bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic liver disease and subchronic nephritis in a male warty chameleon (Furcifer verrucosus) with transient hyperglycaemia – case report
Authors: Knotek Zdeněk , Knotková Zora , Trnková Šárka , Dorrestein Gerry M. , Lewis William
Published: March 2012

A two-year old male warty chameleon (Furcifer verrucosus) weighing 160 g was presented for veterinary examination following 4 weeks of decreased ability to catch insects with the tongue and difficulty in swallowing the prey. Non-invasive endoscopy did not reveal any macroscopic changes of the oral cavity mucosa or the cranial part of the esophagus. Dorsoventral and laterolateral plain and contrast radiographs revealed enlargement of the medial part of the liver without any visible abnormalities in the regions of the esophagus, stomach or small intestine. Abnormalities in the plasma chemistry profile included transient hyperglycaemia (52.68–57.18 mmol/l) and hyperuricaemia (452.70–622.20 μmol/l). The chameleon was examined at 7, 20 and 22 weeks after initial examination. Its body weight decreased to 120 g. A blood profile revealed normoglycaemia (16.37–10.22 mmol/l) and hyperphosphataemia (2.92–3.06 mmol/l) at the last three examinations. The chameleon died suddenly 33 days after the final examination. Necropsy revealed the presence of a large liver cyst, filled with fluid. The liver had lost all of its normal structure. The kidneys showed a large area with fibrosis and multiple uric acid tophi. The post mortem findings were defined as liver with fatty degeneration and moderate fibrotic changes with large cyst, subchronic nephritis with uric acid tophi, and mineralization in the myocardium. This paper describes the first documented case of transient hyperglycaemia in a warty chameleon (Furcifer verrucosus) associated with chronic liver disease and subchronic nephritis.
Analyzing Response Times in Tests With Rank Correlation Approaches
Authors: Ranger Jochen , Kuhn Jörg-Tobias
Published: March 2012

It is common practice to log-transform response times before analyzing them with standard factor analytical methods. However, sometimes the log-transformation is not capable of linearizing the relation between the response times and the latent traits. Therefore, a more general approach to response time analysis is proposed in the current manuscript. The approach is based on the assumption that the response times can be decomposed into a linear function of latent traits and a normally distributed residual term after the response times have been transformed by a monotone, but otherwise unknown transformation function. The proposed model can be fitted by a limited information approach, using the matrix of Kendall’s τ coefficients and unweighted least squares estimation. The transformation function can be determined by resorting to discrete time. The proposed approach offers a framework for testing model fit by comparing expected and observed correlations and for investigating the hypothesis about the form of the transformation function. The adequacy of the proposed approaches to model calibration and model validation are investigated in a simulation study. Two real data sets are analyzed as a demonstration of the model’s applicability.
The Impact of Retirement on Health in Canada
Authors: Latif Ehsan
Published: March 2012

This study estimates the impact of retirement on subsequent health outcomes as measured by self-reported health status. The empirical study is based on seven longitudinal waves of the Canadian National Population Health Survey, spanning 1994 through 2006. To account for biases due to unobserved individual-specific heterogeneity, this study uses a fixed-effects method. The results indicate that retirement has a positive but insignificant impact on self-reported health status. The study further examined this issue using different subgroups based on gender and income and again found that retirement has no significant impact on health status.
Failures in Children's Protection in Newfoundland and Labrador: From the Hughes (1991) to Markesteyn and Day (2006) Inquiries and Beyond
Authors: Devine Mike , Kimberley Dennis
Published: March 2012

The death in 2003 of Zachary Turner, a child in receipt of children's protection services in Foxtrap, Newfoundland, sparked an independent inquiry into his death. Subsequently, other reviews were completed of children's protection services. These were not the first reviews or inquiries of this kind in Newfoundland and Labrador. In 1991, Justice Samuel Hughes had conducted a public inquiry into children's protection services. This article is a critical historical analysis of selected aspects of children's protection services. The authors uncover repeated failures by government in its child protection systems and discuss implications for future concerns.
Emanuel Swedenborg's Aesthetic Philosophy and Its Impact on Nineteenth-Century American Art
Authors: Williams-Hogan Jane
Published: March 2012

Abstract:

American art in the nineteenth century had a close affinity with God. By mid-century this led landscape artists in particular to espouse the views of John Ruskin, who encouraged artists to find the divine in the minute details of nature. They found their calling by rendering disciplined representations of nature. On the other hand, Swedenborg's theology and aesthetic philosophy called artists to a different vision. The artists who found it sought to show the spiritual—living reality—not so much through nature as through the force behind it. Nature clothes spirit, and they used light, shade, and colour to “unveil” spirit. Elements of Swedenborg's theology that shape an implicit aesthetic philosophy are outlined. The application of this philosophy in the works of four visionary artists is discussed: Hiram Powers, William Page, George Inness, and Ralph Albert Blakelock.
The Worship of Mary in Mexico: Sacred Trees, Christian Crosses, and the Body of the Goddess
Authors: Granziera Patrizia
Published: March 2012

Abstract:

This article will discuss how the sacred tree was regarded as a manifestation of the Goddess in pre-Hispanic Mexico and how Mary's association with trees in Christian religion enabled the indigenous people to integrate this new “goddess” into their world vision. It will also explore why Christian crosses worshipped during the feast of the Holy Cross in Mexico are associated to the Virgin Mary and why in some villages Mary is referred to as “the cross.”
Impact of hydrodynamics on seismic signals generated by iceberg collisions
Authors: Amundson Jason M. , Burton Justin C. , Correa-Legisos Sergio
Published: March 2012

