bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Which age group spends the most in a national park?
Authors: Cini Francesca , Saayman Melville
Published: June 2014

Age (and its changing structure amongst the wider population) is one of the most relevant aspects required to better understand and forecast the needs, interests and associated consumption behaviours of tourists. This research used age to investigate the expenditure patterns amongst a sample of visitors to the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), South Africa. In March 2010, visitors to the TMNP were found to differ significantly from those at other parks, as they were younger and most of them were foreigners. This study found that younger visitors (18–29 years) were higher spenders when compared to those aged 30–49 years. As parks are generally visited by older people, this study showed the economic importance of the younger market. The research also made clear implications and recommendations for park management as to how to address these findings. Conservation implications: Conservation is dependent on funding. One of the main sources of income is tourism and tourism related activities. This research can assist marketers and managers to target the right markets in order to be more sustainable. This research also shows the importance of environmental education at an early age in order to grow awareness and to target the right markets.
Research to guide management of outdoor recreation and tourism in parks and protected areas
Authors: Manning Robert E.
Published: June 2014

A framework for managing outdoor recreation and tourism in parks and protected areas was presented in this article. This management-by-objectives framework includes, (1) formulating indicators and standards of quality, (2) monitoring indicators of quality and (3) implementing management actions designed to maintain standards of quality. This management framework can be used to help balance the demand for outdoor recreation and tourism and the need to protect park resources and the quality of the visitor experience. A programme of research to help guide application of this management framework was described and illustrated. This research is part of a growing body of scientific and professional literature on outdoor recreation and tourism that can be used to build the capacity of park and protected area management agencies. Conservation implications: The management framework described in this article, and the associated programme of research, can be used by conservation practitioners to balance use and protection of national parks and protected areas.
Eastern Carolina Asthma Prevention Program (ECAPP): An Environmental Intervention Study among Rural and Underserved Children with Asthma in Eastern North Carolina
Authors: Kearney Gregory D. , Johnson Lisa C. , Xu Xiaohui , Balanay Jo Anne G. , Lamm Kevin M. , Allen Daniel L.
Published: June 2014

Objective

Asthma is the most common chronic childhood condition affecting 6.3 million (US) children aged less than 18 years. Home-based, multi-component, environmental intervention studies among children with asthma have demonstrated to be effective in reducing asthma symptoms. In this study, a local hospital and university developed an environmental intervention research pilot project, Eastern Carolina Asthma Prevention Program (ECAPP), to evaluate self-reported asthma symptoms, breathing measurements, and number of asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits among low-income, minority children with asthma living in rural, eastern North Carolina. Our goal was to develop a conceptual model and demonstrate any asthma respiratory improvements in children associated with our home-based, environmental intervention.

Methods

This project used a single cohort, intervention design approach to compare self-reported asthma-related symptoms, breathing tests, and ED visits over a 6 month period between children with asthma in an intervention study group (n = 12) and children with asthma in a control study group (n = 7). The intervention study group received intense asthma education, three home visits, 2 week follow-up telephone calls, and environmental intervention products for reducing asthma triggers in the home. The control group received education at baseline and 2 week calls, but no intervention products.

Results

At the end of the study period, significant improvements were observed in the intervention group compared with the control group. Overall, the intervention group experienced a 58% (46 ± SD 26.9) reduction in self-reported asthma symptoms; 76% (34 ± SD 29.7) decrease in rescue medicine; 12% (145 ± SD 11.3) increase in controller medicine; 37% decrease in mean exhaled nitric oxide levels and 33% fewer ED asthma-related visits.

Conclusion

As demonstrated, a combination of efforts appeared effective for improving asthma respiratory symptoms among children in the intervention group. ECAPP is a low cost pilot project that could readily be adapted and expanded into other communities throughout eastern North Carolina. Future efforts could include enhanced partnerships between environmental health professionals at local health departments and pediatric asthma programs at hospitals to carry out ECAPP.
Impact of Parental History of Myopia on the Development of Myopia in Mainland China School-Aged Children
Authors: Lim Lik Thai , Gong Yanhong , Ah-Kee Elliott Y. , Xiao Gexin , Zhang Xiulan , Yu Shicheng
Published: June 2014

Background

Myopia is a very common condition and a significant public health problem in China. The objective of the study was to explore the genetic influence on myopia in Mainland China school-aged children in Beijing.

Methods

In 2008, the data from 15,316 Chinese school students aged 6–18 years from 19 randomized schools in Beijing were analyzed to evaluate genetic influence on myopia in children. Heritability was calculated by mid-parent–offspring regression and parent–offspring regression.

Results

The estimate of heritability was 0.30 (95% CI, 0.27–0.33) for refractive value (RV). The adjusted mean refractive error was –2.33D (95% CI, –2.45 to –2.21) in children with two myopic parents compared with –1.13D (95% CI, –1.78 to –1.08) in children with no parental myopia. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 2.83 (95% CI, 2.47–3.24) in children with two myopic parents compared with no parental myopia.

