bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Occurrence and removal of microbial indicators from municipal wastewaters by nine different MBR systems
Authors: Hirani Zakir M. , DeCarolis James F. , Lehman Geno , Adham Samer S. , Jacangelo Joseph G.
Published: July 2012

Nine different membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems with different process configurations (submerged and external), membrane geometries (hollow-fiber, flat-sheet, and tubular), membrane materials (polyethersulfone (PES), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) and membrane nominal pore sizes (0.03–0.2 μm) were evaluated to assess the impact of influent microbial concentration, membrane pore size and membrane material and geometries on removal of microbial indicators by MBR technology. The log removal values (LRVs) for microbial indicators increased as the influent concentrations increased. Among the wide range of MBR systems evaluated, the total and fecal coliform bacteria and indigenous MS-2 coliphage were detected in 32, 9 and 15% of the samples, respectively; the 50th percentile LRVs were measured at 6.6, 5.9 and 4.5 logs, respectively. The nominal pore sizes of the membranes, membrane materials and geometries did not show a strong correlation with the LRVs.
Artemia salina acute immobilization test: a possible tool for aquatic ecotoxicity assessment
Authors: Kalčíková Gabriela , Zagorc-Končan Jana , Žgajnar Gotvajn Andreja
Published: July 2012

Despite the fact that the marine crustacean Artemia salina is extensively used in ecotoxicology, there is still a lack of information about its sensitivity to commonly used chemicals. In the presented study, acute toxicity of 18 commonly used chemicals – including organic solvents, industrial chemicals, metals and inorganic compounds – to A. salina was evaluated. A. salina showed a range of sensitivities to tested chemicals. Regarding all of the investigated organics, phenolic compounds expressed the highest toxicity to A. salina. Nitrite and mercury were the most toxic inorganic substances applied in the study. On the other hand, dimethyl sulfoxide, nitrate and ammonium were the least toxic. The possibility to use A. salina for interspecies correlation was assessed by comparison of sensitivities of different organisms (bacteria, fish, crustacean) to organic compounds. Correlation between various species was observed, especially between A. salina and fish. Due to the strong relation between toxicity and the logarithm of the octanol/water partition coefficient logPOW, lipophilicity was found to be the main factor influencing toxicity of the chosen organic compounds. No significant correlation between toxicity to A. salina and physico-chemical parameters of metals was observed.
Insurance Fraud: Losses, Liabilities, and September 11
Authors: Anderson Susan E. , Jones Lynn Comer , Reed Tracy N.
Published: July 2012

This instructional case presents available facts and circumstances surrounding Fortress Reinsurance (Fortress Re). Fortress Re, an agent securing aviation reinsurance, managed a reinsurance pool that covered all four planes involved in the September 11, 2001 disaster. Fortress Re had engaged in deceptive financial reporting, misleading its business partners to believe they were protected in the event of catastrophic loss. The events on 9/11 led to the discovery of this fraud, resulting in multiple lawsuits against Fortress Re, its owners, and its auditor, Deloitte. The case explores the questionable financial reporting and auditing practices employed, as well as significant charitable contributions made with fraudulent funds. The case can serve as an instructional resource for teaching financial accounting, auditing, tax, ethics, and law. The instructional use of this case has been tested in undergraduate and graduate classes. The case can improve students' research skills, since students must use the Accounting Standards Codification and IASB website to answer the financial accounting questions, and a tax research database to address the tax questions. A survey assessing the case found that students exhibited an understanding of and an interest in the case.
The effect of two different bracket types on the salivary levels of S mutans and S sobrinus in the early phase of orthodontic treatment
Authors: Jurela Antonija , Repic Dario , Pejda Slavica , Juric Hrvoje , Vidakovic Renata , Matic Igor , Bosnjak Andrija
Published: July 2012

Objective:

To determine the difference in the levels of Streptococcus mutans and S sobrinus in stimulated saliva in orthodontic patients with different bracket types (stainless steel and esthetic brackets) using polymerase chain reaction and cultivation method.

Materials and Methods:

Thirty-two patients, aged 13 to 30 years, were selected following these criteria: 1) orthodontic treatment indication, 2) systemic health, and 3) no tobacco and antibiotic consummation for three months prior to the commencement of the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the bracket type; 16 patients formed the conventional bracket group (stainless steel brackets), and 16 patients formed the esthetic bracket group (plastic brackets). The levels of S mutans and S sobrinus in stimulated whole saliva samples were collected prior to fixed orthodontic appliance placement (T1) and 12 weeks after placement (T2), as were the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Surface Index (DMFS) and Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified (OHI-S). Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results:

Statistical analysis (chi-square test) showed no difference in S mutans and S sobrinus counts among patients with different brackets at either T1 or T2. There was no difference in total bacteria counts after fixed orthodontic appliance placement.

