bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of vegetation cycle on chemical content and antibacterial activity of Satureja montana L.
Authors: Damjanovic-Vratnica Biljana , Perovic A. , Sukovic Danijela , Perovic Svetlana
Published: January 2012

Effect of vegetation cycle on phytochemical composition of the essential oil
obtained from the aerial parts of wild-growing winter savory (Satureja
montana L.) from Montenegro was analysed by GC-MS and its antibacterial
activity tested at different oil concentrations. A total of 36 and 34
constituents were identified in the hydrodistilled oil obtained from herb
before flowering and during flowering stage, with major components: thymol
(37,36% and 27,68%), carvacrol (15,47% and 4,40%), ?-terpinene (11,75% and
8.66%) and p-cymene (7,86% and 31, 37%), respectively. The gained results
revealed that essential oil of S. montana has rather significant
antibacterial activity against chosen bacteria Staphylococcus aureus,
Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Also, it was found that vegetation
cycle affects the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of savory
essential oil. Essential oil gained prior to herb flowering period showed
stronger antibacterial activity in comparison with the oil gained during herb
flowering.
A contribution to studies of the ruderal vegetation of southern Srem, Serbia
Authors: Jaric Snezana , Mitrovic Miroslava , Vrbnicanin S. , Karadzic B. , Djurdjevic L. , Kostic Olga , Macukanovic-Jocic Marina , Gajic Gordana , Pavlovic P.
Published: January 2012

Floristic research investigating the presence and phytocoenological
differentiation of ruderal vegetation, and how it is conditioned structurally
and anthropogenically, was undertaken over a period of several years
(2007-10) in the south Srem region. The ruderal flora of the research area
comprised 249 plants categorized into 63 families, of which the most frequent
were: Asteraceae (36), Poaceae (29), Fabaceae (18), Lamiaceae (15),
Polygonaceae (15), Brassicaceae (11) and Rosaceae (11). Three ruderal
communities are analyzed in this work: Asclepietum syriacae Kojic et al.,
2004, as well as Chenopodio-Ambrosietum artemisiifoliae ass. nova and
Amorpho-Typhaetum ass. nova, which are described for the first time. It was
established that the level of moisture at the habitat, anthropogenic factors,
and the immediate proximity to cultivated areas had the most pronounced
effect on the differentiation of the researched vegetation.
The anthropogenic impact on water quality of the river Danube in Serbia: Microbiological analysis and genotoxicity monitoring
Authors: Kolarevic S. , Knezevic-Vukcevic Jelena , Paunovic M. , Tomovic Jelena , Gacic Z. , Vukovic-Gacic Branka
Published: January 2012

The aim of this work was to examine the impact of urban wastewaters on the
water quality of the Danube River in Serbia. Samples of water and sediments
for microbiological analysis and genotoxicity monitoring were collected from
6 sites during spring and/or autumn 2010. Sanitary analysis, i.e. enumeration
of total and fecal coliforms and intestinal enterococci, indicated moderate
to critical fecal contamination, while organic load assessment (oligotroph to
heterotroph ratio, index of phosphatase activity) revealed the category of
moderately polluted water. Mercury-resistant bacteria were detected in all
water samples, with high numbers at locations positioned downstream of
Belgrade. There was no correlation of the microbiological parameters of the
sediment and water samples. Genotoxicity monitoring, performed by the comet
assay on hemocytes of mussels Sinanodonta woodiana, indicated a significant
increase of DNA damage in mussels collected from the studied sites compared
with the control group.
Parasitic wasps as natural enemies of aphid populations in the Mashhad region of Iran: New data from DNA barcodes and SEM
Authors: Darsouei Reyhaneh , Karimi Javad , Modarres-Awal Mehdi
Published: January 2012

DNA barcoding is a modern method for the identification of different species,
including insects. Among animals, the major emphasis of DNA barcoding is on
insects. Due to this global trend we addressed this approach for surveying a
group of insects. The parasitic wasps (including primary and
hyperparasitoids) of pome fruit orchard aphids were collected from
Iran-Mashhad during 2009-2010. Preliminary identification of this group was
performed by using morphological and morphometric characters and SEM. The COI
gene in the specimens was amplified and sequenced. In this survey, Aphidius
matricariae, Binodoxys angelicae, Diaeretiella rapae, Ephedrus persicae,
Lysiphlebus fabarum and Praon volucre parasitoids and Alloxysta sp., Asaphes
suspensus, Dendrocerus carpenteri, Pachyneuron aphidis, Syrphophagus
aphidivorus hyperparasitoids were studied. Based on intra-interspecies
distances and phylogenetic analysis using NJ, all species possess diagnostic
barcode sequences. The results of this study show that the COI sequence could
be useful in identification study of this group of insects. Here we have
provided the first GenBank data for the COI gene of the above-mentioned
hyperparasitoids as well as an initial attempt toward preparing DNA barcodes
for Iranian parasitoid and hyperparasitoid aphids.
A contribution to the knowledge of Iranian staphylinidae (Coleoptera: Staphylinoidea)
Authors: Samin Najmeh , Zhou Hongzhang , Imani Sohrab , Rastegar Jinoos
Published: January 2012

