bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conservation strategy maps: a tool to facilitate biodiversity action planning illustrated using the heath fritillary butterfly
Authors: Holloway G. J. , Griffiths G. H. , Richardson P.
Published: December 2010

1. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) identifies invertebrate species in danger of national extinction. For many of these species, targets for recovery specify the number of populations that should exist by a specific future date but offer no procedure to plan strategically to achieve the target for any species.

2. Here we describe techniques based upon geographic information systems (GIS) that produce conservation strategy maps (CSM) to assist with achieving recovery targets based on all available and relevant information.

3. The heath fritillaryMellicta athaliais a UKBAP species used here to illustrate the use of CSM. A phase 1 habitat survey was used to identify habitat polygons across the county of Kent, UK. These were systematically filtered using relevant habitat, botanical and autecological data to identify seven types of polygon, including those with extant colonies or in the vicinity of extant colonies, areas managed for conservation but without colonies, and polygons that had the appropriate habitat structure and may therefore be suitable for reintroduction.

4. Five clusters of polygons of interest were found across the study area. The CSM of two of them are illustrated here: the Blean Wood complex, which contains the existing colonies of heath fritillary in Kent, and the Orlestone Forest complex, which offers opportunities for reintroduction.

5. Synthesis and applications.Although the CSM concept is illustrated here for the UK, we suggest that CSM could be part of species conservation programmes throughout the world. CSM are dynamic and should be stored in electronic format, preferably on the world‐wide web, so that they can be easily viewed and updated. CSM can be used to illustrate opportunities and to develop strategies with scientists and non‐scientists, enabling the engagement of all communities in a conservation programme. CSM for different years can be presented to illustrate the progress of a plan or to provide continuous feedback on how a field scenario develops.
Validating the use of generalized additive models and at‐sea surveys to estimate size and temporal trends of seabird populations
Authors: Clarke E. D. , Spear L. B. , Mccracken M. L. , Marques F. F. C. , Borchers D. L. , Buckland S. T. , Ainley D. G.
Published: December 2010

The population size of seabirds is often difficult to estimate from surveys at breeding colonies because of factors such as burrow nesting and nocturnal breeding. The reliability of alternative surveys conducted at sea has not previously been validated. Sample‐based estimates from at‐sea surveys could be biased and have poor precision due to non‐random survey design and the uneven distribution of seabirds at sea.

We conducted at‐sea surveys of western gulls Larus occidentalis and common guillemots Uria aalge of the Farallon Islands, California, USA, and waved albatrosses Phoebastria irrorata of the Galápagos. The observed counts were modelled using generalized additive models (GAMs), with a correction factor for bird movement relative to the ship included in an offset. The models were used to produce estimates of the size of the seabird populations at sea, which were compared with independent colony‐based estimates, adjusted to account for the number of non‐breeders.

Gull and guillemot populations were estimated separately for each of 10 survey years. Temporal trends were estimated by smoothing through the annual values. The albatross data from 7 survey years were pooled to obtain a single estimate of average population size.

The coefficients of variation (CVs) of the annual estimates were approximately 10%, 15–20% and 15–45% prior to smoothing for the albatross, gull and guillemot, respectively. The CVs of the smoothed estimates were about 10% for the gull and 15% for the guillemot. These represent substantial improvements in precision over previous sample‐based estimates from at‐sea surveys.

The colony‐based estimates usually lay within the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of both the annual and smoothed sea‐based estimates, showing that the sea‐based methods worked well.

Synthesis and applications. We conclude that GAMs of at‐sea seabird survey data, collected under suitable protocols and corrected for bird movement, can accurately estimate population size. Given sufficient demographic information, these methods can provide a valuable tool for the management of populations that are difficult to census at the breeding colony.
River rehabilitation and fish populations: assessing the benefit of instream structures
Authors: Pretty J. L. , Harrison S. S. C. , Shepherd D. J. , Smith C. , Hildrew A. G. , Hey R. D.
Published: December 2010

River rehabilitation schemes are now widespread in the UK and elsewhere, but there have been few systematic assessments of their ecological effect, particularly on target organisms such as fish. Fish populations were therefore assessed in 13 lowland rivers using point abundance measures and depletion electrofishing. Each river was sampled in two reaches, respectively containing a small‐scale rehabilitation scheme (artificial riffles or flow deflectors) and an unrehabilitated control reach. Detailed geomorphological surveys were undertaken for the two study reaches in each river to assess the physical and hydraulic effect of rehabilitation.

There were large qualitative and quantitative differences among rivers and some had relatively impoverished fish faunas. Overall, total fish abundance, species richness, diversity and equitability were not significantly different between rehabilitated and control reaches. This was true for both the sampling methods used. Bullhead Cottus gobio and stone loach Barbatula barbatula tended to be more abundant in rehabilitated reaches, but this was significant only for artificial riffles. There was a significant between‐year difference in fish abundance.

