bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Capturing hair assemblies fiber by fiber
Authors: Jakob Wenzel , Moon Jonathan T. , Marschner Steve
Published: December 2009

Hair models for computer graphics consist of many curves representing individual hair fibers. In current practice these curves are generated by ad hoc random processes, and in close-up views their arrangement appears plainly different from real hair. To begin improving this situation, this paper presents a new method for measuring the detailed arrangement of fibers in a hair assembly. Many macrophotographs with shallow depth of field are taken of a sample of hair, sweeping the plane of focus through the hair's volume. The shallow depth of field helps isolate the fibers and reduces occlusion. Several sweeps are performed with the hair at different orientations, resulting in multiple observations of most of the clearly visible fibers. The images are filtered to detect the fibers, and the resulting feature data from all images is used jointly in a hair growing process to construct smooth curves along the observed fibers. Finally, additional hairs are generated to fill in the unseen volume inside the hair. The method is demonstrated on both straight and wavy hair, with results suitable for realistic close-up renderings. These models provide the first views we know of into the 3D arrangement of hair fibers in real hair assemblies.
Robust single-view geometry and motion reconstruction
Authors: Li Hao , Adams Bart , Guibas Leonidas J. , Pauly Mark
Published: December 2009

We present a framework and algorithms for robust geometry and motion reconstruction of complex deforming shapes. Our method makes use of a smooth template that provides a crude approximation of the scanned object and serves as a geometric and topological prior for reconstruction. Large-scale motion of the acquired object is recovered using a novel space-time adaptive, non-rigid registration method. Fine-scale details such as wrinkles and folds are synthesized with an efficient linear mesh deformation algorithm. Subsequent spatial and temporal filtering of detail coefficients allows transfer of persistent geometric detail to regions not observed by the scanner. We show how this two-scale process allows faithful recovery of small-scale shape and motion features leading to a high-quality reconstruction. We illustrate the robustness and generality of our algorithm on a variety of examples composed of different materials and exhibiting a large range of dynamic deformations.
Serializable isolation for snapshot databases
Authors: Cahill Michael J. , Röhm Uwe , Fekete Alan D.
Published: December 2009

Many popular database management systems implement a multiversion concurrency control algorithm called snapshot isolation rather than providing full serializability based on locking. There are well-known anomalies permitted by snapshot isolation that can lead to violations of data consistency by interleaving transactions that would maintain consistency if run serially. Until now, the only way to prevent these anomalies was to modify the applications by introducing explicit locking or artificial update conflicts, following careful analysis of conflicts between all pairs of transactions.

This article describes a modification to the concurrency control algorithm of a database management system that automatically detects and prevents snapshot isolation anomalies at runtime for arbitrary applications, thus providing serializable isolation. The new algorithm preserves the properties that make snapshot isolation attractive, including that readers do not block writers and vice versa. An implementation of the algorithm in a relational DBMS is described, along with a benchmark and performance study, showing that the throughput approaches that of snapshot isolation in most cases.
Relational query coprocessing on graphics processors
Authors: He Bingsheng , Lu Mian , Yang Ke , Fang Rui , Govindaraju Naga K. , Luo Qiong , Sander Pedro V.
Published: December 2009

Graphics processors (GPUs) have recently emerged as powerful coprocessors for general purpose computation. Compared with commodity CPUs, GPUs have an order of magnitude higher computation power as well as memory bandwidth. Moreover, new-generation GPUs allow writes to random memory locations, provide efficient interprocessor communication through on-chip local memory, and support a general purpose parallel programming model. Nevertheless, many of the GPU features are specialized for graphics processing, including the massively multithreaded architecture, the Single-Instruction-Multiple-Data processing style, and the execution model of a single application at a time. Additionally, GPUs rely on a bus of limited bandwidth to transfer data to and from the CPU, do not allow dynamic memory allocation from GPU kernels, and have little hardware support for write conflicts. Therefore, a careful design and implementation is required to utilize the GPU for coprocessing database queries.

In this article, we present our design, implementation, and evaluation of an in-memory relational query coprocessing system, GDB, on the GPU. Taking advantage of the GPU hardware features, we design a set of highly optimized data-parallel primitives such as split and sort, and use these primitives to implement common relational query processing algorithms. Our algorithms utilize the high parallelism as well as the high memory bandwidth of the GPU, and use parallel computation and memory optimizations to effectively reduce memory stalls. Furthermore, we propose coprocessing techniques that take into account both the computation resources and the GPU-CPU data transfer cost so that each operator in a query can utilize suitable processors—the CPU, the GPU, or both—for an optimized overall performance. We have evaluated our GDB system on a machine with an Intel quad-core CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX GPU. Our workloads include microbenchmark queries on memory-resident data as well as TPC-H queries that involve complex data types and multiple query operators on data sets larger than the GPU memory. Our results show that our GPU-based algorithms are 2--27x faster than their optimized CPU-based counterparts on in-memory data. Moreover, the performance of our coprocessing scheme is similar to, or better than, both the GPU-only and the CPU-only schemes.
From XQuery to relational logics
Authors: Benedikt Michael , Koch Christoph
Published: December 2009

