bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating and Mapping of Spatial Air Ion Quality Patterns in a Residential Garden Using a Geostatistic Method
Authors: Wu Chen-Fa , Lai Chun-Hsien , Chu Hone-Jay , Lin Wen-Huang
Published: June 2011

Negative air ions (NAI) produce biochemical reactions that increase the levels of the mood chemical serotonin in the environment. Moreover, they benefit both the psychological well being and the human body’s physiological condition. The aim of this research was to estimate and measure the spatial distributions of negative and positive air ions in a residential garden in central Taiwan. Negative and positive air ions were measured at thirty monitoring locations in the study garden from July 2009 to June 2010. Moreover, Kriging was applied to estimate the spatial distribution of negative and positive air ions, as well as the air ion index in the study area. The measurement results showed that the numbers of NAI and PAI differed greatly during the four seasons, the highest and the lowest negative and positive air ion concentrations were found in the summer and winter, respectively. Moreover, temperature was positively affected negative air ions concentration. No matter what temperature is, the ranges of variogram in NAI/PAI were similar during four seasons. It indicated that spatial patterns of NAI/PAI were independent of the seasons and depended on garden elements and configuration, thus the NAP/PAI was a good estimate of the air quality regarding air ions. Kriging maps depicted that the highest negative and positive air ion concentration was next to the waterfall, whereas the lowest air ions areas were next to the exits of the garden. The results reveal that waterscapes are a source of negative and positive air ions, and that plants and green space are a minor source of negative air ions in the study garden. Moreover, temperature and humidity are positively and negatively affected negative air ions concentration, respectively. The proposed monitoring and mapping approach provides a way to effectively assess the patterns of negative and positive air ions in future landscape design projects.
In vitro Antioxidant of a Water-Soluble Polysaccharide from Dendrobium fimhriatum Hook.var.oculatum Hook
Authors: Luo Aoxue , Fan Yijun
Published: June 2011

A water-soluble crude polysaccharide (DFHP) obtained from the aqueous extracts of the stem of Dendrobium fimhriatum Hook.var.oculatum Hook through hot water extraction followed by ethanol precipitation, was found to have an average molecular weight (Mw) of about 209.3 kDa. Monosaccharide analysis revealed that DFHP was composed of mannose, glucose and galactose in a content ratio of 37.52%; 43.16%; 19.32%. The investigation of antioxidant activity in vitro showed that DFHP is a potential antioxidant.
1,3-Bis(pyren-1-yl)imidazolium chloride (IPyr·HCl)
Authors: Schroll Peter , König Burkhard
Published: June 2011

A novel UV-A-light absorbing N-heterocyclic carbene precursor imidazolium salt 2 was synthesized by reaction of 1,4-bis(pyren-1-yl)-1,4-diazadiene 1 with paraformaldehyde in the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane. The title compound was characterized by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 2D-NMR, mass spectrometry, IR and UV/VIS spectroscopy.
Optical Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles Capped with Polymers
Authors: Tachikawa Shingo , Noguchi Atsushi , Tsuge Takeharu , Hara Masahiko , Odawara Osamu , Wada Hiroyuki
Published: June 2011

Optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles capped with polymers were investigated. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) were used as capping reagents. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol-gel method. Fluorescence and absorption spectra were measured. When we varied the timing of the addition of the polymer to the ZnO nanoparticle solution, the optical properties were drastically changed. When PEG was added to the solution before the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, the fluorescence intensity increased. At the same time, the total particle size increased, which indicated that PEG molecules had capped the ZnO nanoparticles. The capping led to surface passivation, which increased fluorescence intensity. However, when PEG was added to the solution after the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, the fluorescence and particle size did not change. When PVP was added to the solution before the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, aggregation of nanoparticles occurred. When PVP was added to the solution after the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, fluorescence and particle size increased. This improvement of optical properties is advantageous to the practical usage of ZnO nanoparticles, such as bioimaging
Effects of Acute Gamma Irradiation on Physiological Traits and Flavonoid Accumulation of Centella asiatica
Authors: Moghaddam Sina Siavash , Jaafar Hawa , Ibrahim Rusli , Rahmat Asmah , Aziz Maheran Abdul , Philip Elizabeth
Published: June 2011

