bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A low-cost approach for self-calibration of climbing robots
Authors: Tavakoli Mahmoud , Marques Lino , de Almeida Aníbal T. 
Published: January 2011

SUMMARYHigh accuracy is usually difficult to obtain with a robotic arm installed on a mobile base, since the errors of the base are transferred to the manipulator. This paper proposes a method to address this problem through integration of a self-calibration algorithm and low-cost sensors. The self-calibration algorithm might be repeated several times during execution of a mission by the robot and is only based on the internal sensors of the robot, meaning that external observers or reference point transceivers (e.g., ultrasonic transceivers) are not used. The proposed self-calibration system was implemented on a pole climbing robot and effectively improved the positioning accuracy of the climbing arm.
A self-replicating programmable constructor in a kinematic simulation environment
Authors: Stevens William M 
Published: January 2011

SUMMARYCellular automata can model the information processing aspects of a self-replicating programmable constructing system (SRPC), but these models do not contain any notion of material parts and are poor at modelling features of a system that depend upon the motion and connectivity of its components. Physical systems with thousands of parts have the disadvantage that they are time consuming to develop. To overcome these limitations, a simulation environment is presented at a level of abstraction that models motion and connectivity. An SRPC which takes a disorganised collection of parts as its input has been implemented in this environment.
Planning to fold multiple objects from a single self-folding sheet
Authors: An Byoungkwon , Benbernou Nadia , Demaine Erik D. , Rus Daniela 
Published: January 2011

SUMMARYThis paper considers planning and control algorithms that enable a programmable sheet to realize different shapes by autonomous folding. Prior work on self-reconfiguring machines has considered modular systems in which independent units coordinate with their neighbors to realize a desired shape. A key limitation in these prior systems is the typically many operations to make and break connections with neighbors, which lead to brittle performance. We seek to mitigate these difficulties through the unique concept of self-folding origami with a universal fixed set of hinges. This approach exploits a single sheet composed of interconnected triangular sections. The sheet is able to fold into a set of predetermined shapes using embedded actuation.We describe the planning algorithms underlying these self-folding sheets, forming a new family of reconfigurable robots that fold themselves into origami by actuating edges to fold by desired angles at desired times. Given a flat sheet, the set of hinges, and a desired folded state for the sheet, the algorithms (1) plan a continuous folding motion into the desired state, (2) discretize this motion into a practicable sequence of phases, (3) overlay these patterns and factor the steps into a minimum set of groups, and (4) automatically plan the location of actuators and threads on the sheet for implementing the shape-formation control.
The global wood market, wood resource productivity and price trends: an examination with special attention to China
Authors: AJANI JUDITH 
Published: January 2011

SUMMARYGlobal wood consumption trends are reviewed in the context of framing a coherent forest policy in the era of climate change. Over the period 1980 to 2007, global wood consumption has been essentially stagnant, increasing by only 0.4% per year. In contrast over the same period, global consumption of wood products increased steadily, paper by an average 3.2% per annum and solid wood products (sawn timber and wood panels) by 0.8% per annum. Wood saving explains these significantly different growth trajectories in unprocessed wood and processed wood products. Wood saving strategies include recycling paper (in particular), investing in higher yielding pulp technologies, substituting reconstituted wood panels for sawn timber and plywood and growing high pulp-yielding trees in a plantation regime. China's rapidly growing wood products industry has lifted wood saving to a new high. Consistent with the theory of induced innovation, China has so far avoided triggering a global wood shortage and associated wood price increases through a progression of strategies: successful pre-emptive price negotiations, increased use of recycled paper, adoption of high-yielding pulp technologies, substitution of reconstituted wood panels for sawn timber and tree planting substituting for natural forest supply. If China's current wood saving strategies were emulated worldwide, through increased use of recycled paper in particular, and to a lesser extent, substitution of reconstituted wood panels for sawn timber and plywood, the already low growth in global wood consumption would flatten further and perhaps start to decline. These economic realities in the wood products industry align positively with the interlinked imperatives of biodiversity conservation and carbon storage in natural forests, if wood-saving is converted to forest-saving.
A decision tree to help determine the best timing and antiretroviral strategy in HIV-infected patients
Authors: PIROTH L. , FOURNEL I. , MAHY S. , YAZDANPANAH Y. , REY D. , RABAUD C. , FALLER J. P. , HOEN B. , FARDEHEB M. , QUANTIN C. , CHAVANET P. , BINQUET C. 
Published: January 2011

