bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Origine culturelle et réception théâtrale : étude du public de Trois de Mani Soleymanlou
Authors: Bellemare Ariane
Published: August 2017

À partir d’entretiens semi-dirigés réalisés avec des spectateurs de la pièce Trois de Mani Soleymanlou, cet article tente de comprendre comment l’origine culturelle module la réception d’une pièce de théâtre. En outre, l’auteure analyse la façon dont un objet culturel, à savoir une pièce de théâtre, provoque un échange intraculturel réussi et contribue à engendrer un changement positif dans la société.
Bonnière, René. Le miracle de la Chasse-Galerie
Authors: Rue Emilienne
Published: August 2017

compte rendu
Millette, Dominique. Car les dieux sont avec nous. Trois novellas
Authors: Bonifaci Gabrielle
Published: August 2017

compte rendu
Matei, Cristina-Ioana. Problématique de l’identité littéraire. Devenir écrivain français. Andreï Makine, Vassilis Alexakis, Milan Kundera, Amin Maalouf
Authors: Oktapoda Efstratia
Published: August 2017

compte rendu
Les lettres chinoises de Ying Chen: un roman épistolaire
Authors: Oore Irène
Published: August 2017

Ying Chen publie Les Lettres chinoises chez Leméac en 1993. Six ans plus tard, en 1999, paraît toujours chez Leméac, une seconde version, considérablement remaniée. Notre étude porte sur la version remaniée, mais nous entendons discuter brièvement du remaniement lui-même.
Le Livre d’entre les lignes d’un discours amoureux
Authors: Bouraoui Hédi
Published: August 2017

Dans La Femme d’entre les lignes, le roman donne à voir, non seulement la création elle-même en train de se faire, donc sa poïétique, mais aussi sa lecture, son inspiration, sa réception, sa production symbolique et matérielle. En somme, tous les adjuvants du faire d’un livre qui concourent à sa substantifique moelle.
Beckett palimpseste de Proust ou la réécriture par déni
Authors: Dachraoui Sophia
Published: August 2017

On démontrera que Beckett refuse l’écriture proustienne qu’il juge stéréotypée et que, cependant, cette négation s’affirme à travers la réécriture même du texte proustien. En effet, à travers l’allusion, la transformation et l’imitation, Beckett récrit Proust d’une manière à la fois formelle et thématique en variant les modalités d’ « hypertextualité ». Aussi a-t-on adopté la double perspective transformationnelle et relationnelle de l’hypertextualité, telle que Genette la définit dans son livre fondateur Palimpsestes.
Accord ou invariabilité du participe passé : les règles problématiques
Authors: Farid Georges
Published: August 2017

L’objectif de cette recherche descriptive est d’identifier, dans la multitude des règles du participe passé, celles qui présentent des cas problématiques. Par « problématique », il faut entendre les règles où existe une certaine flexibilité dans leur utilisation. Même si l’identification de ces règles est louable en soi, notre objectif ultime est non seulement de mettre en relief ces règles, mais aussi de cerner le pourquoi de cette flexibilité et ses conséquences dans la pratique évaluative, notamment dans le contexte scolaire.

Après l’analyse des règles du participe passé dans moult
DES ACCENTS ÉTRANGERS AUX ABORDS DE L’UTOPIE BROSSARDIENNE
Authors: Boulanger Ghislaine
Published: August 2017

Cet article analyse l’analogie entre une langue sexiste et une langue étrangère, et démontre comment cette

comparaison met en jeu des dimensions identitaires qui seront progressivement refoulées aux frontières de l’utopie

féministe imaginée par Nicole Brossard. Cette étude met en relief certains problèmes d’exclusion reliés à la

disparition symbolique de l’accent, tels que l’effacement de l’identité juive dans le roman Picture theory.
Non-lieux et déterritorialisation, tropicalisation et reterritorialisation dans Passages d’Émile Ollivier et Chronique de la dérive douce de Dany Laferrière
Authors: Satyre Joubert
Published: August 2017

Dans les littératures migrantes, l’espace est souvent un lieu de passage, hostile et vide de toute dimension humaine. Pour (re)trouver ses repères, le personnage migrant doit reconfigurer ce « non-lieu» qu’est le pays d’accueil, au risque d’en faire le terrain d’un conflit irrésolu entre deux cultures. Parfois, l’espace de la migration se mue alors en théâtre de l’entre-deux. Cet article tente d’analyser les processus

de reterritorialisation de l’espace de la migration dans Passages d’Émile Ollivier et Chronique de la dérive

douce de Dany Laferrière, en partant de l’hypothèse qu’il y a des liens entre non-lieux et déterritorialisation ainsi qu’entre tropicalisation et reterritorialisation.
Identité plurielle ou identité de synthèse : La question du métissage chez Patrick Chamoiseau et Henri Lopes
Authors: Camara El hadji
Published: August 2017

Le métissage, culturel ou biologique, semble être la chose la mieux partagée entre les peuples. Il en

résulte des identités multiples ou plurielles qui font l’objet de traitements divers par des auteurs comme

