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Systematic Way (systematic + way)
Selected AbstractsLigand Association/Dissociation Paths and Ill-Defined Coordination NumbersCHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 22 2010Antonio Ruiz-Martínez Abstract The continuous shape measures approach provides a means for handling the common situation in which a metal atom presents an ill-defined coordination number. Those cases are characterized by the presence of secondary interactions to Lewis bases at distances significantly longer than those expected for a chemical bond. Systematic ways of analyzing ligand association/dissociation pathways that describe such structures and their application to a variety of specific cases are presented. The concepts and methodology presented here apply to molecules and extended solids as well and provide, when needed, a more flexible and precise stereochemical description of the metal coordination sphere than that of an integer coordination number and the associated polyhedral shape. El mètode de les mesures contínues de forma ens permet tractar la situació trobada freqüentment, en què un àtom metàl,lic presenta un nombre de coordinació no ben definit, caracteritzat per la presència d,interaccions secundàries amb bases de Lewis a distàncies significativament més llargues que les que correspondrien a un enllaç químic. Aquí es presenten formes sistemàtiques d,analitzar els camins d,associació/dissociació de lligands que descriuen aquestes estructures, així com llur aplicació a diverses famílies de compostos. Els conceptes i la metodologia presentats en aquest article s'apliquen tant a molècules com a sòlids infinits i ens proporcionen una descripció estereoquímica més flexible i alhora precisa de les esferes de coordinació que no pas un nombre de coordinació enter i la forma polièdrica associada. [source] Intrathecal baclofen use in adults with cerebral palsyDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 2009LINDA E KRACH MD Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) is an effective treatment for both spasticity and dystonia in people with cerebral palsy (CP). Its use is becoming increasingly common. ITB is typically associated with fewer side effects than the oral form of the product, but there are risks related to the hardware needed for intrathecal delivery. Much of what has been reported in the literature about ITB is based on experience with children or groups of children and adults; few reports exclusively address its use in adults with CP. These reports indicate that muscle tone is consistently reduced, but there is some variability in functional outcomes. Few well-controlled studies have been done. Controversies remain concerning ITB, including whether a trial is needed before pump implantation, proper catheter tip placement, and programming options, as well as whether it contributes to the development or progression of scoliosis. These and other unanswered questions should be addressed in a systematic way. [source] Using framing parameters to improve handling of uncertainties in water management practiceENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 2 2010Nicola Isendahl Abstract Management of water resources is afflicted with uncertainties. Nowadays it is facing more and new uncertainties since the pace and dimension of changes (e.g. climatic, demographic) are accelerating and are likely to increase even more in the future. Hence it is crucial to find pragmatic ways to deal with these uncertainties in water management. We argue for an analytical yet pragmatic approach to enable decision-makers to deal with uncertainties in a more explicit and systematic way and allow for better informed decisions. Our approach is based on the concept of framing, referring to the different ways in which people make sense of the world and of the uncertainties. We apply recently developed parameters of the framing of uncertainty in two sub-basins of the Rhine, the Dutch Kromme Rijn and the German Wupper. We present and discuss the results of a series of stakeholder interactions in the two basins aimed at developing strategies for improving dealing with uncertainties. The strategies are amended and synthesized in a check-list based on the uncertainty framing parameters as a hands-on tool for systematically identifying improvement options when dealing with uncertainty in water management practice. We conclude with suggestions for testing the developed check-list as a tool for decision aid in water management practice. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Quality-of-Life and Behavioral Outcome Measures in Randomized Controlled Trials of Antiepileptic Drugs: A Systematic Review of Methodology and Reporting StandardsEPILEPSIA, Issue 11 2000Gus A. Baker Summary: Purpose: To review the methodology and use of quality-of-life and behavioral measures used in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of antiepileptic drugs in patients with epilepsy. Methods: Trial reports were found by searching a previously developed comprehensive database of epilepsy RCTs and searching through journals by hand. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and methodological and quality-of-life and behavioral measure data were extracted. Results: There were 52 different measures used in 46 trials, with the Profile of Mood States, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, and the Washington Psychosocial Seizure Inventory being applied the most frequently. Overall, evidence of the reliability, validity, and sensitivity of measures used in populations of people with epilepsy was sparse. There was also little information on the clinical interpretation of the results. Conclusion: Our results highlight a consistent failure to apply quality-of-life and behavioral measures in RCTs in a systematic way. We found repeated evidence of researchers' failure to review the use of previous measures and selection of measures without evidence of their appropriateness for use in a population with epilepsy. We recommend the use of quality-of-life and behavioral measures in RCTs with proven psychometric properties in a population with epilepsy. [source] Mapping responses to frequency sweeps and tones in the inferior colliculus of house miceEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 8 2003Steffen R. Hage Abstract In auditory maps of the primary auditory cortex, neural response properties are arranged in a systematic way over the cortical surface. As in the visual system, such maps may play a critical role in the representation of sounds for perception and cognition. By recording from single neurons in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICC) of the mouse, we present the first evidence for spatial organizations of parameters of frequency sweeps (sweep speed, upward/downward sweep direction) and of whole-field tone response patterns together with a map of frequency tuning curve shape. The maps of sweep speed, tone response patterns and tuning curve shape are concentrically arranged on frequency band laminae of the ICC with the representation of slow speeds, build up response types and sharp tuning mainly in the centre of a lamina, and all (including high) speeds, phasic response types and broad tuning mainly in the periphery. Representation of sweep direction shows preferences for upward sweeps medially and laterally and downward sweeps mainly centrally in the ICC (either striped or concentric map). These maps are compatible with the idea of a gradient of decreasing inhibition from the centre to the periphery of the ICC and by gradients of intrinsic neuronal properties (onset or sustained responding). The maps in the inferior colliculus compare favourably with corresponding maps in the primary auditory cortex, and we show how the maps of sweep speed and direction selectivity of the primary auditory cortex could be derived from the here-found maps of the inferior colliculus. [source] The structural context of recent transitions to democracyEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2004RENSKE DOORENSPLEET An analysis of the influence of these structural factors is however important, and it has not yet been done in a systematic way in order to explain recent transitions to democracy since 1989. It will be shown that some structural factors indeed play a role in generating transitions to democracy. These results contradict the idea that structural factors can be ignored when explaining recent transitions to democracy. An additional finding in this article is that some structural factors, such as economic development, growth and a country's role in the world-system had an unexpected impact on democratic transitions since the end of the Cold War. These findings set bounds to the strength of the modernization and world-system theories to explain transitions to democracy, but on the other hand, democratic diffusion played a significant role after 1989. In the (structural) context in which a state had a peripheral role, a low level of economic growth and a high proportion of democratic neighbors, the probability of a state's transition to democracy was high. This structural context seemed to be fertile soil for recent transitions to democracy. [source] Structural fire design according to Eurocode 5,design rules and their backgroundFIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 3 2005Jürgen KönigArticle first published online: 18 NOV 200 Abstract This paper gives a review of the design rules of EN 1995-1-2, the future common code of practice for the fire design of timber structures in the Member States of the EU and EFTA, and makes reference to relevant research background. Compared with the European pre-standard ENV 1995-1-2, the new EN 1995-1-2 has undergone considerable changes. Charring is dealt with in a more systematic way and different stages of protection and charring rates are applied. For the determination of cross-sectional strength and stiffness properties, two alternative rules are given, either by implicitly taking into account their reduction due to elevated temperature by reducing the residual cross-section by a zero-strength zone, or by calculating modification factors for strength and stiffness parameters. Design rules for charring and modification factors are also given for timber frame members of wall and floor assemblies with cavities filled with insulation. A modified components additive method has been included for the verification of the separating function. The design rules for connections have been systemized by introducing simple relationships between the load-bearing capacity (mechanical resistance) and time. The code provides for advanced calculation methods for thermal and structural analysis by giving thermal and thermo-mechanical properties for FE analyses. The code also gives some limited design rules for natural fire scenarios using parametric fire curves. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Dye-Doped Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS)-Modified Polymeric Matrices for Highly Efficient and Photostable Solid-State LasersADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 20 2009Roberto Sastre Abstract Here, the design, synthesis, and characterization of laser nanomaterials based on dye-doped methyl methacrylate (MMA) crosslinked with octa(propyl-methacrylate) polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (8MMAPOSS) is reported in relation to their composition and structure. The influence of the silicon content on the laser action of the dye pyrromethene 567 (PM567) is analyzed in a systematic way by increasing the weight proportion of POSS from 1 to 50%. The influence of the inorganic network structure is studied by replacing the 8MMAPOSS comonomer by both the monofunctionalized heptaisobutyl-methacryl-POSS (1MMAPOSS), which defines the nanostructured linear network with the POSS cages appearing as pendant groups of the polymeric chains, and also by a new 8-hydrogenated POSS incorporated as additive to the polymeric matrices. The new materials exhibit enhanced thermal, optical, and mechanical properties with respect to the pure organic polymers. The organization of the molecular units in these nanomaterials is studied through a structural analysis by solid-state NMR. The domain size of the dispersed phase assures a homogeneous distribution of POSS into the polymer, thus, a continuous phase corresponding to the organic matrix incorporates these nanometer-sized POSS crosslinkers at a molecular level, in agreement with the transparency of the samples. The silicon,oxygen core framework has to be covalently bonded into the polymer backbone instead of being a simple additive and both the silica content and crosslinked degree exhibit a critical influence on the laser action. [source] Mutational inactivation of TGFBR2 in microsatellite unstable colon cancer arises from the cooperation of genomic instability and the clonal outgrowth of transforming growth factor , resistant cellsGENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 2 2008Swati Biswas The mutational inactivation of transforming growth factor , receptor type II (TGFBR2) occurs in ,30% of colon cancers and promotes the formation of colon cancer by inhibiting the tumor suppressor activity of the TGFB signaling pathway. TGFBR2 mutations occur in >90% of microsatellite unstable (MSI) colon cancers and affect a polyadenine tract in exon 3 of TGFBR2, called BAT-RII, which is vulnerable to mutation in the setting of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system deficiency. In light of the vulnerable nature of the BAT-RII tract in the setting of MMR inactivation and the favorable effects of TGFBR2 inactivation in colon cancer, analysis of TGFBR2 inactivation provides an opportunity to assess the roles of genomic instability vs. clonal selection in cells acquiring TGFBR2 BAT-RII tract mutations in MSI colon cancer formation. The contribution of genomic instability and/or clonal evolution to the mutational inactivation of TGBFR2 in MSI colon cancers has not been studied in a systematic way that would allow a determination of the relative contribution of these two mechanisms in the formation of MSI colon cancer. It has not been demonstrated whether the BAT-RII tract mutations are strictly a consequence of the BAT-RII region being hypermutable in the setting of MMR deficiency or if the mutations are rather a consequence of clonal selection pressure against the TGFB receptor. Through the use of defined cell line systems, we show that both genomic instability and clonal selection of TGFB resistant cells contribute to the high frequency of TGFBR2 mutations in MSI colon cancer. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Regime-dependent streamflow sensitivities to Pacific climate modes cross the Georgia,Puget transboundary ecoregionHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 24 2007Sean W. Fleming Abstract The Georgia Basin,Puget Sound Lowland region of British Columbia (Canada) and Washington State (USA) presents a crucial test in environmental management due to its combination of abundant salmonid habitat, rapid population growth and urbanization, and multiple national jurisdictions. It is also hydrologically complex and heterogeneous, containing at least three streamflow regimes: pluvial (rainfall-driven winter freshet), nival (melt-driven summer freshet), and hybrid (both winter and summer freshets), reflecting differing elevation ranges within various watersheds. We performed bootstrapped composite analyses of river discharge, air temperature, and precipitation data to assess El Niño,Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) impacts upon annual hydrometeorological cycles across the study area. Canadian and American data were employed from a total of 21 hydrometric and four meteorological stations. The surface meteorological anomalies showed strong regional coherence. In contrast, the seasonal impacts of coherent modes of Pacific circulation variability were found to be fundamentally different between streamflow regimes. Thus, ENSO and PDO effects can vary from one stream to the next within this