bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generalized longitudinal susceptibility for magnetic monopoles in spin ice
Authors: Bramwell Steven T.
Published: November 2012

The generalized longitudinal susceptibility
χ
(q,
ω
) affords a sensitive measure of the spatial and temporal correlations of magnetic monopoles in spin ice. Starting with the monopole model, a mean field expression for
χ
(q,
ω
) is derived as well as expressions for the mean square longitudinal field and induction at a point. Monopole motion is shown to be strongly correlated, and both spatial and temporal correlations are controlled by the dimensionless monopole density
x
which defines the ratio of the magnetization relaxation rate and the monopole hop rate. Thermal effects and spin-lattice relaxation are also considered. The derived equations are applicable in the temperature range where the Wien effect for magnetic monopoles is negligible. They are discussed in the context of existing theories of spin ice and the following experimental techniques: DC and AC magnetization, neutron scattering, neutron spin echo and longitudinal and transverse field
μ
SR. The monopole theory is found to unify diverse experimental results, but several discrepancies between theory and experiment are identified. One of these, concerning the neutron scattering line shape, is explained by means of a phenomenological modification to the theory.
Domain wall interactions at a cross-shaped vertex
Authors: O'Brien L. , Beguivin A. , Petit D. , Fernandez-Pacheco A. , Read D. , Cowburn R. P.
Published: November 2012

The interaction of two domain walls (DWs) at a cross-shaped vertex fabricated from two ferromagnetic nanowires has been experimentally investigated. Both magnetostatically repulsive and attractive interactions have been probed. It is found that in the repulsive case, a passing DW may directly induce the depinning of another that is already pinned at a vertex. This effect can be qualitatively described by considering only simple, magnetostatic-charge-based arguments. In the attractive case, however, asymmetric pinning is found, with complete suppression of depinning possible. This observed effect is contrary to simple charge-based arguments and highlights the need for full micromagnetic characterization of the DW interactions in more complex systems.
Maladaptive sex ratio adjustment by a sex‐changing shrimp in selective‐fishing environments
Authors: Chiba Susumu , Yoshino Kenji , Kanaiwa Minoru , Kawajiri Toshifumi , Goshima Seiji
Published: November 2012

Selective harvesting is acknowledged as a serious concern in efforts to conserve wild animal populations. In fisheries, most studies have focused on gradual and directional changes in the life‐history traits of target species. While such changes represent the ultimate response of harvested animals, it is also well known that the life history of target species plastically alters with harvesting. However, research on the adaptive significance of these types of condition‐dependent changes has been limited.

We explored the adaptive significance of annual changes in the age at sex‐change of the protandrous (male‐first) hermaphroditic shrimp and examined how selective harvesting affects life‐history variation, by conducting field observations across 13 years and a controlled laboratory experiment. In addition, we considered whether plastic responses by the shrimp would be favourable, negligible or negative with respect to the conservation of fishery resources.

The age at sex‐change and the population structure of the shrimp fluctuated between years during the study period. The results of the field observations and laboratory experiment both indicated that the shrimp could plastically change the timing of sex‐change in accordance with the age structure of the population. These findings provide the first concrete evidence of adult sex ratio adjustment by pandalid shrimp, a group that has been treated as a model in the sex allocation theory.

The sex ratio adjustment by the shrimp did not always seem to be sufficient, however, as the supplement of females is restricted by their annual somatic growth rate. In addition, adjusted sex ratios are further skewed by the unintentional female‐selectivity of fishing activity prior to the breeding season, indicating that the occurrence of males that have postponed sex‐change causes sex ratio adjustment to become unfavourable.

We conclude that the plastic responses of harvested animals in selective fishing environments must be considered in efforts to conserve wild animal resources, because such responses can become maladaptive.
On the practical usage of genetic algorithms in ecology and evolution
Authors: Hamblin Steven
Published: November 2012

Genetic algorithms are a heuristic global optimisation technique mimicking the action of natural selection to solve hard optimisation problems, which has enjoyed growing usage in evolution and ecology. However, there is little standardisation in how genetic algorithms are implemented in these fields and even less practical advice for those hoping to implement genetic algorithms for their own models. This article aims to demystify genetic algorithms and provide assistance to researchers; basic programming knowledge is important for working with genetic algorithms, but none is required to read this article.

I review the basics of genetic algorithm methodology and provide suggestions on problems that may or may not benefit from genetic algorithm methods. The genetic operators (selection, replacement, mutation, crossover) and their rate parameters (mutation rate, etc.) are a source of potential confusion and to ease their selection, I present recommendations informed by historical usage and best practices, concluding with potential pitfalls.

Good reasons for employing genetic algorithms include: solving optimisation problems beyond the reach of analytical techniques, relaxing model assumptions, evolving behaviour in individual‐based models, and simulating co‐evolutionary processes. However, genetic algorithms are not always the correct technique to use. Simpler methods may sometimes outperform genetic algorithms, and certain problem features may cause trouble.

