bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mediating Complex Texts in the Upper Grades
Authors: Ford‐Connors Evelyn , Dougherty Susan , Robertson Dana A. , Paratore Jeanne R. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractRising expectations for middle grade students to independently read and comprehend complex, discipline‐specific texts have also raised expectations for the ways teachers will teach. Helping all students, despite assessed reading levels, to access grade level texts calls for instructional approaches that not only meet readers where they are, but also integrate three key elements: motivation and engagement, instructional intensity, and cognitive challenge. This article examines how instruction incorporating these elements promotes students’ comprehension and uses a middle school learning scenario to illustrate how teachers might integrate these elements into their own instruction.
Akt Activation and Inhibition of Cytochrome C Release: Mechanistic Insights into Leptin‐promoted Survival of Type II Alveolar Epithelial Cells
Authors: Chen Hui , Liang Zhen‐Wei , Wang Zhen‐Hua , Zhang Jian‐Ping , Hu Bo , Xing Xiang‐Bin , Cai Wei‐Bin 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTFetal growth restriction (FGR) increases the risk of perinatal death, partly due to defects in lung development. Leptin, a polypeptide hormone, is involved in fetal lung development. We previously demonstrated that treatment with exogenous leptin during gestation significantly promotes fetal lung maturity in the rat model of FGR. In this study, to delineate the molecular pathways through which leptin may enhance fetal lung development, we investigated the impact of leptin treatment on the survival of type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECs), essential leptin‐responsive cells involved in lung development, in a rat model of FGR. The rat model of FGR was induced in pregnant Sprague‐Dawley rats by partial uterine artery and vein ligation. In vivo and in vitro analyses of fetal lung tissues and freshly‐isolated cultured AECs, respectively, showed that leptin protects type II AECs from hypoxia‐induced apoptosis. Further molecular studies revealed the role of Akt activation in the leptin‐mediated promotion of survival of type II AECs. The data also showed that the anti‐apoptotic effects of leptin are dependent on phosphoinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) activation, and involve the down‐regulation of caspases 3 and 9, upregulation of pro‐survival proteins Bcl‐2, and p‐Bad, and inhibition of the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. Taken together, our data suggested that leptin enhances the maturity of fetal lungs by mediating the regulation of caspase‐3 and ‐9 during hypoxia‐induced apoptosis of type II AECs and provide support for the potential of leptin as a therapeutic agent for promoting lung development in FGR. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 2313–2324, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
miR‐142‐3p Is a Regulator of the TGFβ‐Mediated Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype
Authors: Kim Kwangho , Yang Dong Kwon , Kim Sunghwan , Kang Hara 
Published: April 2015

