bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of fermentation temperature on the functional dairy product quality
Authors: Kanuric Katarina , Hrnjez Dajana , Ranogajec Marjan , Milanovic Spasenija , Ilicic Mirela , Vukic Vladimir , Milanovic Maja
Published: January 2012

The aim of this study was to examine the possibility of fermented dairy
beverage production by the application of kombucha cultivated on thyme tea in
combination with a probiotic starter and to evaluate the quality of the new
functional product. Fermented dairy beverages are produced from milk with
1.6% milk fat at three fermentation temperatures: 37?C, 40?C and
43?C.Chemical quality, rheological properties and products of added starter
cultures metabolism were determined in the fermented dairy beverages after
production and after10 days of storage. Produced fermented dairy beverages
have reduced milk fat content and good textural characteristics. Besides the
highly valuable milk components, they contain numerous compounds which have
pronounced therapeutic properties. These products could be used as functional
food in the diet of different populations for health improvement.
Optimization of the texture of fat-based spread containing hull-less pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) seed press-cake
Authors: Radocaj Olga , Dimic Etelka , Vujasinovic Vesna
Published: January 2012

Hull-less pumpkin seed press-cake, a by-product of the pumpkin oil pressing
process, was used to formulate a fat-based spread which resembled commercial
peanut butter; both in the appearance and in texture. In this study, response
surface methodology was used to investigate the effects of a commercial
stabilizer and cold-pressed hemp oil added to the pumpkin seed press-cake, on
the texture of the formulations using instrumental texture profile analysis.
The responses were significantly affected by both variables tested in a
central composite, two factorial experimental design on five levels. Strong
and firm spreads, without visible oil separation were formed and had an
appearance and texture comparable to commercial peanut butter. In terms of
the primary food texture attributes such as hardness, cohesiveness and
adhesiveness, determined by the instrumental texture analysis, the optimum
combination of variables with 1-1.2% of added stabilizer and 20- 40% of added
hemp oil (in the oil phase) produced desirable spreads.
Relationship among the firing temperature, wetting properties and colonization of fungi on clay roofing tile surfaces
Authors: Ranogajec Jonjaua , Markov Sinisa , Rudic Ognjen , Vucetic Snezana , Ducman Vilma
Published: January 2012

The wettability of clay roofing tiles as a surface phenomenon plays a key
role considering their deterioration process during exploitation. The
experimental investigations in this paper were performed combining the data
of the material-relevant parameters and the surface wetting properties in
order to assess clay roofing tiles biodurability. The fungus Aspergillusniger
was used as a model microorganism whose colonization and growth, during a
period of 28 days on the tiles fired at two temperatures (900 and 1020?C),
was analyzed. The paper confirms that the colonization of the tiles with the
fungus goes through two stages: up to the 18th day, based on the surface
characteristics, and after the 18th day when the textural characteristics
(values of water absorption) are the dominant parameters.
Paraseqences in the Kotroman Formation, Western Serbia
Authors: Banjac Nenad , Jovanovic Divna
Published: January 2012

An attempt was made to describe two parasequences separated within the
sediments of the Kotroman Formation at the Mokra Gora Village in western
Serbia. The whole formation, of Albian-Cenomanian age, in some general
characteristics corresponds to tidal flats, some of which were described in
the literature (LARSONNEUR 1975), and the sediments were compared with ones
from recent tidal flat environments. The heterogeneous composition of the
Kotroman Formation influenced different authors to describe several
non-synchronous and incomparable superpositioned packages. The parasequences
were investigated in the attempt to correlate them with the stratigraphic age
of the members. The parasequences were formed during the Albian transgression
and represent a gradual deepening of the wider area. Well-developed flooding
surfaces with significant deepening indicated retrogradational stacking of
certain transgressive system tracts and reflect landward movement of the
shoreline, indicating a gradual sea level rise.
Magnesite-bearing fracture zones of the Zlatibor ultrabasic massif (Serbia) as a discrete structural-morphological type of magnesite deposits in ultrabasites
Authors: Ilic Miloje , Pavlovic Zoran , Miladinovic Zoran
Published: January 2012

In this paper, a discrete structural-morphological type of magnesite deposits
in ultrabasites, i.e., in magnesite-bearing fracture zones, is presented. The
most prominent occurrences of such zones in Serbia are in the Zlatibor
ultrabasic massif and they are economically very significant because they
contain large reserves of high-quality magnesite, as well as of the
accompanying sepiolite.
Prospects for wider energetic utilization of subgeothermal water resources: Eastern Serbia case study
Authors: Stevanovic Zoran , Saljnikov Aleksandar , Milenic Dejan , Martinovic Mica , Goricanec Darko , Komatina Mirko , Dokmanovic Petar , Antonijevic Dragi , Vranjes Ana , Magazinovic Sava
Published: January 2012