In general, rehabilitation schemes increased depth and flow heterogeneity, and fish species richness and diversity appeared to respond positively to increased flow velocity in restored reaches. However, there were few significant relationships between the fish fauna and physical variables, indicating that increasing physical (habitat) heterogeneity does not necessarily lead to higher biological diversity. We therefore caution against the use of physical responses to rehabilitation as a surrogate or reliable predictor of ecological response.

The weak response of fishes to rehabilitation may have been because the schemes were inappropriate in design and scale for low‐gradient rivers. Furthermore, fish assemblages may have lacked the potential for recovery because of poor water quality and/or because the schemes were isolated within longer sections of degraded river. More extensive and directed biological monitoring is essential to improve understanding and enable future improvements in the design of schemes and the selection of sites with greater potential for successful rehabilitation.

Synthesis and applications. From this substantial sample of lowland rivers, there is little evidence of any general benefit to fish of small‐scale instream structures in river rehabilitation. From present ecological knowledge it may be that resources would be better devoted to promoting the development of lateral and off‐channel habitats within the river corridor. Physical restoration will be most effective when used alongside other strategies to augment fish populations such as water quality management.
La cartographie des sites anatomiques mini-implantaires au
niveau de la première molaire maxillaire à l’aide du NewTom 3®
Authors: Dumitrache Marius , Grenard Annabelle
Published: December 2010

Introduction : Le but de notre étude est de fournir une cartographie des
sites implantaires au niveau de la gencive attachée autour de la première molaire
maxillaire pouvant servir à la pose des mini-vis à visée orthodontique. Méthode :
58 examens radiographiques issus de la technique cone beam (NewTom
3G®) sont examinés. Pour chaque espace interdentaire, entre 5/6 et entre 6/7, sont étudiées la
largeur osseuse mésio-distale et la profondeur osseuse vestibulo-linguale à deux hauteurs
différentes L1 et L2, qui correspondent respectivement aux bornes inférieure et supérieure
de la gencive attachée dans la population générale. Résultats : Les largeurs
interdentaires varient peu entre L1 et L2 et leurs variances sont comparables. Au niveau
de l’espace 5/6, les largeurs interdentaires suivent une distribution gaussienne, ce qui
permet de déterminer des intervalles de confiance aux deux bornes de la gencive attachée
en fonction de l’âge : IC99% sur L1 = [2,045; 3,462] de 12 à 17 ans ou [1,594;
2,519] de 18 à 24 ou [1,613; 2,5] de 25 à 48 ans et IC99% sur L2 = [2,37; 3,69]
de 12 à 17 ans ou [1,5; 2,613] de 18 à 24 ou [1,546; 2,619] de 25 à 48 ans. Les
profondeurs interdentaires augmentent en direction apicale et leur variance diminue. Même
si l’adéquation à la loi gaussienne est moins bonne que dans le sens sagittal, nous
retrouvons une plus grande constance des profondeurs au niveau de l’espace 5/6, ce qui
nous permet là aussi d’établir des intervalles de confiance très précis : IC99%
sur L1 = [9,213; 10,575] et IC99% sur L2 = [10,295; 11,593]. Conclusion
: Les régions mésiales de la première molaire constituent donc des zones de sûreté
à condition d’utiliser, selon que le niveau de gencive attachée est faible ou important,
des mini-vis de diamètre maximum 2–2,3 mm de 12 à 17 ans ou 1,5–1,6 mm de 18 à 48 ans et
de maximum 9–10 mm de longueur. Les aires distales de la première molaire, du fait de leur
grande variabilité, nécessitent une étude radiologique personnalisée.
Perturbing the folding energy landscape of the bacterial immunity protein Im7 by site-specific N-linked glycosylation
Authors: Chen Mark M. , Bartlett Alice I. , Nerenberg Paul S. , Friel Claire T. , Hackenberger Christian P. R. , Stultz Collin M. , Radford Sheena E. , Imperiali Barbara
Published: December 2010

N-linked glycosylation modulates protein folding and stability through a variety of mechanisms. As such there is considerable interest in the development of general rules to predict the structural consequences of site-specific glycosylation and to understand how these effects can be exploited in the design and development of modified proteins with advantageous properties. In this study, expressed protein ligation is used to create site-specifically glycosylated variants of the bacterial immunity protein Im7 modified with the chitobiose disaccharide (GlcNAc-GlcNAc). Glycans were introduced at seven solvent exposed sites within the Im7 sequence and the kinetic and thermodynamic consequences of N-linked glycosylation analyzed. The

values for glycan incorporation were found to range from +5.2 to -3.8 kJ·mol
-1
. In several cases, glycosylation influences folding by modulating the local conformational preferences of the glycosylated sequence. These locally mediated effects are most prominent in the center of α-helices where glycosylation negatively effects folding and in compact turn motifs between segments of ordered secondary structure where glycosylation promotes folding and enhances the overall stability of the native protein. The studies also provide insight into why glycosylation is commonly identified at the transition between different types of secondary structure and when glycosylation may be used to elaborate protein structure to protect disordered sequences from proteolysis or immune system recognition.
Il pleut des idées reçues
Authors: Paykin Katia
Published: December 2010