Patrick Chamoiseau ou Henri Lopes. En effet, l’identité plurielle serait l’appropriation par l’individu ou la

collectivité de plusieurs éléments culturels. Il semble cependant qu’il est davantage question d’hybridation

et non de juxtaposition d’identités distinctes. À partir d’une lecture ponctuelle de deux romans de ces

deux écrivains précités, il s’agira de mettre en relief un tel processus d’appropriation identitaire qui aboutit

à la formation d’une identité de synthèse.
POUR ÉCRIRE UNE HISTOIRE LITTÉRAIRE : L’EXEMPLE DE CALELHON
Authors: Parayre Catherine
Published: August 2017

l’histoire littéraire est une discipline à

part entière, qui, à ce titre, mérite l’attention. En particulier, et c’est ce qui nous intéressera ici, la situation des

langues minoritaires soulève des questions qui révèlent combien il est important de produire une histoire de la

littérature.
Appel d'articles
Authors: Voix plurielles Rédaction
Published: August 2017

_Voix plurielles_ 8.2 (2011)
Histoires de pionniers français dans l’Ouest canadien : le cas d’Un héros malgré lui de Marcel Durieux
Authors: Rao Sathya , Lacroix Denis
Published: August 2017

Traditionnellement délaissés par les littéraires, les récits pionniers se trouvent généralement rapportés au genre du journal ou de la chronique. C’est notamment le cas d’Un héros malgré lui de Marcel Durieux dont les préfaciers, Roger Motut et Maurice Legris, louent le style à la fois simple et concret. À contre-courant de cette lecture, nous montrerons que le texte de Marcel Durieux est travaillé par une ambition romanesque qui se manifeste à la fois par la construction d’une temporalité complexe, le désir de restituer la diversité culturelle et linguistique de la société pionnière et enfin le recours fréquent aux métalepses. En somme, il s’avère pertinent de considérer ce type de récits comme des textes romanesques susceptibles d’enrichir le patrimoine littéraire de la francophonie de l’Ouest.
Espace de la présence et de l'absence : un écho mallarméen dans _L'inauguration de la salle des vents_ de Renaud Camus
Authors: Falangola Chiara
Published: August 2017

Cet article étudie les échos de l’intertexte du Tombeau de Verlaine dans L’Inauguration de la salle des Vents (2003) de l’auteur français Renaud Camus. Après un aperçu des résonances mallarméennes au niveau des espaces textuels du roman, une analyse de la poétique absence-présence se fraie un passage à travers ce roman complexe et poétique, qui, sur un ton élégiaque, écrit le récit de la perte, de la mémoire et de l’écriture.
Sourcière ou sorcière ? Archétypes et représentations des mères dans des écrits féminins contemporains des îles de l'Océan indien
Authors: Treilles Johanna
Published: August 2017

Cet article s’interroge sur les représentations des personnages des mères dans des écrits féminins de la Réunion, de Maurice et de Madagascar. En se focalisant sur les figures apparemment contradictoires de la Sourcière et de la Sorcière nous montrerons l’ambivalence de ces mères, puissantes par la relation qu’elles entretiennent avec la Nature mais soumises à des valeurs patriarcales qui les confortent dans des rôles de victimes. Face à cette réification des mères, l’écriture et la parole apparaissent dès lors comme des moyens de se réapproprier son corps, sa voix, sa vie.
Double appel d'articles / 9.1 (2012)
Authors: Voix plurielles Rédaction
Published: August 2017

Appel d'articles
Tragédie et comédie : deux représentations de la pauvreté et de la marginalité dans le théâtre acadien contemporain
Authors: Bourque Denis
Published: August 2017

Le théâtre acadien contemporain est né de façon fulgurante avec une mise en scène à la fois tragique et comique de la pauvreté et de la marginalité sociale. Pour la première fois en Acadie, Antonine Maillet, dans Les Crasseux et La Sagouine : Pièce pour une femme seule, donnait, dans leur langage propre, la parole aux miséreux, aux exclus, aux parias de la société. Cette représentation de la pauvreté et de la marginalité comme étant à la fois tragique et comique s’est poursuivie dans le théâtre acadien. On la retrouve dans la pièce Le Djibou de Laval Goupil, par exemple, créée en 1975 et réécrite pour une nouvelle représentation en 1997 sous le titre de Le Djibou ou l’Ange déserteur. Dans les années 2000, Herménégilde Chiasson et Marcel-Romain Thériault reprendront ce thème de la pauvreté et de la marginalité en Acadie, Chiasson le fait de façon directe et comique dans Laurie ou la vie de galerie (2002), puis de façon tragique dans Le Christ est apparu au Gun Club (2005) ; Thériault, pour sa part, n’accorde la parole à ceux-ci que de façon indirecte et tragique dans Le filet : Une tragédie maritime (2009).
Marguerite Andersen et le moi en l’absence de l’autre : De mémoire de femme
Authors: Tennier Julie
Published: August 2017

