bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fixed Bed Adsorption of 2‐Naphthalenesulfonic Acid from Aqueous Solution by Composite Resin
Authors: Jia Dong M. , Li Ya P. , Li Yue J. , Li Yong G. , Li Chang H.
Published: March 2013

Adsorption behavior of the iron impregnated, weakly basic resin D301 (Fe‐D301) for removal of 2‐naphthalenesulfonic acid (2‐NSA) from aqueous solution was studied by using a fixed‐bed column. The effects of process variables such as bed height, flow rate, and coexisting ions were investigated. The results indicated that the breakpoint and exhaustion point increased with increasing bed height and decreased with increasing 2‐NSA flowrate. Experimental data showed a strong fit to the Bed Depth Service Time model. The coexisting ions in the 2‐NSA solution had a clear effect on the breakthrough volume. The high extent of recovery of 2‐NSA with good reproducibility provided an effective method for the separation of 2‐NSA by the adsorbent Fe‐D301.
Hydraulic and Hydrogeochemical Characteristics of a Riverbank Filtration Site in Rural India
Authors: Boving T. B. , Choudri B. S. , Cady P. , Cording A. , Patil K. , Reddy Veerabaswant
Published: March 2013

A riverbank filtration (RBF) system was tested along the Kali River in rural part of the state of Karnataka in India. The polluted river and water from open wells served the local population as their principal irrigation water resource and some used it for drinking. Four RBF wells (up to 25 m deep) were installed. The mean hydraulic conductivity of the well field is 6.3 × 10−3 cm/s and, based on Darcy's law, the water travel time from the river to the principal RBF well (MW3) is 45.2 days. A mixing model based on dissolved silica concentrations indicated that, depending on the distance from the river and closeness to irrigated rice fields, approximately 27 to 73% of the well water originated from groundwater. Stable isotopic data indicates that a fraction of the water was drawn in from the nearby rice fields that were irrigated with river water. Relative to preexisting drinking water sources (Kali River and an open well), RBF well water showed lower concentration of dissolved metals (60.1% zinc, 27.8% cadmium, 83.9% lead, 75.5% copper, 100% chromium). This study demonstrates that RBF technology can produce high‐quality water from low‐quality surface water sources in a rural, tropical setting typical for many emerging economies. Further, in parts of the world where flood irrigation is common, RBF well water may draw in infiltrated irrigation water, which possibly alters its geochemical composition. A combination of more than one mixing model, silica together with stable isotopes, was shown to be useful explaining the origin of the RBF water at this study site.
Post‐Treatment of Coking Industry Wastewater by the Electro‐Fenton Process
Authors: Güçlü Dünyamin , Şahinkaya Serkan , Şirin Nazan
Published: March 2013

Effluents of the coking industry cannot be effectively treated in biological treatment units because of non‐biodegradable organic matters and phenolic compounds present in the wastewater. In this study, post‐treatment of biologically treated coking wastewater via the electro‐Fenton process was investigated to minimize the effects of discharge of this kind of wastewater on the environment. The electro‐Fenton experiments were performed using cast iron electrodes. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and phenol were selected as the target parameters. The optimum operating conditions were as follows: reaction time = 10 minutes, pH = 3.0, electrical current = 1.0 A, and [H2O2] = 2000 mg/L. Under these conditions, COD and phenol removal efficiencies were 67.8% and 98.0%, respectively. In addition, it was determined that COD removal followed first‐order reaction kinetics. Consequently, the electro‐Fenton process was determined as an effective alternative post‐treatment method for coking industry effluents.
Diagnosing Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis in Patients Without Signs of Soft Tissue Infection by Coupling Hybrid 67Ga SPECT/CT With Bedside Percutaneous Bone Puncture
Authors: Aslangul Elisabeth , M’Bemba Jocelyne , Caillat-Vigneron Nadine , Coignard Sophie , Larger Etienne , Boitard Christian , Lipsky Benjamin A.
Published: March 2013

OBJECTIVE

Successful treatment of osteomyelitis is more likely with accurate diagnosis and identification of the causative pathogens. This typically requires obtaining a specimen of bone, usually by image-guided biopsy. We sought to develop a simpler bedside method for definitively diagnosing osteomyelitis.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Over 2 years, we enrolled consecutive patients presenting to our diabetic foot clinic with a foot ulcer and clinically suspected osteomyelitis but without soft tissue infection. Each underwent hybrid 67Ga single-photon emission computed tomography and X-ray computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging; those with a positive scan underwent bedside percutaneous bone puncture. Patients with a positive bone culture received culture-guided antibiotic therapy. Patients with negative 67Ga SPECT/CT imaging or with positive imaging but negative bone culture were not treated with antibiotics. All patients were followed up for ≥1 year.

