bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Newest Developments on the Manufacture of Helical Profiles by Hot Extrusion
Authors: Khalifa Nooman Ben , Tekkaya A. Erman
Published: September 2011

The paper presents a new innovative direct extrusion process, Helical Profile Extrusion (HPE), which increases the flexibility of aluminum profile manufacturing processes. The application fields of such profiles can be seen in screw rotors for compressors and pumps. The investigations concentrate on experimental and numerical analyses by 3D-FEM simulations to analyze the influence of friction on the material flow in the extrusion die in order to find out the optimal parameters with reference to the twisting angle and contour accuracy. By means of FEM, the profile shape could be optimized by modifying the die design. The numerical results were validated by experiments. For these investigations, a common aluminum alloy AA6060 was used. The accuracy of the profile contour could be improved significantly. However, increasing the twist angle is limited due to geometrical aspects.
Modeling of Semi-Solid Powder Processing for a Closed Die Compaction
Authors: Wu Yufeng , Kim Gap-Yong
Published: September 2011

Semi-solid powder processing (SPP) is a promising technique in the fabrication of composite materials. Former work has experimentally shown that SPP was able to synthesize composite materials with reduced load and high efficiency. However, limited work was found in the modeling of the SPP. In this work, SPP was modeled with Shima-Oyane’s model and compared with experimental data in a closed die compaction setup. The evolution and distribution of the density and stress were analyzed. The model prediction agreed with the experimentally measured values. As the compaction pressure increased, the density gradient in the axial compaction direction decreased, while the stress gradient increased.
Cost Estimates of Cellulosic Ethanol Manufacturing: A Literature Review
Authors: Zhang P. F. , Pei Z. J.
Published: September 2011

Cellulosic ethanol is one type of renewable energy, and can be used to replace petroleum based transportation fuels. The technologies of converting cellulosic biomass into ethanol are relatively mature. However, the manufacturing costs of cellulosic ethanol are too high to be competitive. Economic analyses of cellulosic ethanol manufacturing have appeared regularly to estimate manufacturing costs of cellulosic ethanol. But the estimated manufacturing costs of cellulosic ethanol have a wide range due to differences in used assumptions. It is very difficult to judge which one is most reliable among the markedly different cost estimates in the literature. This paper reviews the literature on cost estimates in manufacturing of cellulosic ethanol. Cost estimates of each manufacturing process are summarized. Cost components and their data sources are discussed. This review provides a foundation to develop a comprehensive cost model for cellulosic ethanol manufacturing.
Diamond Disc Pad Conditioning in Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP): A Mathematical Model to Predict Pad Surface Shape
Authors: Li Z. C. , Baisie Emmanuel A. , Zhang X. H.
Published: September 2011

Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) is widely used to planarize semiconductor wafers and smooth the wafer surface. In CMP, a diamond disc conditioner is used to condition (or dress) a polishing pad to restore the pad performance. In this paper, a surface element method is proposed to develop a mathematic model to predict the pad surface shape resulted from diamond disc conditioning. The developed model is then validated by published experimental data. Results show that the model is effective to simulate the diamond disc conditioning process and predict the pad surface shape.
Modular and Reconfigurable 3D Micro-Optical Benches: Concept, Validation, and Characterization
Authors: Rabenorosoa K. , Cle´vy C. , Bargiel S. , Mascaro J. P. , Lutz P. , Gorecki C.
Published: September 2011

In this paper, we present an approach to design MOEMS based on Reconfigurable Free Space Micro-Optical Benches (RFS-MOB). The proposed concept enables to design modular and reconfigurable MOEMS by using a generic structure of silicon holders and non defined position in the substrate. Various micro-optical elements, e.g. microlenses or micromirrors, can be integrated within holders. Their assembly is achieved with an active microgripper, after high precision alignement within guiding rails of silicon substrate. Flexible parts are used to maintain a final position. The concept is validated by successful assembly of holders. A characterization method of assembled holders is proposed and provides an accuracy better than ± 0.04° for an angle measurement.
Rapid Prototyping of Full Scale House Structures
Authors: Lee Sangju , Bamberg Eberhard , Eason Charles
Published: September 2011

This paper reports on the machining of a construction material (aerated concrete) with a rapid prototyping device, Shapemaker III, which is based on waterjet technology. Preliminary machining tests were carried out to investigate machining conditions (speed and pressure) of separation cuts. Cutting speeds for the waterjet were investigated for two aerated concrete construction materials; autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) in two strengths (348 and 580 psi compressive strength) and a non-autoclaved, fiber reinforced aerated concrete (FRAC) with a 450 psi compressive strength. Cutting samples were prepared in four thicknesses (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 inches) and cut at two pressures (40 and 60 ksi). The 0.5 and 1 inch specimens were cut with good surface finish at over 600 in/min at 40 ksi. The 2 and 3 inch specimens could be cut at 320 and 80 in/min at 40 ksi, respectively. The experimental data was used in the fabrication of rapid prototyping houses with a pure waterjet machine. As results, full scale houses were fabricated with FRAC and Styrofoam. Additionally, a sub-mold of an outdoor fireplace was manufactured with Styrofoam for casting of customized aerated concrete blocks.
Pulsed Laser Micro Polishing: An Analytical Method for Predicting Surface Finish
Authors: Vadali Madhu , Ma Chao , Duffie Neil A. , Li Xiaochun , Pfefferkorn Frank E.
Published: September 2011

