bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Glucosinolates in Nordic Horseradish (Armoracia Rusticana)
Authors: Wedelsbäck Bladh Katarina , Olsson Kerstin M. , Yndgaard Flemming
Published: July 2013

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana Gaertn., C.A. Mey & Scherb.) has a long history as food and medicinal plant. Glucosinolates (GLS) or their breakdown products are responsible for the pungent taste and claimed medicinal effects. The dominate GLS in horseradish is sinigrin (> 80%) followed by gluconasturtiin and glucobrassicin. A total of 168 Nordic accessions of horseradish were screened for the content of intact glucosinolates. Sinigrin levels varied between 10 and 45, gluconasturtiin between 1.3 and 7.4 and glucobrassicin between 0.1 and 2.6 μmol/g DM. Accessions with high levels of both sinigrin and gluconasturtiin were found. Horseradish accessions are kept as living plants in clonal archives in their respective countries. The task for plant gene banks is not only to conserve genetic resources for the future, but also to stimulate use of the collections for various products and breeding programmes. After further analyses to certify the screening results, selected accessions will form a base for breeding and increased use of horseradish as a condiment to food, natural preservative or in medical treatments
Co-Firing of Biomass with Pulverised Coal in Oxygen Enriched Atmosphere
Authors: Pawlak-Kruczek Halina , Ostrycharczyk Michał , Baranowski Marcin , Czerep Michał , Zgóra Jacek
Published: July 2013

The aim of the paper is a comparative study of co-firing high shares of wooden and agro-biomass with hard coal under oxy-fuel and air conditions in the laboratory scale reactor for pulverised fuels. The investigations of co-combustion behaviour NOx and SO2 emission and burnout were carried out for selected blends. Detailed investigations were concentrated on determining the effect of dosing oxygen method into the burner on NOx emission. The paper presents the results of co-firing blends with 20 and 50% share of biomass by mass in air and oxy-combustion condition. Biomass oxy-cofiring integrated with CCS (CO2 capture) technology could be a carbon negative technology. The reduction of NOx emissions in the conditions of oxy-co-firing is dependent on the concentration of oxygen in the primary stream of oxidiser. A significant reduction of NOx was achieved in the case of low oxygen concentration in the primary stream for each investigated blends. Co-firing of biomass with coal in an oxygen enriched atmosphere enhances combustion behaviour, lowers fuel burnout and as a result increases of the boiler efficiency.
Treatment of Wastewater to Meet the Requirements for Cooling Water Systems in Jordan’s Nuclear Plants
Authors: Al-Rawajfeh Aiman Eid , Araj Kamal
Published: July 2013

Scaling and corrosion associated with the use of natural hard water in cooling towers during recirculation pose great problems from both economical and technical points of view, such as decreased system efficiency and increased frequency of chemical cleaning. Treated municipal wastewater (MWW) is a promising alternative to freshwater as power plant cooling system makeup water, especially in arid regions. In this work, hybrid systems of salt precipitation (SP), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) were investigated, as potential pretreatment processes for wastewater reuse as cooling water in the planned Jordan nuclear power plants. The As-Samra wastewater was used to calculate the potential of carbonate and sulfate scale formation. The results were compared to scale potentials from Palo Verde wastewater. Four cases were investigated; SP, NF, SP-RO and NF-RO. The SP pretreatment cases showed the highest monovalent to divalent ratio because of a high removal of Ca and Mg and addition of Na from the chemicals of the SP step. The NF pretreatment cases, showed the lowest calcium sulfate scale potential and this potential decreases with the % pretreatment. The scale amount increases very slightly with concentration times when the SP and NF product is desalinated by RO step.
Gendered drinking: Meanings and norms among young Estonian adults
Authors: Kobin Maarja
Published: July 2013

Aim

Current research in Estonia shows that drinking has increased both among men and women and that the gender gap in alcohol consumption is decreasing, especially among young people. This article will explore from a micro-level perspective how gender, meanings and norms are interconnected, and how these meanings and norms regulate and legitimise gendered drinking behaviour.

Design

The study is based on in-depth individual and focus groups interviews with young adults from rural and urban areas in Estonia, supported by participant observation.

Results

Women's drinking still carries a clear, albeit contested, double standard. Young men, on the other hand, contest the traditional masculine drinking norms and distance themselves from the heavy drinking practices of drinking to intoxication and drinking vodka, which are connected with images of Soviet-era (inflexible rural) masculinity.

Conclusion

In creating alternative modes of masculinity and femininity, young adults stress independence, individualism and being active agents in the reconstruction of their gendered identities. These aspects can be explained through broader processes in Estonian society during the last two decades.
What is the Contribution of the Theory of Redistribution Systems to the Theory of Corruption?
Authors: Otáhal Tomáš , Palát Milan , Wawrosz Petr
Published: July 2013

