bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnitude and accuracy differences between judgements of remembering and forgetting
Authors: Serra Michael J. , England Benjamin D.
Published: May 2012

Metacognition researchers have recently begun to examine the effects of framing judgements of learning (JOLs) in terms of forgetting (rather than remembering) on the judgements' magnitude and accuracy. Although a promising new direction for the study of metamemory, initial studies have yielded inconsistent results. To help resolve these inconsistencies, in four experiments we had college students ( N = 434) study paired associates and make JOLs framed in terms of either remembering or forgetting over two study–test trials. Our goals were to further document the effects of framing on the magnitude and accuracy of JOLs and to consider explanations for why specific patterns tend to emerge. The present experiments provide evidence that (a) judgements of forgetting are psychologically anchored at the midpoint of the JOL scale, whereas judgements of remembering are anchored at a lower point, (b) differences in absolute accuracy (calibration) by frame are largely artefactual and stem from differences in anchoring, (c) differences in JOL magnitude and absolute accuracy by frame do not obtain when memory cues are salient to participants, and (d) a forget frame impairs the relative accuracy (resolution) of JOLs across trials by reducing participants' reliance on cues such as memory for past test performance.
Reward expectancy promotes generalized increases in attentional bias for rewarding stimuli
Authors: Jones Andrew , Hogarth Lee , Christiansen Paul , Rose Abigail K. , Martinovic Jasna , Field Matt
Published: May 2012

Expectations of drug availability increase the magnitude of attentional biases for drug-related cues. However, it is unknown whether these effects are outcome specific, or whether expectation of a specific reinforcer produces a general enhancement of attentional bias for other types of rewarding cues. In the present study, 31 social drinkers completed an eye-tracking task in which attentional bias for alcohol- and chocolate-related cues was assessed while the expectation of receiving alcohol and chocolate was manipulated on a trial-by-trial basis. Participants showed attentional bias for alcohol and chocolate cues (relative to neutral cues) overall. Importantly, these attentional biases for reward cues were magnified when participants expected to receive alcohol and chocolate, but effects were not outcome specific: The expectation of receiving either alcohol or chocolate increased attentional bias for both alcohol and chocolate cues. Results suggest that anticipation of reward produces a general rather than an outcome-specific enhancement of attentional bias for reward-related stimuli.
Dynamics of neutral gas depletion investigated by time- and space-resolved measurements of xenon atom ground state density
Authors: Liard L , Aanesland A , Chabert P
Published: May 2012

The dynamics of neutral gas depletion in high-density plasmas is investigated by time- and space-resolved measurements of the xenon ground state density. Two-photon absorbed laser induced fluorescence experiments were carried out in a helicon reactor operating at 10 mTorr in xenon gas. When the plasma is magnetized, a plasma column is formed from the bottom of the chamber up to the pumping region. In this situation it is found that two phenomena, with different time scales, are responsible for the neutral gas depletion. The magnetized plasma column is ignited in a short (millisecond) time scale leading to a neutral gas depletion at the discharge centre and to an increase of neutral gas density at the reactor walls. This is explained both by neutral gas heating and by the rise of the plasma pressure at the discharge centre. Then, on a much longer (second) time scale, the overall neutral gas density in the reactor decreases due to higher pumping efficiency when the magnetized plasma column is ignited. The pumping enhancement is not observed when the plasma is not magnetized, probably because in this case the dense plasma column vanishes and the plasma is more localized near the antenna.
Magneto-convection
Authors: Stein Robert F.
Published: May 2012

Convection is the transport of energy by bulk mass motions. Magnetic fields alter convection via the Lorentz force, while convection moves the fields via the curl(
v
×
B
) term in the induction equation. Recent ground-based and satellite telescopes have increased our knowledge of the solar magnetic fields on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Magneto-convection modelling has also greatly improved recently as computers become more powerful. Three-dimensional simulations with radiative transfer and non-ideal equations of state are being performed. Flux emergence from the convection zone through the visible surface (and into the chromosphere and corona) has been modelled. Local, convectively driven dynamo action has been studied. The alteration in the appearance of granules and the formation of pores and sunspots has been investigated. Magneto-convection calculations have improved our ability to interpret solar observations, especially the inversion of Stokes spectra to obtain the magnetic field and the use of helioseismology to determine the subsurface structure of the Sun.
The quiet-Sun photosphere and chromosphere
Authors: Rutten Robert J.
Published: May 2012

The overall structure and the fine structure of the solar photosphere outside active regions are largely understood, except possibly the important roles of a turbulent near-surface dynamo at its bottom, internal gravity waves at its top and small-scale vorticity. Classical one-dimensional static radiation-escape modelling has been replaced by three-dimensional time-dependent magento-hydrodynamic simulations that come closer to reality. The solar chromosphere, in contrast, remains little understood, although its pivotal role in coronal mass and energy loading makes it a principal research area. Its fine structure defines its overall structure, so that hard-to-observe and hard-to-model small-scale dynamical processes are key to understanding. However, both chromospheric observation and chromospheric simulation presently mature towards the required sophistication. Open-field features seem of greater interest than easier-to-see closed-field features.
Magnetic flux emergence and associated dynamic phenomena in the Sun
Authors: Archontis Vasilis
Published: May 2012

