bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Wireless and Passive Low-Pressure Sensor
Authors: Nicolay Pascal , Lenzhofer Martin
Published: February 2014

This paper will discuss the results obtained with a first prototype of a completely passive and wireless low pressure sensor. The device is a heat conductivity gauge, based on a wireless and passive SAW temperature sensor. The required heating energy is applied to the sensor using inductive coupling. The prototype was successfully tested in a vacuum chamber. Its equilibrium temperature changed drastically and in a reproducible way when pressure steps were applied. However, the response time was very long. A model is provided to account for the sensor’s behavior. It is then used to show that the response time could be strongly improved using basic design improvements. Further possible improvements are discussed.
Facebook levels the playing field: Dyslexic students learning through digital literacies
Authors: Barden Owen
Published: February 2014

Dyslexia has an ambivalent relationship with learning technology. Any potential gains may be nullified if the technology is perceived to exacerbate stigma. This paper examines the use of an ‘everyday’ technology, Facebook, by a small group of sixth form students labelled as dyslexic. ‘Levelling the playing field’ is a phrase the participants used often when discussing what they wanted from learning technology. Because dyslexia usually is defined in terms of significant difficulties with literacy, we might reasonably anticipate that the participants would see Facebook as stigmatising rather than levelling the playing field, because of the very public literacy events that it demands. However, the data indicate that far from shying away from Facebook because of fear of their difficulties with literacy being exposed, the participants enthusiastically embraced it. The students saw Facebook as a desirable presence in their education, one that supported inclusion. For them, levelling the playing field with Facebook had five dimensions: keeping up to date and meeting deadlines; increased control over learning; developing metacognitive awareness; greater control over literacy process and demands; and being experts and helpers. The findings perhaps challenge some assumptions about dyslexia, literacy and learning, and may be of interest to teachers working with dyslexic students, or researchers studying learning in digitally mediated social networks.Keywords: social networking; digital literacies; dyslexia; adolescent; inclusion(Published: 14 February 2014)Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2014, 22: 18535 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v22.18535
La vocation du prince protestant
Authors: Ghermani Naïma
Published: February 2014

La conversion de certaines principautés à la Réforme luthérienne entraîne une redéfinition des devoirs du prince et de ses obligations envers Dieu et envers ses sujets. Pour définir ces derniers, les auteurs de Miroirs de princes emploient le terme de « Beruf» qui signifie à la fois vocation et profession. Ce choix conceptuel relève d’un changement linguistique que Max Weber avait relevé dans ses deux œuvres majeures, Le savant et le politique et surtout l’Ethique protestante et l’esprit du capitalisme. Le sociologue expliquait en effet que le terme de Beruf (profession-vocation) arrivait dans la langue allemande avec les traductions de la Bible par Luther. Il soulignait combien le mot choisi par le Réformateur avait l’avantage d’articuler à la fois la notion de travail et celle de vocatio, d’appel de Dieu. Ce changement linguistique témoigne des nouveaux impératifs qui pèsent sur le prince luthérien, désormais « évêque de secours» et pasteur, responsable ici-bas du salut de ses sujets. La vocation du prince protestant peut alors revêtir une dimension sacrificielle. Cependant, à la fin du XVIe siècle, c’est moins la dimension religieuse et morale dont se charge le « Beruf» du prince que son aptitude à gouverner son territoire, à l’aide d’un appareil étatique en pleine professionnalisation. La vocation du prince se fait alors profession.
Le glaive et la chair : le pouvoir et son incarnation au temps des derniers Valois
Authors: Roux Nicolas Le
Published: February 2014

Au xvie siècle, pouvait-on concevoir la monarchie autrement qu’incarnée ? Servir le roi, c’était servir un prince auquel on était lié personnellement, et non une institution abstraite. Le monarque devait apparaître comme un compagnon pour la noblesse militaire. Henri II représentait le modèle du roi chevalier. Contrairement à son père, Charles IX ne faisait pas la guerre, mais il épuisait son corps dans d’interminables chasses. Henri III a tenu dans sa jeunesse le rôle de chef de guerre. Devenu roi, il a cherché à mener une politique conjuguant les effets de la guerre et de la paix. Le corps du prince s’imposait comme une Imago Mundi concentrant les vertus et les vices des hommes. Corps et âme devaient être contrôlés et purifiés simultanément. Était-ce possible pour un roi sacré ?
Charles-Emmanuel Ier ou l’appel à être plus que soi-même
Authors: Gal Stéphane
Published: February 2014

La vocation fut un élément déterminant dans la politique de légitimation déployée par le duc de Savoie Charles-Emmanuel Ier (1562-1580-1630). Convaincu d’avoir été choisi par la providence divine pour réaliser un dessein dynastique hors du commun, il cultiva le merveilleux afin de dilater sa personne, ses États et son statut aux dimensions d’un royaume. Homme de plume autant qu’homme d’armes, il exprima lui-même ses attentes dans des poésies et des dessins idéalisant le prince chrétien. Son action comme ses œuvres devaient le révéler pour ce qu’il était vraiment : un prince appelé à régner comme un roi.
Le roi chevalier en France au XVIe siècle. Construction et vocation du modèle
Authors: Edouard Sylvène
Published: February 2014