Predicate logic has long been seen as a good foundation for querying relational data. This is embodied in the correspondence between relational calculus and first-order logic, and can also be seen in mappings from fragments of the standard relational query language SQL to extensions of first-order logic (e.g. with counting). A key question is what is the analog to this correspondence for querying tree-structured data, as seen, for example, in XML documents. We formalize this as the question of the appropriate logical query language for defining transformations on tree-structured data. The predominant practitioner paradigm for defining such transformations is
top-down tree building
. This is embodied by the XQuery query language, which builds the output tree in parallel starting at the root, based on variable bindings and nodeset queries in the XPath language. The goal of this article is to compare the expressiveness of top-down tree-building languages based on a benchmark of predicate logic. We start by giving a formalized XQuery
XQ
that can serve as a representative of the top-down approach. We show that all queries in
XQ
with only atomic equality are equivalent to first-order interpretations, an analog to first-order logic (FO) in the setting of transformations of tree-structured data. We then consider fragments of atomic
XQ
. We identify a fragment that maps efficiently into first-order, a fragment that maps into existential first-order logic, and a fragment that maps into the navigationally two-variable fragment of first-order logic—an analog of two-variable logic in the setting where data values are unbounded. When
XQ
is considered with deep equality, we find that queries can be translated into FO with counting (
FO
(Cnt)). Translations from
XQ
to logical languages on relations have a number of consequences. We use them to derive complexity bounds for
XQ
fragments, and to bound the Boolean expressiveness of
XQ
fragments.
Preventing history forgery with secure provenance
Authors: Hasan Ragib , Sion Radu , Winslett Marianne
Published: December 2009

As increasing amounts of valuable information are produced and persist digitally, the ability to determine the origin of data becomes important. In science, medicine, commerce, and government, data provenance tracking is essential for rights protection, regulatory compliance, management of intelligence and medical data, and authentication of information as it flows through workplace tasks. While significant research has been conducted in this area, the associated security and privacy issues have not been explored, leaving provenance information vulnerable to illicit alteration as it passes through untrusted environments.

In this article, we show how to provide strong integrity and confidentiality assurances for data provenance information at the kernel, file system, or application layer. We describe Sprov, our provenance-aware system prototype that implements provenance tracking of data writes at the application layer, which makes Sprov extremely easy to deploy. We present empirical results that show that, for real-life workloads, the runtime overhead of Sprov for recording provenance with confidentiality and integrity guarantees ranges from 1% to 13%, when all file modifications are recorded, and from 12% to 16%, when all file read and modifications are tracked.
Causality-based versioning
Authors: Muniswamy-Reddy Kiran-Kumar , Holland David A.
Published: December 2009

Versioning file systems provide the ability to recover from a variety of failures, including file corruption, virus and worm infestations, and user mistakes. However, using versions to recover from data-corrupting events requires a human to determine precisely which files and versions to restore. We can create more meaningful versions and enhance the value of those versions by capturing the causal connections among files, facilitating selection and recovery of precisely the right versions after data corrupting events.

We determine when to create new versions of files automatically using the causal relationships among files. The literature on versioning file systems usually examines two extremes of possible version-creation algorithms: open-to-close versioning and versioning on every write. We evaluate causal versions of these two algorithms and introduce two additional causality-based algorithms: Cycle-Avoidance and Graph-Finesse.

We show that capturing and maintaining causal relationships imposes less than 7% overhead on a versioning system, providing benefit at low cost. We then show that Cycle-Avoidance provides more meaningful versions of files created during concurrent program execution, with overhead comparable to open/close versioning. Graph-Finesse provides even greater control, frequently at comparable overhead, but sometimes at unacceptable overhead. Versioning on every write is an interesting extreme case, but is far too costly to be useful in practice.
Cumulus
Authors: Vrable Michael , Savage Stefan , Voelker Geoffrey M.
Published: December 2009

Cumulus is a system for efficiently implementing filesystem backups over the Internet, specifically designed under a
thin cloud
assumption—that the remote datacenter storing the backups does not provide any special backup services, but only a least-common-denominator storage interface. Cumulus aggregates data from small files for storage and uses LFS-inspired segment cleaning to maintain storage efficiency. While Cumulus can use virtually any storage service, we show its efficiency is comparable to integrated approaches.
Generating realistic
impressions
for file-system benchmarking
Authors: Agrawal Nitin , Arpaci-Dusseau Andrea C. , Arpaci-Dusseau Remzi H.
Published: December 2009

The performance of file systems and related software depends on characteristics of the underlying file-system image (i.e., file-system metadata and file contents). Unfortunately, rather than benchmarking with realistic file-system images, most system designers and evaluators rely on
ad hoc
assumptions and (often inaccurate) rules of thumb. Furthermore, the lack of standardization and reproducibility makes file-system benchmarking ineffective. To remedy these problems, we develop Impressions, a framework to generate statistically accurate file-system images with realistic metadata and content. Impressions is flexible, supporting user-specified constraints on various file-system parameters using a number of statistical techniques to generate consistent images. In this article, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation of Impressions and demonstrate its utility using desktop search as a case study. We believe Impressions will prove to be useful to system developers and users alike.
Fast likelihood search for hidden Markov models
Authors: Fujiwara Yasuhiro , Sakurai Yasushi , Kitsuregawa Masaru
Published: December 2009

