bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Succession of bird communities in young temperate rainforests following thinning
Authors: Matsuoka Steven M. , Johnson James A. , Dellasala Dominick A.
Published: March 2012

We repeated bird and vegetation surveys in 1991–1992 and 2005–2006 among young managed stands and old‐growth forests in southeast Alaska to evaluate whether pre‐commercial thinning of managed stands influenced the bird community. We compared decadal changes in bird densities and forest vegetation among 3 stand types: managed stands originating from clearcuts 35 years ago that were left untreated (unthinned), managed stands thinned at uniform spacing (thinned), and old growth with no prior timber harvest. We did not detect differences in decadal trends in avian densities between thinned and unthinned stands for 15 of 16 common bird species using a repeated‐measures design. Thinning did not result in greater recruitment of overstory‐nesting species as predicted. This was likely because of 1) similar increases in tree heights (${\bar {x}}$ = 9–10 m) and canopy cover (${\bar {x}}$ = 29–43%) between unthinned and thinned stands across decades and 2) the relatively young successional stage of these stands, which had only begun to recruit medium and large size conifers (dbh ≥ 36 cm). Decadal trends in densities of most (88%) understory‐nesting bird species did not differ between thinned and unthinned stands. Shrub cover decreased by 22% and 31% across decades in thinned and unthinned stands, respectively. Bird community composition in managed stands reflected the general decadal changes in forest vegetation with a shift in dominance from understory species in the early 1990s (80–85% of total bird density) to an equal abundance of understory (45–54%) and overstory species in the mid‐2000s. The latter was more similar to old‐growth stands, which were dominated by overstory species (67–71%). Overstory‐nesting birds in old growth increased in density by 49% across decades. Densities of cavity‐nesting species remained unchanged in managed stands and less than densities in old growth across decades, possibly because of a lack of large trees and snags for nest sites. Overall, thinning of clearcut stands, the primary silvicultural system in the region, had few measurable benefits to birds nearly 20 years after treatment. Monitoring over the 70–100‐year harvest rotation may be necessary to fully test whether thinning accelerates succession of bird communities in clearcut stands. However, partial harvests that retain large trees and snags should also be explored as alternatives to better maintain late‐succession avifauna throughout the harvest rotation in southeast Alaska. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
Genetic structure of red deer population in northeastern Poland in relation to the history of human interventions
Authors: Niedziałkowska Magdalena , Jędrzejewska Bogumiła , Wójcik Jan M. , Goodman Simon J.
Published: March 2012

We studied the genetic structure of a red deer (Cervus elaphus) population in 8 woodlands of northeastern Poland and 1 in western Belarus and compared it with the documented history of the population in the region. Red deer nearly went extinct in the region in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the mid‐19th century, reintroductions began and continued until the mid‐1960s. Animals were translocated from various sites in Poland and other European countries. We genotyped 303 individuals using 14 microsatellite loci and sequenced 253 individuals for a fragment of the control region (mitochondrial DNA [mtDNA]). The microsatellite analyses demonstrate that 3 genetically separate subpopulations exist, but 4 according to mtDNA. All haplotypes found in northeastern Poland are closely related to haplotypes from northern and northwestern Europe. The only individuals that could have originated from autochthonous red deer populations, rather than introductions, were found in Napiwoda Forest. The present regional genetic structure of the species is consistent with the known history of red deer translocations. Current patterns of genetic diversity in these populations are determined by the interaction of past human management and contemporary natural migrations. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
Site occupancy dynamics of northern spotted owls in managed interior Douglas fir forests, California, USA, 1995–2009
Authors: Farber Stuart L. , Kroll Andrew J.
Published: March 2012

Northern spotted owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) have received intense research and management interest since their listing as a threatened species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1990. For example, public and private forest managers in the Pacific Northwest, USA, conduct surveys to determine presence or absence of spotted owls prior to timber harvest operations. However, although recently developed statistical methods have been applied to presence–absence data collected during research surveys, the effectiveness of operational surveys for detecting spotted owls and evaluating site occupancy dynamics is not known. We used spotted owl survey data collected from 1995 to 2009 on a study area in interior northern California, USA, to evaluate competing occupancy models from Program PRESENCE using Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC). During 1,282 individual surveys, we recorded 480 spotted owl detections (37.4%) and 13 barred owl (1.0%) detections. Average per visit detection probability (85% CL) for single and paired spotted owls was 0.93 (0.90–0.96) for informed daytime, stand‐based searches and 0.47 (0.43–0.51) for nighttime, station‐based surveys (estimated from the best model); the average per visit detection probability from the null model was 0.67 (0.64–0.70). Average pair‐only detection probabilities were 0.86 (0.81–0.90) for informed daytime, stand‐based searches and 0.23 (0.18–0.29) for nighttime, station‐based surveys; the average per visit detection probability from the null model was 0.63 (0.58–0.68). Site occupancy for any owl declined from 0.81 (0.59–0.93) in 1995 to 0.50 (0.39–0.60) in 2009; pair occupancy declined from 0.75 (0.56–0.87) to 0.46 (0.31–0.61). Our results suggest that a combination of 1 informed stand and 2 station‐based operational surveys can support determinations of spotted owl site status (either a single or a pair) at desired levels of confidence. However, our information was collected in an area where barred owls were rarely detected. Surveys conducted in areas that support well‐established barred owl populations are likely to be less effective for determining presence or absence of spotted owls and may require more surveys and/or different survey methods to determine site status with confidence. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
Cyclodextrin encapsulation of the functional group diminishes an antioxidant's free radical scavenging rates
Authors: Ishikawa Misa , Sueishi Yoshimi , Endo Nobuyuki , Oowada Shigeru , Shimmei Masashi , Fujii Hirotada , Kotake Yashige
Published: March 2012