Conclusion

The study found a strong association between parental history of myopia and genesis of myopia in the offspring even after adjusting for environmental factors.
Intra- and Interseasonal Autoregressive Prediction of Dengue Outbreaks Using Local Weather and Regional Climate for a Tropical Environment in Colombia
Authors: Eastin Matthew D. , Delmelle Eric , Casas Irene , Wexler Joshua , Self Cameron
Published: June 2014

Dengue fever transmission results from complex interactions between the virus, human hosts, and mosquito vectors—all of which are influenced by environmental factors. Predictive models of dengue incidence rate, based on local weather and regional climate parameters, could benefit disease mitigation efforts. Time series of epidemiological and meteorological data for the urban environment of Cali, Colombia are analyzed from January of 2000 to December of 2011. Significant dengue outbreaks generally occur during warm-dry periods with extreme daily temperatures confined between 18°C and 32°C—the optimal range for mosquito survival and viral transmission. Two environment-based, multivariate, autoregressive forecast models are developed that allow dengue outbreaks to be anticipated from 2 weeks to 6 months in advance. These models have the potential to enhance existing dengue early warning systems, ultimately supporting public health decisions on the timing and scale of vector control efforts.
The Use of Spatial Analysis to Estimate the Prevalence of Canine Leishmaniasis in Greece and Cyprus to Predict its Future Variation and Relate it to Human Disease
Authors: Sifaki-Pistola Dimitra , Ntais Pantelis , Christodoulou Vasiliki , Mazeris Apostolos , Antoniou Maria
Published: June 2014

Climatic, environmental, and demographic changes favor the emergence of neglected vector-borne diseases like leishmaniasis, which is spreading through dogs, the principle host of the protozoan Leishmania infantum. Surveillance of the disease in dogs is important, because the number of infected animals in an area determines the local risk of human infection. However, dog epidemiological studies are costly. Our aim was to evaluate the Emerging Diseases in a Changing European Environment (EDEN) veterinary questionnaire as a cost-effective tool in providing reliable, spatially explicit indicators of canine leishmaniasis prevalence. For this purpose, the data from the questionnaire were compared with data from two epidemiological studies on leishmaniasis carried out in Greece and Cyprus at the same time using statistical methods and spatial statistics. Although the questionnaire data cannot provide a quantitative measure of leishmaniasis in an area, it indicates the dynamic of the disease; information is obtained in a short period of time at low cost.
Cyclospora cayetanensis in a Pediatric Hospital in Morelia, México
Authors: Orozco-Mosqueda Guadalupe E. , Martínez-Loya Orlando A. , Ortega Ynes R.
Published: June 2014

Cyclospora cayetanensis, a coccidian parasite, can cause gastrointestinal illness in humans and is characterized by watery and persistent diarrhea and abdominal pain. Cyclosporiasis has been associated with traveler's diarrhea. The infection is acquired through food and waterborne transmission, particularly by consumption of contaminated fresh fruits and vegetables. In the present study, stool samples from 8,877 children were examined for ova and parasites at the Pediatric Hospital of Morelia in Michoacán, Mexico, during 2000–2009. Sixty children (0.67%) had Cyclospora in their stools. Diarrhea (45.8%), abdominal pain (39.6%), and vomiting (18.8%) were the most frequent symptoms of cases with cyclosporiasis. Most of the cases (93.3%) were observed during June–August, the rainy season. In 45 children, Cyclospora was the only parasitic pathogen detected (75%); 15 children were co-infected with commensal, pathogenic, or both groups of parasites. Our findings suggest that C. cayetanensis is endemic to Michoacán and shows characteristically temporal patterns.
Detection of Sickle Cell Hemoglobin in Haiti by Genotyping and Hemoglobin Solubility Tests
Authors: Carter Tamar E. , von Fricken Michael , Romain Jean R. , Memnon Gladys , St. Victor Yves , Schick Laura , Okech Bernard A. , Mulligan Connie J.
Published: June 2014

