bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mineralogical and Petrological Characteristics of the Neoproterozoic Orthoamphibolite and Orthogneisses in the Mutki Area, the Bitlis Massif, Southeast Turkey
Authors: KOCAK Kerim , CERAN F. Mehmet 
Published: March 2015

Abstract:The rocks form as amphibolite ± garnet ± epidote and orthogneisses in the Pan‐African basement of the Bitlis Massif. The petrochemical data of the studied metamorphic rocks suggest different igneous protoliths ranging from calcalkaline basalt to andesite in composition. Petrochemically, the rocks can be classified as group 1 (low Zr and La) and group 2 (high Zr and La), all showing various enrichments in large ion lithophiles and light rare earth elements, and a depletion in high‐field strength elements, suggestive of a destructive plate margin setting. The protoliths of the all samples might have formed mostly by the partial melting of an enriched source, possibly coupled with the fractional crystallization of plagioclase, apatite, and titaniferous magnetite ± olivine ± clinopyroxene ± amphibole in relation with subduction‐related magmatism neighboring the Andean‐type active margins of Gondwana. The group 2 samples could, however, be generated by a relatively lower degree of the partial melting of an inhomogeneous source with a preponderance of a high‐level, fractional crystallization process in comparison to group 1. The protoliths of the samples were metamorphosed up to amphibolite facies conditions, which destroys original igneous texture and mineral assemblages. Geothermobarometric calculations show that the metamorphic rocks are finally equilibrated between 540 and 610°C and ∼5 kbars, following a clockwise P‐T‐t path.
Petrology and Geochemistry of the Huangshan Granitic Intrusion in Anhui Province, Southeast China: Implications for Petrogenesis and Geodynamics
Authors: ZHANG Shu , ZHANG Zhaochong 
Published: March 2015

Abstract:The Huangshan granitic intrusion in Anhui province, SE China, is tectonically located at the southeastern boundary of the Yangtze Block. Based on the contact relation and the petrography, the Huangshan granitic intrusion can be divided into four stages, from early to late, medium‐grained monzogranite, coarse‐grained porphyric granite, fine‐medium grained porphyric granite, and fine‐coarse grained granite. All rocks from the Huangshan granitic intrusion display similar petrological and geochemical characteristics, i.e. relatively high SiO2(>75%) and alkali (7.85%–8.59%), low CaO(<1%), high Fe‐number (FeOT/(MgO+FeOT) = 0.93–0.97) and A/CNK (atomic Al/(Ca+Na+K)) = 1.04–1.19. They are also enriched in rare earth elements (REE, except for Eu, with a total REE contents ranging from 116 ppm to 421 ppm), high strength field elements such as Zr, Hf, Nb, but depleted in Ba, Sr and Ni. The 10 000×Ga/Al ratios are higher than 2.6, which are consistent with the A‐type granitoids. Based on the classification diagrams proposed by Eby, the Huangshan granite can be classified into the A2 group, which is usually believed to be formed under an extensional tectonic setting. Their Nd isotopic compositions suggest that the primary magmas of the Huangshan granite are predominantly derived from the Proterozoic andesitic rocks in the region, and this conclusion is also supported by REE modeling. The systemic investigations on the geochemistry of the Huangshan granitic intrusion can provide significant implications for the understanding of the petrogenesis and the geodynamic regime of southeastern China during the Late‐Mesozoic.
(K, Na, Li)(Nb, Ta)O3:Mn Lead‐Free Single Crystal with High Piezoelectric Properties
Authors: Huo Xiaoqing , Zhang Rui , Zheng Limei , Zhang Shujun , Wang Rui , Wang Junjun , Sang Shijing , Yang Bin , Cao Wenwu 
Published: March 2015