Depuis la fin du XXe siècle, les recherches menées sur l’autobiographie et l’autofiction soulignent les effets du discours postmoderne sur la notion d’identité. Chez Marguerite Andersen, romancière franco-ontarienne d’origine allemande, qui se représente dans quatre livres – le roman « semi-autobiographique » De mémoire de femme, le récit autobiographique Parallèles, la prose poétique Bleu sur blanc et le roman autobiographique Le figuier sur le toit – de même que dans certaines nouvelles des Crus de l’Esplanade, cette construction s’avère être un processus dynamique et créatif de mise au monde de soi. Nous nous pencherons sur De mémoire de femme pour explorer comment l’éloignement de différentes figures d’altérité à un moment particulier dans la vie de la protagoniste incite chez elle le désir de se raconter et d’ajuster en quelque sorte son tir en ce qui concerne son identité. À l’aide des théories énoncées par Éric Landowski, Charles Taylor et Julia Kristeva, nous verrons comment l’exercice narratif est mis en branle par le déséquilibre provoqué par l’absence de l’autre que l’écrivaine cherche à combler dans le but de s’épanouir.
L’Allier, Louis. Les cendres de l’Etna
Authors: Lofthouse Tessa
Published: August 2017

L’Allier, Louis. Les cendres de l’Etna. Compte rendu
Notice bio-bibliographique de Pierre Vernet
Authors: Torterat Frédéric
Published: August 2017

Cette notice établit une courte biographie de l'universitaire haïtien Pierre Vernet en fournissant des informations bibliographiques telles qu'elles ont pu être rassemblées dans le courant de l'année 2011. Elle ouvre le dossier de Voix Plurielles qui, à travers différents articles, rend hommage à notre collègue, homme de cœur et grand militant, disparu lors du séisme de janvier 2010.
Pharmacology learning in Nepal and the Caribbean
Authors: Shankar Pathiyil Ravi
Published: August 2017

Not available. Janaki Medical College Journal of Medical Sciences (2017) Vol. 5(1): 1-4
Vitiligo Management- An Update
Authors: Sarkar Sumitendra Kumar , Sen Krishna Gopal , Mostofa Md Kamal
Published: August 2017

Vitiligo is an acquired, often progressive disorder of hypopigmentation. A lot of research has been conducted during the years yet its exact etiology still remains elusive. As a result even after so many years, there is no ideal treatment for vitiligo. Treatment options such as Narrowband Ultraviolet B (NB-UVB), Targeted Phototherapy, and Excimer laser on the medical front, in addition to epidermal cell transplantation and melanocyte culture transplants on the surgical front, have all revolutionized the management of this psychologically devastating disease.Faridpur Med. Coll. J. Jan 2017;12(1): 34-39
Stated Preferences for Dog Characteristics and Sources of Acquisition
Authors: Bir Courtney , Widmar Nicole , Croney Candace
Published: August 2017

People’s preferences for where they acquire dogs and the characteristics they focus on may provide insight into their perceptions of socially responsible pet ownership, as acquiring a dog is the first step in dog ownership. An online survey of 1523 U.S. residents was used to aid understanding of public perceptions of dog acquisition. Likert-scale questions allowed respondents to assign a level of agreement, within the given scale, to ten statements related to dog acquisition. A significantly higher percentage of women (39.6%) than men (31.7%) agreed that the only responsible way to acquire a dog is through a shelter/rescue. More women (71.3%) than men (66.4%), as well as those with a higher household income (71%), identified source as important. Best-worst methodology was used to elicit perceptions regarding the most/least ethical ways to acquire a dog. Three subgroups were identified, one of which had an overwhelmingly large preference share (96%) for adoption. The second group had more evenly distributed preference shares amongst the various dog acquisition methods, while the third indicated a preference for “homeless” pets. Additional investigation of the values/beliefs underlying the preferences of these groups is necessary to design appropriately tailored companion animal-focused communication strategies for these different groups.
Effects of Vibration on the Electrical Performance of Lithium-Ion Cells Based on Mathematical Statistics
Authors: Zhang Lijun , Ning Zhansheng , Peng Hui , Mu Zhongqiang , Sun Changyan
Published: August 2017

Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly used in mobile applications where mechanical vibrations and shocks are a constant companion. There is evidence both in the academic and industrial communities to suggest that the electrical performance and mechanical properties of the lithium-ion cells of an electric vehicle (EV) are affected by the road-induced vibration. However, only a few studies related to the effects of vibration on the degradation of electrical performance of lithium-ion batteries have been approached. Therefore, this paper aimed to investigate the effects of vibration on the DC resistance, 1C capacity and consistency of NCR18650BE lithium-ion cells. Based on mathematical statistics, the method changes of the DC resistance and the capacity of the cells both before and after the test were analyzed with a large sample size. The results identified that a significant increase in DC resistance was observed as a result of vibration at the 95% confidence level, while typically a reduction in 1C capacity was also noted. In addition, based on a multi-feature quantity, a clustering algorithm was adopted to analyze the effect of vibration on cell consistency; the results show that the cell consistency had deteriorated after the vibration test.
The Role of Functional Amyloids in Multicellular Growth and Development of Gram-Positive Bacteria
Authors: Dragoš Anna , Kovács Ákos T. , Claessen Dennis
Published: August 2017

