bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using XBRL to Conduct a Large-Scale Study of Discrepancies between the Accounting Numbers in Compustat and SEC 10-K Filings
Authors: Chychyla Roman , Kogan Alexander
Published: September 2014

Compustat is frequently used for both research and decision making. It has been documented that information found in the Compustat database differs from both the information found in other accounting databases and the information disclosed in corporate financial filings (San Miguel 1977; Rosenberg and Houglet 1974; Yang, Vasarhelyi, and Liu 2003; Tallapally, Luehlfing, and Motha 2011, 2012; Boritz and No 2013). In this study, we conduct the first large-scale comparison of Compustat and 10-K data. Specifically, we compare 30 accounting line items of approximately 5,000 companies for the period from October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012. We find that the values reported in Compustat significantly differ from the values reported in 10-K filings. We also find that the amount and magnitude of the original data alterations introduced by Compustat depend on the type of the accounting item and company characteristics, such as industry and size.
Enamel loss following ceramic bracket debonding: A quantitative analysis in vitro
Authors: Suliman Sam N. , Trojan Terry M. , Tantbirojn Daranee , Versluis Antheunis
Published: September 2014

Objective: 

To measure enamel surface changes after ceramic bracket debonding and after cleanup.

Materials and Methods: 

Forty extracted teeth were scanned in three dimensions using an optical scanner (baseline). Two ceramic bracket systems were placed (19 metal-reinforced polycrystalline ceramic brackets; 21 monocrystalline ceramic brackets). Seven days later, brackets were debonded and teeth scanned (post-debond). Adhesive remnants and bracket fragments were recorded. Tooth surfaces were cleaned using a finishing carbide bur and scanned again (post-cleanup). Post-debond and post-cleanup scans were aligned with the baseline, and surface changes were quantified. Results were statistically compared using t-tests and Mann-Whitney tests (α  =  .05).

Results: 

The depth of enamel loss (mean ± standard deviation) post-debond was 21 ± 8 µm and 33 µm and post-cleanup was 28 ± 14 µm and 18 ± 8 µm (P  =  .0191); the post-debond remnant thickness was 188 ± 113 µm and 120 ± 37 µm (P  =  .2381) and post-cleanup was 16 ± 5 µm and 15 µm for polycrystalline and monocrystalline ceramic brackets, respectively. The monocrystalline ceramic brackets predominantly left all adhesive on the tooth; the polycrystalline ceramic brackets were more likely to leave bracket fragments attached.

Conclusion: 

Both systems allowed successful removal of the brackets with minimal enamel loss. However, the polycrystalline ceramic brackets left more fragments on the tooth, which complicated cleanup efforts.
Richard Aldington's Images, the Metropolis, and the Masses
Authors: Frayn Andrew
Published: September 2014

Richard Aldington's city poems in the latter part of his 1915 collection Images are concerned with the masses who inhabit the modern city. Aldington is at pains to stress his distinction from those he perceives as an increasingly homogenized crowd. This paper examines the literary, linguistic and rhetorical strategies by which Aldington ‘others’ the masses, and sets them in the context of contemporary studies of the crowd, focusing on the work of Gustave Le Bon and C. F. G. Masterman. Aldington's poetry is a product of the environment he sees as unsatisfactory, but he searches for solutions in a range of literary traditions which write the city.
Derivation of Oscillators from Biquadratic Band Pass Filters Using Circuit Transformations
Authors: Wang Hung-Yu , Tran Huu-Duy , Nguyen Quoc-Minh , Yin Li-Te , Liu Chih-Yi
Published: September 2014

Network transformations are the techniques to obtain new functional schemes from available circuits. They are systematic methodologies, since each transformation technique can be applied to many circuits to obtain the desired functions or characteristics. A convenient network transformation method, exploiting different circuit transformations, for deriving linear sinusoidal oscillators from biquadratic band pass filters is proposed. This method with generality can be applied to any band pass filter. The oscillation frequency of the new obtained oscillator is identical to the center frequency of the original band pass filter, and the useful properties of the selected band pass filter can be retained. Two examples are illustrated to confirm the feasibility of the proposed approach. The workability of the obtained oscillators is verified with PSPICE simulations.
SUMO and KSHV Replication
Authors: Chang Pei-Ching , Kung Hsing-Jien
Published: September 2014

