bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ethical issues in the use of fall detectors
Authors: GANYO MICHELLE , DUNN MICHAEL , HOPE TONY 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACTFall detectors are a form of remote monitoring assistive technology that have the potential to enhance the wellbeing of adults at risk from falling. In this paper, the ethical issues raised by the use of fall detectors are examined. The fall detection devices currently available are outlined, and a summary of how these devices require social-care services, or family carers, to respond in particular ways, is provided. The ethical issues associated with the use of fall detectors are classified under four headings: autonomy, privacy, benefit, and the use of resources. These issues, we argue, arise out of the nature of the technology itself, and the way that this technology is integrated into the day-to-day support package of the person for whom it is provided. It is argued that manufacturers have a duty to provide information about the ‘ethical side-effects’ associated with the use of a particular device, and that the process of making a decision to provide a person with a fall detector should include a checklist of questions that is designed to enable decision makers to work through the ethical issues raised.
Data mining: past, present and future
Authors: Coenen Frans 
Published: February 2011

AbstractData mining has become a well-established discipline within the domain of artificial intelligence (AI) and knowledge engineering (KE). It has its roots in machine learning and statistics, but encompasses other areas of computer science. It has received much interest over the last decade as advances in computer hardware have provided the processing power to enable large-scale data mining to be conducted. Unlike other innovations in AI and KE, data mining can be argued to be an application rather then a technology and thus can be expected to remain topical for the foreseeable future. This paper presents a brief review of the history of data mining, up to the present day, and some insights into future directions.
Coordination models and languages: from parallel computing to self-organisation
Authors: Omicini Andrea , Viroli Mirko 
Published: February 2011

AbstractStarting from the pioneering work on Lindaand Gamma, coordination models and languages have gone through an amazing evolution process over the years. From closed to open systems, from parallel computing to multi-agent systems and from database integration to knowledge-intensive environments, coordination abstractions and technologies have gained in relevance and power in those scenarios where complexity has become a key factor. In this paper, we outline and motivate 25 years of evolution of coordination models and languages, and discuss their potential perspectives in the future of artificial systems.
Logical mechanism design
Authors: Rahwan Iyad , Larson Kate 
Published: February 2011

AbstractGame theory is becoming central to the design and analysis of computational mechanisms in which multiple entities interact strategically. The tools of mechanism design are used extensively to engineer incentives for truth revelation into resource allocation (e.g. combinatorial auctions) and preference aggregation protocols (e.g. voting). We argue that mechanism design can also be useful in the design of logical inference procedures. In particular, it can help us understand and engineer inference procedures when knowledge is distributed among self-interested agents. We set a research agenda for this emerging area, and point to some early research efforts.
Genetic fuzzy modeling of user perception of three-dimensional shapes
Authors: Achiche Sofiane , Ahmed-Kristensen Saeema 
Published: February 2011

AbstractDefining the aesthetic and emotional value of a product is an important consideration for its design. Furthermore, if several designers are faced with the task of creating an object that describes a certain emotion/perception (aggressive, soft, heavy, etc.), each is most likely to interpret the emotion/perception with different shapes composed of a set of different geometric features. The authors propose an automatic approach to formalize the relationships between geometric information of three-dimensional objects and the intended emotional content using fuzzy logic. In addition, the automatically generated fuzzy knowledge base was compared to the user's perceptions and to the manually constructed fuzzy knowledge base. The initial findings indicate that the approach is valid to formalize geometric information with perceptions and validate the author's manually developed fuzzy models.
Discovering implicit constraints in design
Authors: Dabbeeru Madan Mohan , Mukerjee Amitabha 
Published: February 2011

