bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transnational pathways to integration: Chinese traders in Serbia
Authors: Korac Maja
Published: July 2013

This article focuses on the process of integration of Chinese immigrants in
Serbia. It is based on a pilot study conducted among Chinese traders in
Belgrade, and examines the ways in which this highly mobile group of people
is becoming incorporated into the Serbian society. The discussion points to a
set of opportunities that Serbia as a transition society and a non-immigrant
country offers to Chinese traders who have been settling in Belgrade and
Serbia since 1996. It explores multiple and various types of emerging social
interaction embedded in daily life of both Chinese traders and locals, all of
which shape their local integration. It argues that a society such as Serbia
provides a space for choice and active management of risks involved in
trading migration enabling Chinese traders to create a transnational pathway
to incorporation. Although their primary aim is not to ?settle for good?, but
to remain mobile for the better, Chinese traders have established a wide
range of contacts with the local population and have created some important
inroads into the Serbian society.
Labour exploitation of illegal immigrants in the developed north
Authors: Renovcevic Anja
Published: July 2013

The theme of this paper is the exploitation of illegal immigrants working in
the developed North, while the main objective is analysis of the relation
between illegal migration and market demand for low-cost labor, in the
context of globalization, growing inequalities and the new global division of
labor. The basic assumption is that the market of so-called developed
countries of the North has an internal, self-built need for illegal labor,
and that the overall economy in the North largely depends on such labor. In
that sense the policies against immigration are considered false or
infertile. Also, this paper explains the characteristics of illegal immigrant
labor and sectoral deployment, but also the forms it takes and illegal
conditions in which it is carried.
Stress-Induced Hyperglycemia After Hip Fracture and the Increased Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Nondiabetic Patients
Authors: Chen Yan , Yang Xincun , Meng Kang , Zeng Zechun , Ma Baotong , Liu Xingpeng , Qi Baoqing , Cui Shuangshuang , Cao Peihong , Yang Yan
Published: July 2013

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) following stress hyperglycemia after hip fracture.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

From February 2007 to February 2012, we carried out a prospective observational analysis of 1,257 consecutive patients with no history of diabetes who suffered hip fractures. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycosylated hemoglobin tests as well as electrocardiography, ultrasonic cardiography, and chest X-ray examinations were performed after admission. All selected hip fracture patients were divided into stress hyperglycemia and non-hyperglycemia groups according to their FBG, and the incidence of AMI was monitored.

RESULTS

Among the patients enrolled, the frequency of stress hyperglycemia was 47.89% (602/1,257) and that of AMI was 9.31% (117/1,257), and the occurrence of AMI in the stress hyperglycemia group was higher than in the non-hyperglycemia group (12.46 vs. 6.41%, P < 0.05). In the stress hyperglycemia patients, FBG reached maximum levels at 2–3 days after hip fractures and then decreased gradually. The AMI incidence (62.67% [47/75]) of the stress hyperglycemia group was highest in the initial 3 days after hip fracture, significantly coinciding with the FBG peak time (P < 0.05). In all patients with AMI, non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction occurred more often than ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (62.39% [73/117] vs. 37.61% [44/117]).

CONCLUSIONS

Stress-induced hyperglycemia after hip fracture increased the risk of AMI.
NSE, a Potential Biomarker, Is Closely Connected to Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors: Li Jianbo , Zhang Hongman , Xie Min , Yan Lingfei , Chen Jiawei , Wang Hongxing
Published: July 2013

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship between serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels and diabetic neuropathy.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Type 1 or 2 diabetic and healthy control subjects (n = 568) were randomly enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Diabetic neuropathy status was documented by the presence of clinical symptoms or signs, electromyography, quantitative sensory tests, and cardiac autonomic neuropathy tests. The severity of the neuropathy was staged by composite scores. Serum NSE was measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The demographic and clinical variables were obtained through an interviewer questionnaire.

RESULTS

Serum NSE levels increased slightly in diabetic subjects compared with normal subjects (9.1 [1.5] vs. 8.7 [1.7], P = 0.037), and the levels increased greatly in diabetic subjects with neuropathy compared with those without (10.8 [2.8] vs. 9.1 [1.5], P = 0.000). The association of NSE with diabetic neuropathy was independent of the hyperglycemic state (fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, duration, and the type of diabetes) and other potential confounders affecting NSE levels (e.g., age, sex, and renal status) (odds ratio 1.48 [1.13–1.74], P = 0.001). In addition, NSE levels increased with and were closely correlated to the stages of neuropathy (r = 0.63 [0.52–0.74], P = 0.000). The optimal cutoff point for serum NSE levels to distinguish patients with diabetic neuropathy from those without was 10.10 μg/L, with a sensitivity of 66.3% and a specificity of 72.5%.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum NSE levels are closely associated with peripheral neuropathy in patients with diabetes. Future studies are warranted to clarify the relationship.
Çocuklarda tiroid hormon düzeylerinin obezite ile ilişkisi
Authors: Ekinci Ferhat , Uzuner Arzu , Tosun Niyazi
Published: July 2013

