bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
La evolución de la figura del cisne en la poesía de Rubén Darío
Authors: Hernández Alexander
Published: June 2017

El presente ensayo rastrea los momentos esenciales en la poesía de Rubén Darío donde el cisne alcanza un nivel simbólico, representando de esta forma, los ideales estéticos del poeta y los del proyecto modernista que afrontaban la alienación moderna. A partir de la rememoración del mito griego, Darío devuelve le devuelve al cisne un carácter sacro y lo hace dialogar con un presente incierto.Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No.145-146, 2015: 73-87
Cuerpos: masculinidades / feminidades / catolicismo / nación (Nicaragua, 1930-1943)
Authors: Gómez Juan Pablo
Published: June 2017

En este artículo analizo los encadenamientos entre catolicismo y nación y sus efectos en la configuración de ciudadanías. Mis fuentes son las revistas de cultura católica publicadas en Nicaragua a finales de los años treinta e inicios de los cuarenta. Las revistas de cultura católica sirven como archivo para documentar la configuración de un orden social diseñado para la emancipación de los hombres y la subordinación de las mujeres al servicio de tales propósitos. Para demostrarlo presento dos estrategias específicas: 1) la localización de la virilidad masculina en la castidad, y 2) la configuración de una mujer-intermediaria, esto es, una feminidad orientada a propiciar que el hombre alcance el ideal de pureza masculina y con ello su salvación religiosa.Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No.145-146, 2015: 99-110
Reflexiones sobre las escrituras de la historia en El Salvador
Authors: Herrera Mena Sajid Alfredo
Published: June 2017

No hay resúmenes disponibles.Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No.145-146, 2015: 181-188
The Use of the Interactive Whiteboard in Mathematics and Mathematics Lessons from the Perspective of Turkish Middle School Students
Authors: Onal Nezih , Gologlu Demir Cennet
Published: June 2017

It is a great paradox that despite the great importance attached to mathematics education in Turkey, high failure rates are observed among Turkish students in mathematics. For this reason, new applications are implemented in the field of mathematics education in Turkey. One of these applications is the use of technology in mathematics education. Thus, this research aimed to determine the attitudes and opinions of the middle school students towards the use of the interactive whiteboard, which is among the technologies used in mathematics and mathematics lessons. The research is based on a mixed-method research design in which both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. The quantitative part of the study was conducted with 726 students, selected via the convenience sampling method, in 4 different central schools affiliated to the Ministry of Education (MNE) in the Karabük province during the 2015-2016 academic year, while the qualitative part was carried out with 20 participants determined on a voluntary basis. The research data were obtained from the “Attitude Scale towards Mathematics”, the “Interactive Whiteboard Attitude Scale” and the semi-structured interviews. It was found that the participants in the survey had a positive attitude towards the use of the interactive whiteboard in mathematics lessons and that they were positively affected by the interactive whiteboard in learning mathematics. In addition, it was concluded that participants' attitudes towards mathematics and the use of the interactive whiteboard was above average. It was also found that the male students’ attitudes towards the interactive whiteboard were more positive than that of the female students, and the level of positive attitude towards mathematics decreases as the class level increases accordingly. Finally, a low positive correlation was found between students' attitudes towards mathematics and the interactive whiteboard.
Avaliação da Atenção Primária à Saúde utilizando o Instrumento PCATool-Brasil
Authors: Mazutti Penso Jéssica , Périco Eduardo , Oliveira Mônica Maria Celestina de , Guimarães Strohschoen Andreia Aparecida , Carreno Ioná , Rempel Claudete
Published: June 2017

Introdução: A avaliação dos serviços é relevante, uma vez que permite o planejamento das ações em saúde. Objetivo: O presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar a Atenção Primária à Saúde com o uso do instrumento PCATool-Brasil (versão profissionais da saúde), aplicado às equipes de atenção básica do município de Lajeado, sede da 16ª Coordenadoria Regional da Saúde do Rio Grande do Sul. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo transversal com 54 profissionais lotados nas unidades básicas de saúde, que responderam ao instrumento PCATool-Brasil. Resultados: O Escore Geral, mensurado pela média do Escore Essencial e do Escore Derivado, superou o ponte de corte de 6,6. A média do Escore Essencial foi de 6,66, enquanto a média do Escore Derivado foi de 7,60. Conclusão: As equipes possuem, de maneira geral, alto grau de orientação à Atenção Primária à Saúde, embora dois atributos essenciais possuam indicadores que necessitam ser melhorados.
Readers' Advisory: Bad Boy Romances: Biker Boys and Mobster Royalty
Authors: Tarulli Laurel
Published: June 2017

There is no question that the romance genre continues to grow in popularity. In part, this is because romance writers have been quick to explore new avenues for their stories. Here, column editor Laurel Tarulli takes a look at one of the newest trends in romance fiction: bad boy romances. While there have always been some dodgy romance heroes, Tarulli notes the rapid rise of bikers and Mafiosi as romance leads. Tarulli discusses the elements of this increasingly popular subgenre of romance and offers the readers’ advisor some sound advice on working with romance readers.—Barry Trott, RUSQ editor
A Reference for That: Building Better Communities, One Person at a Time
Authors: Tyckoson David A. , Sosulski Nicolette Warisse
Published: June 2017