AbstractDesigners who are experts in a given design domain are well known to be able to Immediately focus on “good designs,” suggesting that they may have learned additional constraints while exploring the design space based on some functional aspects. These constraints, which are often implicit, result in a redefinition of the design space, and may be crucial for discovering chunks or interrelations among the design variables. Here we propose a machine-learning approach for discovering such constraints in supervised design tasks. We develop models for specifying design function in situations where the design has a given structure or embodiment, in terms of a set of performance metrics that evaluate a given design. The functionally feasible regions, which are those parts of the design space that demonstrate high levels of performance, can now be learned using any general purpose function approximator. We demonstrate this process using examples from the design of simple locking mechanisms, and as in human experience, we show that the quality of the constraints learned improves with greater exposure in the design space. Next, we consider changing the embodiment and suggest that similar embodiments may have similar abstractions. To explore convergence, we also investigate the variability in time and error rates where the experiential patterns are significantly different. In the process, we also consider the situation where certain functionally feasible regions may encode lower dimensional manifolds and how this may relate to cognitive chunking.
Teaching innovative design reasoning: How concept–knowledge theory can help overcome fixation effects
Authors: Hatchuel Armand , Le Masson Pascal , Weil Benoit 
Published: February 2011

AbstractHow can we prepare engineering students to work collectively on innovative design issues, involving ill-defined, “wicked” problems? Recent works have emphasized the need for students to learn to combine divergent and convergent thinking in a collaborative, controlled manner. From this perspective, teaching must help them overcome four types of obstacles or “fixation effects” (FEs) that are found in the generation of alternatives, knowledge acquisition, collaborative creativity, and creativity processes. We begin by showing that teaching based on concept–knowledge (C-K) theory can help to manage FEs because it helps to clarify them and then to overcome them by providing means of action. We show that C-K theory can provide scaffolding to improve project-based learning (PBL), in what we call project-based critical learning (PBCL). PBCL helps students be critical and give due thought to the main issues in innovative design education: FEs. We illustrate the PBCL process with several cases and show precisely where the FEs appear and how students are able to overcome them. We conclude by discussing two main criteria of any teaching method, both of which are usually difficult to address in situations of innovative design teaching. First, can the method be evaluated? Second, is the chosen case “realistic” enough? We show that C-K-based PBCL can be rigorously evaluated by teachers, and we discuss the circumstances in which a C-K-based PBCL may or may not be realistic.
The role of immunity in the epidemiology of gonorrhoea, chlamydial infection and trichomoniasis: insights from a mathematical model
Authors: JOHNSON L. F. , DORRINGTON R. E. , BRADSHAW D. 
Published: February 2011

SUMMARYMost mathematical models of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) assume that infected individuals become susceptible to re-infection immediately after recovery. This paper assesses whether extending the standard model to allow for temporary immunity after recovery improves the correspondence between observed and modelled levels of STI prevalence in South Africa, for gonorrhoea, chlamydial infection and trichomoniasis. Five different models of immunity and symptom resolution were defined, and each model fitted to South African STI prevalence data. The models were compared in terms of Bayes factors, which show that in the case of gonorrhoea and chlamydial infection, models that allow for immunity provide a significantly better fit to STI prevalence data than models that do not allow for immunity. For all three STIs, estimates of the impact of changes in STI treatment and sexual behaviour are significantly lower in models that allow for immunity. Mathematical models that do not allow for immunity could therefore overestimate the effectiveness of STI interventions.
Factors associated with childhood obesity in Spain. The OBICE study: a case–control study based on sentinel networks
Authors: Zurriaga Oscar , Pérez-Panadés Jordi , Quiles Izquierdo Joan , Gil Costa Milagros , Anes Yolanda , Quiñones Carmen , Margolles Mario , Lopez-Maside Aurora , Vega-Alonso A Tomás , Miralles Espí María Teresa ,   Recent OBICE Research Group
Published: February 2011

