bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Yields in mixtures of resistant and susceptible field pea cultivars infested with powdery mildew – defining thresholds for a possible strategy for preserving resistance
Authors: Bing Dengjin , Gan Yantai , Warkentin Tom
Published: August 2011

Bing, D., Gan, Y. and Warkentin, T. 2011. Yields in mixtures of resistant and susceptible field pea cultivars infested with powdery mildew – defining thresholds for a possible strategy for preserving resistance. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 873–880. Powdery mildew (caused by Erysiphe pisi var. pisi DC.) resistance of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivars is dominated by the single gene er1. Monoculture of the er1 gene may encourage pathogen evolution for more virulent race(s) and breakdown of the resistance. We promote the use of cultivar mixtures made up of resistant and susceptible cultivars to limit the pathogen evolution and to preserve the resistant gene in current cultivars. The objective of this study was to evaluate if such cultivar mixtures could cause significant yield losses and to identify the proper ratio of resistant and susceptible cultivars in a mixture. Three powdery mildew resistant cultivars were mixed with 0, 10, 20, or 30% of a susceptible cultivar, and gown in replicated trials at four locations over 2 yr in western Canada. The results show that severe powdery mildew infection caused yield reduction of 21–24%. The threshold of susceptible cultivars in a cultivar mixture depends on yield potential and performance of component cultivars, the severity of powdery mildew, and environments under which a cultivar mixture is grown. When disease severity was high and the resistant cultivar yielded well, 10 to 30% of the susceptible cultivar could be mixed with the resistant cultivars without significant yield reduction compared with the resistant cultivars in pure stand. The study suggests that such cultivar mixtures may be used in field pea production by providing more substrate to the pathogen so that the breakdown of resistant gene er1 may be delayed.
Effect of seeding practices, temperature and seed treatments on fusarium seedling blight of narrow-leaved lupin
Authors: Chang K. F. , Hwang S. F. , Gossen B. D. , Strelkov S. E. , Turnbull G. D. , Bing D. J.
Published: August 2011

Chang, K. F., Hwang, S. F., Gossen, B. D., Strelkov, S. E., Turnbull, G. D. and Bing, D. J. 2011. Effect of seeding practices, temperature and seed treatments on fusarium seedling blight of narrow-leaved lupin. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 859–872. Narrow-leaved lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) has the potential to become an important pulse crop for the Canadian prairies because of its high protein content and adaptation to a short growing season. However, disease surveys conducted from 2003 to 2007 in Alberta revealed that the crop is vulnerable to seedling blight and root rot caused by Fusarium spp. In field trials, the incidence of seedling blight was reduced by the application of the seed treatment fungicides Apron Maxx RTA, Crown, and Vitaflo 280. Seeding in late May resulted in reduced seedling emergence compared with early or mid-May in some cases, but the results were not consistent. Yield was reduced in the late-sown crop. Seedling emergence was often higher from seed sown at a 2- to 5-cm depth compared with a 7- to 10-cm depth. Yield was lower at seeding rates of 150 seeds m−2 compared with 300 seeds m−2. Under controlled conditions, emergence was greatest in inoculated soils at 25/15°C (day/night). Optimum shoot growth occurred at this temperature and plants were stunted at both higher and lower temperatures. Root growth was greatest at 15/5°C in non-inoculated soils and declined with increasing temperature; root growth was lower, but less variable, among the temperatures in inoculated soils. Root rot severity rose and seed emergence declined with increasing concentration of Fusarium avenaceum inoculum. To successfully grow lupin crops, soils with low Fusarium concentrations must be chosen and the crop should be planted in areas where high temperatures are not common.
Nitrogen fertilization for young established hybrid hazelnuts in the Upper Midwest of the United States of America
Authors: Braun Lois , Gillman Jeffrey , Hoover Emily , Russelle Michael
Published: August 2011

Braun, L. C., Gillman, J. H., Hoover, E. E. and Russelle, M. P. 2011. Nitrogen fertilization for young established hybrid hazelnuts in the Upper Midwest of the USA. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 907–918. Hybrids of Corylus avellana, C. americana and C. cornuta are proposed as a new crop for the Upper Midwest. Anecdotal information from midwestern growers suggests that these hybrid hazelnuts have high N requirements, but this has not been confirmed in replicated trials. Current nitrogen (N) recommendations for hazelnut production are based on research from the Pacific Northwest and may not be applicable to these hybrids in the Upper Midwest due to differing soils, climate, genetics, and growing systems. Three years of N rate trials on four plantings, that were 3 to 6 yr old at the start, showed that N responses of hybrid hazelnuts fit patterns for other woody crops: no N responses were found on soils with high organic matter, nor on soils with suspected P or K deficiencies. Where N responses were observed, they suggested that the N requirements of hybrid hazelnuts in the Upper Midwest are relatively low compared with those of European hazelnuts in the Pacific Northwest. Leaf N concentrations were within the expected ranges established for European hazelnuts in Oregon, suggesting that Oregon's standards may be applied to hybrid hazelnuts, except that 2.2% leaf N should be considered adequate, rather than a threshold to sufficiency.
Weed management in cranberry bean with linuron
Authors: Soltani Nader , Nurse Robert , Shropshire Christy , Sikkema Peter
Published: August 2011

