bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
On the characteristics of routing paths and the performance of routing protocols in vehicle‐formed mobile ad hoc networks on highways
Authors: Wang S. Y. , Chou C. L. , Lin C. C. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractRecently, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) is becoming an important research topic. One goal of ITS is to exchange information among vehicles in a timely and efficient manner. In the ITS research community, inter‐vehicle communications (IVC) is considered a way that may be able to achieve this goal. An information network built on the top of vehicles using IVC can be viewed as a type of mobilead hocnetworks (MANETs). In the past, several unicast routing protocols for MANET have been proposed. However, most of them are designed for general MANETs rather than for IVC networks.In this paper, we first used more realistic vehicle mobility traces generated by a microscopic traffic simulator (VISSIM) to understand the characteristics of routing paths in an IVC network. Based on the insights gained from the derived path characteristics, we designed and implemented an intelligent flooding‐based routing protocol for small‐scale IVC networks.Viaseveral field trials conducted on highways, we compared the performance ofad hocon‐demand distance vector (AODV) and our protocol. Our experimental results show that (1) our protocol outperforms AODV greatly in IVC networks and (2) our protocol can provide text, image, audio, and video services for small‐scale IVC networks (e.g., a platoon) quite well. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of the Solvent on the Formation of New Tin(II) Methoxides Containing Thienyl Substituents: Crystal Structure and NMR Investigations
Authors: Veith Michael , Belot Céline , Huch Volker , Zimmer Michael 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe synthesis, structural characterization, and NMR studies of new tin(II) alkoxides with thiophene‐based substituents are presented. The reaction of ligand HO–C(C4H3S)3 (1) with bis(hexamethyldisilazyl)tin {Sn[N(SiMe3)2]2} in the ratio 2:1 in toluene yields the dinuclear compound {Sn[OC(C4H3S)3]2}2·2 toluene (2). The same reaction in tetrahydrofuran allows the isolation of two compounds: a dinuclear {Sn[OC(C4H3S)3]2}2·2 thf (3) and a mononuclear Sn[OC(C4H3S)3]2(thf) (4) molecule. The molecular structures of these tin(II) methoxides containing thienyl substituents 2–4 were investigated by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. The NMR spectra of solutions of {Sn[OC(C4H3S)3]2}2·2 toluene (2) or {Sn[OC(C4H3S)3]2}2·2 thf (3) and Sn[OC(C4H3S)3]2(thf) (4) are almost identical, showing only variations of the molar ratio of the dimeric and monomeric compounds.
Structure and Properties of Mixed‐valence Compound Eu5Zr3S12
Authors: Jakubcová Petra , Schappacher Falko M. , Pöttgen Rainer , Johrendt Dirk 
Published: March 2009

AbstractNeedle‐shaped crystals of Eu5Zr3S12 and Eu3.67Sr1.33Zr3S12 were synthesized by solid‐state reactions of the elements and ZrS2 at 673–1273 K in alumina crucibles, and their crystal structures were determined by single‐crystal methods. They are isotypic with hexagonal symmetry (space group P2m, Z = 1, Eu5Zr3S12: a = 1170.7(2), c = 394.27(8) pm, wR2 = 0.0636 for 552 F2 and 27 parameters; Eu3.67Sr1.33Zr3S12: a = 1167.0(2), c = 395.71(8) pm, wR2 = 0.0887 for 484 F2 and 29 parameters) and contain one‐dimensional chains of edge‐sharing ZrS2S4/2 octahedra running parallel to [001]. Two europium sites are seven‐ or ninefold‐coordinated by sulfur. Eu5Zr3S12 is a Curie paramagnet with an effective magnetic moment of μeff = 13.37(1) μB per formula unit (fu), in agreement with three Eu2+/fu. 151Eu Mössbauer spectra show two absorption lines suggesting a static mixture of Eu2+ and Eu3+ in accordance with Eu32+Eu23+Zr34+S122–.This assignment is not in line with the observed Eu–S distances. To resolve this, we suggest pure Eu2+ at the 2c site and inhomogeneous mixed valence at the 3f site according to (Eu22+)2c(Eu2+Eu23+)3fZr34+S122–. This is supported by the site preference of Sr2+ in Eu3.67Sr1.33Zr3S12.