Small Ubiquitin-related MOdifier (SUMO) modification was initially identified as a reversible post-translational modification that affects the regulation of diverse cellular processes, including signal transduction, protein trafficking, chromosome segregation, and DNA repair. Increasing evidence suggests that the SUMO system also plays an important role in regulating chromatin organization and transcription. It is thus not surprising that double-stranded DNA viruses, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), have exploited SUMO modification as a means of modulating viral chromatin remodeling during the latent-lytic switch. In addition, SUMO regulation allows the disassembly and assembly of promyelocytic leukemia protein-nuclear bodies (PML-NBs), an intrinsic antiviral host defense, during the viral replication cycle. Overcoming PML-NB-mediated cellular intrinsic immunity is essential to allow the initial transcription and replication of the herpesvirus genome after de novo infection. As a consequence, KSHV has evolved a way as to produce multiple SUMO regulatory viral proteins to modulate the cellular SUMO environment in a dynamic way during its life cycle. Remarkably, KSHV encodes one gene product (K-bZIP) with SUMO-ligase activities and one gene product (K-Rta) that exhibits SUMO-targeting ubiquitin ligase (STUbL) activity. In addition, at least two viral products are sumoylated that have functional importance. Furthermore, sumoylation can be modulated by other viral gene products, such as the viral protein kinase Orf36. Interference with the sumoylation of specific viral targets represents a potential therapeutic strategy when treating KSHV, as well as other oncogenic herpesviruses. Here, we summarize the different ways KSHV exploits and manipulates the cellular SUMO system and explore the multi-faceted functions of SUMO during KSHV’s life cycle and pathogenesis.
A Study of the Relations between Soil Moisture, Soil Temperatures and Surface Temperatures Using ARM Observations and Offline CLM4 Simulations
Authors: Jin Menglin , Mullens Terrence
Published: September 2014

Soil temperature, soil moisture, skin temperature and 2-m air temperature are examined from both ground observations and the offline community land model (CLM4). Two-layer soil moisture and three-layer soil temperature observations from six-year (2003–2008) ground measurements at the Lamont, Oklahoma site supported by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program of the Department of Energy (DOE) show clear vertical and temporal relations between soil temperature and soil moisture with surface skin temperature and 2-m air temperature. First, daily means reveal that all of these variables have clear seasonal variations, with temperatures peaking in summer and minimizing in winter as a result of surface insolation. Nevertheless, the 2-m air temperature and upper soil temperature (−0.05 m) peak at 2 h after that of surface skin temperature because of the lag of transport of heat from the skin level to the 2-m air and to underground respectively. As a result of such lag, at the monthly annual cycle scale, 2-m air temperature has higher correlation with upper soil temperature than skin temperature does. Second, there are little diurnal and annual variations at the lowest soil layer (−0.25 m). Third, a negative correlation (~−0.40) between skin temperature and soil moisture is observed, consistent with the expectation that heat flux and evaporation are competing physical processes for redistributing surface net radiation. Soil moisture, however, minimizes in March and maximizes in winter due to the local rainfall cycle. All of these key observed relations are qualitatively reproduced in the offline CLM4 using the atmosphere forcing derived from ARM observations. Nevertheless, CLM4 is too dry at the upper layer and has less variation at the lower layer than observed. In addition, CLM4 shows stronger correlation between Tsoil and Tskin (r = 0.96) than the observations (r = 0.64), while the predicted nighttime Tskin is 0.5–2 °C higher than the observations.
LCA Study of Oleaginous Bioenergy Chains in a Mediterranean Environment
Authors: Cocco Daniele , Deligios Paola , Ledda Luigi , Sulas Leonardo , Virdis Adriana , Carboni Gianluca
Published: September 2014

This paper reports outcomes of life cycle assessments (LCAs) of three different oleaginous bioenergy chains (oilseed rape, Ethiopian mustard and cardoon) under Southern Europe conditions. Accurate data on field practices previously collected during a three-year study at two sites were used. The vegetable oil produced by oleaginous seeds was used for power generation in medium-speed diesel engines while the crop residues were used in steam power plants. For each bioenergy chain, the environmental impact related to cultivation, transportation of agricultural products and industrial conversion for power generation was evaluated by calculating cumulative energy demand, acidification potential and global warming potential. For all three bioenergy chains, the results of the LCA study show a considerable saving of primary energy (from 70 to 86 GJ·ha−1) and greenhouse gas emissions (from 4.1 to 5.2 t CO2·ha−1) in comparison to power generation from fossil fuels, although the acidification potential of these bioenergy chains may be twice that of conventional power generation. In addition, the study highlights that land use changes due to the cultivation of the abovementioned crops reduce soil organic content and therefore worsen and increase greenhouse gas emissions for all three bioenergy chains. The study also demonstrates that the exploitation of crop residues for energy production greatly contributes to managing environmental impact of the three bioenergy chains.
Mouse ENU Mutagenesis to Understand Immunity to Infection: Methods, Selected Examples, and Perspectives
Authors: Caignard Grégory , Eva Megan , Van Bruggen Rebekah , Eveleigh Robert , Bourque Guillaume , Malo Danielle , Gros Philippe , Vidal Silvia
Published: September 2014

