bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overexpression of Cytochrome P450 CYP6B7 Mediated Pyrethroid Resistance in Indian Strains of the Cotton Bollworm, Helicoverpa Armigera (Hübner)
Authors: El-Latif Ashraf Oukasha Abd , Kranthi Keshav Raj , Kranthi Sandhya , Sarwar Ali , Subrahmanyam Bhattiprolu
Published: September 2014

The role of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase in pyrethroid resistance was studied in different strains of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, from India. Filed collected strains of Nagpur and Delhi were compared to the laboratory reared population. The results showed a high resistance to deltamethrin, α-cypermethrin, and β-cyfluthrin. The results also showed that this resistance could be reduced by using piperonyl butoxide (PBO). The Nagpur and Delhi strains were found to have a 2.40 and 1.79 fold higher monooxygenase activity compared to a susceptible strain. A strong, positive correlation between monooxygenase activity and pyrethroid resistance was observed (r = 0.86 - 0.98). The relative expression of the housekeeping gene, EF-1α, and three P450 genes, was studied in the 5th instar larval midgut of the three strains. Out of the three P450 genes examined, expression of CYP6B7 mRNA was not detected in the midgut of the susceptible strain though it was highly expressed in the resistant strains. The midgut of the Nagpur strain had a 2.60 fold overexpression of CYP6B7 mRNA compared to the moderately resistant, Delhi strain. The mRNA of CYP4G8 and CYP6B2 were not overexpressed in either the Nagpur or Delhi strain. The results indicated that the elevated cytochrome P450 monooxygenase activity is associated with pyrethroid resistance in Indian strains of H. armigera, and CYP6B7 could be the P450 form responsible for pyrethroid resistance.
Report of A Larval Parasitoid of Tuta Absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) from Iran
Authors: Sohrabi Fariba , Lotfalizadeh Hossein , Salehipour Hoda
Published: September 2014

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) is one of the most devastating pests of greenhouse and outdoor tomato crops. Since it is a newly introduced pest in Iran, there is an important need to search for its natural enemies. In the course of a survey on the natural enemies of this pest, samplings were carried out in tomato greenhouses heavily infested with the tomato leafminer, in the Borazjan region of the Bushehr province in Iran. Leaves with mines were reared in the laboratory until emergence of parasitoids. A single parasitoid species of the family Eulophidae was reared and identified as Neochrysocharis formosus (Westwood 1833). This species is reported for the first time on the tomato leafminer in Iran. Such information may help in developing biological control programs to control this serious pest.
Mark-Recapture Studies on Co-Occurring Sympecma Fusca (Vander Linden, 1820) and S. Paedisca (Brauer, 1877) (Odonata: Zygoptera: Lestidae)
Authors: Brockhaus Thomas
Published: September 2014

Maturation cohorts and reproductive cohorts of the two Sympecma species were studied in Chomutov (Czech Republic) from 2010 to 2013. During individual mark-recapture studies, a total of 705 winter damselflies were recorded, 473 of which were individually marked (375 S. fusca, 98 S. paedisca). The recapture rates in the maturation habitat and in the reproductive habitat were low. The population estimate using CHAPMAN’s method for low recapture rates could not be carried out separately for the two species owing to the low recapture rate of S. paedisca. The proportion of females was greater in the maturation habitat and significantly lower than that of males in the reproductive habitat. The reproductive habitat was predominantly inhabited by territorial males. All the females observed there were engaged in reproductive activities. There was a close correlation between the male density along the shoreline and reproductive activities. S. paedisca was less abundant than S. fusca. No differences between the two species were observed in reproductive behaviour. However, S. paedisca appeared to disperse continuously away from the maturation habitat. Perhaps this species prefers more open areas as maturation and wintering habitats. S. fusca was observed here until October.
Learning to See Teaching in New Ways
Authors: Tekkumru Kisa Miray , Stein Mary Kay
Published: September 2014

Students’ opportunities to learn how to think are embedded in the instructional tasks with which they are invited to engage in the classroom. Prior research has revealed that the selection and use of cognitively demanding tasks does not guarantee high-level student thinking during their enactment. To address this challenge, we designed and implemented a professional development (PD) in which participants analyzed video clips of the enactment of cognitively demanding science tasks. Using transcripts of pre- and post-PD interviews during which participants were asked to respond to specially selected video clips, we analyzed what the participants attended to and how they made sense of what they saw. The findings suggested a change in terms of a growing tendency to attend to teaching as constituted in the interaction of the teacher, students, and task and to adopt an interpretive stance while talking about what was seen in the video clip.
Towards a Friendly Energy Management Strategy for Hybrid Electric Vehicles with Respect to Pollution, Battery and Drivability
Authors: Colin Guillaume , Chamaillard Yann , Charlet Alain , Nelson-Gruel Dominique
Published: September 2014

