bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Plantar Arch Index Calculated from Ink and Electronic Footprints
Authors: Toth-Tascau Mirela , Vigaru Cosmina , Pasca Oana , Stoia Dan Ioan , Bălănean Flavia
Published: September 2013

The general purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of geometric characteristics of electronic footprints acquired with Zebris FDM force platform based on comparison with corresponding characteristics of conventional ink footprints. The paper presents a comparative analysis of contact areas and plantar arch index calculated from simultaneously acquired ink and electronic footprints. The areas of the three main regions of the footprints have been determined using common image processing software. The plantar arch index was calculated based on Cavanagh method. The comparative analysis evidences the differences between the geometric characteristics. The total contact area is slightly overestimated in case of the electronic footprints. The electronic footprints overestimate fore-foot and rear-foot areas and underestimate mid-foot area. The mean values of AI in case of ink footprints generally have greater values than in case of electronic footprints.
New Devices for Optimization of Renoureteral Lithiasis Treatment Using ESWL
Authors: Oswald Ioan George , Cavalu Simona , Bumbu Adrian , Brisc Ciprian , Silviu Vlad , Todoruț Éva , Ovidiu Pop
Published: September 2013

In the case of renoureteral lithiasis, shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) proved to be aneffective and safe method with a low risk of significant clinical consequences for long term Thetherapeutic effect is the result of the pulse amplitude, high pressure and shock wave energy contentfocused on striking stones or urethral calculi. The negative pressure specific shock wave isresponsible for the phenomenon of cavitation. Cavitation plays an important role in thefragmentation of calculus as the technical components accelerates wear mechanism for generatingshock waves in special electrode (the electrohydraulic generator). The main objective of this studyis to find technical solutions in terms of improving energy transfer shock waves from the generatorto the target and reliability/optimization of the shock wave generator (the electrohydrauliclithotriptor EHL vulnerable point).
In Vitro Response and Adhesive Strength of Titanium and Hydroxyapatite Bilayer-Films on Polyetheretherketone Substrate
Authors: Hayami Takashi , Kusunoki Masanobu
Published: September 2013

In order to impart both osseointegration and osteoconduction characteristics onto extruded pure polyetheretherketone (PEEK) for use as an artificial bone material, the surface of the PEEK was sputter-coated with a thin bilayer-film consisting of a commercially pure titanium (Ti) layer with a thickness of 90 nm and a hydroxyapatite layer with a thickness of 200 nm derived from simulated body fluid (SBF-HA). A specimen of PEEK coated only with Ti was used in peeling tests to determine the adhesive strength of the interface between the two materials, which was found to be 2.55 ± 0.45 MPa. Tensile tests were also carried out, and it was found that no exfoliation of the Ti film occurred until an ultimate strain of 129% was reached. In a cell culture test using mouse osteoblast on the bilayer-coated PEEK, cell proliferation following 168 h of culturing was 1.3 times higher on the SBF-HA than on synthetic hydroxyapatite, and 2.4 times higher than that on the Ti-coated PEEK. In addition, the proliferation on the Ti-coated PEEK was 2.1 times higher than that on uncoated PEEK.
Dynamic Simulation of Planetary Gearbox
Authors: Yang Tian Fu , Yan Shao Ze
Published: September 2013

Planetary gears are the most popular transmission machinery in large reduction ratio circumstances, which is because of the advantages of compactness, co-axial and high power efficiency. Accurate dynamic model is crucial when planetary gears are used in precise positioning and controlling systems. A dynamic model considering gear backlash and bearing compliance is established in this work. A typical planetary gearbox is simulated with the model. The results prove the validity of the model and demonstrate that gear backlash and bearing compliance have significant influence on planetary gear transmission.
Design of Agricultural Product Supply Chain Based on Industrial Cluster
Authors: Zheng Ji Xing , Wang Ai Hong
Published: September 2013

The article uses the theories of industrial cluster and supply chain management and researches into the industrial cluster situation and development prospects of Qiqihar Citys agricultural products. At present, although Qiqihars agricultural products industrial cluster has initially formed, the business flow, capital flow, information flow and logistics integration of agricultural products supply chain have yet to be further optimized. Based on the development status quo of Qiqihar, the article proposes the principle of designing Qiqihars agricultural products supply chain, and studies the operation mechanism of supply chain systems, aimed at providing a reference mode for Qiqihars development of agricultural industry and promoting the development of agricultural products industrial cluster.
A new data set of soil mineralogy for dust-cycle modeling
Authors: Journet E. , Balkanski Y. , Harrison S. P.
Published: September 2013

Abstract. The mineralogy of airborne dust affects the impact of dust particles on direct and indirect radiative forcing, on atmospheric chemistry and on biogeochemical cycling. It is determined partly by the mineralogy of the dust-source regions and partly by size-dependent fractionation during erosion and transport. Here we present a data set that characterizes the clay and silt sized fractions of global soil units in terms of the abundance of 12 minerals that are important for dust-climate interactions: quartz, feldspars, illite, smectite, kaolinite, chlorite, vermiculite, mica, calcite, gypsum, hematite and goethite. The basic mineralogical information is derived from the literature, and is then expanded following explicit rules, in order to characterize as many soil units as possible. We present three alternative realisations of the mineralogical maps that account for the uncertainties in the mineralogical data. We examine the implications of the new database for calculations of the single scattering albedo of airborne dust and thus for dust radiative forcing.
The effects of climate change on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the North Sea
Authors: O'Driscoll K. , Mayer B. , Su J. , Mathis M.
Published: September 2013

