Systematic Evaluation of Skeletal Mechanical Function

Many genetic and environmental perturbations lead to measurable changes in bone morphology, matrix composition, and matrix organization. Here, straightforward biomechanical methods are described that can be used to determine whether a genetic or environmental perturbation affects bone strength. A systematic method is described for evaluating how bone strength is altered in the context of morphology and tissue‐level mechanical properties, which are determined in large part from matrix composition, matrix organization, and porosity. The methods described include computed tomography, whole‐bone mechanical tests (bending and compression), tissue‐level mechanical tests, and determination of ash content, water content, and bone density. This strategy is intended as a first step toward screening mice for phenotypic effects on bone and establishing the associated biomechanical mechanism by which function has been altered, and can be conducted without a background in engineering. The outcome of these analyses generally provides insight into the next set of experiments required to further connect cellular perturbation with functional change. Curr. Protoc. Mouse Biol. 3:39‐67 © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/143805/1/cpmo130027.pd

Effect of an Electron-phonon Interaction on the One-electron Spectral Weight of a d-wave Superconductor

We analyze the effects of an electron-phonon interaction on the one-electron spectral weight A(k,omega) of a d_{x^2-y^2} superconductor. We study the case of an Einstein phonon mode with various momentum-dependent electron-phonon couplings and compare the structure produced in A(k,omega) with that obtained from coupling to the magnetic pi-resonant mode. We find that if the strength of the interactions are adjusted to give the same renormalization at the nodal point, the differences in A(k,omega) are generally small but possibly observable near k=(pi,0).Comment: 10 pages, 14 figures (color versions of Figs. 2,4,10,11,12 available upon request

Challenges and opportunities in mapping land use intensity globally

Future increases in land-based production will need to focus more on sustainably intensifying existing production systems. Unfortunately, our understanding of the global patterns of land use intensity is weak, partly because land use intensity is a complex, multidimensional term, and partly because we lack appropriate datasets to assess land use intensity across broad geographic extents. Here, we review the state of the art regarding approaches for mapping land use intensity and provide a comprehensive overview of available global-scale datasets on land use intensity. We also outline major challenges and opportunities for mappinglanduseintensityfor cropland, grazing, and forestry systems, and identify key issues for future research.Peer Reviewe

A global research priority agenda to advance public health responses to fatty liver disease

Background & aims An estimated 38% of adults worldwide have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). From individual impacts to widespread public health and economic consequences, the implications of this disease are profound. This study aimed to develop an aligned, prioritised fatty liver disease research agenda for the global health community. Methods Nine co-chairs drafted initial research priorities, subsequently reviewed by 40 core authors and debated during a three-day in-person meeting. Following a Delphi methodology, over two rounds, a large panel (R1 n = 344, R2 n = 288) reviewed the priorities, via Qualtrics XM, indicating agreement using a four-point Likert-scale and providing written feedback. The core group revised the draft priorities between rounds. In R2, panellists also ranked the priorities within six domains: epidemiology, models of care, treatment and care, education and awareness, patient and community perspectives, and leadership and public health policy. Results The consensus-built fatty liver disease research agenda encompasses 28 priorities. The mean percentage of ‘agree’ responses increased from 78.3 in R1 to 81.1 in R2. Five priorities received unanimous combined agreement (‘agree’ + ‘somewhat agree’); the remaining 23 priorities had >90% combined agreement. While all but one of the priorities exhibited at least a super-majority of agreement (>66.7% ‘agree’), 13 priorities had 90% combined agreement. Conclusions Adopting this multidisciplinary consensus-built research priorities agenda can deliver a step-change in addressing fatty liver disease, mitigating against its individual and societal harms and proactively altering its natural history through prevention, identification, treatment, and care. This agenda should catalyse the global health community’s efforts to advance and accelerate responses to this widespread and fast-growing public health threat. Impact and implications An estimated 38% of adults and 13% of children and adolescents worldwide have fatty liver disease, making it the most prevalent liver disease in history. Despite substantial scientific progress in the past three decades, the burden continues to grow, with an urgent need to advance understanding of how to prevent, manage, and treat the disease. Through a global consensus process, a multidisciplinary group agreed on 28 research priorities covering a broad range of themes, from disease burden, treatment, and health system responses to awareness and policy. The findings have relevance for clinical and non-clinical researchers as well as funders working on fatty liver disease and non-communicable diseases more broadly, setting out a prioritised, ranked research agenda for turning the tide on this fast-growing public health threat

