bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anomalous White Matter Structure and the Effect of Age in Down Syndrome Patients
Authors: Fenoll Raquel , Pujol Jesus , Esteba-Castillo Susanna , de Sola Susana , Ribas-Vidal Núria , García-Alba Javier , Sánchez-Benavides Gonzalo , Martínez-Vilavella Gerard , Deus Joan , Dierssen Mara , Novell-Alsina Ramón , de la Torre Rafael
Published: February 2017

Background: Neural tissue alterations in Down syndrome are fully expressed at relatively late developmental stages. In addition, there is an early presence of neurodegenerative changes in the late life stages.

Objective: The aims of this study were both to characterize white matter abnormalities in the brain of adult Down syndrome patients using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and to investigate whether degenerative alterations in white matter structure are detectable before dementia is clinically evident.

Methods: Forty-five adult non-demented Down syndrome patients showing a wide age range (18–52 years) and a matched 45-subject control group were assessed. DTI fractional anisotropy (FA) brain maps were generated and selected cognitive tests were administered.

Results: Compared with healthy controls, non-demented Down syndrome patients showed lower DTI FA in white matter involving the major pathways, but with more severe alterations in the frontal-subcortical circuits. White matter FA decreased with age at a similar rate in both DS and control groups.

Conclusions: Our results contribute to characterizing the expression of white matter structural alterations in adult Down syndrome. However, an accelerated aging effect was not demonstrated, which may suggest that the FA measurements used are not sufficiently sensitive or, alternatively, age-related white matter neurodegeneration is not obvious prior to overt clinical dementia.
A switched reluctance motor with conical magnetic bearings
Authors: Liu Zeyuan , Deng Zhiquan , Yang Yan , Cao Xin , Liu Chengzi
Published: February 2017

High-speed and high-power-density drives are receiving more and more attention in today's industry. This study presents a switched reluctance motor (SRM) with conical magnetic bearings (CMBs), which is very suitable to operate in high speed and harsh environment such as starter/generator in aircraft. The proposed motor consists of a SRM and two CMBs. There is electric relationship between the SRM and two CMBs, this novel motor's three-phase motoring windings are constructed by connecting each phase biased winding of two CMBs and each phase winding of the SRM in series, respectively, and the three-phase motoring windings are driven by the traditional switched reluctance mode. Thus the rotational torque in SRM and the biased flux used for suspending force generation in two CMBs can be produced by motoring winding currents simultaneously. Initially, the structure and working principle of the proposed SRM with CMBs are demonstrated. Then, the theoretical formulas for computing the suspending force of this novel CMB in the proposed structure are deduced by taking advantage of the magnetic equivalent circuit method and the virtual displacement principle. Furthermore, its suspending force control and basic design method are described. Finally, the characteristics of the proposed SRM with CMBs are deeply analyzed and verified by 3D finite element method.
Effect of practical training on the learning motivation profile of Japanese pharmacy students using structural equation modeling
Authors: Yamamura Shigeo , Takehira Rieko
Published: February 2017

Purpose: To establish a model of Japanese pharmacy students’ learning motivation profile and investigate the effects of pharmaceutical practical training programs on their learning motivation. Methods: The Science Motivation Questionnaire II was administered to pharmacy students in their 4th (before practical training), 5th (before practical training at clinical sites), and 6th (after all practical training) years of study at Josai International University in April, 2016. Factor analysis and multiple-group structural equation modeling were conducted for data analysis. Results: A total of 165 students participated. The learning motivation profile was modeled with 4 factors (intrinsic, career, self-determination, and grade motivation), and the most effective learning motivation was grade motivation. In the multiple-group analysis, the fit of the model with the data was acceptable, and the estimated mean value of the factor of ‘self-determination’ in the learning motivation profile increased after the practical training programs (P= 0.048, Cohen’s d= 0.43). Conclusion: Practical training programs in a 6-year course were effective for increasing learning motivation, based on ‘self-determination’ among Japanese pharmacy students. The results suggest that practical training programs are meaningful not only for providing clinical experience but also for raising learning motivation.
Interstellar and intergalactic gas in the far IR and submillimeter spectral ranges
Authors: Shchekinov Yu A , Lukash V N , Mikheeva E V , Pilipenko S V
Published: February 2017

We discuss key physical problems related to the interstellar and intergalactic medium, which are the subject of far infrared (FIR) and submillimeter (submm) astronomy. We outline the most impressive results of the last 25 years and summarize the characteristics of the most successful space and ground-based FIR and submm observatories: those currently in operation, already inoperative, or under development. A brief discussion is given of those physical problems concerning the evolution of the gaseous medium in galaxies, their vicinity, and the intergalactic medium, whose solution can rely on critically important and sometimes otherwise inaccessible information from the FIR and submm ranges. Among such problems are the origin of the galactic molecular gas, the conversion of gas into stars, the ejection of gas and dust into intergalactic space, the long-term survival of dust in the hostile environment of this space (in particular, in the hot environment of galaxy clusters), and the origin of dust in the Universe. Recent astronomical observations give rise to a variety of surprising findings related to our understanding of the evolution of galaxies, the chemical history of the Universe, etc. A brief discussion of some of these findings is given.
Towards Zinc Biofortification in Chickpea: Performance of Chickpea Cultivars in Response to Soil Zinc Application
Authors: Hidoto Legesse , Tar’an Bunyamin , Worku Walelign , Mohammed Hussein
Published: February 2017

