bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biosynthesis of 3-Iodothyronamine From T4 in Murine Intestinal Tissue
Authors: Hoefig Carolin S. , Wuensch Tilo , Rijntjes Eddy , Lehmphul Ina , Daniel Hannelore , Schweizer Ulrich , Mittag Jens , Köhrle Josef
Published: September 2015

The endogenous metabolite 3-iodothyronamine (3-T1AM) induces strong hypothermia and bradycardia at pharmacological doses. Although its biosynthesis from thyroid hormone precursors appears likely, the sequence and sites of reactions are still controversial: studies in T4-substituted thyroid cancer patients lacking functional thyroid tissue suggested extrathyroidal 3-T1AM production, whereas studies using labeled T4 in mice indicated intrathyroidal formation. However, because the patients received T4 orally, whereas the mice were injected ip, we hypothesized that 3-T1AM synthesis requires the intestinal passage of T4. Using the everted gut sac model in combination with mass spectrometry, we demonstrate 3-T1AM production from T4 in mouse intestine via several deiodination and decarboxylation steps. Gene expression analysis confirmed the expression of all 3 deiodinases as well as ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in intestine. Subsequent experiments employing purified human ODC revealed that this enzyme can in fact mediate decarboxylation of 3,5-T2 and T4 to the respective thyronamines (TAMs), demonstrating that the intestine expresses the entire molecular machinery required for 3-T1AM biosynthesis. Interestingly, TAM production was strongly affected by the antithyroid treatment methimazole and perchlorate independently of thyroid status, limiting the validity of the respective mouse models in this context. Taken together, our data demonstrate intestinal 3-T1AM biosynthesis from T4 involving decarboxylation through ODC with subsequent deiodination, and explain the apparent discrepancy between 3-T1AM serum levels in patients substituted orally and mice injected ip with T4. Identifying ODC as the first enzyme capable of decarboxylating thyroid hormone, our findings open the path to further investigations of TAM metabolism on molecular and cellular levels.
Circadian Disruption and Diet-Induced Obesity Synergize to Promote Development of β-Cell Failure and Diabetes in Male Rats
Authors: Qian Jingyi , Yeh Bonnie , Rakshit Kuntol , Colwell Christopher S. , Matveyenko Aleksey V.
Published: September 2015

There are clear epidemiological associations between circadian disruption, obesity, and pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. The mechanisms driving these associations are unclear. In the current study, we hypothesized that continuous exposure to constant light (LL) compromises pancreatic β-cell functional and morphological adaption to diet-induced obesity leading to development of type 2 diabetes. To address this hypothesis, we studied wild type Sprague Dawley as well as Period-1 luciferase reporter transgenic rats (Per1-Luc) for 10 weeks under standard light-dark cycle (LD) or LL with concomitant ad libitum access to either standard chow or 60% high-fat diet (HFD). Exposure to HFD led to a comparable increase in food intake, body weight, and adiposity in both LD- and LL-treated rats. However, LL rats displayed profound loss of behavioral circadian rhythms as well as disrupted pancreatic islet clock function characterized by the impairment in the amplitude and the phase islet clock oscillations. Under LD cycle, HFD did not adversely alter diurnal glycemia, diurnal insulinemia, β-cell secretory function as well as β-cell survival, indicating successful adaptation to increased metabolic demand. In contrast, concomitant exposure to LL and HFD resulted in development of hyperglycemia characterized by loss of diurnal changes in insulin secretion, compromised β-cell function, and induction of β-cell apoptosis. This study suggests that circadian disruption and diet-induced obesity synergize to promote development of β-cell failure, likely mediated as a consequence of impaired islet clock function.
The clathrin-binding and J-domains of GAK support the uncoating and chaperoning of clathrin by Hsc70 in the brain
Authors: Park Bum-Chan , Yim Yang-In , Zhao Xiaohong , Olszewski Maciej B. , Eisenberg Evan , Greene Lois E.
Published: September 2015

Cyclin G-associated kinase (GAK), the ubiquitously-expressed J-domain protein, is essential for the Hsc70-dependent chaperoning and uncoating of clathrin. Adjacent to the C-terminal J-domain that binds Hsc70, GAK has a clathrin-binding domain that is linked to an N-terminal kinase domain via a PTEN-like domain. Knocking out GAK in fibroblasts caused inhibition of clathrin-dependent trafficking, which was rescued by expressing a 62-kDa fragment of GAK consisting of just the clathrin-binding and J-domains. Expressing this fragment as a transgene in mice rescued the lethality and the histological defects caused by knocking out GAK in the liver or in the brain. Furthermore, when both GAK and auxilin, the neuronal-specific homolog of GAK, were knocked out in the brain, mice expressing the 62-kDa GAK fragment were viable, lived a normal life-span, and had no major behavior abnormalities. However, these mice were about half the size of wild-type mice. Therefore, the PTEN-like domains of GAK and auxilin are not essential for Hsc70-dependent chaperoning and uncoating of clathrin, but depending on the tissue, these domains appear to increase the efficiency of these cochaperones.
Outside-in signaling – a brief review of GPCR signaling with a focus on the Drosophila GPCR family
Authors: Hanlon Caitlin D. , Andrew Deborah J.
Published: September 2015

