bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Densities of Eggs and Nymphs and Percent Parasitism of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on Common Weeds in West Central Florida
Authors: Smith Hugh , Nagle Curtis , Evans Gregory
Published: November 2014

The density of eggs and nymphs of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype B and the percent parasitism of the nymphs were measured from specimens collected on nine species of weeds, commonly found in west central Florida during the spring and summer of 2012 and 2013. The weeds were direct seeded in 2012 and grown as transplants in 2013 for Randomized Complete Block design experiments. The leaf area of each whole-plant sample was measured and the B. tabaci density parameters were converted to numbers per 100 cm2. In June and July, 2013, whole-plant samples became too large to examine entirely, thus a representative portion of a plant totaling about 1000 cm2 was sampled. Egg and nymph densities and percent parasitism varied greatly among weed species, and were higher overall in 2012 than in 2013. The highest densities of eggs and nymphs were measured on Abutilon theophrasti, Cassia obtusifolia and Emilia fosbergii each year. Lower densities of immature B. tabaci were measured on most dates for Amaranthus retroflexus, Bidens alba, Ipomoea lacunosa, Sesbania exaltata and Sida acuta. Nymph to egg ratios of 1:4 were observed on A. theophrasti and S. exaltata in 2012, while less than one nymph per ten eggs was observed overall on A. retroflexus, E. fosbergii and I. lacunosa. In 2012, parasitism rates of 32.3% were measured for B. alba, 23.4% for C. obtusifolia and 17.5% for S. acuta. Of the 206 parasitoids reared out over two seasons, 96.6% were Encarsia spp. and the remainder Eretmocerus spp. The role of weeds in managing B. tabaci is discussed.
Efficacy Evaluation of a Multifunctional Cosmetic Formulation: The Benefits of a Combination of Active Antioxidant Substances
Authors: Gianeti Mirela , Maia Campos Patrícia
Published: November 2014

This study presents the association of active antioxidants substances in a multifunctional cosmetic formulation with established efficacy against signs of aging. A multifunctional cosmetic formulation containing an association of UV filters and antioxidant substances (liposoluble vitamins A, C and E, Ginkgo biloba and Phorphyra umbilicalis extracts) was evaluated. This formulation was submitted to a clinical efficacy study using biophysics techniques and skin images analysis (digital photography imaging systems, 20 MHz ultrasound, and reflectance confocal microscopy). The volunteers applied the formulation containing the UV filters and antioxidant substances during the day and the formulation with antioxidant substances and without the UV filters at night, for 90 days. The formulation increased the hydration and protected the skin barrier function after a single application. At the long term assessment the formulation provided an improvement in skin barrier function and skin hydration to the deeper layers of the epidermis, leading to an improvement in skin appearance by reducing wrinkles and skin roughness. The multifunctional cosmetic formulation studied can be suggested to preventing signs of aging and improving skin conditions. In addition, this study presents the benefits of associating different active antioxidants substances in a single cosmetic formulation to prevent skin aging.
Chemical Compositions, Chromatographic Fingerprints and Antioxidant Activities of Andrographis Herba
Authors: Zhao Yang , Kao Chun-Pin , Wu Kun-Chang , Liao Chi-Ren , Ho Yu-Ling , Chang Yuan-Shiun
Published: November 2014

This paper describes the development of an HPLC-UV-MS method for quantitative determination of andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide in Andrographis Herba and establishment of its chromatographic fingerprint. The method was validated for linearity, limit of detection and quantification, inter- and intra-day precisions, repeatability, stability and recovery. All the validation results of quantitative determination and fingerprinting methods were satisfactory. The developed method was then applied to assay the contents of andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide and to acquire the fingerprints of all the collected Andrographis Herba samples. Furthermore, similarity analysis and principal component analysis were used to reveal the similarities and differences between the samples on the basis of the characteristic peaks. More importantly, the DPPH free radical-scavenging and ferric reducing capacities of the Andrographis Herba samples were assayed. By bivariate correlation analysis, we found that six compounds are positively correlated to DPPH free radical scavenging and ferric reducing capacities, and four compounds are negatively correlated to DPPH free radical scavenging and ferric reducing capacities.
Dietary Flavonoids and Gastric Cancer Risk in a Korean Population
Authors: Woo Hae , Lee Jeonghee , Choi Il , Kim Chan , Lee Jong , Kwon Oran , Kim Jeongseon
Published: November 2014