Reference librarians, here defined as those people who answer questions for users, play a more profound role within the community than one might think. In the process of responding to users’ questions, the librarian is doing much more than finding an answer to the question that was asked. The librarian is building a relationship with the user that will make the user more likely to ask more questions in the future. The answer to one question often generates more questions later—bringing the user back to the library more often than the user would have guessed at first.
Book Review: 40+ New Revenue Sources for Libraries and Nonprofits
Authors: Jordan Joshua
Published: June 2017

Drawing on the many similarities between public broadcasting and public libraries, 40+ New Revenue Sources for Libraries and Nonprofits is a compelling volume designed to help libraries stay afloat despite dwindling funding. Appropriate for library directors, development specialists, branch managers, and librarians tasked with securing funding, Rossman’s work advocates that libraries should not merely increase their revenue streams, but diversify their income, to remain sustainable well into the future.
Book Review: Rewired: Research-Writing Partnerships within the Frameworks
Authors: Agee Ann
Published: June 2017

On many campuses, writing skills and research skills are supported in separate instructional silos. When it comes to college composition assignments, however, writing and research are interdependent, and this close relationship is evident in the many common elements shared by the Council of Writing Program Administrators (WPA) Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing and the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. How the core concepts in these frameworks interconnect and how librarians and writing instructors can work together to implement them in the classroom is the focus of Rewired.
Book Review: 9/11 and the War on Terror: A Documentary and Reference Guide
Authors: Buss Carla Wilson
Published: June 2017

In the nearly sixteen years since the terrible events of September 11, 2001, nearly 13,000 non-fiction books have been written about that day. Topics range from first-person accounts to memorials to collections of documents. A new addition to the crowded field is 9/11 and the War on Terror: A Documentary and Reference Guide. The author, Paul J. Springer, is a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and Professor of Comparative Military History at the Air Command and Staff College in Alabama. His work presents excerpts of declassified documents, chosen to illustrate the effects on and between terrorism and counterterrorism. The selected material is freely available elsewhere, but in this collection the author provides a useful chronology and a short analysis of both the impetus to create the document and its effects.
Book Review: Chronic Diseases: An Encyclopedia of Causes, Effects, and Treatments
Authors: Fisher Kathryn
Published: June 2017

This two-volume set organizes an array of chronic diseases and disorders into 323 concise entries, clearly described in lay language. Topics related to prevention, therapies, and societal factors such as poverty and health disparities are also included. Entries are mostly two to three pages long and are divided into categories such as “Overview,” “Symptoms,” “Causes and Risk Factors,” “Diagnosis,” “Prevention,” “Prognosis and Outcomes,” and “Future.” Entries are signed and contributor credentials are provided. Many authors are educators or writers experienced in communicating health information to the general public; some are medical professionals. “Further reading” lists at the end of each entry reference books and articles, many of which are freely available online. There is also a “Recommended Resources” section listing numerous books and websites for researchers seeking reputable sources that are relatively free of medical terminology and scholarly language.
Book Review: The Five Senses and Beyond: The Encyclopedia of Perception
Authors: Scarth Linda Loos
Published: June 2017

The 219 entries in this book are a limited, eclectic collection of common and uncommon terms, complex concepts, physical locations, medical diagnoses, and a few persons and associations related to some aspect of perception. These entries are not grouped into the five senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch), which would have been useful to those wanting to understand one of the senses. The only sense that has an entry titled with its common name is touch, though smell, sight, and hearing have “See” references in the index. “Taste Aversion,” “Taste Bud,” and “Taste System” are entry terms.
Book Review: Great Events in Religion: An Encyclopedia of Pivotal Events in Religious History
Authors: Crawford Gregory A.
Published: June 2017

Designed to be comprehensive in its scope, this set covers major religious events from remote prehistory (ca. 60,000 BC) to the highly contemporaneous (AD 2014). Taken together, the editors have done an admirable job in choosing topics to cover and in compiling a highly readable, informative, and thought-provoking compilation. The first volume covers the period of prehistory to AD 600 and includes entries for topics as diverse as the first burials that indicate a belief in an afterlife found in Shanidar Cave, Iraq (ca. 60,000 BC), the discovery of the oldest human-made place of worship at Göbekli Tepe in modern Turkey (tenth millennium BC), the ritual use of alcohol (ca. third millennium BC), the founding of Buddhism (sixth to fourth centuries BC), the Roman conquest of Judaea in 63 BC, the conversion of Saul (Saint Paul) in AD 34, the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451, and the papacy of Gregory the Great (reigned AD 590–604). Volume 2 covers from AD 600 to 1450, thus encompassing the Middle Ages in the West, the rise of Islam in the Middle East, the growth of Christian monasticism, the crusades, the development of the first universities in Europe, and the lives of Joan of Arc and Jan Hus. The final volume covers from 1450 to the present, starting with the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks and ending with the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh) in 2014.
Universal antiretroviral therapy for HIV‐infected children: a review of the benefits and risks to consider during implementation
Authors: Barlow‐Mosha Linda , Musiime Victor , Davies Mary‐Ann , Prendergast Andrew J. , Musoke Philippa , Siberry George , Penazzato Martina
Published: June 2017

Background: The 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection, recommended to start all HIV‐infected children on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Here, we explore the possible benefits and risks of implementing universal ART for all HIV‐infected children and adolescents and outline some of the key considerations that led to the 2016 revision of WHO guidelines.

