bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
β₂Adrenergic Receptor Activation Suppresses Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP)‐Induced Alkaline Phosphatase Expression in Osteoblast‐Like MC3T3E1 Cells
Authors: Yamada Takayuki , Ezura Yoichi , Hayata Tadayoshi , Moriya Shuichi , Shirakawa Jumpei , Notomi Takuya , Arayal Smriti , Kawasaki Makiri , Izu Yayoi , Harada Kiyoshi , Noda Masaki
Published: December 2014

β adrenergic stimulation suppresses bone formation in vivo while its actions in osteoblastic differentiation are still incompletely understood. We therefore examined the effects of β2 adrenergic stimulation on osteoblast‐like MC3T3‐E1 cells focusing on BMP‐induced alkaline phosphatase expression. Morphologically, isoproterenol treatment suppresses BMP‐induced increase in the numbers of alkaline phosphatase‐positive small foci in the cultures of MC3T3‐E1 cells. Biochemically, isoproterenol treatment suppresses BMP‐induced enzymatic activity of alkaline phosphatase in a dose‐dependent manner. Isoproterenol suppression of alkaline phosphatase activity is observed even when the cells are treated with high concentrations of BMP. With respect to cell density, isoproterenol treatment tends to suppress BMP‐induced increase in alkaline phosphatase expression more in osteoblasts cultured at higher cell density. In terms of treatment protocol, continuous isoproterenol treatment is compared to cyclic treatment. Continuous isoproterenol treatment is more suppressive against BMP‐induced increase in alkaline phosphatase expression than cyclic regimen. At molecular level, isoproterenol treatment suppresses BMP‐induced enhancement of alkaline phosphatase mRNA expression. Regarding the mode of isoproterenol action, isoproterenol suppresses BMP‐induced BRE‐luciferase activity. These data indicate that isoproterenol regulates BMP‐induced alkaline phosphatase expression in osteoblast‐like MC3T3E1 cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 1144–1152, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
KMUP‐1 Promotes Osteoblast Differentiation Through cAMP and cGMP Pathways and Signaling of BMP‐2/Smad1/5/8 and Wnt/β‐Catenin
Authors: Liou Shu‐Fen , Hsu Jong‐Hau , Chu Hsin‐Chieh , Lin Hung‐Hong , Chen Ing‐Jun , Yeh Jwu‐Lai
Published: December 2014

Phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors have been suggested as a possible candidate for the treatment of osteopenia, including osteoporosis. KMUP‐1 is a novel xanthine derivative with inhibitory activities on the PDE 3, 4, and 5 iso‐enzymes to suppress the degradation of cAMP and cGMP. This study aimed to investigate the effect of KMUP‐1 on osteoblast differentiation and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. Primary osteoblasts and osteoblastic MC3T3‐E1 cells were examined. KMUP‐1 enhanced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineralization compared to untreated controls in primary osteoblasts and MC3T3‐E1 cells. KMUP‐1 also increased the mRNA expression of the osteoblastic differentiation markers, including collagen type 1a, ALP, osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, BMP‐2, and Runx2, a key transcription regulator for osteoblastic differentiation. The osteogenic effect of KMUP‐1 was abolished by BMP signaling inhibitor, noggin. Furthermore, we found that KMUP‐1 upregulated Smad1/5/8 phosphorylations with subsequent BRE‐Luc activation confirmed by transient transfection assay. In addition, KMUP‐1 inactivated glycogen synthase kinase‐3β (GSK‐3β), with associated nuclear translocation of β‐catenin. Co‐treatment with H89 and KT5823, cAMP and cGMP pathway inhibitors, respectively, reversed the KMUP‐1‐induced activations of Smad1/5/8, β‐catenin, and Runx2. The findings demonstrate for the first time that KMUP‐1 can promote osteoblast maturation and differentiation in vitro via BMP‐2/Smad1/5/8 and Wnt/β‐catenin pathways. These effects are mediated, in part, by the cAMP and cGMP signaling. Thus, KMUP‐1 may be a novel osteoblast activator and a potential new therapy for osteoporosis. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 2038–2048, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Paragraph‐reading comprehension ability in Mandarin‐speaking children with cochlear implants
Authors: Wu Che‐Ming , Lee Li‐Ang , Chao Wei‐Chieh , Tsou Yung‐Ting , Chen Yen‐An
Published: December 2014

Objectives

1) To investigate different aspects of paragraph reading in Mandarin‐speaking students with cochlear implants (CIs) and the factors associated with unfavorable outcomes, and 2) to understand the replaceability of a paragraph‐reading test with a sentence‐reading test.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional, case‐controlled study.

Methods

Fifty‐three students with CIs (aged 11.0 ± 1.4 years) and 53 grade‐ and gender‐matched children with normal hearing (NH) participated in the study. A paragraph‐reading comprehension test was conducted. Sentence and word reading, speech perception, language skills, and child/family characteristics were examined. An unfavorable paragraph‐reading outcome was defined as a score lower than one standard deviation below the NH mean.