Sickle cell disease is a growing global health concern because infants born with the disorder in developing countries are now surviving longer with little access to diagnostic and management options. In Haiti, the current state of sickle cell disease/trait in the population is unclear. To inform future screening efforts in Haiti, we assayed sickle hemoglobin mutations using traditional hemoglobin solubility tests (HST) and add-on techniques, which incorporated spectrophotometry and insoluble hemoglobin separation. We also generated genotype data as a metric for HST performance. We found 19 of 202 individuals screened with HST were positive for sickle hemoglobin, five of whom did not carry the HbS allele. We show that spectrophotometry and insoluble hemoglobin separation add-on techniques could resolve false positives associated with the traditional HST approach, with some limitations. We also discuss the incorporation of insoluble hemoglobin separation observation with HST in suboptimal screening settings like Haiti.
A comprehensive parameterization of heterogeneous ice nucleation of dust surrogate: laboratory study with hematite particles and its application to atmospheric models
Authors: Hiranuma N. , Paukert M. , Steinke I. , Zhang K. , Kulkarni G. , Hoose C. , Schnaiter M. , Saathoff H. , Möhler O.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. A new heterogeneous ice nucleation parameterization that covers a wide temperature range (−36 to −78 °C) is presented. Developing and testing such an ice nucleation parameterization, which is constrained through identical experimental conditions, is critical in order to accurately simulate the ice nucleation processes in cirrus clouds. The surface-scaled ice nucleation efficiencies of hematite particles, inferred by ns, were derived from AIDA (Aerosol Interaction and Dynamics in the Atmosphere) cloud chamber measurements under water subsaturated conditions that were realized by continuously changing temperature (T) and relative humidity with respect to ice (RHice) in the chamber. Our measurements showed several different pathways to nucleate ice depending on T and RHice conditions. For instance, almost T-independent freezing was observed at −60 °C < T < −50 °C, where RHice explicitly controlled ice nucleation efficiency, while both T and RHice played roles in other two T regimes: −78 °C < T < −60 °C and −50 °C < T < −36 °C. More specifically, observations at T colder than −60 °C revealed that higher RHice was necessary to maintain constant ns, whereas T may have played a significant role in ice nucleation at T warmer than −50 °C. We implemented new ns parameterizations into two cloud models to investigate its sensitivity and compare with the existing ice nucleation schemes towards simulating cirrus cloud properties. Our results show that the new AIDA-based parameterizations lead to an order of magnitude higher ice crystal concentrations and inhibition of homogeneous nucleation in colder temperature regions. Our cloud simulation results suggest that atmospheric dust particles that form ice nuclei at lower temperatures, below −36 °C, can potentially have stronger influence on cloud properties such as cloud longevity and initiation when compared to previous parameterizations.
Aerosol characterization at the Saharan AERONET site Tamanrasset
Authors: Guirado C. , Cuevas E. , Cachorro V. E. , Toledano C. , Alonso-Pérez S. , Bustos J. J. , Basart S. , Romero P. M. , Camino C. , Mimouni M. , Zeudmi L. , Goloub P. , Baldasano J. M. , de Frutos A. M.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. More than two years of columnar atmospheric aerosol measurements (2006–2009) at Tamanrasset site, in the heart of the Sahara desert, are analysed. AERONET level 2.0 data were used. The KCICLO method was applied to a part of level 1.5 data series to improve the quality of the results. The annual variability of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Angstrom exponent (AE) has been found to be strongly linked to the Convective Boundary Layer (CBL) thermodynamic features. The dry-cool season (autumn and winter time) is characterized by a shallow CBL and very low mean turbidity (AOD ~ 0.09 at 440 nm, AE ~ 0.62). The wet-hot season (spring and summer time) is dominated by high turbidity of coarse dust particles (AE ~ 0.28, AOD ~ 0.39 at 440 nm) and a deep CBL. The aerosol-type characterization shows desert mineral dust as prevailing aerosol. Both pure Saharan dust and very clear sky conditions are observed depending on the season. However, several case studies indicate an anthropogenic fine mode contribution from Libya and Algeria's industrial areas. The Concentration Weighted Trajectory (CWT) source apportionment method was used to identify potential sources of air masses arriving at Tamanrasset at several heights for each season. Microphysical and optical properties and precipitable water vapour were also investigated.
Urban-rural interactions in a South Korean forest: uncertainties in isoprene-OH interactions limit understanding of ozone and secondary organic aerosols production
Authors: Kim S. , Kim S.-Y. , Lee M. , Shim H. , Wolfe G. M. , Guenther A. B. , He A. , Hong Y. , Han J.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Rapid urbanization and economic development in East Asia in past decades has led to photochemical air pollution problems such as excess photochemical ozone and aerosol formation. Asian megacities such as Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Gangzhou, and Beijing are surrounded by densely forested areas and recent research has consistently demonstrated the importance of biogenic volatile organic compounds from vegetation in determining oxidation capacity in the suburban Asian megacity regions. Uncertainties in constraining tropospheric oxidation capacity, dominated by hydroxyl radical concentrations, undermine our ability to assess regional photochemical air pollution problems. We present an observational dataset of CO, NOx, SO2, ozone, HONO, and VOCs (anthropogenic and biogenic) from Taehwa Research Forest (TRF) near the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA) in early June 2012. The data show that TRF is influenced both by aged pollution and fresh BVOC emissions. With the dataset, we diagnose HOx (OH, HO2, and RO2) distributions calculated with the University of Washington Chemical Box Model (UWCM v 2.1). Uncertainty from unconstrained HONO sources and radical recycling processes highlighted in recent studies is examined using multiple model simulations with different model constraints. The results suggest that (1) different model simulation scenarios cause systematic differences in HOx distributions especially OH levels (up to 2.5 times) and (2) radical destruction (HO2+HO2 or HO2+RO2) could be more efficient than radical recycling (HO2+NO) especially in the afternoon. Implications of the uncertainties in radical chemistry are discussed with respect to ozone-VOC-NOx sensitivity and oxidation product formation rates. Overall, the VOC limited regime in ozone photochemistry is predicted but the degree of sensitivity can significantly vary depending on the model scenarios. The model results also suggest that RO2 levels are positively correlated with OVOCs production that is not routinely constrained by observations. These unconstrained OVOCs can cause higher than expected OH loss rates (missing OH reactivity) and secondary organic aerosol formation. The series of modeling experiments constrained by observations strongly urge observational constraint of the radical pool to enable precise understanding of regional photochemical pollution problems in the East Asian megacity region.