RESULTS

Among 55 patients who underwent 67Ga SPECT/CT imaging, 13 had negative results and all of their foot ulcers resolved without antibiotic therapy. Among 42 with positive imaging, 2 were excluded (for recent antibiotic therapy) and 40 had bone punctures (3 punctured twice): 19 had negative results, 3 of which were likely false negatives, and 24 had positive results (all gram-positive cocci). At follow-up, 3 patients had died, 3 had undergone amputation, and 47 had no evidence of foot infection. The sensitivity and specificity of this combined method were 88.0 and 93.6%, respectively, and the positive and negative predictive values were 91.7 and 90.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Coupling of 67Ga SPECT/CT imaging and bedside percutaneous bone puncture appears to be accurate and safe for diagnosing diabetic foot osteomyelitis in patients without signs of soft tissue infection, obviating the need for antibiotic treatment in 55% of suspected cases.
Outcome of ventriculoperitoneal shunt implantation for treatment of congenital internal hydrocephalus in dogs and cats: 36 cases (2001–2009)
Authors: Biel Miriam , Kramer Martin , Forterre Franck , Jurina Konrad , Lautersack Oliver , Failing Klaus , Schmidt Martin J.
Published: March 2013

Objective—To examine outcome data for cats and dogs with congenital internal hydrocephalus following treatment via ventriculoperitoneal shunting to determine treatment-associated changes in neurologic signs, the nature and incidence of postoperative complications, and survival time.

Design—Retrospective multicenter case series.

Animals—30 dogs and 6 cats with congenital internal hydrocephalus (confirmed via CT or MRI).

Procedures—Medical records for dogs and cats with internal hydrocephalus that underwent unilateral ventriculoperitoneal shunt implantation from 2001 through 2009 were evaluated. Data collected included the nature and incidence of postoperative complications, change in clinical signs following surgery, and survival time. To compare pre- and postoperative signs, 2-way frequency tables were analyzed with a 1-sided exact McNemar test.

Results—8 of 36 (22%) animals developed postoperative complications, including shunt malfunction, shunt infection, and seizure events. Three dogs underwent shunt revision surgery. Thirteen (36%) animals died as a result of hydrocephalus-related complications or were euthanized. Following shunt implantation, clinical signs resolved in 7 dogs and 2 cats; overall, 26 (72%) animals had an improvement of clinical signs. After 18 months, 20 animals were alive, and the longest follow-up period was 9.5 years. Most deaths and complications occurred in the first 3 months after shunt placement.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that ventriculoperitoneal shunt implantation is a viable option for treatment of dogs or cats with congenital hydrocephalus. Because complications are most likely to develop in the first 3 months after surgery, repeated neurologic and imaging evaluations are warranted during this period.
Uterine bacterial isolates from mares and their resistance to antimicrobials: 8,296 cases (2003–2008)
Authors: Davis Heather A. , Stanton Mary Beth , Thungrat Kamoltip , Boothe Dawn M.
Published: March 2013

Objective—To describe bacteria isolated from reproductive tracts of mares and to examine the extent and patterns of resistance to antimicrobials commonly used for treatment of endometritis.

Design—Retrospective case series.

Sample—8,296 uterine swab, lavage, or biopsy samples obtained between January 2003 and December 2008 from 7,665 horses in central Florida.

Procedures—Results of bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were obtained for uterine swab, lavage, and biopsy samples collected from mares undergoing a routine breeding examination or examined because of a reproductive disorder. Bacterial organisms were identified by means of standard techniques, and proportions of samples resistant to various antimicrobials were determined.

Results—At least 95% of samples (n = 1,451) were collected with uterine swabs. Potentially pathogenic organisms were cultured from 2,576 (31%) samples, with Escherichia coli (n = 729 [29%]) and β-hemolytic Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemicus (733 [28%]) being most common. Resistance to antimicrobials changed over time for E coli, S equi subsp zooepidemicus, and Enterobacteriaceae isolates. Overall, E coli was most resistant to trimethoprim-sulfonamide and ampicillin and least to amikacin and enrofloxacin. For S equi subsp zooepidemicus, resistance was greatest to oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin and least to ceftiofur and ticarcillin with or without clavulanic acid. Inflammatory response was greater for S equi subsp zooepidemicus.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—E coli and S equi subsp zooepidemicus were the most common pathogens recovered from uterine samples, with S equi subsp zooepidemicus more commonly associated with inflammation. Antimicrobials most commonly used empirically to treat endometritis are appropriate on the basis of these data. However, as antimicrobial resistance changes over time, susceptibility assays should aid antimicrobial selection.
Fragmentation of the proximal tubercle of the talus in horses: 9 cases (2004–2010)
Authors: Espinosa Pablo , Lacourt Mathieu , Alexander Kate , David Florent , Laverty Sheila
Published: March 2013

Objective—To identify the prevalence of fragmentation of the proximal tubercle of the talus (FPTT) in a hospital population of horses, characterize the anatomic features of the affected area and fragments, and describe clinical findings, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome for horses with FPTT.

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—9 horses with FPTT.

Procedures—2,543 radiographic views of the tarsal region of 1,526 horses that were evaluated between June 2004 and December 2010 were reviewed. Medical case records for horses with detectable FPTT were retrieved, and signalment, history, clinical signs, diagnostic methods, treatment, and outcome were recorded for assessment.

