bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of circulation patterns on regional transport pathways and air quality over Beijing and its surroundings
Authors: Zhang J. P. , Zhu T. , Zhang Q. H. , Li C. C. , Shu H. L. , Ying Y. , Dai Z. P. , Liu X. Y. , Liang A. M. , Shen H. X.
Published: December 2011

Abstract. This study investigated the air pollution characteristics of synoptic-scale circulation in the Beijing megacity, and provided holistic evaluation of the impacts of circulation patterns on air quality during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Nine weather circulation types (CTs) were objectively identified over the North China region during 2000–2009, using obliquely rotated T-mode principal component analysis (PCA). The resulting CTs were examined in relation to the local meteorology, regional transport pathways, and air quality parameters, respectively. The FLEXPART-WRF model was used to calculate 48-h backward plume trajectories for each CT. Nine CTs were characterized, with distinct local meteorology and air mass origins. CT 1 (high to the west with a strong pressure gradient) was characterized by a northwestern origin, with the smallest local and southeasterly air mass sources, and CT 6 (high to the northwest) had air mass sources mostly from the north and east. In contrast, CTs 5, 8, and 9 (unique, high to the east, and low to the northwest, respectively) were characterized by southern and southeastern trajectories, which indicated a greater influence of high pollutant emission sources. In turn, poor air quality in Beijing (high loadings of PM10, BC, SO2, NO2, O3, AOD, and low visibility) was associated with these CTs. Good air quality in Beijing was associated with CTs 1 and 6. The average visibilities (with ±1 σ) in Beijing for CTs 1 and 6 during 2000–2009 were 18.5 ± 8.3 km and 14.3 ± 8.5 km, respectively. In contrast, poor visibility values of 6.0 ± 3.5 km, 6.6 ± 3.7 km, and 6.7 ± 3.6 km were found in CTs 5, 8, and 9, respectively. The mean concentrations of PM10 for CTs 1, 6, 5, 8, and 9 during 2005–2009 were 90.3 ± 76.3 μg m−3, 111.7 ± 89.6 μg m−3, 173.4 ± 105.8 μg m−3, 158.4 ± 90.0 μg m−3, and 151.2 ± 93.1 μg m−3, respectively. Analysis of the relationship between circulation pattern and air quality during the emission control period suggests that CTs are the primary drivers of day-to-day variations in pollutant concentrations over Beijing and its vicinity. During the Olympics period, the frequency of CT 6 was twice that of the mean in August from 2000 to 2009. This CT had northerly transport pathways and favorable meteorological conditions (e.g. frequent precipitation) for clean air during the Olympics. Assuming that relationships between CTs and air quality parameters in the same season (month) were constant in different years, the relative contributions of synoptic circulation to decreases in PM10, BC, SO2, NO2, CO, AOD, and horizontal light extinction during the Olympics were estimated as 19 ± 14%, 18 ± 13%, 41 ± 36%, 12 ± 7%, 19 ± 11%, 25 ± 28%, and 50 ± 46%, respectively.
Rainfall patterns after fire differentially affect the recruitment of three Mediterranean shrubs
Authors: Moreno J. M. , Zuazua E. , Pérez B. , Luna B. , Velasco A. , Resco de Dios V.
Published: December 2011

Abstract. In fire-prone environments, the "event-dependent hypothesis" states that plant population changes are driven by the unique set of conditions of a fire (e.g. fire season, climate). Climate variability, in particular changes in rainfall patterns, can be most important for seeder species, since they regenerate after fire from seeds, and for Mediterranean shrublands, given the high yearly variability of rainfall in these ecosystems. Yet, the role of rainfall variability and its interaction with fire characteristics (e.g. fire season) on plant populations has received little attention. Here we investigated the changes in seedling emergence and recruitment of three seeder species (Cistus ladanifer, Erica umbellata and Rosmarinus officinalis) after fires lit during three different years and at two times (early and late) during the fire season. Three plots were burned at each season, for a total of 18 plots burned during the three years. After fire, emerged seedlings were tallied, tagged and monitored during three years (two in the last burning year). Rainfall during the study period was rather variable and, in some years, it was well below average. Postfire seedling emergence varied by a factor of 3 to 12, depending on the species and on the burning year. The bulk of seedling emergence occurred during the first year after fire; seedling recruitment at the end of the study period was tightly correlated with this early emergence. Emergence in Erica and Rosmarinus, but not in Cistus, was correlated with precipitation in the fall and winter immediately after fire, with Erica being the most sensitive to reduced rainfall. Fire season was generally neither an important factor in controlling emergence nor, in particular, recruitment. We discuss how projected changes in rainfall patterns with global warming could alter the balance of species in this shrubland, and could drive some species to near local extinction.
"Gtool5": a Fortran90 library of input/output interfaces for self-descriptive multi-dimensional numerical data
Authors: Ishiwatari M. , Toyoda E. , Morikawa Y. , Takehiro S. , Sasaki Y. , Nishizawa S. , Odaka M. , Otobe N. , Takahashi Y. O. , Nakajima K. , Horinouchi T. , Shiotani M. , Hayashi Y.-Y. ,   Gtool development group
Published: December 2011

