bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reducing volcanic risk on Fogo Volcano, Cape-Verde, through a participatory approach: which out coming?
Authors: Texier-Teixeira P. , Chouraqui F. , Perrillat-Collomb A. , Lavigne F. , Cadag J. R. , Grancher D.
Published: November 2013

Abstract. This research paper presents the outcomes of the Work Package 5 (Socio-economical Vulnerability Assessment and Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction) of the MIAVITA Research Program (MItigate and Assess risk from Volcanic Impact on Terrain and human Activities) conducted in Fogo Volcano, Cape-Verde. The study lasted for almost 3 yr (May 2010–January 2012) of which most of the time was spent in the village of Chã das Caldeiras, situated within the 9 km-wide caldera of the volcano inside the Fogo Natural Park. The objectives of the program included assessment of the vulnerability of the community at risk in terms of livelihoods, access to resources, and power relations between the local people and the different public and private institutions. These are important factors that need to be investigated in order to understand the root causes of vulnerability of the local people. This case study shows that the voluntary exposure of people at volcanic threats is linked with daily access to sources of livelihood specially agriculture and tourism. This is despite the perception of people of the risk on their lives and properties. In order to counter the factors of vulnerability, the study also aimed to identify and enhance local capacities. To achieve such objective, a Participatory 3-Dimensional Mapping (P3DM) activity was conducted to facilitate the dialogue between the local people and the different stakeholders as well as to prepare plans and measures to reduce volcanic risk. The P3DM was a half success considering that it has not yet led to an operational plan which takes into account the local capacities. The main reasons included (1) the non-participative aspect of the project at the beginning which should have identified priorities for people and let them lead the project to ensure the sustainability (2) deep conflicts within the community which complicated the focus group discussions around the 3-D map, and the difficulties to involve more marginalized people like women and youth, and (3) the fact that volcanic risk is not the priority for people who are more concerned on daily difficulties due to unsustainable livelihood, lack of access to water, land tenure, and the restrictions by the Fogo Natural Park administration and the municipal officials. Still, the study was successful in creating a space for dialogue between the local people and the outside stakeholders such as the Natural Park administration, the National Civil Protection Service (SNPC), and the Municipality of Santa Catarina who have all participated actively during the implementation of the project.
Tectonic and oceanographic controls on Abbot Ice Shelf thickness and stability
Authors: Cochran J. R. , Jacobs S. S. , Tinto K. J. , Bell R. E.
Published: November 2013

Abstract. Ice shelves play key roles in stabilizing Antarctica's ice sheets and returning freshwater to the Southern Ocean. Improved data sets of ice shelf draft and underlying bathymetry are important for assessing ocean–ice interactions and modeling ice response to climate change. The long, narrow Abbot Ice Shelf south of Thurston Island produces large volumes of meltwater but is in overall mass balance unlike other ice shelves in the region that are losing mass. Here we invert NASA Operation IceBridge (OIB) airborne gravity data over the Abbot region to obtain sub-ice bathymetry, and combine OIB elevation and ice thickness measurements to estimate ice draft. A series of asymmetric fault-bounded rift basins underlie the Abbot Ice shelf west of 94° W and also the Cosgrove Ice Shelf to the south. The ice sheet bed in areas surrounding the Abbot is near or above sea level, consistent with stable grounding lines. Sub-ice water column depths along OIB flight lines are sufficiently deep to allow warm deep and thermocline waters near the western Abbot ice front to circulate through much of the ice shelf cavity. Abbot Ice Shelf drafts averaging ∼200 m, about 30 m less than the Bedmap2 compilation, are coincident with the summer transition between the ocean surface mixed layer and upper thermocline. The ice feeding the Abbot crosses the relatively stable southern grounding lines and is rapidly thinned by the warmest inflow. While the system is presently in equilibrium, the overall draft is sensitive to the thickness of the cold Antarctic surface water overlying the thermocline.
Computer-assisted sizing of photovoltaic systems for drip irrigation of olive orchards in semi-arid climate
Authors: Moral F.J. , López-Rodríguez F. , Cuadrados F. , Ruiz Celma A.
Published: November 2013

One of the most promising applications of photovoltaic solar power, especially in areas which have high levels of solar radiation, is for pumping the water needed to irrigate the existing crops. However, it is absolutely necessary to accurately dimension the installations due to the high prices of photon capture devices. In this paper, a simple method, implemented in a spreadsheet, to calculate the design requirements of a photovoltaic system to power the drip irrigation of a field is proposed. The methodology is based on the link between the existing photovoltaic pumping techniques and the procedure to determine the crop water requirements. In the case study, 10 ha of olive grove, a photovoltaic field with 18 solar panels for 1.43 kWp is required. Besides the advantages for the environment, since it uses a renewable energy, a study on the economic viability of a photovoltaic system shows that it is similar to conventional systems which use a generator unit (twice the net present value for the photovoltaic system). Moreover, the high price of fossil fuels guarantees a progressive advantage of photovoltaic systems.
Forecast of frost days based on monthly temperatures
Authors: Castellanos M. T. , Tarquis A.M. , Morató M.C. , Saa A.
Published: November 2013

