bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reciprocal roles forbowlandlinesin specifying the peripodial epithelium and the disc proper of theDrosophilawing primordium
Authors: Nusinow David , Greenberg Lina , Hatini Victor
Published: August 2008

Central to embryonic development is the generation of molecular asymmetries across fields of undifferentiated cells. The Drosophila wing imaginal disc provides a powerful system with which to understand how such asymmetries are generated and how they contribute to formation of a complex structure. Early in development, the wing primordium is subdivided into a thin layer of peripodial epithelium (PE) and an apposing thickened layer of pseudostratified columnar epithelium (CE), known as the disc proper (DP). The DP gives rise to the wing blade, hinge and dorsal mesothorax, whereas the PE makes only a minor contribution to the ventral hinge and pleura. The mechanisms that generate this major asymmetry and its contribution to wing development are poorly understood. The Lines protein destabilizes the nuclear protein Bowl in ectodermal structures. Here, we show that Bowl accumulates in the PE from early stages of wing development and is absent from the DP. Broad inhibition of Bowl in the PE resulted in the replacement of the PE with a mirror image duplication of the DP. The failure to generate the PE severely compromised wing growth and the formation of the notum. Conversely, the activation of bowl in the DP (by removal or inhibition of lines function)resulted in the transformation of the DP into PE. Thus, we provide evidence that bowl and lines act as a binary switch to subdivide the wing primordium into PE and DP, and assign crucial roles for this asymmetry in wing growth and patterning.
Negative-feedback regulation of proneural proteins controls the timing of neural precursor division
Authors: Chang Pao-Ju , Hsiao Yun-Ling , Tien An-Chi , Li Yi-Chen , Pi Haiwei
Published: August 2008

Neurogenesis requires precise control of cell specification and division. In Drosophila, the timing of cell division of the sensory organ precursor (SOP) is under strict temporal control. But how the timing of mitotic entry is determined remains poorly understood. Here, we present evidence that the timing of the G2-M transition is determined by when proneural proteins are degraded from SOPs. This process requires the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, including the RING protein Sina and the adaptor Phyl. In phyl mutants, proneural proteins accumulate, causing delay or arrest in the G2-M transition. The G2-M defect in phyl mutants is rescued by reducing the ac and sc gene doses. Misexpression of phyl downregulates proneural protein levels in a sina-dependent manner. Phyl directly associates with proneural proteins to act as a bridge between proneural proteins and Sina. As phyl is a direct transcriptional target of Ac and Sc, our data suggest that, in addition to mediating cell cycle arrest, proneural protein initiates a negative-feedback regulation to time the mitotic entry of neural precursors.
MultipleNotchsignaling events controlDrosophilaCNS midline neurogenesis, gliogenesis and neuronal identity
Authors: Wheeler Scott R. , Stagg Stephanie B. , Crews Stephen T.
Published: August 2008

The study of how transcriptional control and cell signaling influence neurons and glia to acquire their differentiated properties is fundamental to understanding CNS development and function. The Drosophila CNS midline cells are an excellent system for studying these issues because they consist of a small population of diverse cells with well-defined gene expression profiles. In this paper, the origins and differentiation of midline neurons and glia were analyzed. Midline precursor (MP) cells each divide once giving rise to two neurons; here, we use a combination of single-cell gene expression mapping and time-lapse imaging to identify individual MPs, their locations, movements and stereotyped patterns of division. The role of Notch signaling was investigated by analyzing 37 midline-expressed genes in Notch pathway mutant and misexpression embryos. Notch signaling had opposing functions: it inhibited neurogenesis in MP1,3,4 and promoted neurogenesis in MP5,6. Notch signaling also promoted midline glial and median neuroblast cell fate. This latter result suggests that the median neuroblast resembles brain neuroblasts that require Notch signaling, rather than nerve cord neuroblasts, the formation of which is inhibited by Notch signaling. Asymmetric MP daughter cell fates also depend on Notch signaling. One member of each pair of MP3-6 daughter cells was responsive to Notch signaling. By contrast,the other daughter cell asymmetrically acquired Numb, which inhibited Notch signaling, leading to a different fate choice. In summary, this paper describes the formation and division of MPs and multiple roles for Notch signaling in midline cell development, providing a foundation for comprehensive molecular analyses.
Floral meristem initiation and meristem cell fate are regulated by the maizeAP2genesids1andsid1
Authors: Chuck George , Meeley Robert , Hake Sarah
Published: August 2008

Grass flowers are organized on small branches known as spikelets. In maize,the spikelet meristem is determinate, producing one floral meristem and then converting into a second floral meristem. The APETALA2(AP2)-like gene indeterminate spikelet1 (ids1) is required for the timely conversion of the spikelet meristem into the floral meristem. Ectopic expression of ids1 in the tassel, resulting from a failure of regulation by the tasselseed4 microRNA, causes feminization and the formation of extra floral meristems. Here we show that ids1 and the related gene, sister of indeterminate spikelet1(sid1), play multiple roles in inflorescence architecture in maize. Both genes are needed for branching of the inflorescence meristem, to initiate floral meristems and to control spikelet meristem determinacy. We show that reducing the levels of ids1 and sid1 fully suppresses the tasselseed4 phenotype, suggesting that these genes are major targets of this microRNA. Finally, sid1 and ids1 repress AGAMOUS-like MADS-box transcription factors within the lateral organs of the spikelet, similar to the function of AP2 in Arabidopsis, where it is required for floral organ fate. Thus,although the targets of the AP2 genes are conserved between maize and Arabidopsis, the genes themselves have adopted novel meristem functions in monocots.
Choice-Making Among Medicaid HCBS and ICF/MR Recipients in Six States
Authors: Lakin K. Charlie , Doljanac Robert , Byun Soo-Yong , Stancliffe Roger , Taub Sarah , Chiri Giuseppina
Published: August 2008

