bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sward Composition and Grazer Species Effects on Nutritive Value and Herbage Accumulation
Authors: Seither M. , Wrage N. , Isselstein J.
Published: March 2012

In experimental grassland, plant species diversity has often been found to be related to productivity. However, it is not clear whether this relationship also exists in semi‐natural permanent grassland, and how it is affected by the stocking system. We analyzed the effects of cattle (Bos taurus) and sheep (Ovis aries) grazing alone or in combination on annual herbage accumulation and nutritive value of a moderately species‐rich sward (diverse sward) and its grass‐dominated counterpart (grass sward) during 3 yr after the onset of a grazing experiment. The grass sward was established applying selective herbicides against dicot species before the start of the experiment, resulting in a reduction of plant species number by 35% and a yield contribution of dicots of <1%. Annual herbage accumulation was similar between sward types and was not related to plant diversity, functional group proportion, or grazing treatment. Complementary nutrient use might have been of similar importance in the grass and the diverse sward, due to a relatively high plant species number in the grass sward (9.2 species m−2). Additionally, the nutrient return via animal excreta likely prevented a nutrient limitation in both swards. Diverse swards produced herbage of higher nutritive value than grass‐dominated swards, likely the effect of an increased percentage of highly digestible legumes and forbs. Grazing treatment had no effect on the nutritive value of herbage. However, postgrazing nutritive value was affected by the grazing treatment as a result of a larger selectivity by sheep.
Fictitious pseudo Meig’s syndrome: A medical emergency
Authors: Shukla S , Acharya N , Acharya S , Rajput DP , Vagha S
Published: March 2012

The present case scenario deals with an acute on chronic symptomatology, and collapsed state of the patient with poor vitals on admission in casualty. Clinical work up pointing to an elevated serum CA 125 levels and USG pelvis suggesting peritoneal adhesions with cystic to firm mass in left ovary and minimal free fluid in abdomen and cul de sac, X Ray chest suggesting right sided Pleural effusion. It was after careful evaluation of the case, with past and present history along with signs, symptommatology and intraoperative findings that differentials like Chronic granulomatous lesions, endometriosis, Neoplastic lesions with metastasis and Meig’s syndrome or Pseudo Meig’s were evaluated. Finally, a diagnosis of genital tuberculosis with enodmetriosis was confirmed on histopathological evaluation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jcmsn.v7i1.5975 JCMSN 2011; 7(1): 57-64
Economic Impacts of Intercity Passenger Rail Service
Authors: Sperry Benjamin R. , Morgan Curtis A.
Published: March 2012

Recent policy and funding developments have stimulated interest in high-speed and intercity passenger rail. Given the present economic climate of the country, particular interest lies in the impacts of new or expanded passenger rail services on local or regional economies. Using evidence from rail passenger surveys, this paper examines the economic impacts of existing state-supported passenger rail service in a growing intercity corridor of the south central United States. Economic impacts were measured by analyzing passengers' self-reported expenditures on selected items during their rail trip. The results of the analysis showed an estimated spending impact on local communities of more than $18 million in total, with more than $1.3 million of local sales tax generated by rail passengers in the study corridor. If the service were discontinued, an estimated 30% of these impacts would be lost. The findings of this analysis inform passenger rail planning efforts by providing better understanding of the financial considerations and also assist rail planners in developing local support for new rail projects.
Simplified Approach for Assessing Initial Fire Development and Spread in Passenger Rail Vehicles
Authors: Meacham B. J. , Dembsey N. A. , Johann M. , Tubbs J. , Schebel K.
Published: March 2012

Whether a fire in a passenger rail vehicle remains small or grows to encompass the vehicle and how large the fire may become largely depend on the initiation fire, vehicle interior lining materials and contents, vehicle configuration, and ventilation. Assuming fixed configuration and ventilation, the initiation fire, interior materials, and contents are critical variables. Evaluation of the fire hazards represented by different interior lining materials when exposed to various initiation fire scenarios can be costly and time-consuming with full-scale fire tests. However, small-scale fire tests are less expensive, and numerous tests can be performed in a short time. Small-scale test data coupled with initiation fire data and computational modeling can be used to cost-effectively assess a wide range of scenarios and material combinations for existing and proposed vehicle designs. This paper proposes a simplified approach for characterizing initiation fires and predicting the potential for flame spread on the basis of data that can be obtained from small-scale fire tests. Through the application of a simple screening tool, it is possible to quickly assess a material's propensity to spread flames over a range of initiation fires. This approach can be used to support threat, risk, and vulnerability assessments of existing rail stock and to screen materials for new vehicle design. In conjunction with additional assessment of initial flame spread characteristics, the screening tool can be used with computational fluid dynamics fire-modeling tools to predict the overall development and spread hazard of the fire for specific vehicle configurations and resultant infrastructure impacts.
Influence of Value of Time on Profitability of Railway Projects
Authors: Criado O. , Sánchez-Borràs M. , Robusté F.
Published: March 2012

