bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genesis of Diamond Dust and Thick Cloud Episodes observed above Dome C, Antarctica
Authors: Ricaud Philippe , Bazile Eric , del Guasta Massimo , Lanconelli Christian , Grigioni Paolo , Mahjoub Achraf
Published: September 2016

Abstract. From 15 March to 8 April 2011 and from 4 to 5 March 2013, the atmosphere above Dome C (Concordia station, Antarctica, 75°06' S, 123°21' E, 3233 m amsl) has been probed by several instruments and model to study episodes of thick cloud and diamond dust (cloud constituted of suspended ice crystals). 1) A ground-based microwave radiometer (HAMSTRAD, H2O Antarctica Microwave Stratospheric and Tropospheric Radiometers) installed at Dome C that provided vertical profiles of tropospheric temperature and absolute humidity to calculate Integrated Water Vapour (IWV). 2) Daily radiosoundings launched at 12:00 UTC at Dome C. 3) A tropospheric aerosol Lidar that provides aerosol depolarization ratio along the vertical at Dome C. 4) Down- and upward short- and longwave radiations as provided by the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) facilities. 5) Space-borne aerosol depolarization ratio from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) Lidar aboard the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) platform along orbits close to the Dome C station. The time evolution of the atmosphere has also been evaluated by considering the outputs from the meso-scale AROME and the global-scale ARPEGE meteorological models. Two distinct periods are highlighted by all the datasets: the warm and wet periods (24–26 March 2011 and 4 March 2013) and the cold and dry periods (5 April 2011 and 5 March 2013). Combining radiation and active measurements of aerosols with nebulosity calculations, a thick cloud is detected during the warm and wet periods with high depolarization ratios (greater than 30 %) from the surface to 5–7 km altitude associated with precipitation of ice particles and the presence of a supercooled liquid water (depolarization of about 10 %) cloud. During the cold and dry periods, high depolarization ratios (greater than 30 %) to a maximum altitude of 100–500 m are measured suggesting that the cloud is constituted of ice crystals with no trace of precipitation. These ice crystals in suspension in the air are named diamond dust. Considering 5-day back trajectories from Dome C and global distributions of IWV over the Antarctic show that the thick-cloud episode is attributed to air masses with an oceanic origin whilst the diamond dust episode is attributed to air masses with continental origins. This is consistent with ARPEGE temperature and water vapour tendency favouring predominantly advection processes including microphysical processes for water vapour.
Impacts of land-use history on the recovery of ecosystems after agricultural abandonment
Authors: Krause Andreas , Pugh Thomas A. M. , Bayer Anita D. , Lindeskog Mats , Arneth Almut
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Land-use changes have been shown to have large effects on climate and biogeochemical cycles, but so far most studies have focused on the effects of conversion of natural vegetation to croplands and pastures. By contrast, relatively little is known about the long-term influence of past agriculture on vegetation regrowth and carbon sequestration following land abandonment. We used the LPJ-GUESS dynamic vegetation model to study the legacy effects of different land-use histories (in terms of type and duration) across a range of ecosystems. To this end, we performed six idealized simulations for Europe and Africa in which we made a transition from natural vegetation to either pasture or cropland, followed by a transition back to natural vegetation after 20, 60 or 100 years. The simulations identified substantial differences in recovery trajectories of four key variables (vegetation composition, vegetation carbon, soil carbon, net biome productivity) after agricultural cessation. Vegetation carbon and composition typically recovered faster than soil carbon in subtropical, temperate and boreal regions, and vice versa in the tropics. While the effects of different land-use histories on recovery periods of soil carbon stocks often differed by centuries across our simulations, differences in recovery times across simulations were typically small for net biome productivity (a few decades) and modest for vegetation carbon and composition (several decades). Spatially, we found the greatest sensitivity of recovery times to prior land use in boreal forests and subtropical grasslands, where post-agricultural productivity was strongly affected by prior land management. Our results suggest that land-use history is a relevant factor affecting ecosystems long after agricultural cessation, and it should be considered not only when assessing historical or future changes in simulations of the terrestrial carbon cycle but also when establishing long-term monitoring networks and interpreting data derived therefrom, including analysis of a broad range of ecosystem properties or local climate effects related to land cover changes.
Development of BFMCOUPLER (v1.0), the coupling scheme that links the MITgcm and BFM models for ocean biogeochemistry simulations
Authors: Cossarini Gianpiero , Querin Stefano , Solidoro Cosimo , Sannino Gianmaria , Lazzari Paolo , Di Biagio Valeria , Bolzon Giorgio
Published: September 2016