Results—9 horses (median age, 5 years; age range, 1 to 12 years) with FPTT were identified. Seven horses were warmbloods. Diagnosis was made on the basis of radiographic findings, occasionally along with results of ultrasonography and CT. The only horse that was lame in the affected limb had a history of a prior traumatic event and resultant lateral tibial malleolus fracture. One horse underwent arthroscopy, but fragments were not found and were presumed to be extra-articular. Outcome was available for 7 horses; mean ± SD duration of stable radiographic and clinical examination findings was 3 ± 1 years (range, 1 to 4 years).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—FPTT appeared to occur more frequently in warmbloods and was not usually associated with lameness. Affected horses remained clinically and radiographically stable over time. These data have provided some information regarding the importance of FPTT for practitioners who perform radiographic screenings during prepurchase examinations.
Some Polymorphisms in Epstein-Barr Virus–induced Gene 3 Modify the Risk for Chronic Rhinosinusitis
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Wang Chengshuo , Zhao Yanming , Zhang Luo
Published: March 2013

Background

Forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3), a transcription factor required for development and function of regulatory T cell, and Epstein-Barr virus–induced gene 3 (EBI3), a downstream target of FOXP3, may be important in the development of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with or without sinonasal polyposis (CRSwNP and CRSsNP, respectively). Our objective was therefore to examine the presence of any associations between specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in/around the FOXP3 and EBI3 genes and risk for CRS in Chinese subjects. A population-based case–control association analysis was performed.

Methods

DNA extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes from 667 subjects with CRS (360 CRSwNP and 306 CRSsNP) and 330 healthy controls was assessed for SNPs selected and complemented with tagging SNPs. A total of seven SNPs (4 in FOXP3 and 3 in EBI3 genes) were genotyped and genetic association tests were performed.

Results

In the single-locus analyses of CRS risk, the allele frequencies of rs428253 (p = 0.0191) in EBI3 gene and rs2232365 (p = 0.0307) and rs3761548 (p = 0.0221) in FOXP3 gene were significantly different between the CRS cases and the controls. Furthermore, genotype association analysis showed a significant protective effect only between EBI3_rs428253 (CG/CC; p = 0.029) and CRS after adjustment. Similarly, stratified analysis of CRS risk on category showed rs428253 of the EBI3 gene to play a protective role among both CRSwNP (CG/CC; p = 0.002) and CRSsNP (GG/CC; p = 0.023) subjects. Haplotype analysis of the FOXP3 gene region further indicated that CRS risk was higher in individuals carrying the haplotype GG in rs2294018–rs2232365 block, compared with wild-type AG haplotype, and AG in rs3761548–4824747 block, compared with wild-type CG haplotype.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that SNPs in FOXP3 and EBI3 genes modify the risk for development of CRS.
Seasonal Variations in Physico-Chemical Characterstics of Tapi Estuary in Hazira Industrial Area
Authors: Gadhia M , Surana R , Ansari E
Published: March 2013

Present study was carried out to determine the important physico chemical parameters of water of Tapi estuary in Hazira industrial area. Tapi estuary receives the inputs of organic matter and nutrients coming from the domestic wastewater discharges from Surat City, a textile hub as well as industrial effluents from Hazira, a major industrial Complex of Gujarat, India. Uncontrolled discharges of domestic wastes and industrial effluents have affected the estuary. Present study was carried out from June - 2011 to May 2012 to study the impacts of uncontrolled discharges on physicochemical characteristics of water. Samples were collected monthly in the morning during low tide to determine the important physico chemical parameters Viz. Turbidity, conductivity, total solid, total dissolved solid, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, BOD, COD, Calcium, chloride, sodium , potassium and nutrients like nitrate, nitrite and phosphate. Dissolved oxygen was found extremely low during the study period. High biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen demand (COD) showed that the water quality of estuary has been affected by industrial and domestic effluents. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/on.v10i1.7811
A Company with Sovereignty and Subjects of Its Own? The Case of the Hudson's Bay Company, 1670–1763
Authors: Cavanagh Edward
Published: March 2013

Questions about the ways in which colonial subjects were acquired and maintained, and how it was that multiple and often contradictory sovereignties came to overlap in history, may not be purely academic. We raise them today because they spring from issues that remain unresolved, concerning rights to land, resources, and self-determination. Following recent scholarship on the English East India Company, the author redefines the Hudson's Bay Company, during the period before widespread settler colonialism, as a state (or “company-state”), and in this way argues that the HBC-state possessed its own kind of sovereignty. The article make three main arguments: that it was up to the HBC, not the Crown, to found Rupert's Land, defend its establishments, make alliances with locals, and challenge intruders; that HBC rule extended to cover not only the company's employees but, eventually, an indigenous “home guard” population; and that the HBC welfare regime transformed the relationship between ruler and ruled.
Introduction: Le désenchantement de la pensée juridique critique?
Authors: Coutu Michel , Guibentif Pierre
Published: March 2013

