bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Application of inversion methods in solving ill-posed problems for magnetic parameter identification of steel hull vessel
Authors: Lukyanenko D. V. , Yagola A. G. , Evdokimova N. A. 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
Recovery of magnetic target parameters from magnetic sensor measurements has attracted wide interests and found many practical applications. However, difficulties present in identifying the permanent magnetization due to the complications of magnetization distributions over the ship body, and errors and noises of measurement data degrade the accuracy and quality of the parameter identification. In this paper, we use a two step sequential solutions to solve the inversion problem. In the first step, a numerical model is built and used to determine the induced magnetization of the ship. In the second step, we solve a type of continuous magnetization inversion problem by solving 2D Fredholm integral equation of the 1st kind. We use parallel computing which allows solve the inverse problem with high accuracy. In additional, Tikhonov regularization has been applied in solving the inversion problems. The proposed methods have been validated using simulation data with added noises.
On sequential minimization of Tikhonov functionals in ill-posed problems with a priori information on solutions
Authors: Kokurin Mikhail Yu. 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
The aim of the paper is to substantiate a general scheme of constructing twostage iterative processes for solving irregular nonlinear operator equations in a Hilbert space with a priori conditions on the solution. The processes use the technique of sequential approximate minimization of locally strongly convex Tikhonov functionals.
Impaired quality of life and sexual function in overweight and obese men: the European Male Ageing Study
Authors: Han Thang S , Tajar Abdelouahid , O'Neill Terence W , Jiang Min , Bartfai György , Boonen Steven , Casanueva Felipe , Finn Joseph D , Forti Gianni , Giwercman Aleksander , Huhtaniemi Ilpo T , Kula Krzysztof , Pendleton Neil , Punab Margus , Silman Alan J , Vanderschueren Dirk , Lean Michael E J , Wu Frederick C W , _ _ 
Published: April 2011

BackgroundFew published data link overweight and obesity with measures of quality of life (QoL) including sexual health in men.ObjectiveTo assess the association of overweight/obesity with impairment of physical and psychological QoL and sexual functions in men.Design and settingCross-sectional, multicentre survey of 3369 community-dwelling men aged 40–79 (mean±s.d., 60±11) years randomly selected from eight European centres.OutcomesAdiposity was assessed by body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), QoL and functional impairments by physical and psychological function domains of the Short Form-36 questionnaire, Beck's Depression Inventory and the European Male Ageing Study sexual function questionnaire.ResultsComplete data on sexual activities and erectile function were available in 2734 (92%) and 3193 (95%) of the participants respectively. From the population studied, 814 men were obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) and 1171 had WC ≥102 cm, 25% of all men were unable to do vigorous activity and 2–13% reported depressive symptoms. Symptoms of sexual dysfunction ranged between 22% (low sexual desire) and 40% (infrequent morning erections) of the participants. Among obese men with both BMI ≥30 kg/m2 and WC ≥102 cm, at least one symptom of impaired physical, psychological and sexual function was reported by 41, 43 and 73% of the participants respectively. Compared with the reference group of non-obese men (BMI <30 kg/m2 and WC <102 cm), men with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 and WC ≥102 cm more frequently reported at least one symptom of impaired physical function (odds ratio (OR)=2.67; confidence interval (CI): 2.07–3.45, P<0.001), impaired psychological function (OR=1.48; CI: 1.14–1.90, P<0.01) and impaired sexual function (OR=1.45; CI: 1.14–1.85, P<0.01). These functional impairments were also more prevalent in men who had WC ≥102 cm even with BMI <30 kg/m2, but those with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 and WC <102 cm generally did not suffer from increased impaired physical or sexual health. Men with high BMI and WC were at even greater likelihood of having a composite of two or more or three or more symptoms compared with those with normal BMI and WC.ConclusionsMen with high WC, including those who are ‘non-obese’ with BMI <30 kg/m2, have poor QoL with symptoms of impaired physical, psychological and sexual functions. Health promotion to improve QoL should focus on prevention of obesity and central fat accumulation.
Deliberating Environmental Policy Issues: Comparing the Learning Potential of Online and Face‐To‐Face Discussions on Climate Change
Authors: Talpin Julien , Wojcik Stéphanie 
Published: April 2011

