bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Colour choice behaviour in the pollen beetle Meligethes aeneus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)
Authors: DÖRING THOMAS F. , SKELLERN MATTHEW , WATTS NIGEL , COOK SAMANTHA M.
Published: October 2012

The pollen beetle Meligethes aeneus Fabricius (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae), a pest of oilseed rape (Brassica napus), is known to respond to coloured stimuli; however, current understanding of the underlying mechanisms of colour choice in this species is limited. In the present study, physiological and behavioural experiments are conducted to determine the response of the pollen beetle to colours in the field. Spectral sensitivity is measured in 10 animals using the electroretinogram technique. Light flashes (100 ms) at varied wavelengths (340–650 nm, 10‐nm steps) and at different light intensities are applied to the eye after dark adaptation. In behavioural experiments in the field, 100 water traps of varying colours (from yellow to green to blue with varying amounts of white and black added, and with known spectral reflectance) are set out on a bare soil field in May 2008. The mean spectral sensitivity curve of M. aeneus peaks at 520 nm; however, a model template fitted to the long wavelength tail of the observed curve reveals a peak at approximately 540 nm (green). A secondary sensitivity peak is observed in the ultraviolet (UV) range (370 nm). A total of 2482 pollen beetles are captured in the coloured traps. The results show that the pollen beetles' preference for yellow over other colours can be modelled as a colour opponent mechanism (green versus blue); however, further experiments are needed to specify responses to colours with higher UV reflectance. These findings may be used to optimize trap colours for monitoring to help develop integrated pest management strategies for pollen beetle control.
Effects of elevated CO2 and temperature on photosynthesis and leaf traits of an understory dwarf bamboo in subalpine forest zone, China
Authors: Li Yongping , Zhang Yuanbin , Zhang Xiaolu , Korpelainen Helena , Berninger Frank , Li Chunyang
Published: October 2012

The dwarf bamboo (Fargesia rufa Yi), growing understory in subalpine dark coniferous forest, is one of the main foods for giant panda, and it influences the regeneration of subalpine coniferous forests in southwestern China. To investigate the effects of elevated CO2, temperature and their combination, the dwarf bamboo plantlets were exposed to two CO2 regimes (ambient and double ambient CO2 concentration) and two temperatures (ambient and +2.2°C) in growth chambers. Gas exchange, leaf traits and carbohydrates concentration were measured after the 150‐day experiment. Elevated CO2 significantly increased the net photosynthetic rate (Anet), intrinsic water‐use efficiency (WUEi) and carbon isotope composition (δ13C) and decreased stomatal conductance (gs) and total chlorophyll concentration based on mass (Chlm) and area (Chla). On the other hand, elevated CO2 decreased specific leaf area (SLA), which was increased by elevated temperature. Elevated CO2 also increased foliar carbon concentration based on mass (Cm) and area (Ca), nitrogen concentration based on area (Na), carbohydrates concentration (i.e. sucrose, sugar, starch and non‐structural carbohydrates) and the slope of the Anet–Na relationship. However, elevated temperature decreased Cm, Ca and Na. The combination of elevated CO2 and temperature hardly affected SLA, Cm, Ca, Nm, Na, Chlm and Chla. Variables Anet and Na had positive linear relationships in all treatments. Our results showed that photosynthetic acclimation did not occur in dwarf bamboo at elevated CO2 and it could adjust physiology and morphology to enable the capture of more light, to increase WUE and improve nutritional conditions.
Large geographic range size reflects a patchwork of divergent lineages in the long‐toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum)
Authors: Lee‐Yaw J. A. , Irwin D. E.
Published: October 2012

For northern taxa, persistence in multiple vs. single Pleistocene refugia may have been an important determinant of contemporary range size, with larger ranges achieved by species that colonized the north from several glacial refugia. Under this hypothesis, widespread species are expected to demonstrate marked phylogeographic structure in previously glaciated regions. We use a genome‐wide survey to characterize genetic structure and evaluate this hypothesis in the most widely distributed salamander in the Pacific Northwest, the long‐toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum). Patterns of variation based on 751 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) loci and mitochondrial sequence data were concordant and support the recognition of at least four distinct lineages of long‐toed salamander. The distributions of these lineages indicate that multiple refugia contributed to the species' large contemporary range. At the same time, with up to 133AFLPbands differing between lineages and levels of sequence divergence ranging from 2.5 to 5.8%, these lineages would be considered separate species by some definitions. Such splitting would partition the large geographic range of the long‐toed salamander into several relatively restricted ranges. Our results thus also underscore the potential for estimates of geographic range size to vary considerably depending on the taxonomic treatment of cryptic lineages.
The effects of competition on the strength and softness of selection
Authors: Ho E. K. H. , Agrawal A. F.
Published: October 2012

