bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Exogenous Alpha-B Crystallin on the Structures and Functions of Trabecular Meshwork Cells
Authors: Xu Hui , Zhu Li , Wang Yu , Bao Yongzhen
Published: April 2018

Purpose. Secondary open-angle glaucoma may develop as a postoperative complication of early childhood cataract surgery. Its mechanism is poorly understood. Surgical removal of cataracts is typically incomplete, and we estimate that this disease is associated with alpha-B crystallin (CRYAB) secreted from the retained lens material. This study, for the first time, focused on the role of CRYAB in undesired changes of the structures and functions in trabecular meshwork (TM) cells.Methods. Cell proliferation and migration were assessed using a cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) and transwell assay analysis, respectively. Immunofluorescence (IF), quantitative real-time PCR (Rt-qPCR), and Western blot were performed to determine the effect of CRYAB on F-actin, tight junctions, and the expression of epithelial to mesenchymal transition- (EMT-) associated proteins in TM cells.Results. CRYAB promoted proliferation (p<0.0001), migration (p<0.001), and F-actin reorganization in TM cells. There were statistically significant increases in the mRNA and protein levels of zo-1, cadherin-N, and vimentin (allp<0.0001) and cadherin-E decreased (p<0.0001) and the mRNA level of claudin-1 increased (p<0.0001) compared to those of the control group.Conclusion. All of the changes in structures and functions first observed in the TM cells after exposure to CRYAB resembled alterations seen in primary open-angle glaucoma, suggesting that CRYAB might be related to the pathogenesis of secondary open-angle glaucoma after congenital cataract surgery.
Study on Failure Process and Permeation Evolution of Single‐Cracked Rock
Authors: Meng Xiangxi , Liu Weitao
Published: April 2018

To evaluate the mechanical properties and permeation evolution of cracked rock mass, failure evolution tests were designed by RFPA software for single‐cracked rock mass with (i) different inclination angles under uniaxial compression and (ii) different confining pressures and pore pressures under triaxial compression. The results show the following: (1) Angle of the crack significantly affects the crack propagation mode and slightly affects the bearing capacity of rock. During the crack propagation, the peak of permeation is delayed at the peak of stress. The stress‐strain curve shows a different behavior in the postcritical part of the curve, especially in the case of 45°, where a smooth postcritical curve was clearly observed instead of an abrupt decrease in the stress of other two cases. (2) When the confining pressure is constant, the trend is almost the same when varying pore pressures, and with the increase in pore pressure, crack propagation is accelerated. At a low confining pressure, the crack is extended vertically to the upper and lower ends of the specimen, forming a longitudinal macroscopic crack. At a high confining pressure, the crack gradually extends to the left and right boundaries of the specimen, forming a transverse macroscopic crack. (3) The rate of crack initiation and destruction first decreases and then increases with the increase in confining pressure when pore pressure is constant.
Recent Strategies in Preparation of Cellulose Nanocrystals and Cellulose Nanofibrils Derived from Raw Cellulose Materials
Authors: Xie Hongxiang , Du Haishun , Yang Xianghao , Si Chuanling
Published: April 2018

The recent strategies in preparation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were described. CNCs and CNFs are two types of nanocelluloses (NCs), and they possess various superior properties, such as large specific surface area, high tensile strength and stiffness, low density, and low thermal expansion coefficient. Due to various applications in biomedical engineering, food, sensor, packaging, and so on, there are many studies conducted on CNCs and CNFs. In this review, various methods of preparation of CNCs and CNFs are summarized, including mechanical, chemical, and biological methods. The methods of pretreatment of cellulose are described in view of the benefits to fibrillation.
Pain Management Associated with Posttraumatic Unilateral Temporomandibular Joint Anterior Disc Displacement: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Garrocho-Rangel Arturo , Gómez-González Andrea , Torre-Delgadillo Adriana , Ruiz-Rodríguez Socorro , Pozos-Guillén Amaury
Published: April 2018

The aim of the present article is to review the etiological risk factors and the general and oral management of anterior disc displacement with reduction caused by a chin trauma, and to describe the diagnostic process and the treatment provided to an affected 7-year-old girl. The patient also experienced frequent and severe cephaleas, which may be related to cervical vertebrae deviation. The patient was successfully treated with an intraoral occlusal splint and analgesics. Pediatric dentists must always be aware of the early signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders in their patients, especially in cases of orofacial trauma history, with the aim of providing an opportune resolution and preventing its progression later in life. Occlusal splints are strongly recommended for the treatment of anterior disc displacement with reduction in children and adolescents.
Signal Timing Optimization for Corridors with Multiple Highway-Rail Grade Crossings Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Chen Yifeng , Rilett Laurence R.
Published: April 2018

