bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On Arrival: Memory and Temporality at Ellis Island, New York
Authors: Hoskins Gareth
Published: December 2012

Museums and heritage operations are increasingly employing experiential forms of interpretation, such as role adoption and first-person interpretation, in order to cultivate emotional bonds between visitors and the characters that populate historic sites. The paper argues that this form of relating to the past affectively reflects a notion of memory that is underpinned by commonsense temporality and a privileging of the corporeal, both of which serve to legitimate existing relations of power. Using a dispute surrounding public entry to Ellis Island, New York, via a bridge connected to New Jersey, I ask that we understand memory as a practice generating the past's perpetual arrival where the past continually comes into existence anew rather than ‘returns’ from what once was. Throughout the paper I relate a number of examples where thinking about memory along these lines, as arrival, can help us question the temporal logics that underpin heritage and the authorities heritage maintains.
Effects of the correction of particle microbial contamination and particle transit model in the rumen on in situ protein evaluation of grass hays
Authors: Guevara-González J. A. , González J. , Arroyo J. M. , Moya V. J. , Piquer O.
Published: December 2012

Effects of considering the particle comminution rate (kc) in addition to particle rumen outflow (kp) and the ruminal microbial contamination on estimates of by-pass and intestinal digestibility of DM, organic matter and crude protein were examined in perennial ryegrass and oat hays. By-pass kc-kp-based values of amino acids were also determined. This study was performed using particle transit, in situ and 15N techniques on three rumen and duodenum-cannulated wethers. The above estimates were determined using composite samples from rumen-incubated residues representative of feed by-pass. Considering the comminution rate, kc, modified the contribution of the incubated residues to these samples in both hays and revealed a higher microbial contamination, consistently in oat hay and only as a tendency for crude protein in ryegrass hay. Not considering kc or rumen microbial contamination overvalued by-pass and intestinal digestibility in both hays. Therefore, non-microbial-corrected kp-based values of intestinal digested crude protein were overestimated as compared with corrected and kc-kp-based values in ryegrass hay (17.4 vs 4.40%) and in oat hay (5.73 vs 0.19%). Both factors should be considered to obtain accurate in situ estimates in grasses, as the protein value of grasses is very conditioned by the microbial synthesis derived from their ruminal fermentation. Consistent overvaluations of amino acid by-pass due to not correcting microbial contamination were detected in both hays, with large variable errors among amino acids. A similar degradation pattern of amino acids was recorded in both hays. Cysteine, methionine, leucine and valine were the most degradation-resistant amino acids.
C4 Photosynthesis and Light-dependent Accumulation of Inorganic Carbon in Leaves of C3-C4 Flaveria Species
Authors: Moore Brandon D. , Ku Maurice S.B , Edwards Gerald e>
Published: December 2012

Various C3,C3-C4 Flaveria Species were examined for their light-dependent ability to concentrate inorganic carbon (CO2 plus HCO3-) within leaf discs. The five C4 species concentrated 14-32 nmol of inorganic carbon per mg Chl (after reaching saturation with 14CO2). Among the 10 C3-C4 species examined, six species showed a considerable capacity to concentrate inorganic carbon (8-31 nmol per mg Chl).
Proteaceae leaf fossils from the Oligo - Miocene of New Zealand: new species and evidence of biome and trait conservatism
Authors: Carpenter Raymond J. , Bannister Jennifer M. , Lee Daphne E. , Jordan Gregory J.
Published: December 2012

At least seven foliar taxa of Proteaceae occur in Oligo–Miocene lignite from the Newvale site. These taxa include two new species of the fossil genus Euproteaciphyllum, and previously described species of tribe Persoonieae and Banksia. Other specimens from Newvale are not assigned to new species, but some conform to leaves of the New Caledonian genus Beauprea, which is also represented in the lignite by common pollen. Two other Euproteaciphyllum species are described from the early Miocene Foulden Maar diatomite site. One of these species may belong to Alloxylon (tribe Embothrieae) and the other to tribe Macadamieae, subtribe Gevuininae. Ecologically, the species from Newvale represented important components of wet, oligotrophic, open vegetation containing scleromorphic angiosperms and very diverse conifers. In contrast, Proteaceae were large-leaved and rare in Lauraceae-dominated rainforest at the volcanic Foulden Maar site. Overall, the Oligo–Miocene fossils confirm that Proteaceae was formerly much more diverse and dominant in the New Zealand vegetation, and provide fossil evidence for biome conservatism in both leaf traits and lineage representation.
Ancient divergence and biogeography of Raukaua (Araliaceae) and close relatives in the southern hemisphere
Authors: Mitchell Anthony , Li Rong , Brown Joseph W. , Schönberger Ines , Wen Jun
Published: December 2012