La figure du roi chevalier au début de l’époque moderne, dans le cas particulier du roi de France Henri II, fut construite autour d’une vocation guerrière du prince ne relevant pas seulement d’un fantasme théologico-politique – le roi devenant pas son élection le bras armé de Dieu – mais répondait aussi à la nature militaire du métier de prince et à sa nécessaire préparation depuis l’enfance. Surtout, la vocation du roi chevalier fut éminemment sociale, jusqu’à apparaître comme la projection de l’idéal nobiliaire et de ses attentes.
Classification et valeurs thérapeutiques des plantes ornementales du Togo
Authors: Radji Raoufou , Kokou Kouami
Published: February 2014

Dans un environnement de plus en plus urbanisé, le besoin de verdure et de fleurs est davantage ressenti pour des raisons d’esthétique et des bienfaits écologiques. Dans les villes du Togo, zones de cette étude, 612 espèces utilisées comme plantes d’ornement sont recensées et identifiées dans 55 exploitations horticoles et plus de soixante-dix espaces aménagés. Environ 52 % des espèces identifiées proviennent de l’Amérique contre 20 % pour l’Afrique. Les 274 espèces préférentielles (RI<80 %) représentent plus de 44 % des espèces recensées. Quinze espèces sont fréquentes et retrouvées dans les 55 occurrences alors que 338 qualifiées de « rares » sont répertoriées dans moins de 10 % des relevés. Ces espèces horticoles sont classées suivant leurs organes décoratifs et leur positionnement spatial spécifique dans les villes. En dehors du rôle ornemental, ces plantes sont utilisées en alimentation, en cosmétique traditionnel et industriel, en psychothérapie et horticulturothérapie, en médecine traditionnelle et conventionnelle. Dans cette étude, 79 espèces regroupées dans 39 familles sont signalées comme plantes médicinales. Les Apocynaceae et Fabaceae (6 espèces) ; les Euphorbiaceae et Liliaceae (5 espèces) ; les Arecaceae et Verbenaceae (4 espèces) sont les familles les mieux représentées.
Gene Therapy Delivery of Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG) via Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transfer Induces MOG-Specific B Cell Deletion
Authors: Chung Jie-Yu , Figgett William , Fairfax Kirsten , Bernard Claude , Chan James , Toh Ban-Hock , Mackay Fabienne , Alderuccio Frank
Published: February 2014

The various mechanisms that have been described for immune tolerance govern our ability to control self-reactivity and minimize autoimmunity. However, the capacity to genetically manipulate the immune system provides a powerful avenue to supplement this natural tolerance in an Ag-specific manner. We have previously shown in the mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis that transfer of bone marrow (BM) transduced with retrovirus encoding myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) promotes disease resistance and CD4+ T cell deletion within the thymus. However, the consequence of this strategy on B cell tolerance is not known. Using BM from IgHMOG mice that develop MOG-specific B cell receptors, we generated mixed chimeras together with BM-encoding MOG. In these animals, the development of MOG-specific B cells was abrogated, resulting in a lack of MOG-specific B cells in all B cell compartments examined. This finding adds a further dimension to our understanding of the mechanisms of tolerance that are associated with this gene therapy approach to treating autoimmunity and may have important implications for Ab-mediated autoimmune disorders.
A Key Regulatory Role for Vav1 in Controlling Lipopolysaccharide Endotoxemia via Macrophage-Derived IL-6
Authors: Zenker Stefanie , Panteleev-Ivlev Julia , Wirtz Stefan , Kishimoto Tadamitsu , Waldner Maximilian J. , Ksionda Olga , Tybulewicz Victor L. J. , Neurath Markus F. , Atreya Imke
Published: February 2014

Macrophages are centrally involved in the pathogenesis of acute inflammatory diseases, peritonitis, endotoxemia, and septic shock. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling such macrophage activation are incompletely understood. In this article, we provide evidence that Vav1, a member of the RhoGEF family, plays a crucial role in macrophage activation and septic endotoxemia. Vav1-deficient mice demonstrated a significantly increased susceptibility for LPS endotoxemia that could be abrogated by anti–IL-6R Ab treatment. Subsequent studies showed that Vav1-deficient macrophages display augmented production of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6. Nuclear Vav1 was identified as a key negative regulator of macrophage-derived IL-6 production. In fact, Vav1 formed a nuclear DNA-binding complex with heat shock transcription factor 1 at the HSE2 region of the IL-6 promoter to suppress IL-6 gene transcription in macrophages. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of endotoxemia and suggest new avenues for therapy.
TRIF Signaling Is Essential for TLR4-Driven IgE Class Switching
Authors: Janssen Erin , Ozcan Esra , Liadaki Kyriaki , Jabara Haifa H. , Manis John , Ullas Sumana , Akira Shizuo , Fitzgerald Katherine A. , Golenbock Douglas T. , Geha Raif S.
Published: February 2014