Safety and efficiency are two critical issues at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs) and their nearby intersections. Standard traffic signal optimization programs are not designed to work on roadway networks that contain multiple HRGCs, because their underlying assumption is that the roadway traffic is in a steady-state. During a train event, steady-state conditions do not occur. This is particularly true for corridors that experience high train traffic (e.g., over 2 trains per hour). In this situation, the non-steady-state conditions predominate. This paper develops a simulation-based methodology for optimizing traffic signal timing plan on corridors of this kind. The primary goal is to maximize safety, and the secondary goal is to minimize delay. A Genetic Algorithm (GA) was used as the optimization approach in the proposed methodology. A new transition preemption strategy for dual tracks (TPS_DT) and a train arrival prediction model were integrated in the proposed methodology. An urban road network with multiple HRGCs in Lincoln, NE, was used as the study network. The microsimulation model VISSIM was used for evaluation purposes and was calibrated to local traffic conditions. A sensitivity analysis with different train traffic scenarios was conducted. It was concluded that the methodology can significantly improve both the safety and efficiency of traffic corridors with HRGCs.
Understanding Human-Animal Relations in the Context of Primate Conservation: A Multispecies Ethnographic Approach in North Morocco
Authors: Waters Siân , Bell Sandra , Setchell Joanna M.
Published: April 2018

Strategies for conserving species threatened with extinction are often driven by ecological data. However, in anthropogenic landscapes, understanding and incorporating local people's perceptions may enhance species conservation. We examine the relationships shepherds, living on the periphery of the mixed oak forest of Bouhachem in northern Morocco, have with animals in the context of a conservation project for Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). We analyse ethnographic data to provide insights into shepherds' conceptions of Barbary macaques and the species which bring the shepherds into the forest - goats (Capra hircus), domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), and the African wolf (Canis lupus lupaster). We interpret these data within the framework of boundary theory. Our multispecies ethnographic approach illuminates the different and, in the case of the domestic dog and the Barbary macaque, complex ways shepherds perceive each species. Some shepherds show intrinsic interest in the macaques, revealing potential recruits to conservation activities. As with any ethnographic study, our interpretations of human-animal relations in Bouhachem may not extrapolate to other areas of the Barbary macaque's distribution because of the unique nature of both people and the place. We recommend that conservationists examine complex place-based relations between humans and animals to improve wildlife conservation efforts.
A Pathogenetic Classification of Diabetic Macular Edema
Authors: Parodi Battaglia Maurizio , Iacono Pierluigi , Cascavilla Marialucia , Zucchiatti Ilaria , Bandello Francesco
Published: April 2018

Purpose: The aim of this study was to define a new pathogenetic classification of diabetic macular edema (DME) and to present the results of its application in common clinical practice. Methods: One hundred and seventy-seven consecutive patients with center-involving DME, central retinal thickness (CRT) ≥250 µm, were prospectively enrolled. A complete ophthalmological examination included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) assessment, fundus photography, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). The DME classification was broken down into 4 categories, combining the presence of retinal thickening with the presence/absence of visible vascular dilations and OCT-detectable macular traction. The OCT parameters included were as follows: CRT, subretinal fluid, intraretinal cysts, and hyper- reflective foci (HF). Results: Four subtypes of DME were identified: vasogenic (131 eyes, DME with vascular dilation), nonvasogenic (46 eyes, DME without vascular dilation), tractional (11 eyes), and mixed DME (13 eyes). Vasogenic DME was the pattern mainly represented in each subclass of CRT (< 300, 300–400, and > 400 µm), with tractional DME observed especially with CRT > 400 µm. Internal and external cysts and a greater presence of hard exudates were predominantly found in vasogenic DME, whereas HF was equally distributed in the 4 DME subgroups. Conclusion: The study offers a new pathogenetic classification able to detect significant differences among DME subtypes. A tailored therapeutic approach could take into consideration specific changes associated with the different DME subtypes.
On the Rocks: Using Discourse Analysis to Examine Relationships between Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus) and People on Gibraltar
Authors: Radford Lucy , Alexander Sherrie , Waters Siân
Published: April 2018

Primates are difficult to categorise due to some of the human-like characteristics they possess. Here, we examine the complexities that exist in a commensal relationship between an introduced population of Barbary macaques and local human populations on Gibraltar. In Western culture, much has been done to recognise primates' human characteristics while simultaneously focusing on keeping them at a metaphorical distance. In the context of Gibraltar's Barbary macaques, the anomalous status of primates causes a duality of perception whereby the macaques' position makes them both more frustrating and perceived as more worthy of protection. We examine the language used by Gibraltar residents about the macaques, interpreting statements using discourse analysis to reveal the complexities of people's perceptions of the macaques. Our results indicate that Barbary macaques on Gibraltar occupy a perceptual context of internal conflict in which they are viewed both with pride and a sense of ownership as well as with mistrust and fear. The relationship between people and Barbary macaques on Gibraltar is complex, and while sensitisation programmes and awareness-raising efforts exist, we recommend greater collaboration with residents to prevent the development of more intense negative human-macaque interactions.
Major Hepatectomy for Colorectal Liver Metastases in Patients Aged Over 80: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis
Authors: De Blasi Vito , Memeo Riccardo , Adam René , Goéré Diane , Cherqui Daniel , Regimbeau Jean Marc , Rivoire Michel , Perotto Laura Ornella , Navarro Francis , Sa Cunha Antonio , Pessaux Patrick ,   on behalf of the French Colorectal Liver Metastases Working Group, Association Française de Chirurgie
Published: April 2018

