bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Macedonian Transformation in the International Reports in the 2000s
Authors: Płaneta Paweł
Published: June 2015

The author of the article presents the image of the Macedonian transformation dynamics according to the analysis of selected reports published annually by influential international research institutes, organizations and opinion‑forming media, which evaluate the political, economic and social situation in various countries of the world in the 2000s. The paper introduces the preliminary results of a research project involving critical analysis of reports on the situation in Macedonia and particular public policies of the Republic, which are included in publicly available and are cited – by politicians, the media, public opinion – international reports, which use the indicators commonly applied in the world. The main areas of analysis are: the degree of the competitiveness, economic freedom and rule of law on the market and the state; the level of the democracy, political rights and civil liberties; the degree of the equality and welfare of the society and – finally – the status in the security area, i.e. the main indicators of the peace and stabilization of the Republic of Macedonia.
La venta ambulante y sus mercados (el caso de la provincia de Alicante)
Authors: Costa Mas José , Canales Martínez Gregorio
Published: June 2015

La venta ambulante ha cumplido tradicionalmente la misión primordial de subsanar las insuficiencias de los canales de distribución y suplir las carencias, a nivel local, de unos equipamientos comerciales embrionarios. En la actualidad, aunque enmendadas muchas deaquellas deficiencias, no cabe enjuiciar dicha práctica mercantil como residual, dada la  amplitud de sus manifestaciones y el respaldo de unos hábitos de compra extendidos entre dilatadas capas de población, a menudo urbana. Eso sí, ha mudado de signo, pues, en detrimento de la trajinería tradicional y del deambular itinerante por largos derroteros, se ha potenciado la modalidad de ambulancia que hace escala periódica en determinadas poblaciones, estacionándose regularmente en unos recintos acotados ex profeso: los mercadillos, elementos mercantiles multifuncionales donde, a diferencia de gran parte de los establecimientos del comercio convencional, que presentan una estricta especialización, se oferta gran variedad de productos (orientados a serviren general las necesidades más cotidianas, lejos de toda sofisticación).
La red viaria en el área metropolitana de Alicante-Elche
Authors: Morales Gil Alfredo
Published: June 2015

Cuando se intenta realizar la planificación del desarrollo socioeconómico del área metropolitana de Alicante-Elche debe ocupar un lugar destacado en la organización espacial el estudio de la red viaria y de los transportes con los que este área va a contar en el futuro, puesto que su porvenir tanto industrial y comercial como agrícola va a depender de las condiciones óptimas que la red actual y prevista le ofrezca. Siendo necesario el estudio de la relación que ha tenido, y tiene la política de transportes con el modelo territorial que se ha ido conformando y que existe actualmente.
The Levels of Boron‐Uptake Proteins in Roots are Correlated with Tolerance to Boron Stress in Barley
Authors: Mishra Sasmita , Heckathorn Scott , Krause Charles
Published: June 2015

Boron (B) is an essential micronutrient required for plant growth and development. Recently, two major B‐uptake proteins, BOR1 and NIP5;1, have been identified and partially characterized. BOR1 is a high‐affinity B transporter involved in xylem loading in roots, and NIP5;1 is a major boric‐acid channel in the plasma membrane. The aim of the present study was to determine if plant tolerance to B stress (deficiency or toxicity) is correlated with natural levels of B‐uptake proteins in roots. We grew two barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars that differ in tolerance to low and high B (Schooner and Clipper, respectively) at three B levels (sub‐, near‐, and supraoptimal), and then we determined the concentration of BOR1 and NIP5;1 in roots using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and protein‐specific antibodies that we developed. Shoot and root biomass in Schooner decreased at high B, while shoot mass in Clipper decreased in low B. Differences between cultivars in tolerance to B stress were unrelated to the concentration of B in plant tissue or to effects of B on root total protein concentration. BOR1 content per unit total protein and per gram of root was greater in Clipper than Schooner, while NIP5;1 content was greater in Schooner. The estimated activity of BOR1 (B uptake per BOR1) did not differ between cultivars. These results show that whole‐plant tolerance to B deficiency and toxicity is correlated with levels of the major B‐uptake proteins in roots (BOR1 and NIP5;1). Hence, BOR1 and NIP5;1 can potentially be used as biomarkers to identify plant genotypes with enhanced tolerance to B stress (e.g., for agriculture or phytoremediation).
Teaching pragmatic model-driven software development
Authors: Porubän Jaroslav , Bacíková Michaela , Chodarev Sergej , Nosál’ Milan
Published: June 2015

Model-driven software development is surrounded by numerous myths and
misunderstandings that hamper its adoption. For long, our students were
victims of these myths and considered MDSD impractical and only applied in
academy. In this paper we discuss these myths and present our experience with
devising an MDSD course that challenges them and motivates students to
understand MDSD principles. The main contribution of this work is a set of
MDSD teaching guidelines that can make the course pragmatic in the eyes of
students - programmers. These guidelines introduce MDSD from the viewpoint of
a programmer as a pragmatic tool for solving concrete problems in the
development process. In our MDSD course we implemented the presented
guidelines. The course shows several techniques and principles of
model-driven development in multiple incremental iterations instead of
concentrating on a single tool. At the same time we unite these techniques by
using a dynamic visualisation tool that shows to the students the whole
infrastructure in the big picture. The course is implemented as an iterative
incremental MDSD case study. The paper concludes with a survey performed with
our students that indicates positive results of the approach.
Preferences and Pattern of Information Seeking of Academics of Health Related Faculties, University of Peardeniya (UoP)
Authors: Perera P.A.S.H
Published: June 2015