Amaç: Tüm dünyada epidemik özellik gösteren bir sağlık sorunu olan obezite, çocuk yaş grubunu da etkilemektedir. Son yıllarda medikal tedavi için başvuran obez çocuk sayısında artma ile birlikte obezite ve tiroid fonksiyon testleri arasındaki ilişki ilgi çekmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, çocukluk çağında tiroid hormon düzeylerinin obezite ile ilişkisini araştırmaktır.Yöntem: Bu amaçla Nisan-Ağustos 2011 tarihleri arasında Marmara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi Aile Hekimliği ve Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları polikliniklerine çeşitli nedenlerle başvuran 5-11 yaş arasındaki çocuklar çalışmaya alındı. Tüm çocuklarda BKı (beden kitle indeksi) persentilleriyle TSH ve sT4 düzeyleri arasındaki ilişki araştırıldı.Bulgular: Çalışmaya 5-11 yaş arası300 çocuk dahil edildi. Çocukların 159’u kız, 141’i erkekti. Çalışmaya alınan çocukların ortalama yaşı8.4±2.1 yıldı. Normal kilolu (5-85p) grupta 100, fazla kilolu (86- 95p) grupta 74, obez (>95p) grupta 126 çocuk yer aldı. Normal kilolu grubun %1’inin, fazla kilolu grubunun %9.5’inin, obez grubun %11.9’unun TSH düzeyi yüksekti. TSH düzeyi obez grupta diğer gruplara göre anlamlı olarak yüksek bulunurken (p=0.007) sT4 ile BKI arasında anlamlı bir ilişki saptanmadı(p=0.395). BKI ile TSH değeri arasındaki korelasyon değerlendirildiğinde, istatistiksel olarak anlamlı ancak zayıf bir korelasyon bulundu (r=0.152; p
Romans
Authors: Saint-Martin Lori
Published: July 2013

Reviews of French-Canadian fiction published in Canada in 1993.
Poesie 1992
Authors: Cloutier Cecile
Published: July 2013

Reviews of French-Canadian poetry published in Canada in 1992.
Giant petroclival endodermal cyst with xanthogranulomatous changes
Authors: Choi Ji Eun , Seol Ho Jun , Cho Yang-Sun
Published: July 2013

Endodermal cyst is a rare developmental cyst of the CNS, such as a Rathke cleft and colloid cyst lined by columnar epithelium of presumed endodermal origin. Intracranial endodermal cysts are rare, and most are found in the posterior fossa. The authors report a case of petroclival endodermal cyst with extensive bone destruction. A 12-year-old boy presented with transient facial weakness and headache. Imaging revealed a 3 × 3 × 4–cm, partial rim, enhanced cystic lesion in the petroclival area that was isointense on T1-weighted imaging and hyperintense in T2-weighted imaging. The cyst wall was partially removed and the cyst was obliterated using a lateral approach. Histological examination revealed ciliated, simple-to-pseudostratified cuboidal epithelium with a basement membrane that was consistent with an endodermal cyst, with the rare finding of xanthogranulomatous changes.
The effects of El Niño and La Niña on snow and avalanche patterns in British Columbia, Canada, and central Chile
Authors: McClung D.M.
Published: July 2013

El Niño and La Niña affect global climate and atmospheric circulation to determine winter temperature and precipitation patterns. Both winter temperatures and the associated precipitation patterns have effects on mountain snow deposition and snow avalanche occurrences. Approximately 25 000 slab avalanches from 30 winters were analyzed in relation to snowfall patterns contrasted for El Niño and La Niña winters for two avalanche areas with different snow climates in British Columbia (BC), Canada. La Niña winters were shown to produce more snow, more avalanches and a higher percentage of dry avalanches than wet avalanches. The data and analysis show that the avalanche patterns depend on the altitude and snow climate. Analysis of snowfall and accident data from the Andes of Chile suggests behavior opposite to BC. El Niño winters in central Chile produced the most snow and, by inference, the most avalanches. This paper is the first to show the links of El Niño and La Niña to snow avalanche activity.
A novel method for predicting fracture in floating ice
Authors: Logan Liz , Catania Ginny , Lavier Luc , Choi Eunseo
Published: July 2013

Basal crevasses may play an important precursory role in determining both the location and propagation of rifts and iceberg dimensions. For example, icebergs calved recently from Thwaites Glacier, Antarctica, have the same width as surface undulations, strengthening the connection between basal crevasses, rifting and calving. We explore a novel method for estimating the heights of basal crevasses formed at the grounding lines of ice shelves and ice streams. We employ a thin-elastic beam (TEB) formulation and tensional yielding criterion to capture the physics of flexed ice at grounding lines. Observations of basal crevasse heights compare well with model predictions in the Siple Coast region of the Ross Ice Shelf. We find that the TEB method is most accurate in areas of low strain rate. We also test the method in other areas of Antarctica to produce order-of-magnitude maps of grounding-line basal crevasses and find general agreement with reported observations assuming basal crevasses develop in spatio-temporal sequence and are advected downstream. This method is computationally cheap and could be relatively easy to implement into damage-oriented large-scale ice models which aim at physically simulating calving and fracture processes.
Seasonal variations of outlet glacier terminus position in Greenland
Authors: Schild Kristin M. , Hamilton Gordon S.
Published: July 2013