Scholars making economic policy recommendations to resolve corruption problem use several approaches, the most dominant of which are the principal-agent and rent-seeking theories. In this paper, we argue that the principal-agent theory has problems to account for the environment in which the agents offering and accepting corruption operate, and explain the importance of agents for survival of their environment. The rent-seeking theory, on the other hand, finds it difficult to establish socially effective legislation and ways to determine the barriers to entry that motivate agents to behave corruptly. Both problems, however, are vital for solving the problem of corruption. Lacking the knowledge of the agent’s environment (system) and their significance for survival of the system, the theory cannot define incentives that would discourage the agent from acting in a corrupted way. If the rent-seeking theory does not determine the barriers to entry that motivate agents to behave corruptly, it cannot determine the proper legislation that would deter corrupt behaviour and lead to economic development. For these reasons we investigate if both problems can be explained and solved within the alternative theory of redistribution systems and its part - the theory of parallel redistribution games.
First passage time on pattern formation in a non-local Fisher population dynamics
Authors: Fuentes Miguel , Cáceres Manuel
Published: July 2013

We use stochastic dynamics to develop the patterned attractor of a non-local extended system. This is done analytically using the stochastic path perturbation approach scheme, where a theory of perturbation in the small noise parameter is introduced to analyze the random escape of the stochastic field from the unstable state. Emphasis is placed on the specific mode selection that these types of systems exhibit. Concerning the stochastic propagation of the front we have carried out Monte Carlo simulations which coincide with our theoretical predictions.
Changes in International Marketing Strategies of Companies Operating in the Global Luxury Industry due to the Financial and Economic Crisis
Authors: Zorkóciová Otília , Jamborová Erika Mária
Published: July 2013

The goal of our contribution is the international marketing strategy of luxury goods manufacturers worldwide due to the financial and economic crisis. The current crisis hit many countries of the world, European continent as well. It contributed to the more prominent role of BRIC countries in the global economy, particularly because of their growing economic power. These factors resulted to the increase in affluent customers for luxury industry in these countries. The sector quickly and successfully responded to this situation. Our paper aims to identify the essential elements of the successful international marketing strategy in the global luxury industry, with reference to the most important elements of the marketing mix.
Piotr skarga w nauczaniu Jana Pawła II w jego podróżach do ojczyzny /
Authors: Okoń Jan
Published: July 2013

This article is continuation of the writer’s research into the role of Piotr Skarga in the thought and teaching of Pope John Paul II. The results of the initial investigations focused on the creation of the character of Skarga in Karol Wojtyła’s juvenile drama Jeremiah (1940) were presented in a paper read at a conference on Piotr Skarga at the Ignatianum Academy in Cracow in May 2012. Now, having assumed that Karol Wojtyła read Skarga’s Sermons already in his schooldays, the writer of this article combs all of John Paul II’s statements for references to the famous 16th-century Jesuit preacher. Then the references are traced to the original and subjected to a systematic review aimed at establishing their structure and role in articulating John Paul II’s message for his audiences, and in a broader sense, for Poland. The article also considers other, analogous occasions when the Pope chose not to reach out to the Skarga armory, although he could well have done so.
Związki retoryki i muzyki – kantata Christ lag in Todesbanden Jana Sebastiana Bacha / Rhetoric And Music: Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata Christ Lag in Todesbanden
Authors: Górny Tomasz
Published: July 2013

The first part of the article outlines the tradition which gave shape to the Baroque musical rhetoric. Among its constitutive elements were the style of the Florentine Camerata with its insistence on the role of speech in musical composition; Athanasius Kircher’s doctrine of the affects (Affektenlehre); Johann Mattheson’s model of the aria and Joachim Burmeister’s idea of musical figures. The second part of the article contains a rhetorical interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata No.4 BW V Christ lag in Todesbanden”. The interrelationship between the words and the musical structure of the cantata is described and analyzed with the help of concepts from the field of musical rhetoric. The summary considers the significance of this interpretation of Bach’s composition for contemporary musical life.
"Emo" Culture and Gender Norms in Late Adolescents and Young Adults
Authors: Allooh Noah N. , Rummell Christina M. , Levant Ronald F.
Published: July 2013

The present study examined the extent to which youth who endorse emo subculture reject the traditional masculine norm of restrictive emotionality. It also examined the relationships between endorsement and rejection of emo subculture and traditional masculine and feminine norms and masculine gender role conflict. In Study 1 (N = 13) three focus groups were conducted to create the mixed methods Emo Culture Questionnaire (ECQ). In Study 2 (N = 164) exploratory factor analysis of the quantitative part of the ECQ resulted in a 15-item, 4-factor scale; however, due to low reliabilities, only two scales were used in the analyses. Three hypotheses were mostly supported. The endorsement of emo subculture by men was negatively associated with their Restrictive Emotionality subscale scores of both the Male Role Norms Inventory-Revised (MRNI-R) and Gender Role Conflict Scale (GRCS). The endorsement of emo subculture by women was negatively associated with their MRNI-R Restrictive Emotionality scores but was not positively associated their Femininity Ideology Scale (FIS) Emotionality scores. Negative views of the emo subculture by both men and women were positively correlated with their MRNI-R Restrictive Emotionality scores. An exploratory question found that the endorsement of emo subculture had significant negative correlations with three additional MRNI-R subscales and the total scale for men and with five MRNI-R subscales and the total scale for women. In addition, the endorsement of emo subculture had significant negative correlations with two FIS subscales, and with two additional GRCS subscales and the total scale for men. Qualitative results from the ECQ indicated that while the label “emo” may not function as a personal identifier, the music, fashion, and behavior thus identified remain popular.
Parents, Sons, and Globalization in Tanzania
Authors: Sommer Marni , Likindikoko Samuel , Kaaya Sylvia
Published: July 2013