Gastric cancer is the most common cancer among men in Korea, and dietary factors are closely associated with gastric cancer risk. We performed a case-control study using 334 cases and 334 matched controls aged 35–75 years. Significant associations were observed in total dietary flavonoids and their subclasses, with the exception of anthocyanidins and isoflavones (OR (95% CI): 0.49 (0.31–0.76), p trend = 0.007 for total flavonoids). However, these associations were not significant after further adjustment for fruits and vegetable consumption (OR (95% CI): 0.62 (0.36–1.09), p trend = 0.458 for total flavonoids). Total flavonoids and their subclasses, except for isoflavones, were significantly associated with a reduced risk gastric cancer in women (OR (95% CI): 0.33 (0.15–0.73), p trend = 0.001 for total flavonoids) but not in men (OR (95% CI): 0.70 (0.39–1.24), p trend = 0.393 for total flavonoids). A significant inverse association with gastric cancer risk was observed in flavones, even after additional adjustment for fruits and vegetable consumption in women. No significantly different effects of flavonoids were observed between H. pylori-positive and negative subjects. In conclusion, dietary flavonoids were inversely associated with gastric cancer risk, and these protective effects of dietary flavonoids were prominent in women. No clear differences were observed in the subgroup analysis of H. pylori and smoking status.
Annatto Tocotrienol Improves Indices of Bone Static Histomorphometry in Osteoporosis Due to Testosterone Deficiency in Rats
Authors: Chin Kok-Yong , Abdul-Majeed Saif , Fozi Nur , Ima-Nirwana Soelaiman
Published: November 2014

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of annatto tocotrienol on indices of bone static histomorphometry in orchidectomized rats. Forty male rats were randomized into baseline (BL), sham (SH), orchidectomized (ORX), annatto tocotrienol-treated (AnTT) and testosterone enanthate-treated (TE) groups. The BL group was sacrificed upon receipt. All rats except the SH group underwent bilateral orchidectomy. Annatto tocotrienol at 60 mg/kg body weight was administered orally daily to the AnTT group for eight weeks. Testosterone enanthate at 7 mg/kg body weight was administered intramuscularly once weekly for eight weeks to the TE group. The rat femurs were collected for static histomorphometric analysis upon necropsy. The results indicated that the ORX group had significantly higher osteoclast surface and eroded surface, and significantly lower osteoblast surface, osteoid surface and osteoid volume compared to the SH group (p < 0.05). Annatto tocotrienol and testosterone enanthate intervention prevented all these changes (p < 0.05). The efficacy of annatto tocotrienol was on par with testosterone enanthate. In conclusion, annatto tocotrienol at 60 mg/kg can prevent the imbalance in bone remodeling caused by increased osteoclast and bone resorption, and decreased osteoblast and bone formation. This serves as a basis for the application of annatto tocotrienol in hypogonadal men as an antiosteoporotic agent.
The Influence of Dietary Fat on Liver Fat Accumulation
Authors: Green Charlotte , Hodson Leanne
Published: November 2014

Obesity is a known risk factor for the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, it has been suggested that dietary fat, both amount and composition, may play a pivotal role in its development, independent of body fatness. Studies that have investigated the role of dietary fat on liver fat accumulation are reasonably sparse. We review here the available work that has investigated the impact of dietary fat: amount, composition and frequency, on liver fat accumulation in human observational and intervention studies. Overall, it would seem that total calorie consumption, rather than dietary fat composition, is an important factor in the development of fatty liver disease in humans.
Involvement of the Antioxidant Effect and Anti-inflammatory Response in Butyrate-Inhibited Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation
Authors: Mathew Omana , Ranganna Kasturi , Milton Shirlette
Published: November 2014

Epigenetic mechanisms by altering the expression and, in turn, functions of target genes have potential to modify cellular processes that are characteristics of atherosclerosis, including inflammation, proliferation, migration and apoptosis/cell death. Butyrate, a natural epigenetic modifier and a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), is an inhibitor of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation, a critical event in atherogenesis. Here, we examined whether glutathione peroxidases (GPxs), a family of antioxidant enzymes, are modulated by butyrate, contributing to its antiproliferation action on VSMC through the regulation of the inflammatory response by using western blotting, immunostaining methods and activity assay. Treatment of VSMC with butyrate not only upregulates glutathione peroxidase (GPx) 3 and GPx4, but also increases the overall catalytic activity of GPx supporting involvement of antioxidant effect in butyrate arrested VSMC proliferation. Moreover, analysis of the redox-sensitive NF-κB transcription factor system, the target of GPx, reveals that butyrate causes downregulation of IKKα, IKKβ, IkBα and NF-κBp65 expression and prevents NF-κBp65 phosphorylation at serine536 causing inhibition of the expression NF-κB target inflammatory genes, including inducible nitric oxide synthase, VCAM-1 and cyclooxygenase-2. Overall, these observations suggest a link between the antioxidant effect and anti-inflammatory response in butyrate-arrested VSMC proliferation, accentuating the atheroprotective and therapeutic potential of natural products, like butyrate, in vascular proliferative diseases.
A Synergistic Methodology for Soil Moisture Estimation in an Alpine Prairie Using Radar and Optical Satellite Data
Authors: He Binbin , Xing Minfeng , Bai Xiaojing
Published: November 2014