A field experiment was conducted at three locations in the southern region of Ethiopia during the 2012 and 2013 cropping seasons to evaluate chickpea cultivars for their response to soil zinc application, including agronomic performance, grain yield, grain zinc concentration, zinc and agronomic efficiency. Fifteen chickpea cultivars were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications at each location and year. The highest number of pods (237) plant−1 was obtained from Butajira local landrace. The cultivar Naatolii produced the highest grain yield (2895 kg·ha−1), while the breeding line FLIP03-53C had the lowest yield (1700 kg·ha−1). The highest zinc concentrations of 47.5, 47.4, and 46.4 mg·kg−1 grain were obtained from the cultivar Arerti, and the two breeding lines FLIP07-27C and FLIP08-60C, respectively. The highest zinc efficiency (88%) was obtained from the Wolayita local landrace, whereas the highest agronomic efficiency of 68.4 kg yield increase kg−1 zinc application was obtained from the cultivar Naatolii. The current research identified chickpea cultivars with high grain zinc concentration, zinc efficiency, agronomic efficiency, and grain yield. The identification of cultivars with high grain zinc concentration allows the use of chickpea as a potential alternative to help to correct zinc deficiency, which is highly prevalent in the population of the region.
Circulation Conditions’ Effect on the Occurrence of Heat Waves in Western and Southwestern Europe
Authors: Tomczyk Arkadiusz , Półrolniczak Marek , Bednorz Ewa
Published: February 2017

This article aims to describe the occurrence of heat waves in Western and Southwestern Europe in the period 1976–2015 and determining pressure patterns that cause a persistence of hot days. A hot day was defined as a day on which the daily maximum air temperature was higher than the 95th annual percentile; and a heat wave was recognised as a sequence of at least five days of the abovementioned category. In the discussed multiannual period, this threshold ranged from 23.5 °C in Brest to 38.9 °C in Seville. Within the analysed area, there were from 14 (Bilbao) to 54 (Montélimar) heat waves observed. The longest heat wave took place in 2003 in Nice and lasted 49 days (14 July–31 August). The occurrence of heat waves within the analysed area was related to the ridge of high pressure located over the area of the study, providing strong solar radiation flux due to cloudlessness or a small cloud cover. Positive SLP, z500 hPa and T850 anomalies occurred over the majority of the research area.
Extreme Sea Ice Loss over the Arctic: An Analysis Based on Anomalous Moisture Transport
Authors: Vázquez Marta , Nieto Raquel , Drumond Anita , Gimeno Luis
Published: February 2017

The Arctic system has experienced in recent times an extreme reduction in the extent of its sea ice. The years 2007 and 2012 in particular showed maxima in the loss of sea ice. It has been suggested that such a rapid decrease has important implications for climate not only over the system itself but also globally. Understanding the causes of this sea ice loss is key to analysing how future changes related to climate change can affect the Arctic system. For this purpose, we applied the Lagrangian FLEXible PARTicle dispersion (FLEXPART) model to study the anomalous transport of moisture for 2006/2007 and 2011/2012 in order to assess the implications for the sea ice. We used the model results to analyse the variation in the sources of moisture for the system (backward analysis), as well as how the moisture supply from these sources differs (forward analysis) during these years. The results indicate an anomalous transport of moisture for both years. However, the pattern differs between events, and the anomalous moisture supply varies both in intensity and spatial distribution for all sources.
Critical Consciousness and Schooling: The Impact of the Community as a Classroom Program on Academic Indicators
Authors: Luter D. , Mitchell Austin , Taylor Henry
Published: February 2017

The present study investigates the extent to which a program guided by the principles of critical pedagogy, which seeks to develop critical consciousness, is associated with the improved academic performance of students attending a low-performance middle-school in Buffalo, New York. The students were enrolled in an in-school academic support program called the Community as Classroom, which used critical project-based learning to show students how to improve neighborhood conditions. The study found that the Community as Classroom program bolstered student engagement as reflected in improved attendance, on-time-arrival at school, and reduced suspensions. Although class grades did not improve, standardized scores, particularly in Math and Science, dramatically improved for these students from the lowest scoring categories. We suspect that given increased student engagement and dramatically improved standardized test scores, teacher bias might be the cause of no improvements in class grades. We conclude that critical pedagogy, which leads to increased critical consciousness, is a tool that can lead to improved academic performance of students. Such a pedagogy, we argue, should be more widely used in public schools, with a particular emphasis on their deployment in Community Schools.
Whistland: An Augmented Reality Crowd-Mapping System for Civil Protection and Emergency Management
Authors: Luchetti Gioele , Mancini Adriano , Sturari Mirco , Frontoni Emanuele , Zingaretti Primo
Published: February 2017

