bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Back to the wilds: Tapping evolutionary adaptations for resilient crops through systematic hybridization with crop wild relatives
Authors: Warschefsky Emily , Penmetsa R. Varma , Cook Douglas R. , von Wettberg Eric J. B.
Published: October 2014

The genetic diversity of our crop plants has been substantially reduced during the process of domestication and breeding. This reduction in diversity necessarily constrains our ability to expand a crop's range of cultivation into environments that are more extreme than those in which it was domesticated, including into “sustainable” agricultural systems with reduced inputs of pesticides, water, and fertilizers. Conversely, the wild progenitors of crop plants typically possess high levels of genetic diversity, which underlie an expanded (relative to domesticates) range of adaptive traits that may be of agricultural relevance, including resistance to pests and pathogens, tolerance to abiotic extremes, and reduced dependence on inputs. Despite their clear potential for crop improvement, wild relatives have rarely been used systematically for crop improvement, and in no cases, have full sets of wild diversity been introgressed into a crop. Instead, most breeding efforts have focused on specific traits and dealt with wild species in a limited and typically ad hoc manner. Although expedient, this approach misses the opportunity to test a large suite of traits and deploy the full potential of crop wild relatives in breeding for the looming challenges of the 21st century. Here we review examples of hybridization in several species, both intentionally produced and naturally occurring, to illustrate the gains that are possible. We start with naturally occurring hybrids, and then examine a range of examples of hybridization in agricultural settings.
Health Care Delivery for Head-and-Neck Cancer Patients in Alberta: A Practice Guideline
Authors: Harris J.R. , Lau H. , Surgeoner B.V. , Chua N. , Dobrovolsky W. , Dort J.C. , Kalaydjian E. , Nesbitt M. , Scrimger R.A. , Seikaly H. , Skarsgard D. , Webster M.A.
Published: October 2014

(1) Background: The treatment of head-and-neck cancer is complex and requires the involvement of various health care professionals with a wide range of expertise. We describe the process of developing a practice guideline with recommendations about the organization and delivery of health care services for head-and-neck cancer patients in Alberta. (2) Methods: Outcomes of interest included composition of the health care team, qualification requirements for team members, cancer centre and team member volumes, infrastructure needs, and wait times. A search for existing practice guidelines and a systematic review of the literature addressing the organization and delivery of health care services for head-and-neck cancer patients were conducted. The search included the Standards and Guidelines Evidence (sage) directory of cancer guidelines and PubMed. (3) Results: One practice guideline was identified for adaptation. Three additional practice guidelines provided supplementary evidence to inform guideline recommendations. Members of the Alberta Provincial Head and Neck Tumour Team (consisting of various health professionals from across the province) provided expert feedback on the adapted recommendations through an online and in-person review process. Selected experts in head-and-neck cancer from outside the province participated in an external online review. (4) Summary: The recommendations outlined in this practice guideline are based on existing guidelines that have been modified to fit the Alberta context. Although specific to Alberta, the recommendations lend credence to similar published guidelines and could be considered for use by groups lacking the resources of appointed guideline panels. The recommendations are meant to be a guide rather than a fixed protocol. The implementation of this practice guideline will depend on many factors, including but not limited to availability of trained personnel, adequate funding of infrastructure, and collaboration with other associations of health care professionals in the province.
Update on Taxanes in the First-Line Treatment of Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Socinski M.A.
Published: October 2014

Based on demonstrated favourable risk–benefit profiles, taxanes remain a key component in the first-line standard of care for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc) and nsclc subtypes. In 2012, a novel taxane, nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane: Celgene Corporation, Summit, NJ, U.S.A.), was approved, in combination with carboplatin, for the first-line treatment of locally advanced or meta-static nsclc. The approval was granted because of demonstrated improved antitumour activity and tolerability compared with solvent-based paclitaxel–carboplatin in a phase iii trial. This review focuses on the evolution of first-line taxane therapy for advanced nsclc and the new options and advances in taxane therapy that might address unmet needs in advanced nsclc.
Optimism About Breakthroughs in the Age of Targeted Therapy: the Canadian Lung Cancer Conference 2014; Vancouver, British Columbia; February 7, 2014
Authors: Melosky B. , Ho C.
Published: October 2014

The Canadian Lung Cancer Conference 2014, held in Vancouver, British Columbia, was an opportunity for Canadian lung cancer researchers and treatment experts to meet and discuss current breakthroughs and paradigm shifts in the field. The full-day program featured lectures, discussion, and debates, with ample time for informal networking. We are already looking forward to next year’s meeting (scheduled for February 6, 2015), where we expect to discuss and reflect on some of the latest results and breakthroughs from both the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the European Society for Medical Oncology.
The Trastuzumab and Vinorelbine Combination: An Alternative to Taxane-Based Chemotherapy for Early-Stage and Locally Advanced HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Esfahani K. , Ferrario C. , Le P. , Panasci L.
Published: October 2014

