bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Calcitriol Biosynthesis and Activity: Focus on Gestational Vitamin D Deficiency and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: Olmos-Ortiz Andrea , Avila Euclides , Durand-Carbajal Marta , Díaz Lorenza
Published: January 2015

Vitamin D has garnered a great deal of attention in recent years due to a global prevalence of vitamin D deficiency associated with an increased risk of a variety of human diseases. Specifically, hypovitaminosis D in pregnant women is highly common and has important implications for the mother and lifelong health of the child, since it has been linked to maternal and child infections, small-for-gestational age, preterm delivery, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, as well as imprinting on the infant for life chronic diseases. Therefore, factors that regulate vitamin D metabolism are of main importance, especially during pregnancy. The hormonal form and most active metabolite of vitamin D is calcitriol. This hormone mediates its biological effects through a specific nuclear receptor, which is found in many tissues including the placenta. Calcitriol synthesis and degradation depend on the expression and activity of CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 cytochromes, respectively, for which regulation is tissue specific. Among the factors that modify these cytochromes expression and/or activity are calcitriol itself, parathyroid hormone, fibroblast growth factor 23, cytokines, calcium and phosphate. This review provides a current overview on the regulation of vitamin D metabolism, focusing on vitamin D deficiency during gestation and its impact on pregnancy outcomes.
Fetal Adrenal Demedullation Lowers Circulating Norepinephrine and Attenuates Growth Restriction but not Reduction of Endocrine Cell Mass in an Ovine Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Authors: Davis Melissa , Macko Antoni , Steyn Leah , Anderson Miranda , Limesand Sean
Published: January 2015

Placental insufficiency is associated with fetal hypoglycemia, hypoxemia, and elevated plasma norepinephrine (NE) that become increasingly pronounced throughout the third trimester and contribute to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). This study evaluated the effect of fetal adrenal demedullation (AD) on growth and pancreatic endocrine cell mass. Placental insufficiency-induced IUGR was created by exposing pregnant ewes to elevated ambient temperatures during mid-gestation. Treatment groups consisted of control and IUGR fetuses with either surgical sham or AD at 98 days gestational age (dGA; term = 147 dGA), a time-point that precedes IUGR. Samples were collected at 134 dGA. IUGR-sham fetuses were hypoxemic, hypoglycemic, and hypoinsulinemic, and values were similar in IUGR-AD fetuses. Plasma NE concentrations were ~5-fold greater in IUGR-sham compared to control-sham, control-AD, and IUGR-AD fetuses. IUGR-sham and IUGR-AD fetuses weighed less than controls. Compared to IUGR-sham fetuses, IUGR-AD fetuses weighed more and asymmetrical organ growth was absent. Pancreatic β-cell mass and α-cell mass were lower in both IUGR-sham and IUGR-AD fetuses compared to controls, however, pancreatic endocrine cell mass relative to fetal mass was lower in IUGR-AD fetuses. These findings indicate that NE, independently of hypoxemia, hypoglycemia and hypoinsulinemia, influence growth and asymmetry of growth but not pancreatic endocrine cell mass in IUGR fetuses.
Liquid Carbon Reflectivity at 19 nm
Authors: Mincigrucci Riccardo , Giangrisostomi Erika , Principi Emiliano , Battistoni Andrea , Bencivenga Filippo , Cucini Riccardo , Gessini Alessandro , Izzo Maria , Masciovecchio Claudio
Published: January 2015

We hereby report on a pump-probe reflectivity experiment conducted on amorphous carbon, using a 780 nm laser as a pump and a 19 nm FEL emission as probe. Measurements were performed at 50 degrees with respect to the surface normal to have an un-pumped reflectivity higher than 0.5%. A sub-10 fs time synchronization error could be obtained exploiting the nearly jitter-free capabilities of FERMI. EUV FEL-based experiments open the way to study the behaviour of a liquid carbon phase being unaffected by plasma screening.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Religions in 2014
Authors: Religions Editorial Office
Published: January 2015

The editors of Religions would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2014:[...]
Impact of Missing Passive Microwave Sensors on Multi-Satellite Precipitation Retrieval Algorithm
Authors: Yong Bin , Chen Bo , Hong Yang , Gourley Jonathan , Li Zhe
Published: January 2015

The impact of one or two missing passive microwave (PMW) input sensors on the end product of multi-satellite precipitation products is an interesting but obscure issue for both algorithm developers and data users. On 28 January 2013, the Version-7 TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) products were reproduced and re-released by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center because the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-B (AMSU-B) and the Special Sensor Microwave Imager-Sounder-F16 (SSMIS-F16) input data were unintentionally disregarded in the prior retrieval. Thus, this study investigates the sensitivity of TMPA algorithm results to missing PMW sensors by intercomparing the “early” and “late” Version-7 TMPA real-time (TMPA-RT) precipitation estimates (i.e., without and with AMSU-B, SSMIS-F16 sensors) with an independent high-density gauge network of 200 tipping-bucket rain gauges over the Chinese Jinghe river basin (45,421 km2). The retrieval counts and retrieval frequency of various PMW and Infrared (IR) sensors incorporated into the TMPA system were also analyzed to identify and diagnose the impacts of sensor availability on the TMPA-RT retrieval accuracy. Results show that the incorporation of AMSU-B and SSMIS-F16 has substantially reduced systematic errors. The improvement exhibits rather strong seasonal and topographic dependencies. Our analyses suggest that one or two single PMW sensors might play a key role in affecting the end product of current combined microwave-infrared precipitation estimates. This finding supports algorithm developers’ current endeavor in spatiotemporally incorporating as many PMW sensors as possible in the multi-satellite precipitation retrieval system called Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement mission (IMERG). This study also recommends users of satellite precipitation products to switch to the newest Version-7 TMPA datasets and the forthcoming IMERG products whenever they become available.
Correction: Yu, Q., et al. Narrowband Bio-Indicator Monitoring of Temperate Forest Carbon Fluxes in Northeastern China. Remote Sens. 2014, 6, 8986-9013
Authors: Office Remote
Published: January 2015

