bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of Histone Deacetylation and DNA Methylation Improves Gene Expression Mediated by the Adeno-Associated Virus/Phage in Cancer Cells
Authors: Kia Azadeh , Yata Teerapong , Hajji Nabil , Hajitou Amin
Published: October 2013

Bacteriophage (phage), viruses that infect bacteria only, have become promising vectors for targeted systemic delivery of genes to cancer, although, with poor efficiency. We previously designed an improved phage vector by incorporating cis genetic elements of adeno-associated virus (AAV). This novel AAV/phage hybrid (AAVP) specifically targeted systemic delivery of therapeutic genes into tumors. To advance the AAVP vector, we recently introduced the stress-inducible Grp78 tumor specific promoter and found that this dual tumor-targeted AAVP provides persistent gene expression, over time, in cancer cells compared to silenced gene expression from the CMV promoter in the parental AAVP. Herein, we investigated the effect of histone deacetylation and DNA methylation on AAVP-mediated gene expression in cancer cells and explored the effect of cell confluence state on AAVP gene expression efficacy. Using a combination of AAVP expressing the GFP reporter gene, flow cytometry, inhibitors of histone deacetylation, and DNA methylation, we have demonstrated that histone deacetylation and DNA methylation are associated with silencing of gene expression from the CMV promoter in the parental AAVP. Importantly, inhibitors of histone deacetylases boost gene expression in cancer cells from the Grp78 promoter in the dual tumor-targeted AAVP. However, cell confluence had no effect on AAVP-guided gene expression. Our findings prove that combination of histone deacetylase inhibitor drugs with the Grp78 promoter is an effective approach to improve AAVP-mediated gene expression in cancer cells and should be considered for AAVP-based clinical cancer gene therapy.
Assessing Mexican pottery paint recipes using particle-induced X-ray emission
Authors: Crider Destiny
Published: October 2013

Decorated pottery dating from the Epiclassic through Early Postclassic (ca. A.D. 650-1150) was selected for chemical characterisation of pottery slips and paints. Specimens include pottery types commonly occurring across the Basin of Mexico and Tula, Hidalgo. Recipes for slips and paints require training and first-hand knowledge of specialised techniques in production. A high degree of similarity of recipes across the region suggests widespread knowledge in the preparation and use of paint and slip. Distinct patterns in rare elements suggest differentiation in locally available pigments, and clays reflect regionally available sources of materials and differences in recipes. Particleinduced X-ray emission (PIXE) is a nondestructive method of identifying concentrations (in ppm) for 18 chemical elements. Data collection was conducted by the author using the Arizona State University (ASU) ion beam analysis of materials (IBeAM) laboratory. A sample of 136 pottery sherds was chosen and PIXE was conducted on red, black, white paints and slips. Specimens were chosen from a larger sample previously assessed for compositional characterisation of ceramic paste using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Results indicate that variation in red paints are high in iron-oxide and vary by pottery type. Black paint in Aztec I pottery is high in iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), indicating a Fe-Mn paint recipe. Cream coloured slips vary by region and pottery type. PIXE characterisation identifies the chemical element concentrations contributing to the colourant pigments, the clay matrix in the binding materials, and trace indicators of localised impurities in clays and minerals contributing to paints and slips.
Psychological ownership: Development of an instrument
Authors: Olckers Chantal
Published: October 2013

Orientation: Psychological ownership emerged recently as a positive psychological resource that could be measured and developed and that could affect the performance of organisations.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure psychological ownership in a South African context.Motivation for the study: It was found that previous instruments for the measurement of psychological ownership lacked the ability to grasp the extensive reach of psychological ownership.Research design, approach and method: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted on a non-probability convenience sample of 713 skilled, highly-skilled and professional employees from various organisations in both the private and public sectors in South Africa.Main findings: Although a 69-item measurement instrument was developed in order to capture the proposed seven-dimensional psychological ownership construct, it became evident when analysing the data that a four-factor model comprising 35 items was suitable.Practical/managerial implications: If a sense of psychological ownership toward an organisation could be established amongst its employees by addressing the factors as measured by the South African Psychological Ownership Questionnaire, organisations could become enhanced workplaces and, as a result, sustainable performance could be promoted and staff could be retained.Contribution/value-add: The instrument for measuring psychological ownership in a South African context could serve as a diagnostic tool that would allow human resource professionals and managers to determine employees’ sense of psychological ownership regarding their organisation and to focus specifically on weak dimensional areas that could be improved.
Etiological beliefs of patients with neurological disorders attending a tertiary care center: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Bajaj Bhupender Kumar , Chaudhary Shipra , Shrestha Runa
Published: October 2013