Genetic algorithms strike a balance between exploration of the search space and exploitation of good solutions, driven by the choice of genetic operators and rate parameters. I outline a basic set of parameter values and operator choices for genetic algorithm models as a starting point and provide advice on how to modify them to explore the exploitation/exploration trade‐off. Finally, I provide general advice on analysis and reporting of these models.

There are a number of potential issues that can surprise unwary users, such as rate parameter values that lead to pathological outcomes; I suggest ways to detect and correct these problems. Also, contrary to popular usage, genetic algorithms can find solutions to game theory problems but cannot guarantee their stability. Finally, while genetic algorithms offer great power and flexibility by drawing inspiration from evolutionary processes, they are (usually) not a faithful model of genetics or evolution.
Early life influences on the risk of injecting drug use: case control study based on the Edinburgh Addiction Cohort
Authors: Macleod John , Hickman Matthew , Jones Hayley E. , Copeland Lorraine , McKenzie James , De Angelis Daniela , Kimber Jo , Robertson James R.
Published: November 2012

Aims

To investigate childhood influences on onset of injection drug use.

Design

Matched case–control study.

Setting

Edinburgh, Scotland.

Participants

A total of 432 individuals presenting at a community health facility with injection drug use and 432 age‐ and sex‐matched non‐injecting controls recruited through the same facility.

Measurements

Main exposures considered were family structure and experience of public care, carer substance use, physical and sexual victimization and conduct problems, all measured at personal interview. The outcome was history of adult injection drug use recorded in medical records corroborated at personal interview.

Findings

Compared to two‐parent families all other family structures were associated with increased risk of injection drug use, the greatest increased risk being associated with public care. Violence, criminality and financial problems in the family were also associated with increased risk, as were all types of carer substance use. The greatest increased risk was associated with markers of early conduct problems, particularly school exclusion and childhood contact with the criminal justice system. In multivariable analyses the strongest risk factors for later injecting were always having lived with a relative or family friend (not always a parent) and in care/adopted/foster home at any point [odds ratio (OR) = 2.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–6.92 and OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 0.91–5.17, respectively], experienced violence from parent or carer (OR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.26, 3.38) and early evidence of conduct problems [ever excluded from school (OR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.68, 4.45); childhood criminality (ever arrested by police pre‐adult OR = 3.05, 95% CI: 1.90, 4.89, ever been in borstal/young offenders/list D school OR = 4.70, 95% CI: 2.02, 10.94)]. After adjustment for family structure and conduct problems, sexual victimization was associated weakly with injecting onset (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 0.76–2.19). More than 70% of injection drug use onset appeared attributable to the risk factors identified.

Conclusions

Injection drug use in adults is associated strongly with prior childhood adversity, in particular not living with both parents and early conduct problems. Prevention initiatives should also consider these risk factors.
Paediatric travel medicine: vaccines and medications
Authors: Starr Mike
Published: November 2012

The paediatric aspects of travel medicine can be complex, and individual advice is often required. Nonetheless, children are much more likely to acquire common infections than exotic tropical diseases whilst travelling. Important exceptions are malaria and tuberculosis, which are more frequent and severe in children. Overall, travellers' diarrhoea is the most common illness affecting travellers. This review discusses vaccines and medications that may be indicated for children who are travelling overseas. It focuses on immunizations that are given as part of the routine schedule, as well as those that are more specific to travel. Malaria and travellers' diarrhoea are also discussed.
Metal‐mediated Targeting in the Body
Authors: Tang Xuan , Liang Xiangyang
Published: November 2012

Metal ions are important for many biological processes and are steadily available in the human body. Metal concentrations can be extremely high in diseased areas of various pathological conditions. Some synthetic and natural drugs need to be activated by metal ions as prodrugs. In this review, we provide a few examples to illustrate how metal ions activate and mediate drug targeting in the body. This knowledge may be helpful for the development of more effective drugs and pharmaceutical formulations.
Researching Early Childhood Policy and Practice. A Critical Ecology
Authors: Urban Mathias
Published: November 2012

This article examines the renewed interest in early childhood education and care in European politics, and the implications for research in changing policy contexts. Based on the policy analysis, it argues for a radical reconceptualisation of how, with and for whom, and to what end we design, conduct and interpret research in early childhood in present‐day Europe. The article argues that the role of research in these contexts is much more than that of a provider of data and information that underpin evidence‐based policies. Instead, as part of a critical ecology of research, practice and policy, it is an inherently political practice.
Coexistence between native and exotic species is facilitated by asymmetries in competitive ability and susceptibility to herbivores
Authors: Heard Matthew J. , Sax Dov F.
Published: November 2012

