bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Antimicrobial Activities of Aerosolized Sodium Hypochlorite, Chlorine Dioxide, and Electrochemically Activated Solutions Evaluated Using a Novel Standardized Assay
Authors: Thorn R. M. S. , Robinson G. M. , Reynolds D. M.
Published: March 2013

The main aim of this study was to develop a standardized experimental assay to enable differential antimicrobial comparisons of test biocidal aerosols. This study represents the first chlorine-matched comparative assessment of the antimicrobial activities of aerosolized sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, and electrochemically activated solution (ECAS) to determine their relative abilities to decontaminate various surface-associated health care-relevant microbial challenges. Standard microbiological challenges were developed by surface-associating typed
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Bacillus subtilis
spores, or a clinical methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) strain on stainless steel, polypropylene, or fabric. All test coupons were subjected to 20-min biocidal aerosols of chlorine-matched (100 ppm) sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, or ECAS within a standard aerosolization chamber using a commercial humidifier under defined conditions. Biocidal treatment type and material surface had a significant effect on the number of microorganisms recovered from various material surfaces following treatment exposure. Under the conditions of the assay, the order of antimicrobial efficacy of biocidal aerosol treatment was as follows: ECAS > chlorine dioxide > sodium hypochlorite. For all biocides, greater antimicrobial reductions were seen when treating stainless steel and fabric than when treating plastic-associated microorganisms. The experimental fogging system and assay protocol designed within this study were shown capable of differentiating the comparative efficacies of multiple chlorine-matched biocidal aerosols against a spectrum of target organisms on a range of test surface materials and would be appropriate for testing other biocidal aerosol treatments or material surfaces.
Role of the GapA and CrmA Cytadhesins of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in Promoting Virulence and Host Colonization
Authors: Indiková Ivana , Much Peter , Stipkovits László , Siebert-Gulle Karin , Szostak Michael P. , Rosengarten Renate , Citti Christine
Published: March 2013

Mycoplasma gallisepticum
is an important avian pathogen that commonly induces chronic respiratory disease in chicken. To better understand the mycoplasma factors involved in host colonization, chickens were infected via aerosol with two hemadsorption-negative (HA
−
) mutants, mHAD3 and RCL2, that were derived from a low passage of the pathogenic strain R (R
low
) and are both deficient in the two major cytadhesins GapA and CrmA. After 9 days of infection, chickens were monitored for air sac lesions and for the presence of mycoplasmas in various organs. The data showed that mHAD3, in which the
crmA
gene has been disrupted, did not promote efficient colonization or significant air sac lesions. In contrast, the spontaneous HA
−
RCL2 mutant, which contains a point mutation in the
gapA
structural gene, successfully colonized the respiratory tract and displayed an attenuated virulence compared to that of R
low
. It has previously been shown
in vitro
that the point mutation of RCL2 spontaneously reverts with a high frequency, resulting in on-and-off switching of the HA phenotype. Detailed analyses further revealed that such an event is not responsible for the observed
in vivo
outcome, since 98.4% of the mycoplasma populations recovered from RCL2-infected chickens still display the mutation and the associated phenotype. Unlike R
low
, however, RCL2 was unable to colonize inner organs. These findings demonstrate the major role played by the GapA and CrmA proteins in
M. gallisepticum
host colonization and virulence.
Roles of STAT3 in Protein Secretion Pathways during the Acute-Phase Response
Authors: Ahyi Ayele-Nati N. , Quinton Lee J. , Jones Matthew R. , Ferrari Joseph D. , Pepper-Cunningham Zachary A. , Mella Juan R. , Remick Daniel G. , Mizgerd Joseph P.
Published: March 2013

The acute-phase response is characteristic of perhaps all infections, including bacterial pneumonia. In conjunction with the acute-phase response, additional biological pathways are induced in the liver and are dependent on the transcription factors STAT3 and NF-κB, but these responses are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that pneumococcal pneumonia and other severe infections increase expression of multiple components of the cellular secretory machinery in the mouse liver, including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) translocon complex, which mediates protein translation into the ER, and the coat protein complexes (COPI and COPII), which mediate vesicular transport of proteins to and from the ER. Hepatocyte-specific mutation of STAT3 prevented the induction of these secretory pathways during pneumonia, with similar results observed following pharmacological activation of ER stress by using tunicamycin. These findings implicate STAT3 in the unfolded protein response and suggest that STAT3-dependent optimization of secretion may apply broadly. Pneumonia also stimulated the binding of phosphorylated STAT3 to promoter regions of secretion-related genes in the liver, supporting a direct role for STAT3 in their transcription. Altogether, these results identify a novel function of STAT3 during the acute-phase response, namely, the induction of secretory machinery in hepatocytes. This may facilitate the processing and delivery of newly synthesized loads of acute-phase proteins, enhancing innate immunity and preventing liver injury during infection.
The Early Dissemination Defect Attributed to Disruption of Decorin-Binding Proteins Is Abolished in Chronic Murine Lyme Borreliosis
Authors: Imai Denise M. , Samuels D. Scott , Feng Sunlian , Hodzic Emir , Olsen Kim , Barthold Stephen W.
Published: March 2013

