bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ON POISSON GROUPOIDS
Authors: XU PING
Published: November 2004

Some important properties of Poisson groupoids are discussed. In particular, we obtain a useful formula for the Poisson tensor of an arbitrary Poisson groupoid, which generalizes the well-known multiplicativity condition for Poisson groups. Morphisms between Poisson groupoids and between Lie bialgebroids are also discussed. In particular, for a special class of Lie bialgebroid morphisms, we give an explicit lifting construction. As an application, we prove that a Poisson group action on a Poisson manifold lifts to a Poisson action on its α-simply connected symplectic groupoid.
WEAK ORBIT EQUIVALENCE OF CANTOR MINIMAL SYSTEMS
Authors: GLASNER ELI , WEISS BENJAMIN
Published: November 2004

This paper is a commentary on the recent work [4]. It has two goals: the first is to eliminate the C*-algebra machinery from the proofs of the results of [4]; the second, to provide a characterization of weak orbit equivalence of Cantor minimal systems in terms of their dimension groups.
A GENERALIZATION OF LEFSCHETZ-ZARISKI THEOREM ON FUNDAMENTAL GROUPS OF ALGEBRAIC VARIETIES
Authors: SHIMADA ICHIRO
Published: November 2004

Let X and Y be the complements of divisors on non-singular irreducible closed subvarieties [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] in ℙn, respectively. Suppose that dim X+ dim Y≥n+2. Then, for a general g∈PGL (n+1), the natural homomorphism π1(g(X)∩Y)→π1(Y) induces a surjection from Ker (π1(g(X)∩Y)→π1(g(X))) onto π1(Y), and there is a surjection to its kernel from the cokernel of π2(X)→π2(ℙn). In particular, if E⊂ℙn is a hypersurface and 2·dim [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] is isomorphic to π1(ℙn\E) for a general g∈PGL (n+1).
KNOWLEDGE EXTRACTION AND ACQUISITION DURING REAL-TIME NAVIGATION IN UNKNOWN ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: BOURBAKIS NIKOLAOS G.
Published: November 2004

This paper deals with the representation and acquisition of knowledge extracted during a real-time path planning process in an unknown space. In particular, the extracted knowledge from each current free navigation space is represented by attributed graphs. The graph knowledge representation forms are “processed and combined” appropriately by generating a scheme which acquires the extracted knowledge during the navigation. Illustrated examples are provided for simple navigation cases.
HIERARCHICALLY CODED LEXICON WITH VARIANTS
Authors: DE BEUVRON FRANÇOIS DE BERTRAND , TRIGANO PHILIPPE
Published: November 2004

This paper describes a new lexicon organization intended to provide high speed string correction. This method links two different approaches: code based partition of the lexicon using a hierarchical file for the first part,21 and generation of neighboring strings or code for the second.3,18 The lexicon is preprocessed using a hierarchy of codes. This preprocessing can be done incrementally as each new word is entered. The resulting size of the lexicon remains proportional to the number of words entered with a rather high proportionality factor. Given a new string, it is then possible to find a set of candidate corrections in constant time. This set contains at least all the desired neighbors (in a sense defined by the user) of the given string. This method is therefore well-suited for a small to medium sized lexicon in applications where the correction speed is crucial (the method has been successfully tested with a French lexicon of about 10,000 words collected from scientific texts).
A DESIGN METHODOLOGY FOR VERY LARGE ARRAY PROCESSORS-PART 2: PACUBE VLSI ARRAYS
Authors: VENKATESWARAN N. , PATTABIRAMAN S. , DESOUZA J. , SRIRAM G. , SRINIVASAN R. , SANKAR R. , SURESH G.
Published: November 2004

The types of functional VLSI chips needed for general and special purpose (computationally intensive) applications are wide ranging, Hence, to reduce the turn-around time of these VLSI chips, mask/field programmable PLAs, gate arrays SLAs and FPGAs are available. However these VLSI arrays are unsuitable for designing ultrahigh performance special purpose VLSI chips. There is a strong need for developing a suitable mask programmable VLSI structures exclusively for designing ultrahigh performance and cost-effective special purpose systems. For this purpose, a macro cell based mask programmable Pacube (PA3—Programmable Array of Array Adders) VLSI array is proposed in this paper. These arrays can be mask programmed for building cost-effective super computing VLSI functional units. Another important feature is the architecture of the macro-cell, which is designed in such a way that the functional units corresponding to the G-set equations when mapped on the macro-cell arrays possess identical data flow control. This leads to a highly simplified control design for executing complex computations.
PMAC: A POLYGON MATCHING CHIP
Authors: SASTRY RAGHU , RANGANATHAN N.
Published: November 2004