Abstract. The fate and cycling of two selected legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs), PCB 153 and γ-HCH, in the North Sea in the 21st century have been modelled with combined hydrodynamic and fate and transport ocean models. To investigate the impact of climate variability on POPs in the North Sea in the 21st century, future scenario model runs for three 10 yr periods to the year 2100 using plausible levels of both in situ concentrations and atmospheric, river and open boundary inputs are performed. Since estimates of future concentration levels of POPs in the atmosphere, oceans and rivers are not available, our approach was to reutilise 2005 values in the atmosphere, rivers and at the open ocean boundaries for every year of the simulations. In this way, we attribute differences between the three 10 yr simulations to climate change only. For the HAMSOM and atmospheric forcing, results of the IPCC A1B (SRES) 21st century scenario are utilised, where surface forcing is provided by the REMO downscaling of the ECHAM5 global atmospheric model, and open boundary conditions are provided by the MPIOM global ocean model. Dry gas deposition and volatilisation of γ-HCH increase in the future relative to the present. In the water column, total mass of γ-HCH and PCB 153 remain fairly steady in all three runs. In sediment, γ-HCH increases in the future runs, relative to the present, while PCB 153 in sediment decreases exponentially in all three runs, but even faster in the future, both of which are the result of climate change. Annual net sinks exceed sources at the ends of all periods.
Pediatric bladder neuroblastoma: Case report and literature review
Authors: Zhu Justin , Hoag Nathan , Gustafson Paul , Afshar Kourosh , MacNeily Andrew
Published: September 2013

Neuroblastoma (NBL) of the urinary bladder is an extremely rare diagnosis, with only 6 cases reported in the literature to date. We report the case of a 3-year-old boy who presented with gross hematuria, and was diagnosed with bladder NBL after partial cystectomy. Two-year follow-up has been unremarkable. This case highlights a rare neoplasm of the urinary bladder in a pediatric patient.
Activation of Developmental Nuclear Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 Signaling and Neurogenesis in Adult Brain by α7 Nicotinic Receptor Agonist
Authors: Narla Sridhar T. , Klejbor Ilona , Birkaya Barbara , Lee Yu-Wei , Morys Janusz , Stachowiak Ewa K. , Prokop Dorota , Bencherif Merouane , Stachowiak Michal K.
Published: September 2013

Reactivation of endogenous neurogenesis in the adult brain or spinal cord holds the key for treatment of central nervous system injuries and neurodegenerative disorders, which are major health care issues for the world's aging population. We have previously shown that activation of developmental integrative nuclear fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) signaling (INFS), via gene transfection, reactivates neurogenesis in the adult brain by promoting neuronal differentiation of brain neural stem/progenitor cells (NS/PCs). In the present study, we report that targeting the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) with a specific TC-7020 agonist led to a robust accumulation of endogenous FGFR1 in the cell nucleus. Nuclear FGFR1 accumulation was accompanied by an inhibition of proliferation of NS/PCs in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and by the generation of new neurons. Neuronal differentiation was observed in different regions of the adult mouse brain, including (a) βIII-Tubulin-expressing cortical neurons, (b) calretinin-expressing hippocampal neurons, and (c) cells in substantia nigra expressing the predopaminergic Nurr1+ phenotype. Furthermore, we showed that in vitro stimulation of neural stem/progenitor cells with α7nAChR agonist directly activated INFS and neuronal-like differentiation. TC-7020 stimulation of the βIII-Tubulin gene was accompanied by increased binding of FGFR1, CREB binding protein, and RNA polymerase II to a Nur77 targeted promoter region. TC-7020 augmented Nur77-dependent activation of nerve growth factor inducible-B protein responsive element, indicating that α7nAChR upregulation of βIII-Tubulin involves neurogenic FGFR1-Nur signaling. The reactivation of INFS and neurogenesis in adult brain by the α7nAChR agonist may offer a new strategy to treat brain injuries, neurodegenerative diseases, and neurodevelopmental diseases.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Tracking of Ferumoxytol-Labeled Human Neural Stem Cells: Studies Leading to Clinical Use
Authors: Gutova Margarita , Frank Joseph A. , D'Apuzzo Massimo , Khankaldyyan Vazgen , Gilchrist Megan M. , Annala Alexander J. , Metz Marianne Z. , Abramyants Yelena , Herrmann Kelsey A. , Ghoda Lucy Y. , Najbauer Joseph , Brown Christine E. , Blanchard M. Suzette , Lesniak Maciej S. , Kim Seung U. , Barish Michael E. , Aboody Karen S. , Moats Rex A.
Published: September 2013