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of receptors in many organisms, including worms, mice and humans. GPCRs are seven-transmembrane pass proteins that are activated by binding a stimulus (or ligand) in the extracellular space and then transduce that information to the inside of the cell through conformational changes. The conformational changes activate heterotrimeric G-proteins, which execute the downstream signaling pathways through the recruitment and activation of cellular enzymes. The highly specific ligand–GPCR interaction prompts an efficient cellular response, which is vital for the health of the cell and organism. In this Commentary, we review general features of GPCR signaling and then focus on the Drosophila GPCRs, which are not as well-characterized as their worm and mammalian counterparts. We discuss findings that the Drosophila odorant and gustatory receptors are not bona fide GPCRs as is the case for their mammalian counterparts. We also present here a phylogenetic analysis of the bona fide Drosophila GPCRs that suggest potential roles for several family members. Finally, we discuss recently discovered roles of GPCRs in Drosophila embryogenesis, a field we expect will uncover many previously unappreciated functions for GPCRs.
Hyperpolarized 13C NMR observation of lactate kinetics in skeletal muscle
Authors: Park Jae Mo , Josan Sonal , Mayer Dirk , Hurd Ralph E. , Chung Youngran , Bendahan David , Spielman Daniel M. , Jue Thomas
Published: September 2015

The production of glycolytic end products, such as lactate, usually evokes the concept of a cellular shift from aerobic to anaerobic ATP generation and O2 insufficiency. In the classical view, muscle lactate must export to liver for clearance. Studies, however, indicate that lactate also forms under well-oxygenated conditions and have led investigators to postulate lactate shuttling from non-oxidative to oxidative muscle fiber, where it can serve as a precursor. Indeed, the intracellular lactate shuttle and the glycogen shunt hypotheses expand the vision to include a dynamic mobilization and utilization of lactate during a muscle contraction cycle. Testing the tenability of these provocative ideas during a rapid contraction cycle has posed a technical challenge. The present study herein reports the use of hyperpolarized [1-13C]lactate and [2-13C]pyruvate in dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR experiments to measure the rapid pyruvate and lactate kinetics in rat muscle. With a 2-s temporal resolution, 13C DNP NMR detects both [1-13C]lactate and [2-13C]pyruvate kinetics in muscle. Infusing dichloroacetate to stimulate pyruvate dehydrogenase activity and shifts the kinetics toward oxidative metabolism. Bicarbonate formation increases sharply from [1-13C]lactate. Acetyl-L-carnitine, acetoacetate, and glutamate levels rise. Such a quick mobilization of pyruvate and lactate toward oxidative metabolism supports the postulated role of lactate in the glycogen shunt and the intracellular lactate shuttle models. The study introduces then an innovative DNP approach to measure metabolite transients, which will help delineate the cellular and physiological role of lactate and glycolytic end products.
Fin ray sensation participates in the generation of normal fin movement in the hovering behavior of the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus).
Authors: Williams Richard , Hale Melina E.
Published: September 2015

For many fish species, the pectoral fins serve as important propulsors and stabilizers and are precisely controlled. Although it has been shown that mechanosensory feedback from the fin ray afferent nerves provides information on ray bending and position, the effects of this feedback on fin movement are not known. In other taxa, including insects and mammals, sensory feedback from the limbs has been shown to be important for control of limb-based behaviors and we hypothesized that this is also the case for the fishes. In this study, we examine the impact of the loss of sensory feedback from the pectoral fins on movement kinematics during hover behavior. Research was performed with bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), a model for understanding the biomechanics of swimming and for bio-inspired design of engineered fins. The bluegill beats its pectoral fins rhythmically, and in coordination with pelvic and median fin movement, to maintain a stationary position while hovering. Bilateral deafferentation of the fin rays results in a splay-finned posture where fins beat regularly but at a higher frequency and without adducting fully against the side of the body. For unilateral transections, more irregular changes in fin movements were recorded. These data indicate that sensory feedback from the fin rays and membrane is important for generating normal hover movements but not necessary for generating rhythmic fin movement.
Using an abstract geometry in virtual reality to explore choice behaviour: visual flicker preferences in honeybees
Authors: Van De Poll Matthew N. , Zajaczkowski Esmi L. , Taylor Gavin J. , Srinivasan Mandyam V. , van Swinderen Bruno
Published: September 2015