Differences between native and exotic species in competitive ability and susceptibility to herbivores are hypothesized to facilitate coexistence. However, little fieldwork has been conducted to determine whether these differences are present in invaded communities. Here, we experimentally examined whether asymmetries exist between native and exotic plants in a community invaded for over 200 years and whether removing competitors or herbivores influences coexistence. We found that natives and exotics exhibit pronounced asymmetries, as exotics are competitively superior to natives, but are more significantly impacted by herbivores. We also found that herbivore removal mediated the outcome of competitive interactions and altered patterns of dominance across our field sites. Collectively, these findings suggest that asymmetric biotic interactions between native and exotic plants can help to facilitate coexistence in invaded communities.
The Influence of Sequential Male Courtship Behaviors on Courtship Success and Duration in a Terrestrial Salamander, Plethodon shermani
Authors: Eddy Sarah L. , Kiemnec‐Tyburczy Karen M. , Uyeda Josef C. , Houck Lynne D.
Published: November 2012

Most organisms use multiple cues across many modalities to assess potential mates. Salamanders in the genus Plethodon have an elaborate courtship display, yet previous studies primarily have concentrated on the influence of olfactory cues on courtship success. In this study, we tested whether two different cues (one chemical and one visual) affected courtship success and duration in the red‐legged salamander, Plethodon shermani. By staging and observing over 180 courtship trials, we found that ‘foot‐dancing’, a male visual cue performed in the earliest stages of courtship, significantly increased the likelihood that a male and female would progress to subsequent stages of courtship and, thus, the likelihood of insemination. In contrast, delivery of biologically relevant levels of a non‐volatile pheromone (produced in a large gland on the male's chin) during courtship trials did not increase overall insemination rate success, but did significantly reduce the duration of one of the later stages of courtship, tail‐straddling walk. Thus, we propose that early use of visual cues in Plethodon courtship, may (1) increase the detectability of the male message by increasing the range at which the male can be perceived by the female and (2) indicate the context of the male's approach and subsequent behaviors. In short, this study draws attention to the need to examine behavioral traits affecting courtship success at multiple stages and across several sensory modalities.
Peptidoglycan‐induced T helper 2 immune response in mice involves interleukin‐10 secretion from Langerhans cells
Authors: Matsui Katsuhiko , Nishikawa Akemi
Published: November 2012

Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have superficial skin colonization with Staphylococcus aureus and an increased number of T helper (Th)2 cells in their peripheral blood. The purpose of this study was to clarify the involvement of interleukin (IL)‐10 secretion from Langerhans cells (LCs) in staphylococcal peptidoglycan (PEG)‐induced Th2 immune responses in mice. Mice were primed with LCs pulsed with PEG (or LPS) and ovalbumin (OVA) and then given a booster OVA injection 2 days later in the hind footpad. Five days after the OVA injection, cytokine responses in the draining popliteal lymph nodes were investigated by RT‐PCR and ELISA. Production of both IL‐10 and IL‐12 by cultured LCs was detected by ELISA. Administration of PEG‐ or LPS‐stimulated LCs into the hind footpads of the mice induced Th2‐prone and Th1‐prone immune responses, respectively, as represented by expression of IL‐4 and interferon‐γ. In vitro experiments showed that PEG induced greater production of IL‐12 p40 from LCs than did LPS, whereas LPS induced greater production of IL‐12 p70 from LCs than did PEG. Furthermore, it was found that PEG‐stimulated LCs induced greater production of IL‐10 than did LPS‐stimulated LCs, and that neutralization of IL‐10 augmented IL‐12 p70 production and inhibited Th2 development by PEG‐stimulated LCs. These results suggest that PEG can induce Th2 development through down‐regulation of IL‐12 p70 production by LCs in an IL‐10 production‐dependent manner and would explain the role of S. aureus colonization in patients with AD.
Using the Wrong Policy Tools: Education, Charity, and Public Benefit
Authors: Dunn Alison
Published: November 2012

A recent decision on the application of public benefit under the Charities Act 2006 sidestepped the political debate surrounding the charitable status of independent fee‐charging schools. The broader political context nevertheless underscores the legislative reforms, and this article questions whether the new statutory public benefit requirement has utility as a welfare policy tool in the field of education. It examines the public benefit requirement in charity law against the backdrop of government policy towards education and the broader political agenda for a mixed economy of welfare provision, and argues that the difficulties Labour faced in developing its education policies were replicated in the application of the post‐Act public benefit requirement to fee‐charging schools. As a result, achieving broader policy goals for widening educational opportunity through public benefit was almost impossible given the regulatory framework and the principles upon which charity law is founded.
Reproduction Revisited: Comprehending Complex Educational Trajectories
Authors: Atkinson Will
Published: November 2012

