bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the impact of the temporal variability of the collisional quenching process on the mesospheric OH emission layer: a study based on SD-WACCM4 and SABER
Authors: Kowalewski S. , von Savigny C. , Palm M. , McDade I. C. , Notholt J.
Published: September 2014

Abstract. The mesospheric OH Meinel emissions are subject of many theoretical and observational studies devoted to this part of the atmosphere. Depending on the initial vibrational level of excitation the altitude of the considered OH Meinel emission is systematically shifted, which has important implications for the intercomparison of different studies considering different transition bands. Previous model studies suggest that these vertical shifts are essentially caused by the process of collisional quenching with atomic oxygen. Following this hypothesis, a recent study found experimental evidence of a coherent seasonality at tropical latitudes between vertical shifts of different OH Meinel bands and changes in atomic oxygen concentrations. Despite the consistent finding of the above mentioned hypothesis, it cannot be excluded that the actual temporal variability of the vertical shifts between different OH Meinel bands may in addition be controlled or even dominated by other processes. It remains an open question whether the observed temporal evolution is indeed mainly controlled by the modulation of the collisional quenching process with atomic oxygen. By means of a sensitivity study which employs a quenching model to simulations made with the SD-WACCM4 chemistry climate model, we aim at assessing this question. From this study we find that the observed seasonality of vertical OH Meinel shifts is only partially controlled by temporal changes in atomic oxygen concentrations, while molecular oxygen has another noticeable impact on the vertical OH Meinel shifts. This in particular becomes evident for the diurnal variability of vertical OH Meinel shifts, which reveal only a poor correlation with the atomic oxygen species. Furthermore, changes in the H + O3 source gases provide another mechanism that can potentially affect the diurnal variability in addition. By comparison with limb radiance observations from the SABER/TIMED satellite this provides an explanation for the less evident diurnal response between changes in O concentrations and vertical OH Meinel shifts. On the other hand, at seasonal timescales the coherency between both quantities is again evident in SABER/TIMED but less pronounced compared to our model simulations.
Biomass burning influence on high latitude tropospheric ozone and reactive nitrogen in summer 2008: a multi-model analysis based on POLMIP simulations
Authors: Arnold S. R. , Emmons L. K. , Monks S. A. , Law K. S. , Ridley D. A. , Turquety S. , Tilmes S. , Thomas J. L. , Bouarar I. , Flemming J. , Huijnen V. , Mao J. , Duncan B. N. , Steenrod S. , Yoshida Y. , Langner J. , Long Y.
Published: September 2014

Abstract. We have evaluated tropospheric ozone enhancement in air dominated by biomass burning emissions at high laititudes (> 50˚ N) in July 2008, using 10 global chemical transport model simulations from the POLMIP multi-model comparison exercise. In model air masses dominated by fire emissions, Δ O3/ΔCO values ranged between 0.039 and 0.196 ppbv ppbv−1 (mean: 0.113 ppbv ppbv−1) in freshly fire-influenced air, and between 0.140 and 0.261 ppbv ppbv−1 (mean: 0.193 ppbv) in more aged fire-influenced air. These values are in broad agreement with the range of observational estimates from the literature. Model ΔPAN/ΔCO enhancement ratios show distinct groupings according to the meteorological data used to drive the models. ECMWF-forced models produce larger ΔPAN/ΔCO values (4.44–6.28 pptv ppbv−1) than GEOS5-forced models (2.02–3.02 pptv ppbv−1), which we show is likely linked to differences efficiency of vertical transport during poleward export from mid-latitude source regions. Simulations of a large plume of biomass burning and anthropogenic emissions exported from Asia towards the Arctic using a Lagrangian chemical transport model show that 4 day net ozone change in the plume is sensitive to differences in plume chemical composition and plume vertical position among the POLMIP models. In particular, Arctic ozone evolution in the plume is highly sensitive to initial concentrations of PAN, as well as oxygenated VOCs (acetone, acetaldehyde), due to their role in producing the peroxyacetyl radical PAN precursor. Vertical displacement is also important due to its effects on the stability of PAN, and subsequent effect on NOx abundance. In plumes where net ozone production is limited, we find that the lifetime of ozone in the plume is sensitive to hydrogen peroxide loading, due to the production of HO2 from peroxide photolysis, and the key role of HO2 + O3 in controlling ozone loss. Overall, our results suggest that emissions from biomass burning lead to large-scale photochemical enhancement in high latitude tropospheric ozone during summer.
Inferring paleo-accumulation records from ice-core data by an adjoint method: application to James Ross Island's ice core
Authors: Martín C. , Mulvaney R. , Gudmundsson G. H. , Corr H.
Published: September 2014

Abstract. Ice cores contain a record of snow precipitation that includes information about past atmospheric circulation and mass imbalance in the polar regions. We present a novel adjoint method to reconstruct a climatic record by both optimally dating an ice-core and deriving from it a detailed accumulation history. The motivation of our work is the recent application of phase sensitive radar which measures the vertical velocity of an ice column. The velocity is dependent on the history of subsequent snow accumulation, compaction and compression; and in our inverse formulation of this problem, measured vertical velocity profiles can be utilized directly thereby reducing the uncertainty introduced by ice flow modelling. We first apply our method to synthetic data in order to study its capability and the effect of noise and gaps in the data on retrieved accumulation history. The method is then applied to the ice core retrieved from James Ross Island, Antarctica. We show that the method is robust and that the results depend on quality of the age-depth observations and the derived flow regime around the core site. The method facilitates the incorporation of increasing detail provided by ice-core analysis together with observed full-depth velocity in order to construct a complete climatic record of the polar regions.
Sensing Seasonality in the Arabian Sea: a coupled δ18O-Mg/Ca approach
Authors: Feldmeijer W. , de Nooijer L. J. , Reichart G.-J. , Ganssen G.M.
Published: September 2014

