bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emancipation from Work or Emancipation through Work? Aesthetics of Work and Idleness in Recent French Thought
Authors: Lane Jeremy F.
Published: February 2016

In Le Capitalisme cognitif (2007), Yann Moulier Boutang argues that, under Post-Fordism, workers are expected to invest ever more of their creative, affective, and cognitive powers in their labours. These eminently human qualities, he maintains, are inherently resistant to capture and exploitation by capitalism. Hence, their integration into the capitalist system risks provoking that system's downfall, heralding the emergence of an Aesthetic State in which work itself will be modelled on disinterested creative activity and genuine emancipation will follow. Moulier Boutang is a leading representative of the French brand of néo-opéraïste thought and his work typifies the manner in which néo-operaïstes understand the relationships between work, aesthetics, and political emancipation. This is an understanding that stands in stark contrast to the work of Jacques Rancière. For Rancière, emancipation can only come through an escape from work, in moments of idleness that are prefigured in the disinterested nature of aesthetic experience. This article will examine the nature and stakes of this striking contrast between Moulier Boutang's ‘aesthetics of work’ and Rancière's ‘aesthetics of idleness’, between the former's belief in the possibility of emancipation through work and the latter's focus on the possibilities of emancipation from work
Shifting French Documentary Militancy: From Workers' Rights to an Ethics of Unemployment
Authors: Evrard Audrey
Published: February 2016

If the critique of neoliberal capitalism has become a staple of leftist documentary filmmaking in France since the late 1990s, few films have gone as far in their rejection of work as those made by Pierre Carles, Stéphane Goxe and Christophe Coello. Attention, Danger, Travail (2003) and Volem rien foutre al païs (2007) unapologetically and uncompromisingly reject the normative legitimacy of waged employment as a warrant of individual and social productivity. Nonetheless, it would be highly reductive to see in these two films and in the filmmakers' project a celebration of idleness. Rather, as they strive to restore the productive value of individuals unable and unwilling to enter the labor market, they reject what the filmmakers see as leftist politics' complacency about capitalism's promotion of work as an ethics of self-realization. Drawing from Jacques Rancière's emphasis on the proletariat's self-identification and incidental political inscription in late nineteenth-century society, this analysis argues that the two films discussed here operate therefore a political and aesthetic shift away from twentieth-century militant cinema by replacing the figure of political consciousness commonly associated with industrial capitalist society, namely the worker, with the unemployed post-industrial subjects of the late-twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.
Assessing Activity and Location of Individual Laying Hens in Large Groups Using Modern Technology
Authors: Siegford Janice , Berezowski John , Biswas Subir , Daigle Courtney , Gebhardt-Henrich Sabine , Hernandez Carlos , Thurner Stefan , Toscano Michael
Published: February 2016

Tracking individual animals within large groups is increasingly possible, offering an exciting opportunity to researchers. Whereas previously only relatively indistinguishable groups of individual animals could be observed and combined into pen level data, we can now focus on individual actors within these large groups and track their activities across time and space with minimal intervention and disturbance. The development is particularly relevant to the poultry industry as, due to a shift away from battery cages, flock sizes are increasingly becoming larger and environments more complex. Many efforts have been made to track individual bird behavior and activity in large groups using a variety of methodologies with variable success. Of the technologies in use, each has associated benefits and detriments, which can make the approach more or less suitable for certain environments and experiments. Within this article, we have divided several tracking systems that are currently available into two major categories (radio frequency identification and radio signal strength) and review the strengths and weaknesses of each, as well as environments or conditions for which they may be most suitable. We also describe related topics including types of analysis for the data and concerns with selecting focal birds.
Changing Trends and Abrupt Features of Extreme Temperature in Mainland China from 1960 to 2010
Authors: Fang Shibo , Qi Yue , Han Guojun , Li Qingxiang , Zhou Guangsheng
Published: February 2016

Studies based on the 10th (90th) percentiles as thresholds have been presented to assess moderate extremes in China and globally. However, there has been notably little research on the occurrences of high extremes of warm days and hot days (TX95p and TX99p) and cold nights and very cold nights (TN05p and TN01p), based on the 95th and 99th (5th and 1st) percentiles of the daily maximum (minimum) temperature data at a certain station in the period 1971–2000, which have more direct impacts on society and the ecosystem. The trends analyses of cool nights or warm days are based upon the hypothesis that expects a linear trend and no abrupt change. However, abrupt changes in the climate, especially in extreme temperatures, have been pointed to as a major threat to ecosystem services. This study demonstrates that (1) the mean frequencies of TX95p and TX99p increased by 1.80 day/10 year and 0.62 day/10 year, respectively, and that those of TN05p and TN01p decreased by 3.18 day/10 year and 1.01 day/10 year, respectively, in mainland China. Additionally, the TX95p and TX99p increased significantly by 50.42% and 58.21%, respectively, while the TN05p and TN01p of all of the stations decreased significantly by 83.76% and 76.48%, respectively. Finally, (2) the TX95p and TX99p trends underwent abrupt changes in the 1990s or 2000s, but the trends of TN05p and TN01p experienced abrupt changes in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After the abrupt change points, the trend of warm and hot days increased more rapidly than before in most regions, but the trend of cold days and very cold days decreased more slowly than before in most regions, which indicates a greater risk of heat waves in the future.
Quality Markers of Functional Tomato Juice with Added Apple Phenolic Antioxidants
Authors: Massini Laura , Rico Daniel , Martín-Diana Ana , Barry-Ryan Catherine
Published: February 2016

