bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The West Andaman Fault: A complex strain‐partitioning boundary at the seaward edge of the Aceh Basin, offshore Sumatra
Authors: Martin Kylara M. , Gulick Sean P. S. , Austin James A. , Berglar Kai , Franke Dieter , Udrekh
Published: April 2014

Along the Sumatran subduction zone, oblique strain is partitioned between the Sunda megathrust and the strike‐slip Sumatran Fault located near the volcanic arc. Additional strike‐slip motion may localize adjacent to the forearc basin system, forming the Mentawai and West Andaman Fault Zones. An alternative interpretation of the West Andaman Fault, as primarily a backthrust, has also been proposed. We combine a 2‐D multichannel seismic survey (SUMUT) acquired aboard the R/V Sonne in 2008 with previous bathymetry and seismic surveys to characterize the West Andaman Fault adjacent to the Aceh forearc Basin. Two‐dimensional Kirchoff prestack time migration of SUMUT profiles provides the clearest images to date of this portion of the West Andaman Fault. In these images we interpret inward dipping fault segments along the West Andaman Fault indicative of a transpressional flower structure. A reflector at the base of the Aceh Basin sediments (believed to be base Neogene in age) continues trenchward of the fault zone for >15 km and has geometry inconsistent with the geometry expected if a major backthrust were to daylight at the edge of the basin. Therefore, we conclude that the West Andaman Fault is predominantly strike‐slip in nature. As such, the West Andaman is likely part of a system of faults including the Sumatran Fault that accommodate the significant shear component of strain in this oblique subduction zone. Additionally, the location of the West Andaman Fault within the forearc may be controlled by the rheologic contrast between the marginal plateau and the forearc basin.
Amazonian societies on the brink of extinction
Authors: Walker Robert S. , Hamilton Marcus J.
Published: April 2014

Objectives: Greater Amazonia harbors as many as 100 locations of isolated indigenous peoples. Few options are available to assess the demographic health of these populations given their limited contact with the outside world. Remote sensing offers one option.

Methods: An isolated village in Brazil near the Peruvian border is visible with Google Earth imagery from 2006. The area of the fields and village, as well as the living area of the four longhouses, are measured and compared to population‐by‐area measurements for 71 other Brazilian indigenous communities.

Results: The estimated population of the village is no more than 40 people. A village as small as this one, if it has become disconnected from a metapopulation, risks imminent extinction if it has fallen below a minimum viable population size.

Conclusions: An active remote surveillance program is urgently needed to track the movements and demographic health of isolated peoples in hopes of improving their dire chances for long‐term survival. They need protected areas that are large enough to mitigate against external threats. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:570–572, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Palladium(II)‐N‐heterocyclic carbene complexes: synthesis, characterization and catalytic application
Authors: Çekirdek Suzan , Yaşar Sedat , Özdemir İsmail
Published: April 2014

N‐Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are of great importance and are powerful ligands for transition metals. A new series of sterically hindered benzimidazole‐based NHC ligands (LHX) (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f), silver–NHC complexes (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f) and palladium–NHC complexes (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f) have been synthesized and characterized using appropriate spectroscopic techniques. Studies have focused on the development of a more efficient catalytic system for the Suzuki coupling reaction of aryl chlorides. Catalytic performance of Pd–NHC complexes and in situ prepared Pd(OAc)2/LHX catalysts has been investigated for the Suzuki cross‐coupling reaction under mild reaction conditions in aqueous N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF). These complexes smoothly catalyzed the Suzuki–Miyaura reactions of electron‐rich and electron‐poor aryl chlorides. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A green and efficient method for synthesis of benzimidazoles using nano‐Fe3O4 in PEG‐400/H2O aqueous system under ambient conditions at room temperature
Authors: Wang Zhao‐gang , Zhu Jie , Zhu Zhou‐shuo , Xu Jian , Lu Ming
Published: April 2014

In this paper, a green and facile protocol was described which was efficient for synthesis of benzimidazoles using nano‐Fe3O4 catalyst with continuous bubbling of air as the oxidant in PEG‐400/H2O aqueous system at room temperature. This protocol afforded the target products in good to excellent yields and the catalytic system could be recycled and reused without significant loss of catalytic activity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reversible isomerization and cure monitoring of epoxy azobenzene resins
Authors: Moniruzzaman Mohammed , Christogianni Paraskevi , Kister Guillaume
Published: April 2014

