bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gross Moist Stability Assessment during TOGA COARE: Various Interpretations of Gross Moist Stability
Authors: Inoue Kuniaki , Back Larissa E. 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Daily averaged TOGA COARE data are analyzed to investigate the convective amplification/decay mechanisms. The gross moist stability (GMS), which represents moist static energy (MSE) export efficiency by large-scale circulations associated with the convection, is studied together with two quantities, called the critical GMS (a ratio of diabatic forcing to the convective intensity) and the drying efficiency [a version of the effective GMS (GMS minus critical GMS)]. The analyses reveal that convection intensifies (decays) via negative (positive) drying efficiency.
The authors illustrate that variability of the drying efficiency during the convective amplifying phase is predominantly explained by the vertical MSE advection (or vertical GMS), which imports MSE via bottom-heavy vertical velocity profiles (associated with negative vertical GMS) and eventually starts exporting MSE via top-heavy profiles (associated with positive vertical GMS). The variability of the drying efficiency during the decaying phase is, in contrast, explained by the horizontal MSE advection. The critical GMS, which is moistening efficiency due to the diabatic forcing, is broadly constant throughout the convective life cycle, indicating that the diabatic forcing always tends to destabilize the convective system in a constant manner.
The authors propose various ways of computing quasi-time-independent “characteristic GMS” and demonstrate that all of them are equivalent and can be interpreted as (i) the critical GMS, (ii) the GMS at the maximum precipitation, and (iii) a combination of feedback constants between the radiation, evaporation, and convection. Those interpretations indicate that each convective life cycle is a fluctuation of rapidly changing GMS around slowly changing characteristic GMS.
Lake-Related Cloud Dynamics on the Tibetan Plateau: Spatial Patterns and Interannual Variability
Authors: Rüthrich F. , Reudenbach C. , Thies B. , Bendix J. 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
The scarcity of meteorological observations has hitherto prevented spatially comprehensive and complete assessments on regional and local-scale atmospheric processes such as breeze systems on the Tibetan Plateau (TiP). Because of the high abundance of lakes, the steep topography, and the intense insolation of the TiP, lake breeze and land breeze systems might, however, contribute substantially to the local climatic and hydrological variability. The presented study aims at unveiling the influence of the lake effect over the whole TiP by using a novel high-mountain satellite cloud product, based on Meteosat Indian Ocean Data Coverage (IODC) data from 1999 to 2012, focusing on 70 lake systems larger than 72 km2. Of particular interest are the spatial and interannual variability of lake-related cloud dynamics during boreal summer and autumn. For both seasons, a significant effect of lakes on cloudiness is shown during the early morning. Its mean strength is mainly determined by each basin’s temperature difference between lake and surroundings. For boreal summer the large-scale influences of tropical and extratropical circulation pattern on the interannual variability of the lake effect are also investigated. The results show that the Arctic and North Atlantic Oscillations (AO and NAO) inhibit convective activity above lakes in the northern and central-eastern domain. A positive polarity of the Southern Oscillation index (SOI), in contrast, is in phase with enhanced convective activity. The variability of the Indian summer monsoon circulation does not affect cloud dynamics at more than two locations. Case studies are employed to illustrate interactions between cloud activity and the SOI and NAO. For this purpose satellite data are combined with the modeled 10 km × 10 km High Asia Refined Analysis dataset on a daily basis.
An Initial Assessment of the Surface Reference Technique Applied to Data from the Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) on the GPM Satellite
Authors: Meneghini Robert , Kim Hyokyung , Liao Liang , Jones Jeffrey A. , Kwiatkowski John M. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractIt has long been recognized that path-integrated attenuation (PIA) can be used to improve precipitation estimates from high-frequency weather radar data. One approach that provides an estimate of this quantity from airborne or spaceborne radar data is the surface reference technique (SRT), which uses measurements of the surface cross section in the presence and absence of precipitation. Measurements from the dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) on the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite afford the first opportunity to test the method for spaceborne radar data at Ka band as well as for the Ku-band–Ka-band combination.The study begins by reviewing the basis of the single- and dual-frequency SRT. As the performance of the method is closely tied to the behavior of the normalized radar cross section (NRCS or σ0) of the surface, the statistics of σ0 derived from DPR measurements are given as a function of incidence angle and frequency for ocean and land backgrounds over a 1-month period. Several independent estimates of the PIA, formed by means of different surface reference datasets, can be used to test the consistency of the method since, in the absence of error, the estimates should be identical. Along with theoretical considerations, the comparisons provide an initial assessment of the performance of the single- and dual-frequency SRT for the DPR. The study finds that the dual-frequency SRT can provide improvement in the accuracy of path attenuation estimates relative to the single-frequency method, particularly at Ku band.
Enhancing the contribution of research to health care policy-making: a case study of the Dutch Health Care Performance Report
Authors: Hegger Ingrid , Marks Lisanne K , Janssen Susan WJ , Schuit Albertine J , van Oers Hans AM 
Published: August 2015

