bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sensing Magnetic Directions in Birds: Radical Pair Processes Involving Cryptochrome
Authors: Wiltschko Roswitha , Wiltschko Wolfgang
Published: July 2014

Birds can use the geomagnetic field for compass orientation. Behavioral experiments, mostly with migrating passerines, revealed three characteristics of the avian magnetic compass: (1) it works spontaneously only in a narrow functional window around the intensity of the ambient magnetic field, but can adapt to other intensities, (2) it is an “inclination compass”, not based on the polarity of the magnetic field, but the axial course of the field lines, and (3) it requires short-wavelength light from UV to 565 nm Green. The Radical Pair-Model of magnetoreception can explain these properties by proposing spin-chemical processes in photopigments as underlying mechanism. Applying radio frequency fields, a diagnostic tool for radical pair processes, supports an involvement of a radical pair mechanism in avian magnetoreception: added to the geomagnetic field, they disrupted orientation, presumably by interfering with the receptive processes. Cryptochromes have been suggested as receptor molecules. Cry1a is found in the eyes of birds, where it is located at the membranes of the disks in the outer segments of the UV-cones in chickens and robins. Immuno-histochemical studies show that it is activated by the wavelengths of light that allow magnetic compass orientation in birds.
A Dynamic Fuzzy Controller to Meet Thermal Comfort by Using Neural Network Forecasted Parameters as the Input
Authors: Collotta Mario , Messineo Antonio , Nicolosi Giuseppina , Pau Giovanni
Published: July 2014

Heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are typical non-linear time-variable multivariate systems with disturbances and uncertainties. In this paper, an approach based on a combined neuro-fuzzy model for dynamic and automatic regulation of indoor temperature is proposed. The proposed artificial neural network performs indoor temperatures forecasts that are used to feed a fuzzy logic control unit in order to manage the on/off switching of the HVAC system and the regulation of the inlet air speed. Moreover, the used neural network is optimized by the analytical calculation of the embedding parameters, and the goodness of this approach is tested through MATLAB. The fuzzy controller is driven by the indoor temperature forecasted by the neural network module and is able to adjust the membership functions dynamically, since thermal comfort is a very subjective factor and may vary even in the same subject. The paper shows some experimental results, through a real implementation in an embedded prototyping board, of the proposed approach in terms of the evolution of the inlet air speed injected by the fan coils, the indoor air temperature forecasted by the neural network model and the adjusting of the membership functions after receiving user feedback.
The Potential and Utilization of Unused Energy Sources for Large-Scale Horticulture Facility Applications under Korean Climatic Conditions
Authors: Hyun In , Lee Jae , Yoon Yeo , Lee Kwang , Nam Yujin
Published: July 2014

As the use of fossil fuel has increased, not only in construction, but also in agriculture due to the drastic industrial development in recent times, the problems of heating costs and global warming are getting worse. Therefore, introduction of more reliable and environmentally-friendly alternative energy sources has become urgent and the same trend is found in large-scale horticulture facilities. In this study, among many alternative energy sources, we investigated the reserves and the potential of various different unused energy sources which have infinite potential, but are nowadays wasted due to limitations in their utilization. In addition, we utilized available unused energy as a heat source for a heat pump in a large-scale horticulture facility and analyzed its feasibility through EnergyPlus simulation modeling. Accordingly, the discharge flow rate from the Fan Coil Unit (FCU) in the horticulture facility, the discharge air temperature, and the return temperature were analyzed. The performance and heat consumption of each heat source were compared with those of conventional boilers. The result showed that the power load of the heat pump was decreased and thus the heat efficiency was increased as the temperature of the heat source was increased. Among the analyzed heat sources, power plant waste heat which had the highest heat source temperature consumed the least electric energy and showed the highest efficiency.
Geothermal Power Growth 1995–2013—A Comparison with Other Renewables
Authors: Rybach Ladislaus
Published: July 2014

Based on global statistical data the current status of deep geothermal resource utilization for electricity generation is presented. Particular attention is paid to growth rates. The rates are compared with those of other renewable energies (biomass, hydro, solar photovoltaic (PV), wind). Whereas wind and solar PV exhibit annual growth rates of 25%–30% since 2004, geothermal growth is only about 5% per year. Geothermal electricity production (in TW∙h/yr) was higher until 2011 than from solar PV, but is now clearly falling behind. So far the global geothermal electricity generation is provided nearly entirely by hydrothermal resources, which exist only under specific geologic conditions. Further development (=increasing production capacity) based on this resource type alone will therefore hardly accelerate to two-digit (>10% per year) growth rates. Faster growth can only be achieved by using the ubiquitous petrothermal resources, provided that the key problem will be solved: establishing a universally applicable technology. This would enable to create, at any requested site, feasible and efficient deep heat exchangers for enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) power plants—irrespective of the local subsurface conditions. Goals and challenges of this technology are addressed.
Anystis baccarum: An Important Generalist Predatory Mite to be Considered in Apple Orchard Pest Management Strategies
Authors: Cuthbertson Andrew , Qiu Bao-Li , Murchie Archie
Published: July 2014