Deleterious alleles are constantly introduced into populations due to mutation. In subdivided populations, the impact of these mutations depends on the strength of selection as well as the softness of selection, that is, the extent to which fitness is governed by local rather than global competition. It is widely appreciated that the intensity and type of competition will affect selection on deleterious mutations but most empirical work has focused solely on the effects of competition on selection strength. However, competition has rarely been studied in the context of selection ‘softness’ even though competition is at the conceptual root of soft selection. All other things being equal, theory predicts that inter‐ and intraspecific competitions have opposing effects on the softness of selection. Using Drosophila melanogaster, we estimated the strength and softness of selection in a ‘baseline’ competitive environment as well as two additional competitive environments characterized by either additional intra‐ or interspecific competitors. We found that competitive environment had little effect on the average strength of selection. While the softness of selection was affected by the type of competition, the direction of change varied across tests of different genes, contrary to expectation. Although the ‘hard/soft’ selection paradigm implicitly assumes that all individuals are equally sensitive to the local competitive environment, we found this not to be the case. Wild‐type individuals were more sensitive to changes in the genetic quality of their local competitors than mutant individuals.
Evolution of dispersal in metacommunities of interacting species
Authors: Chaianunporn T. , Hovestadt T.
Published: October 2012

Theoretical studies on the evolution of dispersal in metacommunities are rare despite empirical evidence suggesting that interspecific interactions can modify dispersal behaviour of organisms. To understand the role of species interactions for dispersal evolution, we utilize an individual‐based model of a metacommunity where local population dynamics follows a stochastic version of theNicholson–Bailey model and dispersal probability is an evolving trait. Our results show that in comparison with a neutral system (commensalism), parasitism promotes dispersal of hosts and parasites, while mutualism tends to reduce dispersal in both partners. Search efficiency of guests (only in the case of parasitism), dispersal mortality and external extinction risk can influence the evolution of dispersal of all partners. In systems composed of two host and two guest species, lower dispersal probabilities evolve under parasitism as well as mutualism than in one host and one guest species systems. This is because of frequency‐dependent modulations of dispersal benefits emerging in such systems for all partners.
Reflective practice groups for nurses: A consultation liaison psychiatry nursing initiative: Part 2 – the evaluation
Authors: Dawber Chris
Published: October 2012

This paper outlines an evaluation of reflective practice groups (RPG) involving nurses and midwives from three clinical nursing specialties at Redcliffe and Caboolture Hospitals, Queensland, Australia. The groups were facilitated by the consultation liaison psychiatry nurse and author using a process‐focused, whole‐of‐group approach to explore clinical narrative in a supportive group setting. This was a preliminary evaluation utilizing a recently‐developed tool, the Clinical Supervision Evaluation Questionnaire, along with externally‐facilitated focus groups. Nurses and midwives responded favourably to RPG, reporting a positive impact on clinical practice, self‐awareness, and resilience. The majority of participants considered RPG had positive implications for team functioning. The focus groups identified the importance of facilitation style and the need to address aspects of workplace culture to enable group development and enhance the capacity for reflection. Evaluation of the data indicates this style of RPG can improve reflective thinking, promote team cohesion, and provide support for nurses and midwives working in clinical settings. Following on from this study, a second phase of research has commenced, providing more detailed, longitudinal evaluation across a larger, more diverse group of nurses.
A MODEL OF COST‐CUTTING IN GOVERNMENT? THE GREAT MANAGEMENT REVOLUTION IN UK CENTRAL GOVERNMENT RECONSIDERED
Authors: HOOD CHRISTOPHER , DIXON RUTH
Published: October 2012

New Public Management (NPM), particularly in its early stages in the 1980s, is often said to have concentrated on cost‐cutting and efficiency, but few studies have examined how far NPM succeeded in cutting costs. Focusing on UK central government, often claimed to be a leading case of NPM, and analyzing three sets of data (for running costs, tax collection costs, and paybill), this study finds little evidence of real running cost reductions in the early NPM era. It concludes that, contrary to stereotype, 1980s NPM in UK central government does not offer a model for the scale of administrative cost‐cutting currently planned, and even the cutbacks of the 1990s fell far short of those current plans. The conclusion for the academic study of NPM is that something more than a minor revision of the received view of NPM as a cost‐cutting movement is needed to explain these observations.
‘Hungering and Lusting for Women and Fleshly Delicacies’: Reconstructing Grammatical Relations for Proto‐Germanic*
Authors: Barđdal Jóhanna , Eythórsson Thórhallur
Published: October 2012

Syntactic reconstruction has long been virtually outlawed in historical‐comparative research, more or less ever since Watkins’s influential works on the problems of reconstructing word order for Proto‐Indo‐European. Recently, through the emergence of Construction Grammar, where complex syntactic structures are regarded as form–function pairings, a resurgence of syntactic reconstruction is made possible, as complex syntactic structures become a legitimate object of the Comparative Method. Given the legitimacy of syntactic reconstruction, and hence the possible reconstruction of argument‐structure constructions, a major question arises as to whether grammatical relations are also reconstructable for earlier undocumented language periods. We argue that if the constructions singling out grammatical relations can be reconstructed for a proto‐branch, the grammatical relations following from these are also reconstructable for that proto‐branch. In order to illustrate our methodology, we show how a reconstruction of the subject function in Proto‐Germanic may be carried out, more specifically of oblique‐subject predicates like ‘hunger’, ‘thirst’ and ‘lust’, based on the subject properties found in the earliest Germanic daughter languages.
Chinese Networks and Tariff Evasion
Authors: Rotunno Lorenzo , Vézina Pierre‐Louis
Published: October 2012