Abstract. In this paper, we present a coupling scheme between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model (MITgcm) and the Biogeochemical Flux Model (BFM). The MITgcm and BFM are widely used models for geophysical fluid dynamics and for ocean biogeochemistry, respectively, and they benefit from the support of active developers and user communities. The MITgcm is a state-of-the-art general circulation model for simulating the ocean and the atmosphere. This model is fully three dimensional (including the non-hydrostatic term of momentum equations) and includes a finite-volume discretization and a number of additional features enabling simulations from global (O(107)m) to local scales (O(100)m). The BFM is a complex biogeochemical model that simulates the cycling of a number of constituents and nutrients within marine ecosystems. The coupler presented in this paper links the two models through an efficient scheme that manages communication and memory sharing between the models. We also test specific model options to balance the numerical accuracy against the computational performance. The coupling scheme allows us to solve several processes that are not considered by each of the models alone, including light attenuation parameterizations along the water column, phytoplankton and detritus sinking, external inputs, and surface and bottom fluxes. Moreover, this new coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model has been configured and tested against an idealized problem (a cyclonic gyre in a mid-latitude closed basin) and a realistic case study (central part of the Mediterranean Sea in 2006–2012). The numerical results are consistent with the expected theoretical and observed behaviour of both the idealized system and the Mediterranean domain, thus demonstrating the applicability of the new coupled model to a wide range of ocean biogeochemistry problems.
The weather@home regional climate modelling project for Australia and New Zealand
Authors: Black Mitchell T. , Karoly David J. , Rosier Suzanne M. , Dean Sam M. , King Andrew D. , Massey Neil R. , Sparrow Sarah N. , Bowery Andy , Wallom David , Jones Richard G. , Otto Friederike E. L. , Allen Myles R.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. A new climate modelling project has been developed for regional climate simulation and the attribution of weather and climate extremes over Australia and New Zealand. The project, known as weather@home Australia–New Zealand, uses public volunteers' home computers to run a moderate-resolution global atmospheric model with a nested regional model over the Australasian region. By harnessing the aggregated computing power of home computers, weather@home is able to generate an unprecedented number of simulations of possible weather under various climate scenarios. This combination of large ensemble sizes with high spatial resolution allows extreme events to be examined with well-constrained estimates of sampling uncertainty. This paper provides an overview of the weather@home Australia–New Zealand project, including initial evaluation of the regional model performance. The model is seen to be capable of resolving many climate features that are important for the Australian and New Zealand regions, including the influence of El Niño–Southern Oscillation on driving natural climate variability. To date, 75 model simulations of the historical climate have been successfully integrated over the period 1985–2014 in a time-slice manner. In addition, multi-thousand member ensembles have also been generated for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015 under climate scenarios with and without the effect of human influences. All data generated by the project are freely available to the broader research community.
Validation of a new SAFRAN-based gridded precipitation product
for Spain and comparisons to Spain02 and ERA-Interim
Authors: Quintana-Seguí Pere , Turco Marco , Herrera Sixto , Miguez-Macho Gonzalo
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Offline Land-Surface Model (LSM) simulations are useful for studying the continental hydrological cycle. Because of the nonlinearities in the models, the results are very sensitive to the quality of the meteorological forcing; thus, high-quality gridded datasets of screen-level meteorological variables are needed. Precipitation datasets are particularly difficult to produce due to the inherent spatial and temporal heterogeneity of that variable. They do, however, have a large impact on the simulations, and it is thus necessary to carefully evaluate their quality in great detail. This paper reports the quality of two high-resolution precipitation datasets for Spain at the daily time scale: the new SAFRAN-based dataset and Spain02. SAFRAN is a meteorological analysis system that was designed to force LSMs and has recently been extended to the entirety of Spain for a long period of time (1979/80–2013/14). Spain02 is a daily precipitation dataset for Spain and was created mainly to validate Regional Climate Models. In addition, ERA-Interim is included in the comparison to show the differences between local high-resolution and global low-resolution products. The study compares the different precipitation analyses with rain gauge data and assesses their temporal and spatial similarities to the observations. The results show that SAFRAN and Spain02 have very similar skill scores, although the later has better scores in general. As expected, SAFRAN and Spain02 perform better than ERA-Interim, which has difficulty capturing the effects of the relief on precipitation due to its low resolution. However, ERA-Interim reproduces spells remarkably well, in contrast to the low skill shown by the high-resolution products. The high-resolution gridded products overestimate the number of precipitation days, which is a problem that affects SAFRAN more than Spain02 and is likely caused by the interpolation method. Both SAFRAN and Spain02 underestimate high precipitation events, but SAFRAN does so more than Spain02. The overestimation of low precipitation events and the underestimation of intense episodes will probably have hydrological consequences once the data are used to force a land surface or hydrological model.
On the Consistency of Scale Among Experiments, Theory, and
Simulation
Authors: McClure J. , Dye A. , Miller C. , Gray W.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. The career of Professor Eric F. Wood has focused on the resolution of problems of scale in hydrologic systems. Within this context, we consider an evolving approach known as the thermodynamically constrained averaging theory (TCAT), which has broad applicability to hydrology. Specifically, we consider the case of modeling of two-fluid-phase flow in porous media. Two-fluid flow processes in the subsurface are fundamentally important for a wide range of hydrologic processes, including the transport of water and air in the vadose zone and geological carbon sequestration. Mathematical models that describe these complex processes have long relied on empirical approaches that neglect important aspects of the system behavior. New data sources make it possible to access the true geometry of geologic materials and directly measure previously inaccessible quantities. This information can be exploited to support a new generation of theoretical models that are constructed based on rigorous multiscale principles for thermodynamics and continuum mechanics. The challenges to constructing a mature model are shown to involve issues of scale, consistency requirements, appropriate representation of operative physical mechanisms at the target scale of the model, and a robust structure to support model evaluation, validation, and refinement. We apply TCAT to perform physics-based data assimilation to understand how the internal behavior influences the macroscale state of two-fluid porous medium systems. Examples of a microfluidic experimental method and a lattice Boltzmann simulation method are used to examine a key deficiency associated with standard approaches. In a hydrologic process such as evaporation, the water content will ultimately be reduced below the irreducible wetting phase saturation determined from experiments. This is problematic since the derived closure relationships cannot predict the associated capillary pressures for these states. In this work, we demonstrate that the irreducible wetting-phase saturation is an artifact of the experimental design, caused by the fact that the boundary pressure difference does not approximate the true capillary pressure. Using averaging methods, we measure the true capillary pressure for fluid configurations at and below the irreducible wetting phase saturation. Results of our analysis include a state function for the capillary pressure expressed as a function of fluid saturation and interfacial area.
Evaluating Simplified Methods for Liquefaction Assessment for Loss Estimation
Authors: Kongar Indranil , Rossetto Tiziana , Giovinazzi Sonia
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Currently, catastrophe models used by the insurance industry account for liquefaction simply by applying a factor to shaking-induced losses based on local liquefaction susceptibility so there is a need more sophisticated approach to incorporating the effects of liquefaction in loss models is needed. This study compares eleven unique models, each based on one of three principal simplified liquefaction assessment methodologies: liquefaction potential index (LPI) calculated from shear-wave velocity; the HAZUS software methodology; and a methodology created specifically to make use of USGS remote sensing data. Data from the September 2010 Darfield and February 2011 Christchurch earthquakes in New Zealand are used to compare observed liquefaction occurrences to predictions from these models using binary classification performance measures. The analysis shows that the best performing model is the LPI calculated using known shear-wave velocity profiles, although this data may not always be available to insurers. The next best model is also based on LPI, but uses shear-wave velocity profiles simulated from the combination of USGS VS30 data and empirical functions that relate VS30 to average shear-wave velocities at shallower depths. This model is useful for insurance since the input data is publicly available. This paper also considers two models (HAZUS and EPOLLS) for prediction of the scale of liquefaction in terms of permanent ground deformation but finds that both models perform poorly and thus potentially provide negligible additional value to loss estimation analysis outside of the regions for which they have been developed.
Herziening van de Corporate Governance Code
Authors: Vetter H.J.
Published: September 2016