The increasing concern over the continued use of pesticides is pressurising apple growers to look for alternatives to chemical pest control. The re-discovery, and subsequent conservation, of the beneficial predatory mite, Anystis baccarum (Linnaeus) (Acari: Anystidae), in Bramley apple orchards in Northern Ireland offers a potential alternative control component for incorporation into integrated pest management strategies. Anystis baccarum readily feeds upon economically important invertebrate pest species including European fruit tree red spider mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) and show a level of compatibility with chemical pesticides. Recent mis-identification by apple growers of this beneficial mite species had resulted in unnecessary pesticide applications being applied within Northern Irish apple orchards. However, dissemination of information to the apple growers and promotion of the benefits this mite offers in apple orchards has helped to conserve its populations. Apple growers, across the United Kingdom, must be encouraged to be aware of A. baccarum, and indeed all predatory fauna, within their orchards and seek to conserve populations. In doing so, it will ensure that the British apple market remains an environmentally sustainable production system.
A 26-Year Experience in Chorionic Villus Sampling Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis
Authors: Jorge Paula , Mota-Freitas Maria , Santos Rosário , Silva Maria , Soares Gabriela , Fortuna Ana
Published: July 2014

This report describes the trends of chorionic villus sampling (CVS) referred for prenatal genetic diagnosis in the past two and a half decades in a Portuguese Center. Our cohort of 491 CVS was mostly performed by the transcervical method at the 12th gestational week. Data collected within the framework of this study relate to the following: sampling method, referral reason versus abnormality and incidence of procedure-related pregnancy loss, that declined to about 0.5% over the last 15 years. The year 2000 represented a change in referral reasons for chorionic tissue collection, shifting from almost exclusively for cytogenetic testing to an increasing number of molecular tests for monogenic disorders. Herein, success rates as well as cytogenetic and/or molecular DNA results are presented. These latter include not only tests for several monogenic disorders, but also aneuploidy and maternal cell contamination screening. This retrospective analysis reiterates that CVS is a safe and reliable first trimester technique for prenatal diagnosis in high genetic risk pregnancies.
A New Pro-Prodrug Aminoacid-Based for Trans-Ferulic Acid and Silybin Intestinal Release
Authors: Trombino Sonia , Ferrarelli Teresa , Cassano Roberta
Published: July 2014

The aim of this work was the preparation and characterization of a pro-prodrug able to simultaneously transport silybin, a drug possessing various pharmacological effects, and trans-ferulic acid, a known antioxidant. More specifically, l-phenylalanine-N-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenyl) prop-2-en-O-(2R,3R)-3,5,7-trihydroxy-2-((2R,3R)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-2,3-dihydro-benzo-(1,4)-dioxin-6-yl)croman-4-one was synthesized by using the aminoacid l-phenylalanine (l-Phe) as carrier. Indeed, l-Phe is characterized by an intrinsic chemical reactivity due to the presence of an amino group, placed on the chiral center, and of a carboxylic group. The synthesis has been characterized first by adding silybin by means of carboxylic group and then, with the aim to confer antioxidant properties to this new carrier, by linking trans-ferulic acid to l-Phe via amino group. The so obtained derivative was then characterized by FT-IR, and 1H-NMR spectroscopies. Furthermore, its ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide in rat liver microsomes, was evaluated. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging effect, was also assessed. The release of silybin and trans-ferulic acid was determined in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids over the time. The results showed that the covalent bond between both (i) silybin; or (ii) trans-ferulic acid and the amino acid was degraded by enzymatic reactions. In addition, the pro-prodrug, showed strong antioxidant and scavenger activities. Due to these properties, this new pro-prodrug could be applied for the treatment of intestinal pathologies and it might improve the therapeutic potential of silybin which is strongly limited by its low solubility.
Integrating Land Cover Modeling and Adaptive Management to Conserve Endangered Species and Reduce Catastrophic Fire Risk
Authors: Breininger David , Duncan Brean , Eaton Mitchell , Johnson Fred , Nichols James
Published: July 2014

Land cover modeling is used to inform land management, but most often via a two-step process, where science informs how management alternatives can influence resources, and then, decision makers can use this information to make decisions. A more efficient process is to directly integrate science and decision-making, where science allows us to learn in order to better accomplish management objectives and is developed to address specific decisions. Co-development of management and science is especially productive when decisions are complicated by multiple objectives and impeded by uncertainty. Multiple objectives can be met by the specification of tradeoffs, and relevant uncertainty can be addressed through targeted science (i.e., models and monitoring). We describe how to integrate habitat and fuel monitoring with decision-making focused on the dual objectives of managing for endangered species and minimizing catastrophic fire risk. Under certain conditions, both objectives might be achieved by a similar management policy; other conditions require tradeoffs between objectives. Knowledge about system responses to actions can be informed by developing hypotheses based on ideas about fire behavior and then applying competing management actions to different land units in the same system state. Monitoring and management integration is important to optimize state-specific management decisions and to increase knowledge about system responses. We believe this approach has broad utility and identifies a clear role for land cover modeling programs intended to inform decision-making.
Reculer Pour Mieux Sauter: A Review of Attachment and Other Developmental Processes Inherent in Identified Risk Factors for Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Offending
Authors: Kenny Dianna , Blacker Susan , Allerton Mark
Published: July 2014

