bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Regulatory Compliance on Agile Software Processes with a Focus on the FDA Guidelines for Medical Device Software
Authors: Mehrfard Hossein , Hamou-Lhadj Abdelwahab
Published: April 2013

The difficulty of complying with different regulations has become more evident as a large number of regulated businesses are mandated to follow an ever-increasing set of regulations. These regulations often drive significant changes in the way organizations operate to deliver value to their customers. This paper focuses on the impact of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations on agile software development processes, which in many ways can be considered as just another type of organizational processes. Particular focus is placed on the ability for Extreme Programming (XP) to support FDA requirements. Findings show that XP fails to meet many of the FDA guidelines for medical device software, which increases the risks of non-compliance for organizations that have adopted XP as their main software process. The results of this study can lead the work towards designing an extension to XP for FDA regulations.
Urban Community Grids Management in Metropolitan China
Authors: Liu Shuhua Monica , Yuan Qianli
Published: April 2013

Based on empirical data collected from Beijing, Shanghai and Wuhan, the authors will analyze the use of UCGM in public services delivery in three different cities. Aiming to evaluate and compare the impact of UCGM on local government operations, this paper is to develop a theoretical model that help to explain the success of mobile government in cities of different scales in China. Extracting commonalities of best practices, the authors attempt to dig deeper on social, organizational, and technological challenges each local government is facing when using m-technology to facilitate public service delivery.
Users’ Experiences of Internet-Based Systems in Malaysian Research Universities
Authors: Salleh Mohd Azul Mohamad
Published: April 2013

Internet-based systems are providing more interactive and collaborative forms of participation in many kinds of organizations, particularly with the spread of the Internet and Web 2.0 technology. They have been designed to enhance organizational communications processes, information management and staff interaction. This qualitative study explores employees’ experiences in Malaysian research universities, and particularly strives to understand successes and problems in the implementation of Internet-based systems. Based on in-depth interviews with officers and academics at four research universities, the study found that employees were most concerned with three issues that determined success or failure in this scenario: technological features of the systems; social and human factors; and organizational initiatives. Organizations such as universities and senior management may improve employees’ satisfaction with Internet-based systems as e-government applications by implementing several recommendations arising from this study’s analysis.
How do French Municipalities Communicate on Citizen Involvement?
Authors: Premat Christophe
Published: April 2013

The chapter updates a former study on digital communication at local level in France in 2006. The goal is to analyse the explanatory factors which influence the digital communication of municipalities on participatory democracy. Why are there municipalities which communicate more on these resources than others? It is important to compare the situation of these municipalities in 2006 and in 2012 because there was a power shift after the last municipal election in 2008. The focus will be on municipalities of more than 30.000 inhabitants as they have the possible resources to support a digital strategy. A quantitative method was used to select the variables which affect the communication on participatory tools. In other words, the article deals with the way politicians promote citizen engagement at local level through updated websites.
eParticipation in Europe
Authors: Tambouris Efthimios , Macintosh Ann , Dalakiouridou Efpraxia , Smith Simon , Panopoulou Eleni , Tarabanis Konstantinos , Millard Jeremy
Published: April 2013

During the past few years, information and communication technologies and especially the internet are increasingly used in a vast range of human activities, including citizens’ interaction with government. In this context, advanced technologies are also being used to more actively engage citizens in democratic processes, which are termed as electronic participation (eParticipation). eParticipation has attracted considerable attention worldwide. In Europe, a large number of initiatives have been funded providing valuable lessons. The aim of this chapter is to map the current state of eParticipation in Europe and provide practical recommendations. More specifically, the authors first present the results of a review of policy documents in the European Union in order to understand how eParticipation fits into European policies. They then present an analytical framework to aid theoretical understanding of eParticipation, followed by the results of a European study on eParticipation initiatives. Based on all these, the authors propose a number of recommendations on eParticipation for policy makers, practitioners, evaluators and research funders.
Seasonal dynamics of three coexisting aphid species: implications for estimating population variability
Authors: Lamb Robert J. , MacKay Patricia A. , Alyokhin Andrei
Published: April 2013

Seasonal patterns of abundance and population variability were determined for Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas), Myzus persicae (Sulzer), and Aphis nasturtii (Kaltenbach) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in potato plots from weekly samples for 28 years. All species showed a single annual peak, but arrived and reached peak abundance at different times. Population variability (PV, a proportion between 0 and 1) for the week of peak abundance was close to that of other sample weeks and mean seasonal abundance. Based on mid-season abundance, PV of 0.76 for M. persicae differed significantly from 0.80 for A. nasturtii, as well as from 0.59 for M. euphorbiae. A weekly time scale for abundance, initiated at an early stage of plant growth, produced slightly different estimates of PV early and late in the season than a scale centred on peak abundance for each species. PV at the time of invasion differed from estimates for the rest of the summer. The annual abundance used to estimate PV was best determined in the context of aphid life history. Nevertheless, PV provided a robust and precise metric for comparing population variability among the three species, regardless of their seasonal patterns of abundance.
The Scavenger Receptor CD36 Downmodulates the Early Inflammatory Response while Enhancing Bacterial Phagocytosis during Pneumococcal Pneumonia
Authors: Sharif Omar , Matt Ulrich , Saluzzo Simona , Lakovits Karin , Haslinger Isabella , Furtner Tanja , Doninger Bianca , Knapp Sylvia
Published: April 2013

