK activation. Our study suggests that A-769662 might be further investigated as a novel anti-osteonecrosis agent.
The Role of Lead (Pb) in the High Temperature Formation of MoS2 Nanotubes
Authors: Brontvein Olga , Tenne Reshef , Enyashin Andrey
Published: June 2014

Recent studies have clearly indicated the favorable effect of lead as a growth promoter for MX2 (M = Mo, W; X = S, Se) nanotubes using MX2 powder as a precursor material. The experimental work indicated that the lead atoms are not stable in the molybdenum oxide lattice ion high concentration. The initial lead concentration in the oxide nanowhiskers (Pb:Mo ratio = 0.28) is reduced by one order of magnitude after one year in the drawer. The initial Pb concentration in the MoS2 nanotubes lattice (produced by solar ablation) is appreciably smaller (Pb:Mo ratio for the primary samples is 0.12) and is further reduced with time and annealing at 810 °C, without consuming the nanotubes. In order to elucidate the composition of these nanotubes in greater detail; the Pb-“modified” MX2 compounds were studied by means of DFT calculations and additional experimental work. The calculations indicate that Pb doping as well as Pb intercalation of MoS2 lead to the destabilization of the system; and therefore a high Pb content within the MoS2 lattice cannot be expected in the final products. Furthermore; substitutional doping (PbMo) leads to p-type semiconducting character; while intercalation of MoS2 by Pb atoms (Pby/MoS2) should cause n-type semiconducting behavior. This study not only sheds light on the role of added lead to the growth of the nanotubes and their role as electron donors; but furthermore could pave the way to a large scale synthesis of the MoS2 nanotubes.
Application of Hydrophilic Silanol-Based Chemical Grout for Strengthening Damaged Reinforced Concrete Flexural Members
Authors: Ju Hyunjin , Lee Deuck , Cho Hae-Chang , Kim Kang , Yoon Seyoon , Seo Soo-Yeon
Published: June 2014

In this study, hydrophilic chemical grout using silanol (HCGS) was adopted to overcome the performance limitations of epoxy materials used for strengthening existing buildings and civil engineering structures. The enhanced material performances of HCGS were introduced, and applied to the section enlargement method, which is one of the typical structural strengthening methods used in practice. To evaluate the excellent structural strengthening performance of the HCGS, structural tests were conducted on reinforced concrete beams, and analyses on the flexural behaviors of test specimens were performed by modified partial interaction theory (PIT). In particular, to improve the constructability of the section enlargement method, an advanced strengthening method was proposed, in which the precast panel was directly attached to the bottom of the damaged structural member by HCGS, and the degree of connection of the test specimens, strengthened by the section enlargement method, were quantitatively evaluated by PIT-based analysis.
Mechanical and Electrical Characterization of Entangled Networks of Carbon Nanofibers
Authors: Mousavi Arash , Atwater Mark , Mousavi Behnam , Jalalpour Mohammad , Taha Mahmoud , Leseman Zayd
Published: June 2014

Entangled networks of carbon nanofibers are characterized both mechanically and electrically. Results for both tensile and compressive loadings of the entangled networks are presented for various densities. Mechanically, the nanofiber ensembles follow the micromechanical model originally proposed by van Wyk nearly 70 years ago. Interpretations are given on the mechanisms occurring during loading and unloading of the carbon nanofiber components.