Background: The understanding and management of neurological disorders is undergoing revolutionary changes over the last three decades in the background of ever increasing advances in medical technologies, diagnostic techniques, therapeutic processes and, molecular and genetic medicine. The fruits of these advances can reach patients only if the psychosocial hurdles in their delivery are identified, acknowledged and addressed. Aim: To explore the beliefs and practices of patients with neurological disorders in a tertiary care center in the eastern Nepal. Materials and Methods:One hundred patients attending neurology/medicine outpatient for neurological disorders were interviewed about their beliefs regarding the triggering factors, causation and treatment seeking behavior particularly from traditional healers. Result: Of the 100 patients (49 males, 51 females) recruited in the study, 51% expressed having ‘no idea’ about their illness. Only 20% patients gave medically congruent explanation for their illness. Psychological factors were attributed as triggering factors by 16% of patients, of which two thirds were females. Chance, destiny and ‘jadu tona’ topped the list of triggering factors. Forty four percent patients had sought help of traditional faith healers (‘Dhami Jhakri’) before seeking medical help. Traditional faith healers were approached by patients irrespective of their educational background. Fifty nine percent of patients who first sought traditional faith healers, believed in ‘jadu tona’. Of those interviewed, 16% were planning to go to a faith healer in near future. Conclusion: The beliefs of patients with neurological disorders frequently do not conform to current medical opinion. There is need for greater communication and education of patients by their treating physicians.
Posterior approach for giant S1 neurofibroma in Von Recklinghausen’s disease: Is total resection realistic?
Authors: Kumar Ashish , Vinjamuri Srinivas , Barada Sahu P.
Published: October 2013

Bilateral sacral neurofibromas are uncommonly seen in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) also known as Von Recklinghausen’s disease. They often grow to enormous dimensions before detection owing to bone scalloping. Resections of “giant” S1 neurofibromas are difficult due to the limitations of operative window in sacrum and critical functions associated with S1 nerve root. We report a case of bilateral S1 neurofibromas in a patient of NF1 where she had a giant left‑sided neurofibroma with extensive bone erosion and a small fusiform neurofibroma on the right side. The tumor was excised completely on the left and near totally on the right side via posterior approach. There were no postoperative neurological deficits and the patient recovered well. Usually, complete excision harbors the chances of postoperative neurological deficits due to the eloquence of the nerve root involved and complete resection without significant morbidity seems unrealistic. However, excision of giant ones may not result in grave deficits always if the patient is neurologically intact before surgery. Also, in selected patients, only posterior approach may suffice for giant neurofibromas with extensive bone scalloping and complete removal can be attempted successfully despite narrow corridors.
Kümmell’s disease — uncommon or underreported disease: A clinicopathological account of a case and review of literature
Authors: Ranjan Manish , Sommana Samapth , Mahadevan Anita , Krishna Shankar Shankar , Prasad Chandrajit
Published: October 2013

Kümmell’s disease is a rare form of vertebral body osteonecrosis, which develops as a delayed post-traumatic event. It is infrequently reported in literature and to the best of our knowledge, has not been reported from India. We describe the clinical, radiological, and pathological features of a case occurring in a 60-year-old man and relevant brief review of the literature of this rare disease. Its close resemblance to more commonly occurring bony tuberculosis poses a diagnostic dilemma particularly in developing country like India, where tuberculosis is endemic. Awareness of this entity, though rare, is essential to avoid unnecessary diagnostic work up and treatment.
The “Skull Flap” a new conceived device for decompressive craniectomy experimental study on dogs to evaluate the safety and efficacy in reducing intracranial pressure and subsequent impact on brain perfusion
Authors: Salvatore Chibbaro , Leonardo Tigan , Pierre Kehrli , Paolo Diemidio , Fabrice Vallee , Marco Marsella , Thomas Lilin , Benoit Lecuelle , Salvatore Chibbaro , Bernard George , Eric Vicaut
Published: October 2013

Background: Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is a procedure performed increasingly often in current neurosurgical practice. Significant perioperative morbidity may be associated to this procedure because of the large skull defect; also, later closure of the skull defect (cranioplasty) may be associated to post‑operative morbidity as much as any other reconstructive operation. The authors present a newly conceived/developed device: The “Skull Flap” (SF). This system, placed at the time of the craniectomy, offers the possibility to provide cranial reconstruction sparing patients a second operation. In other words, DC and cranioplasty essentially take place at the same time and in addition, patients retain their own bone flap. The current study conducted on animal models, represents the logical continuation of a prior recent study, realized on cadaver specimens, to assess the efficacy and safety of this recently developed device. Materials and Methods: This is an experimental pilot study on dogs to assess both safety and efficacy of the SF device. Two groups of experimental raised intracranial pressure animal models underwent DC; in the first group of dogs, the bone flap was left in raised position above the skull defect using the SF device; on the second group the flap was discarded. All dogs underwent transcranial Doppler (TCD) to assess brain perfusion. Head computed tomography (CT) scan to determine flap position was also obtained in the group in which the SF device was placed. Results: SF has proved to be a strong fixation device that allows satisfactory brain decompression by keeping the bone flap elevated from the swollen brain; later on, the SF allows cranial reconstruction in a simple way without requiring a second staged operation. In addition, it is relevant to note that brain perfusion was measured and found to be better in the group receiving the SF (while the flap being in a raised as well as in its natural position) comparing to the other group. Conclusion: The SF device has proved to be very easy to place, well‑adaptable to a different type of flaps and ultimately very effective in maintaining satisfactory brain decompression and later on, making easy bone flap repositioning after brain swelling has subsided.
ASHAs in rural India, the ray of hope for diabetes care
Authors: Bhatt Bharathi
Published: October 2013