SUMMARYOptimal antiretroviral strategies for HIV-infected patients still need to be established. To this end a decision tree including different antiretroviral strategies that could be adopted for HIV-infected patients was built. A 10-year follow-up was simulated by using transitional probabilities estimated from a large cohort using a time-homogeneous Markov model. The desired outcome was for patients to maintain a CD4 cell count of >500 cells/mm3without experiencing AIDS or death. For patients with a baseline HIV viral load ⩾5 log10copies/ml, boosted protease inhibitor-based immediate highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) allowed them to spend 12% more time with CD4 ⩾500/mm3than did delayed HAART (6·40vs. 5·69 and 5·57vs. 4·90 years for baseline CD4 ⩾500 and 350–499/mm3, respectively). In patients with a baseline HIV viral load ⩽3·5 log10copies/ml, delayed HAART performed better than immediate HAART (6·43vs. 6·26 and 5·95vs. 5·18 for baseline CD4 ⩾500 and 350–499/mm3, respectively). Immediate HAART is beneficial in patients with a baseline HIV viral load ⩾5 log10copies/ml, whereas deferred HAART appears to be the best option for patients with CD4 ⩾350/mm3and baseline HIV viral load <3·5 log10copies/ml.
Thirty Years of Reform and Opening Up: Teaching International Relations in China
Authors: McMahon Patrice C. , Zou Yue 
Published: January 2011

AbstractIn 1978, Deng Xiaoping declared that China's future depended on gaige kaifang (reform and opening up to the West). By any standard, China has reformed its economic system and prospered handsomely by integrating into the world economy. With less fanfare, China has taken steps to restructure its political system and committed substantial resources to harmonizing relations with its neighbors. Given these changes, China's insular tradition, and Communist government, this article considers how the country's reemergence has impacted the teaching of international relations (IR) at Chinese universities. Using primary and secondary sources, including university Web sites written in Chinese and English, and about a dozen semi-structured interviews conducted in Beijing and Xi'an, this study concludes that although China has become actively engaged in IR and the internationalization of universities is evident, the government has yet to endorse fully the importance of IR as a discipline, and universities have not systematically adopted the theoretical toolbox developed outside of China to describe, explain, and predict behavior in IR.
Polling on a Budget: Implementing Telephone Surveys in Introductory and Advanced American Politics Courses
Authors: Williamson Jonathan 
Published: January 2011

AbstractResearch suggests that student learning is enhanced when students are engaged through active learning strategies. In studying public opinion and polling, challenges include the provision of meaningful active learning environments when resources are limited. In this article, I discuss the design and implementation of telephone surveys as a teaching tool for use in introductory American politics as well as upper-level public opinion courses. I emphasize polling situations in which there are limited resources or no established survey research center is available. Topics include student involvement in survey design and implementation, logistics, and budgeting. Student satisfaction with participation in the survey process is also discussed.
Limits to biodiversity cycles from a unified model of mass-extinction events
Authors: Feulner Georg 
Published: January 2011

AbstractEpisodes of species mass extinction dramatically affected the evolution of life on Earth, but their causes remain a source of debate. Even more controversy surrounds the hypothesis of periodicity in the fossil record, with conflicting views still being published in the scientific literature, often even based on the same state-of-the-art datasets. From an empirical point of view, limitations of the currently available data on extinctions and possible causes remain an important issue. From a theoretical point of view, it is likely that a focus on single extinction causes and strong periodic forcings has strongly contributed to this controversy. Here I show that if there is a periodic extinction signal at all, it is much more likely to result from a combination of a comparatively weak periodic cause and various random factors. Tests of this unified model of mass extinctions on the available data show that the model is formally better than a model with random extinction causes only. However, the contribution of the periodic component is small compared to factors such as impacts or volcanic eruptions.
Clustering 16S rRNA for OTU prediction: a method of unsupervised Bayesian clustering
Authors: Hao Xiaolin , Jiang Rui , Chen Ting 
Published: January 2011

