bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure of the GcpE (IspG)–MEcPP complex from Thermus thermophilus
Authors: Rekittke Ingo , Jomaa Hassan , Ermler Ulrich
Published: August 2012

Isoprenoid precursor biosynthesis occurs through the mevalonate or the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway, used i.e., by humans and by many human pathogens, respectively. In the MEP pathway, 2‐C‐methyl‐d‐erythritol‐2,4‐cyclo‐diphosphate (MEcPP) is converted to (E)‐1‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl‐but‐2‐enyl‐4‐diphosphate (HMBPP) by the iron–sulfur cluster enzyme HMBPP synthase (GcpE). The presented X‐ray structure of the GcpE–MEcPP complex from Thermus thermophilus at 1.55 Å resolution provides valuable information about the catalytic mechanism and for rational inhibitor design. MEcPP binding inside the TIM‐barrel funnel induces a 60° rotation of the [4Fe–4S] cluster containing domain onto the TIM‐barrel entrance. The apical iron of the [4Fe–4S] cluster ligates with the C3 oxygen atom of MEcPP.
Models of care that have reduced maternal mortality and morbidity in Sri Lanka
Authors: Haththotuwa Rohana , Senanayake Lakshmen , Senarath Upul , Attygalle Deepika
Published: August 2012

Sri Lanka, a non‐industrialized country with limited resources, has been able to achieve a maternal mortality ratio that is markedly lower than the ratios of similar countries. Many factors have contributed to Sri Lanka's success story. A political commitment to the cause and implementation of clear policies through well‐structured and organized community‐based and institutional healthcare services—expanded to cover the whole country and provided free of charge—have been the foundation of maternal and child health (MCH) services in the country. The healthcare programs have been well accepted and utilized by the people as the literacy rate is more than 90% for both men and women. Public health midwives form the backbone of MCH services and provide frontline reproductive health care. More than 98% of deliveries occur in hospitals and are attended by midwives. Furthermore, 85% of women in Sri Lanka deliver in facilities served by specialist obstetricians/gynecologists. The Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists plays a leading role by assisting the Family Health Bureau in making policies and guidelines, training staff, and acting as team leaders for maternity care services. This was evident after the tsunami in December 2004. National maternal mortality reviews, monitoring and evaluation of MCH activities, and relatively high contraceptive prevalence rates have also contributed to the success in Sri Lanka, which could serve as a model for other countries.
Strategies for the prevention of unsafe abortion
Authors: Faúndes Anibal
Published: August 2012

Unsafe abortion is one of the main causes of maternal mortality and severe morbidity in countries with restrictive abortion laws. In 2007, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) created a Working Group on the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion and its Consequences (WGPUA). This led to a FIGO initiative with that aim which has the active participation of 43 FIGO member societies. The WGPUA has recommended that the plans of action of the countries participating in the initiative consider several levels of prevention shown to have the potential to successfully reduce unsafe abortions: (1) primary prevention of unintended pregnancy and induced abortion; (2) secondary prevention to ensure the safety of an abortion procedure that could not be avoided; (3) tertiary prevention of further complications of an unsafe abortion procedure that has taken place already, through high‐quality postabortion care; and (4) quaternary prevention of repeated abortion procedures through postabortion family planning counseling and contraceptive services. This paper reviews these levels of prevention and the evidence that they can be effective.
Radicular cyst in a patient with untreated Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome: A case report
Authors: Kita Ryosuke , Seto Mika , Takahashi Hiromasa , Sakamoto Yumiko , Kikuta Toshihiro
Published: August 2012

Wiskott‐Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a condition with variable expression, which causes persistent thrombocytopenia and, in its complete form, also causes small platelets and humoral immunodeficiency. A 14‐year‐old boy, diagnosed with WAS but never treated, presented with symptoms of heart and renal failure. His right buccal region was swollen and his right first molar showed a cyst‐like image on dental X‐ray films. The boy’s symptoms were attributed to an infected cyst, greatly aggravated by WAS‐related immunodeficiency. The boy was sedated and the affected tooth and cyst were enucleated. Invasive treatment was safely achieved by paying close attention to whole‐body management.
Anthropology and the Cognitive Challenge
Authors: Bloch Maurice
Published: August 2012

This provocative new study one of the world's most distinguished anthropologists proposes that an understanding of cognitive science enriches, rather than threatens, the work of social scientists. Maurice Bloch argues for a naturalist approach to social and cultural anthropology, introducing developments in cognitive sciences such as psychology and neurology and exploring the relevance of these developments for central anthropological concerns: the person or the self, cosmology, kinship, memory and globalisation. Opening with an exploration of the history of anthropology, Bloch shows why and how naturalist approaches were abandoned and argues that these once valid reasons are no longer relevant. Bloch then shows how such subjects as the self, memory and the conceptualisation of time benefit from being simultaneously approached with the tools of social and cognitive science. Anthropology and the Cognitive Challenge will stimulate fresh debate among scholars and students across a wide range of disciplines.
Quantum Information, Computation and Communication
Authors: Jones Jonathan A. , Jaksch Dieter
Published: August 2012

