bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Probabilistic estimation of future emissions of isoprene and surface oxidant chemistry associated with land use change in response to growing food needs
Authors: Hardacre C. J. , Palmer P. I. , Baumanns K. , Rounsevell M. , Murray-Rust D.
Published: December 2012

Abstract. We quantify the impact of land use change, determined by our growing need for food and biofuel production, on isoprene emissions and subsequent atmospheric oxidant chemistry in 2015 and 2030, relative to 1990, ignoring compound climate change effects over that period. We estimate isoprene emissions from an ensemble (n = 1000) of land use change realizations from 1990–2050, broadly guided by the IPCC AR4/SRES scenarios A1 and B1. We also superimpose land use change required to address projected biofuel usage using two scenarios: (1) assuming that world governments make no changes to biofuel policy after 2009, and (2) assuming that world governments develop biofuel policy with the aim of keeping equivalent atmospheric CO2 at 450 ppm. We present the median and interquartile range (IQR) statistics of the ensemble and show that land use change between −1.50 × 1012 m2 to +6.06 × 1012 m2 was found to drive changes in the global isoprene burden of −3.5 to +2.8 Tg yr−1 in 2015 and −7.7 to +6.4 Tg yr−1 in 2030. We use land use change realizations corresponding to the median and IQR of these emission estimates to drive the GEOS-Chem global 3-D chemistry transport model to investigate the perturbation to global and regional surface concentrations of isoprene, nitrogen oxides (NO+NO2), and the atmospheric concentration and deposition of ozone (O3). We show that across sub-continental regions the monthly surface O3 increases by 0.1–0.8 ppb, relative to a zero land-use change calculation, driven by increases (decreases) in surface isoprene in high (low) NOx environments. At the local scale (4° × 5°) we find that surface O3 increases by 5–12 ppb over temperate North America, China and Boreal Eurasia, driven by large increases in isoprene emissions from short-rotation coppice crop cultivation for biofuel production.
An improved HIRS upper tropospheric water vapor dataset and its correlations with major climate indices
Authors: Shi L. , Schreck III C. J. , John V. O.
Published: December 2012

Abstract. A new version of the upper tropospheric water vapor dataset is developed using intersatellite calibrated all-sky High-Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) data. In this dataset, the majority of pixels that do not affect the water vapor processing in the upper troposphere are retained. Compared to the previous version that was based on column-clear-sky data, the new version has a much better daily spatial coverage and provides a better representation of the atmosphere. The HIRS observation patterns are compared to microwave sounder measurements. The differences between the two types of sounders are examined, and the analysis displays that the differences vary with respect to brightness temperature. An examination of the correlations of the HIRS upper tropospheric water vapor with major climate indices shows that the dataset is well correlated with climate indices especially in cold seasons. The selected climate indices track climate variation signals covering regions from the tropics to the poles. The correlation analysis shows the potential of using the upper tropospheric water vapor dataset together with a suite of many atmospheric variables to monitor regional climate changes and locate global teleconnection patterns.
Long term patterns in dissolved organic carbon, major elements and trace metals in boreal headwater catchments: trends, mechanisms and heterogeneity
Authors: Oni S. K. , Futter M. N. , Bishop K. , Köhler S. J. , Ottosson-Löfvenius M. , Laudon H.
Published: December 2012

Abstract. The boreal landscape is a complex, spatio-temporally varying mosaic of forest and mire landscape elements that control surface water hydrology and chemistry. Here, we assess long-term water quality time-series from three nested headwater streams draining upland forest (C2), peat/mire (C4) and mixed (C7) (forest and mire) catchments. Temporal trends in weather and runoff (1981–2008); dissolved organic carbon concentration [DOC] (1993–2010) and other water quality parameters (1987–2011) were assessed. There was no significant annual trend in precipitation or runoff but a significant monotonic increasing trend existed in air temperature and length of growing season. Stream [DOC] was positively correlated with some trace metals (copper, iron and zinc) and negatively with several other chemical parameters (e.g. sulfate, conductivity, calcium). Both sulfate and conductivity showed declining trends, while a significant increase was observed in pH during winter and spring. Calcium and magnesium showed monotonic decreasing trends. The declining trajectories of stream base cation and sulfate concentrations during other times of the year were not accompanied by changes in pH and alkalinity. Water temperature increased significantly both annually and in most months while iron and DOC concentrations showed significant increases in autumn months. Though all streams showed significant positive trends in [DOC] in autumn, only C2 had a significant annual increasing trend. There was also a shift in the magnitude of variability in spring [DOC] and increasing trend of summer baseflow [DOC] in C2 and C7.
Dynamical and biogeochemical control on the decadal variability of ocean carbon fluxes
Authors: Séférian R. , Bopp L. , Swingedouw D. , Servonnat J.
Published: December 2012