Infectious diseases are responsible for over 25% of deaths globally, but many more individuals are exposed to deadly pathogens. The outcome of infection results from a set of diverse factors including pathogen virulence factors, the environment, and the genetic make-up of the host. The completion of the human reference genome sequence in 2004 along with technological advances have tremendously accelerated and renovated the tools to study the genetic etiology of infectious diseases in humans and its best characterized mammalian model, the mouse. Advancements in mouse genomic resources have accelerated genome-wide functional approaches, such as gene-driven and phenotype-driven mutagenesis, bringing to the fore the use of mouse models that reproduce accurately many aspects of the pathogenesis of human infectious diseases. Treatment with the mutagen N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) has become the most popular phenotype-driven approach. Our team and others have employed mouse ENU mutagenesis to identify host genes that directly impact susceptibility to pathogens of global significance. In this review, we first describe the strategies and tools used in mouse genetics to understand immunity to infection with special emphasis on chemical mutagenesis of the mouse germ-line together with current strategies to efficiently identify functional mutations using next generation sequencing. Then, we highlight illustrative examples of genes, proteins, and cellular signatures that have been revealed by ENU screens and have been shown to be involved in susceptibility or resistance to infectious diseases caused by parasites, bacteria, and viruses.
The Role of MicroRNAs in Diabetic Complications—Special Emphasis on Wound Healing
Authors: Moura João , Børsheim Elisabet , Carvalho Eugenia
Published: September 2014

Overweight and obesity are major problems in today’s society, driving the prevalence of diabetes and its related complications. It is important to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the chronic complications in diabetes in order to develop better therapeutic approaches for these conditions. Some of the most important complications include macrovascular abnormalities, e.g., heart disease and atherosclerosis, and microvascular abnormalities, e.g., retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy, in particular diabetic foot ulceration. The highly conserved endogenous small non-coding RNA molecules, the micro RNAs (miRNAs) have in recent years been found to be involved in a number of biological processes, including the pathogenesis of disease. Their main function is to regulate post-transcriptional gene expression by binding to their target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), leading to mRNA degradation, suppression of translation or even gene activation. These molecules are promising therapeutic targets and demonstrate great potential as diagnostic biomarkers for disease. This review aims to describe the most recent findings regarding the important roles of miRNAs in diabetes and its complications, with special attention given to the different phases of diabetic wound healing.
Exposure to Endocrine Disrupters and Nuclear Receptor Gene Expression in Infertile and Fertile Women from Different Italian Areas
Authors: La Rocca Cinzia , Tait Sabrina , Guerranti Cristiana , Busani Luca , Ciardo Francesca , Bergamasco Bruno , Stecca Laura , Perra Guido , Mancini Francesca , Marci Roberto , Bordi Giulia , Caserta Donatella , Focardi Silvano , Moscarini Massimo , Mantovani Alberto
Published: September 2014

Within the PREVIENI project, infertile and fertile women were enrolled from metropolitan, urban and rural Italian areas. Blood/serum levels of several endocrine disrupters (EDs) (perfluorooctane sulfonate, PFOS; perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA; di-2-ethylhexyl-phthalate, DEHP; mono-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate, MEHP; bisphenol A, BPA) were evaluated concurrently with nuclear receptors (NRs) gene expression levels (ERa, ERb, AR, AhR, PPARg, PXR) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Infertile women from the metropolitan area displayed significantly higher levels of: BPA compared to fertile women (14.9 vs. 0.5 ng/mL serum); BPA and MEHP compared to infertile women from urban and rural areas; enhanced expression levels of NRs, except PPARg. Infertile women from urban and rural areas had PFOA levels significantly higher than those from metropolitan areas. Our study indicates the relevance of the living environment when investigating the exposure to EDs and the modulation of the NR panel in PBMC as a suitable biomarker of the effect, to assess the EDs impact on reproductive health.
Effect of APE1 T2197G (Asp148Glu) Polymorphism on APE1, XRCC1, PARP1 and OGG1 Expression in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Santos Juliana , Funck Alexandre , Silva-Fernandes Isabelle , Rabenhorst Silvia , Martinez Carlos , Ribeiro Marcelo
Published: September 2014

It has been hypothesized that genetic variation in base excision repair (BER) might modify colorectal adenoma risk. Thus, we evaluated the influence of APE1 T2197G (Asp148Glu) polymorphism on APE1, XRCC1, PARP1 and OGG1 expression in normal and tumor samples from patients with colorectal cancer. The results indicate a downregulation of OGG1 and an upregulation of XRCC1 expression in tumor tissue. Regarding the anatomical location of APE1, OGG1 and PARP-1, a decrease in gene expression was observed among patients with cancer in the rectum. In patients with or without some degree of tumor invasion, a significant downregulation in OGG1 was observed in tumor tissue. Interestingly, when taking into account the tumor stage, patients with more advanced grades (III and IV) showed a significant repression for APE1, OGG1 and PARP-1. XRCC1 expression levels were significantly enhanced in tumor samples and were correlated with all clinical and histopathological data. Concerning the polymorphism T2197G, GG genotype carriers exhibited a significantly reduced expression of genes of the BER repair system (APE1, XRCC1 and PARP1). In summary, our data show that patients with colorectal cancer present expression changes in several BER genes, suggesting a role for APE1, XRCC1, PARP1 and OGG1 and APE1 polymorphism in colorectal carcinogenesis.
A Functional Polymorphism in the 3'-UTR of PXR Interacts with Smoking to Increase Lung Cancer Risk in Southern and Eastern Chinese Smoker
Authors: Zhang Lisha , Qiu Fuman , Lu Xiaoxiao , Li Yinyan , Fang Wenxiang , Zhang Lan , Zhou Yifeng , Yang Lei , Lu Jiachun
Published: September 2014

