bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Connexin dynamics in the privileged wound healing of the buccal mucosa
Authors: Davis Nicola G. , Phillips Anthony , Becker David L.
Published: April 2013

Wound closure is fundamental to maintaining tissue homeostasis; a plethora of processes and signals must be coordinated, and gap junctions play a critical role. Some tissues exhibit privileged healing, such as buccal mucosa, repairing more rapidly, but gap junction connexin dynamics during wound healing in such tissues have not been investigated. To determine connexin changes during this rapid healing process, incisional wounds were made in the cheeks of mice and microscopically observed. We discovered that buccal mucosa wound edge keratinocytes do not form a thin tongue of migratory cells like epidermis; instead, a wedge of cells rapidly moves into the wound. The dorsal surfaces of opposing sides of the wounds then touch and join in a “V,” which subsequently fills up with cells to form a “delta” that remodels into a flat sheet. Immunostaining showed that connexin26, connexin30, and connexin43 are expressed at significantly higher levels in the buccal mucosa than the epidermis and that, unlike the skin, all three are rapidly down‐regulated at the wound edge within 6 hours of wounding. This rapid down‐regulation of all three connexins may in part underlie the rapid healing of the buccal mucosa.
Investigation on the origin of luminescence quenching in N-polar (In,Ga)N multiple quantum wells
Authors: Chèze Caroline , Siekacz Marcin , Muzioł Grzegorz , Turski Henryk , Grzanka Szymon , Kryśko Marcin , Weyher Jan L. , Boćkowski Michał , Hauswald Christian , Lähnemann Jonas , Brandt Oliver , Albrecht Martin , Skierbiszewski Czesław
Published: April 2013

The growth of N-polar (In,Ga)N structures by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy is studied. (In,Ga)N multiple quantum well samples with atomically smooth surface were grown and their good structural quality was confirmed by x-ray diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and defect selective etching. The In incorporation was higher in the N-polar than in the Ga-polar oriented crystal, consistent with previous reports. However, despite the good morphological and structural properties of these samples, no photoluminescence signal from the (In,Ga)N wells was detected. In contrast, a thick N-polar (In,Ga)N layer exhibited a broad peak at 620 nm in good agreement with the In content determined by x-ray diffraction. The potential source of the luminescence quenching in the N-polar (In,Ga)N multiple quantum wells is discussed and attributed either to a strong nonradiative recombination channel at the surface promoted by the electric field or to the high concentration of point defects at the interfaces of the quantum well structures.
New insight into cavitation mechanisms in high-capacity tensiometers based on high-speed photography
Authors: Mendes J. , Buzzi O.
Published: April 2013

The high-capacity tensiometer developed by Ridley and Burland in 1993 is a milestone in experimental unsaturated soil mechanics. This device, which relies on development of tension in an enclosed water body, permits direct measurement of negative water potential. Many tensiometers have been built since 1993, all being based on the same principle although the design may differ slightly from the original. In particular, the common characteristic is a very small water reservoir that is believed to be the location of bubble nucleation, a phenomenon referred to as cavitation that impedes the sensor from functioning properly. Many have studied cavitation and different explanations or cavitation mechanisms have been proposed. However, all the considerations put forward were derived without being able to capture what happened inside the water reservoir at cavitation. This is now achieved with the new tensiometer specifically designed to “see” inside the water reservoir during suction measurement. For the first time, cavitation has been captured via high-speed photography and the mechanisms of cavitation can be explained using physical evidence. The first outcome is that it is possible for a high-capacity tensiometer to function to its full range with a large water reservoir. Then, the analysis of high-speed photographs reveals that the bubbles triggering cavitation are nucleated in the ceramic and make their way to the water reservoir. Cavitation occurs only when the air phase reaches the water reservoir.
Karyotyping ofBrachypodium pinnatum(2n= 18) chromosomes using cross-species BAC–FISH
Authors: Wolny Elzbieta , Fidyk Wojciech , Hasterok Robert
Published: April 2013

Identification of individual chromosomes in a complement is usually a difficult task in the case of most plant species, especially for those with small, numerous, and morphologically uniform chromosomes. In this paper, we demonstrate that the landmarks produced by cross-species fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) of Brachypodium distachyon derived bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones can be used for discrimination of Brachypodium pinnatum (2n = 18) chromosomes. Selected sets of clones were hybridised in several sequential experiments performed on exactly the same chromosome spreads, using reprobing of cytological preparations. Analysis of the morphometric features of B. pinnatum chromosomes was performed to establish their total length, the position of centromeres, and the position of BAC-based landmarks in relation to the centromere, thereby enabling their effective karyotyping, which is a prerequisite for more complex study of the grass genome structure and evolution at the cytomolecular level.
STRONG GRAVITATIONAL LENSING AND ITS COSMIC CONSTRAINTS
Authors: WANG NANNAN , XU LIXIN
Published: April 2013

In this paper, we propose a new method to use the strong lensing data sets to constrain a cosmological model. By taking the ratio [Formula: see text] as cosmic observations, one can completely eliminate the uncertainty caused by the relation σSIS= fEσ0which characterizes the relation between the stellar velocity dispersion σ0and the velocity dispersion σSIS. Via our method, a relative tight constraint to the cosmological model space can be obtained, for the spatially flat ΛCDM model as an example [Formula: see text] in 3σ regions. And by using this method, one can also probe the nature of dark energy and the spatial curvature of our Universe.
A NEW APPROACH FOR FACE-IRIS MULTIMODAL BIOMETRIC RECOGNITION USING SCORE FUSION
Authors: ESKANDARI MARYAM , TOYGAR ÖNSEN , DEMIREL HASAN
Published: April 2013