Hidden Markov models (HMMs) are receiving considerable attention in various communities and many applications that use HMMs have emerged such as mental task classification, biological analysis, traffic monitoring, and anomaly detection. This article has two goals; The first goal is exact and efficient identification of the model whose state sequence has the highest likelihood for the given query sequence (more precisely, no HMM that actually has a high-probability path for the given sequence is missed by the algorithm), and the second goal is exact and efficient monitoring of streaming data sequences to find the best model. We propose SPIRAL, a fast search method for HMM datasets. SPIRAL is based on three ideas; (1) it clusters states of models to compute approximate likelihood, (2) it uses several granularities and approximates likelihood values in search processing, and (3) it focuses on just the promising likelihood computations by pruning out low-likelihood state sequences. Experiments verify the effectiveness of SPIRAL and show that it is more than 490 times faster than the naive method.
Texture and structural refinement using neutron diffraction data from molybdite (MoO3) and calcite (CaCO3) powders and a Ni-rich Ni50.7Ti49.30alloy
Authors: Sitepu Husin
Published: December 2009

Preferred orientation or texture is a common feature of experimental powder patterns. The mathematics of two commonly used models for preferred orientation—the March-Dollase and the generalized spherical-harmonic models—is reviewed. Both models were applied individually to neutron powder data from uniaxially pressed molybdite (MoO3) and calcite (CaCO3) powders in Rietveld analyses, as well as the as-received powders. The structural refinement results are compared to single-crystal structures. The results indicate that reasonable refinement of crystal structures can be obtained using either the March model or generalized spherical-harmonic description. However, the generalized spherical-harmonic description provided better Rietveld fits than the March model for the molybdite and calcite. Therefore, the generalized spherical-harmonic description is recommended for correction of preferred orientation in neutron diffraction analysis for both crystal structure refinement and phase composition analysis. Subsequently, the generalized spherical-harmonic description is extended to crystal structure refinement of annealed and the aged polycrystalline Ni-rich Ni50.7Ti49.30shape memory alloys.
Comparison of Two Common Outpatient Preparations for Colonoscopy in Children and Youth
Authors: Jimenez-Rivera Carolina , Haas Donna , Boland Margaret , Barkey Janice L. , Mack David R.
Published: December 2009

Colonoscopies are often performed in children for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Our study compared two bowel-cleansing solutions: sodium picosulphate, magnesium oxide, and citric acid (Pico-Salax) with liquid magnesium citrate as preparations for colonoscopy. A retrospective chart review of all patients seen in the Gastroenterology outpatient clinic and who underwent bowel cleansing in preparation for colonoscopy from February to December 2006 was undertaken. Thirty-two children received Pico-Salax and 36 received liquid magnesium citrate. The tolerability of both solutions was similar. Most children in both groups had liquid stools and complete colonoscopies. Bowel preparation for a colonoscopy can be successfully achieved using either Pico-Salax or liquid magnesium citrate.
Study of the Effect of Methyl Jasmonate Concentration on AflatoxinB1Biosynthesis byAspergillus parasiticusin Yeast Extract Sucrose Medium
Authors: Meimaroglou Dido Maria , Galanopoulou Dia , Markaki Panagiota
Published: December 2009

AflatoxinB1(AFB1) is a carcinogenic metabolite produced by certainAspergillusspecies on agricultural commodities. AFB1biosynthesis is affected by jasmonic acid and also by its methylester (MeJA), a plant growth regulator derived from linoleic acid. This study reports the effect of MeJA on the growth ofA. parasiticusand AFB1output in yeast extract sucrose (YES) medium when added at three different concentrations; namely,10−2 M,10−4 M, and10−6 M. AFB1determination was performed by immunoaffinity and HPLC. MeJA at10−4and10−6M concentrations had no significant effect on mycelial growth but did affect AFB1production after the 7th day of incubation; on the 12th day, AFB1production was increased by 212.7% and 141.6% compared to the control samples (addition of10−6 M and10−4 M MeJA, resp.). Treatment ofA. parasiticuscultures with10−2 M MeJA inhibited mycelial growth and AFB1production as well. These results suggest that the effect of MeJA on AFB1biosynthesis byA. parasiticusdepends on the MeJA concentration used.
Updated Worldwide Survey on the Methods, Efficacy, and Safety of Catheter Ablation for Human Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Cappato Riccardo , Calkins Hugh , Chen Shih-Ann , Davies Wyn , Iesaka Yoshito , Kalman Jonathan , Kim You-Ho , Klein George , Natale Andrea , Packer Douglas , Skanes Allan , Ambrogi Federico , Biganzoli Elia
Published: December 2009

Background—

The purpose of this study was to provide an updated worldwide report on the methods, efficacy, and safety of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods and Results—