Full-glacier-thickness icebergs are frequently observed to capsize as they calve into the ocean. As they capsize they may collide with the glaciers’ termini; previous studies have hypothesized that such collisions are the source of teleseismic ‘glacial earthquakes’. We use laboratory-scale experiments, force-balance modeling and theoretical arguments to show that (1) the contact forces during these collisions are strongly influenced by hydrodynamic forces and (2) the associated glacial earthquake magnitudes (expressed as twice-integrated force histories) are related to the energy released by the capsizing icebergs plus a hydrodynamic term that is composed of drag forces and hydrodynamic pressure. Our experiments and first-order modeling efforts suggest that, due to hydrodynamic forces, both contact force and glacial earthquake magnitudes may not be directly proportional to the energy released by the capsizing icebergs (as might be expected). Most importantly, however, our results highlight the need to better understand the hydrodynamics of iceberg capsize prior to being able to accurately interpret seismic signals generated by iceberg collisions.
The influence of ice melange on fjord seiches
Authors: MacAyeal Douglas R. , Freed-Brown Julian , Zhang Wendy W. , Amundson Jason M.
Published: March 2012

We compute the eigenmodes (seiches) of the barotropic and baroclinic hydrodynamic equations for an idealized fjord having length and depth scales similar to those of Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland, into which Jakobshavn Isbræ (also known as Sermeq Kujalleq) discharges. The purpose of the computation is to determine the fjord’s seiche behavior when forced by iceberg calving, capsize and melange movement. Poorly constrained bathymetry and stratification details are an acknowledged obstacle. We are, nevertheless, able to make general statements about the spectra of external and internal seiches using numerical simulations of ideal one-dimensional channel geometry. Of particular significance in our computation is the role of weakly coupled ice melange, which we idealize as a simple array of 20 icebergs of uniform dimensions equally spaced within the fjord. We find that the presence of these icebergs acts to (1) slow down the propagation of both external and internal seiches and (2) introduce band gaps where energy propagation (group velocity) vanishes. If energy is introduced into the fjord within the period range covered by a band gap, it will remain trapped as an evanescent oscillatory mode near its source, thus contributing to localized energy dissipation and ice/melange fragmentation.
Observing calving-generated ocean waves with coastal broadband seismometers, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland
Authors: Amundson Jason M. , Clinton John F. , Fahnestock Mark , Truffer Martin , Lüthi Martin P. , Motyka Roman J.
Published: March 2012

We use time-lapse photography, MODIS satellite imagery, ocean wave measurements and regional broadband seismic data to demonstrate that icebergs that calve from Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, can generate ocean waves that are detectable over 150 km from their source. The waves, which are recorded seismically, have distinct spectral peaks, are not dispersive and persist for several hours. On the basis of these observations, we suggest that calving events at Jakobshavn Isbræ can stimulate seiches, or basin eigenmodes, in both Ilulissat Icefjord and Disko Bay. Our observations furthermore indicate that coastal, land-based seismometers located near calving termini (e.g. as part of the new Greenland Ice Sheet Monitoring Network (GLISN)) can aid investigations into the largely unexplored, oceanographic consequences of iceberg calving.
Basal crevasses and associated surface crevassing on the Larsen C ice shelf, Antarctica, and their role in ice-shelf instability
Authors: McGrath Daniel , Steffen Konrad , Scambos Ted , Rajaram Harihar , Casassa Gino , Rodriguez Lagos Jose Luis
Published: March 2012

We identify a series of basal crevasses along a 31 km transect across the northern sector of the Larsen C ice shelf, Antarctica, using in situ ground-penetrating radar. The basal crevasses propagate from a region of multiple, shallow basal fractures to form widely spaced (0.5–2.0 km) but deeply incised (70–134 m) features. Surface troughs, observed in visible imagery, exist above the basal crevasses as the ice vertically shears to reach hydrostatic equilibrium, while widespread surface crevassing occurs along the crests and on the flanks of the undulations, primarily aligned with the topography. We suggest, based on the location of the surface crevasses and the along-flow evolution of the basal crevasses, that the former are induced by a bending stress created by gradients in hydrostatic forces. Using a linear elastic fracture mechanics model, we investigate the sensitivity of basal crevasse propagation to observed trends of ice-shelf thinning and acceleration. Basal crevasses are large-scale structural weaknesses that can both control meltwater ponding and induce surface crevassing. Together, these features may represent an important mechanism in both past and future ice-shelf disintegration events on the Antarctic Peninsula.
The propagation saw test: slope scale validation and alternative test methods
Authors: Ross Cameron K.H. , Jamieson Bruce
Published: March 2012