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is an important member of the nuclear receptor superfamily that copes with various endobiotic and xenobiotic stimuli, such as carcinogens by regulating an array of environmental response genes. Low PXR expression has been shown to promote tumor initiation and metastasis. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PXR could alter lung cancer susceptibility in Chinese by affecting the function or expression of PXR. We genotyped three putatively functional SNPs of PXR (i.e., rs3814055C>T, rs3732360C>T, and rs3814058C>T) and analyzed their associations with lung cancer risk in a two-stage case-control study with a total of 1559 lung cancer cases and 1679 controls in the southern and eastern Chinese population. We found that in comparison to the rs3814058CC common genotype, the rs3814058T variants (TC/TT) which is located in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of PXR conferred a consistently increased risk of lung cancer in both the southern Chinese (odd ratios (OR) = 1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03−1.49) and the eastern Chinese (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.02−1.75). The variants also significantly interacted with smoking on increasing cancer risk (p = 0.023). Moreover, lung cancer tissues with the rs3814058T variants showed significantly lower PXR expression than those with rs3814058CC genotype in the smokers (p = 0.041). These results suggested that the rs3814058C>T polymorphism of PXR interacts with smoking on increasing lung cancer risk in Chinese smokers, which might be a functional genetic biomarker for lung cancer.
Expression of Root-Related Transcription Factors Associated with Flooding Tolerance of Soybean (Glycine max)
Authors: Valliyodan Babu , Van Toai Tara , Alves Jose , De Fátima P. Goulart Patricia , Lee Jeong , Fritschi Felix , Rahman Mohammed , Islam Rafiq , Shannon J. , Nguyen Henry
Published: September 2014

Much research has been conducted on the changes in gene expression of the model plant Arabidopsis to low-oxygen stress. Flooding results in a low oxygen environment in the root zone. However, there is ample evidence that tolerance to soil flooding is more than tolerance to low oxygen alone. In this study, we investigated the physiological response and differential expression of root-related transcription factors (TFs) associated with the tolerance of soybean plants to soil flooding. Differential responses of PI408105A and S99-2281 plants to ten days of soil flooding were evaluated at physiological, morphological and anatomical levels. Gene expression underlying the tolerance response was investigated using qRT-PCR of root-related TFs, known anaerobic genes, and housekeeping genes. Biomass of flood-sensitive S99-2281 roots remained unchanged during the entire 10 days of flooding. Flood-tolerant PI408105A plants exhibited recovery of root growth after 3 days of flooding. Flooding induced the development of aerenchyma and adventitious roots more rapidly in the flood-tolerant than the flood-sensitive genotype. Roots of tolerant plants also contained more ATP than roots of sensitive plants at the 7th and 10th days of flooding. Quantitative transcript analysis identified 132 genes differentially expressed between the two genotypes at one or more time points of flooding. Expression of genes related to the ethylene biosynthesis pathway and formation of adventitious roots was induced earlier and to higher levels in roots of the flood-tolerant genotype. Three potential flood-tolerance TFs which were differentially expressed between the two genotypes during the entire 10-day flooding duration were identified. This study confirmed the expression of anaerobic genes in response to soil flooding. Additionally, the differential expression of TFs associated with soil flooding tolerance was not qualitative but quantitative and temporal. Functional analyses of these genes will be necessary to reveal their potential to enhance flooding tolerance of soybean cultivars.
Trajectories and Risk Factors of Criminal Behavior among Females from Adolescence to Early Adulthood
Authors: Krupa Julie , Childs Kristina
Published: September 2014

Previous research suggests that social environmental and individual-level factors influence adolescent development and behavior over time. However, little attention has been devoted to examining how risk factors (i.e., parental support, peer delinquency, self-control) affect trajectories of criminal behavior among female adolescents. Utilizing data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 5138 females) and latent class analysis, three offending trajectories among females from late adolescence to early adulthood were identified: late escalators, late de-escalators, and stable low/abstainers. Next, the influence of social environmental and individual-level factors during adolescence (Wave 1) on these trajectories was assessed. Results identified key differences in the risk factors related to group placement. The implications of the findings for prevention and treatment services targeting adolescent females, and directions for future research, are discussed.
Unusual Structure-Energy Correlations in Intramolecular Diels–Alder Reaction Transition States
Authors: Żurek Justyna , Rae Robert , Paterson Martin , Bebbington Magnus
Published: September 2014

Detailed analysis of calculated data from an experimental/computational study of intramolecular furan Diels–Alder reactions has led to the unusual discovery that the mean contraction of the newly forming C-C σ-bonds from the transition state to the product shows a linear correlation with both reaction Gibbs free energies and reverse energy barriers. There is evidence for a similar correlation in other intramolecular Diels–Alder reactions involving non-aromatic dienes. No such correlation is found for intermolecular Diels–Alder reactions.
Anti-Inflammatory Effect of 3-O-[(6'-O-Palmitoyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl Sitosterol] from Agave angustifolia on Ear Edema in Mice
Authors: Hernández-Valle Elizabeth , Herrera-Ruiz Maribel , Salgado Gabriela , Zamilpa Alejandro , Ocampo Martha , Aparicio Antonio , Tortoriello Jaime , Jiménez-Ferrer Enrique
Published: September 2014