Amyloid fibrils play pivotal roles in all domains of life. In bacteria, these fibrillar structures are often part of an extracellular matrix that surrounds the producing organism and thereby provides protection to harsh environmental conditions. Here, we discuss the role of amyloid fibrils in the two distant Gram-positive bacteria, Streptomyces coelicolor and Bacillus subtilis. We describe how amyloid fibrils contribute to a multitude of developmental processes in each of these systems, including multicellular growth and community development. Despite this variety of tasks, we know surprisingly little about how their assembly is organized to fulfill all these roles.
An Affordable Microsphere-Based Device for Visual Assessment of Water Quality
Authors: Rajwani Azra , Restall Brendon , Muller Nathan J. , Roebuck Scott , Willerth Stephanie M.
Published: August 2017

This work developed a prototype of an affordable, long-term water quality detection device that provides a visual readout upon detecting bacterial contamination. This device prototype consists of: (1) enzyme-releasing microspheres that lyse bacteria present in a sample, (2) microspheres that release probes that bind the DNA of the lysed bacteria, and (3) a detector region consisting of gold nanoparticles. The probes bind bacterial DNA, forming complexes. These complexes induce aggregation of the gold nanoparticles located in the detector region. The nanoparticle aggregation process causes a red to blue color change, providing a visual indicator of contamination being detected. Our group fabricated and characterized microspheres made of poly (ε-caprolactone) that released lysozyme (an enzyme that degrades bacterial cell walls) and hairpin DNA probes that bind to regions of the Escherichia coli genome over a 28-day time course. The released lysozyme retained its ability to lyse bacteria. We then showed that combining these components with gold nanoparticles followed by exposure to an E. coli-contaminated water sample (concentrations tested—106 and 108 cells/mL) resulted in a dramatic red to blue color change. Overall, this device represents a novel low-cost system for long term detection of bacteria in a water supply and other applications.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Neurofeedback Training in the Context of Clinical and Social Neuroscience
Authors: Orndorff-Plunkett Franklin , Singh Fiza , Aragón Oriana , Pineda Jaime
Published: August 2017

Social neuroscience benefits from the experimental manipulation of neuronal activity. One possible manipulation, neurofeedback, is an operant conditioning-based technique in which individuals sense, interact with, and manage their own physiological and mental states. Neurofeedback has been applied to a wide variety of psychiatric illnesses, as well as to treat sub-clinical symptoms, and even to enhance performance in healthy populations. Despite growing interest, there persists a level of distrust and/or bias in the medical and research communities in the USA toward neurofeedback and other functional interventions. As a result, neurofeedback has been largely ignored, or disregarded within social neuroscience. We propose a systematic, empirically-based approach for assessing the effectiveness, and utility of neurofeedback. To that end, we use the term perturbative physiologic plasticity to suggest that biological systems function as an integrated whole that can be perturbed and guided, either directly or indirectly, into different physiological states. When the intention is to normalize the system, e.g., via neurofeedback, we describe it as self-directed neuroplasticity, whose outcome is persistent functional, structural, and behavioral changes. We argue that changes in physiological, neuropsychological, behavioral, interpersonal, and societal functioning following neurofeedback can serve as objective indices and as the metrics necessary for assessing levels of efficacy. In this chapter, we examine the effects of neurofeedback on functional connectivity in a few clinical disorders as case studies for this approach. We believe this broader perspective will open new avenues of investigation, especially within social neuroscience, to further elucidate the mechanisms and effectiveness of these types of interventions, and their relevance to basic research.
A Full Frequency-Dependent Cable Model for the Calculation of Fast Transients
Authors: Hoshmeh Abdullah , Schmidt Uwe
Published: August 2017

The calculation of frequency-dependent cable parameters is essential for simulations of transient phenomena in electrical power systems. The simulation of transients is more complicated than the calculation of currents and voltages in the nominal frequency range. The model has to represent the frequency dependency and the wave propagation behavior of cable lines. The introduced model combines an improved subconductor method for the determination of the frequency-dependent parameters and a PI section wave propagation model. The subconductor method considers the skin and proximity effect in all conductors for frequency ranges up to few megahertz. The subconductor method method yields accurate results. The wave propagation part of the cable model is based on a cascaded PI section model. A modal transformation technique has been used for the calculation in the time domain. The frequency-dependent elements of the related modal transformation matrices have been fitted with rational functions. The frequency dependence of cable parameters has been reproduced using a vector fitting algorithm and has been implemented into an resistor-inductor-capacitor network (RLC network) for each PI section. The proposed full model has been validated with measured data.
Incorporating Intermediate-Severity Disturbances in Oak Stand Development
Authors: Hart Justin , Cox Lauren
Published: August 2017

We propose a conceptual framework for the development of closed canopy oak (Quercus) stands that incorporates the influence of intermediate-severity canopy disturbance events, provides for the possibility of multiple developmental pathways, and does not narrowly define an endpoint given the stochastic nature of natural disturbances. The proposed model differs from the current oak stand development model in three primary ways. First, our proposed model acknowledges more than one mixed stage of development after an intermediate-severity disturbance based on the pre-disturbance condition and disturbance agent. Second, we suggest that these discrete mixed stages may progress in their development along different pathways and stands may be structurally dissimilar when they reach the complex stage. Third, we contend that the complex stage of development in oak stands is not usually achieved in the absence of the mixed stage because the return interval of these events is shorter than the period required for oak stands to reach the complex developmental stage via gap-phase processes alone. Our proposed framework for oak stand development should aid decision making in oak-dominated systems.
Projected Future Distribution of Tsuga canadensis across Alternative Climate Scenarios in Maine, U.S
Authors: Dunckel Kathleen , Weiskittel Aaron , Fiske Greg
Published: August 2017

