bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DoOR 2.0 - Comprehensive Mapping of Drosophila melanogaster Odorant Responses
Authors: Münch Daniel , Galizia C. Giovanni
Published: February 2016

Odors elicit complex patterns of activated olfactory sensory neurons. Knowing the complete olfactome, i.e. the responses in all sensory neurons for all relevant odorants, is desirable to understand olfactory coding. The DoOR project combines all available Drosophila odorant response data into a single consensus response matrix. Since its first release many studies were published: receptors were deorphanized and several response profiles were expanded. In this study, we add unpublished data to the odor-response profiles for four odorant receptors (Or10a, Or42b, Or47b, Or56a). We deorphanize Or69a, showing a broad response spectrum with the best ligands including 3-hydroxyhexanoate, alpha-terpineol, 3-octanol and linalool. We include all of these datasets into DoOR, provide a comprehensive update of both code and data, and new tools for data analyses and visualizations. The DoOR project has a web interface for quick queries (http://neuro.uni.kn/DoOR), and a downloadable, open source toolbox written in R, including all processed and original datasets. DoOR now gives reliable odorant-responses for nearly all Drosophila olfactory responding units, listing 693 odorants, for a total of 7381 data points.
Mass Separation by Metamaterials
Authors: Restrepo-Flórez Juan Manuel , Maldovan Martin
Published: February 2016

Being able to manipulate mass flow is critically important in a variety of physical processes in chemical and biomolecular science. For example, separation and catalytic systems, which requires precise control of mass diffusion, are crucial in the manufacturing of chemicals, crystal growth of semiconductors, waste recovery of biological solutes or chemicals and production of artificial kidneys. Coordinate transformations and metamaterials are powerful methods to achieve precise manipulation of molecular diffusion. Here, we introduce a novel approach to obtain mass separation based on metamaterials that can sort chemical and biomolecular species by cloaking one compound while concentrating the other. A design strategy to realize such metamaterial using homogeneous isotropic materials is proposed. We present a practical case where a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen is manipulated using a metamaterial that cloaks nitrogen and concentrates oxygen. This work lays the foundation for molecular mass separation in biophysical and chemical systems through metamaterial devices.
The extracellular calcium-sensing receptor regulates human fetal lung development via CFTR
Authors: Brennan Sarah C. , Wilkinson William J. , Tseng Hsiu-Er , Finney Brenda , Monk Bethan , Dibble Holly , Quilliam Samantha , Warburton David , Galietta Luis J. , Kemp Paul J. , Riccardi Daniela
Published: February 2016

Optimal fetal lung growth requires anion-driven fluid secretion into the lumen of the developing organ. The fetus is hypercalcemic compared to the mother and here we show that in the developing human lung this hypercalcaemia acts on the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor, CaSR, to promote fluid-driven lung expansion through activation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, CFTR. Several chloride channels including TMEM16, bestrophin, CFTR, CLCN2 and CLCA1, are also expressed in the developing human fetal lung at gestational stages when CaSR expression is maximal. Measurements of Cl−-driven fluid secretion in organ explant cultures show that pharmacological CaSR activation by calcimimetics stimulates lung fluid secretion through CFTR, an effect which in humans, but not mice, was also mimicked by fetal hypercalcemic conditions, demonstrating that the physiological relevance of such a mechanism appears to be species-specific. Calcimimetics promote CFTR opening by activating adenylate cyclase and we show that Ca2+-stimulated type I adenylate cyclase is expressed in the developing human lung. Together, these observations suggest that physiological fetal hypercalcemia, acting on the CaSR, promotes human fetal lung development via cAMP-dependent opening of CFTR. Disturbances in this process would be expected to permanently impact lung structure and might predispose to certain postnatal respiratory diseases.
BPA-Induced Deregulation Of Epigenetic Patterns: Effects On Female Zebrafish Reproduction
Authors: Santangeli Stefania , Maradonna Francesca , Gioacchini Giorgia , Cobellis Gilda , Piccinetti Chiara Carla , Dalla Valle Luisa , Carnevali Oliana
Published: February 2016

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the commonest Endocrine Disruptor Compounds worldwide. It interferes with vertebrate reproduction, possibly by inducing deregulation of epigenetic mechanisms. To determine its effects on female reproductive physiology and investigate whether changes in the expression levels of genes related to reproduction are caused by histone modifications, BPA concentrations consistent with environmental exposure were administered to zebrafish for three weeks. Effects on oocyte growth and maturation, autophagy and apoptosis processes, histone modifications and DNA methylation were assessed by Real-Time PCR (qPCR), histology and chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with qPCR analysis (ChIP-qPCR). The results showed that 5 μg/L BPA down-regulated oocyte maturation-promoting signals, likely through changes in the chromatin structure mediated by histone modifications and promoted apoptosis in mature follicles. These data indicate that the negative effects of BPA on the female reproductive system may be due to its upstream ability to deregulate epigenetic mechanism.
Glutamate-system defects behind psychiatric manifestations in a familial hemiplegic migraine type 2 disease-mutation mouse model
Authors: Bøttger Pernille , Glerup Simon , Gesslein Bodil , Illarionova Nina B. , Isaksen Toke J. , Heuck Anders , Clausen Bettina H. , Füchtbauer Ernst-Martin , Gramsbergen Jan B. , Gunnarson Eli , Aperia Anita , Lauritzen Martin , Lambertsen Kate L. , Nissen Poul , Lykke-Hartmann Karin
Published: February 2016