The laboratory mouse model of Lyme disease has revealed that
Borrelia burgdorferi
differentially expresses numerous outer surface proteins that influence different stages of infection (tick-borne transmission, tissue colonization, dissemination, persistence, and tick acquisition). Deletion of two such outer surface proteins, decorin-binding proteins A and B (DbpA/B), has been documented to decrease infectivity, impede early dissemination, and, possibly, prevent persistence. In this study, DbpA/B-deficient spirochetes were confirmed to exhibit an early dissemination defect in immunocompetent, but not immunodeficient, mice, and the defect was found to resolve with chronicity. Development of disease (arthritis and carditis) was attenuated only in the early stage of infection with DbpA/B-deficient spirochetes in both types of mice. Persistence of the DbpA/B-deficient spirochetes occurred in both immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice in a manner indistinguishable from that of wild-type spirochetes. Dissemination through the lymphatic system was evaluated as an underlying mechanism for the early dissemination defect. At 12 h, 3 days, 7 days, and 14 days postinoculation, DbpA/B-deficient spirochetes were significantly less prevalent and in lower numbers in lymph nodes than wild-type spirochetes. However, in immunodeficient mice, deficiency of DbpA/B did not significantly decrease the prevalence or spirochete numbers in lymph nodes. Complementation of DbpA/B restored a wild-type phenotype. Thus, the results indicated that deficiency of DbpA/B allows the acquired immune response to restrict early dissemination of spirochetes, which appears to be at least partially mediated through the lymphatic system.
Primary primitive neuroectodermal tumour of the kidney in adults
Authors: Verma Ritu , Singhal Mitali , Pandey Rakesh
Published: March 2013

Primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) is a neural crest tumour derived from neuroectoderm. Renal PNET is a very rare tumour occurring during childhood or adolescence. We report two cases of PNET involving kidney in adults. Presenting signs and symptoms include abdominal/flank pain and/or haematuria. Microscopy reveals the tumour consisted of small round cells with round nuclei and scant cytoplasm. Diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry with diffuse membranous positivity of tumour cells with CD99. As these tumours have an aggressive clinical course with rapid death in many reported cases, it is important to differentiate them from other small round-cell tumours.
Choosing the right drug 1. Anticonvulsants used for first‐line therapy
Authors: Rusbridge Clare
Published: March 2013

This article aims to give the general practitioner a step by step approach to first‐line medical management of epilepsy in both cats and dogs. The licensed drugs, bromide and phenobarbital, are discussed in detail with particular reference to the common problems that might be observed. A second article in this two‐part series, to be published in a subsequent issue of In Practice, will discuss second‐line medical management of epilepsy.
Comments on the dilemma in the February issue: ‘Vaccinations and the Animal Welfare Act’
Authors: Tesh Jonathan
Published: March 2013

The dilemma in the February issue concerned frustration at a shelter's resistance to vaccinating all its cats against feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) because of the expense, despite the duty of care that the Animal Welfare Act 2006 imposes on cat owners (In Practice, February 2013, volume 35, pages 102‐103). Martin Whiting commented that while all vets should be providing evidence‐based veterinary medicine for the animals under their care, which included the proper use of vaccines, neither the Animal Welfare Act 2006 nor Defra's Code of Practice covering cats stated that vaccination was mandatory. The legislation was written in an open‐ended and non‐prescriptive manner and how it was interpreted would depend on the specific circumstances. With that in mind, he suggested redirecting your efforts. Rather than only pressing the shelter staff to vaccinate cats, advice could be provided on other ways of avoiding disease transmission within the shelter and, once the cats were adopted, the new owners could be advised on vaccination.
Star mesogens — Synthesis and structural characterization using 1D and 2D solution NMR techniques and mesophase characterization
Authors: Shanavas A. , Narasimhaswamy T. , Phani Kumar B.V.N. , Sultan Nasar A.
Published: March 2013

Novel star mesogens based on trimesic acid and symmetrical side arm cores with terminal alkoxy groups were synthesized via a divergent approach. The central core and side arms were connected through alkyl spacers. All the synthesized mesogens and their intermediates were characterized thoroughly using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13C NMR, and mass spectrometers. One representative mesogen was subjected to the two-dimensional (2D) NMR experiments to ascertain the structure of the mesogens. The mesophase characterization was carried out using hot-stage optical polarizing microscopy (HOPM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Many of the molecules with an ethyloxy spacer were found to be nonmesogenic, whereas all the molecules with a butyloxy spacer showed liquid crystalline phases. The increase of terminal chain length decreased the transition temperatures. The nematic phase was observed for the mesogens with short terminal chain length, whereas smectic polymorphism was observed on increasing the terminal chain length. The results of a variable temperature powder X-ray diffraction of the representative sample support the smectic layer ordering.
Analytical solution for laser short-pulse heating of two-dimensional solids: volumetric and surface heat source considerations
Authors: Yilbas B.S. , Al-Dweik A.Y.
Published: March 2013