The recent worldwide financial crisis has imposed limitations on public and private spending on new transport infrastructures. As a result, there is a need for new stricter criteria to prioritize projects in a more socioeconomically efficient way. Project appraisal is a common tool used for this effort. The value of time (VOT) is a relevant element in the appraisal of transport projects. VOT is essential for the calculation of the gain derived from the reduction of overall travel time for users by the development of a project. Because demand for the planned infrastructure is predicted on the basis of VOT, the estimation of VOT is a key element for the determination of the global modal split. This study analyzed the influence of VOT on the profitability of railway projects. Specifically, the components affected by VOT were studied according to their presentation in a railway project appraisal manual. The analysis was performed from two points of view. First, a theoretical formulation was deduced for the relation between VOT, which was included in the cash flow of the different components identified, and the internal rate of return, which represented the profitability of an infrastructure project. Second, a practical case for a suburban railway line was studied to identify the sensitivity of the internal rate of return to VOT, that is, the influence of VOT on the profitability of the project.
Midwest Rail Study
Authors: Feinberg Stephen N. , Yadav Varun , Heiken Jeremy G. , Turner Jay R.
Published: March 2012

A detailed inventory of emissions including fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was developed for the CSX Rougemere railyard in Dearborn, Michigan, for 2007 to 2008. Emissions were temporally allocated at monthly, day-of-week, and hourly levels and spatially allocated within the railyard footprint. Dispersion modeling was conducted with AERMOD to estimate railyard near-field impacts including concentration levels at the Dearborn compliance monitoring station located about 150 m from the railyard fenceline. Annual average impacts ranged from 0.3 to 0.5 μg/m3 in 2007 and 0.2 to 0.3 μg/m3 in 2008, depending on the spatial allocation of locomotive activities within the railyard. The reduction in railyard impacts was caused primarily by the reduction of particulate matter emissions that occurred after conventional switcher locomotives were replaced with locomotives with the new GenSet locomotive technology. The proximity of the railyard to the Dearborn monitor and the dominant role of switcher locomotive emissions motivated an examination of the spatial allocation of the switcher locomotives on modeled impacts. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to randomly place switcher locomotive activity on specific tracks within the railyard. This approach yielded high variability for modeled hourly impacts at the Dearborn monitor. However, the variability was relatively small for the modeled daily average impacts and even smaller for the modeled annual average impacts.
Train Delay and Economic Impact of In-Service Failures of Railroad Rolling Stock
Authors: Schlake Bryan W. , Barkan Christopher P. L. , Edwards J. Riley
Published: March 2012

Railcar condition directly affects the safety, the efficiency, and the reliability of freight railroad operations. Current railcar inspection practices are intended to identify defects before failure, but these practices generally do not enable preventive maintenance because manual, visual inspection is inherently limited. As a result, automated wayside condition-monitoring technologies have been developed to monitor rolling stock condition and facilitate predictive maintenance strategies. Improving the effectiveness of monitoring of railcar conditions could substantially reduce in-service failures and derailments, operational waste, and variability in rail operations and could enhance network productivity, capacity, and reliability. An analysis of the effect of lean production methods on main-line railway operations was conducted to determine the potential impact of improved railcar inspection and maintenance practices made possible by new, automated wayside technologies. Dispatch simulation software was used to quantify the magnitude and the variability of train delay as a function of both traffic level and severity of service outage. The results indicated that the annual cost caused by main-line delay was substantial compared with the annual cost of track and equipment damages from main-line derailments caused by mechanical causes. This work provided an analytical framework to assess the potential cost savings available through improved preventive maintenance strategies.
Biobjective Optimization Model for Maintenance and Renewal Decisions Related to Rail Track Geometry
Authors: Andrade A. Ramos , Teixeira P. Fonseca
Published: March 2012

This study developed a biobjective optimization model for planning maintenance and renewal actions related to track geometry in a railway network. The problem was modeled as a biobjective integer optimization problem from the perspective of the infrastructure manager. Two objective functions were minimized: (a) the total costs of planned maintenance and renewal actions and (b) the total number of train delays caused by speed restrictions. A small example for a simple network was analyzed in which the optimal Pareto frontier was found through a simulated annealing technique.
Verification of Box Test Model and Calibration of Finite Element Model
Authors: Bennett Kane C. , Ho Carlton L. , Nguyen Hoang Q.
Published: March 2012

The development of innovative models to evaluate railroad ballast performance can reduce railroad maintenance costs and improve train operation and safety. A significant portion of the maintenance costs associated with track transportation systems can be attributed to ballast degradation (fouling). Understanding the mechanisms and the effects of ballast fouling is becoming increasingly important with the increased demand on track transportation systems and as trains become faster and carry more weight. This paper presents the results and findings of a finite element (FE) model to evaluate and validate a railroad ballast box test apparatus developed at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. FE modeling of the box test was conducted to provide insight for subsequent laboratory box test experiments. Boundary and scale effects of the box test were evaluated through the FE model, and the stress–strain behavior and distribution were explored. The predicted relationship between the elastic modulus and the percentage of fouling of the ballast by wet clay was found through calibration of the FE model. The FE model showed that the boundary conditions of the box governed the behavior of the model, specifically, that the addition of smooth and flexible walls reduced strength capacity and increased plastic deformation of the ballast. The FE model also showed that by increasing the size of the box by approximately 50%, stress concentrations below the tie, which would have led to a failure mechanism resembling punching shear, were avoided.
Basilar artery thrombosis after reduction of cervical spondyloptosis: a cautionary report
Authors: Tumialán Luis M. , Theodore Nicholas
Published: March 2012