A questionnaire with 46 questions was sent to 521 centers from 24 countries in 4 continents. Complete interviews were collected from 182 centers, of which 85 reported to have performed 20 825 catheter ablation procedures on 16 309 patients with AF between 2003 and 2006. The median number of procedures per center was 245 (range, 2 to 2715). All centers included paroxysmal AF, 85.9% also included persistent and 47.1% also included long-lasting AF. Carto-guided left atrial circumferential ablation (48.2% of patients) and Lasso-guided ostial electric disconnection (27.4%) were the most commonly used techniques. Efficacy data were analyzed with centers representing the unit of analysis. Of 16 309 patients with full disclosure of outcome data, 10 488 (median, 70.0%; interquartile range, 57.7% to 75.4%) became asymptomatic without antiarrhythmic drugs and another 2047 (10.0%; 0.5% to 17.1%) became asymptomatic in the presence of previously ineffective antiarrhythmic drugs over 18 (range, 3 to 24) months of follow-up. Success rates free of antiarrhythmic drugs and overall success rates were significantly larger in 9590 patients with paroxysmal AF (74.9% and 83.2%) than in 2800 patients with persistent AF (64.8% and 75.0%) and 1108 patients with long-lasting AF (63.1% and 72.3%) (
P
<0.0001). Major complications were reported in 741 patients (4.5%).

Conclusions—

When analyzed in a large number of electrophysiology laboratories worldwide, catheter ablation of AF shows to be effective in ≈80% of patients after 1.3 procedures per patient, with ≈70% of them not requiring further antiarrhythmic drugs during intermediate follow-up.
Randomized Comparison of Strategies for Type B Aortic Dissection
Authors: Nienaber Christoph A. , Rousseau Hervé , Eggebrecht Holger , Kische Stephan , Fattori Rossella , Rehders Tim C. , Kundt Günther , Scheinert Dierk , Czerny Martin , Kleinfeldt Tilo , Zipfel Burkhart , Labrousse Louis , Ince Hüseyin
Published: December 2009

Background—

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) represents a novel concept for type B aortic dissection. Although life-saving in acute emergencies, outcomes and survival of TEVAR in stable dissection are unknown.

Methods and Results—

One hundred forty patients in stable clinical condition at least 2 weeks after index dissection were randomly subjected to elective stent-graft placement in addition to optimal medical therapy (n=72) or to optimal medical therapy alone (n=68) with surveillance (arterial pressure according to World Health Organization guidelines ≤120/80 mm Hg). The primary end point was all-cause death at 2 years, whereas aorta-related death, progression (with need for conversion or additional endovascular or open surgery), and aortic remodeling were secondary end points. There was no difference in all-cause deaths, with a 2-year cumulative survival rate of 95.6±2.5% with optimal medical therapy versus 88.9±3.7% with TEVAR (
P
=0.15); the trial, however, turned out to be underpowered. Moreover, the aorta-related death rate was not different (
P
=0.44), and the risk for the combined end point of aorta-related death (rupture) and progression (including conversion or additional endovascular or open surgery) was similar (
P
=0.65). Three neurological adverse events occurred in the TEVAR group (1 paraplegia, 1 stroke, and 1 transient paraparesis), versus 1 case of paraparesis with medical treatment. Finally, aortic remodeling (with true-lumen recovery and thoracic false-lumen thrombosis) occurred in 91.3% of patients with TEVAR versus 19.4% of those who received medical treatment (
P
<0.001), which suggests ongoing aortic remodeling.

Conclusions—

In the first randomized study on elective stent-graft placement in survivors of uncomplicated type B aortic dissection, TEVAR failed to improve 2-year survival and adverse event rates despite favorable aortic remodeling.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00525356.
Comparison of Clinical Presentations and Outcomes Between Patients With
TGFBR2
and
FBN1
Mutations in Marfan Syndrome and Related Disorders
Authors: Attias David , Stheneur Chantal , Roy Carine , Collod-Béroud Gwenaëlle , Detaint Delphine , Faivre Laurence , Delrue Marie-Ange , Cohen Laurence , Francannet Christine , Béroud Christophe , Claustres Mireille , Iserin Franck , Khau Van Kien Philippe , Lacombe Didier , Le Merrer Martine , Lyonnet Stanislas , Odent Sylvie , Plauchu Henri , Rio Marlène , Rossi Annick , Sidi Daniel , Steg Philippe Gabriel , Ravaud Philippe , Boileau Catherine , Jondeau Guillaume
Published: December 2009

Background—

TGFBR2
mutations were recognized recently among patients with a Marfan-like phenotype. The associated clinical and prognostic spectra remain unclear.