Lead‐free single crystal, (K, Na, Li)(Nb, Ta)O3:Mn, was successfully grown using top‐seeded solution growth method. Complete matrix of dielectric, piezoelectric, and elastic constants for [001]C poled single crystal was determined. The piezoelectric coefficient d33 measured by the resonance method was 545 pC/N, which is almost three times that of its ceramic counterpart. The values measured by the Berlincourt meter ( = 630 pC/N) and strain–field curve ( = 870 pm/V) were even higher. The differences were assumed to relate with the different extrinsic contributions of domain wall vibration and domain wall translation during the measurements by different approaches, where the intrinsic contribution (on the order of 539 pm/V) was supposed to be the same. The crystal has ultrahigh electromechanical coupling factor (k33 ~95%) and high ultrasound velocity, which make it promising for high‐frequency medical transducer applications.
Validation of the STRATIFY falls risk‐assessment tool for acute‐care hospital patients and nursing home residents: study protocol
Authors: Aranda‐Gallardo Marta , Enriquez de Luna‐Rodriguez Margarita , Canca‐Sanchez Jose Carlos , Moya‐Suarez Ana Belen , Morales‐Asencio Jose Miguel 
Published: March 2015

AbstractAimTo evaluate the accuracy of the STRATIFY tool in detecting and predicting fall risk in acute‐care hospitals and nursing homes for the older people.BackgroundFalls are the predominant cause of injury in people aged over 65 years. Testing the falls risk‐assessment tools in settings other than those for which they were originally developed obtained conflicting results and has highlighted difficulties in their adoption for widespread use. Current guidelines for practice call into question the appropriateness of using these instruments.DesignTwo‐stage study: a cross‐cultural adaptation and psychometric validation; and a longitudinal, prospective follow‐up of the cohort of patients recruited.MethodsA cross‐cultural adaptation of STRATIFY, followed by its empirical validation will be performed, on a total sample of 2097 patients. The diagnostic validity will be assessed by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and the ratios of positive and negative probability. Data for statistical reliability and the internal consistency of the instrument will be calculated; construct validity will be assessed by factor analysis and criterion validity determined according to the Downton index. The incidence and the hazard ratio of falls will be analysed for the study factors included. Funding of the review was confirmed in December 2013.DiscussionThe rigorous assessment of STRATIFY using large samples, in populations with different levels of risk and implementing a longitudinal follow‐up to determine the effect of revaluation on the incidence of falls, will give stronger evidence for the establishment of future recommendations in Clinical Practice Guidelines.
The Prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse in Out‐of‐home Care: Increased Risk for Children with a Mild Intellectual Disability
Authors: Euser Saskia , Alink Lenneke R.A. , Tharner Anne , van IJzendoorn Marinus H. , Bakermans‐Kranenburg Marian J. 
Published: March 2015

BackgroundChildren without disabilities in out‐of‐home care have a higher risk of child sexual abuse [CSA (Euser et al. 2013)]. In this study, we examined the year prevalence of CSA in out‐of‐home care for children with a mild intellectual disability, and compared it with the prevalence in out‐of‐home care for non‐disabled children and children in the general population.Materials and MethodsProfessionals (N = 104) from out‐of‐home care facilities reported cases of CSA that occurred in 2010 for the children they worked with (N = 1650).ResultsIn out‐of‐home care for children with a mild intellectual disability, 9.8 per 1000 children were victims of CSA. This prevalence was significantly higher than in regular out‐of‐home care and in the general population.ConclusionChildren with a mild intellectual disability in out‐of‐home care have an increased risk of CSA. Adequate education and support for both children and caregivers is necessary to recognize and prevent further sexual abuse.
A 57‐bp deletion in the ovine KAP6‐1 gene affects wool fibre diameter
Authors: Zhou H. , Gong H. , Li S. , Luo Y. , Hickford J.G.H. 
Published: March 2015

SummaryHigh glycine–tyrosine keratin‐associated proteins (HGT‐KAPs) are predominantly present in the orthocortex of wool fibres. They vary in abundance in different wools and have been implicated in regulating wool fibre properties, but little is known about the functional roles of these proteins in the fibre matrix. In this study, we used polymerase chain reaction – single‐strand conformational polymorphism (PCR‐SSCP) analysis to screen for variation in a gene encoding the ovine HGT‐KAP6‐1 protein. We identified three gene variants (A, B and C). Variants A and B were similar to each other, with only three nucleotide differences occurring downstream of the coding sequence. However, variant C had a 57‐bp deletion that would notionally result in a loss of 19 amino acids in the protein. The presence of C was found to be associated with an increase in mean fibre diameter (MFD), fibre diameter standard deviation (FDSD), coefficient of variation of fibre diameter (CVFD) and prickle factor (percentage of fibres over 30 microns; PF). Sheep of genotype BC produced wool of greater MFD, FDSD and PF than sheep of genotypes AA, AB and BB. The CVFD was greater in the BC sheep than the AB sheep. The results suggest that variation in ovine KRTAP6‐1 affects wool fibre diameter‐associated traits and that the 57‐bp deletion in this gene would lead to coarser wool with greater FDSD, CVFD and PF.
Global patterns and environmental correlates of high‐priority conservation areas for vertebrates
Authors: Albuquerque Fábio , Beier Paul 
Published: March 2015

AbstractAimA major challenge for the emerging discipline of conservation biogeography is to identify conservation areas and understand the factors and processes that govern the spatial distribution of those areas. We aimed to identify high‐priority conservation cells (HPCC) – 1° cells that efficiently represent species – for amphibians, birds and mammals at the global extent, to identify the environmental variables associated with conservation priority, and to evaluate how well the areas of highest species richness correspond to these high‐priority areas.LocationA global analysis.MethodsDistribution maps for 21,697 vertebrates and complementarity‐based approaches were used to mapHPCCs for vertebrates. We used 41 potential predictor variables and varimax‐rotated factor analysis (VrFA) to identify sets of relatively uncorrelated environmental factors, and then used random forest models to investigate the relationships between VrFAfactors and vertebrate conservation priorities. Finally, we evaluated whether species richness and threatened‐species richness were efficient surrogates to identifyHPCCs for each vertebrate taxon.ResultsFor each of the three taxa,HPCCs were concentrated in the Neotropical, Afrotropical and Indo‐Malay biogeographical realms. The spatial distribution ofHPCCs was strongly correlated with environmental variables, especially energy‐related variables. The cells with the highest species richness did not correspond toHPCCs for either birds or mammals.DiscussionWe suggest that elucidating the patterns and drivers of conservation priority could become a major focus of conservation biogeography. The ability to identify high‐priority conservation sites from the environmental conditions in those sites may improve how sites are prioritized for conservation, so that all or most species can be conserved in affordable areas.
Renalase contributes to the renal protection of delayed ischaemic preconditioning via the regulation of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α
Authors: Wang Feng , Zhang Guangyuan , Xing Tao , Lu Zeyuan , Li Junhui , Peng Cheng , Liu Guohua , Wang Niansong 
Published: March 2015

AbstractIschaemic preconditioning (IPC) attenuates acute kidney injury (AKI) from renal ischaemia reperfusion. Renalase, an amine oxidase secreted by the proximal tubule, not only degrades circulating catecholamines but also protects against renal ischaemia reperfusion injury. Here, it has been suggested that the renoprotective effect of renal IPC is partly mediated by renalase. In a model of brief intermittent renal IPC, the increased cortex renalase expression was found to last for 48 hrs. IPC significantly reduced renal tubular inflammation, necrosis and oxidative stress following renal ischaemia reperfusion injury. Such effects were attenuated by blocking renalase with an anti‐renalase monoclonal antibody. We further demonstrated that renalase expression was up‐regulated by hypoxia in vitro via an hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF)‐1α mechanism. The IPC‐induced up‐regulation of renalase in vivo was also reduced by pre‐treatment with an HIF‐1α inhibitor, 3‐(5′‐Hydroxymethyl‐2′‐furyl)‐1‐benzyl indazole. In summary, the renoprotective effect of IPC is partly dependent on the renalase expression, which may be triggered by hypoxia via an HIF‐1α mechanism. Endogenous renalase shows potential as a therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of AKI.
The activation of the atypical PKC zeta in light‐induced retinal degeneration and its involvement in L‐DNase II control
Authors: Jaadane Imene , Chahory Sabine , Leprêtre Chloé , Omri Boubaker , Jonet Laurent , Behar‐Cohen Francine , Crisanti Patricia , Torriglia Alicia 
Published: March 2015

AbstractLight‐induced retinal degeneration is characterized by photoreceptor cell death. Many studies showed that photoreceptor demise is caspase‐independent. In our laboratory we showed that leucocyte elastase inhibitor/LEI‐derived DNase II (LEI/L‐DNase II), a caspase‐independent apoptotic pathway, is responsible for photoreceptor death. In this work, we investigated the activation of a pro‐survival kinase, the protein kinase C (PKC) zeta. We show that light exposure induced PKC zeta activation. PKC zeta interacts with LEI/L‐DNase II and controls its DNase activity by impairing its nuclear translocation. These results highlight the role of PKC zeta in retinal physiology and show that this kinase can control caspase‐independent pathways.
Induction of p53‐independent growth inhibition in lung carcinoma cell A549 by gypenosides
Authors: Liu Jung‐Sen , Chiang Tzu‐Hsuan , Wang Jinn‐Shyan , Lin Li‐Ju , Chao Wei‐Chih , Inbaraj Baskaran Stephen , Lu Jyh‐Feng , Chen Bing‐Huei 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe objectives of this study are to investigate antiproliferative effect and mechanisms of bioactive compounds from Gynostemma pentaphyllum (G. pentaphyllum) on lung carcinoma cell A549. Saponins, carotenoids and chlorophylls were extracted and fractionated by column chromatography, and were subjected to high‐performance liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry analyses. The saponin fraction, which consisted mainly of gypenoside (Gyp) XXII and XXIII, rather than the carotenoid and chlorophyll ones, was effective in inhibiting A549 cell growth in a concentration‐ and a time‐dependent manner as evaluated using 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The estimated half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Gyp on A549 cells was 30.6 μg/ml. Gyp was further demonstrated to induce an apparent arrest of the A549 cell cycle at both the S phase and the G2/M phase, accompanied by a concentration‐ and a time‐dependent increase in the proportions of both the early and late apoptotic cells. Furthermore, Gyp down‐regulated cellular expression of cyclin A and B as well as BCL‐2, while up‐regulated the expression of BAX, DNA degradation factor 35 KD, poly [ADP‐ribose] polymerase 1, p53, p21 and caspase‐3. Nevertheless, both the treatment of a p53 inhibitor, pifithrin‐α, and the small hairpin RNA‐mediated p53 knockdown in the A549 cells did not alter the growth inhibition effect induced by Gyp. As a result, the cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of A549 cells induced by Gyp would most likely proceed through p53‐independent pathway(s).
Evolutionary problems in centrosome and centriole biology
Authors: Ross L. , Normark B. B. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractCentrosomes have been an enigma to evolutionary biologists. Either they have been the subject of ill‐founded speculation or they have been ignored. Here, we highlight evolutionary paradoxes and problems of centrosome and centriole evolution and seek to understand them in the light of recent advances in centrosome biology. Most evolutionary accounts of centrosome evolution have been based on the hypothesis that centrosomes are replicators, independent of the nucleus and cytoplasm. It is now clear, however, that this hypothesis is not tenable. Instead, centrosomes are formed de novo each cell division, with the presence of an old centrosome regulating, but not essential for, the assembly of a new one. Centrosomes are the microtubule‐organizing centres of cells. They can potentially affect sensory and motor characters (as the basal body of cilia), as well as the movements of chromosomes during cell division. This latter role does not seem essential, however, except in male meiosis, and the reasons for this remain unclear. Although the centrosome is absent in some taxa, when it is present, its structure is extraordinarily conserved: in most taxa across eukaryotes, it does not appear to evolve at all. And yet a few insect groups display spectacular hypertrophy of the centrioles. We discuss how this might relate to the unusual reproductive system found in these insects. Finally, we discuss why the fate of centrosomes in sperm and early embryos might differ between different groups of animals.
The Power Series as Water Sorption Isotherm Models
Authors: Mitrevski Vangelce , Lutovska Monika , Pavkov Ivan , Mijakovski Vladimir , Popovski Filip 
Published: March 2015