Methods: We conducted a review of the published data from 2000 to 2016, to ascertain the clinical and programmatic benefits, as well as the risks of implementing universal ART for all children.

Results and discussion: Universal ART for all children has the potential to increase treatment coverage, which in 2015 was only 51% globally, as well as providing several biological benefits, by preventing: premature death/loss to follow‐up, progressive destruction of the immune system, poor growth and pubertal delay, poor neuro‐cognitive outcomes and future burden to the health care system with complications of untreated HIV‐infection. However, the strategy could be associated with risks, notably development of HIV drug resistance, antiretroviral drug toxicities and increased costs to an already stretched health system.

Conclusion: Overall, our findings suggest that the benefits could outweigh the risks and support universal ART for all HIV‐infected children, but recognize that national programmes will need to put measures in place to minimize the risks if they choose to implement the strategy.
Climate, soil or both? Which variables are better predictors of the distributions of Australian shrub species?
Authors: Hageer Yasmin , Esperón-Rodríguez Manuel , Baumgartner John B. , Beaumont Linda J.
Published: June 2017

Background

Shrubs play a key role in biogeochemical cycles, prevent soil and water erosion, provide forage for livestock, and are a source of food, wood and non-wood products. However, despite their ecological and societal importance, the influence of different environmental variables on shrub distributions remains unclear. We evaluated the influence of climate and soil characteristics, and whether including soil variables improved the performance of a species distribution model (SDM), Maxent.

Methods

This study assessed variation in predictions of environmental suitability for 29 Australian shrub species (representing dominant members of six shrubland classes) due to the use of alternative sets of predictor variables. Models were calibrated with (1) climate variables only, (2) climate and soil variables, and (3) soil variables only.

Results

The predictive power of SDMs differed substantially across species, but generally models calibrated with both climate and soil data performed better than those calibrated only with climate variables. Models calibrated solely with soil variables were the least accurate. We found regional differences in potential shrub species richness across Australia due to the use of different sets of variables.

Conclusions

Our study provides evidence that predicted patterns of species richness may be sensitive to the choice of predictor set when multiple, plausible alternatives exist, and demonstrates the importance of considering soil properties when modeling availability of habitat for plants.
Two-headed butterfly vs. mantis: do false antennae matter?
Authors: López-Palafox Tania G. , Cordero Carlos R.
Published: June 2017

The colour patterns and morphological peculiarities of the hindwings of several butterfly species result in the appearance of a head at the rear end of the insect’s body. Although some experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that the “false head” deflects predator attacks towards the rear end of the butterfly, more research is needed to determine the role of the different components of the “false head”. We explored the role of hindwing tails (presumably mimicking antennae) in predator deception in the “false head” butterflyCallophrys xami. We exposed butterflies with intact wings and with hindwing tails experimentally ablated to female mantises (Stagmomantis limbata). We found no differences in the number of butterflies being attacked and the number of butterflies escaping predation between both groups. However, our behavioural observations indicate that other aspects of the “false head” helpC. xamisurvive some mantis attacks, supporting the notion that they are adaptations against predators.
The Caenorhabditis elegans WRN helicase promotes double‐strand DNA break repair by mediating end resection and checkpoint activation
Authors: Ryu Jin‐Sun , Koo Hyeon‐Sook
Published: June 2017

The protein associated with Werner syndrome (WRN), is involved in DNA repair, checkpoint activation, and telomere maintenance. To better understand the involvement of WRN in double‐strand DNA break (DSB) repair, we analyzed the combinatorial role of WRN‐1, the Caenorhabditis elegans WRN helicase, in conjunction with EXO‐1 and DNA‐2 nucleases. We found that WRN‐1 cooperates with DNA‐2 to resect DSB ends in a pathway acting in parallel to EXO‐1. The wrn‐1 mutants show an aberrant accumulation of replication protein A (RPA) and RAD‐51, and the same pattern of accumulation is also observed in checkpoint‐defective strains. We conclude that WRN‐1 plays a conserved role in the resection of DSB ends and mediates checkpoint signaling, thereby influencing levels of RPA and RAD‐51.
Experimental constraints on the rheology, eruption, and emplacement dynamics of analog lavas comparable to Mercury's northern volcanic plains
Authors: Vetere F. , Rossi S. , Namur O. , Morgavi D. , Misiti V. , Mancinelli P. , Petrelli M. , Pauselli C. , Perugini D.
Published: June 2017