This paper presents a microwave/optical synergistic methodology to retrieve soil moisture in an alpine prairie. The methodology adequately represents the scattering behavior of the vegetation-covered area by defining the scattering of the vegetation and the soil below. The Integral Equation Method (IEM) was employed to determine the backscattering of the underlying soil. The modified Water Cloud Model (WCM) was used to reduce the effect of vegetation. Vegetation coverage, which can be easily derived from optical data, was incorporated in this method to account for the vegetation gap information. Then, an inversion scheme of soil moisture was developed that made use of the dual polarizations (HH and VV) available from the quad polarization Radarsat-2 data. The method developed in this study was assessed by comparing the reproduction of the backscattering, which was calculated from an area with full vegetation cover to that with relatively sparse cover. The accuracy and sources of error in this soil moisture retrieval method were evaluated. The results showed a good correlation between the measured and estimated soil moisture (R2 = 0.71, RMSE = 3.32 vol.%, p < 0.01). Therefore, this method has operational potential for estimating soil moisture under the vegetated area of an alpine prairie.
A Lightweight Hyperspectral Mapping System and Photogrammetric Processing Chain for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Authors: Suomalainen Juha , Anders Niels , Iqbal Shahzad , Roerink Gerbert , Franke Jappe , Wenting Philip , Hünniger Dirk , Bartholomeus Harm , Becker Rolf , Kooistra Lammert
Published: November 2014

During the last years commercial hyperspectral imaging sensors have been miniaturized and their performance has been demonstrated on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). However currently the commercial hyperspectral systems still require minimum payload capacity of approximately 3 kg, forcing usage of rather large UAVs. In this article we present a lightweight hyperspectral mapping system (HYMSY) for rotor-based UAVs, the novel processing chain for the system, and its potential for agricultural mapping and monitoring applications. The HYMSY consists of a custom-made pushbroom spectrometer (400–950 nm, 9 nm FWHM, 25 lines/s, 328 px/line), a photogrammetric camera, and a miniature GPS-Inertial Navigation System. The weight of HYMSY in ready-to-fly configuration is only 2.0 kg and it has been constructed mostly from off-the-shelf components. The processing chain uses a photogrammetric algorithm to produce a Digital Surface Model (DSM) and provides high accuracy orientation of the system over the DSM. The pushbroom data is georectified by projecting it onto the DSM with the support of photogrammetric orientations and the GPS-INS data. Since an up-to-date DSM is produced internally, no external data are required and the processing chain is capable to georectify pushbroom data fully automatically. The system has been adopted for several experimental flights related to agricultural and habitat monitoring applications. For a typical flight, an area of 2–10 ha was mapped, producing a RGB orthomosaic at 1–5 cm resolution, a DSM at 5–10 cm resolution, and a hyperspectral datacube at 10–50 cm resolution.
A Coumarin-Based Fluorescent Probe as a Central Nervous System Disease Biomarker
Authors: Yap Ann-Chee , Mahamad Ummi , Lim Shen-Yang , Kim Hae-Jo , Choo Yeun-Mun
Published: November 2014

Homocysteine and methylmalonic acid are important biomarkers for diseases associated with an impaired central nervous system (CNS). A new chemoassay utilizing coumarin-based fluorescent probe 1 to detect the levels of homocysteine is successfully implemented using Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients’ blood serum. In addition, a rapid identification of homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels in blood serum of PD patients was also performed using the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The results obtained from both analyses were in agreement. The new chemoassay utilizing coumarin-based fluorescent probe 1 offers a cost- and time-effective method to identify the biomarkers in CNS patients.
Privacy-Preserving Data Aggregation in Two-Tiered Wireless Sensor Networks with Mobile Nodes
Authors: Yao Yonglei , Liu Jingfa , Xiong Neal
Published: November 2014

Privacy-preserving data aggregation in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) with mobile nodes is a challenging problem, as an accurate aggregation result should be derived in a privacy-preserving manner, under the condition that nodes are mobile and have no pre-specified keys for cryptographic operations. In this paper, we focus on the SUM aggregation function and propose two privacy-preserving data aggregation protocols for two-tiered sensor networks with mobile nodes: Privacy-preserving Data Aggregation against non-colluded Aggregator and Sink (PDAAS) and Privacy-preserving Data Aggregation against Colluded Aggregator and Sink (PDACAS). Both protocols guarantee that the sink can derive the SUM of all raw sensor data but each sensor’s raw data is kept confidential. In PDAAS, two keyed values are used, one shared with the sink and the other shared with the aggregator. PDAAS can protect the privacy of sensed data against external eavesdroppers, compromised sensor nodes, the aggregator or the sink, but fails if the aggregator and the sink collude. In PDACAS, multiple keyed values are used in data perturbation, which are not shared with the aggregator or the sink. PDACAS can protect the privacy of sensor nodes even the aggregator and the sink collude, at the cost of a little more overhead than PDAAS. Thorough analysis and experiments are conducted, which confirm the efficacy and efficiency of both schemes.
Constrained State Estimation for Individual Localization in Wireless Body Sensor Networks
Authors: Feng Xiaoxue , Snoussi Hichem , Liang Yan , Jiao Lianmeng
Published: November 2014