Choice in everyday decisions and in support-related decisions was addressed among 2,398 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities receiving Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) and Intermediate Care Facility (ICF/MR) services and living in nonfamily settings in six states. Everyday choice in daily life and in support-related choice was considerably higher on average for HCBS than for ICF/MR recipients, but after controlling for level of intellectual disability, medical care needs, mobility, behavioral and psychiatric conditions, and self-reporting, we found that choice was more strongly associated with living in a congregate setting than whether that setting was HCBS- or ICF/MR-financed. Marked differences in choice were also evident between states.
Strategies and Correlates of Jigsaw Puzzle and Visuospatial Performance by Persons With Prader-Willi Syndrome
Authors: Verdine Brian N. , Troseth Georgene L. , Hodapp Robert M. , Dykens Elisabeth M.
Published: August 2008

Some individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome exhibit strengths in solving jigsaw puzzles. We compared visuospatial ability and jigsaw puzzle performance and strategies of 26 persons with Prader-Willi syndrome and 26 MA-matched typically developing controls. Individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome relied on piece shape. Those in the control group used a different, picture-focused strategy. Individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome performed better than did the control group on an achromatic interlocking puzzle, whereas scores on puzzles with pictures (interlocking or noninterlocking) did not differ. Visuospatial scores related to performance on all puzzles in the control group and on the noninterlocking puzzle in the Prader-Willi syndrome group. The most proficient jigsaw puzzlers with Prader-Willi syndrome tended to be older and have shape-based strategies.
Selective Attention Deficits Associated With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Stage Alzheimer's Disease in Adults With Down Syndrome
Authors: Krinsky-McHale Sharon J. , Devenny Darlynne A. , Kittler Phyllis , Silverman Wayne
Published: August 2008

Adults with Down syndrome and early stage Alzheimer's disease showed decline in their ability to selectively attend to stimuli in a multitrial cancellation task. They also showed variability in their performance over the test trials, whereas healthy participants showed stability. These changes in performance were observed approximately 2 years prior to a physician's diagnosis of possible Alzheimer's disease, which was made when they were exhibiting declines in episodic memory suggestive of mild cognitive impairment. Performance on this task varied with the evolution of dementia, showed modestly good sensitivity and specificity, and was relatively easy to administer. Given these qualities this task could be a valuable addition to a neuropsychological battery intended for the assessment of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease in adults with Down syndrome.
Symptoms and Behavior Problems of Adolescents and Adults With Autism: Effects of Mother–Child Relationship Quality, Warmth, and Praise
Authors: Smith Leann E. , Greenberg Jan S. , Seltzer Marsha Mailick , Hong Jinkuk
Published: August 2008

Using a cross-lagged panel design, we investigated the impact of positive family processes on change in autism symptoms and behaviors. A sample of 149 co-residing mothers and their adolescent or adult child with autism was drawn from a large, longitudinal study. Maternal warmth and praise were measured using coded speech samples in which mothers talked about their son or daughter. A high level of relationship quality was associated with subsequent reductions in internalizing and externalizing problems as well as reductions in impairments in social reciprocity and repetitive behaviors. Maternal warmth and praise were also related to symptom abatement in the repetitive behaviors domain.
The Brain Injury Biomarker VLP-1 Is Increased in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Alzheimer Disease Patients
Authors: Lee Jin-Moo , Blennow Kaj , Andreasen Niels , Laterza Omar , Modur Vijay , Olander Jitka , Gao Feng , Ohlendorf Matt , Ladenson Jack H
Published: August 2008

background: Definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD) can be made only by histopathological examination of brain tissue, prompting the search for premortem disease biomarkers. We sought to determine if the novel brain injury biomarker, visinin-like protein 1 (VLP-1), is altered in the CSF of AD patients compared with controls, and to compare its values to the other well-studied CSF biomarkers 42-amino acid amyloid-β peptide (Aβ1–42), total Tau (tTau), and hyperphosphorylated Tau (pTau).

methods: Using ELISA, we measured concentrations of Aβ1–42, tTau, pTau, and VLP-1 in CSF samples from 33 AD patients and 24 controls. We compared the diagnostic performance of these biomarkers using ROC curves.

results: CSF VLP-1 concentrations were significantly higher in AD patients [median (interquartile range) 365 (166) ng/L] compared with controls [244 (142.5) ng/L]. Although the diagnostic performance of VLP-1 alone was comparable to that of Aβ, tTau, or pTau alone, the combination of the 4 biomarkers demonstrated better performance than each individually. VLP-1 concentrations were higher in AD subjects with APOE ε4/ε4 genotype [599 (240) ng/L] compared with ε3/ε4 [376 (127) ng/L] and ε3/ε3 [280 (115.5) ng/L] genotypes. Furthermore, VLP-1 values demonstrated a high degree of correlation with pTau (r = 0.809) and tTau (r = 0.635) but not Aβ1–42 (r = −0.233). VLP-1 was the only biomarker that correlated with MMSE score (r = −0.384, P = 0.030).