As the global youth population grows exponentially across Africa, there is increasing recognition of the risky health behaviors impeding boys’ healthy transitions through puberty. This study in Tanzania sought to capture boys’ voiced experiences of transitioning through adolescence, and the masculinity norms shaping boys’ engagement in risky behaviors. A critical finding was the gap in parent-son communication around pubertal body changes and avoidance of risk behaviors. Findings also suggest influences from globalization and modernization are changing boys’ pubertal experiences and introducing new challenges for parents attempting to provide guidance. Given evidence from high-income countries indicating parents can serve as protective factors for young people during the transition through adolescence, additional research is needed to understand current parent-son dynamics and potential interventions.
Ruptured pasts and captured futures
Authors: Palmberger Monika
Published: July 2013

In situations in which an entire population is affected by war and great political-economic transformations, as was the case in Bosnia and Herzegovina, generational differences exist regarding the extent to which people experience these events as disruptions to their lives. Even in a nationally divided city like Mostar after the 1992-1995 war, generational experiences-of past and present times as well as of future prospects (or the lack thereof)-are crucial for the way people rethink the past and (re)position themselves in the present. In the case of the generation of the "Last Yugoslavs", I argue that the disruption of their life course and the resulting loss of future prospects prevent people from narrating the local past and their lives in a meaningful and coherent way.
Buy or barter?
Authors: Larsen Lotta Björklund
Published: July 2013

This article explores the tensions between buying and bartering a ser vice in contemporary Sweden by analyzing the acceptable purchase of svart arbete -informal exchanges of work. It is a commonplace phenomenon, but also widely debated, as it is seen as detrimental to welfare society, eroding taxpaying morals and solidarity with fellow citizens. Settling the svart deal with money makes the links to market and state domains more pertinent. Even cash-settled deals are therefore often referred to as barters to create a reverse disentanglement, away from the formal market and moved closer to the realm of social exchanges. The informants express a verbal creativity in a joking manner. Exploring synonyms and metaphors reveals the informality, but the talk also shows that, as exchanges, they are part of everyday life. The article thus describes how illegal yet licit exchanges of work are articulated.
People's Mic and democratic charisma
Authors: Garces Chris
Published: July 2013

The People's Mic is a new genre of political speech. In Occupy Wall Street (OWS) general assemblies, this tactile media for public deliberation was integral to embodying new political community across American cities in a globally oriented movement of the squares. Whether or not OWS has exemplified direct democracy per se, the People's Mic has cultivated new forms of democratic charisma between previously disaggregated constituencies-a “leaderful charisma“, with historical roots in pious American oratorical traditions (“hallowed speech“) and more recent movements for intercultural solidarity building (global justice, horizontalist, feminist, etc.). In this article, I signal how the People's Mic atavistically conjured and resembled the American town hall meeting in a contemporary and heterogeneous US frontier assembly. Before its strategic incapacitation, the Occupy movement's widespread use of People's Mic served to undermine the authority of private-public monopolies and to place a check on mounting police repression of urban space.
Transformative cities
Authors: Susser Ida , Tonnelat Stéphane
Published: July 2013

Drawing on Lefebvre and others, this article considers contemporary urban social movements with a selective review of urban research and suggestions for future ethnographic, cultural, and sociological questions. Under a generalized post-Fordist regime of capital accumulation, cultural workers and laborers, service workers, and community activists have all participated in urban movements. We consider such collective action, generated in the crucible of urban life, as a reflection of three urban commons: labor, consumption, and public services; public space (including mass communications and the virtual); and art, including all forms of creative expression. We suggest that the three urban commons outlined here are not necessarily perceived everywhere, but as they momentarily come together in cities around the world, they give us a glimpse of a city built on the social needs of a population. That is the point when cities become transformative.
Flirting with anarchism
Authors: Schulze Frederick
Published: July 2013

Graeber, David. 2004. Fragments of an anarchist anthropology. Chicago: Prickly Paradigm Press. 105
pages.

Schmidt, Michael, and Lucien van der Walt. 2009. Black flame: The revolutionary class politics of anarchism
and syndicalism. Vol. 1, Counter-Power. London: AK Press. 395 pages.

Scott, James. 2012. Two cheers for anarchism: Six easy pieces on autonomy, dignity, and meaningful
work and play. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 198 pages.
War sick
Authors: Wool Zoë H.
Published: July 2013

Finley, Erin. 2011. Fields of combat: Understanding PTSD among veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. 240 pages.

Kilshaw, Susie. 2009. Impotent warriors: Gulf War syndrome, vulnerability and masculinity. Oxford:
Berghahn Books. 282 pages.
Developing learning spaces in higher education: An evaluation of experimental spaces at the University of Leicester
Authors: Wood Phil , Warwick Paul , Cox Derek
Published: July 2013

Consideration of the physical environment in which learning takes place has become a growing area of academic interest over the past decade. This study focuses on the experiences and perceptions of academic staff and students who used three refurbished, and innovative, learning spaces at the University of Leicester. The results suggest that the physical environment can have an impact on the emotional and motivational experiences of students and staff. However, there is some suggestion that learning space development should not be at the expense of approaches to pedagogy which do not foreground the use of technologies.