Soltani, N., Nurse, R. E., Shropshire, C. and Sikkema, P. H. 2011. Weed management in cranberry bean with linuron. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 881–888. Field studies were conducted at the Huron Research Station near Exeter, Ontario, in 2006 to 2009 to determine if the sequential application of trifluralin plus imazethapyr applied preplant incorporated (PPI) followed by linuron applied pre-emergence (PRE) at various doses can be used as an effective weed management strategy in cranberry bean production. There was minimal crop injury (6% or less) with various herbicides evaluated at 1 and 4 wk after emergence (WAE). Trifluralin plus imazethapyr applied PPI provided 97 to 100% control of common lambsquarters, 100% control of redroot pigweed, 99 to 100% control of wild mustard, 93 to 100% control of common ragweed, and 97 to 100% control of green foxtail. Linuron applied PRE provided 11 to 100% control of common lambsquarters, 90 to 100% control of redroot pigweed, 78 to 100% control of wild mustard, 71 to 100% control of common ragweed, and 20 to 100% control of green foxtail. The sequential application of trifluralin plus imazethapyr applied PPI followed by linuron applied PRE at various doses provided 100% control of common lambsquarters, 100% control of redroot pigweed, 100% control of wild mustard, 96 to 100% control of common ragweed, and 97 to 100% control of green foxtail. Weed density and shoot dry weight correlated well with the level of weed control. All of the herbicide treatments evaluated increased cranberry bean yield compared with the weedy control. Based on these results the sequential application of imazethapyr plus trifluralin applied PPI followed by linuron applied PRE at 1000 and 2500 g a.i. ha−1 provides a safe and efficacious weed management strategy in cranberry bean production.
Timing of postharvest 1-methylcyclopropene treatment affects Bartlett pear quality after storage
Authors: DeEll Jennifer , Ehsani-Moghaddam Behrouz
Published: August 2011

DeEll, J. R. and Ehsani-Moghaddam, B. 2011. Timing of postharvest 1-methylcyclopropene treatment affects Bartlett pear quality after storage. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 853–858. This study investigated the effects of postharvest 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment timing on the ripening and physiological disorders of Bartlett pears during cold storage and subsequent shelf-life. Pears were held for 1, 3 or 7 d at 3°C after harvest and then treated with 0.3 µL L−1 1-MCP for 24 h at 3°C. Fruit quality attributes were evaluated after 4 mo of cold storage at 0.5°C, plus 1 to 11 d at 22°C. All 1-MCP treatments reduced ethylene production, as well as delayed fruit softening and yellow color development. However, the most substantial benefit of 1-MCP observed was the marked reduction in disorders, especially senescent scald and internal breakdown. The results suggest that 1-MCP treatment 3 d after harvest provided the best balance of reduced disorder development during storage and the ability of Bartlett pears to soften adequately thereafter. Fruit treated with 1-MCP at 1 d after harvest did not soften as much as those treated 3 or 7 d after harvest, while treatment after 7 d provided less control of disorders than treatment after 1 or 3 d.
Intercomparisons of HIRDLS, COSMIC and SABER for the detection of stratospheric gravity waves
Authors: Wright C. J. , Rivas M. B. , Gille J. C.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. Colocated temperature profiles from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC), High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) and the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) mission are compared over the years 2006–2007 to assess their relative performances for the detection of stratospheric gravity waves. Two methods are used, one based on a simple comparison of the standard deviations and correlation coefficients of high-pass filtered profiles from each instrument, and the other based on Stockwell transform analyses of the profiles for vertical wavelength and temperature perturbation scales. It is concluded, when allowing for their different vertical resolution capabilites, that the three instruments reproduce each other's results for magnitude and vertical scale of perturbations to within their resolution limits in approximately 50 % of cases, but with a positive frequency and temperature bias in the case of COSMIC. This is possibly indicative of a slightly higher vertical resolution being available to the constellation than estimated.
Mineralisation, leaching and stabilisation of 13C-labelled leaf and twig litter in a beech forest soil
Authors: Kammer A. , Hagedorn F.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. Very few field studies have quantified the different pathways of C loss from decomposing litter even though the partitioning of C fluxes is essential to understand soil C dynamics. Using 0.75 kg m−2 of 13C-depleted leaf (δ13C = −40.8 ‰) and 2 kg m−2 of twig litter (δ13C = −38.4 ‰), we tracked the litter-derived C in soil CO2 effluxes, dissolved organic C (DOC), and soil organic matter of a beech forest in the Swiss Jura. Autotrophic respiration was reduced by trenching. Our results show that mineralisation was the main pathway of C loss from decomposing litter over 1 yr, amounting to 24 and 31 % of the added twig and leaf litter. Contrary to our expectations, the leaf litter C was mineralised only slightly (1.2 times) more rapidly than the twig litter C. The leaching of DOC from twigs amounted to half of that from leaves throughout the experiment (2 vs. 4 % of added litter C). Tracing the litter-derived DOC in the soil showed that DOC from both litter types was mostly removed (88–96 %) with passage through the top centimetres of the mineral soil (0–5 cm) where it might have been stabilised. In the soil organic C at 0–2 cm depth, we indeed recovered 4 % of the initial twig C and 8 % of the leaf C after 1 yr. Much of the 13C-depleted litter remained on the soil surface throughout the experiment: 60 % of the twig litter C and 25 % of the leaf litter C. From the gap in the 13C-mass balance based on C mineralisation, DOC leaching, C input into top soils, and remaining litter, we inferred that another 30 % of the leaf C but only 10 % of twig C could have been transported via soil fauna to soil depths below 2 cm. In summary, over 1 yr, twig litter was mineralised more rapidly relative to leaf litter than expected, and much less of the twig-derived C was transported to the mineral soil than of the leaf-derived C. Both findings provide some evidence that twig litter could contribute less to the C storage in these base-rich forest soils than leaf litter.
Evaluation of Dynamic Materials Procured from Waste Biomass
Authors: Chauhan Ashish , Kaith Balbir
Published: August 2011