Abstract. A Fortran90 input/output library, "gtool5", is developed for use with numerical simulation models in the fields of Earth and planetary sciences. The use of this library will simplify implementation of input/output operations into program code in a consolidated form independent of the size and complexity of the software and data. The library also enables simple specification of the metadata needed for post-processing and visualization of the data. These aspects improve the readability of simulation code, which facilitates the simultaneous performance of multiple numerical experiments with different software and efficiency in examining and comparing the numerical results. The library is expected to provide a common software platform to reinforce research on, for instance, the atmosphere and ocean, where a close combination of multiple simulation models with a wide variety of complexity of physics implementations from massive climate models to simple geophysical fluid dynamics models is required.
Classifying low flow hydrological regimes at a regional scale
Authors: Kirkby M. J. , Gallart F. , Kjeldsen T. R. , Irvine B. J. , Froebrich J. , Lo Porto A. , De Girolamo A. ,   the MIRAGE team
Published: December 2011

Abstract. The paper uses a simple water balance model that partitions the precipitation between actual evapotranspiration, quick flow and delayed flow, and has sufficient complexity to capture the essence of climate and vegetation controls on this partitioning. Using this model, monthly flow duration curves have been constructed from climate data across Europe to address the relative frequency of ecologically critical low flow stages in semi-arid rivers, when flow commonly persists only in disconnected pools in the river bed. The hydrological model is based on a dynamic partitioning of precipitation to estimate water available for evapotranspiration and plant growth and for residual runoff. The duration curve for monthly flows has then been analysed to give an estimate of bankfull flow based on recurrence interval. Arguing from observed ratios of cross-sectional areas at flood and low flows, hydraulic geometry suggests that disconnected flow under "pool" conditions is approximately 0.1% of bankfull flow. Flow duration curves define a measure of bankfull discharge on the basis of frequency. The corresponding frequency for pools is then read from the duration curve, using this (0.1%) ratio to estimate pool discharge from bank full discharge. The flow duration curve then provides an estimate of the frequency of poorly connected pool conditions, corresponding to this discharge, that constrain survival of river-dwelling arthropods and fish. The methodology has here been applied across Europe at 15 km resolution, and the potential is demonstrated for applying the methodology under alternative climatic scenarios.
Drought-induced building damages from simulations at regional scale
Authors: Corti T. , Wüest M. , Bresch D. , Seneviratne S. I.
Published: December 2011

Abstract. We present a model computing damage costs from drought-induced soil subsidence related to shrinking and swelling soils. The model uses an indicator applicable across different climate regimes. The influence of geology and land use on regional damage levels is taken into account. Simulation results are evaluated at departmental scale, showing a good representation of the regions affected by drought-induced soil subsidence. Substantial differences between simulated and observed damages are however found in some departments.
Studying the Land, Contesting the Land: A Select Historiographic Guide to Modern Bukovina: Volume 1: Essay
Authors: Frunchak Svetlana
Published: December 2011

This guide surveys the historiography of Bukovina, a region adjacent to the slopes of the outer, eastern Carpathians in East Central Europe. This work is intended as an introductory guide to the historical literature on Bukovina, which is voluminous but not easily accessible to readers who are not familiar with Eastern European languages. Another purpose of this guide is to demonstrate how historiography became a tool for political and cultural controversy in a borderland region. The discourse about Bukovina’s past, or rather the multiple controversial interpretations that tend to ignore each other, suggest that ideas of nationalism and territoriality, which have provided the major framework for conceptualizing of Europe’s past and present since the late eighteenth century, continue to dominate historical writings about the region. A (linguistically equipped) student of Bukovina would be looking at a large variety of general studies and an even more striking number of period- and theme-specific studies, published at different times and in various places. The naïve researcher might be surprised to fi nd quite divergent stories about the same region: many historical studies of Bukovina illustrate what might be called the  borderland syndrome of contesting shared land―different ethnic communities produce quite separate historical narratives.
Pál Prónay: Paramilitary Violence and Anti-Semitism in Hungary, 1919–1921
Authors: Bodó Béla
Published: December 2011