The prevention and correct management of natural disaster event sequences play a key role in saving human lives. The availability of embedded and mobile smart computing systems opens new roads for the management of land and infrastructures by civil protection operators. To date, research has explored the use of social networks for the management of disasters connected to meteorological/hydrogeological events or earthquakes, but without emphasis on the importance of an integrated system. The main feature of the Whistland system proposed in this paper is to make synergistic use of augmented reality (AR), crowd-mapping (CM), social networks, the Internet of Things (IoT) and wireless sensor networks (WSN) by exploiting technologies and frameworks of Web 2.0 and GIS 2.0 to make informed decisions about the chain of events. The Whistland system is composed of a geo-server, a mobile application with AR and an analytics dashboard. The geo-server acts as the hub of the sensor and social networks. The abstracted concept in this sense is the transformation of the user domain into “intelligent sensors” for the whole scope of crisis management. The social network integration is made through an efficient pointer-like mechanism that keeps the storage requirement low through a mobile application based on an augmented reality engine and provides qualitative information that sensors are unable to capture. Real-time analyses, geo-searches and the capability to examine event histories with an augmented reality engine all help the stakeholders to understand better the state of the resources under observation/monitoring. The system has been extensively tested in the programmed maintenance of river basins, where it is necessary to log maintenance activities in order to keep the riverbank clean: a significant use-case in many countries affected by hydro-geological instability.
Effector Mechanisms of Neutrophils within the Innate Immune System in Response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection
Authors: Warren Eric , Teskey Garrett , Venketaraman Vishwanath
Published: February 2017

Neutrophils have a significant yet controversial role in the innate immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) infection, which is not yet fully understood. In addition to neutrophils’ well-known effector mechanisms, they may also help control infection of M. tb through the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are thought to further promote the killing of M. tb by resident alveolar macrophages. Cytokines such as IFN-γ have now been shown to serve an immunomodulatory role in neutrophil functioning in conjunction to its pro-inflammatory function. Additionally, the unique transcriptional changes of neutrophils may be used to differentiate between infection with M. tb and other bacterial and chronic rheumatological diseases such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Adversely, during the innate immune response to M. tb, inappropriate phagocytosis of spent neutrophils can result in nonspecific damage to host cells due to necrotic lysis. Furthermore, some individuals have been shown to be more genetically susceptible to tuberculosis (TB) due to a “Trojan Horse” phenomenon whereby neutrophils block the ability of resident macrophages to kill M. tb. Despite these aforementioned negative consequences, through the scope of this review we will provide evidence to support the idea that neutrophils, while sometimes damaging, can also be an important component in warding off M. tb infection. This is exemplified in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or Type 2 diabetes mellitus. These individuals are at an increased risk of developing tuberculosis (TB) due to a diminished innate immune response associated with decreased levels of glutathione. Consequently, there has been a worldwide effort to limit and contain M. tb infection through the use of antibiotics and vaccinations. However, due to several significant limitations, the current bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine (BCG, vaccine against TB) does not meet the criteria for universal utilization for all ages and populations across the globe. New research involving neutrophils has yielded a new vaccine called M. smegmatis-Ag85C-MPT51-HspX (mc2-CMX) that has been shown to elicit a humoral and cellular response against M. tb in mice that is superior to the BCG vaccine.
Multifunctional Nanomaterials: Design, Synthesis and Application Properties
Authors: Martinelli Marisa , Strumia Miriam
Published: February 2017

The immense scope of variation in dendritic molecules (hyper-branching, nano-sized, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, rigidity/flexibility balance, etc.) and their versatile functionalization, with the possibility of multivalent binding, permit the design of highly improved, novel materials. Dendritic-based materials are therefore viable alternatives to conventional polymers. The overall aim of this work is to show the advantages of dendronization processes by presenting the synthesis and characterization of three different dendronized systems: (I) microbeads of functionalized chitosan; (II) nanostructuration of polypropylene surfaces; and (III) smart dendritic nanogels. The particular properties yielded by these systems could only be achieved thanks to the dendronization process.
Synthesis of Multicolor Core/Shell NaLuF4:Yb3+/Ln3+@CaF2 Upconversion Nanocrystals
Authors: Li Hui , Hao Shuwei , Yang Chunhui , Chen Guanying
Published: February 2017

The ability to synthesize high-quality hierarchical core/shell nanocrystals from an efficient host lattice is important to realize efficacious photon upconversion for applications ranging from bioimaging to solar cells. Here, we describe a strategy to fabricate multicolor core @ shell α-NaLuF4:Yb3+/Ln3+@CaF2 (Ln = Er, Ho, Tm) upconversion nanocrystals (UCNCs) based on the newly established host lattice of sodium lutetium fluoride (NaLuF4). We exploited the liquid-solid-solution method to synthesize the NaLuF4 core of pure cubic phase and the thermal decomposition approach to expitaxially grow the calcium fluoride (CaF2) shell onto the core UCNCs, yielding cubic core/shell nanocrystals with a size of 15.6 ± 1.2 nm (the core ~9 ± 0.9 nm, the shell ~3.3 ± 0.3 nm). We showed that those core/shell UCNCs could emit activator-defined multicolor emissions up to about 772 times more efficient than the core nanocrystals due to effective suppression of surface-related quenching effects. Our results provide a new paradigm on heterogeneous core/shell structure for enhanced multicolor upconversion photoluminescence from colloidal nanocrystals.
DFT Studies on cis-1,4-Polymerization of Dienes Catalyzed by a Cationic Rare-Earth Metal Complex Bearing an Ancillary PNP Ligand
Authors: Wang Xingbao , Kang Xiaohui , Zhou Guangli , Qu Jingping , Hou Zhaomin , Luo Yi
Published: February 2017