CD36 is a scavenger receptor that exhibits pleiotropic functions, including adhesion to thrombospondin, inhibition of angiogenesis, transport of long-chain fatty acids, and clearance of apoptotic cells. In addition, it has been implicated in the host immune response because it acts as a coreceptor for TLR2 and plays a role in Staphylococcus aureus infection. However, its role in other Gram-positive bacterial infections is unclear. In this study, using mice deficient in CD36, we sought to examine the role of CD36 in pneumococcal pneumonia, a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We show that CD36 is expressed on both alveolar macrophages and respiratory epithelial cells. Early in infection, CD36−/− mice have an exaggerated inflammatory response compared with wild-type littermate controls. In vitro studies using CD36−/− primary cells confirm the enhanced early inflammation in response to S. pneumoniae and its lipoteichoic acid, demonstrate that S. pneumoniae binds to cells via its phosphocholine residues, and suggest a role for CD36 in reducing inflammation induced by the phosphocholine residues of pneumococcal lipoteichoic acid. Later in infection, although CD36−/− mice exhibit impaired bacterial clearance, owing to a decreased capacity of CD36−/− macrophages to phagocytose S. pneumoniae, minor effects on mortality occur, in comparison with those in wild-type littermate control mice. These data show that CD36 contributes to the pulmonary host response during S. pneumoniae infection by virtue of its ability to act as a phagocytic receptor and as a modulator of the early innate immune response.
Critical Role of AZI2 in GM-CSF–Induced Dendritic Cell Differentiation
Authors: Fukasaka Masahiro , Ori Daisuke , Kawagoe Tatsukata , Uematsu Satoshi , Maruyama Kenta , Okazaki Toshihiko , Kozaki Tatsuya , Imamura Tomoko , Tartey Sarang , Mino Takashi , Satoh Takashi , Akira Shizuo , Takeuchi Osamu
Published: April 2013

TNFR-associated factor family member–associated NF-κB activator (TANK)–binding kinase 1 (TBK1) is critical for the activation of IFN regulatory factor 3 and type I IFN production upon virus infection. A set of TBK1-binding proteins, 5-azacytidine–induced gene 2 (AZI2; also known as NAP1), TANK, and TBK1-binding protein 1 (TBKBP1), have also been implicated in the production of type I IFNs. Among them, TANK was found to be dispensable for the responses against virus infection. However, physiological roles of AZI2 and TBKBP1 have yet to be clarified. In this study, we found that none of these TBK1-binding proteins is critical for type I IFN production in mice. In contrast, AZI2, but not TBKBP1, is critical for the differentiation of conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) from bone marrow cells in response to GM-CSF. AZI2 controls GM-CSF–induced cell cycling of bone marrow cells via TBK1. GM-CSF–derived DCs from AZI2-deficient mice show severe defects in cytokine production and T cell activation both in vitro and in vivo. Reciprocally, overexpression of AZI2 results in efficient generation of cDCs, and the cells show enhanced T cell activation in response to Ag stimulation. Taken together, AZI2 expression is critical for the generation of cDCs by GM-CSF and can potentially be used to increase the efficiency of immunization by cDCs.
Induction of Protective Antitumor Immunity through Attenuation of ERAAP Function
Authors: James Edward , Bailey Ian , Sugiyarto Gessa , Elliott Tim
Published: April 2013

The endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase associated with Ag processing, ERAAP, plays an important role in the trimming of antigenic peptides for presentation at the cell surface complexed with MHC class I molecules. Tumors express varying levels of ERAAP, highlighting a possible mechanism of immune-evasion through alteration of the peptide repertoire. Using the CT26 tumor model, we investigated the effects of ERAAP modulation on peptide presentation and the use of ERAAP inhibition as an antitumor therapy. We show that generation of the cross-protective tumor Ag GSW11 in the colorectal carcinoma CT26 is increased when ERAAP expression is reduced. BALB/c mice with reduced ERAAP expression challenged with CT26 induced protective immunity that was mediated by CD8+ T cells. This antitumor immunity also protected mice when rechallenged with wild-type CT26 tumor; strong CD8+ T cell responses to GSW11 were observed, despite its presentation being considerably lower. Furthermore, boosting the tumor immunogenicity through inhibition of ERAAP function with the small molecule inhibitor leucinethiol in vitro, or in established tumors in vivo, abrogated tumor growth and prolonged survival. Thus, our results highlight the promising possibility of using modulation of ERAAP to generate protective antitumor responses as a strategy for cancer immunotherapy.
Prevalence of brucellosis in dairy cattle from the main dairy farming regions of Eritrea
Authors: Scacchia Massimo , Di Provvido Andrea , Ippoliti Carla , Kefle Uqbazghi , Sebhatu Tesfaalem T. , D’Angelo Annarita , De Massis Fabrizio
Published: April 2013