This essay examines the life, political career and the moral and intellectual universe of Deputy Colonel Baron Pál Prónay, the most important paramilitary leader in Hungary after the First World War. In historical memory and public imagination, Prónay’s name is associated with militia, mob and state violence often described by contemporary liberals and socialists as the “White Terror,” namely the harassment, arbitrary arrest, torture and execution of both political opponents and apolitical Jews after the collapse of the Soviet Republic in early August of 1919. The essay is based on hitherto unused or underused primary sources, such as Prónay’s unpublished two-volume diary; trial documents; police reports; memorandums; internal communications between government agencies, civilian and military authorities; and private letters culled from fi ve major archives, as well as contemporary newspapers, political pamphlets and novels and short stories written by well and lesser known writers. It seeks to unearth the details of Prónay’s life and explain his behavior, in particular his cruelty and sadism, in the context of role expectations, behavior patterns and political and cultural values associated with the nobility, the minor aristocracy, the offi cer corps and gentlemen in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in the early twentieth century. The essay looks at the techniques that Prónay used in his diary to project a favorable image while simultaneously destroying the reputation of his opponents as the fi rst step towards political rehabilitation. Why he failed to achieve this goal, the mistakes that he made both as a writer and politician during his belated and desperate attempt in the early 1940s to regain favor with the political elite and the memory of the “White Terror” and Prónay’s role in the Hungarian civil war are the subjects of this essay.
Risk-Constrained Unit Commitment of Power System Incorporating PV and Wind Farms
Authors: Abedi Sajjad , Riahy Gholam Hossein , Hosseinian Seyed Hossein , Alimardani Arash
Published: December 2011

Wind and solar (photovoltaic) power generations have rapidly evolved over the recent decades. Efficient and reliable planning of power system with significant penetration of these resources brings challenges due to their fluctuating and uncertain characteristics. In this paper, incorporation of both PV and wind units in the unit commitment of power system is investigated and a risk-constrained solution to this problem is presented. Considering the contribution of PV and wind units, the aim is to determine the start-up/shut-down status as well as the amount of generating power for all thermal units at minimum operating cost during the scheduling horizon, subject to the system and unit operational constraints. Using the probabilistic method of confidence interval, the uncertainties associated with wind and PV generation are modeled by analyzing the error in the forecasted wind speed and solar irradiation data. Differential evolution algorithm is proposed to solve the two-stage mixed-integer nonlinear optimization problem. Numerical results indicate that with indeterminate information about the wind and PV generation, a reliable day-ahead scheduling of other units is achieved by considering the estimated dependable generation of PV and wind units.
Self-Aware Distributed Consensus Building for Sensor Networks
Authors: Chen Lei , Frolik Jeff
Published: December 2011

Distributed consensus building promises to
improve the robustness and reliability of sensor networks
and thus is an active topic of research. Whereas extensive
study has been done on the theoretical analysis of the
asymptotic behavior of consensus building, one important
issue that is crucial to the practical implementation of
sensor networks was rarely explored, namely, the criteria
to determine whether consensus has been attained. In this
paper, we propose an approach that allows each node in a
network to make the decision by itself, based on the second
derivatives of its own state. The approach does not rely
on the states of other nodes, leads to substantial saving
of communication resources, and is resilient to connection
failure. We perform a systematic analysis of the approach
and, as a consequence, derive the optimal parameters that
minimize the upper bound of the number of required
iterations to reach consensus.
Microbial biomass and N mineralization in mixed plantations of broadleaves and nitrogen-fixing species
Authors: Pereira E. L. , Santos S.A.P , Arrobas M. , Patricio M.S.
Published: December 2011

Mixed stands with nitrogen fixing secondary species can improve the vigour and the stand environment of the targeted species. The aim of this study was to better understand the effect of the consociation of a N-fixing species (black locust) with a broadleaf quality timber production (wild cherry). The study was conducted in 11 year old plantations located in the Northeast of Portugal. The treatments considered were: pure black locust, pure wild cherry and mixture of wild cherry and black locust. Each plot had six lines with 12 trees and a buffer strip line. The samplings were collected on the plantation line within a radius of 50 to 100 cm from the tree. In each plot we measured soil N mineralization dynamic, soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN), microbial quotient (MBC/Corg), metabolic quotient (qCO2), microbial respiration and dehydrogenase activity. Results showed a positive impact of the black locust species on the supply of nitrogen to the soil. The net N-mineralization rates were, at the end of this study, about three times greater in the pure black locust than in the pure wild cherry and about two times greater in the mixture than in the pure wild cherry. MBC and cumulative soil respiration were higher in the mixture than in the pure cherry plantation soil which may reflect positive changes in the soil environment.
Genetic diversity among Spanish pea (Pisum sativum L.) landraces, pea cultivars and the World Pisum sp. core collection assessed by retrotransposon-based insertion polymorphisms (RBIPs)
Authors: Martin-Sanz A. , Caminero C. , Jing R. , Flavell A. J. , Perez de la Vega M.
Published: December 2011

A total of 122 accessions of different wild and cultivated Pisum sp. were analysed using retrotransposon-based insertion polymorphisms (RBIP) markers. The Pisum materials included wild and cultivated (landraces and cultivars) materials from the World core collection of the John Innes Centre (JI) representing all generally recognized Pisum taxa, landraces materials from the Spanish core collection, and commercial pea cultivars largely sown in Spain. The overall polymorphism detected by RBIP marker was high and all accessions, except two pairs, could be distinguished by their marker pattern. Principal component and phylogenetic analyses clearly discriminated P. fulvum and P. abyssinicum samples from both each other and P. sativum, while P. elatius and P. humile samples were scattered among the other taxa clusters, supporting the existence of three well defined taxa in the genus Pisum (P. abyssinicum, P. fulvum and P. sativum). These results also suggest that the Spanish pea core collection of landraces maintains a relatively high variability which is only partially represented in cultivars generally sown in Spain. Thus, Spanish landraces are still a source of genetic variability for breeding new pea cultivars.
Effect of sex and carcass weight on carcass traits and meat quality in goat kids of Cabrito Transmontano
Authors: Teixeira A. , Jimenez-Badillo M. R. , Rodrigues S.
Published: December 2011