Pierre Bourdieu's famous theory of educational reproduction is often depicted by critics in simplistic terms: individuals either have plenty of cultural capital, and thus symbolic mastery and school success, or they do not and develop practical mastery and vocational interests instead. Social mobility, deviant trajectories and resistance, on the other hand, are seemingly impossible. The nature of Bourdieu's writing fuelled this perception, but implicit in his early work, and elaborated in his later writings, is the idea that class and capital possession are fully relational, gradational and refracted by family dynamics, thereby suggesting the existence of all manner of possible shades of difference between the two poles of reproduction. This paper, whilst acknowledging that reproduction is still the major feature of the education system in the UK, thus revisits Bourdieu's thesis and sketches some of the manifestations of this intermediate zone of educational performance, namely social space travel, the Icarus effect, recovered trajectories and pathways born of dispersed family fields. In so doing it draws on a qualitative research project examining the life histories of adults from a variety of class positions in Bristol.
Contradictions of ‘Sustainable Mobility’– The Illogic of Growth and the Logic of Myth
Authors: Essebo Maja , Baeten Guy
Published: November 2012

This paper presents the prospects of viewing ‘sustainable mobility’ as a merger of seemingly opposing values and ideas into a coherent and fully emplotted myth. Myth, in this sense, is not a false story meant to amuse or discredit, but rather a story based on naturalised beliefs giving it the supremacy of the obvious. Through the process of emplotment, myths create internal logics that help relieve anxiety, rationalise behaviour and naturalise societal and individual convictions. As such, myths are a fundamental and habitual part of life. The myth of sustainable mobility is not one, but two stories – that of development as quantitative growth and the discourse of sustainability – which are merged, emplotted and naturalised. It is based on the fears of economic and environmental collapse, but while fear is an essential characteristic of myth and a source of much of its power the myth also offers hope. The hope lies in the promise of continued trends of increased mobility while still being able to preserve the world for ‘future generations’. This entangles the very notions of mobility, development and sustainability, creating a confusion of concepts as the contrast between growth and limits wanes. Rather than setting biophysical limits, sustainability becomes a justification for continued growth – green growth, sustainable mobility.
The Urban Harvest Approach as an Aid for Sustainable Urban Resource Planning
Authors: Agudelo‐Vera Claudia Marcela , Mels Adriaan , Keesman Karel , Rijnaarts Huub
Published: November 2012

Now that more than half of the world's population lives in cities, improving urban resource cycles is crucial for sustainable urban development. Currently cities are highly dependent on external supplies of water, energy, nutrients, and other materials, while local possibilities of self‐production of such resources are generally overlooked. This article describes a novel method, the urban harvest approach (UHA), its rationale, and the steps toward sustainable urban resource planning. The UHA is based on the urban metabolism concept. Herein, a city is regarded to have multiple potentials in the form of untapped primary and secondary (already used) resources that can be utilized. The UHA works on the principle that urban systems and their direct peri‐urban surroundings can become self‐sufficient by applying three strategies: minimizing demand, minimizing outputs, and multisourcing. An elaboration of the UHA for the resource “water” at the building scale is also presented in this article. A freestanding house in the Netherlands and a similar house in Australia were studied, with a focus on indoor consumption. Results showed a 40% demand reduction when water‐saving technologies were implemented. In both cases, after demand minimization, local resources were sufficient to cover the demand by recycling grey water and harvesting rainwater. These findings confirm that a multimeasure implementation according to the three different strategies is needed to achieve sustainable urban water systems. The UHA helps to structure large influences of urban context on water and other resource cycles as an aid to urban planners and water managers in designing sustainable urban areas.
Functions of the Intermediary Organizations for Agricultural Innovation inMexico: TheChiapas Produce Foundation
Authors: Dutrénit Gabriela , Rocha‐Lackiz Alma , Vera‐Cruz Alexandre O.
Published: November 2012

Innovation intermediary organizations (IIOs) may build bridges between the demand and supply of knowledge. The understanding concerning the scope and functions of these intermediaries in the case of the agricultural sector is scarce, particularly for developing countries. The aim of this article is to discuss the functions played byIIOs operating in the segment of small farmers in the agricultural sector in the context of a developing country. The analysis allows extracting policy implications having in mind small farmers with different economic conditions and levels of innovativeness. This article uses a case study methodology. The main sources of information are interviews with members of the board and staff of the Produce Foundation, responsible for managing public resources to promote innovation processes in the agriculture sector in a specific state,Chiapas, as well as with farmers, technological suppliers, and researchers in this state.
Derivation of Transcranial Doppler Criteria for Angiographically Proven Middle Cerebral Artery Vasospasm after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Sebastian Joseph , Derksen Carol , Khan Khurshid , Ibrahim Mohammad , Hameed Bilal , Siddiqui Muzaffar , Chow Michael , Findlay J. Max , Shuaib Ashfaq , Saqqur Maher
Published: November 2012

BACKGROUND

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) has been subjected to criticism for detecting vasospasm (VSP). Our study's aim is to derive criteria for middle cerebral artery (MCA) vasospasm (MCA‐VSP) based on cerebral angiography (CA).