Due to a technical error at the Editorial Office, Figure 8 of manuscript [1] is missing in the published paper. The correct version of the figure is reproduced below. We apologize for any inconvenience caused to authors or readers of Remote Sensing.[...]
Palladium on Plastic Substrates for Plasmonic Devices
Authors: Zuppella Paola , Pasqualotto Elisabetta , Zuccon Sara , Gerlin Francesca , Corso Alain , Scaramuzza Matteo , De Toni Alessandro , Paccagnella Alessandro , Pelizzo Maria
Published: January 2015

Innovative chips based on palladium thin films deposited on plastic substrates have been tested in the Kretschmann surface plasmon resonance (SPR) configuration. The new chips combine the advantages of a plastic support that is interesting and commercially appealing and the physical properties of palladium, showing inverted surface plasmon resonance (ISPR). The detection of DNA chains has been selected as the target of the experiment, since it can be applied to several medical early diagnostic tools, such as different biomarkers of cancers or cystic fibrosis. The results are encouraging for the use of palladium in SPR-based sensors of interest for both the advancement of biodevices and the development of hydrogen sensors.
Application of PTR-MS for Measuring Odorant Emissions from Soil Application of Manure Slurry
Authors: Feilberg Anders , Bildsoe Pernille , Nyord Tavs
Published: January 2015

Odorous volatile organic compounds (VOC) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are emitted together with ammonia (NH3) from manure slurry applied as a fertilizer, but little is known about the composition and temporal variation of the emissions. In this work, a laboratory method based on dynamic flux chambers packed with soil has been used to measure emissions from untreated pig slurry and slurry treated by solid-liquid separation and ozonation. Proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) was used to provide time resolved data for a range of VOC, NH3 and H2S. VOC included organic sulfur compounds, carboxylic acids, phenols, indoles, alcohols, ketones and aldehydes. H2S emission was remarkably observed to take place only in the initial minutes after slurry application, which is explained by its high partitioning into the air phase. Long-term odor effects are therefore assessed to be mainly due to other volatile compounds with low odor threshold values, such as 4-methylphenol. PTR-MS signal assignment was verified by comparison to a photo-acoustic analyzer (NH3) and to thermal desorption GC/MS (VOC). Due to initial rapid changes in odorant emissions and low concentrations of odorants, PTR-MS is assessed to be a very useful method for assessing odor following field application of slurry. The effects of treatments on odorant emissions are discussed.
Fault Diagnosis of Rolling Bearing Based on Fast Nonlocal Means and Envelop Spectrum
Authors: Lv Yong , Zhu Qinglin , Yuan Rui
Published: January 2015

The nonlocal means (NL-Means) method that has been widely used in the field of image processing in recent years effectively overcomes the limitations of the neighborhood filter and eliminates the artifact and edge problems caused by the traditional image denoising methods. Although NL-Means is very popular in the field of 2D image signal processing, it has not received enough attention in the field of 1D signal processing. This paper proposes a novel approach that diagnoses the fault of a rolling bearing based on fast NL-Means and the envelop spectrum. The parameters of the rolling bearing signals are optimized in the proposed method, which is the key contribution of this paper. This approach is applied to the fault diagnosis of rolling bearing, and the results have shown the efficiency at detecting roller bearing failures.
Average Dielectric Property Analysis of Complex Breast Tissue with Microwave Transmission Measurements
Authors: Garrett John , Fear Elise
Published: January 2015

Prior information about the average dielectric properties of breast tissue can be implemented in microwave breast imaging techniques to improve the results. Rapidly providing this information relies on acquiring a limited number of measurements and processing these measurement with efficient algorithms. Previously, systems were developed to measure the transmission of microwave signals through breast tissue, and simplifications were applied to estimate the average properties. These methods provided reasonable estimates, but they were sensitive to multipath. In this paper, a new technique to analyze the average properties of breast tissues while addressing multipath is presented. Three steps are used to process transmission measurements. First, the effects of multipath were removed. In cases where multipath is present, multiple peaks were observed in the time domain. A Tukey window was used to time-gate a single peak and, therefore, select a single path through the breast. Second, the antenna response was deconvolved from the transmission coefficient to isolate the response from the tissue in the breast interior. The antenna response was determined through simulations. Finally, the complex permittivity was estimated using an iterative approach. This technique was validated using simulated and physical homogeneous breast models and tested with results taken from a recent patient study.
A Proxy Design to Leverage the Interconnection of CoAP Wireless Sensor Networks with Web Applications
Authors: Ludovici Alessandro , Calveras Anna
Published: January 2015