Wireless body sensor networks based on ultra-wideband radio have recently received much research attention due to its wide applications in health-care, security, sports and entertainment. Accurate localization is a fundamental problem to realize the development of effective location-aware applications above. In this paper the problem of constrained state estimation for individual localization in wireless body sensor networks is addressed. Priori knowledge about geometry among the on-body nodes as additional constraint is incorporated into the traditional filtering system. The analytical expression of state estimation with linear constraint to exploit the additional information is derived. Furthermore, for nonlinear constraint, first-order and second-order linearizations via Taylor series expansion are proposed to transform the nonlinear constraint to the linear case. Examples between the first-order and second-order nonlinear constrained filters based on interacting multiple model extended kalman filter (IMM-EKF) show that the second-order solution for higher order nonlinearity as present in this paper outperforms the first-order solution, and constrained IMM-EKF obtains superior estimation than IMM-EKF without constraint. Another brownian motion individual localization example also illustrates the effectiveness of constrained nonlinear iterative least square (NILS), which gets better filtering performance than NILS without constraint.
Social Evaluation Approaches in Landscape Projects
Authors: Miccoli Saverio , Finucci Fabrizio , Murro Rocco
Published: November 2014

Landscape is a crucial component of world heritage and, in the last few years, landscape projects have played a vital role in the development of sustainable scenarios. As reported in the European Landscape Convention, landscape means an area, as perceived by people, of which the character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors. Therefore, in landscape planning and assessment, the community is necessarily involved. In order to improve the effectiveness of a project for landscape enhancement, this study suggests strategies for an integrated project, taking into account the numerous, heterogeneous variables involved. A landscape project, therefore, is a complex project that requires structured valuation stages, open to the community dimension. The qualitative, intergenerational, and inclusive characteristics of landscapes suggest that the limits of traditional economic analysis should be exceeded by adopting new assessment methods. With this aim in mind, this paper proposes social evaluation approaches, which operate by combining deliberative processes with total economic and multidimensional approaches. In this paper, we present: (1) a brief overview of the main features and issues concerning landscape projects; (2) strategies for integrated projects in landscape enhancement; and (3) social approaches in landscape assessment that account for complexity and social inclusion.
Impact of Large-Scale Wind Power Integration on Small Signal Stability Based on Stability Region Boundary
Authors: Liu Wenying , Ge Rundong , Li Huiyong , Ge Jiangbei
Published: November 2014

Up until now, study results on the impact of large-scale wind power integration on small signal stability have often been in conflict. Sometimes, the conclusions are even completely opposite, making people unable to agree on which is right. The reason behind this phenomenon is that most of these studies are based on a certain grid and typical working conditions, so conclusions are reached by comparing changes in oscillation mode, one by one. This study method lacks a broader perspective, and often reflects only a part of the grid conditions. However, the small signal stability region boundary describes the critical operating range of power system small signal stability as a whole, making possible an overall evaluation of the system from a more macro perspective. Thus it is more suitable for analysis of the impact of large-scale wind power integration on small signal stability. Based on the above, using the model of wind farm integration to the single-machine infinite bus power system, this paper studies the impact of wind power integration scale and the coupling strength with synchronous generator on small signal stability through the comparison of the stability region boundaries, thus providing a new method and support for analyzing the impact of wind power integration on small signal stability.
A Unique Evolution of the S2 Gene of Equine Infectious Anemia Virus in Hosts Correlated with Particular Infection Statuses
Authors: Wang Xue-Feng , Wang Shuai , Liu Qiang , Lin Yue-Zhi , Du Cheng , Tang Yan-Dong , Na Lei , Wang Xiaojun , Zhou Jian-Hua
Published: November 2014

Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a member of the Lentivirus genus in the Retroviridae family that exhibits a genomic structure similar to that of HIV-1. The S2 accessory proteins play important roles in viral replication in vivo and in viral pathogenicity; however, studies on S2 evolution in vivo are limited. This study analyzed the evolutionary characteristics of the S2 gene of a pathogenic EIAV strain, EIAVLN40, in four experimentally infected horses. The results demonstrated that 14.7% (10 of 68 residues) of the stable amino acid mutations occurred longitudinally in S2 during a 150-day infection period. Further analysis revealed that six of the ten mutated residues were positively selected during the infection. Alignment and phylogenetic analyses showed that the S2 gene sequences of viruses isolated from the infected horses at the early stage of EIAVLN40 infection were highly homologous and similar to the vaccine-specific sequence. The S2 gene variants isolated from the febrile episodes and late phase of infection became homologous to the S2 gene sequence of the inoculating EIAVLN40 strain. Our results indicate that the S2 gene evolves in diversity and divergence in vivo in different stages of EIAV infection and that this evolution correlates with the pathogenicity of the virus.
Le Testament de Théodore Stoudite : édition critique et traduction
Authors: Delouis Olivier
Published: November 2014

Following the study of the early stages of Theodore the Studite’s (759-826) Testament (BHG 1759) in a previous issue of this journal (REB 66, 2008, p. 173-190), a new critical edition is being presented here. After giving an account of the history of previous editions, the author examines both direct and indirect traditions. An annotated translation is provided alongside the Greek text.
Les Maurozômai, Byzance et le sultanat de Rūm. Note sur le sceau de Jean Comnène Maurozômès.
Authors: Métivier Sophie
Published: November 2014

