bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Accelerated Backprojection Algorithm for Monostatic and Bistatic SAR Processing
Authors: Zhang Heng , Tang Jiangwen , Wang Robert , Deng Yunkai , Wang Wei , Li Ning
Published: January 2018

The backprojection (BP) algorithm has been applied to every SAR mode due to its great focusing quality and adaptability. However, the BP algorithm suffers from immense computational complexity. To improve the efficiency of the conventional BP algorithm, several fast BP (FBP) algorithms, such as the fast factorization BP (FFBP) and Block_FFBP, have been developed in recent studies. In the derivation of Block_FFBP, range data are divided into blocks, and the upsampling process is performed using an interpolation kernel instead of a fast Fourier transform (FFT), which reduces the processing efficiency. To circumvent these limitations, an accelerated BP algorithm based on Block_FFBP is proposed. In this algorithm, a fixed number of pivots rather than the beam centers is applied to construct the relationship of the propagation time delay between the “new” and “old” subapertures. Partition in the range dimension is avoided, and the range data are processed as a bulk. This accelerated BP algorithm benefits from the integrated range processing scheme and is extended to bistatic SAR processing. In this sense, the proposed algorithm can be referred to simply as MoBulk_FFBP for the monostatic SAR case and BiBulk_FFBP for the bistatic SAR case. Furthermore, for monostatic and azimuth-invariant bistatic SAR cases where the platform runs along a straight trajectory, the slant range mapping can be expressed in a continuous and analytical form. Real data from the spaceborne/stationary bistatic SAR experiment with TerraSAR-X operating in the staring spotlight mode and from the airborne spotlight SAR experiment acquired in 2016 are used to validate the performances of BiBulk_FFBP and MoBulk_FFBP, respectively.
Portraying Urban Functional Zones by Coupling Remote Sensing Imagery and Human Sensing Data
Authors: Tu Wei , Hu Zhongwen , Li Lefei , Cao Jinzhou , Jiang Jincheng , Li Qiuping , Li Qingquan
Published: January 2018

Portraying urban functional zones provides useful insights into understanding complex urban systems and establishing rational urban planning. Although several studies have confirmed the efficacy of remote sensing imagery in urban studies, coupling remote sensing and new human sensing data like mobile phone positioning data to identify urban functional zones has still not been investigated. In this study, a new framework integrating remote sensing imagery and mobile phone positioning data was developed to analyze urban functional zones with landscape and human activity metrics. Landscapes metrics were calculated based on land cover from remote sensing images. Human activities were extracted from massive mobile phone positioning data. By integrating them, urban functional zones (urban center, sub-center, suburbs, urban buffer, transit region and ecological area) were identified by a hierarchical clustering. Finally, gradient analysis in three typical transects was conducted to investigate the pattern of landscapes and human activities. Taking Shenzhen, China, as an example, the conducted experiment shows that the pattern of landscapes and human activities in the urban functional zones in Shenzhen does not totally conform to the classical urban theories. It demonstrates that the fusion of remote sensing imagery and human sensing data can characterize the complex urban spatial structure in Shenzhen well. Urban functional zones have the potential to act as bridges between the urban structure, human activity and urban planning policy, providing scientific support for rational urban planning and sustainable urban development policymaking.
Joint Probabilistic Data Association Filter with Unknown Detection Probability and Clutter Rate
Authors: He Shaoming , Shin Hyo-Sang , Tsourdos Antonios
Published: January 2018

This paper proposes a novel joint probabilistic data association (JPDA) filter for joint target tracking and track maintenance under unknown detection probability and clutter rate. The proposed algorithm consists of two main parts: (1) the standard JPDA filter with a Poisson point process birth model for multi-object state estimation; and (2) a multi-Bernoulli filter for detection probability and clutter rate estimation. The performance of the proposed JPDA filter is evaluated through empirical tests. The results of the empirical tests show that the proposed JPDA filter has comparable performance with ideal JPDA that is assumed to have perfect knowledge of detection probability and clutter rate. Therefore, the algorithm developed is practical and could be implemented in a wide range of applications.
Hierarchical Discriminant Analysis
Authors: Lu Di , Ding Chuntao , Xu Jinliang , Wang Shangguang
Published: January 2018

The Internet of Things (IoT) generates lots of high-dimensional sensor intelligent data. The processing of high-dimensional data (e.g., data visualization and data classification) is very difficult, so it requires excellent subspace learning algorithms to learn a latent subspace to preserve the intrinsic structure of the high-dimensional data, and abandon the least useful information in the subsequent processing. In this context, many subspace learning algorithms have been presented. However, in the process of transforming the high-dimensional data into the low-dimensional space, the huge difference between the sum of inter-class distance and the sum of intra-class distance for distinct data may cause a bias problem. That means that the impact of intra-class distance is overwhelmed. To address this problem, we propose a novel algorithm called Hierarchical Discriminant Analysis (HDA). It minimizes the sum of intra-class distance first, and then maximizes the sum of inter-class distance. This proposed method balances the bias from the inter-class and that from the intra-class to achieve better performance. Extensive experiments are conducted on several benchmark face datasets. The results reveal that HDA obtains better performance than other dimensionality reduction algorithms.
Sustainability Evaluation of Power Grid Construction Projects Using Improved TOPSIS and Least Square Support Vector Machine with Modified Fly Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Niu Dongxiao , Li Yan , Dai Shuyu , Kang Hui , Xue Zhenyu , Jin Xianing , Song Yi
Published: January 2018

