bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coexpressed Catalase Protects Chimeric Antigen Receptor–Redirected T Cells as well as Bystander Cells from Oxidative Stress–Induced Loss of Antitumor Activity
Authors: Ligtenberg Maarten A. , Mougiakakos Dimitrios , Mukhopadhyay Madhura , Witt Kristina , Lladser Alvaro , Chmielewski Markus , Riet Tobias , Abken Hinrich , Kiessling Rolf
Published: December 2015

Treatment of cancer patients by adoptive T cell therapy has yielded promising results. In solid tumors, however, T cells encounter a hostile environment, in particular with increased inflammatory activity as a hallmark of the tumor milieu that goes along with abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS) that substantially impair antitumor activity. We present a strategy to render antitumor T cells more resilient toward ROS by coexpressing catalase along with a tumor specific chimeric Ag receptor (CAR) to increase their antioxidative capacity by metabolizing H2O2. In fact, T cells engineered with a bicistronic vector that concurrently expresses catalase, along with the CAR coexpressing catalase (CAR-CAT), performed superior over CAR T cells as they showed increased levels of intracellular catalase and had a reduced oxidative state with less ROS accumulation in both the basal state and upon activation while maintaining their antitumor activity despite high H2O2 levels. Moreover, CAR-CAT T cells exerted a substantial bystander protection of nontransfected immune effector cells as measured by CD3ζ chain expression in bystander T cells even in the presence of high H2O2 concentrations. Bystander NK cells, otherwise ROS sensitive, efficiently eliminate their K562 target cells under H2O2-induced oxidative stress when admixed with CAR-CAT T cells. This approach represents a novel means for protecting tumor-infiltrating cells from tumor-associated oxidative stress–mediated repression.
TNF Regulates Essential Alternative Complement Pathway Components and Impairs Activation of Protein C in Human Glomerular Endothelial Cells
Authors: Sartain Sarah E. , Turner Nancy A. , Moake Joel L.
Published: December 2015

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a thrombotic microangiopathy with severe renal injury secondary to an overactive alternative complement pathway (AP). aHUS episodes are often initiated or recur during inflammation. We investigated gene expression of the surface complement regulatory proteins (CD55, CD59, CD46, and CD141 [thrombomodulin]) and AP components in human glomerular microvascular endothelial cells (GMVECs) and in HUVECs, a frequently used investigational model of endothelial cells. Surface complement regulatory proteins were also quantified by flow cytometry. All experiments were done with and without exposure to IL-1β or TNF. Without cytokine stimulation, we found that GMVECs had greater AP activation than did HUVECs. With TNF stimulation, THBD gene expression and corresponding CD141 surface presence in HUVECs and GMVECs were reduced, and gene expression of complement components C3 (C3) and factor B (CFB) was increased. Consequently, AP activation, measured by Ba production, was increased, and conversion of protein C (PC) to activated PC by CD141-bound thrombin was decreased, in GMVECs and HUVECs exposed to TNF. IL-1β had similar, albeit lesser, effects on HUVEC gene expression, and it only slightly affected GMVEC gene expression. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed study of the expression/display of AP components and surface regulatory proteins in GMVECs with and without cytokine stimulation. In aHUS patients with an underlying overactive AP, additional stimulation of the AP and inhibition of activated PC–mediated anticoagulation in GMVECs by the inflammatory cytokine TNF are likely to provoke episodes of renal failure.
Selective ORAI1 Inhibition Ameliorates Autoimmune Central Nervous System Inflammation by Suppressing Effector but Not Regulatory T Cell Function
Authors: Kaufmann Ulrike , Shaw Patrick J. , Kozhaya Lina , Subramanian Raju , Gaida Kevin , Unutmaz Derya , McBride Helen J. , Feske Stefan
Published: December 2015

The function of CD4+ T cells is dependent on Ca2+ influx through Ca2+ release–activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels formed by ORAI proteins. To investigate the role of ORAI1 in proinflammatory Th1 and Th17 cells and autoimmune diseases, we genetically and pharmacologically modulated ORAI1 function. Immunization of mice lacking Orai1 in T cells with MOG peptide resulted in attenuated severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The numbers of T cells and innate immune cells in the CNS of ORAI1-deficient animals were strongly reduced along with almost completely abolished production of IL-17A, IFN-γ, and GM-CSF despite only partially reduced Ca2+ influx. In Th1 and Th17 cells differentiated in vitro, ORAI1 was required for cytokine production but not the expression of Th1- and Th17-specific transcription factors T-bet and RORγt. The differentiation and function of induced regulatory T cells, by contrast, was independent of ORAI1. Importantly, induced genetic deletion of Orai1 in adoptively transferred, MOG-specific T cells was able to halt EAE progression after disease onset. Likewise, treatment of wild-type mice with a selective CRAC channel inhibitor after EAE onset ameliorated disease. Genetic deletion of Orai1 and pharmacological ORAI1 inhibition reduced the leukocyte numbers in the CNS and attenuated Th1/Th17 cell-mediated cytokine production. In human CD4+ T cells, CRAC channel inhibition reduced the expression of IL-17A, IFN-γ, and other cytokines in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these findings support the conclusion that Th1 and Th17 cell function is particularly dependent on CRAC channels, which could be exploited as a therapeutic approach to T cell–mediated autoimmune diseases.
Differential Responsiveness of Innate-like IL-17– and IFN-γ–Producing γδ T Cells to Homeostatic Cytokines
Authors: Corpuz Theresa M. , Stolp Jessica , Kim Hee-Ok , Pinget Gabriela V. , Gray Daniel H. D. , Cho Jae-Ho , Sprent Jonathan , Webster Kylie E.
Published: December 2015