Out of 1.21 billion population of India, 69% of them live in rural areas. There is a wide disparity in the distribution of health infrastructure and services in rural areas as compared to that of urban areas. The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) launched in 2005, aimed to bridge this gap has introduced Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), as health activists into the rural health care. ASHA is an acronym for Accredited Social Health Activists and she has been so far instrumental in facilitating institutionalised delivery, child immunisation, ensuring family planning, besides organising village nutrition day. She has been the vital link between the community and the health care. India, as a nation that is progressing is trying to combat communicable diseases significantly but it is also witnessing the surfacing of a different problem. There is an increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes which poses a big economic burden so much so that NCDs have been labelled as ′a health and developmental emergency′. Diabetes competes with other health concerns in a struggle to secure government health funding. In this resource-limited context, innovative methods are required to reach out to people at grass root levels. ASHA, which means hope in Sanskrit, can be true to her name in providing increased access to diabetes care to the rural population, if adequately trained and empowered. A multi-stakeholder approach through a public-private-people partnership (PPPP) is needed to tackle the issue with this kind of magnitude. The current review focuses on providing suggestions on utilising ASHAs′ services in spreading awareness on diabetes and ensuring that people with diabetes (PWD) receive optimal diabetes care.
Psychosocial aspects of diabetes in pregnancy
Authors: Kalra Bharti , Balhara Yatan , Kalra Sanjay
Published: October 2013

Recent guidelines promote a patient-centered approach to the management of diabetes. The relevance of the bio-psychosocial model or holistic approach has also been explored in women′s health. Specifically, psychosocial and psychiatric morbidity has been appreciated and analyzed in pregnancy and the postpartum period. However, minimal attention has been focused on the psychosocial and social factors that impact pregnancy complicated by diabetes. This is even more surprising from a South Asian perspective, where deep-rooted sociocultural mores create a milieu that may not be very friendly to the antenatal woman with diabetes. This review discusses the psychosocial issues relevant in the context of pregnancy among diabetics. An approach to address these issues has also been highlighted.
One size fits all? The role of size in coalition formation and portfolio allocation after the local elections of 2006 in the Flemish region in Belgium
Authors: Olislagers Ellen , Steyvers Kristof
Published: October 2013

This paper focuses on the role of size in coalition formation in the Flemish region in Belgium after the local elections of 2006. A quantitative analysis already showed that size matters at the local level. In this paper, portfolio allocation is considered as an important part of coalition formation. This paper illustrates that combining research methods can enhance our knowledge about the role of size in the coalition formation process. The results demonstrate that parties consider a minimal winning and minimum parties coalition as a starting point for the negotiations and other factors influence the final coalition outcome. In portfolio allocation proportionality rules, but parties also prefer competences related to their policy profile. Intra-party and personal characteristics play an important role in selecting the executive mandates.
Exploring "Associative Talk": When German Mothers Instruct Their Two Year Olds about Spatial Tasks
Authors: Rohlfing Katharina J.
Published: October 2013

In this study, maternal input was analyzed during a task, in which German mothers instructed their two-year-old children to put two objects together in a particular way. In the setting, the spatial relation (ON and UNDER) and the canonicality of these relations (canonical such as ‘a pot on a table’ and noncanonical like ‘a train on a tunnel’) were varied. Two kinds of discourse strategies are proposed that characterize mothers’ input in this task: bring-in and follow-in. For the analysis, an automatic procedure was developed, in which the amount of words spent on a strategy was related to the overall word amount. The data suggest that the canonicality of the task can change the discourse: Bring-in strategies dominated the discourse in tasks with canonical spatial relations while in more difficult tasks with non-canonical relations, German-speaking mothers used follow-ins significantly more often than in the canonical tasks. Together, the results of this study shed light on the process of an on-line adaptation of the mother to her child and give us insight into how a situated understanding in a task-oriented discourse emerges.
Question Generation for French: Collating Parsers and Paraphrasing Questions
Authors: Bernhard Delphine , Viron Louis de , Moriceau Véronique , Tannier Xavier
Published: October 2013