In the present study, two accessions of Centella asiatica (CA03 and CA23) were subjected to gamma radiation to examine the response of these accessions in terms of survival rate, flavonoid contents, leaf gas exchange and leaf mass. Radiation Sensitivity Tests revealed that based on the survival rate, the LD50 (gamma doses that killed 50% of the plantlets) of the plantlets were achieved at 60 Gy for CA03 and 40 Gy for CA23. The nodal segments were irradiated with gamma rays at does of 30 and 40 Gy for Centella asiatica accession ‘CA03’ and 20 and 30 Gy for accession ‘CA23. The nodal segment response to the radiation was evaluated by recording the flavonoid content, leaf gas exchange and leaf biomass. The experiment was designed as RCBD with five replications. Results demonstrated that the irradiated plantlets exhibited greater total flavonoid contents (in eight weeks) significantly than the control where the control also exhibited the highest total flavonoid contents in the sixth week of growth; 2.64 ± 0.02 mg/g DW in CA03 and 8.94 ± 0.04 mg/g DW in CA23. The total flavonoid content was found to be highest after eight weeks of growth, and this, accordingly, stands as the best time for leaf harvest. Biochemical differentiation based on total flavonoid content revealed that irradiated plantlets in CA23 at 20 and 30 Gy after eight weeks contained the highest total flavonoid concentrations (16.827 ± 0.02; 16.837 ± 0.008 mg/g DW, respectively) whereas in CA03 exposed to 30 and 40 Gy was found to have the lowest total flavonid content (5.83 ± 0.11; 5.75 ± 0.03 mg/g DW). Based on the results gathered in this study, significant differences were found between irradiated accessions and control ones in relation to the leaf gas. The highest PN and gs were detected in CA23 as control followed by CA23 irradiated to 20Gy (CA23G20) and CA23G30 and the lowest PN and gs were observed in CA03 irradiated to 40Gy (CA03G40). Moreover, there were no significant differences in terms of PN and gs among the irradiated plants in each accession. The WUE of both irradiated accessions of Centella asiatica were reduced as compared with the control plants (p < 0.01) while Ci and E were enhanced. There were no significant differences in the gas exchange parameters among radiated plants in each accession. Moreover, malondialdehyde (MDA) of accessions after gamma treatments were significantly higher than the control, however, flavonoids which were higher concentration in irradiated plants can scavenge surplus free radicals. Therefore, the findings of this study have proven an efficient method of in vitro mutagenesis through gamma radiation based on the pharmaceutical demand to create economically superior mutants of C. asiatica. In other words, the results of this study suggest that gamma irradiation on C. asiatica can produce mutants of agricultural and economical importance.
Two-Carbon Homologation of Aldehydes and Ketones to α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes
Authors: Petroski Richard J. , Vermillion Karl , Cossé Allard A.
Published: June 2011

Phosphonate reagents were developed for the two-carbon homologation of aldehydes or ketones to unbranched- or methyl-branched α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. The phosphonate reagents, diethyl methylformyl-2-phosphonate dimethylhydrazone and diethyl ethylformyl-2-phosphonate dimethylhydrazone, contained a protected aldehyde group instead of the usual ester group. A homologation cycle entailed condensation of the reagent with the starting aldehyde, followed by removal of the dimethylhydrazone protective group with a biphasic mixture of 1 M HCl and petroleum ether. This robust two-step process worked with a variety of aldehydes and ketones. Overall isolated yields of unsaturated aldehyde products ranged from 71% to 86% after the condensation and deprotection steps.
Synthesis and Cytotoxic Evaluation of Novel N-Methyl-4-phenoxypicolinamide Derivatives
Authors: Li Wei , Zhai Xin , Ding Lu , Sun Limin , Chen Xiaomei , Gong Ping , Sun Tiemin
Published: June 2011

A series of N-methyl-4-phenoxypicolinamide derivatives were synthesized and evaluated in vitro for their cytotoxic activity against A549, H460 and HT29 cell lines. Pharmacological data indicated that some of the target compounds possessed marked antiproliferative activity, superior to that of the reference drug sorafenib. As the most promising compound, 8e exhibited potent cytotoxicity with the IC50 value of 3.6, 1.7 and 3.0 μM against A549, H460 and HT-29 cell lines, respectively.
Inhibitory Activity of Flavonoids against Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Isoforms
Authors: Kong Dexin , Zhang Yanwen , Yamori Takao , Duan Hongquan , Jin Meihua
Published: June 2011

Class I PI3 Kinase (PI3K) phosphorylates phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphophate (PIP2) to generate the second messenger phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3) and therefore plays an important role in fundamental cellular responses such as proliferation. There are four isoforms of class I PI3K which are known to have different functions and relate to various diseases such as cancer and inflammation. Flavonoids are abundant in fruits, vegetables and plant-derived beverages such as tea. So far, various pharmacological effects of flavonoids have been reported. We previously reported that the flavonoid baicalein exhibits potent PI3K-inhibitory activity. Recently we examined the inhibitory activity of eighteen flavonoids against PI3Ka by using an in vitro homogenous time resolved fluorescence (HTRF) kinase assay, and deduced their structure-activity relationships by comparing the activities of the analogues. Our result suggests that the number of hydroxyl groups in the A and B rings might promote the activity, while loss of C2-C3 double bond might reduce the activity. Furthermore, the activity against 4 class I PI3K isoforms of some selected flavonoids was investigated, and the results indicate that the flavonoids seem to exhibit more potent activity on PI3Ka and d isoforms compared with that on PI3Kb and g isoforms.
Reducing Sodium in Foods: The Effect on Flavor
Authors: Liem Djin Gie , Miremadi Fatemeh , Keast Russell   S. J.
Published: June 2011

