bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of the Ethmoid in Caluromys philander (Didelphidae, Marsupialia) With a Discussion on the Homology of the Turbinal Elements in Marsupials
Authors: Macrini Thomas E.
Published: October 2014

Homology of turbinals, or scroll bones, of the mammalian ethmoid bone is poorly known and complicated by a varied terminology. Positionally, there are two main types of ossified adult turbinals known as endoturbinals and ectoturbinals, and their cartilaginous precursors are called ethmoturbinals and frontoturbinals, respectively. Endoturbinals are considered to be serially homologous due to similarity in their developmental patterns. Consequently, endoturbinals from mammals with differing numbers of elements cannot be individually homogenized. In this study, the development of the ethmoid of Caluromys philander, the bare‐tailed woolly opossum, is described based on serial sections of six pouchlings ranging in age from 20 to 84 days postnatal (PND‐84), and computed tomography images of an adult skull. I found that four ethmoturbinals initially develop as seen in PND‐20 and PND‐30 individuals but by PND‐64 an interturbinal (corresponding to endoturbinal III in adults) is present between ethmoturbinals II and III. This developmental pattern is identical to that of Monodelphis domestica, the gray short‐tailed opossum, and is probably also present in the marsupials Didelphis marsupialis, and Thylacinus cynocephalus based on work of previous authors. These data suggest that endoturbinal III has a developmental pattern that differs from other endoturbinals, and the name interturbinal should be retained for the adult structure in recognition of this difference. These results may prove useful for homologizing this individual turbinal element across marsupials, the majority of which have five endoturbinals as adults. This might also explain the presumed placental ancestral condition of four endoturbinals if the marsupial interturbinal is lost. Anat Rec, 297:2007–2017, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Respiratory and Olfactory Turbinals in Feliform and Caniform Carnivorans: The Influence of Snout Length
Authors: van Valkenburgh Blaire , Pang Benison , Bird Deborah , Curtis Abigail , Yee Karen , Wysocki Charles , Craven Brent A.
Published: October 2014

To enhance bite force at the canines, feliform carnivorans have short rostra relative to caniform carnivorans. Rostral reduction in feliforms results in less rostrocaudal space for the maxilloturbinals, the complex set of bones involved in conditioning inspired air and conserving water. It is unknown whether the maxilloturbinals might show adaptations to adjust for this loss, such as greater complexity than what is observed in longer snouted caniforms. To understand the impact of rostral shortening on turbinals in feliforms, we used high resolution CT scans to quantify turbinal surface areas (SA) in 16 feliforms and compared them with published data on 20 caniforms. Results indicate that feliforms have reduced maxilloturbinal SA for their body mass relative to caniforms, but comparable fronto‐ethmoturbinal SA. However, anterior portions of the ethmoturbinals in feliforms extend forward into the snout and are positioned within the respiratory pathway. When the SA of these anterior ethmoturbinals is added to maxilloturbinal SA to produce an estimated respiratory SA, feliforms and caniforms are similar in respiratory SA. This transfer of ethmoturbinal SA to respiratory function results in feliforms having less estimated olfactory SA relative to caniforms. Previous work on canids found a positive association between olfactory surface area and diet, but this was not found for felids. Results are consistent with feliforms having somewhat reduced olfactory ability relative to caniforms. If confirmed by behavioral data, the relative reduction in olfactory SA in many feliforms may reflect a greater reliance on vision in foraging relative to caniforms. Anat Rec, 297:2065–2079, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Olfactory Epithelium in the Olfactory Recess: A Case Study in New World Leaf‐Nosed Bats
Authors: Eiting Thomas P. , Smith Timothy D. , Dumont Elizabeth R.
Published: October 2014

The olfactory recess (OR) is a restricted space at the back of the nasal fossa in many mammals that is thought to improve olfactory function. Mammals that have an olfactory recess are usually described as keen‐scented, while those that do not are typically thought of as less reliant on olfaction. However, the presence of an olfactory recess is not a binary trait. Many mammal families have members that vary substantially in the size and complexity of the olfactory recess. There is also variation in the amount of olfactory epithelium (OE) that is housed in the olfactory recess. Among New World leaf‐nosed bats (family Phyllostomidae), species vary by over an order of magnitude in how much of their total OE lies within the OR. Does this variation relate to previously documented neuroanatomical proxies for olfactory reliance? Using data from 12 species of phyllostomid bats, we addressed the hypothesis that the amount of OE within the OR relates to a species' dependence on olfaction, as measured by two commonly used neuroanatomical metrics, the size of the olfactory bulb, and the number of glomeruli in the olfactory bulb, which are the first processing units within the olfactory signal cascade. We found that the percentage of OE within the OR does not relate to either measure of olfactory “ability.” This suggests that olfactory reliance is not reflected in the size of the olfactory recess. We explore other roles that the olfactory recess may play. Anat Rec, 297:2105–2112, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reconstruction and Morphometric Analysis of the Nasal Airway of the White‐Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and Implications Regarding Respiratory and Olfactory Airflow
Authors: Ranslow Allison N. , Richter Joseph P. , Neuberger Thomas , Van Valkenburgh Blaire , Rumple Christopher R. , Quigley Andrew P. , Pang Benison , Krane Michael H. , Craven Brent A.
Published: October 2014

Compared with other mammals (e.g., primates, rodents, and carnivores), the form and function of the ungulate nasal fossa, in particular the ethmoidal region, has been largely unexplored. Hence, the nasal anatomy of the largest prey species remains far less understood than that of their predators, rendering comparisons and evolutionary context unclear. Of the previous studies of nasal anatomy, none have investigated the detailed anatomy and functional morphology of the white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), a species that is ubiquitous throughout North and Central America and in northern regions of South America. Here, nasal form and function is quantitatively investigated in an adult white‐tailed deer using high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging, combined with anatomical reconstruction and morphometric analysis techniques. The cross‐sectional anatomy of the airway is shown and a three‐dimensional anatomical model of the convoluted nasal fossa is reconstructed from the image data. A detailed morphometric analysis is presented that includes quantitative distributions of airway size and shape (e.g., airway perimeter, cross‐sectional area, surface area) and the functional implications of these data regarding respiratory and olfactory airflow are investigated. The white‐tailed deer is shown to possess a long, double scroll maxilloturbinal that occupies approximately half of the length of the nasal fossa and provides a large surface area for respiratory heat and moisture exchange. The ethmoidal region contains a convoluted arrangement of folded ethmoturbinals that appear to be morphologically distinct from the single and double scroll ethmoturbinals found in most other non‐primates. This complex folding provides a large surface area in the limited space available for chemical sensing, due to the expansive maxilloturbinal. Morphologically, the white‐tailed deer is shown to possess a dorsal meatus that leads to an olfactory recess, a nasal architecture that has been shown in other non‐primate species to cause unique nasal airflow patterns to develop during sniffing that are optimized for odorant delivery to the sensory part of the nose. Additionally, we demonstrate that, during respiration, airflow in the nasal vestibule and the anterior maxilloturbinal region may be transitional or turbulent, in which case turbulent mixing is expected to enhance respiratory heat and moisture exchange, which could be an important contribution to thermoregulation and water conservation in the white‐tailed deer. Anat Rec, 297:2138–2147, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A New Probabilistic Robust Control Approach for System with Uncertain Parameters
Authors: Xie Rong , Gong Jianying , Wang Xinmin
Published: October 2014

This paper addresses the issues of conservativeness and computational complexity of robust control. A new probabilistic robust control method is proposed to design a high performance controller. The key of the new method is that the uncertainty set is divided into two parts: r‐subset and the complementary set of r‐subset. The contributions of the new method are as follows: (i) a deterministic robust controller is designed for r‐subset, so it has less conservative than those designed by using deterministic robust control method for the full set; and (ii) the probabilistic robustness of the designed controller is evaluated just for the complementary set of r‐subset but not for the full set, so the computational complexity of the new method is reduced. Given expected probability robustness, a pertinent probabilistic robust controller can be designed by adjusting the norm boundary of r‐subset. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the simulation example.
Stability Properties of Switched Nonlinear Delay Systems with Synchronous or Asynchronous Switching
Authors: Wang Yue‐E , Sun Xi‐Ming , Wang Wei , Zhao Jun
Published: October 2014

This paper is concerned with the problem of input‐to‐state stability (ISS) for a class of switched nonlinear delay systems. The cases where the switching signal of the system and the switching signal of the corresponding controller are synchronous and asynchronous are both considered. To study two asynchronous switching signals in a unified framework, we adopt the technique of the merging switching signal. Based on a piecewise Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional method, some sufficient conditions are explicitly given to guarantee the ISS of the switched nonlinear delay system under the average dwell time scheme. Finally, a numerical example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed theory.
Bioenergy in Mexico: Status and perspective
Authors: Alemán‐Nava Gibrán S. , Meneses‐Jácome Alexander , Cárdenas‐Chávez Diana L. , Díaz‐Chavez Rocío , Scarlat Nicolae , Dallemand Jean‐Francois , Ornelas‐Soto Nancy , García‐Arrazola Roeb , Parra Roberto
Published: October 2014

Mexico's government has introduced a Law on Climate Change that is unique worldwide; it establishes targets for greenhouse gases reductions at the same level of developed countries despite being an emerging country. This reform represents a crucial challenge for the electrical and transport sectors largely dependent on fossil energy since Mexico is the ninth‐largest oil producer in the world. Local industry and academic sectors are called to lead the introduction of renewable energy sources, and particularly to enhance the share of energy from biomass in the local energy basket. Thus, this paper outlines the baseline on regulatory, energy, and carbon markets, and the scientific capacity to increase bioenergy utilization in Mexico. Furthermore, it opens a discussion about the steps forward with regard to sustainability and research needs, emphasizing some priorities and principles to develop a bioenergy system environmentally compatible in this country. © 2014 The Authors. Biofuels, Bioproducts, Biorefining published by Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An effective chemical pretreatment method for lignocellulosic biomass with substituted imidazoles
Authors: Kang Yuzhi , Realff Matthew J. , Sohn Minjeong , Lee Jay H. , Bommarius Andreas S.
Published: October 2014

Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant naturally renewable organic resource for biofuel production. Because of its recalcitrance to enzymatic degradation, pretreatment is a crucial step before hydrolysis of the feedstock. A variety of pretreatment methods have been developed and intensively studied to achieve optimal yield without imposing significant adverse impact on the environment. Herein, we present a novel chemical pretreatment method using substituted heterocycles with low temperature and short residence time requirements. 1‐Methylimidazole (MI) is a precursor to some imidazolium‐based ionic liquids. In this study, its potential utilization as a biomass pretreatment agent is being investigated for the first time. At mild conditions, such as 25°C for 5 min at ambient pressure, a substantial increase in the hydrolysis rate throughout the entire course of conversion for cellulose substrate was obtained. Furthermore, the pretreatment effectiveness of MI on both untreated and steam‐exploded lignocellulosic biomass including loblolly pine, switchgrass, and sugarcane bagasse has been studied and MI was found to be an efficient delignifier. Remarkable rate enhancement was also observed for the non‐woody lignocellulosic substrates after a short period of MI pretreatment at ambient conditions. The mechanism of MI pretreatment is explored through analysis of cellulose physical properties including crystallinity index, degree of polymerization, accessibility, and lignin dissolution quantification. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:25–34, 2015
Ge‐Mediated Modification in Ta3N5 Photoelectrodes with Enhanced Charge Transport for Solar Water Splitting
Authors: Feng Jianyong , Cao Dapeng , Wang Zhiqiang , Luo Wenjun , Wang Jiajia , Li Zhaosheng , Zou Zhigang
Published: October 2014

Ta3N5 is a promising photoanode candidate for photoelectrochemical water splitting, with a band gap of about 2.1 eV and a theoretical solar‐to‐hydrogen efficiency as high as 15.9 % under AM 1.5 G 100 mW cm−2 irradiation. However, the presently achieved highest photocurrent (ca. 7.5 mA cm−2) on Ta3N5 photoelectrodes under AM 1.5 G 100 mW cm−2 is far from the theoretical maximum (ca. 12.9 mA cm−2), which is possibly due to serious bulk recombination (poor bulk charge transport and charge separation) in Ta3N5 photoelectrodes. In this study, we show that volatilization of intentionally added Ge (5 %) during the synthesis of Ta3N5 promotes the electron transport and thereby improves the charge‐separation efficiency in bulk Ta3N5 photoanode, which affords a 320 % increase of the highest photocurrent comparing with that of pure Ta3N5 photoanode under AM 1.5 G 100 mW cm−2 simulated sunlight.
Synthesis, Properties, and n‐Type Transistor Characteristics of π‐Conjugated Compounds Having a Carbonyl‐Bridged Thiazole‐Fused Polycyclic System
Authors: Ie Yutaka , Sato Chihiro , Nitani Masashi , Tada Hirokazu , Aso Yoshio
Published: October 2014

A series of electron‐deficient π‐conjugated systems with 4,9‐dihydro‐s‐indaceno[2,1‐d:6,5‐d′]dithiazole‐4,9‐dione‐based structures and fluorinated acyl groups as the terminal units have been designed and synthesized for application as organic field‐effect transistor (OFET) materials. The thermal, photophysical, and electrochemical properties and OFET performance of the synthesized compounds were investigated. OFET evaluation revealed that all compounds exhibited typical electron‐transporting characteristics, and electron mobilities up to 0.26 cm2 V−1 s−1 could be achieved. The air stabilities of OFET operation were dependent on the nature of the compounds and were investigated by X‐ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The terminal units had a great influence not only on the molecular properties, but also on the film‐forming properties and OFET performance.
Expedient Synthesis of Chiral α‐Amino Acids through Nickel‐Catalyzed Reductive Cross‐Coupling
Authors: Lu Xi , Yi Jun , Zhang Zhen‐Qi , Dai Jian‐Jun , Liu Jing‐Hui , Xiao Bin , Fu Yao , Liu Lei
Published: October 2014

A novel method for the synthesis of non‐natural L‐ and D‐amino acids by a Ni‐catalyzed reductive cross‐coupling reaction is described. This strategy enables the racemization‐free cross‐coupling of serine/homoserine‐ derived iodides with aryl/acyl/alkyl halides. It provides convenient access to varieties of enantiopure and functionalized amino acids, which are important building blocks in bioactive compounds and pharmaceuticals.
Modelling of gradual internal reforming process over Ni‐YSZ SOFC anode with a catalytic layer
Authors: Girona Kelly , Sailler Sébastien , Gélin Patrick , Bailly Nicolas , Georges Samuel , Bultel Yann
Published: October 2014

Methane appears to be a fuel of great interest for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems because it can be directly converted into hydrogen by Internal Reforming within the SOFC anode. To cope with carbon formation, a new SOFC cell configuration combining a catalyst layer with a classical anode was developed. The rate of the CH4 consumption in the catalyst layer (Ir‐CGO) was determined experimentally for small values of steam to carbon ratios. This paper proposes a modelling and a simulation, using the CFD‐Ace software package, of the behaviour of a SOFC operated in Gradual Internal Reforming (GIR) conditions. This model of SOFC takes into account the kinetics of the steam reforming reaction in the catalyst layer in order to assess the influence of the steam to carbon ratio and the cell polarization. Because the risk of carbon formation is greater under GIR operation, a detailed thermodynamic analysis was carried out. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations allowed us to predict the conditions of carbon formation occurrence.
Analysis of incomplete longitudinal data with informative drop‐out and outliers
Authors: Sinha Sanjoy K. , Sattar Abdus
Published: October 2014

This article proposes and explores a robust method for analysing longitudinal continuous responses with informative drop‐outs. The robust method, developed in the framework of the maximum likelihood, is useful for bounding the influence of potential outliers when analysing the data. The asymptotic properties of the robust estimators are discussed. The empirical properties are investigated in simulations. An application is provided using longitudinal measurements on a biomarker of sepsis being studied for understanding the progression of pneumonia to severe sepsis in a group of patients.The Canadian Journal of Statistics42: 670–695; 2014 © 2014 Statistical Society of Canada
Secure and efficient data‐sharing in clouds
Authors: Zhang Jiang , Zhang Zhenfeng
Published: October 2014

With the rapid development of cloud computing, cloud storage has become a cost‐effective solution for many users with the demand of data storage. However, there are still two main concerns for users with sensitive/private data: (1) Is it secure to store private data in public cloud storages? (2) Is there an efficient way to share private data with other specified users? In the past years, several papers in the literature have used proxy re‐encryption (PRE) to address these two concerns, where the efficiency of the underlying PRE scheme is usually a bottleneck of the overall performance of cloud storages. In this paper, we dedicate to design a secure and practical PRE scheme for cloud‐based data‐sharing. First, we discuss a ‘pitfall’ in the security proof of several existing PREs. Then, we give a general framework for proving the chosen ciphertext attacks (CCA) security of single‐hop unidirectional PRE schemes. Finally, we propose a practical PRE scheme that is proven secure against CCA under the computational Diffie–Hellman problem in the random oracle model. We evaluate the performance of our PRE scheme both in theoretical comparisons with related schemes and in implementations at several security levels. The results indicate that our scheme can be practical in cloud‐based data‐sharing. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Honeybee nutrition is linked to landscape composition
Authors: Donkersley Philip , Rhodes Glenn , Pickup Roger W. , Jones Kevin C. , Wilson Kenneth
Published: October 2014

Declines in insect pollinators in Europe have been linked to changes in land use. Pollinator nutrition is dependent on floral resources (i.e., nectar and pollen), which are linked to landscape composition. Here, we present a stratified analysis of the nutritional composition of beebread in managed honeybee hives with a view to examining potential sources of variation in its nutritional composition. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that beebread composition correlates with local land use and therefore available floral resources. The results demonstrated that the starch, lipid, and moisture contents of beebread are all highly conserved across hives, whereas levels of protein and nonreducing sugar increased as the year progressed, reducing sugars, however, decreased during the first half of the year and then increased toward the end. Local land use around hives was quantified using data from the Countryside Survey 2007 Land Cover Map. Bee‐bread protein content was negatively correlated with increasing levels of arable and horticultural farmland surrounding hives and positively correlated with the cover of natural grasslands and broadleaf woodlands. Reducing sugar content was also positively correlated with the amount of broad‐leaved woodland in a 3 Km² radius from the hives. Previous studies on a range of invertebrates, including honeybees, indicate that dietary protein intake may have a major impact on correlates of fitness, including longevity and immune function. The finding that beebread protein content correlates with land use suggests that landscape composition may impact on insect pollinator well‐being and provides a link between landscape and the nutritional ecology of socially foraging insects in a way not previously considered.
Analysis of Japan's Long‐Term Energy Outlook Considering Massive Deployment of Variable Renewable Energy under Nuclear Energy Scenario
Authors: Komiyama Ryoichi , Fujii Yasumasa
Published: October 2014

This paper investigates Japan's long‐term energy outlook to 2050 taking into consideration the massive deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and wind power generation under a nuclear energy scenario. The extensive introduction of PV systems and wind power systems is expected to play an important role in enhancing electricity supply security after the Fukushima nuclear power accident, which has increased the uncertainty of the future additional construction of nuclear power plants in Japan. Against this background, we develop an integrated energy assessment model composed of both an econometric energy demand and supply model and an optimal power generation mix model. The latter model is able to explicitly analyze the impact of output fluctuations for various renewable energy sources at a detailed time resolution of 10 min on 365 consecutive days, incorporating the role of stationary battery technology. The simulation results reveal that intermittent fluctuations derived from a high penetration level of those renewables are controlled by quick load following operation by natural gas combined cycle power plants, pumped‐storage hydro power, stationary battery technology, and output suppression of PV and wind power generation. The results show as well that massive penetration of renewables does not necessarily require a comparable scale of stationary battery capacity. Additionally, in the scenario, which assumes the decommissioning of nuclear power plants with a lifetime of over 40 years, the required PV capacity in 2050 amounts to more than double the PV installation potential in both buildings and abandoned farmland areas.
Fundamental Theories on a Combined Energy Cycle of an Electrostatic Induction Hydrogen Electrolytic Cell and Fuel Cell to Produce Fully Sustainable Hydrogen Energy
Authors: Ono Katsutoshi
Published: October 2014