The electric power industry is of great significance in promoting social and economic development and improving people’s living standards. Power grid construction is a necessary part of infrastructure construction, whose sustainability plays an important role in economic development, environmental protection and social progress. In order to effectively evaluate the sustainability of power grid construction projects, in this paper, we first identified 17 criteria from four dimensions including economy, technology, society and environment to establish the evaluation criteria system. After that, the grey incidence analysis was used to modify the traditional Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), which made it possible to evaluate the sustainability of electric power construction projects based on visual angle of similarity and nearness. Then, in order to simplify the procedure of experts scoring and computation, on the basis of evaluation results of the improved TOPSIS, the model using Modified Fly Optimization Algorithm (MFOA) to optimize the Least Square Support Vector Machine (LSSVM) was established. Finally, a numerical example was given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model.
A System Analysis on Steppe Sustainability and Its Driving Forces—A Case Study in China
Authors: Zhao Xiangwei , Gao Qian , Yue Yaojie , Duan Lian , Pan Shun
Published: January 2018

Steppe is an indispensable component for terrestrial ecosystems and it is of great significance to systematically analyze steppe sustainability and its driving forces. In this study, we propose a steppe dynamics ranking method based on Pauta criterion and a steppe sustainability assessment method with an effect matrix. The natural driving forces on steppe sustainability were systematically analyzed using the copula model, and the anthropogenic driving factors, including land use, were analyzed by using spatial overlay and statistical analysis methods. The results showed the following: (1) in general, steppe sustainability showed a trend of improvement from 2001 to 2010 in China. However, there were still some degraded areas scattered within the study area; (2) the consistent effect of steppe dynamics on steppe sustainability was significant on the whole, although there was a diverse effect on it; (3) among the natural factors, precipitation was the strongest positive driving force, followed by temperature average, while sunshine duration had strong negative driving force. The impact caused by land use factors was controlled during that decade, and the steppe land that evolved from urban and built-up land, cropland, and forest was vulnerable and resulted in steppe sustainability degradation.
The Impact of Foreign Direct Investments and Remittances on Economic Growth: A Case Study in Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Comes Calin-Adrian , Bunduchi Elena , Vasile Valentina , Stefan Daniel
Published: January 2018

This paper investigates the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and remittances on Economic Growth (EG), using panel data of seven countries from Central and Eastern Europe with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita under 25,000 $. The empirical literature stressed the relationships between FDI and remittances and economic growth, and our purpose is to identify if there are significant relationships between FDI, remittances and economic growth in the seven analyzed countries. We find a positive impact of both FDI and remittances on GDP, but the influence of FDI is higher in all analyzed states, with accepting the assumption of ceteris paribus principles in limiting research caused by other possible determinants.
Key Drivers for Cooperation toward Sustainable Development and the Management of CO2 Emissions: Comparative Analysis of Six Northeast Asian Countries
Authors: Chapman Andrew , Fujii Hidemichi , Managi Shunsuke
Published: January 2018

This study analyzes the key drivers of the relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions in six Northeast Asian countries (China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and Russia) from 1991 to 2015. We apply a decomposition analysis approach using Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index to identify the main contributing factors toward CO2 emission changes. To discuss the decomposition results in more in detail, we explain the energy portfolio change in each country to understand the energy and resource utilization strategy. From the results, we find that the key driving factors of CO2 emissions change and energy portfolio trends are different among Northeast Asian countries, driven by economic growth in China and Korea, reduced by energy efficiency improvements in Russia and the DPRK, while being relatively benign in Japan and Mongolia due to a combination of these factors. This result implies that we can better understand the regional cooperation policy for improving each driving factor to achieve sustainable development and management of CO2 emissions considering the characteristics of each country.
Determinants Linked to Family Business Sustainability in the UAE: An AHP Approach
Authors: Oudah Mohammed , Jabeen Fauzia , Dixon Christopher
Published: January 2018

The purpose of this study is to identify and prioritise the various success factors linked to the sustainability of large and medium sized family businesses (FB) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A well-researched methodology was used for the synthesis of priorities and the measurement of consistencies. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model was developed with seven criteria and 15 sub-criteria gleaned from prior research. Data were collected using an interview-based survey conducted on twelve medium and large sized family firms in the UAE. The data collected were interpreted and a priority vector was assigned. The findings show that large family businesses in the UAE are aware of transition failure and have long-term planning for their future generations in place; however, they need to give more importance to family values and family capital. On the other hand, medium sized family businesses are less aware of transition failure and have limited long-term planning; they are more concerned with short-term returns. Therefore, they need to create and give more importance to succession planning, strategic planning and corporate governance to ensure their business longevity. The study highlights multi-generation family business sustainability, and identifies the major determinants that the family members and business leaders need to consider for their business continuity and survival. The model can be utilized by academics in family business sustainability studies. The findings interpreted can help policy makers and related associations develop various policies based on the specific factors found to run the family businesses in a sustainable manner. The research model had limited dimensions and the findings cannot be generalized. This study is the first to study the determinants of family business sustainability in the context of the UAE using the AHP model.
What Drives the Implementation of Industry 4.0? The Role of Opportunities and Challenges in the Context of Sustainability
Authors: Müller Julian Marius , Kiel Daniel , Voigt Kai-Ingo
Published: January 2018

