bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating parameter effects in a DEM ‘burning’ process based on land cover data
Authors: Getirana Augusto C. V. , Bonnet Marie‐Paule , Martinez Jean‐Michel
Published: April 2009

Over the last years, various methods regarding the use of digital land cover data to change digital elevation models (DEMs) have been reported in the literature. Usually, these methods rely on digital river networks (DRNs) or digital river and lake networks (DRLNs) to force preferential flow directions of pixels composing a DEM to get more realistic hydrological information, and reduce the accumulated number of errors in the information acquisition process. More recently, a new method that takes advantage of spatial distribution of rivers and floodplains derived from classified radar images has been presented. The method is based on a double ‘burning’ process. The first process uses stream lines to reduce elevations in the DEM (traditional stream burning approach—SB approach) and the second uses the floodplains to create valleys forcing the drainage of these areas to the main river. This approach, referred to as floodplain burning approach (FB approach), was applied to a basin in the Amazon basin. It greatly improved the results compared to the SB approach. However, this method requires the calibration of various parameters to represent accurately land cover types. This study proposes a comprehensive evaluation of the influence of these parameters on the DEM‐based hydrological information acquisition and on the original DEM. Consequently, a method of parameters set selection is provided. The method was applied to a sub‐basin of the Negro River basin in Amazonia. Several parameter combinations were evaluated in the watershed delineation process. Particular attention was paid to whether those parameters with a greater impact on DEM yielded better results in the case study. However, these DEM changes can be reduced with the knowledge of vegetation's heights, the vegetation having a substantial effect on remote acquisition of DEMs in tropical forests. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermal influence of urban groundwater recharge from stormwater infiltration basins
Authors: Foulquier Arnaud , Malard Florian , Barraud Sylvie , Gibert Janine
Published: April 2009

Groundwater warming below cities has become a major environmental issue; but the effect of distinct local anthropogenic sources of heat on urban groundwater temperature distributions is still poorly documented. Our study addressed the local effect of stormwater infiltration on the thermal regime of urban groundwater by examining differences in water temperature beneath stormwater infiltration basins (SIB) and reference sites fed exclusively by direct infiltration of rainwater at the land surface. Stormwater infiltration dramatically increased the thermal amplitude of groundwater at event and season scales. Temperature variation at the scale of rainfall events reached 3 °C and was controlled by the interaction between runoff amount and difference in temperature between stormwater and groundwater. The annual amplitude of groundwater temperature was on average nine times higher below SIB (range: 0·9–8·6 °C) than at reference sites (range: 0–1·2 °C) and increased with catchment area of SIB. Elevated summer temperature of infiltrating stormwater (up to 21 °C) decreased oxygen solubility and stimulated microbial respiration in the soil and vadose zone, thereby lowering dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in groundwater. The net effect of infiltration on average groundwater temperature depended upon the seasonal distribution of rainfall: groundwater below large SIB warmed up (+0·4 °C) when rainfall occurred predominantly during warm seasons. The thermal effect of stormwater infiltration strongly attenuated with increasing depth below the groundwater table indicating advective heat transport was restricted to the uppermost layers of groundwater. Moreover, excessive groundwater temperature variation at event and season scales can be attenuated by reducing the size of catchment areas drained by SIB and by promoting source control drainage systems. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Developing a hybrid multi‐model for peak flood forecasting
Authors: Chidthong Yupa , Tanaka Hitoshi , Supharatid Seree
Published: April 2009

The present study aims to develop a hybrid multi‐model using the soft computing approach. The model is a combination of a fuzzy logic, artificial neural network (ANN) and genetic algorithm (GA). While neural networks are low‐level computational structures that perform well dealing with raw data, fuzzy logic deal with reasoning on a higher level by using linguistic information acquired from domain experts. However, fuzzy systems lack the ability to learn and cannot adjust themselves to a new environment. Moreover, experts occasionally make mistakes and thus some rules used in a system may be false. A network type structure of the present hybrid model is a multi‐layer feed‐forward network, the main part is a fuzzy system based on the first‐order Sugeno fuzzy model with a fuzzification and a defuzzification processes. The consequent parameters are determined by least square method. The back‐propagation is applied to adjust weights of network. Then, the antecedent parameters of the membership function are updated accordingly by the gradient descent method. The GA was applied to select the fuzzy rule. The hybrid multi‐model was used to forecast the flood level at Chiang Mai (under the big flood 2005) and the Koriyama flood (2003) in Japan. The forecasting results are evaluated using standard global goodness of fit statistic, efficient index (EI), the root mean square error (RMSE) and the peak flood error. Moreover, the results are compared to the results of a neuro‐genetic model (NGO) and ANFIS model using the same input and output variables. It was found that the hybrid multi‐model can be used successfully with an efficiency index (EI) more than 0·95 (for Chiang Mai flood up to 12 h ahead forecasting) and more than 0·90 (for Koriyama flood up to 8 h ahead forecasting). In general, all of three models can predict the water level with satisfactory results. However, the hybrid model gave the best flood peak estimation among the three models. Therefore, the use of fuzzy rule base, which is selected by GA in the hybrid multi‐model helps to improve the accuracy of flood peak. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impact of climate change on the Hii River basin and salinity in Lake Shinji: a case study using the SWAT model and a regression curve
Authors: Somura H. , Arnold J. , Hoffman D. , Takeda I. , Mori Y. , Di Luzio M.
Published: April 2009

