bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Balanced Scorecard Usage and Performance of Hotels: A Study from the Tourist State of Uttarakhand, India
Authors: Kala Devkant , Bagri Satish Chandra 
Published: March 2015

AbstractTourism is a major driver of economic growth and livelihood promotion in the Uttarakhand state of India. The contribution of tourism to the state gross domestic product (GDP) and employment generation is significant. The expansion of tourism inevitably brings about the development of the hotel industry. Hotels must create effective competitive strategies for survival and use a performance measurement system that meets the requirements of a changing environment. Several studies have been conducted to study the rich tourist potential of the state. However, no research studies are available regarding performance measurement practices adopted by hospitality managers in Uttarakhand for measuring the performance of their establishments. The present study examines existing performance measurement practices used by hotel managers that employ the balanced scorecard (BSC) − an innovative and comprehensive performance measurement framework for assessing the performance and progress of hotels in this mountainous state of India. The results indicate that in spite of using measures from different perspectives inherent to the original BSC, hospitality managers are not aware of the concept of BSC in a formal manner. The study reveals that hotels in Uttarakhand still focus on the use of financial measures as compared to non-financial measures for measuring performance. The study supports the link between hotel performance and BSC measures usage.
Frontal structures associated with coastal upwelling and ice‐edge subduction events in southern Beaufort Sea during the Canadian Arctic Shelf Exchange Study
Authors: Sévigny Caroline , Gratton Yves , Galbraith Peter S. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe near‐surface temperature structure in the southeastern Beaufort Sea is shown to have been largely dependent on frontal dynamics in spring 2004, which may be typical for the region. Easterly wind events generated coastal upwelling along the Cap Bathurst peninsula; a recurring event in that area. Further west, a large mesoscale anticyclone simultaneously developed and subsequently controlled the sea‐surface circulation in the central Amundsen Gulf. Sharp temperature and density fronts were created at the surface at both eastern and western ends of the domain. Sampling north of Cape Bathurst and Cape Parry showed evidence of frontal intensification. Frontal features were detected near the 50–200 m isobaths, at the mouth of the gulf, where density‐compensated near‐surface intrusions driven by agesotrophic vertical circulation were identified. These warm water tongues intruded into the outcropping isopycnal layers, which dipped down between 5 and 25 m over the Mackenzie Shelf. They then crossed the density surfaces with an inverse slope consistent with N/f as predicted for quasi‐geostrophic flows. The front event ended prior to the breakup of the landfast‐ice bridge in late June with sea‐surface temperature undergoing quick and widespread changes throughout the Amundsen Gulf.
Absolute model ages from lunar crater morphology
Authors: Trang David , Gillis‐Davis Jeffrey J. , Boyce Joseph M. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe degradation state of an impact crater is an indicator of its age. Previous workers have used crater degradation states to estimate ages of surfaces or geomorphological features; one example is the degree of freshness method developed by Pohn and Offield (). Here we attempted to produce an empirical calibration that yields absolute model ages based upon the degree of freshness technique for craters ~8–20 km in diameter. To produce the calibration, we first selected 15 craters with degree of freshness values ranging from 2.5 to 6.3. Next, we used the Kaguya Terrain Camera data to measure crater density on the ejecta of these craters, from which absolute model age could be calculated. The resulting absolute model ages ranged from 0.9 to 4.0 Ga. We used two linear regressions to describe the relationship between the absolute model age and degree of freshness of the craters. We fitted each trend with two linear least‐squares regressions, where the first regression represents craters with a degree of freshness from 0.0 to 4.9 and the second regression from 5.0 to 7.0. The 95% confidence belt shows that the calibrations are accurate to ±0.5 Ga to ±1.1 Ga for the fresh crater regression (5.0–7.0) and slightly more accurate, to ±0.3 Ga to ±0.1 Ga, for the degraded crater regression (0.0–4.9). However, the degraded crater regression is likely based upon craters with continuous ejecta that are crater saturated, thus implying that craters with a degree of freshness <5.0 is likely to be >3.8 Ga.