La publication du sceau inédit de Jean Comnène Maurozômès, conservé au musée de Niğde (Turquie), permet d’une part de réexaminer la généalogie des Maurozômai, notamment leur alliance avec les Comnènes, d’autre part d’analyser la place de cette famille dans l’histoire de l’Empire byzantin et du sultanat de Rūm. Des relations de Manuel Maurozômès avec Alexis III et le sultan Kaykhusraw Ier au tournant des 12e et 13e siècles, on déduit que le passage de la famille au service du sultanat résulte de l’étroitesse des liens entre Byzance et les Seldjoukides, dont témoigne encore le fait que les Maurozômai établis dans le sultanat n’hésitent pas à recourir, jusqu’à la fin du 13e siècle, à des usages et des références proprement byzantins.
Dissipation signals due to lateral tip oscillations in FM-AFM
Authors: Klocke Michael , Wolf Dietrich E
Published: November 2014

We study the coupling of lateral and normal tip oscillations and its effect on the imaging process of frequency-modulated dynamic atomic force microscopy. The coupling is induced by the interaction between tip and surface. Energy is transferred from the normal to the lateral excitation, which can be detected as damping of the cantilever oscillation. However, energy can be transferred back into the normal oscillation, if not dissipated by the usually uncontrolled mechanical damping of the lateral excitation. For certain cantilevers, this dissipation mechanism can lead to dissipation rates larger than 0.01 eV per period. The mechanism produces an atomic contrast for ionic crystals with two maxima per unit cell in a line scan.
Effect of silver nanoparticles on human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation
Authors: Sengstock Christina , Diendorf Jörg , Epple Matthias , Schildhauer Thomas A , Köller Manfred
Published: November 2014

Background: Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NP) are one of the fastest growing products in nano-medicine due to their enhanced antibacterial activity at the nanoscale level. In biomedicine, hundreds of products have been coated with Ag-NP. For example, various medical devices include silver, such as surgical instruments, bone implants and wound dressings. After the degradation of these materials, or depending on the coating technique, silver in nanoparticle or ion form can be released and may come into close contact with tissues and cells. Despite incorporation of Ag-NP as an antibacterial agent in different products, the toxicological and biological effects of silver in the human body after long-term and low-concentration exposure are not well understood. In the current study, we investigated the effects of both ionic and nanoparticulate silver on the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) into adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages and on the secretion of the respective differentiation markers adiponectin, osteocalcin and aggrecan.

Results: As shown through laser scanning microscopy, Ag-NP with a size of 80 nm (hydrodynamic diameter) were taken up into hMSCs as nanoparticulate material. After 24 h of incubation, these Ag-NP were mainly found in the endo-lysosomal cell compartment as agglomerated material. Cytotoxicity was observed for differentiated or undifferentiated hMSCs treated with high silver concentrations (≥20 µg·mL−1 Ag-NP; ≥1.5 µg·mL−1 Ag+ ions) but not with low-concentration treatments (≤10 µg·mL−1 Ag-NP; ≤1.0 µg·mL−1 Ag+ ions). Subtoxic concentrations of Ag-NP and Ag+ ions impaired the adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas chondrogenic differentiation was unaffected after 21 d of incubation. In contrast to aggrecan, the inhibitory effect of adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation was confirmed by a decrease in the secretion of specific biomarkers, including adiponectin (adipocytes) and osteocalcin (osteoblasts).

Conclusion: Aside from the well-studied antibacterial effect of silver, little is known about the influence of nano-silver on cell differentiation processes. Our results demonstrate that ionic or nanoparticulate silver attenuates the adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs even at non-toxic concentrations. Therefore, more studies are needed to investigate the effects of silver species on cells at low concentrations during long-term treatment.
Synthesis and characterization of a hyper-branched water-soluble β-cyclodextrin polymer
Authors: Trotta Francesco , Caldera Fabrizio , Cavalli Roberta , Mele Andrea , Punta Carlo , Melone Lucio , Castiglione Franca , Rossi Barbara , Ferro Monica , Crupi Vincenza , Majolino Domenico , Venuti Valentina , Scalarone Dominique
Published: November 2014

A new hyper-branched water-soluble polymer was synthesized by reacting β-cyclodextrin with pyromellitic dianhydride beyond the critical conditions that allow the phenomenon of gelation to occur. The molar ratio between the monomers is a crucial parameter that rules the gelation process. Nevertheless, the concentration of monomers in the solvent phase plays a key role as well. Hyper-branched β-cyclodextrin-based polymers were obtained performing the syntheses with excess of solvent and cross-linking agent, and the conditions for critical dilution were determined experimentally. A hyper-branched polymer with very high water solubility was obtained and fully characterized both as for its chemical structure and for its capability to encapsulate substances. Fluorescein was used as probe molecule to test the complexation properties of the new material.
Coéducation et mixité : la polémique sur la gémination des écoles publiques dans le premier tiers du XX e siècle
Authors: Verneuil Yves
Published: November 2014

