bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgical Treatment of Displaced Supracondylar Pediatric Humerus Fractures: Comparison of Two Pinning Techniques
Authors: Pavone Vito , Riccioli Maria , Testa Gianluca , Lucenti Ludovico , De Cristo Claudia , Condorelli Giuseppe , Avondo Sergio , Sessa Giuseppe
Published: January 2016

The aim of this study is to report the results of the treatment of displaced supracondylar humerus fractures comparing two different techniques, crossed and lateral pins. We retrospectively reviewed 35 children hospitalized between May 2005 and December 2012. Patients were treated with two different pin configurations, crossed (Group 1) and lateral (Group 2). After surgery, clinical and radiographic evaluation was performed. Postoperatively, the clinical assessment showed recovery of joint function of the elbow. Radiographically, Group 1 showed a difference in the Baumann angle between the value of the injured limb and the normal angle of 5.3° ± 2.12°; in Group 2 the difference was 4.9° ± 2.82°. Complications: group 1, two cases of short paresthesia, one case of slight varus, mild asymmetry, and deficit to extension of the humerus and group 2, two cases of local infection and one of a slight hyperextension were reported. Both groups achieved a satisfying outcome with similar results in joint function recovery and complications.
Casting Alloy Design and Modification
Authors: Jarfors Anders
Published: January 2016

Castings and the cast metals are among the most important facets creating a foundation for modern life. [...]
Monitoring of Bainite Transformation Using in Situ Neutron Scattering
Authors: Nishijima Hikari , Tomota Yo , Su Yuhua , Gong Wu , Suzuki Jun-ichi
Published: January 2016

Bainite transformation behavior was monitored using simultaneous measurements of dilatometry and small angle neutron scattering (SANS). The volume fraction of bainitic ferrite was estimated from the SANS intensity, showing good agreement with the results of the dilatometry measurements. We propose a more advanced monitoring technique combining dilatometry, SANS and neutron diffraction.
Extremophiles in an Antarctic Marine Ecosystem
Authors: Dickinson Iain , Goodall-Copestake William , Thorne Michael , Schlitt Thomas , Ávila-Jiménez Maria , Pearce David
Published: January 2016

Recent attempts to explore marine microbial diversity and the global marine microbiome have indicated a large proportion of previously unknown diversity. However, sequencing alone does not tell the whole story, as it relies heavily upon information that is already contained within sequence databases. In addition, microorganisms have been shown to present small-to-large scale biogeographical patterns worldwide, potentially making regional combinations of selection pressures unique. Here, we focus on the extremophile community in the boundary region located between the Polar Front and the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current in the Southern Ocean, to explore the potential of metagenomic approaches as a tool for bioprospecting in the search for novel functional activity based on targeted sampling efforts. We assessed the microbial composition and diversity from a region north of the current limit for winter sea ice, north of the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Front (SACCF) but south of the Polar Front. Although, most of the more frequently encountered sequences were derived from common marine microorganisms, within these dominant groups, we found a proportion of genes related to secondary metabolism of potential interest in bioprospecting. Extremophiles were rare by comparison but belonged to a range of genera. Hence, they represented interesting targets from which to identify rare or novel functions. Ultimately, future shifts in environmental conditions favoring more cosmopolitan groups could have an unpredictable effect on microbial diversity and function in the Southern Ocean, perhaps excluding the rarer extremophiles.
Genetic Diversity and Association of EST-SSR and SCoT Markers with Rust Traits in Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.)
Authors: Yan Haidong , Zhang Yu , Zeng Bing , Yin Guohua , Zhang Xinquan , Ji Yang , Huang Linkai , Jiang Xiaomei , Liu Xinchun , Peng Yan , Ma Xiao , Yan Yanhong
Published: January 2016

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), is a well-known perennial forage species; however, rust diseases have caused a noticeable reduction in the quality and production of orchardgrass. In this study, genetic diversity was assessed and the marker-trait associations for rust were examined using 18 EST-SSR and 21 SCoT markers in 75 orchardgrass accessions. A high level of genetic diversity was detected in orchardgrass with an average genetic diversity index of 0.369. For the EST-SSR and SCoT markers, 164 and 289 total bands were obtained, of which 148 (90.24%) and 272 (94.12%) were polymorphic, respectively. Results from an AMOVA analysis showed that more genetic variance existed within populations (87.57%) than among populations (12.43%). Using a parameter marker index, the efficiencies of the EST-SSR and SCoT markers were compared to show that SCoTs have higher marker efficiency (8.07) than EST-SSRs (4.82). The results of a UPGMA cluster analysis and a STRUCTURE analysis were both correlated with the geographic distribution of the orchardgrass accessions. Linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed an average r2 of 0.1627 across all band pairs, indicating a high extent of linkage disequilibrium in the material. An association analysis between the rust trait and 410 bands from the EST-SSR and SCoT markers using TASSEL software revealed 20 band panels were associated with the rust trait in both 2011 and 2012. The 20 bands obtained from association analysis could be used in breeding programs for lineage selection to prevent great losses of orchardgrass caused by rust, and provide valuable information for further association mapping using this collection of orchardgrass.
Biochanin A Ameliorates Arsenic-Induced Hepato- and Hematotoxicity in Rats
Authors: Jalaludeen Abdulkadhar , Ha Woo , Lee Ran , Kim Jin , Do Jeong , Park Chankyu , Heo Young , Lee Won , Song Hyuk
Published: January 2016