Quantum physics allows entirely new forms of computation and cryptography, which could perform tasks currently impossible on classical devices, leading to an explosion of new algorithms, communications protocols and suggestions for physical implementations of all these ideas. As a result, quantum information has made the transition from an exotic research topic to part of mainstream undergraduate courses in physics. Based on years of teaching experience, this textbook builds from simple fundamental concepts to cover the essentials of the field. Aimed at physics undergraduate students with a basic background in quantum mechanics, it guides readers through theory and experiment, introducing all the central concepts without getting caught up in details. Worked examples and exercises make this useful as a self-study text for those who want a brief introduction before starting on more advanced books. Solutions are available online at www.cambridge.org/9781107014466.
The Legacy of Israel in Judah's Bible
Authors: Fleming Daniel E.
Published: August 2012

The Legacy of Israel in Judah's Bible undertakes a comprehensive re-evaluation of the Bible's primary narrative in Genesis through Kings as it relates to history. It divides the core textual traditions along political lines that reveal deeply contrasting assumptions, an approach that places biblical controversies in dialogue with anthropologically informed archaeology. Starting from close study of selected biblical texts, the work moves toward historical issues that may be illuminated by both this material and a larger range of textual evidence. The result is a synthesis that breaks away from conventional lines of debate in matters relating to ancient Israel and the Bible, setting an agenda for future engagement of these fields with wider study of antiquity.
Metropolitan Art and Literature, 1810–1840
Authors: Dart Gregory
Published: August 2012

Gregory Dart expands upon existing notions of Cockneys and the 'Cockney School' in the late Romantic period by exploring some of the broader ramifications of the phenomenon in art and periodical literature. He argues that the term was not confined to discussion of the Leigh Hunt circle, but was fast becoming a way of gesturing towards everything in modern metropolitan life that seemed discrepant and disturbing. Covering the ground between Romanticism and Victorianism, Dart presents Cockneyism as a powerful critical currency in this period, which helps provide a link between the works of Leigh Hunt and Keats in the 1810s and the early works of Charles Dickens in the 1830s. Through an examination of literary history, art history, urban history and social history, this book identifies the early nineteenth-century figure of the Cockney as the true ancestor of modernity.
Genesis of Symbolic Thought
Authors: Barnard Alan
Published: August 2012

Symbolic thought is what makes us human. Claude Lévi-Strauss stated that we can never know the genesis of symbolic thought, but in this powerful new study Alan Barnard argues that we can. Continuing the line of analysis initiated in Social Anthropology and Human Origins (Cambridge University Press, 2011), Genesis of Symbolic Thought applies ideas from social anthropology, old and new, to understand some of the areas also being explored in fields as diverse as archaeology, linguistics, genetics and neuroscience. Barnard aims to answer questions including: when and why did language come into being? What was the earliest religion? And what form did social organization take before humanity dispersed from the African continent? Rejecting the notion of hunter-gatherers as 'primitive', Barnard hails the great sophistication of the complex means of their linguistic and symbolic expression and places the possible origin of symbolic thought at as early as 130,000 years ago.
A Walk through the Southern Sky
Authors: Heifetz Milton , Tirion Wil
Published: August 2012

A Walk through the Southern Sky is a beautifully illustrated guide to the stars and constellations of the southern hemisphere. By following the simplified and easy-to-use starmaps, readers will be able to identify constellations with no equipment but normal sight and a clear night sky. This book provides clear instructions on how to determine star sizes and the distances between stars, allowing readers to move easily between constellations. The budding astronomer is introduced to the mystery and wonder of the southern sky as the myths and legends of its stars and constellations are wondrously retold. The third edition of this magical book features a new moon map, an updated list of planet positions, additional illustrations and more realistic star maps. It is an invaluable and beautiful guide for beginner stargazers, both young and old.
Coping Strategies and Perceived Coping Effectiveness for Social Stressors among Children with HFASDs: A Brief Report
Authors: Lee Gloria K. , Thomeer Marcus L. , Lopata Christopher , Schiavo Audrey L. , Smerbeck Audrey M. , Volker Martin A. , Smith Rachael A. , Mirwis Joshua E.
Published: August 2012

This brief report investigated coping strategies and their perceived effectiveness in response to a social stressor for 7–12 year olds with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASDs). Ninety-eight participants completed a self-report coping scale in response to a self-identified socially stressful situation. Responses yielded three categories of use and perceived effectiveness: (1) strategies used frequently and viewed as effective, (2) strategies not used frequently and not perceived as effective, and (3) strategies used frequently but not perceived as effective. Respondents reported high frequency use and high perceived effectiveness of six strategies that are generally considered as positive/engagement oriented coping. They also indicated low frequency use and low perceived effectiveness of five strategies broadly regarded as negative and avoidant/disengagement coping. The last cluster of four strategies, identified as frequently used but not effective, consisted of strategies less clearly categorised as positive/engaged vs. negative/disengaged. Implications for future research and clinical considerations are proposed.
Variation of Initial Soil Suction with Compaction Conditions for Clayey Soils
Authors: Yang S.-R. , Lin H.-D. , Huang W.-H.
Published: August 2012