Numerous stem cell-based therapies are currently under clinical investigation, including the use of neural stem cells (NSCs) as delivery vehicles to target therapeutic agents to invasive brain tumors. The ability to monitor the time course, migration, and distribution of stem cells following transplantation into patients would provide critical information for optimizing treatment regimens. No effective cell-tracking methodology has yet garnered clinical acceptance. A highly promising noninvasive method for monitoring NSCs and potentially other cell types in vivo involves preloading them with ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (USPIOs) to enable cell tracking using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We report here the preclinical studies that led to U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for first-in-human investigational use of ferumoxytol to label NSCs prior to transplantation into brain tumor patients, followed by surveillance serial MRI. A combination of heparin, protamine sulfate, and ferumoxytol (HPF) was used to label the NSCs. HPF labeling did not affect cell viability, growth kinetics, or tumor tropism in vitro, and it enabled MRI visualization of NSC distribution within orthotopic glioma xenografts. MRI revealed dynamic in vivo NSC distribution at multiple time points following intracerebral or intravenous injection into glioma-bearing mice that correlated with histological analysis. Preclinical safety/toxicity studies of intracerebrally administered HPF-labeled NSCs in mice were also performed, and they showed no significant clinical or behavioral changes, no neuronal or systemic toxicities, and no abnormal accumulation of iron in the liver or spleen. These studies support the clinical use of ferumoxytol labeling of cells for post-transplant MRI visualization and tracking.
Les personnes âgées itinérantes — invisibles et exclues. Une analyse de trois stratégies pour contrer l’itinérance
Authors: Burns Victoria , Grenier Amanda , Lavoie Jean-Pierre , Rothwell David , Sussman Tamara
Published: September 2013

En se basant sur le concept d’exclusion sociale, cet article soutient que le paradigme de l’État d’investissement social de même que l’accent mis par les politiques sur le vieillissement actif contribuent à l’exclusion des personnes âgées itinérantes (PAI) tant dans les politiques, les pratiques que la recherche. S’appuyant sur trois politiques et plans d’action sur l’itinérance émanant des gouvernements fédéral (canadien), provincial (québécois) et municipal (la Ville de Montréal), cet article montre comment l’exclusion des PAI se manifeste dans ces stratégies. Enfin, cet article démontre le besoin de reconnaître les multiples exclusions des PAI et conclut sur un appel à différents acteurs afin qu’ils adoptent une posture critique face aux discours et aux modèles normatifs qui concourent à l’exclusion de cette population.
Le vieillissement chez les hommes gais et bisexuels canadiens : un portrait de l’état de santé et des préoccupations relatives à la santé et aux relations interpersonnelles
Authors: Lévy Joseph J. , Adam Barry , Blais Martin , Chamberland Line , Dumas Jean , Engler Kim , Léobon Alain , Ryan Bill , Thoër Christine , Wells Kristopher
Published: September 2013

Peu de recherches ont porté sur les profils et les préoccupations de santé parmi les hommes homosexuels et bisexuels vieillissants. Dans le cadre d’une enquête en ligne pancanadienne, 411 répondants âgés de 55 ans et plus ont répondu à un questionnaire portant sur l’évaluation de ces deux problématiques. Les résultats montrent que les écarts avec la population hétérosexuelle du même groupe d’âge se situent en particulier dans le champ de la santé mentale, où les problèmes sont plus prononcés, des différences qui se retrouvent aussi entre les 55-64 ans et les 64 ans et plus dans notre échantillon. Ces résultats peuvent contribuer à développer des interventions mieux ciblées visant à favoriser le bien-vieillir parmi ces minorités sexuelles.
Rupture dans la ligne du temps : la souffrance chez les femmes âgées atteintes d’un cancer incurable et leur interprétation du temps
Authors: Bourgeois-Guérin Valérie
Published: September 2013

Des écrits montrent que des liens étroits unissent la souffrance et l’interprétation du temps chez les femmes âgées et les personnes atteintes de cancer. La définition de la souffrance de Ricoeur (1994) et les constats d’autres penseurs nous ont poussés à tenter de comprendre comment la souffrance des femmes âgées atteintes d’un cancer incurable se lie à leur interprétation du temps. Pour cela, nous avons fait une recherche qualitative, fondée sur les témoignages de femmes âgées atteintes d’un cancer incurable. Les résultats dévoilent que l’attente et l’annonce du cancer sont des événements du passé, souffrants à vivre. Plusieurs vivent leur présent au jour le jour, profitent du moment et de leurs capacités actuelles pour ne pas penser au futur, source de désespoir et/ou associé à la mort. Cette étude contribue à redéfinir, à mieux questionner et comprendre la souffrance des femmes âgées atteintes d’un cancer incurable.
Medieval monastic mortality: Hazard analysis of mortality differences between monastic and nonmonastic cemeteries in England
Authors: DeWitte Sharon N. , Boulware Jessica C. , Redfern Rebecca C.
Published: September 2013

Scholarship on life in medieval European monasteries has revealed a variety of factors that potentially affected mortality in these communities. Though there is some evidence based on age‐at‐death distributions from England that monastic males lived longer than members of the general public, what is missing from the literature is an explicit examination of how the risks of mortality within medieval monastic settings differed from those within contemporaneous lay populations. This study examines differences in the hazard of mortality for adult males between monastic cemeteries (n= 528) and non‐monastic cemeteries (n= 368) from London, all of which date to between AD 1050 and 1540. Age‐at‐death data from all cemeteries are pooled to estimate the Gompertz hazard of mortality, and “monastic” (i.e., buried in a monastic cemetery) is modeled as a covariate affecting this baseline hazard. The estimated effect of the monastic covariate is negative, suggesting that individuals in the monastic communities faced reduced risks of dying compared to their peers in the lay communities. These results suggest better diets, the positive health benefits of religious behavior, better living conditions in general in monasteries, or selective recruitment of healthy or higher socioeconomic status individuals. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:322–332, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pharmacokinetics and safety of the sesame lignans, sesamin and episesamin, in healthy subjects
Authors: Tomimori Namino , Tanaka Yasuhiro , Kitagawa Yoshinori , Fujii Wataru , Sakakibara Yutaka , Shibata Hiroshi
Published: September 2013