Conclusion:

The number of colony-forming units of S mutans and S sobrinus in stimulated saliva samples does not seem to be significantly different between patients with stainless steel brackets and patients with plastic brackets.
Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) from the Tervuren Museum, 1: Tortricini and Chlidanotini
Authors: Razowski Józef
Published: July 2012

Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) from the Tervuren Museum, 1: Tortricini and Chlidanotini

Twelve species are treated; one genus (Congoprinsia gen. n.) and nine species (Paraccra chorogiae sp. n., Panegyra sokokana sp. n., Cornesia arabuco sp. n., Congoprinsia juratae sp. n., Apotoforma mayumbeana sp. n., A. kakamegae sp. n., Acleris cameroonana sp. n., Xeneboda congo sp. n., X. mayumbea sp. n.) are described as new.
On Baltic amber inclusions treated in an autoclave
Authors: Hoffeins Christel
Published: July 2012

On Baltic amber inclusions treated in an autoclave

Inclusions from Baltic amber processed in an autoclave are described, illustrated, and the various degrees of artificial modifications are commented upon. To inform entomologists and palaeontologists with less experience in amber and inclusions, general information on improved inclusions is given.
Assessing AIM: A Study of Grade 8 Students in an Ontario School Board (Enhanced)
Authors: Mady Callie , Arnott Stephanie , Lapkin Sharon
Published: July 2012

This mixed-method study examines the proficiency in and perceptions of French language learning of Grade 8 students who were exposed to an instructional approach called the Accelerative Integrated Method (AIM). Six AIM classes (n = 125) and six non-AIM classes (n = 135) were observed and their students tested using a four-skills French as a second language (FSL) test package (Harley, Lapkin, Scane, Hart, & Trépanier, 1988). A larger sample of students (N = 439) initially completed a questionnaire about their attitudes towards French, and a sub-sample (n = 94) also participated in a semi-structured interview exploring their perceptions of their French proficiency and learning experiences. Analysis of the FSL test package and questionnaire results revealed no significant differences in French proficiency or attitude towards French between the AIM and non-AIM groups. Interviews offered explanations for observed student and teacher practices, providing insight into student perceptions of their French skill development and the pedagogical method they had experienced. The implications for core French pedagogy and future research are discussed.
Une approche littératiée : apprendre les sciences et la langue en immersion tardive (avec fonctionnement supplémentaire)
Authors: Cormier Marianne , Turnbull Miles
Published: July 2012

Integrating content and language in French immersion (FI) continues to be a topic of concern and great discussion. Classroom observations suggest that FI teachers tend to focus on teaching content and negotiating meaning in the content-based classroom but often neglect language integration. This article presents the results of a quasi-experimental study that assessed the impact of a literacy-based approach to teaching science in late immersion. This approach includes explicit integration of language and science and draws on literacy-based teaching strategies. Results are encouraging, as the experimental group made gains in science and in writing skills.
Use of the Script Concordance Approach to Evaluate Clinical Reasoning in Food-Ruminant Practitioners
Authors: Dufour Simon , Latour Sylvie , Chicoine Yvan , Fecteau Gilles , Forget Sylvain , Moreau Jean , Trépanier André
Published: July 2012

A script concordance test (SCT) was developed measuring clinical reasoning of food-ruminant practitioners for whom potential clinical competence difficulties were identified by their provincial professional organization. The SCT was designed to be used as part of a broader evaluation procedure. A scoring key was developed based on answers from a reference panel of 12 experts and using the modified aggregate method commonly used for SCTs. A convenient sample of 29 food-ruminant practitioners was constituted to assess the reliability and precision of the SCT and to determine a fair threshold value for success. Cronbach's α coefficients were computed to evaluate internal reliability. To evaluate SCT precision, a test–retest methodology was used and measures of agreement beyond chance were computed at question and test levels. After optimization, the 36-question SCT yielded acceptable internal reliability (Cronbach's α=0.70). Precision of the SCT at question level was excellent with 33 questions (92%) yielding moderate to almost perfect agreement between administrations. At test level, fair agreement (concordance correlation coefficient=0.32) was observed between administrations. A slight SCT score improvement (M=+2.8 points) on the second administration was in part responsible for some of the disagreement and was potentially a result of an adaptation to the SCT format. Scores distribution was used to determine a fair threshold value for success, while considering the underlying objectives of the examination. The data suggest that the developed SCT can be used as a reliable and precise measurement of clinical reasoning of food-ruminant practitioners.
The Distribution of Physiotherapists in Ontario: Understanding the Market Drivers
Authors: Holyoke Paul , Verrier Molly C. , Landry Michel D. , Deber Raisa B.
Published: July 2012

Purpose: To understand the factors that affect the distribution of physiotherapists in Ontario by examining three potential influences in the multi-payer physiotherapy (PT) market: population need, critical mass (related to academic health science centres [AHSCs]), and market forces. Methods: Physiotherapist density and distribution were calculated from 2003 and 2005 College of Physiotherapists of Ontario registration data. Physiotherapists' workplaces were classified as not-for-profit (NFP) hospitals, other NFP, or for-profit (FP), and their locations were classified by census division (CD) types (cities and counties). Results: Physiotherapist density varied significantly and distribution was neither uniformly responsive to population need, nor driven primarily by market forces. The largest factor was an AHSC in a CD; physiotherapists locate disproportionately in NFP hospitals in AHSCs rather than in the growing FP sector. Conclusions: While some patterns can be discerned in the distribution and densities of physiotherapists across Ontario, further work needs to be done to identify why population need and market forces appear to be less influential, and why CDs with AHSCs are so attractive to physiotherapists. With this additional information, it may be possible to identify ways to influence uneven distribution in the future.
Future(s) of American Legal History
Authors: Fernandez Angela
Published: July 2012