Background: Anthracyclines and taxanes have historically constituted the backbone of chemotherapy regimens for patients with breast cancer positive for the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). For a subset of patients who categorically refuse alopecia, or for those with a contraindication to those drugs, there is an urgent need to define alternative regimens. Here, we report our institutional experience with trastuzumab and vinorelbine (TV), a combination with good clinical activity and a good side effect profile for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Methods: In a retrospective analysis, outcomes data were extracted for patients receiving TV as their only chemotherapy in the non-metastatic setting at the Jewish General Hospital. For the most part, TV was administered weekly for 6 months, followed by trastuzumab for 6 months. Results: The analysis identified 46 patients (mean age: 64 years) who received TV between 2003 and 2012 (n = 36 adjuvant, n = 10 neoadjuvant). Of the patients in the adjuvant group, 81% had stage i disease. In the neoadjuvant group, 3 patients experienced a complete pathologic response. Only 1 patient experienced local recurrence after a short course (3 months) of adjuvant TV. Overall survival and breast cancer–specific survival were 94% and 98% respectively at a median 5 years of follow-up. Febrile neutropenia–induced sepsis resulted in the death of 1 patient with significant medical comorbidities; 2 other patients died of comorbidities unrelated to their cancer or treatment. Grades 3 or 4 adverse events included neutropenia (23%), febrile neutropenia (10%), fatigue (2%), and anemia (2%). Conclusions: For patients with non-metastatic breast cancer refusing alopecia, or for patients who are not candidates for standard chemotherapy, TV is a reasonable alternative to standard adjuvant chemotherapy.
Design and Implementation of a Community-Based Exercise Program for Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Leach H.J. , Danyluk J.M. , Culos–Reed S.N.
Published: October 2014

Research has indicated that exercise is critical in the recovery process for breast cancer patients, and yet this evidence has infrequently been translated into sustainable community programming. The present article describes the processes and operations of BEAUTY (the Breast Cancer Patients Engaging in Activity and Undergoing Treatment program). This evidencebased 12-week exercise program, with an optional 12-week maintenance component, is supported by the Wings of Hope Foundation, allowing the program to be delivered at no cost to participants. The program was designed to restore and improve the physical well-being of women living with breast cancer as they undergo chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Evaluations measure safety and adherence to the program and the effects of the program on physiologic and psychological outcomes and quality of life. The BEAUTY program addresses the gap between the level of evidence for the benefits of exercise after a cancer diagnosis and translation of that evidence into community programming by providing an accessible, individualized, and safe physical activity program for women during treatment for breast cancer.
Meaningful Patient Representation Informing Canada’s Cancer Drug Funding Decisions: Views of Patient Representatives on the Pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review
Authors: Hoch J.S. , Brown M.B. , McMahon C. , Nanson J. , Rozmovits L.
Published: October 2014

In this interview with the patient representatives on the Expert Review Committee (pERC) of the Pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review (pCODR), those representatives offer their views about how to be a valuable contributing member of Canada’s national cancer drug funding recommendation committee. The article seeks to inform readers, and especially clinicians, about pCODR from the perspective of the patient representatives.
Hsp90 Inhibitors in Oncology: Ready for Prime Time?
Authors: Parimi S. , Tsang R.Y.
Published: October 2014

In the targeted oncology era, there has been a resurgence of interest in targeting members of the heat shock protein family, as evidenced by numerous ongoing trials in advanced malignancies (Table I).[...]
Recommendations for the Referral of Patients for Proton-Beam Therapy, an Alberta Health Services Report: A Model for Canada?
Authors: Patel S. , Kostaras X. , Parliament M. , Olivotto I.A. , Nordal R. , Aronyk K. , Hagen N.
Published: October 2014

Background: Compared with photon therapy, proton-beam therapy (PBT) offers compelling advantages in physical dose distribution. Worldwide, gantry-based proton facilities are increasing in number, but no such facilities exist in Canada. To access PBT, Canadian patients must travel abroad for treatment at high cost. In the face of limited access, this report seeks to provide recommendations for the selection of patients most likely to benefit from PBT and suggests an out-ofcountry referral process. Methods: The MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane databases were systematically searched for studies published between January 1990 and May 2014 that evaluated clinical outcomes after PBT. A draft report developed through a review of evidence was externally reviewed and then approved by the Alberta Health Services Cancer Care Proton Therapy Guidelines steering committee. Results: Proton therapy is often used to treat tumours close to radiosensitive tissues and to treat children at risk of developing significant late effects of radiation therapy (RT). In uncontrolled and retrospective studies, local control rates with PBT appear similar to, or in some cases higher than, photon RT. Randomized trials comparing equivalent doses of PBT and photon RT are not available. Summary: Referral for PBT is recommended for patients who are being treated with curative intent and with an expectation for long-term survival, and who are able and willing to travel abroad to a proton facility. Commonly accepted indications for referral include chordoma and chondrosarcoma, intraocular melanoma, and solid tumours in children and adolescents who have the greatest risk for long-term sequelae. Current data do not provide sufficient evidence to recommend routine referral of patients with most head-and-neck, breast, lung, gastrointestinal tract, and pelvic cancers, including prostate cancer. It is recommended that all referrals be considered by a multidisciplinary team to select appropriate cases.
Autonomous assembly of synthetic oligonucleotides built from an expanded DNA alphabet. Total synthesis of a gene encoding kanamycin resistance
Authors: Merritt Kristen K , Bradley Kevin M , Hutter Daniel , Matsuura Mariko F , Rowold Diane J , Benner Steven A
Published: October 2014

