bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Holistic pedagogy in practice: The curriculum and ideology of embodied self-discovery in Franziska Boas’s dance classes, 1933–1965
Authors: Lindgren Allana C.
Published: November 2012

Drawing principally from archival material, published primary source documentation and oral history interviews, this article outlines how Franziska Boas, a dance teacher in the United States whose career spanned 1933 to 1965, implemented holistic ideas about dancer training before somatic
philosophies were widely accepted in dance. A student of Bird Larson and Hanya Holm, Boas taught ‘creative dance’, an approach to movement intended to assist each student in developing her or his own kinetic creativity. To achieve this goal, Boas believed that students first needed
to understand human anatomy and movement fundamentals. She was committed to the idea that structured improvisations were the best way to teach technique. She valued individuality more than the achievement of technical feats and the emulation of a set movement syllabus. Boas is positioned here
as interesting case study who, because of her pedagogical practices, illuminate our understanding of how dance and somatics developed in tandem in a variety of environments within an American liberal arts education system, including at the Boas School of Dance, her privately owned studio in
New York; and the formal educational setting she encountered as a professor in the Dance and Physical Education Department at Shorter College in the southern town of Rome, Georgia
Deconstruct to reconstruct:A proposal for the inclusion of Fitzmaurice Voicework® in the training of dancers
Authors: Matchett Sara
Published: November 2012

This article forms part of my Ph.D research around exploring breath as a catalyst for theatre making. My research is positioned within the University of Cape Town’s Drama Department and endeavours to draw from various traditions, methods and theories of breath, such as Yoga, Fitzmaurice
Voicework®, Qi Gong, the Sanskrit system of rasa, and the study of breath and its uses in certain Southern African Sangoma (traditional healer) practices. The focus of this article is on the Destructuring aspect of Fitzmaurice Voicework, and argues a case for its inclusion in the training
of dancers. Broadly speaking, Fitzmaurice Voicework can be divided into two main components, that of Destructuring and Restructuring. The notion of deconstructing to reconstruct is explored through breath and body in an attempt to enhance the live sensorial presence of the performer in relation
to the audience. The breath is explored as an authentic and embodied element that is experienced somatically by the performer and is investigated as the impulse as well as thread that connects body, imagination and language (be it verbal or corporeal). This article serves as a proposal to
include the Destructuring aspect of Fitzmaurice Voicework in the training of dancers, in an attempt to develop a holistic, psychophysical and somatic approach that considers the well-being of the performer.
Beyond tradition: The practice of sadhana in Odissi dance
Authors: Sikand Nandini
Published: November 2012

Based on fieldwork in sites such as New York and Bhubaneswar, this article examines how a group of dancers work within and beyond the traditions of Odissi dance as a way to expand the existing repertoire or margam (literally, pathway). How are new works produced and what constitutes
innovation in a dance form that is frequently identified as a traditional one? This article argues that tradition(s) function as an interlocutor that dancers engage with continuously and dynamically to create innovative work. This innovation is accomplished via the daily practice of sadhana,
such that innovation becomes an embodiment of that effort. By exploring Odissi through the embodied knowledge of its practitioners and their sadhana, this article provides an alternate way to understand a dance rooted in a ritual form, now performed on a global stage, in the language of the
humanities and social sciences.
At the threshold: Approaching inter-subjectivity in the creative process with somatic Aikido methodology
Authors: Snell Colleen
Published: November 2012

This article traces the author’s research into states of shared subjectivity (‘inter- subjective states’), undertaken using practice as research methodology with four Aikidoists from the London-based Tetsushinkan Dojo. The article therefore both reviews and synthesizes
relevant literature, and draws on the experience of fifteen hours of practical in-studio research. The author draws from a wide range of sources, including but not exclusive to western phenomenology, eastern wisdom traditions (Zen Buddhism and Shintoism), somatic and choreographic practices,
as well as a first-person study of the Japanese martial art Aikido and contemporary dance. This article was written in association with the Masters program in contemporary dance at the London Contemporary Dance School.
The Holocaust in Horserød
Authors: Bak Sofie Lene
Published: November 2012

The rescue of the Danish Jews during the German occupation of Denmark is well known. This short article details how the recent find of an old home movie filmed by a convicted Danish Nazi perpetrator helps shed light on the much less familiar details of the Holocaust in Denmark.
From trauma to heroism: Cultural memory and remembrance in Norwegian occupation dramas, 1946–2009
Authors: Iversen Gunnar
Published: November 2012

This article analyses Norwegian occupation dramas from 1946 to 2009. Tracing the history of the genre, it highlights ways in which the uses, interpretations and representations of war experiences have shifted from a focus on trauma to a cult of heroism. This discussion of a distinct
genre in Norwegian cinema is linked to theories of communicative and cultural memory that are used to explain changes in the representation of the war years.
The Occupation Years – Documenting a forgotten war
Authors: Hálfdanarson Guðmundur
Published: November 2012

