bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strategies to develop strain-specific PCR based assays for probiotics
Authors: Treven P.
Published: April 2015

Since health benefits conferred by probiotics are strain-specific, identification to the strain level is mandatory to allow the monitoring of the presence and the abundance of specific probiotic in a product or in a gastrointestinal tract. Compared to standard plate counts, the reduced duration of the assays and higher specificity makes PCR-based methods (standard PCR and quantitative PCR) very appropriate for detection or quantification of probiotics. Development of strain-specific assay consists of 4 main stages: (1) strain-specific marker identification; (2) construction of potential strain-specific primers; (3) validation on DNA from pure cultures of target and related strains; and (4) validation on spiked samples. The most important and also the most challenging step is the identification of strain-specific sequences, which can be subsequently targeted by specific primers or probes. Such regions can be identified on sequences derived from 16S-23S internally transcribed spacers, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA, representational difference analysis and suppression subtractive hybridisation. Already known phenotypic or genotypic characteristics of the target strain can also be used to develop the strain-specific assay. However, the initial stage of strain-specific assay development can be replaced by comparative genomics analysis of target genome with related genomes in public databases. Advances in whole genome sequencing (WGS) have resulted in a cost reduction for bacterial genome sequencing and consequently have made this approach available to most laboratories. In the present paper I reviewed the available literature on PCR and qPCR assays developed for detection of a specific probiotic strain and discussed future WGS and comparative genomics-based approaches.
Psychophysiological and ergogenic effects of music in swimming
Authors: Olson R.L. , Brush C.J. , O’Sullivan D.J. , Alderman B.L.
Published: April 2015

We investigated the effects of listening to medium-to-fast tempo asynchronous music on performance, heart rate (HR), perceived exertion, and affect during an acute bout of swimming at a self-selected pace. Healthy college-aged recreational swimmers (n=20; M
age=20.3±2.0 years) were studied on two occasions in randomised order: swimming 1,200 m while listening to music (125-140 beats per minute) or during a no-music control trial. Following a period of habituation to the SwiMP3 audio player, HR, rating of perceived exertion, feeling scale responses and performance time trials were assessed for each 200 m during the 1,200 m freestyle swimming trial, each interspersed with a one min rest period. Participants swam significantly faster during the asynchronous music condition relative to control (P<0.01, η2
p=0.32). Although music had no significant influence on perceived exertion, the music condition was associated with more favourable arousal (P<0.01, η2
p=0.40) and affective (P<0.05, η2
p=0.19) responses. These findings suggest that both recreational and competitive swimmers may benefit from the use of underwater MP3 players and music.
Rein tension during canter
Authors: Egenvall A. , Eisersiö M. , Rhodin M. , van Weeren R. , Roepstorff L.
Published: April 2015

Riders generally use reins as a means for communication with the horse. At present, the signalling pattern is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to illustrate and analyse the rein tension patterns in a number of rider/horse combinations across a variety of exercises in the canter gait. Our hypothesis was that some riders will follow the movement of the horse more closely than others. Data were collected from eight professional riders riding each three (in one case two) horses that were familiar to them in canter. Horses were instrumented with rein tension meters logged by inertial measurement unit technique (IMU). Inside and outside rein tension data were synchronised with the gait using the vertical acceleration IMU-signal at the poll. Stride-split data (0-100 percentages) were analysed using mixed models technique to elucidate the inside/outside and stride percentage interaction, taking into account the exercises performed. In general, tension was maximal just before the beginning of vertical stance, as defined by the maximal acceleration of the head, with the release closer to the suspension phase. The release was significantly more marked on the outside rein, but between riders and horses the pattern varied substantially. In total 26% of the variation was represented by riders and 21% by the horses. On average there were significant inside/outside rein differences, but at the same time in some horse/rider combinations these differences did not exist.
Comparative need for spinal stabilisation between quadrupedal and bipedal locomotion
Authors: Valentin S. , Licka T.F.
Published: April 2015

Sheep are commonly used as an animal model for the human lumbar spine, but similarities in trunk muscle activity of humans and sheep during functional tasks, such as locomotion have not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate trunk and pelvic limb muscle activity during walk and run/trot gaits in man and sheep. Electromyography of the muscles erector spinae (ES), gluteus maximus (GM), rectus abdominis (RA), obliquus externus (OE) and obliquus internus (OI) were collected in 24 humans and 15 sheep during treadmill walk and run/trot. Kinematic data from the tarsus (human) or metatarsus (sheep) were obtained to define motion cycles and determine stride characteristics. Mean and range of normalised muscle activity were calculated. In phasic muscles, the occurrence of the maximum was reported. At walk, mean activity was greater in humans for all three abdominal muscles (all P<0.01). At the run/trot, mean activity of ES was significantly greater in sheep (P<0.05) and mean activity of right OI was greater in humans (P=0.016). At the walk, range of ES activity was significantly greater in humans compared to sheep (P<0.01), but significantly smaller in humans in RA and right OE (P<0.05). At the run/trot, range of activity was significantly greater in humans compared to sheep in all muscles (P<0.05), except right RA and OI. Compared to humans, occurrence of maximum activity was earlier in sheep for ES right during walk (P=0.005), and later for GM during walk and run/trot (P<0.001). The results suggest that numerous differences in trunk muscle activity exist between man and sheep during treadmill walk and run/trot, and that these differences are muscle-and gait-specific. Trunk muscle activity should therefore be regarded as species-specific which suggests differences in stabilisation strategies. This should be taken into consideration when extrapolating animal model findings to the human spine.
The Rho GTPase Cdc42 Is Essential for the Activation and Function of Mature B Cells
Authors: Gerasimcik Natalija , Dahlberg Carin I. M. , Baptista Marisa A. P. , Massaad Michel J. , Geha Raif S. , Westerberg Lisa S. , Severinson Eva
Published: April 2015