In this study, 94 staphylinid species of 59 genera belonging to four groups
(omaliin, tachyporin, oxyteline and staphylinin) and 13 subfamilies
(including, Dasycerinae, Omaliinae, Proteininae, Pselaphinae, Oxytelinae,
Piestinae, Oxyporinae, Steninae, Paederinae, Staphylininae, Phloeocharinae,
Tachyporinae and Aleocharinae) were collected from different regions of Iran.
Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) lagadini n.sp. (Chthoniidae, Pseudoscorpiones), a new endemic epigean pseudoscorpion from Macedonia
Authors: Curcic B.P.M. , Radja T. , Dimitrijevic R , Curcic Nina , Ilic B.S. , Pecelj Jelena
Published: January 2012

A new species of epigean pseudoscorpion pertaining to the genus Chthonius C.
L. Koch 1843 from Macedonia is erected. Its relationship to phenetically
close congeners is briefly discussed. The new species, Chthonius
(Ephippiochthonius) lagadini n. sp. is a relict form presently known only
from its type locality (Lagadin, nr. Ohrid, Macedonia).
Adaptive significance of amylase polymorphism in drosophila, XV: Examination of genotype-by-environment interactions on the viability, developmental time and stability of drosophila subobscura homozygous for Amy during exposure to nutritional changes
Authors: Savic Tatjana , Patenkovic Aleksandra , Stamenkovic-Radak Marina , Andjelkovic M.
Published: January 2012

Due to the direct interaction between enzyme and substrate, the amylase
system can provide valuable information on the relationship between
homozygosity and developmental homeostasis under a changing environment in
several Drosophila species, The adaptive significance of the relationship
between genetic variability and environmental change manifests through the
well-known polymorphism of the amylase locus (Amy). We examined the effect of
gradual and abrupt changes in starch concentration in the nutritional
substrate, on the developmental time, egg-to-adult viability and phenotypic
plasticity in the progeny of Drosophila subobscura that was homozygous for
?fast? (AmyF/AmyF) and ?slow? (AmyS/AmyS) Amy alleles. Our findings show that
gradual and abrupt nutritional changes exert a significant effect on
developmental time and viability. A high heterogeneity among genotypes in
fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and no direct association between FA and fitness
components under the two experimental regimes of environmental change were
observed.
Changes in Lymantria dispar protocerebral neurosecretory neurons after exposure to cadmium
Authors: Ilijin Larisa , Vlahovic Milena , Mrdakovic Marija , Matic Dragana , Lazarevic Jelica , Todorovic Dajana , Peric-Mataruga Vesna
Published: January 2012

Gypsy moth 4th instar caterpillars were fed for 3 days with an artificial
diet supplemented with increasing cadmium (Cd) concentrations (0, 10, 30,
100 and 250 ?g?g of dry food weight). Changes in the morphometric
characteristics of A1? dorso-medial and L2 dorso-lateral neurosecretory
neurons (nsn) were analyzed. In the A1? nsn, Cd supplements led to an
enhanced nuclear size, except in the group treated with 250 ?g Cd?g in the
form of dry food. The size of L2 type nsn was increased in the groups
provided with 30 and 100 ?g Cd?g, while no differences in the size of nuclei
was detected in L2 neurons among the experimental groups.
Morphofunctional characteristics of endothelial cells in coronary atherosclerosis
Authors: Lackovic Vesna , Tanaskovic Irena , Radak Dj. , Nesic Vesna , Gluvic Z. , Lackovic Milena , Asanin B. , Radovic S. , Stankovic Vesna , Djuric J. , Nesic Jelena , Kanjuh V.
Published: January 2012

Atherosclerosis represents a complex disease which encompasses all the
components of the vascular wall. Nevertheless, according to all known
theories of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, the key role in this process
belongs to the endothelial cells, i.e. the changes that they are subjected to
especially during the initial stage of the lesion. In this review we have
attempted, according to the results of our continuous research and numerous
data from available modern literature, to show the cytohistological
characteristics of endothelial cells, as well as the changes they are
subjected to in all stages of atherosclerosis. In the first part we have
reviewed the ultrastructure, function and pathology of the endothelium,
subcellular organization of the endothelial cells, their specific
characteristics, micro compartments and intercellular junctions. In the
second part we have described the morphological and functional changes of
endothelial cells during atherosclerosis. Special attention is given to the
role of endothelial cells in the development of the initial stage of lesion:
endothelial dysfunction, factors that cause the increased expression of
adhesion molecules in endothelial cells and mechanisms that cause leukocytes
to migrate through the endothelial layer to subendothelial connective tissue
in the early stage of atherosclerosis.
Mesenchymal stem cell properties of dental pulp cells from deciduous teeth
Authors: Nikolic N. , Krstic A. , Trivanovic D. , Mojsilovic S. , Kocic J. , Santibanez J.F. , Jovcic G. , Bugarski D.
Published: January 2012

In the present study we have isolated and identified mesenchymal stem cells
(MSCs) from the exfoliated deciduous teeth dental pulp (DP-MSCs), as
plastic-adherent, spindle-shaped cells with a high proliferative potential.
Immunophenotype analyses revealed that DP-MSCs were positive for mesenchymal
cell markers (CD90, CD44, CD105, STRO-1, vimentin and ?-SMA), and negative
for hematopoietic stem cell markers (CD11b, CD33, CD34, CD45, CD235a). DPMSCs
were also capable of differentiating into adipogenic, chondrogenic, myogenic
and osteogenic lineages, fulfilling the functional criterion for their
characterization. These results demonstrate that DP-MSCs offer a valuable,
readily accessible source to obtain and store adult stem cells for future
use.
Dispersed phase hold-up and characteristic velocity in a pulsed packed extraction column
Authors: Asadollahzadeh Mehdi , Safdari Jaber , Haghighi-Asl Ali , Torab-Mostaedi Meisam
Published: January 2012

