bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved representations of coupled soil-canopy processes in the CABLE land surface model
Authors: Haverd Vanessa , Cuntz Matthias , Nieradzik Lars  P. , Harman Ian  N.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. CABLE is a global land surface model, which has been used extensively in offline and coupled simulations. While CABLE performs well in comparison with other land surface models, results are impacted by decoupling of transpiration and photosynthesis fluxes under drying soil conditions, often leading to implausibly high water use efficiencies. Here we present a solution to this problem, ensuring that modeled transpiration is always consistent with modeled photosynthesis, while introducing a parsimonious single-parameter drought response function which is coupled to root water uptake. We further improve CABLE’s simulation of coupled soil-canopy processes by introducing an alternative hydrology model with a physically accurate representation of coupled energy and water fluxes at the soil/air interface, including a more realistic formulation of transfer under atmospherically stable conditions within the canopy and in the presence of leaf litter. The effects of these model developments are assessed using data from 18 stations from the global Eddy covariance flux network FLUXNET, selected to span a large climatic range. Marked improvements are demonstrated, with root-mean-squared errors for monthly latent heat fluxes and water use efficiencies being reduced by 40 %. Results highlight the important roles of deep soil moisture in mediating drought response and litter in dampening soil evaporation.
The spillover effect of attractions
Authors: Bo Zhou , Bi Yang , Hengyun Li , Hailin Qu
Published: February 2016

Destinations formulate their tourism development strategies based on a number of factors, including tourism spillover effects. Using data from 98 administrative cities in Eastern China from 2004 to 2012 and spatial modelling techniques, this study examines the spillover effect of attractions, including natural, cultural and man-made attractions. The spillover effect refers to the impact attractions in the regions surrounding a specific destination have on tourist arrivals at that destination. The results show that, although the spatial substitution effect exists among the same type of attractions in adjacent regions, the size of this effect is too low to counteract the positive spillover effect of attractions. This study advances research on spillover phenomena in the tourism field and supports the strategy of interregional tourism collaboration centred on attractions.
Vocabulary Learning Strategies Employed by Undergraduate EFL Jordanian Students
Authors: Rabadi Reem Ibrahim
Published: February 2016

The present study investigates the various vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) used by undergraduate Jordanian students majoring English Language and Literature in Jordanian universities. The five categories of the vocabulary learning strategies (Memory, Determination, Social, Cognitive, and Metacognitive) were used in this study following Schmitt’s taxonomy. For this purpose, a questionnaire containing forty items selected from Schmitt’s (1997) Vocabulary Learning Strategies Questionnaire (VLSQ) was administered to a pool of 110 Jordanian students majoring in English Language and Literature from eight Jordanian universities. This testing instrument was used to reveal the types of vocabulary learning strategies used by the participants, to discover the most and least frequently used VLS employed by them, and to know the main patterns of variation of the participants’ choice of VLSs if they are high, medium, or low VLS users. The descriptive analysis of the study showed that Jordanian EFL learners were “medium” strategy users overall. With regard to strategy categories, the results revealed that Memory strategies were the most frequently employed by them and Metacognitive strategies were the least frequently used strategies among them. Although the participants were medium strategy users, the results of the VLSQ revealed that some individual strategies were employed at a low level. This result leads to adopt the learners’ individual vocabulary learning strategy as an important variable in future research. The findings of this study will be advantageous to language instructors to improve effective vocabulary teaching techniques and curriculum designers to provide learners with preferable vocabulary learning strategies.
Reading Illness in Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych: Perspectives on Literature and Medicine
Authors: Neimneh Shadi S. , Obeidat Marwan M. , Bani-Hani Kamal E.
Published: February 2016

This article seeks to establish the ambiguous nature of Ivan Ilych’s illness in Leo Tolstoy’s novella The Death of Ivan Ilych (1886), and it then proceeds to offer sociocultural commentary on an incurable illness that results in the death of the title character. Regardless of the exact nature of Ivan Ilych’s illness, however, the story suggests that Ivan lived the “wrong” kind of life despite his self-deception and the lies of those around him. Some readers might be intrigued by the mysterious ailment of Ivan Ilych that aggravates into an agonizing death, and some might read the story as a pathography and ponder the doctors’ possible diagnoses alluded to in the text like a floating kidney, a vermiform appendix or a chronic catarrh. While others, on the other hand, might argue for alternative illnesses (not mentioned in the text) allowing for a case like cancer. However, reading the story as a parable to be decoded by physicians using medical expertise does not do justice to its symbolic engagement with illness. It is argued that the text seems to favor a reading that connects ailment to the lifestyle one is following and to one’s own personality or social class. In this regard, the article works at the intersection between the humanities and “medical theories” as adapted for literary ends. Ivan Ilych led the wrong form of life in his pursuit of wealth and hypocritical relations. Therefore, his terminal illness—read as a form of pancreatic cancer—is a figure for an “unhealthy” upper middle-class life lived at the wrong side emotionally, socially and physically. Within the interdisciplinary approach of this article, the metaphorical significance of illness is more important than specifying the exact illness that eventually causes Ivan Ilych’s death because this illness is significantly symbolic beyond its literal sense. Therefore, the symbolic representation/understanding of illness—of cancer in particular—as a social blight or a scourge related to social behavior is insightful for physicians and patients alike.
“What is to be a ‘Mother’?”—An Exposition of “Non-biological Mothers” in Literary Texts
Authors: Swarnananda K. G. , Wickramaarachchi Thilina Indrajie
Published: February 2016