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of major hepatectomies for metastasis in elderly colorectal cancer patients, for whom limited data exist in the literature. Methods: From January 2006 to January 2013, 3,034 patients underwent hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastasis in 32 French surgical centers. Repeat hepatectomies were excluded from the study. Based on a 1: 4 propensity score matching model, 42 patients aged ≥80 (OG) were matched with 168 patients <80 years (YG) in order to obtain 2 well-balanced and homogeneous groups with regards to therapy and prognostic factors. Results: The unmatched cohort consisted of 744 patients (OG: n = 42; YG: n = 702). After PS matching, there was no difference in terms of general morbidity, rates of Dindo-Clavien score ≥III (OG: 16% vs. YG: 21%, p = 0.663), surgical morbidity (OG: 16% vs. YG: 21%, p = 0.663), reoperation (OG:10% vs. YG: 5%, p = 0.263), 90-day mortality (OG: 0% vs. YG:2%, p = 1), and total median hospital stay (OG: 12 vs. YG: 12, p = 0.972). Both groups experienced similar 3- and 5-year overall survival (82 and 82% OG vs.78 and 67% YG) and disease-free survival (40 and 35% OG vs. 45 and 35% YG at 3 and 5 years). Conclusions: No difference in perioperative and postoperative outcomes and disease-free and overall survival was found. Major hepatectomy in selected octogenarian patients is safe and feasible.
Neutrophils and Bacterial Immune Evasion
Authors: Kobayashi Scott D. , Malachowa Natalia , DeLeo Frank R.
Published: April 2018

Neutrophils are an important component of the innate immune system and provide a front line of defense against bacterial infection. Although most bacteria are killed readily by neutrophils, some bacterial pathogens have the capacity to circumvent destruction by these host leukocytes. The ability of bacterial pathogens to avoid killing by neutrophils often involves multiple attributes or characteristics, including the production of virulence molecules. These molecules are diverse in composition and function, and collectively have the potential to alter or inhibit neutrophil recruitment, phagocytosis, bactericidal activity, and/or apoptosis. Here, we review the ability of bacteria to target these processes.
Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation for Polymyositis Combined with Myasthenia Gravis and Aplastic Anemia: A Case Report
Authors: Mitsumune Sho , Manabe Yasuhiro , Yunoki Taijun , Kono Shyoichiro , Aoyama Kazutoshi , Shinno Yoko , Narai Hisashi , Abe Koji
Published: April 2018

This is the first report about a patient with concomitant polymyositis (PM), myasthenia gravis (MG), and aplastic anemia (AA). A 54-year-old male developed myalgia and muscle weakness, which gradually progressed over 2 months. He was persistently affected by MG and AA. Brachium magnetic resonance imaging showed increased signal intensity in the left triceps and deltoid muscles on short tau inversion recovery images. A muscle biopsy examination revealed perifascicular atrophication and inflammatory myopathy. We diagnosed the patient with PM combined with MG and AA. He was successfully treated with an autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The present case suggests that BMT is a therapeutic option for PM, MG, and AA.
NeuroD Expression in Podocytes and Interrelationships with Nephrin at Both Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Sites
Authors: Armelloni Silvia , Ikehata Masami , Mattinzoli Deborah , Li Min , Alfieri Carlo Maria , Rastaldi Mariapia , Messa Piergiorgio
Published: April 2018

Background/Aims The research of genes implicated in kidney glomerular function, eliciting cell fate program, is always at the forefront in nephrological studies. Several neurological molecules have been recently the object of study not only for their involvement in the central nervous system differentiation but also for their importance in the functionality of other organs and for mature phenotype, as in kidney. NeuroD, in CNS, is related to two functional roles, the early survival and the differentiation. The aim of our study was to ascertain the presence of NeuroD transcription factor in glomeruli and to understand which targets and mechanisms NeuroD controls. Methods: We used immunofluorescence (IF) studies on both human and mice renal tissues and on cultured podocytes to describe NeuroD distribution; then we investigated NeuroD binding to the nephrin promoter region in cultured podocytes by chromatin-immuno-precipitation (ChIP) assay. The overexpression of NeuroD in podocytes was used to establish first its role in nephrin synthesis, evaluated by real-time quantitative (RTq) PCR and western-blot (WB) and successively to determine the recovery of cell morphology after adriamycin injury, measuring foot processes length. Results: We identified NeuroD transcription factor in glomeruli, in the same cells positive for WT1 and synaptopodin, namely podocytes; subsequently we observed a differentiation dependent NeuroD distribution in cultured podocytes, and a consistent link of NeuroD with the Nephrin promoter leading to the regulation of Nephrin translation and transcription. Our data also describes NeuroD expression in cytoplasm as phosphoprotein linked to nephrin and actinin4. Preliminary experiments seem to indicate NeuroD involved in dynamics of cell shape regulation after adriamycin injury. Conclusion: we propose that NeuroD possess in podocytes a dual ability acting in the nucleus as a transcription factor and in cytoplasm stabilizing cell shape.
Angiotensin II Short-Loop Feedback
Authors: Neubauer Bjoern , Schrankl Julia , Steppan Dominik , Neubauer Katharina , Sequeira-Lopez Maria Luisa , Pan Li , Gomez R. Ariel , Coffman Thomas M. , Gross Kenneth W. , Kurtz Armin , Wagner Charlotte
Published: April 2018