METHODS

A prospective data of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) from January 2004 to August 2009. TCD was performed daily from day 2 to 14 from symptom's onset. Follow‐up CA was done at day 7‐9. TCD mean flow velocities (MFV) of all vessels at baseline (b), middle (m) and before CA (preangio) were recorded. Several MCA MFV ratios were computed. Moderate to severe VSP on CA was defined as >1/3 luminal narrowing. Univariate and stepwise logistic regression analysis were performed.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty‐nine patients (338 MCA) with aSAH were included, mean age: 54.8 ± 13, women: 103 (62%). Twenty‐nine patients (8.6%) had angiographic MCA‐VSP. TCD scoring system of 3 points for MCA‐VSP was computed based on (a) bMCA MFV ≥ 120 cm/s (sensitivity: 59.3%, specificity: 85%, PPV: 36.4%, NPV: 93.5%, P < .001) (1 point), Preangio MCA MFV ≥ 150 cm/s (79.3%, 89.9%, 39%, 97.3%, <.001) (1 point), and affected preangio MCA/bMCA MFV ratio ≥1.5 (84%, 63%, 25.6%, 96.3%, .001) (1 point). The score of 3 has 96% sensitivity and 96% specificity (OR: 300) whereas the score of 1 has 12% sensitivity and 58% specificity (OR: 4.3) for identifying MCA‐VSP.

CONCLUSION

TCD stringent criteria for moderate to severe MCA‐VSP are feasible and applicable in aSAH population.
Iodine‐123 Metaiodobenzylguanidine Scintigraphy and Iodine‐123 Ioflupane Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography in Lewy Body Diseases: Complementary or Alternative Techniques?
Authors: Treglia Giorgio , Cason Ernesto , Cortelli Pietro , Gabellini Anna , Liguori Rocco , Bagnato Antonio , Giordano Alessandro , Fagioli Giorgio
Published: November 2012

PURPOSE

To compare myocardial sympathetic imaging using 123I‐Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy and striatal dopaminergic imaging using 123I‐Ioflupane (FP‐CIT) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in patients with suspected Lewy body diseases (LBD).

METHODS

Ninety‐nine patients who performed both methods within 2 months for differential diagnosis between Parkinson's disease (PD) and other parkinsonism (n = 68) or between dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and other dementia (n = 31) were enrolled. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values of both methods were calculated.

RESULTS

For 123I‐MIBG scintigraphy, the overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values in LBD were 83%, 79%, 82%, 86%, and 76%, respectively. For 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT, the overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values in LBD were 93%, 41%, 73%, 71%, and 80%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between these two methods in patients without LBD, but not in patients with LBD.

CONCLUSIONS

LBD usually present both myocardial sympathetic and striatal dopaminergic impairments. 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT presents high sensitivity in the diagnosis of LBD; 123I‐MIBG scintigraphy may have a complementary role in differential diagnosis between PD and other parkinsonism. These scintigraphic methods showed similar diagnostic accuracy in differential diagnosis between DLB and other dementia.
Upward expansion of fire‐adapted grasses along a warming tropical elevation gradient
Authors: Angelo Courtney L. , Daehler Curtis C.
Published: November 2012

High mountain regions in the tropics have thus far been impacted relatively little by anthropogenic activity or plant invasions, however, they are unlikely to be immune to impacts of global change, including climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances. Changes in fire regimes are known to accelerate the spread of invasive C4 grasses and interactions between changes in fire and climate can alter species distributions. The aim of this study was to compare grass distributions along an elevational gradient in Hawai‘i between 1966–1967 and 2008 to determine whether C4 and C3 grass distributions are shifting upward in response to alterations in fire and climate patterns. Field plots at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park were surveyed for grass species and cover at ˜150 m elevation intervals and compared to previous surveys done in 1966–1967. We found that the transition elevation, marking a shift in dominance between C4 and C3 grasses based on relative cover, shifted upward over 40 yr (95% confidence interval = 1476 m ± 130 m in 2008 versus 1200 m ± 106 m in 1966–1967). On the other hand, maximum elevations of all C4 or C3 grasses as a group were not significantly greater than 1966–1967 elevations; however, a subset of C4 (and fewer C3) grasses moved to substantially higher elevations, and these were the species adapted to fire. 100% of fire‐adapted grasses moved up in elevation compared to 29% of non‐fire adapted species, and the change in elevation of those species (=+454 m) was significantly greater than the change in elevation of non‐fire adapted species (p = 0.003). Our study documents an upward expansion of fire‐adapted grasses at high elevations in the tropics as an important threat that seems to be compounded by warming trends.
George Eliot, Harriet Martineau and the Popularisation of Comte’s Positive Philosophy
Authors: Scholl Lesa
Published: November 2012