This paper investigates the identity formation of “non-biological mothers” in a sample of texts which include primarily “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” by Bertolt Brecht, “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë and “Eveline” by James Joyce. Three characters are selected from the works who perform the role of “mother” at different levels for children who are “biologically” not their own. In Brecht’s play, Grusha cares for the child that is left by his own mother. In Bronte’s novel, Nelly Dean looks after both Hareton and Junior Catherine, children who have lost their “biological” mother, as well as Heathcliff who is brought to the house as an orphan. In Joyce’s short story, Eveline performs the role of mother and remains in Dublin defying her boyfriend’s attempts to take her away to possible happiness in a faraway land. In the study, these three figures and their role as “mother” are the primary focus. However, characters such as the first wife of Okonkwo in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achabe and Anna-Maria in “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen are also be examined to understand how women who have their own children, become committed towards children who are “biologically” not their own. The study elucidates the way this role of “non-biological mother” is constructed in various literary contexts and more specifically how these “non-biological mothers” are not recognized and their love regarded as subservient to the “love” of the “biological mother”. A textual analysis of texts is used to interpret these characters in their specific literary settings. In this manner, the study promotes a re-reading of the role of “non-biological mothers” and re-interprets the socio-political implications of the role of “mother” as well as the concept of “motherhood”.
A Study of the Correlation between Religious Attitudes and Quality Of Life in Students at Jahrom University of Medical Sciences in 2014
Authors: Parniyan Razieh , Kazemiane Abdoreza , Jahromi Marzieh Kargar , Poorgholami Farzad
Published: February 2016

Background and Objective: General health is not simply determined by whether or not an individual is sick, but is dependent on physical, mental and social factors too. One such important factor is an individual’s religious inclination. The present study aims to explore the correlation between religious beliefs and quality of life in the students at Jahrom University of Medical Sciences.

Method: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted in 2014. The sample consisted of 273 students who were randomly selected. Data were collected using Religious Attitude Questionnaire and a quality of life scale. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and SPSS v. 23.

Result: The students’ average age was 21.36±2.15. The means of their quality of life scores and religious attitude scores were 87.23 and 146.31 respectively. The results of Pearson’s correlation test showed that there was a significant relationship between quality of life and its subscales on one hand and religious attitude and its indexes on the other; in other words, the students’ mental well-being was found to correlate with their religious beliefs.

Conclusion: Since religious beliefs affect college students’ mental well-being and quality of life, it is suggested that through organized education, students’ religious awareness be raised.
The Role of the Myers-Briggs Personality Type and Emotional Intelligence in Marital Satisfaction among Married Female Students at Tehran University
Authors: Shirzad Galin
Published: February 2016

The present descriptive correlational study was conducted to predict the role of emotional intelligence and the Myers-Briggs personality type in marital satisfaction in married female students Tehran University in 2015. The study population consisted of all the married female students at Tehran University who visited Iran MBTI center between 22.04.2015 and 21.06.2015. A total of 140 students were selected as the study samples. Data were collected using the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator, the Bar-On Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire and the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Scale and were then analyzed in SPSS-20 using the multivariate regression analysis. The results obtained showed that emotional intelligence (interpersonal and intra-personal skills) and personality type (extraverted and structured) can predict marital satisfaction.
Iranian Nurses’ Experiences on Obstacles of Safe Drug Administration: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Soltanian Mitra , Molazem Zahra , Mohammadi Eesa , Sharif Farkhondeh , Rakhshan Mahnaz
Published: February 2016

Background: Safety maintenance and prevention of damage to patients caused by errors in nursing have a special importance, and a lack of sufficient attention to the correct principles of drug administration can lead to the patient' health threats and reducing safety.

The administration of drugs is complex and influenced by many factors, particularly in pediatric wards; thus, the present study aimed to explain pediatric nurses' experiences on obstacles to safe drug administration.

Methods: In this study, the qualitative approach and content analysis method were used. Twenty pediatric nurses involved in medication administration were selected for participation using purposive sampling. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Using continuous analysis, data collection and comparison were performed at the same time.

Results: From the data analysis, 4 main themes were extracted. Working pressure, lack of drug resources, insufficient colleague performance, and lack of experience and knowledge in drug administration were four main themes obtained from study.

Conclusion: Care managers can identify obstacles to safe medication administration to improve patient safety. For which necessary measures must be taken to remove them and to enhance patient safe care provided by nurses. 
Bio-Psycho-Social Factors Affecting Women's Sexual Function during Pregnancy: A Narrative Review
Authors: Afrakoti Nastaran Bagherian , Shahhosseini Zohreh
Published: February 2016

Background: Sexual function is a multidimensional phenomenon which is affected by many biological, psychological and social factors. Since sexual problems can have many effects on other aspects of the personal and social lives, and on the other hand sexual function can go through changes during pregnancy, this study has been designed in order to review the factors affecting women's sexual function during pregnancy.