Results

The CI subjects had significantly worse paragraph‐reading comprehension than did the NH controls (P = 0.017, d = 0.54). Their performance in grades 5 to 6 was not significantly higher than of those with NH in grades 2 to 4. The CI children's abilities to understand semantics (P = 0.012) and syntax (P = 0.020) significantly fell behind the NH controls in grades 2 to 4, and the lag continued in grades 5 to 6 (P = 0.039, P = 0.002, respectively). Grade and sentence reading were independently associated with unfavorable paragraph‐reading outcomes (R2 = 0.453). The optimal sensitivity and specificity of the sentence‐reading test in identifying unfavorable paragraph‐reading outcomes were 90.9% and 90.0%, respectively (area under the curve = 0.923).

Conclusions

Specialists should pay attention to CI students' development of different reading skills. Paragraph‐reading tests enable a multidimensional evaluation of reading competence. Use of sentence‐reading tests is suggested only as a tool for preliminary screening for basic reading capacities.

Level of Evidence

3b. Laryngoscope, 125:1449–1455, 2015
The multiplicity of abelian covers of splice quotient singularities
Authors: Okuma Tomohiro
Published: December 2014

From a resolution graph with certain conditions, Neumann and Wahl constructed an equisingular family of surface singularities called splice quotients. For this class some fundamental analytic invariants have been computed from their resolution graph. In this paper we give a method to compute the multiplicity of an abelian covering of a splice quotient from its resolution graph and the Galois group.
Morphological Investigation of Midblock‐Sulfonated Block Ionomers Prepared from Solvents Differing in Polarity
Authors: Mineart Kenneth P. , Jiang Xi , Jinnai Hiroshi , Takahara Atsushi , Spontak Richard J.
Published: December 2014

Recent developments regarding charged multiblock copolymers that can form physical networks and exhibit robust mechanical properties herald new and exciting opportunities for contemporary technologies requiring amphiphilic attributes. Due to the presence of strong interactions, however, control over the phase behavior of such materials remains challenging, especially since their morphologies can be solvent‐templated. In this study, transmission electron microscopy and microtomography are employed to examine the morphological characteristics of midblock‐sulfonated pentablock ionomers prepared from solvents differing in polarity. Resultant images confirm that discrete, spherical ion‐rich microdomains form in films cast from a relatively nonpolar solvent, whereas an apparently mixed morphology with a continuous ion‐rich pathway is generated when the casting solvent is more highly polar. Detailed 3D analysis of the morphological characteristics confirms the coexistence of hexagonally‐packed nonpolar cylinders and lamellae, which facilitates the diffusion of ions and/or other polar species through the nanostructured medium.

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Role of focal adhesion kinase in oocyte‐follicle communication
Authors: McGinnis Lynda K. , Kinsey William H.
Published: December 2014

Germ cells require communication with associated somatic cells for normal gametogenesis, as exemplified by an oocyte that interacts with granulosa cells via paracrine factors as well as gap junctions located at sites of contact between these two cell types. The objective of the present study was to define the mechanisms by which cell‐cell contact with the oocyte is controlled and to determine the extent that the oocyte actively participates in this association. Proline‐rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PTK2), a focal adhesion kinase, was found to be activated at sites of contact between the oocyte and trans‐zonal cell processes from the surrounding granulosa cells. In order to determine the functional significance of oocyte‐derived PTK2 signaling in oocyte‐follicle communication, an oocyte‐specific Ptk2 knockout was produced through a breeding strategy pairing a floxed Ptk2‐CAT‐eGFP mouse with the Zp3‐Cre line. Since Ptk2‐null mice never develop to birth, this represents the first opportunity to define the role of PTK2 in oocyte‐follicle communication. Ablation of Ptk2 within the developing oocyte resulted in lower fertility with reduced numbers of pups, lower rates of blastocyst formation, and reduced cell numbers per blastocyst. Follicles containing Ptk2‐null oocytes exhibited reduced oocyte diameter, reduced numbers of connexin 37 and 43 foci at the oocyte surface, and impaired dye coupling between oocyte and granulosa cells. These findings are consistent with a model in which PTK2 plays a critical role in establishing or maintaining oocyte‐granulosa cell contacts that are essential for gap junction‐mediated communication between granulosa cells and the oocyte. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 82: 90–102, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Are religious people more caring? Exploring the impact of religiosity on charitable organizations in a developing country
Authors: Arli Denni , Lasmono Hari
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of religiosity on reasons that individuals volunteer. Additionally, this study will investigate the pro‐social attitudes towards helping others and charitable organizations. This study focuses on Indonesia where religion plays an important role in daily life. The data were derived from a convenience sampling at a large private university in Surabaya, Indonesia (N = 258). The results showed that individuals with high intrinsic and extrinsic personal religiosity were more likely to have ‘other‐oriented’ reasons when performing philanthropic activities. Nonetheless, religiosity did not influence attitudes of individuals towards helping others. This study contributes to the debate regarding the effect of religious values on pro‐social attitudes in the context of a developing country. Furthermore, the study provides social implications for researchers, policy makers and practitioners operating in a developing country. This is one of the first few studies exploring the impact of religion on attitude towards charitable organization in Indonesia.

Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation of X‐ray developable LDPE/SA‐BaSO4 composites and their thermal and mechanical properties
Authors: Luo Chenghao , Chen Guanyun , Zhu Kongying , Yuan Xiaoyan
Published: December 2014

Low‐density polyethylene (LDPE)/barium sulfate (BaSO4) composites with different contents of BaSO4 nanoparticles after modification by stearic acid (SA) were prepared. Characterizations of morphology, thermal, and mechanical properties of the LDPE/SA‐BaSO4 composites were systematically performed by scanning electron microscope, thermal gravimetric analysis, tensile and flexural tests. Specially, the X‐ray radiographic and developable properties were examined by the X‐ray fluoroscopy test and the ageing resistant properties were analyzed by the simplified protocol of accelerated aging. It was found that the Young's modulus and tensile strength of the composites were increased by 24.6 and 11.0% while flexural modulus and flexural strength were increased by 10.8 and 14.0%, respectively, together with the elongation at break of 455.1% ± 26.3% which was 74.4% of LDPE when the SA‐BaSO4 content reached 25 wt%. By contrast, when accelerated ageing for 5 years, the retention ratios of Young's modulus, tensile strength and elongation remained at 89.3, 69.5, and 69.6%, respectively. In addition, X‐ray radiographic and developable properties of the composites were also improved by the addition of SA‐BaSO4, making it possible to achieve some applications in medical devices such as intrauterine devices and body brackets which could be easily implanted into human bodies and enable accurate external monitoring using an X‐ray medical diagnostic machine. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1396–1406, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Abrasive water jet machining and mechanical behavior of banyan tree saw dust powder loaded polypropylene green composites
Authors: Ramesha Narayanappa , Siddaramaiah  , Akhtar Sania
Published: December 2014

Banyan tree saw dust powder (BSD) filled Polypropylene (PP) green composites have been fabricated with varying amounts viz., 0%, 20%, and 40% of BSD particulate filler by using a co‐rotating twin screw extruder followed by injection molding. The mechanical properties such as surface hardness, tensile behavior, and impact strength of the fabricated PP/BSD green composites have been studied in order to standardize the composites. Abrasive water jet (AWJ) machining has been reported mainly for ceramics, concrete, and glass but not much literature is available on AWJ machining of polymer composites. This research is aimed at examining the AWJ machining of green polymer composites. The effect of BSD loading on the AWJ machining behavior of the PP/BSD green composites has been investigated. Furthermore, the effect of addition of 4% maleic anhydride grafted PP (coupling agent) and 4% talc (mineral filler) on the machining behavior of PP/BSD composites has also been evaluated. Surface roughness and optical micrographs of the AWJ cut composite specimens were examined to assess the effect of BSD content, AWJ traverse speed and pressure on the machining behavior of the composites. In order to probe the mechanism of AWJ machining behavior of PP/BSD composites, the kerf width and taper have been measured and results are correlated. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1754–1764, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Synthesis of functional block copolymers and terpolymers containing polyglycidyl methacrylate blocks
Authors: Höhne Susanne , Uhlmann Petra
Published: December 2014

Here, the synthesis of triblock terpolymers using tert‐butyl acrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, and methyl methacrylate was studied in detail using atom transfer radical polymerization. Those polymers are promising candidates for irreversible linked microstructured layers on surfaces. The experiments showed that the polymerization has to be started with the acrylate and can be extended with the methacrylates. The first two steps can be done in a one pot procedure employing the method of halogen exchange. With optimized reaction conditions in the last step, the obtained terpolymers show narrow molecular weight distributions and the polymerization process is well controlled. Conducting the synthesis in the opposite direction mostly a nonuniform product was obtained as the GPC analysis showed. Further characterization was done with 1H NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry, the latter showing different glass points for the single blocks in the terpolymers if they are not too short. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 675–684
Synthesis of polyisocyanurates by thermal rearrangement of polycyanurates
Authors: Tsuchiya Kousuke , Goto Eisuke , Ishida Yoshihito , Higashihara Tomoya , Kameyama Atsushi , Ueda Mitsuru
Published: December 2014

Polyisocyanurates have been successfully prepared by the thermal rearrangement of polycyanurates, which were obtained from 2,4‐dichloro‐6‐methoxy‐1,3,5‐triazine and bisphenol monomers. The thermal rearrangement was carried out in the presence of a small amount of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) as a catalyst at 200 °C for 30 or 60 min in an argon atmosphere, and the degree of arrangement was greater than 95%. Transparent and amorphous polyisocyanurate films were obtained and showed a good thermal stability with a 5% weight loss temperature above 340 °C in nitrogen and the glass transition temperature above 210 °C. Films with a 10‐µm thickness exhibited an excellent transparency above 90% at 400 nm. Furthermore, the thermal rearrangement of 2,6‐bis(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐6‐methoxy‐1,3,5‐triazine to 1,3‐bis(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐5‐methyl‐1,3,5‐triazinane‐2,4,6‐trione was investigated in detail. It was found that the complete thermal rearrangement was successfully accomplished in the presence of 2 wt % TBAB at 150 °C for 20 min in an argon atmosphere. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 692–698
Crystal structure of afadin PDZ domain–nectin‐3 complex shows the structural plasticity of the ligand‐binding site
Authors: Fujiwara Yoshie , Goda Natsuko , Tamashiro Tomonari , Narita Hirotaka , Satomura Kaori , Tenno Takeshi , Nakagawa Atsushi , Oda Masayuki , Suzuki Mamoru , Sakisaka Toshiaki , Takai Yoshimi , Hiroaki Hidekazu
Published: December 2014