We present new viscosity measurements of a synthetic silicate system considered an analogue for the lava erupted on the surface of Mercury. In particular, we focus on the northern volcanic plains (NVP), which correspond to the largest lava flows on Mercury and possibly in the Solar System. High‐temperature viscosity measurements were performed at both superliquidus (up to 1736 K) and subliquidus conditions (1569–1502 K) to constrain the viscosity variations as a function of crystallinity (from 0 to 28%) and shear rate (from 0.1 to 5 s−1). Melt viscosity shows moderate variations (4–16 Pa s) in the temperature range of 1736–1600 K. Experiments performed below the liquidus temperature show an increase in viscosity as shear rate decreases from 5 to 0.1 s−1, resulting in a shear thinning behavior, with a decrease in viscosity of ~1 log unit. The low viscosity of the studied composition may explain the ability of NVP lavas to cover long distances, on the order of hundreds of kilometers in a turbulent flow regime. Using our experimental data we estimate that lava flows with thickness of 1, 5, and 10 m are likely to have velocities of 4.8, 6.5, and 7.2 m/s, respectively, on a 5° ground slope. Numerical modeling incorporating both the heat loss of the lavas and its possible crystallization during emplacement allows us to infer that high effusion rates (>10,000 m3/s) are necessary to cover the large distances indicated by satellite data from the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging spacecraft.
Partitioning sediment flux by provenance and tracing erosion patterns in Taiwan
Authors: Resentini Alberto , Goren Liran , Castelltort Sébastien , Garzanti Eduardo
Published: June 2017

We critically evaluate the potential and limitations of an alternative way to calculate erosion rates based on petrographic and mineralogical fingerprints of fluvial sediments coupled with gauged sediment fluxes. Our approach allows us to apportion sediment loads to different lithological units, and consequently to discriminate erosion rates in different tectonic domains within each catchment. Our provenance data on modern Taiwanese sands indicate focused erosion in the Backbone Range and Tananao Complex of the retrowedge. Lower rates are inferred for the northern part of the island characterized by tectonic extension and for the western foothills in the prowedge. The principal factor of uncertainty affecting our estimates is the inevitably inaccurate evaluation of total sediment load, because only the suspended flux was measured. Another is the assumption that suspended load and bed load are derived from the same sources in fixed proportions. Additional errors are caused by the insufficiently precise definition of lithologically similar compositional end‐members and by the temporal variability of sediment composition at the outlet of each catchment related to the spatial variability of erosional processes and triggering agents such as earthquakes, typhoons, and landslides. To evaluate the robustness of our findings, we applied a morphometric technique based on the stream‐power model. The results obtained are broadly consistent, with local discrepancies ascribed to poorly constrained assumptions and choices of scaling parameters. Our local erosion estimates are consistent with GPS uplift rates measured on a decadal timescale and generally higher than basin‐wide results inferred from cosmogenic‐nuclide and thermochronology data.
Should we mine the deep seafloor?
Authors: Beaulieu Stace E. , Graedel T. E. , Hannington Mark D.
Published: June 2017

As land‐based mineral resources become increasingly difficult and expensive to acquire, the potential for mining resources from the deep seafloor has become widely discussed and debated. Exploration leases are being granted, and technologies are under development. However, the quantity and quality of the resources are uncertain, and many worry about risks to vulnerable deep‐sea ecosystems. Deep‐sea mining has become part of the discussion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In this article we provide a summary of benefits, costs, and uncertainties that surround this potentially attractive but contentious topic.
A new solar wind‐driven global dynamic plasmapause model: 2. Model and validation
Authors: He Fei , Zhang Xiao‐Xin , Lin Rui‐Lin , Fok Mei‐Ching , Katus Roxanne M. , Liemohn Mike W. , Gallagher Dennis L. , Nakano Shinya
Published: June 2017

A new solar wind‐driven global dynamic plasmapause (NSW‐GDP) model has been constructed based on the largest currently available database containing 49,119 plasmapause crossing locations and 3957 plasmapause profiles (corresponding to 48,899 plasmapause locations), from 18 satellites during 1977–2015 covering four solar cycles. This model is compiled by the Levenberg‐Marquardt method for nonlinear multiparameter fitting and parameterized by VSW, BZ, SYM‐H, and AE. Continuous and smooth magnetic local time dependence controlled mainly by the solar wind‐driven convection electric field ESW is also embedded in this model. Compared with previous empirical models based on our database, this new model improves the forecasting accuracy and capability for the global plasmapause. The diurnal, seasonal, and solar cycle variations of the plasmapause can be captured by the new model. The NSW‐GDP model can potentially be used to forecast the global plasmapause shape with upstream solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field parameters and corresponding predicted values of SYM‐H and AE and can also be used as input parameters for other inner magnetospheric coupling models, such as dynamic radiation belt and ring current models and even MHD models.
Titan's ionosphere: A survey of solar EUV influences
Authors: Shebanits O. , Vigren E. , Wahlund J.‐E. , Holmberg M. K. G. , Morooka M. , Edberg N. J. T. , Mandt K. E. , Waite J. H.
Published: June 2017