Methyl acrylate (MA) monomer was graft copolymerized onto Hibiscus sabdariffa stem fiber and used to explore the additive effect of vinyl acrylate (VA) and ethyl acrylate (EA) on percentage grafting and the properties of the fiber, in binary vinyl monomeric mixtures. The graft copolymers were reinforced into phenol-formaldehyde polymer matrix to form biocomposites and characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA, DTA, and SEM techniques. They were evaluated for physico-chemical changes in properties like moisture absorption at different relative humidity levels and chemical resistance against 1 N NaOH and 1 N HCl. These graft copolymers-reinforced biocomposites had higher mechanical strength like hardness, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, and stress at the limit of proportionality. These novel materials can have numerous scientific and industrial applications for the development of technology.
A Review of Posttraumatic Bowel Injuries in Ibadan
Authors: Dongo A. E. , Kesieme E. B. , Irabor D. O. , Ladipo J. K.
Published: August 2011

Background. Bowel injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality following trauma. Evaluating patients who sustained abdominal trauma with bowel injury may pose a significant diagnostic challenge to the surgeon. Prompt recognition and timely intervention is necessary to improve outcome. Aim. This study was undertaken to evaluate treatment and outcome of patients with bowel trauma. Methods. A 5-year retrospective study of all patients presenting with abdominal trauma requiring surgical intervention seen in the UCH Ibadan, Nigeria was undertaken. Results. There were 71 patients (59 males and 12 females). The majority of cases (70%) occurred between the 3rd and 5th decades of life. Some 37 patients (52%) sustained blunt abdominal injury, while 34 patients (48%) sustained penetrating abdominal injury. There were 27 patients with bowel injuries (38%). Isolated bowel injuries occurred in 19 patients (27%). The most common surgical operation performed was simple closure. There were 3 deaths in patients with bowel injuries. Conclusion. Most cases of bowel injury can be managed by simple closure, a technique that is not so technically demanding for surgeons in less-developed countries. This study has also incidentally identified a “rule of six” for patients with bowel injuries and abdominal trauma.
Fast Point and Element Search Method in Adaptive Remeshing Procedure and Its Applications
Authors: Zhang Jie , Cherouat Abel , Borouchaki Houman
Published: August 2011

The FPES (fast point and element search) method is a useful and efficient strategy for node field transfer from old mesh to the new mesh in adaptive
remeshing procedure. The FE mesh after adaptive remeshing with various error estimates will be refined at local region, and the mesh after adaptive remeshing has the heterogeneous density distribution. The FPES has the capacity to define the nearest search path adapting to the mesh with heterogeneous density distribution. It is a point location process which includes point searching, point location in element, and weight factor distribution. This strategy has been integrated to our finite element adaptive remeshing simulations, and it works well and rapidly. The three-dimension finite element numerical simulation of simply tensile test, orthogonal cutting, and metal milling process is given out to study its accuracy and efficiency.
Conserving Wildlife on Private Land: The Legal Framework for Landownership and New Tools for Land Conservation in Kenya
Authors: Gitahi Nyokabi , Fitzgerald Kathleen H.
Published: August 2011

The threat to wildlife conservation in Kenya continues to escalate, largely because of an increase in habitat fragmentation, land use change, and human population pressure. To maintain viable populations of native wildlife, lands outside protected areas must be conserved through innovative measures. This paper describes the legal framework for landownership in Kenya and existing legal mechanisms used to conserve wildlife habitat and recommends new tools for land conservation on private land. We stress that none of the existing land tenure systems provide an absolute right of use and that most existing legal mechanisms for conservation cannot be relied upon to effectively conserve wildlife habitat outside protected areas. Although environmental statutes such as the Forests Act (Laws of Kenya, 2005) prescribe conservation guidelines, most environmental legislation in Kenya relies upon enforcement and compliance. This approach is not effective because of the lack of institutional capacity to enforce. Because existing measures are not sufficient, other mechanisms such as environmental easements, land purchase, and conservation leases are urgently needed. Even if Kenya’s environmental legislation was fully enforced and implemented, environmental easements, land leases, and land purchase would still be vital tools for conservation. Although these tools have great promise, they have not been widely used in Kenya because of legal limitations and lack of precedence. Legislative change and the testing of these tools through existing statutes are required to enable their broader application in Kenya. The Kenya Land Conservation Trust is introduced as an institution providing the framework and structure to utilize conservation mechanisms, such as environmental easements.
Physician‐diagnosed respiratory conditions and mental health symptoms 7–9 years following the World Trade Center disaster
Authors: Webber Mayris P. , Glaser Michelle S. , Weakley Jessica , Soo Jackie , Ye Fen , Zeig‐Owens Rachel , Weiden Michael D. , Nolan Anna , Aldrich Thomas K. , Kelly Kerry , Prezant David
Published: August 2011

Background

This study examines the prevalence of physician‐diagnosed respiratory conditions and mental health symptoms in firefighters and emergency medical service workers up to 9 years after rescue/recovery efforts at the World Trade Center (WTC).