The analysis of the users' experiences leads to the proposition of a theoretical model for the apt design of future learning spaces in Higher Education. The DEEP learning space framework outlines the need for careful consideration being given to dynamic, engaging, ecological and participatory (DEEP) dimensions within the twenty-first century learning space.
The Role of Nuclear Bodies in Gene Expression and Disease
Authors: Morimoto Marie , Boerkoel Cornelius
Published: July 2013

This review summarizes the current understanding of the role of nuclear bodies in regulating gene expression. The compartmentalization of cellular processes, such as ribosome biogenesis, RNA processing, cellular response to stress, transcription, modification and assembly of spliceosomal snRNPs, histone gene synthesis and nuclear RNA retention, has significant implications for gene regulation. These functional nuclear domains include the nucleolus, nuclear speckle, nuclear stress body, transcription factory, Cajal body, Gemini of Cajal body, histone locus body and paraspeckle. We herein review the roles of nuclear bodies in regulating gene expression and their relation to human health and disease.
Design and Implementation of a Hybrid Ontological-Relational Data Repository for SIEM Systems
Authors: Kotenko Igor , Polubelova Olga , Chechulin Andrey , Saenko Igor
Published: July 2013

The technology of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) becomes one of the most important research applications in the area of computer network security. The overall functionality of SIEM systems depends largely on the quality of solutions implemented at the data storage level, which is purposed for the representation of heterogeneous security events, their storage in the data repository, and the extraction of relevant data for analytical modules of SIEM systems. The paper discusses the key issues of design and implementation of a hybrid SIEM data repository, which combines relational and ontological data representations. Based on the analysis of existing SIEM systems and standards, the ontological approach is chosen as a core component of the repository, and an example of the ontological data model for vulnerabilities representation is outlined. The hybrid architecture of the repository is proposed for implementation in SIEM systems. Since the most of works on the repositories of SIEM systems is based on the relational data model, the paper focuses mainly on the ontological part of the hybrid approach. To test the repository we used the data model intended for attack modeling and security evaluation, which includes both ontological and relational dimensions.
Hygienic Practices among Food Vendors in Educational Institutions in Ghana: The Case of Konongo
Authors: Monney Isaac , Agyei Dominic , Owusu Wellington
Published: July 2013

With the booming street food industry in the developing world there is an urgent need to ensure food vendors adhere to hygienic practices to protect public health. This study assessed the adherence to food hygiene practices by food vendors in educational institutions in Konongo, Ghana. Structured questionnaires, extensive observation and interviews were used for the study involving 60 food vendors from 20 basic schools. Attributable to the influence of school authorities and the level of in-training of food vendors, the study points out that food vendors in educational institutions generally adhered to good food hygiene practices, namely, regular medical examination (93%), protection of food from flies and dust (55%); proper serving of food (100%); good hand hygiene (63%); and the use of personal protective clothing (52%). The training of food vendors on food hygiene, instead of the level of education had a significant association (p < 0.05) with crucial food hygiene practices such as medical examination, hand hygiene and protection of food from flies and dust. Further, regulatory bodies legally mandated to efficiently monitor the activities of food vendors lacked the adequate capacity to do so. The study proposes that efforts should be geared towards developing training programmes for food vendors as well as capacity building of the stakeholders.
Protective Effects of Sodium Selenite against Aflatoxin B1-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Broiler Spleen
Authors: Wang Fengyuan , Shu Gang , Peng Xi , Fang Jing , Chen Kejie , Cui Hengmin , Chen Zhengli , Zuo Zhicai , Deng Junliang , Geng Yi , Lai Weimin
Published: July 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective role of sodium selenite on aflatoxin B1-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in spleen of broilers. Two hundred one-day-old male broilers, divided into five groups, were fed with basal diet (control group), 0.3 mg/kg AFB1 (AFB1 group), 0.3 mg/kg AFB1 + 0.2 mg/kg Se (+Se group I), 0.3 mg/kg AFB1 + 0.4 mg/kg Se (+Se group II) and 0.3 mg/kg AFB1 + 0.6 mg/kg Se (+Se group III), respectively. According to biochemical assays, AFB1 significantly decreased the activities of glutathione peroxidase, total superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, catalase and the level of glutathione hormone, while it increased the level of malondialdehyde. Moreover, AFB1 increased the percentage of apoptosis cells by flow cytometry and the occurrence of apoptotic cells by TUNEL assay. Simultaneous supplementation with sodium selenite restored these parameters to be close to those in control group. In conclusion, sodium selenite exhibited protective effects on AFB1-induced splenic toxicity in broilers by inhibiting oxidative stress and excessive apoptosis.
Facile Synthesis of FeCo/Fe3O4 Nanocomposite with High Wave-Absorbing Properties
Authors: Gu Yu , Cao Yang , Chi Huijuan , Liang Qing , Zhang Yongji , Sun Youyi
Published: July 2013