Although frost can cause considerable crop damage, and practices have been developed to mitigate forecasted frost, frost forecasting technologies have not changed for years. This paper reports on a new method based on successive application of two models to forecast the number of monthly frost days for several Community of Madrid (Spain) meteorological stations. The first is an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) stochastic model that forecasts minimum monthly absolute temperature (t min) and average monthly minimum temperature (micro t) following Box and Jenkins methodology. The second model relates monthly temperatures (t min, micro t) to the minimum daily temperature distribution during one month. Three ARIMA models were identified. They present the same seasonal behaviour (integrated moving average model) and different non-seasonal part: autoregressive model (Model 1), integrated moving average model (Model 2) and autoregressive and moving average model (Model 3). The results indicate that minimum daily temperature (t dmin) for the meteorological stations studied followed a normal distribution each month with a very similar standard deviation through out the years. This standard deviation obtained for each station and each month could be used as a risk index for cold months. The application of Model 1 to predict minimum monthly temperatures produced the best frost days forecast. This procedure provides a tool for crop managers and crop insurance companies to assess the risk of frost frequency and intensity, so that they can take steps to mitigate frost damage and estimate the damage that frost would cause.
Distribution in plant, substrate and leachate of paclobutrazol following application to containerized Nerium oleander L. seedlings
Authors: Ochoa J. , Franco J.A. , Bañón S. , Fernández J.A. , Fernández J.A.
Published: November 2013

Paclobutrazol (PBZ) is a retardant often used in potted ornamental plants to control their growth and compactness. The distribution in plant, substrate and leachate of PBZ applied to containerized oleander seedlings were studied after a single liquid drench application to the substrate surface (20 mg a.i. per plant) in a nursery dedicated to pot production in SE Spain. PBZ significantly reduced all growth parameters, providing more compact plants of good commercial value and confirming its ability to reduce the vertical growth of native oleander in the nursery. The level of PBZ residues in leaves was higher at the end of pot cultivation (156 days post PBZ application) than at the first sampling time (30 days after PBZ application), whereas the level in stems decreased for the same period of time. PBZ residues in roots remained constant during the experimental period. The high level of PBZ residues detected in the substrate 30 days after application had decreased significantly (by 67%) by the end of the experiment. A greater leaching fraction was detected for PBZ-treated seedlings and so a greater amount of PBZ was leached into the nursery soil with the irrigation water at the end of the experiment. This greater amount of PBZ leached into the soil represents an important way of contamination in the nursery and a substantial risk to the environment.
Freezing tolerance in Algerian populations of Atriplex halimus and Atriplex canescens
Authors: Aouissat M. , Walker D.J. , Belkhodja M. , Fares S. , Corral E.
Published: November 2013

The freezing tolerance of populations of the fodder species Atriplex halimus L. and Atriplex canescens (Pursh.) Nutt (Chenopodiaceae) from different locations in Algeria was investigated, in relation to plant provenance and leaf cation concentrations. For two populations of A. halimus, the effect of increased soil salinity (addition of NaCl) on tolerance was determined. Tolerance was determined in leaf electrolyte leakage assays and by assessment of visual damage, after exposure to temperatures between -5 and -25 C deg. There was significant correlation (P
Short communication. A spontaneous mutant of "L-202" rice
Authors: García-Yzaguirre A. , Padrones T.
Published: November 2013

A new spontaneous phenotype of the rice cultivar "L-202" was found. Mendelian analysis indicates that it is a monogenic, recessive mutant. Its distinguishing features are: dark blue-green colour, short and narrow leaves, high tillering and relatively short height. The objectives of this study were: to characterize it, to determine if it is heritable and if so, its genetic basis. Its distinguishing features are: dark blue-green colour, short and narrow leaves, high tillering and relatively short height. Selfing the new phenotype resulted in a uniform progeny, with the traits of the parent plant ("wild type"). Crossing the new phenotype with the normal ,"L-202"cultivar resulted in a uniform F1 hybrid generation, with the wild type. The F2 generation showed a mendelian seggregation which did not depart significantly from three normal plants: one new phenotype. It is concluded that it is a monogenic, recessive mutant.
Ethics and the Systematic Character of Modern Technology
Authors: Strijbos Sytse ,   Society for Philosophy and Technology
Published: November 2013

A distinguishing feature of today’s world is that technology has built the house in which humanity lives. More and more, our lives are lived within the confines of its walls. Yet this implies that technology entails far more than the material artifacts surrounding us. Technology is no longer simply a matter of objects in the hands of individuals; it has become a very complex system in which our everyday lives are embedded. The systemic character of modern technology confronts us with relatively new questions and dimensions of human responsibility. Hence this paper points out the need for exploring systems ethics as a new field of ethics essential for managing our technological world and for transforming it into a sane and healthy habitat for human life. Special attention is devoted to the introduction of information technology, which will continue unabated into coming decades and which is already changing our whole world of technology.
Technical Functions as Dispositions
Authors: Kroes Peter ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

