bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Upper Pleistocene to Holocene peatland evolution in Southern Brazilian highlands as depicted by radar stratigraphy, sedimentology and palynology
Authors: de Oliveira Marcelo Accioly Teixeira , Porsani Jorge Luis , de Lima Gisele Leite , Jeske-Pieruschka Vivian , Behling Hermann
Published: February 2012

Paleoenvironmental interpretation of proxy data derived from peatlands is largely based upon an evolutionary model for ombrotrophic bogs, in which peat accumulates in still environments. Reports on proxies obtained from minerotrophic fens, where hydrologic inputs are variable, are less common. In this study, a highland peatland in southern Brazil is presented through ground penetrating radar (GPR) and sedimentological, palynological and geochronologic data. The radar stratigraphic interpretation suggests a relatively complex history of erosion and deposition at the site since the beginning of Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3) interstadial period. In spite of this, radar stratigraphic and palynologic interpretations converge. Electromagnetic reflections tend to group in clusters that show lateral coherence and correlate with different sediment types, while pollen grains abound and are well preserved. As a result, the study of minerotrophic fens provides a source of proxies, suggesting that ombrotrophic bogs are not the only reliable source of data in wetlands for palynological analysis.
Democracy, War, and Wealth: Lessons from Two Centuries of Inheritance Taxation
Authors: SCHEVE KENNETH , STASAVAGE DAVID
Published: February 2012

In this article we use an original data set to provide the first empirical analysis of the political economy of inherited wealth taxation that covers a significant number of countries and a long time frame (1816–2000). Our goal is to understand why, if inheritance taxes are often very old taxes, the implementation of inheritance tax rates significant enough to affect wealth inequality is a much more recent phenomenon. We hypothesize alternatively that significant taxation of inherited wealth depended on (1) the extension of the suffrage and (2) political conditions created by mass mobilization for war. Using a difference-in-differences framework for identification, we find little evidence for the suffrage hypothesis but very strong evidence for the mass mobilization hypothesis. Our study has implications for understanding the evolution of wealth inequality and the political conditions under which countries are likely to implement policies that significantly redistribute wealth and income.
Editorial Statement
Authors: Ishiyama John , Breuning Marijke , Forde Steven , Martinez-Ebers Valerie
Published: February 2012

APSA is pleased to announce the next editorial team for the American Political Science Review. The new team, to be located at the University of North Texas, will begin their term on July 1, 2012. Their Editorial Statement follows.
Nutritional hepatic iron overload is not prevented by parenteral hepcidin substitution therapy in mice
Authors: Sillerova Tereza , Zivny Jan , Vyoral Daniel , Petrak Jiri
Published: February 2012

The peptide hormone hepcidin functions as a negative regulator of intestinal Fe absorption and Fe recycling. Since its discovery as a systemic negative regulator of Fe metabolism, hepcidin has attracted enormous interest as a potential drug for the treatment and/or prevention of several forms of Fe overload. We therefore tested whether multiple doses of intraperitoneally administered synthetic renatured hepcidin can prevent hepatic Fe loading in mice concurrently fed an Fe-rich diet, and whether the same treatment affects hepatic Fe stores in mice fed a normal diet. Cohorts of male mice were fed either a normal defined diet (180 parts per million Fe) or an Fe-rich diet (the same diet supplemented with 2 % carbonyl iron for 2 weeks). Concurrently, half of the animals in each diet group received 100 μg of renatured hepcidin intraperitoneally every 12 h, for the same 2-week period. The second half of the animals received PBS only. The renatured synthetic hepcidin demonstrated biological activity by significantly decreasing transferrin saturation, which lasted for up to 24 h after a single hepcidin dose. However, the 14 d intraperitoneal hepcidin therapy did not prevent hepatic Fe overload in mice fed the Fe-rich diet, nor did it affect hepatic Fe stores in mice fed the normal diet. Both hepcidin agonists and antagonists are expected to have broad therapeutic potential. The absence of an effect of biologically active hepcidin on hepatic Fe loading shows the need for thorough future studies on the hepcidin regulation of Fe absorption and tissue distribution.
A FRENCH ARMADA? THE AZORES CAMPAIGNS, 1580–1583
Authors: JAMES ALAN
Published: February 2012

The Spanish Armada and the battle of Lepanto loom large in a remarkable period of international history shaped to a considerable extent by the deployment of sea power. Yet between 1581 and 1583, France also conducted a large-scale naval operation at great distance. A series of expeditions to the Azores reached a climax with the defeat in battle of a French fleet of sixty ships off the island of São Miguel in July 1582. Acting under the authority of Catherine de Medici and in the name of her rival legal claim to the Portuguese throne, the commander Philippe Strozzi had not only led the most ambitious oceanic operation in French history up to that date and a bid to extend France's overseas empire but a serious challenge to Philip II's union of the Iberian crowns. Yet this was more than just a puzzling anomaly in France's foreign policy. It was also an act of royal authority and the pursuit of reputation and status by the queen mother that was entirely consistent with the domestic priorities of the crown in the context of the Wars of Religion.
RELUCTANT REVOLUTIONARIES: MODERATE LIBERALISM IN THE KINGDOM OF SARDINIA, 1849–1859
Authors: ROMANI ROBERTO
Published: February 2012