Southwest Atlantic water mass evolution during the last deglaciation
Authors: Lund D. C. , Tessin A. C. , Hoffman J. L. , Schmittner A. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe rise in atmospheric CO2 during Heinrich Stadial 1 (HS1; 14.5–17.5 kyr B.P.) may have been driven by the release of carbon from the abyssal ocean. Model simulations suggest that wind‐driven upwelling in the Southern Ocean can liberate 13C‐depleted carbon from the abyss, causing atmospheric CO2 to increase and the δ13C of CO2 to decrease. One prediction of the Southern Ocean hypothesis is that water mass tracers in the deep South Atlantic should register a circulation response early in the deglaciation. Here we test this idea using a depth transect of 12 cores from the Brazil Margin. We show that records below 2300 m remained 13C‐depleted until 15 kyr B.P. or later, indicating that the abyssal South Atlantic was an unlikely source of light carbon to the atmosphere during HS1. Benthic δ18O results are consistent with abyssal South Atlantic isolation until 15 kyr B.P., in contrast to shallower sites. The depth dependent timing of the δ18O signal suggests that correcting δ18O for ice volume is problematic on glacial terminations. New data from 2700 to 3000 m show that the deep SW Atlantic was isotopically distinct from the abyss during HS1. As a result, we find that mid‐depth δ13C minima were most likely driven by an abrupt drop in δ13C of northern component water. Low δ13C at the Brazil Margin also coincided with an ~80‰ decrease in Δ14C. Our results are consistent with a weakening of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and point toward a northern hemisphere trigger for the initial rise in atmospheric CO2 during HS1.
The influence of multiyear drought on the annual rainfall‐runoff relationship: AnAustralian perspective
Authors: Saft Margarita , Western Andrew W. , Zhang Lu , Peel Murray C. , Potter Nick J. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractMost current long‐term (decadal and longer) hydrological predictions implicitly assume that hydrological processes are stationary even under changing climate. However, in practice, we suspect that changing climatic conditions may affect runoff generation processes and cause changes in the rainfall‐runoff relationship. In this article, we investigate whether temporary but prolonged (i.e., of the order of a decade) shifts in rainfall result in changes in rainfall‐runoff relationships at the catchment scale. Annual rainfall and runoff records from south‐eastern Australia are used to examine whether interdecadal climate variability induces changes in hydrological behavior. We test statistically whether annual rainfall‐runoff relationships are significantly different during extended dry periods, compared with the historical norm. The results demonstrate that protracted drought led to a significant shift in the rainfall‐runoff relationship in ∼46% of the catchment‐dry periods studied. The shift led to less annual runoff for a given annual rainfall, compared with the historical relationship. We explore linkages between cases where statistically significant changes occurred and potential explanatory factors, including catchment properties and characteristics of the dry period (e.g., length, precipitation anomalies). We find that long‐term drought is more likely to affect transformation of rainfall to runoff in drier, flatter, and less forested catchments. Understanding changes in the rainfall‐runoff relationship is important for accurate streamflow projections and to help develop adaptation strategies to deal with multiyear droughts.
Multiannual forecasts of Atlantic U.S. tropical cyclone wind damage potential
Authors: Caron Louis‐Philippe , Hermanson Leon , Doblas‐Reyes Francisco J. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThere are strong decadal variations in Atlantic hurricane activity, with an active period in the 1950s and 1960s, a quiescent period from the 1970s through the early 1990s and a resurgence in activity since the mid‐1990s. Using an index that relies on subpolar gyre temperature and subtropical sea level pressure, two quantities with links to hurricane activity, we show that it is possible to construct reliable 5 year mean forecasts of both basin‐wide tropical cyclone activity as well as wind energy associated with hurricanes making landfall along the U.S. coastline. Furthermore, the index is capable of reproducing the major decadal shifts in activity observed over the last 50 years. This is the first time that a forecast system shows significant skill of a landfalling hurricane characteristic at the multiannual time scale and, as such, shows great promise as a valuable climate service product.
