bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extension and knowledge transfer: adaptive management approaches for timely impact
Authors: KETTERINGS Q. M.
Published: October 2013

In recent years, the term ‘adaptive management’ has become integrated in government agriculture and conservation programmes in the United States. Adaptive management is described as ‘a process of developing improved management practices for efficient production and resource conservation by use of participatory learning through continuous systematic assessment’, by the NEERA1002 Coordinating Committee on Adaptive Nutrient Management. Such developments reflect recognition by government agencies of (1) the need for continuous improvement in managing agricultural systems to enhance productivity and environmental protection at farm, state, watershed and federal levels, and (2) the effectiveness of continuous systematic assessment and an outcome-based evaluation in achieving and documenting such progress. Various methods have existed for knowledge development and transfer in the past, some effective, others less successful. The present paper presents and discusses lessons learned from three different adaptive management approaches, implemented at field, whole farm and regional/state levels, which contributed to improvements in field, farm and regional/state balances for nitrogen and phosphorus in New York. These examples show that a combination of governmental regulations and an innovative, outcome-focused adaptive management approach that includes research, extension, and a focus on human dimensions (a people-based approach) will be most effective in obtaining greater sustainability of agriculture in future years.
THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ADULT MORTALITY RISK AND FAMILY HISTORY OF LONGEVITY: THE MODERATING EFFECTS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
Authors: TEMBY OWEN F. , SMITH KEN R.
Published: October 2013

Studies consistently show that increasing levels of socioeconomic status (SES) and having a familial history of longevity reduce the risk of mortality. But do these two variables interact, such that individuals with lower levels of SES, for example, may experience an attenuated longevity penalty by virtue of having long-lived relatives? This article examines this interaction by analysing survival past age 40 based on data from the Utah Population Database on an extinct cohort of men born from the years 1840 to 1909. Cox proportional hazards regression and logistic regression are used to test for the main and interaction mortality effects of SES and familial excess longevity (FEL), a summary measure of an individual's history of longevity among his or her relatives. This research finds that the mortality hazard rate for men in the top 15th percentile of occupational status decreases more as FEL increases than it does among men in the bottom 15th percentile. In addition, the mortality hazard rate among farmers decreases more as FEL increases than it does for non-farmers. With a strong family history of longevity as a proxy for a genetic predisposition, this research suggests that a gene–environment interaction occurs whereby the benefits of familial excess longevity are more available to those who have occupations with more autonomy and greater economic resources and/or opportunities for physical activity.
Urogenital schistosomiasis in women of reproductive age and pregnant mothers in Kwale County, Kenya
Authors: Kihara J.H. , Kutima H.L. , Ouma J. , Churcher T.S. , Changoma J.M. , Mwalisetso M.A. , French M.D. , Mwandawiro C.S.
Published: October 2013

Generally, women residing in areas endemic for urinary schistosomiasis may suffer from female genital schistosomiasis which is acquired during childhood. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the prevalence and intensity of infection of Schistosoma haematobium in women of reproductive age (16–45 years) and to investigate whether S. haematobium had any effect on kidney function. A total of 394 women of known pregnancy status (158 pregnant and 236 non-pregnant) were recruited from five villages (known for their high prevalence of infection of S. haematobium) in Kwale County. Serum samples were analysed to determine levels of urea and creatinine as proxy indicators of kidney function. Data revealed that pregnant women did not, on average, have a higher prevalence or intensity of infection of urinary schistosomiasis than non-pregnant women. During pregnancy, the level of prevalence and intensity of infection of S. haematobium was highest in the first trimester (0–13 weeks), dropped in the second trimester (14–26 weeks) and rose again in the third trimester (27–40 weeks). In addition, 24.8% of women were infected with hookworm, while none were diagnosed with malaria parasites. Of 250 samples analysed for serum urea and creatinine, none had significant levels of pathology, either in pregnant or non-pregnant women. Despite World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations that pregnant women should be treated with praziquantel after the first trimester, in practice this has not been the case in many countries, including Kenya. In view of this, healthcare providers should be informed to consider treatment of pregnant women infected with schistosomiasis during antenatal visits and whenever there is mass drug administration as recommended by the WHO.
Navigating in a volumetric world: Metric encoding in the vertical axis of space
Authors: de Perera Theresa Burt , Holbrook Robert , Davis Victoria , Kacelnik Alex , Guilford Tim
Published: October 2013