We present a review of the process of magnetic flux emergence in the Sun. We focus on observations and numerical experiments that explore the dynamical rise of magnetic fields from the solar interior to the corona. We describe the response of the highly stratified solar atmosphere on flux emergence and, consequently, we present a comprehensive picture of the coupling between solar dynamic events and flux emergence. We discuss potential applications of this process in other astrophysical environments.
Tris[2-(2H-indazol-2-yl)ethyl]amine
Authors: Ovalle Saúl , Elizondo Martínez Perla , Pérez Rodríguez Nancy , Bernès Sylvain , Flores-Alamo Marcos
Published: May 2012

The title tertiary amine, C27H27N7, a potential tripodal ligand for coordination chemistry, crystallizes with the central N atom located on a threefold axis of a trigonal cell. The gauche conformation of the N(amime)—CH2—CH2—N(indazole) chain [torsion angle = −64.2 (2)°] places the pendant 2H-indazole heterocycles surrounding the symmetry axis, affording a claw-like shaped molecule. Two symmetry-related indazole planes in the molecule make an acute angle of 60.39 (4)°. The lone pair of the tertiary N atom is located inside the cavity, and should thus be inactive (as a ligand). In the crystal, neither significant π–π nor C—H...π interactions between molecules are found.
Dichloridobis(methanol-κO)[cis-(±)-2,4,5-tris(pyridin-2-yl)-2-imidazoline-κ3
N
2,N
3,N
4]ytterbium(III) chloride
Authors: Baez-Castro Alberto , Höpfl Herbert , Parra-Hake Miguel , Cruz-Enriquez Adriana , Campos-Gaxiola Jose J.
Published: May 2012

In the crystal structure of the title complex, [YbCl2(C18H15N5)(CH3OH)2]Cl, the pseudo-pentagonal–bipyramidal coordination geometry of the YbIII cation is composed of three N atoms from one cis-(±)-2,4,5-tris(pyridin-2-yl)imidazoline (HL) ligand, two O atoms from two methanol molecules and two Cl− anions. Chains are formed along [010] through N—H...Cl, O—H...Cl and O—H...N hydrogen bonds.
Aqua(2,6-dihydroxybenzoato-κO
1)bis(1,10-phenanthroline-κ2
N,N′)manganese(II) 2,6-dihydroxybenzoate hemihydrate
Authors: Li Quanwei , He Li , Jin Hongxiao
Published: May 2012

In the complex cation of the title compound, [Mn(C7H5O4)(C12H8N2)2(H2O)](C7H5O4)·0.5H2O, the MnII atom has a six-coordinate octahedral environment defined by one carboxylate O atom belonging to a 2,6-dihydroxybenzoate (DHB) ligand, four N atoms from two chelating 1,10-phenanthroline molecules and one water molecule. The lattice water molecule lies on a twofold rotation axis. Intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bonds are present in the DHB anions and complex cations. Intermolecular O—H...O hydrogen bonds link two cations, two anions and one water molecule into a dimer. π–π interactions between the pyridine and benzene rings and between the benzene rings are also observed [centroid–centroid distances = 3.7774 (16), 3.7912 (16) and 3.7310 (17) Å].
Tris(cis-2-hydroxycyclohexane-1,3,5-triaminium) hydrogen sulfate octachloride dihydrate
Authors: Neis Christian , Merten Günter J. , Hegetschweiler Kaspar
Published: May 2012

The 2-hydroxycyclohexane-1,3,5-triaminium (= H3
L
3+) cation of the title compound, 3C6H18N3O3+·8Cl−·HSO4
−·2H2O, exhibits a cyclohexane chair with three equatorial ammonium groups and one axial hydroxy group in an all-cis configuration. The hydrogen sulfate anion and two water molecules lie on or in proximity to a threefold axis and are disordered. The crystal structure features N—H...Cl and O—H...Cl hydrogen bonds. Three C
3-symmetric motifs can be identified in the structure: (i) Two chloride ions (on the C
3-axis) together with three H3
L
3+ cations constitute an [(H3
L)3Cl2]7+ cage. (ii) The lipophilic C6H6-sides of three H3
L
3+ cations, which are oriented directly towards the C
3-axis, generate a lipophilic void. The void is filled with the disordered water molecules and with the disordered part of the hydrogen sulfate ion. The hydrogen atoms of these disordered moieties were not located. (iii) Three H3
L
3+ cations together with one HSO4
− and three Cl− counter-ions form an [(HSO4)(H3
L)3Cl3]5+ cage. Looking along the C
3-axis, these three motifs are arranged in the order (cage 1)...(lipophilic void)...(cage 2). The crystal studied was found to be a racemic twin.
(3R,4S)-3,4,8-Trihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-1-one monohydrate from Embellisia eureka
Authors: Ouchbani Tarik , Zouihri Hafid , Essassi El Mokhtar , Proksch Peter , Ng Seik Weng
Published: May 2012

In the title hydrate, C10H10O4·H2O, the six-membered aliphatic ring that is fused to the benzene ring has a sofa shape, with the hydroxy group in the 3-position (that represents the sofa back) of the aliphatic ring occupying a quasi-axial position. The hydroxy group of the aromatic ring is hydrogen-bond donor to the carbonyl O atom; other O—H...O hydrogen bonds link the organic molecules and the water molecules into a three-dimensional network.
Caffeine–N-phthaloyl-β-alanine (1/1)
Authors: Bhatti Moazzam H. , Yunus Uzma , Shah Syed Raza , Flörke Ulrich
Published: May 2012