A single‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group and multiple oral dose study was conducted in 48 healthy subjects to investigate the pharmacokinetics and safety of multiple oral doses of sesame lignans (sesamin and episesamin). Subjects were randomly divided into two groups. Each subject was administered 50 mg of sesame lignans (sesamin/episesamin = 1/1) or placebo once daily for 28 days. The pharmacokinetics of the sesame lignans were investigated using 10 of the 24 subjects in the sesame lignans group. No serious adverse events were observed in this study. Sesamin was absorbed with a peak plasma concentration at 5.0 h. The plasma concentration of the main metabolite, SC‐1, reached a peak at 5.0 h and decreased rapidly with a terminal half‐life of 2.4 h. Episesamin was also absorbed with a peak plasma concentration at 5.0 h and decreased with a terminal half‐life of 7.1 h. The plasma concentration of the main metabolite, EC‐1, reached a peak at 5.0 h and decreased rapidly with a terminal half‐life of 3.4 h. The plasma concentrations of sesamin and episesamin reached a steady state by day 7. Sesame lignans were confirmed to be safe and tolerable in healthy subjects. The results of the pharmacokinetic study demonstrate that no accumulation was observed following multiple 50 mg doses of sesame lignans. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A spatiotemporal view of plasmid loss in biofilms and planktonic cultures
Authors: Madsen Jonas Stenløkke , Burmølle Mette , Sørensen Søren Johannes
Published: September 2013

This Commentary by Madsen, Burmølle, and Sørensen discusses the article Non‐invasive in situ monitoring and quantification of TOL plasmid segregational loss within Pseudomonas putida biofilms by Ma, Katzenmeyer, and Bryers. (2013. Biotechnol Bioeng. 110(11):2949–2958. DOI: 10.1002/bit.24953). Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013;110: 3071–3074. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Environmental and behavioral modulation of the number of substantia nigra dopamine neurons in adult mice
Authors: Aumann Tim D. , Tomas Doris , Horne Malcolm K.
Published: September 2013

Background

Recent evidence indicates that hypothalamic neurons acquire or lose the capacity to synthesize and release dopamine (DA) in response to environmental stimuli, and this has functional and behavioral consequences for adult rats. We have evidence that neuronal activity, including that driven by afferent input, regulates acquisition and loss of the DA phenotype by substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) neurons in adult mice.

Hypotheses

The aims of the present study were to determine whether the environment or behavior regulates the number of SNc DA neurons in adult mice, and whether this is mediated by afferent input.

Methods

Adult mice were subject to two different environments/behaviors: “mating” for 1 week or “environment enrichment” (EE) for 2 weeks; then the numbers of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, the rate limiting enzyme in DA synthesis) immunopositive (TH+) and immunonegative (TH−) SNc neurons were counted.

Results

More TH+ neurons were present in mated males whereas less TH+ neurons were present in mated females. Also, more TH+ neurons were present in EE males, and this increase was completely abolished by concurrent local infusion of GABAA receptor antagonists.

Conclusions

The number of DA neurons in the adult SNc is not fixed, but readily increases and decreases in response to environmental stimuli and/or behaviors. These changes are mediated by afferent input relaying information about the environment or behavior to SNc neurons.
Bioaccumulation and Excretion of Enantiomers of Myclobutanil in Tenebrio molitor Larvae Through Dietary Exposure
Authors: Lv Xiaotian , Liu Chen , Li Yaobin , Gao Yongxin , Guo Baoyuan , Wang Huili , Li Jianzhong
Published: September 2013

The bioaccumulation and excretion of enantiomers of myclobutanil in Tenebrio molitor larvae through dietary exposure under laboratory conditions were investigated using high‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS/MS) based on a ChiralcelOD‐3R [cellulosetris‐tris‐(3, 5‐dichlorophenyl‐carbamate)] column. The wheat bran fed to Tenebrio molitor larvae was spiked with racemic myclobutanil at two dose levels of 20 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg (dry weight). The results showed that there was a significant trend of enantioselective bioaccumulation in the larvae with a preferential accumulation of (−)‐myclobutanil in 20 mg/kg dose exposure, but it was not obviously observed in the 2 mg/kg dose group. A kinetic model considering enantiomerization between the two enantiomers based on first‐order reactions was built and the rate constants were estimated to discuss the kinetic reason for the different concentrations of individual enantiomers in the larvae. The approximations implied an inversion between the two enantiomers with a relatively higher rate of the inversion from (−)‐myclobutanil to (+)‐myclobutanil. Meanwhile, analysis of data of excretion samples suggested the active excretion is probably an important pathway for the insect to eliminate myclobutanil rapidly with nonenantioselectivity as a passive transport process, which was consistent with the low accumulation efficiency of myclobutanil measured by BAF (bioaccumulation factor). Chirality 25:890–896, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Hedonic hunger and binge eating among women with eating disorders
Authors: Witt Ashley A. , Lowe Michael R.
Published: September 2013

Background

Hedonic hunger, the appetitive drive to eat to obtain pleasure in the absence of an energy deficit, is associated with overeating and with loss of control over eating, but has not been investigated among individuals with eating disorders.