Sodium is an essential micronutrient and, via salt taste, appetitive. High consumption of sodium is, however, related to negative health effects such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and stroke. In industrialized countries, about 75% of sodium in the diet comes from manufactured foods and foods eaten away from home. Reducing sodium in processed foods will be, however, challenging due to sodium’s specific functionality in terms of flavor and associated palatability of foods (i.e., increase of saltiness, reduction of bitterness, enhancement of sweetness and other congruent flavors). The current review discusses the sensory role of sodium in food, determinants of salt taste perception and a variety of strategies, such as sodium replacers (i.e., potassium salts) and gradual reduction of sodium, to decrease sodium in processed foods while maintaining palatability.
An Electronic Nose for Reliable Measurement and Correct Classification of Beverages
Authors: Mamat Mazlina , Samad Salina Abdul , Hannan Mahammad  A.
Published: June 2011

This paper reports the design of an electronic nose (E-nose) prototype for reliable measurement and correct classification of beverages. The prototype was developed and fabricated in the laboratory using commercially available metal oxide gas sensors and a temperature sensor. The repeatability, reproducibility and discriminative ability of the developed E-nose prototype were tested on odors emanating from different beverages such as blackcurrant juice, mango juice and orange juice, respectively. Repeated measurements of three beverages showed very high correlation (r > 0.97) between the same beverages to verify the repeatability. The prototype also produced highly correlated patterns (r > 0.97) in the measurement of beverages using different sensor batches to verify its reproducibility. The E-nose prototype also possessed good discriminative ability whereby it was able to produce different patterns for different beverages, different milk heat treatments (ultra high temperature, pasteurization) and fresh and spoiled milks. The discriminative ability of the E-nose was evaluated using Principal Component Analysis and a Multi Layer Perception Neural Network, with both methods showing good classification results.
Conceptualizing Organizational Domains of Community Empowerment through Empowerment Evaluation in Estonian Communities
Authors: Kasmel Anu , Tanggaard Pernille
Published: June 2011

The importance of community empowerment has been strongly emphasized in health promotion publications in Western societies. Only a few studies exist to highlight the empowerment processes in countries in transition in Eastern Europe. A multi-stage study was designed to develop a context-specific survey instrument appropriate for evaluating the changes in the community empowerment process within the context of health promotion programs in Rapla, Estonia. The current study comprises the first stage, which aims to identify and systematize empowering domains and activities perceived by community members during the empowerment evaluation process. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with sixteen participants from three health promotion programs. Purposive sampling was used, and data were analyzed using constant comparison. The findings suggest that there are four key organizational domains that characterize the community empowerment process in Rapla: activation of the community, competence development of the community, program management development, and creation of a supportive environment.
The Theory and Practice of Genetically Engineered Crops and Agricultural Sustainability
Authors: Ervin David E. , Glenna Leland L. , Jussaume Raymond A.
Published: June 2011

The development of genetically engineered (GE) crops has focused predominantly on enhancing conventional pest control approaches. Scientific assessments show that these GE crops generally deliver significant economic and some environmental benefits over their conventional crop alternatives. However, emerging evidence indicates that current GE crops will not foster sustainable cropping systems unless the negative environmental and social feedback effects are properly addressed. Moreover, GE crop innovations that promote more sustainable agricultural systems will receive underinvestment by seed and chemical companies that must understandably focus on private returns for major crops. Opportunities to promote crops that convey multi-faceted benefits for the environment and the poor are foundational to a sustainable food system and should not be neglected because they also represent global public goods. In this paper, we develop a set of criteria that can guide the development of GE crops consistent with contemporary sustainable agriculture theory and practice. Based on those principles, we offer policy options and recommendations for reforming public and private R&D and commercialization processes to further the potential contributions of GE crops to sustainable agriculture. Two strategies that would help achieve this goal would be to restore the centrality of the public sector in agricultural R&D and to open the technology development process to more democratic participation by farmers and other stakeholders.
Moving Universities: A Case Study on the Use of Unconferencing for Facilitating Sustainability Learning in a Swiss University
Authors: Wolf Patricia , Troxler Peter , Hansmann Ralf
Published: June 2011

Unconferencing is a method for organizing social learning which could be suitable to trigger sustainability learning processes. An unconference is defined as participant-driven meeting that tries to avoid one or more aspects of a conventional conference, such as top-down organization, one-way communication and power-relationships based on titles, formal hierarchies and status. This paper presents a case study on the application of unconferencing in a large Swiss university (ETH Zurich) where an unconference was conducted to engage students, academics, staff and external experts in a mutual learning process aimed at the development of project ideas for reducing its CO2 emissions. The study analyzes how the unconferencing format initiated and promoted sustainability oriented group processes during the unconference, and in how far the projects which were developed contributed to a reduction of the university’s CO2 emissions.
Low Discounting Behavior among Small-Scale Fishers in Fiji and Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Teh Louise S. L. , Teh Lydia C. L. , Sumaila U. Rashid
Published: June 2011

