bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypertext Call: a pragmatic approach
Authors: Burgess Gordon J A
Published: December 2008

Since 1984, CALL materials have been used on a regular basis in the German Department at the University of Aberdeen in integrated language courses, in order to practise and consolidate the material taught in face-to-face contact classes. CALL work essentially forms a backup to the taught part of the course. What the students are taught one week, they practise in their CALL class the following week, and additionally have the opportunity to work on further exercises on a private-study basis. Within the field of language learning, our experience suggests that the computer can be above all a superb tool for revision and consolidation. With the development and use of hypertext materials, there is more than just the possibility that it can now become even more effective than hitherto.
CALL Systems
Authors: Bowerman Chris
Published: December 2008

The history of computer-aided language learning (CALL) dates back some 40 years. During this period two main types of system have been developed: frame-based and intelligent. These two types of programs are examined in turn below.
Adapting a grammar checker for learner writers
Authors: Levy Mike , Garton James
Published: December 2008

This paper explores the potential and limitations of Grammatik 5 as a tool for revising writing, particularly as a grammar checker and adviser. It will examine the proposition that writing strategies can be enhanced when the program is 'tuned' to suit a group of ESL writers, with grammar rules and advice written to meet the learner's specific needs.

The rules and advice designed by the authors for Grammatik 5 have been chosen and written on the basis of an analysis of errors in a corpus of learner scripts within the academic genre of essay writing. The corpus contains a set of 28 essays written by 4 students over a period of 14 weeks in a university course designed to develop ESL students' writing skills.

In the role of corrector the computer has to be unfailingly accurate. If, on the other hand, the computer is cast in the role of tool, to simply identify elements of the language to the learner, the shortcomings of the computer as infallible assessor can be avoided. This role is a more appropriate one given the complexities of evaluating written work and limitations in the capacity of the current generation of computer programs to correct reliably.

A basic assumption of the paper is that the goal in using a grammar checker in this way is to extend the learners' capacity to review their written drafts and develop a critical approach to the writing process. While grammar checkers and advisers are not infallible in their analyses of English sentences, good use can be made of commercial programs when they are adapted appropriately.
Developing German writing skills by way of Timbuktu
Authors: Felix Uschi , Lawson Michael
Published: December 2008

This paper reports on a pilot project which examined the effects on essay writing skills in advanced German of computer-based teaching which allowed a co-operative approach to writing and the pmvision of immediate teacher and peer feedback through the interactive display and networking of student work.

Third year German students were assigned to computer-based or conventional teaching groups taught by two different teachers using common materials and the same task-based approach. Prior to implementation of the project and again at the end, students were given a standard writing task to allow the level of their writing skills to be evaluated structurally and linguistically. The major focus was on the development of arguments, together with appropriate intmductions and conclusions. Grammar and expression were also measured to check whether the absence of an explicit focus on grammar had a detrimental effect on accuracy.

The students in these two groups along with all other third year German students completed a questionnaire that elicited information about their abilities and interest in German and their attitude to the use of computers. Teacher evaluation and qualitative data were obtained from participating students at the end of the project. Results indicated that the experimental students achieved significantly higher ratings for the logical linking of ideas in the body of their essays and were positive about the technology.
Address by the Minister for Education and Science
Authors: Martin Micheál
Published: December 2008

It gives me pleasure to welcome this evening so many distinguished international scholars to this state reception in honour of EUROCALL. In particular I am very pleased to be able to acknowledge the role of Dublin City University in this conference. DCU is one of our most innovative and dynamic institutions and I think it is very fitting that they should be involved in an endeavour such as this.
Where do research and practice meet? Developing a discipline
Authors: Garrett Nina
Published: December 2008

The topic of EUROCALL '97, ‘Where research and practice meet’, is perhaps the most provocative and complex one in all of higher education. It would be interesting to recast the assertion that EUROCALL '97 is where research and practice meet as a more probing question: Where do research and practice meet? Unarguably, yes, at this conference: our program – the variety of presentations on practice, and on the research done on practice, and on theoretical research and the nature of research – makes that clear. But it is not only at this yearly gathering; research and practice also meet in the organization of EUROCALL, and for many of us in our daily professional lives. But we could push the question further and ask: do research and practice meet regularly and inherently in the profession of CALL? In the multimedia classroom or language center? In our materials? In cyberspace? in the mind of the learner? To most of those questions we would probably have to give, reluctantly, a negative answer.
Puissance du binaire, créativité du synaptique
Authors: Perrin Michel P
Published: December 2008

Au dix-neuvième coup du 6ème jeu de son match contreDeep(er) Blue, le 13 mai 1997, le grand maître Garry Kasparov déclare forfait pour éviter le déshonneur d'un échec et mat en bonne et due forme.