This project is focused on developing physics based models to predict the outcome of pulsed laser micro polishing (PLμP). Perry et al. [1–3] have modeled PLμP as oscillations of capillary waves with damping resulting from the forces of surface tension and viscosity. They have proposed a critical spatial frequency, fcr, above which a significant reduction in the amplitude of the spatial Fourier components is expected. The current work extends the concept of critical spatial frequency to the prediction of the spatial frequency content and average surface roughness after polishing, given the features of the original surface, the material properties, and laser parameters used for PLμP. The proposed prediction methodology was tested using PLμP results for Nickel, Ti6Al4V, and stainless steel 316L with initial average surface roughnesses from 70 nm to 190 nm. The predicted average surface roughnesses were within 10% to 15% of the values measured on the polished surfaces. The results show that the critical frequency continues to be a useful predictor of polishing results in the spatial frequency domain. The laser processing parameters, as represented by the critical frequency and the initial surface texture therefore can be used to predict the final surface roughness before actually implementing PLμP.
Consideration of Manufacturing Processes and the Supply Chain in Product Design
Authors: Alsaffar Ahmed J. , Haapala Karl R. , Wu Zhaohui
Published: September 2011

As efforts continue to incorporate environmental sustainability into product design, struggles persist to concurrently consider the environmental impacts resulting from transportation planning and supply chain network design. In fact, the transportation sector is the second largest contributor to direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States, following electricity generation. To address these concerns and consider environmental issues more holistically during the development of products, Design for X (X: manufacturing, environment, etc.) methods, such as environmentally benign manufacturing (EBM) and life cycle assessment (LCA) continue to be advanced through research. In spite of improving environmental performance through design, supply chain related impacts are not well understood and can be impacted by decisions made during product design. Thus, the aim of this research is to explore how changes to the design of a product affect manufacturing supply chain configurations and, in turn, influence product environmental sustainability. The environmental impacts for producing several three-ring binder design variations are predicted by assuming a given set of suppliers that provide materials and components to the manufacturer. Supply chain transportation impacts are also accounted for in the analysis. Transportation impacts are found to be minor compared to materials and manufacturing impacts.
Determination of Loading Path for Warm Tube Hydroforming of Diamond Shaped Parts
Authors: Chen Wei , Chan L. C. , Lee T. C.
Published: September 2011

This paper aims to present an optimization process for three different types of loading paths studied in the numerical simulation of tube hydroforming of diamond-shaped sheet products. These three different types of loading paths werestudied in a numerical simulation of tube hydroforming of diamond-shaped products. The loading paths by which the best final shapes were obtained in the simulation were adopted in actual processing operation. A series of experiments were conducted within the temperature range of 270±10°C. Constitutive behavior was assumed to be elasto-plastic, and the material parameters used in the simulation were obtained from corresponding literature. The designed loading ratios were incorporated into the model to obtain the corresponding hydroforming results. The simulation results are used in the experimental verification and the products were compared with the simulation results. The experimental results showed a good agreement with the predicted numerical results, indicating that FEM simulation is an effective tool in optimizing processing procedures.
Nanoscale Surface Modifications by Magnetic Field-Assisted Finishing
Authors: Riveros Raul E. , Hann Jared N. , Yamaguchi Hitomi , Taylor Curtis R.
Published: September 2011

A magnetic field-assisted finishing (MAF) process has been developed to reduce the sidewall surface roughness of the 5–20 μm wide curvilinear pores of microelectromechanical systems micropore X-ray optics. Although the feasibility of this process has been demonstrated on these optics, a clear understanding of the MAF process material removal mechanisms has not been attained. To discover these mechanisms, the MAF process is applied to a flat workpiece, allowing for direct observation and tracking of changes to distinctive surface features before and after MAF. Atomic force microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy are used to analyze the surface morphology and composition with respect to polishing time. These observations suggest that the MAF process removes surface material, improving surface roughness (to 0.1 nm Rq on silicon) without significantly changing the shape of existing surface features. Moreover, the MAF process appears to remove material by mechanical means.
Inverse Hall-Petch Effect in Atomistic Machining of Polycrystalline Copper Structures
Authors: Shi Jing , Wang Yachao , Yang Xiaoping
Published: September 2011