The Rho GTPase Cdc42 coordinates regulation of the actin and the microtubule cytoskeleton by binding and activating the Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein. We sought to define the role of intrinsic expression of Cdc42 by mature B cells in their activation and function. Mice with inducible deletion of Cdc42 in mature B cells formed smaller germinal centers and had a reduced Ab response, mostly of low affinity to T cell–dependent Ag, compared with wild-type (WT) controls. Spreading formation of long protrusions that contain F-actin, microtubules, and Cdc42-interacting protein 4, and assumption of a dendritic cell morphology in response to anti-CD40 plus IL-4 were impaired in Cdc42-deficient B cells compared with WT B cells. Cdc42-deficient B cells had an intact migratory response to chemokine in vitro, but their homing to the B cell follicles in the spleen in vivo was significantly impaired. Cdc42-deficient B cells induced a skewed cytokine response in CD4+ T cells, compared with WT B cells. Our results demonstrate a critical role for Cdc42 in the motility of mature B cells, their cognate interaction with T cells, and their differentiation into Ab-producing cells.
Ex Vivo and In Vitro Effect of Serum Amyloid A in the Induction of Macrophage M2 Markers and Efferocytosis of Apoptotic Neutrophils
Authors: Sun Lei , Zhou Huibin , Zhu Ziyan , Yan Qian , Wang Lili , Liang Qing , Ye Richard D.
Published: April 2015

Macrophages affect the magnitude and duration of inflammatory response in a functionally heterogeneous manner. The phenotype of macrophages is maintained through a reversible homeostatic mechanism. A number of determinants that modulate macrophage plasticity have been identified, although the precise mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we report that stimulation of isolated human blood monocytes and mouse bone marrow–derived macrophages with human serum amyloid A (SAA), a major acute-phase protein, leads to induced expression of macrophage M2 markers, including IL-10, Ym1, Fizz-1, MRC1, IL-1Rn, and CCL17. The same effect was observed with macrophages exposed to SAA in peritoneal cavity. SAA also increases arginase 1 activity and enhances macrophage efferocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils in mouse macrophages. The induction of M2 markers requires MyD88 and the activation of multiple signaling pathways, but it is independent of Stat6. SAA induces IFN regulatory factor (IRF)4 expression and increases its DNA-binding activity. Silencing IRF4 by small interfering RNA abrogates SAA-induced expression of the M2 markers. These results suggest a potential role for SAA to alter macrophage phenotype and modulate macrophage functions through an MyD88-dependent mechanism that involves IRF4-mediated transcription.
Histamine Promotes the Development of Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells and Reduces Tumor Growth by Targeting the Myeloid NADPH Oxidase
Authors: Martner Anna , Wiktorin Hanna G. , Lenox Brianna , Ewald Sander Frida , Aydin Ebru , Aurelius Johan , Thorén Fredrik B. , Ståhlberg Anders , Hermodsson Svante , Hellstrand Kristoffer
Published: April 2015

The efficiency of immune-mediated clearance of cancer cells is hampered by immunosuppressive mediators in the malignant microenvironment, including NADPH oxidase–derived reactive oxygen species. We aimed at defining the effects of histamine, an inhibitor of the myeloid NADPH oxidase/NOX2, on the development of Ag-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) from myeloid precursors and the impact of these mechanisms for tumor growth. Histamine was found to promote the maturation of human DCs from monocytes by increasing the expression of HLA-DR and costimulatory molecules, which resulted in improved induction of Th cells with Th0 polarity. Experiments using wild-type and NOX2-deficient myelomonoblastic cells showed that histamine facilitated myeloid cell maturation only in cells capable of generating reactive oxygen species. Treatment of mice with histamine reduced the growth of murine EL-4 lymphomas in parallel with an increment of tumor-infiltrating DCs in NOX2-sufficient mice but not in NOX2-deficient (gp91phox−/−) mice. We propose that strategies to target the myeloid NADPH oxidase may facilitate the development of endogenous DCs in cancer.
Cost Analysis of Tests for the Detection of Schistosoma mansoni Infection in Children in Western Kenya
Authors: Worrell Caitlin M. , Bartoces Monina , Karanja Diana M. S. , Ochola Elizabeth A. , Matete Daniel O. , Mwinzi Pauline N. M. , Montgomery Susan P. , Secor W. Evan
Published: April 2015

