Book review: altmetrics: a practical guide for librarians, researchers and academics edited by Andy Tattersall

Altmetrics: A Practical Guide for Librarians, Researchers and Academics, edited by Andy Tattersall, provides an overview of altmetrics and new methods of scholarly communication and how they can be applied successfully to provide evidence of scholarly contribution and improve how research is disseminated. The book, which draws on the expertise of leading figures in the field, strongly encourages library and information science (LIS) professionals to get involved with altmetrics to meet the evolving needs of the research community, finds Nathalie Cornée

The use HPTLC and Direct Analysis in Real Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry DART-TOF-MS for rapid analysis of degradation by oxidation and sonication of an azo dye

International audienceAdvanced oxidation processes are efficient for the removal of recalcitrant compounds, like azo-dyes. However, the intermediates produced during their degradation can be more toxic than the parent compounds. Improving the knowledge concerning the degradation pathways may be therefore helpful to optimize the process. In this aim, HPTLC and Direct Analysis in Real Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry DART-TOF-MS were considered and applied to analyze the sono-oxidation of an azo dye, methyl red sodium salt (MRSS) as a model compound. Initial and final UV-Vis spectra showed a clear disappearance of the maximum absorption peak, but shows limit since it cannot allow by-products identification. MRSS degradation was confirmed by HPTLC, which also confirmed that MRSS degradation was mainly due to oxidation, while in the considered experimental conditions the sonication effect appeared negligible. Three major peaks were observed by DART-TOF-MS after MRSS oxidation, m/z=139.002, m/z=223.073 and m/z=279.137, Relative abundance of m/z=139.002, which was much higher after oxidation, tends to prove that a large proportion of initial oxydized MRSS was fragmented. The MRSS m/z = 270.078. The coupling of HPTLC and DART-TOF-MS may be subsequently considered to identify the oxidation reaction products

The London School of Economics and Political Science 2013/2014 RCUK open access compliance report

In September 2014, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) reported to Research Councils UK on the School’s compliance with the recently introduced RCUK Policy on Open Access (OA). This reports provides detail around the article processing charges (APC) data and RCUK Call for Evidence report. Background In April 2013, the revised RCUK Policy on Open Access came into effect. The policy requires journal articles or conference proceedings arising from research funded wholly or partially by a RCUK grant should be made freely available online (or “Open Access”). There are two main routes to make papers open access: a) the Green route, which is the LSE preferred route, when the full text of papers are deposited into an institutional repository such as LSE Research Online. To select this route, embargo periods must be no longer than the 12 months permitted by RCUK (no charge applies); b) the Gold route, which provides immediate, unrestricted access to the final version of the paper via the publisher's website, often using a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence - it may involve payment of an APC to the publisher. In 2013, we received the RCUK OA block grant for 2013/14 of £62,862. We set up the LSE Institutional Publication Fund using this grant and this was managed by the Library, allowing eligible RCUK-funded researchers to apply for APC funds. Additionally, the School was awarded a pump-prime funding allocation from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for open access, which was also added to the fund. Of the 141 papers we identified as RCUK-funded for Year 1, 50 papers are open access via the Green route and 73 via the Gold, resulting in an 87% compliance rat

Comment se fait la rencontre entre offres et demandes locales pour la restauration collective publique ? Premiers enseignements

National audienceThis article presents the first results of a collective research on the supplying of local food in public catering. Drawing on various field studies, in Brittany, Pays de la Loire and Rhône-Alpes, the authors show that the meeting of local supplies and demands poses specific problems (lack of existing local food chains, recipro-cal ignorance between local farmers and public caterers). Then, they show that this meeting can be achieved through different ways, direct chains or highly inter-mediated chains. The authors also emphasize that these initiatives deserve to be considered as innovations. The article ends with some elements of discussion and open questions for future research.Cet article présente les premiers résultats d'une recherche collective, menée en Bretagne, Pays de la Loire et Rhône-Alpes, portant sur l'approvisionnement de la restauration collective publique en produits alimentaires locaux. A partir de plu-sieurs enquêtes de terrain, il montre que l'établissement de circuits locaux pose des problèmes spécifiques de rencontre entre l'offre et la demande (filières exis-tantes non-territorialisées, méconnaissances croisées entre agriculteurs et acteurs de la restauration collective). Il montre ensuite que la mise en relation des offres et des demandes locales peut prendre des formes très diverses, directes ou intermé-diées, et souligne que ces initiatives méritent d'être considérées comme des inno-vations. L'article se termine par quelques questions ouvertes et éléments de dis-cussion

Caribbean intra-plate deformation: Paleomagnetic evidence from St. 2 Barthélemy Island for post-Oligocene rotation in the Lesser Antilles forearc