Methods: A comprehensive search using key words: pregnancy, childbirth, sexual function and sexual disorder were conducted in the web search engines Google and Google Scholar, as well as the databases of PubMed, ProQuest, and Cochrane library. Science Direct, Scientific Information Database and Magiran. A total of 29 relevant international and Iranian literature sources meeting the inclusion criteria were included.

Results: The results led to organizing the findings related to sexual function during pregnancy in three categories, namely biological factors, psychological factors and social factors.

Conclusion: It is suggested that evaluation of sexual health during pregnancy must become a main pivot of routine prenatal care. In this way, it is necessary health care providers to be aware of a number of risk factors that may contribute to sexual dysfunction in pregnant women.
The Test of Corporate Governance System in the Electric Utilities Industry
Authors: Yumuk Gunay Gulsevim
Published: February 2016

The main purpose of this study is to test whether corporate governance is a system or not. Seven hypotheses are formed to reach this objective. The existence of significant relationships among three dimenisons (principles, processes and business results) is the main theme in these hypotheses. Regression analysis and reliability analysis are used in the study. 74 world’s biggest companies in electric utilities industry are used in the sample of the study. Corporate governance, sustainability and corporate social responsibility reports of these 74 companies are coded with 34 variables in the corporate governance system. It is found that there is a significant and strong relationship among three dimensions. Corporate governance is a construct of our study and principles, processes and business results are dimensions that explain this construct. The seventh hypothesis is formed to test whether corporate governance is constituted from these three dimensions or not. Cronbach alpha of these three dimensions (principles, processes and business results) is 91%. In other words, it is found that these three dimensions explain the construct (corporate governance system) of our study. Stakeholder governance model is used to test the hypotheses of the study. In sum, this study showed us that stakeholder governance model works in electric utilities industry and that there is an integrity among the variables and elements of corporate governance system.
Features of chlorophyll fluorescence transients can be used to investigate low temperature induced effects on photosystem II of algal lichens from polar regions ( Short Communication )
Authors: Mishra Anamika , Hájek Josef , Tuháčková Tereza , Barták Miloš , Mishra Kumud Bandhu
Published: February 2016

Chlorophyll fluorescence is an effective tool for investigating characteristics of any photosynthesizing organisms and its responses due to different stressors. Here, we have studied a short-term temperature response on three Antarctic green algal lichen species: Umbilicaria antarctica, Xanthoria elegans, and Rhizoplaca melanophtalma. We measured slow chlorophyll fluorescence transients in these Antarctic lichen species during slowely cooling of thallus temperature from 20°C to 5, 0 and -5°C with 20 minute acclimation at each temperature. The measurements were supplemented with saturation pulses for the analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters: maximum yield of PS II photochemistry (FV/FM), effective quantum yield of PS II photochemistry (FPSII) and quenching parameters. In response to decreasing thallus temperature, we observed species-specific changes in chlorophyll fluorescence parameters as well as in the shape of the chlorophyll fluorescence transients. We propose that species-specific changes in the slow phase of chlorophyll fluorescence transients can be potentially used as indicators of freezing stress in photosynthetic apparatus of lichen algal photobionts.
Enhancing Teachers' Assessment of Mathematical Processes Through Test Analysis in University Courses
Authors: Hunsader Patricia D. , Zorin Barbara , Thompson Denisse R.
Published: February 2016

Assessment is a critical component of the teaching and learning cycle. Yet, research suggests that teachers have often had insufficient preparation relative to the development and use of assessment. In this article, we share experiences and assignments we use with both preservice and in-service teachers within undergraduate and graduate university courses to enhance their focus on mathematics assessment, particularly assessment of processes and practices in classroom tests. We also share the results of teachers' analyses of classroom tests, their reactions to their analysis, and their reflections on the potential impact of the experiences on their future practice.
Aisčiai ir jų istorija
Authors: Jovaiša Eugenijus
Published: February 2016

Aisčiai ir jų istorija pastaraisiais metais tapo mokslinių ir kartais istorijos mėgėjų minčių keitimosi lauku. Įvairiuose leidiniuose ir konferencijose svarstoma, ar gotai yra tie patys aisčiai, arba, kitaip sakant, vakarų baltai, ar jie griovė Romos imperiją, kaip jie dalyvavo Didžiajame tautų kraustymesi. Vieniems šios mintys yra mokslinio tyrimo dalykas, kuriame priimamos įvairios galimybės ir keliami argumentai. Kitiems  –  net mintis apie tai, kad aisčiai drauge su kitomis gentimis dalyvavo Europos kūrimo procesuose regisi tiesiog neįmanoma. Ir čia daug kas priklauso nuo autorių pasirengimo įsitraukti į to įdomaus ir mūsų istorijai reikšmingo laikotarpio tyrinėjimą. Čia skelbiamos pastabos yra atsakas į tuos darbus, kuriuose susidūrė nuomonių įvairovė apie aisčius ir gotus, apie aisčius ir jų kaimynus slavus, apie aistiškų galindų Didžiosios migracijos aspektus.
A Short Description of a Translator-Writing System (BOBS-System)
Authors: Jensen Bent Bæk , Madsen Ole Lehrmann , Kristensen Bent Bruun , Eriksen Søren Henrik
Published: February 2016