The paper argues that in order to understand the nature of technological knowledge (i.e., knowledge of technical artefacts as distinct from knowledge of natural objects) it is necessary to develop an epistemology of technical functions. This epistemology has to address the problem of the meaning of the notion of function. In the dominant interpretations, functions are considered to be dispositions, comparable to physical dispositions such as fragility and solubility. It is argued that this conception of functions is principally flawed. With the help of Carnap’s analysis of dispositional terms it is shown that there is a fundamental difference between physical dispositional terms and functional dispositional terms. This difference concerns the issue of the normativity; with regard to functional dispositions, it makes sense to construct normative statements of a particular kind, with regard to physical dispositions it does not.
Social Norms in Artefact Use
Authors: Scheele Marcel ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

The use of artefacts by human agents is subject to human standards or norms of conduct. Many of those norms are provided by the social context in which artefacts are used. Others are provided by the proper functions of the artefacts. This article argues for a general framework in which norms that are provided by proper functions are related to norms provided by the (more general) social context of use. Departing from the concept, developed by Joseph Raz, of “exclusionary reasons” it is argued that proper functions provide “institutional reasons” for use. Proper use of artefacts (use according to the proper function) is embedded in the normative structures of social institutions. These social normative structures are complementary to traditional norms of practical rationalityand are a kind of second-order reasons: exclusionary reasons. It is argued that proper functions of artefacts provide institutional reasons, which are up to a certain extent similar to exclusionary reasons. The most notable difference concerns the fact that proper functions not so much exclude other types of use, but rather place that use (and the user) in particular social structures with particular rights and obligations. An institutional reason not only gives a reason for action, it also provides reasons for evaluating actions according to such reasons positively (and other negatively). The upshot of the analysis is that it provides an additionaltool for understanding and evaluating the use of artefacts.
Presence and Flow
Authors: Bartle Richard ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

Virtual worlds are a class of computer game in which large numbers of players access a shared environment simultaneously to have fun. What “having fun” means, however, is not obvious. Players talk about immersion, which suggests to some commentators that their fun may derive from the well-known psychological concepts of presence and flow. However, although these states of mind are indeed important factors in immersion, they do not capture what players themselves understand by the term. To describe fully what players are experiencing requires an examination of identity exploration – an exploration which strongly echoes the structure of ancient myth.
When Windmills Turn Into Giants
Authors: Champion Erik ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

While many papers may claim that virtual environments have much to gain from architectural and urban planning theory, few seem to specify in any verifiable or falsifiable way, how notions of place and interaction are best combined and developed for specific needs. The following is an attempt to summarize a theory of place for virtual environments and explain both the shortcomings and the advantages of this theory.
Nanomachine
Authors: Bensuade-Vincent Bernadette , Guchet Xavier ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

Scientists and engineers who extensively use the term “nanomachine” are not always aware of the philosophical implications of this term. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the concept of nanomachine through a distinction between three major paradigms of machine. After a brief presentation of two well-known paradigms - Cartesian mechanistic machines and Von Neumann’s complex and uncontrolled machines – we will argue that Drexler’s model was mainly Cartesian. But what about the model of his critics? We propose a third model - Gilbert Simondon’s notion of concrete machines – which seems more appropriate to understand nanomachines than the notion of “soft machines”. Finally we review a few strategies currently used to design nanomachines, in an effort to determine which paradigm they belong to.
On Amnesia and Knowing-How
Authors: Bzdak David ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

In this paper, I argue that Stanley and Williamson’s 2001 account of knowledge-how as a species of knowledge-that is wrong. They argue that a claim such as “Hannah knows how to ride a bicycle” is true if and only if Hannah has some relevant knowledge-that. I challenge their claim by considering the case of a famous amnesic patient named Henry M. who is capable of acquiring and retaining new knowledge-how but who is incapable of acquiring and retaining new knowledge-that. In the first two sections of the paper, I introduce the topic of knowledge-how and give a brief overview of Stanley and Williamson’s position. In the third and fourth sections, I discuss the case of Henry M. and explain why it is plausible to describe him as someone who can retain new knowledge-how but not new knowledge-that. In the final sections of the paper, I argue that Henry M.’s case does indeed provide a counterexample to Stanley and Williamson’s analysis of knowing-how as a species of knowing-that, and I consider and respond to possible objections to my argument.
Ihde’s Instrumental Realism and the Marxist Account of Technology in Experimental Science
Authors: Dusek Val ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

Edgar Zilsel offers a Marxist account of the rise of experimental science avoiding both crude determinism and the anti-scientific bias of much “Western Marxism.” This account supplements Don Ihde’s instrumental realism with a social account of the systematic extension of perception by instrumentation. The social contact of non-literate craftspeople with purely intellectual scholars forged the social basis of what became technoscience.
Communicative In-Betweens of Email Communication
Authors: Hansen Ejvind ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