Afadin, a scaffold protein localized in adherens junctions (AJs), links nectins to the actin cytoskeleton. Nectins are the major cell adhesion molecules of AJs. At the initial stage of cell–cell junction formation, the nectin–afadin interaction plays an indispensable role in AJ biogenesis via recruiting and tethering other components. The afadin PDZ domain (AFPDZ) is responsible for binding the cytoplasmic C‐terminus of nectins. AFPDZ is a class II PDZ domain member, which prefers ligands containing a class II PDZ‐binding motif, X‐Φ‐X‐Φ (Φ, hydrophobic residues); both nectins and other physiological AFPDZ targets contain this class II motif. Here, we report the first crystal structure of the AFPDZ in complex with the nectin‐3 C‐terminal peptide containing the class II motif. We engineered the nectin‐3 C‐terminal peptide and AFPDZ to produce an AFPDZ–nectin‐3 fusion protein and succeeded in obtaining crystals of this complex as a dimer. This novel dimer interface was created by forming an antiparallel β sheet between β2 strands. A major structural change compared with the known AFPDZ structures was observed in the α2 helix. We found an approximately 2.5 Å‐wider ligand‐binding groove, which allows the PDZ to accept bulky class II ligands. Apparently, the last three amino acids of the nectin‐3 C‐terminus were sufficient to bind AFPDZ, in which the two hydrophobic residues are important.
Embedded Systems Security: A Survey of EU Research Efforts
Authors: Manifavas Charalampos , Fysarakis Konstantinos , Papanikolaou Alexandros , Papaefstathiou Ioannis
Published: December 2014

Embedded systems security is a recurring theme in current research efforts, brought in the limelight by the wide adoption of ubiquitous devices. Significant funding has been allocated to various European projects on this subject area, in order to investigate and overcome the various security challenges. This paper provides an overview of recent EU research efforts pertaining to embedded systems security, where several prominent security issues and the respective proposed approaches are presented. Surveying relatively recent EU research projects, the authors identify 20 such projects that focus on embedded systems security aspects. The investigated technologies are categorised using a layered approach, to facilitate the presentation of the results; the categories comprise the node, network, and middleware and overlay layers, as well as architectures, frameworks and formal validation of the security of embedded systems. From this survey, certain patterns emerge regarding the issues investigated and the technologies researchers focus on, in order to address the said issues. Finally, the existing open issues are summarised, and directions for future research are given. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A critical look at prospective surveillance using a scan statistic
Authors: Correa Thais R. , Assunção Renato M. , Costa Marcelo A.
Published: December 2014

The scan statistic is a very popular surveillance technique for purely spatial, purely temporal, and spatial‐temporal disease data. It was extended to the prospective surveillance case, and it has been applied quite extensively in this situation. When the usual signal rules, as those implemented in SaTScanTM(Boston, MA, USA) software, are used, we show that the scan statistic method is not appropriate for the prospective case. The reason is that it does not adjust properly for the sequential and repeated tests carried out during the surveillance. We demonstrate that the nominal significance level α is not meaningful and there is no relationship between α and the recurrence interval or the average run length (ARL). In some cases, the ARL may be equal to ∞, which makes the method ineffective. This lack of control of the type‐I error probability and of the ARL leads us to strongly oppose the use of the scan statistic with the usual signal rules in the prospective context. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
LLC resonant DC–DC converter with series‐connected primary windings of transformer
Authors: Iqbal Shahid , Shahzad M. Imran
Published: December 2014

This paper proposes a zero‐voltage switching (ZVS) LLC resonant step up DC–DC converter with series‐connected primary windings of the transformer. The series resonant inverter in the proposed topology has two power switches (MOSFETs), two resonant capacitors, two resonant inductors, and only one transformer with center‐tapped primary windings. The power switches are connected in the form of a half‐bridge network. Resonant capacitors and inductors along with the primary windings of the transformer form two series resonant circuits. The series resonant circuits are fed alternately by operating the power switches with an interleaved half switching cycle. The secondary winding of transformer is connected to a bridge rectifier circuit to rectify the output voltage. The converter operates within a narrow frequency range below the resonance frequency to achieve ZVS, and its output power is regulated by pulse frequency modulation. The converter has lower conduction and switching losses and therefore higher efficiency. The experimental results of a 500‐W prototype of proposed converter are presented. The results confirm the good operation and performance of the converter. © 2014 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Toxic effects of methamidophos on paraoxonase 1 activity and on rat kidney and liver and ameliorating effects of alpha‐tocopherol
Authors: Araoud Manel , Neffeti Fadoua , Douki Wahiba , Khaled Lamia , Najjar Mohamed Fadhel , Kenani Abderraouf , Houas Zohra
Published: December 2014