Molecular genetic analyses were used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and estimate divergence times for Raukaua species and their close relatives. A monophyletic group identified as the ‘greater Raukaua clade’ was circumscribed, with eight representative species; its basal divergence was estimated at c. 70 Mya, possibly after Zealandia had separated from Gondwana. Raukaua is paraphyletic because of the placement of Motherwellia, Cephalaralia, Cheirodendron and Schefflera s.s. The phylogeny supports a more narrowly circumscribed Raukaua that includes the New Zealand but not the South American or Tasmanian representatives. Ancestors of the monophyletic South American and Tasmanian Raukaua and the mainland Australian Motherwellia and Cephalaralia diverged at c. 66 Mya and their current disjunction may be vicariant, with overland dispersal between Australia and South America, possibly via Antarctica. Vicariance is also a likely mechanism for divergence at c. 57 Mya of the monophyletic Motherwellia, Cephalaralia and Tasmanian Raukaua. The common ancestor of New Zealand Raukaua¸ Cheirodendron and Schefflera s.s. is inferred to have existed c. 62 Mya in New Zealand, before the marine incursions during the Oligocene, implying that New Zealand Raukaua and Schefflera s.s. survived the inundation period or speciated outside New Zealand and subsequently colonised. Ancestors of Cheirodendron split from New Zealand Raukaua c. 43 Mya and dispersed over vast expanses of the south-western Pacific to Hawaii.
A Bombieri-Vinogradov theorem for all number fields
Authors: Murty M. , Petersen Kathleen
Published: December 2012

The classical theorem of Bombieri and Vinogradov is generalized to a non-abelian, non-Galois setting. This leads to a prime number theorem of “mixed-type” for arithmetic progressions “twisted” by splitting conditions in number fields. One can view this as an extension of earlier work of M. R. Murty and V. K. Murty on a variant of the Bombieri-Vinogradov theorem. We develop this theory with a view to applications in the study of the Euclidean algorithm in number fields and arithmetic orbifolds.
Splash-cup plants accelerate raindrops to disperse seeds
Authors: Amador Guillermo J. , Yamada Yasukuni , McCurley Matthew , Hu David L.
Published: December 2012

The conical flowers of splash-cup plants
Chrysosplenium
and
Mazus
catch raindrops opportunistically, exploiting the subsequent splash to disperse their seeds. In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we elucidate their mechanism for maximizing dispersal distance. We fabricate conical plant mimics using three-dimensional printing, and use high-speed video to visualize splash profiles and seed travel distance. Drop impacts that strike the cup off-centre achieve the largest dispersal distances of up to 1 m. Such distances are achieved because splash speeds are three to five times faster than incoming drop speeds, and so faster than the traditionally studied splashes occurring upon horizontal surfaces. This anomalous splash speed is because of the superposition of two components of momentum, one associated with a component of the drop's motion parallel to the splash-cup surface, and the other associated with film spreading induced by impact with the splash-cup. Our model incorporating these effects predicts the observed dispersal distance within 6–18% error. According to our experiments, the optimal cone angle for the splash-cup is 40°, a value consistent with the average of five species of splash-cup plants. This optimal angle arises from the competing effects of velocity amplification and projectile launching angle.
Discovery of diverse polyomaviruses in bats and the evolutionary history of the Polyomaviridae
Authors: Tao Ying , Shi Mang , Conrardy Christina , Kuzmin Ivan V. , Recuenco Sergio , Agwanda Bernard , Alvarez Danilo A. , Ellison James A. , Gilbert Amy T. , Moran David , Niezgoda Michael , Lindblade Kim A. , Holmes Edward C. , Breiman Robert F. , Rupprecht Charles E. , Tong Suxiang
Published: December 2012

Polyomaviruses (PyVs) have been identified in a wide range of avian and mammalian species. However, little is known about their occurrence, genetic diversity and evolutionary history in bats, even though bats are important reservoirs for many emerging viral pathogens. This study screened 380 specimens from 35 bat species from Kenya and Guatemala for the presence of PyVs by semi-nested pan-PyV PCR assays. PyV DNA was detected in 24 of the 380 bat specimens. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the bat PyV sequences formed 12 distinct lineages. Full-genome sequences were obtained for seven representative lineages and possessed similar genomic features to known PyVs. Strikingly, this evolutionary analysis revealed that the bat PyVs were paraphyletic, suggestive of multiple species jumps between bats and other mammalian species, such that the theory of virus–host co-divergence for mammalian PyVs as a whole could be rejected. In addition, evidence was found for strong heterogeneity in evolutionary rate and potential recombination in a number of PyV complete genomes, which complicates both phylogenetic analysis and virus classification. In summary, this study revealed that bats are important reservoirs of PyVs and that these viruses have a complex evolutionary history.
Antiretroviral therapy promotes an inflammatory-like pattern of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) replication in human immunodeficiency virus type 1/HTLV-1 co-infected individuals
Authors: Pomier Carole , Rabaaoui Samira , Pouliquen Jean-François , Couppié Pierre , El Guedj Myriam , Nacher Mathieu , Lacoste Vincent , Wattel Eric , Kazanji Mirdad , Mortreux Franck
Published: December 2012