Dnsity functional theory (DFT) calculations have been carried out for the highly selective cis-1,4-polymerization of butadiene catalyzed by a cationic rare-earth metal complex bearing an ancillary PNP ligand. It has been found that the chain initiation and propagation of butadiene polymerization occurs via the favorable cis-1,4-insertion route. The trans-1,4 and 1,2-insertion are unfavorable both kinetically and thermodynamically. The chain growth follows the π-allyl-insertion mechanism. The analyses of energy decomposition of transition states indicate that the likelihood of rival insertion pathways is predominantly controlled by the interaction energy of butadiene with a metal center and the deformation energy of butadiene moiety. The electronic factor of the central metal has a decisive influence on the cis- vs. trans-insertion and the regioselectivity (cis-1,4- vs. cis-1,2-insertion) is mainly determined by steric hindrance. Tetrahydrofuran (THF) coordination made monomer insertion less favorable compared with THF-free case and had more noticeable impact on the trans-monomer insertion compared with the cis case. During the chain propagation, cis-insertion of monomer facilitates THF de-coordination and the THF molecule could therefore dissociate from the central metal.
Effects of Land Use Change for Crops on Water and Carbon Budgets in the Midwest USA
Authors: Sun Jian , Twine Tracy , Hill Jason , Noe Ryan , Shi Jiancheng , Li Minmin
Published: February 2017

Increasing demand for food and bioenergy has altered the global landscape dramatically in recent years. Land use and land cover change affects the environmental system in many ways through biophysical and biogeochemical mechanisms. In this study, we evaluate the impacts of land use and land cover change driven by recent crop expansion and conversion on the water budget, carbon exchange, and carbon storage in the Midwest USA. A dynamic global vegetation model was used to simulate and examine the impacts of landscape change in a historical case based on crop distribution data from the United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Services. The simulation results indicate that recent crop expansion not only decreased soil carbon sequestration (60 Tg less of soil organic carbon) and net carbon flux into ecosystems (3.7 Tg·year−1 less of net biome productivity), but also lessened water consumption through evapotranspiration (1.04 × 1010 m3·year−1 less) over 12 states in the Midwest. More water yield at the land surface does not necessarily make more water available for vegetation. Crop residue removal might also exacerbate the soil carbon loss.
Soil Moisture Variation in a Farmed Dry-Hot Valley Catchment Evaluated by a Redundancy Analysis Approach
Authors: Rong Li , Duan Xingwu , Feng Detai , Zhang Guangli
Published: February 2017

Farmed catchments have greater temporal and spatial heterogeneity of soil moisture than natural catchments. Increased knowledge about the variation of soil moisture in farmed catchments has important implications for the adoption of appropriate tillage measures for agriculture. The purpose of this study was to determine the spatial and temporal variability of soil moisture as controlled by the environment on a farmed catchment in a typical dry-hot valley (DHV) by integrating geostatistical and redundancy analysis (RDA). We monitored soil moisture in topsoil (0–20 cm) and subsoil (20–40 cm) layers at 51 points on eight occasions from July 2012 to March 2014, and determined the environmental factors of soil particle-size distribution, soil organic matter, slope aspect, slope gradient, elevation, and a topographic wetness index (WI) modified for semiarid conditions at each point. The results showed that, under the influence of high evaporation, soil moisture in the topsoil was significantly lower than that of subsoil in the DHV. In this study, we observed a strong temporal variation of soil moisture, which was influenced by the seasonal variation of crop cover and lagged behind that of rainfall. Relatively high soil moisture levels were found on the watershed divide and hillside sites of the catchment, and lower on the valleyside sites. Different from other studies, RDA analysis indicated that the WI was not correlated with soil moisture in the DHV; instead, clay and sand levels were the dominant control factor of soil moisture in the farmed DHV. We proposed that soil erosion in the DHV could lead to such increases of sand and decreases of clay content, thus influencing soil moisture content. Soil and water conservation measures will be especially important for valleyside sites with steep slopes.
Le cairn de Croaz Dom Herry et ses carrières de schiste (Saint-Nicolas-du-Pelem Côtes-d’Armor)
Authors: Tinévez Jean-Yves , Nicolas Éric , Gaumé Éric , Querré Guirec , Quesnel Laurent , Le Provost F. , Blanchet Stéphane , Oberlin Christine , Van Der Plicht Johannes , Bardel Véronique , Pustoc’h François
Published: February 2017

