bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Le contexte de la présidentielle américaine de 2012
Authors: Chamorel Patrick
Published: September 2012

C’est sans doute en politique étrangère que le premier mandat de Barack Obama peut afficher le plus de réussite. L’impasse économique, avec la plus longue crise depuis la Grande Dépression de 1929, pose, en revanche, de lourdes questions aux candidats, qui savent leurs marges de manœuvre budgétaires extrêmement réduites. La polarisation croissante de l’opinion politique devrait déboucher sur une élection très disputée, où la personnalité des candidats jouera sans doute un rôle décisif.
Guerre civile en Syrie : le retour du refoulé
Authors: Feuerstoss Isabelle
Published: September 2012

Le soulèvement syrien a évolué en guerre civile. Le repli des différentes communautés composant la mosaïque syrienne est patent. Les ressentiments intercommunautaires qui avaient été refoulés pendant des décennies ont fini par ressurgir. Le régime, qui a longtemps instrumentalisé les communautés, est incapable de maîtriser la dérive «sectariste» du conflit. Quelle que soit l’issue des événements en cours, les haines qui nourrissent la guerre civile continueront de peser sur l’avenir du pays.
Libye : le rêve de Kadhafi devient-il réalité ?
Authors: Gaub Florence
Published: September 2012

La Libye peut gérer une transition relativement calme et efficace parce qu’une partie des logiques et des institutions de la Jamahiriya ont paradoxalement survécu à la révolution de 2011. Le pays doit néanmoins décider de réformes d’ampleur, trancher le débat entre État unitaire/État fédéral, redessiner profondément ses institutions politiques et créer un nouveau rapport de confiance avec ses forces de sécurité. Ce dernier acquis permettrait seul le désarmement des milices.
Monjas, esposas y madres católicas: una panorámica de la feminización de la religión en España a mediados del siglo XIX
Authors: Blasco Raúl Mínguez
Published: September 2012

La féminisation de la religion n'a pas été un processus suffisamment étudié en Espagne. La perception de l'Église catholique en tant qu'institution profondément installée dans l’Ancien Régime et incapable de réagir face aux mutations du XIXe siècle est l'une des causes qui explique ce manque relatif d'études. Ainsi, cet article se veut une proposition pour commencer à combler ce vide historiographique. Pour cela nous nous concentrerons, dans un premier temps, sur l'analyse du discours catholique, en particulier dans ses variantes ecclésiastiques, à travers l'oeuvre de Claret, neocatólicas, grâce à l'oeuvre de Roca y Cornet et, enfin, carlistes (lors du Sexenio Democrático), à travers l'hebdomadaire La Margarita. Nous défendrons l'hypothèse selon laquelle la féminisation du discours catholique, vers le milieu du XIXe siècle, a rendu possible le développement d'une forme de vie religieuse antérieurement rejetée par la hiérarchie ecclésiastique: les congrégations féminines de vie active. Ces dernières ont prétendu pallier les effets néfastes que généraient, selon l’Église, le processus d'industrialisation et de sécularisation auquel était confrontée la société.
La spiritualité au miroir de l’ultramodernité
Authors: Bisson David
Published: September 2012

Cet article analyse les mutations contemporaines du religieux à partir de deux angles d’approches novateurs. D’abord, l’inscription dans le contexte de l’ultramodernité qui se caractérise par une accélération de la modernité et qui nécessite de repenser le concept de sécularisation. Ensuite, la reprise du terme « spiritualité » pour tenter de comprendre les nouvelles modalités d’accès à la transcendance. Sur ce dernier point, nous proposerons une définition précise de la spiritualité avant de la confronter à certaines réalités sociologiques : « voie spirituelle » et « spiritualité holiste ». Au terme de l’article, nous interrogerons la notion de « spiritualité » au regard de ce que Yves Lambert nommait un « tournant axial », soit une reconfiguration générale du symbolique et du religieux.
« You Can Be Good Without God »: Non-Believers in 21st Century American Society
Authors: Barb Amandine
Published: September 2012

Cet article examine une fraction souvent ignorée, mais pourtant de plus en plus visible et vocale du paysage (ir)religieux américain : les non-croyants. Dans un contexte général de désaffiliation religieuse, cette minorité historiquement disparate et mal-aimée a réussi à affirmer sa présence aux Etats-Unis au cours de la dernière décennie. Cette contribution, qui prend pour objet d’étude les non-croyants militants et organisés, vise donc à comprendre les origines, les formes et les objectifs de leur récente mobilisation, mais aussi ce qu’elle révèle plus largement de la société américaine au début du XXIe siècle. Basé sur des entretiens avec des groupes sécularistes et s’inspirant en partie de la théorie des politiques identitaires, cet article interroge, au travers de l’analyse du militantisme des non-croyants aux Etats-Unis, le statut moral et social de la religion dans une société qui semble se détourner des religions organisées, mais où la croyance en Dieu demeure néanmoins toujours exceptionnellement forte.
Testing urine samples with rK39 strip as the simplest non-invasive field diagnosis for visceral leishmaniasis
Authors: Goswami RP , Goswami RP , Das S , Ray Y , Rahman M
Published: September 2012

Background:

Diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a major obstacle in the control of this disease. The rK39 strip-test using patient's blood is a breakthrough; however, it still requires a blood sample, which is a concern for safety in the field. We tried to simplify the test using the patient's urine instead of blood.

Aims:

To observe the sensitivity and specificity of the urine test in comparison with the blood test.

