bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temperature Measurement of Si Substrate Using Optical-Fiber-Type Low-Coherence Interferometry Employing Supercontinuum Light
Authors: Hiraoka Takehiro , Ohta Takayuki , Kageyama Tetsunori , Ito Masafumi , Nishizawa Norihiko , Hori Masaru
Published: February 2013

We have measured the temperature of a Si substrate using an optical low-coherence interferometer employing supercontinuum light (SC). The accuracy of temperature measurement and the minimum measurable thickness of a layer are determined by the maximum resolving power of the optical path length of the medium in low-coherence interferometry, which depends on the coherent length defined by the spectrum profile and the wavelength of the light source. Low-noise, ultraflat, and highly coherent SC, generated using ultrashort laser pulses and optical fibers, was used as a light source. The wavelength dispersion of SC on the Si substrate was compensated by using a silicon mirror as a reference mirror, resulting in shaper interference waveforms of SC at the front and back surfaces of Si substrate than those of the superluminescent diode (SLD) light used as a conventional low-coherence light source. The measurement accuracy of the temperature using SC was improved to be ±0.4 °C from ±1.0 °C for the case of using the SLD. The temperatures of the Si substrate and SiO2 thin film were simultaneously measured using SC on an 800-µm-thick Si substrate with an 8.55-µm-thick SiO2 film. The temperature of the thin film, the thickness of which is several micrometers, was measured using SC and a compensation technique of wavelength dispersion using the silicon reference mirror.
Investigation of Sorption of Chromate Ion On A Synthetic Hematite
Authors: Bodunde V. T. , Adekola F. A. , Abdus-Salam N.
Published: February 2013

A Hematite sample was synthesized using precipitation method and it was characterized using a combination of analytical techniques such as infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry and atomic absorption spectrometry. The hematite was then studied for its potential to remove chromate ion from aqueous solution. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 1.91 mg/g. The influence of contact time, ionic strength and pH on the sorption capacity was also investigated. Maximum adsorption was observed in the range pH 4.0 and pH 6.0 at an optimum time of 3 hours 20 mins. The experimental results were finally analyzed using Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherms. The Temkin isotherm was found to have the most satisfactory fitting for the sorption data. The sorption kinetics was studied for the pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order models.
Fabricating High Performance, Donor–Acceptor Copolymer Solar Cells by Spray‐Coating in Air
Authors: Wang Tao , Scarratt Nicholas W. , Yi Hunan , Dunbar Alan D. F. , Pearson Andrew J. , Watters Darren C. , Glen Tom S. , Brook Andrew C. , Kingsley James , Buckley Alastair R. , Skoda Maximilian W. A. , Donald Athene M. , Jones Richard A. L. , Iraqi Ahmed , Lidzey David G.
Published: February 2013

We report the fabrication of high performance organic solar cells by spray‐coating the photoactive layer in air. The photovoltaic blends consist of a blend of carbazole and benzothiadiazole based donor–acceptor copolymers and the fullerene derivative PC70BM. Here, we formulate a number of photovoltaic inks using a range of solvent systems that we show can all be deposited by spray casting. We use a range of techniques to characterize the structure of such films, and show that spray‐cast films have comparable surface roughness to spin‐cast films and that vertical stratification that occurs during film drying reduces the concentration of PCBM towards the underlying PEDOT:PSS interface. We also show that the active layer thickness and the drying kinetics can be tuned through control of the substrate temperature. High power conversion efficiencies of 4.3%, 4.5% and 4.6% were obtained for solar cells made from a blend of PC70BM with the carbazole‐based co‐polymers PCDTBT, P2 and P1. By applying a low temperature anneal after the deposition of the cathode, the efficiency of spray‐cast solar‐cells based on a P2:PC70BM blend is increased to 5.0%. Spray coating holds significant promise as a technique capable of fabricating large‐area, high performance organic solar cells in air.
Phenotype‐environment mismatch due to epigenetic inheritance? Programming the offspring's epigenome and the consequences of migration
Authors: Willführ Kai P. , Myrskylä Mikko
Published: February 2013

Objective

It has been suggested that epigenetic inheritance is an important factor influencing mortality. We use data about the historical population ofQuébec(years 1670–1740) to study whether parents modify their offspring's phenotype epigenetically prior to conception in response to predicted/perceived mortality. If so, children growing up in the predicted environment enjoy a phenotype‐environment‐match that should lower mortality, whereas children growing up in a nonpredicted environment should have a higher mortality.

Methods

We use the large urban‐rural mortality differential to capture the predicted/perceived mortality environment. We categorize children into different groups by their migration status: conceived and living in the same environment (urban or rural); conceived in one but born in another environment (urban‐to‐rural or rural‐to‐urban); and born in one but migrating to another environment. We useKaplan‐Meiersurvival curves and fixed effect survival models to estimate to what extent child survival up to the age of 15 depends on migration status.

Results

Child mortality within families that moved from urban to rural areas does not depend on the child's migration status. Within families that moved to urban areas, children who were conceived and born in the rural areas exhibit the lowest mortality. This contradicts a phenotype‐environment‐mismatch scenario, which would result in higher rather than lower mortality.