Objectives The Dutch Health Care Performance Report, issued by the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, aims to monitor health care performance in The Netherlands. Both the National Institute and the Ministry of Health wish to increase the contribution of the Report to health care policy-making. Our aim was to identify ways to achieve that. Method We used contribution mapping as a theoretical framework that recognizes alignment of research as crucial to managing contributions to policy-making. To investigate which areas need alignment efforts by researchers and/or policy-makers, we interviewed National Institute researchers and policy-makers from the Ministry of Health and assessed the process for developing the 2010 Report. Results We identified six areas where alignment is specifically relevant for enhancing the contributions of future versions of the Dutch Health Care Performance Report: well-balanced information for different ministerial directorates; backstage work; double role actors; reports of other knowledge institutes; data collection/generation and presentation forms. Conclusion The contribution of health care performance reporting to policy-making is complex and requires continuous alignment efforts between researchers and policy-makers. These efforts should form an inseparable part of health care performance reporting and although this demands considerable resources, it is worth considering since it may pay back in better contributions to policy-making.
Positive selection in development and growth rate regulation genes involved in species divergence of the genus Radix
Authors: Feldmeyer Barbara , Greshake Bastian , Funke Elisabeth , Ebersberger Ingo , Pfenninger Markus 
Published: August 2015

AbstractBackgroundLife history traits like developmental time, age and size at maturity are directly related to fitness in all organisms and play a major role in adaptive evolution and speciation processes. Comparative genomic or transcriptomic approaches to identify positively selected genes involved in species divergence can help to generate hypotheses on the driving forces behind speciation. Here we use a bottom-up approach to investigate this hypothesis by comparative analysis of orthologous transcripts of four closely related EuropeanRadixspecies.ResultsSnails of the genusRadixoccupy species specific distribution ranges with distinct climatic niches, indicating a potential for natural selection driven speciation based on ecological niche differentiation. We then inferred phylogenetic relationships among the fourRadixspecies based on whole mt-genomes plus 23 nuclear loci. Three different tests to infer selection and changes in amino acid properties yielded a total of 134 genes with signatures of positive selection. The majority of these genes belonged to the functional gene ontology categories “reproduction” and “genitalia” with an overrepresentation of the functions “development” and “growth rate”.ConclusionsWe show here thatRadixspecies divergence may be primarily enforced by selection on life history traits such as (larval-) development and growth rate. We thus hypothesise that life history differences may confer advantages under the according climate regimes, e.g., species occupying warmer and dryer habitats might have a fitness advantage with fast developing susceptible life stages, which are more tolerant to habitat desiccation.
Within-host evolution decreases virulence in an opportunistic bacterial pathogen
Authors: Mikonranta Lauri , Mappes Johanna , Laakso Jouni , Ketola Tarmo 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Background
Pathogens evolve in a close antagonistic relationship with their hosts. The conventional theory proposes that evolution of virulence is highly dependent on the efficiency of direct host-to-host transmission. Many opportunistic pathogens, however, are not strictly dependent on the hosts due to their ability to reproduce in the free-living environment. Therefore it is likely that conflicting selection pressures for growth and survival outside versus within the host, rather than transmission potential, shape the evolution of virulence in opportunists. We tested the role of within-host selection in evolution of virulence by letting a pathogen Serratia marcescens db11 sequentially infect Drosophila melanogaster hosts and then compared the virulence to strains that evolved only in the outside-host environment.

Results
We found that the pathogen adapted to both Drosophila melanogaster host and novel outside-host environment, leading to rapid evolutionary changes in the bacterial life-history traits including motility, in vitro growth rate, biomass yield, and secretion of extracellular proteases. Most significantly, selection within the host led to decreased virulence without decreased bacterial load while the selection lines in the outside-host environment maintained the same level of virulence with ancestral bacteria.

Conclusions
This experimental evidence supports the idea that increased virulence is not an inevitable consequence of within-host adaptation even when the epidemiological restrictions are removed. Evolution of attenuated virulence could occur because of immune evasion within the host. Alternatively, rapid fluctuation between outside-host and within-host environments, which is typical for the life cycle of opportunistic bacterial pathogens, could lead to trade-offs that lower pathogen virulence.
Determinants of footwear difficulties in people with plantar heel pain
Authors: Sullivan Justin , Pappas Evangelos , Adams Roger , Crosbie Jack , Burns Joshua 
Published: August 2015

