bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating conservation and fisheries management strategies by linking spatial prioritization software and ecosystem and fisheries modelling tools
Authors: Metcalfe Kristian , Vaz Sandrine , Engelhard Georg H. , Villanueva Maria Ching , Smith Robert J. , Mackinson Steven
Published: March 2015

Well‐designed marine protected area (MPA) networks can deliver a range of ecological, economic and social benefits, and so a great deal of research has focused on developing spatial conservation prioritization tools to help identify important areas.

However, whilst these software tools are designed to identifyMPAnetworks that both represent biodiversity and minimize impacts on stakeholders, they do not consider complex ecological processes. Thus, it is difficult to determine the impacts that proposedMPAs could have on marine ecosystem health, fisheries and fisheries sustainability.

Using the eastern English Channel as a case study, this paper explores an approach to address these issues by identifying a series ofMPAnetworks using the Marxan and Marxan with Zones conservation planning software and linking them with a spatially explicit ecosystem model developed in Ecopath with Ecosim. We then use these to investigate potential trade‐offs associated with adopting differentMPAmanagement strategies.

Limited‐takeMPAs, which restrict the use of some fishing gears, could have positive benefits for conservation and fisheries in the eastern English Channel, even though they generally receive far less attention in research onMPAnetwork design.

Our findings, however, also clearly indicate that no‐takeMPAs should form an integral component of proposedMPAnetworks in the eastern English Channel, as they not only result in substantial increases in ecosystem biomass, fisheries catches and the biomass of commercially valuable target species, but are fundamental to maintaining the sustainability of the fisheries.

Synthesis and applications. Using the existing software tools Marxan with Zones and Ecopath with Ecosim in combination provides a powerful policy‐screening approach. This could help inform marine spatial planning by identifying potential conflicts and by designing new regulations that better balance conservation objectives and stakeholder interests. In addition, it highlights that appropriate combinations of no‐take and limited‐take marine protected areas might be the most effective when making trade‐offs between long‐term ecological benefits and short‐term political acceptability.
Bikeshare in China as a public service: Comparing government‐run and public‐private partnership operation models
Authors: Lohry Gavin Fynn , Yiu Alice
Published: March 2015

China is now the world leader in public bikeshare systems (PBS) with more bikes and stations in use than the rest of the world combined. The rapid rise of PBS as a viable urban transport option in China has taken place since Hangzhou introduced the first system in 2008 and it has been driven by the desire to address sustainability challenges. Chinese municipal governments have heavily subsidized the development of PBS to encourage non‐motorized transport and offer a flexible, convenient, and low‐cost mobility options to the people. As a subsidized public service, PBS in China has been constructed and operated either under a government‐run (GR) model and public‐private partnership (PPP) model. This paper analyzes the effects of these two operation models on PBS performance and concludes that GR systems have been more effective than PPP systems in achieving higher bike utilization, ridership, and population served. The paper explores the reasons for these differences and finds that the financial incentive structure under the PPP model often leads to results that have conflicts of interest between private companies and the government. GR systems, on the contrary, are much more effective than PBS systems and they are under official transport agencies that are accountable to following the government's desire to make PBS function as a viable transport option instead of a profit‐making business.
Estimating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from paratransit in Bandung, Indonesia: Reducing the transaction costs of generating conservative emissions baselines
Authors: Nugroho Sudarmanto Budi , Zusman Eric
Published: March 2015

In developing countries, paratransit often meets essential mobility needs with older, inefficient vehicles that degrade air quality and emit greenhouse gases (GHGs). International climate change finance mechanisms such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) or Green Climate Fund (GCF) could help fund cleaner vehicles. However, these mechanisms require generating a credible business‐as‐usual GHG baseline to compare against actual emissions. For paratransit, irregular scheduling and erratic driving behaviour add to a well‐documented list of factors that make the transaction costs prohibitively expensive for constructing robust transport baselines. This paper compares the relative accuracy and affordability of constructing five baselines for motorcycle taxis or ojeks in Bandung, Indonesia. The baselines that were constructed incorporate data that was gathered from one day and one week studies using revealed preference surveys as well as using real time global positioning systems (GPS) over one week into fuel efficiency and fuel consumption‐based emissions calculation techniques. The calculations show that the week‐long fuel consumption survey data generated the lowest fuel efficiency and highest GHG estimates. Driver survey data may therefore help construct a relatively low cost conservative baseline, especially when triangulated by GPS‐verified distance travelled data. The study concludes with several promising future research areas, including expanding the period of estimation for paratransit; examining the relationship between self‐reported distance and fuel consumption data; optimizing survey administration; and promoting climate finance mechanisms that engage stakeholders to lower the transaction costs of data gathering.
Mesophilic versus thermophilic anaerobic digestion of cattle manure: methane productivity and microbial ecology
Authors: Moset Veronica , Poulsen Morten , Wahid Radziah , Højberg Ole , Møller Henrik Bjarne
Published: March 2015

In this study, productivity and physicochemical and microbiological (454 sequencing) parameters, as well as environmental criteria, were investigated in anaerobic reactors to contribute to the ongoing debate about the optimal temperature range for treating animal manure, and expand the general knowledge on the relation between microbiological and physicochemical process indicators. For this purpose, two reactor sizes were used (10 m3 and 16 l), in which two temperature conditions (35°C and 50°C) were tested. In addition, the effect of the hydraulic retention time was evaluated (16 versus 20 days).