Traumatic cervical spondyloptosis is a rare clinical entity typically associated with complete neurological deficit. The inherent mechanics of this fracture-dislocation pattern contorts the vertebral arteries in such a way that it may result in dissection or compromised flow through those vessels. Thus, intimal injury or thrombus from stasis of flow may result. Reduction of the spondyloptosis restores flow to the vertebral arteries, but it also may mobilize thrombus or propagate an intimal dissection within the previously contorted vessel.

The authors review their experience in the care of a 43-year-old man who sustained C4–5 spondyloptosis while riding an all-terrain vehicle. On arrival, the patient demonstrated no motor function below C-4 but had sensation to the nipple line (American Spinal Injury Association Spinal Cord Injury Classification B). The patient's cranial nerve examination was unremarkable. Computed tomography of the cervical spine demonstrated complete spondyloptosis at C4–5. The patient was immediately placed in cervical traction and taken to the operating room for open reduction of the fracture dislocation, decompression of the spinal cord, and stabilization with an interbody graft and cervical plate. Preoperative cervical traction was successful in only partial reduction of the fracture dislocation. Open reduction was achieved with exposure of the C-4 and C-5 bodies and sequential distraction. After anatomical alignment was achieved, an interbody graft was placed and a cervical plate secured. A subsequent decline in the patient's level of consciousness prompted CT of the head, which showed evidence of a basilar artery thrombosis. A CT angiographic study demonstrated patency of the vertebral arteries, but a mid–basilar artery thrombosis. The patient progressed to brain death 24 hours after reduction of the fracture dislocation.

The degree of contortion of the vertebral arteries in cervical spondyloptosis in the upper cervical spine may result in stasis of flow with subsequent formation of thrombus or intimal injury. After anatomical reduction, restoration of flow within the vertebral arteries may mobilize the thrombus or propagate an intimal dissection and result in subsequent embolic events. Endovascular evaluation may be warranted immediately after anatomical reduction of a high cervical spondyloptosis for evaluation of the vertebral arteries and possible thrombus dissolution or retrieval.
Suicide in the World
Authors: Värnik Peeter
Published: March 2012

Introduction: Over the past 20 years the WHO has considerably improved world mortality data. There are still shortcomings but more countries now report data and world-wide estimates are regularly made. Methods: Data about mortality have been retrieved from the WHO world database. Worldwide injury mortality estimates for 2008 as well as trends of the suicide rate from 1950 to 2009 were analysed. Results: Suicides in the world amount to 782 thousand in 2008 according to the WHO estimate, which is 1.4% of total mortality and 15% of injury mortality. The suicide rate for the world as a whole is estimated at 11.6 per 100,000 inhabitants. The male–female rate ratio of suicide is estimated to be highest in the European Region (4.0) and the lowest in the Eastern Mediterranean region (1.1). Among males the highest suicide rate in the 15–29 age group is in the SE Asian region, in the 45–59 age group in European males and for ages above 60 in the Western Pacific region. Females from SE Asia have a remarkably high suicide rate among 15–29-year-olds and from age 45 in the Western Pacific region. The leading country is currently Lithuania, with a suicide rate of 34.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. Also among males the suicide rate is the highest in Lithuania at 61.2. Among females South Korea with 22.1 is at the top of world suicide rates. Conclusions: During the past six decades, according to the WHO Japan, Hungary, and Lithuania have topped the list of world countries by suicide rate, but if the current trends continue South Korea will overtake all others in a few years. The heart of the problem of suicide mortality has shifted from Western Europe to Eastern Europe and now seems to be shifting to Asia. China and India are the biggest contributors to the absolute number of suicides in the world.
The Artemisia L. Genus: A Review of Bioactive Essential Oils
Authors: Abad María José , Bedoya Luis Miguel , Apaza Luis , Bermejo Paulina
Published: March 2012

Numerous members of the Anthemideae tribe are important as cut flowers and ornamental crops, as well as being medicinal and aromatic plants, many of which produce essential oils used in folk and modern medicine and in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry. Essential oils generally have a broad spectrum of bioactivity, owing to the presence of several active ingredients that work through various modes of action. Due to their mode of extraction, mostly by distillation from aromatic plants, they contain a variety of volatile molecules such as terpenes, phenol-derived aromatic and aliphatic components. The large genus Artemisia L., from the tribe Anthemideae, comprises important medicinal plants which are currently the subject of phytochemical attention due to their biological and chemical diversity. Artemisia species, widespread throughout the world, are one of the most popular plants in Chinese traditional preparations and are frequently used for the treatment of diseases such as malaria, hepatitis, cancer, inflammation and infections by fungi, bacteria and viruses. Extensive studies of the chemical components of Artemisia have led to the identification of many compounds as well as essentials oils. This review summarizes some of the main reports on the chemistry and anti-infective activities of Artemisia. Li. essential oils from the data in the recent literature (2000–2011).
An Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Membrane as a Solid “Turn-On” Fluorescent Chemosensor for Coenzyme A (CoA), Cysteine (Cys), and Glutathione (GSH) in Aqueous Media
Authors: Vallejos Saúl , Estévez Pedro , Ibeas Saturnino , García Félix C. , Serna Felipe , García José M.
Published: March 2012