This article describes a question generation system for French. The transformation of declarative sentences into questions relies on two different syntactic parsers and named entity recognition tools. This makes it possible to further diversify the questions generated and to possibly alleviate the problems inherent to the analysis tools. The system also generates reformulations for the questions based on variations in the question words, inducing answers with different granularities, and nominalisations of action verbs. We evaluate the questions generated for sentences extracted from two different corpora: a corpus of newspaper articles used for the CLEF Question Answering evaluation campaign and a corpus of simplified online encyclopedia articles. The evaluation shows that the system is able to generate a majority of good and medium quality questions. We also present an original evaluation of the question generation system using the question analysis module of a question answering system.
Are We There Yet?: The Development of a Corpus Annotated for Social Acts in Multilingual Online Discourse
Authors: Morgan Jonathan T. , Oxley Meghan , Bender Emily M. , Zhu Liyi , Gracheva Varya , Zachry Mark
Published: October 2013

We present the AAWD and AACD corpora, a collection of discussions drawn from Wikipedia talk pages and small group IRC discussions in English, Russian and Mandarin. Our datasets are annotated with labels capturing two kinds of social acts: alignment moves and authority claims. We describe these social acts, describe our annotation process, highlight challenges we encountered and strategies we employed during annotation, and present some analyses of resulting data set which illustrate the utility of our corpus and identify interactions among social acts and between participant status and social acts and in online discourse.
Annotation of negotiation processes in joint-action dialogues
Authors: Tenbrink Thora , Eberhard Kathleen , Shi Hui , K ̈ubler Sandra , Scheutz Matthias
Published: October 2013

Situated dialogic corpora are invaluable resources for understanding the complex relationship between language, perception, and action as they are based on naturalistic dialogue situations in which the interactants are given shared goals to be accomplished in the real world. In such situations, verbal interactions are intertwined with actions, and shared goals can only be achieved via dynamic negotiation processes based on common ground constructed from discourse history as well as the interactants' knowledge about the status of actions. In this paper, we propose four major dimensions of collaborative tasks that affect the negotiation processes among interactants, and, hence, the structure of the dialogue. Based on a review of available dialogue corpora and annotation manuals, we show that existing annotation schemes so far do not adequately account for the complex dialogue processes in situated task-based scenarios. We illustrate the effects of specific features of a scenario using annotated samples of dialogue taken from the literature as well as our own corpora, and end with a brief discussion of the challenges ahead.
Examination of the atmospheric conditions associated with high and low summer ozone levels in the lower troposphere over the eastern Mediterranean
Authors: Kalabokas P. D. , Cammas J.-P. , Thouret V. , Volz-Thomas A. , Boulanger D. , Repapis C. C.
Published: October 2013

Abstract. In order to evaluate the observed high rural ozone levels in the eastern Mediterranean area during summertime, vertical profiles of ozone measured in the period 1994–2008 in the framework of the MOZAIC project (Measurement of Ozone and Water Vapor by Airbus in Service Aircraft) over the eastern Mediterranean basin (Cairo, Tel Aviv, Heraklion, Rhodes, Antalya) were analyzed, focusing in the lower troposphere (1.5–5 km). At first, vertical profiles collected during extreme days with very high or very low tropospheric ozone mixing ratios have been examined together with the corresponding back-trajectories. Also, the average profiles of ozone, relative humidity, carbon monoxide, temperature gradient and wind speed corresponding to the 7% highest and the 7% lowest ozone mixing ratios for the 1500–5000 m height layer for Cairo and Tel Aviv have been examined and the corresponding composite maps of geopotential heights at 850 hPa have been plotted. Based on the above analysis, it turns out that the lower-tropospheric ozone variability over the eastern Mediterranean area is controlled mainly by the synoptic meteorological conditions, combined with local topographical and meteorological features. In particular, the highest ozone concentrations in the lower troposphere and subsequently in the boundary layer are associated with large-scale subsidence of ozone-rich air masses from the upper troposphere under anticyclonic conditions while the lowest ozone concentrations are associated with low pressure conditions inducing uplifting of boundary-layer air, poor in ozone and rich in relative humidity, to the lower troposphere.
The influence of food supply on the response of Olympia oyster larvae to ocean acidification
Authors: Hettinger A. , Sanford E. , Hill T. M. , Hosfelt J. D. , Russell A. D. , Gaylord B.
Published: October 2013

Abstract. Increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide drive accompanying changes in the marine carbonate system as carbon dioxide (CO2) enters seawater and alters ocean pH (termed "ocean acidification"). However, such changes do not occur in isolation, and other environmental factors have the potential to modulate the consequences of altered ocean chemistry. Given that physiological mechanisms used by organisms to confront acidification can be energetically costly, we explored the potential for food supply to influence the response of Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) larvae to ocean acidification. In laboratory experiments, we reared oyster larvae under a factorial combination of pCO2 and food level. Elevated pCO2 had negative effects on larval growth, total dry weight, and metamorphic success, but high food availability partially offset these influences. The combination of elevated pCO2 and low food availability led to the greatest reduction in larval performance. However, the effects of food and pCO2 interacted additively rather than synergistically, indicating that they operated independently. Despite the potential for abundant resources to counteract the consequences of ocean acidification, impacts were never completely negated, suggesting that even under conditions of enhanced primary production and elevated food availability, impacts of ocean acidification may still accrue in some consumers.
Calcification intensity in planktonic Foraminifera reflects ambient conditions irrespective of environmental stress
Authors: Weinkauf M. F. G. , Moller T. , Koch M. C. , Kučera M.
Published: October 2013

