bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Valuation of nitrogen retention as an ecosystem service on a catchment scale
Authors: Rankinen Katri , Granlund Kirsti , Etheridge Randall , Seuri Pentti
Published: June 2014

An ecosystem service approach was used to study the water purification service exemplified by impacts of land management scenarios. Nitrogen retention was calculated in two agricultural catchments by the dynamic Integrated Nutrients in Catchments (INCA)-N model. The monetary valuation was based on purification efficiency of artificial wetlands. The set of scenarios were based on existing agricultural water protection measures, and greening of the Common Agricultural Policy proposal. Scenarios were: wintertime crop cover on fields, increase in area of set aside land, decrease in nitrogen fertilization, crop diversification and nutrient recycling in organic farming. Nitrogen retention provided more value in the Yläneenjoki catchment where the main production line was animal husbandry. In the slowly flowing river Lepsämänjoki, the N retention was more effective than in the fast flowing river Yläneenjoki. When comparing measures some proved to have no value or even a negative value. Set aside had a high positive value when calculated per area, but on a catchment scale the value remained low because of the small area of implementation. Nutrient recycling and winter time vegetation cover were the scenarios that reduced N leaching from fields close to targets set in current political decisions. None of the scenarios increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Spatial distribution and hydrochemistry of springs and seepage springs in the Lubuska Upland of western Poland
Authors: Szczucińska Anna Maria
Published: June 2014

The major part of the Polish Plain (central Europe) was shaped during the last glaciation and so far has been considered to be poor in groundwater outflows. The present study aimed to map the groundwater outflows and to analyse their water properties in the Lubuska Upland, western Polish Plain. The mapping of the groundwater outflows was supplemented by hydrochemical analyses (major ions and trace metals) of selected outflows. Altogether, approximately 600 groundwater outflows were recorded, of which 45% were springs. The outflow water discharges ranged from 0.001 to 45 L s−1. Most of them were located at the bottom of the slopes of river valleys. The water was neutral (pH 6.9 to 8.11), with electrical conductivity from 261 to 652 μS cm−1 and average temperature ~10 °C. The most common water type was dominated by bicarbonate, sulphates and calcium ions. The waters often exceeded the quality limits for total Fe and Mn2+. This study revealed that groundwater outflows are a common feature of the areas shaped by former glaciations and are most likely supplied by shallow aquifers.
Implementation of a two-way coupled atmospheric-hydrological system for environmental modeling at regional scale
Authors: Pereira Fábio Farias , de Moraes Marcio A. E. , Uvo Cintia Bertacchi
Published: June 2014

This work describes the two-way coupling performed between the regional atmospheric model Brazilian Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (BRAMS) and the hydrological model MGB-IPH. As a first step of the atmosphere-hydrology coupling, only the water balance variables were coupled. Differences in temporal and spatial scales between MGH-IPH and BRAMS were analyzed. By default, MGB-IPH has a daily time step whereas BRAMS uses smaller time steps. Thus, accumulated rainfall values from BRAMS were used to feed MGB-IPH. On the other hand, daily values of evapotranspiration from MGB-IPH were provided to BRAMS. This procedure was assumed as a daily loop in the simulations. Differences in spatial scales were avoided by using the same grid size (10 × 10 km) in both models, in such a way that neither upscaling nor downscaling was necessary. The coupled system was tested for the Rio Grande basin situated in south-eastern Brazil by comparing results from BRAMS with results from the coupled system for the same period, with the same input data. Outputs from the runs were compared to water vapor satellite images. The results from the coupled model tests indicated that its predictions of rainfall distribution were more accurate than BRAMS.
Drinking water quality monitoring using trend analysis
Authors: Tomperi Jani , Juuso Esko , Eteläniemi Mira , Leiviskä Kauko
Published: June 2014

One of the common quality parameters for drinking water is residual aluminium. High doses of residual aluminium in drinking water or water used in the food industry have been proved to be at least a minor health risk or even to increase the risk of more serious health effects, and cause economic losses to the water treatment plant. In this study, the trend index is developed from scaled measurement data to detect a warning of changes in residual aluminium level in drinking water. The scaling is based on monotonously increasing, non-linear functions, which are generated with generalized norms and moments. Triangular episodes are classified with the trend index and its derivative. The severity of the situations is evaluated by deviation indices. The trend episodes and the deviation indices provide good tools for detecting changes in water quality and for process control.
Ant Colony Optimization for Data Acquisition Mission Planning
Authors: Colmenares Giancarlo , Halal Fadi , Zaremba Marek B.
Published: June 2014

The probabilistic Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) approach is presented to solve the problem of designing an optimal trajectory for a mobile data acquisition platform. An ACO algorithm optimizes an objective function defined in terms of the value of the acquired data samples subject to different sets of constraints depending on the current data acquisition strategy. The analysis presented in this paper focuses on an environment monitoring system, which acquires in-situ data for precise calibration of a water quality monitoring system. The value of the sample is determined based on the concentration of the water pollutant, which in turn is obtained through processing of multi-spectral satellite imagery. Since our problem is defined in a continuous space of coordinates, and in some strategies each point is able to connect to any other point in the space, we adopted a hybrid model that involves a connection graph and also a spatial grid.
The pursuit of evidence-based practice: Comparisons of three guidelines on psychosocial interventions for alcohol problems
Authors: Bergmark Anders , Skogens Lisa , Von Greiff Ninive
Published: June 2014

Aims

In this article we scrutinise three prominent guidelines on psychosocial interventions for alcohol problems. We pay special attention to how congruent the guidelines are in terms of the interventions recommended, and the processes used in order to identify and rank the “evidence” underpinning these recommendations.