Public Health and Policy Issues of Hernia Surgery in Africa
Authors: Kingsnorth Andrew N. , Clarke Michael G. , Shillcutt Samuel D. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractInguinal hernia repair has been overlooked as a public health priority in Africa, with its high prevalence largely unrecognized, and traditional public health viewpoints assuming that not enough infrastructure, human resources, or financing capacity are available for effective service provision. Emerging evidence suggests that inguinal hernias in Ghana are approximately ten times as prevalent as in high‐income countries, are much more long‐standing and severe, and can be repaired with low‐cost techniques using mosquito net mesh through international collaboration. Outcomes from surgery are comparable to published literature, and potential exists for scaling up capacity. Special attention must be paid to creating financing systems that encourage eventual local self‐sustainability.
Creatine transporter deficiency in two adult patients with static encephalopathy
Authors: Sempere A. , Fons C. , Arias A. , Rodríguez‐Pombo P. , Colomer R. , Merinero B. , Alcaide P. , Capdevila A. , Ribes A. , Artuch R. , Campistol J. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryCreatine transporter deficiency is a recently identified X‐linked inborn error of metabolism. The natural course of the disease is not well delineated since clinical data from adult patients have scarcely been reported. A progressive course of the disease has been noted in a few described cases. We report the first two Spanish adult patients with creatine transporter deficiency and compare their clinical phenotype and the evolution of the disease with those of other published cases. The two brothers were identified in a study of a cohort of 610 mentally handicapped male patients. The disease was detected by biochemical studies and confirmed by DNA studies. The most significant clinical features were mental retardation, epilepsy and autistic behaviour, and these symptoms did not worsen, in contrast to other reports. They did not present gastrointestinal problems or movement disorders. Creatine transporter deficiency could be an underdiagnosed metabolic disorder and should be considered in adult patients with mental retardation. Clinical presentation of this disorder showed marked differences among adult patients and the course of the disease was static in our cases. Detection of additional adult patients might allow better understanding of the phenotypic outcome at a later age.
High dose Losartan and ACE gene polymorphism in IgA nephritis
Authors: Woo Keng-Thye , Chan Choong-Meng , Choong Hui-Lin , Tan Han-Kim , Foo Marjorie , Lee Evan J. C. , Tan Chorh-Chuan , Lee Grace S. L. , Tan Seng-Hoe , Vathsala A. , Lim Cheng-Hong , Chiang Gilbert S. C. , Fook-Chong Stephanie , Yi Zhao , Tan H. B. , Wong Kok-Seng 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackground/aimsSeveral studies have reported varying results of the influence of ACE gene on ACEI/ARB therapy. The efficacy of high dose ARB and its influence on ACE gene have not been explored. This is a 6 year randomised trial in IgA nephritis comparing high dose ARB (Losartan 200 mg/day) with normal dose ARB (Losartan 100 mg/day), normal dose ACEI (20 mg/day) and low dose ACEI (10 mg/day).ResultsPatients on high dose ARB had significantly lower proteinuria, 1.0 ± 0.8 gm/day compared to 1.7 ± 1.0 g/day in the other groups (P = 0.0005). The loss in eGFR was 0.7 ml min−1year−1for high dose ARB compared to 3.2–3.5 ml min−1year−1for the other three groups (P = 0.0005). There were more patients on high dose ARB with improvement in eGFR compared to other three groups (P < 0.001). Comparing patients with the three ACE genotypes DD, ID and II, all three groups responded well to therapy with decrease in proteinuria (P < 0.002). Only those on low dose ACEI (10 mg/day) with the I allele had increased in ESRF (P = 0.037).ConclusionHigh dose ARB is more efficacious in reducing proteinuria and preserving renal function when compared with normal dose ARB and ACEI, and also obviates the genomic influence of ACE gene polymorphism on renal survival.