Herziening van de Corporate Governance Code

Meer dan 100 reacties heeft de Monitoring Commissie Governance Code ontvangen naar aanleiding van haar consultatiedocument voor een herziene Code. Uit negen reacties valt op te maken dat de grondhouding van de respondenten positief is, maar dat het voorstel voor de herziening van de Code nog wel verbeteringen behoeft. Belangrijke punten van kritiek betreffen onder meer de lange termijn waardecreatie “voor alle stakeholders”, de maximale zittingstermijn voor commissarissen, de beloning van bestuurders en van leden van de executive-committee, de responstijd, de in control verklaring en de regeling over de certificering. Een verkenning van de belangrijkste punten van kritiek
Corporate Governance in Nederland: lange termijn waardecreatie
Authors: Oostwouder W.J.
Published: September 2016

Corporate Governance in Nederland: lange termijn waardecreatie

In het Voorstel voor herziening van de Nederlandse Corporate Governance Code d.d. 11 februari 2016 wordt de nadruk gelegd op de focus op lange termijn waardecreatie van de vennootschap en de aan haar verbonden onderneming. Het huidige richtsnoer: “het creëren van aandeelhouderswaarde op lange termijn” zou dan uit de Code verdwijnen. Het is kennelijk de bedoeling dat de lange termijn waardecreatie ten bate van alle stakeholders geschiedt. Onder het door de Commissie gehanteerde begrip “stakeholders” vallen ook maatschappelijke groeperingen. De auteur beantwoordt de vraag wat het richtsnoer en de reikwijdte van het begrip stakeholders in de nieuwe Code zouden moeten zijn.
Optical Sensing of Fluoride Through a Self-Organized Fluorescent Ensemble of Quinizarin-Al(III) Complex
Authors: Adurty Sunil , Karnam Lohith , Chittor Sundaresan Neelakantan , Belliraj Siva Kumar
Published: September 2016