In 2005, a preventive archaeological diagnosis prior to the construction of a shopping centre led to the discovery of a funerary complex composed of a Middle Neolithic cairn, several burial mounds and a Bronze Age tumulus over a seven hectare area to the south of the village of Saint-Nicolas-du-Pélem (Côtes-d’Armor, France). A preventive excavation carried out in 2006 where the building project was located made it possible to study two quarries used during the Neolithic for the extraction of schist blocks and situated a few metres behind the remains of the cairn. The latter were then thoroughly examined during a research excavation in 2007 and 2008. The remains of the cairn exposed on this schist substratum were in a dominant position at the top of a natural elevation facing east, which is typical of the sites where these large Middle Neolithic monuments were usually built. The presence of two pits and pottery dating from Late Middle Age indicates that the monument, probably exploited as a quarry, was almost completely destroyed at the time, aggravated by the ensuing cultivation of the land. The current remains of the cairn, two or three stone courses high, delineate a north-south quadrangular plan, eight metres wide for an estimated original length of twenty metres or so. The absence of a soil sealed beneath the cairn suggests that the paleosol was completely removed and the outcrops of underlying schist partially levelled off prior to the construction of the cairn. Inside the cairn the layout of four funerary chambers can clearly be made out by the presence either of granite slabs broken by ploughing, with bases firmly anchored in the substratum, or by a completely empty bedding socket. The four chambers, placed next to one another, have the same shape, an almost circular design, three metres in diameter, with a short narrow passage on the eastern facade. The associated archaeological material is scarce and typical of the Middle Neolithic. It only consists of a few stone ornaments that have been analysed, a vase with a smooth wall and a few sherds. No bone remains have been found because of the high acidity of the schist bedrock. Several radiocarbon dates confirm that this type of monument with circular chambers and short passages, well known in coastal areas, dates to the end of the 5th millennium and the beginning of the 4th millennium. The Croaz Dom Herry cairn, a type of construction unknown in Central Brittany before this discovery, fills a gap between the north and south coasts of the peninsula.
Les styles céramiques du Néolithique moyen en Languedoc oriental : caractérisation et premières comparaisons avec la périodisation des industries lithiques taillées
Authors: Georjon Cathy , Léa Vanessa
Published: February 2017

À la suite de l’analyse croisée des composantes céramiques de 12 séries du Languedoc Oriental et de trois séries de comparaison extra-régionales, 5 groupes se dégagent, nommés styles chasséens 1 à 5, calées chronologiquement par des datations radiocarbones encore peu nombreuses. Le style 1 peut être considéré comme un Proto-Chasséen, c’est-à-dire comme un Chasséen incomplet ; il se situerait entre 4340 et 4250 av. J.-C. Le style 2 se compose de deux variantes, et se rapproche du style des Plots. Il se situe entre 4310 et 3985 av. J.-C. Le style 3 présente également deux variantes. La variante 3a est une combinaison d’éléments archaïques en voie de raréfaction et de formes nouvelles et variées, datées entre 3965 et 3805 av. J.-C. La variante 3b s’est affranchie de ces archaïsmes ; elle n’est pas datée. Le style 4 correspond au style d’Auriac. Enfin, le style 5 se démarque nettement des autres. Deux variantes sont également possibles. Parmi les formes emblématiques de ce style on trouve les fameuses « écuelles de Bize » . Pour ces deux derniers styles, le Radiocarbone donne un intervalle de 3820 à 3650 av. J.-C. Antérieurement au Chasséen, on distingue quelques ensembles restreints au sein desquels se marque nettement l’ascendance du Néolithique ancien ; ils sont datés entre 4555 et 4460 av. J.-C. La fin de la séquence du Néolithique moyen est représentée par un site qui se démarque des productions chasséennes tout en demeurant dans le giron des groupes à céramique lisse ; il est daté entre 3640 et 3520 av. J.-C. Les industries lithiques taillées du Chasséen évoluent selon un rythme plus lent dont les moments de transition ne correspondent pas toujours à des césures dans les styles céramiques. Trois styles lithiques sont identifiables (A, B et C). La confrontation des périodisations du Midi fait ressortir une complexification croissante où les processus d’évolution et de régionalisation semblent s’accélérer dans les phases récentes du Chasséen.
La flore algale et sa distribution dans la région du fleuve Han, Corée
Authors: Yi Beom-Jun
Published: February 2017

208 taxons d'algues sont identifiés pour le fleuve Han, Corée du Sud, du mois d'avril 1979 au mois de juin 1981. L'étude quantitative sur la dynamique du plancton et du périphyton, le long du fleuve, montre une grande différence écologique entre les stations d'étude.
Un Hemimyrmécophyte à Chrysomelidés (Coleoptera) du sud-est asiatique, Clerodendrum fragrans (Vent.) Willd. (Verbenaceae)
Authors: Jolivet Pierre
Published: February 2017

La Verbénacée, Clerodendrum fragrans (Vent.) est une espèce commune dans les friches du Sud-Est Asiatique. C'est une plante à pseudo-nectaires extra-floraux qui attire un grand nombre d'espèces de fourmis, mais ne les loge pas. Ce n'est donc pas une myrmécophyte vraie, bien qu'en période estivale, les fourmis bâtissent des nids protecteurs couvrant les pseudo-nectaires à la base du limbe. La présence de fourmis ne protège pas la plante de certains phytophages, surtout Chrysomélides, qui s'attaquent aux feuilles et de certains Elatérides nectariphages qui semblent aussi jouer un rôle pollinisateur.
Les Entomoculia Croiss., de la zone calcaire du département du Var (France) (Coléoptères Staphylinidae)
Authors: Thélot Jean-Pierre
Published: February 2017