AbstractIn this study, a power series which can generate different families of new water sorption isotherm models were presented. Experimentally obtained values for equilibrium moisture content of pear for three different temperatures, 15, 30 and 45C, and water activities, from 0.112 to 0.920, as well as literature experimental values for equilibrium moisture content of potato for three different temperatures, 30, 45 and 60C, and water activities, from 0.112 to 0.900, were fitted with the newly generated sorption isotherm models plus the referent Anderson model known in the literature as Guggenheim‐Anderson‐de Boer (GAB) model. In order to find which model gives the best results for approximation of experimental sorption data, several statistical criteria proposed in scientific literature were used. For each model and experimental data set, the average performance index was calculated and models were ranked afterwards. After that, some statistical rejection criteria were checked (D’Agostino‐Pearson test of normality, single‐sample run test, confidence intervals of estimated parameters, significance and precision of the model parameters). The performed statistical analysis shows that the two newly generated three‐parameter models, M32 and M34, give the better fit to the sorption data of pear than the referent three‐parameter Anderson model, while M32 gives the best fit to the sorption data of potato.Practical ApplicationsThe sorption isotherms of food materials are of great importance in the food industry and technology, especially for the design and optimization of the drying equipment and in the approach to the prediction of shelf life stability of material. The new generated three‐parameter models, M32 and M34, can be successfully used in practical calculations of the equilibrium moisture content, which is an important parameter in storage conditions of dry food materials. With the incorporation of M32 or M34 in the drying model, more accurate values of transient moisture and temperature profiles on the dried materials will be obtained.
Bismuth and Silver in Cosmetic Products: A Source of Environmental and Resource Concern?
Authors: Amneklev Jennie , Augustsson Anna , Sörme Louise , Bergbäck Bo 
Published: March 2015

SummaryBismuth (Bi) and silver (Ag) are used in increasing amounts and are consequently being emitted from various sources and showing high accumulation rates in soils when sewage sludge is applied on arable land. This study aimed to analyze the amounts of Bi and Ag in three cosmetic products (foundation, powder, and eye shadow) in order to study the flows in urban wastewater in Stockholm, Sweden. Analyses showed that Bi was present in very high concentrations (7,000 to 360,000 milligrams per kilogram) in one third of the analyzed foundation and powder samples, whereas Ag concentrations all were below the detection limit. These cosmetic products explained approximately 24% of the measured total Bi amounts per year reaching the WWTP (wastewater treatment plant), making cosmetics a major Bi source, whereas for Ag the corresponding contribution was <0.1% of the measured annual Ag amounts. The results were roughly adapted for Europe and the United States, estimating the Bi flows from cosmetics to WWTPs. On a global scale, these flows correspond to a non‐negligible part of the world Bi production that, every year, ends up in sewage sludge, limiting the reuse of a valuable metal resource. From an environmental and resource perspective, foundations and powder products should be considered as significant sources of measured Bi amounts in sludge. This large Bi flow must be considered as unsustainable. For Ag, however, the three analyzed cosmetic products are not a significant source of the total Ag load to WWTPs.
Evolution of Public Supply Water Withdrawal in the USA: A Network Approach
Authors: Ahmad Nasir , Derrible Sybil 
Published: March 2015

SummaryWater is essential to life, and tracking trends in the withdrawal of water is paramount if we aspire to become more sustainable. Traditional statistical indicators, such as mean and standard deviation, are useful to track these trends, but they can sometimes fail to capture relevant and nontrivial properties. In this work, we first highlight the limits of these traditional statistical tools and we then offer a new network approach to study water withdrawals. Public supply water withdrawal data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the years 1985, 1990, 1995, and 2005 were used in gallons of water per capita per day for all U.S. counties. Essentially, a network is formed between counties when they have withdrawal values within a certain range, ± ξ, of one another. A giant cluster rapidly emerges, containing more than 80% of the nodes for a ξ of 1%. The counties with the highest number of connections are associated with the mode of distribution, and we found multimodal patterns for earlier years. Moreover, the average shortest‐path length can be seen as the spread of a distribution. Overall, beyond a possible process of homogenization, water withdrawal patterns do not seem to have evolved much from 1985 to 2005, and no spatial correlation was detected. Though the methodology is yet to be formalized, it manages to give meaningful insights to supplement traditional statistical analyses.