bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Variation Among Maize Hybrids in Response to High Vapor Pressure Deficit at High Temperatures
Authors: Shekoofa Avat , Sinclair Thomas R. , Messina Carlos D. , Cooper Mark 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACTTemperature and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) are two important environmental factors influencing stomatal conductance and transpiration. A limited transpiration rate (TRlim) trait expressed under high VPD has been shown to offer an approach to increase crop yield in water‐limited areas. The benefit of the TRlim trait is that it lowers the effective VPD under which plants lose water and so conserves soil water to support crop growth for use during drought periods later in the growing season. Previous studies at moderate temperatures (32°C and lower) identified 12 maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids that express the TRlim trait. A critical question is whether the TRlim trait is also expressed by these hybrids under temperatures up to 38°C, which are relevant in environments where maize may be grown. Five hybrids failed to express the TRlim trait at 38°C but seven hybrids had sustained expression of the trait at 38°C. The loss of expression of the TRlim response in the five hybrids was found to occur in the very narrow range of temperature increase from 36 to 38°C. The genetic differences in water use among these maize hybrids could be useful in selecting hybrids that are especially well adapted for temperature conditions in a targeted production area.
Managing elephants in Sri Lanka: where we are and where we need to be
Authors: Fernando Prithiviraj 
Published: October 2015

Asian elephants are ‘endangered’ but come into significant conflict with humans. Sri Lanka holds an important position in relation to Asian elephants, both in terms of species conservation and human-elephant conflict mitigation. Historical aspects of the two main conservation agencies and lack of coordination between them has prevented a landscape level holistic approach to conservation in general and elephants in particular. The primary objective of elephant management is human-elephant conflict mitigation and secondarily elephant conservation. Many human-elephant conflict mitigation activities are ineffective and in some cases cause its escalation and wider spread. Others are extremely detrimental to elephant conservation. Effective human-elephant conflict mitigation and elephant conservation requires a paradigm change. Elephant management needs to be based on science and evidence rather than outdated beliefs and false assumptions. Unless immediate and effective remedial measures are taken, human-elephant conflict will continue to escalate and the elephant population continue to decline. Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.) 44 (1) : 1-11, 2015
An automated system for analyzing agarose and polyacrylamide gel images
Authors: Abeykoon A.M.K.W.K. , Dhanapala M.P.C.S. , Yapa R. D. , Sooriyapathirana S.D.S.S. 
Published: October 2015

Agarose or polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is a common technique used to separate nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) according to their molecular weight, which generates images that can be analyzed automatically by a system. The separated DNA fragments of different molecular weights give a series of bands with positions in the gel image corresponding to their molecular weights. Automated image analysis of the gels removes much of the subjectivity of manual interpretation of band positions and sizes. In this paper, an automated system was designed for analyzing DNA bands using image and signal processing techniques. The proposed algorithm consists of four main steps: preprocessing to enhance the image, detecting lanes and bands, identifying band lengths and clustering; in which it can identify the similarities of the biological samples based on shared bands. The proposed technique eliminates defects due to noise and double bands in images. Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.) 44 (1) : 45-54, 2015
Techniques of Self-Knowledge in Nietzsche and Freud
Authors: Mitcheson Katrina 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT
Both Nietzsche and Freud believe that our conscious experiences and actions are shaped by the activity of unconscious drives. Despite the significant differences in their understanding of drives and the obstacles faced uncovering them, there is sufficient common ground in their view of drives as multiple, contingent, and historically formed, to compare their methods of investigating them. For Nietzsche, solitude is essential to any project of self-knowledge, while Freud transplants the process of uncovering the activity of the drives from the loneliness of a metaphorical desert to the therapeutic relationship in the consulting room, relying on the effects of transference between analyst and analysand. If drives are relational, then understanding their activity seems to require exploring them in the context of relationships. These relationships, however, may constrain the process of investigation. By contrasting the methods of Freud and Nietzsche, I highlight dangers present in both approaches. Such awareness allows us to find ways to mitigate the inevitable bias that their methods introduce. I conclude that the limitations of a purely solitary or dialogical approach to self-knowledge point to the need to employ both solitude and dialogue to explore our drives, combining a capacity for solitude with a capacity to engage.
Therapeutic Potential of Human Adipose-Derived Stem/Stromal Cell Microspheroids Prepared by Three-Dimensional Culture in Non-Cross-Linked Hyaluronic Acid Gel
Authors: Mineda Kazuhide , Feng Jingwei , Ishimine Hisako , Takada Hitomi , Doi Kentaro , Kuno Shinichiro , Kinoshita Kahori , Kanayama Koji , Kato Harunosuke , Mashiko Takanobu , Hashimoto Ichiro , Nakanishi Hideki , Kurisaki Akira , Yoshimura Kotaro 
Published: October 2015