Conclusion

We do not find evidence for functional (adaptive) epigenetic inheritance. Migration into an environment with lower or higher extrinsic mortality affects child mortality within the families differently than predicted by the concept of epigenetic inheritance. The results suggest that epigenetic inheritance may not be important for child mortality among migrants. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:318–328, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Structure, electrical, dielectric, and optical investigation on polyvinyl alcohol/metal chloride nanocomposites
Authors: Shash N. M. , Khoder H. , Metawe F. , Negm A. A.
Published: February 2013

Different concentrations of metal chlorides/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposites have been prepared by the typical solvent cast technique. The prepared samples were investigated by different techniques such as X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscope. DC and AC conductivities are examined at different temperatures and frequencies. An activation process was found in the DC conductivity versus temperature relation and the activation energy was calculated. The AC conductivity obeyed the ωS power law. The behavior of S with temperature was studied. Various dielectric parameters such as dielectric constant (ε′), dielectric loss (ε″) and loss tangent (tan δ) have been determined in the temperature range 303–443 K at different frequencies. The dielectric parameters were found to decrease with increasing frequency. The study of dielectric relaxation as a function of temperature at constant frequency shows two relaxation mechanisms. The optical band gaps and band tails were estimated from the measured absorption spectra. The applied photon energy found to affect the observed optical band gaps. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Why do group members provide information to digital knowledge repositories? a multilevel application of transactive memory theory
Authors: Huang Meikuan , Barbour Joshua , Su Chunke , Contractor Noshir
Published: February 2013

The proliferation of digital knowledge repositories (DKRs) used for distributed and collocated work raises important questions about how to manage these technologies. This study investigates why individuals contribute information toDKRsby applying and extending transactive memory theory. Data from knowledge workers (N = 208) nested in work groups (J = 17) located in Europe and theUnitedStates revealed, consistent with transactive memory theory, that perceptions of experts' retrieval of information were positively related to the likelihood of information provision toDKRs. The relationship between experts' perceptions of retrieval and information provision varied from group to group, and cross‐level interactions indicated that trust in how the information would be used and the interdependence of tasks within groups could explain that variation. Furthermore, information provision toDKRswas related to communication networks in ways consistent with theorizing regarding the formation of transactive memory systems. Implications for theory and practice are discussed, emphasizing the utility of multilevel approaches for conceptualizing and modeling why individuals provide information toDKRs.
Komfort für Passivhaus‐Büros − Planungsunterstützung mit Hilfe gekoppelter Gebäude‐, Anlagen‐ und Strömungssimulation
Authors: Gritzki Ralf , Rösler Markus
Published: February 2013

Im Zuge der hier vorliegenden Studie wurden umfangreiche numerische Untersuchungen verschiedener Klimatisierungskonzepte für ein typisches Passivhausbüro durchgeführt. Dabei standen sowohl energetische Aspekte als auch Aspekte des erzielbaren thermischen und hygienischen Komforts im Fokus der Betrachtungen. Die Untersuchungen erfolgten mittels gekoppelter Gebäude‐, Anlagen‐ und Strömungssimulation und erstreckten sich über eine Vielzahl zentraler und dezentraler Heiz‐, Kühl‐, Verschattungs‐ und Belüftungssysteme und deren Kombinationen. Die Resultate der Untersuchungen verdeutlichen, dass auch für Bürogebäude mit ihren spezifischen Nutzungsmerkmalen, wie der höheren Belegungsdichte und erhöhter interner thermischer Lasten (gegenüber Wohngebäuden) eine Bauweise im Passivhausstandard empfehlenswert ist. Bezüglich der Klimatisierungsvarianten zeigte sich zudem, dass eine Trennung von Belüftung und Temperierung (z. B. über Heiz‐/Kühldecken) bei gleichzeitiger bodennaher Einbringung der Zuluft im Sinne des Quellluftprinzips den besten Kompromiss bezüglich Energieeffizienz und Behaglichkeit darstellt.

Coupled heating, cooling and ventilation simulation with CFD for thermal comfort in a passive house standard office building. In the course of this study extensive numerical investigations of different heating, ventilation and cooling concepts were carried out for a typical passive house office. As well the energetic aspects as the thermal and hygienic comfort were taken into account. The investigations were performed by building and system simulation coupled to computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A big variety of centralized and decentralized heating, cooling, ventilation and sun screen systems and their combinations were analyzed. The results clearly show that also for office buildings with their specific feature of usage as dense occupancy and high internal loads the construction form as a passive house is advisable. In terms of heating, cooling and ventilation it was shown that a separation of ventilation and temperature regulation (e.g. by heating or cooling ceilings) with simultaneous air supply close to the floor (displacement ventilation) seems to be the best compromise between energy efficiency and thermal comfort.
Beitrag zur thermischen Speicherung von Netzüberlasten infolge regenerativer Energien in Gebäuden
Authors: Bauer Martin , Lorz Caroline , Sedlmeier Michael , Schwanitz Matthias , Fries Eberhard , Hochhuber Josef
Published: February 2013

Bayern hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, in den nächsten Jahren die Erzeugung von Strom aus erneuerbaren Energien mit dem Ausbau von zusätzlich bis zu 1500 Windkraftanlagen zu forcieren. Zusammen mit dem Ausbau von Photovoltaik‐Anlagen ergibt sich ein wesentlicher Anteil an ungeregelt anfallender Netzlast, die zeitweilig zu großen Leistungsüberschüssen führen kann. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird ein Versuchsprogramm zum Lastmanagement eines elektrischen Netzes vorgestellt, bei dem in einem Gebäude mit hoher Energieeffizienz elektrische Energie über thermische Speicher aufgenommen wird. Vergleichend werden Simulationsrechnungen zur Modellierung der Versuchsergebnisse unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Speicherverhaltens der Baukonstruktion in der vorhandenen Betonkerntemperierung durchgeführt.