Degradation changes stable carbon isotope depth profiles in palsa peatlands
Authors: Krüger J. P. , Leifeld J. , Alewell C.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Palsa peatlands are a significant carbon pool in the global carbon cycle and are projected to change by global warming due to accelerated permafrost thaw. Our aim was to use stable carbon isotopes as indicators of palsa degradation. Depth profiles of stable carbon isotopes generally reflect organic matter dynamics in soils with an increase of δ13C values during aerobic decomposition and stable or decreasing δ13C values with depth during anaerobic decomposition. Stable carbon isotope depth profiles of undisturbed and degraded sites of hummocks as well as hollows at three palsa peatlands in northern Sweden were used to investigate the degradation processes. The depth patterns of stable isotopes clearly differ between intact and degraded hummocks at all sites. Erosion and cryoturbation at the degraded sites significantly changes the stable carbon isotope depth profiles. At the intact hummocks the uplifting of peat material by permafrost is indicated by a turning in the δ13C depth trend, and this assessment is supported by a change in the C / N ratios. For hollows isotope patterns were less clear, but some hollows and degraded hollows in the palsa peatlands show differences in their stable carbon isotope depth profiles indicating enhanced degradation rates. We conclude that the degradation of palsa peatlands by accelerated permafrost thawing can be identified with stable carbon isotope depth profiles. At intact hummocks δ13C depth patterns display the uplifting of peat material by a change in peat decomposition processes.
Transfer of lipids through marine water columns to sediments – insights from stable and radiocarbon isotopes
Authors: Wakeham S. G. , McNichol A. P.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Compound-specific 13C and 14C compositions of diverse lipid biomarkers (fatty acids, alkenones, hydrocarbons, sterols, and fatty alcohols) were measured in sinking particulate matter collected in sediment traps and from underlying surface sediments in the Black Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Ross Sea. The goal was to develop a multi-parameter approach to constrain relative inputs of organic carbon (OC) from marine biomass, terrigenous vascular plant, and relict sources. Marine biomass in sediment trap material from the Black Sea and Arabian Sea accounted for 66–100% of OC, with lower terrigenous (3–8%) and relict (4–16%) contributions. Marine biomarkers in sediments constituted lower proportions of OC (66–90%), with consequentially higher proportions of terrigenous and relict carbon (3–17% and 7–13%, respectively). Ross Sea data were insufficient to allow similar mass balance calculations. It is apparent that whereas particulate organic carbon is overwhelmingly marine in origin, there are also significant proportions of pre-aged terrigenous and relict OC that become proportionally more important in sediments. These results indicate that pre-aged OC is better preserved during vertical transport to and burial at the seafloor and/or it reaches the sediment by lateral advection rather than only by the vertical sinking/biological pump that affects the upper ocean-derived marine POC.
An instrumented sample holder for time-lapse micro-tomography measurements of snow under advective airflow
Authors: Ebner P. P. , Grimm S. A. , Schneebeli M. , Steinfeld A.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. An instrumented sample holder was developed for time-lapse micro-tomography of snow samples to enable in-situ nondestructive spatial and temporal measurements under controlled advective airflows, temperature gradients, and air humidities. The design was aided by computational fluid dynamics simulations to evaluate the airflow uniformity across the snow sample. Morphological and mass transport properties were evaluated during a 4 day test run. This instrument allows the experimental characterization of metamorphism of snow undergoing structural changes with time.
On the reliability of analytical models to predict solute transport in a fracture network
Authors: Cherubini C. , Giasi C. I. , Pastore N.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. In hydrogeology, the application of reliable tracer transport model approaches is a key issue to derive the hydrodynamic properties of aquifers. Laboratory- and field-scale tracer dispersion breakthrough curves (BTC) in fractured media are notorious for exhibiting early time arrivals and late time tailing that are not captured by the classical advection–dispersion equation (ADE). These "non-Fickian" features are proven to be better explained by a mobile–immobile (MIM) approach. In this conceptualization the fractured rock system is schematized as a continuous medium in which the liquid phase is separated into flowing and stagnant regions. The present study compares the performances and reliabilities of the classical MIM and the explicit network model (ENM), taking expressly into account the network geometry for describing tracer transport behavior in a fractured sample at bench scale. Though ENM shows better fitting results than MIM, the latter remains still valid as it proves to describe the observed curves quite well. The results show that the presence of nonlinear flow plays an important role in the behavior of solute transport. First, the distribution of solute according to different pathways is not constant, but it is related to the flow rate. Second, nonlinear flow influences advection in that it leads to a delay in solute transport respect to the linear flow assumption. However, nonlinear flow is not shown to be related with dispersion. The experimental results show that in the study case the geometrical dispersion dominates the Taylor dispersion. However, the interpretation with the ENM shows a weak transitional regime from geometrical dispersion to Taylor dispersion for high flow rates. Incorporating the description of the flow paths in the analytical modeling has proven to better fit the curves and to give a more robust interpretation of the solute transport.
The Application of Information Technologies for the Development of the Arab Bridge Maritime Company Maritime Transport Operations
Authors: Assaf Faisal Shafe
Published: June 2014