In this study, a preliminary investigation about the grain size effect in machining of polycrystalline copper structures at atomistic scale is carried out using molecular dynamics simulation. Four copper structures with different grain sizes are chosen for simulation. The four structures consist of 16, 64, 128, and 256 grains, and the corresponding equivalent grain sizes are 13.6, 8.6, 6.8, and 5.4 nm, respectively. The results show that significant smaller forces are required to machine the copper workpiece in both the tangential and thrust directions as the grain size decreases. The magnitude of equivalent stress distribution also becomes smaller with the decrease of grain size. It disagrees with the commonly accepted strengthening effect (i.e., the Hall-Petch relation) for polycrystalline materials as a result of grain size reduction. This phenomenon can be explained by the inverse Hall-Petch relation proposed in literature in recent years. According to the new relation, the polycrystalline material strength decreases as the grain size decreases within a threshold value. This can be further attributed to the fact that the dominant deformation mode is changed from dislocation movement to other mechanisms such as grain boundary sliding with very fine nano-structured polycrystalline.
An Introduction to MATLAB
Authors: Sobie Eric A.
Published: September 2011

By practicing with simple MATLAB scripts, students learn how to interact with this commonly used platform for performing computational analyses.
PARAMETRIC INSTABILITY OF LAMINATED COMPOSITE CYLINDRICAL PANELS SUBJECTED TO PERIODIC NON-UNIFORM IN-PLANE LOADS
Authors: PANDA SARAT KUMAR , RAMACHANDRA L. S.
Published: September 2011

In the present investigation, the dynamic instability regions of shear deformable cross-ply laminated and composite cylindrical panels subjected to periodic nonuniform in-plane loads are reported. Since the applied in-plane load is nonuniform, initially the static part of the nonuniform in-plane loads are applied and the stresses (σx, σy and τxy) within the panel are evaluated by the solution of cylindrical panel membrane problem. Subsequently, superposing the stress distribution due to static and dynamic in-plane loads, the stress distributions within the panel are obtained. Using these stress distributions the governing equations of the problem are derived through Hamilton's variational principle based on higher-order shear deformation theory of elastic shell theory incorporating von Kármán-type nonlinear strain displacement relations. The governing partial differential equations are reduced into a set of ordinary differential equations (Mathieu-type of equations) by employing Galerkin's method. The instability boundaries of Mathieu equation corresponding to periodic solutions of period T and 2T are determined using Fourier series. Effect of various parameters like static and dynamic load factors, aspect ratio, thickness-to-radius ratio, shallowness ratio, linearly varying in-plane load, parabolic in-plane load and various boundary conditions on the instability regions are investigated.
Extending Negroponte's model of convergence
Authors: Dubberly Hugh
Published: September 2011

Models help bridge the gap between observing and making---especially when systems are involved (as in designing for interaction, service, and evolution). This forum introduces new models, links them to existing models, and describes their histories and why they matter.

Hugh Dubberly, Editor
Temporal higher-order contracts
Authors: Disney Tim , Flanagan Cormac , McCarthy Jay
Published: September 2011

Behavioral contracts are embraced by software engineers because they document module interfaces, detect interface violations, and help identify faulty modules (packages, classes, functions, etc). This paper extends prior higher-order contract systems to also express and enforce temporal properties, which are common in software systems with imperative state, but which are mostly left implicit or are at best informally specified. The paper presents both a programmatic contract API as well as a temporal contract language, and reports on experience and performance results from implementing these contracts in Racket.

Our development formalizes module behavior as a trace of events such as function calls and returns. Our contract system provides both non-interference (where contracts cannot influence correct executions) and also a notion of completeness (where contracts can enforce any decidable, prefix-closed predicate on event traces).
A Hough-transform-based anomaly detector with an adaptive time interval
Authors: Fontugne Romain , Fukuda Kensuke
Published: September 2011

Internet traffic anomalies are a serious problem that compromises the availability of optimal network resources. Numerous anomaly detectors have recently been proposed, but maintaining their parameters optimally tuned is a difficult task that discredits their effectiveness for daily usage. This article proposes a new anomaly detection method based on pattern recognition and investigates the relationship between its parameter set and the traffic characteristics. This analysis highlights that constantly achieving a high detection rate requires continuous adjustments to the parameters according to the traffic fluctuations. Therefore, an adaptive time interval mechanism is proposed to enhance the robustness of the detection method to traffic variations. This adaptive anomaly detection method is evaluated by comparing it to three other anomaly detectors using four years of real backbone traffic. The evaluation reveals that the proposed adaptive detection method outperforms the other methods in terms of the true positive and false positive rate.
Preserving privacy in wireless sensor networks using reliable data aggregation
Authors: Rahman Farzana , Hoque Endadul , Ahamed Sheikh Iqbal
Published: September 2011

An important topic addressed by the wireless sensor networks community over the last several years is the in-network data aggregation. It is significant as well as a challenging issue to provide reliable data aggregation scheme while preserving data privacy. However, in WSNs, achieving ideal data accuracy is complicated due to collision, heavy network traffic, processing delays and/or several attacks. The problem of gathering accurate integrated data will be further intensified if the environment is adverse. Hence how to attain data privacy and perfect data accuracy are two major challenges for data aggregation in wireless sensor networks. To address this problem, we propose in this paper a new privacy preserving data aggregation scheme. We present REBIVE (REliaBle prIVate data aggrEgation scheme). In REBIVE the data accuracy maintenance and data privacy protection mechanisms work cooperatively. Different from past research, our proposed solution have the following features: providing privacy preservation technique for individual sensor data and aggregated sensor data; maintaining perfect data accuracy for realistic environments; being highly efficient; and being robust to popular attacks launched in WSNs.
Comparing slotted and continuous CSMA
Authors: Shneer Seva , van de Ven Peter M.
Published: September 2011