Upper mesospheric lunar tides over middle and high latitudes during sudden stratospheric warming events
Authors: Chau J. L. , Hoffmann P. , Pedatella N. M. , Matthias V. , Stober G. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractIn recent years there have been a series of reported ground‐ and satellite‐based observations of lunar tide signatures in the equatorial and low latitude ionosphere/thermosphere around sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events. This lower atmosphere/ionosphere coupling has been suggested to be via the E region dynamo. In this work we present the results of analyzing 6 years of hourly upper mesospheric winds from specular meteor radars over a midlatitude (54°N) station and a high latitude (69°N) station. Instead of correlating our results with typical definitions of SSWs, we use the definition of polar vortex weaking (PVW) used by Zhang and Forbes (). This definition provides a better representation of the strength in middle atmospheric dynamics that should be responsible for the waves propagating to the E region. We have performed a wave decomposition on hourly wind data in 21 day segments, shifted by 1 day. In addition to the radar wind data, the analysis has been applied to simulations from Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model Extended version and the thermosphere‐ionosphere‐mesosphere electrodynamics general circulation model. Our results indicate that the semidiurnal lunar tide (M2) enhances in northern hemispheric winter months, over both middle and high latitudes. The time and magnitude of M2 are highly correlated with the time and associated zonal wind of PVW. At middle/high latitudes, M2 in the upper mesosphere occurs after/before the PVW. At both latitudes, the maximum amplitude of M2 is directly proportional to the strength of PVW westward wind. We have found that M2 amplitudes could be comparable to semidiurnal solar tide amplitudes, particularly around PVW and equinoxes. Besides these general results, we have also found peculiarities in some events, particularly at high latitudes. These peculiarities point to the need of considering the longitudinal features of the polar stratosphere and the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere regions. For example, during SSW 2009, we found that M2 enhances many days before PVW which is not in agreement with most of our results.
Deficiency of ECHS1 causes mitochondrial encephalopathy with cardiac involvement
Authors: Haack Tobias B. , Jackson Christopher B. , Murayama Kei , Kremer Laura S. , Schaller André , Kotzaeridou Urania , de Vries Maaike C. , Schottmann Gudrun , Santra Saikat , Büchner Boriana , Wieland Thomas , Graf Elisabeth , Freisinger Peter , Eggimann Sandra , Ohtake Akira , Okazaki Yasushi , Kohda Masakazu , Kishita Yoshihito , Tokuzawa Yoshimi , Sauer Sascha , Memari Yasin , Kolb‐Kokocinski Anja , Durbin Richard , Hasselmann Oswald , Cremer Kirsten , Albrecht Beate , Wieczorek Dagmar , Engels Hartmut , Hahn Dagmar , Zink Alexander M. , Alston Charlotte L. , Taylor Robert W. , Rodenburg Richard J. , Trollmann Regina , Sperl Wolfgang , Strom Tim M. , Hoffmann Georg F. , Mayr Johannes A. , Meitinger Thomas , Bolognini Ramona , Schuelke Markus , Nuoffer Jean‐Marc , Kölker Stefan , Prokisch Holger , Klopstock Thomas 
Published: March 2015

AbstractObjectiveShort‐chain enoyl‐CoA hydratase (ECHS1) is a multifunctional mitochondrial matrix enzyme that is involved in the oxidation of fatty acids and essential amino acids such as valine. Here, we describe the broad phenotypic spectrum and pathobiochemistry of individuals with autosomal‐recessive ECHS1 deficiency.MethodsUsing exome sequencing, we identified ten unrelated individuals carrying compound heterozygous or homozygous mutations in ECHS1. Functional investigations in patient‐derived fibroblast cell lines included immunoblotting, enzyme activity measurement, and a palmitate loading assay.ResultsPatients showed a heterogeneous phenotype with disease onset in the first year of life and course ranging from neonatal death to survival into adulthood. The most prominent clinical features were encephalopathy (10/10), deafness (9/9), epilepsy (6/9), optic atrophy (6/10), and cardiomyopathy (4/10). Serum lactate was elevated and brain magnetic resonance imaging showed white matter changes or a Leigh‐like pattern resembling disorders of mitochondrial energy metabolism. Analysis of patients’ fibroblast cell lines (6/10) provided further evidence for the pathogenicity of the respective mutations by showing reduced ECHS1 protein levels and reduced 2‐enoyl‐CoA hydratase activity. While serum acylcarnitine profiles were largely normal, in vitro palmitate loading of patient fibroblasts revealed increased butyrylcarnitine, unmasking the functional defect in mitochondrial β‐oxidation of short‐chain fatty acids. Urinary excretion of 2‐methyl‐2,3‐dihydroxybutyrate – a potential derivative of acryloyl‐CoA in the valine catabolic pathway – was significantly increased, indicating impaired valine oxidation.InterpretationIn conclusion, we define the phenotypic spectrum of a new syndrome caused by ECHS1 deficiency. We speculate that both the β‐oxidation defect and the block in l‐valine metabolism, with accumulation of toxic methacrylyl‐CoA and acryloyl‐CoA, contribute to the disorder that may be amenable to metabolic treatment approaches.