Migraine is a complex brain disorder, and understanding the complexity of this prevalent disease could improve quality of life for millions of people. Familial Hemiplegic Migraine type 2 (FHM2) is a subtype of migraine with aura and co-morbidities like epilepsy/seizures, cognitive impairments and psychiatric manifestations, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). FHM2 disease-mutations locate to theATP1A2gene encoding the astrocyte-located α2-isoform of the sodium-potassium pump (α2Na+/K+-ATPase). We show that knock-in mice heterozygous for the FHM2-associated G301R-mutation (α2+/G301R) phenocopy several FHM2-relevant disease traits e.g., by mimicking mood depression and OCD.In vitrostudies showed impaired glutamate uptake in hippocampal mixed astrocyte-neuron cultures from α2G301R/G301RE17 embryonic mice, and moreover, induction of cortical spreading depression (CSD) resulted in reduced recovery in α2+/G301Rmale mice. Moreover, NMDA-type glutamate receptor antagonists or progestin-only treatment reverted specific α2+/G301Rbehavioral phenotypes. Our findings demonstrate that studies of anin vivorelevant FHM2 disease knock-in mouse model provide a link between the female sex hormone cycle and the glutamate system and a link to co-morbid psychiatric manifestations of FHM2.
8-Oxoguanine accumulation in mitochondrial DNA causes mitochondrial dysfunction and impairs neuritogenesis in cultured adult mouse cortical neurons under oxidative conditions
Authors: Leon Julio , Sakumi Kunihiko , Castillo Erika , Sheng Zijing , Oka Sugako , Nakabeppu Yusaku
Published: February 2016

Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are implicated in aging-related neurodegenerative disorders. 8-Oxoguanine (8-oxoG), a common oxidised base lesion, is often highly accumulated in brains from patients with neurodegenerative disorders. MTH1 hydrolyses 8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine triphosphate (8-oxo-dGTP) to 8-oxo-dGMP and pyrophosphate in nucleotide pools, while OGG1 excises 8-oxoG paired with cytosine in DNA, thereby minimising the accumulation of 8-oxoG in DNA. Mth1/Ogg1-double knockout (TO-DKO) mice are highly susceptible to neurodegeneration under oxidative conditions and show increased accumulation of 8-oxoG in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in neurons, suggesting that 8-oxoG accumulation in mtDNA causes mitochondrial dysfunction. Here, we evaluated the contribution of MTH1 and OGG1 to the prevention of mitochondrial dysfunction during neuritogenesis in vitro. We isolated cortical neurons from adult wild-type and TO-DKO mice and maintained them with or without antioxidants for 2 to 5 days and then examined neuritogenesis. In the presence of antioxidants, both TO-DKO and wild-type neurons exhibited efficient neurite extension and arborisation. However, in the absence of antioxidants, the accumulation of 8-oxoG in mtDNA of TO-DKO neurons was increased resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction. Cells also exhibited poor neurite outgrowth with decreased complexity of neuritic arborisation, indicating that MTH1 and OGG1 are essential for neuritogenesis under oxidative conditions.
A novel three-dimensional smile analysis based on dynamic evaluation of facial curve contour
Authors: Lin Yi , Lin Han , Lin Qiuping , Zhang Jinxin , Zhu Ping , Lu Yao , Zhao Zhi , Lv Jiahong , Lee Mln Kyeong , Xu Yue
Published: February 2016

The influence of three-dimensional facial contour and dynamic evaluation decoding on factors of smile esthetics is essential for facial beauty improvement. However, the kinematic features of the facial smile contour and the contribution from the soft tissue and underlying skeleton are uncharted. Here, the cheekbone-maxilla contour and nasolabial fold were combined into a “smile contour” delineating the overall facial topography emerges prominently in smiling. We screened out the stable and unstable points on the smile contour using facial motion capture and curve fitting, before analyzing the correlation between soft tissue coordinates and hard tissue counterparts of the screened points. Our finding suggests that the mouth corner region was the most mobile area characterizing smile expression, while the other areas remained relatively stable. Therefore, the perioral area should be evaluated dynamically while the static assessment outcome of other parts of the smile contour contribute partially to their dynamic esthetics. Moreover, different from the end piece, morphologies of the zygomatic area and the superior part of the nasolabial crease were determined largely by the skeleton in rest, implying the latter can be altered by orthopedic or orthodontic correction and the former better improved by cosmetic procedures to improve the beauty of smile.
Profiling the genome-wide DNA methylation pattern of porcine ovaries using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing
Authors: Yuan Xiao-Long , Gao Ning , Xing Yan , Zhang Hai-Bin , Zhang Ai-Ling , Liu Jing , He Jin-Long , Xu Yuan , Lin Wen-Mian , Chen Zan-Mou , Zhang Hao , Zhang Zhe , Li Jia-Qi
Published: February 2016