The paper proposes a generic methodology to incorporate constraints (pollutant emission, battery health, drivability) into on-line energy management strategies (EMSs) for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The integration of each constraint into the EMS, made with the Pontryagin maximum principle, shows a tradeoff between the fuel consumption and the constraint introduced. As state dynamics come into play (catalyst temperature, battery cell temperature, etc.), the optimization problem becomes more complex. Simulation results are presented to highlight the contribution of this generic strategy, including constraints compared to the standard approach. These results show that it is possible to find an energy management strategy that takes into account an increasing number of constraints (drivability, pollution, aging, environment, etc.). However, taking these constraints into account increases fuel consumption (the existence of a trade-off curve). This trade-off can be sometimes difficult to find, and the tools developed in this paper should help to find an acceptable solution quickly
Theoretical Methods of Domain Structures in Ultrathin Ferroelectric Films: A Review
Authors: Liu Jianyi , Chen Weijin , Wang Biao , Zheng Yue
Published: September 2014

This review covers methods and recent developments of the theoretical study of domain structures in ultrathin ferroelectric films. The review begins with an introduction to some basic concepts and theories (e.g., polarization and its modern theory, ferroelectric phase transition, domain formation, and finite size effects, etc.) that are relevant to the study of domain structures in ultrathin ferroelectric films. Basic techniques and recent progress of a variety of important approaches for domain structure simulation, including first-principles calculation, molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo simulation, effective Hamiltonian approach and phase field modeling, as well as multiscale simulation are then elaborated. For each approach, its important features and relative merits over other approaches for modeling domain structures in ultrathin ferroelectric films are discussed. Finally, we review recent theoretical studies on some important issues of domain structures in ultrathin ferroelectric films, with an emphasis on the effects of interfacial electrostatics, boundary conditions and external loads.
Optical Absorption and Visible Photoluminescence from Thin Films of Silicon Phthalocyanine Derivatives
Authors: Gómez Arturo , Sánchez-Hernández Carlos , Fleitman-Levin Ilán , Arenas-Alatorre Jesús , Alonso-Huitrón Juan , Vergara María
Published: September 2014

The interest of microelectronics industry in new organic compounds for the manufacture of luminescent devices has increased substantially in the last decade. In this paper, we carried out a study of the usage feasibility of three organic bidentate ligands (2,6-dihydroxyanthraquinone, anthraflavic acid and potassium derivative salt of anthraflavic acid) for the synthesis of an organic semiconductor based in silicon phthalocyanines (SiPcs). We report the visible photoluminescence (PL) at room temperature obtained from thermal-evaporated thin films of these new materials. The surface morphology of these films was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). AFM indicated that the thermal evaporation technique is an excellent resource in order to obtain low thin film roughness when depositing these kinds of compounds. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed to investigate possible changes in the intra-molecular bonds and to identify any evidence of crystallinity in the powder compounds and in the thin films after their deposition. FTIR showed that there was not any important change in the samples after the thermal deposition. The absorption coefficient (α) in the absorption region reveals non-direct transitions. Furthermore, the PL of all the investigated samples were observed with the naked eye in a bright background and also measured by a spectrofluorometer. The normalized PL spectra showed a Stokes shift ≈ 0.6 eV in two of our three samples, and no PL emission in the last one. Those results indicate that the Vis PL comes from a recombination of charge carriers between conduction band and valence band preceded by a non-radiative relaxation in the conduction band tails.
Production of Avaroferrin and Putrebactin by Heterologous Expression of a Deep-Sea Metagenomic DNA
Authors: Fujita Masaki , Sakai Ryuichi
Published: September 2014

The siderophore avaroferrin (1), an inhibitor of Vibrio swarming that was recently identified in Shewanella algae B516, was produced by heterologous expression of the biosynthetic gene cluster cloned from a deep-sea sediment metagenomic DNA, together with two analogues, bisucaberin (2) and putrebactin (3). Avaroferrin (1) is a macrocyclic heterodimer of N-hydroxy-N-succinyl cadaverine (4) and N-hydroxy-N-succinyl-putrescine (5), whereas analogues 2 and 3 are homodimers of 4 and 5, respectively. Heterologous expression of two other related genes from culturable marine bacteria resulted in production of compounds 1–3, but in quite different proportions compared with production through expression of the metagenomic DNA.
Chemical Analysis of Whale Breath Volatiles: A Case Study for Non-Invasive Field Health Diagnostics of Marine Mammals
Authors: Cumeras Raquel , Cheung William , Gulland Frances , Goley Dawn , Davis Cristina
Published: September 2014

We explored the feasibility of collecting exhaled breath from a moribund gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) for potential non-invasive health monitoring of marine mammals. Biogenic volatile organic compound (VOC) profiling is a relatively new field of research, in which the chemical composition of breath is used to non-invasively assess the health and physiological processes on-going within an animal or human. In this study, two telescopic sampling poles were designed and tested with the primary aim of collecting whale breath exhalations (WBEs). Once the WBEs were successfully collected, they were immediately transferred onto a stable matrix sorbent through a custom manifold system. A total of two large volume WBEs were successfully captured and pre-concentrated onto two Tenax®-TA traps (one exhalation per trap). The samples were then returned to the laboratory where they were analyzed using solid phase micro extraction (SPME) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A total of 70 chemicals were identified (58 positively identified) in the whale breath samples. These chemicals were also matched against a database of VOCs found in humans, and 44% of chemicals found in the whale breath are also released by healthy humans. The exhaled gray whale breath showed a rich diversity of chemicals, indicating the analysis of whale breath exhalations is a promising new field of research.
Evolution of Monolithic Technology for Wireless Communications: GaN MMIC Power Amplifiers For Microwave Radios
Authors: Camarchia Vittorio , Pirola Marco , Quaglia Roberto
Published: September 2014

This paper presents the progress of monolithic technology for microwaveapplication, focusing on gallium nitride technology advances in the realization of integratedpower amplifiers. Three design examples, developed for microwave backhaul radios, areshown. The first design is a 7 GHz Doherty developed with a research foundry, while thesecond and the third are a 7 GHz Doherty and a 7–15 GHz dual-band combined poweramplifiers, both based on a commercial foundry process. The employed architectures, themain design steps and the pros and cons of using gallium nitride technology are highlighted.The measured performance demonstrates the potentialities of the employed technology, andthe progress in the accuracy, reliability and performance of the process.
MALDI-TOF MS Analysis of Proanthocyanidins in Two Lowland Tropical Forest Species of Cecropia: A First Look at Their Chemical Structures
Authors: Van Huynh Alex , Bevington John
Published: September 2014

The structural chemistry of proanthocyanidin molecules has been investigated in temperate zone plants, but few studies have been done with plants of the Amazonian lowland tropical wet forests where herbivore pressure is more extensive and diverse. Using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, we report unique properties of the proanthocyanidin structural chemistry in two neotropical Cecropia species, C. polystachya, a myrmecophyte with mutualistic ants, and C. sciadophylla, a non-myrmecophyte lacking mutualistic ants. Our preliminary data suggests the presence of reportedly uncommon propelargonidin subunits in a majority of proanthocyanidin oligomers. The presence of 3-O-gallate proanthocyanidin monomers was also detected in the mass spectra of both species. Unlike other studies that have examined species growing at higher latitudes, oligomers composed of procyanidin, propelargonidin, and their 3-O-gallates were present in both Cecropia species while the presence of oligomers containing prodelphinidin units were absent or at lower levels. These distinctive features may suggest that proanthocyanidins in some tropical plant species may be an untapped source of proanthocyanidin structural complexity that warrants further investigation. Several differences between spectra of the two Cecropia species could also point to the presence of anti-herbivore defense tradeoffs between chemical defense quality and biotic defense between the two species.
Fortification of Foods with Vitamin D in India
Authors: G Ritu , Gupta Ajay
Published: September 2014

Vitamin D deficiency is widely prevalent in India, despite abundant sunshine. Fortification of staple foods with vitamin D is a viable strategy to target an entire population. Vitamin D fortification programs implemented in the United States and Canada have improved the vitamin D status in these countries, but a significant proportion of the population is still vitamin D deficient. Before fortification programs are designed and implemented in India, it is necessary to study the efficacy of the American and Canadian vitamin D fortification programs and then improve upon them to suit the Indian scenario. This review explores potential strategies that could be used for the fortification of foods in the Indian context. These strategies have been proposed considering the diverse dietary practices necessitated by social, economic, cultural and religious practices and the diverse climatic conditions in India. Fortification of staple foods, such as chapati flour, maida, rice flour and rice, may be more viable strategies. Targeted fortification strategies to meet the special nutritional needs of children in India are discussed separately in a review entitled, “Fortification of foods with vitamin D in India: Strategies targeted at children”.
Influence of Surface Treatment on Tensile Properties of Low-Density Polyethylene/Cellulose Woven Biocomposites: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Shamsuri Ahmad , Azid Muhammad , Ariff Azmah , Sudari Ahmad
Published: September 2014

Cellulose woven (CW) was surface treated by means of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactant (HTAB) in aqueous solution medium at elevated temperature. The parameters of the surface treatment that have been studied are HTAB concentration (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 wt%) and treatment time (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 h). The untreated and treated CW filled low-density polyethylene (LDPE) biocomposites were prepared via compression molding technique. The tensile testing results of LDPE/CW biocomposites demonstrated that the optimum HTAB concentration for treatment of CW in 1 h was 0.4 wt%, while the optimum treatment time at 0.4 wt% HTAB was 2 h. The SEM (scanning electron microscope) images indicated that there is no significant difference in the morphology of the untreated and treated CW; however the morphology of the LDPE/treated CW biocomposite showed better interfacial adhesion as compared with the untreated ones. The FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) spectra revealed that the presence of HTAB on the surface of treated CW and also revealed the existence of intermolecular interactions between LDPE and treated CW. In summary, HTAB could potentially be used as a treatment agent for modifying the surface of CW and consequently improved the tensile properties of LDPE/CW biocomposites.
Environment in Industrial Ecology, Grasping a Complex Notion for Enhancing Industrial Synergies at Territorial Scales
Authors: Dumoulin François , Wassenaar Tom
Published: September 2014

Identifying the most relevant environment related indicators and how to make them available to decision-makers are current issues. Some seek to enhance their efficiency by means of methods such as aggregations or weighting. More fundamentally, in this chapter we question how industrial ecologists appropriate the notion of environment. On the basis of multidisciplinary research, we argue that, in contexts of geographically bounded networks of social actors forging industrial synergies, environmental questions should be posed from the viewpoint of the actors. Our work might aid to operationalize the complex notion of environment in such contexts, and constitutes a call to develop anthropocentric approaches to defining environmental indications followed by appropriated indicators.
Effect of tibial plateau levelling osteotomy on patellar tendon angle: A prospective clinical study
Authors: Gilbert P. , Sharma A. , Hendrick S. , Sathya S.
Published: September 2014

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) procedure on the patellar tendon angle (PTA) in dogs with naturally occurring cranial cruciate ligament rupture.

Study design: Prospective observational clinical study.

Animals: Dogs with naturally occurring CrCL rupture that had a TPLO performed (n = 40).

Methods: Preoperative tibial plateau angle (TPA) and PTA were measured on radiographic images of affected stifle joints at 90° and standing angle (135°) respectively. The TPA and PTA were measured after TPLO was performed. Regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of preoperative TPA and PTA and postoperative TPA on postoperative PTA. Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between postoperative TPA and PTA.

Results: The mean (± SD) preoperative TPA and PTA were 26.5 ± 3.8° and 105.7 ± 3.8° respectively. The postoperative TPA and PTA values were 7.6 ± 3.3° and 91.4 ± 5.5°, respectively. Regression analysis showed that higher preoperative PTA and postoperative TPA are associated with a larger difference between the postoperative PTA and 90°. There was a positive correlation between postoperative TPA and PTA.

Conclusion: The TPLO procedure alters the PTA to 90° in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture similar to tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA).

Clinical significance: The TPLO may provide dynamic stability to the cranial cruciate deficient stifle by altering the TPA relative to the patellar tendon and creating a PTA of 90°. The biomechanical principle and mechanism of action of TPLO may be similar to TTA.
Demographic distribution and transmission potential of influenza A and 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 in pilgrims
Authors: Ashshi Ahmed , Azhar Esam , Johargy Ayman , Asghar Atif , Momenah Aiman , Turkestani Abdulhafeez , Alghamdi Saad , Memish Ziad , Al-Ghamdi Ahmed , Alawi Maha , El-Kafrawy Sherif , Farouk Mohomed , Harakeh Steve , Kumosani Taha , Makhdoum Hatim , Barbour Elie K
Published: September 2014

Introduction: The World Health Organization’s persistent reporting of global outbreaks of influenza A viruses, including the 2009 pandemic swine A H1N1 strain (H1N1pdm09), justified the targeted surveillance of pilgrims during their annual congregation that pools more than two million people from around 165 nations in a confined area of Makkah city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methodology: A total of 1,600 pilgrims were included in the targeted surveillance of influenza A and the 2009 pandemic swine H1N1 strain in the Hajj (pilgrimage) season of 2010. Each pilgrim responded to a demographic and health questionnaire. Collected oropharyngeal swabs were analyzed by real-time PCR for influenza A viruses, and positive samples were further analyzed for the presence of H1N1pdm09. Fisher’s exact test was applied in the analysis of the significance of the distribution of influenza-positive pilgrims according to demographic characters. Results: A total of 120 pilgrims (7.5%) tested positive for influenza A viruses by real-time PCR. Nine out of the 120 influenza-A-positive pilgrims (7.5%) were positive for H1N1pdm09. Demographics played a significant role in those pilgrims who tested positive for influenza A. Conclusions: The detection of H1N1pdm09 in pilgrims at their port of entry to the KSA was alarming, due to the high potential of trans-boundary transmission. This situation necessitates the implementation of specific prevention and control programs to limit infection by influenza A viruses.
ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae at a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Somily Ali Mohammed , Habib Hanan A , Absar Muhammad M , Arshad Muhammad Z , Manneh Kutubu , Al Subaie Sarah S , Al Hedaithy Mogbil A , Sayyed Samina B , Shakoor Zahid , Murray Thomas S
Published: September 2014

Introduction: The increasing frequency  and antibiotic resistance among extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs)-producing bacteria are posing a serious threat. This study sought to investigate the frequency and antibiotic susceptibility of ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae at a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: Data were collected from samples sent to the microbiology laboratory between 2006 and 2010 at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh. ESBLs were confirmed using Etest strips of cefotaxime/cefotaxime + clavulanic acid, ceftazidime/ceftazidime + clavulanic acid, and cefepime/cefepime + clavulanate. Results: Out of 17,105 samples, 1,076 (6.3%) ESBL-producing isolates of E. coli (808) and K. pneumoniae (268) were confirmed. Among these, 680 (63.2%) isolates were found in urine samples, followed by 287 (26.7%) in superficial swabs, deep wounds swabs, tissues and sterile body fluids, 71 (6.6%) in respiratory, and 38 (3.5%) in blood samples. The overall frequency rates of ESBL E. coli and K. pneumoniae were 6.6% and 5.5%, respectively. The frequency of ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae increased significantly during the study period. E. coli resistance against cotrimoxazole was 71.1%, followed by ciprofloxacin (68.2%) and gentamicin (47%). Similarly, 62.7% of K. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to gentamicin, 59.5% to cotrimoxazole, and 49.8% to ciprofloxacin. There was no statistically significant change in antimicrobial resistance over the study period. Conclusions: Although the frequency rates of ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae increased, no change in the anti-microbial susceptibility was observed over the study period.
Seroprevalence of human cystic echinococcosis and risk factors in animal breeders in rural communities in Denizli, Turkey
Authors: Akalin Serife , Kutlu Selda Sayin , Caylak Selmin D , Onal Ozgur , Kaya Selcuk , Bozkurt Ali Ihsan
Published: September 2014

Introduction: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a serious public health problem in sheep-raising regions of Turkey. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of echinococcosis in rural regions of Denizli in Turkey. Methodology: This study was undertaken in four townships in Denizli County between May 2009 and July 2009. Family members were interviewed to assess possible risk factors for infection and tested for anti-E. granulosus antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Of the 1,133 individuals included in the study, 78 (6.9%) were found to be anti-EG seropositive. Multivariate analysis showed that the 30–39 year age group (odds ratio [OR]: 3.29; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30 ± 8.33; p = 0.01), the ≥ 60 year group (OR: 4.08; 95% CI: 1.57 ± 10.61; p = 0.004), and the group that reported sometimes or never getting veterinary care for their animals (OR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.05 ± 2.93; p = 0.032) had higher rates of seropositivity. Multivariate analysis showed that education was not significantly associated with seropositivity. Furthermore, no significant correlation with location, occupation, dog ownership or contact with dogs, or with cattle and/or sheep/goat ownership was found. Regular veterinary care and education had significant effects on lowering the prevalence of CE. Conclusions: Our results suggest that preventive measures, such as regular veterinary care for animals and educative and supportive activities oriented to the people working in farming and animal husbandry should be taken to decrease the prevalence of human CE in Turkey.
Diagnostic schemes for reducing epidemic size of african viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks
Authors: Okeke Iruka N , Manning Robert S , Pfeiffer Thomas
Published: September 2014

Introduction: Viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) outbreaks, with high mortality rates, have often been amplified in African health institutions due to person-to-person transmission via infected body fluids.  By collating and analyzing epidemiological data from documented outbreaks, we observed that diagnostic delay contributes to epidemic size for Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever outbreaks. Methodology: We used a susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (SEIR) model and data from the 1995 outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo, to simulate Ebola hemorrhagic fever epidemics. Our model allows us to describe the dynamics for hospital staff separately from that for the general population, and to implement health worker-specific interventions. Results: The model illustrates that implementing World Health Organization/US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines of isolating patients who do not respond to antimalarial and antibacterial chemotherapy reduces total outbreak size, from a median of 236, by 90% or more. Routinely employing diagnostic testing in post-mortems of patients that died of refractory fevers reduces the median outbreak size by a further 60%. Even greater reductions in outbreak size were seen when all febrile patients were tested for endemic infections or when febrile health-care workers were tested.  The effect of testing strategies was not impaired by the 1-3 day delay that would occur if testing were performed by a reference laboratory. Conclusion: In addition to improving the quality of care for common causes of febrile infections, increased and strategic use of laboratory diagnostics for fever could reduce the chance of hospital amplification of VHFs in resource-limited African health systems.
Le cas de Loretta: une patiente psychiatrique
Authors: Raskin Nathaniel J. , Ducroux-Biass Françoise
Published: September 2014

Lors d’une réunion de l’ American Academy of Psychotherapists 1 , une patiente schizophrène, Loretta, eut des entretiens thérapeutiques avec différents psychologues, dont Carl Rogers. L’enregistrement de leur entretien, qui fut le premier à figurer au catalogue de l’audiothèque de cette académie (1958), est retranscrit ici dans son intégralité. Nat Raskin en fait ensuite l’analyse, axée sur six éléments qui ont marqué cette rencontre. Il met en évidence la dynamique propre à la démarche centrée sur la personne de Rogers, ainsi que la constance de son écoute. Il montre comment cela permet à une personne fortement perturbée et hospitalisée dans un hôpital psychiatrique de progresser dans la clarification d’elle-même et de sa situation. Il présente enfin, au travers de données fournies par des enregistrements d’entretiens, une comparaison des attitudes et des interventions de thérapeutes de six différentes écoles, dont la Gestalt, la thérapie cognitivo-comportementale et la thérapie familiale.
La relation thérapeutique: enquête sur l'état de la recherche
Authors: Bozarth Jerold D. , Motomasa Noriko , Ducroux-Biass Françoise
Published: September 2014

Depuis des décennies, la relation thérapeutique fait l’objet de recherches scientifiques. Cet article fait le point sur ces recherches et sur la manière dont elles sont menées. Il montre que des définitions différentes sont données à la notion même de « relation thérapeutique », selon que l’on parte d’un « paradigme réactif » ou d’un « paradigme actualisant ». La prédominance du premier paradigme induit souvent un biais et empêche la recherche de progresser dans la compréhension du processus de la psychothérapie. Eliminant les éléments qui relèvent d’une position théorique, les auteurs présentent une étude de la relation thérapeutique comprenant l’alliance thérapeutique, l’empathie, le regard positif inconditionnel et la congruence. Leurs conclusions montrent que la relation entre patient, ou client, et thérapeute contribue de manière significative au succès de la thérapie, davantage que la technique. Elles plaident ainsi pour une réintroduction du « paradigme actualisant » dans la recherche.
La stigmatisation des adolescents placés en institution médico-sociale
Authors: Dargère Christophe
Published: September 2014

Pour une société, la prise en charge d’individus qui ne rentrent pas dans le cadre de ses schèmes normatifs est d’une intense et perpétuelle complexité : nombre de personnes sont ainsi orientées dans des espaces clos n’ayant qu’une porosité réduite avec le monde extérieur. Le placement en institution médico-sociale (qui représente un de ces espaces clos) est une profonde source de stigmatisation qui implique des logiques de production pour ceux qui en sont les acteurs volontaires ou pas, et des logiques de gestion pour ceux qui la subissent. À partir d’une observation incognito dans un IMPro (Institut Médico-Professionnel), cet article tente de montrer comment la stigmatisation prend forme dans la vie sociale d’adolescents placés. Il mettra également l’accent sur les ressources dont ils disposent pour contrecarrer les effets du stigmate et protéger leur identité sociale.
Les rapports entre jeunes délinquants et police au Brésil au prisme des logiques pénales, policières et territoriales
Authors: Bugnon Géraldine , Duprez Dominique
Published: September 2014

L’objectif de cet article est de rendre compte des interactions entre policiers et jeunes mineurs engagés dans des activités délinquantes dans deux grandes métropoles brésiliennes (Belo Horizonte et Rio de Janeiro), sur la base des récits que ces derniers ont produits durant des entretiens biographiques. Trois dimensions se sont révélées pertinentes pour faire sens des expériences racontées par les jeunes interviewés : le statut du jeune (âge, sexe, degré d’engagement dans la délinquance), le fonctionnement de la police brésilienne (notamment les pratiques extra-légales) et les logiques territoriales (favela versus centre-ville). Nos résultats permettent de mettre à jour la manière dont des logiques structurantes (normes légales en matière de justice juvénile, organisation du trafic de drogue, priorités de l’intervention policière) se combinent et produisent des effets complexes sur les relations entre les jeunes et la police.
États-nations, mobilité et citoyenneté dans le discours international sur les migrations
Authors: Pécoud Antoine
Published: September 2014

Résumé Les migrations ont fait l’objet, depuis une quinzaine d’années, d’un processus d’internationalisation, qui voit les États débattre de façon accrue des enjeux soulevés par la mobilité transnationale des personnes. Cet article analyse la manière dont différentes instances internationales (organisations internationales, forums mondiaux, commissions internationales) tentent de penser les migrations comme un processus transnational qui appellerait des politiques concertées ou des formes de « gouvernance mondiale ». Il montre que cette construction internationale des migrations oscille entre un paradigme transnational, selon lequel la mobilité interétatique est une caractéristique d’une planète mondialisée, et un paradigme national, dans lequel l’appartenance nationale reste indépassable, non seulement pour élaborer des mécanismes de « gouvernance » des migrations, mais aussi pour penser l’identité des migrants et la nature même des migrations. La persistance de ce cadre de pensée national est dû à la fois à des facteurs politiques (liés au contexte intergouvernemental dans lequel travaillent ces instances internationales) et à la difficulté intellectuelle de concevoir les migrations hors de tout schéma stato-centré.
Les employé(e)s domestiques dans le travail de care : corps et investissement de soi entre éthique et contrainte
Authors: Moré Paloma
Published: September 2014

À travers une enquête qualitative menée auprès d’employé(e)s domestiques du care à Paris et à Madrid, cet article cherche à comprendre sociologiquement leur rapport au travail. Du fait du contact physique et émotionnel très étroit, le care à domicile auprès de personnes fragilisées, car malades ou âgées, implique une exposition énorme de la subjectivité et du corps des salarié(e)s. De plus, celles-ci réalisent leur métier au croisement des catégories subalternes de genre, classe et « race »/ethnicité, ce qui les positionne dans des rapports de pouvoir asymétriques. L’article montre comment la responsabilité morale qu’entraîne le care explique en partie l’important investissement subjectif des salarié(e)s dans leur travail, malgré la souffrance qu’elles expérimentent liée à la nature du métier et aux conditions de travail.
Tolerability of a probiotic in subjects with a history of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonisation
Authors: Warrack S. , Panjikar P. , Duster M. , Safdar N.
Published: September 2014

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogen of major public health importance. Colonisation precedes infection; thus reducing MRSA carriage may be of benefit for reducing infection. Probiotics represent a novel approach to reducing MRSA carriage. We undertook a pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial of the tolerability and acceptability of probiotics for reducing nasal and intestinal carriage of MRSA. In addition, subjects were screened for vancomycin-resistant enterocococci (VRE). Subjects with a history of MRSA were recruited from a large, academic medical center and randomised to take either a placebo or probiotic (Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001). Subjects returned to the clinic after four weeks for further testing to determine adherence to the probiotic regimen and colonisation of MRSA. 48 subjects were enrolled and randomised. Nearly 25% were transplant recipients and 30% had diabetes. The probiotic was well tolerated in the study population though minor side effects, such as nausea and bloating, were observed. A majority of the subjects randomised to HN001 had good adherence to the regimen. At the four week time point among subjects randomised to the probiotic, MRSA was detected in 67 and 50% of subjects colonised in the nares and the gastrointestinal tract, respectively. Three subjects who initially tested positive for VRE were negative after four weeks of probiotic exposure. Probiotics were well tolerated in our study population of largely immunocompromised subjects with multiple comorbidities. Adherence to the intervention was good. Probiotics should be studied further for their potential to reduce colonisation by multidrug resistant bacteria.
Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus by crude and fractionated extract from lactic acid bacteria
Authors: Wong C.-B. , Khoo B.-Y. , Sasidharan S. , Piyawattanametha W. , Kim S.H. , Khemthongcharoen N. , Ang M.-Y. , Chuah L.-O. , Liong M.-T.
Published: September 2014

Increasing levels of antibiotic resistance by Staphyloccocus aureus have posed a need to search for non-antibiotic alternatives. This study aimed to assess the inhibitory effects of crude and fractionated cell-free supernatants (CFS) of locally isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) against a clinical strain of S. aureus. A total of 42 LAB strains were isolated and identified from fresh vegetables, fresh fruits and fermented products prior to evaluation of inhibitory activities. CFS of LAB strains exhibiting a stronger inhibitive effect against S. aureus were fractionated into crude protein, polysaccharide and lipid fractions. Crude protein fractions showed greater inhibition against S. aureus compared to polysaccharide and lipid fractions, with a more prevalent effect from Lactobacillus plantarum 8513 and L. plantarum BT8513. Crude protein, polysaccharide and lipid fractions were also characterised with glycine, mannose and oleic acid being detected as the major component of each fraction, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed roughed and wrinkled membrane morphology of S. aureus upon treatment with crude protein fractions of LAB, suggesting an inhibitory effect via the destruction of cellular membrane. This research illustrated the potential application of fractionated extracts from LAB to inhibit S. aureus for use in the food and health industry.
Looking for the best compromise in rapid food mycotoxin tests: speed, sensitivity, precision and accuracy
Authors: Alldrick A.J.
Published: September 2014

Mycotoxins provide additional challenges to food businesses in terms of successful management of food-safety management systems. These reflect, in part, an unusually high dependency on the activities of others in the supply chain to ensure that levels of contamination remain within set limits. Consequently analyses for mycotoxins by food businesses are primarily commissioned for one or a combination of two reasons: to determine compliance with regulatory or commercial standards or; as part of an exercise to verify the efficacy of the businesses foodsafety management systems. Given the regulatory/commercial implications, the standard of evidence needed to demonstrate (non)compliance will be the greater than that needed for simple verification. Consequently, decisions relating to matters of regulatory or commercial arbitration need to be based on agreed and well defined methods of analysis, which are normally laboratory-based. These data are also often sufficient to be used to verify foodsafety management systems. However, supply conditions may predicate the need for increased levels of verification and rapid mycotoxin test-kits have the potential to both meet this need and satisfy the requirements of statistical process control. Nevertheless, it is important to note that deployment of such test-kits cannot be considered to be a ‘turnkey’ exercise and that, as in the case of laboratory-based assays, care must be taken in the validation and subsequent verification of their use for a given material being used within a food business. In particular, this means demonstrating under local conditions that results from the use of these test-kits are comparable to those that would be obtained using official or reference methods.
Tdap: The Need to Educate and Immunize
Authors: Rittle Chad , Lang Yolanda C. , Wenskovitch John E.
Published: September 2014

The resurgence of pertussis is puzzling, especially given the requirement that children complete recommended immunizations prior to school entry. Are adult carriers unknowingly infecting children? What do adult caregivers know about pertussis and the tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) booster vaccine? How can the incidence of pertussis in children younger than 2 years, a group most at risk for complications of the disease, be reduced? This article examines the incidence of pertussis and strategies to reduce pertussis incidence in the United States. If the need for Tdap vaccine is identified and favorably received by adults, immunization programs can be arranged at worksites to better protect infants who are most at risk for pertussis.
Effect of NaOH Concentration on the Strength of Non Sodium Silicate Fly Ash Geopolymer
Authors: Asif Afshan , Man Zakaria , Azizli Khairun Azizi , Nuruddin Mohd Fadhil , Ismail Lukman
Published: September 2014

The current work presents the effect of alkali concentration on fly ash based geopolymer material. In this work geopolymer material was prepared with a fixed Si/Al ratio (1.85: 1) and varied solid to water ratio and NaOH concentration. All samples were tested to establish the role of alkali on the strength. Samples prepared with 8M of NaOH showed the highest compressive strength. In this regards, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results support this observation where broad band becomes sharper and shifts towards lower wavenumbers. In XRD the broad hump slightly shifted towards higher values which indicate the formation of new product. These findings show that to obtain required processing time at desired mechanical strength for a specific application of geopolymer, the suitable concentration of alkali must be established.
Preparation and Characterization of Polysulfone/Activated Carbon Composite Bead Form
Authors: Sattar Maimoon , Hayeeye Fareeda , Chinpa Watchanida , Sirichote Orawan
Published: September 2014

Polysulfone/Activated Carbon (PSF/AC) composites in bead form were prepared for Rhodamine B sorption. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) shows that pure PSF bead is smooth surface while PSF/AC bead presents the pore distribution. FT-IR spectra indicate the existence of AC on the PSF/AC bead surface. Under adsorption test of Rhodamine B, it was found that an increase in the AC content in PSF solution results in an increase in the percentages of dye adsorption from 1.38 % to 71.56% for pure PSF bead and PSF/AC added with 4 wt% of AC, respectively.
Physicochemical Properties of Diethanolamine-Functionalized Si-MCM-41
Authors: Ahmed Sohail , Ramli Anita , Yusup Suzana
Published: September 2014

Si-MCM-41 was functionalized with 10-50wt% loading of Diethanolamine (DEA) using impregnation method and characterized for their physicochemical properties using XRD, FTIR and HRTEM. Results show that the intensity of the diffraction peaks attributed to the finger-prints of Si-MCM-41 decreases with increased loading of DEA. The peaks assign to (110), (200), and (210) planes start to disappear at DEA loading as low as 10wt%. FTIR spectra of DEA-Si-MCM-41 show presence of –N-H and –C-H peaks which confirms the functionalization of Si-MCM-41 with DEA. HRTEM micrographs of all samples clearly show the uniform hexagonal pore arrangement which proved the structural integrity of Si-MCM-41 even after functionalization with 50wt%.
Microstructure Characterization for P92 Steels Subjected to Short Term Overheating above Critical Transformation Temperatures
Authors: Peng Ng Guat , Ahmad Badrol , Muhamad Mohd Razali , Ahadlin Mohd
Published: September 2014

Advanced ferritic steels containing 9 wt% Cr are widely used for nuclear and fossil energy applications, especially in the construction of supercritical and ultra supercritical boiler components. The microstructure of the as supplied 92 materials consists of a tempered martensite matrix, a fine dispersion of intergranular chromium rich M23C6 precipitates and intragranular carbonitrides MX particles rich in V and Nb. This steel requires post weld heat treatment (PWHT) to produce a tempered microstructure after welding to develop excellent creep strength for high temperature service. The short excursion to high temperature beyond Ac1 and Ac3 would have resulted in the formation of deleterious phases, for example, soft α-ferrite which has a poor creep strength and hard martensite which has a low toughness. In this study, the microstructure evolution as a result of short exposure to various peak temperatures above Ac1 and Ac3 is analyzed. Creep rupture database for overheated condition will be established after the completion of uninterrupted creep testing.
Desulfurization of Fuel Using Ionic Liquids: Computational Selection of Cation and Anion
Authors: Salleh M. Zulhaziman M. , Wilfred Cecilia Devi , Abdul Mutalib Mohamad Ibrahim
Published: September 2014

Selection of potential ionic liquid (IL) is carried out in this work using COSMO-RS by analyzing the interaction between dibenzothiophene (DBT) and IL in dodecane. Sigma profile, capacity and selectivity at infinite dilution were used to predict the suitable ILs in desulfurization. Result shows that increasing alkyl length and incorporating nitrile group will increase the capacity and selectivity respectively. 1-butyl-6-methylquinolonium [C4mquin]+, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium [Bmim]+, thiocyanate [SCN]- and dicyanamide [N(CN)2]- are potentially good cations and anions.
Optimization of Coating Thickness in a Tangential Fluidized Bed
Authors: Ku Shaari Ku Zilati , Hassan Luqman Hakim , Man Zakaria
Published: September 2014

The focal intention of this research was to investigate the factors influencing the coating thickness of urea granule by using modified biopolymer which performed in a tangential fluidized bed. The effects of inlet air temperature, disc rotation speed and spraying rate on coating thickness of urea granule were investigated. In this study, the results showed that the significant process parameters which effect the coating thickness was spraying rate (58.585%), followed by disc rotation speed (21.579%) and inlet air temperature (18.883%). The optimized process parameters in this work were 400C for inlet air temperature, 40 rpm for disc rotation speed and 2 rpm for spraying rate. The confirmation run for this work had verified the conclusion from the variance analysis.
Cellulose-Modified Carbon Electrode for In Situ Lead Detection
Authors: Almustapha Sakinatu , Ali Khan Aamir Amanat , Omar Abdul Aziz , Ariwahjoedi Bamban , Abdullah Mohd Azmuddin
Published: September 2014

Increasing contamination of water by trace levels of heavy metals has become major environmental threats leading to an increased demand for the detection and monitoring of metal contaminants. In this work, modification of carbon electrode with cellulose was reported to enhance Pb2+ detection. The interacting ability of cellulose on the electrode surface was evaluated for Pb2+ by using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry. The deposition potential of –1.0 V in 0.1M acetate buffer for 240 sec, followed by square wave potential scan from-1.0 V to-0.2V were used. Stripping voltammogram showed current peaks corresponding to Pb2+. The sensitivity and selectivity of the modified electrodes for Pb2+ were also determined.