Biochanin A (BCA) is a natural organic compound of the phytoestrogenic isoflavone class that has antioxidant and metal chelator properties in the presence of transition metal ions, however, its efficacy in animal models is still obscure. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the protective effects of BCA against arsenic-induced hepatic injury and hematotoxicity in rats. The results suggest that arsenic intoxicated rats showed significantly higher levels of plasma hepatic markers than normal control rats. Furthermore, an increase in lipid peroxidation with depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) occurred in the livers of rats exposed to arsenic. Administration of BCA (20 mg/kg·bw/day) and selenium (3 mg/kg·bw/day) resulted in a significant reversal of hepatic and oxidative stress markers in arsenic-intoxicated rats. A low dose of BCA (10 mg/kg·bw/day) did not show any preventive effect, while a high dose of BCA (40 mg/kg·bw/day) partially prevented all hepatotoxicity events. These biochemical perturbations were supported by histopathological observations of the liver. Our results suggest that administration of BCA (20 mg/kg·bw/day) attenuated the arsenic hepatotoxicity, a property that could contribute to the therapeutic approaches for chronic liver diseases.
The Protective Effects of Alisol A 24-Acetate from Alisma canaliculatum on Ovariectomy Induced Bone Loss in Vivo
Authors: Hwang Yun-Ho , Kang Kyung-Yun , Lee Sung-Ju , Nam Sang-Jip , Son Young-Jin , Yee Sung-Tae
Published: January 2016

Alisma canaliculatum is a herb commonly used in traditional Korean medicine, and has been shown in scientific studies to have antitumor, diuretic hepatoprotective, and antibacterial effects. Recently, the anti-osteoclastogenesis of alisol A 24-acetate from Alisma canaliculatum was investigated in vitro. However, the influence of alisol A 24-acetate on osteoporosis in animals has not been investigated. The present study was undertaken to investigate the anti-osteoporotic effect of alisol A 24-acetate on bone mass in ovariectomized (OVX) mice and to identify the mechanism responsible for its effects. OVX mice were treated daily with 0.5 or 2 μg/g of alisol A 24-acetate for a period of six weeks. It was found that these administrations significantly suppressed osteoporosis in OVX mice and improved bone morphometric parameters. The serum estradiol, bone alkaline phosphatase levels, regulatory T/Th17 cell numbers were significantly increased by alisol A 24-acetate as compared with untreated OVX mice. In addition, TRAP activity was inhibited by alisol A 24-acetate in OVX mice. These results suggest alisol A 24-acetate effectively prevents bone loss in OVX mice, and that it can be considered a potential therapeutic for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Antibacterial Activity of Alkaloid Fractions from Berberis microphylla G. Forst and Study of Synergism with Ampicillin and Cephalothin
Authors: Manosalva Loreto , Mutis Ana , Urzúa Alejandro , Fajardo Victor , Quiroz Andrés
Published: January 2016

Berberis microphylla is a native plant that grows in Patagonia and is commonly used by aboriginal ethnic groups in traditional medicine as an antiseptic for different diseases. The present study evaluated the antibacterial and synergistic activity of alkaloid extracts of B. microphylla leaves, stems and roots used either individually or in combination with antibiotics against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The in vitro antibacterial activities of leaf, stem and root alkaloid extracts had significant activity only against Gram-positive bacteria. Disc diffusion tests demonstrated that the root extract showed similar activity against B. cereus and S. epidermidis compared to commercial antibiotics, namely ampicillin and cephalothin, and pure berberine, the principal component of the alkaloid extracts, was found to be active only against S. aureus and S. epidermidis with similar activity to that of the root extract. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the alkaloid extracts ranged from 333 to 83 μg/mL, whereas minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) varied from 717 to 167 μg/mL. In addition, synergistic or indifferent effects between the alkaloid extracts and antibiotics against bacterial strains were confirmed.
GLP-2 Prevents Intestinal Mucosal Atrophy and Improves Tissue Antioxidant Capacity in a Mouse Model of Total Parenteral Nutrition
Authors: Lei Qiucheng , Bi Jingcheng , Wang Xinying , Jiang Tingting , Wu Chao , Tian Feng , Gao Xuejin , Wan Xiao , Zheng Huijun
Published: January 2016

We investigated the effects of exogenous glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) on mucosal atrophy and intestinal antioxidant capacity in a mouse model of total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Male mice (6–8 weeks old) were divided into three groups (n = 8 for each group): a control group fed a standard laboratory chow diet, and experimental TPN (received standard TPN solution) and TPN + GLP-2 groups (received TPN supplemented with 60 µg/day of GLP-2 for 5 days). Mice in the TPN group had lower body weight and reduced intestinal length, villus height, and crypt depth compared to the control group (all p < 0.05). GLP-2 supplementation increased all parameters compared to TPN only (all p < 0.05). Intestinal total superoxide dismutase activity and reduced-glutathione level in the TPN + GLP-2 group were also higher relative to the TPN group (all p < 0.05). GLP-2 administration significantly upregulated proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression and increased glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) abundance. Compared with the control and TPN + GLP-2 groups, intestinal cleaved caspase-3 was increased in the TPN group (all p < 0.05). This study shows GLP-2 reduces TPN-associated intestinal atrophy and improves tissue antioxidant capacity. This effect may be dependent on enhanced epithelial cell proliferation, reduced apoptosis, and upregulated GRP78 expression.
Defense Priming and Jasmonates: A Role for Free Fatty Acids in Insect Elicitor-Induced Long Distance Signaling
Authors: Li Ting , Cofer Tristan , Engelberth Marie , Engelberth Jurgen
Published: January 2016