Le thème du pluralisme juridique hante la sociologie du droit depuis ses origines. Pour ne citer que ces exemples, déjà Eugen Ehrlich avait l'ambition de saisir la «diversité multicolore de la vie juridique». Et Max Weber distinguait le droit extra-étatique du droit étatique, objet formel de la science normative du droit. Le concept de pluralisme juridique, introduit plus tard pour saisir cette diversité, donnera lieu, comme on sait, à une ligne de travail spécifique dans le domaine «droit et société», matérialisée en particulier par la revue publiée depuis 1981 sous le titre Journal of Legal Pluralism; et il suscitera de stimulants débats. Jean-Guy Belley a apporté une contribution centrale à ces débats, notamment en signant l'entrée «Pluralisme juridique» du Dictionnaire encyclopédique de théorie et de sociologie du droit publié en 1988. Déjà bien des années plus tôt, il avait engagé une démarche rigoureuse de recherche centrée sur le pluralisme juridique comme paradigme fondamental de la science du droit. D'abord par sa thèse de doctorat complétée à Paris en 1977 sous la direction de Jean Carbonnier, par la suite comme professeur de droit des contrats et de sociologie du droit à la faculté de droit de l'Université Laval, enfin comme titulaire d'une Chaire de droit privé à l'université McGill. Ce rapport savant au pluralisme juridique s'est avant tout déployé sur le terrain de la sociologie du droit, une vaste entreprise dont le point culminant fut la publication, en 1998, de l'ouvrage Le contrat entre droit, économie et société.
John R. Commons et Max Weber: les fondements d'une sociologie économique et pluraliste du droit
Authors: Coutu Michel , Kirat Thierry
Published: March 2013

Dans ce texte, Michel Coutu et Thierry Kirat insistent sur l'intérêt central porté par Jean-Guy Belley aux rapports entre droit et économie, dont témoigne entre autres son ouvrage capital sur la pratique contractuelle de la multinationale Alcan. Les auteurs déplorent, à cet égard, le peu d'attention porté généralement par la sociologie économique contemporaine, du moins jusqu'à une période récente, aux phénomènes juridiques. Ce désintérêt contraste avec la grande importance attachée par deux figures historiques de ce qu'est maintenant la «sociologie économique», soit Max Weber et John R. Commons, à l'étude minutieuse des rapports entre le droit et l'économie. En fait, pour Coutu et Kirat, un retour aux analyses fondatrices de Weber et Commons s'avère indispensable à une réinsertion de la dimension juridique dans les analyses socio-économiques. Les auteurs soulignent toutefois plusieurs divergences entre Commons et Weber qui ont trait à l'unité/hétérogénéité de l'économie et du droit, au rôle de l'éthique et à la recherche de «l'englobant» dans la construction des types idéaux, aux types de contraintes (psychique, économique, physique) caractéristiques du droit, enfin à la distinction entre le droit étatique et le droit extra-étatique. Ce dernier élément autorise Coutu et Kirat à concevoir, à l'instar de Jean-Guy Belley, la prise en considération de la pluralité juridique comme représentant un fil conducteur essentiel à l'étude sociologique de l'interaction entre le droit et l'économie.
Human Rights, Transsexed Bodies, and Health Care in Canada: What Counts as Legal Protection?
Authors: Mandlis Lane R.
Published: March 2013

Antidiscrimination legislation is the vehicle most commonly used by communities to demand equality, but how should such law best be employed? In this article, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal decision inHogan v. Ontario (Health and Long-term Care)is examined in relation to the removal of sex reassignment surgery from the Alberta Healthcare Insurance Plan in order to better understand the legal strategies designed to remedy different kinds of discrimination. This article argues that trans issues (involving people who identify as transgender, transsexual, or trans) ought not to be seen as additions to gay and lesbian issues legally or politically. Moreover, this article demonstrates that the fight for formal inclusion in legislation as a discrete or insular minority should be rejected by trans activists, as other legal strategies are better positioned to combat the processes of transphobia, thus potentially offering important steps towards substantive equality.
La théorie de la dissuasion remise en question par la rationalité du risque
Authors: Dubé Richard
Published: March 2013

Nous élaborons, dans cet article, une réflexion critique sur la portée générale que la théorie moderne de la dissuasion prête à la rationalité coûts/bénéfices dans sa conception du passage à l'acte en matière de droit criminel. Suivant les remarques de Niklas Luhmann et de Spencer Brown sur l'observation en tant qu'opération de distinction, nous exposons ce que voilent elles-mêmes les distinctions de la théorie de dissuasion, notamment en ce qui a trait à ces « autres rationalités »—autres que celle qui fut définie dans les termes d'un calcul coûts et bénéfices—pouvant, dans certaines conditions, orienter de façon significative le processus décisionnel du passage à l'acte. Au plan empirique, à partir d'extraits tirés d'entretiens qualitatifs que nous avons réalisés auprès d'individus ayant commis des crimes « graves », nous sommes en mesure d'appuyer cette hypothèse en mettant en évidence le mode opératoire d'une alternative, celle définie dans les termes de larationalité du risque. Notre analyse permet ainsi de remettre en question,pour le droit criminel, toute une série de postulats chers aux partisans de la dissuasion et de relancer à nouveaux frais,pour la science, un débat présentement stagnant autour des conditions d'efficacité ou d'opérationnalisation de la dissuasion pénale.
Remembering Inninimowin: The Language of the Human Beings
Authors: Koostachin Jules
Published: March 2013

Remembering Inninimowin is a two-year-long documentary film project on the personal journey of a Cree woman, Jules Koostachin, a member of Attawapiskat First Nation, as she starts to remember her first language, Inninimowin (Cree).
The Judicialization of Assisted Reproductive Technology Policy in Canada: Decentralization, Medicalization, and Mandatory Regulation
Authors: Snow Dave
Published: March 2013

