bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of Glycation Gap With Mortality and Vascular Complications in Diabetes
Authors: Nayak Ananth U. , Nevill Alan M. , Bassett Paul , Singh Baldev M.
Published: July 2013

OBJECTIVE

The “glycation gap” (G-gap), an essentially unproven concept, is an empiric measure of disagreement between HbA1c and fructosamine, the two indirect estimates of glycemic control. Its association with demographic features and key clinical outcomes in individuals with diabetes is uncertain.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The G-gap was calculated as the difference between measured HbA1c and a fructosamine-derived standardized predicted HbA1c in 3,182 individuals with diabetes. The G-gap’s associations with demographics and clinical outcomes (retinopathy, nephropathy, macrovascular disease, and mortality) were determined.

RESULTS

Demographics varied significantly with G-gap for age, sex, ethnic status, smoking status, type and duration of diabetes, insulin use, and obesity. A positive G-gap was associated with retinopathy (odds ratio 1.24 [95% CI 1.01–1.52], P = 0.039), nephropathy (1.55 [1.23–1.95], P < 0.001), and, in a subset, macrovascular disease (1.91 [1.18–3.09], P = 0.008). In Cox regression analysis, the G-gap had a “U”-shaped quadratic relationship with mortality, with both negative G-gap (1.96 [1.50–2.55], P < 0.001) and positive G-gap (2.02 [1.57–2.60], P < 0.001) being associated with a significantly higher mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

We confirm published associations of G-gap with retinopathy and nephropathy. We newly demonstrate a relationship with macrovascular and mortality outcomes and potential links to distinct subpopulations of diabetes.
The Effect of Exogenous Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide in Combination With Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 on Glycemia in the Critically Ill
Authors: Lee Michael Y. , Fraser Jonathan D. , Chapman Marianne J. , Sundararajan Krishnaswamy , Umapathysivam Mahesh M. , Summers Matthew J. , Zaknic Antony V. , Rayner Christopher K. , Meier Juris J. , Horowitz Michael , Deane Adam M.
Published: July 2013

OBJECTIVE

Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) have additive insulinotropic effects when coadministered in health. We aimed to determine whether GIP confers additional glucose lowering to that of GLP-1 in the critically ill.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Twenty mechanically ventilated critically ill patients without known diabetes were studied in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, crossover fashion on 2 consecutive days. Between T0 and T420 minutes, GLP-1 (1.2 pmol/kg · min−1) was infused intravenously with either GIP (2 pmol/kg · min−1) or 0.9% saline. Between T60 and T420 minutes, nutrient liquid was infused into the small intestine at 1.5 kcal/min.

RESULTS

Adding GIP did not alter blood glucose or insulin responses to small intestinal nutrient. GIP increased glucagon concentrations slightly before nutrient delivery (P = 0.03), but not thereafter.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of GIP to GLP-1 does not result in additional glucose-lowering or insulinotropic effects in critically ill patients with acute-onset hyperglycemia.
Plasma Lipopolysaccharide Is Closely Associated With Glycemic Control and Abdominal Obesity
Authors: Trøseid Marius , Nestvold Torunn K. , Rudi Knut , Thoresen Hanne , Nielsen Erik W. , Lappegård Knut T.
Published: July 2013

OBJECTIVE

It is of vital importance to elucidate the triggering factors of obesity and type 2 diabetes to improve patient care. Bariatric surgery has been shown to prevent and even cure diabetes, but the mechanism is unknown. Elevated levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) predict incident diabetes, but the sources of LPS are not clarified. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the potential impact of plasma LPS on abdominal obesity and glycemic control in subjects undergoing bariatric surgery.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a prospective observational study involving a consecutive sample of 49 obese subjects undergoing bariatric surgery and 17 controls. Main assessments were plasma LPS, HbA1c, adipose tissue volumes (computed tomography), and quantified bacterial DNA in adipose tissue compartments.

RESULTS

Plasma levels of LPS were elevated in obese individuals compared with controls (P < 0.001) and were reduced after bariatric surgery (P = 0.010). LPS levels were closely correlated with HbA1c (r = 0.56; P = 0.001) and intra-abdominal fat volumes (r = 0.61; P < 0.001), but only moderately correlated with subcutaneous fat volumes (r = 0.33; P = 0.038). Moreover, there was a decreasing gradient (twofold) in bacterial DNA levels going from mesenteric via omental to subcutaneous adipose tissue compartments (P = 0.041). Finally, reduced LPS levels after bariatric surgery were directly correlated with a reduction in HbA1c (r = 0.85; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support a hypothesis of translocated gut bacteria as a potential trigger of obesity and diabetes, and suggest that the antidiabetic effects of bariatric surgery might be mechanistically linked to, and even the result of, a reduction in plasma levels of LPS.
Travelling to services in the daily urban system of Olomouc
Authors: Halás Marián , Zuskáčová Veronika
Published: July 2013

The service sector is quite broad: it includes basic services for the population as well as highly sophisticated services, public as well as commercial services, etc. Commuting to services is one of the fundamental regional processes and together with work commuting it creates an entry basis for the construction of socalled catchment, or nodal regions which should be crucial in the construction of an administrative division of a country.