Description d'une nouvelle espèce de Leptotyphlini : Entomoculia septen-trionis n. sp., et de la femelle de l'Entomoculia lucensis Coiff. Les caractéristiques des espèces de la zone calcaire du département du Var en France sont dégagées à partir des parties fixes de l'édéage, ce qui a permis d'établir de nouvelles synonymies. Un tableau est proposé pour faciliter la détermination des divers taxons au sein d'un groupe redéfini.
Le genre Leistus Froehlig (Coleoptera -Carabidae -Nebriini). VI. Le sous-genre Evanoleistus Jedlicka
Authors: Perrault Georges G.
Published: February 2017

Subgenus Evanoleistus Jedlicka species are found from Japan to Pakistan. They can be distributed into two groups. The L. nepalensis Jedl. group is restricted to the Himalayas, while the five species of the L. crassus Bates group are found from Japan to Népal, one of them : L. birmanicus being described as new.
Le genre Leistus Fröhlig (Coleoptera -Garabidae -Nebriini). VII : Le sous-genre Evanoleistus Jedlicka (2) : Le groupe L. nepalensis Jedlicka
Authors: Perrault Georges G.
Published: February 2017

Le groupe de L. nepalensis Jedlicka, comprend actuellement onze espèces réparties dans les chaînes himalayennes depuis le Pakistan jusqu'au Sikkim. Cinq d'entre elles sont décrites comme nouvelles : L. wittmeri, L. loebli, L. makaluensis du Népal et L. andrewesi, L. negrei du Sikkim.
Character and Temperament Dimensions in Subjects with Depressive Disorder: Impact of the Affective State on Their Expression
Authors: Bajraktarov Stojan , Novotni Antoni , Arsova Slavica , Gudeva-Nikovska Dance , Vujovik Viktorija
Published: February 2017

BACKGROUND: The depression is a cross-cultural condition that occurs in all cultures and within all nations with certain specificities, even though there are some differences in its manifestation. The hereditary load is of major importance, but also the individual personality factors, in the form of risk factors, are associated with the occurrence of depression. Personality characteristics have a significant impact on the occurrence of the recurrent depressive disorder and the outcome of the treatment as well.AIM: To identify the specific personality traits in people with the recurrent depressive disorder and the impact of the affective state on them.METHODS: Three questionnaires were used: a general questionnaire, Beck's scale of depressive symptoms, and TCI-R (inventory for temperament and character).RESULTS: The most indicative differences in the dimensions are found in the Harm avoidance and the Self-direction dimensions, and most variable dimensions dependent on effective state are Novelty seeking and Reward dependence.CONCLUSION: The people with the recurrent depressive disorder have a different profile of personality traits (temperament and character) compared with the control group, and their characteristics depend on their current affective state.
Tumour Necrosis Factor-Î‘, Interleukin-1 and Interleukin-6 Serum Levels and Its Correlation with Pain Severity in Chronic Tension-Type Headache Patients: Analysing Effect of Dexketoprofen Administration
Authors: Rambe Aldy Safruddin , Sjahrir Hasan , Machfoed Moh Hasan
Published: February 2017

AIM: The purpose of this study is to see the effect of Dexketoprofen on TNF-Î±, IL-1, and IL-6 serum levels in Chronic Tension-Type Headache (CTTH) patients and its correlation with pain severity.METHOD: The study subjects were recruited consecutively from the study population. Venous blood was taken at baseline to measure serum levels of TNF-Î±, IL-1, and IL-6 and after ten consecutive days of Dexketoprofen 25 mg once daily.RESULTS: Twenty three subjects participated in this study, 3 male (13.0%) and 20 female (87%). A significant difference between NRS score at baseline and after treatment (4.86 Â± 1.82 vs. 1.96 Â± 1.40, p = 0.001) was found. No significant difference found between baseline and after treatment TNF-Î± (1.48 Â± 0.65 pg/dl vs. 1.48 Â± 0.63 pg/dl, p = 0.963), IL-1 (0.16 Â± 0.80 pg/dl vs. 0.26 Â± 0.31 pg/dl, p = 0.168) nor IL-6 serum levels (1.06 Â± 0.83 pg/dl vs. 1.04 Â± 0.81 pg/dl, p = 0.915). A weak negative (R = -0.266) non significant correlation (p = 0.219) was found between NRS score and TNF-Î±. A positive weak negative (R = 0.221) non significant correlation (p = 0.311) between NRS score and IL-1. NRS score and IL-6 had a negative very weak (R = -0.019) non significant negative correlation (p = 0.931).CONCLUSIONS: Dexketoprofen decreased pain intensity significantly (p = 0.001), but had no effect on TNF-Î± IL-1 nor IL-6 serum levels. NRS score had a weak and non significant negative correlation with TNF-Î±, a weak and non significant positive correlation with IL-1, and a very weak and non significant negative correlation with IL-6 serum levels.
Établir des priorités en soins de santé. Comment passer des besoins vitaux aux taux de remboursement ?
Authors: Léonard Christian , Batifoulier Philippe , Braddock Louise , Latsis John
Published: February 2017