The impacts of climate change on water resources were analysed for the Hii River basin and downstream Lake Shinji. The variation between saline and fresh water within these systems means that they encompass diverse ecosystems. Changes in evapotranspiration (ET), snow water equivalent, discharge into the basin, and lake salinity were determined for different climate scenarios. The impact of climate change on a brackish water clam found in the lake was then examined using simulated monthly variations of lake salinity and information from prior studies of the clam.

ET increased and snow water equivalent decreased for all scenarios incorporating temperature rise, particularly during the winter season. Furthermore, ET and snow water equivalent were not as sensitive to variations in precipitation and thus temperature rise was considered to be a major factor for these variables. Nevertheless, monthly discharge volume was more influenced by variation in precipitation than variations in temperature. Discharge increased during both the summer and winter season, since precipitation contributed to river discharge instead of being stored as snow pack during the winter season. The magnitudes of salinity dilutions and concentrations predicted under the climate change scenarios would not be lethal for adult clams. However, the egg‐laying season of the clam would coincide with periods of strong salinity dilution in the lake. Since juveniles are less tolerant to changes in salinity, future generations of the clam may be affected and reproduction of the clam may be reduced by increasing precipitation in the future. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of neighborhood disadvantage on proactive and reactive aggression
Authors: Fite Paula J. , Wynn Porche' , Lochman John E. , Wells Karen C.
Published: April 2009

The current study examined the effect of neighborhood disadvantage on proactive and reactive aggression in a sample of 126 children (66% male) identified as aggressive. Sixth‐grade proactive and reactive aggression was regressed on fifth‐grade proactive and reactive aggression, neighborhood disadvantage, gender, and race. Findings suggested that neighborhood disadvantage was a significant unique predictor of proactive but not reactive aggression. Implications for findings are discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adolescents' exposure to community violence: are neighborhood youth organizations protective?
Authors: Gardner Margo , Brooks‐Gunn Jeanne
Published: April 2009

Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN), we identified a significant inverse association between the variety of youth organizations available at the neighborhood level and adolescents' exposure to community violence. We examined two non‐competing explanations for this finding. First, at the individual level, we tested the hypothesis that access to a greater variety of neighborhood youth organizations predicts adolescents' participation in organized community‐based activities, which, in turn, protects against community violence exposure. Second, at the neighborhood level, we tested the hypothesis that lower violent crime rates explain the inverse relation between neighborhood youth organization variety and community violence exposure. Our findings supported the latter of these two mechanisms. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparison of connective tissue invaded by Lewis lung carcinoma to healthy connective tissue by means of micro‐Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Cluff Garnet M. , Short Michael A. , Lui Harvey , McLean David I. , Zeng Haishan , Korbelik Mladen , Chen Michael X.
Published: April 2009

We have measured the micro‐Raman spectra of mouse tissues invaded by Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC). We have also carried out categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) on the acquired spectra. The results indicate that the tumor tissues can be well discriminated from normal tissues by the first two principal components extracted from the spectra. Furthermore, we have found that the concentrations of nucleic acids and lipids/fatty acids in the tumor are considerably higher than those in the normal tissue, whereas the collagen concentration is lower. These differences can be detected and characterized by Raman images using the 788 cm−1 DNA/RNA band and the 1301 cm−1 lipid/fatty acid band. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nonfouling Polypeptide Brushes via Surface‐initiated Polymerization of Nε‐oligo(ethylene glycol)succinate‐L‐lysine N‐carboxyanhydride
Authors: Wang Jing , Gibson Matthew I. , Barbey Raphaël , Xiao Shou‐Jun , Klok Harm‐Anton
Published: April 2009

This contribution describes the preparation of nonfouling polypeptide brushes via surface‐initiated ring‐opening polymerization of oligo(ethylene glycol) modified L‐lysine N‐carboxyanhydrides. Circular dichroism experiments indicated that these surface‐anchored polypeptide chains assume an α‐helical conformation, which does not change between pH 4 and 9. Furthermore, nonspecific adsorption of fluorescent labeled bovine serum albumin and fibrinogen on glass slides modified with these brushes was greatly reduced compared to unmodified glass substrates.

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Three and four dimensional ultrasound: a novel method for evaluating fetal cardiac anomalies
Authors: Gindes L. , Hegesh J. , Weisz B. , Gilboa Y. , Achiron R.
Published: April 2009

Objective

To evaluate the role of various new models of 3‐ and 4‐dimensional (3D and 4D) ultrasound (US) applications in prenatal assessment of fetal cardiac anomalies.