Understanding the socio-economic factors that are associated with fishers’ willingness to delay gratification may be useful for designing appropriate fisheries management and conservation policies. We aim to identify the predictors of low discounting behaviour among fishers, which is analogous to having a longer-term outlook. We base our empirical study on two small-scale tropical reef fisheries in Sabah, Malaysia, and Fiji. We use an experimental approach to identify fishers with low discount rates, and then use a logistic regression model to identify predictors of low discount rates. We find that 42% of the respondents have low discount rates, and that site and village level variables are significant predictors of low discount rates. Within Sabah and Fiji, boat ownership and relative catch differentiate low discounting from non-low discounting fishers, but these variables have contradictory effects in Sabah and Fiji. Overall, our results imply that a substantial proportion of reef fishers may be willing to engage in conservation initiatives; however, local socio-cultural, economic, and ecological conditions have to be considered first during the process of designing management interventions.
Developing Resistance to Aflatoxin in Maize and Cottonseed
Authors: Cary Jeffrey W. , Rajasekaran Kanniah , Brown Robert L. , Luo Meng , Chen Zhi-Yuan , Bhatnagar Deepak
Published: June 2011

At this time, no “magic bullet” for solving the aflatoxin contamination problem in maize and cottonseed has been identified, so several strategies must be utilized simultaneously to ensure a healthy crop, free of aflatoxins. The most widely explored strategy for the control of aflatoxin contamination is the development of preharvest host resistance. This is because A. flavus infects and produces aflatoxins in susceptible crops prior to harvest. In maize production, the host resistance strategy has gained prominence because of advances in the identification of natural resistance traits. However, native resistance in maize to aflatoxin contamination is polygenic and complex and, therefore, markers need to be identified to facilitate the transfer of resistance traits into agronomically viable genetic backgrounds while limiting the transfer of undesirable traits. Unlike maize, there are no known cotton varieties that demonstrate enhanced resistance to A. flavus infection and aflatoxin contamination. For this reason, transgenic approaches are being undertaken in cotton that utilize genes encoding antifungal/anti-aflatoxin factors from maize and other sources to counter fungal infection and toxin production. This review will present information on preharvest control strategies that utilize both breeding and native resistance identification approaches in maize as well as transgenic approaches in cotton.
Visual Clustering Analysis of CIS Logs to Inform Creation of a User-configurable Web CIS Interface
Authors: Bakken S. , Senathirajah Y.
Published: June 2011

Background: In this paper, we describe a new method for the study of clinical information system (CIS) logfiles joined with information in the clinical data warehouse. This method uses heatmap representations and clustering techniques to examine clinicians’ viewing patterns of laboratory test results. The context of our application of these techniques is to inform the creation of a widget-based interface to the CIS.

Objectives: We address the rationale, feasibility, and usefulness of our method through examination of three hypotheses:

1) The frequency distribution of laboratory test viewing will follow a ’long tail’ pattern, indicating that patterns are highly variable and supporting the rationale for a widget-based configurable system.

2) Patterns of laboratory testing viewing (by clinician, specialty, clinician/patient/day, and ICD-9-CM codes) can be distinguished by our methods.

3) The identified clusters will include more than 80% of the laboratory test elements found in 30 randomly selected patient records for one day.

Methods: The data were plotted as heatmaps and clustered using hierarchical clustering software. Various parameters were tested to give the optimal clusters.

Results: All the hypotheses were supported. For Hypothesis 3, 91.4% of information elements in the records were covered by the generated clusters.

Conclusions: Study findings support the rationale, feasibility, and usefulness of our methods to examine patterns of information access among clinicians and to inform the creation of widget-based interfaces. The results also contribute to our general understanding of clinicians’ CIS use.
Lessons Learned from Data Mining of WHO Mortality Database
Authors: Paoin W.
Published: June 2011

Objectives: The objectives of this research were to test the ability of classification algorithms to predict the cause of death in the mortality data with unknown causes, to find association between common causes of death, to identify groups of countries based on their common causes of death, and to extract knowledge gained from data mining of the World Health Organization mortality database.

Methods: The WEKA software version 3.5.3 was used for classification, clustering and association analysis of the World Health Organization mortality database which contained 1,109,537 records. Three major steps were performed: Step 1 – preprocessing of data to convert all records into suitable formats for each type of analysis algorithm; Step 2 – analyzing data using the C4.5 decision tree and Naïve Bayes classification algorithm, K-means clustering algorithm and Apriori association analysis algorithm; Step 3 – interpretation of results and hypothesis testing after clustering analysis.

Results: Using a C4.5 decision tree classifier to predict cause of death, we obtained 440 leaf nodes that correctly classify death instances with an accuracy of 40.06%. Naïve Bayes classification algorithm calculated probability of death from each disease that correctly classify death instances with an accuracy of 28.13%. K means clustering divided the data into four clusters with 189, 59, 65, 144 country-years in each cluster. A Chi-square was used to test discriminate disease differences found in each cluster which had different diseases as predominant causes of death. Apriori association analysis produced association rules of linkage among cancer of the lung, hypertension and cerebrovascular diseases. These were found in the top five leading causes of death with 99–100% confidence level.

Conclusion: Classification tools produced the poorest results in predicting cause of death. Given the inadequacy of variables in the WHO database, creation of a classification model to predict specific cause of death was impossible. Clustering and association tools yielded interesting results that could be used to identify new areas of interest in mortality data analysis. This can be used in data mining analysis to help solve some quality problems in mortality data.
Multidimensional Point Transform for Public Health Practice
Authors: Kamel Boulos M. N. , AbdelMalik P.
Published: June 2011

Background: With increases in spatial information and enabling technologies, location-privacy concerns have been on the rise. A commonly proposed solution in public health involves random perturbation, however consideration for individual dimensions (at-tributes) has been weak.