Climate change is having an impact on forest ecosystems around the world and is expected to alter the suitable habitat of individual tree species. Forest managers require resources about potential impacts of climate change at the regional scale to aid in climate mitigation efforts. By understanding the geographic distribution of changes in suitable habitat, migration corridors can be identified for conservation and active management. With the increased availability of climate projection data, ancillary Geographic Information Systems data, and field observations, modeling efforts at the regional scale are now possible. Here, we modeled and mapped the continuous distribution of Tsuga canadensis throughout the state of Maine at the regional scale(30 m) with high precision (89% of pixels had a coefficient of variation ≤ 4.0%). The random forest algorithm was used to create a strong prediction of suitable habitat for the years 2050 and 2100 from both high and low emission climate projections. The results clearly suggest a significant gain in suitable habitat for Tsuga canadensis range with a general northwest expansion.
Dynamic Changes of Pectin Epitopes in Cell Walls during the Development of the Procambium–Cambium Continuum in Poplar
Authors: Liu Jundi , Hou Jie , Chen Huimin , Pei Keliang , Li Yi , He Xin-Qiang
Published: August 2017

The change of pectin epitopes during procambium–cambium continuum development was investigated by immunolocalization in poplar. The monoclonal antibody JIM5 labels homogalacturonan (HGA) with a low degree of esterification, and the monoclonal antibody JIM7 labels HGA with a high degree of methyl-esterification. Arabinan, rather than galactan, and HGA with low degree of esterification were located in the cell walls of procambial, while HGA with a low degree of esterification was located in the tangential walls, and galactan was located in both the tangential and radial walls of procambial, yet nearly no arabinan was located in the tangential walls of the cambial cells. The changes in pectin distribution took place when periclinal divisions appeared within a procambial trace. The distribution difference of pectin epitopes was also present in procambium–cambium derivatives. The arabinan existed in all cell walls of primary xylem, but was absent from the tangential walls of secondary xylem cells. The galactan existed only in mature primary phloem. Furthermore, 19 pectin methylesterases (PMEs) genes were identified by RNA sequencing, six genes presented highly differentially and were supposed to be involved in the cell wall esterification process. The results provide direct evidence of the dynamic changes of pectin epitopes during the development of the procambium–cambium continuum in poplar.
Protection for Privacy under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Authors: Weber Mark
Published: August 2017

Article 22 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) protects personal and family privacy and reputation. This paper examines the antecedents of the CRPD privacy article in other international instruments and selected domestic law. It traces the history of the article through the deliberations that led up to the final version of the CRPD, which has now been ratified by 173 nations. It analyzes the text of the article and discusses its limited administrative and judicial applications. Finally, it describes the article’s place in current thinking about disability human rights.
Qigong Exercises for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Putiri Amy , Close Jacqueline , Lilly Harold , Guillaume Nathalie , Sun Guan-Cheng
Published: August 2017

Background: The purpose of this article is to clarify and define medical qigong and to identify an appropriate study design and methodology for a large-scale study looking at the effects of qigong in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), specifically subject enrollment criteria, selection of the control group and study duration. Methods: A comprehensive literature review of English databases was used to locate articles from 1980–May 2017 involving qigong and T2DM. Control groups, subject criteria and the results of major diabetic markers were reviewed and compared within each study. Definitions of qigong and its differentiation from physical exercise were also considered. Results: After a thorough review, it was found that qigong shows positive effects on T2DM; however, there were inconsistencies in control groups, research subjects and diabetic markers analyzed. It was also discovered that there is a large variation in styles and definitions of qigong. Conclusions: Qigong exercise has shown promising results in clinical experience and in randomized, controlled pilot studies for affecting aspects of T2DM including blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, weight, BMI and insulin resistance. Due to the inconsistencies in study design and methods and the lack of large-scale studies, further well-designed randomized control trials (RCT) are needed to evaluate the ‘vital energy’ or qi aspect of internal medical qigong in people who have been diagnosed with T2DM.
Culturing Toxic Benthic Blooms: The Fate of Natural Biofilms in a Microcosm System
Authors: Di Pippo Francesca , Congestri Roberta
Published: August 2017

A microcosm designed for culturing aquatic phototrophic biofilms on artificial substrata was used to perform experiments with microphytobenthos sampled during summer toxic outbreaks of Ostreopsis cf. ovata along the Middle Tyrrhenian coast. This dynamic approach aimed at exploring the unique and complex nature of O. cf. ovata bloom development in the benthic system. Epibenthic assemblages were used as inocula for co-cultures of bloom organisms on polycarbonate slides at controlled environmental conditions. Biofilm surface adhesion, growth, and spatial structure were evaluated along with shifts in composition and matrix production in a low disturbance regime, simulating source habitat. Initial adhesion and substratum colonisation appeared as stochastic processes, then community structure and physiognomy markedly changed with time. Dominance of filamentous cyanobacteria and diatoms, and dense clusters of Amphidinium cf. carterae at the mature biofilm phases, were recorded by light and confocal microscopy, whilst O. cf. ovata growth was visibly limited in the late culture phases. Life-form strategies, competitiveness for resources, and possibly allelopathic interactions shaped biofilm structure during culture growth. HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) analysis of exopolysaccharidic matrix revealed variations in sugar total amounts and composition. No toxic compounds were detected in the final communities tested by LC-MS (Liquid Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry) and MALDI-TOF MS (Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time OF Flight Mass Spectroscopy) techniques.
Toxicity and T2-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging Potentials of Holmium Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Atabaev Timur , Shin Yong , Song Su-Jin , Han Dong-Wook , Hong Nguyen
Published: August 2017