Background: Many synthetic biologists seek to increase the degree of autonomy in the assembly of long DNA (L-DNA) constructs from short synthetic DNA fragments, which are today quite inexpensive because of automated solid-phase synthesis. However, the low information density of DNA built from just four nucleotide “letters”, the presence of strong (G:C) and weak (A:T) nucleobase pairs, the non-canonical folded structures that compete with Watson–Crick pairing, and other features intrinsic to natural DNA, generally prevent the autonomous assembly of short single-stranded oligonucleotides greater than a dozen or so.

Results: We describe a new strategy to autonomously assemble L-DNA constructs from fragments of synthetic single-stranded DNA. This strategy uses an artificially expanded genetic information system (AEGIS) that adds nucleotides to the four (G, A, C, and T) found in standard DNA by shuffling hydrogen-bonding units on the nucleobases, all while retaining the overall Watson–Crick base-pairing geometry. The added information density allows larger numbers of synthetic fragments to self-assemble without off-target hybridization, hairpin formation, and non-canonical folding interactions. The AEGIS pairs are then converted into standard pairs to produce a fully natural L-DNA product. Here, we report the autonomous assembly of a gene encoding kanamycin resistance using this strategy. Synthetic fragments were built from a six-letter alphabet having two AEGIS components, 5-methyl-2’-deoxyisocytidine and 2’-deoxyisoguanosine (respectively S and B), at their overlapping ends. Gaps in the overlapped assembly were then filled in using DNA polymerases, and the nicks were sealed by ligase. The S:B pairs in the ligated construct were then converted to T:A pairs during PCR amplification. When cloned into a plasmid, the product was shown to make Escherichia coli resistant to kanamycin. A parallel study that attempted to assemble similarly sized genes with optimally designed standard nucleotides lacking AEGIS components gave successful assemblies of up to 16 fragments, but generally failed when larger autonomous assemblies were attempted.

Conclusion: AEGIS nucleotides, by increasing the information density of DNA, allow larger numbers of DNA fragments to autonomously self-assemble into large DNA constructs. This technology can therefore increase the size of DNA constructs that might be used in synthetic biology.
SQUATTING OUTSIDE THE WORLD: NOTES FOR AN ARCHITECTURE OF ETHICS
Authors: Schroeder Steven
Published: October 2014

Mind takes place in the world, and that matters. We are bodies among bodies, and, no matter what we think, what we do is a matter of where. And thinking about where is a problem for architecture. Richard Luecke’s pithy summary of Aristotle’s Politics was that we go to the city to live but stay to live the good life. The interplay of going and staying takes up a critical theme of Aristotle’s work. To understand the world, he said, we must understand both motion and stasis – not the going alone but the staying that takes place in the middle of it. Luecke took up William James’s figure of perchings in the flight of a bird and put it to work in thinking about cities. The city is a perch for the winged thing we are. To understand our flight, we must also attend to our perching. Aristotle speaks of the city as a place to go and a place to stay, but he also speaks of it as a koinonia turned toward good. That marks it as being human. Aristotle directs our attention to the necessity of the city (we go to live) and to its good (we stay to live the good life). But the staying, the dwelling, is understood within a structure of action: the good is that toward which all things aim. Dwelling, still, we turn. Which qualifies the going, because we are political animals. Going to the city to live, we go nowhere other than where we are. The city is the form of human presence.
NATURE AND THE CITY: A CO-EVOLUTIONARY PROJECT
Authors: Younés Samir
Published: October 2014

Architects who understand the need to build enduringly are faced with the almost complete absence of international agreements with respect to a planetary ecological project. The coming environmental changes will probably occur long before the small measures that can be implemented by some building industries on a regional level have even the slightest effect. Meanwhile, the health of the planet in positive feedback. Any project that aims for a wise ecological dwelling on this planet needs to consider short-term sustainable measures in comparison with long-term enduring practices. Might schools of thoughts such as traditional architecture, Gaia theory, Earth System Science, deep ecology, eco-feminism, converge on a co-evolutionary partnership between the natural and the human?
KONSTANTINO JAKOVLEVO-MATECKIO MONOGRAFIJOS „MIESTO KRAŠTOVAIZDŽIO ARCHITEKTŪRA“ TREČIOJO TOMO RECENZIJA
Authors: Grecevičius Petras
Published: October 2014

Book review of 'Konstantino Jakovlevo-Mateckio monografijos „Miesto kraštovaizdžio architektūra“ trečiojo tomo recenzija' Journal of Architecture and Urbanism, 38(3), p. 213-218
Endosomal Localization of TLR8 Confers Distinctive Proteolytic Processing on Human Myeloid Cells
Authors: Ishii Noriko , Funami Kenji , Tatematsu Megumi , Seya Tsukasa , Matsumoto Misako
Published: October 2014