γδ T cells respond to molecules upregulated following infection or cellular stress using both TCR and non-TCR molecules. The importance of innate signals versus TCR ligation varies greatly. Both innate-like IL-17–producing γδ T (γδT-17) and IFN-γ–producing γδ T (γδT-IFNγ) subsets tune the sensitivity of their TCR following thymic development, allowing robust responses to inflammatory cytokines in the periphery. The remaining conventional γδ T cells retain high TCR responsiveness. We determined homeostatic mechanisms that govern these various subsets in the peripheral lymphoid tissues. We found that, although innate-like γδT-17 and γδT-IFNγ cells share elements of thymic development, they diverge when it comes to homeostasis. Both exhibit acute sensitivity to cytokines compared with conventional γδ T cells, but they do not monopolize the same cytokine. γδT-17 cells rely exclusively on IL-7 for turnover and survival, aligning them with NKT17 cells; IL-7 ligation triggers proliferation, as well as promotes survival, upregulating Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. γδT-IFNγ cells instead depend heavily on IL-15. They display traits analogous to memory CD8+ T cells and upregulate Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 upon cytokine stimulation. The conventional γδ T cells display low sensitivity to cytokine-alone stimulation and favor IL-7 for their turnover, characteristics reminiscent of naive αβ T cells, suggesting that they may also require tonic TCR signaling for population maintenance. These survival constraints suggest that γδ T cell subsets do not directly compete with each other for cytokines, but instead fall into resource niches with other functionally similar lymphocytes.
Spirituality and spiritual care in in the context of nursing education in South Africa
Authors: Chandramohan Sandhya , Bhagwan Raisuyah
Published: December 2015

Background: In order for nursing education to prepare nurses for holistic patient care, it is critical that educators become more aware of the religious and spiritual dimensions in patien tcare and be able to provide adequate knowledge and skills for nurses to offer spiritually-basedc are in an ethical way. Furthermore, spiritual care is an essential component in the nursing context, as nurses have to care for patients who may often turn to the spiritual dimension to cope and heal. These aspects are important issues to be considered in planning what should be taught as part of spiritual care.Objectives: This paper presents findings from a study on nursing practitioners’ views on the role of spiritual care in nursing practice and whether current nursing education has integrated this dimension into teaching.Method: A descriptive survey using a cross-sectional design with 385 nurses was conducted between December 2012 and February 2013. Participants were recruited through multistage random sampling. Data analysis was undertaken using SSPS 0.20.Results: All the participants (n = 385) concurred that spiritual care was a salient component of holistic patient care. They however stated that the primary barriers to providing spiritual care related to uncertainty on how to provide this type of care, and a lack of educational preparedness for this role.Conclusion: The study found that nurses were very accepting of the need for spiritual care as part of their nursing role but that nursing education had not paid adequate attention to integrating this dimension into the nursing curriculum.
Turnover of professional nurses at Mokopane Hospital in the Limpopo Province, South Africa: Experiences of nursing unit managers
Authors: Mmamma Mogale L. , Mothiba Tebogo M. , Nancy Malema R.
Published: December 2015

Background: Staff turnover of professional nurses remains a concern for public and private hospitals management because it has an impact on the morale of nurses and it may also lead to poor patient care.Objectives: The objectives of this study were to explore and describe the experiences of nursing unit managers with regard to the turnover of professional nurses who were under their supervision.Method: A qualitative, explorative, descriptive research design was used to determine the experiences of nursing unit managers related to the turnover of professional nurses. Data collection was done by using semi-structured one-to-one interviews with professional nurses .Two groups of participants were interviewed: Those working day duty (n = 9) and those working night duty (n = 3) who were at work on the anticipated days for data collection.Results: The findings revealed that every unit was experiencing a shortage of professional nurses, which caused other nurses to work overtime with an inevitable increase in workload. That led to tiredness, conflict amongst professional nurses, job dissatisfaction, and absenteeism which compromised nursing care. This resulted in patient dissatisfaction and sometimes led to deaths that could have been prevented.Conclusion: It is recommended that staff turnover should be addressed by the hospital top management implementing several strategies. For example, top management could ensure that staff members work in a healthy environment with resources that they need during the provision of care, address the effects of the staff turnover, support the staff members and refrain from putting pressure on nursing unit managers whilst they are attending to problems.
Knowledge of community care workers about key family practices in a rural community in South Africa
Authors: Stellenberg Ethelwynn , Van Zyl Marjorie , Eygelaar Johanna
Published: December 2015

Background: Interventions by community care workers within the context of communitybased integrated management of childhood illness (CIMCI) may have a positive effect on child health if the health workers have adequate knowledge about key family practices.Setting: The study was conducted in rural areas of the West Coast district in the Western Cape, South Africa.Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge of community care workers about five of the 16 key family practices of CIMCI.Methods: A descriptive survey collected a self-administered questionnaire from 257 community care workers out of a possible total of 270 (95.2% response rate). Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was applied.Results: Only 25 of the respondents (10%) obtained a score higher than 70% on the knowledgebased items of the questionnaire. Less than 25% of respondents answered questions in these key areas correctly (pneumonia [17%], tuberculosis [13%], HIV/AIDS [9%] immunisation [3%] and recommendations for a child with fever [21%]). Statistically significant correlations were found between the total score a respondent achieved and the highest level of education obtained (p < 0.01), the level of in-service training (p < 0.01), attendance of a CIMCI five-day training course (p < 0.01), and completing a subsequent refresher course (p < 0.01).Conclusion: The knowledge of CCWs was inadequate to provide safe, quality CIMCI. CIMCI refresher courses should be offered annually to improve CCWs’ knowledge and the quality of care that they render. Regular update courses could contribute to building competence.
Towards an understanding of students’ thinking in learning new and unfamiliar concepts: Focus on the factorial function
Authors: Maoto Satsope , Masha Kwena
Published: December 2015