Critical Legal History (CLH) is currently being subjected to sustained critique and re-examination by some legal historians. This review essay looks at this debate in the context of two recent books on American legal history: Christopher Tomlins’s Freedom Bound: Law, Labor, and Civic Identity in Colonizing English America, 1580–1865 (2010) and Laura Edwards’s The People and Their Peace: Legal Culture and the Transformation of Inequality in the Post-Revolutionary South (2009). In keeping with the thrust of CLH scholarship, both books problematize the connection between law and narratives of freedom and equality in American history, and both show law as a significant force for non-freedom and inequality. Yet, in a recent symposium on Robert Gordon’s classic article ‘Critical Legal Histories’ (1984), both authors chose to distance themselves from CLH. After explaining what is significant and important about each book, this review essay describes the debate in that symposium. Notwithstanding the extensive disagreement between the contributors over the use of so-called ‘mandarin’ legal materials in historical research (sources like legal treatises that reflect elite perspectives), the review essay makes the point that this disagreement is much less important than the challenge raised about the long-term tendencies and preoccupations of CLH and asks what difference it might make to take the postmodern turn advocated by these authors.
Rainfall drives hydrocephalus in East Africa
Authors: Schiff Steven J. , Ranjeva Sylvia L. , Sauer Timothy D. , Warf Benjamin C.
Published: July 2012

Object

Hydrocephalus is one of the most common brain disorders in children throughout the world. The majority of infant hydrocephalus cases in East Africa appear to be postinfectious, related to preceding neonatal infections, and are thus preventable if the microbial origins and routes of infection can be characterized. In prior microbiological work, the authors noted evidence of seasonality in postinfectious hydrocephalus (PIH) cases.

Methods

The geographical address of 696 consecutive children with PIH who were treated over 6 years was fused with satellite rainfall data for the same time period. A comprehensive time series and spatiotemporal analysis of cases and rainfall was performed.

Results

Four infection-onset peaks were found to straddle the twice-yearly rainy season peaks, demonstrating that the infections occurred at intermediate levels of rainfall.

Conclusions

The findings in this study reveal a previously unknown link between climate and a neurosurgical condition. Satellite-derived rainfall dynamics are an important factor in driving the infections that lead to PIH. Given prior microbial analysis, these findings point to the importance of environmental factors with respect to preventing the newborn infections that lead to PIH.
Neurogenic claudication associated with posterior vertebral rim fractures in children
Authors: Thomas Jonathan G. , Boatey Jerome , Brayton Alison , Jea Andrew
Published: July 2012

Object

Outside of the patient population with achondroplasia, neurogenic claudication is rare in the pediatric age group. Neurogenic claudication associated with posterior vertebral rim fracture is even more uncommon but nonetheless causes pain and disability in affected children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to describe the surgical results of 3 adolescents presenting with neurogenic claudication and posterior vertebral rim fracture when treated with laminectomy alone.

Methods

The medical and operative records of the 3 pediatric patients were retrospectively reviewed. Presenting signs and symptoms and CT findings, such as the interpedicular distances between T-12 and L-5, were obtained. Perioperative results were assessed, including operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, and complications. Findings at latest follow-up were also recorded, including a patient satisfaction survey.

Results

The 3 patients (1 girl and 2 boys) had a mean age of 14.7 years (range 14–15 years) and underwent follow-up for a mean of 11.3 months (range 5–18 months). Notable preoperative signs and symptoms included back pain (all patients), leg pain (all patients), leg numbness (1 patient), and leg weakness (1 patient). No patient presented with bowel and/or bladder dysfunction. The mean blood loss during laminectomy was 123 ml (range 20–300 ml), and the mean length of hospital stay was 4.3 days (range 3–6 days). On average, decompression was performed at 2.2 levels (range 2–2.5 levels). All 3 patients reported at most recent follow-up that they were “satisfied” with the surgery. There was 1 complication of instability from an iatrogenic pars fracture, which required reoperation and posterior instrumented fusion.