The FeCo/Fe3O4 nanocomposite was synthesized using the hydrothermal approach, in which the FeCo alloy and Fe3O4 are formed by one step. The structure of the FeCo/Fe3O4 nanocomposite was characterized by means of Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometer spectroscopy (EDX). They show that the mass ratio of FeCo/Fe3O4 strongly depends on the reaction temperature. Such various architectures follow a stepwise growth mechanism of the composites prepared in various reaction temperatures were also discussed. It indicates that this strategy is facile, effective and controllable for the synthesis of FeCo/Fe3O4 by the one-step method. Furthermore, the magnetic and wave-absorbing properties of the nanocomposites with various structures were investigated in detail. The results show that the FeCo/Fe3O4 with higher mass ratio has higher magnetic properties. Moreover, the FeCo/Fe3O4 nanocomposite shows high wave-absorbing properties (e.g., –37.9 dB), which are expected to apply in microwave absorbing materials.
Molecular Weight Dependent Glucose Lowering Effect of Low Molecular Weight Chitosan Oligosaccharide (GO2KA1) on Postprandial Blood Glucose Level in SD Rats Model
Authors: Jo Sung-Hoon , Ha Kyoung-Soo , Moon Kyoung-Sik , Kim Jong-Gwan , Oh Chen-Gum , Kim Young-Cheul , Apostolidis Emmanouil , Kwon Young-In
Published: July 2013

This research investigated the effect of enzymatically digested low molecular weight (MW) chitosan oligosaccharide on type 2 diabetes prevention. Three different chitosan oligosaccharide samples with varying MW were evaluated in vitro for inhibition of rat small intestinal α-glucosidase and porcine pancreatic α-amylase (GO2KA1; <1000 Da, GO2KA2; 1000–10,000 Da, GO2KA3; MW > 10,000 Da). The in vitro results showed that all tested samples had similar rat α-glucosidase inhibitory and porcine α-amylase inhibitory activity. Based on these observations, we decided to further investigate the effect of all three samples at a dose of 0.1 g/kg, on reducing postprandial blood glucose levels in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model after sucrose loading test. In the animal trial, all tested samples had postprandial blood glucose reduction effect, when compared to control, however GO2KA1 supplementation had the strongest effect. The glucose peak (Cmax) for GO2KA1 and control was 152 mg/dL and 193 mg/dL, respectively. The area under the blood glucose-time curve (AUC) for GO2KA1 and control was 262 h mg/dL and 305 h mg/dL, respectively. Furthermore, the time of peak plasma concentration of blood glucose (Tmax) for GO2KA1 was significantly delayed (0.9 h) compared to control (0.5 h). These results suggest that GO2KA1 could have a beneficial effect for blood glucose management relevant to diabetes prevention in normal and pre-diabetic individuals. The suggested mechanism of action is via inhibition of the carbohydrate hydrolysis enzyme α-glucosidase and since GO2KA1 (MW < 1000 Da) had higher in vivo effect, we hypothesize that it is more readily absorbed and might exert further biological effect once it is absorbed in the blood stream, relevant to blood glucose management.
Millimeter Wave Radiations Affect Membrane Hydration in Phosphatidylcholine Vesicles
Authors: Beneduci Amerigo , Cosentino Katia , Chidichimo Giuseppe
Published: July 2013

A clear understanding of the response of biological systems to millimeter waves exposure is of increasing interest for the scientific community due to the recent convincing use of these radiations in the ultrafast wireless communications. Here we report a deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (2H-NMR) investigation on the effects of millimeter waves in the 53–78 GHz range on phosphocholine bio-mimetic membranes. Millimeter waves significantly affect the polar interface of the membrane causing a decrease of the heavy water quadrupole splitting. This effect is as important as inducing the transition from the fluid to the gel phase when the membrane exposure occurs in the neighborhood of the transition point. On the molecular level, the above effect can be well explained by membrane dehydration induced by the radiation.
Cytotoxic Effects of Hydroxylated Fullerenes in Three Types of Liver Cells
Authors: Shimizu Kumiko , Kubota Reiji , Kobayashi Norihiro , Tahara Maiko , Sugimoto Naoki , Nishimura Tetsuji , Ikarashi Yoshiaki
Published: July 2013

Fullerenes C60 have attracted considerable attention in the biomedical field due to their interesting properties. Although there has been a concern that C60 could be metabolized to hydroxylated fullerenes (C60(OH)x) in vivo, there is little information on the effect of hydroxylated C60 on liver cells. In the present study, we evaluated the cytotoxic effects of fullerene C60 and various hydroxylated C60 derivatives, C60(OH)2, C60(OH)6–12, C60(OH)12 and C60(OH)36, with three different types of liver cells, dRLh-84, HepG2 and primary cultured rat hepatocytes. C60, C60(OH)2 and C60(OH)36 exhibited little or no cytotoxicity in all of the cell types, while C60(OH)6–12 and C60(OH)12 induced cytotoxic effects in dRLh-84 cells, accompanied by the appearance of numerous vacuoles around the nucleus. Moreover, mitochondrial activity in liver cells was significantly inhibited by C60(OH)6–12 and C60(OH)12. These results indicate that the number of hydroxyl groups on C60(OH)x contribute to the difference of their cytotoxic potential and mitochondrial damage in liver cells.
The Role of Vitamin D in Blood Pressure, Endothelial and Renal Function in Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Liu Zhao-Min , Woo Jean , Wu Sheng-Hui , Ho Suzanne
Published: July 2013