In this study, the initial soil suction of as-compacted clayey soils was evaluated for various compaction conditions, covering a wide range of compaction energy and molding water content. The soil specimens were prepared by impact compaction under three levels of compaction energy. The filter paper method was used to measure the initial soil suction of as-compacted specimens. Test results indicate that the relationship between the soil suction and the molding water content is bilinear under three different compaction energies. However, the effect of compaction energy on soil suction is different for the soils with different amounts of clay fraction and is elucidated by the macro soil properties. The change of soil suction due to different compaction energies can be predicted by the void ratio and the degree of saturation.
A Macromechanical Constitutive Model of Shape Memory Alloys Under Uniaxial Cyclic Loading
Authors: Lei H. , Zhou B. , Wang Z. , Wang Y.
Published: August 2012

In this paper, the thermomechanical behavior of shape memory alloys (SMAs) subjected to uniaxial cyclic loading is investigated. To obtain experimental data, the strain-controlled cyclic loading-unloading tests are conducted at various strain-rates and temperatures. Dislocations slip and deformation twins are considered to be the main reason that causes the unique cyclic mechanical behavior of SMAs. A new variable of shape memory residual factor was introduced, which will tend to zero with the increasing of the number of cycles. Exponential form equations are established to describe the evolution of shape memory residual factor, elastic modulus and critical stress, in which the influence of strain-rate, number of cycles and temperature are taken into account. The relationship between critical stresses and temperature is modified by considering the cycling effect. A macromechanical constitutive model was constructed to predict the cyclic mechanical behavior at constant temperature. Based on the material parameters obtained from test results, the hysteretic behavior of SMAs subjected to isothermal uniaxial cyclic loading is simulated. It is shown that the numerical results of the modified model match well with the test results.
The Autocratic Legacy of Early Statehood
Authors: HARIRI JACOB GERNER
Published: August 2012

This article documents that precolonial state development was an impediment to the development of democracy outside Europe, because indigenous state institutions constrained the European colonial endeavor and limited the diffusion of European institutions and ideas. Some countries were strong enough to resist colonization; others had enough state infrastructure that the colonizers would rule through existing institutions. Neither group therefore experienced institutional transplantation or European settlement. Less developed states, in contrast, were easier to colonize and were often colonized with institutional transplantation and an influx of settlers carrying ideals of parliamentarism. Using OLS and IV estimation, I present statistical evidence of an autocratic legacy of early statehood and document the proposed causal channel for a large sample of non-European countries. The conclusion is robust to different samples, different democracy indices, an array of exogenous controls, and several alternative theories of the causes and correlates of democracy.
CANCELLING COMPLEX POINTS IN CODIMENSION TWO
Authors: SLAPAR MARKO
Published: August 2012

A generically embedded real submanifold of codimension two in a complex manifold has isolated complex points that can be classified as either elliptic or hyperbolic. In this paper we show that a pair consisting of one elliptic and one hyperbolic complex point of the same sign can be cancelled by a $\mathcal {C}^{0}$small isotopy of embeddings.
The population dynamics of Ophidiaster ophidianus (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) in the Azores, at the north-western periphery of its distribution
Authors: Micael J. , Alves M.J. , Costa A.C.
Published: August 2012

The warm water Ophidiaster ophidianus has a protected status in the Mediterranean Sea and also occurs in the shallow subtidal of the Azorean Archipelago. From April 2007 to August 2009, the population structure and seasonal abundance of O. ophidianus was studied at different depths within a marine conservation area offshore from São Miguel (SAC: PTMIG0020, Natura 2000). Ophidiaster ophidianus showed a marked seasonal trend in abundance, with higher numbers being recorded from 5 m depth during spring and autumn, and higher numbers at 10 m depth in summer and winter. Densities ranged from 9 to 16 individuals per 100 m2 over the sampling period. The size–frequency distribution of O. ophidianus was uni-modal for each sampling month. Small individuals dominated at 5 m depth, intermediate-sized individuals at 10 m and larger individuals were more frequent at 15 m. The present study establishes population parameters for O. ophidianus and provides the necessary information for management purposes at the north-western periphery of its range in the Azores.
Cross-national differences in the prevalence and correlates of burden among older family caregivers in the World Health Organization World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys
Authors: Shahly V. , Chatterji S. , Gruber M. J. , Al-Hamzawi A. , Alonso J. , Andrade L. H. , Angermeyer M. C. , Bruffaerts R. , Bunting B. , Caldas-de-Almeida J. M. , de Girolamo G. , de Jonge P. , Florescu S. , Gureje O. , Haro J. M. , Hinkov H. R. , Hu C. , Karam E. G. , Lépine J.-P. , Levinson D. , Medina-Mora M. E. , Posada-Villa J. , Sampson N. A. , Trivedi J. K. , Viana M. C. , Kessler R. C.
Published: August 2012

Background

Current trends in population aging affect both recipients and providers of informal family caregiving, as the pool of family caregivers is shrinking while demand is increasing. Epidemiological research has not yet examined the implications of these trends for burdens experienced by aging family caregivers.

Method

Cross-sectional community surveys in 20 countries asked 13 892 respondents aged 50+ years about the objective (time, financial) and subjective (distress, embarrassment) burdens they experience in providing care to first-degree relatives with 12 broadly defined serious physical and mental conditions. Differential burden was examined by country income category, kinship status and type of condition.