The recognition of polygons in 3-D space is an important task in robot vision. Advances in VLSI technology have now made it possible to implement inexpensive, efficient and very fast custom designs. The authors have earlier proposed a class of VLSI architectures for this computationally intensive task, which makes use of a set of local shape descriptors for polygons which are invariant under affine transformations, i.e. translation, scaling, rotation and orthographic projection from 3-D to any 2-D plane. This paper discusses the design and implementation of PMAC, a prototype for polygon matching, as a custom CMOS VLSI chip. The recognition procedure is based on the matching of edge-length ratios using a simplified version of the dynamic programming procedure commonly employed for string matching. The matching procedure also copes with partial occlusions of polygons. The implemented architecture is systolic and fully utilizes the principles of pipelining and parallelism in order to obtain high speed and throughput.
VLSI IMPLEMENTATION OF AN EFFICIENT ASIC ARCHITECTURE FOR REAL-TIME ROTATION OF DIGITAL IMAGES
Authors: GHOSH INDRADEEP , MAJUMDAR BANDANA
Published: November 2004

This paper describes the design and the VLSI implementation of a novel architecture that performs image rotation in real time. In order to improve throughput, we divide an image-frame into a number of windows. The rotation of each window-center as well as the final displacement of individual pixels within a window is then calculated. A CORDIC-based scheme is used to compute the displacement of a pixel. Our architectural design is incorporated into a chip that has been laid out using VTI (VLSI Technology Inc.) tools obeying the 1.5 μm SCMOS design rules. The chip owes its high processing capability to a combination of pipelining and parallel-processing techniques. For a clock frequency greater than 10.6 MHz, we can perform the rotation of a 512×512 gray-level digital image at the rate of 30 frames per second. The chip utilizes around 35,000 transistors and has an estimated silicon area of 211 mils×276 mils.
A SURFACE FEATURE ATTRIBUTED HYPERGRAPH REPRESENTATION FOR 3-D OBJECT RECOGNITION
Authors: BHANDARKAR SUCHENDRA M.
Published: November 2004

A surface feature hypergraph (SFAHG) representation is proposed for the recognition and localization of three-dimensional objects. The hypergraph representation is shown to be viewpoint independent thus resulting in substantial savings in terms of memory for the object model database. The resulting hypergraph matching algorithm integrates both, relational and the rigid pose constraint in a consistent unified manner. The matching algorithm is also shown to have a polynomial order of complexity even in multiple-object scenes with instances of objects partially occluding each other. An algorithm for incrementally constructing the hypergraph representation of an object model from range images of the object taken from different viewpoints is also presented. The hypergraph matching and the hypergraph construction algorithms are shown to be capable of correcting errors in the initial segmentation of the range image. The hypergraph construction algorithm and the matching algorithm are tested on range images of scenes containing multiple three-dimensional objects with partial occlusion.
IMAGE RECOGNITION BY INTEGRATION OF CONNECTIONIST AND SYMBOLIC APPROACHES
Authors: ROLI F. , SERPICO S. B. , VERNAZZA G.
Published: November 2004

This paper presents a methodology for integrating connectionist and symbolic approaches to 2D image recognition. The proposed integration paradigm exploits the synergy of the two approaches for both the training and the recognition phases of an image recognition system. In the training phase, a symbolic module provides an approximate solution to a given image-recognition problem in terms of symbolic models. Such models are hierarchically organized into different abstraction levels, and include contextual descriptions. After mapping such models into a complex neural architecture, a neural training process is carried out to optimize the solution of the recognition problem. The so-obtained neural networks are used during the recognition phase for pattern classification. In this phase, the role of symbolic modules consists of managing complex aspects of information processing: abstraction levels, contextual information, and global recognition hypotheses. A hybrid system implementing the proposed integration paradigm is presented, and its advantages over single approaches are assessed. Results on Magnetic Resonance image recognition are reported, and comparisons with some well-known classifiers are made.
SMART SENSORY INFORMATION WITH FUZZY LOGIC FOR AN INTELLIGENT AUTOMOTIVE GEAR CHANGING CONTROL SYSTEM
Authors: NWAGBOSO CHRISTOPHER
Published: November 2004

The automotive gear changing process can be a mechanically and physically demanding operation. Although self-changing gearboxes have reduced the skills demanded of a driver, the physical performance requirements of the gear changing skill remains the same. The basic requirement for safety, reliability and efficiency of the gear changing process as an integral part of the power train system demands that continued development is made towards the application of intelligent control methods. When the systems development is coupled with the benefits of smart sensors, the control technique employed can be made more intelligent.

In this paper, aspect of intelligent gear changing process together with sensory information factors which form part of the gear changing process is presented. The application of fuzzy logic with the multi-sensory systems for the purpose of reliably selecting appropriate gear ratios under changing road conditions demanding changing vehicle performance is analysed.
FIBER-OPTIC GYROSCOPES FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS
Authors: YUHARA TOSHIYA , KUMAGAI TATSUYA , SOEKAWA HIROKAZU , KAJIOKA HIROSHI
Published: November 2004