conclusions: These results suggest that neuronal injury markers such as VLP-1 may have utility as biomarkers for AD.
Seasonal and interpopulational morphometry variation of Platyscytus decempunctatus (Carvalho 1945) (Heteroptera: Miridae)
Authors: Pires Evaldo Martins , Guedes Raul Narciso Carvalho , Serrão José Eduardo , Ferreira Paulo Sérgio Fiuza
Published: August 2008

A morphometry study was carried out with Platyscytus decempunctatus (Carvalho 1945) collected during the dry and wet seasons in Viçosa county, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil and in other 23 counties from the states of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. A total of 30 males and 30 females were collected in Viçosa at each season and additional insects (20 males and 20 females) were collected at each county surveyed. The analysis with 27 morphological traits was carried out to verify the seasonal influence, differences between sexes and among populations in specimens from Viçosa. The females of P. decempunctatus collected in Viçosa were larger than the males in most of the traits evaluated in both seasons (dry and wet). The males showed only two body traits larger than the females. Interpopulational morphometry differences of P. decempunctatus were significantly correlated with geographic distance among sampling sites.
Effect of light and temperature on seed germination in Tibouchina mutabilis (Vell.) Cogn. (Melastomataceae)
Authors: Simão Edson , Takaki Massanori
Published: August 2008

The effect of light and temperature on Tibouchina mutabilis seed germination was analyzed by isothermic incubations in the range of 10 to 40 °C, with 5 °C intervals under both continuous white light (32.85 µmolm-2s-1) and darkness and alternating temperatures (15-20; 15-25; 15-30; 15-35; 20-25; 20-30; 20-35; 25-30; 25-35 and 30-35 °C) under both photoperiod of 12 hours and continuous darkness. The seeds of T. mutabilis need light to trigger the germination and no germination was observed in darkness. The range of optimum temperatures for germination was between 25 to 30 °C and the 20-25 °C alternating temperatures. These results indicate that T. mutabilis behaves as a pioneer species and daily alternating temperatures did not change the light sensitivity of seeds.
Variação sazonal do gaivotão (Larus dominicanus) durante o ano de 2005 no estuário de Cananéia-Iguape-Ilha Comprida, São Paulo, Brasil
Authors: Barbieri Edison
Published: August 2008

Este trabalho analisou a abundância e variação sazonal de Larus dominicanus durante o ano de 2005 no estuário de Cananéia-Iguape-Ilha Comprida, litoral sul do estado de São Paulo. O gaivotão foi uma ave constante durante todo o ano no estuário. As contagens numéricas foram realizadas de janeiro a dezembro de 2005 em visitas semanais, totalizando 48 censos em cada uma das cinco áreas escolhidas para este estudo. Os resultados indicaram que o gaivotão foi uma espécie freqüente no estuário e que o número de indivíduos variou em função da área estudada. No geral, a espécie foi abundante no verão, ocorrendo uma diminuição do número de indivíduos durante o final do outono e início do inverno.
Diversidade e ocorrência de peixes na área de influência da UHE Mogi Guaçu e lagoas marginais, bacia do alto rio Paraná, São Paulo, Brasil
Authors: Gonçalves Cristina da Silva , Braga Francisco Manoel de Souza
Published: August 2008

A bacia do alto Paraná apresenta os rios de maior porte do Estado de São Paulo e uma ictiofauna bastante diversa, com 236 espécies. Este estudo visou caracterizar a composição ictiofaunística do reservatório da UHE Mogi Guaçu e de um conjunto de lagoas marginais naturais a jusante da represa, de acordo com a variação temporal da abundância das espécies. Durante agosto de 2005 a julho de 2006, foram coletados 2.341 exemplares pertencentes a 41 espécies. Na represa foram registradas 31 espécies e nas lagoas marginais 24, revelando uma dominância de espécies de Curimatidae (Cyphocharax modestus e Steindachnerina insculpta) e Characidae (Hyphessobrycon eques e H. bifasciatus) e um número expressivo de espécies raras. As curvas cumulativas de abundância e biomassa indicaram que na represa as espécies foram dominantes em número e nas lagoas em biomassa, refletindo um ambiente sob ações antrópicas e outro menos perturbado, respectivamente. A represa e as lagoas marginais apresentaram valores próximos de diversidade e eqüitabilidade de Shannon. No geral, os maiores valores foram obtidos durante o período chuvoso e os menores durante o período seco, porém esta variação não foi suficiente para a ANOVA detectar diferenças significativas entre os ambientes, nem entre os períodos. A interpretação destes resultados deve ser feita com cautela, pois apesar dos índices de diversidade e eqüitabilidade de Shannon não terem evidenciado as diferenças na composição da ictiofauna, a análise de similaridade pelo índice de Morisita-Horn apontou que a ictiofauna da represa e das lagoas marginais apresentam baixa similaridade entre si. Além disso, a ictiofauna nos ambientes estudados foi composta por peixes típicos da bacia do alto Paraná indicando uma condição que, embora alterada pela construção da UHE, apresenta espécies essencialmente nativas desta região. Sugere-se que o controle da vazão do rio pela UHE Mogi Guaçu e a extração de areia do leito estejam influenciando os pulsos de inundação e conseqüentemente a ictiofauna das lagoas marginais.
O status do conhecimento sobre a fauna de mamíferos do Espírito Santo baseado em registros de museus e literatura científica
Authors: Moreira Danielle de Oliveira , Coutinho Bruno Rocha , Mendes Sérgio Lucena
Published: August 2008

