bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identifying and quantifying the threats to biodiversity in the U Minh peat swamp forests of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Authors: Nuwer Rachel , Bell Diana
Published: October 2013

The landscape of U Minh in southern Vietnam contains the country's last remaining fragments of peat swamp forest and is home to several globally threatened species. Despite the presence of two national parks, evidence indicates that illegal natural resource use by local communities has had a significant effect on species populations. We investigated the nature and extent of natural resource use in U Minh. Interviews revealed that location is a significant determining factor in whether or not individuals choose to harvest resources, suggesting that the national parks are having some positive results in curtailing illegal harvesting. Most hunting and fishing is carried out for trade purposes and most interviewees indicated a preference for consuming livestock, suggesting that resource users do not rely on wildlife for subsistence but rather for supplementing their income. People who prefer consuming wild meat were found to be more likely to harvest natural resources than people who prefer consuming livestock, demonstrating a potential link between these behavioural issues. The preference for wild meat decreases with increasing price, in contrast with urban consumers who value more expensive wild meat varieties, which suggests that different factors are driving wild meat consumption among the rural Vietnamese. The majority of interviewees perceived a decrease in species populations, attributing the decline primarily to harvesting pressures and thus indicating that strict regulation of illegal harvesting activities is necessary to protect U Minh's remaining biodiversity.
The First Emperor and sculpture in China
Authors: Nickel Lukas
Published: October 2013

Sculpture as an artistic medium was widely employed in the arts of Greece and the Hellenistic East, but played only a minor role in ancient East Asia. This changed dramatically with the First Emperor of China who marked his ascent to the throne in 221bcwith the erection of giant bronze sculptures outside his palace and the installation of thousands of terracotta figures in his tomb. The current text sets out to investigate the sudden and short-lived surge of sculpture making in third-centurybcChina and places it in the context of developments across Asia of the time. The text joins art historical, archaeological and textual evidence to investigate whether the First Emperor's extraordinary interest in sculpture may have been the result of contacts with the contemporary Hellenistic world.
Histories of Bayezid I, historians of Bayezid II: Rethinking late fifteenth-century Ottoman historiography
Authors: Mengüç Murat Cem
Published: October 2013

Current scholarship often describes early Ottoman historiography as a phenomenon initiated and conducted by the Ottoman state. In particular, the unprecedented growth in the number of Ottoman history books composed during the reign of Bayezid II (1481–1512) is viewed as such. Modern historians commonly argue that in the aftermath of the Kilia and Akkerman victories (1484), Bayezid II decided to propagate a new Ottoman ideology and commissioned Ottoman history books to be written for this purpose. This article argues that there is not enough evidence to suggest that Bayezid II orchestrated or directed this upsurge in history production. The premises of Halil İnalcık's earlier studies in particular, upon which much of our understanding of the subject was built, do not hold.
Desirable commodities – unearthing and collecting Koryŏ celadon ceramics in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
Authors: Horlyck Charlotte
Published: October 2013

In Korea green-glazed celadon ceramics were manufactured during the Koryŏ kingdom (ad 918–1392), but by the end of the fourteenth century their manufacture ceased and they virtually disappeared from view until the 1880s when they began to be unearthed from tombs and other sites. This led to increased interest in them from Koreans, and especially the Japanese, Americans and Europeans. Focusing on British collections, this article outlines the collecting practices of Korean celadon wares from the time of their discovery in the 1880s to the market boom of the 1910s, culminating in the decrease in their availability in the 1930s. It will be argued that the desire for celadon wares was socially conditioned and that celadon were collected for a range of different, though not unrelated reasons, ranging from collectors' pursuit of unique Korean artworks, to their want of genuine antiquities and aesthetic perfection.
Gabor lenses for capture and energy selection of laser driven ion beams in cancer treatment
Authors: Pozimski J. , Aslaninejad M.
Published: October 2013

The application of laser accelerated ion beams in Hadron therapy requires ion beam optics with unique features. It has been shown that due to the spectral and spatial distribution of laser accelerated protons a lens based focusing system has advantages over aperture collimated beam formation. We present a compact ion optical system with therapy applications, based on Gabor space charge lenses for collecting, focusing and energy filtering the laser produced proton beam. For a full therapy solution, a scenario based on three space charge lenses is presented. In this very compact beam line an aperture is foreseen for energy selection.
Seroepidemiology of pertussis in a cross-sectional study of an adult general population in Denmark
Authors: RØNN P. F. , DALBY T. , SIMONSEN J. , JØRGENSEN C. S. , LINNEBERG A. , KROGFELT K. A.
Published: October 2013