The main objective of this paper is to identify a selected group of spatial interaction in the daily urban system of Olomouc, i.e. in a region dominated by work commuting to the city of Olomouc. More specifically, the paper deals with the interaction of commuting to a wide range of services of non-commercial (social) as well as of commercial character in two hierarchical levels - local and micro-regional. Based on the data obtained by the method of questionnaire research from local leaders (mayors) we analysed the mobility of people to primary and secondary schools, hospitals, shops, culture and sport. As far as the retail network is concerned, the analysis of spatial differentiation of the catchment area to three large department stores was made for villages in Olomouc hinterland. Individual catchment regions for specific services were constructed by a verified method based on commuting flows. Synthetic evaluation contains an identification of so-called complex service regions in the daily urban system of Olomouc. In comparison with our previous studies we tried to describe basic trends in service infrastructure and changes in travelling to services.
The development and structure of industry in the district of Bağcılar, Istanbul
Authors: Temurçin Kadir
Published: July 2013

As a part of Istanbul Metropolis, Bağcılar has been one of the leading centers of developments in parallel with the developments in outward-oriented economy and industrialization in the 1980’s in Turkey. After these years of experiencing rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, the district has taken a look far from its earlier appearance. During this period of migration fact from suburbs to the cities, one of those who took the biggest share is Bağcılar. The purpose of this study is to determine the historical development of industrialization in Bağcılar and the causes of this development, its structure, and its sectors distribution. As an operation of a regional industry, this study handles the features of Bağcılar District Location, the factors that affect the industry in the District, the sectors distribution of industry and environmental issues.
Capital Region Demographics in the Republics of Russia
Authors: Trifonova Zoya Alekseevna
Published: July 2013

This article examines population fluctuations in the capitals of Russian Republics from 1970 to 2010. Factors contributing to population changes in each capital will be analyzed, with a special focus on natural growth rates and the role of ethnicity.
Sewage Sludge Combustion – Experimental and Theoretical Analysis
Authors: Turkienė Nora , Zigmontienė Aušra , Buinevičius Kęstutis , Plečkaitienė Raminta
Published: July 2013

Whereas the use of biofuels has attracted increasing attention, the aim of this paper is to investigate the possibility of using sewage sludge as biofuel. Preparation of untreated and stabilised sludge with natural additives is described, as well as combusting method applied and experimental results of combusting are presented based on the assessment of composition of emitted pollutants and their concentrations in the exhaust gas. NOx formation in the exhaust gas has been analysed in depth. The results of investigations have shown that the use of dried sewage sludge possesses a positive energy balance. Therefore, the sludge may be used as fuel. The obtained experimental results demonstrate that during combustion, pollutant concentrations vary depending on oxygen content (O2), while formation of nitrogen oxides is strongly influenced by fuel-bound nitrogen. Also, a generalized equation of calculating fuel bound nitrogen conversion into NOx is presented.
Multiphase Flow Mixture In 180° Pipe Bends
Authors: Pietrzak Marcin , Witczak Stanisław
Published: July 2013

This paper presents the results of research regarding measurements of the values of pressure drops during horizontal flow of gas-liquid and gas-liquid-liquid mixture through 180o pipe bends. The conducted insightful analysis and assessment during multi-phase flow in pipe bends has enabled to develop a new method for determination of their values. This new method for determining pressure drops ensures higher precision of calculation in comparison to other methods presented in literature and can be applied for calculation of these parameters during multi-phase flows in pipe bends with various geometries.
CFD Modelling of CO2 Capture in a Packed Bed by Chemical Absorption
Authors: Asendrych Dariusz , Niegodajew Paweł , Drobniak Stanisław
Published: July 2013

The paper deals with numerical modelling of carbon dioxide capture by amine solvent from flue gases in post-combustion technology. A complex flow system including a countercurrent two-phase flow in a porous region, chemical reaction and heat transfer is considered to resolve CO2 absorption. In order to approach the hydrodynamics of the process a two-fluid Eulerian model was applied. At the present stage of model development only the first part of the cycle, i.e. CO2 absorption was included. A series of parametric simulations has shown that carbon dioxide capture efficiency is mostly influenced by the ratio of liquid (aqueous amine solution) to gas (flue gases) mass fluxes. Good consistency of numerical results with experimental data acquired at a small-scale laboratory CO2 capture installation (at the Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal, Zabrze, Poland) has proved the reliability of the model.
Field Testing of Acoustic Cleaning System Working in 670Mwth CFB Boiler
Authors: Mirek Paweł
Published: July 2013

The article reports the results of measurements of the acoustic pressure of acoustic waves generated by acoustic dust cleaners mounted in the convection pass of the 670MWth Circulating Fluidised Bed boiler. Based on measurements carried out and the spectral analysis of recorded signals it was found that the level of acoustic pressure generated by acoustic cleaners for the frequency of 100 Hz was too low for the efficient cleaning of the heated surfaces of the reheater RH2 and superheater SH3.
Mot ett kontinentalt dryckesmönster, eller inte? Förändringar i svenskarnas alkoholkonsumtion mellan 1996 och 2005
Authors: Tryggvesson Kalle
Published: July 2013

Aim

Alcohol consumption on an aggregate level rose by 30 percent in Sweden between 1996 and 2004 according to available research. However, alcohol-related harm has not increased as much as expected. The purpose of this study is to analyze how the self-reported alcohol consumption changed between 1996 and 2005.