O estado do Espírito Santo é uma das regiões reconhecidas como uma das mais ricas em termos de diversidade de espécies. Entretanto, o conhecimento sobre a fauna de mamíferos é ainda limitado. Devido à falta de uma lista completa sobre as espécies de mamíferos silvestres do estado e à pouca informação sobre os registros dessas espécies, realizamos um estudo sistemático sobre o status do conhecimento científico das espécies de mamíferos do Espírito Santo. Assim, reunimos em um banco de dados digital as informações sobre os registros de ocorrência das espécies de mamíferos utilizando dados publicados ou associados a espécimes tombados em museus. Verificamos, também, quais as regiões do estado onde houve um maior esforço de coleta da fauna de mamíferos e onde a riqueza de espécies é mais elevada utilizando o programa DIVA. Como resultado, geramos uma lista de 138 espécies de mamíferos silvestres no Espírito Santo que inclui espécies ameaçadas de extinção e endêmicas da Mata Atlântica, além de duas típicas do Cerrado. Esse estado possui regiões do seu território consideradas lacunas de conhecimento, pois não existem muitas informações sobre a mastofauna. O extremo norte do estado é a principal região onde o conhecimento é limitado. As microrregiões do Espírito Santo onde se realizaram mais levantamentos da fauna de mamíferos foram a Central Serrana e a Pólo Linhares. A lista de espécies de mamíferos é uma diretriz para as próximas pesquisas a serem realizadas no estado, entretanto não se pode afirmar que é uma lista completa. É importante que sejam realizados outros levantamentos faunísticos no estado com maior abrangência geográfica e esforço amostral, principalmente nas regiões onde as informações são escassas.
Revisão taxonômica de Croton sect. Lamprocroton (Müll. Arg.) Pax (Euphorbiaceae s.s.)
Authors: Lima Letícia Ribes de , Pirani José Rubens
Published: August 2008

O gênero Croton L. é o segundo maior e mais diverso da família Euphorbiaceae, possuindo cerca de 1.200 espécies, agrupadas em 40 seções, com distribuição pantropical, das quais a maioria ocorre nas Américas. Na América o Sul, o Brasil é o país que congrega o maior número de espécies, aproximadamente 356. De acordo com a mais recente classificação, o gênero pertence à tribo Crotoneae e, apesar do grande número de espécies e da grande diversidade morfológica, seria um táxon monofilético. Entretanto, uma análise filogenética recente, que utilizou dados moleculares das regiões ITS, do DNA nuclear ribossômico, e do fragmento trnL-F, do DNA plastidial, demonstrou que Croton, como tradicionalmente circunscrito, não é um táxon monofilético. Neste trabalho, é apresentada uma revisão taxonômica de Croton sect. Lamprocroton (Müll. Arg.) Pax. Trata-se de um grupo neotropical com a maioria das espécies ocorrendo nas regiões Sudeste e Sul do Brasil e sul da América do Sul. Seus representantes caracterizam-se por ser plantas arbustivas ou subarbustivas, monóicas ou dióicas, com indumento lepidoto presente em pelo menos parte da folhagem e folhas inteiras e sem glândulas. As flores estaminadas possuem androceu composto por 9 a 16 estames e as flores pistiladas apresentam sépalas iguais ou desiguais no tamanho, pétalas reduzidas ou ausentes e estiletes uma ou duas vezes bífidos. Neste trabalho são reconhecidas 26 espécies na seção sendo três novas para a ciência. Chave de identificação, descrições morfológicas, ilustrações, período fenológico, distribuição geográfica e comentários gerais de cada uma das espécies são apresentados. Quatro táxons foram excluídos de C. sect. Lamprocroton por não possuírem os caracteres morfológicos diagnósticos da seção. Quatro espécies não foram incluídas no tratamento taxonômico por falta de informação sobre as mesmas.
Scorpion fauna of the island of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil: first record of Tityus stigmurus (Thorell 1877) (Arachnida, Buthidae)
Authors: Freitas Gilson Carlos Conceição , Vasconcelos Simão Dias
Published: August 2008

A survey of the scorpion fauna of the Island of Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco (Brazil), was carried out in October 2005. Methods included active collecting and pitfall traps in several areas of the island under different degrees of human-caused alteration. Forty four scorpions, belonging to two species were collected: Isometrus maculatus (DeGeer, 1778), previously listed for the Island, and Tityus stigmurus (Thorell, 1877), here recorded for the first time. This species was probably introduced via cargo shipments from the continent and offers risk to the local population due to the gravity of the accidents.
Deslocamento de Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818) (Mammalia, Chiroptera) entre ilha e continente no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Authors: Menezes Jr. Luis Fernando , Duarte Ana Carolina , Novaes Roberto Leonan Morim , Façanha Ana Cristina , Peracchi Adriano Lúcio , Costa Luciana de Moraes , Fernandes Agata de Freitas Prata Dias e , Esbérard Carlos Eduardo Lustosa
Published: August 2008