The photoresponsive behavior of the glycidyloxyazobenzene (GOAB) monomer, synthesized using an improved method, is examined by UV/Vis spectroscopy. The monomer is cured with diethylenetriamine (DETA), forming a new epoxy resin. Proton NMR spectroscopy is used to monitor the completion of the curing reactions. Kinetics for reversible trans and cis isomerization in the cured system and also in the epoxy monomer are identified by UV/Vis spectroscopy during in situ irradiation with appropriate wavelengths (290–320 nm for UV and 400–500 nm for visible). The rates of recovery of the monomer from cis to trans forms are also obtained by heating and storing in the dark. Furthermore, the reactivity of the monofunctional GOAB monomer with a common amine, DETA, as a curing agent, is investigated using isothermal and dynamic heating scans in a DSC pan and by simultaneously monitoring the near‐FTIR spectra. The modified epoxy azobenzene proved to be reactive enough with DETA to form a network that can sustain temperatures of up to 200°C. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40770.
Tailoring the molecular and thermo–mechanical properties of kraft lignin by ultrafiltration
Authors: Sevastyanova Olena , Helander Mikaela , Chowdhury Sudip , Lange Heiko , Wedin Helena , Zhang Liming , Ek Monica , Kadla John F. , Crestini Claudia , Lindström Mikael E.
Published: April 2014

This study has shown that ultrafiltration allows the selective extraction from industrial black liquors of lignin fraction with specific thermo‐mechanical properties, which can be matched to the intended end uses. Ultrafiltration resulted in the efficient fractionation of kraft lignin according to its molecular weight, with an accumulation of sulfur‐containing compounds in the low‐molecular weight fractions. The obtained lignin samples had a varying quantities of functional groups, which correlated with their molecular weight with decreased molecular size, the lignin fractions had a higher amount of phenolic hydroxyl groups and fewer aliphatic hydroxyl groups. Depending on the molecular weight, glass‐transition temperatures (Tg) between 70 and 170°C were obtained for lignin samples isolated from the same batch of black liquor, a tendency confirmed by two independent methods, DSC, and dynamic rheology (DMA). The Fox–Flory equation adequately described the relationship between the number average molecular masses (Mn) and Tg's‐irrespective of the method applied. DMA showed that low‐molecular‐weight lignin exhibits a good flow behavior as well as high‐temperature crosslinking capability. Unfractionated and high molecular weight lignin (Mw >5 kDa), on the other hand, do not soften sufficiently and may require additional modifications for use in thermal processings where melt‐flow is required as the first step. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40799.
THE CONTENT OF AMINO ACIDS IN ARTIFICIAL DIET INFLUENCES THE DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION OF BROWN PLANTHOPPER, Nilaparvata lugens (STÅL)
Authors: Pan Xuehua , Lu Kai , Qi Shu , Zhou Qiang , Zhou Qiang
Published: April 2014

Nitrogen availability from dietary protein has profound effects on the physiology and ecology of insect herbivores. The amount of amino acids consumed by Nilaparvata lugens impacts its phenotypic characteristics and reproduction. In this work, we hypothesized that amino acids deficiency leads to physiological trade‐offs between survival and reproduction. We investigated the effect of larval nutrition on larval period, wing dimorphism, egg production, ovarian development, lifespan, and stored nutrients. Larvae were reared on the standard medium and an amino acid deficient medium (AADM), adults were reared on the standard medium. Nymphs reared on AADM had shorter larval period (20.78 d/23.09 d), higher brachypterous forms (34.06%/16.52%), the adults females were fed back on standard medium after emergency, they featured extended preoviposition period (11.41/13.45 d), declining number of laid eggs (2.27/37.44), ovarian dysplasia, and shorter lifespan compared with control group. Adults from both dietary treatment groups had approximately the same proportion of total lipids and protein nutrients carried over from larvae feeding into adulthood. We infer that N. lugens makes a physiological trade‐off between survival and reproduction by suppressing ovarian development. This is probably a common strategy during times of nutritional deficiency in nature.
The effects of information privacy concerns on digitizing personal health records
Authors: Li Ting , Slee Thomas
Published: April 2014

Electronic health record (EHR) systems can improve service efficiency and quality within the health care sector and thus have been widely considered for adoption. Yet the introduction of such systems has caused much concern about patients' information privacy. This study provides new insights into how privacy concerns play a role in patients' decisions to permit digitization of their personal health information. We conducted an online experiment and collected data from 164 patients who are involved in the nonmandatory EHR adoption in the Netherlands. We found that the negative effect of information privacy concerns on patients' willingness to opt in is influenced by the degree of EHR system interoperability and patients' ability to control disclosure of their information. The results show that, for a networked EHR system, the negative effect of privacy concerns on opt‐in behavior was reinforced more than for the stand‐alone system. The results also suggest that giving patients greater ability to control their information can alleviate their privacy concerns when they make opt‐in decisions. We discuss the implications of these findings.
Historians' use of digital archival collections: The web, historical scholarship, and archival research
Authors: Sinn Donghee , Soares Nicholas
Published: April 2014