In this paper, a new approach based on score level fusion is presented to obtain a robust recognition system by concatenating face and iris scores of several standard classifiers. The proposed method concatenates face and iris match scores instead of concatenating features as in feature-level fusion. The features from face and iris are extracted using local and global feature extraction methods such as PCA, subspace LDA, spPCA, mPCA and LBP. Transformation-based score fusion and classifier-based score fusion are then involved in the process to obtain, concatenate and classify the matching scores. Different fusion techniques at matching score level, feature level and decision level are compared with the proposed method to emphasize improvement and effectiveness of the proposed method. In order to validate the proposed scheme, a combined database is formed using ORL and BANCA face databases together with CASIA and UBIRIS iris databases. The results based on recognition performance and ROC analysis demonstrate that the proposed score level fusion achieves a significant improvement over unimodal methods and other multimodal face-iris fusion methods.
ON THE TRIPLE INTERACTING DARK ENERGY MODEL
Authors: HUANG PENG , HUANG YONG-CHANG
Published: April 2013

Three aspects of the triple interacting dark energy model are studied. The relation between two types of the triple interacting dark energy models is investigated first. Then, the concrete forms of the interacting terms are given by supposing ratios between different energy components is stationary. Furthermore, the stability of the triple interacting dark energy model with different transfer terms is studied in detail, and the complete table of relations between the stability and the transfer terms is given, we find that only models with transformation between matter and dark energy proportional to ρc or ρDE, while the transformation between radiation and matter is not proportional to ρR, are stable against perturbation, which give strong restriction on the model building of the triple interacting.
A NOVEL GAME THEORY BASED EXIT SELECTION MODEL IN EMERGENCY CONDITIONS
Authors: BRAGLIA MARCELLO , CASTELLANO DAVIDE , GABBRIELLI ROBERTO
Published: April 2013

In this paper, a new game theory based approach for the evacuees exit selection in emergency conditions is presented. It is founded on the theoretical concepts of multi-stage games with perfect information. In particular, an evacuee is a player and the available actions for a generic player are the accessible emergency exits. The developed mathematical model involves several psychological parameters, in order to make the emergency exit choice also affected by the individual character. Moreover, an evacuation simulation model incorporating this novel approach is shown. The model involves many other parameters and aspects attempting to obtain a satisfactory representation of the actual evacuation process and of the human behavior in emergency conditions. Finally, the effectiveness of the model is demonstrated with a simulative study.
A NOTE ON PARALLEL FINITE DIFFERENCE APPROXIMATE INVERSE PRECONDITIONING ON MULTICORE SYSTEMS USING POSIX THREADS
Authors: GRAVVANIS G. A. , FILELIS-PAPADOPOULOS C. K. , GIANNOUTAKIS K. M. , LIPITAKIS E. A.
Published: April 2013

New parallel computational techniques are introduced for the parallelization of explicit finite difference (FD) approximate inverse matrix methods, based on Portable Operating System Interface for UniX (POSIX) threads, for multicore systems. Parallelization of the Optimized Banded Generalized Approximate Inverse Matrix (OBGAIM) algorithm is achieved based on the concept of the "fish bone" approach with the use of a thread pool pattern. Theoretical estimates on speedups and efficiency are also presented. Additionally, new parallel computational techniques are proposed for the parallelization of explicit preconditioned biconjugate conjugate gradient type methods, based on POSIX threads, for multicore systems. For parallelization purposes a replication of the parallel explicit preconditioned biconjugate conjugate gradient-STAB (PEPBICG-STAB) method was assigned on each created thread, with different index bands and with proper synchronization points on inner products and matrix-vector multiplications. Theoretical estimates on speedups and efficiency are also presented. Finally, numerical results for the performance of the Parallel Fish Bone OBGAIM (PaFiBo-OBGAIM) algorithm and the PEPBICG-STAB method for solving classical two-dimensional boundary value problems on multicore computer systems are presented, which are favorably compared to corresponding results from multiprocessor systems. The implementation issues of the proposed method are also discussed using POSIX threads on multicore systems.
PRUNING REDUNDANT SERVICES FOR FAST SERVICE SELECTION
Authors: WANG S. G. , LIU Z. P. , SUN Q. B. , ZOU H. , YANG F. C.
Published: April 2013

Selecting the optimal service from a mass of functionally equivalent services with low time cost is significant. Previous research addressed this issue excessively relying on several kinds of optimization algorithms. In this work, we propose an approach that prunes redundant services and reduces search space of service selection on the basis of Skyline computing and context inference. We firstly adopt Skyline computing to prune redundant services. Then, we present the notion of context service based on context inference to further reduce the size of service selection problem. Finally, mixed integer programming is employed to find the optimal service from context services according to users' Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. Experimental results on a test bed indicate that our approach can find the optimal service with low time cost.
AN INTERPOLATING BOUNDARY ELEMENT-FREE METHOD WITH NONSINGULAR WEIGHT FUNCTION FOR TWO-DIMENSIONAL POTENTIAL PROBLEMS
Authors: WANG JUFENG , WANG JIANFEI , SUN FENGXIN , CHENG YUMIN
Published: April 2013