Nucleic acid–sensing TLRs are involved in both antimicrobial immune responses and autoimmune inflammation. TLR8 is phylogenetically and structurally related to TLR7 and TLR9, which undergo proteolytic processing in the endolysosomes to generate functional receptors. Recent structural analyses of human TLR8 ectodomain and its liganded form demonstrated that TLR8 is also cleaved, and both the N- and C-terminal halves contribute to ligand binding. However, the structures and ssRNA recognition mode of endogenous TLR8 in human primary cells are largely unknown. In this study, we show that proteolytic processing of TLR8 occurs in human monocytes and macrophages in a different manner compared with TLR7/9 cleavage. The insertion loop between leucine-rich repeats 14 and 15 in TLR8 is indispensable for the cleavage and stepwise processing that occurs in the N-terminal fragment. Both furin-like proprotein convertase and cathepsins contribute to TLR8 cleavage in the early/late endosomes. TLR8 recognizes viral ssRNA and endogenous RNA, such as microRNAs, resulting in the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Hence, localization sites of the receptors are crucial for the nucleic acid–sensing mode and downstream signaling.
The psychology of animal companionship: Some ancient and modern views
Authors: Viviers Hennie
Published: October 2014

The intuitive sensing of a mental bond between ourselves and animals, especially those that live very close to us, our companion animals, has been there since early history. Some ancient Israelite views testify to an irresistible anthropomorphising of their domestic animals (Jn 3:5–9) as well as an acknowledgement of the socio-psychological support provided by them (2 Sm 12:1c–4d). Is there indeed a mental overlap between humans and animals to explain this intuitive experiencing of a bond between ourselves and them since ancient times? Modern neuroscience, through neuro-imaging, has shown that dogs (at least) are able to reciprocate our thoughts and feelings, be it in a limited way. They seem to have some limited form of a ‘theory of mind’ previously ascribed to humans only. This explains why they have been humans’ ‘best friend’ for the past 12 000 years since they were domesticated from wolves. The intuitions of the ancients and the findings of modern science confirm that we and non-human animals all form intrinsically part of the fascinating web of life. This fact should sensitise us as moral agents to preserve this life.
A semi‐quantitative spectrophotometric, dye‐binding assay for determination of Coomassie Blue stainable particles
Authors: Cisternas‐Novoa Carolina , Lee Cindy , Engel Anja
Published: October 2014

Coomassie stainable particles (CSP) are protein‐containing transparent particles that can be stained with Coomassie brilliant blue (CBB) and are found abundantly in aquatic systems; however, their distribution and role remain poorly known, in part due to the lack of an efficient method to study them. We developed a new, simple, and low cost semi‐quantitative spectrophotometric method for determination of CSP in aquatic systems. The method is analogous to that used to quantify polysaccharide‐rich gel particles called transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP). CSP concentration is determined relative to bovine serum albumin (BSA) standard aggregates (in a manner similar to how TEP is quantified relative to xanthan gum). The method is based on the linear relationship between CSP concentration and the absorbance of the eluted dye from a CBB‐protein complex, which has an absorbance maximum (λmax) at 615 nm. The limit of detection and the precision (%RSD) for the proposed method are 6 µg BSA equivalent and 11%, respectively. The new spectrophotometric method was validated with the existing microscopic method. This new method to quantify CSP is simple, enables rapid measurements, and allows a more efficient comparison with TEP concentrations than the present microscopic method. The spectrophotometric analyses will further the investigation of the abundance, distribution, and role of CSP in the biogeochemistry of the ocean.
Time response of oxygen optodes on profiling platforms and its dependence on flow speed and temperature
Authors: Bittig Henry C. , Fiedler Björn , Scholz Roland , Krahmann Gerd , Körtzinger Arne
Published: October 2014

The time response behavior of Aanderaa optodes model 3830, 4330, and 4330F, as well as a Sea‐Bird SBE63 optode and a JFE Alec Co. Rinko dissolved oxygen sensor was analyzed both in the laboratory and in the field. The main factor for the time response is the dynamic regime, i.e., the water flow around the sensor that influences the boundary layer's dynamics. Response times can be drastically reduced if the sensors are pumped. Laboratory experiments under different dynamic conditions showed a close to linear relation between response time and temperature. Application of a diffusion model including a stagnant boundary layer revealed that molecular diffusion determines the temperature behavior, and that the boundary layer thickness was temperature independent. Moreover, field experiments matched the laboratory findings, with the profiling speed and mode of attachment being of prime importance. The time response was characterized for typical deployments on shipboard CTDs, gliders, and floats, and tools are presented to predict the response time as well as to quantify the effect on the data for a given water mass profile. Finally, the problem of inverse filtering optode data to recover some of the information lost by their time response is addressed.
Gameworlds
Authors: Giddings Seth
Published: October 2014