Dispersed phase hold-up has been measured in a 76.2 mm diameter pulsed packed
column for four different liquid-liquid systems. The effects of pulsation
intensity, phase ratio, and packing characteristic on the hold-up have been
investigated under a variety of operating conditions. The dispersed phase
axial hold-up shows a strong non-uniformity, depending on the operating
conditions. The results indicated that the characteristic velocity approach
is applicable to this type of extraction column for analysis of hold-up. An
empirical correlation is derived for prediction of the hold-up in terms of
operating variables, physical properties of the systems, and packing
geometry. Good agreement between prediction and experiments was observed for
all investigated operating conditions.
International criminal courts: Between law, justice, reconciliation and rights of victims
Authors: Jovasevic Dragan
Published: January 2012

Since the ancient times till the present the international community has
provided various forms of co-operation for the purpose of criminal
prosecution and punishment of perpetrators of the most serious criminal acts
that in the most severe and violent ways violate the rules of international
law breaching or jeopardising the humanity and other property, which are
protected by the international system of legal rules. Among them the most
important form consists of the establishment and acting of international
criminal courts that in the interest of justice and in the name of the
civilized part of the mankind or enlightened peoples presses criminal charges
and pronounces sentences and other criminal sanctions against perpetrators of
international criminal acts. There are several kinds of international
judicial bodies with different law features and duration. The paper deals
with their characteristics, roles and organization both from the theoretical
and practical aspects.
In the light of bilateral relations of OSCE Minsk group member countries
Authors: Jovic-Lazic Ana , Jelisavac-Trosic Sanja , Jazic Aleksandar
Published: January 2012

This paper analyses confrontation that occurred between Armenia and
Azerbaijan concerning Nagorno Karabakh territory, as well as the many
attempts to finally get this conflict resolved. The war between Armenia and
Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno Karabakh ended with the ceasefire
agreement under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group, which is empowered for
final resolvment of this issue. This process has been going on for years,
but a solution is yet to come. The European Union in recent years is trying
to reduce dependence on Russian natural gas and orients to new suppliers,
primarily in the southern Caucasus region. Western countries are interested
in resolving conflicts in South Caucasus due to its economic and political
interests in the region and the fact that these conflicts pose a risk to
investment. The authors of the paper will bring forth the views of all
stakeholders in addressing the problem of Nagorno Karabakh and analyze their
interests in an attempt to predict the possible final solution to the
conflict.
Education of medical students in Bitola on tobacco use and their role in health promotion activities
Authors: Jovanovska Tanja , Prodanovska-Stojcevska Viktorija
Published: January 2012

Health professionals should have a key role in health promotion activities
regarding reduced tobacco use. This study was aimed at presenting students?
level of knowledge on harmful effects of smoking and the level of training
they had gained in order to quit smoking. The research was done as an
epidemiological, cross sectional study according to the standardized
methodology of Global Health Professional Survey. The study sample consisted
of a hundred college students. During the educational process, 77.5% of
females, and 93.1% of males were educated on harmful and dangerous effects of
smoking and 59.2% of females and 62.1% of males were instructed how to give
up smoking and the age of 86.6% of them was from 18 to 24 years. It has been
concluded that some qualitative changes are needed in the current curricula
and syllabi.
Biology and intracellular life of chlamydia
Authors: Vivoda Maja , Cirkovic Ivana , Aleksic Djordje , Ranin Lazar , Djukic Slobodanka
Published: January 2012

Introduction. Chlamydiae are Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacteria.
The developmental cycle of Chlamydiae is specific and different from other
bacteria. The elementary body is the infectious form of the organism,
responsible for attaching to the target host cell and promoting its entry.
The reticulate body is the larger, metabolically active form of the organism,
synthesizing deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid and proteins. The
elementary body and reticulate body represent evolutionary adaptations to
extracellular and intracellular environments. Intracellular persistence of
Chlamydia. Predisposition of Chlamydia to persist within the host cell has
been recognized as a major factor in the pathogenesis of chlamydial disease.
The persistence implies a long-term association between chlamydiae and their
host cell that may not manifest as clinically recognizable disease. The
ability of chlamydia to remain within one morphological state for a long time
in response to exogenous factors suggests an innate ability of these
organisms to persist intracellulary in a unique developmental form.
Chlamydiae induce interferon ? and exhibit growth inhibition in their
presence. While the high levels of interferon ? completely restrict the
development of chlamydia, its low levels induce the development of
morphologically aberrant intracellular forms. The persistent forms contain
reduced levels of major outer membrane protein but high levels of chlamydial
heat shock protein. Conclusion. Immunopathogenesis of chlamydial infection is
one of the main focal points of current research into Chlamydia. Chlamydial
infections are highly prevalent, usually asymptomatic and associated with
serious sequelae. Screening programmes are the most important in the
prevention of a long-term sequele.
A misinterpretation of the left ventricular non-compactionadult patient with primary pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Nikolic Aleksandra , Jovovic Ljiljana , Ristic Velibor , Nikolic Dejan , Angelkov Lazar
Published: January 2012

