bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soutenir la guerre et réformer la fiscalité: Silhouette et Forbonnais au Contrôle général des finances (1759)
Authors: Orain Arnaud
Published: August 2013

Le bref ministère (mars-novembre 1759) d’Etienne de Silhouette et de son principal conseiller François Véron de Forbonnais est marqué du sceau des difficultés financières de la guerre de Sept Ans. Dans deux opérations distinctes, le contrôleur général et l’économiste vont ainsi tenter de trouver les fonds nécessaires à la poursuite du conflit et finalement échouer face à l’hostilité que leurs projets vont soulever. Souvent passé sous silence, ce ministère a été jugé sévèrement par les rares historiens qui y ont fait allusion. Pourtant, les tentatives de Silhouette et Forbonnais relèvent moins de l’improvisation que d’une volonté de mise en oeuvre des idées qu’ils ont préalablement développées au sein du cercle de Gournay. Dans une analyse à la fois intellectuelle et culturelle des projets des deux hommes, mais également des réactions de l’opinion, cet article tente d’en cerner le caractère d’ensemble et de porter un avis sur les causes de leur échec final.

The short ministry (from March to November 1759) of Etienne de Silhouette and his first adviser, François Véron de Forbonnais, took place during the great financial tribulations of the Seven Years’ War. The general controller and the economist tried to find money to pursue the war. In the end they failed due to the great hostilities generated by their different projects. Largely ignored, this ministry was severely judged by the very few historians who make reference to it. Nevertheless, the attempts of Silhouette and Forbonnais had less to do with improvisation than with the implementation of their ideas developed inside the Gournay circle. Through an intellectual and cultural analysis of the projects of the two men and of the public reaction, this article tries to capture the spirit of their attempts and to give a general appraisal of their final failure.
Regulation of Cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase 1 by Spliceosome-associated protein 130 (SAP130)
Authors: Cordero-Espinoza Lucia , Hagen Thilo
Published: August 2013

Cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases (CRLs) mediate the ubiquitination of numerous protein substrates and target them for proteasomal degradation. The function of CRLs is under tight regulation by Cullin-binding proteins. It has been reported that the Spliceosome-associated protein 130 (SAP130/SF3b-3) binds to several Cullin proteins, yet it remains unknown whether SAP130 plays any role in regulating the function of CRLs. Here, we report that SAP130 overexpression reduces the binding of adaptor protein Skp1 and substrate receptor Skp2 to Cul1, whereas it has no effect on CAND1 binding to Cul1. Overexpression of SAP130 decreases the degradation rate of p27, a protein substrate of the SCFSkp2 ligase. Interestingly, silencing of SAP130 also inhibits the degradation of p27, suggesting a dual role for SAP130 in the regulation of SCF activity. We hypothesized that the regulatory role of SAP130 could extend to other CRLs; however, overexpression of SAP130 is unable to affect the protein stability of the Cul2 and Cul3 substrates, HIF-1 and NRF-2. SAP130 binds to Cul1, Cul2 and Cul4 with similar affinity, and it binds to Cul3 more strongly. SAP130 localizes in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Hence, the inability of SAP130 to regulate Cul2 and Cul3 CRLs cannot be explained by low binding affinity of SAP130 to these cullins or by subcellular sequestration of SAP130. We propose a novel role for SAP130 in the regulation of SCF, whereby SAP130 physically competes with the adaptor protein/F-box protein for Cul1 binding and interferes with the assembly of a functional SCF ligase.
Non-directional radial intercalation dominates deep cell behavior during zebrafish epiboly
Authors: Bensch Robert , Song Sungmin , Ronneberger Olaf , Driever Wolfgang
Published: August 2013

Epiboly is the first coordinated cell movement in most vertebrates and marks the onset of gastrulation. During zebrafish epiboly, enveloping layer (EVL) and deep cells spread over the vegetal yolk mass with a concomitant thinning of the deep cell layer. A prevailing model suggests that deep cell radial intercalations directed towards the EVL would drive deep cell epiboly. To test this model, we have globally recorded 3D cell trajectories for zebrafish blastomeres between sphere and 50% epiboly stages, and developed an image analysis framework to determine intercalation events, intercalation directionality, and migration speed for cells at specific positions within the embryo. This framework uses Voronoi diagrams to compute cell-to-cell contact areas, defines a feature-based spatio-temporal model for intercalation events and fits an anatomical coordinate system to the recorded datasets. We further investigate whether epiboly defects in MZspg mutant embryos devoid of Pou5f1/Oct4 may be caused by changes in intercalation behavior. In wild-type and mutant embryos, intercalations orthogonal to the EVL occur with no directional bias towards or away from the EVL, suggesting that there are no directional cues that would direct intercalations towards the EVL. Further, we find that intercalation direction is independent of the previous intercalation history of individual deep cells, arguing against cues that would program specific intrinsic directed migration behaviors. Our data support a dynamic model in which deep cells during epiboly migrate into space opening between the EVL and the yolk syncytial layer. Genetic programs determining cell motility may control deep cell dynamic behavior and epiboly progress.
Gpr125 modulates Dishevelled distribution and planar cell polarity signaling
Authors: Li Xin , Roszko Isabelle , Sepich Diane S. , Ni Mingwei , Hamm Heidi E. , Marlow Florence L. , Solnica-Krezel Lilianna
Published: August 2013