Many of Greenland’s marine-terminating outlet glaciers have undergone rapid retreat in the past decade, accompanied by accelerated flow and dynamic thinning. Superimposed on this pattern of retreat, these glaciers undergo seasonal variations in terminus position, corresponding roughly to wintertime advance and summertime retreat. We compiled near-daily time series of terminus position for five of Greenland’s largest outlet glaciers (Daugaard Jensen, Kangerdlugssuaq and Helheim glaciers in East Greenland, and Jakobshavn Isbræ and Rink Isbræ in West Greenland) using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite imagery. There are spatial differences in the timing of the onset of seasonal retreat among all the glaciers in our study, as well as variability in terminus behavior for individual glaciers from year to year. We examine whether this spatial and temporal variability is linked to above-freezing air temperatures or high sea surface temperatures, but find no simple relationship. Instead, we hypothesize that terminus geometry (ice thickness, subglacial topography, fjord bathymetry) exerts an important control on the response of marine-terminating glaciers to climate perturbations. Models for predicting outlet glacier response to climate change need to include this complex interaction between geometry and environmental forcing.
Individual Learning and Social Learning: Endogenous Division of Cognitive Labor in a Population of Co-evolving Problem-Solvers
Authors: Chang Myong-Hun , Harrington Joseph
Published: July 2013

The dynamic choice between individual and social learning is explored for a population of autonomous agents whose objective is to find solutions to a stream of related problems. The probability that an agent is in the individual learning mode, as opposed to the social learning mode, evolves over time through reinforcement learning. Furthermore, the communication network of an agent is also endogenous. Our main finding is that when agents are sufficiently effective at social learning, structure emerges in the form of specialization. Some agents focus on coming up with new ideas while the remainder of the population focuses on imitating worthwhile ideas.
Membrane Binding and Insertion of a pHLIP Peptide Studied by All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Authors: Deng Yonghua , Qian Zhenyu , Luo Yin , Zhang Yun , Mu Yuguang , Wei Guanghong
Published: July 2013

Recent experiments in function mechanism study reported that a pH low-insertion peptide (pHLIP) can insert into a zwitterionic palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) lipid bilayer at acidic pH while binding to the bilayer surface at basic pH. However, the atomic details of the pH-dependent interaction of pHLIP with a POPC bilayer are not well understood. In this study, we investigate the detailed interactions of pHLIP with a POPC bilayer at acidic and basic pH conditions as those used in function mechanism study, using all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Simulations have been performed by employing the initial configurations, where pHLIP is placed in aqueous solution, parallel to bilayer surface (system S), partially-inserted (system P), or fully-inserted (system F) in POPC bilayers. On the basis of multiple 200-ns MD simulations, we found (1) pHLIP in system S can spontaneously insert into a POPC bilayer at acidic pH, while binding to the membrane surface at basic pH; (2) pHLIP in system P can insert deep into a POPC bilayer at acidic pH, while it has a tendency to exit, and stays at bilayer surface at basic pH; (3) pHLIP in system F keeps in an α-helical structure at acidic pH while partially unfolding at basic pH. This study provides at atomic-level the pH-induced insertion of pHLIP into POPC bilayer.
miR-29 Represses the Activities of DNA Methyltransferases and DNA Demethylases
Authors: Morita Sumiyo , Horii Takuro , Kimura Mika , Ochiya Takahiro , Tajima Shoji , Hatada Izuho
Published: July 2013

Members of the microRNA-29 (miR-29) family directly target the DNA methyltransferases, DNMT3A and DNMT3B. Disturbances in the expression levels of miR-29 have been linked to tumorigenesis and tumor aggressiveness. Members of the miR-29 family are currently thought to repress DNA methylation and suppress tumorigenesis by protecting against de novo methylation. Here, we report that members of the miR-29 family repress the activities of DNA methyltransferases and DNA demethylases, which have opposing roles in control of DNA methylation status. Members of the miR-29 family directly inhibited DNA methyltransferases and two major factors involved in DNA demethylation, namely tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 1 (TET1) and thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG). Overexpression of miR-29 upregulated the global DNA methylation level in some cancer cells and downregulated DNA methylation in other cancer cells, suggesting that miR-29 suppresses tumorigenesis by protecting against changes in the existing DNA methylation status rather than by preventing de novo methylation of DNA.
TMPRSS4 as a Poor Prognostic Factor for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Cheng Daye , Kong Hong , Li Yunhui
Published: July 2013

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by the lack of immunohistochemical staining for estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), and lack of overexpression or amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Our aim was to investigate the expression of transmembrane protease, serine 4 (TMPRSS4) in TNBC patients and its possible relationship to the outcome of the disease. A total of 72 TNBC patients and 109 non-TNBC patients who were diagnosed between 2003 and 2008 were enrolled in this study. Immunohistochemistry was used to compare the expression pattern of TMPRSS4 in TNBC and non-TNBC groups, and the prognostic significance was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression in TNBC patients. The rate of high expression of TMPRSS4 was significantly higher in TNBC group than that in non-TNBC group. High expression of TMPRSS4 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, histological grade, and tumor size. TNBC patients with high TMPRSS4 expression showed the poorer overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than those patients with low TMPRSS4 expression. In multivariate analysis, only lymph node metastasis and TMPRSS4 expression were the independent prognostic factors for OS and DFS in TNBC. Our study provides evidence that TMPRSS4 expression is associated with lymph node metastasis, tumor size, and histological grade in TNBC patients, and also is an independent prognostic factor for TNBC.
Amino Alcohol Oxidation with Gold Catalysts: The Effect of Amino Groups
Authors: Villa Alberto , Campisi Sebastiano , Schiavoni Marco , Prati Laura
Published: July 2013