The role of alpha‐tocopherol on nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity induced by methamidophos (MT) was investigated in wistar rats. Animals were given via gavage, for four weeks, a low dose of MT (MT1), a high dose of MT (MT2), vitamin E (200 mg/kg of bw) or both MT2 plus vitamin E (Vit E) and control group was given distillate water. MT treatment resulted in a significant decrease in the body weight of MT2‐treated group. Moreover, MT‐treated groups had significantly lower butyrylcholinesterase (p < 0.01) and paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activities compared with the control group (p < 0.05). However, MT2‐treated group had significantly higher alkaline phosphatase activity compared with untreated rats (p < 0.05). Both MT‐treated groups had significantly higher urea (p < 0.01) and uric acid levels (p < 0.05) compared with the control group. However, significant low uric acid level (p < 0.05) was noted in MT2 plus vit E‐treated rats compared with MT2‐treated group. Histopathological changes in organ tissues were observed in both MT‐treated groups and MT2 plus vit E‐treated rats. However, the damage was reduced in MT2 plus vit E‐treated rats. Therefore, this study deduces that alpha‐tocopherol administration may ameliorate the adverse effects of subacute exposure to MT on rat liver and kidney and this antioxidant can protect PON1 from oxidative stress induced by this organophosphorus pesticide. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 842–854, 2016.
Quercetin protects human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from OTA‐induced oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and inflammation
Authors: Periasamy Ramyaa , Kalal Iravathy Goud , Krishnaswamy Rajashree , Viswanadha VijayaPadma
Published: December 2014

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is one of the most abundant food‐contaminating mycotoxins world wide, and is detrimental to human and animal health. This study evaluated the protective effect of quercetin against OTA‐induced cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and inflammatory response in lymphocytes. Cytotoxicity determined by MTT assay revealed IC20 value of OTA to be 20 µM, which was restored to near control values by pretreatment with quercetin. Oxidative stress parameters such as antioxidant enzymes, LPO and PCC levels indicated that quercetin exerted a protective effect on OTA‐induced oxidative stress. Quercetin exerted an antigenotoxic effect on OTA‐induced genotoxicity, by significantly reducing the number of structural aberrations in chromosomes and comet parameters like, % olive tail moment from 2.76 ± 0.02 to 0.56 ± 0.02 and % tail DNA from 56.23 ± 2.56 to 12.36 ± 0.56 as determined by comet assay. OTA‐induced NO, TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐8 were significantly reduced in the quercetin pretreated samples indicating its anti‐inflammatory role. Our results demonstrate for the first time that quercetin exerts a cytoprotective effect against OTA‐induced oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and inflammation in lymphocytes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 855–865, 2016.
The Blue–Green Edge in Thiruvananthapuram, India: An Initiative for Urban Waterways and Waterfront Developments
Authors: Chandran C. K. Ajai , Gowda Krishne
Published: December 2014

Cities seek to reclaim waterfronts while protecting ecosystems and water quality
Visual Solutions for Management System Processes, Part II: Using the Process Map
Authors: Platkus Walt
Published: December 2014

Process mapping in accident cause analysis
A tale of three watersheds: U.S. EPA's contrasting approaches to agricultural nutrient pollution
Authors: Endres Jody M. , Walker Matthew A.
Published: December 2014

Solutions to nutrient pollution in America's most significant watersheds have eluded the Clean Water Act since its inception. Although the Act places primary responsibility on states to address agricultural runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus, the states have failed to implement effective remedies, evidenced by widespread hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico, impaired waterways in Florida, and a declining fishing industry in the Chesapeake Bay. The U.S. administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken three very different approaches within the Mississippi, the Chesapeake, and Floridian watersheds, all aimed at pressing the states to embrace numeric water quality criteria for these pollutants. The three approaches have stimulated litigation that should help clarify the level of discretion the EPA has in deciding how to work with states in implementing nutrient reduction strategies, versus federalized water quality criteria. Further, the suits illustrate the political and cultural clashes that have produced inaction on this problem. They expose the complex institutional, stakeholder, and scientific challenges that both the U.S EPA and the states face in adopting and implementing numeric criteria for waterways. Success in actually remediating the watersheds ultimately will depend not on lawsuits compelling federal action, but on forces outside the courtroom that pressure agricultural producers and other nonpoint sources to assess their role in nutrient pollution and implement best practices that lead to measurable results. We highlight these realities by examining the issues in the three lawsuits and explaining the role of the U.S. EPA, which is caught in the middle of a clash between conservation interests and politically and culturally powerful polluter interests. WIREs Water 2015, 2:47–54. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1060

This article is categorized under:

Engineering Water > Planning Water

Human Water > Water as Imagined and Represented

Science of Water > Water Quality
Age and body size of captive hawksbill turtles at the onset of follicular development
Authors: Kawazu Isao , Kino Masakatsu , Maeda Konomi , Teruya Hideshi
Published: December 2014

The aim of this study was to record the age and body size of 23 captive female hawksbill turtles at the onset of follicular development. The age, straight carapace length (SCL), and body mass (BM) of the turtles were recorded between 2006 and 2014 at follicular development (determined via ultrasonography) these parameters were 17.7 ± 1.7 years (range: 13–20 years), 77.7 ± 3.3 cm (73.3–83.5 cm), and 61.1 ± 8.0 kg (48.2–76.1 kg), respectively. When the year of the onset of follicular development was designated year 0, the increase in SCL in years ‐7–0 and 0–3 averaged 2.2 cm and 1.0 cm, respectively. Correspondingly, the increase in BM in years ‐7–0 and 0–3 averaged 5.0 kg and 2.2 kg, respectively. This is the first study to report the age and body size of captive female hawksbill turtles at the onset of follicular development, which indicates the beginning of sexual maturation. The reduction in growth after follicular development suggests that at the onset of sexual maturation, female hawksbills may utilize energy for follicular development rather than growth. Zoo Biol. 34:178–182, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Biomechanical Comparison of Double Grasping Repair versus Cross-Locked Cruciate Flexor Tendon Repair
Authors: Dwyer C. Liam , Dominy D. Dean , Cooney Timothy E. , Englund Richard , Gordon Leonard , Lubahn John D.
Published: December 2014

Purpose

This study was conducted to compare the in vitro biomechanical properties of tensile strength and gap resistance of a double grasping loop (DGL) flexor tendon repair with the established four-strand cross-locked cruciate (CLC) flexor tendon repair, both with an interlocking horizontal mattress (IHM) epitendinous suture. The hypothesis is that the DGL-IHM method which utilizes two looped core sutures, grasping and locking loops, and a single intralesional knot will have greater strength and increased gap resistance than the CLC-IHM method.