In the 1850s, the Piedmontese ‘moderate’ liberals created a peculiar political culture, suited to the twofold task of strengthening representative institutions at home and justifying Piedmont's Italian mission. Inspired by both the whig tradition and the French Doctrinaires, the moderates elaborated arguments advocating elite government and countering democracy. Gioberti, Balbo, Carutti, Mamiani, and Boncompagni shared five theses: (1) natural (and/or divine) laws are both the ultimate source of right and wrong in politics and the guarantee of gradual progress; (2) only the citizens who understand the natural order should rule; (3) ‘democracy’, that is popular sovereignty and universal suffrage, is inherently wrong; (4) granted that citizens' attitudes play an important role in politics, certain virtues are required by representative government; and (5) moderatism was imbued with Burkeanism, meaning that it endorsed a realistic, prudent approach to politics, that much was made of Italian and especially Piedmontese history and traditions, and that mere constitutional machinery was to be disdained. This political culture led the moderates to portray everybody who was either on the right or the left of their camp, both in Piedmont and Italy, as a ‘sectarian’ and hence a dangerous revolutionary.
FINANCIAL SPECULATION, POLITICAL RISKS, AND LEGAL COMPLICATIONS: BRITISH COMMERCIAL DIPLOMACY IN THE BALKANS, c. 1906–1914
Authors: SUONPÄÄ MIKA
Published: February 2012

Before 1914, a more intimate relationship started to develop between overseas commercial activity and foreign policy. This occurred as a consequence of the politicization of international business relations that came about when other great powers began increasingly to challenge Britain's global commercial, political, and imperial supremacy. Britain had traditionally followed alaissez-faireline when it came to supporting or protecting British overseas business enterprise. In the mid-1880s, Britain was compelled to review its policy. After this, the British government was prepared to offer limited assistance to British firms, but this often took place only in regions which were significant in terms of overall policy interest, including Turkey, Iran, and China. This article examines British commercial diplomacy in the Balkans, a region which has not received much attention from historians in this framework. British commercial diplomacy there followed the general line of limited intervention and support was offered mostly on legal grounds. Local political troubles and great power politics also played a role in diplomatic decision-making as did negative cultural perceptions, but to a considerably lesser degree. In most cases, the British government refrained from supporting British business enterprise in the Balkans on account of fears about financial speculation.
AN UNKNOWN POLICY PROPOSAL BY THOMAS HOBBES
Authors: MALCOLM NOEL
Published: February 2012

An undated document survives, in Thomas Hobbes's hand, urging the royalist side in the Civil War to win over Robert Rich, the second earl of Warwick (the parliamentarian naval commander). By this means, Hobbes argued, not only would the royalists win the war, but also England would be defended against a Swedish invasion, which he expected to accompany or follow the Scottish invasion of the country. This communication presents the text of the document and gives reasons for dating it not to 1648 (when an attempt to win over Warwick was in fact made) but to late 1643 or early 1644. It also discusses the basis of Hobbes's concern with Scottish–Swedish relations, and his misinterpretation of Swedish policy. It comments on his estimate of Warwick's character, in the light of his earlier connections with him; and it briefly discusses both Hobbes's assumption in this document of the role of a counsellor to the king, and the interpretation of the nature of the Civil War that the document implies.
Multidimensional instability of dust ion-acoustic solitary waves in a magnetized dusty electronegative plasma
Authors: DUHA S. S. , RAHMAN M. S. , MAMUN A. A. , ANOWAR M. G. M.
Published: February 2012

Basic features of obliquely propagating dust ion-acoustic (DIA) solitary waves, and their multidimensional instability in a magnetized dusty electronegative plasma (DENP) containing Boltzmann electrons, Boltzmann negative ions, adiabatic mobile positive ions, and negatively charged stationary dust have been theoretically investigated by reductive perturbation method and small-k perturbation expansion technique. The combined effects of ion adiabaticity, external magnetic field (obliqueness), and negatively charged dust, which are found to significantly modify the basic properties (speed, amplitude, width, and instability) of small but finite-amplitude DIA solitary waves, are explicitly examined. It is also found that the instability criterion and the growth rate of unstable perturbation are significantly modified by the external magnetic field, the propagation directions of both the nonlinear waves, and their perturbation modes. The implications of our results in space and laboratory dusty plasmas are briefly discussed.
‘Enough of the Great Napoleons!’ Raja Mahendra Pratap's Pan-Asian projects (1929–1939)
Authors: STOLTE CAROLIEN
Published: February 2012