Green leaf volatiles (GLV) prime plants against insect herbivore attack resulting in stronger and faster signaling by jasmonic acid (JA). In maize this response is specifically linked to insect elicitor (IE)-induced signaling processes, which cause JA accumulation not only around the damage site, but also in distant tissues, presumably through the activation of electrical signals. Here, we present additional data further characterizing these distal signaling events in maize. Also, we describe how exposure to GLV increases free fatty acid (fFA) levels in maize seedlings, but also in other plants, and how increased fFA levels affect IE-induced JA accumulation. Increased fFA, in particular α-linolenic acid (LnA), caused a significant increase in JA accumulation after IE treatment, while JA induced by mechanical wounding (MW) alone was not affected. We also identified treatments that significantly decreased certain fFA level including simulated wind and rain. In such treated plants, IE-induced JA accumulation was significantly reduced when compared to un-moved control plants, while MW-induced JA accumulation was not significantly affected. Since only IE-induced JA accumulation was altered by changes in the fFA composition, we conclude that changing levels of fFA affect primarily IE-induced signaling processes rather than serving as a substrate for JA.
Will Quantitative Proteomics Redefine Some of the Key Concepts in Skeletal Muscle Physiology?
Authors: Gizak Agnieszka , Rakus Dariusz
Published: January 2016

Molecular and cellular biology methodology is traditionally based on the reasoning called “the mechanistic explanation”. In practice, this means identifying and selecting correlations between biological processes which result from our manipulation of a biological system. In theory, a successful application of this approach requires precise knowledge about all parameters of a studied system. However, in practice, due to the systems’ complexity, this requirement is rarely, if ever, accomplished. Typically, it is limited to a quantitative or semi-quantitative measurements of selected parameters (e.g., concentrations of some metabolites), and a qualitative or semi-quantitative description of expression/post-translational modifications changes within selected proteins. A quantitative proteomics approach gives a possibility of quantitative characterization of the entire proteome of a biological system, in the context of the titer of proteins as well as their post-translational modifications. This enables not only more accurate testing of novel hypotheses but also provides tools that can be used to verify some of the most fundamental dogmas of modern biology. In this short review, we discuss some of the consequences of using quantitative proteomics to verify several key concepts in skeletal muscle physiology.
Differentiating among Four Arctic Tundra Plant Communities at Ivotuk, Alaska Using Field Spectroscopy
Authors: Bratsch Sara , Epstein Howard , Buchhorn Marcel , Walker Donald
Published: January 2016

Warming in the Arctic has resulted in changes in the distribution and composition of vegetation communities. Many of these changes are occurring at fine spatial scales and at the level of individual species. Broad-band, coarse-scale remote sensing methods are commonly used to assess vegetation changes in the Arctic, and may not be appropriate for detecting these fine-scale changes; however, the use of hyperspectral, high resolution data for assessing vegetation dynamics remains scarce. The aim of this paper is to assess the ability of field spectroscopy to differentiate among four vegetation communities in the Low Arctic of Alaska. Primary data were collected from the North Slope site of Ivotuk, Alaska (68.49°N, 155.74°W) and analyzed using spectrally resampled hyperspectral narrowbands (HNBs). A two-step sparse partial least squares (SPLS) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used for community separation. Results from Ivotuk were then used to predict community membership at five other sites along the Dalton Highway in Arctic Alaska. Overall classification accuracy at Ivotuk ranged from 84%–94% and from 55%–91% for the Dalton Highway test sites. The results of this study suggest that hyperspectral data acquired at the field level, along with the SPLS and LDA methodology, can be used to successfully discriminate among Arctic tundra vegetation communities in Alaska, and present an improvement over broad-band, coarse-scale methods for community classification.
Derivation of Sea Surface Wind Directions from TerraSAR-X Data Using the Local Gradient Method
Authors: Wang Yi-Ran , Li Xiao-Ming
Published: January 2016

Derivation of sea surface wind direction is a key step of sea surface wind retrieval from spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. This technical note describes an implementation of the Local Gradient (LG) method to derive sea surface wind directions at a scale of a few kilometers from X-band spaceborne SAR TerraSAR-X (TS-X) data in wide swath mode. The 180° ambiguity in the derived sea surface wind direction is automatically eliminated using a single reference wind direction from external data sources. Several typical cases acquired in the North Sea were presented to demonstrate the derivation of sea surface wind direction under different wind situations using this method. The derived sea surface wind direction were further compared to atmospheric model prediction results. In addition, a practical method is introduced to address ambiguity in the derived sea surface wind directions using the LG method in a typhoon case with rotating surface wind structure. By interpolating the derived wind directions at a scale of kilometers, sea surface wind speeds with a spatial resolution of 500 m are subsequently retrieved using the X-band SAR sea surface wind Geophysical Model Function (GMF). The approach accomplished by combining the LG method with the X-band GMF for deriving sea surface wind in high spatial resolution demonstrates its potential for operational service.
Examination of Surface Temperature Modification by Open-Top Chambers along Moisture and Latitudinal Gradients in Arctic Alaska Using Thermal Infrared Photography
Authors: Healey Nathan , Oberbauer Steven , Hollister Robert
Published: January 2016