Methods and Results—

Clinical features and outcomes of 71 patients with a
TGFBR2
mutation (TGFBR2 group) were compared with 50 age- and sex-matched unaffected family members (control subjects) and 243 patients harboring
FBN1
mutations (FBN1 group). Aortic dilatation was present in a similar proportion of patients in both the TGFBR2 and FBN1 groups (78% versus 79%, respectively) but was highly variable. The incidence and average age for thoracic aortic surgery (31% versus 27% and 35±16 versus 39±13 years, respectively) and aortic dissection (14% versus 10% and 38±12 versus 39±9 years) were also similar in the 2 groups. Mitral valve involvement (myxomatous, prolapse, mitral regurgitation) was less frequent in the TGFBR2 than in the FBN1 group (all
P
<0.05). Aortic dilatation, dissection, or sudden death was the index event leading to genetic diagnosis in 65% of families with
TGFBR2
mutations, versus 32% with
FBN1
mutations (
P
=0.002). The rate of death was greater in TGFBR2 families before diagnosis but similar once the disease had been recognized. Most pregnancies were uneventful (without death or aortic dissection) in both TGFBR2 and FBN1 families (38 of 39 versus 213 of 217;
P
=1). Seven patients (10%) with a
TGFBR2
mutation fulfilled international criteria for Marfan syndrome, 3 of whom presented with features specific for Loeys-Dietz syndrome.

Conclusions—

Clinical outcomes appear similar between treated patients with
TGFBR2
mutations and individuals with
FBN1
mutations. Prognosis depends on clinical disease expression and treatment rather than simply the presence of a
TGFBR2
gene mutation.
Intrarenal Aminopeptidase N Inhibition Restores Defective Angiotensin II Type 2-Mediated Natriuresis in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Padia Shetal H. , Howell Nancy L. , Kemp Brandon A. , Fournie-Zaluski Marie-Claude , Roques Bernard P. , Carey Robert M.
Published: December 2009

The preferred ligand of angiotensin (Ang) II type 2 (AT
2
R)-mediated natriuresis is Ang III. The major enzyme responsible for the metabolism of Ang III is aminopeptidase N, which is selectively inhibited by compound PC-18. In this study, urine sodium excretion rates (U
Na
V), fractional excretion of sodium, fractional excretion of lithium, glomerular filtration rate, and mean arterial pressures were studied in prehypertensive and hypertensive spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and compared with age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKYs). Although renal interstitial infusion of Ang II type 1 receptor blocker candesartan increased U
Na
V in WKYs from a baseline of 0.05±0.01 to 0.17±0.04 μmol/min (
P
<0.01), identical infusions failed to increase U
Na
V in hypertensive SHRs. Coinfusion of AT
2
R antagonist PD-123319 abolished the natriuretic responses to candesartan in WKYs, indicating an AT
2
R-mediated effect. AT
2
R-mediated natriuresis was enabled in hypertensive SHRs by inhibiting the metabolism of Ang III with PC-18 (0.05±0.01 to 0.11±0.03 μmol/min;
P
<0.05). The defects in sodium excretion were present before the onset of hypertension in SHRs, because young WKYs demonstrated double the U
Na
V of SHRs (0.04±0.006 versus 0.02±0.003 μmol/min;
P
<0.01) at baseline. The increased U
Na
V of young WKYs was attributed to reduced renal proximal tubule sodium reabsorption, because increases in fractional excretion of sodium were paralleled by increases in fractional excretion of lithium. Renal interstitial PC-18 infusion ameliorated defective AT
2
R-mediated natriuresis in young SHRs by increasing fractional excretion of sodium and fractional excretion of lithium without changing the glomerular filtration rate. Thus, increased renal proximal tubule sodium retention is observed before the onset of hypertension in SHRs, and inhibition of the metabolism of Ang III ameliorates this pathophysiologic defect in sodium excretion.
Surface Melting over Ice Shelves and Ice Sheets as Assessed from Modeled Surface Air Temperatures
Authors: Fyke Jeremy G. , Carter Lionel , Mackintosh Andrew , Weaver Andrew J. , Meissner Katrin J.
Published: December 2009

Summer surface melting plays an important role in the evolution of ice shelves and their progenitor ice sheets. To explore the magnitude of surface melt occurring over modern ice shelves and ice sheets in a climate scenario forced by anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), a coupled climate model was used to simulate the distribution of summer melt at high latitudes and project the future evolution of high-melt regions in both hemispheres. Forcing of the climate model with CO2 emissions resulting from combustion of the present-day fossil-fuel resource base resulted in expansion of high-melt regions, as defined by the contour marking 200 positive degree-days per year, in the Northern Hemisphere and the Antarctic Peninsula and the introduction of high summer melt over the Ross, Ronne-Filchner, and Amery ice shelves as well as a large portion of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) and most of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) by the year 2500. Capping CO2 concentrations at present-day levels avoided significant summer melt over the large Antarctic shelves, the WAIS, and much of the GIS.
Fiber Longitudinal Measurements for Predicting White Speck Contents of Dyed Cotton Fabrics
Authors: Damian Bel Patricia , Bugao Xu
Published: December 2009