The activity of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system is triggered by the release of the protease renin from the kidneys, which in turn is controlled in the sense of negative feedback loops. It is widely assumed that Ang II (angiotensin II) directly inhibits renin expression and secretion via a short-loop feedback by an effect on renin-producing cells (RPCs) mediated by AT
1
(Ang II type 1) receptors. Because the concept of such a direct short-loop negative feedback control, which originates mostly from in vitro experiments, has not yet been systematically proven in vivo, we aimed to test the validity of this concept by studying the regulation of renin synthesis and secretion in mice lacking Ang II-AT
1
receptors on RPCs. We found that RPCs of the kidney express Ang II-AT
1
receptors. Mice with conditional deletion of Ang II-AT
1
receptors in RPCs were normal with regard to the number of renin cells, renal renin mRNA, and plasma renin concentrations. Renin expression and secretion of these mice responded to Ang I (angiotensin I)–converting enzyme inhibition and to Ang II infusion like in wild-type (WT) controls. In summary, we did not obtain evidence that Ang II-AT
1
receptors on RPCs are of major relevance for the normal regulation of renin expression and secretion in mice. Therefore, we doubt the existence of a direct negative feedback function of Ang II on RPCs.
Chronic Supplementation With a Mitochondrial Antioxidant (MitoQ) Improves Vascular Function in Healthy Older Adults
Authors: Rossman Matthew J. , Santos-Parker Jessica R. , Steward Chelsea A.C. , Bispham Nina Z. , Cuevas Lauren M. , Rosenberg Hannah L. , Woodward Kayla A. , Chonchol Michel , Gioscia-Ryan Rachel A. , Murphy Michael P. , Seals Douglas R.
Published: April 2018

Excess reactive oxygen species production by mitochondria is a key mechanism of age-related vascular dysfunction. Our laboratory has shown that supplementation with the mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant MitoQ improves vascular endothelial function by reducing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and ameliorates arterial stiffening in old mice, but the effects in humans are unknown. Here, we sought to translate our preclinical findings to humans and determine the safety and efficacy of MitoQ. Twenty healthy older adults (60–79 years) with impaired endothelial function (brachial artery flow–mediated dilation <6%) underwent 6 weeks of oral supplementation with MitoQ (20 mg/d) or placebo in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover design study. MitoQ was well tolerated, and plasma MitoQ was higher after the treatment versus placebo period (
P
<0.05). Brachial artery flow–mediated dilation was 42% higher after MitoQ versus placebo (
P
<0.05); the improvement was associated with amelioration of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species–related suppression of endothelial function (assessed as the increase in flow-mediated dilation with acute, supratherapeutic MitoQ [160 mg] administration; n=9;
P
<0.05). Aortic stiffness (carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity) was lower after MitoQ versus placebo (
P
<0.05) in participants with elevated baseline levels (carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity >7.60 m/s; n=11). Plasma oxidized LDL (low-density lipoprotein), a marker of oxidative stress, also was lower after MitoQ versus placebo (
P
<0.05). Participant characteristics, endothelium-independent dilation (sublingual nitroglycerin), and circulating markers of inflammation were not different (all
P
>0.1). These findings in humans extend earlier preclinical observations and suggest that MitoQ and other therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial reactive oxygen species may hold promise for treating age-related vascular dysfunction.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT02597023.
Which Melodic Universals Emerge from Repeated Signaling Games? A Note on Lumaca and Baggio (2017)
Authors: Ravignani Andrea , Verhoef Tessa
Published: April 2018

Music is a peculiar human behavior, yet we still know little as to why and how music emerged. For centuries, the study of music has been the sole prerogative of the humanities. Lately, however, music is being increasingly investigated by psychologists, neuroscientists, biologists, and computer scientists. One approach to studying the origins of music is to empirically test hypotheses about the mechanisms behind this structured behavior. Recent lab experiments show how musical rhythm and melody can emerge via the process of cultural transmission. In particular, Lumaca and Baggio (2017) tested the emergence of a sound system at the boundary between music and language. In this study, participants were given random pairs of signal-meanings; when participants negotiated their meaning and played a “game of telephone” with them, these pairs became more structured and systematic. Over time, the small biases introduced in each artificial transmission step accumulated, displaying quantitative trends, including the emergence, over the course of artificial human generations, of features resembling properties of language and music. In this Note, we highlight the importance of Lumaca and Baggio's experiment, place it in the broader literature on the evolution of language and music, and suggest refinements for future experiments. We conclude that, while psychological evidence for the emergence of proto-musical features is accumulating, complementary work is needed: Mathematical modeling and computer simulations should be used to test the internal consistency of experimentally generated hypotheses and to make new predictions.
A check-list of fungi from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
Authors: NIRANJAN M. , SARMA V.V.
Published: April 2018