In recent years, paramagnetic nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This paper reports the fabrication and toxicity evaluation of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-functionalized holmium oxide (Ho2O3) NPs for potential T2-weighted MRI applications. Various characterization techniques were used to examine the morphology, structure and chemical properties of the prepared PEG–Ho2O3 NPs. MRI relaxivity measurements revealed that PEG–Ho2O3 NPs could generate a strong negative contrast in T2-weighted MRI. The pilot cytotoxicity experiments showed that the prepared PEG–Ho2O3 NPs are biocompatible at concentrations less than 16 μg/mL. Overall, the prepared PEG–Ho2O3 NPs have potential applications for T2-weighted MRI imaging.
KSHV and the Role of Notch Receptor Dysregulation in Disease Progression
Authors: DeCotiis Jennifer , Lukac David
Published: August 2017

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent of two human cancers, Kaposi’s Sarcoma (KS) and primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), and a lymphoproliferation, Multicentric Castleman’s Disease (MCD). Progression to tumor development in KS is dependent upon the reactivation of the virus from its latent state. We, and others, have shown that the Replication and transcriptional activator (Rta) protein is the only viral gene product that is necessary and sufficient for viral reactivation. To induce the reactivation and transcription of viral genes, Rta forms a complex with the cellular DNA binding component of the canonical Notch signaling pathway, recombination signal binding protein for Jk (RBP-Jk). Formation of this Rta:RBP-Jk complex is necessary for viral reactivation to occur. Expression of activated Notch has been shown to be dysregulated in KSHV infected cells and to be necessary for cell growth and disease progression. Studies into the involvement of activated Notch in viral reactivation have yielded varied results. In this paper, we review the current literature regarding Notch dysregulation by KSHV and its role in viral infection and cellular pathogenesis.
Evolution of Diagnostic Tests for Chronic Wasting Disease, a Naturally Occurring Prion Disease of Cervids
Authors: Haley Nicholas , Richt Jürgen
Published: August 2017

Since chronic wasting disease (CWD) was first identified nearly 50 years ago in a captive mule deer herd in the Rocky Mountains of the United States, it has slowly spread across North America through the natural and anthropogenic movement of cervids and their carcasses. As the endemic areas have expanded, so has the need for rapid, sensitive, and cost effective diagnostic tests—especially those which take advantage of samples collected antemortem. Over the past two decades, strategies have evolved from the recognition of microscopic spongiform pathology and associated immunohistochemical staining of the misfolded prion protein to enzyme-linked immunoassays capable of detecting the abnormal prion conformer in postmortem samples. In a history that parallels the diagnosis of more conventional infectious agents, both qualitative and real-time amplification assays have recently been developed to detect minute quantities of misfolded prions in a range of biological and environmental samples. With these more sensitive and semi-quantitative approaches has come a greater understanding of the pathogenesis and epidemiology of this disease in the native host. Because the molecular pathogenesis of prion protein misfolding is broadly analogous to the misfolding of other pathogenic proteins, including Aβ and α-synuclein, efforts are currently underway to apply these in vitro amplification techniques towards the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other proteinopathies. Chronic wasting disease—once a rare disease of Colorado mule deer—now represents one of the most prevalent prion diseases, and should serve as a model for the continued development and implementation of novel diagnostic strategies for protein misfolding disorders in the natural host.
LiDAR and Orthophoto Synergy to optimize Object-Based Landscape Change: Analysis of an Active Landslide
Authors: Kamps Martijn , Bouten Willem , Seijmonsbergen Arie, C.
Published: August 2017

Active landslides have three major effects on landscapes: (1) land cover change, (2) topographical change, and (3) above ground biomass change. Data derived from multi-temporal Light Detection and Ranging technology (LiDAR) are used in combination with multi-temporal orthophotos to quantify these changes between 2006 and 2012, caused by an active deep-seated landslide near the village of Doren in Austria. Land-cover is classified by applying membership-based classification and contextual improvements based on the synergy of orthophotos and LiDAR-based elevation data. Topographical change is calculated by differencing of LiDAR derived digital terrain models. The above ground biomass is quantified by applying a local-maximum algorithm for tree top detection, in combination with allometric equations. The land cover classification accuracies were improved from 65% (using only LiDAR) and 76% (using only orthophotos) to 90% (using data synergy) for 2006. A similar increase from respectively 64% and 75% to 91% was established for 2012. The increased accuracies demonstrate the effectiveness of using data synergy of LiDAR and orthophotos using object-based image analysis to quantify landscape changes, caused by an active landslide. The method has great potential to be transferred to larger areas for use in landscape change analyses.
Automatic Cloud and Shadow Detection in Optical Satellite Imagery Without Using Thermal Bands—Application to Suomi NPP VIIRS Images over Fennoscandia
Authors: Parmes Eija , Rauste Yrjö , Molinier Matthieu , Andersson Kaj , Seitsonen Lauri
Published: August 2017

