bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Explaining polarization reversals in STEREO wave data
Authors: Breneman A. , Cattell C. , Wygant J. , Kersten K. , Wilson L. B. , Dai L. , Colpitts C. , Kellogg P. J. , Goetz K. , Paradise A.
Published: March 2012

Recently, Breneman et al. (2011) reported observations of large amplitude lightning and transmitter whistler mode waves from two STEREO passes through the inner radiation belt (L < 2). Hodograms of the electric field in the plane transverse to the magnetic field showed that the transmitter waves underwent periodic polarization reversals. Specifically, their polarization would cycle through a pattern of right‐hand to linear to left‐hand polarization at a rate of roughly 200 Hz. The lightning whistlers were observed to be left‐hand polarized at frequencies greater than the lower hybrid frequency and less than the transmitter frequency (21.4 kHz) and right‐hand polarized otherwise. Only right‐hand polarized waves in the inner radiation belt should exist in the frequency range of the whistler mode and these reversals were not explained in the previous paper. We show, with a combination of observations and simulated wave superposition, that these polarization reversals are due to the beating of an incident electromagnetic whistler mode wave at 21.4 kHz and linearly polarized, symmetric lower hybrid sidebands Doppler‐shifted from the incident wave by ±200 Hz. The existence of the lower hybrid waves is consistent with the parametric decay mechanism of Lee and Kuo (1984) whereby an incident whistler mode wave decays into symmetric, short wavelength lower hybrid waves and a purely growing (zero‐frequency) mode. Like the lower hybrid waves, the purely growing mode is Doppler‐shifted by ∼200 Hz as observed on STEREO. This decay mechanism in the upper ionosphere has been previously reported at equatorial latitudes and is thought to have a direct connection with explosive spread F enhancements. As such it may represent another dissipation mechanism of VLF wave energy in the ionosphere and may help to explain a deficit of observed lightning and transmitter energy in the inner radiation belts as reported by Starks et al. (2008).
Structure of unsteady overflow in the Słupsk Furrow of the Baltic Sea
Authors: Zhurbas Victor , Elken Jüri , Paka Vadim , Piechura Jan , Väli Germo , Chubarenko Irina , Golenko Nikolay , Shchuka Sergey
Published: March 2012

A data set of closely spaced CTD profiling performed aboard Russian and Polish research vessels during 1993–2009 and numerical modeling are applied to study the variability in the asymmetric transverse structure of salinity/density in the Słupsk Furrow (SF) overflow of the Baltic Sea. The numerical simulations show that, on the one hand, the overflow may be dynamically treated within the SF as a subcritical, eddy‐producing gravity current in a wide channel, and on the other, at the sill displays some features peculiar to frictionally controlled rotating flows. Comparison between the field measurements and the simulation results indicates that the variability of the cross‐channel density structure is caused mainly by meandering of the gravity current and mesoscale eddies – mostly above‐halocline cyclones and intrahalocline anticyclones. The meanders and eddies are found to be strongly affected by the bottom topography and wind‐forcing.
Assessment of the ENSEMBLES regional climate models in the representation of precipitation variability and extremes over Portugal
Authors: Soares Pedro M. M. , Cardoso Rita M. , Miranda Pedro M. A. , Viterbo Pedro , Belo‐Pereira Margarida
Published: March 2012

A new data set of daily gridded observations of precipitation, computed from over 400 stations in Portugal, is used to assess the performance of 12 regional climate models at 25 km resolution, from the ENSEMBLES set, all forced by ERA‐40 boundary conditions, for the 1961–2000 period. Standard point error statistics, calculated from grid point and basin aggregated data, and precipitation related climate indices are used to analyze the performance of the different models in representing the main spatial and temporal features of the regional climate, and its extreme events. As a whole, the ENSEMBLES models are found to achieve a good representation of those features, with good spatial correlations with observations. There is a small but relevant negative bias in precipitation, especially in the driest months, leading to systematic errors in related climate indices. The underprediction of precipitation occurs in most percentiles, although this deficiency is partially corrected at the basin level. Interestingly, some of the conclusions concerning the performance of the models are different of what has been found for the contiguous territory of Spain; in particular, ENSEMBLES models appear too dry over Portugal and too wet over Spain. Finally, models behave quite differently in the simulation of some important aspects of local climate, from the mean climatology to high precipitation regimes in localized mountain ranges and in the subsequent drier regions.
Ray‐traced tropospheric delays in VLBI analysis
Authors: Nafisi Vahab , Madzak Matthias , Böhm Johannes , Ardalan Alireza A. , Schuh Harald
Published: March 2012