In order to get a reliable estimate of brucellosis prevalence in Eritrean dairy cattle, a cross-sectional study was carried out in 2009. The survey considered the sub-population of dairy cattle reared in modern small- and medium-sized farms. Samples were screened with the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and positive cases were confirmed with the complement fixation test (CFT). A total of 2.77%(417/15 049; Credibility Interval CI: 2.52% – 3.05%) of the animals tested in this study were positive for antibodies to Brucellaspecies, with a variable and generally low distribution of positive animals at regional level. The highest seroprevalence was found in the Maekel region (5.15%; CI: 4.58% – 5.80%), followed by the Debub (1.99%; CI: 1.59% – 2.50%) and Gash-Barka (1.71%; CI: 1.34% – 2.20%) regions. Seroprevalence at sub-regional levels was also generally low, except for two sub-regions of Debub and the sub-region Haicota from the Gash-Barka region. Seroprevalence was high and more uniformly distributed in the Maekel region, namely in the Asmara, Berik and Serejeka sub-regions. Considering the overall low brucellosis prevalence in the country, as identified by the present study, a brucellosis eradication programme for dairy farms using a test-and-slaughter policy would be possible. However, to encourage the voluntary participation of farmers to the programme and to raise their awareness of the risks related to the disease for animals and humans, an extensive public awareness campaign should be carefully considered, as well as strict and mandatory dairy movement control.
Second variation of one-sided complete minimal surfaces
Authors: Urbano Francisco
Published: April 2013

The stability and the index of complete one-sided minimal surfaces of certain 3-dimensional Riemannian manifolds with positive scalar curvature are studied.
Boundedness of maximal operators of Schrödinger type with complex time
Authors: Bailey Andrew D.
Published: April 2013

Results of P. Sjölin and F. Soria on the Schrödinger maximal operator with complex-valued time are improved by determining up to the endpoint the sharp

s \geq 0

for which boundedness from the Sobolev space

H^s(\mathbb{R})

into

L^2(\mathbb{R})

occurs. Bounds are established for not only the Schrödinger maximal operator, but further for a general class of maximal operators corresponding to solution operators for certain dispersive PDEs. As a consequence of additional bounds on these maximal operators from

H^s(\mathbb{R})

into

L^2([-1, 1])

, sharp results on the pointwise almost everywhere convergence of the solutions of these PDEs to their initial data are determined.
Spectral and stochastic properties of the $f$-Laplacian, solutions of PDEs at infinity and geometric applications
Authors: Bessa G. Pacelli , Pigola Stefano , Setti Alberto G.
Published: April 2013

The aim of this paper is to suggest a new perspective to study qualitative properties of solutions of semilinear elliptic partial differential equations defined outside a compact set. The relevant tools in this setting come from spectral theory and from a combination of stochastic properties of the differential operators in question. Possible links between spectral and stochastic properties are analyzed in detail.
High Rates of Inapparent Dengue in Older Adults in Singapore
Authors: Yap Grace , Li Chenny , Mutalib Adeliza , Lai Yee-Ling , Ng Lee-Ching
Published: April 2013