The objectives of the study is to 1) identify the preferences and information seeking behavior of the academics of health related faculties of UOP, 2) examine how they manage their information needs and 3) make recommendations for appropriate changes for future use. The study population consisted of all the academics (173) of four faculties, Allied Health Sciences (FAHS), Dental Sciences (FDS), Medicine (FM) and Veterinary Medicine & Animal Sciences (FVMAS). An online survey questionnaire was used to gather data from the sample. The strategies used by the respondents in their information needs were: use of library (24%), Internet (100%), databases through library web page (59%) and personal collections of resources (76%). Purposes of seeking information by majority (90%) were; teaching, research, updating knowledge and writing articles while percentages of that for ‘managing patients’ and ‘clinical information’ varied according to designation and faculty of the respondents. 71% of lecturers used information for preparation of exams. Majority (81%) of respondents used E-journals and Web-based information frequently. ‘Google search’ was used as the most useful search engine by 98% of all groups. HINARI was the most used database by 64.4% and Medline-PUBMED was the most used resource by 71.2%. For updating knowledge, more than 90% of respondents used public/guest lectures, conferences/seminars, research sessions, and contacts with professional colleagues while 70% downloaded articles through colleagues abroad. As suggested through free comments and according to findings of the study, provision of university-wide online access to reputed journals and other essential resources, upgraded computers with fast connectivity and training programs on information literacy skills are recommended for future improvements.Journal of the University Librarians Association of Sri Lanka, Vol. 18, Issue 2, June 2014, Page 62-75
Implications of Methodist clergies’ average lifespan and missional lessons learned from obituaries of deceased ministers
Authors: Mathibe Lehlohonolo J.
Published: June 2015

We are born, we touch the lives of others, we die – and then we are remembered. For the purpose of this article, I have assessed from obituaries the average lifespan of the clergy (ministers) in the Methodist Church of South Africa (MCSA), who died between 2003 and 2014. These obituaries were published in the Yearbooks of the MCSA from 2004 to 2015. I also give attention to how the deceased ministers are remembered. The average lifespan of Methodist ministers is 72 years, and it is likely to increase to 74 years by 2023. This article discusses the implications of Methodist ministers’ average lifespan and suggests that the clergy should be encouraged and enabled to retire at the age of 60 years. The following 12 themes (or missional lessons), mainly answering the question of how the clergy are remembered, emerged from the qualitative analysis of obituaries: they were gifted preachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ; they lived a balanced life; they were humble servants in Jesus’ vineyard; they were sensitive storytellers with a deep sense of humour; they were community builders; they were leaders and meticulous in administration; they were prayer warriors; they loved and valued education; they were disciplined and principled; they enjoyed music; they worked hard for an everlasting peace on earth; and they were zealous stewards of God’s creation.
Sources of Tibetan Tradition and The Tibetan History Reader
Authors: Van Schaik Sam
Published: June 2015

Sources of Tibetan Tradition. Edited by Kurtis R. Schaeffer, Matthew T. Kapstein, and Gray Tuttle. New York: Columbia University Press, 2013. Pp. xxxvii + 810, 3 maps. $120 (cloth), $40 (paper).

The Tibetan History Reader. Edited by Gray Tuttle and Kurtis R. Schaeffer. New York: Columbia University Press, 2013. Pp. xxii + 720, 3 maps. $120 (cloth), $40 (paper).
Symbols of Authority in Medieval Islam: History, Religion and Muslim Legitimacy in the Delhi Sultanate. By Blain H. Auer
Authors: Jackson Peter
Published: June 2015

Symbols of Authority in Medieval Islam: History, Religion and Muslim Legitimacy in the Delhi Sultanate. By Blain H. Auer. Library of South Asian History and Culture, vol. 6. London: I. B. Tauris, 2012. Pp. xx + 237. £54.50.
Islamic Mysticism and Abū Ṭālib al-Makkī: The Role of the Heart. By Saeko Yazaki
Authors: Renard John
Published: June 2015

Islamic Mysticism and Abū Ṭālib al-Makkī: The Role of the Heart. By Saeko Yazaki. Routledge Sufi Series. London: Routledge, 2012. Pp. xx + 196. $145.
Topics in Iranian Linguistics. Edited by Agnes Korn, Geoffrey Haig, Simin Karimi, and Pollet Samvelian
Authors: Borjian Habib
Published: June 2015

Topics in Iranian Linguistics. Edited by Agnes Korn, Geoffrey Haig, Simin Karimi, and Pollet Samvelian. Beiträge zur Iranistik, vol. 34. Wiesbaden: Reichert, 2011. Pp. 214. €49, $84.
Eastward Ho! Diplomats, Travellers and Interpreters of the Middle East and Beyond, 1600–1940. By C. Edmund Bosworth
Authors: Leiser Gary
Published: June 2015

Eastward Ho! Diplomats, Travellers and Interpreters of the Middle East and Beyond, 1600–1940. By C. Edmund Bosworth. London: East and West Publishing, 2012. Pp. xxvii + 280. £25.
World of the Neo-Hittite Kingdoms: A Political and Military History. By Trevor Bryce
Authors: Hermann Virginia R.
Published: June 2015

