bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Boundary Lubrication Friction Model Sensitive to Detailed Engine Oil Formulation in an Automotive Cam/Follower Interface
Authors: Roshan Rupesh , Priest Martin , Neville Anne , Morina Ardian , Xia Xin , Warrens Chris P. , Payne Marc J.
Published: October 2011

Theoretical studies have shown that in severe operating conditions, valve train friction losses are significant and have an adverse effect on fuel efficiency. However, recent studies have shown that existing valve train friction models do not reliably predict friction in boundary and mixed lubrication conditions and are not sensitive to lubricant chemistry. In these conditions, the friction losses depend on the tribological performance of tribofilms formed as a result of surface–lubricant additive interactions. In this study, key tribological parameters were extracted from a direct acting tappet type Ford Zetec SE (Sigma) valve train, and controlled experiments were performed in a block-on-ring tribometer under conditions representative of boundary lubrication in a cam and follower contact. Friction was recorded for the tribofilms formed by molybdenum dithiocarbamate (MoDTC), zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP), detergent (calcium sulfonate), and dispersant (polyisobutylene succinimide) additives in an ester-containing synthetic polyalphaolefin (PAO) base oil on AISI E52100 steel components. A multiple linear regression technique was used to obtain a friction model in boundary lubrication from the friction data taken from the block-on-ring tribometer tests. The model was developed empirically as a function of the ZDDP, MoDTC, detergent, and dispersant concentration in the oil and the temperature and sliding speed. The resulting friction model is sensitive to lubricant chemistry in boundary lubrication. The tribofilm friction model showed sensitivity to the ZDDP–MoDTC, MoDTC–dispersant, MoDTC–speed, ZDDP–temperature, detergent–temperature, and detergent–speed interactions. Friction decreases with an increase in the temperature for all ZDDP/MoDTC ratios, and oils containing detergent and dispersant showed high friction due to antagonistic interactions between MoDTC–detergent and MoDTC–dispersant additive combinations.
Fractal Analysis of Cavitation Eroded Surface in Dilute Emulsions
Authors: Abouel-Kasem A. , Alturki F. A. , Ahmed S. M.
Published: October 2011

In the present work, the topographical images of cavitation erosion surfaces at water and oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions were quantified using fractal analysis. The oil-in-water emulsion concentrations were 2, 5 and 10 wt. %, which are in the popular range used in hydraulic systems. The study showed that the variation of fractal dimension calculated from slope of linearized power spectral density for water and o/w emulsions can be used to characterize the cavitation intensity in similar manner to the weight loss. Both the fractal dimension and the weight loss decrease with adding oil to water. It was also found that the variation of fractal dimension versus concentration of oil-in-water emulsions has a general trend that does not depend on magnification factor. The cavitation erosion behavior and mechanism for water and o/w emulsions has been studied. It was found that the predominant failure mode was fatigue for water and o/w emulsions.
Improved Wear Resistance of Dendrite Composite Eutectic Fe-B Alloy
Authors: Fu Licai , Yang Jun , Bi Qinling , Liu Weimin
Published: October 2011

The dry-sliding tribological properties of the dendrite composite eutectic Fe-B alloys (Fe94.3B5.7, Fe75B25 Fe67B33) were studied comparatively with various sliding speeds. The friction coefficient of the Fe-B alloy changes slightly with the boron content. The wear rate of the Fe94.3B5.7 alloy with about 30 vol. % dendrite t-Fe2B is only one third of Fe75B25 alloy with 15 vol. % dendrite and Fe67B33 alloy with 90 vol. % dendrite in the high sliding speed. First, a hard t-Fe2B phase reduced the wear of the Fe-B alloy directly. Second, the compactly oxide layers resulting from oxidation of the α-Fe on the worn surfaces also decreases the wear rate of Fe-B alloys. On the whole, the wear rate of the Fe94.3B5.7 is lower than Fe67B33 and Fe75B25.
Hazard perception at high- and low-risk road sites: a pilot study of interurban roads in Pakistan and Cameroon
Authors: Bhatti Junaid A , Razzak Junaid A , Lagarde Emmanuel , Sobngwi-Tambekou Jöelle , Alioum Ahmadou , Salmi L Rachid
Published: October 2011

Objectives

Interurban roads account for a significant proportion of traffic deaths in developing countries. In this pilot study, hazard perceptions of interurban road sites involved in ≥3 injury road traffic crashes were compared with those not involved in road traffic crashes on the same road sections.

Settings

Karachi–Hala (Pakistan) and Yaoundé–Douala (Cameroon) road sections were the main study settings.

Data

Videos of 26 high-risk sites and 26 low-risk sites from Karachi–Hala (Pakistan) and Yaoundé–Douala (Cameroon) roads, matched for the road section, were shown to 100 voluntary Pakistani drivers. Variations in perceived site hazardousness and preferred speed for each site pair were assessed.

Analyses

Factors associated with incorrect hazard perception of high-risk sites (perceived as safe) were assessed by multinomial logistic regression analyses.

Results

Drivers reported a higher hazard perception and a lower preferred speed for high-risk sites than for their matched low-risk sites in less than half of pairs (n=12, p≤0.02). Factors associated with increased likelihood of identifying a high-risk site as safe were as follows: flat road profile (adjusted OR=2.00, 95% CI 1.55 to 2.57), intersections (OR=1.96, 95% CI 1.43 to 2.68), irregular road surface (OR=3.56, 95% CI 2.68 to 4.71), nearby road obstacles (OR=2.57, 95% CI 1.96 to 3.39) and visible rain (OR=1.85, 95% CI 1.48 to 2.32).