Effects of solar EUV on positive ions and heavy negative charge carriers (molecular ions, aerosol, and/or dust) in Titan's ionosphere are studied over the course of almost 12 years, including 78 flybys below 1400 km altitude between TA (October 2004) and T120 (June 2016). The Radio and Plasma Wave Science/Langmuir Probe‐measured ion charge densities (normalized by the solar zenith angle) show statistically significant variations with respect to the solar EUV flux. Dayside charge densities increase by a factor of ≈2 from solar minimum to maximum, while nightside charge densities are found to anticorrelate with the EUV flux and decrease by a factor of ≈3–4. The overall EUV dependence of the ion charge densities suggest inapplicability of the idealized Chapman theory below 1200 km in Titan's ionosphere. Nightside charge densities are also found to vary along Titan's orbit, with higher values in the sunward magnetosphere of Saturn compared to the magnetotail.
Ion velocity distributions in dipolarization events: Distributions in the central plasma sheet
Authors: Birn J. , Runov A. , Zhou X.‐Z.
Published: June 2017

Using combined MHD/test particle simulations, we further explore characteristic ion velocity distributions in the central plasma sheet (CPS) in relation to dipolarization events. Distributions in the CPS within the dipolarized flux bundle (DFB) that follows the passage of a dipolarization front typically show two opposing low subthermal‐energy beams with a ring‐like component perpendicular to the magnetic field at about twice the thermal energy. The dominance of the perpendicular anisotropy and a field‐aligned peak at lower energy agree qualitatively with ion distribution functions derived from “Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms” observations. At locations somewhat off the equatorial plane the field‐aligned peaks are shifted by a field‐aligned component of the bulk flow, such that one peak becomes centered near zero net velocity, which makes it less likely to be observed. The origins of the field‐aligned peaks are low‐energy lobe (or near plasma sheet boundary layer) regions, while the ring distribution originates mostly from thermal plasma sheet particles on extended field lines. The acceleration mechanisms are also quite different: the beam ions are accelerated first by the E × B drift motion of the DFB and then by a slingshot effect of the earthward convecting DFB (akin to first‐order Fermi, type B, acceleration), which causes an increase in field‐aligned speed. In contrast, the ring particles are accelerated by successive, betatron‐like acceleration after entering the high electric field region of an earthward propagating DFB.
Competition between uplift and transverse sedimentation in an experimental delta
Authors: Grimaud Jean‐Louis , Paola Chris , Ellis Chris
Published: June 2017

Mass is commonly injected into alluvial systems either laterally by transport from source regions or vertically from below via local uplift. We report results on the competition between these two fundamental processes, using an experimental basin with a deformable substrate. The lateral supply is via two alluvial fans on orthogonal walls of the basin; the uplifting region is downstream of one of the fans (axial) and opposite to the other (transverse). We show that the presence of a transverse sediment input increases the erosion rate of the uplifting region by pushing the mixing zone between the two alluvial sources against the uplifting mass. However, increase in sediment delivery to the transverse fan does not cause a proportional increase in erosion rate of the uplifting region. Instead, the system reaches a steady state balance between uplift and erosion induced by the transverse fan, such that there is no change in the total mass above the active alluvial surface—a lateral analog of the classical steady state between vertical erosion and uplift. We also show that the mixing zone is instrumental in limiting upstream aggradation and funneling sediments to the shore, resulting in limited river lateral mobility and increased shoreline progradation. Hence, the interaction between alluvial sources buffers river erosion and leads to consistent deviations from predictions of the area of influence of each fan based on simple mass‐balance arguments. In the Ganges‐Brahmaputra‐Meghna delta, we suggest that similar dynamics help stabilize the Brahmaputra River course in the Jamuna Valley during Holocene time.
Methodology for time‐domain estimation of storm time geoelectric fields using the 3‐D magnetotelluric response tensors
Authors: Kelbert Anna , Balch Christopher C. , Pulkkinen Antti , Egbert Gary D. , Love Jeffrey J. , Rigler E. Joshua , Fujii Ikuko
Published: June 2017

Geoelectric fields at the Earth's surface caused by magnetic storms constitute a hazard to the operation of electric power grids and related infrastructure. The ability to estimate these geoelectric fields in close to real time and provide local predictions would better equip the industry to mitigate negative impacts on their operations. Here we report progress toward this goal: development of robust algorithms that convolve a magnetic storm time series with a frequency domain impedance for a realistic three‐dimensional (3‐D) Earth, to estimate the local, storm time geoelectric field. Both frequency domain and time domain approaches are presented and validated against storm time geoelectric field data measured in Japan. The methods are then compared in the context of a real‐time application.
Comment on “Rescaling the complementary relationship for land surface evaporation” by R. Crago et al.
Authors: Ma Ning , Zhang Yinsheng
Published: June 2017

The generalized complementary relationship (GCR) model of Brutsaert (2015) has been widely applied to estimate land surface evapotranspiration (E) over Chinese eastern monsoon region, Loess Plateau and Australia. However, Crago et al. (2016, hereinafter C16) recently noted a deficiency in one of his boundary conditions and proposed a novel approach to improve it. The key of this approach is to determine the ratio (xmin) of the potential evapotranspiration (Epo) to the apparent potential evapotranspiration for an entirely dry surface (Epads) at which E tends to be vanishing. As seen, the physically reasonable range of xmin should be between 0 and 1. The present comment reports that the xmin in C16 may become invalid under conditions of relatively strong available energy but weak winds if Epads is calculated by the mass‐transfer‐based method, thereby causing unrealistic estimation of E. A more preferable way to determine Epads is still based on the traditional Penman‐based equation with consideration of the characteristics of dry air in which Epads occurs.
A Retina‐Like Dual Band Organic Photosensor Array for Filter‐Free Near‐Infrared‐to‐Memory Operations
Authors: Wang Hanlin , Liu Hongtao , Zhao Qiang , Ni Zhenjie , Zou Ye , Yang Jie , Wang Lifeng , Sun Yanqiu , Guo Yunlong , Hu Wenping , Liu Yunqi
Published: June 2017