Substantial evidence has shown that DNA methylation regulates the initiation of ovarian and sexual maturation. Here, we investigated the genome-wide profile of DNA methylation in porcine ovaries at single-base resolution using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. The biological variation was minimal among the three ovarian replicates. We found hypermethylation frequently occurred in regions with low gene abundance, while hypomethylation in regions with high gene abundance. The DNA methylation around transcriptional start sites was negatively correlated with their own CpG content. Additionally, the methylation level in the bodies of genes was higher than that in their 5′ and 3′ flanking regions. The DNA methylation pattern of the low CpG content promoter genes differed obviously from that of the high CpG content promoter genes. The DNA methylation level of the porcine ovary was higher than that of the porcine intestine. Analyses of the genome-wide DNA methylation in porcine ovaries would advance the knowledge and understanding of the porcine ovarian methylome.
Cyclopalladated organosilane–tethered thiosemicarbazones: novel strategies for improving antiplasmodial activity
Authors: Adams Muneebah , Barnard Linley , de Kock Carmen , Smith Peter J. , Wiesner Lubbe , Chibale Kelly , Smith Gregory S.
Published: February 2016

Ferrocenyl- and aryl-derived cyclopalladated organosilane thiosemicarbazone complexes were synthesised via C–H bond activation and evaluated for antiplasmodial activity.
Involvement of miR-539-5p in the inhibition of de novo lipogenesis induced by resveratrol in white adipose tissue
Authors: Gracia Ana , Miranda Jonatan , Fernández-Quintela Alfredo , Eseberri Itziar , Garcia-Lacarte Marcos , Milagro Fermín I. , Martínez J. Alfredo , Aguirre Leixuri , Portillo María P.
Published: February 2016

Proposed miRNA mechanisms of action of resveratrol in triacylglycerol metabolism changes in adipose tissue.
Self-doped polyaniline derived from poly(2-methoxyaniline-5-phosphonic acid) and didodecyldimethylammonium salt
Authors: Amaya Toru , Sugihara Ryosuke , Hata Dai , Hirao Toshikazu
Published: February 2016

Salt formation of poly(2-methoxyaniline-5-phosphonic acid) (PMAP) with didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDDMABr) was performed to give the organic solvent soluble self-doped polyaniline, PMAP–DDDMA.
A highly selective fluorogenic probe for the detection and in vivo imaging of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase
Authors: Zhang Liyun , Er Jun Cheng , Jiang Hao , Li Xin , Luo Zhaofeng , Ramezani Thomas , Feng Yi , Tang Mui Kee , Chang Young-Tae , Vendrell Marc
Published: February 2016

Fine-tuning the BODIPY chemical structure to develop a highly selective fluorophore for Cu/Zn SOD.
Polymorphism in phenobarbital: discovery of a new polymorph and crystal structure of elusive form V
Authors: Roy Saikat , Goud N. Rajesh , Matzger Adam J.
Published: February 2016

This report highlights the discovery of new polymorph ‘form XV’, and the crystal structure of the elusive form V of the anticonvulsant drug phenobarbital.
A reactive nitrone-based organogel that self-assembles from its constituents in chloroform
Authors: Richards Josh E. , Philp Douglas
Published: February 2016

A dynamically-assembled nitrone-based organogel can be targeted for degradation specifically using a recognition-mediated reaction.
Rationally designed donor–acceptor scheme based molecules for applications in opto-electronic devices
Authors: Subash Sundar T. , Sen R. , Johari P.
Published: February 2016

Several donor (D)–acceptor (A) based molecules are rationally designed by adopting three different schemes in which the conjugation length, strength of the donor and acceptor moieties, and planarity of the molecules are varied.
Solution synthesis of core–shell Co9S8@MoS2 catalysts
Authors: Hadj-Aïssa A. , Dassenoy F. , Geantet C. , Afanasiev P.
Published: February 2016

Core–shell Co9S8@MoS2 unsupported catalysts prepared by a solution reaction in ethylene glycol demonstrate high catalytic activity and exceptional thermal stability.
Mesoporous ZnZSM-5 zeolites synthesized by one-step desilication and reassembly: a durable catalyst for methanol aromatization
Authors: Wang Xiaoxing , Zhang Junfeng , Zhang Tao , Xiao He , Song Faen , Han Yizhuo , Tan Yisheng
Published: February 2016

A mesoporous ZnZSM-5 zeolite synthesized by simple alkaline desilication and CTAB-mediated reassembly shows obviously improved catalytic stability for methanol aromatization.
9‐bit time–digital‐converter‐assisted compressive‐sensing analogue–digital‐converter with 4 GS/s equivalent speed
Authors: Hu B. , Ren F. , Chen Z.‐Z. , Jiang X. , Chang M.‐C.F.
Published: February 2016

A novel 9‐bit time–digital‐converter (TDC)‐assisted analogue–digital‐converter (ADC) supporting energy‐efficient high‐speed compressive‐sensing (CS) operation is presented. With a voltage–time‐converter serving as the cross‐domain residue conveyer, the proposed two‐stage self‐timed pipeline ADC architecture hybrids a voltage‐domain comparator‐interleaved successive‐approximation (SAR) ADC front‐end and a time‐domain locally readjusted folding two‐dimensional Vernier TDC back‐end. Implemented in 65 nm CMOS technology, the prototype benefits from both the CS‐enabled sub‐Nyquist operation and the hybrid quantisation scheme, leading up to 4 GS/s equivalent speed with 34.2 dB signal‐noise‐distortion‐ratio (SNDR) and a figure‐of‐merit (FOM) of 101 fJ/conversion step.
Robust spatiotemporal stereo against image motion and temporal disparity variation
Authors: Shin Y. , Yoon K.‐J.
Published: February 2016