Financial resources tend to be limited in schistosomiasis endemic areas, forcing program managers to balance financial and scientific considerations when selecting detection assays. Therefore, we compared the costs of using single stool Kato-Katz, triplicate stool Kato-Katz, and point-of-contact circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) assays for the detection of Schistosoma mansoni infection. Economic and financial costs were estimated from the viewpoint of a schistosomiasis control program using the ingredients approach. Costs related to specimen collection, sample processing and analysis, and treatment delivery were considered. Analysis inputs and assumptions were tested using one-way and two-way sensitivity analysis. The total per-person cost of performing the single Kato-Katz, triplicate Kato-Katz, and POC-CCA was US$6.89, US$17.54, and US$7.26, respectively. Major cost drivers included labor, transportation, and supplies. In addition, we provide a costing tool to guide program managers in evaluating detection costs in specific settings, as costs may vary temporally and spatially.
Serological Investigation of Heartland Virus (Bunyaviridae: Phlebovirus) Exposure in Wild and Domestic Animals Adjacent to Human Case Sites in Missouri 2012–2013
Authors: Bosco-Lauth Angela M. , Panella Nicholas A. , Root J. Jeffrey , Gidlewski Tom , Lash R. Ryan , Harmon Jessica R. , Burkhalter Kristen L. , Godsey Marvin S. , Savage Harry M. , Nicholson William L. , Komar Nicholas , Brault Aaron C.
Published: April 2015

Heartland virus (HRTV; Bunyaviridae: Phlebovirus) has recently emerged as a causative agent of human disease characterized by thrombocytopenia and leukopenia in the United States. The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum L.) has been implicated as a vector. To identify candidate vertebrate amplification hosts associated with enzootic maintenance of the virus, sera and ticks were sampled from 160 mammals (8 species) and 139 birds (26 species) captured near 2 human case residences in Andrew and Nodaway Counties in northwest Missouri. HRTV-specific neutralizing antibodies were identified in northern raccoons (42.6%), horses (17.4%), white-tailed deer (14.3%), dogs (7.7%), and Virginia opossums (3.8%), but not in birds. Virus isolation attempts from sera and ticks failed to detect HRTV. The high antibody prevalence coupled with local abundance of white-tailed deer and raccoons identifies these species as candidate amplification hosts.
Yaws: 110 Years After Castellani's Discovery of Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue
Authors: Stamm Lola V.
Published: April 2015

Yaws is a neglected infectious disease that affects mostly children and adolescents living in poor, rural communities in humid, tropical areas of Africa, southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. The etiological agent of yaws, Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue (T. pertenue), was discovered by Aldo Castellani in 1905 shortly after Schaudinn and Hoffmann discovered the etiological agent of syphilis, T. pallidum subspecies pallidum. The discovery of T. pertenue enabled the development of animal models and the identification of an effective antibiotic treatment (i.e., penicillin) for yaws. A World Health Organization (WHO) mass treatment campaign from 1952 to 1964 reduced the global burden of yaws by 95%, but failed to eradicate this disease. Today, 110 years after Castellani's discovery of T. pertenue, yaws is again targeted for eradication. Recent advances in the treatment and diagnosis of yaws improve the likelihood of success this time. However, several challenges must be overcome to make the goal of yaws eradication attainable.
Meta-Analysis in a Nutshell: Techniques and General Findings
Authors: Paldam Martin
Published: April 2015

The purpose of this article is to introduce the technique and main findings of meta-analysis to the reader, who is unfamiliar with the field and has the usual objections. A meta-analysis is a quantitative survey of a literature reporting estimates of the same parameter. The funnel showing the distribution of the estimates is normally amazingly wide given their t-ratios. Little of the variation can be explained by the quality of the journal (as measured by its impact factor) or by the estimator used. The funnel has often asymmetries consistent with the most likely priors of the researchers, giving a publication bias.
The Bloomsbury Companion to M. A. K. Halliday
Authors: Webster Jonathan J.
Published: April 2015

The Bloomsbury Companion to M. A. K. Halliday is a comprehensive and accessible reference resource to one of the world’s leading and most influential linguists.

Born in 1925, Halliday is the figure most responsible for the development of systemic functional linguistics (SFL). The impact of his work extends beyond linguistics, into the study of stylistics, computation linguistics, visual narrative and multimodal communication. He is considered a founder of the field of social semiotics. Written by leading figures in the field, the volume provides readers with an authoritative overview of his early career, his most important theoretical findings and how his work has influenced linguistics as a discipline. From the publishers of his ‘Collected Works’ and ‘The Essential Halliday’, this is another must have book underlining Halliday’s era-defining impact on the field of linguistics.
Shakespeare and Economic Theory
Authors: Hawkes David
Published: April 2015

Over the last 20 years, the concept of ‘economic’ activity has come to seem inseparable from psychological, semiotic and ideological experiences. In fact, the notion of the ‘economy’ as a discrete area of life seems increasingly implausible. This returns us to the situation of Shakespeare’s England, where the financial had yet to be differentiated from other forms of representation. This book shows how concepts and concerns that were until recently considered purely economic affected the entire range of sixteenth and seventeenth century life.