Non-compaction of the left ventricle is a rare cardiac malformation, defined
as a primary cardiomyopathy caused by genetic malformations. Although the
pathogenesis of this cardiomyopathy is unknown, there are two possible
hypotheses (congenital and acquired) which lead to arrest in intrauterine
endomyocardial morphogenesis. We are presenting a case of a 60-year-old
woman, with a history of bradyarrhythmia, syncope and cyanosis.
Two-dimensional echocardiography showed the thickened myocardium with
prominent trabeculations and deep intertrabecular recesses in the two thirds
of the apical part of left ventricle walls. The right side cavity was
enlarged with hypertrophied wall. Tricuspid regurgitation was moderate.
Systolic pressure in the right ventricle was 70mmHg. Catheterization of the
right heart showed high pressure in the pulmonary artery. According to
publications, this is a very rare case with the presence of possible primary
pulmonary hypertension and non-compaction of the left ventricle.
A note on the p - center problem
Authors: Jafari Rad
Published: January 2012

The p - center problem is to locate p facilities in a network so as to
minimize the longest distance between a demand point and its nearest
facility. In this paper, we give a construction on a graph G which produces
an infinite ascending chain G=G0?G1?G2?... of graphs containing G such that
given any optimal solution X for the p - center problem on G, X is an
optimal solution for the p - center problem on i G for any i ? 1.
A new genetic representation for quadratic assignment problem
Authors: Kratica Jozef , Tosic Dusan , Filipovic Vladimir , Dugosija Djordje
Published: January 2012

In this paper, we propose a new genetic encoding for well known Quadratic
Assignment Problem (QAP). The new encoding schemes are implemented with
appropriate objective function and modified genetic operators. The numerical
experiments were carried out on the standard QAPLIB data sets known from the
literature. The presented results show that in all cases proposed genetic
algorithm reached known optimal solutions in reasonable time.
Fuzzy improvement of the SQL
Authors: Hudec Miroslav
Published: January 2012

Structured Query Language (SQL) is used to obtain data from relational
databases. Fuzzy improvement of SQL queries has advantages in cases when the
user cannot unambiguously define selection criteria or when the user wants to
examine data that almost meet the given criteria. In this paper we examine a
realization of the fuzzy querying concept. For this purposes the fuzzy
generalized logical condition for the WHERE part of the SQL is created. It
allows users to create queries by linguistic terms. The proposed model is an
extension of the SQL so that no modification inside databases has to be
undertaken.
Design of two crushing devices for release of the fluid inclusion volatiles
Authors: Dublyansky Yuri
Published: January 2012

Two crushing cells have been described for the release of volatiles from fluid inclusions in minerals in vacuum, static gas, and gas-flow applications. To minimize the adsorption of released volatiles on the freshly created mineral surfaces, both devices employed heated crushing. In the MTSN (Museo Tridentine di Scienze Naturali) crusher, samples were disintegrated by a piston driven by an induction coil. For efficient crushing, the electromagnet operated in dynamic impulse mode. In the LFU (Leopold-Franzens-Universität) crusher, the sample was disintegrated through the combined action of compression (manually operated hydraulic ram) and attrition. Crushers are able to be used in off-line and on-line modes, in gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric analyses.
The Violence of Memory
Authors: Misri Deepti
Published: January 2012

This article explores how Shauna Singh Baldwin's novel What the Body Remembers builds on Partition feminist historiography in order to exhume and retell the story of family violence against women during India's Partition, intended to “save their honor” from rioting mobs. While feminist historiographies have restored Partition survivors' memories of violence to the historical archive, Baldwin's novel explicitly foregrounds the role of gendered bodies in and as the archive of communal memories of violence. I begin with Baldwin's exploration of the embodied character of Sikh subject-formation in a pre-Partition border community, and close in, like the novel itself, on a key moment of embodied violence: the cutting up and reassembling of a woman's body, whose manner of death is later reconstructed by her male family members, in the presence of a female family member. My analysis shows how the text's layering of perspectives around this body encodes a feminist hermeneutics of doubt and models a critical practice of “reading between the lines” in order to recover the violence suppressed in the text of patriarchal memory. Furthermore, I argue, the woman's dismembered, re-membered body in the text allegorizes the processes of disfigurement through which women's bodies are routinely produced as “dead metaphors” for patriarchal honor; as well as the project of remembering violence differently, which the novel itself endorses.
We Are What We Pretend to Be
Authors: Horwitz Linda Diane , Squires Catherine R.
Published: January 2012

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, currently a member of the African National Congress's National Executive Committee, is most widely known as the former wife of Nelson Mandela. While she continues to be a popular politician in South Africa, she has essentially disappeared from the U.S. imagination. A rhetorical analysis of the U.S. popular press about Winnie Mandela reveals that although she was primarily seen as Mother of the Nation in South Africa, in the U.S. she was constructed as a rhetorical widow. A rhetorical widow is a woman, widowed or not, whose rhetorical exigency and authority comes from her husband's inability to speak. This case study demonstrates that although the rhetorical use of traditional gender roles, such as widowhood, provides an elevated platform from which women can speak, it also transforms women from credible individuals in their own right to the role of simple mouthpieces.
Effect of Si addition on the oxidation resistance of Co–Re–Cr-alloys: Recent attainments in the development of novel alloys
Authors: Gorr Bronislava , Burk Steffen , Depka Timo , Somsen C. , Abu-Samra Hisham , Christ H.-J. , Eggeler G.
Published: January 2012