Chinese networks are known to act as trade catalysts by enforcing contracts and providing market information. This paper shows they also play a role in import‐tariff evasion. As illegal trade activities occur outside the law, market information is scant and formal contract enforcement institutions are non‐existent. This renders networks the more important for the matching of illicit‐minded traders, identification of corrupt customs agents and enforcement of informal contracts. In this paper, we find robust evidence that Chinese networks, proxied by ethnic Chinese migrant populations, increase tariff evasion, that is, the tariff semi‐elasticity of China’s missing trade.
The Alliance of Virtue and Vanity inHume's Moral Theory
Authors: Reed Philip A.
Published: October 2012

In this article I argue that vanity, the desire for and delight in the favorable opinion of others, plays a fundamental role inHume's account of moral motivation.Hume says that vanity and virtue are inseparable, though he does not explicitly say how or why this should be. I argue thatHume's account of sympathy can explain this alliance. In resting moral sentiment on sympathy,Hume gives a fundamental role to vanity as it becomes either a mediating motive to virtue or else strengthens the otherwise weak motive of moral sentiment.
The Eligibility of Ethical Naturalism
Authors: Edwards Douglas
Published: October 2012

Perhaps the two main contemporary formulations of ethical naturalism –SyntheticEthicalNaturalism (SEN) andAnalyticalDescriptivism – seem to conflict with plausible views about cases where moral debate and disagreement is possible. Both lack safeguards to avoid divergence of reference across different communities, which can scupper the prospects for genuine moral disagreement. I explore the prospects for supplementing both views with Lewis's notion of eligibility, arguing that this can solve the problem for a modified form of analytical descriptivism, and for a modified form ofSENtoo (though perhaps more controversially). I close by considering the appropriateness of using the notions of eligibility and joint‐carving in ethics.
Early‐onset absence epilepsy: SLC2A1 gene analysis and treatment evolution
Authors: Agostinelli S. , Traverso M. , Accorsi P. , Beccaria F. , Belcastro V. , Capovilla G. , Cappanera S. , Coppola A. , Dalla Bernardina B. , Darra F. , Ferretti M. , Elia M. , Galeone D. , Giordano L. , Gobbi G. , Nicita F. , Parisi P. , Pezzella M. , Spalice A. , Striano S. , Tozzi E. , Vignoli A. , Minetti C. , Zara F. , Striano P. , Verrotti A.
Published: October 2012

Background and purposes

To determine the prevalence of SLC2A1 mutations in children with early‐onset absence epilepsy (EOAE) and to investigate whether there were differences in demographic and electroclinical data between patients who became seizure‐free with anti‐epileptic drug (AED) monotherapy (group I) and those who needed add‐on treatment of a second AED (group II).

Methods

We reviewed children with EOAE attending different Italian epilepsy centers. All participants had onset of absence seizures within the first 3 years of life but otherwise conformed to a strict definition of childhood absence epilepsy. Mutation analysis of SLC2A1 was performed in each patient.

Results

Eighty‐four children (57 in group I, 27 in group II) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. No mutation in SLC2A1 was found. There were no statistical differences between the two groups with regard to F/M ratio, age at onset of EOAE, early history of febrile seizures, first‐degree family history for genetic generalized epilepsy, duration of AED therapy at 3 years after enrollment, use of AEDs at 3 years, failed withdrawals at 3 years, terminal remission of EOAE at 3 years, and 6‐month follow‐up EEG data. Mean duration of seizures/active epilepsy was significantly shorter in group I than in group II (P = 0.008).

Conclusions

We demonstrate that in a large series of children with rigorous diagnosis of EOAE, no mutations in SLC2A1 gene are detected. Except for duration of seizures/active epilepsy, no significant differences in demographic and electroclinical aspects are observed between children with EOAE who responded well to AED monotherapy and those who became seizure‐free with add‐on treatment of a second AED.
Association of Chr17q25 with cerebral white matter hyperintensities and cognitive impairment: the J‐SHIPP study
Authors: Tabara Y. , Igase M. , Okada Y. , Nagai T. , Uetani E. , Kido T. , Ochi N. , Takita R. , Yamamoto M. , Kohara K. , Miki T.
Published: October 2012

Background and purpose

A recent genome‐wide association study has successfully identified several genetic variations in the Chr17q25 locus as susceptible genotypes for white matter hyperintensities. We report the first replication study in subjects of non‐European origin. We also investigated possible associations with other asymptomatic cerebrovascular diseases and cognitive function.

Methods

Study subjects were 1190 general Japanese persons (66.0 ± 8.9 years old). Asymptomatic cerebrovascular damage, including lacunar infarctions, microbleeds, periventricular hyperintensity and deep and subcortical white matter hyperintensity (DSWMH), was evaluated by brain magnetic resonance imaging.

Results

A polymorphism rs3744028 was significantly associated with DSWMH grade (P = 0.015) but not periventricular hyperintensity, lacunar infarction, and microbleeds. Although age, hypertension, insulin resistance, B‐type natriuretic peptide, and carotid atherosclerosis were also correlated with DSWMH, association of the genotype was independent of these environmental risk factors. In contrast, the risk allele had a protective effect against reduced cognitive function.

