bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent Advances in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Mehmood Umer , Rahman Saleem-ur , Harrabi Khalil , Hussein Ibnelwaleed A. , Reddy B. V. S.
Published: April 2014

Solar energy is an abundant and accessible source of renewable energy available on earth, and many types of photovoltaic (PV) devices like organic, inorganic, and hybrid cells have been developed to harness the energy. PV cells directly convert solar radiation into electricity without affecting the environment. Although silicon based solar cells (inorganic cells) are widely used because of their high efficiency, they are rigid and manufacturing costs are high. Researchers have focused on organic solar cells to overcome these disadvantages. DSSCs comprise a sensitized semiconductor (photoelectrode) and a catalytic electrode (counter electrode) with an electrolyte sandwiched between them and their efficiency depends on many factors. The maximum electrical conversion efficiency of DSSCs attained so far is 11.1%, which is still low for commercial applications. This review examines the working principle, factors affecting the efficiency, and key challenges facing DSSCs.
Novel Polymeric Nanoparticles for Intracellular Delivery of Peptide Cargos: Antitumor Efficacy of the BCL-2 Conversion Peptide NuBCP-9
Authors: Kumar Manoj , Gupta Dikshi , Singh Gurpal , Sharma Sapna , Bhat Madhusudan , Prashant C.K. , Dinda A.K. , Kharbanda Surender , Kufe Donald , Singh Harpal
Published: April 2014

The preclinical development of peptidyl drugs for cancer treatment is hampered by their poor pharmacologic properties and cell penetrative capabilities in vivo. In this study, we report a nanoparticle-based formulation that overcomes these limitations, illustrating their utility in studies of the anticancer peptide NuBCP-9, which converts BCL-2 from a cell protector to a cell killer. NuBCP-9 was encapsulated in polymeric nanoparticles composed of a polyethylene glycol (PEG)–modified polylactic acid (PLA) diblock copolymer (NuBCP-9/PLA-PEG) or PEG-polypropylene glycol-PEG-modified PLA—tetrablock copolymer (NuBCP-9/PLA-PEG-PPG-PEG). We found that peptide encapsulation was enhanced by increasing the PEG chain length in the block copolymers. NuBCP-9 release from the nanoparticles was controlled by both PEG chain length and the PLA molecular weight, permitting time-release over sustained periods. Treatment of human cancer cells with these nanoparticles in vitro triggered apoptosis by NuBCP-9–mediated mechanism, with a potency similar to NuBCP-9 linked to a cell-penetrating poly-Arg peptide. Strikingly, in vivo administration of NuBCP-9/nanoparticles triggered complete regressions in the Ehrlich syngeneic mouse model of solid tumor. Our results illustrate an effective method for sustained delivery of anticancer peptides, highlighting the superior qualities of the novel PLA-PEG-PPG-PEG tetrablock copolymer formulation as a tool to target intracellular proteins. Cancer Res; 74(12); 3271–81. ©2014 AACR.
Financial Strain and Cancer Risk Behaviors among African Americans
Authors: Advani Pragati S. , Reitzel Lorraine R. , Nguyen Nga T. , Fisher Felicia D. , Savoy Elaine J. , Cuevas Adolfo G. , Wetter David W. , McNeill Lorna H.
Published: April 2014

Background: African Americans suffer disproportionately from the adverse consequences of behavioral risk factors for cancer relative to other ethnic groups. Recent studies have assessed how financial strain might uniquely contribute to engagement in modifiable behavioral risk factors for cancer, but not among African Americans. The current study examined associations between financial strain and modifiable cancer risk factors (smoking, at-risk alcohol use, overweight/obesity, insufficient physical activity, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, and multiple risk factors) among 1,278 African American adults (age, 46.5 ± 12.6 years; 77% female) and explored potential mediators (stress and depressive symptoms) of those associations.

Methods: Logistic regression models were used to examine associations between financial strain and cancer risk factors. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, partner status, income, educational level, and employment status. Analyses involving overweight/obesity status additionally controlled for fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity. Nonparametric bootstrapping procedures were used to assess mediation.

Results: Greater financial strain was associated with greater odds of insufficient physical activity (P < 0.003) and smoking (P = 0.005) and was positively associated with the total number of cancer risk factors (P < 0.0001). There was a significant indirect effect of both stress and depressive symptoms on the relations of financial strain with physical inactivity and multiple risk factors, respectively.

Conclusions: Future interventions aimed at reducing cancer disparities should focus on African Americans experiencing higher financial strain while addressing their stress and depressive symptoms.

Impact: Longitudinal studies are needed to assess the temporal and causal relations between financial strain and modifiable behavioral cancer risk factors among African Americans. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(6); 967–75. ©2014 AACR.
Niclosamide Inhibits Androgen Receptor Variants Expression and Overcomes Enzalutamide Resistance in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Liu Chengfei , Lou Wei , Zhu Yezi , Nadiminty Nagalakshmi , Schwartz Chad T. , Evans Christopher P. , Gao Allen C.
Published: April 2014

Purpose: Enzalutamide, a second-generation antiandrogen, was recently approved for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) in patients who no longer respond to docetaxel. Despite these advances that provide temporary respite, resistance to enzalutamide occurs frequently. Androgen receptor (AR) splice variants such as AR-V7 have recently been shown to drive castration-resistant growth and resistance to enzalutamide. This study was designed to identify inhibitors of AR variants and test its ability to overcome resistance to enzalutamide.