In this paper, an improved interpolating moving least-squares (IIMLS) method with nonsingular weight function is presented. The shape function of the IIMLS method satisfies the property of Kronecker δ function. The IIMLS method can overcome the difficulties caused by the singularity of the weight function in the interpolating moving least-squares (IMLS) method presented by Lancaster and Salkauskas. By combining the boundary integral equation (BIE) method with the IIMLS method, an improved interpolating boundary element-free (IIBEF) method is presented for two-dimensional potential problems. The IIBEF method is a direct meshless boundary integral equation method in which the basic unknown quantities are the real solutions to the nodal variables, and the boundary conditions can be applied directly and easily. Thus, it gives greater computational precision. Some numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the IIMLS and IIBEF methods.
NUMERICAL STUDY ON BEHAVIOR OF THE TRAPEZOIDAL STORAGE TANK DUE TO LIQUID SLOSHING IMPACT
Authors: KETABDARI M. J. , SAGHI H.
Published: April 2013

In this paper, a numerical model is developed based on coupled boundary element–finite element methods (BEM–FEM) to minimize liquid sloshing pressure in trapezoidal tank with different sidewall angles. Different geometric shapes such as rectangular, cylindrical, elliptical, spherical and circular conical have already been studied for ship storage tanks by other researchers. In this paper, a new arrangement, i.e., trapezoidal containers is suggested for liquid storage tanks. The tank shape is optimized based on sloshing pressures and forces for a range of frequencies and amplitudes of sway motion and tank configuration. Fluid is considered to be incompressible and inviscid. Therefore, Laplace equation and nonlinear free surface boundary conditions are used to model the sloshing phenomenon. The results validated using available data showed that a new arrangement of trapezoidal storage panels has a better efficiency against sloshing phenomenon than the conventional rectangular tanks.
THE PROTECTION AND DEPLOYMENT OF FINANCIAL INNOVATION
Authors: GIANIODIS PETER , BROWN JILL A.
Published: April 2013

Prevailing theory suggests that firms that effectively protect technological discoveries from emulation will create and capture value. Despite its importance, little research has examined the specific mechanisms of how to protect technological discoveries, and have heretofore emphasized the importance of inherent resource attributes to limit competitor emulation. Using a sample of financial patents, we test theory regarding the effects of resource attributes and deployment mechanisms on resource-based emulation. Results indicate both resource attributes and deployment affect competitor action. However, the timing of emulation often depends upon contextual factors. Thus, resource deployment actions are critical to erecting sustainable resource barriers.
INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL NETWORKS AND INNOVATION IN SMALL, KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE FIRMS: A LITERATURE REVIEW
Authors: JENSSEN JAN INGE , NYBAKK ERLEND
Published: April 2013

A growing body of research acknowledges that inter-organizational networks greatly influence a firm's innovation performance. This study extends our understanding of this relationship by considering the effect of inter-organizational networks on innovation in small, knowledge-intensive companies. Based on a literature review, we formulate four propositions regarding the moderating effects of firm size and knowledge intensity on the relationship between inter-organizational networks and innovation, as well as the influence of these factors on the development of the inter-organizational networks themselves.
China's Politics: New Leadership Emerges from a Tumultuous Environment
Authors: ZHENG Yongnian , CHEN Gang , LYE Liang Fook
Published: April 2013

Hu's handover of both party and military rein to Xi at the same time surprised many as a new norm for future power transition. Xi's power is still constrained by his two predecessors, as well as his six peers in the Politburo Standing Committee. Bo Xilai's downfall not only disgraced the left-leaning “Chongqing model”, but unveiled the tip of an iceberg of how unbridled political power could impact the judiciary system.
Hong Kong Politics: Weak Leadership, Frustrated Society and Prospect
Authors: KWONG Kin Ming , YEW Chiew Ping
Published: April 2013

The year 2012 was an eventful year for Hong Kong. On top of two important elections — of the chief executive and the legislative council — society had witnessed numerous scandals involving high level politicians and tycoons, pervasive social disgruntlement and protests of increasing intensity, frequency and scale. The new administration is now facing three key challenges in putting together a credible and competent government, dispelling social mistrust and gaining legislative support. It appears that the new Chief Executive is close to resolving none.
Taiwanese Politics: Where to go from Here?
Authors: TSENG Katherine Hui-yi
Published: April 2013

The year 2012 had witnessed a cauldron in Taiwan that combined domestic political malaise, a cooling-off of cross-strait relations, and tumbling developments in terms of the most important external relations to the island, the Taiwan-US relations. As shown subsequently, different political forces had capitalised on these uncertainties, with the hope to reap political credit for themselves. However, a window is open in 2013 for continuing development in Taiwan, provided all political forces work together.
Subthalamic hGAD65 Gene Therapy and Striatum TH Gene Transfer in a Parkinson’s Disease Rat Model
Authors: Zheng Deyu , Jiang Xiaohua , Zhao Junpeng , Duan Deyi , Zhao Huanying , Xu Qunyuan
Published: April 2013

The aim of the present study is to detect a combination method to utilize gene therapy for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Here, a PD rat model is used for thein vivogene therapy of a recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV2) containing a human glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (rAAV2-hGAD65) gene delivered to the subthalamic nucleus (STN). This is combined with theex vivogene delivery of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) by fibroblasts injected into the striatum. After the treatment, the rotation behavior was improved with the greatest efficacy in the combination group. The results of immunohistochemistry showed that hGAD65 gene delivery by AAV2 successfully led to phenotypic changes of neurons in STN. And the levels of glutamic acid and GABA in the internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi) and substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) were obviously lower than the control groups. However, hGAD65 gene transfer did not effectively protect surviving dopaminergic neurons in the SNc and VTA. This study suggests that subthalamic hGAD65 gene therapy and combined with TH gene therapy can alleviate symptoms of the PD model rats, independent of the protection the DA neurons from death.
Metal Oxide Sol-Gels (ZrO2, AlO(OH), and SiO2) to Improve the Mechanical Performance of Wood Substrates
Authors: Landry Véronic , Blanchet Pierre , Boivin Gabrielle
Published: April 2013