This paper traces a set of interlinked Asianist networks through the activities of Mahendra Pratap, an Indian revolutionary exile who spent the majority of his life at various key anti-imperialist sites in Asia. Pratap envisioned a unified Asia free from colonial powers, but should be regarded as an anti-imperialist first and a nationalist second—he was convinced that India's independence would materialize naturally as a by-product of a federated Asia. Through forging strategic alliances in places as diverse as Moscow, Kabul, and Tokyo, he sought to achieve his goal of a united ‘Pan-Asia’. In his view, Pan-Asia would be the first step towards a world federation, in which all the continents would become provinces in a new world order. His thought was an intricate patchwork of internationalist ideas circulating in the opening decades of the twentieth century, and his travels and political activities are viewed in this context. Pratap's exploration of the relationship between the local, the regional, and the global, from an Asian perspective, was one of many ways in which Asian elites and non-elites challenged the legitimacy of the political order in the interwar years.
On morphological relatedness
Authors: KHORSI AHMED
Published: February 2012

In this paper, we discuss the results of a new unsupervised and computationally lightweight scoring of how two words are morphologically related to each other. This measure is meant to be an alternative to stemming, radicals (root) extraction, and morphological analysis in a wide range of applications; especially information extraction related ones. Compared to light stemming, which seems to be the most convenient approach for systems with efficiency concerns, our measure does not neglect unconditionally a prefix or a suffix as the light stemming does. Instead, our measure takes into account all letters of the word but with different weights. This prevents the missing of a significant letter. Compared to heavy stemming, morphological analysis, or radicals extraction, which rely on dictionaries and compatibility databases, our measure does not rely on any language-specific morphology knowledge. This makes our approach unsupervised and theoretically language independent and computationally much lighter. Our tests targeted Arabic: a Semitic language recognized to have a complex morphology due to its highly inflectional lexicon.
Folate status and health behaviours in two Australian Indigenous populations in north Queensland
Authors: Li Ming , McDermott Robyn , D'Onise Katina , Leonard Dympna
Published: February 2012

Objective

To assess nutritional status using red-cell folate (RCF) and associated health behaviours including fruit and vegetable intake, smoking, drinking and physical activity in two Indigenous populations living in remote northern Australia.

Design

A cross-sectional survey conducted during 1998–2000.

Setting

Twenty-six rural communities in north Queensland, Australia.

Subjects

A total of 2524 Indigenous people aged 15 years and over was included in the study. Self-reported fruit and vegetable intake, tobacco smoking, alcohol intake and physical activity were recorded. RCF was measured using the Bayer Advia Centaur automated immunoassay system. The association between low RCF (RCF<295 nmol/l) and risk factors was analysed using general linear models adjusted for demographic factors and covariates, namely BMI, diabetes and dyslipidaemia.

Results

The prevalence of RCF deficiency was higher in Aboriginal participants compared with Torres Strait Islanders (25·6 %v. 14·8 %,P< 0·001). Young women of childbearing age were more likely to have low RCF. Among Aboriginal adults, smoking was strongly associated with low RCF (risk ratio = 1·9, 95 % CI 1·5, 2·5 in females and risk ratio = 2·9, 95 % CI 1·9, 4·2 in males).

Conclusions

Indigenous Australians, especially women of childbearing age, had high prevalence of low RCF. Smoking was associated with insufficient folate independent of fruit and vegetable intake and alcohol consumption in the Aboriginal population. This population with an already higher risk of obesity and higher rate of tobacco smoking should be targeted to improve nutrition status to prevent ill health such as diabetes and CVD.
Development and evaluation of a photographic atlas as a tool for dietary assessment studies in Middle East cultures
Authors: Tueni Maya , Mounayar Afifee , Birlouez-Aragon Ines
Published: February 2012

Objective

To assess the errors between estimates of amounts based on photographs and actual quantities of food presented to adults or eaten on the previous day.

Design

A photographic atlas was constructed by taking digital photographs of three pre-weighed portion sizes of 212 traditional Lebanese dishes. In a first approach, ten portions of real pre-weighed foods were assessed using the photographic atlas. In a second approach, the participants weighed all foods consumed at one meal and recalled the amount of food that was eaten the previous day using the photographic atlas. Differences between actual quantities and estimation were assessed using a signed rank test (P< 0·05). Spearman's correlation coefficients and bias (Bland–Altman plot) between the methods were calculated.

Setting

Lebanese university canteen and Lebanese homes.

Subjects

Forty adults (twenty males, twenty females) completed the first protocol and fifty adults (twenty-five males, twenty-five females) completed the second protocol; all were volunteers aged 21 to 62 years.

Results

Mean differences between actual and estimated portion sizes by photographs were between −13·1 % and +24·5 % when pre-weighed foods were presented, and between −10·4 % and +3·8 % when foods were consumed the day before. No significant differences were found between actual and estimated portion sizes except for three dishes (loubieh bil zeit,tabboulehandyachnet bazella). Bland–Altman plots showed good agreement for all dishes with a negligible bias of −0·2 g between estimated and presented portions, and −6·3 g between estimated and eaten portions.

