bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Survey of marketable vegetables and edible fruits in Dharan, eastern Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Sabitri , Rai Shiva Kumar
Published: January 2013

A total 77 types of vegetables and 33 fruits were recorded from the markets of Dharan during the period of one year. Among them, 11 vegetables viz. Agaricus bisporus, Allium cepa, A. sativum, Capsicum annum, Coriandrum sativum, Dolichos lablab, Lycopersicon esculentum, Solanum melongena, S. tuberosum, Vigna sinensis and Zingiber officinale and 5 fruits viz., Citrus aruntifolia, Coccus nucifera, Musa paradisiaca, Punica granatum and Pyrus malus were found in all months. Nineteen vegetables appeared only in winter, 21 only in summer and 30 in both winter and summer seasons but not throughout the year. Similarly, 11 fruits were available in winter, 9 in summer and 8 fruits occurred in both seasons but not throughout the year. Forty seven vegetables and 14 fruits were cultivated locally and 31 vegetables and 5 fruits were procured from other places. Fourteen vegetables and 8 fruits were brought to the market from wild habitats. Vegetables and fruits supplied from Hilly area and Terai plains were also noted. The most expensive vegetable and fruit were Mushrooms and pomegranate, respectively. Vegetable prices started to decrease from December and remained low during January, February and March; started to increase from April and reached at climax in May and June. Generally, the price of fruits was high from April to July. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njbs.v2i0.7501 Nepalese Journal of Biosciences 2 : 134-147 (2012)
Soil borne fungi of cultivated lands of Biratnagar, Nepal
Authors: Koirala Umesh
Published: January 2013

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njbs.v2i0.7503 Nepalese Journal of Biosciences 2 : 151-153 (2012)
Impact of climate change on birds at Biratnagar and its surroundings
Authors: Jha Kanchan , Subba Bharat Raj
Published: January 2013

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njbs.v2i0.7506 Nepalese Journal of Biosciences 2 : 158-159 (2012)
Constraining turbulent heat flux parameterization over a temperate maritime glacier in New Zealand
Authors: Conway J.P. , Cullen N.J.
Published: January 2013

The turbulent sensible and latent heat fluxes are important components of the surface energy balance over glaciers in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, contributing over half the energy available for ablation during large melt events. To calculate these terms confidently in glacier mass-balance models it is essential to use appropriate parameterizations for surface roughness and atmospheric stability. Eddy covariance measurements at Brewster Glacier were obtained over an ice surface to help facilitate an assessment of the calculation of the turbulent heat fluxes. The roughness length for momentum was found to be 3.6 x 10−3m, while the roughness lengths for temperature and humidity were two orders of magnitude smaller, in agreement with surface renewal theory. A Monte Carlo approach was used to assess the uncertainty in turbulent heat fluxes calculated using the bulk aerodynamic method. It was found that input-data and roughness-length uncertainty could not explain underestimates of observed sensible heat fluxes during periods with low wind speed and large temperature gradients. During these periods a katabatic wind speed maximum alters the formulation of the turbulent exchange coefficient to that typically observed in a neutral atmosphere and this has implications for glacier mass-balance sensitivity.
The Right Kind of Feedback: Working through Standardized Tools
Authors: Fanneløb Giskeødegård Marte
Published: January 2013

This article discusses the implications of working through globally integrated computer systems in transnational firms and addresses in particular employees’ possibility to give feedback on how these systems are working. The aim is to contribute to the literature on the standardization of IT with a focus on co-production by questioning the apparent neutrality of feedback processes. The literature focusing on co-production has shed light on the fact that stand-ardized IT systems are not fixed, but rather flexible in the sense that they are con-tinuously developed based on user feedback. However, based on my empirical case, I argue that employees identified the existence of a frame for acceptable criticism. Two different cases of business critical IT systems are presented; these cases share a common consensus among managers and employees that the systems required improvements. However, employees had experiences of providing business critical feedback on functionality that had not been acted upon. Consequently, when evaluating their possibility to provide feedback, this was not just interpreted in the sense of functionality of the system, but also the perceived prestige of the stakeholders of the systems, which in turn had implications for both the relationship between the central organization and employees and the functionality of the systems.
Recreating the Banana Grower: The Role of Private Certification Systems in the Windward Islands Banana Industry
Authors: Aasprong Haakon
Published: January 2013

Private standards and certification schemes in agrifood networks tend to be de-scribed as neoliberal, suggesting that they share a common understanding of that which they seek to govern and the tools to be used. Although such certification systems do have many features in common, this article argues that much is to be learned by contrasting certification systems with regard to their ideational ground-ings. Through a historically grounded discussion of the adoption and implementa-tion of two certification systems – GLOBALGAP and Fairtrade – in the Wind-ward Islands banana industry, it is argued that there are important differences with regard to how the systems envision shared key concepts such as accountability, adaptability, professionalism and not least sustainability. These differences permeate the standards as well as their enforcement structures, demonstrating a flexibility in certification as governmental technology which is often overlooked. Moreover, the article explores how the certification systems’ governmental rationalities articulate with local understandings of the role of farmers and agriculture in the Windward Islands, arguing that the tension existing between the visions embedded in the systems mirrors a tension within these islands societies. This tension preceded the adoption of the certification systems and continues to influence their implementation today.
Tidal Current Energy Resources off the South and West Coasts of Korea: Preliminary Observation-Derived Estimates
Authors: Byun Do-Seong , Hart Deirdre , Jeong Woo-Jin
Published: January 2013