The influence of silicon on the oxidation behaviour of Co—Re—Cr-alloys has been studied at 1 000°C and 1 100°C. Consideration was given to the synergetic effects between chromium and silicon with respect to the development of a protective Cr2O3 layer. The Si addition to the Co—Re-alloys produces a significant decrease in the evaporation rate of Re oxides. Moreover, the beneficial influence in the transient oxidation period results in a rapid formation of Cr2O3 scale. While the addition of 1 and 2 at.% Si to the ternary Co-17Re-23Cr alloy was insufficient to form a continuous Cr2O3 scale, the addition of 3 at.% silicon caused a change in the oxidation mode resulting in the formation of a nearly continuous Cr2O3 scale. On the oxide/alloy interface of the alloy Co-17Re-30Cr-2Si, a continuous and dense Cr2O3 scale was observed, which remained stable after 100 h exposure protecting the metallic substrate.
Residual stresses under quasi-static and cyclic loading in shot peened Inconel 718
Authors: Hoffmeister Jürgen , Schulze Volker , Hessert Roland , Koenig Gerhard
Published: January 2012

The residual stress state induced by shot peening should be taken into account in the dimensioning of turbine components. Understanding the changes in the residual stress state caused by the application of quasi-static and cyclic loads is a prerequisite. In order to describe the residual stress state after quasi-static loading, several different shot peened Inconel 718 specimens were loaded isothermally up to specific tensile loadings. To analyze the residual stress state after cyclic loading, isothermal low cycle fatigue tests were performed. These tests were stopped after a defined number of cycles. Finally, after the specimens had been subjected to different loads, the surface residual stresses and — for special loadings — the residual stress depth distributions were determined experimentally by using X-ray diffraction. The surface — core model was adapted so that the complete residual stress depth distribution after quasi-static and cyclic loading can now be described.
Influence of graphite spherical size on fatigue behaviour and fracture toughness of ductile cast iron EN-GJS-400-18LT
Authors: Mottitschka Thomas , Pusch Gerhard , Biermann Horst , Zybell Lutz , Kuna Meinhard
Published: January 2012

The employment of ferritic nodular cast iron for components subjected to high stress requires a detailed fracture mechanics evaluation of crack growth under static and cyclic loading. During operation, for instance, in wind power plants, such component parts are subjected to loading of variable amplitude, which influences their lifetime considerably. For the evaluation of crack propagation and the remaining service life in this case, the calculation methods currently well-established in practice cannot be employed for cast iron with nodular graphite, since overloads lead to microstructure-related and material-specific load history effects in terms of crack growth acceleration. In this work, investigations of crack growth under constant and variable amplitude loading as well as static fracture toughness investigations and strain-controlled cyclic deformation experiments are presented.
The Politics of the Golden River: Ruskin on Environment and the Stationary State
Authors: MacDonald Graham A.
Published: January 2012

In 1938 Lewis Mumford stated that 'Ruskin was the first economist to express the realities of energy income and living standards in relation to production'. Ruskin's ideas on wise economic distribution and consumption were developed from within an older and broader view of technology, hostile to mass machine production. Mumford was not the first to draw attention to the relevance of Ruskin for developing environmental and urban planning theories. Despite Ruskin's frequent castigation of John Stuart Mill's ideas on political economy, and others of the eighteenth century 'classical school' of political economy, he shared a good deal with them. With Mill he displayed a preference for governments empowered to exercise legislative control in the imposition of limits to growth and in safeguarding worker interests. Notions of the 'stationary state' can be found in the mature writings of Malthus, Mill and Ruskin. In Ruskin's case, however, his views were shaped by his reliance upon older ideas of political economy linked to a pre-Hobbesian tradition of Natural Law influenced by Biblical literature, by the Elizabethan, Richard Hooker, by various medieval writers and by the classics of ancient Greece and Rome, particularly the works of Plato and Xenophon. Intimations of his organic social views may be found in his early children's tale, The King of the Golden River (1841), which found mature expression in the 1878 Constitution he wrote for The Guild of St. George, his late social experiment. After 1854, his ideas on political economy were steadily informed by works and commentaries dealing with practical environmental issues concerning architecture and common lands conservation, public health, transportation, science policy and pollution.
Probing Kinetic Mechanisms of Protein Function and Folding with Time-Resolved Natural and Magnetic Chiroptical Spectroscopies
Authors: Kliger David S. , Chen Eefei , Goldbeck Robert A.
Published: January 2012

Recent and ongoing developments in time-resolved spectroscopy have made it possible to monitor circular dichroism, magnetic circular dichroism, optical rotatory dispersion, and magnetic optical rotatory dispersion with nanosecond time resolution. These techniques have been applied to determine structural changes associated with the function of several proteins as well as to determine the nature of early events in protein folding. These studies have required new approaches in triggering protein reactions as well as the development of time-resolved techniques for polarization spectroscopies with sufficient time resolution and sensitivity to probe protein structural changes.
Characterization and Quantification of Polyphenols in Amazon Grape (Pourouma cecropiifolia Martius)
Authors: Lopes-Lutz Daise , Dettmann Judith , Nimalaratne Chamila , Schieber Andreas
Published: January 2012