Extensive worldwide usage of fossil energy sources causes high pollution and
contributes to global warming. Hence, achieving energy independence by
stimulating efficient use of energy and environmentally friendly exploitation
of renewable sources is a main orientation of European countries. Geothermal
energy is generally treated as a renewable and inexhaustible energy source.
Nonetheless, direct use of low enthalpy subgeothermal resources, i.e.
groundwater of 30.C or lower, for heating is commonly viewed as economically
unjustified. To enable its usage, large panel surfaces or a high-temperature
heat pump with excellent efficiency is required. The development of a cascade
type heat pump and its wide application would enable more efficient
utilization of widely available and easy replenished groundwater sources with
temperatures of 10-30.C. The hydrogeological conditions in eastern Serbia are
particularly favourable for exploitation of subgeothermal resources due to
rich aquifer systems and notable terrestrial heat flow formed into the main
geo-structures of the region (Carpathian-Balkan arch and Dachian basin). More
intensive exploitation of subgeothermal sources additionally justifies the
existence of a number of urbanized small and medium-size cities with a
heating infrastructure already developed and centralized. Sustainable use of
groundwater resources should be followed by thermal reconstruction of the
previously constructed buildings as well as new legislation which supports
and encourages development of renewable energy sources. It is estimated that
the total potential thermal power which can be generated from subgeothermal
waters in the study area is around 33 MWt, which corresponds to some 16 % of
the total heat requirements.
Are the carotid kinking and coiling underestimated entities?
Authors: Radak Djordje , Babic Srdjan , Tanaskovic Slobodan , Matic Predrag , Sotirovic Vuk , Stevanovic Predrag , Jovanovic Predrag , Gajin Predrag
Published: January 2012

nema
Using humour in teaching English as a foreign language at more advanced levels
Authors: Prodanovic-Stankic Diana
Published: January 2012

The unique properties of humour make it a valuable tool in the process of
teaching and acquiring English as a foreign language, especially when more
advanced courses at the university level are concerned. In the first place,
using humour based on language play (involving different aspects of
linguistic structure) in a variety of teaching materials can be very
beneficial to helping students improve their ability with language
structures. Moreover, it is important that students develop an awareness of
humour that is related to culture in order to achieve better command of
English. In order to determine the effect humour has on students? level of
attainment, a small-scale study was conducted at the English Department,
University of Novi Sad in the course Integrated Language Skills. In the
study, humour was used both as a tool, to improve the learning environment,
and as a resource for teaching new vocabulary or revising grammatical
structures. The results of the study indicate that humour can be applied to
teaching a foreign language and improving students? proficiency level.
Moreover, using humour both as a tool and as a resource affected students?
motivation and willingness to study.
An attempt to measure school misbehaviour
Authors: Miric Jovan
Published: January 2012

This article brings a new method of measuring school misbehaviour. The method
is known as the time reconstruction method. The time that is reconstructed in
our research was defined as the period of two classes (2 x 45?) and one break
(approximately 100 minutes in total). The students were asked to report their
behaviour from minute to minute during the course of the reconstructed time.
Total sample comprised 69 participants, 42 seventh-grade primary school
students (16 males and 26 females) and 27 eleventh-grade students (17 males
and 10 females). Their raw data were classified into 23 misbehaviour
categories, with talking during the class as the most frequent category. We
conclude that this method can gain the most objective results and because of
that can be used for various comparisons, for tracking different changes in
school life, and for evaluation of various models of classroom discipline.
Differences in perfectionism in Serbian and Macedonian students
Authors: Stojiljkovic Snezana , Todorovic Jelisaveta , Doskovic Zvonimir , Todorovic Dusan
Published: January 2012

Perfectionism is defined as the pursuit of high achievement in some areas and
the tendency of people to seek perfection and be too self-critical. A
construct thus understood includes great preoccupation with mistakes, making
the person prone to constant reworking and embellishing of one?s work. This
may be the reason why the person constantly delays what should be done for
the last moment. The research is aimed at comparing the level and structure
of perfectionism in Serbian and Macedonian students. The sample consisted of
100 students, aged 19-22, studying psychology at the University of Nis and
Skopje. The Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS, Frost et al., 1990)
was used to measure the following aspects of perfectionism: concern over
mistakes, personal standards, parental expectations, parental criticism,
doubts of action, and organization. Data analysis showed the higher level of
overall perfectionism in Macedonian than in Serbian students. Also,
Macedonian students scored higher on those dimensions which are considered as
dysfunctional perfectionism. An important finding is that, on the whole, the
positive aspects are more strongly expressed than the potentially negative
aspects of perfectionism. The research findings are discussed from the
standpoint of cultural specificity and differences. Further research should
include data on family and wider social context of growing youth.
Reflections of pedagogy students on their future profession and the job search process
Authors: Gutvajn Nikoleta , Djeric Ivana , Lukovic Ivana
Published: January 2012

