bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visual record of intertidal disturbance caused by drift ice in the spring on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia
Authors: Petzold Willy , Willers Maike T. , Scrosati Ricardo A.
Published: June 2014

In the early spring of 2014, an unusually large amount of sea ice drifted from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where it had been produced, towards the open Atlantic Ocean through the Cabot Strait, between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Canada. In early April, significant amounts of drift ice reached the Atlantic coast of mainland Nova Scotia. The ice floes persisted in those coastal waters for up to 16 days, depending on the location. During that time, the ice fragments caused extensive physical disturbance in rocky intertidal communities, removing high quantities of seaweeds and invertebrates. For example, at a location where the ice stayed for 9 days, the loss of macroalgal and invertebrate biomass was almost total. At a location where the ice stayed for 4 days, losses were lower, albeit still high overall. Such a magnitude of disturbance is not common on this coast, as sea ice had not reached the surveyed locations in the previous 4–5 years. We suggest that the frequency of ice scour events may help to predict intertidal community structure. This notion could be tested through multiannual surveys of ice conditions and biological communities along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia.
Preentry Contacts and the Generation of Nascent Networks in Organizations
Authors: Sterling Adina D.
Published: June 2014

This paper investigates the impact of individuals' social ties at organizational entry on the formation of intraorganizational networks. When individuals enter organizations with one or more preentry relationships in place, I argue they form more extensive networks post entry than their untied counterparts. However, it is also suggested that under some conditions—i.e., when quality is more certain—the relationship between pre- and postentry social structure is contingent on individuals' quality attributes. I test and find support for these hypotheses in a study of new business and law professionals. The results indicate that individuals with an initial advantage in social ties form more extensive networks post entry than those without such an advantage, and that when certainty about quality is high, this effect depends on the quality attributes of the new entrants. Implications of this study for research on social networks, resource accumulation, and inequality are discussed.
U.S. Emergency Department Admissions for Nontraumatic Dental Conditions for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Chi Donald L. , Masterson Erin E. , Wong Jacqueline J.
Published: June 2014

The authors hypothesized that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) are more likely to have an emergency department (ED) admission for nontraumatic dental conditions (NTDCs). The authors analyzed 2009 U.S. National Emergency Department Sample data and ran logistic regression models for children ages 3–17 years and adults age 18 years or older. The prevalence of NTDC-related ED admissions was 0.8% for children and 2.0% for adults. Children with IDDs were at increased odds of NTDC-related ED admission, but this difference was not statistically significant (odds ratio [OR]  =  1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]  =  0.91, 1.23). Adults with IDDs had significantly lower odds of an ED admission for NTDCs (OR  =  0.49; 95% CI  =  0.44, 0.54). Children with IDDs are not at increased odds of NTDC-related ED admissions, whereas adults with IDDs are at significantly reduced odds.
Monitoring blood volume fraction and oxygen saturation in port-wine stains during vascular targeted photodynamic therapy with diffuse reflectance spectroscopy: Results of a preliminary case study
Authors: Qiu Zhihai , Chen Defu , Wang Ying , Yao Guangping , Gu Ying , Li Buhong
Published: June 2014

Objective:

Monitoring dynamic changes during vascular targeted photodynamic therapy (V-PDT) for port-wine stains (PWS) is crucial for achieving an optimal therapeutic outcome. The present investigation is a preliminary research study designed to quantify and monitor the vascular parameters, e.g., blood volume fraction (

Material and methods:

A portable DRS detection system was developed with an appropriate source-detector distance of 520 μm for fiber-optic probe. The diffuse reflectance spectra from 450 to 800 nm in specific regions of interest (ROIs) within a PWS lesion were recorded before and 3, 5, 10, 15, and 20 min during V-PDT. In order to extract the optical properties and vascular parameters of the PWS lesion, a modified well-known diffusion theory model with a correction factor for the vessel package effect was employed to analyze the steady state-diffuse reflectance spectra.

Results:

The corrected reflectance spectra of the PWS lesion can be fitted very well with the modified diffusion theory model. Differences in pretreatment values of

Conclusion:

The ability of using DRS for quantifying and monitoring the
Imitating the Egyptian Hieroglyphic Script in the Roman Era
Authors: Deac Dan-Augustin
Published: June 2014

The present paper studies a unique monument discovered in 1979 by the Romanian researcher Nicolae Vlassa. Unfortunately due to his sudden pass-away, the stela/obelisk remained hidden from the scientific community until now. Although it is a stray discovery and not from an archaeological context, the author, with the help of geo-petrographical analysis, tries to “remove the dust” of this monument, putting it in the proper place, namely in the corpus of the aegyptiaca finds coming from the Roman province of Dacia Porolissensis.
The Yeast Deletion Collection: A Decade of Functional Genomics
Authors: Giaever Guri , Nislow Corey
Published: June 2014