Objective

(1) to compare participants with anorexia nervosa, restricting type (AN‐R), anorexia nervosa, binge‐purge type (AN‐B/P), and bulimia nervosa (BN) on scores on the Power of Food Scale (PFS), a self‐report measure of hedonic hunger; (2) to examine the relation between PFS scores and frequency of binge eating; and (3) to examine whether pre‐treatment PFS scores predict weight change during treatment.

Method

The PFS and measures of eating disorder symptomatology were administered to female patients with AN (N = 119) and BN (N = 144) at admission to residential treatment.

Results

Participants with BN scored higher on the PFS compared to participants with AN‐R or AN‐B/P; there was a trend for those with AN‐B/P to score higher than those with AN‐R. PFS scores were positively associated with binge eating frequency among participants with BN; these associations remained significant when controlling for restraint and weight suppression. A similar pattern was found among participants with AN. PFS scores predicted weight change in AN but not BN.

Discussion

Results suggest that hedonic processes may be important in stimulating binge eating. Furthermore, hedonic appetite may facilitate weight restoration in AN. Further research should investigate whether pre‐treatment PFS scores have prognostic significance with respect to eating disorder symptoms. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2014; 47:273–280)
Affect and eating behavior in obese adults with and without elevated depression symptoms
Authors: Goldschmidt Andrea B. , Crosby Ross D. , Engel Scott G. , Crow Scott J. , Cao Li , Peterson Carol B. , Durkin Nora
Published: September 2013

Objective

Although there is a modest relation between obesity and depression, mechanisms that contribute to this co‐occurrence are unclear. This study examined mood and eating behavior among obese adults with and without elevated depression symptoms.

Method

Obese adults (N = 50) were subtyped according to a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) cutoff of 14, indicating “probable depression.” Participants with (BDI ≥ 14; n = 15) and without (BDI < 14; n = 35) elevated depression symptoms were compared on affect‐ and eating‐related variables measured via questionnaire and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) using ANCOVA and mixed model regression.

Results

After adjusting for group differences in body mass index (BMI; p = .03), participants with elevated depression symptoms reported greater emotional eating via self‐report questionnaire [F(1,50) = 4.3; p = .04], as well as more frequent binge eating (Wald χ2 = 13.8; p < .001) and higher daily negative affect (Wald χ2 = 7.7; p = .005) on EMA recordings. Emotional eating mediated the relationship between depression status and BMI (indirect effect estimate = 3.79; 95% CI = 1.02–7.46).

Discussion

Emotional eating and binge eating were more commonly reported by obese adults with elevated depression symptoms compared to those without and may occur against a general backdrop of overall low mood. Intervention and prevention programs for obesity and/or depression should address disordered eating to prevent or minimize adverse health consequences. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2014; 47:281–286)
Assessing tectonic and climatic causal mechanisms in foreland‐basin stratal architecture: insights from the Alborz Mountains, northern Iran
Authors: Ballato Paolo , Strecker Manfred R.
Published: September 2013

The southern foreland basin of the Alborz Mountains of northern Iran is characterized by an approximately 7.3‐km‐thick sequence of Miocene sedimentary rocks, constituting three basin‐wde coarsening‐upward units spanning a period of 106 years. We assess available magnetostratigraphy, paleoclimatic reconstructions, stratal architecture, records of depositional environments, and sediment‐provenance data to characterize the relationships between tectonically‐generated accommodation space (A) and sediment supply (S). Our analysis allows an inversion of the stratigraphy for particular forcing mechanisms, documenting causal relationships, and providing a basis to decipher the relative contributions of tectonics and climate (inferred changes in precipitation) in controlling sediment supply to the foreland basin. Specifically, A/S > 1, typical of each basal unit (17.5–16.0, 13.8–13.1 and 10.3–9.6 Ma), is associated with sharp facies retrogradation and reflects substantial tectonic subsidence. Within these time intervals, arid climatic conditions, changes in sediment provenance, and accelerated exhumation in the orogen suggest that sediment supply was most likely driven by high uplift rates. Conversely, A/S < 1 (13.8 and 13.8–11 Ma, units 1, and 2) reflects facies progradation during a sharp decline in tectonic subsidence caused by localized intra‐basinal uplift. During these time intervals, climate continued to be arid and exhumation active, suggesting that sediment supply was again controlled by tectonics. A/S < 1, at 11–10.3 Ma and 9‐6–7.6 Ma (and possibly 6.2; top of units 2 and 3), is also associated with two episodes of extensive progradation, but during wetter phases. The first episode appears to have been linked to a pulse in sediment supply driven by an increase in precipitation. The second episode reflects a balance between a climatically‐induced increase in sediment supply and a reduction of subsidence through the incorporation of the proximal foreland into the orogenic wedge. This in turn caused an expansion of the catchment and a consequent further increase in sediment supply. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Toxicokinetics and coagulopathy threshold of the rodenticide diphacinone in eastern screech-owls (Megascops asio)
Authors: Rattner Barnett A. , Horak Katherine E. , Lazarus Rebecca S. , Goldade David A. , Johnston John J.
Published: September 2013