Although the dengue iceberg phenomenon is well known, there is a paucity of data on inapparent dengue. Results from a seroepidemiological study conducted during a dengue epidemic in 2007 in Singapore showed a seroprevalence of 65.9% and an inapparent dengue rate of 78%. Older adults (> 45 years old) had significantly higher rates of inapparent dengue infections (P < 0.05).
Combined SAGE II-GOMOS ozone profile data set 1984–2011 and trend analysis of the vertical distribution of ozone
Authors: Kyrölä E. , Laine M. , Sofieva V. , Tamminen J. , Päivärinta S.-M. , Tukiainen S. , Zawodny J. , Thomason L.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. We have studied data from two satellite occultation instruments in order to generate a high vertical resolution homogeneous ozone time series of 26 yr. The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experimen (SAGE) II solar occultation instrument from 1984–2005 and the Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars instrument (GOMOS) from 2002–2012 measured ozone profiles in the stratosphere and mesosphere. Global coverage, good vertical resolution and the self calibrating measurement method make data from these instruments valuable for the detection of changes in vertical distribution of ozone over time. As both instruments share a common measurement period from 2002–2005, it is possible to intercalibrate the data sets. We investigate how well these measurements agree with each other and combine all the data to produce a new stratospheric ozone profile data set. Above 55 km SAGE II measurements show much less ozone than the GOMOS nighttime measurements as a consequence of the well-known diurnal variation of ozone in the mesosphere. Between 35–55 km SAGE II sunrise and sunset measurements differ from each other. Sunrise measurements show 2% less ozone than GOMOS whereas sunset measurements show 4% more ozone than GOMOS. Differences can be explained qualitatively by the diurnal variation of ozone in the stratosphere recently observed by SMILES and modelled by chemical transport models. For 25–35 km SAGE II sunrise and sunset and GOMOS agree within 1%. The observed ozone bias between collocated measurements of SAGE II sunrise/sunset and GOMOS night measurements is used to align the two data sets. The combined data set covers the time period 1984–2011, latitudes 60° S–60° N and the altitude range of 20–60 km. Profile data are given on a 1 km vertical grid, and with a resolution of one month in time and ten degrees in latitude. The combined ozone data set is analyzed by fitting a time series model to the data. We assume a linear trend with an inflexion point (so-called "hockey stick" form). The best estimate for the point of inflexion was found to be the year 1997 for ozone between altitudes 35 and 45 km. At all latitudes and altitudes from 25 km to 50 km we find a clear change in ozone trend before and after the inflexion time. From 38 km to 45 km a negative trend of 0–3% per decade at the equator has changed to a small positive trend of 0–2% per decade except in the altitude range of 30–35 km where the ozone loss has even increased. At mid-latitudes the negative trend of 4–10% per decade has changed to to a small positive trend of 0–2% per decade.
Factors challenging our ability to detect long-term trends in ocean chlorophyll
Authors: Beaulieu C. , Henson S. A. , Sarmiento Jorge L. , Dunne J. P. , Doney S. C. , Rykaczewski R. R. , Bopp L.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. Global climate change is expected to affect the ocean's biological productivity. The most comprehensive information available about the global distribution of contemporary ocean primary productivity is derived from satellite data. Large spatial patchiness and interannual to multidecadal variability in chlorophyll a concentration challenges efforts to distinguish a global, secular trend given satellite records which are limited in duration and continuity. The longest ocean color satellite record comes from the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), which failed in December 2010. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) ocean color sensors are beyond their originally planned operational lifetime. Successful retrieval of a quality signal from the current Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument, or successful launch of the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) expected in 2014 will hopefully extend the ocean color time series and increase the potential for detecting trends in ocean productivity in the future. Alternatively, a potential discontinuity in the time series of ocean chlorophyll a, introduced by a change of instrument without overlap and opportunity for cross-calibration, would make trend detection even more challenging. In this paper, we demonstrate that there are a few regions with statistically significant trends over the ten years of SeaWiFS data, but at a global scale the trend is not large enough to be distinguished from noise. We quantify the degree to which red noise (autocorrelation) especially challenges trend detection in these observational time series. We further demonstrate how discontinuities in the time series at various points would affect our ability to detect trends in ocean chlorophyll a. We highlight the importance of maintaining continuous, climate-quality satellite data records for climate-change detection and attribution studies.
Bacteriohopanepolyols record stratification, nitrogen fixation and other biogeochemical perturbations in Holocene sediments of the central Baltic Sea
Authors: Blumenberg M. , Berndmeyer C. , Moros M. , Muschalla M. , Schmale O. , Thiel V.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. The Baltic Sea, one of the world's largest brackish-marine basins, established after deglaciation of Scandinavia about 17 000 to 15 000 yr ago. In the changeable history of the Baltic Sea, the initial freshwater system was connected to the North Sea about 8000 yr ago and the modern brackish-marine setting (Littorina Sea) was established. Today, a relatively stable stratification has developed in the water column of the deep basins due to salinity differences. Stratification is only occasionally interrupted by mixing events, and it controls nutrient availability and growth of specifically adapted microorganisms and algae. We studied bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs), lipids of specific bacterial groups, in a sediment core from the central Baltic Sea (Gotland Deep) and found considerable differences between the distinct stages of the Baltic Sea's history. Some individual BHP structures indicate contributions from as yet unknown redoxcline-specific bacteria (bacteriohopanetetrol isomer), methanotrophic bacteria (35-aminobacteriohopanetetrol), cyanobacteria (bacteriohopanetetrol cyclitol ether isomer) and from soil bacteria (adenosylhopane) through allochthonous input after the Littorina transgression, whereas the origin of other BHPs in the core has still to be identified. Notably high BHP abundances were observed in the deposits of the brackish-marine Littorina phase, particularly in laminated sediment layers. Because these sediments record periods of stable water column stratification, bacteria specifically adapted to these conditions may account for the high portions of BHPs. An additional and/or accompanying source may be nitrogen-fixing (cyano)bacteria, which is indicated by a positive correlation of BHP abundances with Corg and δ15N.
A~nitrogen budget for the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia
Authors: Sutton J. N. , Johannessen S. C. , Macdonald R. W.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. Balanced budgets for dissolved inorganic N (DIN) and particulate N (PN) were constructed for the Strait of Georgia (SoG), a semi-enclosed coastal sea off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada. The dominant control on the N budget is the advection of DIN into and out of the SoG via Haro Strait. The annual influx of DIN by advection from the Pacific Ocean is 29 990 (±19 500)Mmol yr−1. The DIN flux advected out of the SoG is 24 300 (±15 500)Mmol yr−1. Most of the DIN that enters the SoG (∼23 400 Mmol yr−1) is converted to particulate N (PN) in situ by primary production. However, most of the PN produced by primary production is remineralized (∼22 000 Mmol yr−1) back into DIN within the top 50 m. The PN budget for the SoG was further constrained by nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N) that indicated regional differences in the source of PN. The southern Strait receives a much higher proportion of terrigenous PN, relative to marine PN, than does the northern Strait. The difference is due to the influence of the Fraser River, which discharges 1950 Mmol yr−1 of PN and 1660 Mmol yr−1 of DIN into the southern Strait. The overall anthropogenic contribution of PN and DIN to the SoG is minimal relative to natural sources (>30 000 Mmol yr−1). It is unlikely that the Strait will be affected by eutrophication in the near future, although anthropogenic N sources, such as wastewater outfalls, may have significant local effects.
Multiresolution quantification of deciduousness in West Central African forests
Authors: Viennois G. , Barbier N. , Fabre I. , Couteron P.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. The characterization of leaf phenology in tropical forests is of major importance and improves our understanding of earth-atmosphere-climate interactions. The availability of satellite optical data with a high temporal resolution has permitted the identification of unexpected phenological cycles, particularly over the Amazon region. A primary issue in these studies is the relationship between the optical reflectance of pixels of 1 km or more in size and ground information of limited spatial extent. In this paper, we demonstrate that optical data with high to very-high spatial resolution can help bridge this scale gap by providing snapshots of the canopy that allow discernment of the leaf-phenological stage of trees and the proportions of leaved crowns within the canopy. We also propose applications for broad-scale forest characterization and mapping in West Central Africa over an area of 141 000 km2. Eleven years of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) data were averaged over the wet and dry seasons to provide a dataset of optimal radiometric quality at a spatial resolution of 250 m. Sample areas covered at a very-high (GeoEye) and high (SPOT-5) spatial resolution were used to identify forest types and to quantify the proportion of leaved trees in the canopy. The dry season EVI was positively correlated with the proportion of leaved trees in the canopy. This relationship allowed the conversion of EVI into canopy deciduousness at the regional level. On this basis, ecologically important forest types could be mapped, including young secondary, open Marantaceae, Gilbertiodendron dewevrei and swamp forests. We show that in west central African forests, a large share of the variability in canopy reflectance, as captured by the EVI, is due to variation in the proportion of leaved trees in the upper canopy, thereby opening new perspectives for biodiversity and carbon-cycle applications.
A comparison of classical and intelligent methods to detect potential thermal anomalies before the 11 August 2012 Varzeghan, Iran, earthquake (Mw = 6.4)
Authors: Akhoondzadeh M.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. In this paper, a number of classical and intelligent methods, including interquartile, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM), have been proposed to quantify potential thermal anomalies around the time of the 11 August 2012 Varzeghan, Iran, earthquake (Mw = 6.4). The duration of the data set, which is comprised of Aqua-MODIS land surface temperature (LST) night-time snapshot images, is 62 days. In order to quantify variations of LST data obtained from satellite images, the air temperature (AT) data derived from the meteorological station close to the earthquake epicenter has been taken into account. For the models examined here, results indicate the following: (i) ARIMA models, which are the most widely used in the time series community for short-term forecasting, are quickly and easily implemented, and can efficiently act through linear solutions. (ii) A multilayer perceptron (MLP) feed-forward neural network can be a suitable non-parametric method to detect the anomalous changes of a non-linear time series such as variations of LST. (iii) Since SVMs are often used due to their many advantages for classification and regression tasks, it can be shown that, if the difference between the predicted value using the SVM method and the observed value exceeds the pre-defined threshold value, then the observed value could be regarded as an anomaly. (iv) ANN and SVM methods could be powerful tools in modeling complex phenomena such as earthquake precursor time series where we may not know what the underlying data generating process is. There is good agreement in the results obtained from the different methods for quantifying potential anomalies in a given LST time series. This paper indicates that the detection of the potential thermal anomalies derive credibility from the overall efficiencies and potentialities of the four integrated methods.
Southwest-facing slopes control the formation of debris-covered glaciers in the Bhutan Himalaya
Authors: Nagai H. , Fujita K. , Nuimura T. , Sakai A.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. To understand the formation conditions of debris-covered glaciers, we examined the dimension and shape of debris-covered areas and potential debris-supply (PDS) slopes of 208 glaciers in the Bhutan Himalaya. This was undertaken using satellite images with 2.5 m spatial resolution for manual delineation of debris-covered areas and PDS slopes. The most significant correlation exists between surface area of southwest-facing PDS slopes and debris-covered area. This result suggests that the southwest-facing PDS slopes supply the largest quantity of debris mantle. The shape of debris-covered areas is also an important variable quantitatively defined using a geometric index. Elongate or stripe-like debris-covered areas on north-flowing glaciers are common throughout the Bhutan Himalaya, associated with the small quantities of debris from north-facing PDS slopes. In contrast, south-flowing glaciers have large ablation zones, entirely covered by debris. Our findings suggest that this difference is caused by effective diurnal freeze–thaw cycles rather than seasonal freeze–thaw cycles, permafrost degradation, or snow avalanches. In terms of geographic setting, local topography also contributes to glacier debris supply and the proportion of debris cover on the studied glaciers is suppressed by the arid Tibetan climate, whereas the north-to-south asymmetric topography of the Bhutan Himalaya has less influence on the proportion of debris cover.
Ergonomia: estudo de caso em biblioteca universitária
Authors: Capri Daniela , Bahia Eliana Maria dos Santos , Pinto Adilson Luiz
Published: April 2013