Using natural antioxidants instead of synthetic additives for food stabilisation is at the forefront of research in food formulation. Matrix interactions and stability studies of the incorporated foods are necessary prior to further processing. In this study, apple peel phenolics were added to a commercial bottled tomato juice. The juice was opened and then stored in the presence of air in the headspace at 4 °C for four days to assess its physical-chemical stability (pH, turbidity, colour and total phenolic content) and nutritional content (ascorbic acid and total carotenoids); it was also stored at 4 °C for 10 days for the microbiological analysis. The antimicrobial capacity of the phenolic extracts was tested against a range of food borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. Results showed that apple peel phenolics could form complexes with colloidal pectins thus increasing the turbidity, even though this effect was not significant during the four-day storage; the colour of the enriched juice was brighter with enhanced yellowness due to added pigments such as flavonol glycosides. The presence of other natural antioxidants (ascorbic acid and carotenoids) in tomato juice was not affected by the addition of peel phenolics. Ascorbic acid was partially reduced during storage in all the juice samples; however, the presence of the added peel phenolics whose amount remained constant over time significantly contributed to a higher radical scavenging capacity compared to the control. The microbiological spoilage of the opened tomato juice was also delayed by two to three days in the presence of apple peel phenolics compared to the control. The antimicrobial capacity was due to a bacteriostatic effect of the phenolic extracts mostly against the growth of yeasts; the antimicrobial capacity was related to the acidity of phenolic acids and the presence of apple flavonoids such as flavan-3-ols.
Analyses of Observed and Anticipated Changes in Extreme Climate Events in the Northwest Himalaya
Authors: Singh Dharmaveer , Jain Sanjay , Gupta Rajan , Kumar Sudhir , Rai Shive , Jain Neha
Published: February 2016

In this study, past (1970-2005) as well as future long term (2011-2099) trends in various extreme events of temperature and precipitation have been investigated over selected hydro-meteorological stations in the Sutlej river basin. The ensembles of two Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3) models: third generation Canadian Coupled Global Climate Model and Hadley Centre Coupled Model have been used for simulation of future daily time series of temperature (maximum and minimum) and precipitation under A2 emission scenario. Large scale atmospheric variables of both models and National Centre for Environmental Prediction/National Centre for Atmospheric Research reanalysis data sets have been downscaled using statistical downscaling technique at individual stations. A total number of 25 extreme indices of temperature (14) and precipitation (11) as specified by the Expert Team of the World Meteorological Organization and Climate Variability and Predictability are derived for the past and future periods. Trends in extreme indices are detected over time using the modified Mann-Kendall test method. The stations which have shown either decrease or no change in hot extreme events (i.e., maximum TMax, warm days, warm nights, maximum TMin, tropical nights, summer days and warm spell duration indicators) for 1970–2005 and increase in cold extreme events (cool days, cool nights, frost days and cold spell duration indicators) are predicted to increase and decrease respectively in the future. In addition, an increase in frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events is also predicted.
Functional-Coefficient Spatial Durbin Models with Nonparametric Spatial Weights: An Application to Economic Growth
Authors: Koroglu Mustafa , Sun Yiguo
Published: February 2016

This paper considers a functional-coefficient spatial Durbin model with nonparametric spatial weights. Applying the series approximation method, we estimate the unknown functional coefficients and spatial weighting functions via a nonparametric two-stage least squares (or 2SLS) estimation method. To further improve estimation accuracy, we also construct a second-step estimator of the unknown functional coefficients by a local linear regression approach. Some Monte Carlo simulation results are reported to assess the finite sample performance of our proposed estimators. We then apply the proposed model to re-examine national economic growth by augmenting the conventional Solow economic growth convergence model with unknown spatial interactive structures of the national economy, as well as country-specific Solow parameters, where the spatial weighting functions and Solow parameters are allowed to be a function of geographical distance and the countries’ openness to trade, respectively.
Potential Biogas Production from Artichoke Byproducts in Sardinia, Italy
Authors: De Menna Fabio , Malagnino Remo , Vittuari Matteo , Molari Giovanni , Seddaiu Giovanna , Deligios Paola , Solinas Stefania , Ledda Luigi
Published: February 2016