Background: Vitamin D is a pro-hormone that plays an essential role in the vasculature and in kidney function. Aims: To review the extra-skeletal effects of vitamin D on blood pressure, endothelial and renal function with emphasis on recent findings in postmenopausal women. Methods: Included in this review was a PubMed database search for English language articles through March 2013. This review discussed the physiology and definition of vitamin D deficiency, the recent evidence for the role vitamin D in blood pressure, vascular and renal function. Results: Experimental and epidemiological data suggest that vitamin D plays an important role in the vasculature and in kidney function. Low vitamin D concentrations appear to significantly associate with hypertension, endothelial and renal dysfunction. However, the results of clinical trials have generally been mixed. Studies specifically conducted among postmenopausal women are limited and findings are still inconsistent. Conclusions: Definitive studies are warranted to elucidate the effects of vitamin D supplementation on vascular and renal function and a more detailed work is needed to outline the route, duration and optimal dose of supplementation. It is premature to recommend vitamin D as a therapeutic option in the improvement of vascular and renal function at the current stage.
Multiple Cost Functions and Regularization Options for Improved Retrieval of Leaf Chlorophyll Content and LAI through Inversion of the PROSAIL Model
Authors: Rivera Juan , Verrelst Jochem , Leonenko Ganna , Moreno José
Published: July 2013

Abstract: Lookup-table (LUT)-based radiative transfer model inversion is considered a physically-sound and robust method to retrieve biophysical parameters from Earth observation data but regularization strategies are needed to mitigate the drawback of ill-posedness. We systematically evaluated various regularization options to improve leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) and leaf area index (LAI) retrievals over agricultural lands, including the role of (1) cost functions (CFs); (2) added noise; and (3) multiple solutions in LUT-based inversion. Three families of CFs were compared: information measures, M-estimates and minimum contrast methods. We have only selected CFs without additional parameters to be tuned, and thus they can be immediately implemented in processing chains. The coupled leaf/canopy model PROSAIL was inverted against simulated Sentinel-2 imagery at 20 m spatial resolution (8 bands) and validated against ﬁeld data from the ESA-led SPARC (Barrax, Spain) campaign. For all 18 considered CFs with noise introduction and opting for the mean of multiple best solutions considerably improved retrievals; relative errors can be twice reduced as opposed to those without these regularization options. M-estimates were found most successful, but also data normalization inﬂuences the accuracy of the retrievals. Here, best LCC retrievals were obtained using a normalized “L1 -estimate” function with a relative error of 17.6% (r2 : 0.73), while best LAI retrievals were obtained through non-normalized “least-squares estimator” (LSE) with a relative error of 15.3% (r2 : 0.74).
« On n'est jamais aussi bien que dans sa famille »
Authors: Ragaru Nadège
Published: July 2013

Au début des années 2000, des « politiques du retour » des personnes identifiées comme victimes de la traite des êtres humains ont été formulées en Bulgarie au croisement entre injonctions internationales et mobilisations associatives. L’objet du présent article est d’explorer ces dispositifs en prenant pour site d’observation les refuges au sein desquels les victimes reçoivent une assistance psychosociale. Retracer la carrière de ces hébergements éclairera un processus d’institutionnalisation en pointillés, liée à l’émergence d’une « société de projets » où les programmes d’aide, souvent éphémères, reflètent les concurrences et glissements dans les constructions de la traite en problème public. L’étude des opérations à travers lesquelles les personnels soignants tentent de rendre lisible la condition des victimes mettra par ailleurs en évidence l’existence de tensions entre pratiques d’assignation identitaire et postulats d’identité aliénée, gestion individualisée et profilage, administration d’une immobilité et parcours migratoires, au cœur de l’échec des politiques de « réintégration sociale ».
Femmes de maison
Authors: Absi Pascale
Published: July 2013

En Bolivie, les maisons de prostitution fonctionnent sur les vestiges d’un réglementarisme importé d’Europe à la fin du XIX e siècle. Depuis la fin de la claustration des femmes dans les années 1990, le système s’est recentré autour de l’obligation du contrôle vénérien. Se dévoile alors une configuration originale où la survivance formelle du réglementarisme coercitif s’est faite équivoque, offrant aux prostituées une marge d’autonomie face aux tenanciers et aux clients. Ces accommodements ont permis au système de gagner en légitimité malgré la ratification par la Bolivie des principales conventions internationales abolitionnistes. Pour le comprendre, cet article revient sur les évolutions récentes du réglementarisme bolivien et sa coexistence ambiguë avec la législation abolitionniste du pays. Il aborde ensuite le fonctionnement des maisons, leur recrutement et la manière dont les prostituées se sont approprié le système au point de brouiller les pistes analytiques entre ce qui pourrait être identifié à de la traite avec ses victimes hétéronomes mais que les femmes interprètent comme une opportunité.
Le « paternalisme libéral », oxymore ou avenir de l'État-providence ?
Authors: Orobon Frédéric
Published: July 2013

Libéralisme et paternalisme peuvent sembler contradictoires, l’un prônant la liberté de l’individu, l’autre voulant protéger l’individu de lui-même. Pourtant, la théorie du « paternalisme libéral » de Cass Sunstein et Richard ­Thaler associe les deux, au nom du mieux-être de la société et des individus qui la composent.
Carnet de route en Arménie
Authors: Maurice Antoine
Published: July 2013