The yeast deletion collections comprise >21,000 mutant strains that carry precise start-to-stop deletions of ∼6000 open reading frames. This collection includes heterozygous and homozygous diploids, and haploids of both MATa and MATα mating types. The yeast deletion collection, or yeast knockout (YKO) set, represents the first and only complete, systematically constructed deletion collection available for any organism. Conceived during the Saccharomyces cerevisiae sequencing project, work on the project began in 1998 and was completed in 2002. The YKO strains have been used in numerous laboratories in >1000 genome-wide screens. This landmark genome project has inspired development of numerous genome-wide technologies in organisms from yeast to man. Notable spinoff technologies include synthetic genetic array and HIPHOP chemogenomics. In this retrospective, we briefly describe the yeast deletion project and some of its most noteworthy biological contributions and the impact that these collections have had on the yeast research community and on genomics in general.
Autoimmune pancreatitis in a patient with ulcerative colitis. Pancreatic tumor as a deceptive appearance
Authors: Bor Renáta , Farkas Klaudia , Bálint Anita , Wittmann Tibor , Nagy Ferenc , Tiszlavicz László , Molnár Tamás , Szepes Zoltán
Published: June 2014

Pancreatic endocrine and/or exocrine functional disorders can be commonly detected in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. Autoimmune pancreatitis is a rare disease and its co-existence with inflammatory bowel disease has been rarely reported. The diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis is difficult due to variable nonspecific symptoms, and the high rate of asymptomatic cases. The conventional imaging scans (ultrasonography, computed tomography, retrograde cholangiography) are usually not sensitive enough and they are frequently not able to differentiate between inflammatory and malignant tumorous diseases of the pancreas. The authors present the case history of a patient who developed both ulcerative colitis and autoimmune pancreatitis. The morphological changes of the pancreas detected by ultrasonography suggested the presence of pancreatic cancer, and this diagnosis was supported by the elevated level of serum CA19-9. Computed tomography failed to identify abnormalities in the pancreas and, finally, endoscopic ultrasound combined with fine needle aspiration cytology confirmed the diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(25), 1000–1004.
Malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the thyroid: a case-report and review of the literature
Authors: Alves Filho Wellington , Mahmoud Renata Regina da Graça Lorencetti , Ramos Daniel Marin , Araujo-Filho Vergilius José Furtado de , Lima Patricia Picciarelli de , Cernea Claudio Roberto , Brandão Lenine Garcia
Published: June 2014

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is an uncommon spindle-cell neoplasm that most often involves the pleura, rarely occurring in extra-thoracic locations. Twenty-six cases of SFT arising in the thyroid gland have been described. We report a case of a 60-year-old woman presenting an 8-month history of enlargement of the neck associated with dysphagia. The patient underwent a right hemithyroidectomy and SFT of the thyroid was diagnosed. Immunohistochemistry showed positivity for CD34 marker, and the high number of mitoses and the presence of cellular atypia suggested that the tumor was malignant. To our knowledge, this is the second case of malignant SFT of the thyroid gland ever reported. Due to the rarity of these tumors, the indication of adjuvant therapy and prognosis are uncertain. Long-term follow-up after surgical resection seems to be advisable.
On accurate geoid modeling: derivation of dirichlet problems that govern geoidal undulations and geoid modeling by means of the finite difference method and a hybrid method
Authors: Del Rio Eduardo
Published: June 2014

The geoid is the reference surface used to measure heights (orthometric). These are used to study any mass variability in the Earth system. As the Earth is represented by an oblate spheroid (Ellipsoid), the geoid is determined by geoidal undulations (N) which are the separation between these surfaces. N is determined from gravity data by Stokes's Integral. However, this approach takes a Spherical rather than an Ellipsoidal Earth. Here it is derived a Partial Differential Equation (PDE) that governs N over the Earth by means of a Dirichlet problem and show a method to solve it which precludes the need for a Spherical Earth. Moreover, Stokes's Integral solves a boundary value problem defined over the whole Earth. It was found that the Dirichlet problem derived here is defined only over the region where a geoid model is to be computed, which is advantageous for local geoid modeling. Moreover, the method eliminates several of the sources of uncertainty in Stokes's Integral. However, estimates indicate that the errors due to discretization are very large in this new method which calls for its modification. So, here it is also proposed an optimal combination of techniques by means of a Hybrid method and shown that it alleviates the uncertainty in Finite Difference Method. Moreover, a rigorous error analysis indicates that the Hybrid method proposed here may well outperform Stokes's Integral.
Using implicit methods to develop an objective measure of media brand engagement
Authors: Calvert Gemma , Fulcher Eamon , Fulcher Geraldine , Foster Pauline , Rose Helen
Published: June 2014

Traditional market research methods that rely on explicit respondent feedback, such as focus groups or surveys, often fail to detect the deep-seated, often subconscious, emotions towards brands that reside in consumers’ minds. Recently, there has been considerable interest in the ability of well-established psychological tests that capture people's implicit responses using speeded reaction time paradigms to tap in to these subconscious associations. In this paper, we describe the use of an adapted semantic priming paradigm to measure the strength of implicit consumer associations between a range of psychological attributes and competitor brands within this media category. The study was conducted online across ten countries and, within each country, against nine relevant competitive brands of the MTV channel. Analysis of the resulting implicit dataset revealed large statistical differences between brands in terms of consumers’ subconscious feelings that were not captured by previous explicit research methodologies into consumer brand engagement. This study clearly demonstrates the power and usefulness of combining implicit and explicit online research data to gain maximum understanding of consumers’ true feelings about brands.
A Cross-National Comparison of Extreme Response Style Measures
Authors: Peterson Robert A. , Rhi-Perez Pablo , Albaum Gerald
Published: June 2014

