bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nitrous oxide and methane in two tropical estuaries in a peat-dominated region of northwestern Borneo
Authors: Müller Denise , Bange Hermann W. , Warneke Thorsten , Rixen Tim , Müller Moritz , Mujahid Aazani , Notholt Justus 
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Estuaries are sources of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. However, our present knowledge of N2O and CH4 emissions from estuaries in the tropics is very limited because data are scarce. In this study, we present first measurements of dissolved N2O and CH4 from two estuaries in a peat-dominated region of northwestern Borneo. Two campaigns (during the dry season in June 2013 and during the wet season in March 2014) were conducted in the estuaries of the Lupar and Saribas rivers. Median N2O concentrations ranged between 7.2 and 12.3 nmol L−1 and were higher in the marine end-member (13.0 ± 7.0 nmol L−1). CH4 concentrations were low in the coastal ocean (3.6 ± 0.2 nmol L−1) and higher in the estuaries (medians between 10.6 and 64.0 nmol L−1). The respiration of abundant organic matter and presumably anthropogenic input caused slight eutrophication, which did not lead to hypoxia or enhanced N2O concentrations, however. Generally, N2O concentrations were not related to dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations. Thus, the use of an emission factor for the calculation of N2O emissions from the inorganic nitrogen load leads to an overestimation of the flux from the Lupar and Saribas estuaries. N2O was negatively correlated with salinity during the dry season, which suggests a riverine source. In contrast, N2O concentrations during the wet season were not correlated with salinity but locally enhanced within the estuaries, implying that there were additional estuarine sources during the wet (i.e., monsoon) season. Estuarine CH4 distributions were not driven by freshwater input but rather by tidal variations. Both N2O and CH4 concentrations were more variable during the wet season. We infer that the wet season dominates the variability of the N2O and CH4 concentrations and subsequent emissions from tropical estuaries. Thus, we speculate that any changes in the Southeast Asian monsoon system will lead to changes in the N2O and CH4 emissions from these systems. We also suggest that the ongoing cultivation of peat soil in Borneo is likely to increase N2O emissions from these estuaries, while the effect on CH4 remains uncertain.
Human Cartilage-Derived Progenitor Cells From Committed Chondrocytes for Efficient Cartilage Repair and Regeneration
Authors: Jiang Yangzi , Cai Youzhi , Zhang Wei , Yin Zi , Hu Changchang , Tong Tong , Lu Ping , Zhang Shufang , Neculai Dante , Tuan Rocky S. , Ouyang Hong Wei 
Published: April 2016

AbstractArticular cartilage is not a physiologically self-renewing tissue. Injury of cartilage often progresses from the articular surface to the subchondral bone, leading to pathogenesis of tissue degenerative diseases, such as osteoarthritis. Therapies to treat cartilage defects using autologous chondrocyte-based tissue engineering have been developed and used for more than 20 years; however, the challenge of chondrocyte expansion in vitro remains. A promising cell source, cartilage stem/progenitor cells (CSPCs), has attracted recent attention. Because their origin and identity are still unclear, the application potential of CSPCs is under active investigation. Here we have captured the emergence of a group of stem/progenitor cells derived from adult human chondrocytes, highlighted by dynamic changes in expression of the mature chondrocyte marker, COL2, and mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) marker, CD146. These cells are termed chondrocyte-derived progenitor cells (CDPCs). The stem cell-like potency and differentiation status of CDPCs were determined by physical and biochemical cues during culture. A low-density, low-glucose 2-dimensional culture condition (2DLL) was critical for the emergence and proliferation enhancement of CDPCs. CDPCs showed similar phenotype as bone marrow mesenchymal stromal/stem cells but exhibited greater chondrogenic potential. Moreover, the 2DLL-cultured CDPCs proved efficient in cartilage formation both in vitro and in vivo and in repairing large knee cartilage defects (6–13 cm2) in 15 patients. These findings suggest a phenotype conversion between chondrocytes and CDPCs and provide conditions that promote the conversion. These insights expand our understanding of cartilage biology and may enhance the success of chondrocyte-based therapies.SignificanceInjury of cartilage, a non-self-repairing tissue, often progresses to pathogenesis of degenerative joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis. Although tissue-derived stem cells have been shown to contribute to tissue renewal and homeostasis, the derivation, biological function, and application potential of stem/progenitor cells found in adult human articular cartilage are incompletely understood. This study reports the derivation of a population of cartilage stem/progenitor cells from fully differentiated chondrocytes under specific culture conditions, which have the potential to reassume their chondrocytic phenotype for efficient cartilage regeneration. These findings support the possibility of using in vitro amplified chondrocyte-derived progenitor cells for joint cartilage repair.
Mechanical Stretching Promotes Skin Tissue Regeneration via Enhancing Mesenchymal Stem Cell Homing and Transdifferentiation
Authors: Liang Xiao , Huang Xiaolu , Zhou Yiwen , Jin Rui , Li Qingfeng 
Published: April 2016