Andaman and Nicobar Islands constitute isolated group of five hundred and seventy-two islands with most of them human un-inhabited having rich flora and fauna. A check-list of fungi reported from Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been compiled based on the information available in the literature and is provided in a table. Totally 446 fungal species, distributed over 216 genera, 96 families, 44 orders, ten classes and seven phyla have been reported so far. Meliola is the most speciose genus and the family Meliolaceae has been represented with a large number of species. Among the different order Ostropales has been represented with a large number of species than others. In the case of different classes Sordariomycetes has more representation and the Ascomycota among different phyla. There are only a few reports available on the research carried out from the Islands and these are mostly on lichenized fungi and Meliolales in addition to a single report on 63 marine fungi from mangroves of the Islands through one collection. This reflects on the specialists who have contributed research work from the Islands. As otherwise the Islands have largely remained unexplored for fungal diversity.
Paepalanthus thomasianus, a new species of Paepalanthus subg. Platycaulon (Eriocaulaceae) from São Paulo State, Brazil
Authors: TISSOT-SQUALLI MARA L. , SAUTHIER LUANA J.
Published: April 2018

We describe and illustrate the new species Paepalanthus thomasianus (P. subg. Platycaulon, Eriocaulaceae) from São Paulo, Brazil, and compare it with other morphologically similar species. P. thomasianus is characterized mainly by its leaf indumentum, composed by long multicellular trichomes. Undulations formed by the vascular bundles in the leaf surface and the wide ratio between the leaf base and the middle region of the leaf are also useful to recognize the species. The morphological variation, habitat, geographic distribution, and conservation status of this new species are discussed.
Two novel species of Cryphonectria from Quercus in China
Authors: JIANG NING , FAN XIN-LEI , YANG QIN , DU ZHUO , TIAN CHENG-MING
Published: April 2018

Cryphonectria species associated with canker disease are presently difficult to identify, because of lack of ex-type cultures with molecular data and few distinguishable characters. During our survey about chestnut blight in western China, Cryphonectria parasitica was confirmed as the most important canker pathogen based on ten morphologically atypical isolates. Two novel species with orange stromata are introduced based on multigene sequence (ITS, TUB1, TUB2) analyses. This is the first study that has established the Cryphonectria species associated with oak canker in China using a multiphasic approach.
What can WE do for urban insect biodiversity? Applying lessons from ecological research

Authors: HELDEN ALVIN J. , MORLEY GEOFFREY J. , DAVIDSON GABRIELLE L. , TURNER EDGAR C.
Published: April 2018

Urban ecosystems are not unique, as the ecological processes and anthropological effects they encapsulate can equally be found in a range of human dominated environments. Applying ecological lessons from both within and outside urban areas is important for insect conservation within our expanding towns and cities. The management of urban grasslands, which in many cases is controlled by private individual and corporate landowners, has the potential to make a large difference to the biodiversity they support. Here we report on an investigation of invertebrate biodiversity within a series of small urban grasslands with contrasting frequency of management by mowing. Seven gardens and five other grassland areas were suction sampled for grassland invertebrates in July 2016. Samples were taken in patches that were regularly cut on a 7-14 day cycle (very short), those cut every six weeks (short) and those than had not been cut since the previous year (long). Invertebrates were mostly identified to order level, with the Hemiptera to species or morphospecies. Invertebrate abundance was significantly inversely related to mowing frequency but overall species richness did not differ between short and very short grasslands. Community structure also was most distinct in the long grasslands. The pattern of abundance varied between different taxonomic groups, with the Hemiptera particularly benefiting from very low levels of management. The value to invertebrates, especially Hemiptera, of reduced grassland management is discussed, with reference to how the owners of gardens and other urban grassy areas can make simple changes to benefit biodiversity on their land
Description of a new species of the genus Mongolotettix Rehn, 1928 (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from Fujian, China
Authors: CHEN SHEN-ZHI , SHI JIAN-PING , DAI LI
Published: April 2018

A new species of the genus Mongolotettix Rehn, 1928 from Fujian, China is described in this paper. The new species Mongolotettix.fujianensis sp. nov. is similar to M. wulingyuanensis Shi, Liu et Li, 2016, but differs from the latter by maximum width of cubital area 1.4 times maximum width of medial area in tegmina of male; body small, length of body ♂ 21.5. mm, ♀ 30.6 mm; vertical diameter eye 1.3 times horizontal diameter in male; hind femur of male with 103 stridulatory pegs on inner side and epiphallus with indistinct projection on inner side of lateral plates. Type specimens are deposited in the Shanghai Entomological Museum, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Horizontal and Vertical Scaling of Cloud Geometry Inferred from CloudSat Data
Authors: Guillaume A. , Kahn B. H. , Yue Q. , Fetzer E. J. , Wong S. , Manipon G. J. , Hua H. , Wilson B. D.
Published: April 2018