The title co-crystal [systematic name: 3-(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)propanoic acid–1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6(3H,7H)-dione (1/1)], C8H10N4O2·C11H9NO4, is the combination of 1:1 adduct of N-phthaloyl-β-alanine with caffeine. The phthalimide and purine rings in the N-phthaloyl-β-alanine and caffeine molecules are essentially planar, with r.m.s. deviations of the fitted atoms of 0.0078 and 0.0118 Å, respectively. In the crystal, the two molecules are linked via an O—H...N hydrogen bond involving the intact carboxylic acid (COOH) group. The crystal structure is consolidated by C—H...O interactions. The H atoms of a methyl group of the caffeine molecule are disordered over two sets of sites of equal occupancy.
3,3′-Carbonyldipyridinium bis(perchlorate)
Authors: Zhang Ya , Li Ai-min , Wang Zhi-wei , Wan Chong-Qing
Published: May 2012

In the title molecular salt, C11H10N2O2+·2ClO4
−, the complete cation is generated by crystallographic twofold symmetry. The dihedral angle between the pyridyl rings is 67.07 (7)°. The crystal structure features N—H...Cl hydrogen bonds, forming sheets in the ab plane.
Bis(μ-diisopropylphosphanido-κ2
P:P)bis[hydrido(triisopropylphosphane-κP)platinum(II)]
Authors: Arnold Nicole , Braunschweig Holger , Damme Alexander
Published: May 2012

In the centrosymmetric molecular structure of the title compound [Pt2(C6H14P)2H2(C9H21P)2], each PtII atom is bound on one side to a phosphane ligand (PiPr3) and a hydrido ligand. On the other side, it is bound to two phosphanide ligands (μ-PiPr2), which engage a bridging position between the two PtII atoms, forming a distorted square-planar structure motif. The Pt...Pt distance is 3.6755 (2) Å. A comparable molecular structure was observed for bis(μ-di-tert-butylphosphanido)bis[hydrido(triethylphosphane)platinum(II)] [Itazaki et al. (2004). Organometallics, 23, 1610–1621].
4-[(Adamantan-1-yl)carbamoyl]pyridinium chloride
Authors: Wang Ying-Chun
Published: May 2012

In the title salt, C16H21N2O+·Cl−, the amide group makes a dihedral angle of 24.98 (2)° with respect to the pyridinium ring. In the crystal, both the amide and pyridinium N atoms are involved in N—H...Cl hydrogen bonding. Weak intermolecular C—H...Cl and C—H...O interactions also occur.
Tris(2-{[2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]iminomethyl}phenolato-κ2
N,O
1)cobalt(III)
Authors: Ourari Ali , Ouennoughi Yasmina , Bouacida Sofiane
Published: May 2012

In the title compound, [Co(C16H16NO2)3], the CoIII atom is six-coordinated in an irregular octahedral geometry by three N,O-chelating 2-{[2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]iminomethyl}phenolate groups. One of the three methoxy group is disordered over two sets of sites with an occupancy ratio of 0.768 (5):0.232 (5). The crystal packing can be described by alternating zigzag layers of organic ligands and CoN3O3 octahedra along the c axis. There are no classical hydrogen bonds in the structure, but C—H...π interactions occur.
1-[2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-5-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1,3,4-oxadiazol-3-yl]ethanone
Authors: Fun Hoong-Kun , Arshad Suhana , Shyma P. C. , Kalluraya Balakrishna , Arulmoli T.
Published: May 2012

In the title compound, C16H14ClN3O2, the 2,3-dihydro-1,3,4-oxadiazole ring [maximum deviation = 0.030 (1) Å] and the pyridine ring [maximum deviation = 0.012 (1) Å] are inclined slightly to one another, making a dihedral angle of 11.91 (5)°. The chloro-substituted phenyl ring is almost perpendicular to the 2,3-dihydro-1,3,4-oxadiazole and pyridine rings at dihedral angles of 86.86 (5) and 75.26 (5)°, respectively. In the crystal, π–π [centroid–centroid distance = 3.7311 (6) Å] and C—H...π interactions are observed.
N′-(3,4-Dichlorobenzylidene)-5-methyl-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carbohydrazide
Authors: Fun Hoong-Kun , Arshad Suhana , Nithinchandra  , Kalluraya Balakrishna , Vidyashree J. H. S.
Published: May 2012

In the title compound, C17H12Cl2N6O3, the 1H-1,2,3-triazole ring [maximum deviation = 0.003 (1) Å] forms dihedral angles of 34.08 (6) and 28.38 (6)°, respectively, with the nitro- and dichloro-substituted benzene rings. The dihedral angle between the benzene rings is 6.68 (5)°. In the crystal, C—H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into chains running parallel to the a axis.
Tetrakis(pyridazine-κN)bis(thiocyanato-κN)nickel(II) pyridazine disolvate
Authors: Wöhlert Susanne , Wriedt Mario , Jess Inke , Näther Christian
Published: May 2012

The reaction of nickel(II) thiocyanate with an excess of pyridazine leads to single crystals of the title compound, [Ni(NCS)2(C4H4N2)4]·2C4H4N2. The NiII cations are coordinated by two terminal N-bonded thiocyanate anions (trans) and four pyridazine ligands in a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. The discrete complexes are arranged into layers parallel to the ab plane which are separated by additional non-coordinated pyridazine ligands.
Bis[trans-dichloridobis(propane-1,3-diamine-κ2
N,N′)chromium(III)] tetrachloridozincate determined using synchrotron radiation
Authors: Moon Dohyun , Subhan Md Abdus , Choi Jong-Ha
Published: May 2012