In this paper I seek to deconstruct internet-based communication. I highlight Derrida’s focus on the margins and in-betweens of communication, and relate it to the genre of e-mail. I argue (i) that the silence between the dialogic turns becomes more marked, while (ii) the separation of present and previous statements becomes less marked. The visibility of the silence between the turns (i) can be a resource for increased awareness of how communicative exchanges are shaped by self­arrangements and -presentations. The dissolution of the separation between present and previous statements (ii) can be a source for unfruitful quarrels.
Hermeneutic practices in software development
Authors: Binzberger Viktor ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

This paper shows the relevance of hermeneutic philosophy to understand how info­communication technologies frame our contemporary lifeworld. It demonstrates that the programming languages are the result of collective interpretations of the general lifeworld of programmers, management and political decision-makers. By having been inscribed into the processes of language use, this general interpretation permeates the particular practices of understanding that are possible within the language framework.
Antirealism and Artefact Kinds
Authors: Soavi Marzia ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

Many realists on kinds deem it highly controversial to consider artefact kinds real kinds on a par with natural ones. There is a built-in tendency in realism to conceive of artefact kinds as merely a conventional classification used for practical purposes. One can individuate three main different approaches characterizing real kinds and accordingly three different types of arguments against viewing artefact kinds as real kinds: the metaphysical, the epistemological and the semantic arguments. The aim of this contribution is to undermine the thesis that it is possible to trace a clear distinction between artefacts and natural kinds in each of these approaches. As a consequence there are no metaphysical, epistemological and semantic bases for claiming that artefact kinds as opposed to natural ones are not real kinds.
‘Two Cultures,’ One Frontier
Authors: Broadhead Lee-Anne , Howard Sean ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

This paper approaches the ‘Drexler-Smalley’ debate on nanotechnology from a neglected angle – the common denominator of ‘the frontier’ as a metaphor for scientific exploration. For Bensaude-Vincent, the debate exemplifies the clash of ‘two cultures’ – the ‘artificialist’ and biomimetic’ schools. For us, the portrayal of nanosphere as ‘new frontier’ stymies the prospect of genuine inter-cultural debate on the direction of molecular engineering. Drawing on Brandon, the‘dominium’ impulse of European imperialism is contrasted to the ‘communitas’ tradition of Native America. Proposing a single label – hybridist – for both schools, we juxtapose to this approach the holistic disposition of indigenous North American science.
The Background, the Body and the Internet
Authors: Brownstein Michael ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

In recent years, Hubert Dreyfus has put forward a critique of the social and cultural effects of the Internet on modern societies based on the value of what he calls “the background” of largely tacit and unarticulated social norms. While Dreyfus is right to turn to the “background” in order to understand the effects of the Internet on society and culture, his unequivocally negative conclusions are unwarranted. I argue that a modified account of the background – one more attuned to what the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu calls “social fields” – can lead to sounder and more illuminating conclusions.
Mandatory Ultrasound Laws and the Coercive Use of Informed Consent
Authors: Coe Cynthia D. , Altman Matthew C. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

Requiring that a woman who is seeking an abortion be given the opportunity to view an ultrasound of her fetus has spread from anti-abortion “pregnancy resource centers” to state laws. Proponents of these laws claim that having access to the ultrasound image is necessary for a woman to make a medically informed decision. In this paper, we argue that ultrasound examinations frame fetuses visually and linguistically as persons and interpellate pregnant women as mothers, with all of the cultural meaning invested in those two normative concepts. Presenting these judgments as medical information is misleading. Because women are being subjected to these cultural expectations unknowingly, mandatory ultrasound laws in fact undermine women’s autonomy. Fully informed consent would include a critical engagement with social norms around femininity and a recognition that such laws are meant to advance the state’s interest in preserving potential life.
Representations of Surrogacy in Submissions to a Parliamentary Inquiry in New South Wales
Authors: Riggs Damien W , Due Clemence ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2013

Whilst feminist commentators have long critiqued surrogacy as a practice of commodification, surrogacy as a mode of family formation continues to grow in popularity. In this paper we explore public representations of surrogacy through a discourse analytic reading of submissions made in Australia to an Inquiry regarding surrogacy legislation. The findings suggest that many submissions relied upon normative understandings of surrogates as either ‘good women’ or ‘bad mothers’. This is of concern given that such public representations may shape the views of those who utilize surrogacy services in ways that limit attention to the ethics of surrogacy.
Os fosfatos aluminosos da série da crandallita: uma revisão
Authors: Toledo Maria Cristina Motta de
Published: November 2013