Conclusions

In the Lebanese diet, food photographs seem a reliable tool for quantification of food portion sizes.
Anisotropy in seafloor flange, slab, and crust samples from measurements of permeability and porosity: Implications for fluid flow and deposit evolution
Authors: Gribbin Jill L. , Zhu Wen‐lu , Tivey Margaret K.
Published: February 2012

Seafloor hydrothermal vents accommodate the convective transfer of fluids from subsurface environments to the oceans. In addition to black smoker chimneys, a variety of other deposit‐types form. Flanges protrude from the sides of edifices as horizontal ledges, below which vent fluids pool. Slabs are hydrothermally silicified layered volcaniclastic deposits. Crusts are deposits composed of previously deposited material underlain by hot fluids. Permeability and porosity measurements were conducted on flanges from Guaymas Basin and the Main Endeavour Vent Field, slabs from the Lucky Strike Vent Field, and a crust sample from the Trans‐Atlantic Geotraverse (TAG) active mound. Cores taken parallel to textural layers have high permeabilities (≈10−12 m2) and porosities (30–40%) that follow a power law relationship with exponent α ≈ 1 to 2. Cores taken perpendicular to layering have permeabilities from 10−16 to 10−12 m2 and porosities from 20 to 45%, with α ≈ 5 to 8. The two distinct trends result from the heterogeneity of textural layers within these deposits. Microstructural observations show large variations in grain packing and pore distributions between layers, consistent with flow perpendicular to layering being more susceptible to changes in permeability that result from mineral precipitation than flow parallel to layering. These results imply that the primary flow direction in these deposits is parallel to layering, whereas flow perpendicular to layering is more restricted. Quantification of anisotropic permeability provides important constraints for determination of fluid flux from these layered deposits, and temperatures, chemistry, and availability of nutrients to organisms living in and at exteriors of deposits.
The effect of H2O on partial melting of garnet peridotite at 3.5 GPa
Authors: Tenner Travis J. , Hirschmann Marc M. , Humayun Munir
Published: February 2012

We present experimental determinations of the influence of H2O on partial melting of garnet peridotite (+1.5, 2.5, and 5 wt. % added H2O) at 3.5 GPa and 1200–1450°C. Experiments produced complex polyphase regions of quenched melt and equilibrium partial melt compositions were reconstructed by combined EMP and LA‐ICP‐MS analyses. Mass balance‐derived melt fractions (F) range from 0.18 to 0.33 and dissolved water contents range from 4.5 to 23.5 wt. %. One exceptional experiment quenched glass, allowing independent verification of H2O concentration by FTIR. The influence of H2O on melt production is quantified by the temperature difference required to achieve a given F under dry and wet conditions, ΔT, which is controlled by the H2O concentration in partial melts. Melts with 1.5, 5, 10, and 15 wt. % H2O yield ΔT values of 50, 150, 250, and 320°C, respectively, consistent with a cryoscopic parameterization that assumes 3 oxygens per mole of silicate melt. Based on this parameterization, we calculate that beneath oceanic ridges, peridotite H2O storage capacity increases from 0 to 240 ppm from 66 to 110 km depth. For H2O to be solely responsible for melting in the oceanic low velocity zone (LVZ) at least 5.7 wt. % H2O must be dissolved in the melt at 110 km, and considerably more (e.g., 15 wt.% at 220 km) is required for melting throughout the entire observed interval. The addition of H2O results in 3.5 GPa partial melts of garnet peridotite (normalized anhydrous) that are SiO2 and Al2O3 poor (43–50 and 9–11.5 wt. %, respectively), and MgO and CaO rich (18–27 and 7–12 wt. %, respectively) when compared to anhydrous analogues. These effects become highly pronounced deep in the upper mantle, and are opposite to the effect of H2O on melt compositions in the spinel stability field, potentially owing in part to OH−association with network modifying cations in high pressure, depolymerized melts and in part to low‐temperature stabilization of garnet, which enhances CaO/Al2O3.
A trio of laser ablation in concert with two ICP‐MSs: Simultaneous, pulse‐by‐pulse determination of U‐Pb discordant ages and a single spot Hf isotope ratio analysis in complex zircons from petrographic thin sections
Authors: Tollstrup Darren L. , Xie Lie‐Wen , Wimpenny Josh B. , Chin Emily , Lee Cin‐Ty , Yin Qing‐Zhu
Published: February 2012

We have developed a technique for the simultaneous in situ determination of U‐Pb ages and Hf isotope ratios from a single spot in complex,discordantzircons by combining both a single‐collector and a multicollector sector field inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) with a 193 nm excimer laser ablation system. With a suite of zircon standards of various ages, we first show that U‐Pb ages can be determined accurately to within 0.3–2.5% (2σ) compared to the nominal value, while the internal errors are better than 0.4–0.7%; hafnium isotope ratios are accurate, relative to solution analyses, within one epsilon unit, and internal errors are typically <0.008%. We then apply the technique to complex, discordant zircons with variable 206Pb/238U and 207Pb/235U ratios, commonly discarded previously as “un‐reducible data,” to construct a Discordia in U‐Pb Concordia plot, using every scan, every laser pulse as individual data points from a single laser ablation spot (typically > 200–250 data points). We show that the upper and lower intercept ages from the Discordia, augmented by high precision Hf isotope data obtained on the same spot, reveal invaluable information that permit unique insight to geological processes not available by other means. We demonstrate that our technique is useful for provenance studies of small, complex detrital zircons in sedimentary and high‐grade metamorphic rocks, in relation to crustal growth and evolution.
Relating stick‐slip friction experiments to earthquake source parameters
Authors: McGarr A.
Published: February 2012