Thermophilic anaerobic digestion showed higher organic matter degradation (especially fiber), higher pH and higher methane (CH4) yield, as well as better percentage of ultimate CH4 yield retrieved and lower residual CH4 emission, when compared with mesophilic conditions. In addition, lower microbial diversity was found in the thermophilic reactors, especially for Bacteria, where a clear intensification towards Clostridia class members was evident.

Independent of temperature, some similarities were found in digestates when comparing with animal manure, including low volatile fatty acids concentrations and a high fraction of Euryarchaeota in the total microbial community, in which members of Methanosarcinales dominated for both temperature conditions; these indicators could be considered a sign of process stability.
An exploratory short‐term double‐blind randomized trial of varenicline versus nicotine patch for smoking cessation in women
Authors: Gray Kevin M. , McClure Erin A. , Baker Nathaniel L. , Hartwell Karen J. , Carpenter Matthew J. , Saladin Michael E.
Published: March 2015

Aims

Within a parent study examining ovarian hormone effects on smoking cessation in women, we conducted an exploratory short‐term trial of varenicline versus transdermal nicotine patch.

Design

Double‐blind double‐dummy randomized trial.

Setting

Single‐site out‐patient research clinic in the United States.

Participants

Female smokers, ages 18–45 years and averaging ≥10 cigarettes per day for at least 6 months (n = 140).

Interventions

Participants were randomized to receive a 4‐week course of (a) varenicline tablets and placebo patches (n = 67) or (b) placebo tablets and nicotine patches (n = 73). Two brief cessation counseling sessions were provided for all participants.

Measurements

The outcome of primary clinical interest was 2‐week end‐of‐treatment abstinence. Secondary outcomes included 1‐ and 4‐week end‐of treatment abstinence and abstinence at a post‐treatment follow‐up visit occurring 4 weeks after treatment conclusion. Breath carbon monoxide (≤ 10 parts per million) was used to confirm biochemically self‐reported abstinence.

Findings

Two‐week end‐of‐treatment abstinence was achieved by 37.3% (25 of 67) of varenicline participants and by 17.8% (13 of 73) of nicotine patch participants [odds ratio (OR) = 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3–6.0, P = 0.011]. One‐week (44.8 versus 20.6%, OR = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.5–6.6, P = 0.003) and 4‐week (22.4 versus 9.6%, OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.0–7.2, P = 0.043) end‐of‐treatment abstinence similarly favored varenicline, although post‐treatment follow‐up Russell Standard abstinence was not significantly different between groups (23.9 versus 13.7%, OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 0.8–4.7, P = 0.126).

Conclusion

In an exploratory 4‐week head‐to‐head trial in female smokers, varenicline, compared with nicotine patch, more than doubled the odds of end‐of‐treatment abstinence, although this diminished somewhat at post‐treatment follow‐up.
Minimally Invasive Ventricular Assist Device Surgery
Authors: Rojas Sebastian V. , Avsar Murat , Hanke Jasmin S. , Khalpey Zain , Maltais Simon , Haverich Axel , Schmitto Jan D.
Published: March 2015

The use of mechanical circulatory support to treat patients with congestive heart failure has grown enormously, recently surpassing the number of annual heart transplants worldwide. The current generation of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), as compared with older devices, is characterized by improved technologies and reduced size. The result is that minimally invasive surgery is now possible for the implantation, explantation, and exchange of LVADs. Minimally invasive procedures improve surgical outcome; for example, they lower the rates of operative complications (such as bleeding or wound infection). The miniaturization of LVADs will continue, so that minimally invasive techniques will be used for most implantations in the future. In this article, we summarize and describe minimally invasive state‐of‐the‐art implantation techniques, with a focus on the most common LVAD systems in adults.
Randomised clinical trial: deep remission in biologic and immunomodulator naïve patients with Crohn's disease – a SONIC post hoc analysis
Authors: Colombel J.‐F. , Reinisch W. , Mantzaris G. J. , Kornbluth A. , Rutgeerts P. , Tang K. L. , Oortwijn A. , Bevelander G. S. , Cornillie F. J. , Sandborn W. J.
Published: March 2015

Background

As treatment goals in Crohn's disease (CD) evolve, targets now include clinical remission (CR), mucosal healing (MH) and biological remission [C‐reactive protein normalisation (CRPnorm)].

Aims

To evaluate the association of baseline factors and treatment with the achievement of different composite remission parameters at week 26.

Methods

This post hoc analysis of the SONIC trial evaluated different composite remission measures at week 26 in a subgroup of patients with Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) scores, CRP, and endoscopic data available at baseline and week 26 (N = 188). Assessed composite remission measures were: CR (CDAI < 150) and MH (absence of any mucosal ulcerations), previously referred to as ‘deep remission;’ and alternative composite endpoints: CR + CRPnorm (CRP < 0.8 mg/dL); CRPnorm + MH; and CR + CRPnorm + MH.