During vertebrate gastrulation, Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling orchestrates polarized cell behaviors underlying convergence and extension (C&E) movements to narrow embryonic tissues mediolaterally and lengthen them anteroposteriorly. Here, we have identified Gpr125, an adhesion G protein-coupled receptor, as a novel modulator of the Wnt/PCP signaling system. Excess Gpr125 impaired C&E movements and the underlying cell and molecular polarities. Reduced Gpr125 function exacerbated the C&E and facial branchiomotor neuron (FBMN) migration defects of embryos with reduced Wnt/PCP signaling. At the molecular level, Gpr125 recruited Dishevelled to the cell membrane, a prerequisite for Wnt/PCP activation. Moreover, Gpr125 and Dvl mutually clustered one another to form discrete membrane subdomains, and the Gpr125 intracellular domain directly interacted with Dvl in pull-down assays. Intriguingly, Dvl and Gpr125 were able to recruit a subset of PCP components into membrane subdomains, suggesting that Gpr125 may modulate the composition of Wnt/PCP membrane complexes. Our study reveals a role for Gpr125 in PCP-mediated processes and provides mechanistic insight into Wnt/PCP signaling.
Matched miRNA and mRNA signatures from a hESC-based in vitro model of pancreatic differentiation reveal novel regulatory interactions
Authors: Liao Xiaoyan , Xue Haipeng , Wang Yu-Chieh , Nazor Kristopher L. , Guo Shuren , Trivedi Neha , Peterson Suzanne E. , Liu Ying , Loring Jeanne F. , Laurent Louise C.
Published: August 2013

The differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to insulin-expressing beta islet-like cells is a promising in vitro model system for studying the molecular signaling pathways underlying beta cell differentiation, as well as a potential source of cells for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate many biological processes, including cellular differentiation. We studied the miRNA and mRNA expression profiles of hPSCs at 5 stages of in vitro differentiation along the pancreatic beta cell lineage (definitive endoderm, primitive gut tube, posterior foregut, pancreatic progenitor and hormone-expressing endocrine cells) in the context of samples of primary human fetal pancreas and purified adult islet cells using microarray analysis. Bioinformatic analysis of the resulting data identified a unique miRNA signature in differentiated beta islet cells, and predicted the effects of key miRNAs on mRNA expression. Many of the predicted miRNA-mRNA interactions involved mRNAs known to play key roles in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and pancreatic differentiation. We validated a subset of the predictions using qRT-PCR, luciferase reporter assays and western blot, including the known interaction between miR-200 and ZEB2 (involved in EMT) and the novel interaction between miR-200 and SOX17 (a key transcription factor in specification of definitive endoderm). In addition, we found that miR-30d and let-7e, two miRNAs induced during differentiation, regulated the expression of RFX6, a transcription factor that directs pancreatic islet formation. These findings suggest that precise control of target mRNA expression by miRNAs ensures proper lineage specification during pancreatic development.
Protective effects of matrix metalloproteinase-12 following corneal injury
Authors: Chan Matilda F. , Li Jing , Bertrand Anthony , Casbon Amy-Jo , Lin Jeffrey H. , Maltseva Inna , Werb Zena
Published: August 2013

Corneal scarring due to injury is a leading cause of blindness worldwide and results from dysregulated inflammation and angiogenesis during wound healing. Here we demonstrate that the extracellular matrix metalloproteinase MMP12 (macrophage metalloelastase) is an important regulator of these repair processes. Chemical injury resulted in higher expression of the fibrotic markers α-smooth muscle actin and type I collagen, and increased levels of angiogenesis in corneas of MMP12−/− mice compared with corneas of wild-type mice. In vivo, we observed altered immune cell dynamics in MMP12−/− corneas by confocal imaging. We determined that the altered dynamics owed to an altered inflammatory response, with delayed neutrophil infiltration during the first day and excessive macrophage infiltration six days later, mediated by altered expression levels of chemokines CCL2 and CXCL1, respectively. Corneal repair returned to normal upon inhibition of these chemokines. Taken together, these data show that MMP12 has a protective effect on corneal fibrosis during wound repair via regulation of immune cell infiltration and angiogenesis.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress impairs IL-4/IL-13 signaling through C/EBPβ-mediated transcriptional suppression
Authors: Arensdorf Angela M. , Rutkowski D. Thomas
Published: August 2013

Activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress culminates in extensive gene regulation, with transcriptional upregulation of genes that improve the protein folding capacity of the organelle. However, a substantial number of genes are downregulated by ER stress, and the mechanisms that lead to this downregulation and its consequences on cellular function are poorly understood. We found that ER stress led to coordinated transcriptional suppression of diverse cellular processes, including those involved in cytokine signaling. Using expression of the IL-4/IL-13 receptor subunit Il4ra as a sentinel, we sought to understand the mechanism behind this suppression and its impact on inflammatory signaling. We found that reinitiation of global protein synthesis by GADD34-mediated dephosphorylation of eIF2α resulted in preferential expression of the inhibitory LIP isoform of the transcription factor C/EBPβ. This regulation was in turn required for the suppression of Il4ra and related inflammatory genes. Suppression of Il4ra was lost in Cebpb-/- cells but could be induced by LIP overexpression. As a consequence of Il4ra suppression, ER stress impaired IL-4/IL-13 signaling. Strikingly, Cebpb-/- cells lacking Il4ra downregulation were protected from this signaling impairment. This work identifies a novel role for C/EBPβ in regulating transcriptional suppression and inflammatory signaling during ER stress.
Hydrodynamic resistance and flow patterns in the gills of a tilapine fish
Authors: Strother James A.
Published: August 2013

The gills of teleost fishes are often discussed as an archetypal counter-current exchange system, capable of supporting the relatively high metabolic rates of some fishes despite the low oxygen solubility of water. Despite an appreciation for the physiology of exchange at the gills, many questions remain regarding the hydrodynamical basis of ventilation in teleost fishes. In this study, the hydrodynamic resistance and flow fields around the isolated gills of a tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, were measured as a function of the applied pressure head. At ventilatory pressures typical of a fish at rest, the hydrodynamic resistance of the gills was nearly constant, the flow was laminar, shunting of water around the gills was essentially absent, and the distribution of water flow was relatively uniform. However, at the higher pressures typical of an active or stressed fish, some of these qualities were lost. In particular, at elevated pressures there was a decrease in the hydrodynamic resistance of the gills and substantial shunting of water around the gills. These effects suggest mechanical limits to maximum aerobic performance during activity or under adverse environmental conditions.
Cardiovascular design in fin whales: high-stiffness arteries protect against adverse pressure gradients at depth
Authors: Lillie M. A. , Piscitelli M. A. , Vogl A. W. , Gosline J. M. , Shadwick R. E.
Published: August 2013

Fin whales have an incompliant aorta, which, we hypothesize, represents an adaptation to large, depth-induced variations in arterial transmural pressures. We hypothesize these variations arise from a limited ability of tissues to respond to rapid changes in ambient ocean pressures during a dive. We tested this hypothesis by measuring arterial mechanics experimentally and modelling arterial transmural pressures mathematically. The mechanical properties of mammalian arteries reflect the physiological loads they experience, so we examined a wide range of fin whale arteries. All arteries had abundant adventitial collagen that was usually recruited at very low stretches and inflation pressures (2–3 kPa), making arterial diameter largely independent of transmural pressure. Arteries withstood significant negative transmural pressures (−7 to −50 kPa) before collapsing. Collapse was resisted by recruitment of adventitial collagen at very low stretches. These findings are compatible with the hypothesis of depth-induced variation of arterial transmural pressure. Because transmural pressures depend on thoracic pressures, we modelled the thorax of a diving fin whale to assess the likelihood of significant variation in transmural pressures. The model predicted that deformation of the thorax body wall and diaphragm could not always equalize thoracic and ambient pressures because of asymmetrical conditions on dive descent and ascent. Redistribution of blood could partially compensate for asymmetrical conditions, but inertial and viscoelastic lag necessarily limits tissue response rates. Without pressure equilibrium, particularly when ambient pressures change rapidly, internal pressure gradients will develop and expose arteries to transient pressure fluctuations, but with minimal hemodynamic consequence due to their low compliance.
The impact behaviour of silk cocoons
Authors: Chen Fujia , Hesselberg Thomas , Porter David , Vollrath Fritz
Published: August 2013

Silk cocoons, constructed by silkmoths (Lepidoptera), are protective structural composites. Some cocoons appear to have evolved towards structural and material optimisation in order to sustain impact strikes from predators and hinder parasite ingress. This study investigates the protective properties of silk cocoons with different morphologies by evaluating their impact resistance and damage tolerance. Finite element analysis was used to analyse empirical observations of the quasi-static impact response of the silk cocoons, and to evaluate the separate benefits of the structures and materials through the deformation and damage mechanism. We use design principles from composite engineering in order to understand the structure–property–function relationship of silkworm cocoons. Understanding the highly evolved survival strategies of the organisms building natural cocoons will hopefully lead to inspiration that in turn could lead to improved composite design.
Assessing the relative importance of environmental effects, carry-over effects and species differences in thermal stress resistance: a comparison of Drosophilids across field and laboratory generations
Authors: Schiffer Michele , Hangartner Sandra , Hoffmann Ary A.
Published: August 2013