The TLR4 ligand LPS causes mouse B cells to undergo IgE and IgG1 isotype switching in the presence of IL-4. TLR4 activates two signaling pathways mediated by the adaptor molecules MyD88 and Toll/IL-IR domain-containing adapter-inducing IFN-β (TRIF)–related adaptor molecule (TRAM), which recruits TRIF. Following stimulation with LPS plus IL-4, Tram−/− and Trif−/− B cells completely failed to express Cε germline transcripts (GLT) and secrete IgE. In contrast, Myd88−/− B cells had normal expression of Cε GLT but reduced IgE secretion in response to LPS plus IL-4. Following LPS plus IL-4 stimulation, Cγ1 GLT expression was modestly reduced in Tram−/− and Trif−/− B cells, whereas Aicda expression and IgG1 secretion were reduced in Tram−/−, Trif−/−, and Myd88−/− B cells. B cells from all strains secreted normal amounts of IgE and IgG1 in response to anti-CD40 plus IL-4. Following stimulation with LPS plus IL-4, Trif−/− B cells failed to sustain NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation beyond 3 h and had reduced binding of p65 to the Iε promoter. Addition of the NF-κB inhibitor, JSH-23, to wild-type B cells 15 h after LPS plus IL-4 stimulation selectively blocked Cε GLT expression and IgE secretion but had little effect on Cγ1 GLT expression and IgG secretion. These results indicate that sustained activation of NF-κB driven by TRIF is essential for LPS plus IL-4–driven activation of the Cε locus and class switching to IgE.
Distinct Pathways of Humoral and Cellular Immunity Induced with the Mucosal Administration of a Nanoemulsion Adjuvant
Authors: Bielinska Anna U. , Makidon Paul E. , Janczak Katarzyna W. , Blanco Luz P. , Swanson Benjamin , Smith Douglas M. , Pham Tiffany , Szabo Zsuzsanna , Kukowska-Latallo Jolanta F. , Baker James R.
Published: February 2014

Nasal administration of an oil-in-water nanoemulsion (NE) adjuvant W805EC produces potent systemic and mucosal, Th-1– and Th-17–balanced cellular responses. However, its molecular mechanism of action has not been fully characterized and is of particular interest because NE does not contain specific ligands for innate immune receptors. In these studies, we demonstrate that W805EC NE adjuvant activates innate immunity, induces specific gene transcription, and modulates NF-κB activity via TLR2 and TLR4 by a mechanism that appears to be distinct from typical TLR agonists. Nasal immunization with NE-based vaccine showed that the TLR2, TLR4, and MyD88 pathways and IL-12 and IL-12Rβ1 expression are not required for an Ab response, but they are essential for the induction of balanced Th-1 polarization and Th-17 cellular immunity. NE adjuvant induces MHC class II, CD80, and CD86 costimulatory molecule expression and dendritic cell maturation. Further, upon immunization with NE, adjuvant mice deficient in the CD86 receptor had normal Ab responses but significantly reduced Th-1 cellular responses, whereas animals deficient in both CD80 and CD86 or lacking CD40 failed to produce either humoral or cellular immunity. Overall, our data show that intranasal administration of Ag with NE induces TLR2 and TLR4 activation along with a MyD88-independent Ab response and a MyD88-dependent Th-1 and Th-17 cell–mediated immune response. These findings suggest that the unique properties of NE adjuvant may offer novel opportunities for understanding previously unrecognized mechanisms of immune activation important for generating effective mucosal and systemic immune responses.
IPS-1 Is Essential for Type III IFN Production by Hepatocytes and Dendritic Cells in Response to Hepatitis C Virus Infection
Authors: Okamoto Masaaki , Oshiumi Hiroyuki , Azuma Masahiro , Kato Nobuyuki , Matsumoto Misako , Seya Tsukasa
Published: February 2014

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver disease. The innate immune system is essential for controlling HCV replication, and HCV is recognized by RIG-I and TLR3, which evoke innate immune responses through IPS-1 and TICAM-1 adaptor molecules, respectively. IL-28B is a type III IFN, and genetic polymorphisms upstream of its gene are strongly associated with the efficacy of polyethylene glycol–IFN and ribavirin therapy. As seen with type I IFNs, type III IFNs induce antiviral responses to HCV. Recent studies established the essential role of TLR3–TICAM-1 pathway in type III IFN production in response to HCV infection. Contrary to previous studies, we revealed an essential role of IPS-1 in type III IFN production in response to HCV. First, using IPS-1 knockout mice, we revealed that IPS-1 was essential for type III IFN production by mouse hepatocytes and CD8+ dendritic cells (DCs) in response to cytoplasmic HCV RNA. Second, we demonstrated that type III IFN induced RIG-I but not TLR3 expression in CD8+ DCs and augmented type III IFN production in response to cytoplasmic HCV RNA. Moreover, we showed that type III IFN induced cytoplasmic antiviral protein expression in DCs and hepatocytes but failed to promote DC-mediated NK cell activation or cross-priming. Our study indicated that IPS-1–dependent pathway plays a crucial role in type III IFN production by CD8+ DCs and hepatocytes in response to HCV, leading to cytoplasmic antiviral protein expressions.
Zhankuic Acid A Isolated from Taiwanofungus camphoratus Is a Novel Selective TLR4/MD-2 Antagonist with Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Authors: Chen Yu-Fon , Shiau Ai-Li , Wang Sheng-Hung , Yang Jai-Sing , Chang Sue-Joan , Wu Chao-Liang , Wu Tian-Shung
Published: February 2014