Closed-loop paradigms provide an effective approach to studying visual choice behaviour and attention in small animals. Different flying and walking paradigms have been developed to investigate behavioural and neuronal responses to competing stimuli in insects such as bees and flies. However, the variety of stimulus choices that can be presented over one experiment is often limited. Current choice paradigms are mostly constrained as single binary choice scenarios that are influenced by the linear structure of classical conditioning paradigms. Here, we present a novel behavioural choice paradigm that allows animals to explore a closed geometry of interconnected binary choices by repeatedly selecting among competing objects, thereby revealing stimulus preferences in an historical context. We employed our novel paradigm to investigate visual flicker preferences in honeybees (Apis mellifera), and found significant preferences for 20-25Hz flicker and avoidance of higher (50-100Hz) and lower (2-4Hz) flicker frequencies. Similar results were found when bees were presented with three simultaneous choices instead of two, and when they were given the chance to select previously rejected choices. Our results show that honeybees can discriminate among different flicker frequencies, and that their visual preferences are persistent even under different experimental conditions. Interestingly, avoided stimuli were more attractive if they were novel, suggesting that novelty salience can override innate preferences. Our recursive virtual reality environment provides a new approach to studying visual discrimination and choice behaviour in behaving animals.
Rapid maturation of the muscle biochemistry that supports diving in Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
Authors: Noren Shawn R. , Jay Chadwick V. , Burns Jennifer M. , Fischbach Anthony S.
Published: September 2015

Physiological constraints dictate animals’ ability to exploit habitats. For marine mammals, it is important to quantify physiological limits that influence diving and their ability to alter foraging behaviors. We characterized age-specific dive limits of walruses by measuring anaerobic (acid-buffering capacity) and aerobic (myoglobin content) capacities of the muscles that power hind (longissimus dorsi) and fore (supraspinatus) flipper propulsion. Mean buffering capacities were similar across muscles and age classes (a fetus, five neonatal calves, a 3 month old and 20 adults), ranging from 41.31 to 54.14 slykes and 42.00 to 46.93 slykes in the longissimus and supraspinatus, respectively. Mean myoglobin in the fetus and neonatal calves fell within a narrow range (longissimus: 0.92–1.68 g 100 g−1 wet muscle mass; supraspinatus: 0.88–1.64 g 100 g−1 wet muscle mass). By 3 months post-partum, myoglobin in the longissimus increased by 79%, but levels in the supraspinatus remained unaltered. From 3 months post-partum to adulthood, myoglobin increased by an additional 26% in the longissimus and increased by 126% in the supraspinatus; myoglobin remained greater in the longissimus compared with the supraspinatus. Walruses are unique among marine mammals because they are born with a mature muscle acid-buffering capacity and attain mature myoglobin content early in life. Despite rapid physiological development, small body size limits the diving capacity of immature walruses and extreme sexual dimorphism reduces the diving capacity of adult females compared with adult males. Thus, free-ranging immature walruses likely exhibit the shortest foraging dives while adult males are capable of the longest foraging dives.
Oxidative phosphorylation efficiency, proton conductance and reactive oxygen species production of liver mitochondria correlates with body mass in frogs
Authors: Roussel Damien , Salin Karine , Dumet Adeline , Romestaing Caroline , Rey Benjamin , Voituron Yann
Published: September 2015

Body size is a central biological parameter affecting most biological processes (especially energetics) and mitochondria is a key organelle controlling metabolism and is also the cell's main source of chemical energy. However, the link between body size and mitochondrial function is still unclear, especially in ectotherms. In this study, we investigated several parameters of mitochondrial bioenergetics in the liver of three closely related species of frogs (the common frog Rana temporaria, the marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus and the bull frog Lithobates catesbeiana). These particular species were chosen due to their differences in adult body mass. We found that the mitochondrial coupling efficiency was markedly increased with animal size, which lead to a higher ATP production (+70%) in the larger frogs (L. catesbeiana) compared to the smaller frogs (R. temporaria). This was essentially driven by a strong negative dependence of mitochondrial proton conductance on body mass. Liver mitochondria from the larger frogs (L. catesbeiana) displayed 50% of the proton conductance of mitochondria from the smaller frogs (R. temporaria). Contrary to our prediction, the low mitochondrial proton conductance measured in L. catesbeiana was not associated with higher radical oxygen species production. Instead, liver mitochondria from the larger individuals produced significantly lower radical oxygen species than those from the smaller frogs. Collectively, the data shows that key bioenergetics parameters of mitochondria (proton leak, ATP production efficiency and radical oxygen species production) are correlated with body mass in frogs. This research expands our understanding of the relationship between mitochondrial function and the evolution of allometric scaling in ectotherms.
Heat transfer in fish: are short excursions between habitats a thermoregulatory behaviour to exploit resources in an unfavourable thermal environment?
Authors: Pépino Marc , Goyer Katerine , Magnan Pierre
Published: September 2015