Experimental Design: The drug screening was conducted using luciferase activity assay to determine the activity of AR-V7 after treatment with the compounds in the Prestwick Chemical Library, which contains about 1,120 FDA-approved drugs. The effects of the identified inhibitors on AR-V7 activity and enzalutamide sensitivity were characterized in CRPC and enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Results: Niclosamide, an FDA-approved antihelminthic drug, was identified as a potent AR-V7 inhibitor in prostate cancer cells. Niclosamide significantly downregulated AR-V7 protein expression by protein degradation through a proteasome-dependent pathway. Niclosamide also inhibited AR-V7 transcription activity and reduced the recruitment of AR-V7 to the PSA promoter. Niclosamide inhibited prostate cancer cell growth in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, the combination of niclosamide and enzalutamide resulted in significant inhibition of enzalutamide-resistant tumor growth, suggesting that niclosamide enhances enzalutamide therapy and overcomes enzalutamide resistance in CRPC cells.

Conclusions: Niclosamide was identified as a novel inhibitor of AR variants. Our findings offer preclinical validation of niclosamide as a promising inhibitor of AR variants to treat, either alone or in combination with current antiandrogen therapies, patients with advanced prostate cancer, especially those resistant to enzalutamide. Clin Cancer Res; 20(12); 3198–210. ©2014 AACR.
A High-Throughput Fluorimetric Assay for 2-Hydroxyglutarate Identifies Zaprinast as a Glutaminase Inhibitor
Authors: Elhammali Adnan , Ippolito Joseph E. , Collins Lynne , Crowley Jan , Marasa Jayne , Piwnica-Worms David
Published: April 2014

Recently identified isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations lead to the production of 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG), an oncometabolite aberrantly elevated in selected cancers. We developed a facile and inexpensive fluorimetric microplate assay for the quantitation of 2HG and performed an unbiased small-molecule screen in live cells to identify compounds capable of perturbing 2HG production. Zaprinast, a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, was identified as an efficacious modulator of 2HG production and confirmed to lower 2HG levels in vivo. The mechanism of action was not due to cGMP stabilization, but rather, profiling of metabolites upstream of mutant IDH1 pointed to targeted inhibition of the enzyme glutaminase (GLS). Zaprinast treatment reversed histone hypermethylation and soft-agar growth of IDH1-mutant cells, and treatment of glutamine-addicted pancreatic cancer cells reduced growth and sensitized cells to oxidative damage. Thus, Zaprinast is efficacious against glutamine metabolism and further establishes the therapeutic linkages between GLS and 2HG-mediated oncogenesis.

Significance: Gain-of-function IDH mutations are common events in glioma, acute myelogenous leukemia, and other cancer types, which lead to the accumulation of the oncometabolite 2HG. We show that the drug Zaprinast is capable of reducing cellular 2HG levels by inhibiting the upstream enzyme GLS, thus identifying a new strategy to target 2HG production in selected IDH-mutant cancers. Cancer Discov; 4(7); 828–39. ©2014 AACR.

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The Control of Automatic Imitation Based on Bottom–Up and Top–Down Cues to Animacy: Insights from Brain and Behavior
Authors: Klapper André , Ramsey Richard , Wigboldus Daniël , Cross Emily S.
Published: April 2014

Humans automatically imitate other people's actions during social interactions, building rapport and social closeness in the process. Although the behavioral consequences and neural correlates of imitation have been studied extensively, little is known about the neural mechanisms that control imitative tendencies. For example, the degree to which an agent is perceived as human-like influences automatic imitation, but it is not known how perception of animacy influences brain circuits that control imitation. In the current fMRI study, we examined how the perception and belief of animacy influence the control of automatic imitation. Using an imitation–inhibition paradigm that involves suppressing the tendency to imitate an observed action, we manipulated both bottom–up (visual input) and top–down (belief) cues to animacy. Results show divergent patterns of behavioral and neural responses. Behavioral analyses show that automatic imitation is equivalent when one or both cues to animacy are present but reduces when both are absent. By contrast, right TPJ showed sensitivity to the presence of both animacy cues. Thus, we demonstrate that right TPJ is biologically tuned to control imitative tendencies when the observed agent both looks like and is believed to be human. The results suggest that right TPJ may be involved in a specialized capacity to control automatic imitation of human agents, rather than a universal process of conflict management, which would be more consistent with generalist theories of imitative control. Evidence for specialized neural circuitry that “controls” imitation offers new insight into developmental disorders that involve atypical processing of social information, such as autism spectrum disorders.
The Decoupled Mind: Mind-wandering Disrupts Cortical Phase-locking to Perceptual Events
Authors: Baird Benjamin , Smallwood Jonathan , Lutz Antoine , Schooler Jonathan W.
Published: April 2014