In land monitoring applications, clouds and shadows are considered noise that should be removed as automatically and quickly as possible, before further analysis. This paper presents a method to detect clouds and shadows in Suomi NPP satellite’s VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) satellite images. The proposed cloud and shadow detection method has two distinct features when compared to many other methods. First, the method does not use the thermal bands and can thus be applied to other sensors which do not contain thermal channels, such as Sentinel-2 data. Secondly, the method uses the ratio between blue and green reflectance to detect shadows. Seven hundred and forty-seven VIIRS images over Fennoscandia from August 2014 to April 2016 were processed to train and develop the method. Twenty four points from every tenth of the images were used in accuracy assessment. These 1752 points were interpreted visually to cloud, cloud shadow and clear classes, then compared to the output of the cloud and shadow detection. The comparison on VIIRS images showed 94.2% correct detection rates and 11.1% false alarms for clouds, and respectively 36.1% and 82.7% for shadows. The results on cloud detection were similar to state-of-the-art methods. Shadows showed correctly on the northern edge of the clouds, but many shadows were wrongly assigned to other classes in some cases (e.g., to water class on lake and forest boundary, or with shadows over cloud). This may be due to the low spatial resolution of VIIRS images, where shadows are only a few pixels wide and contain lots of mixed pixels.
Radiometric Cross-Calibration of GF-4 PMS Sensor Based on Assimilation of Landsat-8 OLI Images
Authors: Chen Yepei , Sun Kaimin , Li Deren , Bai Ting , Huang Chengquan
Published: August 2017

Earth observation data obtained from remote sensors must undergo radiometric calibration before use in quantitative applications. However, the large view angles of the panchromatic multispectral sensor (PMS) aboard the GF-4 satellite pose challenges for cross-calibration due to the effects of atmospheric radiation transfer and the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). To address this problem, this paper introduces a novel cross-calibration method based on data assimilation considering cross-calibration as an optimal approximation problem. The GF-4 PMS was cross-calibrated with the well-calibrated Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) as the reference sensor. In order to correct unequal bidirectional reflection effects, an adjustment factor for the BRDF was established, making complex models unnecessary. The proposed method employed the Shuffled Complex Evolution-University of Arizona (SCE-UA) algorithm to find the optimal calibration coefficients and BRDF adjustment factor through an iterative process. The validation results revealed a surface reflectance error of <5% for the new cross-calibration coefficients. The accuracy of calibration coefficients were significantly improved when compared to the officially published coefficients as well as those derived using conventional methods. The uncertainty produced by the proposed method was less than 7%, meeting the demands for future quantitative applications and research. This method is also applicable to other sensors with large view angles.
Experimental Investigations and Numerical Simulation of Thermal Performance of a Horizontal Slinky-Coil Ground Heat Exchanger
Authors: Zhang Chengbin , Yang Weibo , Yang Jingjing , Wu Suchen , Chen Yongping
Published: August 2017

A model test system of horizontal slinky coil ground heat exchanger (HSCGHE) was established according to the similarity theory. A 2-D mathematical model of HSCGHE was built and experimentally validated. Experimental and numerical investigations of effects of different parameters on the thermal behavior of HSCGHE were undertaken. The results show that the heat release rate of the slinky coil and soil temperature around it increase as the inlet fluid temperature of coil increases. The soil temperature operated in intermittent mode can get a recovery, and thus the heat release rate of the coil can be improved effectively. For a given condition, reducing the coil central interval distance can increase the heat release rate of the HSCGHE, but also results in the decrease of the heat release rate per unit length of the coil. Therefore, the coil central interval distance cannot be decreased without limit. At the same time, the thermal performance of HSCGHE is related to the ground surface wind velocity. The heat release rate in the sandstone is the largest, followed by sand, the lowest for clay. Additionally, with the increase of buried depth of coil, the heat release rate increases, but the increase degree gradually becomes small. Thus, the buried depth cannot be too deep and should be determined by thermal performance, excavation cost and safety requirements.
Simulation Study on the Effect of Reduced Inputs of Artificial Neural Networks on the Predictive Performance of the Solar Energy System
Authors: Yaïci Wahiba , Longo Michela , Entchev Evgueniy , Foiadelli Federica
Published: August 2017

In recent years, there has been a strong growth in solar power generation industries. The need for highly efficient and optimised solar thermal energy systems, stand-alone or grid connected photovoltaic systems, has substantially increased. This requires the development of efficient and reliable performance prediction capabilities of solar heat and power production over the day. This contribution investigates the effect of the number of input variables on both the accuracy and the reliability of the artificial neural network (ANN) method for predicting the performance parameters of a solar energy system. This paper describes the ANN models and the optimisation process in detail for predicting performance. Comparison with experimental data from a solar energy system tested in Ottawa, Canada during two years under different weather conditions demonstrates the good prediction accuracy attainable with each of the models using reduced input variables. However, it is likely true that the degree of model accuracy would gradually decrease with reduced inputs. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate that the ANN technique is an effective approach for predicting the performance of highly non-linear energy systems. The suitability of the modelling approach using ANNs as a practical engineering tool in renewable energy system performance analysis and prediction is clearly demonstrated.
How Ecology Could Affect Cerebral Lateralization for Explorative Behaviour in Lizards
Authors: Bonati Beatrice , Quaresmini Caterina , Stancher Gionata , Sovrano Valeria
Published: August 2017