Upon antiretroviral therapy (ART) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) co-infected individuals frequently develop neurological disorders through hitherto unknown mechanisms. Here, we show that effective anti-HIV ART increases HTLV-1 proviral load through a polyclonal integration pattern of HTLV-1 in both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets that is reminiscent of that typically associated with HTLV-1-related inflammatory conditions. These data indicate that preventing ART-triggered clonal expansion of HTLV-1-infected cells in co-infected individuals deserves investigation.
Regulation of alphaherpesvirus infections by the ICP0 family of proteins
Authors: Boutell Chris , Everett Roger D.
Published: December 2012

Immediate-early protein ICP0 of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is important for the regulation of lytic and latent viral infection. Like the related proteins expressed by other alphaherpesviruses, ICP0 has a zinc-stabilized RING finger domain that confers E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. This domain is essential for the core functions of ICP0 and its activity leads to the degradation of a number of cellular proteins, some of which are involved in cellular defences that restrict viral infection. The article reviews recent advances in ICP0-related research, with an emphasis on the mechanisms by which ICP0 and related proteins counteract antiviral restriction and the roles in this process of cellular nuclear substructures known as ND10 or PML nuclear bodies. We also summarize recent advances in the understanding of the biochemical aspects of ICP0 activity. These studies highlight the importance of the SUMO conjugation pathway in both intrinsic resistance to HSV-1 infection and in substrate targeting by ICP0. The topics discussed in this review are relevant not only to HSV-1 infection, but also to cellular intrinsic resistance against herpesviruses more generally and the mechanisms by which viruses can evade this restriction.
Molecular dissection of a viral quasispecies under mutagenic treatment: positive correlation between fitness loss and mutational load
Authors: Arias Armando , Isabel de Ávila Ana , Sanz-Ramos Marta , Agudo Rubén , Escarmís Cristina , Domingo Esteban
Published: December 2012

Low fidelity replication and the absence of error-repair activities in RNA viruses result in complex and adaptable ensembles of related genomes in the viral population, termed quasispecies, with important implications for natural infections. Theoretical predictions suggested that elevated replication error rates in RNA viruses might be near to a maximum compatible with viral viability. This fact encouraged the use of mutagenic nucleosides as a new antiviral strategy to induce viral extinction through increased replication error rates. Despite extensive evidence of lethal mutagenesis of RNA viruses by different mutagenic compounds, a detailed picture of the infectivity of individual genomes and its relationship with the mutations accumulated is lacking. Here, we report a molecular analysis of a foot-and-mouth disease virus population previously subjected to heavy mutagenesis to determine whether a correlation between increased mutagenesis and decreased fitness existed. Plaque-purified viruses isolated from a ribavirin-treated quasispecies presented decreases of up to 200-fold in infectivity relative to clones in the reference population, associated with an overall eightfold increase in the mutation frequency. This observation suggests that individual infectious genomes of a quasispecies subjected to increased mutagenesis lose infectivity by their continuous mutagenic ‘poisoning’. These results support the lethal defection model of virus extinction and the practical use of chemical mutagens as antiviral treatment. Even when extinction is not achieved, mutagenesis can decrease the infectivity of surviving virus, and facilitate their clearance by host immune responses or complementing antiviral approaches.
The timing of abscission affects dispersal distance in a wind‐dispersed tropical tree
Authors: Maurer Kyle D. , Bohrer Gil , Medvigy David , Wright S. Joseph
Published: December 2012

Seed dispersal is a short‐term phenomenon with long‐term consequences for population survival and spread. Physiological mechanisms that target the release of seeds to particular sets of environmental conditions that maximize the probability of long‐distance dispersal should evolve if long dispersal distance enhances fitness.

In this study, we use high‐frequency censuses of seeds actually dispersed, high‐frequency within‐canopy meteorological observations and long‐term measurements of above‐canopy wind to investigate the environmental conditions that control the timing of seed abscission at different time‐scales for a wind‐dispersed tropical tree, Luehea seemannii.

We show that seed abscission follows a typical seasonal pattern, is rare at night and is most prevalent during periods of prolonged updrafts, higher temperature, with negative feedback when the heat canopy flux is relatively high.

We use phenomenological (super‐WALD) and mechanistic (coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian closure) models to estimate the relative effects of the timing of seed release at different subannual temporal scales (seconds–hours) on the resulting long‐term (season–decade) dispersal kernels. We find that periods of high wind speed increase the probability of long‐distance dispersal between 100–1000 m, but decrease the probability at distances further than 1000 m relative to unbiased environmental conditions. We also find abscission during updrafts to increase the probability of long‐distance dispersal at distances greater than 100 m.

Synthesis: We observe preferential abscission during updrafts in a tropical wind‐dispersed tree. We use mechanistic models and long‐term wind statistics to estimate the dispersal consequences of preferential seed release in specific environmental conditions. We find that the timing of the dispersal season may be influenced by wind conditions that maximize long‐distance dispersal; however, there are likely other environmental factors essential for their determination. Our approach provides a method to bridge between small turbulence scales and large ecosystem scales to predict dispersal kernels. These findings shed light on the evolutionary processes that drive optimization of the timing of seed abscission and may be incorporated into plant population movement models to increase their accuracy and predictive power.
Functional diversity among seed dispersal kernels generated by carnivorous mammals
Authors: González‐Varo Juan P. , López‐Bao José V. , Guitián José
Published: December 2012

Knowledge of the spatial scale of the dispersal service provided by important seed dispersers (i.e. common and/or keystone species) is essential to our understanding of their role on plant ecology, ecosystem functioning and, ultimately, biodiversity conservation.