Materials and Methods:

We tested active and post-treatment VL patients, Post Kala azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL), VL/HIV and control subjects (healthy, disease suspects and diseased other than VL) with the rK39 strip-test using blood and urine samples.

Statistical Analysis:

The level of agreement between the urine and blood testing was calculated by inter-rater agreement (kappa) statistics.

Results:

Forty-two active VL, 40 treated VL, six PKDL, three VL/HIV and 139 controls (54 healthy, 21 disease suspects and 64 diseased other than VL) were tested. All VL-related cases showed positive results with urine as well as blood samples (100%). The urine testing was found to have 100% sensitivity and 86.33% specificity for the diagnosis of VL. Kappa statistic between the two methods was 0.916 (P<0.001). Urine testing had more false-positive results in comparison with blood testing (13.67% vs. 9.45%), but the test subjects were from VL-endemic areas and they might be exposed to Leishmania donovani infection.

Conclusions:

The present study has the potentiality of providing a new, yet simplest non-invasive screening tool for VL in remote rural areas.
Hidradenitis suppurativa in a HIV-infected child
Authors: Prabhu G , Laddha P , Manglani M , Phiske M
Published: September 2012

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a painful and chronic condition, commonly occurs in women and coincides with post-pubertal increase in sex hormones. A 13-year-old pre-pubertal HIV-infected male child presented to our clinic with a discharging right axillary lymph node swelling. The biopsy of the lesion showed features of HS. The patient was treated with oral antibiotics, oral steroids, and local antibiotic wash. Though the patient responded to this treatment, the clinical response was not adequate and the lesion recurred. Subsequently, the child was started on antiretroviral therapy (zidovudine, lamivudine, and nevirapine). Following these medications, the lesions healed and had not recurred till we last examined the child. Thus, this is a rare presentation of a known condition in an HIV-infected pre-pubertal male child, which did not respond to usual modalities of treatment and had to be treated with antiretroviral therapy.
Mysterious bruises
Authors: Chen H , Jiao J , Cheung CP , Borra S
Published: September 2012

A 69-year-old man presented with multiple spontaneous bruises in the past 2 weeks. Several large-sized hematomas were found on examination. The initial investigation revealed a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) with normal platelet count and international normalized ratio. Further investigation revealed a low factor VIII activity secondary to presence of factor VIII inhibitor, making the diagnosis of acquired hemophilia A. Further work-up revealed that pernicious anemia was present and acted as an associated disease. After steroids therapy, his aPTT was normalized and the factor VIII inhibitor titer became undetectable. 2 months later, a relapse occurred and new hematomas appeared at his retropharyngeal space and left arm. His bleeding was controlled by administration of recombinant factor VIIa, and a combined therapy of intravenous steroids and rituximab was given to eradicate the inhibitor. The approach to workup of bleeding disorders as well as treatment of acquired hemophilia A are herein discussed.
Size distributions of dicarboxylic acids, ketocarboxylic acids, α-dicarbonyls and fatty acids in atmospheric aerosols from Tanzania, East Africa during wet and dry seasons
Authors: Mkoma S. L. , Kawamura K.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. Atmospheric aerosol samples of PM2.5 and PM10 were collected during the wet and dry seasons in 2011 from a rural site in Tanzania and analysed for water-soluble dicarboxylic acids, ketocarboxylic acids, α-dicarbonyls and fatty acids using a gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry. Here we report the size distribution and sources of diacids and related compounds for wet and dry seasons. Oxalic acid (C2) was found as the most abundant diacid species followed by succinic and/or malonic acids whereas glyoxylic acid and glyoxal were the dominant ketoacids and α-dicarbonyls, respectively in both seasons in PM2.5 and PM10. Mean concentration of C2 in PM2.5 (121.5± 46.6 ng m−3) was lower in wet season than dry season (258.1± 69.5 ng m−3). Similarly, PM10 samples showed lower concentration of C2 (168.6 ± 42.4 ng m−3) in wet season than dry season (292.4± 164.8 ng m−3). Relative abundances of C2 in total diacids were 65.4% and 67.1% in PM2.5 and 64.6% and 63.9% in PM10 in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Total concentrations of diacids (289–362 m−3), ketoacids (37.8–53.7ng m−3), and α-dicarbonyls (5.7–7.8 ng m−3) in Tanzania are higher to those reported at a rural background site in Nylsvley (South Africa) but comparable or lower to those reported from sites in Asia and Europe. Diacids and ketoacids were found to be present mainly in the fine fraction in both seasons (total α-dicarbonyls in the dry season), suggesting a production of organic aerosols from pyrogenic sources and photochemical oxidations. The averaged contributions of total diacid carbon to aerosol total carbon were 1.4% in PM2.5 and 2.1% in PM10 in wet season and 3.3% in PM2.5 and 3.9% in PM10 in dry season whereas those to water-soluble organic carbon were 2.2% and 4.7% inPM2.5 and 3.1% and 5.8% in PM10 during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. These ratios suggest an enhanced photochemical oxidation of organic precursors and heterogeneous reactions on aerosols under strong solar radiation and high humidity. Correlations among organic components and relations between source tracers with diacids and related compounds in both seasons showed influence of mixed sources from natural biogenic emissions, biomass burning, biofuel combustion, and enhanced photochemical production.
Greenhouse gas measurements over a 144 km open path in the Canary Islands
Authors: Brooke J. S. A. , Bernath P. F. , Kirchengast G. , Thomas C. B. , Wang J.-G. , Tereszchuk K. A. , González Abad G. , Hargreaves R. J. , Beale C. A. , Harrison J. J. , Schweitzer S. , Proschek V. , Martin P. A. , Kasyutich V. L. , Gerbig C. , Kolle O. , Loescher A.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. A new technique for the satellite remote sensing of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere via the absorption of short-wave infrared laser signals transmitted between counter-rotating satellites in low Earth orbit has recently been proposed; this would enable the acquisition of a long-term, stable, global set of altitude-resolved concentration measurements. We present the first ground-based experimental demonstration of this new infrared-laser occultation method, in which the atmospheric absorption of CO2 near 2.1 μm was measured over a ~144 km path length between two peaks in the Canary Islands (at an altitude of ~2.4 km), using relatively low power diode lasers (~4 to 10 mW). The retrieved CO2 volume mixing ratio of 400 ppm (±15 ppm) is consistent within experimental uncertainty with simultaneously recorded in situ validation measurements. We conclude that the new method has a sound basis for monitoring CO2 in the free atmosphere; other greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrous oxide and water vapour can be monitored in the same way.
COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR GEOMETRIC CAMERA CALIBRATION
Authors: Hieronymus J.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. Methods for geometric calibration of cameras in close-range photogrammetry are established and well investigated. The most common one is based on test-fields with well-known pattern, which are observed from different directions. The parameters of a distortion model are calculated using bundle-block-adjustment-algorithms. This methods works well for short focal lengths, but is essentially more problematic to use with large focal lengths. Those would require very large test-fields and surrounding space. To overcome this problem, there is another common method for calibration used in remote sensing. It employs measurements using collimator and a goniometer. A third calibration method uses diffractive optical elements (DOE) to project holograms of well known pattern. In this paper these three calibration methods are compared empirically, especially in terms of accuracy. A camera has been calibrated with those methods mentioned above. All methods provide a set of distortion correction parameters as used by the photogrammetric software Australis. The resulting parameter values are very similar for all investigated methods. The three sets of distortion parameters are crosscompared against all three calibration methods. This is achieved by inserting the gained distortion parameters as fixed input into the calibration algorithms and only adjusting the exterior orientation. The RMS (root mean square) of the remaining image coordinate residuals are taken as a measure of distortion correction quality. There are differences resulting from the different calibration methods. Nevertheless the measure is small for every comparison, which means that all three calibration methods can be used for accurate geometric calibration.
Design of High-Speed Adders for Efficient Digital Design Blocks
Authors: Yagain Deepa , A Vijaya Krishna , Baliga Akansha
Published: September 2012