Passive warming manipulation methodologies, such as open-top chambers (OTCs), are a meaningful approach for interpretation of impacts of climate change on the Arctic tundra biome. The magnitude of OTC warming has been studied extensively, revealing an average plot-level warming of air temperature that ranges between 1 and 3 °C as measured by shielded resistive sensors or thermocouples. Studies have also shown that the amount of OTC warming depends in part on location climate, vegetation, and soil properties. While digital infrared thermometers have been employed in a few comparisons, most of the focus of the effectiveness of OTC warming has been on air or soil temperature rather than tissue or surface temperatures, which directly translate to metabolism. Here we used thermal infrared (TIR) photography to quantify tissue and surface temperatures and their spatial variability at a previously unavailable resolution (3–6 mm2). We analyzed plots at three locations that are part of the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX)-Arctic Observing Network (AON-ITEX) network along both moisture and latitudinal gradients spanning from the High Arctic (Barrow, AK, USA) to the Low Arctic (Toolik Lake, AK, USA). Our results show a range of OTC surface warming from 2.65 to 1.27 °C (31%–10%) at our three sites. The magnitude of surface warming detected by TIR imagery in this study was comparable to increases in air temperatures previously reported for these sites. However, the thermal images revealed wide ranges of surface temperatures within the OTCs, with some surfaces well above ambient unevenly distributed within the plots under sunny conditions. We note that analyzing radiometric temperature may be an alternative for future studies that examine data acquired at the same time of day from sites that are in close geographic proximity to avoid the requirement of emissivity or atmospheric correction for validation of results. We foresee future studies using TIR photography to describe species-level thermodynamics that could prove highly valuable toward a better understanding of species-specific responses to climate change in the Arctic.
Intelligent Condition Diagnosis Method Based on Adaptive Statistic Test Filter and Diagnostic Bayesian Network
Authors: Li Ke , Zhang Qiuju , Wang Kun , Chen Peng , Wang Huaqing
Published: January 2016

A new fault diagnosis method for rotating machinery based on adaptive statistic test filter (ASTF) and Diagnostic Bayesian Network (DBN) is presented in this paper. ASTF is proposed to obtain weak fault features under background noise, ASTF is based on statistic hypothesis testing in the frequency domain to evaluate similarity between reference signal (noise signal) and original signal, and remove the component of high similarity. The optimal level of significance α is obtained using particle swarm optimization (PSO). To evaluate the performance of the ASTF, evaluation factor Ipq is also defined. In addition, a simulation experiment is designed to verify the effectiveness and robustness of ASTF. A sensitive evaluation method using principal component analysis (PCA) is proposed to evaluate the sensitiveness of symptom parameters (SPs) for condition diagnosis. By this way, the good SPs that have high sensitiveness for condition diagnosis can be selected. A three-layer DBN is developed to identify condition of rotation machinery based on the Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) theory. Condition diagnosis experiment for rolling element bearings demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed method.
A New Node Deployment and Location Dispatch Algorithm for Underwater Sensor Networks
Authors: Jiang Peng , Liu Jun , Ruan Binfeng , Jiang Lurong , Wu Feng
Published: January 2016

Considering that deployment strategies for underwater sensor networks should contribute to fully connecting the networks, a Guaranteed Full Connectivity Node Deployment (GFCND) algorithm is proposed in this study. The GFCND algorithm attempts to deploy the coverage nodes according to the greedy iterative strategy, after which the connectivity nodes are used to improve network connectivity and fully connect the whole network. Furthermore, a Location Dispatch Based on Command Nodes (LDBCN) algorithm is proposed, which accomplishes the location adjustment of the common nodes with the help of the SINK node and the command nodes. The command nodes then dispatch the common nodes. Simulation results show that the GFCND algorithm achieves a comparatively large coverage percentage and a fully connected network; furthermore, the LDBCN algorithm helps the common nodes preserve more total energy when they reach their destination locations.
Assessing the Blue and Green Water Footprint of Lucerne for Milk Production in South Africa
Authors: Scheepers Morne , Jordaan Henry
Published: January 2016

The Global Water Footprint Standard approach was used to calculate the volumetric blue and green water footprint indicator for lucerne production as important feed for dairy cows in a major lucerne production region in South Africa. The degree of sustainability of water use then was assessed by comparing water use to water availability for the region. The results show a volumetric water footprint indicator of 378 m3/tonne of lucerne. Of the total blue and green water footprint, 55% is green water footprint and 45% is blue water footprint. Thus, albeit in a major irrigation area of South Africa, the largest component of the total water requirement is met by effective rainfall. The assessment of sustainability of water use showed that the period when lucerne requires irrigation water furthermore corresponds to the period where the water scarcity index is smaller than 100%. The water footprint thus is considered sustainable from an environmental perspective. This research proves the benefit of using context specific data to assess the water footprint of a crop, and the importance of a sustainability assessment in a water footprint assessment to generate information useful for informing water users and managers towards sustainable freshwater use.
Life Cycle Assessment of Flat Roof Technologies for Office Buildings in Israel
Authors: Pushkar Svetlana
Published: January 2016