The paper itself is an abstract describing a translator-writing-system called the BOBS-System, which is an implementation of some of the ideas in the Ph. D. thesis of De Remer. This thesis describes closely the parsing techniques for the hierarchy of LR(k)-grammars. The main parts of the BOBS-System is described without many details.
Le rôle de la fiscalité dans la réduction des inégalités : doit-on se soucier de la structure fiscale servant à prélever les recettes?
Authors: Dao Ha , Godbout Luc
Published: February 2016

Au cours des dernières décennies, de nombreux gouvernements, concernés par les questions de redistribution des revenus, ont porté une attention particulière à la manière dont les recettes fiscales sont collectées. Cet article applique un modèle économétrique aux données de 34 États membres de l’OCDE sur la période allant de 1970 à 2010. Il souligne que le poids des recettes fiscales dans l’économie compte bien davantage dans la réduction des inégalités que les caractéristiques de la structure fiscale servant à les collecter. Collecter plus de recettes fiscales permet aux gouvernements d’offrir davantage de services publics et de transferts à ses citoyens. Ce résultat est cohérent avec la littérature qui reconnaît que la réduction des inégalités de revenus est principalement le résultat de dépenses publiques et de transferts.
Le recours aux approches réflexives dans les métiers relationnels : modélisation des conceptions de la réflexivité
Authors: Chouinard Isabelle , Caron Jessie
Published: February 2016

Le développement de l’industrie tertiaire a accru l’intérêt de la communauté scientifique envers la relation de service et les compétences professionnelles des métiers relationnels. Les institutions de formation ont également adapté leurs programmes afin de garantir l’acquisition des étudiants de ces nouvelles compétences. Pourtant, les connaissances sur le sujet demeurent encore imparfaites. Ceci est d’autant plus préoccupant que les professions ont l’obligation de rendre compte de leurs productions. Pour répondre à cette exigence, le recours aux approches réflexives est devenu courant. Malgré la multiplication de ces approches, peu de données sont disponibles sur la façon dont elles sont conçues et utilisées. Afin d’en dégager les perspectives actuelles, cet article expose les résultats d’une analyse de la documentation scientifique sur la réflexivité dans quatre métiers relationnels : le travail social, l’éducation, les sciences infirmières et la psychologie. Après avoir présenté ces conceptions, les enjeux qu’elles soulèvent seront discutés.
Reconsideration of the spin–orbit interaction for an electron confined in a quasi-two-dimensional quantum dot: II. Bulkiness and in-plane spin–orbit coupling
Authors: Yamagami Takuma , Ido Kota , Takeda Kyozaburo , Tokura Yasuhiro
Published: February 2016

We solve the Pauli equation for the quasi-two-dimensional (2D) quantum dot (QD) system numerically by employing the finite difference technique, and reconsider how bulkiness changes the electronic structure through the spin–orbit (SO) interaction. By decomposing the internal SO coupling induced by the confinement potential into the out-of-plane and in-plane components, we demonstrate that the in-plane SO coupling produces the characteristic electronic structure having the opposite spin hybridization. The second-order perturbation approach reveals that this in-plane SO coupling has a function similar to that of Rashba SO coupling and produces the symmetry-broken spin distribution via the interstate interference. We further determine the spin precession by the internal SO coupling and investigate the optimal spin polarization to reduce the spin “fluctuation” effectively.
Damage Effects on Bacille Calmette‐Guérin by Low‐Frequency, Low‐Intensity Ultrasound
Authors: Su Hang , Li Zhe , Dong Yuan , Jiang He-Xun , Zheng Hui-Min , Du Yong-Hong , Wu Junru , Wang Zhi-Biao
Published: February 2016

Objectives

To perform an in vitro experimental study of the possible damage effects on Bacille Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) by low‐frequency (42‐kHz) ultrasound (US) irradiation at low spatially and temporally averaged intensities and different exposure times.

Methods

A 2‐mL BCG suspension was added to the wells of a 24‐well cell culture plate. Then the samples were randomly divided into 4 groups, each group including 3 wells, with group 1 as a control group and groups 2, 3, and 4, as US treatment groups. The samples for groups 2, 3, and 4 were irradiated with US at 0.13 W/cm2 for 5 minutes, 0.13 W/cm2 for 15 minutes, and 1.53 W/cm2 for 15 minutes, respectively. After irradiation, the temperature, ratio of damage, and structure of the bacteria were examined. The cavitation effect of the device was detected by the passive cavitation detection method.