Five measures of extreme response style were compared across 6,146 study participants from 36 countries: the traditional measure, a modified traditional measure, the individual standard deviation, an index of dispersion and an index of entropy. The traditional measure of extreme response style, whereby the two extreme categories of an item or rating scale are assigned a value of ‘1’, all interior categories are assigned a value of ‘0’ and the sum of the ‘1’ values reflects the extent of extreme responding behaviour, performed slightly better than the other extreme response style measures examined with respect to reliability and ability to discriminate. The traditional measure of extreme response style was positively related to the variance of an attitudinal variable but unrelated to its mean. It was also related to Hofstede's cultural orientation variables of individualism-collectivism and power distance. Future cross-cultural and cross-national empirical research should systematically incorporate measures of extreme responding so that more is learned about the phenomenon and its possible effects.
Human Brain Basis of Musical Rhythm Perception: Common and Distinct Neural Substrates for Meter, Tempo, and Pattern
Authors: Thaut Michael , Trimarchi Pietro , Parsons Lawrence
Published: June 2014

Rhythm as the time structure of music is composed of distinct temporal components such as pattern, meter, and tempo. Each feature requires different computational processes: meter involves representing repeating cycles of strong and weak beats; pattern involves representing intervals at each local time point which vary in length across segments and are linked hierarchically; and tempo requires representing frequency rates of underlying pulse structures. We explored whether distinct rhythmic elements engage different neural mechanisms by recording brain activity of adult musicians and non-musicians with positron emission tomography (PET) as they made covert same-different discriminations of (a) pairs of rhythmic, monotonic tone sequences representing changes in pattern, tempo, and meter, and (b) pairs of isochronous melodies. Common to pattern, meter, and tempo tasks were focal activities in right, or bilateral, areas of frontal, cingulate, parietal, prefrontal, temporal, and cerebellar cortices. Meter processing alone activated areas in right prefrontal and inferior frontal cortex associated with more cognitive and abstract representations. Pattern processing alone recruited right cortical areas involved in different kinds of auditory processing. Tempo processing alone engaged mechanisms subserving somatosensory and premotor information (e.g., posterior insula, postcentral gyrus). Melody produced activity different from the rhythm conditions (e.g., right anterior insula and various cerebellar areas). These exploratory findings suggest the outlines of some distinct neural components underlying the components of rhythmic structure.
On Clustering Histograms with k-Means by Using Mixed α-Divergences
Authors: Nielsen Frank , Nock Richard , Amari Shun-ichi
Published: June 2014

Clustering sets of histograms has become popular thanks to the success of the generic method of bag-of-X used in text categorization and in visual categorization applications. In this paper, we investigate the use of a parametric family of distortion measures, called the α-divergences, for clustering histograms. Since it usually makes sense to deal with symmetric divergences in information retrieval systems, we symmetrize the α -divergences using the concept of mixed divergences. First, we present a novel extension of k-means clustering to mixed divergences. Second, we extend the k-means++ seeding to mixed α-divergences and report a guaranteed probabilistic bound. Finally, we describe a soft clustering technique for mixed α-divergences.
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)/ZnO Bionanocomposites with Improved Mechanical, Barrier and Antibacterial Properties
Authors: Díez-Pascual Ana , Díez-Vicente Angel
Published: June 2014

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)-based bionanocomposites incorporating different contents of ZnO nanoparticles were prepared via solution casting technique. The nanoparticles were dispersed within the biopolymer without the need for surfactants or coupling agents. The morphology, thermal, mechanical, barrier, migration and antibacterial properties of the nanocomposites were investigated. The nanoparticles acted as nucleating agents, increasing the crystallization temperature and the degree of crystallinity of the matrix, and as mass transport barriers, hindering the diffusion of volatiles generated during the decomposition process, leading to higher thermal stability. The Young’s modulus, tensile and impact strength of the biopolymer were enhanced by up to 43%, 32% and 26%, respectively, due to the strong matrix-nanofiller interfacial adhesion attained via hydrogen bonding interactions, as revealed by the FT-IR spectra. Moreover, the nanocomposites exhibited reduced water uptake and superior gas and vapour barrier properties compared to neat PHB. They also showed antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which was progressively improved upon increasing ZnO concentration. The migration levels of PHB/ZnO composites in both non-polar and polar simulants decreased with increasing nanoparticle content, and were well below the current legislative limits for food packaging materials. These biodegradable nanocomposites show great potential as an alternative to synthetic plastic packaging materials especially for use in food and beverage containers and disposable applications.
Ethyl Ferulate, a Component with Anti-Inflammatory Properties for Emulsion-Based Creams
Authors: Nazaré Ana , De Faria Carolina , Chiari Bruna , Petrônio Maicon , Regasini Luis , Silva Dulce , Corrêa Marcos , Isaac Vera , Da Fonseca Luiz , Ximenes Valdecir
Published: June 2014