Carrier-Sense Multiple-Access (CSMA) protocols form a popular class of random-access schemes for regulating node activity in wireless networks. We compare the continuous and the time-slotted versions of this protocol in the saturated regime, and show that continuous CSMA has higher aggregate throughput than the slotted protocol, but this comes at the cost of fairness, i.e., the throughput is not evenly distributed across all nodes. We then release the saturation assumption and consider a multi-hop scenario where packets are forwarded through the network and nodes may occasionally empty. We study end-to-end throughput of both continuous and slotted CSMA, and show that slotted CSMA has a higher throughput than the continuous protocol.
Analytical model of IEEE 802.11s MCCAbased streaming in the presence of noise
Authors: Shvets Evgeny , Lyakhov Andrey , Safonov Alexander , Khorov Evgeny
Published: September 2011

In the paper, we present an analytical study of multimedia stream transmission with the reservation-based channel access method called MCCA in IEEE 802.11s mesh networks. Various aspects of MCCA have been already studied under the assumption that the reservation guarantees successful transmission, no retries are needed and the period of reserved times is equal to the inter-arrival time of the input stream. However, recent papers reveal the fact that two-hop advertisement of reservations, as adopted in MCCA, fails to completely defeat the interference affecting transmissions in addition to random noise. To keep the packet loss ratio (PLR) acceptable for a stream, period of reserved times may be shortened to allow packet retries. However, a packet of a stream is usually discarded when the packet delay reaches its threshold, making its contribution to the PLR. Also, additional reservations is a burden. In this paper, we propose an analytical model to find the maximal period of reserved times to keep the packet loss ratio and delay below thresholds, given the input stream bit rate and packet error rate.
CAUCHY localization
Authors: Baryshnikov Y. M. , Coffman E. G. , Kwak K. J.
Published: September 2011

The localization problem of a wireless sensor network (WSN) is posed as a distributed computation performed by the sensors alone. A relatively small number of the nodes along the boundary of the WSN are initialized with their exact locations, which serve as reference coordinates that seed the computation. Our range-free, scalable localization protocol begins with a self-organizing, local-rule, distributed computation: In a converging sequence, each sensor periodically takes as its location estimate the average of its neighbors' estimates. These estimates are used to construct an instance of the Cauchy Integral Formula from which the final location estimates are produced. Our research is still in progress, but we are currently in position to argue the superiority over other range-free methods operating under similar minimalist constraints. Among the salient properties of our approach is a tolerance to variations in timing and sensor density, and to variations in the characteristics of individual sensors, such as computing speed and communication range.
Poster
Authors: Dong Ke , DebBarma Diptanil , Venkatesha R. , Guo Prasad Cheng
Published: September 2011

ZigBee, known as IEEE 802.15.4 standard, is designed for Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) due to low power consumption and high reliability. The network layer can support star, tree and mesh topologies. In this work, cluster tree and mesh topologies are simulated in OPNET. Then through- put, delay and packet delivery ratio in direct transmission between source and sink are collected. Further, broadcast packets are simulated to show the influence of the packet interarrival time.
The Many Faces of Interleukin-6: The Role of IL-6 in Inflammation, Vasculopathy, and Fibrosis in Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Barnes Theresa C. , Anderson Marina E. , Moots Robert J.
Published: September 2011

Interleukin-6 is currently attracting significant interest as a potential therapeutic target in systemic sclerosis (SSc). In this paper, the biology of interleukin-6 is reviewed, and the evidence for interleukin-6 dysregulation in SSc is explored. The role of inteleukin-6 classical and trans signalling pathways in SSc relevant phenomena such as chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, endothelial cell dysfunction, and fibrogenesis is discussed. The existing evidence that interventions designed to block interleukin-6 signalling are of therapeutic relevance in SSc is evaluated.
Fractalkine and Other Chemokines in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Authors: Shimoda Shinji , Selmi Carlo , Gershwin M. Eric
Published: September 2011

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is characterized by the autoimmune injury of small intrahepatic bile duct. On this basis, it has been suggested that the targeted biliary epithelial cells (BEC) play an active role in the perpetuation of autoimmunity by attracting immune cells via chemokine secretion. To address this issue, we challenged BEC using multiple toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands as well as autologous liver infiltrating mononuclear cells (LMNC) with subsequent measurement of BEC phenotype and chemokine production and LMNC chemotaxis by quantifying specific chemokines, specially CX3CL1 (fractalkine). We submit the hypothesis that BEC are in fact the innocent victims of the autoimmune injury and that the adaptive immune response is critical in PBC.
Interaction of Calf Thymus DNA with the Ni(II) Complex of Sodium 1,4-Dihydroxy-9,10-Anthraquinone-2-Sulphonate: A Novel Method of Analysis Using Cyclic Voltammetry
Authors: Guin Partha Sarathi , Das Piyal , Das Saurabh , Mandal Parikshit Chandra
Published: September 2011