Results

After US irradiation at the different doses (intensity and exposure time), no significant temperature change was found in all sample suspensions. The ratio of bacterial damage tested by flow cytometry and the optical density of the suspensions as assayed by the 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide colorimetric method showed that the US‐irradiated groups were significantly different from the control group. The BCG damage ratio reached 28% at the intensity of 1.53 W/cm2. Transmission electron microscopic results showed that the bacterial structure of BCG could be destroyed by low‐frequency, low‐intensity US.

Conclusions

Low‐frequency, low‐intensity US can cause acute injury to BCG, and the degree of injury is closely correlated with the US dose applied.
Unilateral Fetal Renal Abnormalities
Authors: Clinton Chelsea M. , Chasen Stephen T.
Published: February 2016

Objectives

Our objective was to describe the association between unilateral fetal renal abnormalities and other major anomalies that were not apparent in the second trimester.

Methods

A review of the ultrasound database identified fetuses with suspected unilateral renal agenesis, unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney, and renal ectopia from 2005 to 2014. Neonatal records were reviewed to identify anomalies not suspected in the second trimester, and postnatal imaging studies were reviewed. Categorical data were compared by &x003C7;2 analysis and the Fisher exact test.

Results

We identified 102 cases, including 36 with suspected renal agenesis, 28 with suspected multicystic dysplastic kidney, and 38 with suspected renal ectopia. There were 8 cases (7.8%) with major anomalies not suspected in the second trimester. In 5 cases (4.9%), there were no associated findings in the second trimester. There were no significant differences in the rates of unsuspected abnormalities between the 3 groups. There was a trend toward a higher rate of unsuspected anomalies in the cases with a single umbilical artery compared to those with a 3‐vessel cord (28.6% vs 6.3%; P= .09).

Conclusions

In fetuses with unilateral renal abnormalities, major anomalies that were not suspected in the second trimester were uncommon. However, patients should be aware of the possibility that other major anomalies could subsequently be identified, and the outcome may depend on more than postnatal renal function.
Prey‐mediated behavioral responses of feeding blue whales in controlled sound exposure experiments
Authors: Friedlaender A. S. , Hazen E. L. , Goldbogen J. A. , Stimpert A. K. , Calambokidis J. , Southall B. L.
Published: February 2016

Behavioral response studies provide significant insights into the nature, magnitude, and consequences of changes in animal behavior in response to some external stimulus. Controlled exposure experiments (CEEs) to study behavioral response have faced challenges in quantifying the importance of and interaction among individual variability, exposure conditions, and environmental covariates. To investigate these complex parameters relative to blue whale behavior and how it may change as a function of certain sounds, we deployed multi‐sensor acoustic tags and conducted CEEs using simulated mid‐frequency active sonar (MFAS) and pseudo‐random noise (PRN) stimuli, while collecting synoptic, quantitative prey measures. In contrast to previous approaches that lacked such prey data, our integrated approach explained substantially more variance in blue whale dive behavioral responses to mid‐frequency sounds (r2 = 0.725 vs. 0.14 previously). Results demonstrate that deep‐feeding whales respond more clearly and strongly to CEEs than those in other behavioral states, but this was only evident with the increased explanatory power provided by incorporating prey density and distribution as contextual covariates. Including contextual variables increases the ability to characterize behavioral variability and empirically strengthens previous findings that deep‐feeding blue whales respond significantly to mid‐frequency sound exposure. However, our results are only based on a single behavioral state with a limited sample size, and this analytical framework should be applied broadly across behavioral states. The increased capability to describe and account for individual response variability by including environmental variables, such as prey, that drive foraging behavior underscores the importance of integrating these and other relevant contextual parameters in experimental designs. Our results suggest the need to measure and account for the ecological dynamics of predator–prey interactions when studying the effects of anthropogenic disturbance in feeding animals.
MiR‐144‐3p regulates osteogenic differentiation and proliferation of murine mesenchymal stem cells by specifically targeting Smad4
Authors: Huang Cong , Geng Junnan , Wei Xiajie , Zhang Ruirui , Jiang Siwen
Published: February 2016

Despite extensive research on osteoblast differentiation and proliferation in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the accurate mechanism remains to be further elucidated. MicroRNAs have been reported to be key regulators of osteoblast differentiation and proliferation. Here, we found that miR‐144‐3p is down‐regulated during osteoblast differentiation of C3H10T1/2 cells. Overexpression of miR‐144‐3p inhibited osteogenic differentiation, whereas inhibition of miR‐144‐3p reversed this process. Furthermore, miR‐144‐3p inhibited the proliferation of C3H10T1/2 cells by arresting cells at the G0/G1 phase. Results from bioinformatics analysis, luciferase assay and western blotting demonstrated that miR‐144‐3p directly targeted Smad4. Additionally, Smad4 knockdown blocks the effects of miR‐144‐3p inhibitor. Therefore, we conclude that miR‐144‐3p negatively regulates osteogenic differentiation and proliferation of C3H10T1/2 cells by targeting Smad4.
Are quartz LPOs predictably oriented with respect to the shear zone boundary?: A test from the Alpine Fault mylonites, New Zealand
Authors: Little Timothy A. , Prior David J. , Toy Virginia G.
Published: February 2016