Em 18 de julho de 2007, um indivíduo de Artibeus lituratus marcado com coleira plástica numerada foi recapturado no Parque Natural Municipal da Serra do Mendanha, município do Rio de Janeiro, 96 dias após ter sido capturado e marcado na Ilha de Itacuruça, no sul do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. A distância linear entre os pontos de marcação e recaptura sugere um deslocamento de no mínimo 35 km, sendo 500 m sobre o mar.
Larvas de Philornis deceptiva Dodge & Aitken (Diptera, Muscidae) no Sanhaçu-cinzento Thraupis sayaca (Linnaeus 1766) (Thraupidae) no município de Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Authors: Luz Hermes Ribeiro , Ferreira Ildemar , Couri Márcia Souto
Published: August 2008

Seis ninhegos do Sanhaçu-cinzento, Thraupis sayaca albergaram 42 larvas de Philornis deceptiva durante o período reprodutivo, de agosto a outubro de 2006, no município de Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro. As larvas foram observadas a partir do 3° dia após a eclosão e colocadas em um recipiente plástico sendo seu ciclo de vida acompanhado até que emergissem. Trinta e duas larvas atingiram a fase adulta e foram preservadas em álcool a 70%, para posterior identificação. Quatro ninhegos morreram antes de atingir a idade adulta. Eles estavam intensamente infestados por larvas de Philornis. No presente estudo apresentamos Thraupis sayaca como novo hospedeiro para Philornis deceptiva.
Multidisciplinary Management of Locally Advanced SCCHN: Optimizing Treatment Outcomes
Authors: Ang K. Kian
Published: August 2008

The management of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA-SCCHN) is highly complex. Data from recent clinical trials have altered the treatment landscape by refining the use of existing therapies, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and providing new treatment options, such as cetuximab. Selecting the most appropriate treatment for an individual patient requires a multidisciplinary approach and careful assessment of the relative advantages and disadvantages of each treatment approach. Surgery is highly effective but can have debilitating long-term consequences. Chemoradiation and altered fractionation radiation therapy are more effective than conventional radiation therapy, but also more toxic; as a consequence of toxicity, suboptimal delivery of radiation may diminish, in practice, the efficacy observed in clinical trials of these strategies. Cetuximab plus radiation therapy is more effective than radiation alone and does not substantially increase radiation-related toxicity, or affect the delivery of planned radiotherapy. However, whether cetuximab plus radiation therapy is similar in efficacy to chemoradiation is unknown at this time. Ideally, multidisciplinary teams weigh all these factors when making individual treatment decisions. Data from current trials will help further optimize multimodality treatment for LA-SCCHN.
June’s Troubled Transition: Adjustment to Residential Care for Older Adults With Dementia
Authors: Jaffe Dale J. , Wellin Chris
Published: August 2008

In research on dementia care and housing transitions, only rarely are residents themselves present as active informants. This is a costly omission, inasmuch as manifestations of dementia, perceptions of care settings, and residents’ experience of such transitions are both complex and highly variable. In this article, drawn from a larger study of the social organization of care in residential care/assisted living (RC/AL), we develop a detailed, ethnographic narrative that combines first-person reflections by, and observational data on, a single resident—a focal case. The account suggests that for older adults with mild to moderate dementia, awareness of serious impairment among coresidents can be both distressing and stigmatizing. We further argue that assumptions about and attributions of dementia by staff members, compounded by immediate demands of caregiving, may create a self-fulfilling prophecy resulting in residents’ resistance and withdrawal. The case also suggests that, to the extent this interactional dynamic is present, distinctive goals in RC/AL, such as enhanced self-determination among residents, are undermined.
Investing for Reliability and Security in Transportation Networks
Authors: Zhang Lei , Levinson David
Published: August 2008

Alternative transportation investment policies can lead to very different network forms in the future. The desirability of a transportation network should be assessed not only by its economic efficiency but also by its reliability and security, because the cost of an incidental capacity loss in a road network can be massive. This research concerns how investment rules shape the hierarchical structure of roads and affect network fragility to natural disasters, congestion, and accidents and vulnerability to targeted attacks. A microscopic network growth model predicts the equilibrium road networks under two alternative policy scenarios: investment based on benefit–cost analysis and investment based on bottleneck removal. A set of Monte Carlo simulation runs, in which a certain percentage of links was removed according to the type of network degradation analyzed, was carried out to evaluate the equilibrium road networks. It was found that a hierarchy existed in road networks for reasons such as economic efficiency but that an overly hierarchical structure had serious reliability problems. Throughout the equilibrating or evolution process, the grid network studied under benefit–cost analysis had better efficiency performance, as well as error and attack tolerance. The paper demonstrates that reliability and security considerations can be integrated into the planning of transportation systems.
Intergovernmental Cooperation in Benchmarking a Local Government Continuity-of-Operations Exercise
Authors: West Tim , Miller Steve , Zdunek Tom , McKibben Kim , Paul Roger , Albright David
Published: August 2008