In Mexico Agave angustifolia has traditionally been used to treat inflammation. The aim of this study was to measure the anti-inflammatory effect of the extract of A. angustifolia, the isolation and identification of active compounds. From the acetone extract two active fractions were obtained, (AsF13 and AaF16). For the characterization of pharmacological activity, the acute inflammatory model of mouse ear edema induced with TPA was used. The tissue exposed to TPA and treatments were subjected to two analysis, cytokine quantification (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α) and histopathological evaluation. The active fraction (AaF16) consisted principally of 3-O-[(6'-O-palmitoyl)-β-D-glucopyranpsyl] sitosterol. In AaF13 fraction was identified β-sitosteryl glucoside (2) and stigmasterol (3). The three treatments tested showed a concentration-dependent anti-inflammatory effect (AaAc Emax = 33.10%, EC50 = 0.126 mg/ear; AaF13 Emax = 54.22%, EC50 = 0.0524 mg/ear; AaF16 Emax = 61.01%, EC50 = 0.050 mg/ear). The application of TPA caused a significant increase on level of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNFα compared with basal condition, which was countered by any of the experimental treatments. Moreover, the experimental treatments induced a significant increase in the levels of IL-4 and IL-10, compared to the level observed when stimulated with TPA. Therefore, the anti-inflammatory effect of Agave angustifolia, is associated with the presence of 3-O-[(6'-O-palmitoyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl] sitosterol.
Combined Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolite Profiling of Different Pigmented Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Seeds and Correlation with Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Kim Ga , Jung Eun , Lee Sarah , Lim Sun-Hyung , Ha Sun-Hwa , Lee Choong
Published: September 2014

Nine varieties of pigmented rice (Oryza sativa L.) seeds that were black, red, or white were used to perform metabolite profiling by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and gas chromatography (GC) TOF-MS, to measure antioxidant activities. Clear grouping patterns determined by the color of the rice seeds were identified in principle component analysis (PCA) derived from UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Cyanidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3-glucoside, proanthocyanidin dimer, proanthocyanidin trimer, apigenin-6-C-glugosyl-8-C-arabiboside, tricin-O-rhamnoside-O-hexoside, and lipids were identified as significantly different secondary metabolites. In PCA score plots derived from GC-TOF-MS, Jakwangdo (JKD) and Ilpoom (IP) species were discriminated from the other rice seeds by PC1 and PC2. Valine, phenylalanine, adenosine, pyruvate, nicotinic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, malonic acid, gluconic acid, xylose, fructose, glucose, maltose, and myo-inositol were significantly different primary metabolites in JKD species, while GABA, asparagine, xylitol, and sucrose were significantly distributed in IP species. Analysis of antioxidant activities revealed that black and red rice seeds had higher activity than white rice seeds. Cyanidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3-glucoside, proanthocyanidin dimers, proanthocyanidin trimers, and catechin were highly correlated with antioxidant activities, and were more plentiful in black and red rice seeds. These results are expected to provide valuable information that could help improve and develop rice-breeding techniques.
Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Thiophene Derivatives by Cyclization of Functionalized Alkynes
Authors: Mancuso Raffaella , Gabriele Bartolo
Published: September 2014

This review is intended to highlight some recent and particularly interesting examples of the synthesis of thiophene derivatives by heterocyclization of readily available S-containing alkyne substrates.
A Multi-Scale Computational Study on the Mechanism of Streptococcus pneumoniae Nicotinamidase (SpNic)
Authors: Ion Bogdan , Kazim Erum , Gauld James
Published: September 2014

Nicotinamidase (Nic) is a key zinc-dependent enzyme in NAD metabolism that catalyzes the hydrolysis of nicotinamide to give nicotinic acid. A multi-scale computational approach has been used to investigate the catalytic mechanism, substrate binding and roles of active site residues of Nic from Streptococcus pneumoniae (SpNic). In particular, density functional theory (DFT), molecular dynamics (MD) and ONIOM quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods have been employed. The overall mechanism occurs in two stages: (i) formation of a thioester enzyme-intermediate (IC2) and (ii) hydrolysis of the thioester bond to give the products. The polar protein environment has a significant effect in stabilizing reaction intermediates and in particular transition states. As a result, both stages effectively occur in one step with Stage 1, formation of IC2, being rate limiting barrier with a cost of 53.5 kJ•mol−1 with respect to the reactant complex, RC. The effects of dispersion interactions on the overall mechanism were also considered but were generally calculated to have less significant effects with the overall mechanism being unchanged. In addition, the active site lysyl (Lys103) is concluded to likely play a role in stabilizing the thiolate of Cys136 during the reaction.
Dominican Chant and Dominican Identity
Authors: Smith Innocent
Published: September 2014