The core of every microprocessor and digital signal processor is its data path. The heart of data-path and addressing units in turn are arithmetic units which include adders. Parallel-prefix adders offer a highly efficient solution to the binary addition problem and are well suited for VLSI implementations. This paper involves the design and comparison of high-speed, parallel-prefix adders such as Kogge-Stone, Brent-Kung, Sklansky, and Kogge-Stone Ling adders. It is found that Kogge-Stone Ling adder performs much efficiently when compared to the other adders. Here, Kogge-Stone Ling adders and ripple adders are incorporated as a part of a lattice filter in order to prove their functionalities. It is seen that the operating frequency of lattice filter increases if parallel prefix Kogge-Stone Ling adder is used instead of ripple adders since the combinational delay of Kogge-Stone Ling adder is less. Further, design and comparison of different tree adder structures are performed using both CMOS logic and transmission gate logic. Using these adders, unsigned and signed comparators are designed as an application example and compared with their performance parameters such as area, delay, and power consumed. The design and simulations are done using 65 nm CMOS design library.
Face Recognition Algorithm for Photographs and Viewed Sketch Matching Using Score-Level Fusion
Authors: Cho So Ra , Nam Gi Pyo , Park Kang Ryoung
Published: September 2012

For criminal searches, the necessity of matching photographs with sketches is increasing. Previously, matching was performed manually by a human observer, a time-consuming process whose accuracy can be affected by the level of human expertise. Therefore, we propose a new face recognition algorithm for photographs and sketches. This research is novel in the following three ways. First, to overcome the decrease in matching accuracy due to pose and illumination variation, we use eye alignment and retinex filtering to normalize pose, size and illumination. Second, we compare the performance of various face recognition methods, such as principal component analysis (PCA), local binary pattern (LBP), local non-negative matrix factorization (LNMF), support vector machine-discriminant analysis (SVM-DA) and modified census transform (MCT), for the matching of photographs and viewed sketches. Third, these five face recognition methods are combined on the basis of score-level fusion to enhance matching accuracy, thereby overcoming the performance limitations of single face recognition methods. Experimental results using a CUHK dataset showed that the accuracy of the proposed method is better than that of uni-modal face recognition methods.
“Let’s Drink Together”: Early Ceremonial use of Maize in the Titicaca Basin
Authors: Logan Amanda L. , Hastorf Christine A. , Pearsall Deborah M.
Published: September 2012