Os minerais da série da crandallita têm fórmula geral A Al3(P0(4)) (P0(3)0H) (OH)6, onde A são cátions grandes como Na+, K+, Ca2+, Pb2+, Ba2+, Sr2+, ETR3+, e outros, em coordenação 12, podendo apresentar diversas substituições catiônicas e aniônicas. Formam-se comumente durante o intemperismo sobre diversos materiais originais com disponibilidade em P. De grande estabilidade no ambiente superficial, podem ocorrer também em depósitos detríticos. Estes minerais têm sido mencionados como uma das principais fontes de P em solos e o reconhecimento de sua ampla distribuição também em ambientes sedimentares marinhos tem crescido, modificando as idéias mais antigas sobre as quantidades de P nesta etapa de seu ciclo. Os fosfatos crandallíticos são geralmente considerados prejudiciais ao aproveitamento dos minérios apatíticos aos quais se associam. No Brasil não são considerados como fonte de fósforo para fertilizantes, embora haja registro desta aplicação em outros países. Por outro lado, sua estrutura aberta bem como a alta estabilidade e relativa abundância nas formações superficiais podem representar argumentos suficientes para a busca de aplicações em diferentes setores. Esta revisão apresenta uma síntese da bibliografia a respeito dos aspectos mineralógicos, geoquímicos, cristaloquímicos e genéticos dos minerais desta série.
Pressure Management Contributes to System Performance
Authors: Martin Barb , Ries Tom
Published: November 2013

Previous installments of Getting Optimized (Opflow June 2013 and October 2013) focused on collecting representative data to allow for data‐driven decision making and using disinfectant residual data as an indicator of distribution system water quality. This column examines pressure monitoring and management and how pressure data can be an indicator of distribution system hydraulic integrity.
¿Un pasado que no cesa? Discurso patrimonial y memoria pública comunista en el franquismo y la transición española
Authors: Rueda Laffond José Carlos
Published: November 2013

This investigation analyzes, briefly, the official public memory of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE), during Franco’s regime and the beginning of the democratic transition (1939-1977). Initially it establishes a framework which provides context, theoretically and historically, for the communist heritage discourse. Second, it points out some guidelines of its evolution and permanence since the late thirties, questioning how some memory practices influenced the political strategy and public identity of the PCE. In contrast to approaches that highlighted the weight of oblivion, the text highlights the relevance of the memories in the design of the communist discourse. As fundamental conclusion, it argues that official memory about the Second Republic or the Civil War took shape through negotiation between needs of legitimacy, selective recall of key past events, and managing current issues.
Análisis de las estrategias del Gobierno colombiano para la inclusión de los ciudadanos en la Sociedad de la Información propuestas desde 2000 hasta 2011
Authors: González Zabala Mayda Patricia , Sánchez Torres Jenny Marcela
Published: November 2013

Colombia has implemented various strategies to develop an Information Society —IS— aiming to improve economic growth and citizen participation. In order to better understand these actions, three analyses were proposed: i) supporting sectors of society; ii) the target population; and iii) the elements of e-inclusion, i.e. elements that allow the inclusion of the population in the IS. The results show that the sectors supported are: education, government, competitiveness, and culture; citizens are the target population of Colombian initiatives; specifically, there are four initiatives which target three vulnerable population groups: ethnic minorities, disabled people, and low income groups; and the efforts of the Colombian government have focused on a creating the conditions necessary for developing IS.
Increases in regimen durability associated with the introduction of tenofovir at a large public‐sector clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa
Authors: Brennan Alana T , Maskew Mhairi , Ive Prudence , Shearer Kate , Long Lawrence , Sanne Ian , Fox Matthew P
Published: November 2013

Introduction

In April 2010, tenofovir replaced stavudine in public‐sector first‐line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in South Africa. The association of tenofovir with fewer side effects and toxicities compared to stavudine could translate to increased durability of tenofovir‐based regimens. We evaluated changes over time in regimen durability at the Themba Lethu Clinic, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Methods

This was a cohort analysis of treatment‐naïve, non‐pregnant adult patients initiated on ART between April 2004 and December 2011. First‐line ART regimens before April 2010 consisted of stavudine or zidovudine with lamivudine and either efavirenz or nevirapine. Tenofovir was substituted for stavudine after April 2010. We evaluated the frequency and type of single‐drug substitutions (excluding switches to second‐line therapy). Cox models were used to evaluate the association of ART initiation year and antiretroviral drug type with single‐drug substitutions in the first 12 months on treatment.

Results

One thousand nine hundred and sixty‐four (10%) substitutions occurred amongst 19,699 patients. Excluding 2004 (year of treatment roll‐out), before 2010 one‐year single‐drug substitutions ranged from 10.0 to 13.1%. In 2011, well after integration of tenofovir, substitutions decreased to 5.6%. Single‐drug substitution was lowest amongst patients on tenofovir (5.1%) versus zidovudine (11.3%), 30 mg stavudine (10.5%) or 40 mg stavudine (14.4%). Adjusted Cox models showed that patients initiating treatment between 2005 and 2010 (vs. 2011) had a twofold increased hazard of single‐drug substitution, while those on zidovudine or stavudine had a two to threefold increase in single‐drug substitution versus tenofovir patients in the first 12 months on ART.