A hydrogen electrolyzer for decomposition of stable compound H2O is essentially an electronic device that uses mainly electrostatic‐to‐chemical energy conversion to produce a stoichiometric H2+O2 fuel. To achieve a breakthrough in the practical hydrogen electrolytic cell, we demonstrate the electrostatic induction potential superposed electrolyzer. This system operates on a mechanism in which, on a theoretical basis, the power used is 17% of the total electrical energy required, while the remaining 83% can be provided by electrostatic energy free of power. Because H2O is placed in its decomposition state in the electrostatic field where no current flows, the decomposition voltage is identified as a barrier potential that the electrolytic current must overcome by expending the major part of the total system power. The potential superposition method for supplying energy to the cell was found to avoid the barrier potential effect within the laws of thermodynamics. Combining a fuel cell for producing power from pure H2 and O2 in stoichiometric proportions with this type of hydrogen electrolytic cell in a closed energy cycle can achieve a highly positive H2 balance.
Gas Heating and Formation of Single Linear Discharge Channel on Repetitive Branched Streamer Corona
Authors: Matsumoto Takao , Kijima Koji , Shimoju Toshiharu , Inada Yoichi , Izawa Yasuji , Nishijima Kiyoto
Published: October 2014

Under a nonuniform field in an atmospheric short gap, a branched pulse streamer corona changes to a single filamentary discharge (SFD) for a split second just before sparkover occurs. This SFD is a pretransitional phenomenon of sparkover. Therefore, it is very important to study SFD for an understanding of the sparkover mechanism. In this work, the SFD was recreated well by applying a highly repetitive impulse voltage to a needle‐plane gap in synthetic air with dilute CO2. The characteristics of the SFD, including the channel temperature, the propagation of the streamer head, and the formation process, were investigated by means of an intensified charge coupled‐device (ICCD) camera and a spectroscopic measurement system. It was found that the transition to SFD progresses with localized gas heating along the discharge channel. Furthermore, it was revealed that the SFD is a nonbranched positive streamer.
Iron Loss Calculation of AC Filter Inductor for Three‐Phase PWM Inverters
Authors: Matsumori Hiroaki , Shimizu Toshihisa , Takano Koushi , Ishii Hitoshi
Published: October 2014

In recent years, remarkable advancement of new power semiconductor devices, such as SiC and GaN, enables the increase of switching frequency of power converters, and hence the volume of passive components, such as ac filters and transformers, can be reduced. However, temperature rise caused by the inductor loss is increasing, and hence iron loss evaluation of the inductor is one of the most important issues to realize high power density converters. Conventionally, an improved generalized Steinmetz equation (iGSE) has proposed in order to calculate the iron loss under a pulse voltage magnetizing condition. However, accurate iron loss calculation of the ac filter inductor used in a PWM inverter cannot be realized. The authors have proposed two methods of iron loss evaluation of ac filter inductors. The first one is a loss map method which can calculate the iron loss without using a real PWM inverter. Another one is an ILA (Inductor Loss Analyzer) which can measure the iron loss in every switching period in a real PWM inverter. In this paper, comparisons of the iron loss between the ILA and the loss map method on both the single‐phase and three‐phase inverters are studied. It is found that iron loss of the ac filter inductor in the three‐phase PWM inverter which is calculated by the loss map method cause a large error on a specific condition. In order to prevent the calculation error, the authors proposed a revised loss map method and proved the effectiveness of the method.
Vitamin A metabolism and mucosal immune function are distinct between BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Goverse Gera , Olivier Brenda J. , Molenaar Rosalie , Knippenberg Marlene , Greuter Mascha , Konijn Tanja , Cook Emma C. L. , Beijer Marieke R. , Fedor Dawn M. , den Haan Joke M. M. , Napoli Joseph L. , Bouma Gerd , Mebius Reina E.
Published: October 2014

The vitamin A metabolite retinoic acid (RA) has been reported to suppress Th1 responses and enhance Th2 responses. Here, we investigated whether differences in vitamin A metabolism could underlie the differences between C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice, which are reportedly seen as Th1 and Th2 responders, respectively. BALB/c mice were shown to have higher intestinal epithelial expression of RALDH1 (where RALDH is retinaldehyde dehydrogenase), and, consequently, higher RALDH activity in MLN‐DCs, leading to an increased ability to induce IgA class switching in B cells. Furthermore, within BALB/c mice, induction of IgA secretion as well as increased accumulation of regulatory T cells (Treg) in the intestinal lamina propria was observed. Additionally, as BALB/c mice are more resistant to dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) induced colitis, mice that lacked vitamin A in their diet had a more severe form of DSS‐induced colitis compared to control mice. Therefore, the level of RA production and consequently the degree of RA‐mediated signaling is crucial for the efficiency of the mucosal immune system.
Impaired NLRP3 inflammasome activity during fetal development regulates IL‐1β production in human monocytes
Authors: Sharma Ashish A. , Jen Roger , Kan Bernard , Sharma Abhinav , Marchant Elizabeth , Tang Anthony , Gadawski Izabelle , Senger Christof , Skoll Amanda , Turvey Stuart E. , Sly Laura M. , Côté Hélène C.F. , Lavoie Pascal M.
Published: October 2014

Interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) production is impaired in cord blood monocytes. However, the mechanism underlying this developmental attenuation remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the extent of variability within the Toll‐like receptor (TLR)/NLRP3 inflammasome pathways in human neonates. We show that immature low CD14 expressing/CD16pos monocytes predominate before 33 weeks of gestation, and that these cells lack production of the pro‐IL‐1β precursor protein upon LPS stimulation. In contrast, high levels of pro‐IL‐1β are produced within high CD14 expressing monocytes, although these cells are unable to secrete mature IL‐1β. The lack of secreted IL‐1β in these monocytes parallels a reduction of NLRP3 induction following TLR stimulation resulting in a lack of caspase‐1 activity before 29 weeks of gestation, whereas expression of the apoptosis‐associated speck‐like protein containing a CARD and function of the P2×7 receptor are preserved. Our analyses also reveal a strong inhibitory effect of placental infection on LPS/ATP‐induced caspase‐1 activity in cord blood monocytes. Lastly, secretion of IL‐1β in preterm neonates is restored to adult levels during the neonatal period, indicating rapid maturation of these responses after birth. Collectively, our data highlight important developmental mechanisms regulating IL‐1β responses early in gestation, in part due to a downregulation of TLR‐mediated NLRP3 expression. Such mechanisms may serve to limit potentially damaging inflammatory responses in a developing fetus.
Data analysis techniques in phosphoproteomics
Authors: Meyer‐Baese Anke , Wildberger Joachim , Meyer‐Baese Uwe , Nilsson Carol L.
Published: October 2014

The interpretation of phosphoproteomics data sets is crucial for generating hypotheses that guide therapeutic solutions, yet not many techniques have been applied to this type of analysis. This paper intends to give an overview about the two main standard techniques that can be applied to the analysis of these large scale data sets. These are data‐driven or exploratory techniques based on a statistical model and topology‐driven methods that analyze the signaling network from a dynamical standpoint. While employing different paradigms, these algorithms will detect unique “fingerprints” by revealing the intricate interactions at the proteome level and will support the experimental environment for novel therapeutics for many diseases.
Stability analysis of MDOF real‐time dynamic hybrid testing systems using the discrete‐time root locus technique
Authors: Zhu Fei , Wang Jin‐Ting , Jin Feng , Chi Fu‐Dong , Gui Yao
Published: October 2014

The time delay resulting from the servo hydraulic systems can potentially destabilize the real‐time dynamic hybrid testing (RTDHT) systems. In this paper, the discrete‐time root locus technique is adopted to investigate the delay‐dependent stability performance of MDOF RTDHT systems. Stability analysis of an idealized two‐story shear frame with two DOFs is first performed to illustrate the proposed method. The delay‐dependent stability condition is presented for various structural properties, time delay, and integration time steps. Effects of delay compensation methods on stability are also investigated. Then, the proposed method is applied to analyze the delay‐dependent stability of a single shaking table RTDHT system with an 18‐DOF finite element numerical substructure, and corresponding RTDHTs are carried out to verify the theoretical results. Furthermore, the stability behavior of a finite element RTDHT system with two physical substructures, loaded by twin shaking tables, is theoretically and experimentally investigated. All experimental results convincingly demonstrate that the delay‐dependent stability analysis on the basis of the discrete‐time root locus technique is feasible. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantitative failure metric for gravity dams
Authors: Hariri‐Ardebili M. A. , Saouma V.
Published: October 2014

Quantitative failure monitoring is a critical tool for safety assessment of concrete dams. This includes damage occurrence, intensity, location, number, size, and propagation pattern. Such an assessment is essential for a quantifiable prioritization of repair and will thus reduce overall cost and improve safety. This paper will address this timely topic through the nonlinear transient analysis of a dam and failure will be ascertained through a multi‐scale damage index. A damage‐plastic model for mass concrete is used, Drucker‐Prager elasto‐plastic one for the foundation, and infinite elements are used for far‐field boundaries. Water‐dam interaction is accounted for through fluid finite elements. It is determined that the proposed damage indices can indeed provide a quantitative metric for the degree of failure in gravity dams in terms of the input dynamic motion. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of seismic behaviour of Cheomseongdae using dynamic centrifuge model test
Authors: Park Heon‐Joon , Kim Dong‐Soo
Published: October 2014