This work aims to study sex and carcass weight effect on carcass and meat quality characteristics of a protected designation of origin (PDO) product, cabrito Transmontano. A total of 60 animals with carcass weight ranging between 4 and 8 kg were used. Carcass conformation, commercial joints, tissues measurements and proportions, carcass pH, meat colour and meat texture were evaluated. Sex had a significant effect on carcass composition and males had higher bone and less intermuscular fat and kidney knob and channel fat proportion than females. Males showed better carcass compactness as a result of a higher hot carcass weight (HCW)/carcass length (K) ratio. Carcass weight significantly affected carcass joint proportion. As the carcass weight increased there was an increase in carcass linear measurements, carcass compactness, chump and breast proportions, fat depots and tissues measurements and a decrease in leg, shoulder, fore ribs and bone proportion. Increasing carcass weight meat became less luminous with more vivid red colour as a result of a progressive brightness reduction and a redness increment. Consequently hue and chroma parameters went through a significant increase and decrease, respectively. A significant effect of carcass weight was found in longissimus dorsi muscle measurements, and muscle area increased as well the subcutaneous fat thickness. Carcass weight also had a significant effect on meat texture measured by Warner-Bratzler shear force, which reduced its value as carcass weight increased. The meat quality parameters studied could be a tool to identify and characterize a product with PDO as cabrito Transmonstano.
Combined use of groundwater simulation and multi-criteria analysis within a spatial decision-making framework for optimal allocation of irrigation water
Authors: Latinopoulos D. , Theodossiou N. , Latinopoulos P.
Published: December 2011

In arid and semiarid areas in the world, including the Mediterranean region, groundwater has been widely and intensively used for irrigation over the last few decades. Practical as well as economic reasons make its use much more preferable, as compared to surface water, especially to individual farmers. Yet, this rapid and largely uncontrolled expansion in groundwater exploitation, which stimulated the socioeconomic development of numerous rural communities, has produced many negative impacts on aquifer degradation and environmental deterioration. The most common remedy to such problems is the application of specific groundwater management policies that can simultaneously meet socioeconomic and environmental protection goals. In this sense, the paper introduces a methodology for an optimal management of irrigation water, by specifically exploring the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of spatially allocated water conservation measures at the watershed level. The analysis is conducted by developing a multi-criteria decision-making framework, consisting of three distinct models: a hydrogeological, an optimization, and a multi-criteria one, which appraises the results of the other two. The proposed methodology is presented through a case study at a rural Greek watershed, in which groundwater is the sole water source for an intensively practiced agriculture. A system of water use quotas is the resource conservation policy instrument that is examined under a decision-making approach. Results show that some specifically designed and spatially non-uniform quota allocation schemes can meet in an optimum way the relevant criteria.
The water footprint of olives and olive oil in Spain
Authors: Salmoral G. , Aldaya M. M. , Chico D. , Garrido A. , Llamas R.
Published: December 2011

This paper evaluates the water footprint of Spanish olives and olive oil over the period 1997-2008. In particular, it analyses the three colour components of the water footprint: green (rainwater stored in the soil), blue (surface and groundwater) and grey (freshwater required to assimilate load of pollutants). Apparent water productivity and virtual water embedded in olive oil exports have also been studied. Results show more than 99.5% of the water footprint of one liter of bottled olive oil is related to the olive production, whereas less than 0.5% is due to the other components such as bottle, cap and label. Over the studied period, the green water footprint in absolute terms of Spanish olive oil production represents about 72% in rainfed systems and just 12% in irrigated olive orchards. Blue and grey water footprints represent 6% and 10% of the national water footprint, respectively. It is shown that olive production is concentrated in regions with the smallest water footprint per unit of product. However, the increase of groundwater consumption in the main olive producing region (Andalusia), from 98 to 378 Mm3 between 1997 and 2008, has added significant pressure in the upstream Guadalquivir basin. This raises questions about the sustainability of irrigated olive orchards for export from the region. Finally, the virtual water related to olive oil exports illustrate the importance of green water footprint of rainfed olives amounting to about 77% of the total virtual water exports.
Tachinidae (Diptera) collected in traps used for mass-trapping of Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in olive groves in Central Spain
Authors: Tschorsnig H-P. , Seris E. , Cobo A. , Cobos G. , Pascual S. , Ros J.P. , Gonzalez-Nuñez M.
Published: December 2011