AbstractTo what extent is political participation deepened and enriched by the Internet? Is the Internet more inclusive—especially towards the young—than traditional forms of participation requiring physical contact? Do people learn more by discussing on the Internet—and especially in online political forums—than by deliberating face‐to‐face? We aim to answer these questions by presenting the results of research based on the observation of a deliberative experience that allowed both online and face‐to‐face participation, namely the IDEAL‐EU project, carried out by the Tuscany (Italy), Catalonia (Spain), and Poitou‐Charentes (France) regions. IDEAL‐EU was aimed at involving young people—between ages 14 and 30—to discuss the issue of climate change in order to produce a report to be handed to the President of the European Parliament Commission on Climate Change. It first consisted in online discussion forums, and then in an electronic town meeting organized in the three regions' capitals in November 2008. This town meeting involved both keypad voting and face‐to‐face discussions in small groups. The comparison of these two stages of the experience allows evaluation of the respective effects of online and face‐to‐face political discussions on young participants' political knowledge. Using content analysis of websites, direct observation of the assembly, and interviews and questionnaires completed by both online and assembly participants, we evaluate the respective effects of these different forms of civic engagement for actors' perceived level of knowledge on climate change and on their political competence more generally.
Voting Advice Applications in Lithuania: Promoting Programmatic Competition or Breeding Populism?
Authors: Ramonaite Ain 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThis article analyses the effects of the voting assistance tool Manobalsas that was developed for the Lithuanian parliamentary elections of 2008 by three leading universities in Lithuania. Analytical voting assistance tools (or Voting Advice Applications — VAAs) assist voters by offering systematised information about candidates and parties, and by providing voting recommendation based on the congruence of political attitudes between a voter and a party. Voting assistance tools were mainly developed by academic institutions to inform voters about the policy positions of political parties, and to promote programmatic competition between parties. The analysis of the use of the Manobalsas voting advice application in Lithuania suggests that parties might be able to manipulate the results of the tool by adopting non‐ideological (ideologically unconstrained) populist policy positions. The remarkable success of a non‐programmatic party in the Lithuanian Manobalsas system demonstrates that VAAs might be advantageous to non‐ideological populist parties which are most flexible to adjust to the attitudes of an “average” voter.
Compliance or Obscurity? Online Anonymity as a Consequence of Fighting Unauthorised File‐sharing
Authors: Larsson Stefan , Svensson Måns 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe European Union directive on Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement (IPRED) was implemented in Sweden on April 1, 2009, and was meant to be the enforcement needed to achieve increased compliance with intellectual property online, especially copyright. This, therefore, was the manifest function of the directive. The article empirically shows changes in levels of use of Online Anonymity Services (OAS) as a result of the implementation of IPRED in Sweden, as being a latent dysfunction of the implementation The data consists of two surveys of about 1,000 people between 15 and 25 years of age, where the first survey was conducted two months prior to the implementation of IPRED, and the second one seven months afterwards. This data is complemented with OAS statistics as well as Google search engine statistics in Sweden during 2009 on a selection of phrases related to online anonymity, revealing the link between encrypted anonymity fluctuations and copyright enforcement. The article suggests that a key to understand any relationship between IPRED and fluctuations in online anonymity can be found in the law's relationship to social norms and levels of perceived legitimacy. The implementation of illegitimate laws is likely to spur dysfunctional (for the law) counter‐measures. In the case of copyright enforcement and encryption technologies, the first seems to drive the other to some extent, affecting the balance of openness and anonymity on the Internet, possibly and at worst leading to that the enforcement of legislation that has a weak representation among social norms negatively affects the enforcement of legislation that has a strong representation among social norms.
Campaigning Online: Use of the Internet by Parties, Candidates and Voters in National and Local Election Campaigns in Israel
Authors: Lev‐On Azi 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThis article analyzes Internet usage by key political players—candidates, parties and the public—during national and municipal election campaigns between 2007 and 2009 in Israel. Parties maintain a presence on a variety of Internet platforms, are aware of the potential of the Internet and are willing to divert budgets for Internet campaigns, but there are extensive differences in the character and scope of online campaigning between large and small parties and between Internet uses in general and in municipal elections. In the municipal elections, incumbency, size of the electorate, competitiveness of the race, and the socio‐economic characteristics of the constituency impacted on the probability of having a website. Many sites functioned largely as upgraded message boards, and most had few interactive features. The study concludes by stressing the need for a theory of technology usage in both high‐ and low‐visibility campaigns, taking into account strategic, environmental, and individual‐level variables that may influence the scope and character of Internet usage by candidates.
'Anti‐social' Networking in Northern Ireland: Policy Responses to Young People's Use of Social Media for Organizing Anti‐social Behavior
Authors: Reilly Paul 
Published: April 2011