Conclusions

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this report represents the first surgical series of pediatric neurogenic claudication associated with posterior vertebral rim fractures. Pediatric neurosurgeons may infrequently encounter neurogenic claudication associated with a posterior vertebral rim fracture in children. To treat children with neurogenic claudication associated with posterior vertebral rim fractures, a simple laminectomy may be a safe and efficacious alternative to discectomy and removal of fracture fragments.
Endovascular treatment for acute paraplegia after epidural steroid injection in a patient with spinal dural arteriovenous malformation
Authors: Oliver T. Adam , Sorensen Michael , Arthur Adam S.
Published: July 2012

Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVFs) are the most common type of spinal arteriovenous malformations. Type 1 spinal arteriovenous malformations are defined by the presence of radiculomeningeal feeders that drain into intradural veins. Patients with these lesions frequently present with chronic myelopathy, which is most often caused by venous hypertension. The authors present the case of a 69-year-old man with acute paraparesis following a lumbar epidural injection, resulting from a previously undiagnosed SDAVF. The patient initially reported right lower-extremity weakness and paresthesias and was referred to an orthopedic practice. His pain and weakness were exacerbated with ambulation. Reevaluation at 4 months was remarkable for groin, mild low-back, and buttock pain. The patient received a right L5–S1 interlaminar epidural steroid injection and became acutely weak. He presented to the emergency department 3 hours after the injection. Once MRI of the lumbar and thoracic spine had been performed, the neurosurgery service was consulted, and it was decided to proceed with emergent spinal angiography with the intent to embolize the fistula. An emergent spinal angiogram was obtained, revealing 2 arterial pedicles emanating from the right T-5 and T-6 radicular arteries. Transarterial embolization was thought to be the most rapid way to potentially obliterate the fistula. The patient exhibited immediate improvement in neurological function, and by 6 hours postprocedure, his neurological function was near normal. He was ambulatory and released to home 3 days after the embolization procedure.
Recasting Neuropsychiatry: Freud's ‘Critical Introduction’ and the Convergence of French and German Brain Science
Authors: Guenther Katja
Published: July 2012

Freud's ‘Critical Introduction’ has many of the markers of a purely neuroanatomical text. But a comparison with contemporary anatomical writings as well as an analysis of the larger scientific, clinical and institutional context of Freud's work suggests important differences. Freud's manuscript was an ambitious enterprise to reform the brain sciences of the 1880s to open them up to nervous conditions that were only poorly accounted for by the predominant German model of a somatically informed psychiatry. It marks an attempt to bridge the two cultures of French and German-speaking neurology, as well as scientific and clinical medicine. By navigating these different contexts, the text provides a clue to the relationship between Freud's early scientific work and his developing psychoanalysis.
The Transatlantic Element: Psychoanalysis, Exile, Circulation of Ideas and Institutionalization between Spain and Argentina
Authors: Druet Anne-Cécile
Published: July 2012

From the early diffusion of Freud's ideas to the development and institutionalization of the Lacanian movement, the Argentine and Spanish psychoanalytic histories have had repeated points of contact. In fact, almost all stages of the Spanish analytical sphere have been shaped by the presence of an ‘Argentine element’. This article aims to explore the history of these encounters between the Spanish and Argentine psychoanalytic worlds. Following the chronology of events, it focuses on the different aspects of this history and shows how the causes, the nature and the consequences of the exchanges evolved.
A Wild Freudian in Mexico: Raúl Carrancá y Trujillo
Authors: Gallo Rubén
Published: July 2012

Raúl Carrancá y Trujillo was a Mexican judge who experimented with ways of integrating psychoanalysis and criminology. He corresponded with Freud and Freud applauded his efforts. In 1940 Carrancá was assigned the case of Ramón Mercader, who was accused of assassinating León Trotsky, and he deployed his psycho-judicial techniques to investigate the unconscious motives behind the killing.
The Experiment of the Therapeutic Communities in Argentina: The Case of the Hospital Estévez
Authors: Golcman Aída Alejandra
Published: July 2012

This article analyses the process of how psychoanalysis was incorporated into the field of Mental Health and psychiatric treatments in Argentina. For this purpose, it examines the case of an experimental pilot centre involving therapeutic communities that was established in the late 1960s at the Hospital Estévez, in the municipality of Lomas de Zamora. The paper sets out to show how these therapeutic communities – which were based on the theories of psychoanalysis and community psychology – served as another way of disseminating psychoanalysis within Argentina. Psychoanalysis got incorporated into the therapeutic practices used in the treatment of psychiatric patients at public hospitals, institutional spaces that functioned under the direction of psychoanalysts. The present paper shows that, while the therapeutic communities formed part of a period of theoretical and therapeutic changes throughout the whole institution, the experiment at the Hospital Estévez exercised an influence well beyond the confines of the pilot centre. In particular, the article discusses how the abrupt closure of the pilot project contributed to the wide diffusion of psychoanalysis in the press and helped to designate the protagonists of the therapeutic communities as the ‘standard-bearers’ of change in mental health.
Brazilian Psychiatrists and Psychoanalysis at the Beginning of the 20th Century: A Quest for National Identity
Authors: Russo Jane A.
Published: July 2012