Hydroxy-9,10-anthraquinones are cheaper alternatives to anthracycline drugs. They closely resemble anthracycline drugs both from a structural and functional viewpoint. Electrochemical behavior of the Ni(II) complex (Na2[Ni(NaLH)2Cl2]⋅2H2O) of sodium 1,4-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone-2-sulphonate (NaLH2), analogue of the core unit of anthracycline anticancer drugs, was studied at physiological pH using cyclic voltammetry. The Ni(II) complex of sodium 1,4-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone-2-sulphonate undergoes diffusion-controlled one-electron reduction that enables performing an electrochemical study on the interaction of the complex with calf thymus DNA. The complex was titrated with increasing concentrations of DNA, and the reduction peak for the unbound complex helped in evaluating binding parameters. Analysis of binding data using nonlinear curve fit in a cyclic voltammetry experiment is the first such attempt. The paper evaluates site size of interaction that also serves as a means to determine stoichiometry of complex formation, between a metal ion and ligand from a DNA interaction study, probably a first of its kind.
Benzene Oxidation on Boron-Doped Diamond Electrode: Electrochemical-Impedance Study of Adsorption Effects
Authors: Pleskov Yuri , Krotova Marina , Elkin Valerii , Varnin Valentin , Teremetskaya Irina
Published: September 2011

Benzene oxidation at a boron-doped diamond anode in 0.5 M K2SO4aqueous solution is studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It is shown by measurements of differential capacitance and anodic current that in the ideal-polarizability potential region benzene either is not adsorbed at the diamond electrode or the benzene adsorption does not affect its capacitance. At more positive potentials, the adsorption of some intermediate of the benzene oxidation occurs at the electrode. The intermediate partially blocks the electrode surface and lowers the anodic current. The very fact of the electrode surface blocking is reflected in the complex-plane presentation of the impedance-potential plots.
A Manipulation of Visual Feedback during Gait Training in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Almeida Quincy J. , Bhatt Haseel
Published: September 2011

Visual cues are known to improve gait in Parkinson's disease (PD); however, the contribution of optic flow continues to be disputed. This study manipulated transverse line cues during two gait training interventions (6 weeks). PD subjects (N=42) were assigned to one of three groups: treadmill (TG), overground (OG), or control group (CG). Participants walked across lines placed on either treadmills or 16-meter carpets, respectively. The treadmill (TG) offered a reduced dynamic flow from the environment, while lines presented on the ground (OG) emphasized optic flow related to the participant's own displacement. Both interventions significantly improved (and maintained through retention period) step length, thus improving walking velocity. Only the OG improved in the TUG test, while only the TG showed hints of improving (and maintaining) motor symptoms. Since gait improvements were found in both training groups, we conclude that by reducing optic flow, gait benefits associated with visual cueing training can still be achieved.
Variants Downstream of the Ornithine Decarboxylase Gene Influence Risk of Colorectal Adenoma and Aspirin Chemoprevention
Authors: Barry Elizabeth L. , Mott Leila A. , Sandler Robert S. , Ahnen Dennis J. , Baron John A.
Published: September 2011

Increased mucosal polyamine levels and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity are associated with an increased risk of colorectal neoplasia and aspirin treatment reduces risk. Previous studies suggest that a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter of the ODC gene (rs2302615) may be associated with adenoma risk and/or response to aspirin chemoprevention. However, a comprehensive investigation of common genetic variation in the region of ODC gene is lacking. Using a tag SNP approach, we investigated associations between genotype or haplotype and adenoma risk among a cohort of 792 non-Hispanic white participants in a randomized trial of aspirin. Generalized linear regression was used to compute relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) adjusted for age and sex. The false discovery rate was used to account for multiple testing. Interactions terms were used to assess whether genotype modified the effect of aspirin treatment. Of 15 SNPs analyzed, seven were statistically significantly associated with adenoma risk. However, in multiple SNP regression models, only two of these, located downstream of the gene, were independently associated with risk: rs11694911 (RR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.08–1.53; P = 0.005) and rs2430420 (RR = 1.20; 95% CI, 1.03-1.40; P = 0.022). In addition, there was evidence that rs2430420 and rs28362380 modified the effect of aspirin treatment, whereas the previously investigated SNP, rs2302615, had no statistically significant main effect or interaction with aspirin treatment. Our findings suggest that common genetic variants located downstream (3′) of the ODC gene influence risk of colorectal adenoma and may also impact the efficacy of aspirin chemoprevention. Cancer Prev Res; 4(12); 2072–82. ©2011 AACR.
The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement between China and Taiwan: Understanding Its Economics and Politics
Authors: Hong Tsai-Lung , Yang Chih-Hai
Published: September 2011

