An investigation into the validation of formalised cognitive dimensions

The cognitive dimensions framework is a conceptual framework aimed at characterising features of interactive systems that are strongly influential upon their effective use. As such the framework facilitates the critical assessment and design of a wide variety of information artifacts. Although the framework has proved to be of considerable interest to researchers and practitioners, there has been little research examining how easily the dimensions used by it can be consistently applied. The work reported in this paper addresses this problem by examining an approach to the systematic application of dimensions and assessing its success empirically. The findings demonstrate a relatively successful approach to validating the systematic application of some concepts found in the cognitive dimensions framework.</p

Pan-PPAR Agonist, Bezafibrate, Restores Angiogenesis in Hindlimb Ischemia in Normal and Diabetic Rats

Introduction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bezafibrate as a pan-PPAR agonist on angiogenesis and serum nitrite, the main metabolite of nitric oxide (NO), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) concentrations in hindlimb ischemia model of normal and type I diabetic rats. Methods. 28 male Wistar rats were divided into control and diabetic groups. Then, all rats underwent unilateral hindlimb ischemia. After recovery, they were randomly assigned to one of the following experimental groups: (1) control; (2) control + bezafibrate (400 mg/kg/day); (3) diabetic; (4) diabetic + beztafibrate. After three weeks, blood samples were taken and capillary density was evaluated in the gasterocnemius muscle of ischemic limb. Results. Bezafibrate increased capillary density and capillary/fiber ratio in ischemic leg of diabetic and control rats (P < 0.05). Serum VEGF and VEGFR-2 concentrations did not alter after bezafibrate administration, however, serum nitrite concentration was significantly higher in bezafibrate-treated groups than non-treated groups (P < 0.05). Discussion. It seems that bezafibrate, as a pan PPAR agonist, restores angiogenesis in hindlimb ischemic diabetic animals and is useful for prevention and/or treatment of peripheral artery disease in diabetic subjects

Global prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates according to the human development index

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the leading causes of death, especially in developed countries. The human development index (HDI) and its dimensions seem correlated with incidence and mortality rates of PC. This study aimed to assess the association of the specific components of HDI (life expectancy at birth, education, gross national income per 1000 capita, health, and living standards) with burden indicators of PC worldwide. Materials and Methods: Information of the incidence and mortality rates of PC was obtained from the GLOBOCAN cancer project in year 2012 and data about the HDI 2013 were obtained from the World Bank database. The correlation between incidence, mortality rates, and the HDI parameters were assessed using STATA software. Results: A significant inequality of PC incidence rates was observed according to concentration indexes=0.25 with 95 CI (0.22, 0.34) and a negative mortality concentration index of -0.04 with 95 CI (-0.09, 0.01) was observed. Conclusions: A positive significant correlation was detected between the incidence rates of PC and the HDI and its dimensions including life expectancy at birth, education, income, urbanization level and obesity. However, there was a negative significant correlation between the standardized mortality rates and the life expectancy, income and HDI

ADAPT: a price-stabilizing compliance policy for renewable energy certificates: the case of SREC markets

Currently most Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) markets are defined based on targets which create an artificial step demand function resembling a cliff. This target policy produces volatile prices which can make investing in renewables a risky proposition. In this paper, we propose an alternative policy called Adjustable Dynamic Assignment of Penalties and Targets (ADAPT) which uses a sloped compliance penalty and a self-regulating requirement schedule, both designed to stabilize REC prices, helping to alleviate a common weakness of environmental markets. To capture market behavior, we model the market as a stochastic dynamic programming problem to understand how the market might balance the decision to use a REC now versus holding it for future periods (in the face of uncertain new supply). Then, we present and prove some of the properties of this market, and finally we show that this mechanism reduces the volatility of REC prices which should stabilize the market and encourage long-term investment in renewables

Biosorption and recovery of copper and zinc from aqueous solutions by nonliving biomass of marine brown algae of Sargassum sp.

In this study, the biosorption properties of a pre-treated nonliving biomass of marine brown algae of Sargassum species in the removal of Cu 2+ and Zn2+ ions were investigated. Kinetics, equilibrium isotherms, recovery of metals and regeneration of the Sargassum biomass were carried out under different laboratory conditions using batch reactor. Biosorption of Cu2+ and Zn2+ was rapidly occurred onto Sargassum biomass and most of the sorbed metal was bound in less than 60 min. The removal performance for Zn2+ by the biomass was found more than Cu2+, with maximum uptake values of 1.914 and 1.314 mg g-1 dry weight biomass for Zn2+ and Cu2+, respectively. Optimum biosorption pH value of Cu2+ and Zn2+ was determined as 5 at lab temperature. At the optimal condition, metal ion uptake increased with initial Cu2+ and Zn2+ concentration upto 200 and 500 mg L-1, respectively. The Cu2+ and Zn 2+ uptake by Sargassum biomass was best described by pseudo-second order rate equation. The results showed that the Freundlich isotherm model was suitable for describing the passive biosorption of Cu2+ and Zn 2+ by the dead biomass of Sargassum. Removal of the biosorbed Cu 2+ and Zn2+ from Sargassum biomass was successfully achieved by eluting with 0.1 M HNO3 for 15 min and a high degree of metal recovery was observed. For optimum operation in the subsequent metal uptake cycle, regeneration of the Sargassum biomass was efficiently performed by 0.1 M CaCl2 for 15 min. In repeated use of biomass experiment, the Cu2+ and Zn2+ uptake capacity of Sargassum biomass was approximately retained and no significant biomass change took place after three biosorption-desorption cycles. © 2006 Asian Network for Scientific Information