This article reports a research study about historians' experiences using digital archival collections for research articles that they published in the American Historical Review. We contacted these authors to ask about their research processes, with regard to digital archival collections, and their perceptions of the usefulness of digital archival collections to historical research. This study presents a realistic portrayal of the “uses” and “impacts” of digital primary sources from the perspectives of historians who use digital collections for their research projects. The findings from this study indicate that digital archival collections are important source materials for historical studies for various reasons. However, the amount of authority digital materials possess as historical resources was disputed. Many historians preferred documents in their original form, but historians' preferences began to change as they increasingly consulted digital formats. As the web has developed into an important research platform, historians have adopted different research patterns, one of which is using random web searches to find digital primary sources. Historians' understandings of the “use” of digital archival collections revealed a spectrum of activities including finding, understanding, interpreting, and citing digital information. Historians in this study worked concurrently on multiple studies or on a larger project for a book, and each of their searches for digital collections had the potential to provide them with useful results for several research studies.
Optimal adaptive replacement in a renewal process
Authors: Robinson Neville , Aboura Khalid
Published: April 2014

In this paper we present an exact method for computing the Weibull renewal function and its derivative for application in maintenance optimization. The computational method provides a solid extension to previous work by which an approximation to the renewal function was used in a Bayesian approach to determine optimal replacement times. In the maintenance scenario, under the assumption an item is replaced by a new one upon failure, the underlying process between planned replacement times is a renewal process. The Bayesian approach takes into account failure and survival information at each planned replacement stage to update the optimal time until the next planned replacement. To provide a simple approach to carry out in practice, we limit the decision process to a one‐step optimization problem in the sequential decision problem. We make the Weibull assumption for the lifetime distribution of an item and calculate accurately the renewal function and its derivative. A method for finding zeros of a function is adapted to the maintenance optimization problem, making use of the availability of the derivative of the renewal function. Furthermore, we develop the maximum likelihood estimate version of the Bayesian approach and illustrate it with simulated examples. The maintenance algorithm retains the adaptive concept of the Bayesian methodology but reduces the computational need. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimization of 2,3‐butanediol production by Enterobacter cloacae in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of corncob residue
Authors: Zhang Cui‐Ying , Peng Xiao‐Pei , Li Wei , Guo Xue‐Wu , Xiao Dong‐Guang
Published: April 2014

Corncob residue, a waste in xylose or xylitol production, was utilized to produce 2,3‐butanediol (2,3‐BD) via simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). This study developed the optimal conditions for production of 2,3‐BD by using a heat‐resistant strain, Enterobacter cloacae UV4, to perform SSF of the corncob residue. Urea, lactic acid, sodium citrate, and MgSO4, selected by the Plackett–Burman experiment, were determined to be significant independent variables to conduct the response surface experiment. With the optimized medium, a total production of 28.923 g/L for 2,3‐BD and acetoin (BA) was obtained at 60 H. Furthermore, 43.162 g/L of BA production and 0.553 g/L/H of productivity were obtained by fed‐batch SSF, which was 0.424 g diol/g consumed corncob residue. The results suggest that the waste corncob residue could be used as an available substrate for the production of 2,3‐BD by E. cloacae UV4, as well as a potential resource to improve the economics of microbial compound production.
Worlds apart? The nature and quality of the educational experiences of pupils with a statement for special educational needs in mainstream primary schools
Authors: Webster Rob , Blatchford Peter
Published: April 2014

Findings from the Deployment and Impact of Support Staff (DISS) project showed that support from teaching assistants (TAs) had a strong negative impact on the academic progress of pupils, and this applied particularly to pupils with a statement of special educational needs (SEN). Although the DISS project found that such pupils experienced less contact with teachers, little is known about school‐ and classroom‐level decision‐making relating to provision. This paper addresses the nature and quality of the educational experiences of pupils with statements, and who has responsibility for putting in place and delivering provision for these pupils within schools. Results come from the Making a Statement (MAST) project, which tracked the educational experiences of 48 9‐ and 10‐year‐old pupils with the highest level of SEN, attending mainstream primary schools in England. The study involved the thematic analysis of 48 detailed pupil case studies, drawing on interview, documentation and field note data. Results are presented in terms of four key themes: (1) the explicit and subtle forms of separation these pupils experience daily; (2) the high level of pedagogical decision‐making TAs have for pupils with statements; (3) the impoverished pedagogical diet pupils with statements receive, compared to their peers; and (4) the gaps in teachers' and TAs' knowledge concerning meeting the needs of pupils with statements. The findings have particular implications for the deployment of TAs and for provision for pupils with SEN, with and without statements.
N‐Acyl amino acids and their impact on biological processes
Authors: Hanuš Lumír , Shohami Esther , Bab Itai , Mechoulam Raphael
Published: April 2014

Over the last two decades a large number of N‐long‐chain acyl amino acids have been identified in the mammalian body. The pharmacological activities of only a few of them have been investigated and some have been found to be of considerable interest. Thus arachidonoyl serine is vasodilatory and neuroprotective, arachidonoyl glycine is antinociceptive, and oleoyl serine rescues bone loss. However, the pathophysiological/biochemical roles of these amides are mostly unknown. © 2014 BioFactors, 40(4):381–388, 2014
Endocannabinoid signaling and its regulation by nutrients
Authors: Bisogno Tiziana , Maccarrone Mauro
Published: April 2014

