bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Occupation-Based Intervention for People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Afshar Sara , Akbarfahimi Nazila , Ahmadi Kahjoogh Mina , Rassafiani Mehdi , Azimian Mojtaba , Crowe Terry K.
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of an occupation-based intervention (OBI) on dexterity and occupational performance for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and to gather preliminary efficacy data.

METHODS:

In this feasibility study, 2 women with MS participated in 12 OBI sessions that focused on increasing upper extremity function. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, 9-Hole Peg Test, Expanded Disability Status Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) were used as outcome measures. The scores of these assessments are reported descriptively.

RESULTS:

According to preliminary data, both participants demonstrated improvements in dexterity, occupational performance, and occupational performance satisfaction. These data suggest that OBI may be implemented effectively in Iran.

CONCLUSIONS:

OBI improved the functional use of the participants’ upper extremities as well as their occupational performance and satisfaction with their occupational performance in each of the 2 women with MS. This preliminary intervention program should be further tested using randomized controlled trials.
Exploring protein structural ensembles: Integration of sparse experimental data from electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy with molecular modeling methods
Authors: Belyaeva Julia , Elgeti Matthias
Published: September 2024

Under physiological conditions, proteins continuously undergo structural fluctuations on different timescales. Some conformations are only sparsely populated, but still play a key role in protein function. Thus, meaningful structure–function frameworks must include structural ensembles rather than only the most populated protein conformations. To detail protein plasticity, modern structural biology combines complementary experimental and computational approaches. In this review, we survey available computational approaches that integrate sparse experimental data from electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy with molecular modeling techniques to derive all-atom structural models of rare protein conformations. We also propose strategies to increase the reliability and improve efficiency using deep learning approaches, thus advancing the field of integrative structural biology.
Hvorfor er folk så sinte? Konflikter mellom allemannsrett og beiterett
Authors: Svensson Gaute
Published: September 2024

Allemannsretten har, ifølge organisasjoner som Norsk Friluftsliv, en sterk posisjon i befolkningen. Friluftsloven ble vedtatt allerede i 1957. Likevel påpekes det at retten er under press. Endringer i naturbruk, økt mobilitet og turisme er blant de faktorene som har skapt interessemotsetninger i norsk utmark i perioden etter at loven ble vedtatt blant annet innenfor landbruket.
Digital kompetanse og interpikturalitet i kunst og håndverksfaget
Authors: Bergman Silje
Published: September 2024

Gjennom denne artikkelen søkes en bredere forståelse av hvordan digitale kompetanser, ferdigheter og forståelser kan utvikles i kunst og håndverksfaget. Lærerens profesjonsfaglige digitale kompetanse vil stadig være i utvikling. I utdanningen er det vesentlig at lærerstudenten møter ulike måter å utforske digitale medier på. Denne teksten belyser hvordan læreprosesser knyttet til digitale tegnemedier kan bidra til profesjonsfaglig digital kompetanse. Først argumenteres det for sentrale begreper som knytter profesjonsfaglig digital kompetanse til skapende prosesser i kunst og håndverk, deretter beskrives studiens case, et undervisningsopplegg i kunst og håndverk om interpikturalitet og skapende prosesser med nettbrett, og videre drøftes resultater fra analyse av dette materialet.
Collective Processes in Land Crafting
Authors: Skeie Marie
Published: September 2024

This article is based on the 3-day workshop, “Botanical Colour Laboratory”, which mapped the colours of the landscape of Osterøy, Norway, through land crafting with natural dyes. Land crafting builds an understanding of, and connection to, the land. This article discusses the multi-sensorial aspects and the relations between humans and non-humans in the process of collective plant dyeing. The terms: situated knowledge, orientations, the unruliness of things, production of locality and mujaawarah (neighbouring) are used to reflect on the workshop and its entangled relationships to matter, landscape, crafting and knowledge. These terms are woven together with the experiences of the “Botanical Colour Laboratory”. The research is conducted as a creative practice with an ethnographical approach. By combining written texts with video and drawings, I have made new multi-modal field notes. These field notes give a glimpse into the multifaceted processes of plant dyeing. The research shows that projects like “Botanical Colour Laboratory” are highly relevant and can influence orientations to our surroundings through collective land crafting processes with our living and non-living neighbours.
Small population size and possible extirpation of the threatened Malagasy poison frog Mantella cowanii
Authors: Edmonds Devin , Andriantsimanarilafy Raphali Rodlis , Crottini Angelica , Dreslik Michael J. , Newton-Youens Jade , Ramahefason Andoniana , Randrianantoandro Christian Joseph , Andreone Franco
Published: September 2024