The task of this paper is to identify the causes of juvenile delinquency and juvenile offending. The French proverb chosen for its title (Step back in order to jump better) reflects the inherent challenge in this task; that is, how far back must we step in order to gain a complete understanding of these causes? Do we commence with adolescence, childhood, birth, pregnancy, conception, or the young person’s parents and their life experiences? How wide a net do we cast? Should we focus primarily on intra-individual factors, or the social ecologies in which young delinquents are found? Every story must have a beginning. In this story about young people who fall off the prosocial developmental trajectory, all sign posts point to attachment and the quality of the child’s first attachment experiences. This review will examine, from attachment and other developmental perspectives, how many of the more proximal causes of delinquency and youth offending have their origins in the emotional deficits suffered in early life. We will argue that delinquent and offending behavior represent attempts to redress these deficits. Consequently, interventions that attempt to prevent offending and reduce recidivism that do not address attachment ruptures and other early deficits cannot expect satisfactory outcomes.
Wood Colorization through Pressure Treating: The Potential of Extracted Colorants from Spalting Fungi as a Replacement for Woodworkers’ Aniline Dyes
Authors: Robinson Sara , Hinsch Eric , Weber Genevieve , Leipus Kristina , Cerney Daniel
Published: July 2014

The extracellular colorants produced by Chlorociboria aeruginosa, Scytalidium cuboideum, and Scytalidium ganodermophthorum, three commonly utilized spalting fungi, were tested against a standard woodworker’s aniline dye to determine if the fungal colorants could be utilized in an effort to find a naturally occurring replacement for the synthetic dye. Fungal colorants were delivered in two methods within a pressure treater—the first through solubilization of extracted colorants in dichloromethane, and the second via liquid culture consisting of water, malt, and the actively growing fungus. Visual external evaluation of the wood test blocks showed complete surface coloration of all wood species with all colorants, with the exception of the green colorant (xylindein) from C. aeruginosa in liquid culture, which did not produce a visible surface color change. The highest changes in external color came from noble fir, lodgepole pine, port orford cedar and sugar maple with aniline dye, cottonwood with the yellow colorant in liquid culture, lodgepole pine with the red colorant in liquid culture, red alder and Oregon maple with the green colorant in dichloromethane, and sugar maple and port orford cedar with the yellow colorant in dichloromethane. The aniline dye was superior to the fungal colorants in terms of internal coloration, although none of the tested compounds were able to completely visually color the inside of the test blocks.
Transcriptional Responses of the Bdtf1-Deletion Mutant to the Phytoalexin Brassinin in the Necrotrophic Fungus Alternaria brassicicola
Authors: Cho Yangrae , Ohm Robin , Devappa Rakshit , Lee Hyang , Grigoriev Igor , Kim Bo , Ahn Jong
Published: July 2014

Brassica species produce the antifungal indolyl compounds brassinin and its derivatives, during microbial infection. The fungal pathogen Alternaria brassicicola detoxifies brassinin and possibly its derivatives. This ability is an important property for the successful infection of brassicaceous plants. Previously, we identified a transcription factor, Bdtf1, essential for the detoxification of brassinin and full virulence. To discover genes that encode putative brassinin-digesting enzymes, we compared gene expression profiles between a mutant strain of the transcription factor and wild-type A. brassicicola under two different experimental conditions. A total of 170 and 388 genes were expressed at higher levels in the mutants than the wild type during the infection of host plants and saprophytic growth in the presence of brassinin, respectively. In contrast, 93 and 560 genes were expressed, respectively, at lower levels in the mutant than the wild type under the two conditions. Fifteen of these genes were expressed at lower levels in the mutant than in the wild type under both conditions. These genes were assumed to be important for the detoxification of brassinin and included Bdtf1 and 10 putative enzymes. This list of genes provides a resource for the discovery of enzyme-coding genes important in the chemical modification of brassinin.
Effects of Single Amino Acid Substitution on the Biophysical Properties and Biological Activities of an Amphipathic α-Helical Antibacterial Peptide Against Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Tan Juanjuan , Huang Jinfeng , Huang Yibing , Chen Yuxin
Published: July 2014

An antimicrobial peptide, known as V13K, was utilized as the framework to study the effects of charge, hydrophobicity and helicity on the biophysical properties and biological activities of α-helical peptides. Six amino acids (Lys, Glu, Gly, Ser, Ala, and Leu) were individually used to substitute the original hydrophobic valine at the selected sixteenth location on the non-polar face of V13K. The results showed that the single amino acid substitutions changed the hydrophobicity of peptide analogs as monitored by RP-HPLC, but did not cause significant changes on peptide secondary structures both in a benign buffer and in a hydrophobic environment. The biological activities of the analogs exhibited a hydrophobicity-dependent behavior. The mechanism of peptide interaction with the outer membrane and cytoplasmic membrane of Gram-negative bacteria was investigated. We demonstrated that this single amino acid substitution method has valuable potential for the rational design of antimicrobial peptides with enhanced activities.
Cudarflavone B Provides Neuroprotection against Glutamate-Induced Mouse Hippocampal HT22 Cell Damage through the Nrf2 and PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathways
Authors: Lee Dong-Sung , Ko Wonmin , Kim Dong-Cheol , Kim Youn-Chul , Jeong Gil-Saeng
Published: July 2014