The Order of Preachers possesses a venerable chant tradition that dates back to the thirteenth century. This essay describes Dominican chant, showing how it developed as a consequence of the attitudes to the liturgy expressed in the Ancient Constitutions of the Order of Preachers. These constitutions stressed that the liturgy was to be performed with careful attention to bodily posture, with a succinctness and brevity that would allow time for study and preaching, and with gradations of solemnity that would express the inner hierarchy of parts of the liturgy and of the liturgical year. After the initial development of the repertoire, Dominican chant has gone through periods of decline and revival, which are briefly traced in this article together with a consideration of the place of the chant in the contemporary practice of the Order. Throughout the last eight centuries, the chant of the Order of Preachers has played an important role in the inculcation and preservation of Dominican identity within the Order and in the lives of individual friars and sisters.
Tail Risk in Commercial Property Insurance
Authors: Biffis Enrico , Chavez Erik
Published: September 2014

We present some new evidence on the tail distribution of commercial property losses based on a recently constructed dataset on large commercial risks. The dataset is based on contributions from Lloyd’s of London syndicates, and provides information on over three thousand claims occurred during the period 2000–2012, including detailed information on exposures. We use occupancy characteristics to compare the tail risk profiles of different commercial property exposures, and find evidence of substantial heterogeneity in tail behavior. The results demonstrate the benefits of aggregating granular information on both claims and exposures from different data sources, and provide warning against the use of reserving and capital modeling approaches that are not robust to heavy tails.
Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Land-Use and Land-Cover in the Mu Us Sandy Land, China, Using the Change Vector Analysis Technique
Authors: Karnieli Arnon , Qin Zhihao , Wu Bo , Panov Natalya , Yan Feng
Published: September 2014

The spatial extent of desertified vs. rehabilitated areas in the Mu Us Sandy Land, China, was explored. The area is characterized by complex landscape changes that were caused by different drivers, either natural or anthropogenic, interacting with each other, and resulting in multiple consequences. Two biophysical variables, NDVI, positively correlated with vegetation cover, and albedo, positively correlated with cover of exposed sands, were computed from a time series of merged NOAA-AVHRR and MODIS images (1981 to 2010). Generally, throughout the study period, NDVI increased and albedo decreased. Improved understanding of spatial and temporal dynamics of these environmental processes was achieved by using the Change Vector Analysis (CVA) technique applied to NDVI and albedo data extracted from four sets of consecutive Landsat images, several years apart. Changes were detected for each time step, as well as over the entire period (1978 to 2007). Four categories of land cover were created—vegetation, exposed sands, water bodies and wetlands. The CVA’s direction and magnitude enable detecting and quantifying finer changes compared to separate NDVI or albedo difference/ratio images and result in pixel-based maps of the change. Each of the four categories has a biophysical meaning that was validated in selected hot-spots, employing very high spatial resolution images (e.g., Ikonos). Selection of images, taking into account inter and intra annual variability of rainfall, enables differentiating between short-term conservancies (e.g., drought) and long-term alterations. NDVI and albedo, although comparable to tasseled cap’s brightness and greenness indices, have the advantage of being computed using reflectance values extracted from various Landsat platforms since the early 1970s. It is shown that, over the entire study period, the majority of the Mu Us Sandy Land area remained unchanged. Part of the area (6%), mainly in the east, was under human-induced rehabilitation processes, in terms of increasing vegetation cover. In other areas (5.1%), bare sands were found to expand to the central-north and the southwest of the area.
Water Level Fluctuations in the Congo Basin Derived from ENVISAT Satellite Altimetry
Authors: Becker Mélanie , Da Silva Joecila , Calmant Stéphane , Robinet Vivien , Linguet Laurent , Seyler Frédérique
Published: September 2014

In the Congo Basin, the elevated vulnerability of food security and the water supply implies that sustainable development strategies must incorporate the effects of climate change on hydrological regimes. However, the lack of observational hydro-climatic data over the past decades strongly limits the number of studies investigating the effects of climate change in the Congo Basin. We present the largest altimetry-based dataset of water levels ever constituted over the entire Congo Basin. This dataset of water levels illuminates the hydrological regimes of various tributaries of the Congo River. A total of 140 water level time series are extracted using ENVISAT altimetry over the period of 2003 to 2009. To improve the understanding of the physical phenomena dominating the region, we perform a K-means cluster analysis of the altimeter-derived river level height variations to identify groups of hydrologically similar catchments. This analysis reveals nine distinct hydrological regions. The proposed regionalization scheme is validated and therefore considered reliable for estimating monthly water level variations in the Congo Basin. This result confirms the potential of satellite altimetry in monitoring spatio-temporal water level variations as a promising and unprecedented means for improved representation of the hydrologic characteristics in large ungauged river basins.
Statistical Analysis of SAR Sea Clutter for Classification Purposes
Authors: Martín-de-Nicolás Jaime , Jarabo-Amores María-Pilar , Mata-Moya David , Del-Rey-Maestre Nerea , Bárcena-Humanes José-Luis
Published: September 2014