Objectives: The current study proposes a multidimensional point transform (MPT) that integrates the spatial dimension with other dimensions of interest to comprehensively anonymise data.

Methods: The MPT relies on the availability of a base population, a subset patient dataset, and shared dimensions of interest. Perturbation distance and anonymity thresholds are defined, as are allowable dimensional perturbations. A preliminary implementation is presented using sex, age and location as the three dimensions of interest, with a maximum perturbation distance of 1 kilometre and an anonymity threshold of 20%. A synthesised New York county population is used for testing with 1000 iterations for each of 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 patient dataset sizes.

Results: The MPT consistently yielded a mean perturbation distance of 46 metres with no sex or age perturbation required. Displacement of the spatial mean decreased with patient dataset size and averaged 5.6 metres overall.

Conclusions: The MPT presents a flexible, customisable and adaptive algorithm for perturbing datasets for public health, allowing tweaking and optimisation of the trade-offs for different datasets and purposes. It is not, however, a substitute for secure and ethical conduct, and a public health framework for the appropriate disclosure, use and dissemination of data containing personal identifiable information is required. The MPT presents an important component of such a framework.
La laïcité : un principe à l'ordre du jour de la IIe République tunisienne ?
Authors: Hached Farah
Published: June 2011

La Tunisie post-révolutionnaire va entamer la rédaction de sa nouvelle Constitution. Quelle sera la place de l’Islam dans l’ordre politico-juridique de la IIe République tunisienne ? Le principe de laïcité sera-t-il à l’ordre du jour ? En étudiant l’architecture actuelle de la relation entre l’Islam et le droit et l’Islam et l’Etat, on peut se demander si le principe de laïcité est l’instrument le plus adapté à la situation tunisienne. D’autres pistes moins controversées mais tout aussi, voire même plus, protectrices des droits et libertés fondamentales peuvent être empruntées.
Jordan: Revolutionaries without a Revolution
Authors: Al Shalabi Jamal
Published: June 2011

Contrairement à l’image très répandue d’un oasis de stabilité dans un Moyen-Orient conflictuel, la Jordanie a connu des soubresauts révolutionnaires il y a plus de vingt ans. Une analyse détaillée des transformations politiques, sociales et économiques observées en Jordanie indique que ce pays fut même l’un des premiers pays arabes à expérimenter un changement révolutionnaire « silencieux » car peu médiatisé à l’époque. En 1989, la Jordanie a ainsi connu ce qu’on appelle communément la « poussée d’avril », qui exigeait le combat contre la corruption, le développement des libertés et la limitation des pouvoirs du Roi. Vingt deux ans après cette « poussée », de nouvelles forces politiques (les militaires retraités, les tribus, la déclaration des 36 et le Mouvement de la Jeunesse en Marche) ont fait émerger des programmes de réformes politiques et économiques qui ont, dès novembre 2010, donné lieu à des protestations et des manifestations. Amorcées avant les révolutions tunisienne et égyptienne, ces mouvements demandaient le départ du gouvernement, la dissolution du Parlement et la mise en œuvre de réformes politiques. La convergence de l’opposition traditionnelle (les Frères Musulmans, les nationalistes et des personnalités indépendantes) et de la nouvelle opposition (l’armée, les tribus et la jeunesse) ne signifie pas, d’une quelconque façon, un « renversement du régime hachémite », mais plutôt sa réforme. Il semble que la nature tribale de la société, doublée de la flexibilité et de l’expérience du régime, lui a permis d’avoir une communication avec ces nouvelles forces « rebelles », ce qui lui a permis d’éviter une confrontation brutale.
Israël face aux révoltes arabes : raidissement ou ouvertures ?
Authors: Berthelot Pierre
Published: June 2011

Les récentes révoltes arabes ont surpris l’ensemble de la communauté internationale et Israël, qui, bien qu’en principe extrêmement bien informé des évolutions de ses voisins, n’a pas davantage pu ou su anticiper ces bouleversements. La question qui est maintenant posée est celle de l’attitude qu’adoptera l’Etat hébreu, acteur incontournable de toute perspective de paix ou de stabilité régionale, car de celui-ci peut dépendre en partie le sort de ces révolutions. Il semble que trois types de réactions soient possibles de sa part, bien que toutes prévisions en ce sens restent plus qu’incertaines, ne serait-ce que parce qu’Israël souhaite conserver ce qui a constitué un de ses atouts majeurs au cours des dernières décennies : l’effet de surprise. La première hypothèse, c’est que l’on assiste à un raidissement voire à une fuite en avant de la coalition ultranationaliste qui montrerait ainsi aux nouveaux régimes sa détermination et pourrait aussi profiter de l’affaiblissement de certains alliés de l’Iran pour attaquer ses sites nucléaires et accélérer la colonisation. A l’inverse, Tel-Aviv pourrait accompagner positivement les évènements actuels en en devenant un acteur à part entière, via la relance de négociations aboutissant à l’émergence d’un authentique Etat palestinien (avant qu’il ne soit proclamé unilatéralement) ce qui favoriserait l’émergence d’un climat régional pacifié. Enfin, on peut également supposer que face au tumulte observé, la prudence ne l’emporte et que le statu quo, plus confortable à court terme, ne soit finalement privilégié alors qu’Israël a toujours une certaine difficulté à savoir s’il doit se réjouir ou s’inquiéter de cette déferlante démocratique.
Impacts monétaires de la crise sur les pays méditerranéens et guerre des changes ?
Authors: Alméras Guillaume
Published: June 2011