Amphibians are experiencing severe population declines, requiring targeted conservation action for the most threatened species and habitats. Unfortunately, we do not know the basic demographic traits of most species, which hinders population recovery efforts. We studied one of Madagascar’s most threatened frog species, the harlequin mantella (Mantella cowanii), to confirm it is still present at historic localities and estimate annual survival and population sizes. We surveyed eleven of all thirteen known localities and were able to detect the species at eight. Using a naïve estimate of detection probability from sites with confirmed presence, we estimated 1.54 surveys (95% CI [1.10–2.37]) are needed to infer absence with 95% confidence, suggesting the three populations where we did not detect M. cowanii are now extirpated. However, we also report two new populations for the first time. Repeated annual surveys at three sites showed population sizes ranged from 13–137 adults over 3–8 years, with the most intensively surveyed site experiencing a >80% reduction in population size during 2015–2023. Annual adult survival was moderately high (0.529–0.618) and we recaptured five individuals in 2022 and one in 2023 first captured as adults in 2015, revealing the maximum lifespan of the species in nature can reach 9 years and beyond. Our results confirm M. cowanii is characterized by a slower life history pace than other Mantella species, putting it at greater extinction risk. Illegal collection for the international pet trade and continued habitat degradation are the main threats to the species. We recommend conservation efforts continue monitoring M. cowanii populations and reassess the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status because the species may be Critically Endangered rather than Endangered based on population size and trends.
Depression, anxiety, and sleep attributes: A cross-sectional study of chiropractic college students
Authors: Ward John , Coats Jesse
Published: September 2024

Objective

To measure degree of depression, anxiety, and hours of sleep of chiropractic college students through an anonymous paper survey.

Methods

A convenience sample of 164 chiropractic college students completed a Major Depression Inventory (MDI) survey, a 2-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2) survey, and were asked the number of hours of sleep they had per night and demographic questions. The survey was distributed to trimester 1–6 students 4 weeks into their 15-week semester.

Results

Chiropractic students had an average MDI score of 18.1 ± 10.6 (mean ± SD), indicating the average chiropractic college student did not display depression. However, subset analysis revealed 18.9% of students had MDI scores over 30, which is associated with possible severe depression. Of students who demonstrated possible severe depression, 80.6% were female. Body mass index demonstrated no correlation with the number of respondents at risk for severe depression. Average GAD-2 score was 3.0 ± 1.9; male students scored 2.4 ± 1.8 and female 3.6 ± 1.8, indicating female students expressed anxiety more. Last, survey respondents reported they averaged 6.3 ± 1.1 hours of sleep per night with females reporting approximately 30 minutes less sleep per night than males.

Conclusion

Chiropractic students, on average, did not display depression. However, a subset of female students near the age of 26 were at an increased risk of severe depression. Chiropractic students displayed a rate of anxiety greater than that of undergraduate college students based on existing data sets and reported approximately 6 hours of sleep per night.
Advanced Vermicomposting Modality: Microbial Acceleration to Improve Micronutrient Profile of Agricultural Residue Derived Compost
Authors: Lal Aarush , M.S. Sailajakumari , B. Rani , N. Chitra , B Aparna
Published: September 2024

Advancing circular economies and self-reliant agricultural systems will critically depend on innovative strategies to optimize resource utilization and agro-waste recycling for the sustainability of food production. The present study is focused on the potential of vermitechnology with diverse substrate compositions in bioconverting lignocellulosic agricultural residues into nutrient-rich amendments. Trials of vermicomposting were carried out exploiting Eudrilus eugeniae and a fungal decomposer consortium, Pusa Decomposer. Treatments included T1: Gliricidia sepium leaves (GL), T2: Banana pseudostem (BP), T3: Rice straw (RS), T4: Rice husk (RH), T5 (RS + BP – 8:1 w/w), T6 (RH + BP - 8:1 w/w), T7 (RH + RS + BP – 4:4:1 w/w) and T8 (RH + RS + BP + GL – 4:4:0.5:0.5 w/w) with 3 replications in CRD. T2 expressed peak Mn, Zn and Cu values at 418.40 mg kg-1, 247.50 mg kg-1 and 55.12 mg kg-1, respectively. T3 reported summit Fe and B at 8669.50 mg kg-1 and 37.00 mg kg-1, respectively. It was found that the combination of RS and BP reported excellent nutrient solubilization and enhanced EC, which ratiocinates the role of substrate mix in determining vermicompost quality. These findings emphasize the importance of substrate selection and microbial augmentation with fungal decomposer consortia such as Pusa decomposer, which optimize the vermicomposting process for nutrient recovery and improved soil health.
The Diagnostic and Prognostic Hormones in Common Endocrine Disorders in Adult Males
Authors: Aljuid Latifa Mohammed , Bakheit Khalid Hussein
Published: September 2024

Hormones mediate many body functions, including growth, differentiation, reproduction, and metabolism. There are variations in hormone release, response in different individuals, in relation to age, gender, stress situations, and body mass index. This article outlines the diagnostic and prognostic value of hormones in common endocrine disorders in adult males. Hormones are used in specialty clinics as markers for diagnosis and prognosis of medical disorders, that result from disturbances of pattern of release, deficiency, or resistance. Hormones are measured in specialized laboratories for these purposes, taking into consideration, age, gender and timing variations in hormone release. Lab findings, coupled to the clinical history of patients, help to complete the picture for diagnosis and prognosis of hormone disorders.
Recent Advances in Biopesticide Formulations for Targeted Insect Pest Management: A Review
Authors: Gundreddy Raja Reddy , BV Jayanth, , M Shashikala , Darjee Sibananda , Alekhya Gunturi
Published: September 2024