Diet plays a central role in maintaining health throughout life and a controlled food intake is associated to a reduced risk of certain diseases. A proper diet should include vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that have to be optimally balanced in order to exert their physiological functions. The endogenous ligands of type‐1 and type‐2 cannabinoid receptors, N‐arachidonoyl‐ethanolamine and 2‐arachidonoylglycerol, are arachidonic acid (AA) derivatives whose levels are regulated by the activity of metabolic enzymes, as well as by AA availability. Since the only sources of AA in mammals are diet and the enzymatic production in the liver from shorter‐chain essential fatty acids like linoleic acid, it is realistic to hypothesize that endocannabinoid levels might be modulated by fatty acid composition of food. Therefore, in this review we summarize literature data indicating that endocannabinoid levels, and hence their activity at cannabinoid receptors, might be modulated by food composition. We focused our attention on dietary fatty acid content, and on type and esterified form of fatty acids in the different diets. © 2014 BioFactors, 40(4):373–380, 2014
New Visible‐Light Pt/PbS Nanoparticle Photocatalysts for the Photocatalytic Oxidation of Thiophene
Authors: Mohamed Reda M. , Aazam Elham S.
Published: April 2014

PbS nanoparticles were prepared using a hydrothermal route, and Pt was deposited onto the PbS nanoparticles via a photo‐assisted deposition route. The photocatalytic performances of the PbS and Pt/PbS samples were examined for the photocatalytic oxidation of thiophene under visible light. Deposition of Pt onto the surface of PbS led to a shift in the absorption of PbS to a higher wavelength (red shift). The 0.15 wt% Pt/PbS nanoparticles had the highest photocatalytic efficiency % (100%) for the degradation of thiophene under visible light after 40 min of reaction time. The 0.15 wt% Pt/PbS nanoparticles can be used six times for the degradation of thiophene without a loss of photocatalytic activity.
Characterization of the octopaminergic and tyraminergic neurons in the central brain of Drosophila larvae
Authors: Selcho Mareike , Pauls Dennis , Huser Annina , Stocker Reinhard F. , Thum Andreas S.
Published: April 2014

Drosophila larvae are able to evaluate sensory information based on prior experience, similarly to adult flies, other insect species, and vertebrates. Larvae and adult flies can be taught to associate odor stimuli with sugar reward, and prior work has implicated both the octopaminergic and the dopaminergic modulatory systems in reinforcement signaling. Here we use genetics to analyze the anatomy, up to the single‐cell level, of the octopaminergic/tyraminergic system in the larval brain and subesophageal ganglion. Genetic ablation of subsets of these neurons allowed us to determine their necessity for appetitive olfactory learning. These experiments reveal that a small subset of about 39 largely morphologically distinguishable octopaminergic/tyraminergic neurons is involved in signaling reward in the Drosophila larval brain. In addition to prior work on larval locomotion, these data functionally separate the octopaminergic/tyraminergic system into two sets of about 40 neurons. Those situated in the thoracic/abdominal ganglion are involved in larval locomotion, whereas the others in the subesophageal ganglion and brain hemispheres mediate reward signaling. J. Comp. Neurol. 522:3485–3500, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A new method for estimating subject‐specific muscle–tendon parameters of the knee joint actuators: a simulation study
Authors: Van Campen Anke , Pipeleers Goele , De Groote Friedl , Jonkers Ilse , De Schutter Joris
Published: April 2014

A new method for the estimation of subject‐specific muscle–tendon parameters of the knee actuators based on dynamometry experiments is presented. The algorithm aims at estimating the tendon slack length and the optimal muscle fiber length by minimizing the difference between experimentally reproduced and model‐based joint moments. The key innovative features are as follows: (i) the inclusion of a priori physiological knowledge to define a physiologically feasible set, the hot start for the optimization, and constraints for the optimization and (ii) the introduction of a new (affine) transformation of the muscle–tendon parameters, which greatly improves the numerical condition of the optimization.

The influence of the initial guess and of measurement noise was studied in a simulation environment, and the performance was compared with that of the method presented earlier by Garner and Pandy for the upper limb. The tendon slack length was estimated for 97.5/63% (extensors/flexors) of all initial guesses within 2% of the ground truth. The optimal fiber length was estimated for 89/90% (extensors/flexors) of all initial guesses within 2% of the ground truth. When 10 Nm measurement noise was added, the mean value of the estimated tendon slack length deviated at most 1.9/1.6% (extensors/flexors) from the ground truth whereas the standard deviations were at most 5.1/3.9%. The mean value of the estimated optimal fiber length deviated at most 4.3/3.0% (extensors/flexors) from the ground truth whereas the standard deviations were at most 10.2/15.5%. In comparison, mean values resulting from the method of Garner and Pandy deviated up to 181% ( ± 123%) and 119% ( ± 30%) from the ground truth for, respectively, optimal fiber length and tendon slack length of rectus femoris.

We concluded that the presented method had a low dependency on the initial guess and outperformed the method of Garner and Pandy in terms of accuracy by at least one order of magnitude when parameters were estimated from noisy data. The improvements open new perspectives for subject‐specific modelling of muscles and tendons, which is beneficial for the accuracy of human motion simulations. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Three‐dimensional CFD/MRI modeling reveals that ventricular surgical restoration improves ventricular function by modifying intraventricular blood flow
Authors: Khalafvand S. S. , Zhong L. , Ng E. Y. K.
Published: April 2014

Surgical ventricular restoration (SVR) is designed to normalize distorted ventricular shape and size in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and akinetic and dyskinetic segments. This study is aimed to quantify the characteristics of LV as a pump for a case before and after SVR, which is followed by coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We hypothesize that SVR+CABG improves heart flow. A patient with heart failure had magnetic resonance (MR) scans before and 4 months after SVR. LV endocardial geometries were semi‐automated segmented and reconstructed using our customized algorithm. The arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian formulation of Navier–Stokes equations was solved to derive the flow patterns and calculate pressure differences in LV. After SVR, LV ejection fraction increased from 34% to 48% in patient but was still lower than normal (70%). Second, LV vortices were stronger than pre‐surgery but still weaker than normal. The maximum pressure differences between ventricular base and apex increased from 180 to 400 Pa during diastole, from 252 to 560 Pa during systole, respectively. As anticipated, SVR reduced LV volumes and augmented LV ejection fraction. Three‐dimensional CFD/MRI modeling suggests that improved diastolic and systolic ventricular function after SVR is associated with changes in intraventricular blood flow. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Color naming for the Persian language
Authors: Kandi S. Gorji , Tehran M. Amani , Hassani N. , Jarrahi A.
Published: April 2014

According to Berlin and Kay, there is a set of 11 universal basic color terms: White, Black, Red, Green, Yellow, Blue, Brown, Purple, Pink, Orange, and Gray. To approve this, a world survey (WCS) was begun to gather data on color categorization through the world, although, despite many languages, Persian language has not been studied so far. We report a study of color naming in Iran. A study was carried out in six major cities including: Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, Yazd, Rasht, and Shiraz to investigate the color naming for Persian language and also the effect of local culture. The main purpose of this study was to describe the basic color terms of Persian language and to verify Berlin and Kay's theory. In total, 200 subjects were studied from all the six cities. Our results showed that there were the same basic color terms (as Berlin and Kay's theory) in Persian language overall including:“ (White) ”,“ (Black) ”, “ (Red) ”, “ (Green) ”, “ (Yellow) ”, “ (Blue) ”, “ (Brown) ”, “ (Purple) ”, “ (Pink) ”, “ (Orange), ” and “ (Gray) ”. However, this was not valid for all the cities when they were investigated individually. There were 10 basic terms in Mashhad and Shiraz while the other cities had 11 basic terms. Also, the set of the used terms would differ by the city. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 40, 352–360, 2015
Protecting outsourced data in cloud computing through access management
Authors: Wang Hua , Yi Xun , Bertino Elisa , Sun Lili
Published: April 2014

Data outsourcing is a major component for cloud computing because data owners are able to distribute resources to external services for sharing with users and organizations. A crucial problem for owners is how to secure sensitive information accessed by legitimate users only using the trusted services. We address the problem with access control methods to enforce selective access to outsourced data without involving the owner in authorization. The basic idea is to combine cryptography with authorizations, and data owners assign keys to roles that will enforce access via encryption. A formal access model is designed to analyze the translating an authorization policy into an equivalent encryption policy. The paper also investigates the effect of role hierarchy structure in the authorization process. The role‐based access management methods are implemented with XACML by using WSO Identity Server. The comparisons with other related work are presented. Finally, the future work is introduced.Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microsatellite and Wolbachia analysis in Rhagoletis cerasi natural populations: population structuring and multiple infections
Authors: Augustinos Antonios A. , Asimakopoulou Anastasia K. , Moraiti Cleopatra A. , Mavragani‐Tsipidou Penelope , Papadopoulos Nikolaos T. , Bourtzis Kostas
Published: April 2014

Rhagoletis cerasi (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a major pest of sweet and sour cherries in Europe and parts of Asia. Despite its economic significance, there is a lack of studies on the genetic structure of R. cerasi populations. Elucidating the genetic structure of insects of economic importance is crucial for developing phenological‐predictive models and environmental friendly control methods. All natural populations of R. cerasi have been found to harbor the endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis, which widely affects multiple biological traits contributing to the evolution of its hosts, and has been suggested as a tool for the biological control of insect pests and disease vectors. In the current study, the analysis of 18 R. cerasi populations collected in Greece, Germany, and Russia using 13 microsatellite markers revealed structuring of R. cerasi natural populations, even at close geographic range. We also analyzed the Wolbachia infection status of these populations using 16S rRNA‐, MLST‐ and wsp‐based approaches. All 244 individuals screened were positive for Wolbachia. Our results suggest the fixation of the wCer1 strain in Greece while wCer2, wCer4, wCer5, and probably other uncharacterized strains were also detected in multiply infected individuals. The role of Wolbachia and its potential extended phenotypes needs a thorough investigation in R. cerasi. Our data suggest an involvement of this symbiont in the observed restriction in the gene flow in addition to a number of different ecological factors.
A landscape measure of urban stormwater runoff effects is a better predictor of stream condition than a suite of hydrologic factors
Authors: Burns Matthew J. , Walsh Christopher J. , Fletcher Tim D. , Ladson Anthony R. , Hatt Belinda E.
Published: April 2014

Restoration and protection of urban stream ecosystems require knowledge of the primary causes of their degradation. Conventional stormwater drainage has been identified as a primary source of stress to streams, but it remains unclear if the proximal stressor to stream biota can be represented by flow regime alone or requires a metric integrating the range of stressors associated with stormwater runoff or with urban land use more generally. We used the information‐theoretic approach to assess whether various hydrologic indicators better predicted SIGNAL (a biotic index using macroinvertebrate families) than did attenuated imperviousness (AI; a landscape measure of connected imperviousness that inversely weights impervious areas by their distance from the nearest stormwater drain or stream) or total imperviousness (TI). The best models using hydrologic indicators were much less plausible than the overall best model, which used only AI. Predictors in the best hydrologic models characterized the magnitude of low‐flow antecedent events, overall flow variability, and antecedent flow flashiness. TI was a poorer predictor than AI, but similarly plausible as some hydrologic models. The results suggest that although there are components of the flow regime that degrade stream ecosystems, AI is a better predictor because it integrates hydrologic and other stormwater‐driven stressors, such as changes to water quality. Management of stream condition in our study area should focus on addressing conventional stormwater drainage and its associated alterations to hydrology and water quality. The identification of a single metric provides useful insights for others trying to identify simple predictors of complex phenomena. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The hydrology of the Bois‐des‐Bel peatland restoration: hydrophysical properties limiting connectivity between regenerated Sphagnum and remnant vacuum harvested peat deposit
Authors: McCarter Colin P. R. , Price Jonathan S.
Published: April 2014

The Bois‐des‐Bel peatland was restored in the winter of 1999; since then, an ~15–20 cm Sphagnum moss carpet has regenerated over the site, but it is currently unknown how the structure of the regenerated Sphagnum moss and cutover peat influences the hydrology of Bois‐des‐Bel. This study evaluates the hydrophysical properties of Bois‐des‐Bel, based on a combination of field and monolith experiments at a restored (RES), natural (NAT) and unrestored (UNR) site. The lowest field soil moisture in the Sphagnum moss at RES was 0.09 cm3 cm−3, while 0.20 cm3 cm−3 at NAT. These results were similar in both the monolith experiments and individual core hydraulic parameterization (i.e. soil water retention and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity). The low soil moisture and relatively abundant large pores (>397 µm) in the RES Sphagnum resulted in low unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (0·23 cm day−1 at ψ = −35 cm) and high specific yield (0·45) compared with NAT Sphagnum (1·2 cm day−1 and 0·10, respectively). The abundance of large pores at RES resulted in hydrological conditions dissimilar to NAT and limited connectivity with the cutover peat, the latter being similar to UNR. To negate the implications of limited connectivity on water transfer from the cutover peat to the regenerated Sphagnum, the water table would need to fluctuate almost entirely within the regenerated Sphagnum layer. This will occur in time, as decomposition and compression cause a decrease in average pore size of the regenerated moss, thus detaining water and resulting in a higher water table. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Artificial neural network and Bees Algorithm for removal of Eosin B using Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticle‐activated carbon: Isotherm and Kinetics study
Authors: Ghaedi Mehrorangm , Ansari Amin , Assefi Nejad Payman , Ghaedi Abdolmohammad , Vafaei Azam , Habibi Mohammad Hossein
Published: April 2014

The objective of this work is the study of adsorption of Eosin B by cobalt oxide nanoparticle loaded on activated carbon (Co2O3‐NP‐AC). This new material with high efficiency in a routine manner was synthesized in our laboratory, and its surface properties such as surface area, pore volume, and functional groups were characterized with different techniques such X‐ray diffraction, Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller, and scanning electron microscopy analysis. The effect of solution pH, adsorbent dosage (0.005–0.02 g), contact time (0.5–30 min), and initial concentration of dye (30–80 mg L−1) on the adsorption process was investigated. Thus, Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin, and D–R isothermal models are applied for fitting the experimental data, and the data well presented by Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 588.2 mg g−1 at 25°C. Kinetic studies at various adsorbent dosage and initial Eosin B concentration show that maximum Eosin B removal was achieved within 18 min of the start of every experiment at most conditions. The combination of pseudo‐second‐order rate equation and intraparticle diffusion model (with removal more than 99%) is usable to explain the experimental data of adsorption process at all conditions. The influences of parameters including initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage (g), and contact time on Eosin B adsorption onto cobalt oxide nanoparticles loaded on AC were investigated by multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN), and the influences of variables were optimized using Bees Algorithm. Comparison of the results obtained using introduced models showed the ANN model is better than the MLR model for prediction of Eosin B removal using cobalt oxide nanoparticles loaded on AC. Using the optimal ANN model, the coefficients of determination (R2) were 0.9965 and 0.9936; mean squared error values were 0.00015 and 0.00029 for training and testing data, respectively. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 34: 155–168, 2015
Modelling particle residence times in agricultural river basins using a sediment budget model and fallout radionuclide tracers
Authors: Smith Hugh G. , Blake William H. , Taylor Alex
Published: April 2014