There is increasing interest in comparing species of related organisms for their susceptibility to thermal extremes in order to evaluate potential vulnerability to climate change. Comparisons are typically undertaken on individuals collected from the field with or without a period of acclimation. However this approach does not allow the potential contributions of environmental and carry-over effects across generations to be separated from inherent species differences in susceptibility. To assess the importance of these different sources of variation, we here consider heat and cold resistance in Drosophilid species from tropical and temperate sites in the field and across two laboratory generations. Resistance in field-collected individuals tended to be lower when compared to F1 and F2 laboratory generations, and species differences in field flies were only weakly correlated to differences established under controlled rearing conditions, unlike in F1 - F2 comparisons. This reflected large environmental effects on resistance associated with different sites and conditions experienced within sites. For the cold recovery assay (after 8 h cold stress) there was no strong evidence of carry-over effects, whereas for the heat knockdown (heat) and cold recovery assays (after 2 h cold stress) there was some evidence for such effects. However for heat these were species-specific in direction. Variance components for inherent species differences were substantial for resistance to heat and 8 h cold stress, but small for 2 h cold stress, though this may be a reflection of the species being considered in the comparisons. These findings highlight that inherent differences among species are difficult to characterize accurately without controlling for environmental sources of variation and carry-over effects. Moreover they also emphasize the complex nature of carry-over effects that depend on the nature of stress traits and the species being evaluated.
A thermogenic secondary sexual character in male sea lamprey
Authors: Chung-Davidson Yu-Wen , Priess M. Cody , Yeh Chu-Yin , Brant Cory O. , Johnson Nicholas S. , Li Ke , Nanlohy Kaben G. , Bryan Mara B. , Brown C. Titus , Choi Jongeun , Li Weiming
Published: August 2013

Secondary sexual characters in animals are exaggerated ornaments or weapons for intrasexual competition. Unexpectedly, we found that a male secondary sexual character in sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is a thermogenic adipose tissue that instantly increases its heat production during sexual encounters. This secondary sexual character, developed in front of the anterior dorsal fin of mature males, is a swollen dorsal ridge known as the ‘rope’ tissue. It contains nerve bundles, multivacuolar adipocytes and interstitial cells packed with small lipid droplets and mitochondria with dense and highly organized cristae. The fatty acid composition of the rope tissue is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. The cytochrome c oxidase activity is high but the ATP concentration is very low in the mitochondria of the rope tissue compared with those of the gill and muscle tissues. The rope tissue temperature immediately rose up to 0.3°C when the male encountered a conspecific. Mature males generated more heat in the rope and muscle tissues when presented with a mature female than when presented with a male (paired t-test, P<0.05). On average, the rope generated 0.027±0.013 W cm−3 more heat than the muscle in 10 min. Transcriptome analyses revealed that genes involved in fat cell differentiation are upregulated whereas those involved in oxidative-phosphorylation-coupled ATP synthesis are downregulated in the rope tissue compared with the gill and muscle tissues. Sexually mature male sea lamprey possess the only known thermogenic secondary sexual character that shows differential heat generation toward individual conspecifics.
An automated training paradigm reveals long-term memory in planaria and its persistence through head regeneration
Authors: Shomrat Tal , Levin Michael
Published: August 2013

Planarian flatworms are a popular system for research into the molecular mechanisms that enable these complex organisms to regenerate their entire body, including the brain. Classical data suggest that they may also be capable of long-term memory. Thus, the planarian system may offer the unique opportunity to study brain regeneration and memory in the same animal. To establish a system for the investigation of the dynamics of memory in a regenerating brain, we developed a computerized training and testing paradigm that avoided the many issues that confounded previous, manual attempts to train planaria. We then used this new system to train flatworms in an environmental familiarization protocol. We show that worms exhibit environmental familiarization, and that this memory persists for at least 14 days – long enough for the brain to regenerate. We further show that trained, decapitated planaria exhibit evidence of memory retrieval in a savings paradigm after regenerating a new head. Our work establishes a foundation for objective, high-throughput assays in this molecularly-tractable model system that will shed light on the fundamental interface between body patterning and stored memories. We propose planaria as a key emerging model species for mechanistic investigations of the encoding of specific memories in biological tissues. Moreover, this system is likely to have important implications for the biomedicine of stem cell-derived treatments of degenerative brain disorders in human adults.
Ammonium secretion by Malpighian tubules ofDrosophila melanogaster: application of a novel ammonium-selective microelectrode
Authors: Browne Austin , O'Donnell Michael J.
Published: August 2013

Ammonia is a toxic nitrogenous waste product of amino acid metabolism that may accumulate to high levels in the medium ingested by larvae of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Here we report measurements of haemolymph NH4+ concentration and the secretion of NH4+ by the Malpighian (renal) tubules. Measurement of NH4+ concentrations in secreted droplets is complicated either by the requirement for large sample volumes for enzymatic assays or by the inadequate selectivity of NH4+-selective microelectrodes based on nonactin. We have developed a novel liquid membrane NH4+-selective microelectrode based on a 19-membered crown compound (TD19C6), which has been used previously in ammonium-selective macroelectrodes. In conjunction with an improved technique for correcting for interference of potassium, NH4+-selective microelectrodes based on TD19C6 permit accurate measurement of ammonium concentration in haemolymph samples and nanoliter droplets of fluid secreted by the Malpighian tubules of Drosophila melanogaster. The results indicate that active secretion of ammonium into the Malpighian tubule lumen is sufficient to maintain concentrations of approximately 1 mmol l-1 ammonium in the haemolymph of larvae reared on diets containing 100 mmol l-1 ammonium chloride.
Comparison of Uranyl Adsorption on Iron(III) Oxyhydroxide Colloids
Authors: Niida Keigo , Saito Takumi , Tanaka Satoru
Published: August 2013