Conclusion

The methods used in this study might be useful in prioritising cost-effective improvements at high-risk sites.
Can interfaith research partnerships develop new paradigms for condom use and HIV prevention? The implementation ofconceptual eventsin Malawi results in a ‘spiritualised condom’
Authors: Willms Dennis G , Arratia Maria-Ines , Makondesa Patrick
Published: October 2011

Objectives

The aim of this intervention research study was to engage senior leaders of faith-based organisations (FBOs) in Malawi in a participatory process to construct an interfaith theology of HIV/AIDS. This process was designed to enhance the capacity of faith leaders to respond more effectively to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Methods

An evidence-driven combination of ethnographic and participatory action research methodologies was utilised.Conceptual events—innovative participatory action research processes—were held over the 4-year project and brought together health service providers, policy makers and a non-governmental organisation in partnership with FBOs and grassroots faith-based communities.

Results

Through facilitated dialogue, an interfaith theology of HIV/AIDS emerged, resulting in the proposition that a ‘spiritualised condom’ endorses a ‘theology of protecting life’. This proposition was based on the following convictions: (1) life is sacred and to be protected, (2) to kill or murder is a ‘greater sin’ than the ‘lesser sin of infidelity’, (3) protection of the innocent is a moral and religious requirement, (4) condoms have the potential to prevent the death of an innocent person and (5) condoms need to be encouraged, even in the context of marriage.

Conclusions

Clinicians, non-governmental organisations, health service providers and policy makers, assisted by health social scientists, can successfully partner with FBOs and their leaders to (1) modify and transform faith-based understandings of HIV risk and (2) bring about attitudinal and behaviour changes that help to address the challenges associated with HIV/AIDS.
COMPOSITE WEAK BOSONS, LEPTONS AND QUARKS
Authors: FRITZSCH HARALD
Published: October 2011

The weak bosons are interpreted as composite particles. They consist of two fundamental fermions, bound by a confining gauge interaction. The mass scale of this new interaction is determined. A new neutral isoscalar weak boson X must exist. Its mass is expected to be less than 1 TeV. It will decay mainly into quark and lepton pairs and into two or three weak bosons. Above 1 TeV excitations of the weak bosons must exist, which mainly decay into pairs of weak bosons. Leptons and quarks consist of a fermion and a scalar. Two scalars form bound states, which are either neutral in charge or have charge 2/3 e.
A NONLOCAL UNITARY VECTOR MODEL IN THREE DIMENSIONS
Authors: KHOUDEIR ADEL , STEPHANY J.
Published: October 2011

We present a unified analysis of single excitation vector models in three dimensions. We show that there is a family of first-order master actions related by duality transformations which interpolate between the different models. We use a Hamiltonian (2+1) analysis to show the equivalence of the self-dual and topologically massive models with a covariant nonlocal model which propagates also a single massive excitation. It is shown how the nonlocal terms appears naturally in the path integral framework.
TESTING EXTRA DIMENSIONS WITH BOUNDARIES USING NEWTON'S LAW MODIFICATIONS
Authors: OIKONOMOU V. K. , KLEIDIS K.
Published: October 2011

Extra dimensions with boundaries are often used in the literature to provide phenomenological models that mimic the standard model. In this context, we explore possible modifications to Newton's law due to the existence of an extra-dimensional space, at the boundary of which the gravitational field obeys Dirichlet, Neumann or mixed boundary conditions. We focus on two types of extra space, namely, the disk and the interval. As we prove, in order to have a consistent Newton's law modification (i.e. of the Yukawa-type), some of the extra-dimensional spaces that have been used in the literature, must be ruled out.
ON CANONICAL QUANTIZATION OF THE GAUGED WZW MODEL WITH PERMUTATION BRANES
Authors: SARKISSIAN GOR
Published: October 2011

In this paper we perform canonical quantization of the product of the gauged WZW models on a strip with boundary conditions specified by permutation branes. We show that the phase space of the N-fold product of the gauged WZW model G/H on a strip with boundary conditions given by permutation branes is symplectomorphic to the phase space of the double Chern–Simons theory on a sphere with N holes times the time-line with G and H gauge fields both coupled to two Wilson lines. For the special case of the topological coset G/G we arrive at the conclusion that the phase space of the N-fold product of the topological coset G/G on a strip with boundary conditions given by permutation branes is symplectomorphic to the phase space of Chern–Simons theory on a Riemann surface of the genus N-1 times the time-line with four Wilson lines.
THE MODULE OF TWO-CHORD DIAGRAMS FOR ORIENTED KNOTS OF ZERO WINDING NUMBER IN THE SOLID TORUS
Authors: BATAINEH KHALED
Published: October 2011

In this paper we study the ℤ-module A2of two-chord diagrams for knots with zero winding number in the solid torus KST0, which is needed in studying the type-two invariants for knots in KST0. We show that this module (or abelian group), which is given as a presentation with infinite number of generators and an infinite number of relations, is a free infinitely generated module. Moreover, we show that this module is isomorphic to the direct sum of three free modules that are easier to understand.
INTRINSICALLY LINKED GRAPHS WITH KNOTTED COMPONENTS
Authors: FLEMING THOMAS
Published: October 2011