Human eyes use retina photoreceptor cells to absorb and distinguish photons from different wavelengths to construct an image. Mimicry of such a process and extension of its spectral response into the near‐infrared (NIR) is indispensable for night surveillance, retinal prosthetics, and medical imaging applications. Currently, NIR organic photosensors demand optical filters to reduce visible interference, thus making filter‐free and anti‐visible NIR imaging a challenging task. To solve this limitation, a filter‐free and conformal, retina‐inspired NIR organic photosensor is presented. Featuring an integration of photosensing and floating‐gate memory modules, the device possesses an acute color distinguishing capability. In general, the retina‐like photosensor transduces NIR (850 nm) into nonvolatile memory and acts as a dynamic photoswitch under green light (550 nm). In doing this, a filter‐free but color‐distinguishing photosensor is demonstrated that selectively converts NIR optical signals into nonvolatile memory.
A Carborane‐Containing Fluorophore as a Stain of Cellular Lipid Droplets
Authors: Wu Andrew , Kolanowski Jacek L. , Boumelhem Badwi B. , Yang Kylie , Lee Rebecca , Kaur Amandeep , Fraser Stuart T. , New Elizabeth J. , Rendina Louis M.
Published: June 2017

The use of fluorescent markers and probes greatly enhances biological investigations but relies on the provision of an array of fluorophores with diverse properties. Herein we report a novel carborane‐containing coumarin, 5, which is sufficiently lipophilic to localise in cellular lipid droplets. In non‐polar solvents which show comparable polarities to those of a lipid environment, compound 5 exhibits a fluorescence quantum yield two orders of magnitude greater than found in aqueous solvents, adding a further degree of selectivity to lipid droplet imaging. Compound 5 can stain lipid droplets in ex vivo adipocytes as well as in cultured cells, and can be utilised in flow cytometry as well as confocal microscopy.
Auditory processing in autism spectrum disorder: Mismatch negativity deficits
Authors: Vlaskamp Chantal , Oranje Bob , Madsen Gitte Falcher , Møllegaard Jepsen Jens Richardt , Durston Sarah , Cantio Cathriona , Glenthøj Birte , Bilenberg Niels
Published: June 2017

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often show changes in (automatic) auditory processing. Electrophysiology provides a method to study auditory processing, by investigating event‐related potentials such as mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3a‐amplitude. However, findings on MMN in autism are highly inconsistent, partly due to small sample sizes in the studies and differences in MMN paradigms. Therefore, in the current study, MMN and P3a amplitude were assessed in a relatively large sample of children with ASD, using a more extensive MMN paradigm and compared with that of typically developing children (TDC). Thirty‐five children (aged 8–12 years) with ASD and 38 age and gender matched TDC were assessed with a MMN paradigm with three types of deviants, i.e., frequency, duration and a combination of these two. MMN elicited by duration and frequency‐duration deviants was significantly reduced in the ASD group. P3a‐amplitude elicited by duration deviants was significantly increased in the ASD group. Reduced MMN in children with ASD suggests that children with ASD may be less responsive to environmentally deviant stimuli at an early (sensory) level. P3a‐amplitude was increased in ASD, implying a hyper‐responsivity at the attentional level. In addition, as similar MMN deficits are found in schizophrenia, these MMN results may explain some of the frequently reported increased risk of children with ASD to develop schizophrenia later in life. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1857–1865. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lay Summary

Automatic detection of deviant sounds in the environment, such as upcoming traffic, is often affected in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Mismatch negativity (MMN) is a way to quantify automatic deviancy detection, using electroencephalography. In this study, auditory MMN was assessed in 35 children with ASD and 38 matched control children, revealing significantly reduced MMN in the ASD group. This may indicate that children with ASD are less able to automatically detect environmentally deviant stimuli.
Improving thermostability of (R)‐selective amine transaminase from Aspergillus terreus through introduction of disulfide bonds
Authors: Xie Dong‐Fang , Fang Hui , Mei Jia‐Qi , Gong Jin‐Yan , Wang Hong‐Peng , Shen Xiu‐Ying , Huang Jun , Mei Le‐He
Published: June 2017