Ethyl ferulate (FAEE) has been widely studied due to its beneficial heath properties and, when incorporated in creams, shows a high sun protection capacity. Here we aimed to compare FAEE and its precursor, ferulic acid (FA), as free radical scavengers, inhibitors of oxidants produced by leukocytes and the alterations in rheological properties when incorporated in emulsion based creams. The cell-free antiradical capacity of FAEE was decreased compared to FA. However, FAEE was more effective regarding the scavenging of reactive oxygen species produced by activated leukocytes. Stress and frequency sweep tests showed that the formulations are more elastic than viscous. The viscoelastic features of the formulations were confirmed in the creep and recovery assay and showed that the FAEE formulation was less susceptive to deformation. Liberation experiments showed that the rate of FAEE release from the emulsion was slower compared to FA. In conclusion, FAEE is more effective than FA as a potential inhibitor of oxidative damage produced by oxidants generated by leukocytes. The rheological alterations caused by the addition of FAEE are indicative of lower spreadability, which could be useful for formulations used in restricted areas of the skin.
Fabrication and Characterization of Inorganic Silver and Palladium Nanostructures within Hexagonal Cylindrical Channels of Mesoporous Carbon
Authors: Li Jheng-Guang , Tsai Cheng-Ying , Kuo Shiao-Wei
Published: June 2014

In this study, we prepared a mesoporous carbon with hexagonally packed mesopores through evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA)—with the diblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide-b-ε-caprolactone) (PEO-b-PCL) as the template (EO114CL84), phenolic resin as the carbon precursor, hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) as the curing agent, and star octakis-PEO-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (PEO–POSS) as the structure modifier—and subsequent carbonization. We then took the cylindrical mesoporous carbon as a loading matrix, with AgNO3 and Pd(NO3)2 as metal precursors, to fabricate Ag nanowire/mesoporous carbon and Pd nanoparticle/mesoporous carbon nanocomposites, respectively, through an incipient wetness impregnation method and subsequent reduction under H2. We used transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering, N2 isotherm sorption experiment, Raman spectroscopy, and power X-ray diffraction to investigate the textural properties of these nanometal/carbon nanocomposites. Most notably, the Raman spectra of the cylindrical mesoporous carbon, Ag/mesoporous carbon, and Pd/mesoporous carbon revealed interesting phenomena in terms of the ratios of the intensities of the D and G bands (ID/IG), the absolute scattering intensities, and the positions of the D bands.
Estimation of Mass Balance of the Grosser Aletschgletscher, Swiss Alps, from ICESat Laser Altimetry Data and Digital Elevation Models
Authors: Kropáček Jan , Neckel Niklas , Bauder Andreas
Published: June 2014

Traditional glaciological mass balance measurements of mountain glaciers are a demanding and cost intensive task. In this study, we combine data from the Ice Cloud and Elevation Satellite (ICESat) acquired between 2003 and 2009 with air and space borne Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) in order to derive surface elevation changes of the Grosser Aletschgletscher in the Swiss Alps. Three different areas of the glacier are covered by one nominal ICESat track, allowing us to investigate the performance of the approach under different conditions in terms of ICESat data coverage, and surface characteristics. In order to test the sensitivity of the derived trend in surface lowering, several variables were tested. Employing correction for perennial snow accumulation, footprint selection and adequate reference DEM, we estimated a mean mass balance of −0.92 ± 0.18 m w.e. a−1. for the whole glacier in the studied time period. The resulting mass balance was validated by a comparison with another geodetic approach based on the subtraction of two DEMs for the years 1999 and 2009. It appears that the processing parameters need to be selected depending on the amount of available ICESat measurements, quality of the elevation reference and character of the glacier surface.
La dynamique de la volatilité boursière autour de l’ouverture des marchés de capitaux
Authors: Nguyen Duc Khuong
Published: June 2014

Cet article examine l’impact de la libéralisation sur l’évolution de la volatilité des marchés boursiers de certains pays émergents à partir d’un modèle AR (1)-GARCH(1,1) bivarié. La particularité de ce modèle est qu’il permet la prise en compte de l’intégration progressive des marchés émergents au système financier mondial. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent que la volatilité des marchés étudiés n’a pas augmenté significativement sur la période suivant la libéralisation financière, et ce même après la prise en compte des variables de contrôle. De plus, la volatilité tend à décliner dans certains marchés lors d’importants afflux de capitaux américains. Les résultats mettent également en évidence l’existence des liens à long terme entre la libéralisation et la volatilité.
Test simultané de la non-stationnarité et de la non-linéarité : une application au taux d’intérêt réel américain
Authors: Million Nicolas
Published: June 2014