We review recent developments in interferometric fiber-optic gyroscopes for automotive applications. These gyroscopes use only elliptical-jacket or elliptical-core polarization-maintaining fibers to make their optical systems immune to environmental effects, and all of them use open-loop phase-modulation signal processing circuitry. We have begun mass-production of a gyroscope for automotive navigation and location systems. Another gyroscope employing an application specific integrated circuit developed for reducing size, cost and power consumption outputs the rotation rate as an analog voltage, and can be used for automotive chassis control and navigation systems. A more accurate gyroscope and a three-axis FOG system combined with clinometers can be applied to motion measurement systems for chassis development and testing. For further enhancement in terms of size, cost, and accuracy, we have developed an integrated optical circuit and a gyroscope that uses it.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE INTELLIGENT ELECTRICAL MACHINE: ELECTRONICS AND MACHINES COMBINE THEIR ABILITIES
Authors: NAUNIN DIETRICH
Published: November 2004

Electrical machines, more than 150 years old, have long been distinguished according to their mechanical structure and frequencies of their supply voltage (or current). This is not true any more after the electronic revolution. Since the fast development in power electronics as well as in control electronics these electronics can give any motor any desired speed-torque characteristic and any motor can become a servodrive having a very precise position control. By implementing digital control algorithms, mainly the cascaded, the state feedback or the cascaded state feedback control, and — if necessary, in addition — adaptive control procedures which compensate the variation of system parameters in the controller, the "intelligent electrical machine" — either with the synchronous or with the induction machine — is created. It is part of mechatronics. It can be installed in modern automated systems, in robots and tool machines, in all kinds of industrial drive systems as well as in locomotives and electric cars. Also modern methods like fuzzy logic and neural networks can be used. It seems that they will not create a second revolution in the control itself, but in the application areas of drives. They add some interesting features to the intelligent electrical machine and make it even more intelligent. They could also speed up the controller design in future.
STATIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MOS-CONTROLLED THYRISTORS — ANALYSIS, SIMULATION, AND EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Authors: CZARKOWSKI DARIUSZ , KAZIMIERCZUK MARIAN K.
Published: November 2004

An equation for the iK-vAK static forward characteristic of an MOS-controlled thyristor (MCT) is derived using a four-transistor equivalent model of the device. The Ebers–Moll large-signal model is used for n-p-n and p-n-p bipolar transistors. The equation is similar to that for forward-biased diodes. The equivalent saturation current of the MCT is a function of both the saturation currents and the forward and reverse current gains of the n-p-n and p-n-p transistors. Effects of these parameters on the MCT equivalent saturation current are investigated. Voltages and currents of all transistors that form the MCT equivalent model are simulated using SPICE to explain the behavior of the device in the forward-biased region. Finally, the experimental iK-vAK characteristics are presented. The calculated and measured iK-vAK characteristics were in good agreement. The measured ON-voltage drop was 1.6 V at a cathode current of 200 A and a temperature of 300 K. MCTs are especially useful power devices for electric car applications.
ELECTRIC VEHICLE PROPULSION SYSTEMS PRESENT AND FUTURE TRENDS
Authors: RAJASHEKARA KAUSHIK , MARTIN RON
Published: November 2004

Environmental pollution is affecting the daily lives of all beings on planet Earth in one way or the other. The prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution is becoming one of the major objectives of governments all over the world. R&D is going on in several laboratories to reduce the emissions from automobiles. The USA, which has the highest number of automobiles in the world, is pushing for lower emissions. As a result of this concern for environmental pollution, major efforts are underway to develop electric vehicles. In this paper, the present trends and requirements of the primary electric propulsion components — the battery, the motor, and the power converter — are presented. The status of electric vehicle technology and future trends are reviewed.
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS FOR THE SMALL-SIGNAL STUDY OF THE PWM BOOST DC–DC CONVERTER WITH AN INTEGRAL-LEAD CONTROLLER
Authors: KAZIMIERCZUK MARIAN K. , CRAVENS, II ROBERT C.
Published: November 2004

An experimental verification of previously derived small-signal low-frequency open- and closed-loop characteristics and step responses of a voltage-mode-controlled pulse-width-modulated (PWM) boost DC–DC converter is presented. The Bode plots of the voltage transfer function of the control circuit, the converter and the PWM modulator, the open-loop control-to-output and input-to-output transfer functions, the loop gain, and the closed-loop control-to-output and input-to-output transfer functions are measured. The step responses to the changes in the input voltage, the duty cycle, and the reference voltage are measured. The theoretical results were in good agreement with the measured results. The small-signal model of the converter is experimentally verified.
HEURISTIC ORGANIZATION AND DOMAIN ANALYSIS OF SOFTWARE REPOSITORIES
Authors: TOPTSIS ANESTIS A.
Published: November 2004

In this paper we address the problem of software classification and, based on an algorithm for software classification through software repository clustering, we propose a method which performs automatic domain analysis on a given software collection. The described method relies on observations made after a tedious manual domain analysis is performed. Also, it requires a heuristic that can compute distances between two software components without any interference from the reuser.
REVERSE ENGINEERING, REENGINEERING, AND CONCURRENT ENGINEERING OF SOFTWARE
Authors: BERZTISS ALFS T.
Published: November 2004

This survey reviews four classes of reengineering of software systems: code restructuring and translation of code into a new language, design recovery for corrective maintenance, design recovery for software enhancement, and software reengineering as part of radical business process reengineering. Special attention is given to the reengineering of data bases and user interfaces. We also consider concurrent software engineering, its place in the software reengineering process, and groupware in support of this process.
SCALABILITY FOR GRAPH-BASED CASE TOOLS
Authors: SIFER MARK , POTTER JOHN
Published: November 2004