AbstractTen years after the Belfast Agreement, Northern Ireland remains a divided society as signified by the persistence and even proliferation of interface areas, often divided by so‐called ‘peace walls’ and intermittent conflict between rival communities on either side. Recent media reports have suggested that online interactions between rival interface communities on social networking sites may be undermining efforts to foster better intercommunity relationships. This article explores the extent to which key stakeholders are aware of the use of the Internet by young people to plan street riots in interface areas in Northern Ireland and their responses to this ‘anti‐social’ use of sites such as Bebo. It presents evidence to suggest that stakeholder awareness about the extent of the use of social media by young people to organize street riots is based on rumour and hearsay. Key stakeholders report that Internet Safety programmes have received positive feedback from local audiences but concede that they are unlikely have any significant impact upon the level of anti‐social behavior in interface areas.
The Trouble with Transparency: A Critical Review of Openness in e‐Government
Authors: Bannister Frank , Connolly Regina 
Published: April 2011

AbstractTransparency in public administration is generally held to be desirable, something to be fostered and enabled. This long standing idea has gained considerable further momentum with the emergence of e‐government and the affordances of computing in general and the Internet in particular. This paper examines the argument that transparency may, in certain and not uncommon circumstances, be inimical to good government and good governance and suggests that the importance of understanding why this is so has increased as information and communications technology permeates government and society. It suggests that in an electronic age, the scope and nature of transparency needs to be carefully managed, and that expectations of the benefits of ICT enabled transparency may be too high.
Broadening Participation Through E‐Petitions? An Empirical Study of Petitions to the German Parliament
Authors: Lindner Ralf , Riehm Ulrich 
Published: April 2011

AbstractPetitioning is a well established form of political participation in most liberal democracies, but little is known about petitioners, their socio‐demographics, motivations and assessments of petitioning processes. In 2005, the German parliament introduced public e‐petitions which are submitted, signed and discussed on the Internet. This article reports a 2007 survey of 571 traditional and 350 e‐petitioners. The results indicate that both petitioner samples are characterised by an above average level of general political participation and Internet use. Users of the e‐petition system are younger than traditional petitioners, but the group continues to be dominated by men and those with higher levels of formal education than traditional petitioners. E‐petitions seem to amplify existing inequalities in participation patterns as they predominately attract highly mobilised and politically active individuals with a disproportionately high socio‐economic status.
The Political Click: Political Participation through E‐Petitions in Germany
Authors: Jungherr Andreas , Jürgens Pascal 
Published: April 2011

AbstractElectronic petitions can serve as an influential mechanism for political participation. We present a study on the dynamics in the German e‐petition system which was introduced in late 2008. Drawing on a data set of signatures, we analyze four aspects: (a) the types of petitions found, (b) the temporal dynamics of petitions, (c) the types of users found, and (d) the intersection of different petitions' supporter populations. We present evidence that (a) the system is dominated by a very small number of high‐volume petitions and (b) these high‐volume petitions have a delayed boosting effect on the base activity in the petition system. We furthermore (c) present a typology of users, showing that although highly active “new lobbyists” and “hit‐and‐run activists” exist, one‐ or two‐time petitioners have the largest impact. Finally, it is indicated that (d) many of the high‐volume petitions share a significant part of their user base, hinting at a complex, topically motivated network of supporters. Through the application of methods from what has been called “Computational Social Sciences,” we illuminate a highly relevant field of political behavior online, while demonstrating the capability of data‐driven approaches in such novel domains.
Success Without Strategy: E‐Government Development in Estonia
Authors: Kitsing Meelis 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThis paper gives an overview of e‐government development in Estonia. The analysis incorporates both public sector initiatives and private sector developments which have contributed to the evolution of e‐government. Private sector agents are seen as endogenous, not exogenous, in explaining e‐government performance. Ultimately, the development of Internet banking by the private sector was fundamental in enabling the government to launch interactive online services. The findings reveal that the implementation of Estonian e‐government is considerably more heterogeneous than previous studies have indicated. Basic service delivery and platforms for participation vary significantly across functional areas. Some ministries have provided innovative online services for the last ten years while others still struggle in making basic information available online. The availability of innovative platforms for online political participation has delivered remarkable outcomes in the last elections, while they have consistently failed to engage the public in the legislative process.
Surfing the Net: A Pathway to Participation for the Politically Uninterested?
Authors: Borge Rosa , Cardenal Ana S. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThis article explores whether use of the Internet changes the role that political motivation has traditionally played in classic explanations of participation. We ask if, by reducing so dramatically the costs of political participation, the Internet causes interest in politics to lose importance as a causal factor of participation. We examine this issue analysing a representative survey of the Spanish population which deals with political participation and Internet use. The results show that use of Internet has a direct effect on participation independently of motivation, and that, in order to participate online, skilled Internet users do not need to be motivated or interested in politics.
Activity and stereoselectivity of Ru-based catalyst bearing a fluorinated imidazolinium ligand
Authors: Siano Vincenzo , D’Auria Ilaria , Grisi Fabia , Costabile Chiara , Longo Pasquale 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
Grubbs II generation catalyst (3), bearing a fluorinated imidazolinium ligand, was investigated in cross metathesis (CM), ring closing metathesis (RCM) and ring opening polymerization metathesis (ROMP) for a variety of substrates. Kinetic studies showed reduced stability of the catalyst in methylene chloride following the first 15 minutes of reaction preventing a higher efficiency despite the very high activity. Beneficial solvent effects on the catalyst stability were observed by performing RCM in C6F6.
Specialized Rheumatology Nurse Substitutes for Rheumatologists in the Diagnostic Process of Fibromyalgia: A Cost-Consequence Analysis and a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: KROESE MARIËLLE E. , SEVERENS JOHAN L. , SCHULPEN GUY J. , BESSEMS MONIQUE C. , NIJHUIS FRANS J. , LANDEWÉ ROBERT B. 
Published: April 2011