A fresh look at shifting cultivation: fallow length an uncertain indicator of productivity

Shifting cultivation is practiced by millions of farmers in the tropics and has been accused of causing deforestation and keeping farmers in poverty. The assumed positive relationship between fallow length and crop yields has long shaped such negative opinions on the sustainability and environmental impact of the system, as population growth is believed inevitably to lead to its collapse. Empirical evidence for this assumption is scarce, however, and a better understanding of system dynamics is needed before discarding shifting cultivation as unsustainable. With cases from Malaysia and Indonesia, we show that fallow length is a weak predictor of crop yields, though interactions with fertilizer inputs may increase its importance. Other factors such as drought, flooding, and pests are more important determinants of yields. The implication is that when using natural fallow as the only means of nutrient supply, there is no need to cut old fallow vegetation. Moreover, there is no evidence of system collapse, even at short fallow periods. We conclude that shifting cultivation should be accepted as a rational land use system and that earlier calls for bringing a "Green Revolution" to shifting cultivators are still relevant to achieve intensive and sustainable productio

Spin polarization in low-energy electron diffraction from Au(110): theory and experiment

Feder R, Müller N, Wolf D. Spin polarization in low-energy electron diffraction from Au(110): theory and experiment. Zeitschrift für Physik, B: Condensed Matter. 1977;28(4):265-271.A special LEED system has been constructed, in which the gun is movable in front of the grids and diffracted beams can be extracted through a probe hole in the screen. The polarization is subsequently measured by means of Mott scattering. The Au(110) surface is of particular interest, because it shows a reversible structure transition, which manifests itself in LEED intensities as a change from a (1 × 2) pattern at low temperatures to a (1 × 1) pattern at higher temperatures. For the (1 × 1) structure, spin polarization was measured, with values up to 70%, and calculated for a number of beams as a function of energy and scattering angle. Theoretical and experimental results are in reasonable agreement. In particular, the polarization is found to depend sensitively on geometrical, electronic and vibronic properties of the surface. The experimental work was sponsored by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Sonderforschungsbereich 12

Archetypical patterns and trajectories of land systems in Europe

Assessments of land-system change have dominantly focused on conversions among broad land-use categories, whereas intensity changes within these categories have received less attention. Considering that both modes of land change typically result in diverse patterns and trajectories of land-system change, there is a need to develop approaches to reduce this complexity. Using Europe as a case study, we applied a clustering approach based on self-organising maps and 12 land-use indicators to map (1) land-system archetypes for the year 2006, defined as characteristic patterns of land-use extent and intensity, and (2) archetypical change trajectories, defined as characteristic changes in these indicators between 1990 and 2006. Our analysis identified 15 land-system archetypes, with low-intensity archetypes dominating (ca. 55 % coverage) followed by high-intensity archetypes (ca. 26 %). In terms of change, we identified 17 archetypical change trajectories, clustered in four broad categories. Stable land systems were most widespread (ca. 40 % of the EU27), followed by land systems characterised by land-use conversions (ca. 26 %), de-intensification trends (ca. 18 %), and intensification trends (ca. 15 %). Intensively used and intensifying land systems were particularly widespread in Western Europe, whereas low-intensity and de-intensifying land systems dominated in Europe’s east. Comparing our archetypes with environmental and socio-economic factors revealed that good accessibility and favourable topographic, climatic, and soil conditions characterised intensively managed areas. Intensification was also most common in these areas, suggesting an ongoing polarisation of intensification in favourable areas and de-intensification and abandonment trends in more marginal areas. By providing spatially and thematically improved maps of land-use patterns and changes therein, our archetypes could serve as useful inputs for more detailed assessments of ecosystem service demand and supply, as well as explorations of land-system change trade-offs, especially with regard to land-use intensity. Further, they could serve useful for identifying regions within which similar policy tools could be valuable to develop regionalised, context-specific land-management policies to steer European land systems onto desired pathways