Methods

Forty porcine tendons were evenly assigned to either the DGL-IHM or CLC-IHM group. The tendon repair strength, 2-mm gap force and load to failure, was measured under a constant rate of distraction. The stiffness of tendon repair was calculated and the method of repair failure was analyzed.

Results

The CLC-IHM group exhibited a statistically significant greater resistance to gapping, a statistically significant higher load to 2-mm gapping (62.0 N), and load to failure (99.7 N) than the DGL-IHM group (37.1 N and 75.1 N, respectively). Ninety percent of CLC-IHM failures were a result of knot failure whereas 30 % of the DGL-IHM group exhibited knot failure.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that the CLC-IHM flexor tendon repair method better resists gapping and has a greater tensile strength compared to the experimental DGL-IHM method. The authors believe that while the DGL-IHM provides double the number of sutures at the repair site per needle pass, this configuration does not adequately secure the loop suture to the tendon, resulting in a high percentage of suture pullout and inability to tolerate loads as high as those of the CLC-IHM group.
Low‐Temperature Chemical Synthesis of High‐Purity Diacylglycerols (DAG) from Monoacylglycerols (MAG)
Authors: Pazdur Łukasz , Geuens Jeroen , Sels Hannes , Tavernier Serge M. F.
Published: December 2014

A chemical method was developed for low‐temperature synthesis of DAG from MAG followed by an easy purification procedure in order to obtain high‐purity DAG. Solvent‐assisted and solvent‐free reaction conditions were used, combined with different catalysts (sodium methoxide, p‐toluenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, and sulfuric acid). All reactions were performed at 35 and 70 °C. By increasing both acidity and polarity of the catalyst the equilibrium shifts towards the formation of DAG. When using sulfuric acid in solvent‐assisted condition at 70 °C, 88 % conversion was obtained after 20 min of reaction (77 % w/w DAG in the reaction mixture after evaporation of the solvent). After purifying by means of column chromatography, 96 % pure DAG were obtained. The overall yield of DAG was 81 %.
Variables explicativas del comportamiento del inversor de multifondos. Un análisis desde la perspectiva de los inversores en el sistema de pensiones chileno
Authors: Umaña Hermosilla Benito , Cabas Monje Juan , Rodríguez Navarrete Juan , Villablanca Fuentes Miguel
Published: December 2014

Este estudio tiene por objetivo determinar las variables que inciden en el comportamiento del inversor de multifondos en la toma de decisiones, analizando si este comportamiento está asociado a variables racionales o a los principios de las finanzas conductuales. Se trabajó con datos proporcionados por la Encuesta de Protección Social para los años 2006 y 2009 con el propósito de caracterizar a los inversores e identificar variables asociadas a su nivel de inversión. Para el análisis de los datos se realizó un modelo econométrico multilogit ordenado para determinar el nivel de influencia de cada variable. Los resulta-dos de esta investigación apuntan a que variables como sexo, edad y educación influyen en la toma de decisiones de los inversores.
Effects of detyrosinated tubulin on Na+,K+‐ATPase activity and erythrocyte function in hypertensive subjects
Authors: Amaiden Marina R. , Santander Verónica S. , Monesterolo Noelia E. , Nigra Ayelen D. , Rivelli Juan F. , Campetelli Alexis N. , Pie Juan , Casale Cesar H.
Published: December 2014

Formation of tubulin/Na+,K+‐ATPase (NKA) complex in erythrocytes of hypertensive subjects results in a 50% reduction in NKA activity. We demonstrate here that detyrosinated tubulin, which is increased in hypertensive erythrocytes membranes, enhances the inhibitory effect of acetylated tubulin on NKA activity. Moreover, we report a reduced content and activity of the enzyme tubulin tyrosine ligase in erythrocytes of hypertensive subjects. Such alterations are related to changes in erythrocyte deformability. Our findings indicate that the detyrosination/tyrosination cycle of tubulin is important in regulation of NKA activity, and that abnormalities in this cycle are involved in hypertension development.
A Voyage to the East Indies
Authors: da San Bartholomaeo Paolino
Published: December 2014

After a six-month voyage, the Carmelite missionary Paolino da San Bartolomeo (1748–1806) arrived in Malabar in India towards the end of July 1776. Later acclaimed as an orientalist, he was among the first to note the relationship between Sanskrit and European languages, and the present work gives a valuable account of the geography and culture he observed over the course of thirteen years. Returning to Rome in 1789, he wrote many books under the patronage of Cardinal Stefano Borgia, including one of the first works on Sanskrit grammar. Here he uses his impressive knowledge of Indian dialects to revise the accepted spelling and pronunciation of a number of cities and natural features. The book also contains observations on the religion, history, botany and laws of eighteenth-century India. First published in Italian in 1796, the work was soon translated into German, from which William Johnston produced this English translation in 1800.
Robert Chester's ‘Love's Martyr; Or, Rosalins Complaint'
Authors: Chester Robert
Published: December 2014