Methods

We analyzed Fire Department of New York (FDNY) physician and self‐reported diagnoses by WTC exposure and quintiles of pulmonary function (FEV1% predicted). We used screening instruments to assess probable post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and probable depression.

Results

FDNY physicians most commonly diagnosed asthma (8.8%) and sinusitis (9.7%). The highest prevalence of physician‐diagnosed obstructive airway disease (OAD) was in the lowest FEV1% predicted quintile. Participants who arrived earliest on 9/11 were more likely to have physician‐diagnosed asthma (OR = 1.4). Seven percent had probable PTSD. 19.4% had probable depression.

Conclusions

Self‐reported and physician‐diagnosed respiratory conditions remain common, especially among those who arrived earliest at the WTC site. OAD was associated with the lowest pulmonary function. Since respiratory and mental health conditions remain prevalent, ongoing monitoring and treatment is important. Am. J. Ind. Med. 54:661–671, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mutation screening of the 3q29 microdeletion syndrome candidate genes DLG1 and PAK2 in schizophrenia
Authors: Carroll L.S. , Williams H.J. , Walters J. , Kirov G. , O'Donovan M.C. , Owen M.J.
Published: August 2011

Deletion of chromosome 3q29, which is associated with mental retardation and autism, was recently identified as being present in excess or occurring de novo in schizophrenia cases, being present in approximately 1/1,000 cases and 1/40,000 unscreened controls. Of the ∼20 genes in the commonly deleted region two are prominent candidates for involvement in the behavioral features of the microdeletion syndrome: DLG1 and PAK2. We report the result of mutation screening of the entire protein coding sequence of both genes in a sample of 234 unrelated cases and 272 unrelated controls from the UK. We find no evidence for any amino acid changing genetic variants in PAK2. We observe several rare and singleton non‐synonymous genetic variations at DLG1, however there is no excess of these variants in cases when compared to controls. Our sample was underpowered to detect very rare or low‐penetrance disease relevant alleles in the studied genes. Therefore very rare, low‐to‐moderate penetrance protein coding mutations or non‐coding mutations at DLG1 and/or PAK2, or a nearby gene, may reproduce the behavioral characteristics of the 3q29 microdeletion. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Seven‐tesla magnetic resonance images of the substantia nigra in Parkinson disease
Authors: Kwon Dae‐Hyuk , Kim Jong‐Min , Oh Se‐Hong , Jeong Hye‐Jin , Park Sung‐Yeon , Oh Eung‐Seok , Chi Je‐Geun , Kim Young‐Bo , Jeon Beom S. , Cho Zang‐Hee
Published: August 2011

Objective:

To investigate anatomical changes in the substantia nigra (SN) of Parkinson disease (PD) patients with age‐matched controls by using ultra‐high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods:

We performed 7T MRI in 10 PD and 10 age‐matched control subjects. Magnetic resonance images of the SN were obtained from a 3‐dimensional (3D) T2*‐weighted gradient echo sequence. Region of interest‐based 3D shape analysis was performed to quantitatively compare images from the 2 groups.

Results:

The boundary between the SN and crus cerebri was not smooth in PD subjects. Undulation in the lateral surface of the SN appeared more intense in the side contralateral to that with the more severe symptoms, and more prominent at the rostral level of the SN than at the intermediate or caudal levels. In addition to the lateral surface, there was a striking difference in the dorsomedial aspects of the SN between PD and control subjects. In control subjects, a brighter signal region was observed along the dorsomedial surface of the lateral portion of SN, whereas in PD subjects, this region was observed as a dark region containing a hypointense signal in T2*‐weighted images. The measurement of SN volumes, normalized to the intracranial volumes, showed higher values in PD subjects than in control subjects.

Interpretation:

This study demonstrates that 3D 7T MRI can definitively visualize anatomical alterations occurring in the SN of PD subjects. Further pathological studies are required to elucidate the nature of these anatomical alterations. Ann Neurol 2012;71:267–277
Optical control of focal epilepsy in vivo with caged γ‐aminobutyric acid
Authors: Yang Xiaofeng , Rode Daniel L. , Peterka Darcy S. , Yuste Rafael , Rothman Steven M.
Published: August 2011

Objective:

There is enormous clinical potential in exploiting the spatial and temporal resolution of optical techniques to modulate pathophysiological neuronal activity, especially intractable focal epilepsy. We have recently utilized a new ruthenium‐based caged compound, ruthenium‐bipyridine‐triphenylphosphine–γ‐aminobutyric acid (RuBi‐GABA), which releases GABA when exposed to blue light, to rapidly terminate paroxysmal activity in vitro and in vivo.