This study used participant observation to explore students’ thinking when learning the concept of factorial functions. First-year university students undertaking a mathematics methodology course were asked to find the number of ways in which five people could sit around a circular table with five seats. Using grounded theory as a qualitative research strategy, we analysed student responses and written reflections according to the sequence of their experiential realities: practical and textual experiences. This was followed by an analysis of their reflections on both experiences in a pedagogical context. We found that the way basic mathematics operations are learned impacts on the student’s ability to experience components of new problems as familiar. Consequently, they encounter these problems as new and unfamiliar. At the same time we found that engagement with practical experience does allow for the emergence of representations that have the potential to be used as foundations for learning new and unfamiliar concepts. The blending of practical, textual and teaching experiences provoked students’ thinking and ultimately their understanding of a given new and unfamiliar mathematics concept.
Phylogeny Inference of Closely Related Bacterial Genomes: Combining the Features of Both Overlapping Genes and Collinear Genomic Regions
Authors: Zhang Yan-Cong , Lin Kui
Published: December 2015

Overlapping genes (OGs) represent one type of widespread genomic feature in bacterial genomes and have been used as rare genomic markers in phylogeny inference of closely related bacterial species. However, the inference may experience a decrease in performance for phylogenomic analysis of too closely or too distantly related genomes. Another drawback of OGs as phylogenetic markers is that they usually take little account of the effects of genomic rearrangement on the similarity estimation, such as intra-chromosome/genome translocations, horizontal gene transfer, and gene losses. To explore such effects on the accuracy of phylogeny reconstruction, we combine phylogenetic signals of OGs with collinear genomic regions, here called locally collinear blocks (LCBs). By putting these together, we refine our previous metric of pairwise similarity between two closely related bacterial genomes. As a case study, we used this new method to reconstruct the phylogenies of 88 Enterobacteriale genomes of the class Gammaproteobacteria. Our results demonstrated that the topological accuracy of the inferred phylogeny was improved when both OGs and LCBs were simultaneously considered, suggesting that combining these two phylogenetic markers may reduce, to some extent, the influence of gene loss on phylogeny inference. Such phylogenomic studies, we believe, will help us to explore a more effective approach to increasing the robustness of phylogeny reconstruction of closely related bacterial organisms.
Kennis en de wetenschappelijke methode
Authors: Douven Igor
Published: December 2015

Knowledge and Scientific Method

According to scientism, our scientific knowledge is the best knowledge we have. But what exactly is it that is supposed to give this knowledge its special status? I defend the claim that scientific knowledge deserves its special status because it results from application of the scientific method.
Sciëntisme en metafysica
Authors: Rutten Emanuel
Published: December 2015

Scientism and metaphysics

Who deals with scientism soon discovers that scientism can be interpreted in many different ways. Most interpretations of scientism are so radical that they can hardly be defended, or so modest that they are nothing more than trivial platitudes nobody would disagree with. This poses a dilemma for adherents of scientism. Yet, in this article I will propose a particular interpretation of scientism that does seem prima facie defensible, while at the same time cannot be put away as being merely a trivial platitude. Having such a maximally fruitful interpretation of scientism does not help the adherents of scientism, though. For it entails a falsehood, namely that metaphysics cannot give us insights in the overall structure and nature of reality. I shall argue for this by fleshing out an interpretation of metaphysics, on which we can certainly say that metaphysics enables us to acquire said insights. Finally, I will discuss and assess a number of objections against my refutation of the aforementioned maximally fruitful interpretation of scientism.
Een middenweg voor sciëntisme
Authors: Verhaegh Sander , van der Kolk Pieter
Published: December 2015

Towards a moderate scientism

Scientism, the view that only scientifically supported beliefs are epistemically justified, faces two influential problems: (1) scientism itself does not seem to be scientifically supported and hence self-referentially incoherent; and (2) scientism seems to dismiss many plausible ordinary beliefs as unjustified. In this paper, we show that both problems presuppose a needlessly narrow conception of science and that when scientism is based on a broader, more realistic conception of science neither problem arises. Furthermore, we argue that our variant of scientism is still strong enough to have philosophical bite.
Toxicity of Diuron, Diquat and Terbutryn to Cyanobacterial Mats
Authors: El-Nahhal Yasser , Kerkez Salah , Heen Zeyad Abu
Published: December 2015