Results

Among analysed patients, 136/188 (72.3%) achieved CR and 90/188 (47.9%) achieved MH at week 26. All composite outcomes were significantly greater (Bonferroni significance level, P ≤ 0.016) with combination therapy (i.e. infliximab and azathioprine; 52.3–63.6%) vs. azathioprine monotherapy (12.9–29.0%; p ≤ 0.005 for all comparisons). Composite remission rates including MH were significantly greater with combination therapy (52.3–56.9%) vs. infliximab (25.6–32.3%; P ≤ 0.015 for all comparisons except CRPnorm + MH, P = 0.017) and vs. azathioprine monotherapy (12.9–20.4%; P ≤ 0.002 for all comparisons). Median serum trough infliximab concentrations among patients who achieved MH or CR + MH were greater when compared with those among patients who did not achieve MH (P = 0.018) or CR + MH (P = 0.053). Among the subgroup of patients with early Crohn's disease, MH alone or in combination with composite remission criteria significantly improved clinical outcomes of patients who received combination therapy.

Conclusions

Combination therapy was more effective in achieving various composite remission measures vs. azathioprine or infliximab monotherapy. These data illustrate that ‘deep remission’ is achievable with combination therapy in a high percentage of patients with early Crohn's disease. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT00094458.
Invasive onychocytic carcinoma
Authors: Wang Lei , Gao Tianwen , Wang Gang
Published: March 2015

Neoplasms originating from nail matrix keratinocytes are very rare. Onychomatricoma and onychocytic matricoma are benign tumors arising from nail matrix keratinocytes. Only one case of onychocytic carcinoma, the malignant counterpart of onychocytic matricoma, has been reported in the literature. Herein, we describe a case of invasive onychocytic carcinoma. Two biopsy specimens of the tumor, obtained at early and invasive stages, were examined histopathologically. The first biopsy specimen showed a retiform proliferation of eosinophilic and basophilic cells in the nail matrix. The second biopsy specimen showed a retiform basophilic cell proliferation with focal keratinization. Similar to normal nail matrix keratinocytes, the proliferating basophilic cells failed to express cytokeratin (CK)1, CK6 and CK10. Focal expression of hair‐specific keratins, including K31, K85 and K86, was observed. On the basis of these findings, the tumor was identified as an invasive malignant tumor originating from nail matrix keratinocytes.
Implementation of integrated therapies for comorbid post‐traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders in community substance abuse treatment programs
Authors: Killeen Therese K. , Back Sudie E. , Brady Kathleen T.
Published: March 2015

Issues

The high prevalence of trauma and post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) presents a number of treatment challenges for community treatment providers and programs in the USA. Although several evidence‐based, integrated therapies for the treatment of comorbid PTSD/SUD have been developed, rates of utilisation of such practices remain low in community treatment programs.

Approach

The goal of this article was to review the extant literature on common barriers that prevent adoption and implementation of integrated treatments for PTSD/SUD among substance abuse community treatment programs.

Key Findings

Organisational, provider‐level and patient‐level factors that drive practice decisions were discussed, including organisational philosophy of care policies, funding and resources, as well as provider and patient knowledge and attitudes related to implementation of new integrated treatments for comorbid PTSD and SUD.

Implications and Conclusions

Understanding and addressing these community treatment challenges may facilitate use of evidence‐based integrated treatments for comorbid PTSD and SUD. [Killeen TK, Back SE, Brady KT. Implementation of integrated therapies for comorbid post‐traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders in community substance abuse treatment programs. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015]
Comparison of diabetes‐associated secondary healthcare utilization between alternative oral antihyperglycaemic dual therapy combinations with metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes: an observational cohort study
Authors: Strongman H. , D'Oca K. , Langerman H. , Das R.
Published: March 2015

Aims

To compare diabetes‐associated secondary healthcare utilization in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) prescribed sulphonylureas (SUs) versus other oral antihyperglycaemic agents (OHAs) as an add‐on to metformin monotherapy (metformin + SU vs metformin + OHA).

Methods

This retrospective cohort study used data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink linked to Hospital Episode Statistics. Adults with T2DM initiated on metformin + SU or metformin + OHA from April 2003 to March 2012 were identified. Patients were matched using propensity scores. Diabetes‐associated secondary healthcare visits were counted from >6 months post‐initiation of dual therapy until treatment change or end of follow‐up. Outcomes were calculated as rate ratios, adjusted for over‐dispersion using negative binomial regression and propensity score for covariates.

Results

After propensity score matching, 1704 patients were included in each cohort. For the primary objective (diabetes‐associated inpatient and outpatient visits combined), the metformin + SU cohort had a directionally higher rate of diabetes‐associated secondary healthcare utilization than the metformin + OHA cohort [adjusted rate ratio 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97–1.29]. For the secondary outcomes, the adjusted rate ratio was 1.38 (95% CI 0.95–2.00) for inpatient admissions and 1.10 (95% CI 0.95–1.28) for outpatient visits. Macrovascular complications, accounting for 77.2% of inpatient admissions, occurred at a statistically significantly higher rate in the metformin + SU cohort than in the metformin + OHA cohort (adjusted rate ratio 1.77, 95% CI 1.15–2.71).