The Alpine fault self‐exhumes its own ductile shear zone roots and has a known slip kinematics. Within ∼1 km of the fault, the mylonitic foliation is subparallel to the boundary of the amphibolite‐facies ductile shear zone in which it formed. Using EBSD, we analyzed quartz Lattice Preferred Orientations [LPOs) of mylonites along a central part of the Alpine Fault. All LPOs feature a strongest girdle of [c]‐axes that is forward‐inclined ∼28 ± 4° away from the pole to the fault. A maximum of  axes is inclined at the same angle relative the fault. The [c]‐axis girdle is perpendicular to extensional (C') shear bands and the  maximum is parallel to their slip direction. [c]‐axis girdles do not form perpendicular to the SZB. Schmid factor analysis suggests that σ1 was arranged at 60–80° to the Alpine Fault. These observations indicate ductile transpression in the shear zone. The inclined arrangement of [c]‐axis girdles,  axes, and C' planes relative to the fault can be explained by their alignment relative to planes of maximum shear‐strain‐rate in a general shear zone, a significant new insight regarding shear zones and how LPO fabrics may generally develop within them. For the Alpine mylonite zone, our data imply a kinematic vorticity number (Wk) of ∼0.7 to ∼0.85. Inversions of seismic focal mechanisms in the brittle crust of the Southern Alps indicate that σ1 is oriented ∼60° to the Alpine Fault; that shear bands form at ∼30° to this direction, and that σ2 and σ3 flip positions between the brittle and ductile parts of the crust.
Ionosonde tracking of infrasound wavefronts in the thermosphere launched by seismic waves after the 2010 M8.8 Chile earthquake
Authors: Maruyama Takashi , Yusupov Kamil , Akchurin Adel
Published: February 2016

Ionospheric disturbances associated with the M8.8 Chile earthquake (35.91°S, 72.73°W) on 27 February 2010 were observed at Kazan, Russia (55.85°N, 48.81°E). Rapid‐run ionograms at 1 min intervals exhibited multiple‐cusp signatures (MCSs) for more than 30 min, which have been observed several times after large earthquakes. The ionospheric disturbances were caused by infrasound propagating upward in the atmosphere, which modified the electron density distribution through ion‐neutral collisions. The anomaly of the vertical electron density distribution responsible for the MCSs was analyzed by converting the ionogram traces into real height profiles. The density profiles at 1 min intervals allowed the tracking of the vertical propagation of infrasound and provided information on parameters of acoustic waves, which was not possible from the previous measurements such as standard ionograms at 5–15 min intervals, HF Doppler soundings, and total electron content using satellite beacon signals. The speed of acoustic waves in the thermosphere was evaluated from the consecutive ionograms with MCSs, and it was found that the thermospheric temperature was slightly higher than that calculated using the Mass Spectrometer and Incoherent Scatter Radar empirical model (NRLMSISE‐00).
Evolution of stratospheric sulfate aerosol from the 1991 Pinatubo eruption: Roles of aerosol microphysical processes
Authors: Sekiya T. , Sudo K. , Nagai T.
Published: February 2016

This study investigates the role of aerosol microphysics in stratospheric sulfate aerosol changes after the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption using an atmospheric general circulation model that is coupled interactively with a chemistry module and a modal aerosol microphysical module with three modes. Our model can reproduce the global mean stratospheric aerosol optical depth (SAOD) observed by the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II during June 1991 to January 1993. The model underestimates the observed SAOD before the eruption and after January 1993. The model also underestimates the integrated backscatter coefficient observed by ground‐based lidar at Tsukuba, Naha, and Lauder. The modeled effective radius becomes larger (about 0.5 μm) and agrees with the balloon‐borne measurements at Laramie, Wyoming (41°N, 105°W). We further investigate effects of the inclusion of evaporation along with the condensation processes and the inclusion of van der Waals and viscous forces in the coagulation processes. The inclusion of evaporation along with the condensation processes reduces the global mean effective radius by up to 0.04 μm and increases the global burden of stratospheric sulfate aerosols (about 15% in late 1993). The inclusion of van der Waals and viscous forces in the coagulation processes increases the global mean effective radius by up to 0.06–0.07 μm and decreases the global burden (15–30% in late 1993). The effects of van der Waals and viscous forces differ between two schemes. However, we do not conclude which simulation is superior because all simulations fall within error bars.
Comparison of the Hazard Mapping System (HMS) fire product to ground‐based fire records in Georgia, USA
Authors: Hu Xuefei , Yu Chao , Tian Di , Ruminski Mark , Robertson Kevin , Waller Lance A. , Liu Yang
Published: February 2016