The literary scholar Alexander Balloch Grosart (1827–99) reprinted this allegorical poem by Robert Chester (fl.c.1586–1604) with an introduction and notes in 1878. Grosart incorrectly identified the poem's author as a certain Sir Robert Chester of Royston. Later research suggests Chester served as a chaplain or secretary in the household of the work's dedicatee, Sir John Salusbury. Originally printed in 1601, the grandiloquent, meandering poem is chiefly remembered for the works appended to it. These include original poems by Chester's contemporaries, Shakespeare, Jonson, Chapman and Marston, as well as the anonymous 'Ignoto' and 'Vatum Chorus'. All the poems treat Chester's theme, an invented myth describing the chaste, sacrificial love between a phoenix and a turtledove. Scholars continue to debate the identity of the historical figures signified by these birds, especially in Shakespeare's cryptic contribution.
Flora Capensis
Authors: Harvey William H. , Sonder Otto Wilhelm
Published: December 2014

This seminal publication began life as a collaborative effort between the Irish botanist William Henry Harvey (1811–66) and his German counterpart Otto Wilhelm Sonder (1812–81). Relying on many contributors of specimens and descriptions from colonial South Africa - and building on the foundations laid by Carl Peter Thunberg, whose Flora Capensis (1823) is also reissued in this series - they published the first three volumes between 1860 and 1865. These were reprinted unchanged in 1894, and from 1896 the project was supervised by William Thiselton-Dyer (1843–1928), director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. A final supplement appeared in 1933. Reissued now in ten parts, this significant reference work catalogues more than 11,500 species of plant found in South Africa. Opening with a preface which clarifies the project's original scope, Volume 1 covers Ranunculaceae to Connaraceae.
Flora Capensis
Authors: Harvey William H. , Sonder Otto Wilhelm
Published: December 2014

This seminal publication began life as a collaborative effort between the Irish botanist William Henry Harvey (1811–66) and his German counterpart Otto Wilhelm Sonder (1812–81). Relying on many contributors of specimens and descriptions from colonial South Africa - and building on the foundations laid by Carl Peter Thunberg, whose Flora Capensis (1823) is also reissued in this series - they published the first three volumes between 1860 and 1865. These were reprinted unchanged in 1894, and from 1896 the project was supervised by William Thiselton-Dyer (1843–1928), director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. A final supplement appeared in 1933. Reissued now in ten parts, this significant reference work catalogues more than 11,500 species of plant found in South Africa. Containing orders of the Calyciflorae with a monopetalous corolla and an inferior ovary, Volume 3 covers Rubiaceae to Campanulaceae.
Histoire naturelle des drogues simples
Authors: Guibourt Nicolas Jean-Baptiste Gaston
Published: December 2014

The French pharmacist Nicolas Jean-Baptiste Gaston Guibourt (1790–1867) first published this work in two volumes in 1820. It provided methodical descriptions of mineral, plant and animal substances. In the following years, Guibourt became a member of the Académie nationale de médicine and a professor at the École de pharmacie in Paris. Pharmaceutical knowledge also progressed considerably as new methods and classifications emerged. For this revised and enlarged four-volume fourth edition, published between 1849 and 1851, Guibourt followed the principles of modern scientific classification. For each substance, he describes the general properties as well as their medicinal or poisonous effects. Volume 4 (1851) looks at pharmaceutical substances derived from animals. Guibourt draws on Cuvier's recent classificatory work, dividing animals into four groups: vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, fish), articulates (insects, arachnids, crustaceans et al.), molluscs, and zoophytes.
Essays from the Edinburgh and Quarterly Reviews
Authors: Herschel John
Published: December 2014

First published in 1857, this work comprises assorted noteworthy writings by the mathematician and astronomer Sir John Herschel (1792–1871), reflecting his diverse scientific and literary interests. It includes a piece on terrestrial magnetism, a review of William Whewell's writings on the history and philosophy of science, and several addresses to the Royal Astronomical Society. Of particular interest is Herschel's commentary on Adolphe Quetelet's work on probability, which advocated applying statistics and probability calculus to social and political questions. Herschel's article not only influenced the growth of social science in Britain, but also played an important role in James Clerk Maxwell's development of a statistical treatment of heat phenomena. Also included in this collection are Herschel's translations of poems by Schiller (accompanied by the original German) as well as examples of his own verse. In an intriguing appendix, Herschel outlines a method for compiling vocabularies of indigenous peoples.
Medical Jurisprudence
Authors: Paris John Ayrton , Fonblanque J. S. M.
Published: December 2014

The physician and author John Ayrton Paris (1785–1856), several of whose other medical and popular works have been reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection, and his co-author J. S. M. Fonblanque (1787–1865), barrister and administrator, published this three-volume work in 1823. It remained almost the only work on the topic of medical jurisprudence for many years. The authors define the term as 'a science by which medicine, and its collateral branches, are made subservient to the construction, elucidation, and administration of the laws; and to the preservation of public health'. Volume 2 continues the discussion of homicide in all its various aspects (including suspicious deaths which might in fact be accidental): suffocation, drowning, hanging, and battery. Proceedings at coroners' inquests are described, and there is a very extensive section on the various types of poison.
A Manual of British Vertebrate Animals
Authors: Jenyns Leonard
Published: December 2014