Harriet Martineau’s ‘freely translated and condensed’ version of Auguste Comte’s Positive Philosophy (1853) made a significant contribution to the scholarly conversation on positivism in Britain. The translation of Continental philosophy into English during the mid‐nineteenth century enabled translators to rewrite and rethink the original text for their home audience according to their own political and social agenda. Yet the idea of translation can be broadened to include translating philosophical ideas into different genres in order to broaden the readership – to popularise and, to some minds, bastardise the philosophy. The translation of philosophy into literary fiction arguably bridges the gap between scholarly integrity and popularisation that Eliot feared; indeed, both Eliot and Martineau, as established translators, vividly understood their power to manipulate and mould foreign philosophies through both their literal translations and their fiction. This paper examines the translational role of Eliot’s Middlemarch (1877) and Martineau’s Deerbrook (1839) in reproducing, reshaping and popularising Comte’s positivism within the British public mind.
Rewriting Paterian Sympathy: Vernon Lee and Elitist Empathy
Authors: Townley Sarah
Published: November 2012

Renewed critical interest in the author and critic, Vernon Lee (pseud. Violet Paget, 1856–1935) has tended to focus on the way she rewrites the aesthetic and moral values of literary art in terms which account for a broad readership. This essay challenges the view that Lee’s aesthetic theory accommodates a non‐specialist reader by reassessing her commitment to the concept of aesthetic empathy. It does so by arguing that Lee’s aesthetic empathy is a modified version of Walter Pater’s notion of aesthetic sympathy, which demands a specialist practitioner. Lee sought to articulate the terms of her aesthetic theory in a way which emphasized a sharper social conscience than that which we find in the works of Pater, but this does not mean that she ‘redirected her view toward the audience.’ Like Pater, for whom the literary artist must write specifically for ‘the scholar and the scholarly conscience,’‘those men of a finer thread,’ Lee demonstrates a concern for a reader with a specialist set of skills and proficiencies. Whilst Lee’s notion of aesthetic empathy originates from the German school of psychological aesthetics, her modification of Pater is apparent in the way both writers draw on contemporary British Associationist psychology. The fact that Pater and Lee share in the same kind of Associationist terminology is evidence of the similarity of their notions of sympathy and empathy. Overall, this essay shows how the concept of aesthetic empathy particularly appealed to Lee due to the way it accounted for the individuality of the perceiver with its emphasis on a muscular and sensuous responsiveness, but eliminated the selfish element of an individualism that threatened to remove the Paterian individual from public life.
Dialectical Envisioning:Daniel Derondaand British Ethical Idealism
Authors: Li Hao
Published: November 2012

Daniel Derondaoften comes across as a more futuristic novel than the rest of George Eliot’s oeuvre. Its moral idealism tends to puzzle the reader for being too metaphysical and ethereal. So far, Eliot’s general idealism has been discussed in terms of her engagement with philosophers such as Feuerbach, Spinoza, Auguste Comte, J. S. Mill, and Herbert Spencer. In this article, the same issue is explored by way of historical significance rather than direct influence. By readingDaniel Derondain the context of British ethical idealism, especially the writings of F. H. Bradley and T. H. Green, I argue that the novel contributed significantly to a major development of Victorian moral philosophy. In particular, the novel deploys a dialectical language of speculation that helped to shape a shift of interest to a more metaphysical approach to moral ideals. Addressing issues such as the fallibility of present judgment, the importance of integration rather than antithesis, and the heuristic value of a teleological future,Daniel Derondaself‐consciously tests out the validity of a dialectical form of moral envisioning. To readDaniel Derondathis way can help define a crucial aspect of Eliot’s thinking that cannot be easily or sufficiently articulated in such terms as scientific positivism and German idealism, though both of which have been important in shaping Eliot’s other novels beforeDaniel Deronda. In creating independently an ethical idealism that is equally metaphysical but intellectually less restrictive than that of Bradley or Green,Daniel Derondashows not only the convergence of literary and philosophical writings but also the importance of considering literary works for the study of Victorian moral philosophy.
Integrated Onshore‐Offshore Investigation of a Mediterranean Layered Coastal Aquifer
Authors: Lofi Johanna , Pezard Philippe , Bouchette Frédéric , Raynal Olivier , Sabatier Pierre , Denchik Nataliya , Levannier Arnaud , Dezileau Laurent , Certain Raphaël
Published: November 2012

Most of the Mediterranean coastal porous aquifers are intensively exploited. Because of climatic and anthropogenic effects, understanding the physical and geological controls on groundwater distribution and flow dynamics in such aquifers is crucial. This study presents the results of a structural investigation of a system located along the coastline of the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean). A key aspect of this study relies on an onshore‐offshore integrated approach combining outcrops, seismic profiles, and borehole data analysis. This multidisciplinary approach provides constraints on pore‐fluid salinity distribution and stratigraphic organization, which are crucial in assessing the modes of groundwater/seawater exchanges. Onshore, Lower Pliocene deposits dip gently seaward. They are unconformably overlain by Holocene clays in the lagoons. Offshore the Pliocene deposits either outcrop at the seabed or are buried below nonconsolidated sands infilling paleo‐valleys. Beneath the lido, the groundwater salinity distribution consists of salty pore water, overlying fresher pore water. Active circulation of groundwater masses is inferred from the geophysical results. In particular, offshore outcrops and paleo‐valleys may play an important role in salt water intrusion.
Discrimination of Volatiles of Refined and Whole Wheat Bread Containing Red and White Wheat Bran Using an Electronic Nose
Authors: Sapirstein Harry D. , Siddhu Silvi , Aliani Michel
Published: November 2012