An increase in pertussis has been observed in several countries over the last decades, especially in adult populations. The seroprevalence of pertussis was determined in a cross-sectional study of the adult population in the Copenhagen area, Denmark, conducted between 2006 and 2008. Specific IgG antibodies against pertussis toxin (PT) were measured in 3440 persons resulting in an age-standardized seroprevalence of 3·0% (95% confidence interval 1·9–4·7) using an IgG anti-PT cut-off of 75 IU/ml. By using antibody decay profiles from longitudinal data the estimated seroincidence was 143/1000 person-years. In contrast, an incidence of 0·03/1000 person-years was estimated from the official data of notified cases during the same period. Of the investigated risk factors, only age and education were significantly associated with pertussis infection. This study indicates that pertussis is highly underestimated in the adult population in Denmark, which has implications for future prevention strategies, including raising the awareness of pertussis.
Bilateral lesions of nucleus subpretectalis/interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis (SP/IPS) selectively impair figure–ground discrimination in pigeons
Authors: SCULLY ERIN N. , ACERBO MARTIN J. , LAZAREVA OLGA F.
Published: October 2013

Earlier, we reported that nucleus rotundus (Rt) together with its inhibitory complex, nucleus subpretectalis/interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis (SP/IPS), had significantly higher activity in pigeons performing figure–ground discrimination than in the control group that did not perform any visual discriminations. In contrast, color discrimination produced significantly higher activity than control in the Rt but not in the SP/IPS. Finally, shape discrimination produced significantly lower activity than control in both the Rt and the SP/IPS. In this study, we trained pigeons to simultaneously perform three visual discriminations (figure–ground, color, and shape) using the same stimulus displays. When birds learned to perform all three tasks concurrently at high levels of accuracy, we conducted bilateral chemical lesions of the SP/IPS. After a period of recovery, the birds were retrained on the same tasks to evaluate the effect of lesions on maintenance of these discriminations. We found that the lesions of the SP/IPS had no effect on color or shape discrimination and that they significantly impaired figure–ground discrimination. Together with our earlier data, these results suggest that the nucleus Rt and the SP/IPS are the key structures involved in figure–ground discrimination. These results also imply that thalamic processing is critical for figure–ground segregation in avian brain.
Penalization of history-dependent variational inequalities
Authors: SOFONEA M. , PĂTRULESCU F.
Published: October 2013

The present paper represents a continuation of Sofonea and Matei's paper (Sofonea, M. and Matei, A. (2011) History-dependent quasivariational inequalities arising in contact mechanics. Eur. J. Appl. Math. 22, 471–491). There a new class of variational inequalities involving history-dependent operators was considered, an abstract existence and uniqueness result was proved and it was completed with a regularity result. Moreover, these results were used in the analysis of various frictional and frictionless models of contact. In this current paper we present a penalization method in the study of such inequalities. We start with an example which motivates our study; it concerns a mathematical model which describes the quasistatic contact between a viscoelastic body and a foundation; the material's behaviour is modelled with a constitutive law with long memory, the contact is frictionless and is modelled with a multivalued normal compliance condition and unilateral constraint. Then we introduce the abstract variational inequalities together with their penalizations. We prove the unique solvability of the penalized problems and the convergence of their solutions to the solution of the original problem, as the penalization parameter converges to zero. Finally, we turn back to our contact model, apply our abstract results in the study of this problem and provide their mechanical interpretation.
Differential RNA- and protein-expression profiles of cactus seeds capable of hydration memory
Authors: López-Urrutia Eduardo , Martínez-García Martha , Monsalvo-Reyes Alejandro , Salazar-Rojas Victor , Montoya Raymundo , Campos Jorge E.
Published: October 2013

Hydration memory is a phenomenon in which a seed can tolerate discontinuous hydration periods, displaying enhanced germination after one or multiple hydration–dehydration (HD) cycles; it was described physiologically in a few cactus species around 15 years ago. Although no additional work was done on this subject, it has great biotechnological potential since its analysis would permit predictions about whether a seed can withstand discontinuous hydration; in the long run, the knowledge about its regulation might lead to induction of this resistance, so we aimed to provide an initial approach to the molecular mechanisms that underlie hydration memory. This phenomenon was reproduced successfully in our lab with Ferocactus peninsulae seeds. Using two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis, we compared expression patterns of proteins involved in seed maturation of seeds and seedlings subjected to an HD cycle treatment. We found differential expression of several proteins possibly involved in primary metabolism, ubiquitination pathway and reserve protein availability regulation in seeds and seedlings subjected to an HD cycle. We also found differential stability of total RNA. These results strongly suggest that the differential expression of proteins is at least partially related to the hydration memory process.
The Institutionalisation ofSquadrismo: Disciplining Paramilitary Violence in the Italian Fascist Dictatorship
Authors: MILLAN MATTEO
Published: October 2013