AbstractObjectiveTo estimate the association strength of dietary behaviour and sedentary habits in relation to childhood obesity in Spain.DesignA matched case–control study was carried out using data collected by sentinel network paediatricians in general practices.SettingFive Spanish autonomous communities.SubjectsCases were 437 children (2–14 years old) with BMI >95th percentile according to Spanish reference tables. Controls were 751 children (2–14 years old; two paired per case) with BMI <84th percentile. Data were collected in two phases: individual (questionnaires filled in by sentinel paediatricians) and family (self-administered questionnaires filled in a family environment). Crude OR and adjusted OR (ORc and adj OR) for the given variables were calculated using a simple and multiple conditional logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe factors with the greatest effect on obesity were family history of obesity: both parents (adj OR = 11·2), mother but not father (adj OR = 9·1), father but not mother (adj OR = 6·1), siblings (adj OR = 2·7); and eating between meals (adj OR = 2·5) and consumption of sweets and soft drinks >2 times/week (adj OR = 2·0). The highest protection effect was found for five meals per day (adj OR = 0·5), the regular consumption of breakfast (adj OR = 0·5) and for eating fruit for dessert (adj OR = 0·6). Factors related to sedentary habits did not appear as noteworthy.ConclusionsWe have determined the association between certain dietary behaviour and family history with childhood obesity in several Spanish regions.
First Report of Tomato chlorosis virus in Tomato from Hungary
Authors: Bese G. , Bóka K. , Krizbai L. , Takács A. 
Published: February 2011

A disease of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) was observed in three greenhouses in Tömörkény in southern Hungary in the autumn of 2007. Thirty percent of the plants were chlorotic and stunted and had mottled leaves with interveinal yellowing and necrosis. Similar symptoms induced by Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) on tomato have been reported in other countries (1,2). ToCV is a Crinivirus in the Closteroviridae family, which can cause a decline in plant vigor and reduced fruit yield. ToCV is transmitted by whiteflies (Trialeurodes vaporariorum West., T. abutilonea Hald., and Bemisia tabaci Genn.) and grafting, but cannot be transmitted mechanically. Only T. vaporariorum is known to be present and widespread in Hungary. Virus presence was confirmed by reverse transcription-PCR as described by Louro et al. (2). cDNA synthesis with ToCV specific primers (ToCV-UP 5′-TCATTAAAACTCAATGGGACCGAG-3′ (3) and ToCV-DW 5′-GCGACGTAAATTGAAACCC-3′) was successful and electron microscopy revealed ToCV-like particles. The PCR product has been sequenced (GenBank Accession No. HQ444266) and showed 97 to 99% identity to ToCV isolates in GenBank. According to the symptoms, amplified region, sequence data, and electron microscopy, the tomato samples from Tömörkény were confirmed to be infected with ToCV. The economic losses associated with ToCV were minor. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the occurrence of ToCV in Hungary. References: (1) G. P. Accotto et al. Plant Dis. 85:1208, 2001. (2) D. Louro et al. Eur. J. Plant Pathol. 106:589, 2000 (3) J. Th. J. Verhoven et al. Plant Dis. 87:872, 2003.
First Report of Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus Infecting Melon in China
Authors: Zeng R. , Dai F. M. , Chen W. J. , Lu J. P. 
Published: February 2011

In October 2007, symptoms of chlorosis on the upper leaves and a bright yellow color on the lower leaves were observed sporadically on hami melon (Cucumis melo cv. Xuelihong) in a high tunnel in Nanhui of Shanghai, China. Disease progresses from initial mottling of leaves into leaves that are completely yellow with the veins remaining green. The oldest leaves develop symptoms first, so these leaves have a pronounced even yellow color. In October 2009, these symptoms were found in all melons produced in the suburbs of Shanghai. These symptoms were similar to those caused by Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) and Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) (1–3). Twelve samples from symptomatic melons were collected in the Jiading, Nanhui, Fengxian, and Chongming districts of Shanghai for virus diagnosis. Large populations of whiteflies were observed in association with the diseased cucurbit crops. Total RNA was extracted with Trizol reagents (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA). We used random primers (9-mer) for reverse transcription-PCR. Extracts were for CYSDV using specific primers CYSDV-CP-F (5′-ATGGCGAGTTCGAGTGAGAA-3′) and CYSDV-CP-R (5′-TCAATTACCACAGCCACCTG-3′) to amplify a 756-bp fragment of coat protein gene and CCYV using specific primers CCYV-HSP-F1 (5′-TGCGTATGTCAATGGTGTTATG-3′) and CCYV-HSP-R1 (5′-ATCCTTCGCAGTGAAAAACC-3′) to amplify a 462-bp fragment of the HSP gene (1). CYSDV was not found in all samples. The expected 462-bp target fragment of CCYV was obtained in all samples but not from any of the healthy controls. All the 462-bp PCR products were cloned to pGEM-T vector (Promega, Madison, WI) and sequenced. All sequences obtained were homologous. A comparison of the submitted sequence (GenBank Accession No. HQ148667) with those in GenBank showed that the sequence had 100% nucleotide identity to the Hsp70h sequences of (CCYV) isolates from Japan (Accession Nos. AB523789 and AB457591) (1,4), Taiwan (Accession No. HM120250) (2), and mainland of China (Accession Nos. GU721105, GU721108, and GU721110). CCYV is a new member of the genus Crinivirus, first discovered in Japan in 2004 (4) and reported in Taiwan in 2009 (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of CCYV on melon in China. References: (1) Y. Gyoutoku et al. Jpn. J. Phytopathol. 75:109, 2009. (2) L.-H. Huang et al. Plant Dis. 94:1168, 2010. (3) L. Z. Liu et al. Plant Dis.94:485, 2010. (4) M. Okuda et al. Phytopathology 100:560, 2010.
First Report of Cylindrocarpon pauciseptatum Associated with Grapevine Decline from Castilla y León, Spain
Authors: Martin M. T. , Martin L. , Cuesta M. J. , García-Benavides P. 
Published: February 2011