Dans cet article, nous analysons le taux d’intérêt réel à trois mois pour les Etats-Unis par l’intermédiaire d’une représentation M-SETAR (Momentum -Self Exciting Threshold AutoRegressive) sur les cinquante dernières années. Dans le but de distinguer la non linéarité de la non-stationnarité, nous utilisons des tests d’intégration à seuil contre une alternative stationnaire et non linéaire. Une innovation de ce travail réside dans l’introduction d’une rupture déterministe de telle sorte que le modèle autorise à la fois des changements de régime pour la partie déterministe (saut en niveau) et pour la partie stochastique (effets de seuil). L’exercice empirique porte sur l’écart entre le taux d’intérêt réel ex post et sa valeur naturelle qui change après la date de rupture. Nos résultats montrent que cet écart de taux réel suit un processus à seuil à deux régimes. En outre, le processus se comporte comme une martingale dans un des régimes, soulignant l’aspect “réactif ” de la politique monétaire pour les périodes correspondantes.
Une évaluation du rôle des déterminants du partage de la valeur ajoutée
Authors: Philippe Bernard , Mussard Stéphane
Published: June 2014

En tendance, durant la seconde partie de la période 1961/2000, le taux de chômage reflue aux États-Unis et au Royaume-Uni, il continue à croître en Allemagne , en France et en Italie. Est-il possible d’expliquer cette divergence d’évolution en supposant que les effets de la revendication salariale sur le partage de la valeur ajoutée ont été mieux maîtrisés dans les deux économies anglo-saxonnes que dans les trois économies continentales ? Pour répondre à cette question nous utilisons la fonction valeur de Shapley. Grâce à elle nous parvenons à évaluer, pour chacune des cinq économies, la contribution des valeurs qui ont été prises, au cours de la période 1981/2000, par les taux de croissance des salaires réels et les coûts salariaux unitaires à la formation des taux de croissance des taux de marge, à celle des variations des taux de marge et à celle des excédents bruts d’exploitation. Or, les valeurs de ces contributions, qui sont évidemment négatives, sont, sauf dans un cas, plus faibles dans les économies anglo-saxonnes que dans les économies continentales.
Imitation, rationalité et adoption de technologies d’irrigation améliorées à l’île de la Réunion
Authors: Fusillier Jean-Louis , Richefort Lionel
Published: June 2014

Nous développons un référentiel théorique qui conceptualise la décision d’adopter une technologie donnée en mobilisant un modèle de diffusion épidémiologique et un modèle des choix rationnels d’adoption. Les deux modèles sont estimés à partir d’un échantillon de 114 agriculteurs localisés à l’île de la Réunion. Les résultats montrent que la diffusion de la couverture intégrale pour l’aspersion répond à une dynamique spontanée avec effets d’entraînement collectif. Une politique de subvention, dans ce cas-là, permet d’accélérer le rythme de diffusion. L’adoption d’une technologie d’irrigation améliorée avec automatismes répond plus à un choix rationnel de la part des irrigants les plus diversifiés, les mieux informés et au rapport surface par actif le plus important.
Autocorrélation spatiale et modèle de demande traitant des valeurs unitaires
Authors: Lahatte Agénor
Published: June 2014

L’article présente une extension des méthodes développées par Deaton (1987, 1988, 1990) et Crawford, Laisney et Preston (2003) pour l’analyse de demande des ménages à partir de données de valeur unitaire. Il combine la modélisation du choix de quantité et de qualité de biens de consommation et le traitement du problème de dépendance spatiale dans les processus économiques. Une adaptation de la méthodologie de Deaton (1987, 1988, 1990) et de la procédure de Kelejian et Prucha (1999) fournit une méthode d’estimation pour les versions spatiales du modèle de Crawford et alii (2003). Quelques difficultés d’estimation relatives à cette démarche sont soulignées, en particulier un problème d’identification des paramètres spatiaux. Et une étude de Monte Carlo illustre le cas autorégressif spatial.
A Comparison of the Risks of In-Breast Recurrence after a Diagnosis of Dcis or Early Invasive Breast Cancer
Authors: Narod S.A. , Rakovitch E.
Published: June 2014

(1) Background: It is controversial whether ductal carcinoma in situ (dcis) is a preinvasive marker of breast cancer or if it is part of a spectrum of small cancers with malignant potential. Comparing clinical outcomes in women with invasive and noninvasive breast lesions might help to resolve the issue. (2) Methods: From a database of 2641 patients with breast cancer, we selected women who had been treated with breast-conserving surgery for a cancer that was 2.0 cm or less in size, node-negative, and nonpalpable. No subject received chemotherapy. Cancers were categorized as noninvasive (stage 0, n = 172) or invasive (stage 1, n = 401) based on a review of the pathology records. We compared the actuarial risks of in-breast recurrence after invasive and noninvasive breast lesions before and after adjusting for tamoxifen and radiotherapy. (3) Results: The 18-year cumulative risk of in-breast recurrence was 35.2% for patients with dcis and 12.8% for patients with small invasive cancers (hazard ratio: 2.4; 95% confidence interval: 1.5 to 3.8; p < 0.0003). After adjustment for radiotherapy and tamoxifen treatment, the difference was small and nonsignificant (hazard ratio: 1.4; 95% confidence interval: 0.9 to 2.4; p = 0.22). (4) Conclusions: For women with small, nonpalpable, node-negative breast cancers, the likelihood of experiencing an in-breast recurrence was associated with radiotherapy and with tamoxifen, but not with the presence of cancer cells invading beyond the basement membrane.
POLYMER-ASSISTED DEPOSITION OF HYDROXYAPATITE COATINGS USING ELECTROPHORETIC TECHNIQUE
Authors: Mehboob Hassan , Awais Muhammad , Khalid Hamad , Ch Aqif Anwar , Siddiqi Saadat Anwar , Rehman Ihtesham
Published: June 2014