The preparation of a fluorogenic sensory material for the detection of biomolecules is described. Strategic functionalisation and copolymerisation of a water insoluble organic sensory molecule with hydrophilic comonomers yielded a crosslinked, water-swellable, easy-to-manipulate solid system for water ‘‘dip-in’’ fluorogenic coenzyme A, cysteine, and glutathione detection by means of host-guest interactions. The sensory material was a membrane with gel-like behaviour, which exhibits a change in fluorescence behaviour upon swelling with a water solution of the target molecules. The membrane follows a “turn-on” pattern, which permits the titration of the abovementioned biomolecules. In this way, the water insoluble sensing motif can be exploited in aqueous media. The sensory motif within the membrane is a chemically anchored piperazinedione-derivative with a weakly bound Hg(II). The response is caused by the displacement of the cation from the membrane due to a stronger complexation with the biomolecules, thus releasing the fluorescent sensory moieties within the membrane.
Chondrosarcomas Revisited
Authors: Mavrogenis Andreas F. , Gambarotti Marco , Angelini Andrea , Palmerini Emanuela , Staals Eric L. , Ruggieri Pietro , Papagelopoulos Panayiotis J.
Published: March 2012

Chondrosarcomas are malignant bone tumors with pure hyaline cartilage differentiation; myxoid changes, calcification, or ossification may be present. Several subtypes of chondrosarcomas exist. Behavior patterns vary, ranging from slow-growing nonmetastasizing lesions to aggressive metastasizing sarcomas. Symptoms are usually mild, with duration ranging from several months to years, and usually consist of persistent, dull, aching pain or palpable masses. Radiographic findings include bone expansion with cortical thickening, radiolucent areas with variably distributed punctate or ring-like matrix calcifications, cortical erosion or destruction, endosteal scalloping, and scant or absent periosteal reaction; extension into the soft tissue may be present. Histological differential diagnosis from benign cartilaginous lesions can be achieved by increased cellularity, enlarged plump nuclei, binucleated cells, hyperchromatic nuclear pleomorphism, and permeation of cortical or medullary bone. Atypia is usually mild to moderate; necrosis and mitoses can be seen, particularly in high-grade lesions. Adequate surgery is the mainstay of treatment.

High-grade and pelvic chondrosarcomas are best managed with wide resection. Because of the low metastatic potential and low local recurrence rate noted with intralesional surgery, low-grade chondrosarcomas can be treated with curettage (with or without treatment of the defect cavity) with a local adjuvant, such as phenol or cryotherapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy may be considered for mesenchymal and dedifferentiated chondrosarcomas. Radiation therapy can be considered after incomplete resection or if resection is not feasible or would cause unacceptable morbidity.
Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy of a Posteriorly Flipped Superior Leaflet in a Horizontal Medial Meniscus Tear Using a Posterior Transseptal Portal
Authors: Jang Ki-Mo , Ahn Jin Hwan , Wang Joon Ho
Published: March 2012

This article describes a case of an arthroscopic partial meniscectomy of a posteriorly flipped superior leaflet in a horizontal medial meniscus tear using the posterior transseptal portal. An arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for bucket handle or flap tears in medial or lateral compartments using ordinary portals is a relatively common procedure in irreparable cases. However, the posterior compartment of the knee is not readily accessible through ordinary arthroscopic portals. Therefore, it has been considered a blind spot. Through the posterior transseptal portal, surgeons can achieve excellent arthroscopic visualization of the posterior compartment and easily perform arthroscopic procedures of the posterior compartment of the knee.

A 48-year-old woman presented with a 1-year history of pain in the medial aspect of the right knee joint. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging revealed a thinning of the medial meniscus posterior horn in coronal images and a sharp-edged triangle arising from the medial meniscus posterior horn between the medial femoral condyle and medial meniscus posterior horn on sagittal images (flipped-over sign). During the arthroscopic procedure, we found that the flipped leaflet was displaced posteriorly and was not mobile between the medial femoral condyle and medial meniscus posterior horn.

Partial meniscectomy for a posteriorly displaced fragment can be performed successfully using the posterior transseptal portal. The posterior transseptal portal is useful for an arthroscopic partial meniscectomy of a posteriorly flipped leaflet in the posterior compartment of the knee.
AcrySof Cachet Phakic Intraocular Lens in Myopic Patients: Visual Performance, Wavefront Error, and Lens Position
Authors: Mastropasqua Leonardo , Toto Lisa , Vecchiarino Luca , Doronzo Emanuele , Mastropasqua Rodolfo , Di Nicola Marta
Published: March 2012

PURPOSE:

To evaluate visual and aberrometric outcomes and position of the AcrySof Cachet (Alcon Laboratories Inc) angle-supported phakic intraocular lens (PIOL) for correction of myopia in adults.