This article reassesses N. Ruwet’s (1988) attribution of the label “unaccusative” to weather verbs across the board. Through a cross-linguistic analysis of NP expansions (in French, English and Russian), we argue that only metaphorically used French weather verbs and English weather verbs in personal constructions, followed by a directional particle or a PP, behave as genuine unaccusatives and can have their NP expansions qualify as internal arguments. All other NPs of weather verbs function rather as adverbial adjuncts, modifying the meteorological predicate. Moreover, our study shows that unlike a widely accepted belief, the class of weather verbs is far from being homogeneous.
De l’interrogation à l’exclamation
Authors: Moline Estelle
Published: December 2010

From the 17th to the 20th century, the interpretation of savoir comme S (to know how/how much S) has evolved: these constructions had first an interrogative meaning, and then became mainly exclamative. This paper aims at describe one of the most important contextual modifications this evolution is correlated with, namely changes concerning savoir (to know). Semantic factors seem to be very important to identify the meaning, so one can conclude that a single syntactic structure is involved in those sentences. The study is based upon examples coming from Frantext corpora.
Terminology evolution and legal development
Authors: Ni Shifeng , Cheng Le , Sin King Kui
Published: December 2010

The present study deals with the relationship between terminology evolution and legal development. Altogether 100 Chinese legal terms are randomly collected from Chinese statutes in order to examine the legal development in China from 1912 to the present. The results demonstrate that terminology evolution acts as a prerequisite and driving force for legal development in China via three evolution patterns: localization, internationalization and standardization. Terminology evolution serves as the mechanism for absorbing, communicating and mediating legal rules, which renders Chinese legal terminology more suited to its social and cultural contexts, and hence promotes overall legal development. It is also observed that terminology evolution is not only playing a vital role in the development of the legal system in China, but also acting as the beneficiary of such legal development.
Food-based nutrition interventions at community level
Authors: Morón Cecilio
Published: December 2010

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations promotes nutrition interventions considering food as the basis for action, given the strategic role of food and the agricultural sector to improve food security for the community; thus, a large number of people, especially the poor, who participate directly or indirectly in agricultural activities are able to obtain benefits from its multifunctional character. Food-based nutrition interventions have the purpose of improving food production and availability, processing and conservation, supply and commercialization, as well as access and food consumption. The basis of this focus is community and local government participation in the planning, execution, supervision and evaluation of specific interventions. Food-based nutrition interventions include the development of community gardens and farms in urban and rural areas; hydroponic gardens and other related initiatives in urban and periurban agriculture; as well as the promotion of traditional crops with nutritional value and the development of small agro-industries. Food-based nutrition interventions can be implemented to improve the food supply in street and itinerant markets, town squares and rural markets, and street food sales. In all food-based interventions, food safety and quality control must be taken into consideration throughout the food chain. The interventions on nutrition education increase the family's capacity to improve access to and consumption of food. Food-based dietary guidelines and nutrition education in schools are highlighted, as well as the utilization of school gardens.
Antioxidant vitamins and minerals in prevention of cancers: lessons from the SU.VI.MAX study
Authors: Hercberg Serge , Czernichow Sebastien , Galan Pilar
Published: December 2010

A voluminous body of epidemiological research concerning the potential role of antioxidant nutrients in the prevention of cancers has accumulated over the past few decades. However, results of large recent intervention trials do not support a preventive effect against cancer for supplementation with antioxidant nutrients. Seemingly contradictory results between observational studies and randomised trials can be explained by the fact that doses used in clinical trials were much higher than the highest levels attained by the usual dietary intake which, in observational studies, were found to be associated with the lowest risk of cancer. Recently, the Supplementation en Vitamines et Mine´raux Antioxydants (SU.VI.MAX) study, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled primary prevention trial, tested the efficacy of supplementation with a combination of antioxidant vitamins and minerals, at nutritional doses, in reducing the cancer incidence in a general population not selected for risk factors. After 7·5 years, low-dose antioxidant supplementation lowered the total cancer incidence in men only. This may be explained by a lower baseline status of certain antioxidants in men compared to women. Finally, the effect of antioxidant supplementation on the incidence of cancer could depend on baseline antioxidant status (which differs from gender and/or nutritional status) and the health status of subjects (healthy v. cancer high-risk subjects). Antioxidant supplementation may have a beneficial effect upon cancer incidence only in healthy subjects who are not exposed to cancer risk and who have a particularly low baseline status. High doses of antioxidant supplementation may be deleterious in subjects in whom the initial phase of cancer development has already started, and they could be ineffective in well-nourished subjects with adequate antioxidant status.
Relationship of vitamin E metabolism and oxidation in exercising human subjects
Authors: Traber Maret G.
Published: December 2010