Animals navigate through three-dimensional environments, but we argue that the way they encode three-dimensional spatial information is shaped by how they use the vertical component of space. We agree with Jeffery et al. that the representation of three-dimensional space in vertebrates is probably bicoded (with separation of the plane of locomotion and its orthogonal axis), but we believe that their suggestion that the vertical axis is stored “contextually” (that is, not containing distance or direction metrics usable for novel computations) is unlikely, and as yet unsupported. We describe potential experimental protocols that could clarify these differences in opinion empirically.
Monkeys in space: Primate neural data suggest volumetric representations
Authors: Lehky Sidney R. , Sereno Anne B. , Sereno Margaret E.
Published: October 2013

The target article does not consider neural data on primate spatial representations, which we suggest provide grounds for believing that navigational space may be three-dimensional rather than quasi–two-dimensional. Furthermore, we question the authors' interpretation of rat neurophysiological data as indicating that the vertical dimension may be encoded in a neural structure separate from the two horizontal dimensions.
The problem of conflicting reference frames when investigating three-dimensional space in surface-dwelling animals
Authors: Savelli Francesco , Knierim James J.
Published: October 2013

In a surface-dwelling animal like the rat, experimental strategies for investigating the hippocampal correlates of three-dimensional space appear inevitably complicated by the interplay of global versus local reference frames. We discuss the impact of the resulting confounds on present and future empirical analysis of the “bicoded map” hypothesis by Jeffery and colleagues.
Are all types of vertical information created equal?
Authors: Weisberg Steven M. , Newcombe Nora S.
Published: October 2013

The vertical component of space occurs in two distinct fashions in natural environments. One kind of verticality is orthogonal-to-horizontal (as in climbing trees, operating in volumetric spaces such as water or air, or taking elevators in multilevel buildings). Another kind of verticality, which might be functionally distinct, comes from navigating on sloped terrain (as in traversing hills or ramps).
Land Politics and Local State Capacities: The Political Economy of Urban Change in China
Authors: Rithmire Meg
Published: October 2013

Despite common national institutions and incentives to remake urban landscapes to anchor growth, generate land-lease revenues and display a capacious administration, Chinese urban governments exhibit varying levels of control over land. This article uses a paired comparison of Dalian and Harbin in China's north-east to link differences in local political economies to land politics. Dalian, benefiting from early access to foreign capital, consolidated its control over urban territory through the designation of a development zone, which realigned local economic interests and introduced dual pressures for enterprises to restructure and relocate. Harbin, facing capital shortages, distributed urban territory to assuage the losers of reform and promote economic growth. The findings suggest that 1) growth strategies, and the territorial politics they produce, are products of the post-Mao urban hierarchy rather than of socialist legacies, and 2), perhaps surprisingly, local governments exercise the greatest control over urban land in cities that adopted market reforms earliest.
A Troposphere Constraint Method To Improve PPP Ambiguity-Resolved Height Solution
Authors: Shi Junbo , Gao Yang
Published: October 2013

Integer ambiguity resolution is able to improve positioning accuracy and reduce convergence time in Precise Point Positioning (PPP). Although significantly improved horizontal positioning accuracy has been demonstrated, the height solution improvement is found to be less significant, and improving this requires further investigation. In this paper, a troposphere constraint method using precise troposphere corrections is proposed to improve the PPP ambiguity-resolved height solution. This is different from the conventional approach that typically applies meteorological data to calculate the a priori troposphere delay and estimates the residual troposphere delay. The effects of the troposphere delay on PPP ambiguity-resolved height solutions are first studied. Numerical analysis is conducted to ambiguity-resolved positioning results based on the decoupled clock model and hourly Global Positioning System (GPS) observations from a Canadian PPP-inferred troposphere precipitable water vapour system. The results show that by using the proposed method the PPP ambiguity-resolved height accuracy can be further improved to 3·86 cm compared to 5·32 cm using the conventional approach.
Rawls, Reciprocity and the Barely Reasonable
Authors: MCMAHON CHRISTOPHER
Published: October 2013

The concept of the reasonable plays an important role in Rawls's political philosophy, but there has been little systematic investigation of this concept or of the way Rawls employs it. This article distinguishes several different forms of reasonableness and uses them to explore Rawls's political liberalism. The discussion focuses on the idea, found especially in the most recent versions of this theory, of a family of liberal conceptions of justice each of which is regarded by everyone in a polity as reasonable, even if only barely so. The idea of such a family is central to Rawls's notion of reciprocity and the view of political cooperation associated with it. This article questions whether the concept of the reasonable can play the role that Rawls intends.
Understanding Heterarchy: Crafting and Social Projects in Pre-Hispanic Northwest Argentina
Authors: DeMarrais Elizabeth
Published: October 2013