We construct a graph G such that any embedding of G into R3 contains a nonsplit link of two components, where at least one of the components is a nontrivial knot. Further, for any m < n we produce a graph H so that every embedding of H contains a nonsplit n component link, where at least m of the components are nontrivial knots. We then turn our attention to complete graphs and show that for any given n, every embedding of a large enough complete graph contains a 2-component link whose linking number is a nonzero multiple of n. Finally, we show that if a graph is a Cartesian product of the form G × K2, it is intrinsically linked if and only if G contains one of K5, K3,3 or K4,2 as a minor.
TWO CLASSES OF VIRTUALLY FIBERED MONTESINOS LINKS OF TYPE $\widetilde{{\rm SL}_2}$
Authors: GUO XIAO
Published: October 2011

We find two new classes of virtually fibered classic Montesinos links of type [Formula: see text].
△Y-EXCHANGES AND THE CONWAY–GORDON THEOREMS
Authors: NIKKUNI RYO , TANIYAMA KOUKI
Published: October 2011

Conway–Gordon proved that for every spatial complete graph on six vertices, the sum of the linking numbers over all of the constituent 2-component links is congruent to 1 modulo 2, and for every spatial complete graph on seven vertices, the sum of the Arf invariants over all of the Hamiltonian knots is also congruent to 1 modulo 2. In this paper, we give a Conway–Gordon type theorem for any graph which is obtained from the complete graph on six or seven vertices by a finite sequence of △Y-exchanges.
FOLDING ELASTIC TRANSMEMBRANE HELICES TO FIT IN A LOW-RESOLUTION IMAGE BY ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
Authors: UENO YUTAKA , KAWASAKI KAZUNORI , SAITO OSAMU , ARAI MASAFUMI , SUWA MAKIKO
Published: October 2011

Structure prediction of membrane proteins could be constrained and thereby improved by introducing data of the observed molecular shape. We studied a coarse-grained molecular model that relied on residue-based dummy atoms to fold the transmembrane helices of a protein in the observed molecular shape. Based on the inter-residue potential, the α-helices were folded to contact each other in a simulated annealing protocol to search optimized conformation. Fitting the model into a three-dimensional volume was tested for proteins with known structures and resulted in a fairly reasonable arrangement of helices. In addition, the constraint to the packing transmembrane helix with the two-dimensional region was tested and found to work as a very similar folding guide. The obtained models nicely represented α-helices with the desired slight bend. Our structure prediction method for membrane proteins well demonstrated reasonable folding results using a low-resolution structural constraint introduced from recent cell-surface imaging techniques.
A TRANSCRIPTOME ANALYSIS BY LASSO PENALIZED COX REGRESSION FOR PANCREATIC CANCER SURVIVAL
Authors: WU TONG TONG , GONG HAIJUN , CLARKE EDMUND M.
Published: October 2011

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States with five-year survival rates less than 5% due to rare detection in early stages. Identification of genes that are directly correlated to pancreatic cancer survival is crucial for pancreatic cancer diagnostics and treatment. However, no existing GWAS or transcriptome studies are available for addressing this problem. We apply lasso penalized Cox regression to a transcriptome study to identify genes that are directly related to pancreatic cancer survival. This method is capable of handling the right censoring effect of survival times and the ultrahigh dimensionality of genetic data. A cyclic coordinate descent algorithm is employed to rapidly select the most relevant genes and eliminate the irrelevant ones. Twelve genes have been identified and verified to be directly correlated to pancreatic cancer survival time and can be used for the prediction of future patient's survival.
BIPARTITE ENTANGLEMENT OF MULTIPARTITE COHERENT STATES USING QUANTUM NETWORK OF BEAM SPLITTERS
Authors: DAOUD M. , CHOUBABI E. B.
Published: October 2011

We investigate the generation of multipartite entangled SU (k+1) coherent states using a quantum network involving a sequence of k beam splitters. We particularly investigate the entanglement in multipartite SU(2) coherent states (k = 1). We employ the concurrence as measure of the degree of bipartite entanglement.
Conjugated di- and trinuclear phthalocyanines and their analogs
Authors: Makarov Sergey G. , Suvorova Olga N. , Wöhrle Dieter
Published: October 2011

Extended π-electron delocalization is the most important property of phthalocyanines and structurally related systems. The position of the longest wavelength absorption (Q-band) is influenced by the kind of substituents and by additional fused benzene rings at the ligand. Very large wavelength shifts are obtained with planar annulated di- and trinuclear phthalocyanine analogs sharing a common benzene ring which are the main point of this review. In addition, condensed di- and trinuclear phthalocyanines, and di- and trinuclear phthalocyanines linked via one or two carbon atoms of the macrocycles are discussed for comparison.
Porphyrin molecular tweezers for fullerenes
Authors: Uno Hidemitsu , Furukawa Mina , Fujimoto Akiko , Uoyama Hiroki , Watanabe Hajime , Okujima Tetsuo , Yamada Hiroko , Mori Shigeki , Kuramoto Makoto , Iwamura Tatsunori , Hatae Noriyuki , Tani Fumito , Komatsu Naoki
Published: October 2011