The propagation saw test (PST) is a recently developed snowpack test that enables assessment of the fracture propagation propensity of selected persistent weak-layer and slab combinations, which are known to release dry-slab avalanches. In this paper, we assess the slope- scale accuracy of the standard PST method at validated sites of observed weak-layer fracture initiation, with or without propagation. We also report on experiments with alternative test methods and varying saw thicknesses. Results show the standard PST method is comparably accurate to other common snowpack tests in predictive skill when predicting propagation propensity on the slope scale. Although a slight but significant dependence on saw thickness was found, it did not affect the interpretation in our validation study. Alternative methods such as scaling the test column length with weak-layer depth or leaving the upslope end of the column attached to the surrounding snowpack did not improve slope- scale accuracy and these tests were often more difficult to interpret.
An observationally validated theory of viscous flow dynamics at the ice-shelf calving front
Authors: Hindmarsh Richard C.A.
Published: March 2012

An analytical theory is developed for ice flow velocity in a boundary layer couplet at the calving front. The theory has simple quantitative characteristics that relate ice front velocity to thickness, strain rate and shelf width, matching one set of empirically derived relationships (Alley and others, 2008) and implying that these relationships predict ice velocity rather than calving rate. The two boundary layers are where longitudinal and transverse flow fields change from the interior flow to patterns consistent with the calving-front stress condition. Numerical simulations confirm the analytical theory. The quantitative predictions of the theory have low sensitivity to unmeasured parameters and to shelf plan aspect ratio, while its robustness arises from its dependence on the scale invariance of the governing equations. The theory provides insights into calving, the stability of ice-shelf calving fronts, the stability of the grounding line of laterally resisted ice streams, and also suggests that the calving front is an instructive dynamical analogue to the grounding line.
Social acceptance of rural dwellings. Results of a sociological research related to rural dwellings
Authors: Tamáska Máté
Published: March 2012

The paper shows the results of a sociological research, which is related to the protection of rural dwellings. The empiric data were collected in seven villages in Hungary and Slovakia from 2005 to 2008. The text is based on the questionnaire produced in 2005 in Szendrõ (north-east Hungary, Borsod County). The interviewed respondents could choose from eight buildings, four of which they had to evaluate in detail using a semantic differential scale. The photos of the buildings represent three in today´s settlements existing architectural periods: the traditional vernacular epoch, the socialist period and the current trends. The evaluation of dwellings varies mostly by size. Today´s buildings obtained high ratings in every parameter. The typical multi-storeyed family house of the 1970s and 1980s is less suited to create an impression. The traditional vernacular dwelling achieved a medium average rating, but not performing as well as the two larger buildings. The ranking of the older socialist building with a
nearly square ground plan and pyramid hip roof was in every respect the worst. There is also the analysis of a similar questionnaire, which collected attitudes in an urban environment. In Budapest the oldest buildings had the highest acceptance; however the socialist era and today´s architecture became the critic. After comparing the results of both researches a working hypothesis was formulated which suggests that the vernacular monuments in Szendrõ are in a transitional period: they are not yet able to reassure the social claims of the inhabitants and they do not yet have a value as cultural heritage.
Reconsidering the Tectonic. On the sacred ambivalence of the tectonic in the light of Martin Heidegger and relevant theoretical studies on architecture
Authors: Katona Vilmos
Published: March 2012

Kenneth Frampton´s critical regionalist interpretation of the tectonic applies the 19th century terms of Karl Bötticher and Gottfried Semper to evaluate its role in initiating the architectural resistance, where it seems to hold a position without further cognitive prospects. Redirecting architecture essentially to philosophy, tectonics stands rather as it is given by the language and the natural use of structures or materials: in a sacral ambiguity presenting the ontological break between the frame and the cladding of a building. The revision of the Greek origin of the term reveals a Latin root as an alternative, which sheds light on the double meaning of the tectonic inherent in the architectural manifestation of Martin Heidegger´s fourfold comparable to the similar modalities of Semper as well as Christian Norberg-Schulz. Based on its poetic and ritual characteristic, contemporary sacred architecture provides significant examples for both the analysis and the understanding of the symbolic debate of immane
nce opening up in the spatial occupation of the human being.
Lajos Fülep: On Art and Architecture
Authors: Szalai András
Published: March 2012

Fülep, Lajos (1885-1970) - Hungarian philosopher, art historian. One of the dominant, though partly forgotten, figures in 20th
century Hungarian art philosophy and art history. Some experts regard his oeuvre as a being dated, and for this reason consider
it unnecessary to study his work however there are a number who consider him ``the creator of modern Hungarian art history´´,
and the real founder of the methodological approach called ``Kunstgeschichte als Geistesgeschichte´´
(art history as the history of ideas/spirit), even preceding the works of Max Dvorak in this field.
This paper looks at his writings on architecture and on art philosophy related to architecture.
The titles in order of appearance: The role of the memory in the artistic creation (1911),
Hungarian Architecture (1918), Expedience and art in the architecture (1944),
A great opportunity in the rebuilding of Budapest and the country (1948).
Taking Time Out to Travel: Competing Temporalities in Contemporary French Travel Writing
Authors: Dutton Jacqueline
Published: March 2012

Taking time out to travel is one of the defining activities enjoyed by members of modern affluent societies. As a corollary to the rise in travel for leisure, there has also been an increase in the number of travel writers who relate their encounters with other people, places and politics in various destinations around the globe. Naturally, studies of travel writing and tourism are therefore also on the increase and encompass not only the written text right across the genres, but also film and other visual representations that privilege the narratives of travel. This article will introduce a new focus on time in travel writing, which is developed throughout this special issue. After presenting an overview of the various ways in which time has become a central preoccupation in studies of travel writing, this article proposes a methodological framework for assessing the impact of competing temporalities in contemporary French travel writing – nostalgia for the past, nostalgia for the future, and futuristic projections – on intercultural relations.
Voyages et fantasmes de voyages chez quelques écrivains français du XIXe siècle: un passé insurpassable
Authors: Solomon Nathalie
Published: March 2012