Methods

Volume data sets of 81 fetuses with fetal cardiac anomalies, as previously diagnosed by 2D US, were acquired by 3D and cine 4D using spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) software. Various additional rendering tools were applied. Color, power, high definition Doppler and B‐flow were added to the volumes acquired. A retrospective offline analysis of the cardiac defects was performed.

Results

The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 24 weeks (range 13–38); 128 anomalies were detected and were classified into the following categories: I, Situs anomalies in 8 cases; II, abnormal four‐chamber view in 63 cases; III, outflows tract anomalies in 27 cases; IV, arches anomalies in 21 cases; and V, veins anomalies in 9 cases. Rendering tools differed in each groups of anomalies.

Conclusions

Fetal cardiac anomalies can be evaluated adequately by the information gained by 3D and 4D volumes obtained by STIC. Since no single module is sufficiently accurate for the diagnosis of all cardiac anomalies, each of the cardiac anomaly categories requires different and appropriate module of visualization. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Utility of fetal echocardiography in postnatal management of infants with prenatally diagnosed congenital heart disease
Authors: Berkley Eliza M. F. , Goens M. Beth , Karr Sharon , Rappaport Valerie
Published: April 2009

Objective

Congenital heart disease (CHD) remains a significant cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. This study evaluates the success of fetal echocardiography (FECHO) in guiding delivery management in pregnancies complicated by CHD.

Methods

Cases with CHD diagnosed by prenatal FECHO performed at a single institution from January 2000 to June 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. The accuracy of prenatal diagnosis and the appropriateness of proposed care plans based on FECHO were compared to postnatal care plans based on neonatal echocardiograms (NECHOs).

Results

Of the 72 mother–infant pairs with prenatally diagnosed CHD, 53 underwent NECHO. Overall, the FECHO diagnosis matched the NECHO diagnosis in 50 out of 53 cases (94.3%). The NECHO added diagnostic or functional information in 6 of the 53 FECHO cases. Three of these were minor and would not have resulted in a significant change of delivery plans. The other three were major findings and would have resulted in a revision of delivery planning. Overall, 96% of the delivery plans based on FECHO agreed with the delivery plans based on NECHO.

Conclusion

Fetal echocardiography has a high correlation with postnatal and neonatal echocardiographic findings. Delivery management plans may be based on fetal echocardiogram diagnoses. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Traditional Chinese medicine Bak Foong Pills alters uterine quiescence – Possible role in alleviation of dysmenorrhoeal symptoms
Authors: Rowlands Dewi Kenneth , Cui Yu Gui , Wong Hau Yan , Gou Yu Lin , Chan Hsiao Chang
Published: April 2009

Since contractility of the uterus appears to be the major source of pain during dysmenorrhoea, alleviation of the contractions is believed to be a possible treatment strategy. Bak Foong Pills, a traditional Chinese formulation for use in gynaecological disorders, has long been thought as effective in the treatment of dysmenorrhoeal symptoms. The present study thus aims to investigate whether ethanol extract of Bak Foong Pills (BFP‐Ex) or its constituent herbs may have direct effects on alleviating dysmenorrhoeal symptoms by altering uterine tone. This was investigated using isolated uterine preparations and intracellular messenger analysis of adenylate cyclase, via [3H]‐adenine assay, and calcium, with fluorometry imaging, in myometrial cultures. BFP‐Ex can stimulate uterine relaxation following oxytocin‐induced contractionsex‐vivo. Attempted inhibition of BFP‐Ex's relaxatory response with a nitric oxide inhibitor and adenylate cyclase inhibitor, however, had no significant effect, suggesting that most of BFP‐Ex's relaxatory response was not due to increases in NO or cAMP. Further studies on tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), a major active ingredient of BFP‐Ex, indicated that TMP could modulate intracellular calcium levels in favour of uteri relaxation. The ability of Bak Foong Pills to alleviate menstrual pain may be due to direct regulation of uterine tone.
Episodic severe damage to canopy trees by elephants: interactions with fire, frost and rain
Authors: Chafota Jonas , Owen-Smith Norman
Published: April 2009

Elephants (Loxodonta africana(Blumenbach 1797)) can have a major transforming effect on savanna structure through felling, debarking or uprooting trees (Dublinet al. 1990, Laws 1970, Mapaure & Campbell 2002). However, it is difficult to separate their influence from that of other causes of tree mortality, including wind storms (Spinage & Guinness 1971), drought (Lewis 1991, van de Vijveret al. 1999), fire (Higginset al. 2000), and in some situations frost (Childes & Walker 1987, Holdo 2006), especially when interactions among them may occur (de Beeret al. 2006, Lawset al. 1975, Pienaaret al. 1966). Furthermore, the consequences for woodland dynamics depend on the size classes of the trees affected, as well as on how the disturbance is concentrated in time and space. Mortality of canopy trees has a much greater and longer-lasting impact than losses among the regenerating stages of these trees. However, the consequences may be less adverse for ecosystem function and biodiversity if the disturbing effects are locally concentrated, generating a patch mosaic of stands at different stages of regeneration (Remmert 1991).
Relations of parenting style to Chinese children's effortful control, ego resilience, and maladjustment
Authors: Eisenberg Nancy , Chang Lei , Ma Yue , Huang Xiaorui
Published: April 2009

