bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolated frontosphenoidal synostosis: a rare cause of synostotic frontal plagiocephaly
Authors: Sauerhammer Tina M. , Oh Albert K. , Boyajian Michael , Magge Suresh N. , Myseros John S. , Keating Robert F. , Rogers Gary F.
Published: March 2014

Object

Unilateral fusion of the frontoparietal suture is the most common cause of synostotic frontal plagiocephaly. Localized fusion of the frontosphenoidal suture is rare but can lead to a similar, but subtly distinct, phenotype.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of the authors' craniofacial database was performed. Patients with isolated frontosphenoidal synostosis on CT imaging were included. Demographic data, as well as the clinical and radiographic findings, were recorded.

Results

Three patients were identified. All patients were female and none had an identifiable syndrome. Head circumference was normal in each patient. The mean age at presentation was 4.8 months (range 2.0–9.8 months); 2 fusions were on the right side. Frontal flattening and recession of the supraorbital rim on the fused side were consistent physical findings. No patient had appreciable facial angulation or orbital dystopia, and 2 patients had anterior displacement of the ipsilateral ear. All 3 patients were initially misdiagnosed with unilateral coronal synostosis, and CT imaging at a mean age of 5.4 months (range 2.1–10.8 months) was required to secure the correct diagnosis. Computed tomography findings included patency of the frontoparietal suture, minor to no anterior cranial base angulation, and vertical flattening of the orbit without sphenoid wing elevation on the fused side. One patient underwent CT scanning at 2.1 months of age, which demonstrated a narrow, but patent, frontosphenoidal suture. The patient's condition was assumed to be a deformational process, and she underwent 6 months of unsuccessful helmet therapy. A repeat CT scan obtained at 10.7 months of age demonstrated the synostosis. All 3 patients underwent fronto-orbital correction at mean age of 12.1 months (range 7.8–16.1 months). The mean duration of postoperative follow-up was 11.7 months (range 1.9–23.9 months).

Conclusions

Isolated frontosphenoidal synostosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of atypical frontal plagiocephaly.
Modeling Dynamic Programming Problems over Sequences and Trees with Inverse Coupled Rewrite Systems
Authors: Giegerich Robert , Touzet H´el'ene
Published: March 2014

Dynamic programming is a classical algorithmic paradigm, which often allows the evaluation of a search space of exponential size in polynomial time. Recursive problem decomposition, tabulation of intermediate results for re-use, and Bellman’s Principle of Optimality are its well-understood ingredients. However, algorithms often lack abstraction and are difficult to implement, tedious to debug, and delicate to modify. The present article proposes a generic framework for specifying dynamic programming problems. This framework can handle all kinds of sequential inputs, as well as tree-structured data. Biosequence analysis, document processing, molecular structure analysis, comparison of objects assembled in a hierarchic fashion, and generally, all domains come under consideration where strings and ordered, rooted trees serve as natural data representations. The new approach introduces inverse coupled rewrite systems. They describe the solutions of combinatorial optimization problems as the inverse image of a term rewrite relation that reduces problem solutions to problem inputs. This specification leads to concise yet translucent specifications of dynamic programming algorithms. Their actual implementation may be challenging, but eventually, as we hope, it can be produced automatically. The present article demonstrates the scope of this new approach by describing a diverse set of dynamic programming problems which arise in the domain of computational biology, with examples in biosequence and molecular structure analysis.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Geosciences in 2013
Authors: Geosciences Editorial Office
Published: March 2014

The editors of Geosciences would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2013. [...]
All-Carbon Electrode Consisting of Carbon Nanotubes on Graphite Foil for Flexible Electrochemical Applications
Authors: Ryu Je-Hwang , Lee Gi-Ja , Kim Wan-Sun , Lim Han-Eol , Mativenga Mallory , Park Kyu-Chang , Park Hun-Kuk
Published: March 2014

We demonstrate the fabrication of an all-carbon electrode by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition for use in flexible electrochemical applications. The electrode is composed of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes that are grown directly on a flexible graphite foil. Being all-carbon, the simple fabrication process and the excellent electrochemical characteristics present an approach through which high-performance, highly-stable and cost-effective electrochemical applications can be achieved.
Synthesis and Characterization of Superconducting Ca1−xNaxFFeAs
Authors: Wolff Klaus , Shlyk Larysa , Bischoff Markus , Rose Eva , Niewa Rainer , Schleid Thomas
Published: March 2014

A representative of the fluoride-containing iron pnictide high-temperature superconductors, namely CaFFeAs, was doped with sodium up to the composition Ca0.86Na0.14FFeAs for the first time. Single crystals with an edge length in the range of 0.1 – 2.0 mm were obtained via solid-state and flux syntheses, respectively. The composition of the crystals was verified by means of single crystal X-ray diffractometry and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Measurements of the electrical resistivity, as well as the magnetization on a crystal of Ca0.89Na0.11FFeAs both show a transition to the superconducting state on cooling to 34.5 K. Investigations of the upper critical fields reveal an anisotropy ratio of about five. The lattice parameters and molar volumes increase with rising sodium content. This effect is clearly observable for the c-axis and the volume, whereas the increase of the a-axis is rather minor.
Isolation and Characterization of the Diatom Phaeodactylum Δ5-Elongase Gene for Transgenic LC-PUFA Production in Pichia pastoris
Authors: Jiang Mulan , Guo Bing , Wan Xia , Gong Yangmin , Zhang Yinbo , Hu Chuanjiong
Published: March 2014

The diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum can accumulate eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) up to 30% of the total fatty acids. This species has been targeted for isolating gene encoding desaturases and elongases for long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) metabolic engineering. Here we first report the cloning and characterization of Δ5-elongase gene in P. tricornutum. A full-length cDNA sequence, designated PhtELO5, was shown to contain a 1110 bp open reading frame encoding a 369 amino acid polypeptide. The putative protein contains seven transmembrane regions and two elongase characteristic motifs of FLHXYHH and MYSYY, the latter being typical for microalgal Δ5-elongases. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that PhtELO5 belongs to the ELO5 group, tightly clustered with the counterpart of Thalassiosira pseudonana. Heterologous expression of PhtELO5 in Pichia pastoris confirmed that it encodes a specific Δ5-elongase capable of elongating arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. Co-expression of PhtELO5 and IsFAD4 (a ∆4-desaturase from Isochrysis sphaerica) demonstrated that the high-efficiency biosynthetic pathway of docosahexaenoic acid was assembled in the transgenic yeast. Substrate competition revealed that PhtELO5 exhibited higher activity towards n-3 PUFA than n-6 PUFA. It is hypothesized that Phaeodactylum ELO5 may preferentially participate in biosynthesis of transgenic LC-PUFA via a n-3 pathway in the yeast host.
Limonoids from the Fruits of Khaya ivorensis
Authors: Ji Kai-Long , Liao Shang-Gao , Zheng Xiao-Ling , Na Zhi , Hu Hua-Bin , Zhang Ping , Xu You-Kai
Published: March 2014

Two new limonoids, namely 14,15-didehydroruageanin A (1) and 3-O-methyl- butyrylseneganolide A (2), were isolated from the fruits of Khaya ivorensis along with six known limonoids: seneganolide A (3), 1,3-dideacetylkhivorin (4), 7-deacetylkhivorin (5), 3-deacetylkhivorin (6), 1-deacetylkhivorin (7), and 3-deacetyl-7-oxokhivorin (8). All the compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against five tumor cell lines.
Inhibitory Effect of High Temperature- and High Pressure-Treated Red Ginseng on Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress in ICR Mouse
Authors: Yu Seok-Yeong , Yoon Bo-Ra , Lee Young-Jun , Lee Jong , Hong Hee-Do , Lee Young-Chul , Kim Young-Chan , Cho Chang-Won , Kim Kyung-Tack , Lee Ok-Hwan
Published: March 2014

As previously reported, high temperature- and high pressure-treated red ginseng (HRG) contain higher contents of phenolic compounds and protect C2C12 muscle cells and 3T3-L1 adipocytes against oxidative stress. This study investigated the effect of HRG on oxidative stress using a mouse model. Our results show that the levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase, hepatic malondialdehyde in the HRG group were significantly lower than those of the exercise groups supplemented with commercial red ginseng (CRG) or not supplemented. The muscular glycogen level, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase activities of the HGR group were higher than that of the CGR group. Furthermore, the HRG treatment group displayed upregulated mRNA expression of Cu/Zn-SOD and muscle regulatory factor 4. These results indicate that HRG may protect oxidative stress induced by exercise as well as improve exercise performance capacity.
Forest Variable Estimation Using Radargrammetric Processing of TerraSAR-X Images in Boreal Forests
Authors: Persson Henrik , Fransson Johan
Published: March 2014

The last decade has seen launches of radar satellite missions operating in X-band with the sensors acquiring images with spatial resolutions on the order of 1 m. This study uses digital surface models (DSMs) extracted from stereo synthetic aperture radar images and a reference airborne laser scanning digital terrain model to calculate the above-ground biomass and tree height. The resulting values are compared to in situ data. Analyses were undertaken at the Swedish test sites Krycklan (64°N) and Remningstorp (58°N), which have different site conditions. The results showed that, for 459 forest stands in Remningstorp, biomass estimation at the stand level could be performed with 22.9% relative root mean square error, while the height estimation showed 9.4%. Many factors influenced the results and it was found that the topography has a significant effect on the generated DSMs and should therefore be taken into consideration when the stand level mean slope is above four degrees. Different tree species did not have a major effect on the models during leaf-on conditions. Moreover, correct estimation within young forest stands was problematic. The intersection angles resulting in the best results were in the range 8–16°. Based on the results in this study, radargrammetry appears to be a promising potential remote sensing technique for future forest applications.
Membrane-Based Characterization of a Gas Component — A Transient Sensor Theory
Authors: Lazik Detlef
Published: March 2014