Data

Self-reported alcohol consumption was investigated with four identical surveys implemented by Statistics Sweden, 1996 (n = 5891, response rate 78.7 %), 1997 (n = 5807, response rate 77.8 %), 2004 (n = 5591, response rate 74.8 %) and 2006 (4277, response rate 75.1 %). In addition to weekly volume of alcohol consumption, we have data on beverage specific consumption, daily alcohol consumption for the different days of the week, frequency of binge drinking and several background variables of good quality.

Results

Self-reported alcohol consumption rose between 96/97 and 04/05, but only with 15 percent. The increase was relatively evenly distributed but women, older people and low to middle consumer groups increased their consumption the most. The frequency of binge drinking also increased as did the proportion of alcohol consumed during the weekend.

Conclusions

The increase in alcohol consumption was smaller in our study than the increase reported earlier. A few changes in the consumption pattern that could explain a diverging trend between the total alcohol consumption and alcohol related harms were found.
A modified nanoporous stir bar for simultaneous determination of Cu(II) and Cd(II) ions in natural samples prior to flame atomic absorption spectroscopy
Authors: Karimi Mohammad , Aboufazeli Forouzan , Zadeh Zhad Hamid Reza Lotfi , Sadeghi Omid , Najafi Ezzatollah
Published: July 2013

In this work, the application of stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), as a fast and conventional method, has been investigated for the simultaneous preconcentration and determination of trace amounts of Cd(II) and Cu(II) ions in natural samples. For this purpose, the surface of stir bar was functionalized by amine functionalized nanoporous silica and characterized by IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and N2adsorption. In this approach, after the preconcentration of Cd(II) and Cu(II) ions and removing the matrix interferences using modified stir bar, the amounts of these ions were determined in eluent by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). Various parameters on adsorption and elution steps including pH of sample, adsorption kinetic, eluent parameters (type, volume and concentration) and elution time, have been optimized in this study. The limits of detection (LOD) were 1.6 and 13.8 ng mL-1(recovery of 83.5 and 88.1%) for cadmium and copper ions, respectively. The preconcentration factors were 133 and 137 and the relative standard deviations (RSD) of the method were 5.7 and 4.6% for Cd(II) and Cu(II) ions, respectively. As the key point in this study seems to be stir bar nanoporous structure, the analytical performance of this stir bar was compared to non-porous ones. The accuracy of this novel method has been confirmed using some standard references materials. Finally the potential of this method was investigated by determination of Cd(II) and Cu(II) ions in some real samples with complicated matrixes.
Process simulation of dimethyl ether synthesis via methanol vapor phase dehydration
Authors: Bai Ziyang , Ma Hongfang , Zhang Haitao , Ying Weiyong , Fang Dingye
Published: July 2013

The production processes included catalytic dehydration of methanol in an adiabatic fixed-bed reactor and two columns product separations. In this study, the technological process for dimethyl ether (DME) synthesis is built on PRO/II platform based on the combined parameters of the reaction dynamic model for methanol dehydration reaction, the improved NRTL model of the liquid phase, the PR model of vapor phase. In order to validate the proposed model, the simulation results have been compared with the available data from a set of industrial production equipment with a production capacity of 200 000 tonnes per annum. A comparison between the calculated and measured results has proved that these results are satisfactory. The bed height and the volume of the catalytic bed are calculated aim at one million t/a DME yields and while taking account of high-purity DME production. After discussing the influence of feed stage location and reflux ratio for DME product purity, the suitable unit operation conditions are chosen. Accordingly, accurate process simulation results provide the basis and guidance for an improvement and development of the similar industrial device.
Yardstick Competition in case of the Czech Property Tax
Authors: Sedmihradská Lucie
Published: July 2013

Introduction of the local coefficient in the property tax law since 2009 gave a significant tax authority to Czech municipalities; on average they can up to quadruple their property tax revenue which means increasing their total revenue by more than 10%. Czech municipalities appeared very cautious when exercising this new autonomy and only less than 8% of them applied the local coefficient in 2013.

The theory of yardstick competition offers one of the possible explanations of this reluctance: Voters do not vote for politicians who increase taxes unless the politicians in the neighbouring jurisdictions increase taxes as well. So municipal politicians are carefully observing what others do and approve the local coefficient with prudence.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the usage of the local coefficient with special regard to spatial distribution and impacts on re-election and to verify the existence of the yardstick competition among Czech municipalities in case of the property tax.