This article argues that squadrismo represented a central feature in the ideology and politics of Fascist Italy, influencing the whole period of the dictatorship. In the second half of the twenties, many squadristi became political prisoners, accused of being ‘bad Fascists’: it looked like the end of squadrismo. Despite punishments and (brief) periods of imprisonment, the squadristi actually continued to play an important part in the fascistisation of Italian society, in particular during the intransigent 1930s. By disciplining the blackshirts while continuing to make use of their particular skills, Fascism hoped to ‘tame the revolution’.
On New Land a New Society: Internal Colonisation in the Netherlands, 1918–1940
Authors: VAN DE GRIFT LIESBETH
Published: October 2013

State projects aimed at technological innovation and social renewal were a widespread phenomenon in inter-war Europe. This is exemplified by the practice of internal colonisation – the construction of new settlements within state territories – in the Netherlands. This article examines one such case, the reclamation and colonisation of the Wieringermeer in the 1930s, in detail. In doing so, it reveals that the principle of state abstention, which prevailed throughout the inter-war period, was abandoned on reclaimed land. Politicians and experts perceived these territories as a clean slate on which they could experiment with new forms of government intervention. This article focuses on state policies of social planning and the technocratic governance of reclaimed land, and examines whether these could be reconciled with democratic notions of sovereignty and citizenship in the minds of the planners, the politicians and, last but not least, the pioneers themselves.
Provincialising European union: Co-operation and Integration in Europe in a Historical Perspective
Authors: PATEL KIRAN KLAUS
Published: October 2013

This article argues for a less EU-centric form of writing European integration history. More specifically, it scrutinises the ways in which the interconnections with other international organisations have energised, complemented or rivalled the efforts of the European Communities/EU. This approach also allows for a reassessment of the alleged sui generis character of European integration. It demonstrates that it was not the precise competences, its effects or its institutional uniqueness that made the EC stand out, but rather the way in which it self-fashioned and surrounded itself with a great sense of expectancy.
Survey of Hospital Healthcare Personnel Response during a Potential Avian Influenza Pandemic: Will They Come to Work?
Authors: Irvin Charlene B. , Cindrich Lauren , Patterson William , Southall Anthony
Published: October 2013

Introduction:

In order to prepare for pandemics, it is important to assess the likelihood that hospital personnel would report to work and to identify the issues that may affect this decision.

Objective:

To survey hospital personnel regarding their attendance at work in the hypothetical event of avian influenza pandemic, and what factors might influence this decision. Methods: A voluntary, confidential, institutional review board-approved survey was offered to a convenience sample of hospital workers regarding their willingness to report to work and what issues would be important in making this decision. Surveys not returned and individuals declining to participate were recorded.

Results:

Of 187 surveys offered, 169 were completed (90% response rate): 34% were doctors, 33% were nurses, and 33% were clerical and other associates (other). The average age of the participants was 38 years, and 32% were males. Participants were asked: “In the event of an avian pandemic, and patients were being treated at this hospital, would you report to work as usual?”. Of those who responded to the survey, 50% reported “yes”, 42% reported “maybe”, and 8% reported “no”. Doctors were more likely than nurses or others to respond “yes” (73%), as were males (66%). For the “maybe” responders, the most important factor (83%) was: “How confident I am that the hospital can protect me”. For 19% of the “maybe” responders, financial incentives would not make a difference for them to work, even up to triple pay.

Conclusions:

Personnel absenteeism during a pandemic due to fear of contracting an illness may result in a significant personnel shortage. Ensuring worker confidence in adequate personal protection may be more important than financial incentives.
Beliefs about Voices and Schemas about Self and Others in Psychosis
Authors: Thomas Neil , Farhall John , Shawyer Frances
Published: October 2013

Background:In people who experience auditory verbal hallucinations, beliefs the person holds about their voices appear to be clinically important as mediators of associated distress and disability. Whilst such beliefs are thought to be influenced by broader schematic representations the person holds about themselves and other people, there has been little empirical examination of this, in particular in relation to beliefs about voice intent and the personal meaning of the voice experience.Method:Thirty-four voice hearers with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder completed the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales and measures of beliefs about voices (Revised Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire, Interpretation of Voices Inventory) and schemas (Brief Core Schema Scales).Results:Beliefs about voices were correlated with both negative voice content and schemas. After controlling for negative voice content, schemas were estimated to predict between 9% and 35% of variance in the six beliefs about voices that were measured. Negative-self schemas were the strongest predictors, and positive-self and negative-other schemas also showed potential relationships with beliefs about voices.Conclusions:Schemas, particularly those regarding the self, are potentially important in the formation of a range of clinically-relevant beliefs about voices.
TREND-CYCLE DECOMPOSITION OF OUTPUT AND EURO AREA INFLATION FORECASTS: A REAL-TIME APPROACH BASED ON MODEL COMBINATION
Authors: Guérin Pierre , Maurin Laurent , Mohr Matthias
Published: October 2013