Iron(III) colloids are known to act as carriers for toxic elements in nature, which can cause retardation or even acceleration of their migration. In this study the adsorption of UO22+ on iron(III) (oxy)hydroxides (2-line ferrihydrite, 6-line ferrihydrite, goethite, and maghemite) were compared through adsorption isotherm measurements. The normalized adsorption amounts on goethite were larger than those of the other minerals over a wide range of free UO22+ concentration in spite of the relatively small site density of goethite.
Declining Equivalence Scales and Cost of Children: Evidence and Implications for Inequality Measurement
Authors: Balli Fabrizio , Tiezzi Silvia
Published: August 2013

This article estimates expenditure-dependent equivalence scales for Italian couples with and without children. Following Donaldson and Pendakur (2006), the generalised absolute equivalence-scale exactness (GAESE) restrictions are incorporated into a translated quadratic almost ideal demand system. We obtain declining-with-expenditure equivalence scales, a pattern that tends to strengthen when the number of children increases. Thus, scale economies in current consumption are lower for families with poor expenditure capacities. We also show that families living in the South bear a substantial additional cost to achieve the same well-being of those living in the North. Finally, we find that ignoring the declining with expenditure pattern may involve a relevant understatement of measured inequality.
Metallic iron for environmental remediation: the long walk to evidence
Authors: Noubactep Chicgoua
Published: August 2013

The science of metallic iron for environmental remediation is yet to be established. The prevailing theory of the Fe0/H2O system is characterized by its inability to fully rationalize the concept that holds up the technology. The present article demonstrates that Fe0 technology was introduced by altering the course of mainstream science and by distorting the work of corrosion scientists. The Fe0 research community is now facing the consequences of this initial “forcing”. The technology is still innovative despite two decades of commercialization.
Hydrogen embrittlement of austenitic steels: electron approach
Authors: Gavriljuk Valentin G. , Shanina Bela D. , Shyvanyuk Vladyslav N. , Teus Sergey M.
Published: August 2013

A review of available hypotheses for hydrogen embrittlement (HE) in its relation to austenitic steels is presented. It is shown that the hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity theory adequately describes the features of HE. Nevertheless, being developed within the frame of continuum mechanics, it overestimates the hydrogen-induced shielding of the elastic interaction between dislocations and does not take into account the hydrogen-induced change in the electron structure of austenitic steels.Ab initiocalculations and experimental studies of the electron structure show that the hydrogen in austenitic steels increases the concentration of free electrons,nf, and the interpretation of available experimental data shows that when designing steel, alloying the steel with elements that decreasenfimproves hydrogen resistance. Experimental tests are carried out, and their results are discussed. Based on the hydrogen-increased concentration of thermodynamic equilibrium vacancies in the interstitial solid solutions, a new model for hydrogen-induced shear localization is proposed.
Obesity and cardiovascular disease: role of adipose tissue, inflammation, and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system
Authors: Lastra Guido , Sowers James R.
Published: August 2013

Obesity is a leading contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Chronic overnutrition and lack of physical activity result in excess deposition of adipose tissue and insulin resistance, which plays a key role in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and associated cardiovascular disease (CVD). Dysfunctional adipose tissue in obese individuals is characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation that spreads to several tissues as well as systemically and is able to impact the cardiovascular system, resulting in both functional and anatomical abnormalities. Inflammation is characterized by abnormalities in both innate and adaptive immunity including adipose tissue infiltration by CD4+ T lymphocytes, pro-inflammatory (M1) macrophages, and increased production of adipokines. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is inappropriately activated in adipose tissue and contributes to originating and perpetuating inflammation and excessive oxidative stress by increasing production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In turn, ROS and pro-inflammatory adipokines cause resistance to the metabolic actions of insulin in several tissues including cardiovascular and adipose tissue. Insulin resistance in cardiovascular tissues is characterized by impaired vascular reactivity and abnormal cardiac contractility as well as hypertrophy, fibrosis, and remodeling, which ultimately result in CVD. In this context, weight loss through caloric restriction, regular physical activity, and surgery as well as pharmacologic RAAS blockade all play a key role in reducing obesity-related cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Impact Assessment of V2G on the Power Loss of Unbalanced Radial Distribution Network
Authors: Chukwu Uwakwe Christian , Mahajan Satish M.
Published: August 2013

Electric distribution feeders are inherently unbalanced and therefore have potential for severe power loss. The penetration of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) into the distribution feeders is expected to impact the power losses in the system. This is a pressing issue since power loss affects the operations, economics, and quality of service for the electric power systems. In this article, the impact of V2G parking lots on power losses of a radial distribution network is investigated. Two test networks were used in the study, namely: IEEE 13 and IEEE 123 Node test feeder networks. The test feeders and the V2G facilities were modeled in Radial Distribution Analysis Package (RDAP). Load flow results provided information on the power losses of the network. Results show that for a given penetration level, the impact of 3-phase and system-wide V2G integration on the power loss results in less power losses than 1-phase V2G integration. Results also indicate that operating the entire system such that V2G facilities will not compromise “near-balanced” state of operation and will have an improved impact on the power loss than highly unbalanced operation. The results obtained will be a useful tool for studying the impact of V2G on the power loss of a distribution network.
Defining Minimum Standards for the Digitization of Speech Recordings on Audio Compact Cassettes
Authors: Jackson Derek Jay
Published: August 2013