This paper describes intergovernmental cooperation in the conduct of a local government continuity-of-operations exercise by the Public Works Division, Bernalillo County, New Mexico. The commitment of Bernalillo County to cooperation included the implementation of national standards and recommended practice. The commitment was based on principle and not on funding. The planning, training, and exercise cycle is considered part of the ongoing responsibility of the agency and is funded within the Public Works Division's operating budget. All levels of government participated in the exercise. The commitment of other agencies to the local government exercise included external evaluation, review of the After-Action Report and Improvement Plan, the support of continuity of operations, and ongoing cooperation in critical infrastructure protection. The state involvement in the exercise was through the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management as well as the Department of Health. Federal agencies supporting the exercise were the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Office of the U.S. Attorney; the 377th Wing Command, Kirtland Air Force Base; Sandia National Laboratories; and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The exercise was successful. The conduct of the exercise demonstrated that the division was well prepared. Essential functions were relocated and were operational in a period shorter than that identified by federal standard and local target timelines. Local governments such as Bernalillo County are capable as well as committed to intergovernmental cooperation. As a result of commitment and cooperation, a benchmark is offered for continuity-of-operations resilience.
Transportation Network Risk Profile for an Origin–Destination Pair
Authors: Murray-Tuite Pamela M.
Published: August 2008

Transportation security and mobility often conflict with each other. An open and accessible system provides for the efficient transportation of people and goods; however, this openness also allows malicious entities to exploit the transportation system as a target, weapon, or means to reach another target. Security actions taken to prohibit malicious entities from reaching their targets or to capture them after an attack may degrade the transportation system. Security may also cause the entities to adapt their methods or targets and thus create more complex analysis requirements. This paper describes the incorporation of two types of substitution (method and target) into a methodology to determine the risk profile for the transportation system because of attacks on the transportation system itself, collateral damage to the network because of targeting of adjacent assets, and preevent and postattack security measure implementation. Monte Carlo simulation generated scenarios of target, attack methods, intelligence, security, substitution, target failure, and damage to the transportation network. Risk was then characterized through a profile of scenario likelihood and consequences. Application of the methodology to a hypothetical network with 5,000 iterations revealed one instance of no targets being selected. Although the scenario probabilities were very small, 18% of the cases resulted in the complete disconnection of the origin–destination pair. Thus, a city's decision makers should carefully consider the use of security measures in conjunction with the attacks if postattack evacuation is a potential action.
Understanding the Impact of a Recent Hurricane on Mobilization Time during a Subsequent Hurricane
Authors: Dixit Vinayak V. , Pande Anurag , Radwan Essam , Abdel-Aty Mohamed
Published: August 2008

It is not uncommon for a region to be affected by multiple hurricanes in a span of a few weeks. The behavior of the evacuees during a subsequent hurricane in the same season is affected by the damage to the infrastructure and to the vehicles and assets belonging to evacuees, as well as by the psychological impact of the preceding hurricane. One such behavioral aspect that affects traffic-loading rates during a hurricane is the evacuation delay or mobilization time. In this study, “mobilization time for an evacuee” is defined as the difference between the time at which the decision to leave is made and the actual time of departure. This paper proposes a methodology that can be used to understand the factors associated with the mobilization time during a subsequent hurricane while accounting for the effects of the preceding hurricane. The effects of the preceding hurricane were accounted for by modeling mobilization times simultaneously with an ordinal variable representing evacuation participation levels during Hurricane Charley. The data from a survey conducted with the evacuees of Hurricane Frances, which made landfall 3 weeks after Hurricane Charley, were used in this study. The errors for the two simultaneously estimated models were significantly correlated. The results showed that home ownership, the number of individuals in the household, income levels, and the level or the risk of a surge were significant in the model and explained the mobilization times for households. Pet ownership and the number of children in households, known to increase mobilization times during isolated hurricanes, were not found to be significant in the model. The implications of these findings for the demand S-curve are briefly discussed.
Corridor-Based Emergency Evacuation System for Washington, D.C.
Authors: Liu Yue , Chang Gang-Len , Liu Ying , Lai Xiaorong
Published: August 2008

The evacuation of large municipal areas in an efficient manner during emergencies and disasters is one of the critical tasks of emergency management agencies. This paper presents a corridor-based emergency evacuation system and an example application of the system for the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The proposed system features flexibility by accounting for various critical issues associated with both planning and real-time operations, including the integration of data from multiple sources, network decomposition, network-level traffic routing, contraflow design, staged evacuation, optimal signal timing, and the incorporation of pedestrian and bus operations. Under a hypothetical emergency scenario for Union Station in Washington, D.C., the proposed system demonstrated its effectiveness at producing evacuation routing strategies, identifying potential bottlenecks, and evaluating the performance of evacuation operations.
Assessment of I-4 Contraflow Plans
Authors: Dixit Vinayak V. , Ramasamy Shankar , Radwan Essam
Published: August 2008