The paper aims at evaluating the potential biogas production, both in terms of CH4 and theoretical energy potential, from globe artichoke agricultural byproducts in Sardinia. Field data about the productivity of byproducts were collected on five artichoke varieties cultivated in Sardinia, to assess the biomethane production of their aboveground non-food parts (excluding the head). Moreover, secondary data from previous studies and surveys at regional scale were collected to evaluate the potential biogas production of the different districts. Fresh globe artichoke residues yielded, on average, 292.2 Nm3·tDOM−1, with dissimilarities among cultivars. Fresh samples were analyzed in two series: (a) wet basis; and (b) wet basis with catalytic enzymes application. Enzymes proved to have some beneficial effects in terms of anticipated biomethane availability. At the regional level, ab. 20 × 106 Nm3 CH4 could be produced, corresponding to the 60% of current installed capacity. However, districts potentials show some differences, depending on the specific biomass partitioning and on the productivity of cultivated varieties. Regional assessments should encompass the sensitiveness of results to agro-economic variables and the economic impacts of globe artichoke residue use in the current regional biogas sector.
Overcoming the Fundamental Limit: Combustion of a Hydrogen-Oxygen Mixture in Micro- and Nano-Bubbles
Authors: Svetovoy Vitaly , Postnikov Alexander , Uvarov Ilia , Sanders Remco , Krijnen Gijs
Published: February 2016

Combustion reactions quench in small volumes due to fast heat escape via the volume boundary. Nevertheless, the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen was observed in nano- and micro-bubbles. The bubbles containing a mixture of gases were produced in microsystems using electrochemical decomposition of water with a fast switching of voltage polarity. In this paper, we review our experimental results on the reaction in micro- and nano-bubbles and provide their physical interpretation. Experiments were performed using microsystems of different designs. The process was observed with a stroboscope and with a vibrometer. The latter was used to measure the gas concentration in the electrolyte and to monitor pressure in a reaction chamber covered with a flexible membrane. Information on the temperature was extracted from the Faraday current in the electrolyte. Since the direct observation of the combustion is complicated by the small size and short time scale of the events, special attention is paid to the signatures of the reaction. The mechanism of the reaction is not yet clear, but it is obvious that the process is surface dominated and happens without significant temperature increase.
Financial Mechanisms to Improve the Supply of Ecosystem Services from Privately-Owned Australian Native Forests
Authors: Ferguson Ian , Levetan Laura , Crossman Neville , Bennett Lauren
Published: February 2016

Much of Australia’s native forest is privately-owned and is needing investment to maintain and improve the supply of a wide range of ecosystem services. This paper reviews mechanisms presently used in Australia to improve the supply of ecosystem services, with particular emphasis on financial mechanisms. Auction, green bond and biobanking schemes are widely and, so far, successfully used in a number of States, especially in projects where the actions required and ecosystem services can be readily measured. Measurement of biodiversity and biodiversity-based services remains problematic, despite some fairly widespread application of different measurement systems. Inadequate or variable measurement systems could engender a loss of investor interest if equivalence or gains cannot be appropriately verified. A new Biodiversity Investment Scheme is proposed, based on the structure used commercially in Managed Investment Schemes. The choice of mechanism, however, will be mainly determined by landowner attitudes to assignment of property rights, and by scale, the extent of public versus private consumption goods, and the transaction costs and risks.
The Relationship between AMH and AMHR2 Polymorphisms and the Follicular Phase in Late Reproductive Stage Women
Authors: Jurczak Anna , Szkup Małgorzata , Grzywacz Anna , Safranow Krzysztof , Grochans Elżbieta
Published: February 2016

The objective of this work was the analysis of the relationships between the genotypes of the AMH and AMH receptor type 2 genes, hormone levels and the menstrual cycle in a group of Polish women in the late reproductive stage. The study was conducted using a measurement-based method (body weight and height), laboratory method (serum hormone levels AMH, FSH and E2), and genetic analysis (DNA isolated from whole blood by a salting-out method). The study involved 345 healthy, late-reproductive-stage women from Poland, aged 42.3 ± 4.5 years. The analysis demonstrated that neither the T/T and G/T+G/G genotypes of the AMH Ile49Ser polymorphism (rs10407022), nor the A/A and the G/A + G/G genotypes of the AMHR2 2482 A > G polymorphism (rs2002555), nor the C/C and C/T + T/T genotypes of the AMH polymorphism (rs11170547) were statistically significantly related (p > 0.05) to such factors as age, BMI, hormone (FSH and E2) levels and ovarian parameters (AMH) in the follicular phase. No relationships were found between ovarian parameters (FSH, E2, AMH) and genetic variants of AMH (rs10407022) and AMHR2 (rs11170547, rs2002555) in healthy women in the late reproductive stage.
Climate Justice in Rural Southeastern United States: A Review of Climate Change Impacts and Effects on Human Health
Authors: Gutierrez Kristie , LePrevost Catherine
Published: February 2016