Thermal energy storage of grid overload as a result of renewable energies from buildings. Bavaria´s aim in the near future is to increase the production of electricity from renewable energies by setting up 1,500 additional new wind power plants. This situation, together with the expansion of photovoltaic power plants, leads to varying network loads and temporarily uncontrolled excesses in the power supply. This research program is, therefore, being initiated to enhance load management in an electric network. Thermal storage units in a highly energy efficient building are supplied with energy from peak loads. Simulations for modelling the test results will be compared and carried out, focusing particularly on the thermal storage properties of the building construction in the existing concrete core heating system.
Neue Lager für die Wuppertaler Schwebebahn
Authors: Kauschke Wolfgang
Published: February 2013

Der Neubau der Wuppertaler Schwebebahn war Anlass für umfangreiche Versuche an runden bewehrten Elastomerlagern und an Druckstücken für Punktkipplager. Die wichtigsten allgemein interessierenden Ergebnisse der Versuche sind:

– Die Rückstellmomente von bewehrten Elastomerlagern wurden bislang erheblich unterschätzt.

– Der Einfluss der plastischen Verformung auf das Rückstellmoment von stählernen Druckstücken ist vernachlässigbar.

Es wird über einen Teil der durchgeführten Versuche und deren Auswertung berichtet (Teil 1 s. H. 1/2013).

New bearings for the overhead railway in Wuppertal – Part 2: Pressure pieces for pointracks bearings

The reconstruction of the overhead railway in Wuppertal was the occasion for extensive testing on circular laminated elastomeric bearings as well as on pressure pieces for point rocker bearings. The most important results of the tests are as follows:

– up to now the restoring moments of laminated elastomeric bearings are considerably underestimated

– the influence of plastic deformation on the restoring moments of steel point rocker bearings is negligible.

The following report describes a part of the conducted tests and the analysis.
An interpretative phenomenological analysis of stress and coping in first year undergraduates
Authors: Denovan Andrew , Macaskill Ann
Published: February 2013

In the UK, changes to the higher education system have increased the range of stressors experienced by students above those traditionally associated with the transition to university. Despite this, there is little qualitative research examining how students experience and cope with the adjustment to university. The experience of the transition was investigated in depth amongst 10 first year UK undergraduates. Purposive sampling resulted in a group with demographics similar to national statistics on UK undergraduates. Semi‐structured interviews were used beginning with a content specific vignette to develop rapport. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was utilised to analyse the transcripts and quality checks were implemented to increase the validity of the analysis. Five main themes were identified: all the change, with subthemes of independent living, homesickness, differences between post‐compulsory education and university; expectations of university; academic focus with subthemes of self‐discipline, motivation, learning from experience; support network with subthemes of establishing a support network, support for coping with problems; and difficulties with subthemes of difficulties experienced with housemates, finances and employment, and academic difficulties. Students used a range of coping strategies.By identifying the role of positive psychological strengths such as optimism, hope, self‐efficacy and self‐control in coping with stress and facilitating positive adaptation, the study locates positive psychological strengths within a transactional understanding of stress and provides depth and relevance to their role in facilitating adjustment. Such qualitative research is rare in the positive psychology and stress literature. Suggestions for easing the transition are made.
Motivational Effects of the Perceived Image of Non‐governmental Organisations
Authors: Pinazo Daniel , Peris Rosana , Ramos Anna , Brotons Javier
Published: February 2013

The motivational effect of the perceived image of non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) was analysed in two studies. Results from the first study, comprising two samples (N = 314 and N = 220), point to three dimensions of the perceived image of NGOs (solidarity, misleading and instrumentality). These dimensions have different effects on intention to collaborate and to recommend others to collaborate. In the second study, with a sample of N = 485, confirmatory analysis confirmed the three‐factor solution as appropriate. The misleading image emerged as a source of reactance to NGO campaigns. Results suggest the importance of promoting the image of solidarity as a motivational strategy. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
In‐stent restenosis is inhibited in a bare metal stent implanted distal to a sirolimus‐eluting stent to treat a long de novo coronary lesion with small distal vessel diameter
Authors: Obata Jyun‐ei , Nakamura Takamitsu , Kitta Yoshinobu , Saito Yukio , Sano Keita , Fujioka Daisuke , Kawabata Ken‐ichi , Kugiyama Kiyotaka
Published: February 2013

Objectives

This study examined whether sirolimus‐eluting stent (SES) implantation exerts an antiproliferative action on a bare metal stent (BMS) placed distally in the same coronary artery.

Background

Diffusion of sirolimus into flowing coronary blood may cause accumulation of this drug in the coronary bed beyond the distal edge of an SES.