Le XIXème siècle français, qui aime tant voyager, ne sait pas toujours regarder les autres, au point que le regard des écrivains est essentiellement moqueur, parfois féroce quand il se porte sur ses voisins les plus proches, beaucoup plus indulgent quand il observe les habitants de contrées lointaines: ne serait-ce qu'en Europe, le Polonais martyr politique est bien mieux traité que l'Anglais caricatural, voyageur effréné pétri de snobismes. C'est toute la question du voisinage géographique vu par un siècle où le voyageur aventurier se transforme peu à peu en touriste: si l’étrangeté est hilarante dans certains cas, séduisante dans d'autres, cela tient aussi à ce que la littérature française, entre 1820 et 1890, adore, transforme, puis rejette tour à tour les clichés qui concernent ses voisins trop connus. A la fois autre et familier, le voisin européen, celui qui est à côté, toujours ennemi, mais facile à conceptualiser, figure de manière pertinente la conception d’époque d'une frontière à la fois éternelle et de plus en plus fragile vue d'une France qui, réduite à elle-même, ne parvient pas à oublier son passé révolutionnaire et impérial.
La Vogue des archéofictions au XIXe siècle: le passé ressuscité et le passé interprété
Authors: Kapor Vladimir
Published: March 2012

Through the concept of archeofictions, this article rethinks the interface between fiction and archaeology in nineteenth-century France. By rejecting conventional categories such as ‘archaeological novel’, the corpus of fictional works under scrutiny is expanded, to encompass lesser-studied authors such as Bibliophile Jacob (Paul Leroux) and Gustave Toudouze, in addition to Gustave Flaubert and Théophile Gautier. Throughout the nineteenth century, archaeology was a discipline-in-the-making, dominated by textual methods, and lacking institutional recognition. The analysis aims to show the ways in which nineteenth-century imaginative literature encapsulated early archaeology's quest for epistemic autonomy and methodological struggles, while embracing the new patterns of thought for framing the past promoted by the nascent discipline.
Henry de Montherlant ou la sensualité et l'altérité du voyageur traqué: itinéraire d'un esprit libre et solitaire
Authors: Couturier-Garcia Clarisse
Published: March 2012

Henry de Montherlant a parcouru dans les années trente le bassin méditerranéen avec pour seul objectif se détacher de tout. Dans les livres composés à cette période, Montherlant est éblouissant dans ses descriptions de ces populations arabes, des oasis où les touristes s'ennuient, de villes comme Fez, Grenade, Sidi-bou-Saïd, perle de la Méditerranée près de Tunis, et des splendeurs du Sahara. Je propose d'explorer l'univers mental du voyageur assoiffé et dont rien n'étanche la soif. Montherlant pose le problème de la limite, de la frontière du rêve et du voyage; la féerie ne se réalise pas toujours et l'errance peut devenir une prison. Cela représente l'itinéraire d'un créateur de génie qui à travers son œuvre a dessiné le voyage intérieur d'une âme vagabonde.
Simultaneity of Time and Weather in ‘Exotic’ Climates: The Experience of French Writers in Africa and the Americas
Authors: Scott David
Published: March 2012

This paper sets out to explore the ways in which certain climates (desert or jungle) perceived by western travellers to be ‘exotic’ affect their perceptions of time and weather (in French the word ‘temps’ covers the meaning of both English words). A particular effect repeatedly noted by nineteenth and twentieth-century French travel writers is that of simultaneity, either of weather patterns in certain mountain (vertical) or desert (horizontal) environments, and/or of a telescoping or dilation of linear temporal sequence. The disorientation experienced as a result of this, combined with a lack of narrative or historical reference in the spaces travelled through, leads typically to a feeling of lack of time or the illusion of entry into a mythical time. The implications of this phenomenon will be explored in the work of three French travel books: Eugène Fromentin's Un Eté dans le Sahara (1856); Henri Michaux's Ecuador (1928) and Jean Baudrillard's Amérique (1986).
ELISPOT Refinement Using Spot Morphology for Assessing Host Responses to Tuberculosis
Authors: Sibley Laura S. , White Andrew D. , Marriott Alice , Dennis Michael J. , Williams Ann , Marsh Philip D. , Sharpe Sally A.
Published: March 2012