Oxidative cell damage contributes to neuronal degeneration in many central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and ischemia. Nrf2 signaling-mediated heme oxygenase (HO)-1 expression acts against oxidants that are thought to play a key role in the pathogenesis of neuronal diseases. Cudraflavone B is a prenylated flavone isolated from C. tricuspidata which has shown anti-proliferative activity, mouse brain monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitory effects, apoptotic actions in human gastric carcinoma cells and mouse melanoma cells, and hepatoprotective activity. In this study, cudraflavone B showed neuroprotective effects and reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibition against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity by inducing the expression of HO-1 in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. Furthermore, cudraflavone B caused the nuclear accumulation of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and increased the promoter activity of antioxidant response elements (ARE) in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. In addition, we found that the Nrf2-midiated HO-1 expression by cudraflavone B is involved in the cell protective response and ROS reductions, and cudraflavone B-induced expression of HO-1 was mediated through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway in HT22 cells. Our results demonstrated the potential application of naturally occurring cudraflavone B as a therapeutic agent from neurodegenerative disease.
Pain Management in Ambulatory Surgery—A Review
Authors: Jakobsson Jan
Published: July 2014

Day surgery, coming to and leaving the hospital on the same day as surgery as well as ambulatory surgery, leaving hospital within twenty-three hours is increasingly being adopted. There are several potential benefits associated with the avoidance of in-hospital care. Early discharge demands a rapid recovery and low incidence and intensity of surgery and anaesthesia related side-effects; such as pain, nausea and fatigue. Patients must be fit enough and symptom intensity so low that self-care is feasible in order to secure quality of care. Preventive multi-modal analgesia has become the gold standard. Administering paracetamol, NSIADs prior to start of surgery and decreasing the noxious influx by the use of local anaesthetics by peripheral block or infiltration in surgical field prior to incision and at wound closure in combination with intra-operative fast acting opioid analgesics, e.g., remifentanil, have become standard of care. Single preoperative 0.1 mg/kg dose dexamethasone has a combined action, anti-emetic and provides enhanced analgesia. Additional α-2-agonists and/or gabapentin or pregabalin may be used in addition to facilitate the pain management if patients are at risk for more pronounced pain. Paracetamol, NSAIDs and rescue oral opioid is the basic concept for self-care during the first 3–5 days after common day/ambulatory surgical procedures.
Efficient Learning of Spatial Patterns with Multi-Scale Conditional Random Fields for Region-Based Classification
Authors: Alioscha-Perez Mitchel , Sahli Hichem
Published: July 2014

Automatic image classification is of major importance for a wide range of applications and is supported by a complex process that usually requires the identification of individual regions and spatial patterns (contextual information) among neighboring regions within images. Hierarchical conditional random fields (CRF) consider both multi-scale and contextual information in a unified discriminative probabilistic framework, yet they suffer from two main drawbacks. On the one hand, their current classification performance still leaves space for improvement, mostly due to the use of very simple or inappropriate pairwise energy expressions to model complex spatial patterns; on the other hand, their training remains complex, particularly for multi-class problems. In this work, we investigated alternative pairwise energy expressions to better account for class transitions and developed an efficient parameters learning strategy for the resultant expression. We propose: (i) a multi-scale CRF model with novel energies that involves information related to the multi-scale image structure; and (ii) an efficient maximum margin parameters learning procedure where the complex learning problem is decomposed into simpler individual multi-class sub-problems. During experiments conducted on several well-known satellite image data sets, the suggested multi-scale CRF exhibited between a 1% and 15% accuracy improvement compared to other works. We also found that, on different multi-scale decompositions, the total number of regions and their average size have a direct impact on the classification results.
A Sensor Fusion Method for Tracking Vertical Velocity and Height Based on Inertial and Barometric Altimeter Measurements
Authors: Sabatini Angelo , Genovese Vincenzo
Published: July 2014

A sensor fusion method was developed for vertical channel stabilization by fusing inertial measurements from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and pressure altitude measurements from a barometric altimeter integrated in the same device (baro-IMU). An Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) estimated the quaternion from the sensor frame to the navigation frame; the sensed specific force was rotated into the navigation frame and compensated for gravity, yielding the vertical linear acceleration; finally, a complementary filter driven by the vertical linear acceleration and the measured pressure altitude produced estimates of height and vertical velocity. A method was also developed to condition the measured pressure altitude using a whitening filter, which helped to remove the short-term correlation due to environment-dependent pressure changes from raw pressure altitude. The sensor fusion method was implemented to work on-line using data from a wireless baro-IMU and tested for the capability of tracking low-frequency small-amplitude vertical human-like motions that can be critical for stand-alone inertial sensor measurements. Validation tests were performed in different experimental conditions, namely no motion, free-fall motion, forced circular motion and squatting. Accurate on-line tracking of height and vertical velocity was achieved, giving confidence to the use of the sensor fusion method for tracking typical vertical human motions: velocity Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) was in the range 0.04–0.24 m/s; height RMSE was in the range 5–68 cm, with statistically significant performance gains when the whitening filter was used by the sensor fusion method to track relatively high-frequency vertical motions.
Emotion Recognition from Single-Trial EEG Based on Kernel Fisher’s Emotion Pattern and Imbalanced Quasiconformal Kernel Support Vector Machine
Authors: Liu Yi-Hung , Wu Chien-Te , Cheng Wei-Teng , Hsiao Yu-Tsung , Chen Po-Ming , Teng Jyh-Tong
Published: July 2014