Choisir est consubstantiel à l’existence humaine, mais dans le cadre de biens collectifs comme les soins de santé, dans le cadre de budgets forcément limités et objet de réduction, choisir devient un devoir éthique. Nous proposons une approche susceptible d’être féconde dans la détermination du « paquet de soins ». Cette approche est fondée sur le concept de « besoin vital » qui doit être rencontré afin d’éviter un « endommagement grave » qui altère la capacité d’agent de la personne. Nous formulons ensuite une critique de la plupart des variables focales, qui déterminent chacune une forme d’égalitarisme, avant de considérer quelques questions éthiques liées à la fixation de priorités en santé. La prise en considération des préférences de la population apparaît comme un élément incontournable à la légitimation des décisions. Elle peut s’avérer féconde si elle bénéficie d’une forme de care que nous qualifions d’informationnel. JEL Classification  : D63, D64, H40, H51, I18
Is Belgium overshooting in its policy support to cut the cost of capital of renewable sources of energy ?
Authors: Estache Antonio , Steichen Anne-Sophie
Published: February 2017

Cet article rapporte les différences de coût du capital en Belgique entre les différents générateurs en fonction de leur source d’énergie (renouvelable vs. non renouvelable). L’analyse est basée sur un échantillon de 26 firmes de génération. Les résultats montrent que les programmes de support des gouvernements ont plus que compensé les entreprises du renouvelable pour les hausses de coût du capital liées aux risques accrus de ces sources d’énergie.
Mafias, sport et paris : les liaisons dangereuses
Authors: Kalb Christian
Published: February 2017

La manipulation des compétitions sportives est le nouveau fléau qui menace la pérennité du sport professionnel à l’échelle mondiale. Phénomène encore méconnu du grand public, la menace des matchs truqués s’est affirmée brutalement avec l’explosion des paris sportifs et d’Internet, c’est-à-dire réellement il y a une petite dizaine d’années. Le sport n’a donc pas eu le temps d’anticiper et subit de plein fouet les conséquences de cette situation. Aujourd’hui, le Crime organisé utilise le sport et les paris comme un vecteur de diversification de ses activités traditionnelles, comme le trafic de stupéfiants, le racket et la prostitution. Les parades existent mais elles sont difficiles à mettre en œuvre dans un contexte international où les paradis de jeux et les intérêts privés imposent encore souvent leur loi. L’objet de cet article est de décrire, à travers un exemple concret, celui du « Calcioscommesse » en Italie, la complexité des affaires de trucage des compétitions sportives.
Du dopage au dopage financier
Authors: Bouvet Patrice , Lepetit Christophe
Published: February 2017

Le dopage peut être défini comme le fait d’administrer, d’inciter à l’usage, de faciliter l’utilisation, en vue d’une compétition sportive, de substances ou de procédés de nature à accroître artificiellement ses capacités physiques ou à masquer leur emploi en vue d’un contrôle. De nos jours, la notion de « dopage financier » est également souvent évoquée. Cet article a pour ambition de la préciser, d’étudier (théoriquement et empiriquement) les « modes opératoires » utilisés et de voir dans quelle mesure les organismes et instruments de régulation financiers existant (salary cap, DNCG, fair-play financier) permettent de le combattre.
Personalized Content Recommendation Engine for Web Publishing Services Using Textmining and Predictive Analytics
Authors: Öztayşi Başar , Tekin Ahmet Tezcan , Özdikicioğlu Cansu , Tümkaya Kerim Caner
Published: February 2017

Recommendation systems have become very important especially for internet based business such as e-commerce and web publishing. While content based filtering and collaborative filtering are most commonly used groups in recommendation systems there are still researches for new approaches. In this study, a personalized recommendation system based on text mining and predictive analytics is proposed for a real world web publishing company. The approach given in this chapter first preprocesses existing web contents, integrate the structured data with history of a specific user and create an extended TDM for the user. Then this data is used for prediction of the users interest in new content. In order to reach that point, SVM, K-NN and Naïve Bayesian methods are used. Finally, the best performing method is used for determining the interest level of the user in a new content. Based on the forecasted interest levels the system recommends among the alternatives.
Improving Logistics Costs Through ERP Alignment
Authors: Muscatello Joseph R. , Parente Diane H. , Swinarski Matthew
Published: February 2017

This paper examines the alignment success factors necessary to improve logistics cost when implementing an ERP system taking a work system theoretical perspective. Organizations attempting to decrease logistics costs via an ERP implementation must consider the processes and activities involved in aligning participants, information, technology, and business process in these ERP implementations. We used a two-step approach, conducting a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess the psychometric properties of our measures and then conducting an independent sample t-test between two groups, one which experienced decreased logistic costs and the second which experienced the same or increasing logistic costs. This research has provided more insight into the practice of ERP implementations and has reemphasized the need to judge ERP success relative to impact on firm performance.
Investigating Impact of Inter-Organizational Factors in Measuring ERP Systems Success
Authors: Seyal Afzaal H. , Rahman Mohd Noah A.
Published: February 2017