This study investigated acute toxicity of Diuron, Diquat and Terbutryn to cyanobacterial mats collected from Wadi Gaza, Palestine. Toxicity was measured by the reduction of population growth of cyanobacterial mats exposed to various herbicide concentrations in the range of 0-15.44 Î¼mole L-1. Optical density of cyanobacterial suspension was recorded using a spectrophotometer at 680 nm from time zero up to 8 days and taken as an indicator of growth. EC50 and ET50 values were estimated using linear regression equations. Results showed that cyanobacterial mats adapted and grew fast under laboratory conditions. The toxicity of Diuron, Terbutryn and Diquat reached 89.35, 76.02 and 71.24%, respectively. Toxicity of binary mixtures (Diuron and Diquat) decreased from 77.35% to 65.33% due to the reduction of Diuron concentration in the mixture. EC50 values for Diuron, Terbutryn and Diquat were 0.009, 0.031and 0.381 Î¼mole L-1 whereas ET50 values were 32.32, 35.89 and 23.45 h, respectively. EC50 values of binary mixtures (B1-B3) were 0.004, 0.01 and 0.012 toxicity units. Tertiary mixtures (T1-T7) had a wide range of EC50 (0.043-2.9E-07) TUs. The mixture toxicity index (MTI) had positive and negative value in mixtures, indicating synergetic and antagonistic effects. Application of the above-mentioned herbicides may severely damage the ecosystem. Our results are the first of its kind in the region and may be considered as a guideline for future studies.
Observations of XCO2 and XCH4 with ground-based high-resolution FTS at Saga, Japan, and comparisons with GOSAT products
Authors: Ohyama H. , Kawakami S. , Tanaka T. , Morino I. , Uchino O. , Inoue M. , Sakai T. , Nagai T. , Yamazaki A. , Uchiyama A. , Fukamachi T. , Sakashita M. , Kawasaki T. , Akaho T. , Arai K. , Okumura H.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Solar absorption spectra in the near-infrared region have been continuously acquired with a ground-based (g-b) high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) at Saga, Japan, since July 2011. Column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of greenhouse gases were retrieved from the measured spectra for the period from July 2011 to December 2014. Aircraft measurements of CO2 and CH4 for calibrating the g-b FTS data were performed in January 2012 and 2013, and it is found that the g-b FTS and aircraft data agree to within ± 0.2 %. The column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of CO2 and CH4 (XCO2 and XCH4) show increasing trends, with average growth rates of 2.3 and 9.5 ppb yr−1, respectively, during the ∼ 3.5 yr of observation. We compared the g-b FTS XCO2 and XCH4 data with those derived from backscattered solar spectra in the short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) region measured with Thermal And Near-infrared Sensor for carbon Observation–Fourier Transform Spectrometer (TANSO-FTS) onboard the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT): NIES SWIR Level 2 products (versions 02.xx). Average differences between TANSO-FTS and g-b FTS data (TANSO-FTS minus g-b FTS) are 0.40 ± 2.51 and −7.6 ± 13.7 ppb for XCO2 and XCH4, respectively. Using aerosol information measured with a sky radiometer at Saga, we found that the differences between the TANSO-FTS and g-b FTS XCO2 data are moderately negatively correlated with aerosol optical thickness and do not depend explicitly on aerosol size. In addition, from several aerosol profiles measured with lidar located right by the g-b FTS, we were able to show that the presence of cirrus clouds tends to cause an overestimation in the TANSO-FTS XCO2 retrieval, while high aerosol loading in the lower troposphere tends to cause an underestimation.
Implications of MODIS bow-tie distortion on aerosol optical depth retrievals, and techniques for mitigation
Authors: Sayer A. M. , Hsu N. C. , Bettenhausen C.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. The scan geometry of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors, combined with the Earth's curvature, results in a pixel shape distortion known as the "bow-tie effect". Specifically, sensor pixels near the edge of the swath are elongated along-track and across-track compared to pixels near the centre of the swath, resulting in an increase of pixel area by up to a factor of ∼ 9 and, additionally, the overlap of pixels acquired from consecutive scans. The Deep Blue and Dark Target aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrieval algorithms aggregate sensor pixels and provide level 2 (L2) AOD at a nominal horizontal pixel size of 10 km, but the bow-tie distortion means that they also suffer from this size increase and overlap. This means that the spatial characteristics of the data vary as a function of satellite viewing zenith angle (VZA) and, for VZA > 30°, corresponding to approximately 50 % of the data, are areally enlarged by a factor of 50 % or more compared to this nominal pixel area and are not spatially independent of each other. This has implications for retrieval uncertainty and aggregated statistics, causing a narrowing of AOD distributions near the edge of the swath, as well as for data comparability from the application of similar algorithms to sensors without this level of bow-tie distortion. Additionally, the pixel overlap is not obvious to users of the L2 aerosol products because only pixel centres, not boundaries, are provided within the L2 products. A two-step procedure is proposed to mitigate the effects of this distortion on the MODIS aerosol products. The first (simple) step involves changing the order in which pixels are aggregated in L2 processing to reflect geographical location rather than scan order, which removes the bulk of the overlap between L2 pixels and slows the rate of growth of L2 pixel size vs. VZA. This can be achieved without significant changes to existing MODIS processing algorithms. The second step involves additionally changing the number of sensor pixels aggregated across-track as a function of VZA, which preserves L2 pixel size at around 10 km × 10 km across the whole swath but would require algorithmic quality assurance tests to be re-evaluated. Both of these steps also improve the extent to which the pixel locations a user would infer from the L2 data products represent the actual spatial extent of the L2 pixels.
Diazotroph community succession during the VAHINE mesocosm experiment (New Caledonia lagoon)
Authors: Turk-Kubo K. A. , Frank I. E. , Hogan M. E. , Desnues A. , Bonnet S. , Zehr J. P.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. The VAHINE mesocosm experiment, conducted in the low-nutrient low-chlorophyll waters of the Noumea lagoon (coastal New Caledonia) was designed to trace the incorporation of nitrogen (N) fixed by diazotrophs into the food web, using large volume (50 m3) mesocosms. This experiment provided a unique opportunity to study the succession of different N2-fixing microorganisms (diazotrophs) and calculate in situ net growth and mortality rates in response to fertilization with dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP) over a 23-day period, using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays targeting widely distributed marine diazotroph lineages. Inside the mesocosms, the most abundant diazotroph was the heterocyst-forming Richelia associated with Rhizosolenia (Het-1) in the first half of the experiment, while unicellular cyanobacterial Group C (UCYN-C) became abundant during the second half of the experiment. Decreasing DIP concentrations following the fertilization event and increasing temperatures were significantly correlated with increasing abundances of UCYN-C. Maximum net growth rates for UCYN-C were calculated to range between 1.23 ± 0.07 and 2.16 ± 0.07 d−1 in the mesocosms, which are among the highest growth rates reported for diazotrophs. Outside the mesocosms in the New Caledonia lagoon, UCYN-C abundances remained low, despite increasing temperatures, suggesting that the microbial community response to the DIP fertilization created conditions favorable for UCYN-C growth inside the mesocosms. Diazotroph community composition analysis using PCR targeting a component of the nitrogenase gene (nifH) verified that diazotrophs targeted in qPCR assays were collectively among the major lineages in the lagoon and mesocosm samples, with the exception of Crocosphaera-like phylotypes, where sequence types not typically seen in the oligotrophic ocean grew in the mesocosms. Maximum net growth and mortality rates for nine diazotroph phylotypes throughout the 23-day experiment were variable between mesocosms, and repeated fluctuations between periods of net growth and mortality were commonly observed. The field population of diazotrophs in the New Caledonian lagoon waters appeared to be dominated by Het-1 over the course of the study period. However, results from both qPCR and PCR analysis indicated a diverse field population of diazotrophs was present in the lagoon at the time of sampling. Two ecotypes of the Braarudosphaera bigelowii symbiont unicellular group A (UCYN-A) were present simultaneously in the lagoon, with the recently described B. bigelowii/UCYN-A2 association present at higher abundances than the B. bigelowii/UCYN-A1 association.
Age–depth model of the past 630 kyr for Lake Ohrid (FYROM/Albania) based on cyclostratigraphic analysis of downhole gamma ray data