In recent years, preparation of youth for their future profession and the job
search process have become the leading topics in social sciences and an
inevitable segment of a number of European policies in the field of
education. The goal of our research was to obtain a more comprehensive
insight into the ways in which pedagogy students perceive their preparation
for the future profession and the opportunities for finding a job in their
field of study. The sample comprised fifty-three third- and fourth-year
students from the Department of Pedagogy of the Faculty of Philosophy in
Belgrade. For the purposes of the research, a questionnaire with open-ended
questions was constructed. Since our study is explorative in nature, we opted
for qualitative analysis of the collected material. Research findings
indicate that the majority of students predominantly believe that the
acquired knowledge and skills are insufficiently usable in future
professional work. Such beliefs lead towards the feeling of low competence
for performing the future professional role. It was established that students
use the ?usual? methods for job search. However, the choice of these
activities is not various enough, which consequently reduces the chances of
pedagogy students to find employment. Negative perceptions of one?s own
preparation for future profession point out to the necessity of a more
efficient preparation of pedagogy students for their future job through
establishing cooperation between institutions in the field of high education,
research centres and world of labour. Key words: pedagogy students, personal
meanings, high education, professional competences and the job search
process.
Optimization study of the catalytic activity of DNAzymes based on telomeric G-quadruplexes
Authors: Kosman Joanna , Juskowiak Bernard
Published: January 2012

Optimization studies of the procedure for peroxidase activity measurements with DNAzymes based on telomeric sequences and colorimetric indicator reactions are reported. Effect of metal cation, nature and concentration of surfactant, as well as thermal treatment of G-quadruplex sample are investigated. Nature of metal cation exhibited modest influence on the system performance. Great improvement of enzymatic activity of the telomeric quadruplexes in the presence of Brij 58 surfactant was observed. Further improvement of catalytic activity of the system based on human telomeric sequence was attained by applying a thermal treatment (heating/rapid cooling) procedure to prepare G-quadruplex/hemin complexes.
Using 2-D electrophoresis followed by nano HPLC in nuclear protein analysis of MCF-7 breast cancer cell line by MALDI-TOF/TOF
Authors: Tkáčiková Soňa , Talian Ivan , Petrovič Marián , Sabo Ján
Published: January 2012

The biomarker identification is an important tool in early cancer detection. The MCF-7 breast cancer cell line was chosen as a model system. The nuclear proteins were extracted utilizing a commercially manufactured kit and separated on two dimensional (2-D) sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE). The first dimension was performed on isoelectric focusing strips with pH range 4–7. Afterwards the proteins were tryptic digested and identification was performed by matrix assisted laser desorption technique with time of flight mass analyzer (MALDI-TOF/TOF). For unambiguous identification proteins with too low concentration or spots contains protein mixture the nano high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used. The 2-D gel electrophoresis (2-DGE) seems to be a good tool to separate large amount of proteins using relatively simple procedure and its hyphenation with HPLC can create the perfect analytical solution for proteome identification. About 150 nuclei protein spots were visualized and the most abundant of them were identified.
Parametric optimization of neutral linear system with two delays with P-controller
Authors: Duda Józef
Published: January 2012

Parametric optimization of neutral linear system with two delays with P-controller

In the paper the problem of parametric optimization of a linear neutral system with two delays accomplished with respect to the integral quadratic performance index is formulated and solved. A method of computing the value of performance index relies on determining such a Lyapunov functional defined on the state space that its value for the initial state is equal to that of performance index. In the paper the form of Lyapunov functional is assumed and a method of computing its coefficients is given. An example illustrating the application of the theory discussed is presented. It concerns a system with the P-controller designed to control a plant with two delays both retarded and neutral type. For such a system the value of the considered performance index is determined.
Validation of a program for supercritical power plant calculations
Authors: Kotowicz Janusz , Łukowicz Henryk , Bartela Łukasz , Michalski Sebastian
Published: January 2012

Validation of a program for supercritical power plant calculations

This article describes the validation of a supercritical steam cycle. The cycle model was created with the commercial program GateCycle and validated using in-house code of the Institute of Power Engineering and Turbomachinery. The Institute's in-house code has been used extensively for industrial power plants calculations with good results. In the first step of the validation process, assumptions were made about the live steam temperature and pressure, net power, characteristic quantities for high- and low-pressure regenerative heat exchangers and pressure losses in heat exchangers. These assumptions were then used to develop a steam cycle model in Gate-Cycle and a model based on the code developed in-house at the Institute of Power Engineering and Turbomachinery. Properties, such as thermodynamic parameters at characteristic points of the steam cycle, net power values and efficiencies, heat provided to the steam cycle and heat taken from the steam cycle, were compared. The last step of the analysis was calculation of relative errors of compared values. The method used for relative error calculations is presented in the paper. The assigned relative errors are very slight, generally not exceeding 0.1%. Based on our analysis, it can be concluded that using the GateCycle software for calculations of supercritical power plants is possible.
Prevalence of Skin Diseases in Kavre District, Nepal
Authors: Karn D , Khatri R , Timalsina M
Published: January 2012