In this paper, we present the design of a Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) proxy able to interconnect Web applications based on Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and WebSocket with CoAP based Wireless Sensor Networks. Sensor networks are commonly used to monitor and control physical objects or environments. Smart Cities represent applications of such a nature. Wireless Sensor Networks gather data from their surroundings and send them to a remote application. This data flow may be short or long lived. The traditional HTTP long-polling used by Web applications may not be adequate in long-term communications. To overcome this problem, we include the WebSocket protocol in the design of the CoAP proxy. We evaluate the performance of the CoAP proxy in terms of latency and memory consumption. The tests consider long and short-lived communications. In both cases, we evaluate the performance obtained by the CoAP proxy according to the use of WebSocket and HTTP long-polling.
EU Development Aid towards Sub-Saharan Africa: Exploring the Normative Principle
Authors: Bountagkidis Georgios , Fragkos Konstantinos , Frangos Christos
Published: January 2015

The EU and most aid donors invoke a strong normative power face by explicitly connecting foreign aid with human and social development. However, how well the EU’s rhetoric is consistent with its practices as a multilateral development actor has not been explored extensively. In this study, we challenge the normative dimension of the EU’s development policy and explore whether the EU’s Official Development Assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa is based on objective deprivation on the part of recipient countries or whether it is “interest driven”. We use a least squares dummy variable model regression to examine aid flows from the EU to all 48 Sub-Saharan African states for the period 2000 to 2010. The evidence found indicates that in certain instances, aid allocation contradicts the normative rhetoric that the EU uses to describe its development policy, as the donor’s own interests in the region seem to supersede priority given to the needs of the aid recipient states. A limitation to the findings is the fact that normative values and strategic interests are not mutually exclusive. Nevertheless, the present study suggests that the EU’s portrayal as a force for good in international relations requires cautious critique.
Canadian STARS-Rated Campus Sustainability Plans: Priorities, Plan Creation and Design
Authors: Lidstone Lauri , Wright Tarah , Sherren Kate
Published: January 2015

The use of integrated sustainability plans is an emerging trend in higher education institutions (HEIs) to set sustainability priorities and to create a work plan for action. This paper analyses the sustainability plans of 21 Canadian HEIs that have used the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The plans were coded thematically with a focus on the sustainability goals, process of plan creation, and aspects of plan design outlined in the texts. This paper finds that sustainability goals focused on the environmental aspects of sustainability, while social and economic aspects were less emphasized. Further, most plans were described as being created through a broad stakeholder-consultation process, while fewer plans assigned timelines and parties responsible to sustainability goals. This paper contributes to our understanding of the priorities of Canadian HEI institutions at the end of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and is useful for practitioners interested in developing their own sustainability plans.
Ricin Trafficking in Cells
Authors: Spooner Robert , Lord J.
Published: January 2015

The heterodimeric plant toxin ricin binds exposed galactosyls at the cell surface of target mammalian cells, and, following endocytosis, is transported in vesicular carriers to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Subsequently, the cell-binding B chain (RTB) and the catalytic A chain (RTA) are separated reductively, RTA embeds in the ER membrane and then retrotranslocates (or dislocates) across this membrane. The protein conducting channels used by RTA are usually regarded as part of the ER-associated protein degradation system (ERAD) that removes misfolded proteins from the ER for destruction by the cytosolic proteasomes. However, unlike ERAD substrates, cytosolic RTA avoids destruction and folds into a catalytic conformation that inactivates its target ribosomes. Protein synthesis ceases, and subsequently the cells die apoptotically. This raises questions about how this protein avoids the pathways that are normally sanctioned for ER-dislocating substrates. In this review we focus on the molecular events that occur with non-tagged ricin and its isolated subunits at the ER–cytosol interface. This focus reveals that intra-membrane interactions of RTA may control its fate, an area that warrants further investigation.
The distribution and degradation of radiolabeled superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and quantum dots in mice
Authors: Bargheer Denise , Giemsa Artur , Freund Barbara , Heine Markus , Waurisch Christian , Stachowski Gordon M , Hickey Stephen G , Eychmüller Alexander , Heeren Jörg , Nielsen Peter
Published: January 2015