This article examines the effect of two recent constitutional decisions that have altered the course of assisted-reproduction policy in Canada:Reference re Assisted Human Reproduction Act(2010) andPratten v British Columbia(2011). Together, the cases link a socially liberal conception of morality in federalism cases with an interventionist view of the state in Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms cases. This could result in a trend toward judicially mandated provincial, as opposed to federal, government action. These cases also provide further evidence of the judicialization of politics in Canada, whereby controversial moral and public-policy issues are increasingly determined in the courtroom.
En amont du pénal: étude empirique sur les modes sociaux d'identification des troubles selon la perspective vindicatoire
Authors: Strimelle Véronique
Published: March 2013

Dans les sociétés occidentales, quand on évoque la question de la régulation des conflits ou plus largement des troubles, ce sont surtout les modes de régulation pénale qui sont considérés comme les plus aptes à gérer la plupart de ces situations et à assurer la cohésion de la vie collective. Or, plusieurs recherches ont souligné que le système juridico-pénal réglait en fait très peu de situations conflictuelles. Ce constat amène alors à s'interroger sur l'existence d'autres modes de définition et de régulation des troubles qui contribueraient à maintenir la cohésion sociale sans en appeler nécessairement à une intervention extérieure ou institutionnelle. La présente étude explore cette hypothèse en s'intéressant plus particulièrement au vécu des conflits dans le quotidien. En analysant comment les gens identifient une situation problématique, nous essayons de voir si ces modes sociaux d'identification des troubles continuent à subsister et à quelles conditions cette survie est encore possible.
Creating Space for Indigenous Storytelling in Courts
Authors: Manley-Casimir Kirsten
Published: March 2013

This article advocates for the inclusion of intercultural dispute-resolution principles in Canadian courts to resolve conflicts between Indigenous communities and the Canadian state. These principles include judges' opening themselves up to discomfort, emotion, and unsettling in listening to Indigenous testimonies; facilitating ongoing processes for negotiation; and engaging the moral imagination to make court procedures more culturally appropriate for Indigenous testimonies. The author argues that by implementing these principles, courts can contribute to the creation of more respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
Terrorism Before the Letter: Benito Cereno and the 9/11 Commission Report
Authors: Traister Bryce
Published: March 2013

Abstract:

This essay argues that Herman Melville's 1855 novella, Benito Cereno, serves as a historical model for thinking through the construction of paranoid narrative in the 9/11 Commission Report. Melville's text invites a consideration of slavery's role in the preservation of status quo politics, and reveals the means by which the disclosure of secrecy becomes a condition for the legal fiction of slavery to persist. In purporting to reveal the hidden plot of contemporary anti-US terrorism, the US government's 9/11 Commission Report similarly manufactures an acceptable political fiction that compensates for a still deeper failure to promote democratic structures of feeling in response to national trauma.
The Maple Peril: From Presidential Policy to Pharmaceutical Importation, 1992–Present
Authors: Richert Lucas
Published: March 2013

Abstract:

In 2001, the safety of drugs purchased from other countries, especially Canada, became a major policy issue in the United States. A political and geographical line was drawn in the sand separating Canadian and American drugs. Canadian drugs were characterized as dangerous—“a maple peril.” This article explores the practice of cross-border drug reimportation and considers the Bush and Clinton administration's policies regarding the necessary balance between drug access, affordability, and safety. This paper suggests continuity rather than change typified these policies. It connects business, economic, and political history with public policy and it aims to furnish an interdisciplinary overview of the legislative and executive branches, as well pharmaceutical firms and consumers.
Rhetoric of Wounds: Trauma, Identity, and Interpersonal Relationships in Chuang Hua's Crossings
Authors: Nadon Natalie
Published: March 2013

Abstract:

Chuang Hua's Crossings is a novel that reflects the pressures on individuals and families as they struggle to make a life for themselves in exile, both literally and metaphorically. As the protagonist, Fourth Jane's own emotional and psychological wounds reflect those of her Chinese-American Family, as they attempt to find a sense of stability and cultural identity in spite of being displaced from China, their home, and their culture. Each in their own way, the characters of Crossings try to reconcile their prescribed roles within traditional Chinese culture, with their changing lives and surroundings in Europe and America. The medical imagery, as well as the images of blood and wounds in the text, reflect this need for stability and healing. The characters of Fourth Jane, Dyadya, and Ngmah frequently employ the comforting familiarity of medicine, traditions, and rituals to heal their inner wounds and find a sense of belonging.
Picture Books on Asian Transnational/-Racial Adoption
Authors: Chen Fu-jen
Published: March 2013

Abstract:

After an exploration on the function of picture books on Asian transnational/-racial adoption, this essay examines selected picture books that are divided into two groups: pre- and post-legal adoption narratives. I argue that in the course of demystifying the mono-ethnic or mono-cultural norm of kinship and family, a re-mystification simultaneously occurs in the narratives of both pre- and post-legal adoption picture books. Picture books may function to cultivate a healthy degree of psychological mobility and prepare adopted children to confront and later on even to assume a lack and a split they share with the Other.
“Living in your American skin”: Bruce Springsteen and the Possibility of Politics
Authors: Harde Roxanne
Published: March 2013

Abstract:

Springsteen's songs have a stake in our shared world. They also have the depth and the density of the best lyric poetry, and the narrative force and immediacy of the most enduring ballads. This essay reads Bruce Springsteen's lyrics as literature and as political narratives. Drawing on Rancière, Isin, and other political theorists, I examine Springsteen's politics and the ways of being political he has exemplified for more than thirty years.
Liberal Imperialism: Emerson and the Fate of Reading in America
Authors: Murphy Jonathan
Published: March 2013

Abstract:

This review article sets the revisionist readings of Daniel T. O'Hara in Visions of Global America and the Future of Critical Reading and Anthony Bogues in Empire of Liberty: Power, Desire, and Freedom alongside Neal Dolan's recuperative account of Emerson's Liberalism. The author argues that O'Hara and Bogues offer powerful criticisms of American hegemony and provide insightful analyses of the imperial rhetoric of liberty. Dolan's deeply informed study of the philosophical underpinnings of Emerson's Liberalism serves as an important corrective to the at times all-encompassing reach of New American scholarship, but his book benefits from being read in tandem with the political criticisms advanced by Bogues and O'Hara. All three critics are commendable for the courage and intelligence they bring to bear on the defining conflicts of our age, and for attempting to chart a way out of the current imperialist impasse.
Humanities
Authors: Wall Kathleen
Published: March 2013

Reviews of books on the humanities published in Canada in 1988.
Romans et Nouvelles
Authors: Marcotte Hélène
Published: March 2013

Reviews of French-Canadian fiction published in Canada in 1995.
Drama
Authors: Knowles Richard Paul
Published: March 2013

Reviews of drama published in Canada in 1995.
Bennett, A. & Hodkinson, P. (eds.) (2012). Ageing and Youth Cultures. Music, Style and Identity. London & New York: Berg, 208 pp. ISBN 978 1 84788 835 8 (paperback)
Authors: Laberge Yves
Published: March 2013

Not Available.
Andreas Hoff (ed.) (2011). Population Ageing in Central and Eastern Europe. Societal and Policy Implications. Farnham, UK & Burlington, VT, USA: Ashgate, 260 pp. ISBN 978 0 7546 7828 1 (hardback)
Authors: Klimczuk Andrzej
Published: March 2013

Not Available.
Christina R. Victor (2010). Aging, Health and Care. Bristol: The Policy Press, 224 pp. ISBN 978 1 84742 9 (paperback)
Authors: Matcha Duane A.
Published: March 2013

Not Available.
Aboveground Tree Biomass for Pinus ponderosa in Northeastern California
Authors: Ritchie Martin , Zhang Jianwei , Hamilton Todd
Published: March 2013

Forest managers need accurate biomass equations to plan thinning for fuel reduction or energy production. Estimates of carbon sequestration also rely upon such equations. The current allometric equations for ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) commonly employed for California forests were developed elsewhere, and are often applied without consideration potential for spatial or temporal variability. Individual-tree aboveground biomass allometric equations are presented from an analysis of 79 felled trees from four separate management units at Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest: one unthinned and three separate thinned units. A simultaneous set of allometric equations for foliage, branch and bole biomass were developed as well as branch-level equations for wood and foliage. Foliage biomass relationships varied substantially between units while branch and bole biomass estimates were more stable across a range of stand conditions. Trees of a given breast height diameter and crown ratio in thinned stands had more foliage biomass, but slightly less branch biomass than those in an unthinned stand. The observed variability in biomass relationships within Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest suggests that users should consider how well the data used to develop a selected model relate to the conditions in any given application.
Controlling the Nanoscale Patterning of AuNPs on Silicon Surfaces
Authors: Williams Sophie , Davies Philip , Bowen Jenna , Allender Chris
Published: March 2013

This study evaluates the effectiveness of vapour-phase deposition for creating sub-monolayer coverage of aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) on silicon in order to exert control over subsequent gold nanoparticle deposition. Surface coverage was evaluated indirectly by observing the extent to which gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) deposited onto the modified silicon surface. By varying the distance of the silicon wafer from the APTES source and concentration of APTES in the evaporating media, control over subsequent gold nanoparticle deposition was achievable to an extent. Fine control over AuNP deposition (AuNPs/μm2) however, was best achieved by adjusting the ionic concentration of the AuNP-depositing solution. Furthermore it was demonstrated that although APTES was fully removed from the silicon surface following four hours incubation in water, the gold nanoparticle-amino surface complex was stable under the same conditions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to study these affects.
Protein Kinase C Inhibitors as Modulators of Vascular Function and Their Application in Vascular Disease
Authors: Khalil Raouf
Published: March 2013