TLR4, a membrane receptor that functions in complex with its accessory protein myeloid differentiation factor-2 (MD-2), is a therapeutic target for bacterial infections. Taiwanofungus camphoratus is highly valued as a medicinal mushroom for cancer, hypertension, and inflammation in traditional medicine. Zhankuic acid A (ZAA) is the major pharmacologically active compound of T. camphoratus. The mechanism of action of T. camphoratus or ZAA has not been fully elucidated. We analyzed the structure of human TLR4/MD-2 complex with ZAA by X-score and HotLig modeling approaches. Two Abs against MD-2 were used to verify the MD-2/ZAA interaction. The inflammation and survival of the mice pretreated with ZAA and injected with LPS were monitored. The modeling structure shows that ZAA binds the MD-2 hydrophobic pocket exclusively via specific molecular recognition; the contact interface is dominated by hydrophobic interactions. Binding of ZAA to MD-2 reduced Ab recognition to native MD-2, similar to the effect of LPS binding. Furthermore, ZAA significantly ameliorated LPS-induced endotoxemia and Salmonella-induced diarrhea in mice. Our results suggest that ZAA, which can compete with LPS for binding to MD-2 as a TLR4/MD-2 antagonist, may be a potential therapeutic agent for gram-negative bacterial infections.
Tuberous Sclerosis 1 Promotes Invariant NKT Cell Anergy and Inhibits Invariant NKT Cell–Mediated Antitumor Immunity
Authors: Wu Jinhong , Shin Jinwook , Xie Danli , Wang Hongxia , Gao Jimin , Zhong Xiao-Ping
Published: February 2014

Development of effective immune therapies for cancer patients requires better understanding of hurdles that prevent the generation of effective antitumor immune responses. Administration of α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) in animals enhances antitumor immunity via activation of the invariant NKT (iNKT) cells. However, repeated injections of α-GalCer result in long-term unresponsiveness or anergy of iNKT cells, severely limiting its efficacy in tumor eradication. The mechanisms leading to iNKT cell anergy remain poorly understood. We report in this study that the tuberous sclerosis 1 (TSC1), a negative regulator of mTOR signaling, plays a crucial role in iNKT cell anergy. Deficiency of TSC1 in iNKT cells results in resistance to α-GalCer–induced anergy, manifested by increased expansion of and cytokine production by iNKT cells in response to secondary Ag stimulation. It is correlated with impaired upregulation of programmed death-1, Egr2, and Grail. Moreover, TSC1-deficient iNKT cells display enhanced antitumor immunity in a melanoma lung metastasis model. Our data suggest targeting TSC1/2 as a strategy for boosting antitumor immune therapy.
Tick-Borne Flaviviruses Antagonize Both IRF-1 and Type I IFN Signaling To Inhibit Dendritic Cell Function
Authors: Robertson Shelly J. , Lubick Kirk J. , Freedman Brett A. , Carmody Aaron B. , Best Sonja M.
Published: February 2014

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a leading cause of viral encephalitis in Europe and Asia. Dendritic cells (DCs), as early cellular targets of infection, provide an opportunity for flaviviruses to inhibit innate and adaptive immune responses. Flaviviruses modulate DC function, but the mechanisms underpinning this are not defined. We examined the maturation phenotype and function of murine bone marrow–derived DCs infected with Langat virus (LGTV), a naturally attenuated member of the TBEV serogroup. LGTV infection failed to induce DC maturation or a cytokine response. Treatment with LPS or LPS/IFN-γ, strong inducers of inflammatory cytokines, resulted in enhanced TNF-α and IL-6 production, but suppressed IL-12 production in infected DCs compared with uninfected “bystander” cells or mock-infected controls. LGTV-mediated antagonism of type I IFN (IFN-I) signaling contributed to inhibition of IL-12p40 mRNA expression at late time points after stimulation. However, early suppression was still observed in DCs lacking the IFN-I receptor (Ifnar−/−), suggesting that additional mechanisms of antagonism exist. The early IFN-independent inhibition of IL-12p40 was nearly abolished in DCs deficient in IFN regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1), a key transcription factor required for IL-12 production. LGTV infection did not affect Irf-1 mRNA expression, but rather diminished IRF-1 protein levels and nuclear localization. The effect on IRF-1 was also observed in DCs infected with the highly virulent Sofjin strain of TBEV. Thus, antagonism of IRF-1 is a novel mechanism that synergizes with the noted ability of flaviviruses to suppress IFN-α/β receptor–dependent signaling, resulting in the orchestrated evasion of host innate immunity.
S100A8 Induces IL-10 and Protects against Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Hiroshima Yuka , Hsu Kenneth , Tedla Nicodemus , Chung Yuen Ming , Chow Sharron , Herbert Cristan , Geczy Carolyn L.
Published: February 2014

S100A8 is considered proinflammatory by activating TLR4 and/or the receptor for advanced glycation end products. The aim was to investigate inflammatory effects of S100A8 in murine lung. S100A8 was administered to BALB/c mice by nasal inhalation and genes induced over a time-course assessed. LPS was introduced intranasally either alone or 2 h after pretreatment of mice with intranasal application of S100A8 or dexamethasone. A Cys42-Ala42 mutant S100A8 mutant was used to assess whether S100A8’s effects were via pathways that were dependent on reactive oxygen species. S100A8 induced IL-10 mRNA, and expression was apparent only in airway epithelial cells. Importantly, it suppressed acute lung injury provoked by LPS inhalation by suppressing mast-cell activation and induction of mediators orchestrating leukocyte recruitment, possibly by reducing NF-κB activation via an IκBα/Akt pathway and by downmodulating pathways generating oxidative stress. The Cys42-Ala42 S100A8 mutant did not induce IL-10 and was less immunosuppressive, indicating modulation by scavenging oxidants. S100A8 inhibition of LPS-mediated injury was as potent, and outcomes were remarkably similar to immunosuppression by dexamethasone. We challenge the notion that S100A8 is an agonist for TLR4 or the receptor for advanced glycation end products. S100A8 induced IL-10 in vivo and initiates a feedback loop that attenuates acute lung injury.
Differential Requirement for Nfil3 during NK Cell Development
Authors: Seillet Cyril , Huntington Nicholas D. , Gangatirkar Pradnya , Axelsson Elin , Minnich Martina , Brady Hugh J. M. , Busslinger Meinrad , Smyth Mark J. , Belz Gabrielle T. , Carotta Sebastian
Published: February 2014