Conclusion

Susceptibility of the 17q25 locus may be conserved beyond ethnic differences. Genetic variants may have bipolar effects on brain histological and functional changes.
Impact of SO2 on Arabidopsis thaliana transcriptome in wildtype and sulfite oxidase knockout plants analyzed by RNA deep sequencing
Authors: Hamisch Domenica , Randewig Dörte , Schliesky Simon , Bräutigam Andrea , Weber Andreas P. M. , Geffers Robert , Herschbach Cornelia , Rennenberg Heinz , Mendel Ralf R. , Hänsch Robert
Published: October 2012

High concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) as an air pollutant, and its derivative sulfite, cause abiotic stress that can lead to cell death. It is currently unknown to what extent plant fumigation triggers specific transcriptional responses.

To address this question, and to test the hypothesis that sulfite oxidase (SO) is acting in SO2 detoxification, we compared Arabidopsis wildtype (WT) and SO knockout lines (SO‐KO) facing the impact of 600 nl l−1 SO2, using RNAseq to quantify absolute transcript abundances. These transcriptome data were correlated to sulfur metabolism‐related enzyme activities and metabolites obtained from identical samples in a previous study.

SO‐KO plants exhibited remarkable and broad regulative responses at the mRNA level, especially in transcripts related to sulfur metabolism enzymes, but also in those related to stress response and senescence. Focusing on SO regulation, no alterations were detectable in the WT, whereas in SO‐KO plants we found up‐regulation of two splice variants of the SO gene, although this gene is not functional in this line.

Our data provide evidence for the highly specific coregulation between SO and sulfur‐related enzymes like APS reductase, and suggest two novel candidates for involvement in SO2 detoxification: an apoplastic peroxidase, and defensins as putative cysteine mass storages.
The D3 F‐box protein is a key component in host strigolactone responses essential for arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis
Authors: Yoshida Satoko , Kameoka Hiromu , Tempo Misaki , Akiyama Kohki , Umehara Mikihisa , Yamaguchi Shinjiro , Hayashi Hideo , Kyozuka Junko , Shirasu Ken
Published: October 2012

Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) represents an ancient endosymbiosis between plant roots and Glomeromycota fungi. Strigolactones (SLs), plant‐derived terpenoid lactones, activate hyphal branching of AM fungi before physical contact. Lack of SL biosynthesis results in lower colonization of AM fungi.

The F‐box protein, DWARF3 (D3), and the hydrolase family protein DWARF14 (D14) are crucial for SL responses in rice. Here we conducted AM fungal colonization assays with the SL‐insensitive d3 and d14 mutants.

The d3 mutant exhibited strong defects in AM fungal colonization, whereas the d14 mutant showed higher AM fungal colonization. As D14 has a homologous protein, D14‐LIKE, we generated D14‐LIKE knockdown lines by RNA interference in the wildtype and d14 background. D14 and D14‐LIKE double knockdown lines exhibited similar colonization rates as those of the d14‐1 mutant.

D3 is crucial for establishing AM symbiosis in rice, whereas D14 and D14‐LIKE are not. Our results suggest distinct roles for these SL‐related components in AM symbiosis.
The susceptibility of soil enzymes to inhibition by leaf litter tannins is dependent on the tannin chemistry, enzyme class and vegetation history
Authors: Triebwasser Daniella J. , Tharayil Nishanth , Preston Caroline M. , Gerard Patrick D.
Published: October 2012

By inhibiting soil enzymes, tannins play an important role in soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization. The role of tannin chemistry in this inhibitory process, in conjunction with enzyme classes and isoforms, is less well understood.

Here, we compared the inhibition efficiencies of mixed tannins (MTs, mostly limited to angiosperms) and condensed tannins (CTs, produced mostly by gymnosperms) against the potential activity of β‐glucosidase (BG), N‐acetyl‐glucosaminidase (NAG), and peroxidase in two soils that differed in their vegetation histories.

Compared with CTs, MTs exhibited 50% more inhibition of almond (Prunus dulcis) BG activity and greater inhibition of the potential NAG activity in the gymnosperm‐acclimatized soils. CTs exhibited lower BG inhibition in the angiosperm‐acclimated soils, whereas both types of tannins exhibited higher peroxidase inhibition in the angiosperm soils than in gymnosperm soils. At all of the tested tannin concentrations, irrespective of the tannin type and site history, the potential peroxidase activity was inhibited two‐fold more than the hydrolase activity and was positively associated with the redox‐buffering efficiency of tannins.

Our finding that the inhibitory activities and mechanisms of MTs and CTs are dependent on the vegetative history and enzyme class is novel and furthers our understanding of the role of tannins and soil isoenzymes in decomposition.
Arabidopsis mutants of sphingolipid fatty acid α‐hydroxylases accumulate ceramides and salicylates
Authors: König Stefanie , Feussner Kirstin , Schwarz Marnie , Kaever Alexander , Iven Tim , Landesfeind Manuel , Ternes Philipp , Karlovsky Petr , Lipka Volker , Feussner Ivo
Published: October 2012

In Arabidopsis, the fatty acid moiety of sphingolipids is mainly α‐hydroxylated. The consequences of a reduction in this modification were analysed.