Data

The analysed guidelines are: 1) Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Substance Use Disorders, American Psychiatric Association (2006); 2) Alcohol-Use Disorders. The NICE Guideline on Diagnosis, Assessment and Management of Harmful Drinking and Alcohol Dependence (2011), National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, UK; 3) Guidelines for the Treatment of Alcohol Problems, Australian Government, Department of Health and Ageing (2009). The purpose is not to review the three guidelines as such, but to study them as an example of the production of evidence. All report to be based on “best available evidence”, so the guidelines were compared both regarding the actual recommendations and the guideline production procedures and differences in these procedures with related consequences.

Results & CONCLUSIONS

Prestigious organisations in different national contexts have reached divergent conclusions about evidence-based practice and the quality of the scientific studies underpinning these conclusions. Differences in the guidelines regarding interpretations, limitations and grading illustrate the difficulties with the dilemmas of sensitivity (to include factors that are significant for how a psychological intervention is to be judged) and specificity (that irrelevant studies are cleared off) in the recommendations presented.
Conflicting Tendencies in the Development of Scientific and Technical Language Varieties: Metaphorization vs. Standardization
Authors: Iļjinska Larisa , Smirnova Tatjana
Published: June 2014

The present paper discusses relations between meaning and context as an interactive process that promotes cognition and communication, both intralingual and interlingual. The article also studies two evident conflicting tendencies in the development of technical language: metaphorization and standardization. Metaphorical meaning extension is characteristic of technical vocabulary in all discourse domains. At the same time, contemporary development of corpus linguistics facilitates standardization of terms. Taking into account pragmatic aspects of the text environment, i.e. referential, situational, cultural and social contexts, language users can interpret the meaning of new terms, establish relations and interconnections between terms and concepts within a text, domain and entire scientific and technical discourse. In the present article, observations on the nature and application of contemporary technical terminology are made on the basis of extensive empirical research.
Microbiological Aspects In Periodontal Disease And Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Velea Oana A. , Onisei Dan , Onisei Doina , Pogan Andreea , Paganelli Corrado , Velea Iulian P.
Published: June 2014

Background and Aims. Scientists are constantly showing a high interest for the relationship between Periodontal Disease (PD) and Diabetes Mellitus (DM). PD, “the sixth complication” of DM is recognized to be a chronic gram-negative anaerobic infectious disease. This paper is aimed at reviewing and evaluating the correlations between PD and DM from a microbiological point of view. Treatment implications of PD’s management as an important component of DM care is reviewed in the light of microbiological current knowledge. Materials and Methods. Microbiological studies and clinical trials were selected from medical and dental journals, and studied thoroughly. Results. Plaque biofilm and prolonged hyperglycemia increase the risk of PD development in DM. These two features determine inflammatory reactions that end-up in tissue destruction and impaired healing responses. Few pathogens are considered highly prevalent periodontal pathogens, with destructive actions. Studies have shown that metabolic balance or lack of balance determines bacterial variations in diabetic patients with PD. Other results demonstrate the importance of microbial tests (especially PCR techniques) as indicators for healing or disease progression. Conclusions. There aren’t many studies assessing the relationship between PD and DM from microbiological points of view. In light of increasing evidence, larger interventional studies are needed
Near viability for fully nonlinear differential inclusions
Authors: Căpraru Irina , Lazu Alina
Published: June 2014

We consider the nonlinear differential inclusion x′(t) ∈ Ax(t) + F(x(t)), where A is an m-dissipative operator on a separable Banach space X and F is a multi-function. We establish a viability result under Lipschitz hypothesis on F, that consists in proving the existence of solutions of the differential inclusion above, starting from a given set, which remain arbitrarily close to that set, if a tangency condition holds. To this end, we establish a kind of set-valued Gronwall’s lemma and a compactness theorem, which are extensions to the nonlinear case of similar results for semilinear differential inclusions. As an application, we give an approximate null controllability result.
Deformation effects on isospin mixing and isobar analogue resonance for 74−80Kr isotopes
Authors: Aygör Hasan , Ünlü Serdar , Çakmak Neçla , Selam Cevat
Published: June 2014

Pyatov’s method has been applied to investigate Fermi beta transitions in deformed 74–80Kr isotopes. This self-consistent method, which was used to study the isobar analogue states in the spherical odd-odd nuclei, has to date not been applied for the isobar analogue states in deformed nuclei. The nucleon-nucleon residual interaction has been included so that the broken isospin symmetry in the mean field approximation has been restored and the strength parameter of the effective interaction has been taken out to be a free parameter. The energies and wave functions of the isobaric analogue excitations in 74–80Rb isotopes have been obtained within the framework of the pnQRPA method. The probability of the isospin mixing in the ground states and the centroid energies of the isobar analogue resonance have been presented and the deformation effects on these quantities have been quantified.
Sensory recovery after cell therapy in peripheral nerve repair: effects of naïve and skin precursor-derived Schwann cells
Authors: Shakhbazau Antos , Mohanty Chandan , Kumar Ranjan , Midha Rajiv
Published: June 2014

Object

Cell therapy is a promising candidate among biological or technological innovations sought to augment microsurgical techniques in peripheral nerve repair. This report describes long-term functional regenerative effects of cell therapy in the rat injury model with a focus on sensory recovery.

