bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rock classification in the Haynesville Shale based on petrophysical and elastic properties estimated from well logs
Authors: Saneifar Mehrnoosh , Aranibar Alvaro , Heidari Zoya
Published: November 2014

Rock classification can enhance fracture treatment design for successful field developments in organic-shale reservoirs. The petrophysical and elastic properties of formations are important to consider when selecting the best candidate zones for fracture treatment. Rock classification techniques based on well logs can be advantageous compared to conventional ones based on cores, and they enable depth-by-depth formation characterization. We developed and evaluated three rock classification techniques in organic-shale formations that incorporate well logs and well-log-based estimates of elastic properties, petrophysical properties, mineralogy, and organic richness. The three rock classification techniques include (1) a 3D crossplot analysis of organic richness, volumetric concentrations of minerals, and rock brittleness index, (2) an unsupervised artificial neural network (ANN), built from an input of well logs, and (3) an unsupervised ANN, constructed using an input of well-log-based estimates of petrophysical, compositional, and elastic properties. A so-called self-consistent approximation rock-physics model is used to estimate elastic rock properties. This model enables assessment of the elastic properties based on the well-log-derived estimates of mineralogy and shapes of rock components, in the absence of acoustic-wave velocity logs. Finally, we apply the three proposed techniques to the Haynesville Shale for rock classification. We verify the identified rock types using thin-section images and previously identified lithofacies. We determined that well logs can be directly used for rock classification instead of petrophysical, compositional, and elastic properties obtained from well-log interpretation. Direct use of well logs, instead of well-log-derived properties, can reduce uncertainty associated with the physical models used to estimate elastic moduli and petrophysical/compositional properties. The three proposed well-log-based rock classification techniques can potentially enhance fracture treatment for production from complex organic-shale reservoirs through (1) detecting the best candidate zones for fracture treatment and (2) optimizing the number of required fracture stages.
Petroelastic and geomechanical classification of lithologic facies in the Marcellus Shale
Authors: Grana Dario , Schlanser Kristen , Campbell-Stone Erin
Published: November 2014

Log-facies classification at the well location allows determination of the number of facies, the facies definition, and the correlation between facies and rock properties along the well profile. In unconventional reservoirs, because of the necessity for hydraulic fracturing in shale gas and shale oil reservoirs, facies classification should account for petroelastic and geomechanical properties. We developed a facies classification methodology based on the expectation-maximization algorithm, a statistical method that allows finding the most likely facies classification and the associated probability distribution, given the set of geophysical measurements in the borehole. We applied the proposed workflow to a complete set of well logs from the Marcellus shale and developed the corresponding facies classification from log properties measured and computed in three different domains: petrophysics, rock physics, and geomechanics. In thne preliminary well-log and rock-physics analysis, we identify three main lithofacies: limestone, shale, and sandstone. The application of the classification method provided the vertical sequence of the three lithofacies and their pointwise probability of occurrence. A sensitivity analysis was finally evaluated to investigate the impact of the number of input variables on the classification and the effects of cementation and kerogen.
Seismic diffraction interpretation at Piceance Creek
Authors: Burnett William A. , Klokov Alexander , Fomel Sergey , Bansal Rishidev , Liu Enru , Jenkinson Tim
Published: November 2014

We applied time-domain seismic diffraction imaging to a 3D data set from the Piceance Creek Field, Piceance Basin, northwest Colorado. The work was motivated by the need for insight into natural fracture distribution, thought to influence production. We used a novel chain of two previously developed processing steps to separate diffractions from the recorded wavefield — One step is applied to the conventional stack volume, and the other was applied to migrated dip-angle gathers. The diffractions were then imaged independently for interpretation. Comparison of seismic attributes, commonly used for fracture characterization, found that the resulting diffraction image had lateral resolution comparable to or greater than the discontinuity-type attributes and provided information complementary to azimuthal anisotropy measurements. The diffraction image from Piceance Creek had advantages over attributes in interpretation confidence because diffractions were a direct seismic response to subsurface features of intermediate size. Although these features were larger than the fractures thought to influence production, knowledge of intermediate-scale features can improve fracture prediction in the context of geologic scaling relationships or rock physics models. Qualitative interpretation of the diffraction amplitudes distinguished edge-type and line-type diffractions, indicative of fault versus channel-fill features, respectively. Even the largest faults at Piceance Creek only generated diffractions where contrasting lithologies were juxtaposed. Where there was lateral contrast, diffractions appeared to delineate small faults and channels with vertical resolution limited to the same order as the conventional seismic image.
Hydrothermal Synthesis of N-Acetyl-l-cysteine-capped CuInS2 Nanoparticles
Authors: Bu Hang-Beom , Yokota Hiroki , Shimura Kunio , Takahasi Kohji , Taniguchi Taichi , Kim DaeGwi
Published: November 2014