In this study we estimate the prospective tidal current energy resources off the south and west coasts of Korea and explore the influence of modeling tidal current energies based on 15-day versus month-long data records for regimes with pronounced perigean/apogean influences. The tidal current energy resources off southern and western Korea were calculated using 29-day in situ observation data from 264 stations. The resultant annual energy densities found at each station were categorized into six groups, with a greater percentage of sites falling into the lower-energy groups: 1.1% for >10 MWh·m−2; 2.7% for 5 to 10 MWh·m−2; 6.8% for 3 to 5 MWh·m−2; 9.1% for 2 to 3 MWh·m−2 and 80.3% for <2 MWh·m−2. Analysis shows that the greatest concentration of high annual energy densities occurs in the Jeonnam Province coastal region on the western tip of southwest Korea: 23 MWh·m−2 at Uldolmok, 15 MWh·m−2 at Maenggol Sudo, 9.2 MWh·m−2 at Geocha Sudo and 8.8 MWh·m−2 at Jaingjuk Sudo. The second highest annual energy density concentration, with 16 MWh·m−2, was found in Gyudong Suro, in Gyeonggi Province’s Gyeonggi Bay. We then used data from the 264 stations to examine the effect of perigean and apogean influences on tidal current energy density evaluations. Compared to derivations using month-long records, mean annual energy densities derived using 15-day perigean spring-neap current records alone overestimate the annual mean energy by around 10% whereas those derived using only the apogean records underestimate energy by around 12%. In particular, accuracy of the S2 contribution to the energy density calculations is significantly affected by use of the 15-day data sets, compared to the M2 component, which is relatively consistent. Further, annual energy density estimates derived from 29-day records but excluding the N2 constituent underestimate the potential resource by about 5.4%. Results indicate that one month of data is required to accurately estimate tidal current energy in regimes showing pronounced perigean and apogean differences in spring-neap tidal current patterns and that inclusion of the N2 constituent in calculations is preferable. This finding has widespread applicability for green energy resource assessments, for example, in regions of the Unites States Atlantic coast and in New Zealand.
Analysis of Similarity Measures in Times Series Clustering for the Discovery of Building Energy Patterns
Authors: Iglesias Félix , Kastner Wolfgang
Published: January 2013

Forecasting and modeling building energy profiles require tools able to discover patterns within large amounts of collected information. Clustering is the main technique used to partition data into groups based on internal and a priori unknown schemes inherent of the data. The adjustment and parameterization of the whole clustering task is complex and submitted to several uncertainties, being the similarity metric one of the first decisions to be made in order to establish how the distance between two independent vectors must be measured. The present paper checks the effect of similarity measures in the application of clustering for discovering representatives in cases where correlation is supposed to be an important factor to consider, e.g., time series. This is a necessary step for the optimized design and development of efficient clustering-based models, predictors and controllers of time-dependent processes, e.g., building energy consumption patterns. In addition, clustered-vector balance is proposed as a validation technique to compare clustering performances.
Cell Survival and Apoptosis Signaling as Therapeutic Target for Cancer: Marine Bioactive Compounds
Authors: Kalimuthu Senthilkumar , Se-Kwon Kim
Published: January 2013

Inhibition of apoptosis leads to activation of cell survival factors (e.g., AKT) causes continuous cell proliferation in cancer. Apoptosis, the major form of cellular suicide, is central to various physiological processes and the maintenance of homeostasis in multicellular organisms. A number of discoveries have clarified the molecular mechanism of apoptosis, thus clarifying the link between apoptosis and cell survival factors, which has a therapeutic outcome. Induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell survival by anticancer agents has been shown to correlate with tumor response. Cellular damage induces growth arrest and tumor suppression by inducing apoptosis, necrosis and senescence; the mechanism of cell death depends on the magnitude of DNA damage following exposure to various anticancer agents. Apoptosis is mainly regulated by cell survival and proliferating signaling molecules. As a new therapeutic strategy, alternative types of cell death might be exploited to control and eradicate cancer cells. This review discusses the signaling of apoptosis and cell survival, as well as the potential contribution of marine bioactive compounds, suggesting that new therapeutic strategies might follow.
Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationships of Novel Amino/Nitro Substituted 3-Arylcoumarins as Antibacterial Agents
Authors: Matos Maria , Vazquez-Rodriguez Saleta , Santana Lourdes , Uriarte Eugenio , Fuentes-Edfuf Cristina , Santos Ysabel , Muñoz-Crego Angeles
Published: January 2013

A new series of amino/nitro-substituted 3-arylcoumarins were synthesized and their antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) was evaluated. Some of these molecules exhibited antibacterial activity against S. aureus comparable to the standards used (oxolinic acid and ampicillin). The preliminary structure-activity relationship (SAR) study showed that the antibacterial activity against S. aureus depends on the position of the 3-arylcoumarin substitution pattern. With the aim of finding the structural features for the antibacterial activity and selectivity, in the present manuscript different positions of nitro, methyl, methoxy, amino and bromo substituents on the 3-arylcoumarin scaffold were reported.
Induction of Apoptosis by Costunolide in Bladder Cancer Cells is Mediated through ROS Generation and Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Authors: Rasul Azhar , Bao Rui , Malhi Mahadev , Zhao Bing , Tsuji Ichiro , Li Jiang , Li Xiaomeng
Published: January 2013

Despite the availability of several therapeutic options, a safer and more effective modality is urgently needed for treatment of bladder cancer. Costunolide, a member of sesquiterpene lactone family, possesses potent anticancer properties. In this study, for the first time we investigated the effects of costunolide on the cell viability and apoptosis in human bladder cancer T24 cells. Treatment of T24 cells with costunolide resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of cell viability and induction of apoptosis which was associated with the generation of ROS and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm). These effects were significantly blocked when the cells were pretreated with N-acetyl- cysteine (NAC), a specific ROS inhibitor. Exposure of T24 cells to costunolide was also associated with increased expression of Bax, down-regulation of Bcl-2, survivin and significant activation of caspase-3, and its downstream target PARP. These findings provide the rationale for further in vivo and clinical investigation of costunolide against human bladder cancer.
Parameterization of High Resolution Vegetation Characteristics using Remote Sensing Products for the Nakdong River Watershed, Korea
Authors: Choi Hyun Il
Published: January 2013

Mesoscale regional climate models (RCMs), the primary tool for climate predictions, have recently increased in sophistication and are being run at increasingly higher resolutions to be also used in climate impact studies on ecosystems, particularly in agricultural crops. As satellite remote sensing observations of the earth terrestrial surface become available for assimilation in RCMs, it is possible to incorporate complex land surface processes, such as dynamics of state variables for hydrologic, agricultural and ecologic systems at the smaller scales. This study focuses on parameterization of vegetation characteristics specifically designed for high resolution RCM applications using various remote sensing products, such as Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), Système Pour l’Observation de la Terre-VEGETATION (SPOT-VGT) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The primary vegetative parameters, such as land surface characteristics (LCC), fractional vegetation cover (FVC), leaf area index (LAI) and surface albedo localization factors (SALF), are currently presented over the Nakdong River Watershed domain, Korea, based on 1-km remote sensing satellite data by using the Geographic Information System (GIS) software application tools. For future high resolution RCM modeling efforts on climate-crop interactions, this study has constructed the deriving parameters, such as FVC and SALF, following the existing methods and proposed the new interpolation methods to fill missing data with combining the regression equation and the time series trend function for time-variant parameters, such as LAI and NDVI data at 1-km scale.
Plasmonic oligomers in cylindrical vector light beams
Authors: Hentschel Mario , Dorfmüller Jens , Giessen Harald , Jäger Sebastian , Kern Andreas M , Braun Kai , Zhang Dai , Meixner Alfred J
Published: January 2013

We investigate the excitation as well as propagation of magnetic modes in plasmonic nanostructures. Such structures are particularly suited for excitation with cylindrical vector beams. We study magneto-inductive coupling between adjacent nanostructures. We utilize high-resolution lithographic techniques for the preparation of complex nanostructures consisting of gold as well as aluminium. These structures are subsequently characterized by linear optical spectroscopy. The well characterized and designed structures are afterwards studied in depth by exciting them with radial and azimuthally polarized light and simultaneously measuring their plasmonic near-field behavior. Additionally, we attempt to model and simulate our results, a project which has, to the best of our knowledge, not been attempted so far.
Testing for HCV: The First Step in Preventing Disease Transmission and Improving Health Outcomes for HCV-Infected Individuals
Authors: Ward John W
Published: January 2013

The author would like to report an error that appeared under the section Need for new US testing strategies in a recently published article [1]. The sentence ‘Compared with pegylated interferon/ribavirin therapy alone, the addition of telaprevir or boceprevir to the treatment regimen has increased the potential for viral clearance from 38% to 63% and 46% to 79%, respectively [26,27], improving health outcomes for individuals living with HCV infection and preventing ongoing disease transmission’ should appear as ‘Compared with pegylated interferon/ribavirin therapy alone, the addition of boceprevir or telaprevir to the treatment regimen has increased the potential for viral clearance from 38% to 63% and 46% to 79%, respectively [26,27], improving health outcomes for individuals living with HCV infection and preventing ongoing disease transmission’. The author apologizes for this error.
L'entrepreneuriat vert : mécanismes de mise en œuvre et motivations en Tunisie (cas d'un pays émergent)
Authors: Ben Hadj Youssef Allala , Dziri Mariem
Published: January 2013

Résumé L’éco-entrepreneuriat consiste à créer des entreprises en exploitant le filon écologique. Le discours écologique est arrivé en force ces dernières années, traduisant l’inquiétude de l’opinion publique quant au sort réservé à notre terre. Le monde des affaires et les impératifs environnementaux sont-ils conciliables ? Cette étude vise à comprendre les mécanismes motivationnels des entrepreneurs éco-innovants en Tunisie. Il est évident que leurs motivations ne sont pas dictées uniquement par un désir de protéger l’environnement. Cette recherche met en évidence d’autres finalités de natures interne et externe. Elle montre que les considérations écologiques trouvent un intérêt entrepreneurial important même dans les pays émergents. En effet, la motivation économique explique l’essentiel de l’entrepreneuriat vert en Tunisie. Elle présente deux aspects : saisir de nouvelles opportunités d’affaires ; réduire les coûts de production et les gaspillages d’énergie. La sensibilité croissante de l’opinion publique à l’écologie vient en deuxième position pour confirmer la prise de conscience planétaire des problématiques de l’écologie.
Analyse de l'univers concurrentiel des sites de vente en ligne : une approche par le Web Analytics
Authors: Mercanti-Guérin Maria , Florès Laurent
Published: January 2013

Résumé L’analyse concurrentielle est une composante essentielle du marketing stratégique. Néanmoins, de nombreux sites de ventes en ligne échouent à définir leurs concurrents et préfèrent fonctionner à l’intuition. Les analyses récentes conduites grâce aux données logs l’ont été dans une optique de gain de nouveaux consommateurs et d’amélioration des taux de conversion. Très peu d’analyses de la concurrence utilisent le Web Analytics qui est un outil d’analyse des comportements des visiteurs sur les sites Web. Dans cet article, nous identifions les principales étapes permettant de mener une analyse concurrentielle en ligne efficace. Le Web Analytics enrichit la compréhension du trafic des sites, l’identification des concurrents, les frontières des marchés et apporte un nouvel éclairage à la littérature sur les analyses concurrentielles.
Vers la compréhension de la décision éthique : une mesure redéfinie de l'intention d'agir de façon éthique
Authors: Johnson Jennie , Coyle Thomas
Published: January 2013

Résumé Cet article propose une méthodologie par étape afin de développer une échelle de mesure de l’intention d’agir de façon éthique. Afin de tester la robustesse de la méthodologie, des données issues de deux populations différentes, recueillies auprès de 75 étudiants et 181 professionnels, ont été étudiées pour nous assurer de la fiabilité de scénarios éthiques en contexte professionnel. En développant un construit mesurant l’intention éthique, cet article comble un vide de la recherche en éthique des affaires. La construction des items de l’échelle de mesure est fondée sur une théorie de l’intention et sur des questions identifiées à partir de la littérature en gestion des ressources humaines relatives aux raisons pour lesquelles des employés ne dénoncent pas les comportements jugés contraires à l’éthique sur leur lieu de travail. Soumis à un test du biais de désirabilité sociale, les résultats montrent que l’échelle proposée offre une plus grande fiabilité pour évaluer l’intention comportementale relative à la décision éthique. Outre ces résultats, l’article fournit un nouvel outil potentiel pour les recherches reposant sur une mesure de l’intention éthique comme proxy du comportement éthique.
Seasonal fluctuations of some biological traits of the invader Caprella scaura (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidae) in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Ionian Sea, southern Italy)
Authors: Prato Ermelinda , Parlapiano Isabella , Biandolino Francesca
Published: January 2013

Caprella scaura is an epifaunal amphipod crustacean that originates in the western Indian Ocean and has spread throughout the world, but very little is known about fundamental aspects of its biology. This paper is the first presentation of its life history traits in an invaded region. The study was conducted in the Mar Piccolo basin (southern Italy, Ionian Sea), over a one-year period. All biological parameters showed a strong seasonal pattern, breeding peaked twice during the year and the number of eggs in the ventral brood pouch ranged from 5 to 72. The sex ratio was generally close to 1:1. A strong correlation between total length of ovigerous females and number of eggs was observed. The mean length of both mature males and mature females was 10.63 and 7.70 mm, respectively. The results of this study showed that the population dynamics of this species was not dissimilar to that of other caprellids or marine epifaunal Crustacea. This caprellid has given rise to a stable population in the Mar Piccolo; it was present all year round in the study area but its density suggests that it is not yet a strong invader.
An exploration of the role of communication during the in-crisis situation
Authors: Le Roux Tanya
Published: January 2013

‘The critical component in crisis management is communication’, but somehow the vague concept of ‘communication‘ is always cited as a problem in in-crisis situations. Furthermore, available corporate communication literature mainly focuses on pre- and post-crisis reputational communication, relying only on following lists or a linear one-way push of information for the in-crisis stages. The exploratory method of reflective or interpretive action research of a hazardous material emergency desk-top simulation exercise was used to examine (1) what is meant by the term communication in the in-crisis situation, and (2) the contribution that corporate communication and the corporate communication practitioner can make during an in-crisis situation. This study found that there is confusion regarding the term communication, but even more, that each person involved also interpreted the term slightly differently, which could easily lead to confusion and/or the creation of an unclear common operating picture. The extent of the contribution that the corporate communication practitioner, as conduit of the corporate communication discipline, can make is also discussed. This paper comes to the conclusion that the contribution of corporate communication to the in-crisis situation will greatly add to the successful clearing up of an emergency situation.
Distúrbios da Consciência Humana – Parte 2 de 3
Authors: Mendes Plínio Duarte , Maciel Marina de Souza , Brandão Marcus Vinícius Teixeira , Fernandes Paulo César Rozental , Antonio Vanderson Esperidião , Kodaira Sérgio Keidi , Batista Rodrigo Siqueira
Published: January 2013

O presente artigo – parte 2 de 3 – apresenta uma revisão sobre a abordagem diagnóstica do enfermo em estado de coma, destacando a investigação semiológica. Geralmente, a avaliação do indivíduo cujo nível de consciência encontra-se comprometido é uma tarefa com­plexa, tendo em vista as dificuldades para se analisar diretamente a consciência. Portanto, sua apreciação exige a observação atenta de um conjunto de sinais clínicos fundamentados em uma cuidadosa e sis­temática avaliação neurológica a partir dos seguintes itens: (1) nível de consciência, (2) diâmetro e reflexo pupilar, (3) movimentação ex­trínseca do globo ocular, (4) padrão respiratório e (5) resposta motora esquelética aos diferentes estímulos. A adequada articulação entre estes itens, aliada aos dados coletados da anamnese – quando isto é possível –, permitirá a proposição de hipóteses diagnósticas, as quais guiarão a solicitação de exames complementares e a adoção de medidas tera­pêuticas.
Atmospheric processing of iron carried by mineral dust
Authors: Nickovic S. , Vukovic A. , Vujadinovic M.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. Nutrification of the open ocean originates mainly from deposited aerosol in which the bioavaliable iron is likely to be an important factor. The relatively insoluble iron in dust from arid soils becomes more soluble after atmospheric processing and could contribute to marine primary production. To numerically simulate the path of iron on its atmospheric route from desert sources to sinks in the ocean, we developed a regional atmospheric dust-iron model that included parameterization of the transformation of iron to a soluble form caused by dust mineralogy, cloud processes and solar radiation. When compared with sample data on the aerosol iron, which were collected during several Atlantic cruises, the results from the higher-resolution simulation experiments showed that the model was capable of reproducing the major observed patterns.
Modeling the vertical soil organic matter profile using Bayesian parameter estimation
Authors: Braakhekke M. C. , Wutzler T. , Beer C. , Kattge J. , Schrumpf M. , Ahrens B. , Schöning I. , Hoosbeek M. R. , Kruijt B. , Kabat P. , Reichstein M.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. The vertical distribution of soil organic matter (SOM) in the profile may constitute an important factor for soil carbon cycling. However, the formation of the SOM profile is currently poorly understood due to equifinality, caused by the entanglement of several processes: input from roots, mixing due to bioturbation, and organic matter leaching. In this study we quantified the contribution of these three processes using Bayesian parameter estimation for the mechanistic SOM profile model SOMPROF. Based on organic carbon measurements, 13 parameters related to decomposition and transport of organic matter were estimated for two temperate forest soils: an Arenosol with a mor humus form (Loobos, the Netherlands), and a Cambisol with mull-type humus (Hainich, Germany). Furthermore, the use of the radioisotope 210Pbex as tracer for vertical SOM transport was studied. For Loobos, the calibration results demonstrate the importance of organic matter transport with the liquid phase for shaping the vertical SOM profile, while the effects of bioturbation are generally negligible. These results are in good agreement with expectations given in situ conditions. For Hainich, the calibration offered three distinct explanations for the observations (three modes in the posterior distribution). With the addition of 210Pbex data and prior knowledge, as well as additional information about in situ conditions, we were able to identify the most likely explanation, which indicated that root litter input is a dominant process for the SOM profile. For both sites the organic matter appears to comprise mainly adsorbed but potentially leachable material, pointing to the importance of organo-mineral interactions. Furthermore, organic matter in the mineral soil appears to be mainly derived from root litter, supporting previous studies that highlighted the importance of root input for soil carbon sequestration. The 210Pbex measurements added only slight additional constraint on the estimated parameters. However, with sufficient replicate measurements and possibly in combination with other tracers, this isotope may still hold value as tracer for SOM transport.
Does Antarctic glaciation cool the world?
Authors: Goldner A. , Huber M. , Caballero R.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. In this study, we compare the simulated climatic impact of adding an Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) to the "greenhouse world" of the Eocene and removing the AIS from the modern world. The modern global mean surface temperature anomaly (ΔT) induced by Antarctic Glaciation depends on the background CO2 levels and ranges from −1.22 to −0.18 K. The Eocene ΔT is nearly constant at ~−0.25 K. We calculate an climate sensitivity parameter S[Antarctica] which we define as ΔT divided by the change in effective radiative forcing (ΔQAntarctica) which includes some fast feedbacks imposed by prescribing the glacial properties of Antarctica. The main difference between the modern and Eocene responses is that a negative cloud feedback warms much of the Earth's surface as a large AIS is introduced in the Eocene, whereas this cloud feedback is weakly positive and acts in combination with positive sea-ice feedbacks to enhance cooling introduced by adding an ice sheet in the modern. Because of the importance of cloud feedbacks in determining the final temperature sensitivity of the AIS, our results are likely to be model dependent. Nevertheless, these model results suggest that the effective radiative forcing and feedbacks induced by the AIS did not significantly decrease global mean surface temperature across the Eocene–Oligocene transition (EOT −34.1 to 33.6 Ma) and that other factors like declining atmospheric CO2 are more important for cooling across the EOT. The results illustrate that the efficacy of AIS forcing in the Eocene is not necessarily close to one and is likely to be model and state dependent. This implies that using EOT paleoclimate proxy data by itself to estimate climate sensitivity for future climate prediction requires climate models and consequently these estimates will have large uncertainty, largely due to uncertainties in modelling low clouds.
Teaching groundwater dynamics: connecting classroom to practical and field classes
Authors: Hakoun V. , Mazzilli N. , Pistre S. , Jourde H.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. Preparing future hydrogeologists to provide inputs in societal discussions in a changing world is a challenging task that induces a need for efficient teaching frameworks. The educational literature suggests that hydrogeology courses should consistently integrate classroom instruction with practical and field classes. However, most teaching examples still separate these three class components. This paper presents an introductory course to groundwater dynamics taught at the Université des Sciences de Montpellier, France. The adopted pedagogical scheme and the proposed activities are described in details. The key points of the proposed course are: (i) an educational scheme that iteratively links groundwater dynamics topics to the three class components, (ii) a course that is structured around a main thread (well testing) called in each class component, (iii) a pedagogical approach that promotes active learning strategies, in particular using original practical classes and field experiments. The experience indicates that the proposed scheme improves the learning process, as compared to a classical, teacher-centered approach.
Calcolosi Reno-ureterale Nella Sindrome di V.A.C.T.E.R.L. Risoluzione Endourologica
Authors: Granelli Pietro , Campobasso Davide , Salsi Paolo , Cretì Giuseppe , Moretti Matteo , Cisternino Antonio , Frattini Antonio , Ferretti Stefania , Cortellini Pietro
Published: January 2013

Background

The endourological technique is a safe and effective approach in the treatment of large stones in the pediatric population with congenital malformations.

Introduction

The VACTERL association is a group of congenital malformations that include vertebral defects, anal atresia, cardiac defects, tracheoesophageal fistula with atresia, renal defects, and radial upper limb dysplasia. Renal anomalies are found in approximately 90% of patients.

Materials and Methods

We present a case of a 7-year-old girl with VACTERL association and cloacal malformations, undergoing multiple surgeries with subsequent Mitrofanoff continent appendico-vesicostomy. She presented at our attention for centimetric left ureteral and inferior pyelo-calyceal stones. She underwent flexible ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy of both stones. A ureteral catheter and a nephrostomy tube have been left at the end of the procedure.

Results

The ureteral catheter was removed in the 2nd post-operative day, the tubes were removed after a nephrostogram in the 8th post-operative day. The patient is stone-free. No complications were observed in the post-operative time.

Conclusions

Endoscopy is the method of choice for the management of pediatric urolithiasis with complex renal calculi, due to its low incidence of major complications and a high stone-free rate.
Effects of Different Solar Drying Methods on Quality Attributes of Dried Meat Product (Kilishi)
Authors: Apata E. S. , Osidibo O. O. , Apata O. C. , Okubanjo A. O.
Published: January 2013

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of four methods of sundrying kilishi after preparation. They included Direct Sundrying Method (DSM) as control, Gujarat Energy Development Agency Method (GEDAM), National Institute of Oceanography Method (NIOM) and Kwatia Drying Method (KDM) each of the methods constituted a treatment viz, A, B, C and D. Meat (Beef) weighing 640 g was purchased and used for this study. The meat was divided into 4 equal parts of 160 g per treatment. They were sliced into length between 0.17 and 0.20 cm in thickness and dried between 4 and 5 hours to reduce the moisture to at least 40% before slurry infusion. The slurry ingredient components were ground and mixed to form a paste. Semi-dried meat were immersed in the slurry for one hour and later stabilized by roasting on charcoal fire for 5 minutes and later dried out in drying media tested in this study. The yield, chemical and sensory properties of kilishi were determined. The results showed that method B gave the highest (P < 0.05) yield of kilishi, chemical attributes as well as sensory properties of kilishi followed by method C. It is suggested that method B and C be developed and produced in commercial quantity for use in drying kilishi in the tropics due to their high efficiency.
The Occurrence of Aflatoxins in Peanuts in Supermarkets in Ahvaz, Iran
Authors: Khorasgani Zahra Nazari , Nakisa Azadeh , Farshpira Nadereh Rahbar
Published: January 2013

A human’s exposure to aflatoxins occurs quite easily due to the fact that all one has to do is consume food containing this chemical. Due to the adverse effects of aflatoxins such as immune deficiency and carcinogenicity on humans, the analyzing of them in food items is necessary for assuring the health of consumers. This research was necessary because there is a lack of supply of data for aflatoxins in Ahvaz, Iran. For this purpose the peanut samples were purchased from some of existing supermarkets in Ahvaz and analyzed for the determination of aflatoxins concentration in peanuts by a TLC scanner. In total, 59.26% of samples were contaminated with aflatoxins, 14.8% of samples were found to contain above of 20 ppb, above the maximum level of total aflatoxins permitted in Iran.
Leituras do Discurso Formal de Gerentes de Projetos a Respeito da Diversidade em Equipes
Authors: Rocha-Pinto Sandra Regina da , Dias Philipe Deschamps Gonçalves
Published: January 2013

Partindo-se da perspectiva de gerentes de projetos acerca da diversidade, este estudo calcou-se em pesquisa qualitativa, por meio do método fenomenográfico. Para tanto, ouviram-se 15 gerentes de projetos. Os entrevistados apontaram, primeiramente, as diversidades técnicas, em detrimento de diversidades de outra natureza. Essa visão de diversidade vai além das comumente abordadas na literatura sobre o tema, que, na maioria das vezes, trata a diversidade a partir de gênero, raça, etnia e minorias desfavorecidas. Descobriu-se, também, que as diversidades de conhecimento e comportamento são benéficas para o desenvolvimento de projetos e para as equipes envolvidas. Ademais, o papel do gerente de projeto e a comunicação foram levantados como fatores atenuantes da diversidade. Por fim, foi possível concluir que os gerentes de projeto têm discursos similares, que se enquadram na recomendação dos principais manuais de gerenciamento de projetos. São discursos e formas de expressão que, na maioria das vezes, já nascem prontos.DOI:10.5585/gep.v3i1.60
Key Issues in Global Technological Innovation Projects
Authors: Piscopo Marcos Roberto , Sbragia Roberto
Published: January 2013

This article aimed to identify those issues that were present in global technological innovation projects carried out by Brazilian multinational companies and which performance criterions these undertakings met. We investigated 36 global technological innovation projects from Brazilian multinational enterprises through a web-survey. Findings show that these companies went beyond the traditional iron triangle to evaluate their technological efforts and considered additional performance dimensions such as customer satisfaction, business results, and preparation for the future. Results also show high degree of presence for issues emerging from the industry, moderate degree of presence for issues emerging from both the project and R&D activities, and low degree of presence for issues emerging from the headquarters, the subsidiaries, and the external environment. Further research is needed to find out if and how these issues influenced the performance of the global technological innovation projects studied.DOI:10.5585/gep.v3i1.72
Análise da Maturidade em Gestão de Portfólio de Projetos: O Caso de uma Instituição Financeira de Pequeno Porte
Authors: Alves Carneiro Karoline Doro , Prá Martens Cristina Dai
Published: January 2013

Este trabalho explora a aplicação da gestão de portfólio de projetos no contexto organizacional. Seu objetivo é analisar a metodologia de gestão de portfólio de projetos adotada por uma organização à luz do modelo de maturidade em gestão de portfólio de projetos proposto por Rad e Levin (2006). Foi realizado um estudo de caso exploratório em uma instituição financeira de pequeno porte que enfrentou problemas em sua metodologia em gestão de portfólio de projetos. Constatou-se que a organização apresenta nível 2 de maturidade em gestão de portfólio de projetos, e que alguns aspectos da metodologia não estão adequados a este nível.DOI:10.5585/gep.v3i1.88
Towards Efficient Multi-Modal Emotion Recognition
Authors: Dobrišek Simon , Gajšek Rok , Mihelič France , Pavešić Nikola , Štruc Vitomir
Published: January 2013

The paper presents a multi-modal emotion recognition system exploiting audio and video (i.e., facial expression) information. The system first processes both sources of information individually to produce corresponding matching scores and then combines the computed matching scores to obtain a classification decision. For the video part of the system, a novel approach to emotion recognition, relying on image-set matching, is developed. The proposed approach avoids the need for detecting and tracking specific facial landmarks throughout the given video sequence, which represents a common source of error in video-based emotion recognition systems, and, therefore, adds robustness to the video processing chain. The audio part of the system, on the other hand, relies on utterance-specific Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs) adapted from a Universal Background Model (UBM) via the maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) estimation. It improves upon the standard UBM-MAP procedure by exploiting gender information when building the utterance-specific GMMs, thus ensuring enhanced emotion recognition performance. Both the uni-modal parts as well as the combined system are assessed on the challenging multi-modal eNTERFACE'05 corpus with highly encouraging results. The developed system represents a feasible solution to emotion recognition that can easily be integrated into various systems, such as humanoid robots, smart surveillance systems and alike.
Design and Optimal Research of a Non-Contact Adjustable Magnetic Adhesion Mechanism for a Wall-Climbing Welding Robot
Authors: Wu Minghui , Pan Gen , Zhang Tao , Chen Shanben , Zhuang Fu , Yan-zheng Zhao
Published: January 2013

Wall-climbing welding robots (WCWRs) can replace workers in manufacturing and maintaining large unstructured equipment, such as ships. The adhesion mechanism is the key component of WCWRs. As it is directly related to the robot's ability in relation to adsorbing, moving flexibly and obstacle-passing. In this paper, a novel non-contact adjustably magnetic adhesion mechanism is proposed. The magnet suckers are mounted under the robot's axils and the sucker and wall are in non-contact. In order to pass obstacles, the sucker and the wheel unit can be pulled up and pushed down by a lifting mechanism. The magnetic adhesion force can be adjusted by changing the height of the gap between the sucker and the wall by the lifting mechanism. In order to increase the adhesion force, the value of the sucker's magnetic energy density (MED) is maximized by optimizing the magnet sucker's structure parameters with a finite element method. Experiments prove that the magnetic adhesion mechanism has enough adhesion force and that the WCWR can complete wall-climbing work within a large unstructured environment.
The Mechanism of Yaw Torque Compensation in the Human and Motion Design for Humanoid Robots
Authors: Zhang Si , Huang Qiang , Wang Huaping , Xu Wei , Ma Gan , Liu Yunhui , Yu Zhangguo
Published: January 2013

When a humanoid robot walks fast or runs, the yaw torque is so large that the supporting foot slips easily and the robot may become unstable. The compensation for the yaw torque is important for fast humanoid walking and many studies have been focusing on yaw torque compensation. However, the issue of humanoid robot motion design that can make the movements of the robot more human-like, as well as guarantee the stability of the robot, has not been studied in-depth. In this paper, the mechanism of yaw torque compensating for human walking is firstly studied. Then we propose a method to compensate yaw torque for a humanoid robot through the motion of the arms and waist joint based on the human yaw torque compensation mechanism and ZMP stability citation. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by the results from the simulation and walking experiments on the newly developed BHR humanoid robot.
Research Advancements in Humanoid Compression Garments in Sports
Authors: Fu Weijie , Liu Yu , Fang Ying
Published: January 2013

The utilization of sport-related compression garments has attracted a great deal of attention from among Sports Science scholars. The function of the garments, such as to maintain muscle functions, reduce sports injuries and improve athletic performance, has been an issue of debate since the beginning of the new century. In this study, a number of methods including a literature review, logical analysis and mathematical statistics, are used to analyse earlier compression garments research, which can be found by searching hardcopy journals and online databases. Among the existing studies, most have tested and confirmed the functions of the garments; however, only a few have mentioned the underlying mechanism. Thus, by using more advanced and appropriate compression materials, future studies into compression garments will be focused on the vibration characteristics of muscles (soft tissues), and especially on their proprioceptive sensation, neuromuscular control, injury prevention and performance enhancement.
Workspace and Payload-Capacity of a New Reconfigurable Delta Parallel Robot
Authors: Maya Mauro , Castillo Eduardo , Lomelí Alberto , González-Galván Emilio , Cárdenas Antonio
Published: January 2013

In this paper the workspace and payload capacity of a new design of reconfigurable Delta-type parallel robot is analysed. The reconfiguration is achieved by adjusting the length of the kinematic chains of a given robot link simultaneously and symmetrically during the operation of the robot. This would produce a dynamic workspace in shape and volume. A numerical analysis of the variation of shape and volume of the workspace and payload capacity of the robot is presented. Based both on the results of this analysis and on practical requirements, a proposal for the design of a reconfiguring mechanism is presented.
Mon itinéraire au pays de la théologie
Authors: Theobald Christoph
Published: January 2013

L’auteur de cet essai bio-bibliographique retrace son itinéraire de théologien en évoquant les différentes étapes de sa formation et de sa recherche, sa manière de faire de la théologie, ses collaborations, enracinements et convictions, situant ainsi ses publications majeures dans un ensemble en construction.
Comment définir une éthique pour notre civilisation technologique ?
Authors: Bruneault Frédérick
Published: January 2013

Y a-t-il une fondation rationnelle ultime à nos obligations morales qui puisse nous permettre de faire face aux exigences de notre situation technologique actuelle et des inquiétudes qu’elle fait surgir ? Ce texte a pour objectif de répondre affirmativement à cette question en examinant les travaux de deux auteurs qui partagent une lecture de l’aspect paradoxal de la réflexion éthique contemporaine, à savoir Karl-Otto Apel et Hans Jonas. Chacun de leur côté, ils se proposent de fonder rationnellement une éthique capable d’affronter l’ampleur des problèmes auxquels fait face la civilisation technologique, mais ils le font par des chemins passablement différents. Ma thèse est que ces deux voies sont nécessaires pour arriver à l’objectif d’une fondation rationnelle ultime de l’éthique, mais qu’elles ne peuvent y arriver qu’à la condition de travailler en complémentarité.
Le singulier dans l’idéalisme allemand
Authors: Vetö Miklos
Published: January 2013

La philosophie occidentale, depuis ses origines helléniques jusqu’aux grands systèmes postcartésiens, n’a jamais su donner sa place au particulier, au singulier. L’intelligibilité du singulier ne pouvait être exposée en concept qu’à partir de la réhabilitation du temps et de l’image par la philosophie critique. Kant présente le singulier à travers le grand philosophème esthétique du Génie. Chez Hegel le singulier se trouve « déduit » dans la Philosophie du droit à travers la figure du Prince. Et le second Schelling rapatrie quasiment la notion en philosophie théologique avec la monstration de Dieu qui affirme sa personnalité dans l’abandon kénotique de son propre être en faveur de l’être du Monde.