Conclusions

The decline in single‐drug substitutions is associated with the introduction of tenofovir. Tenofovir use could improve regimen durability and treatment outcomes in resource‐limited settings.
Single‐Domain Antibodies and Their Utility
Authors: Baral Toya Nath , MacKenzie Roger , Arbabi Ghahroudi Mehdi
Published: November 2013

Engineered monoclonal antibody fragments have gained market attention due to their versatility and tailor‐made potential and are now considered to be an important part of future immunobiotherapeutics. Single‐domain antibodies (sdAbs), also known as nanobodies, are derived from VHHs [variable domains (V) of heavy‐chain‐only antibodies (HCAb)] of camelid heavy‐chain antibodies. These nature‐made sdAbs are well suited for various applications due to their favorable characteristics such as small size, ease of genetic manipulation, high affinity and solubility, overall stability, resistance to harsh conditions (e.g., low pH, high temperature), and low immunogenicity. Most importantly, sdAbs have the feature of penetrating into cavities and recognizing hidden epitopes normally inaccessible to conventional antibodies, mainly due to their protruding CDR3/H3 loops. In this unit, we will present and discuss comprehensive and step‐by‐step protocols routinely practiced in our laboratory for isolating sdAbs from immunized llamas (or other members of the Camelidae family) against target antigens using phage‐display technology. Expression, purification, and characterization of the isolated sdAbs will then be described, followed by presentation of several examples of applications of sdAbs previously characterized in our laboratory and elsewhere. Curr. Protoc. Immunol. 103:2.17.1‐2.17.57. ©2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Schistosomiasis
Authors: Tucker Matthew S. , Karunaratne Laksiri B. , Lewis Fred A. , Freitas Tori C. , Liang Yung‐san
Published: November 2013

Schistosomiasis is the second most important parasitic disease in the world in terms of public health impact. Globally, it is estimated that the disease affects over 200 million people and is responsible for 200,000 deaths each year. The three major schistosomes infecting humans are Schistosoma mansoni, S. japonicum, and S. haematobium. Much immunological research has focused on schistosomiasis because of the pathological effects of the disease, which include liver fibrosis and bladder dysfunction. This unit covers a wide range of aspects with respect to maintaining the life cycles of these parasites, including preparation of schistosome egg antigen, maintenance of intermediate snail hosts, infection of the definitive and intermediate hosts, and others. The unit primarily focuses on S. mansoni, but also includes coverage of S. japonicum and S. haematobium life cycles. Curr. Protoc. Immunol. 103:19.1.1‐19.1.58. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Learn About Science Policy at the 2013 AGU Fall Meeting
Authors: Gilley Meg
Published: November 2013

The 2013 AGU Fall Meeting offers many opportunities to explore current science policy issues. Sequestration and the recent government shutdown showed us the connection between science and policy and the impact that policy can have on researchers' work. This year's Fall Meeting Public Affairs events will give members the tools to communicate with Congress, respond to legal pressure about their science, and work with policy makers in Washington, D. C., as an AGU Congressional Science Fellow.
Detecting previously unknown aftershocks of the 2011 Tohoku quake
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: November 2013

Aftershocks of major earthquakes are usually detected by local seismic monitors, but they can also be detected by more distant seismic arrays. Kiser and Ishii used a technique known as back projection to analyze data from North American seismic stations during the 25 hours following the 2011 magnitude 9 Tohoku earthquake. They compared their data with the aftershock catalog from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), which is based on data from local seismic arrays, and found that about half of the aftershocks they detected within the North American data were not included in the JMA catalog. Most of these events took place near the Japan Trench in an area previously thought to be relatively aseismic following the magnitude 9 mainshock. The new data help fill in the record of aftershock distribution for the Tohoku earthquake and demonstrate the usefulness of back‐projection analysis of teleseismic data in detecting aftershocks of major earthquakes.
Numerical analysis of 2010 high‐mountain (Tien‐Shan) experiment on observations of thunderstorm‐related low‐energy neutron emissions
Authors: Babich Leonid P. , Bochkov Evgeniĭ , Dwyer Joseph R. , Kutsyk Igor M. , Zalyalov Adel N.
Published: November 2013

The high‐mountain experiment in a thunderstorm atmosphere, in which “extraordinary high flux of low‐energy neutrons” was detected, is analyzed. Due to the lack of data on the radiation source, we do not analyze directly measured absolute count rates. Instead, we address the experimental configuration, namely, simultaneous measurements by shielded and unshielded helium counters, which allow a comparison of relative count rates and, thus, verifying the species of the detected radiation. Results of Monte Carlo simulations of neutron transport executed without aprioristic assumptions, using only data on the experimental configuration, have raised strong doubts as to whether the detected increases of the count rates can be attributed to neutrons. Results of simulations allowing for the neutron transport in atmosphere from distant (100–500 m) photoneutron source with spectrum in the range 0–20.1 MeV produced by relativistic runaway electron avalanche bremsstrahlung demonstrate that ratios R of the count rates of shielded and unshielded counters below 1 keV are manyfold higher than the ratios Rexp ≈ 0.34–1.06 of the measured count rates. In the total range 0–20.1 MeV, the R magnitudes vary from 0.14 to 0.84 depending on the distance to the neutron source. Results of simulations of γ rays transport executed without aprioristic assumptions demonstrate that, most likely, hard γ rays with energies ϵγ > 1 MeV were detected. We note that in thunderstorm environment, a selection is required of neutrons and γ rays, for which the time‐of‐flight technique is the most adequate.
The effect of water table fluctuation on soil respiration in a lower coastal plain forested wetland in the southeastern U.S.
Authors: Miao Guofang , Noormets Asko , Domec Jean‐Christophe , Trettin Carl C. , McNulty Steve G. , Sun Ge , King John S.
Published: November 2013