Abstract
Motivation: With the advancements of next-generation sequencing technology, it is now possible to study samples directly obtained from the environment. Particularly, 16S rRNA gene sequences have been frequently used to profile the diversity of organisms in a sample. However, such studies are still taxed to determine both the number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and their relative abundance in a sample.
Results: To address these challenges, we propose an unsupervised Bayesian clustering method termed Clustering 16S rRNA for OTU Prediction (CROP). CROP can find clusters based on the natural organization of data without setting a hard cut-off threshold (3%/5%) as required by hierarchical clustering methods. By applying our method to several datasets, we demonstrate that CROP is robust against sequencing errors and that it produces more accurate results than conventional hierarchical clustering methods.
Availability and Implementation: Source code freely available at the following URL: http://code.google.com/p/crop-tingchenlab/, implemented in C++ and supported on Linux and MS Windows.
Contact: tingchen@usc.edu
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
High-accuracy prediction of bacterial type III secreted effectors based on position-specific amino acid composition profiles
Authors: Wang Yejun , Zhang Qing , Sun Ming-an , Guo Dianjing 
Published: January 2011

Abstract
Motivation: Bacterial type III secreted (T3S) effectors are delivered into host cells specifically via type III secretion systems (T3SSs), which play important roles in the interaction between bacteria and their hosts. Previous computational methods for T3S protein prediction have only achieved limited accuracy, and distinct features for effective T3S protein prediction remain to be identified.
Results: In this work, a distinctive N-terminal position-specific amino acid composition (Aac) feature was identified for T3S proteins. A large portion (∼50%) of T3S proteins exhibit distinct position-specific Aac features that can tolerate position shift. A classifier, BPBAac, was developed and trained using Support Vector Machine (SVM) based on the Aac feature extracted using a Bi-profile Bayes model. We demonstrated that the BPBAac model outperformed other implementations in classification of T3S and non-T3S proteins, giving an average sensitivity of ∼90.97% and an average selectivity of ∼97.42% in a 5-fold cross-validation evaluation. The model was also robust when a small-size training dataset was used. The fact that the position-specific Aac feature is commonly found in T3S proteins across different bacterial species gives this model wide application. To demonstrate the model's application, a genome-wide prediction of T3S effector proteins was performed for Ralstonia solanacearum, an important plant pathogenic bacterium, and a number of putative candidates were identified using this model.
Availability: An R package of BPBAac tool is freely downloadable from: http://biocomputer.bio.cuhk.edu.hk/softwares/BPBAac.
Contact: djguo@cuhk.edu.hk
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Familial concordance for age at menarche: analyses from the Breakthrough Generations Study
Authors: Morris Danielle H. , Jones Michael E. , Schoemaker Minouk J. , Ashworth Alan , Swerdlow Anthony J. 
Published: January 2011

SummaryMorris DH, Jones ME, Schoemaker MJ, Ashworth A, Swerdlow AJ. Familial concordance for age at menarche: analyses from the Breakthrough Generations Study. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2011; 25: 306–311.Age at menarche is correlated within families, but estimates of the heritability of menarcheal age have a wide range (0.45–0.95). We examined the familial resemblance for age at menarche and the extent to which this is due to genetic and shared environmental factors. Between 2003 and 2010 data were retrospectively collected by questionnaire from participants within the UK‐based Breakthrough Generations Study. These analyses included 25 970 female participants aged 16–98 with at least one female relative who was also a study participant. A woman's menarche was significantly delayed for each yearly increase in the menarcheal age of her monozygotic twin (average increase = 7.2 months, P < 0.001), dizygotic twin (average increase = 3.0 months, P = 0.03), older sister (average increase = 3.3 months, P < 0.001), mother (average increase = 3.4 months, P < 0.001), maternal grandmother (average increase = 1.5 months, P = 0.04), maternal aunt (average increase = 1.4 months, P < 0.001) and paternal aunt (average increase = 3.0 months, P < 0.001). There was not a significant association between the menarcheal ages of half‐sister pairs or of paternal grandmother–granddaughter pairs, based on small numbers. Heritability was estimated as 0.57 [95% confidence interval 0.53, 0.61]. Shared environmental factors did not have an effect in the model. In conclusion, approximately half of the variation in age at menarche was attributable to additive genetic effects with the remainder attributable to non‐shared environmental effects.
Fabric and formation of grapestone concretions within an unusual ancient methane seep system (Eocene, Bulgaria)
Authors: De Boever Eva , Birgel Daniel , Muchez Philippe , Peckmann Jörn , Dimitrov Lyubomir , Swennen Rudy 
Published: January 2011