Methods:

The convulsant 4‐aminopyridine was used to induce interictal activity and seizures in rat neocortical slices and anesthetized rats. We examined the effect of blue light, generated by a small, light‐emitting diode (LED), on the frequency and duration of ictal activity in the presence and absence of RuBi‐GABA.

Results:

Neither blue light alone, nor low concentrations of RuBi‐GABA, affected interictal activity or baseline electrical activity in neocortical slices. However, brief, blue illumination of RuBi‐GABA, using our LED, dramatically reduced extracellular spikes and bursts. More impressively, illumination of locally applied RuBi‐GABA rapidly terminated in vivo seizures induced by topical application of 4‐aminopyridine. The RuBi‐GABA effect was blocked by the GABAA antagonist picrotoxin, but not duplicated by direct application of GABA.

Interpretation:

This is the first example of optical control of in vivo epilepsy, proving that there is sufficient cortical light penetration from an LED and diffusion of caged GABA to quickly terminate intense focal seizures. We are aware that many obstacles need to be overcome before this technique can be translated to patients, but at the moment, this represents a feasible method for harnessing optical techniques to fabricate an implantable device for the therapy of neocortical epilepsy. ANN NEUROL 2012;71:68–75
Anti‐John Cunnigham virus antibody prevalence in multiple sclerosis patients: Baseline results of STRATIFY‐1
Authors: Bozic Carmen , Richman Sandra , Plavina Tatiana , Natarajan Amy , Scanlon James V. , Subramanyam Meena , Sandrock Alfred , Bloomgren Gary
Published: August 2011

Objective:

A study was undertaken to define the prevalence of anti‐JC virus (JCV) antibodies in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and to evaluate the analytical false‐negative rate of a 2‐step anti‐JC virus antibody assay.

Methods:

STRATIFY‐1 is an ongoing, longitudinal, observational study of relapsing MS patients in the United States who are being treated or considering treatment with natalizumab. Baseline serum and plasma samples were collected for anti‐JC virus antibody detection using an analytically validated, 2‐step, virus‐like particle‐based enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Urine was collected for JC virus DNA detection.

Results:

At baseline (n = 1,096), overall anti‐JC virus antibody prevalence was 56.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 53.0‐59.0) in STRATIFY‐1 patients, with an assay false‐negative rate of 2.7% (95% CI, 0.9–6.2). Prevalence was significantly lower in females (53.4%; 95% CI, 49.9–56.8) than males (64.3%; 95% CI, 58.2–70.0) and increased with age, p = 0.0019 and p = 0.0001, respectively. Prevalence was similar in patients regardless of natalizumab exposure or prior immunosuppressant use, p = 0.9709 and p = 0.6632, respectively. STRATIFY‐1 results were generally consistent with those observed in another large North American cohort, TYGRIS‐US (n = 1,480).

Interpretation:

Baseline results from STRATIFY‐1 are consistent with other studies utilizing this assay that demonstrate a 50 to 60% prevalence of anti‐JC virus antibodies, a low false‐negative rate, and an association of increasing age and male gender with increasing anti‐JC virus antibody prevalence. Neither natalizumab exposure nor prior immunosuppressant use appear to affect prevalence. Longitudinal data from STRATIFY‐1 will confirm the stability of anti‐JC virus antibody prevalence over time. ANN NEUROL 2011
Genome‐wide meta‐analysis identifies novel multiple sclerosis susceptibility loci
Authors: Patsopoulos Nikolaos A. ,   the Bayer Pharma MS Genetics Working Group, the Steering Committees of Studies Evaluating IFNβ‐1b and a CCR1‐Antagonist, ANZgene Consortium, GeneMSA, International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium, de Bakker Paul I. W.
Published: August 2011

Objective:

To perform a 1‐stage meta‐analysis of genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) of multiple sclerosis (MS) susceptibility and to explore functional consequences of new susceptibility loci.

Methods:

We synthesized 7 MS GWAS. Each data set was imputed using HapMap phase II, and a per single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) meta‐analysis was performed across the 7 data sets. We explored RNA expression data using a quantitative trait analysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 228 subjects with demyelinating disease.

Results:

We meta‐analyzed 2,529,394 unique SNPs in 5,545 cases and 12,153 controls. We identified 3 novel susceptibility alleles: rs170934T at 3p24.1 (odds ratio [OR], 1.17; p = 1.6 × 10−8) near EOMES, rs2150702G in the second intron of MLANA on chromosome 9p24.1 (OR, 1.16; p = 3.3 × 10−8), and rs6718520A in an intergenic region on chromosome 2p21, with THADA as the nearest flanking gene (OR, 1.17; p = 3.4 × 10−8). The 3 new loci do not have a strong cis effect on RNA expression in PBMCs. Ten other susceptibility loci had a suggestive p < 1 × 10−6, some of these loci have evidence of association in other inflammatory diseases (ie, IL12B, TAGAP, PLEK, and ZMIZ1).