In the title compound, [CrCl2(C3H10N2)2]2[ZnCl4], the CrIII atom is coordinated by four N atoms of propane-1,3-diamine (tn) and two Cl atoms in a trans arrangement, displaying a distorted octahedral geometry with crystallographic inversion symmetry; the Zn atom in the [ZnCl4]2− anion lies on a -4 axis. The orientations of the two six-membered chelate rings in the complex cation are in an anti chair–chair conformation with respect to each other. The Cr—N bond lengths are 2.087 (6) and 2.097 (6) Å. The Cr—Cl and Zn—Cl bond lengths are 2.3151 (16) and 2.3255 (13) Å, respectively. Weak intermolecular hydrogen bonds involving the tn NH2 groups as donors and chloride ligands of the anion and cation as acceptors are observed.
N-[4-(4-Chlorobenzenesulfonamido)phenylsulfonyl]acetamide
Authors: Khan Islam Ullah , Ejaz  , Farid Sidra , Harrison William T. A.
Published: May 2012

In the title compound, C14H13ClN2O5S2, the dihedral angles between the central benzene ring and the pendant chlorobenzene ring and the N-acetyl group are 82.35 (5) and 79.71 (6)°, respectively, and the overall conformation of the molecule approximates to a U shape. Both the C—S—N—C conformations are gauche, but with opposite senses [torsion angles = −59.29 (15) and 63.68 (16)°]. An intramolecular C—H...O interaction generates an S(6) ring. In the crystal, inversion dimers linked by pairs of N—H...O hydrogen bonds generate R
2
2(20) loops. A second N—H...O hydrogen bond links the dimers into (101) layers.
Cloned IGH VDJ targets as tools for personalized minimal residual disease monitoring in mature lymphoid malignancies; a feasibility study in mantle cell lymphoma by the Groupe Ouest Est d'Etude des Leucémies et Autres Maladies du Sang
Authors: Gimenez Estelle , Chauvet Martine , Rabin Laetitia , Puteaud Isabelle , Duley Samuel , Hamaidia Sieme , Bruder Juliana , Rolland‐Neyret Valérie , Le Gouill Steven , Tournilhac Olivier , Voog Eric , Maisonneuve Hervé , Jacob Marie C. , Leroux Dominique , Béné Marie C. , Formisano‐Tréziny Christine , Gabert Jean , Gressin Rémy , Callanan Mary B.
Published: May 2012

Molecular minimal residual disease (MRD) analysis is fast emerging as an essential clinical decision‐making tool for the treatment and follow‐up of mature B cell malignancies. Current EuroMRD consensus IGH real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction RQ‐PCR assays rely on flow cytometric assessment of diagnostic tumour burdens to construct ‘normalized’, patient‐specific, diagnostic DNA‐based MRD quantification standards. Here, we propose a new ‘hybrid’ assay that relies on plasmid‐based quantification of patient‐specific IGH VDJ targets by consensus IGH real time (RQ)‐PCR, combined with EuroMRD guidelines, for MRD monitoring in lymphoid malignancies. This assay was evaluated for MRD assessment in a total of 273 samples from 29 mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients treated within a Groupe Ouest Est d'Etude des Leucémies et Autres Maladies du Sang (GOELAMS) Phase II trial and was feasible, reliable and consistently comparable to gold‐standard MRD techniques (99% concordance across all samples including 32 samples within the quantitative range) when analysed in parallel (117 samples). Integrating clinical prognostic parameters and MRD status in peripheral blood at the post‐induction stage was predictive of progression‐free survival (P = 0·034) thus demonstrating the clinical utility of the approach. Plasmid‐based standards for the quantification of IGH VDJ targets are therefore confirmed to offer new opportunities for further standardization and clinical evaluation of MRD‐guided management of patients with mature B cell malignancies.
Incidence of severe congenital neutropenia in Sweden and risk of evolution to myelodysplastic syndrome/leukaemia
Authors: Carlsson Göran , Fasth Anders , Berglöf Elisabet , Lagerstedt‐Robinson Kristina , Nordenskjöld Magnus , Palmblad Jan , Henter Jan‐Inge , Fadeel, Bengt
Published: May 2012

Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) is characterized by low blood neutrophil counts, early bacterial infections, and risk of leukaemia development. As yet, no population‐based incidence estimates of SCN have been reported. Children less than 16 years of age with SCN were sought in Sweden during the 20‐year period 1987–2006 by a questionnaire to all Swedish Departments of Paediatrics and by reviewing the Swedish Health and Welfare Statistical Databases. Thirty‐two patients were diagnosed with congenital neutropenia during this period. All received treatment with recombinant granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF). Twenty‐one patients were diagnosed as SCN or probable SCN, corresponding to 1·0 per 100 000 live births. Nine (43%) had ELANE mutations, four (19%) HAX1 mutations and eight (38%) were children with disease of unknown genetic aetiology. Four out of 21 patients (19%) developed myelodysplastic syndrome/leukaemia and three (14%) died, all with leukaemia. The cumulative incidence of myelodysplastic syndrome/leukaemia was 31%. The observed incidence of SCN in this population‐based study was higher than previously estimated, possibly because genetic testing now can identify SCN cases previously thought to be idiopathic or benign neutropenia. The risk of developing myelodysplastic syndrome/leukaemia is considerable. ELANE mutations are the most commonly identified genetic defects.
Mating or ovipositing? A crucial decision in the life history of the cabbage aphid parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae (M’Intosh)
Authors: KANT RASHMI , MINOR MARIA , TREWICK STEVE
Published: May 2012

1. The reproductive fitness of a parasitoid depends on its mating and ovipositing success. Virgin haplodiploid females can reproduce, but produce only males, and may diminish fitness by producing more male offspring than required. Therefore, females must decide on whether to mate or oviposit first.