The phenolic profile of Amazon grape fruit (Pourouma cecropiifolia Martius) was investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). For this purpose, suitable extraction and liquid chromatographic methods were developed. Anthocyanins, flavonols and chlorogenic acids were found mainly in the peel. Besides the main anthocyanins, i.e. delphinidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside and cyanidin 3-(6”-malonyl)glucoside, several minor anthocyanins were identified in the peel. Among these, cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside, delphinidin 3-galactoside, cyanidin 3-rutinoside, cyanidin 3-(3”-malonyl)glucoside, malvidin 3-glucoside, pelargonidin 3-glucoside, peonidin 3-glucoside and petunidin 3-glucoside were characterized on the basis of their fragmentation patterns in MS/MS experiments. The total anthocyanin content in the peel was 420.26 ± 3.07 mg kg-1 fresh weight. The pulp contained mainly 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (210.39 ± 3.43 mg kg-1 fresh weight). Rutin was the predominant flavonol found in Amazon grape (peel 155.45 ± 2.06 mg kg-1 fresh weight and pulp 2.64 ± 1.21 mg kg-1 fresh weight). Total polyphenols content was higher in the peel than in the pulp.
Les réseaux de blanchiment de l'argent criminel en Amérique latine : de l'illégalité financière à la légitimité économique
Authors: Castelli Bernard
Published: January 2012

Résumé Pour réussir, l’activité de blanchiment a besoin d’être extrêmement bien organisée afin d’échapper à la répression juridique et policière. C’est pourquoi l’époque actuelle voit émerger le réseau comme forme organisationnelle privilégiée dès lors qu’il s’agit de blanchir et de recycler de l’argent sale. L’article détaille les caractéristiques et les avantages associés aux circuits organisés de blanchiment des profits de la drogue en Amérique latine sans lesquels les richesses illégales ne pourraient se métamorphoser ultérieurement en actifs légitimes. Une distribution spatiale appropriée de même qu’une polyvalence fonctionnelle caractérisent les réseaux de blanchiment créant ainsi de véritables écrans d’opacité et d’anonymat autour des capitaux illicites et de leurs propriétaires réels.
La transition démocratique au Nigeria : militaires civilisés ou civils militarisés ?
Authors: Pérouse de Montclos Marc-Antoine
Published: January 2012

Résumé Depuis le premier coup d’État du Nigeria en janvier 1966, les militaires ont toujours entretenu des relations étroites avec les civils : les premiers n’ont jamais gouverné sans les seconds, et vice-versa. Les élections de 1999, qui ont consacré le retour de l’armée dans les casernes, ont ainsi porté au pouvoir un général à la retraite, Olusegun Obasanjo, qui symbolise bien ce « mariage de raison » entre civils et militaires. La restauration d’un régime parlementaire n’a pas pour autant calmé l’agitation populaire à propos de l’application de la loi coranique, de la redistribution de la manne pétrolière, du partage du pouvoir fédéral ou de la réunion d’une assemblée souveraine et nationale. La transition démocratique du Nigeria s’avère longue et difficile ; dans tous les cas, elle ne se résume sûrement pas à une simple alternance d’une dictature vers un régime parlementaire.
Les nouveaux entrepreneurs en religion : la génération montante des chefs de cultes de possession à Cotonou (Bénin) et Salvador (Brésil)
Authors: Kadya Tall Emmanuelle
Published: January 2012

Résumé La mondialisation des échanges dans le monde contemporain peut se donner à lire dans le vaste marché religieux constitué par les mouvements de réforme chrétienne, les mouvements New Age et la revitalisation des cultes de possession. Face à une concurrence de type néolibérale, les chefs de cultes de possession se transforment en véritables entrepreneurs, offrant à la fois des services magico-thérapeutiques et des biens culturels et religieux. Comparant des chefs de culte originaires du Sud-Bénin et de Bahia au Brésil, l’auteur montre comment les uns et les autres, attentifs à la demande sociale locale et internationale, accentuent selon leur histoire personnelle, leur rôle de pourvoyeur de services et de biens. L’invention et la patrimonialisation des traditions, ou encore un savoir-faire autodidacte sont les outils employés par ces jeunes entrepreneurs en religion pour légitimer leur pratique sociale.
Essai sur le don de gamètes
Authors: Squires Claire
Published: January 2012

La possible levée de l’anonymat des donneurs dans le cadre des procréations médicalement assistées avec insémination des spermatozoïdes ou fécondation d’un ovocyte d’un tiers est débattue en France. Elle s’inscrit dans le courant initié par des recherches en paternité ou en maternité visant à la « traçabilité » des origines et du « droit » des enfants à connaître leurs origines. Ces filiations électives relancent le débat nature/culture et les représentations qui les accompagnent dans le domaine de la médecine de la reproduction. La technique semble parfois dépasser les possibilités psychiques de supporter les conséquences de l’infertilité.
Survivre à une réduction embryonnaire
Authors: Bernard Sophie , Darnaud Gérard , Drossart Francis
Published: January 2012

La réduction embryonnaire (RE) est un acte médical légalement autorisé en France, qui consiste, en cas de grossesses multiples égales ou supérieures à trois embryons, à supprimer, sur demande parentale, les embryons surnuméraires, ceci avant la 14 e semaine de gestation. Ces grossesses multiples surviennent très souvent au décours de techniques de stimulation ovarienne et/ou de fécondation in vitro , ce qui rend la pratique de cette RE particulièrement paradoxale, s’agissant de grossesses dites « précieuses ». Les avis sont divergents quant à l’impact d’une RE sur le psychisme de la mère, et des enfants « survivants ». Nous nous intéresserons à cette question sous un angle psychologique, éthique et psychanalytique, relevant notamment les liens inconscients et méconnus qui peuvent exister dans ce cas de figure entre la réalité externe, et la fantasmatique de l’enfant mort.
Du principe de la « Mitsvah » : injonction, morale, ou éthique du vivant ?
Authors: Brami Rachel
Published: January 2012