A one-pot, cost-effective system for sensing fluoride ions using quinizarin as a novel chromophore is reported. Quinizarin complexes with Al(III) to form a self-organized turn-on fluorescence system in methanol. In the presence of fluoride ions, this system undergoes a subsequent ligand swap reaction with the fluoride ion and consequently the fluorescence turns off, delivering a sensitive route for the estimation of fluoride. This domino effect presents a sensitive and selective reaction system for the detection of fluoride ions in the concentration range 0.5–15 ppm. The study was performed using spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric techniques. Various analytical parameters such as pH, equilibration time, ambient temperature, and applicability of the method have been reported along with the study of the associated interfering ions.
Fenomenologia da intersubjetividade e estudos em cognição social: reflexões acerca da atenção conjunta
Authors: Verissimo Danilo Saretta
Published: September 2016

Neste artigo, voltamo-nos para a questão da intersubjetividade a partir de um ponto de vista ontogenético. Discutimos as posições teóricas adotadas por estudos acerca da intersubjetividade no campo da cognição social, em particular os estudos centrados no conceito de atenção conjunta e em sua interpretação com base em constructos relativos à teoria da mente. Entendemos que na ideia de atenção conjunta subjaz uma intuição profunda a respeito da constituição de um mundo partilhado socialmente, e cuja natureza pode ser investigada para além da predominância da atitude reflexiva, que define a partilha do mundo num quadro conceitual que articula objetivismo e solipsismo. Nossas observações e análises apoiam-se em aportes da filosofia fenomenológica. Destacamos a dívida racionalista que se contrai por meio da teoria da mente e a possibilidade de se tratar dos aspectos ontogenéticos da intersubjetividade a partir de abordagens descritivas que possibilitem a problematização do sentido da experiência de coexistir.
Vulnerabilidade ao estresse e satisfação no trabalho de funcionários públicos
Authors: Cecilio-Fernandes Dario , Noronha Ana Paula Porto
Published: September 2016

Essa pesquisa teve como objetivo verificar as diferenças de médias de satisfação no trabalho em relação ao sexo, à vulnerabilidade ao estresse, à idade, à escolaridade e ao tempo de serviço. Participaram 116 sujeitos, sendo 88,8% do sexo feminino, com idades variando entre 19 a 62 anos (M=46,19, DP=10,28), com no mínimo três meses e, máximo, de 42 anos de serviço, com formação escolar do 1º grau até especialização. Os participantes responderam a Escala de Satisfação no Trabalho e a Escala de Vulnerabilidade ao Estresse no Trabalho em aproximadamente 30 minutos. Os resultados mostraram diferenças significativas entre satisfação no trabalho e vulnerabilidade ao estresse e escolaridade. Em relação ao sexo, idade e tempo de serviço não foram encontradas diferenças significativas. Os resultados são discutidos à luz da literatura.
Playing with the Future: Library Professionals, Trends, and Looking Ahead
Authors: Figueroa Miguel A.
Published: September 2016

In the preface to his book Futuring: The Exploration of the Future, Edward Cornish, a founder of the World Future Society, notes that futurists recognize that “the future world develops out of the present world. Thus, we can learn a great deal about what may happen in the future by looking systematically at what is actually happening now.”
2016 May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture Bookjoy, Wordjoy: Alegría en los Libros
Authors: Mora Pat
Published: September 2016

On September 29, 2014, I received a special email. It was from friendly Hannah Ehrlich at Lee & Low Books who forwarded a lovely and affirming message from [2016 Arbuthnot Committee Chair] Julie Corsaro. I was speechless and so grateful at what Julie had written.
Human Induced Pluripotent Cell-Derived Sensory Neurons for Fate Commitment of Bone Marrow-Derived Schwann Cells: Implications for Remyelination Therapy
Authors: Cai Sa , Han Lei , Ao Qiang , Chan Ying-Shing , Shum Daisy Kwok-Yan
Published: September 2016

Strategies that exploit induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to derive neurons have relied on cocktails of cytokines and growth factors to bias cell-signaling events in the course of fate choice. These are often costly and inefficient, involving multiple steps. In this study, we took an alternative approach and selected 5 small-molecule inhibitors of key signaling pathways in an 8-day program to induce differentiation of human iPSCs into sensory neurons, reaching ≥80% yield in terms of marker proteins. Continuing culture in maintenance medium resulted in neuronal networks immunopositive for synaptic vesicle markers and vesicular glutamate transporters suggestive of excitatory neurotransmission. Subpopulations of the derived neurons were electrically excitable, showing tetrodotoxin-sensitive action potentials in patch-clamp experiments. Coculture of the derived neurons with rat Schwann cells under myelinating conditions resulted in upregulated levels of neuronal neuregulin 1 type III in conjunction with the phosphorylated receptors ErbB2 and ErbB3, consistent with amenability of the neuritic network to myelination. As surrogates of embryonic dorsal root ganglia neurons, the derived sensory neurons provided contact-dependent cues to commit bone marrow-derived Schwann cell-like cells to the Schwann cell fate. Our rapid and efficient induction protocol promises not only controlled differentiation of human iPSCs into sensory neurons, but also utility in the translation to a protocol whereby human bone marrow-derived Schwann cells become available for autologous transplantation and remyelination therapy.
Cultivating the Multiple Sclerosis Workforce of the Future
Authors: DeLuca Gabriele C. , Buckle Guy , Cortese Irene , Graves Jennifer S. , Halper June , Newsome Scott D. , Sicotte Nancy , Ford Corey C. ,   on behalf of the FCMSC MS Mentorship Forum Participants
Published: September 2016