Software engineering is particularly concerned with the construction of large systems. Existing software engineering tools tend to be adequate for medium-sized systems, but not as useful for large and very large systems. This paper presents a model viewing system as the basis for graph-based CASE tools which overcomes this lack of scalability. With existing commercial tools the number of user steps to browse or edit a model increases with the size of the model. With the approach of this paper, the number of steps remains constant regardless of the model size. In fact, only one step is required for operations such as adding a flow between two processes anywhere in the model, or moving a submodel to a new parent. This paper outlines the approach with a structured analysis example, provides a formal description of the model viewing system, and discusses some limitations.
DYNAMIC EVOLUTION OF DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS SPECIFICATIONS USING REFLECTIVE LANGUAGE
Authors: HAMID ISSAM A. , ERRADI MOHAMED
Published: November 2004

Recently, object-oriented specifications of distributed systems has gained more attention. The object-oriented approach is known for its flexibility for system construction. However, one of the major challenges is to provide facilities for the dynamic modifications of such specifications during the development and maintenance process. Yet, current work has not addressed the dynamic modifications of specifications of distributed systems. In this paper, we are concerned with formal description techniques that allow for the development and dynamic modification of executable specifications. A two-level model for the evolution of large object-oriented specifications is introduced. The first deals with the dynamic modifications of types (classes), while the second deals with modifications of modules. We have defined a set of structural and behavioral constraints to ensure specification consistency after modification at both levels. To allow dynamic modification of types and modules, we have developed a reflective object-oriented specification language which uses meta-objects to support the modification operations. In this language, types and modules are objects.
FINGERPRINT MATCHING USING ARTMAP
Authors: SUMATHI C. P. , SANTHANAM T. , EASWARAKUMAR K. S. , PRASAD BHANU
Published: November 2004

This paper deals with the possibility of using ARTMAP neural network for searching fingerprint patterns from a large database. ARTMAP has the ability to perform concurrent processing, to learn fast, and to make decisions. Since ARTMAP learning is self-stabilizing, it can continue to learn from one or more databases, without performance degradation, until its full memory capacity is utilized. Generally, fingerprint matching is based on local ridge characteristics, and its efficiency depends on minutiae extraction. The proposed method uses only gray level values of the image pixels along with its neighboring ones, instead of ridge features.
FUZZY COGNITIVE MAPS WITH GENETIC ALGORITHM FOR GOAL-ORIENTED DECISION SUPPORT
Authors: KHAN M. SHAMIM , KHOR SEBASTIAN , CHONG ALEX
Published: November 2004

Fuzzy cognitive maps are signed directed graphs used to model the evolution of scenarios with time. FCMs can be useful in decision support for predicting future states given an initial state. Genetic algorithms (GA) are well-established tools for optimization. This paper concerns the use of FCMs in goal-directed analysis of scenarios for aiding decision making. A methodology for GA-based goal-directed analysis is presented. The search for the initial stimulus state, that over time leads to a target state of interest, is optimized using GA. This initial state found can be used to answer the question – what course of events leads to a certain state in a given scenario?
AN AGENT BASED POWER AND BANDWIDTH AWARE ROUTING FOR MOBILE AD-HOC NETWORKS
Authors: MANVI S. S. , KODABAGI M. M. , PRASAD BHANU
Published: November 2004

Ad-hoc wireless networks are power constrained as the nodes operate with limited battery energy. To maximize the lifetime of these networks, transactions through each mobile node must be controlled in such a way that the power dissipation rates for the nodes are almost the same. At the same time, providing QoS for ad-hoc networks is a complex task due to the ever-changing network topology. This paper addresses the problem of power and bandwidth aware routing. We propose a power and bandwidth aware source initiated routing model for mobile ad-hoc networks. The model uses both the static and mobile intelligent agents. The agents together find an optimal path among the available routes. The model is simulated to test its operational effectiveness in various network scenarios. We observed that the agents provide more flexible and adaptable routing services and also support component based software engineering features such as software reuse, maintainability, customization, and encapsulation.
CONTROL IN MNCs: IMPACT OF BUSINESS STRATEGY
Authors: CHUNG LAI-HONG
Published: November 2004

This paper is directed at the problem of designing an appropriate accounting information and control system for multinational organisations. The organisational context is shaped by factors such as the interrelationships between subsidiaries, the environmental uncertainties, the nationality of subsidiary and the cultural proximity of subsidiary to parent organisation. Moreover, the subsidiaries may be pursuing different business strategies and therefore may require different controls. Hence, strategy must be included as a factor in designing control systems for subsidiaries of MNCs. This paper will focus on the "fit" between various functions of the control system and business strategy in the context of a multinational organisation.
RACING TOWARD THE 21ST CENTURY: SOME CHALLENGES FOR MANAGERS IN CHINA
Authors: ALLEN DOUGLAS , BASU SOMNATH , TSAI CHIU-HUNG , YOUNG MURRAY
Published: November 2004