Conclusions

This study found a statistically significant higher rate of inpatient admissions for macrovascular complications and cardiology outpatient visits and, overall, a directionally higher rate of secondary healthcare utilization for patients prescribed metformin + SU than for those prescribed metformin + OHA. This adds to the evidence that long‐term and health economic outcomes should be considered in treatment decisions for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Does Size Matter? The Moderating Effects of Firm Size on the Employment of Nonfamily Managers in Privately Held Family SMEs
Authors: Fang Hanqinq “Chevy” , Randolph Robert V.D.G. , Memili Esra , Chrisman James J.
Published: March 2015

Family firms’ decisions to hire nonfamily managers are influenced by agency costs, socioemotional wealth concerns, and the availability of high–quality nonfamily managers in the labor pool. We hypothesize that owing to these factors, family ownership and intrafamily succession intentions will be negatively associated with the proportion of nonfamily managers in private small– and medium–sized (SME) family firms. However, firm size is hypothesized to positively moderate those relationships because as family firm size increases, the benefits of hiring nonfamily managers rise faster than the costs. Tobit regression analyses of 7,299 private SMEs support our hypotheses.
African American Fathers' Racial Socialization Patterns: Associations with Racial Identity Beliefs and Discrimination Experiences
Authors: Cooper Shauna M. , Smalls‐Glover Ciara , Metzger Isha , Griffin Charity
Published: March 2015

Existing parenting frameworks have suggested that fathers' developmental histories and social experiences are important determinants of their parenting practices. Few studies, however, have examined how the larger racial context is related to the parenting and socialization practices of African American fathers. Using a profile‐oriented approach, this investigation examines how fathers' racial identity beliefs (racial centrality and regard) and discrimination experiences are associated with race‐related socialization patterns identified by Cooper, Smalls, Neblett, and Banks (2014). Participants were 166 African American fathers (M = 32.20, SD = 8.24) of adolescents (M = 12.60, SD = 2.20). Latent profile analyses identified five distinct racial socialization patterns among fathers: (a) infrequent racial socializers, (b) negative racial socializers, (c) positive racial socializers, (d) low race salience socializers, and (e) race salience socializers. Results indicated that racial socialization patterns were distinctively associated with African American fathers' racial identity and discrimination experiences. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Too much of a good thing: sea ice extent may have forced emperor penguins into refugia during the last glacial maximum
Authors: Younger Jane L. , Clucas Gemma V. , Kooyman Gerald , Wienecke Barbara , Rogers Alex D. , Trathan Philip N. , Hart Tom , Miller Karen J.
Published: March 2015

The relationship between population structure and demographic history is critical to understanding microevolution and for predicting the resilience of species to environmental change. Using mitochondrial DNA from extant colonies and radiocarbon‐dated subfossils, we present the first microevolutionary analysis of emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) and show their population trends throughout the last glacial maximum (LGM, 19.5–16 kya) and during the subsequent period of warming and sea ice retreat. We found evidence for three mitochondrial clades within emperor penguins, suggesting that they were isolated within three glacial refugia during the LGM. One of these clades has remained largely isolated within the Ross Sea, while the two other clades have intermixed around the coast of Antarctica from Adélie Land to the Weddell Sea. The differentiation of the Ross Sea population has been preserved despite rapid population growth and opportunities for migration. Low effective population sizes during the LGM, followed by a rapid expansion around the beginning of the Holocene, suggest that an optimum set of sea ice conditions exist for emperor penguins, corresponding to available foraging area.
The causes of falls: views of older people with visual impairment
Authors: Brundle Caroline , Waterman Heather A. , Ballinger Claire , Olleveant Nicola , Skelton Dawn A. , Stanford Penelope , Todd Chris
Published: March 2015

Background

Sight impairment increases with age and, compared with the general older population, older people with sight impairment are more likely to fall. There is a growing body of evidence on the views and perceptions of older people about falls, but little is published on the views of older people with sight impairment.

Objective

To explore what older people with sight impairment believe to be the causes of falls.

Design

A qualitative design was used, incorporating focus groups and interviews in which participants discussed falls and falls prevention. Framework analysis was employed to identify themes arising from participants' discussions of the causes of falls.

Setting and participants

Fifty‐four community dwelling men and women with sight impairment, aged 65 and over, were recruited from across Greater Manchester, UK.

Results

Five types of factors were identified that were believed to cause falls: (i) health issues and changes in balance caused by ageing; (ii) cognitive and behavioural factors; (iii) the impact of sight impairment on getting around the home; (iv) the impact of sight impairment on negotiating the environment away from home; and (v) unexplained falls.