We develop a ray‐tracing package for the calculation of path delays of microwave signals in the troposphere based on numerical weather models which we use for the determination of the delays of geodetic Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations. We show results for a two‐week campaign of continuous VLBI sessions in 2008 (CONT08), where we apply those ray‐traced delays and analyze the repeatability of baseline lengths in comparison to a standard approach with zenith delays and mapping functions. We find improvement in baseline length repeatabilities when no tropospheric gradients are estimated in the analysis. Furthermore, ray‐traced delays are applied for Intensive sessions containing the stations Tsukuba (Japan) and Wettzell (Germany) for the determination of Universal Time (UT1). We perform an external validation using GPS‐derived length‐of‐day values and find an improvement for UT1 with ray‐traced delays by up to 4.5%.
Testing the noble gas paleothermometer with a yearlong study of groundwater noble gases in an instrumented monitoring well
Authors: Hall Chris M. , Castro M. Clara , Lohmann Kyger C. , Sun Tie
Published: March 2012

We report the results of a yearlong noble gas study conducted in 2008–2009 together with continuous physical and chemical measurements collected in a monitoring well in an aquifer in southern Michigan. Conditions near the water table are correlated with noble gas concentrations, corresponding noble gas temperatures (NGTs), and precipitation events. This yearlong study is the first noble gas field test that has employed natural recharge and in situ monitored conditions, with minimal disturbance of the unsaturated zone. This detailed study demonstrates that significant changes in conditions near the water table can occur over a year that can greatly affect NGTs. Results show that precipitation events are detected within hours at the water table, but a lag in pressure response argues for a long time constant for gas transport within the unsaturated zone. There is strong evidence for the depletion of oxygen near the water table, which affects the noble gas air‐saturated water component. During reducing conditions there is evidence for significant noble gas degassing. Rain from the passage of Hurricane Ike caused a significant shift in stable isotope ratios and injection of a large quantity of excess air and likely led to a much more oxygen‐rich environment in the soil gas. Although individual models can account for NGTs over portions of the record, no single NGT model can account for all features observed over the entire study. It is likely that the NGT temperature proxy must be viewed as an average of recharge conditions over several years.
Dynamic reservoir management with real‐option risk hedging as a robust adaptation to nonstationary climate
Authors: Steinschneider Scott , Brown Casey
Published: March 2012

The implications of climate change and the potential nonstationarity of the hydrologic record necessitate innovative approaches to water management. This study presents a novel adaptation strategy for water reservoir management under nonstationary hydrologic conditions. Seasonal hydrologic forecasts and a real‐option instrument allow reservoir operations that dynamically adapt to an evolving hydrologic record. System operating policies are conditioned on seasonal hydrologic forecasts to account for year‐to‐year variability and climate change and a real option is established to hedge against the risk associated with operational forecasts and unexpected climate outcomes. This scheme is implemented over an ensemble of climate futures based on general circulation model (GCM) simulations. Two alternative management strategies are considered, one in which system operations are optimized for the GCM‐based ensemble mean projection of the future and a baseline strategy in which assumptions of stationarity are maintained and operations are left unchanged from historic norms. The approach is evaluated for a water supply–hydropower facility on the Westfield River in the northeast United States. Results suggest that seasonal hydrologic forecasts are a promising adaptation to nonstationary hydrology, even without the support of a risk hedging option. Surprisingly, the option approach enabled even a stationary assumption to perform well in the future, suggesting that option instruments alone can act as a robust adaptation mechanism.
Drug-induced alterations in Mg2+ homoeostasis
Authors: Lameris Anke L. , Monnens Leo A. , Bindels René J. , Hoenderop Joost G. J.
Published: March 2012

Magnesium (Mg2+) balance is tightly regulated by the concerted actions of the intestine, bone and kidneys. This balance can be disturbed by a broad variety of drugs. Diuretics, modulators of the EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), proton pump inhibitors, antimicrobials, calcineurin inhibitors and cytostatics may all cause hypomagnesaemia, potentially leading to tetany, seizures and cardiac arrhythmias. Conversely, high doses of Mg2+ salts, frequently administered as an antacid or a laxative, may lead to hypermagnesaemia causing various cardiovascular and neuromuscular abnormalities. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the adverse effects of these medications on Mg2+ balance will indicate ways of prevention and treatment of these adverse effects and could potentially provide more insight into Mg2+ homoeostasis.
The Impact of Listening Condition on Background Noise Acceptance for Young Adults With Normal Hearing
Authors: Gordon-Hickey Susan , Moore Robert E. , Estis Julie M.
Published: March 2012

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of different speech conditions on background noise acceptance. A total of 23 stimulus pairings, differing in primary talker gender (female, male, conventional), number of background talkers (1, 4, 12), and gender composition of the background noise (female, male, mixed) were used to evaluate background noise acceptance.

Method

A repeated measures research design was used. Participants were 15 female and 15 male young adults with normal hearing. Background noise acceptance was evaluated with the acceptable noise level (ANL).

Results

The results revealed main effects of primary talker gender, number of background talkers, and listener gender. ANL was lower for conditions of a female primary talker and for conditions with multitalker backgrounds. Male listeners had significantly lower ANLs than female listeners. An interaction occurred between primary talker and background noise composition. For female primary talker conditions, the male talker backgrounds produced the lowest ANLs. For male primary talker conditions, the lowest ANLs were obtained with the female and male background talker conditions.

