bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mathematical models and bacterial communities for ammonia toxicity in mesophilic anaerobes not acclimated to high concentrations of ammonia
Authors: Park Seyong , Cui Fenghao , Mo Kyung , Kim Moonil
Published: June 2016

In this study, we evaluated ammonia toxicity in mesophilic anaerobic digestion at various pH values and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentrations. We performed anaerobic toxicity assays (ATAs) to evaluate the toxicity effects of TAN and pH on mesophilic anaerobic digestion. Modeling based on the results of the ATAs indicated that the specific methanogenic activity (SMA) decreased by 30% at a TAN concentration higher than 3.0 g/L compared to a TAN concentration of 0 g/L. In addition, the highest SMA for a given TAN level (0.5–10.0 g/L) was observed at a pH of around 7.6. The results of bacterial community analyses showed that the diversity and richness of microorganisms with increasing TAN concentration were decreased. Chloroflexi and Synergistetes were the dominant phyla at TAN concentrations less than 3.0 g/L, and Firmicutes was the dominant phylum at TAN concentrations higher than 3.0 g/L, implying that the ammonia toxicity concentration may influence the kind of dominant species. In conclusion, to start a stable mesophilic anaerobic digestion concerning ammonia toxicity, a TAN concentration less than 3.0 g/L is preferable.
Effects of Emotional Intelligence and Selfleadership on Students' Coping with Stress
Authors: Wang Yefei , Xie Guangrong , Cui Xilong
Published: June 2016

We examined the impacts of emotional intelligence and self-leadership on coping with stress, and assessing the mediating roles that positive affect and self-efficacy play in this process. Participants were 575 students at 2 Chinese universities, who completed measures of coping with
stress, self-leadership, emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and positive affect. The structural equation model analysis results indicated that self-efficacy fully mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and active coping, as we had predicted. Further, self-leadership had
a direct effect on active coping. However, positive affect and self-efficacy did not mediate the relationship between self-leadership and coping with stress. Implications are discussed in terms of theoretical contributions and interventions for coping with stress.
Age-related changes of superoxide dismutase activity in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Djordjevic Vladimir , Lazarevic Dusan , Cosic Vladan , Knezevic Marinela , Djordjevic Vidosava
Published: June 2016

Background/Aim: Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is the critical enzyme in the
detoxification of superoxide radicals because those are the first species
produced in the majority of biological free radical producing reactions.
Inconsistent data are present about SOD activity in patients with
schizophrenia. Numerous studies have shown that SOD has been elevated in
chronic schizophrenic patients. However, decreased SOD activity was found in
neuroleptic na?ve, first episode schizophrenic patients, in chronic-medicated
patients and in chronic-unmedicated patients. The aim of this study was to
examine which of the following factors including age, gender, the onset of
the disease, the duration, the number of episodes, heredity, psychopathologic
symptoms and drug treatment could affect erythrocyte SOD activity in patients
with schizophrenia. Methods: This study included 68 consecutive patients with
schizophrenia (29 males and 39 females) ranging in age from 18 to 61 years,
divided into two age groups (<34 years and >34 years). SOD activity was
measured in erythrocyte hemolyzates by Ransod commercially available test.
Results: In the group of patients younger than 34 years SOD levels were
significantly higher (1381?273 U/gHb, p=0.038) compared to the levels of the
older group (1231?206 U/gHb). Gender and heredity did not induce any
significant difference in SOD activity between younger and older subgroups. A
significant difference in enzyme activity was found between the younger and
older subgroups having the onset of the disease after 24 years of age
(1408?217 U/gHb vs. 1252?213 U/gHb, p=0.031). The patients of the younger
group who had more than one psychotic episode had significantly higher SOD
activity (1492?298 U/gHb; p=0.009) than those who had only one episode
(1256?177 U/gHb), as well as than the older subgroup with more than one
episode (1253?231 U/gHb; p=0.014). Although the duration of the disease did
not induce any significant difference in enzyme activity between younger and
older subgroups, a significant negative correlation was obtained between SOD
activity and the duration of the disease (r=-0.511, p<0.01). No significant
differences were found in SOD activity between the subgroups with different
PANSS scores. First generation antipsychotics were associated with elevated
enzyme activity in both groups. Simultaneous treatment of patients with first
generation antipsychotics and second generation antipsychotics induced a
significant decrease in SOD activity in the younger group. Conclusion: Our
results show that erythrocyte SOD activity is increased in the early phase of
schizophrenia and that depends on age of onset of the disease, the number of
psychotic episodes, the duration of the disease and medical treatment.
Business in the Cloud: Research Questions on Governance, Audit, and Assurance
Authors: Schmidt Pamela J. , Wood Jason T. , Grabski Severin V.
Published: June 2016