Psychopathology Symptoms, Rumination and Autobiographical Memory Specificity: Do Associations Hold After Bereavement?
Authors: Eisma Maarten C. , Schut Henk A. W. , Stroebe Margaret S. , Voerman Kim , van den Bout Jan , Stroebe Wolfgang , Boelen Paul A. 
Published: March 2015

SummarySymptoms of psychopathology are associated with overgeneral memory retrieval. Overgeneral memory is hypothesized to be the result of an emotion regulatory process, dampening emotional reactions associated with retrieval of distressing specific memories. However, higher post‐loss symptom severity has been related to higher specificity of loss‐related memories recalled on the Autobiographical Memory Test. This may imply that such memories are ‘immune’ to the reduced specificity effect. We aimed to test this idea by investigating, for the first time, associations of depressive and complicated grief symptoms and depressive and grief rumination with autobiographical memory specificity on a sentence‐completion task (SCEPT) in a bereaved sample. One hundred ninety‐one adult mourners (89% women) filled out questionnaires and the SCEPT. A main finding was that higher depressive and complicated grief symptom and grief rumination levels were associated with reduced specificity of non‐loss‐related memories but not with specificity of loss‐related memories. Implications of these results are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Shift work and hypertension: Prevalence and analysis of disease pathways in a German car manufacturing company
Authors: Ohlander Johan , Keskin Mekail‐Cem , Stork Joachim , Radon Katja 
Published: March 2015

BackgroundHypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) may share a similar pathophysiology. Despite shift workers' CVD excess risk, studies on shift work and hypertension are inconclusive.MethodsBlood pressure and shift status for 25,343 autoworkers were obtained from medical check‐ups and company registers. Cross‐sectional associations modeling the total effect from shift work (day shifts, shift work without nights, rotating shift work with nights, and night shifts) on hypertension were assessed. By sequential adjustments, the influence of behavioral, psychosocial, and physiological factors on the total effect was examined, with subsequent mediation and moderation analyses.ResultsAdjusted for confounders, shift work without nights (vs. day shifts) was significantly associated with hypertension (OR 1.15, 95%CI 1.02–1.30). The total effect was mediated by BMI, physical inactivity, and sleep disorders. No moderation of the total effect by behaviors was found.ConclusionThe association between shift work and hypertension seems mainly attributable to behavioral mechanisms. Am. J. Ind. Med. 58:549–560, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Risk factors for neurodegeneration in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder: A multicenter study
Authors: Postuma Ronald B. , Iranzo Alex , Hogl Birgit , Arnulf Isabelle , Ferini‐Strambi Luigi , Manni Raffaele , Miyamoto Tomoyuki , Oertel Wolfgang , Dauvilliers Yves , Ju Yo‐El , Puligheddu Monica , Sonka Karel , Pelletier Amelie , Santamaria Juan , Frauscher Birgit , Leu‐Semenescu Smaranda , Zucconi Marco , Terzaghi Michele , Miyamoto Masayuki , Unger Marcus M. , Carlander Bertrand , Fantini Maria‐Livia , Montplaisir Jacques Y. 