Methods

Schwann cells were derived from isogenic nerve or skin precursor cells and injected into the transected and immediately repaired sciatic nerve distal to the injury site. Sensory recovery was assessed at weeks 4, 7, and 10. Axonal regeneration was assessed at Week 11.

Results

By Week 10, thermal sensitivity in cell therapy groups returned to a level indistinguishable from the baseline (p > 0.05). Immunohistochemistry at 11 weeks after injury showed improved regeneration of NF+ and IB4+ axons.

Conclusions:

The results of this study show that cell therapy significantly improves thermal sensation and the number of regenerated sensory neurons at 11 weeks after injury. These findings contribute to the view of skin-derived stem cells as a reliable source of Schwann cells with therapeutic potential for functional recovery in damaged peripheral nerve.
Case-control studies in neurosurgery
Authors: Nesvick Cody L. , Thompson Clinton J. , Boop Frederick A. , Klimo Paul
Published: June 2014

Object

Observational studies, such as cohort and case-control studies, are valuable instruments in evidence-based medicine. Case-control studies, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular in the neurosurgical literature due to their low cost and relative ease of execution; however, no one has yet systematically assessed these types of studies for quality in methodology and reporting.

Methods

The authors performed a literature search using PubMed/MEDLINE to identify all studies that explicitly identified themselves as “case-control” and were published in the JNS Publishing Group journals (Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, and Neurosurgical Focus) or Neurosurgery. Each paper was evaluated for 22 descriptive variables and then categorized as having either met or missed the basic definition of a case-control study. All studies that evaluated risk factors for a well-defined outcome were considered true case-control studies. The authors sought to identify key features or phrases that were or were not predictive of a true case-control study. Those papers that satisfied the definition were further evaluated using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist.

Results

The search detected 67 papers that met the inclusion criteria, of which 32 (48%) represented true case-control studies. The frequency of true case-control studies has not changed with time. Use of odds ratios (ORs) and logistic regression (LR) analysis were strong positive predictors of true case-control studies (for odds ratios, OR 15.33 and 95% CI 4.52–51.97; for logistic regression analysis, OR 8.77 and 95% CI 2.69–28.56). Conversely, negative predictors included focus on a procedure/intervention (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.13–0.998) and use of the word “outcome” in the Results section (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.082–0.65). After exclusion of nested case-control studies, the negative correlation between focus on a procedure/intervention and true case-control studies was strengthened (OR 0.053, 95% CI 0.0064–0.44). There was a trend toward a negative association between the use of survival analysis or Kaplan-Meier curves and true case-control studies (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.015–1.12). True case-control studies were no more likely than their counterparts to use a potential study design “expert” (OR 1.50, 95% CI 0.57–3.95). The overall average STROBE score was 72% (range 50–86%). Examples of reporting deficiencies were reporting of bias (28%), missing data (55%), and funding (44%).

Conclusions

The results of this analysis show that the majority of studies in the neurosurgical literature that identify themselves as “case-control” studies are, in fact, labeled incorrectly. Positive and negative predictors were identified. The authors provide several recommendations that may reverse the incorrect and inappropriate use of the term “case-control” and improve the quality of design and reporting of true case-control studies in neurosurgery.
Working, Writing and the Antillean Postcolony: Patrick Chamoiseau and Gisèle Pineau
Authors: Milne Lorna
Published: June 2014

Patrick Chamoiseau's Un Dimanche au cachot (2007) and Gisèle Pineau's Folie, aller simple (2010) refer to the authors’ professions (respectively social worker and nurse) to explore the tensions besetting Caribbean territories that belong integrally to the French Republic, yet are culturally distinct from the Hexagon. While both writers use a version of ‘staged marginality’ to raise questions about the ‘imagined community’ of the Republic, each adopts a different political approach and writing strategy. Chamoiseau appears still to struggle with binary colonial anxieties in relation to France, despite his professed immersion in Glissant's transcending ‘Tout-Monde’; Pineau presents a less theorized, more integrative ‘transcultural’ Frenchness based on her personal experience. These contrasting interpretations highlight the need for a theoretical approach to the Antilles that accommodates both the shifting, relational dynamic associated with Glissant's postcolonial perspective, and the binary axis of centre and periphery more commonly associated with colonialism.
SmartStep: A Fully Integrated, Low-Power Insole Monitor
Authors: Hegde Nagaraj , Sazonov Edward
Published: June 2014