Scavenging rates of cyclodextrin‐solubilized lipophilic antioxidants, namely catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, and resveratrol, against alkoxyl (RO•) radical were measured with the use of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin‐trapping method. Results indicated that the scavenging rates of catechin and resveratrol were notably dependent on the solubilizer used, i.e., native β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) or heptakis(2,6‐di‐O‐methyl)‐β‐cyclodextrin (DM‐β‐CD). But, epicatechin and epigallocatechin gallate showed almost no dependence on the cyclodextrin used. Catechin's scavenging rate in β‐CD was 66% lower than in DM‐β‐CD; in contrast, resveratrol in β‐CD showed 45% higher rate than in DM‐β‐CD. Based on the reported solution‐NMR structure of the inclusion complex of these antioxidants, it was concluded that the scavenging rate is decreased when the cyclodextrin cavity preferentially encapsulates the antioxidant‐function bearing group, i.e., O‐ and p‐quinolinol group in catechin and resveratrol, respectively. The depth of inclusion of the functional group determines the extent of the scavenging rate difference, suggesting that the cavity wall of the cyclodextrin acts like a barrier that hinders the approach of attacking free radicals. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 598–603, 2012
Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of degradation of doripenem in the solid state
Authors: Cielecka‐Piontek Judyta , JelińSka Anna , Dołhań Agnieszka , Zalewski Przemysław
Published: March 2012

The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of degradation of doripenem were studied using a high‐performance liquid chromatography method. In dry air, the degradation of doripenem was a first‐order reaction depending on the substrate concentration. At increased relative air humidity, doripenem was degraded according to the autocatalysis kinetic model. The dependence ln k = f1/T) was described by the equations ln k = 5.10 ± 13.06 − (7576 ± 4939)(1/T) in dry air and ln k = 46.70 ± 22.44 − (19,959 ± 8031)(1/T) at 76.4% relative humidity (RH). The thermodynamic parameters Ea, ΔH≠a, and ΔS≠a of the degradation of doripenem were calculated. The dependence ln k = f (RH%) was described by the equation ln k = (0.155 ± 0.077) × 10−1 (RH%) − (3.45 ± 21.8) × 10−10. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 722–728, 2012
Mass spectrometry detection in comprehensive liquid chromatography: Basic concepts, instrumental aspects, applications and trends
Authors: Donato Paola , Cacciola Francesco , Tranchida Peter Quinto , Dugo Paola , Mondello Luigi
Published: March 2012

The review, as can be deduced from the title, focuses on both theoretical and practical aspects of the use of mass spectrometry as a third, added dimension to a comprehensive LC (LC × LC) system, generating the most powerful analytical tool today for non‐volatile analytes. The first part deals with the technical requirements for linkage of an LC × LC system to an MS one, including the choice of the mobile phase (buffer and salts), flow rate (splitting), type of ionization (interface); advantages and disadvantages of off‐line and on‐line methods are discussed, as well. A discussion of the various aspects of instrumentation is provided, both from a chromatographic and mass spectrometry standpoint, with particular emphasis directed to the choice of column sets, spatial resolution, mass resolving power, mass accuracy, and tandem‐MS capabilities. The extent to which mass spectrometry may be of aid in unraveling column‐outlet multicompound bands is highlighted, along with its effectiveness as a chromatographic detector of excellent sensitivity, universality yet with potential in terms of selectivity and amenability to quantitative analysis over a wide dynamic range. The following section of the review contains significant applications of comprehensive two‐dimensional LC coupled to MS in different areas of research, with details on interfaces, column stationary phases, modulation and MS parameters. It is not the intention of the authors to provide a comprehensive description of the techniques, but merely to discuss only those aspects which are essential for successful applications of the LC–MS combination. The reader will be acquainted with the enormous potential of this hyphenated technique, and the factors and instrumental developments that have concurred to make it emerge to a central role in specialized fields, such as proteomics. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 31:523–559, 2012
Market Optimism and Merger Waves
Authors: Gugler Klaus , Mueller Dennis C. , Weichselbaumer Michael , Burcin Yurtoglu B.
Published: February 2012

We argue that stock and bond market booms and merger waves are both driven by increases in optimism in financial markets and discuss two behavioral hypotheses, the managerial discretion and overvaluation hypotheses that claim that merger waves are driven by market optimism. Empirical support for the managerial theory is provided by evidence that the amounts of assets acquired increase as optimism in financial markets increases and that the returns to acquiring companies are inversely related to market optimism at the time of mergers. Our measures of market optimism also explain managerial choices of finance for mergers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Suppression of DNA damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes by a juice concentrate: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Cui Xiangli , Jin Yu , Singh Udai P. , Chumanevich Alexander A. , Harmon Brook , Cavicchia Philip , Hofseth Anne B. , Kotakadi Venkata , Poudyal Deepak , Stroud Brandy , Volate Suresh R , Hurley Thomas G. , Hebert James R. , Hofseth Lorne J.
Published: March 2012