Avant le match, la presse spécialisée, et l'autre déclaraient en substance: si la machine gagne e'en est fini du monde “moderne” tel que nous le connaissons depuis la Renais-sance; e'est le début d'une ère inconnue
Does computer-mediated conferencing really have a reduced social dimension?
Authors: Coverdale-Jones Tricia
Published: December 2008

This paper looks at computer-mediated conferencing (CMC) in the international arena, and considers whether culturally influenced behaviour has an effect on communication online. There is consideration of the indicative areas for cross-cultural misunderstanding taken from research into management communication, and also from research into gendered difference in posting styles on newslists and in ‘netiquette’ guidelines. The results from a small sample of questionnaires exemplify the cultural attitudes towards learning of a UK-based group of respondents. Trie question is raised of whether the ‘reduced social dimension’ of CMC allows participants in a conference to overcome social barriers, or whether the lack of social clues present in face-to-face interaction leads to greater confusion.
Teaching grammar again after twenty years: corpus-based help for teaching grammar
Authors: McEnery Tony , Wilson Andrew , Barker Paul
Published: December 2008

In this paper we consider how corpora may be of use in the teaching of grammar of the pre-tertiary level. Corpora are becoming well established in teaching in Universities. Corpora also have a role to play in secondary education, in that they can help decide how and what to teach, as well as changing the way in which puplis learn and providing the possibility of open-ended machine-aided tuition. Corpora also seem to provide what UK goverment sponsored reports on teaching grammar have called for – a data-driven approach to the subject.
Adding a new perspective to distance (language) learning and teaching – the tutor's perspective
Authors: Hauck Mirjam , Haezewindt Bernard
Published: December 2008

To respond to students' need for more speaking practice, the Open University's Centre for Modern Languages is currently investigating the benefits of using an Internet-based, real-time audio application in distance learning/teaching. During a four-month trial period, French and German students met at weekly intervals to use the target language and participated in role-plays or other pre-arranged learning tasks requiring collaborative interaction. This paper describes the FLUENT (Framework for Language Use in Environments Embedded in New Technology) project from the tutors' point of view, focusing on how learner autonomy and the tutor role were affected by the new learning environment.
Enriching the distance language learning experience through telematics and multimedia: a case study
Authors: Jennings Charles
Published: December 2008

Distance learning can be a lonely business. Distance language learning even more so. Context and communication can be substantially diminished, or completely lost, in the distance learner's world. For the distance language learner this can mean an impoverished learning environment in which (s)he will often founder.
Lerntheoretische Überzeugungen von Mathematiklehrkräften
Authors: Dubberke Thamar , Kunter Mareike , McElvany Nele , Brunner Martin , Baumert Jürgen
Published: December 2008

Lerntheoretischen Überzeugungen von Lehrkräften wird eine entscheidende Bedeutung für das Unterrichtsgeschehen zugesprochen. Einflüsse der Überzeugungen auf die Leistung der Schülerinnen und Schüler konnten vereinzelt bereits nachgewiesen werden. Die vorliegende Studie geht der Frage nach, ob diese Wirkung der lerntheoretischen Überzeugungen über die Unterrichtsqualität vermittelt wird. Datenbasis war eine Stichprobe von 155 Mathematiklehrkräften und deren Klassen mit insgesamt 3483 Schülerinnen und Schülern, die zu zwei Messzeitpunkten (Ende der 9. und 10. Jahrgangsstufe) untersucht wurden. Anhand von Mehrebenenstrukturgleichungsmodellen konnte gezeigt werden, dass Klassen von Lehrkräften mit stark transmissiven Überzeugungen weniger kognitiv herausgefordert und in ihrem Lernprozess unterstützt wurden als Klassen von Lehrkräften mit weniger transmissiven Überzeugungen. Weiterhin waren diese Überzeugungen mit Leistungsnachteilen der Klassen verbunden, wobei der Effekt über die weniger kognitiv aktivierende Unterrichtsgestaltung vermittelt wurde. Die Befunde werden vor dem Hintergrund der für Deutschland häufig berichteten variationsarmen Unterrichtspraxis diskutiert.
A possible solution for the problem of estimating the error structure of global soil moisture data sets
Authors: Scipal K. , Holmes T. , de Jeu R. , Naeimi V. , Wagner W.
Published: December 2008

In the last few years, research made significant progress towards operational soil moisture remote sensing which lead to the availability of several global data sets. For an optimal use of these data, an accurate estimation of the error structure is an important condition. To solve for the validation problem we introduce the triple collocation error estimation technique. The triple collocation technique is a powerful tool to estimate the root mean square error while simultaneously solving for systematic differences in the climatologies of a set of three independent data sources. We evaluate the method by applying it to a passive microwave (TRMM radiometer) derived, an active microwave (ERS‐2 scatterometer) derived and a modeled (ERA‐Interim reanalysis) soil moisture data sets. The results suggest that the method provides realistic error estimates.
Remotely sensed dune celerity and sand flux measurements of the world's fastest barchans (Bodélé, Chad)
Authors: Vermeesch Pieter , Drake Nick
Published: December 2008