Background Skin is the major interface of human to the environment . It is the major susceptible organ for any disease. Wide prevalence of skin diseases in the community is a well established fact. Objectve The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of skin diseases among the general population of Kavre District,Nepal . Methods This is a hospital based, retrospective study done among all the patients visiting Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Teaching Hospital, in Dhulikhel, Kavre during the year 2007-2008 AD. Data were obtained from the hospital out-patient records and analyzed. The total number of patients who visited the hospital were 74,279 (male-30,809 female- 43,470), out of which 7374 (9 .92 %), male 4155, female 3219, visited the Dermatology Department. Among this total study population now comparative study of the prevalence of skin diseases was performed based on sex, age and type of dermatological condition. Results The overall prevalence of skin diseases were 9.92% with slight higher rates seen among males ( 56.34 %) than females (43.65 %).Non-infective conditions , 6063 ( 82.22% ) outweighed infective conditions 1311 (17.78 %), commonest one being the pigmentary disorders (32.56 %) and in the age group 16-35 years old (31.23% ). Conclusion This study demonstrates that skin diseases are one of the most prevalent disease condition among the general population, representing a major public health problem. Keywords Prevalence; infective diseases; non-infective diseases. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njdvl.v9i1.5761 NJDVL 2010; 9(1): 7-9
Emerging trends of nosocomial Citrobacter species surgical wound infection: concern for infection control
Authors: Thapa B , Karn D , Mahat K
Published: January 2012

Background Surgical wound infection is a common problem among patients who undergo operation. Several factors play important role in this infection process including endemic nosocomial infection without proper infection control measures. Objectives To study the occurrence of the pathogens in post-operative wound infections, their antibiotic resistance patterns, and comparison with published reports. Methods Various specimens obtained from the surgical wound during a period of four months were processed for bacteriological culture in the Department of Microbiology, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test for pathogens isolated. The relevant literatures were searched and compared with the present study. Results Among 79 culture positive cultures, Citrobacter sp. (n=23) was most frequently isolated from surgical wound infection. Twenty strains were multidrug resistant. In comparison with other studies, this study highlights the emergence multi-drug resistant Citrobacter sp. as a leading cause of surgical wound infection. E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter sp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus sp., and Enterobacter sp. were also isolated from 19, 13, 10, 8, 2, 2, and 2 cultures, respectively. More than 50% of these pathogens were resistant to most of the β-lactam antibiotics tested and most of them were multi-drug resistant while these pathogens showed variable level of resistance to fluroquinolones and amino glycosides. Conclusion The frequent isolation of multi-drug resistant nosocomial strains of Citrobacter sp. in surgical wound infection is a remarkable trend. This pathogen and their resistant genes could be endemic to the institution and can cause difficult-to-treat infection if infection control committee is not revitalized and infection control strategies are not implemented. Key words Citrobacter sp.; Multi-drug resistant; surgical wound infection. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njdvl.v9i1.5762 NJDVL 2010; 9(1): 10-14
Surrogate Safety Measures for Optimizing Investments in Local Rural Road Networks
Authors: Cafiso Salvatore , Di Graziano Alessandro
Published: January 2012

Safety management of the local rural road network is often constrained by low budgets and a variety of external local requirements. Moreover, for the safety management of these roads, where a screening of the network based on observed crashes can be affected by a lack of quality and an insufficient quantity of collision data, alternative analyses are needed to establish those circumstances that make a particular road intervention cost-effective. Cost versus safety trade-offs must be examined for a series of alternative projects. As a result of a research project funded by the European Commission, a safety index (SI) was formulated as a surrogate measure of safety. The SI is based on the safety features of the road segment, which are assessed by two methodologies: road safety inspections and design consistency evaluations and standards checks. Given the significant correlation found between SI values and the expected number of crashes, a methodological approach that uses the SI to evaluate the safety effectiveness of the alternative proposed investments is presented. Moreover, because often the available budget was not sufficient to undertake all alternative projects evaluated as being effective, a formal method for selecting projects to be included in the budget was applied to maximize the safety benefits of the investments. The procedure implemented in the SAFOPT software (safety optimization) makes it possible to identify the intervention strategies that produce the greatest safety benefits for variations in the SI while being compatible with the available annual budget, that is, the optimum budget to obtain the maximum benefit.
Analysis of Speeding Behavior
Authors: Familar Russell , Greaves Stephen , Ellison Adrian
Published: January 2012

Data collected from Global Positioning System technology are used to examine the variability in speeding for 147 motorists during a 5-week period. A multilevel modeling approach is used to decompose speeding behavior into four major levels of variation: interindividual variation, temporal variation, trip-level variation, and segment-level variation. Initially, a null model (i.e., excludes the explanatory variables) is estimated to assess the variations at each level. Results suggest that the driver is more a factor in speeding as the speed limit increases but that the majority of variation in speeding goes unexplained. This finding is followed by progressively including explanatory variables (e.g., age, gender, vehicle type, trips, and purpose) at each of the four levels to assess how much more of the variation in speeding can be explained. Results suggest that the reduction in unexplained variance in speeding varies markedly by speed zone and that difference indicates the disproportionately different impacts of explanatory factors.
Random Parameter Model Used to Explain Effects of Built-Environment Characteristics on Pedestrian Crash Frequency
Authors: Ukkusuri Satish , Hasan Samiul , Aziz H. M. Abdul
Published: January 2012