In the United States, new regulations on second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides will likely be offset by expanded use of first-generation anticoagulant rodenticides. In the present study, eastern screech-owls (Megascops asio) were fed 10 µg diphacinone/g wet weight food for 7 d, and recovery was monitored over a 21-d postexposure period. By day 3 of exposure, diphacinone (DPN) was detected in liver (1.63 µg/g wet wt) and kidney (5.83 µg/g) and coagulopathy was apparent. By day 7, prothrombin time (PT) and Russell's viper venom time (RVVT) were prolonged, and some individuals were anemic. Upon termination of exposure, coagulopathy and anemia were resolved within 4 d, and residues decreased to <0.3 µg/g by day 7. Liver and kidney DPN elimination occurred in 2 phases (initial rapid loss, followed by slower loss rate), with overall half-lives of 11.7 d and 2.1 d, respectively. Prolonged PT and RVVT occurred in 10% of the exposed owls with liver DPN concentrations of 0.122 µg/g and 0.282 µg/g and in 90% of the owls with liver concentrations of 0.638 µg/g and 0.361 µg/g. These liver residue levels associated with coagulopathy fall in the range of values reported in raptor mortality incidents involving DPN. These tissue-based toxicity reference values for coagulopathy in adult screech-owls have application for interpreting nontarget mortality and assessing the hazard of DPN in rodent-control operations. Diphacinone exposure evokes toxicity in raptors within a matter of days; but once exposure is terminated, recovery of hemostasis occurs rapidly. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:74–81. © 2013 SETAC. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Chemostratigraphic implications of spatial variation in the Paleocene‐Eocene Thermal Maximum carbon isotope excursion, SE Bighorn Basin, Wyoming
Authors: Baczynski Allison A. , McInerney Francesca A. , Wing Scott L. , Kraus Mary J. , Bloch Jonathan I. , Boyer Doug M. , Secord Ross , Morse Paul E. , Fricke Henry C.
Published: September 2013

The Paleocene‐Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is marked by a prominent negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE) of 3–5‰ that has a characteristic rapid onset, stable body, and recovery to near pre‐CIE isotopic composition. Although the CIE is the major criterion for global correlation of the Paleocene‐Eocene boundary, spatial variations in the position and shape of the CIE have not been systematically evaluated. We measured carbon isotope ratios of bulk organic matter (δ13Corg) and pedogenic carbonate (δ13Ccarb) at six PETM sections across a 16 km transect in the SE Bighorn Basin, Wyoming. Bed tracing and high‐resolution floral and faunal biostratigraphy allowed correlation of the sections independent of chemostratigraphy. The onset of the CIE in bulk organic matter at all six sections occurs within a single laterally extensive geosol. The magnitude of the CIE varies from 2.1 to 3.8‰. The absolute and relative stratigraphic thickness of the body of the CIE in bulk organic matter varies significantly across the field area and underrepresents the thickness of the PETM body by 30%–80%. The variations cannot be explained by basinal position and instead suggest that δ13Corg values were influenced by local factors such as reworking of older carbon. The stratigraphic thickness and shape of the CIE have been used to correlate sections, estimate timing of biotic and climatic changes relative to the presumed carbon isotope composition of the atmosphere, and calculate rates of environmental and biotic change. Localized controls on δ13Corg values place these inferences in question by influencing the apparent shape and duration of the CIE.
Velocity structure beneath the southern Puna plateau: Evidence for delamination
Authors: Calixto Frank J. , Sandvol Eric , Kay Suzanne , Mulcahy Patrick , Heit Benjamin , Yuan Xiaohui , Coira Beatriz , Comte Diana , Alvarado Patricia
Published: September 2013

The high elevation of the southern Puna plateau, the widespread melting of its crust, the gap in intermediate depth seismicity and the recent eruptions of ignimbrite complexes can be explained by delamination of the lithospheric mantle beneath it. To test this hypothesis, an array consisting of 73 broad band and short period seismic stations was deployed in the region for a period of 2 years starting in 2007. We inverted the data using the two plane wave approach and obtained 1‐D and 3‐D Rayleigh wave phase velocities. Our dispersion curve shows that at short periods (<70 s) the phase velocities are slightly higher than those of the Tibetan plateau and lower than those of the Anatolian plateau. At periods of 100–140 s we observe a low velocity zone that might be remnant hot asthenosphere below a flat slab (7–10 Ma). We estimate the average continental lithosphere thickness for the region to be between 100 and 130 km. Our three‐dimensional Rayleigh wave phase velocities show a high velocity anomaly at low frequencies (0.007, 0.008, and 0.009 Hz) slightly to the north of Cerro Galan. This would be consistent with the hypothesis of delamination in which a piece of lithosphere has detached and caused upwelling of hot asthenosphere, which in turn caused widespread alkaline‐collision related volcanism. This interpretation is also corroborated by our shear wave velocity model, where a high velocity anomaly beneath the northern edge of Cerro Galan at 130 km depth is interpreted as the delaminated block on top of the subducting Nazca slab.
Panostotic Expansile Bone Disease With Massive Jaw Tumor Formation and a Novel Mutation in the Signal Peptide of RANK
Authors: Schafer Anne L , Mumm Steven , El-Sayed Ivan , McAlister William H , Horvai Andrew E , Tom Andrea M , Hsiao Edward C , Schaefer Frederick V , Collins Michael T , Anderson Mark S , Whyte Michael P , Shoback Dolores M
Published: September 2013

