bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Structural Analysis of a Queueing System with Multiclasses of Correlated Arrivals and Blocking
Authors: Xu Susan H. 
Published: November 2008

In assemble-to-order production systems, and others of a similar flavor, it is often the case that orders for components of various types are placed simultaneously, but that these components are manufactured or assembled at separate facilities. The order process introduces correlation among the jobs at separate facilities. The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of this correlation on a variety of system performance measures. Consider a system that consists of s parallel servers, where each server has a finite buffer and is dedicated to a separate job type. Multiple classes of customer orders arrive to the system, where each class is composed of one or more unique job types. Upon the arrival of an order, each job in the order is separately routed to its designated buffer; if the buffer is full, that job is blocked and lost; otherwise, it enters the buffer and is served according to the FCFS discipline. Under Markovian assumptions, we systematically examine the impact of arrival correlations on system-based performance measures such as the queue length vector and the workload vector and class-based performance measures such as the waiting time vector and the order response time. Among other things, we establish several stochastic orders between performance vectors with different degrees of arrival correlations. We also show that greater arrival correlation can stochastically improve the worst component in a performance vector (e.g., the longest queue, the heaviest workload), reduce the expected sum of the j longest queues, 1 ≤ j ≤ s, and, for any given order type, increase its entering probability and reduce its order response time. Our results can also be extended to the compound Poisson arrival process, where each order contains multiple units of several job types.
Letter to the Editor—Comments on a Paper by Thomas Healy
Authors: Roseboom John H. 
Published: November 2008

In the May–June issue of Operations Research, Thomas Healy presents findings which he uses to demonstrate that a prescribed subdivision of activities will change probabilities in a PERT network analysis [“Activity Subdivision and PERT Probability Statements,” 9 341–347 (1961)]. As a member of the original PERT team, I would like to call attention to and take issue with some aspects of his paper.
Puberty in a case with novel 17-hydroxylase mutation and the putative role of estrogen in development of pubic hair
Authors: Turan Serap , Bereket Abdullah , Guran Tulay , Akcay Teoman , Papari-Zareei Mahboubeh , Auchus Richard J 
Published: November 2008

Objective17-Hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency (17OHD) results from mutations in the CYP17A1 gene, leading to failure to synthesize cortisol, adrenal androgens, and gonadal steroids. Adrenarche is a consequence of the increased production of adrenal androgens. Here, we report a case carrying novel R239Q mutation causing complete functional loss of CYP17A1, and thus absence of adrenal and gonadal sex hormone production. The patient has had unexpected pubic hair development and insufficient breast development with estrogen replacement therapy. Possible mechanisms leading to pubic hair development and breast underdevelopment are discussed.Patient and methodsA 15-year-old female born to consanguineous parents presented with the lack of full breast development and irregular menses after the age of 14 years. She had Tanner III breast development on one side, Tanner I on the other side and Tanner I pubic hair and, no axillary hair development. The serum levels of FSH, LH, and progesterone were high and, estradiol was low. The measurement of basal and ACTH-stimulated steroids was consistent with the diagnosis of 17OHD. Genetic analysis revealed novel homozygous mutation R239Q in CYP17A1 gene. Therapy with hydrocortisone was initiated and followed by the addition of conjugated estrogen. Her breast development did not improve considerably, however, pubic hair development started after estrogen treatment in spite of undetectable serum levels of androgens.ConclusionThis case study suggests that estrogen exerts a permissive effect on pubic hair development in girls, even in the presence of very low-circulating androgens, and impaired breast development might be due to estrogen/progesterone imbalance in breast tissue.
Osteopontin Combined with CD44, a Novel Prognostic Biomarker for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undergoing Curative Resection
Authors: Yang Guo-Huan , Fan Jia , Xu Yang , Qiu Shuang-Jian , Yang Xin-Rong , Shi Guo-Ming , Wu Bing , Dai Zhi , Liu Yin-Kun , Tang Zhao-You , Zhou Jian 
Published: November 2008