This paper estimates univariate and multivariate trend-cycle decomposition models of GDP and considers the novel possibility of regime switches in the growth of potential output. We compute both ex post and real-time estimates of the output gap to check the stability of our estimates to GDP data revisions. We find some evidence of regime changes in the growth of potential output during the recessions experienced by the euro area. We also run a forecasting experiment to evaluate the predictive power of the output gap for inflation. The benchmark autoregressive model tends to obtain the best forecasts for one-quarter-ahead forecasts, but the output gap measures help to forecast inflation for longer horizons.
INFORMAL ECONOMY IN A DYNAMIC POLITICAL FRAMEWORK
Authors: Elgin Ceyhun
Published: October 2013

I develop a dynamic political economy model with an informal sector and two political parties alternating in office. In equilibrium, if the incumbent political party faces a higher probability of staying in office, it sets a higher tax rate on the formal economy to invest more in productive public capital, while spending less for current office rent. Moreover, I argue that public capital is mainly utilized by the formal sector, and this implies that countries in which incumbent parties are more likely to stay in power have a higher tax burden but a smaller informal sector. I also present some empirical evidence that supports the main results of the model.
Tissues in Motion: the Dynamic Environment for Cardiac Morphogenesis
Authors: Aleksandrova A. , Czirok A. , Lansford R. , Rongish B.
Published: October 2013

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
Effect on Glycolysis and Glucose Transporters of Transplanted Isolated Normal Mitochondria from MCF-12A Cells into Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Elliott R.L. , Jiang X.P. , Head J.F.
Published: October 2013

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
Models and Mechanisms of Aortic Development and Disease
Authors: Goodwin R.L. , Evans A.N. , Junor L. , Biechler S.V. , Yost M.M. , Krishnamurthy V. , Hinton R.B. , Maddy K. , Potts J.D.
Published: October 2013

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
Near Field IR Microscopy of Amyloid Fibrils of beta2-Microglobulin
Authors: Paulite M. , Walker G.
Published: October 2013

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
Combined Confocal and Atomic Force Microscopy Studies of Force Transmission, Force Generation and Strain Dynamics in Living Cells
Authors: Pelling A.
Published: October 2013

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
Accurate Nano-Mechanical Mapping of Collagen I Fibrils
Authors: Baldwin S. , Veres S. , Lee M. , Kreplak L.
Published: October 2013

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
Membrane Resiliency Following Large-Scale Local Deformations Using an AFM
Authors: Haase K. , Pelling A.E.
Published: October 2013

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
MSX1 and PAX9 Investigation in Monozygotic Twins With Variable Expression of Tooth Agenesis
Authors: Lopez Sofia I. N. , Mundstock Karina S. , Paixão-Côrtes Vanessa R. , Schüler-Faccini Lavínia , Mundstock Carlos A. , Bortolini Maria Cátira , Salzano Francisco M.
Published: October 2013

Non-syndromic agenesis of permanent teeth is one of the most common anomalies in human development, a multifactorial characteristic caused by genetic and environmental factors. We describe a pair of monozygotic twins who showed second premolar and third molar agenesis, albeit with different expressions. We studied the DNA of two genes, paired domain box gene 9 (PAX9) and muscle segment homeodomain-homeobox1 (MSX1), encoding transcription factors that earlier studies found were involved in the manifestation of this condition. No specific causative mutation was found. However, we detected a C→T change in MSX1 exon 2 in both twins, suggesting that this polymorphism might be involved in the trait's expression.
The Increase of the Functional Entropy of the Human Brain with Age
Authors: Yao Y. , Lu W. L. , Xu B. , Li C. B. , Lin C. P. , Waxman D. , Feng J. F.
Published: October 2013

We use entropy to characterize intrinsic ageing properties of the human brain. Analysis of fMRI data from a large dataset of individuals, using resting state BOLD signals, demonstrated that a functional entropy associated with brain activity increases with age. During an average lifespan, the entropy, which was calculated from a population of individuals, increased by approximately 0.1 bits, due to correlations in BOLD activity becoming more widely distributed. We attribute this to the number of excitatory neurons and the excitatory conductance decreasing with age. Incorporating these properties into a computational model leads to quantitatively similar results to the fMRI data. Our dataset involved males and females and we found significant differences between them. The entropy of males at birth was lower than that of females. However, the entropies of the two sexes increase at different rates and intersect at approximately 50 years; after this age, males have a larger entropy.
Wide-ranging barcoding aids discovery of one-third increase of species richness in presumably well-investigated moths
Authors: Mutanen Marko , Kaila Lauri , Tabell Jukka
Published: October 2013