Facing zinc bisporphyrins connected with diethanoanthracene and diethanonaphthacene (syn-1 and syn-2) are prepared by double [3+1] porphyrin synthesis of tripyrranedicarbaldehyde with syn-5,11-dimethoxy-4,6,10,12-tetrahydro-4,12;6,10-diethanoanthracene[2,3-c;7,8-c′]dipyrrole and syn-4,7,11,14- tetrahydro-4,14;7,11-diethanonaphthacene[2,3-c;8,9-c′]dipyrrole. These bisporphyrins contain large clefts with different sizes capable for complexation with fullerenes such as C60 and C70 . These designed syn-oriented bisporphyrins serve as effective and selective molecular tweezers for C70 . Binding affinity of the zinc bisporphyrins, namely, syn-1 and syn-2, towards C60 and C70 in solution is determined by employing UV-vis spectrophotometric technique. Values of binding constants (K) in toluene for the non-covalent complexes of syn-1 with C60 and C70 are estimated to be 3.1(4) × 104 and 5.0(2) × 105 M-1, respectively, and those of syn-2 with C60 and C70 are enumerated to be 2.1(4) × 104 and 1.70(13) × 105 M-1, respectively. Binding of C60 and C70 in the clefts of syn-1 and syn-2 is clearly demonstrated by the crystal structures of C60 /syn-1, C70 /syn-1, C60 /syn-2, and C70 /syn-2 complexes. In the crystal structures with C70 , the directions of the long axis of C70 are found to be quite different: in the case of C70 /syn-1 complex the axis lies perpendicularly to the line connecting two zinc atoms; however, for the C70 /syn-2 complex, the axis occupies in-plane to the same line. Both the clefts of syn-1 and syn-2 are induced to fit the included fullerenes by domed out-of-plane distortion of porphyrin rings. Moreover, the bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene moieties of syn-1 are widened by complexation with the fullerenes, while the same moieties of syn-2 are narrowed by the complexation. Therefore, syn-1 catches the fullerenes at the shallow part of the cleft. On the other hand, syn-2 catches the fullerenes at the bottom part of the cleft. NMR experiments of the complexes in THF-d8 also support these orientations even in solution.
Diazo compounds in the functionalization of porphyrin macrocycles
Authors: Gomes Ana T.P.C. , Neves Maria G.P.M.S. , Cavaleiro José A.S.
Published: October 2011

This highlight presents an overview on the functionalization of porphyrin macrocycles using diazo compounds.
EXAMINING DRIVERS OF COLLABORATIVE INBOUND OPEN INNOVATION: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM AUSTRALIAN FIRMS
Authors: BUCIC TANIA , NGO LIEM VIET
Published: October 2011

Knowledge-based competition is leading to collaboration with partners and even competitors as firms pursue appropriate knowledge for innovation which has become a strategic imperative. Inbound open innovation helps increase the innovativeness of the firm by monitoring the operating environment and enabling it to source knowledge from collaborative partners. On the basis of in-depth interviews with senior managers and the knowledge-based view of the firm, this study examines the extent to which inbound open innovation activities contribute to collaborative innovation. Then, using a sample of 224 surveys representative of a cross-section of medium to large firms involved in collaborative ventures, the theoretical model is empirically examined. The results show that collaborative creativity, learning and knowledge stock are critical core inputs of collaborative innovation, with the support of formal coordination mechanisms and internal search processes, such as structural centralisation, formality and absorptive capacity.
A NEURAL MECHANISM FOR FUNCTION APPLICATION IN VISUAL AWARENESS MODELS
Authors: RAO SUNIL , ALEKSANDER IGOR
Published: October 2011

We discuss the role of function application in neural models of visual awareness with reference to the handling of language understanding. The problem of modeling the application of functional relations mapping a set of given input variables to a defined output outcome is seen to arise in the context of enabling a visual awareness model to handle verbal and visual input for a variety of tasks. The inadequacy of previously presented approaches is placed in context, and a novel technical solution presented, derived from the demonstration of an adjective recognition scheme implemented for the handling of shape-color depiction. The extension of such an approach to the handling of motion verb recognition by means of path labeling and position identification in a depictive model of visual awareness is discussed. The practical effectiveness and utility of the presented scheme to a wider range of function applicative contexts is accordingly examined.
FUZZY MEASURE BASED ADAPTIVE METHODS FOR ILLUMINATION INVARIANT FACE RECOGNITION
Authors: MAKWANA RAMJI M. , THAKAR VISHVJIT K. , CHAUHAN NARENDRA C.
Published: October 2011

Varying illumination is one of the well known and challenging problems in Face Recognition applications. Numerous methods have been proposed by researchers, but recognition performance under complex illumination is not yet satisfactory. The paper presents Fuzzy based methods to adaptively normalize illumination in face images for Face Recognition under varying illumination conditions. The paper has main two contributions: (1) Fuzzy measure based Adaptive Single-scale Retinex and (2) Fuzzy measure based Adaptive Single-scale Self Quotient Image method. Also, two more variations of these methods are presented. There are two main advantages of these methods, as compared to multi-scale Retinex and Self Quotient methods. Firstly, due to the adaptive nature of proposed methods, discontinuity in facial feature is smoothed and discontinuity due to shadows is preserved and hence performance is better. Secondly, computational complexity is reduced because of single scale 3∗3 filter instead of multi-scale filters. Rigorous experiments have been performed on CMU PIE face database and Extended Yale B face database. For determining False Acceptance Rate, 529 and 550 imposter faces are used for experiments on PIE and Yale databases respectively. Proposed methods are compared with existing methods under same experimental setup using six performance evaluation parameters. Results have shown that Fuzzy measure based methods performs well.
HYBRID FUZZY LOGIC-BASED PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION FOR FLOW SHOP SCHEDULING PROBLEM
Authors: LING SAI HO , JIANG FRANK , NGUYEN HUNG T. , CHAN KIT YAN
Published: October 2011