Abstract

Background.
Osteopontin (OPN) plays important roles in tumor progression and metastasis through binding to CD44 and integrin. The goal of this study was to elucidate the prognostic significance of OPN and CD44 in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Methods.
Tumor tissue microarray was used to detect the expression levels of OPN and CD44 in 302 hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing curative resection between 1997 and 2000 at our institute. Clinicopathologic data for these patients were investigated. The prognostic effects of OPN and CD44 were evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. The Spearman rank test and Fisher's exact test were applied to demonstrate correlations.

Results.
Both OPN and CD44 were independent predictors for overall survival and disease-free survival. When OPN and CD44 were taken into consideration together, the predictive range was extended and the sensitivity was improved, especially for those patients with normal serum α-fetoprotein levels. The 8-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates in OPN+ and/or CD44+ patients were 28.2% and 25.6%, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of OPN−CD44− patients (52.1% and 51.6%, respectively).

Conclusions.
OPN combined with CD44 is a promising independent predictor of tumor recurrence and survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
Social organization of white‐headed langurs (Trachypithecus leucocephalus) in the Nongguan Karst Hills, Guangxi, China
Authors: Jin Tong , Wang De‐Zhi , Zhao Qing , Yin Li‐Jie , Qin Da‐Gong , Ran Wen‐Zhong , Pan Wen‐Shi 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe number of males per group is the most variable aspect of primate social organization and is often related to the monopolizability of females, which is mainly determined by the number of females per group and their reproductive synchrony. Colobines show both inter‐specific and intra‐specific variations in the number of males per group. Compared with other colobine species, little is known about the social organization of white‐headed langur (Trachypithecus leucocephalus), despite its endangered status and unusual limestone habitat. As a part of a long‐term study of the white‐headed langurs in the Nongguan Karst Hills, Guangxi, China, we quantitatively investigated their social organization by analyzing census data from 1998 to 2003. The population censuses revealed that the predominant social organization of bisexual groups was the one‐male group, similar to a previous report on this species and many other Asian colobines. In such groups, one adult male associated with 5.1 adult females, 0.1 sub‐adult males, 2.6 juveniles and 2.9 infants on average, with a mean group size of 11.7 individuals. In addition, three multi‐male groups were recorded, consisting of 2–3 adult males, 1–5 adult females, 0–2 sub‐adult males, 0–7 juveniles and 0–2 infants. They did not contain more adult females than the one‐male groups and were unstable in group membership. The langurs outside bisexual groups were organized into small nonreproductive groups or lived as solitaries. The nonreproductive groups averaged 1.3 adult males, 1.3 sub‐adult males and 2.6 juveniles. Juvenile females were present in such groups on 52.4% of all occasions. As predicted by the monopolization model, the prevalence of the one‐male pattern in this species may mainly be attributed to the small number of females in the group. The possible reasons for the occurrence of multi‐male groups and the presence of juvenile females in nonreproductive groups are also discussed. Am. J. Primatol. 71:206–213, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Gaits of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) on a horizontal ladder and arboreal stability
Authors: Higurashi Yasuo , Hirasaki Eishi , Kumakura Hiroo 
Published: November 2008