Abstract. Millennial scale climate variability punctuates the record of Northern Hemisphere glacials in the form of Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles. The coldest episodes within these cycles have a marked impact on the location of the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone and thereby the intensity and extent of the Asian monsoon system. Arabian Sea oceanography is closely linked to the monsoon cycle and responds rapidly to changes therein. Seasonally varying upwelling intensity, adhesive mixing and the resulting variability on sea surface temperature and salinity, however, make it challenging to precisely reconstruct the behaviour of the Indian monsoon system through the Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles. To reconstruct impact of millennial-scale changes in the monsoon on the Arabian Sea, paired single-specimen Mg/Ca and stable oxygen isotope analyses were performed on three species of planktonic foraminifera from the northern as well as the western Arabian Sea. Mismatches between Mg/Ca- and δ18O-derived temperatures reflect changes in salinity caused by regional variability in the hydrological cycle. Comparison of Mg/Ca-derived temperatures from Globigerinoides ruber, Globigerina bulloides and Neogloboquadrina dutertrei over Heinrich Event 4 and Interstadial 8 allows for reconstructing the seasonal range in temperatures (minima and maxima) and vertical stratification of the water column during these intervals. Results show that Arabian Sea surface water temperatures were lower during the North Atlantic Heinrich Event 4, and that temperatures in the northern and western Arabian Sea differed relatively much. This implies that the north east monsoon (i.e. boreal winter) was enhanced during this interval. In contrast, the summer upwelling related species G. bulloides reveals lower temperatures during Interstadial 8 in the western Arabian Sea, showing an enhanced summer monsoon during the warmers stages of millennial-scale climate variability. Together, these results show that summer and winter monsoon intensities were thus also anti-phased on a millennial scale. An intensified NE monsoon might have contributed to enhanced mixing of surface waters in the northern Arabian Sea.
MetUM-GOML: a near-globally coupled atmosphere–ocean-mixed-layer model
Authors: Hirons L. C. , Klingaman N. P. , Woolnough S. J.
Published: September 2014

Abstract. Well-resolved air–sea interactions are simulated in a new Ocean Mixed Layer coupled configuration of the Met Office Unified Model (MetUM-GOML), comprising the MetUM coupled to the Multi-Column K Profile Parametrization ocean (MC-KPP). This is the first globally coupled system which provides a vertically resolved, high near-surface resolution ocean at comparable computational cost to running in atmosphere-only mode. As well as being computationally inexpensive, this modelling framework is adaptable – the independent MC-KPP columns can be applied selectively in space and time – and controllable – by using temperature and salinity corrections the model can be constrained to any ocean state. The framework provides a powerful research tool for process-based studies of the impact of air–sea interactions in the global climate system. MetUM simulations have been performed which separate the impact of introducing interannual variability in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) from the impact of having atmosphere–ocean feedbacks. The representation of key aspects of tropical and extra-tropical variability are used to assess the performance of these simulations. Coupling the MetUM to MC-KPP is shown, for example, to reduce tropical precipitation biases, improve the propagation of, and spectral power associated with, the Madden–Julian Oscillation and produce closer-to-observed patterns of springtime blocking activity over the Euro-Atlantic region.
Hillslope-scale experiment demonstrates the role of convergence during two-step saturation
Authors: Gevaert A. I. , Teuling A. J. , Uijlenhoet R. , DeLong S. B. , Huxman T. E. , Pangle L. A. , Breshears D. D. , Chorover J. , Pelletier J. D. , Saleska S. R. , Zeng X. , Troch P. A.
Published: September 2014

Abstract. Subsurface flow and storage dynamics at hillslope scale are difficult to ascertain, often in part due to a lack of sufficient high-resolution measurements and an incomplete understanding of boundary conditions, soil properties, and other environmental aspects. A continuous and extreme rainfall experiment on an artificial hillslope at Biosphere 2's Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO) resulted in saturation excess overland flow and gully erosion in the convergent hillslope area. An array of 496 soil moisture sensors revealed a two-step saturation process. First, the downward movement of the wetting front brought soils to a relatively constant but still unsaturated moisture content. Second, soils were brought to saturated conditions from below in response to rising water tables. Convergent areas responded faster than upslope areas, due to contributions from lateral subsurface flow driven by the topography of the bottom boundary, which is comparable to impermeable bedrock in natural environments. This led to the formation of a groundwater ridge in the convergent area, triggering saturation excess runoff generation. This unique experiment demonstrates, at very high spatial and temporal resolution, the role of convergence on subsurface storage and flow dynamics. The results bring into question the representation of saturation excess overland flow in conceptual rainfall-runoff models and land-surface models, since flow is gravity-driven in many of these models and upper layers cannot become saturated from below. The results also provide a baseline to study the role of the co-evolution of ecological and hydrological processes in determining landscape water dynamics during future experiments in LEO.
How over 100 years of climate variability may affect estimates of potential evaporation
Authors: Bartholomeus R. P. , Stagge J. H. , Tallaksen L. M. , Witte J. P. M.
Published: September 2014