Fiber Image Analysis System (FIAS)2 was developed to provide an automatic method for measuring cotton maturity from fiber snippets or cross-sections. An uncombed cotton bundle is chopped and sprayed on a microscopic slide. The snippets are imaged sequentially on a microscope and measured with customized image analysis software. Cotton maturity is assessed from fiber width variability (convolution) and intensity (translucency) of fiber ribbons. The highly translucent fibers are labeled by the system as ‘dead’ fiber. Dead fibers are the main source of nep formation, causing dye defects, known as white specks, in finished fabrics. This work compared the fiber longitudinal measurements with white speck data of 16 different cottons, and studied the possibility of establishing a predictive equation for white speck contents from bale fiber samples. The main advantages of using the longitudinal FIAS test are that it can more readily detect dead and immature fibers and takes much less time in preparing sample slides than the cross-sectional FIAS test.
Contesting the Myth of ‘A People’s War’ in Bruce Moore-King’s White Man Black War (1989)
Authors: Vambe Maurice Taonezvi
Published: December 2009

White writing in post independence Zimbabwe has received little critical attention. Yet, there has been a steady and sometimes interrupted output from white writers; the themes in their fiction have ranged from nostalgia for a bygone Rhodesia, the horrors of the war and post independence betrayal. The aim of this article is to explore the idea of the myth of ‘a people’s war’ in White Man, Black War (1989), a novel written by a former Rhodesian white soldier. Bruce Moore-King’s novel engages the myth of ‘a people’s war’ that was used by Ian Douglas Smith to persuade and ‘call-up’ white people to fight the black liberation forces in Rhodesia. White Man Black War questions the myth of whiteness as equal to civilization that was propagated by white Rhodesian leaders, especially between 1965 until 1980. The novel contests the myth of white invincibility and reveals how mytho-poetic discourses of ‘civilization’, ‘standards’ and ‘anti-communism’ were popularised by the Rhodesian government. The third myth that Moore-King’s novel exposes for critical scrutiny is also the one based on the policy of national reconciliation introduced by the then prime minister of a new Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe. When White Man Black War is re-read today in the aftermath of the economic war of the Third Chimurenga (2000–2008) the novel comes across as a satire whose object of laughter are both blacks and whites. This observation is in-spite of the fact that White Man Black War does not totally succeed in dismantling all the political scaffolds of the myth of ‘a people’s war’ as constructed and believed by a significant portion of whites and some blacks in Rhodesia.
Interface Fracture Assessment on Sandwich DCB Specimens
Authors: Pradeep K.R. , Nageswara Rao B. , Sivakumar S.M. , Balasubramanium K.
Published: December 2009

This article examines the fracture behavior of sandwich type double cantilever beam (DCB) specimens under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions. The specimen consists of two layers of OFHC copper and one layer of ViaLux 81 photo-definable dry film. The ViaLux 81 is placed in between copper layers. Analytical expression for the strain energy release rate (GI) of the sandwich DCB specimen is derived by following the plate theory based model and compliance method. Finite element analysis has also been carried out on the specimen and the load displacement results for the specified crack or delamination length are obtained. The compliance equation in terms of the delamination length is derived for the specimens for obtaining the strain energy release rate (GI). From the generated R-curve of the interface, the failure load is estimated for the specified delamination length. From the crack growth data, the number of cycles to failure under cyclic loading is estimated for the initial delamination length.
Effects of Chemical Treatment on Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Reinforced High Density Polyethylene Composites
Authors: Arif Muhamad F. , Megat-Yusoff Puteri S.M. , Ahmad Faiz
Published: December 2009

A 10 wt% oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) fiber reinforced high density polyethylene composites were developed and tested for mechanical properties and water absorption. The fibers were treated with various percentages of alkali, acrylic acid and two types of silanes, α-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MTS) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTS). The fibers treated with 10% alkali, 3% MTS, 3% VTS and 5% acrylic acid showed enhanced tensile strength and modulus compared with that of the untreated fibers reinforced composites. The chemical treatments showed approximately 6% and 18% increase in flexural strength and modulus, respectively. The chemical treatments were found to be effective to reduce water absorption of the composites developed. Composites developed from fibers treated with 3% MTS showed highest reduction in water absorption and relatively higher increase in tensile strength and modulus compared to those fibers treated with other types of chemicals and untreated fibers.
Factors Influencing the Adoption of the Internet by Public Relations Professionals in the Private and Public Sectors of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al-Shohaib Khalid , Frederick Edward , Jamal Al-Kandari Ali Abbas , Dorsher Michael D.
Published: December 2009

Managers from Western cultures tend to assume that efficiency and profitability will drive the adoption of new technologies by multinational conglomerates. The present study shows that for non-Western organizations, the sector that the organization operates in (public or private) and its decision-making style are also relevant factors. The research employs the diffusion of innovation model to explore Internet adoption by public relations professionals in Saudi Arabian organizations. A survey of 354 public relations professionals revealed that 93% of the professionals in the private sector had adopted the Internet, compared to 83% of their counterparts in the public sector. Professionals in the private sector ascribed relative advantage as critical for adoption. Regression analyses revealed that authoritarian decision making and organizational encouragement were predictors of adoption.
Cardiovascular Interactions Between Losartan and Fructose in Mice
Authors: Senador Danielle , Key Mary , Brosnihan K. Bridget , Irigoyen Maria Claudia , Elased Khalid M. , Morris Mariana
Published: December 2009