Chronic inflammation contributes to many prevalent diseases worldwide, and it is widely accepted that inflammatory molecules contribute to DNA damage. In this ancillary study, we investigated the influence of an encapsulated fruit and vegetable juice powder concentrate on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) DNA damage. Using a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled approach, subjects were randomly assigned capsules containing placebo, or one of two formulations of the juice powder. Blood was drawn at baseline and after 60 days of capsule consumption. We found DNA damage in isolated PBL is suppressed after consumption of the encapsulated juice powder, and damage was correlated with the level of systemic inflammation. These data suggest a potential health benefit by consuming the juice concentrate capsules through their ability to suppress DNA damage as measured in surrogate tissues (PBL).
Profile of urinary and fecal proanthocyanidin metabolites from common cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum L.) in rats
Authors: Mateos‐Martín María Luisa , Pérez‐Jiménez Jara , Fuguet Elisabet , Torres Josep Lluís
Published: March 2012

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum L.) bark is widely used as a spice and in traditional medicine. Its oligomeric and polymeric proanthocyanidins are believed to be partly responsible for the beneficial properties of the plant. We describe here the metabolic fate of cinnamon proanthocyanidins in the urine and feces of rats fed a suspension of the whole bark. The metabolites include ten mono‐, di‐, and tri‐ conjugated (epi)catechin phase II metabolites and more than 20 small phenolic acids from intestinal microbial fermentation. Some of these are sulfated conjugates. Feces contain intact (epi)catechin and dimers. This suggests that free radical scavenging species are in contact with the intestinal walls for hours after ingestion of cinnamon. The phenolic metabolite profile of cinnamon bark in urine is consistent with a mixture of proanthocyanidins that are depolymerized into their constitutive (epi)catechin units as well as cleaved into smaller phenolic acids during their transit along the intestinal tract, with subsequent absorption and conjugation into bioavailable metabolites.
Association of Baseline urodynamic measures of urethral function with clinical, demographic, and other urodynamic variables in women prior to undergoing midurethral sling surgery
Authors: Chai Toby C. , Huang Liyuan , Kenton Kim , Richter Holly E. , Baker Jan , Kraus Stephen , Litman Heather ,   for the Urinary Incontinence Treatment Network (UITN)
Published: February 2012

Aims

To explore how baseline demographic, clinical, and urodynamic (UDS) variables correlate with measures of urethral function in women planning midurethral sling surgery.

Methods

Women with predominant stress urinary incontinence (SUI) as part of the trial of mid‐urethral slings (TOMUS) were characterized preoperatively including: demographics, body mass index (BMI), responses to the Medical and Epidemiologic Social Aspects of Aging (MESA) and Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI) questionnaires, pad weight (PW), incontinence duration, prior SUI surgery, prolapse, strength of pelvic contraction, Q‐tip test, uroflow, cystometrogram, and detrusor pressures at maximum flow (Pdet at Qmax). Multivariate regression analysis and modeling confirmed variables with significant correlations with maximal urethral closure pressure (MUCP), functional urethral length (FUL), and Valsalva leak point pressure (VLPP).

Results

Five‐hundred thirty‐nine women were included in the analysis. In multivariable analyses, PW (P = 0.045) and age (P < 0.0001) were negatively correlated with MUCP (as PW and age increased, MUCP decreased); BMI (P = 0.02) and Pdet at Qmax (P < 0.0001) were positively correlated with MUCP (as BMI and Pdet at Qmax increased, MUCP increased). Age (P = 0.002) was negatively correlated with FUL; Qtip delta (P = 0.006), pelvic organ prolapse quantification examination (POPQ) stage (P = 0.002) and strength of pelvic contraction (P = 0.03) were positively correlated with FUL. Duration of incontinence (P = 0.01) was negatively correlated with VLPP; Qtip delta (P = 0.02), BMI (P = 0.0005) and Pdet at Qmax (P = 0.0005) were positively correlated with VLPP.

Conclusions

Age, BMI, Qtip delta, and Pdet at Qmax were variables that correlated with two or more measures of urethral function. These correlations may help direct future research in female urethral function. Neurourol. Urodynam. 31:496–501, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Water‐soluble meta‐poly(phenylene ethynylene) oligomers with stable helical secondary structure
Authors: Nguyen Ha H. , McAliley James H. , Bruce David A.
Published: February 2012

Two novel water‐soluble meta‐poly(phenylene ethynylene) (mPPE) copolymers were synthesized and characterized, each contained ester and amine functional groups attached to exohelix positions on the phenylene rings and one contained methoxy endohelix functional groups. Secondary structure formation was investigated for these materials in aqueous solutions using ultraviolet and fluorescence spectroscopy. Additionally, the folding behaviors are reported for the mPPEs and their protected amine precursors in other protic and aprotic solvents. Results indicate that both mPPEs are able to form stable helical structures in water, while only the nonmethoxylated polymer exhibited a helical structure in acetonitrile and several alcohols. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Soluble polynorbornenes with pendant carbazole derivatives as host materials for highly efficient blue phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes
Authors: Ha Park Jun , Koh Tae‐Wook , Do Youngkyu , Hyung Lee Min , Yoo Seunghyup
Published: February 2012