Abstract. Several recent observation-based studies suggest that ocean anthropogenic carbon uptake has slowed down due to the impact of anthropogenic forced climate change. However, it remains unclear if detected changes over the recent time period can really be attributed to anthropogenic climate change or to natural climate variability (internal plus naturally forced variability). One large uncertainty arises from the lack of knowledge on ocean carbon flux natural variability at the decadal time scales. To gain more insights into decadal time scales, we have examined the internal variability of ocean carbon fluxes in a 1000-yr long preindustrial simulation performed with the Earth System Model IPSL-CM5A-LR. Our analysis shows that ocean carbon fluxes exhibit low-frequency oscillations that emerge from their year-to-year variability in the North Atlantic, the North Pacific, and the Southern Ocean. In our model, a 20-yr mode of variability in the North Atlantic air-sea carbon flux is driven by sea surface temperature variability and accounts for ~40% of the interannual regional variance. The North Pacific and the Southern Ocean carbon fluxes are also characterized by decadal to multi-decadal modes of variability (10 to 50 yr) that account for 30–40% of the interannual regional variance. But these modes are driven by the vertical supply of dissolved inorganic carbon through the variability of Ekman-induced upwelling and deep-mixing events. Differences in drivers of regional modes of variability stem from the coupling between ocean dynamics variability and the ocean carbon distribution, which is set by large-scale secular ocean circulation.
Development of a method of robust rain gauge network optimization based on intensity-duration-frequency results
Authors: Chebbi A. , Bargaoui Z. K. , da Conceição Cunha M.
Published: December 2012

Abstract. Based on rainfall intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves, a robust optimization approach is proposed to identify the best locations to install new rain gauges. The advantage of robust optimization is that the resulting design solutions yield networks which behave acceptably under hydrological variability. Robust optimisation can overcome the problem of selecting representative rainfall events when building the optimization process. This paper reports an original approach based on Montana IDF model parameters. The latter are assumed to be geostatistical variables and their spatial interdependence is taken into account through the adoption of cross-variograms in the kriging process. The problem of optimally locating a fixed number of new monitoring stations based on an existing rain gauge network is addressed. The objective function is based on the mean spatial kriging variance and rainfall variogram structure using a variance-reduction method. Hydrological variability was taken into account by considering and implementing several return periods to define the robust objective function. Variance minimization is performed using a simulated annealing algorithm. In addition, knowledge of the time horizon is needed for the computation of the robust objective function. A short and a long term horizon were studied, and optimal networks are identified for each. The method developed is applied to north Tunisia (area = 21 000 km2). Data inputs for the variogram analysis were IDF curves provided by the hydrological bureau and available for 14 tipping bucket type rain gauges. The recording period was from 1962 to 2001, depending on the station. The study concerns an imaginary network augmentation based on the network configuration in 1973, which is a very significant year in Tunisia because there was an exceptional regional flood event in March 1973. This network consisted of 13 stations and did not meet World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recommendations for the minimum spatial density. So, it is proposed to virtually augment it by 25, 50, 100 and 160% which is the rate that would meet WMO requirements. Results suggest that for a given augmentation robust networks remain stable overall for the two time horizons.
Greenland ice sheet contribution to sea-level rise from a new-generation ice-sheet model
Authors: Gillet-Chaulet F. , Gagliardini O. , Seddik H. , Nodet M. , Durand G. , Ritz C. , Zwinger T. , Greve R. , Vaughan D. G.
Published: December 2012

Abstract. Over the last two decades, the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) has been losing mass at an increasing rate, enhancing its contribution to sea-level rise (SLR). The recent increases in ice loss appear to be due to changes in both the surface mass balance of the ice sheet and ice discharge (ice flux to the ocean). Rapid ice flow directly affects the discharge, but also alters ice-sheet geometry and so affects climate and surface mass balance. Present-day ice-sheet models only represent rapid ice flow in an approximate fashion and, as a consequence, have never explicitly addressed the role of ice discharge on the total GrIS mass balance, especially at the scale of individual outlet glaciers. Here, we present a new-generation prognostic ice-sheet model which reproduces the current patterns of rapid ice flow. This requires three essential developments: the complete solution of the full system of equations governing ice deformation; a variable resolution unstructured mesh to resolve outlet glaciers and the use of inverse methods to better constrain poorly known parameters using observations. The modelled ice discharge is in good agreement with observations on the continental scale and for individual outlets. From this initial state, we investigate possible bounds for the next century ice-sheet mass loss. We run sensitivity experiments of the GrIS dynamical response to perturbations in climate and basal lubrication, assuming a fixed position of the marine termini. We find that increasing ablation tends to reduce outflow and thus decreases the ice-sheet imbalance. In our experiments, the GrIS initial mass (im)balance is preserved throughout the whole century in the absence of reinforced forcing, allowing us to estimate a lower bound of 75 mm for the GrIS contribution to SLR by 2100. In one experiment, we show that the current increase in the rate of ice loss can be reproduced and maintained throughout the whole century. However, this requires a very unlikely perturbation of basal lubrication. From this result we are able to estimate an upper bound of 140 mm from dynamics only for the GrIS contribution to SLR by 2100.
Islam goes Hollywood. An exploratory study on Islam in Turkish cinema
Authors: Bruijn Petra de
Published: December 2012