World trade has become increasingly regionalized in the past decade as a result of preferential arrangements. Due to Taiwan's unique international political status, its present government believes that closer economic integration with China would enhance Taiwan's economic prosperity and prevent Taiwan from being marginalized in East Asia. Taiwan hence signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with China in 2010. This paper summarizes arguments opposed to the ECFA from economic and political perspectives. Despite the fact that Taiwan is expected to reap greater benefits from deeper integration with China, simulation analyses show that the welfare-enhancing effect brought about by the ECFA is quite limited, because the ECFA contains no definite content or timeline other than an early harvest list.
HLA-targeted flow cytometric sorting of blood cells allows separation of pure and viable microchimeric cell populations
Authors: Drabbels Jos J. M. , van de Keur Carin , Kemps Berit M. , Mulder Arend , Scherjon Sicco A. , Claas Frans H. J. , Eikmans Michael
Published: September 2011

Microchimerism is defined by the presence of low levels of nonhost cells in a person. We developed a reliable method for separating viable microchimeric cells from the host environment. For flow cytometric cell sorting, HLA antigens were targeted with human monoclonal HLA antibodies (mAbs). Optimal separation of microchimeric cells (present at a proportion as low as 0.01% in artificial mixtures) was obtained with 2 different HLA mAbs, one targeting the chimeric cells and the other the background cells. To verify purity of separated cell populations, flow-sorted fractions of 1000 cells were processed for DNA analysis by HLA-allele–specific and Y-chromosome–directed real-time quantitative PCR assays. After sorting, PCR signals of chimeric DNA markers in the positive fractions were significantly enhanced compared with those in the presort samples, and they were similar to those in 100% chimeric control samples. Next, we demonstrate applicability of HLA-targeted FACS sorting after pregnancy by separating chimeric maternal cells from child umbilical cord mononuclear cells. Targeting allelic differences with anti-HLA mAbs with FACS sorting allows maximal enrichment of viable microchimeric cells from a background cell population. The current methodology enables reliable microchimeric cell detection and separation in clinical specimens.
Pseudoclavibacter-like subcutaneous infection: a case report
Authors: Lemaitre François , Stein Andreas , Raoult Didier , Drancourt Michel
Published: September 2011

Background

Arthrobacter-like organisms, including Pseudoclavibacter organisms, have rarely been documented as being responsible for infection in humans.

Case presentation

An 81-year-old French man developed a subcutaneous infection despite antibiotic treatment combining clindamycin and metronidazole for chronic wound infection. A skin biopsy showed numerous polymorphonuclear cells and no bacteria, but a subcutaneous swab yielded numerous polymorphonuclear cells, a few Gram-positive cocci, Gram-negative cocci, and Gram-positive rods. The Gram-positive rod sequence exhibited 99% sequence similarity with uncultured Pseudoclavibacter sp. [GenBank:EF419350] and 99% sequence similarity with uncultured Pseudoclavibacter sp. [GenBank:EF419347]. The genetic data and unique peptide profile of this Pseudoclavibacter-like isolate, determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry, underscored its uniqueness.

Conclusions

Pseudoclavibacter-like organisms are identifiable in cutaneous and subcutaneous infections in humans.
Genome-Wide Analyses Identify Recurrent Amplifications of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and Cell-Cycle Regulatory Genes in Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma
Authors: Paugh Barbara S. , Broniscer Alberto , Qu Chunxu , Miller Claudia P. , Zhang Junyuan , Tatevossian Ruth G. , Olson James M. , Geyer J. Russell , Chi Susan N. , da Silva Nasjla Saba , Onar-Thomas Arzu , Baker Justin N. , Gajjar Amar , Ellison David W. , Baker Suzanne J.
Published: September 2011

Purpose

Long-term survival for children with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is less than 10%, and new therapeutic targets are urgently required. We evaluated a large cohort of DIPGs to identify recurrent genomic abnormalities and gene expression signatures underlying DIPG.

Patients and Methods

Single-nucleotide polymorphism arrays were used to compare the frequencies of genomic copy number abnormalities in 43 DIPGs and eight low-grade brainstem gliomas with data from adult and pediatric (non-DIPG) glioblastomas, and expression profiles were evaluated using gene expression arrays for 27 DIPGs, six low-grade brainstem gliomas, and 66 nonbrainstem low-grade gliomas.

Results

Frequencies of specific large-scale and focal imbalances varied significantly between DIPGs and nonbrainstem pediatric glioblastomas. Focal amplifications of genes within the receptor tyrosine kinase–Ras–phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling pathway were found in 47% of DIPGs, the most common of which involved PDGFRA and MET. Thirty percent of DIPGs contained focal amplifications of cell-cycle regulatory genes controlling retinoblastoma protein (RB) phosphorylation, and 21% had concurrent amplification of genes from both pathways. Some tumors showed heterogeneity in amplification patterns. DIPGs showed distinct gene expression signatures related to developmental processes compared with nonbrainstem pediatric high-grade gliomas, whereas expression signatures of low-grade brainstem and nonbrainstem gliomas were similar.