Analytical results for parameters, such as static stress drop, for stick‐slip friction experiments, with arbitrary input parameters, can be determined by solving an energy‐balance equation. These results can then be related to a given earthquake based on its seismic moment and the maximum slip within its rupture zone, assuming that the rupture process entails the same physics as stick‐slip friction. This analysis yields overshoots and ratios of apparent stress to static stress drop of about 0.25. The inferred earthquake source parameters static stress drop, apparent stress, slip rate, and radiated energy are robust inasmuch as they are largely independent of the experimental parameters used in their estimation. Instead, these earthquake parameters depend on C, the ratio of maximum slip to the cube root of the seismic moment. C is controlled by the normal stress applied to the rupture plane and the difference between the static and dynamic coefficients of friction. Estimating yield stress and seismic efficiency using the same procedure is only possible when the actual static and dynamic coefficients of friction are known within the earthquake rupture zone.
Pi1B propagation in the high‐latitude ionosphere
Authors: Young M. A. , Lessard Marc , Engebretson Mark
Published: February 2012

We present a statistical study of approximately 40 Pi1B events, using data gathered from an induction coil magnetometer array located in Svalbard, Norway, showing good alignment along the magnetic meridian: Hornsund (corrected geomagnetic (CG) latitude = 74.23° magnetic latitude (MLAT), magnetic local time (MLT) midnight = 21:01), Longyearbyen (CG latitude = 75.29° MLAT, MLT midnight = 20:50), and Ny Ålesund (CG latitude = 76.30° MLAT, MLT midnight = 20:56). We find that average attenuation across the 0.001–1.0 Hz bandwidth is in the range of 30–37 dB/1000 km but that attenuation is not independent of frequency. The nonlinear dependence of attenuation on frequency is most pronounced for sunlit events, and the complexity is expected to result from a mixing of ducted and direct Pi1B signals.
Response of the equatorial topside ionosphere to 27‐day variations in solar EUV input during a low solar activity period using C/NOFS
Authors: Coley W. R. , Heelis R. A.
Published: February 2012

The ion velocity meter (IVM), a part of the CINDI instrument on board the C/NOFS spacecraft, is used to make ion density (Ni) and temperature (Ti) measurements in the low‐latitude topside ionosphere in the 400–850 km altitude range during the low‐solar activity period 2009–2010. Averages of the Ni measurements are then compared to the daily F10.7 values and the Mg II index values that serve as proxies for solar EUV input to the ionosphere. Before this comparison the IVM ion densities are normalized to a constant 550 km altitude level using the International Reference Ionosphere. Results from daytime data during December 2009–March 2010 indicate the presence of 30–40% Ni variations with an approximately 27‐day period. Cross correlation between the density measurements and the daily averaged EUV proxies shows that the ion density variations lag solar EUV by approximately 1 to 3 days in phase. We also note that there is low correlation of the EUV proxies with ion temperature.
The spatial distribution and potential sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) over the Asian marginal seas and the Indian and Atlantic Oceans
Authors: Xu Yue , Zhang Yan‐Lin , Li Jun , Gioia Rosalinda , Zhang Gan , Li Xiang‐Dong , Spiro Baruch , Bhatia Ravinder S. , Jones Kevin C.
Published: February 2012

Gaseous and particle‐bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in air samples taken on a voyage of the Scholar Ship from January 16th to March 14th, 2008. Samples were taken from the Asian marginal seas and the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, providing an opportunity to assess spatial trends and potential sources of atmospheric PAHs over those oceans. The results show that continental sources were still responsible for some high concentrations of PAHs measured over the oceans. The Σ15PAHs in the gaseous phase were elevated on the approach to China and India, while the highest Σ15PAHs in the particulate phase were found at Chennai Harbor and close to Guinea. The high proportion of fluorene in the gas phase over the East and South China Sea could be a marker of coal and coke related combustion emission from Mainland China. The elevated high‐molecular‐weight PAHs in particles close to Guinea might be related to biomass burning in Africa. These results are consistent with previous PAH emission inventories and highlight the potential impact of continental PAH sources in China, India and Africa on the adjacent marine atmosphere.
Analysis of low‐frequency seismic signals generated during a multiple‐iceberg calving event at Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland
Authors: Walter Fabian , Amundson Jason M. , O'Neel Shad , Truffer Martin , Fahnestock Mark , Fricker Helen A.
Published: February 2012