Abstract. Hydrological modeling frameworks require an accurate representation of evaporation fluxes for appropriate quantification of e.g. the soil moisture budget, droughts, recharge and groundwater processes. Many frameworks have used the concept of potential evaporation, often estimated for different vegetation classes by multiplying the evaporation from a reference surface ("reference evaporation") with crop specific scaling factors ("crop factors"). Though this two-step potential evaporation approach undoubtedly has practical advantages, the empirical nature of both reference evaporation methods and crop factors limits its usability in extrapolations and non-stationary climatic conditions. In this paper we assess the sensitivity of potential evaporation estimates for different vegetation classes using the two-step approach when calibrated using a non-stationary climate. We used the past century's time series of observed climate, containing non-stationary signals of multi-decadal atmospheric oscillations, global warming, and global dimming/brightening, to evaluate the sensitivity of potential evaporation estimates to the choice and length of the calibration period. We show that using empirical coefficients outside their calibration range may lead to systematic differences between process-based and empirical reference evaporation methods, and systematic errors in estimated potential evaporation components. Such extrapolations of time-variant model parameters are not only relevant for the calculation of potential evaporation, but also for hydrological modeling in general, and they may limit the temporal robustness of hydrological models.
The Image of Irish in the Life and Work of Eugene O'Neill
Authors: Lee E. Andrew
Published: September 2014

As a result of his ambivalent relationship with his father and, by extension, his Irish heritage, O'Neill's work displays Irish characters in a variety of contexts. From the early plays of the S.S. Glencairn cycle to the later plays, including The Iceman Cometh, A Touch of the Poet, and A Moon for the Misbegotten, O'Neill's Irish characters become increasingly complex and enigmatic. Using primarily a biographical approach, this essay examines O'Neill's relationship with his Irish heritage and the evolution of his Irish characters throughout his career.
Under the Shade of Ideology
Authors: Farhoudi Houriyeh , Zolfaghari Yaser
Published: September 2014

Eugene O'Neill's The Hairy Ape stands as a trenchant critique of American capitalist culture and the ideology that promotes it. It characterizes those at the top and bottom of the economic heap, and examines the ways in which American ideals not only fail to fulfill their promises but also contribute to the decay of personal values. The present study focuses on analyzing the play as a demonstration of Marxist theories of the socioeconomic system. The play works as a critique of capitalism and classism and implies how aimless and fruitless the proletariat's efforts are in resisting and undermining the predominant classes. The play symbolically critiques the oppressive effect and repressive ideology of classism and capitalism. Moreover, it criticizes the role of organized religion. O'Neill reveals how organized religion functions to prevent recognition of oppressive forces utilized by the bourgeoisie.
Parthenogenesis in Hesiod's Theogony
Authors: Park Arum
Published: September 2014

This article examines female asexual reproduction, or parthenogenesis, in Hesiod's Theogony and argues that it is a symptom of the unprecedented and unparalleled female presence Hesiod inserts into his cosmos. This presence in turn reflects Hesiod's incorporation of gender difference and conflict as indispensable both to the creation and, paradoxically, to the stability of the universe. Five of Hesiod's deities reproduce parthenogenetically: Chaos, Gaea, Night, Strife, and Hera, of whom all but the sexually indeterminate Chaos are female. Hesiod's male gods have no analogous reproductive ability. The parthenogenetic phases of the early goddesses form much of the fundamental shape and character of the universe, while in the case of Hera, parthenogenesis serves initially as an act of defiance against Zeus but ultimately enforces his reign. Parthenogenesis does not have these functions in either the Near Eastern or other Greek cosmogonic traditions, a difference that reflects Hesiod's greater emphasis on female participation in his succession myth. Yet Hesiod's cosmogonic narrative, like others, culminates in the lasting reign of a male god, Zeus. In this context parthenogenesis is a manifestation of female creation, which ultimately reinforces the stability of a male sovereign. The relative prominence of parthenogenesis in the Theogony reflects Hesiod's emphasis on gender difference and conflict as indispensable to a cosmos in which conflict and concord coexist as equal partners in creation and stability.
The Goddess Frig:
Authors: Doyle White Ethan
Published: September 2014

This article critically examines the evidence for the existence of the Anglo-Saxon goddess Frig, exploring toponyms, day names, Old English textual sources, archaeology, and comparisons with continental Germanic mythologies. Challenging previous assertions that she was the consort of the god Woden and was associated with love and motherhood, it furthermore contends that this scholarly misinterpretation of the deity has had wider repercussions, affecting the way that contemporary Pagans interpret this particular divinity. Ultimately, it argues that far less can be said about Frig with any certainty than has been previously supposed, suggesting that a case can even be made that she had never existed as a deity in Anglo-Saxon England at all.
Ultrasound-Guided Urinary Bladder Biopsy Through a Urinary Catheter in a Bitch
Authors: Lopez Julio , Norman Brian C.
Published: September 2014