Carnivores are the main mammalian frugivores and seed dispersers in temperate climate regions. However, information on the seed dispersal distances they generate is still very limited. We focused on two common temperate carnivores differing in body size and spatial ecology – red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and European pine marten (Martes martes) – for evaluating possible functional diversity in their seed dispersal kernels.

We measured dispersal distances using colour‐coded seed mimics embedded in experimental fruits that were offered to the carnivores in feeding stations (simulating source trees). The exclusive colour code of each simulated tree allowed us to assign the exact origin of seed mimics found later in carnivore faeces. We further designed an explicit sampling strategy aiming to detect the longest dispersal events; as far we know, the most robust sampling scheme followed for tracking carnivore‐dispersed seeds.

We found a marked functional heterogeneity among both species in their seed dispersal kernels according to their home range size: multimodality and long‐distance dispersal in the case of the fox and unimodality and short‐distance dispersal in the case of the marten (maximum distances = 2846 and 1233 m, respectively). As a consequence, emergent kernels at the guild level (overall and in two different years) were highly dependent on the relative contribution of each carnivore species.

Our results provide the first empirical evidence of functional diversity among seed dispersal kernels generated by carnivorous mammals. Moreover, they illustrate for the first time how seed dispersal kernels strongly depend on the relative contribution of different disperser species, thus on the composition of local disperser assemblages. These findings provide a key starting point for understanding and modelling plant population processes that include mammal‐mediated seed dispersal, such as connectivity, range expansion and colonization.
Urease gene‐containing Archaea dominate autotrophic ammonia oxidation in two acid soils
Authors: Lu Lu , Jia Zhongjun
Published: December 2012

The metabolic traits of ammonia‐oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) interacting with their environment determine the nitrogen cycle at the global scale. Ureolytic metabolism has long been proposed as a mechanism for AOB to cope with substrate paucity in acid soil, but it remains unclear whether urea hydrolysis could afford AOA greater ecological advantages. By combining DNA‐based stable isotope probing (SIP) and high‐throughput pyrosequencing, here we show that autotrophic ammonia oxidation in two acid soils was predominately driven by AOA that contain ureC genes encoding the alpha subunit of a putative archaeal urease. In urea‐amended SIP microcosms of forest soil (pH 5.40) and tea orchard soil (pH 3.75), nitrification activity was stimulated significantly by urea fertilization when compared with water‐amended soils in which nitrification resulted solely from the oxidation of ammonia generated through mineralization of soil organic nitrogen. The stimulated activity was paralleled by changes in abundance and composition of archaeal amoA genes. Time‐course incubations indicated that archaeal amoA genes were increasingly labelled by 13CO2 in both microcosms amended with water and urea. Pyrosequencing revealed that archaeal populations were labelled to a much greater extent in soils amended with urea than water. Furthermore, archaeal ureC genes were successfully amplified in the 13C‐DNA, and acetylene inhibition suggests that autotrophic growth of urease‐containing AOA depended on energy generation through ammonia oxidation. The sequences of AOB were not detected, and active AOA were affiliated with the marine Group 1.1a‐associated lineage. The results suggest that ureolytic N metabolism could afford AOA greater advantages for autotrophic ammonia oxidation in acid soil, but the mechanism of how urea activates AOA cells remains unclear.
Capping Direct Payments in the CAP: Another Paper Tiger?  Plafonnement des aides directes: simple tigre de papier?  Kappung der Direktzahlungen: Noch ein Papiertiger?
Authors: Sahrbacher Christoph , Sahrbacher Amanda , Balmann Alfons , Ostermeyer Arlette , Schoenau Franziska
Published: December 2012

summary

Capping Direct Payments in the CAP: Another Paper Tiger?

One of the goals set by the European Commission while preparing the upcoming reform of the CAP is to reach a more equitable distribution of direct payments between Member States. Direct payments should also be more justifiable in the eyes of taxpayers. In its proposal published in October 2011, the EC suggests dividing direct payments into a basic and a greening component. The basic component should be subject to so‐called capping, a mechanism that applies progressive cuts in the basic payment and introduces a ceiling at €300,000. However, salaries could be subtracted before capping. It is expected that regions will suffer most where large field crop farms are predominant. Therefore, simulation experiments are implemented to assess farms’ reactions to capping in an East German large‐scale farming region. Results show that only a few farms are affected by capping and even fewer farms undergo substantial losses in both profit and size. Farms potentially affected by capping rather adapt by investing in labour‐intensive production. However, farm growth is hindered in farms affected by capping, whereas at the same time small farms do not benefit either. In the long‐term, capping potentially leads to structural inefficiencies and competitive distortions that may cause higher welfare losses than those gained with the reduction of direct payments.
How Do Incomes in Agriculture Compare with Those in the Rest of the Economy?  Comment les revenus en agriculture se situent‐ils par rapport à ceux du reste de l’économie ?  Wie schneiden Einkommen in der Landwirtschaft im Vergleich zu anderen Einkommen ab?
Authors: Hill Berkeley
Published: December 2012

summary

How Do Incomes in Agriculture Compare with Those in the Rest of the Economy?