The implementation of Industry 4.0 has a far-reaching impact on industrial value creation. Studies on its opportunities and challenges for companies are still scarce. However, the high practical and theoretical relevance of digital and connected manufacturing technologies implies that it is essential to understand the underlying dynamics of their implementation. Thus, this study examines the relevance of Industry 4.0-related opportunities and challenges as drivers for Industry 4.0 implementation in the context of sustainability, taking a differentiated perspective on varying company sizes, industry sectors, and the company’s role as an Industry 4.0 provider or user. A research model comprising relevant Industry 4.0-related opportunities and challenges as antecedents for its implementation is hypothesized. In order to test the model, partial least square structural equation modeling is applied for a sample of 746 German manufacturing companies from five industry sectors. The results show that strategic, operational, as well as environmental and social opportunities are positive drivers of Industry 4.0 implementation, whereas challenges with regard to competitiveness and future viability as well as organizational and production fit impede its progress. Moreover, it is shown that the perception of Industry 4.0-related opportunities and challenges as antecedents to Industry 4.0 implementation depends on different company characteristics.
Assessment of Soil Quality of Croplands in the Corn Belt of Northeast China
Authors: Li Xiaoyan , Li Huiying , Yang Limin , Ren Yongxing
Published: January 2018

The increasing global demands for land resource with increasing population have resulted in occurrence of soil degradation in many regions of the world. Assessment of soil quality has become the basic work for agricultural sustainable development and selecting regional indicators effectively has become very important since there are no standard evaluation methods and universal indicators. In this study, taking the Corn Belt of Northeast China as the study area, seven indicators—obstacle horizon thickness, cation exchange capacity, pH, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total potassium, and available Fe—were selected to constitute the minimum data set from sixteen indictors of the total data set to assess the soil quality. The soil quality of the study area was dominated by moderate grade, increasing from west to east. The soil quality of Yushu, Changchun and Shuangyang had higher values, and that of Nongan was the lowest. We found that the distribution of cation exchange capacity has a good consistency with the assessment result of the soil quality. Black soils were distributed in the middle part of the study region from north to south and accounted for a higher quality, exactly where the areas of rapid urbanization are located. An ANOVA analysis showed that soil quality in the Corn Belt of Northeast China was greatly affected by topographic factors and agricultural management and climate was not the principal factor affecting soil quality. Though the minimum data set slightly reduced the evaluation accuracy, a large sampling density in our study was able to improve the precision loss that resulted from reducing the number of indicators to a certain extent.
Performance Comparison of WiFi and UWB Fingerprinting Indoor Positioning Systems
Authors: Caso Giuseppe , Le Mai , De Nardis Luca , Di Benedetto Maria-Gabriella
Published: January 2018

Ultra-wideband (UWB) and WiFi technologies have been widely proposed for the implementation of accurate and scalable indoor positioning systems (IPSs). Among different approaches, fingerprinting appears particularly suitable for WiFi IPSs and was also proposed for UWB IPSs, in order to cope with the decrease in accuracy of time of arrival (ToA)-based lateration schemes in the case of severe multipath and non-line-of-sight (NLoS) environments. However, so far, the two technologies have been analyzed under very different assumptions, and no fair performance comparison has been carried out. This paper fills this gap by comparing UWB- and WiFi-based fingerprinting under similar settings and scenarios by computer simulations. Two different k-nearest neighbor (kNN) algorithms are considered in the comparison: a traditional fixed k algorithm, and a novel dynamic k algorithm capable of operating on fingerprints composed of multiple location-dependent features extracted from the channel impulse response (CIR), typically made available by UWB hardware. The results show that UWB and WiFi technologies lead to a similar accuracy when a traditional algorithm using a single feature is adopted; when used in combination with the proposed dynamic k algorithm operating on channel energy and delay spread, UWB outperforms WiFi, providing higher accuracy and more degrees of freedom in the design of the system architecture.
“Bacterial Toxins” Section in the Journal Toxins: A Fantastic Multidisciplinary Interplay between Bacterial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Physiological Processes, Genomic Evolution, and Subsequent Development of Identification Methods, Efficient Treatment, and Prevention of Toxigenic Bacteria
Authors: Popoff Michel
Published: January 2018

Toxins are powerful pathogenicity factors produced by certain bacteria, fungi, animals, and plants which mediate drastic interactions of these pathogens on the organism host[...]
Chronic Dietary Intake of Enniatin B in Broiler Chickens Has Low Impact on Intestinal Morphometry and Hepatic Histology, and Shows Limited Transfer to Liver Tissue
Authors: Fraeyman Sophie , Croubels Siska , Devreese Mathias , Ducatelle Richard , Rychlik Michael , Antonissen Gunther
Published: January 2018