Contemporary patterns in river basin sediment dynamics have been widely investigated but the timescales associated with current sediment delivery processes have received much less attention. Furthermore, no studies have quantified the effect of recent land use change on the residence or travel times of sediment transported through river basins. Such information is crucial for understanding contemporary river basin function and responses to natural and anthropogenic disturbances or management interventions. To address this need, we adopt a process‐based modelling approach to quantify changes in spatial patterns and residence times of suspended sediment in response to recent agricultural land cover change. The sediment budget model SedNet was coupled with a mass balance model of particle residence times based on atmospheric and fluvial fluxes of three fallout radionuclide tracers (7Be, excess 210Pb and 137Cs). Mean annual fluxes of suspended sediment were simulated in seven river basins (38–920 km2) in south‐west England for three land cover surveys (1990, 2000 and 2007). Suspended sediment flux increased across the basins from 0.5–15 to 1.4–37 kt y‐1 in response to increasing arable land area between consecutive surveys. The residence time model divided basins into slow (upper surface soil) and rapid (river channel and connected hillslope sediment source area) transport compartments. Estimated theoretical residence times in the slow compartment decreased from 13–48 to 5.6–14 ky with the increase in basin sediment exports. In contrast, the short residence times for the rapid compartment increased from 185–256 to 260–368 d as the modelled connected source area expanded with increasing sediment supply from more arable land. The increase in sediment residence time was considered to correspond to longer sediment travel distances linked to larger connected source areas. This novel coupled modelling approach provides unique insight into river basin responses to recent environmental change not otherwise available from conventional measurement techniques. © 2014 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Sinuses and flotation: Does the aquatic ape theory hold water?
Authors: Rae Todd C. , Koppe Thomas
Published: April 2014

The idea that people went through an aquatic phase at some time in their evolutionary past is currently undergoing a popular resurgence (see Foley & Lahr). This idea has even started to gain some traction in more learned circles; the late paleoanthropologist Phillip Tobias wrote in support of aspects of it in an edited e‐bookand a conference on the topic held recently in London was endorsed by celebrities such as the television presenter Sir David Attenborough.Despite (or perhaps because of) the lack of interest within the academic community, advocates of the concept continue to fill the media (and blogosphere) with challenges to the “savannah hypothesis” of the origins of people and to bemoan the fact that their views are not taken seriously by mainstream academia.
Estimation of daily aluminum intake in Japan based on food consumption inspection results: impact of food additives
Authors: Sato Kyoko , Suzuki Ippei , Kubota Hiroki , Furusho Noriko , Inoue Tomoyuki , Yasukouchi Yoshikazu , Akiyama Hiroshi
Published: April 2014

Dietary aluminum (Al) intake by young children, children, youths, and adults in Japan was estimated using the market basket method. The Al content of food category (I–VII) samples for each age group was determined by inductively coupled plasma‐atomic emission spectrometry (ICP‐AES). The Al content in processed foods and unprocessed foods ranged from 0.40 to 21.7 mg/kg and from 0.32 to 0.54 mg/kg, respectively. For processed foods in all age groups, the Al content in food category VI samples, sugar and confections/savories, was the highest, followed by those in category II, cereals. The daily dietary Al intake from processed foods was much larger than that from unprocessed foods. The mean weekly percentages of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI, established by the joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives in 2011) from processed foods for all age groups are 43.1, 22.4, 17.6 and 15.1%, respectively. Only the highest consumer Al exposure value (>P95) of the young children group exceeded the PTWI.
Effect of heat–moisture treatment on digestibility of different cultivars of sweet potato (Ipomea batatas (L.) Lam) starch
Authors: Senanayake Suraji , Gunaratne Anil , Ranaweera K. K. D. S. , Bamunuarachchi Arthur
Published: April 2014

Different heat–moisture levels were applied to native starches from different cultivars of sweet potatoes available in Sri Lanka (Wariyapola red, Wariyapola white, Pallepola variety, Malaysian variety and CARI 273) to study the digestibility level. Samples were treated with 20, 25, and 30% moisture at 85°C and 120°C for 6 h and in vitro starch digestibility was tested with porcine pancreatin enzyme. A range of 19.3–23.5% digestibility was shown by the native starches with no significant difference (P < 0.05). Significant changes were observed in the digestibility level of the hydrothermally modified starches and the moisture content showed a positive impact on the digestibility. Heat–moisture treatment at 85°C brought an overall increase in digestibility and temperature beyond 85°C had a negative impact. No significant difference (P < 0.05) in the digestibility was observed with 20% and 25% moisture at 85°C and increased level were seen at 85°C and 30% moisture.
Transport modeling at multiple scales for the Illinois Basin – Decatur Project
Authors: Roy William R. , Mehnert Edward , Berger Peter M. , Damico James R. , Okwen Roland T.
Published: April 2014