AbstractMost primates use diagonal sequence (DS), diagonal couplets (DC) gaits when they walk or run quadrupedally, and it has been suggested that DSDC gaits contribute to stability in their natural arboreal habitats compared to other symmetrical gaits. However, this postulate is based solely on studies of primate gaits using continuous terrestrial and arboreal substrates. A particular species may select suitable gaits according to the substrate properties. Here, we analyzed the gaits of Japanese macaques moving on a horizontal ladder with rung intervals ranging from 0.40 to 0.80 m to elucidate the relative advantages of each observed form of gait. The rung arrangement forced our macaques to choose either diagonal coupling or DS gaits. One macaque consistently used diagonal coupling (i.e., DSDC and LSDC gaits) across narrow and intermediate rung intervals, whereas the other macaque used DS gaits (i.e., DSDC and DSLC gaits). At wider rung intervals, both macaques shifted to a two‐one sequence (TOS), which is characterized by two nearly simultaneous touchdowns of both forelimbs and one touchdown of each hind limb in a stride. The transition to the TOS sequence increased the duration of support on multiple limbs, but always included periods of a whole‐body aerial phase. These results suggest that Japanese macaques prefer DSDC gaits, because the diagonal coupling and DS contribute separately to stability on complex supports compared to the lateral coupling and lateral sequence. We also postulate that stability triggers the transition from symmetrical gaits to the TOS sequence. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Simultaneous identification of piecewise affine systems and number of subsystems using mixed logical dynamical systems theory
Authors: Zanma Tadanao , Fuke Keizo , Chang Ma Shang , Ishida Muneaki 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThis paper addresses system identification of a switched system in which each subsystem is expressed by a piecewise affine system. The system considered is expressed by a mixed logical dynamical system for which some design methods are already known. For identification, in most cases, a number of subsystems, that is, switching points, are given in advance. However, it is not easy to find switching points for multivariable systems. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a simultaneous identification technique that takes into account the number of subsystems and their parameters. The proposed method is applied to several examples to show its effectiveness. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 91(5): 1–10, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10109
Experiments on stabilizing receding horizon control of a direct drive manipulator
Authors: Kawai Yasunori , Nakaso Yujiro , Mimoto Shinichiro , Fujita Masayuki 
Published: November 2008

AbstractIn this paper, the application of receding horizon control to a two‐link direct drive robot arm is demonstrated. Instead of terminal constraints, a terminal cost on receding horizon control is used to guarantee stability, because of the computational demand. The key idea of this paper is to apply receding horizon control with a terminal cost derived from the energy function of the robot system. The energy function is defined as the control Lyapunov function by considering inverse optimality. In experimental results, stability and performance are compared with respect to the horizon length by applying receding horizon control and inverse optimal control to the robot arm. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 91(5): 33–40, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10113
Extraction and processing with supercritical fluids
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Mamata 
Published: November 2008