Biomass burning has a significant and adverse impact on air quality, climate change, and various ecosystems. The Hazard Mapping System (HMS) detects fires using data from multiple satellite sensors in order to maximize its fire detection rate. However, to date, the detection rate of the HMS fire product for small fires has not been well studied, especially using ground‐based fire records. This paper utilizes the 2011 fire information compiled from ground observations and burn authorizations in Georgia to assess the comprehensiveness of the HMS active fire product. The results show that detection rates of the hybrid HMS increase substantially by integrating multiple satellite instruments. The detection rate increases dramatically from 3% to 80% with an increase in fire size from less than 0.02 km2 to larger than 2 km2, resulting in detection of approximately 12% of all recorded fires which represent approximately 57% of the total area burned. The spatial pattern of detection rates reveals that grid cells with high detection rates are generally located in areas where large fires occur frequently. The seasonal analysis shows that overall detection rates in winter and spring (12% and 13%, respectively) are higher than those in summer and fall (3% and 6%, respectively), mainly because of higher percentages of large fires (>0.19 km2) that occurred in winter and spring. The land cover analysis shows that detection rates are 2–7 percentage points higher in land cover types that are prone to large fires such as forestland and shrub land.
Five millennia of surface temperatures and ice core bubble characteristics from the WAIS Divide deep core, West Antarctica
Authors: Fegyveresi John M. , Alley Richard B. , Fitzpatrick Joan J. , Cuffey Kurt M. , McConnell Joseph R. , Voigt Donald E. , Spencer Matthew K. , Stevens Nathan T.
Published: February 2016

Bubble number densities from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide deep core in West Antarctica record relatively stable temperatures during the middle Holocene followed by late Holocene cooling. We measured bubble number density, shape, size, and arrangement on new samples of the main WAIS Divide deep core WDC06A from ~580 m to ~1600 depth. The bubble size, shape, and arrangement data confirm that the samples satisfy the requirements for temperature reconstructions. A small correction for cracks formed after core recovery allows extension of earlier work through the “brittle ice” zone, and a site‐specific calibration reduces uncertainties. Using an independently constructed accumulation rate history and a steady state bubble number density model, we determined a temperature reconstruction that agrees closely with other independent estimates, showing a stable middle Holocene, followed by a cooling of ~1.25°C in the late Holocene. Over the last ~5 millennia, accumulation has been higher during warmer times by ~12%°C−1, somewhat stronger than for thermodynamic control alone, suggesting dynamic processes.
Spatiotemporal patterns of water table fluctuations and evapotranspiration induced by riparian vegetation in a semiarid area
Authors: Yue Weifeng , Wang Tiejun , Franz Trenton E. , Chen Xunhong
Published: February 2016

Groundwater evapotranspiration (ETg) links various ecohydrological processes and is an important component in regional water budgets. In this study, an extensive monitoring network was established in a semiarid riparian area to investigate various controls on the spatiotemporal pattern of water table fluctuations (WTFs) and ETg induced by riparian vegetation. Along a vegetation gradient (∼1200 m), diurnal WTFs were observed during a growing season in areas covered by woody species (Populus sect. Aigeiros and Juniperus virginiana) and wet slough vegetation (Panicum virgatum and Bromus inermis) with deeper root systems; whereas, no diurnal WTFs were found in the middle section with shallower‐rooted grasses (Poa pratensis and Carex sp.). The occurrence of diurnal WTFs was related to temperature‐controlled plant phenology at seasonal scales and to radiation at subdaily scales. Daily ETg in the mid‐growing season was calculated using the White method. The results revealed that depth to water table (DTWT) was the dominant control on ETg, followed by potential evapotranspiration (ETp). By combining the effects of DTWT and ETp, it was found that at shallower depths, ETg was more responsive to changes in ETp, due to the closer linkage of land surface processes with shallower groundwater. Finally, exponential relationships between ETg/ETp and DTWT were obtained at the study site, although those relationships varied considerably across the sites. This study demonstrates the complex interactions of WTFs and ETg with surrounding environmental variables and provides further insight into modeling ETg over different time scales and riparian vegetation.
Modeling of Store Gletscher's calving dynamics, West Greenland, in response to ocean thermal forcing
Authors: Morlighem M. , Bondzio J. , Seroussi H. , Rignot E. , Larour E. , Humbert A. , Rebuffi S.
Published: February 2016

Glacier‐front dynamics is an important control on Greenland's ice mass balance. Warmer ocean waters trigger ice‐front retreats of marine‐terminating glaciers, and the corresponding loss in resistive stress leads to glacier acceleration and thinning. Here we present an approach to quantify the sensitivity and vulnerability of marine‐terminating glaciers to ocean‐induced melt. We develop a plan view model of Store Gletscher that includes a level set‐based moving boundary capability, a parameterized ocean‐induced melt, and a calving law with complete and precise land and fjord topographies to model the response of the glacier to increased melt. We find that the glacier is stabilized by a sill at its terminus. The glacier is dislodged from the sill when ocean‐induced melt quadruples, at which point the glacier retreats irreversibly for 27 km into a reverse bed. The model suggests that ice‐ocean interactions are the triggering mechanism of glacier retreat, but the bed controls its magnitude.
Surface temperature dependence of tropical cyclone‐permitting simulations in a spherical model with uniform thermal forcing
Authors: Merlis Timothy M. , Zhou Wenyu , Held Isaac M. , Zhao Ming
Published: February 2016