Best-practices guidelines reflecting the consensus of experienced professionals are invaluable for archives with enough resources to implement them. For many archives, however, such guidelines may fail to meet on-the-ground needs and may set the bar too high. Some organizations respond by ignoring the guidelines entirely, failing to realize that short of best practices, they still have responsible and creditable options. The preservation operations of many archives will benefit from an established set of minimum standards that must be met, as well as best practices to which to aspire. (See for example Bamberger and Brylawski 2010, 68).
Protecting Growth Options in Dynamic Markets: The Role of Strategic Disclosure in Integrated Intellectual Property Strategies
Authors: Peters Tilo , Thiel Jana , Tucci Christopher L.
Published: August 2013

Given recent developments in information technology and intellectual property (IP) legislation, technology firms may benefit from an integrated IP strategy that combines patenting with strategic disclosure. This article presents a series of cases that introduce various aspects of strategic disclosure and provide a framework for how and when such practices may be merited as part of an integrated IP strategy. To help CEOs decide on the economics and efficiency of the practice, practical guidelines are provided for when it might be a useful complement to the firm's other IP management practices.
Operational Challenges and ST's Proposed Solutions to Improve Collaboration between IP and R&D in Innovation Processes
Authors: Cesaroni Fabrizio , Piccaluga Andrea
Published: August 2013

The implementation of a change in IP strategy represents a challenging task for firms, because organizational resources and capabilities (procedures, routines, and know-how) that are required in the new strategic context may be lacking. This article examines the operational solutions adopted by the semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics to successfully accomplish an IP strategy shift. It shows how the implementation of the new strategic approach required a stricter cross-functional integration between IP and R&D through the arrangement of cross-functional teams, the development of proper IP management procedures, and the diffusion of an IP culture throughout the organization.
Managing the Intellectual Property Disassembly Problem
Authors: Granstrand Ove , Holgersson Marcus
Published: August 2013

This article deals with the intellectual property (IP) disassembly problem, which is an increasingly important problem in various contexts. The IP disassembly (IPD) problem is defined as the problem of finding a contractual arrangement for allocation of IP rights and licenses that allows for separating and disintegrating a company, business unit, project entity, resource set, or IP unit in order to enable a transaction, organizational transfer, or dissolution of it. Based on a comparative case study of corporate transactions of Saab Automobile and Volvo Car Corporation this article conceptualizes and characterizes the problem and then develops an IPD framework for managing it.
Managing Intellectual Property Using Patent Pools: Lessons from Three Generations of Pools in the Optical Disc Industry
Authors: den Uijl Simon , Bekkers Rudi , de Vries Henk J.
Published: August 2013

For modern technologies, access to intellectual property rights (IPR) is complex because it is fragmented among many owners. The required licensing agreements invoke considerable transaction costs and royalty stacking. Often, it is in the interest of the technology sponsor to ease access to the required IPR. Patent pools have proven useful to achieve this goal. This article examines the experiences with three generations of patent pools in the optical disc industry. Technology platforms are becoming increasingly complex, which leads to a fragmentation of IPR among many pools and causes new issues. A novel “pool-of-pools” can address these.
IP Modularity: Profiting from Innovation by Aligning Product Architecture with Intellectual Property
Authors: Henkel Joachim , Baldwin Carliss Y. , Shih Willy
Published: August 2013

Firms seeking to take advantage of distributed innovation and outsourcing can bridge the tension between value creation and value capture by modifying the modular structure of their technical systems. Specifically, this article introduces the concept of “IP modularity,” which seeks to protect and capture value from intellectual property. The article defines what it means for a system to be “IP-modular,” illustrates the application of this concept in a number of practical situations, and presents a comprehensive framework that can be used to design and evaluate value capture strategies for modular systems.
Recovering Abandoned Compounds through Expanded External IP Licensing
Authors: Chesbrough Henry , Chen Eric L.
Published: August 2013

Pharmaceutical drug development costs have risen rapidly over the past twenty years. Yet, the number of new molecular entities being approved has not increased. Most of these costs can be traced to work on compounds that are abandoned before getting to market. As pharmaceutical companies scale back their work in light of deteriorating R&D productivity, significant unmet medical needs remain unaddressed. More extensive external licensing of the IP associated with abandoned compounds could spur recovery and/or redeployment of abandoned compounds to address at least some of these unmet medical needs. The example of Cubicin is offered as an illustration of these more open approaches. This article inductively develops a simple framework to guide companies in the decision of whether and when to license out unused internal IP.
Polysaccharides of higher fungi: Biological role, structure, and antioxidative activity
Authors: Kozarski Maja , Klaus Anita , Niksic Miomir , van Griensven , Vrvic Miroslav , Jakovljevic Dragica
Published: August 2013