Anthropogenic and environmental pressures on wetland hydrology may trigger changes in carbon (C) cycling, potentially exposing vast amounts of soil C to rapid decomposition. We measured soil CO2efflux (Rs) continuously from 2009 to 2010 in a lower coastal plain forested wetland in North Carolina, U.S., to characterize its main environmental drivers. To understand and quantify the spatial variation due to microtopography and associated differences in hydrology, measurements were conducted at three microsites along a microtopographic gradient. The seasonal hysteresis inRsdiffered by microtopographic location and was caused by the transitions between flooded and nonflooded conditions. Because floodedRswas small, we reportedRsdynamics mainly during nonflooded periods. A nested model, modified from conventionalQ10(temperature sensitivity) model with dynamic parameters, provided a significantly better simulation on the observed variation ofRs. The model performed better with daily data, indicating that soil temperature (Ts) and water table depth (WTD) were the primary drivers for seasonal variation. The diel variation ofRswas high and independent ofTsand WTD, which both had small diel variations, suggesting the likely association with plant activity. Overall, the site‐average soil CO2efflux was approximately 960–1103 g C m−2 yr−1in 2010, of which 93% was released during nonflooded periods. Our study indicates thatRsis highly linked to hydroperiod and microtopography in forested wetlands and droughts in wetlands will accelerate soil C loss.
Validity of a Self‐Administered Version of the Brief Index of Lupus Damage in a Predominantly African American Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Cohort
Authors: Drenkard C. , Yazdany J. , Trupin L. , Katz P. P. , Dunlop‐Thomas C. , Bao G. , Lim S. S.
Published: November 2013

Objective

To assess the reliability and criterion and construct validity of the self‐administered Brief Index of Lupus Damage (SA‐BILD), a patient‐reported measure of organ damage in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

The validity of the SA‐BILD was assessed using data from the Georgians Organized Against Lupus (GOAL) survey. GOAL is a longitudinal cohort of SLE patients predominantly derived from the Georgia Lupus Registry, a population‐based registry established in Atlanta, Georgia. In total, 711 participants with documented SLE completed the SA‐BILD. To test reliability, the SA‐BILD was readministered to 32 patients. Criterion validity was examined in 150 respondents for whom the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI) was also completed. Construct validity was assessed among 711 GOAL participants by dividing the SA‐BILD scores into quartiles and examining the association with demographics, health status, and health care utilization.

Results

The test–retest correlation score was 0.93 (P < 0.0001), the item‐by‐item agreement with the SDI was >80% for most SA‐BILD items, and the Spearman's rho correlation coefficient for the SDI and SA‐BILD was moderately high (ρ = 0.59, P < 0.0001). SA‐BILD scores showed significant associations in the expected directions with age, disease duration, disease activity, overall health, comorbidity index, and physician visits.

Conclusion

The SA‐BILD was reliable and had very good or good criterion validity compared with the SDI when tested in a predominantly African American cohort of US SLE patients. Associations of SA‐BILD scores with sociodemographics and health status were consistent with previous studies. These findings support the use of the SA‐BILD as a valid measure of patient‐reported damage in SLE.
High‐Performance Dopamine Sensors Based on Whole‐Graphene Solution‐Gated Transistors
Authors: Zhang Meng , Liao Caizhi , Yao Yanli , Liu Zhike , Gong Fengfei , Yan Feng
Published: November 2013

Solution‐gated graphene transistors with graphene as both channel and gate electrodes are fabricated for the first time and used as dopamine sensors with the detection limit down to 1 nM, which is three orders of magnitude better than that of conventional electrochemical measurements. The sensing mechanism is attributed to the change of effective gate voltage applied on the transistors induced by the electro‐oxidation of dopamine at the graphene gate electrodes. The interference from glucose, uric acid, and ascorbic acid on the dopamine sensor is characterized. The selectivity of the dopamine sensor is dramatically improved by modifying the gate electrode with a thin Nafion film by solution process. This work paves the way for developing many other biosensors based on the solution‐gated graphene transistors by specifically functionalizing the gate electrodes. Because the devices are mainly made of graphene, they are potentially low cost and ideal for high‐density integration as multifunctional sensor arrays.
Embossed Hollow Hemisphere‐Based Piezoelectric Nanogenerator and Highly Responsive Pressure Sensor
Authors: Chun Jinsung , Lee Keun Young , Kang Chong‐Yun , Kim Myung Wha , Kim Sang‐Woo , Baik Jeong Min
Published: November 2013