Quantifying sand flux with field measurements is an expensive and time‐consuming process. We here present an alternative approach using the COSI‐Corr software package for Earth surface deformation detection. Using pairs of ASTER satellite images, we detected dune migration in the Bodélé depression of northern Chad over time intervals of one month to 6.5 years. The displacement map can be used to automatically distinguish dunes from interdunes, which is a crucial step towards calculating sand flux. We interpolated a surface between the interdune areas and subtracted it from a digital elevation model, thus obtaining dune heights and volumes. Multiplying height with celerity yields a pixel‐by‐pixel estimate of the sand flux. We applied this method to large diatomite dunes in the Bodélé, confirming that these are some of the world's fastest moving barchans. Plotting dune height against inverse celerity reveals sand flux at the dune crest of >200 m3/m/yr. Average dune sand flux values for the eastern and western Bodélé are 76 and 99 m3/m/yr, respectively. The contribution of the dunes to the total area‐averaged sand flux is 24–29 m3/m/yr, which is ∼10% of the saltation flux determined by previously published field measurements.
Errors in Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) kinetic temperature caused by non‐local‐thermodynamic‐equilibrium model parameters
Authors: García‐Comas M. , López‐Puertas M. , Marshall B. T. , Wintersteiner P. P. , Funke B. , Bermejo‐Pantaleón D. , Mertens C. J. , Remsberg E. E. , Gordley L. L. , Mlynczak M. G. , Russell J. M.
Published: December 2008

The vast set of near‐global and continuous atmospheric measurements made by the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument since 2002, including daytime and nighttime kinetic temperature (Tk) from 20 to 105 km, is available to the scientific community. The temperature is retrieved from SABER measurements of the atmospheric 15 μm CO2 limb emission. This emission separates from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions in the rarefied mesosphere and thermosphere, making it necessary to consider the CO2 vibrational state non‐LTE populations in the retrieval algorithm above 70 km. Those populations depend on kinetic parameters describing the rate at which energy exchange between atmospheric molecules take place, but some of these collisional rates are not well known. We consider current uncertainties in the rates of quenching of CO2(υ2) by N2, O2 and O, and the CO2(υ2) vibrational‐vibrational exchange to estimate their impact on SABER Tk for different atmospheric conditions. The Tk is more sensitive to the uncertainty in the latter two, and their effects depend on altitude. The Tk combined systematic error due to non‐LTE kinetic parameters does not exceed ±1.5 K below 95 km and ±4–5 K at 100 km for most latitudes and seasons (except for polar summer) if the Tk profile does not have pronounced vertical structure. The error is ±3 K at 80 km, ±6 K at 84 km and ±18 K at 100 km under the less favorable polar summer conditions. For strong temperature inversion layers, the errors reach ±3 K at 82 km and ±8 K at 90 km. This particularly affects tide amplitude estimates, with errors of up to ±3 K.
The C-terminus of GLUT4 targets the transporter to the perinuclear compartment but not to the insulin-responsive vesicles
Authors: Li Lin V. , Bakirtzi Kyriaki , Watson Robert T. , Pessin Jeffrey E. , Kandror Konstantin V.
Published: December 2008

Postprandial blood glucose clearance is mediated by GLUT4 (glucose transporter 4) which is translocated from an intracellular storage pool to the plasma membrane in response to insulin. The nature of the intracellular storage pool of GLUT4 is not well understood. Immunofluorescence staining shows that, under basal conditions, the major population of GLUT4 resides in the perinuclear compartment. At the same time, biochemical fractionation reveals that GLUT4 is localized in IRVs (insulin-responsive vesicles). The relationship between the perinuclear GLUT4 compartment and the IRVs is not known. In the present study, we have exchanged the C-termini of GLUT4 and cellugyrin, another vesicular protein that is not localized in the IRVs and has no insulin response. We have found that GLUT4 with the cellugyrin C-terminus loses its specific perinuclear localization, whereas cellugyrin with the GLUT4 C-terminus acquires perinuclear localization and becomes co-localized with GLUT4. This, however, is not sufficient for the effective entry of the latter chimaera into the IRVs as only a small fraction of cellugyrin with the GLUT4 C-terminus is targeted to the IRVs and is translocated to the plasma membrane in response to insulin stimulation. We suggest that the perinuclear GLUT4 storage compartment comprises the IRVs and the donor membranes from which the IRVs originate. The C-terminus of GLUT4 is required for protein targeting to the perinuclear donor membranes, but not to the IRVs.
Reproducible resistance switching characteristics of hafnium oxide-based nonvolatile memory devices
Authors: Kim Yong-Mu , Lee Jang-Sik
Published: December 2008

The resistance switching characteristics of HfO2 thin films deposited by reactive sputtering were examined as a function of the annealing temperature. The results showed that the Pt/HfO2/Pt devices exhibited reversible and steady bistable resistance states [high-resistance state (HRS) and low-resistance state (LRS)]. Reproducible resistance switching from one state to another state or vice versa could be achieved by applying the appropriate voltage bias. The memory performances were related to the crystal structures of the HfO2 films, as confirmed by x-ray diffraction. From current-applied voltage analysis of the devices, LRS in the low electric field regime exhibited Ohmic conduction behavior, while HRS in the high electric field was followed by Poole–Frenkel conduction behavior. The resistance ratios of the two states were maintained in the range of around two orders of magnitude during the endurance test. In addition, it was confirmed that the resistance of the on and off states can be well maintained according to the time elapsed.
Links between riparian characteristics and the abundance of common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) burrows in an agricultural landscape
Authors: Borchard Philip , McIlroy John , McArthur Clare
Published: December 2008