During endurance exercise, oxygen consumption by the skeletal muscle can increase 100–200 times. We previously found that during an ultramarathon race (50 km, forest trail through hilly terrain) compared with a day of rest, vitamin E disappeared faster (as measured using 2H-labelled α-tocopherol) and lipid peroxidation increased. Therefore, we hypothesized that prior supplementation with antioxidants (vitamins E and C) would decrease oxidative stress during distance running and, therefore, decrease lipid peroxidation and inflammation, decreaseDNA damage, decrease muscle damage and/or improve recovery. To test these hypotheses, we carried out a randomized, double-blind study in runners (n 11 females, 11 males) who were participants in an annual ultramarathon race. We found that supplementation with both vitamins E and C only prevented increases in lipid peroxidation, but had no apparent effect on DNA damage, inflammation or muscle damage. These results suggest that the mechanism of oxidative damage is operating independently of the inflammatory and muscle damage responses.
Nutrition and cancer: the current epidemiological evidence
Authors: Gonzalez Carlos A.
Published: December 2010

We have examined the current scientific evidence on the relationship between nutrition and the most frequent tumours in the Spanish population: lung, colorectal, prostate, breast and stomach. Consumption of fruit is negatively associated with cancer of the lung and stomach, possibly with colorectal cancer, but probably not with prostate cancer and breast cancer. Consumption of vegetables probably reduces the risk of colorectal and stomach cancer, but probably is not associated with cancer of the lung, prostate and breast. Consumption of red and processed meat is positively associated with colorectal cancer and probably with stomach cancer. Animal fat is possibly associated with colorectal cancer and probably with prostate and breast cancer. High alcohol intake increases the risk of colorectal and breast cancer, while dairy products and calcium seem to decrease the risk of colorectal cancer. Obesity is a recognised risk factor of colorectal cancer and breast cancer in postmenopausal women, while foods with a high glycaemic index and glycaemic load possibly increase the risk of colorectal and prostate cancer. The relevance of nutrition on the cancer process is evident. Nevertheless important issues remain to be solved and further studies are needed. This accumulative knowledge should be used by public health authorities to develop recommendations and activities to reduce overweight and obesity and to promote healthy dietary habits.
Nutrition risk in the child and adolescent population of the Basque country: the enKid Study
Authors: Bartrina Javier Aranceta , Serra-Majem Lluis , Pérez-Rodrigo Carmen , Ribas-Barba Lourdes , Delgado-Rubio Alfonso
Published: December 2010

Cross-sectional population studies provide valuable information for nutrition surveillance and planning intervention strategies. The enKid Study is the largest nutrition survey on the child and adolescent Spanish population to date. In the present paper, nutrition risks in children and young people of the Basque country based on the enKid Study subsample for the Basque region are presented. Dietary assessment was completed by means of a 24 h recall and a food frequency questionnaire completed in an interview with the mother or caregiver for children under 13 years. A second 24 h recall was completed on 25 % of the sample. Body weight, height and circumference were measured on each individual. Overweight and obesity were defined using Coleet al.cut-offs. Fat intake supplied 40 % of energy intake and saturated fats 13·8 %. Overall, 80 % of the sample had intakes of fat above 35 %. Main food sources of fats were added fats (32 %), meat (20 %) and milk products (20 %). Buns, cakes and pastry supplied 11 % of total fat intake. The nutrients showing the highest proportion of people who did not reach one third (33 %) of the Spanish dietary reference intake levels were vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin A and folate. Prevailing food pattern showed a high consumption of meat and meat products, milk, dairy products and cereals. Conversely, consumption of fruit, vegetables and fish was low; in fact, 89 % of the sample had a normal consumption of fruit and vegetables below five portions a day. Prevalence of obesity was estimated at 3·94 %, and 17·85 % of the sample was classified as overweight.
Resources for a healthy diet: school meals
Authors: Bartrina Javier Aranceta , Pérez-Rodrigo Carmen
Published: December 2010

School meals have changed during the last decades. The traditional service style with on-site food preparation has shifted towards catering delivery services. Vending machines, school cafeterias and other ways of food distribution are widely used in many schools, particularly in secondary schools. From a health promotion approach, the quality and quantity of food and beverages consumed while in school have an enormous potential impact on the health and well-being of young people. Most children spend a significant part of their lives in school. Additionally, school meals supply 30–35 % of daily energy intake and provide an important contribution to nutrient intake. School life is a critical period in the acquisition and practice of healthy behaviours. Environmental interventions in schools, to increase availability and access to healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables, have proved to be effective. School meals should make high-quality foods available which allow nutrient requirements to be met, consistent with dietary guidelines and offering a positive nutritional experience. School meals should be part of the educational process in the life of the school.
What should be the role of the media in nutrition communication?
Authors: Fernández-Celemín Laura , Jung Anna
Published: December 2010