The purpose of the study was to examine the relations of authoritative parenting and corporal punishment to Chinese first and second graders' effortful control (EC), impulsivity, ego resilience, and maladjustment, as well as mediating relations. A parent and teacher reported on children's EC, impulsivity, and ego resilience; parents reported on children's internalizing symptoms and their own parenting, and teachers and peers reported on children's externalizing symptoms. Authoritative parenting and low corporal punishment predicted high EC, and EC mediated the relation between parenting and externalizing problems. In addition, impulsivity mediated the relation of corporal punishment to externalizing problems. The relation of parenting to children's ego resilience was mediated by EC and/or impulsivity, and ego resilience mediated the relations of EC and impulsivity to internalizing problems.
The emerging sex difference in adolescent depression: Interacting contributions of puberty and peer stress
Authors: Conley Colleen S. , Rudolph Karen D.
Published: April 2009

This research investigated the developmentalstages(pubertal status) andcontexts(early or late timing relative to peers, and a context of stressful versus supportive peer relationships) in which the sex difference in depression unfolds. A sample of 158 youth (ages 9.6–14.8) and their caregivers provided information at two waves, 1 year apart, on puberty, peer stress, and depression. Pubertal status and timing (actual and perceived) interacted with sex to predict depression. Sex differences in depression were evident at particular levels of pubertal status and timing, both actual and perceived. Depression was associated with more mature pubertal status and early timing (both actual and perceived) in girls, but with less mature pubertal status and late timing (actual and perceived) in boys. These patterns held concurrently, and often over time, particularly in a context of stressful peer relationships (peer stress moderated sex-differentiated associations between puberty and depression). Of note, there were no significant sex differences in depression at any particular age. Thus, this research highlights important distinctions among the contributions of age, pubertal status, pubertal timing, and perceived timing to the sex difference in adolescent depression. More broadly, these findings contribute to our growing understanding of the interactions among physical, social, and psychological processes involved in the sex difference in adolescent depression.
A NOTE ON THE FREIMAN AND BALOG–SZEMERÉDI–GOWERS THEOREMS IN FINITE FIELDS
Authors: GREEN BEN , TAO TERENCE
Published: April 2009

We prove quantitative versions of the Balog–Szemerédi–Gowers and Freiman theorems in the model case of a finite field geometry 𝔽2n, improving the previously known bounds in such theorems. For instance, if $A \subseteq \mathbb {F}_2^n$ is such that ∣A+A∣≤K∣A∣ (thus A has small additive doubling), we show that there exists an affine subspace H of 𝔽2n of cardinality $|H| \gg K^{-O(\sqrt {K})} |A|$ such that $|A \cap H| \geq (2K)^{-1} |H|$. Under the assumption that A contains at least ∣A∣3/K quadruples with a1+a2+a3+a4=0, we obtain a similar result, albeit with the slightly weaker condition ∣H∣≫K−O(K)∣A∣.
Hypothesis Probability or Statistical Significance?
Authors: De la Fuente Emilia I. , Cañadas Gustavo R. , Guàrdia Joan , Lozano Luis M.
Published: April 2009

After almost a century of debate among renowned statisticians, 21st century traditional Statistical Inference is marked by controversy over the application of the procedures for hypothesis estimation and contrast. The aim of this paper is twofold: First, to present various debatable issues that arise when the mean in a Normal distribution of known precision is contrasted and second, to argue the suitability of Bayesian philosophy for the analysis of research data.
Spatial extent of the North American Monsoon: Increased cross‐regional linkages via atmospheric pathways
Authors: Dominguez Francina , Villegas Juan Camilo , Breshears David D.
Published: April 2009

The North American monsoon is a key feature affecting summer climate over Southwestern North America. During the monsoon, evapotranspiration from the Southwest promotes transference of water to the atmosphere which is subsequently distributed across the continent ‐ linking the SW to other regions via atmospheric hydrologic connectivity. However, the degree to which atmospheric connectivity redistributes monsoonal terrestrial moisture throughout the continent and its sensitivity to climate disturbances such as drought is uncertain. We tracked the trajectory of moisture evapotranspired within the semiarid Southwest during the monsoon season using a Lagrangian analytical model. Southwest moisture was advected north‐east accounting for ∼15% of precipitation in adjacent Great Plains regions. During recent drought (2000–2003), this amount decreased by 45%. Our results illustrate that the spatial extent of the North American monsoon is larger than normally considered when accounting for hydrologic connectivity via soil moisture redistribution through atmospheric pathways.
Day‐to‐day variability of the equatorial ionization anomaly and scintillations at dusk observed by GUVI and modeling by SAMI3
Authors: Basu Su. , Basu S. , Huba J. , Krall J. , McDonald S. E. , Makela J. J. , Miller E. S. , Ray S. , Groves K.
Published: April 2009