The Arab Bridge Maritime Company suffers seasonal trailers congestions on its liner service across the Gulf of Aqaba due to several problems, this research focuses on identifying the trailers congestions problems, constraints, and business challenges affecting the efficiency of the maritime and land transport operation on the overall transportation chain of supply for the company and carry out the necessary reengineering process on the day to day operations processes for a better ships efficient operation, smooth flow of trailers, and better customer satisfaction by utilizing three information technologies, the LRIT, RFID and SMS, taking into consideration the business environment, i.e. limited city and port infrastructure, seasonal increase in trailers movement, available technologies in the market and ABM ships capacity.
Research Note: Nowcasting Tourist Arrivals in Barbados – Just Google it!
Authors: Jackman Mahalia , Naitram Simon
Published: June 2014

This paper uses support vector regressions (SVRs) and Google search data to test whether observing Internet habits can provide insights into trends in tourist arrivals in Barbados. The empirical evidence suggests that Google Trends data may be used to pick up changing patterns and trends in tourist arrivals from the UK and Canada. In the case of the USA, the authors find no evidence to suggest that Google data add any significant information to what can be ‘learned’ from an autoregressive SVR.
Around the Marvelous: Film Music Formulas from an Ethnomusicological Perspective
Authors: Meandri Sanchez Ilario
Published: June 2014

Stereotypes and conventions of film music have historically been understood by musicology as evidence of bad artistic practice (think for example of the influential Adorno-Eisler paradigm). But the great repository of musical conventions of the mainstream narratives—a consequence of production practices, true idiomatic competence of the film-music composer—can be scrutinized from the methodological perspective of oral-tradition studies, and understood as a formulaic system.
The Dietary Intakes of Calcium and Bone Health Related Nutrients Among Individuals with and without Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Miyatani Masae , Craven B. Cathy , Loewenberger Eva , McGillivray Colleen F. , Adachi Jonathan D.
Published: June 2014

Objectives: The purposes of this observational study were to: 1) describe and compare the intakes of nutrients related to bone health among a group of individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) versus a group of age, gender and weight matched non–SCI peers; and 2) contrast the participant’s nutrient intakes against current dietary reference intakes (DRIs).
Methods: Consenting participants included: 87 individuals with SCI (C2-T10 AIS A-D) aged 18-68 years and 85 non-SCI individuals. Participants’ nutrient intakes were determined using a 24-hour dietary recall. Participants were grouped by gender, age (19-30yrs, 31-50yrs, 51-68yrs), and impairment (SCI and non-SCI). Additionally, the nutrient intakes were contrasted with the DRIs parameters.
Results: The range for mean calcium intakes across all age strata was 870-1087mg/day for SCI men and 848-1087mg/day for SCI women. The range for mean calcium intakes of the non-SCI participants were similar (men: 900-909mg/day; women: 796-1160mg/day). The majority of SCI and non-SCI men (64 - 86% of participants) in all age groups and SCI and non-SCI women in the 52-68 yrs group (72 and 73% of participants) did not meet the DRIs recommendation for calcium. Additionally many participants did not meet the DRIs recommendation for magnesium (38-55%) and potassium (71-95%) regardless of gender and impairment. The majority (60-70%) of participants consumed excessive amounts of sodium with the exception of non-SCI women.
Conclusions: Dietary calcium intakes among SCI and non-SCI participants were not significantly different from each other. However, the dietary calcium intakes of both impairment groups were less than the recommended DRIs; SCI men and women are a target for nutritional interventions based on their calcium, magnesium potassium and sodium intakes.
Mechanism of Micro-Crack Propagation in Semicrystalline Polymers
Authors: Stern Theodor
Published: June 2014

The development and propagation of cracks is the principle reason for premature mechanical failure of polymeric materials. The well known and widely accepted fracture theories, namely the Griffith fracture theory and the Irwin model, both assume that fracture takes place through the presence of preexisting cracks in the polymer. These minor preexisting cracks, or micro-cracks, are practically present in most polymeric samples. The Griffith approach assumes that for any particular material, the fracture stress is controlled by the size of the flaws present in the structure.
The control and minimization of micro-crack size during polymer processing requires an understanding of the inherent micro-crack propagation mechanism.
The present research reveals a mechanism of internal stress-induced micro-crack propagation in semicrystalline polymers and describes the effect of the intricate crystalline morphological interactions on the extent and direction of intra-spherulite and inter-spherulite micro-crack propagation. In conclusion, a method for minimizing inter-spherulite micro-crack propagation is presented in this article.
New Polymer Syntheses Part: 55#. Novel Conducting Arylidene Polymers and Copolymers Based on Methyl-Cyclohexanone Moiety
Authors: Aly K. I. , Hussein M. A. , Al-Muaikel N. S. , Zeid E. Abo
Published: June 2014

A new interesting class of conducting polymers based on methyl-cyclohexanone in the polymer main chain has been synthesized by solution polycondensation of terephthalaldehyde with methyl-cyclohexanone. Copolymers containing different cycloalkanone moieties were also synthesized using solution polycondensation technique. The model compound I was synthesized by the interaction of methyl-cyclohexanone monomer with benzaldehyde, and its structure was confirmed by elemental and spectral analyses. The resulting new polymers and copolymers were characterized by elemental and spectral analyses, beside solubility and viscometry measurements. The thermal properties of those polymer and copolymers were evaluated by TGA, DrTGA and DTA measurements and correlated to their structural units. PDT as well as T10 was in the range from 205 to 370 ºC. In addition, T10 thermal stability for all the polymers was in the order: VI> II > III > IV > V. X– ray analysis showed that it has some degree of crystallinity in the region 2q = 5 – 60 degree.The UV– visible spectra of some selected polymers were measured in DMSO solution and showed absorption bands in the range 265-397 nm, due to n – p* and p – p* transition. The morphological properties of copolymer IV as selected examples were tested by SEM. The electrical conductivities of the synthesized polymers and copolymers enhanced to become in the range of 10-9-10-8 S cm-1 by doping with iodine.
The Solid State 13C NMR Study of Gamma Radiation of Ethylene-Octene Copolymer
Authors: Jia Shaojin , Zhang Zhenqi , Hou Xiaotian , He Tao , Jiang Pingkai
Published: June 2014