Conclusions

Background noise acceptance depends on the listener and the stimulus condition. Stimulus selection can influence the measurement of ANL. The results support the use of the commercially available ANL materials.
A New “Fat Face” Illusion
Authors: Sun Yu-Hao , Ge Liezhong , Quinn Paul C , Wang Zhe , Xiao Naiqi G , Pascalis Olivier , Tanaka James , Lee Kang
Published: March 2012

We report a novel fat face illusion that when two identical images of the same face are aligned vertically, the face at the bottom appears ‘fatter’. This illusion emerged when the faces were shown upright, but not inverted, with the size of the illusion being 4%. When the faces were presented upside down, the illusion did not emerge. Also, when upright clocks were shown in the same vertically aligned fashion, we did not observe the illusion, indicating that the fat illusion does not generalize to every category of canonically upright objects with similar geometric shape as a face.
Spatial Judgments in the Horizontal and Vertical Planes from Different Vantage Points
Authors: Prytz Erik , Scerbo Mark W
Published: March 2012

Todorović (2008 Perception37 106–125) reported that there are systematic errors in the perception of 3-D space when viewing 2-D linear perspective drawings depending on the observer's vantage point. Because these findings were restricted to the horizontal plane, the current study was designed to determine the nature of these errors in the vertical plane. Participants viewed an image containing multiple colonnades aligned on parallel converging lines receding to a vanishing point. They were asked to judge where, in the physical room, the next column should be placed. The results support Todorović in that systematic deviations in the spatial judgments depended on vantage point for both the horizontal and vertical planes. However, there are also marked differences between the two planes. While judgments in both planes failed to compensate adequately for the vantage-point shift, the vertical plane induced greater distortions of the stimulus image itself within each vantage point.
Sequential Effects in Face-Attractiveness Judgment
Authors: Kondo Aki , Takahashi Kohske , Watanabe Katsumi
Published: March 2012

A number of studies have shown that current-trial responses are biased toward the response of the preceding trial in perceptual decisionmaking tasks (the sequential effect—Holland and Lockhead, 1968 Perception & Psychophysics3 409–414). The sequential effect has been widely observed in evaluation of the physical properties of stimuli as well as more complex properties. However, it is unclear whether subjective decisions (eg attractiveness judgments) are also susceptible to the sequential effect. Here, we examined whether the sequential effect would occur in face-attractiveness judgments. Forty-eight pictures of male and female faces were presented successively. Participants rated the attractiveness of each face on a 7-point scale. The results showed that the attractiveness rating of a given face assimilated toward the rating of the preceding trial. In a separate experiment, we provided the average attractiveness rating by others for each trial as feedback. The feedback weakened the sequential effect. These findings suggest that attractiveness judgment is also biased toward the preceding judgment, and hence the sequential effect can be extended into the domain of subjective decisionmaking.
Judging Body Weight from Faces: The Height—Weight Illusion
Authors: Schneider Tobias M , Hecht Heiko , Carbon Claus-Christian
Published: March 2012

Being able to exploit features of the human face to predict health and fitness can serve as an evolutionary advantage. Surface features such as facial symmetry, averageness, and skin colour are known to influence attractiveness. We sought to determine whether observers are able to extract more complex features, namely body weight. If possible, it could be used as a predictor for health and fitness. For instance, facial adiposity could be taken to indicate a cardiovascular challenge or proneness to infections. Observers seem to be able to glean body weight information from frontal views of a face. Is weight estimation robust across different viewing angles? We showed that participants strongly overestimated body weight for faces photographed from a lower vantage point while underestimating it for faces photographed from a higher vantage point. The perspective distortions of simple facial measures (eg width-to-height ratio) that accompany changes in vantage point do not suffice to predict body weight. Instead, more complex patterns must be involved in the height – weight illusion.
Resistance of pasture production to projected climate changes in south-eastern Australia
Authors: Cullen B. R. , Eckard R. J. , Rawnsley R. P.
Published: March 2012