The mind flows in a “stream of consciousness,” which often neglects immediate sensory input in favor of focusing on intrinsic, self-generated thoughts or images. Although considerable research has documented the disruptive influences of task-unrelated thought for perceptual processing and task performance, the brain dynamics associated with these phenomena are not well understood. Here we investigate the possibility, suggested by several convergent lines of research, that task-unrelated thought is associated with a reduction in the trial-to-trial phase consistency of the oscillatory neural signal in response to perceptual input. Using an experience sampling paradigm coupled with continuous high-density electroencephalography, we observed that task-unrelated thought was associated with a reduction of the P1 ERP, replicating prior observations that mind-wandering is accompanied by a reduction of the brain-evoked response to sensory input. Time–frequency analysis of the oscillatory neural response revealed a decrease in theta-band cortical phase-locking, which peaked over parietal scalp regions. Furthermore, we observed that task-unrelated thought impacted the oscillatory mode of the brain during the initiation of a task-relevant action, such that more cortical processing was required to meet task demands. Together, these findings document that the attenuation of perceptual processing that occurs during task-unrelated thought is associated with a reduction in the temporal fidelity with which the brain responds to a stimulus and suggest that increased neural processing may be required to recouple attention to a task. More generally, these data provide novel confirmatory evidence for the mechanisms through which attentional states facilitate the neural processing of sensory input.
Redescription of Pungentus pungens Thorne & Swanger, 1936 (Dorylaimida: Nordiidae), with a revised taxonomy of the genus
Authors: Álvarez-Ortega Sergio , Peña-Santiago Reyes
Published: April 2014

Pungentus pungens, the type species of its genus, is re-described and illustrated on the base of type material and recently collected specimens. It is characterised by a body 1.51-2.04 mm long and comparatively slender (a = 40-54), 9-12 μm broad lip region offset by weak but perceptible constriction, odontostyle 18-23 μm long, neck 343-395 μm long, pharyngeal expansion occupying 48-57% of total neck length, uterus simple and 34-54 μm long or 0.8-1.6 corresponding body diam., V = 45-52, tail short and rounded (21-29 μm, c = 66-86, c′ = 0.8-1.1) with abundant saccate bodies, spicules 47 μm long, and ten widely spaced ventromedian supplements lacking a hiatus. An emended diagnosis is proposed forPungentusand its separation from the most similar genera is discussed. Sixteen valid species as well as onespecies inquirendaand threespecies incertae sedisare listed. Two new synonymies are proposed:Pungentus maoriumofP. silvestris, andP. minnsiofP. pungens.Pungentus mosellaeis herein consideredspecies incertae sedis. A dichotomous key to species identification and a compendium of their morphometrics are also provided.
Two new species of free-living marine nematodes of Adoncholaimus Filipjev, 1918 (Oncholaimida: Oncholaimidae: Adoncholaiminae) from Hokkaido, northern Japan, with a key to species and discussion of the genus
Authors: Shimada Daisuke , Kajihara Hiroshi
Published: April 2014

Two new species of free-living marine nematodes,Adoncholaimus daikokuensissp. nov. andA. pseudofervidussp. nov., from the coastal area of northern Japan, are described and illustrated.Adoncholaimus daikokuensissp. nov. is similar to five congeners,A. derjugini,A. punctatus,A. oxyuroides,A. squaluscomb. nov. andA. filicaudacomb. nov. in the absence of a gubernaculum, but differs in the absence of a ventral swelling on tail, spicule length and buccal cavity length.Adoncholaimus pseudofervidussp. nov. is similar toA. fervidusin having large body size, short tail, similar positions of the excretory pore and nerve ring, short spicules, arrangement of subventral setae in posterior region of body in males, and a single pair of terminal pores of the Demanian system surrounded by small gland cells in females.Adoncholaimus pseudofervidussp. nov. differs fromA. fervidusin having smaller, more anteriorly located amphids, longer buccal cavity, absence of gubernaculum in the male, and a different position of the terminal pores in the female. Partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochromecoxidase subunit I gene (309-337 bp) of the new species are provided for identification based on the DNA barcoding method.Metoncholaimoidesis proposed as a junior synonym ofAdoncholaimus. The new diagnosis ofAdoncholaimusand a key to species are provided.Adoncholaimus squaluscomb. nov.,Adoncholaimus filicaudacomb. nov., andAdmirandus papillatuscomb. nov. are proposed.
A synopsis of the Asian and Australasian genus Phanera Lour. (Cercideae: Caesalpinioideae: Leguminosae) including 19 new combinations
Authors: MACKINDER BARBARA ANNE , CLARK RUTH
Published: April 2014

Historically, many authors of regional accounts of the Leguminosae (Fabaceae) tribe Cercideae divided the caesalpinioid genus Bauhinia sens. lat. into several segregate genera including the genus Phanera. However, during the last fifty years, Bauhinia has more often been recognised as a broadly circumscribed taxon with Phanera reduced to a subgenus of Bauhinia sens. lat. The reinstatement of Phanera at generic rank based on molecular and morphological evidence has now been widely accepted, resulting in the need for new combinations in Phanera for many taxa described in Bauhinia. Some of those names have been published recently by other authors so here we make the necessary combinations for those taxa still lacking names in Phanera. In addition, we include all published Phanera binomials and trinomials here and to each assign a status of accepted name, synonym or excluded name. The recent reinstatement of the New World genus Schnella to which c. 40 Phanera species were moved transforms Phanera into a strictly Asian and Australasian taxon. Phanera can be distinguished from Bauhinia sens. str. and from Schnella by a combination of morphological characters, but the morphological boundary with another closely related Asiatic genus, Lasiobema is unclear and warrants further investigation. We present a table comparing morphological characters of Phanera, Schnella, Lasiobema and Bauhinia sens. str.
Studies on Wrightoporia (Basidiomycota) from southern Brazil
Authors: WESTPHALEN MAURO CARPES , RECK MATEUS A. , DA SILVEIRA ROSA MARA BORGES
Published: April 2014