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex neurologic disorder that affects people with ever-changing needs. The MS health-care field has entered an era of exponential knowledge growth in which better understanding of the immunologic dysregulation of the disease has translated into an expanding array of treatment options. It is estimated that, if it has not already, within the next decade the demands of a growing MS patient population will outstrip the number of professionals dedicated to the management of this chronic, lifelong disease. Therefore, there is a pressing need to attract and retain clinicians in this dynamic field. In response to this need, the Foundation of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers organized a 2-day colloquium, a Mentorship Forum, on January 23–24, 2015, bringing together talented internal medicine and neurology trainees from across North America with an interest in MS and neuroimmunology. This article highlights the rationale for the MS Mentorship Forum, its structure and content, and its outcomes. We believe that the stage has been set to interest young, promising clinicians in learning more about MS and to encourage them to consider a career in this field. In so doing, we hope to contribute to the development of the next generation of MS experts to make a palpable difference in the lives of those affected by MS.
Women's and Men's Differing Experiences of Health, Lifestyle, and Aging with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Ploughman Michelle , Collins Katie , Wallack Elizabeth M. , Monks Michael , Mayo Nancy ,   Health, Lifestyle, and Aging with MS Canadian Consortium
Published: September 2016

Background:

The growing population of older people with multiple sclerosis (MS) has led to more interest in understanding factors associated with healthy aging. We aimed to determine whether older women and men with MS have different health and lifestyle behaviors and whether there are sex differences in contributors to perceived health.

Methods:

Data were obtained from a postal survey involving 743 Canadians older than 55 years with MS for at least 20 years. Sex differences in health, lifestyle, mood, and socioeconomics were examined using analysis of variance. Multiple regression was used to build explanatory models of health perception.

Results:

Despite no differences in age, years with MS, disability, fatigue, or social support, older men (n = 166) experienced lower perceived health and lower resilience and participated less in life roles than older women (n = 577). Men experienced more depressive symptoms, and women reported more anxiety. Depression was the strongest predictor of health perception in both women and men (β = −2.40 and −5.19, respectively, for each 3-point increase in depressive symptoms). Other contributors included household participation, fatigue, resilience, and disability in women and physical activity, financial flexibility, and alcohol use in men.

Conclusions:

Older men exhibit poorer adaptation to aging with MS than older women.
A criança com asma e sua família: avaliação psicossomática e sistêmica
Authors: Peçanha Dóris Lieth Nunes
Published: September 2016

A obra apresenta as teorias psicossomática e sistêmica, incluindo seus aspectos históricos e avanços recentes. Articula, de forma original, esses saberes em 20 casos clínicos (crianças sadias, asmáticas e famílias), utilizando-se dos instrumentos: entrevistas com pais e família; desenho em cores da família e teste das Fábulas, desenvolvidos ou adaptados para pesquisa e tratamento. Assim, oferece ferramentas válidas para avaliar e tratar questões diversas no âmbito individual e/ou familiar.
Spatiotemporal interplay between multisensory excitation and recruited inhibition in the lamprey optic tectum
Authors: Kardamakis Andreas A , Pérez-Fernández Juan , Grillner Sten
Published: September 2016

Animals integrate the different senses to facilitate event-detection for navigation in their environment. In vertebrates, the optic tectum (superior colliculus) commands gaze shifts by synaptic integration of different sensory modalities. Recent works suggest that tectum can elaborate gaze reorientation commands on its own, rather than merely acting as a relay from upstream/forebrain circuits to downstream premotor centers. We show that tectal circuits can perform multisensory computations independently and, hence, configure final motor commands. Single tectal neurons receive converging visual and electrosensory inputs, as investigated in the lamprey - a phylogenetically conserved vertebrate. When these two sensory inputs overlap in space and time, response enhancement of output neurons occurs locally in the tectum, whereas surrounding areas and temporally misaligned inputs are inhibited. Retinal and electrosensory afferents elicit local monosynaptic excitation, quickly followed by inhibition via recruitment of GABAergic interneurons. Multisensory inputs can thus regulate event-detection within tectum through local inhibition without forebrain control.
Emotion recognition using Kinect motion capture data of human gaits
Authors: Li Shun , Cui Liqing , Zhu Changye , Li Baobin , Zhao Nan , Zhu Tingshao
Published: September 2016