AbstractBackgroundPlantar heel pain is a common foot disorder aggravated by weight‐bearing activity. Despite considerable focus on therapeutic interventions such as orthoses, there has been limited investigation of footwear‐related issues in people with plantar heel pain. The aim of this study was to investigate whether people with plantar heel pain experience footwear‐related difficulties compared to asymptomatic individuals, as well as identifying factors associated with footwear comfort, fit and choice.MethodsThe footwear domain of the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ) was assessed in 192 people with plantar heel pain and 69 asymptomatic controls. The plantar heel pain group was also assessed on a variety of measures including: foot posture, foot strength and flexibility, pedobarography and pain level. A univariate analysis of covariance, with age as the covariate, was used to compare the heel pain and control groups on the FHSQ footwear domain score. A multiple regression model was then constructed to investigate factors associated with footwear scores among participants with plantar heel pain.ResultsWhen compared to asymptomatic participants, people with plantar heel pain reported lower FHSQ footwear domain scores (mean difference −24.4; p < 0.001; 95 % CI: −32.0 to −17.0). In the participants with heel pain, footwear scores were associated with maximum force beneath the postero‐lateral heel during barefoot walking, toe flexor strength and gender.ConclusionsPeople with plantar heel pain experience difficulty with footwear comfort, fit and choice. Reduced heel loading during barefoot walking, toe flexor weakness and female gender are all independently associated with reports of footwear difficulties in people with heel pain. Increased focus, in both clinical and research settings, is needed to address footwear‐related issues in people with plantar heel pain.
Postextubation laryngeal edema and stridor resulting in respiratory failure in critically ill adult patients: updated review
Authors: Pluijms Wouter A. , van Mook Walther NKA , Wittekamp Bastiaan HJ , Bergmans Dennis CJJ 
Published: August 2015

AbstractEndotracheal intubation is frequently complicated by laryngeal edema, which may present as postextubation stridor or respiratory difficulty or both. Ultimately, postextubation laryngeal edema may result in respiratory failure with subsequent reintubation. Risk factors for postextubation laryngeal edema include female gender, large tube size, and prolonged intubation. Although patients at low risk for postextubation respiratory insufficiency due to laryngeal edema can be identified by the cuff leak test or laryngeal ultrasound, no reliable test for the identification of high-risk patients is currently available. If applied in a timely manner, intravenous or nebulized corticosteroids can prevent postextubation laryngeal edema; however, the inability to identify high-risk patients prevents the targeted pretreatment of these patients. Therefore, the decision to start corticosteroids should be made on an individual basis and on the basis of the outcome of the cuff leak test and additional risk factors. The preferential treatment of postextubation laryngeal edema consists of intravenous or nebulized corticosteroids combined with nebulized epinephrine, although no data on the optimal treatment algorithm are available. In the presence of respiratory failure, reintubation should be performed without delay. Application of noninvasive ventilation or inhalation of a helium/oxygen mixture is not indicated since it does not improve outcome and increases the delay to intubation.
Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells retain adequate osteogenicity and chondrogenicity but less adipogenicity
Authors: Kang Ran , Zhou Yan , Tan Shuang , Zhou Guangqian , Aagaard Lars , Xie Lin , Bünger Cody , Bolund Lars , Luo Yonglun 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Introduction
Previously, we established a simple method for deriving mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-MSCs). These iPSC-MSCs were capable of forming osteogenic structures in scaffolds and nanofibers. The objective of this study is to systematically characterize the mesenchymal characteristics of the iPSC-MSCs by comparing them to bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs).

Methods
Two iPSC-MSC lines (named as mRNA-iPSC-MSC-YL001 and lenti-iPSC-MSC-A001) and one BM-MSC line were used for the study. Cell proliferation, presence of mesenchymal surface markers, tri-lineage differentiation capability (osteogenesis, chondrogenesis, adipogenesis), and expression of “stemness” genes were analyzed in these MSC lines.

Results
The iPSC-MSCs were similar to BM-MSCs in terms of cell morphology (fibroblast-like) and surface antigen profile: CD29+, CD44+, CD73+, CD90+, CD105+, CD11b–, CD14–, CD31–, CD34–, CD45– and HLA-DR–. A faster proliferative capability was seen in both iPSC-MSCs lines compared to the BM-MSCs. The iPSC-MSCs showed adequate capacity of osteogenesis and chondrogenesis compared to the BM-MSCs, while less adipogenic potential was found in the iPSC-MSCs. The iPSC-MSCs and the tri-lineage differentiated cells (osteoblasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes) all lack expression of “stemness” genes: OCT4, SOX2, GDF3, CRIPTO, UTF1, DPPA4, DNMT3B, LIN28a, and SAL4.