Tachinid flies are important for biological control of pests, because most species are parasitoids of insects. The objectives of this work were 1) to describe the species of tachinid flies captured by mass trapping devices against the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae, in olive groves in Central Spain, and 2) to report on the selectivity of the different devices for this important group of insects. The study was carried out in two olive groves in the province of Madrid during 2005 and 2008. The number of trapping devices was five in 2005 and twelve in 2008. A total of 66 species of tachinid flies was captured. Comments on some of them are provided because of their special interest. Three tachinid species (Clemelis massilia, Schembria meridionalis and Ceromya flaviseta) are recorded from the Iberian Peninsula for the first time. It is remarkable that captures of C. massilia accounted for 72.3% in 2008. Comparison of the different mass-trapping devices indicates that none of them is selective for this important family of parasitoids. Numbers of tachinid flies captured per trap and season ranged between 1 and 13 in 2005, and 24 and 283 in 2008. This is the first study carried out in Spain on tachinids captured by mass-trapping devices and it reports the abundance and species diversity of this group of insects in olive groves as well as the poor selectivity of mass-trapping on them
Chemical composition of a new Lupinus species found in Spain, Lupinus mariae-josephi H. Pascual (Fabaceae)
Authors: Muzquiz M. , Guillamon E. , Burbano C. , Pascual H. , Cabellos B. , Cuadrado C. , Pedrosa M.M.
Published: December 2011

A new lupin from Valencia (Spain) has been described recently. The new species Lupinus mariae-josephi H. Pascual (Fabaceae) differs from any other Mediterranean and North American taxon in banner position, flower colour and inflorescence structure. This species was found in a calcareous area, and when it was grown in experimental fields it has always performed better in alkaline soils. This work attempts to establish the content of protein, oil and nutritionally active factors (alkaloids, α-galactosides and inositol phosphates) in this new species of lupin, to investigate differences with other Lupinus ssp. The analysed raw seed samples of this new species showed a total protein content of 329.4 g kg–1 and oil content of 54.0 g kg–1. The total content of alkaloids, α-galactosides and phytate was similar to other bitter Lupinus species being lupanine, stachyose and myo-inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) the main bioactive compounds. However, the profile of alkaloids and proteins, which is an important chemotaxonomic criterion, was characteristic of this species. It is worth to notice that this Lupinus is able to grow in calcareous soils what makes this species very promising for soil recovery
Electronic health record (EHR) projects in Canada: participation options for Canadian health librarians
Authors: Barron Sandra , Manhas Sumanjit
Published: December 2011

Research question: What are the major issues in the implementation of electronic health record (EHR) systems in Canada and what competencies can Canadian health librarians bring to their participation in these projects? Data sources: Health informatics and library science databases were searched for EHR literature. Grey literature was located at Canada Health Infoway's website, on provincial and federal government websites, and by searching online news websites. Study selection: The data sources were searched for journal articles, reviews, newspaper articles, government publications, interviews, grey literature, dissertations, editorials, and discussions. Data extraction: Data were extracted from the data sources using search strategies and keywords outlined in Appendix A. Due to the scope and focus of this paper, search terms were selected to emphasize a Canadian context; in particular, a British Columbian perspective in regards to EHR implementation. Results: This paper draws on a body of evidence to discuss EHR implementation issues and health librarian involvement in Canada. There is a growing body of research in the American biomedical literature about health librarian participation in EHR implementation but little in the Canadian health literature. Conclusion: This is the first paper of its kind that proposes new roles for Canadian health librarians in EHR implementation. Health librarians’ expertise in organizing and retrieving information makes them ideally suited for providing evidence-based medicine or consumer health information embedded directly in EHRs. Further research is needed to demonstrate the value of health librarians on EHR project teams.
Microdeletion 9q22.3 syndrome includes metopic craniosynostosis, hydrocephalus, macrosomia, and developmental delay
Authors: Muller Eric A. , Aradhya Swaroop , Atkin Joan F. , Carmany Erin P. , Elliott Alison M. , Chudley Albert E. , Clark Robin D. , Everman David B. , Garner Shannon , Hall Bryan D. , Herman Gail E. , Kivuva Emma , Ramanathan Subhadra , Stevenson David A. , Stockton David W. , Hudgins Louanne
Published: December 2011

Basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS), also known as Gorlin syndrome (OMIM #109400) is a well‐described rare autosomal dominant condition due to haploinsufficiency of PTCH1. With the availability of comparative genomic hybridization arrays, increasing numbers of individuals with microdeletions involving this locus are being identified. We present 10 previously unreported individuals with 9q22.3 deletions that include PTCH1. While 7 of the 10 patients (7 females, 3 males) did not meet strict clinical criteria for BCNS at the time of molecular diagnosis, almost all of the patients were too young to exhibit many of the diagnostic features. A number of the patients exhibited metopic craniosynostosis, severe obstructive hydrocephalus, and macrosomia, which are not typically observed in BCNS. All individuals older than a few months of age also had developmental delays and/or intellectual disability. Only facial features typical of BCNS, except in those with prominent midforeheads secondary to metopic craniosynostosis, were shared among the 10 patients. The deletions in these individuals ranged from 352 kb to 20.5 Mb in size, the largest spanning 9q21.33 through 9q31.2. There was significant overlap of the deleted segments among most of the patients. The smallest common regions shared among the deletions were identified in order to localize putative candidate genes that are potentially responsible for each of the non‐BCNS features. These were a 929 kb region for metopic craniosynostosis, a 1.08 Mb region for obstructive hydrocephalus, and a 1.84 Mb region for macrosomia. Additional studies are needed to further characterize the candidate genes within these regions. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mathematical Analysis of Mandibular Morphogenesis by Micro‐CT‐Based Mouse and Alizarin Red S‐Stained‐Based Human Studies During Development
Authors: Rafiq Ashiq Mahmood , Udagawa Jun , Lundh Torbjörn , Jahan Esrat , Matsumoto Akihiro , Sekine Joji , Otani Hiroki
Published: December 2011