Despite its late institutionalization, psychoanalytic theory began to spread in Brazil in the early 20th century. One path of dissemination was through the works and lectures of the most eminent psychiatrists of those days. These important figures in the Brazilian intellectual scene made a peculiar use of the Freudian doctrine, giving it strong pedagogical and hygienic overtones. In this article, I point out the relationship between this mode of interpreting psychoanalysis and the effort made by intellectuals of the First Republic in the construction of a ‘civilizing’ project for the nation. Racial miscegenation, regarded by deterministic theories of the time as incompatible with civilization, was considered one of the main impediments to this project. According to the intellectuals of those days, the problem of miscegenation was rooted in two fundamental characteristics of the Brazilian people: primitivism and an excessive sexual drive. I argue that psychoanalytic theory, through its concept of a broad and pervasive sexuality, on the one hand, and the possibility of its sublimation, on the other, provided a way out of this aporia. In order to support my argument, I use the work of Júlio Porto-Carrero, one of the most prominent promoters of psychoanalysis in the medical milieu of the1920s and 1930s.
Numerical Observation of the Jet Flight Patterns of Linear Shaped Charges
Authors: Johnston Matthew , Lim Seokbin
Published: July 2012

Linear Shaped Charges (LSCs) have been assumed to function in the same manner as Conical Shaped Charges (CSCs) in the published literature that describes a metallic jet process for penetration. However, based on the facts that the LSC liner is composed of flat surfaces instead of the curved cone shaped liner of a CSC and the LSC detonation propagation is perpendicular to the penetrator projection direction, the approach to investigate the penetrator formation process of LSCs should be examined from a different perspective. Because there are fundamental differences between CSCs and LSCs in the formation of a jet, the cutting performances would be under different regimes. As a preliminary investigation, in this paper, we report a numerical observation of the LSC jetting properties using AUTODYN®.
Uncertainty in Seismic Capacity of Masonry Buildings
Authors: Parisi Fulvio , Augenti Nicola
Published: July 2012

Seismic assessment of masonry structures is plagued by both inherent randomness and model uncertainty. The former is referred to as aleatory uncertainty, the latter as epistemic uncertainty because it depends on the knowledge level. Pioneering studies on reinforced concrete buildings have revealed a significant influence of modeling parameters on seismic vulnerability. However, confidence in mechanical properties of existing masonry buildings is much lower than in the case of reinforcing steel and concrete. This paper is aimed at assessing whether and how uncertainty propagates from material properties to seismic capacity of an entire masonry structure. A typical two-story unreinforced masonry building is analyzed. Based on previous statistical characterization of mechanical properties of existing masonry types, the following random variables have been considered in this study: unit weight, uniaxial compressive strength, shear strength at zero confining stress, Young’s modulus, shear modulus, and available ductility in shear. Probability density functions were implemented to generate a significant number of realizations and static pushover analysis of the case-study building was performed for each vector of realizations, load combination and lateral load pattern. Analysis results show a large dispersion in displacement capacity and lower dispersion in spectral acceleration capacity. This can directly affect decision-making because both design and retrofit solutions depend on seismic capacity predictions. Therefore, engineering judgment should always be used when assessing structural safety of existing masonry constructions against design earthquakes, based on a series of seismic analyses under uncertain parameters.
Accelerated Electromechanical Modeling of a Distributed Internal Combustion Engine Generator Unit
Authors: Hill Christopher I. , Zanchetta Pericle , Bozhko Serhiy V.
Published: July 2012

Distributed generation with a combustion engine prime mover is still widely used to supply electric power in a variety of applications. These applications range from backup power supply systems and combined wind-diesel generation to providing power in places where grid connection is either technically impractical or financially uneconomic. Modelling of such systems as a whole is extremely difficult due to the long-time load profiles needed and the computational difficulty of including small time-constant electrical dynamics with large time-constant mechanical dynamics. This paper presents the development of accelerated, reduced-order models of a distributed internal combustions engine generator unit. Overall these models are shown to achieve a massive improvement in the computational time required for long-time simulations while also achieving an extremely high level of dynamic accuracy. It is demonstrated how these models are derived, used and verified against benchmark models created using established techniques. Throughout the paper the modelling set as a whole, including multi level detail, is presented, detailed and finally summarised into a crucial tool for general system investigation and multiple target optimisation.
Towards Energy Demand Reduction in Social Housing Buildings: Envelope System Optimization Strategies
Authors: Domínguez Samuel , Sendra Juan J. , León Angel L. , Esquivias Paula M.
Published: July 2012

This work evaluates the potential for the reduction of energy demand in residential buildings by acting on the exterior envelope, both in newly constructed buildings and in the retrofitting of existing stock. It focuses on analysing social housing buildings in Mediterranean areas and on quantifying the scope of that reduction in the application of different envelope design strategies, with the purpose of prioritizing their application based on their energy efficiency. The analyses and quantifications were made by means of the generation of energy models with the TRNSYS tool for simple or combined solutions, identifying possible potentials for reduction of the energy demand from 20% to 25%, basically by acting on the windows. The case study was a newly built social housing building of a closed block type located in Seville (Spain). Its constructive techniques and the insulation level of its envelope are standardized for current buildings widespread across Mediterranean Europe.
Effect of PACAP in Central and Peripheral Nerve Injuries
Authors: Tamas Andrea , Reglodi Dora , Farkas Orsolya , Kovesdi Erzsebet , Pal Jozsef , Povlishock John T. , Schwarcz Attila , Czeiter Endre , Szanto Zalan , Doczi Tamas , Buki Andras , Bukovics Peter
Published: July 2012