We investigated seismic signals generated during a large‐scale, multiple iceberg calving event that occurred at Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, on 21 August 2009. The event was recorded by a high‐rate time‐lapse camera and five broadband seismic stations located within a few hundred kilometers of the terminus. During the event two full‐glacier‐thickness icebergs calved from the grounded (or nearly grounded) terminus and immediately capsized; the second iceberg to calve was two to three times smaller than the first. The individual calving and capsize events were well‐correlated with the radiation of low‐frequency seismic signals (<0.1 Hz) dominated by Love and Rayleigh waves. In agreement with regional records from previously published ‘glacial earthquakes’, these low‐frequency seismic signals had maximum power and/or signal‐to‐noise ratios in the 0.05–0.1 Hz band. Similarly, full waveform inversions indicate that these signals were also generated by horizontal single forces acting at the glacier terminus. The signals therefore appear to be local manifestations of glacial earthquakes, although the magnitudes of the signals (twice‐time integrated force histories) were considerably smaller than previously reported glacial earthquakes. We thus speculate that such earthquakes may be a common, if not pervasive, feature of all full‐glacier‐thickness calving events from grounded termini. Finally, a key result from our study is that waveform inversions performed on low‐frequency, calving‐generated seismic signals may have only limited ability to quantitatively estimate mass losses from calving. In particular, the choice of source time function has little impact on the inversion but dramatically changes the earthquake magnitude. Accordingly, in our analysis, it is unclear whether the smaller or larger of the two calving icebergs generated a larger seismic signal.
Turbulent flow structures and aeolian sediment transport over a barchan sand dune
Authors: Wiggs G. F. S. , Weaver C. M.
Published: February 2012

The turbulent structure of airflow over a barchan sand dune is determined using quadrant analysis of wind velocity data derived from sonic anemometers. Results indicate an increased frequency of ejection and sweep events in the toe region of the dune, characteristic of the turbulent bursting process. In contrast, at the crest there was a significant increase in the occurrence of outward interactions. Combined with high frequency saltation data our analyses show that turbulent structures characterised by a positive streamwise fluctuating velocity (+u′; sweeps at the toe and outward interactions at the crest) have a dominant influence on sand transport on the dune, together accounting for up to 83% and 95% of transporting events at the toe and crest respectively.
Crystal structure of the enzyme CapF of Staphylococcus aureus reveals a unique architecture composed of two functional domains
Authors: Miyafusa Takamitsu , Caaveiro Jose M. M. , Tanaka Yoshikazu , Tsumoto Kouhei
Published: February 2012

CP (capsular polysaccharide) is an important virulence factor during infections by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. The enzyme CapF is an attractive therapeutic candidate belonging to the biosynthetic route of CP of pathogenic strains of S. aureus. In the present study, we report two independent crystal structures of CapF in an open form of the apoenzyme. CapF is a homodimer displaying a characteristic dumb-bell-shaped architecture composed of two domains. The N-terminal domain (residues 1–252) adopts a Rossmann fold belonging to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase family of proteins. The C-terminal domain (residues 252–369) displays a standard cupin fold with a Zn2+ ion bound deep in the binding pocket of the β-barrel. Functional and thermodynamic analyses indicated that each domain catalyses separate enzymatic reactions. The cupin domain is necessary for the C3-epimerization of UDP-4-hexulose. Meanwhile, the N-terminal domain catalyses the NADPH-dependent reduction of the intermediate species generated by the cupin domain. Analysis by ITC (isothermal titration calorimetry) revealed a fascinating thermodynamic switch governing the attachment and release of the coenzyme NADPH during each catalytic cycle. These observations suggested that the binding of coenzyme to CapF facilitates a disorder-to-order transition in the catalytic loop of the reductase (N-terminal) domain. We anticipate that the present study will improve the general understanding of the synthesis of CP in S. aureus and will aid in the design of new therapeutic agents against this pathogenic bacterium.
Noise and Public Health
Authors: Dix Ann
Published: February 2012

In this article, I provide an overview of current issues and resources related to noise and public health for speech and hearing professionals and their clients. For context, some background information is given, including a brief description of the equal energy principle and the measurement of sound. Regulatory agencies and guidelines for recreational versus workplace noise are differentiated. Some common noisy recreational activities are surveyed and resources for education about hearing loss prevention are listed. Auditory as well as non-auditory health effects of noise are described and explored.
Leaf blade nutritional quality of rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) as affected by leaf age and length
Authors: Agnusdei M. G. , Di Marco O. N. , Nenning F. R. , Aello M. S.
Published: February 2012

A greenhouse experiment was performed to determine the effect of leaf age and length on neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and in vitro NDF digestibility (NDFD) during a vegetative regrowth of Chloris gayana. Dense micro swards were grown in two plots under non-limiting conditions of water, phosphorus and nitrogen. Plants were harvested at seven consecutive leaf appearance intervals. Leaf blades were dissected from individual tillers and separated into five age categories (from early growing to pre-senescence). Leaf blade and sheath length were measured and leaves of the same category were bulked for NDF and NDFD analysis. The leaf lifespan (LLS) was determined in 15 marked tillers per plot. Linear and curvilinear functions were used to describe the relationships between NDF and NDFD with leaf age and length. The NDF concentration increased until half of LLS, concomitantly with leaf expansion, and remained stable thereafter. However, NDFD declined curvilinearly through the complete LLS. The final length of consecutively formed leaves increased through regrowth, this change being associated with an increase in NDF and a decline in NDFD. Results were consistent with previous findings for temperate species and highlight the importance of leaf length, in addition to leaf age, to determine leaf blade digestibility.
Adult survivors' of childhood sexual abuse perspectives of services: A systematic review
Authors: Chouliara Zoë , Karatzias Thanos , Scott-Brien Georgia , Macdonald Anne , MacArthur Juliet , Frazer Norman
Published: February 2012