Prenatal development of the mandible is an important factor in its postnatal function. To examine quantitatively normal and abnormal developmental changes of the mandible, we here evaluated morphological changes in mineralizing mandibles by thin‐plate spline (TPS) including bending energy (BE) and Procrustes distance (PD), and by Procrustes analyses including warp analysis, regression analysis, and discriminant function analysis. BE and PD were calculated from lateral views of the mandibles of mice or of human fetuses using scanned micro‐computed tomography (CT) images or alizarin red S‐stained specimens, respectively. BE and PD were compared (1) between different developmental stages, and further, to detect abnormalities in the data sets and to evaluate the deviation from normal development in mouse fetuses, (2) at embryonic day (E) 18.5 between the normal and deformed mandibles, the latter being caused by suturing the jaw at E15.5, (3) at E15.5 and E18.5 between normal and knockout mutant mice of receptor tyrosine kinase‐like orphan receptor (Ror) 2. In mice, BE and PD were large during the prenatal period and small after postnatal day 3, suggesting that the mandibular shape changes rapidly during the prenatal and early postnatal periods. In humans, BE of the mandibles peaked at 16–19 weeks of gestation, suggesting the time‐dependent change in the mandibular shape. TPS and Procrustes analyses statistically separated the abnormal mandibles of the sutured or Ror2 mutant mouse fetuses from the normal mandible. These results suggest that TPS and Procrustes analyses are useful for assessing the morphogenesis and deformity of the mandible. Anat Rec, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Profiling conserved microRNA expression in recombinant CHO cell lines using illumina sequencing
Authors: Hammond Stephanie , Swanberg Jeffrey C. , Polson Shawn W. , Lee Kelvin H.
Published: December 2011

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non‐coding RNAs that regulate multiple aspects of cell physiology. The differential expression of conserved miRNAs in two Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines producing recombinant proteins was examined relative to the CHO‐K1 cell line. A total of 190 conserved CHO miRNAs were identified through homology with known human and rodent miRNAs. More than 80% of these miRNAs showed differential expression in recombinant CHO cell lines. The small RNA sequencing data were analyzed in context of the CHO‐K1 genome to examine miRNA organization and develop sequence‐specific miRNA resources for CHO cells. The identification and characterization of CHO miRNAs will facilitate the use of miRNA tools in cell line engineering efforts to improve product yield and quality. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012; 109:1371–1375. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Latest trends in LED lighting
Authors: Bessho Makoto , Shimizu Keiichi
Published: December 2011

LED is the fourth and latest generation of light sources, following the first‐generation incandescent lamps, the second‐generation fluorescent lamps, and the third‐generation HID lamps. Their excellent characteristics, such as high efficiency, long life, compactness, light weight, zero mercury content, very slight IR and UV emissions, and the like, are advantages in comparison with conventional light sources. With the progress of LED lighting technologies, their application is spreading in sign and display devices, spot lighting, base lighting, and security lighting, and new applications that cannot be realized with conventional light sources are expected. This article reports the latest trends in LED lighting. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 95(1): 1–7, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10394
The Nature of the Barrier to Phosphane Dissociation from Grubbs Olefin Metathesis Catalysts
Authors: Minenkov Yury , Occhipinti Giovanni , Heyndrickx Wouter , Jensen Vidar R.
Published: December 2011

By using cost‐efficient density functional theory accounting for dispersion in combination with an implicit solvent model, for the first time it has been possible to reproduce activation Gibbs free energies for phosphane dissociation from the Grubbs ruthenium olefin metathesis precatalysts in solution with good accuracy (mean unsigned error compared to experiment <2.5 kcal mol–1). The barrier is calculated to be in the range 17.8–25.7 kcal mol–1 for a set of nine catalysts, and is found to be located at intermediate Ru–P distances (ca. 4 Å). The agreement with the experimental activation parameters is gratifying and suggests that the calculations may give insight into these reactions and, in particular, offer resolution as to the individual components of the barriers. The forward (dissociation) barriers are much higher than the corresponding reaction free energies and the reverse reaction, phosphane binding, is associated with a significant barrier (13.2–15.6 kcal mol–1). The latter barrier mainly arises from loss of entropy and solute–solvent dispersion interactions for the two fragments prior to Ru–P bond formation. Moreover, the fact that the barrier to phosphane binding is so significant means that the reaction free energy of phosphane dissociation cannot be taken to be identical or similar to the forward barrier, as has occasionally been assumed in earlier studies.
Facile Synthesis of Porous Mn3O4 Nano­crystal–Graphene Nanocomposites for Electrochemical Supercapacitors
Authors: Wang Dewei , Li Yuqi , Wang Qihua , Wang Tingmei
Published: December 2011