Climate justice is a local, national, and global movement to protect at-risk populations who are disproportionately affected by climate change. The social context for this review is the Southeastern region of the United States, which is particularly susceptible to climate change because of the geography of the area and the vulnerabilities of the inhabiting populations. Negative human health effects on variable and vulnerable populations within the Southeast region due to changing climate are concerning, as health threats are not expected to produce parallel effects among all individuals. Vulnerable communities, such as communities of color, indigenous people, the geographically isolated, and those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged and already experiencing poor environmental quality, are least able to respond and adapt to climate change. Focusing on vulnerable populations in the Southeastern United States, this review is a synthesis of the recent (2010 to 2015) literature-base on the health effects connected to climate change. This review also addresses local and regional mitigation and adaptation strategies for citizens and leaders to combat direct and indirect human health effects related to a changing climate.
Residential Proximity to Major Roadways and Lung Cancer Mortality. Italy, 1990–2010: An Observational Study
Authors: Bidoli Ettore , Pappagallo Marilena , Birri Silvia , Frova Luisa , Zanier Loris , Serraino Diego
Published: February 2016

Background: Air pollution from road traffic has been associated to an increased risk of lung cancer. Herein, we investigated the association between lung cancer mortality and residence near Italian highways or national major roads. Methods: Information on deaths for lung cancer registered from 1990 to 2010 and stratified by age, gender, and urban or rural municipality of residence at death were obtained from the National Institute of Statistics. Distance between the centroid of the municipality of residence and closest major roadways was considered as a proxy of pollution exposure. Relative Risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using Poisson log-linear models adjusted for age, calendar period, deprivation index, North/South gradient, and urban/rural status. Results: A gradient in risk for lung cancer mortality was seen for residents within 50 meters (m) of national major roads. In particular, in rural municipalities a statistically significant increased risk for lung cancer death was observed in both sexes (RR = 1.27 for distance <25 m vs. 500–1999 m, 95% CI 1.17–1.42, in men; RR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.64–2.39, in women). In urban municipalities, weak risks of borderline significance were documented in both sexes (RR = 1.06, 95% CI 0.99–1.15 in men; and RR = 1.09, 95% CI 0.97–1.22 in women). No statistically significant association emerged between residence within 100 to 500 m from highways and RRs of death for lung cancer. Conclusions: In Italy, residing near national major roads, in particular in rural municipalities, was related to elevated risks of death for lung cancer.
Addition of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells to Mesenchymal Stem Cell Sheets Improves Bone Formation at an Ectopic Site
Authors: Wang Zhifa , Li Zhijin , Dai Taiqiang , Zong Chunlin , Liu Yanpu , Liu Bin
Published: February 2016

To determine the effect of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) added to bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) sheets on bone formation at an ectopic site. We isolated MSCs and ADSCs from the same rabbits. We then prepared MSC sheets for implantation with or without ADSCs subcutaneously in the backs of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. We assessed bone formation at eight weeks after implantation by micro-computed tomography and histological analysis. In osteogenic medium, MSCs grew to form multilayer sheets containing many calcium nodules. MSC sheets without ADSCs formed bone-like tissue; although neo-bone and cartilage-like tissues were sparse and unevenly distributed by eight weeks after implantation. In comparison, MSC sheets with ADSCs promoted better bone regeneration as evidenced by the greater density of bone, increased mineral deposition, obvious formation of blood vessels, large number of interconnected ossified trabeculae and woven bone structures, and greater bone volume/total volume within the composite constructs. Our results indicate that although sheets of only MSCs have the potential to form tissue engineered bone at an ectopic site, the addition of ADSCs can significantly increase the osteogenic potential of MSC sheets. Thus, the combination of MSC sheets with ADSCs may be regarded as a promising therapeutic strategy to stimulate bone regeneration.
Methods to Design and Synthesize Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs)
Authors: Yao Houzong , Jiang Feng , Lu Aiping , Zhang Ge
Published: February 2016

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have become a promising targeted therapy strategy that combines the specificity, favorable pharmacokinetics and biodistributions of antibodies with the destructive potential of highly potent drugs. One of the biggest challenges in the development of ADCs is the application of suitable linkers for conjugating drugs to antibodies. Recently, the design and synthesis of linkers are making great progress. In this review, we present the methods that are currently used to synthesize antibody-drug conjugates by using thiols, amines, alcohols, aldehydes and azides.
Radical-Mediated Enzymatic Polymerizations
Authors: Zavada Scott , Battsengel Tsatsral , Scott Timothy
Published: February 2016

Polymerization reactions are commonly effected by exposing monomer formulations to some initiation stimulus such as elevated temperature, light, or a chemical reactant. Increasingly, these polymerization reactions are mediated by enzymes―catalytic proteins―owing to their reaction efficiency under mild conditions as well as their environmental friendliness. The utilization of enzymes, particularly oxidases and peroxidases, for generating radicals via reduction-oxidation mechanisms is especially common for initiating radical-mediated polymerization reactions, including vinyl chain-growth polymerization, atom transfer radical polymerization, thiol–ene step-growth polymerization, and polymerization via oxidative coupling. While enzyme-mediated polymerization is useful for the production of materials intended for subsequent use, it is especially well-suited for in situ polymerizations, where the polymer is formed in the place where it will be utilized. Such polymerizations are especially useful for biomedical adhesives and for sensing applications.
Role of Epigenetics in Stem Cell Proliferation and Differentiation: Implications for Treating Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Srinageshwar Bhairavi , Maiti Panchanan , Dunbar Gary , Rossignol Julien
Published: February 2016