Wood is a renewable material widely used in many applications due to its unique properties and distinctive look. However, as wood is organically constituted, it is slowly destroyed by the long-term impact of oxygen, UV radiations, water, and biological attacks (Mahltig et al., 2008). Therefore, protective treatments are necessary to improve the mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties of wood. In order to improve the mechanical properties of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), as this species is widely used in the wood products industry, samples of sugar maple were impregnated with sols of metal oxides (AlO(OH), SiO2, and ZrO2). The weight gain and two different techniques of microscopy were used to evaluate the efficiency of the impregnation in the wood samples. The mechanical properties were evaluated using hardness test, scratch test, and impact test. It was shown that the maple samples impregnated with ZrO2 led to the greatest improvement of the mechanical properties.
Mathematical Modelling of Biomechanical Interactions between Backpack and Bearer during Load Carriage
Authors: Ren Lei , Howard David , Jones Richard K.
Published: April 2013

This paper proposes a three-dimensional mathematical model of the biomechanical interactions between backpack and bearer during load carriage. The model considers both the coupled pack motions, which follow the torso, and also the longitudinal compliance and damping in the backpack suspension. The pack interaction forces and moments, acting on the bearer, are determined from kinematic relationships, equations of motion, and a dynamic pack suspension model. The parameters of the pack suspension model were identified from test data obtained using a load carriage test rig. Output from the load carriage mathematical model has been compared with measurement data during human gait and conclusions drawn with regard to the validity of the proposed approach.
Thermo Physical Properties for Binary Mixture of Dimethylsulfoxide and Isopropylbenzene at Various Temperatures
Authors: Kumar Maninder , Rattan V. K.
Published: April 2013

Density, refractive index, speed of sound, and viscosity have been measured of binary mixture dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) + isopropylbenzene (CUMENE) over the whole composition range at 298.15, 303.15, 308.15, and 313.15 K and atmospheric pressure. From these experimental measurements the excess molar volume, deviations in viscosity, molar refractivity, speed of sound, and isentropic compressibility have been calculated. These deviations have been correlated by a polynomial Redlich-Kister equation to derive the coefficients and standard error. The viscosities have furthermore been correlated with two or three parameter models, that is, herric correlation and McAllister model, respectively.
Protein Kinase Cε, Which Is Linked to Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Development of Squamous Cell Carcinomas, Stimulates Rapid Turnover of Adult Hair Follicle Stem Cells
Authors: Singh Ashok , Singh Anupama , Sand Jordan M. , Heninger Erika , Hafeez Bilal Bin , Verma Ajit K.
Published: April 2013

To find clues about the mechanism by which kinase C epsilon (PKCε) may impart susceptibility to ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced development of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), we compared PKCεtransgenic (TG) mice and their wild-type (WT) littermates for (1) the effects of UVR exposures on percent of putative hair follicle stem cells (HSCs) and (2) HSCs proliferation. The percent of double HSCs (CD34+ andα6-integrin or CD34+/CD49f+) in the isolated keratinocytes were determined by flow cytometric analysis. Both single and chronic UVR treatments (1.8 kJ/m2) resulted in an increase in the frequency of double positive HSCs in PKCεTG mice as compared to their WT littermates. To determine the rate of proliferation of bulge region stem cells, a 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine labeling (BrdU) experiment was performed. In the WT mice, the percent of double positive HSCs retaining BrdU label was28.4±0.6% compared to4.0±0.06% for the TG mice, an approximately 7-fold decrease. A comparison of gene expression profiles of FACS sorted double positive HSCs showed increased expression of Pes1, Rad21, Tfdp1 and Cks1b genes in TG mice compared to WT mice. Also, PKCεover expression in mice increased the clonogenicity of isolated keratinocytes, a property commonly ascribed to stem cells.
Nanoporous Aluminium Oxide Membranes as Cell Interfaces
Authors: Brüggemann Dorothea
Published: April 2013

Nanoporous anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) has become increasingly important in biomedical applications over the past years due to its biocompatibility, increased surface area, and the possibility to tailor this nanomaterial with a wide range of surface modifications. AAO nanopores are formed in an inexpensive anodisation process of pure aluminium, which results in the self‐assembly of highly ordered, vertical nanochannels with well‐controllable pore diameters, depths, and interpore distances. Because of these outstanding properties AAO nanopores have become excellent candidates as nanostructured substrates for cell‐interface studies. In this comprehensive review previous surveys on cell adhesion and proliferation on different AAO nanopore geometries and surface modifications are highlighted and summarised tabularly. Future applications of nanoporous alumina membranes in biotechnology and medicine are also outlined, for instance, the use of nanoporous AAO as implant modifications, coculture substrates, or immunoisolation devices.
Combination Antifungal Therapy in the Treatment ofScedosporium apiospermumCentral Nervous System Infections
Authors: Henao-Martínez Andrés F. , Castillo-Mancilla José R. , Barron Michelle A. , Nichol Aran Cunningham
Published: April 2013