Gold catalysts have been prepared by sol immobilization using Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride (THPC) as a protective and reducing agent or by deposition on different supports (Al2O3, TiO2, MgAl2O4, and MgO). The catalytic systems have been tested in the liquid phase oxidation of aminoalcohols (serinol and ethanolamine) and the corresponding polyols (glycerol and ethylene glycol). This comparison allowed us to state that the presence of amino groups has a crucial effect on the catalytic performance, in particular decreasing the durability to the catalysts, but did not substantially vary the selectivity. A support effect has been as well established.
Persistent Luminescence in Non-Eu2+-Doped Compounds: A Review
Authors: Van den Eeckhout Koen , Poelman Dirk , Smet Philippe
Published: July 2013

During the past few decades, the research on persistent luminescent materials has focused mainly on Eu2+-doped compounds. However, the yearly number of publications on non-Eu2+-based materials has also increased steadily. By now, the number of known persistent phosphors has increased to over 200, of which over 80% are not based on Eu2+, but rather, on intrinsic host defects, transition metals (manganese, chromium, copper, etc.) or trivalent rare earths (cerium, terbium, dysprosium, etc.). In this review, we present an overview of these non-Eu2+-based persistent luminescent materials and their afterglow properties. We also take a closer look at some remaining challenges, such as the excitability with visible light and the possibility of energy transfer between multiple luminescent centers. Finally, we summarize the necessary elements for a complete description of a persistent luminescent material, in order to allow a more objective comparison of these phosphors.
Influence of Fucoidans on Hemostatic System
Authors: Ustyuzhanina Nadezhda , Ushakova Natalia , Zyuzina Ksenia , Bilan Maria , Elizarova Anna , Somonova Oksana , Madzhuga Albina , Krylov Vadim , Preobrazhenskaya Marina , Usov Anatolii , Kiselevskiy Mikhail , Nifantiev Nikolay
Published: July 2013

Three structurally different fucoidans from the brown seaweeds Saccharina latissima (SL), Fucus vesiculosus (FV), and Cladosiphon okamuranus (CO), two chemically modified fucoidans with a higher degree of sulfation (SL-S, CO-S), and a synthetic totally sulfated octasaccharide (OS), related to fucoidans, were assessed on anticoagulant and antithrombotic activities in different in vitro experiments. The effects were shown to depend on the structural features of the compounds tested. Native fucoidan SL with a degree of sulfation (DS) of 1.3 was found to be the most active sample, fucoidan FV (DS 0.9) demonstrated moderate activity, while the polysaccharide CO (DS 0.4) was inactive in all performed experiments, even at high concentrations. Additional introduction of sulfate groups into fucoidan SL slightly decreased the anticoagulant effect of SL-S, while sulfation of CO, giving rise to the preparation CO-S, increased the activity dramatically. The high level of anticoagulant activity of polysaccharides SL, SL-S, and CO-S was explained by their ability to form ternary complexes with ATIII-Xa and ATIII-IIa, as well as to bind directly to thrombin. Synthetic per-O-sulfated octasaccharide OS showed moderate anticoagulant effect, determined mainly by the interaction of OS with the factor Xa in the presence of ATIII. Comparable tendencies were observed in the antithrombotic properties of the compounds tested.
Bioactive Compounds Offered in Microcapsules to Determine the Nutritional Value of Copepods’ Natural Diet
Authors: Müller-Navarra Dörthe , Huntley Mark
Published: July 2013

Experiments were performed, feeding Calanus pacificus seston and a food consisting of seston and microcapsules (μ-caps), i.e., protein and lipid μ-caps to test for potential biochemical limitation. Seston was collected off Scripps Pier (La Jolla, CA, USA). Whereas protein μ-caps were too small to be efficiently ingested, lipid μ-caps rich in ω3-highly-unsaturated fatty acids (ω3-HUFA) were ingested similarly to natural seston and lipids were assimilated. However, egg production experiments exhibited that animals fed with lipid μ-caps didn’t produce significantly more eggs than with seston of equal carbon concentration and egg production even declined when the diet consisted of 50% lipid μ-caps. Thus, the content of certain ω3-HUFA seemed to have been sufficiently high in seston to prevent limitation. Algal counts revealed that seston consisted mainly of plankton rich in those fatty acids, such as cryptophytes, dinoflagellates, diatoms, and ciliates in the edible size range. This might be characteristic for upwelling systems like the area off Southern California which are known for high trophic transfer efficiency.
Experimental Results of Underwater Cooperative Source Localization Using a Single Acoustic Vector Sensor
Authors: Felisberto Paulo , Rodriguez Orlando , Santos Paulo , Ey Emanuel , Jesus Sérgio
Published: July 2013