Ethylene-octene copolymer (POE) samples exposed to γ-radiation under a series of absorbed doses have been investigated using thermal analysis, sol–gel analysis and solid state 13C nuclear magnetic Resonance (NMR). The chemical shift of POE was assigned and peak evolution as a function of radiation dose was discussed. An obviously evolution is that the peak area of 33.6 ppm decreases as a function of the increase of radiation dose, and at the same time, the peak shape broadens gradually. This indicates that the chain scission occurred between α-C and branch chain C (methine) or between C1 (the sidegroup hexyl) and branch chain C (methane) after radiation. The chain scission is severer with the increase of absorbed dose.The 13C NMR spectra of the corresponding gels confirmed the result. The variation in linewidth of the resonance at 33.6 ppm in samples of POE irradiated to different doses was attributed to information of chain, scission, new cross linking, and crystalline components.
A dynamin 1-, dynamin 3- and clathrin-independent pathway of synaptic vesicle recycling mediated by bulk endocytosis
Authors: Wu Yumei , O'Toole Eileen T , Girard Martine , Ritter Brigitte , Messa Mirko , Liu Xinran , McPherson Peter S , Ferguson Shawn M , De Camilli Pietro
Published: June 2014

The exocytosis of synaptic vesicles (SVs) elicited by potent stimulation is rapidly compensated by bulk endocytosis of SV membranes leading to large endocytic vacuoles (‘bulk’ endosomes). Subsequently, these vacuoles disappear in parallel with the reappearance of new SVs. We have used synapses of dynamin 1 and 3 double knock-out neurons, where clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is dramatically impaired, to gain insight into the poorly understood mechanisms underlying this process. Massive formation of bulk endosomes was not defective, but rather enhanced, in the absence of dynamin 1 and 3. The subsequent conversion of bulk endosomes into SVs was not accompanied by the accumulation of clathrin coated buds on their surface and this process proceeded even after further clathrin knock-down, suggesting its independence of clathrin. These findings support the existence of a pathway for SV reformation that bypasses the requirement for clathrin and dynamin 1/3 and that operates during intense synaptic activity.
Political Biography of al-Ṣāḥib Ismāʿīl b. ʿAbbād (d. 385/995)
Authors: Pomerantz Maurice A
Published: June 2014

In the medieval Islamic world, eloquent expression was an important skill for statesmen to acquire, such that many of the leading viziers were often prominent belletrists. Among the most well known of these literary figures was the Būyid vizier Ibn ʿAbbād (d. 385/995). Drawing from a wide range of historical and literary sources, this article compiles and corroborates the many accounts relating to Ibn ʿAbbād’s political career, beginning with his family background and early education as a scribe, to his experiences in the Būyid courts of Baghdad, Iṣfahān, and Rayy and his two decades as vizier to the Būyids Muʾayyid al-Dawla (d. 373/983) and Fakhr al-Dawla (d. 387/997) in western Iran.
Reflections on a Braised Pig’s Head
Authors: Liang Yan
Published: June 2014

The sixteenth-century Chinese vernacular novel Jin Ping Mei 金瓶梅 was a groundbreaking work for its vivid presentation of the domestic life of women in an affluent merchant household, a topic seldom touched upon by previous works in the genre. The rich descriptions of food and dining in the novel have attracted various socio-historical studies. This paper offers a different critical approach and studies the rhetorical and narrative functions of food and dining scenes in the novel with a particular focus on the female participants. Taking a dining party episode from chapter 23 of the novel as an example, the essay looks at how food and dining are used as a narratological device to reveal the female characters’ psychology and their interpersonal power dynamics. The essay argues that this use of food for revealing the female characters’ inner worlds is a narrative strategy for coping with the historical limitations of Chinese vernacular storytelling in describing female characters’ private lives and interior thoughts. Its successful implementation in Jin Ping Mei set an important precedent for a literary genre that had previously been dominated by a public and male-dominated mode of storytelling.
Ahhiyawa Texts. By Gary M. Beckman; Trevor R. Bryce; and Eric H. Cline
Authors: Teffeteller Annette
Published: June 2014

The Ahhiyawa Texts. By Gary M. Beckman; Trevor R. Bryce; and Eric H. Cline. Writings from the Ancient World, vol. 28. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2011. Pp. xvi + 302. $34.95 (paper).
Gods Carved in Stone: The Hittite Rock Sanctuary of Yazɩlɩkaya. By Jürgen Seeher
Authors: Bilgin Tayfun
Published: June 2014