Methods

We analyzed data from 115 consecutive patients with ischemic heart disease who were treated with two overlapping stents without a gap in the same coronary artery for a long de novo lesion. The distal stent was a 2.25 mm BMS in all patients, and the proximal stent was an SES in 73 patients (SES‐BMS group) and a BMS in 42 patients (BMS‐BMS group). Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) were performed at stent implantation and 8 months later.

Results

Clinical and procedural variables were comparable between the two groups. QCA and IVUS showed that the SES‐BMS group had less luminal late loss and a lower percent of in‐stent volume obstruction in the distal BMS compared with the BMS‐BMS group. Furthermore, compared with the BMS‐BMS group, the SES‐BMS group had less in‐stent restenosis (23.3 vs. 54.8%, P < 0.0005) and target lesion revascularization (21.9 vs. 50.0%, P < 0.005).

Conclusions

SES implantation just proximal to a BMS inhibits neointimal proliferation in the BMS, when both stents are implanted in the same coronary artery to treat a de novo lesion. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
New approach to direct stenting using a novel “all‐in‐one” coronary stent system via 5 French diagnostic catheters: A pilot study
Authors: Khattab Ahmed A. , O'Sullivan Crochan J. , Stefanini Giulio G. , Räber Lorenz , Paquin Mark , Windecker Stephan , Meier Bernhard
Published: February 2013

Objectives

We sought to evaluate the strategy success and short term clinical outcomes of direct stenting via 5 French (F) diagnostic catheters using a novel bare metal stent with integrated delivery system (IDS) (Svelte Medical Systems, New Providence, NJ) and compare the results to a conventionally treated matched group.

Methods

Fifteen consecutive patients with lesions deemed suitable for direct stenting using a bare metal stent were included. The primary endpoint was the strategy success defined as the ability to successfully treat a target lesion via a 5 F diagnostic catheter with a good angiographic result (TIMI III flow, residual stenosis ≤20%). Procedure and fluoroscopy times, contrast agent use, cost, and short‐term clinical outcomes were compared to a matched group treated via conventional stenting.

Results

The primary endpoint was reached in 14/15 patients (93%). There were no significant differences in procedural (58.6 min ± 12.7 vs. 57.4 min ± 14.2) or fluoroscopy times (10.0 min ± 4.3 vs.10.1 min ± 3.9) or contrast agent use (193.7 ml ± 54.8 vs. 181.4 ml ± 35.6). However, there were significant reductions in materials used in the study group compared to the control group equating to cost savings of almost US $600 per case (US $212.44 ± 258.09 vs. US $804.69 ± 468.11; P = 0.001).

Conclusions

Direct stenting using a novel bare metal stent with an IDS via 5 F diagnostic catheters is a viable alternative to conventional stenting in selected patients and is associated with significant cost savings.© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Deactivation Pathways of the Catalytic Activity of Metal–Organic Frameworks in Condensation Reactions
Authors: Opanasenko Maksym , Dhakshinamoorthy Amarajothi , Čejka Jiří , Garcia Hermenegildo
Published: February 2013

In the present study we have selected three different condensation reactions as model reactions, namely the hydroxylalkylation of anisole by paraformaldehyde to bis(methoxyphenyl)methane, the Pechmann condensation of phenols with ethyl acetoacetate (EAA) to coumarins and the Knoevenagel condensation of two aldehydes with three active methylene compounds to form α,β‐unsaturated esters and nitriles, using two related Fe‐containing metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), namely commercial Fe(BTC) (BTC: 1,3,5‐benzenetricarboxylate) and synthetic MIL‐100(Fe) as the catalysts. The main aim of this study was to determine the nature of the poisons, the MOF structural stability in connection with the substrate, and the variations in the product selectivity. We have found that undesired intermediates (bisarylmethyl cation in the case of hydroxyalkylation) or byproducts (benzoic acid in the case of Knoevenagel condensation) can poison the MOF by being strongly adsorbed within the MOFs and blocking the pores. In the Pechmann condensation, besides pore blocking, a low structural stability of Fe(BTC) was reflected in the collapse of the crystal structure, while using polyhydroxy aromatic compounds because of their ability to act as ligands for Fe3+, replacing trimesate ligand. MIL‐100(Fe) was considerably more robust for this reaction.
Fluoreszenzfarbstoffe in der Natur
Authors: Weiß Dieter , Brandl Herbert
Published: February 2013

Cumarine als fluoreszierende Verbindungen sind in der Natur weit verbreitet und kommen in zahlreichen Pflanzengattungen und auch in Pilzen vor. Aufgrund ihrer intensiven Fluoreszenz lassen sie sich leicht beobachten. Dies ermöglicht die Durchführung von Experimenten, die mit geringem Aufwand und weitgehend ohne Verwendung von toxischen Chemikalien für jedermann durchführbar sind.
Monoterpensynthese irregulär
Authors: Jaenicke Lothar
Published: February 2013

Iridoide sind weitverbreitete bizyklische (daher “irreguläre”) Monoterpene, die Pflanzen zum Schutz gegen Fraß und Mikrobenbefall produzieren und die auch pharmakologisch als Antibiotika und Antimykotika eingesetzt werden. Hochaktuell sind sie vor allem auch in Form der “Monoterpenalkaloide = MIAs”, Kondensationsprodukten von Iridoiden mit der Indol‐Aminosäure Tryptophan, gegen Gewebetumoren beim Menschen.
“Bio‐”Quantenpunkte
Authors: Harrer Roswitha
Published: February 2013