Based on a multi-gas solution-diffusion problem for a dense symmetrical membrane this paper presents a transient theory of a planar, membrane-based sensor cell for measuring gas from both initial conditions: dynamic and thermodynamic equilibrium. Using this theory, the ranges for which previously developed, simpler approaches are valid will be discussed; these approaches are of vital interest for membrane-based gas sensor applications. Finally, a new theoretical approach is introduced to identify varying gas components by arranging sensor cell pairs resulting in a concentration independent gas-specific critical time. Literature data for the N2, O2, Ar, CH4, CO2, H2 and C4H10 diffusion coefficients and solubilities for a polydimethylsiloxane membrane were used to simulate gas specific sensor responses. The results demonstrate the influence of (i) the operational mode; (ii) sensor geometry and (iii) gas matrices (air, Ar) on that critical time. Based on the developed theory the case-specific suitable membrane materials can be determined and both operation and design options for these sensors can be optimized for individual applications. The results of mixing experiments for different gases (O2, CO2) in a gas matrix of air confirmed the theoretical predictions.
Effect of Diffusion Limitations on Multianalyte Determination from Biased Biosensor Response
Authors: Baronas Romas , Kulys Juozas , Lančinskas Algirdas , Žilinskas Antanas
Published: March 2014

The optimization-based quantitative determination of multianalyte concentrations from biased biosensor responses is investigated under internal and external diffusion-limited conditions. A computational model of a biocatalytic amperometric biosensor utilizing a mono-enzyme-catalyzed (nonspecific) competitive conversion of two substrates was used to generate pseudo-experimental responses to mixtures of compounds. The influence of possible perturbations of the biosensor signal, due to a white noise- and temperature-induced trend, on the precision of the concentration determination has been investigated for different configurations of the biosensor operation. The optimization method was found to be suitable and accurate enough for the quantitative determination of the concentrations of the compounds from a given biosensor transient response. The computational experiments showed a complex dependence of the precision of the concentration estimation on the relative thickness of the outer diffusion layer, as well as on whether the biosensor operates under diffusion- or kinetics-limited conditions. When the biosensor response is affected by the induced exponential trend, the duration of the biosensor action can be optimized for increasing the accuracy of the quantitative analysis.
Knitted Strain Sensors: Impact of Design Parameters on Sensing Properties
Authors: Atalay Ozgur , Kennon William
Published: March 2014

This paper presents a study of the sensing properties exhibited by textile-based knitted strain sensors. Knitted sensors were manufactured using flat-bed knitting technology, and electro-mechanical tests were subsequently performed on the specimens using a tensile testing machine to apply strain whilst the sensor was incorporated into a Wheatstone bridge arrangement to allow electrical monitoring. The sensing fabrics were manufactured from silver-plated nylon and elastomeric yarns. The component yarns offered similar diameters, bending characteristics and surface friction, but their production parameters differed in respect of the required yarn input tension, the number of conductive courses in the sensing structure and the elastomeric yarn extension characteristics. Experimental results showed that these manufacturing controls significantly affected the sensing properties of the knitted structures such that the gauge factor values, the working range and the linearity of the sensors varied according to the knitted structure. These results confirm that production parameters play a fundamental role in determining the physical behavior and the sensing properties of knitted sensors. It is thus possible to manipulate the sensing properties of knitted sensors and the sensor response may be engineered by varying the production parameters applied to specific designs.
Evidence Showing that Tetraspanins Inhibit HIV-1-Induced Cell-Cell Fusion at a Post-Hemifusion Stage
Authors: Symeonides Menelaos , Lambelé Marie , Roy Nathan , Thali Markus
Published: March 2014

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmission takes place primarily through cell-cell contacts known as virological synapses. Formation of these transient adhesions between infected and uninfected cells can lead to transmission of viral particles followed by separation of the cells. Alternatively, the cells can fuse, thus forming a syncytium. Tetraspanins, small scaffolding proteins that are enriched in HIV-1 virions and actively recruited to viral assembly sites, have been found to negatively regulate HIV-1 Env-induced cell-cell fusion. How these transmembrane proteins inhibit membrane fusion, however, is currently not known. As a first step towards elucidating the mechanism of fusion repression by tetraspanins, e.g., CD9 and CD63, we sought to identify the stage of the fusion process during which they operate. Using a chemical epistasis approach, four fusion inhibitors were employed in tandem with CD9 overexpression. Cells overexpressing CD9 were found to be sensitized to inhibitors targeting the pre-hairpin and hemifusion intermediates, while they were desensitized to an inhibitor of the pore expansion stage. Together with the results of a microscopy-based dye transfer assay, which revealed CD9- and CD63-induced hemifusion arrest, our investigations strongly suggest that tetraspanins block HIV-1-induced cell-cell fusion at the transition from hemifusion to pore opening.
Is Microsatellite Instability Really a Good Prognostic Factor of Colorectal Cancer?
Authors: Shin Ui Sup , Cho Sang Sik , Moon Sun Mi , Park Sun Hoo , Jee Sun Hee , Jung Eun-Joo , Hwang Dae-Yong
Published: March 2014