Better use of the available road network is critical to improving the evacuation operation during a disaster. Contraflow operations help increase the capacity of the available network by reversing the direction of inbound lanes to outbound lanes. This helps improve the outflow from a region threatened by disaster. One of the major issues associated with contraflow operations is determining the locations for access to the contraflow lanes from the normal-flow lanes. These accesses are also referred to as crossovers. Four different strategies with different crossover locations were tested on the I-4 evacuation route from Tampa to Orlando, Florida. It was found that the provision of two crossovers, one after Tampa and another after Plant City, performed the best but was only marginally better than the provision of one crossover after Tampa. Therefore, considering the cost and personnel needed to provide a crossover, the provision of one crossover after Tampa was found to be a more logical choice than the provision of two crossovers. It was observed that the time required to run the microscopic simulation to arrive at the results was extremely long. To overcome this drawback, the cell transmission model (CTM) was calibrated and run for the same four strategies. It was observed that the results were extremely close to the results from the microscopic simulation. The robustness and speed of CTM make it ideal for use as part of a decision support system to help determine the best strategies in real time. This will help emergency management officials make real-time decisions in the event of unforeseen drops in capacities because of incidents or vehicle breakdowns.
Air Passenger Preferences for Choice of Airport and Ground Access Mode in the New York City Metropolitan Region
Authors: Gupta Surabhi , Vovsha Peter , Donnelly Robert
Published: August 2008

In current practice, regional models are limited in their capability to analyze policies involving changes and improvements to airports (and their services) and ground access transportation. Typically, airports are treated only as employment centers or as special generators. Important and distinct features of air passenger travel affecting trip distribution and mode choice are rarely modeled explicitly. This paper presents the development of a joint airport and ground access mode choice model for the New York City metropolitan region based on an extensive survey of airport users. Unlike travel to and from most U.S. cities, air passengers flying to and from the New York region face a nontrivial choice of airports and ground access modes (including premium transit options). A nested logit model was formulated with airport choice at the upper level and ground access mode choice at the second level; however, a multinomial logit model was found to be statistically preferable. Results indicate that air passenger travel behavior is significantly different for business and nonbusiness travelers. Overall, willingness to pay for trips to and from the airport is much higher than for regular intracity trips. Average yield, access time, and access cost are the most important determinants of air passenger's choice; demographics and trip characteristics are also significant. The developed tool was used for a comprehensive study of airport development alternatives in the New York region and is seen as the platform for additional data development and model extensions for future studies of air passenger service planning in the New York megaregion.
Analysis of Transit Quality of Service and Employment Accessibility for the Greater Chicago, Illinois, Region
Authors: Minocha Inshu , Sriraj P. S. , Metaxatos Paul , Thakuriah Piyushimita (Vonu)
Published: August 2008

A variety of transit decision support tools have been developed in the Chicago, Illinois, metropolitan area in recent years, including the Regional Transportation Asset Management System of the Regional Transit Authority and the Spatial Decision Support System of the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Although the Chicago metropolitan area has a variety of public transportation services, the quality of service available in an area and the extent to which transit allows area residents to access employment opportunities spread out across the six-county region vary substantially. This paper focuses on a spatial analysis of the variations of local transit service quality indicators as well as a composite regional employment accessibility measure. It explores the quality of the transit system in the Chicago region through a set of supply- and demand-side indicators at the census tract level. The supply-side indicators include a composite index of transit availability and frequency and transit station asset information. The demand-side measures include the computation of the regional employment accessibility index using a gravity model and transit travel times from travel demand models. A series of these indicators is mapped over the Chicago region at the census tract level. The paper also ranks census tracts on the local transit measures, as well as on the regional transit-based employment accessibility measures, and identifies those areas that are well off and worst off in regard to both types of indexes. The paper draws policy conclusions emanating from each of these categories.
Process Management in Public Transit Planning
Authors: Kato Hironori , Shiroyama Hideaki , Fukayama Takeshi
Published: August 2008

This paper analyzes a policy-making process and discusses the role of policy process management in a public transit project. There has been no well-organized public transit planning done by local government in Japan, mainly because there is no national program for statutory local public transit planning in Japan. The Toyama light rail transit (LRT) project is one of the exceptional cases in which a local government has tackled local public transit planning. The planning process in this project is unveiled through intensive interviews with local stakeholders. The focus is on the framing recognized by the stakeholders. First, the process is classified into four phases. Next, stakeholder behaviors, the main agenda, the framework recognized by the stakeholders, and meetings in each phase are analyzed. The policy process management of the Toyama city government is examined, and the factors influencing the successful introduction of LRT are discussed from the viewpoint of policy management. In summary, three factors are involved: technology and topography, financial resources, and policy process management. Well-organized policy process management contributes to smooth consensus building; in this case, the process manager made the best use of the technological and topographical and financial factors and consequently guided the stakeholders to a consensus. Finally, the lessons learned from the Toyama LRT case are discussed. The following key factors, each of which influences the policy-making process, are described: appropriate vision setting and strong leadership, meeting management, viewpoint shift under certain constraints, the involvement of experts, and the framing arrangement vis-à-vis individual negotiation.
Registration of ‘Prohio’ Soybean
Authors: Mian M. A. Rouf , Cooper Richard L. , Dorrance Anne E.
Published: August 2008