When there exists camera motion as well as scene motion, the position and disparity of a pixel in an image sequence temporally vary with time. Such image motion (IM) and temporal disparity variation (TDV) degrade the performance of spatiotemporal stereo matching. In this Letter, a robust spatiotemporal similarity measure that addresses IM and TDV is proposed. To this end, an irregular spatiotemporal window whose temporal windows are located by a TDV value and optical flows is designed. In addition, a spatiotemporal guided filter‐based aggregation technique using temporal weights based on temporal proximity and flow reliability is presented. To handle a large number of labels effectively, a search range reduction method for finding a probable label set is presented. Experimental results show that the proposed method yields consistent and accurate disparity maps under IM and TDV.
Design of wideband radar absorbing material with improved optical transmittance by using printed metal‐mesh
Authors: Lee I.G. , Yoon S.H. , Lee J.S. , Hong I.P.
Published: February 2016

A radar absorbing structure was designed on the basis of a circuit analogue absorber for the implementation of broadband characteristics by using a metal‐mesh transparent electrode with an improved optical transmittance. To realise a high optical transmittance and broadband absorbing performance in the X‐band, a resistive frequency selective surface, in which soda‐lime glass, a transparent dielectric, was patterned with a metal‐mesh, was used. The simulation for the reflection characteristics of the proposed absorber is performed and showed its validity through experiment. The measurement results were in good agreement with the simulation results, confirming the broadband reflection loss characteristics. Since the proposed structure has a high optical transmittance and stable broadband absorbing performance, it can be used in various fields including military applications, where facilities requiring secure wireless signals or transparent radar absorbers are necessary.
Proposed face recognition system after plastic surgery
Authors: Ali Amal Seralkhatem Osman , Sagayan Vijanth , Malik Aamir , Aziz Azrina
Published: February 2016

Plastic surgery is considered as a challenging research issue in the field of face recognition. Nevertheless, it has yet to be studied from theoretical and experimental perspectives. In this study, the authors proposed a facial recognition system for recognising faces after plastic surgery, which fuses the scores of two feature‐based and texture‐based algorithms. The feature based algorithm is the image GIST global descriptor and the texture‐based algorithm is the local binary pattern (LBP) of silence points. First, the local texture descriptor LBP was applied over a set of key points (silence points) in the face image rather than applying it over the entire face area. This proposed feature set is based on the assumption that only those LBP patterns with certain meaning, such as an edge or corner, will be useful for recognising faces that have undergone plastic surgery. The second set of features was extracted using a global descriptor, which is the GIST descriptor, to obtain a basic and a subordinate level description of the perceptual dimension. The performance of the proposed system surpassed the performance of a number of state‐of‐the‐art face recognition after plastic surgery, with a maximum verification accuracy of more than 91%.
Search for anisotropy in the Debye-Waller factor of HCP solid 4He
Authors: Barnes Ashleigh L. , Hinde Robert J.
Published: February 2016

The properties of hexagonal close packed (hcp) solid 4He are dominated by large atomic zero point motions. An accurate description of these motions is therefore necessary in order to accurately calculate the properties of the system, such as the Debye-Waller (DW) factors. A recent neutron scattering experiment reported significant anisotropy in the in-plane and out-of-plane DW factors for hcp solid 4He at low temperatures, where thermal effects are negligible and only zero-point motions are expected to contribute. By contrast, no such anisotropy was observed either in earlier experiments or in path integral Monte Carlo (PIMC) simulations of solid hcp 4He. However, the earlier experiments and the PIMC simulations were both carried out at higher temperatures where thermal effects could be substantial. We seek to understand the cause of this discrepancy through variational quantum Monte Carlo simulations utilizing an accurate pair potential and a modified trial wavefunction which allows for anisotropy. Near the melting density, we find no anisotropy in an ideal hcp 4He crystal. A theoretical equation of state is derived from the calculated energies of the ideal crystal over a range of molar volumes from 7.88 to 21.3 cm3, and is found to be in good qualitative agreement with experimental data.
Localized Mg-vacancy states in the thermoelectric material Mg2−δSi0.4Sn0.6
Authors: Zhang Libin , Xiao Penghao , Shi Li , Henkelman Graeme , Goodenough John B. , Zhou Jianshi
Published: February 2016