Rapid development of broad regional and international DNA barcode libraries have brought new insights into the species diversity of many areas and groups. Many new species, even within well-investigated species groups, have been discovered based initially on differences in DNA barcodes. We barcoded 437 collection specimens belonging to 40 pre-identified Palearctic species of theElachista bifasciellagroup of moths (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae). Although the study group has been a subject of several careful morphological taxonomic examinations, an unexpectedly high number of previously undetected putative species is revealed, resulting in a 34% rise in species number in the study area. The validity of putative new species was subsequently supported with diagnostic morphological traits. We show that DNA barcodes provide a powerful method of detecting potential new species even in taxonomic groups and geographic areas that have previously been under considerable morphological taxonomic scrutiny.
How Peer Pressure Shapes Consensus, Leadership and Innovations in Social Groups
Authors: Estrada Ernesto , Vargas-Estrada Eusebio
Published: October 2013

What is the effect of the combined direct and indirect social influences—peer pressure (PP)—on a social group's collective decisions? We present a model that captures PP as a function of the socio-cultural distance between individuals in a social group. Using this model and empirical data from 15 real-world social networks we found that the PP level determines how fast a social group reaches consensus. More importantly, the levels of PP determine the leaders who can achieve full control of their social groups. PP can overcome barriers imposed upon a consensus by the existence of tightly connected communities with local leaders or the existence of leaders with poor cohesiveness of opinions. A moderate level of PP is also necessary to explain the rate at which innovations diffuse through a variety of social groups.
Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect and Tunable Topological States in 3d Transition Metals Doped Silicene
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Long , Liu Lan-Feng , Liu Wu-Ming
Published: October 2013

Silicene is an intriguing 2D topological material which is closely analogous to graphene but with stronger spin orbit coupling effect and natural compatibility with current silicon-based electronics industry. Here we demonstrate that silicene decorated with certain 3d transition metals (Vanadium) can sustain a stable quantum anomalous Hall effect using both analytical model and first-principles Wannier interpolation. We also predict the quantum valley Hall effect and electrically tunable topological states could be realized in certain transition metal doped silicene where the energy band inversion occurs. Our findings provide new scheme for the realization of quantum anomalous Hall effect and platform for electrically controllable topological states which are highly desirable for future nanoelectronics and spintronics application.
Leaf water dynamics of Arabidopsis thaliana monitored in-vivo using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy
Authors: Castro-Camus E. , Palomar M. , Covarrubias A. A.
Published: October 2013

The declining water availability for agriculture is becoming problematic for many countries. Therefore the study of plants under water restriction is acquiring extraordinary importance. Botanists currently follow the dehydration of plants comparing the fresh and dry weight of excised organs, or measuring their osmotic or water potentials; these are destructive methods inappropriate for in-vivo determination of plants' hydration dynamics. Water is opaque in the terahertz band, while dehydrated biological tissues are partially transparent. We used terahertz spectroscopy to study the water dynamics of Arabidopsis thaliana by comparing the dehydration kinetics of leaves from plants under well-irrigated and water deficit conditions. We also present measurements of the effect of dark-light cycles and abscisic acid on its water dynamics. The measurements we present provide a new perspective on the water dynamics of plants under different external stimuli and confirm that terahertz can be an excellent non-contact probe of in-vivo tissue hydration.
The hydrogen-peroxide-induced radical behaviour in human cytochrome c–phospholipid complexes: implications for the enhanced pro-apoptotic activity of the G41S mutant
Authors: Rajagopal Badri S. , Edzuma Ann N. , Hough Michael A. , Blundell Katie L. I. M. , Kagan Valerian E. , Kapralov Alexandr A. , Fraser Lewis A. , Butt Julea N. , Silkstone Gary G. , Wilson Michael T. , Svistunenko Dimitri A. , Worrall Jonathan A. R.
Published: October 2013

We have investigated whether the pro-apoptotic properties of the G41S mutant of human cytochrome c can be explained by a higher than wild-type peroxidase activity triggered by phospholipid binding. A key complex in mitochondrial apoptosis involves cytochrome c and the phospholipid cardiolipin. In this complex cytochrome c has its native axial Met80 ligand dissociated from the haem-iron, considerably augmenting the peroxidase capability of the haem group upon H2O2 binding. By EPR spectroscopy we reveal that the magnitude of changes in the paramagnetic haem states, as well as the yield of protein-bound free radical, is dependent on the phospholipid used and is considerably greater in the G41S mutant. A high-resolution X-ray crystal structure of human cytochrome c was determined and, in combination with the radical EPR signal analysis, two tyrosine residues, Tyr46 and Tyr48, have been rationalized to be putative radical sites. Subsequent single and double tyrosine-to-phenylalanine mutations revealed that the EPR signal of the radical, found to be similar in all variants, including G41S and wild-type, originates not from a single tyrosine residue, but is instead a superimposition of multiple EPR signals from different radical sites. We propose a mechanism of multiple radical formations in the cytochrome c–phospholipid complexes under H2O2 treatment, consistent with the stabilization of the radical in the G41S mutant, which elicits a greater peroxidase activity from cytochrome c and thus has implications in mitochondrial apoptosis.
‘Weak’ or ‘Strong’ Sustainable Consumption? Efficiency, Degrowth, and the 10 Year Framework of Programmes
Authors: Hobson Kersty
Published: October 2013