The increasing environmental and health concerns associated with the use of synthetic chemical pesticides have driven the need for alternative, eco-friendly pest management solutions. Biopesticides, derived from natural sources such as plants and microorganisms, offer a promising solution, as they are less toxic, decompose quickly, and target specific pests with minimal impact on non-target organisms. Recent advancements in biopesticide formulations, including nano pesticides, controlled release formulations (CRFs), hydrogels, polymer-coated granules, and tablets, are enhancing the effectiveness, stability, and environmental safety of these products. The integration of nanotechnology and controlled release systems in biopesticides is opening new avenues for sustainable agriculture. This review discusses the various biopesticide formulation technologies, highlighting their advantages, disadvantages, and future prospects.
Unusual behavior of the low‐latitude ionosphere in the Indian sector during the deep solar minimum in 2009
Authors: Chaitanya P. Pavan , Patra A. K. , Balan N. , Rao S. V. B.
Published: June 2016

In this paper we carry out a comparative study of the daytime (7–18 LT) behavior of the near‐equatorial ionospheric F region at the end of the long deep solar minimum (2009) with respect to that of the previous normal solar minimum (1995) in the Indian longitude sector using ionosonde observations of F layer parameters, radar observations of E × B drift, and the IRI‐2012 (International Reference Ionosphere‐2012) model. We investigate the F2 and F3 layer behaviors separately. The results reveal that the peak frequencies of the F layer (fpeak), F2 layer (foF2), and F3 layer (foF3) in 2009 are consistently lower than those in 1995. Maximum difference in fpeak/foF2/foF3 between 2009 and 1995 observations is found in the equinoxes followed by winter and summer. The annual mean, seasonal mean, and 10 day mean peak electron density (corresponding to fpeak) in 2009 were lower than those in 1995 by as much as 34%, 46%, and 65%, respectively. Solar rotation effect is less conspicuous in 2009 than in 1995, consistent with the solar rotation signature in F10.7. Observations also show considerable amount of equinoctial asymmetry in electron density, which is found to be closely linked with the corresponding asymmetry in the vertical E × B drift. Seasonal mean peak electron densities of the F layer (corresponding to fpeak) and the F2 layer (corresponding to foF2) observed during the deep solar minimum of 2009 were smaller than those corresponding to IRI‐2012 model foF2 by as much as 45% and 50%, respectively, underlining the need to incorporate the data collected during the long deep minimum in the IRI model. The unusually weak ionosphere observed in 2009 is discussed in terms of the direct effect of the low solar EUV flux in 2009 as compared to 1995 and its indirect effects on ionospheric electric field, thermospheric composition (or O/N2 ratio), and thermospheric neutral winds.
Semiannually alternating exchange of intermediate waters east of the Philippines
Authors: Wang Fan , Song Lina , Li Yuanlong , Liu Chuanyu , Wang Jianing , Lin Pengfei , Yang Guang , Zhao Jun , Diao Xinyuan , Zhang Dongxiao , Hu Dunxin
Published: June 2016

Intermediate water exchange in the northwest tropical Pacific is explored with the temperature, salinity, and current measurements of a mooring system deployed at 8°N, 127.05°E during 2010–2014. For the first time, prominent semiannual variability (SAV; with the maximum power at ~ 187 days) of subthermocline meridional flow along the Mindanao coast is revealed. A significant correlation between meridional flow and salinity is found at intermediate depths. This provides direct evidence for the alternating transports of South Pacific and North Pacific Intermediate Waters by northward and southward undercurrents, respectively. Further analysis with an eddy‐resolving ocean general circulation model demonstrates that the SAV is generated locally near the western boundary, manifesting as large‐scale subthermocline recirculation and leading to alternating northward and southward flows near the Mindanao coast, which plays an efficient role in the intermediate water exchange of the northwest tropical Pacific. Mechanisms underlying the observed SAV are discussed.
The impact of the Southern Annular Mode on future changes in Southern Hemisphere rainfall
Authors: Lim Eun‐Pa , Hendon Harry H. , Arblaster Julie M. , Delage Francois , Nguyen Hanh , Min Seung‐Ki , Wheeler Matthew C.
Published: June 2016

A robust positive trend in the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is projected for the end of the 21st century under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 scenario, which results in rainfall decreases in the midlatitudes and increases in the high latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). We find that this SAM trend also increases rainfall over the SH subtropics in austral summer but not in winter, leading to a pronounced wintertime poleward expansion of the subtropical dry zone. These dynamically driven rainfall changes by the SAM appear to oppose the thermodynamically driven projected rainfall changes in the SH subtropics and midlatitudes, whereas the two components reinforce each other in the high latitudes. However, we show that most climate models fall short in capturing the observed SAM component driven by the El Niño–Southern Oscillation and associated rainfall in the austral warm seasons, which limits our confidence in quantifying the contribution of the SAM to projected rainfall changes.
Pattern of dynamic displacements in a strike‐slip earthquake
Authors: Saltogianni V. , Gianniou M. , Moschas F. , Stiros S.
Published: June 2016