Aim: To determine whether pharmacological blockade of angiotensin (Ang) AT1 receptors alters the cardiovascular, metabolic, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE and ACE2) responses to a fructose diet in mice. Methods: C57BL male mice were fed with a 60% fructose diet for 8 weeks in combination with losartan treatment on week 9 (30 mg/kg per day). Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and autonomic balance were monitored using radiotelemetry with spectral analysis. Renal ACE and ACE2 activity and protein levels as well as Ang II and Ang 1-7 were measured. Results: Fructose impaired glucose tolerance and increased plasma cholesterol and insulin. These effects were not corrected by losartan treatment. Fructose increased BP and HR but only during the dark period. Short-term losartan treatment decreased BP by 16% in the fructose group but had no effect in controls. This was accompanied by a decrease in BP variance and its low-frequency component. Fructose increased Ang II (plasma and kidney) and ACE 2 (renal activity and protein expression). Losartan alone increased plasma Ang II in plasma and ACE2 in kidney. There were no changes in renal Ang 1-7 levels. Conclusions: Losartan reversed the pressor effect of a high fructose diet, demonstrating that there are prominent interactions between a dietary regimen that produces glucose intolerance and an antihypertensive drug that antagonizes Ang signaling. The mechanism of change may be via renal Ang II rather than the ACE2/Ang 1-7 pathway because the fructose losartan combination resulted in lowered renal Ang II without changes in Ang 1-7.
Expression of lung resistance protein and multidrug resistance-related protein (MRP1) in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: El-Sharnouby Jehan A , Abou El-Enein Amani M , El Ghannam Doaa M , El-Shanshory Mohamed R , Hagag Adel A , Yahia Soheir , Elashry Rasha
Published: December 2009

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a phenomenon by which cells become resistant to unrelated chemotherapeutic agents. The prognostic value that lung resistance protein (LRP) and multidrug resistance-related protein 1 (MRP1) have in the setting of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of LRP and MRP1 and effect on clinical outcome and prognosis. The mRNA expression of LRP and MRP1 were analyzed in leukemic blasts of 34 pediatric ALL patients. LRP and MRP1 mRNA expression were detected in 41.2% and 35.3%, respectively. Eleven (91.7%) of 12 patients without LRP achieved CR compared with 9 (50.0%) of 18 with LRP expression. Similarly, 11 (100%) of 11 patients without MRP1 expression achieved CR compared with 9 (47.4%) of 19 with MRP1 expression and higher LRP expression rate or MRP1 expression rate was present in patients with relapse than MDR genes negative patients. The expression of either of two genes was associated with poorer 2-year survival. Also, patients expressing both genes had poorer outcomes and had worse 2-year survival. We suggest that MDR expression affects complete remission and survival rates in ALL patients. Thus, diagnosis appears to provide prognostic information for pediatric ALL.
Primary progressive multiple sclerosis diagnostic criteria: a reappraisal
Authors: Montalban X. , Sastre-Garriga J. , Filippi M. , Khaleeli Z. , Téllez N. , Vellinga MM , Tur C. , Brochet B. , Barkhof F. , Rovaris M. , Miller DH , Polman CH , Rovira A. , Thompson AJ
Published: December 2009

The diagnostic criteria used in primary progressive (PP) and relapsing—remitting (RR) multiple sclerosis (MS) show substantial differences. This introduces complexity in the diagnosis of MS which could be resolved if these criteria could be unified in terms of the requirements for dissemination in space (DIS). The aim of this study was to assess whether a single algorithm may be used to demonstrate DIS in all forms of MS. Five sets of RRMS criteria for DIS were applied to a cohort of 145 patients with established PPMS (mean disease duration: 11 years — PPMS-1): C1: Barkhof—Tintoré (as in 2005 McDonald’s criteria); C2: Swanton et al. (as in JNNP 2006); C3: presence of oligoclonal bands plus two lesions (as in McDonald’s criteria); C4 and C5: a two-step approach was also followed (patients not fulfilling C1 or C2 were then assessed for C3). Two sets of PPMS criteria for DIS were applied: C6: Thompson et al. (as in 2001 McDonald’s criteria); C7: 2005 McDonald criteria. A second sample of 55 patients with less than 5 years of disease duration (PPMS-2) was also analysed using an identical approach. For PPMS-1/PPMS-2, fulfilment was: C1:73.8%/66.7%; C2:72.1%/59.3%; C3:89%/79.2%; C4:96%/92.3%; C5:96%/85.7%; C6:85.8%/78.7%; C7:91%/80.4%. Levels of fulfilment suggest that the use of a single set of criteria for DIS in RRMS and PPMS might be feasible, and reinforce the added value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings to increase fulfilment in PPMS. Unification of the DIS criteria for both RRMS and PPMS could be considered in further revisions of the MS diagnostic criteria.
Attention Network Test reveals alerting network dysfunction in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Urbanek Carsten , Weinges-Evers Nicholetta , Bellmann-Strobl Judith , Bock Markus , Dörr Jan , Hahn Eric , Neuhaus Andres H , Opgen-Rhein Carolin , Thi Minh Tam Ta  , Herges Katja , Pfueller Caspar F , Radbruch Helena , Wernecke Klaus D , Ohlraun Stephanie , Zipp Frauke , Dettling Michael , Paul Friedemann
Published: December 2009