Abstract By means of two case studies, this article demonstrates how differently Islam is depicted in a Turkish film composed by a secular, intellectual director and in a film considered to promote an Islamic way of life. Yılmaz Güney’s art house film Umut/Hope (1970) depicts Islam as an integral part of Turkish reality. In the story of a poor carriage driver in South East Anatolia, who turns to treasure hunting guided by an imam, folk Islam is compared to a (secular) national lottery ticket: neither are the solution to existential problems. İsmail Güneş’ film The İmam (2005) can be regarded as an example of the return of Islamic values into Turkish society, showing compatibility with modernity. However, whereas Umut is showing (folk) Islam as an existing reality in Turkish society of the 1970s, The İmam is teaching a moral lesson to Turkish society of the 2000s.
Response to “Seeking God in Early Bergman: The Cases of The Seventh Seal and Winter Light”
Authors: Pua Phoebe
Published: December 2012

This article offers alternate readings of Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal (1957) and Winter Light (1963) to those proposed in a preceding article by Esma Kartal. It argues against the contention that the two films express optimism about one’s ability to resolve spiritual-existential angst and the possibility of ultimately reaffirming one’s faith. Through close analysis of pivotal scenes, including that of Death in the Castle in The Seventh Seal and the Frostnäs church service in Winter Light, the article exposes the unremitting pessimism that pervades the films’ atmospheres. In essence, the article asserts that the two films, Winter Light in particular, are among the most pessimistic in Bergman’s cinema.
Nittsū’s Company History as a Guide to the Early Modern Origins of Japan’s Modern Communications
Authors: Andrews Charles
Published: December 2012

Historians of the future will no doubt focus on the transformative role of Internet-based communications as they have changed human interaction in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.  The introduction of modern postal services in Japan and elsewhere in the nineteenth century produced effects no less profound: citizens were connected to each other and their governments by reliable and relatively speedy delivery of letters, newspapers, and parcels.  Japan’s postal system was a great success, but the communications practices of the Japanese prior to the establishment of the post played an important role in that success.  Courier services—the so-called hikyakuya—of the early modern period survived and ultimately became today’s Nippon Tsūun (Nittsū), and global logistical corporation.  This article surveys the development of early modern Japanese communications, demonstrating the indispensible role that Nittsū’s company history plays in understanding that development.
The Great Kanto Earthquake as Seen in Shashi
Authors: Kadokura Yuriko
Published: December 2012

Abstract: Since the Meiji period, companies throughout Japan have published shashi, or company histories. Shashi contain not only the company’s history but also numerous descriptions of the contemporary social environment including the effects of disasters and war. Shashi show how various companies, and Japanese society as a whole, dealt with the difficulties they faced, how they chose their path to recovery, and how these actions were recorded to be shared with future generations. Following the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, we added the category “Disaster and Revival as Seen in Shashi” to the blog of the Resource Center for the History of Entrepreneurship. The category allows users to access information from the “Shashi Index Database Project,” which is currently under construction, and introduces shashi articles on “Disaster and Revival,” particularly the Great Kanto Earthquake.   和文抄録： 明治以降日本各地の会社が出版した「社史」の中には、会社の沿革や事業だけではなく、災害や戦災などを含む当時の社会情勢に関する記述が数多く見られる。その内容からはそれぞれの会社や日本の社会が降りかかる困難に対峙してどのように対処したか、復興の道筋をどのようにつけたか、そしてそれをどのように記録し次代に伝えようとしたか、といったことを読みとることができる。 2011年3月11日の東日本大震災に際し実業史研究情報センターでは、センター・ブログに「社史に見る災害と復興」というカテゴリーを新設した。そこでは現在構築中の「社史索引データベースプロジェクト」の蓄積データを検索し、「災害と復興」特に「関東大震災」に関する記事を含む社史について紹介している。
Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Abbas Ozan Luay , Borman Huseyin
Published: December 2012

Background. Basal cell carcinoma comprises the vast majority of skin cancers. It predominantly affects fair-skinned individuals, and its incidence is rising rapidly. Etiology may be multifactorial, but sun exposure appears to play a critical role. When detected early, the prognosis is excellent. Thus appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance are of utmost importance. Methods. From January 1994 to May 2012, 518 basal cell carcinomas were excised in our clinic. Data were collected retrospectively. Results. During 18-year period, 518 BCCs were excised from 486 patients. Most of the patients were males with a median age of 65.6 years. Most of the basal cell carcinomas were located in the head region. Nodular histological subtype dominated our series. Six percent of the excised lesions required reexcision because of involved margins. Our recurrence rate was 6.94% with the nose and the periauricular and periocular regions being the most common sites of occurrence. Conclusion. Although there is relatively low attributable mortality, the morbidity and cost of treatment are significant. A large body of information serves as a foundation for oncologic principles, diagnosis methods, surgical excisions, follow-up protocols, and reconstructive methodologies that are currently in use. Surgical ablation remains the mainstay of treatment.
Comprehensive and Personalized Care of the Hemodialysis Patient in Tassin, France: A Model for the Patient-Centered Medical Home for Subspecialty Patients
Authors: Anvari Eva , Mojazi Amiri Hoda , Aristimuno Patricia , Chazot Charles , Nugent Kenneth
Published: December 2012