NK cells can be grouped into distinct subsets that are localized to different organs and exhibit a different capacity to secrete cytokines and mediate cytotoxicity. Despite these hallmarks that reflect tissue-specific specialization in NK cells, little is known about the factors that control the development of these distinct subsets. The basic leucine zipper transcription factor Nfil3 (E4bp4) is essential for bone marrow–derived NK cell development, but it is not clear whether Nfil3 is equally important for all NK cell subsets or how it induces NK lineage commitment. In this article, we show that Nfil3 is required for the formation of Eomes-expressing NK cells, including conventional medullary and thymic NK cells, whereas TRAIL+ Eomes− NK cells develop independently of Nfil3. Loss of Nfil3 during the development of bone marrow–derived NK cells resulted in reduced expression of Eomes and, conversely, restoration of Eomes expression in Nfil3−/− progenitors rescued NK cell development and maturation. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that Nfil3 drives the formation of mature NK cells by inducing Eomes expression and reveal the differential requirements of NK cell subsets for Nfil3.
Methomyl poisoning presenting with decorticate posture and cortical blindness
Authors: Lin Chih-Ming
Published: February 2014

Methomyl is a potent pesticide that is widely used in the field of agriculture. The systemic toxic effects of methomyl have been well described. However, the neurological effects of methomyl intoxication are not well understood. In this study, we report a 61-year-old Taiwanese man sent to our emergency department because of altered mental status. His family stated that he had consumed liquid methomyl in a suicide attempt. He was provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation because of unstable vital signs. He was then sent to an intensive care unit for close observation. On the second day of admission, he regained consciousness but exhibited irregular limb and torso posture. On the sixth day, he started to complain of blurred vision. An ophthalmologist was consulted but no obvious abnormalities could be identified. On suspicion of cerebral disease, a neurologist was consulted. Further examination revealed cortical blindness and decorticate posture. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was arranged, which identified bilateral occipital regions lesions. The patient was administered normal saline and treated with aspirin and piracetam for 3 weeks in hospital. During the treatment period, his symptom of cortical blindness resolved, whereas his decorticate posture was refractory. Follow-up brain MRI results supported our clinical observations by indicating the disappearance of the bilateral occipital lesions and symmetrical putaminal high signal abnormalities. In this article, we briefly discuss the possible mechanisms underlying the cerebral effects of methomyl poisoning. Our study can provide clinicians with information on the manifestations of methomyl intoxication and an appropriate treatment direction.
Elbow Joint Fatigue and Bench-Press Training
Authors: Huang Yen-Po , Chou You-Li , Chen Feng-Chun , Wang Rong-Tyai , Huang Ming-Jer , Chou Paul Pei-Hsi
Published: February 2014

Context:

Bench-press exercises are among the most common form of training exercise for the upper extremity because they yield a notable improvement in both muscle strength and muscle endurance. The literature contains various investigations into the effects of different bench-press positions on the degree of muscle activation. However, the effects of fatigue on the muscular performance and kinetics of the elbow joint are not understood fully.

Objective:

To investigate the effects of fatigue on the kinetics and myodynamic performance of the elbow joint in bench-press training.

Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Setting:

Motion research laboratory.

Patients or Other Participants:

A total of 18 physically healthy male students (age = 19.6 ± 0.8 years, height = 168.7 ± 5.5 cm, mass = 69.6 ± 8.6 kg) participated in the investigation. All participants were right-hand dominant, and none had a history of upper extremity injuries or disorders.

Intervention(s):

Participants performed bench-press training until fatigued.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Maximal possible number of repetitions, cycle time, myodynamic decline rate, elbow-joint force, and elbow-joint moment.

Results:

We observed a difference in cycle time in the initial (2.1 ± 0.42 seconds) and fatigue (2.58 ± 0.46 seconds) stages of the bench-press exercise (P = .04). As the participants fatigued, we observed an increase in the medial-lateral force (P = .03) and internal-external moment (P ≤ .04) acting on the elbow joint. Moreover, a reduction in the elbow muscle strength was observed in the elbow extension-flexion (P ≤ .003) and forearm supination-pronation (P ≤ .001) conditions.

Conclusions:

The results suggest that performing bench-press exercises to the point of fatigue increases elbow-joint loading and may further increase the risk of injury. Therefore, when clinicians design bench-press exercise regimens for general athletic training, muscle strengthening, or physical rehabilitation, they should control carefully the maximal number of repetitions.
Validity and Reliability of the Standardized Orthopedic Assessment Tool (SOAT): A Variation of the Traditional Objective Structured Clinical Examination
Authors: Lafave Mark R. , Katz Larry
Published: February 2014

Context:

Health care professions have replaced traditional multiple choice tests or essays with structured and practical, performance-based examinations with the hope of eliminating rater bias and measuring clinical competence.