Les « lois fondamentales » des années 1880 ont maintenu la séparation des sexes dans les écoles. Cependant, au début du XX e  siècle, les pouvoirs publics encouragent les géminations d’écoles rurales à une classe. En 1905, le congrès des amicales d’instituteurs et d’institutrices prône par ailleurs une politique volontariste de coéducation. Confondant volontiers les deux projets, certains milieux catholiques vont s’élever contre une politique scolaire jugée à la fois illégale et immorale. Est dénoncée une entreprise « maçonnique » dont la finalité serait d’enlever sa pudeur à la jeune fille et ainsi de l’arracher à l’Église. S’appuyant sur les prescriptions épiscopales, ce combat devient un des chevaux de bataille de l’Union des associations catholiques de chefs de famille et suscite des tensions locales. Même si des divergences finissent par apparaître dans le camp catholique, la loi de 1933 ne met pas fin à ces polémiques. Et pourtant, son but est bien plutôt d’améliorer l’efficacité pédagogique des petites écoles rurales que de remettre en cause les rapports de genre.
« Strikingly French ». Martinique, agitation ouvrière et politique métropolitaine au tournant du siècle
Authors: Church Christopher
Published: November 2014

En février 1900, la colonie de la Martinique a connu sa première grève générale, exploitée à Paris par la gauche comme par la droite dans leur lutte pour le contrôle de la Chambre des députés. Les socialistes y ont cherché des arguments dans leurs débats internes face au gouvernement de défense républicaine ; les modérés et réformistes se sont appuyés sur elle pour mettre en évidence les fautes administratives commises en métropole ; et la droite a saisi l’occasion de remettre en question le programme de République sociale et discréditer le gouvernement Waldeck-Rousseau. Il s’en est fallu de peu que ces troubles civils, générés par une économie sucrière déclinante sur l’île lointaine de Martinique, ne parviennent à provoquer la chute du gouvernement, sur fond de débats très vifs au sujet des conflits de travail. Comme le montre cet article, l’ancienne colonie de la Martinique et ses préoccupations sociales ont aussi participé et aidé à façonner une France fin-de-siècle en proie aux querelles parlementaires et confrontée à une demande croissante d’égalité sociale.
Active Learning Strategies: An illustrative approach to bring out better learning outcomes from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students
Authors: Srinath Adusumilli
Published: November 2014

Teaching in a Teacher centric manner has been the mainframe teaching style in engineering education, however students feel it as a single sided approach and feel they are only passive listeners thus this style has now paved way to a Learner centric style of teaching-learning which is ACTIVE LEARNING, wherein every student is actively involved in one or the other form of learning and thus gets a chance to develop the key aspects of the course either on their own or by being a member of an active-learning group. They thus not only learn and practice the course contents but also learn managerial and team skills which are of much importance in present scenario in regard to Industries and companies where these students will be ultimately hired as employees. Professional education is making one’s students ready for the profession which includes team work, management and technical skills, thus Active learning has emerged as a mainframe tool for cherishing this aim of professional education, especially Science, Technology, Engineering and Management (STEM) education. This paper aims to focus on a few facets of this active learning process and give an overview to the teaching faculty as well as students on what their individual roles must be like in this process for getting the most out of this process.
Interactive Whiteboard Use in High-Tech Science Classrooms: Patterns of Integration
Authors: Stroud Rena , Drayton Brian , Hobbs Kathryn , Falk Joni
Published: November 2014

Interactive whiteboard (IWB) use has been associated with increased student motivation, engagement, and achievement, though many studies ignore the role of the teacher in effecting those positive changes. The current study followed the practice of 28 high school science teachers as they integrated the IWB into their regular classroom activities. The extent of teachers’ adoption and integration fell along a continuum, from the technologically confident “early adopter” to the low-use “resistant adopter.” Patterns of use are explored by extracting data from representative teachers’ practice. Science-specific benefits of IWB use, barriers to integration, and lessons learned for professional development are discussed.
Comparative Study to Develop a Tool for the Quality Assessment of Serious Games Intended to be Used in Education
Authors: El Borji Yassine , Khaldi Mohamed
Published: November 2014

Serious games are present today in several fields such as education, government, health, defense, industry, civil security and science. In our research we are particularly interested in serious games used in education since they have become an essential part of the learning process and one of the main pedagogical tools used for diffusion of educational messages. So the use of serious games in an educational context can motivate students and stimulate their interest as they fit into a world they know and in which they feel comfortable. But the real issue is that they have not been exploited to their full potential in order to ensure efficient use in education.