In recent surveys of polyporoid fungi from Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil, some interesting resupinate specimens belonging to the genus Wrightoporia were found. Wrightoporia araucariae is described as new, based on the fragile, whitish basidiomes which grow exclusively on Araucaria angustifolia; and W. bracei is recorded for the first time from Rio Grande do Sul State. In addition, W. efibulata is synonymized to Wrightoporia bracei based on collected specimens and herbarium material. The species are described, illustrated and discussed, and an identification key to the neotropical species of Wrightoporia is provided.
Tardigrades from Peru (South America), with descriptions of three new species of Parachela
Authors: KACZMAREK ŁUKASZ , CYTAN JOANNA , ZAWIERUCHA KRZYSZTOF , DIDUSZKO DAWID , MICHALCZYK ŁUKASZ
Published: April 2014

In four samples of mosses and mosses mixed with lichens collected in the Peruvian region of Cusco, 344 tardigrades, 78 free-laid eggs and six simplexes were found. In total, nine species were identified: Cornechiniscus lobatus, Echiniscus dariae, E. ollantaytamboensis, Isohypsibius condorcanquii sp. nov., Macrobiotus pisacensis sp. nov., Milnesium krzysztofi, Minibiotus intermedius, Paramacrobiotus intii sp. nov. and Pseudechiniscus ramazzottii ramazzottii. Isohypsibius condorcanquii sp. nov. is most similar to I. baldii, but differs mainly by the absence of ventral sculpture, the presence of the oral cavity armature, a different macroplacoid length sequence and a different shape of macroplacoids. The new species also differs from other congeners by a different dorsal sculpture, the absence of cuticular bars under the claws and the absence of eyes. Macrobiotus pisacensis sp. nov. differs from the most similar M. ariekammensis and M. kirghizicus by a different oral cavity armature, the presence of cuticular pores, details of egg morphology and some morphometric characters of both animals and eggs. Paramacrobiotus intii sp. nov. differs from most similar species of the genus by a different type of the oral cavity armature, details of egg morphology and some morphometric characters of both animals and eggs. In addition, we briefly discuss the tardigrade fauna of Peru, and propose a simple and economic system of describing relative lengths of pharyngeal macroplacoids. The system is especially useful in interspecific comparisons and differential diagnoses.
Oceanic Forcing of Antarctic Climate Change: A Study Using a Stretched-Grid Atmospheric General Circulation Model
Authors: Krinner Gerhard , Largeron Chloé , Ménégoz Martin , Agosta Cécile , Brutel-Vuilmet Claire
Published: April 2014

A variable-resolution atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) is used for climate change projections over the Antarctic. The present-day simulation uses prescribed observed sea surface conditions, while a set of five simulations for the end of the twenty-first century (2070–99) under the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A1B scenario uses sea surface condition anomalies from selected coupled ocean–atmosphere climate models from phase 3 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3). Analysis of the results shows that the prescribed sea surface condition anomalies have a very strong influence on the simulated climate change on the Antarctic continent, largely dominating the direct effect of the prescribed greenhouse gas concentration changes in the AGCM simulations. Complementary simulations with idealized forcings confirm these results. An analysis of circulation changes using self-organizing maps shows that the simulated climate change on regional scales is not principally caused by shifts of the frequencies of the dominant circulation patterns, except for precipitation changes in some coastal regions. The study illustrates that in some respects the use of bias-corrected sea surface boundary conditions in climate projections with a variable-resolution atmospheric general circulation model has some distinct advantages over the use of limited-area atmospheric circulation models directly forced by generally biased coupled climate model output.
Predictability and Prediction Skill of the MJO in Two Operational Forecasting Systems
Authors: Kim Hye-Mi , Webster Peter J. , Toma Violeta E. , Kim Daehyun
Published: April 2014

The authors examine the predictability and prediction skill of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) of two ocean–atmosphere coupled forecast systems of ECMWF [Variable Resolution Ensemble Prediction System (VarEPS)] and NCEP [Climate Forecast System, version 2 (CFSv2)]. The VarEPS hindcasts possess five ensemble members for the period 1993–2009 and the CFSv2 hindcasts possess three ensemble members for the period 2000–09. Predictability and prediction skill are estimated by the bivariate correlation coefficient between the observed and predicted Wheeler–Hendon real-time multivariate MJO index (RMM). MJO predictability is beyond 32 days lead time in both hindcasts, while the prediction skill is about 27 days in VarEPS and 21 days in CFSv2 as measured by the bivariate correlation exceeding 0.5. Both predictability and prediction skill of MJO are enhanced by averaging ensembles. Results show clearly that forecasts initialized with (or targeting) strong MJOs possess greater prediction skill compared to those initialized with (or targeting) weak or nonexistent MJOs. The predictability is insensitive to the initial MJO phase (or forecast target phase), although the prediction skill varies with MJO phases.