Treatment ofScedosporium apiospermumcentral nervous system (CNS) infection typically consists of an azole in combination with surgical debridement. This approach requires prolonged treatment and carries a high associated mortality. We present two cases of the successful treatment ofS. apiospermumCNS infections with the combination of voriconazole and terbinafine.
Normal Anatomical Features and Variations of the Vertebrobasilar Circulation and Its Branches: An Analysis with 64‐Detector Row CT and 3T MR Angiographies
Authors: Akgun Veysel , Battal Bilal , Bozkurt Yalcin , Oz Oguzhan , Hamcan Salih , Sari Sebahattin , Akgun Hakan
Published: April 2013

Purpose. To determine the normal anatomical features and variations of the vertebrobasilar circulation and its branches in patients who underwent multidetector computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) angiographies of the brain. Methods. 135 patients (male, 83 and female, 52; mean age, 50.1 years) who underwent CT (n = 71) or MR (n = 64) angiographies of the vertebrobasilar vasculature for various reasons were analyzed retrospectively. The right and left distal vertebral arteries (VAs), posterior inferior cerebellar arteries (PICAs), anterior inferior cerebellar arteries (AICAs), superior cerebellar arteries (SCAs), posterior cerebral arteries (PCAs), and posterior communicating arteries (PCoAs) were analyzed individually. Results. In 24.4% of the cases (33/135) right PICA, in 19.3% of the cases (26/135) left PICA, in 17.8% of the cases (24/135) right AICA, and in 18.5% of the cases (25/135) left AICA were absent. In cases without PICA or AICA, there was a statistically significant, moderately or well‐developed AICA or PICA on the same side, respectively (P < 0.001). The most common variation was isolated absence of right PICA and was seen in 17.8% of the cases. Conclusions. The anatomic features of the branches of the vertebrobasilar circulation may be different from well‐known normal anatomy. CT and MR angiographies allow a precise and detailed evaluation of vertebrobasilar circulation.
Fouling Removal of UF Membrane with Coated TiO2Nanoparticles under UV Irradiation for Effluent Recovery during TFT-LCD Manufacturing
Authors: You S. H. , Wu C. T.
Published: April 2013

An ultrafiltration (UF) membrane process was employed to treat the secondary effluent discharged from a manufacturing of thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) in this study. A bench-scale system was performed to evaluate the fouling removal of a UF membrane with coated titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles under UV irradiation. The operating pressure and feed temperature were controlled at 300 KN/m2and 25°C, respectively. It was found that the optimum operating conditions were attained with TiO2concentrations of 10 wt% for both 5 KD and 10 KD MWCO. Continuous UV irradiation of 5 KD MWCO improved the permeate flux rate from 45.0% to 59.5% after 4 hours of operation. SEM-EDS analysis also showed that the photocatalytic effect had reduced the average thickness of cake fouling on the membrane from 6.40 μm to 2.70 μm for 5 KD MWCO and from 6.70 μm to 3.1 μm for 10 KD MWCO. In addition, the membrane contact angle was reduced from 54° to 44°. The photocatalytic properties of TiO2apparently increased the hydrophilicity of the membrane surface, thereby reducing membrane fouling.
Numerical Simulations of MREIT Conductivity Imaging for Brain Tumor Detection
Authors: Meng Zi Jun , Sajib Saurav Z. K. , Chauhan Munish , Sadleir Rosalind J. , Kim Hyung Joong , Kwon Oh In , Woo Eung Je
Published: April 2013

Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT) is a new modality capable of imaging the electrical properties of human body using MRI phase information in conjunction with external current injection. Recentin vivoanimal and human MREIT studies have revealed unique conductivity contrasts related to different physiological and pathological conditions of tissues or organs. When performingin vivobrain imaging, small imaging currents must be injected so as not to stimulate peripheral nerves in the skin, while delivery of imaging currents to the brain is relatively small due to the skull’s low conductivity. As a result, injected imaging currents may induce small phase signals and the overall low phase SNR in brain tissues. In this study, we present numerical simulation results of the use of head MREIT for brain tumor detection. We used a realistic three-dimensional head model to compute signal levels produced as a consequence of a predicted doubling of conductivity occurring within simulated tumorous brain tissues. We determined the feasibility of measuring these changes in a time acceptable to human subjects by adding realistic noise levels measured from a candidate 3 T system. We also reconstructed conductivity contrast images, showing that such conductivity differences can be both detected and imaged.
A Novel Numerical Algorithm for Optimal Sizing of a Photovoltaic/Wind/Diesel Generator/Battery Microgrid Using Loss of Load Probability Index
Authors: Kazem Hussein A. , Khatib Tamer
Published: April 2013

This paper presents a method for determining optimal sizes of PV array, wind turbine, diesel generator, and storage battery installed in a building integrated system. The objective of the proposed optimization is to design the system that can supply a building load demand at minimum cost and maximum availability. The mathematical models for the system components as well as meteorological variables such as solar energy, temperature, and wind speed are employed for this purpose. Moreover, the results showed that the optimum sizing ratios (the daily energy generated by the source to the daily energy demand) for the PV array, wind turbine, diesel generator, and battery for a system located in Sohar, Oman, are 0.737, 0.46, 0.22, and 0.17, respectively. A case study represented by a system consisting of 30 kWp PV array (36%), 18 kWp wind farm (55%), and 5 kVA diesel generator (9%) is presented. This system is supposed to power a 200 kWh/day load demand. It is found that the generated energy share of the PV array, wind farm, and diesel generator is 36%, 55%, and 9%, respectively, while the cost of energy is 0.17 USD/kWh.
A Community-Supported Clinic-Based Program for Prevention of Violence against Pregnant Women in Rural Kenya
Authors: Turan Janet M. , Hatcher Abigail M. , Odero Merab , Onono Maricianah , Kodero Jannes , Romito Patrizia , Mangone Emily , Bukusi Elizabeth A.
Published: April 2013