Evaluation of haptoglobin phenotypes in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and their association with some risk factors

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the most common cardiovascular complications with a complex pathogenesis where inflammatory markers are involved in disease etiology. The aim of this study was to investigate haptoglobin phenotypes and their association with some risk factors in patients with a history of AMI. 120 patients who were referred to the emergency department of Amir Al Momenin hospital of Zahedan city, Zahedan-Iran were recruited in a cross-sectional case control study. 120 normal individuals were also chosen as controls for this study. Serum was isolated from routine bloods taken for diagnostic tests and used to determine haptoglobin phenotype distribution by electrophoresis. Phenotype differences as percent of phenotype frequency in patient and control groups were analysed using the χ2 test and SPSS software. A high frequency of serum Hp2-2 haptoglobin phenotype in patients and healthy control were found (62.5% and 58.3% respectively). A meaningful statistical correlation between high frequency of Hp2-2 haptoglobin phenotype and AMI was not found (p value = 0.484). Whereas high frequency of Hp1-1 and HP2-2 phenotypes was associated with hyperlipidemia and hypertension respectively (p value = 0.01 and 0.04). Our results showed that there was a high frequency of Hp2-2 haptoglobin phenotype in patients as well as healthy controls in the population studies. High frequencies of Hp1-1and Hp2-2 phenotypes were associated with AMI in patients with hyperlipidemia and hypertension respectively. Thus these phenotypes in AMI patients may modulate the inflammatory response in combination with hyperlipidemia and hypertension

Biosorption and recovery of copper and zinc from aqueous solutions by nonliving biomass of marine brown algae of Sargassum sp.

In this study, the biosorption properties of a pre-treated nonliving biomass of marine brown algae of Sargassum species in the removal of Cu 2+ and Zn2+ ions were investigated. Kinetics, equilibrium isotherms, recovery of metals and regeneration of the Sargassum biomass were carried out under different laboratory conditions using batch reactor. Biosorption of Cu2+ and Zn2+ was rapidly occurred onto Sargassum biomass and most of the sorbed metal was bound in less than 60 min. The removal performance for Zn2+ by the biomass was found more than Cu2+, with maximum uptake values of 1.914 and 1.314 mg g-1 dry weight biomass for Zn2+ and Cu2+, respectively. Optimum biosorption pH value of Cu2+ and Zn2+ was determined as 5 at lab temperature. At the optimal condition, metal ion uptake increased with initial Cu2+ and Zn2+ concentration upto 200 and 500 mg L-1, respectively. The Cu2+ and Zn 2+ uptake by Sargassum biomass was best described by pseudo-second order rate equation. The results showed that the Freundlich isotherm model was suitable for describing the passive biosorption of Cu2+ and Zn 2+ by the dead biomass of Sargassum. Removal of the biosorbed Cu 2+ and Zn2+ from Sargassum biomass was successfully achieved by eluting with 0.1 M HNO3 for 15 min and a high degree of metal recovery was observed. For optimum operation in the subsequent metal uptake cycle, regeneration of the Sargassum biomass was efficiently performed by 0.1 M CaCl2 for 15 min. In repeated use of biomass experiment, the Cu2+ and Zn2+ uptake capacity of Sargassum biomass was approximately retained and no significant biomass change took place after three biosorption-desorption cycles. © 2006 Asian Network for Scientific Information

Public Evidence from Secret Ballots

Elections seem simple---aren't they just counting? But they have a unique, challenging combination of security and privacy requirements. The stakes are high; the context is adversarial; the electorate needs to be convinced that the results are correct; and the secrecy of the ballot must be ensured. And they have practical constraints: time is of the essence, and voting systems need to be affordable and maintainable, and usable by voters, election officials, and pollworkers. It is thus not surprising that voting is a rich research area spanning theory, applied cryptography, practical systems analysis, usable security, and statistics. Election integrity involves two key concepts: convincing evidence that outcomes are correct and privacy, which amounts to convincing assurance that there is no evidence about how any given person voted. These are obviously in tension. We examine how current systems walk this tightrope.Comment: To appear in E-Vote-Id '1

Rotation Symmetry Spontaneous Breaking of Edge States in Zigzag Carbon Nanotubes

Analytical solutions of the edge states were obtained for the (N, 0) type carbon nanotubes with distorted ending bonds. It was found that the edge states are mixed via the distortion. The total energies for N=5 and N>=7 are lower in the asymmetric configurations of ending bonds than those having axial rotation symmetry. Thereby the symmetry is breaking spontaneously. The results imply that the symmetry of electronic states at the apex depends on the occupation; the electron density pattern at the apex could change dramatically and could be controlled by applying an external field.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figure

SMART-SREC: a stochastic model of the New Jersey solar renewable energy certificate market

Markets for solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) are gaining in promi- nence in many states, stimulating growth of the U.S. solar industry. However, SREC market prices have been extremely volatile, causing high risk to participants and potentially less investment in solar power generation. Such concerns necessitate the development of realis- tic, flexible and tractable models of SREC prices that capture the behavior of participants given the rules that govern the market. We propose an original stochastic model called SMART-SREC to fill this role, building on established ideas from the carbon pricing liter- ature, and including a feedback mechanism for generation response to prices. We calibrate the model to the New Jersey market and backtest it, analyzing parameter sensitivity and demonstrating its ability to reproduce historical dynamics. Finally, we run simulations to investigate the role and impact of regulatory parameters, thus providing insight into the crucial role played by market design