A method is described to characterize the scale dependence of cloud chord length using cloud-type classification reported with the 94-GHz CloudSat radar. The cloud length along the CloudSat track is quantified using horizontal and vertical structures of cloud classification separately for each cloud type and for all clouds independent of cloud type. While the individual cloud types do not follow a clear power-law behavior as a function of horizontal or vertical scale, a robust power-law scaling of cloud chord length is observed when cloud type is not considered. The exponent of horizontal length is approximated by β ≈ 1.66 ± 0.00 across two orders of magnitude (~10–1000 km). The exponent of vertical thickness is approximated by β ≈ 2.23 ± 0.03 in excess of one order of magnitude (~1–14 km). These exponents are in agreement with previous studies using numerical models, satellites, dropsondes, and in situ aircraft observations. These differences in horizontal and vertical cloud scaling are consistent with scaling of temperature and horizontal wind in the horizontal dimension and with scaling of buoyancy flux in the vertical dimension. The observed scale dependence should serve as a guide to test and evaluate scale-cognizant climate and weather numerical prediction models.
The Effect of Arctic Freshwater Pathways on North Atlantic Convection and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation
Authors: Wang He , Legg Sonya , Hallberg Robert
Published: April 2018

This study examines the relative roles of the Arctic freshwater exported via different pathways on deep convection in the North Atlantic and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). Deep water feeding the lower branch of the AMOC is formed in several North Atlantic marginal seas, including the Labrador Sea, Irminger Sea, and the Nordic seas, where deep convection can potentially be inhibited by surface freshwater exported from the Arctic. The sensitivity of the AMOC and North Atlantic to two major freshwater pathways on either side of Greenland is studied using numerical experiments. Freshwater export is rerouted in global coupled climate models by blocking and expanding the channels along the two routes. The sensitivity experiments are performed in two sets of models (CM2G and CM2M) with different control simulation climatology for comparison. Freshwater via the route east of Greenland is found to have a larger direct impact on Labrador Sea convection. In response to the changes of freshwater route, North Atlantic convection outside of the Labrador Sea changes in the opposite sense to the Labrador Sea. The response of the AMOC is found to be sensitive to both the model formulation and mean-state climate.
The Influence of the Barrier Layer on SST Response during Tropical Cyclone Wind Forcing Using Idealized Experiments
Authors: Rudzin Johna E. , Shay Lynn K. , Johns William E.
Published: April 2018

Multiple studies have shown that reduced sea surface temperature (SST) cooling occurs under tropical cyclones (TCs) where a fresh surface layer and subsurface halocline exist. Reduced SST cooling in these scenarios has been attributed to a barrier layer, an upper-ocean feature in the tropical global oceans in which a halocline resides within the isothermal mixed layer. Because upper-ocean stratification theoretically reduces ocean mixing induced by winds, the barrier layer is thought to reduce SST cooling during TC passage, sustaining heat and moisture fluxes into the storm. This research examines how both the inclusion of salinity and upper-ocean salinity stratification influences SST cooling for a variety of upper-ocean thermal regimes using one-dimensional (1D) ocean mixed layer (OML) models. The Kraus–Turner, Price–Weller–Pinkel, and Pollard–Rhines–Thompson 1D OML schemes are used to examine SST cooling and OML deepening during 30 m s−1 wind forcing (~category 1 TC) for both temperature-only and temperature–salinity stratification cases. Generally, the inclusion of salinity (a barrier layer) reduces SST cooling for all temperature regimes. However, results suggest that SST cooling sensitivities exist depending on thermal regime, salinity stratification, and the 1D OML model used. Upper-ocean thermal and haline characteristics are put into context of SST cooling with the creation of a barrier layer baroclinic wave speed to emphasize the influence of salinity stratification on upper-ocean response under TC wind forcing.
Consistency between Sea Surface Reconstructions from Nautical X-Band Radar Doppler and Amplitude Measurements
Authors: Støle-Hentschel Susanne , Seemann Jörg , Nieto Borge José Carlos , Trulsen Karsten
Published: April 2018

This study comprises the analysis and the interpretation of the coherent and the noncoherent parts of a coherent-on-receive microwave radar at grazing incidence conditions. The Doppler measurement is an extension of standard civil marine radar technology. While intensity images require interpretation based on understanding the underlying imaging mechanism, the Doppler signal measures the motion of an area of sea surface and is therefore closely related to the wave physics. Both the measured Doppler signal and the backscatter intensity signal are suitable for surface inversion and give almost identical surface elevations. A statistical comparison with a nearby buoy showed good correlation for the significant wave height and the peak period. By comparing the Doppler signal and the amplitude in the backscatter, the study amends the understanding of imaging mechanisms in marine radars at grazing incidence.
Improving the Explicit Prediction of Freezing Rain in a Kilometer-Scale Numerical Weather Prediction Model
Authors: Barszcz Agnieszka , Milbrandt Jason A. , Thériault Julie M.
Published: April 2018