Although reducing levels and impacts of contemporary consumption and production has been a pivotal socioenvironmental goal for decades, global resource use continues to grow rapidly, particularly across the Asia-Pacific region. Responses such as the ‘10 Year Framework of Programmes on Consumption and Production Patterns’ (10YFP)—an outcome of the 2012 Rio+20 Summit—suggest that nothing short of highly coordinated and multilevel concerted efforts are required to begin to address such trends. However, some commentators fear that the 10YFP will default to ‘weak’ forms of sustainable consumption intervention, focusing on efficiency and technological innovation. By contrast, many are calling for ‘strong’ interventions such as those expounded by the degrowth movement. With this paper I examine both these weak and strong approaches to sustainable consumption, and argue that—although this dichotomy describes two divergent streams of thought and practice—there are conceptual and practice-based spaces where they intersect. Along with a much-needed expansion of the geographical scope of current research and practice, I thus argue that these spaces present one way forward for work in this field.
Rome's Pasts and the Creation of New Urban Spaces: Brecciation, Matter, and the Play of Surfaces and Depths
Authors: Bartolini Nadia
Published: October 2013

In this paper I look at how the discovery of remnants contributes to creating new spaces in the city. I use the geological metaphor of brecciation drawing upon the work of Sigmund Freud to elaborate on how materials from the past and the present are jumbled in a nonlinear fashion to enable spatial multiplicity. I then illustrate these ideas through the case study of the Sala Trevi/Mondadori building in Rome which exemplifies the ongoing dynamics of the play of surfaces and depths when remnants are featured as part of the design. This is done by outlining ways in which the building unfolds spatial and material juxtapositions, and by elaborating on three elements that are indicative of the metaphor of brecciation. I conclude that when material and spatial entanglements occur, the metaphor of brecciation goes further than the metaphor of the palimpsest in facilitating spatial transformation in the city: spaces can be modified and create new possibilities with the past, enabling tensions to coexist in the present whilst not limiting reconfiguration in the future.
Emergency Shelter Topologies: Locating Humanitarian Space in Mobile and Material Practice
Authors: Fredriksen Aurora
Published: October 2013

Focusing on two different devices commonly deployed in emergency shelter responses, the emergency family tent and the shelter kit, this paper traces the topological associations of humanitarian spaces as enacted through humanitarian practice. The emergency family tent is shown to effect humanitarian space within the associations of a network topology by acting as an ‘immutable mobile’, connecting different places of humanitarian crises with each other through stabilising relationships between them across space and over time and ordering space according to a sequential timeline of action. In contrast, the shelter kit is shown to effect humanitarian space within the associations of a fluid topology by acting as a ‘mutable mobile’, connecting the sites of crisis not through stabilisation but through adapting to a wide variety of local contexts and conditions and ordering space according to an overlapping and partly simultaneous timeline of action. These different ‘shelter topologies’ are shown to convey different assumptions about, and underlie different topographic renderings of, humanitarian space.
Avoiding the pitfalls of single particle cryo-electron microscopy: Einstein from noise
Authors: Henderson Richard
Published: October 2013

Single particle cryo-electron microscopy is currently poised to produce high-resolution structures of many biological assemblies, but several pitfalls can trap the unwary. This critique highlights one problem that is particularly relevant when smaller structures are being studied. It is known as “Einstein from noise,” in which the experimenter honestly believes they have recorded images of their particles, whereas in reality, most if not all of their data consist of pure noise. Selection of particles using cross-correlation methods can then lead to 3D maps that resemble the model used in the initial selection and provide the illusion of progress. Suggestions are given about how to circumvent the problem.
High-resolution restoration of 3D structures from widefield images with extreme low signal-to-noise-ratio
Authors: Arigovindan Muthuvel , Fung Jennifer C. , Elnatan Daniel , Mennella Vito , Chan Yee-Hung Mark , Pollard Michael , Branlund Eric , Sedat John W. , Agard David A.
Published: October 2013