This paper aims at estimating the azimuth, range and depth of a cooperative broadband acoustic source with a single vector sensor in a multipath underwater environment, where the received signal is assumed to be a linear combination of echoes of the source emitted waveform. A vector sensor is a device that measures the scalar acoustic pressure field and the vectorial acoustic particle velocity field at a single location in space. The amplitudes of the echoes in the vector sensor components allow one to determine their azimuth and elevation. Assuming that the environmental conditions of the channel are known, source range and depth are obtained from the estimates of elevation and relative time delays of the different echoes using a ray-based backpropagation algorithm. The proposed method is tested using simulated data and is further applied to experimental data from the Makai’05 experiment, where 8–14 kHz chirp signals were acquired by a vector sensor array. It is shown that for short ranges, the position of the source is estimated in agreement with the geometry of the experiment. The method is low computational demanding, thus well-suited to be used in mobile and light platforms, where space and power requirements are limited.
AmI and Deployment Considerations in AAL Services Provision for Elderly Independent Living: The MonAMI Project
Authors: Falcó Jorge , Vaquerizo Esteban , Lain Luis , Artigas Jose , Ibarz Alejandro
Published: July 2013

The MonAMI project aims to investigate the feasibility of the deployment of open platforms for Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) services provision based on Ambient Intelligence (AmI) and to test user acceptance and the usability of the services. Services were designed to provide support in the areas of environmental control, security, well-being and leisure. These services were installed and evaluated in a Spanish geriatric residence. The participants included elderly persons with disabilities, nursing home care givers and informal carers. The concept of the open platform proved to be satisfactory for the provision of the services in a context aware framework. Furthermore, the usability of the technology was viewed positively and the overall results indicate that this system has the potential to prolong independent living at home for elderly people with disabilities. Deployment was proven successful and awareness of open-platform AAL service delivery was raised in local communities throughout Europe.
A Radiosonde Using a Humidity Sensor Array with a Platinum Resistance Heater and Multi-Sensor Data Fusion
Authors: Shi Yunbo , Luo Yi , Zhao Wenjie , Shang Chunxue , Wang Yadong , Chen Yinsheng
Published: July 2013

This paper describes the design and implementation of a radiosonde which can measure the meteorological temperature, humidity, pressure, and other atmospheric data. The system is composed of a CPU, microwave module, temperature sensor, pressure sensor and humidity sensor array. In order to effectively solve the humidity sensor condensation problem due to the low temperatures in the high altitude environment, a capacitive humidity sensor including four humidity sensors to collect meteorological humidity and a platinum resistance heater was developed using micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) technology. A platinum resistance wire with 99.999% purity and 0.023 mm in diameter was used to obtain the meteorological temperature. A multi-sensor data fusion technique was applied to process the atmospheric data. Static and dynamic experimental results show that the designed humidity sensor with platinum resistance heater can effectively tackle the sensor condensation problem, shorten response times and enhance sensitivity. The humidity sensor array can improve measurement accuracy and obtain a reliable initial meteorological humidity data, while the multi-sensor data fusion technique eliminates the uncertainty in the measurement. The radiosonde can accurately reflect the meteorological changes.
Sensorized Garments and Textrode-Enabled Measurement Instrumentation for Ambulatory Assessment of the Autonomic Nervous System Response in the ATREC Project
Authors: Seoane Fernando , Ferreira Javier , Alvarez Lorena , Buendia Ruben , Ayllón David , Llerena Cosme , Gil-Pita Roberto
Published: July 2013

Advances in textile materials, technology and miniaturization of electronics for measurement instrumentation has boosted the development of wearable measurement systems. In several projects sensorized garments and non-invasive instrumentation have been integrated to assess on emotional, cognitive responses as well as physical arousal and status of mental stress through the study of the autonomous nervous system. Assessing the mental state of workers under stressful conditions is critical to identify which workers are in the proper state of mind and which are not ready to undertake a mission, which might consequently risk their own life and the lives of others. The project Assessment in Real Time of the Stress in Combatants (ATREC) aims to enable real time assessment of mental stress of the Spanish Armed Forces during military activities using a wearable measurement system containing sensorized garments and textile-enabled non-invasive instrumentation. This work describes the multiparametric sensorized garments and measurement instrumentation implemented in the first phase of the project required to evaluate physiological indicators and recording candidates that can be useful for detection of mental stress. For such purpose different sensorized garments have been constructed: a textrode chest-strap system with six repositionable textrodes, a sensorized glove and an upper-arm strap. The implemented textile-enabled instrumentation contains one skin galvanometer, two temperature sensors for skin and environmental temperature and an impedance pneumographer containing a 1-channel ECG amplifier to record cardiogenic biopotentials. With such combinations of garments and non-invasive measurement devices, a multiparametric wearable measurement system has been implemented able to record the following physiological parameters: heart and respiration rate, skin galvanic response, environmental and peripheral temperature. To ensure the proper functioning of the implemented garments and devices the full series of 12 sets have been functionally tested recording cardiogenic biopotential, thoracic impedance, galvanic skin response and temperature values. The experimental results indicate that the implemented wearable measurement systems operate according to the specifications and are ready to be used for mental stress experiments, which will be executed in the coming phases of the project with dozens of healthy volunteers.
Vapor Trace Recognition Using a Single Nonspecific Chemiresistor
Authors: Dobrokhotov Vladimir , Larin Alexander , Sowell Dewayne
Published: July 2013