Gods Carved in Stone: The Hittite Rock Sanctuary of Yazɩlɩkaya. By Jürgen Seeher. Istanbul: Ege Yayinlari, 2011. Pp. 205, illus. €35 (paper).
Origen y persistencia del Judaísmo. By Gregorio del Olmo Lete
Authors: Pfoh Emanuel
Published: June 2014

Origen y persistencia del Judaísmo. By Gregorio del Olmo Lete. Estella, Navarra: Editorial Verbo Divino, 2010. Pp. 478.
Parable and Politics in Early Islamic History: The Rashidun Caliphs. By Tayeb el-Hibri
Authors: Toral-Niehoff Isabel
Published: June 2014

Parable and Politics in Early Islamic History: The Rashidun Caliphs. By Tayeb el-Hibri. New York: Columbia University Press, 2011. Pp. xiii + 466. $60.
Synthesis of Acetylene‐Substituted Probes with Benzene‐Phosphate Backbones for RNA Labeling
Authors: Kitamura Yoshiaki , Ueno Yoshihito , Kitade Yukio
Published: June 2014

Conversion of dimethyl 5‐aminoisophthalate into the iodoarene via the corresponding diazonium intermediate, followed by Sonogashira coupling with trimethylsilylacetylene afford the alkynylarene, which is reduced with LiAlH4 to give 5‐ethynyl‐1,3‐benzenedimethanol (BE). One hydroxyl group is protected with a 4,4′‐dimethoxytrityl (DMTr) group and subsequently another hydroxyl group is phosphitylated to produce the phosphoramidite. The mono‐DMTr compound is also modified to afford the corresponding succinate, which is then reacted with controlled pore glass (CPG) to provide the solid support. Either the phosphoramidite or the solid support is employed in solid‐phase synthesis of RNA containing BE. RNA oligomers bearing BE rapidly react with 4‐fluorobenzylazide to produce the cycloaddition products in good to excellent yield. Curr. Protoc. Nucleic Acid Chem. 57:4.59.1‐4.59.15. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Compartmentalized Self‐Tagging for In Vitro‐Directed Evolution of XNA Polymerases
Authors: Pinheiro Vitor B. , Arangundy‐Franklin Sebastian , Holliger Philipp
Published: June 2014

Template‐dependent synthesis of xenobiotic nucleic acids (XNAs) is an essential step for the development of functional XNA molecules, as it enables Darwinian evolution to be carried out with novel genetic polymers. The extraordinary substrate specificity of natural DNA polymerases greatly restricts the spectrum of XNAs available, thus making it necessary to identify DNA polymerase variants capable of incorporating a wider range of substrates. This unit summarizes compartmentalized self‐tagging (CST), a directed evolution strategy developed for the selection of DNA polymerase variants capable of XNA synthesis. Curr. Protoc. Nucleic Acid Chem. 57:9.9.1‐9.9.18. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Surface circulation in the Gulf of California in summer from surface drifters and satellite images (2004–2006)
Authors: Lavín M. F. , Castro Rubén , Beier Emilio , Cabrera Carlos , Godínez Victor M. , Amador‐Buenrostro A.
Published: June 2014

Surface drifters released in the Gulf of California between June 2004 and August 2006 are used to describe the surface circulation in late spring and summer. In the June to September mean, there was a poleward coastal current on the shelf and slope of the mainland side of the Gulf, with mean speed ∼0.3 m/s; it reached the northern Gulf and joined the cyclonic circulation typical of this zone in summer. In the western half of the southern Gulf, the drifters presented recirculating currents that are due to mesoscale eddies that appear to dominate the surface circulation in summer. In June 2004, the coastal current presented an enhancement event with mean speed around 0.60 m/s and maximum ∼0.80 m/s. It took ∼20 days for a particular drifter to travel the 1000 km from the Gulf entrance to the head. This strengthening of the coastal current was apparent in chlorophyll a and SST satellite images, the drifters following closely the intrusion of warm, chlorophyll‐poor surface water from outside the Gulf. The drifters and the satellite images suggest that the current‐enhancement event lasted less than a month. This mesoscale event was linked with a mesoscale remote forcing in the tropical Pacific coast and with a mesoscale local forcing of the wind. These events seem to occur every year, and are probably important in carrying organisms and properties from the entrance to the whole length of the Gulf.
Interplay of climate seasonality and soil moisture‐rainfall feedback
Authors: Yin Jun , Porporato Amilcare , Albertson John
Published: June 2014

The soil moisture‐rainfall feedback (SMRF) may significantly impact hydro‐climatic dynamics, inducing persistent weather conditions that are responsible for prolonged droughts or abnormally wet states. However, externally driven seasonal variability in rainfall and potential evapotranspiration, with the associated patterns of wet and dry conditions, may both interact with such an SMRF. In this study, seasonal variations in radiation and precipitation forcing are included in a stochastic SMRF model with the assumption of a soil moisture‐dependent average rainfall frequency to explore their effects on the soil moisture probabilistic structure. The theoretical model results, based on a parameterization using data for soil moisture and climate in Illinois, show that average rainfall frequency peaks in late spring when both the soil condition and the SMRF strength favor convective rainfall triggering. Under such conditions, the soil moisture tends to exhibit bimodal behavior until the SMRF strength becomes weak again toward the end of the growing season. Such a behavior is reminiscent of the dynamics of a system undergoing a periodic, stochastically forced pitchfork bifurcation. The presence of bimodal soil moisture behavior is also verified using nonparametric statistical tests on soil moisture data. The analysis of wet‐to‐wet and dry‐to‐dry soil moisture transitions in the joint probability distribution of soil moisture further corroborates the presence of hydro‐climatic persistence in the spring‐to‐summer transition.
The Exoplanet Opportunity: Top‐Down Planetary Science
Authors: Cowan Nicolas B.
Published: June 2014