Archaeological studies of specialized craft production in hierarchies often highlight the crucial roles of prestige goods in ancient political economies. Yet elaborate crafted items are also produced and circulated widely in heterarchically-ordered societies, where powerful elites are absent. In this latter case, attributing crafting to the agency of elites — or to the demands of political economy — is unconvincing. This article investigates the alternative cultural logic underlying crafting in heterarchies, seeking to understand both the contexts of crafting and the nature of the ‘social projects’ in which artisans were engaged. Expectations for archaeological signatures of craft activity are developed and applied to a case study, drawing upon recent excavations in northwest Argentina.
Property-oriented semantics of structured specifications
Authors: SANNELLA DONALD , TARLECKI ANDRZEJ
Published: October 2013

We consider structured specifications built from flat specifications using union, translation and hiding with their standard model-class semantics in the context of an arbitrary institution. We examine the alternative of sound property-oriented semantics for such specifications, and study their relationship to model-class semantics. An exact correspondence between the two (completeness) is not achievable in general. We show through general results on property-oriented semantics that the semantics arising from the standard proof system is the strongest sound and compositional property-oriented semantics in a wide class of such semantics. We also sharpen one of the conditions that does guarantee completeness and show that it is a necessary condition.
Constructing Gröbner bases for Noetherian rings
Authors: PERDRY HERVÉ , SCHUSTER PETER
Published: October 2013

We give a constructive proof showing that every finitely generated polynomial ideal has a Gröbner basis, provided the ring of coefficients is Noetherian in the sense of Richman and Seidenberg. That is, we give a constructive termination proof for a variant of the well-known algorithm for computing the Gröbner basis. In combination with a purely order-theoretic result we have proved in a separate paper, this yields a unified constructive proof of the Hilbert basis theorem for all Noether classes: if a ring belongs to a Noether class, then so does the polynomial ring. Our proof can be seen as a constructive reworking of one of the classical proofs, in the spirit of the partial realisation of Hilbert's programme in algebra put forward by Coquand and Lombardi. The rings under consideration need not be commutative, but are assumed to be coherent and strongly discrete: that is, they admit a membership test for every finitely generated ideal. As a complement to the proof, we provide a prime decomposition for commutative rings possessing the finite-depth property.
Congenital heart disease in 37,294 births in Tunisia: birth prevalence and mortality rate
Authors: Abid Dorra , Elloumi Anis , Abid Leila , Mallek Souad , Aloulou Hajer , Chabchoub Imen , Bouraoui Amira , Thabet Afef , Gargouri Lamia , Zribi Malek , Yaich Sourour , Hachicha Mongia , Gargouri Abdellatif , Mahfoudh Abdelmajid , Maatoug Samir , Dammak Jamel , Kammoun Samir
Published: October 2013

Aim: To investigate the previously unknown birth incidence, treatment, and mortality of children with congenital heart disease in Tunisia. Methods: We undertook a retrospective review of medical records of all patients who were born in 2010 and 2011, and were diagnosed in Sfax (Tunisia) with congenital heart defect. Results: Among 37,294 births, 255 children were detected to have congenital heart disease, yielding a birth incidence of 6.8 per 1000. The most frequently occurring conditions were ventricular septal defects (31%), ostium secundum atrial septal defects (12.9%), and pulmonary valve abnormalities (12%). Coarctation of the aorta, tetralogy of Fallot, univentricular physiology, pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect, and transposition of the great arteries were found in 4.3%, 6.2%, 3.4%, 2.7%, and 2.7%, respectively. During the follow-up of 1 year, 23% of the children died. About three-quarters of those deaths happened before surgery. Conclusion: The present study is in line with the general estimates in the world. It has revealed a high case of mortality among the patients awaiting corrective surgery. These children need more facilities.
Pathophysiology of paradoxical embolism: evaluation of the role of interatrial septum anatomy based on the intracardiac echocardiography assessment of patients with right-to-left shunting
Authors: Rigatelli Gianluca , Dell’Avvocata Fabio , Vassiliev Dobrin , Daggubati Ramesh , Buch Ashesh , Nanjiundappa Aravinda , Giordan Massimo , Oliva Laura , Adami Dario , Cardaioli Paolo
Published: October 2013