The transformation taking place in China's economy is simultaneously characterized by rapid growth (estimated at 13% in 1992 and 1993), movement toward a free market economic model, and the "opening" of China to active participation in and by the outside world. As these changes take place, managers in China are challenged to adopt new management practices. This paper briefly discusses three major challenges facing managers in China today: 1) enhancing customer orientation; 2) increasing effective utilization of human resources; and 3) development of financial information systems. The paper warns against the temptation to "clone" free market economic systems and management practices. Instead, Chinese managers and policy makers can selectively adopt "best practices" from around the world even as they retain selected Chinese management practices and economic policies which remain effective models from which the rest of the world may learn.
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWTH OF SMEs: THE SINGAPORE CASE
Authors: TAN WILLIAM C M , TAY RICHARD S T
Published: November 2004

A survey of Singaporean SMEs was carried out to determine the relationship between the growth of local SMEs and the characteristics of owners and the firm. The study analysed both the demographic and psychological attributes of the owners, as well as firm attributes, such as size and age of the firm. Regression models were constructed to determine the relationship between the growth of SMEs and owners' and firms' characteristics. The results show that the educational level and working experience of owners, their need for achievement and internal locus of control, as well as the age of the business, and the ability of the business to attract government grants correlate significantly with the growth of the firm.
DETECTING COMMUNICATION DEFICIENCIES IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Authors: FATT JAMES POON TENG
Published: November 2004

This paper presents a method to examine the communication system within a business enterprise in order to determine whether or not a drop in efficiency and productivity in a business enterprise is due to deficiencies in its communication system. Serious problems can exist in communication, especially in relation to superior-subordinate communication when employees are required to communicate with an alternate other than the owner or the designated superior. In addition, employees may have problems in their perceptions of the value given to their views by the owner of the enterprise or management and the advance notice and consultation by the owner of the enterprise or management on actions affecting the employees themselves. It is recommended that the owner of the enterprise or management revise some of its communication plans, develop and implement a special training program for business managers dealing with employees in an alternate capacity and to develop plans for effective response to employee suggestions. Finally, it is also suggested that the owner of the enterprise or management at least consult with employees on future plans that will have an important impact on their workplace and career environment. It is hoped that the recommendations will help any business enterprise to grow with its people.
CHINESE CULTURAL VALUES AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP: A PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATION
Authors: KIRBY D. A. , FAN Y.
Published: November 2004

The paper sets out to explore the link between Chinese cultural values and entrepreneurship. A list of Chinese cultural values (CCVs), first developed by the Chinese Cultural Connection, has been fully reexamined and amended. This list is then compared with entrepreneurial attributes defined by Western researchers in order to find links between the two. Although some entrepreneurial attributes are found to coincide with CCVs, it is concluded that the key attributes are either missing in, or conflicting with CCVs.
RESURRECTION OF THE PRIVATE MICRO-ENTERPRISES IN CHINA: EXPERIENCE IN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS
Authors: WICKRAMANAYAKE EBEL , CHEN YAFANG , WEN MING
Published: November 2004

The People's Republic of China initiated a reform programme in late 1970s to move from a socialist to a socialist market economy. The unemployment in urban areas and poor performances of the agricultural sector prompted to a great extent the introduction of reforms which paved the way for the resurrection of private micro-enterprises both in urban and rural areas. A comparison of the characteristics of these enterprises such as entrepreneurship, sources of capital, access to land and sites, technology, sources of raw materials, labour utilisation, type of activities and internal capital accumulation highlights their similarities and differences.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTREPRENEURS: A TRADE UNION BETWEEN CHINA AND INDIA
Authors: MBAATYO AKPE , BERG ROBERT A
Published: November 2004

With heated debate on the benefits to business, to labour, and to governments from economic union, many nations commit their people within the European Union (EU), North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Australia and New Zealand Closer Economic Relations (CER), and other trade pacts. What if two emerging giants and neighbours, India and China, were to form an economic union? This paper undertakes a preliminary discussion of the viability of a China-India economic integration and recommends further study of the subject. Using Huang and Tu's (1994) revealed comparative advantage (RCA) as a backdrop, this paper discusses areas of possible trade creation (TC) and trade diversion (TD) that will occur should a China-India economic integration take place. The role of the government and information flow as new factors of production have been examined. After considering the history, economic growth zones, economic liberalisation programs in China and India, available resources, and regional and global trade, the paper concludes that a China-India economic integration holds the key to prosperity in the so called "Asian century". This paper suggests that such integration will be economically viable and should be studied and encouraged, both by business and government.
ENTERPRISING CULTURE IN HONG KONG
Authors: DANA LEO PAUL
Published: November 2004

Various governments have intervened in their respective economies, such as to modify the environment for entrepreneurship. In contrast, the policy of British Hong Kong has been one of laissez-faire. As 1997 approaches, many entrepreneurs in Hong Kong have begun to prepare for changes. This paper will examine the current state of affairs in Hong Kong.
ON THE PERFORMANCE OF A CONTINUOUS TYPE TRANSFER LINE OF UNRELIABLE MACHINES VIA A DECOMPOSITION METHOD
Authors: LIAO WEI-PENG , YUAN JOHN
Published: November 2004