METHODS:

This prospective study included 36 consecutive eyes with moderate to high myopia in which an AcrySof Cachet PIOL was implanted to minimize refractive error. Follow-up was up to 1 year.

RESULTS:

Mean manifest spherical equivalent refraction reduced significantly from −14.90±0.90 diopters (D) to −0.29±0.30 D at 1 month and remained stable at 1 year (
P
<.001). Mean uncorrected distance visual acuity was ⩾0.1 logMAR (20/20 Snellen) in 56% of patients and ⩾0.3 logMAR (20/25 Snellen) in 100% of patients. Corrected distance visual acuity was ⩾0.1 logMAR (20/20 Snellen) in 78% of patients and ⩾0.3 logMAR (20/25 Snellen) in 100% of patients. Mean endothelium–PIOL distance and mean PIOL–crystalline distance were within recommended values at all postoperative evaluations. Statistically significant variations for these variables were not observed. Anterior chamber depth, safety center distance, and vault center distance showed significant reduction after accommodation (
P
<.01). Anterior chamber depth and safety center distance significantly increased after pupil dilation (
P
⩽.01). Mean percentage of endothelial cell loss was 4.04% at 1 year. The root-mean-square of total higher order aberrations and spherical, coma, and trefoil aberrations did not change significantly from pre- to postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS:

The AcrySof Cachet PIOL was effective in the correction of moderate to high myopia and provided excellent visual performance with no modification of physiologic ocular wavefront error. Adequate distance from the cornea and crystalline lens was maintained with no significant change during follow-up and under different environmental conditions.
La photographie, un outil pour communiquer en classe de langue
Authors: Muller Catherine
Published: March 2012

Cette contribution, qui relève de la didactique des langues, s’appuie sur l’analyse des interactions verbales et de la communication en classe de langue. Elle repose sur la capacité de l’image à susciter des productions verbales. La photographie d’auteur est ici considérée comme un déclencheur d’interactions orales permettant de communiquer. Nous avons mis en œuvre une tâche dans des cours de français langue étrangère en contexte pluriculturel à Paris avec des apprenants de niveaux A1 à B2. Le projet mené en groupe consiste à commenter des photographies d’auteur sans objectifs langagiers prédéterminés. L’analyse d’une séquence recueillie devant la photographie Rue Mouffetard d’H. Cartier-Bresson révèle l’importance de la communication entre les apprenants. La photographie suscite des enjeux communicatifs qui favorisent l’implication des étudiants. Ces derniers prennent position sur l’image et sont amenés à confronter leurs points de vue avec leurs pairs. Les apprenants peuvent également avoir recours à l’humour et modifier leur rôle conversationnel habituel.
Using visual documents in distance language learning: Questions raised by an e-learning Business English course
Authors: Egwurube Joseph
Published: March 2012

This article presents a pedagogical experience in viewing comprehension in two Master of Management classes, one off-campus and the other on-campus. The objective was to get learners to view an authentic CNN video document on two chief executives at work and to make inferences about their respective management styles. The experience underlines the ease with which on-campus learners are better able to decode the visual cues together without direct teacher input and to read the necessary meaning into such cues while direct teacher mentoring seemed indispensable for the off-campus class. Some questions are raised concerning learner-autonomy and teacher-learner relations in supposedly learner-managed self-directed learning situations.
L’image publicitaire comme facilitatrice de la prise de parole
Authors: Monnier Nolwena
Published: March 2012

Cette fiche présente un dispositif mis en place pour favoriser la prise de parole, collective et individuelle, des étudiants via l’analyse d’une publicité. Au cours de cette activité, une fiche méthodologique est élaborée et peut être réinvestie dans d’autres analyses iconographiques.
Discours métaphorique et monnaies : les particularités de l’euro
Authors: Resche Catherine
Published: March 2012

Partant du constat que la langue de l’économie contient bon nombre de métaphores, nous nous sommes attachée à étudier plus particulièrement le domaine des monnaies afin de rendre compte de la spécificité du discours sur l'euro et d’affiner une analyse ébauchée à l’occasion d’une approche de la néologie autour de la monnaie unique. Un rappel des notions fondamentales concernant la métaphore en général nous a semblé indispensable pour mieux situer le cadre de notre étude : les questions de sémiotique et de sémantique, de lexicalisation de la métaphore et de métaphore d’invention, ainsi que les différentes fonctions de la métaphore sont abordées. Puis, nous avons passé en revue les registres métaphoriques le plus fréquemment utilisés pour parler des monnaies en général, avant d’examiner le cas de l’euro, et d’essayer d’en faire ressortir la spécificité, en insistant sur les domaines d’emprunt qui caractérisent son discours. Enfin, nous avons tenté d’analyser ce discours et de montrer comment les métaphores peuvent se révéler source précieuse de renseignements sur une période donnée et comment le message qu’elles véhiculent peut devenir instructif quant aux opinions de ses auteurs et de ses destinataires.
Upregulated Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1 by IL-4 Increases Eotaxin-1 Expression in Airway Epithelial Cells and Participates in Antigen-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation in Rats
Authors: Sun Qingzhu , Yang Xudong , Zhong Bo , Jiao Fangfang , Li Chenyan , Li Dongmin , Lan Xi , Sun Jian , Lu Shemin
Published: March 2012

Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), catalyzing methylation of both histones and other cellular proteins, have emerged as key regulators of various cellular processes. This study aimed to identify key PRMTs involved in Ag-induced pulmonary inflammation (AIPI), a rat model for asthma, and to explore the role of PRMT1 in the IL-4–induced eosinophil infiltration process. E3 rats were i.p. sensitized with OVA/alum and intranasally challenged with OVA to induce AIPI. The expressions of PRMT1–6, eotaxin-1, and CCR3 in lungs were screened by real-time quantitative PCR. Arginine methyltransferase inhibitor 1 (AMI-1, a pan-PRMT inhibitor) and small interfering RNA–PRMT1 were used to interrupt the function of PRMT1 in A549 cells. In addition, AMI-1 was administrated intranasally to AIPI rats to observe the effects on inflammatory parameters. The results showed that PRMT1 expression was mainly expressed in bronchus and alveolus epithelium and significantly upregulated in lungs from AIPI rats. The inhibition of PRMTs by AMI-1 and the knockdown of PRMT1 expression were able to downregulate the expressions of eotaxin-1 and CCR3 with the IL-4 stimulation in the epithelial cells. Furthermore, AMI-1 administration to AIPI rats can also ameliorate pulmonary inflammation, reduce IL-4 production and humoral immune response, and abrogate eosinophil infiltration into the lungs. In summary, PRMT1 expression is upregulated in AIPI rat lungs and can be stimulated by IL-4. Intervention of PRMT1 activity can abrogate IL-4–dependent eotaxin-1 production to influence the pulmonary inflammation with eosinophil infiltration. The findings may provide experimental evidence that PRMT1 plays an important role in asthma pathogenesis.
Significant Intrapulmonary Schistosoma Egg Antigens are not Present in Schistosomiasis‐Associated Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Graham Brian B. , Chabon Jacob , Bandeira Angela , Espinheira Luciano , Butrous Ghazwan , Tuder Rubin M.
Published: March 2012

Schistosomiasis‐associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is one of the most common causes of pulmonary hypertension worldwide. A potential contributing mechanism to the pathogenesis of this disease is a localized immune reaction to retained and persistent parasite‐derived antigens. We sought to identify Schistosoma‐derived egg antigens present in the lungs of individuals who died of the disease. We obtained 18 lung samples collected at autopsy from individuals who died of schistosomiasis‐associated PAH in Brazil. A rabbit polyclonal antibody was created to known Schistosoma mansoni‐soluble egg antigen (SEA). Histologic assessment and immunostaining of the human tissue was performed, along with immunostaining and immunoblotting of lung tissue from mice experimentally infected with S. mansoni. All 18 lung samples had evidence of pulmonary vascular remodeling with plexiform lesions and arterial medial thickening, but no visible eggs were seen. The anti‐SEA antibody detected S. mansoni egg antigens in visible eggs in mouse lung and human intestine specimens, but did not identify a significant amount of egg antigen in the human lung specimens. In mouse granulomas containing degraded eggs, we observed colocalization of egg antigens and macrophage lysosomes. In conclusion, there is unlikely to be a significant amount of persistent parasite‐derived antigens within the lungs of individuals who die of schistosomiasis‐associated PAH. This suggests that retained and persistent parasite proteins are not contributing to a localized immune response in the pathogenesis of this disease.
Categorifying fractional Euler characteristics, Jones–Wenzl projectors and $3j$-symbols
Authors: Frenkel Igor B. , Stroppel Catharina , Sussan Joshua
Published: March 2012

We study the representation theory of the smallest quantum group and its categorification. The first part of the paper contains an easy visualization of the 3j-symbols in terms of weighted signed line arrangements in a fixed triangle and new binomial expressions for the 3j-symbols. All these formulas are realized as graded Euler characteristics. The 3j-symbols appear as new generalizations of Kazhdan–Lusztig polynomials.

A crucial result of the paper is that complete intersection rings can be employed to obtain rational Euler characteristics, hence to categorify
rational
quantum numbers. This is the main tool for our categorification of the Jones–Wenzl projector,

\Theta

-networks and tetrahedron networks. Networks and their evaluations play an important role in the Turaev–Viro construction of 3-manifold invariants. We categorify these evaluations by Ext-algebras of certain simple Harish-Chandra bimodules. The relevance of this construction to categorified colored Jones invariants and invariants of 3-manifolds will be studied in detail in subsequent papers.
A model study of the seasonal and long–term North Atlantic surface pCO2 variability
Authors: Tjiputra J. F. , Olsen A. , Assmann K. , Pfeil B. , Heinze C.
Published: March 2012