Parcourant les paysages d’Arménie, l’auteur fait le portrait d’un pays hanté par sa mémoire : le génocide de 1915 et le tremblement de terre de 1988 traversent encore les esprits des Arméniens. Tout comme le conflit territorial autour du Nagorny Karabagh, encore non résolu. Comme si l’Arménie indépendante, malgré le dynamisme de sa diaspora et de certains acteurs de terrain, demeurait alourdie par ce passé qui ne passe pas.
La fabrique de la pensée d'État
Authors: Biland Émilie , Kolopp Sarah
Published: July 2013

Portant sur la formation à l’École nationale d’administration entre 1945 et 1982, cet article entend contribuer à l’analyse des ressorts cognitifs de la domination bureaucratique. Au moyen d’une étude archivistique, il montre que les enseignements sont travaillés par des processus de changement indexés sur des rapports de force situés au croisement du champ du pouvoir et du champ des grandes écoles. Ces inflexions permettent d’historiciser la figure du « généraliste », souvent mobilisée pour caractériser les hauts fonctionnaires français. Du haut fonctionnaire humaniste dans les années 1950 au modèle « opérationnel » des années 1970, en passant par le projet de haut fonctionnaire scientifique dans les années 1960, ces constructions curriculaires de l’excellence administrative participent à la recomposition des modes de légitimation des groupes bureaucratiques, ainsi qu’aux transformations des catégories symboliques qui encadrent les dispositifs d’action publique.
L'émergence d'un État régional pilote
Authors: Poupeau François-Mathieu
Published: July 2013

L’État local est en plein bouleversement. Au terme d’une décennie de réformes, il s’organise désormais autour d’un nouveau modèle d’administration, en « Y », qui, étant par construction indéterminé, donne lieu à des configurations institutionnelles variables dans l’espace, le temps et selon les champs d’action. En s’appuyant sur un travail monographique portant sur une région française, cet article se penche sur les nouvelles formes de régulation administrative qui se font jour autour du ministère de l’Écologie et du Développement durable. Il met tout d’abord en évidence le rôle croissant joué par l’échelon régional, principal bénéficiaire des réformes récentes. Il montre ensuite que la construction du nouvel État régional pilote est un processus négocié, qui fait intervenir trois principales variables, dessinant non pas une mais plusieurs postures, qui oscillent entre volonté de tutelle régionale et stratégie plus distribuée d’animation et de coordination des politiques publiques.
Le droit au service des personnes défavorisées ?
Authors: Weill Pierre-Edouard
Published: July 2013

Cet article interroge les conditions de mise en œuvre du droit des personnes défavorisées à travers l’analyse du processus d’offre de logement au titre du droit au logement opposable (DALO). Derrière une étiquette juridique et homogénéisante, on discerne des profils spécifiques de ménages « prioritaires » au titre du DALO, dont les caractéristiques sociales déterminent les propositions de logement ou d’hébergement qui leur sont faites, tout comme leur réception. On explique ainsi comment ceux qui parviennent à faire valoir leur droit sont majoritairement orientés vers des « quartiers sensibles », lorsqu’ils ne doivent pas se contenter d’une place d’hébergement, mais aussi pourquoi ces propositions entraînent leur satisfaction, leur résignation ou leur refus. Cet article montre finalement les limites et les effets pervers d’une tentative improbable d’optimisation de la politique du logement des personnes défavorisées par le recours à la justice administrative, qui aboutit à la fois au ciblage accru de l’attribution des logements sociaux et à une concentration renforcée de la pauvreté.
Bipolarisation sexuelle des entreprises. Une étude des 50 plus grandes firmes françaises
Authors: Ferrary Michel
Published: July 2013

L’analyse de la féminisation des effectifs et de l’encadrement des 50 plus grandes entreprises privées françaises montre une forte hétérogénéité. Trois mécanismes sociaux interagissent pour expliquer cela : la discrimination, les choix éducatifs et les préférences professionnelles. Ces mécanismes convergent et entraînent une bipolarisation sexuelle des grandes entreprises. Cette bipolarisation constitue un défi nouveau en matière de parité professionnelle et de grh.
Santé au travail et travail en santé. La performance des établissements de santé face à l'absentéisme et au bien-être des personnels soignants
Authors: Brami Laurent , Damart Sébastien , Kletz Frédéric
Published: July 2013

De nombreux signaux indiquent des situations de mal-être des personnels soignants dans les établissements de santé en France aujourd’hui. L’une des manifestations les plus tangibles de ce malaise est sans doute l’absentéisme, qui a pris des proportions particulièrement préoccupantes et de plus en plus dénoncées. Le phénomène révèle à la fois les difficultés des agents à retrouver leur place dans le nouveau contexte hospitalier, une prise en compte lacunaire des questions de bien-être des personnels soignants par l’institution et les difficultés de l’organisation à se stabiliser sur de nouvelles modalités de fonctionnement. L’objet de cet article est de montrer les liens entre qualité des soins, performance des établissements de santé et bien-être des personnels soignants, en se servant d’un prisme d’observation particulier : l’absentéisme. Il s’agit de montrer, à travers les résultats d’une recherche-intervention menée dans dix établissements de santé sur une période de trois années, que l’absentéisme des personnels soignants est un puissant révélateur de la lente prise en compte des questions relatives au bien-être du personnel et de ses effets multiples sur la qualité des soins et la performance des établissements de santé.
Un modèle d'évaluation de la performance multidimensionnelle d'une organisation hospitalière transversale
Authors: Montalan Marie-Annick , Vincent Béatrice
Published: July 2013