We report novel host polymers for a high‐efficiency polymer‐based solution‐processed phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diode with typical blue‐emitting dopant bis(4,6‐difluorophenylpyridinato‐N,C2)iridium(III) picolinate (FIrpic). The host polymers, soluble polynorbornenes with pendant carbazole derivatives, N‐phenyl‐9H‐carbazole (P1), N‐biphenyl‐9H‐carbazole (P2), and 9,9′‐(1,3‐phenylene)bis‐9H‐carbazole (mCP) (P3) are efficiently synthesized by vinyl addition polymerization of norbornene monomers using Pd(II) catalyst in combination with 1‐octene chain transfer agent. The polymers exhibit high thermal stability with high decomposition (Td5 > 410 °C) and glass transition temperatures (Tg ≈ 268 °C). The HOMO (ca. −5.5 to −5.7 eV) and LUMO (ca. −2.0 to −2.1 eV) levels with the high triplet energy of about 2.7–3.0 eV suggest that the polymers are suitable for a host material for blue emitters. Among the solution‐processed devices that were fabricated based on the emissive layers containing the P1−P3 host doped with various concentrations of FIrpic (7–13 wt %), the best device with P3 host exhibits power efficiency of 3.0 lm W−1 and external quantum efficiency of 4.0% at a luminance of 1000 cd m−2 that is outstanding among the polymeric rivals. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Towards the field theory of the Standard Model on fractional D6‐branes on T6/ℤ6′: Yukawa couplings and masses
Authors: Honecker G. , Vanhoof J.
Published: February 2012

We present the perturbative Yukawa couplings of the Standard Model on fractional intersecting D6‐branes on T6/ℤ6′ and discuss two mechanisms of creating mass terms for the vector‐like particles in the matter spectrum, through perturbative three‐point couplings and through continuous D6‐brane displacements.
IIB Superfluid flows
Authors: Areán D.
Published: February 2012

We construct holographic superfluid flow solutions in a five‐dimensional theory that arises as a consistent truncation of low energy type IIB string theory. We then study the phase diagram of these systems in terms of the temperature and superfluid velocity. Finally, we construct solutions representing the ground state of these superfluids for velocities below a critical value. These are charged anisotropic AdS domain walls that demonstrate the emergence of quantum criticality in the IR.
MBE growth of cubic AlN films on MgO substrate via cubic GaN buffer layer
Authors: Kakuda Masahiro , Makino Kenzo , Ishida Takashi , Kuboya Shigeyuki , Onabe Kentaro
Published: February 2012

The effect of a cubic GaN (c‐GaN) buffer layer in the cubic AlN (c‐AlN) growth on MgO substrate was investigated. Cubic AlN films were grown on MgO(001) substrates via a c‐GaN buffer layer by RF‐MBE. The c‐AlN growth was confirmed by RHEED and XRD reciprocal space mapping analysis. On the other hand, no cubic AlN was grown without the c‐GaN buffer. Therefore the c‐GaN buffer is necessary for the growth of c‐AlN on MgO. It is considered that the lesser lattice‐mismatch between c‐AlN and c‐GaN than c‐AlN and MgO suppresses the hexagonal‐phase inclusion. Only 0.5‐nm‐thick c‐GaN buffer layer is enough for the c‐AlN growth although the thin buffer layer causes rough surfaces of the c‐AlN films. The effect of the c‐AlN film growth condition on the c‐AlN structural properties was also investigated. The growth temperature of 700 °C and an Al‐rich growing surface are required for the growth of smooth‐surface c‐AlN films. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Normally‐off AlGaN/GaN MOSHFET using ALD SiO2 tunnel dielectric and ALD HfO2 charge storage layer for power device application
Authors: Lee Bongmook , Kirkpatrick Casey , Choi Young‐hwan , Yang Xiangyu , Huang Alex Q. , Misra Veena
Published: February 2012

In this work, we have demonstrated a normally‐off AlGaN/GaN metal‐oxide semiconductor heterojunction field effect transistor (MOSHFET) wherein the enhancement mode operation is enabled by charge storage characteristics within a high‐k layer. By combining ALD SiO2 tunnel dielectric and HfO2 charge trapping layer, up to 7 V of threshold voltage (VT) shift depending on the applied gate pulse amplitude (corresponding ∼ 1.2 × 1013 charges/cm2 stored within the charge storage layer) is obtained. Electrical characteristics such as gate leakage current, transconductance, and off‐state breakdown after programming are similar to the initial device. Retention characteristics show about 20% of charge loss after 20000 s. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A hardware proof of concept for a remote‐controlled glacier‐surveying boat
Authors: Neal Mark , Blanchard Tom , Hubbard Alun , Chauché Nolwenn , Bates Richard , Woodward John
Published: March 2012