AbstractThe transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathway is critical for the promotion and maintenance of the contractile phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Though multiple microRNAs (miRNAs) implicated in the regulation of the VSMC phenotype have been identified, the modulation of miRNAs in the VSMCs by TGFβ signaling has not been fully described. In this study, we identified microRNA‐142‐3p (miR‐142‐3p) as a modulator of the VSMC phenotype in response to TGFβ signaling. We show that miR‐142‐3p is induced upon TGFβ signaling, leading to the repression of a novel target, dedicator of cytokinesis 6 (DOCK6). The downregulation of DOCK6 by miR‐142‐3p is critical for cell migration. Thus, this study demonstrates that miR‐142‐3p is a key regulator of the TGFβ‐mediated contractile phenotype of VSMCs that acts through inhibiting cell migration through targeting DOCK6. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 2325–2333, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spatial coherence of variations in seasonal extreme precipitation events over Northwest Arid Region, China
Authors: Wang Shaoping , Jiang Fengqing , Ding Yongjian 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTDaily precipitation data covering the period of 1961–2009 from 72 stations in Northwest Arid Region, China, are analysed to investigate coherent subregions of variations in extreme precipitation events. First, four extreme precipitation indices, i.e. number of heavy precipitation days (DPh), precipitation intensity above heavy precipitation (IPh), number of torrential precipitation days (DPt), and precipitation intensity above torrential precipitation (IPt), were defined and analysed seasonally. Then rotated empirical orthogonal function (REOF) technique is used to identify the coherent subregions of these seasonal extreme precipitation indices and related trends. The results indicate that the number of coherent subregions of DPh, IPh, DPt, and IPt is 6, 5, 14, and 10 for spring; 4, 18, 6, and 6 for summer; 15, 8, 10, and 8 for autumn; and 7, 7, 2, and 5 for winter, respectively. Attribute shifts of underlying surfaces should be an important driving factor behind changes of extreme precipitation events. Intensity variations of heavy and torrential precipitation are the main reason behind significant changes of extreme precipitation, especially intensity variations of the heavy precipitation. The highest increasing magnitude of IPh is 584% (10a)−1 which is found in summer in the west parts of the Southern Xinjiang, the middle Tianshan Mountains, and the west parts of the Junggar Basin in the Northern Xinjiang. The findings of this study are potentially relevant for the development of human understanding of hydrological cycle responses in arid regions to regional and global climate changes, particularly in terms of extreme weather extremes.
Performance of convection schemes on the simulation of summer monsoon features over the South Asia CORDEX domain using RegCM‐4.3
Authors: Raju P. V. S. , Bhatla R. , Almazroui M. , Assiri M. 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTAn endeavour is made to investigate the performance of convective parameterization schemes on the simulation of South Asian summer monsoon features through a regional climate model (RegCM). For this purpose, RegCM version 4.3 developed by International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) is used for the simulation experiments in the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) framework over the South Asia domain. Four convective schemes, namely, Emanuel, Grell, Tiedtke and a mixed scheme (Emanuel over land and Grell over the ocean) are evaluated in RegCM4.3 at 45 km horizontal resolution. The simulated results of precipitation, temperature and wind fields are systematically evaluated respectively with Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM), Climate Research Unit (CRU) and ECMWF re‐analysis (ERA) Interim datasets. The results reveal that the response of a mixed convective scheme is better in simulating precipitation and temperature realistically over the Indian subcontinent and is in close agreement with the TRMM observations, compared with the three other schemes. The circulation features are also properly represented with the mixed convection scheme. Furthermore, the annual cycle of precipitation and temperature averaged over the Indian region are well estimated in the mixed scheme, compared with the CRU observations. The northward propagation of monsoon intra‐seasonal oscillations in extreme monsoon seasons is simulated reasonably in a mixed convection scheme as compared with three other schemes. The inter‐annual variability of area averaged JJAS precipitation over the Indian region is simulated well by the model for the combination of Emanuel over land and Grell over the ocean. Grell scheme overestimates the JJAS precipitation, whereas Emanual and Tiedtke schemes underestimate it.
Fluorescence fingerprint as an instrumental assessment of the sensory quality of tomato juices
Authors: Trivittayasil Vipavee , Tsuta Mizuki , Imamura Yoshinori , Sato Tsuneo , Otagiri Yuji , Obata Akio , Otomo Hiroe , Kokawa Mito , Sugiyama Junichi , Fujita Kaori , Yoshimura Masatoshi 
Published: April 2015