Aims: This review summarises and evaluates evidence regarding psychotherapy/counselling services for childhood sexual abuse (CSA) from the survivors' perspective. Methods: Studies were identified from systematic literature searches of PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection. Selected studies were published in English after 1980. Results: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. Survivors identified a range of experiences of services. Positive experiences focused mainly on the therapeutic relationship, and the importance of awareness about issues specific to survivors. Negative experiences included taking a sexual interest in clients, dealing ineffectively with errors, being unresponsive, and prescription of heavy medications. Conclusions: There is a lack of research in this area, especially in the UK. Findings were limited due to selection bias, inconsistencies in recruitment and procedure, ill‐described samples and analysis. Future research should obtain survivors' perspectives across genders, sexual orientation and ethnic background, and focus more on survivors' negative experiences.
Attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among Chinese students at a UK university
Authors: Tang Tina T. T. , Reilly James , Dickson Joanne M.
Published: February 2012

Aim: In this study we aimed to investigate whether Chinese international and British home students at a university in the United Kingdom differed in their attitudes towards seeking psychological help. Method: The total sample comprised 323 participants. Participants completed measures to assess their attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help (recognition of need for psychological help, stigma tolerance, interpersonal openness, confidence in mental health practitioners). Results: Chinese students reported significantly less interpersonal openness than that reported by British students. Contrary to prediction, however, no significant group differences were found on any of the other mental health attitudes (i.e. recognition of need for psychological help, confidence in mental health practitioners or stigma tolerance). Within‐group contrasts also showed that Chinese students reported lower scores on interpersonal openness than on stigma tolerance and confidence in mental health practitioners. In contrast, British participants reported less confidence in mental health practitioners and recognition of the need for psychological help than reported for stigma tolerance and interpersonal openness. Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for a greater understanding of students' cultural inclinations toward mental health issues and cultural attitudes that may hinder and/or facilitate students' access and engagement with psychological services in higher education institutions.
Nitric oxide–dependent Src activation and resultant caveolin-1 phosphorylation promote eNOS/caveolin-1 binding and eNOS inhibition
Authors: Chen Zhenlong , Bakhshi Farnaz R. , Shajahan Ayesha N. , Sharma Tiffany , Mao Mao , Trane Andy , Bernatchez Pascal , van Nieuw Amerongen Geerten P. , Bonini Marcelo G. , Skidgel Randal A. , Malik Asrar B. , Minshall Richard D.
Published: February 2012

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)–mediated NO production plays a critical role in the regulation of vascular function and pathophysiology. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) binding to eNOS holds eNOS in an inactive conformation; however, the mechanism of Cav-1–mediated inhibition of activated eNOS is unclear. Here the role of Src-dependent Cav-1 phosphorylation in eNOS negative feedback regulation is investigated. Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and coimmunoprecipitation analyses, we observed increased interaction between eNOS and Cav-1 following stimulation of endothelial cells with thrombin, vascular endothelial growth factor, and Ca2+ionophore A23187, which is corroborated in isolated perfused mouse lung. The eNOS/Cav-1 interaction is blocked by eNOS inhibitor l-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester (hydrochloride) and Src kinase inhibitor 4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl) pyrazolo [3, 4-d] pyrimidine. We also observe increased binding of phosphomimicking Y14D-Cav-1 mutant transduced in human embryonic kidney cells overexpressing eNOS and reduced Ca2+-induced NO production compared to cells expressing the phosphodefective Y14F-Cav-1 mutant. Finally, Src FRET biosensor, eNOS small interfering RNA, and NO donor studies demonstrate NO-induced Src activation and Cav-1 phosphorylation at Tyr-14, resulting in increased eNOS/Cav-1 interaction and inhibition of eNOS activity. Taken together, these data suggest that activation of eNOS promotes Src-dependent Cav-1–Tyr-14 phosphorylation and eNOS/Cav-1 binding, that is, eNOS feedback inhibition.
Mytoe: automatic analysis of mitochondrial dynamics
Authors: Lihavainen Eero , Mäkelä Jarno , Spelbrink Johannes N. , Ribeiro Andre S.
Published: February 2012

Summary: We present Mytoe, a tool for analyzing mitochondrial morphology and dynamics from fluorescence microscope images. The tool provides automated quantitative analysis of mitochondrial motion by optical flow estimation and of morphology by segmentation of individual branches of the network-like structure of the organelles. Mytoe quantifies several features of individual branches, such as length, tortuosity and speed, and of the macroscopic structure, such as mitochondrial area and degree of clustering. We validate the methods and apply them to the analysis of sequences of images of U2OS human cells with fluorescently labeled mitochondria.