Automatic emotion recognition is of great value in many applications, however, to fully display the application value of emotion recognition, more portable, non-intrusive, inexpensive technologies need to be developed. Human gaits could reflect the walker’s emotional state, and could be an information source for emotion recognition. This paper proposed a novel method to recognize emotional state through human gaits by using Microsoft Kinect, a low-cost, portable, camera-based sensor. Fifty-nine participants’ gaits under neutral state, induced anger and induced happiness were recorded by two Kinect cameras, and the original data were processed through joint selection, coordinate system transformation, sliding window gauss filtering, differential operation, and data segmentation. Features of gait patterns were extracted from 3-dimentional coordinates of 14 main body joints by Fourier transformation and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The classifiers NaiveBayes, RandomForests, LibSVM and SMO (Sequential Minimal Optimization) were trained and evaluated, and the accuracy of recognizing anger and happiness from neutral state achieved 80.5% and 75.4%. Although the results of distinguishing angry and happiness states were not ideal in current study, it showed the feasibility of automatically recognizing emotional states from gaits, with the characteristics meeting the application requirements.
Functional, size and taxonomic diversity of fish along a depth gradient in the deep sea
Authors: Mindel Beth L. , Neat Francis C. , Trueman Clive N. , Webb Thomas J. , Blanchard Julia L.
Published: September 2016

Biodiversity is well studied in ecology and the concept has been developed to include traits of species, rather than solely taxonomy, to better reflect the functional diversity of a system. The deep sea provides a natural environmental gradient within which to study changes in different diversity metrics, but traits of deep-sea fish are not widely known, hampering the application of functional diversity to this globally important system. We used morphological traits to determine the functional richness and functional divergence of demersal fish assemblages along the continental slope in the Northeast Atlantic, at depths of 300–2,000 m. We compared these metrics to size diversity based on individual body size and species richness. Functional richness and size diversity showed similar patterns, with the highest diversity at intermediate depths; functional divergence showed the opposite pattern, with the highest values at the shallowest and deepest parts of the study site. Species richness increased with depth. The functional implications of these patterns were deduced by examining depth-related changes in morphological traits and the dominance of feeding guilds as illustrated by stable isotope analyses. The patterns in diversity and the variation in certain morphological traits can potentially be explained by changes in the relative dominance of pelagic and benthic feeding guilds. All measures of diversity examined here suggest that the deep areas of the continental slope may be equally or more diverse than assemblages just beyond the continental shelf.
Progesterone influences cytoplasmic maturation in porcine oocytes developingin vitro
Authors: Yuan Bao , Liang Shuang , Jin Yong-Xun , Kwon Jeong-Woo , Zhang Jia-Bao , Kim Nam-Hyung
Published: September 2016

Progesterone (P4), an ovarian steroid hormone, is an important regulator of female reproduction. In this study, we explored the influence of progesterone on porcine oocyte nuclear maturation and cytoplasmic maturation and developmentin vitro. We found that the presence of P4 during oocyte maturation did not inhibit polar body extrusions but significantly increased glutathione and decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels relative to that in control groups. The incidence of parthenogenetically activated oocytes that could develop to the blastocyst stage was higher (p< 0.05) when oocytes were exposed to P4 as compared to that in the controls. Cell numbers were increased in the P4-treated groups. Further, the P4-specific inhibitor mifepristone (RU486) prevented porcine oocyte maturation, as represented by the reduced incidence (p< 0.05) of oocyte first polar body extrusions. RU486 affected maturation promoting factor (MPF) activity and maternal mRNA polyadenylation status. In general, these data show that P4 influences the cytoplasmic maturation of porcine oocytes, at least partially, by decreasing their polyadenylation, thereby altering maternal gene expression.
Prospective Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Transrectal and Transperineal Sonography, and Surgical Findings in Complicated Perianal Crohn Disease
Authors: Bor Renáta , Farkas Klaudia , Bálint Anita , Szűcs Mónika , Ábrahám Szabolcs , Milassin Ágnes , Rutka Mariann , Nagy Ferenc , Milassin Péter , Szepes Zoltán , Molnár Tamás
Published: September 2016

Objectives

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transrectal sonography are the two accepted imaging modalities for evaluation of perianal fistulas and abscesses. Transperineal sonography is a new technique that is easy to learn and can be performed at any time. The purpose of this study was to prospectively compare the diagnostic accuracy of MRI, transrectal sonography, and transperineal sonography with surgical findings in patients with perianal Crohn disease.

Methods

All patients with perianal Crohn disease underwent MRI, transrectal sonography, and transperineal sonography within a few days before surgery. Fistulas were classified as simple (43.8%) or complex (52.2%) based on surgical findings.

Results

Twenty‐three patients with active perianal Crohn disease (12 women and 11 men; mean age, 29.9 years; current therapy: antibiotics, 69.6%; azathioprine, 56.5%; and biologics, 73.9%; previous surgery, 26.1%; and proportion of smokers, 39.1%) were included. Sensitivity values for MRI, transrectal sonography, and transperineal sonography for diagnosis of fistulas were 84.6%, 84.6%, and 100%, respectively. Transperineal sonography was more sensitive for diagnosis of perianal abscesses than MRI and transrectal sonography (100%, 58.8%, and 92.8%).