Climate change impact analysis relies largely on down-scaling climate projections to develop daily time-step, future climate scenarios for use in agricultural systems models. This process of climate down-scaling is complicated by differences in projections from greenhouse gas emission pathways and, in particular, the wide variation between global climate model outputs. In this study, a sensitivity analysis was used to test the resistance of pasture production to the incremental changes in climate predicted over the next 60 years in southern Australia. Twenty-five future climate scenarios were developed by scaling the historical climate by increments of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4°C (with corresponding changes to atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and relative humidity) and rainfall by +10, 0, –10, –20 and –30%. The resistance of annual and seasonal pasture production to these climatic changes was simulated at six sites in south-eastern Australia. The sites spanned a range of climates from high rainfall, cool temperate in north-west Tasmania to the lower rainfall, temperate environment of Wagga Wagga in southern New South Wales. Local soil and pasture types were simulated at each site using the Sustainable Grazing Systems Pasture model. Little change or higher annual pasture production was simulated at all sites with 1°C warming, but varying responses were observed with further warming. In a pasture containing a C4 native grass at Wagga Wagga, annual pasture production increased with further warming, while production was stable or declined in pasture types based on C3 species in temperate environments. In a cool temperate region pasture production increased with up to 2°C warming. Compared with the historical baseline climate, warmer and drier climate scenarios led to lower pasture production, with summer and autumn growth being most affected, although there was some variation between sites. At all sites winter production was increased under all warming scenarios. Inter-annual variation in pasture production, expressed as the coefficient of variation, increased in the lower rainfall scenarios where production was simulated to decline, suggesting that changing rainfall patterns are likely to affect the variability in pasture production more than increasing temperatures. Together the results indicate that annual pasture production is resistant to climatic changes of up to 2°C warming. The approach used in this study can be used to test the sensitivity of agricultural production to climatic changes; however, it does not incorporate changes in seasonal and extreme climatic events that may also have significant impacts on these systems. Nonetheless, the approach can be used to identify strategies that may increase resilience of agricultural systems to climate change such as the incorporation of C4 species into the pasture base.
Break-crop benefits to wheat in Western Australia – insights from over three decades of research
Authors: Seymour Mark , Kirkegaard John A. , Peoples Mark B. , White Peter F. , French Robert J.
Published: March 2012

Broadleaf break crops improve cereal yield through disease and weed control, increased nitrogen (N) availability and other mechanisms. In the rainfed farming systems of Australia the magnitude of the yield benefit is highly variable, yet is a major driver for adoption of break crops which are often less profitable and more risky than cereals. Declining area of break crops throughout Australia has re-ignited interest in better understanding the circumstances in which break-crop benefits can be maximised from a farming systems perspective. We compiled and analysed a database of 167 crop sequence experiments conducted throughout Western Australia in the period 1974–2007 to evaluate the impact on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield from the use of narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.), field pea (Pisum sativum L.), canola (Brassica napus L.) or oats (Avena sativa L.), or following a long fallow where no crop had been sown the previous year. Adjusted for the years in which each was represented the average yield benefit to wheat compared with wheat after wheat was 0.60, 0.45, 0.40, 0.35 and 0.30 t/ha following lupin, field pea, canola, oats or fallow, though direct comparisons between break crops could not be made as few experiments (3) included all species. For all break crops, the mean wheat yield increase was independent of the level of wheat yield, representing a step-change rather than a proportional improvement in yield. Analysis of the larger number and spread of lupin experiments revealed that break-crop benefits increased in higher rainfall areas, following higher yielding lupin crops (>1.5 t/ha), and that the break-crop benefit in terms of yield and water-use efficiency increased significantly after 1991. These observations were often related to the level and/or effectiveness of diseases or grass weed control in the break crop; however, increased contribution of fixed N was also likely with better legume crops. For both lupin and field pea, the magnitude of the break-crop response declined as rate of N fertiliser applied to subsequent wheat crop increased, although non-N related benefits (disease and weed control) tended to dominate wheat response to lupin after 1989. Significant break-crop benefits from lupins (+0.40 t/ha) persisted to a third wheat crop (n = 29) but effects were inconsistent beyond that point. The magnitude, persistence and reliability of the break-crop benefits revealed in this study provide a more accurate framework to assess their likely benefit within the farming system. Further information is required to define the key ‘trigger points’ for the major drivers of the response – water, N, weeds and disease – at which the benefits outweigh the higher risk of these crops and would influence the decision to include them within the system.
Digestibility of feeding regimes of the red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) and the kultarr (Antechinomys laniger) in captivity
Authors: Stannard Hayley J. , Old Julie M.
Published: March 2012

Digestibility was studied in the red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) and the kultarr (Antechinomys laniger), small insectivorous/carnivorous marsupials, to determine their nutrient requirements in captivity. The marsupials were fed a range of insects, rat (Rattus rattus) and small carnivore food (Wombaroo). Digestibility experiments were conducted for a total of 12 days, which incorporated a five-day adjustment phase followed by a seven-day collection period. The apparent digestibility values for the phascogale and kultarr were above 81% for dry matter, energy, protein and lipids on all diets provided. No significant difference was found between phascogales and kultarrs on the same diet with respect to apparent digestibility of dry matter, energy, protein and lipids. The apparent absorption of minerals varied for each diet for the phascogale and kultarr. Maintenance energy requirements were determined to be 954 kJ kg0.75 day–1 for the red-tailed phascogale and 695 kJ kg0.75 day–1 for the kultarr. Presented here are the most comprehensive data on diet digestibility for dasyurids thus far.
Late Jurassic salamandroid from western Liaoning, China
Authors: Gao Ke-Qin , Shubin Neil H.
Published: March 2012