51Cr-labeled, superparamagnetic, iron oxide nanoparticles (51Cr-SPIOs) and 65Zn-labeled CdSe/CdS/ZnS-quantum dots (65Zn-Qdots) were prepared using an easy, on demand, exchange-labeling technique and their particokinetic parameters were studied in mice after intravenous injection. The results indicate that the application of these heterologous isotopes can be used to successfully mark the nanoparticles during initial distribution and organ uptake, although the 65Zn-label appeared not to be fully stable. As the degradation of the nanoparticles takes place, the individual transport mechanisms for the different isotopes must be carefully taken into account. Although this variation in transport paths can bring new insights with regard to the respective trace element homeostasis, it can also limit the relevance of such trace material-based approaches in nanobioscience. By monitoring 51Cr-SPIOs after oral gavage, the gastrointestinal non-absorption of intact SPIOs in a hydrophilic or lipophilic surrounding was measured in mice with such high sensitivity for the first time. After intravenous injection, polymer-coated, 65Zn-Qdots were mainly taken up by the liver and spleen, which was different from that of ionic 65ZnCl2. Following the label for 4 weeks, an indication of substantial degradation of the nanoparticles and the release of the label into the Zn pool was observed. Confocal microscopy of rat liver cryosections (prepared 2 h after intravenous injection of polymer-coated Qdots) revealed a colocalization with markers for Kupffer cells and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC), but not with hepatocytes. In J774 macrophages, fluorescent Qdots were found colocalized with lysosomal markers. After 24 h, no signs of degradation could be detected. However, after 12 weeks, no fluorescent nanoparticles could be detected in the liver cryosections, which would confirm our 65Zn data showing a substantial degradation of the polymer-coated CdSe/CdS/ZnS-Qdots in the liver.
Efficient deprotection of F-BODIPY derivatives: removal of BF2 using Brønsted acids
Authors: Yu Mingfeng , Wong Joseph K-H , Tang Cyril , Turner Peter , Todd Matthew H , Rutledge Peter J
Published: January 2015

The effective and efficient removal of the BF2 moiety from F-BODIPY derivatives has been achieved using two common Brønsted acids; treatment with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) or methanolic hydrogen chloride (HCl) followed by work-up with Ambersep® 900 resin (hydroxide form) effects this conversion in near-quantitative yields. Compared to existing methods, these conditions are relatively mild and operationally simple, requiring only reaction at room temperature for six hours (TFA) or overnight (HCl).
Assessing Genomic Selection Prediction Accuracy in a Dynamic Barley Breeding Population
Authors: Sallam A. H. , Endelman J. B. , Jannink J.‐L. , Smith K. P.
Published: January 2015

Prediction accuracy of genomic selection (GS) has been previously evaluated through simulation and cross‐validation; however, validation based on progeny performance in a plant breeding program has not been investigated thoroughly. We evaluated several prediction models in a dynamic barley breeding population comprised of 647 six‐row lines using four traits differing in genetic architecture and 1536 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The breeding lines were divided into six sets designated as one parent set and five consecutive progeny sets comprised of representative samples of breeding lines over a 5‐yr period. We used these data sets to investigate the effect of model and training population composition on prediction accuracy over time. We found little difference in prediction accuracy among the models confirming prior studies that found the simplest model, random regression best linear unbiased prediction (RR‐BLUP), to be accurate across a range of situations. In general, we found that using the parent set was sufficient to predict progeny sets with little to no gain in accuracy from generating larger training populations by combining the parent set with subsequent progeny sets. The prediction accuracy ranged from 0.03 to 0.99 across the four traits and five progeny sets. We explored characteristics of the training and validation populations (marker allele frequency, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium, LD) as well as characteristics of the trait (genetic architecture and heritability, H2). Fixation of markers associated with a trait over time was most clearly associated with reduced prediction accuracy for the mycotoxin trait DON. Higher trait H2 in the training population and simpler trait architecture were associated with greater prediction accuracy.
Self-Reported Need for Psychotherapy Predicts Interferon-Induced Depression in Hepatitis C: Stratification for Interferon-Free Treatment
Authors: Staufer Katharina , Scherzer Thomas-Matthias , Miehsler Wolfgang , Reichhold Daniel , Kienbacher Christian , Ferenci-Förster Daniela , Hagmann Michael , Ferenci Peter , Moser Gabriele
Published: January 2015

Background

Interferon (IFN)-induced depression occurs in approximately 30% of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients undergoing pegylated (PEG)-IFN-based antiviral therapy. While IFN-free therapy has been developed, it is not accessible to all CHC patients due to the high costs of treatment. This study evaluated the Assessment of Demand for Additional Psychological Treatment (ADAPT) questionnaire as a screening tool for patients at risk of IFN-induced depression, in order to identify patients who may uniquely benefit from IFN-free regimens.

Methods

In this prospective study, consecutive patients being treated for CHC with PEG-IFN-based antiviral therapy were examined for the occurrence of depression during a 12-week treatment period. Using univariate and multivariate regression models, the value of the ADAPT questionnaire, in comparison to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the patients’ psychiatric history was analysed.

Results

A total of 103 patients (59% male; median age 42) were included, of whom 25% (26/103) developed IFN-induced depression during the study period. HADS-Depression (D) subscale (OR=1.187, P=0.003; area under the curve [AUC]=0.690) and ADAPT-Psychotherapy (PT) subscale (OR=1.020, P=0.006; AUC=0.695) showed the highest accuracy for identification of patients at risk for depression. A HADS-D score of ≥7 and an ADAPT-PT score of ≥37.8 showed a similar sensitivity (61.5% versus 57.7%), whereas ADAPT-PT showed a more favourable specificity (68.9% versus 77.4%).