The Fusarium mycotoxin enniatin B (ENN B) is a so-called emerging mycotoxin frequently contaminating poultry feed. To investigate the impact of chronic ENN B exposure on animal health, broiler chickens were fed either a diet naturally contaminated with ENN B (2352 µg/kg) or a control diet (135 µg/kg) for 2, 7, 14, or 21 days. ENN B concentrations were determined in plasma and liver using a validated ultra-high performance liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectrometry UHPLC-MS/MS method. Liver was evaluated histologically, and the villus length and crypt depth of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were measured. Histopathology of the livers did not reveal major abnormalities. Feeding an ENN B-contaminated diet could possibly inhibit the proliferation of enterocytes in the duodenal crypts, but did not affect villus length, crypt depth, or villus length-crypt depth ratio of the jejunum and ileum. ENN B levels in plasma and liver were significantly higher in the ENN B-fed group and ranged between <25–264 pg/mL and <0.05–0.85 ng/g, respectively. ENN B carry-over rates from feed to liver tissue were 0.005–0.014% and 0.034–0.109% in the ENN B and control group, respectively. Carry-over rates were low and indicated a limited contribution of poultry tissue-derived products to the total dietary ENN B intake for humans. The above results support the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority stating that adverse health effects from ENN B in broiler chickens are unlikely.
Viral and Antibody Kinetics, and Mosquito Infectivity of an Imported Case of Zika Fever Due to Asian Genotype (American Strain) in Singapore
Authors: Tan Cheong , Tan Li , Hapuarachchi Hapuarachchige , Lai Yee , Wong Pei , Yap Grace , Mak Keng , Wong Wing , Leo Yee , Wong Mei , Ng Lee
Published: January 2018

We report a case of a Singaporean who acquired Zika virus (ZIKV) during a visit to Cuba. The infection was confirmed using molecular and serological methods. This report highlights potential drawbacks of using IgG serology for diagnosis of flavivirus infections in endemic regions. The low viremia detected during the early phase of this case resulted in low mosquito infectivity rates, suggesting the possibility of ZIKV transmission prior to clinical onset. The report also emphasizes the challenges of public health interventions for Zika fever and the importance of sustaining a low vector population to reduce the risk of arbovirus transmission in vulnerable regions.
Development of Zika Virus Vaccines
Authors: Makhluf Huda , Shresta Sujan
Published: January 2018

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that emerged as a global threat following the most recent outbreak in Brazil in 2015. ZIKV infection of pregnant women is associated with fetal abnormalities such as microcephaly, and infection of adults can lead to Guillain–Barré syndrome, an autoimmune disease characterized by neurological deficits. Although there are currently licensed vaccines for other flaviviruses, there remains an urgent need for preventative vaccines against ZIKV infection. Herein we describe the current efforts to accelerate the development of ZIKV vaccines using various platforms, including live attenuated virus, inactivated virus, DNA and RNA, viral vectors, and in silico-predicted immunogenic viral epitopes. Many of these approaches have leveraged lessons learned from past experience with Dengue and other flavivirus vaccines.
Owners and Veterinary Surgeons in the United Kingdom Disagree about What Should Happen during a Small Animal Vaccination Consultation
Authors: Belshaw Zoe , Robinson Natalie , Dean Rachel , Brennan Marnie
Published: January 2018

Dog and cat vaccination consultations are a common part of small animal practice in the United Kingdom. Few data are available describing what happens during those consultations or what participants think about their content. The aim of this novel study was to investigate the attitudes of dog and cat owners and veterinary surgeons towards the content of small animal vaccination consultations. Telephone interviews with veterinary surgeons and pet owners captured rich qualitative data. Thematic analysis was performed to identify key themes. This study reports the theme describing attitudes towards the content of the consultation. Diverse preferences exist for what should be prioritised during vaccination consultations, and mismatched expectations may lead to negative experiences. Vaccination consultations for puppies and kittens were described to have a relatively standardised structure with an educational and preventative healthcare focus. In contrast, adult pet vaccination consultations were described to focus on current physical health problems with only limited discussion of preventative healthcare topics. This first qualitative exploration of UK vaccination consultation expectations suggests that the content and consistency of adult pet vaccination consultations may not meet the needs or expectations of all participants. Redefining preventative healthcare to include all preventable conditions may benefit owners, pets and veterinary surgeons, and may help to provide a clearer structure for adult pet vaccination consultations. This study represents a significant advance our understanding of this consultation type.
Bioassessment of a Drinking Water Reservoir Using Plankton: High Throughput Sequencing vs. Traditional Morphological Method
Authors: Gao Wanli , Chen Zhaojin , Li Yuying , Pan Yangdong , Zhu Jingya , Guo Shijun , Hu Lanqun , Huang Jin
Published: January 2018