Shoe-mounted wearable sensors can be used in applications, such as activity monitoring, gait analysis, post-stroke rehabilitation, body weight measurements and energy expenditure studies. Such wearable sensors typically require the modification or alteration of the shoe, which is not typically feasible for large populations without the direct involvement of shoe manufacturers. This article presents an insole-based wearable sensor (SmartStep) that has its electronics fully embedded into a generic insole, which is usable with a large variety of shoes and, thus, resolves the need for shoe modification. The SmartStep is an always-on electronic device that comprises a 3D accelerometer, a 3D gyroscope and resistive pressure sensors implemented around a CC2540 system-on-chip with an 8051 processor core, Bluetooth low energy (BLE) connectivity and flash memory buffer. The SmartStep is wirelessly interfaced to an Android smart phone application with data logging and visualization capabilities. This article focuses on low-power implementation methods and on the method developed for reliable data buffering, alleviating intermittent connectivity resulting from the user leaving the vicinity of the smart phone. The conducted tests illustrate the power consumption for several possible usage scenarios and the reliability of the data retention method. The trade-off between the power consumption and supported functionality is discussed, demonstrating that SmartStep can be worn for more than two days between battery recharges. The results of the mechanical reliability test on the SmartStep indicate that the pressure sensors in the SmartStep tolerated prolonged human wear. The SmartStep system collected more than 98.5% of the sensor data, in real usage scenarios, having intermittent connectivity with the smart phone.
Hydrodynamic Effects on Spectroscopic Water Detection in Gasoline Pipe Flow
Authors: Kim Jeong , Lee Chang
Published: June 2014

The hydrodynamic effects on spectroscopic water detection were microscopically investigated in a gasoline pipe flow. The effects of the gasoline flow rate and the water content on the water droplet characteristics were investigated experimentally using a phase Doppler particle measurement system. The characteristics of spectral absorbance of water and gasoline were measured using a spectrophotometer to determine the optimal wavelength of the incident light for spectroscopic water detection. The effects of the droplet size on the light transmittance characteristics were calculated using the light extinction theory of Mie scattering on polydisperse particles and experimental results on the water droplet size in the gasoline flow. The measurement results of spectral absorbance showed that gasoline was almost transparent at 980 nm wavelength of light while water showed peak absorption at this wavelength, therefore, it was appropriate incident light for spectroscopic water detection. It was found that the flow conditions of the gasoline flow rate and the water content influenced the Sauter mean diameter and the volume concentration of water droplets, which influenced the light transmittance.
The Effects of CoCl2 on HIF-1α Protein under Experimental Conditions of Autoprogressive Hypoxia Using Mouse Models
Authors: Zhang Yan-Bo , Wang Xiulian , Meister Edward , Gong Ke-Rui , Yan Shao-Chun , Lu Guo-Wei , Ji Xun-Ming , Shao Guo
Published: June 2014

It is well known that cobalt chloride (CoCl2) can enhance the stability of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α. The aim of this study is to detect the effect of CoCl2 on the hypoxia tolerance of mice which were repeatedly exposed to autoprogressive hypoxia. Balb/c mice were randomly divided into groups of chemical pretreatment and normal saline (NS), respectively injected with CoCl2 and NS 3 h before exposure to hypoxia for 0 run (H0), 1 run (H1), and 4 runs (H4). Western Blot, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), extracellular recordings population spikes in area cornus ammonis I (CA 1) of mouse hippocampal slices and real-time were used in this study. Our results demonstrated that the tolerance of mice to hypoxia, the changes of HIF-1α protein level and HIF-1 DNA binding activity in mice hippocampus, the mRNA level of erythropoietin (EPO) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the disappearance time of population spikes of hippocampal slices were substantially different between the control group and the CoCl2 group. Over-induction of HIF-1α by pretreatment with CoCl2 before hypoxia did not increase the hypoxia tolerance.
Celecoxib Suppresses the Phosphorylation of STAT3 Protein and Can Enhance the Radiosensitivity of Medulloblastoma-Derived Cancer Stem-Like Cells
Authors: Yang Meng-Yin , Lee Hsu-Tung , Chen Chien-Min , Shen Chiung-Chyi , Ma Hsin-I
Published: June 2014