The day‐to‐day variability in ionospheric irregularity generation giving rise to equatorial scintillation has remained an unresolved issue over many decades. We take a fresh look at the problem utilizing the global imagery provided by the Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) instrument on NASA's Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics satellite. GUVI has been acquiring images of 135.6‐nm emission in the Earth's ionosphere‐thermosphere system since 2001. These GUVI disk images at dusk have been used to identify cases where the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) crests lie near the magnetic equator over a relatively narrow longitude range, so that the anomaly looks collapsed. A 16‐month period of GUVI data collected during evening at solar maximum is used to study the morphology of these so‐called collapses, since the EIA collapse is shown to be linked to the suppression of equatorial plasma bubbles and scintillations. In particular, we look at the June solstice, during which the Atlantic and Pacific show very different climatology and EIA collapses are most frequent in the GUVI data. On the other hand, EIA collapses are a relatively rare occurrence during the equinox period when scintillations are most prevalent globally. We obtained a few dramatic examples of day‐to‐day variability in EIA behavior and scintillations over India. The Sami3 is Also a Model of the Ionosphere (SAMI3) model was used to investigate the conditions during the evening collapse of the anomaly in the Indian longitude sector, where measurements of total electron content (TEC) and scintillations and estimates of the daytime vertical drifts and those at dusk were available. Results from SAMI3 show that the observed collapse of the anomaly at dusk can be simulated by a reversal of the upward vertical drift in midafternoon in agreement with the drift estimates from magnetometer observations. Such reversed vertical drifts at this time of the day are generally seen during counterelectrojet events. Introduction of neutral winds into SAMI3 better approximates the dusk behavior of TEC at low‐latitude stations in India. This study reveals that the longitudinally confined EIA collapse may explain some of the differences in day‐to‐day variability of scintillations at different locations around the globe.
Decrease of intensity of ELF/VLF waves observed in the upper ionosphere close to earthquakes: A statistical study
Authors: Němec F. , Santolík O. , Parrot M.
Published: April 2009

We present results of a systematic study of intensity of VLF electromagnetic waves observed by the DEMETER spacecraft in the upper ionosphere (altitude 700 km). We focus on the detailed analysis of the previously reported decrease of wave intensity shortly before the main shock during the nighttime. Using a larger set of data (more than 3.5 years of measurements) and a newly developed data processing method, we confirm the existence of a very small but statistically significant decrease of wave intensity 0–4 hours before the time of the main shock at frequencies of about 1.7 kHz. It is shown that the decrease does not occur directly above the earthquake epicenter but is shifted about 2° in the westward direction. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the decrease occurs more often close to shallower earthquakes and close to earthquakes with larger magnitudes, as it is “intuitively” expected, representing an additional proof of validity of the obtained results. Finally, no dependence has been found on the occurrence of the earthquake below the ocean or below the continents.
Modeling and experiments on differential pumping in linear plasma generators operating at high gas flows
Authors: van Eck H. J. N. , Koppers W. R. , van Rooij G. J. , Goedheer W. J. , Engeln R. , Schram D. C. , Cardozo N. J. Lopes , Kleyn A. W.
Published: April 2009

The direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method was used to investigate the efficiency of differential pumping in linear plasma generators operating at high gas flows. Skimmers are used to separate the neutrals from the plasma beam, which is guided from the source to the target by a strong axial magnetic field. In this way, the neutrals are prevented to reach the target region. The neutral flux to the target must be lower than the plasma flux to enable ITER relevant plasma-surface interaction (PSI) studies. It is therefore essential to control the neutral gas dynamics. The DSMC method was used to model the expansion of a hot gas in a low pressure vessel where a small discrepancy in shock position was found between the simulations and a well-established empirical formula. Two stage differential pumping was modeled and applied in the linear plasma devices Pilot-PSI and PLEXIS. In Pilot-PSI a factor of 4.5 pressure reduction for H2 has been demonstrated. Both simulations and experiments showed that the optimum skimmer position depends on the position of the shock and therefore shifts for different gas parameters. The shape of the skimmer has to be designed such that it has a minimum impact on the shock structure. A too large angle between the skimmer and the forward direction of the gas flow leads to an influence on the expansion structure. A pressure increase in front of the skimmer is formed and the flow of the plasma beam becomes obstructed. It has been shown that a skimmer with an angle around 53° gives the best performance. The use of skimmers is implemented in the design of the large linear plasma generator Magnum-PSI. Here, a three stage differentially pumped vacuum system is used to reach low enough neutral pressures near the target, opening a door to PSI research in the ITER relevant regime.
Photoelectron spectroscopy of pyrene anion clusters: Autodetachment via excited states of anion and intermolecular interactions in anion clusters
Authors: Kim Jeong Hyun , Lee Sang Hak , Song Jae Kyu
Published: April 2009