Drinking water safety is increasingly perceived as one of the top global environmental issues. Plankton has been commonly used as a bioindicator for water quality in lakes and reservoirs. Recently, DNA sequencing technology has been applied to bioassessment. In this study, we compared the effectiveness of the 16S and 18S rRNA high throughput sequencing method (HTS) and the traditional optical microscopy method (TOM) in the bioassessment of drinking water quality. Five stations reflecting different habitats and hydrological conditions in Danjiangkou Reservoir, one of the largest drinking water reservoirs in Asia, were sampled May 2016. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis showed that plankton assemblages varied among the stations and the spatial patterns revealed by the two methods were consistent. The correlation between TOM and HTS in a symmetric Procrustes analysis was 0.61, revealing overall good concordance between the two methods. Procrustes analysis also showed that site-specific differences between the two methods varied among the stations. Station Heijizui (H), a site heavily influenced by two tributaries, had the largest difference while station Qushou (Q), a confluence site close to the outlet dam, had the smallest difference between the two methods. Our results show that DNA sequencing has the potential to provide consistent identification of taxa, and reliable bioassessment in a long-term biomonitoring and assessment program for drinking water reservoirs.
Using a Backpropagation Artificial Neural Network to Predict Nutrient Removal in Tidal Flow Constructed Wetlands
Authors: Li Wei , Cui Lijuan , Zhang Yaqiong , Cai Zhangjie , Zhang Manyin , Xu Weigang , Zhao Xinsheng , Lei Yinru , Pan Xu , Li Jing , Dou Zhiguo
Published: January 2018

Nutrient removal in tidal flow constructed wetlands (TF-CW) is a complex series of nonlinear multi-parameter interactions. We simulated three tidal flow systems and a continuous vertical flow system filled with synthetic wastewater and compared the influent and effluent concentrations to examine (1) nutrient removal in artificial TF-CWs, and (2) the ability of a backpropagation (BP) artificial neural network to predict nutrient removal. The nutrient removal rates were higher under tidal flow when the idle/reaction time was two, and reached 90 ± 3%, 99 ± 1%, and 58 ± 13% for total nitrogen (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), and total phosphorus (TP), respectively. The main influences on nutrient removal for each scenario were identified by redundancy analysis and were input into the model to train and verify the pollutant effluent concentrations. Comparison of the actual and model-predicted effluent concentrations showed that the model predictions were good. The predicted and actual values were correlated and the margin of error was small. The BP neural network fitted best to TP, with an R2 of 0.90. The R2 values of TN, NH4+-N, and nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) were 0.67, 0.73, and 0.69, respectively.
Inverse Modeling of Soil Hydraulic Parameters Based on a Hybrid of Vector-Evaluated Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Li Yi-Bo , Liu Ye , Nie Wei-Bo , Ma Xiao-Yi
Published: January 2018

The accurate estimation of soil hydraulic parameters (θs, α, n, and Ks) of the van Genuchten–Mualem model has attracted considerable attention. In this study, we proposed a new two-step inversion method, which first estimated the hydraulic parameter θs using objective function by the final water content, and subsequently estimated the soil hydraulic parameters α, n, and Ks, using a vector-evaluated genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization (VEGA-PSO) method based on objective functions by cumulative infiltration and infiltration rate. The parameters were inversely estimated for four types of soils (sand, loam, silt, and clay) under an in silico experiment simulating the tension disc infiltration at three initial water content levels. The results indicated that the method is excellent and robust. Because the objective function had multilocal minima in a tiny range near the true values, inverse estimation of the hydraulic parameters was difficult; however, the estimated soil water retention curves and hydraulic conductivity curves were nearly identical to the true curves. In addition, the proposed method was able to estimate the hydraulic parameters accurately despite substantial measurement errors in initial water content, final water content, and cumulative infiltration, proving that the method was feasible and practical for field application.
Les cycles de l'économie viticole en Catalogne. L'évolution des prix du vin entre 1680 et 1935
Authors: Colomé Josep , Garcia Ricard , Planas i maresma Jordi , Valls junyent Francesc
Published: January 2018

Les difficultés rencontrées pour la reconstruction de séries historiques fiables des prix du vin ont été signalées par divers auteurs. Cet article tente de contourner ces difficultés et de fournir un prix de référence indicatif des tendances de long terme des cours du vin en Catalogne et des oscillations conjoncturelles de plus court terme, entre 1680 et 1935, soit pendant le cycle complet d’expansion et de crise de l’économie viticole catalane. Dans la première partie de l’article sont expliqués les écueils que présente la confection d’une série aussi longue et, en même temps, comment dans notre cas nous avons tenté de les éviter. Dans la seconde partie, nous décrivons les tendances ainsi que les différentes conjonctures observées dans l’évolution des prix du vin en signalant, de manière très synthétique, les causes qui peuvent expliquer, à notre avis, chacune des phases ascendantes et descendantes ainsi que les tendances de longue durée que l’on peut constater.
Les négociants et les commissions de cotation de l'Hérault dans les années 1920-1930
Authors: Le Bras Stéphane
Published: January 2018

Dans les années 1920-1930, le Languedoc viticole connaît des mutations sans précédent. Ces mutations ont des causes exogènes (conséquences de la reconstitution post-phylloxérique, dérèglement de la filière à la suite de la Grande Guerre, crise économique mondiale), mais également endogènes (structures économiques et commerciales vieillissantes, irrégularité du marché, inadéquation entre la production et la consommation). Dans ce contexte chahuté, le négoce des vins en Languedoc cherche à s’imposer comme l’acteur majeur de la filière. Véritable pivot au contact de la production et de la consommation, il impose sa présence dans les organes institutionnels afin d’affirmer son emprise sur le marché des vins en Languedoc, première région productrice en France. Cette stratégie passe par la mainmise sur les commissions de cotation dont le fonctionnement, le personnel et les enjeux sont au coeur des convoitises.
L'Église, les Capétiens et le Languedoc au temps d'Alphonse de Poitiers : autour des enquêtes pontificales sur les crimes imputés à Vézian (OFM), évêque de Rodez (1261-1276)
Authors: Théry Julien
Published: January 2018