Cloud computing services are finding rapid adoption as organizations seek cost reduction, technical expertise, flexibility, and adaptable mechanisms to attain advantages in fast-moving business environments. The related considerations of governance, audit, and assurance of cloud computing services might be inadvertently overlooked in a rush to adopt these cloud services. This paper focuses on cloud computing governance and audit issues by presenting research questions informed by both practice and research. A cloud computing ecosystem is presented and an IT Governance framework (Wilkin and Chenhall 2010) is referenced as a means to structure research questions. Key issues of risk, security, monitoring, control, and compliance should be considered early in the cloud services decision process. The tight coupling of intercompany operations between the cloud client and cloud provider(s) forms an interdependent, operationally coupled ecosystem. Planned governance is needed to achieve a well-governed, functional, and secure cloud computing environment. The audit role is complicated when the organization's financial data and/or critical applications are hosted externally with a cloud service provider that may use other cloud service providers.
Bezafibrate Improves Insulin Sensitivity and Metabolic Flexibility in STZ-Induced Diabetic Mice
Authors: Franko Andras , Huypens Peter , Neschen Susanne , Irmler Martin , Rozman Jan , Rathkolb Birgit , Neff Frauke , Prehn Cornelia , Dubois Guillaume , Baumann Martina , Massinger Rebecca , Gradinger Daniel , Przemeck Gerhard K.H. , Repp Birgit , Aichler Michaela , Feuchtinger Annette , Schommers Philipp , Stöhr Oliver , Sanchez-Lasheras Carmen , Adamski Jerzy , Peter Andreas , Prokisch Holger , Beckers Johannes , Walch Axel K. , Fuchs Helmut , Wolf Eckhard , Schubert Markus , Wiesner Rudolf J. , Hrabě de Angelis Martin
Published: June 2016

Bezafibrate (BEZ), a pan activator of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptors (PPARs), has been generally used to treat hyperlipidemia for decades. Clinical trials with type 2 diabetes patients indicated that BEZ also has beneficial effects on glucose metabolism, although the underlying mechanisms of these effects remain elusive. Even less is known about a potential role for BEZ in treating type 1 diabetes. Here we show that BEZ markedly improves hyperglycemia and glucose and insulin tolerance in mice with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes, an insulin-deficient mouse model of type 1 diabetes. BEZ treatment of STZ mice significantly suppressed the hepatic expression of genes that are annotated in inflammatory processes, whereas the expression of PPAR and insulin target gene transcripts was increased. Furthermore, BEZ-treated mice also exhibited improved metabolic flexibility as well as an enhanced mitochondrial mass and function in the liver. Finally, we show that the number of pancreatic islets and the area of insulin-positive cells tended to be higher in BEZ-treated mice. Our data suggest that BEZ may improve impaired glucose metabolism by augmenting hepatic mitochondrial performance, suppressing hepatic inflammatory pathways, and improving insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility. Thus, BEZ treatment might also be useful for patients with impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes.
Aberrant Accumulation of the Diabetes Autoantigen GAD65 in Golgi Membranes in Conditions of ER Stress and Autoimmunity
Authors: Phelps Edward A. , Cianciaruso Chiara , Michael Iacovos P. , Pasquier Miriella , Kanaani Jamil , Nano Rita , Lavallard Vanessa , Billestrup Nils , Hubbell Jeffrey A. , Baekkeskov Steinunn
Published: June 2016

Pancreatic islet β-cells are particularly susceptible to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which is implicated in β-cell dysfunction and loss during the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (T1D). The peripheral membrane protein GAD65 is an autoantigen in human T1D. GAD65 synthesizes γ-aminobutyric acid, an important autocrine and paracrine signaling molecule and a survival factor in islets. We show that ER stress in primary β-cells perturbs the palmitoylation cycle controlling GAD65 endomembrane distribution, resulting in aberrant accumulation of the palmitoylated form in trans-Golgi membranes. The palmitoylated form has heightened immunogenicity, exhibiting increased uptake by antigen-presenting cells and T-cell stimulation compared with the nonpalmitoylated form. Similar accumulation of GAD65 in Golgi membranes is observed in human β-cells in pancreatic sections from GAD65 autoantibody-positive individuals who have not yet progressed to clinical onset of T1D and from patients with T1D with residual β-cell mass and ongoing T-cell infiltration of islets. We propose that aberrant accumulation of immunogenic GAD65 in Golgi membranes facilitates inappropriate presentation to the immune system after release from stressed and/or damaged β-cells, triggering autoimmunity.
In/visible--In/secure
Authors: Jusionyte Ieva , Goldstein Daniel M.
Published: June 2016

In the introduction to this theme section we attempt to disentangle the webs of in/visibility and in/security by tracing out their diverse iterations. We construct a series of conversations between two of the four key terms relevant to this discussion—security and insecurity, visibility and invisibility—as a means of analyzing the different ways in which their various articulations engage meaningfully in the production and reproduction of contemporary security cultures. Ethnographic examples accompany each iteration, drawn from the work of contributors to this theme section, as well as from other contemporary research. These examples not only illustrate the multiple and shift ing intersections of in/visibility and in/security in today’s security-minded world but also remind us of the unique contributions that anthropology can make to the critical study of security.
The correct secret
Authors: Mason Katherine A.
Published: June 2016

In this article I argue that the global biosecurity project that arose out of the events of the SARS epidemic of 2003 created a new balance of secrecy and transparency within the public health arm of the Chinese state. In an effort to meet national and international demands for greater transparency in support of a “common good,” local public health officials engaged in what I call hypertransparency. This hypertransparency took two forms: the real-time online sharing of disease incidence data within the public health bureaucracy, and the over-performance of disease fighting strategies in front of a wider local and global public. Because local Chinese officials interpreted the “common good” differently from their international partners, neither of these efforts succeeded in erasing the crucial role that local officials continued to play in determining what should and should not be shared, and with whom. Secrecy continued to be an important component of China’s securitization efforts, with hypertransparency ultimately concealing more than it revealed.
Physiological growth hormone replacement and rate of recurrence of craniopharyngioma: the Genentech National Cooperative Growth Study
Authors: Smith Timothy R. , Cote David J. , Jane John A. , Laws Edward R.
Published: June 2016

OBJECTIVE

The object of this study was to establish recurrence rates in patients with craniopharyngioma postoperatively treated with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) as a basis for determining the risk of rhGH therapy in the development of recurrent tumor.