CuInS2 (CIS) nanoparticles (NPs) were hydrothermally prepared by the reaction of Cu2+, In2+, and Na2S in the presence of N-acetyl-l-cysteine as a stabilizer. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the resultant CIS NPs indicated that the chalcopyrite NPs could be obtained. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data suggested that Cu2+ is reduced to Cu+ during the reaction process. The absorption and photoluminescence peaks of the NPs were clearly red-shifted with increasing size of the particles. Our method will aid in the synthesis of other I–III–VI ternary compounds.
Phenotypic variation of Thaumatomyia notate (Meigen, 1830) (Diptera; Chloropidae) in East Azerbaijan province - Iran
Authors: Khaghaninia Samad , Gharajedaghi Yaser , Kubik Stepan
Published: November 2014

The phenotypic variation of Thaumatomyia notate (Meigen, 1830) (Chloropidae) collected from six different regions was studied in the East Azerbaijan province in northwestern Iran during 2009-2012. Eight populations of Thaumatomyia notata with different phenotypes were recognized. Environmental parameters such as temperature, elevation and habitat were examined. The results of this study show that colour variation in T. notata is caused mostly by seasonal temperature, dark coloration in April to light in July. In addition, variation in some morphological characters such as antenna, ocellar triangle, microchaetotaxy and size as well as diagnostic characters and photos of each variation are provided.
The veil of ignorance or unveiling Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece
Authors: Daris Gabriella
Published: November 2014

Yoko Ono’s performance Cut Piece (1964) is anchored by the instructions Cut Piece that the artist had produced in 1962 and in 1966, where the concept of the work lies. The clothing the performer wears is equally an important component of the work, and its cutting is what activates it. These aspects will be examined under the theoretical framework built on Kant’s and Derrida’s concept of the parergon, Heidegger’s ‘Gelassenheit’ (releasement), destruction and retrieval, Agamben’s clothing/nudity apparatus and Mauss’ notion of the gift-giving exchange. Cut Piece’s concern with the power relation between author and reader will also be examined throughout the article, with recurrent reference to Yoko Ono’s earlier work, Audience Piece (1962), and through Sartre’s and Levinas’ theories on Being for the Other and the limits of freedom. In search of the fons et origo of Cut Piece, the investigation will use Derrida’s method of deconstruction and further on discuss its displacement and recontextualization. Seamlessly, it will decipher the many layers of meanings it conceals and unveils, and will bring forth a number of viewpoints, reminding us that since the artist’s attempt is to realize her ideas in the actions of Others, it inevitably means that the work projects a range of ongoing interpretations.
(Di)Visible layers: Bodies, genders and costumes in the works of Suzan-Lori Parks
Authors: O’Gorman Siobhán
Published: November 2014

This article examines the destabilizing efficacy of costuming in contemporary theatre in relation to naturalized genders. It focuses on selected portions of Suzan-Lori Parks’ Venus, In the Blood and Topdog/Underdog that are noteworthy within the context of costuming, illuminated by Judith Butler’s theories on gender performativity. The article places at the centre of its investigation subversive images that Parks’ dramaturgy promotes for the stage, and argues for the important role that directors and designers play in executing the dramatist’s interrogation of abiding genders. I argue that, in the work of this playwright, intersecting gendered, racial and social categorizations can all be shown to encompass layers of cultural meaning that fossilize over time to give the appearance of fixity. Parks’ plays have the potential, through costuming opportunities, to make these layers visible, revealing their cultural and historical materialization and showing that they are, in fact, divisible.
Alarming the heart: Costume as performative body-object-event
Authors: Hannah Dorita
Published: November 2014

The word ‘costume’, like ‘design’, connotes both artefact (noun) and action (verb), highlighting costume design as an active practice and activating object, capable of dynamically intervening between the body and space. This article looks to the affective and effective impact elicited by highly performative quotidian garments outside the theatre and how, linked to ancient mythology, human history and current sociopolitical events, they have been critically adopted for live performance. Focusing on the universally beguiling red dress, referred to by Anaïs Nin as capable of ‘alarming the heart with the violent gong of catastrophe’, the costume is discussed as a spatial body-object, disrupting and charging social environments to reveal their ‘evental’ nature: calling up monumental moments, productive aesthetic encounters and multiple daily experiences. This reiterates the complexity of our contemporary condition, in which we cannot separate the theatrical from the sociopolitical: something Jon McKenzie maintains could be understood through the critical tool of ‘performance design’ – a constructive means of drawing upon and critiquing the proliferation of manifold events played out in the new century. Referencing my own research-informed practice (created and often articulated in collaboration with choreographer/dancer, Carol Brown), this article will theorize costumes as spatial body-objects as well as active and activating agents that are integral to complex spatiotemporal webs, particularly in relation to our highly mediated reality.
Embodied interactions: Towards an exploration of the expressive and narrative potential of performance costume through wearable technologies
Authors: Pantouvaki Sofia
Published: November 2014