Hydroxyapatite (HA) finds use as powder, scaffold, paste, and coatings for orthopedic and dental applications. Plasma spraying is the most commonly used technique to coat HA on metallic implants. However, undesirable phase changes at high temperatures encourage to adopt ambient temperature deposition techniques such as dip coating, electrophoretic, and physical vapor deposition (PVD). Electrophoretic technique is being used extensively to deposit HA, however sintering is required after the deposition to enhance adhesion of coatings to the substrate. In the present work, polyethylene glycol (PEG) modified HA was deposited on 316L Stainless Steel plates using electrophoretic deposition (EPD), which improved the binding strength of the HA to the substrate with increased packing density of HA particles without the need of sintering. PEG is a biocompatible and soluble polymer that helps HA to bond well with the substrate and in addition, prevents the agglomeration and precipitation of HA. Phase identification and crystal structure of the coatings were determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The stability of the coatings was assessed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), whereas scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized in order to investigate the morphological properties of the deposited coatings. The mechanical properties of the coatings were investigated using the indentation testing that depicted an enhanced level of adhesion of coatings to the substrate.
Adrenocortical Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I Deficiency Exacerbates Endotoxic Shock and Precipitates Sepsis-Induced Mortality in Mice
Authors: Gilibert Sophie , Galle-Treger Lauriane , Moreau Martine , Saint-Charles Flora , Costa Sara , Ballaire Raphaëlle , Couvert Philippe , Carrié Alain , Lesnik Philippe , Huby Thierry
Published: June 2014

Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI)–deficient mice display reduced survival to endotoxic shock and sepsis. The understanding of the mechanisms underlying SR-BI protection has been hampered by the large spectrum of SR-BI functions and ligands. It notably plays an important role in the liver in high-density lipoprotein metabolism, but it is also thought to participate in innate immunity as a pattern recognition receptor for bacterial endotoxins, such as LPS. In this study, we sought to determine the tissue-specific contribution of SR-BI in the hyperinflammatory response and high mortality rates observed in SR-BI−/− mice in endotoxicosis or sepsis. Restoring plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein, which are critical lipoproteins for LPS neutralization, did not improve acute outcomes of LPS injection in SR-BI−/− mice. Mice deficient for SR-BI in hepatocytes, endothelial cells, or myeloid cells were not more susceptible to LPS-induced death. However, if SR-BI ablation in hepatocytes led to a moderate increase in systemic inflammatory markers, SR-BI deficiency in myeloid cells was associated with an anti-inflammatory effect. Finally, mice deficient for SR-BI in the adrenal cortex, where the receptor provides lipoprotein-derived cholesterol, had impaired secretion of glucocorticoids in response to stress. When exposed to an endotoxin challenge, these mice exhibited an exacerbated systemic and local inflammatory response, reduced activation of atrophy genes in muscle, and high lethality rate. Furthermore, polymicrobial sepsis induced by cecal ligature and puncture resulted in early death of these animals. Our study clearly demonstrates that corticoadrenal SR-BI is a critical element of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to provide effective glucocorticoid-dependent host defense after an endotoxic shock or bacterial infection.
Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Mepraia gajardoi and Mepraia spinolai: The Effect of Feeding Nymphs from the Field
Authors: Egaña Camila , Vergara Fernanda , Campos Ricardo , Ortiz Sylvia , Botto-Mahan Carezza , Solari Aldo
Published: June 2014