Buscou-se nesta pesquisa analisar a ergonomia real de uma Biblioteca Universitária de Florianópolis/SC e confrontá-la com a ergonomia percebida pelo usuário, para realização de um diagnóstico ergonômico. Os sujeitos pesquisados preencheram uma amostra de quinze pessoas, entre alunos da Biblioteca e funcionários do local.  Com o intuito de atender este pontos, foram estabelecidos dois objetivos específicos: descrever os aspectos físico-ambientais da Biblioteca, vinculados à Ergonomia real e verificar a percepção dos usuários em relação à Biblioteca. Aspectos sobre Ergonomia e sua aplicação vinculados à Biblioteca Universitária. Analisaram-se as condições de iluminação, ruído e temperatura. Amparado por uma bibliografia, o presente estudo apresenta  mercado de trabalho para o profissional de Arquivologia e Biblioteconomia.
Competência informacional como recurso emancipatório – estudo de caso com portadores de Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Presser Nadi Helena
Published: April 2013

A competência informacional é a aptidão de uma pessoa de mobilizar conhecimentos, habilidades e atitudes para tomar decisões, com base em informações. No âmbito da saúde, é a tomada de iniciativa do paciente no processo de busca e uso de informações relativas aos problemas suscitados por determinada patologia, como recurso de emancipação e desenvolvimento da sua cidadania. Este artigo é uma reflexão sobre o arcabouço teórico e metodológico da competência informacional no contexto dos portadores de Diabetes Mellitus (DM) dos pacientes atendidos no Centro Médico Senador José Ermírio de Moraes (CMSJEM), localizado no Município de Recife, Estado de Pernambuco (PE), Brasil. Do ponto de vista da forma de abordagem se caracteriza uma pesquisa qualitativa e quantitativa, na qual os dados primários foram coletados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas. Embora o tratamento do DM prescreva considerável autocuidado devido aos agravos decorrentes de suas complicações, os resultados deste estudo demonstram que poucos, entre os pacientes pesquisados, apresentam competências em informação que apontem potenciais emancipatórios.
Libros infantiles con temática relacionada con la Educación Física y el Deporte en Brasil: estudio de sus características
Authors: Guimarães Botelho Rafael
Published: April 2013

El objetivo de este artículo ha sido analizar 90 libros infantiles con temática relacionada con la Educación Física y el Deporte publicados en Brasil. Han sido establecidas cinco variables de estudio: géneros literarios, soportes, paginación, vinculación a una colección sobre deportes y versión de la publicación. Para llevar a cabo la investigación, se ha utilizado la técnica del análisis documental. Resultados: a) la narrativa presenta la mayor incidencia en las obras infantiles (con un 93,33%); b) el soporte papel es el predominante en los libros infantiles (con un 90%); c) en las obras publicadas en Brasil prevalecen los libros no paginados (con un 73,33%); d) poco más de la mitad (con un 51,11%) de los libros infantiles está vinculado a una colección sobre deportes; e) las obras infantiles originales son las predominantes (con un 96,67%).
Freezing Out the Mexican Cops: Bullying as Discrimination at the Police Workplace in Mexico City
Authors: Fondevila Gustavo
Published: April 2013

In recent years, bullying problems in public security or defense institutions have been studied. Such problems are associated with high stress situations, a large workload and pressure in hierarchical organisms that base their success on a rigid system of asymmetric power and authoritarian leadership style. The aim of the current study is to investigate (in-depth interviews and ethnographic work) the patterns of the victims’ subjective cultural perception of a particular type of bullying called freezing out in the Mexico City police forces and the victim´s strategies to avoid it, taking into account their ranks within the structure of the police organization. The key research question is the following: How is the bullying experience called “freezing out” culturally perceived by self-identified targets and how do the victims cope with it? In freezing, the superior officer simply leaves his subordinate without specific instructions (it is not isolation). This could manifest itself as a type of informal punishment or as a desire to exclude the individual from the institution´s work production, temporarily or permanently. The present paper is a case study that analyzes the cultural perception of freezing as social discrimination in the Mexican police force.
Health Care Professionals: A Synthesis and Integration of Select Concepts and Theories in the Study of Mental Illness through the Society, Culture, Personality (SCP) Model
Authors: Fredericks Marcel , Ross Michael W.V. , Kondellas Bill , Hang Lam , Fredericks Janet , Ward Bernard
Published: April 2013

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to present select concepts and theories in the study of mental illness pertinent for health care professionals. The society-culture-personality (SCP) model is examined in relationship to mental illness so that health care professionals are well-informed on the severity of these disorders in order to provide quality care regardless of geographic location. The society-culture-personality (SCP) model is examined in relationship to some of the most severe forms of mental illness, namely, schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. Social meaningful interaction (SMI) is examined in the development of personality and how social and cultural norms affect the development of the individual. Psychoses are major mental disorders in the United States and in other parts of the world. It is important for health care providers to be knowledgeable about mental illness and the role social class, culture and family play in defining mental illness. By having a thorough understanding of the select concepts and theories involved in the study of mental illness we are hoping that the ingredients of quality, affordability, availability, accessibility, and continuity of care are extended to all members of society.
Absence of an Optimal Capital Structure in the Famous Tradeoff Theory!
Authors: Brusov P.N. , Filatova T.V. , Orekhova N.P.
Published: April 2013