METHODS

The study included 739 pediatric patients with craniopharyngioma who were naïve to GH upon entering the Genentech National Cooperative Growth Study (NCGS) for treatment. Reoperation for tumor recurrence was documented as an adverse event. Cox proportional-hazards regression models were developed for time to recurrence, using age as the outcome and enrollment date as the predictor. Patients without recurrence were treated as censored. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the incidence of recurrence with adjustment for the amount of time at risk.

RESULTS

Fifty recurrences in these 739 surgically treated patients were recorded. The overall craniopharyngioma recurrence rate in the NCGS was 6.8%, with a median follow-up time of 4.3 years (range 0.7–6.4 years.). Age at the time of study enrollment was statistically significant according to both Cox (p = 0.0032) and logistic (p < 0.001) models, with patients under 9 years of age more likely to suffer recurrence (30 patients [11.8%], 0.025 recurrences/yr of observation, p = 0.0097) than those ages 9–13 years (17 patients [6.0%], 0.17 recurrences/yr of observation) and children older than 13 years (3 patients [1.5%], 0.005 recurrences/yr of observation).

CONCLUSIONS

Physiological doses of GH do not appear to increase the recurrence rate of craniopharyngioma after surgery in children, but long-term follow-up of GH-treated patients is required to establish a true natural history in the GH treatment era.
A New Route for the Synthesis of 1-Amino-3,6,9,12-Tetraoxapentadecan-15-Oic Acid
Authors: Wu Xuan , Zong Xi , Ji Min
Published: June 2016

1-Amino-3,6,9,12-tetraoxapentadecan-15-oic acid 8 was synthesised from tetraethylene glycol through a 7 step sequence including esterification, mesylation, azide substitution with subsequent reduction followed by hydrolysis. The structure of product 8 was identified by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). All reaction conditions were optimised and easy to control. The key advantages of this process are the high yields of products and a new route to synthesise 1-amino-3,6,9,12-tetraoxapentadecan-15-oic acid.
A Cross-Coupling Synthesis of Functionalised Biaryls Using Knochel-Type Organozinc Reagents and a Pyridine Enhanced Palladium Catalyst
Authors: Wang Min , Liu Fang , Zeng Meng-Tian , Xu Wan , Liu Min , Dong Zhi-Bing
Published: June 2016

A variety of functionalised biaryls were synthesised on the 20–30 mmol scale by using Knochel type organozinc reagents (organozinc reagents prepared from aryl halides, Zn powder and LiCl) catalysed by PEPPSI (a pyridine enhanced palladium catalyst). The protocol enabled the Negishi reactions to proceed in a smooth, rapid and mild way to give the corresponding products in excellent yields (80 ~ 96%). Sensitive functional groups, such as CN and COOEt groups, were tolerated in the coupling reaction.
New type sand compaction pile method for densification of liquefiable ground underneath existing structure
Authors: Kitazume Masaki , Takahashi Akihiko , Harada Kenji , Shinkawa Naotoshi
Published: June 2016

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake caused severe damage to infrastructures due to liquefaction, in which many embankments failed with large settlement and slope failure. Sand Compaction Pile method is one of the typical ground improvement methods to densify the ground by installing compacted sand piles into ground. This method has been often applied to mitigate the liquefaction. However, current SCP method of constructing sand piles in vertical direction is not able to densify ground underneath an existing structure. For applying the method to an existing structure, a new type of SCP method was recently developed where in compacted sand columns can be constructed in any direction. This paper briefly introduces the new type of SCP method and the effectiveness of local densification by numerical analysis. In this manuscript, a series of numerical analyses were conducted to evaluate the effect of shape and location of SCP improved zone on the dynamic response of embankment. This paper describes the numerical analyses as well as the development, machinery and procedure of the technique, and emphasizes the uniqueness and effectiveness of the technique for preventing liquefaction for new and existing structures.
RASSF1A Site-Specific Methylation Hotspots in Cancer and Correlation with RASSF1C and MOAP-1
Authors: Volodko Natalia , Salla Mohamed , Zare Alaa , Abulghasem El-Arbi , Vincent Krista , Benesch Matthew , McMullen Todd , Bathe Oliver , Postovit Lynne , Baksh Shairaz
Published: June 2016