The increasing availability of nutrition and health information has not always increased the knowledge of the general population, but presents them with the need to know and understand in order for choices to be made. While communicating science to the lay public, several challenges are encountered, ranging from the heterogeneity of the audience, the consumers, who demand certainty and a straightforward message, through the different aims and agendas of all the communicators, to the inherent complexity of the scientific message. Nowadays, the media is one major source of scientific information to the general public. The present article examines what the role of the media and scientists should be in bringing scientific communication to the public and how this communication could be improved.
Dairy products and health: a review of the epidemiological evidence
Authors: Álvarez-León Eva-Elisa , Román-Viñas Blanca , Serra-Majem Lluís
Published: December 2010

Evidence-based nutrition is essential to move forward in the science of community nutrition. The present study is a review of the epidemiological evidence of dairy products and health. There is an inverse association between the intake of dairy products and hypertension, stroke and colorectal cancer. There is no evidence of an association between the consumption of dairy products and breast cancer. There is some evidence linking high-fat dairy products and an incremental risk of prostate cancer and weak evidence of the protective capacity of dairy products on bone health. More prospective studies should be developed in order to establish better evidence of the relationship between dairy products and health. Due to the importance of dairy products in public health nutrition, quantitative recommendations should be established in the light of the scientific evidence.
Phytoplankton population patterns in marine shrimp culture ponds with different sources of water supply
Authors: Yusoff Fatimah Md. , Matias-Peralta Hazel , Shariff Mohamed
Published: December 2010

Six shrimp culture ponds of 1 ha each, located between 101° 22′ E 2° 49′N −101° 22′ E 3° 17′N, were used to elucidate the effects of using eutrophic waters on phytoplankton communities. Three ponds were filled with unpolluted water, while the other three received eutrophic water. Water quality and phytoplankton populations were analyzed fortnightly over a period of 110 days to coincide with the shrimp culture cycle. In ponds with eutrophic water, the cyanobacteria (nine species) were the dominant phytoplankton group (>90% of the total phytoplankton density), followed by the green algae (seven species) and diatoms (six species). Ponds with originally unpolluted water were dominated by the diatoms with 18 species, followed by the cyanobacteria (six species) and one species of green algae. Shrimp production in ponds with unpolluted water was significantly higher (4,877.4 ± 438.5 kg ha-1 when compared to 1,385.0 ± 243.8 kg ha-1 in ponds using eutrophic water. This study illustrated that initial water quality supply influenced the phytoplankton dominance, which in turn determined the aquaculture production in shrimp culture ponds.
The Predictive Validity of Clinical Ratings of the Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START)
Authors: Braithwaite Erika , Charette Yanick , Crocker AnneG. , Reyes Andrea
Published: December 2010

With the increased need to assess and manage risk in inpatient settings, the Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START) was implemented on a civil psychiatric unit. The goal of the present study was to examine the tool's predictive validity when completed by clinical teams as part of routine practice. Data were collected for 34 patients hospitalized for a minimum of 30 days prior to and after a START evaluation. Several challenging behaviors, such as aggression towards others, self-harm, and substance abuse were assessed using the START Outcomes Scale ( Nicholls et al., 2007 ). Results from multilevel logistic regression and Receiver Operating Characteristics analyses lend partial support for the predictive validity of the START. A limited set of START items combined was significantly better at predicting the challenging behaviors than the original total Strength and Vulnerability scales. Results are discussed in terms of the clinical use of risk assessment.
Thermodynamic analysis using experimental magnetization data of the austenite/ferrite phase transformation in Fe–xNi alloys (x = 0, 2, 4 wt%) in a strong magnetic field
Authors: Garcin T , Rivoirard S , Beaugnon E
Published: December 2010

The effect of a strong magnetic field on the transformation temperature from ferrite to austenite and from austenite to ferrite is examined in Fe–xNi alloys (x = 0, 2, 4 wt%). Alloy magnetization measurements are used to calculate the magnetic contribution to the driving force and to account thermodynamically for the field dependence of the transformation temperatures. The predicted shift of the transformation temperatures is compared with experimental dilatometry measurements of transformation temperatures, up to 16 T. The use of experimental magnetization measurements is found to be an accurate alternative to the Weiss molecular field theory for the prediction of the magnetization of ferrite close to its Curie point.
Effect of fluorination and hydrogenation by ion implantation on reliability of poly-Si TFTs under gamma irradiation
Authors: Jelenković Emil V , Ristić G S , Pejović M M , Jevtić Milan M , Jha Shrawan K , Videnović-Mišić Mirjana , Pejović M , Tong K Y
Published: December 2010