Le texte ci-dessous reprend et développe les idées qu’il a présentées lors des premières Rencontres de Cybèle organisées par l’association Euromed-IHEDN le 17 décembre 2010 à Paris, autour du thème « Les relations en Méditerranée seront durablement affectées par la crise mondiale ».
L'immigration algérienne en France : histoire et actualité
Authors: Meynier Pierrette , Meynier Gilbert
Published: June 2011

La migration algérienne vers la France a commencé à la fin du XIX e siècle. Elle a été accélérée par les demandes de main d’œuvre pendant la première guerre. Elle s’est ensuite poursuivie, outre à Paris, notamment dans le Nord, en Lorraine, à Lyon-Saint Étienne et à Marseille, mais avec des reflux – lors de la crise économique des années 30 et pendant la deuxième guerre. Elle s’est accélérée après 1945 et durant les « trente glorieuses ». Elle a fortement reflué à partir de 1974, bloquée qu’elle a été conjointement par les autorités française et algérienne. Depuis, de masculine qu’elle était surtout, elle a évolué avec les regroupements familiaux, mais elle n’a jamais cessé et elle tend à reprendre depuis la dernière décennie du XX e siècle. Mais aujourd’hui, c’est dans la conjoncture tragique du verrouillage de l’Europe par le système Frontex, en coopération avec le Maghreb et en partenariat non dit avec le pouvoir algérien pour traquer les harragas qui tombent, en Algérie, depuis 2008 sous le coup d’une pénalisation par la loi.
Making a Difference: The Value of Preceptorship Programs in Nursing Education
Authors: Duteau Jennifer
Published: June 2011

The benefits of clinical nursing experience in nursing education cannot be overemphasized. Literature has shown that proficient clinical nursing education enhances nursing practice through the development of professional growth with opportunities for the application of theoretical knowledge. Clinical preceptorship has been shown to be an effective method in the development of professional nurses through clinical education. The role of a clinical nursing preceptor is complex and not necessarily applicable to all nurses. Understanding the clinical environment, comprehending individual learning styles, and dealing effectively with conflict are skills that an effective preceptor needs to acquire before participating in the role. This article describes the origin of the preceptor role in clinical nursing education and discusses how the role can be enhanced through a proficient and well-planned preceptorship education program.
A Culture of Mutual Support: Discovering Why New Nurses Stay in Nursing
Authors: Zeller Edna L. , Doutrich Dawn , Guido Ginny W. , Hoeksel Renee
Published: June 2011

New nurse retention and satisfaction has been a recurring topic of research and concern for nursing administrators and educators. As the nursing shortage continues to grow, the retention of new nurses becomes even more important. Most research has focused on why new nurses leave nursing. This article describes the experiences of six new nurses who chose to stay in their first nursing position for 2 years. The qualitative results suggest that even though they felt underprepared, the nurses persevered and remained resilient because of a culture of mutual support. The study participants suggested that individuals contemplating nursing as a career need to “enter with their eyes open,” stay strong and “persevere,” and foster a “culture of mutual support.”
Photographic Diabetic Retinopathy Screening in an Urban Family Practice Clinic: Effect on Compliance to Eye Examination
Authors: Shah Sanket U. , Seibles JoAnn , Park Susanna S.
Published: June 2011

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

This study assessed the effect of introduction of diabetic retinopathy screening using non-mydriatic digital fundus photography (nDFP) in an urban academic family practice clinic on patient compliance to recommended dilated eye examination (REE).

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Two hundred four patients with diabetes mellitis who were noncompliant to annual REE were screened for diabetic retinopathy using nDFP. The images were electronically transmitted to the retinal specialist to triage them for follow-up REE based on the photographic findings. Retrospective review of their medical records compared the compliance to REE before and after nDFP screening.

RESULTS:

Compliance to REE increased from 9% before screening to 66.5% after screening (
P
< .0001). Good quality fundus images were obtained in 93% of the eyes.