Abstract:  The principal objective of this study was to evaluate the capability of electronic (E) nose technology to discriminate refined and whole wheat bread made with white or red wheat bran according to their headspace volatiles. Whole wheat flour was formulated with a common refined flour from hard red spring wheat, blended at the 15% replacement level with bran milled from representative samples of one hard red and 2 hard white wheats. A commercial formula was used for breadmaking. Results varied according to the nature of the sample, that is, crust, crumb, or whole slices. Bread crust and crumb were completely discriminated. Crumb of whole wheat bread made with red bran was distinct from other bread types. When misclassified, whole wheat bread crumb with white bran was almost invariably identified as refined flour bread crumb. Using crust as the basis for comparisons, the largest difference in volatiles was between refined flour bread and whole wheat bread as a group. When refined flour bread crust was misclassified, samples tended to be confused with whole white wheat crust. Samples prepared from whole bread slices were poorly discriminated in general. E‐nose results indicated that whole wheat bread formulated with white bran was more similar in volatile makeup to refined flour bread compared to whole wheat bread made with red bran. The E‐nose appears to be very capable to accommodate differentiation of bread volatiles whose composition varies due to differences in flour or bran type.

Practical Application:  Consumer preference of bread made using refined flour in contrast to whole wheat flour is partly due to the different aroma of whole wheat bread. This study used an electronic nose to analyze bread volatiles, and showed that whole wheat bread incorporating white bran was different from counterpart bread made using red bran, and was closer in volatile makeup to “white” bread made without bran. Commercial millers and bakers can take advantage of these results to formulate whole wheat flour with brans of preferred type in order to foster increased consumption of whole wheat products which confer many favorable health benefits.
The importance of prior choice in model selection: a density dependence example
Authors: Lawrence James D. , Gramacy Robert B. , Thomas Len , Buckland Stephen T.
Published: November 2012

It is important to discern the magnitude of density dependence a species exhibits, as well as the time lag over which it operates. Knowledge of a species' likely response to natural as well as synthetic shocks will assist in effective species management. Statistically this is a challenging problem which does not usually admit closed‐form mathematical analysis. Consequently, many people have used Bayesian methods to fit state space models of density dependence to many different species, of which we take eleven species of North American duck as our motivating examples. A Bayesian analysis requires a choice of model and parameter prior. The latter is difficult to do without inducing bias in model selection, and we attempt to address this problem.

Our priors will be obtained by considering which parameter values are representative of features we expect to see in the data, and which would produce unnatural behaviour. To fit the models, we use a novel sequential Monte Carlo method (particle learning) not previously applied to ecological data sets.

We show that existing analyses on the duck data may have been susceptible to a common problem in Bayesian model selection (Lindley's paradox), and suggest methods for prior selection which mitigate this issue. We also discover that although it is possible to detect the existence of density dependence, it is unrealistic to expect to determine the time lag over which it operates without a great deal of data, even if said data are simulated from the model.

We demonstrate that prior choices motivated by the above considerations can lead to substantially increased predictive accuracy over surprisingly long time scales whether model selection is of primary concern or not.

We conclude from our analysis of real‐world data that there is little evidence of density dependence in many duck species, suggesting that such effects, if present, are likely to be small in magnitude.
Co‐sintering Zirconia Electrolyte and Insulator Tapes for Sensor Applications
Authors: Li Wenxia , Feingold Alvin , Palanisamy Ponnusamy , Lorenz Gerald
Published: November 2012

Multilayer co‐sintered ceramics (HTCC or LTCC) are widely used for planar sensors (such as gas sensors for oxygen, hydrogen, hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, as well as, NOx, etc.) as well as solid oxide fuel cells, and other special applications such as high‐temperature batteries and transformers for deep‐well drilling. Ceramic tapes with different sintering behaviors can be modified so they can be co‐sintered to build multilayer devices. One of the main challenges in building these devices is the co‐sintering of a dissimilar material structure. In this study, co‐sintering of yttria stabilized zirconia and insulator tapes was studied. Their sintering behaviors were modified so that the effects of sintering shrinkage and sintering rate could be separated from coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) effects. It was found that “co‐burnout” has a strong effect on the delamination and cracking of the multilayer structures built with these dissimilar materials. The layer configuration in the co‐sintering structure also plays a strong role in determining the tolerance for sintering (sintering shrinkage and sintering rate) mismatch. The CTE and the sintering behavior of insulator tapes were modified to match those of zirconia tapes. Co‐sintering behavior of the modified insulator and zirconia tapes was examined. The effect of sintering mismatch on camber in multilayer structures is also discussed.
New Role for an Old Rule: N‐end Rule‐Mediated Degradation of Ethylene Responsive Factor Proteins Governs Low Oxygen Response in PlantsF
Authors: Licausi Francesco , Pucciariello Chiara , Perata Pierdomenico
Published: November 2012