Agricultural riparian zones are often vulnerable to weed invasion and degradation of the physical streambank character through the trampling of livestock. Riparian zone restoration seeks to improve habitat biodiversity, minimise streambank erosion and improve water quality. In order for this to be effective land managers need to broadly understand the connections between riparian systems and adjoining agricultural ecosystems and to understand the habitat requirements of wildlife species adapted to the evolving riparian landscape. Common wombats (Vombatus ursinus) are abundant in the riparian agricultural landscapes of south-eastern Australia, but there is concern about their persistence in other landscapes. To understand the importance of riparian characteristics for wombats, we examined five physical and five vegetative characteristics associated with abundance of wombat burrows in the riparian zone of an agricultural landscape in south-eastern New South Wales, using two independent datasets. The abundance of wombat burrows increased substantially with increasing shrub cover in both datasets. There was weaker but consistent support for an association between wombat burrows and stream order and vegetation width. There were more burrows per metre by high than low order streams and burrows were most abundant at an intermediate vegetation width. In one of the two datasets, burrow abundance declined as the proportion of native shrubs in the shrub layer increased. As wombats are generally limited to riparian buffers in agricultural landscapes, these results are important as a first step toward managing and restoring the riparian zone. Restoration strategies, for example, may need to consider retaining patches of shrubs, even if they are weeds, whereas native shrubs are established in interspersed patches along larger rivers, in order to maintain suitable wombat habitat.
Climate regulation of fire emissions and deforestation in equatorial Asia
Authors: van der Werf G. R. , Dempewolf J. , Trigg S. N. , Randerson J. T. , Kasibhatla P. S. , Giglio L. , Murdiyarso D. , Peters W. , Morton D. C. , Collatz G. J. , Dolman A. J. , DeFries R. S.
Published: December 2008

Drainage of peatlands and deforestation have led to large-scale fires in equatorial Asia, affecting regional air quality and global concentrations of greenhouse gases. Here we used several sources of satellite data with biogeochemical and atmospheric modeling to better understand and constrain fire emissions from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea during 2000–2006. We found that average fire emissions from this region [128 ± 51 (1σ) Tg carbon (C) year
−1
,
T
= 10
12
] were comparable to fossil fuel emissions. In Borneo, carbon emissions from fires were highly variable, fluxes during the moderate 2006 El Niño more than 30 times greater than those during the 2000 La Niña (and with a 2000–2006 mean of 74 ± 33 Tg C yr
−1
). Higher rates of forest loss and larger areas of peatland becoming vulnerable to fire in drought years caused a strong nonlinear relation between drought and fire emissions in southern Borneo. Fire emissions from Sumatra showed a positive linear trend, increasing at a rate of 8 Tg C year
−2
(approximately doubling during 2000–2006). These results highlight the importance of including deforestation in future climate agreements. They also imply that land manager responses to expected shifts in tropical precipitation may critically determine the strength of climate–carbon cycle feedbacks during the 21st century.
Dysregulation of lipid and amino acid metabolism precedes islet autoimmunity in children who later progress to type 1 diabetes
Authors: Orešič Matej , Simell Satu , Sysi-Aho Marko , Näntö-Salonen Kirsti , Seppänen-Laakso Tuulikki , Parikka Vilhelmiina , Katajamaa Mikko , Hekkala Anne , Mattila Ismo , Keskinen Päivi , Yetukuri Laxman , Reinikainen Arja , Lähde Jyrki , Suortti Tapani , Hakalax Jari , Simell Tuula , Hyöty Heikki , Veijola Riitta , Ilonen Jorma , Lahesmaa Riitta , Knip Mikael , Simell Olli
Published: December 2008

The risk determinants of type 1 diabetes, initiators of autoimmune response, mechanisms regulating progress toward β cell failure, and factors determining time of presentation of clinical diabetes are poorly understood. We investigated changes in the serum metabolome prospectively in children who later progressed to type 1 diabetes. Serum metabolite profiles were compared between sample series drawn from 56 children who progressed to type 1 diabetes and 73 controls who remained nondiabetic and permanently autoantibody negative. Individuals who developed diabetes had reduced serum levels of succinic acid and phosphatidylcholine (PC) at birth, reduced levels of triglycerides and antioxidant ether phospholipids throughout the follow up, and increased levels of proinflammatory lysoPCs several months before seroconversion to autoantibody positivity. The lipid changes were not attributable to HLA-associated genetic risk. The appearance of insulin and glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies was preceded by diminished ketoleucine and elevated glutamic acid. The metabolic profile was partially normalized after the seroconversion. Autoimmunity may thus be a relatively late response to the early metabolic disturbances. Recognition of these preautoimmune alterations may aid in studies of disease pathogenesis and may open a time window for novel type 1 diabetes prevention strategies.
Export of Dissolved Organic Carbon from a Ponded Freshwater Marsh Receiving Diverted Mississippi River Water
Authors: DeLaune R. D. , Johnson C. B. , Gambrell R. P. , Jugsujinda A.
Published: December 2008

A series of diversion projects has been implemented to reintroduce Mississippi River water into Louisiana's coastal wetlands in order to reduce wetland loss. The export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was measured in a 3,700-ha ponded freshwater marsh that receives diverted Mississippi River water. Results show that highly organic marsh soil and plant material are a source of DOC. DOC, on average, was 3 mg/l greater in outlet water as compared to the concentration in river water entering the wetland. DOC in water leaving the marsh was higher in summer months, with a concentration up to 18 mg/l. Based on a discharge of 1,000 ft3/sec (28.3 m3/sec), it was estimated that the equivalent of 7,335 kg/day of DOC would be exported from the marsh into Lake Cataouatche, located in the northern portion of the Louisiana Barataria Basin estuary. Results suggest that river diversion would likely increase the export of DOC from the marsh as compared to normal transport associated with rainfall and tidal exchange.
Egg maturation and oviposition strategy of a capital breeder, Cleorodes lichenaria, feeding on lichens at the larval stage
Authors: PÖYKKÖ HEIKKI
Published: December 2008