The results of the difference of means test using data for 206 municipalities with extended scope comply with this theory: (1) politicians who applied local coefficient in 2010 got re-elected in a significantly lesser number of municipalities than those who did not, and (2) in all years analyzed, municipalities applying local coefficient are surrounded by a higher share of municipalities with local coefficient than municipalities without it.
Mistrz i uczeń albo sekrety humanistów Dialog Jana z Wiślicy z Pawłem z Krosna na kartach Wojny pruskiej / The Master And His Apprentice , or the Secrets of the Humanists : The Dialogue of Jan of Wiślica (Joannis Vislicensis ) And Paweł of Krosno in the Bellum Prutenum (1516)
Authors: Buszewicz Elwira
Published: July 2013

The article contains the original text and the Polish translation of two Latin elegies from the Bellum Prutenum (The Prussian War) by Jan of Wiślica (Joannis Vislicensis), published in Cracow in 1516. The first is a plea addressed to the author by Paweł of Krosno (Paulus Crosnensis Ruthenus) to start his book with an appropriate epigram; the latter is a reply to that request. This description, however, does not exhaust the meaning of the two poems. Their full, more complex significance can be unlocked with help of the conventions and codes of the Humanist discourse. Interpreted in the light of the 16th-century thinking about poetry and the process of learning, this versified dialogue appears to be a record of a master-pupil relationship, which, after Jan of Wiślica’s apprenticeship ceremony, is transformed into a bond of friendship. The poems also contain a string of timely reflections on the nature of the poetic craft.
Czas życia jako paradygmat kultury – starość / Man’s Life as a Cultural Paradigm : Old Age. Stanisław Kołakowski’s Man’s Life (1584) and Jan Protasowicz’s a Mirror of the Old Man (1597)
Authors: Krzysztofik Małgorzata
Published: July 2013

This article is concerned with the notion of the ages of man’s life seen from the anthropo-logical perspective as a cultural paradigm. It is obvious in all cultures that anybody who has lived a long life has to pass through the stages of childhood, youth, adulthood down to old age. Although these four ages are universally acknowledged, the length of each phase, its relative quality and value are subject to cultural variation. To reconstruct the topoi used to highlight both the more attractive and the negative aspects of old age the article examines the contents of two books from the late 16th century, Stanisław Kołakowski’s Man’s Life (1584) and Jan Protasowicz’s A Mirror of the Old Man (1597). Chief among the benefits peculiar to senectitude is the respect given to the old man’s wisdom, his counsel and advice, the quality of his political leadership; accordingly the senex can function as a paragon of virtues, a holy man who blesses the young generation, a hale old man enjoying his well-earned retirement, and a pious old man preparing for death. This complimentary picture of the rewards of old age is however offset by its accumulating ills and miseries, clumsiness and decrepitude, habitual whinging and complaining, childishness, ill-health, loneliness, naivete, proneness to romantic infatuation and ridicule. All those features that are conditioned by the nature of biological rythms and processes have a permanence about them that makes them constants of the literary descriptions of old age. The culture of the Renaissance was on the whole unfavourably disposed towards senectitude, which is borne out by the two texts analyzed in this article.
Portret Jako Jednostka Kulturowej Historii Literatury / The Portrait as a Unit of the Cultural History of Literature
Authors: Popiel Magdalena
Published: July 2013

This article is concerned with the role of the literary and the photographic portrait in the cultural history of literature. It argues that a new appraisal of the history of literature should take into account the prominent role of pictorial representation in contemporary culture. In practice, getting to grips with the multimediality of literary history means not only taking note of the interaction of various modes of communication but also adopting a nonlinear perspective, liberated from the ordering hegemony of language and narration, and based on the rhythm of Warburg’s formulas of pathos. The new approach should draw freely on inspirations from the history of art and anchor its discourse in the conceptual frameworks of anthropological aesthetics, Visual Culture Studies and case studies. One can expect that it would show its exceptional worth when applied to the study of multimedia artists like Stanisław Witkiewicz and Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz.
Łaciński pierwowzór kazań maryjnych Jana z Szamotuł (Paterka) / The Latin Source of the Marian Sermons of Jan of Szamotu Ły (Paterek)
Authors: Mazurkiewicz Roman
Published: July 2013

This author of this article has tracked down the Latin source of the Marian Sermons of Jan of Szamotuły aka Paterek (c. 1480-1519). The extant MS of the Sermons, is dated to the early 16th century. They cover the stories of the Immaculate Conception, the Nativity, the Holy Name, and the Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Although indebted in their structure and theological content to medieval scholastic treaties, they were generally believed to be Jan of Szamotuły’s own work. Now we know that his source was a volume of sermons Stellarium coronae Benedictae Mariae Virginis, written by the Hungarian Franciscan Pelbart of Temesvar (c. 1435-1504). The two texts are compared with a view of identifying the characteristic features of the Polish translation (paraphrase). The article also presents some conjectures about the date and circumstances of the writing of the Sermons and their prospective use.
Ważyk metafizyczny? / Ważyk – A Metaphysician?
Authors: Święch Jerzy
Published: July 2013