Medulloblastoma (MB) is a malignant primary brain tumor with poor prognosis. MB-derived CD133/Nestin double-positive cells (MB-DPs) exhibit cancer stem-like cell (CSC)-like properties that may contribute to chemoradioresistance, tumorigenesis and recurrence. In various tumors, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) upregulation including MB which can regulate the expression of Nestin. Celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, has been shown to potentially reduce STAT3 phosphorylation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of celecoxib in enhancing the effects of ionizing radiotherapy (IR) on MB-DP. MB-DPs and MB-derived CD133/Nestin double-negative cells (MB-DNs) were isolated from medulloblastoma cell line Daoy. Then, both of them were treated with celecoxib in different concentrations, and cell viability was assessed. The assays of cell survival, sphere formation, radiosensitivity, colony formation, apoptotic activity and mouse xenografting experiments in MB-DPs and MB-DNs treated with celecoxib alone, radiation alone, or celecoxib combined with radiation were further evaluated. We isolated MB-DPs from MB cell line Daoy, which exhibited typical CSC-like characteristics. Microarray analysis and Western blotting both indicated the upregulation of Janus kinase (JAK)-STAT cascade and STAT3 phosphorylation. Incubation with celecoxib dose-dependently suppressed the CSC-like properties and enhanced the IR effect on the induction of apoptosis, as detected by TUNEL assay and staining for Caspase 3 and Annexin V. Finally, celecoxib also enhanced the IR effect to suppress tumorigenesis and synergistically improve the recipient survival in orthotopic MB-derived CD133/Nestin double-positive cells (MB-DP cells) bearing mice.
A Survey of Access Control Models in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Maw Htoo , Xiao Hannan , Christianson Bruce , Malcolm James
Published: June 2014

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have attracted considerable interest in the research community, because of their wide range of applications. However, due to the distributed nature of WSNs and their deployment in remote areas, these networks are vulnerable to numerous security threats that can adversely affect their proper functioning. Resource constraints in sensor nodes mean that security mechanisms with a large overhead of computation and communication are impractical to use in WSNs; security in sensor networks is, therefore, a challenge. Access control is a critical security service that offers the appropriate access privileges to legitimate users and prevents illegitimate users from unauthorized access. However, access control has not received much attention in the context of WSNs. This paper provides an overview of security threats and attacks, outlines the security requirements and presents a state-of-the-art survey on access control models, including a comparison and evaluation based on their characteristics in WSNs. Potential challenging issues for access control schemes in WSNs are also discussed.
A Novel Clustering-Based Feature Representation for the Classification of Hyperspectral Imagery
Authors: Lu Qikai , Huang Xin , Zhang Liangpei
Published: June 2014

In this study, a new clustering-based feature extraction algorithm is proposed for the spectral-spatial classification of hyperspectral imagery. The clustering approach is able to group the high-dimensional data into a subspace by mining the salient information and suppressing the redundant information. In this way, the relationship between neighboring pixels, which was hidden in the original data, can be extracted more effectively. Specifically, in the proposed algorithm, a two-step process is adopted to make use of the clustering-based information. A clustering approach is first used to produce the initial clustering map, and, subsequently, a multiscale cluster histogram (MCH) is proposed to represent the spatial information around each pixel. In order to evaluate the robustness of the proposed MCH, four clustering techniques are employed to analyze the influence of the clustering methods. Meanwhile, the performance of the MCH is compared to three other widely used spatial features: the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), the 3D wavelet texture, and differential morphological profiles (DMPs). The experiments conducted on four well-known hyperspectral datasets verify that the proposed MCH can significantly improve the classification accuracy, and it outperforms other commonly used spatial features.
Frequency-Shifted Interferometry — A Versatile Fiber-Optic Sensing Technique
Authors: Ye Fei , Zhang Yiwei , Qi Bing , Qian Li
Published: June 2014

Fiber-optic sensing is a field that is developing at a fast pace. Novel fiber-optic sensor designs and sensing principles constantly open doors for new opportunities. In this paper, we review a fiber-optic sensing technique developed in our research group called frequency-shifted interferometry (FSI). This technique uses a continuous-wave light source, an optical frequency shifter, and a slow detector. We discuss the operation principles of several FSI implementations and show their applications in fiber length and dispersion measurement, locating weak reflections along a fiber link, fiber-optic sensor multiplexing, and high-sensitivity cavity ring-down measurement. Detailed analysis of FSI system parameters is also presented.
L’ouverture du marché du travail français aux ressortissants des nouveaux États membres de l’Union européenne
Authors: Bailliet Magali , Klein Caroline
Published: June 2014

In response to the European Union (EU) enlargement of 2004 and 2007, France, like most of the “ old ” Member States, has only gradually opened its labor market to citizens of the New Member States (NMSs). France initially based its migration policy toward the NMSs on the labor market needs of its domestic economy. The labor-market opening was guided by a list of occupations in which France has experienced chronic workforce shortages. Initial assessments show that the opening has involved a limited increase in inward migration flows, mostly at intermediate skill levels. The flows may have intensified more recently after the total opening of the labor market to countries that joined the EU in 2004.
Non-linéarité de la fonction de réaction des autorités monétaires tunisiennes
Authors: Haddou Samira
Published: June 2014

L’objectif de cet article est d’étudier le comportement de la Banque centrale de Tunisie dans la conduite de sa politique monétaire. À cette fin, une règle de Taylor pour le taux d’intérêt est estimée en utilisant un modèle de régression à transition lisse sur la période 1990-2008. Les résultats suggèrent que la fonction de réaction est non-linéaire, convexe par rapport à l’inflation , concave par rapport à l’écart de production, et que l’aversion contre le risque d’inflation domine l’aversion contre le risque de récession. Ces résultats indiquent que les risques d’inflation et de récession qui guettent la conduite de la politique monétaire incitent la banque centrale à mettre en œuvre une approche de la politique en termes de gestion de risque quant à la manipulation de son taux directeur.
Une méta-analyse de l’impact des subventions sur le prix mondial du coton
Authors: Guerreiro David
Published: June 2014