Combination of Polymer Technology and Carbon Nanotube Array for the Development of an Effective Drug Delivery System at Cellular Level
Authors: Riggio Cristina , Ciofani Gianni , Raffa Vittoria , Cuschieri Alfred , Micera Silvestro 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
In this article, a carbon nanotube (CNT) array-based system combined with a polymer thin film is proposed as an effective drug release device directly at cellular level. The polymeric film embedded in the CNT array is described and characterized in terms of release kinetics, while in vitro assays on PC12 cell line have been performed in order to assess the efficiency and functionality of the entrapped agent (neural growth factor, NGF). PC12 cell differentiation, following incubation on the CNT array embedding the alginate delivery film, demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed solution. The achieved results indicate that polymeric technology could be efficiently embedded in CNT array acting as drug delivery system at cellular level. The implication of this study opens several perspectives in particular in the field of neurointerfaces, combining several functions into a single platform.
Factors associated with deliberate self‐harm behaviour among depressed adolescent outpatients
Authors: Tuisku Virpi , Pelkonen Mirjami , Kiviruusu Olli , Karlsson Linnea , Ruuttu Titta , Marttunen Mauri 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTThis study examined whether depressed adolescent outpatients with deliberate self‐harm behaviour (DSH) differed from non‐suicidal depressed adolescent outpatients in depressive and anxiety symptoms, alcohol use, perceived social support and number of negative life‐events. Depressed adolescent outpatients (n = 155) aged 13–19 years were interviewed using K‐SADS‐PL for DSM‐IV Axis I diagnoses and completed self‐report questionnaires. Suicidal behaviour was assessed by K‐SADS‐PL suicidality items. Depressed adolescents with DSH were younger, perceived less support from the family, had more severe depressive symptoms and used more alcohol than non‐suicidal depressed adolescents. Adolescents with DSH and suicidal ideation or suicide attempts had more depressive and anxiety symptoms than adolescents with DSH only. Adolescents with severe internalizing distress symptoms are at risk not only for DSH, but also additional suicidal behaviour. Family interventions may be needed in the treatment of depressed adolescents with DSH.
Developmental changes and gender differences in adolescents' perceptions of friendships
Authors: De Goede Irene H.A. , Branje Susan J.T. , Meeus Wim H.J. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTThis five‐wave study aims to investigate the development of adolescents' perceptions of support, negative interaction, and power in best friendships from ages 12 to 20 years. Furthermore, gender differences and linkages between the three dimensions are explored. A total of 593 early adolescents (53.6% boys) and 337 middle adolescents (43.3% boys) participated. A multigroup multivariate accelerated growth curve showed an increase of support for both boys and girls. Negative interaction was found to temporarily increase and then decrease for boys, while remaining stable for girls. Power temporarily increased for boys and decreased for girls. Results indicated that (1) friendships become more supportive during adolescence, (2) power issues are more prominent in friendships of boys and more powerful peers are perceived as more supportive by boys but not by girls, and (3) friendships of boys show a lagged development towards more equality.
Macrobenthic community structure and distribution in the Zwin nature reserve (Belgium and The Netherlands)
Authors: Van Colen Carl , Snoeck Frederik , Struyf Kris , Vincx Magda , Degraer Steven 
Published: March 2009

Distribution and structure of intertidal macrobenthic communities in the Zwin nature reserve, a lagoonal inlet consisting of marsh and tidal flat habitats, was investigated using univariate and multivariate analyses. Macrobenthos community structure was related to environmental characteristics and discussed in the framework of the implemented extension of the nature reserve.Based on explorative multivariate techniques, five different sample groups (SGs) were distinguished, which were, in general, located in different habitats of the Zwin nature reserve. The ecologically most important SGs consisted of the highest macrobenthic density, diversity and highest densities of Nereis diversicolor and Scrobicularia plana; these important prey species for wading birds and fish occurred in the deep tidal inlet channels. This habitat was characterized by fine to medium sand sediment and strong tidal currents, guaranteeing water renewal at each high tide. Other SGs were found in less and erratically submersed and thus stressed areas (i.e. tidal pond, salt pans and shallow flats). These assemblages were characterized by typical r-strategists (i.e. Capitella capitata and Polydora cornuta) and typical supralittoral, mobile species (i.e. Orchestia gammarellus and Collembola spp.). Being ecologically most important, the extension of wide, tidal creeks should be a prime target within the future development and management of the nature reserve.