Tuberculosis is a global health problem. The Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine has variable efficacy (0–80%) so there is a drive to develop novel vaccines. The cytokine, interferon gamma (IFNγ), is an essential component of the protective response to M. tuberculosis (M. tb) infection and is also produced in response to BCG vaccination. Induction of an IFNγ response is used as a biomarker of successful vaccination in the assessment of new tuberculosis (TB) vaccines. The IFNγ ELISPOT assay provides an important tool for TB research. It is used for both the diagnosis of infection (T.Spot assay), and for the evaluation of the immunogenicity of new TB vaccine candidates in human clinical trials, in the non-human primate (NHP) model of TB infection studies. The ELISPOT assay captures IFNγ produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) following specific stimulation, onto a membrane so individual cells can be enumerated and the frequency of responding cells determined. Hence spot forming units (SFU) per 106 cells provide the traditional measure for ELISPOT assays. The discriminatory power of SFU is limited. In some situations, the number of SFU in BCG vaccinated, and unvaccinated, subjects was found to be similar, although the spots were observed to be larger in vaccinated subjects. Spot size potentially provides a measure of the quantity of cytokine produced by individual cells. The AID ELISPOT plate reader software used to determine frequency of spots also has the capability to determine the size of each spot. Consideration of spot size in combination with spot forming units was investigated in our studies of BCG immunogenicity. This additional readout was found to enhance the discriminatory power of the ELISPOT assay, and provide more information on the immune response to BCG vaccination and infection with M.tb.
WikiGIS Basic Concepts: Web 2.0 for Geospatial Collaboration
Authors: Roche Stéphane , Mericskay Boris , Batita Wided , Bach Matthieu , Rondeau Mathieu
Published: March 2012

With the emergence of Web 2.0, new applications arise and evolve into more interactive forms of collective intelligence. These applications offer to both professionals and citizens an open and expanded access to geographic information. In this paper, we develop the conceptual foundations of a new technology solution called WikiGIS. WikiGIS’s strength lies in its ability to ensure the traceability of changes in spatial-temporal geographic components (geometric location and shape, graphics: iconography and descriptive) generated by users. The final use case highlights to what extent WikiGIS could be a relevant and useful technological innovation in Geocollaboration.
Assessment of Exposure to Alcohol Vapor from Alcohol-Based Hand Rubs
Authors: Bessonneau Vincent , Thomas Olivier
Published: March 2012

This study assessed the inhaled dose of alcohol during hand disinfection. Experiments were conducted with two types of hand rub using two hand disinfection procedures. Air samples were collected every 10 s from the breathing zone, by bubbling through a mixture of K2Cr2O7 and H2SO4. The reduction of dichromate ions in the presence of alcohols was followed by UV-vis spectrophotometry. The difference in intensity of the dichromate absorption peak was used to quantify the alcohol concentration expressed in ethanol equivalent. During hygienic hand disinfection, the mean ethanol equivalent concentrations peaked at around 20–30 s for both hand rubs (14.3 ± 1.4 mg/L for hand rub 1 and 13.2 ± 0.7 mg/L for hand rub 2). During surgical hand disinfection, two peaks were found at the same time (40 and 80 s) for both hand rubs. The highest mean concentrations were 20.2 ± 0.9 mg/L for hand rub 1 and 18.1 ± 0.9 mg/L for hand rub 2. For hand rub 1, the total absorbed doses, calculated from ethanol with an inhalation flow of 24 L/min and an absorption rate of 62%, were 46.5 mg after one hygienic hand disinfection and 203.9 mg after one surgical hand disinfection. Although the use of ABHRs leads to the absorption of very low doses, sudden, repeated inhalation of high alcohol concentrations raises the question of possible adverse health effects.
Chondrosterins A–E, Triquinane-Type Sesquiterpenoids from Soft Coral-Associated Fungus Chondrostereum sp.
Authors: Li Hou-Jin , Xie Ying-Lu , Xie Zhong-Liang , Chen Ying , Lam Chi-Keung , Lan Wen-Jian
Published: March 2012

The marine fungus Chondrostereum sp. was collected from a soft coral Sarcophyton tortuosum from the South China Sea. This fungus was cultured in potato dextrose broth medium and the culture broth was extracted with EtOAc. Five new triquinane-type sesquiterpenoids, chondrosterins A–E (1–5), and the known sesquiterpenoid hirsutanol C (6), were isolated. The structures were elucidated mainly on the basis of NMR, MS, and X-ray single-crystal diffraction data. Chondrosterin A (1) showed significant cytotoxic activities against cancer lines A549, CNE2, and LoVo with IC50 values of 2.45, 4.95, and 5.47 μM, respectively.
Modeling noncontact atomic force microscopy resolution on corrugated surfaces
Authors: Burson Kristen M , Yamamoto Mahito , Cullen William G
Published: March 2012

Key developments in NC-AFM have generally involved atomically flat crystalline surfaces. However, many surfaces of technological interest are not atomically flat. We discuss the experimental difficulties in obtaining high-resolution images of rough surfaces, with amorphous SiO2 as a specific case. We develop a quasi-1-D minimal model for noncontact atomic force microscopy, based on van der Waals interactions between a spherical tip and the surface, explicitly accounting for the corrugated substrate (modeled as a sinusoid). The model results show an attenuation of the topographic contours by ~30% for tip distances within 5 Å of the surface. Results also indicate a deviation from the Hamaker force law for a sphere interacting with a flat surface.
Beyond Virological Suppression: The Role of Adherence in the Late Haart Era
Authors: Ammassari Adriana , Trotta Maria Paola , Shalev Noga , Marconi Patrizia , Antinori Andrea
Published: March 2012