Game studies is a rapidly developing field across the world, with a growing number of dedicated courses addressing video games and digital play as significant phenomena in contemporary everyday life and media cultures. Seth Giddings looks to fill a gap by focusing on the relationship between the actual and virtual worlds of play in everyday life. He addresses both the continuities and differences between digital play and longer-established modes of play. The ‘gameworlds’ title indicates both the virtual world designed into the videogame and the wider environments in which play is manifested: social relationships between players; hardware and software; between the virtual worlds of the game and the media universes they extend (e.g. Pokémon, Harry Potter, Lego, Star Wars); and the gameworlds generated by children’s imaginations and creativity (through talk and role-play, drawings and outdoor play). The gameworld raises questions about who, and what, is in play. Drawing on recent theoretical work in science and technology studies, games studies and new media studies, a key theme is the material and embodied character of these gameworlds and their components (players’ bodies, computer hardware, toys, virtual physics, and the physical environment). Building on detailed small-scale ethnographic case studies, Gameworlds is the first book to explore the nature of play in the virtual worlds of video games and how this play relates to, and crosses over into, everyday play in the actual world.
The Death and Life of the Music Industry in the Digital Age
Authors: Rogers Jim
Published: October 2014

The Death and Life of the Music Industry in the Digital Age challenges the conventional wisdom that the internet is ‘killing’ the music industry. While technological innovations (primarily in the form of peer-to-peer file-sharing) have evolved to threaten the economic health of major transnational music companies, Rogers illustrates how those same companies have themselves formulated highly innovative response strategies to negate the harmful effects of the internet. In short, it documents how the radical transformative potential of the internet is being suppressed by legal and organisational innovations. Grounded in a social shaping perspective, The Death and Life of the Music Industry in the Digital Age contends that the internet has not altered pre-existing power relations in the music industry where a small handful of very large corporations have long since established an oligopolistic dominance. Furthermore, the book contends that widespread acceptance of the idea that online piracy is rampant, and music largely ‘free’ actually helps these major music companies in their quest to bolster their power. In doing this, the study serves to deflate much of the transformative hype and digital ‘deliria’ that has accompanied the internet’s evolution as a medium for mass communication.
Airborne characterization of smoke marker ratios from prescribed burning
Authors: Sullivan A. P. , May A. A. , Lee T. , McMeeking G. R. , Kreidenweis S. M. , Akagi S. K. , Yokelson R. J. , Urbanski S. P. , Collett Jr. J. L.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. A Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler – Total Organic Carbon (PILS-TOC) and fraction collector system was flown aboard a Twin Otter aircraft sampling prescribed burning emissions in South Carolina in November 2011 to obtain smoke marker measurements. The fraction collector provided 2 min time-integrated offline samples for carbohydrate (i.e., smoke markers levoglucosan, mannosan, and galactosan) analysis by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Each fire location appeared to have a unique Δlevoglucosan/Δwater-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) ratio (RF01/RF02/RF03/RF05 = 0.163 ± 0.007 μg C μg−1 C, RF08 = 0.115 ± 0.011 μg C μg−1 C, RF09A = 0.072 ± 0.028 μg C μg−1 C, and RF09B = 0.042 ± 0.008 μg C μg−1 C, where RF means research flight). These ratios were comparable to those obtained from controlled laboratory burns and suggested that the emissions sampled during RF01/F02/RF03/RF05 were dominated by the burning of grasses, RF08 by leaves, RF09A by needles, and RF09B by marsh grasses. These findings were further supported by the Δgalactosan/Δlevoglucosan ratios (RF01/RF02/RF03/RF05 = 0.067 ± 0.004 μg μg−1, RF08 = 0.085 ± 0.009 μg μg−1, and RF09A = 0.101 ± 0.029 μg μg−1) obtained as well as by the ground-based fuel and filter sample analyses during RF01/RF02/RF03/RF05. Differences between Δpotassium/Δlevoglucosan ratios obtained for these prescribed fires vs. laboratory-scale measurements suggest that some laboratory burns may not accurately represent potassium emissions from prescribed burns. The Δlevoglucosan/ΔWSOC ratio had no clear dependence on smoke age or fire dynamics suggesting that this ratio is more dependent on the type of fuel being burned. Levoglucosan was stable over a timescale of at least 1.5 h and could be useful to help estimate the air quality impacts of biomass burning.
Ion – particle interactions during particle formation and growth at a coniferous forest site in central Europe
Authors: Gonser S. G. , Klein F. , Birmili W. , Größ J. , Kulmala M. , Manninen H. E. , Wiedensohler A. , Held A.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. In this work, we examined the interaction of ions and neutral particles during atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) events. The analysis is based on simultaneous field measurements of atmospheric ions and total particles using a neutral cluster and air ion spectrometer (NAIS) across the diameter range 2–25 nm. The Waldstein research site is located in a spruce forest in NE Bavaria, Southern Germany, known for enhanced radon concentrations, presumably leading to elevated ionization rates. Our observations show that the occurrence of the ion nucleation mode preceded that of the total particle nucleation mode during all analyzed NPF events. The time difference between the appearance of 2 nm ions and 2 nm total particles was typically about 20 to 30 min. A cross correlation analysis showed a rapid decrease of the time difference between the ion and total modes during the growth process. Eventually, this time delay vanished when both ions and total particles did grow to larger diameters. Considering the growth rates of ions and total particles separately, total particles exhibited enhanced growth rates at diameters below 15 nm. This observation cannot be explained by condensation or coagulation, because these processes would act more efficiently on charged particles compared to neutral particles. To explain our observations, we propose a mechanism including recombination and attachment of continuously present cluster ions with the ion nucleation mode and the neutral nucleation mode, respectively.
First estimates of global free-tropospheric NO2 abundances derived using a cloud-slicing technique applied to satellite observations from the Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI)