Using the work of such critics as Jean-Christophe Agnew, Douglas Bruster, Hugh Grady and many others, Shakespeare and Economic Theory traces economic literary criticism to its cultural and historical roots, and discusses its main practitioners. Providing new readings of Timon of Athens, King Lear, The Winter’s Tale, The Merchant of Venice, Measure for Measure, the Sonnets, Julius Caesar, Macbeth and The Tempest, David Hawkes shows how it can reveal previously unappreciated qualities of Shakespeare’s work.
Othello
Authors: Evans Robert C.
Published: April 2015

There is no abstract available for this title.
Civil Uprisings in Modern Sudan
Authors: Berridge W. J.
Published: April 2015

In the wake of the protests that toppled regimes across the Middle East in 2011, Sudanese activists and writers have proudly cited their very own ‘Arab Springs’ of 1964 and 1985, which overthrew the country's first two military regimes, as evidence of their role as political pioneers in the region. Whilst some of these claims may be exaggerated, Sudan was indeed unique in the region at the time in that it witnessed not one but two popular uprisings which successfully uprooted military authoritarianisms.

Civil Uprisings in Modern Sudan provides the first scholarly book-length history of the 1964 and 1985 uprisings. It explores the uprisings themselves, their legacy and the contemporary relevance they hold in the context of the current political climate of the Middle East. The book also contends that the sort of politics espoused by various kinds of Islamist during the uprisings can be interpreted as a form of early ‘post-Islamism’, in which Islamist political agendas were seen to be compatible with liberalism and democracy.

Using interviews, Arabic language sources and a wealth of archival material, this book is an important and original study that is of great significance for scholars of African and Middle Eastern political history.
Transforming the Teaching of Shakespeare with the Royal Shakespeare Company
Authors: Winston Joe
Published: April 2015

This book tells the story of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s acclaimed and influential project to transform the teaching of Shakespeare in schools. It examines their approaches to making his plays more accessible, enjoyable and relevant to young people, describing the innovative classroom practices that the Company has pioneered and locating these within a clearly articulated theory of learning. It also provides evidence of their impact on children and young people’s experience of Shakespeare, drawing upon original research as well as research commissioned by the RSC itself.

Authoritative but highly readable, the book is relevant to anyone with an interest in the teaching of Shakespeare, and in how a major cultural organisation can have a real impact on the education of young people from a wide range of social backgrounds. It benefits from interviews with key policy makers and practitioners from within the RSC, including their legendary voice coach, Cicely Berry, and with internationally renowned figures such as the writer and academic, Jonathan Bate; the previous artistic director of the RSC, Michael Boyd; and the celebrated playwright, Tim Crouch.
Shakespeare in London
Authors: Crawforth Hannah , Dustagheer Sarah , Young Jennifer
Published: April 2015

Shakespeare in London offers a lively and engaging new reading of some of Shakespeare’s major work, informed by close attention to the language of his drama. The focus of the book is on Shakespeare’s London, how it influenced his drama and how he represents it on stage. Taking readers on an imaginative journey through the city, the book moves both chronologically, from beginning to end of Shakespeare’s dramatic career, and also geographically, traversing London from west to east.

Each chapter focuses on one play and one key location, drawing out the thematic connections between that place and the drama it underwrites. Plays discussed in detail include Hamlet, Measure for Measure, The Merchant of Venice, The Tempest, King Lear and Romeo and Juliet. Close textual readings accompany the wealth of contextual material, providing a fresh and exciting way into Shakespeare’s work.
Strange Assemblage
Authors: Cole David Robert
Published: April 2015

This paper contends that the power of Deleuze & Guattari’s (1988) notion of assemblage as theorised in 1000 Plateaus can be normalised and reductive with reference to its application to any social-cultural context where an open system of dynamic and fluid elements are located. Rather than determining the assemblage in this way, this paper argues for an alternative conception of ‘strange assemblage’ that must be deliberately and consciously created through rigorous and focused intellectual, creative and philosophical work around what makes assemblages singular. The paper will proceed with examples of ‘strange assemblage’ taken from a film by Peter Greenaway (A Zed and 2 Noughts); the film ‘Performance’; educational research with Sudanese families in Australia; the book, Bomb Culture by Jeff Nuttall (1970); and the band Hawkwind. Fittingly, these elements are themselves chosen to demonstrate the concept of ‘strange assemblage’, and how it can be presented. How exactly the elements of a ‘strange assemblage’ come together and work in the world is unknown until they are specifically elaborated and created ‘in the moment’. Such spontaneous methodology reminds us of the 1960s ‘Happenings’, the Situationist International and Dada/Surrealism. The difference that will be opened up by this paper is that all elements of this ‘strange assemblage’ cohere in terms of a rendering of ‘the unacceptable.'
Visualising ‘Unacceptable’ Lives? The Moving Story of Hikari to tomo ni (With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child, 2001-2010)
Authors: Bryce Mio , Matthews Nicole , Takeyama Yuki
Published: April 2015