Precise regulation of bone resorption is critical for skeletal homeostasis. We report a 32-year-old man with a panostotic expansile bone disease and a massive hemorrhagic mandibular tumor. Originally from Mexico, he was deaf at birth and became bow-legged during childhood. There was no family history of skeletal disease. Puberty occurred normally, but during adolescence he experienced difficulty straightening his limbs, sustained multiple fractures, and developed a bony tumor on his chin. By age 18 years, all limbs were misshapen. The mandibular mass grew and protruded from the oral cavity, extending to the level of the lower ribs. Other bony defects included a similar maxillary mass and serpentine limbs. Upon referral at age 27 years, biochemical studies showed serum alkaline phosphatase of 1760 U/L (Nl: 29-111) and other elevated bone turnover markers. Radiography of the limbs showed medullary expansion and cortical thinning with severe bowing. Although the jaw tumors were initially deemed inoperable, mandibular mass excision and staged partial maxillectomy were eventually performed. Tumor histopathology showed curvilinear trabeculae of woven bone on a background of hypocellular fibrous tissue. Fibrous dysplasia of bone was suspected, but there was no mutation in codon 201 of GNAS in samples from blood or tumor. His clinical and radiographic findings, elevated serum markers, and disorganized bone morphology suggested amplified receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) signaling, even though his disorder differed from conditions with known constitutive activation of RANK signaling (eg, familial expansile osteolysis). We found a unique 12-base pair duplication in the signal peptide of TNFRSF11A, the gene that encodes RANK. No exon or splice site mutations were found in the genes encoding RANK ligand or osteoprotegerin. Alendronate followed by pamidronate therapies substantially decreased his serum alkaline phosphatase activity. This unique patient expands the phenotypes and genetic basis of the mendelian disorders of RANK signaling activation. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Pregnancy-Associated Osteoporosis With a Heterozygous Deactivating LDL Receptor-Related Protein 5 (LRP5) Mutation and a Homozygous Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR) Polymorphism
Authors: Cook Fiona J , Mumm Steven , Whyte Michael P , Wenkert Deborah
Published: September 2013

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare, idiopathic disorder that usually presents with vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) within 6 months of a first pregnancy and delivery. Spontaneous improvement is typical. There is no known genetic basis for PAO. A 26-year-old primagravida with a neonatal history of unilateral blindness attributable to hyperplastic primary vitreous sustained postpartum VCFs consistent with PAO. Her low bone mineral density (BMD) seemed to respond to vitamin D and calcium therapy, with no fractures after her next successful pregnancy. Investigation of subsequent fetal losses revealed homozygosity for the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism associated both with fetal loss and with osteoporosis (OP). Because her neonatal unilateral blindness and OP were suggestive of loss-of-function mutation(s) in the gene that encodes LDL receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5), LRP5 exon and splice site sequencing was also performed. This revealed a unique heterozygous 12-bp deletion in exon 21 (c.4454_4465del, p.1485_1488del SSSS) in the patient, her mother and sons, but not her father or brother. Her mother had a normal BMD, no history of fractures, PAO, ophthalmopathy, or fetal loss. Her two sons had no ophthalmopathy and no skeletal issues. Her osteoporotic father (with a family history of blindness) and brother had low BMDs first documented at ages ∼40 and 32 years, respectively. Serum biochemical and bone turnover studies were unremarkable in all subjects. We postulate that our patient's heterozygous LRP5 mutation together with her homozygous MTHFR polymorphism likely predisposed her to low peak BMD. However, OP did not cosegregate in her family with the LRP5 mutation, the homozygous MTHFR polymorphism, or even the combination of the two, implicating additional genetic or nongenetic factors in her PAO. Nevertheless, exploration for potential genetic contributions to PAO may explain part of the pathogenesis of this enigmatic disorder and identify some at-risk women. © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Physiological Functions of Osteoblast Lineage and T Cell–Derived RANKL in Bone Homeostasis
Authors: Fumoto Toshio , Takeshita Sunao , Ito Masako , Ikeda Kyoji
Published: September 2013

The cytokine RANKL is essential for osteoclast development in bone. The cellular sources of RANKL for support of osteoclast generation under various pathophysiological conditions have remained unclear, however. Here we show that inactivation of Rankl specifically in osteoblast lineage cells of mice with the use of an Osterix-Cre transgene results in typical osteopetrosis in the trabecular compartment of the tibia, with the phenotype being progressively less marked in the femur and vertebrae. In contrast to its effects on trabecular bone, RANKL deficiency in osteoblast lineage resulted in thinning of the femoral cortex in association with suppression of bone formation during the modeling process. Ablation of RANKL specifically in T cells resulted in a moderate but significant increase in tibial trabecular bone. Mice with RANKL deficiency in osteoblast lineage were protected from bone loss induced by ovariectomy as well as from joint destruction associated with arthritis, whereas loss of RANKL in T cells did not confer such protection. Finally, inducible deletion of Rankl selectively in the osteoblasts from 6 to 12 weeks of age resulted in an increase in bone mass in association with reduced bone resorption and formation. Our results thus suggest that RANKL produced by osteoblasts contributes to osteoclast development in vivo. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Tail reconnection region versus auroral activity inferred from conjugate ARTEMIS plasma sheet flow and auroral observations
Authors: Nishimura Y. , Lyons L. R. , Xing X. , Angelopoulos V. , Donovan E. F. , Mende S. B. , Bonnell J. W. , Auster U.
Published: September 2013