AbstractOVERVIEW: Extraction and processing with supercritical fluids (SCF) is increasingly gaining importance in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Supercritical fluid extraction (SCFE) using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a solvent has emerged as a highly popular technology today over the conventional techniques for extraction of natural products for rapid, contamination‐free, tailor‐made extracts having superior quality and shelf‐life and high potency of active ingredients.IMPACT: The importance of SCFE is on the rise due to consumers' preferences for ‘natural’ as opposed to synthetic substances and, impending regulations for environmental protection, safety, nutritive and toxicity levels.APPLICATIONS: Newer applications of SCFs include separation and purification of chemicals, cleaning, coating, particle formation, textile dyeing, aerogel drying, reactions with separation and food preservation. Some fundamental aspects of SCFs, various processing technologies with SCFs, and a few newer potential applications are presented in this article. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Biodegradation of diesel oil in a baffled roller bioreactor
Authors: Nikakhtari Hossein , Kumar Pardeep , Nemati Mehdi , Hill Gordon A. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: Ex situ bioremediation is a feasible and economical way to remove petroleum pollutants from contaminated soil or water. A baffled roller bioreactor was shown to be effective for biodegradation of diesel oil as a model petroleum pollutant. Microorganisms enriched from an industrially contaminated soil with heavy hydrocarbons were shown to be the best inoculum source for diesel biodegradation.RESULTS: The baffled roller bioreactor demonstrated better performance than control (roller bioreactor without baffles) or bead mill roller (control bioreactor filled partially with spherical beads) bioreactors. Biodegradation consisted of both fast and slow stages for degradation of light and heavy compounds, respectively. Among the tested temperatures ranging from 15 to 35 °C, room temperature (23 °C) was found to be the optimum temperature for biodegradation. The values of maximum specific growth rate and substrate yield (µmax and YXS) for the indigenous microorganisms in the baffled roller bioreactor at room temperature were found to be 0.72 ± 0.08 h−1 and (7.0 ± 1.0) × 107 cells mg−1 diesel, respectively. Biodegradation of diesel concentrations up to 200 g L−1 was achieved with the highest biodegradation rate of 266 mg L−1 h−1 at the highest rotation rate of 45 rpm in the baffled roller bioreactor.CONCLUSION: Using indigenous bacteria enriched from industrial contaminated soil at room temperature, a baffled roller bioreactor is able to biodegrade high diesel oil concentrations at high biodegradation rates. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Raman spectroscopy of collective modes in charge‐density‐wave systems: the mean‐field microscopic theory
Authors: Kupčić Ivan 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe electron‐mediated coupling of external electromagnetic fields and Raman‐active oscillations is derived for a general electronic model with multiple bands using the adiabatic approach and the explicit diagrammatic approach. The theory is illustrated on the quasi‐one‐dimensional (Q1D) quarter‐filled charge‐density‐wave (CDW) model. It is shown how the long‐range Coulomb forces and the single‐electron relaxation processes affect the Raman spectroscopy of the amplitude‐oscillation mode in clean CDW systems. It is also argued that the adiabatic treatment of the photon‐phonon coupling functions can be safely used in this case. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Variable‐temperature Raman spectro‐microscopy for a comprehensive analysis of the conformational order in PEGylated lipids
Authors: Bista Rajan K. , Bruch Reinhard F. , Covington Aaron M. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe investigation of phase transitions and associated changes in the conformational order of lipids is of importance in various research areas dealing with phenomena such as the formation and fusion of vesicles, transmembrane diffusion and membrane interactions with drugs and proteins. In this article, we have focused on the study of thermotropic phase behaviors and associated changes in the conformational order of two newly developed synthetic PEGylated lipids trademarked as QuSomes. In contrast to conventional phospholipids, this new kind of lipid forms liposomes spontaneously upon hydration, without the supply of external activation energy. Variable‐temperature Raman spectro‐microscopy has been employed in order to plot the transition temperature profiles showing the phase behavior of these new lipids composed of 1,2‐dimyristoyl‐rac‐glycerol‐3‐dodecaethylene glycol (GDM‐12) and 1,2‐distearoyl‐rac‐glycerol‐3‐triicosaethylene glycol (GDS‐23). Furthermore, several spectral indicators were calculated and correlated which allowed for the deduction of various aspects of molecular structure as well as intramolecular motion and intermolecular interactions. To confirm the observations, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was applied and revealed a good agreement with the Raman spectroscopy results. Finally, this information may find application in various studies including the development of lipid‐based novel substances and drug delivery systems. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermo‐Responsive Hydrogels Based on Branched Poly(L‐lactide)‐poly(ethylene glycol) Copolymers
Authors: Velthoen Ingrid W. , Tijsma Edze J. , Dijkstra Pieter J. , Feijen Jan 
Published: November 2008