Mg2SixSn1−x has been widely studied as a thermoelectric material owing to its high figure-of-merit, low cost, and non-toxicity. However, its electronic structure, particularly when the material contains Mg vacancies, has not been adequately described. The n-type nature of Mg2−δSi0.4Sn0.6 has been a puzzle. Mg deficiency can be present in Mg2SixSn1−x due to Mg evaporation and oxidation. Therefore, an investigation of the role of Mg vacancies is of great interest. In this work, we have prepared a series of samples with various Mg deficiency and Sb doping levels and measured their transport properties. The Seebeck coefficient of these samples all reveals n-type conduction. We propose that Mg vacancies in Mg2−δSixSn1−x create localized hole states inside the band gap instead of simply moving the Fermi-level into the valence band as would be predicted by a rigid band model. Our hypothesis is further confirmed by density-functional theory calculations, which show that the hole states are trapped at Mg vacancies above the valence band. Moreover, this localized hole-states model is used to interpret electrical transport properties. Both the Seebeck coefficient and resistivity of Mg2−δSi0.4Sn0.6 indicate an electron-hopping transport mechanism. In addition, the data suggest that localized band-tail states may exist in the conduction-band edge of Mg2SixSn1−x.
Interatomic Coulombic decay widths of helium trimer: A diatomics-in-molecules approach
Authors: Sisourat Nicolas , Kazandjian Sévan , Randimbiarisolo Aurélie , Kolorenč Přemysl
Published: February 2016

We report a new method to compute the Interatomic Coulombic Decay (ICD) widths for large clusters which relies on the combination of the projection-operator formalism of scattering theory and the diatomics-in-molecules approach. The total and partial ICD widths of a cluster are computed from the energies and coupling matrix elements of the atomic and diatomic fragments of the system. The method is applied to the helium trimer and the results are compared to fully ab initio widths. A good agreement between the two sets of data is shown. Limitations of the present method are also discussed.
Solvent activity in electrolyte solutions from molecular simulation of the osmotic pressure
Authors: Kohns Maximilian , Reiser Steffen , Horsch Martin , Hasse Hans
Published: February 2016

A method for determining the activity of the solvent in electrolyte solutions by molecular dynamics simulations is presented. The electrolyte solution is simulated in contact with the pure solvent. Between the two phases, there is a virtual membrane, which is permeable only for the solvent. In the simulation, this is realized by an external field which acts only on the solutes and confines them to a part of the simulation volume. The osmotic pressure, i.e., the pressure difference between both phases, is obtained with high accuracy from the force on the membrane, so that reliable data on the solvent activity can be determined. The acronym of the new method is therefore OPAS (osmotic pressure for activity of solvents). The OPAS method is verified using tests of varying complexity. This includes a comparison of results from the OPAS method for aqueous NaCl solutions to results from the literature which were obtained with other molecular simulation methods. Favorable agreement is observed not only for the solvent activity but also for the activity coefficient of NaCl, which is obtained by application of the Gibbs-Duhem equation.
Perpendicular magnetization reversal in Pt/[Co/Ni]3/Al multilayers via the spin Hall effect of Pt
Authors: Rojas-Sánchez J.-C. , Laczkowski P. , Sampaio J. , Collin S. , Bouzehouane K. , Reyren N. , Jaffrès H. , Mougin A. , George J.-M.
Published: February 2016

We experimentally investigate the current-induced magnetization reversal in Pt/[Co/Ni]3/Al multilayers combining the anomalous Hall effect and magneto-optical Kerr effect techniques in crossbar geometry. The magnetization reversal occurs through nucleation and propagation of a domain of opposite polarity for a current density of the order of 3 × 1011 A/m2. In these experiments, we demonstrate a full control of each stage: (i) the Ørsted field controls the domain nucleation and (ii) domain-wall propagation occurs by spin torque from the Pt spin Hall effect. This scenario requires an in-plane magnetic field to tune the domain wall center orientation along the current for efficient domain wall propagation. Indeed, as nucleated, domain walls are chiral and Néel-like due to the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction.
Comment on “Non-thermal mechanism of weak microwave fields influence on neurons” [J. Appl. Phys. 114, 104701 (2013)]
Authors: Pekker M. , Shneider M. N.
Published: February 2016

This comment is directly related to previously published work [M. N. Shneider and M. Pekker, J. Appl. Phys. 114, 104701 (2013)], in which we outlined the effect of a non-thermal mechanism of microwave radiation on the activity of neural tissue. In this note, we provide more realistic estimates of the longitudinal sound velocity in the lipid membranes and the corresponding estimates of the microwave resonance frequencies.
Electric field induced orientational order of gold nanorods in dilute organic suspensions
Authors: Fontana Jake , da Costa Greice K. B. , Pereira Joao M. , Naciri Jawad , Ratna Banahalli R. , Palffy-Muhoray Peter , Carvalho Isabel C. S.
Published: February 2016

The electric field controlled alignment of gold nanorods offers a paradigm for anisotropic molecules with the potential for a wide variety of phases and structures. We experimentally study the optical absorption from gold nanorod suspensions aligned using external electric fields. We show that the absorption from these suspensions depends linearly on the orientational order parameter. We provide evidence that the critical electric field needed to orient the gold nanorods is proportional to the nanorod volume and depolarization anisotropy. Utilizing this critical field dependence, we demonstrate for suspensions with two different nanorod sizes that the alignment of each population can be controlled. We also develop a technique to determine the imaginary parts of the longitudinal and transverse electric susceptibilities of the nanorods. The ability to selectively address specific parts of the nanorod populations in a mixture using external fields may have significant potential for future display and optical filter applications.
Case Report: Strawberry Disease in Farmed Chilean Rainbow Trout
Authors: Sandoval Carlos , Infante Jorge , Abad Jessica , Ferguson Hugh W. , Paredes Enrique , Valdebenito Samuel , Yáñez Alejandro J. , Ilardi Pedro , Avendaño-Herrera Ruben
Published: February 2016