What started as a trickle in the mid‐1990s is now a torrent, with more than 1000 extrasolar planets currently known and thousands of candidates awaiting confirmation (see http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov). The study of exoplanets has already revolutionized scientific and public views of planet formation and will soon do the same for planetary atmospheres and interiors.
Contribution of anthropogenic phosphorus to agricultural soil fertility and food production
Authors: Ringeval B. , Nowak B. , Nesme T. , Delmas M. , Pellerin S.
Published: June 2014

Agricultural intensification over the last few decades has been accompanied by the extensive use of anthropogenic phosphorus (P) derived from mined phosphate rock. Given the increasing scarcity of P resources, accurate estimates of the reliance of agriculture on anthropogenic P are required. Here we propose a modeling approach for assessing the contribution of anthropogenic P to agricultural soil fertility and food production. We performed computations at country level, and France was chosen as a typical western European country with intensive agriculture. Four soil P pools were identified based on their bioavailability (labile versus stable) and origin (anthropogenic versus natural). Pool evolution between 1948 and 2009 was estimated by combining international databases and a simple biogeochemical model. An optimization procedure demonstrated the necessity of representing a stable P pool capable of replenishing the labile pool within 14 to 33 years in order to match country‐scale observations. Mean simulated P pool sizes for 2009 (0–35 cm soil horizon) were 146, 616, 31, and 156 kgP/ha for natural stable, anthropogenic stable, natural labile, and anthropogenic labile pools, respectively. We found that, on average, 82% (min‐max: 68–91%) of soil P (sum of labile and above defined stable) in that year was anthropogenic. The temporal evolution of this contribution is directly related to the integral of chemical fertilizer use over time, starting from 1948. The contribution of anthropogenic P to food production was similar at 84% (min‐max: 72–91%), which is greater than budget‐based estimates (~50–60%) commonly reported in the literature. By focusing on soil fertility and food production, this study provides a quantitative estimation of human perturbations of the P cycle in agroecosystems.
Runoff sensitivity to global mean temperature change in the CMIP5 Models
Authors: Zhang Xuejun , Tang Qiuhong , Zhang Xuezhen , Lettenmaier Dennis P.
Published: June 2014

We estimated runoff sensitivities to global mean temperature change using climate experiments archived in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and compared with the similar CMIP3 results. We also evaluated differences in runoff sensitivity for the Earth System Models (ESMs) and Climate System Models (CSMs), which were separately identified in CMIP5 for the first time. Our results show that runoff sensitivity is relatively independent of emission scenarios in CMIP5, as in CMIP3 results. Global mean runoff would increase about 2.9% per °C of global warming in CMIP5, as contrasted with 1.9% in CMIP3. Although global runoff sensitivity patterns for CMIP5 and CMIP3 are roughly similar, CMIP5 suggests significant declines (increases) in runoff sensitivity over 17% (25%) of the global land area relative to CMIP3. Globally, the ESMs and CSMs have about the same model spread in runoff change projections.
Seismically triggered anomalies in the isotope signatures of mantle‐derived gases detected at degassing sites along two neighboring faults in NW Bohemia, central Europe
Authors: Bräuer Karin , Kämpf Horst , Strauch Gerhard
Published: June 2014

The Vogtland and NW Bohemia region is known for its earthquake swarms; the most intensive swarm since 1985/86 occurred in October 2008. To find further indications for the interaction of ascending mantle‐derived fluids and the occurrence of earthquake swarms, detailed fortnightly studies of gas compositions (CO2, N2, Ar, He, H2, and CH4) and isotope ratios (δ13C, δ15N, and 3He/4He) were carried out between October 2008 and April 2011 at four locations close to the Nový Kostel focal zone and at the Wettinquelle spring (Bad Brambach). From the start of the 2008 earthquake swarm seismically induced isotope‐geochemical anomalies were recorded at locations along the Počatky‐Plesná fault zone (PPZ) and were, for the first time, also found at degassing locations on the Mariánské Láznĕ fault zone (MLF). Variations were observed in both the temporal and spatial distributions of the anomalies as well in anomaly strengths, probably due to the positions of these fault zones relative to the focal zone, and to differences in fluid migration pathways. Prior to both the 2000 and 2008 swarms, 3He/4He ratios > 6 Ra were recorded at the Bublák mofette. These anomalous pre‐seismic 3He/4He ratios suggest that both the 2000 and 2008 swarms may have been associated with the supply of fresh magma from a less degassed reservoir in the lithospheric mantle. The temporal δ13CCO2 pattern from detailed studies at Bublák between 2005 and 2011 indicates progressive magma degassing, as well as seismically induced variations in the δ13C, providing additional support to the interpretation derived from the 3He/4He ratios.