In this article we will interrogate the notion of ‘the unacceptable’ by tracing the movement of a particular text – a series of manga novels by Keiko Tobe entitled Hikari to tomo ni (With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child, 2001-2010) – from serialisation in a Japanese women’s magazine, to publication in Japanese as a series of manga novels, to publication in English in book form. In following this text – a narrative of parenting a child with autism from birth to adolescence - through its various contexts of production and reception, we want to raise doubts about a shibboleth of a particular kind of media and cultural studies - that the unacceptability of a text in mainstream popular or political contexts makes it particularly interesting from a scholarly point of view. Our account of Hikari to tomo ni’s movement through its various contexts of publication and reception supports Mitchell and Snyder’s argument that disability politics does not allow easy categorization of representations into ‘straightforward catalogues of “acceptable” and “unacceptable”’ (Mitchell and Snyder, 2001, 213). The context of the original publication of the serial in Japan demonstrates the barriers to publication of manga centring on experiences of disablement. Such stories were seen as commercially unacceptable not only because they seemed difficult to market as entertainment, but also because they required the use of contested language which might draw unprofitable attention. Tobe’s work and its enthusiastic reception by the readers of For Mrs. ultimately overcame publishers’ qualms. Yet the visual strategies adopted by Hikari to tomo ni and the reception of this manga in an English language context demonstrate the way its writer and publishers manage its apparently unacceptable theme.
Heart Hold On Crónica
Authors: Chavez-Silverman Susana
Published: April 2015