Biologisch, nachwachsend, nachhaltig: Chinesische Wissenschaftler stellen eine “Bastelanleitung” für die Herstellung von Quantenpunkten für fluoreszierende Tinten aus Hühnerei vor.
Axon diversity of lamina I local‐circuit neurons in the lumbar spinal cord
Authors: Szucs Peter , Luz Liliana L. , Pinho Raquel , Aguiar Paulo , Antal Zsófia , Tiong Sheena Y.X. , Todd Andrew J. , Safronov Boris V.
Published: February 2013

Spinal lamina I is a key area for relaying and integrating information from nociceptive primary afferents with various other sources of inputs. Although lamina I projection neurons have been intensively studied, much less attention has been given to local‐circuit neurons (LCNs), which form the majority of the lamina I neuronal population. In this work the infrared light‐emitting diode oblique illumination technique was used to visualize and label LCNs, allowing reconstruction and analysis of their dendritic and extensive axonal trees. We show that the majority of lamina I neurons with locally branching axons fall into the multipolar (with ventrally protruding dendrites) and flattened (dendrites limited to lamina I) somatodendritic categories. Analysis of their axons revealed that the initial myelinated part gives rise to several unmyelinated small‐diameter branches that have a high number of densely packed, large varicosities and an extensive rostrocaudal (two or three segments), mediolateral, and dorsoventral (reaching laminae III–IV) distribution. The extent of the axon and the occasional presence of long, solitary branches suggest that LCNs may also form short and long propriospinal connections. We also found that the distribution of axon varicosities and terminal field locations show substantial heterogeneity and that a substantial portion of LCNs is inhibitory. Our observations indicate that LCNs of lamina I form intersegmental as well as interlaminar connections and may govern large numbers of neurons, providing anatomical substrate for rostrocaudal “processing units” in the dorsal horn. J. Comp. Neurol. 521:2719–2741, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cellular automata coupled with steady‐state nutrient solution permit simulation of large‐scale growth of tumours
Authors: Shrestha Sachin Man Bajimaya , Joldes Grand Roman , Wittek Adam , Miller Karol
Published: February 2013

We model complete growth of an avascular tumour by employing cellular automata for the growth of cells and steady‐state equation to solve for nutrient concentrations. Our modelling and computer simulation results show that, in the case of a brain tumour, oxygen distribution in the tumour volume may be sufficiently described by a time‐independent steady‐state equation without losing the characteristics of a time‐dependent diffusion equation. This makes the solution of oxygen concentration in the tumour volume computationally more efficient, thus enabling simulation of tumour growth on a large scale. We solve this steady‐state equation using a central difference method. We take into account the composition of cells and intercellular adhesion in addition to processes involved in cell cycle—proliferation, quiescence, apoptosis, and necrosis—in the tumour model. More importantly, we consider cell mutation that gives rise to different phenotypes and therefore a tumour with heterogeneous population of cells. A new phenotype is probabilistically chosen and has the ability to survive at lower levels of nutrient concentration and reproduce faster. We show that heterogeneity of cells that compose a tumour leads to its irregular growth and that avascular growth is not supported for tumours of diameter above 18 mm. We compare results from our growth simulation with existing experimental data on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma and tumour spheroid cultures and show that our results are in good agreement with the experimental findings. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reflectin genes and development of iridophore patterns in Sepia officinalis embryos (Mollusca, Cephalopoda)
Authors: Andouche Aude , Bassaglia Yann , Baratte Sébastien , Bonnaud Laure
Published: February 2013

Background: In the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis, iridescence is known to play a role in patterning and communication. In iridophores, iridosomes are composed of reflectins, a protein family, which show great diversity in all cephalopod species. Iridosomes are established before hatching, but very little is known about how these cells are established, their distribution in embryos, or the contribution of each reflectin gene to iridosome structures. Results: Six reflectin genes are expressed during the development of iridosomes in Sepia officinalis. We show that they are expressed in numerous parts of the body before hatching. Evidence of the colocalization of two different genes of reflectin was found. Curiously, reflectin mRNA expression was no longer detectable at the time of hatchling, while reflectin proteins were present and gave rise to visible iridescence. Conclusion: These data suggest that several different forms of reflectins are simultaneously used to produce iridescence in S. officinalis and that mRNA production and translation are decoupled in time during iridosome development. Developmental Dynamics 242:550–561, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Prediction of the goat milk fatty acids by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy
Authors: Andueza Donato , Rouel Jacques , Chilliard Yves , Leroux Christine , Ferlay Anne
Published: February 2013

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to predict the goat milk fatty acid (FA) profile. The ability of cow milk broad‐based calibration equations to predict the goat milk FA profile was assessed. Three hundred twenty‐eight samples in the calibration set and 108 in the validation set were analyzed. We showed that the bias and unexplained error were significant for most of the FA despite an adequate standardized Mahalanobis distance (index to establish the boundaries of a population of samples) which allowed us to test the ability of bovine models to predict goat milk FA profiles. To better predict the goat milk FA composition, a specific goat model was investigated. The cross‐validation coefficient of determination (R2CV; proportion of variance explained by the model in cross‐validation) and residual predictive deviation (RPD; index which allows to standardize the standard error of prediction (SEP)) were >0.90 and 3, for saturated, monounsaturated, and unsaturated FA, total trans FA, isomer cis9trans11 of CLA, cis9‐, trans10‐, and trans11‐C18:1, respectively. Monitoring of the equation performance of milk FA included the calculation of the bias and unexplained error.