This paper, proposes a hybrid fuzzy logic-based particle swarm optimization (PSO) with cross-mutated operation method for the minimization of makespan in permutation flow shop scheduling problem. This problem is a typical non-deterministic polynomial-time (NP) hard combinatorial optimization problem. In the proposed hybrid PSO, fuzzy inference system is applied to determine the inertia weight of PSO and the control parameter of the proposed cross-mutated operation by using human knowledge. By introducing the fuzzy system, the inertia weight becomes adaptive. The cross-mutated operation effectively forces the solution to escape the local optimum. To make PSO suitable for solving flow shop scheduling problem, a sequence-order system based on the roulette wheel mechanism is proposed to convert the continuous position values of particles to job permutations. Meanwhile, a new local search technique namely swap-based local search for scheduling problem is designed and incorporated into the hybrid PSO. Finally, a suite of flow shop benchmark functions are employed to evaluate the performance of the proposed PSO for flow shop scheduling problems. Experimental results show empirically that the proposed method outperforms the existing hybrid PSO methods significantly.
VIRTUAL INSTRUMENTATION BASED SYSTEMS FOR REAL-TIME PATH PLANNING OF MOBILE ROBOTS USING BIO-INSPIRED NEURAL NETWORKS
Authors: HAMMAD ABDALLAH , YANG SIMON X. , ELEWA M. TAREK , MANSOUR HALA , ALI SALAH
Published: October 2011

In this paper, novel virtual instrumentation based systems for real-time collision-free path planning and tracking control of mobile robots are proposed. The developed virtual instruments are computationally simple and efficient in comparison to other approaches, which act as a new soft-computing platform to implement a biologically-inspired neural network. This neural network is topologically arranged with only local lateral connections among neurons. The dynamics of each neuron is described by a shunting equation with both excitatory and inhibitory connections. The neural network requires no off-line training or on-line learning, which is capable of planning a comfortable trajectory to the target without suffering from neither the too close nor the too far problems. LabVIEW is chosen as the software platform to build the proposed virtual instrumentation systems, as it is one of the most important industrial platforms. We take the initiative to develop the first neuro-dynamic application in LabVIEW. The developed virtual instruments could be easily used as educational and research tools for studying various robot path planning and tracking situations that could be easily understood and analyzed step by step. The effectiveness and efficiency of the developed virtual instruments are demonstrated through simulation and comparison studies.
GALOIS GROUPS FOR ONE CLASS OF EQUATIONS
Authors: Galyautdinov I. G. , Galeeva L. I.
Published: October 2011

We find recurrent formulas for obtaining minimal polynomials pn(x) ∈ ℤ[x] of numbers of the form [Formula: see text], where n ∈ ℕ. We demonstrate that Galois groups of these polynomials are commutative. By the same token we give examples of equations of arbitrarily high degrees solvable in radicals.
PRODUCT OF IDEAL CONNECTED SPACES
Authors: Moorthy C. Ganesa , Tamizharasi P.
Published: October 2011

Any product of connected spaces is connected. This article explores the possibilities to extend this result to topological spaces which are connceted relative to ideals.
THE STABILITY OF THE SOLITARY WAVE SOLUTIONS TO THE GENERALIZED COMPOUND KDV EQUATION
Authors: Liu Xiaohua , Zhang Weiguo
Published: October 2011

Using variational method, we investigate that the solitary wave solution u(x - ct) to the Generalized Compound Kdv Equation with two nonlinear terms is stable in the Lyapunov sense when 0 < p < 2 holds. The result is new. There shows a new method to consider the extremum of Lyapunov functional.
BOUNDS FOR THE RELATIVE n-TH NILPOTENCY DEGREE IN COMPACT GROUPS
Authors: Rezaei Rashid , Russo Francesco G.
Published: October 2011

The line of investigation of the present paper goes back to a classical work of W. H. Gustafson of the 1973, in which it is described the probability that two randomly chosen group elements commute. In the same work, he gave some bounds for this kind of probability, providing information on the group structure. We have recently obtained some generalizations of his results for finite groups. Here we improve them in the context of the compact groups.
SIMULATION OF INVENTORY POLICY FOR PRODUCT WITH PRICE AND TIME-DEPENDENT DEMAND FOR DETERIORATING ITEM
Authors: SHUKLA D. , KHEDLEKAR U. K. , CHANDEL R. P. S. , BHAGWAT S.
Published: October 2011

In a declining market for goods, we optimize the net profit in business when inventory management allows change in the selling prices n times over time horizon. We are computing optimal number of changes in prices, respective optimal prices, and optimal profit in each of the cycle for a deteriorating product. This paper theoretically proves that for any business setup there exists an optimal number of price settings for obtaining maximum profit. Theoretical results are supported by numerical examples for different setups (data set) and it is found that for every setup the dynamic pricing policy outperforms the static pricing policy. In our model, the deterioration factor has been taken into consideration. The deteriorated units are determined by the recurrence method. Also we studied the effect of different parameters on optimal policy with simulation. For managerial purposes, we have provided some "suggested intervals" for choosing parameters depending upon initial demand, which help to predict the best prices and arrival of customers (demand).
A NUMERICAL APPROACH STUDYING THE EFFECTS OF PRECIPITATION SCAVENGING ON STEADY-STATE DISPERSION OF AIR POLLUTANTS
Authors: AGARWAL MANJU , TANDON ABHINAV
Published: October 2011