This study examined the anion clusters of pyrene (Py) by mass spectrometry, photoelectron spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations. The photoelectron spectra of Pyn− (n=1–4) were obtained at various photon energies. A change in photodetachment wavelength resulted in a large change in the relative intensities of vibrational progression in the photoelectron spectra. It is proposed that the observed modulation of the Franck–Condon factors by the different photon energies reflects autodetachment via the excited states of anion. The photoelectron spectra of Pyn− at 355 nm showed a broad band structure between the S0 and T1 states, which is also due to the autodetachment via a Feshbach resonance state. The photoelectron spectra of Py2− suggest the presence of a unique dimeric interaction between the two pyrene moieties, whereas the spectral features of Py3− are similar to those of Py1−. The stable structures of Py2− and Py3− obtained by density functional theory calculations support the experimental findings, where different intermolecular interactions govern the stabilization of these two species.
Controlling the onset of traveling pulses in excitable media by nonlocal spatial coupling and time-delayed feedback
Authors: Schneider Felix M. , Schöll Eckehard , Dahlem Markus A.
Published: April 2009

The onset of pulse propagation is studied in a reaction-diffusion (RD) model with control by augmented transmission capability that is provided either along nonlocal spatial coupling or by time-delayed feedback. We show that traveling pulses occur primarily as solutions to the RD equations, while augmented transmission changes excitability. For certain ranges of the parameter settings, defined as weak susceptibility and moderate control, respectively, the hybrid model can be mapped to the original RD model. This results in an effective change in RD parameters controlled by augmented transmission. Outside moderate control parameter settings new patterns are obtained, for example, stepwise propagation due to delay-induced oscillations. Augmented transmission constitutes a signaling system complementary to the classical RD mechanism of pattern formation. Our hybrid model combines the two major signaling systems in the brain, namely, volume transmission and synaptic transmission. Our results provide insights into the spread and control of pathological pulses in the brain.
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NMR cryogenic probe for taurine detection
Authors: Hobo Fumio , Takahashi Masato , Maeda Hideaki
Published: April 2009

With the goal of a S33 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) probe applicable to in vivo NMR on taurine-biological samples, we have developed the S33 NMR cryogenic probe, which is applicable to taurine solutions. The NMR sensitivity gain relative to a conventional broadband probe is as large as 3.5. This work suggests that improvements in the preamplifier could allow NMR measurements on 100 μM taurine solutions, which is the level of sensitivity necessary for biological samples.
Elevated CO2 accelerates flag leaf senescence in wheat due to ear photosynthesis which causes greater ear nitrogen sink capacity and ear carbon sink limitation
Authors: Zhu Chunwu , Zhu Jianguo , Zeng Qing , Liu Gang , Xie Zubing , Tang Haoyan , Cao Jiling , Zhao Xingzeng
Published: April 2009

It was anticipated that wheat net photosynthesis would rise under elevated CO2, and that this would alter the progress of senescence due to the unbalance of carbohydrates and nitrogen. Our study showed that ear carbon sink was limited, and sugar was accumulated, hexokinase activities and levels of phosphorylated sugar were increased within the flag leaves, grain nitrogen sink capacity was enhanced, and flag leaf senescence was accelerated under elevated CO2. However, if the ear of the main stem was covered, these responses to elevated CO2 were absent, and the senescence of flag leaf was not accelerated by elevated CO2. Thus, it appeared that elevated CO2 accelerated the rate of flag leaf senescence, depending on ear photosynthesis. The ears have far higher enhancement of net photosynthesis than flag leaves, and the role of the flag leaf relative to the ear was declined in supplying C assimilation to grain under elevated CO2. This indicates that as CO2 rises, the grain sink needs the N more than C assimilate from flag leaf, so the declining rates of N% and soluble proteins concentration were markedly accelerated under elevated CO2 conditions. This suggests that, the large increase in ear net photosynthesis accelerated grain filling, accelerated remobilising N within flag leaf as the result of the greater grain nitrogen sink capacity. In addition, as the result of grain carbon sink limitation, it limited the export of flag leaf sucrose and enhanced sugar cycling, which was the signal to accelerate leaf senescence. Hence, elevated CO2 subsequently accelerates senescence of flag leaf.
Modality and ENGAGEMENT in British and German political interviews
Authors: Becker Annette
Published: April 2009

Speakers regulary use modality and other resources from the appraisal system of engagement to position themselves intersubjectively. In doing so, they modify the discursive space for the voices of others. This is particularly relevant in political media interviews, especially in questions with topics that are potentially face-threatening to the interviewees’ public face. This paper compares the use of modality and other engagement resources in British and German political interviews and discusses the differences in frequency and function. Data is taken from videotaped and transcribed political interviews conducted during British and German election night broadcasts. Their analysis is based on recent studies in contrastive pragmatics, appraisal theory and pragmatically oriented studies on media discourse, bearing in mind that cross-cultural comparison of data taken from a particular genre has to take into account a broad range of contextual factors including genre-specific constraints.
Variable slope normalization of reverse phase protein arrays
Authors: Neeley E. Shannon , Kornblau Steven M. , Coombes Kevin R. , Baggerly Keith A.
Published: April 2009

Motivation: Reverse phase protein arrays (RPPA) measure the relative expression levels of a protein in many samples simultaneously. A set of identically spotted arrays can be used to measure the levels of more than one protein. Protein expression within each sample on an array is estimated by borrowing strength across all the samples, but using only within array information. When comparing across slides, it is essential to account for sample loading, the total amount of protein printed per sample. Currently, total protein is estimated using either a housekeeping protein or the sample median across all slides. When the variability in sample loading is large, these methods are suboptimal because they do not account for the fact that the protein expression for each slide is estimated separately.

Results: We propose a new normalization method for RPPA data, called variable slope (VS) normalization, that takes into account that quantification of RPPA slides is performed separately. This method is better able to remove loading bias and recover true correlation structures between proteins.

Availability: Code to implement the method in the statistical package R and anonymized data are available at http://bioinformatics.mdanderson.org/supplements.html.

Contact:  sneeley@stats.byu.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Alcohol abuse and heart failure
Authors: Laonigro Irma , Correale Michele , Di Biase Matteo , Altomare Emanuele
Published: April 2009

Alcoholic patients who consume >90 g of alcohol a day for >5 years are at risk of developing asymptomatic alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM). Those patients who continue to drink may become symptomatic and develop signs and symptoms of heart failure (HF). This distinct form of congestive HF is responsible for 21–36% of all cases of non‐ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy in Western Society. Without complete abstinence, the 4 year mortality for ACM is close to 50%. This short review summarizes the experimental and clinical evidence regarding the role of alcohol in the pathophysiology of ACM and HF.
Beyond size–number trade-offs: clutch size as a maternal effect
Authors: Brown Gregory P , Shine Richard
Published: April 2009

Traditionally, research on life-history traits has viewed the link between clutch size and offspring size as a straightforward linear trade-off; the product of these two components is taken as a measure of maternal reproductive output. Investing more per egg results in fewer but larger eggs and, hence, offspring. This simple size–number trade-off has proved attractive to modellers, but our experimental studies on keelback snakes (Tropidonophis mairii, Colubridae) reveal a more complex relationship between clutch size and offspring size. At constant water availability, the amount of water taken up by a snake egg depends upon the number of adjacent eggs. In turn, water uptake affects hatchling size, and therefore an increase in clutch size directly increases offspring size (and thus fitness under field conditions). This allometric advantage may influence the evolution of reproductive traits such as growth versus reproductive effort, optimal age at female maturation, the body-reserve threshold required to initiate reproduction and nest-site selection (e.g. communal oviposition). The published literature suggests that similar kinds of complex effects of clutch size on offspring viability are widespread in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Our results also challenge conventional experimental methodologies such as split-clutch designs for laboratory incubation studies: by separating an egg from its siblings, we may directly affect offspring size and thus viability.
Maternal effects and range expansion: a key factor in a dynamic process?
Authors: Duckworth Renée A
Published: April 2009

Species that depend on ephemeral habitat often evolve distinct dispersal strategies in which the propensity to disperse is closely integrated with a suite of morphological, behavioural and physiological traits that influence colonizing ability. These strategies are maintained by natural selection resulting from spatial and temporal variation in resource abundance and are particularly evident during range expansion. Yet the mechanisms that maintain close alignment of such strategies with resource availability, integrate suites of dispersal traits and generate variability in dispersal propensity are rarely known. Breeding females can influence offspring phenotype in response to changes in current environmental conditions, making maternal effects uniquely suited to bridge fluctuations in resource abundance in the maternal generation and variation in offspring dispersal ability. Western bluebirds' (Sialia mexicana) dependence on nest cavities—an ephemeral resource—has led to the evolution of two distinct dispersal phenotypes: aggressive males that disperse and non-aggressive males that remain philopatric and cooperate with their relatives. Over the last 40 years, western bluebirds rapidly expanded their geographical range, providing us with an opportunity to test, in newly established populations, the importance of maternal effects for generating variability in dispersal propensity. Here, I show that, under variable resource conditions, breeding females group offspring of different competitive ability in different positions in the egg-laying order and, consequently, produce aggressive males that are more likely to disperse when resources are low and non-aggressive philopatric males when resources are abundant. I then show experimentally that the association between resource availability and sex-specific birth order is robust across populations. Thus, this maternal effect enables close tracking of resource availability and may explain how variation in dispersal is generated in newly colonized populations. More generally, these results suggest that, as a key source of variation in colonizing phenotypes, maternal effects are of crucial importance for understanding the dynamics of range expansion.
Reproductive investment when mate quality varies: differential allocation versus reproductive compensation
Authors: Harris W. Edwin , Uller Tobias
Published: April 2009