Objective:

To establish the validity and reliability of the Standardized Orthopedic Assessment Tool (SOAT) as a measure of clinical competence of orthopaedic injury evaluation.

Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Setting:

University.

Patients or Other Participants:

A total of 60 undergraduate students and 11 raters from 3 Canadian universities and 1 standardized patient.

Intervention(s):

Students were required to complete a 30-minute musculoskeletal evaluation in 1 of 2 randomly assigned mock scenarios involving the knee (second-degree medial collateral ligament sprain) or the shoulder (third-degree supraspinatus muscle strain).

Main Outcome Measure(s):

We measured interreliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (2,k) and stability of the tool with standard error of measurement and confidence intervals. Agreement was measured using Bland-Altman plots. Concurrent validity was measured using a Pearson product moment correlation coefficient whereby the raters' global rating of a student was matched to the cumulative mean grade score.

Results:

The ICCs were 0.75 and 0.82 for the shoulder and knee cases, respectively. Bland-Altman plots indicated no systematic bias between raters. In addition, Pearson product moment correlation analysis demonstrated a strong relationship between the overall cumulative mean grade score and the global rating score of the examinees' performances.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrated good interrater reliability of the SOAT with a standard error of measurement that indicated very modest stability, strong agreement between raters, and correlation indicative of concurrent validity.
Women of the year: On bubbles, babies and baskets
Authors: Maritz Patricia G.
Published: February 2014

No abstract available.
Outcomes of Prolotherapy in Chondromalacia Patella Patients: Improvements in Pain Level and Function
Authors: Hauser Ross A. , Sprague Ingrid Schaefer
Published: February 2014

We retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness of prolotherapy in resolving pain, stiffness, and crepitus, and improving physical activity in consecutive chondromalacia patients from February 2008 to September 2009. Sixty-nine knees that received prolotherapy in 61 patients (33 female and 36 male) who were 18–82 years old (average, 47.2 years) were enrolled. Patients received 24 prolotherapy injections (15% dextrose, 0.1% procaine, and 10% sarapin) with a total of 40 cc in the anterior knee. At least 6 weeks after their last prolotherapy session, patients provided self-evaluation of knee pain upon rest, activities of daily living (ADL) and exercise, range of motion (ROM), stiffness, and crepitus. Symptom severity, sustained improvement of symptoms, number of pain pills needed, and patient satisfaction before treatment and improvement after treatment were recorded. Following prolotherapy, patients experienced statistically significant decreases in pain at rest, during ADL, and exercise. Stiffness and crepitus decreased after prolotherapy, and ROM increased. Patients reported improved walking ability and exercise ability after prolotherapy. For daily pain level, ROM, daily stiffness, crepitus, and walking and exercise ability, sustained improvement of over 75% was reported by 85% of patients. Fewer patients required pain medication. No side effects of prolotherapy were noted. The average length of time from last prolotherapy session was 14.7 months (range, 6 months to 8 years). Only 3 of 16 knees were still recommended for surgery after prolotherapy. Prolotherapy ameliorates chondromalacia patella symptoms and improves physical ability. Patients experience long-term improvement without requiring pain medications. Prolotherapy should be considered a first-line, conservative therapy for chondromalacia patella.
Los telediarios franquistas. Una investigación sobre las fuentes
Authors: Montero Díaz Julio , Rubio Moraga Angel L. , Antona Jimeno Tamara , Martín Quevedo Juan , Fernández Ramírez Laura
Published: February 2014

Introducción. Los estudios sobre historia de la televisión en España durante el franquismo no recurren a las fuentes directas. Objetivos. El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar desde datos nuevos y concretos, los telediarios de TVE en el periodo franquista. Método. Para el desarrollo de esta investigación se han empleado de manera exhaustiva, no como mero ejemplo, las parrillas de programación recuperadas de La Vanguardia, Abc y Tele Radio, y los partes de emisión de TVE. Conclusiones. Con el manejo de estas fuentes se pretende mostrar la existencia de una amplia gama de recursos de información accesibles, desde las que es preciso abordar nuevos estudios críticos de historia de la televisión en España.
The beginnings of prehistoric agriculture in the Russian Far East: Current evidence and concepts
Authors: Kuzmin Yaroslav V.
Published: February 2014

The current situation with studies of prehistoric plant cultivation in the Russian Far East is presented. A critical analysis of existing concepts and models of the oldest agriculture in this region is also included. Reliable data allows us to conclude that humans in the southern Russian Far East (Primorye Province) began to cultivate millet at c. 4700–4600 BP (c. 3600–3400 calBC) in the context of the early Zaisanovka cultural complex of the Late Neolithic. The most probable source area for prehistoric agriculture in the Russian Far East was neighbouring Northeast China (Manchuria).
Interdisciplinary research of the Neolithic Volga-Kama pottery
Authors: Vybornov Aleksandr , Vasilyeva Irina
Published: February 2014

In this article, we present a new method of studying Neolithic Volga-Kama pottery, which involves typological and technological analysis and the radiocarbon dating of vessels. As a result of the research, areas with Early Neolithic Volga-Kama pottery traditions are presented.
Social change at the end of the Middle Jomon: a perspective from resilience theory
Authors: Kawashima Takamune
Published: February 2014