In the period in which changes to the post‐2013 CAP are being considered, the European Commission has asserted that incomes in agriculture compare unfavourably with those in the rest of the economy, at a level typically of about 50 per cent or less. This assessment, made on the basis of average returns to the factor labour, should not be interpreted as indicating the relative incomes of farmers and their families. Though no EU‐wide working system for generating household‐level income data exists, evidence from seven Member States points to situations of approximate parity and, at worst, differences that are far smaller than the Commission’s observation implies, other than perhaps in Poland. Also it is clear that, because of short‐term movements in the earnings from farming, it is not advisable to rely too heavily on figures for single years. If the CAP is to take the core legal objective of ensuring a ‘fair standard of living of the agricultural community’ seriously, and to improve its efficiency in doing so, reliable household level income data need to be provided.
From Economic Research to Policy in 32 Years  De la recherche en économie à la politique : 32 ans d’expérience  In 32 Jahren aus der Wirtschaftsforschung in die Politik
Authors: Bowbrick Peter
Published: December 2012

summary

From Economic Research to Policy in 32 Years

The European Commission has recently reformed its system of horticultural standards, acting on economic research which was published 32 years ago and accepted immediately by academic economists. The delay may have cost €10 to €15 billion a year in higher costs and prices, reduced health and environmental damage. One reason for the delay may be that top government economists based their decisions on the economics that was orthodox when they were undergraduates. Action was taken by researchers and civil servants to suppress unwelcome research results. Key economic decisions were made not by economists, but by civil service horticulturists and grading inspectors who blocked reform, possibly because they felt their expertise was not valued or their jobs were threatened. Action was taken to prevent a knowledgeable outsider from carrying out a review because civil servants did not like a book he published 20 years earlier. Such actions have a chilling effect: consultants or academics who say what they think can have their careers destroyed. Systems used outside the EU could have speeded change: for example, regular policy reviews using independent reviewers – academics, consultants or international organisations. Strict selection procedures for consultants, strictly enforced, are essential. Publication of reviews is important.
Climate warming increases biodiversity of small rodents by favoring rare or less abundant species in a grassland ecosystem
Authors: JIANG Guangshun , LIU Jun , XU Lei , YU Guirui , HE Honglin , ZHANG Zhibin
Published: December 2012

Our Earth is facing the challenge of accelerating climate change, which imposes a great threat to biodiversity. Many published studies suggest that climate warming may cause a dramatic decline in biodiversity, especially in colder and drier regions. In this study, we investigated the effects of temperature, precipitation and a normalized difference vegetation index on biodiversity indices of rodent communities in the current or previous year for both detrended and nondetrended data in semi‐arid grassland of Inner Mongolia during 1982–2006. Our results demonstrate that temperature showed predominantly positive effects on the biodiversity of small rodents; precipitation showed both positive and negative effects; a normalized difference vegetation index showed positive effects; and cross‐correlation function values between rodent abundance and temperature were negatively correlated with rodent abundance. Our results suggest that recent climate warming increased the biodiversity of small rodents by providing more benefits to population growth of rare or less abundant species than that of more abundant species in Inner Mongolia grassland, which does not support the popular view that global warming would decrease biodiversity in colder and drier regions. We hypothesized that higher temperatures might benefit rare or less abundant species (with smaller populations and more folivorous diets) by reducing the probability of local extinction and/or by increasing herbaceous food resources.
Phenotypic plasticity is maintained despite geographical isolation in an African cichlid fish, Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor
Authors: WIENS Kirsten E. , CRISPO Erika , CHAPMAN Lauren J.
Published: December 2012

Gene flow among populations in different selective environments should favor the evolution of phenotypic plasticity over local adaptation. Plasticity in development is a common response to long‐term hypoxia in some widespread African fishes, including Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor, a cichlid that exploits both normoxic (high oxygen) rivers/lakes and hypoxic (low oxygen) swamps. Previous studies have shown that fish from normoxic and hypoxic sites differ in many traits, including gill size, brain size and body shape, and that much of this variation reflects developmental plasticity. However, these earlier studies focused on areas in Uganda where gene flow between swamp and river or lake populations is high. In this study we tested the hypothesis that P. multicolor from a relatively isolated lake population (Lake Saka, Uganda) exhibit low levels of plasticity in traits related to oxygen uptake. Multiple broods of P. multicolor from Lake Saka were reared under low and high dissolved oxygen, and traits related to gill size, brain mass and body shape were quantified. Surprisingly, both gill size and brain mass showed high levels of developmental plasticity. We suggest that high levels of plasticity, particularly in the gill size of P. multicolor, reflects low costs of maintaining the plastic response, even in relatively isolated populations.
Ecological scale and seasonal heterogeneity in the spatial behaviors of giant pandas
Authors: ZHANG Zejun , SHEPPARD James K. , SWAISGOOD Ronald R. , WANG Guan , NIE Yonggang , WEI Wei , ZHAO Naxun , WEI Fuwen
Published: December 2012