Practical applications: In this work, we evaluated the ability of NIRS to predict FA composition of goat milk and tested the ability of using broad‐based cow milk calibration equations to monitor an independent set of goat milk samples. We tested the hypothesis that the calibration equations obtained for FA from cow milk could be applied on goat milk. As the spectra of goat milk are similar to those of cow milk when they are measured by the standardized Mahalanobis distance (index to establish the boundaries of a population of samples), we can accept the hypothesis. It will be possible to use the existing calibration equations for predicting FA profile on spectra of milk of a different specie. However, the rejection of the hypothesis would put in doubt the use of Mahalanobis distance as the unique index for testing the performance of calibration equations on different milk populations for predicting FA.
Plants as river system engineers
Authors: Gurnell Angela
Published: February 2013

Plants growing within river corridors both affect and respond to fluvial processes. Their above‐ground biomass modifies the flow field and retains sediment, whereas their below‐ground biomass affects the hydraulic and mechanical properties of the substrate and consequently the moisture regime and erosion susceptibility of the land surface.

This paper reviews research that dates back to the 1950s on the geomorphological influence of vegetation within fluvial systems. During the late twentieth century this research was largely pursued through field observations, but during the early years of the twenty‐first century, complementary field, flume and theoretical/modelling investigations have contributed to major advances in understanding the influence of plants on fluvial systems. Flume experiments have demonstrated the fundamental role of vegetation in determining river planform, particularly transitions from multi‐ to single‐thread forms, and have provided insights into flow–vegetation–sediment feedbacks and landform building, including processes such as channel blockage and avulsion. At the same time, modellers have incorporated factors such as moisture‐dependent plant growth, canopy and root architecture and their influence on flow resistance and sediment/bank reinforcement into morphodynamic models. Meanwhile, field investigations have revealed that vegetation has a far more important and complex influence on fluvial systems than previously realized.

It is now apparent that the influence of plants on river systems is significant across space scales from individual plants to entire forested river corridors. Small plant‐scale phenomena structure patch‐scale geomorphological forms and processes, and interactions between patches are almost certainly crucial to larger‐scale and longer‐term geomorphological phenomena. The influence of plants also varies continuously through time as above‐ and below‐ground biomass change within the annual growth cycle, over longer‐term growth trajectories, and in response to external drivers of change such as climatic, hydrological and fluvial fluctuations and extremes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Railway tunnels on Tbilisi bypass project – Georgia / Eisenbahntunnel für das Umfahrungsprojekt Tiflis, Georgien
Authors: Prebeg Igor
Published: February 2013

The new transport corridor TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe‐Caucasus‐Asia) connects Azerbaijan with Black sea ports and allows an increase in the freight volume and passenger traffic in the future. Within this corridor the Georgian Government decided to build a bypass around Tbilisi as a solution for the trend of increasing traffic. The bypass railway project of Tbilisi includes four single‐tube tunnels in a suburban area of Tbilisi with small overburden which pass through poor and complex rock mass conditions. The project is still ongoing and will be finished in 2013.

Der neue Verkehrskorridor Transport Corridor Europe‐Caucasus‐Asia (TRACECA) verbindet Aserbaidschan mit einigen Hafenstädten am Schwarzen Meer und ermöglicht so eine künftige Erhöhung des Frachtvolumens und des Personenverkehrs. Die georgische Regierung hat beschlossen, innerhalb dieses Korridors eine Umfahrung für Tiflis zu bauen, um das stetig steigende Verkehrsaufkommen zu bewältigen. Das Eisenbahnumfahrungsprojekt für Tiflis umfasst vier Doppelspurtunnel mit geringer Überlagerung. Die Tunnel befinden sich in den Außenbezirken von Tiflis und verlaufen durch ungünstige und komplexe Gebirgsverhältnisse. Das Projekt wird 2013 fertiggestellt.
Austrian tunnelling expertise connecting the Kashmir valley to India / Österreichische Tunnelbaukompetenz verbindet das Kaschmirtal mit Indien
Authors: Holzleitner Wolfgang , Kraft‐Fish Martin , Imre Bernd , Preuth Thomas
Published: February 2013

When completed, the 292 km long Udhampur‐Srinagar‐Baramulla Rail Link Project will connect towns in the Kashmir Valley to the lowlands of India. The Government of India declared the railway as a “Project of National Importance” in March 2002. In October 2009 a 119 km section was put into operation. Works are expected to be completed by 2018.

Austrian and other European consultants have been active on the project since its inception. This report concerns the design of a 15 km long central section of the railway between the Sumber and Arpinchala stations awarded to Bernhard Ingenieure ZT GmbH in 2012. Out of a total length of 15 km, 13.0 km are in tunnels, 0.9 km bridges, and the remainder are stations. The alignment section lies in the young Himalaya, passing through mountains on the western side of the Chenab River. Geological conditions are therefore demanding and tectonic activity is frequent.