A freezing rain event, in which the Meteorological Centre of Canada’s 2.5-km numerical weather prediction system significantly underpredicted the quantity of freezing rain, is examined. The prediction system models precipitation types explicitly, directly from the Milbrandt–Yau microphysics scheme. It was determined that the freezing rain underprediction for this case was due primarily to excessive refreezing of rain, originating from melting snow and graupel, in and under the temperature inversion of the advancing warm front ultimately depleting the supply of rain reaching the surface. The refreezing was caused from excessive collisional freezing between rain and graupel. Sensitivity experiments were conducted to examine the effects of a temperature threshold for collisional freezing and on varying the values of the collection efficiencies between rain and ice-phase hydrometeors. It was shown that by reducing the rain–graupel collection efficiency and by imposing a temperature threshold of −5°C, above which collisional freezing is not permitted, excessive rain–graupel collection and graupel formation can be controlled in the microphysics scheme, leading to an improved simulation of freezing rain at the surface.
Understanding the Interaction Between Oligopeptide and Water in Aqueous Solution Using Temperature-Dependent Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Cheng Dan , Cai Wensheng , Shao Xueguang
Published: April 2018

Investigating the interaction between oligopeptide and water is essential for understanding the structure, dynamics and function of proteins. Temperature-dependent near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and independent component analysis (ICA) were employed to study the interaction between oligopeptide and water in aqueous solution. The NIR spectra of two homo-oligopeptides, penta-aspartic acid (D5) and penta-lysine (K5), in aqueous solution of different concentration were measured at different temperature (30–90 ℃). Independent component analysis was performed to extract the spectral information that changes with temperature. The independent components (ICs) representing the spectral information of NH and CH2 groups were obtained. Compared with D5, the two groups in K5 change significantly at higher temperature. The result may suggest that K5 has stronger interaction with water than D5. Moreover, three ICs that contain the spectral information of the water species with no (S0), one (S1), and two (S2) hydrogen-bonds were obtained. It was shown that the spectral intensity of S0 and S1 increases while that of S2 decreases with the temperature, and the changes of oligopeptide solutions are weaker than those of pure water. The results indicate that water structure is sensitive to temperature and the oligopeptide in aqueous solution improves the thermal stability of the water species. When oligopeptide is added, the spectral intensity of S0 and S2 decreases and that of S1 increases for D5 solution, but the intensity of all the three species decreases for K5 solution. Furthermore, the concentration effect of K5 was found to be stronger than D5. The result may reveal that D5 combines with water molecule through forming one hydrogen bond but K5 interacts with water through a different way.
The challenge of improving the diagnostic yield from metanephrine testing in suspected phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma
Authors: Samsudin Intan , Page Michael M , Hoad Kirsten , Chubb Paul , Gillett Melissa , Glendenning Paul , Vasikaran Samuel
Published: April 2018

Background

Plasma-free metanephrines (PFM) or urinary fractionated metanephrines (UFM) are the preferred biochemical tests for the diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL). Borderline increased results should be followed up to either exclude or confirm diagnosis.

Methods

We extracted all PFM and UFM results reported by our laboratory over a six-month period from the laboratory information system. We categorized patients with borderline increased results according to whether follow-up testing had been performed as suggested in the initial laboratory report. Questionnaires were then sent to all requesting doctors and medical notes reviewed where available.

Results

Two hundred and four patients with borderline increased PFM or UFM were identified. Sixty-five (38.5%) of 169 patients with borderline increased PFM had a repeat test out of which 36 were normal and 29 did not normalize. Of 35 patients with borderline increased UFM, 17 (48.6%) had subsequent PFM measurement, out of which 15 were normal. Questionnaires were returned to 106 (52%) patients. Of these, the most frequent indication for testing was hypertension ( n = 50); 15 patients had an incidental adrenal mass and two of these patients were diagnosed with a phaeochromocytoma.

Conclusion

Only 38% of patients with borderline increased PFM had a repeat PFM measurement. This was not significantly higher when compared with the 28% in a previous audit that we reported in 2010 ( P = 0.10). Forty-nine per cent of patients with a borderline increased UFM had a repeat UFM or PFM measurement. There remains a substantial possibility of missed detection of PPGL.
Services, systems, and policies affecting mobility device users’ community mobility: A scoping review
Authors: Jónasdóttir Sigrún Kristín , Polgar Jan Miller
Published: April 2018

Background.

Opportunities to travel from one place to another in the community, or community mobility, are especially important for mobility device users’ ability to participate fully in society. However, contextual challenges to such mobility exist.

Purpose.

This study summarizes the literature on existing community mobility barriers and facilitators of mobility device users created by services, systems, and policies as defined by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF).

Method.

Arksey and O’Malley’s approach for scoping studies was used for the review. The extraction chart was organized following the ICF, and frequency counts were used to report the data.

Findings.

The findings suggest that certain factors, such as transportation, open-space planning, and architecture and construction, influence community mobility opportunities. However, little attention has been paid to services, systems, and policies in the research literature, limiting the knowledge on the subject.

Implications.