Epigenetic silencing of RASSF1A is frequently observed in numerous cancers and has been previously reported. The promoter region of RASSF1A is predicted to have 75 CpG sites, and very few studies demonstrate how the methylation of these sites affects expression. In addition, the expression relationship between RASSF1A and its downstream target, modulator of apoptosis 1 (MOAP-1), is poorly understood. In this study, we have explored the mRNA expression of RASSF1A, MOAP-1 and the well-characterized splice variant of RASSF1, RASSF1C, in cancer cell lines and primary tumors. We confirmed that the RASSF1A promoter is robustly methylated within a 32-CpG region in solid tumors and results in lower mRNA expression. The MOAP-1 promoter contains ~110 CpG sites, but was not found to be methylated in cancer cell lines when 19 predicted CpG sites were explored. Interestingly, MOAP-1 mRNA expression positively correlated with RASSF1A expression in numerous cancers, whereas RASSF1C expression remained the same or was increased in cell lines or tissues with epigenetic loss of RASSF1A. We speculate that MOAP-1 and RASSF1A may be more intimately connected than originally thought, and the expression of both are warranted in experimental designs exploring the biology of the RASSF1A/MOAP-1 molecular pathway.
Immobilization of Magnetic Nanoparticles onto Amine-Modified Nano-Silica Gel for Copper Ions Remediation
Authors: Elkady Marwa , Hassan Hassan , Hashim Aly
Published: June 2016

A novel nano-hybrid was synthesized through immobilization of amine-functionalized silica gel nanoparticles with nanomagnetite via a co-precipitation technique. The parameters, such as reagent concentrations, reaction temperature and time, were optimized to accomplish the nano-silica gel chelating matrix. The most proper amine-modified silica gel nanoparticles were immobilized with magnetic nanoparticles. The synthesized magnetic amine nano-silica gel (MANSG) was established and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The feasibility of MANSG for copper ions’ remediation from wastewater was examined. MANSG achieves a 98% copper decontamination from polluted water within 90 min. Equilibrium sorption of copper ions onto MANSG nanoparticles obeyed the Langmuir equation compared to the Freundlich, Temkin, Elovich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) equilibrium isotherm models. The pseudo-second-order rate kinetics is appropriate to describe the copper sorption process onto the fabricated MANSG.
Some Issues of Shrinkage-Reducing Admixtures Application in Alkali-Activated Slag Systems
Authors: Bílek Vlastimil , Kalina Lukáš , Novotný Radoslav , Tkacz Jakub , Pařízek Ladislav
Published: June 2016

Significant drying shrinkage is one of the main limitations for the wider utilization of alkali-activated slag (AAS). Few previous works revealed that it is possible to reduce AAS drying shrinkage by the use of shrinkage-reducing admixtures (SRAs). However, these studies were mainly focused on SRA based on polypropylene glycol, while as it is shown in this paper, the behavior of SRA based on 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol can be significantly different. While 0.25% and 0.50% had only a minor effect on the AAS properties, 1.0% of this SRA reduced the drying shrinkage of waterglass-activated slag mortar by more than 80%, but it greatly reduced early strengths simultaneously. This feature was further studied by isothermal calorimetry, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Calorimetric experiments showed that 1% of SRA modified the second peak of the pre-induction period and delayed the maximum of the main hydration peak by several days, which corresponds well with observed strength development as well as with the MIP and SEM results. These observations proved the certain incompatibility of SRA with the studied AAS system, because the drying shrinkage reduction was induced by the strong retardation of hydration, resulting in a coarsening of the pore structure rather than the proper function of the SRA.
Applications and Developments on the Use of Vibrational Spectroscopy Imaging for the Analysis, Monitoring and Characterisation of Crops and Plants
Authors: Cozzolino Daniel , Roberts Jessica
Published: June 2016

The adaptation and use of advanced technologies is an effective and encouraging way to efficiently and reliably characterise crops and plants. Additionally advances in these technologies will improve the information available for agronomists, breeders and plant physiologists in order to develop best management practices in the process and commercialization of agricultural products and commodities. Methods based on vibrational spectroscopy such as near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy using either single spot or hyperspectral measurements are now more available and ready to use than ever before. The main characteristics of these methodologies (high-throughput, non-destructive) have determined a growth in basic and applied research using NIR spectroscopy in many disciplines related with crop and plant sciences. A wide range of studies have demonstrated the ability of NIR spectroscopy to analyse different parameters in crops. Recently the use of hyperspectral imaging techniques have expanded the range of applications in crop and plant sciences. This article provides an overview of applications and developments of NIR hyperspectral image for the analysis, monitoring and characterisation of crops and plants.
Metabolism of 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rg2 by Rat Liver Microsomes: Bioactivation to SIRT1-Activating Metabolites
Authors: Ma Li-Yuan , Zhou Qi-Le , Yang Xin-Bao , Wang Hong-Ping , Yang Xiu-Wei
Published: June 2016