The use of smart materials and wearable electronics has rapidly expanded in the field of fashion, introducing new interactive qualities of surfaces, materials and garments. In fashion garments, the performative environment functions as an abstract site for experimentation, expression and communication of the wearer through the intelligent garment. However, there is still limited use of embodied technologies in the field of performance costume for text-based and music-based performance, with the exception of integrated lighting technologies, currently broadly used in musical performance. This article provides a critical review of specific examples of technology-led garments in live performance, and uses a specific fragment from the Athens 2004 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony as a case study to highlight how technologies embedded in costume can create interactive interfaces between the body of the performer and the environment – the space, the other performers, the audience – becoming a transmitter and receiver of emotions, experiences and meanings in innovative ways. By analysing this case, as well as by posing questions, this article aims at generating a discourse on the expressive and narrative potential of the use of intelligent materials and embodied technologies within the creative practice of costume design.
Choreography and sounding wearables
Authors: Danjoux Michèle
Published: November 2014

This article explores the role of ‘sounding costumes’ and body-worn technologies for choreographic composition, with real-time interactional elements (such as microphones, speakers, sensors) potentially integrated into movement and expressive behaviour. Sounding garments explore the interactions between dancer/performer, the costume and the environment in the generation and manipulation of sonic textures. Briefly discussing historical precedents of integrated composition, the article will mainly refer to sounding prototypes in DAP-Lab’s latest production, For the time being [Victory over the Sun] (2012–2014), for which I designed the wearables, highlighting new methods for building sensual wearable electro-acoustic costumes to create kinaesonic choreographies. The article analyses the multi-perspectival potentials of such conceptual garments/wearable artefacts to play a significant part in the creation process of a performance, focusing on how wearable design can influence and shape movement vocabularies through the impact of its physical material presence on the body, distinctive design aesthetics and sound-generating capabilities. Choreographically, garments and body-worn technologies act as amplifying instruments as well as sculptural constraints or conversely enablers of new movement and ways of sounding/listening that affect different kinetic and acoustic awareness (both in the performers and in the audience).
The costume of MoCap: A spatial collision of velcro, avatar and Oskar Schlemmer
Authors: Delbridge Matt
Published: November 2014

The rationale that governs motion of the organic in the cubical leans towards a transformation of the body in space, emphasizes its mathematical properties and highlights the potential to measure and plot movement – this is the work of a Motion Capture (MoCap) system. The translation in the MoCap studio from physical to virtual is facilitated by the MoCap suit, a device that determines the abstract cubical representation that drives first the neutral, and then the characterized avatar in screen space. The enabling nature of the suit, as apparatus, is a spatial phenomenon informed by Schlemmer’s abstract ‘native’ costume and his vision of the Tanzermensch as the most appropriate form to occupy cubical space. The MoCap suit is similarly native. It bridges the physical and virtual, provides a Victor Turner like threshold and connection between environments, enacting a spatial discourse facilitated by costume. This collision of Velcro, Avatar and Oskar Schlemmer allows a performance of space, binding historical modernity to contemporary practice. This performance of activated space is captured by a costume that endures, in Dorita Hannah’s words, despite the human form.
BODYreFORMation
Authors: Kourmpeti Meni
Published: November 2014

The subject of this practical research involves two personal enquiries around scenography and the body: the performative role of scenographic elements combined with an investigation on the limits of human morphology. Aiming to blur the borders between scenography and the body, I experimented with the idea of a performing costume. My theoretical research on body modification in history and cross-culturally mainly focuses on the human figure as an object of visual interest, while my practical work explores the sculptural possibilities and the limits of the body’s morphology, at the point where it can become ‘monstrous’. I experiment with the diversity of these figures and the transformation that the body is subjected to, in order to fit into the ‘beauty’ standards that different cultures have established in a specific time frame. This project suggests a shift from the conventional role of the costume as a ‘decorative’ element on a performer’s body to a costume that is itself performative and moves to a state where scenography can perform without the body.
Figuras e Fantasmas
Authors: Rossini Elcio
Published: November 2014

Figures e Fantasmas propose the creation of costumes during two hours. This performance explores the concepts of performance, non-performance, repetition and performance installation.
Dancing dress: Experiencing and perceiving dress in movement
Authors: Bugg Jessica
Published: November 2014