The goal of the current study was to evaluate the environmental damage from three flat roof technologies typically used in Israel: (i) concrete, (ii) ribbed slab with concrete blocks, and (iii) ribbed slab with autoclaved aerated blocks. The roofs were evaluated using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. The Production and Construction (P and C), Operational Energy (OE), and Maintenance to Demolition (MtoD) stages were considered. The roofs were modeled based on an office building module located in the four climate zones of Israel, and the hierarchical ReCiPe2008 Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) method was applied. The percent difference of one, which is the default methodological option of ReCiPe2008, and an ANOVA of the six methodological options of ReCiPe2008 were used. The results revealed that (i) in a hot climate, the best roof technology can be selected by considering only the OE stage, whereas in a mild climate, both the OE and P and C stages must be considered; (ii) in a hot climate, the best roof technology is a concrete roof, but in a mild climate, the best options are ribbed slab roofs with concrete blocks and autoclaved aerated blocks; and (iii) the conjugation of ReCiPe2008 with a two-stage nested ANOVA is the appropriate approach to evaluate the differences in environmental damage in order to compare flat roof technologies.
Utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process to Establish Weighted Values for Evaluating the Stability of Slope Revegetation based on Hydroseeding Applications in South Korea
Authors: Kil Sung-Ho , Lee Dong , Kim Jun-Hyun , Li Ming-Han , Newman Galen
Published: January 2016

The aim of this study was to identify the major variables identified as important for considering the stabilization of slope revegetation based on hydroseeding applications and evaluate weights of each variable using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with both environmental experts and civil engineers. Twenty-five variables were selected by the experts’ survey from a total of 65 from the existing literature, with each variable considered as an important factor for slope stabilization in South Korea. The final results from the AHP method showed that variables associated with the driving force of water resources showed higher values in all expert groups such as rain intensity, seepage water and drainage condition. Other important variables were related to plant growth such as vegetation community, vegetation coverage and quality of soil ameliorant produced in an artificial factory such as tensile strength, permeability coefficient, soil texture and organic matter. The five highest-ranked variables that satisfied both environmental experts and civil engineers were rain intensity, seepage water, slope angle, drainage condition and ground layer. The findings of this research could be helpful for developing a more accurate rating system to evaluate the stability of slope revegetation.
Inclusion and Implementation of Socio-Economic Considerations in GMO Regulations: Needs and Recommendations
Authors: Binimelis Rosa , Myhr Anne
Published: January 2016

Socio-economic considerations are included in the regulatory frameworks on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) of many countries. This is a reflection of an increasing interest in and recognition of the necessity to consider a broader range of issues when conducting a GMO risk assessment. At the same time, there are discussions about how socio-economic considerations can be identified and how their assessment can be carried out. To provide an understanding of the advances achieved so far, we describe the state of the art of existing biosafety institutional frameworks, legislation and policies with provisions on socio-economic considerations. We analyse the scope of the socio-economic considerations that have been included, the methodological options taken and the role of participatory processes and stakeholders involvement in the GMO-related decision-making. Since many of the countries that have legislation for assessing socio-economic considerations lack implementation experience, we provide an analysis of how implementation has evolved in Norway with the intention to illustrate that the inclusion of socio-economic considerations might be based on a learning process. Norway was the first country to include broader issues in its GMO assessment process, and is at present one of the countries with the most experience on implementation of these issues. Finally, we emphasise that there is a great need for training on how to perform assessments of socio-economic considerations, as well as reflection on possible ways for inclusion of participatory processes.
The Impact of Supervisory Board Composition on CSR Reporting. Evidence from the German Two-Tier System
Authors: Dienes Dominik , Velte Patrick
Published: January 2016

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting is becoming increasingly relevant in light of modern corporate governance. There is growing activity among empirical research in one-tier systems that considers the link between board composition and CSR reporting. This study is the first of its kind on the German two-tier system with special regard for the supervisory board. We analyze gender diversity, expertise, the presence of former managers, frequency of meetings, and the size of the supervisory board. Our multiple regressions indicate that gender diversity has a positive impact on CSR disclosure intensity, which is in line with prior studies on one-tier systems. Our findings have implications for both users and public policy and suggest that current European corporate governance regulations could help to increase the decision usefulness of CSR reporting.
Natural Abundance Isotopic Chirality in the Reagents of the Soai Reaction
Authors: Barabás Béla , Kurdi Róbert , Pályi Gyula
Published: January 2016

Isotopic chirality influences sensitively the enantiomeric outcome of the Soai asymmetric autocatalysis. Therefore magnitude and eventual effects of isotopic chirality caused by natural abundance isotopic substitution (H, C, O, Zn) in the reagents of the Soai reaction were analyzed by combinatorics and probability calculations. Expectable enantiomeric excesses were calculated by the Pars–Mills equation. It has been found that the chiral isotopic species formed by substitution in the otherwise achiral reagents provide enantiomeric excess (e.e.) levels that are higher than the sensitivity threshold of the Soai autocatalysis towards chiral induction. Consequently, possible chiral induction exerted by these e.e. values should be taken into account in considerations regarding the molecular events and the mechanism of the chiral induction in the Soai reaction.
Le Capcir : évolution récente d'un haut bassin des Pyrénées orientales
Authors: Lambert Roger
Published: January 2016