To approximately calculate the line throughput and the average level of each buffer for a continuous type transfer line L, Dallery4 proposed an iterative algorithm when L is homogeneous (i.e., all its machines have an identical production rate). Non-homogeneous L needs to be transformed into a homogeneous one first in order that such a method can be applicable. The purpose of this article is to extend Dallery’s algorithm so that it also holds for any non-homogeneous L without such a transformation, simply by replacing two sets of equations in Ref. 4 by more general ones. Numerical examples are presented. Comparisons with both simulation and homogenization results in Ref. 4 are provided. In particular, the numerical results of the line throughput by our method are very close to those of the simulation.
THE PHOTOIONIZATION CROSS-SECTION AND BINDING ENERGY OF IMPURITIES IN QUANTUM WIRES: EFFECTS OF THE ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELD
Authors: KASAPOGLU E. , SARI H. , YESILGÜL U. , SÖKMEN I.
Published: November 2004

Using a variational approach, we have calculated the impurity position dependence of the photoionizaton cross-section and the binding energy for a hydrogenic donor impurity in a quantum well wire in the presence of the electric and magnetic field as a function of the photon energy. Our calculations have revealed the dependence of the photoionizaton cross-section and the impurity binding on the applied electric and magnetic field, and the impurity position.
ANTIFRICTION PROPERTY OF MICROARC OXIDATION COATING ON TITANIUM ALLOY UNDER SOLID LUBRICATING SLIDING CONDITION
Authors: WANG Y. M. , JIANG B. L. , GUO L. X. , LEI T. Q.
Published: November 2004

Ceramic coatings were fabricated on Ti6Al4V alloy surface by microarc oxidation (MAO) in Na 2 SiO 3–( NaPO 3)6– NaAlO 2 solution using an AC power supply. Microstructure and phase composition of coating were characterized by SEM and XRD, respectively. The antifriction property of the coating with and without solid lubricant sliding against SAE 52100 steel ball was investigated on a pin-on-disk friction and wear tester. The results show that the microarc oxidation coating is relatively dense and uniform, mainly composed of rutile and anatase. The coating sliding against the steel has friction coefficient as low as 0.2–0.3 at an applied load of 0.5 N and sliding cycle below 2500, which is much smaller than that of uncoated Ti6Al4V against the same counterpart. The transferring of materials from the softer steel ball onto the coating surface is the main wear event, while the microarc oxidation coating is characterized by slight abrasive wear and adhesive wear. Introducing solid graphite lubricant into the porous surface of microarc oxidation coating significantly improves the long-term antifriction property (registering friction efficient of 0.15 in the long-term sliding) under a similar sliding condition. This improvement is attributed to the reduction of materials that are transferred from the softer steel ball onto the coating surface.
Effects ofBoswellia serratain mouse models of chemically induced colitis
Authors: Kiela Pawel R. , Midura Anna J. , Kuscuoglu Nesrin , Jolad Shivanand D. , Sólyom Anikó M. , Besselsen David G. , Timmermann Barbara N. , Ghishan Fayez K.
Published: November 2004

Extracts from Boswellia serrata have been reported to have anti-inflammatory activity, primarily via boswellic acid-mediated inhibition of leukotriene synthesis. In three small clinical trials, boswellia was shown to improve symptoms of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and because of its alleged safety, boswellia was considered superior over mesalazine in terms of a benefit-risk evaluation. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of boswellia extracts in controlled settings of dextran sulfate- or trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis in mice. Our results suggest that boswellia is ineffective in ameliorating colitis in these models. Moreover, individual boswellic acids were demonstrated to increase the basal and IL-1β-stimulated NF-κB activity in intestinal epithelial cells in vitro as well as reverse proliferative effects of IL-1β. We also observed hepatotoxic effect of boswellia with pronounced hepatomegaly and steatosis. Hepatotoxity and increased lipid accumulation in response to boswellia were further confirmed in vitro in HepG2 cells with fluorescent Nile red binding/resazurin reduction assay and by confocal microscopy. Microarray analyses of hepatic gene expression demonstrated dysregulation of a number of genes, including a large group of lipid metabolism-related genes, and detoxifying enzymes, a response consistent with that to hepatotoxic xenobiotics. In summary, boswellia does not ameliorate symptoms of colitis in chemically induced murine models and, in higher doses, may become hepatotoxic. Potential implications of prolonged and uncontrolled intake of boswellia as an herbal supplement in inflammatory bowel disease and other inflammatory conditions should be considered in future clinical trials with this botanical.
Mechanism of hypoalbuminemia in rodents
Authors: Koltun Maria , Nikolovski Julijana , Strong Kimberley , Nikolic-Paterson David , Comper Wayne D.
Published: November 2004