Mutants of both Fatty Acid Hydroxylase genes (AtFAH1 and AtFAH2) were analysed for sphingolipid profiles. To elucidate further consequences of the mutations, metabolic analyses were performed and the influence on pathogen defence was determined.

Ceramide and glucosylceramide profiles of double‐mutant plants showed a reduction in sphingolipids with α‐hydroxylated fatty acid moieties, and an accumulation of sphingolipids without these moieties. In addition, the free trihydroxylated long‐chain bases and ceramides were increased by five‐ and ten‐fold, respectively, whereas the amount of glucosylceramides was decreased by 25%. Metabolite analysis of the double mutant revealed salicylates as enriched metabolites. Infection experiments supported the metabolic changes, as the double mutant showed an enhanced disease‐resistant phenotype for infection with the obligate biotrophic pathogen Golovinomyces cichoracearum.

In summary, these results suggest that fatty acid hydroxylation of ceramides is important for the biosynthesis of complex sphingolipids. Its absence leads to the accumulation of long‐chain bases and ceramides as their precursors. This increases salicylate levels and resistance towards obligate biotrophic fungal pathogens, confirming a role of sphingolipids in salicylic acid‐dependent defence reactions.
X‐ray imaging of leaf venation networks
Authors: Blonder Benjamin , De Carlo Francesco , Moore Jared , Rivers Mark , Enquist Brian J.
Published: October 2012

Leaf venation networks mediate many plant resource fluxes and are therefore of broad interest to research questions in plant physiology, systematics, paleoecology, and physics. However, the study of these networks is limited by slow and destructive imaging methods. X‐ray imaging of leaf veins is potentially rapid, of high resolution, and nondestructive.

Here, we have developed theory for absorption‐ and phase‐contrast X‐ray imaging. We then experimentally test these approaches using a synchrotron light source and two commercially available X‐ray instruments.

Using synchrotron light, we found that major veins could be consistently visualized using absorption‐contrast imaging with X‐ray energies < 10 keV, while both major and minor veins could be consistently visualized with the use of an iodine contrast agent at an X‐ray energy of 33.269 keV. Phase‐contrast imaging at a range of energies provided high resolution but highlighted individual cell walls more than veins. Both approaches allowed several hundred samples to be processed per d. Commercial X‐ray instruments were able to resolve major veins and some minor veins using absorption contrast.

These results show that both commercial and synchrotron X‐ray imaging can be successfully applied to leaf venation networks, facilitating research in multiple fields.
Enlightenment and Religious Politics in Restoration England
Authors: Bulman William J.
Published: October 2012

This article encourages a fundamental re‐assessment of the religious struggles that defined political conflict in Restoration England. While the currently‐dominant narrative of religious politics in this period is rightly considered a corrective to older Whig historiography, this narrative is itself yet another Whig (or liberal) account of the period. This account is focused not on the broader eighteenth‐century Whig constitution, but a single pillar of it: religious toleration. There exists a broad consensus that the late Stuart era witnessed a conflict between intellectually‐innovative proponents of increased religious freedoms and intellectually‐backward opponents of those freedoms, who were led in their revanchism by the divines of the Church of England. This article focuses on the cultural underpinnings of Anglican conformism. It uses existing research on this front to cast doubt upon the currently‐accepted master narrative and to adumbrate a post‐liberal account of the period. It suggests that elite politics were characterized not by a natural alliance between intellectual and political progress, but by a struggle between competing programs of Enlightenment.
Assessment of Management to Mitigate Anthropogenic Effects on Large Whales
Authors: VAN DER HOOP JULIE M. , MOORE MICHAEL J. , BARCO SUSAN G. , COLE TIMOTHY V.N. , DAOUST PIERRE‐YVES , HENRY ALLISON G. , MCALPINE DONALD F. , MCLELLAN WILLIAM A. , WIMMER TONYA , SOLOW ANDREW R.
Published: October 2012

United States and Canadian governments have responded to legal requirements to reduce human‐induced whale mortality via vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear by implementing a suite of regulatory actions. We analyzed the spatial and temporal patterns of mortality of large whales in the Northwest Atlantic (23.5°N to 48.0°N), 1970 through 2009, in the context of management changes. We used a multinomial logistic model fitted by maximum likelihood to detect trends in cause‐specific mortalities with time. We compared the number of human‐caused mortalities with U.S. federally established levels of potential biological removal (i.e., species‐specific sustainable human‐caused mortality). From 1970 through 2009, 1762 mortalities (all known) and serious injuries (likely fatal) involved 8 species of large whales. We determined cause of death for 43% of all mortalities; of those, 67% (502) resulted from human interactions. Entanglement in fishing gear was the primary cause of death across all species (n = 323), followed by natural causes (n = 248) and vessel strikes (n = 171). Established sustainable levels of mortality were consistently exceeded in 2 species by up to 650%. Probabilities of entanglement and vessel‐strike mortality increased significantly from 1990 through 2009. There was no significant change in the local intensity of all or vessel‐strike mortalities before and after 2003, the year after which numerous mitigation efforts were enacted. So far, regulatory efforts have not reduced the lethal effects of human activities to large whales on a population‐range basis, although we do not exclude the possibility of success of targeted measures for specific local habitats that were not within the resolution of our analyses. It is unclear how shortfalls in management design or compliance relate to our findings. Analyses such as the one we conducted are crucial in critically evaluating wildlife‐management decisions. The results of these analyses can provide managers with direction for modifying regulated measures and can be applied globally to mortality‐driven conservation issues.