Authors: Baumgarten H. , Wonik T. , Tanner D. C. , Francke A. , Wagner B. , Zanchetta G. , Sulpizio R. , Giaccio B. , Nomade S.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Gamma ray (GR) fluctuations and potassium (K) values from downhole logging data obtained in the sediments of Lake Ohrid from 0 to 240 m below lake floor (b.l.f). correlate with fluctuations in δ18O values from the global benthic isotope stack LR04 (Lisiecki and Raymo, 2005). GR and K values are considered a reliable proxy to depict glacial–interglacial cycles, with high clastic input during cold and/or drier periods and high carbonate precipitation during warm and/or humid periods at Lake Ohrid. Spectral analysis was applied to investigate the climate signal and evolution over the length of the borehole. Linking downhole logging data with orbital cycles was used to estimate sedimentation rates and the effect of compaction was compensated for. Sedimentation rates increase on average by 14 % after decompaction of the sediment layers and the mean sedimentation rates shift from 45 cm kyr−1 between 0 and 110 m to 30 cm kyr−1 from 110 to 240 m b.l.f. Tuning of minima and maxima of gamma ray and potassium values versus LR04 extrema, in combination with eight independent tephrostratigraphical tie points, allows establishing of a robust age model for the downhole logging data over the past 630 kyr.
Atmospheric rivers moisture transport from a Lagrangian perspective
Authors: Ramos A. M. , Nieto R. , Tomé R. , Gimeno L. , Trigo R. M. , Liberato M. L. R. , Lavers D. A.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. An automated atmospheric rivers (ARs) detection algorithm is used for the North Atlantic Ocean Basin allowing the identification of the major ARs that affected western European coasts between 1979 and 2014 over the winter half-year (October to March). The entire west coast of Europe was divided into five domains, namely, the Iberian Peninsula (9.75° W; 36–43.75° N), France (4.5° W; 43.75–50° N), UK (4.5° W; 50–59° N), southern Scandinavia and the Netherlands (5.25° E; 50–59° N), and northern Scandinavia (5.25° E; 59–70° N). Following the identification of the main ARs that made landfall in western Europe, a Lagrangian analysis was then applied in order to identify the main sources of moisture that reach each domain. The Lagrangian dataset used was obtained from the FLEXPART model global simulation from 1979 to 2012, where the atmosphere was divided into approximately 2.0 million parcels, and it was forced by ERA-Interim reanalysis on a 1° latitude–longitude grid. Results show that, in general, for all regions considered, the major climatological source of moisture extends along the subtropical North Atlantic, from the Florida Peninsula (northward of 20° N), to each sink region, with the nearest coast to each sink region always appearing as a local maximum of evaporation. In addition, during the AR events, the Atlantic subtropical source is reinforced and displaced, with a slight northward movement of the moisture sources is found when the sink region is positioned at higher latitudes. In conclusion, the results confirm the advection of moisture linked to ARs from subtropical ocean areas, but also the existence of a tropical one, and the mid-latitude sources further the analysed longitude along the North Atlantic is located eastward.
A key continental archive for the last 2 Ma of climatic history of the central Mediterranean region: A pilot drilling in the Fucino Basin, central Italy
Authors: Giaccio B. , Regattieri E. , Zanchetta G. , Wagner B. , Galli P. , Mannella G. , Niespolo E. , Peronace E. , Renne P. R. , Nomade S. , Cavinato G. P. , Messina P. , Sposato A. , Boschi C. , Florindo F. , Marra F. , Sadori L.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. An 82 m long sedimentary succession was retrieved from the Fucino Basin, the largest intermountain tectonic depression of the central Apennines. The basin hosts a succession of fine-grained lacustrine sediments (ca. 900 m-thick) possibly continuously spanning the last 2 Ma. A preliminary tephrostratigraphy study allows us to ascribe the drilled 82 m long record to the last 180 ka. Multi-proxy geochemical analyses (XRF scanning, total organic/inorganic carbon, nitrogen and sulfur, oxygen isotopes) reveal noticeable variations, which are interpreted as paleohydrological and paleoenvironmental expressions related to classical glacial–interglacial cycles from the marine isotope stage (MIS) 6 to present day. In light of the preliminary results, the Fucino sedimentary succession is likely to provide a long, continuous, sensitive, and independently dated paleoclimatic archive of the central Mediterranean area.
Interactions between organisms and parent materials of a constructed Technosol shape its hydrostructural properties
Authors: Deeb M. , Grimaldi M. , Lerch T. Z. , Pando A. , Gigon A. , Blouin M.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Constructed Technosols provide an opportunity to recycle urban waste, and are an alternative to the uptake of topsoil from the countryside. Despite potential problems of erosion, compaction or water holding capacity, their physical properties and the resulting water regulation services are poorly documented. In a laboratory experiment, excavated deep horizons of soils and green waste compost (GWC) were mixed at six levels of GWC (from 0 to 50 %). Each mixture was set up in the presence/absence of plants and/or earthworms, in a full factorial design (n = 96). After 21 weeks, hydrostructural properties of constructed Technosols were characterized by soil shrinkage curves. Organisms explained the variance of hydrostructural characteristics (19 %) a little better than parent-material composition (14 %). The interaction between the effects of organisms and parent-material composition explained the variance far better (39 %) than each single factor. To summarize, compost and plants played a positive role in increasing available water in macropores and micropores; plants were extending the positive effect of compost up to 40 and 50 % GWC. Earthworms affected the void ratio for mixtures from 0 to 30 % GWC and available water in micropores, not in macropores. Earthworms also acted synergistically with plants by increasing their root biomass and the resulting positive effects on available water in macropores. Organisms and their interaction with parent materials thus positively affected the hydro-structural properties of constructed Technosols, with potential positive consequences on resistance to drought or compaction. Considering organisms when creating Technosols could be a promising approach to improve their fertility.
Arctic soil development on a series of marine terraces on Central Spitsbergen, Svalbard: a combined geochronology, fieldwork and modelling approach
Authors: van der Meij W. M. , Temme A. J. A. M. , de Kleijn C. M. F. J. J. , Reimann T. , Heuvelink G. B. M. , Zwoliński Z. , Rachlewicz G. , Rymer K. , Sommer M.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Soils in Arctic regions currently enjoy significant attention because of their potentially substantial changes under climate change. It is important to quantify the natural processes and rates of development of these soils, to better define and determine current and future changes. Specifically, there is a need to quantify the interactions between various landscape and soil forming processes that together have resulted in current soil properties. Soil chronosequences are ideal natural experiments for this purpose. In this contribution, we combine field observations, luminescence dating and soil-landscape modelling to test and improve our understanding about Arctic soil formation. Our field site is a Holocene chronosequence of gravelly raised marine terraces in central Spitsbergen. Field observations suggest that soil-landscape development is mainly driven by weathering, silt translocation, aeolian deposition and rill erosion. Spatial soil heterogeneity is mainly caused by soil age, morphological position and depth under the surface. Substantial organic matter accumulation only occurs in few, badly drained positions. Luminescence dating confirmed existing radiocarbon dating of the terraces, which are between ~ 3.6 and ~ 14.4 ka old. Observations and ages were used to parameterize soil landscape evolution model LORICA, which was subsequently used to test the hypothesis that our field-observed processes indeed dominate soil-landscape development. Model results indicate the importance of aeolian deposition as a source of fine material in the subsoil for both sheltered beach trough positions and barren beach ridge positions. Simulated overland erosion was negligible. Therefore, an un-simulated process must be responsible for creating the observed erosion rills. Dissolution and physical weathering both play a major role. However, by using present day soil observations, relative physical and chemical weathering could not be disentangled. Discrepancies between field and model results indicate that soil formation is non-linear and driven by spatially and temporally varying boundary conditions which were not included in the model. Concluding, Arctic soil and landscape development appears to be more complex and less straight-forward than could be reasoned from field observations.
Brief Communication: Global reconstructions of glacier mass change during the 20th century are consistent
Authors: Marzeion B. , Leclercq P. W. , Cogley J. G. , Jarosch A. H.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Recent estimates of the contribution of glaciers to sea-level rise during the 20th century are strongly divergent. Advances in data availability have allowed revisions of some of these published estimates. Here we show that outside of Antarctica, the global estimates of glacier mass change obtained from glacier-length-based reconstructions and from a glacier model driven by gridded climate observations are now consistent with each other, and also with an estimate for the years 2003–2009 that is mostly based on remotely sensed data. This consistency is found throughout the entire common periods of the respective data sets. Inconsistencies of reconstructions and observations persist in estimates on regional scales.
Pagyvenusių ir senų žmonių griuvimų rizikos veiksniai ir jų įtaka griuvimams
Authors: Piščalkienė Viktorija , Januškevičiūtė Rima , Dovydaitis Julius
Published: December 2015