AbstractBACKGROUNDSensory analysis is an important standard for evaluating food products. However, as trained panelists and time are required for the process, the potential of using fluorescence fingerprint as a rapid instrumental method to approximate sensory characteristics was explored in this study.RESULTSThirty‐five out of 44 descriptive sensory attributes were found to show a significant difference between samples (analysis of variance test). Principal component analysis revealed that principal component 1 could capture 73.84 and 75.28% variance for aroma category and combined flavor and taste category respectively. Fluorescence fingerprints of tomato juices consisted of two visible peaks at excitation/emission wavelengths of 290/350 and 315/425 nm and a long narrow emission peak at 680 nm. The 680 nm peak was only clearly observed in juices obtained from tomatoes cultivated to be eaten raw. The ability to predict overall sensory profiles was investigated by using principal component 1 as a regression target. Fluorescence fingerprint could predict principal component 1 of both aroma and combined flavor and taste with a coefficient of determination above 0.8.CONCLUSIONThe results obtained in this study indicate the potential of using fluorescence fingerprint as an instrumental method for assessing sensory characteristics of tomato juices. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Police Staff 12–18 Months After the Canterbury Earthquakes
Authors: Surgenor Lois J. , Snell Deborah L. , Dorahy Martin J. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractUnderstanding posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in police first‐responders is an underdeveloped field. Using a cross‐sectional survey, this study investigated demographic and occupational characteristics, coping resources and processes, along with first‐responder roles and consequences 18 months following a disaster. Hierarchical linear regression (N = 576) showed that greater symptom levels were significantly positively associated with negative emotional coping (β = .31), a communications role (β = .08) and distress following exposure to resource losses (β = .14), grotesque scenes (β = .21), personal harm (β = .14), and concern for significant others (β = .17). Optimism alone was negatively associated (β = ‐.15), with the overall model being a modest fit (adjusted R2 = .39). The findings highlight variables for further study in police.
Desert tortoise use of burned habitat in the Eastern Mojave desert
Authors: Drake K. Kristina , Esque Todd C. , Nussear Kenneth E. , Defalco Lesley A. , Scoles‐Sciulla Sara J. , Modlin Andrew T. , Medica Philip A. 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTWildfires burned 24,254 ha of critical habitat designated for the recovery of the threatened Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in southern Nevada during 2005. The proliferation of non‐native annual grasses has increased wildfire frequency and extent in recent decades and continues to accelerate the conversion of tortoise habitat across the Mojave Desert. Immediate changes to vegetation are expected to reduce quality of critical habitat, yet whether tortoises will use burned and recovering habitat differently from intact unburned habitat is unknown. We compared movement patterns, home‐range size, behavior, microhabitat use, reproduction, and survival for adult desert tortoises located in, and adjacent to, burned habitat to understand how tortoises respond to recovering burned habitat. Approximately 45% of home ranges in the post‐fire environment contained burned habitat, and numerous observations (n = 12,223) corroborated tortoise use of both habitat types (52% unburned, 48% burned). Tortoises moved progressively deeper into burned habitat during the first 5 years following the fire, frequently foraging in burned habitats that had abundant annual plants, and returning to adjacent unburned habitat for cover provided by intact perennial vegetation. However, by years 6 and 7, the live cover of the short‐lived herbaceous perennial desert globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) that typically re‐colonizes burned areas declined, resulting in a contraction of tortoise movements from the burned areas. Health and egg production were similar between burned and unburned areas indicating that tortoises were able to acquire necessary resources using both areas. This study documents that adult Mojave desert tortoises continue to use habitat burned once by wildfire. Thus, continued management of this burned habitat may contribute toward the recovery of the species in the face of many sources of habitat loss. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
New Solutions to Old Problems
Authors: Slutzki Mark 
Published: April 2015

AbstractHigh power laser systems are making their way into more and more industrial applications. From cutting steel, to drilling via holes in silicon, to marking plastic, a whole range of processes now make use of the laser to produce results not previously practical. Advances in fiber lasers in particular, with their scalability, beam quality and wall‐plug efficiency, have made laser beams with powers of many tens of kilowatts a common tool available to commercial users. Even processes requiring more modest power levels often use a high‐power laser system and distribute the beam to multiple lower‐power workstations, to benefit from the resulting process uniformity across a production line.
Welding Simulation in Car Body Construction
Authors: Thater Raphael , Wiethop Philipp , Rethmeier Michael 
Published: April 2015

AbstractLaser remote welding is a dynamic and flexible joining technology which enables various new approaches in welding sequence and weld position planning. However, the challenge is to find the optimal set‐up within this large parameter space. In this article, numerical welding simulation is used to deal with this challenge. For a car door, different welding sequences and weld positions were numerically analyzed and compared with respect to its welding distortion behavior.
Laser Beam Activation of CNT‐Filled Polymer Blends
Authors: Möhwald Michael , Barz Andrea , Bliedtner Jens , Ziegler Ferdinand , Uebel Martin 
Published: April 2015