An analytical solution for lattice temperature distribution in a metallic solid subjected to laser short-pulse heating is presented. The method of similarity solution is adopted for the solution of the diffusive–ballistic energy equation. Volumetric and surface heat sources are each incorporated separately in the analysis. The material thermal response due to both heat sources during the short heating period is analyzed. It is found that a volumetric heat source resulted in smaller temperature increase in the irradiated material than a surface heat source, despite the same laser power intensity being used in both cases. This is attributed to energy transport mechanisms taking place in the solid substrate due to volumetric and surface heat sources.
ON DEFORMED BOSON ALGEBRA AND VACUUM PROJECTION OPERATOR ON NONCOMMUTATIVE PLANE
Authors: LIU GAO-FU , LIU HONG-LING , GUO GUANG-JIE
Published: March 2013

In the noncommutative phase space, a new mapping is proposed to express the noncommutative coordinate and momentum operators in terms of the ordinary coordinate and momentum operators under the case of large noncommutativity parameters (μν>1). Using this mapping matrix, the deformed boson operators can be expressed in terms of the ordinary boson operators. Thus, the normal ordering expansion form of vacuum projection operator is obtained. As an application, the completeness relation of the two-mode deformed coherent states is verified by using the vacuum projection operator.
COUPLED-EXPANDING MAPS AND MATRIX SHIFTS
Authors: KULCZYCKI MARCIN , OPROCHA PIOTR
Published: March 2013

For an irreducible transition matrix A of size m × m, which is not a permutation, a map f : X → X is said to be strictly A-coupled-expanding if there are nonempty sets V1,…, Vm ⊂ X such that the distance between any two of them is positive and f(Vi) ⊃ Vj holds whenever aij = 1. This paper presents two theorems that give sufficient conditions for a strictly A-coupled-expanding map to be chaotic on part of its domain in the sense of, respectively, Auslander and Yorke and Devaney. These results improve on the work of Zhang and Shi [2010]. An example is provided to illustrate that the class of maps the new theorems apply to is significantly wider.
PRICING JOINT CLAIMS ON AN ASSET AND ITS REALIZED VARIANCE IN STOCHASTIC VOLATILITY MODELS
Authors: TORRICELLI LORENZO
Published: March 2013

In the setting of a stochastic volatility model, we find a general pricing equation for the class of payoffs depending on the terminal value of a market asset and its final quadratic variation. This provides a pricing tool for European-style claims paying off at maturity a joint function of the underlying and its realized volatility or variance. We study the solution under various specific stochastic volatility models, give a formula for the computation of the delta and gamma of these claims, and introduce some new interesting payoffs that can be valued by means of the general pricing equation. Numerical results are given and compared to those from plain vanilla derivatives.
A GEOMETRIC CHARACTERIZATION OF RING HOMOMORPHISMS ON f-RINGS
Authors: BEN AMOR MOHAMED AMINE , BOULABIAR KARIM
Published: March 2013

Let A be an f-ring with identity u and B be an archimedean f-ring. For every idempotent element w in B, let [Formula: see text] denote the set of all positive group homomorphisms ℌ : A → B with ℌ(u) = w. We prove that [Formula: see text] is a ring homomorphism if and only if ℌ is an extreme point of [Formula: see text]. As a consequence, we derive a characterization of ring homomorphisms in [Formula: see text] in terms of a Gelfand-type transform. Moreover, we show that ring homomorphisms in [Formula: see text] are, up to multiplicative constants, all the basic elements of the ℓ-group of all bounded group homomorphisms from A into ℝ.
MIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS' ACCESS TO BUSINESS FINANCE IN AUSTRALIA
Authors: HULTEN ANDREW VAN , AHMED ABDULLAHI D.
Published: March 2013

Migration status has been neglected both theoretically and empirically in the financial discrimination literature. Drawing on data from a comprehensive survey of small- and medium-sized businesses in Australia, this paper tests whether Australia's migrant entrepreneurs have greater difficulty accessing external business finance than their Australia-born counterparts. In doing so, it tests the theoretical proposition that the passage of time (or time spent in Australia) mediates a relationship between migration status and access to business finance by determining borrow-lender information asymmetries. We find that long-term migrant entrepreneurs are more likely than Australia-born entrepreneurs to: (1) report access to finance as an obstacle, (2) pass up investment opportunities because of inadequate access to finance, and (3) have obtained funding from family and friends. However, no significant differences are found between migrant and Australia-born entrepreneurs in terms of denial and discouragement rates, or their past use of bank finance.
EVALUATING THE GENDER VARIATIONS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP: SOME LESSONS FROM BRAZIL
Authors: WILLIAMS COLIN C , YOUSSEF YOUSSEF
Published: March 2013