A 34.4 kg 5 yr old spayed female mixed-breed dog was presented for evaluation of a urinary bladder mass. The dog had a recent onset of hematuria and stranguria but otherwise appeared to be healthy. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a mass in the urinary bladder. The dog was sedated and a 10-French rubber catheter that had the blunt end removed was passed from the urethra to the urinary bladder. Using ultrasound guidance, ellipsoid cup biopsy forceps were advanced through the rubber catheter to the urinary bladder mass and biopsies were successfully obtained. The dog was discharged from the hospital a few hours after the procedure. Histopathology of the mass was consistent with polypoid cystitis. Follow-up surgical removal of the polyp was uneventful, and histopathology confirmed the presurgical biopsy diagnosis. Procurement of urinary bladder biopsies through a urinary catheter with ultrasound guidance was used as a minimally invasive alternative to either cystoscopy or surgery in a bitch. Use of this technique achieved a diagnosis without the need for specialized endoscopic equipment, anesthesia, or surgery.
Regression of a Vaginal Leiomyoma After Ovariohysterectomy in a Dog: A Case Report
Authors: Sathya Suresh , Linn Kathleen
Published: September 2014

An 11 yr old female mixed-breed Siberian husky was presented with a history of sanguineous vaginal discharge, swelling of the perineal area, decreased appetite, and lethargy. A single, large vaginal leiomyoma and multiple mammary tumors were diagnosed. Mastectomy and ovariohysterectomy were performed. The vaginal leiomyoma regressed completely after ovariohysterectomy. This is the first reported case of spontaneous regression of a vaginal leiomyoma after ovariohysterectomy in a dog.
Left Atrial Rupture Secondary to Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease in 11 Dogs
Authors: Nakamura Reid K. , Tompkins Emily , Russell Nicholas J. , Zimmerman Sarah A. , Yuhas Danielle L. , Morrison Thomas J. , Lesser Michael B.
Published: September 2014

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the long-term outcome in dogs with left atrial rupture secondary to myxomatous mitral valve disease. Eleven client-owned dogs met the inclusion criteria for the study. Median age was 11.6 yr (range, 8.3–17.8 yr), and median weight was 5.8 kg (range, 3.8–15.2 kg). Of the 11 dogs, 10 survived the initial 24 hr after diagnosis and 5 of the dogs were still alive at the conclusion of data collection. The median survival of all dogs was 203 days. Dogs with no previous history of congestive heart failure (CHF) at the time of diagnosis had a significantly longer median survival time (345 days) compared with dogs with a previous history of CHF (160 days, P = 0.0038). Outcome of dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease presenting with left atria rupture was more favorable than previously reported, and dogs without previous CHF survived the longest.
Tourism Demand and Wages in a General Equilibrium Model of Production
Authors: Thompson Henry
Published: September 2014

Rising foreign income increases tourism demand and wages if tourism is labour-intensive relative to capital. This paper adds a third factor of production, skilled labour or natural resources, to delve more deeply into the potential income redistribution in general equilibrium due to rising foreign income. In a small open economy producing tourism and an import competing good, the wage may fall in spite of the expanding tourism sector if capital is a technical complement with the third factor. A model including a traditional export is also examined, as is a specific factors version of the model. The possibility of a falling wage with expanding labour-intensive tourism relates to a number of policy issues in touristic countries.
A geopolítica dos recursos naturais da Rússia: uma análise sob a perspectiva de Vladimir Putin
Authors: Chagas Debora Cristina Nascimento
Published: September 2014

Este trabalho pretende revisar a geopolítica russa de seus recursos naturais e como esta influencia na atuação do país no contexto internacional. Os recursos naturais desempenham papel de extrema importância na geopolítica global, desde o fim do Século XIX. Todas as grandes potências, que já detiveram importantes posições no cenário global, buscam independência de outros Estados no que tange o abastecimento energético, mesmo que seja necessário construir meios de dominação dos recursos naturais de países sem condições de explorá-los. A Rússia não fica atrás quando de trata de administrar seus recursos energéticos, especialmente com a chegada de Putin a Presidência. Na verdade, a estratégia geopolítica russa compreende-se na boa administração de seus recursos naturais para que se mantenha como agente preponderante no cenário internacional, a ponto do Estado intervir diretamente nas regras do jogo da indústria do petróleo e do gás.
Das geopolíticas clássicas à geoeconomia: a importância da segurança humana no Pós-Guerra Fria
Authors: Santos Claudia
Published: September 2014