region, albeit in a systematic way. Furthermore, watershed glacial cover appeared to complicate such relationships locally; and an additional annual streamflow regime was identified that exhibits climatically driven non-linear phase transitions. The spatial heterogeneity of seasonal flow responses to climatic variability may have substantial implications to catchment-specific management and planning of water resources and hydroelectric power generation, and it may also have ecological consequences due to the matching or phase-locking of lotic and riparian biological activity and life cycles to the seasonal cycle. The results add to a growing body of literature suggesting that assessments of the streamflow impacts of ocean,atmosphere circulation modes must accommodate local hydrological characteristics and dynamics. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The copyright in Paul H. Whitfield's contribution belongs to the Crown in right of Canada and such copyright material is reproduced with the permission of Environment Canada. [source] Adaptive computational methods for variational inequalities based on mixed formulationsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 11 2006F. T. SuttmeierArticle first published online: 27 APR 200 Abstract This work describes concepts for a posteriori error estimation and adaptive mesh design for finite element models where the solution is subjected to inequality constraints. These methods are developed here for several model problems. Based on these examples, unified frameworks are proposed, which provide a systematic way of adaptive error control for problems stated in form of variational inequalities. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] On the differentiation of the Rodrigues formula and its significance for the vector-like parameterization of Reissner,Simo beam theoryINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 9 2002M. Ritto-Corrêa Abstract In this paper we present a systematic way of differentiating, up to the second directional derivative, (i) the Rodrigues formula and (ii) the spin-rotation vector variation relationship. To achieve this goal, several trigonometric functions are grouped into a family of scalar quantities, which can be expressed in terms of a single power series. These results are then applied to the vector-like parameterization of Reissner,Simo beam theory, enabling a straightforward derivation and leading to a clearer formulation. In particular, and in contrast with previous formulations, a relatively compact and obviously symmetric form of the tangent operator is obtained. The paper also discusses several relevant issues concerning a beam finite element implementation and concludes with the presentation of a few selected illustrative examples. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] International Dimensions of the Audit Fee Determinants LiteratureINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AUDITING, Issue 1 2002Phillip E. Cobbin A review of the literature in the area of audit fee determinants includes fifty-six studies drawn from seventeen countries over the period 1980 to 2000. The review starts with work initially based in the US market and then shows that attention spread almost immediately to a number of other markets, some of which were similar in structure to that of the US including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and Ireland. A second extension of this work has seen studies based on data drawn from markets including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, The Netherlands and Norway. The comparative, analytical review highlights the use of a core audit fee determinants model that is used and adapted in a limited way, to reflect market specific circumstances and to address market specific issues. The review indicates some consistency across markets in respect of generic variables identified as core determinants of the level of audit fees. There is little evidence in the literature to indicate historical, cultural, institutional or other market-specific factors being addressed in a systematic way, particularly in respect of developing countries. [source] Analog circuit design by nonconvex polynomial optimization: Two design examplesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CIRCUIT THEORY AND APPLICATIONS, Issue 1 2010Siu-Hong Lui Abstract We present a framework for synthesizing low-power analog circuits through global optimization over generally nonconvex multivariate polynomial objective function and constraints. Specifically, a nonconvex optimization problem is formed, which is then efficiently solved through convex programming techniques based on linear matrix inequality (LMI) relaxation. The framework allows both polynomial inequality and equality constraints, thereby facilitating more accurate device modelings and parameter tuning. Compared to traditional nonlinear programming (NLP), the proposed methodology exhibits superior computational efficiency, and guarantees convergence to a globally optimal solution. As in other physical design tasks, circuit knowledge and insight are critical for initial problem formulation, while the nonconvex optimization machinery provides a versatile tool and systematic way to locate the optimal parameters meeting design specifications. Two circuit design examples are given, namely, a nested transconductance(Gm),capacitance compensation (NGCC) amplifier and a delta,sigma (,,) analog-to-digital converter (ADC), both of them being the key components in many electronic systems. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Improvements of parametric quantum methods with new elementary parametric functionalsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUANTUM CHEMISTRY, Issue 10 2008Fernando Ruette Abstract A series of elementary parametric functionals (EPFs) for resonance integral, electron-electron repulsion, electron-nucleus attraction, core-core interaction, and bond correlation correction were included in the new version of CATIVIC method [Int J Quantum Chem 2004, 96, 321]. In the present work, a systematic way to improve the precision of parametric quantum methods (PQMs) by using several EPFs in the parameterization of a set of molecules is proposed. Based on the fact that a linear combination of elementary functionals from the exact Hamiltonian is also a functional, a linear combination of EPFs has been proved that can enhance the accuracy of PQMs by considering the convex condition. A general formulation of simulation techniques for molecular properties is presented and a formal extension of the minimax principle to PQMs is also considered. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008 [source] Non-smooth structured control design with application to PID loop-shaping of a processINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ROBUST AND NONLINEAR CONTROL, Issue 14 2007Pierre Apkarian Abstract Feedback controllers with specific structure arise frequently in applications because they are easily apprehended by design engineers and facilitate on-board implementations and re-tuning. This work is dedicated to H, synthesis with structured controllers. In this context, straightforward application of traditional synthesis techniques fails, which explains why only a few ad hoc methods have been developed over the years. In response, we propose a more systematic way to design H, optimal controllers with fixed structure using local optimization techniques. Our approach addresses in principle all those controller structures which can be built into mathematical programming constraints. We apply non-smooth optimization techniques to compute locally optimal solutions, and provide practical tests for descent and optimality. In the experimental part we apply our technique to H, loop-shaping proportional integral derivative (PID) controllers for MIMO systems and demonstrate its use for PID control of a chemical process. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] In Vitro Selection of Self-Interacting Transmembrane Segments--Membrane Proteins Approached from a Different PerspectiveIUBMB LIFE, Issue 3 2002Dieter Langosch Abstract The principles underlying the folding of integral membrane proteins are uncovered in an increasingly detailed way. Experimental determination of high-resolution structures followed by analysis of packing reveal structural similarities as well as differences to soluble globular proteins. At the same time, protein/protein interactions at the level of membrane-embedded domains have been investigated for different model proteins. More recently, self-interacting transmembrane helices have been selected from combinatorial libraries in vitro to study the mechanistic basis of protein/protein interaction in membranes in a systematic way. With an emphasis on the latter approach, this review discusses insights emerging from an integrated view on the recent advances. [source] Does Risk Management Add Value?JOURNAL OF APPLIED CORPORATE FINANCE, Issue 3 2005A Survey of the Evidence The fact that 92% of the world's 500 largest companies recently reported using derivatives suggests that corporate managers believe financial risk management can increase shareholder value. Surveys of finance academics indicate that they too believe that corporate risk management is, on the whole, a valueadding activity. This article provides an overview of almost 30 years of broadbased, stock-market-oriented academic studies that address one or more of the following questions: ,Are interest rate, exchange rate, and commodity price risks reflected in stock price movements? ,Is volatility in corporate earnings and cash flows related in a systematic way to corporate market values? ,Is the corporate use of derivatives associated with reduced risk and higher market values? The answer to the first question, at least in the case of financial institutions and interest rate risk, is a definite yes; all studies with this focus find that the stock returns of financial firms are clearly sensitive to interest rate changes. The stock returns of industrial companies exhibit no pronounced interest rate exposure (at least as a group), but industrial firms with significant cross-border revenues and costs show considerable sensitivity to exchange rates (although such sensitivity actually appears to be reduced by the size and geographical diversity of the largest multinationals). What's more, the corporate use of derivatives to hedge interest rate and currency exposures appears to be associated with lower sensitivity of stock returns to interest rate and FX changes. But does the resulting reduction in price sensitivity affect value,and, if so, how? Consistent with a widely cited theory that risk management increases value by limiting the