Electroencephalogram-based emotion recognition (EEG-ER) has received increasing attention in the fields of health care, affective computing, and brain-computer interface (BCI). However, satisfactory ER performance within a bi-dimensional and non-discrete emotional space using single-trial EEG data remains a challenging task. To address this issue, we propose a three-layer scheme for single-trial EEG-ER. In the first layer, a set of spectral powers of different EEG frequency bands are extracted from multi-channel single-trial EEG signals. In the second layer, the kernel Fisher’s discriminant analysis method is applied to further extract features with better discrimination ability from the EEG spectral powers. The feature vector produced by layer 2 is called a kernel Fisher’s emotion pattern (KFEP), and is sent into layer 3 for further classification where the proposed imbalanced quasiconformal kernel support vector machine (IQK-SVM) serves as the emotion classifier. The outputs of the three layer EEG-ER system include labels of emotional valence and arousal. Furthermore, to collect effective training and testing datasets for the current EEG-ER system, we also use an emotion-induction paradigm in which a set of pictures selected from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) are employed as emotion induction stimuli. The performance of the proposed three-layer solution is compared with that of other EEG spectral power-based features and emotion classifiers. Results on 10 healthy participants indicate that the proposed KFEP feature performs better than other spectral power features, and IQK-SVM outperforms traditional SVM in terms of the EEG-ER accuracy. Our findings also show that the proposed EEG-ER scheme achieves the highest classification accuracies of valence (82.68%) and arousal (84.79%) among all testing methods.
MobiPag: Integrated Mobile Payment, Ticketing and Couponing Solution Based on NFC
Authors: Rodrigues Helena , José Rui , Coelho André , Melro Ana , Ferreira Marta , Cunha João , Monteiro Miguel , Ribeiro Carlos
Published: July 2014

Mobile payments still remain essentially an emerging technology, seeking to fill the gap between the envisioned potential and widespread usage. In this paper, we present an integrated mobile service solution based on the near field communication (NFC) protocol that was developed under a research project called MobiPag. The most distinctive characteristic of Mobipag is its open architectural model that allows multiple partners to become part of the payment value-chain and create solutions that complement payments in many unexpected ways. We describe the Mobipag architecture and how it has been used to support a mobile payment trial. We identify a set of design lessons resulting from usage experiences associated with real-world payment situations with NFC-enabled mobile phones. Based on results from this trial, we identify a number of challenges and guidelines that may help to shape future versions of NFC-based payment systems. In particular, we highlight key challenges for the initial phases of payment deployments, where it is essential to focus on scenarios that can be identified as more feasible for early adoption. We also have identified a fundamental trade-off between the flexibility supported by the Mobipag solution and the respective implications for the payment process, particularly on the users’ mental model.
From the Solution Processing of Hydrophilic Molecules to Polymer-Phthalocyanine Hybrid Materials for Ammonia Sensing in High Humidity Atmospheres
Authors: Gaudillat Pierre , Jurin Florian , Lakard Boris , Buron Cédric , Suisse Jean-Moïse , Bouvet Marcel
Published: July 2014

We have prepared different hybrid polymer-phthalocyanine materials by solution processing, starting from two sulfonated phthalocyanines, s-CoPc and CuTsPc, and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyethylene glycol (PEG), poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) (PAA-AM), poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and polyaniline (PANI) as polymers. We also studied the response to ammonia (NH3) of resistors prepared from these sensing materials. The solvent casted films, prepared from s-CoPc and PVP, PEG and PAA-AM, were highly insulating and very sensitive to the relative humidity (RH) variation. The incorporation of s-CoPc in PDDA by means of layer-by-layer (LBL) technique allowed to stabilize the film, but was too insulating to be interesting. We also prepared PANI-CuTsPc hybrid films by LBL technique. It allowed a regular deposition as evidenced by the linear increase of the absorbance at 688 nm as a function of the number of bilayers. The sensitivity to ammonia (NH3) of PANi-CuTsPc resistors was very high compared to that of individual materials, giving up to 80% of current decrease when exposed to 30 ppm NH3. Contrarily to what happens with neutral polymers, in PANI, CuTsPc was stabilized by strong electrostatic interactions, leading to a stable response to NH3, whatever the relative humidity in the range 10%–70%. Thus, the synergy of PANI with ionic macrocycles used as counteranions combined with their simple aqueous solution processing opens the way to the development of new gas sensors capable of operating in real world conditions.
Child Protection in Sport: Reflections on Thirty Years of Science and Activism
Authors: Brackenridge Celia , Rhind Daniel
Published: July 2014