Conclusions

Transperineal sonography is a very accurate diagnostic method with outstanding sensitivity compared with MRI and transrectal sonography for evaluation of complicated perianal Crohn disease. Due to its simplicity and low cost, it is recommended that transperineal sonography be the first diagnostic modality in these cases.
Ultrasound‐Guided Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Training Results in Physician‐Level Success for Emergency Department Technicians
Authors: Duran-Gehring Petra , Bryant Laurie , Reynolds Jennifer A. , Aldridge Petra , Kalynych Colleen J. , Guirgis Faheem W.
Published: September 2016

Objectives

To report our success and complication rates with emergency department (ED) technician–performed ultrasound (US)‐guided peripheral intravenous (IV) catheter placement and to compare our results to similar studies in the literature.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of a prospective database of patients who underwent US‐guided peripheral IV catheter placement attempts for clinical care in the ED. All patients meeting difficult IV access criteria who had a US‐guided peripheral IV catheter placement attempted by a trained ED technician were included. Average attempts per success and overall success rates were compared to similar published studies.

Results

There were 830 participants, with an overall success rate of ED technician– performed US‐guided peripheral IV catheter placement of 97.5%. Clinicians categorized 82.6% of participants as having difficult IV access and reported that in 46.5%, a central venous catheter would have been necessary if the US‐guided peripheral IV catheter failed. Of successful catheter attempts, 86.8% were placed on the first attempt; 11.6% were placed on the second attempt; and 1.6% were placed on the third attempt. For this study, the average number of attempts per success was 1.15 (95% confidence interval, 1.12–1.18), which was lower than in 6 other published studies, ranging from 1.27 to 1.70. The overall success rate of our ED technician‐performed attempts was 0.970 (95% confidence interval, 0.956–0.983), which was higher than that reported in previous ED technician studies (0.79–0.80), and closer to that reported for physicians or nurses (0.87–0.97). The arterial puncture complication rate was 0.8%, which was also lower than in other published studies (1.25%–9.80%).

Conclusions

With brief but comprehensive training, ED technicians can successfully obtain US‐guided peripheral IV catheter access in patients with difficult IV access.
Elastography Improves the Diagnostic Accuracy of Sonography in Differentiating Endometrial Polyps and Submucosal Fibroids
Authors: Czuczwar Piotr , Wozniak Slawomir , Szkodziak Piotr , Kudla Marek J. , Pyra Krzysztof , Paszkowski Tomasz
Published: September 2016

Objectives

To assess whether strain elastography may be used to visualize the different stiffness of endometrial polyps and submucosal fibroids.

Methods

We conducted a prospective monocentric single‐operator study on diagnostic accuracy. Patients who qualified for hysteroscopy because of suspected endometrial polyps and submucosal fibroids were included. Before the procedure, all patients underwent routine sonographic and power Doppler examinations. Additionally, the stiffness of intrauterine lesions was assessed by strain elastography. The enhancement was adjusted to visualize hard myometrium and soft endometrium around the intrauterine lesion. Due to their histologic structure, we assumed that on strain elastography, endometrial polyps should appear as soft lesions, whereas submucosal fibroids should appear as hard lesions. Sonographic, power Doppler, and elastographic findings were verified by pathologic examinations after hysteroscopies. The diagnostic accuracy of sonography, power Doppler imaging, and strain elastography was compared by the McNemar test.

Results

Forty‐seven patients were included and underwent hysteroscopy. In 29 cases, endometrial polyps were found, and in 18, submucosal fibroids were found. The diagnostic accuracy rates for B‐mode sonography, power Doppler imaging, and strain elastography in distinguishing endometrial polyps and submucosal fibroids were 70.2%, 65.9%, and 89.4%, respectively. The proportion of correct findings was significantly higher for strain elastography than for B‐mode sonography (P = .0265) and power Doppler imaging (P = .0153).

Conclusions

Strain elastography complements sonography in differentiating intrauterine lesions. Strain elastography may be used to visualize the different stiffness of endometrial polyps and submucosal fibroids.
Commercial Isobutylene Polymers
Authors: McDonald Michael F. , Shaffer Timothy D. , Tsou Andy H.
Published: September 2016

Isobutylene copolymers, such as butyl, halobutyl, and brominated poly(isobutylene‐co‐p‐methylstyrene), have chemical and physical characteristics that make them highly useful in a wide variety of applications. The low degree of permeability to gases accounts for the largest commercial uses of butyl and halobutyl rubbers, namely, inner tubes and tire innerliners. These properties are also of importance in air cushions, pneumatic springs, air bellows, accumulator bags, and pharmaceutical closures. The thermal stability of butyl rubber and halobutyl rubber makes it ideal for rubber tire‐curing bladders, high temperature service hoses, and conveyor belts for hot material handling. With the added thermal stability in brominated poly(isobutylene‐co‐p‐methylstyrene), it has made in roads in applications of bladders and curing envelopes.
Metal Matrix Composites
Authors: Chawla Krishan K. , Chawla Nikhilesh
Published: September 2016