Temperature is the primary environmental factor affecting physiological processes in ectotherms. Heat-transfer models describe how the fish's internal temperature responds to a fluctuating thermal environment. Specially, the rate coefficient (k), defined as the instantaneous rate of change in body temperature in relation to the difference between ambient and body temperature, summarizes the combined effects of direct thermal conduction through body mass, passive convection (intra and intercellular fluids) and forced convective heat-transfer (cardiovascular system). The k-coefficient is widely used in fish ecology to understand how body temperature responds to change in water temperature. The main objective of this study was to estimate the k-coefficient of brook charr equipped with internal temperature-sensitive transmitters in controlled laboratory experiments. Fish were first transferred from acclimation tanks (10°C) to tanks at 14°C, 19°C, or 23°C (warming experiments) and were then returned to the acclimation tanks (10°C; cooling experiments), thus producing six step changes in ambient temperature. We used non-linear mixed models to estimate the k-coefficient. Model comparisons indicated that the model incorporating k-coefficient as a function of absolute temperature difference (dT: 4°C, 9°C, and 13°C) best described body temperature change. By simulating body temperature in a heterogeneous thermal environment, we provided theoretical predictions of maximum excursion duration between feeding and resting areas. Our simulations suggest that short (i.e.,<60 min) excursions could be a common thermoregulatory behaviour adopted by cold freshwater fish species to sustain body temperature below critical temperature threshold, enabling them to exploit resources in an unfavourable thermal environment.
TNT Equivalency for Overpressure and Impulse for Detonations of Spherical Charges of High Explosives
Authors: Shin Jinwon , Whittaker Andrew S. , Cormie David
Published: September 2015

Equivalency is often used to enable calculations of overpressures and impulses for explosives other than TNT. Equivalent mass factors are available for far-field detonations but none are available for near-field detonations. These reported factors are associated with incident overpressure and impulse and assumed appropriate for reflected overpressure and impulse. Numerical studies of TNT-equivalent mass factors for four high explosives (PETN, Composition B, Pentolite and Tetryl) for incident and normally reflected peak overpressure and scaled impulse are presented for a wide range of scaled distance 0.06 ≤ Z ≤ 40 m/kg1/3. Emphasis is placed on near-field detonations for which no reliable factors are currently available.
A Comment on “Review of Quasi-Analytical and Cavity Expansion Methods for Projectile Penetration of Concrete Targets”, by R. Sobeski and G. Urgessa, Int. J. Protective Structures, 6(1), 43–64 (2015)
Authors: Rosenberg Zvi , Dekel Erez
Published: September 2015

The relevance of the cavity expansion analyses to the penetration mechanics of rigid projectiles, impacting metallic and concrete targets, is discussed. In the past six years we offered an alternative approach to that reviewed by Sobeski and Urgessa (2015), and we briefly discuss that work in this comment. To our best understanding, the cavity expansion analyses are irrelevant to the penetration mechanics of rigid projectiles impacting metallic or concrete targets.
Research Roundup
Authors: Cope Graham F
Published: September 2015

In this section, Graham Cope presents a selection of recently published articles of interest to nurses working in the field of cardiovascular nursing. The aim of this roundup is to provide a brief overview of the research papers selected. A full reference is provided for those who wish to take a look at the research in further detail
Familial hyperlipidaemia
Authors: Khan Nazish , Williams Helen
Published: September 2015

This article provides an overview of the different types of familial hyperlipidaemia that may be encountered in clinical practice, namely, familial combined hyperlipidaemia (FCH) and familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). Owing to their complexity, apolipoprotein disorders will not be covered. The underlying causes and clinical consequences of FCH and FH will be discussed, in addition to management strategies that can be implemented to mitigate against such consequences of familial hyperlipidaemia.
Continuous 12-lead ECG visual display monitoring for use in surgical recovery
Authors: Singh Arwinder
Published: September 2015

The aim of this article is to present a critical review on monitoring practices within the recovery area. The report is presented from the perspective of recovery staff who have an important role in routine patient care, as well as roles in clinical governance, evidence-based practice, teaching, management and service improvement. A personal observation in the author's personal practice is that 12-lead ECG monitoring is not routinely performed on patients in the post-surgical recovery setting. This article therefore provides a critical analysis of the evidence base and explanation on the use of 12-lead ECG monitoring for patients following surgery. There is evidence to suggest that monitoring these patients is crucial especially where there are higher risks of cardiac events. Recommendations for future research and enhancing practice are provided in light of these findings.
Atrial fibrillation guidelines for management: what's new?
Authors: Berry Ellen , Padgett Helen , Holton Cathy
Published: September 2015

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and can present as either an acute or chronic condition. AF is a global health-care problem with evidence suggesting an increasing prevalence and incidence worldwide ( Chugh et al, 2014 ). It affects 1–2% of the general population around the world and with an increasingly ageing population, estimates suggest prevalence will at least double in the next 50 years ( Camm et al, 2010 ). This article focuses on the changing management and treatment of AF in line with recent evidence and updated guidelines.
The impact of TAVI on vascular complications incidence: a literature review
Authors: Nwosu Winifred Onyinyechi , Shuldham Caroline
Published: September 2015

Aim:

This article provides a literature review on the post-procedural outcomes of patients who have undergone transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Background:

TAVI is a less invasive treatment option than surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for aortic stenosis. Aortic stenosis in the UK has a prevalence rate of 5% in people aged 75 and over. Access sites used for TAVI procedures include trans-aortic, subclavian, carotid, apical (TA) and femoral (TF) ( National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2012 ). Transfemoral TAVI access sites were previously closed using an open surgical access technique (closure of the skin using sutures). However, over the years, the use of percutaneous access closure devices such as Perclose Proglide has increased. Nevertheless, there is a gap in the literature that assesses the postoperative vascular complications in patients who undergo TAVI.