It is widely known that social change occurred in the end of the Middle Jōmon, which can be seen in archaeological evidence such as settlements, pottery types, and so on. Most archaeologists have recognised this change as a result of climate change. It is said that a cooling trend in this period had a great influence on food acquisition and caused low chestnut harvests, which was a staple. However, the notion that climate was the critical factor is not sufficient to explain the social change that occurred at the end of the Middle Jōmon, because similar types of society existed after this cooling trend, although the population numbers decreased. It is also important to consider human adaptation to the environment, especially in the case of hunter-gatherer societies. In this paper, I will describe the outline of the arguments supporting the environment theory among Japanese archaeologists, and explore how Jōmon people overcame this period and constructed a new society, based on resilience theory.
X-ray computed tomography investigations of Cucuteni ceramic statuettes
Authors: Pavel Carmen , Suciu Cosmin , Constantin Florin , Bugoi Roxana
Published: February 2014

Deciphering the internal structure of prehistoric artefacts can provide spectacular insights that might help us understand the people who made them. In order to preserve the integrity of these relics of past civilisations, it is desirable to make such investigations using non-destructive techniques. Recent decades have witnessed a growth in the X-ray computed tomography (CT) applications in the study of cultural heritage objects. This paper presents and discusses tomographic investigations of two Cucuteni ceramic statuettes discovered in Romania. The study was made with a CT device specially designed for archaeometric applications.
Towards configuring the neolithisation of Aegean Turkey
Authors: Çilingiroğlu Çiler , Çakırlar Canan
Published: February 2014

Increasing field work in the  ̇Izmir region has produced much sought tangible evidence about the ways in which food-producing communities emerged in the Aegean. Focusing on the archaeological and zooarchaeological data from Ulucak and neighboring sites, the authors discuss the possible mechanisms of initial farmer-herder dispersals into the region. The authors stress that the lack of pre-Neolithic strata in the eastern Aegean impedes a full understanding of forager-farmer interactions in the early Holocene.
Flesh or fish? First results of archaeometric research of prehistoric burials from Sakhtysh IIa, Upper Volga region, Russia
Authors: Piezonka Henny , Kostyleva Elena , Zhilin Mikhail G. , Dobrovolskaya Maria , Terberger Thomas
Published: February 2014