AbstractSummary: Branched poly(L‐lactide)‐poly(ethylene glycol) (PLLA‐PEG) block copolymers were synthesized from trifunctional PLLA and amine functionalized methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)s. The copolymers in water formed hydrogels that showed thermo‐responsive behavior. The hydrogels underwent a gel to sol transition with increasing temperature as determined with the vial tilting method and oscillatory rheology. For all copolymers, the transition temperature increased with increasing copolymer concentration. The transition temperature of corresponding branched copolymers also increased with increasing PEG molecular weight, and surprisingly decreased with increasing molecular weight of the PLLA branches. In general, the gel‐sol transition is explained by disruption of micellar or aggregate interactions because of partial dehydration and shrinkage of the PEG chains. An increase in the molecular weight of the PLLA branches led to the formation of micelles and aggregates as observed with DLS at low concentrations. It is speculated that the non‐uniform size distribution and possible crystallization of longer PLLA blocks may have a negative effect on the formation of micellar packing upon gelation, allowing the disruption of micellar or aggregate interactions to occur at lower temperatures. The transition temperature of the gels could be tuned closely to body temperature by varying the concentration of the solution or the molecular weight of the PEG block and the PLLA blocks, which implies that these polymers may be used as injectable systems for in‐situ gel formation.
Impediments to prenatal diagnosis for beta thalassaemia: experiences from Pakistan
Authors: Naseem Sajida , Ahmed Suhaib , Vahidy Farhaan 
Published: November 2008

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the practices of parents of beta thalassaemia children towards utilization of prenatal diagnosis (PND) in Pakistan.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was done between April and September 2007 at two thalassaemia treatment centers in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Simple random sampling was employed to interview 215 parents of thalassaemic children. Parents of thalassaemic children who were not planning to have any more children were excluded from the study. A structured questionnaire with preassigned values was developed for collection of data.ResultsOut of the 215 respondents, 149 (69%) families had a pregnancy following the birth of the registered thalassaemic child. Among 149 couples, 90 (60%) did not request PND. The main reasons for underutilization of PND included lack of awareness (23%), high cost (23%), poor access (17%), delay in seeking (16%) and advice against the test (12%). A significant improvement in the use of PND was observed with increasing mother's education (p < 0.016).ConclusionPND for thalassaemia is available in Pakistan for over a decade but its use remains limited. There is a need to increase its utilization by addressing various impediments noted in this study. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cell‐free DNA in amniotic fluid remains to be attached to HMGA2–implications for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis
Authors: Winter N. , Neumann A. , Bullerdiek J. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractObjectiveThe expression of the high mobility group protein gene HMGA2 is primarily confined to embryonic and fetal cells. The aim of this study was to determine the relative expression level of HMGA2 in cells of amniotic fluid samples. Furthermore, it should be investigated by chromatin immunoprecipitation whether or not HMGA2 is attached to cell‐free DNA in amniotic fluid.MethodExpression levels of HMGA2 in 58 amniotic fluid samples from the second trimester were measured using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Furthermore, the presence of HMGA2, attached to cell‐free DNA was tested by chromatin immunoprecipitation.ResultsExpression of HMGA2 was detected in all samples, but in cells of the amniotic fluid it was 161‐fold higher than in cells of the urine from healthy donors. The real‐time PCR with GAPDH showed a signal in all samples treated with the improved protocol of immunoprecipitation.ConclusionOur data clearly show that cells of the amniotic fluid strongly overexpress HMGA2 according to their fetal origin. The fact that apparently HMGA2 remains to be attached to cell‐free DNA suggests interesting new approaches in noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The associations among personality disorder symptoms, suicide proneness and current distress in adult male prisoners
Authors: Lamis Dorian A. , Langhinrichsen‐Rohling Jennifer , Simpler Amber H. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractSuicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, and the third leading cause of death in US jails and penitentiaries. Research has shown that the presence of an Axis II personality disorder (PD) increases the risk for suicidal behaviour. While many correctional institutions screen inmates for suicidal ideation upon intake, they can neglect to assess for the presence of PD symptoms other than those associated with criminality such as Antisocial PD. The current study examined whether symptoms of various PDs were associated with self‐reports of current suicide proneness and distress in a small sample of adult male inmates residing in a medium or a maximum security facility. As hypothesized, elevated scores on numerous PD Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory‐III scales (e.g. Schizoid, Depressive, Sadistic, Schizotypal, Borderline) were significantly associated with both self‐reports of current suicide proneness and psychological distress. Once the nature of these associations in inmates is better understood, more effective suicide prevention programs can be designed and implemented in correctional facilities. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.