Conclusion:

This review highlights the importance of measuring patients' post-procedural outcomes, as well as the need for increased confidence and competence in all health professionals in their provision of care to patients, and more evidence-based care.

Relevance to clinical practice:

Nurses can improve patient care by observing the patient and ensuring their safety following the TAVI procedure. They should therefore be competent in recognising any major or minor vascular complications after transfemoral TAVI and assessing their significance.
Predictors of the 6-minute walk test in patients with chronic heart failure
Authors: Pepera Garyfallia , Ingle Lee , Sandercock Gavin RH
Published: September 2015

Introduction:

The six-minute walk test (6-MWT) is a simple, inexpensive measure used to evaluate functional capacity in heart failure (HF). The purpose of this study was to identify routinely made predictors of 6-MWT performance and develop a prediction equation in the HF population.

Methods:

Seventy-one patients with HF (82% males and 18% females; mean age 76 ± 9 years), enrolled in a chronic disease assessment programme and completed the standardised 6-MWT. Measurements of stature, weight, step length, ventricular function and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class were recorded.

Results:

Mean distance walked was 305 ± 123 metres. Age and stature were the only variables which correlated significantly with test performance (r1=-0.422, r2=0.351, respectively, for p<0.005). Gender-specific regression equations using anthropometric data explained 40% and 52% of the variance in 6-MWT performance in males and females, respectively. Univariate multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that BMI ≥25 kg/m2 (OR = 12.8, 95% CI = 1.46–112) and age ≥75 years (OR = 4.9, 95% CI = 1.3–18.8) were independent predictors of poor performance (<300 metres).

Conclusion:

Clinicians should take account of age, stature and BMI when interpreting results of the 6-MWT in patients with HF.
Consent: the scope of parental responsibility
Authors: Griffith Richard
Published: September 2015

Babies affected by congenital heart disease often require prolonged treatment and cardiac nurses must be able to obtain valid consent to proceed with the care and treatment of the child. In this article considering the scope of parental responsibility, Richard Griffith sets out the key provisions and discusses the right of the court to overrule a parent's decision to refuse medical treatment for their child.
Forget rote learning – just say it how it is
Authors: Francis-Pester Dawn
Published: September 2015

The ‘immersion language’ approach is all about seeing languages as a tool rather than a separate subject to be learnt in isolation. Dawn Francis-Pester describes the benefits.
Build an app ‘for real’
Authors: Ashcroft Jay
Published: September 2015

The success of one school's app building project was not due to the software used or the way pupils were organised – but to the fact it had a real life application.
Swimming for your life!
Authors: Donohoe Tom
Published: September 2015

Not only does swimming deliver many health benefits, but it can also be a life saver. Schools need to prioritise on finding time for it, says Tom Donohoe.
Doing our level best…
Authors: David Anthony
Published: September 2015

In the first of his new monthly column, Anthony David scrutinises the landscape for assessment and advises readers to get back to the basics of good marking.
A Critical Appraisal of Debye Length in Clay-Electrolyte Systems
Authors: Bharat Tadikonda Venkata , Sridharan Asuri
Published: September 2015

The equivalent diffuse double layer (DDL) thickness in clay-electrolyte systems is a very useful parameter for analyzing the engineering behavior of clays under different environmental conditions. The equivalent DDL thickness is generally assumed to be equal to the characteristic (Debye) length. The present work examined critically the applicability of characteristic length to define equivalent DDL thickness under various clay-surface and pore-fluid conditions. A critical analysis is presented of the changes in the equivalent DDL thickness and characteristic length under the influence of different clay-surface and electrolyte properties. The equivalent DDL thickness was found to be smaller than the characteristic length for a wide range of surface and pore-fluid parameters normally encountered in engineering practice. An accurate and simple power relationship was developed to predict the equivalent DDL thickness from the characteristic length, which is applicable to a wide range of clay-electrolyte systems.
Expanding the Role of the Gutter in Nonfiction Comics: Forged Memories in Joe Sacco’s Safe Area Goražde
Authors: Acheson Charles
Published: September 2015

The plentitude of comics scholarship concerning the medium’s gutter illustrates the importance of the structural device; however, the foundational explanations of the gutter rarely define the structural element’s more specific capabilities. This article endeavors to expand understanding of the gutter as a mechanism to increase knowledge of traumatic and non-traumatic nonfiction narratives. Analyzing key testimonies in Joe Sacco’s Safe Area Goražde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-1995 , this article explores and demonstrates how Sacco, and the comics medium at large, employs the gutter to create forged memories —memories unique yet also false—of traumatic events to engage witnesses more fully. Through these memories, the reader-witness comes closer to understanding the surreal nature of the survivor’s trauma. As a result, comics provides for greater traumatic understanding through the devices inherent to the medium.
Selling books and digital files: A comparative study of the sales of books and e-books in Sweden
Authors: Steiner Ann
Published: September 2015