Tres papas sucesivos, Alejandro IV, Urbano IV y Clemente IV, mandaron que se hiciera durante seis años un «procesamiento inquisitorial » (inquisitionis negocium)

contra el obispo de Rodez Vezian. A éste se la acusaba ante la justicia, sin que se aclarara jamás quién le acusaba, de «enormes fechorías » (enormia sinistra) : profanación del oficio divino, simonía, sodomía y «otros numerosos crímenes que ofenden a Dios y escandalizan a los hombres » . Audiencias de testigos se hicieron en Rodez y el obispo tuvo que defenderse con ahinco ante la Curia romana antes de librarse de toda condena. En este artículo se propone una primera aproximación a ese procedamiento bastante bien documentado que hay que colocar en la larga serie, poco conocida, de los procedimientos inquisitoriales impulsados pos los papas en contra de los prelados acusados de abusos durante los siglos XIII y XIV. Teniendo en cuenta la historia agitada del episcopado (1247-1274) y las relaciones de conflicto entre Vezian y la nueva administración condal de Alfonso de Poitiers, en un contexto de gobierno conjunto de Languedoc por la Igleia y los Capetos después de la desposesión reciente de la casa de Saint-Gilles, se sugiere que las diligencias las impulsó el conde. El que se designara como perquisidor, al principio al arzobispo de Narbona, Gui Foucois, un personaje emblemático de la simbiosis entre Iglesia romana y realeza francesa en la región, constituye un elemento importante que apoya esa interpretación. El procesamiento inquisitorial ponía al obispo en situación dificultosa pero estaba destinada a ir para largo como casi todos los procedimientos de ese tipo sin que por otra parte tuvieran necesariamente un día una conclusión precisa. Al aceptar que se hicieran esas diligencias, los papas contenían la irritación de su poderoso aliado capeto satisfaciéndole en parte sin condenar claramente a un prelado fiel a los principios de la teocracia. La justicia inquisitorial sirve aquí de mediación sin que sea dicho explícitamente y sin desentenderse de las formas jurídicas, ni mucho menos. Parece ser un instrumento político muy sutil en su manejo al servicio del gobierno pontificio.
Le pape au bord du Rhône. Enjeux et impacts régionaux de la présence pontificale à Avignon
Authors: Payan Paul
Published: January 2018

Les bouleversements régionaux induits par l’installation, temporaire mais solide, d’une capitale de l’Église à Avignon, ont nourri de très nombreux travaux depuis plus d’un siècle, et suscitent encore de multiples questions. Pour y répondre, les études de Daniel Le Blévec apportent des outils précieux, et un cadre de réflexion stimulant, en invitant à replacer l’histoire du XIVe siècle avignonnais dans un espace du «Bas-Rhône » où le fleuve est davantage un trait d’union qu’une frontière, et dans une périodisation large, du XIIe au XVe siècle. Son travail fondamental sur l’assistance aux pauvres invite à la prudence, en nuançant la spécificité avignonnaise en la matière, malgré la présence notable du pont et de son «oeuvre » – qui fait depuis peu l’objet de nouvelles investigations – et la mise en place de la charité pontificale. En outre, l’intérêt de D. Le Blévec pour l’ordre cartusien, représenté par deux établissements à proximité d’Avignon, nourrit la réflexion sur l’impact spirituel de la présence du pape, et les malaises engendrés par l’enracinement politique de l’Église. Il donne ainsi le modèle d’une histoire régionale articulée sur les grands problèmes du moment, refusant le cloisonnement local et l’enfermement thématique.
Dévotions à Toulouse au XVe siècle autour du saint suaire de Cadouin-Toulouse
Authors: Bastard-Fournié Michelle
Published: January 2018

The holy shroud of Christ venerated in the Cistercian Abbey of Cadouin in Perigord, since the 13th century, assured the success of a pilgrimage that was very popular up to the beginning of the Hundred years war. The shroud was brought to Toulouse in 1392 and as it was destined to remain there for eternity, it was rapidly adopted by the Toulouse population which, like the municipal elites, integrated it in a set of civil relics. The faithful multiplied gifts, built an oratory and chapel disposing of diverse measures of security. New reliquaries increased the value of the shroud during viewings. Numerous thaumaturgical miracles happened and King Charles VI himself attempted to obtain the curing of his folly. But the monks of Cadouin recuperated their precious relic in 1455 thanks to a «theft » that the Capitouls of Toulouse continued to deplore at the beginning of the 16th century.
De la perspective au point de vue : une compression de l'espace temps
Authors: Lévy Francine
Published: January 2018