The cardinal aim of this study is to assess the success of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in investigating the role played by the top management and government support, external expertise, perceived benefits and the impact of business vision. This is a quantitative field study conducted on 150 business firms randomly selected from the Brunei Yellow Pages. In this study, 30% of the companies had practiced the ERP for more than one year. A statistical software package PSW-18 was used to analyse the data. The majority of the previous findings which include all contextual variables used were significant with an exception to the top management support which proved insignificant. Those results were compared with existing studies. The practical implications are discussed and a conclusion is drawn.
Benefits of Customer Relationship Management on Customer Satisfaction
Authors: Mohammadhossein Nastaran , Ahmad Mohammad Nazir , Zakaria Nor Hidayati
Published: February 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of customer relationship management (CRM) benefits for customers in relation to customer satisfaction. A model has been developed and empirically tested through data collected from a survey of 150 customers of three Malaysian companies. The results indicate that the benefits of CRM for customers have had a significant positive effect on their satisfaction towards marketing companies. Personalized services, responsiveness to customers' needs, customer segmentation, customization of marketing, multichannel integration, time-saving and improving customer knowledge are the benefits that we proposed would affect customer satisfaction and significantly improve marketing performance. Additionally, the results reveal that all the benefits found, with the exception of time-saving, enhanced customer satisfaction. This paper contributes to the existing literature by incorporating the benefits of CRM for customers, and the relationships of these benefits with their satisfaction in the proposed model.
English to Hindi Machine Translation System in the Context of Homoeopathy Literature
Authors: Sukhadeve Pramod P.
Published: February 2017

Over the years, researches in machine translation (MT) systems have gain momentum due to their widespread applicability. A number of systems have come up doing the task successfully for different language pairs. However, to the best of the author's knowledge, no significant work has been done in clinical and medical related domain especially in Homoeopathy. This paper describes a rule based English-Hindi MT system for Homoeopathic sentences. It has been designed to translate a variety of sentences from Homoeopathic literature. To achieve the task, the author developed English and Hindi Homoeopathic corpuses presently having the size 21096 and 23145 sentences respectively. For translation, the input sentences (in English) have been categorised in four different type's i.e. simple, complex, interrogative and ambiguous sentences. The authors tested the translation accuracy using BLEU score. At present, the overall Bleu score of the system is 0.7808 and the accuracy percentage is 82.25%.
The Impact of Electrostatic Forces on the Dynamic and Heat Transfer Coefficient of Single Bubble Rising
Authors: Salehi Mohammad Ali , Poursaman Samaneh
Published: February 2017

In this study, the effect of an applied electric field on the separation and rise of bubble was simulated by Computational Fluid dynamics and results were compared with experimental data. The numerical results showed proper agreement (10%) with experimental reports. The working fluids in the experiment were air, water, and oil. During the simulation, the effects of different voltages on the bubble, bubble ascent, Reynolds and Nusselt number were investigated. The results showed that the more polar air bubbles in the fluid changed and diverted its route. Applying an electric field, reduces separation time, resulting in the formation of bubbles and more bubbles generated at the same time that it increases the heat transfer.
Design of Open Content Social Learning based on the Activities of Learner and Similar Learners
Authors: John Benneaser , Jayakumar J. , Thavavel V. , Arumugam Muthukumar , Poornaselvan K. J.
Published: February 2017

Teaching and learning are increasingly taking advantage of the rapid growth in Internet resources, open content, mobile technologies and social media platforms. However, due to the generally unstructured nature and overwhelming quantity of learning content, effective learning remains challenging. In an effort to close this gap, the authors designed and built an Open Content Social Learning (OCSL) system that compares different pedagogical strategies and algorithms intended to improve learning. Their results have shown increased effectiveness when recommending learning activities in a pedagogically appropriate order based on learning goals, historical learning preferences, and behaviors from other learners who had similar goals.
The Impact of Firm Size in the Formulation of Sustainable Manufacturing Strategy Infrastructural Decisions Under Uncertainty
Authors: Ocampo Lanndon
Published: February 2017

This paper adopts a fuzzy analytic network process approach in identifying the impact of the presence of firm size on the content of the manufacturing strategy infrastructural decisions that integrates the classical manufacturing strategy framework and the notion of sustainability. Linguistic variables with equivalent triangular fuzzy numbers were used to elucidate judgment of elements in pairwise comparison matrices within the context of the analytic network process. Analytic network process effectively handles the complexity of the decision-making problem resulting from the subjectivity and interrelationships inherent among decision components. Domain experts in manufacturing strategy and sustainability were asked to elicit judgment in pairwise comparisons. Results show that the content of the infrastructural decisions of manufacturing strategy remains constant regardless of the presences of firm size component. However, the priority of each decision to the goal which can be translated as the priority of implementation of each policy varies with the presence of firm size.
The Impact of Social Network on Italian Users' Behavioural Intention for the Choice of a Medical Tourist Destination
Authors: Di Virgilio Francesca , Camillo Angelo A. , Camillo Isabell C.
Published: February 2017

Tourism represents one of the most important industries in the global economy. Medical tourism is not a new phenomenon: mankind has traveled to foreign lands to access treatment for many years. Current research in information and communication technology considerably affects the tourism industry by providing innovative tools capable, on the one hand, of supporting tourists in organizing their holidays and, on the other, of supplying fast and efficient information on tourist destination. Published literature shows that many aspects of medical tourists' behavior are under-researched. One of these aspects is the impact of social media on tourists' behavior for the choice of tourist medical destination, which is the original focus of this research. This paper explores how a social network can become a strategic platform using eWOM (electronic Word of Mouth) as a tool for disseminating fast and detailed information for the choice of medical tourist destination. A survey instrument was used to collect information from Italian active users of a social network: Facebook. Data was solicited from 960 active, experienced users. The findings support the development of medical tourism communication strategies focused on the online contexts as factors capable of influencing medical tourists' behavior in a more efficient way. Implications and future research directions are discussed.