Interpretation:

We have performed a meta‐analysis of GWAS in MS that more than doubles the size of previous gene discovery efforts and highlights 3 novel MS susceptibility loci. These and additional loci with suggestive evidence of association are excellent candidates for further investigations to refine and validate their role in the genetic architecture of MS. ANN NEUROL 2011;70:897–912
Reliable and Efficient Procedures for the Conjugation of Biomolecules through Huisgen Azide–Alkyne Cycloadditions
Authors: Lallana Enrique , Riguera Ricardo , Fernandez‐Megia Eduardo
Published: August 2011

The CuI‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) has been established as a powerful coupling technology for the conjugation of proteins, nucleic acids, and polysaccharides. Nevertheless, several shortcomings related to the presence of Cu, mainly oxidative degradation by reactive oxygen species and sample contamination by Cu, have been pointed out. This Minireview discusses key aspects found in the development of the efficient and benign functionalization of biomacromolecules through CuAAC, as well as the Cu‐free strain‐promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC).
Two advanced styrene‐butadiene/polybutadiene rubber blends filled with a silanized silica nanofiller for potential use in passenger car tire tread compound
Authors: Saeed Farhan , Ansarifar Ali , Ellis Robert J. , Haile‐Meskel Yared , Irfan M. Shafiq
Published: August 2011

Styrene‐butadiene rubber (SBR) and polybutadiene rubber (BR) were mixed together (75:25 by mass) to produce two SBR/BR blends. The blends were reinforced with a precipitated amorphous white silica nanofiller the surfaces of which were pretreated with bis(3‐triethoxysilylpropyl)‐tetrasulfide (TESPT). TESPT is a sulfur‐bearing bifunctional organosilane that chemically bonds silica to rubber. The rubbers were primarily cured by using sulfur in TESPT and the cure was optimized by adding non‐sulfur donor and sulfur donor accelerators and zinc oxide. The hardness, Young's modulus, modulus at different strain amplitudes, tensile strength, elongation at break, stored energy density at break, tear strength, cyclic fatigue life, heat build‐up, abrasion resistance, glass transition temperature, bound rubber and tan δ of the cured blends were measured. The blend which was cured with the non‐sulfur donor accelerator and zinc oxide had superior tensile strength, elongation at break, stored energy density at break and modulus at different strain amplitudes. It also possessed a lower heat build‐up, a higher abrasion resistance and a higher tan δ at low temperatures to obtain high‐skid resistance and ice and wet‐grip. Optimizing the chemical bonding between the rubber and filler reduced the amount of the chemical curatives by approximately 58% by weight for passenger car tire tread. This helped to improve health and safety at work and reduce damage to the environment. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Effect of multiwall carbon nanotubes on thermomechanical and electrical properties of poly(trimethylene terephthalate)
Authors: Gupta Anju , Choudhary Veena
Published: August 2011

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized using chemical vapor deposition and poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT)/MWCNT composites with varying amounts of MWCNTs were prepared by melt compounding using DSM micro‐compounder. Morphological characterization by SEM and TEM showed uniform dispersion of MWCNTs in PTT matrix upto 2% (w/w) MWCNT loading. Incorporation of MWCNTs showed no effect on percent crystallinity but affected the crystallite dimensions and increased the crystallization temperature. Dynamic mechanical characterization of composites showed an increase in storage modulus of PTT upon incorporation of MWCNTs above glass transition temperature. The electrical conductivity of PTT/MWCNT composites increased upon incorporation of MWCNTs and percolation threshold concentration was obtained at a loading of MWCNTs in the range of 1–1.5% (w/w). © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Visual webpage block importance prediction using conditional random fields
Authors: Tzong‐Han Tsai Richard , Chiu Borong , Wu Chi‐En
Published: August 2011

We have developed a system that segments web pages into blocks and predicts those blocks' importance (block importance prediction or BIP). First, we use VIPS to partition a page into a tree composed of blocks and then extracts features from each block and labels all leaf nodes. This paper makes two main contributions. Firstly, we are pioneering the formulation of BIP as a sequence tagging task. We employ DFS, which outputs a single sequence for the whole tree in which related sub‐blocks are adjacent. Our second contribution is using the conditional random fields (CRF) model for labeling these sequences. CRF's transition features model correlations between neighboring labels well, and CRF can simultaneously label all blocks in a sequence to find the global optimal solution for the whole sequence, not only the best solution for each block. In our experiments, our CRF‐based system achieves an F1‐measure of 97.41%, which significantly outperforms our ME‐based baseline (95.64%). Lastly, we tested the CRF‐based system using sites which were not covered in the training data. On completely novel sites CRF performed slightly worse than ME. However, when given only two training pages from a given site, CRF improved almost three times as much as ME.
Lipid biosynthesis monitored at the single‐cell level in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Chumnanpuen Pramote , Brackmann Christian , Nandy Subir K. , Chatzipapadopoulos Susana , Nielsen Jens , Enejder Annika
Published: August 2011