This work tries to meet this issue. It is interested in contributing to the knowledge of serious games as well as to promote their use in educational field. Based on the metadata schema «SG-LOM» to formally describe serious games and other comparative study, we suggest examining pedagogical, Playful and Technical criteria to conduct this study which aims to develop an assessment and analysis grid of the quality of serious games intended to be used in educational field.
Moving towards Virtual Learning Clouds from Traditional Learning: Higher Educational Systems in India
Authors: Muniasamy Vasanthi , Ejalani Dr. Intisar Magboul , Anandhavalli Dr. M.
Published: November 2014

E-Learning has become an increasingly popular learning approach in higher Education institutions due to the rapid growth of Communication and Information Technology (CIT). In recent years, it has been integrated in many university programs and it is one of the new learning trends. But in many Indian Universities did not implement this novel technology in their Educational Systems. E-Learning is not intended to replace the traditional classroom setting, but to provide new opportunities and new virtual environment for interaction and communication between the students and teacher. E-Learning through Cloud is now becoming an interesting and very useful revolutionary technology in the field of education. E-Learning system usually requires huge amount of hardware and software resources. Due to the cost, many universities in India do not want to implement the E-Learning technology in their Educational system and they cannot afford such investments. Cloud Virtual Learning is the only solution for this problem. This paper presents the benefits of using cloud technology in E-Learning system, working mode, Services, Models. And also we discuss the cloud computing educational environment and how higher education may take advantage of clouds not only in terms of cost but also in terms of Security, flexibility, portability, efficiency and reliability. And also we present some educational clouds introduced by popular cloud providers.
Educational Communication in Virtual Worlds and Videoconference
Authors: Tapsis Nikolaos , Tsolakidis Konstantinos
Published: November 2014

During the last few years an increase of the offered distance learning programs is observed, resulting in a need for corresponding tools. Within this context, the present study examines comparatively Virtual Worlds and Videoconferencing, as supporting tools for the educational communication and dialogue in distance learning. Analysing media theories, in order to compare the two media, we observe that the virtual space itself, and its relationship with the user, could affect the educational communication and the educational activities from distance.
Leveraging Dynamic and Dependable Spreadsheets Focusing on Algebraic Thinking and Reasoning
Authors: Niess Margaret L.
Published: November 2014

Algebraic thinking and reasoning are important skills for students to develop as they transition from arithmetic to algebra. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics links these ideas through their mathematical practices where students make sense of mathematical problems, reason abstractly, model with mathematics, and use appropriate tools that engage them in algebraic thinking and reasoning. This chapter focuses on how a specific tool—the spreadsheet—supports students in building their understandings of spreadsheet features and capabilities while also engaging them in thinking more logically about numbers as needed in preparation for formal algebra. The challenge for teachers is to scaffold students' learning about and with spreadsheets as mathematics learning tools for exploring patterns, variables, and linear problems. This chapter describes this transition through multiple problems where students learn to design dynamic and dependable spreadsheets in ways that concurrently develop their algebraic reasoning and thinking through middle grades mathematics problems.
Local Lotto
Authors: Lim Vivian , Deahl Erica , Rubel Laurie , Williams Sarah
Published: November 2014

Local Lotto is a 14-session curriculum designed for high school students to learn mathematics through an examination of the local lottery. The curriculum is organized around investigations of how local lottery games are won, who plays, how many people play, and where lottery revenues and prizes are distributed. A web-based application is integrated into the curriculum to allow students to explore the lottery in their school neighborhood, examine local lottery data, and assemble and justify their own arguments about the lottery. In this chapter, the authors describe technology's role in shaping a rich curriculum that engages students in investigating a local phenomenon while also addressing the content and practices of the Common Core State Standards of Mathematics. The chapter concludes with an outline of the challenges of integrating custom technologies into mathematics curricula and provides recommendations for future work.
Students' Experiences Composing and Decomposing Two-Dimensional Shapes in First and Second Grade Mathematics Classrooms
Authors: Polly Drew , Hill Trisha , Vuljanic Tabitha
Published: November 2014

The composing and decomposing of geometric shapes is a building block in children's development of geometry and spatial reasoning. The Common Core State Standards in Mathematics focus and emphasize the need for students to build composite shapes from smaller shapes and break a geometric shape into smaller shapes. This chapter presents findings from an exploratory study that examined both teachers' and students' experiences working with shape puzzles. Inductive qualitative analysis of field notes and student work samples indicated that shape puzzles provided opportunities for students to develop a deeper understanding of spatial reasoning. In certain subgroups of students, the vocabulary terms related to students' work revealed a disconnection between students' work and their oral explanations of their processes. Implications for professional development and classroom implementation in light of the Common Core State Standards are shared.
Using New Technologies to Engage and Support English Language Learners in Mathematics Classrooms
Authors: Pritchard Robert , O'Hara Susan , Zwiers Jeff
Published: November 2014

An emerging body of research is demonstrating the potential of new technologies such as iPad and phone apps, wikis, blogs, podcasts and web-based editing tools for significantly improving the academic language development of English language learners. The authors of this chapter present an expanded definition of academic language, explain why these new technologies are important, and discuss how they can be used to provide effective and innovative mathematics instruction to English language learners. Three classroom vignettes demonstrate specific ways in which a variety of technologies can be implemented across grade levels to meet the Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Practice and Content.
The Port Lesson
Authors: Hodges Charles B. , Hipchen Edie R. , Newton Traci
Published: November 2014