Discussion and conclusions

Older people with sight impairment reported many researched risk factors previously identified by older people without sight impairment but also described many perceived risks unique to people with sight impairment. There are few interventions to prevent falls aimed at older people with sight impairment, and the results of this study allow further tailoring of such interventions based on views of older people with sight impairment.
A Prominent Role for Leaf Calcium as a Yield and Quality Determinant in Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Varieties Grown Under Irrigated Mediterranean Conditions
Authors: Tsialtas J. T. , Shabala S. , Matsi T.
Published: March 2015

Seven cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) accessions were tested over 2 years under irrigated Mediterranean conditions on a loamy soil with nitrogen (N) as the only nutrient input. The study aimed to identify the critical nutritional and physiological factors determining seedcotton yield and fibre quality. A suite of leaf physiological traits [chlorophyll content (assessed by SPAD), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ), 15N natural abundance (δ15N), leaf water potential, N and C concentrations, C/N ratio, K, Na, Ca and Mg concentrations, their sum and ratios] was assessed, and their interrelationships then analysed. It was found that physiological indices such as SPAD, Δ and δ15N failed to discern genotypes for yield and did not relate with fibre quality traits. At the same time, leaf Ca concentration was the trait that showed the strongest correlation with both seedcotton (SY) and lint yield (LY). An increase of K/Na ratio up to 5.74 was beneficial for SY but higher ratios impacted yield adversely. In this line, exclusion of K in favour of Ca (lower K/Ca ratios) increased both SY and LY. The above results could be explained by Ca2+ control over activity of tonoplast and plasma membrane cation channels, resulting in redistribution of K+ between cell compartments. It is suggested that Ca2+‐rich plants are more efficient in sequestering higher K+ quantities in leaf vacuoles, at the expense of cytosolic K+. Under K+‐limiting conditions, such redistribution may trigger programmed cell death and enhance leaf senescence. This would remobilize and translocate nutrients (e.g. N) and organic substances to sinks (seedcotton), contributing to higher yields reported in the present work.
Ferroelectricity and Ferromagnetism of M‐Type Lead Hexaferrite
Authors: Tan Guo‐Long , Li Wei
Published: March 2015

Polarization and related properties in the M‐type lead hexaferrite (PbFe12O19) are reported for the first time. The remnant polarization of PbFe12O19 exhibits a maximum value of 104 μC/cm2, as well as large spontaneous polarization at room temperature. Annealing of PbFe12O19 in oxygen plays a key role in the saturation of its polarization hysteresis loop because it greatly enhances the ceramic's electric resistance. Two current peaks in the I–V curve reveal a polarization switch, providing effective evidence for the ferroelectricity of PbFe12O19. Its temperature‐dependent dielectric constant undergoes colossal change in the vicinity of two temperatures (322°C and 518°C), which are assigned to the transitions from ferro‐ to antiferro‐ and antiferro‐ to paraelectric phases, respectively. The plots of logarithm of (1/ε–1/εm) as a function of logarithm of (T–Tm) obey a modified Curie–Weiss law, verifying the relaxor ferroelectric characterization of PbFe12O19. The ceramic also exhibits a strong magnetic hysteresis loop. These combined functional responses of ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism in PbFe12O19 ceramic present an opportunity to create electric devices that actively couple the magnetic and ferroelectric orders.
Sensitivity Analysis of Environmental Process Modeling in a Life Cycle Context: A Case Study of Hemp Crop Production
Authors: Andrianandraina  , Ventura Anne , Senga Kiessé Tristan , Cazacliu Bogdan , Idir Rachida , van der Werf Hayo M. G.
Published: March 2015

The aim of this article is to develop a methodological approach allowing to assess the influence of parameters of one or more elementary processes in the foreground system, on the outcomes of a life cycle assessment (LCA) study. From this perspective, the method must be able to: (1) include foreground process modeling in order to avoid the assumption of proportionality between inventory data and reference flows; (2) quantify influences of foreground processes’ parameters (and, possibly, interactions between parameters); and (3) identify trends (either increasing or decreasing) for each parameter on each indicator in order to determine the most favorable direction for parametric variation. These objectives can be reached by combining foreground system modeling, a set of two different sensitivity analysis methods (each one providing different and complementary information), and LCA. The proposed method is applied to a case study of hemp‐based insulation materials for buildings. The present study will focus on the agricultural stage as a foreground system and as a first step encompassing the entire life cycle. A set of technological recommendations were identified for hemp farmers in order to reduce the crop's environmental impacts (from –11% to –89% according to the considered impact category). One of the main limitations of the approach is the need for a detailed model of the foreground process. Further, the method is, at present, rather time‐consuming. However, it offers long‐term advantages given that the higher level of model detail adds robustness to the LCA results.
Eco‐Evolutionary Pathways Toward Industrial Cities
Authors: Chandra‐Putra Handi , Chen Jing , Andrews Clinton J.
Published: March 2015

Industrial location theory has not emphasized environmental concerns, and research on industrial symbiosis has not emphasized workforce housing concerns. This article brings jobs, housing, and environmental considerations together in an agent‐based model of industrial and household location. It shows that four classic outcomes emerge from the interplay of a relatively small number of explanatory factors: the isolated enterprise with commuters; the company town; the economic agglomeration; and the balanced city.
Criticality of the Rare Earth Elements
Authors: Nassar N.T. , Du Xiaoyue , Graedel T.E.
Published: March 2015