Abstract

Three-dimensional culture of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells for spheroid formation is known to enhance their therapeutic potential for regenerative medicine. Spheroids were prepared by culturing human adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (hASCs) in a non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA) gel and compared with dissociated hASCs and hASC spheroids prepared using a nonadherent dish. Preliminary experiments indicated that a 4% HA gel was the most appropriate for forming hASC spheroids with a relatively consistent size (20–50 µm) within 48 hours. Prepared spheroids were positive for pluripotency markers (NANOG, OCT3/4, and SOX-2), and 40% of the cells were SSEA-3-positive, a marker of the multilineage differentiating stress enduring or Muse cell. In contrast with dissociated ASCs, increased secretion of cytokines such as hepatocyte growth factor was detected in ASC spheroids cultured under hypoxia. On microarray ASC spheroids showed upregulation of some pluripotency markers and downregulation of genes related to the mitotic cell cycle. After ischemia-reperfusion injury to the fat pad in SCID mice, local injection of hASC spheroids promoted tissue repair and reduced the final atrophy (1.6%) compared with that of dissociated hASCs (14.3%) or phosphate-buffered saline (20.3%). Part of the administered hASCs differentiated into vascular endothelial cells. ASC spheroids prepared in a HA gel contain undifferentiated cells with therapeutic potential to promote angiogenesis and tissue regeneration after damage.