corporate "underinvestment problem," a number of studies show a correlation between lower cash flow volatility and higher corporate investment and market values. The article also cites a small but growing group of studies that show a strong positive association between derivatives use and stock price performance (typically measured using price-to-book ratios). But perhaps the nearest the research comes to establishing causality are two studies,one of companies that hedge FX exposures and another of airlines' hedging of fuel costs,that show that, in industries where hedging with derivatives is common, companies that hedge outperform companies that don't. [source] Machine invention, innovation, and elementary steps,ADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Zehev Tadmor The systematic scientific analysis of polymer processing machines leads to the definition of a small number of elementary steps, which in chemical engineering terminology are the "unit operations" of these machines that transcend individual machine configuration and reflect the common experience of the processed material in any type of machine. The elementary steps reveal the detailed specific physical mechanisms that take place in these machines. These mechanisms, in turn, are powerful tools for triggering machine innovation and invention. The proposed methodology consists of two steps: first via the scientific analysis the process is repeatedly decomposed into its constituent elements and then the elements are recombined or reconstructed in a systematic way into either innovative solutions or novel inventions. The methodology, is demonstrated by three case studies. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 21: 87,97, 2002; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.10018 [source] Hildebrand and Hansen solubility parameters from Molecular Dynamics with applications to electronic nose polymer sensorsJOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY, Issue 15 2004M. Belmares Abstract We introduce the Cohesive Energy Density (CED) method, a multiple sampling Molecular Dynamics computer simulation procedure that may offer higher consistency in the estimation of Hildebrand and Hansen solubility parameters. The use of a multiple sampling technique, combined with a simple but consistent molecular force field and quantum mechanically determined atomic charges, allows for the precise determination of solubility parameters in a systematic way (, = 0.4 hildebrands). The CED method yields first-principles Hildebrand parameter predictions in good agreement with experiment [root-mean-square (rms) = 1.1 hildebrands]. We apply the CED method to model the Caltech electronic nose, an array of 20 polymer sensors. Sensors are built with conducting leads connected through thin-film polymers loaded with carbon black. Odorant detection relies on a change in electric resistivity of the polymer film as function of the amount of swelling caused by the odorant compound. The amount of swelling depends upon the chemical composition of the polymer and the odorant molecule. The pattern is unique, and unambiguously identifies the compound. Experimentally determined changes in relative resistivity of seven polymer sensors upon exposure to 24 solvent vapors were modeled with the CED estimated Hansen solubility components. Predictions of polymer sensor responses result in Pearson R2 coefficients between 0.82 and 0.99. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 25: 1814,1826, 2004 [source] Communication Privacy Management Theory: What Do We Know About Family Privacy Regulation?JOURNAL OF FAMILY THEORY & REVIEW, Issue 3 2010Sandra Petronio For families, managing private information is challenging. Family members reveal too much, they allow more privacy access to outsiders than others desire, parents attempt to negotiate Internet disclosures with their teens, and family health issues often change the way private information is defined altogether. The complexities of privacy regulation call for a systematic way to grasp how privacy management operates in families. This article presents the evidenced-based theory of communication privacy management (CPM) and corresponding research on family privacy regulation that provides a road map to understand the multifaceted nature of managing private information (Petronio, 2002). The article discusses contributions of CPM to conceptualizing privacy in meaningful ways, along with current research trends and future directions for CPM research and theorizing. [source] A tetrahedron approach for a unique closed-form solution of the forward kinematics of six-dof parallel mechanisms with multiconnected jointsJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 6 2002Se-Kyong Song This article presents a new formulation approach that uses tetrahedral geometry to determine a unique closed-form solution of the forward kinematics of six-dof parallel mechanisms with multiconnected joints. For six-dof parallel mechanisms that have been known to have eight solutions, the proposed formulation, called the Tetrahedron Approach, can find a unique closed-form solution of the forward kinematics using the three proposed Tetrahedron properties. While previous methods to solve the forward kinematics involve complicated algebraic manipulation of the matrix elements of the orientation of the moving platform, or closed-loop constraint equations between the moving and the base platforms, the Tetrahedron Approach piles up tetrahedrons sequentially to directly solve the forward kinematics. Hence, it allows significant abbreviation in the formulation and provides an easier systematic way of obtaining a unique closed-form solution. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Two-step procedure for data-based modeling for inferential control applicationsAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 10 2000Raja Amirthalingam A two-step procedure for building an inferential control model, which uses both historical operation data and plant test data, is proposed. Motivation for using the two types of data is given, and a systematic way to combine them in the model-identification step is proposed. Some potential problems associated with the procedure in practice and their solutions are discussed. The efficacy of the procedure is demonstrated in a case study involving a multicomponent distillation column simulated in HYSYS. [source] An ethical judgment framework for corporate political actionsJOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, Issue 3 2008Yongqiang Gao Despite the popularity of businesses' involvement in politics, little discussion has been conducted on the ethics of corporate political actions (CPAs) in the business, corporate social responsibility, business ethics and ,business and society' literatures. The sporadic studies on ethics of CPA mainly focus on one or two aspects of the CPA in judging its ethics, such as its goal or means or consequences, very little has been done in a systematic way to analyse and articulate ethical standards for those corporations and industries who proactively seek to influence government officials. This study attempts to make up this gap. By applying three basic ethical principles including Utilitarian theory, theory of rights and theory of justice into the CPAs, I propose an ethical judgment framework for CPAs. The ethical judgment framework focuses on and judged by four issues/attributes of a CPA, including the goals/purposes of the CPA, the means taken to achieve the goals, the consequences resulted from the CPA, and the process of the CPA. The ,means' and ,consequences' are the core criteria in the framework, but ,goals' and ,process' also contribute to the ethical judgment of a CPA. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Modelling the evolution of legacy systems to Web-based systemsJOURNAL OF SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND EVOLUTION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, Issue 1-2 2004Janet Lavery Abstract To advance operational legacy systems, with their out-of-date software, distributed data and entrenched business processes, to systems that can take advantage of current Web technologies to give consistent, customized and secure access to existing information bases and legacy systems is a complex and daunting task. The Institutionally Secure Integrated Data Environment (INSIDE) is a collaborative project between the Universities of St Andrews and Durham that is addressing the issues surrounding the development and delivery of integrated systems for large institutions, constrained by the requirement of working with the existing information bases and legacy systems. The work has included an exploration of the incremental evolution of existing systems by building Web-based value-added services upon foundations derived from analysing and modelling the existing legacy systems. Progressing from initial informal models to more formal domain and requirements models in a systematic way, following a meta-process incorporating good practice from domain analysis and requirements engineering has allowed the project to lay the foundation for its development of Web-based services. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Overcoming the Neglect of Economics in Urban Regime TheoryJOURNAL OF URBAN AFFAIRS, Issue 3 2003David L. Imbroscio Nevertheless, regime theory has been hampered by its failure to engage economic questions in a sustained and systematic way, leaving it limited in both empirical and prescriptive terms. This article presents an agenda for research that allows for the engagement of economic questions in a way that enhances the strength of urban regime theory vis-à-vis economic determinist theories of urban politics. It then sketches some possible paths this research might take, with most of the attention given to developing the rudiments of a new alternative economics for regime theory. It also illustrates how this new alternative economic paradigm can potentially generate the conditions necessary for bringing about a fundamental reconstruction of urban regimes. [source] Transnational Corporations and Repression of Political Rights and Civil Liberties: An Empirical AnalysisKYKLOS INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2004Matthias Busse Summary Transnational Corporations are often accused by non-governmental organisations of ignoring fundamental democratic rights, such as civil liberties and political rights, in the countries of their investments. This paper attempts to explore empirically the complex relationship between foreign investment and democracy in a systematic way, using different econometric techniques. In contrast to the public discussion over recent years and the view held by non-governmental