The Centre de Rein Artificiel in Tassin, France, provides comprehensive care to patients with chronic renal disease similar to the model proposed for Patient Center Medical Homes; patients with end-stage renal disease in the Tassin Hemodialysis Center appear to have better outcomes than patients in the United States. These differences likely reflect this center’s approach to patient-centered care, the use of longer dialysis times, and focused vascular access care. Longer dialysis times provide better clearance of small and middle toxic molecules, salt, and water; 85% of patients at the Tassin center have a normal blood pressure without the use of antihypertensive medications. The observed mortality rate in patients at the Tassin Center is approximately 50% of that predicted based on the United States Renal Data system standard mortality tables. Patient outcomes at the Tassin center suggest that longer dialysis times and the use of multidiscipline teams led by nephrologists directing all health care needs probably explain the outcomes in these patients. These approaches can be imported into the U.S healthcare system and form the framework for patient-centered medical practice for ESRD patients.
Significance of Chronic Tachycardia in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Utset Tammy O. , Ward Adam B. , Thompson Toi L. , Green Stephanie L.
Published: December 2012

Objective

A significant subset of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients exhibit chronic tachycardia (CT) of unknown significance. We postulated that CT is a marker of lupus activity and severity.

Methods

A cross‐sectional database at the University of Chicago recorded disease activity, damage, disease manifestations, pain, anxiety, and physical function (PF). CT was defined as a heart rate of ≥95 beats per minute in at least 3 out of 4 sequential visits. Demographic, disease‐specific, and self‐reported symptoms were compared between groups with and without tachycardia.

Results

Of the 243 subjects analyzed, 14.8% had CT. On univariate analysis, CT was associated with younger age at the time of enrollment (P = 0.004), number of hospitalizations adjusted for years of SLE (P = 0.001), current prednisone dose (P < 0.0001), history of serositis (P = 0.03), anxiety score (P = 0.004), and poor PF (P = 0.0017). All domains of the Short Form 36 (SF‐36) health survey correlated strongly with CT, but on multivariate regression this correlation appeared to be driven by poor PF. On multivariate regression, the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index score (P = 0.03), younger age (P = 0.04), and poor PF by the SF‐36 domain (P = 0.006) were independently correlated with CT, and anxiety trait and hemoglobin both trended closely to significant association (P = 0.08 for both).

Conclusion

CT is prevalent in SLE and is a clinically relevant physical finding. It implies greater lupus activity and physical frailty. Univariate association with serositis raises the possibility of subclinical serositis or pancarditis. Further study to elucidate the cardiopulmonary status of SLE patients with unexplained CT is planned.
Influence of Family Environment on Long‐Term Psychosocial Functioning of Adolescents With Juvenile Fibromyalgia
Authors: Sil Soumitri , Lynch‐Jordan Anne , Ting Tracy V. , Peugh James , Noll Jennie , Kashikar‐Zuck Susmita
Published: December 2012

Objective

Little is known about the impact of family environment on the long‐term adjustment of patients with juvenile‐onset fibromyalgia (JFM). Our objective was to evaluate whether family environment in early adolescence predicted later physical functioning and depressive symptoms of adolescents with JFM as they transitioned to early adulthood in the context of a controlled long‐term followup study.

Methods

Participants consisted of 39 youth (mean age 18.7 years) with JFM and 38 healthy matched controls who completed web‐based surveys about their health status (Short Form 36 health survey) and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory II) ∼4 years after a home‐based, in‐person assessment of child and family functioning. During the initial assessment, parents of the participants (94% mothers) completed the Family Environment Scale and adolescents (mean age 14.8 years) completed self‐report questionnaires about pain (visual analog scale) and depressive symptoms (Children's Depression Inventory).

Results

The results indicated that family environment during early adolescence significantly predicted greater depressive symptoms in early adulthood for both the JFM group and the healthy controls. In particular, a controlling family environment (use of rules to control the family and allowing little independence) during early adolescence was the driving factor in predicting poorer long‐term emotional functioning for patients with JFM. Family environment did not significantly predict longer‐term physical impairment for either group.

Conclusion

Adolescents with JFM from controlling family environments are at an increased risk for poorer emotional functioning in early adulthood. Behavioral and family interventions should foster independent coping among adolescents with JFM and greater parenting flexibility to enhance successful long‐term coping.
Association of Leptin Levels With Radiographic Knee Osteoarthritis Among a Cohort of Midlife Women
Authors: Karvonen‐Gutierrez Carrie A. , Harlow Siobán D. , Mancuso Peter , Jacobson Jon , Mendes de Leon Carlos F. , Nan Bin
Published: December 2012

Objective

To relate serum leptin levels to prevalent and incident radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) and to determine if patterns of change in longitudinal serum leptin measures differ by knee OA status over a 10‐year period.

Methods

Participants in the Michigan Study of Women's Health Across the Nation underwent bilateral knee radiographs at baseline and followup visits 2, 4, and 11 for ascertainment of knee OA status (Kellgren/Lawrence score ≥2). Serum leptin measures were available from baseline and followup visits 1 and 3–7.