Significance
This study shows the therapeutic value of human adipose-derived stem cell spheroids prepared in hyarulonic acid gel. The spheroids have various benefits as an injectable cellular product and show therapeutic potential to the stem cell-depleted conditions such as diabetic chronic skin ulcer.
Significant mixed layer nitrification in a natural iron‐fertilized bloom of the Southern Ocean
Authors: Fripiat F. , Elskens M. , Trull T. W. , Blain S. , Cavagna A. ‐J. , Fernandez C. , Fonseca‐Batista D. , Planchon F. , Raimbault P. , Roukaerts A. , Dehairs F. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractNitrification, the microbially mediated oxidation of ammonium into nitrate, is generally expected to be low in the Southern Ocean mixed layer. This paradigm assumes that nitrate is mainly provided through vertical mixing and assimilated during the vegetative season, supporting the concept that nitrate uptake is equivalent to the new primary production (i.e., primary production which is potentially available for export). Here we show that nitrification is significant (~40–80% of the seasonal nitrate uptake) in the naturally iron‐fertilized bloom over the southeast Kerguelen Plateau. Hence, a large fraction of the nitrate‐based primary production is regenerated, instead of being exported. It appears that nitrate assimilation (light dependent) and nitrification (partly light inhibited) are spatially separated between the upper and lower parts, respectively, of the deep surface mixed layers. These deep mixed layers, extending well below the euphotic layer, allow nitrifiers to compete with phytoplankton for the assimilation of ammonium. The high contributions of nitrification to nitrate uptake are in agreement with both low export efficiency (i.e., the percentage of primary production that is exported) and low seasonal nitrate drawdown despite high nitrate assimilation.
Evidence and models for lower crustal flow beneath the Galápagos platform
Authors: Orellana‐Rovirosa Felipe , Richards Mark 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe volcanic Galápagos Islands are constructed upon a broad platform, with their active westernmost islands marking the current position of the hotspot. Built upon young oceanic lithosphere (<15 Ma), this platform exhibits unique morphologic features including a system of stepped terraces on the southwestern escarpment with 3 km relief, contrasting with gentle slopes off the eastern platform toward the Carnegie Ridge. Considering horizontal lithostatic pressure differences associated with this relief, along with high temperatures within the young, hotspot‐affected lithosphere, it is likely that lower crustal flow contributes significantly to crustal deformation within the Galápagos platform. Using a 2‐D, isostatic, thin‐sheet approximation for the Stokes flow equation with (Newtonian) space‐time‐dependent viscosity, we suggest that the bathymetric rim along the eastern platform region (where gravimetry indicates Airy isostasy) near Española Island may be the expression of a mature lower crustal flow front developed over the last ∼3 Myr; horizontal mass displacements (∼50 km) associated with this crustal flow episode may have advected mantle plume geochemical signatures toward the southeast, and in directions not necessarily parallel to the hotspot track. Also, the stepped terraces along the southwestern platform may be explained by lower crustal flow‐associated backward tilting of the bathymetric surface that, although resulting in small angular changes (∼0.1°), effectively hinders the horizontal flow of lava sheets. This backward‐tilting process was likely restricted to the last ∼1 Ma or less, and may be a unique event involving extrusion of lavas from within the southwestward‐marching lower‐crustal flow front.
Zonally uniform tidal oscillations in the tropical stratosphere
Authors: Sakazaki Takatoshi , Sasaki Takuya , Shiotani Masato , Tomikawa Yoshihiro , Kinnison Douglas 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBy analyzing data from satellite measurements, a reanalysis, and a chemistry‐climate model, we found clear zonally uniform tidal signals in the tropical stratosphere, particularly during the Northern Hemisphere summer. Antisymmetric components with respect to the equator are dominant and are characterized by a vertical wavelength of ~15 km and a diurnal frequency. The temperature and vertical wind diurnal amplitudes in the stratosphere are 0.2–1 K and 1–7 mm s–1, respectively. The latter is generally larger than the climatological ascent motion in the stratosphere. The observed latitudinal and vertical structures can be explained by the second, propagating, antisymmetric Hough mode. These tidal oscillations should be carefully considered in analyses of zonal mean fields at a particular universal time.
Enhanced detection of terrestrial gamma‐ray flashes by AGILE
Authors: Marisaldi M. , Argan A. , Ursi A. , Gjesteland T. , Fuschino F. , Labanti C. , Galli M. , Tavani M. , Pittori C. , Verrecchia F. , D'Amico F. , Østgaard N. , Mereghetti S. , Campana R. , Cattaneo P.W. , Bulgarelli A. , Colafrancesco S. , Dietrich S. , Longo F. , Gianotti F. , Giommi P. , Rappoldi A. , Trifoglio M. , Trois A. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAt the end of March 2015 the onboard software configuration of the Astrorivelatore Gamma a Immagini Leggero (AGILE) satellite was modified in order to disable the veto signal of the anticoincidence shield for the minicalorimeter instrument. The motivation for such a change was the understanding that the dead time induced by the anticoincidence prevented the detection of a large fraction of Terrestrial Gamma‐Ray Flashes (TGFs). The configuration change was highly successful resulting in an increase of one order of magnitude in TGF detection rate. As expected, the largest fraction of the new events has short duration (<100 μs), and part of them has simultaneous association with lightning sferics detected by the World Wide Lightning Location Network. The new configuration provides the largest TGF detection rate surface density (TGFs/km2/yr) to date, opening prospects for improved correlation studies with lightning and atmospheric parameters on short spatial and temporal scales along the equatorial region.
Calculation of meridional neutral winds in the middle latitudes from the Irkutsk incoherent scatter radar
Authors: Shcherbakov A. A. , Medvedev A. V. , Kushnarev D. S. , Tolstikov M. V. , Alsatkin S. S. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThis paper presents a consistent technique for velocity determination of meridional neutral winds from the Irkutsk incoherent scatter radar (IISR.) We calculated plasma drift velocity based on phase analysis of an autocorrelation function of an incoherent scatter signal. We also preliminary tested the described technique by determining several low‐orbit satellite velocities. Midlatitude meridional neutral winds were calculated using a “three‐beam” technique from the IISR velocity with taking into account motions due to electric fields across magnetic field lines in both meridional and zonal directions. It has been shown that an underestimated impact of the motions generated by electric fields can seriously interfere in determining wind velocities. The results obtained were compared with the modeled wind values.
Varying responses to Indian monsoons during the past 220 kyr recorded in deep‐sea sediments in inner and outer regions of the Gulf of Aden
Authors: Isaji Yuta , Kawahata Hodaka , Ohkouchi Naohiko , Ogawa Nanako O. , Murayama Masafumi , Inoue Kazuki , Tamaki Kensaku 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAlthough the climate in the Arabian Sea is controlled primarily by the southwest monsoon, the southwest monsoon has little influence in the Gulf of Aden. To examine the different responses to monsoons between the Gulf of Aden and areas outside the gulf, a comprehensive data set of bulk organic and inorganic geochemistry, sea surface temperature, and δ15N of pheopigments was obtained from deep‐sea sediment cores recovered from inner and outer regions of the gulf. The results indicated that during the past 220 kyr, the influence of the southwest monsoon was stronger in the outer region of the gulf than in the inner region, which implies that the southwest monsoon trajectory has not changed substantially during that time period. Furthermore, influxes of O2‐depleted water from the Southern Ocean and the lateral advection of upwelled seawater also had limited influence in the inner region. In contrast, concentrations of lithogenic materials transported by the southwest monsoon were similar in the two regions. δ15N of pheopigments indicated that during the last glacial maximum, the southwest monsoon was weaker and the northeast monsoon was stronger than at present. A stronger southwest monsoon during interglacials enhanced primary productivity and may have caused anoxic conditions to develop in the Arabian Sea, as indicated by redox proxies in the outer region. Anoxic conditions also formed during MIS 3, but no increase in the primary productivity is indicated; therefore, another mechanism, such as an influx of O2‐depleted water from the Southern Ocean, may have been the cause.
Evaluation of autoconversion schemes in a single model framework with satellite observations
Authors: Michibata Takuro , Takemura Toshihiko 
Published: October 2015