Abstract 1. Capital breeders rely solely on resources acquired before breeding, whereas income breeders may obtain considerable amounts of resources following the commencement of reproduction. In income breeders oviposition occurs over a longer time period with a small number of eggs ready to be laid at the start of adult life, whereas capital breeders reproduce more rapidly and contain higher numbers of mature eggs at eclosion relative to potential fecundity.

2. This study explored egg maturation and oviposition strategy of a nocturnal geometrid moth, Cleorodes lichenaria. It was predicted, based on the long larval period of C. lichenaria and the known biology of other geometrids, that this lichen‐feeding geometrid moth concentrates egg production at the beginning of its breeding period and that external nutrients have a limited role on its fecundity.

3. Approximately 46% of eggs were ready to be laid in newly hatched females and approximately 40% of their potential fecundity was realised during the first night, after which the number and the weight of eggs decreased steadily. Feeding or drinking did not increase the fecundity of females. Pupal mass correlated positively with realised fecundity and ovigeny index.

4. Reproduction of C. lichenaria is based solely on larval‐derived resources. It is suggested that females are able to resorb thoracic tissues to increase fecundity and that this ability is probably linked to relatively long lifespan and low ovigeny index of this species, characteristics rarely observed in other geometrid moths.
Repeatability of dispersal behaviour in a common dwarf spider: evidence for different mechanisms behind short‐ and long‐distance dispersal
Authors: BONTE DRIES , CLERCQ NELE DE , ZWERTVAEGHER INGRID , LENS LUC
Published: December 2008

Abstract 1. The response of dispersal towards evolution largely depends on its heritability for which upper limits are determined by the trait’s repeatability.

2. In the Linyphiid spider E. atra, we were able to separate long‐ and short‐distance dispersal behaviours (respectively ballooning and rappelling) under laboratory conditions. By performing repeated behavioural trials for females, we show that average dispersal trait values decrease with increasing testing days. By comparing mated and unmated individuals during two periods (before and after mating for the mated group, and the same two periods for the unmated group), we show that mating has no effect on the mean displayed dispersal behaviour or its within‐individual variation. Repeatabilities were high and consistent for ballooning motivation, but not for rappelling.

3. Ballooning motivation can be regarded as highly individual‐specific behaviour, while general pre‐dispersal and rappelling behaviours showed more individual variation. Such difference in repeatability between long‐ and short‐distance dispersal suggests that short‐ and long‐distance dispersal events are triggered by different ecological and evolutionary mechanisms.
Tezosentan normalizes hepatomesenteric perfusion in a porcine model of cardiac tamponade
Authors: ÅNEMAN A. , TREGGIARI M. M. , BURGENER D. , LAESSER M. , STRASSER S. , HADENGUE A.
Published: December 2008

Background: To investigate endothelin‐1 (ET‐1)‐dependent hepatic and mesenteric vasoconstriction, and oxygen and lactate fluxes in an acute, fixed low cardiac output (CO) state.

Methods: Sixteen anesthetized, mechanically ventilated pigs were studied. Cardiac tamponade was established to reduce portal venous blood flow (QPV) to 2/3 of the baseline value. CO, hepatic artery blood flow (QHA), QPV, hepatic laser‐Doppler flow (LDF), hepatic venous and portal pressure, and hepatic and mesenteric oxygen and lactate fluxes were measured. Hepatic arterial (RHA), portal (RHP) and mesenteric (Rmes) vascular resistances were calculated. The combined ETA–ETB receptor antagonist tezosentan (RO 61‐0612) or normal saline vehicle was infused in the low CO state. Measurements were made at baseline, after 30, 60, 90 min of tamponade, and 30, 60, 90 min following the infusion of tesozentan at 1 mg/kg/h.

Results: Tamponade decreased CO, QPV, QHA, LDF, hepatic and mesenteric oxygen delivery, while hepatic and mesenteric oxygen extraction and lactate release increased. RHA, RHP and Rmes all increased. Ninety minutes after tesozentan, QPV, LDF and hepatic and mesenteric oxygen delivery and extraction increased approaching baseline values, but no effect was seen on CO or QHA. Hepatic and mesenteric handling of lactate converted to extraction. RHA, RHP and Rmes returned to baseline values. No changes were observed in these variables among control animals not receiving tesozentan.

Conclusion: In a porcine model of acute splanchnic hypoperfusion, unselective ET‐1 blockade restored hepatomesenteric perfusion and reversed lactate metabolism. These observations might be relevant when considering liver protection in low CO states.
Diversity of canopy and understorey spiders in north‐temperate hardwood forests
Authors: Larrivée Maxim , Buddle Christopher M.
Published: December 2008

1 We characterized and compared diversity patterns of canopy and understorey spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) on sugar maple (Acer saccharumMarsh.) and American beech (Fagus grandifoliaEhrh.) in hardwood forests of southern Québec, Canada.