organisations, the results show that enhanced democratic rights are associated with higher foreign investment in the 1990s. Interestingly, this positive link does not hold for the 1970s and 1980s, when a substantial portion of foreign investment went to countries with repressive governments. [source] Understanding Multicompartment Micelles Using Dissipative Particle Dynamics SimulationMACROMOLECULAR THEORY AND SIMULATIONS, Issue 2 2007Chongli Zhong Abstract Multicompartment micelles are a new class of nanomaterials that may find wide applications in the fields of drug delivery, nanotechnology and catalysis. Due to their structural complexity, as well as the wide parameter space to explore, experimental investigations are a difficult task, to which molecular simulation may contribute greatly. In this paper, the application of the dissipative particle dynamics simulation technique to the understanding of multicompartment micelles is introduced, illustrating that DPD is a powerful tool for identifying new morphologies by varying block length, block ratio and solvent quality in a systematic way. The formation process of multicompartment micelles, as well as shear effects and the self-assembly of nanoparticle mixtures in multicompartment micelles, can also be studied well by DPD simulation. The present work shows that DPD, as well as other simulation techniques and theories, can complement experiments greatly, not only in exploring properties in a wider parameter space, but also by giving a preview of phenomena prior to experiments. DPD, as a mesoscopic dynamic simulation technique, is particularly useful for understanding the dynamic processes of multicompartment micelles at a microscopic level. [source] H i content in galaxies in loose groupsMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 1 2006Chandreyee Sengupta ABSTRACT Gas deficiency in cluster spirals is well known and ram-pressure stripping is considered the main gas removal mechanism. In some compact groups too gas deficiency is reported. However, gas deficiency in loose groups is not yet well established. Lower dispersion of the member velocities and the lower density of the intragroup medium in small loose groups favour tidal stripping as the main gas removal process in them. Recent releases of data from the H i Parkes All-Sky Survey (HIPASS) and catalogues of nearby loose groups with associated diffuse X-ray emission have allowed us to test this notion. In this paper, we address the following questions: (i) do galaxies in groups with diffuse X-ray emission statistically have lower gas content compared to the ones in groups without diffuse X-ray emission? (ii) does H i deficiency vary with the X-ray luminosity, LX, of the loose group in a systematic way? We find that (i) galaxies in groups with diffuse X-ray emission, on average, are H i deficient, and have lost more gas compared to those in groups without X-ray emission; the latter are found not to have significant H i deficiency; (ii) no systematic dependence of the H i deficiency with LX is found. Ram-pressure-assisted tidal stripping and evaporation by thermal conduction are the two possible mechanisms to account for this excess gas loss. [source] Genomic repertoire of human mesangial cells: comprehensive analysis of gene expression by cDNA array hybridizationNEPHROLOGY, Issue 4 2000Naohiro Yano SUMMARY: Knowing when and where a gene is expressed in a cell often provides a strong clue as to its physiological role. It is estimated the human genome contains 80 000,100 000 genes. Assessment of gene activity on a global genome-wide scale is a fundamental and newly developed experimental strategy to expand the scope of biological investigation from a single gene to studying all genes at once in a systematic way. Capitalizing on the recently developed methodology of cDNA array hybridization, we monitored the simultaneous expression of thousands of genes in primary human mesangial cells. Complex ,- 33P-labelled cDNA probes were prepared from cultured mesangial cells. The probe was hybridized to a high-density array of 18 326 paired target genes. The radioactive hybridization signals were analysed by phosphorimager. Bioinformatics from public genomic databases was utilized to assign a chromosomal location of each expressed transcript. Approximately 7460 different gene transcripts were detected in mesangial cells. Close to 13% (957 genes) were full-length mRNA human transcripts (HTs), the remainder 6503 being expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Using special imaging computer software, the transcriptional level of the 957 HTs was compared with the expression of the ribosomal protein S28 (housekeeping gene). The HTs were also classified by function of the gene product and listed with information on their chromosomal loci. To allow comparison between clinical and experimental studies of gene expression, the detected human gene transcripts were cross-referenced to orthologous mouse genes. Thus, the presented data constitute a quantitative preliminary blueprint of the transcriptional map of the human mesangial cell. The information may serve as a resource for speeding up the discovery of genes underlying human glomerular diseases. The complete listing of the full-length expressed genes is available upon request via E-mail: (Abdalla_Rifai@Brown.edu). [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||