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a bioactive peptide with diverse effects in the nervous system. In addition to its more classic role as a neuromodulator, PACAP functions as a neurotrophic factor. Several neurotrophic factors have been shown to play an important role in the endogenous response following both cerebral ischemia and traumatic brain injury and to be effective when given exogenously. A number of studies have shown the neuroprotective effect of PACAP in different models of ischemia, neurodegenerative diseases and retinal degeneration. The aim of this review is to summarize the findings on the neuroprotective potential of PACAP in models of different traumatic nerve injuries. Expression of endogenous PACAP and its specific PAC1 receptor is elevated in different parts of the central and peripheral nervous system after traumatic injuries. Some experiments demonstrate the protective effect of exogenous PACAP treatment in different traumatic brain injury models, in facial nerve and optic nerve trauma. The upregulation of endogenous PACAP and its receptors and the protective effect of exogenous PACAP after different central and peripheral nerve injuries show the important function of PACAP in neuronal regeneration indicating that PACAP may also be a promising therapeutic agent in injuries of the nervous system.
Characterization of Kink Actuators as Compared to Traditional Chevron Shaped Bent-Beam Electrothermal Actuators
Authors: Rawashdeh Ehab , Karam Ayman , Foulds Ian G.
Published: July 2012

This paper compares the design and performance of kink actuators, a modified version of the bent-beam thermal actuator, to the standard chevron-shaped designs. A variety of kink and chevron actuator designs were fabricated from polysilicon. While the actuators were electrically probed, these designs were tested using a probe station connected to a National Instruments (NI) controller that uses LabVIEW to extract the displacement results via image processing. The displacement results were then used to validate the thermal-electric-structural simulations produced by COMSOL. These results, in turn, were used to extract the stiffness for both actuator types. The data extracted show that chevron actuators can have larger stiffness values with increasing offsets, but at the cost of lower amplification factors. In contrast, kink actuators showed a constant stiffness value equivalent to the chevron actuator with the highest amplification factor. The kink actuator also had larger amplification factors than chevrons at all designs tested. Therefore, kink actuators are capable of longer throws at lower power levels than the standard chevron designs.
Probiotics and Atopic Dermatitis in Children
Authors: Meneghin Fabio , Fabiano Valentina , Mameli Chiara , Zuccotti Gian Vincenzo
Published: July 2012

There is increasing interest in the potential beneficial role of probiotic supplementation in the prevention and treatment of atopic diseases in children. Probiotics are defined as ingested live microorganisms that, when administered in an adequate amount, confer a health benefit to the host. They are mainly represented by Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. Several epidemiological data demonstrate that intestinal microflora of atopic children is different from the one of healthy children. Many literature data show that probiotics may modulate the intestinal microflora composition and may have immunomodulatory effect. Based on this hypothesis, probiotics are supposed to confer benefits to allergic diseases. Administration of probiotics when a natural population of indigenous intestinal bacteria is still developing could theoretically influence immune development by favoring the balance between Th1 and Th2 inflammatory responses. For this reason, some studies have evaluated the potential impact of probiotics supplementation in the prevention of atopic dermatitis, with contrasting results. Clinical improvement in immunoglobulin (Ig)E-sensitized (atopic) eczema following probiotic supplementation has been reported in some published studies and the therapeutic effects of probiotics on atopic dermatitis seemed to be encouraging. However, as far as the usefulness of probiotics as a prevention strategy is concerned, results are still inconclusive. In fact, the clinical benefits of probiotic therapy depend upon numerous factors, such as the type of bacteria, dosing regimen, delivery method and other underlying host factors, such as age and diet. More studies are still needed to definitively prove the role of probiotics in the treatment of allergic eczema.
Decomposing Dual Scale Soil Surface Roughness for Microwave Remote Sensing Applications
Authors: Marzahn Philip , Seidel Moritz , Ludwig Ralf
Published: July 2012

Soil surface roughness, as investigated in this study, is decomposed in a dual scale process. Therefore, we investigated photogrammetrically acquired roughness information over different agricultural fields in the size of 6–22 m2 and decomposed them into a dual scale process by using geostatistical techniques. For the characterization of soil surface roughness, we calculated two different roughness indices (the RMS height s and the autocorrelation length l) differing significantly for each scale. While we could relate the small scale roughness pattern clearly to the seedbed rows, the larger second scale pattern could be related to the appearance of wheel tracks of the tillage machine used. As a result, major progress was made in the understanding of the different scales in soil surface roughness characterization and its quantification possibilities.
Expanding Ableism: Taking down the Ghettoization of Impact of Disability Studies Scholars
Authors: Wolbring Gregor
Published: July 2012

This paper highlights the utility of an expanded ableism concept beyond how it is used in disability studies; expanding the concept of ableism so it connects with all aspects of societies and making ableism applicable to many academic fields. It introduces this expanded form of ableism as a new angle of cultural research and suggests it to be one possible venue for disability studies scholars to escape the ghettoization of their impact.
Parallel solid-phase synthesis of diaryltriazoles
Authors: Wrobel Matthias , Aubé Jeffrey , König Burkhard
Published: July 2012