The only Icelandic film focusing on World War II and the war years in Iceland is Reynir Oddsson's two-part documentary Hernámsárin 1940-1945/The Occupation Years 1940-1945 (1967-1968). Here it is interpreted as a comment on the reluctance in Iceland to take the war into
account as an integral part the national narrative, or an attempt to remind Icelanders of the importance of the war for the development of Icelandic society.
Military comedy, censorship and World War II
Authors: Laine Kimmo
Published: November 2012

In the 1930s military comedy became a popular film genre in several Nordic countries. Themes and generic conventions usually travelled from one country to another, but as the case of Varuskunnan pikku morsian/The Little Bride of the Garrison (Levä, 1943) illustrates, wartime complicated
matters.
The only democracy to fight for Hitler: Finland and the memory of the war
Authors: Silvennoinen Oula
Published: November 2012

The article presents a short history of the Finnish experience during World War II and discusses the peculiar problems it has presented to Finnish memory politics. The author maintains that reflections of these problems are highly visible in present-day historical controversies arising
from interpretations of the war experience.
The Unknown Soldiers
Authors: Sihvonen Jukka
Published: November 2012

This article deals with the Finnish war novel Tuntematon sotilas/The Unknown Soldier (1954), by Väinö Linna (1920-1992), and the two film adaptations that premiered in 1955 and 1985, directed by Edvin Laine (1905-1989) and Rauni Mollberg (1931-2007), respectively. A third
point of comparison is the theatre performance directed by Kristian Smeds (b. 1970) for the National Theatre in Helsinki (2007). Discussion focuses on the general unifying and differing features of the novel and the film adaptations. The basic argument is that the novel, the film adaptations
and the theatre performance share a particular 'cinematic world-view' that recreates modernist ways of telling and showing. This is established through an analysis of the aesthetics of the landscape in the novel and the film adaptations, as well as through a comparison with the western genre,
in particular the films of Anthony Mann, whose films of the1950s differ stylistically from the 'classical western' in the same ways The Unknown Soldier diverges from more traditional war stories.
Learning from the past to challenge the contemporary context of design: A collaborative enquiry investigating the effect of time on the design process
Authors: Bickert Svenja , Johansson Edward
Published: November 2012

Certain elements of contemporary design practice strike the authors as rather meager, especially in regard to the decision-making stage, allowing little or no time for contemplation and thus causing design to become a prompt reaction rather than an extended reasoning. This co-written
article examines the lack of time in design practice and with it the lost appreciation of previous ways of thinking and making. Thus, it investigates ways of moving forward with craft, seeking to develop the bridging between designerly knowing and craftsmanship by reintroducing concepts of
craft (dwelling, care) into current design practice. In doing this we hope to encourage designers to explore how previous knowledge can be utilized to develop an alternative mode of progress for design – leading us to propose an evolutionary approach to design.
Contours and shadows of selfreflection: Creating a ‘Narrative Hologram’
Authors: Kubalova Lucia , O’Brien Denis , Page Tiffany
Published: November 2012

Inspired by Janis Jefferies’ article ‘Mangling practices: writing reflections’, and a co-writing workshop led by Julia Lockheart, this co-written response was conceived from a collaboration between two new researchers and one retired design professional. The heart
of our article contains three different personal and professional stories that have accompanied us on our ‘journey of enquiry’. Sharing our personal and professional stories led us to conceive our responses as a ‘narrative hologram’, created from multiple points of
view and the interplay of self-doubt and conviction as we attempt to place ourselves within our research practice.
No one expects the design inquisition: Searching for a metaphorical solution for thinking, researching and writing through design
Authors: Lockheart Julia , Raein Maziar
Published: November 2012

The authors would like to rethink the suitability of the metaphor rigour for design research and writing, and to propose a metaphor more suited to the purposes and possibilities of designing. We identify and reappropriate the inquisitorial approach and suggest inquisition as a more
suitable metaphor for design,since it can encompass positive and optimistic qualities that designers need to develop their practice. This approach to research is one that designers can usefully adopt through their thinking and writing, and can be practically applied to their research practices.
Moreover, we suggest that this approach is intended to better facilitate the designer’s research practice with writing and languaging as key tools in the design research process. This co-written article is a reflection on John Wood’s (2012:11–26) recent paper ‘In the
cultivation of research excellence – is rigour a no-brainer?’ and his seminal article ‘The culture of academic rigour: Does design research really need it?’ (2000:44–57). As collaborators for many years, we also refer to our research, scholarship and teaching
practices and the positive experiences of students’ purposeful writing as part of the Writing-PAD network’s debates (www.writing-pad.ac.uk and www.writing-pad.org/wiki the Journal of Writing in Creative Practice (www.intellectbooks.co.uk/journals/view-journal,id=154/)).
BOOK REVIEW
Authors: Turner Joan
Published: November 2012

STYLISH ACADEMIC WRITING, HELEN SWORD (2012 Cambridge, Massachusetts, and London, England: Harvard University Press, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-674-06448-5, hardback, £16.95
Processor's Preferences and Basic Differentiation Strategies for Potatoes, Milk, and Wheat in Switzerland
Authors: Boesch Irene , Weber Michael
Published: November 2012