Fungal polysaccharides attract a lot of attention due to their multiple
challenging biological properties, such as: anti-tumor, anti-viral,
anticomplementary, anticoagulant, hypolipidemic and immunomodulatory and
immune-stimulatory activities, which all together make them suitable for
application in many quite distinctive areas, such as food industry,
biomedicine, cosmetology, agriculture, environmental protection and waste
water management. This article presents results with respect to biological
properties, structure and procedures related to the isolation and activation
of polysaccharides of higher fungi. It is considered and presented along with
a review of the critical antioxidative activity and possible influence of the
structural composition of polysaccharide extracts (isolated from these higher
fungi) upon their antioxidative properties.
Singular Limits for 2-Dimensional Elliptic Problem with Exponentially Dominated Nonlinearity and a Quadratic Convection Term
Authors: Baraket Sami , Bazarbacha Imen , Kharrati Saber , Ouni Taieb
Published: August 2013

We study existence of solutions with singular limits for a two-dimensional semilinear elliptic problem with exponential dominated nonlinearity and a quadratic convection non linear gradient term, imposing Dirichlet boundary condition. This paper extends previous results obtained in [1], [3], [4] and some references therein for related issues.
On iterative fixed point convergence in uniformly convex Banach space and Hilbert space
Authors: Srivastava Julee , Singh Neeta
Published: August 2013

Some fixed point convergence properties are proved for compact and demicompact maps acting over closed, bounded and convex subsets of a real Hilbert space. We also show that for a generalized nonexpansive mapping in a uniformly convex Banach space the Ishikawa iterates con- verge to a fixed point. Finally, a convergence type result is established for multivalued contractive mappings acting on closed subsets of a com- plete metric space. These are extensions of results in Ciric, et. al. [7], Panyanak [2] and Agarwal, et. al. [9].
On Rad-D12 Modules
Authors: Talebi Yahya , Hamzekolaee Ali Reza Moniri , Tütüncü Derya Keskin
Published: August 2013

Let M be a right R-module. We call M Rad-D12, if for every sub- module N of M, there exist a direct summand K of M and an epimor- phism α : K → M/N such that Kererα ⊆ Rad(K). We show that a direct summand of a Rad-D12 module need not be a Rad-D12 module. We investigate completely Rad-D12 modules (modules for which every direct summand is a Rad-D12 module). We also show that a direct sum of Rad-D12 modules need not be a Rad-D12 module. Then we deal with some cases of direct sums of Rad-D12 modules.
F–multipliers and the localization of LMn×m–algebras
Authors: Gallardo C. , Sanza C. , Ziliani A.
Published: August 2013

In this note, we introduce the notion of n × m-ideal on n × m- valued Łukasiewicz-Moisil algebras (or LMn×m-algebras) which allows us to consider a topology on them. Besides, we define the concept of F-multiplier, where F is a topology on an LMn×m-algebra L, which is used to construct the localization LMn×m-algebra LF. Furthermore, we prove that the LMn×m-algebra of fractions LS associated with an ⋀-closed subset S of L is an LMn×m-algebra of localization. Finally, in the finite case we prove that LS is isomorphic to a special subalgebra of L. Since n-valued Łukasiewicz-Moisil algebras are a particular case of LMn×m-algebras, all these results generalize those obtained in [4] (see also [3]).
Multi-core CPU or GPU-accelerated Multiscale
Modeling for Biomolecular Complexes
Authors: Liao Tao , Zhang Yongjie , Kekenes-Huskey Peter M. , Cheng Yuhui , Michailova Anushka , McCulloch Andrew D. , Holst Michael , McCammon J. Andrew
Published: August 2013

Multi-scale modeling plays an important role in understanding
the structure and biological functionalities of large biomolecular
complexes. In this paper, we present an efficient computational
framework to construct multi-scale models from
atomic resolution data in the Protein Data Bank (PDB), which
is accelerated by multi-core CPU and programmable Graphics
Processing Units (GPU). A multi-level summation of Gaussian
kernel functions is employed to generate implicit models
for biomolecules. The coefficients in the summation are designed
as functions of the structure indices, which specify the
structures at a certain level and enable a local resolution control
on the biomolecular surface. A method called neighboring
search is adopted to locate the grid points close to the expected
biomolecular surface, and reduce the number of grids
to be analyzed. For a specific grid point, a KD-tree or bounding
volume hierarchy is applied to search for the atoms contributing
to its density computation, and faraway atoms are
ignored due to the decay of Gaussian kernel functions. In
addition to density map construction, three modes are also
employed and compared during mesh generation and quality
improvement to generate high quality tetrahedral meshes:
CPU sequential, multi-core CPU parallel and GPU parallel.
We have applied our algorithm to several large proteins and
obtained good results.
The Effect of Automatic vs. Reflective Emotions on Cognitive Control in Antisaccade Tasks and the Emotional Stroop Test
Authors: Imbir Kamil K. , Jarymowicz Maria T.
Published: August 2013