CONCLUSION:

Introduction of nDFP for diabetic retinopathy screening in the family practice clinic can result in a dramatic increase in compliance to REE among patients with diabetes mellitis previously poorly compliant to REE.
Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects of some plant extracts
Authors: Abdel-Moein N. M. , Abdel-Moniem E. A. , Mohamed D. A. , Hanfy E. A.
Published: June 2011

The objective of the present research was to study the anti-inflammatory activity of sweet basil flowers, leaves of eucalyptus and the aerial parts of celery and sage on acute inflammation along with the effect of a methanol extract of celery, sage and eucalyptus on adjuvant induced arthritis in rats. The effect of the methanol extract of celery, sage and eucalyptus on certain biochemical parameters in adjuvant arthritis and its safety in liver and kidney functions were evaluated. The fatty acids, hydrocarbons and phytosterols of all plants under investigation were studied. The results revealed a marked anti-inflammatory activity of all the studied plant extracts with different degrees ranging from 47 to 62%. The methanol extract of celery, sage and eucalyptus showed improvement in the level of plasma malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-α and uric acid and also showed significant improvements in body weight and total food intake. The methanol extract of celery, sage and eucalyptus showed complete safety for liver and kidney functions. α-Linolenic acid and linoleic acid were present in all the studied plants. Stigmasterol and β-sitosterol were present in all the studied plants.
Effect of the cement type on compatibility with carboxylate superplasticisers
Authors: Bundyra-Oracz G. , Kurdowski W.
Published: June 2011

An empirical study was conducted to gain a fuller understanding of the interactions taking place in cementsuperplasticiser systems. To this end, two clinkers of known chemical and phase composition were prepared in this study to gain insight into such interactions. One contained no tricalcium aluminate (C1), while the other had a 9% C3A content (C2). These clinkers were ground to approximately 340 m2/kg and blended with gypsum only or gypsum and Klein compound (3CaO·3Al2O3·CaSO4) (1, 2). Sufficient compound was added to C1 to ensure the formation of about the same amount of ettringite after 0.5 and 1 h of hydration as found in cement C2 + gypsum. The admixture used was a carboxylate superplasticiser. Rheology measurements showed that while paste yield stress was correlated to ettringite formation, no such simple relationship was observed for plastic viscosity. Plastic viscosity depended on the total hydrates formed, i.e., not only as ettringite but also as C-S-H gel. The findings revealed that in clinkers with very low sulfate and potassium contents, the rheology of carboxylate-containing cement paste is primarily controlled by ettringite formation.
Pozzolanic evaluation of the sugar cane leaf
Authors: Guzmán A. , Gutiérrez C. , Amigó V. , Mejía de Gutiérrez R. , Delvasto S.
Published: June 2011

This paper presents the results of the evaluation of the sugarcane leaf, burnt under controlled conditions in order to obtain a reactive ash with pozzolanic properties. Chemical analysis, amorphousity and surface structure of the sugar cane straw ash (SCSA) were studied by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results of this research showed that SCSA has significant presence of amorphous material and a high content of silica (81.0%). The pozzolanic activity of the SCSA was evaluated by the Fratini test and the pozzolanic activity index. In order to interpretate the pozzolan activity, the Feret method was used. It is conclude that the SCSA presents pozzolanic characteristics for blending Portland cement.
Ground granulated blast furnace slag efficiency coefficient (k value) in concrete. Applications and limits
Authors: Sanjuán M. A. , Piñeiro A. , Rodríguez O.
Published: June 2011

Recently, a k-value for ground granulated blast-furnace slag or k-value has been added to the revision of the European standard EN 206-1:2000. The proposed values during the disscusion in the working groups were very different because in most of cases the compressive strength was the only characteristic considered; while only in few cases the concrete durability was taken into account when ground granulated blast-furnace slag is added directly to the mix.
Advantages and disadvantages of the k-values found in the literature are discussed in this paper. The final conclusion may be summarised suggesting a logical proposal of addressing to each country the choice of the k-value in function of the concrete application, environment and placing conditions selected according to their own experience.
El comercio de muebles en Cataluña durante el siglo XVIII
Authors: Piera Miquel Mónica
Published: June 2011

A partir de documentación de distinta índole conocemos los diferentes sistemas de venta y consumo utilizados en el comercio interno de muebles en Cataluña durante el siglo XVIII. Ofrecemos informaciones sobre la construcción de piezas y sobre su comercio desde los talleres de carpinteros, tanto de obras nuevas como de segunda mano y sus precios. Igualmente, estudiamos el importante negocio de muebles de alquiler ofrecido por carpinteros y por ropavejeros.
A survey of E-learning Implementation Best Practices in Jordanian Government Universities
Authors: Altarawneh Haroon Salem
Published: June 2011

With the facility to connect people and information around the world, the Internet is before now having a major impact on the traditional education. Currently, students can easily access the online course materials anytime anywhere. Internet also amplifies the complication of the course materials development. As the learning idea is taken by a student in the e-learning environment, traditional teacher determined learning model is no longer appropriate. As a result, student-centered course materials which are prepared based on individual studentâ??s learning expectation, styles, interests and individual academic background become critical.

The quick growth of Internet technologies and web based environments, e-learning has become a major trend in the education area. Most of the e-learning contents are still developed in same traditional educational ways; Jordanian government Universities followed a different ways in implementing e-learning systems. The objective of this research is to understand the extent of E-learning implementation practices currently in use. To achieve this objective, a survey of E-learning implementation practice in Jordanian universities was conducted. A detailed description of the survey procedures is provided in this paper.