Attention is one of the cognitive domains typically affected in multiple sclerosis. The Attention Network Test was developed to measure the function of the three distinct attentional networks, alerting, orienting, and executive control. The Attention Network Test has been performed in various neuropsychiatric conditions, but not in multiple sclerosis. Our objective was to investigate functions of attentional networks in multiple sclerosis by means of the Attention Network Test. Patients with relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis (n = 57) and healthy controls (n = 57) matched for age, sex, and education performed the Attention Network Test. Significant differences between patients and controls were detected in the alerting network (p = 0.003), in contrast to the orienting (p = 0.696) and the conflict (p = 0.114) network of visual attention. Mean reaction time in the Attention Network Test was significantly longer in multiple sclerosis patients than in controls (p = 0.032), Multiple sclerosis patients benefited less from alerting cues for conflict resolution compared with healthy controls. The Attention Network Test revealed specific alterations of the attention network in multiple sclerosis patients which were not explained by an overall cognitive slowing.
Objective adherence monitoring in multiple sclerosis: initial validation and association with self-report
Authors: Bruce Jared M , Hancock Laura M , Lynch Sharon G
Published: December 2009

Poor adherence to medication is commonplace and contributes to poor health outcomes among numerous patient populations. Studies that have examined treatment adherence in multiple sclerosis focus exclusively on retrospective self-reports and/or imprecise measures of treatment discontinuation. To help address these methodological limitations, the present longitudinal study compared adherence outcomes for patients with multiple sclerosis using retrospective self-reports, adherence diaries, and a novel electronic monitoring device. Sixty-seven patients with relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis were followed for a period of eight weeks during which they used a medication diary and a sharps container that captured electronically the time and date of each needle disposal. The patients also reported at the outset and conclusion of the study how frequently they missed doses. All measures of adherence were highly correlated. Patients reported better adherence than was indicated by medication diaries and electronic monitoring of needle disposals. Nearly one-fifth of the sample exhibited poor adherence, missing more than 20% of their prescribed medication. The results support the validity of electronic monitoring of needle disposal as an effective means of measuring adherence to disease modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis. In contrast, studies employing only self-report may underestimate poor adherence. Larger scale studies that employ prospective objective methods are necessary to gain a better understanding of adherence patterns in multiple sclerosis.
Announced refusal to answer: a study of norms and accountability in broadcast political interviews
Authors: Ekström Mats
Published: December 2009

This article investigates the announced refusal to answer as a form of dispreferred and challenging response in broadcast political interviews. The aim is to study how the rightness and wrongness of conduct is dealt with in situations of announced refusal. More specifically, the paper focuses on: (1) announced refusal as a particular type of conduct; (2) the orientation to norms and accountability in situations of announced refusal; (3) how the legitimacy of politics and journalism is negotiated in broadcast interviews. The data consist of 23 cases from Swedish election campaigns, and the analysis is based on Conversation Analysis, focusing on how the participants treat themselves and others as normatively accountable. The study indicates that the politicians understand themselves as accountable and avoid hostile actions in the interviews. Their refusals are designed mainly to be understood as appropriate distancing actions without explicitly complaining about the interviewers’ conduct.
Mitochondrial Disease in the Pediatric Patient
Authors: Buegel Angela , Schalk Angela , Geraghty Maureen E.
Published: December 2009

Long referred to as the powerhouses of human cellular function, mitochondria are responsible for converting nutrients derived from food into adenosine triphosphate, the principal intracellular energy source on which normal eukaryotic cell function is entirely dependent. Although disease of the mitochondria is still considered to be relatively rare, diagnosis of the many mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders is on the rise, and it remains the most prevalent group of inherited neurometabolic diseases. Diagnosis is complicated by poor differentiation between signs and symptoms of other diseases, and the testing process is rigorous at best. Along with pharmaceutical intervention, nutrition is the primary means of support in these individuals, with a focus on adequate energy intake coupled with cofactor and vitamin supplementation. Unfortunately, as with all rare diseases, there is a distinct lack of adequate research to support one treatment over another. This article examines the current research regarding mitochondrial disease and dysfunction, primarily within the context of respiratory chain disorders diagnosed in childhood, and provides a general overview for health care workers and laypersons of nutritional interventions that may be needed to support adequate growth and development in pediatric patients with these diseases.
Use of Skim Breast Milk for an Infant With Chylothorax
Authors: Lessen Rachelle
Published: December 2009

This case study describes the management of an infant who developed chylothorax as a complication of surgical repair for congenital heart disease. The challenges of successfully providing skim breast milk to an infant who requires modification of breast milk are presented. Expressed breast milk can be fractionated to produce either a fat-free (skim) or higher fat milk (hind milk). Infants with chylothorax require a diet low in long-chain fatty acids to minimize accumulation of chylous effusions into the pleural cavity. A diet regimen of skim breast milk fortified with additional fat, calories, and essential fatty acids can provide the immune and nutritional benefits of breast milk without exacerbating chylous effusions.