Since the Formative times, maize is and has been a highly valued social commodity in the Andes, particularly in the form of a traditional beer called chicha. While chicha production is well attested in the archaeology and ethnohistory of Andean states, the emergence of maize symbolism in earlier societies has not been systematically addressed. In this study phytolith and starch grain analyses are used to trace production, processing, and consumption of maize at sites on the Taraco Peninsula of Bolivia and thus the entrance of maize into the region. We systematically examine the role of maize by addressing its rarity, use contexts, and preparation. The pattern of plant part representation and use suggest that maize was being consumed in the form of chicha at its earliest introduction to the Titicaca Basin (800–250 B.C.). Drinking of alcohol in ceremonial spaces embodies the process of commensality of public ceremony and the establishment of reciprocal relationships during the Formative period. These results demonstrate that contextual analysis of microbotanical remains has great potential to answer anthropological questions surrounding food, ritual, and identity.
Le rôle des cadres intermédiaires dans le processus de changement des collectivités publiques : pour un modèle dynamique de la construction de rôle
Authors: Alis David , Fergelot Valérie
Published: September 2012

Face aux mutations auxquels sont confrontés les services publics, les cadres sont à la fois acteurs et objets des transformations managériales. La recherche empirique et qualitative menée dans deux collectivités publiques françaises décrit et modélise le rôle des cadres consistant à fabriquer du sens (« sensemaking »), à faire partager ce sens (« sensegiving ») au service de la légitimation, la réalisation et l’appropriation du changement. Elle permet d’approfondir deux dimensions dans lesquelles la construction du rôle du cadre s’inscrit, le contexte et le processus. Elle ouvre la voie à des recherches ultérieures sur les spécificités du changement dans les collectivités publiques.
L’individualisation des modes de rémunérations dans le secteur public hospitalier français : portée et limites d’une pratique gestionnaire
Authors: Forest Virginie , Verchère Alban
Published: September 2012

L’introduction d’une « rémunération à la performance » en direction des chirurgiens hospitaliers français, et son extension probable à l’ensemble des médecins du secteur public, représente une évolution majeure du système de soins français. Dans ce papier, nous revenons en premier lieu sur les fondements théoriques de ce mode de rémunération, qui se réfèrent à la Théorie de l'Agence, puis nous proposons un aperçu général des difficultés pratiques de mise en oeuvre d’un tel système, ainsi qu'une analyse détaillée des limites inhérentes à cette gestion individualisée des rémunérations.
La rémunération au mérite dans le secteur public : bilan des connaissances et avenues de recherche
Authors: St-Onge Sylvie , Buisson Marie-Laure
Published: September 2012

Après avoir décrit ce que le secteur public des États-Unis, de l’Angleterre et de la France font en matière de rémunération basée sur la performance individuelle, nous présentons une synthèse des études sur ses incidences Se pose alors la question : pourquoi de nombreux États persistent à adopter et à maintenir la rémunération au mérite alors qu’elle comporte des limites semblables à celles qui ont été identifiées dans le secteur privé mais qu’en sus, le secteur public présente des contraintes particulières additionnelles ? Pour expliquer ce paradoxe, nous recourons aux perspectives des théories institutionnelle et conventionnaliste.
Les déviances dans les organisations publiques en quête de performance. Vers une gestion prophylactique des risques de déviance
Authors: Mazouz Bachir , Garzon César , Picard Pascal
Published: September 2012

Dans cet article introductif au dossier spécial consacré par la revueManagement international(Mi) aux déviances organisationnelles et gestion de la performance publique, les auteurs développent une approche permettant une gestion prophylactique des risques de déviance en contexte organisationnel public. En identifiant quatretensionsde gouvernance que provoquent respectivement des changements radicaux introduits au niveau desinstitutions, desstructures, descadres officielset desoutilsde gestion de la performance publique, les auteurs soutiennent la possibilité d’une gestion prophylactique des risques de déviance à partir d’indicateurs traduisant des tensions éthiques, structurelles, managériales et artéfactuelles.
Calculations of near-field emissions in frequency-domain into time-dependent data with arbitrary wave form transient perturbations
Authors: Liu Y. , Ravelo B. , Ben Hadj Slama J.
Published: September 2012

This paper is devoted on the application of the computational method for calculating the transient electromagnetic (EM) near-field (NF) radiated by electronic structures from the frequency-dependent data for the arbitrary wave form perturbations i(t). The method proposed is based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT). The different steps illustrating the principle of the method is described. It is composed of three successive steps: the synchronization of the input excitation spectrum I(f) and the given frequency data H0(f), the convolution of the two inputs data and then, the determination of the time-domain emissions H(t). The feasibility of the method is verified with standard EM 3D simulations. In addition to this method, an extraction technique of the time-dependent z-transversal EM NF component Xz(t) from the frequency-dependent x- and y- longitudinal components Hx(f) and Hy(f) is also presented. This technique is based on the conjugation of the plane wave spectrum (PWS) transform and FFT. The feasibility of the method is verified with a set of dipole radiations. The method introduced in this paper is particularly useful for the investigation of time-domain emissions for EMC applications by considering transient EM interferences (EMIs).
Larynx
Authors: Sobin L. H. , Gospodarowicz M.K. , Wittekind Ch.
Published: September 2012

The TNM system is used to describe and classify cancer stages and progression based on the assessment of three components:

T

The extent of the primary tumour

N

The absence or presence and extent of regional lymph node metastasis

M

The absence or presence of distant metastasis.