Senstančios visuomenės problemos kelia sudėtingus sveikatos, socialinius ir ekonominius iššūkius, kuriuos labai svarbu laiku įvertinti ir imtis tikslingų priemonių, užtikrinančių sveikatos išsaugojimą ir sveiką senėjimą. Griuvimai yra dažnai pasitaikanti vyresnio amžiaus žmonių problema. Laiku įvertinta griuvimų ir pusiausvyros rizika – efektyvi sveikatos išsaugojimo priemonė. Straipsnio tikslas. Įvertinti pagyvenusių ir senų asmenų griuvimų rizikos veiksnius ir jų įtaką griuvimams. Tyrimo metodai. Tyrimui atlikti buvo pasirinktas stebėjimas ir anketinė apklausa raštu. Taikant stebėjimo metodą tiriamųjų namuose buvo įvertinti griuvimo rizikos veiksniai (0-nėra; 1-yra). Anketine apklausa buvo siekama įvertinti griuvimų rizikos veiksnių įtaką patirti griuvimus namų aplinkoje (17 klausimų) ir viešose vietose (7 klausimai). Griuvimų raiškai atskleisti pateikta tiesiogiai šią problematiką atspindintys klausimai (1) „Ar teko patirti griuvimus per pastaruosius vienerius metus?“ bei klausimas „Ar bijote nugriūti?“. Buvo pateikti sociodemografinio tipo klausimai (3). Taip pat buvo naudojama Morse griuvimų rizikos (MGR) vertinimo skalė. Tiriamieji. Tyrime dalyvavo 350 netikimybiniu tiksliniu atrankos būdu atrinkti pagyvenusio amžiaus ir vyresni asmenys (60 metų ir daugiau). Tyrimo rezultatai. Didesnė dalis (67,8 %) žmonių patyrė griuvimus vienerių metų laikotarpiu. Amžius neturėjo įtakos griuvimams, tai reiškia, kad griuvimus patyrė ir pagyvenę, ir seni žmonės. Baimę patirti griuvimus pažymėjo visi tyrime dalyvavę asmenys. Mažiausia baime nugriūti pasižymėjo tiriamieji iki 70 metų. Kaip dažniausi griuvimų rizikos veiksniai namų aplinkoje nurodyti šie: nepritvirtinti ar slankiojantys kilimėliai ant grindų, slidūs vaikščiojamieji paviršiai kambariuose, tualete, duše ar vonioje, laikiklių duše ar vonioje nebuvimas, aukštai pakabinamos lentynos, nepakankamas apšvietimas įeinant į namus. Kaip griuvimų rizikos veiksniai viešose vietose nurodyti šie: slidūs ir netvarkingi vaikščiojamieji paviršiai gatvėse ir visuomeninio naudojimo patalpose. Visi rizikos veiksniai gali būti pavojingi, nes tyrime dalyvavę asmenys dėl jų nukentėjo ir patyrė griuvimuss (p≤0,05). Atliktas vertinimas pagal Morse griuvimų skalę (MGS) padėjo nustatyti, kad daugiau nei pusė tyrime dalyvavusių turėjo riziką patirti griuvimus. Patirti griuvimai vienerių metų laikotarpiu statistiškai reikšmingai susiję su Morse griuvimo skalės rezultatais (p≤0,05). Asmenys, turintys psichinės sveikatos, nervų, judėjimo, urogenitalinės, virškinimo sistemos problemų, dažniau patyrė griuvimus nei neturintys šių problemų (p≤0,05).
Psichodiagnostinių tyrimų taikymas ekspertinėje praktikoje
Authors: Butkus Gintaras
Published: December 2015