Results

The baseline prevalence of knee OA (mean age 46 years) was 18%; the 2‐year incidence of knee OA at followup visits 2 and 4 was 18% and 14%, respectively. Serum leptin levels were associated with prevalent and incident knee OA. A 5 ng/ml increase in serum leptin level was associated with 38% higher odds of prevalent knee OA (odds ratio [OR] 1.38, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.26–1.52) and 31% greater odds of incident knee OA (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.21–1.41) after adjustment for covariates, including body mass index residuals. Leptin levels increased with time; on average, serum leptin levels increased by 0.38 ng/ml per year (P = 0.0004). Women with incident knee OA during the 10‐year followup period had consistently higher serum leptin levels as compared to women with no knee OA during followup.

Conclusion

Our findings support a metabolic role of obesity in knee OA. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which increased fat mass is associated with joint damage is needed. Management of cardiometabolic dysfunction, including elevated serum leptin levels, may be beneficial in forestalling the onset or progression of knee OA.
Race, Sex, and Total Knee Replacement Consideration: Role of Social Support
Authors: Vina Ernest R. , Cloonan Yona K. , Ibrahim Said A. , Hannon Michael J. , Boudreau Robert M. , Kwoh C. Kent
Published: December 2012

Objective

To determine whether there are racial differences in social support among patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and whether the impact of social support on patient preferences for total knee replacement (TKR) varies by race and sex.

Methods

A total of 514 white and 285 African American patients with knee OA were surveyed. Logistic regression models were performed to determine if the relationship between willingness to undergo TKR and the interaction of patient race and sex was mediated by social support.

Results

Compared to whites with knee OA, African American patients were less likely to be married (P < 0.001), reported less close friends/relatives (P < 0.001), and had lower Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale (MOS‐SSS) scores (P < 0.001). African American patients were also less willing to undergo TKR (62% versus 80%; P < 0.001) than whites. The odds of willingness to undergo TKR were less in white females compared to white males when adjusted for recruitment site, age, income, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score (odds ratio [OR] 0.57, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.34–0.96). This difference was no longer significant when further adjusted for marital status, number of close friends/relatives, and MOS‐SSS score, but the effect size remained unchanged (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.35–1.02). The odds of willingness to undergo TKR remained much less in African American females (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.19–0.64) and African American males (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.14–0.54) compared to white males when controlled for sociodemographic, clinical, and social support measures.

Conclusion

African American patients reported less structural and functional social support than whites. Social support is an important determinant of preference for TKR surgery only among whites.
A new decentralized retrofit adaptive fault‐tolerant flight control design
Authors: Bošković Jovan D.
Published: December 2012

In this paper, we develop a new decentralized retrofit adaptive fault‐tolerant control design for a class of nonlinear models arising in flight control. The proposed adaptive fault‐tolerant controller is designed to accommodate loss‐of‐effectiveness (LoE) failures in flight control actuators and achieve accurate estimation of failure‐related parameters. The design is based on local estimation of LoE parameters and generation of local retrofit control signals to accommodate the failures. Using state‐dependent closed‐loop estimation errors, we show the overall system to be stable and demonstrate the tracking error to converge to zero asymptotically for any combination of actuator failures. Through computer simulation of F/A‐18 aircraft under actuator LoE failures, the proposed approach is also shown to achieve better parameter estimation performance compared to the fully centralized design and the design employing local observers and a centralized adaptive controller. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermoelectric Properties of Nanocrystalline Silicon from a Scaled‐Up Synthesis Plant
Authors: Kessler Victor , Gautam Devendraprakash , Hülser Tim , Spree Mathias , Theissmann Ralf , Winterer Markus , Wiggers Hartmut , Schierning Gabi , Schmechel Roland
Published: December 2012

Silicon based thermoelectrics are promising candidates for high temperature energy scavenging applications. We present the properties of thermoelectrics made from highly boron doped silicon nanoparticles. The particles were produced by a continuous gas phase process in a scaled‐up synthesis plant enabling production rates in the kg h−1 regime. The silicon nanoparticles were compacted by direct current assisted sintering to yield nanocrystalline bulk silicon with average crystallite size between 40 and 80 nm and relative densities above 97% of the density of single crystalline silicon. The influence of the sintering temperature on the thermoelectric properties is investigated. It was found that high sintering temperatures are beneficial for an enhancement of the power factor, while the thermal conductivity was only moderately affected. The optimization of the compaction procedure with respect to the transport properties leads to zT values of the p‐type nanosilicon of 0.32 at 700 °C, demonstrating the potential of our method.
Interpreting skeletal growth in the past from a functional and physiological perspective
Authors: Ruff Christopher B. , Garofalo Evan , Holmes Megan A.
Published: December 2012