Pedestrian safety has been a major concern for megacities such as New York City. Although pedestrian fatalities show a downward trend, these fatalities constitute a high percentage of overall traffic fatalities in the city. Data from New York City were used to study the factors that influence the frequency of pedestrian crashes. Specifically, a random parameter, negative binomial model was developed for predicting pedestrian crash frequencies at the census tract level. This approach allows the incorporation of unobserved heterogeneity across the spatial zones in the modeling process. The influences of a comprehensive set of variables describing the sociodemographic and built-environment characteristics on pedestrian crashes are reported. Several parameters in the model were found to be random, which indicates their heterogeneous influence on the numbers of pedestrian crashes. Overall, these findings can help frame better policies to improve pedestrian safety.
Animal Research In Diabetes And Ethical Consideration
Authors: Lasker Shamima Parvin , Raihan Rishad
Published: January 2012

Research must have a clear statement that is the hypothesis. This hypothesis may involve a clinical question or pathophysiologic mechanism that cannot be tested ethically or appropriately using human subjects or alternative methods. Therefore, numerous animal models have been developed that mimic to human diabetes. They provide additional knowledge about and insight into disease processes and hopefully better methods for treatment or prevention of diabetes in humans. All scientific research involving the use of animals should begin with an ethical focus by examining the risk-benefit ratio (i.e., morbidity or mortality to the animal versus the potential importance of the knowledge acquired). The aim of this paper is to discuss these ethical aspects within the context of research on diabetes and form a framework for the decision-making process. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bioethics.v1i2.9625 Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2010; 1(2): 20-23
The Invisible Turn to the Future: Commemorative Culture in Contemporary Shanghai
Authors: Pan Lü
Published: January 2012

After decades of fierce political struggles in the Mao era, the People’s Republic of China has strived economically under the open-door policy since the end of the 1970s. However, the still firm national monuments that weathered the social vicissitudes are left open to the question of how they could be incorporated into the new national ideology. In comparison to Beijing, Shanghai’s overwhelmingly predominant image centers on its role as the economic dragonhead of China. This article argues that Shanghai, exactly because of this ostensibly apolitical profile, provides a rarely discussed but highly meaningful approach to examining the dynamics between contemporary Chinese commemorative culture and the postsocialist urban spatial order. Unlike the East European cases, the “critical juncture” of ideology in China is invisible in the official narratives of the monuments. In some circumstances, the renovation of old memorials seem to fulfill the task of glorifying a certain past but in effect, it leaves the place a self-enclosed venue that sheds the rest of the city from the ideological burden. In other cases, some monuments of the seemingly core nationalistic narratives are marginalized. What’s more, new attentions are now drawn to the memorials for the history of “others” in the name of cosmopolitanism. The invisibility of the commemorative narratives speaks directly to the perplexity of assuming national identity in contemporary China. In the light of Prasenjit Duara’s idea of “bifurcated history”, national memory culture in Shanghai suggests the multiple possibilities of deciphering the city’s past and its future.
Yueju – The Formation of a Legitimate Culture in Contemporary Shanghai
Authors: Ma Haili
Published: January 2012

This article presents a case study of the development of a local cultural form – Shanghai Yueju – caught up in the rapid urban redevelopment of post-socialist China. Using Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of ’habitus’ and ’distinction’, it analyses the processes of the reformation of taste and class in a Chinese city. It explores the following question: can high levels of financial investment revive Yueju and allow it to gain market success and cultural distinction? The question is examined in the context of Shanghai’s swift urbanisation process, throughout which the government has reinforced its control over not only economic but also social and cultural capital. It suggests that ignoring Yueju’s rootedness in a local habitus of long history and focusing only on its economic organisation has had a damaging effect on the vibrancy and viability of this cultural form. This case study of Yueju in Shanghai suggests that economically driven cultural development could lead to the erosion of local culture and restricting its social and cultural innovation.
Culture Unbound Vol. 4 Editorial
Authors: Fornäs Johan , Fredriksson Martin , Johannisson Jenny
Published: January 2012

No abstract available.
Nutritional Rehabilitation of HIV-Exposed Infants in Malawi: Results from the Drug Resources Enhancement Against AIDS and Malnutrition Program
Authors: Buonomo Ersilia , De Luca Simona , Tembo Dyna , Scarcella Paola , Germano Paola , Doro Altan Anna Maria , Palombi Leonardo , Liotta Giuseppe , Nielsen-Saines Karin , Erba Fulvio , Marazzi Maria Cristina
Published: January 2012