Results

Among the 26.9–42.5% respondents in high-, upper-middle-, and low-/lower-middle-income countries reporting serious relative health conditions, 35.7–42.5% reported burden. Of those, 25.2–29.0% spent time and 13.5–19.4% money, while 24.4–30.6% felt distress and 6.4–21.7% embarrassment. Mean caregiving hours per week in those giving any time were 16.6–23.6 (169.9–205.8 h/week per 100 people aged 50+ years). Burden in low-/lower-middle-income countries was 2- to 3-fold higher than in higher-income countries, with any financial burden averaging 14.3% of median family income in high-, 17.7% in upper-middle-, and 39.8% in low-/lower-middle-income countries. Higher burden was reported by women than men and for conditions of spouses and children than parents or siblings.

Conclusions

Uncompensated family caregiving is an important societal asset that offsets rising formal healthcare costs. However, the substantial burdens experienced by aging caregivers across multiple family health conditions and geographic regions threaten the continued integrity of their caregiving capacity. Initiatives supporting older family caregivers are consequently needed, especially in low-/lower-middle-income countries.
Asymptotic spreading of competition diffusion systems: The role of interspecific competitions
Authors: LIN GUO , LI WAN-TONG
Published: August 2012

This paper is concerned with the asymptotic spreading of competition diffusion systems, with the purpose of formulating the propagation modes of a co-invasion–coexistence process of two competitors. Using the comparison principle for competitive systems, some results on asymptotic spreading are obtained. Our conclusions imply that the interspecific competitions slow the invasion of one species and decrease the population densities in the coexistence domain. Therefore, the interspecific competitions play a negative role in the evolution of competitive communities.
Disaster Preparedness in an Australian Urban Trauma Center: Staff Knowledge and Perceptions
Authors: Corrigan Ellen , Samrasinghe Iromi
Published: August 2012

Introduction

A substantial barrier to improving disaster preparedness in Australia is a lack of prescriptive national guidelines based on individual hospital capabilities. A recent literature review revealed that only one Australian hospital has published data regarding its current preparedness level.

Objectives

To establish baseline levels of disaster knowledge, preparedness, and willingness to respond to a disaster among one hospital's staff, and thus enable the implementation of national disaster preparedness guidelines based on realistic capabilities of individual hospitals.

Methods

An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to individuals and departments that play key roles in the hospital's external disaster response. Questions concerned prior education and experience specific to disasters, general preparedness knowledge, perceived preparedness of themselves and their department, and willingness to respond to a disaster from a conventional and/or chemical, biological, or radiological incident.

Results

Responses were received from 140 individuals representing nine hospital departments. Eighty-three participants (59.3%) had previously received disaster education; 53 (37.9%) had attended a disaster simulation drill, and 18 (12.9%) had responded to an actual disaster. The average disaster preparedness knowledge score was 3.57 out of 10. The majority of respondents rated themselves as “not really” prepared and were “unsure” of their respective departments’ level of preparedness. Most respondents indicated a willingness to participate in both a conventional incident involving burns and/or physical trauma, and an incident involving chemical, biological or radiological (CBR) weapons.

Conclusions

Australian hospital staff are under-prepared to respond to a disaster because of a lack of education, insufficient simulation exercises, and limited disaster experience. The absence of specific national standards and guidelines through which individual hospitals can develop their capabilities further compounds the poverty in preparedness.

CorriganE,SamrasingheI.Disaster preparedness in an Australian urban trauma center: staff knowledge and perceptions.Prehosp Disaster Med.2012;27(5):1-7.
Willingness to Participate in Disaster Management Among Indian Dental Graduates
Authors: Rajesh G. , Pai Mithun B.H. , Shenoy Ramya , Priya Harsh
Published: August 2012

Introduction

India has been the focal point of various disasters, and has suffered considerable losses due to the same. Manpower shortage can impede disaster management; hence, including dental professionals in disaster management in India can be crucial.

Hypothesis/Problem

To assess willingness to participate in disaster management among Indian dental graduates; to assess the objective knowledge, attitude, behavior and perceived knowledge regarding disaster management among Indian dental graduates.

Methods

All the interns in Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka were included in the present study. Their willingness to participate in disaster management and their objective knowledge, attitude, behavior and perceived knowledge related to disaster management were assessed using a questionnaire.

Results

A total of 86 study subjects participated. A majority (98.8%) of respondents were willing to participate in disaster management. Mean objective knowledge, attitude, behavior and perceived knowledge scores were 48.65%, 80.26%, 29.85% and 60.80% respectively. Males reported higher perceived knowledge than females (P= .008), and respondents residing in hostels reported higher perceived knowledge than those not residing in hostels (P= .02). Gender showed significant correlations with attitude (r = 4.076,P= .044) and behavior (r = 3.722,P= .054), and residence with behavior of respondents (r = 5.690,P= .017).

Conclusions

A high degree of willingness to provide assistance during disasters was observed among undergraduate dental students. High attitude coupled with low knowledge and behavior scores regarding disaster management was also observed. Gender was associated with attitude and behavior, and residence with behavior of respondents regarding disaster management. Including disaster management in dental curricula and involvement of dental professionals in disaster management might be crucial for disaster management in India.