The study of juvenile skeletal remains can yield important insights into the health, behavior, and biological relationships of past populations. However, most studies of past skeletal growth have been limited to relatively simple metrics. Considering additional skeletal parameters and taking a broader physiological perspective can provide a more complete assessment of growth patterns and environmental and genetic effects on those patterns. We review here some alternative approaches to ontogenetic studies of archaeological and paleontological skeletal material, including analyses of body size (stature and body mass) and cortical bone structure of long bone diaphyses and the mandibular corpus. Together such analyses can shed new light on both systemic and localized influences on bone growth, and the metabolic and mechanical factors underlying variation in growth. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Modeling physical growth using mixed effects models
Authors: Johnson William , Balakrishna Nagalla , Griffiths Paula L.
Published: December 2012

This article demonstrates the use of mixed effects models for characterizing individual and sample average growth curves based on serial anthropometric data. These models are advancement over conventional general linear regression because they effectively handle the hierarchical nature of serial growth data. Using body weight data on 70 infants in the Born in Bradford study, we demonstrate how a mixed effects model provides a better fit than a conventional regression model. Further, we demonstrate how mixed effects models can be used to explore the influence of environmental factors on the sample average growth curve. Analyzing data from 183 infant boys (aged 3–15 months) from rural South India, we show how maternal education shapes infant growth patterns as early as within the first 6 months of life. The presented analyses highlight the utility of mixed effects models for analyzing serial growth data because they allow researchers to simultaneously predict individual curves, estimate sample average curves, and investigate the effects of environmental exposure variables. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Predicting the timing of maturational spurts in skeletal age
Authors: Nahhas Ramzi W. , Sherwood Richard J. , Chumlea Wm. Cameron , Towne Bradford , Duren Dana L.
Published: December 2012

Measures of maturity provide windows into the timing and tempo of childhood growth and maturation. Delayed maturation in a single child, or systemically in a population, can result from either genetic or environmental factors. In terms of the skeleton, delayed maturation may result in short stature or indicate another underlying issue. Thus, prediction of the timing of a maturational spurt is often desirable in order to determine the likelihood that a child will catch up to their chronological age peers. Serial data from the Fels Longitudinal Study were used to predict future skeletal age conditional on current skeletal age and to predict the timing of maturational spurts. For children who were delayed relative to their chronological age peers, the likelihood of catch‐up maturation increased through the average age of onset of puberty and decreased prior to the average age of peak height velocity. For boys, the probability of an imminent maturational spurt was higher for those who were less mature. For girls aged 11 to 13 years, however, this probability was higher for those who were more mature, potentially indicating the presence of a skeletal maturation plateau between multiple spurts. The prediction model, available on the web, is most relevant to children of European ancestry living in the Midwestern US. Our model may also provide insight into the tempo of maturation for children in other populations, but must be applied with caution if those populations are known to have high burdens of environmental stressors not typical of the Midwestern US. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A description of the geological context, discrete traits, and linear morphometrics of the Middle Pleistocene hominin from Dali, Shaanxi Province, China
Authors: Wu Xinzhi , Athreya Sheela
Published: December 2012

In 1978, a nearly complete hominin fossil cranium was recovered from loess deposits at the site of Dali in Shaanxi Province, northwestern China. It was subsequently briefly described in both English and Chinese publications. Here we present a comprehensive univariate and nonmetric description of the specimen and provide comparisons with key Middle Pleistocene Homo erectus and non‐erectus hominins from Eurasia and Africa. In both respects we find affinities with Chinese H. erectus as well as African and European Middle Pleistocene hominins typically referred to as Homo heidelbergensis. Specifically, the Dali specimen possesses a low cranial height, relatively short and arched parietal bones, an angled occipital bone, and a nonprominent articular tubercle relative to the preglenoid surface all of which distinguish it from Afro/European Middle Pleistocene Homo and align it with Asian H. erectus. At the same time, it displays a more derived morphology of the supraorbital torus and supratoral sulcus and a thinner tympanic plate than H. erectus, a relatively long upper (lambda‐inion) occipital plane with a clear separation of inion and opisthocranion, and an absolute and relative increase in brain size, all of which align it with African and European Middle Pleistocene Homo. Finally, traits such as the form of the frontal keel and the relatively short, broad midface align Dali specifically with other Chinese specimens from the Middle Pleistocene and Late Pleistocene, including H. erectus, and differentiate these from the Afro/European specimens of this time period. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Environmental pH‐responsive fluorescent PEG‐polyurethane for potential optical imaging
Authors: Yang Hong Yu , Zhang Xiu Mei , Duan Li Jie , Zhang Ming Yao , Gao Guang Hui , Zhang Hui Xuan
Published: December 2012

A series of environmental pH‐responsive block copolymers PEG‐polyurethane with tertiary amine groups in the main chain and free carboxyl groups in the side chain were synthesized, including poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), 1,4‐bis (hydroxyethyl) piperazine, 1,6‐diisocyanato hexamethylene, and 2,2‐dimethylolpropionic acid. The chemical structure, molecular weight, and pH‐dependent capacity of pH‐responsive PEG‐polyurethane were examined by 1H‐NMR, FTIR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and an acid‐base titration. Moreover, the fluorescent dye fluorescein isothiocyanate was conjugated with PEG‐polyurethane by the similar polymerization method and the obtained polymer was measured by ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV‐vis) and fluorescent spectroscopy. The results indicated that the pH‐responsive PEG‐polyurethane showed a pH‐buffering phenomenon and fluorescent imaging in a range of pH values. As a result, we demonstrated its potential application for optical imaging; however, it is believed that more applications in the areas of biomedicine will be possible owing to its free carboxyl acid terminal residues in the stimuli‐responsive polymer. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
RNA‐mediated genome rearrangement: Hypotheses and evidence
Authors: Fang Wenwen , Landweber Laura F.
Published: December 2012