Significance

Recording 3D fluorescent movies has become a critical tool of modern cell biology. Unfortunately, this requires exposure of the sample to such significant amounts of illumination light that the fluorophores become photobleached and the resultant oxygen radicals can significantly perturb cellular function (phototoxicity). Although widefield microscopy is very light efficient, generating high-quality 3D reconstructions requires removal of out-of-focus light in a process called deconvolution. Unfortunately, most deconvolution methods require high signal-to-noise ratios and are thus incompatible with the very low light levels required for unperturbed in vivo imaging. Here we present a novel deconvolution method that solves this problem, allowing illumination light to be reduced to extremely low levels, resulting in an enabling technology for in vivo imaging.
Implementing harvest strategies in Australia: 5 years on
Authors: Smith Anthony D. M. , Smith David C. , Haddon Malcolm , Knuckey Ian A. , Sainsbury Keith J. , Sloan Sean R.
Published: October 2013

Smith, A. D. M., Smith D. C., Haddon, M., Knuckey, I., Sainsbury, K. J., and Sloan, S. 2014. Implementing harvest strategies in Australia: 5 years on. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 71: 195–203. Australian Commonwealth fisheries are managed using a formal harvest strategy policy (HSP) introduced by the federal government in 2007. At the State level, a number of commercial fisheries are also managed under formal harvest strategies, but no overarching policy currently exists to guide their consistent implementation across jurisdictions. There have been 5 years of experience with implementation of the Commonwealth policy across the highly diverse array of commercial fisheries found in Australia. The HSP has an explicit target of maximum economic yield, and an explicit limit set at half the biomass that would support maximum sustainable yield. The policy also specifies an acceptable level of risk associated with falling below the limit reference point. We discuss the experience gained from implementing the HSP in Australia, including a number of challenges faced, and attempt to summarize the benefits and costs of implementing harvest strategies. Our view is that, overall, the benefits clearly outweigh the costs.
Abundance indices for long-lived tropical snappers: estimating standardized catch rates from spatially and temporally coarse logbook data
Authors: Marriott Ross J. , O'Neill Michael F. , Newman Stephen J. , Skepper Craig L.
Published: October 2013

The Northern Demersal Scalefish Fishery has historically comprised a small fleet (≤10 vessels year−1) operating over a relatively large area off the northwest coast of Australia. This multispecies fishery primarily harvests two species of snapper: goldband snapper, Pristipomoides multidens and red emperor, Lutjanus sebae. A key input to age-structured assessments of these stocks has been the annual time-series of the catch rate. We used an approach that combined Generalized Linear Models, spatio-temporal imputation, and computer-intensive methods to standardize the fishery catch rates and report uncertainty in the indices. These analyses, which represent one of the first attempts to standardize fish trap catch rates, were also augmented to gain additional insights into the effects of targeting, historical effort creep, and spatio-temporal resolution of catch and effort data on trap fishery dynamics. Results from monthly reported catches (i.e. 1993 on) were compared with those reported daily from more recently (i.e. 2008 on) enhanced catch and effort logbooks. Model effects of catches of one species on the catch rates of another became more conspicuous when the daily data were analysed and produced estimates with greater precision. The rate of putative effort creep estimated for standardized catch rates was much lower than estimated for nominal catch rates. These results therefore demonstrate how important additional insights into fishery and fish population dynamics can be elucidated from such “pre-assessment” analyses.
Immune-priming in ant larvae: social immunity does not undermine individual immunity
Authors: Rosengaus Rebeca B. , Malak Tanya , MacKintosh Christopher
Published: October 2013

Social insects deploy numerous strategies against pathogens including behavioural, biochemical and immunological responses. While past research has revealed that adult social insects can generate immunity, few studies have focused on the immune function during an insect's early life stages. We hypothesized that larvae of the black carpenter ant
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
vaccinated with heat-killed
Serratia marcescens
should be less susceptible to a challenge with an active and otherwise lethal dose of the bacterium. We compared the
in vivo
benefits of prior vaccination of young larvae relative to naive and ringer injected controls. Regardless of colony of origin, survival parameters of vaccinated individuals following a challenge were significantly higher than those of the other two treatments. Results support the hypothesis that ant larvae exhibit immune-priming. Based on these results, we can infer that brood care by workers does not eliminate the need for individual-level immunological responses. Focusing on these early stages of development within social insect colonies can start addressing the complex dynamics between physiological (individual level) and social (collective) immunity.
Detecting spring after a long winter: coma or slow vigilance in cold, hypoxic turtles?
Authors: Madsen Jesper G. , Wang Tobias , Beedholm Kristian , Madsen Peter T.
Published: October 2013

Many freshwater turtle species can spend the winter submerged in ice-covered lakes by lowering their metabolism, and it has been proposed that such severe metabolic depression render these turtles comatose. This raises the question of how they can detect the arrival of spring and respond in a sensible way to sensory information during hibernation. Using evoked potentials from cold or hypoxic turtles exposed to vibration and light, we show that hibernating turtles maintain neural responsiveness to light stimuli during prolonged hypoxia. Furthermore, turtles held under hibernation conditions for 14 days increase their activity when exposed to light or elevated temperatures, but not to vibration or increased oxygen. It is concluded that hibernating turtles are not comatose, but remain vigilant during overwintering in cold hypoxia, allowing them to respond to the coming of spring and to adjust their behaviour to specific sensory inputs.
Conceptual learning by miniature brains
Authors: Avarguès-Weber Aurore , Giurfa Martin
Published: October 2013