Tropical cyclone (TC)‐permitting general circulation model simulations are performed with spherical geometry and uniform thermal forcing, including uniform sea surface temperature (SST) and insolation. The dependence of the TC number and TC intensity on SST is examined in a series of simulations with varied SST. The results are compared to corresponding simulations with doubly periodic f‐plane geometry, rotating radiative convective equilibrium. The turbulent equilibria in simulations with spherical geometry have an inhomogenous distribution of TCs with the density of TCs increasing from low to high latitudes. The preferred region of TC genesis is the subtropics, but genesis shifts poleward and becomes less frequent with increasing SST. Both rotating radiative convective equilibrium and spherical geometry simulations have decreasing TC number and increasing TC intensity as SST is increased.
Variability and future decreases in winter wave heights in the Western North Pacific
Authors: Shimura Tomoya , Mori Nobuhito , Hemer Mark A.
Published: February 2016

Ocean surface wave climate is a key consideration for a number of industrial and environmental systems, both offshore and at the coast. A dynamical spectral wave model forced with global climate models (GCMs) was used to produce an ensemble of simulations of both historical and projected future wave climate. To estimate the uncertainty of the projected wave climate, we combined a multimember ensemble experiment using MRI‐AGCM3.2H with a multimodel ensemble using eight CMIP5 GCMs. Future changes in wintertime wave heights from the end of the 20th to the 21st century were analyzed. Projected decreases in wave heights over the Western North Pacific are highly consistent among the ensemble. The future decreases in wave heights are significantly related to changes in the West Pacific pattern. Both locally generated waves and remotely generated swells are important to estimate future changes in the wave climate on a regional scale.
A Hydrogel Bridge Incorporating Immobilized Growth Factors and Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells to Treat Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Li Hang , Ham Trevor R. , Neill Nicholas , Farrag Mahmoud , Mohrman Ashley E. , Koenig Andrew M. , Leipzig Nic D.
Published: February 2016

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes permanent, often complete disruption of central nervous system (CNS) function below the damaged region, leaving patients without the ability to regenerate lost tissue. To engineer new CNS tissue, a unique spinal cord bridge is created to deliver stem cells and guide their organization and development with site‐specifically immobilized growth factors. In this study, this bridge is tested, consisting of adult neural stem/progenitor cells contained within a methacrylamide chitosan (MAC) hydrogel and protected by a chitosan conduit. Interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) and platelet‐derived growth factor‐AA (PDGF‐AA) are recombinantly produced and tagged with an N‐terminal biotin. They are immobilized to streptavidin‐functionalized MAC to induce either neuronal or oligodendrocytic lineages, respectively. These bridges are tested in a rat hemisection model of SCI between T8 and T9. After eight weeks treatments including chitosan conduits result in a significant reduction in lesion area and macrophage infiltration around the lesion site (p < 0.0001). Importantly, neither immobilized IFN‐γ nor PDGF‐AA increased macrophage infiltration. Retrograde tracing demonstrates improved neuronal regeneration through the use of immobilized growth factors. Immunohistochemistry staining demonstrates that immobilized growth factors are effective in differentiating encapsulated cells into their anticipated lineages within the hydrogel, while qualitatively reducing glial fibrillary acid protein expression.
Tin‐Catalyzed Selective Reductive Hydroamination of Alkynes for the Synthesis of Tertiary Amines
Authors: Nayal Onkar S. , Thakur Maheshwar S. , Kumar Manoranjan , Sharma Sushila , Kumar Neeraj
Published: February 2016

A unique preference of tin(II) for aniline activation is disclosed. In the present work tin(II) triflate‐catalyzed highly selective Markovnikov reductive hydroamination of internal as well as terminal alkynes is reported. The mechanistic study revealed the involvement of two steps in one pot wherein alkyne reduces to corresponding alkene in presence of PMHS as reducing agent followed by hydroamination of alkene. A broad range of alkynes transformed into tertiary amines with good to excellent yield. This method is equally applicable in synthesis of secondary amines.

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Distributional uncertainty analysis and robust optimization in spatially heterogeneous multiscale process systems
Authors: Chaffart Donovan , Rasoulian Shabnam , Ricardez‐Sandoval Luis A.
Published: February 2016

Multiscale models have been developed to simulate the behavior of spatially‐heterogeneous porous catalytic flow reactors, i.e., multiscale reactors whose concentrations are spatially‐dependent. While such a model provides an adequate representation of the catalytic reactor, model‐plant mismatch can significantly affect the reactor's performance in control and optimization applications. In this work, power series expansion (PSE) is applied to efficiently propagate parametric uncertainty throughout the spatial domain of a heterogeneous multiscale catalytic reactor model. The PSE‐based uncertainty analysis is used to evaluate and compare the effects of uncertainty in kinetic parameters on the chemical species concentrations throughout the length of the reactor. These analyses reveal that uncertainty in the kinetic parameters and in the catalyst pore radius have a substantial effect on the reactor performance. The application of the uncertainty quantification methodology is illustrated through a robust optimization formulation that aims to maximize productivity in the presence of uncertainty in the parameters. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 2374–2390, 2016