Abstract. A coupled biogeochemical-physical ocean model is used to study the seasonal and long–term variations of surface pCO2 in the North Atlantic Ocean. The model agrees well with recent underway pCO2 observations from the Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) in various locations in the North Atlantic. Some of the distinct seasonal cycles observed in different parts of the North Atlantic are well reproduced by the model. In most regions except the subpolar domain, recent observed trends in pCO2 and air–sea carbon fluxes are also simulated by the model. Over the longer period between 1960–2008, the primary mode of surface pCO2 variability is dominated by the increasing trend associated with the invasion of anthropogenic CO2 into the ocean. We show that the spatial variability of this dominant increasing trend, to first order, can be explained by the surface ocean circulation and air–sea heat flux patterns. Regions with large surface mass transport and negative air–sea heat flux have the tendency to maintain lower surface pCO2. Regions of surface convergence and mean positive air–sea heat flux such as the subtropical gyre and the western subpolar gyre have a higher long–term surface pCO2 mean. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) plays a major role in controlling the variability occurring at interannual to decadal time scales. The NAO predominantly influences surface pCO2 in the North Atlantic by changing the physical properties of the North Atlantic water masses, particularly by perturbing the temperature and dissolved inorganic carbon in the surface ocean. We show that present underway sea surface pCO2 observations are valuable for both calibrating the model, as well as for improving our understanding of the regionally heterogeneous variability of surface pCO2. In addition, they can be important for detecting any long term change in the regional carbon cycle due to ongoing climate change.
Iterative land proxy based reconstruction of SST for the simulation of terrestrial Holocene climate
Authors: Haberkorn K. , Lemmen C. , Blender R. , Fraedrich K.
Published: March 2012

Abstract. Sea surface temperature (SST) is the main driver of simulated climate in coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation models. A reliable reconstruction of past SST is necessary to simulate past climate realistically. We here present a novel method for reconstructing SST on the basis of terrestrial Holocene palaeothermometer data such that a climate model is able to represent the climate mean state in the land temperature time series. For our study, we use the Earth system model of intermediate complexity Planet Simulator (PlaSim). The land climate is represented by the high-resolution and long-term palaeothermometer time series from Lake Ammersee (Southern Germany), where the temperature is derived from the stable δ18O isotope in ostracod valves. To provide a climate simulation which reflects the proxy-derived climate during the Holocene, we (i) determine the sensitivities of the terrestrial PlaSim climate with respect to SST anomalies for present day conditions; (ii) define the inverse of these sensitivities to find the SST conditions necessary for representing past land proxy climate; and (iii) reapply the climate model to this newly reconstructed SST. We iterate over steps (ii) and (iii) until the mean model and proxy climate converge. We demonstrate the applicability of this new method to reconstruct past climate by comparing the simulated land temperatures to an independent (pollen derived) proxy data set of land temperatures for Europe. The implementation of a wider range of terrestrial palaeotemperature information from proxy archives analogous to our method will foreseeably yield better reconstructions of past SST. These can, for example, be used to overcome many models' difficulties with simulations extending to the time before 8500 yr before present, when the North American (Laurentide) ice sheet caused a no-analogue climate.
Transient flow between aquifers and surface water: analytically derived field-scale hydraulic heads and fluxes
Authors: de Rooij G. H.
Published: March 2012

Abstract. The increasing importance of catchment-scale and basin-scale models of the hydrological cycle makes it desirable to have a simple, yet physically realistic model for lateral subsurface water flow. As a first building block towards such a model, analytical solutions are presented for horizontal groundwater flow to surface waters held at prescribed water levels for aquifers with parallel and radial flow. The solutions are valid for a wide array of initial and boundary conditions and additions or withdrawals of water, and can handle discharge into as well as lateral infiltration from the surface water. Expressions for the average hydraulic head, the flux to or from the surface water, and the aquifer-scale hydraulic conductivity are developed to provide output at the scale of the modelled system rather than just point-scale values. The upscaled conductivity is time-variant. It does not depend on the magnitude of the flux but is determined by medium properties as well as the external forcings that drive the flow. For the systems studied, with lateral travel distances not exceeding 10 m, the circular aquifers respond very differently from the infinite-strip aquifers. The modelled fluxes are sensitive to the magnitude of the storage coefficient. For phreatic aquifers a value of 0.2 is argued to be representative, but considerable variations are likely. The effect of varying distributions over the day of recharge damps out rapidly; a soil water model that can provide accurate daily totals is preferable over a less accurate model hat correctly estimates the timing of recharge peaks.
Intrinsic low-frequency variability of the Gulf Stream
Authors: Quattrocchi G. , Pierini S. , Dijkstra H. A.
Published: March 2012