20(S)-Ginsenoside Rg2 (1) has recently become a hot research topic due to its potent bioactivities and abundance in natural sources such as the roots, rhizomes and stems-leaves of Panax ginseng. However, due to the lack of studies on systematic metabolic profiles, the prospects for new drug development of 1 are still difficult to predict, which has become a huge obstacle for its safe clinical use. To solve this problem, investigation of the metabolic profiles of 1 in rat liver microsomes was first carried out. To identify metabolites, a strategy of combined analyses based on prepared metabolites by column chromatography and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was performed. As a result, four metabolites M1–M4, including a rare new compound named ginsenotransmetin A (M1), were isolated and the structures were confirmed by spectroscopic analyses. A series of metabolites of 1, MA–MG, were also tentatively identified by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS in rat liver microsomal incubate of 1. Partial metabolic pathways were proposed. Among them, 1 and its metabolites M1, M3 and M4 were discovered for the first time to be activators of SIRT1. The SIRT1 activating effects of the metabolite M1 was comparable to those of 1, while the most interesting SIRT1 activatory effects of M3 and M4 were higher than that of 1 and comparable with that of resveratrol, a positive SIRT1 activator. These results indicate that microsome-dependent metabolism may represent a bioactivation pathway for 1. This study is the first to report the metabolic profiles of 1 in vitro, and the results provide an experimental foundation to better understand the in vivo metabolic fate of 1.
Fabrication, Characterization, and Evaluation of Bionanocomposites Based on Natural Polymers and Antibiotics for Wound Healing Applications
Authors: Rădulescu Marius , Holban Alina , Mogoantă Laurențiu , Bălşeanu Tudor-Adrian , Mogoșanu George , Savu Diana , Popescu Roxana , Fufă Oana , Grumezescu Alexandru , Bezirtzoglou Eugenia , Lazar Veronica , Chifiriuc Mariana
Published: June 2016

The aim of our research activity was to obtain a biocompatible nanostructured composite based on naturally derived biopolymers (chitin and sodium alginate) loaded with commercial antibiotics (either Cefuroxime or Cefepime) with dual functions, namely promoting wound healing and assuring the local delivery of the loaded antibiotic. Compositional, structural, and morphological evaluations were performed by using the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analytical techniques. In order to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the biocompatibility of the obtained composites, we performed the tetrazolium-salt (MTT) and agar diffusion in vitro assays on the L929 cell line. The evaluation of antimicrobial potential was evaluated by the viable cell count assay on strains belonging to two clinically relevant bacterial species (i.e., Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus).
Isoflavones: Anti-Inflammatory Benefit and Possible Caveats
Authors: Yu Jie , Bi Xiaojuan , Yu Bing , Chen Daiwen
Published: June 2016

Inflammation, a biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, is also known to be involved in a host of diseases, such as obesity, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and even cancer. Isoflavones are a class of flavonoids that exhibit antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Increasing evidence has highlighted the potential for isoflavones to prevent the chronic diseases in which inflammation plays a key role, though the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Recently, some studies have raised concerns about isoflavones induced negative effects like carcinogenesis, thymic involution, and immunosuppression. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the anti-inflammatory effects of isoflavones, unravel the underlying mechanisms, and present the potential health risks.
A Core-Offset Mach Zehnder Interferometer Based on A Non-Zero Dispersion-Shifted Fiber and Its Torsion Sensing Application
Authors: Huerta-Mascotte Eduardo , Sierra-Hernandez Juan , Mata-Chavez Ruth , Jauregui-Vazquez Daniel , Castillo-Guzman Arturo , Estudillo-Ayala Julian , Guzman-Chavez Ana , Rojas-Laguna Roberto
Published: June 2016

In this paper, an all-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) based on a non-zero dispersion-shifted fiber (NZ-DSF) is presented. The MZI was implemented by core-offset fusion splicing one section of a NZ-DSF fiber between two pieces of single mode fibers (SMFs). Here, the NZ-DSF core and cladding were used as the arms of the MZI, while the core-offset sections acted as optical fiber couplers. Thus, a MZI interference spectrum with a fringe contrast (FC) of about 20 dB was observed. Moreover, its response spectrum was experimentally characterized to the torsion parameter and a sensitivity of 0.070 nm/° was achieved. Finally, these MZIs can be implemented in a compact size and low cost.
Field Measurements and Numerical Simulations of Temperature and Moisture in Highway Engineering Using a Frequency Domain Reflectometry Sensor
Authors: Yao Yong-Sheng , Zheng Jian-Long , Chen Zeng-Shun , Zhang Jun-Hui , Li Yong
Published: June 2016

This paper presents a systematic pioneering study on the use of agricultural-purpose frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) sensors to monitor temperature and moisture of a subgrade in highway extension and reconstruction engineering. The principle of agricultural-purpose FDR sensors and the process for embedding this kind of sensors for subgrade engineering purposes are introduced. Based on field measured weather data, a numerical analysis model for temperature and moisture content in the subgrade’s soil is built. Comparisons of the temperature and moisture data obtained from numerical simulation and FDR-based measurements are conducted. The results show that: (1) the embedding method and process, data acquisition, and remote transmission presented are reasonable; (2) the temperature and moisture changes are coordinated with the atmospheric environment and they are also in close agreement with numerical calculations; (3) the change laws of both are consistent at positions where the subgrade is compacted uniformly. These results suggest that the data measured by the agricultural-purpose FDR sensors are reliable. The findings of this paper enable a new and effective real-time monitoring method for a subgrade’s temperature and moisture changes, and thus broaden the application of agricultural-purpose FDR sensors.
Improving the Accuracy of Laplacian Estimation with Novel Variable Inter-Ring Distances Concentric Ring Electrodes
Authors: Makeyev Oleksandr , Besio Walter
Published: June 2016