Après un long et lent déclin de l'économie sylvo-pastorale, le Capcir s'est orienté vers l'élevage laitier grâce à une coopérative. Mais la population, vieillie, diminue rapidement par émigration et déficit naturel. L'aménagement de routes forestières et le tourisme semblent intervenir trop tard pour sauver les plus petits villages.
Émigration et propriété foncière dans l'Aveyron
Authors: Béteille R.
Published: January 2016

Dans un département où l'exode rural exerce ses effets depuis un siècle, on pourrait s'attendre à une libération importante de terres par les émigrés. Or, ceux-ci conservent près de 60 000 ha. Il existe une opposition nette entre l'Est aveyronnais où l'emprise foncière des émigrés s'avère forte, et l'Ouest du département où les superficies qu'ils détiennent sont beaucoup plus modestes. D'après un dépouillement portant sur la période 1940-1945, 1 000 hectares par an, en moyenne, sont vendus par des émigrés dans l'ensemble du département.
Les appellations du vignoble bordelais
Authors: Roudié Philippe
Published: January 2016

Le vignoble girondin est à la fois un vignoble de masse et un vignoble de qualité : une quarantaine d'appellations contrôlées, dont certaines donnent des récoltes très abondantes, illustrent la richesse et la variété des vins girondins, d'autant plus que les classements isolent des crus prestigieux. Le viticulteur cherche ainsi en principe à produire le vin le plus coté possible, car la variation des prix est extraordinaire.
Le Bourgeais
Authors: Pinaud Anne-Marie
Published: January 2016

Dans le canton de Bourg-sur-Gironde, qui compte 10483 habitants, la vigne couvre 4 955 ha, soit 56% du sol. Les communes riveraines de la Dordogne et de la Gironde fournissent essentiellement des vins rouges, tandis que celles de l'intérieur produisent presque uniquement des vins blancs. Dans cette région où les petites propriétés sont les plus nombreuses et où les vins sont de qualité honnête, la coopération a connu un succès certain depuis les années 30 : toutefois 37 % seulement des exploitants ont adhéré aux coopératives.
Les problèmes économiques du vignoble d'Alméria
Authors: Abélanet Bernard
Published: January 2016

Dans le Sud-Est de l'Espagne, la province d'Almeria possède une culture en treille de la vigne (parral) qui fournit un raisin de table (ohánes) destiné essentiellement à l'exportation vers l'Europe, en particulier la Grande-Bretagne et les pays nordiques. Ce vignoble, créé vers 1850 par les négociants de Málaga, était d'abord de caractère montagnard, en rapport avec les possiblités d'irrigation et avec la pression démographique de l'intérieur de la province. La récolte de petits producteurs travaillant sur moins d'un hectare était commercialisée par des exportateurs qui expédiaient le raisin sur quelques grands marchés (Etats-Unis d'abord, Europe ensuite). L'apogée de l'exportation fut atteint en 1907 : 52000 tonnes (33703 tonnes en 1967).

Depuis 1950, la situation évolue rapidement et pose le problème aigu de l'avenir du vignoble traditionnel. A côté de celui-ci, reste à peu près figé dans ses structures du XIXe siècle, s'est en effet développé un nouveau vignoble littoral beaucoup plus moderne par ses techniques, ses structures agraires moins exiguës, son organisation commerciale. Ainsi, au moment même où se confirme, sur les marchés traditionnels de l'ohánes, la concurrence d'autres pays et d'autres vignobles (celui de Murcia), le vignoble montagnard apparaît bien défavorisé en face de son rival littoral. La vieille démocratie viticole de l'intérieur retrouvera-t-elle un dynamisme suffisant pour survivre ?
Age et nature de la formation dite «de Lannemezan»
Authors: Icole Michel
Published: January 2016

La formation de Lannemezan n'est pas homogène. Elle comprend d'une part, des séries qui coiffent sans solution de continuité le Pontien daté à Orignac, d'autre part, une nappe fluviatile en position d'emboîtement dans le dépôt précédent à la surface même du plateau. Cette alluvion a les caractères du premier épandage quaternaire connu dans la région.
Les causes météorologiques des crues de l'Agout entre 1950 et 1960
Authors: Viala René
Published: January 2016

Dans la période 1950-1960, l'étude des 19 crues principales de l'Agout (égales ou supérieures au triple du module mensuel) montre la prépondérance de la saison froide : décembre à mai, l'importance de la végétation et de la rétention dans le manteau superficiel (sols et altérites). En effet, bien que les plus forts abats d'eau se situent au printemps, les crues maximales ont lieu en hiver quand le manteau est saturé et la végétation en sommeil. Les plus fortes averses se produisent par. flux de S.-E. d'origine méditerranéenne (record de la période : 169 mm à Agoudet le 25-26 avril 1967), mais en raison des effets de foehn, elles ne s'étendent pas à tout le bassin versant. Les averses d'Ouest sont mieux réparties mais moins intenses. De là, une certaine modération du régime de l'Agout.
Résidences secondaires en milieu rural : l'exemple du bassin rouergat du Viaur
Authors: Béteille R.
Published: January 2016