Conclusions
The MSCs derived from human iPSCs with our method have advanced proliferation capability and adequate osteogenic and chondrogenic properties compared to BM-MSCs. However, the iPSC-MSCs were less efficient in their adipogenicity, suggesting that further modifications should be applied to our method to derive iPSC-MSCs more closely resembling the naïve BM-MSCs if necessary.
A Benzophosphole P-Oxide with an Electron-Donating Group at 3-Position: Enhanced Fluorescence in Polar Solvents
Authors: Yamaguchi Eriko , Fukazawa Aiko , Kosaka Youhei , Yokogawa Daisuke , Irle Stephan , Yamaguchi Shigehiro 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Fluorophores with intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) character in the excited state exhibit significant solvatochromism of their fluorescence. Here, we report an example for such compounds, a benzophosphole P-oxide bearing an electron-donating p-(diphenylamino)phenyl group at the 3-position. While this compound shows only subtle dependence of the absorption maximum on the solvent polarity (λmax = 383–392 nm), its emission maximum is significantly red-shifted upon increasing the solvent polarity (cyclohexane: λem = 457 nm; DMF: λem = 598 nm). Most notably, the fluorescence quantum yields gradually increase with increased Stokes shifts, ultimately reaching ΦF = 0.28 in DMF. This trend is fundamentally different from that observed for the corresponding 2-(diphenylamino)phenyl-substituted benzophosphole congener, for which applications as a fluorescent bioimaging probe were previously demonstrated. In this study, the origins of this striking difference are examined by a combined experimental and theoretical approach. Our results suggest that the observed difference arises from a significant contribution of quinoidal resonance forms in the ICT excited state, which suppresses nonradiative decay and hence increases the quantum yield in polar solvents.
A method of predicting the secondary protein structure based on dictionaries
Authors: Roterman-Konieczna Irena , Fabian Piotr , Stąpor Katarzyna 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
The shape of a protein chain may be analyzed at different levels of details. The ultimate shape description contains three-dimensional coordinates of all atoms in the chain. In many cases, a description of the local shape, namely secondary structure, is enough to determine some properties of proteins. Although obtaining the full three-dimensional (3D) information also defines the secondary structure, the problem of finding this precise 3D shape (tertiary structure) given only the amino acid sequence is very complex. However, the secondary structure may be found even without having the full 3D information. Many methods have been developed for this purpose. Most of them are based on similarities of the analyzed protein chain to other proteins that are already analyzed and have a known secondary structure. The presented paper proposes a method based on dictionaries of known structures for predicting the secondary structure from either the primary structure or the so-called structural code. Accuracies of up to 79% have been achieved.
Multiscale investigation of stress-corrosion crack propagation mechanisms in oxide glasses
Authors: Pallares Gaël , George Matthieu , Ponson Laurent , Chapuliot Stéphane , Roux Stéphane , Ciccotti Matteo 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Fracture propagation involves the coupling of many length scales ranging from the sample loading geometry to the molecular level. In brittle materials, the length scales of the damage process zone are reduced to a submicrometric scale and the coupling with the macroscopic scale is expected to be the domain of linear elastic fracture mechanics. However, although 2D elastic analyses are generally adequate to describe the sample deformation at macroscopic scales, local investigations of failure mechanisms at the sample-free surface require the use of 3D mechanical tools due to the crack front local curvature and to the corner point singularities at the intersection between the crack front and the external surfaces of the sample. We present here a thorough multiscale investigation of the slow crack growth of a sharp crack in oxide glasses in the stress-corrosion regime, combining experimental and numerical analyses of the displacement fields from the millimeter scale to the nanoscale range. The principal aim of the study is identifying the length and time scales of the mechanisms of damage and interaction between water and glass, which have been the subject of an extensive debate in the last decades.
Ag Nanowires Single Electrode Triboelectric Nanogenerator and Its Angle Sensors
Authors: Cheng Lu , Xi Yi , Hu Chenguo , Yue Xule , Wang Guo 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
As we known, nanogenerator (NG) can be used in many fields, such as sensors, energy harvesting, biomedical application, and so on. Sometimes, the object that is a part of NG cannot be electrically connected to the load because it is a mobile object. To harvest energy from such a case and reduce the fabrication cost and achieve some new applications such as touch screen products, we need to find new method to fabricate NG. To attain the higher output current and output power, moreover, here we report a flexible and easy fabricated single electrode triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and silver (Ag) nanowires (NWs). Due to Ag NWs high specific surface area, the electrical conductivity of Ag NWs is better than the block of Ag, and PDMS is the transparent and flexible. The single electrode TENG not only can harvest energy from environment but also is a self-powered sensor for detecting acceleration from different angles. This TENG can attain an open-circuit voltage up to 330 V, a maximum short-circuit current of 15.5 μ A (2.6 μ A/cm2) and a maximum power of 1.5 mW (0.25 mW/cm2) on the load of 20 MΩ.