Malgré le nombre important d’études sur les impacts des subventions sur le prix mondial du coton, il n’existe pas de consensus concernant la quantification de ces effets. L’objectif de cet article est de réaliser une méta-analyse capable d’expliquer la source de l’hétérogénéité des résultats, de donner des indications quant aux variables indispensables à la modélisation, mais aussi de présenter un chiffrage des effets des subventions. Nous montrons que les valeurs des élasticités, les montants des subventions et l'incorporation de certains facteurs-clés sont les sources principales des variations inter-études. Une modélisation appropriée requiert ainsi une estimation précise des élasticités et l’intégration de certains facteurs constitutifs du prix mondial du coton tels que les niveaux de stocks ou le prix du polyester.
Productivité et innovations de procédé et de produit dans les entreprises industrielles et de services
Authors: Robin Stéphane , Mairesse Jacques
Published: June 2014

Nous mesurons l’effet de l’innovation sur la productivité en France, avec un modèle à équations multiples prenant en compte différentes formes d’innovation et contrôlant pour la sélection et l’endogénéité. Nous estimons ce modèle sur les données des enquêtes CIS3 et CIS4, à l'aide de deux procédures distinctes. Dans l’industrie, l’innovation de procédé apparaît comme le principal déterminant de la productivité. Dans les services, nos estimations ne conduisent pas à une conclusion tranchée. Des analyses de sensibilité suggèrent que nos indicateurs mesurent l’innovation “ en général ”. En utilisant un indicateur unique, nous trouvons systématiquement un effet positif de l'innovation. Nous concluons en incitant à la prudence quant à la mesure de l’innovation de produit et de procédé et quant à la modélisation jointe de leurs impacts sur la productivité des entreprises.
Gouvernance d’entreprise et performances sectorielles : une réévaluation de la fiabilité des scores et des mesures de bonne gouvernance
Authors: Ravix Jacques-Laurent , Qu Yiping , Krafft Jackie
Published: June 2014

L’article présente une revue de la littérature qui explique, tout d’abord, comment les fondements analytiques de la gouvernance d’entreprise ont été traduits en critères opérationnels, puis comment la généralisation de l’utilisation de ces critères a progressivement donné lieu à leur codification au sein de bases de données en appui à la décision des investisseurs et des politiques. L’article propose également une étude empirique sur les données de la base RM / ISS, qui est de loin la plus complète et la plus fréquemment utilisée dans le milieu académique et dans le monde des affaires pour traiter ces questions. Les résultats montrent que la fiabilité des scores et des mesures dépend de leur capacité à intégrer un grand nombre de critères et que, parmi ces critères, l’appartenance sectorielle est décisive.
Culioli après Benveniste : énonciation, langage, intégration
Authors: De Vogüé Sarah
Published: June 2014

Le terme d'énonciation ne recouvre pas la même problématique chez Benveniste et chez Culioli. Tous deux sont en revanche amenés à revenir sur la conception structuraliste qui réduit le champ de la linguistique à l'objet "langue". Culioli prend pour objet l'activité langagière telle qu'elle se manifeste dans les énoncés. Benveniste fonde le langage sur la double dimension sémiotique et sémantique. De la comparaison entre ces deux perspectives, il ressort qu'une continuité peut être restituée par delà les divergences : elle se noue dans "Les niveaux de l'analyse linguistique', juste avant que Benveniste en vienne à séparer le signe et la phrase, quand il introduit le concept d'intégration qui permet de les articuler.
Les écritures exposées
Authors: Fraenkel Béatrice
Published: June 2014

Un constat est à l'origine de notre réflexion : Les écritures exposées ne sont pas nécessairement destinées à être lues. Ce paradoxe nous interroge sur la pratique d'exposition des écritures : si elle n'est pas informative, quelle fonction remplit-elle ? Une première enquête historique nous a permis de préciser la problématique soulevée par cette question. Visibles, plus ou moins lisibles, les écritures exposées constituent l'espace public en lieu de mémoire. Elles nous renvoient à l'émergence du régime démocratique en Grèce puis à Rome. Mais sous une forme inattendue : les lois gravées sont souvent illisibles. Elles ont pour fonction de donner consistance à la voix du peuple qu'elles transforment en sujet "monumental".
Certes, voire : l'évolution sémantique de deux marqueurs assertifs de l'ancien français
Authors: Rodríguez Somolinos Amalia
Published: June 2014

In Old French there are similarities in the semantic function of certes, voir and voire, each representing an illocutionary act of assertion. The speaker thereby gave great emphasis to the truth of a statement. The terms served either to reinforce an assertion or to confirm the truth of a previous assertion. Diachronically, certes and voire have undergone a similar semantic evolution. Both are polyphonic in modern French, and the speaker shows thus less confidence in the statement concerned. The original assertive usage has weakened and has given way, in modern French, to a new use. Certes and voire express nowadays doubt or uncertainty about the truth of an assertion.
Comment se voient-ils apprenant la langue étrangère ? Comment se voient-ils enseignant la langue étrangère ?
Authors: Vasseur Marie-Thérèse , Grandcolas Bernadette
Published: June 2014