Published: March 2015

ObjectiveTo assess whether risk factors for Parkinson disease and dementia with Lewy bodies increase rate of defined neurodegenerative disease in idiopathic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD).MethodsTwelve centers administered a detailed questionnaire assessing risk factors for neurodegenerative synucleinopathy to patients with idiopathic RBD. Variables included demographics, lifestyle factors, pesticide exposures, occupation, comorbid conditions, medication use, family history, and autonomic/motor symptoms. After 4 years of follow‐up, patients were assessed for dementia or parkinsonism. Disease risk was assessed with Kaplan–Meier analysis, and epidemiologic variables were compared between convertors and those still idiopathic using logistic regression.ResultsOf 305 patients, follow‐up information was available for 279, of whom 93 (33.3%) developed defined neurodegenerative disease. Disease risk was 25% at 3 years and 41% after 5 years. Patients who converted were older (difference = 4.5 years, p < 0.001), with similar sex distribution. Neither caffeine, smoking, nor alcohol exposure predicted conversion. Although occupation was similar between groups, those who converted had a lower likelihood of pesticide exposure (occupational insecticide = 2.3% vs 9.0%). Convertors were more likely to report family history of dementia (odds ratio [OR] = 2.09), without significant differences in Parkinson disease or sleep disorders. Medication exposures and medical history were similar between groups. Autonomic and motor symptoms were more common among those who converted. Risk factors for primary dementia and parkinsonism were generally similar, except for a notably higher clonazepam use in dementia convertors (OR = 2.6).InterpretationPatients with idiopathic RBD are at very high risk of neurodegenerative synucleinopathy. Risk factor profiles between convertors and nonconvertors have both important commonalities and differences. Ann Neurol 2015;77:830–839
Identification of Covalent Bromodomain Binders through DNA Display of Small Molecules
Authors: Daguer Jean‐Pierre , Zambaldo Claudio , Abegg Daniel , Barluenga Sofia , Tallant Cynthia , Müller Susanne , Adibekian Alexander , Winssinger Nicolas 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe regulation of transcriptional programs by epigenetic readers (bromodomains) has been linked to the development of several pathologies. Notably, it has been implicated in the regulation of cellular growth and evasion of apoptosis, in cancer as well as in inflammation. The discovery of small‐molecule probes to dissect the role of bromodomains is thus important. We demonstrate that specific cysteine residues conserved across the bromodomains can be harnessed for covalent trapping. We report the discovery of two small molecules that form a covalent bond with cysteine residues conserved across the bromodomain family, analyze the subset of bromodomains that can be addressed through covalent binding, and show proteomic analyses enabled by the enrichment of bromodomains from native lysates.
Electrospinning of gelatin fibers using solutions with low acetic acid concentration: Effect of solvent composition on both diameter of electrospun fibers and cytotoxicity
Authors: Erencia Marisa , Cano Francisco , Tornero Jose A. , Fernandes Margarida M. , Tzanov Tzanko , Macanás Jorge , Carrillo Fernando 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACTGelatin fibers were prepared by electrospinning of gelatin/acetic acid/water ternary mixtures with the aim of studying the feasibility of fabricating gelatin nanofiber mats at room temperature using an alternative benign solvent by significantly reducing the acetic acid concentration. The results showed that gelatin nanofibers can be optimally electrospun with low acetic acid concentration (25%, v/v) combined with gelatin concentrations higher than 300 mg/mL. Both gelatin solutions and electrospun gelatin mats (prepared with different acetic acid aqueous solutions) were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry techniques to determine the chemical and structural changes of the polymer. The electrospun gelatin mats fabricated from solutions with low acetic acid content showed some advantages as the maintenance of the decomposition temperature of the pure gelatin (∼ 230°C) and the reduction of the acid content on electrospun mats, which allowed to reach a cell viability upper than 90% (analyzed by cell viability test using human dermal fibroblast and embryonic kidney cells). This study has also analyzed the influence of gelatin and acetic acid concentration both on the solution viscosity and the electrospun fiber diameter, obtaining a clear relationship between these parameters. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42115.