The aim of this paper is to evaluate critically the gender variations in informal sector entrepreneurship. Until now, a widely-held belief has been that entrepreneurs operating in the informal sector in developing nations are lowly paid, poorly educated, marginalized populations doing so out of necessity as a survival strategy in the absence of alternatives. Reporting an extensive 2003 survey conducted in urban Brazil of informal sector entrepreneurs operating micro-enterprises with five or less employees, the finding is that although less than half of these entrepreneurs are driven out of necessity into entrepreneurial endeavor in the informal economy, women are more commonly necessity-driven entrepreneurs and receive lower incomes from their entrepreneurial endeavor than men despite being better educated. The outcome is a call to recognize how the gender disparities in the wider labor market are mirrored and reinforced by the participation of men and women in the realm of informal sector entrepreneurship.
Growth, crystalline quality and transition variation of ternary Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 ferroelectric crystals
Authors: Wang Linghang , Xu Zhuo , Li Zhenrong , Wan Yuhui , Gao Junjie , Li Fei
Published: March 2013

Bulk crystals of high Curie temperature (TC)24 Pb ( In 1/2 Nb 1/2) O 3–43 Pb ( Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3) O 3–33 PbTiO 3 (24PIN–43PMN–33PT) with 55 mm in diameter and 130 mm in length were reproducibly grown by the bottom-seeded Bridgman method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum indicated that the as-grown crystal was a single phase with rhombohedral structure at room temperature, the domain morphology and the phase transition sequence of R → T →C were observed, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of X-ray rocking curve of (002) face was about 0.77°, and the defect density was inferred to 2.56 × 1010cm-2. The measured density of the as-grown crystals was very close to the theoretical one. Variation of the transition temperature of the as-grown crystals along the growth direction revealed that T C increased linearly along the growth direction and rhombohedral to tetrahedral phase transition temperature (T RT ) gradually decreased in the middle part of the ingot.
Sound sample detection and numerosity estimation using auditory display
Authors: Gamper Hannes , Dicke Christina , Billinghurst Mark , Puolamäki Kai
Published: March 2013

This article investigates the effect of various design parameters of auditory information display on user performance in two basic information retrieval tasks. We conducted a user test with 22 participants in which sets of sound samples were presented. In the first task, the test participants were asked to detect a given sample among a set of samples. In the second task, the test participants were asked to estimate the relative number of instances of a given sample in two sets of samples. We found that the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) of the sound samples had a significant effect on user performance in both tasks. For the sample detection task, the average error rate was about 10% with an SOA of 100 ms. For the numerosity estimation task, an SOA of at least 200 ms was necessary to yield average error rates lower than 30%. Other parameters, including the samples' sound type (synthesized speech or earcons) and spatial quality (multichannel loudspeaker or diotic headphone playback), had no substantial effect on user performance. These results suggest that diotic, or indeed monophonic, playback with appropriately chosen SOA may be sufficient in practical applications for users to perform the given information retrieval tasks, if information about the sample location is not relevant. If location information was provided through spatial playback of the samples, test subjects were able to simultaneously detect and localize a sample with reasonable accuracy.
Improving relative depth judgments in augmented reality with auxiliary augmentations
Authors: Kytö Mikko , Mäkinen Aleksi , Häkkinen Jukka , Oittinen Pirkko
Published: March 2013

Significant depth judgment errors are common in augmented reality. This study presents a visualization approach for improving relative depth judgments in augmented reality. The approach uses auxiliary augmented objects in addition to the main augmentation to support ordinal and interval depth judgment tasks. The auxiliary augmentations are positioned spatially near real-world objects, and the location of the main augmentation can be deduced based on the relative depth cues between the augmented objects. In the experimental part, the visualization approach was tested in the “X-ray” visualization case with a video see-through system. Two relative depth cues, in addition to motion parallax, were used between graphical objects: relative size and binocular disparity. The results show that the presence of auxiliary objects significantly reduced errors in depth judgment. Errors in judging the ordinal location with respect to a wall (front, at, or behind) and judging depth intervals were reduced. In addition to reduced errors, the presence of auxiliary augmentation increased the confidence in depth judgments, and it was subjectively preferred. The visualization approach did not have an effect on the viewing time.
Efficient localization scheme with ring overlapping by utilizing mobile anchors in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Chen Yeong-Sheng , Ting Yun-Ju , Ke Chih-Heng , Chilamkruti Naveen , Park Jong Hyuk
Published: March 2013

This study proposes an efficient localization scheme in wireless sensor networks. The proposed scheme utilizes mobile anchors and is based on ring overlapping. In a wireless sensor network, the nodes that know their locations are called reference nodes, and the other nodes that are without the knowledge of their locations are called blind nodes. To localize a certain blind node, by comparing the relative RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) values among nodes, mobile beacons are utilized to find out the rings that are centered at a reference node and contain the blind node. These rings are called B-Rings. Since the mobile anchors and the reference nodes know their own locations, the B-Rings can be precisely derived. Moreover, by using multiple mobile beacons, the widths of the B-Rings can be further minimized; and then by overlapping them, the location of the blind nodes can be efficiently estimated. Most existing localization schemes that utilize mobile anchors let the mobile anchors move randomly. In contrast, the proposed scheme provides regular and simple movement mechanisms for the mobile anchors. Thus, the mobile anchors consume less energy than the other schemes, in which the mobile anchors move randomly. Analytical analysis and simulation results show that the proposed localization mechanism can achieve better location accuracy as well as less movement length of the mobile anchor than the other existing related approaches.
Thermal-aware task scheduling in 3D chip multiprocessor with real-time constrained workloads
Authors: Li Jiayin , Qiu Meikang , Niu Jian-Wei , Yang Laurence T. , Zhu Yongxin , Ming Zhong
Published: March 2013