The design of a prototype remote‐controlled glacier‐surveying robot, capable of taking accurate above‐ and below‐water measurements of calving glacier fronts, using swath bathymetry and laser scanning hardware is presented. Data captured using the remote control system during field trials on the Lille Gletscher in western Greenland are informally compared with data captured using the same sensors from the same glacier using a much larger manned vessel during the same time period. The potential use of such a device during extended repeat survey missions is discussed and the implications in terms of both the improvement in data quality and the logistics in the field are also outlined. Future improvements to the robot and in particular the control system are described, as well as mechanical and electrical design considerations that became apparent during trials. The transition to a more autonomous system and the possibility of full autonomy are considered. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
SVM‐based anti‐forensic method for spread‐spectrum fingerprinting
Authors: Feng Hui , Ling Hefei , Zou Fuhao , Lu Zhengding
Published: February 2012

Digital fingerprinting is an emerging digital forensic technology that has been developed to detect digital forgeries and identify the pirates who leak the copies. Understanding the weaknesses and limitations of existing fingerprinting schemes and designing anti‐forensic approaches play an important role in the development of digital fingerprinting. In this paper, we propose a support vector machine (SVM)‐based anti‐forensic method capable of removing the fingerprints from the previously marked images for spread‐spectrum fingerprinting. We first estimate the parameters of the embedded fingerprint superposed on the frequency coefficients of the original signal. Then, we select the best basis through wavelet packet decomposition for thresholding the fingerprinted coefficients. Furthermore, an SVM‐based classifier is used to measure the existence of the pirates' fingerprints. The experimental results show that the proposed method is more effective than the other examined approaches. About three pieces of fingerprinted content are able to interrupt the fingerprinting system that accommodates thousands of users. Meanwhile, high fidelity of the attacked content is retained. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
QoS2: a framework for integrating quality of security with quality of service
Authors: Taleb Tarik , Hadjadj‐Aoul Yassine
Published: February 2012

Different security measures have emerged to encounter various Internet security threats, ensuring a certain level of protection against them. However, this does not come without a price. Indeed, there is a general agreement that high security measures involve high amount of resources, ultimately impacting the perceived Quality of Service (QoS). The objective of this paper is to define a framework, dubbed QoS2, that provides means to find a tradeoff between security requirements and their QoS counterparts. The QoS2 framework is based on the multiattribute decision‐making theory. The performance of the QoS2 framework is evaluated through computer simulations. A use‐case considering worm e‐mail detection is used in the performance evaluation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparing Intracellular Stability and Targeting of Sulfobetaine Quantum Dots with Other Surface Chemistries in Live Cells
Authors: Muro Eleonora , Fragola Alexandra , Pons Thomas , Lequeux Nicolas , Ioannou Andriani , Skourides Paris , Dubertret Benoit
Published: February 2012

The in vivo labeling of intracellular components with quantum dots (QDs) is very limited because of QD aggregation in the cell cytoplasm and/or QD confinement into lysosomal compartments. In order to improve intracellular targeting with QDs, various surface chemistries and delivery methods have been explored, but they have not yet been compared systematically with respect to the QD intracellular stability. In this work, the intracellular aggregation kinetics of QDs for three different surface chemistries based on ligand exchange or encapsulation with amphiphilic polymers are compared. For each surface chemistry, three delivery methods for bringing the nanoparticles into the cells are compared: electroporation, microinjection, and pinocytosis. It is concluded that the QD intracellular aggregation behavior is strongly dependent on the surface chemistry. QDs coated with dihydrolipoic acid‐sulfobetaine (DHLA‐SB) ligands diffuse freely in cells for longer periods of time than for QDs in the other chemistries tested, and they can access all cytoplasmic compartments. Even when conjugated to streptavidin, these DHLA‐SB QDs remain freely diffusing inside the cytoplasm and unaggregated, and they are able to reach a biotinylated target inside HeLa cells. Such labeling was more efficient when compared to commercial streptavidin‐conjugated QDs, which may be due to the smaller size of DHLA‐SB QDs and/or to their superior intracellular stability.
Control of Epoxy Creep Using Graphene
Authors: Zandiatashbar Ardavan , Picu Catalin R. , Koratkar Nikhil
Published: February 2012

The creep behavior of epoxy–graphene platelet (GPL) nanocomposites with different weight fractions of filler is investigated by macroscopic testing and nanoindentation. No difference is observed at low stress and ambient temperature between neat epoxy and nanocomposites. At elevated stress and temperature the nanocomposite with the optimal weight fraction, 0.1 wt% GPLs, creeps significantly less than the unfilled polymer. This indicates that thermally activated processes controlling the creep rate are in part inhibited by the presence of GPLs. The phenomenon is qualitatively similar at the macroscale and in nanoindentation tests. The results are compared with the creep of epoxy–single‐walled (SWNT) and multi‐walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composites and it is observed that creep in both these systems is similar to that in pure epoxy, that is, faster than creep in the epoxy–GPL system considered in this work.
Spectral analysis and physical properties of benzylated starch
Authors: Šárka Evžen , Koláček Jaroslav , Synytsya Andriy , Hrušková Kateřina , Maixner Jaroslav , Štětina Jiří
Published: February 2012

A‐ and B‐wheat starch (in native or acetylated form) and potato starch (slightly acetylated) were subjected to benzylation with benzylchloride in various reaction conditions and at various reaction times (40–100°C, 1–90 h). Modified and original starches were characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods (FT‐IR and 1H NMR). The semicrystalline or amorphous character was indicated by X‐ray powder (XRD) patterns. Rheological properties of benzyl starch of DS ∼ 1 were measured by small amplitude oscillation shear rheology (SAOS) using the rheometer Haake Rheostress RS 80. The results indicated predominantly elastic behavior because the storage modulus was higher than the loss modulus over the whole frequency range; it corresponded to a true gel. The storage and loss moduli increased with increasing frequency while the tangent of phase did not change and was approximately δ = 40°.
Protein folding by ‘levels of separation’: A hypothesis
Authors: Greene Lesley H. , Grant Terri M.
Published: March 2012

The protein folding process has been studied both computationally and experimentally for over 30 years. To date there is no detailed mechanism to explain the formation of long‐range interactions between the transition and native states. Long‐range interactions are the principle determinants of the tertiary structure. We present a theoretical model which proposes a mechanism for the acquisition of these interactions as they form in a modified version of ‘degrees of separation’, that we term ‘levels of separation’. It is based on the integration of network science and biochemistry.
Byrd's Arctic flight in the context of model atmospheres
Authors: Newsom G.H.
Published: February 2012

The availability of modern computer models of plausible atmospheric pressure versus altitude for a grid of points over the earth's surface permits a reexamination of Richard Byrd's dead reckoning navigation on his flight in May 1926 from Spitsbergen northwards and his return. Although details of how Byrd converted atmospheric pressure to altitude are ambiguous, the recent atmospheric models probably indicate a small systematic bias that would cause Byrd to overestimate his dead reckoning distance traveled. The same models provide a range of computed winds versus time, altitude, and location, leading to the conclusion that, if Byrd's reported winds during his flight are correct, it was the result of a very unusual and fortuitous circumstance.
Linguistic distance effect on cross-linguistic transfer of morphological awareness
Authors: ZHANG DONGBO
Published: February 2012

This study examined transfer facilitation effect of first language morphological awareness on second language lexical inference ability among Grade 6 Chinese-speaking English as a foreign language learners in China. A set of paper and pencil tests was administered to measure children's morphological awareness and lexical inference ability in both Chinese and English. Results showed that the contribution of Chinese morphological awareness to English morphological awareness was larger for compound words than for derived words. In addition, the indirect effect of Chinese compound awareness on English compound word meaning inference was significant, but that of Chinese derivational awareness on English derived word meaning inference did not achieve significance. These findings confirmed that cross-linguistic transfer of Chinese morphological awareness was responsive to the linguistic distance between Chinese and English.
Does Self-Rated Health Predict Death in Older Adults with Depressive Symptoms?
Authors: St. John Philip , Montgomery Patrick
Published: February 2012

Nous avons analysé une étude de cohorte prospective afin de déterminer (1) si l’auto-évaluation de son propre état de santé (AES) prédit la mortalité chez les personnes plus âgées, avec et sans symptômes dépressifs, et (2) de déterminer s’il y a une interaction entre l’AES et les symptômes dépressifs sur la mortalité. Nous avons suivi pendant cinq ans 1 751 adultes âgés de 65 ans qui habitaient dans les communautés. Les mesures comprenaient l’âge, le sexe, le niveau d’éducation, Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D), the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (MMS), et le questionnaire Older Americans’ Research Survey (OARS). Notre indicateur de résultats était la duree de vie avant le décès. Les analyses ont été faites sur des sujets avant ou non des symptômes dépressifs. Nous avons construit des modèles de régression de Cox avec un terme d’interaction pour la CES-D et l’AES. L’indice de risque pour la mortalite était de 1,63 pour les sujets atteints de symptômes dépressifs ; il était de 1,68 pour les sujets sans symptômes. Aucune interaction significative n’a été trouvée entre les symptômes dépressifs et l’A-ES pour la mortalité.
Bioethics as Science Fiction
Authors: GURNHAM DAVID
Published: February 2012

There must be few philosophical projects more serious than Jürgen Habermas’s lifelong effort to realize the lofty universalist ambitions of the Enlightenment in his communicative theory of rational discourse and deliberative democracy.
When Doctors Break the Rules
Authors: BLUSTEIN JEFFREY
Published: February 2012

Suppose a primary care physician practicing in an underserved community orders a treatment for one of her indigent patients under the state’s Medicaid program.
Gross motor development is delayed following early cardiac surgery
Authors: Long Suzanne H. , Harris Susan R. , Eldridge Beverley J. , Galea Mary P.
Published: February 2012

Objective

To describe the gross motor development of infants who had undergone cardiac surgery in the neonatal or early infant period.

Methods

Gross motor performance was assessed when infants were 4, 8, 12, and 16 months of age with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. This scale is a discriminative gross motor outcome measure that may be used to assess infants from birth to independent walking. Infants were videotaped during the assessment and were later evaluated by a senior paediatric physiotherapist who was blinded to each infant's medical history, including previous clinical assessments. Demographic, diagnostic, surgical, critical care, and medical variables were considered with respect to gross motor outcomes.