Cette présentation est basée sur une recherche faite parallèlement avec des élèves du système secondaire britannique et des étudiants /stagiaires français et britanniques qui leur enseignent le français. Si les auteurs s'intéressent aux aspects métalinguistiques de cet enseignement, dans un système où il n'existe pas d'approche grammaticale en langue maternelle comme en langue étrangère, ils souhaitent travailler dans une perspective plus globalisante : ainsi les données collectées montrent que les points de vue exprimés reflètent les représentations et les cultures d'enseignement / apprentissage. Cette recherche vise à mettre en place, chez les élèves comme chez les futurs enseignants, une approche reflexive. Les questionnaires élaborés pour les deux groupes sont essentiellement des outils de formation, qui amènent élèves et enseignants à parler ensemble de l'apprentissage (théories élaborées par l'apprenant, justification des choix méthodologiques) et à devenir plus responsables et autonomes.
Antimicrobial nanospheres thin coatings prepared by advanced pulsed laser technique
Authors: Holban Alina Maria , Grumezescu Valentina , Grumezescu Alexandru Mihai , Vasile Bogdan Ştefan , Truşcă Roxana , Cristescu Rodica , Socol Gabriel , Iordache Florin
Published: June 2014

We report on the fabrication of thin coatings based on polylactic acid-chitosan-magnetite-eugenol (PLA-CS-Fe3O4@EUG) nanospheres by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation proved that the homogenous Fe3O4@EUG nanoparticles have an average diameter of about 7 nm, while the PLA-CS-Fe3O4@EUG nanospheres diameter sizes range between 20 and 80 nm. These MAPLE-deposited coatings acted as bioactive nanosystems and exhibited a great antimicrobial effect by impairing the adherence and biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) bacteria strains. Moreover, the obtained nano-coatings showed a good biocompatibility and facilitated the normal development of human endothelial cells. These nanosystems may be used as efficient alternatives in treating and preventing bacterial infections.
A HIERARCHICAL MODEL FOR ECO-DESIGN OF CONSUMER ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS
Authors: WANG Xiaojun , CHAN Hing Kai , LEE Carman K. M. , LI Dong
Published: June 2014

Designing environmentally friendly products has become a tighter requirement in the marketplace because of both the increasing trend in awareness of consumers and the obligations from legislation requirements. Unfortunately, this is not a straight forward decision for designers to evaluate whether their design options are satisfactory in terms of balancing various factors (for examples, different forms of environmental assessment) or not. This is partly attributed to the fact that there is no universally accepted approach for conducting such analysis. In this connection, this research makes reference to a European Union (EU) directive as a reference model and makes use of Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP), which is a useful tool to help designers to make decision, for evaluating eco-design options. The AHP model is developed based on two case studies on consumer electronic products. Pairwise comparisons, one of the key steps in AHP, are conducted with the expertise gained from the case studies and the help from the software package Expert Choice. The paper also reveals how design options can be evaluated, or be screened out. The proposed method does not require the designers to conduct detailed analysis (life-cycle assessment for example) for every new product options and hence can save their time. This is particularly important when they are facing shorter and shorter product life cycle nowadays.
USING A DECISION-MAKING PROCESS TO EVALUATE EFFICIENCY AND OPERATING PERFORMANCE FOR LISTED SEMICONDUCTOR COMPANIES
Authors: HSU Li-Chang
Published: June 2014

Today’s high-tech industries face increasing competition and challenges. Thus, for hightech companies, making effective use of resources to enhance business performance and maintain the competitive advantage in the market has become increasingly important. Therefore, this study aimed to design a decision-making model for evaluating the efficiency and operating performance of Taiwan’s listed semiconductor companies in 2010 to provide a basis for improving business performance. In view of this, this study combines data envelopment analysis (DEA) and improved grey relational analysis (IGRA) as efficiency tools to measure relative efficiencies; the semiconductor companies are divided into two groups, efficient and inefficient. We then integrate the multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) method (e.g. VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje, VIKOR), IGRA and the entropy weight method to evaluate the operating performance of the efficient and inefficient groups, respectively. Establishing a reasonable, objective and valid evaluation model to measure semiconductor companies’ operating efficiency can provide company managers, investors and policy makers with a reference for performance evaluation.
Effect of water activity and temperature on growth ofAspergillus carbonarius andAspergillus tubingensis and their interactions on ochratoxin A production
Authors: Chiotta M.L. , Sosa D.M. , Ponsone M.L. , Chulze S.N.
Published: June 2014