In this paper, we aim to shed light on processors’ preferences for attributes of wheat, industrial potatoes as well as fresh milk and assess the potential for differentiation strategies for Swiss farmers. Thus, we determine the attributes and levels that drive the buying decisions of Swiss processing companies. We then determine the relative importance of each attribute using adaptive choice–based conjoint analysis and hierarchical Bayes estimation methods. We apply randomized first-choice models to evaluate three differentiation strategies: 1) targeting processor preferences, 2) targeting the final consumers’ preferences, and 3) following a country-of-origin strategy. Results show that although price is an important buying criterion, environmental attributes and country of origin can be used to segment the market if the price difference is held within limits and technical and quality requirements are met. Strategies focusing on attributes valued by final customers prove promising for the milk market, while targeting industrial buyers’ internal preferences is more suitable for the industrial potato market. In the wheat market, the three strategies are almost equally important. Focusing on country of origin is less important in all three markets. Additionally, the different results for the different primary products indicate the need to design strategies by looking closely at the specific market and final good in question.
Studies on Deactivation of the Catalyst in Direct Dimethyl Ether Synthesis
Authors: Zhang Haipeng , Li Wei , Xiao Wende
Published: November 2012

Direct dimethyl ether (DME) synthesis from syngas has been increasingly attracted attentions. Relationship between the synergistic effect and the deactivation behavior of hybrid catalysts was studied in this paper. Two kinds of catalysts with different synergistic effect were tested in a fixed bed reactor and the catalysts before and after stability testing were characterized by XRD, N2-adsorption and TGA. Results show that the deactivation behavior of the catalyst is mainly caused by the deactivation of the methanol synthesis catalyst. Sintering of Cu particles is the main reason of the catalyst deactivation. In addition, coking during synthesis is another reason for the catalyst deactivation. Both the two reasons are deeply affected by the synergistic effect.
Comparing OECD and IMF Approaches to Economic Surveillance
Authors: Edwards Martin S.
Published: November 2012

We compare findings from the recently concluded evaluation of IMF surveillance with our own findings from our evaluation of OECD surveillance. We find that both institutions approach surveillance in very different ways.
The Value of Patent Expiration
Authors: McKellar Michael R. , Frank Matthew , Huskamp Haiden , Chernew Michael E.
Published: November 2012

Despite bringing breakthrough medications to market, pharmaceutical companies incurred criticism during the 1990s and early 2000s because of high prices of many drugs. We argue that the benefits of pharmaceuticals should be evaluated in a dynamic context that extends beyond the patent expiration date. Now that numerous patents have expired, generic medications exist in many important drug classes. Thus, consumers reap the benefits of past innovation for years to come. We estimate that across 19 molecules whose patents expired from 2005-2009, $193-436 billion will transfer to consumers over 10 to 20 years due to patent expiration. This suggests that, while prices were high during the patent period, creating an incentive for innovation, the transfers to consumers after patent expiration are significant, which is how the patent system is designed to function.
Does Vertical Separation Necessarily Reduce Quality Discrimination and Increase Welfare?
Authors: Brito Duarte , Pereira Pedro , Vareda João
Published: November 2012

We investigate whether vertical separation reduces quality discrimination and increases welfare. Consider an industry consisting of a vertically integrated firm, the incumbent, and an independent retailer, the entrant, which requires access to the services of the incumbent's wholesaler. The wholesaler can discriminate against either of the retailers by supplying it an input of lower quality than its rival. We show that, in our setting, vertical separation of the incumbent reduces discrimination against the entrant's retailer, although it does not guarantee non-discrimination. Furthermore, with vertical separation, the wholesaler may discriminate against the incumbent's retailer. Vertical separation impacts social welfare through two effects. First, through the double-marginalization effect, which is negative. Second, through the quality degradation effect, which can be positive or negative. Hence, the net welfare impact of vertical separation is negative or potentially ambiguous.
Corporate Social Responsibility for Irresponsibility
Authors: Kotchen Matthew , Moon Jon J.
Published: November 2012

This paper provides an empirical investigation of the hypothesis that companies engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) in order to offset corporate social irresponsibility (CSI). We find general support for the relationship that when companies do more “harm,” they also do more “good.” The empirical analysis is based on an extensive 15-year panel dataset that covers nearly 3,000 publicly traded companies. In addition to the overall finding that more CSI results in more CSR, we find evidence of heterogeneity among industries, where the effect is stronger in industries where CSI tends to be the subject of greater public scrutiny. We also investigate the degree of substitutability between different categories of CSR and CSI. Within the categories of community relations, environment, and human rights—arguably among those dimensions of social responsibility that are most salient—there is a strong within-category relationship. In contrast, the within-category relationship for corporate governance is weak, but CSI related to corporate governance appears to increase CSR in most other categories. Thus, when CSI concerns arise about corporate governance, companies seemingly choose to offset with CSR in other dimensions, rather than reform governance itself.
Solvsolitons associated with graphs
Authors: Lafuente Ramiro A.
Published: November 2012