Evaluación del Manejo para Mitigar Efectos Antropogénicos sobre Ballenas Mayores
Engineering Vascularized Bone Graft With Osteogenic and Angiogenic Lineage Differentiated Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Zhang Rong , Gao Zhan , Geng Wenxin , Yan Xingrong , Chen Fulin , Liu Yanpu
Published: October 2012

Tissue‐engineered bone provides a promising method for the rehabilitation of acquired bone defects and congenital deformities. However, generating a vascular supply to the engineered graft remains a major challenge. We report a novel strategy to engineer vascularized bone grafts with osteogenic and angiogenic lineage differentiated marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs were expanded to form an osteogenic cell sheet using a continuous culture method and a scraping technique under osteogenic culture conditions. Another portion of MSCs was directed to differentiate into highly proliferative endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which were then seeded onto the cell sheets. Cell sheet–EPC complexes were implanted subcutaneously in nude mice. Cell sheets without EPCs were also implanted as a control. The mice were sacrificed, and the samples were harvested for evaluation consisting of micro‐CT scanning, histological analysis and scanning electronic microscopy 4 and 8 weeks after implantation. The results showed that cell sheets were composed of viable cells and extracellular matrix and showed apparent mineralization. The obtained EPCs could express the specific antigen marker of CD31 and form capillary‐like structures in vitro. The osteogenic cell sheet–EPC complexes yielded well‐vascularized bone grafts 4 and 8 weeks after implantation. Both bone density and vascular density were significantly higher in the cell sheet–EPC complex group than in the control group. The results demonstrated that the introduction of EPCs could not only generate a vascular network but also increase bone formation for cell sheet‐based bone engineering. These findings suggest that the strategy of engineering bone grafts with osteogenic and angiogenic lineage differentiated MSCs has great potential for clinical applications to repair large bone defects.
Left Atrial Decompression During Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Left Ventricular Failure in Children: Current Strategy and Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Kotani Yasuhiro , Chetan Devin , Rodrigues Warren , Sivarajan V. Ben , Gruenwald Colleen , Guerguerian Anne‐Marie , Van Arsdell Glen S. , Honjo Osami
Published: October 2012

From 2005 to 2011, 23 of 178 (12.9%) patients with venoarterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) had left atrial (LA) decompression to help improve left ventricular (LV) function, LA/LV dilatation, and/or lung edema. LA decompression was achieved with LA cannulation (n = 16), surgically created adjustable atrial septal defect (n = 3), or balloon atrial septostomy (n = 4). Sixteen (70%) patients had LA decompression at the time of ECMO initiation and all had LA decompression within 12 hours of ECMO initiation. ECMO duration was 5.9 ± 4.5 days and 16 (70%) patients were successfully decannulated. Subsequent intensive care unit and hospital survival was achieved in 13 (57%) and 12 (52%) patients, respectively. Earlier timing of LA decompression appeared to be associated with a high probability of weaning from ECMO and reasonable LV functional recovery.
Age of Onset and Neuropsychological Functioning in Alcohol Dependent Inpatients
Authors: Joos Leen , Schmaal Lianne , Goudriaan Anna E. , Fransen Erik , Van den Brink Wim , Sabbe Bernard G. C. , Dom Geert
Published: October 2012

Background

Differences in clinical characteristics between early and late onset alcohol dependent patients have been examined intensively, but little is known about the differences in neuropsychological functioning between these patient groups. Clinical characteristics and neuropsychological functions of inpatients with early onset and late onset alcohol dependence are therefore investigated in this study.

Methods

Ninety‐three abstinent alcohol dependent inpatients meeting a current diagnosis of DSM‐IV alcohol dependence were divided into early onset alcohol dependent patients (EOA; ≤25 years; n = 36) and late onset alcohol dependent patients (LOA; >25 years; n = 57). Patients using psychoactive medication and patients dependent on other substances than alcohol (and nicotine) were excluded. A comprehensive neuropsychological test battery was administered.

Results

EOA reported higher trait impulsivity, antisocial traits, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder‐related traits and exhibited an impulsive reflection style, especially in a high‐risk context, compared with LOA. Against expectations, EOA performed significantly better on measures of planning, cognitive control, visual memory, and delayed recognition memory than LOA, whereas no significant group differences occurred on measures of delay discounting, digit span, and attention. Better Stroop interference, better visual memory, and a more impulsive reflection style was predictive of an early age of onset, and explained a significant and additional amount of variance (18.8%) on top of the clinical characteristics, together explaining 53.4% of the variance.