Graves and their human remains not only shed light on burial customs and social structures of past populations, but also constitute an excellent archive of prehistoric environmental and living conditions. Especially 13C/15N isotope analysis has recently opened up promising perspectives for reconstructing changes in diet and their social, cultural and economic background. Such investigations have been started on material from the Stone and Early Metal Age hunter-gatherer cemetery of Sakhtysh IIa in the Upper Volga region of Central Russia, where 15 burials associated with the early Lyalovo culture (5th mill. calBC) and 57 graves of the Volosovo culture (4th – 3rd mill. calBC) have been excavated. In this paper, we present new AMS dates and isotopic data from four burials, two from the earlier and two from the later group. The results are discussed against the background of existing dates from Sakhtysh IIa burials and compared with information from other burial sites of Northern Europe.
Nitrous oxide emissions 1999 to 2009 from a global atmospheric inversion
Authors: Thompson R. L. , Chevallier F. , Crotwell A. M. , Dutton G. , Langenfelds R. L. , Prinn R. G. , Weiss R. F. , Tohjima Y. , Nakazawa T. , Krummel P. B. , Steele L. P. , Fraser P. , O'Doherty S. , Ishijima K. , Aoki S.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. N2O surface fluxes were estimated for 1999 to 2009 using a time-dependent Bayesian inversion technique. Observations were drawn from 5 different networks, incorporating 59 surface sites and a number of ship-based measurement series. To avoid biases in the inverted fluxes, the data were adjusted to a common scale and scale offsets were included in the optimization problem. The fluxes were calculated at the same resolution as the transport model (3.75° longitude × 2.5° latitude) and at monthly time resolution. Over the 11-year period, the global total N2O source varied from 17.5 to 20.1 Tg a−1 N. Tropical and subtropical land regions were found to consistently have the highest N2O emissions, in particular in South Asia (20 ± 3% of global total), South America (13 ± 4%) and Africa (19 ± 3%), while emissions from temperate regions were smaller: Europe (6 ± 1%) and North America (7 ± 2%). A significant multi-annual trend in N2O emissions (0.045 Tg a−2 N) from South Asia was found and confirms inventory estimates of this trend. Considerable interannual variability in the global N2O source was observed (0.8 Tg a−1 N, 1 standard deviation, SD) and was largely driven by variability in tropical and subtropical soil fluxes, in particular in South America (0.3 Tg a−1 N, 1 SD) and Africa (0.3 Tg a−1 N, 1 SD). Notable variability was also found for N2O fluxes in the tropical and southern oceans (0.15 and 0.2 Tg a−1 N, 1 SD, respectively). Interannual variability in the N2O source shows some correlation with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), where El Niño conditions are associated with lower N2O fluxes from soils and from the ocean and vice versa for La Niña conditions.
Ambient aromatic hydrocarbon measurements at Welgegund, South Africa
Authors: Jaars K. , Beukes J. P. , van Zyl P. G. , Venter A. D. , Josipovic M. , Pienaar J. J. , Vakkari V. , Aaltonen H. , Laakso H. , Kulmala M. , Tiitta P. , Guenther A. , Hellén H. , Laakso L. , Hakola H.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. Aromatic hydrocarbons are associated with direct adverse human health effects and can have negative impacts on ecosystems due to their toxicity, as well as indirect negative effects through the formation of tropospheric ozone and secondary organic aerosol that affect human health, crop production and regional climate. Measurements were conducted at the Welgegund measurement station (South Africa) that is considered to be a regionally representative background site. However, the site is occasionally impacted by plumes from major anthropogenic source regions in the interior of South Africa, which include the western Bushveld Igneous Complex (e.g. platinum, base metal and ferrochrome smelters), the eastern Bushveld Igneous Complex (platinum and ferrochrome smelters), the Johannesburg–Pretoria metropolitan conurbation (>10 million people), the Vaal Triangle (e.g. petrochemical and pyrometallurgical industries), the Mpumalanga Highveld (e.g. coal-fired power plants and petrochemical industry) and also a region of anti-cyclonic recirculation of air mass over the interior of South Africa. The aromatic hydrocarbon measurements were conducted with an automated sampler on Tenax-TA and Carbopack-B adsorbent tubes with heated inlet for one year. Samples were collected twice a week for two hours during daytime and two hours during night-time. A thermal desorption unit, connected to a gas chromatograph and a mass selective detector was used for sample preparation and analysis. Results indicated that the monthly median total aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations ranged between 0.01 to 3.1 ppb. Benzene levels did not exceed local air quality standards. Toluene was the most abundant species, with an annual median concentration of 0.63 ppb. No statistically significant differences in the concentrations measured during daytime and night-time were found and no distinct seasonal patterns were observed. Air mass back trajectory analysis proved that the lack of seasonal cycles could be attributed to patterns determining the origin of the air masses sampled. Aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations were in general significantly higher in air masses that passed over anthropocentrically impacted regions. Interspecies correlations and ratios gave some indications of the possible sources for the different aromatic hydrocarbons in the source regions defined in the paper. The highest contribution of aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations to ozone formation potential was also observed in plumes passing over anthropocentrically impacted regions.
Interdependence of the growth of the Northern Hemisphere ice sheets during the last glaciation: the role of atmospheric circulation
Authors: Beghin P. , Charbit S. , Dumas C. , Kageyama M. , Roche D. M. , Ritz C.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. The development of large continental-scale ice sheets over Canada and northern Europe during the last glacial cycle likely modified the track of stationary waves and influenced the location of growing ice sheets through changes in accumulation and temperature patterns. Although they are often mentioned in the literature, these feedback mechanisms are poorly constrained and have never been studied throughout an entire glacial–interglacial cycle. Using the climate model of intermediate complexity CLIMBER-2 coupled with the 3-D ice-sheet model GRISLI (GRenoble Ice Shelf and Land Ice model), we investigate the impact of stationary waves on the construction of past Northern Hemisphere ice sheets during the past glaciation. The stationary waves are not explicitly computed in the model but their effect on sea-level pressure is parameterized. We tested different parameterizations to study separately the effect of surface temperature (thermal forcing) and topography (orographic forcing) on sea-level pressure, and therefore on atmospheric circulation and ice-sheet surface mass balance. Our model results suggest that the response of ice sheets to thermal and/or orographic forcings is rather different. At the beginning of the glaciation, the orographic effect favors the growth of the Laurentide ice sheet, whereas Fennoscandia appears rather sensitive to the thermal effect. Using the ablation parameterization as a trigger to artificially modify the size of one ice sheet, the remote influence of one ice sheet on the other is also studied as a function of the stationary wave parameterizations. The sensitivity of remote ice sheets is shown to be highly sensitive to the choice of these parameterizations with a larger response when orographic effect is accounted for. Results presented in this study suggest that the various spatial distributions of ice sheets could be partly explained by the feedback mechanisms occurring between ice sheets and atmospheric circulation.
When does higher spatial resolution rainfall information improve streamflow simulation? An evaluation using 3620 flood events
Authors: Lobligeois F. , Andréassian V. , Perrin C. , Tabary P. , Loumagne C.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. Precipitation is the key factor controlling the high-frequency hydrological response in catchments, and streamflow simulation is thus dependent on the way rainfall is represented in a hydrological model. A characteristic that distinguishes distributed from lumped models is the ability to explicitly represent the spatial variability of precipitation. Although the literature on this topic is abundant, the results are contrasting and sometimes contradictory. This paper investigates the impact of spatial rainfall on runoff generation to better understand the conditions where higher-resolution rainfall information improves streamflow simulations. In this study, we used the rainfall reanalysis developed by Météo-France over the whole country of France at 1 km and 1 h resolution over a 10 yr period. A hydrological model was applied in the lumped mode (a single spatial unit) and in the semidistributed mode using three unit sizes of subcatchments. The model was evaluated against observed streamflow data using split-sample tests on a large set of French catchments (181) representing a variety of sizes and climate conditions. The results were analyzed by catchment classes and types of rainfall events based on the spatial variability of precipitation. The evaluation clearly showed different behaviors. The lumped model performed as well as the semidistributed model in western France, where catchments are under oceanic climate conditions with quite spatially uniform precipitation fields. By contrast, higher resolution in precipitation inputs significantly improved the simulated streamflow dynamics and accuracy in southern France (Cévennes and Mediterranean regions) for catchments in which precipitation fields were identified to be highly variable in space. In all regions, natural variability allows for contradictory examples to be found, showing that analyzing a large number of events over varied catchments is warranted.