The main objectives of this review are to survey the current literature on the role of epigenetics in determining the fate of stem cells and to assess how this information can be used to enhance the treatment strategies for some neurodegenerative disorders, like Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Some of these epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation and histone modifications, which have a direct impact on the way that genes are expressed in stem cells and how they drive these cells into a mature lineage. Understanding how the stem cells are behaving and giving rise to mature cells can be used to inform researchers on effective ways to design stem cell-based treatments. In this review article, the way in which the basic understanding of how manipulating this process can be utilized to treat certain neurological diseases will be presented. Different genetic factors and their epigenetic changes during reprogramming of stem cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have significant potential for enhancing the efficacy of cell replacement therapies.
Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Dicistrovirus Associated with Moralities of the Great Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii
Authors: Pan Xiaoyi , Cao Zheng , Yuan Junfa , Shi Zhengli , Yuan Xuemei , Lin Lingyun , Xu Yang , Yao Jiayun , Hao Guijie , Shen Jinyu
Published: February 2016

The giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, is an economically important crustacean and is farmed in many countries. Since 2009, a larval mortality syndrome of M. rosenbergii has broken out and spread widely in the main breeding area, including Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangxi, and Guangdong Provinces in mainland China. A novel virus, named Macrobrachium rosenbergii Taihu virus (MrTV), was isolated from the moribund larvae and was determined to be the causative agent of the M. rosenbergii larval mortality syndrome by experimental infection. Further genomic sequencing suggested that the MrTV genome is monopartite, 10,303 nt in length, and dicistronic with two non-overlapping open reading frames (ORFs) separated by an intergenic region (IGR) and flanked by untranslated regions (UTRs). Phylogenetic analysis using the full-length genomic sequence and the putative amino acid sequences of the capsid protein revealed that MrTV was more closely related to the taura syndrome virus (TSV) than to any other viruses. According to these molecular features, we proposed that MrTV is a new species in the genus Aparavirus, family Dicistroviridae. These results may shed light on controlling larval mortality syndrome in M. rosenbergii.
Modular Forms and Weierstrass Mock Modular Forms
Authors: Clemm Amanda
Published: February 2016

Alfes, Griffin, Ono, and Rolen have shown that the harmonic Maass forms arising from Weierstrass ζ-functions associated to modular elliptic curves “encode” the vanishing and nonvanishing for central values and derivatives of twisted Hasse-Weil L-functions for elliptic curves. Previously, Martin and Ono proved that there are exactly five weight 2 newforms with complex multiplication that are eta-quotients. In this paper, we construct a canonical harmonic Maass form for these five curves with complex multiplication. The holomorphic part of this harmonic Maass form arises from the Weierstrass ζ-function and is referred to as the Weierstrass mock modular form. We prove that the Weierstrass mock modular form for these five curves is itself an eta-quotient or a twist of one. Using this construction, we also obtain p-adic formulas for the corresponding weight 2 newform using Atkin’s U-operator.
Fucoidan as a Potential Therapeutic for Major Blinding Diseases—A Hypothesis
Authors: Klettner Alexa
Published: February 2016

Fucoidan is a heterogeneous group of sulfated polysaccharide with a high content of l-fucose, which can be extracted from brown algae and marine invertebrates. It has many beneficial biological activities that make fucoidan an interesting candidate for therapeutic application in a variety of diseases. Age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy are major causes for vision loss and blindness in the industrialized countries and increasingly in the developing world. Some of the characteristics found in certain fucoidans, such as its anti-oxidant activity, complement inhibition or interaction with the Vascular Endothelial Growth factor, which would be of high interest for a potential application of fucoidan in age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. However, the possible usage of fucoidan in ophthalmological diseases has received little attention so far. In this review, biological activities of fucoidan that could be of interest regarding these diseases will be discussed.
Genetic Variations in Vesicoureteral Reflux Sequelae
Authors: Hains David , Schwaderer Andrew
Published: February 2016

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a common condition in children. Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) represents a common associated condition with childhood UTI. UTI susceptibility appears to have a genetic component based on family and UTI cohort studies. Targeted analysis of innate immune system genetic variations indicate that these variations are important in UTI susceptibility. In this overview, we discuss how current cohorts and genetic strategies can be implemented to discover new susceptibility loci in patients with UTI.
Luminescence and Magnetic Properties of Two Three-Dimensional Terbium and Dysprosium MOFs Based on Azobenzene-4,4′-Dicarboxylic Linker
Authors: Fernández Belén , Oyarzabal Itziar , Seco José , Sebastián Eider , Fairen-Jiménez David , Gómez-Ruiz Santiago , Salinas-Castillo Alfonso , Calahorro Antonio , Rodríguez-Diéguez Antonio
Published: February 2016