Although design is ongoing, this report presents the approach taken by the consultant in fieldwork, project optimisation, design and contractual specifications. The issue of muck disposal is also discussed.

Nach ihrer Fertigstellung wird die 292 km lange Eisenbahnstrecke Udhampur‐Srinagar‐Baramulla das Kaschmirtal mit dem indischen Tiefland verbinden. Aufgrund seiner sozio‐ökonomischen sowie strategischen Bedeutung deklarierte die indische Regierung das Projekt im März 2002 als “Projekt von nationaler Bedeutung”. Im Oktober 2009 konnte ein erster, 119 km langer Teilabschnitt in Betrieb genommen werden. Der Abschluss aller Arbeiten ist für das Jahr 2018 geplant.

Österreichische und weitere europäische Beratungsgesellschaften sind von Beginn an in dieses Projekt involviert gewesen. Die Bernard Ingenieure ZT GmbH mit Sitz in Hall in Tirol gewann 2012 den Bieterbewerb für ein 15 km langes Teilstück zwischen den Bahnhöfen von Sumber und Arpinchala. Ausgewählte technische und vertragliche Herausforderungen dieses Teilstücks im Hochgebirge, das sich auf etwa 13 km Tunnelstrecke, etwa 0,9 km Brückenbauwerke und zwei Bahnhofsbereiche verteilt, ist Gegenstand dieses Berichts. Die Trasse befindet sich in der so genannten Young Himalaya Range in der Bergregion westlich des Chenab Flusses. Aufgrund der immer noch aktiven Gebirgshebung sind die topographischen, naturgefahrenkundlichen und geologischen Randbedingungen herausfordernd.
The synchronous occurrence of shallow tremor and very low frequency earthquakes offshore of the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
Authors: Walter Jacob I. , Schwartz Susan Y. , Protti Marino , Gonzalez Victor
Published: February 2013

The occurrence of transient, shallow slow slip at seismogenic zones has important implications for earthquake and tsunami hazards. Here we provide evidence that a tremor and slow slip event occurred at shallow depth offshore of the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, in August 2008. The temporal coincidence of offshore tremor, very low frequency earthquakes (VLFEs), motions consistent with slow slip on the plate interface on western coastal GPS stations, and a pressure transient in an IODP borehole all indicate slow slip occurring at shallow depths. Large ocean loading stresses on the shallow plate interface modulate tremor activity, with the peak Coulomb stress forced by semi‐diurnal ocean tides correlating with tremor productivity. Based on beamforming data, we constrain that the VLFE activity occurs in the same region as the tremor and slow slip. The presence of slow slip at shallow depth has important implications for the up‐dip extent of earthquake rupture. The proximity of the 5 September 2012, Mw 7.6 megathrust earthquake to slow slip, tremor, and VLFE activity in the 2008 event suggests abrupt frictional transitions from locked to conditionally stable behavior on the plate interface offshore of the Nicoya Peninsula.
Natural iron fertilization by the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption
Authors: Achterberg Eric P. , Moore C. Mark , Henson Stephanie A. , Steigenberger Sebastian , Stohl Andreas , Eckhardt Sabine , Avendano Lizeth C. , Cassidy Michael , Hembury Debbie , Klar Jessica K. , Lucas Michael I. , Macey Anna I. , Marsay Chris M. , Ryan‐Keogh Thomas J.
Published: February 2013

Aerosol deposition from the 2010 eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull resulted in significant dissolved iron (DFe) inputs to the Iceland Basin of the North Atlantic. Unique ship‐board measurements indicated strongly enhanced DFe concentrations (up to 10 nM) immediately under the ash plume. Bioassay experiments performed with ash collected at sea under the plume also demonstrated the potential for associated Fe release to stimulate phytoplankton growth and nutrient drawdown. Combining Fe dissolution measurements with modeled ash deposition suggested that the eruption had the potential to increase DFe by >0.2 nM over an area of up to 570,000 km2. Although satellite ocean color data only indicated minor increases in phytoplankton abundance over a relatively constrained area, comparison of in situ nitrate concentrations with historical records suggested that ash deposition may have resulted in enhanced major nutrient drawdown. Our observations thus suggest that the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption resulted in a significant perturbation to the biogeochemistry of the Iceland Basin.
Temporal stability of soil water content as affected by climate and soil hydraulic properties: a simulation study
Authors: Martínez Gonzalo , Pachepsky Yakov A. , Vereecken Harry
Published: February 2013