Authors: Choi S. , Joiner J. , Choi Y. , Duncan B. N. , Vasilkov A. , Krotkov N. , Bucsela E.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. We derive free-tropospheric NO2 volume mixing ratios (VMRs) by applying a cloud-slicing technique to data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on the Aura satellite. In the cloud-slicing approach, the slope of the above-cloud NO2 column versus the cloud scene pressure is proportional to the NO2 VMR. In this work, we use a sample of nearby OMI pixel data from a single orbit for the linear fit. The OMI data include cloud scene pressures from the rotational-Raman algorithm and above-cloud NO2 vertical column density (VCD) (defined as the NO2 column from the cloud scene pressure to the top of the atmosphere) from a differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) algorithm. We compare OMI-derived NO2 VMRs with in situ aircraft profiles measured during the NASA Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment Phase B (INTEX-B) campaign in 2006. The agreement is generally within the estimated uncertainties when appropriate data screening is applied. We then derive a global seasonal climatology of free-tropospheric NO2 VMR in cloudy conditions. Enhanced NO2 in the free troposphere commonly appears near polluted urban locations where NO2 produced in the boundary layer may be transported vertically out of the boundary layer and then horizontally away from the source. Signatures of lightning NO2 are also shown throughout low and middle latitude regions in summer months. A profile analysis of our cloud-slicing data indicates signatures of lightning-generated NO2 in the upper troposphere. Comparison of the climatology with simulations from the global modeling initiative (GMI) for cloudy conditions (cloud optical depth > 10) shows similarities in the spatial patterns of continental pollution outflow. However, there are also some differences in the seasonal variation of free-tropospheric NO2 VMRs near highly populated regions and in areas affected by lightning-generated NOx.
Summertime tropospheric-ozone variability over the Mediterranean basin observed with IASI
Authors: Doche C. , Dufour G. , Foret G. , Eremenko M. , Cuesta J. , Beekmann M. , Kalabokas P.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. The Mediterranean basin is one of the most sensitive regions in the world regarding climate change and air quality. This is partly due to the singular dynamical situation of the Mediterranean basin that leads to tropospheric-ozone concentrations that are among the highest over the Northern Hemisphere. Six years of summertime tropospheric ozone observed by the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) instrument from 2007 to 2012 have been analysed to document the variability of ozone over this region. The satellite observations have been examined together with meteorological analyses (from ECMWF) to understand the processes driving this variability. Our work confirmed the presence of a steep west–east ozone gradient in the lower troposphere with the highest concentrations observed over the eastern part of the Mediterranean basin. This gradient is mainly explained by diabatic convection over the Persian Gulf during the Indian monsoon season, which induces an important subsidence of ozone-rich air masses from the upper to the lower troposphere over the central and the eastern Mediterranean basin. IASI observations of ozone concentrations at a 3 km height show a clear summertime maximum in July that is well correlated to the maximum of downward transport of ozone-rich air masses from the upper troposphere. Even if this feature is robust over the six analysed years, we have also investigated monthly ozone anomalies – one positive (June 2008) and one negative (June and July 2009) – using daily IASI observations. We show that the relative position and the strength of the meteorological systems (Azores anticyclone and Middle Eastern depression) present over the Mediterranean are key factors in explaining both the variability and the anomalies of ozone in the lower troposphere in this region.
Effect of biomass burning over the western North Pacific Rim: wintertime maxima of anhydrosugars in ambient aerosols from Okinawa
Authors: Zhu C. , Kawamura K.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Biomass burning (BB) largely modifies the chemical compositions of atmospheric aerosols on the globe. We collected aerosol samples (TSP) at Cape Hedo, subtropical Okinawa Island from October 2009 to February 2012 to study anhydrosugars as BB tracers. Levoglucosan was detected as the dominant anhydrosugar followed by its isomers, mannosan and galactosan. We found a clear seasonal trend of levoglucosan and mannosan with winter maxima and summer minima. Positive correlation was found between levoglucosan and nss-K+ (r = 0.38, p < 0.001); the latter is another BB tracer. The analyses of air mass trajectories and fire spots demonstrated that the seasonal variations of anhydrsosugsars are caused by a long-range transport of BB emissions from the Asian continent. We found winter maxima of anhydrosugars, which may be associated with open burning and domestic heating and cooking in north and northeast China, Mongolia and Russia and with the enhanced westerly. The monthly averaged levoglucosan/mannosan ratios were lower (2.1–4.8) in May–June and higher (13.3–13.9) in November–December. The lower values may be associated with softwood burning in north China, Korea and southwest Japan whereas the higher values are probably caused by agriculture waste burning of maize straw in the North China Plain. Anhydrosugars comprised 0.22% of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and 0.13% of organic carbon (OC). The highest values to WSOC (0.37%) and OC (0.25%) were found in winter, again indicating an important BB contribution to Okinawa aerosols in winter. This study provides useful information to better understand the effect of East Asian biomass burning on the air quality in the western North Pacific Rim.
Improving the bias characteristics of the ROPP refractivity and bending angle operators
Authors: Burrows C. P. , Healy S. B. , Culverwell I. D.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. The bending angle observation operator (forward model) currently used to assimilate radio occultation (RO) data at the Met Office, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and other centres is the same as is included in the Radio Occultation Processing Package (ROPP), along with the corresponding tangent-linear and adjoint code. The functionality of this package will be described in another paper in this issue. The mean bending angle innovations produced with this operator using Met Office background fields show a bias that oscillates with height and whose magnitude peaks between the model levels. These oscillations have been attributed to shortcomings in the assumption of exponentially varying refractivity between model levels. This is used directly in the refractivity operator, and indirectly to produce forward-modelled bending angles via the Abel transform. When the spacing between the model levels is small, this assumption is acceptable, but at stratospheric heights where the model level spacing is large, these biases can be significant, and can potentially degrade analyses. This paper provides physically based improvements to the functional form of refractivity with height. These new assumptions considerably improve the oscillatory bias, and a number of approaches for practical implementation of the bending angle operator are provided.