We evaluated Trypanosoma cruzi infection rates by means of minicircle DNA-based polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) in 70 starved Mepraia gajardoi from northern Chile and 65 M. spinolai from central Chile after feeding. Immediately after collection in the field, 20% of M. gajardoi were found infected; after feeding, 67% of the uninfected were infected. One group of M. spinolai seemed to be completely uninfected, but after the first and second feedings, 62% and 59% were positive, respectively.
Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity of aliphatic amine secondary aerosol
Authors: Tang X. , Price D. , Praske E. , Vu D. N. , Purvis-Roberts K. , Silva P. J. , Cocker III D. R. , Asa-Awuku A.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Aliphatic amines can form secondary aerosol via oxidation with atmospheric radicals (e.g., hydroxyl radical and nitrate radical). The particle can contain both secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and inorganic salts. The ratio of organic to inorganic materials in the particulate phase influences aerosol hygroscopicity and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity. SOA formed from trimethylamine (TMA) and butylamine (BA) reactions with hydroxyl radical (OH) is composed of organic material of low hygroscopicity (single hygroscopicity parameter, κ, ≤ 0.25). Secondary aerosol formed from the tertiary aliphatic amine (TMA) with N2O5 (source of nitrate radical, NO3) contains less volatile compounds than the primary aliphatic amine (BA) aerosol. As relative humidity (RH) increases, inorganic amine salts are formed as a result of acid–base reactions. The CCN activity of the humid TMA–N2O5 aerosol obeys Zdanovskii, Stokes, and Robinson (ZSR) ideal mixing rules. The humid BA + N2O5 aerosol products were found to be very sensitive to the temperature at which the measurements were made within the streamwise continuous-flow thermal gradient CCN counter; κ ranges from 0.4 to 0.7 dependent on the instrument supersaturation (ss) settings. The variance of the measured aerosol κ values indicates that simple ZSR rules cannot be applied to the CCN results from the primary aliphatic amine system. Overall, aliphatic amine aerosol systems' κ ranges within 0.2 < κ < 0.7. This work indicates that aerosols formed via nighttime reactions with amines are likely to produce hygroscopic and volatile aerosol, whereas photochemical reactions with OH produce secondary organic aerosol of lower CCN activity. The contributions of semivolatile secondary organic and inorganic material from aliphatic amines must be considered for accurate hygroscopicity and CCN predictions from aliphatic amine systems.
17O excess traces atmospheric nitrate in paleo-groundwater of the Saharan desert
Authors: Dietzel M. , Leis A. , Abdalla R. , Savarino J. , Morin S. , Böttcher M. E. , Köhler S.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Saharan paleo-groundwater from the Hasouna area of Libya contains up to 1.8 mM of nitrate, which exceeds the World Health Organization limit for drinking water, but the origin is still disputed. Herein we show that a positive 17O excess in NO3− (Δ17ONO3 = Δ17ONO3 − 0.52 δ18ONO3) is preserved in the paleo-groundwater. The 17O excess provides an excellent tracer of atmospheric NO3−, which is caused by the interaction of ozone with NOx via photochemical reactions, coupled with a non-mass-dependent isotope fractionation. Our Δ17ONO3 data from 0.4 to 5.0 ‰ (n = 28) indicate that up to 20 mol % of total dissolved NO3- originated from the Earth's atmosphere (x[NO3−]atm), where the remaining NO3− refers to microbially induced nitrification in soils. High Δ17ONO3 values correspond to soils that are barren in dry periods, while low Δ17ONO3 values correspond to more fertile soils. Coupled high Δ17ONO3 and high x[NO3−]atm values are caused by a sudden wash-out of accumulated disposition of atmospheric NO3− on plants, soil surfaces and in vadose zones within humid–wet cycles. The individual isotope and chemical composition of the Hasouna groundwater can be followed by a binary mixing approach using the lowest and highest mineralised groundwater as end members without considering evaporation. Using the δ34SSO4 and δ18OSO4 isotope signature of dissolved SO42−, no indication is found for a superimposition by denitrification, e.g. involving pyrite minerals within the aquifers. It is suggested that dissolved SO42− originates from the dissolution of CaSO4 minerals during groundwater evolution.
Performance evaluation of ocean color satellite models for deriving accurate chlorophyll estimates in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Authors: Montes-Hugo M. , Bouakba H. , Arnone R.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. The understanding of phytoplankton dynamics in the Gulf of the Saint Lawrence (GSL) is critical for managing major fisheries off the Canadian East coast. In this study, the accuracy of two atmospheric correction techniques (NASA standard algorithm, SA, and Kuchinke's spectral optimization, KU) and three ocean color inversion models (Carder's empirical for SeaWiFS (Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor), EC, Lee's quasi-analytical, QAA, and Garver- Siegel-Maritorena semi-empirical, GSM) for estimating the phytoplankton absorption coefficient at 443 nm (aph(443)) and the chlorophyll concentration (chl) in the GSL is examined. Each model was validated based on SeaWiFS images and shipboard measurements obtained during May of 2000 and April 2001. In general, aph(443) estimates derived from coupling KU and QAA models presented the smallest differences with respect to in situ determinations as measured by High Pressure liquid Chromatography measurements (median absolute bias per cruise up to 0.005, RMSE up to 0.013). A change on the inversion approach used for estimating aph(443) values produced up to 43.4% increase on prediction error as inferred from the median relative bias per cruise. Likewise, the impact of applying different atmospheric correction schemes was secondary and represented an additive error of up to 24.3%. By using SeaDAS (SeaWiFS Data Analysis System) default values for the optical cross section of phytoplankton (i.e., aph(443) = aph(443)/chl = 0.056 m2mg−1), the median relative bias of our chl estimates as derived from the most accurate spaceborne aph(443) retrievals and with respect to in situ determinations increased up to 29%.
Forests, savannas and grasslands: bridging the knowledge gap between ecology and Dynamic Global Vegetation Models