Background: Detailed anatomic variants of the interatrial septum in patients with right-to-left shunt and contribution of specific anatomies to the risk of ischaemic recurrences has not yet been comprehensively classified. Objective: To report a classification of the anatomic variants of the interatrial septum as observed by intracardiac echocardiography and its correlation with clinical and functional characteristics. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical and instrumental data of 520 consecutive patients (mean age 44±15. 5 years, 355 women) who had over a 10-year period undergone intracardiac echocardiography and right-to-left shunt catheter-based closure. The four main features used to analyse were: (a) diameter of the oval fossa, (b) presence and length of the channel, (c) presence and degree of atrial septal aneurysm, and (d) rim thickness. The presence of Eustachian valve was also tabulated. Results: The combinations of interatrial septum anatomical features were classified into six main anatomical subgroups. Recurrent embolism, multiple ischaemic foci on brain magnetic resonance imaging, high grade shunt, and permanent shunt before transcatheter closure procedure were associated with type 2, type 4, and type 6. Type 4 anatomical subtype (OR 4.1, 1.5–8 [95% CI], p<0.001) and type 2+presence of Eustachian valve (OR 4.3, 1.6–9 [95% CI], p<0.001) were the strongest predictors of recurrent ischaemic events before transcatheter closure. Conclusion: Our study showed that interatrial septum anatomy greatly differs among patients with right-to-left shunt, as well as the risk of ischaemic recurrences in different anatomies.
Authorship analysis of aliases: Does topic influence accuracy?
Authors: LAYTON ROBERT , WATTERS PAUL A. , DAZELEY RICHARD
Published: October 2013

Aliasesplay an important role in online environments by facilitating anonymity, but also can be used to hide the identity of cybercriminals. Previous studies have investigated this alias matching problem in an attempt to identify whether two aliases are shared by an author, which can assist with identifying users. Those studies create their training data by randomly splitting the documents associated with an alias into two sub-aliases. Models have been built that can regularly achieve over 90% accuracy for recovering the linkage between these ‘random sub-aliases’. In this paper, random sub-alias generation is shown to enable these high accuracies, and thus does not adequately model the real-world problem. In contrast, creating sub-aliases using topic-based splitting drastically reduces the accuracy of all authorship methods tested. We then present a methodology that can be performed on non-topic controlled datasets, to produce topic-based sub-aliases that are more difficult to match. Finally, we present an experimental comparison between many authorship methods to see which methods better match aliases under these conditions, finding that localn-gram methods perform better than others.
NIH EXAMINER: Conceptualization and Development of an Executive Function Battery
Authors: Kramer Joel H. , Mungas Dan , Possin Katherine L. , Rankin Katherine P. , Boxer Adam L. , Rosen Howard J. , Bostrom Alan , Sinha Lena , Berhel Ashley , Widmeyer Mary
Published: October 2013

Executive functioning is widely targeted when human cognition is assessed, but there is little consensus on how it should be operationalized and measured. Recognizing the difficulties associated with establishing standard operational definitions of executive functioning, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke entered into a contract with the University of California-San Francisco to develop psychometrically robust executive measurement tools that would be accepted by the neurology clinical trials and clinical research communities. This effort, entitled Executive Abilities: Measures and Instruments for Neurobehavioral Evaluation and Research (EXAMINER), resulted in a series of tasks targeting working memory, inhibition, set shifting, fluency, insight, planning, social cognition and behavior. We describe battery conceptualization and development, data collection, scale construction based on item response theory, and lay the foundation for studying the battery's utility and validity for specific assessment and research goals. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–9)
FAT-TAIL DISTRIBUTIONS AND BUSINESS-CYCLE MODELS
Authors: Ascari Guido , Fagiolo Giorgio , Roventini Andrea
Published: October 2013

Recent empirical findings suggest that macroeconomic variables are seldom normally distributed. For example, the distributions of aggregate output growth-rate time series of many OECD countries are well approximated by symmetric exponential-power (EP) densities with Laplace fat tails. In this work, we assess whether real business cycle (RBC) and standard medium-scale New Keynesian (NK) models are able to replicate this statistical regularity. We simulate both models, drawing Gaussian- vs Laplace-distributed shocks, and we explore the statistical properties of simulated time series. Our results cast doubts on whether RBC and NK models are able to provide a satisfactory representation of the transmission mechanisms linking exogenous shocks to macroeconomic dynamics.
Section 6. Pyrethroid resistance: field selection in sorghum
Authors: Forrester Neil W. , Cahill Matthew , Bird Lisa J. , Layland Jacquelyn K.
Published: October 2013

Pyrethroids applied to flowering sorghum, at either the low midge rate or the higher Helicoverpa rate (20 g and 100 g fenvalerate a.i./ha, respectively), caused selective mortality of Helicoverpa armigera larvae and resulted in differential selection for resistance. This finding vindicated the original strategy decision to apply the same temporal restrictions on pyrethroid use for sorghum midge, Contarinia sorghicola, as those for H. armigera.
Physical activity and sedentary behaviour in European children: the IDEFICS study
Authors: Santaliestra-Pasías Alba Ma , Mouratidou Theodora , Verbestel Vera , Bammann Karin , Molnar Dénes , Sieri Sabina , Siani Alfonso , Veidebaum Toomas , Mårild Staffan , Lissner Lauren , Hadjigeorgiou Charalambos , Reisch Lucia , De Bourdeaudhuij Ilse , Moreno Luis A
Published: October 2013

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of physical activity and sedentary behaviours in European children, and to evaluate the relationship between media availability in personal space and physical activity in relation to total screen time.