Noninvasive concentric ring electrodes are a promising alternative to conventional disc electrodes. Currently, the superiority of tripolar concentric ring electrodes over disc electrodes, in particular, in accuracy of Laplacian estimation, has been demonstrated in a range of applications. In our recent work, we have shown that accuracy of Laplacian estimation can be improved with multipolar concentric ring electrodes using a general approach to estimation of the Laplacian for an (n + 1)-polar electrode with n rings using the (4n + 1)-point method for n ≥ 2. This paper takes the next step toward further improving the Laplacian estimate by proposing novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes. Derived using a modified (4n + 1)-point method, linearly increasing and decreasing inter-ring distances tripolar (n = 2) and quadripolar (n = 3) electrode configurations are compared to their constant inter-ring distances counterparts. Finite element method modeling and analytic results are consistent and suggest that increasing inter-ring distances electrode configurations may decrease the truncation error resulting in more accurate Laplacian estimates compared to respective constant inter-ring distances configurations. For currently used tripolar electrode configuration, the truncation error may be decreased more than two-fold, while for the quadripolar configuration more than a six-fold decrease is expected.
Sustainability Management with the Sustainability Balanced Scorecard in SMEs: Findings from an Austrian Case Study
Authors: Falle Susanna , Rauter Romana , Engert Sabrina , Baumgartner Rupert
Published: June 2016

Given the economic importance of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and their need for strategic sustainability management, this paper examines the concept of Sustainability Balanced Scorecard (SBSC) with respect to SMEs. This case study describes the development of an SBSC in a middle-sized Austrian brewery. The existing methods used in SBSC creation were adapted to suit the company’s specific needs. The findings show that when developing an SBSC it is important to take specific SME characteristics into account and apply methods that allow for adaptation to the prevailing conditions, such as strategic management, organizational structure and resources. In the case study special attention was paid to strategy analysis and thereby the creation of a solid basis for the SBSC. Furthermore, the results show SBSC development is not a process of distinct consecutive steps, as it is often suggested in the literature, but rather that it is a complex process marked by iterative steps. Moreover, the paper highlights the supporting factors and challenges experienced. Whereas top management support, the presence of a project team and high employee involvement were identified as key supporting factors, a lack of specific resources and blurry strategy formulation exert negative influence on the development process. The results presented here should help other SMEs in their development of an SBSC. The paper stimulates scientific discourse on sustainability and strategic management by highlighting the relevant supporting factors and challenges.
Fluctuating Charge Order: A Universal Phenomenon in Unconventional Superconductivity?
Authors: Bertel Erminald , Menzel Alexander
Published: June 2016

Unconventional superconductors are characterized by various competing ordering phenomena in the normal state, such as antiferromagnetism, charge order, orbital order or nematicity. According to a widespread view, antiferromagnetic fluctuations are the dominant ordering phenomenon in cuprates and Fe based superconductors and are responsible for electron pairing. In contrast, charge order is believed to be subdominant and compete with superconductivity. Here, we argue that fluctuating charge order in the (0,π) direction is a feature shared by the cuprates and the Fe based superconductors alike. Recent data and theoretical models suggest that superconductivity is brought about by charge order excitations independently from spin fluctuations. Thus, quantum fluctuations of charge order may provide an alternative to spin fluctuations as a mechanism of electron pairing in unconventional superconductors.
Antiviral Hammerhead Ribozymes Are Effective for Developing Transgenic Suppression of Chikungunya Virus in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes
Authors: Mishra Priya , Furey Colleen , Balaraman Velmurugan , Fraser Malcolm
Published: June 2016

The chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an emerging pathogen with widespread distribution in regions of Africa, India, and Asia that threatens to spread into temperate climates with the introduction of its major vector, Aedes albopictus. CHIKV causes a disease frequently misdiagnosed as dengue fever, with potentially life-threatening symptoms that can result in a longer-term debilitating arthritis. The increasing risk of spread from endemic regions via human travel and commerce and the current absence of a vaccine put a significant proportion of the world population at risk for this disease. In this study we designed and tested hammerhead ribozymes (hRzs) targeting CHIKV structural protein genes of the RNA genome as potential antivirals both at the cellular and in vivo level. We employed the CHIKV strain 181/25, which exhibits similar infectivity rates in both Vero cell cultures and mosquitoes. Virus suppression assay performed on transformed Vero cell clones of all seven hRzs demonstrated that all are effective at inhibiting CHIKV in Vero cells, with hRz #9 and #14 being the most effective. piggyBac transformation vectors were constructed using the Ae. aegypti t-RNAval Pol III promoted hRz #9 and #14 effector genes to establish a total of nine unique transgenic Higgs White Eye (HWE) Ae. aegypti lines. Following confirmation of transgene expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), comparative TCID50-IFA analysis, in situ Immuno-fluorescent Assays (IFA) and analysis of salivary CHIKV titers demonstrated effective suppression of virus replication at 7 dpi in heterozygous females of each of these transgenic lines compared with control HWE mosquitoes. This report provides a proof that appropriately engineered hRzs are powerful antiviral effector genes suitable for population replacement strategies
Le désarroi des parents d’enfants transgenres
Authors: Hefez Serge
Published: June 2016

Les parents confrontés à une problématique transgenre chez un enfant ou un adolescent adoptent des modes de réactions très variés, de la culpabilité au rejet violent, de la résignation au soutien, et sont même parfois dans une acceptation déconcertante qui peut leur faire précéder et amplifier les besoins de leur enfant. Mon travail avec ces familles ne consiste pas à désigner des causalités à ce questionnement de genre, mais à créer un espace d’écoute et d’étayage pour des jeunes chez qui le risque suicidaire est particulièrement important.
Tomboy : un genre cinématographique énigmatique
Authors: Clergeau Sandrine , Lelièvre Julien
Published: June 2016