This paper examines the responses of state and third sector agencies to the emergence of child abuse in sport since the mid-1980s. As with other social institutions such as the church, health and education, sport has both initiated its own child protection interventions and also responded to wider social and political influences. Sport has exemplified many of the changes identified in the brief for this special issue, such as the widening of definitional focus, increasing geographic scope and broadening of concerns to encompass health and welfare. The child protection agenda in sport was initially driven by sexual abuse scandals and has since embraced a range of additional harms to children, such as physical and psychological abuse, neglect and damaging hazing (initiation) rituals. Whereas in the 1990s, only a few sport organisations acknowledged or addressed child abuse and protection (notably, UK, Canada and Australia), there has since been rapid growth in interest in the issue internationally, with many agencies now taking an active role in prevention work. These agencies adopt different foci related to their overall mission and may be characterised broadly as sport-specific (focussing on abuse prevention in sport), children’s rights organisations (focussing on child protection around sport events) and humanitarian organisations (focussing on child development and protection through sport). This article examines how these differences in organisational focus lead to very different child protection approaches and “solutions”. It critiques the scientific approaches used thus far to inform activism and policy changes and ends by considering future challenges for athlete safeguarding and welfare.
Emergy Evaluation of Formal Education in the United States: 1870 to 2011
Authors: Campbell Daniel , Lu Hongfang
Published: July 2014

We evaluated the education system of the United States from 1870 to 2011 using emergy methods. The system was partitioned into three subsystems (elementary, secondary and college/university education) and the emergy inputs required to support each subsystem were determined for every year over the period of analysis. We calculated the emergy required to produce an individual with a given number of years of education by summing over the years of support needed to attain that level of education. In 1983, the emergy per individual ranged from 8.63E+16 semj/ind. for a pre-school student to 165.9E+16 semj/ind. for a Ph.D. with 2 years of postdoctoral experience. The emergy of teaching and learning per hour spent in this process was calculated as the sum of the emergy delivered by the education and experience of the teachers and the emergy brought to the process of learning by the students. The emergy of teaching and learning was about an order of magnitude larger than the annual emergy supporting the U.S. education system (i.e., the emergy inflows provided by the environment, energy and materials, teachers, entering students, goods and services). The implication is that teaching and learning is a higher order social process related to the development and maintenance of the national information cycle. Also, the results imply that there is a 10-fold return on the emergy invested in operating the education system of the United States.
Learning from the early adopters: developing the Digital Practitioner
Authors: Bennett Liz
Published: July 2014

This paper explores how Sharpe and Beetham’s Digital Literacies Framework which was derived to model students’ digital literacies, can be applied to lecturers’ digital literacy practices. Data from a small-scale phenomenological study of higher education lecturers who used Web 2.0 in their teaching and learning practices are used to examine if this pyramid model represents their motivations for adopting technology-enhanced learning in their pedagogic practices. The paper argues that whilst Sharpe and Beetham’s model has utility in many regards, these lecturers were mainly motivated by the desire to achieve their pedagogic goals rather than by a desire to become a digital practitioner.Keywords: pedagogic goal; belief; digital practitioner; motivation; framework; model(Published: 24 July 2014)Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2014, 22: 21453 -http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v22.21453
Sur le «cochon-planche» des Petites Antilles
Authors: Barrau Jacques
Published: July 2014

On the basis of historical documents, an attempt is made at elucidating the origins of the black «cochon-planche» of the Lesser Antilles.
Les jardins Baruya
Authors: Lory Jean-Luc
Published: July 2014

Les deux vallées occupées par les Baruya offrent un paysage similaire où de grandes zones se différencient clairement. Au fond de la vallée, le long des rivières, alternent les tarodières inondables avec les champs de cannes à sel. Plus haut, on trouve les villages entourés du réseau des jardins domestiques. Encore au-dessus se dessinent les mosaïques complexes des jardins où prolifèrent taros et patates-douces, dans un entrelac de parcelles attribuées selon la parenté des propriétaires du sol et aux membres du groupe d'entraide requis pour les tâches de mise en culture. Enfin, ultime niveau cultivé, celui des grands jardins de taros qui jouxte le domaine des brousses de chasse. Ces immenses jardins, les plus éloignés des lieux habités, regroupent souvent les habitants de plusieurs villages. Ilôts cultivés dans la forêt, les travaux de défrichage de ces unités de culture donnent lieu à des entreprises collectives valorisées cérémoniellement. Ce terroir ne laisse apparaître aucune inégalité frappante quant à sa distribution. Les terres de chacun des clans forment des franges verticales qui recouvrent en partie les divers sites de culture. Ainsi chaque individu peut être propriétaire de jardins ou de parcelles des différents types, il a donc accès à la totalité de l'éventail des ressources produites sur le terroir. Nul individu ou groupe d'individu, de par son statut, sa fonction, par son appartenance clanique ou lignagère n'est le détenteur de droits particuliers en rapport avec la mise en culture de la terre ou la récolte des produits. L'impératif d'accorder les différents cycles de défrichage aux divers genres de production et de milieu ne peut être respecté si le producteur peut compter sur une force de travail et une diversification dans la répartition des lopins cultivés qui dépassent les capacités de la famille étendue ou du lignage d'ego.