The article presents two studies based on the assumption that the effectiveness of cognitive control depends on the subject’s type of emotional state. Inhibitory control is taken into account, as the basic determinant of the antisaccade reactions and the emotional Stroop effect. The studies deal with differentiation of emotions on the basis of their origin: automatic (due to primary affective reactions) vs. reflective (due to deliberative evaluation). According to the main assumption, automatic emotions are diffusive, and decrease the effectiveness of cognitive control. The hypothesis predicted that performance level of both the Antisaccade Task and the Emotional Stroop Test would be lower in the automaticemotion eliciting condition than in the reflective-emotion eliciting condition. In two experimental studies, positive and negative (automatic vs. reflective) emotions were elicited. The results support the predictions, regardless of the valence of emotions.
Emotional Labour and Indirectly Measured Attitude Towards Occupation in Explaining Employee Well-Being
Authors: Retowski Sylwiusz , Fila–Jankowska Aleksandra
Published: August 2013

Drawing on the model of Grandey (2000), it was proposed that the attitude towards occupation could buffer the negative effects of emotional labour. A total of 173 teachers participated in the study. Attitudes towards occupation, surface acting, emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction were estimated. The indirect measure of the attitude towards occupation was assessed using the Approaching-Avoidance Simulation Method. Confirmatory Factor Analysis proved the validity and reliability of the indirect measurement, which is based on uncontrolled reactions of the respondents towards stimuli representing the profession. The results revealed a positive correlation between attitudes towards occupation and indicators of employees’ well-being. The indirect measure of attitude towards occupation turned out to be a significant moderator of the relationship between surface acting and job satisfaction. The results raise interesting questions about the connection between indirect measures of attitudes towards occupation and employee well-being
The Validity and Utility of Global Measures of Subjective Well-Being
Authors: Pavot William
Published: August 2013

Research interest in topics such as happiness, the quality of life, and the experience of well-being has dramatically increased in the past four decades. Global measures of Subjective Well-Being (SWB) have long held a prominent position in this burgeoning body of research (Diener, 1984; Pavot, 2008). Despite their widespread acceptance and use, the validity and utility of global measures of SWB have been challenged at several levels of analysis. These critiques have ranged from the conceptual basis of SWB (e.g. Ryan & Deci 2001; Ryff, 1989; Ryff & Singer, 2008) to very specific concerns about the context of the assessment situation and the cognitive processes involved in formulating a response to such measures (Pavot & Diener, 1993a; Schimmack & Oishi, 2005; Schwarz, & Strack, 1999). The purpose of this paper is to review and address some of the more prominent critiques of global measures of SWB, and to discuss methodological procedures and strategies for minimizing threats to the validity and increasing the utility of global measures of SWB.
Polish Adaptation of the Driving and Riding Avoidance Scale
Authors: Błachnio Agata , Przepiórka Aneta , Sullman Mark , Taylor Joanne
Published: August 2013

Driving anxiety is a relatively undervalued topic of research, despite the fact that it can have a substantial detrimental impact on an individuals’ life. The prevalence of driving anxiety in motor vehicle crash (MVC) survivors has been found to range from 18-77%. Although driving anxiety can develop without crash involvement, no information currently exists on the prevalence of driving anxiety in the general population. One barrier to gathering this information is that most of the instruments are designed to measure driving anxiety in MVC survivors. However, the Driving and Riding Avoidance Scale (DRAS; Stewart & St. Peter, 2004) is one instrument that shows promise as a more general measure of driving anxiety, although previous research has noted the need for some minor adaptations (Taylor & Sullman, 2009). Therefore, the present study investigated the psychometric properties of an adapted version of the DRAS and the level of driving anxiety amongst a sample of 210 Polish participants. Internal consistency for the overall DRAS was .91 and ranged from .77 to .85 for the subscales. Factor analysis of the DRAS resulted in two clear factors, with the first containing driving avoidance items and the second consisting solely of riding avoidance items. Therefore it appears that the DRAS can be a useful measure of driving avoidance in samples drawn from the general population as well as MVC survivors.
Anxiety and self-esteem before surgery in patients suffering from cancer. Implicit self-esteem compensation in ego-threatening conditions
Authors: Fila-Jankowska Aleksandra , Stachowiak Urszula
Published: August 2013

The assumption was verified that for patients suffering from cancer levels of anxiety and self-esteem differ compared to other patients before surgery. 120 patients of urology were assigned to subgroups according to diagnosis (cancer vs. non-cancer) and the duration of hospitalization (5 days vs. 1 day). Patients suffering from cancer declared higher anxiety than other patients. Longer hospitalization was connected to higher anxiety. A threat-congruent difference in explicit self-esteem was revealed only between two groups: 1. cancer and long hospitalization and 2. non-cancer and short hospitalization. For implicit self-esteem the phenomenon of implicit compensation of self-esteem was predicted and confirmed: among cancer-sufferers the Name Letter Effect was greater than among other patients. Also, in the cancerpatients group, the result of Rudman et al. (2007) was replicated: increasing anxiety was connected with increasing implicit self-esteem.