Chip multiprocessor (CMP) techniques have been implemented in embedded systems due to tremendous computation requirements. Three-dimension (3D) CMP architecture has been studied recently for integrating more functionalities and providing higher performance. The high temperature on chip is a critical issue for the 3D architecture. In this article, we propose an online thermal prediction model for 3D chips. Using this model, we propose novel task scheduling algorithms based on rotation scheduling to reduce the peak temperature on chip. We consider data dependencies, especially inter-iteration dependencies that are not well considered in most of the current thermal-aware task scheduling algorithms. Our simulation results show that our algorithms can efficiently reduce the peak temperature up to 8.1
ˆ
C.
A Two-Phase Framework for Learning Logical Structures of Paragraphs in Legal Articles
Authors: Bach Ngo Xuan , Minh Nguyen Le , Oanh Tran Thi , Shimazu Akira
Published: March 2013

Analyzing logical structures of texts is important to understanding natural language, especially in the legal domain, where legal texts have their own specific characteristics. Recognizing logical structures in legal texts does not only help people in understanding legal documents, but also in supporting other tasks in legal text processing.

In this article, we present a new task, learning logical structures of paragraphs in legal articles, which is studied in research on Legal Engineering. The goals of this task are recognizing logical parts of law sentences in a paragraph, and then grouping related logical parts into some logical structures of formulas, which describe logical relations between logical parts. We present a two-phase framework to learn logical structures of paragraphs in legal articles. In the first phase, we model the problem of recognizing logical parts in law sentences as a multi-layer sequence learning problem, and present a CRF-based model to recognize them. In the second phase, we propose a graph-based method to group logical parts into logical structures. We consider the problem of finding a subset of complete subgraphs in a weighted-edge complete graph, where each node corresponds to a logical part, and a complete subgraph corresponds to a logical structure. We also present an integer linear programming formulation for this optimization problem. Our models achieve 74.37% in recognizing logical parts, 80.08% in recognizing logical structures, and 58.36% in the whole task on the Japanese National Pension Law corpus. Our work provides promising results for further research on this interesting task.
Detecting missing method calls as violations of the majority rule
Authors: Monperrus Martin , Mezini Mira
Published: March 2013

When using object-oriented frameworks it is easy to overlook certain important method calls that are required at particular places in code. In this article, we provide a comprehensive set of empirical facts on this problem, starting from traces of missing method calls in a bug repository. We propose a new system that searches for missing method calls in software based on the other method calls that are observable. Our key insight is that the voting theory concept of majority rule holds for method calls: a call is likely to be missing if there is a majority of similar pieces of code where this call is present. The evaluation shows that the system predictions go further missing method calls and often reveal different kinds of code smells (e.g., violations of API best practices).
Testing Product States, Quantum Merlin-Arthur Games and Tensor Optimization
Authors: Harrow Aram W. , Montanaro Ashley
Published: March 2013

We give a test that can distinguish efficiently between product states of
n
quantum systems and states that are far from product. If applied to a state |
ψ
〉 whose maximum overlap with a product state is 1 −
ε
, the test passes with probability 1 −
Θ
(
ε
), regardless of
n
or the local dimensions of the individual systems. The test uses two copies of |
ψ
〉. We prove correctness of this test as a special case of a more general result regarding stability of maximum output purity of the depolarizing channel.

A key application of the test is to quantum Merlin-Arthur games with multiple Merlins, where we obtain several structural results that had been previously conjectured, including the fact that efficient soundness amplification is possible and that two Merlins can simulate many Merlins: QMA(
k
) = QMA(2) for
k
≥ 2. Building on a previous result of Aaronson et al., this implies that there is an efficient quantum algorithm to verify 3-SAT with constant soundness, given two unentangled proofs of
Õ
(√
n
) qubits. We also show how QMA(2) with log-sized proofs is equivalent to a large number of problems, some related to quantum information (such as testing separability of mixed states) as well as problems without any apparent connection to quantum mechanics (such as computing injective tensor norms of 3-index tensors). As a consequence, we obtain many hardness-of-approximation results, as well as potential algorithmic applications of methods for approximating QMA(2) acceptance probabilities.

Finally, our test can also be used to construct an efficient test for determining whether a unitary operator is a tensor product, which is a generalization of classical linearity testing.
An interdisciplinary methodology for designing and implementing educational tools for children and youth with special needs
Authors: Bossavit Benoît , Pina Alfredo
Published: March 2013

This paper describes our research project where we are working in bringing closer new advanced technologies, like Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) or Natural User Interaction (NUI), to children and youth with special needs.