Les Pays rouergats du Viaur offrent un bon exemple d'un milieu naturel sans attrait touristique majeur. Deux atouts cependant : leur position régionale assortie de facilités de circulation et l'aménagement récent des plans d'eau du Lévezou. Les résidents secondaires sont souvent des émigrés originaires du pays, mais la clientèle se diversifie. Un quart des propriétaires viennent de Paris, un quart de Rodez et de Millau, le reste comptant une majorité de Tarnais et de Languedociens. Du point de vue méthodologique, le calcul d'un taux de fonction résidentielle touristique et d'un indice de revenu résidentiel touristique permet de mieux apprécier la place des résidences secondaires en milieu rural. Pour définir ces dernières, on fait entrer en ligne de compte la contribution mobilière.
Méthodes morphologiques et morphostructurales appliquées à l'étude des réseaux hydrographiques du Bordelais
Authors: Vigneaux M. , Prud'homme Rémy
Published: January 2016

L'analyse de la représentation cartographique du relief doit permettre l'étude de la répartition des accidents structuraux superficiels ou profonds qui ont une influence sur les principaux caractères de la morphologie. La feuille au 1/100000 de Langon étudiée en ce sens a permis aux auteurs d'émettre une serie d'hypothèses sur des motifs structuraux à des niveaux différents. Si le tracé des réseaux hydrographiques définit les grandes lignes des formes tectoniques connues, la répartition des longueurs de vallées précise un schéma structural profond dont les traits essentiels sont l'existence de plis varisques et de cassures armoricaines.
Structures agraires et économie rurale du canton d'Aramits (Barétous)
Authors: Sottou Pierre
Published: January 2016

Le canton d'Aramits est un pays montagnard et rural où dominent la petite et la moyenne propriété (1-15 ha) en faire-valoir direct. Les propriétaires ajoutent quelques terres en fermage à leur exploitation (10-20 ha). L'habitat est très dispersé, souvent vétusté. L'élevage des bovins et des ovins constitue l'activité agricole principale. C'est généralement un élevage laitier pour la fabrication de fromage, hé à l'utilisation des prairies naturelles et à la transhumance d'été. Enfin, les vastes forêts communales fournissent un appoint financier aux municipalités. Le canton, dont la seule activité est agricole, se dépeuple encore aujourd'hui et cherche dans le tourisme un complément nécessaire.
L'appropriation foncière des Parisiens dans une région de villégiature : la Côte basque française
Authors: Laborde Pierre
Published: January 2016

La propriété parisienne sur la Côte basque est principalement constituée de biens de villégiature. D'une part, sur 2 580 propriétés, on n'en compte que 109 de plus de 6 ha, mais 1 809 ont moins d'un hectare et 497 sont des copropriétés. D'autre part, l'emprise est plus forte sur le littoral, le long duquel se crée progressivement une agglomération urbaine continue, que dans les campagnes de l'arrière-pays qui commencent à être gagnées elles aussi par l'urbanisation. La structure et la répartition de l'appropriation foncière des Parisiens sont dues au développement du mode de séjour touristique en résidence secondaire ou par location d'un logement meublé. Le rôle de villégiature de ces propriétés est confirmé par l'étude du domicile principal des propriétaires dans la région parisienne. Il se situe, en général, dans les secteurs de résidence aisée ou de classe moyenne : un peu moins des deux tiers des propriétaires domiciliés à Paris résident dans les cinq arrondissements de l'Ouest de la ville et près de la moitié de ceux qui sont domiciliés dans la banlieue résident dans la banlieue Ouest, dont un sur quatre à Neuilly-sur-Seine.
Observations sur le relief du socle hercynien des Pyrénées orientales
Authors: Birot P. , Guitard G.
Published: January 2016

Les granites circonscrits de l'étage supérieur du socle hercynien sont en creux par rapport aux calcaires et aux gneiss, ainsi qu'a l'auréole métamorphique, dans les régions périphériques des Pyrénées orientales ayant connu une phase de stabilité suffisante. Tout se passe comme si les roches métamorphiques possédaient une porosité initiale plus faible que celle des corps granitiques, qu'on interprète aujourd'hui comme d'origine magmatique.

Les modalités du soulèvement vertical du bloc Canigou-Carença ont été fortement influencées par le style et la direction des mouvements fini- hercyniens.
Différenciation verticale et horizontale des formations forestières des Pyrénées. Comparaison avec les Alpes, les Carpates et le Caucase
Authors: Plesnik Pavol
Published: January 2016

L'étagement de la végétation en montagne est un phénomène universel et prépondérant. Exclusif dans les petites montagnes, il est profondément influencé par la position géographique (latitude, exposition) et la structure orographique des grands massifs montagneux. L'A. conduit sa démonstration en comparant les mosaïques végétales des Pyrénées à celles des Alpes¡ des Carpates et du Caucase. La différenciation au niveau de la limite supérieure de la forêt a plus particulièrement retenu son attention.
La mutation de l'appareil commercial à Toulouse
Authors: Idrac Michel
Published: January 2016