Abstract: Within modern theory of capital structure and capital cost by Brusov-Filatova-Orekhova the analysis of wide known tradeoff theory has been made. It is shown that suggestion of risky debt financing (and growing credit rate near the bankruptcy) in opposite to waiting result does not lead to growing of weighted average cost of capital, WACC, which still decreases with leverage. This means the absence of minimum in the dependence of WACC on leverage as well as the absence of maximum in the dependence of company capitalization on leverage. Thus, it seems that the optimal capital structure is absent in famous tradeoff theory. The explanation to this fact has been done.
Éthique des politiques d’immigration
Authors: Proulx Henri
Published: April 2013

L’auteur propose une synthèse des arguments déontologiques dans le débat éthique sur les politiques d’immigration. Les arguments sont répartis entre obligations morales (cosmopolitiques, nationales ou privées) et droits universels (liberté de circulation, droit à l’autodétermination, droit de propriété). De cette synthèse sont tirées les conclusions que les politiques migratoires restrictives sont difficilement réconciliables avec les principes libéraux universels d’égalité et de non-discrimination ; que le droit des peuples à l’autodétermination serait le fondement le plus convaincant pour justifier de telles politiques ; et qu’en dernière analyse il revient au processus politique démocratique de trancher entre les différents argumentaires éthiques de ce débat.
Interfacial Reaction Mechanisms in Al2O3/Ge Structure by Oxygen Radical Process
Authors: Kato Kimihiko , Shibayama Shigehisa , Sakashita Mitsuo , Takeuchi Wakana , Taoka Noriyuki , Nakatsuka Osamu , Zaima Shigeaki
Published: April 2013

We have investigated the impacts of the oxygen radical process on the interfacial structures and electrical properties of Al2O3/Ge structures to clarify the interfacial reaction mechanisms. At a low process temperature, the oxygen radical process can introduce oxygen atoms to the Al2O3/Ge interface without a thermally activated process in spite of the high barrier property of the oxygen diffusion for the Al2O3 layers. In addition, the oxygen radical process at a low process temperature can relatively suppress the diffusion of Ge atoms from the Ge substrate or GeO molecules from the Al2O3/Ge interface to the surface of the Al2O3 layer. However, at a high process temperature, Ge atoms and/or GeO molecules actively diffuse into the Al2O3 layer during the oxygen radical process as well as the O2 thermal annealing, and the diffusion changes the depth distribution of Ge oxides in the Al2O3/Ge structure. From the analysis of the electrical properties of MOS capacitors, the interface state density (D
it) of the Al2O3/Ge structure decreases not with increasing thickness of the Ge oxide interlayer but with the amount of Ge oxide near the Al2O3/Ge interface. The increase in the amount of the Ge oxide distributed in the Al2O3 layer induces the increase in the capacitance equivalent thickness (CET). The diffusion of Ge into the Al2O3 layer with a high process temperature causes the unexpected increase in CET. Therefore, the oxygen radical process at low temperature effectively decreases D
it of Al/Al2O3/Ge MOS capacitors without increasing CET.
Heat-Resistant Co–W Catalytic Metals for Multilayer Graphene Chemical Vapor Deposition
Authors: Ueno Kazuyoshi , Karasawa Yusuke , Kuwahara Satoru , Baba Shotaro , Hanai Hitoshi , Yamazaki Yuichi , Sakuma Naoshi , Kajita Akihiro , Sakai Tadashi
Published: April 2013

Multilayer graphene (MLG) is expected to be a low-resistance and high-reliability interconnect material replacing copper (Cu) in nanoscale interconnects. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on catalytic metals is expected as a practical method for MLG deposition. To obtain high-quality MLG films without catalyst agglomeration by CVD, heat-resistant Co–W catalytic metals were investigated. The agglomeration of the Co–W catalytic metals was suppressed by increasing the W composition; however, MLG deposition was suppressed at the same time. The effects of W addition on the MLG growth were discussed from the viewpoints of the crystallographic change of the Co–W catalysts and chemical reactions. It was found that the Co grain size was reduced and the fcc Co formation was suppressed by W addition. In addition, graphite formation was supposed to be suppressed by W addition owing to the formation of phases other than fcc Co according to the Co–W–C phase diagram. With the optimum W concentration, MLG crystallinity was improved by high-temperature CVD using the heat-resistant Co–W catalytic metals (0.7 at. %) without agglomeration, compared with that in the case of using pure-Co catalysts.
Development of Cu/Insulation Layer Interface Crack Extension Simulation with Crystal Plasticity
Authors: Koiwa Kozo , Omiya Masaki , Shishido Nobuyuki , Kamiya Shoji , Sato Hisashi , Nishida Masahiro , Suzuki Takashi , Nakamura Tomoji , Suzuki Toshiaki , Nokuo Takeshi
Published: April 2013