As recent studies have shown a left-eye preference during exploration in Podarcis muralis, which could be strictly related to its territoriality, we tested the same behaviour in a similar species, but one living in different habitats and showing a different ecology. In particular, we assessed the preferential turning direction in adults of a non-territorial lizard, Zootoca vivipara, during the exploration of an unknown maze. At the population level, no significant preference emerged, possibly for the lack of the territorial habit and the characteristics of the natural environment. Nevertheless, females turned to the left more frequently than males did. We hypothesize this as a motor bias, possibly due to a necessity for females to be coordinated and fast in moving in the environment, because of their viviparous condition and the resultant reduction of physical performance during pregnant periods, which are likely to increase vulnerability to predators.
Research on Lower Limb Motion Recognition Based on Fusion of sEMG and Accelerometer Signals
Authors: Ai Qingsong , Zhang Yanan , Qi Weili , Liu Quan , Chen and Kun
Published: August 2017

Since surface electromyograghic (sEMG) signals are non-invasive and capable of reflecting humans’ motion intention, they have been widely used for the motion recognition of upper limbs. However, limited research has been conducted for lower limbs, because the sEMGs of lower limbs are easily affected by body gravity and muscle jitter. In this paper, sEMG signals and accelerometer signals are acquired and fused to recognize the motion patterns of lower limbs. A curve fitting method based on median filtering is proposed to remove accelerometer noise. As for movement onset detection, an sEMG power spectral correlation coefficient method is used to detect the start and end points of active signals. Then, the time-domain features and wavelet coefficients of sEMG signals are extracted, and a dynamic time warping (DTW) distance is used for feature extraction of acceleration signals. At last, five lower limbs’ motions are classified and recognized by using Gaussian kernel-based linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and support vector machine (SVM) respectively. The results prove that the fused feature-based classification outperforms the classification with only sEMG signals or accelerometer signals, and the fused feature can achieve 95% or higher recognition accuracy, demonstrating the validity of the proposed method.
Pathogenicity and Immunogenicity of Recombinant Rabies Viruses Expressing the Lagos Bat Virus Matrix and Glycoprotein: Perspectives for a Pan-Lyssavirus Vaccine
Authors: Kgaladi Joe , Faber Milosz , Dietzschold Bernhard , Nel Louis , Markotter Wanda
Published: August 2017

Lagos bat virus (LBV) is a phylogroup II lyssavirus exclusively found in Africa. Previous studies indicated that this virus is lethal to mice after intracranial and intramuscular inoculation. The antigenic composition of LBV differs substantially from that of rabies virus (RABV) and current rabies vaccines do not provide cross protection against phylogroup II lyssaviruses. To investigate the potential role of the LBV matrix protein (M) and glycoprotein (G) in pathogenesis, reverse genetics technology was used to construct recombinant viruses. The genes encoding the glycoprotein, or the matrix and glycoprotein of the attenuated RABV strain SPBN, were replaced with those of LBV resulting in SPBN-LBVG and SPBN-LBVM-LBVG, respectively. To evaluate the immunogenicity of the LBV G, the recombinant RABV SPBNGAS-LBVG-GAS was constructed with the LBV G inserted between two mutated RABV G genes (termed GAS). All the recombinant viruses were lethal to mice after intracranial (i.c.) inoculation although the pathogenicity of SPBNGAS-LBVG-GAS was lower compared to the other recombinant viruses. Following intramuscular (i.m.) inoculation, only SPBN-LBVM-LBVG was lethal to mice, indicating that both the M and G of LBV play a role in the pathogenesis. Most interestingly, serum collected from mice that were inoculated i.m. with SPBNGAS-LBVG-GAS neutralized phylogroup I and II lyssaviruses including RABV, Duvenhage virus (DUVV), LBV, and Mokola virus (MOKV), indicating that this recombinant virus has potential to be developed as a pan-lyssavirus vaccine.
Regulation of Telomere Homeostasis during Epstein-Barr virus Infection and Immortalization
Authors: Kamranvar Siamak , Masucci Maria
Published: August 2017

The acquisition of unlimited proliferative potential is dependent on the activation of mechanisms for telomere maintenance, which counteracts telomere shortening and the consequent triggering of the DNA damage response, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. The capacity of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) to infect B-lymphocytes in vitro and transform the infected cells into autonomously proliferating immortal cell lines underlies the association of this human gamma-herpesvirus with a broad variety of lymphoid and epithelial cell malignancies. Current evidence suggests that both telomerase-dependent and -independent pathways of telomere elongation are activated in the infected cells during the early and late phases of virus-induced immortalization. Here we review the interaction of EBV with different components of the telomere maintenance machinery and the mechanisms by which the virus regulates telomere homeostasis in proliferating cells. We also discuss how these viral strategies may contribute to malignant transformation.