Editor's suggested further reading in BioEssays How chromatin prevents genomic rearrangements: Locus colocalization induced by transcription factor binding Abstract
A detailed study of the relationship between the external laryngeal nerve and superior thyroid artery, including its glandular branches
Authors: Yalcin Bulent , Develi Sedat , Tubbs R. Shane , Poyrazoglu Yavuz
Published: December 2012

The external layrngeal nerve (ELN) may be at risk during thyroidectomy. Because the relationship between the ELN and superior thyroid artery (STA) can be variable, we aimed to investigate their relationship in detail. In human cadavers, 81 ELN and STA and their branches were carefully dissected. The position of the nerve was classified as medial (Group I, on 76.5% sides), lateral (Group II, on 20.9% sides), or posterior (Group III, on 2.4% sides) to the origin of the STA. In Group Ia, the nerve did not cross the artery while it did cross the artery in Group Ib. In Group II, the nerve was located lateral to the origin of the artery and crossed it. In Group III, the nerve coursed downward posterior to the artery. In conclusion, the topography of the ELN showed much more variability in its relationship to the STA than is described in the literature. Such variations should be kept in mind during surgery of the anterior neck. It is our hope that such data will decrease surgical morbidity following surgery of the anterior neck. Clin. Anat. 26:814–822, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An efficient mixed mode and paired cipher text cryptographic algorithm for effective key distribution
Authors: S Rasmi P , Paul Varghese
Published: December 2012

Widely used asymmetric key or public key systems such as RSA, Rabin system, ElGamal system, and elliptical curve system are based on a single hard mathematical problem such as factoring or discrete logarithm. Even if these algorithms are very secure now, in the future, the situation may change and someone can solve the single hard problem easily. In this work, a new mixed mode cryptographic algorithm based on RSA is designed, which incorporates three hard mathematical problems (hidden root problem, discrete logarithms, and factoring) to make the algorithm too secure and uses the properties of both symmetric and asymmetric key algorithms. The decryption of the cipher text by the cryptanalysts is very difficult without the knowledge of secret keys, because he or she needs to solve three hard mathematical problems, which is in fact impractical. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The real females of human evolution
Authors: Zihlman Adrienne L.
Published: December 2012

When “woman‐the‐gatherer” was first proposed as a counter to “man‐the‐hunter,” we were only beginning to understand the many faces of primate females. In ensuing decades we have learned about the skills and talents of female chimpanzees in tool using, hunting, and transmitting behaviors from one generation to the next as teachers, and across space as newcomers to neighboring communities. The perspective of evolutionary time highlights the continuity of female lives from the origin of mammals to the origin of Homo sapiens. The combination of behavioral, fossil, and archeological information aid in reconstructing key ingredients acquired by females along the way that contributed to the success of our species. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ecological volatility and human evolution: A novel perspective on life history and reproductive strategy
Authors: Wells Jonathan C. K.
Published: December 2012

Humans are characterized by a suite of traits that seem to differentiate them profoundly from closely related apes such as the gorilla, chimpanzee, and orang‐utan. These traits include longevity, cooperative breeding, stacking of offspring, lengthy maturation, and a complex life‐course profile of adiposity. When, how, and why these traits emerged during our evolutionary history is currently attracting considerable attention. Most approaches to life history emphasize dietary energy availability and the risk of mortality as the two key stresses shaping life‐history variability between and within species. The high energy costs of the large Homo brain are also seen as the central axis around which other life‐history traits were reorganized. I propose that ecological volatility may have been a key stress, selecting in favor of the suite of traits in order to tolerate periods of energy scarcity, and increase reproductive output during periods of good conditions. Theses life‐history adaptations may have preceded and enabled the trend toward encephalization. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Saffron for treatment of fluoxetine‐induced sexual dysfunction in women: randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled study
Authors: Kashani Ladan , Raisi Firoozeh , Saroukhani Sepideh , Sohrabi Hamid , Modabbernia Amirhossein , Nasehi Abbas‐Ali , Jamshidi Amirhossein , Ashrafi Mandana , Mansouri Parisa , Ghaeli Padideh , Akhondzadeh Shahin
Published: December 2012

Objective

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) has shown beneficial aphrodisiac effects in some animal and human studies. The aim of the present study was to assess the safety and efficacy of saffron on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor‐induced sexual dysfunction in women.