A Jurassic salamander,
Beiyanerpeton jianpingensis
(gen. et sp. nov.), from a recently found site in western Liaoning Province, China is the earliest known record of Salamandroidea. As a Late Jurassic record of the group, it extends the range of the clade by ~40 Ma. The Late Jurassic taxon is neotenic and represented by exceptionally preserved specimens, including fully articulated cranial and postcranial skeletons and bony gill structures close to the cheek region. The fossil beds, consisting of dark-brown volcanic ash shales of the Upper Jurassic Tiaojishan (Lanqi) Formation (Oxfordian), underlie trachyandesite rocks that have yielded a SHRIMP zircon U-Pb date of 157 ± 3 Ma. The fossiliferous beds are substantially older than the Jehol Group, including the Yixian Formation (
40
Ar/
39
Ar dates of 122–129 Ma), but slightly younger than the Middle Jurassic Daohugou horizon (
40
Ar/
39
Ar date of 164 ± 4 Ma). The early fossil taxon shares with extant salamandroids derived character states, including: separated nasals lacking a midline contact, angular fused to the prearticular in the lower jaw, and double-headed ribs on the presacral vertebrae. In contrast to extant salamandroids, however, the salamander shows a discrete and tooth-bearing palatine, and unequivocally nonpedicellate and monocuspid marginal teeth in large and presumably mature individuals. The finding provides insights into the evolution of key characters of salamanders, and also provides direct evidence supporting the hypothesis that the split between Cryptobranchoidea and Salamandroidea had taken placed before the Late Jurassic Oxfordian time. In this aspect, both paleontological and molecular data now come to agree.
Nanoalumina promotes the horizontal transfer of multiresistance genes mediated by plasmids across genera
Authors: Qiu Zhigang , Yu Yunmei , Chen Zhaoli , Jin Min , Yang Dong , Zhao Zuguo , Wang Jingfeng , Shen Zhiqiang , Wang Xinwei , Qian Di , Huang Aihua , Zhang Buchang , Li Jun-Wen
Published: March 2012

Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide public health concern. Conjugative transfer between closely related strains or species of bacteria is an important method for the horizontal transfer of multidrug-resistance genes. The extent to which nanomaterials are able to cause an increase in antibiotic resistance by the regulation of the conjugative transfer of antibiotic-resistance genes in bacteria, especially across genera, is still unknown. Here we show that nanomaterials in water can significantly promote the horizontal conjugative transfer of multidrug-resistance genes mediated by the RP4, RK2, and pCF10 plasmids. Nanoalumina can promote the conjugative transfer of the RP4 plasmid from
Escherichia coli
to
Salmonella
spp. by up to 200-fold compared with untreated cells. We also explored the mechanisms behind this phenomenon and demonstrate that nanoalumina is able to induce oxidative stress, damage bacterial cell membranes, enhance the expression of mating pair formation genes and DNA transfer and replication genes, and depress the expression of global regulatory genes that regulate the conjugative transfer of RP4. These findings are important in assessing the risk of nanomaterials to the environment, particularly from water and wastewater treatment systems, and in the estimation of the effect of manufacture and use of nanomaterials on the environment.
Hypoxia promotes ligand-independent EGF receptor signaling via hypoxia-inducible factor–mediated upregulation of caveolin-1
Authors: Wang Yi , Roche Olga , Xu Chaoying , Moriyama Eduardo H. , Heir Pardeep , Chung Jacky , Roos Frederik C. , Chen Yonghong , Finak Greg , Milosevic Michael , Wilson Brian C. , Teh Bin Tean , Park Morag , Irwin Meredith S. , Ohh Michael
Published: March 2012

Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is an essential structural constituent of caveolae, specialized lipid raft microdomains on the cell membrane involved in endocytosis and signal transduction, which are inexplicably deregulated and are associated with aggressiveness in numerous cancers. Here we identify CAV1 as a direct transcriptional target of oxygen-labile hypoxia-inducible factor 1 and 2 that accentuates the formation of caveolae, leading to increased dimerization of EGF receptor within the confined surface area of caveolae and its subsequent phosphorylation in the absence of ligand. Hypoxia-inducible factor–dependent up-regulation of CAV1 enhanced the oncogenic potential of tumor cells by increasing the cell proliferative, migratory, and invasive capacities. These results support a concept in which a crisis in oxygen availability or a tumor exhibiting hypoxic signature triggers caveolae formation that bypasses the requirement for ligand engagement to initiate receptor activation and the critical downstream adaptive signaling during a period when ligands required to activate these receptors are limited or are not yet available.
Evidence for type II cells as cells of origin of K-Ras–induced distal lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Xu Xia , Rock Jason R. , Lu Yun , Futtner Christopher , Schwab Brian , Guinney Justin , Hogan Brigid L. M. , Onaitis Mark W.
Published: March 2012

Identifying the cells of origin of lung cancer may lead to new therapeutic strategies. Previous work has focused upon the putative bronchoalveolar stem cell at the bronchioalveolar duct junction as a cancer cell of origin when a codon 12 K-Ras mutant is induced via adenoviral Cre inhalation. In the present study, we use two “knock-in” Cre-estrogen receptor alleles to inducibly express K-RasG12D in CC10
+
epithelial cells and Sftpc
+
type II alveolar cells of the adult mouse lung. Analysis of these mice identifies type II cells, Clara cells in the terminal bronchioles, and putative bronchoalveolar stem cells as cells of origin for K-Ras–induced lung hyperplasia. However, only type II cells appear to progress to adenocarcinoma.
Innovation under cap-and-trade programs
Authors: Taylor Margaret R.
Published: March 2012