High‐rate (1 Hz) records from GPS stations uniformly distributed along the fault ruptures of the 2014 Samothraki‐Gökçeada Mw6.9 earthquake in the North Aegean Trough, at the extension of the North Anatolian Fault Zone, were analyzed using the Precise Point Positioning (PPP) technique. Computed dynamic displacements shed light to the pattern of dynamic displacements during shallow strike‐slip earthquakes. The area of near‐field static seismic displacements bounds ramp‐type, long‐period dynamic displacements (fling steps) in the sense of static displacements. Along‐fault and normal to fault components of dynamic displacement follow typical attenuation laws, but attenuation is higher in the fault‐parallel component hence confined to the area of static dislocations. Forward directivity and local, especially topography‐controlled amplification effects, consistent with accelerometer evidence, were also observed. The overall pattern seems to characterize shallow strike‐slip earthquakes and is expected to prove useful to explain or even predict the near‐field damaging potential of strike‐slip earthquakes.
Air‐sea exchange of carbon dioxide in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic marginal ice zone
Authors: Butterworth Brian J. , Miller Scott D.
Published: June 2016

Direct carbon dioxide flux measurements using eddy covariance from an icebreaker in the high‐latitude Southern Ocean and Antarctic marginal ice zone are reported. Fluxes were combined with the measured water‐air carbon dioxide partial pressure difference (ΔpCO2) to compute the air‐sea gas transfer velocity (k, normalized to Schmidt number 660). The open water data showed a quadratic relationship between k (cm h−1) and the neutral 10 m wind speed (U10n, m s−1), kopen = 0.245 U10n2 + 1.3, in close agreement with decades old tracer‐based results and much lower than cubic relationships inferred from previous open ocean eddy covariance studies. In the marginal ice zone, the effective gas transfer velocity decreased in proportion to sea ice cover, in contrast with predictions of enhanced gas exchange in the presence of sea ice. The combined open water and marginal ice zone results affect the calculated magnitude and spatial distribution of Southern Ocean carbon flux.
Strong winter cooling over the Irminger Sea in winter 2014–2015, exceptional deep convection, and the emergence of anomalously low SST
Authors: de Jong Marieke Femke , de Steur Laura
Published: June 2016

Deep convection is presumed to be vital for the North Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, even though observational evidence for the link remains inconclusive. Modeling studies have suggested that convection will weaken as a result of enhanced freshwater input. The emergence of anomalously low sea surface temperature in the subpolar North Atlantic has led to speculation that this process is already at work. Here we show that strong atmospheric forcing in the winter of 2014–2015, associated with a high North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index, produced record mixed layer depths in the Irminger Sea. Local mixing removed the stratification of the upper 1400 m and ventilated the basin to middepths resembling a state similar to the mid‐1990s when a positive NAO also prevailed. We show that the strong local atmospheric forcing is predominantly responsible for the negative sea surface temperature anomalies observed in the subpolar North Atlantic in 2015 and that there is no evidence of permanently weakened deep convection.
Rates, flux densities, and spectral indices of meteor radio afterglows
Authors: Obenberger K. S. , Dowell J. D. , Hancock P. J. , Holmes J. M. , Pedersen T. R. , Schinzel F. K. , Taylor G. B.
Published: June 2016

Using the narrowband all‐sky imager mode of the Long Wavelength Array (LWA1), we have now detected 30 transients at 25.6 MHz, 1 at 34 MHz, and 93 at 38.0 MHz. While we have only optically confirmed that 37 of these events are radio afterglows from meteors, evidence suggests that most, if not all, are. Using the beam‐forming mode of the LWA1, we have also captured the broadband spectra between 22.0 and 55.0 MHz of four events. We compare the smooth, spectral components of these four events and fit the frequency‐dependent flux density to a power law, and find that the spectral index is time variable, with the spectrum steepening over time for each meteor afterglow. Using these spectral indices along with the narrowband flux density measurements of the 123 events at 25.6 and 38 MHz, we predict the expected flux densities and rates for meteor afterglows potentially observable by other low‐frequency radio telescopes.
Toward an integrated view of ionospheric plasma instabilities: 2. Three inertial modes of a cubic dispersion relation
Authors: Makarevich Roman A.
Published: June 2016

The cubic dispersion relation describing inertial modes of fundamental ionospheric instabilities at arbitrary altitude is demonstrated to yield three distinct solutions, and their stability is analyzed using a combination of numerical and analytic techniques. A robust numerical method is developed for obtaining all three solutions for arbitrary altitude, and analytic expressions are developed for two solutions. In the E region, one unstable and two stable modes are found for strong electric fields, with the unstable mode being the Farley‐Buneman instability. In the F region, zero, one, or two unstable modes are found depending on the plasma density gradient. The first unstable mode represents a finite‐temperature generalization of the inertial mode of the gradient drift instability (GDI) in the F region that has been previously considered for cold‐plasma case. The instability cone width and the gradient strength cutoff values are analyzed analytically and inertial effects are shown to drastically alter their behavior for decameter‐scale waves. In particular, progressively stronger gradients are required to excite the instability with an increasing electric field. Another strongly unstable mode is found at high altitudes and for sufficiently sharp gradients, although the applicability of this solution is limited due to its high‐frequency nature. The results strengthen the case for analyzing different ionospheric instabilities within the same formalism and provide an additional framework for interpreting the experimentally observed irregularity formation times that are inconsistent with those predicted by the standard GDI theory.
Analysis of WRF extreme daily precipitation over Alaska using self‐organizing maps
Authors: Glisan Justin M. , Gutowski William J. , Cassano John J. , Cassano Elizabeth N. , Seefeldt Mark W.
Published: June 2016