O período Pós- Guerra Fria nas Relações Internacionais representou um momento de diversas mudanças conceituais, introdução de novos temas na agenda internacional e a emergência de novos atores. O presente estudo utiliza-se de pesquisa bibliográfica para compreender a crise das geopolíticas clássicas no Pós-Guerra Fria relacionadas ao conceito tradicional de Segurança e os processos que culminaram na criação do conceito de Segurança Humana partindo da hipótese de que ela não se apresenta como uma contraposição ao conceito tradicional de Segurança que tem como ator central os Estados, mas como um conceito complementar que busca introduzir a questão do indivíduo nos debates. Para se verificar esta hipótese o estudo se centrará na análise das implicações que a geoeconomia causou no Pós-Guerra Fria, no qual divisão do mundo se torna econômica (Norte/Desenvolvidos e Sul/Subdesenvolvido) e não mais ideológica (Capitalismo/Comunismo). Os vários conceitos de Segurança vêm adquirindo importância internacional principalmente nos círculos de policy making visto as necessidades de um mundo globalizado, no qual as relações e negociações tornam-se transnacionais. No caso da geoeconomia, a Segurança Humana faz-se ainda mais necessária visto os problemas causados pelo neoliberalismo em países subdesenvolvidos, como a pobreza e no seu extremo, conflitos regionais. Estas características, deste modo exigem que o Estado não veja a questão de Segurança apenas por uma dimensão, mas de maneira interdisciplinar levando em consideração as diversas variáveis existentes e as suas interações.  O que este artigo pretende é contribuir para o entendimento de uma nova concepção multidimensional de Segurança apresentando a Segurança Humana com um conceito a ser levado em consideração em um período geoeconômico.
Mecanismos de participação social na Democracia Brasileira na Copa do Mundo 2014 no Paraná
Authors: Souza Elias Ariel , Nascimento Aloisio Justino
Published: September 2014

DISCUSSÃO A RESPEITO DA COPA DO MUNDO NO PARANÁ, EM ESPECIAL EM CURITIBA, DO PONTO DE VISTA ECONOMICO, POLITICO E SOCIAL EM RELAÇÃO AOS MECANISMOS DE PARTICIPAÇÃO SOCIAL.
The importance of intervening in adult mental health services when patients are parents
Authors: Lauritzen Camilla
Published: September 2014

This article addresses the issue of parental mental illness. The theoretical background and rationale for developing new routines to change clinical practice is described, suggesting a policy change in which a child focus is implemented in adult mental health services. Furthermore, proposed strategies that have the potential of being effective within existing health care systems are discussed.
Antihyperglycemic Activities of Extracts of the Mistletoes Plicosepalus acaciae and P. curviflorus in Comparison to their Solid Lipid Nanoparticle Suspension Formulations
Authors: Aldawsari Hibah M. , Hanafy Abeer , Labib Gihan S. , Badr Jihan M.
Published: September 2014

The antihyperglycemic activity of the extracts and preparations of solid lipid nanoparticle suspensions of two mistletoes growing in Saudi Arabia, Plicosepalus acaciae and P. curviflorus, as well as their possible antioxidant effect were investigated in a type 2 diabetic animal model. Type 2 diabetes was induced in adult maleWistar rats by a high-fat diet followed by injection of streptozotocin (STZ). The diabetic rats were treated in parallel with pioglitazone hydrochloride (PIO), non-toxic extracts of P. acaciae and P. curviflorus, as well as three different solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) suspension formulations prepared from each of the two extracts. Blood glucose level, insulin resistance, oxidative stress parameters, and antioxidant markers were determined. The total extracts of P. acaciae and P. curviflorus as well as the SLN formulations exhibited a significant blood glucose-lowering effect associated with antioxidant effects in the diabetic rats. The SLN preparation with the highest lipid content gave the best result. Reduction of hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in the diabetic rats was, at least partly, due to the antioxidant activities of the extracts and their SLN formulations.
Didactic Uses of Maximum Power Transfer Theorem and Guided Problem Solving
Authors: Nelatury Sudarshan R.
Published: September 2014

The maximum power transfer theorem (MPTT) is proved in a number of ways. The paper asserts pedagogical value and is aimed at evoking critical thinking among students.
Orquestra da Boba: lugar de sonoridades plurais
Authors: Bento Ricardo
Published: September 2014

Neste texto foram examinadas as relações e práticas dos protagonistas de uma orquestra que surgiu num bairro social da Amadora. Os contextos sociais de desigualdade no bairro e o projeto como forma de capacitar a população em múltiplas dimensões de participação e cidadania são aqui explorados. Dessa forma é lançada a hipótese de poderem existir, nesse meio inter-relacional, campos de possibilidades criativas seguindo a linha teórica proposta por Gilberto Velho. Por outro lado, através deste ponto de vista etnográfico, problematizam-se as experiências de pluralidade, mediação e diferenciação como possibilidades de convergência entre aspirações e oportunidades, na sequência da exploração das redes de interação da orquestra.
Recensão: The Erasmus Phenomen. Symbol of a New European Generation? [Benjamin Feyen e Ewa Krzaklewska (eds.), Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang]
Authors: Cairns David
Published: September 2014

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Safety and Efficacy of Sonographically Guided High‐Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids
Authors: Leung Joyce H. Y. , Yu Simon C. H. , Cheung Eva C. W. , Wong Alyssa S. W. , Tong Mabel M. B. , Ho Stella S. Y. , Leung Vivian Y. F. , Ahuja Anil T.
Published: September 2014

Objectives

We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of sonographically guided high‐intensity focused ultrasound for treating patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids using a modified protocol.

Methods

This work was part of an ongoing prospective phase 1 study. Twenty patients with 22 symptomatic fibroids were treated with sonographically guided high‐intensity focused ultrasound under no anesthesia. The modified protocol consisted of repeated and shortened (<25 minutes) treatment sessions of high‐input acoustic intensity (1000–1500 W/cm2) and intensified sonication pulses (1500–2000) at each spot. The primary end points were periprocedural complications. The secondary end points were symptomatic improvement and radiologic evidence of treatment responses, including the degree of fibroid infarction and volume shrinkage 3 months after treatment. Symptomatic improvement was assessed by a pain score, a pictorial chart menstrual score, the Urogenital Distress Inventory short form, and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire short form. The degree of fibroid infarction was assessed by the nonperfused ratio on contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, defined as the ratio of the nonperfused fibroid volume to the total fibroid volume.