Abstract. In this paper a process study aimed at analyzing the low-frequency variability of intrinsically oceanic origin of the Gulf Stream (GS) and GS extension (GSE) is presented. An eddy-permitting reduced-gravity nonlinear shallow water model is implemented in an idealized North Atlantic Ocean, with schematic boundaries including the essential geometric features of the coastline and a realistic zonal basin width at all latitudes. The forcing is provided by a time-independent climatological surface wind stress obtained from 41 years of monthly ECMWF fields. The model response yields strong intrinsic low-frequency fluctuations on the interannual to decadal time scales. The modelled time-averaged GS/GSE flows are found to exhibit several features that can also be deduced from satellite altimeter data, such as the Florida Current seaward deflection, the GS separation at Cape Hatteras, and the overall structure of the GSE. The intrinsic low-frequency variability yields two preferred states of the GSE differing in latitudinal location that also have their counterpart in the altimeter data. A preliminary analysis of the variability in terms of dynamical systems theory is carried out by using the lateral eddy viscosity as the control parameter. A complex transition sequence from a steady state to irregular low-frequency variability emerges, in which Hopf and global bifurcations can be identified.
Aemilia Lanyer and Shakespeare's Helena
Authors: Arshad Yasmin
Published: March 2012

Not much is known about the middle class womenfrom the Elizabethan and Jacobean era who served the aristocracy and lived on its edge. Aemilia Lanyer and Shakespeare’s Helena, a real woman and a dramatic character, are two such women. By considering one of Shakespeare’s female characters alongside a real woman from the period who shared a similar social predicament, much may be learnt about the cultural position of women at the time, the limits upon women’s agency, and the efforts by some women to pursue their aspirations and desires within these limits. By taking this New Historicist approach we may also learn something about Shakespeare in the context of his time. This article will look at Lanyer, who served as a companion to the Countess of Cumberland, and Helena from All’s Well That Ends Well, who was a companion to the Countess Rossillion. It will examine their lives and choices and compare their situation with the aristocratic women they served. The article will look for parallels in the circumstances of all these women.
The Language of Climate Change Policy
Authors: Calel Raphael
Published: March 2012

Although the Copenhagen Accord failed to establish a Post-Kyoto infrastructure for international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, countries around the world are moving ahead with domestic pledges and policies to cut carbon. Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Ireland already have domestic carbon taxes; Britain has just introduced a major energy efficiency scheme for buildings and announced plans to introduce an airplane tax; the EU Emissions Trading Scheme is being extended to include the aviation sector; Japan is moving ahead with plans to introduce a domestic cap-and-trade programme; several cap-and-trade bills have been circulating on the floor of the US Congress, and former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd was recently ousted after reneging on promises of a comprehensive cap-and-trade scheme. The success of all these efforts depends crucially on compliance. If emitters do not comply with new regulations, it hardly matters what environmental policies are pursued. When choosing the instruments of environmental policy, therefore, it is essential to consider what level of compliance they will garner. The literature that examines this question usually compares the costs of compliance or monitoring across different environmental policy instruments, it being understood that lower costs lead to greater compliance. This note explores a different route to increasing compliance. A policy instrument determines what language the regulator, the emitter, and the public use to communicate about environmental and economic priorities. The language of environmental policy also determines the complexity of the messages being communicated. Different policy instruments may then invoke different attitudes toward non-compliance. One should not discount the potential these attitudes have in influencing efforts to comply with new environmental regulations. This exploratory note compares the 'languages' of three major policy instruments: direct regulation, carbon tax, and cap-and-trade.
On Cultural Materialism, Comics and Digital Media
Authors: Priego Ernesto
Published: March 2012

In 1936,iWalter Benjamin (1892-1940) accounted for the paradigm shift that mechanical reproduction meant for art and politics. For Benjamin, technological change was not merely a sign of uncomplicated, forward-thinking progress; it meant a profound transformation of the realm of human experience. In this account of the era Benjamin witnessed, the German philosopher and collector was also unknowingly predicting a time he personally would not experience: four decades later, these descriptions of his time are illuminating the reality of the present. Benjamin wrote that ‘the cathedral leaves its locale to be received in the studio of a lover of art; the choral production, performed in an auditorium or in the open air, resounds in the drawing room’, but he was not describing digital 3D imaging, Wikipedia, YouTube or Google; he was writing about film photography and the phonograph, forms of technology many now consider ‘obsolete’. The fact we can identify that sense of wonder at technology’s ability to make the absent present and vice versa proves Benjamin’s point: that there is a ‘logic of form’ in art and technology, or, in other words, that the future and the present are also contained in the past, as new technologies and art forms do not simply supersede present and anterior ones, but depend on them. Benjamin's work has proven so influential because, unlike the digital media ‘pundits’ of today, he did not predict the future, but analysed the present.
Indian Microfinance Crisis
Authors: Kabra Parikshit
Published: March 2012

Suppose you were shot in the hand. The doctor gives you two choices: he can either remove the bullet and heal your hand with proper care, or he could amputate and remove the source of the problem. The Andhra Pradesh (a State in India) government would advise you to take the latter option.
J.M. Coetzee, Scenes from Provincial Life
Authors: Hughes Sophie
Published: March 2012

Double-page cover articles in the Times Literary Supplement such as Stephen Abell‟s on Coetzee scholarship (February 23, 2011) are a tribute usually reserved for great writers who no longer themselves yield work for review; such writers, to put it crudely, tend to be dead. J. M. Coetzee, of course, falls under neither category: a rare appearance and reading of his novel-in-progress as part of the University of York‟s international conference on Samuel Beckett this June confirmed both his continued productivity and, if not liveliness, certainly his aliveness.