Sputtered thin film transistors (TFTs), which were hydrogenated and fluorinated by ion implantation, were exposed to gamma irradiation up to 2500 Gy. Long term post-irradiation stability of TFTs was studied after eight months of storage and under positive bias test at 150 °C in time intervals of 1–10 h. The effects induced by irradiation and during relaxation period were monitored by current–voltage (I–V) measurements. I–V data were used to determine post-irradiation changes in different TFT parameters, such as threshold voltage, interface states density and grain boundaries trap density. The behaviour of these parameters was compared for four types of TFTs: non-fluorinated-hydrogenated, fluorinated, hydrogenated and fluorinated-hydrogenated, and it was found that hydrogenated TFTs showed greater instability. A mechanism for grain boundary traps generation is proposed.
Tribo-functionalizing Si and SU8 materials by surface modification for application in MEMS/NEMS actuator-based devices
Authors: Singh R A , Satyanarayana N , Kustandi T S , Sinha S K
Published: December 2010

Micro/nano-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS/NEMS) are miniaturized devices built at micro/nanoscales. At these scales, the surface/interfacial forces are extremely strong and they adversely affect the smooth operation and the useful operating lifetimes of such devices. When these forces manifest in severe forms, they lead to material removal and thereby reduce the wear durability of the devices. In this paper, we present a simple, yet robust, two-step surface modification method to significantly enhance the tribological performance of MEMS/NEMS materials. The two-step method involves oxygen plasma treatment of polymeric films and the application of a nanolubricant, namely perfluoropolyether. We apply the two-step method to the two most important MEMS/NEMS structural materials, namely silicon and SU8 polymer. On applying surface modification to these materials, their initial coefficient of friction reduces by ∼4–7 times and the steady-state coefficient of friction reduces by ∼2.5–3.5 times. Simultaneously, the wear durability of both the materials increases by >1000 times. The two-step method is time effective as each of the steps takes the time duration of approximately 1 min. It is also cost effective as the oxygen plasma treatment is a part of the MEMS/NEMS fabrication process. The two-step method can be readily and easily integrated into MEMS/NEMS fabrication processes. It is anticipated that this method will work for any kind of structural material from which MEMS/NEMS are or can be made.
Structural properties and resistive switching behaviour in MgxZn1−xO alloy films grown by pulsed laser deposition
Authors: Cao Xun , Li Xiaomin , Gao Xiangdong , Liu Xinjun , Yang Chang , Chen Lidong
Published: December 2010

Mg
x
Zn1−x
O alloy films with Mg concentration ranging from 0 to 0.5 were fabricated by a pulsed laser deposition method. The effect of Mg content on the microstructure and resistive switching behaviour was investigated. It was found that the film structure changed from pure hexagonal to a coexistence of hexagonal and cubic with increasing Mg content from 0 to 0.5. In addition, the ratio of the high-resistance state to the low-resistance state improved from ∼14 to ∼2 × 108. Furthermore, rapid thermal annealing of the samples reduced the forming voltage from ∼18 V to ∼10 V. The resistive switching behaviour in the Mg
x
Zn1−x
O films was explained by the filament model based on the variation of band gap and crystalline grains induced by the Mg content modulation and the thermal treatment.
A meiotic gene regulatory cascade driven by alternative fates for newly synthesized transcripts
Authors: Cremona Nicole , Potter Kristine , Wise Jo Ann
Published: December 2010

To determine the relative importance of transcriptional regulation versus RNA processing and turnover during the transition from proliferation to meiotic differentiation in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we analyzed temporal profiles and effects of RNA surveillance factor mutants on expression of 32 meiotic genes. A comparison of nascent transcription with steady-state RNA accumulation reveals that the vast majority of these genes show a lag between maximal RNA synthesis and peak RNA accumulation. During meiosis, total RNA levels parallel 3′ processing, which occurs in multiple, temporally distinct waves that peak from 3 to 6 h after meiotic induction. Most early genes and one middle gene, mei4, share a regulatory mechanism in which a specialized RNA surveillance factor targets newly synthesized transcripts for destruction. Mei4p, a member of the forkhead transcription factor family, in turn regulates a host of downstream genes. Remarkably, a spike in transcription is observed for less than one-third of the genes surveyed, and even these show evidence of RNA-level regulation. In aggregate, our findings lead us to propose that a regulatory cascade driven by changes in processing and stability of newly synthesized transcripts operates alongside the well-known transcriptional cascade as fission yeast cells enter meiosis.
Myosin VI and its binding partner optineurin are involved in secretory vesicle fusion at the plasma membrane
Authors: Bond Lisa M. , Peden Andrew A. , Kendrick-Jones John , Sellers James R. , Buss Folma
Published: December 2010

During constitutive secretion, proteins synthesized at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are transported to the Golgi complex for processing and then to the plasma membrane for incorporation or extracellular release. This study uses a unique live-cell constitutive secretion assay to establish roles for the molecular motor myosin VI and its binding partner optineurin in discrete stages of secretion. Small interfering RNA-based knockdown of myosin VI causes an ER-to-Golgi transport delay, suggesting an unexpected function for myosin VI in the early secretory pathway. Depletion of myosin VI or optineurin does not affect the number of vesicles leaving the trans-Golgi network (TGN), indicating that these proteins do not function in TGN vesicle formation. However, myosin VI and optineurin colocalize with secretory vesicles at the plasma membrane. Furthermore, live-cell total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy demonstrates that myosin VI or optineurin depletion reduces the total number of vesicle fusion events at the plasma membrane and increases both the proportion of incomplete fusion events and the number of docked vesicles in this region. These results suggest a novel role for myosin VI and optineurin in regulation of fusion pores formed between secretory vesicles and the plasma membrane during the final stages of secretion.
Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signaling regulates PTEN expression and intestinal cell differentiation
Authors: Wang Qingding , Zhou Yuning , Jackson Lindsey N. , Johnson Sara M. , Chow Chi-Wing , Evers B. Mark
Published: December 2010

The nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) proteins are a family of transcription factors (NFATc1–c4) involved in the regulation of cell differentiation and adaptation. Previously we demonstrated that inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase or overexpression of PTEN enhanced intestinal cell differentiation. Here we show that treatment of intestinal-derived cells with the differentiating agent sodium butyrate (NaBT) increased PTEN expression, NFAT binding activity, and NFAT mRNA expression, whereas pretreatment with the NFAT signaling inhibitor cyclosporine A (CsA) blocked NaBT-mediated PTEN induction. Moreover, knockdown of NFATc1 or NFATc4, but not NFATc2 or NFATc3, attenuated NaBT-induced PTEN expression. Knockdown of NFATc1 decreased PTEN expression and increased the phosphorylation levels of Akt and downstream targets Foxo1 and GSK-3α/β. Furthermore, overexpression of NFATc1 or the NFATc4 active mutant increased PTEN and p27kip1 expression and decreased Akt phosphorylation. In addition, pretreatment with CsA blocked NaBT-mediated induction of intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) activity and villin and p27kip1 expression; knockdown of either NFATc1 or NFATc4 attenuated NaBT-induced IAP activity. We provide evidence showing that NFATc1 and NFATc4 are regulators of PTEN expression. Importantly, our results suggest that NFATc1 and NFATc4 regulation of intestinal cell differentiation may be through PTEN regulation.
Phenotypic changes in mouse pancreatic stellate cell Ca2+ signaling events following activation in culture and in a disease model of pancreatitis
Authors: Won Jong Hak , Zhang Yu , Ji Baoan , Logsdon Craig D. , Yule David I.
Published: December 2010

The specific characteristics of intracellular Ca2+ signaling and the downstream consequences of these events were investigated in mouse pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) in culture and in situ using multiphoton microscopy in pancreatic lobules. PSC undergo a phenotypic transformation from a quiescent state to a myofibroblast-like phenotype in culture. This is believed to parallel the induction of an activated state observed in pancreatic disease such as chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. By day 7 in culture, the complement of cell surface receptors coupled to intracellular Ca2+ signaling was shown to be markedly altered. Specifically, protease-activated receptors (PAR) 1 and 2, responsive to thrombin and trypsin, respectively, and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors were expressed only in activated PSC (aPSC). PAR-1, ATP, and PDGF receptor activation resulted in prominent nuclear Ca2+ signals. Nuclear Ca2+ signals and aPSC proliferation were abolished by expression of parvalbumin targeted to the nucleus. In pancreatic lobules, PSC responded to agonists consistent with the presence of only quiescent PSC. aPSC were observed following induction of experimental pancreatitis. In contrast, in a mouse model of pancreatic disease harboring elevated K-Ras activity in acinar cells, aPSC were present under control conditions and their number greatly increased following induction of pancreatitis. These data are consistent with nuclear Ca2+ signaling generated by agents such as trypsin and thrombin, likely present in the pancreas in disease states, resulting in proliferation of “primed” aPSC to contribute to the severity of pancreatic disease.
Bayesian ensemble methods for survival prediction in gene expression data
Authors: Bonato Vinicius , Baladandayuthapani Veerabhadran , Broom Bradley M. , Sulman Erik P. , Aldape Kenneth D. , Do Kim-Anh
Published: December 2010

Motivation: We propose a Bayesian ensemble method for survival prediction in high-dimensional gene expression data. We specify a fully Bayesian hierarchical approach based on an ensemble ‘sum-of-trees’ model and illustrate our method using three popular survival models. Our non-parametric method incorporates both additive and interaction effects between genes, which results in high predictive accuracy compared with other methods. In addition, our method provides model-free variable selection of important prognostic markers based on controlling the false discovery rates; thus providing a unified procedure to select relevant genes and predict survivor functions.

Results: We assess the performance of our method several simulated and real microarray datasets. We show that our method selects genes potentially related to the development of the disease as well as yields predictive performance that is very competitive to many other existing methods.

Availability:  http://works.bepress.com/veera/1/.

Contact:  veera@mdanderson.org

Supplementary Information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Oral glucose tolerance testing in an outpatient heart failure clinic reveals a high proportion of undiagnosed diabetic patients with an adverse prognosis
Authors: Egstrup Michael , Schou Morten , Gustafsson Ida , Kistorp Caroline N. , Hildebrandt Per R. , Tuxen Christian D.
Published: December 2010

Aims

We evaluated the applicability and prognostic importance of oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) among outpatients with systolic heart failure (SHF).