Les établissements commerciaux de détail, nombreux et peu productifs, parfois mal situés par rapport au lieu de résidence des consommateurs sont concurrencés par des types nouveaux d'établissements : libres- services, hypermarchés constituant la pièce maîtresse de centres commerciaux, équipant quartiers périphériques et banlieue. Ceux-ci paraissent non seulement susceptibles de jouer un rôle inducteur dans le développement de l'urbanisation, mais encore de modifier considérablement la géographie commerciale de l'agglomération. Or, ils s'implantent hors des zones prévues pour le développement urbain. De la sorte, se trouvent posés de façon plus aiguë, les problèmes d'équilibre de développement de l'agglomération.
Les saisonniers étrangers dans l'agriculture du Lot-et-Garonne
Authors: Dalla-Rosa Gilbert
Published: January 2016

Since 1962, many foreign temporary migrant agricultural workers are employed in the department of Lot-et-Garonne, mainly in the lower valley of the Lot river : they pick fruits, french beans and various, vegetables. They generally come with their family, most of them from Andalusia (Spain). They can find some complementary jobs and are able to stay in Aquitaine from May to October. Their earnings allow them to improve their social status in their home country. On the other hand, their French employers profit from their work, even when they manage only small estates. For these reasons this type of seasonal migration is regularly growing. The workers from Morocco are employed in orchards where the peak season is shorter and the level of wages lower.
Insémination artificielle et élevage bovin sur les marges méridionales du Massif Central
Authors: Mergoil Guy
Published: January 2016

Diffusée à partir du centre de Soual (1949), l'insémination artificielle a d'abord conquis les plaines tarnaises puis le sud du Massif Central. Longtemps rapide, la progression s'est récemment ralentie mais le succès est général ; seuls demeurent partiellement réfractaires l'Aubrac et ses bordures, domaine des grands troupeaux et de la transhumance. Les femelles fécondées sont de races laitières (50%), rustiques (17%) ou issues de croisements (20 %) ; l'essentiel des semences (83 %) provient par contre de races à viande, principalement de taureaux limousins. Employée à l'origine pour l'amélioration du cheptel laitier, l'insémination a profondément évolué ; elle apparaît aujourd'hui au service du croisement industriel : 83 % des fécondations, donnent un animal croisé, presque toujours destiné à la boucherie ; 17 seulement sont pratiqués en race pure dans quelques îlots d'élevage laitier.
Lineage‐specific evolutionary rate in plants: Contributions of a screening for Cereus (Cactaceae)
Authors: Romeiro‐Brito Monique , Moraes Evandro M. , Taylor Nigel P. , Zappi Daniela C. , Franco Fernando F.
Published: January 2016

Premise of the study:

Predictable chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) sequences have been listed for the shallowest taxonomic studies in plants. We investigated whether plastid regions that vary between closely allied species could be applied for intraspecific studies and compared the variation of these plastid segments with two nuclear regions.

Methods:

We screened 16 plastid and two nuclear intronic regions for species of the genus Cereus (Cactaceae) at three hierarchical levels (species from different clades, species of the same clade, and allopatric populations).

Results:

Ten plastid regions presented interspecific variation, and six of them showed variation at the intraspecific level. The two nuclear regions showed both inter‐ and intraspecific variation, and in general they showed higher levels of variability in almost all hierarchical levels than the plastid segments.

Discussion:

Our data suggest no correspondence between variation of plastid regions at the interspecific and intraspecific level, probably due to lineage‐specific variation in cpDNA, which appears to have less effect in nuclear data. Despite the heterogeneity in evolutionary rates of cpDNA, we highlight three plastid segments that may be considered in initial screenings in plant phylogeographic studies.
Pure Motor Stroke Secondary to Cerebral Infarction of Recurrent Artery of Heubner after Mild Head Trauma: A Case Report
Authors: Yilmaz Ali , Kizilay Zahir , Ozkul Ayca , Ã‡irak Bayram
Published: January 2016

BACKGROUND: The recurrent Heubner's artery is the distal part of the medial striate artery. Occlusion of the recurrent artery of Heubner, classically contralateral hemiparesis with fasciobrachiocrural predominance, is attributed to the occlusion of the recurrent artery of Heubner and is widely known as a stroke syndrome in adults. However, isolated occlusion of the deep perforating arteries following mild head trauma also occurs extremely rarely in childhood.CASE REPORT: Here we report the case of an 11-year-old boy with pure motor stroke. The brain MRI showed an acute ischemia in the recurrent artery of Heubner supply area following mild head trauma. His fasciobrachial hemiparesis and dysarthria were thought to be secondary to the stretching of deep perforating arteries leading to occlusion of the recurrent artery of Heubner.CONCLUSION: Post-traumatic pure motor ischemic stroke can be secondary to stretching of the deep perforating arteries especially in childhood.
Intérêts cliniques et vertus positionnelles de l’Approche centrée sur la personne dans le cadre d’expertises pénales de victimes
Authors: Alleaume Baptiste
Published: January 2016

Constatant plusieurs points d’incompatibilité entre le cadre de l’expertise pénale et l’Approche centrée sur la personne, l’article rend compte d’un cheminement théorique et surtout d’une expérimentation clinique pour adapter les fondements de l’approche rogerienne à cet exercice si particulier. Une fois les divergences posées et considérées, l’auteur met en évidence les intérêts non négligeables de l’utilisation de l’Approche centrée sur la personne dans le cadre d’expertise sur victime, car elle permet, en plus de changer en profondeur la pratique clinique de ce type de mesure, de lutter contre une relation centrée sur la victime en tant qu’objet d’étude, au profit d’une dynamique centrée sur la personne en tant qu’être complexe.