Plant colonization, succession and ecosystem development on Surtsey with reference to neighbouring islands
Authors: Magnússon B. , Magnússon S. H. , Ólafsson E. , Sigurdsson B. D.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Plant colonization and succession on the volcanic island of Surtsey, formed in 1963, have been closely followed. In 2013, a total of 69 vascular plant species had been discovered on the island; of these, 59 were present and 39 had established viable populations. Surtsey had more than twice the species of any of the comparable neighbouring islands, and all of their common species had established on Surtsey. The first colonizers were dispersed by sea, but, after 1985, bird dispersal became the principal pathway with the formation of a seagull colony on the island and consequent site amelioration. This allowed wind-dispersed species to establish after 1990. Since 2007, there has been a net loss of species on the island. A study of plant succession, soil formation and invertebrate communities in permanent plots on Surtsey and on two older neighbouring islands (plants and soil) has revealed that seabirds, through their transfer of nutrients from sea to land, are major drivers of development of these ecosystems. In the area impacted by seagulls, dense grassland swards have developed and plant cover, species richness, diversity, plant biomass and soil carbon become significantly higher than in low-impact areas, which remained relatively barren. A similar difference was found for the invertebrate fauna. After 2000, the vegetation of the oldest part of the seagull colony became increasingly dominated by long-lived, rhizomatous grasses (Festuca, Poa, Leymus) with a decline in species richness and diversity. Old grasslands of the neighbouring islands Elliđaey (puffin colony, high nutrient input) and Heimaey (no seabirds, low nutrient input) contrasted sharply. The puffin grassland of Elliđaey was very dense and species-poor. It was dominated by Festuca and Poa, and very similar to the seagull grassland developing on Surtsey. The Heimaey grassland was significantly higher in species richness and diversity, and had a more even cover of dominants (Festuca/Agrostis/Ranunculus). We forecast that, with continued erosion of Surtsey, loss of habitats and increasing impact from seabirds a lush, species-poor grassland will develop and persist, as on the old neighbouring islands.
Provenance of tetraether membrane lipids in a large temperate lake (Loch Lomond, UK): implications for glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT)-based palaeothermometry
Authors: Buckles L. K. , Weijers J. W. H. , Tran X.-M. , Waldron S. , Sinninghe Damsté J. S.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. The application of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT)-based palaeoenvironmental proxies, such as the branched vs. isoprenoidal tetratether (BIT) index, TEX86 and the MBT–CBT palaeothermometer, has lately been expanded to lacustrine sediments. Given recent research identifying the production of branched, bacterial GDGTs (brGDGTs) within lakes, it is necessary to ascertain the effect of this lacustrine production on GDGT-based proxies. This study profiles a temperate, monomictic lake (Loch Lomond, UK), analysing labile intact polar GDGT lipids (IPLs) and resilient core GDGT lipids (CLs) in catchment soils, small tributary rivers, lake water and lake sediments. Loch Lomond consists of two basins bisected by the Highland Boundary Fault, resulting in a mesotrophic to oligotrophic gradient from south to north. The north basin is fjord-like, while the south basin is shallow with a lowland catchment. Besides abundant influxes of allochthonous soil- and peat-derived (CL) brGDGTs, brGDGTs are produced in a variety of settings in Loch Lomond. Rather than integrating a scattered soil signal, there is some evidence that small rivers may contribute to the brGDGT pool through addition of brGDGTs produced in situ in these streams. Three hundred days of settling particles and water column profiles of suspended particulate matter (SPM; March and September 2011) reveal brGDGT production throughout the water column, with (IPL and CL) brGDGT distributions varying by basin. In lake sediments, in situ brGDGT production affects the distributions of sedimentary brGDGTs despite high soil- and peat-derived organic matter influxes from the catchment. MBT–CBT-derived mean annual air temperature (MAAT) estimates from soil, river and lake sediments vary widely. A strong bias towards higher MAATs in the south and lower MAATs in the north basin further complicates the application of the proxy. These results emphasise that caution must be exercised when applying the MBT–CBT palaeothermometer to individual lakes in which the use of the proxy has not been validated and therefore the factors affecting its application are not well understood. Despite elevated BIT indices, (partly) due to in situ brGDGT production, reliable TEX86 lake surface temperature (LST) estimates were obtained from SPM with BIT indices up to 0.9. Lower north basin sediments yielded accurate LST estimates but require further evaluation to properly constrain the application of the TEX86 proxy.
Devices based on series-connected Schottky junctions and β-Ga2O3/SiC heterojunctions characterized as hydrogen sensors
Authors: Nakagomi S. , Yokoyama K. , Kokubun Y.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Field-effect hydrogen gas sensor devices were fabricated with the structure of a series connection between Schottky junctions and β-Ga2O3/6H-SiC heterojunctions. β-Ga2O3 thin films were deposited on n-type and p-type 6H-SiC substrates by gallium evaporation in oxygen plasma. These devices have rectifying properties and were characterized as hydrogen sensors by a Pt electrode. The hydrogen-sensing properties of both devices were measured in the range of 300–500 °C. The Pt/Ga2O3/n-SiC device revealed hydrogen-sensing properties as conventional Schottky diode-type devices. The forward current of the Pt/Ga2O3/p-SiC device was significantly increased under exposure to hydrogen. The behaviors of hydrogen sensing of the devices were explained using band diagrams of the Pt/Ga2O3/SiC structure biased in the forward and reverse directions.
A vehicle ownership and utilization choice model with endogenous residential density
Authors: Brownstone David , Fang Hao (Audrey)
Published: October 2014