An application of spectral analysis to the transient response signals of ALD-fabricated conductometric sensors (chemiresistors) upon exposure to short vapor pulses is discussed. It is based on the representation of a response curve in the frequency domain, followed by the multi-dimensional Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA) for analyte identification. Compared to the standard steady-state amplitude analysis, this technique does not depend on a short-term sensor drift, does not have limitations for the number of extracted features and has a strict physical validation. Effective recognition of some relatively simple combustible analytes (acetone, toluene, ethanol) was demonstrated using a single nonspecific chemiresistor.
The European Social Market Model in Crisis: At a Crossroads or at the End of the Road?
Authors: Pelle Anita
Published: July 2013

The European Union (EU) can be regarded as one economic region and this way its competitiveness can be defined and examined. However, there are huge tensions within the European region that raise questions about whether there exists a European economic region and thus “European competitiveness” at all. Unlike some of its largest competitors, Europe still has not overcome the financial and economic crisis that burst out in 2008. In fact, Europe is now struggling with its own crisis, being rather a new chapter than the natural continuation of the global processes. The whole story of the European integration has been the story of economic and social cohesion. In this respect, there does exist a European social market model. But there is a huge dilemma related to this model that has to be faced: on one hand, high European social standards can only be met if competitiveness is maintained but, on the other hand, these expectations on behalf of European societies appear as a mere disadvantage in cost-competitiveness in the global arena. The issue is complex and calls for balanced and sophisticated thinking. In this sense, European competitiveness is the competitiveness of the whole European social market model—highly challenged these days.
Les corps comme preuve. Médecins et inquisiteurs dans les pratiques judiciaires du Saint-Office
Authors: Barbierato Federico
Published: July 2013

Partant du cas de Venise à l’époque moderne, l’essai se concentre sur les stratégies employées par les inquisiteurs pour observer et mettre à l’épreuve  les corps des témoins et des accusés. Le corps devient une source de preuve qui, avec l’aide des médecins et des chirurgiens, est soumise à examen : d’un côté les gestes et comportements sont analysés pour contrôler les discours, de l’autre, l’usage de la torture, aussi limité soit-il, met en jeu le corps qui devient le lieu sur lequel mesurer la vérité.
L’Éloge de la laideur dans la littérature antipétrarquiste
Authors: Cavaillé Jean-Pierre
Published: July 2013

à partir de l’analyse d’un discours académique du philosophe Antonio Rocco faisant l’éloge paradoxal de la laideur (1630), on distingue plusieurs types de mise en forme de la laideur par l’écriture dans la littérature italienne des xvie et xviie siècle, qui entretiennent une relation de contestation ou de perversion, selon les cas, avec le modèle platonisant du pétrarquisme : Les louanges marinistes de la beauté défectueuse (belle vieille, belle boiteuse, etc.), le thème du Tasse de l’amour sincère et conscient pour une femme laide, l’éloge burlesque pour la femme laide (Lorenzo il Magnifico, Berni, etc…), d’une misogynie déclarée. Dans tous ces cas, la laideur considérée est celle du corps de la femme. De manière très révélatrice, le motif silénique, souvent appliquée à la laideur masculine (un corps laid recouvrant une belle âme) est inimaginable pour la femme. Par contre la dépréciation du corps féminin se fait généralement au profit de celle du jeune corps masculin, dans la valorisation discrète ou tonitruante de la sodomie. Ainsi, en aucun cas, cette littérature qui s’affranchit pourtant des préjugés de la morale religieuse, ne conduit à la reconnaissance d’une quelconque égalité des sexes.
L’orang-outang, l’esclave et l’humain : une querelle des corps en régime colonial
Authors: Sebastiani Silvia
Published: July 2013

Cet article analyse l’impact que l’infléchissement des pratiques médicales, réélaborées dans d’autres cadres disciplinaires – les histoires philosophiques et naturelles, notamment – provoque dans les débats britanniques sur l’esclavage des années 1770. Il s’attache à suivre les usages des débats sur l’orang-outang, dont l’humanisation est accompagnée d’une représentation bestialisée de « l’homme sauvage ». Il montre comment, dans l’Angleterre et l’Écosse de cette époque, les défenseurs de l’esclavage s’appuient sur les théories qui conduisent au rapprochement entre l’orang-outang et les Noirs, pour justifier leurs positions politiques, et par là-même renforcent le camp de ceux qui, philosophes, médecins, ou hommes politiques, contribuent à fracturer l’unité de l’espèce humaine.L’analyse s’attache à suivre les réemplois de l’œuvre d’Edward Tyson. La dissection de l’orang-outang (en réalité un chimpanzé) qu’il pratique à Londres en 1698 et sa comparaison ponctuelle avec le corps humain, marque un tournant dans les pratiques médicales du xviiie siècle, qui affecte la définition philosophique et historique de l’humain : la similitude qu’elle permet d’établir avec l’homme, sur le plan du corps et du cerveau, conduit l’anatomiste à suggérer une possible continuité entre monde animal et humain, qui invite à repenser la labilité des frontières qui les séparent. à partir de cette expérience, la comparaison entre singes anthropomorphes et hommes « sauvages » – catégorie qui inclut les Noirs et les Indiens Américains mais aussi, au cœur même de l’Europe, les enfants trouvés – devient un geste récurrent de l’anatomie comparée à l’époque des Lumières, une branche de la médecine en plein essor dans cette période.
Corps et Espaces. Les costumes des Balkans dans l’Europe du XVIe siècle
Authors: Calvi Giulia
Published: July 2013