Abstract

Skin tissue expansion is a clinical procedure for skin regeneration to reconstruct cutaneous defects that can be accompanied by severe complications. The transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been proven effective in promoting skin expansion and helping to ameliorate complications; however, systematic understanding of its mechanism remains unclear. MSCs from luciferase-Tg Lewis rats were intravenously transplanted into a rat tissue expansion model to identify homing and transdifferentiation. To clarify underlying mechanisms, a systematic approach was used to identify the differentially expressed genes between mechanically stretched human MSCs and controls. The biological significance of these changes was analyzed through bioinformatic methods. We further investigated genes and pathways of interest to disclose their potential role in mechanical stretching-induced skin regeneration. Cross sections of skin samples from the expanded group showed significantly more luciferase+ and stromal cell-derived factor 1α (SDF-1α)+, luciferase+keratin 14+, and luciferase+CD31+ cells than the control group, indicating MSC transdifferentiation into epidermal basal cells and endothelial cells after SDF-1α-mediated homing. Microarray analysis suggested upregulation of genes related to hypoxia, vascularization, and cell proliferation in the stretched human MSCs. Further investigation showed that the homing of MSCs was blocked by short interfering RNA targeted against matrix metalloproteinase 2, and that mechanical stretching-induced vascular endothelial growth factor A upregulation was related to the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (Jak-STAT) and Wnt signaling pathways. This study determines that mechanical stretching might promote skin regeneration by upregulating MSC expression of genes related to hypoxia, vascularization, and cell proliferation; enhancing transplanted MSC homing to the expanded skin; and transdifferentiation into epidermal basal cells and endothelial cells.

Significance
Skin tissue expansion is a clinical procedure for skin regeneration to cover cutaneous defects that can be accompanied by severe complications. The transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been proven effective in promoting skin expansion and ameliorating complications. This study, which sought to provide a systematic understanding of the mechanism, determined that mechanical stretching could upregulate MSC expression of genes related to hypoxia, vascularization, and cell proliferation; enhance transplanted MSC homing to the expanded skin tissue; and promote their transdifferentiation into epidermal basal cells and endothelial cells.
Fabrication of hydrogel-encapsulated silica core bound with chitosan chains for efficient drug delivery
Authors: Bae Saet Byeol , Lee Sang Wha 
Published: April 2016

Abstract
In this study, hydrogel-encapsulated silica nanoparticles were facilely prepared through the following three consecutive steps: i) silica nanoparticles (SNPs) were synthesized via a sol–gel reaction of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) with ammonium hydroxide, ii) the resulting SNPs were functionalized with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propylmethacrylate (TPM) ligand with an olefin group, and iii) the TPM-functionalized SNPs were encapsulated with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid), NIPAM-co-AAc hydrogels by using a radical polymerization reaction of the co-monomers at the following ratio:

wt %. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the encapsulated hydrogels with a moiety of carboxylic groups was slightly above physiological temperature and they demonstrated a thermo-sensitive variation of particle size. The hydrogel-encapsulated SNPs (SNPs@Hyd) were finally bound with chitosan chains, which are bio-friendly and non-toxic polymers. When compared to SNPs@Hyd, chitosan-coated SNPs@Hyd (SNPs@Hyd@Chi) exhibited prolonged drug (ibuprofen) release and stable structural integrity during the release test.
Gate modulation of anodically etched gallium arsenide nanowire random network
Authors: Aikawa Shinya , Yamada Kohei , Asoh Hidetaka , Ono Sachiko 
Published: April 2016

Abstract
Gallium arsenide nanowires (GaAs NWs) formed by anodic etching show an electrically semi-insulating behavior because of charge carrier depletion caused by high interface state density. Here, we demonstrate the gate modulation of an anodically etched GaAs NW random network. By applying a reverse bias voltage after anodic etching of bulk GaAs, hydrogen ion exposure of the depleted NW region occurs, and then the interface state density is possibly decreased owing to the reduction in the amount of excess As generated at the interface between the amorphous Ga2O3 and GaAs layers. Consequently, the drain current of the thin-film transistor (TFT) with the GaAs NW random network was increased and was changed by the gate voltage. In contrast, the random network film remained in the insulator in the absence of reverse electrolysis treatment. The TFT performance is still insufficient but may be improved by optimizing the hydrogen ion exposure conditions.
Electronic states of aryl radical functionalized graphenes: Density functional theory study
Authors: Tachikawa Hiroto , Kawabata Hiroshi 
Published: April 2016