Policies incentivizing the private sector to reach its innovative potential in “clean” technologies are likely to play a key role in achieving climate stabilization. This article explores the relationship between innovation and cap-and-trade programs (CTPs)—the world's most prominent climate policy instrument—through empirical evidence drawn from successful CTPs for sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide control. The article shows that before trading began for these CTPs, analysts overestimated the value of allowances in a pattern suggestive of the frequent a priori overestimation of the compliance costs of regulation. When lower-than-expected allowance prices were observed, in part because of the unexpected range of abatement approaches used in the lead-up to trading, emissions sources chose to bank allowances in significant numbers and reassess abatement approaches going forward. In addition, commercially oriented inventive activity declined for emissions-reducing technologies with a wide range of costs and technical characteristics, dropping from peaks before the establishment of CTPs to nadirs a few years into trading. This finding is consistent with innovators deciding during trading that their research and development investments should be reduced, based on assessments of future market conditions under the relevant CTPs. The article concludes with a discussion of the results and their implications for innovation and climate policy.
The Williams syndrome chromosome 7q11.23 hemideletion confers hypersocial, anxious personality coupled with altered insula structure and function
Authors: Jabbi Mbemba , Kippenhan J. Shane , Kohn Philip , Marenco Stefano , Mervis Carolyn B. , Morris Colleen A. , Meyer-Lindenberg Andreas , Berman Karen Faith
Published: March 2012

Although it is widely accepted that genes can influence complex behavioral traits such as human temperament, the underlying neurogenetic mechanisms remain unclear. Williams syndrome (WS), a rare disorder caused by a hemizygous deletion on chromosome 7q11.23, including genes important for neuronal migration and maturation (
LIMK1
and
CLIP2
), is typified by a remarkable hypersocial but anxious personality and offers a unique opportunity to investigate this open issue. Based on the documented role of the insula in mediating emotional response tendencies and personality, we used multimodal imaging to characterize this region in WS and found convergent anomalies: an overall decrease in dorsal anterior insula (AI) gray-matter volume along with locally increased volume in the right ventral AI; compromised white-matter integrity of the uncinate fasciculus connecting the insula with the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex; altered regional cerebral blood flow in a pattern reminiscent of the observed gray-matter alterations (i.e., widespread reductions in dorsal AI accompanied by locally increased regional cerebral blood flow in the right ventral AI); and disturbed neurofunctional interactions between the AI and limbic regions. Moreover, these genetically determined alterations of AI structure and function predicted the degree to which the atypical WS personality profile was expressed in participants with the syndrome. The AI's rich anatomical connectivity, its transmodal properties, and its involvement in the behaviors affected in WS make the observed genetically determined insular circuitry perturbations and their association with WS personality a striking demonstration of the means by which neural systems can serve as the interface between genetic variability and alterations in complex behavioral traits.
Learning predator promotes coexistence of prey species in host–parasitoid systems
Authors: Ishii Yumiko , Shimada Masakazu
Published: March 2012

Ecological theory suggests that frequency-dependent predation, in which more common prey types are disproportionately favored, promotes the coexistence of competing prey species. However, many of the earlier empirical studies that investigated the effect of frequency-dependent predation were short-term and ignored predator–prey dynamics and system persistence. Therefore, we used long-term observation of population dynamics to test how frequency-dependent predation influences the dynamics and coexistence of competing prey species using insect laboratory populations. We established two-host–one-parasitoid populations with two bruchid beetles,Callosobruchus chinensisandC. maculatus, as the hosts and the pteromalid waspAnisopteromalus calandraeas their common parasitoid. When the parasitoid was absent,C. chinensiswas competitively excluded in ∼20 wk. Introducing the parasitoid greatly enhanced the coexistence time to a maximum of 118 wk. In the replicates of long-lasting coexistence, the two host speciesC. maculatusandC. chinensisexhibited periodic antiphase oscillations. Behavioral experiments showed frequency-dependent predation ofA. calandraethat was caused by learning. Females ofA. calandraelearned host-related olfactory cues during oviposition and increased their preference for the common host species. Numerical simulations showed that parasitoid learning was the essential mechanism that promoted persistence in this host–parasitoid system. Our study is an empirical demonstration that frequency-dependent predation has an important role in greatly enhancing the coexistence of prey populations, suggesting that predator learning affects predator–prey population dynamics and shapes biological communities in nature.
Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3/suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (STAT3/SOCS3) axis in myeloid cells regulates neuroinflammation
Authors: Qin Hongwei , Yeh Wen-I , De Sarno Patrizia , Holdbrooks Andrew T. , Liu Yudong , Muldowney Michelle T. , Reynolds Stephanie L. , Yanagisawa Lora L. , Fox Thomas H. , Park Keun , Harrington Laurie E. , Raman Chander , Benveniste Etty N.
Published: March 2012