Cet article s’inscrit dans le cadre de l’historiographie du vêtement et de l’apparence en expansion au sein de l’histoire culturelle. Il s’agit ici d’analyser le transfert de la culture visuelle du vêtement et des pratiques du corps de la région des Balkans à travers l’Italie et l’Europe à la fin de la Renaissance. L’analyse vise moins à étudier la matérialité des vêtements qu’à reconstruire les processus de représentation culturelle et de dissémination à travers l’espace et le temps, dans un cadre interprétatif pour lequel la production d’images participe de tensions politiques plus larges et met en lumière la coexistence de différentes minorités ethniques et religieuses. À partir des livres de voyage et de costume du xvie siècle, cet article situe le vêtement au sein d’un espace définit par les sources : dans les villes et leurs environs en premier lieu – Venise, Raguse, Adrianople et Pera –, dans des espaces moins circonscrits et aux frontières plus incertaines – la mer, les paysages de plaine et de montagne des régions balkaniques –, et enfin à travers les cartes mentales que les artistes et les graveurs reproduisent, inventent et imaginent. l’espace est compris ici comme une construction socioculturelle et l’habit devient alors un aspect de l’imaginaire géographique et des savoirs cartographiques qui se développent à la Renaissance dans les cartes, les atlas, les livres de costumes et les traités ethnographiques au cœur d’un système d’échanges complexe entre l’Europe et l’Empire ottoman
A Role for Radiotherapy in the Management of Advanced Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: the Mayo Clinic Experience
Authors: Call Jason A. , Caudill Jonathan S. , McIver Bryan , Foote Robert L.
Published: July 2013

Outcomes of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in advanced medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) are largely unknown. Retrospective review of data from patients with MTC, diagnosed from June 1, 1970, through December 31, 2007. Overall survival and locoregional tumor control rates were calculated. Seventeen patients had adjuvant or palliative EBRT delivered to 41 sites. Six patients initially had adjuvant EBRT (median, 60.80 Gy); none had relapse in the treated area. Five patients with locoregional recurrence after surgery were treated (median, 59.40 Gy), and durable disease control was achieved in 3. Twelve patients received palliative EBRT to 29 sites of metastatic disease (median, 30.00 Gy), which provided sustained symptom relief at 45% of sites. Five- and ten-year overall survival rates were 44% and 19%, respectively. Adjuvant EBRT may be most effective for prevention of locoregional recurrence. EBRT may provide sustained control of advanced, metastatic disease in select patients.
Understanding Athletic Trainers' Beliefs Toward a Multifacted Sport-Related Concussion Approach: Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior
Authors: Rigby Justin , Vela Luzita , Housman Jeff
Published: July 2013

Context:

Practice guidelines recommend a multifaceted approach for managing concussions, but a relatively small percentage of athletic trainers (ATs) follow these recommendations. Understanding ATs' beliefs toward the recommended concussion practice guidelines is the first step in identifying interventions that could increase compliance. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) allows us to measure ATs' beliefs toward the recommended concussion practice guidelines.

Objective:

To examine the influence of ATs' beliefs toward the current recommended concussion guidelines on concussion-management practice through an application of the TPB.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

A Web link with a survey was e-mailed to 1000 randomly selected members of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA).

Patients or Other Participants:

A total of 221 certified ATs working in secondary school/clinic, high school, and college/university settings.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

A 66-item survey reflecting the current recommended concussion guidelines of the NATA and International Conference on Concussion in Sport was created to measure beliefs using the TPB constructs attitude toward the behavior (BA), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), and behavioral intention (BI) of ATs. We used a linear multiple regression to determine if the TPB constructs BA, SN, and PBC predicted BI and if PBC and BI predicted behavior according to the TPB model.

Results:

We found that BA, SN, and PBC predicted BI (R = 0.683, R2 = 0.466, F3,202 = 58.78, P < .001). The BA (t202 = 5.53, P < .001) and PBC (t202 = 9.64, P < .001) contributed to the model, whereas SN (t202 = −0.84, P = .402) did not. The PBC and BI predicted behavior (R = 0.661, R2 = 0.437, F2,203 = 78.902, P < .001).

Conclusions:

In this sample, the TPB constructs predicted BI and behavior of ATs' compliance with recommended concussion-management guidelines. The BA and PBC were the most influential constructs, indicating that those with positive attitudes toward concussion-management recommendations are more likely to implement them, and ATs are less likely to implement them when they do not believe they have the power to do so. We theorize that interventions targeting ATs' attitudes and control perceptions will lead to improved compliance.
Knowledge, Attitude, and Concussion-Reporting Behaviors Among High School Athletes: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Register-Mihalik Johna K. , Guskiewicz Kevin M. , McLeod Tamara C. Valovich , Linnan Laura A. , Mueller Frederick O. , Marshall Stephen W.
Published: July 2013

Context:

Many athletes continue to participate in practices and games while experiencing concussion-related symptoms, potentially predisposing them to subsequent and more complicated brain injuries. Limited evidence exists about factors that may influence concussion-reporting behaviors.