Terra Nova, 23, 56–61, 2011AbstractAuthigenic carbonates at methane seeps provide valuable information on the evolution of seepage dynamics. In this study, we report on an unusual type of 13C‐depleted [δ13C: −44.8‰ to −8.3‰V‐PDB (Vienna PeeDee Belemnite)] calcite‐cemented grapestone concretion composed of small spheroidal nodules, <0.1–15 cm across, associated with an ancient seep setting in Eocene marine sediments (Pobiti Kamani area, NE Bulgaria). Field observations suggest that the nodules started to grow close to the ancient sea floor and apparently were agitated by fluid flow, promoting their spheroidal shape. The precipitation of calcite between sand grains started at multiple closely spaced nucleation sites, induced by locally elevated calcite supersaturation in response to anaerobic microbial consumption of ascending methane. Consecutive nodule growth continued deeper in the sediment, with the formation of dark and light concentric bands surrounding one or more nodule cores. The occurrence of similar grapestone concretions at seeps might indicate changing redox conditions at the seep site.
Rabbit antithymocyte induction and dosing in deceased donor renal transplant recipients over 60 yr of age
Authors: Patel Samir J. , Knight Richard J. , Suki Wadi N. , Abdellatif Abdul , Duhart Benjamin T. , Krauss Amy G. , Mannan Saurabh , Nezakatgoo Nosratollah , Osama Gaber A. 
Published: January 2011

Patel SJ, Knight RJ, Suki WN, Abdellatif A, Duhart BT, Krauss AG, Mannan S, Nezakatgoo N, Gaber AO. Rabbit antithymocyte induction and dosing in deceased donor renal transplant recipients over 60 yr of age. Clin Transplant 2011: 25: E250–E256. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.Abstract:  Background:  Antithymocyte globulin (rATG) is a commonly used induction agent in renal transplantation; however, data in older kidney recipients are limited.Methods:  We reviewed charts of 301 deceased donor renal transplants who received a protocol consisting of 3–7 doses of rATG and triple maintenance therapy. Outcomes of patients >60 yr of age (n = 45) were compared to those aged 18–59 yr (n = 256).Results:  Older recipients had more diabetics, were more likely to receive expanded criteria donor kidneys (p < 0.01), and over 30% were sensitized. Recipients >60 received less cumulative rATG (4.6 vs. 5.1 mg/kg; p < 0.01). Three‐yr acute rejection was lower in the >60 group (2% vs. 16%, p < 0.01) although glomerular filtration rates were similar between groups. Actuarial graft survival was similar; however, patient survival in the >60 group at three yr was lower (80% vs. 95%; p = 0.02). Specifically, patients >60 with delayed graft function and rATG cumulative dosing >6 mg/kg had a survival of <50% by two yr.Conclusion:  Recipients over 60 yr receiving rATG induction have acceptable renal function and a low risk of rejection; however, reduced survival was noted among those receiving >6 mg/kg. These data suggest that when used, lower cumulative dosages of rATG are preferable in the older recipient.
Examination of glucose transporter‐1, transforming growth factor‐β and neuroglobin immunoreactivity in the orbitofrontal cortex in late‐life depression
Authors: Khundakar Ahmad , Morris Christopher , Slade Janet , Thomas Alan J. 
Published: January 2011