We show how to associate with each graph with a certain property (positivity) a family of simply connected solvable Lie groups endowed with left-invariant Riemannian metrics that are Ricci solitons (called solvsolitons). We classify them up to isometry, obtaining families depending on many parameters of explicit examples of Ricci solitons (of arbitrarily large dimension). A classification of graphs with up to 3 coherent components according to positivity is also given
Laser display technologies and their applications
Authors: Yamamoto Kazuhisa
Published: November 2012

Laser displays have been attractive because extremely wide color expression can be realized by choosing the wavelength of laser sources. The high efficiency and small etendue of laser sources contribute to downsizing, and a long lifetime is also another merit for users. In this paper, laser display technologies using efficient red, green, and blue lasers are reviewed. Also, applications of laser displays using these laser display technologies are introduced.
Does it really take the state?
Authors: Börzel Tanja A. , Hönke Jana , Thauer Christian R.
Published: November 2012

This paper explores the role of the state for an effective engagement of multinational corporations (MNCs) in corporate social responsibility (CSR). In the OECD context, the “shadow of hierarchy” cast by the state is considered an important incentive for MNCs to engage in CSR activities that contribute to governance. However, in areas of limited statehood, where state actors are too weak to effectively set and enforce collectively binding rules, profit-driven MNCs confront various dilemmas with respect to costly CSR standards. The lack of a credible regulatory threat by state agencies is therefore often associated with the exploitation of resources and people by MNCs, rather than with business’ social conduct. However, in this paper we argue that there are alternatives to the “shadow of hierarchy” that induce MNCs to adopt and implement CSR policies that contribute to governance in areas of limited statehood. We then discuss that in certain areas such functional equivalents still depend on some state intervention to be effective, in particular when firms are immune to reputational concerns and in complex-task areas that require the involvement of several actors in the provision of collective goods. Finally, we discuss the “dark side” of the state and show that the state can also have negative effects on the CSR engagement of MNCs. We illustrate the different ways in which statehood and the absence thereof affect CSR activities of MNCs in South Africa and conclude with some considerations on the conditions under which statehood exerts these effects.
The genus Thalassiosira off the Guangdong coast, South China Sea
Authors: Li Yang , Zhao Qiulan , Lü Songhui
Published: November 2012

We describe the taxonomy and species diversity of 35 taxa of the diatom genus Thalassiosira from a series of net plankton collected quarterly or monthly from eight locations off the Guangdong coastal waters in the South China Sea. Field samples and 14 cultured Thalassiosira clonal strains were studied by light and electron microscopy. A total of 35 Thalassiosira species were recorded, including nine new records for China, namely T. cedarkeyensis, T. densannula, T. duostra, T. hendeyi, T. nanolineata, T. nodulolineata, T. punctigera, T. tubifera and T. visurgis, and eight new records for Asia (taxa as above, except for T. punctigera). The morphological features of these Thalassiosira species are described and compared with previous illustrations. Some morphological variations are reported and discussed. This study was the first attempt to describe Thalassiosira species diversity in the South China Sea and Asian tropical waters. The results highlight a higher species diversity of Thalassiosira in the Guangdong coastal waters than in other studied regions.
Seasonal variations in concentrations of macro- and micronutrients in three species of brown seaweed
Authors: Villares Rubén , Fernández-Lema Emilio , López-Mosquera Elvira
Published: November 2012

We studied variations through 1 year in concentrations of several macronutrients (C, N, P, Na, K, Ca, Mg, S) and micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) and water content in tissues of the brown seaweeds Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculosus and Fucus spiralis at two sites in a coastal embayment in northwest Spain. The annual mean concentrations of the nutrients in A. nodosum were very similar at both sampling locations. There were no significant differences between sites in the concentrations of N, P, Na, K, Ca, S, Fe, Mn or Cu, the C:N or N:P ratios or in the water content, whereas the chemical composition of this species was notably different at the site where it coexisted with F. vesiculosus (the only parameters that were not significantly different were concentrations of Ca, Cu and the N:P ratio). The C:N:P ratios and the clear seasonal variability in N in all species, with minimum values in summer, suggest limitation by this element. Along with N, K was the only other element that varied throughout the seasons in all of the species, and this was most notable in F. vesiculosus. Minimum concentrations of K were also observed in summer, which might indicate limitation by this element. Seasonal variations in C were only observed in the Fucus species; they followed a reverse trend from those of N and K, as the highest levels occurred in summer. The highest concentrations of P and Zn in F. vesiculosus were also observed in spring. No obvious seasonal trends were observed in the remaining minerals.
Antibodies against Nε-homocysteinylated proteins in patients on different methods of renal replacement therapy
Authors: Kolarz Marek , Małyszko Jolanta , Stompór Tomasz , Całka Alicja , Undas Anetta , Myśliwiec Michał
Published: November 2012

Background: High levels of antibodies against Nε-homocysteinylated (Nε-Hcy) proteins have been observed in patients on long-term hemodialysis (HD). We sought to investigate whether these antibodies are present in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) in comparable titers and to characterize the factors that determine levels of those antibodies in both patient groups.