The N‐end rule pathway regulates protein degradation, which depends on exposed N‐terminal sequences in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In plants, conserved and specific enzymes stimulate selective proteolysis. Although a number of developmental and growth phenotypes have been reported for mutants in the N‐end rule, its function has remained unrelated to specific physiological pathways. The first report of the direct involvement of the N‐end rule in stress responses focused on hypoxic signaling and how the oxygen‐dependent oxidation of cystein promotes the N‐end rule‐mediated degradation of ethylene responsive factor (ERF)‐VII proteins, the master regulators of anaerobic responses. It has been suggested that plants have evolved specific mechanisms to tune ERF‐VII availability in the nucleus. In this review, we speculate that ERF‐VII proteins are reversibly protected from degradation via membrane sequestration. The oxidative response in plants subjected to anoxic conditions suggests that reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species) may interact or interfere with the N‐end rule pathway‐mediated response to hypoxia.

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[ Pierdomenico Perata (Corresponding author)]
Do mood and the receipt of work‐based support influence nurse perceived quality of care delivery? A behavioural diary study
Authors: Jones Martyn C , Johnston Derek
Published: November 2012

Aims and objectives

To examine the effect of nurse mood in the worst event of shift (negative affect, positive affect), receipt of work‐based support from managers and colleagues, colleague and patient involvement on perceived quality of care delivery.

Background

While the effect of the work environment on nurse mood is well documented, little is known about the effects of the worst event of shift on the quality of care delivered by nurses.

Design

This behavioural diary study employed a within‐subject and between‐subject designs incorporating both cross‐sectional and longitudinal elements.

Methods

One hundred and seventy‐one nurses in four large district general hospitals in England completed end‐of‐shift computerised behavioural diaries over three shifts to explore the effects of the worst clinical incident of shift. Diaries measured negative affect, positive affect, colleague involvement, receipt of work‐based support and perceived quality of care delivery. Analysis used multilevel modelling (mlwin 2.19; Centre for Multi‐level Modelling, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK).

Results

High levels of negative affect and low levels of positive affect reported in the worst clinical incident of shift were associated with reduced perceived quality of care delivery. Receipt of managerial support and its interaction with negative affect had no relationship with perceived quality of care delivery. Perceived quality of care delivery deteriorated the most when the nurse reported a combination of high negative affect and no receipt of colleague support in the worst clinical incident of shift. Perceived quality of care delivery was also particularly influenced when the nurse reported low positive affect and colleague actions contributed to the problem.

Conclusions

Receipt of colleague support is particularly salient in protecting perceived quality of care delivery, especially if the nurse also reports high levels of negative affect in the worst event of shift.

Relevance to clinical practice

The effect of work‐based support on care delivery is complex and requires further investigation.
Characterization of a High Affinity Phytochelatin Synthase from The Cd‐Utilizing Marine Diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana
Authors: Gupton‐Campolongo Tiffany , Damasceno Leonardo M. , Hay Anthony G. , Ahner Beth A.
Published: November 2012

Phytochelatin synthase (PC synthase) is the enzyme that catalyzes the production of phytochelatins, peptides of the structure (γ‐Glu‐Cys)n‐Gly, where n = 2–11, from the sulfhydryl‐containing tripeptide glutathione, in response to elevated metal exposure. Biochemical utilization of Cd in the marine diatom Thalassiosira weissfloggi, as well as unusually high ratios of PC to Cd in some Thalassiosira species including T. pseudonana Hasle et Heimdal, motivated the characterization of T. pseudonana PC synthase 1 (TpPCS1). This enzyme is the product of one of three genes in the T. pseudonana genome predicted to encode for a PC synthase based on its homology to canonical PC synthases previously examined. TpPCS1 was cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. TpPCS1 exhibits several characteristics that set it distinctly apart from the well‐studied PC synthase, Arabidopsis thaliana PCS1 (AtPCS1). It is extremely sensitive to oxidation, which suppresses activity, and it is readily inhibited by the addition of Cd in the absence of thiolate ligands. TpPCS1 also has significantly greater affinity for one of its key substrates, the bis‐glutathionato‐Cd complex. TpPCS1 kinetics is best described by a ternary complex model, as opposed to the ping‐pong model used to describe AtPCS1 kinetics. The findings indicate that although the function of TpPCS1 is synonymous to that of AtPCS1, its divergent biochemistry suggests adaptation of this enzyme to the distinct trace metal chemistry of the marine environment and the unique physiological needs of T. pseudonana.