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are feedback inhibitors of the JAK/STAT pathway. SOCS3 has a crucial role in inhibiting STAT3 activation, cytokine signaling, and inflammatory gene expression in macrophages/microglia. To determine the role of SOCS3 in myeloid cells in neuroinflammation, mice with conditional SOCS3 deletion in myeloid cells (LysMCre-SOCS3
fl/fl
) were tested for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The myeloid-specific SOCS3-deficient mice are vulnerable to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced EAE, with a severe, nonresolving atypical form of disease. In vivo, enhanced infiltration of inflammatory cells and demyelination is prominent in the cerebellum of myeloid-specific SOCS3-deficient mice, as is enhanced STAT3 signaling and expression of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and an immune response dominated by Th1 and Th17 cells. In vitro, SOCS3-deficient macrophages exhibit heightened STAT3 activation and are polarized toward the classical M1 phenotype. SOCS3-deficient M1 macrophages provide the microenvironment to polarize Th1 and Th17 cells and induce neuronal death. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of M2 macrophages into myeloid SOCS3-deficient mice leads to delayed onset and reduced severity of atypical EAE by decreasing STAT3 activation, Th1/Th17 cells, and proinflammatory mediators in the cerebellum. These findings indicate that myeloid cell SOCS3 provides protection from EAE through deactivation of neuroinflammatory responses.
Nanoparticle delivery in infant lungs
Authors: Semmler-Behnke Manuela , Kreyling Wolfgang G. , Schulz Holger , Takenaka Shinji , Butler James P. , Henry Frank S. , Tsuda Akira
Published: March 2012

The lung surface is an ideal pathway to the bloodstream for nanoparticle-based drug delivery. Thus far, research has focused on the lungs of adults, and little is known about nanoparticle behavior in the immature lungs of infants. Here, using nonlinear dynamical systems analysis and in vivo experimentation in developing animals, we show that nanoparticle deposition in postnatally developing lungs peaks at the end of bulk alveolation. This finding suggests a unique paradigm, consistent with the emerging theory that as alveoli form through secondary septation, alveolar flow becomes chaotic and chaotic mixing kicks in, significantly enhancing particle deposition. This finding has significant implications for the application of nanoparticle-based inhalation therapeutics in young children with immature lungs from birth to ˜2 y of age.
Posttranslational modifications of Rab proteins cause effective displacement of GDP dissociation inhibitor
Authors: Oesterlin Lena K. , Goody Roger S. , Itzen Aymelt
Published: March 2012

Intracellular vesicular trafficking is regulated by approximately 60 members of the Rab subfamily of small Ras-like GDP/GTP binding proteins. Rab proteins cycle between inactive and active states as well as between cytosolic and membrane bound forms. Membrane extraction/delivery and cytosolic distribution of Rabs is mediated by interaction with the protein GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI) that binds to prenylated inactive (GDP-bound) Rab proteins. Because the Rab:GDP:GDI complex is of high affinity, the question arises of how GDI can be displaced efficiently from Rab protein in order to allow the necessary recruitment of the Rab to its specific target membrane. While there is strong evidence that DrrA, as a bacterially encoded GDP/GTP exchange factor, contributes to this event, we show here that posttranslational modifications of Rabs can also modulate the affinity for GDI and thus cause effective displacement of GDI from Rab:GDI complexes. These activities have been found associated with the phosphocholination and adenylylation activities of the enzymes AnkX and DrrA/SidM, respectively, from the pathogenic bacterium
Legionella pneumophila
. Both modifications occur after spontaneous dissociation of Rab:GDI complexes within their natural equilibrium. Therefore, the effective GDI displacement that is observed is caused by inhibition of reformation of Rab:GDI complexes. Interestingly, in contrast to adenylylation by DrrA, AnkX can covalently modify inactive Rabs with high catalytic efficiency even when GDP is bound to the GTPase and hence can inhibit binding of GDI to Rab:GDP complexes. We therefore speculate that human cells could employ similar mechanisms in the absence of infection to effectively displace Rabs from GDI.
Postexposure antibody prophylaxis protects nonhuman primates from filovirus disease
Authors: Dye John M. , Herbert Andrew S. , Kuehne Ana I. , Barth James F. , Muhammad Majidat A. , Zak Samantha E. , Ortiz Ramon A. , Prugar Laura I. , Pratt William D.
Published: March 2012

Antibody therapies to prevent or limit filovirus infections have received modest interest in recent years, in part because of early negative experimental evidence. We have overcome the limitations of this approach, leveraging the use of antibody from nonhuman primates (NHPs) that survived challenge to filoviruses under controlled conditions. By using concentrated, polyclonal IgG antibody from these survivors, we treated filovirus-infected NHPs with multiple doses administered over the clinical phase of disease. In the first study, Marburg virus (MARV)-infected NHPs were treated 15 to 30 min postexposure with virus-specific IgG, with additional treatments on days 4 and 8 postexposure. The postexposure IgG treatment was completely protective, with no signs of disease or detectable viremia. MARV-specific IgM antibody responses were generated, and all macaques survived rechallenge with MARV, suggesting that they generated an immune response to virus replication. In the next set of studies, NHPs were infected with MARV or Ebola virus (EBOV), and treatments were delayed 48 h, with additional treatments on days 4 and 8 postexposure. The delayed treatments protected both MARV- and EBOV-challenged NHPs. In both studies, two of the three IgG-treated NHPs had no clinical signs of illness, with the third NHP developing mild and delayed signs of disease followed by full recovery. These studies clearly demonstrate that postexposure antibody treatments can protect NHPs and open avenues for filovirus therapies for human use using established Food and Drug Administration-approved polyclonal or monoclonal antibody technologies.
Probing the timescale of the exchange interaction in a ferromagnetic alloy
Authors: Mathias Stefan , La-O-Vorakiat Chan , Grychtol Patrik , Granitzka Patrick , Turgut Emrah , Shaw Justin M. , Adam Roman , Nembach Hans T. , Siemens Mark E. , Eich Steffen , Schneider Claus M. , Silva Thomas J. , Aeschlimann Martin , Murnane Margaret M. , Kapteyn Henry C.
Published: March 2012

The underlying physics of all ferromagnetic behavior is the cooperative interaction between individual atomic magnetic moments that results in a macroscopic magnetization. In this work, we use extreme ultraviolet pulses from high-harmonic generation as an element-specific probe of ultrafast, optically driven, demagnetization in a ferromagnetic Fe-Ni alloy (permalloy). We show that for times shorter than the characteristic timescale for exchange coupling, the magnetization of Fe quenches more strongly than that of Ni. Then as the Fe moments start to randomize, the strong ferromagnetic exchange interaction induces further demagnetization in Ni, with a characteristic delay determined by the strength of the exchange interaction. We can further enhance this delay by lowering the exchange energy by diluting the permalloy with Cu. This measurement probes how the fundamental quantum mechanical exchange coupling between Fe and Ni in magnetic materials influences magnetic switching dynamics in ferromagnetic materials relevant to next-generation data storage technologies.
Ethnobotany.
Authors: Perry L.
Published: March 2012

This chapter discusses the history of chilli (Capsicum species) utilization by man, presenting archaeobotanical evidence for the exploitation of these plants in the ancient Neotropics. A discussion of some of the uses of chilli in modern times is included, and an explanatory model for why chillies hold such an important place in the human diet is presented.
Greenhouse production.
Authors: Lin WeiChin Lin WeiChin , Saltveit M.
Published: March 2012

This chapter briefly describes the status of greenhouse pepper (Capsicum spp.) production at a global scale, and discusses current advances in greenhouse structures, production technology (cultural, spacing, training and pruning methods), pest and disease management, harvesting and postharvest systems (grading, packaging and storage).
Transplant production.
Authors: Grey T. L. , Webster T. M.
Published: March 2012

This chapter discusses recent advances in various aspects of pepper (Capsicum spp.) seedling production under greenhouse and non-greenhouse (open beds or net houses) conditions, including seed production, seed priming, temperature and moisture regulation, selection of growing media and sowing method, fertilizer application, insect and fungi control, and hardening.
Weed control.
Authors: Webber C. L., III
Published: March 2012

This chapter briefly describes the impact of weeds on pepper (Capsicum spp.) in terms of competition for resources and allelopathy, and discusses cultural (such as mulching) and chemical methods used for the control of weeds of pepper (such as perennial weeds and weeds under Solanaceae). Herbicides for organic pepper production systems are presented.
Pepper harvest technology.
Authors: Funk P. A. , Marshall D. E.
Published: March 2012

This paper describes the pepper harvesting technology in the US. The distinct mechanical harvesting steps: divide, remove, catch, convey and clean and transport, are discussed. The production practices and current status of pepper harvest technology are highlighted.
Genetic Analysis Reveals Restricted Dispersal of Northern Rockfish along the Continental Margin of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Authors: Gharrett Anthony J. , Riley Rachel J. , Spencer Paul D.
Published: March 2012

The effective conservation and management of a species require knowledge of its population structure and life history. Fish that are mobile, long‐lived, and abundant and that have pelagic larvae are often presumed to disperse over large geographic areas. However, if the individuals of such a species have limited dispersal, spatial scale must be considered when developing management plans. The economically and ecologically important northern rockfish Sebastes polyspinis, which is most abundant along the continental margin of the Aleutian Islands, has the potential to disperse widely during its life. The population genetic structure of a species provides a window into its demographic structure. Consequently, the variation at 11 microsatellite loci was used to characterize the geographic structure and connectivity of northern rockfish collected in 2004 along the continental margin of the Bering Sea slope and the Aleutian Islands. Significant genetic structure (FST = 0.0017) was detected, and a significant isolation‐by‐distance relationship indicated that there is limited lifetime dispersal (on the order of 100–200 km), which is much smaller than the scales used for sampling and management. In addition, the genetic divergence along the area sampled suggests decreased gene flow at Amchitka Pass and between the eastern Bering Sea and eastern Aleutian Islands.