Methods: The study involved 80 patients on HD and age- and sex-matched 75 subjects on PD. Serum IgG antibodies against Nε-Hcy-albumin and -hemoglobin were determined using in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Total homocysteine (tHcy), folate, 8-isoprostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α) and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity were also measured.

Results: Patients on PD and those on HD had similar levels of anti-Nε-Hcy-albumin [absorbancy at 490 nm: 0.571 (0.519–0.609) vs. 0.583 (0.523–0.625), p=0.41, respectively] and anti-Nε-Hcy-hemoglobin antibodies [0.659 (0.597–0.705) vs. 0.664 (0.597–0.722), p=0.60, respectively]. In both groups levels of the antibodies correlated with tHcy (r from 0.54 to 0.77, p<0.0001), 8-iso-PGF2α (r from 0.57 to 0.77, p<0.0001), and folate (r from −0.59 to −0.74, p<0.0001) levels, but not with the cause of renal disease, dialysis vintage, a history of coronary artery disease or PON-1 activity. In the multivariate logistic regression, after adjustment for potential confounders, plasma tHcy was the independent predictor of antibodies against Nε-Hcy-proteins irrespective of the method of dialysis.

Conclusions: Levels of antibodies against Nε-Hcy-proteins are similar in patients on long-term PD and HD. The level of tHcy is the only independent predictor of both antibodies irrespective of the dialysis method.
Reference values for urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in pediatric age measured with a fully automated chemiluminescent platform
Authors: Cangemi Giuliana , Storti Simona , Cantinotti Massimiliano , Fortunato Antonio , Emdin Michele , Bruschettini Matteo , Bugnone Daniela , Melioli Giovanni , Clerico Aldo
Published: November 2012

Background: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has been suggested as the most promising biomarker of acute kidney injury. However, there are no reliable data on analytical sensitivity and reference limits of urinary NGAL (uNGAL) assay in pediatric age. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the analytical sensitivity and the reference range of uNGAL measured in urine specimens of pediatric age with the fully automated platform ARCHITECT® i1000.

Methods: A total of 333 urine samples were collected from 25 healthy newborns (16 males and 9 females; age 1–4 days) and 308 children (150 males and 147 females; mean age 80.7 months, range 0.63–248 months) and assayed for uNGAL by two different Italian centers (Department of Laboratory Medicine of the Fondazione Toscana G. Monasterio of Pisa and Massa and the Clinical Pathology Laboratory Unit of Istituto Giannina Gaslini of Genova).

Results: The calculated limits of blank (LOB) and detection (LOD) values were 0.5 ng/mL and 0.95 ng/mL, respectively. The distribution of uNGAL values approximated a log-normal distribution (median 5.2 ng/mL, interquartile range 2.5–12.8 ng/mL, 99th percentile 117.6 ng/mL). uNGAL values of the 25 neonates were significantly higher than those of 308 children (neonates: mean 44.2 ng/mL, median 30.3 ng/mL, range 5.2–137.4 ng/mL; children: mean 10.2 ng/mL, median 4.6 ng/mL, range 0.2–146.7 ng/mL; p<0.0001).

Conclusions: uNGAL assay shows a good analytical sensitivity and imprecision, which allows the measurement of uNGAL values around the cut-off value (i.e., 117.6 ng/mL) with an imprecision <5 CV%. The distribution of uNGAL values in pediatric age approximates a log-normal distribution, with values which are higher in neonates compared to children.
Carey-Fineman-Ziter syndrome: a spectrum of presentations
Authors: Tanchi Philline Peppermint D. , Edmonds Liza Kathleen , Koh Tieh Hee Hai Guan
Published: November 2012

Carey-Fineman-Ziter syndrome is characterized by facial diplegia with an ophthalmoplegia comprising the Moebius sequence, Pierre Robin sequence with micrognathia, short stature, postnatal-onset microcephaly, hypotonia and muscular hypoplasia, extensive brainstem involvement, and pontine hypoplasia. We report a 38-week-gestation infant with features consistent with Carey-Fineman-Ziter syndrome but with phenotypical features that have not previously been described. The infant had severe hypoplasia of the pons and cerebellum, seizures, hypotonia, ophthalmoplegia, downslanting palpebral fissures, tongue hypoplasia, micrognathia, and facial diplegia. The karyotype was normal. Of note, there was a focal contour abnormality in the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, which necessitated tracheostomy on the third day of life to maintain the airway, and a well-circumscribed mass on both sides of the chest. These features have not been previously found to be associated with this syndrome, and the clinical significance is unknown. Case reports of rare disorders give significant information on the diagnosis, description, and evolving phenotype of rare syndromes.
Antimicrobial surfaces of quaternized poly[(2-dimethyl amino)ethyl methacrylate] grafted on wood via ARGET ATRP
Authors: Yu Haipeng , Fu Yanchun , Li Gang , Liu Yixing
Published: November 2012