Abstract3D‐Molded Interconnect Devices enable the placement of electronic circuits on three‐dimensional plastic components. The following article breaks new ground in order to add reasonably to existing 3D‐MID procedures. An essential aspect was the shortening of the process chain of the conventional MID procedures through laser‐direct structuring. Thus the metallising steps are no longer necessary and a 3D circuit carrier structure can be created directly on any plastic component. The research work focused on the space‐resolved modification of the electric conductivity of non‐conductive plastic components through a newly‐developed procedure of laser beam functionalisation. The principle is based on the application of multi‐phase polymer blends with matrix‐disperse phase structures in which carbon nanotubes are located. They cross‐link on the component surface through a partial laser activation and create a conductive area.
Alternative modes of biofilm formation by plant‐associated Bacillus cereus
Authors: Gao Tantan , Foulston Lucy , Chai Yunrong , Wang Qi , Losick Richard 
Published: April 2015

AbstractThe ability to form multicellular communities known as biofilms is a widespread adaptive behavior of bacteria. Members of the Bacillus group of bacteria have been found to form biofilms on plant roots, where they protect against pathogens and promote growth. In the case of the model bacterium Bacillus subtilis the genetic pathway controlling biofilm formation and the production of an extracellular matrix is relatively well understood. However, it is unclear whether other members of this genus utilize similar mechanisms. We determined that a plant‐associated strain of Bacillus cereus (905) can form biofilms by two seemingly independent pathways. In one mode involving the formation of floating biofilms (pellicles) B. cereus 905 appears to rely on orthologs of many of the genes known to be important for B. subtilis biofilm formation. We report that B. cereus 905 also forms submerged, surface‐associated biofilms and in a manner that resembles biofilm formation by the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. This alternative mode, which does not rely on B. subtilis‐like genes for pellicle formation, takes place under conditions of glucose fermentation and depends on a drop in the pH of the medium.
Comparison of multigrid algorithms for high‐order continuous finite element discretizations
Authors: Sundar Hari , Stadler Georg , Biros George 
Published: April 2015

SummaryWe present a comparison of different multigrid approaches for the solution of systems arising from high‐order continuous finite element discretizations of elliptic partial differential equations on complex geometries. We consider the pointwise Jacobi, the Chebyshev‐accelerated Jacobi, and the symmetric successive over‐relaxation smoothers, as well as elementwise block Jacobi smoothing. Three approaches for the multigrid hierarchy are compared: (1) high‐order h‐multigrid, which uses high‐order interpolation and restriction between geometrically coarsened meshes; (2) p‐multigrid, in which the polynomial order is reduced while the mesh remains unchanged, and the interpolation and restriction incorporate the different‐order basis functions; and (3) a first‐order approximation multigrid preconditioner constructed using the nodes of the high‐order discretization. This latter approach is often combined with algebraic multigrid for the low‐order operator and is attractive for high‐order discretizations on unstructured meshes, where geometric coarsening is difficult. Based on a simple performance model, we compare the computational cost of the different approaches. Using scalar test problems in two and three dimensions with constant and varying coefficients, we compare the performance of the different multigrid approaches for polynomial orders up to 16. Overall, both h‐multigrid and p‐multigrid work well; the first‐order approximation is less efficient. For constant coefficients, all smoothers work well. For variable coefficients, Chebyshev and symmetric successive over‐relaxation smoothing outperform Jacobi smoothing. While all of the tested methods converge in a mesh‐independent number of iterations, none of them behaves completely independent of the polynomial order. When multigrid is used as a preconditioner in a Krylov method, the iteration number decreases significantly compared with using multigrid as a solver. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydroxyurea lowers transcranial Doppler flow velocities in children with sickle cell anaemia in a Nigerian cohort
Authors: Lagunju IkeOluwa , Brown Biobele J. , Sodeinde Olugbemiro 
Published: April 2015