HAART has increased the life expectancy of HIV-infected individuals significantly. Optimal adherence to HAART results in viral suppression and immune recovery in the majority of HIV-infected persons. Data from the early HAART era suggest that adherence levels of greater than 95% are necessary to achieve and maintain virological suppression. However, the optimal threshold of adherence required to maximize the pharmacological benefits of contemporary antiretroviral regimens, particularly in the virologically suppressed patient, is unknown. This review examines new data on the role of adherence in the late HAART era, focusing on virological, immunological and epidemiological aspects. We begin with a discussion of the impact of adherence on viral dynamics and immunological parameters in the virologically suppressed patient. We then review the importance of adherence in emerging antiretroviral treatment strategies. Finally, we summarize accumulating data on the role of antiretroviral adherence in the prevention of HIV transmission. Taken together, the data reviewed reinforce the critical importance of adherence in the management of HIV infection in the late HAART era.
Effects of a Reduced Dose of Stavudine on the Incidence and Severity of Peripheral Neuropathy in HIV-Infected Adults in South Africa
Authors: Pahuja Meera , Grobler Anneke , Glesby Marshall J , Karim Farina , Parker Gary , Gumede Sizwe , Naidoo Kogieleum
Published: March 2012

Background

Although recent World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommend withdrawing stavudine (d4T) from first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART), it remains commonly used in resource-limited settings. In 2006, WHO recommended decreasing the dose of d4T from 40 mg to 30 mg to mitigate toxicities. We compared the incidence and severity of peripheral neuropathy by d4T dose in a retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Patients’ charts from an ART-naive population at a rural clinic in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, were retrospectively reviewed for signs and symptoms of incident peripheral neuropathy and were graded for severity using the DAIDS scale. Patients enrolled prior to the WHO guideline change were included in the study if they were on d4T 40 mg for ≥6 months. After the guideline change all patients were initiated on d4T 30 mg.

Results

A total of 475 patients were analysed, including 235 in the 40 mg cohort (152.7 person-years [py]) and 240 in the 30 mg cohort (244.7 py). Incidence of peripheral neuropathy was 90.4/100 py (95% CI 75.9, 106.8) in the 40 mg cohort versus 40.5/100 py (95% CI 32.9, 49.3) in the 30 mg group (incidence rate ratio 0.45; P<0.0001). There was no difference in proportion of severe peripheral neuropathy cases (grade 3/4) between the cohorts: 8.3% in the 40 mg group and 8.9% in the 30 mg group ( P=1.0). In a multivariate analysis, risk of peripheral neuropathy was associated with increasing age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.65, 95% CI 1.24, 2.19), 40 mg dose (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.61, 2.74) and concurrent tuberculosis therapy (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.06, 1.87).

Conclusions

Incidence of peripheral neuropathy in the 40 mg cohort was extremely high and, although lower, the rate in the 30 mg cohort was nonetheless unacceptably high.
De la dérive techniciste à la tectonique des textes
Authors: Étienne Bénédicte
Published: March 2012

Le récit et l’analyse de l’étude d’une œuvre intégrale menée avec des élèves de sixième est l’occasion d’une réflexion sur la question de la technique rapportée à l’apprentissage de la lecture littéraire. Si, dans les discours de dénonciation des programmes mis en place en 1996, la technique est surtout abordée en termes d’excès et de dérive, il s’agit ici de réfléchir à la manière dont elle peut être au contraire portée par une conception forte, qui en fait une instance d’élaboration du sujet-lecteur.
Projets de développement des territoires et participation des habitants : le diagnostic partagé, outil méthodologique via l'intermédiation sociale
Authors: Paturel Dominique , Simon Annick
Published: March 2012

Résumé Un projet émerge dans un environnement. Il est initié par des individus qui lui donnent une existence. Il est ensuite traversé, modifié, construit par de nombreux éléments de contexte. De ce fait, comment construire un projet?? Certainement en prenant en compte toutes les variables qui aident à le construire?: par ce qui va s’opposer, s’allier, converger vers lui, il va pouvoir se développer. C’est en effet son cheminement, fait de retour en arrière, d’erreur, de rectifications, d’hésitations, d’avancée, qui va faire de lui un projet spécifique à son environnement. Ces dernières années, le développement de l’action publique par projet a été mis au-devant de la scène. Pour cela, une méthodologie type est préconisée?: l’établissement d’un diagnostic, donnant lieu à des axes prioritaires qui construisent le projet, conduisant à l’affinage des objectifs. Elle pose un cadre et lui permet d’exister par une construction des problèmes. Cependant, comment garantir l’efficacité d’un projet, c’est-à-dire sa pertinence en regard des spécificités dans lequel il est développé?? La participation de la population est souvent avancée comme un élément de la démarche et elle est bien au centre de la capacité des territoires à construire leurs devenirs. C’est une des questions que pose l’intermédiation sociale. Elle cherche dans des situations de contradictions, de problèmes à créer des projets écosophiques. Pour cela, elle se sert d’outil comme le diagnostic partagé, et encourage la co-production des savoirs pour définir les solutions appropriées aux besoins. Ainsi, elle se sert de l’environnement, des éléments de contexte du projet pour l’en nourrir. Au-delà, d’une réflexion sur le projet, l’intermédiation sociale questionne les manières de faire, et propose une alternative dans une posture de tiers-social qui bouscule le travail social.
Une communauté thérapeutique hors les murs : intérêt, faisabilité et perspectives
Authors: Hervé François , Pedowska Denis
Published: March 2012

Résumé Après avoir rappelé les principes régissant les Communautés Thérapeutiques, et le contexte de leur implantation en France, les auteurs proposent un mode d’accompagnement original des usagers de drogues, s’appuyant sur ces principes, mis en œuvre dans un dispositif de jour.
Les communautés thérapeutiques arrivent en France : pourquoi (seulement) maintenant ?
Authors: Delile Jean-Michel
Published: March 2012