Abstract. Planktonic Foraminifera are important marine calcifiers, and the ongoing change in the oceanic carbon system makes it essential to understand the influence of environmental factors on the biomineralization of their shells. The amount of calcite deposited by planktonic Foraminifera during calcification has been hypothesized to reflect a range of environmental factors. However, it has never been assessed whether their calcification only passively responds to the conditions of the ambient seawater or whether it reflects changes in resource allocation due to physiological stress. To disentangle these two end-member scenarios, an experiment is required where the two processes are separated. A natural analogue to such an experiment occurred during the deposition of the Mediterranean sapropels, where large changes in surface water composition and stratification at the onset of the sapropel deposition were decoupled from local extinctions of planktonic Foraminifera species. We took advantage of this natural experiment and investigated the reaction of calcification intensity, expressed as mean area density (MAD), of four species of planktonic Foraminifera to changing conditions during the onset of Sapropel S5 (126–121 ka) in a sediment core from the Levantine Basin. We observed a significant relationship between MAD and surface water properties, as reflected by stable isotopes in the calcite of Foraminifera shells, but we failed to observe any reaction of calcification intensity on ecological stress during times of decreasing abundance culminating in local extinction. The reaction of calcification intensity to surface water perturbation at the onset of the sapropel was observed only in surface-dwelling species, but all species calcified more strongly prior to the sapropel deposition and less strongly within the sapropel than at similar conditions during the present-day. These results indicate that the high-salinity environment of the glacial Mediterranean Sea prior to sapropel deposition induced a~more intense calcification, whereas the freshwater injection to the surface waters associated with sapropel deposition inhibited calcification. The results are robust to changes in carbonate preservation and collectively imply that changes in normalized shell weight in planktonic Foraminifera should reflect mainly abiotic forcing.
Precipitation accumulation analysis – assimilation of radar-gauge measurements and validation of different methods
Authors: Gregow E. , Saltikoff E. , Albers S. , Hohti H.
Published: October 2013

Abstract. We investigate the appropriateness of four different methods to produce precipitation accumulation fields using radar data alone or combined with precipitation gauge data. These methods were validated for high-latitude weather conditions of Finland. The reference method uses radar reflectivity only, while three assimilation methods are used to blend radar and surface observations together, namely the linear analysis regression, the Barnes objective analysis and a new method based on a combination of the regression and Barnes techniques (RandB). The Local Analysis and Prediction System (LAPS) is used as a platform to calculate the four different hourly accumulation products over a 6-month period covering summer 2011. The performance of each method is verified against both dependent and independent observations (i.e. observations that are or are not included, respectively, into the precipitation accumulation analysis). The newly developed RandB method performs best according to our results. Applying the regression or Barnes assimilation analysis separately still yields better results for the accumulation products compared to precipitation accumulation derived from radar data alone.
Statistical analysis and modelling of surface runoff from arable fields in central Europe
Authors: Fiener P. , Auerswald K. , Winter F. , Disse M.
Published: October 2013

Abstract. Surface runoff generation on arable fields is an important driver of flooding, on-site and off-site damages by erosion, and of nutrient and agrochemical transport. In general, three different processes generate surface runoff (Hortonian runoff, saturation excess runoff, and return of subsurface flow). Despite the developments in our understanding of these processes it remains difficult to predict which processes govern runoff generation during the course of an event or throughout the year, when soil and vegetation on arable land are passing many states. We analysed the results from 317 rainfall simulations on 209 soils from different landscapes with a resolution of 14 286 runoff measurements to determine temporal and spatial differences in variables governing surface runoff, and to derive and test a statistical model of surface runoff generation independent from an a priori selection of modelled process types. Measured runoff was related to 20 time-invariant soil properties, three variable soil properties, four rain properties, three land use properties and many derived variables describing interactions and curvilinear behaviour. In an iterative multiple regression procedure, six of these properties/variables best described initial abstraction and the hydrograph. To estimate initial abstraction, the percentages of stone cover above 10% and of sand content in the bulk soil were needed, while the hydrograph could be predicted best from rain depth exceeding initial abstraction, rainfall intensity, soil organic carbon content, and time since last tillage. Combining the multiple regressions to estimate initial abstraction and surface runoff allowed modelling of event-specific hydrographs without an a priori assumption of the underlying process. The statistical model described the measured data well and performed equally well during validation. In both cases, the model explained 71 and 58% of variability in accumulated runoff volume and instantaneous runoff rate (RSME: 5.2 mm and 0.23 mm min−1, respectively), while RMSE of runoff volume predicted by the curve number model was 50% higher (7.7 mm). Stone cover, if it exceeded 10%, was most important for the initial abstraction, while time since tillage was most important for the hydrograph. Time since tillage is not taken into account either in typical lumped hydrological models (e.g. SCS curve number approach) or in more mechanistic models using Horton, Green and Ampt, or Philip type approaches to address infiltration although tillage affects many physical and biological soil properties that subsequently and gradually change again. This finding should foster a discussion regarding our ability to predict surface runoff from arable land, which seemed to be dominated by agricultural operations that introduce man-made seasonality in soil hydraulic properties.
Leak‐Detection Programs Identify and Control Water Loss
Authors: Titus Russell G. , Meston Rob , Johnson Jeff , Meschino Paul , Moore Randy
Published: October 2013