Adam Ważyk’s last volume of poems Zdarzenia (Events) (1977) can be read as a resume of the an avant-garde artist’s life that culminated in the discovery of a new truth about the human condition. The poems reveal his longing for a belief that human life, the mystery of life and death, makes sense, ie. that one’s existence is subject to the rule of some overarching necessity, opened onto the last things, rather than a plaything of chance. That entails a rejection of the idea of man’s self-sufficiency as an illusion, even though that kind of individual sovereignty was the cornerstone of modernist art. The art of late modernity, it may be noted, was already increasingly aware of the dangers of putting man’s ‘ontological security’ at risk. Ważyk’s last volume exemplifies this tendency although its poems appear to remain within the confines of a Cubist poetics which he himself helped to establish. In fact, however, as our readings of the key poems from Events make clear, he employs his accustomed techniques for a new purpose. The shift of perspective can be described as ‘metaphysical’, not in any strict sense of the word, but rather as a shorthand indicator of the general mood of these poems, filled with events which seem to trap the characters into a supernatural order of things. The author sees that much, even though he does not look with the eye of a man of faith. It may be just a game - and Ważyk was always fond of playing games - but in this one the stakes are higher than ever. Ultimately, this game is about salvation. Ważyk is drawn into it by a longing for the wholeness of things and a dissatisfaction with all forms of mediation, including the Cubist games of deformation and fragmentation of the object. It seems that the key to Ważyk’s late phase is to be found in his disillusionment with the twentieth-century avant-gardes. Especially the poems of Events contain enough clues to suggest that the promise of Cubism and surrealism - which he sought to fuse in his poetic theory and practice - was short-lived and hollow.
Miejsca pamięci czy pamięć miejsc? Kilka refleksji na temat uobecniania przeszłości w literaturze współczesnej / Sites of Memory or the Memory of Sites? A Few Thoughts About the Re-Presentation of History in Contemporary Literature
Authors: Delaperrière Maria
Published: July 2013

Armed with two terms lieux de mémoire (Pierre Nora) and non-lieu (Marc Auge), the author of this article revisits the field of literature and memory studies. With the help of these interdisciplinary tools she explores the sites where the tangled knots of History and literature, History and memory, and individual and collective memories are closely linked with a (metaphorical, pragmatic, psychological) locus. By virtue of that connectedness remembrance (recall of the past) is pregnant with multiple variants and possibilities. At the same time the literary lieux de mémoire undergo an evolution - from a ritualized commemoration through gradual loss of symbolic authority to indistinctness (atopia) - driven by the processes of history.
The Father in the Boy
Authors: Watkins Clifton Edward
Published: July 2013

The psychoanalytic vision of the father-son relationship, for far too long, remained yoked to patrifocal, patriarchal, phallocentric, and heteronormative biases. Fathers were seen as the paragons of masculinity, providing their sons with rescue and salvation from the sinister specter of enmeshment with and engulfment by mother. Only in the last approximate 25 to 30 years have we seen a significant shift in that vision of fathers begin to occur in psychoanalysis. In this paper, I consider some of the essentials that appear to now define that ever-evolving psychoanalytic vision of fathers. Some ways in which fathers seemingly contribute to boys’ development will be examined, and the roles, goals, and imagos that characterize the father-son relationship during boyhood will be accentuated. This current vision, still very much a work in progress, reflects earnest efforts to contemporize an antiquated and gender biased psychoanalytic perspective and render it relevant for the twenty-first century father, fathering, and father-son relationship. Upending psychoanalytic overemphases on pathology, misery, and negativity, it is an optimistic iconoclasm that challenges and questions tradition, proposes an alternative path to explanatory possibilities and conceptualizations, and above all else, embraces and celebrates “more life,” joy, happiness, health, and positivity in fathering.
Forgotten pasts and fearful futures in Czechs' remembrances of communism
Authors: Trnka Susanna
Published: July 2013

Twenty years after the end of communist rule in Czechoslovakia, numerous public and private acts of remembrance both hail the end of state socialism and rally Czech society to be on guard against its possible return. This article compares three sets of remembrances-official commemorations sponsored by the state and/or private corporations, activists' alternative memory acts, and personal accounts of Czech citizens-to reveal how each of these give voice to fears and anxieties over the possibilities of “forgetting“ communism. Promoting a vision of the nation as united in ensuring that the future remains “communist-free“, widespread concerns over social amnesia and civic apathy become, I argue, a means of bonding citizens together and to the state. What, however, exactly characterizes a “noncommunist“ society is left necessarily ambiguous.
Probing the past and imagining the future
Authors: Pine Frances
Published: July 2013

The socialist states of the Soviet Bloc fell, some
gently and some far more abruptly and even violently,
between 1989 and 1991. In the two
decades that have followed, there have been
continual attempts by politicians, social scientists,
and other academics, as well as by the citizens
of these “former socialist countries”
themselves, to come to terms with competing
memories of what socialism meant, was, and
might have been. Simultaneously, efforts to
weigh up and assess a range of very different
pasts are matched by forecasts of imagined futures
that somehow continue to be driven by
and predicated on this complex and kaleidoscopic
remembered history. The present, the
here and now, can, however, be even more complicated;
in some ways it neither escapes entirely
from the past nor really sets the stage for
the future, but rather is a continual state of “becoming”.
Just as “memory” is never a “true” reflection
of a time or an event, but rather a multiple
layering of recollections that change each
time they are evoked, none of these complex
and rather messy temporalities actually matches
the “real” past, present, or future—all carry
complex moral judgments, reflect moral questions,
and embody the tension between what
might have been, what is, and what should be.
Change management at a Danish university: The introduction of a common market for education
Authors: Bundgaard Helle
Published: July 2013