The World of the Neo-Hittite Kingdoms: A Political and Military History. By Trevor Bryce. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. Pp. xiii + 356, illus. $135.
Making Sense of Sex: Attitudes towards Sexuality in Early Jewish and Christian Literature. By William Loader
Authors: Ellens J. Harold
Published: June 2015

Making Sense of Sex: Attitudes towards Sexuality in Early Jewish and Christian Literature. By William Loader. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2013. Pp. vii + 168. $24 (paper).
Picturing the Past: Imaging and Imagining the Ancient Middle East. Edited by Jack Green, Emily Teeter, and John A. Larson
Authors: Beckman Gary
Published: June 2015

Picturing the Past: Imaging and Imagining the Ancient Middle East. Edited by Jack Green, Emily Teeter, and John A. Larson. Oriental Institute Museum Publications, vol. 34. Chicago: The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, 2012. Pp. 184, illus. $29.95 (paper). [Distributed by The David Brown Book Co., Oakville, Ct.]
Lechery, Substance Abuse, and . . . Han Yu?
Authors: Davis Timothy M.
Published: June 2015

This article examines the role of anecdote and casual literary criticism in the post-Tang defamation (or defense) of Han Yu’s character. Several scholar-officials from the Song, Yuan, and later eras criticized Han Yu’s moral inconsistency in their collections of “miscellaneous notes” (biji) and “remarks on poetry” (shihua). Specifically, Han Yu is condemned for over-indulging in amorous relations with young female musicians and for pursuing immortality through alchemical means. I discuss the critical reception of a few key compositions authored by Han Yu and his contemporaries in order to place his alleged activities in their historical context, explore the contested process by which he became a cultural icon, and clarify the various ways that later literati shaped his image and used it for their own purposes
China’s First Prayer
Authors: Schwartz Adam Craig
Published: June 2015

Spirit communication was a major facet of daily life across the ancient world. This paper seeks to enumerate and contextualize the act of prayer in elite religious ritual at the commencement of the historical period and is part of a larger inquiry into inscriptions and manuscripts unearthed over the last several decades that testify to the intimate relationship between divination, prayer, and the early development of the Chinese literary tradition. Within a corpus of oracle bone inscriptions recently discovered in Anyang, Henan, an intact turtle shell with hardly any other writing on it contains a rare divination on a prayer to be uttered by a princely grandson of the Shang royal family to his deceased kingly grandfather. After providing a synopsis of prayer in the ancestral cult of the royal family, I present an initial reading and commentary of what now stands as China’s first prayer text. My conclusion verifies the pedigree of the prince, his otherwise undetectable personal name, and the identity of the recipient ancestor.
Chemical and thermal impacts of sprite streamers in the Earth's mesosphere
Authors: Parra‐Rojas F. C. , Luque A. , Gordillo‐Vázquez F. J.
Published: June 2015

A one‐dimensional self‐consistent model has been developed to study the chemical and thermal effects of a single sprite streamer in the Earth's mesosphere. We have used sprite streamer profiles with three different driving current durations (5 ms, 50 ms, and 100 ms) between 50 and 80 km of altitude and considering a kinetic scheme of air with more than 90 chemical species. Our model predicts strong increases in practically all the concentrations of the species studied at the moment of the streamer head passage. Moreover, their densities remain high during the streamer afterglow phase. The concentration of electrons can reach values of up to 108 cm−3 in the three cases analyzed. The model also predicts an important enhancement, of several orders of magnitude above ambient values, of nitrogen oxides and several metastables species. On the other hand, we found that the 4.26 μm IR emission brightness of CO2 can reach 10 GR at low altitudes (< 65 km) for the cases of intermediate (50 ms) and long (100 ms) driving currents. These results suggest the possibility of detecting sprite IR emissions from space with the appropriate instrumentation. Finally, we found that the thermal impact of sprites in the Earth's mesosphere is proportional to the driving current duration. This produces variations of more than 40 K (in the extreme case of a 100 ms driving current) at low altitudes (< 55 km) and at about 10 s after the streamer head.
Neotectonics and long‐term seismicity in Europe and the Mediterranean region
Authors: Carafa Michele M. C. , Barba Salvatore , Bird Peter
Published: June 2015

We present a neotectonic model of ongoing lithosphere deformation and a corresponding estimate of long‐term shallow seismicity across the Africa‐Eurasia plate boundary, including the eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean region, and continental Europe. GPS and stress data are absent or inadequate for the part of the study area covered by water. Thus, we opt for a dynamic model based on the stress equilibrium equation; this approach allows us to estimate the long‐term behavior of the lithosphere (given certain assumptions about its structure and physics) for both land and sea areas. We first update the existing plate model by adding five quasirigid plates (the Ionian Sea, Adria, Northern Greece, Central Greece, and Marmara) to constrain the deformation pattern of the study area. We use the most recent data sets to estimate the lithospheric structure. The models are evaluated in comparison with updated data sets of geodetic velocities and the most compressive horizontal principal stress azimuths. We find that the side and basal strengths drive the present‐day motion of the Adria and Aegean Sea plates, whereas lithostatic pressure plays a key role in driving Anatolia. These findings provide new insights into the neotectonics of the greater Mediterranean region. Finally, the preferred model is used to estimate long‐term shallow seismicity, which we retrospectively test against historical seismicity. As an alternative to reliance on incomplete geologic data or historical seismic catalogs, these neotectonic models help to forecast long‐term seismicity, although requiring additional tuning before seismicity rates are used for seismic hazard purposes.
Hydraulic modeling of glacial dam‐break floods on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania
Authors: Newlin Jessica T. , Hayes Benjamin R.
Published: June 2015

This study investigates the potential hydraulic conditions of catastrophic floods in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River (West Branch) during the middle to late Pleistocene period and the influence of these paleofloods on the current river bed form. The current channel bed form is characterized using sonar bathymetry data collection techniques. The paleofloods are hypothesized based on published geological evidence of early Pleistocene glacial Lake Lesley in the West Branch Valley, which was formed by a glacial ice dam that potentially failed during mild climate cycles in the Pleistocene period. A one‐dimensional, steady hydraulic model is developed to simulate estimates of paleoflood peak discharges and the modern 100 year return period peak discharge. The computed water‐surface profiles, shear stresses, and flood inundation maps could explain the erosional and depositional features identified by other researchers as being formed during the Pleistocene and could explain features revealed by the bathymetry data. Therefore, the hydraulic modeling results support previously inferred hypotheses of the occurrence of glacial dam‐break floods on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. The differences that are evident between the paleoflood simulations and the simulation of the modern 100 year peak discharge are attributable to valley constrictions that cause substantial backwater effects for the larger paleoflood discharges but not for the lower modern flood discharge volume. The ability to simulate potential paleofloods in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River complements the paleostage indicator work done by other researchers and enables innovative analysis of glaciofluvial processes and their effect on the current river bed form.
Experimental evidence for the existence of monochromatic transverse small‐scale standing Alfvén waves with spatially dependent polarization
Authors: Leonovich A. S. , Klimushkin D. Yu. , Mager P. N.
Published: June 2015

A transformation of a monochromatic standing poloidal Alfvén wave into a toroidal wave has been observed. A theoretical interpretation is presented of Alfvén‐type monochromatic oscillations observed by the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP)‐A satellite on 23 October 2012 when crossing the plasmapause at 21.45–22.30 UT. It is shown that the process involves a poloidal Alfvén wave transforming into a toroidal Alfvén wave. This transformation can serve as proof that the registered oscillations are a single azimuthally small‐scale Alfvén mode. As follows from the results of previous theoretical studies, such Alfvén oscillations are generated on the poloidal resonance shell as poloidal standing Alfvén waves. Next, this wave propagates to the toroidal resonance surface across magnetic shells and transforms into a toroidal standing Alfvén wave. The oscillations are absorbed completely near the toroidal resonance surface due to dissipation of their energy in the ionospheric conductive layer. It is shown that the RBSP‐A satellite probably crossed two transformation areas of Alfvén waves, located near the plasmapause transition layer.
Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy for materials with high damping and samples of arbitrary geometry
Authors: Remillieux Marcel C. , Ulrich T. J. , Payan Cédric , Rivière Jacques , Lake Colton R. , Le Bas Pierre‐Yves
Published: June 2015

Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) is a powerful and established technique for measuring elastic constants of a material with general anisotropy. The first step of this technique consists of extracting resonance frequencies and damping from the vibrational frequency spectrum measured on a sample with free boundary conditions. An inversion technique is then used to retrieve the elastic tensor from the measured resonance frequencies. As originally developed, RUS has been mostly applicable to (i) materials with small damping such that the resonances of the sample are well separated and (ii) samples with simple geometries for which analytical solutions exist. In this paper, these limitations are addressed with a new RUS approach adapted to materials with high damping and samples of arbitrary geometry. Resonances are extracted by fitting a sum of exponentially damped sinusoids to the measured frequency spectrum. The inversion of the elastic tensor is achieved with a genetic algorithm, which allows searching for a global minimum within a discrete and relatively wide solution space. First, the accuracy of the proposed approach is evaluated against numerical data simulated for samples with isotropic symmetry and transversely isotropic symmetry. Subsequently, the applicability of the approach is demonstrated using experimental data collected on a composite structure consisting of a cylindrical sample of Berea sandstone glued to a large piezoelectric disk. In the proposed experiments, RUS is further enhanced by the use of a 3‐D laser vibrometer allowing the visualization of most of the modes in the frequency band studied.
Measurement‐based estimates of direct radiative effects of absorbing aerosols above clouds
Authors: Feng Nan , Christopher Sundar A.
Published: June 2015

The elevated layers of absorbing smoke aerosols from western African (e.g., Gabon and Congo) biomass burning activities have been frequently observed above low‐level stratocumulus clouds off the African coast, which presents an excellent natural laboratory for studying the effects of aerosols above clouds (AAC) on regional energy balance in tropical and subtropical environments. Using spatially and temporally collocated Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), and Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System data sets, the top‐of‐atmosphere shortwave aerosol direct shortwave radiative effects (ARE) of absorbing aerosols above low‐level water clouds in the southeast Atlantic Ocean was examined in this study. The regional averaged instantaneous ARE has been estimated to be 36.7 ± 20.5 Wm−2 (regional mean ± standard deviation) along with a mean positive OMI Aerosol Index at 1.3 in August 2006 based on multisensors measurements. The highest magnitude of instantaneous ARE can even reach 138.2 Wm−2. We assess that the 660 nm cloud optical depth (COD) values of 8–12 is the critical value above (below) which aerosol absorption (scattering) effect dominates and further produces positive (negative) ARE values. The results further show that ARE values are more sensitive to aerosols above lower COD values than cases for higher COD values. This is among the first studies to provide quantitative estimates of shortwave ARE due to AAC events from an observational perspective.
The profiling and identification of the metabolites of 8‐prenylkaempferol and a study on their distribution in rats by high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection combined with electrospray ionization ion trap time‐of‐flight multistage mass spectrometry
Authors: Ma Li‐Man , Xu Feng , Li Feng‐Chun , Wang Jing‐Zhe , Shang Ming‐Ying , Liu Guang‐Xue , Cai Shao‐Qing
Published: June 2015

8‐Prenylkaempferol is a prenylflavonoid that has various bioactivities and benefits for human health. A high‐performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector combined with electrospray ionization ion trap time‐of‐flight multistage mass spectrometry (HPLC‐DAD‐ESI‐IT‐TOF‐MSn) method was established to profile and identify the metabolites of 8‐prenylkaempferol in rat in vivo and in vitro, and to study the distribution of these metabolites in rats for the first time. A total of 38 metabolites were detected and tentatively identified, 30 of which were identified as new compounds. The new in vivo metabolic reactions in rats of prenylflavonoids of isomerization, polymerization, sulfation, amino acid conjugation, vitamin C conjugation and other known metabolic reactions were found in the metabolism of 8‐prenylkaempferol. The numbers of detected metabolites in feces, urine, plasma, small intestine, stomach, kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, spleen and hepatic S9 fraction were 31, 19, 1, 20, 13, 8, 7, 3, 3, 1 and 11, respectively. This indicated that small intestine and stomach were the major organs in which the 8‐prenylkaempferol metabolites were distributed. Furthermore, 16 metabolites were determined to have bioactivities based on the literature and ‘PharmMapper’ analysis. These findings are useful for better comprehension of the effective forms, target organs and pharmacological actions of 8‐prenylkaempferol. Moreover, they provide a reference for the study of the metabolism and distribution of prenylflavonoid aglycone compounds. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Regional variability in dust‐on‐snow processes and impacts in the Upper Colorado River Basin
Authors: Skiles S. McKenzie , Painter Thomas H. , Belnap Jayne , Holland Lacey , Reynolds Richard L. , Goldstein Harland L. , Lin John
Published: June 2015

Dust deposition onto mountain snow cover in the Upper Colorado River Basin frequently occurs in the spring when wind speeds and dust emission peaks on the nearby Colorado Plateau. Dust loading has increased since the intensive settlement in the western USA in the mid 1880s. The effects of dust‐on‐snow have been well studied at Senator Beck Basin Study Area (SBBSA) in the San Juan Mountains, CO, the first high‐altitude area of contact for predominantly southwesterly winds transporting dust from the southern Colorado Plateau. To capture variability in dust transport from the broader Colorado Plateau and dust deposition across a larger area of the Colorado River water sources, an additional study plot was established in 2009 on Grand Mesa, 150 km to the north of SBBSA in west central, CO. Here, we compare the 4‐year (2010–2013) dust source, deposition, and radiative forcing records at Grand Mesa Study Plot (GMSP) and Swamp Angel Study Plot (SASP), SBBSA's subalpine study plot. The study plots have similar site elevations/environments and differ mainly in the amount of dust deposited and ensuing impacts. At SASP, end of year dust concentrations ranged from 0.83 mg g−1 to 4.80 mg g−1, and daily mean spring dust radiative forcing ranged from 50–65 W m−2, advancing melt by 24–49 days. At GMSP, which received 1.0 mg g−1 less dust per season on average, spring radiative forcings of 32–50 W m−2 advanced melt by 15–30 days. Remote sensing imagery showed that observed dust events were frequently associated with dust emission from the southern Colorado Plateau. Dust from these sources generally passed south of GMSP, and back trajectory footprints modelled for observed dust events were commonly more westerly and northerly for GMSP relative to SASP. These factors suggest that although the southern Colorado Plateau contains important dust sources, dust contributions from other dust sources contribute to dust loading in this region, and likely account for the majority of dust loading at GMSP. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multiscale Predictors of Femoral Neck In Situ Strength in Aging Women: Contributions of BMD, Cortical Porosity, Reference Point Indentation, and Nonenzymatic Glycation
Authors: Abraham Adam C , Agarwalla Avinesh , Yadavalli Aditya , McAndrew Christopher , Liu Jenny Y , Tang Simon Y
Published: June 2015

The diagnosis of fracture risk relies almost solely on quantifying bone mass, yet bone strength is governed by factors at multiple scales including composition and structure that contribute to fracture resistance. Furthermore, aging and conditions such as diabetes mellitus alter fracture incidence independently of bone mass. Therefore, it is critical to incorporate other factors that contribute to bone strength in order to improve diagnostic specificity of fracture risk. We examined the correlation between femoral neck fracture strength in aging female cadavers and areal bone mineral density, along with other clinically accessible measures of bone quality including whole-bone cortical porosity (Ct.Po), bone material mechanical behavior measured by reference point indentation (RPI), and accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). All measurements were found to be significant predictors of femoral neck fracture strength, with areal bone mineral density (aBMD) being the single strongest correlate (aBMD: r = 0.755, p < 0.001; Ct.Po: r = –0.500, p < 0.001; RPI: r = –0.478, p < 0.001; AGEs: r = –0.336, p = 0.016). RPI-derived measurements were not correlated with tissue mineral density or local cortical porosity as confirmed by micro–computed tomography (μCT). Multiple reverse stepwise regression revealed that the inclusion of aBMD and any other factor significantly improve the prediction of bone strength over univariate predictions. Combining bone assays at multiple scales such as aBMD with tibial Ct.Po (r = 0.835; p < 0.001), tibial difference in indentation depth between the first and 20th cycle (IDI) (r = 0.883; p < 0.001), or tibial AGEs (r = 0.822; p < 0.001) significantly improves the prediction of femoral neck strength over any factor alone, suggesting that this personalized approach could greatly enhance bone strength and fracture risk assessment with the potential to guide clinical management strategies for at-risk populations. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Reexamining the Surfaces of Bone in Boys and Girls During Adolescent Growth: A 12-Year Mixed Longitudinal pQCT Study
Authors: Gabel Leigh , Nettlefold Lindsay , Brasher Penelope M , Moore Sarah A , Ahamed Yasmin , Macdonald Heather M , McKay Heather A
Published: June 2015

We revisit Stanley Garn's theory related to sex differences in endocortical and periosteal apposition during adolescence using a 12-year mixed longitudinal study design. We used peripheral quantitative computed tomography to examine bone parameters in 230 participants (110 boys, 120 girls; aged 11.0 years at baseline). We assessed total (Tt.Ar, mm2), cortical (Ct.Ar, mm2), and medullary canal area (Me.Ar, mm2), Ct.Ar/Tt.Ar, cortical bone mineral density (Ct.BMD, mg/cm3), and polar strength-strain index (SSIp, mm3) at the tibial midshaft (50% site). We used annual measures of height and chronological age to identify age at peak height velocity (APHV) for each participant. We compared annual accrual rates of bone parameters between boys and girls, aligned on APHV using a linear mixed effects model. At APHV, boys demonstrated greater Tt.Ar (ratio = 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21, 1.32), Ct.Ar (1.24 [1.18, 1.30]), Me.Ar (1.31 [1.22, 1.40]), and SSIp (1.36 [1.28, 1.45]) and less Ct.Ar/Tt.Ar (0.98 [0.96, 1.00]) and Ct.BMD (0.97 [0.96, 0.97]) compared with girls. Boys and girls demonstrated periosteal bone formation and net bone loss at the endocortical surface. Compared with girls, boys demonstrated greater annual accrual rates pre-APHV for Tt.Ar (1.18 [1.02, 1.34]) and Me.Ar (1.34 [1.11, 1.57]), lower annual accrual rates pre-APHV for Ct.Ar/Tt.Ar (0.56 [0.29, 0.83]) and Ct.BMD (–0.07 [–0.17, 0.04]), and similar annual accrual rates pre-APHV for Ct.Ar (1.10 [0.94, 1.26]) and SSIp (1.14 [0.98, 1.30]). Post-APHV, boys demonstrated similar annual accrual rates for Ct.Ar/Tt.Ar (1.01 [0.71, 1.31]) and greater annual accrual rates for all other bone parameters compared with girls (ratio = 1.23 to 2.63; 95% CI 1.11 to 3.45). Our findings support those of Garn and others of accelerated periosteal apposition during adolescence, more evident in boys than girls. However, our findings challenge the notion of greater endocortical apposition in girls, suggesting instead that girls experience diminished endocortical resorption compared with boys. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
A Novel Danshensu Derivative Prevents Cardiac Dysfunction and Improves the Chemotherapeutic Efficacy of Doxorubicin in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Wang Liang , Zhang Xiaojing , Chan Judy Yuet‐Wa , Shan Luchen , Cui Guozhen , Cui Qingbin , Wang Yingfei , Li Jingjing , Chen Huanxian , Zhang Qingwen , Yu Pei , Han Yifan , Wang Yuqiang , Lee Simon Ming‐Yuen
Published: June 2015

Doxorubicin (Dox) is an anthracycline antibiotic widely used in clinics as an anticancer agent. However, the use of Dox is limited by its cardiotoxicity. We have previously shown that a Danshensu (DSS) derivative, ADTM, displayed strong cardioprotective effects. With improved chemical stability and activity, a novel DSS derivative, D006, based on the structure of ADTM, was synthesized. In the present study, the protective effects of D006, indexed by attenuation of the cardiotoxicity induced by Dox as well as chemosensitizing effects that increase the antitumor activity of Dox, were investigated. Our results showed that D006 was more potent than either parental compound, or their use in combination, in ameliorating Dox‐induced toxicity in H9c2 cells. In our zebrafish model, D006, but not DSS, alone significantly preserved the ventricular function of zebrafish after Dox treatment. Moreover, D006 upregulated mitochondrial biogenesis and increased mtDNA copy number after Dox treatment of H9c2 cells. D006 promoted the expression of HO‐1 protein in a time‐dependent manner while the HO‐1 inhibitor, Znpp, reversed the protective effects of D006. In human breast tumor MCF‐7 cells, D006 enhanced Dox‐induced cytotoxicity by increasing apoptosis. In conclusion, our results indicate that a new DSS derivative exhibits promising protective effects against Dox‐induced cardiotoxicity both in vivo and in vitro, an effect at least partially mediated by induction of HO‐1 expression and the activation of mitochondrial biogenesis. Meanwhile, D006 also potentiated the anti‐cancer effects of Dox in breast tumor cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 94–105, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
COMMD7 as a novel NEMO interacting protein involved in the termination of NF‐κB signaling
Authors: Esposito Elio , Napolitano Gennaro , Pescatore Alessandra , Calculli Giuseppe , Incoronato Maria Rosaria , Leonardi Antonio , Ursini Matilde Valeria
Published: June 2015

NEMO/IKKγ is the regulatory subunit of the IκB Kinase (IKK) complex, required for the activation of the NF‐κB pathway, which is involved in a variety of key processes, including immunity, inflammation, differentiation, and cell survival. Termination of NF‐κB activity on specific ‐κB responsive genes, which is crucial for the resolution of inflammatory responses, can be achieved by direct degradation of the chromatin‐bound NF‐κB subunit RelA/p65, a process mediated by a protein complex that contains Copper Metabolism Murr1 Domain 1 (COMMD1). In this study, we identify COMMD7, another member of the COMMDs protein family, as a novel NEMO‐interacting protein. We show that COMMD7 exerts an inhibitory effect on NF‐κB activation upon TNFα stimulation. COMMD7 interacts with COMMD1 and together they cooperate to down‐regulate NF‐κB activity. Accordingly, termination of TNFα‐induced NF‐κB activity on the ‐κB responsive gene, Icam1, is defective in cells silenced for COMMD7 expression. Furthermore, this impairment is not greatly increased when we silence the expression of both COMMD7 and COMMD1 indicating that the two proteins participate in the same pathway of termination of TNFα‐induced NF‐κB activity. Importantly, we have demonstrated that COMMD7's binding to NEMO does not interfere with the binding to the IKKs, and that the disruption of the IKK complex through the use of the NBP competitor impairs the termination of NF‐κB activity. We propose that an intact IKK complex is required for the termination of NF‐κB‐dependent transcription and that COMMD7 acts as a scaffold in the IKK‐mediated NF‐κB termination. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 152–161, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Atmospheric ions and new particle formation events at a tropical location, Pune, India
Authors: Kamra A. K. , Siingh Devendraa , Gautam A. S. , Kanawade V. P. , Tripathi S. N. , Srivastava A. K.
Published: June 2015

Characteristics of small, intermediate and large ions and nanometre particles, and the influences of environmental conditions and local topography on the interactions of these ions and particles in the size range of 3.85–47.8 nm diameter are studied during new particle formation (NPF) events observed at Pune, India from 20 March to 23 May 2012. During the NPF events, the formation rate of 5 nm particles ranged from 3.5 to 13.9 cm−3 s−1and growth rates of both positive and negative ions were greater than those of neutral particles. Total ion concentrations in this size range were approximately double on event days than on non‐event days. The NPF events were generally preceded by 2–3 h periods of enhanced concentration of ions and aerosols (PECIA) which are associated with katabatic winds from the surrounding hill‐slopes at our site. During PECIA, ions ≤8 nm diameter grew faster and attained mode diameters greater than those of neutral particles. PECIA provided the ions of sub‐8 nm diameter and dramatically reduced the condensation sinks and thus contributed to the development of conditions conducive for NPF. During PECIA, total concentrations of the ions and particles become almost equal and the Boltzmann charge distribution breaks down. During NPF events, mode diameters of the ions and particles first steeply decreased accompanied by a steep increase in condensation sink but later gradually increased at identical rates.

Observations of charging ratio of 3–4 nm particles being higher than the charge equilibrium value and non‐observation of charge equilibrium for >5 nm ions and particles indicate occurrence of ion nucleation and/or advection during the PECIA.
SWI/SNF-Mediated Lineage Determination in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Confers Resistance to Osteoporosis
Authors: Nguyen Kevin Hong , Xu Fuhua , Flowers Stephen , Williams Edek A.J. , Fritton J. Christopher , Moran Elizabeth
Published: June 2015

Redirecting the adipogenic potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to other lineages, particularly osteoblasts, is a key goal in regenerative medicine. Controlling lineage selection through chromatin remodeling complexes such as SWI/SNF, which act coordinately to establish new patterns of gene expression, would be a desirable intervention point, but the requirement for the complex in essentially every lineage pathway has generally precluded selectivity. However, a novel approach now appears possible by targeting the subset of SWI/SNF powered by the alternative ATPase, mammalian brahma (BRM). BRM is not required for development, which has hindered understanding of its contributions, but knockdown genetics here, designed to explore the hypothesis that BRM-SWI/SNF has different regulatory roles in different mesenchymal stem cell lineages, shows that depleting BRM from mesenchymal stem cells has a dramatic effect on the balance of lineage selection between osteoblasts and adipocytes. BRM depletion enhances the proportion of cells expressing markers of osteoblast precursors at the expense of cells able to differentiate along the adipocyte lineage. This effect is evident in primary bone marrow stromal cells as well as in established cell culture models. The altered precursor balance has major physiological significance, which becomes apparent as protection against age-related osteoporosis and as reduced bone marrow adiposity in adult BRM-null mice. Stem Cells  2015;33:3028–3038
Core Pluripotency Factors Directly Regulate Metabolism in Embryonic Stem Cell to Maintain Pluripotency
Authors: Kim Hyunsoo , Jang Hyonchol , Kim Tae Wan , Kang Byung-Hee , Lee Sang Eun , Jeon Yoon Kyung , Chung Doo Hyun , Choi Jinmi , Shin Jihoon , Cho Eun-Jung , Youn Hong-Duk
Published: June 2015