A series of substituted diaryltriazoles was prepared by a solid-phase-synthesis protocol using a modified Wang resin. The copper(I)- or ruthenium(II)-catalyzed 1,3-cycloaddition on the polymer bead allowed a rapid synthesis of the target compounds in a parallel fashion with in many cases good to excellent yields. Substituted diaryltriazoles resemble a molecular structure similar to established terphenyl-alpha-helix peptide mimics and have therefore the potential to act as selective inhibitors for protein–protein interactions.
Dominante vindicative dans l'adhésion à la lutte armée au Burundi
Authors: Ndimubandi Alexis
Published: July 2012

Cet article analyse les raisons qui poussent les (ex-) combattants burundais à adhérer à la lutte armée dans un pays en proie à des violences politico-ethniques cycliques ayant dégénéré en une guerre civile. Basé sur une analyse narrative des récits d’ (ex-) combattants, où les sentiments de vengeance sont récurrents, il soutient que la vengeance est sous-entendue et/ou sous-jacente aux différentes raisons de l’adhésion à la lutte armée. Inhérente à la violence du contexte sociopolitique burundais, la vengeance est sous-entendue dans les mobiles idéologico-politiques de l’adhésion aux groupes rebelles, sous-jacente à l’adhésion professionnelle et sécuritaire aux forces armées régulières d’une part, et à la lutte armée elle-même d’autre part, lutte armée qui constitue un tremplin pour des règlements de compte intrafamiliaux et/ ou interindividuels.
Au-delà du consentement : pour une théorie féministe de la séduction
Authors: Fassin Éric
Published: July 2012

Résumé En France, l'affaire DSK a été l'occasion en 2011 d'une prise de conscience des enjeux liés aux violences sexuelles, mais aussi, paradoxalement, d'une controverse sur la séduction. C'était au nom d'un supposé « féminisme à la française », qu'on oppose depuis les années 1990 à un féminisme américain accusé de confondre violence et séduction. En réaction, le féminisme doit-il abandonner celle-ci à ses adversaires ? On fait ici le pari inverse : penser la séduction, c'est déplacer la question du consentement pour penser, non pas l'individu, libre ou contraint, mais le sujet (au sens de Foucault) qui se constitue dans une relation de pouvoir. Loin de faire abstraction de la domination, il convient au contraire de fonder l'érotique sur l'exploration de ce « problème ». Ainsi, politiquement, une théorie féministe de la séduction ne pourrait que rendre le féminisme plus séduisant.
Du droit au consentement. Sur quelques figures contemporaines du paternalisme, des sadomasochistes aux Témoins de Jéhovah
Authors: Quiviger Pierre-Yves
Published: July 2012

Résumé La place désormais accordée au consentement dans la saisie par la jurisprudence des pratiques SM va dans le sens d'une diminution de l'importance du paternalisme sexuel. On compare ici cette question avec la persistance d'un paternalisme médical qui devrait pourtant être rendu impossible par le jeu des lois consacrées aux droits des malades (loi du 4 mars 2002, loi du 22 avril 2005). Les « victimes » des pratiques SM sont bien plus informées que les patients ne le sont par les médecins, le formalisme contractuel des « contrats » érotiques est plus marqué que celui des consentements à l'action médicale. Néanmoins, les magistrats continuent à craindre le surgissement de la violence dans le monde très codifié du SM alors qu'ils peinent à admettre, comme dans le cas des Témoins de Jéhovah transfusés contre leur volonté, qu'il puisse y avoir un mauvais traitement des patients, dès lors qu'on les a sauvés, y compris en méprisant leur refus de soin et leur absence de consentement. Il s'agit de démontrer que la question du consentement ne peut pas être appréhendée sans inscrire celui-ci dans le contexte qui le détermine et le borne, à savoir un paternalisme, soit médical, soit sexuel, dont l'importance est souvent inaperçue.
PHYSIOLOGICAL IN VIVO LOADING MEASURING IN ALVEOLAR DISTRACTION
Authors: Carrero W. , Cerrolaza M. , Romero J. , Cedeño J.
Published: July 2012

Loading evaluation in biomechanics is of the most concern if reliable results are expected. A key aspect in the mechanical design of an alveolar distractor is the accurate evaluation of physiological loading for computer simulation and effective modeling. Very few information and previous works are available about this subject. A stainless steel load cell with strain gauges has been developed and manufactured, in order to get accurate values of physiological loading. The cell was attached to splints, like those used in orthodontia. The load cell was calibrated and then an "in vivo" test was carried out on four partially-edentulous patients. Load digital registers were obtained for three cases in each patient: Tongue protrusion, lower or upper lips retraction and a combination of tongue and lips during the vocalization. Records show that it is possible to interpret quantitatively the load proportionality according to the tongue and lip physiological movements. From the loads magnitude differences in four patients, it can be observed that the morphological factor or occlusion differences affect both the loads size of the tongue protrusion muscles and lip retraction due to the orbicular muscles which can vary slightly or significantly. Further studies are been carried out by considering other kind of patients suffering different pathologies.
Synthesis of nanomaterials using expired medicines: an eco-friendly option
Authors: Jha Anal K. , Prasad Kamal
Published: July 2012