Availability: Source code, Windows software and Manual available at http://www.cs.tut.fi/%7Esanchesr/mito

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Contact:  eero.lihavainen@tut.fi; andre.ribeiro@tut.fi
Declining silicate concentrations in the Norwegian and Barents Seas
Authors: Rey Francisco
Published: February 2012

Rey, F. 2012. Declining silicate concentrations in the Norwegian and Barents Seas. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: 208–212. Since 1990, a decline in silicate concentrations together with increasing salinities has been observed in the Atlantic water of the Norwegian and Barents Seas. This decline in silicate has been found to be related to the relative proportion in which eastern and western source water masses from the northeastern North Atlantic enter the Norwegian Sea.
Predicted warming and browning affect timing and magnitude of plankton phenological events in lakes: a mesocosm study
Authors: NICOLLE ALICE , HALLGREN PER , Von EINEM JESSICA , KRITZBERG EMMA SOFIA , GRANÉLI WILHELM , PERSSON ANDERS , BRÖNMARK CHRISTER , HANSSON LARS‐ANDERS
Published: February 2012

1. Aquatic ecosystems in Northern Europe are expected to face increases in temperature and water colour (TB) in future. While effects of these factors have been studied separately, it is unknown whether and how a combination of them might affect phenological events and trophic interactions.

2. In a mesocosm study, we combined both factors to create conditions expected to arise during the coming century. We focused on quantifying effects on timing and magnitude of plankton spring phenological events and identifying possible mismatches between resources (phytoplankton) and consumers (zooplankton).

3. We found that the increases in TB had important effects on timing and abundance of different plankton groups. While increased temperature led to an earlier peak in phytoplankton and zooplankton and a change in the relative timing of different zooplankton groups, increased water colour reduced chlorophyll‐a concentrations.

4. Increased TB together benefitted cladocerans and calanoid copepods and led to stronger top‐down control of algae by zooplankton. There was no sign of a mismatch between primary producers and grazers as reported from other studies.

5. Our results point towards an earlier onset of plankton spring growth in shallow lakes in future with a stronger top‐down control of phytoplankton by zooplankton grazers.
Effects of organic matter and season on leaf litter colonisation and breakdown in cave streams
Authors: VENARSKY MICHAEL P. , BENSTEAD JONATHAN P. , HURYN ALEXANDER D.
Published: February 2012

1. Low organic matter availability is thought to be a primary factor influencing evolutionary and ecological processes in cave ecosystems. We examined links among organic matter abundance, macroinvertebrate community structure and breakdown rates of red maple (Acer rubrum) and corn litter (Zea mays) in coarse‐ (10 × 8 mm) and fine‐mesh (500‐μm) litter bags over two seasonal periods in four cave streams in the south‐eastern U.S.A.

2. Organic matter abundance differed among cave streams, averaging from near zero to 850 g ash‐free dry mass m−2. Each cave system harboured a different macroinvertebrate community. However, trophic structure was similar among caves, with low shredder biomass (2–17% of total biomass).

3. Corn litter breakdown rates (mean k = 0.005 day−1) were faster than red maple (mean k = 0.003 day−1). Breakdown rates in coarse‐mesh bags (k = 0.001–0.012 day−1) were up to three times faster than in fine‐mesh bags (k = 0.001–0.004 day−1). Neither invertebrate biomass in litter bags nor breakdown rates were correlated with the ambient abundance of organic matter. Litter breakdown rates showed no significant temporal variation. Epigean (surface‐adapted) invertebrates dominated biomass in litter bags, suggesting that their effects on cave ecosystem processes may be greater than hypogean (cave‐adapted) taxa, the traditional focus of cave studies.

4. The functional diversity of our cave communities and litter breakdown rates are comparable to those found in previous litter breakdown studies in cave streams, suggesting that the factors that control organic matter processing (e.g. trophic structure of communities) may be broadly similar across geographically diverse areas.
Expression profiles of seven channel catfish antimicrobial peptides in response to Edwardsiella ictaluri infection
Authors: Pridgeon J W , Mu X , Klesius P H
Published: February 2012

Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR), the relative transcriptional levels of seven channel catfish antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes (NK‐lysin type 1, NK‐lysin type 2, NK‐lysin type 3, bactericidal permeability‐increasing protein, cathepsin D, hepcidin and liver‐expressed AMP 2) in response to Edwardsiella ictaluri infection were determined. None of the AMP genes tested was significantly upregulated at 2 h post‐infection. Hepcidin was the only one that was significantly (P < 0.05) upregulated at 4, 6 and 12 h post‐infection. At 24 and 48 h post‐infection, four AMPs (hepcidin, NK‐lysin type 1, NK‐lysin type 3 and cathepsin D) were significantly (P <0.05) upregulated. Among all the AMPs that were significantly upregulated at different time points, hepcidin at 4, 6 and 12 h post‐infection was upregulated the most. When catfish were injected with different doses of E. ictaluri, all lethal doses were able to induce significant (P <0.05) upregulation of hepcidin in the posterior kidney, whereas sublethal doses failed to induce any significant upregulation of hepcidin. In vitro growth studies revealed that the presence of synthetic hepcidin peptide at a concentration of 16 μm or higher significantly inhibited the cell proliferation of E. ictaluri. Taken together, our results suggest that hepcidin might play an important role in the channel catfish defence against E. ictaluri infection.