Aims:  This study immunohistochemically examined the orbitofrontal cortex for three possible candidates in hypoxic/ischemic signaling: the cytokine transforming growth factor‐β, the glucose transporter‐1 and the neuron‐specific oxygen‐binding protein neuroglobin.Methods:  Post‐mortem tissue from 20 depressed and 20 non‐depressed individuals was obtained and the expression of the three proteins was analyzed using image analysis software.Results:  No significant changes were found in transforming growth factor‐β or neuroglobin in the orbitofrontal cortex between depressed and non‐depressed individuals. There was, however, a trend towards a reduction in glucose transporter‐1 in the depressed group.Conclusions:  This study does not clearly support the hypothesis that hypoxic/ischemic processes are behind the pathological deficits in the frontal‐subcortical circuitry associated with depression and therefore does not provide evidence to support the ‘vascular depression’ hypothesis.
Three distinct but rare kovalevisargid flies from the Jurassic Daohugou biota, China (Insecta, Diptera, Brachycera, Kovalevisargidae)
Authors: ZHANG JUNFENG 
Published: January 2011

Abstract:  Three nearly complete male specimens of kovalevisargid flies are described as Kovalevisargus macropterus sp. nov., K. brachypterus sp. nov. and Kerosargus sororius sp. nov. (family Kovalevisargidae) from the Callovian–Oxfordian Daohugou biota in Inner Mongolia, China. These extend the range of the family Kovalevisargidae outside of Central Asia for the first time, reveal new morphological details about kovalevisargid flies and offer new evidence for the biostratigraphic correlation of nonmarine sedimentary strata of both the Karabastau and Daohugou Formations. Close similarities in the composition of insect taxa from both entomofaunas imply not only the geological age but also the sedimentary environment at that time being the same, or nearly so. Familial and generic diagnoses of kovalevisargid flies are supplemented based on information derived from these new species.
NP‐313, 2‐acetylamino‐3‐chloro‐1,4‐naphthoquinone, a novel antithrombotic agent with dual inhibition of thromboxane A2synthesis and calcium entry
Authors: Kuo Heng‐Lan , Lien Jin‐Cherng , Chang Chien‐Hsin , Chung Ching‐Hu , Kuo Sheng‐Chu , Hsu Chun‐Chieh , Peng Hui‐Chin , Huang Tur‐Fu 
Published: January 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE1,4‐Naphthoquinones exhibit antiplatelet activity bothin vivoandin vitro. In the present study, we investigated the antiplatelet effect of a novel naphthoquinone derivative NP‐313, 2‐acetylamino‐3‐chloro‐1,4‐naphthoquinone and its mechanism of action.EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHWe measured platelet aggregation, Ca2+mobilization, thromboxane B2 formation and P‐selectin expression and examined several enzymatic activities. Furthermore, we used the irradiated mesenteric venules in fluorescein sodium–treated mice to monitor the antithrombotic effect of NP‐313in vivo.KEY RESULTSNP‐313 concentration‐dependently inhibited human platelet aggregation induced by collagen, arachidonic acid, thapsigargin, thrombin and A23187. NP‐313 also inhibited P‐selectin expression, thromboxane B2formation and [Ca2+]ielevation in platelets stimulated by thrombin and collagen. NP‐313 at 10 µM inhibited cyclooxygenase, thromboxane A2synthase, and protein kinase Cα, whereas it did not affect phospholipase A2or phospholipase C activity. In the presence of indomethacin and an adenosine 5‐diphosphate scavenger, NP‐313 concentration‐dependently inhibited thrombin‐ and A23187‐induced [Ca2+]iincrease through its inhibitory effects on Ca2+influx, rather than blocking Ca2+release from intracellular stores. NP‐313 also inhibited thapsigargin‐mediated Ca2+influx through store‐operated calcium channel but had no effect on Ca2+influx through store‐independent calcium channel evoked by the diacylglycerol analogue 1‐oleoyl‐2‐acetyl‐sn‐glycerol. Nevertheless, it had little effect on cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP levels. Also, intravenously administered NP‐313 dose‐dependently inhibited the thrombus occlusion of the irradiated mesenteric vessels of fluorescein‐pretreated mice.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONSTaken together, these results indicate that NP‐313 exerts its antithrombotic activity through dual inhibition of thromboxane A2synthesis and Ca2+influx through SOCC.