The application of reactive‐transport models is essential to understand and predict the impacts of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage in deep saline reservoirs. This study was conducted to generate preliminary information in support of the Illinois Basin – Decatur Project (IBDP) using two modeling approaches: (i) flow and transport modeling of CO2 at the basin scale, and (ii) geochemical modeling of CO2‐saturated brine interactions with the primary seal at the IBDP. Using the TOUGH2‐MP simulator, a flow and transport approach was developed to evaluate possible impacts of carbon sequestration at the basin scale. These modeling results should provide useful geologic and hydrogeologic data for future developers of carbon sequestration projects in the Illinois Basin and serve as a template for evaluating geologic carbon sequestration in other deep saline reservoirs. The modeling results demonstrated the significance of the geologic model for understanding the distribution of CO2 and the predicted pressure changes with time. Geochemical modeling was applied to further understand potential interactions of CO2‐saturated brine with the Eau Claire Shale. Geochemical simulations were conducted using TOUGHREACT, a numerical simulator that includes reactive chemistry, and Geochemist's Workbench®, which contains kinetic and reactive‐transport modules. Simulations conducted for a 1000‐year time frame yielded a decrease in porosity throughout the profile because of mineral precipitation. It was concluded that the rate by which ions diffuse into the caprock had little impact on changes in porosity when compared to the rates of mineral reaction.
Neurotransmitter signaling in white matter
Authors: Butt Arthur M. , Fern Robert F. , Matute Carlos
Published: April 2014

White matter (WM) tracts are bundles of myelinated axons that provide for rapid communication throughout the CNS and integration in grey matter (GM). The main cells in myelinated tracts are oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, with small populations of microglia and oligodendrocyte precursor cells. The prominence of neurotransmitter signaling in WM, which largely exclude neuronal cell bodies, indicates it must have physiological functions other than neuron‐to‐neuron communication. A surprising aspect is the diversity of neurotransmitter signaling in WM, with evidence for glutamatergic, purinergic (ATP and adenosine), GABAergic, glycinergic, adrenergic, cholinergic, dopaminergic and serotonergic signaling, acting via a wide range of ionotropic and metabotropic receptors. Both axons and glia are potential sources of neurotransmitters and may express the respective receptors. The physiological functions of neurotransmitter signaling in WM are subject to debate, but glutamate and ATP‐mediated signaling have been shown to evoke Ca2+ signals in glia and modulate axonal conduction. Experimental findings support a model of neurotransmitters being released from axons during action potential propagation acting on glial receptors to regulate the homeostatic functions of astrocytes and myelination by oligodendrocytes. Astrocytes also release neurotransmitters, which act on axonal receptors to strengthen action potential propagation, maintaining signaling along potentially long axon tracts. The co‐existence of multiple neurotransmitters in WM tracts suggests they may have diverse functions that are important for information processing. Furthermore, the neurotransmitter signaling phenomena described in WM most likely apply to myelinated axons of the cerebral cortex and GM areas, where they are doubtless important for higher cognitive function. GLIA 2014;62:1762–1779
Peristaltic Transport of a Herschel–Bulkley Fluid in an Elastic Tube
Authors: Vajravelu K. , Sreenadh S. , Devaki P. , Prasad K.V.
Published: April 2014

In this paper, we investigate the peristaltic transport of a non‐Newtonian viscous fluid in an elastic tube. The governing equations are solved using the assumptions of long wavelength and low Reynolds number approximations. The constitution of blood has a non‐Newtonian fluid model and it demands the yield stress fluid model: The blood transport in small blood vessels is done under peristalsis. Among the available yield stress fluid models for blood flow, the non‐Newtonian Herschel–Bulkley fluid is preferred (because Bingham, power‐law and Newtonian models can be obtained as its special cases). The Herschel–Bulkley model has two parameters namely the yield stress and the power‐law index. The expressions for velocity, plug flow velocity, wall shear stress, and the flow rate are derived. The flux is determined as a function of inlet, outlet, external pressures, yield stress, amplitude ratio, and the elastic property of the tube. Further when the power‐law index n = 1 and the yield stress and in the absence of peristalsis, our results agree with Rubinow and Keller [J. Theor. Biol. 35, 299 (1972)]. Furthermore, it is observed that, the yield stress, peristaltic wave, and the elastic parameters have strong effects on the flux of the non‐Newtonian fluid flow. Effects of various wave forms (namely, sinusoidal, trapezoidal and square) on the flow are discussed. The results obtained for the flow characteristics reveal many interesting behaviors that warrant further study on the non‐Newtonian fluid phenomena, especially the shear‐thinning phenomena. Shear thinning reduces the wall shear stress.