AbstractWe examined the performance of autoconversion (mass transfer from cloud water to rainwater by the coalescence of cloud droplets) schemes in warm rain, which are commonly used in general circulation models. To exclude biases in the different treatment of the aerosol‐cloud‐precipitation‐radiation interaction other than that of the autoconversion process, sensitivity experiments were conducted within a single model framework using an aerosol‐climate model, MIROC‐SPRINTARS. The liquid water path (LWP) and cloud optical thickness have a particularly high sensitivity to the autoconversion schemes, and their sensitivity is of the same magnitude as model biases. In addition, the ratio of accretion to autoconversion (Acc/Aut ratio), a key parameter in the examination of the balance of microphysical conversion processes, also has a high sensitivity globally depending on the scheme used. Although the Acc/Aut ratio monotonically increases with increasing LWP, significantly lower ratio is observed in Kessler‐type schemes. Compared to satellite observations, a poor representation of cloud macrophysical structure and optically thicker low cloud are found in simulations with any autoconversion scheme. As a result of the cloud‐radiation interaction, the difference in the global mean net cloud radiative forcing (NetCRF) among the schemes reaches 10 Wm−2. The discrepancy between the observed and simulated NetCRF is especially large with a high LWP. The potential uncertainty in the parameterization of the autoconversion process is nonnegligible, and no formulation significantly improves the bias in the cloud radiative effect yet. This means that more fundamental errors are still left in other processes of the model.
Understanding the impact of plant competition on the coupling between vegetation and the atmosphere
Authors: van Loon Marloes P. , Dekker Stefan C. , Anten Niels P. R. , Rietkerk Max , Vilà‐Guerau de Arellano Jordi 
Published: October 2015