There is increasing interest in bioengineering of lipids for use in functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a widely utilized cell factory for biotechnological production, thus a tempting alternative. Herein, we show how its neutral lipid accumulation varies throughout metabolic phases under nutritional conditions relevant for large‐scale fermentation. Population‐averaged metabolic data were correlated with lipid storage at the single‐cell level monitored at submicron resolution by label‐free coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy. While lipid droplet sizes are fairly constant, the number of droplets is a dynamic parameter determined by glucose and ethanol levels. The lowest number of lipid droplets is observed in the transition phase between glucose and ethanol fermentation. It is followed by a buildup during the ethanol phase. The surplus of accumulated lipids is then mobilized at concurrent glucose and ethanol starvation in the subsequent stationary phase. Thus, the highest amount of lipids is found in the ethanol phase, which is about 0.3 fL/cell. Our results indicate that the budding yeast, S. cerevisiae, can be used for the biosynthesis of lipids and demonstrate the strength of CARS microscopy for monitoring the dynamics of lipid metabolism at the single‐cell level of importance for optimized lipid production.
Healthcare resource use and medical costs for the management of oesophageal cancer
Authors:   Australian Cancer Study Clinical Follow-Up Study, Gordon L G , Eckermann S , Hirst N G , Watson D I , Mayne G C , Fahey P , Whiteman D C
Published: August 2011

Background

This study examined the interaction between natural history, current practice patterns in diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of oesophageal cancer, and associated health resource utilization and costs.

Methods

A cost analysis of a prospective population-based cohort of 1100 patients with a primary diagnosis of oesophageal cancer was performed using chart review from the Australian Cancer Study Clinical Follow-Up Study. The analysis enabled estimation of healthcare resources and associated costs in 2009 euros by stage of disease and treatment pathway.

Results

Most patients (88·5 per cent) presented with stage II, III or IV cancer; 61·1 per cent (672 of 1100) were treated surgically. Overall mean costs were €37 195 (median €29 114) for patients undergoing surgery and €17 281 (median €13 066) for those treated without surgery. Surgery contributed 66·4 per cent of the total costs (mean €24 697 per patient) in the surgical group. In the non-surgical group, use of chemotherapy was more prevalent (81·9 per cent of patients) and contributed 61·1 per cent of the total costs. Other important cost determinants were gastro-oesophageal junction tumours, treatment location and tumour stage. Mean costs of those monitored for Barrett's oesophagus (7·3 per cent of patients) were lower, although about one-third still presented with advanced-stage cancer.

Conclusion

Overall costs for managing oesophageal cancer were high and dominated by surgery costs in patients treated surgically and by chemotherapy costs in patients treated without surgery. Radiotherapy, treatment location and cancer subtype were also important. Monitoring for Barrett's oesophagus and earlier-stage detection were associated with lower management costs, but the potential net benefit from surveillance strategies needs further investigation.
Computational fluid dynamics modeling of mass‐transfer behavior in a bioreactor for hairy root culture. II. Analysis of ultrasound‐intensified process
Authors: Liu Rui , Sun Wei , Liu Chun‐Zhao
Published: August 2011

Recently, cichoric acid production from hairy roots of Echinacea purpurea was significantly improved by ultrasound stimulation in an airlift bioreactor. In this article, the possible mechanism on ultrasound‐intensified hairy root culture of E. purpurea in the bioreactor was elucidated with the help of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, membrane permeability detection, dissolved oxygen concentration detection, confocal laser‐scanning microscopy (LSM) observation, and phenylalanine ammonium lyase (PAL) activity analysis. The CFD model developed in Part I was used to simulate the hydrodynamics and oxygen mass transfer in hairy root bioreactor culture stimulated by ultrasound. A dynamic mesh model combined with a changing Schmidt number method was used for the simulation of the ultrasound field. Simulation results and experimental data illustrated that ultrasound intensified oxygen mass transfer in the hairy root clump, which subsequently stimulated root growth and cichoric acid biosynthesis. Ultrasound increased the hairy root membrane permeability, and a high root membrane permeability of 0.359 h−1 was observed at the bottom region in the bioreactor. LSM observation showed that the change in the membrane permeability recovered to normal in the further culture after ultrasound stimulation. PAL activity in the hairy roots was stimulated by ultrasound increase and was correlated well to cichoric acid accumulation in the hairy roots of E. purpurea. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2011
President's page
Authors: Smith Linda C.
Published: August 2011

Editor's Summary

The special interest groups (SIGs) of ASIS&T provide a focal point for members with common interests to interact, share information, develop and sponsor programs, promote matters of concern and represent the organization. Since their inception in 1966, the topic areas that SIGs represent have evolved – expanding, shrinking and remixing as subfields in information science and technology have emerged and morphed. In 2011 the 15 traditional SIGs were joined by 4 virtual SIGs, and several SIGs invite ongoing exchange through Facebook and Twitter. While SIG topics have changed through the years, the groups remain a vibrant source of communication, collaboration and sharing. Members are encouraged to become active in one or more SIGs and even propose new interest groups.
An Information architecture story: Reshaping www.plainlanguage.gov to meet changed needs
Authors: Haller Thom
Published: August 2011