RajeshG,PaiMBH,ShenoyR,PriyaH.Willingness to participate in disaster management among Indian dental graduates.Prehosp Disaster Med.2012;27(5):1-6.
THE SET-THEORETIC MULTIVERSE
Authors: HAMKINS JOEL DAVID
Published: August 2012

The multiverse view in set theory, introduced and argued for in this article, is the view that there are many distinct concepts of set, each instantiated in a corresponding set-theoretic universe. The universe view, in contrast, asserts that there is an absolute background set concept, with a corresponding absolute set-theoretic universe in which every set-theoretic question has a definite answer. The multiverse position, I argue, explains our experience with the enormous range of set-theoretic possibilities, a phenomenon that challenges the universe view. In particular, I argue that the continuum hypothesis is settled on the multiverse view by our extensive knowledge about how it behaves in the multiverse, and as a result it can no longer be settled in the manner formerly hoped for.
Placenta Share Discordance and Umbilical Artery Doppler Change After Antenatal Betamethasone Administration in Monochorionic Twins With Selective Intrauterine Growth Restriction: Is There a Link?
Authors: Chang Yao-Lung , Chang Shuenn-Dyh , Chao An-Shine , Hsieh Peter C. C. , Wang Chao-Nin , Wang Tzu-Hao
Published: August 2012

This study was designed to evaluate the degree of placenta share discordance in relation to the betamethasone-induced return of positive end-diastolic flow in monochorionic twin pregnancies with selective intrauterine growth restriction (sIUGR) and abnormal umbilical artery Doppler. Monochorionic twins with sIUGR was defined as one twin having an estimated fetal weight below the 10th percentile combined with an estimated fetal weight discordance >25%. The umbilical artery Doppler directly prior to (D0) and 24 hours (D1) and 48 hours (D2) after the first dose of betamethasone administration was recorded. The estimated individual placental weight in monochorionic twins was obtained by cutting the placenta along the vascular equator into two territories; the placenta share discordance was calculated as [(estimated individual placental weight of appropriated for gestational age twin- estimated individual placental weight of growth restricted twin)/estimated individual placental weight of appropriated for gestational age twin] × 100%. Six (23.1%) of the 26 included cases achieved betamethasone-induced return of positive umbilical artery end-diastolic flow. The difference of placenta share discordance and birth weight discordance were not significantly different between twins with and without betamethasone-induced return of positive umbilical artery end-diastolic flow. Thus, according to our study results, it was proposed that although the placenta share discordance correlated with the abnormal umbilical artery Doppler in the IUGR fetus in monochorionic twin, the betamethasone-induced return of positive umbilical artery end-diastolic flow, however, did not reveal the similar relationship with the severity of placenta share discordance.
Interpretations of systematic errors in the NCEP Climate Forecast System at lead times of 2, 4, 8, ..., 256 days
Authors: Song Siwon , Mapes Brian
Published: August 2012

The climatology of mean bias errors (relative to 1‐day forecasts) was examined in a 20‐year hindcast set from version 1 of the Climate Forecast System (CFS), for forecast lead times of 2, 4, 8, 16, … 256 days, verifying in different seasons. Results mostly confirm the simple expectation that atmospheric model biases should be evident at short lead (2‐4 days), while soil moisture errors develop over days‐weeks and ocean errors emerge over months. A further simplification is also evident: surface temperature bias patterns have nearly fixed geographical structure, growing with different time scales over land and ocean. The geographical pattern has mostly warm and dry biases over land and cool bias over the oceans, with two main exceptions: (1) deficient stratocumulus clouds cause warm biases in eastern subtropical oceans, and (2) high latitude land is too cold in boreal winter. Further study of the east Pacific cold tongue‐Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) complex shows a possible interaction between a rapidly‐expressed atmospheric model bias (poleward shift of deep convection beginning at day 2) and slow ocean dynamics (erroneously cold upwelling along the equator in leads > 1 month). Further study of the high latitude land cold bias shows that it is a thermal wind balance aspect of the deep polar vortex, not just a near‐surface temperature error under the wintertime inversion, suggesting that its development time scale of weeks to months may involve long timescale processes in the atmosphere, not necessarily in the land model. Winter zonal wind errors are small in magnitude, but a refractive index map shows that this can cause modest errors in Rossby wave ducting. Finally, as a counterpoint to our initial expectations about error growth, a case of non‐monotonic error growth is shown: velocity potential bias grows with lead on a time scale of weeks, then decays over months. It is hypothesized that compensations between land and ocean errors may cause this behavior.
ARTEMIS observations of lunar pick‐up ions in the terrestrial magnetotail lobes
Authors: Poppe A. R. , Samad R. , Halekas J. S. , Sarantos M. , Delory G. T. , Farrell W. M. , Angelopoulos V. , McFadden J. P.
Published: August 2012