With this aim, we have created an interdisciplinary workgroup consisting of a sustainable platform for the design, development and evaluation of educational tools. After experimental sessions with a group of children testing our prototypes, we are defining a working methodology to carry out our project. We discuss our current progress, open questions, and benefits for the accessibility field.
Touch the map!
Authors: Brock Anke M.
Published: March 2013

Visually impaired people face important challenges related to orientation and mobility. Accessible geographic maps are helpful for travel preparation. Historically, raised-line paper maps have been used, but these maps possess significant limitations. However, recent technological advances have enabled the design of accessible interactive maps that overcome these limitations. This paper presents the development of an accessible interactive map prototype based on the cycle of participatory design. Development steps are presented for each phase in the cycle: the analysis of context and users' needs, generation of design ideas, prototyping and the evaluation of the prototype with visually impaired users. Our studies confirm a high usability and, thus, importance of these map types to the visually impaired.
Polyethylene Glycols as Efficient Media for Decarboxylative Nitration of α,β-Unsaturated Aromatic Carboxylic Acids by Ceric Ammonium Nitrate in Acetonitrile Medium: A Kinetic and Mechanistic Study
Authors: Ramesh K. , Shylaja S. , Rajanna K. C. , Giridhar Reddy P. , Saiprakash P. K.
Published: March 2013

Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) were found to be efficient media for decarboxylative nitration of α,β-unsaturated aromatic carboxylic acids by ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) in acetonitrile to give β-nitrostyrene derivatives. Kinetics of the reaction exhibited second order kinetics with a first order dependence on [CAN] and [substrate]. Reactions were too sluggish to be studied in the absence of PEG; therefore detailed kinetics were not taken up. Reaction times were reduced from 24 hrs to few hours. The catalytic activity was found to be in the increasing order PEG-300 > PEG-400 > PEG-600 > PEG-200. Mechanism of PEG-mediated reactions was explained by Menger-Portnoy's scheme as applied in micellar kinetics.
Diagnosis of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome in Consecutive Pregnancies Affected with Echogenic Kidneys and Polydactyly in a Consanguineous Couple
Authors: Baker Tieneka M. , Sturm Erica L. , Turner Clesson E. , Petersen Scott M.
Published: March 2013

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is an autosomal recessive ciliopathic human genetic disorder with variable expression that is difficult to diagnose in pregnancy without known risk factors. Homozygosity testing has been shown to be a useful tool in identifying BBS mutations and candidate genes in affected individuals. We present the first case of prenatal diagnosis of BBS in consecutive pregnancies aided by homozygosity testing via SNP microarray analysis. This case demonstrates a novel approach to the evaluation of recurrent echogenic kidneys in consanguineous couple with no significant family history.
Facile Growth of Porous Hematite Films for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
Authors: Shen Shaohua , Jiang Jiangang , Guo Penghui , Guo Liejin
Published: March 2013

We introduced a simple fabrication method of porous hematite films with tunable thickness in an aqueous solution containing FeCl3as the single precursor. We demonstrated that the optimized thickness was necessary for high performance photoelectrochemical water splitting, by balancing photon absorption and charge carrier transport. The highest photocurrent ofca. 0.15 mA cm−2at 1.0 V versus Ag/AgCl was achieved on the 300 nm thick porous hematite film as photoanode, with IPCE at 370 nm and 0.65 V versus Ag/AgCl to be 9.0%. This simple method allows the facile fabrication of hematite films with porous nanostructure for enabling high photon harvesting efficiency and maximized interfacial charge transfer. These porous hematite films fabricated by this simple solution-based method could be easily modified by metal doping for further enhanced photoelectrochemical activity for water splitting.
An Algebraic Representation of Graphs and Applications to Graph Enumeration
Authors: Mestre Ângela
Published: March 2013

We give a recursion formula to generate all the equivalence classes of connected graphs with coefficients given by the inverses of the orders of their groups of automorphisms. We use an algebraic graph representation to apply the result to the enumeration of connected graphs, all of whose biconnected components have the same number of vertices and edges. The proof uses Abel’s binomial theorem and generalizes Dziobek’s induction proof of Cayley’s formula.
An Underwater Wireless Sensor Network with Realistic Radio Frequency Path Loss Model
Authors: Hattab Ghaith , El-Tarhuni Mohamed , Al-Ali Moutaz , Joudeh Tarek , Qaddoumi Nasser
Published: March 2013

We propose an Underwater Wireless Sensor Network (UWSN) for near-shore applications using electromagnetic waves (EM). We also introduce a realistic path loss model for estimating the attenuation encountered by EM waves in underwater environments. The proposed model takes into account the variation of the seawater complex-valued relative permittivity with frequency in contrast to previous work that treats the permittivity as a real-valued constant parameter. Furthermore, the proposed model accounts for the impedance mismatch at the seawater-air boundary, which results in a more realistic estimate of the signal attenuation. Simulation results show the expected signal levels underwater for different scenarios. A prototype implementation to measure the path loss is also presented.
Influence of Mikania laevigata Extract over the Genotoxicity Induced by Alkylating Agents
Authors: Medeiros Mazzorana Daliane , Nicolau Vanessa , Moreira Jeverson , de Aguiar Amaral Patrícia , de Andrade Vanessa Moraes
Published: March 2013