Conclusions

The ADAPT-PT subscale effectively identifies patients at risk for IFN-induced depression and should therefore be taken into account when allocating patients to IFN-free antiviral treatment regimens.
A Novel Ritonavir Paediatric Powder Formulation is Bioequivalent to Ritonavir Oral Solution with a Similar Food Effect
Authors: Salem Ahmed Hamed , Chiu Yi-Lin , Valdes Joaquin M , Nilius Angela M , Klein Cheri E
Published: January 2015

Background

A novel ritonavir oral powder formulation has been developed to eliminate the alcohol and propylene glycol contents in the current ritonavir oral solution for paediatric use. Two clinical studies were conducted to assess the bioequivalence of the powder formulation to the marketed oral solution and to evaluate the effect of food and vehicles on bioavailability.

Methods

Study 1 was a randomized, partial-crossover, 4-period study in 48 subjects. Regimens included: oral solution under moderate-fat conditions, powder formulation in water under fasting, moderate-fat or high-fat conditions, and powder formulation in chocolate milk or pudding under moderate-fat conditions. Study 2 was a randomized, crossover, 4-period study in 24 subjects. Subjects were randomized to a sequence of the oral solution and powder formulation in water, infant formula and apple sauce, all under moderate-fat conditions. Bioavailability comparisons were assessed by the 90% CIs for the geometric least-squares mean ratios.

Results

Ritonavir powder formulation in water was found to be bioequivalent to the marketed oral solution. Ritonavir powder formulation administered in chocolate milk, pudding, infant formula or apple sauce was bio-equivalent to the powder formulation administered in water. Compared with fasting conditions, moderate-fat and high-fat meals were associated with approximately 25–40% and 35–50% reduction in ritonavir concentrations, respectively.

Conclusions

The novel ritonavir powder formulation is bioequivalent to marketed ritonavir oral solution under moderate-fat conditions with a similar effect of meals. None of the vehicles tested negatively affected the bioavailability, which suggests the potential for use of a broad range of vehicles for dose preparation.
Quelle place pour les parents d'enfants autistes dans le soin ?
Authors: Machado Kupfer Maria Cristina , de Lajonquière Leandro
Published: January 2015

Le rejet actuel de la psychanalyse dans les traitements d’enfants autistes s’explique en partie par une erreur de considération clinique au sujet de la place des parents. Dans ce contexte, les auteurs, impliqués dans un dispositif thérapeutique de soin et d’éducation au Brésil, proposent une discussion quant aux repères théoriques qui sous-tendent le fonctionnement de Lugar de Vida. Dans ladite Educação Terapêutica (éducation à visée thérapeutique), le rôle des parents est complètement reformulé. Il ne s’agit plus d’interpréter leur culpabilité dans l’éclosion de l’autisme de leurs enfants, ni de les conseiller techniquement pour en faire des assistants dans des programmes comportementaux, mais de relancer le dialogue inhérent à l’espace transitionnel entre parents et enfant à même de produire des effets aussi bien thérapeutiques qu’éducatifs.
Maigrir à l'adolescence : d'un processus de décontenance du corps familial à un enveloppement institutionnel
Authors: Sanahuja Maria de la Almudena , Schwailbold Marie-Anne , Cuynet Patrice
Published: January 2015

Cet article soulève la difficulté majeure que rencontrent certaines institutions spécialisées dans le traitement de l’obésité pédiatrique pour travailler avec les familles. Ces familles sont au cœur de la problématique de ces jeunes : la séparation de l’enfant d’avec ses proches est la base thérapeutique, mais la dépendance est forte et la séparation d’avec les parents, la mère en particulier, difficile. Dans une perspective psychodynamique, les auteurs, chercheurs en psychologie, partent du postulat que l’obésité d’un individu serait révélatrice de conflits intrapsychiques, intersubjectifs, mais aussi d’un symptôme familial transgénérationnel impactant la contenance du groupe. L’institution pourrait alors assurer une fonction substitutive de contenance auprès de ces familles en fragilité d’enveloppes psychiques. À partir d’un exemple clinique institutionnel, l’article montre l’impact dynamique de divers dispositifs thérapeutiques sur l’évolution de l’accompagnement des familles en souffrance de séparation.
Le choc des cultures en placement familial
Authors: Cornalba Vincent
Published: January 2015

Le placement familial pose d’emblée la question d’un conflit culturel, entre représentations de ce qui définit, pour chacun des acteurs en présence, une famille. Certaines apparaissent compatibles, d’autres ne le sont pas. L’enfant se construira à partir de ce constat et des mises en tension qu’il génère. L’auteur, psychologue, explique l’importance du lien et du dialogue entre culture de la famille d’origine et culture de la famille d’accueil. C’est à travers l’étude du rapport au corps de l’enfant, des modalités relationnelles rencontrées au fil de l’accueil et de la question des valeurs familiales et culturelles transmises à l’enfant que s’établit cette recherche sur les conséquences d’un choc entre cultures familiales dans le cadre d’un placement familial. L’institution se doit de prendre la mesure d’une telle dynamique afin, d’une part, de soulager l’enfant d’une telle responsabilité et, d’autre part, de promouvoir une sorte de métissage culturel familial, garant du processus de subjectivation en situation de placement.
La République de Florence (12 e -16 e siécle)
Authors: Boutier Jean , Sintomer Yves
Published: January 2015