Recent constraints on supplies of the rare earth elements (REEs) have led to concerns about their long‐term availability as well as the consequences that shortages would pose for modern technology. To assess this situation, we apply a comprehensive “criticality” methodology to the REE: lanthanum (La); cerium (Ce); praseodymium (Pr); neodymium (Nd); samarium (Sm); europium (Eu); gadolinium (Gd); terbium (Tb); dysprosium (Dy); holmium (Ho); erbium (Er); thulium (Tm); ytterbium (Yb); lutetium (Lu); and yttrium (Y). Assessments are made on national (U.S. and China) and global levels for the year 2008. Evaluations of each indicator are presented and the results plotted in “criticality space” on a 0 to 100 scale. Over the medium term (5 to 10 years), supply risk (SR) for all REEs is moderate with minimal variation (62.8 to 65.1). Over the long term (10 to 100 years), SR is low (42.1 to 49.2). Environmental implications scores, reflecting the economic allocation of environmental burdens, range from 4.2 for La to 34.4 for Lu. Eu, Er, and Dy have the highest vulnerability to supply restriction (VSR) at the global level (50.6, 49.2, and 47.4, respectively), whereas Sm has the lowest (15.1). This is mainly a reflection of their substitution potential. Similarly, at the national level for the United States and China, Eu and Sm have the highest and lowest VSR scores, respectively, although there are notable differences in scores among the REEs and between countries. Although China's export restrictions render REE supplies inadequate to meet demand at present, our analysis indicates a lower criticality for REEs over the longer term than for a number of other industrially used metals.
Structure of the Global Virtual Carbon Network: Revealing Important Sectors and Communities for Emission Reduction
Authors: Liang Sai , Feng Yu , Xu Ming
Published: March 2015

Traditional production‐ and consumption‐based accounting frameworks for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions focus on the two ends of supply chains, treating intermediate sectors as a “black box.” Particular intermediate sectors can potentially be important for global mitigation of CO2 emissions, through improving productivity to reduce inputs from upstream suppliers, thus emissions from upstream sectors, while still fulfilling downstream demands. Identifying those important intermediate sectors requires opening the black box and treating the economy as an integrated system. This study constructs a global virtual carbon network for 2009 and identifies key sectors for reducing global CO2 emissions through improving productivity using network analysis techniques. We also identify 73 communities in the network in which sectors are more closely connected with one another than with sectors outside the community. Identifying communities helps in the understanding of potential impacts of sector‐specific policy interventions through supply chains. The results offer additional insights that are not obviously visible in traditional input‐output analysis.
Gene–Environment Interplay: Where We Are, Where We Are Going
Authors: Salvatore Jessica E. , Dick Danielle M.
Published: March 2015

The idea that both genetic and environmental influences contribute to behavioral outcomes is widely accepted. However, the practice of examining candidate Gene × Environment interaction (cGxE) is controversial. In this article, we summarize some of the key issues involved in cGxE research and provide recommendations for work in this area. Highlighted challenges include the selection of the gene, the development of the cGxE hypothesis, and the coding of the genotype. To address these challenges and gain confidence in cGxE findings, we recommend using empirical data to select and code genes/variants, using theory to develop cGxE hypotheses and a rigorous and transparent approach to hypothesis testing. Family researchers have much to offer to the study of Gene × Environment research in view of their process‐oriented theories that are grounded in decades of nuanced measurement of the environment; implementing these best practices will help deliver on that promise.
Distributed situation awareness in complex collaborative systems: A field study of bridge operations on platform supply vessels
Authors: Sandhåland Hilde , Oltedal Helle A. , Hystad Sigurd W. , Eid Jarle
Published: March 2015

This study provides empirical data about shipboard practices in bridge operations on board a selection of platform supply vessels (PSVs). Using the theoretical concept of distributed situation awareness, the study examines how situation awareness (SA)‐related information is distributed and coordinated at the bridge. This study thus favours a systems approach to studying SA, viewing it not as a phenomenon that solely happens in each individual's mind but rather as something that happens between individuals and the tools that they use in a collaborative system. Thus, this study adds to our understanding of SA as a distributed phenomenon. Data were collected in four field studies that lasted between 8 and 14 days on PSVs that operate on the Norwegian continental shelf and UK continental shelf. The study revealed pronounced variations in shipboard practices regarding how the bridge team attended to operational planning, communication procedures, and distracting/interrupting factors during operations. These findings shed new light on how SA might decrease in bridge teams during platform supply operations. The findings from this study emphasize the need to assess and establish shipboard practices that support the bridge teams' SA needs in day‐to‐day operations.

Practitioner points

Provides insights into how shipboard practices that are relevant to planning, communication and the occurrence of distracting/interrupting factors are realized in bridge operations.