Résumé Bien que les Communautés Thérapeutiques (CT) pour toxicomanes fussent une approche très largement répandue au plan international dans le traitement des addictions, leur développement est resté très limité en France jusqu’à une époque récente. Dans cet article, l’auteur retrace les péripéties de l’expérience française et ses relations tumultueuses avec le mouvement international des CT. Il revient sur les raisons de ces divergences (spécificités culturelles, expérience aversive du Patriarche…) avant d’expliquer pourquoi les CT ont pu renaître en France, notamment du fait d’une recherche de diversification de l’offre de soins et de l’évolution des politiques publiques en matière de traitement résidentiel visant à l’abstinence.
Un modèle français de Communauté Thérapeutique ? Les communautés thérapeutiques expérimentales : Consensus des professionnels
Authors: Denis Cécile , Langlois Emmanuel , Fatséas Mélina , Auriacombe Marc
Published: March 2012

Résumé Financement : Cette étude a été financée par l’OFDT, appel à projet octobre 2007 Les Communautés Thérapeutiques : quelle mise en œuvre et pour quels résultats ? La Mission Interministérielle de Lutte contre la Drogue et la Toxicomanie (MILDT) a confié à l’Observatoire Français des Drogues et des Toxicomanies (OFDT) la mise en œuvre d’un mandat d’évaluation des CT. Suite à un appel à projet, le Laboratoire de Psychiatrie - USR CNRS 3413 SANPsy/Université Bordeaux Segalen, Bordeaux, France a été sélectionné pour conduire cette évaluation qui s’est déroulée du 12 mars 2008 au 30 mars 2011. Introduction : Les communautés thérapeutiques (CT) sont des lieux de vie communautaire introduits comme modalité de prise en charge des personnes dépendantes des substances il y a un peu plus de quarante ans et sont encore une modalité de traitement répandue dans le monde. En France, les CT ont mauvaise presse du fait de dérives sectaires. Le Plan Gouvernemental français de lutte contre les drogues illicites, le tabac et l’alcool (2004-2008) a prévu la création de CT à titre expérimental. Objectif : L’objectif de ce travail était de définir les points importants à mettre en place pour le fonctionnement d’une CT dans le contexte français, sur la base de l’expérience de professionnels, 30 mois après l’ouverture des CT au statut expérimental. Méthode : La méthode d’analyse Delphi qui favorise la mise en évidence de consensus entre experts a été utilisée. Dans le contexte de cette étude, l’expertise recherchée était celle des professionnels des CT. Résultats : Des consensus pour s’assurer du bon fonctionnement d’une CT ont pu être définis. L’admission en CT doit être peu restrictive. L’encadrement, l’organisation de la prise en charge, le projet thérapeutique, la sortie de la CT doivent s’appuyer sur les décisions d’une équipe pluridisciplinaire avec des compétences équivalentes à celles d’une équipe de centres de soins spécialisés en addictologie. La prise en charge doit être démocratisée mais non déprofessionnalisée. La prévention des dérives sectaires et économiques est garantie par le choix de l’ouverture, de la transparence et de l’intégration dans le tissu local de la CT et en offrant une place somme toute limitée aux résidents. Perspectives : Il est prévisible que les consensus dégagés lors de cette analyse Delphi évolueront au cours des années de fonctionnement des CT mais ils constituent une première base de mise en place des CT en France.
Sediments in collapse dolines on the Kras plateau, Slovenia
Authors: Stepišnik Uroš
Published: March 2012

The article presents a detailed geomorphological analysis of collapse dolines on the Kras plateau in Slovenia with particular stress on the morphogenetic development of their floors covered with loamy sediment. Granulometric and mineral composition of the loamy sediment were analysed and the depths of sediment fills were established with electrical resistivity imaging (ERI). Collapse doline development and transformation processes are discussed, and various formation mechanisms of flat loamy doline floors are considered in the article. The results of the study revealed that loamy fills may represent sedimentation of suspended material from floodwaters that inundated the lower parts of the collapse dolines, or could have originated in now-demolished cave passages on the slopes that were filled with finer material. Some sediment has been accumulated as an aeolian deposit.
Daily commuting – similarities and differences between Serbia and Slovenia
Authors: Lukić Vesna , Tošić Branka
Published: March 2012

As one form of population mobility, daily commuting represents very complex phenomenon of the spatial separation of the place of work and the place of residence of the part of employed population. The paper deals with changes in scope, directions and structure of commuting flows in Serbia, as well as the interdependence of commuting with other demographic and socio-economic development processes. The comparison was made between the basic characteristics of commuting in Serbia and Slovenia and their catchment areas of employment attraction. The differences in methodology used in the census questionnaires referring to commuters in the last population censuses of Serbia and Slovenia in year 2002 were also discussed.
Impacts of the 4th East Asian games on residents’ participation in leisure sports and physical activities – the case of Macau, China
Authors: Li Yiping , Luk Yim Mei
Published: March 2012