Conclusions

Both clinical characteristics and neuropsychological variables contributed independently to the age of onset of problematic alcohol use. Results indicate that especially an impulsive reflection style, besides higher trait impulsivity, may be the core feature of early onset alcohol dependence. However, the contribution of the neuropsychological variables is complex and more research is needed to clarify the role of psychiatric comorbidity and poly‐substance abuse in an unselected sample of alcohol dependent patients.
The Development of Referential Communication and Autism Symptomatology in High‐Risk Infants
Authors: Ibañez Lisa V. , Grantz Caroline J. , Messinger Daniel S.
Published: October 2012

Non‐verbal referential communication is impaired in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the development of difficulties with referential communication in the younger siblings of children with ASD (High‐Risk Siblings)—and the degree to which early referential communication predicts later autism symptomatology—is not clear. We modeled the early developmental trajectories of three types of referential communication: responding to joint attention (RJA), initiating joint attention (IJA), and initiating behavioral requests (IBR) across 8, 10, 12, 15, and 18 months of age in High‐Risk Siblings (n = 40) and the infant siblings of children without ASD (Low‐Risk Siblings; n = 21). Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that High‐Risk Siblings exhibited lower levels of baseline RJA and IJA and a lower rate of linear change in IBR than Low‐Risk Siblings. When the 10 High‐Risk Siblings who received an ASD diagnosis were excluded from analyses, group differences in the development of referential communication remained significant only for RJA. Baseline levels of IJA were associated with later ASD symptomatology among High‐Risk Siblings, suggesting that individual differences in referential communication development at 8 months may index early manifestations of ASD.
A New Estimator of the Discovery Probability
Authors: Favaro Stefano , Lijoi Antonio , Prünster Igor
Published: October 2012

Summary Species sampling problems have a long history in ecological and biological studies and a number of issues, including the evaluation of species richness, the design of sampling experiments, and the estimation of rare species variety, are to be addressed. Such inferential problems have recently emerged also in genomic applications, however, exhibiting some peculiar features that make them more challenging: specifically, one has to deal with very large populations (genomic libraries) containing a huge number of distinct species (genes) and only a small portion of the library has been sampled (sequenced). These aspects motivate the Bayesian nonparametric approach we undertake, since it allows to achieve the degree of flexibility typically needed in this framework. Based on an observed sample of size n, focus will be on prediction of a key aspect of the outcome from an additional sample of size m, namely, the so‐called discovery probability. In particular, conditionally on an observed basic sample of size n, we derive a novel estimator of the probability of detecting, at the (n+m+1)th observation, species that have been observed with any given frequency in the enlarged sample of size n+m. Such an estimator admits a closed‐form expression that can be exactly evaluated. The result we obtain allows us to quantify both the rate at which rare species are detected and the achieved sample coverage of abundant species, as m increases. Natural applications are represented by the estimation of the probability of discovering rare genes within genomic libraries and the results are illustrated by means of two expressed sequence tags datasets.
Inhibiting Effect of Additives on Formation of ZrC Phase in ZrB2–BN Composites by Reactive Hot Pressing
Authors: Chen Lei , Wang Yujin , Cui Lei , Zhou Yu , Song Guiming
Published: October 2012

The ZrB2–BN composite without ZrC impurity was prepared successfully using reactive hot pressing via carbothermal reduction of ZrO2 with B4C, C, and BN powders. The influences of additives and sintering temperature on the phase and microstructure of composites were investigated. The formation reaction of ZrC was inhibited by decreasing the evaporation of intermediate product B2O3 due to forming a SiO2–B2O3 eutectic system with the addition of SiO2 or SiO2–CaF2. In comparison, SiO2–CaF2 exhibited better inhibition capacity of ZrC. ZrB2–BN composite without impure ZrC phase was achieved. In addition, the content of ZrO2 decreased with increasing sintering temperature, and finally disappeared when sintered at 1800°C. Moreover, the relative density of the ZrB2–BN composite reached 96.9%.
Commercial ‘ready‐to‐feed’ infant foods in the UK: macro‐nutrient content and composition
Authors: Zand Nazanin , Chowdhry Babur Z. , Pollard Lucie V. , Pullen Frank S. , Snowden Martin J. , Zotor Francis B.
Published: October 2012

Quantitative analyses of the macronutrient content of eight popular commercial ‘ready‐to‐feed’ baby meals for 6–9‐month old infants in the UK market have been undertaken in order to ascertain their nutritional suitability in relation to the total daily dietary intake as well as nutritional profiling of the products. The chemical analyses conducted included Kjeldhal for protein, acid hydrolysis and extraction for fat, phenol sulphuric acid for carbohydrate and Association of Official Analytical Chemists 985.29 for fibre. The only difference found between different varieties (meat‐ and vegetable‐based) was with respect to the protein content (P = 0.04) per 100 g of food. The experimentally determined concentrations of macronutrients (g/100 kcal) were compared with the declared values provided by the manufacturers on the product labels and, despite some variations, the values obtained comply with regulatory requirements (Commission Directive 2006/125/EC). The total daily intake of fat (27.0 g per day) – based on the menu composed from commercial complementary food – is suggested to exceed the daily recommended values for fat (31%), if the intake of snacks and desserts are incorporated. These findings imply that the formulation of recipes, based on a standard commercial menu, is an important consideration in relation to the nutritional quality of the diet of infants.
The Writings of King James VI and I and Early Modern Literary Culture
Authors: Rickard Jane
Published: October 2012