In special applications, such as hospitals and rehabilitation centers, hygienic wood surface with antimicrobial performance is recommendable. In the present study, the antimicrobial property of wood was increased by grafting with 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA). The reaction proceeds via radical polymerization, and analysis via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the successful grafting of DMAEMA to wood. The tertiary amino groups of the immobilized P(DMAEMA) were then quaternized by an alkyl halide, and the quaternary ammonium groups at the surface in high concentration proved to be antibacterial. The test against Escherichia coli by means of the optical density method revealed that the bactericidal effect of the modified surface is higher than that of wood and the monomeric precursors of grafting.
Time-domain NMR study of the drying of hemicellulose extracted aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.)
Authors: Elder Thomas , Houtman Carl
Published: November 2012

The effect of hot water on aspen chips has been evaluated using time-domain low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. At moisture contents above fiber saturation point, treated chips exhibit relaxation times of free water longer than for the control. This is consistent with the removal of hemicelluloses given the hydrophilicity of these polysaccharides. The rate of decrease in free water upon drying is greater for the pretreated samples. These results indicate that hot water treatment modifies both the chemical and physical properties of the chips and may therefore impact product manufacture and performance.
Dissolution Behavior of Dicalcium Silicate and Tricalcium Phosphate Solid Solution and other Phases of Steelmaking Slag in an Aqueous Solution
Authors: Teratoko Takuya , Maruoka Nobuhiro , Shibata Hiroyuki , Kitamura Shin-ya
Published: November 2012

Most of the phosphorus in slag forms a solid solution of dicalcium silicate (C2S) and tricalcium phosphate (C3P), and the process used to separate this solid solution from the matrix phase is the same technology used to separate P from other valuable elements such as Mn and Cr containing in the matrix phase. Although it is known that the solubility of C2S in an aqueous solution is much greater than that of C3P, the solubility of the solid solution and that of the matrix phase have yet to be investigated. To clarify the possibility of selectively extracting P from slag through a leaching process, the dissolution behaviors of the solid solution at various compositions and that of the matrix phase were investigated. The following results were obtained: The dissolution ratio of Ca to the aqueous solution at pH = 7 was close to 1.0 in the case of pure C2S and decreased greatly with increasing C3P content. The dissolution ratio of P was about 0.1 and did not change relative to the C3P content. When the ratio of C3P in the solid solution was higher than 0.3, hydroxyapatite (HAP) formation was observed in the residue. The dissolution ratio of P increased for 30 min, and after reaching the maximum value, started to decrease owing to the precipitation of HAP. The dissolution ratio of each element from a glassy slag sample (matrix phase) was lower than that from the solid solution at every pH level.

In this study, the possibility to extract a solid solution containing P without dissolving the matrix phase was found through the use of an aqueous solution at pH = 7, although the dissolution ratio of P was not sufficiently high.
Environment factors associated with adolescents’ body mass index, physical activity and physical fitness in Kuching South City, Sarawak: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Cheah Whye L. , Chang Ching T. , Saimon Rosalia
Published: November 2012

This study examined the relationship between perceived built environment attributes and physical activity, physical fitness and body weight among adolescents aged 14–16 years in Sarawak. This was a cross-sectional study, using multi-stage sampling. A set of questionnaires consisting of socio-demographic information, a self-administered physical activity checklist and a Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale-Youth (NEWS-Y) was used. Body mass index (BMI) was measured and physical fitness was tested using a maximal multistage 20 m shuttle run test. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 17.0. A total of 316 respondents participated. The mean BMI for boys was almost equal to the mean BMI for girls. Only 7.9% of the sampled population was found to be overweight or obese. The overall mean duration spent per day on physical activity was 128.4 min (SD 118.43), with mean of 56.1 min (SD 73.94) after school time. Girls reported to spend longer each day taking physical activity before and during school. Boys were found to have significantly higher VO2max of 27.79±5.91 mL/kg/min as compared to girls (t=11.22, p<0.000). Based on comparison with other countries, the NEWS-Y scores indicated a mixture of low and high walkability neighborhoods. Respondents who had lower BMIs reported living in lower residential density areas and less risk of crime, and respondents who had better physical fitness reported less suitable infrastructure for walking. Promotion of exercise at all levels should be continuously encouraged as it would lead to improvement in the well-being of an individual.
Reading increases ocular illuminance during light treatment
Authors: Sleemi Aamar , Johnson Mary A. , Rohan Kelly J. , Okusaga Olaoluwa , Adediran Timileyin , Uzoma Hyacinth , Walsh Chantelle , Reeves Gloria , Postolache Teodor T.
Published: November 2012

Background: Bright-light treatment is a safe and effective treatment for the management of winter seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In a recent study, we found that the relative duration of reading was positively associated with likelihood of remission after six weeks of light treatment.

Methods: Two technicians measured the illuminance of a light box with a light meter directed towards the center of reading material that was placed on a table in front of the light box. The measurement was also performed after reading material was removed. The two measurements were performed in a randomized order. Friedman analysis of variance with Wilcoxon post-hoc tests were used to compare illuminance with vs. without reading.