Infant malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa is a public health priority and a challenge in high HIV prevalence areas. The Drug Resources Enhancement Against AIDS and Malnutrition program, with multiple medical centers in Sub-Saharan Africa, developed an innovative intervention for the surveillance and control of malnutrition. In a pilot initiative, 36 HIV-exposed children were evaluated at baseline upon presentation for malnutrition and at six months post- treatment. Parameters included HIV-free survival, nutritional status and change in diet. Food diary data was entered and processed using the Nutrisurvey (WHO) software. At 6 months post-intervention, a significant improvement in anthropometric parameters was noted. Slowing of linear growth was observed in patients with malaria with a mean gain in centimetres of 4.4 ± 1.7 as compared to 5.6 ± 1.7 in children with no malaria, p < 0.048 (CL 95%: −2.32, −0.01). Dietary diversity scores increased from 5.3 ± 1.9 to 6.5 ± 1.3, p < 0.01 at 6 months. A significant increase (+25%, p < 0.02) in the number of children eating fish meals was noted. Our pilot data describes positive outcomes from a rehabilitative nutritional approach based on use of local foods, peer education, anthropometric and clinical monitoring in areas of high food insecurity. The relationship between malaria and linear growth retardation requires further investigation.
Building Climate Resilience in the Blue Nile/Abay Highlands: A Role for Earth System Sciences
Authors: Zaitchik Benjamin F. , Simane Belay , Habib Shahid , Anderson Martha C. , Ozdogan Mutlu , Foltz Jeremy D.
Published: January 2012

The Blue Nile (Abay) Highlands of Ethiopia are characterized by significant interannual climate variability, complex topography and associated local climate contrasts, erosive rains and erodible soils, and intense land pressure due to an increasing population and an economy that is almost entirely dependent on smallholder, low-input agriculture. As a result, these highland zones are highly vulnerable to negative impacts of climate variability. As patterns of variability and precipitation intensity alter under anthropogenic climate change, there is concern that this vulnerability will increase, threatening economic development and food security in the region. In order to overcome these challenges and to enhance sustainable development in the context of climate change, it is necessary to establish climate resilient development strategies that are informed by best-available Earth System Science (ESS) information. This requirement is complicated by the fact that climate projections for the Abay Highlands contain significant and perhaps irreducible uncertainties. A critical challenge for ESS, then, is to generate and to communicate meaningful information for climate resilient development in the context of a highly uncertain climate forecast. Here we report on a framework for applying ESS to climate resilient development in the Abay Highlands, with a focus on the challenge of reducing land degradation.
Phenolic Compounds Characterization and Biological Activities of Citrus aurantium Bloom
Authors: Karimi Ehsan , Oskoueian Ehsan , Hendra Rudi , Oskoueian Armin , Jaafar Hawa Z. E.
Published: January 2012

Citrus plants are known to possess beneficial biological activities for human health. In addition, ethnopharmacological application of plants is a good tool to explore their bioactivities and active compounds. This research was carried out to evaluate the phenolic and flavonoid analysis, antioxidant properties, anti inflammatory and anti cancer activity of Citrus aurantium bloom. The total phenolics and flavonoids results revealed that methanolic extract contained high total phenolics and flavonoids compared to ethanolic and boiling water extracts. The obtained total phenolics value for methanolic Citrus aurantium bloom extract was 4.55 ± 0.05 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry weight (DW), and for total flavonoids it was 3.83 ± 0.05 mg rutin equivalent/g DW. In addition, the RP-HPLC analyses of phenolics and flavonoids indicated the presence of gallic acid, pyrogallol, syringic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, quercetin and naringin as bioactive compounds. The antioxidant activity of Citrus aurantium bloom were examined by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay and the ferric reducing/antioxidant potential (FRAP). The free radical scavenging and ferric reducing power activities were higher for the methanolic extract of Citrus aurantium bloom at a concentration of 300 μg/mL, with values of 55.3% and 51.7%, respectively, as compared to the corresponding boiling water and ethanolic extracts, but the activities were lower than those of antioxidant standards such as BHT and α-tocopherol. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory result of methanolic extract showed appreciable reduction in nitric oxide production of stimulated RAW 264.7 cells at the presence of plant extract. Apart from that, the anticancer activity of the methanolic extract was investigated in vitro against human cancer cell lines (MCF-7; MDA-MB-231), human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) and Chang cell as a normal human hepatocyte. The obtained result demonstrated the moderate to appreciable activities against all cell line tested and the compounds present in the extracts are non-toxic which make them suitable as potential therapeutics.
Nanoparticle-Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Composites
Authors: Ji Yan , Marshall Jean E. , Terentjev Eugene M.
Published: January 2012

Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) exhibit a number of remarkable physical effects, including a uniquely high-stroke reversible mechanical actuation triggered by external stimuli. Fundamentally, all such stimuli affect the degree of liquid crystalline order in the polymer chains cross-linked into an elastic network. Heat and the resulting thermal actuation act by promoting entropic disorder, as does the addition of solvents. Photo-isomerization is another mechanism of actuation, reducing the orientational order by diminishing the fraction of active rod-like mesogenic units, mostly studied for azobenzene derivatives incorporated into the LCE composition. Embedding nanoparticles provides a new, promising strategy to add functionality to LCEs and ultimately enhance their performance as sensors and actuators. The motivation for the combination of nanoparticles with LCEs is to provide better-controlled actuation stimuli, such as electric and magnetic fields, and broad-spectrum light, by selecting and configuring the appropriate nanoparticles in the LCE matrix. Here we give an overview of recent advances in this area with a focus on preparation, physical properties and actuation performance of the resultant nanocomposites.
Hand Motion Classification Using a Multi-Channel Surface Electromyography Sensor
Authors: Tang Xueyan , Liu Yunhui , Lv Congyi , Sun Dong
Published: January 2012