Cheomseongdae is known to be the oldest astronomical observatory in Asia. According to historical records, the Gyeongju area, where Cheomseongdae is located, suffered from numerous medium‐scale earthquakes. Cheomseongdae has a masonry structure, which is apparently vulnerable to horizontal dynamic loads such as earthquakes. However, despite its appearance, features such as the filler of the lower half, inner irregular‐shaped stones which can induce high frictional resistance, eight long horizontal tie stones inside the artefact, and a grid of interlocking headstones increase its resistance to horizontal dynamic loads. Dynamic centrifuge model tests were performed on Cheomseongdae in order to evaluate the seismic response characteristics of this architectural heritage structure. Model tests were executed on two 1/15‐scale models: one which was an exact duplicate of the original Cheomseongdae and the other without the long horizontal tie stones and grid of interlocking headstones. On the basis of the amplification patterns in the time and frequency domains, the differences in seismic behaviour between the two Cheomseongdae models, and a broken stone at the 19th layer during tests, the long horizontal tie stones and headstones were found to increase the seismic resistance within Cheomseongdae and provide a glimpse of the ‘seismic design’ of our ancestors. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficient Bayesian sensor placement algorithm for structural identification: a general approach for multi‐type sensory systems
Authors: Yuen Ka‐Veng , Kuok Sin‐Chi
Published: October 2014

In this paper, a Bayesian sequential sensor placement algorithm, based on the robust information entropy, is proposed for multi‐type of sensors. The presented methodology has two salient features. It is a holistic approach such that the overall performance of various types of sensors at different locations is assessed. Therefore, it provides a rational and effective strategy to design the sensor configuration, which optimizes the use of various available resources. This sequential algorithm is very efficient due to its Bayesian nature, in which prior distribution can be incorporated. Therefore, it avoids the possible unidentifiability problem encountered in a sequential process, which starts with small number of sensors. The proposed algorithm is demonstrated using a shear building and a lattice tower with consideration of up to four types of sensors. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A multi‐dimensional analysis of pro‐glacial landscape change at Sólheimajökull, southern Iceland
Authors: Staines Kate E. H. , Carrivick Jonathan L. , Tweed Fiona S. , Evans Andrew J. , Russell Andrew J. , Jóhannesson Tómas , Roberts Matthew
Published: October 2014

Pro‐glacial landscapes are some of the most active on Earth. Previous studies of pro‐glacial landscape change have often been restricted to considering either sedimentological, geomorphological or topographic parameters in isolation and are often mono‐dimensional. This study utilized field surveys and digital elevation model (DEM) analyses to quantify planform, elevation and volumetric pro‐glacial landscape change at Sólheimajökull in southern Iceland for multiple time periods spanning from 1960 to 2010. As expected, the most intense geomorphological changes persistently occurred in the ice‐proximal area. During 1960 to 1996 the pro‐glacial river was relatively stable. However, after 2001 braiding intensity was higher, channel slope shallower and there was a shift from overall incision to aggradation. Attributing these pro‐glacial river channel changes to the 1999 jökulhlaup is ambiguous because it coincided with a switch from a period of glacier advance to that of glacier retreat. Furthermore, glacier retreat (of ~40 m yr−1) coincided with ice‐marginal lake development and these two factors have both altered the pro‐glacial river channel head elevation. From 2001 to 2010 progressive increase in channel braiding and progressive downstream incision occurred; these together probably reflecting stream power due to increased glacier ablation and reduced sediment supply due to trapping of sediment by the developing ice‐marginal lake. Overall, this study highlights rapid spatiotemporal pro‐glacial landscape reactions to changes in glacial meltwater runoff regimes, glacier terminus position, sediment supply and episodic events such as jökuhlaups. Recognizing the interplay of these controlling factors on pro‐glacial landscapes will be important for understanding the geological record and for landscape stability assessments. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prograded foredunes of Western Australia's macro‐tidal coast – implications for Holocene sea‐level change and high‐energy wave impacts
Authors: Engel Max , May Simon Matthias , Scheffers Anja , Squire Peter , Pint Anna , Kelletat Dieter , Brückner Helmut
Published: October 2014

The Holocene evolution of the Canning Coast of Western Australia has largely been overlooked so far mainly due to its remoteness and low population density. We report on new data from a sequence of foredunes inside the macro‐tidal Admiral Bay, 110 km southwest of Broome. Based on sediment cores, differential global positioning system (dGPS)‐based elevation transects, and stratigraphical analyses on outcrops of the relict foredunes, we aim at reconstructing Holocene coastal changes and relative sea levels (RSLs), as well as identifying and dating imprints of extreme‐wave events. Sedimentary analyses comprise the documentation of bedding structures, foraminiferal content and macrofaunal remains, grain size distribution, and organic matter. The chronological framework is based on 26 carbon‐14 accelerator mass spectrometry (14C‐AMS) datings.