We report the in situ formation of two novel metal-organic frameworks based on terbium and dysprosium ions using azobenzene-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid (H2abd) as ligand, synthesized by soft hydrothermal routes. Both materials show isostructural three-dimensional networks with channels along a axis and display intense photoluminescence properties in the solid state at room temperature. Textural properties of the metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been fully characterized although no appreciable porosity was obtained. Magnetic properties of these materials were studied, highlighting the dysprosium material displays slightly frequency-dependent out of phase signals when measured under zero external field and under an applied field of 1000 Oe.
Synthesis of Polyaniline (PANI) in Nano-Reaction Field of Cellulose Nanofiber (CNF), and Carbonization
Authors: Kaitsuka Yuki , Hayashi Noriko , Shimokawa Tomoko , Togawa Eiji , Goto Hiromasa
Published: February 2016

Polymerization of aniline in the presence of cellulose nano-fiber (CNF) is carried out. We used dried CNF, CNF suspension, and CNF treated by enzyme and ultra-sonification to obtain polyaniline (PANI)/CNF as a synthetic polymer/natural nano-polymer composite. The polymerization proceeds on the surface of CNF as a nano-reaction field. Resultant composites show extended effective π-conjugation length because CNF as a reaction field in molecular level produced polymer with expanded coil structure with an aid of orientation effect of CNF. Possibility of PANI β-pleats structure in molecular level of PANI on the CNF is also discussed. SEM observation showed that fine structure is easily obtained by combining PANI with CNF. Carbonization of PANI/CNF allows production of nano-fine form with shape preserved carbonization (SPC).
Integrated Gas Sensing System of SWCNT and Cellulose Polymer Concentrator for Benzene, Toluene, and Xylenes
Authors: Im Jisun , Sterner Elizabeth , Swager Timothy
Published: February 2016

An integrated cellulose polymer concentrator/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) sensing system is demonstrated to detect benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX) vapors. The sensing system consists of functionalized cellulose as a selective concentrator disposed directly on top of a conductive SWCNT sensing layer. Functionalized cellulose concentrator (top layer) selectively adsorbs the target analyte and delivers the concentrated analyte as near as possible to the SWCNT sensing layer (bottom layer), which enables the simultaneous concentrating and sensing within a few seconds. The selectivity can be achieved by functionalizing cellulose acetate with a pentafluorophenylacetyl selector that interacts strongly with the target BTX analytes. A new design of the integrated cellulose concentrator/SWCNT sensing system allows high sensitivity with limits of detection for benzene, toluene, and m-xylene vapors of 55 ppm, 19 ppm, and 14 ppm, respectively, selectivity, and fast responses (<10 s to reach equilibrium), exhibiting the potential ability for on-site, real-time sensing applications. The sensing mechanism involves the selective adsorption of analytes in the concentrator film, which in turn mediates changes in the electronic potentials at the polymer-SWCNT interface and potentially changes in the tunneling barriers between nanotubes.
Evaluation of Empirical Tropospheric Models Using Satellite-Tracking Tropospheric Wet Delays with Water Vapor Radiometer at Tongji, China
Authors: Wang Miaomiao , Li Bofeng
Published: February 2016

An empirical tropospheric delay model, together with a mapping function, is commonly used to correct the tropospheric errors in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) processing. As is well-known, the accuracy of tropospheric delay models relies mainly on the correction efficiency for tropospheric wet delays. In this paper, we evaluate the accuracy of three tropospheric delay models, together with five mapping functions in wet delays calculation. The evaluations are conducted by comparing their slant wet delays with those measured by water vapor radiometer based on its satellite-tracking function (collected data with large liquid water path is removed). For all 15 combinations of three tropospheric models and five mapping functions, their accuracies as a function of elevation are statistically analyzed by using nine-day data in two scenarios, with and without meteorological data. The results show that (1) no matter with or without meteorological data, there is no practical difference between mapping functions, i.e., Chao, Ifadis, Vienna Mapping Function 1 (VMF1), Niell Mapping Function (NMF), and MTT Mapping Function (MTT); (2) without meteorological data, the UNB3 is much better than Saastamoinen and Hopfield models, while the Saastamoinen model performed slightly better than the Hopfield model; (3) with meteorological data, the accuracies of all three tropospheric delay models are improved to be comparable, especially for lower elevations. In addition, the kinematic precise point positioning where no parameter is set up for tropospheric delay modification is conducted to further evaluate the performance of tropospheric delay models in positioning accuracy. It is shown that the UNB3 model is best and can achieve about 10 cm accuracy for the N and E coordinate component while 20 cm accuracy for the U coordinate component no matter the meteorological data is available or not. This accuracy can be obtained by the Saastamoinen model only when meteorological data is available, and degraded to 46 cm for the U component if the meteorological data is not available.
The Left- and Right-Wing Political Power Design: The Dilemma of Welfare Policy with Low-Income Relief
Authors: Mullat Joseph
Published: February 2016

Findings from this experiment contributed novel insights into the theoretical field of welfare policy, addressing fundamental questions about wealth redistribution rules and norms. The expenses of the redistribution pertaining to basic goods, as well as those associated with public (non-basic) but vital goods, are separately estimated by transforming the expenses into functions of the poverty line. The findings reveal that, along the poverty line that treats all citizens equally, the politicians representing opposing ideologies decide how the redistribution of basic and vital goods should be financed. Politicians should come to an agreement, subject to an approval of their decisions by voters-citizens. However, in the absence of such approval, politicians have no alternative but to continue the negotiations. Based on this premise, we concluded that political decisions with an elevated poverty line as a parameter would give rise to inverse working incentives of benefits claimants. This may result in unbalanced books, due to the expenditure on the delivery of basic and non-basic goods to their respective destinations. By keeping the books in balance, we postulate that one half of median income μ, in accord with Fuchs point, may be used in the form of poverty line ½μ for just and fair wealth redistribution in resolving the ideological controversies between left- and right-wing politicians. Through the income exception rule equal to ½μ, as a result of a relief payments simulation, the wealth redistribution system, known since 1962 from as Friedman’s Negative Income Tax (NIT), diminished the Gini coefficient.
A Potential of an Anti-HTLV-I gp46 Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibody (LAT-27) for Passive Immunization against Both Horizontal and Mother-to-Child Vertical Infection with Human T Cell Leukemia Virus Type-I
Authors: Fujii Hideki , Shimizu Mamoru , Miyagi Takuya , Kunihiro Marie , Tanaka Reiko , Takahashi Yoshiaki , Tanaka Yuetsu
Published: February 2016

Although the number of human T-cell leukemia virus type-I (HTLV-I)-infected individuals in the world has been estimated at over 10 million, no prophylaxis vaccines against HTLV-I infection are available. In this study, we took a new approach for establishing the basis of protective vaccines against HTLV-I. We show here the potential of a passively administered HTLV-I neutralizing monoclonal antibody of rat origin (LAT-27) that recognizes epitopes consisting of the HTLV-I gp46 amino acids 191–196. LAT-27 completely blocked HTLV-I infection in vitro at a minimum concentration of 5 μg/mL. Neonatal rats born to mother rats pre-infused with LAT-27 were shown to have acquired a large quantity of LAT-27, and these newborns showed complete resistance against intraperitoneal infection with HTLV-I. On the other hand, when humanized immunodeficient mice were pre-infused intravenously with humanized LAT-27 (hu-LAT-27), all the mice completely resisted HTLV-I infection. These results indicate that hu-LAT-27 may have a potential for passive immunization against both horizontal and mother-to-child vertical infection with HTLV-I.
Winter Irrigation Effects in Cotton Fields in Arid Inland Irrigated Areas in the North of the Tarim Basin, China
Authors: Yang Pengnian , Zia-Khan Shamaila , Wei Guanghui , Zhong Ruisen , Aguila Miguel
Published: February 2016

Winter irrigation is one of the water and salt management practices widely adopted in arid irrigated areas in the Tarim Basin located in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the People’s Republic of China. A winter irrigation study was carried out from November 2013 to March 2014 in Korla City. A cotton field was divided into 18 plots with a size of 3 m × 3 m and five winter irrigation treatments (1200 m3/ha, 1800 m3/ha, 2400 m3/ha, 3000 m3/ha, and 3600 m3/ha) and one non-irrigation as a control were designed. The results showed that the higher winter irrigation volumes allowed the significant short-term difference after the irrigation in the fields with the higher soil moisture content. Therefore, the soil moisture in the next sowing season could be maintained at the level which was slightly lower than field capacity and four times that in the non-irrigation treatment. The desalination effect of winter irrigation increased with the increase of water irrigation volume, but its efficiency decreased with the increase of water irrigation volume. The desalination effect was characterized by short-term desalination, long-term salt accumulation, and the time-dependent gradually decreasing trend. During the winter irrigation period, air temperature was the most important external influencing factor of the soil temperature. During the period of the decrease in winter temperatures from December to January, soil temperature in the 5-cm depth showed no significant difference in all the treatments and the control. However, during the period of rising temperatures from January to March, soil temperature in the control increased significantly, faster than that in all treatments. Under the same irrigation volume, the temperature difference between the upper soil layer and the lower soil layer increased during the temperature drop period and decreased during the temperature rise period. In this paper, we proposed the proper winter irrigation volume of 1800–3000 m3/ha and suggested that the irrigation timing should be delayed to early December or performed in several stages in the fields with the drainage system. Under the current strict water management and fixed water supply quota situation, the methods are of great practical significance.
Rapport introductif
Authors: Bellettini Athos
Published: February 2016

Au cours des dernières décennies, l'étude historique sur la démographie urbaine est en plein essor. Toutefois, nos connaissances des mécanismes de la reproduction de la population urbaine sont encore limitées et de nombreux problèmes d'analyse et d'interprétation sont encore à résoudre. De ce point de vue, l'Italie est un observatoire privilégié, puisque du Moyen Age jusqu'à la fin du XVIIIe siècle, le territoire italien est la région européenne à plus forte urbanisation. Au XIXe siècle cette tendance semble toutefois s'estomper. Tandis que les pays de l'Europe du nord-ouest sont caractérisés par l'intense expansion urbaine, conséquence de la révolution industrielle, le développement des agglomérations urbaines en Italie est en général très limité et la croissance démographique du pays conserve les caractères d'un peuplement rural.
Le bilan démographique de la Lombardie autrichienne au cours du XVIIIe siècle : la croissance des « bourgs moyens »
Authors: Sala P.
Published: February 2016

Après avoir traité du problème de la croissance lente de la Lombardie, l'article propose une méthode pour reconstituer le mouvement « réel > des naissances, décès et mariages. Cette méthode est utilisée pour deux bourgs de taille moyenne pendant le XVIIIe siècle : Monza (10 000 habitants) et Treviglio (5 000 habitants). L'auteur analyse les bilans démographiques des deux villes, en faisant des distinctions, lorsqu'il est possible, entre les paroisses urbaines et les faubourgs ruraux. Les unes ont une nuptialité plus haute que les autres. Mais les différences ne sont pas aussi marquées que les sources semblent le suggérer. Ici la méthode pour la collecte des données se révèle très importante. Nuptialité et natalité sont très hautes à la campagne. Les zones urbaines des deux localités ont une population plus vieille et une tendance plus marquée au célibat. Cela explique pourquoi la mortalité est plus haute tandis que la nuptialité et la natalité sont freinées. A l'aide de ces informations il est possible d'établir que la forte croissance des « bourgs moyens » est un trait particulier de la Lombardie au XVIIIe siècle. Dans cette même période l'expansion des villes de taille moyenne dans une autre zone lombarde, celle du Lodigiano, est une preuve ultérieure de cette affirmation. Les données relatives à cette zone sont aussi analysées dans l'essai.
Les bilans démographiques des villes italiennes de l'Unité d'Italie à la Première Guerre mondiale
Authors: Natale Marcello
Published: February 2016

Les aspects principaux de la croissance démographique des villes italiennes après l'unité d'Italie sont illustrés à travers l'examen des bilans démographiques construits à dessein pour les périodes intercensitaires. Les résultats obtenus confirment le tableau d'ensemble, dans la première période post- unitaire, de l'évolution de la population urbaine en Italie : la croissance urbaine s'est produite avec beaucoup de retard, surtout sous l'action des facteurs historiques ; on ne peut comparer son intensité à celle enregistrée dans la plupart des pays européens caractérisés par un fort développement social et économique.
Un aspect mal connu de la démographie urbaine : l'émigration
Authors: Schiaffino Andrea
Published: February 2016

« Urban population » is traditionally referred to in methodologically static terms. The Bologna case-study shows that towns are characterized by very intense in — and — outmigration. The « demographic renewal » seems, therefore, to constitute an essential factor in the life of towns. This factor has always been neglected in the case of a merely dimensional analysis, made on the basis of static data only.

If one is interested in the study of the démographie behaviour in the urban milieu, the analysis cannot but take into considération the life-spans of the individuals in that particular milieu.
L'évolution de la fécondité légitime à Saint-Pétersbourg - Pétrograd - Léningrad (1869-1926)
Authors: Berelowitch Wladimir
Published: February 2016

L'étude des données fournies par les recensements et l'état civil de la capitale de la Russie montre que sous l'Ancien Régime, la fécondité légitime est faible au regard du niveau général en Russie, mais demeure assez stable et a même tendance à s'élever au début du siècle, ce qui est probablement dû à l'afflux massif de familles paysannes se fixant à la ville. Sous le régime soviétique, on constate une baisse brutale de la fécondité : naturelle pendant la guerre et la guerre civile, cette chute reprend dans les conditions plus normales des années 1925-27 et paraît due à la pratique massive de l'avortement, qui devient le moyen numéro un de la restriction des naissances.
La population de Chaudebonne et de Saint-Férréol de 1690 à 1850
Authors: Brun J.-P.
Published: February 2016

The state register of the parishes of Chaudebonne and St-Ferréol, in the lower Alps of Drome, hâve enabled the listing of the families who lived in the area from 1690 to 1850. The fall in the number of events up until the mid xvm century was succeded by quite a marked rise up until the end of the Empire when the drastic fall which charactised the xix century began.

There were few unmarried people yet marriage came late in life : after the age of 27 for men and 24 for women.

An overall analysis has enabled a simplification of the evolution of fertility : a rapid rise up until 1740, a fall until 1780, a rise until 1810 and finally a rapid fall.

16 months pass between the marriage and the birth of the first child and the second birth takes place two years later. The number of children by family is only five, half of which die before attaining the age at which they may marry.

The weak advance of simple renewal of the population did not resist the great exodus of the XIX century.