Results

A total of 50 infants who underwent elective or emergency cardiac surgery at less than or up to 8 weeks of age, between July 2006 and January 2008, were recruited to this study and were assessed at 4 months of age. Approximately, 92%, 84%, and 94% of study participants returned for assessment at 8, 12, and 16 months of age, respectively. Study participants had delayed gross motor development across all study time points; 62% of study participants did not have typical gross motor development during the first year of life. Hospital length of stay was associated with gross motor outcome across infancy.

Conclusion

Active gross motor surveillance of all infants undergoing early cardiac surgery is recommended. Further studies of larger congenital heart disease samples are required, as are longitudinal studies that determine the significance of these findings at school age and beyond.
Determining Hierarchy Between Conflicting Treaties: Are There Vertical Rules in the Horizontal System?
Authors: GHOURI Ahmad Ali
Published: February 2012

Treaties are contractual instruments that may provide special rules of priority in case they conflict with other treaties. When a treaty does not provide such rules, however, priority is determined by the rules of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT) and/or general principles of law. This article argues that both the VCLT and general principles of law do not provide an adequate solution to treaty conflicts. It suggests that the solution to treaty conflicts rests in a value-oriented reading of international law and the norms incorporated in treaties. Norms represent values and values represent interests or benefits for which international society requires protection. Conflicts of treaty norms are, therefore, conflicts of values that courts and dispute settlement bodies resolve by ordering a hierarchy of competing interests and protecting the most important interests in a given context.
Height‐resolved variability of midlatitude tropospheric water vapor measured by an airborne lidar
Authors: Fischer Lucas , Kiemle Christoph , Craig George C.
Published: February 2012

Free tropospheric water vapor variability, measured by airborne lidar over Europe during summertime, is analyzed at altitudes from 2 km to 10 km. Horizontal structure functions of specific humidity were computed and show power‐law scaling between about 10 km to 100 km in range. The second‐order structure function shows scaling exponents equivalent to spectral slopes that vary from around 5/3 in the lower troposphere to 2 at upper levels. More specifically humidity smoothness typically increases with height, while intermittency decreases. A classification of the data according to whether the series occurred above or below the level of nearby convective cloud tops gives a separation of the scaling exponents in the two air masses. The results are consistent with a water vapor distribution determined at upper levels by a downscale cascade of variance by advective mixing, but increasingly influenced at lower levels by local injection of humidity by moist convection.
21st century runoff sensitivities of major global river basins
Authors: Tang Qiuhong , Lettenmaier Dennis P.
Published: February 2012

River runoff is a key index of renewable water resources which affect almost all human and natural systems. Any substantial change in runoff will therefore have serious social, environmental, and ecological consequences. We estimate the runoff response to global mean temperature change implied by the climate change experiments generated for the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR4). In contrast to previous studies, we estimate the runoff sensitivity using global mean temperature change as an index of anthropogenic climate changes in temperature and precipitation, with the rationale that this removes the dependence on emissions scenarios. Our results show that the runoff sensitivity implied by the IPCC experiments is relatively stable across emissions scenarios and global mean temperature increments, but varies substantially across models with the exception of the high‐latitudes and currently arid or semi‐arid areas. The runoff sensitivities are slightly higher at 0.5°C warming than for larger amounts of warming. The estimated ratio of runoff change to (local) precipitation change (runoff elasticity) ranges from about one to three, and the runoff temperature sensitivity (change in runoff per degree C of local temperature increase) ranges from decreases of about 2 to 6% over most basins in North America and the middle and high latitudes of Eurasia.
Brain Slices from Glutaminase-Deficient Mice Metabolize Less Glutamine: A Cellular Metabolomic Study with Carbon 13 NMR
Authors: Hage Maha El , Masson Justine , Conjard-Duplany Agnès , Ferrier Bernard , Baverel Gabriel , Martin Guy
Published: February 2012

In the brain, glutaminase is considered to have a key role in the provision of glutamate, a major excitatory neurotransmitter. Brain slices obtained from wild-type (control) and glutaminase-deficient (GLS1 +/–) mice were incubated without glucose and with 5 or 1 mmol/L [3-13C]glutamine as substrate. At the end of the incubation, substrate removal and product formation were measured by both enzymatic and carbon 13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C-NMR) techniques. Slices from GLS1 +/– mice consumed less [3-13C]glutamine and accumulated less [3-13C]glutamate. They also produced less 13CO2 but accumulated amounts of 13C-aspartate and 13C-gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) that were similar to those found with brain slices from control mice. The newly formed glutamine observed in slices from control mice remained unchanged in slices from GLS1 +/– mice. As expected, flux through glutaminase in slices from GLS1 +/– mice was found diminished. Fluxes through all enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle were also reduced in brain slices from GLS1 +/– mice except through malate dehydrogenase with 5 mmol/L [3-13C]glutamine. The latter diminutions are consistent with the decreases in the production of 13CO2 also observed in the slices from these mice. It is concluded that the genetic approach used in this study confirms the key role of glutaminase for the provision of glutamate.
Bogoch Replikins Pandemic Prevention: Increase of Strain-Specific Influenza Genomic Replikin Counts, Having Predicted Outbreaks and their Location Seven Times Consecutively, Up to Two Years in Advance, Provides Time for Prevention of Pandemics
Authors: Bogoch Samuel , Bogoch Elenore
Published: March 2012