TNM classification for the above site is described under the following headings:

Rules for classification with the procedures for assessing T, N, and M categories; additional methods may be used when they enhance the accuracy of appraisal before treatment

Anatomical sites and subsites where appropriate

Definition of the regional lymph nodes

TNM Clinical classification

pTNM Pathological classification

G Histopathological grading

Stage grouping

Summary
Extrahepatic Bile Ducts ‐ Distal
Authors: Sobin L. H. , Gospodarowicz M.K. , Wittekind Ch.
Published: September 2012

The TNM system is used to describe and classify cancer stages and progression based on the assessment of three components:

T

The extent of the primary tumour

N

The absence or presence and extent of regional lymph node metastasis

M

The absence or presence of distant metastasis.

TNM classification for the above site is described under the following headings:

Rules for classification with the procedures for assessing T, N, and M categories; additional methods may be used when they enhance the accuracy of appraisal before treatment

Anatomical sites and subsites where appropriate

Definition of the regional lymph nodes

TNM Clinical classification

pTNM Pathological classification

G Histopathological grading

Stage grouping

Summary
Diastolic Dysfunction in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Meta‐Analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Aslam Fawad , Bandeali Salman J. , Khan Nasim A. , Alam Mahboob
Published: September 2012

Objective

To determine if the prevalence of diastolic dysfunction is increased in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Methods

We conducted a time‐ and language‐restricted literature search to identify studies conducted to compare echocardiographic parameters in patients with RA and controls. The mean difference for echocardiographic variables of interest was calculated using a random‐effects model. A systematic review of the literature was performed.

Results

A total of 25 studies reporting on 5,836 subjects (1,614 with RA) were included. Results reflect mean differences, with positive values denoting higher values in RA patients. Patients with RA had larger mean left atrial dimension (mean difference 0.09 cm [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.01, 0.17]; P = 0.02), higher left ventricular mass index (mean difference 6.2 gm/m2 [95% CI 1.08, 11.33]; P = 0.02), higher mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure (mean difference 5.87 mm Hg [95% CI 4.36, 7.38]; P < 0.00001), prolonged isovolumetric relaxation time (mean difference 9.67 msec [95% CI 5.78, 13.56]; P < 0.00001), and higher transmitral A wave velocity (mean difference 0.13 meters/second [95% CI 0.07, 0.18]; P < 0.00001) compared to controls. A subanalysis of 2,183 subjects excluding 2 large unmatched studies showed the same results, with the exception that patients with RA had a lower mitral E/A ratio (mean difference −0.17 [95% CI −0.25, −0.09]; P < 0.00001), suggestive of diastolic dysfunction. There were no differences in left ventricular ejection fraction (%), transmitral E wave velocity (meters/second), and mitral deceleration time (msec).

Conclusion

Patients with RA were more likely to have echocardiographic parameters of diastolic dysfunction, and have higher systolic pulmonary artery pressures and larger left atrial sizes.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Properties of PMMA‐g‐PVA/Ag Vapor‐Induced Responsive Nanocomposite
Authors: Wei Qing‐Bo , Fu Feng , Zhang Yu Qi , Tang Long , Wang Bo
Published: September 2012

A grafting copolymer, polymethyl methacrylate grafted poly(vinyl alcohol) (PMMA‐g‐PVA), was prepared via a simple free radical polymerization reaction initiated by a PVA‐(NH4)2Ce(NO3)6 redox system. This copolymer was then employed as a reactor template to design and fabricate a sensitive electrically conducting film by a reduction reaction of Ag+ with sodium hypophosphite as a reducer. The structure and morphologies of the PMMA‐g‐PVA/Ag nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The complexation between Ag+ and PVA and even PMMA, as well as the establishment of inter‐ and intramolecular attractions between polymer matrices, played an important role in the insertion and reduction of Ag+ particles. XRD results showed all relevant Bragg's diffractions for the crystal structure of Ag+ nanoparticles, and transmission electron microscopy findings showed well‐defined spherical morphologies. UV–vis studies apparently showed the characteristic surface plasmon band of Ag nanoparticles within the polymer matrices at 390–400 nm. The resistance responsiveness of the film samples to various organic vapors was investigated, and the responsive magnitude depends on the type and strength of an interaction produced by each solvent vapor on the material. The response dependence on initial resistances of the film samples was explored in the case of ether vapor. The response mechanism of the PMMA‐g‐PVA/Ag films to solvent vapors was explained on the basis of a swelling theory and an interaction between solvent vapor molecules and nanocomposites. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 32: E624–E632, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/adv.21306
Stable Isotope Analysis in Primatology: A Critical Review
Authors: SANDBERG PAUL A. , LOUDON JAMES E. , SPONHEIMER MATT
Published: September 2012

Stable isotope analysis has become an important tool in ecology over the last 25 years. A wealth of ecological information is stored in animal tissues in the relative abundances of the stable isotopes of several elements, particularly carbon and nitrogen, because these isotopes navigate through ecological processes in predictable ways. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes have been measured in most primate taxonomic groups and have yielded information about dietary content, dietary variability, and habitat use. Stable isotopes have recently proven useful for addressing more fine‐grained questions about niche dynamics and anthropogenic effects on feeding ecology. Here, we discuss stable carbon and nitrogen isotope systematics and critically review the published stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data for modern primates with a focus on the problems and prospects for future stable isotope applications in primatology. Am. J. Primatol. 74:969‐989, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reproductive Ecology of Female Chimpanzees
Authors: THOMPSON MELISSA EMERY
Published: September 2012