Aspergillus sectionNigri are described as the main source of ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination in grapes and wine worldwide. The grape-growing area in Argentina has a wide latitudinal extension with ecological variations that allow the classification of well-demarcated regions. The aims of this study were: to determine the effect of eco-physiological parameters on growth ofAspergillus tubingensis andAspergillus carbonarius and to evaluate the interaction between these species on OTA production in synthetic grape juice medium under different water activity (aw) and temperature conditions. The results showed that optimal growth conditions forA. tubingensis andA. carbonarius were 0.980 aw and 28 °C, howeverA. tubingensis grew faster thanA. carbonarius at all temperatures and aw tested. OTA production byA. carbonarius was favoured at 20 °C and 0.950-0.965 aw, during 14 days of incubation. The effect ofA. tubingensis on OTA production byA. carbonarius was mainly dependent on temperature. At 35 °C,A. tubingensis reduced the OTA production while this effect was not observed at 20 °C. More OTA could be produced as a defence reaction against fungal competitors to maintain niche colonisation, but in this study no effects by a related species were observed.
Phenotypic differentiation of species fromAspergillus sectionFlavi on neutral red desiccated coconut agar
Authors: Ezekiel C.N. , Adetunji M.C. , Atanda O.O. , Frisvad J.C. , Houbraken J. , Samson R.A.
Published: June 2014

In order to facilitate easy and rapid identification of aflatoxin-producingAspergillus species, the phenotypic traits ofAspergillus sectionFlavi isolates were examined on neutral red desiccated coconut agar (NRDCA). Phenotype variations in colony morphology and the relationship between colour/intensity of fluorescence and aflatoxin production were assessed. The isolates included 10Aspergillus minisclerotigenes strains, 11 non-aflatoxigenicAspergillus flavus L strains, 29 aflatoxigenicA. flavus L strains and 20 strains each ofAspergillus parasiticus andAspergillus parvisclerotigenus. The NRDCA medium supported morphological differentiation of the four species based on colony features, conidia type and colour. In particular, the two very closely related minisclerotial species,A. minisclerotigenes andA. parvisclerotigenus, were clearly differentiated by their colony colour on NRDCA. All toxigenic isolates produced aflatoxins in the culture medium in varying quantities. Plates of aflatoxigenicA. flavus L strains fluoresced bluish purple/lavender around the colony on the obverse and pastel blue on the reverse side due to aflatoxin B production while those ofA. minisclerotigenes,A. parasiticus andA. parvisclerotigenus fluoresced with a light blue or light turquoise ring around the colony on the obverse and light sky blue or cadet blue on the reverse side depending on the amount of aflatoxin B and G produced. The colour of fluorescence significantly correlated (r=0.95,P=0.001) with the type(s) of aflatoxins produced by the isolates. In addition, the concentration of aflatoxins significantly (r=0.92;P=0.001) influenced the intensity of fluorescence in the aflatoxin-producing species. NRDCA can therefore be used for the rapid identification ofAspergillus sectionFlavi species based on colonial characteristics, and grouping of species into B and B+G aflatoxin producers within 5 days thus obviating the need for chemical analysis of the culture.
Somatic Symptoms and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adult Korean Immigrants
Authors: Lee Young Me
Published: June 2014

Given the lack of understanding of how Korean immigrants express depressive symptoms, the purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to describe somatic symptoms and depressive symptoms and examine the relationship between them, as reported by older adult Korean immigrants. Purposive sampling was used in this study of 160 older adult (ages 65 to 91) Korean immigrants. Most of these participants immigrated to the United States at an older age. They reported a high level of depressive symptoms, and these symptoms were closely associated with somatic symptoms, a finding that coincides with previous studies differentiating Korean individuals from individuals of other cultures. The findings from this study highlight the need for health care providers to be aware of and recognize cultural differences in how patients express depressive symptoms somatically when assessing and treating depression within the older adult Korean immigrant population. [
Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 41
(1), 50–58.]
Los arbitristas y la América portuguesa (1590-1640)
Authors: Dantas Vinicius
Published: June 2014

Este artículo reflexiona sobre el papel de los arbitristas y de sus escritos en el gobierno y la conservación del Brasil durante el período de la unión de las coronas ibéricas. A pesar de la existencia de una historiografía sobre los arbitristas en Portugal, la investigación ha concedido poca importancia al estudio de los arbitrios referidos a la América portuguesa.
La Familia Gomphotheriidae en América del Sur: evidencia de molares al norte de la Patagonia chilena
Authors: Recabarren Omar P. , Pino Mario , Alberdi María Teresa
Published: June 2014

Damos a conocer los estudios estadísticos hechos con diez molares M3 y m3 del centro-sur de Chile, comparados con material de gonfoterios Stegomastodon platensis, Stegomastodon waringi y Cuvieronius hyodon de América del Sur. Además se analizan tres fragmentos de defensa provenientes de los sitios chilenos de Monte Verde, Mulpulmo y Nochaco. En el análisis estadístico es claro que los molares son muy variables en forma, así como en tamaño y presentan una gran dispersión, sin embargo en los diagramas bivariantes la mayoría de los molares de Chile se agrupan con los molares de talla grande (del género Stegomastodon). Los análisis discriminantes indican que de los siete m3, cinco se asocian a Stegomastodon platensis y dos a Cuvieronius hyodon. De los tres M3, dos se asocian con la especie Stegomastodon platensis y uno con Stegomastodon waringi. Se discute la probable simpatría de las especies S. Platensis y C. hyodon en el sur de Chile.