2 We sampled canopies of 45 sugar maple and 45 American beech trees and associated understorey saplings in mature protected forests near Montréal. Samples were obtained by beating the crown foliage at various heights and by beating saplings around each tree.

3 Eighty‐two species were identified from 13 669 individuals. Forty‐eight species and 3860 individuals and 72 species and 9809 individuals were collected from the canopy and the understorey, respectively.

4 Multivariate analyses (NMDS ordination and NPMANOVA) showed the composition of canopy and understorey assemblages differed significantly, and canopy assemblages differed between tree species. Rank‐abundance distribution models fitted to the canopy and understorey data indicated that different mechanisms structure the assemblages in both habitats. Three abundant spider species were significantly more common in the canopy; ten species were collected significantly more often in the understorey.

5 The forest canopy was shown to be an important reservoir for spider diversity in north‐temperate forests.
Category Markers or Attributes
Authors: Keates Jean , Graham Susan A.
Published: December 2008

To clarify the role of labels in early induction, we compared 16-month-old infants' ( n = 114) generalization of target properties to test objects when objects were introduced by the experimenter in one of the following ways: (a) with a general attentional phrase, (b) highlighted with a flashlight and a general attentional phrase, (c) via a recorded voice that labeled the objects using a naming phrase, (d) with a label consisting of a count noun embedded within a naming phrase, (e) with a label consisting of a single word that was not marked as belonging to a particular grammatical form class, and (f) with a label consisting of an adjective. Infants relied on object labels to guide their inductive inferences only when the labels were presented referentially, embedded within an intentional naming phrase, and marked as count nouns. These results suggest that infants do not view labels as attributes of objects; rather, infants understand that count-noun labels are intentional markers denoting category membership.
Acceleration of Exotic Plant Invasion in a Forested Ecosystem by a Generalist Herbivore
Authors: ESCHTRUTH ANNE K. , BATTLES JOHN J.
Published: December 2008

Abstract:  The successful invasion of exotic plants is often attributed to the absence of coevolved enemies in the introduced range (i.e., the enemy release hypothesis). Nevertheless, several components of this hypothesis, including the role of generalist herbivores, remain relatively unexplored. We used repeated censuses of exclosures and paired controls to investigate the role of a generalist herbivore, white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), in the invasion of 3 exotic plant species (Microstegium vimineum, Alliaria petiolata, and Berberis thunbergii) in eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) forests in New Jersey and Pennsylvania (U.S.A.). This work was conducted in 10 eastern hemlock (T. canadensis) forests that spanned gradients in deer density and in the severity of canopy disturbance caused by an introduced insect pest, the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae). We used maximum likelihood estimation and information theoretics to quantify the strength of evidence for alternative models of the influence of deer density and its interaction with the severity of canopy disturbance on exotic plant abundance. Our results were consistent with the enemy release hypothesis in that exotic plants gained a competitive advantage in the presence of generalist herbivores in the introduced range. The abundance of all 3 exotic plants increased significantly more in the control plots than in the paired exclosures. For all species, the inclusion of canopy disturbance parameters resulted in models with substantially greater support than the deer density only models. Our results suggest that white‐tailed deer herbivory can accelerate the invasion of exotic plants and that canopy disturbance can interact with herbivory to magnify the impact. In addition, our results provide compelling evidence of nonlinear relationships between deer density and the impact of herbivory on exotic species abundance. These findings highlight the important role of herbivore density in determining impacts on plant abundance and provide evidence of the operation of multiple mechanisms in exotic plant invasion.
Optimal Allocation of Resources among Threatened Species: a Project Prioritization Protocol
Authors: JOSEPH LIANA N. , MALONEY RICHARD F. , POSSINGHAM HUGH P.
Published: December 2008

Abstract: Conservation funds are grossly inadequate to address the plight of threatened species. Government and conservation organizations faced with the task of conserving threatened species desperately need simple strategies for allocating limited resources. The academic literature dedicated to systematic priority setting usually recommends ranking species on several criteria, including level of endangerment and metrics of species value such as evolutionary distinctiveness, ecological importance, and social significance. These approaches ignore 2 crucial factors: the cost of management and the likelihood that the management will succeed. These oversights will result in misallocation of scarce conservation resources and possibly unnecessary losses. We devised a project prioritization protocol (PPP) to optimize resource allocation among New Zealand's threatened‐species projects, where costs, benefits (including species values), and the likelihood of management success were considered simultaneously. We compared the number of species managed and the expected benefits gained with 5 prioritization criteria: PPP with weightings based on species value; PPP with species weighted equally; management costs; species value; and threat status. We found that the rational use of cost and success information substantially increased the number of species managed, and prioritizing management projects according to species value or threat status in isolation was inefficient and resulted in fewer species managed. In addition, we found a clear trade‐off between funding management of a greater number of the most cost‐efficient and least risky projects and funding fewer projects to manage the species of higher value. Specifically, 11 of 32 species projects could be funded if projects were weighted by species value compared with 16 projects if projects were not weighted. This highlights the value of a transparent decision‐making process, which enables a careful consideration of trade‐offs. The use of PPP can substantially improve conservation outcomes for threatened species by increasing efficiency and ensuring transparency of management decisions.
Ictal vocalizations occur more often in temporal lobe epilepsy with dominant (left‐sided) epileptogenic zone
Authors: Horvath Reka A. , Fogarasi Andras , Schulz Reinhard , Perlaki Gabor , Kalmar Zsuzsa , Tóth Vanda , Kovács Norbert , Ebner Alois , Janszky Jozsef
Published: December 2008