In this work, we describe our efforts to produce Mn3O4–graphene nanocomposites based on a convenient andfeasible solution based synthetic route under mild conditions. According to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF‐STEM) results porous Mn3O4 nanocrystals (NCs), 20–40 nm in size, are uniformly deposited on both sides of the graphene nanosheet (GNS) matrix. Significantly, the as‐prepared Mn3O4–graphene nanocomposites exhibit remarkable pseudocapacitive activity including high specific capacitance (236.7 F g–1 at 1 A g–1), good rate capability (133 F g–1 at 8 A g–1), and excellent cyclability (the specific capacitance only decreases by 6.32 % of the initial capacitance after 1000 cycles). The excellent pseudocapacitive performance of the Mn3O4–graphene nanocomposites electrode is probably due to the positive synergistic effects between the Mn3O4 and GNS. Namely, the intimate combination of the conductive graphene network with uniformly dispersed porous Mn3O4 NCs not only greatly improves the electrochemical utilization of Mn3O4, but also increases the double‐layer capacitance of the graphene sheets. These characteristics make this nanocomposite a very promising electrode material for high performance supercapacitors.
7‐Arylnorbornanes: Model Compounds for the Study of CH···π and OH···π Interactions
Authors: Osío Barcina José , Fernández Israel , del Rosario Colorado Heras María
Published: December 2011

Preorganised 7‐arylnorbornanes were selected as suitable model compounds for the study of CH···π and OH···π interactions. The most stable conformation of these derivatives favours such interactions by avoiding secondary hydrogen bonds between the oxygen atoms and the ortho‐H of the aryl rings in the planar conformation as well as by increasing the gauche/trans ratio for steric reasons. The rotational barriers of the studied compounds are higher when electron‐donor substituents are placed at the para position of the aryl ring. The trend of the electronic effects exerted by the substituents is in agreement with the existence of CH···π and OH···π interactions, which are favoured in electron‐rich aromatic systems. However, interestingly, DFT calculations show that the rotational barriers in these species are mainly governed by the occurrence of π(Cipso=C)→σ*(C–O) donations instead of the expected CH···π and OH···π hydrogen bonds. Both NMR and IR data support this hypothesis. Therefore, the assertion that the predominance of the gauche conformation is a proof of the presence of weak hydrogen bonds in benzyl alcohols and benzyl methyl ethers should be made with caution.
Gender matters: An examination of differential effects of the college experience on degree attainment in STEM
Authors: Gayles Joy Gaston , Ampaw Frim D.
Published: December 2011

This chapter summarizes the results from a study that examined differential effects of the college experience on degree completion in STEM by gender. The finding that some experiences are more or less influential for women in the study has important implications for institutional research.
Living‐learning programs for women in STEM
Authors: Inkelas Karen Kurotsuchi
Published: December 2011

This chapter provides an overview of the role and functions of living‐learning programs on college campuses and summarizes empirical evidence on the effectiveness of living‐learning programs in attracting and retaining women in STEM majors.
Work and back pain: A prospective study of psychological, social and mechanical predictors of back pain severity
Authors: Christensen J.O. , Knardahl S.
Published: December 2011

Studies relating occupational psychological and social factors to back pain have traditionally investigated a small number of exposure factors. The current study explored longitudinally a comprehensive set of specific psychological/social and mechanical work factors as predictors of back pain severity (defined as the product of back pain intensity and duration). Employees from 28 organizations in Norway, representing a wide variety of occupations, were surveyed with a follow‐up period of 2 years. Several designs were tested: (1) cross‐sectional analyses at baseline and follow‐up; (2) prospective analyses with baseline exposure; (3) prospective analyses with average exposure over time [(T1+T2)/2]; and (4) prospective analyses with measures of change in exposure from T1 to T2. A total of 2808 employees responded at both time points. Fourteen psychological/social and two mechanical exposures were measured. Odds ratios (ORs) were computed by ordinal logistic regressions. Several psychological/social factors predicted back pain severity. After adjustment for age, sex, skill level, back pain severity at T1 and other exposure factors estimated to be potential confounders, the most consistent predictors of back pain were the protective factors decision control [lowest OR 0.68; 99% confidence interval (CI): 0.49–0.95], empowering leadership (lowest OR 0.59; 99% CI: 0.38–0.91) and fair leadership (lowest OR 0.54; 99% CI: 0.34–0.87). Some of the most important predictors included in this study were factors that have previously received little attention in back pain research. This emphasizes the importance of extending the list of factors possibly contributing to back pain.
The impact of spinal cord stimulation on physical function and sleep quality in individuals with failed back surgery syndrome: A systematic review
Authors: Kelly G.A. , Blake C. , Power C.K. , O'Keeffe D. , Fullen B.M.
Published: December 2011