Clothing design for dance is an area that has been little documented, particularly in relation to the experience and perception of the dancer. Contemporary dance and clothing can both be understood as fundamentally phenomenological and as such there is further potential to investigate the lived experience of wearing clothing in dance. This article approaches dress in the context of the moving and dancing body, and it aims to develop an understanding of the role of dress in dance by focusing on the sensory, embodied experience and perception of the performer. It addresses questions of how clothing is perceived in movement by the performer, how and if clothing’s design intention, materiality and form motivate physical response, and what conscious or unconscious cognitive processes may be at play in this interaction between the active body and clothing. The intention is to propose developed methods for designers across clothing disciplines to contribute in a meaningful way to the overall dance work. The article draws on an analysis of my practice-led research that employs embodied experience of dress to inform the design and development of clothing as communication and performance. The research has involved close collaboration with a dancer, analysis of recorded interviews, and visual documentation of design and movement. The research has produced data on the dancer’s experience and perception of garments in performance and this is discussed here in relation to writings on perception, performance, the body and cognition. The research is approached through theory and practice and draws on interviews, observation and lived experience. This article is developed from an earlier conference paper that investigated the role and developed potential of clothing in contemporary dance that was presented at the 4th Global Conference: Performance: Visual Aspects of Performance Practice, Inter-Disciplinary.Net, held in Oxford on 17–19 September 2013.
Somatic costumes™: Traversing multi-sensorial landscapes
Authors: Dean Sally E.
Published: November 2014

This article introduces Sally E. Dean’s ‘Somatic Movement & Costume Project’ by presenting examples of the ‘somatic costumes’ created and the costume design, choreographic and pedagogic methodologies applied. ‘Somatic costumes’ aim to facilitate multi-sensorial experiences that change our relationships to ourselves, others and the environment. Although costume has been incorporated in performance for centuries, this project argues for a critical social–cultural paradigm shift: the aesthetic and movement of the performance work comes from the somatic experiences (kinaesthetic and sensorial) of the costume, rather than the costumes being designed to enhance an aesthetic already established in advance. This is also inherent in the costume design process itself: we start with what somatic experiences we would like to enhance or generate as opposed to the visual aesthetic. This approach has the potential to not only instigate new ways of moving, being, perceiving, creating, teaching and performing, but to also foster social–cultural understanding. This project aims to create bridges between somatic practices, costume design, culture and performance.
Tool use and the human mind: From basic to materially mediated operative intentionality
Authors: Woelert Peter
Published: November 2014

This paper explores some of the cognitive-ecological dimensions of various manual forms of tool use occurring among human agents. In particular, it clarifies what such forms reveal about the intentionality of the human mind. Integrating phenomenological, philosophical and anthropological findings and perspectives, I argue that there exists not one but at least three different forms of operative types of intentionality that are associated with three specific forms of manual technical activity. First, there is the direct type of operative intentionality that realizes itself through a human agent’s concrete bodily movements. Second, there is a materially mediated form of operative intentionality, which is required for performing those technical activities where the external tool directly extends the movements of the human body. Third, there is a more complex variety of such materially mediated intentionality, which underpins those forms of tool use where the dynamics of the tool and those of the body significantly diverge. It is suggested that the relation between these three forms of operative intentionality is best conceived in terms of a structural hierarchy.
Productivity Change and Mine Dynamics: The Coal Industry in Japan during World War II
Authors: Okazaki Tetsuji
Published: November 2014

In the 1930s and 1940s, the Japanese coal industry experienced huge fluctuations in production and labor productivity. In this paper, I explore the micro-aspects of labour productivity change in the coal industry during World War II using mine-level data, compiled from official statistics and original documents of the Coal Control Association (Sekitan Toseikai). The coal industry in this period was characterized by dynamic changes in market structure: a number of mines entered and exited the industry, and shares of incumbent mines changed substantially. These mine dynamics had significant implications on productivity. In the early stage of the war, many low productivity mines entered the industry which considerably reduced average labor productivity. The government and the Coal Control Association implemented a policy to concentrate resources and production on efficient mines during the war, which curbed the decline in average labor productivity. Despite the deteriorating environment during the war, coal production in Japan was maintained fairly well. One of the factors that made this possible was the policy of resource reallocation.
Democracy at a Disadvantage? British Rearmament, the Shadow Factory Scheme and the Coming of War, 1936-40
Authors: Forbes Neil
Published: November 2014

This essay focuses on a problem confronting most advanced, industrial states as they prepared for and then engaged in fighting a material-intensive, modern war: how to produce armaments and synthetic products in peacetime but also establish capacity to satisfy a future and uncertain level of demand during wartime. In establishing "shadow factories" which were state-owned but built and operated by risk-averse, private-sector firms, Britain and Germany appeared to produce very similar national solutions for internationally-shared, economic problems. Rearmament policies were driven much less by ideological objectives and far more by economic exigencies. However, this essay examines how a combination of economic, political and strategic factors structured the operation of the shadow factory scheme in Britain. In contrast to interpretations that emphasise Britain's readiness for conflict, the evidence offered here suggests that the constraints imposed by democracy on the mobilisation of resources placed Britain at a disadvantage at the outset of the Second World War.
Leveraging Personal Networks to Support Knowledge Management in a Public Sector Organisation in Kuwait
Authors: Chaudhry Abdus Sattar
Published: November 2014