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic features of and the prognosis for colorectal cancers (CRCs) with microsatellite instabilities (MSIs).Methods Between 2006 and 2009, genotyping was performed on 245 patients with stage II/III CRCs to establish the MSI status. The clinicopathologic differences and the prognostic value of MSI were analyzed. The median follow-up period was 38 months (range, 7-68 months).Results Of the total 245 patients, 20 (8.2%) had MSI-high (H) and 225 (91.8%) had MSI-low (L) or stable (S) CRCs. Adjuvant chemotherapies were performed on 101 stage II (87.8%) and 107 stage III patients (82.3%). Patients with MSI-H CRCs more frequently had a family history of colon cancer (10% vs. 2.7%, P = 0.003), more frequently had a cancer located at the proximal colon (90.0% vs. 19.1%, P < 0.0001), and more often showed a mucinous phenotype or poor differentiation (35.0% vs. 7.1%, P = 0.001). Despite less frequent lymph node metastasis (25% vs. 55.6%, P = 0.01), the number of retrieved lymph nodes was higher (26.3 ± 13.1 vs. 20.7 ± 1.2, P = 0.04) in the MSI-H group. The overall survival and the disease-free survival (DFS) did not differ with respect to MSI status. However, in the stage II subgroup, the DFS for patients with MSI-H CRCs was significantly worse (72.2% vs. 90.7%, P = 0.03). The multivariate analysis performed on this subgroup revealed that MSI-H was an independent poor prognostic factor (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-15.6, P = 0.046).Conclusion MSI-H CRCs had distinct clinicopathologic features, and MSI-H was an independent poor prognostic factor in stage II CRCs. Considering the majority of stage II patients were administrated adjuvant chemotherapy, the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy for treating MSI CRCs might be different from that for treating MSI-L/S tumors.
Outcomes of a Single-Port Laparoscopic Appendectomy Using a Glove Port With a Percutaneous Organ-Holding Device and Commercially-Available Multichannel Single-Port Device
Authors: Lee Jieun , Lee Sung Ryol , Kim Hyung Ook , Son Byung Ho , Choi Wonjun
Published: March 2014

Purpose A laparoscopic appendectomy is now commonly performed. The push in recent years toward reducing the number of ports required to perform this surgery has led to the development of a single-port laparoscopic appendectomy (SPA). We compared postoperative pain after an SPA using a glove port with a percutaneous organ-holding device (group 1) with that of an SPA using a commercially-available multichannel single-port device (group 2).Methods Between March 2010 and July 2011, a retrospective study was conducted of a total of 77 patients who underwent an SPA by three surgeons at department of surgery, Kangbuk Samsung Medical Center. Thirty-eight patients received an SPA using a glove port with a percutaneous organ-holding device. The other 39 patients received an SPA using a commercially-available multichannel single port (Octo-Port or SILS Port). Operative details and postoperative outcomes were collected and evaluated.Results There were no differences in the mean operative times, times to pass gas, postoperative hospital stays, or cosmetic satisfaction scores between the two groups. The pain score in the first 24 hours after surgery was higher in group 2 than group 1 patients (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the trocar used in group 2 was more expensive than that used in group 1.Conclusion An SPA using a glove port with a percutaneous organ-holding device was associated with a lower pain score during the first 24 hours after surgery because of the shorter fascia incision length and a cheaper cost than an SPA using a commercially-available multichannel single-port device.
Le rôle des ouvriers dans les soulèvements populaires arabes de 2011
Authors: Beinin Joel
Published: March 2014

Les classes ouvrières du Maroc, de Bahreïn, de Jordanie et surtout d’Égypte et de Tunisie ont d’évidence participé aux soulèvements populaires du monde arabe de 2011 après avoir durant des années implicitement répudié les politiques néolibérales du « consensus de Washington ». On appréhende mieux leur rôle dans ces soulèvements à la lumière d’une combinaison d’économie politique historique et d’une version modifiée de la théorie des mouvements sociaux, adaptée aux conditions particulières des sociétés autoritaires où les insurgés n’ont accès qu’à peu de ressources ou de réseaux formels. Ils se fondent dès lors sur des réseaux informels puissants au niveau local, mais faibles au niveau national.
« Anarchistes de la bombe, anarchistes de l'idée » : les anarchistes français à Londres, 1880-1895
Authors: Bantman Constance
Published: March 2014

Les activités politiques des quelques centaines d’anarchistes francophones exilés en Grande-Bretagne entre 1880 et 1914 ont, au cours de ces dernières années, fait l’objet d’interprétations historiographiques divergentes. La thématique terroriste, prépondérante pour les contemporains de ce mouvement, a ainsi été reprise par divers ouvrages. Or une lecture transnationale permet de faire apparaître une tout autre image : celle de groupes à l’organisation informelle – contre le mythe d’une « Internationale anarchiste » –, accaparés par les impératifs de la survie matérielle et plus enclins à la réflexion stratégique sur le potentiel révolutionnaire du syndicat qu’aux éclats terroristes. À la lumière de cette analyse, il est donc plus pertinent de décrire le «  French quarter  » anarchiste de Londres, non comme une base du terrorisme international, mais plutôt comme un « nœud » de réseaux et de transferts pour le mouvement anarchiste international.
Lamennais : « une vie qui sera donc à refaire plus d'une fois encore ». Parcours posthumes
Authors: Milbach Sylvain
Published: March 2014

La vie et l’œuvre de Lamennais (1782-1854) ont donné lieu à une abondante production historique qui ne s’est jamais vraiment tarie. On leur a prêté les influences les plus diverses et les plus contraires, alors même qu’aucune sensibilité, tant hors du catholicisme qu’en son sein, ne s’en est explicitement réclamée. Ces travaux masquent souvent mal la fascination et les hantises qu’éveille le parcours de Lamennais plus que son œuvre. C’est à cette lumière qu’il est possible de relire cette production et le mythe qui en est issu : un homme dont le destin interroge inlassablement les fonctions du magistère spirituel dans les sociétés modernes et la relation à l’autorité. S’il s’agit bien là des préoccupations du « maître de La Chênaie », on peut se demander jusqu’à quel point les réinvestissements successifs n’ont pas contribué à glacer l’analyse des virtualités du premier XIX e  siècle, et par extension celle des sensibilités qui traversent le catholicisme contemporain. Dans cette perspective, l’analyse de la production historiographique invite à revenir sur le succès d’une œuvre et l’influence d’un homme qui révèlent surtout l’anxiété d’une époque en quête d’un nouveau gouvernement des esprits – interrogation qui plonge ses racines dans la Révolution et s’épuise dans les conséquences de l’échec de la Seconde République.
L'expert en entreprise : proposition d'un modèle définitionnel et enjeux de gestion
Authors: Bootz Jean-Philippe , Schenk Eric
Published: March 2014

Notre contribution vise à proposer un modèle définitionnel de l’expert et à souligner ses enjeux en matière de management. Nous caractérisons l’expert sur le plan cognitif et social puis confrontons ce cadre à une étude de cas. Paradoxalement, l’entreprise étudiée combine une conscience des enjeux stratégiques que représentent les experts avec une absence de gestion organisée des experts. Dans ce contexte, les experts construisent de manière auto-organisée leurs dimensions sociales et cognitives.
Jeremy Bentham et l'efficience économique du droit
Authors: Guidi Marco , Sigot Nathalie
Published: March 2014

L’objet de cet article est de montrer, en se concentrant sur la Défense de l’usure [1787] et le manuscrit Sur les prix [1801a], comment Bentham aborde la question moderne de l’efficience économique du droit (au sens de Posner). En 1787, il affirme que laisser le marché déterminer le taux de l’intérêt permet d’accroître la richesse ; en 1801, il défend un contrôle de la masse monétaire en circulation afin d’éviter tout risque de perte de valeur dans la propriété. On montre alors que ces deux positions reflètent la manière dont Bentham analyse les relations entre marché et règles : en 1787, la règle prétend se substituer au marché, alors que celui-ci est plus efficient du point de vue du bonheur collectif (I), tandis qu’en 1801, il définit une relation de complémentarité entre règle et marché, le conduisant à préciser comment doivent être sélectionnées les bonnes règles (II).
Les fonctions cognitives du droit dans la pensée de Cass Sunstein
Authors: Ferey Samuel , Deffains Bruno
Published: March 2014

Cass Sunstein a été l’un des principaux promoteurs aux États-Unis de l’économie du droit comportementale. En introduisant en économie du droit une hypothèse de rationalité limitée, Sunstein en tire alors deux fonctions principales pour le droit : le redressement cognitif et le paternalisme libéral. En rappelant les fondements de la théorie du droit de Sunstein, l’article discute ces nouvelles fonctions économiques pour le droit en s’interrogeant sur leur compatibilité. On montre que leur contradiction apparente peut cependant être atténuée dans le cadre d’une réflexion plus générale sur les conditions cognitives de la liberté.
La question de l'interdiction de l'intérêt dans l'histoire européenne
Authors: Ege Ragip
Published: March 2014

Dans cet article, nous nous interrogeons sur les raisons de l’interdiction ou de la stricte réglementation du prêt à intérêt dans l’histoire européenne, aussi bien par les trois monothéismes que par la tradition aristotélicienne, les droits romain, canonique et civil médiéval. L’hypothèse qui gouverne notre argumentation est que toute économie de marché quelque peu développée fait nécessairement intervenir des opérations de prêt et donc un prix pour la monnaie ; une telle évidence ne pouvait être ignorée par l’esprit qui tente de l’interdire. Par conséquent, l’interdiction vise, au-delà du simple phénomène d’intérêt, un phénomène bien plus complexe dont l’intelligence exige, à notre sens, une analyse institutionnelle.
Vertus et justice du marché chez Adam Smith
Authors: Walraevens Benoît
Published: March 2014

Cet article a pour objet de mettre en évidence la dimension morale du marché dans l’œuvre d’Adam Smith. La première partie réinterprète le prix naturel comme un prix juste. La deuxième partie montre que la concurrence libre est pour Smith un cadre institutionnel incitant les agents économiques à cultiver les vertus de prudence, d’équité, de probité, de frugalité et d’industrie. La dernière partie vise à justifier la proposition par Smith d’un taux d’usure légèrement supérieur au taux courant le plus bas du marché par sa philosophie morale et ses analyses du désir de reconnaissance, de l’estime de soi excessive et du mensonge à soi-même. La conclusion souligne le lien étroit entre politique, éthique et économie chez Smith, tel qu’il ressort de cette analyse.
CMaps, Learning Objects and a Blended Learning Signals & Systems Course
Authors: Pavani Ana M B
Published: March 2014

Learning Objects (LOs) are one of building blocks of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported learning. ICT support can be used in the traditional face-to-face model, in a completely online situation or in a hybrid (blended) style.

The development of LOs is time and resources consuming, for this reason, it is important that they can de shared and reused. This paper addresses the use o Concept Maps (CMaps) to model topics that make up the area known as Linear Time-Invariant Systems (LTI Systems) as taught in some engineering curricula. The CMaps are used to define the granularity of Learning Objects (LOs) in this area.

It also addresses the deployment of a Blended Learning Signals and Systems course that is mandatory in five undergaduate curricula. The CMaps are used to define â??regionsâ? of related LOs that are used in the guide (story board) of this course. The LOs are among the digital resources to be used.

The results of this work allow future extensions in terms of examining the syllabi of the undergraduate courses that teach LTI Systems and of developing additional blended learning courses. Results are presented and future developments are also considered.
Developing Cultural Competencies through Transnational Learning Experiences in Active Online Learning Environments
Authors: May Dominik , Wold Kari Anne , Moore Stephanie L.
Published: March 2014

In todayâ??s world cultural competency becomes more and more important in order to act successfully in the modern economy. Nevertheless it is often difficult to engage students in immersive international experiences that develop inter-cultural awareness. Especially undergraduate engineering students have to deal with packed curricula with little or no room for languages and an often unforgiving structure that puts them a year out of course sequences if they do travel for a study abroad. In this paper, we examine how an online engineering education can be a transformational factor in this challenge. We present a joint online engineering course designed and implemented by the University of Virginia (UVa) and the TU Dortmund University (TU) with students from both countries. In addition to the course concept itself we explain our findings on student interaction throughout the course.
Project-Based Learning to Promote High Order Thinking and Problem Solving Skills in Geotechnical Courses
Authors: Pinho-Lopes Margarida , Macedo Joaquim
Published: March 2014

In todayâ??s society engineer professionals play a crucial role in tackling challenges such as climate change or economic constraints, in order to promote economical development and increase of quality of life ensuring principles like sustainability or safety. It is fundamental to prepare the future engineers to these and future challenges. According to the literature, traditional engineering educational strategies used to prepare the future engineers (lectures, lab experiences and homework) have two main drawbacks. Firstly, they inadequately prepare engineering students to engage in collaborative partnerships (essential for the practicing engineer) and, secondly, they promote passive learning and contribute to a compartmentalized curriculum. As such, the traditional deductive learning may not adequately prepare students for their innovative and flexible role as future engineers. An alternative approach is the use of non-traditional learning strategies, as in the case study hereby presented. Active learning strategies, namely project-based learning, were used to contribute to enhancing problem solving and higher order thinking skills of the graduates in Civil Engineering program of University of Aveiro, Portugal. Seizing the opportunity created by the Bologna process, two complementary courses on Geotechnical subjects (Soil Mechanics I and II) have been redesigned. The non-traditional strategies implemented include project-based learning using cooperative and collaborative models, put into practice since 2007/2008. The learning strategies referred are described and discussed. Their contribution to the development of problem solving and high order thinking skills of students is pointed out. Several strategies used to promote acceptance by students are put forward. The models were assessed using three strategies: studentsâ?? feedback during the semester; academic performance; questionnaires at the end of the semester. The evolution of the studentsâ?? response to these models is discussed using data collected in the courses. The models have been adapted to overcome some of the difficulties faced during their implementation.
Teaching Mathematical Modelling and Problem Solving - A Cognitive Apprenticeship Approach to Mathematics and Engineering Education
Authors: Wedelin Dag , Adawi Tom
Published: March 2014

We describe a course in mathematical modelling and problem solving, intended to provide the students with the appropriate skills to deal with real world problems in science and technology. The course is inquiry-based and centered around approximately 30 reasonably realistic, highly varied and challenging problems, which are solved in pairs. The students are supervised in a cognitive apprenticeship environment, where the teacher uses a range of techniques to align student thinking with expert thinking. After taking the course, most students express and demonstrate a fundamental change in their abilities to think mathematically, in their understanding of the nature of mathematics and its role in their future profession. They also consider it as one of the most important courses in their education. We therefore argue that this kind of course, or similar teaching, should be present in the engineering curriculum.
Characterizing Moose–Vehicle Collision Hotspots in Northern British Columbia
Authors: Rea Roy V. , Johnson Chris J. , Emmons Scott
Published: March 2014

To have a better understanding of the ecological factors that may contribute to moose Alces alces and vehicle collisions in northern British Columbia, we analyzed Wildlife Accident Reporting System data that were collected between 2000 and 2005 by highway maintenance contractors. We delineated 29 moose-vehicle collision hotspots and 15 control sites at which we assessed environmental and road infrastructure attributes through field surveys and remotely sensed data. A logistic regression model including both coarse- and fine-scale environmental factors suggested that hotspots were more likely to be characterized by the number of roadside mineral licks and bisection of the highway corridor through black spruce forest–sphagnum bog habitat and swamps. The absence of rivers within 1 km and less lake area within 500 m of the highway also better characterized hotspots than controls. At the fine scale, deciduous forest cover along the highway edge and the proportion of browse to nonbrowse vegetation between the road shoulder and forest edge were also related to collision sites. Based on these data, the mitigation of collision hotspots should include decommissioning roadside mineral licks where they occur and cutting roadside brush to improve driver visibility and reduce browse resprouting and attractiveness. Where new road construction or road realignments are being contemplated, we recommend considering routes with more lake area, more rivers, fewer swamps, and fewer black spruce forest–sphagnum bog habitats to help reduce collisions. We discuss the utility of installing novel warning signage in areas where collisions are recurrent.
Quiz Making Activities Using the Multi-Mouse Quiz System in an Elementary School
Authors: Zhou Juan , Mori Mikihiko , Ueda Hiroshi , Kita Hajime
Published: March 2014

The Multi-Mouse Quiz System is an application used to treat quizzes in a classroom or other learning environment. The system comprises the Multi Mouse Quiz (MMQ) and MMQEditor. The MMQ is an application of Single Display Groupware (SDG), which enables multiple users to answer quizzes by connecting several mice to an ordinary computer. The MMQEditor is a personal computers (PCs) application designed to edit quizzes for MMQ. In this paper, the authors describe the activities of using MMQ and MMQEditor in an elementary school. Sixth grade children were asked to design quizzes using MMQEditor and then evaluate them mutually using MMQ. The results of the activities showed that the combination of MMQEditor and MMQ helped engage the children in the activities, the children easily operated MMQEditor, and learning was encouraged and deepened through the mutual evaluation of created quizzes.
A 3D Serious City Building Game on Waste Disposal
Authors: Cuccurullo Stefania , Francese Rita , Passero Ignazio , Tortora Genoveffa
Published: March 2014

The environmental priority requires structural interventions that will be effective in the long period only if they are accompanied by modifications of behaviors, orientations and beliefs, specially investing in the new generations. This paper presents a 3D Virtual World serious game named Pappi World, designed according to pedagogical theories and to the Italian Environmental Ministry guidelines. This game aims at helping children to learn how to dispose waste and to understand that waste can become a relevant resource when correctly managed. The game proposes individual and collaborative activities and exploits the city evolution mechanism proper of city-building games to involve the students. Pappi World is also evaluated 1) considering the learning efficacy and the student perceptions and 2) collecting the teachers opinions related to the game usability, fun, engagement, mechanism and metaphor adequateness as well as expected learning outcomes. Also the student perceptions on the game were collected. With regards to learning effectiveness, the empirical evaluation revealed a significant difference between pre-game and post-game knowledge. Students reported they were engaged and had fun playing Pappi World. Teachers expressed a positive opinion on the game adoption and its effectiveness, also providing useful suggestions to improve it.
Optimal Cloud-Path Selection in Mobile Cloud Offloading Systems Based on QoS Criteria
Authors: Wu Huaming , Wang Qiushi , Wolter Katinka
Published: March 2014

Recently, there emerge a variety of clouds in sky and thus, several similar cloud services (from different cloud venders) can be provided to a mobile end device. The goal of cloud-path selection is to find an optimal cloud-path pair between the mobile device and a cloud among a certain class of clouds that provide the same service, in order to carry out the offloaded computation tasks. It is easy to choose the optimal cloud-path to save execution time incurred by offloading program to cloud when considering only one factor. However, there are many Quality of Service (QoS)-based criteria such as performance, bandwidth, financial, security and availability that need to be considered when making final decisions. In this paper, a multiple criteria decision analysis approach based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) in a fuzzy environment is proposed to decide which cloud is the most suitable one for offloading. The AHP is used to determine the weights of the criteria for cloud-path selection, while fuzzy TOPSIS is to obtain the final ranking of alternative clouds. The numerical analysis is performed to evaluate the model. Furthermore, a method based on historical data of the mobile device’s experiences is used to evaluate the importance weights of the alternative cloud service, when it is challenge to measure and acquire the parameters of criteria timely in practical systems.
Scheduling Strategies for Business Process Applications in Cloud Environments
Authors: Bessai Kahina , Youcef Samir , Oulamara Ammar , Godart Claude , Nurcan Selmin
Published: March 2014

The Cloud computing paradigm is adopted for its several advantages like reduction of cost incurred when using a set of resources. However, despite the many proven benefits of using a Cloud infrastructure to run business processes, it is still faced with a major problem that can compromise its success: the lack of guidance for choosing between multiple offerings. Moreover, when running business processes it is difficult to automate all tasks and several objectives often conflicting must be taken into account. For this, the authors propose a set of scheduling strategies for business processes in Cloud contexts. More precisely, the authors propose three bi-criteria complementary approaches for scheduling business processes on distributed Cloud resources while taking into account its elastic computing characteristic that allows users to allocate and release compute resources (virtual machines) on-demand and its business model based on pay as you go. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the number of virtual machine is infinite while the number of human resources is finite. Experiment results demonstrate that the proposed approaches present good performances.
Parallel Distributed Trajectory Pattern Mining Using Hierarchical Grid with MapReduce
Authors: Seki Kazuhiro , Jinno Ryota , Uehara Kuniaki
Published: March 2014