An important adaptive problem for mammals in general, and primates in particular, is how females can manage the high costs of reproduction in the face of fluctuating energetic supplies. For many species, the best solution is to breed seasonally such that high costs are temporally coincident with predictable periods of resource abundance. This is an unreliable strategy for some primates, such as chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), for which large body size forces an increase in dietary complexity and prolonged reproductive efforts. Here, I review data on reproductive function in chimpanzees, a species that demonstrates a risk‐averse reproductive strategy wherein reproductive investment is allocated in accordance with maternal condition. Life history parameters for chimpanzees indicate that most females produce very few surviving offspring. However, comparisons between captive and wild populations and within wild populations illustrate that variation in resource access leads to highly variable reproductive success. Focused hormonal studies have demonstrated these effects at a proximate level, with energetic influences on female dispersal, receptivity, cycle quality, conception success, and lactational amenorrhea. Downstream of these effects, female reproductive function affects sexual attractiveness, and by virtue of males’ own optimal reproductive strategies, can lead to coercive aggression and decreased foraging efficiency. Because of their extreme reproductive costs, female chimpanzees utilize a highly conservative reproductive strategy, one that minimizes the costs of ecological variation but makes them vulnerable to sexual conflict and costs of sociality. Am. J. Primatol. 75:222‐237, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Populäre Naturwissenschaft in Nürnberg am Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts: Reisende Experimentatoren, öffentliche Vorlesungen und physikalisches Spielzeug
Authors: Rüger Alexander
Published: September 2012

Popular science in Nuremberg at the end of the 18th century exemplifies a little known German scientific culture: as in English und French towns, public lectures in natural philosophy and experimental demonstrations were offered to an interested bourgeois audience; the production of scientific toys flourished. The career of Johann Konrad Gütle, private teacher, itinerant lecturer and instrument maker, illustrates the popular scientific scene in Enlightenment Nuremberg.
Women Who Kill Their Mates
Authors: Bourget Dominique , Gagné Pierre
Published: September 2012

Spousal homicide perpetrators are much more likely to be men than women. Accordingly, little research has focused on delineating characteristics of women who have committed spousal homicide. A retrospective clinical review of coroners' files containing all cases of spousal homicide occurring in Quebec over a 20‐year period was carried out. A total of 276 spousal homicides occurred between 1991 and 2010, with 42 homicides by female spouses and 234 homicides by male spouses. Differences between homicides committed by female offenders and male offenders are discussed, and findings on spousal homicide committed by women are compared with those of previous studies. Findings regarding offenses perpetrated by females in the context of mental illness, domestic violence, and homicide‐suicide are explored. The finding that only 28% of the female offenders in the Quebec sample had previously been subjected to violence by their victim is in contrast to the popular belief and reports that indicate that most female‐perpetrated spousal homicide occurs in self‐defense or in reaction to long‐term abuse. In fact, women rarely gave a warning before killing their mates. Most did not suffer from a mental illness, although one‐fifth were acutely intoxicated at the time of the killing. In the vast majority of cases of women who killed their mates, there were very few indicators that might have signaled the risk and helped predict the violent lethal behavior. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of Benzophenone‐Alkyne Bifunctional Sigma Receptor Ligands
Authors: Guo Lian‐Wang , Hajipour Abdol R. , Karaoglu Kerim , Mavlyutov Timur A. , Ruoho Arnold E.
Published: September 2012

Sigma (σ) receptors are unique non‐opioid binding sites that are associated with a broad range of disease states. Sigma‐2 receptors provide a promising target for diagnostic imaging and pharmacological interventions to curb tumor progression. Most recently, the progesterone receptor (PGRMC1, 25 kDa) has been shown to have σ2 receptor‐like binding properties, thus highlighting the need to understand the biological function of an 18 kDa protein that exhibits σ2‐like photoaffinity labeling (denoted here as σ2‐18k) but the amino acid sequence of which is not known. In order to provide new tools for the study of the σ2‐18k protein, we have developed bifunctional σ receptor ligands each bearing a benzophenone photo‐crosslinking moiety and an alkyne group to which an azide‐containing biotin affinity tag can be covalently attached through click chemistry after photo‐crosslinking. Although several compounds showed favorable σ2 binding properties, the highest affinity (2 nM) and the greatest potency in blocking photolabeling of σ2‐18k by a radioactive photoaffinity ligand was shown by compound 22. These benzophenone‐alkyne σ receptor ligands might therefore be amenable for studying the σ2‐18k protein through chemical biology approaches. To the best of our knowledge, these compounds represent the first reported benzophenone‐containing clickable σ receptor ligands, which might potentially have broad applications based on the “plugging in” of various tags.
An Integrated NMR and DFT Study on the Single Insertion of α‐Olefins into the MC Bond of Group 4 Metallaaziridinium Ion Pairs
Authors: Rocchigiani Luca , Ciancaleoni Gianluca , Zuccaccia Cristiano , Macchioni Alceo
Published: September 2012

The reactions of metallaaziridinium ion pairs [Cp2M(η2‐CH2NMePh)][B(C6F5)4] [M=Zr (1), Hf (2)] with 1‐hexene and 2‐methyl‐1‐heptene were investigated by means of NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. We found that a single insertion of the olefin into the MC bond led to the formation of stable five‐membered heterocycles (3–6). The reactions were 1,2‐regioselective and afforded two diastereoisomers whose ratio was mainly controlled by the nature of the olefin, whilst the nature of the metal only played a marginal role. In particular, the reaction with 1‐hexene was found to be not only more favored than that with 2‐methyl‐1‐heptene from a thermodynamic point of view but it was also more diastereoselective. In all cases, the observed diastereoisomeric ratio was dictated by thermodynamics because the products interconverted into each other, as indicated by EXSY NMR spectroscopy and by DFT calculations.
Oxidation Ability of CO2 for the Transformation of Cinnamic Aldehydes to Acids Catalyzed by N‐Heterocyclic Carbene: Combining Computational and Experimental Studies
Authors: Ren Xingye , Yuan Yanli , Ju Yan , Wang Hongming
Published: September 2012