Further research is needed to examine the relationship between specific services, systems, and policies and mobility device users’ mobility within their communities.
Revisiting the Agenda of the Orthodox Neo-Patristic Movement
Authors: Coman Viorel
Published: April 2018

The Neo-Patristic movement’s program to liberate Orthodox theology from the influences of Western scholasticism is one of the many reasons that explain the consolidation of anti-Western feelings in some Orthodox circles today. Although the basic principles of the Neo-Patristic movement could represent, if misunderstood, a source of inspiration for the fundamentalist groups, this article argues that the position of the Neo-Patristic direction vis-à-vis the West cannot be reduced to its efforts to free theology from scholastic influences. To support this argument, the article turns to Dumitru Stăniloae, a leading Neo-Patristic figure, and shows that his theological program has been guided by two main axes: on the one hand, the quest for an authentic restauratio patristica in Orthodoxy, which frees theology from Western scholastic influences and restores the ethos of Eastern Christianity; one the other hand, a genuine interest to engage himself in a constructive dialogue with contemporary Western theology.
Bonaventure’s Use of Jerusalem as Metaphor for Protological and Eschatological Human Nature
Authors: Scully Jason
Published: April 2018

According to Bonaventure, the circle represents the perfect consummation of creation, in that creation comes from the Father and returns to him through the intermediary work of the Son. This circular portrait of creation takes on concrete shape in Bonaventure’s use of Jerusalem as a metaphor for human nature. In the 39th dominical sermon, Bonaventure uses Jerusalem as a metaphor for the original innocence of Adam’s nature before the fall. In the Journey of the Mind to God and Conferences on the Hexaemeron, however, Bonaventure looks not to the Jerusalem of original innocence but to the heavenly Jerusalem as a model for the final redemption of human nature. Bonaventure combines both of these traditions about Jerusalem in his portrait of Saint Francis in the Major Legend. According to Bonaventure, Francis is the exemplar of perfect human nature because, in him, the circular pattern of redemption is made complete.
Examining Cybersecurity of Cyberphysical Systems for Critical Infrastructures Through Work Domain Analysis
Authors: Wang Hao , Lau Nathan , Gerdes Ryan M.
Published: April 2018

Objective:

The aim of this study was to apply work domain analysis for cybersecurity assessment and design of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.

Background:

Adoption of information and communication technology in cyberphysical systems (CPSs) for critical infrastructures enables automated and distributed control but introduces cybersecurity risk. Many CPSs employ SCADA industrial control systems that have become the target of cyberattacks, which inflict physical damage without use of force. Given that absolute security is not feasible for complex systems, cyberintrusions that introduce unanticipated events will occur; a proper response will in turn require human adaptive ability. Therefore, analysis techniques that can support security assessment and human factors engineering are invaluable for defending CPSs.

Method:

We conducted work domain analysis using the abstraction hierarchy (AH) to model a generic SCADA implementation to identify the functional structures and means–ends relations. We then adopted a case study approach examining the Stuxnet cyberattack by developing and integrating AHs for the uranium enrichment process, SCADA implementation, and malware to investigate the interactions between the three aspects of cybersecurity in CPSs.

Results:

The AHs for modeling a generic SCADA implementation and studying the Stuxnet cyberattack are useful for mapping attack vectors, identifying deficiencies in security processes and features, and evaluating proposed security solutions with respect to system objectives.

Conclusion:

Work domain analysis is an effective analytical method for studying cybersecurity of CPSs for critical infrastructures in a psychologically relevant manner.

Application:

Work domain analysis should be applied to assess cybersecurity risk and inform engineering and user interface design.
Reassembling difference? Rethinking inclusion through/as embodied ethics
Authors: Tyler Melissa
Published: April 2018

This article considers inclusion through the lens of embodied ethics. It does so by connecting feminist writing on recognition, ethics and embodiment to recent examples of political activism as instances of recognition-based organizing. In making these connections, the article draws on insights from Judith Butler’s recent writing on the ethics and politics of assembly in order to rethink how inclusion might be understood and practised. The article has three interrelated aims: (i) to emphasize the importance of a critical reconsideration of the ethics and politics of inclusion given – on the one hand, its positioning as an organizational ‘good’, and on the other, the conditions attached to it; (ii) to develop a critique of inclusion, drawing on insights from recent feminist thinking on relational ethics; and (iii) to connect this theoretical critique of inclusion, reconsidered here through the lens of embodied ethics, to assembly as a form of feminist activism. Each of these aims underpins the theoretical and empirical discussion developed in the article, specifically its focus on the relationship between embodied ethics, the interplay between theory and practice, and a politics of assembly as the basis for a critical reconsideration of inclusion.
Mothers and researchers in the making: Negotiating ‘new’ motherhood within the ‘new’ academia
Authors: Huopalainen Astrid S , Satama Suvi T
Published: April 2018

How do early-career academic mothers balance the demands of contemporary motherhood and academia? More generally, how do working mothers develop their embodied selves in today’s highly competitive working life? This article responds to a recent call to voice maternal experiences in the field of organization studies. Inspired by matricentric feminism and building on our intimate autoethnographic diary notes, we provide a fine-grained understanding of the changing demands that constitute the ongoing negotiation of ‘new’ motherhood within the ‘new’ academia. By highlighting the complexity of embodied experience, we show how motherhood is not an entirely negative experience in the workplace. Despite academia’s neoliberal tendencies, the social privilege of whiteness, heterosexuality and the middle class enables – at times – simultaneous satisfaction with both motherhood and an academic career.