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have distinct metabolic properties that support their metabolic and energetic needs and affect their stemness. In particular, high glycolysis is critical for the generation and maintenance of PSCs. However, it is unknown how PSCs maintain and acquire this metabolic signature. In this study, we found that core pluripotency factors regulate glycolysis directly by controlling the expression of glycolytic enzymes. Specifically, Oct4 directly governs Hk2 and Pkm2, which are important glycolytic enzymes that determine the rate of glycolytic flux. The overexpression of Hk2 and Pkm2 sustains high levels of glycolysis during embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation. Moreover, the maintenance of high glycolysis levels by Hk2 and Pkm2 overexpression hampers differentiation and preserves the pluripotency of ESCs in the absence of leukemia inhibitory factor. Overall, our study identifies a direct molecular connection between core pluripotency factors and ESC metabolic signatures and demonstrates the significance of metabolism in cell fate determination. Stem Cells  2015;33:2699–2711
COLUMNAR TRANSLATION: AN ANCIENT INTERPRETIVE TOOL THAT THE ROMANS GAVE THE GREEKS
Authors: Dickey Eleanor
Published: June 2015

Among the more peculiar literary papyri uncovered in the past century are numerous bilingual texts of Virgil and Cicero, with the Latin original and a Greek translation arranged in distinctive narrow columns. These materials, variously classified as texts with translations or as glossaries, were evidently used by Greek-speaking students when they first started to read Latin literature. They thus provide a unique window into the experience of the first of many groups of non-native Latin speakers to struggle with reading the classics of Latin literature.
Technology and trust: older people's perspectives of a home monitoring system
Authors: LIE MABEL L. S. , LINDSAY STEPHEN , BRITTAIN KATIE
Published: June 2015

With demographic changes and the growing numbers of older people living alone, concerns have been raised about the care of the ageing population. Increasingly, developments in technology are being seen as the solution to these concerns. For those who do not see themselves as old or frail enough to require personal care provision, and who prefer to maintain their identity as autonomous and independent individuals, the development of assistive technologies such as ambient home monitoring systems is one answer. However, this involves careful negotiations with older people's understandings of safety and privacy, and their experiences and relationships with technology, their carers and relevant service-providers. In two trials of a home monitoring system funded by the United Kingdom Technology Strategy Board, older people were interviewed pre-trial and post-trial about their perspectives on these issues. This paper presents a conceptual analysis of the qualitative data using a sociological framework of trust that considers habitual action, and relationships with kin and with wider institutions. The research found that older people's habits and norms do not need to be disrupted by the ambient system. What was of more importance was relationships between the older person and her or his ‘monitor’ based on trust, as well as institutional providers who need to instil or earn trust.
Corruption, Underdevelopment, and Extractive Resource Industries: Addressing the Vicious Cycle
Authors: O’Higgins Eleanor R. E.
Published: June 2015

The systemic role of corruption and its link to low human development is explored. The extractive resource industry is presented as an arena where conditions for corruption—monopoly and discretion without accountability—are especially intense. Corruption is maintained by a self-reinforcing cycle. Multiple stakeholders are involved in the maintenance of and/or opposition to the cycle: investing corporations, host country regimes and officials, inter-governmental bodies like the OECD, industry associations, non-governmental organization (NGO) watchdogs like Transparency International, and international agencies facilitating global investment like the World Bank. Complementarity of interests between the demand and supply sides provides strong incentives for entrenched players to maintain corruptive relationships, to protect past gains and sustain current ones. Compulsory international regulation, maximum transparency, effective detection, and enforcement are recommended to enhance accountability, thereby reversing the cycle. It is also necessary to create a corporate culture built on integrity, if regulation itself is to succeed.
The role of the local retail food environment in fruit, vegetable and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in Brazil
Authors: Duran Ana Clara , de Almeida Samuel Luna , Latorre Maria do Rosario DO , Jaime Patricia Constante
Published: June 2015

Objective

To examine the relationship between the local retail food environment and consumption of fruits and vegetables (FV) and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) in São Paulo, Brazil, as well as the moderation effects of income in the studied relationships.

Design

Cross-sectional study design that drew upon neighbourhood- and individual-level data. For each participant, community (density and proximity) and community food environment (availability, variety, quality and price) measures of FV and SSB were assessed in retail food stores and specialized fresh produce markets within 1·6 km of their homes. Poisson generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to model the associations of food consumption with food environment measures, adjusted by individual-level characteristics.

Setting

São Paulo, Brazil.

Subjects

Adults (n 1842) residing in the same census tracts (n 52) in São Paulo, Brazil as those where the neighbourhood-level measures were taken.

Results

FV availability in neighbourhoods was associated with regular FV consumption (≥5 times/week; prevalence ratio=1·41; 95 % CI 1·19, 1·67). Regular FV consumption prevalence was significantly lower among lower-income individuals living in neighbourhoods with fewer supermarkets and fresh produce markets (P-interaction <0·05). A greater variety of SSB was associated with a 15 % increase in regular SSB consumption (≥5 times/week) prevalence, after adjustment for confounding variables.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the local retail food environment is associated with FV and SSB consumption in a Brazilian urban sample.