Straipsnyje analizuojami teismo psichologo eksperto veiklos metodologiniai klausimai: kas yra psichologinis tyrimas teismo psichologo eksperto praktikoje, kuo skiriasi toks tyrimas nuo tradicinio tyrimo klinikinėje praktikoje, kuo skiriasi ir panašūs teismo psichologo eksperto atliekamos ekspertizės ir psichologiniai tyrimai, kaip derinami kokybinio ir kiekybinio tyrimo principai.
Vyrų ir moterų nugaros skausmo ir stuburo paslankumo kitimas taikant kinezivyturavimą
Authors: Bacevičienė Rasa , Janušonienė Laura , Gintilienė Milda
Published: December 2015

Dažniausiai pasitaikančiam juosmeninės stuburo dalies skausmui gydyti taikomas alternatyvus metodas – kinezivyturavimas. Šis metodas, veikdamas fiziologinius mechanizmus, atkuria teisingą raumens funkciją, gerina kraujo ir limfos tekėjimą, mažina skausmą, per propriorecepciją koreguoja sąnarių padėtį, atstato teisingą raumens funkciją. Tyrimo tikslas buvo nustatyti vyrų ir moterų juosmeninės stuburo dalies skausmo ir paslankumo pokyčius taikant kinezivyturavimą. Tyrime dalyvavo 10 pacientų, kurių amžius 46,1 ± 4,95 m, jaučiančių juosmeninį stuburo dalies skausmą. Visiems tiriamiesiems radiologinių tyrimų metu buvo nustatyta L5-S1 tarpslankstelinio disko išvarža. Vertintas skausmas kas 4 valandos VAS skale bei stuburo paslankumas prieš ir po kinezivyturavimo. Kinezivyturavimui naudotas K-Active dvi 20cm ilgio ir 5 cm pločio kinezivyturo juostelės. Rezultatai parodė, kad kinezivyturavimas padidino juosmeninės stuburo dalies paslankumą, kurio poveikis moterims buvo didesnis nei vyrams bei sumažino juosmeninės stuburo dalies skausmą praėjus 20 val. po kinezivyturo užklijavimo, o ryškiausias ir ilgiausiai trunkantis skausmo sumažėjimas buvo stebimas 44-56 val., kuris moterims buvo didesnis nei vyrams.
El "Fedro" de Platón: un ejercicio de buena retórica engañosa
Authors: Bossi Beatriz
Published: December 2015