The human hand has multiple degrees of freedom (DOF) for achieving high-dexterity motions. Identifying and replicating human hand motions are necessary to perform precise and delicate operations in many applications, such as haptic applications. Surface electromyography (sEMG) sensors are a low-cost method for identifying hand motions, in addition to the conventional methods that use data gloves and vision detection. The identification of multiple hand motions is challenging because the error rate typically increases significantly with the addition of more hand motions. Thus, the current study proposes two new methods for feature extraction to solve the problem above. The first method is the extraction of the energy ratio features in the time-domain, which are robust and invariant to motion forces and speeds for the same gesture. The second method is the extraction of the concordance correlation features that describe the relationship between every two channels of the multi-channel sEMG sensor system. The concordance correlation features of a multi-channel sEMG sensor system were shown to provide a vast amount of useful information for identification. Furthermore, a new cascaded-structure classifier is also proposed, in which 11 types of hand gestures can be identified accurately using the newly defined features. Experimental results show that the success rate for the identification of the 11 gestures is significantly high.
Ochratoxigenic Black Species of Aspergilli in Grape Fruits of Northern Italy Identified by an Improved PCR-RFLP Procedure
Authors: Spadaro Davide , Patharajan Subban , Lorè Alessia , Garibaldi Angelo , Gullino Maria Lodovica
Published: January 2012

A collection of 356 isolates of Aspergillus spp. collected during 2006 and 2007 from grapevines in northern Italy were identified through Internal Transcribed Spacer based Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (ITS-RFLP) and tested for ochratoxin A (OTA) production. Restriction endonuclease digestion of the ITS products using the endonucleases HhaI, HinfI and RsaI, distinguished five different RFLPs. From each pattern, three samples were sequenced and the nucleotide sequences showed different species corresponding to Aspergillus niger, A. carbonarius, A. tubingensis, A. japonicus and A. aculeatus. By comparing the sequences of the ITS regions, also the uniseriate species A. japonicus and A. aculeatus could be differentiated by HinfI digestion of the ITS products. Among the aspergilli, A. niger was the major species associated with grapes during 2006 (57.4%), while A. carbonarius was the major species during 2007 (46.6%). All the strains of Aspergillus were tested for their ability to produce OTA on Yeast extract sucrose medium (YES), as it was tested as an optimal substrate for the evaluation of OTA production by black aspergilli. Out of 356 isolates, 63 (17.7%) isolates produced OTA ranging from 0.05 to 3.0 µg mL−1. Most of the ochratoxigenic isolates were A. carbonarius (46) in both years, but also some strains of A. tubingensis (11) and A. japonicus (6) produced lower amounts of OTA.
Le « Dieu vivant » romantique
Authors: Rétat Claude
Published: January 2012

L’expression « Dieu vivant » provient de la Bible (nombreuses occurrences dans l’ancien et dans le nouveau Testament). Elle figure en bonne place dans les dictionnaires du XIX e siècle, portant la notion d’un « vrai » Dieu (par opposition aux « idoles ») et d’un Dieu « personnel » (par opposition aux idées abstraites), conçu comme principe de toute vie. Cette étude part d’un constat : la fréquence de réemploi en contexte romantique, la richesse des potentialités de réutilisation. « Dieu vivant » se constitue en formule-bascule, pour réinvestir des représentations théologiques et déboucher sur un nouvel imaginaire du vivant . La formule est pour ainsi dire active en romantisme : ainsi, chez Hugo, est-elle la formule même qui parle au vivant et le met en branle (« Le cèdre »). Il s’agit donc ici de tracer les cadres de ce ré-emploi romantique. Est analysé l’investissement massif de la formule, autour de 1830, par la littérature saint-simonienne, au service d’une pensée de l’organique, du lien, du « corps social », et plus encore d’une pratique vivante de la réflexion sur le vivant. Son application à une pensée totalisante de l’histoire, de l’humanité et de la nature (« Dieu vivant » permettant de théologiser la pensée de la vie universelle, du vivant mû par le même moteur) ressort de l’œuvre d’Edgar Quinet. Michelet apporte une vue du Dieu vivant, pièce maîtresse d’un système d’auto-création du sujet par lui-même, qui déplace peut-être la perspective du vivant à celle de la vitalité .
An Innovative Strategy in Evaluation: Using a Student Engagement Framework to Evaluate a Role-Based Simulation
Authors: Smith Morgan , Warland Jane , Smith Colleen
Published: January 2012

Online role-play has the potential to actively engage students in authentic learning experiences and help develop their clinical reasoning skills. However, evaluation of student learning for this kind of simulation focuses mainly on the content and outcome of learning, rather than on the process of learning through student engagement. This article reports on the use of a student engagement framework to evaluate an online role-play offered as part of a course in Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Midwifery programs. Instruments that measure student engagement to date have targeted large numbers of students at program and institutional levels, rather than at the level of a specific learning activity. Although the framework produced some useful findings for evaluation purposes, further refinement of the questions is required to be certain that deep learning results from the engagement that occurs with course-level learning initiatives.
Placement of Undergraduate Students in Nursing Homes: Careful Consideration Versus Convenience
Authors: Lane Annette M. , Hirst Sandra P.
Published: January 2012