To follow
Spatial and temporal variation in CO over Alberta using measurements from satellites, aircraft, and ground stations
Authors: Marey H. S. , Hashisho Z. , Fu L. , Gille J.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. Alberta is Canada's largest oil producer, and its oil sands deposits comprise 30% of the world's oil reserves. The process of bitumen extraction and upgrading releases trace gases and aerosols to the atmosphere. In this study we present satellite-based analysis to explore, for the first time, various contributing factors that affect tropospheric carbon monoxide (CO) levels over Alberta. The multispectral product that uses both near-infrared (NIR) and the thermal-infrared (TIR) radiances for CO retrieval from the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) is examined for the 12-year period from 2002 to 2013. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) thermal anomaly product from 2001 to 2013 is employed to investigate the seasonal and temporal variations in forest fires. Additionally, in situ CO measurements at industrial and urban sites are compared to satellite data. Furthermore, the available MOZAIC/IAGOS (Measurement of Ozone, Water Vapor, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxide by Airbus In-Service Aircraft/In service Aircraft for Global Observing System) aircraft CO profiles (April 2009–December 2011) are used to validate MOPITT CO data. The climatological time curtain plot and spatial maps for CO over northern Alberta indicate the signatures of transported CO for two distinct biomass burning seasons: summer and spring. Distinct seasonal patterns of CO at the urban sites (Edmonton and Calgary) point to the strong influence of traffic. Meteorological parameters play an important role in the CO spatial distribution at various pressure levels. Northern Alberta shows a stronger upward lifting motion which leads to larger CO total column values, while the poor dispersion in central and southern Alberta exacerbates the surface CO pollution. Interannual variations in satellite data depict a slightly decreasing trend for both regions, while the decline trend is more evident from ground observations, especially at the urban sites. MOPITT CO vertical averages and MOZAIC/IAGOS aircraft profiles were in good agreement within the standard deviations at all pressure levels. There is consistency between the time evolution of high-CO episodes monitored by satellite and ground measurements and the fire frequency peak time, which implies that biomass burning has affected the tropospheric CO distribution in northern Alberta. These findings have further demonstrated the potential use of the MOPITT V5 multispectral (NIR + TIR) product for assessing a complicated surface process.
Parameterizations for convective transport in various cloud-topped boundary layers
Authors: Sikma M. , Ouwersloot H. G.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. We investigate the representation of convective transport of atmospheric compounds that can be applied in large-scale models. We focus on three key parameterizations that, when combined, express this transport: the area fraction of transporting clouds, the upward velocity in the cloud cores and the chemical concentrations at the cloud base. The first two parameterizations combined represent the mass flux by clouds. To investigate the key parameterizations under a wide range of conditions, we use Large-Eddy Simulation model data for 10 meteorological situations, characterized by either shallow cumulus or stratocumulus clouds. In the analysis of the area fraction of clouds, we (i) simplify the independent variable used for the parameterization, Q1, by considering the variability in moisture rather than in the saturation deficit. We show that there is an unambiguous dependence of the area fraction of clouds on the simplified Q1, and update the parameters in the parameterization to account for this simplification. We (ii) further demonstrate that the independent variable has to be evaluated locally to capture cloud presence. Furthermore, we (iii) show that the area fraction of transporting clouds is not represented by the parameterization for the total cloud area fraction, as is currently applied in large-scale models. To capture cloud transport, a novel active cloud area fraction parameterization is proposed. Subsequently, the scaling of the upward velocity in the clouds' core by the Deardorff convective velocity scale and the parameterization for the concentration of atmospheric reactants at cloud base from literature are verified and improved by analyzing 6 SCu cases. For the latter, we additionally discuss how the parameterization is affected by wind conditions. This study contributes to a more accurate estimation of convective transport in large-scale models, which occurs there at sub-grid scale.
Sensitivity analysis of the potential impact of discrepancies in stratosphere–troposphere exchange on inferred sources and sinks of CO2
Authors: Deng F. , Jones D. B. A. , Walker T. W. , Keller M. , Bowman K. W. , Henze D. K. , Nassar R. , Kort E. A. , Wofsy S. C. , Walker K. A. , Bourassa A. E. , Degenstein D. A.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. The upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) represents a transition region between the more dynamically active troposphere and more stably stratified stratosphere. The region is characterized by strong gradients in the distribution of long-lived tracers, which are sensitive to discrepancies in transport in models. We evaluate the GEOS-Chem model in the UTLS using carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone (O3) observations from the HIAPER (The High-Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research) Pole-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO) campaign in March 2010. GEOS-Chem CO2 / O3 correlation suggests that there is a discrepancy in mixing across the tropopause in the model, which results in an overestimate of CO2 and an underestimate of O3 in the Arctic lower stratosphere. We assimilate stratospheric O3 data from OSIRIS and used the assimilated O3 fields together with the HIPPO CO2 / O3 correlations to obtain a correction to the modeled CO2 profile in the Arctic UTLS (primarily between the 320 and 360 K isentropic surfaces). The HIPPO-derived correction corresponds to a sink of 0.13 Pg C month−1 in the Arctic. Imposing this sink during March–August 2010 results in a reduction in the CO2 sinks inferred from GOSAT observations for temperate North America, Europe, and tropical Asia of 20, 12, and 50%, respectively. Conversely, the inversion increased the source of CO2 from tropical South America by 20%. We found that the model also underestimated CO2 in the upper tropical and subtropical troposphere, which may be linked by mixing across the subtropical tropopause. Correcting for the bias relative to HIPPO in the tropical upper troposphere, by imposing a source of 0.33 Pg C, led to a reduction in the source from tropical South America by 44%, and produced a flux estimate for tropical Asia that was in agreement with the standard inversion (without the imposed source and sink). However, the seasonal transition from a source to a sink of CO2 for tropical Asia was shifted from April to June. It is unclear whether the discrepancies found in the UTLS are due to errors in mixing associated with the large-scale dynamics or are due to the numerical errors in the advection scheme. However, our results illustrate that discrepancies in the CO2 distribution in the UTLS can affect CO2 flux inversions and suggest the need for more careful evaluation of model transport errors in the UTLS.
Biotic stress accelerates formation of climate-relevant aerosols in boreal forests
Authors: Joutsensaari J. , Yli-Pirilä P. , Korhonen H. , Arola A. , Blande J. D. , Heijari J. , Kivimäenpää M. , Mikkonen S. , Hao L. , Miettinen P. , Lyytikäinen-Saarenmaa P. , Faiola C. L. , Laaksonen A. , Holopainen J. K.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. Boreal forests are a major source of climate-relevant biogenic secondary organic aerosols (SOA) and will be greatly influenced by increasing temperature. Global warming is predicted to increase emissions of reactive biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) from vegetation directly, but will also induce large-scale insect outbreaks, which significantly increase emissions of reactive BVOC. Thus, climate change factors could substantially accelerate the formation of biogenic SOA in the troposphere. In this study, we have combined results from field and laboratory experiments, satellite observations and global scale modelling in order to evaluate the effects of insect herbivory and large-scale outbreaks on SOA formation and the Earth's climate. Field measurements demonstrated 11-fold and 20-fold increases in monoterpene and sesquiterpene emissions, respectively, from damaged trees during a pine sawfly (Neodiprion sertifer) outbreak in eastern Finland. Laboratory chamber experiments showed that feeding by pine weevils (Hylobius abietis) increased VOC emissions from Scots pine and Norway spruce seedlings by 10–50 fold resulting in 200–1000 fold increases in SOA masses formed via ozonolysis. The influence of insect damage on aerosol concentrations in boreal forests was studied with a global chemical transport model GLOMAP and MODIS satellite observations. Global scale modelling was performed using a 10-fold increase in monoterpene emission rates and assuming 10% of the boreal forest area was experiencing outbreak. Results showed a clear increase in total particulate mass (local max. 480%) and cloud condensation nuclei concentrations (45%). Satellite observations indicated a two-fold increase in aerosol optical depth (AOD) over western Canada's pine forests in August during a bark beetle outbreak. These results suggest that more frequent insect outbreaks in a warming climate could result in substantial increase in biogenic SOA formation in the boreal zone and, thus, affect both aerosol direct and indirect forcing of climate at regional scales. The effect of insect outbreaks on VOC emissions and SOA formation should be considered in future climate predictions.
Dynamics of air–sea CO2 fluxes in the North-West European Shelf based on Voluntary Observing Ship (VOS) and satellite observations