The present paper demonstrates the applicability of finite element method of weighted residuals to study the effects of precipitation scavenging through raindrops on the steady-state dispersion of air pollutants in the atmosphere under realistic variable wind and diffusivity profiles. Here, the washout of pollutants by rain droplets is considered and the whole analysis for the pollutant concentration is carried out in two phases viz. gaseous phase and droplet phase. The model solutions are obtained by using local basis and asymmetric quadratic weighting functions which can provide a promising alternative to the standard Galerkin formulation for problems with advective and diffusive terms. The results of the model reveal that the precipitation scavenging by rain is quite effective in cleaning the polluted atmosphere. Anticipating the need of pollutant concentration in rain drops regarding acid precipitation (or acid rain), the concentration of the absorbed pollutant in the droplet phase are also analyzed. So, the present study provides an understanding on the concentration distribution of pollutant in gaseous and droplet phases, under the effects of variable wind and diffusivity profiles.
Flowering Ecology of the Species of the Genus Hypoxidia (Hypoxidaceae: Asparagales)
Authors: Gerlach Justin
Published: October 2011

Hypoxidia (Hypoxidaceae) is endemic to the Seychelles islands. The two species H. rhizophylla and H. maheensis have rarely been studied. The first studies of floral ecology are described based on 19 years of observations of cultivated (1992–1994) and wild (1998–2011) plants of H. rhizophylla and a single flowering event of cultivated H. maheensis. In H. rhizophylla, heavy rainfall acts as a trigger to flowering, with flowers opening 14 days after heavy rain. This can occur in any month and local rainfall can act as a trigger even in generally dry conditions. Flowers are only open for a few hours, usually in the morning. Pollinators have not been identified but only one specie has been seen visiting flowers regularly; the fly Dichaetomyia fasciculifera (Muscidae) is common on Silhouette island where 12% of flowers are pollinated but very scarce on Mahé where fruiting of H. rhizophylla is rarely recorded. Low rates of pollination and limited dispersal is thought to result in effective isolation of most populations which probably mainly reproduce clonally. Clarification of this requires further research into genetic structuring of the populations.
Stability Indicating HPLC Determination of Risperidone in Bulk Drug and Pharmaceutical Formulations
Authors: Dedania Zarna R. , Dedania Ronak R. , Sheth Navin R. , Patel Jigar B. , Patel Bhavna
Published: October 2011

The objective of the current study was to develop a validated stability-indicating assay method (SIAM) for risperidone after subjecting it to forced decomposition under hydrolysis, oxidation, photolysis, and thermal stress conditions. The liquid chromatographic separation was achieved isocratically on a symmetry C18 column (5 μm size, 250 mm × 4.6 mm i.d.) using a mobile phase containing methanol: acetonitrile (80 : 20, v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and UV detection at 280 nm. Retention time of risperidone was found to be . The method was linear over the concentration range of 10–60 μg/mL with a limit of detection and quantitation of 1.79 and 5.44 μg/mL, respectively. The method has the requisite accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, and precision to assay risperidone in bulk form and pharmaceutical dosage forms. Degradation products resulting from the stress studies did not interfere with the detection of Risperidone, and the assay is thus stability indicating.
Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis in a Patient with Type 1 Cryoglobulinemia
Authors: Liu Paul Y. , Prete Pamela E. , Kukes Gary
Published: October 2011

Cutaneous manifestations of type 1 cryoglobulinemia are usually related to vascular occlusion by noninflammatory thrombosis; rarely is leukocytoclastic vasculitis seen in type 1 cryoglobulinemia. We report the case of a 64-year-old male who presented with isolated cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis that was initially attributed to essential mixed cryoglobulinemia after thorough diagnostic evaluation. A lack of adequate clinical response to therapy prompted further investigation, including cryoprecipitate electrophoresis and immunofixation, which revealed an IgM kappa monoclonal gammopathy consistent with type 1 cryoglobulinemia. A renewed search for an underlying malignancy led to the discovery of early Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. Although leukocytoclastic vasculitis is more characteristic of mixed cryoglobulinemia, it can be a presenting manifestation of type 1 cryoglobulinemia.
Efficacy and Effectiveness of Exercise on Tender Points in Adults with Fibromyalgia: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Kelley George A. , Kelley Kristi S. , Jones Dina L.
Published: October 2011

Fibromyalgia is a major public health problem affecting an estimated 200 to 400 million people worldwide. The purpose of this study was to use the meta-analytic approach to determine the efficacy and effectiveness of randomized controlled exercise intervention trials (aerobic, strength training, or both) on tender points (TPs) in adults with fibromyalgia. Using random effects models and 95% confidence intervals (CI), a statistically significant reduction in TPs was observed based on per-protocol analyses (8 studies representing 322 participants) but not intention-to-treat analyses (5 studies representing 338 participants) (per-protocol, , −0.68, 95% CI, −1.16, −0.20; intention-to-treat, , −0.24, 95% CI, −0.62, 0.15). Changes were equivalent to relative reductions of 10.9% and 6.9%, respectively, for per-protocol and intention-to-treat analyses. It was concluded that exercise is efficacious for reducing TPs in women with FM. However, a need exists for additional well-designed and reported studies on this topic.
Nano-Oncology: Clinical Application for Cancer Therapy and Future Perspectives
Authors: Riggio Cristina , Pagni Eleonora , Raffa Vittoria , Cuschieri Alfred
Published: October 2011