Conclusion

DIPGs comprise a molecularly related but distinct subgroup of pediatric gliomas. Genomic studies suggest that targeted inhibition of receptor tyrosine kinases and RB regulatory proteins may be useful therapies for DIPG.
On Blaug Ten Years Later
Authors: Garegnani Pierangelo
Published: September 2011

Ten years on, Professor Blaug has returned to a subject on which his 1999 article, “Misunderstanding Classical Economics: The Sraffian Interpretation of the Surplus Approach,” stirred up lively debate. The subject is, as he puts it, “Sraffian economics,” and his 2009 paper is a “new version of an earlier effort [that] extends and hopefully deepens the argument.” The themes of his criticism of what we may call the “classical revival” opened up by Sraffa remain, however, basically the same: that the revival is defective because of some alleged overall misinterpretation of the classical economists, and of formalism in the presentation and development of the theoretical approach of those economists. If the main themes of criticism remain broadly the same, there is, however, a very important difference in that the reasonably compact analytical argument that supported the 1999 criticism disappears in the 2009 article, with little remaining to support his contention.
In Search of Iran: Resistant Melancholia in Iranian American Memoirs of Return
Authors: Nasrabadi Manijeh
Published: September 2011

This article brings Iranian American return narratives into dialogue with reinterpretations of Freud’s analysis of melancholia in the works of Judith Butler, Jonathan Flatley, David Kazanjian, David Eng, and Shinhee Ham, among others. By refusing to relinquish Iran as a physical, geographical location, these narratives reverse the one-way motion of migration and assimilation, undermine the model-minority stereotype, and contradict the subtext of dominant Western discourses around Iran—that it is a place every sensible Iranian would leave behind if given the opportunity. Tara Bahrampour’s To See and See Again, Azadeh Moaveni’s Lipstick Jihad, and Gelareh Asayesh’s Saffron Sky each seek confrontations with loss, contesting the relationship between the past and its remains by bringing personal and historical memory into direct encounters with present-day Iran. In this way, they articulate versions of Walter Benjamin’s call to interrogate the tensions among history, memory, and the present, to “brush history against the grain.” Seen as melancholic acts of rebellion, with failure necessarily embedded within from the start, Iranian American memoirs of return raise a series of questions: What happens at the site of return, when subjectivity fragmented by migration and assimilation seeks to recover a lost sense of coherence? How does the text itself become a geographical location in which narrative strategies are employed to bring the past into dialogue with the present? What creative potential is unleashed through a melancholic engagement with history, trauma, and memory, and what new forms of community and resistance become available as a result? This article takes up these sites of inquiry and sketches the contours of return narratives as a new archetype of ethnic American literature.
Enterprise Reform in Chinese Industry
Authors: Jefferson Gary H , Rawski Thomas G
Published: September 2011

This paper begins by using a structure-conduct-performance perspective to show that partial reform improved the operation of China's state industries during the 1980s. The authors review the achievements of industries outside the state sector, emphasizing their links to the state sector. The paper focuses on key defects in the industrial system related to finance and ownership; shows how the accelerated reform agenda of the 1980s seeks to resolve these issues; and conclude that China's recent industrial experience demonstrates the feasibility of multiple approaches, including partial and gradual reforms, to the restructuring of industry in former socialist economies.
Distinguished Fellow: Herbert Scarf's Contributions to Economics
Authors: Arrow Kenneth J , Kehoe Timothy J
Published: September 2011

For the past thirty-five years, Herbert Scarf has made fundamental contributions in studies of inventories, the core, computation of equilibria, and integer programming. His work has simultaneously sought the most general and abstract formulations while simplifying the theory and bringing it closer to applications.
Economic Incentives and the Defense Procurement Process
Authors: Rogerson William P
Published: September 2011

This paper describes some of the insights that the economic theory of incentives can contribute to defense procurement policy analysis. It describes the underlying incentive problems that shape the defense procurement problem, the nature of current institutions and how they affect actors’ behavior, and possible directions for improving the procurement process suggested by viewing it as a solution to a complex set of incentive problems. Incentive problems between government and defense firms and incentive problems within government are both considered.
Robust Optimization Made Easy with ROME
Authors: Goh Joel , Sim Melvyn
Published: September 2011

We introduce ROME, an algebraic modeling toolbox for a class of robust optimization problems. ROME serves as an intermediate layer between the modeler and optimization solver engines, allowing modelers to express robust optimization problems in a mathematically meaningful way. In this paper, we discuss how ROME can be used to model (1) a service-constrained robust inventory management problem, (2) a project-crashing problem, and (3) a robust portfolio optimization problem. Through these modeling examples, we highlight the key features of ROME that allow it to expedite the modeling and subsequent numerical analysis of robust optimization problems. ROME is freely distributed for academic use at http://www.robustopt.com.
Development of a Novel Test Rig for the Evaluation of Aircraft Fuel Tank Sealant
Authors: Hooper M. N. , Hutchinson A. R. , Broughton J. G. , Taylor M. A.
Published: September 2011

A key concept for the future evaluation of sealant materials for commercial aircraft is to expose realistic sealed joint systems to typical dynamic and environmental parameters representative of actual flight conditions. The development of a mechanism to undertake the full range of test parameters for the evaluation of sealants for current and future aircraft is described in this paper. This mechanism, or model sealed system (MSS), consists of an axial stress machine into which vibrational fatigue, high and low temperatures and pressures can be programmed for automatic operation. The test coupons, within the MSS, can be stressed to simulate flight conditions along with the flight pressures and temperatures. The MSS is described and the results of sealant evaluation to date are presented.
Phraseological False Equivalence in Upper-Sorbian and Polish
Authors: Szpila Grzegorz
Published: September 2011