Medicinal plants are still widely used worldwide; yet for some species, little or no information is available concerning their biological activity, specially their genotoxic and antimutagenic potential. Mikania laevigata (Asteraceae) is a native plant from South America, and its extracts are largely used to treat respiratory complaints. The aim of the present work was then to evaluate, in vivo, the potential biological activity of M. laevigata on the genotoxicity induced by methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and cyclophosphamide (CP), using the comet assay. Male CF1 mice were divided into groups of 5-6 animals, received by gavage 0.1 mL/10 g body wt of water, Mikania laevigata extract (MLE), MMS, and CP. Results showed that treatment with 200 mg/kg of the MLE previously to MMS and CP administration, respectively, reduced the damage index (DI) in 52% and 60%, when compared to DI at 24 h. Pretreatment also reduced the damage frequency (DF) in 56% (MMS) and 58% (CP), compared to DF at 24 h. MLE administration has been shown to protect mouse DNA from damage induced by alkylating agents; this corroborates to the biological activities of M. laevigata and points towards the need of plant compounds isolation to proceed with further studies.
Cardiac Gated Computed Tomography Used to Confirm Iatrogenic Aortic Valve Leaflet Perforation after Mitral Valve Replacement
Authors: Oakley Luke , Love Kathleen , Ramirez Alfredo , Boswell Gilbert , Nayak Keshav
Published: March 2013

Aortic insufficiency from iatrogenic valve perforation from nonaortic valve operations is rarely reported despite the prevalence of these procedures. Rapid diagnosis of these defects is essential to prevent deterioration of cardiac function. In this paper, we describe a young man who reported to our institution after two open cardiac surgeries with new aortic regurgitation found to be due to an iatrogenic perforation of his noncoronary aortic valve cusp. This defect was not appreciated by previous intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography and was inadequately visualized on follow-up transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograms. In contrast, cardiac gated computed tomography clearly visualized the defect and its surrounding structures. This case highlights the utility of cardiac gated computed tomography for cases of suspected valvular perforation when echocardiography is not readily available or inadequate imaging is obtained.
Prevalence, Awareness, and Treatment of Hypertension in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes: A Nationwide Multicenter Study in Brazil
Authors: Gomes Marilia B. , Tannus Lucianne Righeti Monteiro , Matheus Alessandra Saldanha de Mattos , Cobas Roberta Arnoldi , Palma Catia C. Sousa , Silva Aline Tiemi Kano , Negrato Carlos Antonio , Dib Sergio Atala , Rodacki Melanie , Felício João Soares , Canani Luis Henrique
Published: March 2013

Objective. This study evaluated the prevalence, awareness, and type of treatment for hypertension in Brazil in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D).Methods. This was a cross-sectional, multicenter study that was conducted from December 2008 to December 2010 in 28 public clinics located in 20 Brazilian cities.Results. A total of 3,591 patients were studied, 56% female, average age21.2±11.7years, with a median duration of diabetes9.6±8.1years. Blood pressure levels were available for a total of 3,323 patients and 689 (19.2%) patients were hypertensive. Hypertensive patients were older, exhibited longer duration of diabetes, and had higher body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C values (P<0.001, for all comparisons), but only 370 (53.7%) received treatment. Patient awareness of hypertension was documented in 453 (65.5%) patients. However, only 76 (22.9%) of the treated patients attained the target systolic (sBP) and diastolic blood pressures (dBP).Conclusions. Our results demonstrate that a large number of T1D patients with hypertension do not receive appropriate treatment; few of the treated T1D patients achieved the target sBP and dBP values. Greater attention should be paid to blood pressure evaluation, hypertension diagnosis, and treatment of T1D patients in Brazil.
Prolonging the Lifetime of Two-Tiered Wireless Sensor Networks with Mobile Relays
Authors: Kotsilieris Theodore C. , Karetsos George T.
Published: March 2013

We propose a clustering scheme for wireless sensor nodes in hierarchical wireless sensor networking architectures that employs mobile relay nodes in order to achieve energy conservation and network lifetime prolongation. The key aspects of our scheme are relay node relocation and reclustering when failures are detected. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated via simulations for various topology layouts based on the sensor node population and number of mobile relay nodes employed. The results show significant energy savings in particular for topologies with large numbers of sensors.
Model Construction for the Intention to Use Telecare in Patients with Chronic Diseases
Authors: Huang Jui-Chen , Lee Yii-Ching
Published: March 2013

Objective. This study chose patients with chronic diseases as study subjects to investigate their intention to use telecare.Methods. A large medical institute in Taiwan was used as the sample unit. Patients older than 20 years, who had chronic diseases, were sampled by convenience sampling and surveyed with a structural questionnaire, and a total of 500 valid questionnaires were collected. Model construction was based on the Health Belief Model. The reliability and validity of the measurement model were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and the causal model was explained by structural equation modeling (SEM).Results. The priority should be on promoting the perceived benefits of telecare, with a secondary focus on the external cues to action, such as promoting the influences of important people on the patients.Conclusion. The findings demonstrated that patients with chronic diseases use telecare differently from the general public. To promote the use and acceptance of telecare in patients with chronic diseases, technology developers should prioritize the promotion of the usefulness of telecare. In addition, policy makers can strengthen the marketing from media and medical personnel, in order to increase the acceptance of telecare by patients with chronic diseases.
Efficient Joint Estimation and Compensation of CFO, Tx/Rx Frequency-Selective I/Q Imbalance, and the MIMO Radio Channel in OFDM Systems
Authors: Luo Jian , Keusgen Wilhelm , Kortke Andreas
Published: March 2013