Analysis of knowledge management practices in a selected ministry in Kuwait showed that knowledge workers in the public sector identify personal contacts using traditional methods, but make heavy use of social networking tools and services to support personal networks. They communicate regularly with contacts that have expertise in their area of responsibility and prefer to follow up with those contacts whose work they admire. Knowledge workers perform a variety of activities on personal networks to strengthen knowledge management. However, a review of these activities indicates that there is a need to place more emphasis on collaborative learning through social bookmarks, reflecting and commenting on blogs, and editing wikis to provide effective support for knowledge management.
Acquisition of Audiovisual Materials on the Tiv Tyumbun Magic Rite by the Public Libraries in Benue State of Nigeria
Authors: Agber Tim Cuttings , Ugbagir Nancy Ngunan , Mngutyô James Ngushin , Amaakaven Fabian G.
Published: November 2014

The Tiv Tyumbun Magic Rite over time has been found useful for the treatment or removal of tambe (bewitchment), tyumbur (foolishness), geng or genggegen (disorders) and ukoghkogh (certain ailments) from people and for instilling normalcy and stability for the wellbeing of individuals. However, because of a lack of acquisition of audiovisual materials on the Tyumbun by public libraries, coupled with Christian religious interference, this important magic rite has been threatened with extinction. Therefore, this paper looks at acquisition of audiovisual materials on the Tiv Tyumbun Magic Rite and the role that the public library plays in trying to acquire and preserve this cultural heritage for posterity. The study sampled 105 library staff, library users, traditional priests and native doctors. Mean and standard deviation statistics were used to answer research questions, while chi-square was used for testing the hypotheses formulated at the 0.05 level of significance. It was discovered that public libraries do not acquire the Tiv magic rites of Ibyamegh, Iwya, Atseve, Waio, Igbye, Tyumbun, Akombu á Gbande, Kyurche, Vegh Akombu, and Atsuku. The study recommends that public libraries in Benue State should start acquiring audiovisual materials on the Tiv Tyumbun Magic Rite.
Dissolution kinetics of sorbents and effect of additives in wet flue gas desulfurization
Authors: Koech Lawrence , Everson Ray , Neomagus Hein , Rutto Hilary
Published: November 2014

Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) technology has been adopted by a number of power stations for the removal of sulfur dioxide (SO
Charge Transport in Cu2S Nanocrystals Arrays: Effects
of Crystallite Size and Ligand Length
Authors: Bekenstein Yehonadav , Elimelech Orian , Vinokurov Kathy , Millo Oded , Banin Uri
Published: November 2014

Quantum confinement effects are observed in transport measurements of
Cu2S nanocrystal based devices. Two nanocrystals sizes are
studied, 3 nm being in the quantum-confinement regime, and
14 nm, lacking confinement. The effect of ligand length on
the charge transport mechanism is studied via conductance temperature
dependence measurements. While in the 14 nm nanocrystal
based devices unique non-monotonic temperature dependence is observed,
the 3 nm based devices show only thermally activated
transport for all ligands. The difference is attributed to
a cross-over from inter-particle hopping to intra-particle dominated
transport as the ligand length increases. In the 3 nm
devices the effect of ligand length on the charge-hopping activation
energy is also discussed.
Public History in Small-Town America
Authors: Davis Robbie
Published: November 2014

Small towns all across America embrace their local history through Museum on Main Street (MoMS), a special collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution, state humanities councils, and rural historical organizations. The Smithsonian and state humanities councils expose communities everywhere to important national themes and encourage small organizations to use local collections, special exhibitions, local interpretation, and challenging discussions to guide their visitors to a better understanding of their community’s relationship to American history. The Museum on Main Street program serves as a model that can help public history practitioners across the country generate productive partnerships with small museums and cultural organizations.
Orphan enzyme cuts down on sugar
Authors: Urban Siniša
Published: November 2014

The reclusive enzymes that catalyze proteolysis inside the cell membrane are among the most widespread in nature, yet most remain ‘orphans’ whose cellular functions are poorly understood. Now, Voss et al identify Golgi‐resident glycosyltransferases and glycosidases as substrates for the presenilin‐like protease SPPL3. Shedding of these glycan‐modifying enzymes from the membrane down‐regulates global protein N‐glycosylation.
Female Breast Cancer and Electrical Manufacturing: Results of a Nested Case‐control Study
Authors: Oddone Enrico , Edefonti Valeria , Scaburri Alessandra , Vai Tiziana , Bai Edoardo , Modonesi Carlo , Crosignani Paolo , Imbriani Marcello
Published: November 2014

Female Breast Cancer and Electrical Manufacturing: Results of a Nested Case‐control Study: Enrico ODDONE, et al. Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Occupational Medicine Unit, University of Pavia, Italy—

Background

A previous explorative record‐linkage study suggested a putative role of employment in electrical manufacturing in increasing female breast cancer risk in the Province of Milan (Italy). We deepened the understanding of this possible association in a single large electrical manufacturing plant located in Lombardy in the Province of Milan.