Authors: Marrec P. , Cariou T. , Macé E. , Morin P. , Salt L. A. , Vernet M. , Taylor B. , Paxman K. , Bozec Y.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. From January 2011 to December 2013, we constructed a comprehensive pCO2 dataset based on voluntary observing ship (VOS) measurements in the Western English Channel (WEC). We subsequently estimated surface pCO2 and air–sea CO2 fluxes in north-west European continental shelf waters using multiple linear regressions (MLRs) from remotely sensed sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll a concentration (Chl a), the gas transfer velocity coefficient (K), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and modeled mixed layer depth (MLD). We developed specific MLRs for the seasonally stratified northern WEC (nWEC) and the permanently well-mixed southern WEC (sWEC) and calculated surface pCO2 with relative uncertainties of 17 and 16 μatm, respectively. We extrapolated the relationships obtained for the WEC based on the 2011–2013 dataset (1) temporally over a decade and (2) spatially in the adjacent Celtic and Irish Seas (CS and IS), two regions which exhibit hydrographical and biogeochemical characteristics similar to those of WEC waters. We validated these extrapolations with pCO2 data from the SOCAT database and obtained relatively robust results with an average precision of 4 ± 22 μatm in the seasonally stratified nWEC and the southern and northern CS (sCS and nCS), but less promising results in the permanently well-mixed sWEC, IS and Cap Lizard (CL) waters. On an annual scale, seasonally stratified systems acted as a sink of CO2 from the atmosphere of −0.4, −0.9 and −0.4 mol C m−2 year−1 in the nCS, sCS and nWEC, respectively, whereas, permanently well-mixed systems acted as source of CO2 to the atmosphere of 0.2, 0.4 and 0.4 mol C m−2 year−1 in the sWEC, CL and IS, respectively. Air–sea CO2 fluxes showed important inter-annual variability resulting in significant differences in the intensity and/or direction of annual fluxes. We scaled the mean annual fluxes over six provinces for the last decade and obtained the first annual average uptake of −0.95 Tg C year−1 for this part of the north-western European continental shelf. Our study showed that combining VOS data with satellite observations can be a powerful tool to estimate and extrapolate air–sea CO2 fluxes in sparsely sampled area.
Investigation on protalus ramparts in the Swiss Alps
Authors: Scapozza C.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. The origin and classification of landforms denominated as "protalus ramparts" in the scientific literature is a problem that is far from being resolved. The main objective of this contribution is to support a permafrost-related definition of protalus ramparts. If we consider the Alpine framework, protalus ramparts are generally very rare landforms; by contrast, the Alpine periglacial belt is characterised by a large diffusion of talus slopes and talus rock glaciers. The investigations carried out in six sites of the Valais Alps (Switzerland) allow eight major "diagnostic criteria" to be presented that help to define protalus ramparts in Alpine environments and that support the permafrost-related genesis of most of them. The major source of controversy is related to the use of the term protalus rampart to designate both a nivo-gravitational landform (also called "pronival ramparts") and a permafrost-related landform. All the considerations presented here allow an active protalus rampart to be defined simply as a (small) active talus rock glacier.
A wing pod-based millimeter wavelength airborne cloud radar
Authors: Vivekanandan J. , Ellis S. , Tsai P. , Loew E. , Lee W. C. , Emmett J. , Dixon M. , Burghart C. , Rauenbuehler S.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. This paper describes a novel, airborne pod-based millimeter wavelength radar. Its frequency of operation is 94 GHz (3 mm wavelength). The radar has been designed to fly on the NCAR Gulfstream V HIAPER aircraft; however, it could be deployed on other similarly equipped aircraft. The pod-based configuration occupies minimum cabin space and maximizes scan coverage. The radar system is capable of collecting observations in a staring mode between zenith and nadir or in a scanning mode. Standard pulse-pair estimates of moments and raw time series of backscattered signals are recorded. The radar system design and characteristics, as well as techniques for calibrating reflectivity and correcting Doppler velocity for aircraft attitude and motion are described. The radar can alternatively be deployed in a ground-based configuration, housed in the 20 ft shipping container it shares with the High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL). The radar was tested both on the ground and in flight. Preliminary measurements of Doppler and polarization measurements were collected and examples are presented.
Evaluation of modeled surface ozone biases as a function of cloud cover fraction
Authors: Kim H. C. , Lee P. , Ngan F. , Tang Y. , Yoo H. L. , Pan L.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. A regional air-quality forecast system's model of surface ozone variability based on cloud coverage is evaluated using satellite-observed cloud fraction (CF) information and a surface air-quality monitoring system. We compared CF and daily maximum ozone from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Air Quality Forecast Capability (NOAA NAQFC) with CFs from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's AirNow surface ozone measurements during May to October 2014. We found that observed surface ozone shows a clear (negative) correlation with the MODIS CFs, showing around 1 ppb decrease for 10% MODIS CF change over the Contiguous United States, while the correlation of modeled surface ozone with the model CFs is much weaker, showing only −0.5 ppb per 10% NAQFC CF change. Further, daytime CF differences between MODIS and NAQFC are correlated with modeled surface-ozone biases between AirNow and NAQFC, showing −1.05 ppb per 10% CF change, implying that spatial- and temporal-misplacement of the modeled cloud field might have biased modeled surface ozone-level. Current NAQFC cloud fields seem to be too bright compared to MODIS cloud fields (mean NAQFC CF = 0.38 and mean MODIS CF = 0.55), contributing up to 35% of surface-ozone bias in the current NAQFC system.
Long-term and high frequency non-destructive monitoring of water stable isotope profiles in an evaporating soil column
Authors: Rothfuss Y. , Merz S. , Vanderborght J. , Hermes N. , Weuthen A. , Pohlmeier A. , Vereecken H. , Brüggemann N.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. The stable isotope compositions of soil water (δ2H and δ18O) carry important information about the prevailing soil hydrological conditions and for constraining ecosystem water budgets. However, they are highly dynamic, especially during and after precipitation events. The classical method of determining soil water δ2H and δ18O at different depths, i.e., soil sampling and cryogenic extraction of the soil water, followed by isotope-ratio mass spectrometer analysis is destructive and laborious with limited temporal resolution. In this study, we present a new non-destructive method based on gas-permeable tubing and isotope-specific infrared laser absorption spectroscopy. We conducted a laboratory experiment with an acrylic glass column filled with medium sand equipped with gas-permeable tubing at eight different soil depths. The soil column was initially saturated from the bottom, exposed to evaporation for a period of 290 days, and finally rewatered. Soil water vapor δ2H and δ18O were measured daily, sequentially for each depth. Soil liquid water δ2H and δ18O were inferred from the isotopic values of the vapor assuming thermodynamic equilibrium between liquid and vapor phases in the soil. The experimental setup allowed following the evolution of typical exponential-shaped soil water δ2H and δ18O profiles with unprecedentedly high temporal resolution. As the soil dried out, we could also show for the first time the increasing influence of the isotopically depleted ambient water vapor on the isotopically enriched liquid water close to the soil surface (i.e., atmospheric invasion). Rewatering at the end of the experiment led to instantaneous resetting of the stable isotope profiles, which could be closely followed with the new method.
Amino acid and N mineralization dynamics in heathland soil after long-term warming and repetitive drought
Authors: Andresen L. C. , Bode S. , Tietema A. , Boeckx P. , Rütting T.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. Monomeric organic nitrogen (N) compounds such as free amino acids (FAAs) are an important resource for both plants and soil microorganisms and a source of ammonium (NH4+) via microbial FAA mineralization. We compared gross FAA dynamics with gross N mineralization in a Dutch heathland soil using a 15N tracing technique. A special focus was made on the effects of climate change factors warming and drought, followed by rewetting. Our aims were to (1) compare FAA mineralization (NH4+ production from FAAs) with gross N mineralization, (2) assess gross FAA production rate (depolymerization) and turnover time relative to gross N mineralization rate, and (3) assess the effects of a 14 years of warming and drought treatment on these rates. The turnover of FAA in the soil was ca. 3 h, which is almost 2 orders of magnitude faster than that of NH4+ (i.e. ca. 4 days). This suggests that FAA is an extensively used resource by soil microorganisms. In control soil (i.e. no climatic treatment), the gross N mineralization rate (10 ± 2.9 μg N g−1 day−1) was 8 times smaller than the total gross FAA production rate of five AAs (alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline: 127.4 to 25.0 μg N g−1 day−1). Gross FAA mineralization (3.4 ± 0.2 μg N g−1 day−1) contributed 34% to the gross N mineralization rate and is therefore an important component of N mineralization. In the drought treatment, a 6–29% reduction in annual precipitation caused a decrease of gross FAA production by 65% and of gross FAA mineralization by 41% compared to control. On the other hand, gross N mineralization was unaffected by drought, indicating an increased mineralization of other soil organic nitrogen (SON) components. A 0.5–1.5 °C warming did not significantly affect N transformations, even though gross FAA production declined. Overall our results suggest that in heathland soil exposed to droughts a different type of SON pool is mineralized. Furthermore, compared to agricultural soils, FAA mineralization was relatively less important in the investigated heathland. This indicates more complex mineralization dynamics in semi-natural ecosystems.
Tourism and house prices in Italy
Authors: Biagi Bianca , Brandano Maria Giovanna , Caudill Steven B.
Published: April 2015