A few common model issues are identified. In both hindcasts, the MJO propagation speed is slower and the MJO amplitude is weaker than observed. Also, both ensemble forecast systems are underdispersive, meaning that the growth rate of ensemble error is greater than the growth rate of the ensemble spread by lead time.
Evaluation of the Warm-Season Diurnal Variability over East Asia in Recent Reanalyses JRA-55, ERA-Interim, NCEP CFSR, and NASA MERRA
Authors: Chen Guixing , Iwasaki Toshiki , Qin Huiling , Sha Weiming
Published: April 2014

Four recent reanalyses—the 55-yr Japanese Reanalysis Project (JRA-55), Interim ECWMF Re-Analysis (ERA-I), NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), and NASA Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA)—are assessed to clarify their quality in representing the diurnal cycle over East Asia. They are found to present similar patterns/structure and summer progress of the mean wind diurnal cycle, whereas they exhibit some differences in diurnal amplitude, particularly for the low-level meridional wind. An evaluation with intense soundings suggests that the amplitude difference mainly results from the diurnal variation of mean bias that differs among reanalyses. The root-mean-square (RMS) error is found to have a diurnal variation more evident in CFSR and MERRA than that in JRA-55 and ERA-I, which strongly affects the representation of the varying diurnal amplitude at the peak hours of RMS error.

Compared with satellite-derived rainfall, the four reanalyses are shown to reproduce well the rainfall diurnal cycle over East Asia in terms of large-scale terrain contrast, summer progress, and interannual variability. JRA-55 even presents a long-term increase of morning rainfall percentage over the east China plain over the past four decades, consistent with rain gauge observations. The four reanalyses exhibit some considerable discrepancies at regional scale; JRA-55 gives the best capture of the rainfall diurnal cycle over the Tibetan Plateau and the eastward propagation to the eastern lees. These results suggest that new reanalyses are potentially applicable for studying the large-scale diurnal variability over East Asia, whereas their different preferences, especially at regional scale, should be of concern in data application.
Vertical Structures and Physical Properties of the Cold-Season Stratus Clouds Downstream of the Tibetan Plateau: Differences between Daytime and Nighttime
Authors: Zhang Yi , Chen Haoming , Yu Rucong
Published: April 2014

This study compares the daytime–nighttime (DN) differences in the occurrence frequencies and macrophysical, microphysical, and radiative vertical structures of the single-layer stratus clouds downstream of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) during the boreal cold season (November–April) using four CloudSat products. The stratus cloudy profiles are selected and the midtopped stratus profiles are further classified into nimbostratus (NI) and altostratus (AS) according to the cloud-top height and column-integrated optical depth. It is found that the entire stratus and NI profiles tend to occur more frequently in the daytime, while the AS cloud occurs more frequently in the nighttime. Consistent with the DN differences in the occurrence frequencies, the AS tends to be much thicker with larger cloud fraction in the nighttime, while the NI becomes slightly thicker with larger cloud fraction in the daytime. An analysis of the ambient dynamic and thermodynamic fields associated with stratus formation suggests that it is the DN difference in the large-scale low-level lifting that leads to the corresponding differences of the occurrences and macrophysical properties. In contrast, the optical depths of the NI and AS clouds become larger and smaller from daytime to nighttime, respectively, which is attributed to the microphysical properties. The occurrence frequencies in small droplet particle sizes increase (NI) and decrease (AS) from daytime to nighttime, leading to the corresponding variations of the cloud radiative property.
A Fast Inverse Algorithm Based on the Multigrid Technique for Cloud Tomography
Authors: Zhou Jun , Lei Hengchi , Ji Lei , Hou Tuanjie
Published: April 2014

A fast inverse algorithm based on the half-V cycle scheme (HV) of the multigrid technique is developed for cloud tomography. Fourier analysis shows that the slow convergence problem caused by the smoothing property of the iterative algorithm can be effectively alleviated in HV by performing iterations from the coarsest to the finest grid. In this way, the resolvable scales of information contained in observations can be retrieved efficiently on the coarser grid level and the unresolvable scales are left as errors on the finer grid level. Numerical simulations indicate that, compared with the previous algorithm without HV (NHV), HV can significantly reduce the runtime by 89%–96.9% while retaining a similar level of retrieval accuracy. For the currently feasible two-level flight scheme for a 20-km-wide target area, convergence can be accelerated from 407 s in NHV to 13 s in HV. This reduction in time would be multiplied several times if the target area were much wider; but then segmental retrieval would be required to avoid exceeding the time limit of cloud tomography. This improvement represents an important saving in terms of computing resources and ensures the real-time application of cloud tomography in a much wider range of fields.
Determining Functional Relations in Multivariate Oceanographic Systems: Model II Multiple Linear Regression
Authors: Richter Scott J. , Stavn Robert H.
Published: April 2014

A method for estimating multivariate functional relationships between sets of measured oceanographic, meteorological, and other field data is presented. Model II regression is well known for describing functional relationships between two variables. However, there is little accessible guidance for the researcher wishing to apply model II methods to a multivariate system consisting of three or more variables. This paper describes a straightforward method to extend model II regression to the case of three or more variables.