2. This study was conducted to assess the mating versus ovipositing decision and its impact on the reproductive fitness of Diaeretiella rapae (Hymenoptera: Aphididae), an endoparasitoid of the cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

3. When newly emerged females were given a choice between mating and ovipositing, about 62% of D. rapae females preferred to mate before ovipositing. Those females who oviposited before mating parasitised only 10% of the available aphids. After mating, females superparasitised their hosts with fertilised eggs, which resulted in a highly female‐biased sex ratio in the offspring.

4. Mating success was very high (91%) in the presence of hosts (cabbage aphid nymphs) compared with that in the absence of aphids. However, mating success was not influenced by the quality (size) of the hosts present in the mating arena, despite a parasitoid preference for larger hosts during oviposition. The time between pairing and mating was also shorter in the presence of host aphids. The mean number of aphids parasitised and the parasitism rate were significantly greater after mating.
Influence of macronutrient imbalance on native ant foraging and interspecific interactions in the field
Authors: PETRY WILLIAM K. , PERRY KAYLA I. , MOONEY KAILEN A.
Published: May 2012

1. Ants interact with a diversity of organisms. These interactions, coupled with their abundance, cause ants to have ecologically important effects across multiple trophic levels.

2. Empirical study of ant nutritional ecology has led to the prediction that a macronutrient imbalance will affect ant behaviour and interspecific interactions that underlie these broad‐scale effects. Excess carbohydrate relative to protein is predicted to increase ant aggressiveness, predatory tendency and foraging activity, and to decrease collection of hemipteran honeydew and plant nectar.

3. In field experiments conducted in 2009 and 2010, captive colony fragments of a native ant, Formica podzolica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), were provided with either simulated prey or carbohydrate solution ad libitum. Foraging behaviours and interactions with flowers, myrmecophilous aphids and aphid natural enemies on wild‐grown plants were documented.

4. Strong effects of macronutrient imbalance on foraging manifested quickly and consistently across colonies; in accordance with predictions, prey‐fed foragers collected both honeydew and floral nectar, whereas carbohydrate‐fed ants ceased collecting these resources. Counter to predictions, carbohydrate‐fed ants dramatically lowered their activity levels and did not prey upon aphids.

5. Ants had no effect on aphid enemies in 2009, when the latter were relatively rare, but decreased their abundance in 2010. Despite this protection, the net effect of ants on aphids was negative (measured only in 2009). Prey‐fed ants demonstrated a strong preference for honeydew over floral nectar, thus demonstrating that a macronutrient imbalance may lead to different interactions with similar resources.

6. This study links ant nutrition and community ecology by demonstrating the rapid, asymmetric and multitrophic consequences of nutritionally mediated behaviour.
Patch choice from a distance and use of habitat information during foraging by the parasitoid Ibalia leucospoides
Authors: FISCHBEIN DEBORAH , BETTINELLI JULIETA , BERNSTEIN CARLOS , CORLEY JUAN C.
Published: May 2012

1. In environments in which resources are distributed heterogeneously, patch choice and the length of time spent on a patch by foragers are subject to strong selective pressures. This is particularly true for parasitoids because their host foraging success translates directly into individual fitness.

2. The aim of this study was to test whether: (i) females of the parasitoid Ibalia leucospoides (Hymenoptera: Ibaliidae) can discriminate among patches according to host numbers; (ii) the surrounding context affects the initial choice of patch, as well as time spent on patch; and (iii) the perceived quality of a given patch is affected by the quality of the surrounding patches.

3. Each female was randomly exposed to one of three different three‐patch environments which differed in host number per patch, mean environment host number and host distribution among patches. For each treatment level, the first patch chosen and the time allocated to each patch visited by the female were recorded.

4. Females of I. leucospoides were able to discriminate different levels of host numbers among patches from a distance. The patch bearing the highest number of hosts was, predominantly, the first choice. Patch host number in association with mean habitat profitability influenced the length of time spent on the first patch visited. By contrast, variance in habitat profitability did not influence time allocation decisions. Contrary to the study prediction, there were no significant habitat‐dependent time allocation differences among patches holding the same number of hosts.

5. The results indicate that, for I. leucospoides, patch exploitation decisions are partially influenced by information obtained from the habitat as a whole, a behaviour that may prove to indicate adaptive ability in highly patchy environments, as well as suggesting the presence of good cognitive abilities in this parasitoid species.
From logs to landscapes: determining the scale of ecological processes affecting the incidence of a saproxylic beetle
Authors: JACKSON HEATHER B. , BAUM KRISTEN A. , CRONIN JAMES T.
Published: May 2012

1. Species incidence is influenced by environmental and intrinsic factors operating at multiple scales. The incidence of a dispersal‐limited beetle, Odontotaenius disjunctus (Coleoptera: Passalidae), was surveyed within hierarchically nested organisational levels of its environment (log sections < logs < 10‐m radius subplots < 0.66‐ha plots) in Louisiana, U.S.A. The finest level was the size of a single territory. Passalid beetles are an ecologically prominent group, but little is known of the factors affecting their incidence.

2. Three scale‐sensitive aspects of O. disjunctus incidence were evaluated: (i) the extent (52–3600 ha) within which forest cover was most associated with incidence; (ii) the hierarchical level at which environmental variables best predicted incidence; and (iii) the hierarchical level at which incidence exhibited the greatest spatial autocorrelation as a result of intrinsic factors (e.g. dispersal limitation).