This article discusses the approach to the management of change taken by a Danish university when introducing a university-wide market for education and it explores the different positions taken by some of the central stakeholders in one of the faculties involved. I argue that neither the inadequacies of a popular management model nor insufficient communication fully explain the problems with the change project. Based on strategy papers, memorandums and detailed observations of meetings, I discuss the introduction of the education market and analyse the reception given by directors of studies to a specific social technology, a common year and timetable structure. I offer an explanation of their reactions that draws on an anthropological approach to organisations. I call for university leaders to take what I call an 'improvisational' approach to leadership, which takes account of local ways of interpreting the meaning and significance of large-scale changes and works through professional motivation.
Impact of Selected Factors on the Occurrence of Contact Dermatitis in Turkeys on Commercial Farms in Germany
Authors: Krautwald-Junghanns Maria-Elisabeth , Bergmann Shana , Erhard Michael , Fehlhaber Karsten , Hübel Jens , Ludewig Martina , Mitterer-Istyagin Heike , Ziegler Nina , Bartels Thomas
Published: July 2013

In a long term research project in Germany the influence of husbandry on the health of fattening turkeys (Study 1) as well as the influence of practiced rearing conditions on the health of turkey poults (Study 2) was examined in 24 farms and at the meat processing plant. In all examined rearing farms, litter samples for the determination of litter moisture were taken. This paper summarizes the results obtained by our working group from 2007 until 2012. The results elucidate the universal problem of foot pad dermatitis (FPD). Nearly 100% of the observed turkeys showed a clinically apparent FPD at the meat processing plant. Furthermore, skin lesions of the breast, especially breast buttons were diagnosed, particularly at the slaughterhouse. FPD was detected in the first week of the rearing phase. Prevalence and degree showed a progressive development up to the age of 22–35 days, whereas 63.3% of the poults had foot pad alterations. As even mild alterations in the foot pad condition can be indicators for suboptimal design of the rearing environment, especially high litter moisture, it is important to focus on the early rearing phase.
Complexity L0-Penalized M-Estimation: Consistency in More Dimensions
Authors: Demaret Laurent , Friedrich Felix , Liebscher Volkmar , Winkler Gerhard
Published: July 2013

We study the asymptotics in L2 for complexity penalized least squares regression for the discrete approximation of finite-dimensional signals on continuous domains—e.g., images—by piecewise smooth functions. We introduce a fairly general setting, which comprises most of the presently popular partitions of signal or image domains, like interval, wedgelet or related partitions, as well as Delaunay triangulations. Then, we prove consistency and derive convergence rates. Finally, we illustrate by way of relevant examples that the abstract results are useful for many applications.
Wavelet-Based Monitoring for Biosurveillance
Authors: Shmueli Galit
Published: July 2013

Biosurveillance, focused on the early detection of disease outbreaks, relies on classical statistical control charts for detecting disease outbreaks. However, such methods are not always suitable in this context. Assumptions of normality, independence and stationarity are typically violated in syndromic data. Furthermore, outbreak signatures are typically of unknown patterns and, therefore, call for general detectors. We propose wavelet-based methods, which make less assumptions and are suitable for detecting abnormalities of unknown form. Wavelets have been widely used for data denoising and compression, but little work has been published on using them for monitoring. We discuss monitoring-based issues and illustrate them using data on military clinic visits in the USA.
Volcanosedimentary Basins in the Arabian-Nubian Shield: Markers of Repeated Exhumation and Denudation in a Neoproterozoic Accretionary Orogen
Authors: Johnson Peter , Halverson Galen , Kusky Timothy , Stern Robert , Pease Victoria
Published: July 2013

The Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS) includes Middle Cryogenian-Ediacaran (790–560 Ma) sedimentary and volcanic terrestrial and shallow-marine successions unconformable on juvenile Cryogenian crust. The oldest were deposited after 780–760 Ma shearing and suturing in the central ANS. Middle Cryogenian basins are associated with ~700 Ma suturing in the northern ANS. Late Cryogenian basins overlapped with and followed 680–640 Ma Nabitah orogenesis in the eastern ANS. Ediacaran successions are found in pull-apart and other types of basins formed in a transpressive setting associated with E-W shortening, NW-trending shearing, and northerly extension during final amalgamation of the ANS. Erosion surfaces truncating metamorphosed arc rocks at the base of these successions are evidence of periodic exhumation and erosion of the evolving ANS crust. The basins are evidence of subsequent subsidence to the base level of alluvial systems or below sea level. Mountains were dissected by valley systems, yet relief was locally low enough to allow for seaways connected to the surrounding Mozambique Ocean. The volcanosedimentary basins of the ANS are excellently exposed and preserved, and form a world-class natural laboratory for testing concepts about crustal growth during the Neoproterozoic and for the acquisition of data to calibrate chemical and isotopic changes, at a time in geologic history that included some of the most important, rapid, and enigmatic changes to Earth’s environment and biota.
Determinants of Childhood Immunization Uptake among Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Migrants in East China
Authors: Hu Yu , Li Qian , Chen Enfu , Chen Yaping , Qi Xiaohua
Published: July 2013