Earlier studies have shown that the increased concentration of a new class of virus genomic peptides, Replikins, precedes and predicts virus outbreaks. We now find that the area in the genome of the highest concentration of Replikins, and the country in which this peak exists in scout viruses, have permitted in the past five years seven consecutive accurate predictions of the geographic localization of coming outbreaks, including those now realized in Mexico for H1N1, and in Cambodia for H5N1. Real-time Replikin analysis of the evolution of the virus genome identified both mutations and structural reorganization of the hemagglutinin and p B1 genes over several years before each outbreak. This information, together with the specific Replikin sequences so obtained, permitted solid-phase synthesis of Replikin vaccines in seven days, which blocked H5N1 in chickens. The information also now provides up to two years of time to thoroughly test and distribute vaccines to high risk individuals in the countries identified; thus for the first time, a quantitative genomic Replikins method to both predict initial outbreaks and to prevent the development of a pandemic.
Copper redistribution in murine macrophages in response to Salmonella infection
Authors: Achard Maud E. S. , Stafford Sian L. , Bokil Nilesh J. , Chartres Jy , Bernhardt Paul V. , Schembri Mark A. , Sweet Matthew J. , McEwan Alastair G.
Published: February 2012

The movement of key transition metal ions is recognized to be of critical importance in the interaction between macrophages and intracellular pathogens. The present study investigated the role of copper in mouse macrophage responses to Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium. The copper chelator BCS (bathocuproinedisulfonic acid, disodium salt) increased intracellular survival of S. Typhimurium within primary mouse BMM (bone-marrow-derived macrophages) at 24 h post-infection, implying that copper contributed to effective host defence against this pathogen. Infection of BMM with S. Typhimurium or treatment with the TLR (Toll-like receptor) 4 ligand LPS (lipopolysaccharide) induced the expression of several genes encoding proteins involved in copper transport [Ctr (copper transporter) 1, Ctr2 and Atp7a (copper-transporting ATPase 1)], as well as the multi-copper oxidase Cp (caeruloplasmin). Both LPS and infection with S. Typhimurium triggered copper accumulation within punctate intracellular vesicles (copper ‘hot spots’) in BMM as indicated by the fluorescent reporter CS1 (copper sensor 1). These copper hot spots peaked in their accumulation at approximately 18 h post-stimulation and were dependent on copper uptake into cells. Localization studies indicated that the copper hot spots were in discrete vesicles distinct from Salmonella containing vacuoles and lysosomes. We propose that copper hot spot formation contributes to antimicrobial responses against professional intracellular bacterial pathogens.
A self-assembled nanopattern exhibits near-perfect order
Authors: Smart Ashley G.
Published: March 2012

Its features are on par with the smallest that can be achieved with state-of-the-art photolithography.
Microlensing suggests that our galaxy has more planets than stars
Authors: Schwarzschild Bertram M.
Published: March 2012

Gravitational bending of light reveals exoplanets with large orbital radii.
Scorecard shows wide disparity in the security of world’s weapons materials
Authors: Kramer David
Published: March 2012

No nuclear-armed states are judged to be among the best in their guarding of plutonium and highly enriched uranium from theft.
New York City seeds tech campus
Authors: Feder Toni
Published: March 2012

The new graduate school is intended to catalyze the city’s industrial sector.
The many uses of electron antineutrinos
Authors: McDonough William F. , Learned John G. , Dye Stephen T.
Published: March 2012

They have become tools for understanding Earth’s internal heat engine and for surveillance of nuclear reactors.
Temperature steps in salty seas
Authors: Carpenter Jeff R. , Timmermans Mary-Louise
Published: March 2012

With the right combination of temperature and salinity, the water column of a lake or ocean exhibits a layered, staircase structure. Such aquatic staircases have been observed throughout the world, from tropical Africa to the Arctic Ocean.
Design and phenotyping procedures for recording wool, skin, parasite resistance, growth, carcass yield and quality traits of the SheepGENOMICS mapping flock
Authors: White Jason D. , Allingham Peter G. , Gorman Chris M. , Emery David L. , Hynd Philip , Owens John , Bell Amy , Siddell Jason , Harper Greg , Hayes Ben J. , Daetwyler Hans D. , Usmar Jonathan , Goddard Mike E. , Henshall John M. , Dominik Sonja , Brewer Heather , van der Werf Julius H. J. , Nicholas Frank W. , Warner Robyn , Hofmyer Chris , Longhurst Terry , Fisher Troy , Swan Paul , Forage Rob , Oddy V. Hutton
Published: March 2012

A major aim of the research program known as SheepGENOMICS was to deliver DNA markers for commercial breeding programs. To that end, a resource flock was established, comprehensively phenotyped and genotyped with DNA markers. The flock of nearly 5000 sheep, born over two consecutive years, was extensively phenotyped, with more than 100 recorded observations being made on most of the animals. This generated more than 460 000 records over 17 months of gathering information on each animal. Here, we describe the experimental design and sample-collection procedures, and provide a summary of the basic measurements taken. Data from this project are being used to identify collections of genome markers for estimating genomic breeding values for new sheep industry traits.