L'image photographique et cinématographique s'emparent de l'espace en une fraction de seconde. Cette transmutation instantanée, qui a fasciné l'illusionniste Méliès et grâce à lui des spectateurs ébahis, est depuis longtemps devenue ordinaire. Si ordinaire même, qu'on en a désappris comment l'œil s'appuie sur les lignes pour conduire la main à leur dessin. Et, ce faisant, on a oublié que ce qui se dessine (ce qui se filme), doit être regardé d'abord. Dans le «tout donné» de la captation, n'y a t-il pas de «non vu», de ce que les artistes et les peintres en particulier, dissimulent sous les voiles de l'apparence, et qui, ne se révèle que très progressivement, et tout particulièrement en changeant de «point de vue». La question du «point de vue» est au centre de la création visuelle, et plus encore de la création cinématographique. Il est possible de travailler à la fois la surface de l'image et son épaisseur. Se libérer de la dictature de l'«objectivité» imposée par les optiques photographiques laisse espérer de nouvelles formes narratives.
Déroutes
Authors: Pelé Gérard , Roy Bénédicte
Published: January 2018

«Au début des années 60, dans chaque station de métro, une affichette officielle de la RATP avertissait ' Messieurs les inventeurs d'épaves ' que celles-ci, après avoir été remises à qui de droit, leur reviendraient finalement, en cas de non-réclamation, au bout d'un an et un jour.» Ainsi commence la préface à la réédition de 1990 de la TOPOGRAPHIE ANECDOTÉE* DU HASARD de Daniel Spoerri, rédigée par Roland Topor le 5/2/1990. Ainsi ont été trouvés - inventés - les objets perdus - les épaves - qui suivent, dont les espaces manifestement vandalisés ont été remplis de la même manière par ces photographies de fond de tiroir que l'on invente à chaque dépollution de nos sites domestiques, comme également nous le faisons dans la pratique maniaque du recyclage des déchets notés dans les livres qui nous procure aussi l'impression d'«inventer» le sens du mot «art» : la deuxième définition - pleroma, mot grec dans le texte en anglais, signifiant 'ce qui est à propos, moment opportun ' - et la sixième définition - C'est le jeu gratuit d'un enfant - qu'en donne lannis Xenakis dans Formalized Music, et dont nous offrons l'extrait «intégral» ci-dessous - dispositif adopté pour éviter le naufrage définitif dont la traduction nous aurait menacés autant que le sens ancien du terme 'anecdote' : anekdotos voulant dire 'inédit' comme le faisait justement remarquer Pierre Restany dans une lettre à Daniel Spoerri datée du 30/12/1961 et devenue, pour partie une note (d'où l'astérisque < * > apposé au mot 'ANÉCDOTÉE'], pour partie la postface de la réédition de 1990 de la 'TOPOGRAPHIE...' (op. cit.).
Le cinéma et le jeu avec la perception
Authors: Zernik Clélia
Published: January 2018

Si le théâtre pose son objet a distance du spectateur et si la camera amateur ne fait que transformer l'œil en appareil enregistreur, il semble que ni les événements diégétiques, ni le dispositif de captation de mouvement ne soient suffisants pour rendre compte du septième art. C'est en intégrant intimement les modalités de la perception à l'objet perçu, c'est en ne dissociant pas le donné du prisme par lequel il nous est présenté, que le cinéma trouve sa véritable spécificité.
Jeux d'attracteurs et création
Authors: Borde Jean-Michel
Published: January 2018

Une approche des points d'attraction de l'évolution des modes de représentation des médias. Comment ceux-ci influent-ils sur la création ? Tous les écueils techniques ont-ils été levés ? Sont-ils même seulement identifiés ? Quelles tendances de fond attirent l'expression et vers quoi ? Toutes ces questions font l'objet de nombreuses présentations et débats. Elles sont ici revisitées avec une mise en perspective pour déceler les questions réputées stabilisées et celles, pas forcément connues, qui posent réellement problème pour donner des garanties à l'expression artistique.
La question de l'intermédialité dans les œuvres sur Internet : un héritage fluxien ?
Authors: Holzberger-Braun Carol-Ann , Gentès Annie
Published: January 2018

Today's net-art draws much of its inspiration from conceptual art and the formal experiments with time led by the art movement Fluxus. Founded by George Maciunas, Dick Higgins and George Brecht in the sixties, Fluxus questions the procedural and conceptual premises underlying formal categories such as medium, genre and media. In so doing it breaks down the roles traditionally attributed to author, object and spectator in the production and the reception of works of art. We explore these collaborative and process-oriented art practices and their impact on net-art, with particular emphasis on the term "intermedia", often used by contemporary digital artists. Our approach is comparative, based on a detailed analysis of individual web-sites. We seek to reveal the specific attributes of emerging art forms on internet, within the broader context of an art historical tradition.
Une image peut en cacher une autre : Illusion et spectaculaire de l’image re-composée
Authors: Renouard Caroline
Published: January 2018

The image as collage, resulting from several layers of split up images, offers a particular use of the materials that can be at the same time cinematographic, photographic, pictorial or digital. Although it is often adequated with special effects, this formal work is however far from being a purely visual exercise in style : it is foremost in line with the scenaristic choices of the artist. Through past and present techniques, human body is dissected and presented in a new light. The image as collage appears as a foil for a twofold human condition, confined by the codes of a society which makes any individual value disappear. What is the place therefore of the special effect in an image ? How can the spectator, conscious of the trick effect turning the unreality into reality under his eyes, still appreciate and immerge himself in the narration ?
Un théâtre sans acteurs : l'enlèvement de Hanns Martin Schleyer par la Fraction Armée Rouge
Authors: Hamers Jeremy
Published: January 2018

Le 5 septembre 1977 , un commando de la Fraction Armée Rouge enlève le patron des patrons allemands et ancien SS Hanns Martin Schleyer. Cette prise d'otage constitue le point de départ de l'Automne Allemand, qui se soldera par l'assassinat de l'otage et le suicide des têtes pensantes de la Bande à Baader.