3. Forest cover best predicted incidence at 225 ha, but accounted for only 1.2% of variation in incidence. Incidence was most sensitive to environmental factors measured at the finest scale (i.e. territories). Incidence was positively associated with moderately decayed wood and increased surface area of logs (9.9% and 3.1% of variance, respectively). When environmental factors were accounted for, spatial autocorrelation in incidence was greatest within subplots and logs, consistent with the hypothesis that intrinsic autocorrelation is associated with O. disjunctus average dispersal distance (<5 m).

4. This study indicates the influences of factors acting at multiple scales, but suggests that environmental conditions at the scale of territories may be most important for species incidence.
Re‐examining extreme longevity of the cave crayfish Orconectes australis using new mark–recapture data: a lesson on the limitations of iterative size‐at‐age models
Authors: VENARSKY MICHAEL P. , HURYN ALEXANDER D. , BENSTEAD JONATHAN P.
Published: May 2012

1. Centenarian species, defined as those taxa with life spans that frequently exceed 100 years, have long been of interest to ecologists because they represent an extreme end point in a continuum of life history strategies. One frequently reported example of a freshwater centenarian is the obligate cave crayfish Orconectes australis, with a maximum longevity reported to exceed 176 years. As a consequence of its reported longevity, O. australis has been used as a textbook example of life history adaptation to the organic‐carbon limitation that characterises many cave‐stream food webs.

2. Despite being widely reported, uncertainties surround the original estimates of longevity for O. australis, which were based on a single study dating from the mid‐1970s. In the present study, we re‐evaluated the growth rate, time‐to‐maturity, female age‐at‐first‐reproduction and longevity of O. australis using a mark–recapture study of more than 5 years based upon more than 3800 free‐ranging individuals from three isolated cave streams in the south‐eastern United States.

3. The results of our study indicate that accurate estimates of the longevity of O. australis are ≤22 years, with only a small proportion of individuals (<5%) exceeding this age. Our estimates for female time‐to‐maturity (4–5 years) and age‐at‐first‐reproduction (5–6 years) are also substantially lower than earlier estimates.

4. These new data indicate that the age thresholds for life history events of O. australis are comparable to other estimates for a modest assemblage of cave and surface species of crayfish for which credible age estimate exists, suggesting that a cave environment per se is not required for the evolution of extreme longevity in crayfish.
The contribution of Dutch landscape painters to the conservation of geoheritage
Authors: Jungerius Pieter , van den Ancker Hanneke , Wevers Nina
Published: May 2012

Landscape images are a way to register geoheritage, and we have applied it here in a consideration of the landscapes of the Netherlands. Before the 1950s these landscapes were documented chiefly by landscape painters; with useful photographs of limited availability. We have looked through a large number of paintings of Dutch landscapes to assess their geoheritage value, and present here a first reconnaissance.
Ice thawing, mountains falling—are alpine rock slope failures increasing?
Authors: Huggel C. , Allen S. , Deline P. , Fischer L. , Noetzli J. , Ravanel L.
Published: May 2012

Many high‐mountain environments of the world have seen dramatic changes in the past years and decades. Glaciers are retreating and downwasting, often at a dramatically fast pace, leaving large amounts of potentially unstable debris, moraines and rock slopes behind. Although in the main invisible to the eye of an observer, permafrost, i.e. rock and debris with permanent zero or subzero temperatures, is thawing. Several slopes have become unstable and landslides potentially related to permafrost degradation have received wide‐ranging attention from both scientists and the media. A number of those landslides can be related to the effects of recent changes in the cryosphere, which are ultimately driven by changes in climatic parameters, in particular temperature and precipitation.
Observations of assisted feeding among people with language impairment
Authors: Martinsen Bente , Norlyk Annelise
Published: May 2012

Aims and objectives.  This study examines the phenomenon of assisted feeding among people with language impairment.

Background.  Patients’ experience of assisted feeding is influenced by the caregivers’ availability and their other responsibilities. Also, caregivers and patients may have different values with respect to assisted feeding.

Methods.  Instances of assisted feeding (n = 42) were observed among people with language impairment admitted to a neurological ward. Field notes were taken simultaneously and in some cases a few simple questions were posed to the caregivers or the patients. All notes and answers were analysed using the phenomenological guidelines of Dahlberg and colleagues (2008, Studentlitteratur AB, Stockholm).

Result.  The essence of assisted feeding among people living with language impairment was identified to be a transaction characterised by efficiency. The constituents of the essence were in the shadow of institutional structures, accidental relationships with potential humiliation, meal‐related conventions versus respect for the individual’s wishes, sense of joy threatened by goal‐related determination’ time being significant for the course of the meal.

Conclusion.  This study shows that assisted feeding is not important enough to postpone other activities in a neurological ward. Although assisted feeding is an opportunity to enjoy mutual contact and exchange information between the patient and the caregiver, it is a situation where the nutritional aspect of the meal tends to take precedence. We recommend that the focus of recent years on the patients’ nutritional status is now supplemented by improvement in the relational and affective aspects of meals, especially for people who require assistance to eat.