Evaluating the impact of tourism on housing prices is an important endeavor, but the usual empirical approach is to estimate a single regression model with house price as a function of tourism and other variables. This approach does not allow for individual heterogeneity. In this article, the authors apply a latent class model to estimate the impact of tourism activities on housing prices in Italy. In particular, they allow for three different unobservable classes or regimes, permitting the impact of tourism on house prices to differ across classes. In other words, they allow for unobservable heterogeneity. The empirical results do support the existence of three classes of house price regressions. Using two different indices of tourism activity, for certain cities (about 21–48% of the sample), increases in tourism activity increase housing prices and for other cities (8–17%) increases in tourism activity decreases housing prices. For approximately half of the sample, increases in tourism activity have no impact on housing prices.
What’s the Problem? Familiarity, Working Memory, and Transfer in a Problem- Solving Task
Authors: Kole James A. , Snyder Hannah R. , Brojde Chandra L. , Friend Angela
Published: April 2015

The contributions of familiarity and working memory to transfer were examined in the tower of Hanoi task. participants completed 3 different versions of the task: a standard 3- disk version, a clothing exchange task that included familiar semantic content, and a tea ceremony task that included unfamiliar semantic content. the constraints on moves were equivalent across tasks, and each could be solved with the same sequence of movements. Working memory demands were manipulated by the provision of a (static or dynamic) visual representation of the problem. performance was equivalent for the standard tower of Hanoi and clothing exchange tasks but worse for the tea ceremony task, and it decreased with increasing working memory demands. furthermore, the standard tower of Hanoi task and clothing exchange tasks independently, additively, and equivalently transferred to subsequent tasks, whereas the tea ceremony task did not. the results suggest that both familiarity and working memory demands determine overall level of performance, whereas familiarity influences transfer.