To improve the thermostability of (R)‐selective amine transaminase from Aspergillus terreus (AT‐ATA), we used computer software Disulfide by Design and Modelling of Disulfide Bonds in Proteins to identify mutation sites where the disulfide bonds were most likely to form. We obtained three stabilized mutants (N25C‐A28C, R131C‐D134C, M150C‐M280C) from seven candidates by site‐directed mutagenesis. Compared to the wild type, the best two mutants N25C‐A28C and M150C‐M280C showed improved thermal stability with a 3.1‐ and 3.6‐fold increase in half‐life (t1/2) at 40 °C and a 4.6 and 5.1 °C increase in T5010. In addition, the combination of mutant R131C‐D134C and M150C‐M280C displayed the largest shift in thermostability with a 4.6‐fold increase in t1/2 at 40 °C and a 5.5 °C increase in T5010. Molecular dynamics simulation indicated that mutations of N25C‐A28C and M150C‐M280C lowered the overall root mean square deviation for the overall residues at elevated temperature and consequently increased the protein rigidity. The stabilized mutation of R131C‐D134C was in the region of high mobility and on the protein surface, and the disulfide bond constraints the flexibility of loop 121–136.
Can we predict drug response by volumes of the corpus callosum in newly diagnosed focal epilepsy?
Authors: Kim Hyung Chan , Kim Sung Eun , Lee Byung In , Park Kang Min
Published: June 2017

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate whether volumes of the corpus callosum could predict a response to antiepileptic drugs in patients with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy.

Methods

Fifty‐three patients with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy of unknown etiology and healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. First, we analyzed the differences in the volumes of the corpus callosum between patients with epilepsy and healthy subjects. Second, we divided patients with epilepsy into antiepileptic drug responders and drug nonresponders groups, according to their seizure controls, and evaluated the differences in the volumes of the corpus callosum between the groups. Third, we conducted correlation analyses between the volumes of the corpus callosum and mean diffusion measures in healthy subjects.

Results

The volumes of the corpus callosum in patients with epilepsy were significantly lower than those in normal controls (p = .0001). Among epilepsy patients, the volumes of the corpus callosum were significantly lower in antiepileptic drug responders compared with nonresponders (p = .0481), which was the only independent variable for predicting antiepileptic drug response (OR = 10.07, p = .0434). In addition, we found that the volumes of the corpus callosum were significantly correlated with the mean diffusion measures (fractional anisotropy, r = .408, p = .0027; mean diffusivity, r = −0.403, p = .0028) in normal controls.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that the volumes of the corpus callosum were different according to antiepileptic drug responses in patients with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy, which might suggest that the volumes of the corpus callosum could be a new biomarker for predicting responses to antiepileptic drugs.
Diffusion tensor imaging of the structural integrity of white matter correlates with impulsivity in adolescents with internet gaming disorder
Authors: Du Xin , Liu Linlin , Yang Yongxin , Qi Xin , Gao Peihong , Zhang Yang , Zhu Jiyu , Du Guijin , Dai Shouping , Li Xiaodong , Zhang Quan
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is usually defined as the inability of an individual to control internet gaming resulting in serious negative consequences, and trait impulsivity has been viewed as a hallmark feature of IGD. Recent studies have suggested that the structural integrity of the white matter (WM) plays an important role in the neuromediation of an individual's impulsivity. However, no study has examined the association between WM integrity and impulsivity in IGD adolescents.

Methods

In this study, 33 adolescents with IGD and 32 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited, and the intergroup differences in the relationships between impulsivity and fractional anisotropy (FA) values across the whole brain WM were investigated using voxel‐wise correlation analyses.

Results

Our results revealed significant intergroup differences in the correlations between impulsivity and the FA values of the right corticospinal tract (CST) and the right occipital WM. Region of interest‐based tests revealed that the FA values of these clusters were positive or insignificantly correlated with impulsivity in the IGD adolescents contrasted to the significantly negative correlation in the HCs.

Conclusions

This altered correlations in the IGD adolescents might reflect potential WM microstructural changes which may be associated with the greater impulsivity of IGD adolescents and provide possible therapeutic targets for interventions in this population.
Densification of Silica Spheres: A New Pathway to Nano‐Dimensioned Zeolite‐Based Catalysts
Authors: Machoke Albert Gonche Fortunatus , Apeleo Zubiri Benjamin , Leonhardt Rainer , Marthala Venkata Ramana Reddy , Schmiele Martin , Unruh Tobias , Hartmann Martin , Spiecker Erdman , Schwieger Wilhelm
Published: June 2017

Nanosized materials are expected to play a unique role in the development of future catalytic processes. Herein, pre‐prepared and geometrically well‐defined amorphous silica spheres are densified into silica‐rich zeolites with nanosized dimensions. After the densification, the obtained nanosized zeolites exhibit the same spherical morphology like the starting precursor but characterized by a drastically reduced size, higher density, and high crystallinity. The phase transformation into crystalline zeolite material and the densification effect are achieved through a well‐controlled steam‐assisted treatment of the larger precursor particles so that the transformation process proceeds always towards the center of the spheres, just like a shrinking process. Furthermore, this procedure is applicable also to commercially available silica particles, as well as aluminum‐containing systems (precursors) leading to acidic nano‐catalysts with improved catalytic performance.
Lessons from the Tōhoku tsunami: A model for island avifauna conservation prioritization
Authors: Reynolds Michelle H. , Berkowitz Paul , Klavitter John L. , Courtot Karen N.
Published: June 2017