Sport events and the associated impacts are not new subjects for academic research, and the past enquiries have given substantial attentions to the economic impacts, especially those of tourism. Some important social issues have not been sufficiently investigated, including the extent to which sport events stimulate resident interest in leisure sports and the enhancement effects on public health. This study aims to address the past omissions through an examination of the 4th East Asian Games. It especially focuses on the extent to which the event stimulated resident participation in leisure sports and physical activities, so as to draw implications for public health enhancement and the ripple benefits for tourism. Combined methods were used for the investigation, which included questionnaire survey, in-depth interviews, documentary research and on-site observations. The results indicate that respondents who were highly attached to the sport promotion schemes of the event perceived most positive impacts and were more likely to support the city to host similar events in the future. While the results show to a certain extent that the 4th East Asian Games stimulated resident interest in leisure sports, forming and adopting relevant policies are considered necessary for nurturing a community culture of sports that may help construct a public health image of the host city and, this will eventually benefit local tourism.
Loess towards (geo) tourism – proposed application on loess in Vojvodina region (north Serbia)
Authors: A. Vasiljević Djordjije , B. Marković Slobodan , A. Hose Thomas , Smalley Ian , O’Hara-Dhand Ken , Basarin Biljana , Lukić Tin , D. Vujičić Miroslav
Published: March 2012

Loess-palaeosol sequences preserve the most important continental record of climatic and environmental changes during the Quaternary. As a significant element of global geodiversity and geoheritage, loess-palaeosol sequences could be used as resources for a contemporary trend in sustainable tourism – geotourism. This form of tourism appreciates and promotes non-living nature (geodiversity) through its conservation and interpretation. This further leads to enhancing public awareness of these sites. In this study, we report on a proposal for establishing geotourism at the most important loess sites in the Vojvodina region.
Prostaglandin E2 Produced by the Lung Augments the Effector Phase of Allergic Inflammation
Authors: Church Rachel J. , Jania Leigh A. , Koller Beverly H.
Published: March 2012

Elevated PGE2 is a hallmark of most inflammatory lesions. This lipid mediator can induce the cardinal signs of inflammation, and the beneficial actions of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are attributed to inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2, enzymes essential in the biosynthesis of PGE2 from arachidonic acid. However, both clinical studies and rodent models suggest that, in the asthmatic lung, PGE2 acts to restrain the immune response and limit physiological change secondary to inflammation. To directly address the role of PGE2 in the lung, we examined the development of disease in mice lacking microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 (mPGES1), which converts COX-1/COX-2–derived PGH2 to PGE2. We show that mPGES1 determines PGE2 levels in the naive lung and is required for increases in PGE2 after OVA-induced allergy. Although loss of either COX-1 or COX-2 increases the disease severity, surprisingly, mPGES1−/− mice show reduced inflammation. However, an increase in serum IgE is still observed in the mPGES1−/− mice, suggesting that loss of PGE2 does not impair induction of a Th2 response. Furthermore, mPGES1−/− mice expressing a transgenic OVA-specific TCR are also protected, indicating that PGE2 acts primarily after challenge with inhaled Ag. PGE2 produced by the lung plays the critical role in this response, as loss of lung mPGES1 is sufficient to protect against disease. Together, this supports a model in which mPGES1-dependent PGE2 produced by populations of cells native to the lung contributes to the effector phase of some allergic responses.
The Role of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 1 in Regulating Innate Immunity
Authors: Pan Hongjie , O’Brien Thomas F. , Zhang Ping , Zhong Xiao-Ping
Published: March 2012

The mechanisms that control TLR-induced responses, including endotoxin tolerance, have been not well understood. The tuberous sclerosis complex 1 (TSC1) is a tumor suppressor that inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). We show in this study that deficiency of TSC1 results in enhanced activation of not only mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), but also JNK1/2, following LPS stimulation in macrophages. TSC1-deficient macrophages produce elevated proinflammatory cytokines and NO in response to multiple TLR ligands. Such enhanced TLR-induced responses can be inhibited by reducing mTORC1 and JNK1/2 activities with chemical inhibitors or small hairpin RNA, suggesting that TSC1 negatively controls TLR responses through both mTORC1 and JNK1/2. The impact of TSC1 deficiency appeared not limited to TLRs, as NOD- and RIG-I/MDA-5–induced innate responses were also altered in TSC1-deficient macrophages. Furthermore, TSC1 deficiency appears to cause impaired induction of endotoxin tolerance in vitro and in vivo, which is correlated with increased JNK1/2 activation and can be reversed by JNK1/2 inhibition. Our results reveal a critical role of TSC1 in regulating innate immunity by negative control of mTORC1 and JNK1/2 activation.
Marginal Zone B Cells Regulate Antigen-Specific T Cell Responses during Infection
Authors: Bankoti Rashmi , Gupta Kshitiz , Levchenko Andre , Stäger Simona
Published: March 2012

Marginal zone B cells (MZB) participate in the early immune response to several pathogens. In this study, we show that in μMT mice infected with Leishmania donovani, CD8 T cells displayed a greater cytotoxic potential and generated more effector memory cells compared with infected wild type mice. The frequency of parasite-specific, IFN-γ+ CD4 T cells was also increased in μMT mice. B cells were able to capture parasites, which was associated with upregulation of surface IgM and MyD88-dependent IL-10 production. Moreover, MZB presented parasite Ags to CD4 T cells in vitro. Depletion of MZB also enhanced T cell responses and led to a decrease in the parasite burden but did not alter the generation of effector memory T cells. Thus, MZB appear to suppress protective T cell responses during the early stages of L. donovani infection.