Results

Nineteen patients tolerated the treatment well, with no major adverse events. One patient who received treatment for a fibroid located within 6 cm from the skin had third‐degree skin burns at 2 sites of 1 cm in diameter. Fibroid‐related abdominal pain, pictorial chart, Urogenital Distress Inventory, and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire scores were significantly improved (P < .05). The median nonperfused ratio at 3 months was 20% (95% confidence interval, 5%–32.5%). Median volume shrinkage at 3 months was 17.2% (95% confidence interval, 4.3%–26.6%).

Conclusions

Sonographically guided high‐intensity focused ultrasound using a modified protocol may be safe and effective for symptomatic uterine fibroids in selected patients to avoid skin burns.
Memristor Kinetics and Diffusion Characteristics for Mixed Anionic‐Electronic SrTiO3‐δ Bits: The Memristor‐Based Cottrell Analysis Connecting Material to Device Performance
Authors: Messerschmitt Felix , Kubicek Markus , Schweiger Sebastian , Rupp Jennifer L.M.
Published: September 2014

Memristors based on mixed anionic‐electronic conducting oxides are promising devices for future data storage and information technology with applications such as non‐volatile memory or neuromorphic computing. Unlike transistors solely operating on electronic carriers, these memristors rely, in their switch characteristics, on defect kinetics of both oxygen vacancies and electronic carriers through a valence change mechanism. Here, Pt|SrTiO3‐δ|Pt structures are fabricated as a model material in terms of its mixed defects which show stable resistive switching. To date, experimental proof for memristance is characterized in hysteretic current–voltage profiles; however, the mixed anionic‐electronic defect kinetics that can describe the material characteristics in the dynamic resistive switching are still missing. It is shown that chronoamperometry and bias‐dependent resistive measurements are powerful methods to gain complimentary insights into material‐dependent diffusion characteristics of memristors. For example, capacitive, memristive and limiting currents towards the equilibrium state can successfully be separated. The memristor‐based Cottrell analysis is proposed to study diffusion kinetics for mixed conducting memristor materials. It is found that oxygen diffusion coefficients increase up to 3 × 10–15 m2s–1 for applied bias up to 3.8 V for SrTiO3‐δ memristors. These newly accessible diffusion characteristics allow for improving materials and implicate field strength requirements to optimize operation towards enhanced performance metrics for valence change memristors.
Highly Fluorescent, Photostable, Conjugated Polymer Dots with Amorphous, Glassy‐State, Coarsened Structure for Bioimaging
Authors: Kim Beomsu Shin‐Il , Jin Young‐Jae , Lee Wang‐Eun , Byun Doo Jin , Yu Ri , Park Sang‐Joon , Kim Hyojin , Song Kyu‐Ho , Jang Sung‐Yeon , Kwak Giseop
Published: September 2014

In this paper, specific molecular design rules are proposed for highly fluorescent, photostable, conjugated polymer dots (CPDs) applicable for the bioimaging of live cells. CPDs are prepared by nanoprecipitation in water using polydiphenylacetylene (PDPA) derivatives and commercial conjugated polymers. Among these, an amorphous, glassy‐state PDPA derivative provides highly porous, coarsened nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are dispersed very well in water, and the polymer chains are either hydrodynamically or thermodynamically stable, with a fully relaxed intramolecular stacked structure. This leads to effective radiative emission decays by restraining collisional quenching and vibrational relaxation to achieve an extremely high fluorescence (FL) quantum efficiency. The FL emission quantum yield is as high as 0.76, which is the highest value among those reported for conventional CPDs. The PDPA‐based CPD has a very low photobleaching quantum yield (∼10−9), because of its relatively high ionization potential. This aqueous colloidal solution is useful for bioimaging plant and mammalian cells. The excellent FL quantum efficiency, photostability, and cellular uptake suggest that the present CPD is a very promising probe for bioimaging, particularly for long‐term imaging and tracking in live cells or experimental animals.
Thermodynamic Miscibility and Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate‐co‐carbon monoxide)/Poly(vinyl chloride) Blends
Authors: SELVAKUMAR M. , MAHENDRAN ARUNJUNAIRAJ , BHAGABATI PURABI , ANANDHAN S.
Published: September 2014

This paper reports the miscibility and thermal and mechanical properties of solution cast binary blends of poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate‐co‐carbon monoxide) (EVACO) and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). The composition of these blends was varied from 10:90 to 90:10 of PVC/EVACO (w/w %). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed an extensive intermolecular attraction between the blend components, which accounts for their mutual solubility. The differential scanning calorimetry study revealed that the blend components are miscible with each other in all proportions as they exhibited a single glass transition temperature. Tensile strength, moduli, and thermal stabilities of these blends significantly improved with increasing proportion of PVC.
Optimization of Polymeric Membrane Characteristics through Thermal Treatment and Deposition of Polyelectrolyte Layers Using Response Surface Modeling
Authors: NG LAW YONG , MOHAMMAD ABDUL WAHAB , NG CHING YIN , ROHANI ROSIAH
Published: September 2014