The mechanism of the CO2 splitting reaction with N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) as a catalyst and cinnamic aldehydes as the oxygen acceptor was thoroughly investigated at the B3LYP/6‐31G(d,p) level. Owing to its nucleophilicity, NHC can initiate the reaction through two distinct channels (I and II) by nucleophilic attack. The results reveal that without the assistance by H2O, channel II is slightly more favorable than channel I, and the reaction path II‐D is the optimum reaction path. However, the reaction is difficult to conduct at room temperature because of its high activation energy barrier. Although the results suggest that most of the high activation energy barriers involved in proton transfer decrease if the reaction is assisted by H2O, all highest energy barriers for all reaction channels are still above 40 kcal mol−1. This indicates that this reaction cannot be performed at room temperature, which is also proven by experiments.
3,4,9,10‐Perylenetetracarboxylic Acid/Hemin Nanocomposites Act as Redox Probes and Electrocatalysts for Constructing a Pseudobienzyme‐Channeling Amplified Electrochemical Aptasensor
Authors: Yuan Yali , Yuan Ruo , Chai Yaqin , Zhuo Ying , Gan Xianxue , Bai Lijuan
Published: September 2012

A simple wet‐chemical strategy for the synthesis of 3,4,9,10‐perylenetetracarboxylic acid (PTCA)/hemin nanocomposites through π–π interactions is demonstrated. Significantly, the hemin successfully conciliates PTCA redox activity with a pair of well‐defined redox peaks and intrinsic peroxidase‐like activity, which provides potential application of the PTCA self‐derived redox activity as redox probes. Additionally, PTCA/hemin nanocomposites exhibit a good membrane‐forming property, which not only avoids the conventional fussy process for redox probe immobilization, but also reduces the participation of the membrane materials that act as a barrier of electron transfer. On the basis of these unique properties, a pseudobienzyme‐channeling amplified electrochemical aptasensor is developed that is coupled with glucose oxidase (GOx) for thrombin detection by using PTCA/hemin nanocomposites as redox probes and electrocatalysts. With the addition of glucose to the electrolytic cell, the GOx on the aptasensor surface bioelectrocatalyzed the reduction of glucose to produce H2O2, which in turn was electrocatalyzed by the PTCA/hemin nanocomposites. Cascade schemes, in which an enzyme is catalytically linked to another enzyme, can produce signal amplification and therefore increase the biosensor sensitivity. As a result, a linear relationship for thrombin from 0.005 to 20 nM and a detection limit of 0.001 nM were obtained.
Preparation of Graphene by Using an Intense Cavitation Field in a Pressurized Ultrasonic Reactor
Authors: Štengl Václav
Published: September 2012

A new and efficient method to produce a large quantity of high‐quality and non‐oxidized graphene flakes from powdered natural graphite by using a high‐intensity cavitation field in a pressurized ultrasonic reactor is demonstrated. TEM and selected‐area electron diffraction (SAED) confirmed the ordered graphite crystal structure of graphene. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to examine the thickness of the graphene sheets. The delamination (exfoliation) of natural graphite in the liquid phase depends on the physical effects of ultrasound, which break down the 3D graphite structure into a 2D graphene structure. The prepared graphene is of high purity and without defects because no strongly oxidizing chemicals are used and no toxic products result. TEM shows that graphene nanosheets were produced with sizes in the range of tens to hundreds of square nanometers; these nanosheets were smooth and without any ripples and corrugations. High‐resolution TEM (HRTEM) and SAED analysis confirmed that the products were graphene nanosheets.
Mechanism of the Pd‐catalyzed Decarboxylative Allylation of α‐Imino Esters: Decarboxylation via Free Carboxylate Ion
Authors: Li Zhe , Jiang Yuan‐Ye , Yeagley Andrew A. , Bour James P. , Liu Lei , Chruma Jason J. , Fu Yao
Published: September 2012

The Pd‐catalyzed decarboxylative allylation of α‐(diphenylmethylene)imino esters (1) or allyl diphenylglycinate imines (2) is an efficient method to construct new C(sp3)C(sp3) bonds. The detailed mechanism of this reaction was studied by theoretical calculations [ONIOM(B3LYP/LANL2DZ+p:PM6)] combined with experimental observations. The overall catalytic cycle was found to consist of three steps: oxidative addition, decarboxylation, and reductive allylation. The oxidative addition of 1 to [(dba)Pd(PPh3)2] (dba=dibenzylideneacetone) produces an allylpalladium cation and a carboxylate anion with a low activation barrier of +9.1 kcal mol−1. The following rate‐determining decarboxylation proceeds via a solvent‐exposed α‐imino carboxylate anion rather than an O‐ligated allylpalladium carboxylate with an activation barrier of +22.7 kcal mol−1. The 2‐azaallyl anion generated by this decarboxylation attacks the face of the allyl ligand opposite to the Pd center in an outer‐sphere process to produce major product 3, with a lower activation barrier than that of the minor product 4. A positive linear Hammett correlation [ρ=1.10 for the PPh3 ligand] with the observed regioselectivity (3 versus 4) supports an outer‐sphere pathway for the allylation step. When Pd combined with the bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (dppb) ligand is employed as a catalyst, the decarboxylation still proceeds via the free carboxylate anion without direct assistance of the cationic Pd center. Consistent with experimental observations, electron‐withdrawing substituents on 2 were calculated to have lower activation barriers for decarboxylation and, thus, accelerate the overall reaction rates.
Femtogram Detection of Explosive Nitroaromatics: Fluoranthene‐Based Fluorescent Chemosensors
Authors: Venkatramaiah N. , Kumar Shiv , Patil Satish
Published: September 2012