The units of analysis for the survey were Jordanian government universities undertaking E-learning systems implementations. The target population included all Jordanian government universities which implement E-learning systems by second party as well as in-house e-learning system development. The results showed that there is a weakness in applying E-learning implementation practices in Jordanian government universities. The results of the study lead to important recommendations to improve E-learning implementation practice in Jordanian government universities in Jordan like that the development teams should be multidisciplinary and universities should pay attention to the quality management and standards. The results also compared to some case studies from European countries. The analysis also showed that there are significant differences in the levels of adoption of E-learning implementations practices between European universities and Jordanian government universities.
Fostering Learner Mobility Between Engineering Education and a Twenty First Century Workplace
Authors: Abu-aisheh Akram Ahmad , Grant Lynroy
Published: June 2011

Engineering education today is undergoing unprecedented array of challenges, especially in the teaching and learning process. Among other challenges in this area students now require multiple stimuli, they have very low tolerance for monotonous static content, and they are highly mobile. To address some of these challenges, the authors have conducted a pilot study with Learner Agent Objects (LAO) individual portfolios. LAO portfolios are collections of artifacts (studentsâ?? best work) representing a learner's academic experience. LAO affords a foundation for creating a more comprehensive and seamless movement of learners between jurisdictions in engineering education and the workplace. A more seamless movement of individuals between formal education, informal education and the workplace has significant implications for the learning environments and ecosystems of engineers as lifelong learners.
Evaluation of Online Health and Wellness Resources for Healthcare Professionals
Authors: Macdonald Colla Jean , Archibald D. , Kellam H. , Sun R. , Stodel E. , Puddester D.
Published: June 2011

Two online resources, ePhysicianHealth.com and eWorkplaceHealth.com, were developed to help physicians and other healthcare professionals improve their health and well-being by providing them with relevant, up-to-date support and resources at no cost and with anonymous access. ePhysicianHealth.com is the worldâ??s first comprehensive, online physician health and wellness resource designed to help physicians and medical students be resilient in their professional and personal lives. eWorkplaceHealth.com is a new and original resource aimed to increase awareness and understanding of the issues and factors that may affect healthcare professionalsâ?? health at work. ePhysicianHealth.com includes 14 modules in French and English and eWorkplaceHealth.com comprises a four-module program in English. A program evaluation using quantitative and qualitative methods was conducted to obtain evidence regarding the usersâ?? perceptions of the learning resources and their impact on the specified outcomes.

Most participants felt they gained new knowledge from ePhysicianHealth.com and eWorkplaceHealth.com. They felt they had access to useful information through the resources, which increased their awareness of the various issues facing physicians today and where they can go to get assistance when in need.
Diet Overlap of Top-Level Predators in Recent Sympatry: Bull Trout and Nonnative Lake Trout
Authors: Guy Christopher S. , McMahon Thomas E. , Fredenberg Wade A. , Smith Clinton J. , Garfield David W. , Cox Benjamin S.
Published: June 2011

The establishment of nonnative lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in lakes containing lacustrine–adfluvial bull trout Salvelinus confluentus often results in a precipitous decline in bull trout abundance. The exact mechanism for the decline is unknown, but one hypothesis is related to competitive exclusion for prey resources. We had the rare opportunity to study the diets of bull trout and nonnative lake trout in Swan Lake, Montana during a concomitant study. The presence of nonnative lake trout in Swan Lake is relatively recent and the population is experiencing rapid population growth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diets of bull trout and lake trout during the early expansion of this nonnative predator. Diets were sampled from 142 bull trout and 327 lake trout during the autumn in 2007 and 2008. Bull trout and lake trout had similar diets, both consumed Mysis diluviana as the primary invertebrate, especially at juvenile stages, and kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka as the primary vertebrate prey, as adults. A diet shift from primarily M. diluviana to fish occurred at similar lengths for both species, 506 mm (476–545 mm, 95% CI) for bull trout and 495 mm (470–518 mm CI) for lake trout. These data indicate high diet overlap between these two morphologically similar top-level predators. Competitive exclusion may be a possible mechanism if the observed overlap remains similar at varying prey densities and availability.
Variable NK Cell Receptors Exemplified by Human KIR3DL1/S1
Authors: Parham Peter , Norman Paul J. , Abi-Rached Laurent , Guethlein Lisbeth A.
Published: June 2011

Variegated expression of variable NK cell receptors for polymorphic MHC class I broadens the range of an individual’s NK cell response and the capacity for populations and species to survive disease epidemics and population bottlenecks. On evolutionary time scales, this component of immunity is exceptionally dynamic, unstable, and short-lived, being dependent on coevolution of ligands and receptors subject to varying, competing selection pressures. Consequently these systems of variable NK cell receptors are largely species specific and have recruited different classes of glycoprotein, even within the primate order of mammals. Such disparity helps to explain substantial differences in NK cell biology between humans and animal models, for which the population genetics is largely ignored. KIR3DL1/S1, which recognizes the Bw4 epitope of HLA-A and -B and is the most extensively studied of the variable NK cell receptors, exemplifies how variation in all possible parameters of function is recruited to diversify the human NK cell response.