Normal albumin loss from the plasma is thought to be minimized by a number of mechanisms, including charge repulsion with the capillary wall and an intracellular rescue pathway involving the major histocompatibility complex-related Fc receptor (FcRn)-mediated mechanism. This study investigates how these factors may influence the mechanism of hypoalbuminemia. Hypoalbuminemia in rats was induced by treatment with puromycin aminonucleoside (PA). To test the effects of PA on capillary wall permeability, plasma elimination rates were determined for tritium-labeled tracers of different-sized Ficolls, negatively charged Ficolls, and14C-labeled tracer of albumin in control and PA-treated Sprague-Dawley rats. Urinary excretion and tissue uptake were also measured. Hypoalbuminemia was also examined in two strains of FcRn-deficient mice: β2-microglobulin (β2M) knockout (KO) mice and FcRn α-chain KO mice. The excretion rates of albumin and albumin-derived fragments were measured. PA-induced hypoalbuminemia was associated with a 2.5-fold increase in the plasma elimination rate of albumin. This increase could be completely accounted for by the increase in urinary albumin excretion. Changes in the permeability of the capillary wall were not apparent, inasmuch as there was no comparable increase in the plasma elimination rate of 36- to 85-Å Ficoll or negatively charged 50- to 80-Å Ficoll. In contrast, hypoalbuminemic states in β2M and FcRn KO mice were associated with decreases in excretion of albumin and albumin-derived fragments. This demonstrates that the mechanism of hypoalbuminemia consists of at least two distinct forms: one specifically associated with the renal handling of albumin and the other mediated by systemic processes.
Interaction between the canine diaphragm and intercostal muscles in lung expansion
Authors: De Troyer André
Published: November 2004

Changes in intrathoracic pressure produced by the various inspiratory intercostals are essentially additive, but the interaction between these muscles and the diaphragm remains uncertain. In the present study, this interaction was assessed by measuring the changes in airway opening (ΔPao) or transpulmonary pressure (ΔPtp) in vagotomized, phrenicotomized dogs during spontaneous inspiration (isolated intercostal contraction), during isolated rectangular or ramp stimulation of the peripheral ends of the transected C5 phrenic nerve roots (isolated diaphragm contraction), and during spontaneous inspiration with superimposed phrenic nerve stimulation (combined diaphragm-intercostal contraction). With the endotracheal tube occluded at functional residual capacity, ΔPao during combined diaphragm-intercostal contraction was nearly equal to the sum of the ΔPao produced by the two muscle groups contracting individually. However, when the endotracheal tube was kept open, ΔPtp during combined contraction was 123% of the sum of the individual ΔPtp ( P < 0.001). The increase in lung volume during combined contraction was also 109% of the sum of the individual volume increases ( P < 0.02). Abdominal pressure during combined contraction was invariably lower than during isolated diaphragm contraction. It is concluded, therefore, that the canine diaphragm and intercostal muscles act synergistically during lung expansion and that this synergism is primarily due to the fact that the intercostal muscles reduce shortening of the diaphragm. When the lung is maintained at functional residual capacity, however, the synergism is obscured because the greater stiffness of the rib cage during diaphragm contraction enhances the ΔPao produced by the isolated diaphragm and reduces the ΔPao produced by the intercostal muscles.
Morphometric changes after thermal and methacholine bronchoprovocations
Authors: Kotaru Chakradhar , Coreno Albert , Skowronski Mary , Muswick Gary , Gilkeson Robert C. , McFadden E. R.
Published: November 2004

To determine whether there are distinctions in the location and pattern of response between different bronchoprovocations, we performed high-resolution computer-assisted tomography in 10 asthmatic subjects before and after isocapnic hyperventilation of frigid air (HV) and methacholine (Meth). The luminal areas of the trachea, main stem, lobar, and segmental bronchi were computed before and after each provocation and blindly compared. Both stimuli reduced the 1-s forced expiratory volume similarly (percent change in 1-s forced expiratory volume HV = 28.1 ± 5.5%, Meth = 25.8 ± 5.2%; P = 0.69) but did so in different fashions. Each provocation was associated with the development of both bronchial narrowing and dilation; however, more airways constricted with HV (67.7%) than with Meth (47.0%; P < 0.001). Furthermore, there was little concordance between either the magnitude or direction of change between stimuli in any region of the lung ( r = 0.25). In general, the frequency of narrowing increased with branching. Constriction became more prominent in the lobar regions and increased further in the segmental branches, but a wide range of intensity existed. These data demonstrate that provocational stimuli evoke complex morphometric changes within the tracheobronchial tree and that different agonists produce different patterns. Thermal stimuli chiefly influence the segmental level, whereas the response to Meth develops more distally. Even within this distribution, the same airway does not respond in an identical fashion to different stimuli, so there does not appear to be a uniform trigger zone.
Cardiovascular Effects of Growth Hormone Treatment: Potential Risks and Benefits
Authors: Colao Annamaria
Published: November 2004

Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I are involved in heart development and in maintaining cardiac structure and performance. Cardiovascular disease has been reported to reduce life expectancy both in GH deficiency (GHD) and in GH excess. Patients with GHD suffer from abnormalities of left ventricular performance, i.e. reduced diastolic filling and impaired response to peak exercise. Patients with GHD also have increased intima-media thickness at the common carotid arteries, associated with a higher occurrence of atherosclerotic plaques, which may further aggravate the haemodynamic conditions. This may contribute to increased cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk. These cardiovascular abnormalities can be reversed, at least partially, with GH replacement therapy. In recent years, GH therapy has been used to increase cardiac mass in ischaemic or dilated cardiomyopathy, but the results have produced contradictory data.
Pitfalls in the Diagnosis of Acromegaly
Authors: Pokrajac-Simeunovic Ana , Trainer Peter J.
Published: November 2004

Acromegaly is a disfiguring and disabling illness which, when inadequately treated, reduces life expectancy. An implication of the ability to offer effective treatment is the increased onus on physicians of all sorts to ensure acromegaly is diagnosed and treated as early as possible. To this end, criteria for the diagnosis of acromegaly have been proposed in the consensus statement of Giustina et al. [1]. However, other data suggest that the proposed criteria are not rigorous enough and strict adherence to the guidelines would result in failure to diagnose a significant number of patients. A review of published experience suggests that the combination of a GH nadir during an oral glucose tolerance test of <0.25 µg/l plus a normal age-related insulin growth factor-I level makes the diagnosis of acromegaly extremely unlikely.
Liquid Growth Hormone: Preservatives and Buffers
Authors: Kappelgaard Anne-Marie , Bojesen Anders , Skydsgaard Karsten , Sjögren Ingrid , Laursen Torben
Published: November 2004

Growth hormone (GH) treatment is a successful medical therapy for children and adults with GH deficiency as well as for growth retardation due to chronic renal disease, Turner syndrome and in children born small for gestational age. For all of these conditions, treatment is long term and patients receive daily subcutaneous injections of GH for many years. Patient compliance is therefore of critical importance to ensure treatment benefit. One of the major factors influencing compliance is injection pain. Besides the injection device used, pain perception and local tissue reaction following injection are dependent on the preservative used in the formulation and the concentration of GH. Injection pain may also be related to the buffer substance and injection volume. A liquid formulation of GH, Norditropin® SimpleXx®, has been developed that dispenses with the need for reconstitution before administration. The formulation uses phenol (3 mg/ml) as a preservative (to protect product from microbial degradation or contamination) and histidine as a buffer. Alternative preservatives used in other GH formulations include m-cresol (9 mg/ml) and benzyl alcohol (3–9 mg/ml). Buffering agents include citrate and phosphate. Phenol has been successfully used as a preservative in drug formulations for more than 50 years and is considered a safe and effective agent which complies with strict international requirements for preservatives in drug formulations. In toxicological studies, no or only mild local reactions have been observed following subcutaneous administration of phenol (7.5 mg/ml), m-cresol (3–4 mg/ml) and benzyl alcohol (9 mg/ml). No general toxicity reactions were observed after subcutaneous administration of these agents. Clinical evaluation of the preservatives and buffers used in Norditropin® SimpleXx® showed that pain perception was similar between formulations containing phenol and benzyl alcohol, whereas m-cresol was associated with more painful injections than benzyl alcohol. Furthermore, patients reported more pain following injection of a citrate-buffered solution than after a histidine-buffered solution. More pain was also reported following large volume injections and following injections with solutions containing high protein concentrations. In summary, optimization of the preservative and buffer content of a liquid GH formulation may reduce injection pain and lead to improved patient compliance.
IGF-I and Longevity
Authors: Janssen J.A.M.J.L. , Lamberts S.W.J.
Published: November 2004

Recent animal studies have demonstrated evidence of the involvement of insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I signalling in the control of ageing and longevity. Disruption of insulin/IGF-I signalling pathways significantly extends lifespan in several animal models. Similarities among these signalling pathways in animals and humans raise the possibility that modifications in the IGF-I signalling system could also extend lifespan in humans. However, in contrast to the findings in animal studies, reduced IGF-I activity in humans is not associated with longevity. In humans, low IGF-I activity is even associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. High IGF-I activity in humans is associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. In addition, genetic predisposition and lifestyle play a major role in determining age-associated disease. For each individual there is probably a specific optimal ‘setpoint’ for the insulin/growth hormone/IGF-I axis which co-determines survival.
Akting and Cycling: A Tale of the Pituitary
Authors: Grossman Ashley B. , Korbonits Márta
Published: November 2004

Pituitary tumours are characterized by a series of phenotypic abnormalities, but the molecular nature of the underlying defects has proved peculiarly intractable. Oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes involved in other tumours do not appear to play a major role in the pathogenesis of pituitary tumours. In addition, germline genetic disorders in which pituitary tumours are a common feature have not shed much light on the more common sporadic tumour. A number of defects in specific feedback regulation in the secretory tumours have been identified, but it is presently unclear as to what extent these are a consequence of the tumour, possibly enhancing its growth or survival, rather than the cause. However, recent studies on the cell cycle have demonstrated significant abnormalities that have been traced to a cytoplasmic kinase which appears to be abnormally expressed in the majority of pituitary adenomas, and we are beginning to see a possible unifying abnormality.