Herein we report a novel fluoranthene‐based fluorescent fluorophore 7,10‐bis(4‐bromophenyl)‐8,9‐bis[4‐(hexyloxy)phenyl]fluoranthene (S3) and its remarkable properties in applications of explosive detection. The sensitivity towards the detection of nitroaromatics (NACs) was evaluated through fluorescence quenching in solution, vapor, and contact mode approaches. The contact mode approach using thin‐layer silica chromatograp‐ hic plates exhibited a femtogram (1.15 fg cm−2) detection limit for trinitrotoluene (TNT) and picric acid (PA), whereas the solution‐phase quenching showed PA detection at the 2–20 ppb level. Fluorescence lifetime measurements revealed that the quenching is static in nature and the quenching process is fully reversible. Binding energies between model binding sites of the S3 and analyte compounds reveal that analyte molecules enter into the cavity created by substituted phenyl rings of fluoranthene and are stabilized by strong intermolecular interactions with alkyl chains. It is anticipated that the sensor S3 could be a promising material for the construction of portable optical devices for the detection of onsite explosive nitroaromatics.
Direct Acyl Substitution of Carboxylic Acids: A Chemoselective O‐ to N‐Acyl Migration in the Traceless Staudinger Ligation
Authors: Kosal Andrew D. , Wilson Erin E. , Ashfeld Brandon L.
Published: September 2012

A chlorophosphite‐modified, Staudinger‐like acylation of azides involving a highly chemoselective, direct nucleophilic acyl substitution of carboxylic acids is described. The reaction provides the corresponding amides with analytical purity in 32–97 % yield after a simple aqueous workup without the need for a pre‐activation step. The use of chlorophosphites as dual carboxylic acid–azide activating agents enables the formation of acyl CN bonds in the presence of a wide range of nucleophilic and electrophilic functional groups, including amines, alcohols, amides, aldehydes, and ketones. The coupling of carboxylic acids and azides for the formation of alkyl amides, sulfonyl amides, lactams, and dipeptides is described.
Experimental and DFT Evidence for the Fractional Non‐Innocence of a β‐Diketonate Ligand
Authors: Das Amit , Scherer Thomas Michael , Mondal Prasenjit , Mobin Shaikh M. , Kaim Wolfgang , Lahiri Goutam Kumar
Published: September 2012

New compounds [Ru(pap)2(L)](ClO4), [Ru(pap)(L)2], and [Ru(acac)2(L)] (pap=2‐phenylazopyridine, L−=9‐oxidophenalenone, acac−=2,4‐pentanedionate) have been prepared and studied regarding their electron‐transfer behavior, both experimentally and by using DFT calculations. [Ru(pap)2(L)](ClO4) and [Ru(acac)2(L)] were characterized by crystal‐structure analysis. Spectroelectrochemistry (EPR, UV/Vis/NIR), in conjunction with cyclic voltammetry, showed a wide range of about 2 V for the potential of the RuIII/II couple, which was in agreement with the very different characteristics of the strongly π‐accepting pap ligand and the σ‐donating acac− ligand. At the rather high potential of +1.35 V versus SCE, the oxidation of L− into L. could be deduced from the near‐IR absorption of [RuIII(pap)(L.)(L−)]2+. Other intense long‐wavelength transitions, including LMCT (L−→RuIII) and LL/CT (pap.−→L−) processes, were confirmed by TD‐DFT results. DFT calculations and EPR data for the paramagnetic intermediates allowed us to assess the spin densities, which revealed two cases with considerable contributions from L‐radical‐involving forms, that is, [RuIII(pap0)2(L−)]2+↔[RuII(pap0)2(L.)]2+ and [RuIII(pap0)(L−)2]+↔[RuII(pap0)(L⋅)(L−)]+. Calculations of electrogenerated complex [RuII(pap.−)(pap0)(L−)] displayed considerable negative spin density (−0.188) at the bridging metal.
Copper‐Catalyzed Three‐Component Borylstannylation of Alkynes
Authors: Takemoto Yuki , Yoshida Hiroto , Takaki Ken
Published: September 2012

Regio‐ and stereoselective installation of boryl and stannyl moieties into a carbon–carbon triple bond of various alkynes has been achieved based on a three‐component coupling reaction by using a diboron and a tin alkoxide with the aid of a copper(II) acetate–tricyclohexylphosphine complex, giving diverse vic‐borylstannylalkenes in a straightforward manner. Carbon–tin and carbon–boron bonds of the resulting borylstannylation product are successively transformed into carbon–carbon bonds by a Migita–Kosugi–Stille and a Suzuki–Miyaura coupling, leading to the formation of (Z)‐tamoxifen with anti‐breast cancer activity.