‘Prohio’ soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (Reg. No. CV‐497, PI 643146) was developed jointly by the USDA‐ARS and The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster, OH, and was released as a high‐yielding maturity group IV (relative maturity 4.1) non–Roundup Ready cultivar with relatively high seed protein. Prohio is a selection from a cross between HC94‐81PR × ‘A2506’. Both in the 2004 northern Regional Preliminary Test IV and in the 2005 northern Regional Uniform Test IV, Prohio had the greatest seed protein, while its oil content was slightly above the average for these tests. In South Region normal varieties evaluation of 2005 Ohio Soybean Performance Trials, Prohio had higher yields than all other public varieties in the test and had numerically highest seed protein among all lines in the trial. Prohio is a relatively high protein soybean cultivar with high yield potential, particularly in southern Ohio.
Registration of TIL:455, TIL:514, and TIL:642, Three Rice Germplasm Lines Containing Introgressed Sheath Blight Resistance Alleles
Authors: Pinson S. R. M. , Oard J. H. , Groth D. , Miller R. , Marchetti M. A. , Shank A. R. , Jia M. H. , Jia Y. , Fjellstrom R. G. , Li Z.
Published: August 2008

Three rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm lines designated as TIL:455 (Reg. No. GP‐112, PI 642943), TIL:514 (Reg. No. GP‐113, PI 642944), and TIL:642 (Reg. No. GP‐114, PI 642945) contain a total of eight novel alleles with sheath blight (caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn) resistance backcrossed into an elite U.S. rice genetic background having good grain quality traits, early maturity, and glabrous leaves and hulls. These three germplasm lines were jointly released in 2007 by the USDA‐ARS, the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, and the International Rice Research Institute. The novel sheath blight resistance alleles contained in these lines originated from ‘TeQing’ (PI 536047), a high‐yielding rice cultivar from China that is well known in the United States for its strong resistance to sheath blight disease. With the aim of identifying improved germplasm suitable for introducing novel sheath blight resistance alleles into tropical japonica breeding programs, a combination of phenotypic and molecular data was used to select three lines from among 262 random backcross introgression lines.
Registration of Stout‐Rps1k Soybean Germplasm Line
Authors: Mian M. A. Rouf , Cooper Richard L. , Dorrance Anne E.
Published: August 2008

Stout‐Rps1k soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]) (Reg. No. GP‐360, PI 644024) germplasm line was developed jointly by the USDA‐ARS and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster, OH. It was released in October 2006 because it had the Rps1k gene for race‐specific resistance to Phytophthora root and stem rot (caused by Phytophthora sojae, M.J. Kaufmann and J.W. Gerdemann) in the semidwarf cultivar Stout. Stout‐Rps1k, a maturity group III (RM 3.3) germplasm, was developed by backcrossing the Rps1k gene from cultivar Sprite 87 into Stout. BC5–derived lines homozygous for the Rps1k gene were bulked and evaluated for agronomic performance in local and regional tests. Agronomic performance of Stout‐Rps1k was similar to the recurrent parent Stout. The Rps1k gene conditions resistance against a wider range of P. sojae populations in the north‐central soybean growing region of the United States than the Rps1a gene. Thus, Stout‐Rps1k should be useful for breeders and researchers interested in developing new soybean lines with broad resistance to P. sojae populations and specific adaptation to high‐yield environments.
Registration of ‘DP‐1’ Peanut
Authors: Gorbet D. W. , Tillman B. L.
Published: August 2008

The peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. subsp. hypogaea var. hypogaea) cultivar DP‐1 (Reg. No. CV‐103, PI 633047) was developed by the University of Florida, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station and approved for release in 2002. Tested under the experimental designation UF97318, DP‐1 has runner market‐type seed and pod size with a runner growth habit. Under irrigation, it matures about 150 d after planting, which places it in the category of late relative maturity. Release of DP‐1 was based on its resistance to spotted wilt caused by tomato spotted wilt tospovirus, white mold caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc., and late leaf spot caused by Cercosporidium personatum (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Deighton, as well as competitive pod yield and grade characteristics.
Registration of ‘L 79‐1002’ Sugarcane
Authors: Bischoff K. P. , Gravois K. A. , Reagan T. E. , Hoy J. W. , Kimbeng C. A. , LaBorde C. M. , Hawkins G. L.
Published: August 2008

‘L 79‐1002’ (Reg. No. CV‐132, PI 651501) sugarcane (a complex hybrid of Saccharum officinarum L., S. spontaneum L., S. barberi Jeswiet, and S. sinense Roxb. amend. Jeswiet) was released on 26 Apr. 2007 by the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in cooperation with the USDA‐ARS and the American Sugarcane League, Inc. The cross for L 79‐1002, a F1 hybrid, was made in 1974 using ‘CP 52‐68’ as the female parent and Tainan, a S. spontaneum clone, as the male parent. Initial clonal selection was done in single stools. Testing was done from 1976 through 1983 in yield trials conducted in the traditional sugarcane growing area in south Louisiana and in the colder, non‐sugarcane growing regions of north Louisiana. Yield testing was resumed in 2002 through 2005 as interest in biofuels research renewed. L 79‐1002 was released for an emerging biofuels industry because of its high fiber content and biomass (cane yield) potential. Average fiber content for L 79‐1002 is approximately 257 g kg−1 The new cultivar also has excellent vigor and ratooning ability. Experiments conducted at Bossier City, Louisiana (32.1° N lat) indicated a broader range of adaptability than sugarcane cultivars grown for the production of sucrose.