Blood pressure (BP) is regulated by multiple neuronal, hormonal, renal and vascular control mechanisms. Changes in signaling mechanisms in the endothelium, vascular smooth muscle (VSM) and extracellular matrix cause alterations in vascular tone and blood vessel remodeling and may lead to persistent increases in vascular resistance and hypertension (HTN). In VSM, activation of surface receptors by vasoconstrictor stimuli causes an increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), which forms a complex with calmodulin, activates myosin light chain (MLC) kinase and leads to MLC phosphorylation, actin-myosin interaction and VSM contraction. Vasoconstrictor agonists could also increase the production of diacylglycerol which activates protein kinase C (PKC). PKC is a family of Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent isozymes that have different distributions in various blood vessels, and undergo translocation from the cytosol to the plasma membrane, cytoskeleton or the nucleus during cell activation. In VSM, PKC translocation to the cell surface may trigger a cascade of biochemical events leading to activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and MAPK kinase (MEK), a pathway that ultimately increases the myofilament force sensitivity to [Ca2+]i, and enhances actin-myosin interaction and VSM contraction. PKC translocation to the nucleus may induce transactivation of various genes and promote VSM growth and proliferation. PKC could also affect endothelium-derived relaxing and contracting factors as well as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the extracellular matrix further affecting vascular reactivity and remodeling. In addition to vasoactive factors, reactive oxygen species, inflammatory cytokines and other metabolic factors could affect PKC activity. Increased PKC expression and activity have been observed in vascular disease and in certain forms of experimental and human HTN. Targeting of vascular PKC using PKC inhibitors may function in concert with antioxidants, MMP inhibitors and cytokine antagonists to reduce VSM hyperactivity in certain forms of HTN that do not respond to Ca2+ channel blockers.
Pressure Retarded Osmosis and Forward Osmosis Membranes: Materials and Methods
Authors: Alsvik Inger , Hägg May-Britt
Published: March 2013

In the past four decades, membrane development has occurred based on the demand in pressure driven processes. However, in the last decade, the interest in osmotically driven processes, such as forward osmosis (FO) and pressure retarded osmosis (PRO), has increased. The preparation of customized membranes is essential for the development of these technologies. Recently, several very promising membrane preparation methods for FO/PRO applications have emerged. Preparation of thin film composite (TFC) membranes with a customized polysulfone (PSf) support, electorspun support, TFC membranes on hydrophilic support and hollow fiber membranes have been reported for FO/PRO applications. These novel methods allow the use of other materials than the traditional asymmetric cellulose acetate (CA) membranes and TFC polyamide/polysulfone membranes. This review provides an outline of the membrane requirements for FO/PRO and the new methods and materials in membrane preparation.
A Silver Nanoparticle-Modified Evanescent Field Optical Fiber Sensor for Methylene Blue Detection
Authors: Luo Ji , Yao Jun , Lu Yonggang , Ma Wenying , Zhuang Xuye
Published: March 2013

A silver nanoparticle-modified evanescent field optical fiber sensor based on a MEMS microchannel chip has been successfully fabricated. Experimental results show that the sensor response decreases linearly with increasing concentration of analyte. Over a range of methylene blue concentrations from 0 to 0.4 μmol/mL, the sensor response is linear (R = 0.9496). A concentration variation of 0.1 μmol/mL can cause an absorbance change of 0.402 dB. Moreover, the optical responses of the same sensing fiber without decoration and modified with silver nanoparticles have also been compared. It can be observed that the output intensity of the Ag nanoparticle-modified sensor is enhanced and the sensitivity is higher. Meanwhile, the absorbance spectra are found to be more sensitive to concentration changes compared to the spectra of the peak wavelength.
Determining the Requirements for E-Selection in a Small Recruitment Company
Authors: Bondarouk Tanya , Ruël Huub J. M. , Timmermans Paul
Published: March 2013

The requirements for e-selection technology to be of practical use for Company T have been investigated. Company T’s main business is in identifying and seconding personnel, especially in the technical sector, and it had been anticipating a shortage in the supply of candidates. This served as the initial problem definition for this research. In order to cope with the expected situation, speed and accuracy were seen as of major importance in adopting e-selection. Using interviews, eleven issues were identified across two topics: namely, the use of web-based technologies, i.e., speed, and the use of personal characteristics, i.e., accuracy. These eleven potential problems were ranked using a focus group. Then, based on contemporary literature, solutions were proposed to counter these problems. Combining these solutions has led to a design in which it is proposed that valid psychological instruments should be applied and interpreted by skilled professionals. Further, extensive knowledge sharing is seen as vital when dealing with the large amount of tacit knowledge associated with the work at Company T. Finally, it was concluded that the web-based technologies should primarily support the core day-to-day work activities rather than be user-friendly or provide additional functionality.
Information System and System Development Life Cycle
Authors: Sethi Monika , Sharma Anju
Published: March 2013

In the last decade, the role of monitoring information has become apparent. The availability of steadfast information, offered in a suitable format is the basis for good decision making in an organisation. Organisations can use these information skills to solve practical problems as well. This chapter provide us knowledge of the features and purposes of information. It also discusses the role of information system for developing a new system using System Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) via Binary Diagram Decision (BDD) for Information Systems Design
Authors: Márquez Fausto Pedro García , Mangurán Alberto Pliego , Zaman Noor
Published: March 2013

A fault tree analysis (FTA) is presented as a qualitative method for studying the state of the WT as a system considering to its different sub-systems. The quantitative analysis of the FTA is done by Binary Diagram Decision (BDD). The size of the BDD generated by the transformation from FTA to BDD will depend of the ordering of the FTA events. This work employed the top-down-left-right, the level, and the “and” methods for listing the events. Finally, a classification of the events is done based on their importance measures. The importance measures has been calculated by the Birnbaum (1969), Critically and Structural heuristic methods. A comparative analysis is done, and the main results are presented.
Ontology Augmented Software Engineering
Authors: Ilyas Qazi Mudassar
Published: March 2013