During a survey for grapevine decline, 10 young grapevines (cvs. Tempranillo and Verdejo) with low vigor and little foliage were collected between June 2008 and August 2009. Small pieces of vascular and brown wood were placed onto malt extract agar supplemented with 0.25 g/liter of chloramphenicol and incubated at 25°C. Fifteen resulting colonies were transferred to potato dextrose agar in petri dishes (90 mm). Colonies with white mycelium covered the dishes after 10 days of incubation at 25°C in darkness; mycelium gradually became yellowish with some brownish aspect. Macroconida were predominantly three septate (40 to 45 to 50 × 8.6 to 9 to 9.5 μm with a length and width ratio of 4.7 to 5 to 5.4), straight, and cylindrical with both ends broadly rounded. Chlamydospora and ovoidal microconidia were observed on synthetic nutrient-poor agar (1). Cylindrocarpon pauciseptatum was not easy to distinguish from other Cylindrocarpon species based on morphological characteristics. Ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region sequences of single-spore cultures confirmed the morphological identification and revealed 100% genetic identity with other isolates of C. pauciceptatum present in GenBank (EF607090), a sequence of the fragment was deposited with Accession No. EU983277. Pathogenicity tests were conducted with two isolates. The inoculations were done on 110R rootstock wood of four different young plants and 15 detached canes of current-season growth (cv. Tempranillo). Plants were inoculated with an agar plug containing C. pauciceptatum; controls were treated with agar only. Grapevines were maintained in a greenhouse at 20 to 25°C. After 3 to 4 months, C. pauciceptatum was reisolated from brown tissues and internal vascular lesions in 45% of inoculated samples, fulfilling Koch's postulates. Control plants were asymptomatic and C. pauciceptatum was not recovered. To our knowledge, this is the first report implicating C. pauciceptatum as a cause of grapevine black foot disease in Spain with potentially significant impact on grapevine nurseries. Reference: (1) H. J. Schroers et al. Mycol. Res. 112:82, 2008.
Bovine lactoferrin (LTF) gene promoter haplotypes have different basal transcriptional activities
Authors: Bahar B. , O’Halloran F. , Callanan M. J. , McParland S. , Giblin L. , Sweeney T. 
Published: February 2011