Notes possible areas for improvement to enhance distributed SA in bridge operations.
Ontogenetic changes in embryonic and brain gene expression in progeny produced from migratory and residentOncorhynchus mykiss
Authors: McKinney Garrett J. , Hale Matthew C. , Goetz Giles , Gribskov Michael , Thrower Frank P. , Nichols Krista M.
Published: March 2015

Little information has been gathered regarding the ontogenetic changes that contribute to differentiation between resident and migrant individuals, particularly before the onset of gross morphological and physiological changes in migratory individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate gene expression during early development inOncorhynchus mykisspopulations with different life histories, in a tissue known to integrate environmental cues to regulate complex developmental processes and behaviours. We sampled offspring produced from migrant and resident parents, collecting whole embryos prior to the beginning of first feeding, and brain tissue at three additional time points over the first year of development.RNAsequencing for 32 individuals generated a reference transcriptome of 30 177 genes that passed count thresholds. Differential gene expression between migrant and resident offspring was observed for 1982 genes. The greatest number of differentially expressed genes occurred at 8 months of age, in the spring a full year before the obvious physiological transformation from stream‐dwelling parr to sea water‐adaptable smolts begins for migrant individuals. Sex and age exhibited considerable effects on differential gene expression between migrants and resident offspring. Differential gene expression was observed in genes previously associated with migration, but also in genes previously unassociated with early life history divergence. Pathway analysis revealed coordinated differential expression in genes related to phototransduction, which could modulate photoperiod responsiveness and variation in circadian rhythms. The role for early differentiation in light sensitivity and biological rhythms is particularly intriguing in understanding early brain processes involved in differentiation of migratory and resident life history types.
Helper component‐proteinase enhances the activity of 1‐deoxy‐D‐xylulose‐5‐phosphate synthase and promotes the biosynthesis of plastidic isoprenoids in Potato virus Y‐infected tobacco
Authors: Li Heng , Ma Dongyuan , Jin Yongsheng , Tu Yayi , Liu Liping , Leng Chunxu , Dong Jiangli , Wang Tao
Published: March 2015

Virus‐infected plants show strong morphological and physiological alterations. Many physiological processes in chloroplast are affected, including the plastidic isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway [the 2C‐methyl‐D‐erythritol‐4‐phosphate (MEP) pathway]; indeed, isoprenoid contents have been demonstrated to be altered in virus‐infected plants. In this study, we found that the levels of photosynthetic pigments and abscisic acid (ABA) were altered in Potato virus Y (PVY)‐infected tobacco. Using yeast two‐hybrid assays, we demonstrated an interaction between virus protein PVY helper component‐proteinase (HC‐Pro) and tobacco chloroplast protein 1‐deoxy‐D‐xylulose‐5‐phosphate synthase (NtDXS). This interaction was confirmed using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays and pull‐down assays. The Transket_pyr domain (residues 394–561) of NtDXS was required for interaction with HC‐Pro, while the N‐terminal region of HC‐Pro (residues 1–97) was necessary for interaction with NtDXS. Using in vitro enzyme activity assays, PVY HC‐Pro was found to promote the synthase activity of NtDXS. We observed increases in photosynthetic pigment contents and ABA levels in transgenic plants with HC‐Pro accumulating in the chloroplasts. During virus infection, the enhancement of plastidic isoprenoid biosynthesis was attributed to the enhancement of DXS activity by HC‐Pro. Our study reveals a new role of HC‐Pro in the host plant metabolic system and will contribute to the study of host–virus relationships.
Climate change alters leaf anatomy, but has no effects on volatile emissions from arctic plants
Authors: Schollert Michelle , Kivimäenpää Minna , Valolahti Hanna M. , Rinnan Riikka
Published: March 2015

Biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions are expected to change substantially because of the rapid advancement of climate change in the Arctic. BVOC emission changes can feed back both positively and negatively on climate warming. We investigated the effects of elevated temperature and shading on BVOC emissions from arctic plant species Empetrum hermaphroditum, Cassiope tetragona, Betula nana and Salix arctica. Measurements were performed in situ in long‐term field experiments in subarctic and high Arctic using a dynamic enclosure system and collection of BVOCs into adsorbent cartridges analysed by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. In order to assess whether the treatments had resulted in anatomical adaptations, we additionally examined leaf anatomy using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Against expectations based on the known temperature and light‐dependency of BVOC emissions, the emissions were barely affected by the treatments. In contrast, leaf anatomy of the studied plants was significantly altered in response to the treatments, and these responses appear to differ from species found at lower latitudes. We suggest that leaf anatomical acclimation may partially explain the lacking treatment effects on BVOC emissions at plant shoot‐level. However, more studies are needed to unravel why BVOC emission responses in arctic plants differ from temperate species.
Melanocytes from dark and light skin respond differently after ultraviolet B irradiation: effect of keratinocyte‐conditioned medium
Authors: López Saioa , Alonso Santos , García de Galdeano Alicia , Smith‐Zubiaga Isabel
Published: March 2015

Background/Purpose

The response to the damage provoked by exposure to UV radiation is mediated by melanocytes and a network of paracrine factors produced by keratinocytes, and it varies among individuals of different geographical origin and skin colour. The mechanisms underlying this differential response, however, have not been completely elucidated.

Methods

We characterized the differential behaviour of melanocytes (proliferation and differentiation/melanogenesis) from both dark‐ and light‐skinned individuals in response to ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation, cultured with and without keratinocyte‐conditioned medium (KCM). ELISA assays and real‐time quantitative PCR were used to assess the production of keratinocyte‐derived factors.