Objective. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to adverse outcomes related to HIV infection and gender-based violence (GBV). We aimed at developing a program for prevention and mitigation of the effects of GBV among pregnant women at an antenatal clinic in rural Kenya.Methods. Based on formative research with pregnant women, male partners, and service providers, we developed a GBV program including comprehensive clinic training, risk assessments in the clinic, referrals supported by community volunteers, and community mobilization. To evaluate the program, we analyzed data from risk assessment forms and conducted focus groups (n=2groups) and in-depth interviews (n=25) with healthcare workers and community members.Results. A total of 134 pregnant women were assessed during a 5-month period: 49 (37%) reported violence and of those 53% accepted referrals to local support resources. Qualitative findings suggested that the program was acceptable and feasible, as it aided pregnant women in accessing GBV services and raised awareness of GBV. Community collaboration was crucial in this low-resource setting.Conclusion. Integrating GBV programs into rural antenatal clinics has potential to contribute to both primary and secondary GBV prevention. Following further evaluation, this model may be deemed applicable for rural communities in Kenya and elsewhere in East Africa.
Holistic Biquadratic IIR Filter Design for Communication Systems Using Differential Evolution
Authors: Melzer Alexander , Pedross Andreas , Mücke Manfred
Published: April 2013

Digital IIR filter implementations are important building blocks of most communication systems. The chosen number format (fixed-point, floating-point; precision) has a major impact on achievable performance and implementation cost. Typically, filter design for communication systems is based on filter specifications in the frequency domain. We consider IIR filter design as an integral part of communication system optimisation with implicit filter specification in thetime domain(via symbol/bit error rate). We present a holistic design flow with the system's bit error rate as the main objective. We consider a discrete search space spanned by the quantised filter coefficients.Differential Evolutionis used for efficient sampling of this huge finite design space. We present communication system performance (based on bit-true simulations) and both measured and estimated receiver IIR chip areas. The results show that very small number formats are acceptable for complex filters and that the choice between fixed-point and floating-point number formats is nontrivial if precision is a free parameter.
Translating Research into Practice in Low-Resource Countries: Progress in Prevention of Maternal to Child Transmission of HIV in Nigeria
Authors: Ogbolu Y. , Iwu E. N. , Zhu S. , Johnson J. V.
Published: April 2013

Background.Research related to prevention of maternal to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV is dynamic and rapidly changing and has provided evidence-based interventions and policies for practitioners. However, it is uncertain that research and policy guidelines are adequately being disseminated and implemented in resource-constrained countries with the largest burden PMTCT. This study examined current PMTCT practices in 27 public health facilities in Nigeria.Methods.A cross-sectional survey of 231 practicing nurses was conducted. Current PMTCT care practices were evaluated and compared to WHO and national PMTCT policy guidelines. Linear mixed models evaluated the association between PMTCT care practices and training in PMTCT.Results.Most nurses (80%) applied practices involving newborn prophylaxis; yet significant gaps in maternal intrapartum treatment and infant feeding practices were identified. PMTCT training explained 25% of the variance in the application of PMTCT care practices.Conclusion.Key PMTCT practices are not being adequately translated from research into practice. Researchers, policymakers, and clinicians could apply the study findings to address significant knowledge translation gaps in PMTCT. Strategies derived from an implementation science perspective are suggested as a means to improve the translation of PMTCT research into practice in Sub-Saharan African medical facilities.
Dissecting Major Signaling Pathways throughout the Development of Prostate Cancer
Authors: da Silva Henrique B. , Amaral Eduardo P. , Nolasco Eduardo L. , de Victo Nathalia C. , Atique Rodrigo , Jank Carina C. , Anschau Valesca , Zerbini Luiz F. , Correa Ricardo G.
Published: April 2013

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignancies found in males. The development of PCa involves several mutations in prostate epithelial cells, usually linked to developmental changes, such as enhanced resistance to apoptotic death, constitutive proliferation, and, in some cases, to differentiation into an androgen deprivation-resistant phenotype, leading to the appearance of castration-resistant PCa (CRPCa), which leads to a poor prognosis in patients. In this review, we summarize recent findings concerning the main deregulations into signaling pathways that will lead to the development of PCa and/or CRPCa. Key mutations in some pathway molecules are often linked to a higher prevalence of PCa, by directly affecting the respective cascade and, in some cases, by deregulating a cross-talk node or junction along the pathways. We also discuss the possible environmental and nonenvironmental inducers for these mutations, as well as the potential therapeutic strategies targeting these signaling pathways. A better understanding of how some risk factors induce deregulation of these signaling pathways, as well as how these deregulated pathways affect the development of PCa and CRPCa, will further help in the development of new treatments and prevention strategies for this disease.
A Novel, Homozygous c.1502T>G (p.Val501Gly) Mutation in theThyroid peroxidaseGene in Malaysian Sisters with Congenital Hypothyroidism and Multinodular Goiter
Authors: Lee Ching Chin , Harun Fatimah , Jalaludin Muhammad Yazid , Heh Choon Han , Othman Rozana , Mat Junit Sarni
Published: April 2013