This paper proposes a new approach to trajectory pattern mining, which attempts to discover frequent movement patterns from the trajectories of moving objects. For dealing with a large volume of trajectory data, traditional approaches quantize them by a grid with a fixed resolution. However, an appropriate resolution often varies across different areas of trajectories. Simply increasing the resolution cannot capture broad patterns and consumes unnecessarily large computational resources. To solve the problem, the authors propose a hierarchical grid-based approach with quadtree search. The approach initially searches for frequent patterns with a coarse grid and drills down into a finer grid level to discover more minute patterns. The algorithm is naturally parallelized and implemented in the MapReduce programming model to accelerate the computation. The authors’ evaluative experiments on real-word data show the effectiveness of the authors’ approach in mining complex patterns with lower computational cost than the previous work.
Emission factor ratios, SOA mass yields, and the impact of vehicular emissions on SOA formation
Authors: Ensberg J. J. , Hayes P. L. , Jimenez J. L. , Gilman J. B. , Kuster W. C. , de Gouw J. A. , Holloway J. S. , Gordon T. D. , Jathar S. , Robinson A. L. , Seinfeld J. H.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. The underprediction of ambient secondary organic aerosol (SOA) levels by current atmospheric models in urban areas is well established, yet the cause of this underprediction remains elusive. Likewise, the relative contribution of emissions from gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles to the formation of SOA is generally unresolved. We investigate the source of these two discrepancies using data from the 2010 CalNex experiment carried out in the Los Angeles Basin (Ryerson et al., 2013). Specifically, we use gas-phase organic mass (GPOM) and CO emission factors in conjunction with measured enhancements in oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA) relative to CO to quantify the significant lack of closure between expected and observed organic aerosol concentrations attributable to fossil-fuel emissions. Two possible conclusions emerge from the analysis to yield consistency with the ambient data: (1) vehicular emissions are not a dominant source of anthropogenic fossil SOA in the Los Angeles Basin, or (2) the ambient SOA mass yields used to determine the SOA formation potential of vehicular emissions are substantially higher than those derived from laboratory chamber studies.
Aviation 2006 NOx-induced effects on atmospheric ozone and HOx in Community Earth System Model (CESM)
Authors: Khodayari A. , Tilmes S. , Olsen S. C. , Phoenix D. B. , Wuebbles D. J. , Lamarque J.-F. , Chen C.-C.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. The interaction between atmospheric chemistry and ozone (O3) in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) presents a major uncertainty in understanding the effects of aviation on climate. In this study, two configurations of the atmospheric model from the Community Earth System Model (CESM), CAM4 and CAM5, are used to evaluate the effects of aircraft nitrogen oxide (NOx = NO + NO2) emissions on ozone and the background chemistry in the UTLS. CAM4 and CAM5 simulations were both performed with extensive tropospheric and stratospheric chemistry including 133 species and 330 photochemical reactions. CAM5 includes direct and indirect aerosol effects on clouds using a modal aerosol module (MAM) whereby CAM4 uses a bulk aerosol module which can only simulate the direct effect. To examine the accuracy of the aviation NOx induced ozone distribution in the two models, results from the CAM5 and CAM4 simulations are compared to ozonesonde data. Aviation NOx emissions for 2006 were obtained from the AEDT (Aviation Environmental Design Tool) global commercial aircraft emissions inventory. Differences between simulated O3 concentrations and ozonesonde measurements averaged at representative levels in the troposphere and different regions are 13% in CAM5 and 18% in CAM4. Results show a localized increase in aviation induced O3 concentrations at aviation cruise altitudes that stretches from 40° N to the North Pole. The results indicate a greater and more disperse production of aviation NOx-induced ozone in CAM5, with the annual tropospheric mean O3 perturbation of 1.3 ppb (2.7%) for CAM5 and 1.0 ppb (1.9%) for CAM4. The annual mean O3 perturbation peaks at about 8.3 ppb (6.4%) and 8.8 ppb (5.2%) in CAM5 and CAM4, respectively. Aviation emissions also result in increased OH concentrations and methane (CH4) loss rates, reducing the tropospheric methane lifetime in CAM5 and CAM4 by 1.9% and 1.40%, respectively. Aviation NOx emissions are associated with a change in global mean O3 radiative forcing (RF) of 43.9 and 36.5 mW m−2 in CAM5 and CAM4, respectively.
Instrument concept of the imaging Fourier transform spectrometer GLORIA
Authors: Friedl-Vallon F. , Gulde T. , Hase F. , Kleinert A. , Kulessa T. , Maucher G. , Neubert T. , Olschewski F. , Piesch C. , Preusse P. , Rongen H. , Sartorius C. , Schneider H. , Schönfeld A. , Tan V. , Bayer N. , Blank J. , Dapp R. , Ebersoldt A. , Fischer H. , Graf F. , Guggenmoser T. , Höpfner M. , Kaufmann M. , Kretschmer E. , Latzko T. , Nordmeyer H. , Oelhaf H. , Orphal J. , Riese M. , Schardt G. , Schillings J. , Sha M. K. , Suminska-Ebersoldt O. , Ungermann J.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. The Gimballed Limb Observer for Radiance Imaging of the Atmosphere (GLORIA) is an imaging limb emission sounder operating in the thermal infrared region. It is designed to provide measurements of the Upper Troposphere/Lower Stratosphere with high spatial and high spectral resolution. The instrument consists of an imaging Fourier transform spectrometer integrated in a gimbal. The assembly can be mounted in the belly pod of the German high altitude and long range research aircraft HALO and in instrument bays of the Russian M55 Geophysica. Measurements are made predominantly in two distinct modes: the chemistry mode emphasises chemical analysis with high spectral resolution, the dynamics mode focuses on dynamical processes of the atmosphere with very high spatial resolution. In addition the instrument allows tomographic analyses of air volumes. The first measurement campaigns have shown compliance with key performance and operational requirements.