Strawberry disease is a chronic, nonlethal skin condition that affects Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in the United States and several European countries, where it is also known as red-mark syndrome. We provide the first identification and characterization of three strawberry disease outbreaks occurring at two aquaculture farms in southern Chile. Clinically affected fish weighing an average of 400 g presented multiple bright-red, usually raised, skin lesions on the flank, ventral surface, and dorsal surface. A PCR using Rickettsia-like-organism (RLO)-specific primers was performed on nine affected fish, and all skin samples were positive for the RLO 16S ribosomal RNA sequence. All PCR results for Flavobacterium psychrophilum and other bacterial and viral pathogens were negative. Histopathological examination of the skin lesions revealed extensive dermatitis, with severe lymphocytic infiltration in advanced cases. This report is the first to describe strawberry disease in farmed Chilean Rainbow Trout. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the risk for Rainbow Trout culture; fish challenge experiments should be performed to fulfill Koch's postulates and to demonstrate that RLO is the cause of this disease.

Received December 27, 2014; accepted October 23, 2015.
Monitoring of friction stir welding process using weld image information
Authors: Das B. , Pal S. , Bag S.
Published: February 2016

Monitoring friction stir welding process based on weld images is attempted in this research. Well-known fractal theory is applied to images of the welds and extracted features in terms of fractal dimension are correlated to ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the joints. The correlation shows a decreasing trend that can be an indicator towards monitoring of weld quality. Apart from fractal theory, wavelet transform is also applied to the acquired images and an indicator is proposed relating the information gathered after the decomposition. Interestingly, the proposed indicator also describes a decreasing trend of UTS with the increase in its value. The proposed approaches can be effectively applied in real-time monitoring of the process with appreciable accuracy.
Temporal-spatial segregation among hummingbirds foraging on honeydew in a temperate forest in Mexico
Authors: Lara Carlos , Martínez-García Vanessa , Ortiz-Pulido Raúl , Bravo-Cadena Jessica , Loranca Salvador , Córdoba-Aguilar Alex
Published: February 2016

Spatial and temporal variation in interactions between hummingbirds and plants have often been examined, and hummingbirds and insects are known to indirectly interact in networks of nectar plants. In a highland temperate forest in Hidalgo, Mexico some oak trees were heavily infested by honeydew-producing insects (family Margarodidae, tribe Xylococcini, genus Strigmacoccus) and the honeydew was consumed by hummingbirds. Here using survival analysis we investigate how the honeydew produced by dense populations of these margarodids is temporally and spatially partitioned by hummingbirds. We also measured the availability and quality of honeydew exudates, and then we recorded the time until a bird visited and used such resources. Four hummingbird species consumed this resource (Atthis eloisa, Hylocharis leucotis, Colibri thalassinus and Eugenes fulgens). Data from 294 hours of observation on seven focal trees suggested temporal and spatial segregation among visiting birds according to body size and territorial behavior during the most honeydew-limited time. Hummingbird species differed in the daily times they foraged, as well as in the location where honeydew-producing insects were visited on the trees. Temporal and spatial segregation among hummingbird species is interpreted as an adaptation to reduce the risk of aggressive encounters. This may facilitate multispecies coexistence and allow these birds to exploit honeydew more effectively.
Bird assemblages in natural and urbanized habitats along elevational gradient in Nainital district (western Himalaya) of Uttarakhand state, India
Authors: Bhatt Dinesh , Joshi Kamal Kant
Published: February 2016

The Indian subcontinent is amongst the biologically better known parts of the tropics and its bird fauna has been well documented. However, avian community composition and diversity along elevational gradients and amongst habitat types remains unclear in India. We attempted to estimate bird assemblages in terms of diversity, species composition, status and abundance in urban and forest habitats of Nainital district of Uttarakhand (350–2450 m asl; 29°N), Western Himalayas. We sampled different elevational gradients and to understand the effect of urbanization and season on avian community composition. Field studies were conducted during January 2005 to January 2007. Results indicated that the forest had more complex bird community structure in terms of higher species richness (14.35 vs 8.69), higher species diversity (Shannon’s index 4.00 vs 3.54), higher evenness (0.838 vs 0.811) and more rare species (17 vs 5) as compared to urban habitat. However, the abundance of 11 species was higher in urban habitats. Bird Species Richness (BSR) varied considerably among study areas (91 to 113 species), was highest (113 species) at mid elevation (1450–1700 m asl) and decreased (22 species) at high elevation (1900–2450 m asl). It seems that high BSR at mid altitudes is not caused by the presence of a group of mid altitude specialists but rather that there is an overlap in the distribution of low land and high elevation specialists at this altitude. BSR and Bird Species Diversity fluctuated across seasons but not habitat type.
Interaction between animal personality and animal cognition
Authors: Carere Claudio , Locurto Charles
Published: February 2016