We report observations by the twin‐probe mission ARTEMIS of pick‐up ions of lunar origin obtained during times when the Moon was within the terrestrial magnetotail lobes. These ions were detected as two separate focused beams above the dayside lunar surface. Analysis of these beams has shown that they possess both field‐aligned and field‐perpendicular velocities, implying the presence of electric fields both parallel and perpendicular to the magnetotail lobe magnetic field. We suggest that the sources of these two electric fields are (a) the near‐surface electric field due to the lunar photoelectron sheath and (b) the electric field generated by the magnetotail lobe convection velocity. We use the energy and pitch angle spectra to constrain the source locations and compositions of these ions, and conclude that exospheric ionization of the neutral exosphere is the dominant lunar pick‐up ion production mechanism in the tail lobes.
Microbial control of diatom bloom dynamics in the open ocean
Authors: Boyd Philip W. , Strzepek Robert , Chiswell Steve , Chang Hoe , DeBruyn Jennifer M. , Ellwood Michael , Keenan Sean , King Andrew L. , Maas Elisabeth W. , Nodder Scott , Sander Sylvia G. , Sutton Philip , Twining Benjamin S. , Wilhelm Steven W. , Hutchins David A.
Published: August 2012

Diatom blooms play a central role in supporting foodwebs and sequestering biogenic carbon to depth. Oceanic conditions set bloom initiation, whereas both environmental and ecological factors determine bloom magnitude and longevity. Our study reveals another fundamental determinant of bloom dynamics. A diatom spring bloom in offshore New Zealand waters was likely terminated by iron limitation, even though diatoms consumed <1/3 of the mixed‐layer dissolved iron inventory. Thus, bloom duration and magnitude were primarily set by competition for dissolved iron between microbes and small phytoplankton versus diatoms. Significantly, such a microbial mode of control probably relies both upon out‐competing diatoms for iron (i.e.,K‐strategy), and having high iron requirements (i.e.,r‐strategy). Such resource competition for iron has implications for carbon biogeochemistry, as, blooming diatoms fixed three‐fold more carbon per unit iron than resident non‐blooming microbes. Microbial sequestration of iron has major ramifications for determining the biogeochemical imprint of oceanic diatom blooms.
E-Reading Technology: Considerations for Readers With Neurological Impairments
Authors: Griffiths Gina G. , Biancarosa Gina
Published: August 2012

E-reading technology provides both new options and challenges to readers with neurological impairments. In this article, the authors define e-reading technology and consider how advances in technology have led to increased reading demands which individuals must face in order to participate in a range of functional activities. The authors then review literature that identifies some of the challenges technology brings to the actual reading process and what skills researchers suggest readers need in order to navigate these challenges. Finally, the authors highlight some of the ways e-reading technology, as a tool, can support individuals who struggle with activities that require reading. To do this, they consider empirical findings from educational research, given the lack of published articles specific to e-reading technology supports for individuals with neurological diagnoses.
Toward a Speech Sciences Community
Authors: Finan Donald , Tasko Stephen M.
Published: August 2012

The history of speech-language pathology as a profession encompasses a tradition of knowledge generation. In recent years, the quantity of speech science research and the presence of speech scientists within the domain of the American Speech-Hearing-Language Association (ASHA) has diminished, even as ASHA membership and the size of the ASHA Convention have grown dramatically. The professional discipline of speech science has become increasingly fragmented, yet speech science coursework is an integral part of the mandated curriculum. Establishing an active, vibrant community structure will serve to aid researchers, educators, and clinicians as they work in the common area of speech science.
Serpentine tolerance in Mimulus guttatus does not rely on exclusion of magnesium
Authors: Palm Emily , Brady Kristy , Van Volkenburgh Elizabeth
Published: August 2012

The effect of serpentine soil-like low Ca : Mg ratios on growth was investigated in serpentine-adapted and nonadapted populations of Mimulus guttatus Fischer ex DC through soil and hydroponic reciprocal transplants. Adaptation to Ca : Mg ratios in M. guttatus was measured as differences in biomass accumulation, uptake of Ca and Mg, and photosynthetic rates. Serpentine-adapted plants persisted on both serpentine and nonserpentine soils, but nonadapted plants survived only on nonserpentine soil. When grown hydroponically, a low Ca : Mg ratio decreased the biomass of nonadapted plants but serpentine-adapted plants increased in biomass relative to their growth on high Ca : Mg. Internal concentrations of Ca and Mg mirrored those of the growth solution in both populations; however, serpentine-adapted M. guttatus had a higher shoot : root ratio of Mg when grown in low Ca : Mg solutions. Elevated Mg reduced photosynthetic rates in nonadapted plants without changes in chlorophyll concentration or photosystem efficiency. Hydroponic culture isolated the Ca : Mg ratio from other soil characteristics as the dominant factor affecting growth. Differences in the growth of plants from these populations in reciprocal transplant experiments indicate a genetic basis for a tolerance mechanism to low Ca : Mg, but one that is not based on the exclusion of Mg.
Seasonal and multiannual effects of salinisation on tomato yield and fruit quality
Authors: De Pascale Stefania , Orsini Francesco , Caputo Rosanna , Palermo Maria Antonella , Barbieri Giancarlo , Maggio Albino
Published: August 2012