Editor's Summary

The federal government's focus on clear and understandable writing is supported by www.plainlanguage.gov. The purposes and directives for the site have evolved since its origin, necessitating revision of the site structure. Teams of students and professionals worked through a five‐phase framework to organize and manage the change process. Their strategy started with gathering data on stakeholders' priorities and what worked and didn't work on the existing site structure. The redesign team developed several personas representing various types of anticipated site users and their specific needs. They evaluated the collected data from these perspectives and identified real users' top tasks. To organize content semantically, the team developed a taxonomy with four primary facets and built out the taxonomy following standard principles of vocabulary control. Two taxonomy versions emerged, providing site navigational labels and metadata to mediate retrieval. The teams developed, tested and revised mock‐ups until the final stage of the effort produced a new site design having an arrangement of text, labels, links and relationships that better supports the site's new mission as the design continues to evolve.
Socially enabled information structure: Understanding the help 2.0 revolution
Authors: Abel Scott
Published: August 2011

Editor's Summary

Traditional help files are passé, failing to serve customer needs and lagging behind the shift toward Web 2.0 interaction. Help 2.0 moves beyond repurposed static documents to integrate current strategies and capabilities for a more complete, engaging and satisfying customer experience. The approach features the interaction of an online support community with collaboration and feedback opportunities. Support sites based on the 2.0 model can provide membership access, user generated content, incentives for contributing and personalization options. They can also contribute to search engine optimization. Content analytics reveal member, group and site metrics – business critical data that can drive sales and revenue. Help 2.0 provides information for current and prospective customers, building a community, enhancing satisfaction and proving the effectiveness of exceptional support.
Defining the search experience
Authors: Sweeney Marianne
Published: August 2011

Editor's Summary

While site designers, content managers and information architects each frame the effectiveness of a website very differently, the end user's primary need is a successful search experience. Searchers want information that is personally relevant, factual and trustworthy. Yet search and retrieval systems rank results based on arbitrary factors such as numbers of links, the age of a site and frequency of content changes or unknowable indicators of presumed quality. Information architects (IAs) and user experience specialists should assert their understanding of the search experience, expanding their focus from navigation and design to serving peoples' goals in search. IAs should design sites with search engine optimization in mind, incorporating and maximizing the search value of end users' typical terminology.
From tsunami to rising tide: How to plan for a successful information architecture strategy
Authors: Davis Nathaniel
Published: August 2011

Editor's Summary

The view of the information architect's challenge as a tsunami of data fails to capture the full impact of the rapidly rising flood of information. Recognizing stages of growth and maturity in information domains, information architects can plan for and accommodate differences in size and complexity by using one of three strategies. A single domain strategy serves knowledge environments that are discreet and disconnected, operating independently of others, like sand bags against a rising tide. A multi‐domain strategy is a short‐term solution, like the temporary protection of boots. It supports connections between different constructs in a subject domain by using a single taxonomy or underlying model. The best long‐term solution is a cross‐domain strategy that, like a boat, links the disparate frameworks of unique domains, creating a single, integrated construct. With the cross‐domain model, domains are self sufficient, but they share an information organization approach and support conceptual relationships between domains. A strategic approach to information architecture serves domains at each stage of maturity and sets the stage for future evolution.
SCADA platform combined with a scale model of trickle irrigation system for agricultural engineering education
Authors: Molina Jose M. , Ruiz‐Canales Antonio , Jiménez Manuel , Soto Fulgencio , Fernández‐Pacheco Daniel G.
Published: August 2011

During the last three decades, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are being widely used in agricultural applications and specifically in irrigation management systems, where an intelligent use of the water is required. Taking this objective into account, an educational platform for the design of SCADA applications for irrigation programming combined with a scale model of a trickle irrigation system is described in this article. This platform facilitates the students of Agricultural Engineering to design and simulate different irrigation systems, providing an efficient and low cost tool. Moreover, as the SCADA applications are developed with the LabVIEW graphical programming language, complex mathematical models for irrigation, data sampling, and on‐line programming by Internet are supported. The use of a data acquisition card for collecting data from transducers and for the activation of the actuators makes it possible to apply the implemented platform both to a real irrigation system and to the developed scale model, supplying the students with a more practical application of the learned concepts. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 22:463–473, 2014; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.10.1002/cae.20571
A Comprehensive Panel of Turn‐On Caspase Biosensors for Investigating Caspase Specificity and Caspase Activation Pathways
Authors: Shekhawat Sujan S. , Campbell Sean T. , Ghosh Indraneel
Published: August 2011

Caspases play a central role in apoptosis, differentiation, and proliferation, and represent important therapeutic targets for treating cancer and inflammatory disorders. Toward the goal of developing new tools to probe caspase substrate cleavage specificity as well as to systematically interrogate caspase activation pathways, we have constructed and investigated a comprehensive panel of caspase biosensors with a split‐luciferase enabled bioluminescent read out. We first interrogated the panel of caspase biosensors for substrate cleavage specificity of caspase 1–10 in widely utilized in vitro translation systems, namely, rabbit reticulocyte lysate (RRL) and wheat germ extract (WGE). Commercial RRL was found to be unsuitable for investigating caspase specificity, owing to surprising levels of endogenous caspase activity, while specificity profiles of the caspase sensors in WGE agree very well with traditional peptide probes. The full panel of biosensors was utilized for studying caspase activation and inhibition in several mammalian cytosolic extracts, clearly demonstrating that they can be utilized to directly monitor activation or inhibition of procaspase 3/7. Furthermore, the complete panel of caspase biosensors also provided new insights into caspase activation pathways wherein we surprisingly discovered the activation of procaspase 3/7 by caspase 4/5.