Earthquake‐generated tsunamis threaten coastal areas and low‐lying islands with sudden flooding. Although human hazards and infrastructure damage have been well documented for tsunamis in recent decades, the effects on wildlife communities rarely have been quantified. We describe a tsunami that hit the world's largest remaining tropical seabird rookery and estimate the effects of sudden flooding on 23 bird species nesting on Pacific islands more than 3,800 km from the epicenter. We used global positioning systems, tide gauge data, and satellite imagery to quantify characteristics of the Tōhoku earthquake‐generated tsunami (11 March 2011) and its inundation extent across four Hawaiian Islands. We estimated short‐term effects of sudden flooding to bird communities using spatially explicit data from Midway Atoll and Laysan Island, Hawai'i. We describe variation in species vulnerability based on breeding phenology, nesting habitat, and life history traits. The tsunami inundated 21%–100% of each island's area at Midway Atoll and Laysan Island. Procellariformes (albatrosses and petrels) chick and egg losses exceeded 258,500 at Midway Atoll while albatross chick losses at Laysan Island exceeded 21,400. The tsunami struck at night and during the peak of nesting for 14 colonial seabird species. Strongly philopatric Procellariformes were vulnerable to the tsunami. Nonmigratory, endemic, endangered Laysan Teal (Anas laysanensis) were sensitive to ecosystem effects such as habitat changes and carcass‐initiated epizootics of avian botulism, and its populations declined approximately 40% on both atolls post‐tsunami. Catastrophic flooding of Pacific islands occurs periodically not only from tsunamis, but also from storm surge and rainfall; with sea‐level rise, the frequency of sudden flooding events will likely increase. As invasive predators occupy habitat on higher elevation Hawaiian Islands and globally important avian populations are concentrated on low‐lying islands, additional conservation strategies may be warranted to increase resilience of island biodiversity encountering tsunamis and rising sea levels.
Snails in the desert: Species diversification of Theba (Gastropoda: Helicidae) along the Atlantic coast of NW Africa
Authors: Greve Carola , Haase Martin , Hutterer Rainer , Rödder Dennis , Ihlow Flora , Misof Bernhard
Published: June 2017

The spatial subdivision of species often plays a pivotal role in speciation. Across their entire range, species are rarely panmictic and crucial consequences of spatial subdivision are (1) random genetic drift including historical factors, (2) uniform selection, and (3) divergent selection. Each of these consequences may result in geographic variation and eventually reproductive isolation, but their relative importance in speciation is still unclear. In this study, we used a combination of genetic, morphological, and climatic data to obtain a comprehensive picture of differentiation among three closely related, parapatrically distributed taxa of the land snail genus Theba occurring along the Atlantic coasts of South Morocco and Western Sahara. We conducted Mantel and partial Mantel tests to relate phenotypic and genotypic variation of these species to geography and/or climate. As null hypothesis for an evolutionary scenario, we assumed nonadaptive speciation and expected a pattern of isolation by distance among taxa. Rejection of the null hypothesis would indicate isolation by environment due to adaptation. Generally, genetic drift plays an important role but is rarely considered as sole driver of speciation. It is the combination of drift and selection that predominantly drives speciation. This study, however, provides a potential example, in which nonadaptive speciation, that is, genetic drift, is apparently the main driver of shaping the diversity of Theba in NW Africa. Restriction of gene flow between populations caused by geographic isolation probably has played an important role. Climate oscillations during the Plio‐ and Pleistocene may have led to repeated ecological changes in NW Africa and disruptions of habitats promoting differentiation by geographic isolation. The inferred evolutionary scenario, however, did not fully explain the incongruence between the AFLP‐ and mtDNA‐tree topologies. This incongruence might indicate past hybridization among the studied Theba forms.
Performance test and verification of an off‐the‐shelf automated avian radar tracking system
Authors: May Roel , Steinheim Yngve , Kvaløy Pål , Vang Roald , Hanssen Frank
Published: June 2017

Microwave radar is an important tool for observation of birds in flight and represents a tremendous increase in observation capability in terms of amount of surveillance space that can be covered at relatively low cost. Based on off‐the‐shelf radar hardware, automated radar tracking systems have been developed for monitoring avian movements. However, radar used as an observation instrument in biological research has its limitations that are important to be aware of when analyzing recorded radar data. This article describes a method for exploring the detection capabilities of a dedicated short‐range avian radar system used inside the operational Smøla wind‐power plant. The purpose of the testing described was to find the maximum detection range for various sized birds, while controlling for the effects of flight tortuosity, flight orientation relative to the radar and ground clutter. The method was to use a dedicated test target in form of a remotely controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with calibrated radar cross section (RCS), which enabled the design of virtually any test flight pattern within the area of interest. The UAV had a detection probability of 0.5 within a range of 2,340 m from the radar. The detection performance obtained by the RCS‐calibrated test target (−11 dBm2, 0.08 m2 RCS) was then extrapolated to find the corresponding performance of differently sized birds. Detection range depends on system sensitivity, the environment within which the radar is placed and the spatial distribution of birds. The avian radar under study enables continuous monitoring of bird activity within a maximum range up to 2 km dependent on the size of the birds in question. While small bird species may be detected up to 0.5–1 km, larger species may be detected up to 1.5–2 km distance from the radar.