Marine flooding of the pre‐Holocene surface landward of the 2.5 km‐wide foredune barriers occurred 7400–7200 cal bp, when mangroves colonized the area. After only 200–400 years, a high‐energy inter‐tidal environment established and prevailed until c. 4000 cal bp, before turning into the present supralittoral mudflat. During that time, coastal regression led to beach progradation and the formation of aligned foredunes. Drivers of progradation were a stable RSL or gradual RSL fall after the mid‐Holocene and a positive sand budget. The foredunes overlie upper beach deposits located up to >2 m above the present upper beach level and provide evidence for a higher mid‐Holocene RSL. Discontinuous layers of coarse shells and sand are intercalated in the foredunes, indicating massive coastal flooding events. One such layer was traced over three dune ridges and dated to c. 1700–1550 cal bp. However, it seems that most tropical cyclones induce net erosion rather than deposition at aligned foredunes and thus, they are only suitable for reconstructing temporal variability if erosional features or sedimentation reliably tied to these events can be identified and dated accurately. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of husk and harvest time on carotenoid content and acceptability of roasted fresh cobs of orange maize hybrids
Authors: Alamu Oladeji E. , Menkir Abebe , Maziya‐Dixon Bussie , Olaofe Olorunfemi
Published: October 2014

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major public health problem in many developing countries. Orange maize is preferred as green maize and consumed roasted on the cob, especially in Nigeria. This research work was to evaluate the effects of harvest time and husk on the carotenoid contents and sensory properties of roasted orange maize hybrids. The results showed that husk (roasting forms) and harvesting time had significant effects (P ≤ 0.001) on the carotenoids and the sensory properties. There was general increase in β‐carotene and provitamin A (PVA) values as the harvesting time increases. The β‐carotene and PVA values for roasted orange maize hybrids with husk were higher than those for roasted without husk. Hybrid 5 had the highest β‐carotene concentration and PVA value at 27 days after pollination (DAP) and 34DAP when unprocessed and roasted without husk. This information can help researchers in choosing proper roasting methods to increase the retention of high levels of β‐carotene and PVA in orange maize that can be delivered to consumers through nutrition education.
Predictors of mortality for people aged over 65 years receiving mental health care for delirium in a South London Mental Health Trust, UK: a retrospective survival analysis
Authors: Ward Geoff , Perera Gayan , Stewart Robert
Published: October 2014

Background

Delirium is a common phenomenon in older people. Using a large mental health care data resource, we investigated mortality rates and predictors of mortality following delirium in older people.

Methods

The South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLAM) Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) was used to retrieve anonymised data on patients known to mental health services who were over 65 years of age and received a diagnosis of delirium during a 3‐year period. Age‐standardised and gender‐standardised mortality rates (SMRs) were calculated, and predictors of survival were investigated considering demographic factors, health status rated on the Health of the National Outcome Scale (HoNOS), cognitive function and previous or contemporaneous diagnosed dementia.

Results

In 974 patients with delirium, 1‐ and 3‐year mortality rates were 37.2 and 54.9% respectively, representing an SMR of 4.7 overall (95% CI: 4.3–5.1). SMR was 5.2 (95% CI: 4.6–5.7) for patients with delirium without prior dementia; SMR was 4.1 (95% CI: 3.6–4.7) for patients with dementia preceding delirium and 2.2 (2.0–2.5) excluding deaths within 6 months of the delirium diagnosis. Significant predictors of mortality in fully adjusted models were older age, male gender, white (compared with non‐white) ethnicity, and HoNOS subscales measuring physical ill‐health and functional impairment. No mortality associations were found with cognitive function, dementia, or psychological symptoms.

Conclusions

In people with delirium diagnosed by mental health services, mortality risk was high and predicted by demographic and physical health status rather than by cognitive function or psychological profile. © 2014 The Authors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Impact of Work–Family Programs on the Relationship between Gender Diversity and Performance
Authors: Ali Muhammad , Metz Isabel , Kulik Carol T.
Published: October 2014

Work–family programs signal an employer's perspective on gender diversity to employees, and can influence whether the effects of diversity on performance are positive or negative. This article tests the interactive effects of nonmanagement gender diversity and work–family programs on productivity, and management gender diversity and work–family programs on financial performance. The predictions were tested in 198 Australian publicly listed organizations using primary (survey) and secondary (publicly available) data based on a two‐year time lag between diversity and performance. The findings indicate that nonmanagement gender diversity leads to higher productivity in organizations with many work–family programs, and management gender diversity leads to lower financial performance in organizations with few work–family programs. The results suggest different business cases at nonmanagement and management levels for the adoption of work–family programs in gender‐diverse organizations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Increasing the saliency of behavior–consequence relations for children with autism who exhibit persistent errors
Authors: Fisher Wayne W. , Pawich Tamara L. , Dickes Nitasha , Paden Amber R. , Toussaint Karen
Published: October 2014

Some children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) display persistent errors that are not responsive to commonly used prompting or error‐correction strategies; one possible reason for this is that the behavior–consequence relations are not readily discriminable (Davison & Nevin, 1999). In this study, we increased the discriminability of the behavior–consequence relations in conditional‐discrimination acquisition tasks for 3 children with ASD using schedule manipulations in concert with a unique visual display designed to increase the saliency of the differences between consequences in effect for correct responding and for errors. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to show that correct responding increased for all participants, and, after 1 or more exposures to the intervention, correct responding persisted to varying degrees across participants when the differential reinforcement baseline was reintroduced to assess maintenance. These findings suggest that increasing the saliency of behavior–consequence relations may help to increase correct responding in children with ASD who exhibit persistent errors.

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