Results

After UVB irradiation, dark melanocytes showed a decreased proliferation consistent with the highly differentiated state inferred by the increased dendricity of the cells and higher levels of melanogenic genes expression, whereas light melanocytes showed an increase in proliferation in accord with a less differentiated state and decreased melanogenesis levels. KCM induced melanogenesis in dark melanocytes after UVB irradiation, but not in light‐pigmented melanocytes.

Conclusion

Proliferation and differentiation are coordinated in response to UVB. A lower proliferative rate and a higher differentiation state in dark melanocytes could account for more effective photoprotective mechanisms that would prevent from cell damage against UVB irradiation.
Impact of cattle grazing on temperate coastal salt marsh soils
Authors: Di Bella C. E. , Rodríguez A. M. , Jacobo E. , Golluscio R. A. , Taboada M. A.
Published: March 2015

Over the last two decades, grazing intensity has increased in the temperate salt marshes of Samborombón Bay (Argentina) due to agricultural expansion and the displacement of domestic livestock to these areas. We investigated the effect of cattle grazing on soil chemical and physical properties in the higher (HE), medium (ME) and lower (LE) elevation levels of this temperate salt marsh. Soil data were collected from both a National Park, where cattle grazing has been excluded for more than 35 yrs, and an adjacent commercial livestock farm continuously grazed by cattle. We found that soil salinity was greater on the grazed than on the ungrazed sites, especially those in theMEandLE. This could be related to the upward flow of salts from the saline groundwater, driven by the increase in the proportion of bare soil on grazed sites. The increase in soil salinity changed the plant community structure through the increase of salt‐tolerant and non‐palatable species and the decrease of palatable species. Soil physical variables (soil bulk density and soil bearing capacity) were also higher on the grazed than on the ungrazed sites, which can be related to the decrease in soil organic matter (SOM), and suggest an incipient compaction process; however, the values were still lower than those considered critical for plant growth in clay soils. These results suggest that continuous grazing management in this temperate salt marsh might have negative consequences for animal production and ecosystem conservation, mainly related to the increased soil salinity. Further research will be necessary to evaluate the suitability of switching to intermittent grazing management.
Regulation of the Arabidopsis CBF regulon by a complex low‐temperature regulatory network
Authors: Park Sunchung , Lee Chin‐Mei , Doherty Colleen J. , Gilmour Sarah J. , Kim YongSig , Thomashow Michael F.
Published: March 2015

Exposure of Arabidopsis thaliana plants to low non‐freezing temperatures results in an increase in freezing tolerance that involves action of the C‐repeat binding factor (CBF) regulatory pathway. CBF1, CBF2 and CBF3, which are rapidly induced in response to low temperature, encode closely related AP2/ERF DNA‐binding proteins that recognize the C‐repeat (CRT)/dehydration‐responsive element (DRE) DNA regulatory element present in the promoters of CBF‐regulated genes. The CBF transcription factors alter the expression of more than 100 genes, known as the CBF regulon, which contribute to an increase in freezing tolerance. In this study, we investigated the extent to which cold induction of the CBF regulon is regulated by transcription factors other than CBF1, CBF2 and CBF3, and whether freezing tolerance is dependent on a functional CBF–CRT/DRE regulatory module. To address these issues we generated transgenic lines that constitutively overexpressed a truncated version of CBF2 that had dominant negative effects on the function of the CBF–CRT/DRE regulatory module, and 11 transcription factors encoded by genes that were rapidly cold‐induced in parallel with the ‘first‐wave’ CBF genes, and determined the effects that overexpressing these proteins had on global gene expression and freezing tolerance. Our results indicate that cold regulation of the CBF regulon involves extensive co‐regulation by other first‐wave transcription factors; that the low‐temperature regulatory network beyond the CBF pathway is complex and highly interconnected; and that the increase in freezing tolerance that occurs with cold acclimation is only partially dependent on the CBF–CRT/DRE regulatory module.
Paroxetine-mediated GRK2 inhibition reverses cardiac dysfunction and remodeling after myocardial infarction
Authors: Schumacher Sarah M. , Gao Erhe , Zhu Weizhong , Chen Xiongwen , Chuprun J. Kurt , Feldman Arthur M. , G. Tesmer John J. , Koch Walter J.
Published: March 2015

GRK2 inhibition with paroxetine improves cardiac function independent of its central nervous system effects.
Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis: an inflammatory breast condition with review of the literature
Authors: Mathew Michelle , Siwawa Portia , Misra Subhasis
Published: March 2015

A 29-year-old woman noticed a tender mass in her right breast. The patient was seen by her gynaecologist and was prescribed antibiotics for 10 days for mastitis. Subsequently, she underwent a core biopsy of this mass and the pathology showed granulomatous mastitis. Cultures from the biopsy sample were negative for fungus and tuberculosis. The patient's clinical symptoms initially appeared to improve with antibiotic treatment, but were complicated by the formation of an abscess, which was drained in clinic. The patient was referred to rheumatology in anticipation of steroid or methotrexate therapy, and was placed again on antibiotic treatment to which she responded adequately.