Improvement in polyethersulfone membrane performance by employing thermal treatment and deposition of polyelectrolyte layers was proposed. High molecular weight polyelectrolytes were used in the formation of polyelectrolyte multilayers in the presence of various concentrations of supporting electrolyte. Interactions between the membrane thermal treatment duration and salt concentration in a polyelectrolyte solution were evaluated and optimized using response surface methodology. The predictive models showed good fittings between the experimental and model predicted values, which confirmed the precision and reliability of the regression models. Confirmation run was conducted using the thermal treatment duration of 17.07 min and 1.70 M of the supporting electrolyte concentration in the polyelectrolyte solution. The pure water permeability, NaCl rejection, MgSO4 rejection, Na2SO4 rejection, selectivity of NaCl/Na2SO4, and selectivity of MgSO4/Na2SO4 obtained were 6.51 L⋅m−2⋅h−1⋅bar−1, 45.41%, 69.14%, 85.79%, 3.84, and 2.17, respectively.
Translating obesity: Navigating the front lines of the “war on fat”
Authors: Trainer Sarah , Brewis Alexandra , Hruschka Daniel , Williams Deborah
Published: September 2014

Objectives

Obesity is treated within medicine, public health, and applied sciences as a biomedical fact with urgent health implications; obesity is also, however, a social fact and one that reveals biomedical concerns can lead to social suffering. Translation of social science‐oriented obesity research for broader public good requires navigation of the space between these polemical and seemingly mutually exclusive positions.

Methods

Using examples from our own current programs of biocultural research, we explain the opportunities and ongoing challenges of efforts to bridge the chasm between critique and intervention when the topic under discussion is obesity. The examples range from cross‐population analyses of human variation and the implications for how we measure and classify obesity to biocultural research into fat‐stigma to translational research conducted as part of a larger collaboration across multiple institutions.

Results and Conclusions

Translation of social science‐oriented obesity research for broader public good requires collaborative work across disciplines and fields, as well as between academics, professionals working in public health and medicine, policy makers, and other key stakeholders. Translation efforts must acknowledge and develop practical programs addressing the “obesity crisis,” but also are compelled to question core assumptions upon which obesity‐reduction interventions have thus far been based. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 27:61–68, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Protecting worker and public health during responses to catastrophic disasters—learning from the World Trade Center experience
Authors: Newman David M.
Published: September 2014

Despite incremental lessons learned since 9/11, responder and community health remain at unnecessary risk during responses to catastrophic disasters, as evidenced during the BP Deepwater Horizon spill and Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Sandy. Much of the health harm that occurs during disaster response, as distinct from during the disaster event itself, is avoidable. Protection of public health should be an integral component of disaster response, which should “do no additional harm.” This commentary examines how challenges and gaps the World Trade Center response resulted in preventable occupational and environmental health harm. It proposes changes in disaster response policies to better protect the health of rescue and recovery workers, volunteers, and impacted worker and residential communities. Am. J. Ind. Med. 57:1285–1298, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Novel interstitial deletion of 10q24.3–25.1 associated with multiple congenital anomalies including lobar holoprosencephaly, cleft lip and palate, and hypoplastic kidneys
Authors: Peltekova Iskra T. , Hurteau‐Millar Julie , Armour Christine M.
Published: September 2014

Chromosome 10q deletions are rare and phenotypically diverse. Such deletions differ in length and occur in numerous regions on the long arm of chromosome 10, accounting for the wide clinical variability. Commonly reported findings include dysmorphic facial features, microcephaly, developmental delay, and genitourinary abnormalities. Here, we report on a female patient with a novel interstitial 5.54 Mb deletion at 10q24.31–q25.1. This patient had findings in common with a previously reported patient with an overlapping deletion, including renal anomalies and an orofacial cleft, but also demonstrated lobar holoprosencephaly and a Dandy‐Walker malformation, features which have not been previously reported with 10q deletions. An analysis of the region deleted in our patient showed numerous genes, such as KAZALD1, PAX2, SEMA4G, ACTRA1, INA, and FGF8, whose putative functions may have played a role in the phenotype seen in our patient. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A complex Xp11.22 deletion in a patient with syndromic autism: Exploration of FAM120C as a positional candidate gene for autism
Authors: De Wolf Veerle , Crepel An , Schuit Frans , van Lommel Leentje , Ceulemans Berten , Steyaert Jean , Seuntjens Eve , Peeters Hilde , Devriendt Koen
Published: September 2014