SummaryGenetic polymorphisms present in the bovine lactoferrin (LTF) gene promoter have the potential to affect milk lactoferrin concentrations. The objectives were: (1) to identify, in silico, SNPs in the promoter region of the LTF gene that could affect transcription factor binding activity, (2) to investigate the effects of these SNPs in vitro by measuring promoter transcriptional activities of different bovine LTF promoter haplotypes and (3) to investigate the genetic association between LTF promoter SNPs and milk lactoferrin concentration. Haplotypes were deduced from sequencing of the 2.2‐kb bovine LTF promoter in 78 unrelated animals. In silico analysis of the 2.2‐kb promoter revealed two major haplotypes (BtLTF_H1a and BtLTF_H2a) that differed at 10 SNP loci that affect transcription factors of both a constitutive (at ‐28, ‐1702) and an inducible (at ‐131, ‐270, ‐586, ‐2047, ‐2077, ‐2122, ‐2140 and ‐2151) nature. The basal promoter transcriptional activity of BtLTF_H1a was 1.44‐fold higher than that of BtLTF_H2a in mammary epithelial cells. Cows with the BtLTF_H1a haplotype had increased lactoferrin protein concentration in milk at various time points over the lactation curves, compared to herdmates with the BtLTF_H2a haplotype. The SNPs c.‐28A>C, c.‐131T>C, c.‐156A>G, c.‐270T>C, c.‐586C>T, c.‐1702A>G, c.‐1953G>A, c.‐2047A>G, c.‐2077A>G, c.‐2122C>T, c.‐2140A>G and c.‐2151G>A were associated (P < 0.001) with milk lactoferrin content in 372 Holstein‐Friesian cows. The identification of bovine LTF promoter haplotypes with different basal transcriptional activities in vitro that are associated with lactoferrin levels in milk in vivo may facilitate the identification of designer dairy herds for increased lactoferrin content in milk.
Functional modelling of an equine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid proteome provides experimental confirmation and functional annotation of equine genome sequences
Authors: Bright L. A. , Mujahid N. , Nanduri B. , McCarthy F. M. , Costa L. R. R. , Burgess S. C. , Swiderski C. E. 
Published: February 2011

SummaryThe equine genome sequence enables the use of high‐throughput genomic technologies in equine research, but accurate identification of expressed gene products and interpreting their biological relevance require additional structural and functional genome annotation. Here, we employ the equine genome sequence to identify predicted and known proteins using proteomics and model these proteins into biological pathways, identifying 582 proteins in normal cell‐free equine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). We improved structural and functional annotation by directly confirming the in vivo expression of 558 (96%) proteins, which were computationally predicted previously, and adding Gene Ontology (GO) annotations for 174 proteins, 108 of which lacked functional annotation. Bronchoalveolar lavage is commonly used to investigate equine respiratory disease, leading us to model the associated proteome and its biological functions. Modelling of protein functions using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis identified carbohydrate metabolism, cell‐to‐cell signalling, cellular function, inflammatory response, organ morphology, lipid metabolism and cellular movement as key biological processes in normal equine BALF. Comparative modelling of protein functions in normal cell‐free bronchoalveolar lavage proteomes from horse, human, and mouse, performed by grouping GO terms sharing common ancestor terms, confirms conservation of functions across species. Ninety‐one of 92 human GO categories and 105 of 109 mouse GO categories were conserved in the horse. Our approach confirms the utility of the equine genome sequence to characterize protein networks without antibodies or mRNA quantification, highlights the need for continued structural and functional annotation of the equine genome and provides a framework for equine researchers to aid in the annotation effort.
Association between molecular markers for beef tenderness and growth traits in Argentinian Angus cattle
Authors: Pintos D. , Corva P. M. 
Published: February 2011

SummaryMolecular markers for beef tenderness are classic examples of the contribution of genome technology to animal breeding through marker‐assisted selection (MAS). Markers on the μ‐calpain (CAPN1) and calpastatin (CAST) genes have been extensively evaluated for their association with tenderness. However, little is known about their potential effect on other economically important traits. In this work, the association of molecular markers for beef tenderness with growth traits was evaluated in Angus cattle of Argentina. Expected progeny differences were extracted from the 2008 Angus Sire Summary of Argentina. Information corresponding to 268 influential bulls that had been genotyped for two markers in CAPN1 and two markers in CAST was provided by the Argentine Angus Association. Genotype probabilities were assigned, by segregation analysis, to those bulls in the Sire Summary that had no marker information. Expected progeny differences of 1365 sires were regressed on the number of alleles favouring tenderness at each locus. There was a significant effect of markers on expected progeny differences of birth weight, weaning weight (direct), weight at 18 months and rib eye area. In general, there was a negative effect of alleles favouring tenderness on growth traits. These correlated responses should be taken into account when molecular markers are used in selection schemes that aim to improve beef tenderness.