Dans le film Tomboy de Céline Sciamma, Laure profite d’un déménagement pour s’essayer à être Mickaël. Joue-t-elle ou se prend-elle pour un garçon ? Le film et son héro(ïne) font énigme ? Qu’en est-il de la castration ? Qu’en est-il du genre ? Qu’en est-il de l’identité sexuée ? Qu’en est-il du faire semblant ? La mère enceinte assigne sa fille à en être une. La petite sœur s’amuse de ce travestissement. Le père se dérobe face à cette question. Faille dans la transmission ? Comment le genre, l’identité sexuée et le choix d’objet sexuel s’articulent-ils dans cette histoire ? Sans apporter de réponses, la filmographie de la réalisatrice nous offre des scénarios touchants, sensibles, sources de pensée.
Migration et asile en Tunisie depuis 2011 : vers de nouvelles figures migratoires ?
Authors: Boubakri Hassan
Published: June 2016

La Tunisie, premier pays arabe à avoir connu un soulèvement populaire en 2011, est passée par une expérience migratoire que l’on peut qualifier d’inédite pour un pays traditionnel d’émigration. Avant 2011, le pays accueillait officiellement une centaine de réfugiés reconnus par le HCR et voyait quelques milliers de migrants irréguliers (Tunisiens et étrangers) partir ou transiter par son territoire pour traverser la mer en direction des côtes italiennes. Mais depuis 2011, le nombre d’étrangers fuyant les guerres civiles et l’instabilité dans leurs pays d’origine, ainsi que la pauvreté et le chômage, n’a cessé d’augmenter. Si les premières vagues d’exil ont pris fin en 2011, des centaines de milliers de ressortissants libyens continuent à entrer en Tunisie pour des séjours prolongés et renouvelés en raison de la reprise de la guerre civile depuis 2014 et la désorganisation des services publics. Le voisinage et la libre circulation des personnes entre les deux pays rend difficile la qualification de la présence des Libyens en Tunisie : sont-ils touristes ou réfugiés ? La guerre civile syrienne a également forcé quelques milliers de réfugiés, une infime minorité, à choisir la Tunisie comme pays d’asile ou de transit pour l’Europe. La Tunisie continue à abriter une immigration d’origine subsaharienne alimentée par les étudiants, les migrants économiques, mais aussi par les réfugiés fuyant les anciens et les nouveaux foyers de conflits sur le continent. Cet article traite de la manière dont ce pays accueille et gère ces différentes formes de migration.
Évolution de l’identité religieuse de femmes ouest-africaines au Québec au prisme de l’expérience migratoire
Authors: Traoré Diahara
Published: June 2016

La recherche présentée ici explore les diverses manières dont la migration et le changement religieux sont compris et construits par des femmes musulmanes d’origine ouest-africaine vivant dans la région de Montréal au Canada. La dynamique de migration et de changement religieux, ainsi que la conception de l’identité religieuse dans un contexte canadien de migration sont analysées à partir de récits de vie, d’observations participantes et d’entretiens, données issues d’un terrain ethnographique conduit entre 2008 et 2010. L'approche retenue par l’auteure considère que les récits rendent compte du sens donné par les acteurs à leur expérience migratoire et à son impact sur leur identité islamique. Elle montre ainsi que la relocalisation de l’islam a lieu tant sur le plan physique, que sur le plan narratif.
« Tu n’as rien vu [en Irak] » : Logistique de l’aperception dans Generation Kill
Authors: Lefait Sébastien
Published: June 2016

Comme l’a montré Paul Virilio, la guerre repose depuis le premier conflit mondial sur une « véritable logistique de la perception militaire ». Je montre ici qu’en plus de confirmer le poids de la technologie dans les guerres modernes, l’omniprésence des appareils optiques dans Generation Kill dévoile la face cachée du dispositif martial, en insistant sur la mise en place d’une logistique de l’aperception. Ce phénomène, complémentaire de celui que décrit Virilio, est aussi plus récent. Il consiste à faire en sorte, toujours par technologie interposée, que l’adversaire soit au mieux aperçu, et au pire a-perçu, au sens où les Marines sont consciencieusement privés de leur faculté à en percevoir directement la présence.La force de Generation Kill réside ainsi dans sa capacité à inventer des solutions narratives et visuelles pour témoigner de l’horreur des combats en dépit d’une technologie qui les met à distance. Plutôt que de tenter la gageure de filmer un conflit dématérialisé, la série s’interroge sur ce qui rend inéluctable la stratégie du regard sans objet à laquelle doivent se plier les Marines. Comme Hiroshima mon amour l’avait fait en son temps, Generation Kill prend acte que le film de guerre est à réinventer dans sa forme, sous peine de ne rien montrer. Pour ce faire, la série offre à ses spectateurs une logistique de l’aperception, au sens philosophique du terme cette fois, en leur proposant d’accéder à « la conscience ou [à] la connaissance réflexive de cet état intérieur » qu’est la perception. Elle suggère que rendre compte des guerres modernes implique de se concentrer sur la vision, pour dénoncer l’hypocrisie technologique qui consiste, sous prétexte de décupler l’acuité visuelle des soldats, à cultiver l’invisibilité de l’ennemi. Grâce à une méthode critique originale, Generation Kill situe l’origine de ce vide entretenu dans la culture visuelle contemporaine, en soulignant l’impact de la guerre contre le terrorisme sur la campagne irakienne.
24 heures chrono : enfermement spatio-temporel, nœud d’intrigues, piège idéologique ?
Authors: Michlin Monica
Published: June 2016