Plasma sheet flow bursts have been suggested to correspond to different types of auroral activity, such as poleward boundary intensifications (PBIs), ensuing auroral streamers, and substorms. The flow‐aurora association leads to the important question of identifying the magnetotail source region for the flow bursts and how this region depends on magnetic activity. The present study uses the ARTEMIS spacecraft coordinated with conjugate ground‐based auroral imager observations to identify flow bursts beyond 45 RE downtail and corresponding auroral forms. We find that quiet‐time flows are directed dominantly earthward with a one‐to‐one correspondence with PBIs. Flow bursts during the substorm recovery phase and during steady magnetospheric convection (SMC) periods are also directed earthward, and these flows are associated with a series of PBIs/streamers lasting for tens of minutes with similar durations to that of the series of earthward flows. Presubstorm onset flows are also earthward and associated with PBIs/streamers. The earthward flows during those magnetic conditions suggest that the flow bursts, which lead to PBIs and streamers, originate from further downtail of ARTEMIS, possibly from the distant‐tail neutral line (DNL) or tailward‐retreated near‐Earth neutral line (NENL) rather than from the nominal NENL location in the midtail. We find that tailward flows are limited primarily to the substorm expansion phase. They continue throughout the period of auroral poleward expansion, indicating that the expansion‐phase flows originate from the NENL and that NENL activity is closely related to the auroral expansion of the substorm expansion phase.
Exploring the faint young Sun problem and the possible climates of the Archean Earth with a 3‐D GCM
Authors: Charnay B. , Forget F. , Wordsworth R. , Leconte J. , Millour E. , Codron F. , Spiga A.
Published: September 2013

Different solutions have been proposed to solve the “faint young Sun problem,” defined by the fact that the Earth was not fully frozen during the Archean despite the fainter Sun. Most previous studies were performed with simple 1‐D radiative convective models and did not account well for the clouds and ice‐albedo feedback or the atmospheric and oceanic transport of energy. We apply a global climate model (GCM) to test the different solutions to the faint young Sun problem. We explore the effect of greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4), atmospheric pressure, cloud droplet size, land distribution, and Earth's rotation rate. We show that neglecting organic haze, 100 mbar of CO2 with 2 mbar of CH4 at 3.8 Ga and 10 mbar of CO2 with 2 mbar of CH4 at 2.5 Ga allow a temperate climate (mean surface temperature between 10°C and 20°C). Such amounts of greenhouse gases remain consistent with the geological data. Removing continents produces a warming lower than +4°C. The effect of rotation rate is even more limited. Larger droplets (radii of 17 μm versus 12 μm) and a doubling of the atmospheric pressure produce a similar warming of around +7°C. In our model, ice‐free water belts can be maintained up to 25°N/S with less than 1 mbar of CO2 and no methane. An interesting cloud feedback appears above cold oceans, stopping the glaciation. Such a resistance against full glaciation tends to strongly mitigate the faint young Sun problem.
Suomi‐NPP CrIS radiometric calibration uncertainty
Authors: Tobin David , Revercomb Henry , Knuteson Robert , Taylor Joe , Best Fred , Borg Lori , DeSlover Dan , Martin Graeme , Buijs Henry , Esplin Mark , Glumb Ronald , Han Yong , Mooney Daniel , Predina Joe , Strow Larrabee , Suwinski Lawrence , Wang Likun
Published: September 2013

The Cross‐track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) is the high spectral resolution spectroradiometer on the Suomi National Polar‐Orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite, providing operational observations of top‐of‐atmosphere thermal infrared radiance spectra for weather and climate applications. This paper describes the CrIS radiometric calibration uncertainty based on prelaunch and on‐orbit efforts to estimate calibration parameter uncertainties, and provides example results of recent postlaunch validation efforts to assess the predicted uncertainty. Prelaunch radiometric uncertainty (RU) estimates computed for the laboratory test environment are less than ~0.2 K 3 sigma for blackbody scene temperatures above 250 K, with primary uncertainty contributions from the calibration blackbody temperature, calibration blackbody reflected radiance terms, and detector nonlinearity. Variability of the prelaunch RU among the longwave band detectors and midwave band detectors is due to different levels of detector nonlinearity. A methodology for on‐orbit adjustment of nonlinearity correction parameters to reduce the overall contribution to RU and to reduce field of view (FOV)‐to‐FOV variability is described. The resulting on‐orbit RU estimates for Earth view spectra are less than 0.2 K 3 sigma in the midwave and shortwave bands, and less than 0.3 K 3 sigma in the longwave band. Postlaunch validation efforts to assess the radiometric calibration of CrIS are underway; validation results to date indicate that the on‐orbit RU estimates are representative. CrIS radiance products are expected to reach “Validated” status in early 2014.