Objective: To determine the coverage of childhood immunization appropriate for age among socio-economically disadvantaged recent migrants living in East China and to identify the determinants of full immunization uptake among these migrant children. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey of 1,426 migrant mothers with a child aged ≤24 months, who were interviewed with a pretested questionnaire. Various vaccines, migration history and some other social-demographic and income details were collected. Single-level logistic regression analyses were applied to identify the determinants of full immunization status. Results: Immunization coverage rates are lower among migrants and even lower among recent migrants. The likelihood of a child receiving full immunization rise with parents’ educational level and the frequency of mother’s utilization of health care. Higher household income also significantly increase the likelihood of full immunization, as dose post-natal visits by a health worker. Conclusions: Recent migrant status favours low immunization uptake, particularly in the vulnerability context of alienation and livelihood insecurity. Services must be delivered with a focus on recent migrants. Investments are needed in education, socio-economic development and secure livelihoods to improve and sustain equitable health care services.
Characterization of the Interaction between Eupatorin and Bovine Serum Albumin by Spectroscopic and Molecular Modeling Methods
Authors: Xu Hongliang , Yao Nannan , Xu Haoran , Wang Tianshi , Li Guiying , Li Zhengqiang
Published: July 2013

This study investigated the interaction between eupatorin and bovine serum albumin (BSA) using ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption, fluorescence, synchronous fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopies, and molecular modeling at pH 7.4. Results of UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopies illustrated that BSA fluorescence was quenched by eupatorin via a static quenching mechanism. Thermodynamic parameters revealed that hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions played major roles in the interaction. Moreover, the efficiency of energy transfer, and the distance between BSA and acceptor eupatorin, were calculated. The effects of eupatorin on the BSA conformation were analyzed using UV-vis, CD, and synchronous fluorescence. Finally, the binding of eupatorin to BSA was modeled using the molecular docking method.
Misfolding and Amyloid Aggregation of Apomyoglobin
Authors: Iannuzzi Clara , Maritato Rosa , Irace Gaetano , Sirangelo Ivana
Published: July 2013

Apomyoglobin is an excellent example of a monomeric all α-helical globular protein whose folding pathway has been extensively studied and well characterized. Structural perturbation induced by denaturants or high temperature as well as amino acid substitution have been described to induce misfolding and, in some cases, aggregation. In this article, we review the molecular mechanism of the aggregation process through which a misfolded form of a mutated apomyoglobin aggregates at physiological pH and room temperature forming an amyloid fibril. The results are compared with data showing that either amyloid or aggregate formation occurs under particular denaturing conditions or upon cleavage of the residues corresponding to the C-terminal helix of apomyoglobin. The results are discussed in terms of the sequence regions that are more important than others in determining the amyloid aggregation process.
Hirsutellin A: A Paradigmatic Example of the Insecticidal Function of Fungal Ribotoxins
Authors: Herrero-Galán Elías , García-Ortega Lucía , Olombrada Miriam , Lacadena Javier , Del Pozo Álvaro , Gavilanes José , Oñaderra Mercedes
Published: July 2013

The fungal pathogen Hirsutella thompsonii produces an insecticidal protein named hirsutellin A (HtA), which has been described to be toxic to several species of mites, insect larvae, and cells. On the other hand, on the basis of an extensive biochemical and structural characterization, HtA has been considered to be a member of the ribotoxins family. Ribotoxins are fungal extracellular ribonucleases, which inactivate ribosomes by specifically cleaving a single phosphodiester bond located at the large rRNA. Although ribotoxins were brought to light in the 1960s as antitumor agents, their biological function has remained elusive. Thus, the consideration of hirsutellin A, an insecticidal protein, as a singular ribotoxin recalled the idea of the biological activity of these toxins as insecticidal agents. Further studies have demonstrated that the most representative member of the ribotoxin family, α-sarcin, also shows strong toxic action against insect cells. The determination of high resolution structures, the characterization of a large number of mutants, and the toxicity assays against different cell lines have been the tools used for the study of the mechanism of action of ribotoxins at the molecular level. The aim of this review is to serve as a compilation of the facts that allow identification of HtA as a paradigmatic example of the insecticidal function of fungal ribotoxins.
Apoptosis-Inducing Effect of Ginsenoside Rg6 on Human Lymphocytoma JK Cells
Authors: Chen Bin , Jia Xiao-Bin
Published: July 2013