We analyze daily precipitation extremes from simulations of a polar‐optimized version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Simulations cover 19 years and use the Regional Arctic System Model (RASM) domain. We focus on Alaska because of its proximity to the Pacific and Arctic oceans; both provide large moisture fetch inland. Alaska's topography also has important impacts on orographically forced precipitation. We use self‐organizing maps (SOMs) to understand circulation characteristics conducive for extreme precipitation events. The SOM algorithm employs an artificial neural network that uses an unsupervised training process, which results in finding general patterns of circulation behavior. The SOM is trained with mean sea level pressure (MSLP) anomalies. Widespread extreme events, defined as at least 25 grid points experiencing 99th percentile precipitation, are examined using SOMs. Widespread extreme days are mapped onto the SOM of MSLP anomalies, indicating circulation patterns. SOMs aid in determining high‐frequency nodes, and hence, circulations are conducive to extremes. Multiple circulation patterns are responsible for extreme days, which are differentiated by where extreme events occur in Alaska. Additionally, several meteorological fields are composited for nodes accessed by extreme and nonextreme events to determine specific conditions necessary for a widespread extreme event. Individual and adjacent node composites produce more physically reasonable circulations as opposed to composites of all extremes, which include multiple synoptic regimes. Temporal evolution of extreme events is also traced through SOM space. Thus, this analysis lays the groundwork for diagnosing differences in atmospheric circulations and their associated widespread, extreme precipitation events.
Rate‐weakening drag during glacier sliding
Authors: Zoet Lucas K. , Iverson Neal R.
Published: June 2016

Accurately specifying the relationship between basal drag on a hard, rough glacier bed and sliding speed is a long‐standing and central challenge in glaciology. Drag on a rigid bed consisting of steps with linear treads inclined upglacier—a good idealization for the bedrock morphology of some hard‐bedded glaciers—has been considered in sliding theories but never studied empirically. Balancing forces parallel to step treads indicates that drag should be independent of sliding speed and cavity size and set by the limit‐equilibrium condition sometimes called Iken's bound. In this study we used a large ring‐shear device to slide ice at its pressure melting temperature across a stepped bed, over a range of steady sliding speeds (29–348 m yr−1), and under a steady effective pressure (500 kPa). Contrary to expectation, drag decreased 42% with increasing sliding speed and cavity size. Experimental deviations from theory cannot explain this decrease in drag with increasing sliding speed (i.e., rate weakening). We suggest that stress bridging in ice between ice‐bed contact zones and cavities causes stress gradients that require viscous deformation of ice to sustain stress equilibrium, so that contact zones can be at shear stresses below limit‐equilibrium values. A parameter—linearly dependent on sliding speed—that scales the extent of ice deformation to areas of ice‐bed contact allows the experimental drag relationship to be fitted with a simple sliding model. Rate‐weakening drag has now been observed for two contrasting bed morphologies, stepped and sinusoidal, highlighting the need to consider such behavior in glacier flow models.
Comparison of fluid‐fluid interfacial areas measured with X‐ray microtomography and interfacial partitioning tracer tests for the same samples
Authors: McDonald Kieran , Carroll Kenneth C. , Brusseau Mark L.
Published: June 2016

Two different methods are currently used for measuring interfacial areas between immiscible fluids within 3‐D porous media, high‐resolution microtomographic imaging and interfacial partitioning tracer tests (IPTT). Both methods were used in this study to measure nonwetting/wetting interfacial areas for a natural sand. The microtomographic imaging was conducted on the same packed columns that were used for the IPTTs. This is in contrast to prior studies comparing the two methods, for which in all cases different samples were used for the two methods. In addition, the columns were imaged before and after the IPTTs to evaluate the potential impacts of the tracer solution on fluid configuration and attendant interfacial area. The interfacial areas measured using IPTT are ∼5 times larger than the microtomographic‐measured values, which is consistent with previous work. Analysis of the image data revealed no significant impact of the tracer solution on NAPL configuration or interfacial area. Other potential sources of error were evaluated, and all were demonstrated to be insignificant. The disparity in measured interfacial areas between the two methods is attributed to the limitation of the microtomography method to characterize interfacial area associated with microscopic surface roughness due to resolution constraints.
Mechanisms for trapping and mobilization of residual fluids during capillary‐dominated three‐phase flow in porous rock
Authors: Helland J. O. , Jettestuen E.
Published: June 2016