La question de l’étayage que le clinicien assure au patient dans le cadre de la consultation thérapeutique est une dimension tout à fait centrale de sa pratique et du lien, du mouvement transférentiel qui se crée au contact de l’autre. Existe-t-il un étayage autre, liant et humanisant que le patient rencontre ailleurs, hors les murs de la consultation ? C’est cette question que nous avons souhaité explorer. Nous la traiterons à la lumière d’une pratique spécifique qui est la nôtre, et qui nous a donné l’opportunité de mettre en lien la tradition juive et le concept de holding-collectif, maintenant et pare-excitant.
Longitudinal Study of Emotional Intelligence, Leadership, and Caring in Undergraduate Nursing Students
Authors: Benson Gerry , Martin Lynn , Ploeg Jenny , Wessel Jean
Published: January 2012

This study describes the development of emotional intelligence (EI), leadership, and caring in undergraduate nursing students throughout their educational program. A correlational, repeated measures study design was used. Fifty-two nursing students completed four self-report questionnaires on three occasions (T1, T2, T3): BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory: Short (EQ-i:S), Self-Assessment Leadership Instrument (SALI), Caring Ability Inventory (CAI), and Caring Dimensions Inventory (CDI). Mean scores for Total EI did not change significantly over time (T1, 100.1±13.8; T2, 103.1±13.8; T3, 101.6±14.7). However, EI adaptability was higher at T2 (101.6±13.1) and T3 (101.8±14.1) than at T1 (97.0±12.5;
p
= 0.03), as was CAI Courage (64.2±9.5, 66.7±9.5, 66.9±8.7;
p
= 0.04) and the CDI (96.8±18.1, 103.0±7.3, 102.0±10.9;
p
= 0.02). Changes in EI were positively correlated (
r
> 0.50,
p
< 0.001) with changes in SALI, CAI Knowing, and CAI Courage. During the undergraduate program, significant increases occurred in caring and EI adaptability but not in overall EI or leadership.
Femtosecond LASIK Retreatment Using Side Cutting Only
Authors: Coskunseven Efekan , Kymionis George D. , Grentzelos Michael A. , Portaliou Dimitra M. , Kolli Sai , Jankov Mirko R.
Published: January 2012

PURPOSE:

To present visual and refractive outcomes in 11 eyes that underwent femtosecond LASIK and subsequent retreatment with flap lifting using only side cutting.

METHODS:

Seven patients (11 eyes) with a mean age of 30.55±5.42 years (range: 24 to 39 years) underwent retreatment 18.18±5.41 months (range: 12 to 26 months) after primary LASIK treatment with side cutting only using a femtosecond laser for the correction of residual refractive error.

RESULTS:

Mean follow-up after retreatment was 7.72±1.48 months (range: 6 to 10 months). No intra- or postoperative complications were found after LASIK retreatment. Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) improved in all patients. Mean UDVA improved from 0.54±0.12 (decimal scale) (range: 0.4 to 0.7) preoperatively to 0.99±0.03 (range: 0.9 to 1.0) after retreatment. No patient lost lines of corrected distance visual acuity.

CONCLUSIONS:

Retreatment using a femtosecond laser to create only a side cut is an effective modality to treat residual refractive errors in postoperative LASIK patients.
INFLUENCE OF LONG-TERM TAI-CHI CHUAN TRAINING ON STANDING BALANCE IN THE ELDERLY
Authors: Ho Tsung-Jung , Chen Sheng-Chang , Hong Shih-Wun , Lu Tung-Wu , Lin Jaung-Geng
Published: January 2012

Tai-Chi Chuan (TCC) is thought to be a low-impact and effective exercise to improve balance capability in the elderly. However, the effects of TCC exercise on balance improvement remain controversial. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of long-term Yang-Style TCC training on balance variables such as stable standing time and center of pressure (COP) movement patterns. Fifteen long-term Yang-Style TCC practitioners and fifteen age-matched adults performed different static balance tests each for 30 seconds. For each test, the time-varying COP positions were measured by two forceplates. The sway area of the COP was described by an equivalent ellipse, the two principal axes of which were obtained by using principal component analysis. The results showed that elderly subjects with long-term Yang-Style TCC training were able to maintain stable standing longer than those without TCC training, with reduced COP sway area during challenging tasks such as single-leg stance and tandem stance. It is suggested that long-term TCC exercise is a good choice in a training program aimed at reducing the risk of falling in the elderly.
Intratumoral Injection of CpG Oligonucleotides Induces the Differentiation and Reduces the Immunosuppressive Activity of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells
Authors: Shirota Yuko , Shirota Hidekazu , Klinman Dennis M.
Published: January 2012