The multiple model II procedure is applied to an analysis of the optical spectral scattering coefficient measured in the coastal ocean. The spectral scattering coefficient is regressed against both suspended mineral particle concentration and suspended organic particle concentration. The regression coefficients from this analysis provide adjusted estimates of the mineral particle scattering cross section and the organic particle scattering cross section. Greater accuracy and efficiency of the coefficients from this analysis, compared to semiempirical coefficients, is demonstrated. Examples of multivariate data are presented that have been analyzed by partitioning the variables into arbitrary bivariate models. However, in a true multivariate system with correlated predictors, such as a coupled biogeochemical cycle, these bivariate analyses yield incorrect coefficient estimates and may result in large unexplained variance. Employing instead a multivariate model II analysis can alleviate these problems and may be a better choice in these situations.
Finescale Orographic Precipitation Variability and Gap-Filling Radar Potential in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah
Authors: Campbell Leah S. , Steenburgh W. James
Published: April 2014

Finescale variations in orographic precipitation pose a major challenge for weather prediction, winter road maintenance, and avalanche forecasting and mitigation in mountainous regions. In this investigation, ground-based X-band radar observations collected during intensive observing period 6 (IOP6) of the Storm Chasing Utah Style Study (SCHUSS) are used to provide an example of these variations during a winter storm in the Wasatch Mountains of northern Utah. Emphasis is placed on precipitation features in and around Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC), which cuts orthogonally eastward into the central Wasatch Mountains. Precipitation during the weakly stratified prefrontal storm stage featured a wavelike barrier-scale reflectivity maximum over the Wasatch Crest and upper LCC that extended weakly westward along the transverse ridges flanking LCC. This precipitation pattern appeared to reflect a veering wind profile, with southwesterly flow over the transverse ridges but cross-barrier westerly flow farther aloft. Sublimation within dry subcloud air further diminished low-level radar reflectivities over lower LCC. In contrast, the cold-frontal stage was associated with stronger reflectivities over lower LCC and the adjoining north- to northwest-facing canyon wall, consistent with shallow, northwesterly upslope flow. These results highlight the finescale precipitation variations that can occur during winter storms in complex terrain and demonstrate the potential for improved analysis and forecasting of precipitation in LCC using a gap-filling radar.
Citizen social science and citizen data? Methodological and ethical challenges for social research
Authors: Purdam Kingsley
Published: April 2014

This article examines the value of observation data collected by volunteers as they go about their daily activities. Many citizens are already creating digital data archives of their own lives through online activity including via social media communication. Citizens now have the potential to be the default fieldworkers of their own lives. This can be extended to examine the value of citizens systematically collecting data on the world around them for social science research. This pilot observation study required volunteers to follow a protocol and record the number of people seen begging. The study produced important findings on begging which informed a larger research project. However, challenging methodological and ethical issues are raised concerning the observation of public life. Even so, it is clear there is potential for what can be termed ‘citizen social science’, including continuous data collection where volunteers collaborate in social science research and observe and record data as they go about their daily lives. This approach to the way evidence can be collected and integrated into research has implications for the interfaces between being a citizen, knowledge processes and the state and presents an opportunity for a renewed idea of emancipatory social science.
Building culturally relevant social work for children in the midst of armed conflict: Applying the DACUM method in Afghanistan
Authors: Bragin Martha , Tosone Carol , Ihrig Eileen , Mollere Veronica , Niazi Anisa , Mayel Enayatullah
Published: April 2014

The 21st century has created renewed interest in developing culturally relevant social work where it does not exist, especially for children affected by armed conflict and disaster, in order to ensure that local professional standards guide responses to these types of distress. In this context Afghanistan’s National Strategy for Children at Risk required the development of professional guidelines for social work practice with children in crisis. This article illustrates the collaboration of the Afghan government with two international schools of social work to initiate national social work standards and curricula by engaging local practitioners in defining their work and core competencies through the DACUM (Develop-A-Curriculum) method. Strengths and limitations of the method are explored, as are implications for social work development in Afghanistan and other conflict and disaster affected countries.
‘For As Yet They Did Not Know the Scripture’ (John 20:9): A Study in Narrative Time
Authors: Moloney, SDB, AM, FAHA Francis J.
Published: April 2014

Reference to ‘the Scripture’ that Peter and the Beloved Disciple do not ‘yet’ understand in John 20:9 remains a problem for interpreters of John. Which passage from Israel’s Sacred Scriptures lies behind this conclusion to the episode of the two disciples at the empty tomb? This essay argues that John 20:9 is part of a larger narrative and theological strategy (see also 2:22; 12:16; 20:30–31) that presents the Gospel of John as ‘Scripture.’ The disciples, players in the story, do ‘not yet’ know this Scripture. A later generation, those who have the Gospel of John in hand, who have not seen yet believe (v. 29), have access to a Scripture ‘written’ that they may go on believing (vv. 30–31).
Effects of Social Capital in Multiple Contexts on the Psychosocial Adjustment of Chinese Migrant Children
Authors: Wu Qiaobing
Published: April 2014