Results: The presence of the reading material increased illuminance by 470.93 lux (95% CI 300.10–641.75), p<0.0001.

Limitations: This is a technical report done under conditions intended to mimic those of typical ambulatory light treatment as much as possible.

Conclusions: As reading materials reflect light from the light box, reading during light therapy increases ocular illuminance. If confirmed by future studies using continuous recordings in randomized design, instructing SAD patients to read during light therapy may contribute to a more complete response to light treatment. The downside of specific relevance for students, is that reading, in particular, with bright light in the late evening/early night may induce or worsen circadian phase delay, adversely affecting health and functioning.
Diethylnitrosamine-induced redox imbalance in rat microsomes: protective role of polyphenolic-rich extract from Sorghum bicolor grains
Authors: Ajiboye Taofeek Olakunle , Komolafe Yesirat Omonike , Bukoye Oloyede Hussein Oyelola , Yakubu Musa Toyin , Adeoye Moriam Dasola , Abdulsalami Ibrahim Olasegun , Oladiji Adenike Temidayo , Akanji Musbau Adewumi
Published: November 2012

Background: This study investigates the protective role of polyphenolic-rich extract from Sorghum bicolor against diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced redox imbalance in rat microsomes.

Methods: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging potentials of the polyphenolic extract from S. bicolor (0.2–1.0 mg/mL) was investigated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, superoxide ion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, and ferric ion reducing system. The detoxification of ROS was evaluated in DEN-induced redox imbalance in rat microsomes.

Results:
Sorghum bicolor polyphenolic extract at 1.0 mg/mL scavenged the DPPH, superoxide ion, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radical at 75%, 76%, 79%, and 81%, respectively; it also reduced ferric ion significantly. The polyphenolic extract significantly (p<0.05) attenuated DEN-mediated decrease in the activities of ROS detoxifying enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and reductase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase). The concentrations of malondialdehyde, conjugated dienes, lipid hydroperoxide, protein carbonyl, and percentage DNA fragmentation in DEN-treated microsomes were significantly reduced by the polyphenolic extract.

Conclusions: The results of the present study indicated that S. bicolor polyphenolic extract possessed in vitro antioxidant activity and protected microsomes from DEN-mediated oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals and ROS scavenger and inducer of ROS detoxifying enzymes.
Second record of the pale brown ghost bat Diclidurus isabella (Thomas, 1920) (Chiroptera, Emballonuridae) from Brazil and range extension into southwestern Brazilian Amazonia
Authors: Garbino Guilherme S.T. , Aquino Carla C. , Aires Caroline C.
Published: November 2012

We present a new record of
Melt extrudate swell behavior of POM/EVA/HDPE/nano-CaCO3 composites
Authors: Liang Ji-Zhao
Published: November 2012

Polyformaldehyde (POM)/ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites filled with nanometer calcium carbonate (nano-CaCO3) were prepared using a twin-screw extruder. The effects of load and temperature on the melt extrudate swell behavior of the composites were investigated, by using a melt flow rate instrument under experimental conditions, with temperatures ranging from 170°C to 220°C and loads varying from 1.2 kg to 12.5 kg. The results showed that the melt die-swell ratio (B) of the composites decreased linearly with a rise of temperature as the load was fixed, while it increased nonlinearly with increase in the melt volume flow rate (MVR) and load, when the test temperature was constant; they also showed that B is a quadratic function of shear rate or shear stress. The value of B increased nonlinearly with an increase of the HDPE weight fraction (ϕ) as the temperature was constant, and the temperature sensitivity of B to ϕ was insignificant, while the effect of load was significant. The correlation between B and ϕ obeyed a quadratic equation.
Comparative study and characterization of starches isolated from unconventional tuber sources
Authors: Valencia Germán Ayala , Henao Ana Cecilia Agudelo , Zapata Rubén Antonio Vargas
Published: November 2012

Some properties of canna (Canna indica L.) and bore (Alocasia macrorrhiza) starches were evaluated and compared using cassava starch (Manihot esculenta Crantz) as a reference. Proximate analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and viscosity measurements were performed. Canna and bore starches showed a similar degree of purity as that of the cassava starch. Canna starch exhibited higher thermal stability and viscosity of solution values than those of bore and cassava starches. XRD spectra showed that canna starch crystallizes as a B-type structure; however, bore and cassava starches crystallize as an A-type structure. Results proved that canna and bore starches are promising bio(materials), obtained from unconventional sources, to be used for industrial applications, as their physicochemical properties are similar to those of cassava starch, which it is known has potential applications in this area.
Effects of matte coating on the paper surface and print density
Authors: Aydemir Cem , Özomay Zafer , Karademir Arif , Kandırmaz Emine Arman
Published: November 2012