Cet article présente les résultats de travaux de recherche visant à prendre en compte la nature particulière de la performance d’une structure hospitalière transversale. Nous définissons et proposons un modèle d’évaluation de la performance adapté au caractère atypique et à la multiplicité des parties prenantes participant à l’activité inter-organisationnelle de ces structures, à travers l’exemple des Equipes Mobiles de Gériatrie (EMG). Ce modèle comprend une analyse de l’organisation des EMG, la définition des objectifs stratégiques et un tableau de bord prospectif. Les résultats présentés sont issus d’une recherche-intervention effectuée auprès d’EMG et des parties prenantes à la prise en charge des personnes âgées de la région Midi-Pyrénées. Elle a abouti à la co-construction d’un tableau de bord prospectif pour l’évaluation et le pilotage de la performance intra et extra hospitalière de ces structures atypiques. Ces travaux conduisent à proposer un modèle intégrateur d’évaluation de la performance d’une organisation hospitalière transverse dont les apports et limites théoriques sont analysés.
A Generic Linux CPUFreq Driver for ARM SoCs
Authors: Zhou Lei , Lv Qiang , Guo Shengchao
Published: July 2013

Linux CPUFreq subsystem provides a framework for implementing Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) to prolong batter life of mobile devices. Instead of creating hardware specific CPUFreq driver for every single ARM System on Chip (SoC) from different vendors, this paper presents the design and implementation of a generic CPUFreq driver. Managing the hardware specific clock and voltage details via Linux Common Clock Framework and Regulator subsystem, the driver can scale CPU frequency and voltage in a generic way, and thus should work for the majority of the ARM SoCs today. Freescale i.MX6 Quad was taken as the target hardware to develop and test the driver. A measurement on the hardware reports 37% CPU power saving in a typical video playback application. The feedback from Linux community tells that the driver works for OMAP and Calxeda processors as well, and hence the driver was merged into Linux 3.7 release as a generic CPUFreq driver for ARM SoCs.
Heat Exchanger Network Optimization Considering Pressure Drop Constraints based on Minimum Operating Cost
Authors: Zhao Liang , Huo Z. , Yin H.
Published: July 2013

Considerable research effort has been reported in cost-optimal operation of heat exchanger network. However, most of them neglect the pressure drop influence and assume constant film heat transfer coefficients. Pressure drop of streams are important influencing factors for the performance of heat exchanger network operation. In this paper, a general cost-optimal operation model considering pressure drop constraints and removing the assumption of constant film heat transfer coefficients is proposed. It is necessary to determine the pumping power cost required as part of operating cost function. The extended model is applied to one example taken from previous research, and the results prove that the proposed method can obtain more real optimization results for HEN operational optimization problems.
Analysis of Data about Material Tests Based on EMD Method
Authors: Peng Kai
Published: July 2013

Using EMD signal decomposition method to decompose the data of material test and comparing the difference of Hilbert spectrum in signal components on the different stages in the paper,the amplitude and frequency variation in the test process is calculted so as to determine the strength and reliability of the material as well as from the obtained experience to judge the health of the material used. It innovatively applies the segment data to make comparisons, accurately locates the specific data segment with structural damage and provides the simutaneous monitoring scheme while reducing the amount of calculation.
Encryption and Compression Scheme of Color Image Based on a Hyperchaotic System
Authors: Peng Jingyu , Gong Sheng-rong
Published: July 2013

In order to encrypt and compress a color image simultaneously, an encryption and compression algorithm for color image was proposed based on a hyperchaotic system. A hyperchaotic system was utilized to make a pure white image into a uniform distribution and colorful palette. In compression process, indexing technology was utilized to map the 3D data of color image to two-dimensional subscript of palette. The compressed image would continue to be encrypted by loop feedback in physical space and time space. Simulation experiments show that the algorithm is realized to encrypt and compress a color image simultaneously. It has large key space, high security, and big compression ratio as well as great application value in secure communication of color image.
Research on The Control of Out-of-Round Wheel Profiles of High-Speed Railway Derived From Numerical Simulations
Authors: Song Ying , Wang Zhichen
Published: July 2013

Periodic non-roundness of railway wheels will cause a series of variety on vehicle/track coupling system dynamic responses. A coupling dynamics model of railway vehicle with out-of-round wheels and track was built based on ADAMS/Rail. The effect of periodic non-roundness of wheel on the dynamical behavior of the vehicle system was analyzed. The numerical results regarding the misalignments of the vehicle and wheelset, the vertical wheel/rail contact forces and the reduction in the wheelset loading are presented under the conditions in which the wheels are in out-of-round and the train speed is from 200 km/h to 350 km/h. The results show that the dynamical vertical wheel/rail interaction forces are much related to the wheel out-of-roundness status. The critical range of the wheel out-of-roundness is determined according to the traditional criterion of wheelset loading reduction for safely running estimation. Itâ??s pointed out that out-of-round railway wheels can be detected by wheel/rail interaction force real-time monitoring system to guarantee safety and to minimize costs for repair and maintenance.