The book trade is going through wide-ranging changes pushed by digital technology and e-books, and there is considerable concern over the consequences this will have for literature, culture and reading. The article proposes that the present development can be compared with similar changes in the book trade in the past, and that the effects of sales of e-books might not be all-encompassing as has been feared. A comparison between sales in the Swedish book clubs in the 1970s and the Internet bookshops in the 1990s, offers a range of similarities and differences. These are then related to the e-book sales since 2010. While the e-book might be a disruptive technology, put in a historical perspective and in a Swedish context, it appears less radical and the impact not as far-reaching as has been predicted. The comparison with book clubs and Internet sales gives an indication of the structural changes to be expected and what aspects are fundamental and new.
Going digital: Changing the game of Danish publishing
Authors: Hjarvard Stig , Helles Rasmus
Published: September 2015

This article aims to analyse current transformations in the Danish book publishing industry in light of the convergence between the book and the broader media culture. We focus on changing relationships between actors (publishing houses, bookstores, etc.) in the trade book’s circuit of production, distribution and consumption. The development of the e-book challenges established routines of publishers, which must cope with new groups of actors in both the production and distribution of their products as well as new ways for readers to access and consume books. Methodologically, the study is based on qualitative interviews with key organizational actors in the Danish publishing industry and document studies of available industry information and statistics. On a theoretical level, the project combines organizational theory and institutional perspectives of mediatization in order to address the question of how the introduction of new media reconfigures old media industries. In particular, we focus on the interplay between book business actors’ perceptions of digital technology, the changing market conditions, and the possibilities this entails for them.

The convergence between the book and other media is enabled by ‘institutional entrepreneurs’, who import perceptions and practices from other media industries into book publishing. These changes at the organizational level also affect the balance between ‘market’ and ‘cathedral’ in the book publishing industry as a whole. The distinction between ‘brownfield’ and ‘greenfield’ development allows us to understand why existing players in the book market generally try to adapt to digital technologies in ways that do not put their existing businesses at risk, while newcomers may face fewer barriers to pursuing new technological opportunities.
Near Infrared Spectroscopy as non-destructive method for sorting viable, petrified and empty seeds of Larix sibirica
Authors: Farhadi Mostafa , Tigabu Mulualem , Odén Per
Published: September 2015

Ledeb. is one of the promising timber species for planting in the boreal ecosystem; but poor seed lot quality is the major hurdle for production of sufficient quantity of planting stocks. Here, we evaluated the potential of Near Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy for sorting viable and non-viable seeds, as the conventional sorting technique is inefficient. NIR reflectance spectra were collected from single seeds, and discriminant models were developed with Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structure â Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA). The computed model predicted the class membership of filled-viable, empty and petrified seeds in the test set with 98%, 82% and 87% accuracy, respectively. When two-class OPLS-DA model was fitted to discriminate viable and non-viable (empty and petrified seeds combined), the predicted class membership of test set samples was 100% for both classes. The origins of spectral differences between non-viable (petrified and empty) and viable seeds were attributed to differences in seed moisture content and storage reserves. In conclusion, the result provides evidence that NIR spectroscopy is a powerful non-destructive method for sorting non-viable seeds of ; thus efforts should be made to develop on-line sorting system for large-scale seed handling.Larix sibirica Larix sibirica
The Art of Secularism: The Cultural Politics of Modernist Art in Contemporary India (Zitzewitz)
Authors: George Kenneth M.
Published: September 2015

This work is a book review considering the title The Art of Secularism: The Cultural Politics of Modernist Art in Contemporary India by Karin Zitzewitz.
Unwrapping Ancient Egypt (Riggs)
Authors: Carruthers William
Published: September 2015

This work is a book review considering the title Unwrapping Ancient Egypt by Christina Riggs.
Accomplishing NAGPRA: Perspectives on the Intent, Impact, and Future of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (Chari and Lavallee, eds.)
Authors: Fine-Dare Kathleen S.
Published: September 2015

This work is a book review considering the title Accomplishing NAGPRA: Perspectives on the Intent, Impact, and Future of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act edited by Sangita Chari and Jaime M. N. Lavallee.
In the Museum of Man: Race, Anthropology and Empire in France, 1850-1950 (Conklin)
Authors: Monroe John Warne
Published: September 2015

This work is a book review considering the title In the Museum of Man: Race, Anthropology and Empire in France, 1850-1950 by Alice L. Conklin.
The Camera as Historian: Amateur Photographers and Historical Imagination, 1885-1918 (Edwards)
Authors: Scherer Joanna
Published: September 2015

This work is a book review considering the title The Camera as Historian: Amateur Photographers and Historical Imagination, 1885-1918 by Elizabeth Edwards.
Our Lives: Collaboration, Native Voice, and the Making of the National Museum of the American Indian (Shannon)
Authors: Shorter David Delgado
Published: September 2015

This work is a book review considering the title Our Lives: Collaboration, Native Voice, and the Making of the National Museum of the American Indian by Jennifer A. Shannon.
African Fashion, Global Style: Histories, Innovations, and Ideas You Can Wear (Rovine)
Authors: Hansen Karen Tranberg
Published: September 2015