Harvesting energy using piezoelectric materials such as ZnO, at nanoscale due to geometrical effects, are highly desirable for powering portable electronics, biomedical, and healthcare applications. Although one‐dimensional nanostructures such as nanowires have been the most widely studied for these applications, there exist a limited number of piezomaterials that can be easily manufactured into nanowires, thus, developing effective and reliable means of preparing nanostructures from a wide variety of piezomaterials is essential for the advancement of self‐powered devices. In this study, ZnO embossed hollow hemispheres thin film for highly responsive pressure sensors and nanogenerators are reported. The asymmetric hemispheres, formed by an oblique angle deposition, cause an unsymmetrical piezoelectric field direction by external force, resulting in the control of the current direction and level at about 7 mA cm‐2 at normal force of 30 N. The nanogenerators repeatedly generate the voltage output of ≈0.2 V, irrespective of the degree of symmetry. It is also demonstrated that when one piece of hemisphere layer is stacked over another to form a layer‐by‐layer matched architecture, the output voltage in nanogenerators increases up to 2 times.
25th Anniversary Article: Metal Oxide Particles in Materials Science: Addressing All Length Scales
Authors: Koziej Dorota , Lauria Alessandro , Niederberger Markus
Published: November 2013

The fundamental mission of materials science is the description of matter over all length scales. In this review, we apply this concept to particle research. Based on metal oxides, we show that every size range offers its specific features, and every size range had its era, when it was in the center of the research activities. In the first part of the review, we discuss on three metal oxides as examples, how and why the research focus changed its targeted size regime from the micrometer to the nanometer scale and back to the macroscopic world. Next, we present the distinct advantages of using nanoparticles over micrometer‐sized particles in selected devices and we point out how such a shift in the size regime opens up new research directions. Finally, we exemplify the methods to introduce nanoparticles into macroscopic objects to make functional ceramics.
Ruthenium(II)‐Catalyzed Chelation‐Assisted Arylation of CH Bonds with Diaryliodonium Salts
Authors: Ho Jordan Sun , Misal Castro Luis C. , Aihara Yoshinori , Tobisu Mamoru , Chatani Naoto
Published: November 2013

Chelation‐assisted arylation of the ortho CH bonds in 2‐arylpyridine derivatives was achieved by using [Ru(OAc)2(p‐cymene)] as the catalyst and diaryliodonium salts as the arylation reagent. The reaction can tolerate a broad range of functional groups and, in contrast to other Ru‐catalyzed CH arylation reactions with diaryliodonium salts, appears to proceed by a mechanism similar to Pd‐catalyzed CH arylation.
Hands of early primates
Authors: Boyer Doug M. , Yapuncich Gabriel S. , Chester Stephen G.B. , Bloch Jonathan I. , Godinot Marc
Published: November 2013

Questions surrounding the origin and early evolution of primates continue to be the subject of debate. Though anatomy of the skull and inferred dietary shifts are often the focus, detailed studies of postcrania and inferred locomotor capabilities can also provide crucial data that advance understanding of transitions in early primate evolution. In particular, the hand skeleton includes characteristics thought to reflect foraging, locomotion, and posture. Here we review what is known about the early evolution of primate hands from a comparative perspective that incorporates data from the fossil record. Additionally, we provide new comparative data and documentation of skeletal morphology for Paleogene plesiadapiforms, notharctines, cercamoniines, adapines, and omomyiforms. Finally, we discuss implications of these data for understanding locomotor transitions during the origin and early evolutionary history of primates. Known plesiadapiform species cannot be differentiated from extant primates based on either intrinsic hand proportions or hand‐to‐body size proportions. Nonetheless, the presence of claws and a different carpometacarpal joint form in plesiadapiforms indicate different grasping mechanics. Notharctines and cercamoniines have intrinsic hand proportions with extremely elongated proximal phalanges and digit rays relative to metacarpals, resembling tarsiers and galagos. But their hand‐to‐body size proportions are typical of many extant primates (unlike those of tarsiers, and possibly Teilhardina, which have extremely large hands). Non‐adapine adapiforms and omomyids exhibit additional carpal features suggesting more limited dorsiflexion, greater ulnar deviation, and a more habitually divergent pollex than observed plesiadapiforms. Together, features differentiating adapiforms and omomyiforms from plesiadapiforms indicate increased reliance on vertical prehensile‐clinging and grasp‐leaping, possibly in combination with predatory behaviors in ancestral euprimates. Am J Phys Anthropol 57:33–78, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cascade Reactions in Multicompartmentalized Polymersomes
Authors: Peters Ruud J. R. W. , Marguet Maïté , Marais Sébastien , Fraaije Marco W. , van Hest Jan C. M. , Lecommandoux Sébastien
Published: November 2013

Enzyme‐filled polystyrene‐b‐poly(3‐(isocyano‐L‐alanyl‐aminoethyl)thiophene) (PS‐b‐PIAT) nanoreactors are encapsulated together with free enzymes and substrates in a larger polybutadiene‐b‐poly(ethylene oxide) (PB‐b‐PEO) polymersome, forming a multicompartmentalized structure, which shows structural resemblance to the cell and its organelles. An original cofactor‐dependent three‐enzyme cascade reaction is performed, using either compatible or incompatible enzymes, which takes place across multiple compartments.