The authors present a grade 5 mathematics lesson that resulted from a grant-funded teacher professional development experience, which promoted inquiry learning approaches such as problem-based, project-based, place-based learning, and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. A local industry was incorporated into the lesson to provide a real-world context. Design decisions and a description of how technology was utilized in the lesson are provided. Reflections from the teachers delivering the lesson and recommendations for adaptations for other contexts are included.
What Does Technology Bring to the Common Core Mathematical Practices?
Authors: Lassak Marshall
Published: November 2014

This chapter describes how technology can support the implementation of the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice. Example problems are provided with details about how dynamic technologies support problem exploration and students' development of the mathematical practices.
Utilizing Technology to Engage in Statistical Inquiry in Light of the Standards for Mathematical Practice
Authors: Browning Christine , Smith Dustin Owen
Published: November 2014

This chapter presents vignettes taken from a Probability and Statistics content course for elementary and middle school pre-service teachers. The vignettes are used to highlight issues when engaging students in statistical inquiry through technology use. Specifically, the authors address how particular Standards for Mathematical Practice should be understood differently from a perspective of statistical inquiry and how certain technological tools provide strong affordances for addressing these differences. The vignettes provide examples of what this could look like in a classroom by illustrating ways of attending to these practices in a statistical way through the use of technologies such as TinkerPlots®, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Interactive White Boards.
Teaching Fundamental Math Concepts
Authors: Wall Jennifer , Rogers Michael P.
Published: November 2014

The use of mobile devices such as iPads to improve mathematics teaching and learning is on the rise. Parents are using them to informally teach their children (Franklin, 2011), teachers are using them for drill and practice (Murray & Olcese, 2011), and even politicians and administrators are pushing for more use of mobile technologies in classrooms (Murray & Olcese, 2011). With the increased prominence of iPads in the classroom—by 2013 Apple had sold 8 million iPads directly to educational institutions (Etherington, 2013)—the need for well-designed apps has never been greater. In this chapter, the authors explore what makes a good app, what to do when you cannot find the app that you need, and discuss how to successfully deploy apps in the elementary school classroom.
Teaching and Learning the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics with Web 2.0 Tools
Authors: Hall Jeffrey , Bush Lucy , Lacefield William
Published: November 2014

With the initial implementation of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM) currently under way across much of the United States and the continuing evolution and expansion of educational technology, it is imperative that teachers not only understand the new Common Core content expectations but also know how to incorporate the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice using technological tools. As teacher educators of pre-service and in-service K-12 teachers, the authors have developed and utilized a variety of methods to introduce the CCSSM and technology tools to our students. Among these methods are a heavy emphasis on mathematical problem solving and the use of Web 2.0 tools, both by us and our students, to illustrate mathematical concepts, promote exploration, and assess understanding. Asking pre-service and in-service teachers to produce their own CCSSM-aligned Web 2.0 creations is an effective way to teach the new standards while introducing them to the latest technological tools. With technology becoming ever more vital in the teaching and learning of mathematics, it is essential that teachers develop expertise in promoting the CCSSM with the latest technological tools.
Time Domain Replica Signal Based Interference Compensation for SP-MIMO/OFDM with Large Delay Spread Channel
Authors: Sakaue Taichi , Ahn Chang-Jun , Omori Tatsuya , Hashimoto Ken-Ya
Published: November 2014

In mobile communications, MIMO-OFDM transmission performance suffers severe degradation caused by the large delay spread channel greater than guard interval (GI). This is because the excess delay results in considerable inter-symbol interference (ISI) between adjacent symbols and inter-carrier-interference (ICI) among subcarrier in the same symbol. In case of scattered pilot (SP), the interference of pilot signals causes the deterioration of channel estimation. To mitigate this problem, in this paper, we propose the interference compensation scheme using the time domain replica signals. We make the time domain replica signals from detected signals and the excess channel impulse responses over GI. After compensation of the time domain replica signals and the received signals, we recalculate the channel state information (CSI) and the CSI is updated. Finally, we carry out the channel compensation with updated CSI for obtaining accurate compensated signals.
Multiuser Diversity OFDMA using Power Priority Selection and Adaptive Clipping
Authors: Kuroha Akihiro , Ahn Chang-Jun , Omori Tatsuya , Hashimoto Ken-ya
Published: November 2014

In recent, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) has been used for a multiuser wireless communication. In a wireless network, the transmitted signal of each user has independent channel fluctuation characteristic. By using this characteristic, OFDMA can achieve the multiuser diversity (MUDiv). Until this time, to achieve a low complexity and performance improvement, the adaptive subcarrier block (ASB) and frequency symbol spreading (FSS) methods have been proposed. However, the system performance in a low Eb/N0 is worse than that of maximal sum capacity (MSC) and peak to average power ratio (PAPR) does not decrease greatly. To solve these problems, in this paper, we propose the subcarrier allocation with the power priority selection (PSS) and the adaptive clipping (AC) with the peak reduction signal to improve the system and PAPR performance.