A novel scheme for the evaluation of interface adhesion energy was examined by a detailed numerical simulation of interface crack extension. The effects of crystal orientation on the Cu/SiN interface adhesion strength of LSI was evaluated using the finite element method. Crack extension simulation was conducted with a model of the actual specimen used for the interface fracture test. The characteristics of elastic–plastic deformation, which changes significantly depending on crystal orientation, were taken into account in the model. With this scheme, the effect of orientation of single crystals on the maximum load P
max was investigated under the condition of a constant bonding energy of the interface at the beginning of unstable crack propagation during the fracture test. The values of P
max obtained with a number of different crystal orientations ranged over 179–311 µN. The result indicates that the crack propagates more easily in the case that slip deformation of Cu near the interface starts with a low stress, as in the case of the (111) surface. It implies that the apparent interface adhesion strength represented by the load required to debond the interface strongly depends on Cu crystal orientation, because the amount of energy used for plastic deformation of the Cu crystal changes with crystal orientation near the interface.
Growth of Dense, Vertical and Horizontal Graphene and Its Thermal Properties
Authors: Kawabata Akio , Murakami Tomo , Nihei Mizuhisa , Yokoyama Naoki
Published: April 2013

We have grown an extremely dense nanocarbon structure on a Si substrate at a temperature of 450 °C, in which vertical graphene layers were formed densely below horizontal graphene layers. We named this carbon structure “dense, vertical, and horizontal graphene (DVHG)”. The density of this structure was an extremely high at 1.4 g/cm3, which is 63% of that of graphite (2.2 g/cm3). Although DVHG showed poor thermal properties, we confirmed that vertical thermal conductivity increased by a factor of 10 by removing the horizontal graphene layers from the top of DVHG. This result indicates that the thermal conductivity parallel to the graphene plane is several orders of magnitude higher than that perpendicular to the graphene plane.
Sub-Micron-Accuracy Gold-to-Gold Interconnection Flip-Chip Bonding Approach for Electronics–Optics Heterogeneous Integration
Authors: Tung Bui Thanh , Suzuki Motohiro , Kato Fumiki , Nemoto Shunsuke , Watanabe Naoki , Aoyagi Masahiro
Published: April 2013

High-precision integration has valuable meaning in heterogeneous convergent technology. In this paper we report on a new high-precision low-temperature bonding approach, capable of submicron alignment accuracy, based on the conventional ultrasonic flip-chip bonding technique and modified metal pad and bump elements. The interconnection pair made from a conductive-sloped hollow bonding pad (concave) and metal cone bump (convex) elements, i.e., misalignment self-correction elements, helps in aligning and maintaining the alignment between the chip and the substrate during stacking. By this method, the stacking accuracy can be improved significantly and effectively. Repeatable submicron (i.e., less than 500 nm) bonding accuracies are confirmed through experimental investigation. Moreover, reliable bond characteristics including electrical and mechanical properties are observed, validating the performance of the bonding approach. With these results, the proposed high-precision low-temperature bonding approach shows its suitability for heterogeneous electronics–optics integration applications.
Reductant-Assisted Self-Assembly with Cu/Sn Microbump for Three-Dimensional Heterogeneous Integration
Authors: Ito Yuka , Fukushima Takafumi , Lee Kang-Wook , Choki Koji , Tanaka Tetsu , Koyanagi Mitsumasa
Published: April 2013

To establish liquid-assisted assembly processes applicable to heterogeneous system integrations, we present flip-chip self-assembly of dies with Cu/Sn microbumps using the difference in droplet wetting between hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas. Flip-chip self-assembly is assisted by a water-soluble flux that has high surface tension comparable to that of pure water and contains an additive of a reducing agent for metal oxides. Control of the additive concentration in the flux provides high wettability contrast that enable spontaneous and precise alignment of chips to hydrophilic areas formed on substrates within 5 µm in alignment accuracy. In the subsequent chip bonding process, the reductant can eliminate the metal oxide layer and improve the solder wettability of Sn to the corresponding electrode pads formed on the chips. In addition, we confirm, through electrical characteristic evaluation after thermal compression bonding, that the resulting daisy chain formed between the substrates and self-assembled chips with the flux shows sufficiently low contact resistance of below 20 mΩ/bump without disconnection.
Room-Temperature Cu Microjoining with Ultrasonic Bonding of Cone-Shaped Bump
Authors: Qiu Lijing , Ikeda Akihiro , Noda Kazuhiro , Nakai Seiya , Asano Tanemasa
Published: April 2013

Room-temperature Cu–Cu bonding was realized by applying ultrasonic vibration together with compression force to the bonding of a cone-shaped bump. The size of the bump was about 10 µm. The connection pitch was 20 µm. Mechanical characterization showed that the bonding strength increases with vibration amplitude and depends on the thickness of the counter electrode made of Cu. The thickness dependence of the bonding strength was found to be caused by an increase in the surface roughness of the counter electrode. It was shown that the bonding strength meets the requirement from application to products. Electrical characterization using a daisy-chain connection test demonstrated that more than 10,000 pins on a chip can be connected with a sufficiently low resistance.