Methods and results

Consecutive patients with SHF and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 45% referred to a heart failure clinic (n= 413) were included in this study. An OGTT was conducted in patients without a history of diabetes. Information on NYHA class, aetiology of SHF, LVEF, treatment, and biochemical parameters were collected at baseline. The survival status was obtained after a median follow‐up time of 591 days. Of the 413 patients, 82 (20%) had known diabetes. Of the remaining 331 patients, 227 (69%) agreed to undergo an OGTT. Among the tested subjects, 136 (60%) were classified as having normal glucose tolerance (NGT), 51 (23%) impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and 40 (18%) newly diagnosed diabetes. Assuming a similar prevalence of unrecognized diabetes among the patients who refused OGTT, the prevalence of diabetes in the total population was 34%. If only fasting blood glucose had been used, 16 of the 40 newly diagnosed diabetic patients would have been undiagnosed. During follow‐up, 24 (29%) patients with known diabetes, 6 (15%) of the newly diagnosed diabetic patients, 9 (18%) of those with IGT, and 13 (9%) patients with NGT died. Patients with diabetes had higher mortality rate compared with non‐diabetic patients [multivariate hazard ratio 1.89 (1.02–3.59); P = 0.047].

Conclusion

It is feasible to perform diabetes screening using OGTT in outpatients with SHF. A substantial proportion of patients tested were found to have unrecognized diabetes. The presence of diabetes was associated with a higher mortality rate.
Realized habitats of early-stage North Sea herring: looking for signals of environmental change
Authors: Röckmann Christine , Dickey-Collas Mark , Payne Mark R. , van Hal Ralf
Published: December 2010

Röckmann, C., Dickey-Collas, M., Payne, M. R., and van Hal, R. 2011. Realized habitats of early-stage North Sea herring: looking for signals of environmental change. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: . Realized habitats of North Sea herring for two larval and two juvenile stages were estimated over the past 30 years, using abundances from surveys tied to modelled estimates of temperature and salinity. Newly hatched larvae (NHL) were found mainly in water masses of 9–11°C, pre-metamorphosis larvae (PML) around 5–6°C, juveniles aged 0 in summer around 13–14°C, and juveniles aged 1 in winter around 4–5°C. The median salinity in which the NHL were distributed was 34.4–35.0 and 33.7–33.9, respectively, for PML and juveniles. Interannual variations in temperature and geographic variables in the North Sea were compared with the time-series of realized habitats. The realized temperature habitats of the NHL did not change over time, but the habitat of juveniles in summer may be associated with higher temperatures. Juveniles aged 1 in winter are found in waters colder than the average for the North Sea, a result also reflected in their geographic shift east into shallower water. The results suggest that juveniles could be limited by temperature, but may also track changes in food or predator distribution, and/or internal population dynamics. Time-series analysis of realized salinity habitats was not possible with the available data because of differences between model outputs.
Significance of Esophageal Crohn Disease in Children
Authors: Ammoury Rana F , Pfefferkorn Marian D
Published: December 2010

Background and Aim:

Esophageal Crohn disease (ECD) is more common than it was originally thought to be. Only limited information, however, is available regarding its significance and effect on clinical course in the pediatric population. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of ECD in our patient population and compare clinical features and severity of disease among patients with ECD and nonesophageal Crohn disease (NECD).

Patients and Methods:

Medical records of all patients with ECD diagnosed during a 12‐year period based on specific endoscopic and histological criteria were reviewed and compared with a random group of patients with NECD.

Results:

During the study period, 81 (20%) patients with ECD were identified. Mean age at diagnosis was 12 (range 4–19 years) with a male predominance of 63%. Only 29 (36%) patients had symptoms suggestive of upper gastrointestinal involvement. Endoscopic ulcers were present in 45 (56%) of patients with ECD, whereas noncaseating granulomas were found in 10 (12%) of those patients. The majority (89%) of these patients had concomitant gastric and/or duodenal involvement. When compared with 160 random patients with NECD, patients with ECD had higher mean Pediatric Crohn Disease Activity Index scores (40.2 vs 23.9; P < 0.001), more penetrating‐type disease (12% vs 2%; P = 0.001), and a greater frequency of perianal involvement (51% vs 33%; P = 0.005) at diagnosis. No differences, however, were noted between the 2 groups in terms of need for surgical resection throughout duration of follow‐up.

Conclusions:

Patients with ECD may represent a phenotype of Crohn disease with a more severe presentation. Patients with perianal disease at the time of initial physical examination should be considered for an upper endoscopy in addition to the colonoscopy to exclude esophageal involvement despite the absence of specific upper gastrointestinal symptoms. These observations should foster additional investigation into ECD phenotype to determine appropriate treatment and prognosis.