Objective:

To examine the influence of knowledge and attitude on concussion-reporting behaviors in a sample of high school athletes.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

Participants completed a validated survey instrument via mail.

Patients or Other Participants:

A total of 167 high school athletes (97 males, 55 females, 5 sex not indicated; age = 15.7 ± 1.4 years) participating in football, soccer, lacrosse, or cheerleading.

Intervention(s):

Athlete knowledge and attitude scores served as separate predictor variables.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

We examined the proportion of athletes who reported continuing to participate in games and practices while symptomatic from possible concussion and the self-reported proportion of recalled concussion and bell-ringer events disclosed after possible concussive injury.

Results:

Only 40% of concussion events and 13% of bell-ringer recalled events in the sample were disclosed after possible concussive injury. Increased athlete knowledge of concussion topics (increase of 1 standard deviation = 2.8 points) was associated with increased reporting prevalence of concussion and bell-ringer events occurring in practice (prevalence ratio [PR] = 2.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.60, 3.21) and the reporting prevalence of bell-ringer-only events overall (PR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.38, 2.54). Athlete attitude scores (increase of 1 standard deviation = 11.5 points) were associated with decreases in the proportion of athletes stating they participated in games (PR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.66, 0.82) and practices (PR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.59, 0.77) while symptomatic from concussions.

Conclusions:

Most recalled concussion events in our study were not reported to a supervising adult. Clinicians should be aware that knowledge and attitude influence concussion reporting. Clinicians and administrators should make concussion education a priority and encourage an optimal reporting environment to better manage and prevent concussive injuries in young athletes.
The relationship between employee satisfaction and organisational performance: Evidence from a South African government department
Authors: Mafini Chengedzai , Pooe David R.I.
Published: July 2013

Orientation: There appears to be a dearth of literature that addresses the relationship between employee satisfaction and organisational performance in South African public organisations. Motivation for the study: This study attempted to contribute to the discourse on the influence of human resources to organisational performance.Research purpose: The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between employee satisfaction and organisational performance in a public sector organisation.Research design: A three-section survey questionnaire was used to collect data from a conveniently recruited sample of 272 members of a South African government department. Pearson’s correlation test as well as a regression analysis were employed to test the existence of a relationship between employee satisfaction and organisational performance. The mean score ranking technique was used to compare the impact of the individual employee satisfaction factors on organisational performance.Main findings: Positive correlations were observed between organisational performance and all five employee satisfaction factors, namely working conditions, ability utilisation, creativity, teamwork and autonomy. Amongst the five factors, teamwork had the greatest impact on organisational performance, followed by ability utilisation, creativity, autonomy, with working conditions exerting the least influence.Practical and/or managerial implications: Strategic interventions involving positive adjustments on the five employee satisfaction dimensions examined in this study may be initiated and applied to improve overall organisational performance in public organisations.Contributions and/or value add: The study endorses the notion that a satisfied workforce could be the key to enhanced organisational performance.
Finance & Development, June 1964
Authors:   International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
Published: July 2013

This paper describes the origin of the IMF, its organization, and its method of working. The IMF has as its aim the economic prosperity of the whole world. The IMF pursues an active program of economic research. For this purpose, it systematically collects and publishes data on international trade, holdings of gold and foreign currencies, national income, price indices, restrictions on international payments, international movements of capital, and so on. All this is part of the background against which discussions of problems of individual members are carried out by the Executive Board.
Halogen species record Antarctic sea ice extent over glacial–interglacial periods
Authors: Spolaor A. , Vallelonga P. , Plane J. M. C. , Kehrwald N. , Gabrieli J. , Varin C. , Turetta C. , Cozzi G. , Kumar R. , Boutron C. , Barbante C.
Published: July 2013

Abstract. Sea ice is an integral part of the earth's climate system because it affects planetary albedo, sea-surface salinity, and the atmosphere–ocean exchange of reactive gases and aerosols. Bromine and iodine chemistry is active at polar sea ice margins with the occurrence of bromine explosions and the biological production of organoiodine from sea ice algae. Satellite measurements demonstrate that concentrations of bromine oxide (BrO) and iodine oxide (IO) decrease over sea ice toward the Antarctic interior. Here we present speciation measurements of bromine and iodine in the TALDICE (TALos Dome Ice CorE) ice core (159°11' E, 72°49' S; 2315 m a.s.l.) spanning the last 215 ky. The Talos Dome ice core is located 250 km inland and is sensitive to marine air masses intruding onto the Antarctic Plateau. Talos Dome bromide (Br−) is positively correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with sodium (Na). Based on the Br−/Na seawater ratio, bromide is depleted in the ice during glacial periods and enriched during interglacial periods. Total iodine, consisting of iodide (I−) and iodate (IO3−), peaks during glacials with lower values during interglacial periods. Although IO3− is considered the most stable iodine species in the atmosphere it was only observed in the TALDICE record during glacial maxima. Sea ice dynamics are arguably the primary driver of halogen fluxes over glacial–interglacial timescales, by altering the distance between the sea ice edge and the Antarctic plateau and by altering the surface area of sea ice available to algal colonization. Based on our results we propose the use of both halogens for examining Antarctic variability of past sea ice extent.