Authors: Baudena M. , Dekker S. C. , van Bodegom P. M. , Cuesta B. , Higgins S.I. , Lehsten V. , Reick C. H. , Rietkerk M. , Scheiter S. , Yin Z. , Zavala M. A. , Brovkin V.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. The forest, savanna, and grassland biomes, and the transitions between them, are expected to undergo major changes in the future, due to global climate change. Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs) are very useful to understand vegetation dynamics under present climate, and to predict its changes under future conditions. However, several DGVMs display high uncertainty in predicting vegetation in tropical areas. Here we perform a comparative analysis of three different DGVMs (JSBACH, LPJ-GUESS-SPITFIRE and aDGVM) with regard to their representation of the ecological mechanisms and feedbacks that determine the forest, savanna and grassland biomes, in an attempt to bridge the knowledge gap between ecology and global modelling. Model outcomes, obtained including different mechanisms, are compared to observed tree cover along a mean annual precipitation gradient in Africa. Through these comparisons, and by drawing on the large number of recent studies that have delivered new insights into the ecology of tropical ecosystems in general, and of savannas in particular, we identify two main mechanisms that need an improved representation in the DGVMs. The first mechanism includes water limitation to tree growth, and tree-grass competition for water, which are key factors in determining savanna presence in arid and semi-arid areas. The second is a grass-fire feedback, which maintains both forest and savanna occurrences in mesic areas. Grasses constitute the majority of the fuel load, and at the same time benefit from the openness of the landscape after fires, since they recover faster than trees. Additionally, these two mechanisms are better represented when the models also include tree life stages (adults and seedlings), and distinguish between fire-prone and shade-tolerant savanna trees, and fire-resistant and shade-intolerant forest trees. Including these basic elements could improve the predictive ability of the DGVMs, not only under current climate conditions but also and especially under future scenarios.
What causes cooling water temperature gradients in forested stream reaches?
Authors: Garner G. , Malcolm I. A. , Sadler J. P. , Hannah D. M.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Previous studies have suggested that shading by riparian vegetation may reduce maximum water temperature and provide refugia for temperature sensitive aquatic organisms. Longitudinal cooling gradients have been observed during the daytime for stream reaches shaded by coniferous trees downstream of clear cuts, or deciduous woodland downstream of open moorland. However, little is known about the energy exchange processes that drive such gradients, especially in semi-natural woodland contexts, and in the absence of potentially confounding cool groundwater inflows. To address this gap, this study quantified and modelled variability in stream temperature and heat fluxes along an upland reach of the Girnock Burn (a tributary of the Aberdeenshire Dee, Scotland) where riparian landuse transitions from open moorland to semi-natural forest. Observations were made along a 1050 m reach using a spatially-distributed network of ten water temperature micro-loggers, three automatic weather stations and >200 hemispherical photographs, which were used to estimate incoming solar radiation. These data parameterised a high-resolution energy flux model, incorporating flow-routing, which predicted spatio-temporal variability in stream temperature. Variability in stream temperature was controlled largely by energy fluxes at the water column–atmosphere interface. Predominantly net energy gains occurred along the reach during daylight hours, and heat exchange across the bed-water column interface accounted for <1% of the net energy budget. For periods when daytime net radiation gains were high (under clear skies), differences between water temperature observations decreased in the streamwise direction; a maximum difference of 2.5 °C was observed between the upstream reach boundary and 1050 m downstream. Furthermore, daily maximum water temperature at 1050 m downstream was ≤1°C cooler than at the upstream reach boundary and lagged the occurrence of daily maximum water temperature upstream by >1h. Temperature gradients were not generated by cooling of stream water, but rather by a combination of reduced rates of heating in the woodland reach and advection of cooler (overnight and early morning) water from the upstream moorland catchment. Longitudinal thermal gradients were indistinct at night and on days when net radiation gains were low (under over-cast skies), thus when changes in net energy gains or losses did not vary significantly in space and time, and heat advected into the reach was reasonably consistent. The findings of the study and the modelling approach employed are useful tools for assessing optimal planting strategies for mitigating against ecologically damaging stream temperature maxima.
How useful and reliable are disaster databases in the context of climate and global change? A comparative case study analysis in Peru
Authors: Huggel C. , Raissig A. , Rohrer M. , Romero G. , Diaz A. , Salzmann N.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Loss and damage caused by weather and climate related disasters have increased over the past decades, and growing exposure and wealth have been identified as main drivers of this increase. Disaster databases are a primary tool for the analysis of disaster characteristics and trends at global or national scales, and support disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. However, the quality, consistency and completeness of different disaster databases are highly variable. Even though such variation critically influences the outcome of any study, comparative analyses of different disaster databases are still rare to date. Furthermore, there is an unequal geographic distribution of current disaster trend studies, with developing countries being under-represented. Here, we analyze three different disaster databases for the developing country context of Peru; a global database (EM-DAT), a regional Latin American (DesInventar) and a national database (SINPAD). The analysis is performed across three dimensions, (1) spatial scales, from local to regional (provincial) and national scale; (2) time scales, from single events to decadal trends; and (3) disaster categories and metrics, including the number of disaster occurrence, and damage metrics such as people killed and affected. Results show limited changes in disaster occurrence in the Cusco and Apurímac regions in southern Peru over the past four decades, but strong trends in people affected at the national scale. We furthermore found large variations of the disaster parameters studied over different spatial and temporal scales, depending on the disaster database analyzed. We conclude and recommend that the type, method and source of documentation should be carefully evaluated for any analysis of disaster databases; reporting criteria should be improved and documentation efforts strengthened.