MIMO OFDM is a very promising technique for future wireless communication systems. By applying direct conversion architecture, low-cost, low-power, small size, and flexible implementation of MIMO OFDM systems can be realized. However, the performance of direct conversion architecture-based MIMO OFDM systems can be seriously affected by RF impairments incling carrier frequency offset (CFO) and I/Q-imbalance. While OFDM is sensitive to CFO, direct conversion architecture is sensitive to I/Q imbalance. Such RF impairments aggravate as the carrier frequency becomes higher for example, beyond 60 GHz. To achieve the desired high performance of MIMO OFDM, such RF impairments have to be compensated for. In this paper, the joint compensation of CFO, transmitter and receiver frequency-selective I/Q imbalance, and the MIMO radio channel is investigated. Two preamble-based schemes are proposed for impairment parameter estimation. The proposed preambles are constructed both in time and frequency domains and require much less overhead than the state-of-the-art designs. Furthermore, much lower computational complexity is allowed, enabling efficient implementation. The advantages and effectiveness of both proposed schemes are compared and verified by numerical simulations and complexity analysis.
Obstetrical Management of an Extremely Overweight Pregnant Woman (184 kg bw) with Special Attention on Thromboprophylaxis
Authors: Horváth Boldizsar , Skrapits Judit , Bódis József
Published: March 2013

The 27-year-old pregnant woman has been overweight since her childhood. Endocrinological assessments did not confirm hormonal disease. Her pregnancy was without complication. A signs of intrauterine distress were observed and elective caesarean section was performed under heparin protection because of anatomy unsuitable for delivery per vias naturals. The mother’s bodyweight was 184 kg. By monitoring the change in fX activity LMWH treatment (Enoxaparin) initiated with a dose of 120 mg twice daily and then the dose was gradually elevated to 200 mg twice daily thereby achieving the lower range of the desired therapeutic effect. Apart from mild disorder of wound healing, the recovery was free of complication. The patient suffered from thrombophilia (extremely overweight, pregnant, thrombophlebitis under the knee, surgery, and postoperative immobilization). In case of quite extreme bodyweight there is no dosage recommendation or clinical practice for LMWH. Because of the extreme overweight and the therapeutic dose titration test of heparin, monitoring of fX activity by measurement of inhibition, dosage of heparin other than the recommended (abdominal wall instead of upper arm SC), and the very fluctuating heparin dosage which is well correlating with clinical practice, it is reasonably expected that this case will take interest.
Release of Volatile Compounds from Polymeric Microcapsules Mediated by Photocatalytic Nanoparticles
Authors: Marques J. , Oliveira L. F. , Pinto R. T. , Coutinho P. J. G. , Parpot P. , Góis J. R. , Coelho J. F. J. , Magalhães F. D. , Tavares C. J.
Published: March 2013

In this study we propose a suitable method for the solar-activated controlled release of volatile compounds from polymeric microcapsules bonded with photocatalytic nanoparticles. These reservoirs can find applications, for example, in the controlled release of insecticides, repellents, or fragrances, amongst other substances. The surfaces of the microcapsules have been functionalized with TiO2nanoparticles. Upon ultraviolet irradiation, redox mechanisms are initiated on the semiconductor surface resulting in the dissociation of the polymer chains of the capsule wall and, finally, volatilization of the encapsulated compounds. The quantification of the output release has been performed by gas chromatography analysis coupled with mass spectroscopy.
Extension of LIR Equation of State to Alkylamines Using Group Contribution Method
Authors: Kalantar Zahra , Nikoofard Hossein , Javadi Faezeh
Published: March 2013

In this work, the modified linear isotherm regularity (LIR) equation of state parameter table is extended in order to represent volumetric behaviour of primary alkylamines. In addition, the isothermal compressibility and thermal expansion coefficient of these compounds have been predicted. To do so, we consider each of primary alkylamine as a hypothetical mixture of methyl, methylene and a primary amine functional group, in which the interaction potential of each pair is assumed to be the average effective pair potential. Then, the LIR equation of state has been extended to such a hypothetical mixture. Furthermore, three basic compounds, namely, propane, n-butane, and cyclohexane are used to obtain the contribution of methyl and methylene groups in the EOS parameters, and also other appropriate compounds are used to obtain the contribution of the primary amine functional groups, such as 1-pentylamine for the contribution of −CH2NH2 and 2-aminopentane for the contribution of 〉CHNH2 groups. The calculated EOS parameters along with the modified EOS are then used to calculate the density and its derivatives for alkylamines at different pressures and temperatures. The obtained results for different properties are compared with the experimental values.