Drawing upon a sample of 772 migrant children and their parents in Shanghai, China, this study used an ecological framework to investigate how social capital embedded in a range of social contexts (i.e., family, school, peer, and community) influenced the psychosocial adjustment of Chinese migrant children. Using structural equation modeling with latent variables, the study results suggested that higher levels of family, school, and peer social capital were all associated with better psychosocial adjustment of migrant children, with school social capital showing the strongest effect. In addition, these three dimensions of social capital also mediated the effect of community social capital on children’s psychosocial adjustment. Implications of these findings for theory, practice, and future research were discussed.
The role of mentoring in academic career progression: a cross-sectional survey of the Academy of Medical Sciences mentoring scheme
Authors: Iversen Amy C , Eady Nigel AJ , Wessely Simon C
Published: April 2014

Summary

Objectives

To describe a successful mentoring scheme designed for mid-career clinician scientists and to examine factors associated with mentee report of positive career impact.

Design

Mixed methods study including in-depth interviews and cross-sectional data collection via an online survey.

Setting

Academy of Medical Sciences mentoring scheme set up in 2002 and evaluated in 2010.

Participants

One hundred and forty-seven of 227 mentees took part in the study (response rate of 65%). Ten mentees, three mentors and eight stakeholders/scheme staff were selected to participate in in-depth interviews.

Main outcome measures

Qualitative data: Interviews were transcribed, and free text was analysed to identify themes and subthemes in the narrative. Quantitative data: We examined the associations of reported positive career impact of mentoring by performing simple and multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

Mentoring success was determined by a variety of factors including reasons for selection (e.g. presence of a personal recommendation), mentee characteristics (e.g. younger age), experience and skills of the mentor (e.g. ‘mentor helped me to find my own solutions’) and the quality of the relationship (e.g. ‘my mentor and I set out clear expectations early on’).

Conclusions

Our evaluation demonstrates that both mentor and mentee value mentoring and that careful planning of a scheme including preparation, training and ongoing support of both mentor and mentee addressing expectations, building rapport and logistics are likely to be helpful in ensuring success and benefit from the intervention.
A Sociocultural Perspective on Knowledge Transfer in Mergers and Acquisitions
Authors: Sarala Riikka Mirja , Junni Paulina , Cooper Cary L. , Tarba Shlomo Yedidia
Published: April 2014

Sociocultural factors are important determinants of merger and acquisition (M&A) outcomes. Despite advances in this field, our understanding of sociocultural factors in M&As remains incomplete. In particular, the roles of sociocultural interfirm linkages, HR flexibility, and organizational cultural differences in M&As require further elucidation. The present article contributes to the M&A literature by further clarifying the multifaceted role of these sociocultural factors in M&As. We suggest that sociocultural interfirm linkages (complementary employee skills, trust, collective teaching, and cultural integration) between the merging firms influence the level of knowledge transfer in M&As. Furthermore, we argue that HR flexibility (flexibility in employee skills, flexibility in employee behavior, and flexibility in HR practices) is vital for the development of the above-mentioned sociocultural interfirm linkages in M&As. Finally, we maintain that organizational cultural differences are important antecedents of HR flexibility in M&As.
The ethical demand in societal perspective
Authors: Larsen Øjvind
Published: April 2014

Zygmunt Bauman’s entire body of work has been dedicated to exploring sociological issues. However, problems of moral philosophy have come to play an increasingly crucial role for his understanding of social life in later works. In particular, the Danish philosopher Knud Ejler Løgstrup’s moral philosophy has shaped Bauman’s thinking. Løgstrup argued that there is an unconditional imperative in the ethical demand to take care of the Other, and this imperative cannot be superseded, rationalized, calculated, or strategically managed. Bauman is right in telling us that the personal ethics is the point of departure for a moral judgement. In this context it is very relevant to integrate Levinas’ and Løgstrup’s considerations. However, this perspective cannot stand alone. It is necessary to move forward to a form of Habermasian communicative ethics that can transmit the substantial moral judgement from a spontaneous communal perspective to a pragmatic societal perspective expressed in political terms. In other words, both perspectives are essential: on the one hand Bauman’s, Levinas’ and Løgstrup’s substantial phenomenological perspective, on the other hand Habermas’ pragmatic communicative perspective. Therefore, it would be more fruitful to consider these two perspectives as complementary instead of as in opposition, as is mostly done. They are both needed.
Contributions of Second Opinions, Outcome Forecasts, and Testimonials to Patient Decisions about Knee Replacement Surgery
Authors: Hoffmann Susanne , Caro Francis G. , Gottlieb Alison S. , Kesternich Iris , Winter Joachim K.
Published: April 2014