Statistical analysis of radar clutter has always been one of the topics, where more effort has been put in the last few decades. These studies were usually focused on finding the statistical models that better fitted the clutter distribution; however, the goal of this work is not the modeling of the clutter, but the study of the suitability of the statistical parameters to carry out a sea state classification. In order to achieve this objective and provide some relevance to this study, an important set of maritime and coastal Synthetic Aperture Radar data is considered. Due to the nature of the acquisition of data by SAR sensors, speckle noise is inherent to these data, and a specific study of how this noise affects the clutter distribution is also performed in this work. In pursuit of a sense of wholeness, a thorough study of the most suitable statistical parameters, as well as the most adequate classifier is carried out, achieving excellent results in terms of classification success rates. These concluding results confirm that a sea state classification is not only viable, but also successful using statistical parameters different from those of the best modeling distribution and applying a speckle filter, which allows a better characterization of the parameters used to distinguish between different sea states.
Estimation of the Age and Amount of Brown Rice Plant Hoppers Based on Bionic Electronic Nose Use
Authors: Xu Sai , Zhou Zhiyan , Lu Huazhong , Luo Xiwen , Lan Yubin , Zhang Yang , Li Yanfang
Published: September 2014

The brown rice plant hopper (BRPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stal), is one of the most important insect pests affecting rice and causes serious damage to the yield and quality of rice plants in Asia. This study used bionic electronic nose technology to sample BRPH volatiles, which vary in age and amount. Principal component analysis (PCA), linear discrimination analysis (LDA), probabilistic neural network (PNN), BP neural network (BPNN) and loading analysis (Loadings) techniques were used to analyze the sampling data. The results indicate that the PCA and LDA classification ability is poor, but the LDA classification displays superior performance relative to PCA. When a PNN was used to evaluate the BRPH age and amount, the classification rates of the training set were 100% and 96.67%, respectively, and the classification rates of the test set were 90.67% and 64.67%, respectively. When BPNN was used for the evaluation of the BRPH age and amount, the classification accuracies of the training set were 100% and 48.93%, respectively, and the classification accuracies of the test set were 96.67% and 47.33%, respectively. Loadings for BRPH volatiles indicate that the main elements of BRPHs’ volatiles are sulfur-containing organics, aromatics, sulfur-and chlorine-containing organics and nitrogen oxides, which provide a reference for sensors chosen when exploited in specialized BRPH identification devices. This research proves the feasibility and broad application prospects of bionic electronic noses for BRPH recognition.
Monoterpenes Released from Fruit, Plant, and Vegetable Systems
Authors: Iqbal Mohammad , Kim Ki-Hyun , Ahn Jeong
Published: September 2014

To quantify the emission rate of monoterpenes (MTs) from diverse natural sources, the sorbent tube (ST)-thermal desorption (TD) method was employed to conduct the collection and subsequent detection of MTs by gas chromatography. The calibration of MTs, when made by both mass spectrometric (MS) and flame ionization detector (FID), consistently exhibited high coefficient of determination values (R2 > 0.99). This approach was employed to measure their emission rate from different fruit/plant/vegetable (F/P/V) samples with the aid of an impinger-based dynamic headspace sampling system. The results obtained from 10 samples (consisting of carrot, pine needle (P. sylvestris), tangerine, tangerine peel, strawberry, sepals of strawberry, plum, apple, apple peel, and orange juice) marked α-pinene, β-pinene, myrcene, α-terpinene, R-limonene, γ-terpinene, and p-cymene as the most common MTs. R-limonene was the major species emitted from citrus fruits and beverages with its abundance exceeding 90%. In contrast, α-pinene was the most abundant MT (37%) for carrot, while it was myrcene (31%) for pine needle. The overall results for F/P/V samples confirmed α-pinene, β-pinene, myrcene, α-terpinene, and γ-terpinene as common MTs. Nonetheless, the types and magnitude of MTs released from fruits were distinguished from those of vegetables and plants.
Detection and Characterization of Cancer Cells and Pathogenic Bacteria Using Aptamer-Based Nano-Conjugates
Authors: Gedi Vinayakumar , Kim Young-Pil
Published: September 2014

Detection and characterization of cells using aptamers and aptamer-conjugated nanoprobes has evolved a great deal over the past few decades. This evolution has been driven by the easy selection of aptamers via in vitro cell-SELEX, permitting sensitive discrimination between target and normal cells, which includes pathogenic prokaryotic and cancerous eukaryotic cells. Additionally, when the aptamer-based strategies are used in conjunction with nanomaterials, there is the potential for cell targeting and therapeutic effects with improved specificity and sensitivity. Here we review recent advances in aptamer-based nano-conjugates and their applications for detecting cancer cells and pathogenic bacteria. The multidisciplinary research utilized in this field will play an increasingly significant role in clinical medicine and drug discovery.
From Attitude Change to Behaviour Change: Institutional Mediators of Education for Sustainable Development Effectiveness
Authors: Velasco Ismael , Harder Marie
Published: September 2014