In this communication our aim was to study the JK cell growth inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing effects of ginsenoside Rg6 (GRg6) from steamed notoginseng on human lymphocytoma. The CCK-8 method was used to observe the anti-proliferative effect of GRg6 on human lymphocytoma JK cells. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze the influence of GRg6 on cell cycle. The Annexin-V FITC/PI double-staining method was used to detect the ratio of apoptotic cells. JC-1 staining was undertaken to observe the influence of GRg6 on intracellular mitochondrial membrane potential. Finally, western blots were conducted to detect the expression level of apoptosis-related Bax and the Bcl-2 proteins. The results suggested that GRg6 can inhibit the proliferation of human lymphocytoma JK cells. GRg6 blocks an S arrest in the cell cycle. With the increase in GRg6 concentration, the potential in the cell decreased in a dose dependent manner, and Bax protein expression gradually increased, whereas Bcl-2 protein expression gradually decreased. In conclusion, GRg6 can inhibit JK cell proliferation in human lymphocytoma and induce its apoptosis. The mechanism of action may be related to mitochondrial dysfunction and an increase of Bax expression and decrease of Bcl-2 expression caused by GRg6.
The Design of High Performance, Low Power Triple-Track Magnetic Sensor Chip
Authors: Wu Xiulong , Li Minghua , Lin Zhiting , Xi Mengyuan , Chen Junning
Published: July 2013

This paper presents a design of a high performance and low power consumption triple-track magnetic sensor chip which was fabricated in TSMC 0.35 μm CMOS process. This chip is able to simultaneously sense, decode and read out the information stored in triple-track magnetic cards. A reference voltage generating circuit, a low-cost filter circuit, a power-on reset circuit, an RC oscillator, and a pre-decoding circuit are utilized as the basic modules. The triple-track magnetic sensor chip has four states, i.e., reset, sleep, swiping card and data read-out. In sleep state, the internal RC oscillator is closed, which means that the digital part does not operate to optimize energy consumption. In order to improve decoding accuracy and expand the sensing range of the signal, two kinds of circuit are put forward, naming offset correction circuit, and tracking circuit. With these two circuits, the sensing function of this chip can be more efficiently and accurately. We simulated these circuit modules with TSMC technology library. The results showed that these modules worked well within wide range input signal. Based on these results, the layout and tape-out were carried out. The measurement results showed that the chip do function well within a wide swipe speed range, which achieved the design target.
True and masked three-coordinate T-shaped platinum(II) intermediates
Authors: Ortuño Manuel A , Conejero Salvador , Lledós Agustí
Published: July 2013

Although four-coordinate square-planar geometries, with a formally 16-electron counting, are absolutely dominant in isolated Pt(II) complexes, three-coordinate, 14-electron Pt(II) complexes are believed to be key intermediates in a number of platinum-mediated organometallic transformations. Although very few authenticated three-coordinate Pt(II) complexes have been characterized, a much larger number of complexes can be described as operationally three-coordinate in a kinetic sense. In these compounds, which we have called masked T-shaped complexes, the fourth position is occupied by a very weak ligand (agostic bond, solvent molecule or counteranion), which can be easily displaced. This review summarizes the structural features of the true and masked T-shaped Pt(II) complexes reported so far and describes synthetic strategies employed for their formation. Moreover, recent experimental and theoretical reports are analyzed, which suggest the involvement of such intermediates in reaction mechanisms, particularly C–H bond-activation processes.
Genèse et logiques des politiques de prostitution en France
Authors: Mathieu Lilian
Published: July 2013

On assiste en France, depuis une douzaine d’années, à un processus inédit de politisation de la prostitution, dont témoignent polémiques publiques, mobilisations associatives, rapports parlementaires et réformes législatives. Cette politisation ne doit pas tant aux transformations de la prostitution elle-même (marquées notamment à l’arrivée de prostituées étrangères supposées victimes de la traite des êtres humains) qu’à la manière dont se sont imposées ses définitions dominantes comme atteinte à la dignité et comme violence sexiste, dont l’abolition appellerait prioritairement l’instauration de mesures répressives. L’article aborde les étapes de cette construction de la prostitution en problème public, dont un des traits singuliers est de reposer sur la coalition de protagonistes (militants abolitionnistes, féministes, policiers, riverains, responsables politiques locaux ou nationaux, etc.) aux positions et aux enjeux disparates.
Performance des organisations et bien-être des usagers : quels modes de pilotage et d'intervention ?
Authors: Grenier Corinne , Martin Virginie
Published: July 2013

Promouvoir des organisations performantes pour délivrer des prestations de santé de qualité constitue l’agenda de travail d’une grande variété d’acteurs (autorités publiques, agences, directeurs, équipes, professionnels...) qui prend la forme depuis de nombreuses années d’une multitude de réglementations, de recommandations de bonnes pratiques, de dispositifs organisationnels et managériaux et d’outils de sa mesure... Alors qu’on peut légitimement considérer que les organisations de santé ont répondu à ces exigences, l’on peine encore à démontrer une juste relation entre performance et bien-être des usagers. Seraient en cause : une visée appauvrie de la performance vers une logique de rationalisation des services, des instruments qui peinent à intégrer les logiques de soin et de gestion, une multiplicité de recommandations qui ne facilitent pas l’apprentissage dans le temps... Cet article se propose de discuter cet apparent paradoxe, en prônant une impérieuse nécessité de concevoir la performance des organisations de santé de manière systémique, partagée et contextualisée, à travers trois axes de discussion : dépasser le discours de la performance pour la qualité vers de réelles pratiques collectives, la construction et l’utilisation d’outils de mesure appropriés et l’empowerment des acteurs pour soutenir une méthodologie participative de construction du sens de la notion de performance.