This work is a book review considering the title African Fashion, Global Style: Histories, Innovations, and Ideas You Can Wear by Victoria L. Rovine.
Women and Ledger Art: Four Contemporary Native American Artists (Pearce)
Authors: Tone-Pah-Hote Jenny
Published: September 2015

This work is a book review considering the title Women and Ledger Art: Four Contemporary Native American Artists by Richard Pearce.
The Museum is Open: Towards a Transnational History of Museums 1750-1940 (Meyer and Savoy, eds.)
Authors: Penaloza Patzak Brooke
Published: September 2015

This work is a book review considering the title The Museum is Open: Towards a Transnational History of Museums 1750-1940 edited by Andrea Meyer and Benedicte Savoy.
Hunters, Carvers and Collectors: The Chauncey C. Nash Collection of Inuit Art (Lutz)
Authors: Engelstad Bernadette Driscoll
Published: September 2015

This work is a book review considering the title Hunters, Carvers and Collectors: The Chauncey C. Nash Collection of Inuit Art by Maija M. Lutz.
Protecting Siam’s Heritage (Baker)
Authors: Hauser-Schäublin Brigitta
Published: September 2015

This work is a book review considering the title Protecting Siam’s Heritage edited by Chris Baker.
Dismantling, Reorganization, and Creation: The Introduction to Ethnology Museums: Culture, Politics, and Institutional Change
Authors: Mazé Camille , Poulard Frédéric , Ventura Christelle
Published: September 2015

This contribution originally appeared in French as the introduction to the edited volume Les musées d’ethnologie: culture, politique et changement institutionnel. It offers a historical and contemporary account of cultural, political, and institutional factors that have reshaped museum anthropology and museums of anthropology in France since the rise of the field and its institutions in the 19th century.
Preliminary geoid mapping results by Fugro’s
improved Micro-g LaCoste turnkey airborne
gravity system
Authors: Zhong D. , Kingdon R. W.
Published: September 2015

In this paper, we introduce the Micro-g LaCoste
Turnkey Airborne Gravity System (TAGS) with Fugro’s improved
gravity processing and geoid modeling software
package for regional gravity field mapping and geoid determination.
Three test areas with different topographic
characteristics under the Gravity for the Redefinition of the
AmericanVertical Datum (GRAV-D) project of theUSNOAA
National Geodetic Surveys (NGS) were used for case studies
and determine the available accuracy of the system.
The preliminary results of all these test cases show that
the system with Fugro’s improved gravity and geoid processing
software package is able to achieve a comparable
geoid mapping result to traditional terrestrial methods.
Touristic development of the La Lopé National Park (Gabon) in light of the SWOT analysis
Authors: Jędrusik Maciej , Lisowski Andrzej , Mouketou-Tarazewicz Dieudonné , Ropivia Marc-Louis , Zagajewski Bogdan
Published: September 2015

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the possibilities of touristic development of the La Lopé National Park and to indicate the most important barriers and limitations of the area exploitation. For this purpose a SWOT method was applied. This assignment presents the situation as of the end of 2014. The majority of the up-to-date data was collected during the mission, the purpose of which was to observe the region, and which was organized by Université Omar Bongo in Libreville and Warsaw University. The La Lopé National Park has a significant touristic potential which is very poorly used. The diagnose of the reasons for that can be an indicator for attempts to rationally use the resources of the region and present an appropriate development strategy.
Methods for Modeling Ecosystem Services: A Review
Authors: Olosutean Horea
Published: September 2015

Modeling ecosystem services (ES) is an essential tool for the development of strategies that will ensure their future supply, provision and quantification. Given the rapid development in this area of research, a review of the different approaches used to model ES was performed, using an analytical framework based on five criteria for comparing the existing methodological approaches: the types of ES, availability of data sources, spatial scale, types of models used and the possible outcomes of the models. Regulating services were the most commonly modeled, followed by provisioning, cultural, and supporting services. The most frequently used data for modeling were secondary data (already available from scientific literature or data banks). Most studies were performed at the regional or at a global scale. Mechinicist models, based on state and flow equations, were the most commonly used method, but the survey showed a relatively homogeneous distribution of all the identified types of modeling. The synthesis reveals that the majority of studies are based on secondary data, applied at broad scales, without validation techniques, similar to the existing information regarding the mapping of ESs.
Assessment of Anthropogenic Ecological Systems in the Apold Depression to a Sustainable Management
Authors: Lengyel Ecaterina , Stegăruş Diana Ionela , Ciucure Corina Teodora , Tiţa Ovidiu
Published: September 2015

The Apold Depression and especially the locality of Apoldu de Jos are mentioned in historical writings from the earliest times. It was mentioned in official documents as early as 1288 by the king of Hungary, Ladislaus IV the Cuman (1272- 1290). A community of free people, they harnessed their natural resources in such a way that they still have a good reputation. Sustainable management of this area is very important for viticulture and agriculture.