We use a multiphase level set approach to simulate capillary‐controlled motions of isolated fluid ganglia surrounded by two other continuous fluids (i.e., double displacements) during three‐phase flow on 3‐D porous rock geometries. Double displacements and three‐phase snap‐off mechanisms are closely related. Water snap‐off on gas/oil interfaces can initiate double displacements that mobilize isolated oil ganglia in water‐wet rock, but it can also terminate ongoing double displacements and trap oil in water. The multiphase level set approach allows for calculating the evolution of disconnected‐phase pressure during the motion. In the events of pore filling by double displacement of oil ganglia, and water snap‐off on gas/oil interfaces, we find that the local gas/oil capillary pressure drops, while local oil/water capillary pressure increases, by a similar magnitude as observed for the capillary pressure drops during single‐pore filling events in dynamic pore‐scale experiments of two‐phase drainage. We also find that oil ganglia decrease their surface area, and achieve a more compact shape, when the gas/oil interfacial area decreases at the expense of increased oil/water interfacial area during double displacement. By comparison with similar two‐phase gas/water simulations, we find that the level of the gas/water capillary pressure curves, including hysteresis loops, are smaller when a mobile, disconnected oil is present, which suggests double displacement of oil is more favorable than direct gas/water displacement. We also present cases in which phase trapping occurred in the three‐phase simulations, but not in the corresponding two‐phase simulations, supporting the view that more trapping is possible in three‐phase flow.
Eteocretans
Authors: Oikonomaki Androniki
Published: June 2016

Eteocretans, the “genuine Cretans,” as their name implies, were considered by ancient authors as the autochthonous inhabitants of Crete and as possible descendants of the Minoans. The literary tradition places this ancient ethnolinguistic group in east Crete, where a non‐Greek, so called “Eteocretan” language is attested on stone inscriptions.
Therme in Lesbos
Authors: Kelder Jorrit M.
Published: June 2016

Therme was a prehistoric settlement on the east coast of the island of Lesbos, situated some 5 km northwest of the modern town of Mytilene. Excavations have uncovered occupation layers dating from the Early to the Late Bronze Age.
Antisthenes of Athens
Authors: Prince Susan H.
Published: June 2016

Antisthenes of Athens (ca. 445–365
bce
) was a Socratic disciple credited in antiquity with rejecting Plato's theory of forms and inspiring Diogenes of Sinope and the Cynic movement. Evidence for his views is difficult. He was famous for rejecting pleasure, the possibility of gainsaying, and probably the definition of essence. He was influenced by not only Socrates, but the broader Sophistic movement.
Maximus of Tyre
Authors: Trapp Michael
Published: June 2016

The philosophical orations (dialexeis, “talks”) of Maximus of Tyre open a window not only onto the historical development of Platonism in the later second centuryce, but also onto the integration of philosophy into elite culture in the period of the so‐called Second Sophistic. Their blend of simplified philosophical content with lively and elegant rhetorical form is not exactly paralleled in any other surviving ancient author.
Syrianus
Authors: Wear Sarah Klitenic
Published: June 2016

Syrianus was head of the Athenian school of Neoplatonism from 432–7
ce
. He is best known through the work of his student, Proclus. Syrianus’ greatest contribution to Platonist metaphysics is his multi‐layered cosmos. He describes a cosmos comprised of levels closely linked together, each one inhabited by a god or gods arranged in a series of triads. He also outlines a theory of the ideas, coordinating epistemology and ontology.
Mirobriga
Authors: Beckmann Sarah
Published: June 2016

Mirobriga is an archaeological site in Lusitania, which preserves ruins of a Celtic oppidum reestablished as a Roman settlement in the first centuryce.
Theveste
Authors: Cordovana Orietta Dora
Published: June 2016

Theveste became a veterans’ colony under Trajan, after the move of the
Legio III Augusta
to Lambaesis. Part of the ancient Roman city plan and some of the city's monuments are still visible in the modern settlement. The forum area, the theater, the amphitheater, and the aqueduct are clearly recognizable. The city was also adorned by fine buildings, such as the honorary arch of Caracalla, a Severan temple, and a large Christian quarter with a beautiful basilica of the fourth century
ce
. The importance of the Roman legionary base was connected with its strategic position. It was at the cross‐point of different natural ecosystems. The main purpose of the military base was the control, on the one hand, of the movement of people and goods between east and west, more precisely between the mountainous areas of the Aurès and the flat and dry lands of the Sahel. On the other hand, the settlement was also crucial for the exchange of communication and control along the north–south axis, between people coming from the northern urbanized areas of the province and nomads and traders from the southern caravan routes of the Sahara.
Trebenishte
Authors: Saripanidi Vivi
Published: June 2016

The ancient necropolis discovered near the modern village of Trebenishte, in FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), dates from the Early Archaic to the beginning of the Hellenistic period. It is best known for a group of lavishly equipped burials, from the late sixth century
bce
, which reveal the close contacts of the local community with its neighboring cultures. Bristling with artifacts made of precious metals and imported goods, these wealthy graves further attest a particular emphasis on the spheres of warfare and feasting.
Zominthos
Authors: Christakis Kostis S.
Published: June 2016

Zominthos was an important site specializing in the exploitation of the rich mountainous hinterland of Mount Ida and in the shipment of locally produced goods to major centers of consumption. The site was occupied during the Neopalatial period and was abandoned in 1520
bce
. Limited reoccupation occurred during Late Minoan III period. Excavation uncovered parts of a monumental complex, the seat of a local ruling group that controlled the natural resources and the routes leading to the Idaean Cave and to important settlements of north central Crete.
Macedonian bronzes
Authors: Perron Martin
Published: June 2016