Methods

This was a randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled study. Thirty‐eight women with major depression who were stabilized on fluoxetine 40 mg/day for a minimum of 6 weeks and had experienced subjective feeling of sexual dysfunction entered the study. The patients were randomly assigned to saffron (30 mg/daily) or placebo for 4 weeks. Measurement was performed at baseline, week 2, and week 4 using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Side effects were systematically recorded.

Results

Thirty‐four women had at least one post‐baseline measurement and completed the study. Two‐factor repeated measure analysis of variance showed significant effect of time × treatment interaction [Greenhouse–Geisser's corrected: F(1.580, 50.567) = 5.366, p = 0.012] and treatment for FSFI total score [F(1, 32) = 4.243, p = 0.048]. At the end of the fourth week, patients in the saffron group had experienced significantly more improvement in total FSFI (p < 0.001), arousal (p = 0.028), lubrication (p = 0.035), and pain (p = 0.016) domains of FSFI but not in desire (p = 0.196), satisfaction (p = 0.206), and orgasm (p = 0.354) domains. Frequency of side effects was similar between the two groups.

Conclusions

It seems saffron may safely and effectively improve some of the fluoxetine‐induced sexual problems including arousal, lubrication, and pain. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cluster‐based molecular docking study for in silico identification of novel 6‐fluoroquinolones as potential inhibitors against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Minovski Nikola , Perdih Andrej , Novic Marjana , Solmajer Tom
Published: December 2012

A classical protein sequence alignment and homology modeling strategy were used for building three Mycobacterium tuberculosis‐DNA gyrase protein models using the available topoII‐DNA‐6FQ crystal structure complexes originating from different organisms. The recently determined M. tuberculosis‐DNA gyrase apoprotein structures and topoII‐DNA‐6FQ complexes were used for defining the 6‐fluoroquinolones (6‐FQs) binding pockets. The quality of the generated models was initially validated by docking of the cocrystallized ligands into their binding site, and subsequently by quantitative evaluation of their discriminatory performances (identification of active/inactive 6‐FQs) for a set of 145 6‐FQs with known biological activity values. The M. tuberculosis‐DNA gyrase model with the highest estimated discriminatory power was selected and used afterwards in an additional molecular docking experiment on a mixed combinatorial set of 427 drug‐like 6‐FQ analogs for which the biological activity values were predicted using a prebuilt counter‐propagation artificial neural network model. A novel three‐level Boolean‐based [T/F (true/false)] clustering algorithm was used to assess the generated binding poses: Level 1 (geometry properties assessment), Level 2 (score‐based clustering and selection of the (T)‐signed highly scored Level 1 poses), and Level 3 (activity‐based clustering and selection of the most “active” (T)‐signed Level 2 hits). The frequency analysis of occurrence of the fragments attached at R1 and R7 position of the (T)‐signed 6‐FQs selected in Level 3 revealed several novel attractive fragments and confirmed some previous findings. We believe that this methodology could be successfully used in establishing novel possible structure‐activity relationship recommendations in the 6‐FQs optimization, which could be of great importance in the current antimycobacterial hit‐to‐lead processes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Model for the Shear Viscosity of Suspensions of Star Polymers and Other Soft Particles
Authors: Mendoza Carlos I.
Published: December 2012

A model is proposed to describe the concentration dependence of the viscosity of soft particles. The softness of the particles is incorporated in a very simple way into expressions originally developed for rigid spheres. This is done by introducing a concentration‐dependent critical packing, which is the packing at which the suspension loses fluidity. The resultant expression reproduces the experimental results for suspensions of star polymers in good solvents with high accuracy. The model allows the weak increase of the viscosity observed in the case of diblock copolymer stars to be explained, suggesting that the reason for this peculiar behavior is mainly a consequence of the softness of the particles. In the semi‐dilute regime, suspensions of star polymers are modeled using the Daoud–Cotton picture to complete the description in the whole concentration regime.
Effect of aluminum content on solidification microstructure and properties of Fe‐Cr‐B‐Al alloys
Authors: Yu Z. , Fu H. , Jiang Y. , Cen Q. , Lei Y. , Zhou R. , Guo H.
Published: December 2012

The microstructures and mechanical properties of eight kinds of Fe‐Cr‐B‐Al alloys containing X wt.%Al‐0.35 wt.%C‐10.0 wt.%Cr‐1.4 wt.%B‐0.6 wt.%Si‐0.8 wt.%Mn (X = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0) were studied by means of optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Rockwell hardness and Vickers micro‐hardness testers. The results indicate that the as‐cast microstructure of aluminium‐free sample consists of the martensite, austenite and eutectic borocarbides, and the eutectic borocarbides are the mixture of (Fe, Cr)2B and (Cr, Fe)7(C, B)3, and its hardness reaches 65 HRC. When a small amount of aluminium element (Al ⪇ 1.0 wt.%) is added, the phase composition has no significant change, and the hardness excels 65 HRC. When the concentration of aluminium reaches 1.5 wt.%, the matrix of Fe‐Cr‐B‐Al alloy becomes pearlite and δ‐ferrite, leading to a sharply decrease of the hardness. The proportion of ferrite goes up along with increasing aluminium concentration, and the hardness of Fe‐Cr‐B‐Al alloy has slight decrease.