In this paper, we explore the way in which institutional contexts mediate values-focused behaviour change, with potential design implications. We use concepts taken from training research, where “learning transfer” refers to the translation into practice of the learning acquired during training: it is considered necessary to generalize it for the job context and for it to be maintained over a period of time on the job. In this paper, we analyse the example of one education for sustainable development (ESD) intervention that is already established as pedagogically effective when it is deployed in diverse institutional environments worldwide—the Youth as Agents of Behaviour Change program of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). This allows an opportunity to consider variations in learning transfer due to distinctive moderating institutional features, which can now be understood in terms of varying transfer climates, levels of leadership support and opportunities to practice. Additional barriers of tokenistic consultation, lack of role clarity and perverse effects of increased distance between trainees and their colleagues on return were also seen. ESD programs intending to bridge the values-action gap could benefit from not focusing only on the training content, but pre-planning organisational support for returning trainees and including in the training ways for them to assess and plan to overcome such difficulties.
Cyberspace Knowledge Gaps and Boundaries in Sustainability Science: Topics, Regions, Editorial Teams and Journals
Authors: Brunn Stanley
Published: September 2014

The scholarly world of sustainability science is one that is international and interdisciplinary, but is one, on close reading of research contributions, editoral teams, journal citations, and geographic coverage, that has much unevenness. The focus of this paper is on the cyberspace boundaries between and within fields and disciplines studying sustainability; these boundaries separate knowledge gaps or uneven patterns in sustainability scholarship. I use the volume of hyperlinks on Google Search Engine and Google Scholar to illustrate the nature and extent of the boundaries in cyberspace that exist and also the subject and geographic gaps in the home countries of sustainability journal editors and editorial board members of 69 journals, many which have appeared since 2000. The results reveal that knowledge boundaries are part of the current nature of sustainability scholarship and that, while there is global coverage in our knowledge of sustainability, as well as sustainability maps and photographs, we know much less about sustainability in countries of the Global South than the Global North. This unevenness extends to the dominance of North America, Europe, and China as leaders in what we know. English-speaking countries also tend to dominate both journal editors and editorial board members, even though countries in the Global South have representation. The volumes of hyperlinks for the sustainability journals associated with both databases are similar with major interdisciplinary journals having the largest numbers. As the field of international sustainability science continues to evolve, it bears observing whether the cyberspace knowledge or boundary gaps will narrow in what is recognized by most science and policy scientists as one of the most important transdisciplinary fields of study in the Global South and North.
The Power of Urban Planning on Environmental Sustainability: A Focus Group Study in Finland
Authors: Säynäjoki Eeva-Sofia , Heinonen Jukka , Junnila Seppo
Published: September 2014

Sustainable communities are promoted as a desirable policy goal and, in particular, local authorities are encouraged to contribute to climate change mitigation through urban planning. Furthermore, recent research takes a broad perspective on the environmental sustainability of urban areas and considers the environmental impact of all consumption. A focus group study was conducted in Finland for the purpose of examining how increased environmental awareness influences urban land use. The 32 participants of three focus groups were professionals of urban planning and environmental sustainability, at both a municipal and a state level. The main finding was that urban planning is viewed as being unable to support environmental sustainability in the broader sense. In general, the participants did not see a connection between urban structure and sustainable lifestyles and only the influence of planning on housing and daily journeys was recognised. Three main reasons for this were identified. Firstly, environmental sustainability in its broader definition is seen as too complex for urban planners to influence alone. Secondly, the dominance of short-term economic issues in decision-making and the lack of co-operation from other stakeholders to achieve environmental aims demotivate land use planners. Thirdly, the prioritisation of urban density may overrule alternative means of promoting environmental sustainability, such as the encouragement of sustainable suburban or non-urban lifestyles.
The Impact of Agricultural Extension on Farmer Nutrient Management Behavior in Chinese Rice Production: A Household-Level Analysis
Authors: Pan Dan
Published: September 2014

Agricultural nutrients play a critical role in food production and human nutrition in China. Against this backdrop, agricultural extension services are essential for providing farmers with knowledge and information about nutrient management. By using a propensity score-matching (PSM) approach, this study examines the impact of agricultural extension on farmer nutrient management behavior. Survey data about rice farmers in seven provinces of rural China are used. The empirical results indicate that participation in agricultural extension has a positive impact on rationalizing farmer nutrient management behavior. However, this impact is trivial. Compared with non-participating farmers, the reduced ratio of total fertilizer use and total inorganic fertilizer use by participating farmers is only 1.7% to 3.7%, and the improved ratio of the total organic fertilizer use and the level of soil-testing-based fertilizer use by participating farmers is only 1.008% to 1.173%. Additionally, the causal impacts of agricultural extension participation on nutrient management behavior tend to be higher for more educated, risk-loving and larger-scale farmers. This study reveals that China faces great challenges in implementing improved nutrient management practices for hundreds of millions of farmers through extension services. The findings also have important implications for China’s extension system to meet the objectives of improving nutrient management.