Due to its geographical position, the Apold Depression was always a favorable place for the cultivation of grapevine. The crops recorded the mark of a redox environment which favors the accumulation of free and bonded aromas in grapes. The research studies have shown that these aromas are clearly influenced by the geological structure of the area, soil composition, climate, exposure, slope, abundance of precipitations. All these give typicality to the wines of a vineyard (goût de terroir).
Steps of Sustainable Development Implementation into Enterprise Activities
Authors: Grabara Janusz , Bajdor Paula , Mihaescu Liviu
Published: September 2015

Nowadays, principles of the sustainable development concept are present in almost all areas of life, play a key role in efforts to protect the environment, activities for the community and economic development. One of the "beneficiaries" of this concept are the enterprises, both small local as well as those with a global reach. In almost every operating company, in a greater or lesser extent, pillars of sustainable development are used, but before this happened - these companies have to go through a few steps, that led to the full implementation of the sustainable development concept and its application in practical terms. This article presents and describes in detail, the various stages of completion of which is the existence and the practical use of the sustainable development concept in its activities.
Management of Litigants’ Satisfaction in their Quality of Legal Services’ Customers Provided by the Courts
Authors: Hulpuş Ioana , Muscalu Emanoil , Faloba Viorica
Published: September 2015

The quality of public services provided by the courts became one of the most important objectives in all developed countries. According to the current requirements, organizations must respond more promptly to the society’s needs and demands. The citizen / customer’s position and role became essential taking into consideration these changes and reforms, the quality of legal services depends on the user’s demands and expectations holding a strong subjective character. On the other hand, the quality does not apply solely to the final product, namely the court’s decision, but to all related activities carried out during the whole process, the way the citizens perceive all the adjacent activities. In this context Quality Management must identify appropriate methods and techniques to manage the customer’s approach in all its complexity, from the analysis of the importance of learning about their needs, their expectations, and factors influencing the perception to the measurement of the customer satisfaction and not least the management of it.
Dispersion of dielectric permittivity and magnetic properties of solid solution PZT–PFT
Authors: Skulski Ryszard , Niemiec Przemysław , Bochenek Dariusz , Chrobak Artur
Published: September 2015

In this paper we present the results of investigations into ceramic samples of solid solution (1-x)(PbZr0.53Ti0.47O3)- x(PbFe0.5Ta0.503) (i.e. (1-x)PZT-xPFT) with x = 0.25, 0.35 and 0.45. We try to find the relation between the character of dielectric dispersion at various temperatures and the composition of this solution. We also describe the magnetic properties of investigated samples. With increasing the content of PFT also mass magnetization and mass susceptibility increase (i.e. magnetic properties are more pronounced) at every temperature. The temperature dependences of mass magnetization and re­ciprocal of mass susceptibility have similar runs for all the compositions. However, our magnetic investigations exhibit weak antiferromagnetic ordering instead of the ferromagnetic one at room temperature. We can also say that up to room tempera­ture any magnetic phase transition has not occurred. It may be a result of the conditions of the technological process during producing our PZT-PFT ceramics.
Transparent fluorinate acrylic polyurethane with hydrophobicity obtained by crosslinking of hydroxyl-containing fluoroacrylate copolymer with HDI trimer
Authors: Guo Yudi , Tang Dongyan , Yang Fan
Published: September 2015

Hydroxyl-containing fluoroacrylate copolymers with different fluorine and hydroxyl concentrations were synthesized via free-radical solution polymerization. Transparent fluorinated polyurethane (FPU) films were prepared by curing the copolymers with HDI (hexamethylene diisocyanate) trimer. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results revealed introduction of fluorine both into the copolymer and polyurethane. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses indicated that a gradient concentration of fluorine existed in the depth profile of the fluorinated polyurethane films. The highest contact angle (CA) was obtained for the FPU film with fluoroacrylate monomer concentration of 22 wt.% because of fluorine present on the film surface. The surface topographies detected by SEM and AFM indicated that surface roughness contributed little to the film hydrophobicity. By increasing the fluoroacrylate monomer concentration, the decreasing of crosslinking degree of hard segment resulted in lowering the first degradation temperature, while more C-F groups in soft segment led to higher second degradation temperature. UV-Vis spectrophotometer measurements indicated that the FPU film with the fluoroacrylate monomer concentration of 16 wt.% still had a high transmittance of more than 90 % in the whole visible wavelength range.
Electronic parameters of MIS Schottky diodes with DNA biopolymer interlayer
Authors: Güllü Ömer , Türüt Abdulmecit
Published: September 2015

In this work, we prepared an ideal Cu/DNA/n-InP biopolymer-inorganic Schottky sandwich device formed by coating a n- lP semiconductor wafer with a biopolymer DNA. The Cu/DNA/n-InP contact showed a good rectifying behavior. The ideality factor value of 1.08 and the barrier height (Φb) value of 0.70 eV for the Cu/DNA/n-InP device were determined from the forward ias I-V characteristics. It was seen that the Φb value of 0.70 eV obtained for the Cu/DNA/n-InP contact was significantly larger tan the value of 0.48 eV of conventional Cu/n-InP Schottky diodes. Modification of the interfacial potential barrier of Cu/n-InP iode was achieved using a thin interlayer of DNA biopolymer. This was attributed to the fact that DNA biopolymer interlayer increased the effective barrier height by influencing the space charge region of InP.