“Macedonian bronzes” is a generic term referring to a wide range of bronze ornaments and jewelry made in the northwest Aegean and south‐central Balkans between the late eighth and the first half of the fifth century
bce
. Widely distributed throughout the Aegean, the Balkans, and Magna Graecia, they are mostly found in tombs and sanctuaries.
Syrtes
Authors: Cordovana Orietta Dora
Published: June 2016

Ancient sources are unanimous in describing the Syrtes area as a peculiar habitat of different climatic zones stretching from West to East for almost 1000 kilometers. The smaller western gulf, the
Syrtis Minor
, was populated by small settlements with flourishing economies related to fishing and trade since the archaic period (seventh to sixth centuries
bce
). The western gulf, the
Syrtis Maior
, was not contiguous, but separated from the
Syrtis Minor
by the region of the Tripolitanian
Emporia
. This geographical conformation determines very different environmental characters, so that the whole area marked a border and a transitional zone between the Greek and Carthaginian world from a very early period.
LeoII, emperor
Authors: Rizos Efthymios
Published: June 2016

Leo II was East Roman emperor in 473/4. As he was a minor, he reigned jointly with his grandfather Leo I and his father Zeno.
Chaldaeans
Authors: Payne Elizabeth E.
Published: June 2016

The Chaldaean tribes lived in and around the urban centers of southern Mesopotamia during the first millennium
bce
. Leaders of these tribes often challenged Assyrian efforts to control Babylonia, and several became kings themselves. Despite this earlier precedent, there is no evidence to support the commonly held claim that the Neo‐Babylonian kings belonged to a Chaldaean dynasty.
Leo V, emperor
Authors: Rizos Efthymios
Published: June 2016

Leo V reigned as Byzantine emperor from 813 to 820. He defeated the Bulgars, taking advantage of the death of Krum in 814. He also reintroduced iconoclasm after an interval of almost forty years.
Lukka
Authors: Yakubovich Ilya
Published: June 2016

Lukka was a coastal region in Bronze Age Anatolia, probably to be identified with Classical Lycia. It is mentioned in Hittite, Luwian, Akkadian, and Egyptian texts. The cumulative analysis of the sources leaves the impression that the Lukka lands remained politically decentralized and were never fully integrated into the empire of Hattusa.
Obesity Paradox in Recurrent Attacks of Gout in Observational Studies: Clarification and Remedy
Authors: Nguyen Uyen‐Sa D. T. , Zhang Yuqing , Louie‐Gao Qiong , Niu Jingbo , Felson David T. , LaValley Michael P. , Choi Hyon K.
Published: June 2016

Objective

Obesity is strongly associated with incident gout risk, but its association with the risk of recurrent gout attacks has been null or weak, constituting an obesity paradox. We sought to demonstrate and overcome the methodologic issues associated with the obesity paradox for risk of recurrent gout attacks.

Methods

Using the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial database, we decomposed the total effect of obesity into its direct and indirect (i.e., mediated) effects using marginal structural models. We also estimated the total effect of body mass index (BMI) change from baseline among incident gout patients.

Results

Of 11,816 gout‐free subjects at baseline, we documented 408 incident gout cases, with 132 developing recurrent gout attacks over a 7‐year followup period. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for incident gout among obese individuals was 2.6, whereas that for recurrent gout attacks among gout patients was 0.98 (i.e., the obesity paradox). These ORs correlated well with the ORs for the indirect and direct effects of obesity on the risk of recurrent gout attacks (2.83 and 0.98, respectively). Compared with no BMI change, the OR of increasing versus decreasing >5% of baseline BMI was 0.61 and 1.60 for recurrent gout attacks, respectively (P for trend < 0.01), suggesting a dose‐response association.

Conclusion

The obesity paradox for the risk of recurrent gout attacks is explained by the absence of the direct effect, which is often measured in conventional analyses and misinterpreted as the intended total effect of interest. In contrast, the BMI change analysis correctly estimated the intended total effect of BMI, and revealed a dose‐response relationship.
Validity and Responsiveness of a 10‐Item Patient‐Reported Measure of Physical Function in a Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinic Population
Authors: Wahl Elizabeth , Gross Andrew , Chernitskiy Vladimir , Trupin Laura , Gensler Lianne , Chaganti Krishna , Michaud Kaleb , Katz Patricia , Yazdany Jinoos
Published: June 2016

Objective

We assessed implementation of the 10‐item Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) physical function form (PF‐10a) in routine practice in a racially and ethnically diverse population with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objectives were to determine feasibility of implementing PF‐10a in the electronic health record (EHR) and PF‐10a validity and longitudinal responsiveness.

Methods

Clinical and demographic data were abstracted from EHRs for all RA patients seen at a university‐based rheumatology clinic between February 2013 and February 2015. We evaluated floor and ceiling (edge) effects and construct validity of PF‐10a in a subgroup of patients with Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) scores (n = 189). We used linear mixed‐effects models to assess responsiveness of PF‐10a to longitudinal changes in the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) for patients in the entire clinical cohort, with both scores recorded on at least 2 encounters (n = 326).