The effects of short- and long-term salinisation were studied by comparing tomato growth on a soil exposed to one-season salinisation (short term) vs growth on a soil exposed to >20 years salinisation (long term). Remarkable differences were associated to substantial modifications of the soil physical-chemical characteristics in the root zone, including deteriorated structure, reduced infiltration properties and increased pH. Fresh yield, fruit number and fruit weight were similarly affected by short- and long-term salinisation. In contrast, the marketable yield was significantly lower in the long-term salinised soil – a response that was also associated to nutritional imbalance (mainly referred to P and K). As reported for plants growing under oxygen deprivation stress, the antioxidant capacity of the water soluble fraction of salinised tomato fruits was enhanced by short-term salinisation, also. Overall, long-term salinisation may cause physiological imbalances and yield reductions that cannot be solely attributed to hyperosmotic stress and ionic toxicity. Therefore, the ability of plants to cope with nutritional deficiency and withstand high pH and anoxia may be important traits that should be considered to improve plant tolerance to long-term salinised soils.
Mercury in Groupers and Sea Basses from the Gulf of Mexico: Relationships with Size, Age, and Feeding Ecology
Authors: Tremain Derek M. , Adams Douglas H.
Published: August 2012

We analyzed total mercury concentration in muscle tissue of 15 serranid species (n = 1,401 fish) collected from the Gulf of Mexico and also developed a comprehensive model relating two commonly used mercury analysis methods. There was considerable interspecific and intraspecific variability in mercury within groupers and sea basses. Mean mercury concentration for individual species ranged from 0.03 to 0.91 mg/kg wet weight across all size ranges, and for legally harvestable grouper and sea bass concentrations were 0.32 mg/kg and 0.09 mg/kg, respectively. Mercury in individual fish ranged from 0.01 to 3.3 mg/kg. Approximately 23% of all grouper samples analyzed contained mercury at concentrations that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's methylmercury consumption guidance criterion for humans (0.3 mg/kg). Mercury in legally harvestable individuals of some species exceeded 0.5 mg/kg, and harvestable black grouper Mycteroperca bonaci had a mean mercury concentration greater than 1.0 mg/kg. A positive relationship was observed between total mercury content and both fish length and fish age. For species that feed principally on fishes (e.g., gag M. microlepis and scamp M. phenax), mean mercury concentration was greater than that for species that feed mainly on invertebrates (e.g., red grouper Epinephelus morio and sand perch Diplectrum formosum). Although overall mean mercury concentrations were relatively low, for six species the maximum mercury concentration was at a level that has been associated with sublethal effects on fish physiology and with human health risks. Current grouper management regulations in the Gulf of Mexico select for a fishery of the largest and oldest individuals, which have the greatest mercury burdens. The species‐ and size‐specific mercury data from this study can be used to inform at‐risk human populations, refine regional fish consumption advisories, and further our understanding of mercury bioaccumulation in these important fishery species.
Single Ion Occupancy and Steady-state Gating of Na Channels in Squid Giant Axon
Authors: Rakowski Robert F. , Gadsby David C. , De Weer Paul
Published: August 2012

The properties of the small fraction of tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive Na channels that remain open in the steady state were studied in internally dialyzed voltage clamped squid giant axons. The observed Ussing flux ratio exponent (n′) of 0.97 ± 0.03 (calculated from simultaneous measurements of TTX-sensitive current and 22Na efflux) and nonindependent behavior of Na current at high internal [Na] are explained by a one-site (“1s”) permeation model characterized by a single effective binding site within the channel pore in equilibrium with internal Na ions (apparent equilibrium dissociation constant KNai(0) = 0.61 ± 0.08 M). Steady-state open probability of the TTX-sensitive channels can be modeled by the product pap∞, where pa represents voltage-dependent activation described by a Boltzmann distribution with midpoint Va = −7 mV and effective valence za = 3.2 (Vandenberg, C.A., and F. Bezanilla. 1991. Biophys. J. 60:1499–1510) coupled to voltage-independent inactivation by an equilibrium constant (Bezanilla, F., and C.M. Armstrong. 1977. J. Gen. Physiol. 70:549–566) Keq = 770. The factor p∞ represents voltage-dependent inactivation with empirical midpoint V∞= −83 ± 5 mV and effective valence z∞ = 0.55 ± 0.03. The composite pap∞1s model describes the steady-state voltage dependence of the persistent TTX-sensitive current well.
Physical association of the WC-1 photoreceptor and the histone acetyltransferase NGF-1 is required for blue light signal transduction in Neurospora crassa
Authors: Brenna Andrea , Grimaldi Benedetto , Filetici Patrizia , Ballario Paola
Published: August 2012