24 heures chrono (Fox, 2001-2010) a sans conteste été la série de la guerre au terrorisme (War on Terror) sous la présidence de George W. Bush. Ses aspects esthétiques et narratologiques incontestablement novateurs – déroulement en « temps réel » et utilisation systématique du split-screen – fonctionnent comme une mise en images et comme une mise en abyme d’une société de la « surveillance » et du comploti. L’écran multiple ou divisé signifie bien, dans un jeu de mot sur l’anglais « plots » que l’on retrouve dans le français « intrigues », à la fois la multiplication des intrigues narratives et celle des complots à la Maison Blanche ou contre l’Amérique, par des figures de l’ennemi tant intérieur qu’extérieur, dans une logique héritée de la Guerre Froide. D’où la « fracture » paranoïaque de l’écran, à l’image d’une suspicion radicale des apparences et, aussi, d’une scission interne du héros/antihéros incarné par Jack Bauer. J’essaierai de montrer ici que ce split screen fondateur de la série figure moins une série de fenêtres ouvertes sur différentes intrigues simultanées, dans un effort de figurer le « temps réel » de la narration, que les mailles d’un filet qui se resserre à la fois sur Jack comme sur les méchants qu’il traque sans merci. Finalement, je verrai comment le split screen figurant le héros/antihéros clivé entre bien et mal, devient aussi la métaphore de l’ambivalence que la série suscite chez les spectateurs conscients du piège idéologique qu’elle leur tend, notamment dans sa mise en scène de l’état d’urgence permanent et son apologie de la torture – le contexte politique réel étant celui des deux mandats de George W. Bush (2000-2008), de la guerre en Irak et des multiples scandales liés aux sévices infligés aux prisonniers, d’Abou Ghraib au « waterboarding » (supplice de la baignoire) que le Président Bush lui-même refusa de considérer comme contraire au droit international.
La féminisation de la figure héroïque dans la saison 7 de 24 heures chrono
Authors: Boutet Marjolaine
Published: June 2016

Cet article analyse la féminisation de la figure héroïque dans la saison 7 de 24 heures chrono en montrant comment six personnages féminins ne répondent plus aux stéréotypes patriarcaux traditionnels largement employés dans les saisons précédentes et sont les moteurs – et non plus les outils ou les objets – de l’action. Renée Walker et Allison Taylor, en particulier, apparaissent comme de véritables alter ego à Jack Bauer, dont la puissance s’émousse tout au long de la saison. Deux personnages secondaires, Marika Donoso et Olivia Taylor, ainsi que, les personnages récurrents que sont Chloe O’Brian et Kim Bauer, sortent des stéréotypes largement employés dans les saisons précédentes et offrent des représentations de femmes complexes, marquant un tournant dans la place des personnages féminins dans la série.
Mechanization and new technologies for the control and the sustainability of agricultural and forestry systems
Authors: Editors The
Published: June 2016

Abstract Book of the Congress:
Mechanization and new technologies for the control and the sustainability of agricultural and forestry systems 
Alghero, Italy, 29th May - 1st June 2016
Mediterranean rivers: Consequences of water scarcity on benthic algal chlorophyll a content
Authors: Piano Elena , Falasco Elisa , Bona Francesca
Published: June 2016

Mediterranean rivers are subjected to strong seasonality with drought during the hot season and extreme flows in autumn-winter. In particular, drought episodes and water scarcity alter the river morphology, with repercussions on primary production and the trophic chain. In this paper, we aimed at analysing the different responses in terms of chlorophyll a content of the three main photosynthetic groups composing stream periphyton, namely diatoms, cyanobacteria and green algae. This work was conducted in the Ligurian Alps (NW-Italy) on five oligotrophic streams (Argentina, Impero, Merula, Quiliano and Vallecrosia), similar in terms of physico-chemical parameters. We measured chlorophyll a content of diatoms, cyanobacteria and green algae by means of an in situ fluorimetric probe (BenthoTorch®). Data were collected from April to October 2014 in: i) impacted sites, where the water scarcity was exacerbated by human pressure; ii) control sites. We applied Generalized Linear Mixed Models to investigate the response of total chlorophyll a and its relative proportions among the three algal groups in relation to the following environmental predictors: water depth, flow velocity, canopy shading, microhabitat isolation, sampling season, dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, nutrients, and macrophyte coverage.Results showed an opposite response of diatoms and green algae. Diatoms were favoured in the control sites and under moderate flow conditions, while the probability of green algae presence was higher in the impacted sites and during the drought season. Cyanobacteria showed a response similar to green algae, preferring warm, isolated pools typical of the drought period. Diatoms proved to be the most sensitive to drought. More specifically, we found out that percentages of diatoms below 51% with respect to total benthic chlorophyll a indicate high hydrological disturbance. This study provides the first evidence that the proportion of chlorophyll a produced by diatoms can be a suitable indicator for monitoring programs aiming at determining the effects of water scarcity on river ecosystems.