Expired medicines are a burden to the environment. In this paper, a novel method is suggested to reutilize expired medicines in order to assess the possibilities of synthesizing a variety of nanomaterials. To this end, expired flouroquinolone (norfloxacin) and tinidazole combinations were used to synthesize metal (Au), oxide (ZrO2) and chalcognide (CdS) nanoparticles using for the first time a green chemistry approach. Au, ZrO2 and CdS nanoparticles are available in convenient sizes of 6 nm, 26 nm and 18 nm, respectively, and remain stable for at least six months. This novel procedure is possible thanks to their molecular organization and elements. The inclusion of a fluorine atom in a drug molecule may influence both the disposition of the drug and its interaction with its pharmacological target; for example, the effects of fluorine substitution on the inter- and intra-molecular forces that affect binding of ligands. The presence of sulfur in the tinidazole molecules may also have contributed towards synthesis through proton withdrawal. The nanomaterials synthesized in this way were characterized using X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy to identify the formation of the desired nanoparticles. This single-step green approach is very convenient, simple and can be extended to synthesize a variety of nanomaterials that might find new technological and pharmaceutical applications.
The Geometry and Fundamental Group of Permutation Products and Fat Diagonals
Authors: Kallel Sadok , Taamallah Walid
Published: July 2012

Permutation products and their various “fat diagonal” subspaces are studied from the topological and geometric points of view. We describe in detail the stabilizer and orbit stratifications related to the permutation action, producing a sharp upper bound for its depth and then paying particular attention to the geometry of the diagonal stratum. We exhibit an expression for the fundamental group of any permutation product of a connected space Xhaving the homotopy type of a CW complex in terms of π1(X) and H1(X;Z). We then prove that the fundamental group of the configuration space of n-points on X, of whichmultiplicities do not exceed n2, coincides with H1(X; Z). Further results consist in giving conditions for when fat diagonal subspaces of manifolds can be manifolds again. Various examples and homological calculations are included.
Éthique et Évaluation
Authors: Laurent Jean
Published: July 2012

L’évolution de la Médecine vers une relation avec le soigné de type prestataire de service/client implique comme cela le fut dans l’industrie, une démarche Qualité. Cette évolution parfois mal ressentie a fait mettre en cause par certains le caractère éthique des pratiques d’évaluation alors que d’autres marginalisaient l’éthique médicale comme non mesurable et donc dénuée d’importance dans le cursus des études. L’auteur tente de montrer que l’éthique médicale est évaluable et que les outils d’évaluation ne sauraient être non éthiques dans leur nature mais peuvent l’être dans leur usage.
On the spatial distribution and evolution of ultrafine aerosols in urban air
Authors: Dall'Osto M. , Querol X. , Alastuey A. , O'Dowd C. , Harrison R. M. , Wenger J. , Gómez-Moreno F. J.
Published: July 2012

Abstract. Sources and evolution of ultrafine particles (<0.1 μ m diameter) were investigated both horizontally and vertically in the large urban agglomerate of Barcelona, Spain. Within the SAPUSS project (Solving Aerosol Problems by Using Synergistic Strategies), a large number of instruments was deployed simultaneously at different monitoring sites (road, two urban background, regional background, urban tower 150 μa.s.l., urban background tower site 80 m a.s.l.) during a 4 week period in September-October 2010. Particle number concentrations (N>5nm) are highly correlated with black carbon (BC) at all sites only under strong vehicular traffic influences. By contrast, under clean atmospheric conditions (low condensation sinks, CS) such correlation diverges towards much higher N/BC ratios at all sites, indicating additional sources of particles including secondary production of freshly nucleated particles. This is also evident in the urban background annual mean diurnal trend of N/BC, showing a midday peak in all seasons. Size-resolved aerosol distributions (N10-500) as well as particle number concentrations (N>5nm) allow us to identify two types of nucleation and growth events: a regional type event originating in the whole study region and impacting almost simultaneously the urban city of Barcelona and the surrounding background area; and an urban type which originates only within the city centre but whose growth continues while transported away from the city to the regional background. Furthermore, during these clean air days, higher N are found at tower level than at ground level only in the city centre whereas such a difference is not so pronounced at the remote urban background tower. In other words, this study suggests that the column of air above the city ground level possesses the best compromise between low CS and high vapour source, hence enhancing the concentrations of freshly nucleated particles. By contrast, within stagnant polluted atmospheric conditions, higher N and BC concentrations are always measured at ground level relative to tower level at all sites. Our study suggests that the city centre is a source of both non-volatile traffic primary (29–39%) and secondary freshly nucleated particles (up to 61–71%) at all sites. We suggest that organic compounds evaporating from freshly emitted traffic particles are a possible candidate for new particle formation within the city and urban plume.