Metal matrix composites have a metal or an alloy as the continuous phase, in which the reinforcing phase (particle whisker, short or continuous fiber) is distributed. Important techniques for processing metal matrix composites are described. Descriptions of the reinforcement/matrix interface region and its characteristics and properties of different metal matrix composites are provided. Various applications of metal matrix composites are summarized.
Controlled‐Release Technology: Pharmaceutical
Authors: Simon Laurent
Published: September 2016

Controlled‐release devices are designed to deliver a precise dosage of a drug to a site over an extended period of time. The rationale for developing such systems may be to elude problems such as an unfavorable pH in the stomach and a rapid enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal tract. The goal is to sustain a desired therapeutic effect over the entire treatment period. However, it is necessary to understand the advantages and challenges of the various drug delivery routes for devising successful drug formulations. The release mechanisms are elucidated and controlling factors identified to improve the performance of controlled‐release products and reduce potential side effects. Manufacturers of transdermal patches, for example, first need to become familiar with the properties of the main layers of the skin. Second, a knowledge of the various steps involved in the transport of drugs across the biological membrane, including diffusion and absorption into the blood capillaries of the dermis, is essential. These processes are presented along with systems driven by dissolution, osmosis, swelling, ion exchange, and polymer degradation. The applications of physical techniques, eg, heat, iontophoresis, and microneedles, are discussed for their ability to enhance drug transport across the skin.
Chiral Pharmaceuticals
Authors: Tiritan Maria Elizabeth , Ribeiro Ana Rita , Fernandes Carla , Pinto Madalena M. M.
Published: September 2016

The implication of chirality in pharmaceuticals is briefly reviewed, presenting the basic concepts and the chiral recognition phenomenon in biological systems. The importance to recognize enantiomers of chiral pharmaceuticals, both in pharmacology and environmental fields, is emphasized and many examples were selected to demonstrate the significance of chirality in both areas. Methodologies to obtain single enantiomers and to control the enantiomeric fraction associated with enantioseparation of chiral pharmaceuticals are also discussed. Several enantioselective methods using liquid chromatography (LC) with chiral stationary phases (CSPs) in biomedical and environmental fields are presented. The most used CSPs, their advantages and drawbacks, are swiftly revised.
Analytical Chemistry in the Life Sciences and Medicine
Authors: Ham Bryan M.
Published: September 2016

Analytical chemistry, the scientific discipline associated with the study and characterization of both natural and artificial materials, is growing in almost every area. Qualitative and quantitative methods are used in a complementary fashion for the separation, identification, and quantification of analytes that make up the sample under investigation.

Analytical methods can be broken down into two areas: traditional benchtop (also called wet chemistry) and instrumental analysis—the driving force behind almost all recent advances—that employs sophisticated computerized apparatus with specialized software for measurement. Recent improvements in instrumental analyses focus on applications to a broader scope of disciplines, including bioanalysis, forensics, military, environmental analysis, industrial analysis, materials analysis, and medical and clinical analysis. Biological applications (bioanalytical chemistry) such as cancer and biomarker studies are of special interest and therefore are the focus of this article.
Fuels For Internal Combustion Engines
Authors: Hancsók Jenő
Published: September 2016

Mobility is critical for sustainable development. The share of vehicles with internal combustion engines exceeds 95% globally (2014). The rest are electric engines and others. Therefore, engine fuels are one of most important energy sources.

Internal combustion engines can be intermittent (eg, Otto engine, diesel engine) or continuous (aviation turbine) and these engines use different motor fuels to generate power. Gasolines are the main fuel for spark‐ignition internal combustion engines (Otto engines), diesel fuels are for compression ignition internal combustion engines (diesel engines), marine fuels are for shipping, and aviation turbine fuels (JET fuels) are used for aviation turbines.

In this article, energy requirements for transportation, regulation of fuels quality, and fuels standards are discussed.
Influence of the solar cycle on the Polar‐night Jet Oscillation in the Southern Hemisphere
Authors: Kuroda Yuhji , Deushi Makoto
Published: September 2016

The Polar‐night Jet Oscillation (PJO) is the dominant mode of stratospheric variability in the Southern Hemisphere and persists from midwinter to spring. The influence of the 11 year solar cycle on modulation of the PJO from late winter to spring is examined using observations and three 42 year simulations from a chemistry‐climate model. The only variation applied to model boundary conditions was the strength of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This is set at 2 times larger than observations to enhance the strength of the solar signal. Simulations show a downward propagation of the stratospheric signal into the troposphere from late winter to spring, which tends to be enhanced as UV strength increases. This result is similar to observations but with a 1–2 month lag. The behavior of the PJO with respect to wave‐mean flow interactions is examined using a newly developed momentum budget analysis as well as wave energy analysis. We suggest that UV modulation of the interactions between planetary waves and zonal‐mean flow in the stratosphere, rather than direct diabatic processes as suggested in a previous study, is the source of solar cycle modulation of the PJO.