We present a male patient with sporadic Aarskog syndrome, cleft palate, mild intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A submicroscopic discontiguous deletion was detected on chromosome Xp11.2 encompassing FGD1, FAM120C, and PHF8. That the deletion encompassed FGD1 (exons 2–8) explains the Aarskog features while the deletion of PHF8 most likely explains the cleft palate and mild intellectual disability. We identify FAM120C as a novel X‐linked candidate gene for autism for two reasons: first, a larger deletion encompassing FAM120C segregates with autism in a previously reported family and second, there is recent evidence that FAM120C interacts with CYFIP1, part of the FMRP (Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein) network. In the current study, resequencing of FAM120C in 87 Belgian male patients with autism spectrum disorder identified no novel mutations. Expression of Fam120c in mouse tissues showed enriched expression in pituitary, cerebellum, cortex, and pancreatic islets of Langerhans. Additionally, we found a cortical expression pattern of Fam120c similar to that of Fmr1. In conclusion, FAM120C is a novel candidate gene for autism spectrum disorder based on genetic evidence and the brain expression pattern. Thereby we highlight a role for FMRP network genes in ASD. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cognitive‐motor profile, clinical characteristics and diagnosis of CHARGE syndrome: An Italian experience
Authors: Santoro Lucia , Ficcadenti Anna , Zallocco Federica , Baldo Giada Del , Piraccini Francesca , Gesuita Rosaria , Ceccarani Patrizia , Gabrielli Orazio
Published: September 2014

Since 2005, the Pediatric Clinic of Maternal‐Infantile Sciences Institute in Ancona, in collaboration with the Lega del Filo d'Oro in Osimo, has been taking care of 35 patients with clinical and molecular diagnosis of CHARGE syndrome. Our investigation is the largest Italian cohort study of CHARGE patients. CHARGE syndrome is a multiple malformation syndrome involving ocular coloboma, heart defects, choanal atresia, retardation of growth and\or development, genital anomalies and\or urinary and ear abnormalities which leads to visual–auditory disabilities, cognitive impairment and behavioral abnormalities. Our purpose is to expand the knowledge of this syndrome by reviewing this group of affected patients in order to delineate in detail the natural history of the disease, and in particular to define the cognitive and motor profiles using an Italian questionnaire called “Progress Guide”. Our main results show that Italian CHARGE patients have more delayed development in their physical abilities or skills with respect to normal patients. In particular, the delay is statistically significant in regard to self‐care skills (worse toileting, better washing) and the communication skill (language). On the other hand, the expressive skills are still preserved. When patients are considered according to their age (≤3 years) and (>3 years), the older ones have more delayed development than the younger ones when compared with healthy individuals of the same age. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
3p25.3 microdeletion of GABA transporters SLC6A1 and SLC6A11 results in intellectual disability, epilepsy and stereotypic behavior
Authors: Dikow Nicola , Maas Bianca , Karch Stephanie , Granzow Martin , Janssen Johannes W.G. , Jauch Anna , Hinderhofer Katrin , Sutter Christian , Schubert‐Bast Susanne , Anderlid Britt Marie , Dallapiccola Bruno , Van der Aa Nathalie , Moog Ute
Published: September 2014

Small interstitial deletions affecting chromosome region 3p25.3 have been reported in only five patients so far, four of them with overlapping telomeric microdeletions 3p25.3 and variable features of 3p‐ syndrome, and one patient with a small proximal microdeletion and a distinct phenotype with intellectual disability (ID) and multiple congenital anomalies. Here we report on three novel patients with overlapping proximal microdeletions 3p25.3 of 1.1–1.5 Mb in size showing a consistent non‐3p‐ phenotype with ID, epilepsy/EEG abnormalities, poor speech, ataxia and stereotypic hand movements. The smallest region of overlap contains two genes encoding sodium‐ and chloride‐dependent GABA transporters which have not been associated with this disease phenotype in humans so far. The protein function, the phenotype in transporter deficient animal models and the effects of specific pharmacological transporter inhibition in mice and humans provide evidence that these GABA transporters are plausible candidates for seizures/EEG abnormalities, ataxia and ID in this novel group of patients. A fourth novel patient deleted for a 3.16 Mb region, both telomeric and centromeric to 3p25.3, confirms that the telomeric segment is critical for the 3p‐ syndrome phenotype. Finally, a region of 643 kb is suggested to harbor one or more genes causative for polydactyly which is part of the 3p‐ syndrome. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Inverted duplication with deletion: First interstitial case suggesting a novel undescribed mechanism of formation
Authors: Milosevic J. , El Khattabi L. , Roubergue A. , Coussement A. , Doummar D. , Cuisset L. , Le Tessier D. , Flageul B. , Viot G. , Lebbar A. , Dupont J.M.
Published: September 2014

Inverted duplications with terminal deletions are a well‐defined family of complex rearrangements already observed for most of chromosome extremities. Several mechanisms have been suggested which could lead to their occurrence, either through non‐homologous end joining, non‐allelic homologous recombination, or more recently through an intrastrand fold‐back mechanism. We describe here a patient with intellectual disability and pharmacoresistant epilepsy, for which array CGH analysis showed the first interstitial case of inverted duplication with deletion on chromosome 1p. Furthermore, SNP array analysis revealed an associated segmental isodisomy for the distal part of 1p, which led us to consider a replicative mechanism to explain this abnormality. This observation extends the range of this once telomeric rearrangement. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Activation of Dioxygen in Air by a Phenol/Selectfluor System: An Application in the Oxidation‐Dimerization of Alkynes to 2‐Ene‐1,4‐diones
Authors: Wu Degui , Zhang Jian , Wang Heng , Zhang Jiahui , Liu Yunkui , Liu Miaochang
Published: September 2014

Activation of dioxygen in air by a combined phenol/Selectfluor system has been revealed. This technique has been exploited to develop an approach to 2‐ene‐1,4‐diones via an oxidation‐dimerization of alkynes under metal‐free conditions.