Methods

We carried out a nested case‐control study within a cohort of women employed in a large electrical manufacturing plant. All incident cases during 2002 to 2009 of female breast cancer in individuals who worked at least a 1 year in the factory and resided in Lombardy, Italy, were selected. Controls were randomly sampled from all women who worked in the same plant and resided in Lombardy as of December 31, 2005. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using multiple logistic regression models, taking into consideration only female workers as ever/never exposed to physical/chemical agents and their longest occupational period. ORs were adjusted for several potential confounders, namely, other known risk factors.

Results

The ORs for female breast cancer were significantly increased for exposure to chlorinated solvents (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.04−2.62), and there was a twofold increase (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.21−3.66) among women exposed for at least 10 years. We found no other significantly increased OR by exposure or job title.

Conclusions

Our results suggest an increased risk of breast cancer after exposure to chlorinated solvents among women employed in the electrical manufacturing industry.
L’œuvre de Dante Alighieri comme source d’inspiration pour Augusta Holmès et Franz Liszt
Authors: Navarrini Lucia , Vannoni Annarosa
Published: November 2014

Both Franz Liszt and Augusta Holmès wrote symphonic-choral works inspired by Dante; they composed them, however, in different periods. In this study we wish to associate the two composers not only for their respect and friendship that lasted several years, but because they have both offered an interpretation of Dante’s work, the Divina Commedia, that proved to be a significant source of inspiration for nineteenth-century musicians. What we find particularly important is not so much the substantial difference in their choice and interpretation of the text — that one could say was inspired by the spiritual component in the case of Liszt and by a patriotic political intent in the case of Holmès — but their common relationship with the municipality of Florence, in primis with Count Angelo de Gubernatis, organizer of a women’s exhibition in Florence in 1890. He first had relations with Liszt a few years before, later with Augusta Holmès. It was De Gubernatis who asked Holmès to compose the work Inno alla Pace in order to try to reconcile France and Italy. For this reason in Holmès’ work Beatrice became a symbol of peace among the people.
Collapse and dismantlement: On form and dramaturgy in Liszt’S late symphonic poem From the Cradle to the Grave
Authors: Boenke Patrick
Published: November 2014

The symphonic poem From the Cradle to the Grave deserves a special status among Liszt’s symphonic works because he wrote it after a long break as part of his series of symphonic poems from his Weimar period. The composition was inspired by a drawing by the Hungarian painter Mihály Zichy. Many aspects of Liszt’s musical response to this drawing contrast with his older symphonic works. Liszt chooses a simple three-part structure, in which each movement is dedicated to one of the stages of life. The final movement functions as a thematic recapitulation and synthesis, which, however, is no longer staged as an emphatic breakthrough, as in earlier works, but rather as a process of dismantlement preceded by a dramatic collapse at the end of the second movement. The demonstrative break with the concept of a final apotheosis relates back not only to the source of inspiration for the work, but also to a transformation in the composer’s aesthetic viewpoint.
O fardo e o fio: na contramão da procissão historiográfica
Authors: Pires Francisco Murari
Published: November 2014

Este ensaio traz uma reflexão sobre os pressupostos do diálogo “Antigos e Modernos” no horizonte da tradição do pensamento historiográfico. A intriga por que é equacionado esse diálogo que presentifica os aportes dos Antigos na atualidade dos Modernos é evocada pela contraposição entre o “fardo” e o “fio”, ambos situados em contraposição à ideia de historia magistra vitae. O “fio”, (re)considerado como metáfora de apreensão historiográfica do “fardo”, é posto em questão de modo a interpelar que relação os Modernos estabelecem com os Antigos. Sugere-se uma reconfiguração pela ideia de desfiar o fardo para que a trajetória reflexiva siga na contramão da procissão historiográfica. Ao longo do ensaio a argumentação toma inspiração no modo de construção narrativa hesiódica: conta-se uma série de intrigas “míticas” (ou histórias) que se sucedem para apresentar, a cada vez, um outro enfoque sobre a temática, de modo que o “mito” seguinte repercuta seu sentido sobre o antecedente, retomando-o e enriquecendo-o, modificando-o por esse renovado sentido e fazendo com que os nexos dos encadeamentos assim tramados façam avançar a compreensão da questão na medida em que se interpela o tema.
Performance of MoS2-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites in supercapacitors and in oxygen reduction reaction
Authors: Gopalakrishnan K. , Pramoda K. , Maitra U. , Mahima U. , Shah M. A. , Rao C. N. R.
Published: November 2014