Les communes médiévales et renaissantes ont réinventé le politique, entendu au sens d’un débat public sur les choses de la cité appuyé sur des procédures électives et délibératives permettant aux citoyens une participation politique institutionnalisée. La Commune de Florence occupe une place centrale dans cette évolution, mais ce moment important de l’histoire occidentale reste largement méconnu chez les auteurs francophones, et tout particulièrement chez les politistes. Cet article introduit le numéro de la Revue française de science politique sur l’histoire politique de Florence, centré sur les procédures institutionnelles permettant de prendre des décisions et de choisir les magistrats. Il en souligne certains des principaux enjeux pour les recherches sur le politique, bien au-delà des spécialistes de l’histoire florentine.
Formes électorales et conception de la communauté dans les communes italiennes (12 e -14 e siècle)
Authors: Keller Hagen , Renault Didier , Sintomer Yves
Published: January 2015

L’article livre une synthèse de l’évolution des formes électorales et de la conception de la communauté dans les communes italiennes du 12 e au 14 e siècle. Celles-ci firent preuve d’une étonnante inventivité politique. Elles multiplièrent les « votes de compromis » à plusieurs échelons, furent avec l’Église l’un des foyers de l’introduction du vote majoritaire et, à partir du 13 e siècle, eurent massivement recours au tirage au sort. Dans cette dynamique s’entrecroisaient des conflits sociaux, des débats procéduraux et une conception normative qui pensait les modes de scrutin en fonction de l’objectif de désignation des candidats les plus impartiaux, les plus justes et les plus utiles pour l’harmonie communale – une logique fort différente des élections dans les démocraties modernes.
Les pratiques institutionnelles de la République Florentine
Authors: Gualtieri Piero , Sintomer Yves
Published: January 2015

La réforme de 1328, qui modifia les modalités d’élection aux offices qui composaient le sommet de l’exécutif citadin, représenta un moment majeur de l’histoire politico-institutionnelle florentine. Après avoir décrit de façon synthétique le fonctionnement institutionnel de la cité, l’article parcourt l’évolution des pratiques électorales à partir de l’introduction de la magistrature du priorat des Arts (1282) qui, en un temps relativement bref, s’imposa comme le pivot du gouvernement. L’analyse d’une telle évolution permet de comprendre comment la réforme, qui ouvrit pourtant un nouveau cours de la pratique politique florentine, fut de fait l’assemblage sous une forme inédite d’éléments déjà présents dans la tradition institutionnelle locale, et vint ainsi parachever un long processus d’expérimentation politique, enchaînement de moments clairement identifiés.
La classe dirigeante de Florence au tournant du 14 e et 15 e siècle
Authors: De Angelis Laura , Boutier Jean
Published: January 2015

L’article s’attache aux dynamiques du pouvoir politique à l’intérieur de la Florence de la première Renaissance lorsque, à l’intérieur d’un cadre institutionnel pourtant presque inchangé par rapport aux grandes réformes des premières décennies du 14 e siècle, la conduite de la cité et de l’État fut assurée avec force par une classe dirigeante toujours plus unie autour des familles d’ancienne tradition citadine. Cette classe dirigeante, définie dans son extension numérique et dans ses caractéristiques de représentation sociale, promut une figure nouvelle de « professionnel » de la politique, qui concernait peut-être près d’un dixième de la population mâle adulte de la cité au début du 15 e siècle.
Le régime de Côme de Médicis au moment de son arrivée au pouvoir (1434)
Authors: Fubini Riccardo , Saint-Upéry Marc
Published: January 2015

En 1434, Côme de Médicis rentra à Florence après un an d’exil à Venise. Ce retour marqua le début d’un processus majeur de changement politico-institutionnel, qui aboutit à terme à l’instauration d’un principat (1530-1532). Ce « moment 1434 » ne fait pas pour autant l’objet d’un consensus historiographique. Le pouvoir médicéen reposait toujours sur le même groupe de citoyens privilégiés, base du pouvoir politique depuis les années 1380 ; il n’opéra dans un premier temps aucun changement constitutionnel, mais instaura un recours régulier à l’extraordinaire, qui transforma de fait la réalité des pratiques politiques. À partir d’une relecture critique de la vie politique florentine des années 1380 aux années 1450, l’article pose la question essentielle des fondements du constitutionalisme florentin.
Les premières années du Grand Conseil de Florence (1494-1499)
Authors: Rubinstein Nicolai , Saint-Upéry Marc
Published: January 2015

Cet article retrace l’évolution complexe des procédures constitutionnelles et électives et les débats dont elles furent l’objet durant les premières années du Grand Conseil de Florence, après le rétablissement du régime républicain qui suivit la chute des Médicis et dans une période marquée par l’action de Jérôme Savonarole. Dans ces débats s’intriquaient étroitement des considérations principielles relatives au poids des différentes couches sociales présentes dans le Grand Conseil ou aux caractéristiques attendues de l’élection et du tirage au sort, des manœuvres tactiques visant à favoriser procéduralement tel ou tel camp politique et des soucis pratiques relatifs à l’organisation concrètes des débats (besoin de disposer d’une salle adéquate, problèmes de quorums, etc.). Ce n’est qu’après plusieurs années que le tirage au sort des charges devint une revendication du courant « populaire » et finit par s’imposer.
El criterio de valoración de coste amortizado: análisis y aplicación a través de un préstamo concertado por el sistema de amortización francés con tipo de interés indiciado
Authors: Valls Martínez María del Carmen , Ramírez Orellana Alicia
Published: January 2015