Semantic Web was proposed to make the content machine-understandable by developing ontologies to capture domain knowledge and annotating content with this domain knowledge. Although, the original idea of semantic web was to make content on the World Wide Web machine-understandable, with recent advancements and awareness about these technologies, researchers have applied ontologies in many interesting domains. Many phases in software engineering are dependent on availability of knowledge, and the use of ontologies to capture and process this knowledge is a natural choice. This chapter discusses how ontologies can be used in various stages of the system development life cycle. Ontologies can be used to support requirements engineering phase in identifying and fixing inconsistent, incomplete, and ambiguous requirement. They can also be used to model the requirements and assist in requirements management and validation. During software design and development stages, ontologies can help software engineers in finding suitable components, managing documentation of APIs, and coding support. Ontologies can help in system integration and evolution process by aligning various databases with the help of ontologies capturing knowledge about database schema and aligning them with concepts in ontology. Ontologies can also be used in software maintenance by developing a bug tracking system based upon ontological knowledge of software artifacts and roles of developers involved in software maintenance task.
Open Universities Australia
Authors: Crock Michael , Baker Janet , Turner-Walker Skye
Published: March 2013

This chapter analyses the history of, and future directions for, higher education studies undertaken through Open Universities Australia (OUA), Australia’s unique higher education conduit. Founded to provide open access to units that allow individuals to undertake individual units or achieve qualifications from leading Australian universities, and supported by a federal government student loans scheme, OUA’s experience and future plans provide significant insight into the potential and pitfalls of the technological innovation in both higher education distance, and increasingly, on-campus, teaching and learning. The need for an ongoing emphasis on innovation, adaptability, and cooperation in an extraordinarily rapidly changing environment is highlighted.
A Whole of University Approach to Embedding Graduate Attributes
Authors: Fleming Julie , Donovan Robyn , Beer Colin , Clark Damien
Published: March 2013

This chapter reflects on the processes involved in managing a curriculum mapping exercise aimed at integrating graduate attributes across CQUniversity’s undergraduate programs. Most of these programs are offered via distance education. Due to the complexity of program offerings and the dispersed campus locations, a whole of university approach was needed to address quality and consistency of graduate outcomes. In order to achieve this, an audit of existing course graduate attributes was conducted using an online mapping tool. While the whole of university approach served to provide cohesion within the project, there were some challenges regarding the perceived top-down approach. This chapter serves to inform senior management of the complexities of managing resistance to change within an academic community. It is envisaged that this reflection will assist with future projects that require a whole of university approach.
Automated Diagnosis through Ontologies and Logical Descriptions
Authors: Rodríguez-González Alejandro , García-Crespo Ángel , Colomo-Palacios Ricardo , Gayo José Emilio Labra , Gómez-Berbís Juan Miguel , Alor-Hernández Giner
Published: March 2013

The combination of the burgeoning interest in efficient and reliable Health Systems and the advent of the Information Age represent both a challenge and an opportunity for new paradigms and cutting-edge technologies reaching a certain degree of maturity. Hence, the use of Semantic Technologies for Automated Diagnosis could leverage the potential of current solutions by providing inference-based knowledge and support on decision-making. This paper presents the ADONIS approach, which harnesses the use of ontologies and the underlying logical mechanisms to automate diagnosis and provide significant quality results in its evaluation on real-world data scenarios.
Discrepancies and Analogies in Artificial Intelligence and Engineering Design Approaches in Addressing Collaborative Decision-Making
Authors: Jankovic Marija , Zaraté Pascale
Published: March 2013

One of the trends in the decision-making field in the past 20 years has been the migration from individual decision-making to collective one. Several changes of working conditions influenced this trend: geographical dispersion due to the business internationalisation, concurrent work in order to satisfy time delays, facilitation of the information sharing induced by the development of local area networks (LAN), and internet. This study examines the discrepancies and analogies in addressing the collaborative decision making in two scientific fields: artificial intelligence and engineering design. These two fields have different considerations and approaches in view to the decision-making support. This paper exposes a comparative study concerning two research studies, both decision support oriented: the first one concerns the collaborative decision-making in early design stages in vehicle development projects (Jankovic, Bocquet, Stal Le Cardinal, & Bavoux, 2006) and the second one concerns the development of an architecture of a Cooperative decision Support Systems (CDSS) (Zaraté, 2005).
Daubechies Wavelets Based Robust Audio Fingerprinting for Content-Based Audio Retrieval
Authors: Sun Wei , Lu Zhe-Ming , Yu Fa-Xin , Shen Rong-Jun
Published: March 2013

Audio fingerprinting is the process to obtain a compact content-based signature that summarizes the essence of an audio clip. In general, existing audio fingerprinting schemes based on wavelet transforms are not robust against large linear speed changes. The authors present a novel framework for content-based audio retrieval based on the audio fingerprinting scheme that is robust against large linear speed changes. In the proposed scheme, 8 levels Daubechies wavelet decomposition is adopted for extracting time-frequency features and two fingerprint extraction algorithms are designed. The experimental results from this study are discussed further into the article.