Background. Decision aids are now a well-established means of supporting patients in their medical decision making. The widespread use of decision aids invites questions about how their components contribute to patient decisions. Objective. The objective of this study was to measure the importance of second opinions, patient-specific outcome forecasts, and patient testimonials relative to patient clinical and socioeconomic factors and the primary physician recommendation on the decision to undergo full knee replacement surgery to treat knee osteoarthritis. Methods. Middle-aged and older members of the RAND American Life Panel ( N = 1616) chose whether to recommend surgery as a treatment for each of 3 hypothetical patients (vignettes) presented in a video-enhanced internet survey. Vignettes randomly sampled levels of scenario attributes. Results. Second opinions, person-specific outcome forecasts, and 2 consistent patient testimonials strongly affected respondents’ decision making; a single testimonial, however, did not significantly affect decisions. Conclusions. Information provided in a decision aid, including person-specific outcome forecasts and testimonials, can affect patient choices. The strong effect of testimonials and respondents’ interest in reviewing them reinforces concerns about unwanted influence when testimonials are biased.
‘Not an Idle Spectator’: Geoffrey Hill as Model Reviewer
Authors: Vincent Bridget
Published: April 2014

Geoffrey Hill's prose has prompted longstanding critical controversy, much of which turns on the perceived difficulty, intransigence and anachronism of his oeuvre as a whole. This paper proposes that new ways to navigate this controversy can be found in Hill's preoccupation with the exemplary dimensions of writing – that is, in his interest in the poet's capacity to offer examples (positive and negative) to a community of readers. The discussion pays particular attention to the connections Hill's reviews establish between style and ethical choice and between literary difficulty and democracy; connections which are intertwined with his ethics of exemplarity in fundamental ways. The paper also engages with those dimensions of literary exemple-use which emerge in new or unusual ways in his prose: his presentation of “models” or ideals for the organisation of civil society; his treatment of certain literary works as exemplars or embodiments of philosophical ideas; and his procedural tic of “sampling” regularly for the purpose of chastisement the “bad example” set by some of the works he criticises.
Low Energy Intake During the First Week in an Emergency Intensive Care Unit Is Associated With Reduced Duration of Mechanical Ventilation in Critically Ill, Underweight Patients
Authors: Ichimaru Satomi , Fujiwara Hidetoshi , Amagai Teruyoshi , Atsumi Takahiro
Published: April 2014

Background: Although nutrition support is essential in intensive care units, optimal energy intake remains unclear. Here, we assessed the influence of energy intake on outcomes of critically ill, underweight patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted in patients with body mass index (BMI) of <20.0 kg/m2 in an emergency intensive care unit (EICU). Patients were categorized into 4 groups by initial Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (I‐SOFA) and average daily energy intake during the first week: group M‐1, I‐SOFA ≤8 and <16 kcal/kg/d; group M‐2, I‐SOFA ≤8 and ≥16 kcal/kg/d; group S‐1, I‐SOFA >8 and <16 kcal/kg/d; and group S‐2, I‐SOFA >8 and ≥16 kcal/kg/d. Results: The study included 51 patients with a median age of 69 years. No significant differences were noted in all‐cause mortality and length of stay in the EICU and hospital between groups M‐1 and M‐2 or groups S‐1 and S‐2. The mechanical ventilation duration (MVD) was significantly shorter in group M‐1 than M‐2 (2.7 [1.0–5.7] vs 9.2 [4.2–17.4] days; P = .040) and in group S‐1 than S‐2 (3.1 [0.7–6.0] vs 8.8 [6.1–23.1] days; P = .006). The number of patients who underwent tracheostomy in hospital was significantly lower in group S‐1 than in S‐2 (20% vs 32%; P = .002). Multivariable analyses to adjust for confounders revealed that average energy intake during the first week in EICU was a significant factor independently associated with MVD but not with the requirement of tracheostomy. Conclusion: Reduced energy intake during the first week in EICU was associated with a reduced MVD in clinically ill patients with BMI <20.0 kg/m2.
Inherited Thrombophilia
Authors: Phillippe Haley M. , Hornsby Lori B. , Treadway Sarah , Armstrong Emily M. , Bellone Jessica M.
Published: April 2014

Thrombophilia alters normal hemostasis, shifting the balance in favor of thrombus formation. Inherited conditions include factor V Leiden (FVL), prothrombin G20210A mutation, deficiencies in natural anticoagulants (antithrombin [AT], protein C, and protein S), hyperhomocysteinemia, and elevations in clotting factors (factors VIII and XI). Although FVL and prothrombin mutation are common disorders, deficiencies in the natural anticoagulants are rare. The risk of initial thrombosis conferred by inherited thrombophilia varies with the highest risk in those homozygous for either FVL or prothrombin mutation, or with AT deficiency. In the nonpregnant patient, the presence of a thrombophilia does not affect treatment of an acute event. Although vitamin B supplementation has been shown to decrease the levels of homocysteine, the treatment has failed to show a benefit in thrombus prevention and is therefore not recommended.
Picking on vulnerable migrants: precarity and the mushroom industry in Northern Ireland
Authors: Potter Michael , Hamilton Jennifer
Published: April 2014

This article examines precarious employment in the context of the mushroom industry in Northern Ireland. Migrant workers engaged in mushroom picking were interviewed in the context of wider research investigating forced labour in Northern Ireland. The research found that, while the boundaries between exploitation and forced labour are complex and difficult to discern, there was some evidence of borderline forced labour, according to ILO definitions. However, workers found themselves on a ‘continuum of exploitation’, where initial engagement with the prospect of decent work was superseded by increasing endurance of exploitative practices, brought about by unequal power relationships with employers originating in immigration status. This is examined in the wider theoretical context of precarity, of which precarious employment comprises a part.