Enfin, la conservation, le maintien du stock et la circulation des boutures de taro qui pourraient faire l'objet d'une compétition et d'une appropriation « à forme autoritaire » sont en fait régis par un code spécifique dont la nature s'apparente au mode d'échange direct ou restreint des femmes, forme de mariage qui sert de référence aux alliances des membres de la tribu.
Influence des plantes adventices sur les plantes de culture : quelques résultats
Authors: Mosango M.
Published: July 2014

L'auteur tente de mettre en évidence certaines relations entre les mauvaises herbes et les plantes cultivées et la compétence qui existe entre ces plantes pour l'absorption des matières nutritives.
Le cocotier et ses usages à Nauru (cocotier : ini)
Authors: Petit-Skinner Solange
Published: July 2014

L'auteur nous propose une description aussi précise que documentée des différents usages du cocotier et de chacune de ses parties par la population de l'île de Nauru.
L'appréciation de la fertilité d'un sol par les Dayaks du Kalimantan
Authors: Levang Patrice
Published: July 2014

The author treats a subject trat is rarely studied, namely folk techniques of evaluation soil fertility. This article explain how the Dayaks of Kalimentan class soils according to their fertility and shaws how this classification does not contradict the results obtained by pedological studies.
Raphia hookeri et Raphia vinifera au Bénin : répartition, principaux types de peuplements, évolution sous l'action de l'homme
Authors: De Sousa S. , Profizi Jean-Pierre , Toukourou F.
Published: July 2014

Le genre Raphia (Palmae Lepidocaryoideae) est représenté au Sud du Bénin par Raphia hookeri Mann & Wendl. et Raphia vinifera P. de Beauv. Ces espèces occupent les bas-fonds marécageux du domaine guinéen sur des sols tourbeux à hydromorphie permanente et à nappe d'eau douce affleurante. La répartition et les principaux types de peuplement à Raphia sont donnés : (a) touffes dispersées au sein de forêts ombrophiles marécageuses ou de galeries forestières peu dégradées ; (b) peuplements presque purs dans une forêt marécageuse très dégradée ; (c) plantations entretenues ; (d) touffes isolées dans les marécages à plantes herbacées. Ces peuplements représentent des résultats de l'activité anthropique.
Les champignons contaminant le manioc frais dans la ville de Kisangani
Authors: Bigawa Samuel
Published: July 2014

La détermination des champignons contaminant le manioc frais exposé à l'air a été effectuée à deux stations périphériques du centre de la ville de Kisangani pendant les périodes les plus sèches de l'année. Les genres Aspergellus, Fusarium, Monilia, Mucor, et Pénicillium ont été identifiés. Le genre Fusarium était le moins fréquent par rapport aux quatre autres genres.
Introduction à la végétation, à la flore et aux noms vernaculaires de l'île de Pentecôte (Vanuatu)
Authors: Cabalion Pierre , Morat Ph.
Published: July 2014

Les auteurs apportent ici tous les éléments d'une étude ethnobotanique et ethnolin- guistique des plantes indigènes et introduites de l'île de Pentecôte (Vanuatu).
D'Acorus à Zingiber : taxinomie et usages des plantes cultivées chez les Yafar de Nouvelle-Guinée
Authors: Juillerat Bernard
Published: July 2014

Après avoir présenté l'essartage yafar sur le plan technique (JATBA, XXX, 1, 1983), l'auteur donne ici la liste des plantes cultivées par cette société du Sépik occidental, avec leur taxinomie et leurs noms indigènes, leurs modes de culture et leurs usages.
Moissonneurs européens d'hier ? Moissonneuses indiennes d'aujourd'hui ? Contribution à l'étude de « la femme et l'outil »
Authors: Beutler Corinne
Published: July 2014

The observation of a harvest scene near Delhi has led the author to examine the different stages of the sexual division of labour in western Europe prior to agricultural mechanisation. The utilization of the sickle by men and women as in India today has yielded to a sexual division of the harvesting only since the evolution of the harvesting tool the handling of which had become very difficult.
L'agriculture sur brûlis chez quelques communautés d'amérindiens et de noirs réfugiés de Guyane française
Authors: Gely Anne
Published: July 2014

This study shows the principal characteristics of Indian and Negro swidden cultivation in French Guyana. The relations between agriculture and environment intends to explain the agricultural evolution in a given regional context, and to determine the role of socio-cultural, economical and ecological factors in this evolution.
La production de sel végétal chez les Anga (Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée)
Authors: Lemonnier Pierre
Published: July 2014

La technologie comparée de la production de « sel » végétal dans les différents groupes anga fait ressortir la spécificité du sel baruya. dont M. Godelier a naguère étudié la fabrication et le rôle de monnaie. Sa méthode de production et sa composition chimique (part relative du KC1), qui semble elle-même résulter de l'utilisation exclusive de Coïx gigantea, confirment son originalité au sein des autres sels anga, déjà attestée par les Anga eux-mêmes : pour sa présentation, son goût, ses propriétés rituelles et ses utilisations, le sel baruya est partout considéré comme un produit différent. Ce sel est, à côté d'autres produits (arcs, flèches, maisons, capes d'écorce, etc.) le résultat de techniques dont la variabilité au sein des douze groupes anga traduit l'existence de principes classificateurs de la culture matérielle.
Le profil génétique du mouton du Berry et du Poitou au XVe siècle d'après les « Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry »
Authors: Lauvergne J.-J. , Renieri C.
Published: July 2014