In Neurospora crassa and other filamentous fungi, light-dependent–specific phenomena are regulated by transcription factors WC-1 and WC-2. In addition to its transcriptional activity, WC-1 is able to directly sense light stimuli through a LOV sensor domain. Its location in the nucleus and heterodimerization with WC-2, together with the presence of a zinc-finger DNA-binding domain and an environmental sensor domain, all resemble the functional evolutionary architecture adopted by vertebrate nuclear receptors (NRs). Here we describe a scenario in which WC-1 represents a functional orthologue of NRs and acts through association with the chromatin-modifying coactivator NGF-1, which encodes a homologue of the yeast Gcn5p acetyltransferase. To support this view, we show a direct association between WC-1 and NGF-1 that depends on a WC-1 region containing a conserved functional LXXLL motif, a signature previously described as being an exclusive feature of NR/coactivator interaction. Our data suggest that a WC-1/NGF-1 complex is preassembled in the dark on light-inducible promoters and that, after exposure to light stimulation, NGF-1–associated HAT activity leads to histone H3 acetylation and transcriptional activation. Finally, we provide evidence for a NGF-1–independent acetylated form of WC-1. Overall our data indicate that Neurospora and higher eukaryotes share a common mechanism for the signal transduction of environmental stimuli.
Multisite phosphorylation of oxysterol-binding protein regulates sterol binding and activation of sphingomyelin synthesis
Authors: Goto Asako , Liu Xinwei , Robinson Carolyn-Ann , Ridgway Neale D.
Published: August 2012

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-Golgi sterol transfer activity of oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP) regulates sphingomyelin (SM) synthesis, as well as post-Golgi cholesterol efflux pathways. The phosphorylation and ER-Golgi localization of OSBP are correlated, suggesting this modification regulates the directionality and/or specificity of transfer activity. In this paper, we report that phosphorylation on two serine-rich motifs, S381-S391 (site 1) and S192, S195, S200 (site 2), specifically controls OSBP activity at the ER. A phosphomimetic of the SM/cholesterol-sensitive phosphorylation site 1 (OSBP-S5E) had increased in vitro cholesterol and 25-hydroxycholesterol–binding capacity, and cholesterol extraction from liposomes, but reduced transfer activity. Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI(4)P) and cholesterol competed for a common binding site on OSBP; however, direct binding of PI(4)P was not affected by site 1 phosphorylation. Individual site 1 and site 2 phosphomutants supported oxysterol activation of SM synthesis in OSBP-deficient CHO cells. However, a double site1/2 mutant (OSBP-S381A/S3D) was deficient in this activity and was constitutively colocalized with vesicle-associated membrane protein–associated protein A (VAP-A) in a collapsed ER network. This study identifies phosphorylation regulation of sterol and VAP-A binding by OSBP in the ER, and PI(4)P as an alternate ligand that could be exchanged for sterol in the Golgi apparatus.
PTEN, a widely known negative regulator of insulin/PI3K signaling, positively regulates neuronal insulin resistance
Authors: Gupta Amit , Dey Chinmoy Sankar
Published: August 2012

Lipid and protein tyrosine phosphatase, phosphatase and tension homologue (PTEN), is a widely known negative regulator of insulin/phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling. Down-regulation of PTEN is thus widely documented to ameliorate insulin resistance in peripheral tissues such as skeletal muscle and adipose. However, not much is known about its exact role in neuronal insulin signaling and insulin resistance. Moreover, alterations of PTEN in neuronal systems have led to discovery of several unexpected outcomes, including in the neurodegenerative disorder Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is increasingly being recognized as a brain-specific form of diabetes. In addition, contrary to expectations, its neuron-specific deletion in mice resulted in development of diet-sensitive obesity. The present study shows that PTEN, paradoxically, positively regulates neuronal insulin signaling and glucose uptake. Its down-regulation exacerbates neuronal insulin resistance. The positive role of PTEN in neuronal insulin signaling is likely due to its protein phosphatase actions, which prevents the activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), the kinases critically involved in neuronal energy impairment and neurodegeneration. Results suggest that PTEN acting through FAK, the direct protein substrate of PTEN, prevents ERK activation. Our findings provide an explanation for unexpected outcomes reported earlier with PTEN alterations in neuronal systems and also suggest a novel molecular pathway linking neuronal insulin resistance and AD, the two pathophysiological states demonstrated to be closely linked.
A trap with a twist: evaluating a bycatch reduction device to prevent rockfish capture in crustacean traps
Authors: Favaro Brett , Duff Stefanie D. , Côté Isabelle M.
Published: August 2012

Favaro, B., Duff, S. D., and Côté, I. M. 2013. A trap with a twist: evaluating a bycatch reduction device to prevent rockfish capture in crustacean traps. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70:114–122. Bycatch, or the incidental capture of non-target species, occurs in fisheries around the world, with often detrimental ecological consequences. Bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) that increase catch specificity have been used successfully in some fisheries, and the development of such devices remains an important component of the global effort to reduce bycatch rates. We tested novel devices designed to exclude juvenile rockfish (Sebastes spp.) from traps used to catch spot prawns (Pandalus platyceros), a commercially important species in British Columbia, Canada. The devices included reductions in trap opening sizes and novel bent-tunnel openings. Reducing trap opening size did not affect bycatch rates of rockfish or other non-target fish species. In contrast, bent-tunnel BRDs eliminated rockfish bycatch, and two of the bent-tunnel variants also excluded other fish species. However, prawn catch rates were reduced in all modified gear, and large prawns were often excluded more than small prawns. Videos recorded in situ revealed that prawn attempts to enter traps took longer and were more likely to fail in BRD-equipped than in unmodified traps. We conclude that bent-tunnel BRDs have the potential to be useful, but improvements are needed to increase prawn catch to levels similar to that of unmodified traps.