Temporal stability of soil water content (TS SWC) is an often‐observed phenomenon, which characterization finds multiple applications. Climate and variability in soil properties are usually mentioned as factors of TS SWC, but their effects are far from clear. The objective of this work was to use SWC modeling to evaluate the effects of climate and soil hydraulic properties on the TS of soil water at different measurement schedules. We selected four representative climates found in USA and simulated the multiyear SWC dynamics for sandy loam, loam, and silty clay loam soils, all having the lognormal spatial distribution of the saturated hydraulic conductivity. The CLIMGEN and the HYDRUS6 codes were used to generate weather patterns and to simulate SWC, respectively. Four different methods were applied to select the representative location (RL). The low probability of having the same variability of mean relative differences of soil water under different climates was found in most of the cases. The probability that the variance of mean relative differences depended on sampling frequency was generally higher than 91% for the three soils. The interannual difference in mean relative differences variation from short and intensive summer campaigns was highly probable for all climates and soils. The RLs changed as climate and measurement scheduling changed, and they were less pronounced for coarse‐textured soils. The RL selection methods based solely on bias provided more consistency as compared with other methods. The TS appears to be the result of the interplay between climate, soil properties, and survey protocols. One implication of this factor interaction effect on TS SWC is that a simulation study can be useful to decide on the feasibility of including a search for TS‐based RLs for a specific site. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The mechanism underlying the effects of the cell surface ATP synthase on the regulation of intracellular acidification during acidosis
Authors: Wang Wen‐juan , Shi Xiao‐xing , Liu Yi‐wen , He Yi‐qing , Wang Ying‐zhi , Yang Cui‐xia , Gao Feng
Published: February 2013

The F1F0 ATP synthase has recently become the focus of anti‐cancer research. It was once thought that ATP synthases were located strictly on the inner mitochondrial membrane; however, in 1994, it was found that some ATP synthases localized to the cell surface. The cell surface ATP synthases are involved in angiogenesis, lipoprotein metabolism, innate immunity, hypertension, the regulation of food intake, and other processes. Inhibitors of this synthase have been reported to be cytotoxic and to induce intracellular acidification. However, the mechanisms by which these effects are mediated and the molecular pathways that are involved remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the inhibition of cell proliferation and the induction of cell apoptosis that are induced by inhibitors of the cell surface ATP synthase are associated with intracellular acidification and to investigate the mechanism that underlines the effects of this inhibition, particularly in an acidic tumor environment. We demonstrated that intracellular acidification contributes to the cell proliferation inhibition that is mediated by cell surface ATP synthase inhibitors, but not to the induction of apoptosis. Intracellular acidification is only one of the mechanisms of ecto‐ATP synthase‐targeted antitumor drugs. We propose that intracellular acidification in combination with the inhibition of cell surface ATP generation induce cell apoptosis after cell surface ATP synthase blocked by its inhibitors. A better understanding of the mechanisms activated by ecto‐ATP synthase‐targeted cancer therapies may facilitate the development of potent anti‐tumor therapies, which target this enzyme and do not exhibit clinical limitations. J. Cell. Biochem. 114: 1695–1703, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PHI: A powerful new program for the analysis of anisotropic monomeric and exchange‐coupled polynuclear d‐ and f‐block complexes
Authors: Chilton Nicholas F. , Anderson Russell P. , Turner Lincoln D. , Soncini Alessandro , Murray Keith S.
Published: February 2013

A new program, PHI, with the ability to calculate the magnetic properties of large spin systems and complex orbitally degenerate systems, such as clusters of d‐block and f‐block ions, is presented. The program can intuitively fit experimental data from multiple sources, such as magnetic and spectroscopic data, simultaneously. PHI is extensively parallelized and can operate under the symmetric multiprocessing, single process multiple data, or GPU paradigms using a threaded, MPI or GPU model, respectively. For a given problem PHI is been shown to be almost 12 times faster than the well‐known program MAGPACK, limited only by available hardware. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Implementing Peer Evaluation of Handoffs: Associations With Experience and Workload
Authors: Arora Vineet M. , Greenstein Elizabeth A. , Woodruff James N. , Staisiunas Paul G. , Farnan Jeanne M.
Published: February 2013

BACKGROUND

Although peer evaluation can be used to evaluate in‐hospital handoffs, few studies have described using this strategy.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to assess feasibility of an online peer handoff evaluation and characterize performance over time among medical interns.

DESIGN

The design was a prospective cohort study.

PATIENTS

Subjects were medical interns from residency program rotating at 2 teaching hospitals.

MEASUREMENTS

Measurements were performance on an end‐of‐rotation evaluation of giving and receiving handoffs.

RESULTS

From July 2009 to March 2010, 31 interns completed 60% (172/288) of peer evaluations. Ratings were high across domains (mean, 8.3–8.6). In multivariate regression controlling for evaluator and evaluatee, statistically significant improvements over time were observed for 4 items compared to the first 3 months of the year: 1) communication skills (season 2, +0.34 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.08‐0.60], P = 0.009); 2) listening behavior (season 2, +0.29 [95% CI, 0.04‐0.55], P = 0.025); 3) accepting professional responsibility (season 3, +0.37 [95% CI, 0.08‐0.65], P = 0.012); and 4) accessing the system (season 2, +0.21 [95% CI, 0.03‐0.39], P = 0.023). Ratings were also significantly lower when interns were postcall in written sign‐out quality (8.21 vs 8.39, P = 0.008) and accepting feedback (8.25 vs 8.42, P = 0.006). Ratings from a community hospital rotation, with a lower census than the teaching hospital, were significantly higher for overall performance and 7 of 12 domains (P < 0.05 for all). Significant evaluator effects were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there is evidence of leniency, peer evaluation of handoffs demonstrate increases over time and associations with workload such as postcall status. This suggests the importance of examining how workload impacts handoffs in the future. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:132–136. © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine