bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Thermal Contact Resistance of Aluminum Foams in Forced Convection: Experimental Analysis
Authors: Guarino Stefano , Di Ilio Giovanni , Venettacci Simone
Published: August 2017

In this paper, the heat transfer performances of aluminum metal foams, placed on horizontal plane surface, was evaluated in forced convection conditions. Three different types of contacts between the sample and the heated base plate have been investigated: simple contact, brazed contact and grease paste contact. First, in order to perform the study, an ad hoc experimental set-up was built. Second, the value of thermal contact resistance was estimated. The results show that both the use of a conductive paste and the brazing contact, realized by means of a copper electro-deposition, allows a great reduction of the global thermal resistance, increasing de facto the global heat transfer coefficient of almost 80%, compared to the simple contact case. Finally, it was shown that, while the contribution of thermal resistance is negligible for the cases of brazed and grease paste contact, it is significantly high for the case of simple contact.
Failure Behavior of Unidirectional Composites under Compression Loading: Effect of Fiber Waviness
Authors: Nair Swaroop , Dasari Aravind , Yue Chee , Narasimalu Srikanth
Published: August 2017

The key objective of this work is to highlight the effect of manufacturing-induced fiber waviness defects on the compressive failure of glass fiber-reinforced unidirectional specimens. For this purpose, in-plane, through-thickness waviness defects (with different waviness severities) are induced during the manufacturing of the laminate. Numerical and experimental results show that the compressive strength of the composites decreases as the severity of the waviness defects increases. A reduction of up to 75% is noted with a wave severity of 0.075. Optical and scanning electron microscopy observations of the failed specimens reveal that kink-bands are created in the wavy regions and lead to failure.
On the Duality of Regular and Local Functions
Authors: Fischer Jens
Published: August 2017

In this paper, we relate Poisson’s summation formula to Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. They both express Fourier dualities within the space of tempered distributions and these dualities are also inverse of each other. While Poisson’s summation formula expresses a duality between discretization and periodization, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle expresses a duality between regularization and localization. We define regularization and localization on generalized functions and show that the Fourier transform of regular functions are local functions and, vice versa, the Fourier transform of local functions are regular functions.
VEGF-B Levels in the Vitreous of Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients with Ocular Diseases and Its Correlation with Structural Parameters
Authors: Mesquita Joana , Castro de Sousa João , Vaz-Pereira Sara , Neves Arminda , Tavares-Ratado Paulo , M. Santos Fátima , A. Passarinha Luís , T. Tomaz Cândida
Published: August 2017

Vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF-B) is one of the enigmatic members of the VEGF family. The knowledge gap about VEGF-B expression and how its levels are altered in diabetic eyes were the focus of this investigation that was addressed by comparing and correlating vitreous VEGF-B between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. VEGF-B levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in vitreous samples (n = 33) from diabetic (n = 25) and non-diabetic (n = 8) patients. Results were compared between groups. Optical coherence tomography from diabetic patients was evaluated for central retinal thickness (CRT) and macular volume (MV). Mean vitreous VEGF-B concentration was higher in diabetic (18.82 ± 1.44 pg/mL ) vs. non-diabetic patients (17.90 ± 0.32 pg/mL) (p = 0.006), and in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) (19.03 ± 1.52 pg/mL) vs. non-PDR (NPDR) patients (18.18 ±0.96 pg/mL) (p = 0.025). In diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients, correlation between VEGF-B and CRT (μm) was positive and moderate: rs = 0.441 (p ≤ 0.05) and the correlation between VEGF-B and MV (mm3) was positive and robust: rs = 0.716 (p ≤ 0.01). VEGF-B levels are overexpressed in vitreous of diabetic patients, and the levels are higher in developed stages of DR. Correlation results show that CRT and MV increase with increased levels of VEGF-B. Targeting VEGF-B inhibition may have therapeutic beneficial implications.
Special Issue: Cancer Metabolism
Authors: Basetti Madhu
Published: August 2017

This special issue is designed to present the latest research findings and developments in the field of cancer metabolism. Cancer is a complex disease and a common term used for more than 100 diseases, whereas metabolism describes a labyrinth of complex biochemical pathways in the cell. It is essential to understand metabolism in the context of cancer for the early detection of disease biomarkers and to find proper targets for potential treatments. The articles presented in this issue cover metabolic aspects of brain tumours, breast tumours, paraganglioma, and the metabolic activity of tumour suppressor gene p53.
Bioactive Constituents from the Whole Plants of Gentianella acuta (Michx.) Hulten
Authors: Ding Zhijuan , Liu Yanxia , Ruan Jingya , Yang Shengcai , Yu Haiyang , Chen Meiling , Zhang Yi , Wang Tao
Published: August 2017

As a Mongolian native medicine and Ewenki folk medicinal plant, Gentianella acuta has been widely used for the treatment of diarrhea, hepatitis, arrhythmia, and coronary heart disease. In the course of investigating efficacy compounds to treat diarrhea using a mouse isolated intestine tissue model, we found 70% EtOH extract of G. acuta whole plants had an inhibitory effect on intestine contraction tension. Here, nineteen constituents, including five new compounds, named as gentiiridosides A (1), B (2), gentilignanoside A (3), (1R)-2,2,3-trimethyl-4-hydroxymethylcyclopent-3-ene-1-methyl-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (4), and (3Z)-3-hexene-1,5-diol 1-O-α-l-arabinopyranosyl(1→6)-β-d-glucopyranoside (5) were obtained from it. The structures of them were elucidated by chemical and spectroscopic methods. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects on motility of mouse isolated intestine tissue of the above mentioned compounds and other thirteen iridoid- and secoiridoid-type monoterpenes (7–10, 13–16, 18, 19, 21, 22, and 25) previously obtained in the plant were analyzed. As results, new compound 5, some secoiridoid-type monoterpenes 7, 10, 12–14, 16, and 17, as well as 7-O-9′-type lignans 31 and 32 displayed significant inhibitory effect on contraction tension at 40 μM.
Application of Metal-Organic Framework Nano-MIL-100(Fe) for Sustainable Release of Doxycycline and Tetracycline
Authors: Taherzade Seyed , Soleimannejad Janet , Tarlani Aliakbar
Published: August 2017

Nanostructures of MIL-100 were synthesized and used as a drug delivery platform for two members of the Tetracycline family. Doxycycline monohydrate (DOX) and Tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) were loaded separately on nano-MIL-100 (nanoparticles of drug@carrier were abbreviated as DOX@MIL-100 and TC@MIL-100). Characterizations were carried out using FT-IR, XRD, BET, DLS, and SEM. The FT-IR spectra revealed that the drugs were loaded into the framework of the carrier. The XRD patterns of DOX@MIL-100 and TC@MIL-100 indicated that no free DOX or TC were present. It could be concluded that the drugs are well dispersed into the pores of nano-MIL-100. The microporosity of the carrier was confirmed by BJH data. BET analysis showed a reduction in the free surface for both DOX@MIL-100 and TC@MIL-100. The release of TC and DOX was investigated, and it was revealed that MIL-100 mediated the drug solubility in water, which in turn resulted in a decrease in the release rate of TC (accelerating in DOX case) without lowering the total amount of released drug. After 48 h, 96 percent of the TC was sustain released, which is an unprecedented amount in comparison with other methods.
Rheology of Green Plasticizer/Poly(vinyl chloride) Blends via Time–Temperature Superposition
Authors: Jamarani Roya , Erythropel Hanno , Burkat Daniel , Nicell James , Leask Richard , Maric Milan
Published: August 2017

Plasticizers are commonly added to poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and other brittle polymers to improve their flexibility and processing properties. Phthalate plasticizers such as di(2-ethylhexyl phthalate) (DEHP) are the most common PVC plasticizers and have recently been linked to a wide range of developmental and reproductive toxicities in mammals. Our group has developed several replacement compounds that have good biodegradation kinetics, low toxicity profiles, and comparable plasticizer properties to DEHP. Knowledge of the rheology of PVC–plasticizer blends at elevated temperatures is crucial for understanding and predicting the behavior of the compounds during processing. In this work, the time–temperature profiles of PVC blended with our replacement green plasticizers—succinates, maleates, and dibenzoates, of varying alkyl chain length—are compared to blends prepared with DEHP and a commercially available non-phthalate plasticizer, di(isononyl cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate) (Hexamoll® DINCH®). The relationship between the plasticizer molecular structure and viscoelastic response was examined by applying time–temperature superposition. All compounds except the diethyl esters showed a comparable viscoelastic response to DEHP and Hexamoll® DINCH®, and dihexyl succinate exhibited the most effective reduction of the storage modulus G′. All of the dibenzoate blends exhibited a lower stiffness than the DEHP blends. These experiments help to show that the green plasticizers described herein are viable replacements for DEHP, providing a less toxic alternative with comparable processing and rheological performance.
Modeling the Effect of the Spatial Pattern of Airborne Lidar Returns on the Prediction and the Uncertainty of Timber Merchantable Volume
Authors: Yoga Sarah , Bégin Jean , St-Onge Benoît , Riopel Martin
Published: August 2017

Lidar data are regularly used to characterize forest structures. In this study, we determine the effects of three lidar attributes (density, spacing, scanning angle) on the accuracy and the uncertainty of timber merchantable volume estimates of balsam fir stands (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) in eastern Canada. We used lidar point clouds to compute predictor variables of the merchantable volume in a nonlinear model. The best model included the mean height of first returns, the proportion of first returns below 2 m and the canopy surface roughness index. Our analysis shows a high correlation between lidar and field data of 119 plots (pseudo-R2 = 0.91), however, residuals were heteroscedastic. More precise parameter estimates were obtained by adding to the model a variance function of variables describing the mean height of returns and the skewness of the area distribution of triangulated lidar returns. The residual standard deviation was better estimated (3.7 m3 ha−1 multiplied by the variance function versus 28.0 m3 ha−1). We found no effect of density on the predictions (p-value = 0.74). This suggests that the height and the spatial pattern of returns, rather than the density, should be considered to better assess the uncertainty of merchantable volume estimates.
Precise Orbit Determination of BeiDou Satellites with Contributions from Chinese National Continuous Operating Reference Stations
Authors: Chen Ming , Liu Yang , Guo Jiming , Song Weiwei , Zhang Peng , Wu Junli , Zhang Di
Published: August 2017

The precise orbit determination (POD) for BeiDou satellites is usually limited by the insufficient quantity and poor distribution of ground tracking stations. To cope with this problem, this study used the GPS and BeiDou joint POD method based on Chinese national continuous operating reference stations (CNCORS) and IGS/MGEX stations. The results show that the 3D RMS of the differences of overlapping arcs is better than 22 cm for geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites and better than 10 cm for inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) and medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites. The radial RMS is better than 2 cm for all three types of BeiDou satellites. The results of satellite laser ranging (SLR) residuals show that the RMS of the IGSO and MEO satellites is better than 5 cm, whereas the GEO satellite has a systematic bias. This study investigates the contributions of CNCORS to the POD of BeiDou satellites. The results show that after the incorporation of CNCORS, the precision of overlapping arcs of the GEO, IGSO, and MEO satellites is improved by 15.5%, 57.5%, and 5.3%, respectively. In accordance with the improvement in the precision of overlapping arcs, the accuracy of the IGSO and MEO satellites assessed by the SLR is improved by 30.1% and 4.8%, respectively. The computation results and analysis demonstrate that the inclusion of CNCORS yields the biggest contribution in the improvement of orbit accuracy for IGSO satellites, when compared to GEO satellites, while the orbit improvement for MEO satellites is the lowest due to their global coverage.
On-Board GNSS/IMU Assisted Feature Extraction and Matching for Oblique UAV Images
Authors: Jiang San , Jiang Wanshou
Published: August 2017

Feature extraction and matching is a crucial task in the fields of computer vision and photogrammetry. Even though wide researches have been reported, some issues are still existing for oblique images. This paper exploits the use of on-board GNSS/IMU (Global Navigation Satellite System/Inertial Measurement Unit) data to achieve efficient and reliable feature extraction and matching for oblique unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images. Firstly, rough POS (Positioning and Orientation System) is calculated for each image with cooperation of on-board GNSS/IMU data and camera installation angles, which enables image rectification and footprint calculation. Secondly, two robust strategies, including the geometric rectification and tile strategy, are considered to address the issues caused by perspective deformations and to relieve the side-effects of image down-sampling. According to the results of individual performance evaluation, four combinations of these two strategies are designed and comprehensively compared in BA (Bundle Adjustment) experiments by using a real oblique UAV dataset. The results reported in this paper demonstrate that the solution with the tiling strategy is superior to the other solutions in terms of efficiency, completeness and accuracy. For feature extraction and matching of oblique UAV images, it is proposed to combine the tiling strategy with existing workflows to achieve an efficient and reliable solution.
Validation of Automatically Generated Global and Regional Cropland Data Sets: The Case of Tanzania
Authors: Laso Bayas Juan , See Linda , Perger Christoph , Justice Christina , Nakalembe Catherine , Dempewolf Jan , Fritz Steffen
Published: August 2017

There is a need to validate existing global cropland maps since they are used for different purposes including agricultural monitoring and assessment. In this paper we validate three recent global products (ESA-CCI, GlobeLand30, FROM-GC) and one regional product (Tanzania Land Cover 2010 Scheme II) using a validation data set that was collected by students through the Geo-Wiki tool. The ultimate aim was to understand the usefulness of these products for agricultural monitoring. Data were collected wall-to-wall for Kilosa district and for a sample across Tanzania. The results show that the amount of and spatial extent of cropland in the different products differs considerably from 8% to 42% for Tanzania, with similar values for Kilosa district. The agreement of the validation data with the four different products varied between 36% and 54% and highlighted that cropland is overestimated by the ESA-CCI and underestimated by FROM-GC. The validation data were also analyzed for consistency between the student interpreters and also compared with a sample interpreted by five experts for quality assurance. Regarding consistency between the students, there was more than 80% agreement if one difference in cropland category was considered (e.g., between low and medium cropland) while most of the confusion with the experts was also within one category difference. In addition to the validation of current cropland products, the data set collected by the students also has potential value as a training set for improving future cropland products.
EPPRD: An Efficient Privacy-Preserving Power Requirement and Distribution Aggregation Scheme for a Smart Grid
Authors: Zhang Lei , Zhang Jing
Published: August 2017

A Smart Grid (SG) facilitates bidirectional demand-response communication between individual users and power providers with high computation and communication performance but also brings about the risk of leaking users’ private information. Therefore, improving the individual power requirement and distribution efficiency to ensure communication reliability while preserving user privacy is a new challenge for SG. Based on this issue, we propose an efficient and privacy-preserving power requirement and distribution aggregation scheme (EPPRD) based on a hierarchical communication architecture. In the proposed scheme, an efficient encryption and authentication mechanism is proposed for better fit to each individual demand-response situation. Through extensive analysis and experiment, we demonstrate how the EPPRD resists various security threats and preserves user privacy while satisfying the individual requirement in a semi-honest model; it involves less communication overhead and computation time than the existing competing schemes.
Monocular Stereo Measurement Using High-Speed Catadioptric Tracking
Authors: Hu Shaopeng , Matsumoto Yuji , Takaki Takeshi , Ishii Idaku
Published: August 2017

This paper presents a novel concept of real-time catadioptric stereo tracking using a single ultrafast mirror-drive pan-tilt active vision system that can simultaneously switch between hundreds of different views in a second. By accelerating video-shooting, computation, and actuation at the millisecond-granularity level for time-division multithreaded processing in ultrafast gaze control, the active vision system can function virtually as two or more tracking cameras with different views. It enables a single active vision system to act as virtual left and right pan-tilt cameras that can simultaneously shoot a pair of stereo images for the same object to be observed at arbitrary viewpoints by switching the direction of the mirrors of the active vision system frame by frame. We developed a monocular galvano-mirror-based stereo tracking system that can switch between 500 different views in a second, and it functions as a catadioptric active stereo with left and right pan-tilt tracking cameras that can virtually capture 8-bit color 512 × 512 images each operating at 250 fps to mechanically track a fast-moving object with a sufficient parallax for accurate 3D measurement. Several tracking experiments for moving objects in 3D space are described to demonstrate the performance of our monocular stereo tracking system.
Are We Compensating for the Lack of Physical Activity in Our Diabetic Patients with Treatment Intensification?
Authors: Maja Cigrovski Berkovic Maja , Bilic-Curcic Ines , Gradiser Marina , Herman-Mahecic Davorka , Cigrovski Vjekoslav , Ivandic Marul
Published: August 2017

Background: We studied the association between leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and glycemic control, body mass index (BMI), and hypoglycemic incidents in type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes patients (T2DM). Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 198 diabetic patients (60 with type 1 diabetes, 138 with type 2 diabetes). LTPA was assessed by a validated 12-month questionnaire. Patients were grouped as sedentary and moderately to vigorously active. Outcome measures were Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), BMI, and hypoglycemic episodes. Results: LTPA effect on the HbA1c reduction was present in diabetes type 1 patients. Patients who were involved in the moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity had a greater decrease in the HbA1c (p = 0.048) than patients with low physical activity (p = 0.085). Level of LTPA was neither associated with increased number of hypoglycemic episodes, nor BMI. After an average of 4 years of diabetes, the number of patients requiring more than one antidiabetic agent increased, although the observed difference did not correlate with LTPA level. Conclusions: LTPA has an influence on the regulation of diabetes type 1, and intensification of medical treatment is compensating for the lack of lifestyle change—especially in type 2 diabetics.
Impact of Population Growth on the Water Quality of Natural Water Bodies
Authors: Liyanage Chamara , Yamada Koichi
Published: August 2017

Human activities pose a significant threat to the water quality of rivers when pollution exceeds the threshold limit. Urban activities in particular are highlighted as one of the major causes of contamination in surface water bodies in Asian countries. Evaluation of sustainable human population capacities in river watersheds is necessary to maintain better freshwater ecosystems in a country while achieving its development goals as a nation. We evaluated the correlation between the growth rate of the population in a watershed area and water quality parameters of a river ecosystem. The Kelani River in Sri Lanka was selected for the study. The highest correlation coefficients of 0.7, 0.69, 0.69 (p < 0.01) corresponding to biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO) and total coliform (TC) were obtained with the population in watersheds of the Kelani river in Sri Lanka. Thus, we propose a quantitative approach to estimating the population capacity of watersheds based on water quality classification standards (WQCS), employing the Bayesian network (BN) classification model. The optimum population ranges were obtained from the probability distribution table of the population node in the BN. The results showed that the population density should be approximately less than 2375 to keep the water quality in the watershed for bathing and drinking purposes and approximately less than 2672 for fish and other aquatic organisms. This research will offer a means that can used to understand the impact of population on water quality in river basins and confer direct influence on natural water bodies.
Wastewater Management Efficiency and Determinant Factors in the Chinese Industrial Sector from 2004 to 2014
Authors: Fujii Hidemichi , Managi Shunsuke
Published: August 2017

This study analyzes industrial wastewater management efficiency using a Chinese provincial dataset from 2004 to 2014. The weighted Russell directional distance model is used to evaluate the efficiency of management practices. Determinants analysis was conducted based on governmental policy, pollution abatement, and market factors to identify the main drivers of industrial wastewater management efficiency in China. The results indicate that the wastewater management efficiency improved in the eastern and central regions. However, there is a significant efficiency gap between provinces in the western region. Moreover, the main determinants of wastewater management efficiency differ among regions and pollutants.
Entre la banque mixte et la banque d’affaires : la Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas et sa stratégie industrielle : 1900-1930
Authors: Bussière Éric
Published: August 2017

L’histoire de la Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas, principale banque d’affaires française, est marquée par deux poussées de l’investissement industriel au cours de la première moitié du siècle : vers 1900 puis à la fin de la première guerre mondiale ; elles furent suivies de brusques temps d’arrêt. Au début du siècle la banque investit dans la métallurgie, la chimie ; les résultats ne sont pas favorables et la banque se détourne de l’investissement industriel. A la fin du premier conflit mondial, la banque développe une stratégie beaucoup plus globale, touchant les principaux secteurs, puis, à la suite de la crise de 1921, croit pouvoir orienter un large processus de concentration dans l’industrie française. Une fois encore elle doit se résigner à des objectifs plus modestes : elle profite du mouvement de fusion des années 1928-1930 pour opérer certains dégagements mais ne le conduit pas. Ces deux épisodes marquent une tendance des banques d’affaires françaises à se rapprocher du modèle allemand au cours du XX e siècle sans jamais l’avoir pleinement adopté.
Association et capital : le développement et l’organisation de la Société des Lunetiers
Authors: Faraut François
Published: August 2017

Des ouvriers lunetiers s’associent en 1849 à Paris pour être en mesure de vendre eux-mêmes leur production. Le succès les transforme en une sorte de patron collectif : la Société des Lunetiers combine un étonnant régime d’assemblée à la promotion interne jusqu’aux plus hautes fonctions et à la transmission interne du capital. L’entreprise en vient à dominer une grande partie du marché français de l’optique à la fin du XIX e siècle, s’annexant et développant plusieurs usines dans le département de la Meuse, pour fournir la vente en gros aux opticiens détaillants. Mais par son mode de fonctionnement et de reproduction introverti, elle s’interdit le recours à des capitaux et à des capacités humaines en provenance de l’extérieur. Il s’ensuivit au début du XX e siècle un certain retard face à la concurrence. Le redressement et l’expansion mondiale seront dans les années 1950-1960 le résultat d’importantes innovations réussies en matière de produits (verres progressifs en particulier).
La Maison Berger-Levrault et la négociation du tarif à Nancy au début du siècle
Authors: Birck Françoise , Didry Claude
Published: August 2017

Le dynamisme industriel de la maison Berger-Levrault correspond en grande partie aux spécificités d’une production liée aux commandes de l’État, qui en fait une « usine d’imprimerie ». L’attachement des typographes à leur maison rencontre un métier aux fortes traditions auxquelles ils peuvent difficilement échapper et qui s’expriment à travers la négociation collective d’un tarif. La résistance au tarif dans l’agglomération nancéienne au tournant du siècle nous a fourni un indice du poids de la maison Berger-Levrault dans l’imprimerie nancéienne. La grève de 1901 intervient à un moment où cette maison s’ouvre à de nouveaux marchés dans le cadre d’une industrie nancéienne de l’imprimerie qui s’est profondément transformée.
Une entreprise d’État séculaire : les Tabacs. L’exemple de la « Manu » de Nantes (1857-1914)
Authors: Retière Jean-Noël
Published: August 2017

Le 29 décembre 1810 fut institué, par décret impérial, le monopole d’État sur la culture, la fabrication et la vente des tabacs. Singulière en raison de son statut juridique, l’industrie des tabacs présentera de surcroît, dès le Second Empire, des spécificités qui ressortissent tout autant à son mode d’organisation fortement bureaucratisé qu’à ses manières de produire et de faire produire. L’institutionnalisation de l’autorité, à tous les échelons d’une hiérarchie placée sous le contrôle d’employés supérieurs (fonctionnaires issus de l’École Polytechnique), la spécialisation et le grand nombre de la main-d’œuvre, la rationalisation de la gestion des fabrications et des travailleurs(es) soulignent les traits constitutifs de cette entreprise où, en outre, la protection sociale (maladie, accidents du travail, congés, retraite, représentation et droit de réclamation) au sens large ne peut manquer de nous apparaître, jusqu’en 1914, souvent novatrice.
Les savoirs de l’intervention en entreprise
Authors: Hatchuel Armand
Published: August 2017

L’intervention dans les entreprises de chercheurs issus des sciences économiques et sociales connaît un développement croissant. Mais sur quels savoirs s’appuient ces interventions ? Comment les chercheurs voient-ils l’évolutif des organisations ? Comment en déduisent-il les principes de leur démarche ? Au delà d’un compte rendu d’expériences, cet article expose les éléments d’une théorie de l’intervention conçue comme une démarche de connaissance. Un réexamen des héritages taylorien et weberien permet d’abord de entrer la complémentarité cachée de ces deux approches. On comprend alors les liens de conditionnement mutuel qui existent entre la dynamique des savoirs et la transformation des acteurs ou celle de leurs relations dans une entreprise. Or ce sont ces liens qui servent d’appui à une démarche d’intervention, et qu’elle tente d’enrichir. Ce sont encore ces liens que la recherche historique sur les entreprises retrouve comme un déterminant de leur capacité de renouvellement. Il y a ainsi une vision qui convient autant à celui qui interprète l’histoire des organisations qu’à celui qui tente d’y agir. Cette vision permet de poser les principes de « rationalité accrue », d’« inachèvement », de « scientificité » et d’« isonomie » qui, avec d’autres, peuvent guider une démarche de connaissance et délimiter l’autonomie du chercheur dans l’entreprise. Elle montre aussi la nécessité de dépasser les approches socio-techniques et stratégiques de la vie des organisations. Enfin, cette théorie de l’intervention peut être une contribution aux philosophies de l’action contemporaines pour la place qu’elle accorde au concept de « mythe rationnel » comme attribut paradoxal des grands outils manageriaux.
The positive benefit of Lactobacillus paracasei NCC2461 ST11 in healthy volunteers with moderate to severe dandruff
Authors: Reygagne P. , Bastien P. , Couavoux M.P. , Philippe D. , Renouf M. , Castiel-Higounenc I. , Gueniche A.
Published: August 2017

Dandruff is a common persistent, relapsing inflammatory condition affecting the scalp. An imbalanced proportion of the major bacterial and fungal populations colonising the scalp, a skin barrier dysfunction, and hyperseborrhoea are three main etiological factors of dandruff. The efficacy of Lactobacillus paracasei NCC 2461 ST11 (ST11) to manage dandruff and to restore a balanced scalp microbiome was assessed. Sixty healthy male volunteers aged 18 to 60 years with moderate to severe dandruff consumed on a daily basis a sachet containing ST11 (1×109 cfu) or a placebo for 56 days. Clinical efficacy (free and adherent dandruff, erythema, scalp seborrhoea, global clinical score), subject self-assessments, safety reporting as well as scalp microbiota assessments were performed every two weeks (day 1, 15, 29, 43, 57 and 64/follow-up). Free and adherent dandruff, erythema and the global clinical score improved significantly (all P<0.05) over time in the ST11 group and as compared to the placebo when day 57 was compared to day 1. Self-assessments paralleled these findings. ST11 enhanced restoring the scalp microbiota after 56 days of supplementation when compared to the placebo. No adverse events were reported. Regular intake of ST11 over 56 days is safe and reduces significantly the severity of signs and symptoms of moderate to severe dandruff. Its efficacy is potentially due to its positive impact on the skin barrier and skin immune system.
Barriers to Achieving Economies of Scale in Analysis of EHR Data
Authors: Sendak Mark P. , Balu Suresh , Schulman Kevin A.
Published: August 2017

Signed in 2009, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act infused $28 billion of federal funds to accelerate adoption of electronic health records (EHRs). Yet, EHRs have produced mixed results and have even raised concern that the current technology ecosystem stifles innovation. We describe the development process and report initial outcomes of a chronic kidney disease analytics application that identifies high-risk patients for nephrology referral. The cost to validate and integrate the analytics application into clinical workflow was $217,138. Despite the success of the program, redundant development and validation efforts will require $38.8 million to scale the application across all multihospital systems in the nation. We address the shortcomings of current technology investments and distill insights from the technology industry. To yield a return on technology investments, we propose policy changes that address the underlying issues now being imposed on the system by an ineffective technology business model.

Citation: Sendak MP, Balu S, Schulman KH. Barriers to Achieving Economies of Scale in Analysis of EHR Data. Appl Clin Inform 2017; 8: 826–831 https://doi.org/10.4338/ACI-2017-03-CR-0046
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Penis with Pulmonary Metastasis and Paraneoplastic Hypertrophic Osteopathy in a Dog
Authors: Jenkins Victoria , Henrique de Mello Souza Carlos , de Lorimier Louis-Phillippe , de Toledo-Piza Evandro
Published: August 2017

Squamous cell carcinoma of the penis was diagnosed by incisional biopsy of a penile mass in a 12 yr old intact male beagle dog presenting with hemorrhagic discharge from the prepuce. Penile amputation, orchiectomy with scrotal ablation, and scrotal urethrostomy were performed. Hypertrophic osteopathy secondary to pulmonary metastatic disease occurred 10 mo after the surgery. Palliative treatment with piroxicam was administered and led to complete resolution of the clinical signs of the pain. Sixteen months following surgery, the dog presented with significant dyspnea and anorexia and was euthanized due to poor prognosis. This case report describes a rare penile tumor, squamous cell carcinoma. Consequent paraneoplastic hypertrophic osteopathy and its palliative treatment are also reviewed.
À sombra do general: a consolidação da relação franco-brasileira contemporânea – 1997-1999
Authors: Afonso da Silva Daniel
Published: August 2017

O artigo reconstitui o processo de consolidação da relação franco-brasileira entre 1997 e 1999. Considera que a visita de estado do presidente Jacques Chirac ao Brasil em março de 1997, após a visita de estado do presidente Fernando Henrique Cardoso à França em maio de 1996, contribuiu fortemente para essa consolidação. Indica que após 1997 ocorreria, portanto, maior interação entre autoridades francesas e brasileiras. E demonstra que o encontro entre os chanceleres dos dois países em 1999 foi o momento o momento final da estruturação do relacionamento bilateral.
O cuidado do presente como entrave para a construção do sentido da existência, em O amanuense Belmiro
Authors: Ribeiro da Silva Edson
Published: August 2017

Bakhtin trata da natureza plurilinguística do romance, atentando para a assimilação que este faz de gêneros diversos. O formato de diário permite ao romance atentar para o presente, aproximando a narrativa do cotidiano e resulta na incompletude própria daquele gênero. Se o cuidado de si possibilita o reconhecimento da própria identidade, conforme Foucault, o diário, voltado para o presente, exemplifica momentos desse cuidado. Heidegger, no entanto, aponta o cuidado do presente como entrave para a constituição de um ser autêntico, cuja existência faça sentido; apenas a atenção para o futuro, como projeto de ser, pode libertar o ser da impessoalidade do cotidiano. Essa natureza contraditória do diário é observada, aqui, no romance O amanuense Belmiro, de Cyro dos Anjos, que mostra um homem reflexivo. Nele, a ocupação com o cotidiano enclausura o ser na impessoalidade e gera o medo de realizar seu projeto. O ser fracassa e faz da ocupação com o presente um modo de suportar a falta de sentido da existência.
Thermal inactivation of spores of Bacillus atrophaeus, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Clostridium difficile
Authors: Oie Shigeharu , Ohkusa Tomoko , Kamiya Akira , Okutani Akiko , Inoue Satoshi
Published: August 2017

There are inadequate evidence on the sporicidal effect of hot water. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy of hot water against spores of Bacillus atrophaeus, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Clostridium difficile. A portion (0.05 ml) of the spore suspension was used to inoculate 4.95 ml of sterilized distilled hot water. After standing for 1, 2, 5, 10, 30, and 60 min, 0.5 ml was added to 4.5 ml of physiological saline at room temperature (20°C–22°C). The spores of B. atrophaeus were the most resistant to hot water, followed by those of B. anthracis, B. cereus, and C. difficile. Disinfection of spores using hot water required contact at 100°C for 30 min for B. atrophaeus and B. anthracis, at 90°C for 30 min or at 100°C for 5 min for B. cereus, and at 90°C for 10 min or at 100°C for 2 min for C. difficile. All tested spores cannot be killed under the general conditions of use of hot-water washing machines (70°C–80°C, 10 min), but the spores of C. difficile can be killed under the general conditions of use of washer disinfectors (90°C–93°C, 10 min).
Curing the Vampire Disease with Transfusion: The Narrative Structure of Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Authors: Salazar Anthony
Published: August 2017

Blood transfusion in Bram Stoker’s Dracula serves as a vital component to life for characters who have been bitten by vampires. But blood transfusion can mean much more when comparing it to the narrative’s structure. While characters contribute to the narrative, parallels between blood transfusion and narrative assembly emerge, which thus grants characters within the novel immortality as their writing lives on while they slowly die from the vampire disease. Although transitioning into a vampire can also grant these characters immortality, vampires and other supernatural creatures during the Victorian Era were frowned upon by nineteenth century values and religious beliefs. Therefore, seeking immortality through narration allows these characters to abide to Victorian values while also living eternally.
Development of Listening and Linguistic Skills through the Use of a Mobile Application
Authors: Ramos Lizeth , Valderruten Arturo
Published: August 2017

The purpose of this article is to present the results of a research that was developed with eight groups of students of undergraduate programs of the Language Institute at Santiago de Cali University. The research was developed with four groups of students who used a mobile application developed jointly by foreign language professors, a software development professor and systems engineering students, as a support tool for individual practice of English level 1 (Test groups) and an equal number of groups of students who did not use the application (Control groups). No mobile applications already available in the market were used because none of them fit the sequence of topics that the course develops along the semester, thus, it was necessary to design an application tailored to the different themes, grammar and vocabulary requirements that were developed by the students. In both cases, a written test was performed at the beginning and end of the course in order to establish the benefit that the application could offer to the students in the test groups. The results indicate that the frequent use of the mobile application might have a positive impact on the development of both listening and linguistic competencies of English.
Electrochemical oscillation of vanadium ions in anolyte
Authors: Peng Hao , Liu Zuohua , Tao Changyuan
Published: August 2017

Periodic electrochemical oscillation of the anolyte was reported for the first time in a simulated charging process of the vanadium redox flow batteries. The electrochemical oscillation could be explained in terms of the competition between the growth and the chemical dissolution of V2O5 film. Also, the oscillation phenomenon was possible to regular extra power consumption. The results of this paper might enable new methods to improve the charge efficiency and energy saving for vanadium redox flow batteries.
Effectives of private equity and venture capital investments comparing with stock and bond market
Authors: Zasępa Piotr
Published: August 2017

This paper examines approach and possibility of comparison of venture capital rate of returns with specific public benchmarks. Rate of return that are used by the public market analytics do not fit within venture capital cash flow characteristics. One of the methods that are presented in this article is Public Market Equivalent which enable simple comparison of venture capital rate of returns with effects of the public index or bond market for Bond Market Equivalent method.
Staphylococcal Enterotoxin Type R Pseudogene Presence in Staphylococcus aureus Reference and Outbreak Strains
Authors: Hait Jennifer M , Bennett Reginald W , Monday Steven R
Published: August 2017

Novel staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) expressed by Staphylococcus aureus strains have been described throughout the years, among these being the SE protein SER. To further characterize this toxin, this research used 13 S. aureus strains previously determined to contain the SE type R (ser) gene. These S. aureus isolates were evaluated using serological assays for identification of SEA–SEE and PCR for the detection of newly described SE and SE-like enterotoxin genes seg–seu. PCR-based cloning was performed such that the ser gene could be ligated into the pTrc99A plasmid expression vector. Ligation products were used to transform Escherichia coli (DH10Br) strains so that the ser open reading frame (ORF) could be sequenced and expressed for further characterization. Four of the 13 S. aureus strains tested harbored a ser ORF that yielded a PCR-positive result, but contained a frameshift mutation that subsequently introduced a premature stop codon abrogating expression of a full-sized functional protein. In this study, 30% of the PCR-positive ser strains tested were found to carry genes that coded for a nonfunctional SER protein, a finding that clearly illustrates the limited effectiveness of PCR for reliably evaluating enterotoxin potential for ser and, perhaps, other enterotoxin types.
Aquifers: the natural response to the water supply emergency
Authors: Ducci Daniela , Rusi Sergio , Alberti Luca , Cerutti Paolo , Fabbri Paolo , Gargini Alessandro , La Vigna Francesco , Masetti Marco , Petitta Marco , Piscopo Vincenzo , Polemio Maurizio , Sottani Andrea , Re Viviana , Valigi Daniela
Published: August 2017

Not available.
Systems biology derived source-sink mechanism of BMP gradient formation
Authors: Zinski Joseph , Bu Ye , Wang Xu , Dou Wei , Umulis David , Mullins Mary C
Published: August 2017

A morphogen gradient of Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling patterns the dorsoventral embryonic axis of vertebrates and invertebrates. The prevailing view in vertebrates for BMP gradient formation is through a counter-gradient of BMP antagonists, often along with ligand shuttling to generate peak signaling levels. To delineate the mechanism in zebrafish, we precisely quantified the BMP activity gradient in wild-type and mutant embryos and combined these data with a mathematical model-based computational screen to test hypotheses for gradient formation. Our analysis ruled out a BMP shuttling mechanism and a bmp transcriptionally-informed gradient mechanism. Surprisingly, rather than supporting a counter-gradient mechanism, our analyses support a fourth model, a source-sink mechanism, which relies on a restricted BMP antagonist distribution acting as a sink that drives BMP flux dorsally and gradient formation. We measured Bmp2 diffusion and found that it supports the source-sink model, suggesting a new mechanism to shape BMP gradients during development.
Eyeless uncouples mushroom body neuroblast proliferation from dietary amino acids in Drosophila
Authors: Sipe Conor W , Siegrist Sarah E
Published: August 2017

Cell proliferation is coupled with nutrient availability. If nutrients become limited, proliferation ceases, because growth factor and/or PI3-kinase activity levels become attenuated. Here, we report an exception to this generality within a subpopulation of Drosophila neural stem cells (neuroblasts). We find that most neuroblasts enter and exit cell cycle in a nutrient-dependent manner that is reversible and regulated by PI3-kinase. However, a small subset, the mushroom body neuroblasts, which generate neurons important for memory and learning, divide independent of dietary nutrient conditions and PI3-kinase activity. This nutrient-independent proliferation is regulated by Eyeless, a Pax-6 orthologue, expressed in mushroom body neuroblasts. When Eyeless is knocked down, mushroom body neuroblasts exit cell cycle when nutrients are withdrawn. Conversely, when Eyeless is ectopically expressed, some non-mushroom body neuroblasts divide independent of dietary nutrient conditions. Therefore, Eyeless uncouples MB neuroblast proliferation from nutrient availability, allowing preferential neurogenesis in brain subregions during nutrient poor conditions.
Structural basis for interdomain communication in SHIP2 providing high phosphatase activity
Authors: Le Coq Johanne , Camacho-Artacho Marta , Velázquez José Vicente , Santiveri Clara M , Gallego Luis Heredia , Campos-Olivas Ramón , Dölker Nicole , Lietha Daniel
Published: August 2017

SH2-containing-inositol-5-phosphatases (SHIPs) dephosphorylate the 5-phosphate of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PI(3,4,5)P3) and play important roles in regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway in physiology and disease. Aiming to uncover interdomain regulatory mechanisms in SHIP2, we determined crystal structures containing the 5-phosphatase and a proximal region adopting a C2 fold. This reveals an extensive interface between the two domains, which results in significant structural changes in the phosphatase domain. Both the phosphatase and C2 domains bind phosphatidylserine lipids, which likely helps to position the active site towards its substrate. Although located distant to the active site, the C2 domain greatly enhances catalytic turnover. Employing molecular dynamics, mutagenesis and cell biology, we identify two distinct allosteric signaling pathways, emanating from hydrophobic or polar interdomain interactions, differentially affecting lipid chain or headgroup moieties of PI(3,4,5)P3. Together, this study reveals details of multilayered C2-mediated effects important for SHIP2 activity and points towards interesting new possibilities for therapeutic interventions.
Variation in cell densities and pigment concentrations of symbiotic dinoflagellates in the coral Pavona clavus in the eastern Pacific (Costa Rica)
Authors: Sunagawa S , Cortés J , Jiménez C , Lara R
Published: August 2017

The density and chlorophyll concentrations of symbiotic dinoflagellates (zooxanthellae) in the eastern Pacific coral Pavona clavus were monitored over the transitional period from rainy to dry season in a seasonal upwelling region and in a nonupwelling region of the Costa Rican Pacific coast. The temporal patterns of algal chlorophyll a and c concentrations displayed a negative correlation with light availability, irrespective of the study site, while the cell densities followed a dissimilar pattern. Correlations with water temperature, rainfall, and salinity indicated that a decrease in the density of zooxanthellae was probably associated with a decrease in water temperature due to seasonal cooling in the upwelling region and the negative effects of terrestrial runoff during the rainy season in the non-upwelling region (i.e., low salinity and high turbidity). The results of this study suggest that correlations between zooxanthellae density and water temperature (negative), light intensity (negative), or nutrients (positive), as proposed in previous studies, might not be applicable for regions where seasonal upwelling and strong influence of terrestrial runoff represent important features.
Tidal characteristics in a coral reef system from the western Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Salas-Pérez JJ , Salas-Monreal D , Arenas-Fuentes VE , Salas-de-León DA , Riveron-Enzastiga ML
Published: August 2017

This study shows the computed tidal harmonic results from a sea level time series performed to elucidate the temporal and spatial behavior of tides in the Veracruz Reef System (western Gulf of Mexico). Data from 11 pressure sensors moored from October to December 2004 revealed that the predominant harmonics within the coral reef system were the diurnal K1 and O1 components, followed by the semidiurnal M2 component. The fortnightly constituent showed an amplitude comparable to that of the M2 harmonic. Tidal amplitudes showed small differences throughout the area when compared with the phases. Phase lags among different stations were induced by bathymetric effects.