In this paper we analyze the amortized cost criterion, in its financial and accounting side, considering the more complex case of a loan arranged by the French amortization system with indexed interest rate. It explains, in general, and illustrated with a particular example, how to build financial amortization table of the operation, how to calculate the amortization table with the amortized cost criteria, how to calculate the actual cost of the operation after tax and how is the accounting process. It also considers the possibility that the operation is canceled in advance and reflects on the consequences registration resulting therefrom.
Las raíces del liderazgo
Authors: Stein Martínez Guido
Published: January 2015

Few concepts have received such widespread attention over the last two decades as that of leadership. This article takes a phenomenological approach to leadership. First, we shall look at the myths that obscure reality, and then at the characteristics of people who have followers (because leadership becomes a solitary exercise if it has no impact on other people). Second, we shall illustrate these traits through the story of the Persian king Cyrus, as depicted by Xenophon in his Cyropedia, a work which the world’s foremost management scholar, Peter Drucker, describes as the first systemic book on leadership.
Is Participation in Certain Sports Associated With Knee Osteoarthritis? A Systematic Review
Authors: Driban Jeffrey B. , Hootman Jennifer M. , Sitler Michael R. , Harris Kyle P. , Cattano Nicole M.
Published: January 2015

Objective: 

Information regarding the relative risks of developing knee osteoarthritis (OA) as a result of sport participation is critical for shaping public health messages and for informing knee-OA prevention strategies. The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the association between participation in specific sports and knee OA.

Data Sources: 

We completed a systematic literature search in September 2012 using 6 bibliographic databases (PubMed; Ovid MEDLINE; Journals@Ovid; American College of Physicians Journal Club; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects; and Ovid HealthStar), manual searches (4 journals), and reference lists (56 articles).

Study Selection: 

Studies were included if they met the following 4 criteria: (1) an aim was to investigate an association between sport participation and knee OA; (2) the outcome measure was radiographic knee OA, clinical knee OA, total knee replacement, self-reported diagnosis of knee OA, or placement on a waiting list for a total knee replacement; (3) the study design was case control or cohort; and (4) the study was written in English. Articles were excluded if the study population had an underlying condition other than knee OA.

Data Extraction: 

One investigator extracted data (eg, group descriptions, knee OA prevalence, source of nonexposed controls).

Data Synthesis: 

The overall knee-OA prevalence in sport participants (n = 3759) was 7.7%, compared with 7.3% among nonexposed controls (referent group n = 4730, odds ratio [OR] = 1.1). Specific sports with a significantly higher prevalence of knee OA were soccer (OR = 3.5), elite-level long-distance running (OR = 3.3), competitive weight lifting (OR = 6.9), and wrestling (OR = 3.8). Elite-sport (soccer or orienteering) and nonelite-sport (soccer or American football) participants without a history of knee injury had a greater prevalence of knee OA than nonexposed participants.

Conclusions: 

Participants in soccer (elite and nonelite), elite-level long-distance running, competitive weight lifting, and wrestling had an increased prevalence of knee OA and should be targeted for risk-reduction strategies.
Multi-Symplectic Method for the Zakharov-Kuznetsov Equation
Authors: Li Haochen , Sun Jianqiang , Qin Mengzhao
Published: January 2015

A new scheme for the Zakharov-Kuznetsov (ZK) equation with the accuracy order ofis proposed. The multi-symplectic conservation property of the new scheme is proved. The backward error analysis of the new multi-symplectic scheme is also implemented. The solitary wave evolution behaviors of the Zakharov-Kunetsov equation is investigated by the new multi-symplectic scheme. The accuracy of the scheme is analyzed.
Convergence Analysis of Legendre-Collocation Methods for Nonlinear Volterra Type Integro Equations
Authors: Yang Yin , Chen Yanping , Huang Yunqing , Yang Wei
Published: January 2015

A Legendre-collocation method is proposed to solve the nonlinear Volterra integral equations of the second kind. We provide a rigorous error analysis for the proposed method, which indicate that the numerical errors inL2-norm andL∞-norm will decay exponentially provided that the kernel function is sufficiently smooth. Numerical results are presented, which confirm the theoretical prediction of the exponential rate of convergence.
Solution of Two-Dimensional Stokes Flow Problems Using Improved Singular Boundary Method
Authors: Qu Wenzhen , Chen Wen
Published: January 2015

In this paper, an improved singular boundary method (SBM), viewed as one kind of modified method of fundamental solution (MFS), is firstly applied for the numerical analysis of two-dimensional (2D) Stokes flow problems. The key issue of the SBM is the determination of the origin intensity factor used to remove the singularity of the fundamental solution and its derivatives. The new contribution of this study is that the origin intensity factors for the velocity, traction and pressure are derived, and based on that, the SBM formulations for 2D Stokes flow problems are presented. Several examples are provided to verify the correctness and robustness of the presented method. The numerical results clearly demonstrate the potentials of the present SBM for solving 2D Stokes flow problems.
Generation of a bending angle radio occultation climatology (BAROCLIM) and its use in radio occultation retrievals
Authors: Scherllin-Pirscher B. , Syndergaard S. , Foelsche U. , Lauritsen K. B.
Published: January 2015