Abstract
Functionalized graphenes are known as a high-performance molecular device. In the present study, the structures and electronic states of the aryl radical functionalized graphene have been investigated by the density functional theory (DFT) method to elucidate the effects of functionalization on the electronic states of graphene (GR). Also, the mechanism of aryl radical reaction with GR was investigated. The benzene, biphenyl, p-terphenyl, and p-quaterphenyl radicals [denoted by (Bz)
n
(n = 1–4), where n means numbers of benzene rings in aryl radical] were examined as aryl radicals. The DFT calculation of GR–(Bz)
n
(n = 1–4) showed that the aryl radical binds to the carbon atom of GR, and a C–C single bond was formed. The binding energies of aryl radicals to GR were calculated to be ca. 6.0 kcal mol−1 at the CAM-B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level. It was found that the activation barrier exists in the aryl radical addition: the barrier heights were calculated to be 10.0 kcal mol−1. The electronic states of GR–(Bz)
n
were examined on the basis of theoretical results.
A multivariate copula‐based framework for dealing with hazard scenarios and failure probabilities
Authors: Salvadori G. , Durante F. , De Michele C. , Bernardi M. , Petrella L. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThis paper is of methodological nature, and deals with the foundations of Risk Assessment. Several international guidelines have recently recommended to select appropriate/relevant Hazard Scenarios in order to tame the consequences of (extreme) natural phenomena. In particular, the scenarios should be multivariate, i.e., they should take into account the fact that several variables, generally not independent, may be of interest. In this work, it is shown how a Hazard Scenario can be identified in terms of (i) a specific geometry and (ii) a suitable probability level. Several scenarios, as well as a Structural approach, are presented, and due comparisons are carried out. In addition, it is shown how the Hazard Scenario approach illustrated here is well suited to cope with the notion of Failure Probability, a tool traditionally used for design and risk assessment in engineering practice. All the results outlined throughout the work are based on the Copula Theory, which turns out to be a fundamental theoretical apparatus for doing multivariate risk assessment: formulas for the calculation of the probability of Hazard Scenarios in the general multidimensional case (
) are derived, and worthy analytical relationships among the probabilities of occurrence of Hazard Scenarios are presented. In addition, the Extreme Value and Archimedean special cases are dealt with, relationships between dependence ordering and scenario levels are studied, and a counter‐example concerning Tail Dependence is shown. Suitable indications for the practical application of the techniques outlined in the work are given, and two case studies illustrate the procedures discussed in the paper.
Utilizing the state of ENSO as a means for season‐ahead predictor selection
Authors: Zimmerman Brian G. , Vimont Daniel J. , Block Paul J. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThis paper introduces the Nino Index Phase Analysis (NIPA) framework for forecasting hydroclimatic variables on a seasonal time scale. Antecedent Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) are commonly used in statistical predictive frameworks for seasonal forecasting, however, the typical approach of evaluating all the years on record in one bin (“phase”) does not often provide the level of skill required by decision makers. For many locations around the world, the most influential climate signal on the seasonal time scale is the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and there are various indices used to capture the state of ENSO and provide this information. NIPA utilizes the state of ENSO to classify the years of record into four phases, operating under the hypothesis that ENSO itself is affecting the “mean state” of the atmospheric‐oceanic system, and relevant teleconnections depend on and must be selected within these mean states. A case study focused on spring precipitation over the Lower Colorado River Basin (LCRB) in Texas is chosen to illustrate NIPA's potential. Results show that correlations between wintertime SST fields and spring precipitation in the LCRB improve from 0.21 to 0.47 for the typical “one phase” and the NIPA “four‐phase” approach, respectively. Even greater improvements are seen across tercile‐based skill scores such as the Heidke Hit Skill Score and Ranked Probability Skill Score; skill is particularly strong for years exhibiting extreme wet or dry conditions. It also outperforms the North American Multi‐Model Ensemble predictions across the LCRB for the selected seasons. This is encouraging as improved predictability through NIPA may translate to better decision‐making for water managers.
The contribution of the GRAV‐D airborne gravity to geoid determination in the Great Lakes region
Authors: Li Xiaopeng , Crowley John W. , Holmes Simon A. , Wang Yan‐Ming 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThe current official North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) and the International Great Lakes Datum of 1985 (IGLD 85) will be replaced by a new geoid‐based vertical datum in 2022. The Gravity for the Redefinition of the American Vertical Datum (GRAV‐D) project collects high‐quality airborne gravity data to improve the quality of the gravitational model that underpins the geoid model. This paper validates the contribution of GRAV‐D data in the Great Lakes region. Using the lake surface height measured by satellite altimetry as an independent data set, Global Gravity Models (GGMs) with/without the GRAV‐D data are compared. The comparisons show that the improvement reaches decimeters over Lake Michigan where the historic gravity data have significant errors. Over all lakes, except Lake Erie, the GRAV‐D data improve the accuracy of the gravitational model to 1–3 cm.
Constraining the source location of the 30 May 2015 (Mw 7.9) Bonin deep‐focus earthquake using seismogram envelopes of high‐frequency P waveforms: Occurrence of deep‐focus earthquake at the bottom of a subducting slab
Authors: Takemura Shunsuke , Maeda Takuto , Furumura Takashi , Obara Kazushige 
Published: April 2016

AbstractIn this study, the source location of the 30 May 2015 (Mw 7.9) deep‐focus Bonin earthquake was constrained using P wave seismograms recorded across Japan. We focus on propagation characteristics of high‐frequency P wave. Deep‐focus intraslab earthquakes typically show spindle‐shaped seismogram envelopes with peak delays of several seconds and subsequent long‐duration coda waves; however, both the main shock and aftershock of the 2015 Bonin event exhibited pulse‐like P wave propagations with high apparent velocities (~12.2 km/s). Such P wave propagation features were reproduced by finite‐difference method simulations of seismic wave propagation in the case of slab‐bottom source. The pulse‐like P wave seismogram envelopes observed from the 2015 Bonin earthquake show that its source was located at the bottom of the Pacific slab at a depth of ~680 km, rather than within its middle or upper regions.
Localizing the impact of satellite radiance observations using a global group ensemble filter
Authors: Lei Lili , Anderson Jeffrey L. , Whitaker Jeffrey S. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractAssimilation of satellite radiances has been proven to have positive impacts on the forecast skill, especially for regions with sparse conventional observations. Localization is an essential component to effectively assimilate satellite radiances in ensemble Kalman filters with affordable ensemble sizes. However, localizing the impact of radiance observations is not straightforward, since their location and separation from grid point model variables are not well defined. A global group filter (GGF) is applied here to provide a theoretical estimate of vertical localization functions for radiance observations being assimilated for global numerical weather prediction. As an extension of the hierarchical ensemble filter, the GGF uses groups of climatological ensembles to provide an estimated localization function that reduces the erroneous increments due to ensemble correlation sampling error. Results from an idealized simulation with known background error covariances show that the GGF localization function is superior to the optimal Gaspari and Cohn (GC) localization function. When the GGF is applied to the AMSU‐A radiances, it can provide different localization functions for different channels, which indicates the complexity and large computational cost of tuning the localization scales for radiance observations. The GC, GGF, and fitted GGF (FGGF) localization functions are compared using experiments with the NCEP GFS and the NOAA operational EnKF. Verifications relative to the conventional observations, AMSU‐A radiances, and the ECMWF analyses show that the GGF and FGGF have smaller errors than GC except in the tropics, and the advantages of the GGF and FGGF persist through 120 h forecast lead time.
Disease Activity As a Major Determinant of Quality of Life and Physical Function in Patients With Early Axial Spondyloarthritis
Authors: Fernández‐Carballido Cristina , Navarro‐Compán Victoria , Castillo‐Gallego Concepción , Castro‐Villegas Maria C. , Collantes‐Estévez Eduardo , de Miguel Eugenio ,   on behalf of the Esperanza Study Group
Published: April 2016

ObjectiveTo describe health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) and physical function in patients with early axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) and to assess their associations with disease activity and radiographic damage.MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional study drawing upon baseline data of axial SpA patients (Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society criteria) from the ESPERANZA cohort. Linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations between disease activity and radiographic damage (spine and sacroiliac joints) with HRQOL, physical function, and spinal mobility.ResultsIn total, 259 patients were included. The mean ± SD age was 32.2 ± 6.9 years, disease duration was 13.3 ± 6.8 months, Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life score was 5.9 ± 4.8, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index score was 2.4 ± 2.3, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index score was 1.4 ± 1.3, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) score was 3.8 ± 2.3, C‐reactive protein (CRP) level was 9.7 ± 13.2 mg/liter, and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Radiology Index for the spine (BASRI‐s) score was 1.7 ± 1.6. HRQOL was mainly associated with disease activity on univariate analysis (β values for BASDAI 0.646, patient global visual analog scale [VAS] 0.641, night back pain VAS 0.598, physician VAS 0.560, and CRP level 0.275; P < 0.01 for all), whereas the association with radiographic damage was weaker (standardized β for BASRI‐s 0.142; P < 0.05). On multivariate models, HRQOL only remained significantly associated with disease activity (standardized β for BASDAI 0.330; P < 0.01, and physician VAS 0.205 and night back pain VAS 0.210; P = 0.01). Similarly, physical function was associated with disease activity and radiographic damage on univariate analysis, but only with disease activity (BASDAI β 0.466; P < 0.01) on multivariate analysis. However, spinal mobility was associated with radiographic damage in both univariate and multivariate analyses.ConclusionPatients with axial SpA already have impaired quality of life and physical function, albeit mildly, at the beginning of their disease course. Both outcomes are mainly associated with disease activity in these patients.