Immunostimulatory CpG oligonucleotides (ODN) activate cells that express TLR9 and have been shown to improve the host’s response to tumor Ags. Unfortunately, the immunosuppressive microenvironment that surrounds many cancers inhibits Ag-specific cellular responses and thus interferes with CpG-mediated immunotherapy. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) represent an important constituent of this immunosuppressive milieu. Large numbers of MDSC are present in and near tumor sites where they inhibit the activity of Ag-specific T and NK cells. Current studies indicate that the delivery of CpG ODN directly into the tumor bed reduces the immunosuppressive activity of monocytic (CD11b+, Ly6G–, Ly6Chigh) MDSC. Monocytic MDSC express TLR9 and respond to CpG stimulation by 1) losing their ability to suppress T cell function, 2) producing Th1 cytokines, and 3) differentiating into macrophages with tumoricidal capability. These findings provide insight into a novel mechanism by which CpG ODN contribute to tumor regression, and they support intratumoral injection as the optimal route for their delivery.
Flux correction for closed-path laser spectrometers without internal water vapor measurements
Authors: Hiller R. V. , Zellweger C. , Knohl A. , Eugster W.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. Recently, instruments became available on the market that provide the possibility to perform eddy covariance flux measurements of CH4 and many other trace gases, including the traditional CO2 and H2O. Most of these instruments employ laser spectroscopy, where a cross-sensitivity to H2O is frequently observed leading to an increased dilution effect. Additionally, sorption processes at the intake tube walls modify and delay the observed H2O signal in closed-path systems more strongly than the signal of the sampled trace gas. Thereby, a phase shift between the trace gas and H2O fluctuations is introduced that dampens the H2O flux observed in the sampling cell. For instruments that do not provide direct H2O measurement in the sampling cell, transfer functions from externally measured H2O fluxes are needed to estimate the effect of H2O on trace gas flux measurements. The effects of cross-sensitivity and the damping are shown for an eddy covariance setup with the Fast Greenhouse Gas Analyzer (FGGA, Los Gatos Research Inc.) that measures CO2, CH4, and H2O fluxes. This instrument is technically identical with the Fast Methane Analyzer (FMA, Los Gatos Research Inc.) that does not measure H2O concentrations. Hence, we used measurements from a FGGA to derive a modified correction for the FMA accounting for dilution as well as phase shift effects in our instrumental setup. With our specific setup for eddy covariance flux measurements, the cross-sensitivity counteracts the damping effects, which compensate each other. Hence, the new correction only deviates very slightly from the traditional Webb, Pearman, and Leuning density correction, which is calculated from separate measurements of the atmospheric water vapor flux.
Ru(II) complexes bearing tertiary phosphine ligands: a novel and efficient homogeneous catalyst for one‐pot synthesis of dihydropyrano[3,2‐c]chromene and tetrahydrobenzo[b]pyran derivatives
Authors: Tabatabaeian Khalil , Heidari Hannaneh , Mamaghani Manouchehr , Mahmoodi Nosrat O.
Published: January 2012

A number of ruthenium complexes were prepared and their catalytic activities in three‐component one‐pot condensation of aldehydes, malononitrile and 4‐hydroxycoumarin or dimedone was considered to afford dihydropyrano[3,2‐c]chromenes and tetrahydrobenzo[b]pyran derivatives under optimum reaction conditions. We found that a catalytic amount of RuBr2(PPh3)4 efficiently promotes the reaction in a short time (3–15 min) and with high yield (75–88%). Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The role of baroclinic waves in the initiation of tropical cyclones across the southern Indian Ocean
Authors: Payne Billy , Methven John
Published: January 2012

Cases where tropical storms are initiated simultaneously along one latitude are investigated. It is argued that such structure arises as part of a baroclinic wave. A case from February 2008 is examined using European Centre for Medium‐Range Forecasts (ECMWF) analyses; the birth of three tropical cyclones in the low‐level cyclonic regions to the east of upper‐level troughs suggests that the wave was instrumental for initiation. Archived satellite imagery and storm warnings reveal that baroclinic waves over the southern Indian Ocean accompany tropical cyclogenesis twice a season on average, mainly in late summer, when breaking Rossby waves on the subtropical westerly jet are closest to the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
Synthesis of a unique high‐performance poly‐horseradish peroxidase complex to enhance sensitivity of immunodetection systems
Authors: Charbgoo Fahimeh , Mirshahi Manouchehr , Sarikhani Sina , Saifi Abolhassan Mahboobeh
Published: January 2012

Because early detection is the first step in successful therapy, increasing the sensitivity of detection systems has always been considered as one of the major trends in development of these technologies. Therefore, we have fabricated a high‐performance poly‐horseradish peroxidase (HRP) complex and analyzed it in different formats of immunodetection systems. To construct this complex, dextran–aldehyde was prepared by oxidation of dextran in the presence of sodium periodate. Activated polymer was then coupled to lysine amino acids and accomplishment of the process was evaluated with trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. Following conjugation of HRP to free amino groups of lysine, the stage's accuracy and the rate of conjugation were demonstrated by SDS‐PAGE. Then, conjugation of poly‐HRP complex to streptavidin by biotin was performed. The results of a series of experiments confirmed the complete synthesis of streptavidin–poly‐HRP complex by this procedure. Finally, we compared our harvested complex with the golden standard complex available for ELISA and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The results showed the high efficiency of the synthesized complex. Consequently, this complex can be applicable in highly sensitive detection technologies. Conjugating this complex to any antibody by using biotin–streptavidin bridging and preparing poly‐HRP‐labeled antibodies will be a valuable multifold approach to increase the sensitivity of detection systems, which can be applicable in ELISA, immunocytochemistry, and IHC methods.