Abstract. In this paper, we introduce a bending angle radio occultation climatology (BAROCLIM) based on Formosat-3/COSMIC (F3C) data. This climatology represents the monthly-mean atmospheric state from 2006 to 2012. Bending angles from radio occultation (RO) measurements are obtained from the accumulation of the change in the raypath direction of Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. Best quality of these near-vertical profiles is found from the middle troposphere up to the mesosphere. Beside RO bending angles we also use data from the Mass Spectrometer and Incoherent Scatter Radar (MSIS) model (modified for RO purposes) to expand BAROCLIM in a spectral model, which (theoretically) reaches from the surface up to infinity. Due to the very high quality of BAROCLIM up to the mesosphere, it can be used to detect deficiencies in current state-of-the-art analysis and reanalysis products from numerical weather prediction (NWP) centers. For bending angles derived from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analysis fields from 2006 to 2012, e.g., we find a positive bias of 0.5 to 1% at 40 km, which increases to more than 2% at 50 km. BAROCLIM can also be used as a priori information in RO profile retrievals. In contrast to other a priori information (i.e., MSIS) we find that the use of BAROCLIM better preserves the mean of raw RO measurements. Global statistics of statistically optimized bending angle and refractivity profiles also confirm that BAROCLIM outperforms MSIS. These results clearly demonstrate the utility of BAROCLIM.
The effects of river inflow and retention time on the spatial heterogeneity of chlorophyll and water–air CO2 fluxes in a tropical hydropower reservoir
Authors: Pacheco F. S. , Soares M. C. S. , Assireu A. T. , Curtarelli M. P. , Roland F. , Abril G. , Stech J. L. , Alvalá P. C. , Ometto J. P.
Published: January 2015

Abstract. Abundant research has been devoted to understanding the complexity of the biogeochemical and physical processes that are responsible for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from hydropower reservoirs. These systems may have spatially complex and heterogeneous GHG emissions due to flooded biomass, river inflows, primary production and dam operation. In this study, we investigated the relationships between the water–air CO2 fluxes and the phytoplanktonic biomass in the Funil Reservoir, which is an old, stratified tropical reservoir that exhibits intense phytoplankton blooms and a low partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2). Our results indicated that the seasonal and spatial variability of chlorophyll concentrations (Chl) and pCO2 in the Funil Reservoir are related more to changes in the river inflow over the year than to environmental factors such as air temperature and solar radiation. Field data and hydro\\-dynamic simulations revealed that river inflow contributes to increased heterogeneity during the dry season due to variations in the reservoir retention time and river temperature. Contradictory conclusions could be drawn if only temporal data collected near the dam were considered without spatial data to represent CO2 fluxes throughout the reservoir. During periods of high retention, the average CO2 fluxes were 10.3 mmol m−2 d−1 based on temporal data near the dam versus −7.2 mmol m−2 d−1 with spatial data from along the reservoir surface. In this case, the use of solely temporal data to calculate CO2 fluxes results in the reservoir acting as a CO2 source rather than a sink. This finding suggests that the lack of spatial data in reservoir C budget calculations can affect regional and global estimates. Our results support the idea that the Funil Reservoir is a dynamic system where the hydrodynamics represented by changes in the river inflow and retention time are potentially a more important force driving both the Chl and pCO2 spatial variability than the in-system ecological factors.
Distributions of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers in surface soils of Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau: implications of GDGT-based proxies in cold and dry regions
Authors: Ding S. , Xu Y. , Wang Y. , He Y. , Hou J. , Chen L. , He J.-S.
Published: January 2015

Abstract. The methylation index of branched tetraethers (MBT) and cyclization ratio of branched tetraethers (CBT) based on the distribution of bacteria-derived branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (bGDGTs) are useful proxies for the reconstruction of continental paleotemperature and soil pH. Several calibrations of the MBT-CBT index have been proposed based on global and regional soils and lake sediments. However, little is known about the distribution and applicability of GDGTs proxies in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), a critical region of the global climate system. Here, we investigated 33 surface soils covering a large area of the QTP. Redundancy analysis showed that soil pH was the most important factor affecting GDGT distributions, followed by mean annual precipitation (MAP) and mean annual air temperature (MAT). The branched-isoprenoid tetraether (BIT) index, an indicator for estimation of soil organic matter in aquatic environments, varied from 0.48 to 1 and negatively correlated with soil pH (r2 = 0.38), suggesting that the BIT index should be used with caution in the QTP. A transfer function of the CBT index-soil pH was established to estimate paleo-soil pH in the QTP: pH = 8.33–1.43 × CBT (r2 = 0.80, RMSE = 0.27 pH unit). The local calibration of MBT-CBT index presented a weak, still significant correlation with MAT (r2 = 0.36) mainly owing to the additional influence of MAP (r2 = 0.50). Combining our data with previously reported GDGTs for Chinese soils resulted in a new calibration of MBT/CBT-MAT: MAT = 2.68+26.14 × MBT–3.37 × CBT (r2 = 0.73; RMSE = 4.2 °C, n = 164). The correlation coefficient and residual error of this new transfer function is comparable with global calibrations, suggesting that MBT-CBT paleotemperature proxy is still valid in the QTP.