Relevance to clinical practice.  The findings indicate that the institutional conditions for meals need to be reconsidered. For instance caregivers could be exempted from other responsibilities during mealtimes. More flexible time‐limits for meals depending on the number of patients with extensive assistance needs is another possibility.
Living through gynaecological cancer: three typologies
Authors: Sekse Ragnhild JT , Råheim Målfrid , Blåka Gunnhild , Gjengedal Eva
Published: May 2012

Aims and objectives.  The aim of this qualitative study is to highlight how women experienced living through gynaecological cancer.

Background.  The increasing number of long‐term survivors after cancer has created a greater need for knowledge about how patients live through the illness.

Design.  A qualitative design, with a phenomenological–hermeneutical perspective, provided the framework for the study.

Method.  Thirty‐two unstructured in‐depth interviews with 16 women were conducted. Each woman was interviewed twice: one year apart, and five and six years after treatment, respectively. Stepwise meaning condensation was used to analyse the data.

Results.  Based on the women’s first‐hand stories about their experiences with cancer, we identified three typologies, describing different ways in which the women negotiated encountering and living through cancer. These typologies are the emotion‐ and relationship‐oriented women, the activity‐oriented women and the self‐controlled women.

Conclusions.  There are substantial differences regarding how women process the experience of cancer. The findings add valuable knowledge about the impact cancer can have on women’s lives and can be of help for nurses who support patients during treatment and follow‐up.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Understanding different ways women can experience living through cancer is fundamental for the development and improvement of cancer care. Allowing time for the women to talk with nurses about their cancer experiences could be essential during treatment and follow‐up. Nurses can support the women by listening to their stories, accepting their emotions and informing them in detail. The findings in this study imply that strengthening nurses’ listening and conversational competence can be of importance for supporting patients after cancer. By building on the women’s own stories, it might be possible to create a follow‐up process that is individually tailored for each cancer patient.
Nerve growth factor content is increased in the rectal mucosa of children with diarrhea‐predominant irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Willot S. , Gauthier C. , Patey N. , Faure C.
Published: May 2012

Background  The enteric nervous system is a complex network that includes, in the digestive mucosa, neuronal bodies and fibers interacting with the immune system and mucosal mast cells (MC). These interactions involve the secretion of messengers, such as the neurotrophin nerve growth factor (NGF), which influence colonic motility and sensitivity, both affected in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study was designed to test the hypothesis that, in children with IBS, colonic mucosal innervation, NGF content, and MC infiltration are altered. We aimed to measure MC infiltration, number of neuronal bodies, distance from MC to nerve fibers, inflammation, and NGF content in rectal mucosa of pediatric patients with IBS as compared with controls.

Methods  Rectal biopsies from children (median age: 14 years) with diarrhea‐predominant IBS (n = 11) and controls (n = 14) were studied. MC and neuronal mucosal structures were identified by tryptase, CD117 and PGP9.5 immunoreactivity. Inflammatory cells (neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes) were counted. NGF was quantified in situ by ELISA.

Key Results  No mucosal inflammation was detected in IBS. MC infiltration and number of neuronal bodies were not significantly different between IBS and controls. The distance between MC and nerve fibers was not different in IBS compared with controls (5.2 ± 0.3 vs 5.0 ± 0.3 μm). Number of MC in close proximity to nerve fibers (<5 μm) was not different in the two groups. However, in IBS, NGF content was higher than controls (0.93 ± 0.3 vs 0.62 ± 0.3 pg mg−1 protein, P < 0.05) and significantly correlated with MC number.

Conclusions & Inferences  Regardless of inflammation, NGF content is increased in rectal mucosa of diarrhea‐predominant IBS children.
Intestinal aganglionosis is associated with early and sustained disruption of the colonic microbiome
Authors: Ward N. L. , Pieretti A. , Dowd S. E. , Cox S. B. , Goldstein A. M.
Published: May 2012

Background  Congenital aganglionosis (Hirschsprung’s disease) results in colonic dysmotility and a risk for Hirschsprung’s‐associated enterocolitis (HAEC), whose cause is unknown. We hypothesized that aganglionosis leads to microbiome changes that may contribute to HAEC risk.

Methods  Colon and fecal samples were collected from endothelin receptor B‐null (Ednrb−/−) mice, an established model of colorectal aganglionosis, at postnatal day 7 (P7), P20, and P24. We determined microbiome composition by 16S ribosomal RNA gene pyrosequencing and fecal metabolite profile by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Key Results  Wild‐type (WT) mice exhibited increasing species diversity with age, with mutant mice possessing even greater diversity. WT and mutant microbiomes, both fecal and colonic, significantly segregated by principal coordinates analysis based on species composition at all ages examined. Importantly, mutant mice contained more Bacteroidetes and less Firmicutes than WT, with additional genus‐ and species‐level differences observed. Notably, mutant P7 colon was dominated by coagulase‐negative Staphylococcus species, which were rare in WT. Mutant fecal metabolite profiles also differed, particularly in the abundance of formate, a short‐chain fatty acid product of microbial fermentation.