Reproductive investment decisions form an integral part of life-history biology. Selection frequently favours plasticity in investment that can generate maternal effects on offspring development. For example, if females differentially allocate resources based on mate attractiveness or quality, this can create a non-genetic link between mate attractiveness and offspring fitness with potential consequences for ecological and evolutionary dynamics. It is therefore important to understand under what conditions differential investment into offspring in relation to male quality is expected to occur and the direction of the effect. Two opposite predictions, increased investment into offspring produced with high-quality mates (differential allocation (DA)) and increased investment with low-quality males (reproductive compensation (RC)) have been suggested but no formal theoretical treatment justifying the assumptions underlying these two hypotheses has been conducted to date. Here, we used a state-based approach to investigate the circumstances under which the variation in mate quality results in differential female investment into offspring and how this interacts with female energetic resource levels. We found that a pattern of increased investment when mating with high-quality mates (i.e. DA) was the most common optimal investment strategy for females in our model. By contrast, increased investment when mating with low-quality mates (i.e. RC) was predicted only when the relative impact of parental investment on offspring quality was low. Finally, we found that the specific pattern of investment in relation to male quality depends on female energetic state, the likelihood for future mating opportunities and the expected future distribution of mate quality. Thus, the female's age and body condition should be important factors mediating DA and RC, which may help to explain the equivocal results of empirical studies.
Nucleosome-binding affinity as a primary determinant of the nuclear mobility of the pioneer transcription factor FoxA
Authors: Sekiya Takashi , Muthurajan Uma M. , Luger Karolin , Tulin Alexei V. , Zaret Kenneth S.
Published: April 2009

FoxA proteins are pioneer transcription factors, among the first to bind chromatin domains in development and enable gene activity. The Fox DNA-binding domain structurally resembles linker histone and binds nucleosomes stably. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, we found that FoxA1 and FoxA2 move much more slowly in nuclei than other transcription factor types, including c-Myc, GATA-4, NF-1, and HMGB1. We find that slower nuclear mobility correlates with high nonspecific nucleosome binding, and point mutations that disrupt nonspecific binding markedly increase nuclear mobility. FoxA's distinct nuclear mobility is consistent with its pioneer activity in chromatin.
Ballistic Delivery of Dyes for Structural and Functional Studies of the Nervous System: Figure 1.
Authors: Gan Wen-Biao , Grutzendler Jaime , Wong Rachel O. , Lichtman Jeff W.
Published: April 2009

INTRODUCTION

This protocol describes detailed procedures for rapid labeling of cells in a variety of preparations by means of particle-mediated ballistic (i.e., Gene Gun) delivery of fluorescent dyes. The method has been used for rapid labeling of cells with either lipid- or water-soluble dyes, in a variety of preparations at different ages. Tissue preparations include fixed mouse brain slices (described here), cell cultures, and tissue explants. This ballistic labeling technique is useful for studying neuronal connectivity, function, and pathology in the nervous system of living as well as fixed specimens.
Prevalence of mental health problems among children placed in out‐of‐home care in Denmark
Authors: Egelund Tine , Lausten Mette
Published: April 2009

This paper concerns the prevalence of mental health problems among children in family foster and residential care within a Danish context. All children, born in Denmark in 1995, who are or formerly have been placed in out‐of‐home care (n= 1072), are compared with a group of vulnerable children of the same age, subjected to child protection interventions but living at home (n= 1457, referred to as the ‘in home care children’), and to all contemporaries who are not child protection clients (n= 71 321, referred to as the ‘non‐welfare children’). Prevalence data are established on the basis of national administrative register data, including data on psychiatric diagnoses of the children, and on survey data scoring children in out‐of‐home care, in home care children, and non‐welfare children by means of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results show that 20% of children in out‐of‐home care have at least one psychiatric diagnosis compared to 3% of the non‐welfare children. Almost half of the children in care (48%) are, furthermore, scored within the abnormal range of SDQ, compared to 5% of the non‐welfare children.
Evidence‐based intervention and services for high‐risk youth: a North American perspective on the challenges of integration for policy, practice and research
Authors: Whittaker James K.
Published: April 2009

This paper explores the cross‐national challenges of integrating evidence‐based interventions into existing services for high‐resource‐using children and youth. Using several North American model programme exemplars that have demonstrated efficacy, the paper explores multiple challenges confronting policy‐makers, evaluation researchers and practitioners who seek to enhance outcomes for troubled children and youth and improve overall service effectiveness. The paper concludes with practical implications for youth and family professionals, researchers, service agencies and policy–makers, with particular emphasis on possibilities for cross‐national collaboration.