Concepts act as a cornerstone of human cognition. Humans and non-human primates learn conceptual relationships such as ‘same’, ‘different’, ‘larger than’, ‘better than’, among others. In all cases, the relationships have to be encoded by the brain independently of the physical nature of objects linked by the relation. Consequently, concepts are associated with high levels of cognitive sophistication and are not expected in an insect brain. Yet, various works have shown that the miniature brain of honeybees rapidly learns conceptual relationships involving visual stimuli. Concepts such as ‘same’, ‘different’, ‘above/below of’ or ‘left/right are well mastered by bees. We review here evidence about concept learning in honeybees and discuss both its potential adaptive advantage and its possible neural substrates. The results reviewed here challenge the traditional view attributing supremacy to larger brains when it comes to the elaboration of concepts and have wide implications for understanding how brains can form conceptual relations.
Divergent selection on, but no genetic conflict over, female and male timing and rate of reproduction in a human population
Authors: Bolund Elisabeth , Bouwhuis Sandra , Pettay Jenni E. , Lummaa Virpi
Published: October 2013

The sexes often have different phenotypic optima for important life-history traits, and because of a largely shared genome this can lead to a conflict over trait expression. In mammals, the obligate costs of reproduction are higher for females, making reproductive timing and rate especially liable to conflict between the sexes. While studies from wild vertebrates support such sexual conflict, it remains unexplored in humans. We used a pedigreed human population from preindustrial Finland to estimate sexual conflict over age at first and last reproduction, reproductive lifespan and reproductive rate. We found that the phenotypic selection gradients differed between the sexes. We next established significant heritabilities in both sexes for all traits. All traits, except reproductive rate, showed strongly positive intersexual genetic correlations and were strongly genetically correlated with fitness in both sexes. Moreover, the genetic correlations with fitness were almost identical in men and women. For reproductive rate, the intersexual correlation and the correlation with fitness were weaker but again similar between the sexes. Thus, in this population, an apparent sexual conflict at the phenotypic level did not reflect an underlying genetic conflict over the studied reproductive traits. These findings emphasize the need for incorporating genetic perspectives into studies of human life-history evolution.
Diversity of functional microornamentation in slithering geckosLialis(Pygopodidae)
Authors: Spinner M. , Gorb S. N. , Westhoff G.
Published: October 2013

The skin of geckos is covered with countless microscopic protuberances (spines). This surface structure causes low wettability to water. During evolution, representatives of the recent gekkotan clade Pygopodidae started slithering on the ground. This manner of locomotion affected limb reduction resulting in a snake-like body. Regarding abrasion and frictional properties, a surface covered with gekkotan spines is a topography that hampers the snake-like locomotion mode. Using scanning electron microscopy, we investigated the shed skins of two pygopodid lizards,Lialis jicari(Papua snake lizard) andLialis burtonis(Burton's legless lizard), in order to show epidermal adaptations to limbless locomotion. Our data showed that Pygopodidae differ from their relatives not only anatomically, but also in their epidermal microstructure. Scales ofL. jicarihave five different structural patterns on various body regions. Ventral scales have nanoridges, similar to those found on the ventralia of snakes. Surfaces of scales covering the jaw bones, have flattened spine-like microstructures that might be an adaptation to reduce abrasion. Dorsal scales have oblong microscopic bulges covered with nanoridges. Spines cover the undersides and the interstices of scales over the entire body of both species and inL. jicarialso the top of dorsal head scales. Our measurements of surface wettability (surface free energy) show superhydrophobic properties of the spiny surfaces in comparison with the other microstructural patterns of other body parts.
Reproductive isolation between phylogeographic lineages scales with divergence
Authors: Singhal Sonal , Moritz Craig
Published: October 2013

Phylogeographic studies frequently reveal multiple morphologically cryptic lineages within species. What is not yet clear is whether such lineages represent nascent species or evolutionary ephemera. To address this question, we compare five contact zones, each of which occurs between ecomorphologically cryptic lineages of skinks from the rainforests of the Australian Wet Tropics. Although the contacts probably formed concurrently in response to Holocene expansion from glacial refugia, we estimate that the divergence times (τ) of the lineage pairs range from 3.1 to 11.5 Ma. Multi-locus analyses of the contact zones yielded estimates of reproductive isolation that are tightly correlated with divergence time and, for lineages with older divergence times (τ> 5 Myr), substantial. These results show that phylogeographic splits of increasing depth represent stages along the speciation continuum, even in the absence of overt change in ecologically relevant morphology.