BackgroundSickle cell anaemia (SCA) is the leading genetic disorder in Nigeria. Elevated velocities ≥170 cm/sec occur in about a third of Nigerian children with SCA. Chronic blood transfusion for stroke prevention is faced with a myriad of challenges in our practice.ObjectivesTo evaluate the effectiveness of hydroxyurea (HU) in reducing flow velocities in a cohort of Nigerian children with SCA and elevated velocities treated with HU.MethodsAn observational study was carried out on a cohort of Nigerian children with SCA and elevated velocities identified on routine transcranial Doppler (TCD) screening. HU was recommended in those with TCD velocities ≥ 170cm/sec as stipulated in our hospital protocol. Outcomes were compared after ≥12 months of observation.ResultsFifty children with elevated TCD velocities were studied; 31 consented to HU therapy and 19 declined. Children on HU showed a statistically significant decline in mean velocities from 199.7 [17.1] cm/sec to 165.8 [20.7] cm/sec (P < 0.001) with a significant increase in mean packed cell volume from 21.1 [3.4] to 25.0 [2.8]%. Children without treatment had a significant rise in mean velocities from 190.2 [10.8] cm/sec to 199.7 [14.9] cm/sec (P = 0.003). Children with conditional risk velocities on HU were less likely to convert to abnormal risk (P < 0.001). Two stroke events occurred, one in each group. No adverse effects of HU were recorded in the cohort.ConclusionHU appears to significantly reduce TCD velocities in Nigerian children with SCA and elevated velocities ≥170 cm/sec with beneficial effect on the haematological profile. HU may provide an effective approach to primary stroke prevention, particularly in Africa. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:1587–1591. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Oxygen uptake kinetics and exercise capacity in children with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Fielding Jeremy , Brantley Lucy , Seigler Nichole , McKie Katie T. , Davison Gareth W. , Harris Ryan A 
Published: April 2015

SUMMARYExercise capacity, an objective measure of exercise intolerance, is known to predict quality of life and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF). The mechanisms for exercise intolerance in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), however, have yet to be fully elucidated. Accordingly, this study sought to investigate oxygen uptake kinetics and the impact of fat‐free mass (FFM) on exercise capacity in young patients with CF. 16 young patients with CF (age 13 ± 4 years; 10 female) and 15 matched controls (age 14 ± 3 years; nine female) participated. Pulmonary function and a maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer using the Godfrey protocol were performed. Exercise capacity (VO2peak), VO2 response time (VO2RT), and functional VO2 gain (ΔVO2/ΔWR) were all determined. Lung function was the only demographic parameter significantly lower (P < 0.05) in CF compared to controls. Exercise capacity was lower in CF (P < 0.014) only when VO2 peak was normalized for FFM (43.5 ± 7.7 vs. 50.6 ± 7.4 ml/kg‐FFM/min) or expressed as % predicted (70.1 ± 14.3 vs. 85.4 ± 16.0%). The VO2RT was slower (36.1 ± 15.1 vs. 25.0 ± 12.4 sec; P = 0.03) and the ΔVO2/ΔWR slope was lower (8.4 ± 3 ml/min/watt vs. 10.1 ± 1.4 ml/min/watt; P = 0.02) in patients compared to controls, respectively. In conclusion, a delayed VO2 response time coupled with the lower functional VO2 gain (ΔVO2/ΔWR) suggest that young patients with CF have impairment in oxygen transport and oxygen utilization by the muscles. These data in addition to differences in VO2 peak normalized for FFM provide some insight that muscle mass and muscle metabolism contribute to exercise intolerance in CF. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015; 50:647–654. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
First‐principles theory of acceptors in nitride semiconductors
Authors: Lyons John L. , Alkauskas Audrius , Janotti Anderson , Van de Walle Chris G. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractAcceptor defects and impurities play a critical role in the performance of GaN‐based devices. Mg is the only acceptor impurity that gives rise to p‐type conductivity, while other acceptors (such as C impurities and defects) act as sources of compensation and trapping. From the point of view of theory, understanding the physics of acceptor species in GaN has long been a challenge. In the past, limitations of computational techniques made it difficult to quantitatively predict crucial quantities such as thermodynamic and optical transition levels. However, advances in first‐principles calculations, including the use of hybrid functionals in density functional theory, have led to a resurgence in efforts to understand properties of acceptors in nitrides. After briefly discussing advances in theoretical techniques, we review recent computational work on acceptor impurities in GaN and compare theoretical results with the available experimental data. We also present new hybrid density functional calculations on the transition levels of and its complexes with O and H impurities. The results indicate that donor impurities significantly lower transition levels, and that and complexes give rise to yellow luminescence. We also discuss the properties of acceptor impurities in AlN and InN.