Objective: To investigate the lateralization value of ictal vocalizations in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

Methods: We reviewed video‐recordings of 97 patients who had undergone presurgical evaluation programs with video‐EEG (electroencephalography)–recorded complex partial seizures (CPS) and high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All patients had surgery due to TLE and became seizure‐free. In 57 patients, determination of speech dominance was necessary by using Wada tests or functional MRI (fMRI). To reevaluate the archived seizures, we reviewed one to three consecutively recorded CPS of each patient. Altogether 223 archived seizures were analyzed. Ictal vocalization was considered to be present in a particular patient if it occurred in at least one of the recorded seizures.

Results: Ictal vocalizations occurred in 22 patients. They occurred in 37% of left‐sided and in 11% of right‐sided patients with TLE (p = 0.003). In patients with determined speech lateralization, ictal vocalizations occurred in 37% of the dominant and in 14% in patients with nondominant epileptogenic zone (p = 0.04). In patients with ictal vocalizations, epilepsy began at age 8.7 ± 6, whereas in the remaining patients, epilepsy started at age 14.0 ± 9 (p = 0.017). Logistic regression showed that both hemispheric dominance and age at onset were independently associated with pure ictal vocalization (PIV).

Conclusions: Ictal vocalization is a frequent phenomenon, occurring in 23% of patients with TLE. It is more often associated with left‐sided and early onset TLE. Our results may improve the lateralization of the epileptogenic zone and suggest that nonspeech vocalizations in humans are related to the dominant (left‐sided) hemisphere. Our study is a further argument that there are different subtypes of TLE depending on the age at onset.
Coexistence of Unverricht‐Lundborg disease and congenital deafness: Molecular resolution of a complex comorbidity
Authors: Kecmanović Miljana , Ristić Aleksandar J. , Sokić Dragoslav , Keckarević‐Marković Milica , Vojvodić Nikola , Ercegovac Marko , Janković Slavko , Keckarević Dušan , Savić‐Pavićević Dušanka , Romac Stanka
Published: December 2008

Purpose:  We report on genetic analysis of a complex condition in a Serbian family of four siblings, wherein two had progressive myoclonic epilepsy (PME) and congenital deafness (CD), one had isolated congenital deafness (ICD), and one was healthy.

Methods and Results:  Molecular diagnosis performed by Southern blotting confirmed Unverricht‐Lundborg disease in the available sibling with PME/CD. In the sibling with ICD (heterozygote for expansion mutation in CSTB) we demonstrated recombination event between the D21S2040 marker and the CSTB gene and identified c.207delC (p.T70Xfs) mutation in the fourth exon of the transmembrane protease, serine‐3 (TMPRSS3) gene (maps in close proximity to CSTB), responsible for nonsyndromic deafness in the sibling with PME/CD as well.

Discussion:  To the best of our knowledge this is the first genetic confirmation of the coexistence of these two mutations.
In‐Flight‐Melted Soda‐Lime‐Silica Glass by RF Induction Thermal Plasma
Authors: Funabiki Fuji , Yano Tetsuji , Yao Yaochun , Watanabe Takayuki
Published: December 2008

Granulated raw materials with a particle size of 20–80 μm were prepared from a slurry of Na2CO3, CaCO3, and SiO2 (quartz) by the spray‐dry method, and injected with carrier gas into a radio‐frequency induction thermal plasma. Spherical particles 5–60 μm in size were obtained and analyzed. Thermo‐gravimetric analysis and X‐ray diffraction analysis showed that during the short flight of the order of milliseconds, all carbonates were decomposed and >95% quartz was reacted into a noncrystalline state. Glass transition was clearly observed by differential thermal analysis. Increase of the carrier gas from 3 to 6 L/min led to a decrease in the volatilization ratio of Na2O from 46% to 18% with a slight decrease of the reaction ratio of quartz in trade balance. Electron probe microanalysis showed that the volatilization could be attributed to an excess heating of small particles <30 μm, and suppression by the increase of carrier gas.
Effect of Aluminum Doping on Microwave Permittivity of Silicon Carbide Powders
Authors: Luo Fa , Liu XiaoKui , Zhu Dongmei , Zhou Wancheng
Published: December 2008

The permittivity and structure of commercial SiC powders before and after thermal diffusion of aluminum were explored in this study. The X‐ray diffraction analysis and permittivity results show that heat treatment at 2000°C for 1 h has no influence not only on the structure of the SiC powders but also on the permittivity. Thermal diffusion of aluminum at 1800°, 1900°, and 2000°C was carried out for 1 h at 5 Pa in Ar atmospheres, respectively. A graphite die with two chambers was used during the experiment to separate the aluminum powders from the SiC powders. Aluminum vapor at high temperatures passes to the upper chamber through holes and diffuses into the SiC powders. The permittivities of the as‐received SiC powders at 8.2–12.4 GHz were measured, and the results indicate that the real and imaginary parts of permittivity are improved much more than those of the original SiC powder. Both the real and the imaginary parts of the doped SiC increase with the diffusion temperatures, which could be attributed to defects from thermal diffusion of aluminum.
Hydrogen‐Generation Materials for Portable Applications
Authors: Deng Zhen‐Yan , Ferreira José M. F. , Sakka Yoshio
Published: December 2008