King James VI and I was unprecedented among early modern monarchs in the extent to which he exploited writing and print as a means of constructing and exercising his authority. His extensive and varied writings cover many different genres, including poetry, scriptural exegeses, and political treatises. They were published in Scotland and England, as well as in some cases being translated and published on the Continent, and span a period of around forty years. Many contemporary writers in Scotland and England, including Alexander Montgomerie and Ben Jonson, responded to James’s works in their own, reflecting the important role that these works played in the literary culture of both countries. Yet James’s writings and their reception received little critical attention until the late twentieth century and there are still significant gaps. This article traces the critical history of these writings from the early twentieth century to the present, across the disciplines of English Literature and History, and the multi‐disciplinary field of Scottish Studies. It argues that this history highlights the sometimes unhelpful boundaries that have been maintained between these disciplines and fields, and that future work in this area might productively take a more comparative and interdisciplinary approach.
The Career and Critical Reception of Paul Auster
Authors: Ciocia Stefania
Published: October 2012

This article offers an overview of the literary career of Paul Auster, a contemporary American writer whose prolific output commands a remarkably loyal following. Furthermore, it outlines the reasons for the polarized critical reception met by his novels, which continue to attract – by Auster’s own admission –‘the best reviews and the worst reviews of any writer I know’ (Burns, Carole.The Washington Post16 Dec., 2003). Famous for his concern with the plight of the artist, and for his meditations on the power and the limitations of language, Auster has been typically analysed from a (largely a‐political) postmodern perspective. This article will therefore also consider the shift in recent Auster scholarship towards a re‐evaluation of the political charge of his fiction, especially in the light of his response to George W. Bush’s ‘war on terror’ in the wake of 9/11.
The Child of the City and the Palimpsest at Sea: De Quincey’s Chronological Constraints
Authors: Walker Leila
Published: October 2012

This article concerns De Quincey’s attempts to materialize the experience of time. It takes as its focal point De Quincey’s relationship to childhood and his attempts to arrest time in the body of the child. It addresses De Quincey’s encounters with childhood in “Confessions of an English Opium‐Eater,” the Savannah‐la‐Mar section of “Suspiria de Profundis,” and his little‐read story “The Spanish Military Nun.” For De Quincey, children share with the opium eater the ability to transgress the boundaries between then and now, here and not‐here. Like the drowning woman and the opium‐eater, they can access information and experiences ordinarily closed to adults, and like the drowning woman and the opium eater, their access is produced through ruin.
An Australian facts on ageing quiz
Authors: Pachana Nancy A , Helmes Edward , Gudgeon Sophie
Published: October 2012

Aims

The ageing of the population may not be accompanied by an increase in accurate knowledge about older adults. Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) has been among the most popular measures of knowledge, and the original, true–false format measure has been used in a variety of English‐speaking countries. However, the more recent multiple‐choice version, which has methodological advantages with respect to reliability and validity, has no current Australian translation.

Method

Here we report on the adaptation of version 2 of the FAQ in multiple‐choice format (FAQ‐2(MC)).

Results

Data from 151 university undergraduates (132 women, mean age 19.9 years (SD = 5.1), range 17 to 53 years) completed the FAQ‐2(MC) in exchange for course credit. The mean percentage correct on the Australian FAQ‐2(MC) was 51.5%.

Conclusion

Our adaptation suggests the utility of this Australian multiple‐choice version of the FAQ and reinforces the need for local verification of items.
Residential respite care is associated with family carers experiencing financial strain
Authors: Aggar Christina , Ronaldson Susan , Cameron Ian D
Published: October 2012

Aim

Care services for older people are provided with the expectation of supporting carers in their caregiving role. The aim of the study is to investigate the association between the utilisation of care services by older people and the caregiving experience.

Methods

Cross‐sectional design, involving a cohort of family carers (n = 119) of frail older people (≥70 years) enrolled in a clinical trial of frailty treatment in metropolitan Sydney from 2008 to 2011. The caregiving experience was measured in five domains: health, daily schedule, finance, family support and self‐esteem (Caregiver Reaction Assessment tool).

Results

Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated an association between the utilisation of residential respite care and financial strain (β = −0.613, P = 0.049), after controlling for functional ability, co‐residence and age.

Conclusion

There is a need to consider carers' financial barriers and concerns in regards to the utilisation of respite care services.
Effect of comorbidity on relative survival following hospitalisation for fall‐related hip fracture in older people
Authors: Hindmarsh Diane , Loh Ming , Finch Caroline F , Hayen Andrew , Close Jacqueline CT
Published: October 2012

Aim

To assess the effect of comorbidity on relative survival after hip fracture.

Methods

Relative survival analysis was undertaken in 16 838 fall‐related hip fracture hospitalisations in New South Wales, Australia. Comorbidity was measured on the basis of additional diagnosis codes on the same hospital separation as the hip fracture using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Interval‐specific relative survival and relative excess risk of death were calculated.

Results

Comorbidity was more frequently documented in men than women across the age groups. Survival decreased with increasing age and increasing comorbidity, but the relative impact of comorbidity was greater in the younger‐old age group (65–74 years). The excess mortality in men was not accounted for by age or comorbidities.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates an association between increasing comorbidity and death particularly in the first 3 months post hip fracture. It also highlights a relative excess risk of death in men after hip fracture after adjusting for age and comorbidity.