The study of animal personality has attracted considerable attention, as it has revealed a number of similarities in personality between humans and several nonhuman species. At the same time the adaptive value and evolutionary maintenance of different personalities are the subject of debate. Since Pavlov’s work on dogs, students of comparative cognition have been aware that animals display vast individual differences on cognitive tasks, and that these differences may not be entirely accounted for differences in cognitive abilities. Here, we argue that personality is an important source of variation that may affect cognitive performance and we hypothesise mutual influences between personality and cognition across an individual’s lifespan. In particular, we suggest that: 1) personality profiles may be markers of different cognitive styles; 2) success or failure in cognitive tasks could affect different personalities differently; 3) ontogenetic changes of personality profiles could be reflected in changes in cognitive performance. The study of such interplay has implications in animal welfare as well as in neuroscience and in translational medicine.
Evaluating information-seeking approaches to metacognition
Authors: Crystal Jonathon D. , Foote Allison L.
Published: February 2016

Metacognition has been divided into information monitoring and control processes. Monitoring involves knowing that you know or do not know some information without taking corrective action. Control involves taking corrective action based on the knowledge that you know or do not know some information. In comparative metacognition, considerable attention has been paid toward critically assessing putative evidence for information monitoring in non-human animals. However, less attention has been paid toward critically evaluating evidence for control processes in animals. We briefly review a critique of information-monitoring in animals. Next, we apply these concepts to a number of studies that focus on information seeking in animals. The main type of evidence for control processes in animals come from tube tipping experiments. Before having the opportunity to search for the bait in these experiments, the subject sometimes observes opaque tubes being baited but is sometimes prevented from seeing the baiting. The observations that the subjects look more if baiting was not seen and are more accurate if baiting was seen have been taken as evidence for metacognition in information-seeking experiments. We propose simple alternative hypotheses that are sufficient to explain putative evidence for information seeking in animals without positing metacognition. The alternative explanation focuses on two relatively simple principles: First, an animal has a default “look before you go” response which supersedes random searches in space. Second, spatially guided behavior follows a default rule of “go where something good is.” These principles can explain the results of tube tipping experiments without proposing metacognition.
Differences in sensitivity of native and exotic fish species to changes in river temperature
Authors: Leuven R.S.E.W. , Hendriks A.J. , Huijbregts M.A.J. , Lenders H.J.R. , Matthews J. , Velde G. Van Der
Published: February 2016

This paper describes the effects that temperature changes in the Rhine river distributaries have on native and exotic fish diversity. Site-specific potentially affected fractions (PAFs) of the regional fish species pool were derived using species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) for water temperature. The number of fish species in the river distributaries has changed remarkably over the last century. The number of native rheophilous species declined up until 1980 due to anthropogenic disturbances such as commercial fishing, river regulation, migration barriers, habitat deterioration and water pollution. In spite of progress in river rehabilitation, the native rheophilous fish fauna has only partially recovered thus far. The total number of species has strongly increased due to the appearance of more exotic species. After the opening of the Rhine-Main-Danube waterway in 1992, many fish species originating from the Ponto-Caspian area colonized the Rhine basin. The yearly minimum and maximum river temperatures at Lobith have increased by circa 4 0C over the period 1908-2010. Exotic species show lower PAFs than native species at both ends of the temperature range. The interspecific variation in the temperature tolerance of exotic fish species was found to be large. Using temporal trends in river temperature allowed past predictions of PAFs to demonstrate that the increase in maximum river temperature negatively affected a higher percentage of native fish species than exotic species. Our results support the hypothesis that alterations of the river Rhine’s temperature regime caused by thermal pollution and global warming limit the full recovery of native fish fauna and facilitate the establishment of exotic species which thereby increases competition between native and exotic species. Thermal refuges are important for the survival of native fish species under extreme summer or winter temperature conditions.
Do networks of social interactions reflect patterns of kinship?
Authors: Madden Joah R. , Nielsen Johanna F. , Clutton-Brock Tim H.
Published: February 2016

The underlying kin structure of groups of animals may be glimpsed from patterns of spatial position or temporal association between individuals, and is presumed to facilitate inclusive fitness benefits. Such structure may be evident at a finer, behavioural, scale with individuals preferentially interacting with kin. We tested whether kin structure within groups of meerkats Suricata suricatta matched three forms of social interaction networks: grooming, dominance or foraging competitions. Networks of dominance interactions were positively related to networks of kinship, with close relatives engaging in dominance interactions with each other. This relationship persisted even after excluding the breeding dominant pair and when we restricted the kinship network to only include links between first order kin, which are most likely to be able to discern kin through simple rules of thumb. Conversely, we found no relationship between kinship networks and either grooming networks or networks of foraging competitions. This is surprising because a positive association between kin in a grooming network, or a negative association between kin in a network of foraging competitions offers opportunities for inclusive fitness benefits. Indeed, the positive association between kin in a network of dominance interactions that we did detect does not offer clear inclusive fitness benefits to group members. We conclude that kin structure in behavioural interactions in meerkats may be driven by factors other than indirect fitness benefits, and that networks of cooperative behaviours such as grooming may be driven by direct benefits accruing to individuals perhaps through mutualism or manipulation [Current Zoology 58 (2): 319–328, 2012].
Variation in sexual dimorphism and assortative mating do not predict genetic divergence in the sexually dimorphic Goodeid fish Girardinichthys multiradiatus
Authors: Macías Garcia C. , Smith G. , González Zuarth C. , Graves J. A. , Ritchie M. G.
Published: February 2016