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) with multinodular goiter (MNG) is uncommonly seen in children. However, CH associated with goiter is often caused by defectiveThyroid peroxidase(TPO) gene. In this study, we screened for mutation(s) in theTPOgene in two siblings with CH and MNG and their healthy family members. The two sisters, born to consanguineous parents, were diagnosed with CH during infancy and received treatment since then. They developed MNG during childhood despite adequate L-thyroxine replacement and negative thyroid antibody screening. PCR-amplification of all exons using flanking primers followed by DNA sequencing revealed that the two sisters were homozygous for a novel c.1502T>G mutation. The mutation is predicted to substitute valine for glycine at a highly conserved amino acid residue 501 (p.Val501Gly). Other healthy family members were either heterozygotes or mutation-free. The mutation was not detected in 50 healthy unrelated individuals.In silicoanalyses using PolyPhen-2 and SIFT predicted that the p.Val501Gly mutation is functionally “damaging.” Tertiary modeling showed structural alterations in the active site of the mutant TPO. In conclusion, a novel mutation, p.Val501Gly, in theTPOgene was detected expanding the mutation spectrum ofTPOassociated with CH and MNG.
Roman Catholicism, Diplomacy, and the European Communities, 1958–1964
Authors: Leustean Lucian N.
Published: April 2013

This article investigates the Roman Catholic Church's role in the process of European integration from the first Hallstein Commission in 1958 to the failure of the Holy See's application to establish a diplomatic representation at the European Economic Community in 1964. The article focuses on the Church's response toward emerging European institutions and shows that local mobilization in Luxembourg, Strasbourg, and Brussels was instrumental in shaping relations between the Catholic Church and the European Communities (EC). The Church's position toward the EC, placing local communities as prime actors in dialogue with European institutions, reflected the sensitive nature of religion during the Cold War.
Book Reviews
Authors: Boland B.J. , Pijper G.F. , Claessen H.J.M. , Williams Francis Edgar , Lohuizen-de Leeuw J.E. , Bernet Kempers A.J. , Ruijter A. , Appell G.N.
Published: April 2013

- B.J. Boland, G.F. Pijper, Studiën over de geschiedenis van de Islam in Indonesia, 1900-1950. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1977. 160 pp., 10 ill. - H.J.M. Claessen, Francis Edgar Williams, “The Vailala Madness” and other essays. Edited and with an introduction by Erik Schwimmer. London: C. Hurst and Company. 1976. 432 pp. Maps, bibliography, index. - J.E. van Lohuizen-de Leeuw, A.J. Bernet Kempers, Ageless Borobudur - Buddhist mystery in stone - Decay and restoration - Mendut and Pawon - Folklife in ancient Java. Katwijk aan Zee, Servire, 1976. 288 pp., 225 illustrations. - A. de Ruijter, G.N. Appell, The societies of Borneo. Explorations in the theory of cognatic social structure. A special publication of the American Anthropological Association, number 6, Washington, 1976. 160 pp.
Book Reviews
Authors: Bax Mart , Bovenkerk F. , Claessen H.J.M. , Thiel Jozef Franz , Claessen H.J.M. , Reid Anthony , Davis J. , Stuchlik M. , Klomp Ank , Marks A.F. , Köbben A.J.F. , Price Richard , Kuper Adam , Werbner Richard , Velde P. , Dunn F.L.
Published: April 2013

- Mart Bax, F. Bovenkerk, Binnenstebuiten en Ondersteboven. De antropologie van de industriële samenleving. (Terreinverkenningen in de Culturele Antropologie.) Van Gorcum, Assen, 1976. 97 pp. plus bibliografie., L. Brunt (eds.) - H.J.M. Claessen, Anthony Reid, Pre-colonial state systems in Southeast Asia. The Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Bali-Lombok, South Celebes. Monographs of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society No. 6. Published by the Council of the MBRAS. Kuala Lumpur, 1975. 135 pp. Maps., Lance Castles (eds.) - H.J.M. Claessen, Jozef Franz Thiel, Heil und Macht - Approches du Sacré. Studia Instituti Anthropos, vol. 22. St. Augustin bei Bonn: Verlag des Anthropos-Institutes. 215 pp., Albert Doutreloux (eds.) - J. Davis, M. Stuchlik, Goals and behaviour. The Queen’s University Papers in Social Anthropology, Vol. 2. Belfast (Department of Social Anthropology, Q.U.B.), 1977. 166 pp. - Ank Klomp, A.F. Marks, Male and female and the Afro-Curacaoan household. Verhandelingen van het Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde No. 77, The Hague. Martinus Nijhoff, 1976. - A.J.F. Köbben, Richard Price, The Guiana Maroons; a historical and bibliographical introduction. (Johns Hopkins Studies in Atlantic History and Culture). The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 1976. Pp. ix, 184. - Adam Kuper, Richard Werbner, Regional cults. London and New York: Academic Press, 1977. 257 pp. - P. van de Velde, F.L. Dunn, Rain-forest collectors and traders - a study of resource utilization in modern and ancient Malaya. Monographs of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society No. 5, Kuala Lumpur, 1975. 151 pages; tables; map and figures.
Book Reviews
Authors: Ruiter H.J. , Broekman J.M. , Mulder Niels , Kirsch A. Thomas , Vreede-de Stuers C. , Wulfhorst Sabine , Sluimers L. , Shillony B.
Published: April 2013

