bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Users’ Assessment of Orthoimage Photometric Quality for Visual Interpretation of Agricultural Fields
Authors: Tarko Agnieszka , De Bruin Sytze , Fasbender Dominique , Devos Wim , Bregt Arnold
Published: April 2015

Land cover identification and area quantification are key aspects of implementing the European Common Agriculture Policy. Legitimacy of support provided to farmers is monitored using the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS), with land cover identification performed by visual image interpretation. While the geometric orthoimage quality required for correct interpretation is well understood, little is known about the photometric quality needed for LPIS applications. This paper analyzes the orthoimage quality characteristics chosen by authors as being most suitable for visual identification of agricultural fields. We designed a survey to assess users’ preferred brightness and contrast ranges for orthoimages used for LPIS purposes. Survey questions also tested the influence of a background color on the preferred orthoimage brightness and contrast, the preferred orthoimage format and color composite, assessments of orthoimages with shadowed areas, appreciation of image enhancements and, finally, consistency of individuals’ preferred brightness and contrast settings across multiple sample images. We find that image appreciation is stable at the individual level, but preferences vary across respondents. We therefore recommend that LPIS operators be enabled to personalize photometric settings, such as brightness and contrast values, and to choose the displayed band combination from at least four spectral bands.
Sensing Based on Fano-Type Resonance Response of All-Dielectric Metamaterials
Authors: Semouchkina Elena , Duan Ran , Semouchkin George , Pandey Ravindra
Published: April 2015

A new sensing approach utilizing Mie resonances in metamaterial arrays composed of dielectric resonators is proposed. These arrays were found to exhibit specific, extremely high-Q factor (up to 15,000) resonances at frequencies corresponding to the lower edge of the array second transmission band. The observed resonances possessed with features typical for Fano resonances (FRs), which were initially revealed in atomic processes and recently detected in macro-structures, where they resulted from interference between local resonances and a continuum of background waves. Our studies demonstrate that frequencies and strength of Fano-type resonances in all-dielectric arrays are defined by interaction between local Mie resonances and Fabry-Perot oscillations of Bloch eigenmodes that makes possible controlling the resonance responses by changing array arrangements. The opportunity for obtaining high-Q responses in compact arrays is investigated and promising designs for sensing the dielectric properties of analytes in the ambient are proposed.
An Informationally Structured Room for Robotic Assistance
Authors: Tsuji Tokuo , Mozos Oscar , Chae Hyunuk , Pyo Yoonseok , Kusaka Kazuya , Hasegawa Tsutomu , Morooka Ken'ichi , Kurazume Ryo
Published: April 2015

The application of assistive technologies for elderly people is one of the most promising and interesting scenarios for intelligent technologies in the present and near future. Moreover, the improvement of the quality of life for the elderly is one of the first priorities in modern countries and societies. In this work, we present an informationally structured room that is aimed at supporting the daily life activities of elderly people. This room integrates different sensor modalities in a natural and non-invasive way inside the environment. The information gathered by the sensors is processed and sent to a centralized management system, which makes it available to a service robot assisting the people. One important restriction of our intelligent room is reducing as much as possible any interference with daily activities. Finally, this paper presents several experiments and situations using our intelligent environment in cooperation with our service robot.
Heat Transfer and Friction Characteristics of the Microfluidic Heat Sink with Variously-Shaped Ribs for Chip Cooling
Authors: Wang Gui-Lian , Yang Da-Wei , Wang Yan , Niu Di , Zhao Xiao-Lin , Ding Gui-Fu
Published: April 2015

This paper experimentally and numerically investigated the heat transfer and friction characteristics of microfluidic heat sinks with variously-shaped micro-ribs, i.e., rectangular, triangular and semicircular ribs. The micro-ribs were fabricated on the sidewalls of microfluidic channels by a surface-micromachining micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) process and used as turbulators to improve the heat transfer rate of the microfluidic heat sink. The results indicate that the utilizing of micro-ribs provides a better heat transfer rate, but also increases the pressure drop penalty for microchannels. Furthermore, the heat transfer and friction characteristics of the microchannels are strongly affected by the rib shape. In comparison, the triangular ribbed microchannel possesses the highest Nusselt number and friction factor among the three rib types.
Immunity to Laser Power Variation in a DFB Diode Laser Based Optical Gas Sensor Using a Division Process
Authors: Chang Hengtai , Chang Jun , Huang Qingjie , Wang Qiang , Tian Changbin , Wei Wei , Liu Yuanyuan
Published: April 2015

The division process used in a DFB diode laser-based optical gas sensor was studied to improve the immunity to laser power variation. Residual amplitude modulation (RAM) in wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) detection was eliminated by intensity normalization using a division process. As a result the detected harmonic signals showed a significant improvement in line shape. For the first harmonic (1f) signal, Bias was improved from 38.7% to 1.2%; Baseline Difference was improved from 2.7% to 0.69% and Asymmetry was improved from 15.4% to 0.22%. For the second harmonic (2f) signal, the Asymmetry Coefficient was improved from 103% to 5.1%. Moreover the division process can further suppress the influence of unstable laser power. As a result, for the 1f signal, stable detection with a variation coefficient of 0.59% was obtained over a wide dynamic range (0.38–8.1 mW). For the 2f signal, stable detection with a variation coefficient of 0.53% was obtained from 0.64 mW to 8.27 mW. The test results showed a good agreement with the theoretical analysis and the proposed method has considerable potential application in gas sensing.
The Role of Vegetation in Mitigating Urban Land Surface Temperatures: A Case Study of Munich, Germany during the Warm Season
Authors: Alavipanah Sadroddin , Wegmann Martin , Qureshi Salman , Weng Qihao , Koellner Thomas
Published: April 2015

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) is the phenomenon of altered increased temperatures in urban areas compared to their rural surroundings. UHIs grow and intensify under extreme hot periods, such as during heat waves, which can affect human health and also increase the demand for energy for cooling. This study applies remote sensing and land use/land cover (LULC) data to assess the cooling effect of varying urban vegetation cover, especially during extreme warm periods, in the city of Munich, Germany. To compute the relationship between Land Surface Temperature (LST) and Land Use Land Cover (LULC), MODIS eight-day interval LST data for the months of June, July and August from 2002 to 2012 and the Corine Land Cover (CLC) database were used. Due to similarities in the behavior of surface temperature of different CLCs, some classes were reclassified and combined to form two major, rather simplified, homogenized classes: one of built-up area and one of urban vegetation. The homogenized map was merged with the MODIS eight-day interval LST data to compute the relationship between them. The results revealed that (i) the cooling effect accrued from urban vegetation tended to be non-linear; and (ii) a remarkable and stronger cooling effect in terms of LST was identified in regions where the proportion of vegetation cover was between seventy and almost eighty percent per square kilometer. The results also demonstrated that LST within urban vegetation was affected by the temperature of the surrounding built-up and that during the well-known European 2003 heat wave, suburb areas were cooler from the core of the urbanized region. This study concluded that the optimum green space for obtaining the lowest temperature is a non-linear trend. This could support urban planning strategies to facilitate appropriate applications to mitigate heat-stress in urban area.
BST2/Tetherin Inhibition of Alphavirus Exit
Authors: Ooi Yaw , Dubé Mathieu , Kielian Margaret
Published: April 2015

Alphaviruses such as chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Semliki Forest virus (SFV) are small enveloped RNA viruses that bud from the plasma membrane. Tetherin/BST2 is an interferon-induced host membrane protein that inhibits the release of many enveloped viruses via direct tethering of budded particles to the cell surface. Alphaviruses have highly organized structures and exclude host membrane proteins from the site of budding, suggesting that their release might be insensitive to tetherin inhibition. Here, we demonstrated that exogenously-expressed tetherin efficiently inhibited the release of SFV and CHIKV particles from host cells without affecting virus entry and infection. Alphavirus release was also inhibited by the endogenous levels of tetherin in HeLa cells. While rubella virus (RuV) and dengue virus (DENV) have structural similarities to alphaviruses, tetherin inhibited the release of RuV but not DENV. We found that two recently identified tetherin isoforms differing in length at the N-terminus exhibited distinct capabilities in restricting alphavirus release. SFV exit was efficiently inhibited by the long isoform but not the short isoform of tetherin, while both isoforms inhibited vesicular stomatitis virus exit. Thus, in spite of the organized structure of the virus particle, tetherin specifically blocks alphavirus release and shows an interesting isoform requirement.
Management of Privacy and Security in Cloud Computing
Authors: Tuncalp Deniz
Published: April 2015

There are a number of risk domains that are relevant for information privacy and security in cloud-based scenarios and alternative deployment models, which require implementation of a number of controls. However, cloud service providers often take a one-size-fits-all approach and want all their customers to accept the same standardized contract, regardless of their particular information security and legal compliance needs. Taking ISO 27001 Information Security Management standard as a guide, we have employed the Delphi method with a group of cloud computing experts from around the world who are subscribed to the “Cloud Computing” group on LinkedIN to identify the most applicable controls in a generic cloud service provider – customer context. Based on these results, we use a sample of cloud computing customer service agreement as a case study to further discuss related contingencies. As a result, this chapter argues that a more balanced approach is needed in service contracts to ensure the maintenance of necessary service levels and the protection of cloud users.
Enterprise Security Framework for Enterprise Cloud Data Centres
Authors: Ramachandran Muthu
Published: April 2015

Enterprise security is the key to achieve global information security in business and organisations. Enterprise Cloud computing is a new paradigm for that enterprise where businesses need to be secured. However, this new trend needs to be more systematic with respect to Enterprise Cloud security. This chapter has developed a framework for enterprise security to analyze and model Enterprise Cloud organisational security of the Enterprise Cloud and its data. In particular, Enterprise Cloud data & Enterprise Cloud storage technologies (Amazon s3, Drop Box, Google Drive, etc.) have now become a normal practice for almost every computing user's. Therefore, building trust for Enterprise Cloud users should be the one of the main focuses of Enterprise Cloud computing research. This chapter has developed a framework for enterprises which comprises of two models of businesses: Enterprise Cloud provider enterprise model and Enterprise Cloud consumer enterprise model.
Intelligent IoT-Enabled System in Green Supply Chain using Integrated FCM Method
Authors: Chen Rui-Yang
Published: April 2015

From green supply chain perspective of the internet of things, actualization of the IOT into the complex system for green inventory management will link the real world with the digital world seamlessly. Modeling the complex systems in green supply chain can be hard in a computational utilization and inventory management of relationships exists. Two of the problems of IoT-enabled system are the lack of stable integrated architecture and autonomous mechanism. This paper proposes the intelligent IoT-enabled system in green supply chain using FCM and fuzzy QFD method. It aims to simulate complex system by linked physical and digital objects with relationships while enhancing decision-making performance efficiency for green inventory management. A case study and experiment evaluation of the proposed FCM approach on green supply chain is presented to provide some indication for work improvement. The experiment compares the total effects performance of the green inventory status as estimated by the two methods using the proposed IoT-enabled FCM and traditional FCM.
Elemental composition and clustering behaviour of α-pinene oxidation products for different oxidation conditions
Authors: Praplan A. P. , Schobesberger S. , Bianchi F. , Rissanen M. P. , Ehn M. , Jokinen T. , Junninen H. , Adamov A. , Amorim A. , Dommen J. , Duplissy J. , Hakala J. , Hansel A. , Heinritzi M. , Kangasluoma J. , Kirkby J. , Krapf M. , Kürten A. , Lehtipalo K. , Riccobono F. , Rondo L. , Sarnela N. , Simon M. , Tomé A. , Tröstl J. , Winkler P. M. , Williamson C. , Ye P. , Curtius J. , Baltensperger U. , Donahue N. M. , Kulmala M. , Worsnop D. R.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. This study presents the difference between oxidised organic compounds formed by α-pinene oxidation under various conditions in the CLOUD environmental chamber: (1) pure ozonolysis (in the presence of hydrogen as hydroxyl radical (OH) scavenger) and (2) OH oxidation (initiated by nitrous acid (HONO) photolysis by ultraviolet light) in the absence of ozone. We discuss results from three Atmospheric Pressure interface Time-of-Flight (APi-TOF) mass spectrometers measuring simultaneously the composition of naturally charged as well as neutral species (via chemical ionisation with nitrate). Natural chemical ionisation takes place in the CLOUD chamber and organic oxidised compounds form clusters with nitrate, bisulfate, bisulfate/sulfuric acid clusters, ammonium, and dimethylaminium, or get protonated. The results from this study show that this process is selective for various oxidised organic compounds with low molar mass and ions, so that in order to obtain a comprehensive picture of the elemental composition of oxidation products and their clustering behaviour, several instruments must be used. We compare oxidation products containing 10 and 20 carbon atoms and show that highly oxidised organic compounds are formed in the early stages of the oxidation.
The periglacial engine of mountain erosion – Part 2: Modelling large-scale landscape evolution
Authors: Egholm D. L. , Andersen J. L. , Knudsen M. F. , Jansen J. D. , Nielsen S. B.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. An increasing number of studies point to a strong periglacial control on bedrock erosion in mountain landscapes. Periglacial processes have also been suggested to control the formation of block-fields on high-elevation, low-relief surfaces (summit flats) found in many alpine landscapes. However, to which degree periglacial processes took part in accelerating global erosion rates in response to Late Cenozoic cooling still remains as an unanswered question. In this study, we present a landscape evolution model that incorporates two periglacial processes; frost cracking and frost creep, which both depend on the mean annual temperature (MAT) and sediment thickness. The model experiments allow us to time-integrate the contribution of periglacial processes to mountain topography over million-year time scales. It is a robust result of our experiments that periglacial frost activity leads to the formation of smooth summit flats at elevations dominated by cold climatic conditions through time periods of millions of years. Furthermore, a simplistic scaling of temperatures to δ18O values through the late-Cenozoic indicates that many of the highest summit flats in mid- to high-latitude mountain ranges can have formed prior to the Quaternary. The model experiments also suggest that cooling in the Quaternary accelerated periglacial erosion by expanding the areas affected by periglacial erosion significantly. A computational experiment combining glacial and periglacial erosion furthermore suggests that landscape modifications associated with glacial activity may increase the long-term average efficiency of the frost-related processes.
The Secondary Organic Aerosol Processor (SOAP v1.0) model: a unified model with different ranges of complexity based on the molecular surrogate approach
Authors: Couvidat F. , Sartelet K.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. In this paper the Secondary Organic Aerosol Processor (SOAP v1.0) model is presented. This model determines the partitioning of organic compounds between the gas and particle phases. It is designed to be modular with different user options depending on the computation time and the complexity required by the user. This model is based on the molecular surrogate approach, in which each surrogate compound is associated with a molecular structure to estimate some properties and parameters (hygroscopicity, absorption into the aqueous phase of particles, activity coefficients and phase separation). Each surrogate can be hydrophilic (condenses only into the aqueous phase of particles), hydrophobic (condenses only into the organic phases of particles) or both (condenses into both the aqueous and the organic phases of particles). Activity coefficients are computed with the UNIFAC (UNIversal Functional group Activity Coefficient; Fredenslund et al., 1975) thermodynamic model for short-range interactions and with the Aerosol Inorganic–Organic Mixtures Functional groups Activity Coefficients (AIOMFAC) parameterization for medium- and long-range interactions between electrolytes and organic compounds. Phase separation is determined by Gibbs energy minimization. The user can choose between an equilibrium representation and a dynamic representation of organic aerosols (OAs). In the equilibrium representation, compounds in the particle phase are assumed to be at equilibrium with the gas phase. However, recent studies show that the organic aerosol is not at equilibrium with the gas phase because the organic phases could be semi-solid (very viscous liquid phase). The condensation–evaporation of organic compounds could then be limited by the diffusion in the organic phases due to the high viscosity. An implicit dynamic representation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) is available in SOAP with OAs divided into layers, the first layer being at the center of the particle (slowly reaches equilibrium) and the final layer being near the interface with the gas phase (quickly reaches equilibrium). Although this dynamic implicit representation is a simplified approach to model condensation–evaporation with a low number of layers and short CPU (central processing unit) time, it shows good agreements with an explicit representation of condensation–evaporation (no significant differences after a few hours of condensation).
Hydrological recurrence as a measure for large river basin classification and process understanding
Authors: Fernandez R. , Sayama T.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. Hydrological functions of river basins are summarized as collection, storage and discharge, which can be characterized by the dynamics of hydrological variables including precipitation, evaporation, storage and runoff. The temporal patterns of each variable can be indicators of the functionality of a basin. In this paper we introduce a measure to quantify the degree of similarity in intra-annual variations at monthly scale at different years for the four main variables. We introduce this measure under the term of recurrence and define it as the degree to which a monthly hydrological variable returns to the same state in subsequent years. The degree of recurrence in runoff is important not only for the management of water resources but also for the understanding of hydrologic processes, especially in terms of how the other three variables determine the recurrence in runoff. The main objective of this paper is to propose a simple hydrologic classification framework applicable to large basins at global scale based on the combinations of recurrence in the four variables using a monthly scale time series. We evaluate it with lagged autocorrelation (AC), fast Fourier transforms (FFT) and Colwell's indices of variables obtained from the EU-WATCH data set, which is composed of eight global hydrologic model (GHM) and land surface model (LSM) outputs. By setting a threshold to define high or low recurrence in the four variables, we classify each river basin into 16 possible classes. The overview of recurrence patterns at global scale suggested that precipitation is recurrent mainly in the humid tropics, Asian monsoon area and part of higher latitudes with an oceanic influence. Recurrence in evaporation was mainly dependent on the seasonality of energy availability, typically high in the tropics, temperate and sub-arctic regions. Recurrence in storage at higher latitudes depends on energy/water balances and snow, while that in runoff is mostly affected by the different combinations of these three variables. According to the river basin classification, 10 out of the 16 possible classes were present in the 35 largest river basins in the world. In the humid tropic region, the basins belong to a class with high recurrence in all the variables, while in the subtropical region many of the river basins have low recurrence. In the temperate region, the energy limited or water limited in summer characterizes the recurrence in storage, but runoff exhibits generally low recurrence due to the low recurrence in precipitation. In the sub-arctic and arctic regions, the amount of snow also influences the classes; more snow yields higher recurrence in storage and runoff. Our proposed framework follows a simple methodology that can aid in grouping river basins with similar characteristics of water, energy and storage cycles. The framework is applicable at different scales with different data sets to provide useful insights into the understanding of hydrologic regimes based on the classification.
The Global Network of Isotopes in Rivers (GNIR): integration of water isotopes in watershed observation and riverine research
Authors: Halder J. , Terzer S. , Wassenaar L. I. , Araguás-Araguás L. J. , Aggarwal P. K.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. We introduce a new online global database of riverine water stable isotopes (Global Network of Isotopes in Rivers) and evaluate its longer-term data holdings. Overall, 218 GNIR river stations were clustered into 3 different groups based on the seasonal variation in their isotopic composition, which was closely coupled to precipitation and snow-melt water run-off regimes. Sinusoidal fit functions revealed periodic phases within each grouping and deviations from the sinusoidal functions revealed important river alterations or hydrological processes in these watersheds. The seasonal isotopic amplitude of δ18O in rivers averaged 2.5 ‰, and did not increase as a function of latitude, as it does for global precipitation. Low seasonal isotopic amplitudes in rivers suggest the prevalence of mixing and storage such as occurs via lakes, reservoirs, and groundwater. The application of a catchment-constrained regionalized cluster-based water isotope prediction model (CC-RCWIP) allowed direct comparison between the expected isotopic composition for the upstream catchment precipitation with the measured isotopic composition of river discharge at observation stations. The catchment-constrained model revealed a strong global isotopic correlation between average rainfall and river discharge (R2 = 0.88) and the study demonstrated that the seasonal isotopic composition and variation of river water can be predicted. Deviations in data from model predicted values suggest there are important natural or anthropogenic catchment processes, like evaporation, damming, and water storage in the upstream catchment.
Magma mixing enhanced by bubble segregation
Authors: Wiesmaier S. , Morgavi D. , Renggli C. , Perugini D. , De Campos C. P. , Hess K.-U. , Ertel-Ingrisch W. , Lavallée Y. , Dingwell D. B.
Published: April 2015

Abstract. That rising bubbles may significantly affect magma mixing paths has already been demon strated by analogue experiments. Here, for the first time, bubble-advection experiments are performed employing volcanic melts at magmatic temperatures. Cylinders of basaltic glass were placed below cylinders of rhyolite glass. Upon melting, interstitial air formed bubbles that rose into the rhyolite melt, thereby entraining tails of basaltic liquid. The formation of plume-like filaments of advected basalt within the rhyolite was characterized by microCT and subsequent high-resolution EMP analyses. Melt entrainment by bubble ascent appears to be an efficient mechanism for mingling volcanic melts of highly contrasting compositions and properties. MicroCT imaging reveals bubbles trailing each other and multiple filaments coalescing into bigger ones. Rheological modelling of the filaments yields viscosities of up to 2 orders of magnitude lower than for the surrounding rhyolitic liquid. Such a viscosity contrast implies that bubbles rising successively are likely to follow this pathway of low resistance that previously ascending bubbles have generated. Filaments formed by multiple bubbles would thus experience episodic replenishment with mafic material. Inevitable implications for the concept of bubble advection in magma mixing include thereby both an acceleration of mixing because of decreased viscous resistance for bubbles inside filaments and non-conventional diffusion systematics because of intermittent supply of mafic material (instead of a single pulse) inside a material. Inside the filaments, the mafic material was variably hybridised to andesitic through rhyolitic composition. Compositional profiles alone are ambiguous, however, to determine whether single or multiple bubbles were involved during formation of a filament. Statistical analysis, employing concentration variance as measure of homogenisation, demonstrates that also filaments appearing as single-bubble filaments are likely to have experienced multiple bubbles passages. In cases where bubbles have been essential for magma mixing, standard diffusion analysis may thus be inadequate for constraining timescales. However, data analysis employing concentration variance relaxation permits the distinction of conventional single-pulse filaments from multiple bubble ascent advection in natural samples, demonstrating yet another powerful application of this novel petrological tool.
Impact of Surgical Excision of Deep Infiltrating Bowel Endometriosis on Health-Related Quality of Life: Review of Current Literature
Authors: Arendas Kristina , Foster Warren G. , Leyland Nicholas A.
Published: April 2015

Background

The aim of this study was to systematically review the impact of surgical excision of deep infiltrating endometriosis involving the bowel, on health-related quality of life, based on the currently available literature.

Methods

A systematic review was completed of English-language publications in the last 10 years, which had assessed the impact of surgical excision on quality of life in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis of the bowel using standardized, validated quality-of-life questionnaires.

Results

Fourteen studies were identified. Standardized questionnaires used to assess the therapeutic impact on quality of life were the SF-36, SF-12, EHP-30, EQ-5D and 15D. Overall, women with bowel endometriosis scored lower on quality-of-life measures than the general population. Regardless of which standardized, validated questionnaire was used, surgical treatment had a positive impact on health-related quality of life.

Conclusions

Endometriosis, in particular deep infiltrating endometriosis of the bowel, has a profound impact on the quality of life of women diagnosed with the condition. Though surgical excision has a positive short-term impact, studies are needed to assess the long-term impact on quality of life in this lifelong, chronic, recurring condition.
Décisions policières sous la Loi sur le système de justice pénale pour les adolescents. L’influence du sexe et de l’apparence ethnique1
Authors: Faubert2 Camille , Montmagny Grenier Catherine , Boivin Rémi
Published: April 2015

La question du profilage est régulièrement soulevée lorsqu’il est question d’intervention policière. Plusieurs analyses ont en effet conclu que certains groupes de personnes, comme les Noirs et les hommes, étaient surreprésentés parmi les individus arrêtés ou interpellés par la police. Les travaux de Steffensmeier et ses collègues ont démontré que la situation pouvait être encore plus complexe : ils ont proposé que certaines caractéristiques individuelles interagissent entre elles et que leur effet sur la sévérité des acteurs du système judiciaire soit multiplicatif plutôt qu’additif. Cette étude vise à tester l’effet d’interaction entre le sexe et l’origine ethnique, deux composantes visibles de l’identité d’un individu. Plus spécifiquement, l’étude porte sur la décision de recourir à des mesures extrajudiciaires à l’endroit d’adolescents ayant commis des vols simples de moins de 200 dollars dans une grande ville canadienne, comme le permet laLoi sur le système de justice pénale pour les adolescents(LSJPA) (n = 1647 décisions). Les résultats indiquent que les garçons non blancs sont de 1,7 à 2,0 fois moins susceptibles que les autres de bénéficier de mesures extrajudiciaires, à infraction similaire. Les trois autres groupes (garçons blancs, filles blanches, filles non blanches) ne se distinguent pas entre eux. En conclusion, l’analyse suggère que ces pratiques ne découleraient pas tant de la malveillance des policiers que de directives favorisant l’arrestation d’une plus grande proportion de garçons non blancs.
Extensive site-directed mutagenesis reveals interconnected functional units in the alkaline phosphatase active site
Authors: Sunden Fanny , Peck Ariana , Salzman Julia , Ressl Susanne , Herschlag Daniel
Published: April 2015

Enzymes enable life by accelerating reaction rates to biological timescales. Conventional studies have focused on identifying the residues that have a direct involvement in an enzymatic reaction, but these so-called ‘catalytic residues’ are embedded in extensive interaction networks. Although fundamental to our understanding of enzyme function, evolution, and engineering, the properties of these networks have yet to be quantitatively and systematically explored. We dissected an interaction network of five residues in the active site of Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase. Analysis of the complex catalytic interdependence of specific residues identified three energetically independent but structurally interconnected functional units with distinct modes of cooperativity. From an evolutionary perspective, this network is orders of magnitude more probable to arise than a fully cooperative network. From a functional perspective, new catalytic insights emerge. Further, such comprehensive energetic characterization will be necessary to benchmark the algorithms required to rationally engineer highly efficient enzymes.
Interneurons and oligodendrocyte progenitors form a structured synaptic network in the developing neocortex
Authors: Orduz David , Maldonado Paloma P , Balia Maddalena , Vélez-Fort Mateo , de Sars Vincent , Yanagawa Yuchio , Emiliani Valentina , Angulo Maria Cecilia
Published: April 2015

NG2 cells, oligodendrocyte progenitors, receive a major synaptic input from interneurons in the developing neocortex. It is presumed that these precursors integrate cortical networks where they act as sensors of neuronal activity. We show that NG2 cells of the developing somatosensory cortex form a transient and structured synaptic network with interneurons that follows its own rules of connectivity. Fast-spiking interneurons, highly connected to NG2 cells, target proximal subcellular domains containing GABAA receptors with γ2 subunits. Conversely, non-fast-spiking interneurons, poorly connected with these progenitors, target distal sites lacking this subunit. In the network, interneuron-NG2 cell connectivity maps exhibit a local spatial arrangement reflecting innervation only by the nearest interneurons. This microcircuit architecture shows a connectivity peak at PN10, coinciding with a switch to massive oligodendrocyte differentiation. Hence, GABAergic innervation of NG2 cells is temporally and spatially regulated from the subcellular to the network level in coordination with the onset of oligodendrogenesis.
Examining kinesin processivity within a general gating framework
Authors: Andreasson Johan OL , Milic Bojan , Chen Geng-Yuan , Guydosh Nicholas R , Hancock William O , Block Steven M
Published: April 2015

Kinesin-1 is a dimeric motor that transports cargo along microtubules, taking 8.2-nm steps in a hand-over-hand fashion. The ATP hydrolysis cycles of its two heads are maintained out of phase by a series of gating mechanisms, which lead to processive runs averaging ∼1 μm. A key structural element for inter-head coordination is the neck linker (NL), which connects the heads to the stalk. To examine the role of the NL in regulating stepping, we investigated NL mutants of various lengths using single-molecule optical trapping and bulk fluorescence approaches in the context of a general framework for gating. Our results show that, although inter-head tension enhances motor velocity, it is crucial neither for inter-head coordination nor for rapid rear-head release. Furthermore, cysteine-light mutants do not produce wild-type motility under load. We conclude that kinesin-1 is primarily front-head gated, and that NL length is tuned to enhance unidirectional processivity and velocity.
RACORO continental boundary layer cloud investigations: 1. Case study development and ensemble large‐scale forcings
Authors: Vogelmann Andrew M. , Fridlind Ann M. , Toto Tami , Endo Satoshi , Lin Wuyin , Wang Jian , Feng Sha , Zhang Yunyan , Turner David D. , Liu Yangang , Li Zhijin , Xie Shaocheng , Ackerman Andrew S. , Zhang Minghua , Khairoutdinov Marat
Published: April 2015

Observation‐based modeling case studies of continental boundary layer clouds have been developed to study cloudy boundary layers, aerosol influences upon them, and their representation in cloud‐ and global‐scale models. Three 60 h case study periods span the temporal evolution of cumulus, stratiform, and drizzling boundary layer cloud systems, representing mixed and transitional states rather than idealized or canonical cases. Based on in situ measurements from the Routine AAF (Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Aerial Facility) CLOWD (Clouds with Low Optical Water Depth) Optical Radiative Observations (RACORO) field campaign and remote sensing observations, the cases are designed with a modular configuration to simplify use in large‐eddy simulations (LES) and single‐column models. Aircraft measurements of aerosol number size distribution are fit to lognormal functions for concise representation in models. Values of the aerosol hygroscopicity parameter, κ, are derived from observations to be ~0.10, which are lower than the 0.3 typical over continents and suggestive of a large aerosol organic fraction. Ensemble large‐scale forcing data sets are derived from the ARM variational analysis, European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts, and a multiscale data assimilation system. The forcings are assessed through comparison of measured bulk atmospheric and cloud properties to those computed in “trial” large‐eddy simulations, where more efficient run times are enabled through modest reductions in grid resolution and domain size compared to the full‐sized LES grid. Simulations capture many of the general features observed, but the state‐of‐the‐art forcings were limited at representing details of cloud onset, and tight gradients and high‐resolution transients of importance. Methods for improving the initial conditions and forcings are discussed. The cases developed are available to the general modeling community for studying continental boundary clouds.
Recovery of secular deformation field of Mojave Shear Zone in Southern California from historical terrestrial and GPS measurements
Authors: Liu Shaozhuo , Shen Zheng‐Kang , Bürgmann Roland
Published: April 2015

The 1992 Mw 7.3 Landers and 1999 Mw 7.1 Hector Mine earthquakes struck the Eastern California Shear Zone (ECSZ) in the Mojave Desert, Southern California. Coseismic and postseismic deformation from these events affect efforts to use Global Positioning System (GPS) observations collected since these events to establish a secular surface velocity field, especially in the near field of the coseismic ruptures. We devise block motion models constrained by both historical pre‐Landers triangulation and trilateration observations and post‐Landers GPS measurements to recover the secular deformation field and differentiate the postseismic transients in the Mojave region. Postseismic transients are found to remain in the Southern California Earthquake Center Crustal Motion Map Version 4, Plate Boundary Observatory, and Scripps Orbit and Permanent Array Center GPS velocity solutions in the form of 2–3 mm/yr excess right‐lateral shear across the Landers and Hector Mine coseismic ruptures. The cumulative deformation rate across the Mojave ECSZ is 13.2–14.4 mm/yr, at least twice the geologic rate since the late Pleistocene (≤6.2 ± 1.9 mm/yr). Postseismic GPS time series based on our secular velocity field reveal enduring late‐stage transient motions in the near field of the coseismic ruptures that provide new constraints on the rheological structure of the lower crust and upper mantle.
An improved space‐time ETAS model for inverting the rupture geometry from seismicity triggering
Authors: Guo Yicun , Zhuang Jiancang , Zhou Shiyong
Published: April 2015

This study incorporates the rupture geometry of big earthquakes in the formulation of the Epidemic‐Type Aftershock Sequence (ETAS) model, which is a point process model widely applied in the study of spatiotemporal seismicity, rather than regarding every earthquake occurring at a point in space and time. We apply the new model to the catalog from Sichuan province, China, between 1990 and 2013, during which the WenchuanMw7.9 earthquake occurred in May 2008. Our results show that the modified model has better performance in both data fitting and aftershock simulation, confirming that the elliptic aftershock zone is caused by the superposition of the isotropic triggering effect from each patch of the rupture zone. Moreover, using the technique of stochastic reconstruction, we inverted the fault geometry and verified that direct aftershocks of the main shock more likely occur in the transitive parts from high‐slip parts to low/median slip parts of the main shock fault area.
Cushioning and Energy Absorbing Property of Combined Aluminum Honeycomb
Authors: Lin Yu‐Liang , Zhang Zhi‐Feng , Chen Rong , Li Yan , Wen Xue‐Jun , Lu Fang‐Yun
Published: April 2015

Aluminum honeycomb is a good energy‐absorption material because of its high strength and low density. To estimate the buffering and energy absorbing capacity of aluminum honeycomb, we designed and tested a cylindrical cushioning structure with two types of aluminum honeycomb. In the experiments, the out‐of‐plane crushing behavior of aluminum honeycombs was investigated on three types of samples including single honeycomb sample, stacked samples with two honeycombs, and three honeycombs at a fixed quasi‐static loading condition. The results show that the energy‐absorbing capacity of combined honeycomb sample is slightly better than that of the single honeycomb sample with the same total thickness in the concerned range. However, the collapse stress will significantly increase when two specimens with approximately the same thickness insert into each other completely, which should be avoided in the cushioning design. The design of combined honeycomb consisted of three stacked honeycombs can obtain a relatively smooth stress state, which is beneficial to protect the cylinder. As a result, one can draw a conclusion that combined honeycomb buffer consisted of multi‐layered honeycomb samples should be given priority in the optimization design of aluminum honeycomb buffer.
Phenotypic variation of TTC19‐deficient mitochondrial complex III deficiency: A case report and literature review
Authors: Mordaunt Dylan A. , Jolley Alexandra , Balasubramaniam Shanti , Thorburn David R. , Mountford Hayley S. , Compton Alison G. , Nicholl Jillian , Manton Nicholas , Clark Damian , Bratkovic Drago , Friend Kathryn , Yu Sui
Published: April 2015

Isolated mitochondrial respiratory chain complex III deficiency has been described in a heterogeneous group of clinical presentations in children and adults. It has been associated with mutations in MT‐CYB, the only mitochondrial DNA encoded subunit, as well as in nine nuclear genes described thus far: BCS1L, TTC19, UQCRB, UQCRQ, UQCRC2, CYC1, UQCC2, LYRM7, and UQCC3. BCS1L, TTC19, UQCC2, LYRM7, and UQCC3 are complex III assembly factors. We report on an 8‐year‐old girl born to consanguineous Iraqi parents presenting with slowly progressive encephalomyopathy, severe failure to thrive, significant delays in verbal and communicative skills and bilateral retinal cherry red spots on fundoscopy. SNP array identified multiple regions of homozygosity involving 7.5% of the genome. Mutations in the TTC19 gene are known to cause complex III deficiency and TTC19 was located within the regions of homozygosity. Sequencing of TTC19 revealed a homozygous nonsense mutation at exon 6 (c.937C > T; p.Q313X). We reviewed the phenotypes and genotypes of all 11 patients with TTC19 mutations leading to complex III deficiency (including our case). The consistent features noted are progressive neurodegeneration with Leigh‐like brain MRI abnormalities. Significant variability was observed however with the age of symptom onset and rate of disease progression. The bilateral retinal cherry red spots and failure to thrive observed in our patient are unique features, which have not been described, in previously reported patients with TTC19 mutations. Interestingly, all reported TTC19 mutations are nonsense mutations. The severity of clinical manifestations however does not specifically correlate with the residual complex III enzyme activities. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Autistic and Rett‐like features associated with 2q33.3–q34 interstitial deletion
Authors: Jang Dae‐Hyun , Chae Hyojin , Kim Myungshin
Published: April 2015

We describe the fourth reported case of a de novo 2q33.3–q34 interstitial deletion and review the literature in attempt to identify relevant candidate genes. A 15‐month‐old female patient presented for evaluation with poor eye contact and developmental delay. She had microcephaly and mild dysmorphic features, such as downslanting palpebral fissures, high forehead, small mouth, high palate, and general hypotonia. At 30 months of age, she was referred to the genetic clinic for an evaluation of persistent developmental delay, autistic traits, and Rett‐like features, including bruxism and repetitive movement of the left hand. Chromosome analysis revealed 46,XX at the 550 band level. No abnormalities were found on analysis of MECP2 gene for Rett syndrome and a DNA methylation test for Prader–Willi syndrome. An array comparative genomic hybridization analysis revealed a de novo 2q33.3–q34 heterozygous deletion (206,048,173–211,980,867). The deletion was estimated to be 5.9 Mb in size and contained 34 known genes. Candidate genes were identified as NRP2, ADAM23, KLF7, CREB1, MAP2, UNC80, and LANCL1 for the 2q33.3–q34 interstitial deletion. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Preparation and aqueous solution behavior of a ph‐responsive branched copolymer based on 2‐(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate
Authors: Wang Lei , Huang Wen , Wang Shijie , Cui Yuezhi , Yang Pengfei , Yang Xiaodeng , Weaver Jonathan V. M.
Published: April 2015

pH‐Responsive amphiphilic branched copolymers were prepared from poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA), 2‐(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA), 2‐(tert‐butylamino)ethyl methacrylate (tBAEMA), and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) utilizing a thiol‐modified free radical polymerization. The molecular structures of copolymers were confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR) and triple‐detection gel permeation chromatography (tri‐GPC). The aqueous solution behaviors of the obtained copolymers were investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The DLS data showed that about 16 nm polymer particles comprising of hydrophobic poly(tert‐butylamino)ethyl methacrylate (PtBAEMA) and poly(diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (PDEAEMA) core, hydrophilic PEGMA corona were formed above pH 8. With the decrease of pH from 8 to 6, a dramatic increase in the hydrodynamic radius of polymer particles from 16 nm to 130 nm was observed resulting from the protonation of the PDEAEMA segment. Moreover, in vitro drug release behaviors of the resulting polymer assemblies at different pH values were also investigated to evaluate their potential as sustained release drug carriers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42183.
Synthesis, Biological Activity, and Docking Study of Novel Isatin Coupled Thiazolidin‐4‐one Derivatives as Anticonvulsants
Authors: Nikalje Anna P. , Ansari Altamash , Bari Sanjay , Ugale Vinod
Published: April 2015

A series of 2‐(substituted‐phenyl)‐3‐(2‐oxoindolin‐3‐ylidene)amino)‐thiazolidin‐4‐one derivatives were designed and synthesized under microwave irradiation, using an eco‐friendly, efficient, microwave‐assisted synthetic protocol that involves cyclocondensation of 3‐substituted benzylidine‐hydrazono‐indolin‐2‐one 3a–j with thioglycolic acid in dimethyl formamide (DMF) as solvent and anhydrous zinc chloride as a catalyst, keeping in view the structural requirement of the pharmacophore. The intermediate compounds 3a–j were obtained by condensation of the hydrazone of indoline‐2,3‐dione with aromatic aldehydes. The synthesized derivatives were evaluated for CNS depressant activity and anticonvulsant activity in mice using the maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (sc‐PTZ) induced seizure tests. All the derivatives showed good CNS depressant activity and showed protection in the MES test, indicative of their ability to inhibit the seizure spread. A histopathological study was performed to evaluate liver toxicity caused by the synthesized compounds. The compounds were nontoxic. A computational study was performed, in which log P values were calculated experimentally. Virtual screening was performed by molecular docking of the designed compounds into the ATP binding sites of the NMDA and AMPA receptors, to predict if these compounds have analogous binding modes.