US Welfare Reform: Rewriting the Social Contract
Authors: GILBERT NEIL 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThis paper analyses recent developments in US welfare policy and their implications for future reforms. The analysis begins by examining how the enactment of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programme in 1996 changed the essential character of public assistance and the major social forces that accounted for this fundamental shift in US welfare policy. It then shows how the most recent welfare reforms under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 broadened and intensified the TANF requirements, leaving four avenues along which issues of conditionality and entitlement are likely to be played out in future welfare reforms. Finally, the discussion highlights how a new social contract is being forged through progressive and conservative proposals, which shift the focus of public assistance from the right to financial support to the right to work and earn a living wage.
Public Values and Public Trust: Responses to Welfare State Reform in the UK
Authors: TAYLOR-GOOBY PETER , WALLACE ANDREW 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe welfare state faces a number of challenges. Recent reforms in the UK appear broadly successful in attaining targets and improving cost-efficiency, but are nonetheless confronted by public disquiet and unease. This article argues that one difficulty with the new directions in policy is that they rest on a particular and limited understanding of agency. Reformers tend to operate within a theoretical framework that understands behaviour as driven by individual and predominantly rational incentives and pays little attention to the expressive and normative aspects of social action. The problems that arise in these areas when a competitive market logic is applied in social provision tend not to be recognised. Such a logic may contradict established values of social care and commitment to user interests. A qualitative survey of 48 members of the general public is used to examine perceptions of and responses to the NHS reforms, and to show how public discourse in this area is at variance with the instrumental and individual assumptions of policy-makers. The result is that the reform programme damages the legitimacy of the service and that those responsible for the new policies fail to recognise that the individual instrumental agenda is eroding public trust.
Families ‘At Risk’ and the Family Nurse Partnership: The Intrusion of Risk into Social Exclusion Policy
Authors: DODDS ANNELIESE 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThis article considers why the family nurse partnership (FNP) has been promoted as a means of tackling social exclusion in the UK. The FNP consists in a programme of visits by nurses to low-income first-time mothers, both while the mothers are pregnant and for the first two years following birth. The FNP is focused on both teaching parenthood and encouraging mothers back into education and/or into employment. Although the FNP marks a considerable discontinuity with previous approaches to family health, it is congruent with an emerging new approach to social exclusion. This new approach maintains that the most important task of social policy is to identify quickly the most ‘at-risk’ households, individuals and children so that interventions can be targeted more effectively at those ‘at risk’, either to themselves or to others. The article illustrates this new approach by analysing a succession of reports by the Social Exclusion Unit. It indicates that there is a considerable amount of ambiguity about the relationship between specific risk-factors and being ‘at risk of social exclusion’. Nonetheless, this new approach helps to explain why British policy-makers may have chosen to promote the new FNP now.
The Impact of Decriminalisation on the Number of Sex Workers in New Zealand
Authors: ABEL GILLIAN M. , FITZGERALD LISA J. , BRUNTON CHERYL 
Published: March 2009

AbstractIn 2003, New Zealand decriminalised sex work through the enactment of the Prostitution Reform Act. Many opponents to this legislation predicted that there would be increasing numbers of people entering sex work, especially in the street-based sector. The debates within the New Zealand media following the legislation were predominantly moralistic and there were calls for the recriminalisation of the street-based sector. This study estimated the number of sex workers post-decriminalisation in five locations in New Zealand: the three main cities in which sex work takes place as well as two smaller cities. These estimations were compared to existing estimations prior to and at the time of decriminalisation. The research suggests that the Prostitution Reform Act has had little impact on the number of people working in the sex industry.