Unlike traditional batteries, small fuel cells have a high energy density and can work uninterruptedly, being better energy suppliers for portable devices. Such devices require an economically viable fuel. Recent findings showed that metal Al particle surfaces could be modified by fine ceramic oxide grains through a ceramic processing procedure, and the modified Al powder could continuously react with pure water and generate hydrogen under ambient conditions. The reaction of Al with water produces as much as 3.7–4.8 wt% hydrogen, and the reaction byproducts are chemically neutral. Metal Al is cheap and hydrogen generation from the reaction between surface‐modified Al particles and water is a simple process. These features make this new process a cost‐efficient way of generating hydrogen for small fuel cells in comparison with other portable hydrogen‐generation materials and technologies. In this paper, the state of the art of portable hydrogen‐generation materials is surveyed, and the ceramic oxide‐modified Al–hydrogen technology and its potential are highlighted.
Phase Structure and Microstructure of a Nanoscale TiO2–RuO2–IrO2–Ta2O5 Anode Coating on Titanium
Authors: Chen Yong‐yi , Zhang Teng , Wang Xin , Shao Yan‐qun , Tang Dian
Published: December 2008

A TiO2–RuO2–IrO2–Ta2O5 anode coating, with a particle size of about 7 nm, on titanium was prepared by thermal decomposition at 500°C. The phase structure of the quaternary oxide coating was analyzed using X‐ray diffraction. The microstructure of the coating was investigated using scanning electronic microscopy and high‐resolution transmission electronic microscopy. The crystallite phases of the coating are rutile‐type solid solutions, including the TiO2‐based solid solution, (Ti, Ru, Ir)O2, as the major phase and the IrO2‐based solid solution, (Ir, Ti, Ru)O2, as the minor phase. In addition, tantalum remains amorphous in the coating. The coating contains primary cracks and secondary cracks. Large amount of isometric crystallites exist in the coating. There are also some columnar crystallites of (Ir, Ti, Ru)O2 at the bottom of primary cracks.
Acid Leaching of SHS Produced Magnesium Oxide/Titanium Diboride
Authors: Lok Jonathan Y. , Logan Kathryn V. , Payyapilly Jairaj J.
Published: December 2008

The stoichiometric self‐propagating high‐temperature synthesis (SHS) thermite reaction involving magnesium (Mg), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and boron oxide (B2O3) forms MgO and titanium diboride (TiB2) as final products. Selective acid leaching is used to remove the MgO leaving TiB2 powder. This study investigates the acid leaching of SHS‐produced MgO/TiB2 powders and a stoichiometric mixture of commercially obtained MgO and TiB2 powders. Leaching was conducted at pH levels of 4.0, 2.5, and 1.0 by the introduction of concentrated aliquots of HNO3. This method maintains a minimum pH target throughout the leaching process, thereby sustaining a dynamic concentration to remove the oxide. The optimal leaching conditions were determined to be at 90°C at a minimum pH target of 2.5 for the SHS‐produced product. At these conditions, conversion percentages of 83%–84% of MgO were measured with only trace amounts of TiB2 measured in the solution (<100 μg/L). Conversion percentages for each leaching condition and dissolution mass of solid MgO and TiB2 at each pH are also reported. Results from powder X‐ray diffraction confirm the removal of MgO and minimal dissolution of TiB2, and indicate the formation of unidentified compounds. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP) was used to analyze the ionic composition and extent of leaching. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the particle morphology of the leached powders.
Dispersion of Ceramic Particles in Aqueous Media with Surface‐Grafted Dispersant
Authors: Sato Kimiyasu , Yilmaz Hüseyin , Hotta Yuji , Ijuin Atsuko , Watari Koji
Published: December 2008

One important goal to be achieved in the colloidal processing of ceramics is to fully disperse a solid substance into finely divided particles in a liquid medium to avoid the generation of agglomerates. A novel preparation method of aqueous ceramic slurries is described in this paper. The process can be characterized by creating a chemically grafted dispersant molecule layer on particles' surfaces which is very soluble in water. The tuned configuration of dispersant molecules causes neither bridging nor depletion flocculation but induces steric repulsion effectively. The obtained aqueous slurry was quite stable and yielded green bodies with high relative density.
Characterization of Nanocrystallite Boron Carbonitride Synthesized by Combustion and Carbothermic Reaction
Authors: Ahmed Yasser M. Z. , El‐Sheikh Said M. , Ibrahim Ibrahim A.
Published: December 2008

This research work aimed to synthesize boron carbonitride powder from cheap precursors using a combustion synthesis, followed by a carbothermic reaction process. A mixture of boric acid, lactose, and urea was subjected to thermolysis under a mild temperature of 250°C, followed by heat treatment at 1200°C for 2 h in an argon atmosphere. The resulting powder was characterized by X‐ray diffraction, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and FT‐micro‐Raman. This method was found to be successful in preparing a boron carbonitride compound having a nanocrystallite size with a layered turbostratic structure.