In this work, standard laboratory printing applications with IGT (ISO 12647-2) were applied on uncoated and matte-coated papers using offset inks (DIN ISO 2846-1). Surface roughnesses of uncoated and coated sheets were recorded to be 195 and 13 ml/min, respectively. Air permanence values of uncoated and coated papers were found to be 5.6 and 0.103 μm/Pa·s, respectively. Changes in the print densities were recorded up to 48 h. Print density changes for uncoated and matte-coated papers were surprisingly found to be in similar paths (8% in the first 4 h), although significant differences between surface roughnesses were recorded. Furthermore, paper samples showed similar behaviors for the percent volume changes, where drop volume disappeared within 6 min. It is concluded that matte coating did not have any significant effects on print density change and drop volume change.
Microstructure performance of the ceramics-reinforced laser alloying composite coating on titanium
Authors: Peng Li
Published: November 2012

This work was based on the dry sliding wear of Al-Cu-Sn matrix composite coating deposited on titanium using laser alloying technique, the parameters of which were such as to provide almost crack-free coatings with minimum dilution and very low porosity. To our knowledge, it is the first time that Al-Cu-Sn+B4C mixed powders were deposited as hard coating by laser alloying technique. Scanning electron microscopy results indicated that a laser alloying coating with metallurgical joint to the substrate was formed, and hard fine particles were produced in the matrix of the upper coating due to the in situ metallurgical reactions. Compared with titanium substrate, improvement of the microhardness and wear resistance were observed for such composite coating.
La vittoria di Serse in Grecia. Problemi, testimonianze, ipotesi
Authors: Ruberto Antonella
Published: November 2012

Riassunto

Serse in Grecia riportó una pesante sconfitta, ma pare che essa non abbia avuto alcuna risonanza in Persia, anzi in una iscrizione persepolitana è contenuta una oscura formula, che sembrerebbe alludere ad una rivendicazione di potere sui Greci del continente proprio da parte di Serse. In alcune testimonianze greche, d’altra parte, è conservata una immagine di Serse vincitore in Grecia: esse sono certamente riconducibili al contesto delle esercitazioni retoriche, ma risultano interessanti per una riflessione su possibili rielaborazioni, in Persia, della spedizione persiana in Grecia.
Elvio Vindiciano: aspetti storici
Authors: Fiorucci Francesco
Published: November 2012

Riassunto

Il presente contributo ricostruisce, partendo da un riesame di tutte le testimonianze a noi note, la vita di Elvio Vindiciano. Egli fu medico di corte, molto probabilmente sotto l’imperatore Valentiniano I, cui dedicò la Epistula comitis archiatrorum. Ciò significa che visse ed esercitò almeno una parte della sua attività professionale non solo nell’Africa proconsolare (come la critica ha generalmente ritenuto), dove probabilmente era nato e si era formato, ma anche, all’incirca negli anni sessanta e settanta del IV sec. d. C., a Treviri, residenza imperiale di Valentiniano I. Infatti viene menzionato come destinatario in un rescritto promulgato nella stessa città il 14 settembre 379, quando il famoso poeta Ausonio era console.

Forse subito dopo la sua esperienza a Treviri, Vindiciano tornò a Cartagine, dove divenne proconsole d’Africa nel 380/381. In questo periodo incontrò il giovane Agostino, le cui “Confessioni„ rappresentano una fonte molto importante per una corretta datazione del primo.

Infine si propone di datare la Epistula di Vindiciano nel 371–375, cioè tra la nascita di Valentiniano II e la morte di Valentiniano I.
How Occupational Health can Contribute in a Disaster and What We should Prepare for the Future—Lessons Learned through Support Activities of a Medical School at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Summer 2011
Authors: Mori Koji , Tateishi Seiichiro , Hiraoka Koh , Kubo Toshihiko , Okazaki Ryuji , Suzuki Katsunori , Kobayashi Yuichi , Kohno Kimitoshi
Published: November 2012

How Occupational Health can Contribute in a Disaster and What We should Prepare for the Future—Lessons Learned through Support Activities of a Medical School at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Summer 2011: Koji MORI, et al. Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan—

Background

A nuclear accident occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) as a result of a mega‐earthquake and tsunami in March, 2011. A large number of workers were engaged in response and recovery operations under a complex structure of involved companies. They were exposed not only to radiation but also to other health hazards. TEPCO implemented programs to prevent radiation exposure, but had no effective systems for managing the other health risks and few occupational health (OH) professionals contributed to the health risk management. Activities: The University of Occupational and Environmental Health (UOEH), Japan, dispatched physicians to a quake‐proof building at the plant to provide first‐aid services from mid‐May, 2011, and took a strategic approach to protecting workers from existing health risks. UOEH presented recommendations on OH systems and preventive measures against heat stress to the Government and TEPCO. The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare issued guidelines to TEPCO and contractors. TEPCO implemented a comprehensive program against heat stress according to the guidelines and in cooperation with UOEH. As a result, we successfully prevented severe heat illness during summer 2011.

Discussion

From our experiences, we believe that the following recommendations should be considered: 1) the role of OH and the participation of experts should be defined in emergency response plans; 2) regulations should allow the national government and main companies involved to lead safety and health initiatives for all workers at disaster sites; and 3) OH professionals, response manuals and drills should be organized at a national level.