Considering the desirable attributes of nanosheets of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO), the authors prepared composites of the two and investigated their use in supercapacitors. The best results were obtained with the MoS2:RGO (1:2) composite, which exhibited a specific capacitance of 416 F/g at 5 mV/s. They also studied the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of MoS2–RGO composites. Among the MoS2–RGO nanocomposites, the 1:2 composite showed the best ORR activity, since the attributes for a good supercapacitor performance are reported for this property as well. The excellent performance of the MoS2–RGO (1:2) composite is attributed to the combined effect of the good electrical conductivity of RGO and the unique surface properties of MoS2 as well as of RGO. This study indicates that good supercapacitor performance and ORR activity are governed by common factors.
Relationship Between Serologic Markers of Periodontal Bacteria and Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components
Authors: Shrestha Deepika , Choi Youn‐Hee , Zhang Jiajia , Hazlett Linda J. , Merchant Anwar T.
Published: November 2014

Background: Periodontitis is a result of a complex biologic alteration of the periodontal microenvironment and a distributional shift of key periodontal pathogens. Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a complex cluster of cardiovascular risk factors, has been linked to periodontal diseases; however, the contribution of periodontal bacteria to systemic conditions remains unclear.

Methods: The study population comprised 7,848 United States adults who participated in an interview, underwent a clinical oral‐health examination, and had serum immunoglobulin G titers measured against 19 periodontal bacteria as part of the third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. The z‐score antibody titers were clustered into four mutually exclusive groups and named after Socransky's classification of periodontal bacteria (Orange‐Red, Red‐Green, Yellow‐Orange, and Orange‐Blue). Survey logistic regression was used to investigate the independent associations between the cluster scores, and MetS and each component, including hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, central obesity, and elevated fasting glucose.

Results: The Orange‐Red cluster score (that included Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella spp.) was positively associated (odds ratio [OR] = 1.067, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02 to 1.12) and the Orange‐Blue cluster score (which included Actinomyces naeslundii and Eubacterium nodatum) was inversely associated (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.88 to 0.97) with elevated fasting glucose (≥110 mg/dL) after adjustment for clusters and potential confounders. Neither MetS nor its other remaining MetS components were associated with a particular cluster score.

Conclusions: The associations between specific antibody clusters (Orange‐Red and Orange‐Blue) against periodontal bacteria and elevated plasma glucose were in qualitatively opposite directions after multivariable adjustment in a large, adult population. The periodontal bacterial profile was not found to be associated with metabolic control other than a very moderate association with elevated plasma glucose.
Epigenetics and Its Role in Periodontal Diseases: A State‐of‐the‐Art Review
Authors: Larsson Lena , Castilho Rogerio M. , Giannobile William V.
Published: November 2014

The immune response to oral bacteria and the subsequent activation of inflammatory signaling is not only dependent on genetic factors. The importance of so‐called epigenetic mechanisms presents additional regulatory pathways of genes involved in maintaining chronic inflammation, including gingivitis and periodontitis. The term epigenetics relates to changes in gene expression that are not encoded in the DNA sequence itself and include chemical alterations of DNA and its associated proteins. These changes lead to remodeling of the chromatin and subsequent activation or inactivation of a gene. Epigenetic mechanisms have been found to contribute to disease, including cancer and autoimmune or inflammatory diseases. In this state‐of‐the art review, the authors provide the latest findings on the involvement of epigenetic modifications in the development of periodontal disease and present emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at epigenetic targets (epidrugs) associated with the disruption of tissue homeostasis and the development of periodontitis.
Assessing Allometric Models to Predict Vegetative Growth of Yams in Different Environments
Authors: Cornet Denis , Sierra Jorge , Tournebize Régis
Published: November 2014

Yams are a neglected crop, grown mostly in West Africa by resource‐poor farmers. Little is known about the physiology of the crop, and researchers lack practical and efficient tools to conduct growth analysis. The objective of this study was to develop allometric models able to predict yam leaf area and leaf and stem dry mass with acceptable accuracy. The models were calibrated using a data set comprising 10 cultivars belonging to the two main species (Dioscorea alata L. and D. rotundata Poir.) grown at two locations in Guadeloupe (Lesser Antilles) and two locations in Benin (West Africa). The best models were selected based on Akaike's information criteria and validated against independent data sets. A power regression was best for predicting leaf area from leaf measurements while linear relationships were sufficient to predict the relationship between crop leaf area and leaf and stem mass. The use of species‐specific models for the estimation of leaf and stem mass significantly improved the models’ performance. Models predicting yam leaf area and leaf mass proved to be reliable and accurate (no significant deviation and adjusted R2 > 0.95). For stem mass, overestimation always occurred during validation (9%). To overcome this discrepancy, a methodology was proposed that allows the user to calibrate the model by tailoring the sampling size to obtain the required precision. The use of the selected models provides a nondestructive and reliable alternative to estimate leaf area and leaf and stem biomass for different cultivars and sites.
Six-Week Versus Twelve-Week Antibiotic Therapy for Nonsurgically Treated Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis: A Multicenter Open-Label Controlled Randomized Study
Authors: Tone Alina , Nguyen Sophie , Devemy Fabrice , Topolinski Hélène , Valette Michel , Cazaubiel Marie , Fayard Armelle , Beltrand Éric , Lemaire Christine , Senneville Éric
Published: November 2014