Depuis 1977, l'Automne Allemand fait l'objet de nombreux traitements audiovisuels qui témoignent de la réduction progressive des événements à quelques images emblématiques. Cet article ambitionne d'analyser le rôle central joué par une de ces images, la photo du lieu de l'enlèvement de Hanns Martin Schleyer, un décor sans corps que les médias ne peuvent, nécessairement, filmer qu'après le déroulement de l'événement. Agissant comme un formidable producteur de vide et d'absence, cette photo puise son potentiel dramatique dans une dynamique de la frustration visuelle et de la (re-)charge fantasmatique qu'elle autorise. L'image déclenche ainsi une vaste entreprise de «remplissage» et de réinvestissement sémantique dans laquelle les journaux télévisés, le cinéma documentaire, l'art vidéo, et les représentations produites par les terroristes s'entremêlent inextricablement.
Werner Herzog et Alexander Kluge : cinéastes documentaires
Authors: Hamers Jeremy
Published: January 2018

Les documentaires de Werner Herzog et d’Alexander Kluge, et surtout la place qu’ils accordent au spectateur, démontrent à quel point leurs approches et conceptions du cinéma sont divergentes et, a priori, inconciliables. Pourtant, les deux auteurs se rejoignent sur un point essentiel rarement abordé dans les études qui leur sont consacrées. Irréductibles à une simple subjectivité exacerbée (Herzog) ou à l’idéal d’une réorganisation visuelle de la perception subjective du spectateur (Kluge), leurs démarches documentaires respectives se fondent en effet sur la perception par le spectateur d’une figure complexe qui préexiste au film tout autant qu’elle s’y déploie : le cinéaste.
Robert Bresson : de l’objectivité consciente à la subjectivation sublimée
Authors: Saule Peggy
Published: January 2018

Si tout film, comme tout acte de création, reflète la subjectivité inconsciente et inhérente au créateur, interpréter la subjectivité cinématographique par le prisme de l’oeuvre de Robert Bresson est l’occasion d’envisager cette subjectivité comme une finalité artistique. Robert Bresson n’a de cesse de chercher à transmettre et dévoiler l’individualité essentielle de chaque modèle. Comment livrer de manière consciente, maîtrisée et artistique leur subjectivité refoulée ? Une traque ontologico-cinématographique qui prend sens dans l’expression bressonienne d’«automate spirituel».
Whose Memory? Reflections on the Construction of an Archive, or Canute Against the Waves of Oblivion
Authors: Barwell Claire
Published: January 2018

This is a personal account of the struggle to create an archive of student films and raises questions about what constitutes the memory of a film school. Is it the student work or the students’ memories of what they have learned ?
The Longevity of Musical Works for Instruments and Electronic Music in the Digital Era
Authors: Gerzso Andrew
Published: January 2018

Until the mid-XXth century, classical music relied on a range of stable practices that guaranteed its survival : the written score ; the notion of interpretation ; lutherie instrument making ; oral (in particular) and written teaching traditions ; institutions (conservatories, ensembles, orchestras etc.).

The advent of digital technology in musical creation from the 1970s onwards perturbed this landscape, forcing us to rethink these practices, particularly all those concerning the endurance of the new kinds of works that have emerged over the past thirty years – especially works for traditional and electronic instruments. Furthermore, the digital arts - though scarcely established - were soon in danger through the proliferation and fragility of digital standards and formats (cf. the “ Digital Dark Age” phenomenon). If contemporary music has the ambition to prolong the classical music tradition, it must find the techniques, modalities and practices to ensure its survival despite the instability of digital technology.
“Walls Have Never Held Us Back”: 60 Years of Student Films at the University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf
Authors: Brombach Ilka , Ebbrecht Tobias , Wahl Chris
Published: January 2018

Owing to its location, the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF is particularly well suited to reflect audiovisual cultural heritage. It is situated in close proximity to the Babelsberg film studios, which has a tradition of filmmaking that goes back more than a century, and the University, which is the oldest of its kind in Germany, has benefited from the studio’s mythos. With the creation of an endowed professorship for audiovisual heritage in June 2013, as well as the initiation of a new program of study devoted to film heritage (to Filmkulturerbe), the Film University is positioned to assert the importance of securing and maintaining audiovisual heritage. On this basis, a scholarly project (supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

[DFG]) has been dedicated to studying the university’s filmic heritage. Student films from 60 years of the school’s history, with a particular focus on the films from the GDR era, are being analyzed in the context of film history and in terms of institutional history as well. The research takes stock of how the student films have been archived and transmitted, and it also examines the school’s own narratives about its history. Both film historical and aesthetic readings of selected films are conducted with reference to recent debates about DEFA cinema. In addition to the research project on student films, a number of other initiatives are underway, ones that pay particular attention to questions of preservation and digitization.