Widely respected by contemporaries for his work in natural history, Leonard Jenyns (1800–93) combined research with his duties as an Anglican clergyman. He published and lectured extensively on zoology and botany. Having recommended Darwin for the Beagle voyage, he later produced a paper, 'On the Variation of Species', which Darwin personally requested to see. This 1835 work catalogues five classes of vertebrates: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Native, introduced and extinct species of the British Isles are included, with binomial and common names given, along with the dimensions and a description. An improvement on previous works which had overly relied on secondary sources, Jenyns's manual also provides information on location, diet and propagation. The catalogue testifies to the diligent work being carried out in natural history in the era prior to Darwin's revolution. Jenyns's Observations in Natural History (1846) and Observations in Meteorology (1858) are also reissued in this series.
The Steam Engine
Authors: Tredgold Thomas
Published: December 2014

Thomas Tredgold (1788–1829) has been described as 'the most influential technical author of his generation and possibly of the nineteenth century'. His writings contributed greatly to the wider understanding of engineering, and it is his definition of civil engineering that the Institution of Civil Engineers wrote into their charter of 1828. Published in 1827, this work provides a historical survey and explanation of 'a masterpiece of human contrivance'. Tredgold breaks his subject down into ten sections, each covering areas such as the properties of steam, the differing means of harnessing its power, the history of the steam engine's invention and improvement, and the various applications of steam power. Containing many tables, formulae and line drawings, this thorough work complements Charles Frederick Partington's Historical and Descriptive Account of the Steam Engine (1822), which is also reissued in this series.
Memoirs of Hans Hendrik, the Arctic Traveller, Serving under Kane, Hayes, Hall and Nares, 1853–1876
Authors: Hendrik Hans
Published: December 2014

First published in 1878, this English translation of the memoirs of Hans Hendrik (c.1834–89), a native Greenlander, provides a valuable alternative perspective on polar exploration in the nineteenth century. Inuit were often employed on Arctic expeditions of the period. Hendrik is remarkable, however, not only because his skills as a guide and hunter were called on repeatedly during several expeditions - notably those led by Elisha Kent Kane, Isaac Israel Hayes, Charles Francis Hall and George Strong Nares - but also because he wrote his own account of these experiences. The memoirs show that Hendrik distinguished himself through his application of survival skills and that he dealt with numerous challenges, including the forced abandonment of ship and drifting for months on an ice floe. Instances of sickness and malnutrition are also recorded, as is the poor treatment that Hendrik and other Inuit sometimes experienced from their employers.
Narrative of the Second Arctic Expedition Made by Charles F. Hall
Authors: Hall Charles Francis
Published: December 2014

The American explorer Charles Francis Hall (1821–71) made two voyages to the Arctic to determine the fate of Sir John Franklin's lost expedition. While there, he lived with Inuit, learning their language and adopting their way of life. Edited after his death and published in 1879, this account of his second expedition, from 1864 to 1869, brings the conditions he endured vividly to life. Two punishing sledge journeys to King William Island revealed evidence of Franklin's encampment there, but also the stark fact that rumours of survivors were unfounded. The work, which contains a number of fine engravings and maps, also includes appendices presenting Hall's detailed scientific observations and notes of his conversations with the Inuit, which disclosed evidence of cannibalism among Franklin's crew. Based on his earlier expedition, Hall's Life with the Esquimaux (1864) is also reissued in this series.
Through Siberia, the Land of the Future
Authors: Nansen Fridtjof
Published: December 2014

In August 1913, the explorer and scientist Fridtjof Nansen (1861–1930), who later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, set off from Norway to find a sea route across the north of the Eurasian continent. This 'north-east passage' had been the goal of explorers since the sixteenth century, but Nansen's object, as he puts it, was 'to open up a regular trade connexion with the interior of Siberia, via the Kara Sea and the mouth of the Yenisei'. By the time the book was published in English translation in 1914, the First World War had begun, and the need for ways to keep supplies and troops moving between Russia and her western allies made it even more timely. Nansen's delightfully written account of 'the land of the future' remains of value to anyone seeking to find out more about the geography, resources, and native peoples of Siberia.
The North West Passage
Authors: Amundsen Roald
Published: December 2014

From an early age Roald Amundsen (1872–1928) was determined to be an explorer. Having gained valuable experience on the Belgian Antarctic Expedition (1897–9), he resolved to conquer the North-West Passage. After three years, using a small fishing vessel, the Gjøa, and only six crew, Amundsen succeeded in reaching Nome, Alaska. First published in Norwegian in 1907, and reissued here in its 1908 English translation, this two-volume account is copiously illustrated with photographs. Volume 1 describes how the ship was chosen and its departure from Norway in June 1903. The men spent two winters on King William Island, learning much about survival from the local Inuit. The observatory they established collected magnetic data for almost two years as well as meteorological data, both of which added greatly to existing Arctic knowledge. Sledge journeys ascertained that the position of the North Magnetic Pole had changed little for more than seventy years.