OBJECTIVE

Little is known about the optimal duration of antibiotic therapy for diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO). This study sought to compare the effectiveness of 6 versus 12 weeks of antibiotic therapy in patients with DFO treated nonsurgically (i.e., antibiotics alone).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a prospective randomized trial comparing 6- versus 12-week duration of antibiotic treatment. Remission of osteomyelitis during the monitoring period was defined as complete and persistent (>4 weeks) healing of the wound (if present initially), absence of recurrent infection at the initial site or that of adjacent rays, and no need for surgical bone resection or amputation at the end of a follow-up period of at least 12 months after completion of antibiotic treatment.

RESULTS

Forty patients followed at five French general hospitals were randomized between January 2007 and January 2009, with 20 treated for 6 weeks and 20 treated for 12 weeks with antibiotics. The two groups were comparable for all variables recorded at inclusion in the study. Remission was obtained in 26 (65%) patients, with no significant differences between patients treated for 6 versus 12 weeks (12/20 vs. 14/20, respectively; P = 0.50). We did not identify any significant parameters associated with patient outcome. Fewer patients treated for 6 weeks experienced gastrointestinal adverse events related to antimicrobial therapy compared with patients treated for 12 weeks (respectively, 15 vs. 45%; P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

The present multicenter prospective randomized study provides data suggesting that 6-week duration of antibiotic therapy may be sufficient in patients with DFO for whom nonsurgical treatment is considered.
Effect of Taping on Spinal Pain and Disability: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials
Authors: Vanti Carla , Bertozzi Lucia , Gardenghi Ivan , Turoni Francesca , Guccione Andrew A. , Pillastrini Paolo
Published: November 2014

Background

Taping is a widely used therapeutic tool for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, nevertheless its effectiveness is still uncertain.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to conduct a current review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning the effects of elastic and nonelastic taping on spinal pain and disability.

Data Sources

MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Scopus, ISI Web of Knowledge, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched.

Study Selection

All published RCTs on symptomatic adults with a diagnosis of specific or nonspecific spinal pain, myofascial pain syndrome, or whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) were considered.

Data Extraction

Two reviewers independently selected the studies and extracted the results. The quality of individual studies was assessed using the PEDro scale, and the evidence was assessed using GRADE criteria.

Data Synthesis

Eight RCTs were included. Meta-analysis of 4 RCTs on low back pain demonstrated that elastic taping does not significantly reduce pain or disability immediately posttreatment, with a standardized mean difference of −0.31 (95% confidence interval=−0.64, 0.02) and −0.23 (95% confidence interval=−0.49, 0.03), respectively. Results from single trials indicated that both elastic and nonelastic taping are not better than placebo or no treatment on spinal disability. Positive results were found only for elastic taping and only for short-term pain reduction in WAD or specific neck pain. Generally, the effect sizes were very small or not clinically relevant, and all results were supported by low-quality evidence.

Limitations

The paucity of studies does not permit us to draw any final conclusions.

Conclusion

Although different types of taping were investigated, the results of this systematic review did not show any firm support for their effectiveness.
Phase-sensitive near field Investigation of Bloch surface wave propagation in curved waveguides
Authors: Wu X. , Barakat E. , Yu L. , Sun L. , Wang J. , Tan Q. , Herzig H. P.
Published: November 2014

Bloch surface waves (BSWs) are electromagnetic surface waves excited in the band gap of a one dimensional dielectric photonic crystal. They are confined at the interface of two media. Due to the use of dielectric material, the losses are very low, which allows the propagation of BSWs over long distances. Another advantage is the possibility of operating within a broad range of wavelengths. In this paper, we study and demonstrate the propagation of light in ultra-thin curved polymer waveguides having different radii fabricated on a BSWs-sustaining multilayer. A phase-sensitive multi-parameter near-field optical measurement system (MH-SNOM), which combines heterodyne interferometry and SNOM, is used for the experimental characterization. Propagating properties, bending loss, mode conversion and admixture are investigated. We experimentally show that when light goes through the curved part of the waveguide, energy can be converted into different modes. The superposition and interference of different modes lead to a periodically alternating bright and dark beat phenomenon along the propagation direction. Experimental optical phase and amplitude distributions in the curved waveguide show a very good agreement with simulation results.