An effective leak‐management program is an important part of asset management. Numerous leak‐detection technologies and approaches are available, but a customized program will deliver the best results.
Regular Filter Cleaning Improves Bottom Line
Authors: Cashion Bob , Peters Jason
Published: October 2013

Filtration systems ‐ a utility's first line of defense against contamination ‐ are usually the most complex part of a water system. Regular filter maintenance extends equipment and facility life, decreases labor and repairs, and can reduce energy and chemical costs. This article is the first in a three‐part series about the importance of regular infrastructure cleaning and maintenance for equipment life and functionality, overall treatment performance, water quality, chemical requirements, and primary and secondary disinfection as well as disinfection by‐product control.
How Can We Keep One Disaster from Turning into Another Disaster?
Authors: Don Van Veldhuizen
Published: October 2013

A water operator's primary duty is to provide an uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water in sufficient quantities. Fulfilling that duty during and after a disaster and averting another disaster can be challenging.
Flin Flon: A Study of Company-Community Relations in a Single Enterprise Community
Authors: Robson Robert S.
Published: October 2013

Le développement de Flin Flon, véritable localité mono-industrielle, repose dans une grande mesure sur la politique de La Compagnie minière et métallurgique de la Baie d'Hudson Limitée. À l'époque de son établissement, La Compagnie se chargeait de l'expansion industrielle et de la communauté mais, au gré des circonstances, elle parvint à se défaire de tous projets visant la collectivité. En effet, lorsque Flin Flon fut constitué en corporation de ville en 1946, la Compagnie ne s'intégrait plus directement aux activités de la communauté. La Compagnie minière et métallurgique de la Baie d'Hudson Limitée était d'autant plus portée à envisager comme distincts l'un de l'autre les intérêts de la communauté et du commerce que cette dissociation allait de paire avec l'offre de travail. Il en ressort que la participation de la Compagnie au développement de la communauté était fonction de la main-d'oeuvre, à un point tel que, lorsqu'elle put finalement s'assurer une population active, La Compagnie minière et métallurgique de la Baie d'Hudson Limitée se retira des activités communautaires.
Visual Records and Urban Development
Authors: Burant Jim
Published: October 2013

Le présent article décrit l'histoire et les collections de la Division de l'iconographie des Archives publiques du Canada et souligne notamment leur utilisation en tant que documents relatifs à l'histoire du Canada. Ne s'intéressant point suffisamment à la création et aux créateurs des archives iconographiques, les chercheurs en font souvent un usage abusif peut-être plus que pour tout autre document d'archives. L'auteur cite divers exemples à l'appui de cette affirmation et porte son attention sur quelques livres dans lesquels une partie intégrale du texte est composée d'archives iconographiques. Nous sont fournis ensuite une courte liste de répertoires de publications, utile à l'étude des archives iconographiques du Canada, ainsi que des renseignements sur les procédures à suivre pour accéder aux collections de la Division de l'iconographie.
eLife and early career researchers
Authors: Schekman Randy , Watt Fiona M , Weigel Detlef
Published: October 2013

There are many reasons for submitting your best work to eLife, especially if you are an early career researcher.
Energetics of glass fragmentation: Experiments on synthetic and natural glasses
Authors: Kolzenburg S. , Russell J. K. , Kennedy L. A.
Published: October 2013

Natural silicate glasses are an essential component of many volcanic rock types including coherent and pyroclastic rocks; they span a wide range of compositions, occur in diverse environments, and form under a variety of pressure‐temperature conditions. In subsurface volcanic environments (e.g., conduits and feeders), melts intersect the thermodynamically defined glass transition temperature to form glasses at elevated confining pressures and under differential stresses. We present a series of room temperature experiments designed to explore the fundamental mechanical and fragmentation behavior of natural (obsidian) and synthetic glasses (Pyrex™) under confining pressures of 0.1–100 MPa. In each experiment, glass cores are driven to brittle failure under compressive triaxial stress. Analysis of the load‐displacement response curves is used to quantify the storage of energy in samples prior to failure, the (brittle) release of elastic energy at failure, and the residual energy stored in the post‐failure material. We then establish a relationship between the energy density within the sample at failure and the grain‐size distributions (D‐values) of the experimental products. The relationship between D‐values and energy density for compressive fragmentation is significantly different from relationships established by previous workers for decompressive fragmentation. Compressive fragmentation is found to have lower fragmentation efficiency than fragmentation through decompression (i.e., a smaller change in D‐value with increasing energy density). We further show that the stress storage capacity of natural glasses can be enhanced (approaching synthetic glasses) through heat treatment.
Magnetotail structure of the giant magnetospheres: Implications of the viscous interaction with the solar wind
Authors: Delamere P. A. , Bagenal F.
Published: October 2013