Sexual dimorphism is often used as a proxy for the intensity of sexual selection in comparative studies of sexual selection and diversification. The Mexican Goodeinae are a group of livebearing freshwater fishes with large variation between species in sexual dimorphism in body shape. Previously we found an association between variation in morphological sexual dimorphism between species and the amount of gene flow within populations in the Goodeinae. Here we have examined if morphological differentiation within a single dimorphic species is related to assortative mating or gene flow between populations. In the Amarillo fish Girardinichthys multiradiatus studies have shown that exaggerated male fins are targets of female preferences. We find that populations of the species differ in the level of sexual dimorphism displayed due to faster evolution of differences in male than female morphology. However, this does not predict variation in assortative mating tests in the laboratory; in fact differences in male morphology are negatively correlated with assortative mating. Microsatellite markers reveal significant genetic differences between populations. However, gene flow is not predicted by either morphological differences or assortative mating. Rather, it demonstrates a pattern of isolation by distance with greater differentiation between watersheds. We discuss the caveats of predicting behavioural and genetic divergence from so-called proxies of sexual selection.
The relationship between intraspecific assortative mating and reproductive isolation between divergent populations
Authors: Bolnick Daniel I. , Kirkpatrick Mark
Published: February 2016

The term ‘assortative mating’ has been applied to describe two very different phenomena: (1) the tendency for individuals to choose phenotypically similar mates from among conspecifics; or (2) the tendency to prefer conspecific over hete-rospecific mates (behavioral reproductive isolation). Both forms of assortative mating are widespread in nature, but the relationship between these behaviors remains unclear. Namely, it is plausible that a preference for phenotypically similar conspecifics incidentally reduces the probability of mating with phenotypically divergent heterospecifics. We present a model to calculate how the level of reproductive isolation depends on intraspecific assortative mating and the phenotypic divergence between species. For empirically reasonable levels of intraspecific assortment on a single trait axis, we show that strong reproductive isolation requires very substantial phenotypic divergence. We illustrate this point by applying our model to empirical data from threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus and Darwin’s Finches (Geospiza spp). We conclude that typical levels of intraspecific assortment cannot generally be extrapolated to explain levels of interspecific reproductive isolation. Instead, reproductive isolation between species likely arises from different mate choice behaviors, or multivariate assortative mating.
Functional attributes: Compacting vs decompacting earthworms and influence on soil structure
Authors: Guéi Arnauth Martinez , Baidai Yannick , Tondoh Jérôme Ebagnerin , Huising Jeroen
Published: February 2016

A short term field mesocosm experiment was performed in semi-deciduous forest areas of Ivory Coast to assess the impact of a decompacting (Hyperiodrilus africanus, Eudrilidae) and two compacting (Millsonia omodeoi and Dichogaster terraenigrae, Acanthodrilidae) earthworm species on soil properties. These species have been selected for their predominance in the region and their contrasting impact on soil structure. The experimental design consisted of a treatment without worms (control), and treatments with one, two or three species of earthworms. Both compacting and decompacting earthworms increased water infiltration rate in all treatments, with marked impact in H. africanus and M. omodeoi+D. terraenigrae treatments. Interactions between compacting and decompacting species resulted in more large aggregates in comparison to when the compacting species D. terraenigrae was alone. This may be accounted for by their compacting attribute as compacting earthworms are responsible for producing the highest number of large aggregates. The low values of mean weight diameter in treatments combining decompacting and compacting earthworms compared with compacting “M. omodeoi” one also confirmed the trend of decline in soil compaction in the presence of the decompacting species. These results showed positive impact of species richness on soil structure regulation, which is crucial in ecosystem productivity and support consequently the insurance hypothesis. In fact, this study showed that the preservation of earthworm species belonging to these two contrasting functional groups is essential for the maintenance of stable soil structure regulation in agro-tropical ecosystems.
Distributional congruence of mammalian herbivores in the Trans-Himalayan Mountains
Authors: Namgail Tsewang , Wieren Sipke E. van , Prins Herbert H.T.
Published: February 2016

Large-scale distribution and diversity patterns of mammalian herbivores, especially less charismatic species in alpine environments remain little understood. We studied distributional congruence of mammalian herbivores in the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh to see if the distributions of less prominent and smaller herbivores can be determined from those of larger and more prominent herbivores like ungulates. Using a similarity index, we assessed shared distributions of species in 20×20 km2grid-cells in an area of about 80,000 km2. We used the Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Average (UPGMA) to classify mammalian herbivores into groups with similar distributions. We then used the G-test of independence to look for statistical significance of the groups obtained. We identified six groups of mammalian herbivores with distributions more similar than expected at random. The largest group was composed of nine species whereas the other large group comprised six species. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), used to relate the groups with environmental features, showed that the largest group occurred in higher and flatter areas, while the other large group occurred in lower and steeper areas. Large herbivores like ungulates can be used as surrogate for less prominent small herbivores while identifying areas for latter’s protection in the inaccessible mountainous regions of the Trans-Himalaya.