En este artículo me propongo mostrar que lo que Sócrates hace con Fedro a lo largo de toda la obra no es otra cosa que utilizar la auténtica retórica (con su doble carga, dialéctica y psicológica) que es descrita en la segunda parte del diálogo. Las tensiones, rivalidades y celos de la situación inicial entre ellos expone un perfil representativo de relaciones entre interlocutores con perspectivas intelectuales opuestas. Es preciso disolver la resistencia emocional por medio de una serie de pasos graduales, estratégicos, y ‘engañosos’ (no se puede develar el propio juego desde el principio). Hay que partir de acuerdos, siquiera parciales, para continuar dialogando. Sin embargo, Sócrates también introduce nociones nuevas acerca del amor, pero éstas pasan desapercibidas a un Fedro obsesionado con la imitación de su enamorado Lisias. Hasta que Sócrates decide cortar el juego y cruzar el río. Este corte provoca un giro en ambos personajes: Fedro se dispone a escuchar lo que Sócrates quiere contarle (el mito del carro alado) y Sócrates se revela ante sí mismo como un personaje capaz de ‘encantar’ a Fedro con la belleza rapsódica del relato y superar su propio temor de convertirse en una bestia devoradora. Al final Sócrates muestra su juego a Fedro y le enseña cómo ha sido posible llegar a un auténtico diálogo filosófico, donde pueda tener lugar la enseñanza y el aprendizaje recíprocos.
Cómo nace una institución. Reflexiones sobre "Una política de la lengua" de Michel de Certeau
Authors: González-Sanz Juan D.
Published: December 2015

Este artículo pretende mostrar las aportaciones del pensador francés Michel de Certeau (1925-1986), sobre el proceso de surgimiento de las instituciones sociales. Para ello he analizado, en el marco de la antropología certeauniana del creer, su texto Une politique de la langue, en el que Certeau aborda el proyecto del Abbé Gregoire para imponer el francés sobre los patois a finales del siglo XVIII. Puede concluirse, tras este análisis, que las instituciones se fundan siguiendo un proceso en tres fases: la definición clara de las creencias básicas o principios rectores de la institución (elaboración de un discurso corporativo); el desplazamiento de los principios alternativos con los que compite (desautorización del discurso ajeno); y la lucha contra la resistencias que ofrecen las antiguas creencias (el uso del poder).
Who is in charge? An L2 Discourse Intonation Study on Four Prosodic Parameters to Exert the Pragmatic Function of Dominance and Control in the Context of L2 Non-specialist Public Speaking
Authors: Jiménez Vilches Raúl
Published: December 2015

This paper reports the findings from a study of the learning of English intonation by Spanish speakers within the discourse mode of L2 oral presentation. The purpose of this experiment is, firstly, to compare four prosodic parameters before and after an L2 discourse intonation training programme and, secondly, to confirm whether subjects, after the aforementioned L2 discourse intonation training, are able to match the form of these four prosodic parameters to the discourse-pragmatic function of dominance and control. The study designed the instructions and tasks to create the oral and written corpora and Brazil’s Pronunciation for Advanced Learners of English was adapted for the pedagogical aims of the present study. The learners’ pre- and post-tasks were acoustically analysed and a pre / post- questionnaire design was applied to interpret the acoustic analysis. Results indicate most of the subjects acquired a wider choice of the four prosodic parameters partly due to the prosodically-annotated transcripts that were developed throughout the L2 discourse intonation course. Conversely, qualitative and quantitative data reveal most subjects failed to match the forms to their appropriate pragmatic functions to express dominance and control in an L2 oral presentation.
La influencia de las nuevas tecnologías en los hábitos de lectura: análisis de las noticias de "El País", "El Mundo" y "ABC" (2011)
Authors: Garcia-Delgado Giménez Belén
Published: December 2015

En este texto se explica el cambio de hábitos que ha supuesto la lectura en formato digital. Se indican los factores que determinan la selección un formato u otro, al igual que la situación en la que se encuentra la lectura digital en España. Para ello, se analizan las noticias sobre este tema encontradas en los periódicos: ABC, El País y El Mundo durante el año 2011 -período relevante para la lectura digital- y se comparan con los resultados de las encuestas de AIMC, FGEE, etc., con el fin de sacar conclusiones certeras.
La comunicación institucional, epicentro de la empresa
Authors: Baranda del Campo Cristina
Published: December 2015

La información es el elemento primordial en una Institución, sea del carácter que sea. Fluye de cualquier departamento que la integra y esta información hay que recopilarla, ordenarla, sintetizarla, tratarla y por último y más relevante hay que distribuirla. No se puede retener ni ocultar, se debe canalizar para que todos los integrantes de esa empresa la conozcan, la entiendan, la asuman y la hagan suya. Es así como funcionan bien los organismos conociendo lo que trabajan, sus objetivos, sus límites, sus avances y sus logros. Los gabinetes de comunicación son el motor de la documentación. Gestionan los contenidos, crean archivos de datos y documentos y difunden la información, no solo entre los diferentes componentes de la empresa sino también entre los distintos estamentos de la sociedad, proyectando al exterior la imagen de la Institución para la que trabajan.