Several decades ago, concerns were raised about using nursing homes as clinical placement sites for undergraduate nursing students. As a result, some nursing programs moved away from using these clinical sites. However, within the past 15 years, a shift back toward reconsidering nursing homes as viable placement options has begun. What has brought about this shift, and what must happen to ensure that nursing homes provide positive learning experiences for students? This article reviews the literature on placing students in nursing home environments and presents a model that is designed to enhance gerontological competence in undergraduate nursing students, as well as to enhance students’ learning in nursing home placements. If programs use nursing homes for student placements, a carefully constructed plan that encompasses gerontological education throughout the nursing degree program is recommended.
Desconcierto del tiempo presente y retos del futuro. Algunas claves orientativas
Authors: González Portilla Manuel , Urrutikoetxea Lizárraga José
Published: January 2012

La de la incertidumbre es una de las características que mejor define a nuestra sociedad occidental. Vanguardia del mundo durante siglos, se encuentra con que ve cómo se recorta su protagonismo. Desde esa incertidumbre, se cuestiona por su futuro inmediato. La historia reciente pone ante nuestros ojos algunas claves: aparición en escena de grandes potencias demográficas (China e India), industrialización, desarrollo urbano mundial y desplazamiento hacia el Pacífico del eje económico planetario son tres de las más evidentes. En un plano acaso no tan evidente, se están produciendo otros cambios de enorme calado: transición demográfica (mortalidad y fecundidad), cambios en los valores y tipologías familiares, papel insoslayable de una economía basada en la innovación y el conocimiento (I+D+i) y presencia creciente e insustituible de la mujer en todos los ámbitos de la sociedad.
Condiciones y condicionamientos de la innovación social
Authors: Gurrutxaga Abad Ander
Published: January 2012

La innovación tiene condicionamientos y condiciones que limitan los espacios de actuación. Entre los más importantes están la relación con el cambio social, las limitaciones de la estructura social en las sociedades del conocimiento, los límites de la cultura de algunos grupos sociales, la relación con diversas situaciones, su praxis y la retórica con la que, a veces, la envuelven transformando el concepto en un contenedor.
Psicología del sujeto creativo/innovador y las nuevas formas de vida y reproducción
Authors: Villarreal Sáez Mikel
Published: January 2012

La Psicología moderna ha generado un gran esfuerzo y enormes recursos de investigación en torno a la personalidad creativo/innovadora. Marcos epistemológicos y metodológicos positivistas experimentales han marcado el sentido predominante de la investigación. Tantos recursos y dedicación investigadora no han obtenido hasta la fecha resultados concluyentes y mucho menos satisfactorios. La fusión entre creatividad-innovación y productividad desde los discursos hegemónicos psicológico-manageriales marcan el sentido de la investigación predominante. Los diferentes significados que connotan a los términos “Sociedad de la Información” y “Sociedad del Conocimiento” conllevan cada uno por su lado diferentes significados e implicaciones en relación con la acción innovadora de los consumidores y usuarios.
La educación superior en tránsito: ¿Es Bolonia la ruta idónea para la innovación?
Authors: Unceta Satrústegui Alfonso
Published: January 2012

La universidad europea vive tiempos de cambio. Un cambio que se pretende innovador y persigue construir el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior. Esta transformación, que ha sido conocida como el “Proceso de Bolonia”, tiene su origen a finales de los años noventa del pasado siglo y ha ido consolidándose a lo largo de la última década. En las líneas que siguen se reflexiona acerca de las potencialidades innovadoras de Bolonia centrando el análisis en la aplicación práctica en el caso español.
Le corps des rois des rois dans la ville : Ménélik II et Haylé Sellasé à Addis Abeba
Authors: Sohier Estelle
Published: January 2012

Ménélik II et Haylé Sellasé, les deux principaux souverains éthiopiens du xxe siècle, ont tous deux connu des fins de règne et de vie troubles, caractérisées par l’absence de funérailles au moment de leur disparition. Différentes sources endogènes et exogènes sont disponibles pour mieux appréhender leur histoire, au nombre desquelles des monuments visibles aujourd’hui dans la capitale éthiopienne. Le croisement des sources et des regards éthiopiens et étrangers permet de démêler l’écheveau des circonstances de la disparition de Ménélik II et les raisons de la dissimulation du corps du roi défunt. Il permet aussi de comprendre comment son successeur, Haylé Sellasé, a géré politiquement le corps – et, partant, la mémoire – de son prédécesseur, en plaçant également au cœur de sa politique symbolique son propre futur lieu de sépulture. Les monuments d’Addis Abeba transmettent nombre d’informations sur l’histoire des funérailles royales en Éthiopie au xxe siècle, mais aussi sur la place du corps des souverains défunts dans le système politico-religieux de la royauté éthiopienne contemporaine.