This paper explores the impact of residential density on households’ vehicle type and usage choices using the 2001 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS). Attempts to quantify the effect of urban form on households’ vehicle choice and utilization often encounter the problem of sample selectivity. Household characteristics that are unobservable to the researchers might determine simultaneously where to live, what vehicles to choose, and how much to drive them. Unless this simultaneity is modeled, any relationship between residential density and vehicle choice may be biased. This paper extends the Bayesian multivariate ordered probit and tobit model developed in Fang (2008) to treat local residential density as endogenous. The model includes equations for vehicle ownership and usage in terms of number of cars, number of trucks (vans, sports utility vehicles, and pickup trucks), miles traveled by cars, and miles traveled by trucks. We carry out policy simulations that show that an increase in residential density has a negligible effect on car choice and utilization, but slightly reduces truck choice and utilization. The largest impact we find is a -.4 arc elasticity of truck fuel use with respect to density. We also perform an out-of-sample forecast using a holdout sample to test the robustness of the model.
Public Administration in Zimbabwe a Framework Approach
Authors: Zhou Gideon
Published: October 2014

Public administration is the bedrock of every government; the central instrument through which national policies and programs are implemented. However, its effectiveness largely depends on how its frameworks are constituted. This article examines the frameworks of public administration in Zimbabwe-interrogating the extent to which they provide enabling contexts for best practices of public administration. Research findings point to frameworks that are stressed at both the legal and institutional level. Thirty years down the line, a stable constitutional framework is yet to be established. While the institutional framework is fairly comprehensive and generally comparable with regional trends, its operational framework is largely emaciated in terms of autonomy and resource base. The framework of public administration needs reconfiguration and strengthening at both the legal and institutional level.
A new approach to alarm management: mitigating failure-prone systems
Authors: Torres Adalberto , Milov David E , Melendez Daniela , Negron Joseph , Zhao John J , Lawless Stephen T
Published: October 2014

Alarm management that effectively reduces alarm fatigue and improves patient safety has yet to be convincingly demonstrated. The leaders of our newly constructed children’s hospital envisioned and created a hospital department dedicated to tackling this daunting task. The Clinical Logistics Center (CLC) is the hospital’s hub where all of its monitoring technology is integrated and tracked twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week by trained paramedics. Redundancy has been added to the alarm management process through automatic escalation of alarms from bedside staff to CLC staff in a timely manner. The paramedic alerting the bedside staff to true alarms based on good signal quality and confirmed by direct visual confirmation of the patient through bedside cameras distinguishes true alarms from nuisance/false alarms in real time. Communication between CLC and bedside staff occurs primarily via smartphone texts to avoid disruption of clinical activities. The paramedics also continuously monitor physiologic variables for early indicators of clinical deterioration, which leads to early interventions through mechanisms such as rapid response team activation. Hands-free voice communication via room intercoms facilitates CLC logistical support of the bedside staff during acute clinical crises/resuscitations. Standard work is maintained through protocol-driven process steps and serial training of both bedside and CLC staff. This innovative approach to prioritize alarms for the bedside staff is a promising solution to improving alarm management.