We report on the first study to track the spatial behaviors of wild giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) using high‐resolution global positioning system (GPS) telemetry. Between 2008 and 2009, 4 pandas (2 male and 2 female) were tracked in Foping Reserve, China for an average of 305 days (± 54.8 SE). Panda home ranges were larger than those of previous very high frequency tracking studies, with a bimodal distribution of space‐use and distinct winter and summer centers of activity. Home range sizes were larger in winter than in summer, although there was considerable individual variability. All tracked pandas exhibited individualistic, unoriented and multiphasic movement paths, with a high level of tortuosity within seasonal core habitats and directed, linear, large‐scale movements between habitats. Pandas moved from low elevation winter habitats to high elevation (>2000 m) summer habitats in May, when temperatures averaged 17.5 °C (± 0.3 SE), and these large‐scale movements took <1 month to complete. The peak in panda mean elevation occurred in Jul, after which they began slow, large‐scale movements back to winter habitats that were completed in Nov. An adult female panda made 2 longdistance movements during the mating season. Pandas remain close to rivers and streams during winter, possibly reflecting the elevated water requirements to digest their high‐fiber food. Panda movement path tortuosity and first‐passage‐time as a function of spatial scale indicated a mean peak in habitat search effort and patch use of approximately 700 m. Despite a high degree of spatial overlap between panda home ranges, particularly in winter, we detected neither avoidance nor attraction behavior between conspecifics.
Annual survival and site fidelity of free‐ranging white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus): comparative demography before (1983–1992) and after (1993–2005) spatial confinement
Authors: WEBB Stephen L. , GEE Kenneth L.
Published: December 2012

Survival and movement are important demographic variables influencing the dynamics of large herbivores with implications for management and evolution of life‐history strategies. Management practices such as spatial confinement and harvest regulation attempt to control survival and movement for the sustainability of harvested deer populations, but a paucity of long‐term data exists on these management practices. We examined annual survival and site fidelity of free‐ranging white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) over 10 years (1983–1992) to compare demographic parameters after spatial confinement (1993–2005). We used capture records (n = 174; 104 females, 70 males), marked deer recaptures (n = 42), and dead recoveries (n = 68) to estimate sex‐specific, age‐specific and time‐specific parameters. We found that annual female survival was 50% from 1983–1987 during a period of intense harvest, but increased to 93.7% after intense harvesting was eliminated. Prior to spatial confinement, annual survival of marked male deer averaged 36.7%–42.5%. After spatial confinement, annual survival increased on average for males (58%–99%) and females (77%–98%). Females showed high levels of site fidelity (>99%) prior to spatial confinement, whereas males showed much less site fidelity (≤4.5% for the 2 top‐ranking models). During spatial confinement, the semi‐impermeable fence effectively increased site fidelity of males (≥56%). These results stem from long‐term study (23 years) of a large herbivore experiencing changes to life‐history, resulting from changes in management that were applied to the population and aimed at altering population demographics, for sustainability of a harvestable population of deer.
Towards understanding the low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Malays: Genetic variants among Helicobacter pylori‐negative ethnic Malays in the north‐eastern region of Peninsular Malaysia and Han Chinese and South Indians
Authors: Maran Sathiya , Lee Yeong Yeh , Xu Shu Hua , Raj Mahendra Sundramoorthy , Abdul Majid Noorizan , Choo Keng Ee , Zilfalil Bin Alwi , Graham David Y.
Published: December 2012

Objectives

To identify gene polymorphisms that differ between Malays, Han Chinese and South Indians, and to identify candidate genes for the investigation of their role in protecting Malays from Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

Methods

Malay participants born and residing in Kelantan with a documented absence of H. pylori infection were studied. Venous blood was used for genotyping using the Affymetrix 50K Xba I kit. CEL files from 141 Han Chinese and 76 South Indians were analyzed to compare their allele frequency with that of the Malays using fixation index (FST) calculation. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the highest allele frequency (outliers) were then examined for their functional characteristics using F‐SNP software and the Entrez Gene database.

Results:

In all, 37 Malays were enrolled in the study; of whom 7 were excluded for low genotyping call rates. The average FST estimated from the genome‐wide data were 0.038 (Malays in Kelantan vs the South Indians), 0.015 (Malays in Kelantan vs Han Chinese) and 0.066 (Han Chinese vs South Indians), respectively. The outlier gene variants present in Malays with functional characteristics were C7orf10 (FST 0.29988), TSTD2 (FST 0.43278), SMG7 (FST 0.29877) and XPA (FST 0.43393 and 0.43644).