Objective.To perform a cost-consequence analysis of the substitution of specialized rheumatology nurses (SRN) for rheumatologists (RMT) in the diagnostic process of fibromyalgia (FM), using both a healthcare and societal perspective and a 9-month period.Methods.Alongside a randomized controlled trial, we measured costs and consequences of a nurse-led diagnostic consult (SRN group, n = 97) versus a rheumatologist-led diagnostic consult [usual care (UC) group, n = 96]. Patients were followed for 9 months. Every second month a questionnaire on medical consumption and social participation was filled out. Satisfaction was measured 1 week after the first consultation. During followup, health status was measured by health-related quality of life (EQ-5D), functional status (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire), fatigue (Checklist Individual Strength), and self-efficacy (Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale).Results.Patients in the SRN group were significantly more satisfied. Improvements in health status were similar in both groups after 9 months of followup. Total costs for healthcare consumption and patient and family costs were significantly lower in the SRN group (€1298 vs €1644; difference €346; 95% CI –€746 to –€2). Total societal costs were €3853 per patient for the SRN group and €5293 for the UC group after 9 months of followup (difference €1440; 95% CI –€3721 to €577).Conclusion.From both a healthcare and societal perspective, the nurse-led diagnostic process can be recommended. Patients in the SRN group were significantly more satisfied, improvements in health status were similar in both groups, and total societal costs were lower for the SRN group compared to the RMT group after 9 months’ followup. Registered with Current Controlled Trials, no.ISRCTN77212411.
Evaluation of NT-proBNP and High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein for Predicting Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Arthritis Taking Longterm Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs
Authors: RUFF CHRISTIAN T. , MORROW DAVID A. , JAROLIM PETER , REN FANG , CONTANT CHARLES F. , KAUR AMARJOT , CURTIS SEAN P. , LAINE LOREN , CANNON CHRISTOPHER P. , BRUNE KAY 
Published: April 2011

Objective.Patients with arthritis frequently are at increased risk for future cardiovascular (CV) events. We investigated the performance of the cardiac biomarkers N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) for predicting CV events in patients with arthritis taking chronic nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID).Methods.We evaluated 2-year CV outcomes in a prospective, nested biomarker study among patients (N = 6273) with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis treated with NSAID in the MEDAL (Multinational Etoricoxib and Diclofenac Arthritis Long-term) trial. Patients were stratified by quartiles of baseline NT-proBNP and established cutpoints of NT-proBNP and hsCRP.Results.NT-proBNP demonstrated a strong graded relationship with CV outcomes, including CV death (p for trend < 0.0001), myocardial infarction (MI) (p for trend = 0.02), heart failure (HF) (p for trend < 0.0001), and a composite of thrombotic events (CV death, MI, stroke) or HF (p for trend < 0.0001). Baseline levels of hsCRP were not associated with CV events (CV death/MI/stroke/HF; p for trend = 0.65). NT-proBNP remained strongly predictive of CV events after adjustment for age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, type of arthritis, body mass index, creatinine clearance, history of CV disease, and hsCRP (CV death/MI/stroke/HF: Q4 vs Q1 hazard ratio 3.53, 95% CI 1.89−6.58). Patients with a NT-proBNP level below 100 pg/ml had a 0.94% rate of thrombotic events or heart failure at 2 years.Conclusion.NT-proBNP is a simple and robust noninvasive indicator of CV risk in patients with arthritis. Risk stratification based on NT-proBNP may facilitate identification of patients with arthritis who are at low CV risk during chronic NSAID treatment.