- H.J. Ruiter, J.M. Broekman, Structuralisme, voor en tegen. J.M. Broekman, R. Bakker, P.E. de Josselin de Jong, K. Bertels, W. Zwanenburg, H. Parret, H. Struyker Boudier. Annalen van het Thijmgenootschap, jaargang 62, aflevering 1. Amboboeken, Bilthoven, 1974. 149 pp., R. Bakker, P.E. de Josselin de Jong (eds.) - Niels Mulder, A. Thomas Kirsch, Feasting and social oscillation: Religion and society in upland Southeast Asia. Ithaca: Cornell University, Southeast Asia Program, Data Paper No. 92, 1973. vii + 49 p., appendix, bibliography. - C. Vreede-De Stuers, Sabine Wulfhorst, Studium und Freizeit in einem Entwicklungsland; eine empirische Untersuchung von Studentinen an einer Indischen Universität, Doktors Dissertation Universität zu Münster, 1974. IX & 307 pp., 52 tab. - L. Sluimers, b. Shillony, Revolt in Japan: The young officers and the February 26, 1936 incident. Princeton, Princeton University Press 1973. XIII, 263 pp.
Book Reviews
Authors: Stokhof W.A.L. , Alieva N.F. , Ensink J. , Hooykaas C. , Roolvink R. , Kratz Ernst Ulrich , Teeuw A. , Hassan Abdullah , Nieuwenhuijsen-Riedeman C.H. , Boelaars J. , Ploeg Anton , Hylkema S. , Nooy-Palm Hetty , Solyom Garrett , Veldhuisen-Djajasoebrata A. , Sweeney Amin , Langenberg Michael , Hong Lee Oey , Wertheim W.F. , Doorn J.A.A. , Fraassen Ch. F. , Neill Wilfred T. , Römer R.A. , Abraham-Van der Marck E.E.
Published: April 2013

- W.A.L. Stokhof, N.F. Alieva, Grammatika Indonezijskogo jazyka [Grammar of the Indonesian Language]. Akademija Nauk SSSR, Institut Vostokovedenija [USR Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oriental Studies]. Moskva 1972, 463 pp., V.D. Arakin, A.K. Ogloblin (eds.) - J. Ensink, C. Hooykaas, Balinese Bauddha Brahmans. North-Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, London 1973. Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen, afd. Letterkunde. Nieuwe Reeks, deel 80. 8*, 251 pp., 8 photographs, 73 pp. of drawings, 2 folding tables. - R. Roolvink, Ernst Ulrich Kratz, Peringatan sejarah negeri Johor, Eine malaiische Quelle zur Geschichte Johors im 18. Jahrhundert. Veröffentlichungen des Ostasiatischen Seminars der Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe Universität, Fraknfurt/Main. Reihe A: Südostasienkunde, Band 3. Otto Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1973. VIII, 171 pp. 2 Maps. - A. Teeuw, Abdullah Hassan, The morphology of Malay. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur, 1974, XIX, 242 pp. - C.H. van Nieuwenhuijsen-Riedeman, J. Boelaars, Mandobo’s tussen de Digoel en de Kao. Bijdragen tot een etnografie. Van Gorcum & Comp., Assen 1970. 260 p. - Anton Ploeg, S. Hylkema, Mannen in het draagnet. Mens- en wereldbeeld van de Nalum (Sterrengebergte). Introduced by J. van Baal. Verhandelingen van het Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, no 67. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, 1974. xvi + 479 pp., maps, plates, indexes. - Hetty Nooy-Palm, Garrett Solyom, Textiles of the Indonesian Archipelago. Asian Studies at Hawaii; no 10. The University Press of Hawaii, Honolulu 1973, IX and 51 pp., map, 32 plates in colour and black and white., Bronwen Solyom (eds.) - A. Veldhuisen-Djajasoebrata, Amin Sweeney, The Ramayana and the Malay Shadow-Play. The National University of Malaysia Press, Kuala Lumpur, 1972. 464 pp. Figs. - Michael van Langenberg, Oey Hong Lee, Indonesian Government and press during guided democracy. Hull Monographs on South-East Asia, No. 4 (Inter Documentation Company) ZUG, 1971, 401 pp. - W.F. Wertheim, J.A.A. van Doorn, Orde-Opstand-Orde: Notities over Indonesië. Boom Pers, Meppel, 1973. 98 pp. - Ch. F. van Fraassen, Wilfred T. Neill, Twentieth-century Indonesia. Columbia University Press, New York and London 1973. 413 pp., Bibl., Register. - R.A. Römer, E.E. Abraham-Van der Marck, Yu’i Mama; enkele facetten van gezinsstructuur op Curaçao. Van Gorcum, Assen 1973. 181 p. Tabellen, vragenlijsten, summary.
Book Reviews
Authors: Fraassen Ch.F. , Utrecht Ernst , Gautam M.K. , Bose N.K. , Claessen H.J.M. , Garanger José
Published: April 2013

- Ch.F. van Fraassen, Ernst Utrecht, Ambon, Kolonisatie, dekolonisatie en neo-kolonisatie. Kritiese bibliotheek, Van Gennep, Amsterdam 1972. 132 blz. geïll. - M.K. Gautam, N.K. Bose, Culture and society in India. Asia Publishing House, London 1968. 440 pp. with index. - H.J.M. Claessen, José Garanger, Archéologie des Nouvelles - Hébrides. Contribution à la connaissance des îles du Centre. Préface de André Leroi-Gourhan. Office de la Recherche Scientifique et technique outre-mer. Publications de la Société des Océanistes, No. 30. Musée de l’Homme. Paris 1972. 156 pp. 304 ill. 15 tabellen. 2 registers.