Nano-oncology, the application of Nanomedicine to cancer diagnosis and treatment, has the potential to transform clinical oncology by enhancing the efficacy of cancer chemotherapy for a wide spectrum of invasive cancers. It achieves this by enabling novel drug delivery systems which target the tumour site with several functional molecules, including tumour-specific ligands, antibodies, cytotoxic agents, and imaging probes simultaneously thereby improving tumour response rates in addition to significant reduction of the systemic toxicity associated with current chemotherapy regimens. For this reason, nano-oncology is attracting considerable scientific interest and a growing investment by the global pharmaceutical industry. Several therapeutic nano-carriers have been approved for clinical use and others are undergoing phase II and III clinical trials. This paper describes the current approved formulations, such as liposomes and polymeric nanoparticles, and discusses the overall present status of nano-oncology as an emerging branch of nanomedicine and its future perspectives in cancer and therapy.
The Role of Heme and Reactive Oxygen Species in Proliferation and Survival ofTrypanosoma cruzi
Authors: Paes Marcia Cristina , Cosentino-Gomes Daniela , Souza Cíntia Fernandes de , Nogueira Natália Pereira de Almeida , Meyer-Fernandes José Roberto
Published: October 2011

Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan responsible for Chagas disease, has a complex life cycle comprehending two distinct hosts and a series of morphological and functional transformations. Hemoglobin degradation inside the insect vector releases high amounts of heme, and this molecule is known to exert a number of physiological functions. Moreover, the absence of its complete biosynthetic pathway inT. cruziindicates heme as an essential molecule for this trypanosomatid survival. Within the hosts,T. cruzihas to cope with sudden environmental changes especially in the redox status and heme is able to increase the basal production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can be also produced as byproducts of the parasite aerobic metabolism. In this regard, ROS sensing is likely to be an important mechanism for the adaptation and interaction of these organisms with their hosts. In this paper we discuss the main features of heme and ROS susceptibility inT. cruzibiology.
Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on High Surface Area Nanocrystalline Zinc Oxide Spheres
Authors: Srinivasu Pavuluri , Singh Surya Prakash , Islam Ashraful , Han Liyuan
Published: October 2011

High surface area nanocrystalline zinc oxide material is fabricated using mesoporous nanostructured carbon as a sacrificial template through combustion process. The resulting material is characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption, HR-SEM, and HR-TEM. The nitrogen adsorption measurement indicates that the materials possess BET specific surface area ca. 30 m2/g. Electron microscopy images prove that the zinc oxide spheres possess particle size in the range of 0.12 μm–0.17 μm. The nanocrystalline zinc oxide spheres show 1.0% of energy conversion efficiency for dye-sensitized solar cells.
Selective Photooxidation and Photoreduction Processes at Surface-Modified by Grafted Vanadyl
Authors: Amadelli Rossano , Samiolo Luca , Maldotti Andrea , Molinari Alessandra , Gazzoli Delia
Published: October 2011

Titanium dioxide was surface-modified by grafting vanadyl species using vanadyl triisopropoxide as a precursor. The resulting material, (VOx)n/TiO2, was characterized by Raman spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical methods. Photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol and cyclohexene were used to test oxidation selectivity and 4-nitro-benzaldehyde to assess selective photoreduction. The surface-modified TiO2exhibits an enhanced selectivity to benzaldehyde in the photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol in an aqueous medium and an increase of cyclohexenol formation in the case of cyclohexene in nonaqueous solvent. The salient result is the 100% selective reduction of the nitrogroup in 4-nitro-benzaldehyde achieved under mild experimental conditions.
Numerical Model on Sound‐Solid Coupling in Human Ear and Study on Sound Pressure of Tympanic Membrane
Authors: Wen-juan Yao , Jian-wei Ma , Bao-lin Hu
Published: October 2011

Establishment of three‐dimensional finite‐element model of the whole auditory system includes external ear, middle ear, and inner ear. The sound‐solid‐liquid coupling frequency response analysis of the model was carried out. The correctness of the FE model was verified by comparing the vibration modes of tympanic membrane and stapes footplate with the experimental data. According to calculation results of the model, we make use of the least squares method to fit out the distribution of sound pressure of external auditory canal and obtain the sound pressure function on the tympanic membrane which varies with frequency. Using the sound pressure function, the pressure distribution on the tympanic membrane can be directly derived from the sound pressure at the external auditory canal opening. The sound pressure function can make the boundary conditions of the middle ear structure more accurate in the mechanical research and improve the previous boundary treatment which only applied uniform pressure acting to the tympanic membrane.
Meningioangiomatosis: A Case Report and Literature Review Emphasizing Diverse Appearance on Different Imaging Modalities
Authors: Kashlan Osama N. , LaBorde David V. , Davison LaKesha , Saindane Amit M. , Brat Daniel , Hudgins Patricia A. , Gross Robert E.
Published: October 2011