Conclusion

Genetic variants possibly related to protection against H. pylori infection in ethnic Malays from the north‐eastern region of Peninsular Malaysia were identified for testing in subsequent trials among infected and uninfected Malays.
Use of mineral licks by mammals and birds in hunted and non‐hunted areas of Yasuní National Park, Ecuador
Authors: Blake J. G. , Mosquera D. , Salvador J.
Published: December 2012

Mineral licks are sites where a diverse array of mammals and birds consume soil or drink water, likely for mineral supplementation. Many of those same animals are targets of hunters. Camera traps triggered by heat and motion were used to document use of mineral licks by birds and mammals over approximately 2 months at two lowland forest sites in eastern Ecuador, one that has experienced considerable hunting by indigenous Waorani (four mineral licks) and one that is largely unaffected by hunting (five licks). We obtained 264 photographs representing nine mammal species and one photograph of a bird at the hunted site; 1123 photographs of 12 mammal species and 73 of three bird species were obtained at the site without hunting. Photographs were counted if at least 30 min elapsed between photographs of the same species at the same camera location. Activity (photographs/100 trap‐days) was higher at all licks at the site without hunting (mean = 436; range 276–665/100 trap‐days) than at the hunted site (mean = 123; range 89–151/100 trap‐days). Diurnal activity was, overall, lower at the hunted site, particularly during the middle of the day. Species not recorded at the hunted site included two primates (white‐bellied spider monkey Ateles belzebuth; Venezuelan red howler monkey Alouatta seniculus), white‐lipped peccary, Tayassu pecari and two large‐bodied birds (common piping‐guan, Pipile pipile; Salvin's curassow, Mitu salvini); all are common prey of local hunters. Red brocket deer, Mazama americana was the most frequently photographed species at both sites, but was less active during the day at the hunted site.
Influence of coronal restorations on the fracture resistance of root canal‐treated premolar and molar teeth: A retrospective study
Authors: Dammaschke Till , Nykiel Kathrin , Sagheri Darius , Schäfer Edgar
Published: December 2012

To evaluate the influence of coronal restorations on the fracture resistance of endodontically treated teeth, 676 root canal‐filled and restored posterior teeth were evaluated after a mean period of 9.7 (±2.8; minimum: 5) years. A total of 86.2% of the endodontically treated and restored teeth survived the mean observation period of 9.7 years without fracture. The overall survival period was 13.6 (± 0.2) years. All teeth with gold partial crowns survived without fractures (n = 24). Teeth with crowns and adhesively sealed access cavities showed a mean survival period of 15.3 (± 0.4) years, with crown and bridge restorations 14.0 (± 0.3), with individual metal posts 13.9 (± 0.2), with composite fillings 13.4 (± 0.5), with prefabricated metal posts 12.7 (± 0.6), with amalgam fillings 11.8 (± 0.6) and with glass ionomer cements (GIC) 6.6 (± 0.5) years. Teeth with one or two surfaces restored by amalgam, composite or GIC showed a significantly lower fracture rate than teeth with three and more restored surfaces (P < 0.05). The mean fracture rate of teeth restored with GIC was significantly higher when compared with all other groups (P < 0.001). In general, endodontically treated teeth restored with prosthetic restorations demonstrated a significantly lower mean fracture rate than teeth restored with fillings. Cavities with up to three surfaces may well be successfully restored adhesively with composite filling material.
Effect of penehyclidine hydrochloride on the incidence of intra‐operative awareness in Chinese patients undergoing breast cancer surgery during general anaesthesia
Authors: Wang J. , Ren Y. , Zhu Y. , Chen J. W. , Zhu M. M. , Xu Y. J. , Tan Z. M.
Published: December 2012

Intra‐operative awareness can lead to serious adverse psychological consequences. We conducted a prospective, randomised, double‐blinded trial in 920 patients undergoing breast cancer surgery under bispectral index‐guided total intravenous anaesthesia to evaluate the effect of penehyclidine hydrochloride on intra‐operative awareness. Patients were randomly divided to receive 0.01 mg.kg−1 penehyclidine hydrochloride or saline intravenously 30 min before surgery. The pre‐administration, pre‐operative anxiety levels were assessed using a 100‐mm visual analogue scale. Intra‐operative awareness was defined as recall of intra‐operative events using a modified Brice interview administered 2–6 h postoperatively, and in the next 24–48 h. A committee of three experts, blinded to the study conditions, independently scrutinised all reported recollections. We found no differences in depth of anaesthesia and patients' pre‐operative anxiety levels between the two groups. The incidence of awareness with penehyclidine hydrochloride (0/456 patients; 0%) was significantly lower than with saline (5/452; 1.1%), p = 0.030. We conclude that penehyclidine hydrochloride reduced the incidence of intra‐operative awareness in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery during general anaesthesia.
Differentiating between gestational and chronic hypertension; an explorative study
Authors: Terwisscha van Scheltinga Josien A. , Krabbendam Ineke , Spaanderman Marc E.A.
Published: December 2012

Objective

Guidelines define hypertension diagnosed before 20 weeks' gestation as chronic hypertension (CH) and thereafter as gestational hypertension (GH). We tested whether hypertension diagnosed before 20 weeks is preceded by CH and whether pregnancy outcome depends on the time of onset of hypertension.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary obstetric center.