An ontologically-based evaluation of software design methods
Authors: Kannengiesser Udo , Zhu Liming 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThis paper develops an ontological basis for evaluating software design methods, based on the situated function–behaviour–structure framework. This framework accounts for the situatedness of designing, viewing it as a dynamic activity driven by interactions between designers and the artefacts being designed. On the basis of this framework, we derive a general evaluation schema that we apply to five software design methods. The ideas presented in this work contribute to a better understanding of design methods, and uncover opportunities for method integration and development.
Effective use of ontologies in software measurement
Authors: García Félix , Ruiz Francisco , Calero Coral , Bertoa Manuel F. , Vallecillo Antonio , Mora Beatriz , Piattini Mario 
Published: March 2009

AbstractOntologies are frequently used in the context of software and technology engineering. These can be grouped into two main categories, depending on whether they are used to describe the knowledge of a domain (domain ontologies) or whether they are used as software artifacts in software development processes. This paper presents some experiences and lessons learnt from the effective use of an ontology for Software Measurement, called software measurement ontology (SMO). The SMO was developed some years ago as a result of a thorough analysis of the software measurement domain. Its use as a domain ontology is presented first, a description of how the SMO can serve as a conceptual basis for comparing international standards related to software measurement. Second, the paper describes several examples of the applications of SMO as a software artifact. In particular, we show how the SMO can be instantiated to define a data quality model for Web portals, and also how it can be used to define a Domain-Specific Language (DSL) for measuring software entities. These examples show the significant role that ontologies can play as software artifacts in the realm of model-driven engineering and domain-specific modeling.
A semantic web environment for components
Authors: Wang Hai H. , Sun Jing 
Published: March 2009

AbstractComponent-based development (CBD) has become an important emerging topic in the software engineering field. It promises long-sought-after benefits such as increased software reuse, reduced development time to market and, hence, reduced software production cost. Despite the huge potential, the lack of reasoning support and development environment of component modeling and verification may hinder its development. Methods and tools that can support component model analysis are highly appreciated by industry. Such a tool support should be fully automated as well as efficient. At the same time, the reasoning tool should scale up well as it may need to handle hundreds or even thousands of components that a modern software system may have. Furthermore, a distributed environment that can effectively manage and compose components is also desirable. In this paper, we present an approach to the modeling and verification of a newly proposed component model using Semantic Web languages and their reasoning tools. We use the Web Ontology Language and the Semantic Web Rule Language to precisely capture the inter-relationships and constraints among the entities in a component model. Semantic Web reasoning tools are deployed to perform automated analysis support of the component models. Moreover, we also proposed a service-oriented architecture (SOA)-based semantic web environment for CBD. The adoption of Semantic Web services and SOA make our component environment more reusable, scalable, dynamic and adaptive.
Image statistics at the point of gaze during human navigation
Authors: ROTHKOPF CONSTANTIN A. , BALLARD DANA H. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractTheories of efficient sensory processing have considered the regularities of image properties due to the structure of the environment in order to explain properties of neuronal representations of the visual world. The regularities imposed on the input to the visual system due to the regularities of the active selection process mediated by the voluntary movements of the eyes have been considered to a much lesser degree. This is surprising, given that the active nature of vision is well established. The present article investigates statistics of image features at the center of gaze of human subjects navigating through a virtual environment and avoiding and approaching different objects. The analysis shows that contrast can be significantly higher or lower at fixation location compared to random locations, depending on whether subjects avoid or approach targets. Similarly, significant differences in the distribution of responses of model simple and complex cells between horizontal and vertical orientations are found over timescales of tens of seconds. By clustering the model simple cell responses, it is established that gaze was directed toward three distinct features of intermediate complexity the vast majority of time. Thus, this study demonstrates and quantifies how the visuomotor tasks of approaching and avoiding objects during navigation determine feature statistics of the input to the visual system through the combined influence on body and eye movements.