As subduction zones and their related processes are often studied in 2D, or cylindrical 3D sections, the dynamic effects of trench curvature and its evolution through time remain under-explored. Whereas temporal variations in trench trend may be estimated through restoring upper plate deformation, we investigate the forearc deformation history of the strongly curved northern Lesser Antilles trench, connecting the near-orthogonal Lesser Antilles subduction zone with the Motagua-Cayman transform plate boundary. Our new paleomagnetic dataset consists of 310 cores from Eo-Oligocene magmatic rocks and limestones from St. Barthélemy Island. The limestones yielded a post-folding magnetization containing a similar magnetic direction to those stored in magmatic rocks that intrude the folded carbonates, both indicating a post-Oligocene ~15°, and perhaps up to 25° counterclockwise rotation of the island. Our results highlight that the present-day trench curvature formed progressively during the Cenozoic, allowing us to discuss different tectonic scenarios explaining NE Caribbean plate deformation, and to identify key targets for future research on tectonic architecture and the potential present-day activity of intra-plate deformation that may pose seismic hazards

LE NANNOPLANCTON CALCAIRE ET LA FORMATION DES ALTERNANCES CALCAIRES-MARNES DANS LE LIAS DES BASSINS DE MARCHES-OMBRIE (ITALIE)

In the classical sections of Sentino-Valdorbia, Bosso and the Marne di Monte Serrone type-section the rhythmic, limestone/marl sedimentation of the following formations were studied: the Corniola (Late Sinemurian to Earliest Toarcian) and the Marne di Monte Serrone (Early Toarcian). The geological framework is drawn from the numerous and significant published papers which give a good stratigraphical scheme and a precise paleogeographic setting. The limestones have been studied in thin sections (texture, occurrence and abundance of schizospheres, other fauna, etc.) and with SEM (structure, occurrence, abundance and diagenetic state of schizospheres; coccoliths). Marly interbeds have been studied in light microscopy on smear slides of raw sediment to find out coccoliths and schizospheres and with SEM, both on washed and centrifuged sediments (for a better definition of the nannofloras) and on freshly broken surfaces. The conclusions are based upon 69 SEM pictures of limestones and 94 SEM pictures of marls from the Corniola Formation; on 169 SEM pictures of limestones and 303 SEM pictures of marls from the Marne di Monte Serrone Formation. The observations show the importance of the nannofloral contrast between the Limestone beds with schizospheres and the marly interbeds with coccoliths. The contrast is thought to portray rhe original difference between the components which generated the two different types of sediments. The lithogenetic role of the nannoplankton was strongly differentiated and was linked to an alternation of clay-poor, sea-warer phases when stable, calcareous nannoplankton (schizospheres) dominated and did not evolve and of clay-richer, sea-water phases when coccolithophorids expanded and evolved

Paleomagnetic Rotations in the Northeastern Caribbean Region Reveal Major Intraplate Deformation Since the Eocene

Relative Caribbean-North American plate motion is partitioned over the trench and intra-Caribbean plate faults that bound large scale tectonic blocks. Quantifying the kinematic evolution of this tectonic corridor is challenging because much of the region is submarine. We present an extensive regional paleomagnetic data set (1,330 cores from 136 sampling locations) from Eocene and younger rocks of the northern Lesser Antilles, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, and use a statistical bootstrapping approach to quantify vertical axis block rotations. Our results show that the Puerto Rico–Virgin Island (PRVI) block and the Northern Lesser Antilles (NoLA) block formed two coherently rotating domains that both underwent at least 45° counterclockwise rotation since the Eocene. The first ∼20° occurred in tandem in late Eocene and Oligocene time, after which the blocks were separated in the Miocene by the opening of the Anegada Passage. The last 25° of rotation of the PRVI block ended in the middle Miocene, whereas the NoLA block rotated slower, until the latest Miocene. The boundary between the NoLA block and a non-rotated Southern Lesser Antilles was likely the Monserrat-Harvers fault zone. These results require hundreds of kilometers of intra-Caribbean motions with oroclinal bending of the trench or forearc sliver motion along the curved plate boundary as endmembers. These data invite a critical re-evaluation of the kinematic reconstruction of Caribbean-North American plate motion. The consequent changes in paleogeography may provide a new view on the enigmatic eastern Caribbean paleo-biogeography and the Paleogene dispersal of South American mammals toward the Greater Antilles

Sustainable and conventional banking in Europe

At the end of the 20th century a new banking model, the so-called ethical banking, emerged becoming the maximum exponent of a socially responsible investment. The financial crisis in 2008 led to a distrust of the conventional financial system and consequently investors began to look with interest this new banking, which only invests in ethical activities and products, with social and environmental criteria, total transparency and a democratic management. The aim of this article is to analyze the economic structure of ethical banking, compared to that of conventional banking, by paying attention to its liquidity, coverage and solvency. Specifically, We compare the financial statements of Triodos Bank, the main European ethical bank belonging to the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, with two of the main conventional banks of each of the five countries in Europe in which it operates. To do this, we apply a financial and economic analysis to the period from 2015 to 2018, the means difference test and analysis of variance on an array of financial ratios and, finally, probit regressions. The results reveal that ethical banking is growing more than conventional banking and it presents greater liquidity and solvency, although, in general terms, its profitability is not higher. In conclusion, both savers and investors have guarantees that their savings are invested not only in a responsible but also in a confident way in ethical banking