The internal sources of plasma in the giant magnetospheres of Jupiter and Saturn affect magnetospheric dynamics in terms of magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling and auroral current systems, as well as the interaction with the solar wind. The radial transport of plasma at Jupiter is well constrained to vary between 300 kg/s and 1200 kg/s over timescales of 20–60 days. Saturn's neutral‐dominated inner magnetosphere has presented a challenge for determining the radial mass transport rates with values ranging between 20 kg/s and 280 kg/s over timescales of 20–80 days. We present an estimate of the radial mass transport rates associated with magnetospheric plasma production for Jupiter and Saturn, assuming that magnetospheric plasma loss (equal to the plasma source) can be treated as mass pickup by the solar wind. That is, the magnetospheric plasma is assumed to be at rest with respect to the solar wind, analogous to cometary mass loading of the solar wind flow. This Alfvénic coupling between the solar wind and the magnetosphere suggests mass loading rates of 500–1500 kg/s for Jupiter and 20–50 kg/s for Saturn, consistent with observations and physical chemistry models. We discuss implications for magnetotail structure by considering the contribution of the viscous interaction of the solar wind with the giant magnetospheres. We suggest that a significant portion of the magnetotail structure can be attributed to this viscous interaction.
Estimating global black carbon emissions using a top‐down Kalman Filter approach
Authors: Cohen Jason Blake , Wang Chien
Published: October 2013

Black carbon (BC) is an important aerosol constituent in the atmosphere and climate forcer. A good understanding of the radiative forcing of BC and associated climate feedback and response is critical to minimize the uncertainty in predicting current and future climate influenced by anthropogenic aerosols. One reason for this uncertainty is that current emission inventories of BC are mostly obtained from the so‐called bottom‐up approach, an approach that derives emissions based on categorized emitting sources and emission factors used to convert burning mass to emissions. In this work, we provide a first global‐scale top‐down estimation of global BC emissions, as well as an estimated error range, by using a Kalman Filter. This method uses data of both column aerosol absorption optical depth and surface concentrations from global and regional networks to constrain our fully coupled climate‐aerosol‐urban model and thus to derive an optimized estimate of BC emissions as 17.8 ± 5.6 Tg/yr, a factor of more than 2 higher than commonly used global BC emissions data sets. We further perform 22 additional optimization simulations that incorporate the known uncertain ranges of various important physical, model, and measurement parameters and still yield an optimized value within the above given range, from a low of 14.6 Tg/yr to a high of 22.2 Tg/yr. Furthermore, we show that the emissions difference between our optimized and a priori estimation is not uniform, with East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe underestimated, while North America is overestimated in the a priori inventory.
On regionalizing the Turc‐Mezentsev water balance formula
Authors: Lebecherel Laure , Andréassian Vazken , Perrin Charles
Published: October 2013

The Turc‐Mezentsev water balance formula is a simple and efficient mathematical formulation relating long‐term average streamflow to long‐term average precipitation and potential evaporation. Usually, it is applied in its original form, i.e., without parameterization. This paper aims to assess the possibilities of regionalizing this formula for improved efficiency on ungaged catchments. Four regionalization options are compared based on: (i) the relative error, (ii) the arithmetic difference, (iii) the correcting factor of the aridity index, and (iv) the shape factor. The four alternatives are assessed in terms of efficiency and robustness on a large set of 609 French catchments. We show that introducing a correcting factor of the aridity index provides the best regionalization solution.
Isolation, Culture, and Characterization of Bacteriophages
Authors: Pelzek Adam J. , Schuch Raymond , Schmitz Jonathan E. , Fischetti Vincent A.
Published: October 2013

Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria. Phages are the most abundant biological entities on Earth, and have influential effects on every ecosystem. Phage genomes represent a vast gene pool from which bacteria can draw upon for rapid evolution. Since the co‐discovery of phages in 1915 by Frederick Twort and 1917 by Felix d'Herelle, their potential as subjects of laboratory research has been exploited to great effect. Phage research has resulted in important strides in biology, from the elucidation of the function of DNA and the discovery of messenger RNA to the study of basic molecular interactions and genetic regulation. These fascinatingly simple and diverse entities are also valuable as diagnostic tools, genetic screening vectors, and potential therapeutics. This article provides an overview of techniques essential for entering the world of bacteriophage study, and contains protocols for the propagation, maintenance, storage, and basic characterization of phages. Curr. Protoc. Essential Lab. Tech. 7:4.4.1‐4.4.33. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The “early life” origins of obesity‐related health disorders: New discoveries regarding the intergenerational transmission of developmentally programmed traits in the global cardiometabolic health crisis
Authors: Benyshek Daniel C.
Published: October 2013