The aim of this review was to determine the impact of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) on physical function and sleep quality in individuals with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). This review comprised three phases: an electronic database search (PubMed, Cinahl Plus, EMBASE, PsychInfo, Pedro, Cochrane Library) identified potential papers; these were screened for inclusion criteria, with extraction of data from accepted papers and rating of internal validity by two independent reviewers using the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment tool, a tool designed to assess non‐RCTs (randomized controlled trials) as well as RCTs. Strength of the evidence was rated using the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research guidelines. The search generated 13 quantitative papers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria; all 13 studies investigated the impact of SCS on physical function, and nine studies investigated the impact of SCS on sleep quality. Consistent evidence (level C) found that SCS positively affected physical function, with improvements in participation in activities of daily living, leisure, social and work‐related activities. Similarly, consistent evidence (level C) found improvements in sleep quality following SCS. Improvements in sleep quantity, a reduction in awakenings and a decrease in sleep medication use were also noted (level D). The impact of SCS on cognitive function, i.e., memory and concentration, was also assessed using the same search strategy, no papers fulfilled the inclusion criteria for this study. Spinal cord stimulation effectively addressed many physical function and sleep problems associated with FBSS; however, there is a need for further high‐quality objective investigations to support this.
Influence of organic acids present in the oral biofilm on the microtensile bond strength of adhesive systems to human dentin
Authors: Silva Eduardo M. , Almeida Giselle S. , Poskus Laiza T. , Guimarães José Guilherme A.
Published: December 2011

This study evaluated the influence of organic acids present in the oral biofilm on the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of adhesive systems to human dentin. Sixty occlusal dentin surfaces were wet ground with 600 grit SiC abrasive paper and divided into four groups according to the adhesive systems: Scotchbond Multipurpose (SMP), Adper Single Bond 2, Adper Scotchbond SE (ASE), and Clearfill SE Bond (CSE). After the adhesive systems were applied, a block of resin composite was built up on the dentin surfaces. After 24 h storage in distilled water at 37°C, the teeth were perpendicularly cut to obtain beams (1 mm2). For each adhesive system, the beams were divided into three groups according to storage media: artificial saliva (AS); propionic acid (PA), and lactic acid (LA). After 7 days storage at 37°C, the beams were submitted to μTBS testing. The μTBS ranged from 36.0 ± 1.6 (ASE‐PA) to 52.5 ± 1.2 (CSE‐AS). For all adhesive systems, the μTBS values after storage in PA were lower than those in AS. Except for the SMP, the values of μTBS after storage in LA were lower than those in AS. The adhesive ASE presented the lowest values of μTBs in the three media. The acids present in the oral biofilm may affect the bond strength of adhesive systems to human dentin. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2012.
Temperature‐Responsive Aqueous Micelles From Terpyridine End‐Capped Poly(N‐Isopropylacrylamide)‐Block‐Polystyrene Diblock Copolymers
Authors: Piogé Sandie , Fustin Charles‐André , Gohy Jean‐François
Published: December 2011

An attractive concept for designing “smart materials” is the combination of supramolecular interactions with thermoresponsive polymers. Here, this concept is illustrated by preparing aqueous micelles from poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐block‐polystyrene copolymers functionalized at the extremity of their poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) coronal chains by terpyridine ligands. The effect of temperature and of the addition of Zn(II) ions on the self‐assembling properties is then studied.
Retrospective reconstruction of high temporal resolution cine images from real‐time MRI using iterative motion correction
Authors: Hansen Michael S. , Sørensen Thomas S. , Arai Andrew E. , Kellman Peter
Published: December 2011

Cardiac function has traditionally been evaluated using breath‐hold cine acquisitions. However, there is a great need for free breathing techniques in patients who have difficulty in holding their breath. Real‐time cardiac MRI is a valuable alternative to the traditional breath‐hold imaging approach, but the real‐time images are often inferior in spatial and temporal resolution. This article presents a general method for reconstruction of high spatial and temporal resolution cine images from a real‐time acquisition acquired over multiple cardiac cycles. The method combines parallel imaging and motion correction based on nonrigid registration and can be applied to arbitrary k‐space trajectories. The method is demonstrated with real‐time Cartesian imaging and Golden Angle radial acquisitions, and the motion‐corrected acquisitions are compared with raw real‐time images and breath‐hold cine acquisitions in 10 (N = 10) subjects. Acceptable image quality was obtained in all motion‐corrected reconstructions, and the resulting mean image quality score was (a) Cartesian real‐time: 2.48, (b) Golden Angle real‐time: 1.90 (1.00–2.50), (c) Cartesian motion correction: 3.92, (d) Radial motion correction: 4.58, and (e) Breath‐hold cine: 5.00. The proposed method provides a flexible way to obtain high‐quality, high‐resolution cine images in patients with difficulty holding their breath. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.