AbstractCompetition between plants for resources is an important selective force. As a result competition through natural selection determines vegetation functioning and associated atmospheric interactions. Our aim was to investigate how the coupling between vegetation and atmosphere is influenced by plant competition. Though included in some coupled vegetation‐atmosphere models, little attention has been paid to systematically study the impact of plant competition in determining the evolution of surface and atmospheric variables. We used a coupled vegetation‐atmosphere model and included a new representation of plant competition. We compared the model results with diurnal data from Ameriflux Bondville site over a growing season. Including competition improved LAI (Leaf Area Index) and net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE) predictions; if competition was not considered, there were strong deviations from observations. Remarkably, competition increased LAI while it reduced whole stand photosynthesis, resulting in a less negative NEE. Finally, independent of competition, latent heat flux, surface temperature, specific humidity, and atmospheric CO2 are well reproduced by the model. Only the sensible heat flux was overestimated, mainly due to the imbalance in the surface energy balance that can lead to lower measured sensible heat fluxes. Sensitivity analysis showed that the importance of plant competition on model outcomes increases with more nitrogen and water availability and may differ between soil types. We thus quantified the potential effect of plant competition in a coupled vegetation‐atmosphere system and showed that it strongly influences this system, and therefore, we propose that competition should be considered in more vegetation‐atmosphere models.
A complete soil hydraulic model accounting for capillary and adsorptive water retention, capillary and film conductivity, and hysteresis
Authors: Rudiyanto  , Sakai Masaru , van Genuchten Martinus Th. , Alazba A. A. , Setiawan Budi Indra , Minasny Budiman 
Published: October 2015

AbstractA soil hydraulic model that considers capillary hysteretic and adsorptive water retention as well as capillary and film conductivity covering the complete soil moisture range is presented. The model was obtained by incorporating the capillary hysteresis model of Parker and Lenhard into the hydraulic model of Peters‐Durner‐Iden (PDI) as formulated for the van Genuchten (VG) retention equation. The formulation includes the following processes: capillary hysteresis accounting for air entrapment, closed scanning curves, nonhysteretic sorption of water retention onto mineral surfaces, a hysteretic function for the capillary conductivity, a nonhysteretic function for the film conductivity, and a nearly nonhysteretic function of the conductivity as a function of water content (θ) for the entire range of water contents. The proposed model only requires two additional parameters to describe hysteresis. The model was found to accurately describe observed hysteretic water retention and conductivity data for a dune sand. Using a range of published data sets, relationships could be established between the capillary water retention and film conductivity parameters. Including vapor conductivity improved conductivity descriptions in the very dry range. The resulting model allows predictions of the hydraulic conductivity from saturation until complete dryness using water retention parameters.
Controllable Growth of Perovskite Films by Room‐Temperature Air Exposure for Efficient Planar Heterojunction Photovoltaic Cells
Authors: Yang Bin , Dyck Ondrej , Poplawsky Jonathan , Keum Jong , Das Sanjib , Puretzky Alexander , Aytug Tolga , Joshi Pooran C. , Rouleau Christopher M. , Duscher Gerd , Geohegan David B. , Xiao Kai 
Published: October 2015

AbstractA two‐step solution processing approach has been established to grow void‐free perovskite films for low‐cost high‐performance planar heterojunction photovoltaic devices. A high‐temperature thermal annealing treatment was applied to drive the diffusion of CH3NH3I precursor molecules into a compact PbI2 layer to form perovskite films. However, thermal annealing for extended periods led to degraded device performance owing to the defects generated by decomposition of perovskite into PbI2. A controllable layer‐by‐layer spin‐coating method was used to grow “bilayer” CH3NH3I/PbI2 films, and then drive the interdiffusion between PbI2 and CH3NH3I layers by a simple air exposure at room temperature for making well‐oriented, highly crystalline perovskite films without thermal annealing. This high degree of crystallinity resulted in a carrier diffusion length of ca. 800 nm and a high device efficiency of 15.6 %, which is comparable to values reported for thermally annealed perovskite films.