Popular media reports concerning the causes of the current global obesity pandemic and its related sequelae—the cardiometabolic syndrome—are often couched in terms of dramatic changes in diet and lifestyle around the world; namely, drastically increasing dietary intakes of high energy foods and plummeting levels of daily physical activity—the hallmarks of the so called “nutrition transition.” Far less attention is generally drawn to the important role phenotypic plasticity during early life (i.e., “developmental programming”) plays in the cardiometabolic health crisis. Recently, however, researchers working within the field of the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) and epigenetics have extended our understanding of the role played by these developmental processes and capacities in health and disease even further by investigating the transmissible nature of developmentally programmed cardiometabolic traits to subsequent generations. In this review, after briefly revisiting the fundamental discoveries of first‐generation DOHaD research, I consider how recent discoveries regarding the transmissibility of developmentally acquired traits are providing new insights into the current global cardiometabolic pandemic, and how a better understanding of developmental programming—including transmissibility—are essential for the conceptualization and implementation of public health initiatives aimed at stemming this global health crisis. Am J Phys Anthropol 57:79–93, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Current index: A Proposal for a dynamic rating system for researchers
Authors: Fiala Dalibor
Published: October 2013

An index is proposed that is based on the h‐index and a 3‐year publication/citation window. When updated regularly, it shows the current scientific performance of researchers rather than their lifetime achievement as indicated by common scientometric indicators. In this respect, the new rating scheme resembles established sports ratings such as in chess or tennis. By the example of ACM SIGMOD E.F. Codd Innovations Award winners and Priestley Medal recipients, we illustrate how the new rating can be represented by a single number and visualized.
Production facilities for second‐generation biofuels in the USA and the EU – current status and future perspectives
Authors: Janssen Rainer , Turhollow Anthony F , Rutz Dominik , Mergner Rita
Published: October 2013

Second‐generation biofuel production facilities have been slower to reach large‐scale production than was anticipated a few years ago even though in Europe, the Renewable Energy Directive provides incentives; in the United States there are also financial incentives and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 has targets for second‐generation biofuels. But starting in 2013 it appears that significant quantities of second‐generation biofuels will be produced. A variety of conversion processes, thermochemical and biological, as well as hybrids of the two is being utilized. There will be a variety of fuels – ethanol, drop‐in fuels (e.g. gasoline, diesel), biodiesel, steam, electricity, bio‐oil, sugars, and chemicals; and a variety of feedstocks – crop residues, wood, wood wastes, energy crops, waste oils and municipal solid waste (MSW). One approach to reducing the risk of moving from first‐ to second‐generation biofuel production has been to take incremental steps such as converting the cellulosic part of grains into ethanol in addition to the starch portion. Many of the second‐generation biofuel facilities are co‐located with first‐generation biofuel production facilities to share infrastructure as well as trade by‐products (e.g. excess steam). One of the challenges has been financing, but both private and government sources are being utilized. Private sources include internal corporate funds and debt offerings, and venture capital. Government sources include the US federal government, the European Union, European national governments, and state and local governments. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Simultaneous monitoring of intracellular ATP and oxygen levels in chondrogenic differentiation using a dual‐color bioluminescence reporter
Authors: Kwon Hyuck Joon , Ohmiya Yoshihiro , Yasuda Kazunori
Published: October 2013

A number of assay methods which measure cellular metabolic activity have only measured intracellular ATP levels because it has been speculated that ATP production and oxygen consumption are obligatorily coupled to each other under normal conditions. However, there exist many cases in which ATP production and oxygen consumption are uncoupled. Therefore, measurement of only intracellular ATP levels has a limit for understanding the overall metabolic states during various cellular functions. Here, we report a novel system for simultaneously monitoring intracellular ATP and oxygen levels using a red‐emitting Phrixothrix hirtus luciferase (PxRe) and a blue‐emitting Renilla luciferase (Rluc). Using this system, we monitored the dynamic changes in both intracellular ATP and oxygen levels during chondrogenesis. We found that the oxygen level oscillated at twice the frequency of ATP in chondrogenesis and the oxygen oscillations have an antiphase mode to the ATP oscillations; we also found an independent mode for the ATP oscillations. This result indicates that both mitochondrial and non‐mitochondrial respiration oscillate and thus play a role in chondrogenesis. This dual‐color monitoring system is useful for studying metabolic regulations that underlie diverse cellular processes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.