Population

Women with a history of obstetric vascular complications.

Methods

Blood pressure data prior to and during pregnancy and subsequent maternal and neonatal outcome were reviewed in 148 women. Women were grouped according to the onset of hypertension; pre‐pregnancy (CH), before 20 weeks' (early GH), after 20 weeks' gestation (late GH) and normotensive.

Main outcome measures

Onset of hypertension, obstetric complications (pre‐eclampsia, HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets) syndrome, intra‐uterine growth restriction).

Results

Twenty‐nine women had CH. Early GH occurred in 46 women and another 32 developed late GH. Of 75 women with hypertension in the first half of pregnancy, 29 (39%) had CH and 46 (61%) early GH. Obstetric complications occurred more often in all hypertensive women, but no differences between the CH and GH groups could be detected.

Conclusions

Hypertension detected in the first half of pregnancy does not necessarily indicate chronic hypertension. Hypertension in general is related to hypertensive maternal complications and fetal growth restriction. Differentiating between chronic or gestational hypertension does not seem to help in establishing the risk for later hypertensive sequelae or intra‐uterine growth restriction.
Self‐rated and parent‐rated quality of life (QoL) for community‐based obese and overweight children
Authors: Lin Chung‐Ying , Su Chia‐Ting , Wang Jung‐Der , Ma Hui‐Ing
Published: December 2012

Aims

To determine the effects of being obese or overweight on quality of life (QoL) of children from a community‐based sample and to compare their self‐ratings of QoL with their parents' ratings for their children's QoL.

Methods

Dyads of 8‐ to 12‐year‐old children [60 obese, 34 overweight and 127 normal weight (N = 221)] and their parents or caregivers were recruited from southern Taiwan. QoL was assessed by both parent proxy ratings and child self‐ratings using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) questionnaire.

Results

Obese children reported significantly lower QoL than did their normal‐weight counterparts (83 ± 15 vs. 88 ± 10; p = 0.04). Obese children rated their QoL lower than did their parents in all (Cohen's d = −0.38 to −0.22) but the school domain. Overweight children's and normal‐weight children's self‐reported QoL was not significantly different, nor were they different from parent‐reported QoL.

Conclusions

Community‐based obese children reported a lower QoL than did normal‐weight children; however, their parents seemed unaware of their children's decreased QoL. Caution is required when using only parent proxy reports to assess the QoL of obese children. More effort is needed in Taiwan to improve parents' understanding of their obese children's QoL.
Autonomic nervous system arousal and cognitive functioning in bipolar disorder
Authors: Levy Boaz
Published: December 2012

Levy B. Autonomic nervous system arousal and cognitive functioning in bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord 2012: 00: 000–000. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Objective:  Previous theories about the etiology of cognitive dysfunction in bipolar disorder (BD) emphasized trait factors such as neurological impairment. State factors, other than mood symptoms, that may exacerbate functional deficits have not yet been considered. The purpose of this study was to examine autonomic nervous system (ANS) arousal following cognitive challenge. The study compared patients with BD and healthy controls (HC) in physiological measures and neuropsychological test scores.

Methods:  Thirty euthymic patients with BD and 22 HC completed the study. Participants completed mood [Beck Depression Inventory‐II (BDI‐II) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS)], anxiety (State–Trait Anxiety Inventory), and substance abuse (Drug Abuse Screening Test–20 item and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) measures. They were connected to an electrogram, a sensitive thermometer for measuring finger temperature, and electrodes that measure galvanic skin response. After a five‐min baseline measurement in a restful state, participants completed a computerized neuropsychological battery (CNS Vital Signs).

Results:  The group with BD reported significantly more mood symptoms (BDI‐II, t = 3.71, p < 0.001; YMRS, t = 6.73, p < 0.001) and scored higher on a measure of trait‐anxiety (State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, t = 2.91, p < 0.001) than HC. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed higher arousal on all physiological measures in the BD group relative to HC at baseline [F(3,48) = 13.1, p < 0.001] and during cognitive testing [F(3,48) = 11.3, p < 0.001]. The increase in physiological arousal from a restful state to the time of testing was higher for the BD group [F(3,37) = 8.06, p < 0.001]. With respect to cognitive data, HC scored higher than patients with BD across the measures of memory (F = 8.5, p < 0.001), sustained (F = 9.5, p < 0.001) and complex (F = 2.7, p < 0.04) attention, processing speed (F = 10.0, p < 0.001), reaction time (F = 7.8, p < 0.001), cognitive flexibility (F = 19.7, p < 0.001), working memory (F = 10.8, p < 0.001), and social acuity (F = 5.7, p < 0.01), with partial eta‐squared from 0.18 to 0.62. Correlational analysis revealed significant associations between various cognitive test scores and changes in physiological arousal from baseline to testing (−0.59 ≤ r ≤ 0.22).

Conclusions:  Relative to HC, patients with BD experience larger changes in ANS arousal between a restful baseline and cognitive testing, and achieve lower cognitive test scores. Further research is needed to determine whether acute physiological symptoms of anxiety directly compromise cognitive functioning in BD.