Sur 6 des miniatures du manuscrit français du XVe siècle « Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry » conservé au Musée Condé de Chantilly on distingue 8 troupeaux de brebis totalisant 246 femelles adultes. Les animaux sont sans cornes, à oreille moyenne et dressée, à queue longue et fine, à chanfrein droit, à toison semi-ouverte, semi-fine et moyennement étendue. La couleur dominante est le blanc (78 % des animaux) suivi par le tout noir (eumélanique noir) (21 %) et par le pie noir (1 %). La variété blanche se rapproche fort de l'actuelle race Berrichonne de l'Indre, avec, toutefois, un format plus réduit, d'au moins 15% en taille. La variété noire semble également être le résultat d'une sélection délibérée pour la couleur.
L'association agriculture-élevage en Côte d'Ivoire septentrionale. Utilisation des déjections animales à des fins agricoles
Authors: Bernardet Philippe
Published: July 2014

L'auteur rend compte des informations qu'il a pu obtenir lors d'une mission en Côte d'Ivoire sur l'utilisation des déjections animales en milieu traditionnel et tente de montrer comment l'emploi d'un sous-produit à des fins productives peut être source de progrès et tendre à la transformation des rapports de production.
Aperçu écologique de l'Ethiopie
Authors: Le Houérou H.-N.
Published: July 2014

L'Ethiopie est à la fois un carrefour biogéographique et un massif montagneux. Ce sont là des conditions éminemment favorables pour la spéciation génétique. Les plantes caractéristiques de la flore spontanée et cultivée de chaque zone altitudinale sont passées en revue. Une vingtaine d'espèces eudémiques cultivées sont répertoriées.
Quelques considérations sur les riz gluants (Oryza sativa L. var. glutinosa), étude préliminaire
Authors: Abe Yoshio
Published: July 2014

In order to define the waxy (« glutinous ») rice, we examined the botanical and biochemical characters, the geographical distribution of waxy varieties in Asia and their subdivisions, and the designations of the waxy rice groups, as well as those of the non-waxy groups.
History and Ethnobotany of wheat in India
Authors: Kulshrestha V.P.
Published: July 2014

L'histoire, depuis les temps anciens, du froment sur le sous-continent indien est présenté à la lumière d'évidences à la fois connues et nouvelles. L'attention est portée sur l'origine du Triticum sphaerococcum qui autrefois prédominait dans les champs indiens et son extension à d'autres centres de culture. De l'état de « nourriture de condamnés » à l'état actuel de la T culture (en importance) le froment est traité en tenant compte de son impact sur la société et de ses usages dans de nombreux types de recettes.
Collection of Kaura, Fara-Fara and Guineense sorghums in Northern Nigeria
Authors: Prasada Rao K.E. , Obilana A.T. , Mengesha Melak H.
Published: July 2014

Le sorgho est la principale culture vivrière de la région nord du Nigeria. Bien qu'une grande partie de la variabilité génétique du sorgho ait été collectée au Nigeria, très peu des types Kaura, Fara-fara, et Guinéense sont actuellement disponibles dans la collection mondiale à l'ICRISAT. Suite à une demande pressante des sélectionneurs du sorgho, une collection spécifique de ces types a été entamée. Les types Kaura, (surtout des durra-caudatum), sont des sorghos à rendement élevé qui s'adaptent quelque peu aux conditions hydriques faibles. Les types Fara-fara (surtout des guinée-caudatum) sont des variétés hâtives à rendement élevé, dont les grains blancs sont appréciés par la plupart des paysans. Les sorghos de type Guinéense (Race : Guinée, sous-race : Guinéense) ont des grains blancs cornés résistants aux altérations. Les pieds de type Guinéense observés ont été presque exempts des dégâts causés par des insectes ravageurs ou par des maladies par rapport au type Kaura qui est sensible aux maladies et aux attaques des insectes ravageurs. Les populations locales originaires du Nigeria du nord s'avèrent prometteuses dans les programmes de l'amélioration pour les zones tropicales semi-airdes en Afrique de l'Ouest. Le matériel prélevé a été amené à I'Icrisat, rajeuni et conservé dans la banque des ressources génétiques de l'Institut.
Recherches sur l'Ethnobotanique des Tamang du Massif du Ganesh Himal (Népal central) : les plantes non cultivées
Authors: Toffin Gérard , Wiart J.
Published: July 2014

Les plantes sauvages, ligneuses ou herbacées, sont massivement présentes dans l'économie familiale des Tamang du Népal central. Les plantes non cultivées utilisées par l'homme, qu'elles soient alimentaires, médicinales, religieuses, saponifères, textiles ou tinctoriales, ont été inventoriées systématiquement dans deux villages de cette région. Quelques procès techniques de préparation et de transformation de ces plantes sont décrits. L'importance du bois, le choix des essences forestières selon les différents usages, et les besoins annuels de la population en biomasse ligneuse sont indiqués en détail. Un corpus lexical aussi complet que possible répertorie les noms des végétaux en tamang. Le recul actuellement observé des superficies forestières compromet non seulement l'approvisionnement en bois, mais aussi la fourniture en sous-produits forestiers si nécessaire à l'équilibre de l'économie domestique villageoise.