Results

Half of the patients were nonwhite, and 15% were non‐English speakers. Over a 2‐year period, PF10a was successfully implemented; 97% of patients and 89% of encounters had at least 1 measurement performed. PF‐10a had fewer ceiling (defined as best) effects than the HAQ (8% versus 22%), and convergent validity was high (r = −0.85). PF‐10a was sensitive to expected differences (older versus younger patients, more versus less active disease). Longitudinal changes in PF‐10a were highly associated with changes in the CDAI score (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

PF‐10a was feasible to implement in a diverse RA population. It strongly correlates with the HAQ but has fewer ceiling effects and is responsive to changes in RA disease activity, suggesting its validity for use in routine clinical practice.
Grasping primate development: Ontogeny of intrinsic hand and foot proportions in capuchin monkeys (Cebus albifrons and Sapajus apella)
Authors: Young Jesse W. , Heard‐Booth Amber N.
Published: June 2016

Young primates have relatively large hands and feet for their body size, perhaps enhancing grasping ability. We test the hypothesis that selection for improved grasping ability is responsible for these scaling trends by examining the ontogeny of intrinsic hand and foot proportions in capuchin monkeys (Cebus albifrons and Sapajus apella). If selection for improved grasping ability is responsible for the observed patterns of hand and foot growth in primates, we predicted that fingers and toes would be longer early in life and proportionally decline with age. We measured the lengths of manual and pedal metapodials and phalanges in a mixed‐longitudinal radiographic sample. Bone lengths were (a) converted into phalangeal indices (summed non‐distal phalangeal length/metapodial length) to test for age‐related changes in intrinsic proportions and (b) fit to Gompertz models of growth to test for differences in the dynamics of phalangeal versus metapodial growth. Manual and pedal phalangeal indices nearly universally decreased with age in capuchin monkeys. Growth curve analyses revealed that metapodials generally grew at a faster rate, and for a longer duration, than corresponding phalanges. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that primates are under selection for increased grasping ability early in life. Relatively long digits may be functionally adaptive for growing capuchins, permitting a more secure grasp on both caregivers and arboreal supports, as well as facilitating early foraging. Additional studies of primates and other mammals, as well as tests of grasping performance, are required to fully evaluate the adaptive significance of primate hand and foot growth.
Cell‐Penetrating Poly(disulfide) Assisted Intracellular Delivery of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Inhibition of miR‐21 Function and Detection of Subsequent Therapeutic Effects
Authors: Yu Changmin , Qian Linghui , Ge Jingyan , Fu Jiaqi , Yuan Peiyan , Yao Samantha C. L. , Yao Shao Q.
Published: June 2016

The design of drug delivery systems capable of minimal endolysosomal trapping, controlled drug release, and real‐time monitoring of drug effect is highly desirable for personalized medicine. Herein, by using mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) coated with cell‐penetrating poly(disulfide)s and a fluorogenic apoptosis‐detecting peptide (DEVD‐AAN), we have developed a platform that could be uptaken rapidly by mammalian cells via endocytosis‐independent pathways. Subsequent loading of these MSNs with small molecule inhibitors and antisense oligonucleotides resulted in intracellular release of these drugs, leading to combination inhibition of endogenous miR‐21 activities which was immediately detectable by the MSN surface‐coated peptide using two‐photon fluorescence microscopy.
Excavated Cubic Platinum–Tin Alloy Nanocrystals Constructed from Ultrathin Nanosheets with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity
Authors: Chen Qiaoli , Yang Yanan , Cao Zhenming , Kuang Qin , Du Guifen , Jiang Yaqi , Xie Zhaoxiong , Zheng Lansun
Published: June 2016

Excavated polyhedral noble‐metal materials that were built by the orderly assembly of ultrathin nanosheets have both large surface areas and well‐defined facets, and therefore could be promising candidates for diverse important applications. In this work, excavated cubic Pt–Sn alloy nanocrystals (NCs) with {110} facets were constructed from twelve nanosheets by a simple co‐reduction method with the assistance of the surface regulator polyvinylpyrrolidone. The specific surface area of the excavated cubic Pt–Sn NCs is comparable to that of commercial Pt black despite their larger particle size. The excavated cubic Pt–Sn NCs exhibited superior electrocatalytic activity in terms of both the specific area current density and the mass current density towards methanol oxidation.
Preparation and characterization of hydrophilic and antifouling poly(ether sulfone) ultrafiltration membranes modified with Zn–Al layered double hydroxides
Authors: Zhao Yu , Li Nana , Yuan Fangzhu , Zhang Haiding , Xia Shengji
Published: June 2016

Zn–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH)‐entrapped poly(ether sulfone) (PES) ultrafiltration membranes with four different weight percentages, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0%, were prepared by a phase‐inversion method. Characterization by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and contact angle (CA), equilibrium water content, porosity, average pore size, mechanical strength, and ζ potential measurement were used to evaluate the morphological structure and physical and chemical properties of membranes. Static protein adsorption, filtration, and rejection experiments were conducted to study the antifouling properties, water permeability, and removal ability of the modified membranes. The results show that significant change occurred in the membrane morphology and that better hydrophilicity, water permeability, and antifouling ability were also achieved for the PES/LDH membranes when a proper amount of LDH was used. For example, the CA value decreased from 66.60 to 50.21°, and the pure water flux increased from 80.21 to 119.10 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 when the LDH loading was increased from 0 to 2.0 wt %. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43988.