The paper discusses the phenomenon of phraseological false cognates on the example of Upper-Sorbian and Polish idioms. The author talks about the views on lexemic and phraseological false friends. The analysis examines the motivations of the differences in meaning between formal identical and similar phraseological units in Upper-Sorbian and Polish. It includes relevant examples to illustrate the categories of phraseological false friends within which dissimilarities are considered.
Buchbesprechung
Authors: Stern Dieter
Published: September 2011

Juliane Besters-Dilger und Achim Rabus (Hrsg.), Text  Sprache  Grammatik. Slavisches Schrifttum der Vormoderne. Festschrift für Eckhard Weiher, München  Berlin: Otto Sagner, 2009. (Die Welt der Slaven: Sammelbände; 39) ISBN 978-3-86688-081-8
Constraints on diachronic development: the Animacy Hierarchy and the Relevance Constraint
Authors: Enger Hans-Olav , Nesset Tore
Published: September 2011

The present paper investigates language change in the categories of Number, Gender, Case and Definiteness from the perspective of cognitive linguistics. On the basis of data from Germanic and Slavic, as well as from Greek, Breton, Spanish and Persian, it is claimed that the observed changes are constrained by the Animacy Hierarchy and what we call the Relevance Constraint, which says that language change targets the part of the lexicon where the categories in question are most relevant for human experience and the changes do not make any ‘leaps’ along the Hierarchy. It is suggested that animacy and relevance presuppose a linguistic theory based on embodiment and construal, such as cognitive linguistics.
Influence of fasting, insulin and glucose on ghrelin in the dorsal vagal complex in rats
Authors: Huang Lei , Qiu Bin , Yuan Lin , Zheng Lili , Li Qiang , Zhu Shigong
Published: September 2011

The dorsal vagal complex (DVC) is an important site in which ghrelin plays an orexigenic role. However, the relationship between ghrelin expression in DVC and the energy status of the organism is unclear, as well as the role of the vagus nerve in this process. In this study, ghrelin expression in DVC neurons of rats was detected, then levels of ghrelin expression were observed under the conditions of regular diet, fasting, high blood glucose, low blood glucose, and following subdiaphragmatic vagotomy and vagus nerve electrostimulation. The results showed the following: 1) there was positive staining of ghrelin neurons in DVC; 2) ghrelin protein and mRNA levels in DVC increased under fasting condition; 3) Hyperglycemia, induced by glucose production, decreased DVC ghrelin levels and levels did not increase under hypoglycemia induced by insulin injection; 4) the dorsal trunk of the subdiaphragmatic vagus transmits a stimulatory signal to increase DVC ghrelin levels, whereas the ventral trunk transmits inhibitory information; and 5) DVC ghrelin levels decreased with 20 Hz stimulation on the ventral or dorsal trunk of subdiaphragmatic vagus nerves but increased with 1 Hz stimulation on the dorsal trunk. These results indicate that endogenous ghrelin is synthesized in DVC neurons. Conditions such as fasting, hyperglycemia, and hypoglycemia result in changes in DVC ghrelin levels in which the dorsal and ventral trunks of subdiaphragmatic vagus play different modulation roles.
UV emitting single crystalline film scintillators grown by LPE method: current status and perspective
Authors: Zorenko Yuriy , Gorbenko Vitaliy , Savchyn Volodymyr , Voznyak Taras , Batentschuk Miroslaw , Winnacker Albrecht , Xia Qi , Brabec Christoph
Published: September 2011

This work is dedicated to the development of new type of UV phosphors based on single crystalline films (SCF) of aluminum garnet compounds grown by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE). The development of two types of UV emitting SCF scintillators is reported in this work: 1) Pr-doped SCF of Y-Lu-Al garnet having the intensive Pr3+ f-d luminescence in the 300-400 nm spectral ranges with a decay time of about 13-18 ns; 2) SCF of Y-Lu-Al-garnet doped with Sc3+ isoelectronic impurity emitting in the 290-400 nm range due to the formation of the ScY,Lu and ScAl centers with a luminescence decay time in the order of several hundred ns.
Study of Structural Defects in CdZnTe Crystals by High Resolution Electron Microscopy
Authors: Hossain A. , Bolotnikov A. E. , Camarda G. S. , Cui Y. , Gul R. , Kim K-H. , Kisslinger K. , Su D. , Yang G. , Zhang L. H. , James R. B.
Published: September 2011

We investigated defects in CdZnTe crystals produced from various conditions and their impact on fabricated devices. In this study, we employed transmission and scanning transmission electron microscope (TEM and STEM), because defects at the nano-scale are not observed readily under an optical or infrared microscope, or by most other techniques. Our approach revealed several types of defects in the crystals, such as low-angle boundaries, dislocations and precipitates, which likely are major causes in degrading the electrical properties of CdZnTe devices, and eventually limiting their performance.