Conclusions & Inferences  Colorectal aganglionosis is associated with early and sustained disruption of the normal colonic and fecal microbiome, supporting the enteric nervous system as a determinant of microbiome composition. Furthermore, the differences observed suggest a potential contributory role for the microbiome in the etiology of HAEC. These findings provide a basis for further studies to determine the causative role of specific bacterial communities in HAEC and the potential to restore the normal microbiome in Hirschsprung’s disease.
Seed Fatty Acid Reducer acts downstream of gibberellin signalling pathway to lower seed fatty acid storage in Arabidopsis
Authors: CHEN MINGXUN , DU XUE , ZHU YANG , WANG ZHONG , HUA SHUIJIAN , LI ZHILAN , GUO WANGLI , ZHANG GUOPING , PENG JINRONG , JIANG LIXI
Published: May 2012

Previous studies based on microarray analysis have found that DELLAs down‐regulate several GDSL genes in unopened flowers and/or imbibed seeds. This suggests the role of DELLAs in seed fatty acid (FA) metabolism. In the present study, enhancement of gibberellin (GA) signalling through DELLA mutation or exogenous gibberellin acid A3 (GA3) resulted in the up‐regulated expression of transcription factors for embryogenesis and seed development, genes involved in the FA biosynthesis pathway, and five GDSL‐type Seed Fatty Acid Reducer (SFAR) genes. SFAR overexpression reduced the total seed FA content and led to a particular pattern of seed FA composition. This ‘SFAR footprint’ can also be found in plants with enhanced GA3 signalling. By contrast, the loss of SFAR function dramatically increases the seed FA content. The transgenic lines that overexpress SFAR were less sensitive to stressful environments, reflected by a higher germination rate and better seedling establishment compared with the wild type (WT) plants. The GDSL‐type hydrolyzer is a family of proteins largely uncharacterized in Arabidopsis. Their biological function remains poorly understood. SFAR reduces seed FA storage and acts downstream of the GA signalling pathway. We provide the first evidence that some GDSL proteins are somehow involved in FA degradation in Arabidopsis seeds.
Response to: ‘Meanderings into the Regulation of Effector Class by the Immune System: Derivation of the Trauma Model’ by Melvin Cohn
Authors: Ellestad K. K.
Published: May 2012

Cohn M. Meanderings into the regulation of effector class by the immune system: derivation of the trauma model. Scand J Immunol 2012;76:77–88 delves into the discussion of how the immune system might regulate the decision between the immune response effector classes, and in particular identifies some key questions that need to be asked to understand how different classes of immune response occurring at the same time might be able to remain coherent and discrete. This is a needed discussion that advances the field, and the experiments proposed will go a long way to increasing our understanding of effector class regulation. However, in my opinion, the author makes some strong statements requiring substantiation regarding the impossibility of the involvement of germline‐selected recognitive events as participating in self/non‐self discrimination. Furthermore, the present discussion ignores a large body of contemporary literature describing the function and specificity of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) and formulates a theory that specifically excludes a role for Treg in maintaining self‐tolerance without placing the contemporary evidence in the context of that theory. Thus in my opinion, these shortcomings should be addressed by the author.
Body mass index and postoperative complications in kidney transplant recipients
Authors: ZRIM STEPHANIE , FURLONG TIM , GRACE BLAIR S , MEADE ANTHONY
Published: May 2012

Background:  There is a growing number of overweight and obese patients receiving kidney transplants, despite elevated body mass index (BMI) being associated with postoperative complications. Understanding associations between BMI and complications would allow more objectivity when recommending patients for transplantation or otherwise.

Methods:  We analysed a retrospective cohort of 508 adult patients who received primary kidney grafts at a single centre in South Australia, 2002–2009, using hospital records and Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA) data. Complications within 1 year of transplantation were classified into: surgical, wound, urological, delayed graft function, early nephrectomy and admission to intensive care unit (ICU).

Results:  Overall, 62% of transplant recipients had a BMI above 25 kg/m2 at transplant. Higher BMI was associated with an increased risk of wound complications (P < 0.001), early nephrectomy (P = 0.002) and delayed graft function (P = 0.03), but not associated with surgical or urological complications, or ICU admission. These associations were stronger for Indigenous Australians than other patients, especially for surgical complications. There was no BMI value above which risks of complications increase substantially.

Conclusion:  Delayed graft function is an important determinant of patient outcomes. Wound complications can be serious, and are more common in patients with higher BMI. This may justify the use of elevated BMI as a contraindication for transplantation, although no obvious cut‐off value exists. Investigations into other measures of body fat composition and distribution are warranted.
Serotonin 1A receptor genetic variations, suicide, and life events in the Iranian population
Authors: Samadi Rad Bahram , Ghasemi Asghar , Seifi Morteza , Samadikuchaksaraei Ali , Baybordi Fatemeh , Danaei Nasim
Published: May 2012

Aim:  The association of serotonin 1A receptor (5‐HTR1A) gene polymorphisms with suicidal behavior has been reported in several previous studies, but the results have been inconsistent, which might be due to ethnic differences. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the association between polymorphisms −1019C>G, 47C>T (Pro16Leu) and 815G>A (Gly272Asp) and suicidal behavior, taking into account age, gender, and the presence of stressful life and loss events in 1 year prior to suicide.

Methods:  A total of 191 suicide victims and 218 healthy control subjects were included in the present study. 5‐HT1RA gene polymorphisms were determined on polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Results:  The distribution of −1019C>G genotypes was significantly different in suicide victims and healthy controls (P = 0.002), and the GG genotype was associated with a significantly higher number of more stressful life and loss events in the suicide victims (P = 0.017, P = 0.037, respectively). The distribution of 47C>T (Pro16Leu) and 815G>A (Gly272Asp) genotypes was not significantly different in the suicide victims and control subjects (P > 0.05). Moreover, these genotypes were not associated with stressful life and loss events (P > 0.05).

Conclusion:  The frequency of the −1019G allele in the 5‐HTR1A gene was higher in suicide victims (with stressful life events) as compared with the control group. In contrast, neither 47C>T (Pro16Leu) nor 815G>A (Gly272Asp) polymorphisms were related with suicide and stressful life events.