Purpose. Meningioangiomatosis (MA) is a rare, benign lesion that commonly mimics other intracranial malformations in clinical presentation and appearance on imaging. The case presented and the literature review performed highlight the importance of combining MRI and CT results to better characterize intracranial lesions and including MA on the list of differential diagnoses of patients presenting with seizures.Methods. The case described is of a 19-year-old male with a 10-year history of worsening seizures refractory to multiple drug regimens. MRI revealed an atypical vascular malformation. The patient underwent surgical resection of the epileptogenic cortex.Results. Although the radiologic impression of the lesion was a vascular malformation, pathological examination revealed MA. A literature search performed highlights the variability of the appearance of MA on CT and MRI and suggests the utility of the T2 GRE sequence in illustrating the presence of calcification and, in a lesion with other characteristic features, the diagnosis of MA.Conclusion. MA can be a difficult diagnosis to make based on imaging findings alone. However, in a patient with a characteristic history and presentation, the presence of a calcified mass on CT and MRI brain susceptibility artifact on a T2 GRE sequence may suggest MA.
Diabetic Muscle Infarction: A Rare Complication of Long-Standing and Poorly Controlled Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Iyer Shridhar N. , Drake Almond J. , West R. Lee , Tanenberg Robert J.
Published: October 2011

Objective. To report a case of diabetic muscle infarction (DMI), a rare complication of long-standing poorly controlled diabetes mellitus.Methods. We describe a case of a 45-year-old male with an approximately 8-year history of poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus with multiple microvascular complications who presented with the sudden onset of left thigh pain and swelling. He had a swollen left thigh and a CK of 1670 U/L. He was initially treated with intravenous antibiotics for a presumptive diagnosis of pyomyositis or necrotizing fasciitis with no improvement. A diagnosis of diabetic muscle infarction was considered.Results. An MRI of the thigh demonstrated diffuse edema in the anterior compartment. A muscle biopsy demonstrated coagulation necrosis in skeletal muscle and inflammation and infarction in the walls of small blood vessels. These studies confirmed the final diagnosis of DMI. He was treated with supportive care and gradually improved.Conclusion. DMI is a rare complication of diabetes that is often mistaken for infections such as pyomyositis and necrotizing fasciitis or thrombophlebitis. Treatment is supportive. Although the short-term prognosis is good in these patients, the long-term prognosis is poor.
Global Well‐Posedness for a Family of MHD‐Alpha‐Like Models
Authors: He Xiaowei
Published: October 2011

Global well‐posedness is proved for a family of n‐dimensional MHD‐alpha‐like models.
Motor Cortical Networks for Skilled Movements Have Dynamic Properties That Are Related to Accurate Reaching
Authors: Putrino David F. , Chen Zhe , Ghosh Soumya , Brown Emery N.
Published: October 2011

Neurons in the Primary Motor Cortex (MI) are known to form functional ensembles with one another in order to produce voluntary movement. Neural network changes during skill learning are thought to be involved in improved fluency and accuracy of motor tasks. Unforced errors during skilled tasks provide an avenue to study network connections related to motor learning. In order to investigate network activity in MI, microwires were implanted in the MI of cats trained to perform a reaching task. Spike trains from eight groups of simultaneously recorded cells (95 neurons in total) were acquired. A point process generalized linear model (GLM) was developed to assess simultaneously recorded cells for functional connectivity during reaching attempts where unforced errors or no errors were made. Whilst the same groups of neurons were often functionally connected regardless of trial success, functional connectivity between neurons was significantly different at fine time scales when the outcome of task performance changed. Furthermore, connections were shown to be significantly more robust across multiple latencies during successful trials of task performance. The results of this study indicate that reach-related neurons in MI form dynamic spiking dependencies whose temporal features are highly sensitive to unforced movement errors.
A Case of Angiomyolipoma Rarely Located in the Larynx
Authors: Eyigor Hulya , Suren Dinc , Osma Ustun , Sezer Cem , Yilmaz Mustafa Deniz
Published: October 2011

Angiomyolipoma is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor, which is mostly renal in origin. A sixty-year-old male patient with the diagnosis of angiomyolipoma located in the larynx has been presented here, and the literature is reviewed.
Occupational Traumatic Amputation of Distal Part of Thumb Caused by Constriction Effect of Nylon Rope: A Case Report with Review of Literature
Authors: Kalra M. , Mahmood A. , Patralekh M.
Published: October 2011

A 60-year-old farmer came to the accident and emergency department complaining of traumatic amputation of distal part of right thumb. On examination, there was a circumferential wound located at the base of right thumbnail with injury to both neurovascular bundles and fracture of distal part of distal phalanx with the distal part hanging by volar skin only. The wound was irrigated and the distal part terminalised with direct loose skin closure. Discussion with the patient about the scenario of trauma revealed a mechanism of injury which may appear unique.
Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 and the HIV-1 Tat Protein Synergize in Promoting Bcl-2 Expression and Preventing Endothelial Cell Apoptosis: Implications for the Pathogenesis of AIDS-Associated Kaposi's Sarcoma
Authors: Sgadari Cecilia , Barillari Giovanni , Palladino Clelia , Bellino Stefania , Taddeo Brunella , Toschi Elena , Ensoli Barbara
Published: October 2011

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a vascular tumor frequently occurring in Human Immunodeficiency Virus- (HIV-) 1-infected individuals. Our previous work indicated that the angiogenic fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and the Tat protein of HIV-1, both expressed in KS lesions of HIV-infected patients, synergize at inducing angioproliferative, KS-like lesions in mice. Here we show that the development of angioproliferative lesions promoted in mice by combined Tat and FGF-2 associates with an increase in the levels of expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Upregulation of Bcl-2 expression by combined FGF-2 and Tat occurs alsoin vitro, and this protects human primary endothelial cells from programmed cell death. As Bcl-2 is expressed in human KS lesions in a fashion paralleling the progression of the disease, these findings suggest a molecular mechanism by which Tat and FGF-2 cooperate in KS maintenance and progression in HIV-infected individuals.