Design

Data from the baseline IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants) cross-sectional survey. Information on hours of television/digital video disk/video viewing and computer/games-console use (weekday and weekend days), media device availability in personal space, sports club membership, hours of active organized play and commuting (to and from school) were assessed via a self-reported parental questionnaire. Total screen time was defined as the sum of daily media use and subsequently dichotomized into meeting or not meeting the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Setting

Eight survey centres (Italy, Estonia, Cyprus, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, Hungary and Spain).

Subjects

Children (n 15 330; 51 % males) aged 2–10 years.

Results

Percentage of children engaged in total screen time for >2 h/d was higher on weekend days (52 % v. 20 % on weekdays) and in the older group (71 % in males; 57 % in females), varying by country. Children with a television set in their bedroom were more likely not to meet the screen time recommendations (OR = 1·54; 95 % CI 1·60, 1·74).

Conclusions

Approximately a third of the children failed to meet current screen time recommendations. Availability of a television set in personal space increased the risk of excess total screen time. This information could be used to identify potential targets for public health promotion actions of young population groups.
Development and validation of an electronic FFQ to assess food intake in the Slovene population
Authors: Bizjak Mojca , Jenko-Pražnikar Zala , Koroušić Seljak Barbara
Published: October 2013

Objective

To develop and validate an electronic FFQ that estimates the food and nutrient intakes, especially fat intake, in a healthy, adult population from the coastal (Mediterranean) part of Slovenia.

Design

A new electronic FFQ was developed for a survey entitled ‘A multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of obesity’, conducted at the University of Primorska, and validated against a 3 d weighed food record (FR).

Setting

Coastal region of Slovenia.

Subjects

Our study population included eighty-five healthy adults aged 25–49 years, recruited from the local coastal region of Slovenia. Intakes of food groups, macronutrients and energy, estimated by the FR and the FFQ, were compared using correlation coefficients, cross-classification and Bland–Altman plots.

Results

The mean value of most nutrient intakes tended to be higher in the FFQ compared with the FR, except for carbohydrate, fibre and energy. Regression analysis demonstrated an acceptable agreement between the FFQ and FR. The FFQ was moderately correlated with the FR (0·30–0·54), and most of the correlations increased after energy adjustment and after de-attenuation. Relatively high (more than 70 %) proportions of participants were correctly classified into the same or an adjacent quartile. Bland–Altman analysis confirmed an acceptable level of agreement between the two methods.

Conclusions

The electronic FFQ, developed for a healthy adult Slovene population from the coastal region, was shown to be a valid tool to assess food group and nutrient intakes, especially fat intakes, and to rank individuals by their intakes within gene–nutrient studies.
Waist:height ratio: a superior index in estimating cardiovascular risks in Turkish adults
Authors: Meseri Reci , Ucku Reyhan , Unal Belgin
Published: October 2013

Objective

To determine the best anthropometric measurement among waist: height ratio (WHtR), BMI, waist:hip ratio (WHR) and waist circumference (WC) associated with high CHD risk in adults and to define the optimal cut-off point for WHtR.

Design

Population-based cross-sectional study.

Setting

Balcova, Izmir, Turkey.

Subjects

Individuals (n 10 878) who participated in the baseline survey of the Heart of Balcova Project. For each participant, 10-year coronary event risk (Framingham risk score) was calculated using data on age, sex, smoking status, blood pressure, serum lipids and diabetes status. Participants who had risk higher than 10 % were defined as ‘medium or high risk’.

Results

Among the participants, 67·7 % were female, 38·2 % were obese, 24·5 % had high blood pressure, 9·2 % had diabetes, 1·5 % had undiagnosed diabetes (≥126 mg/dl), 22·0 % had high total cholesterol and 45·9 % had low HDL-cholesterol. According to Framingham risk score, 32·7 % of them had a risk score higher than 10 %. Those who had medium or high risk had significantly higher mean BMI, WHtR, WHR and WC compared with those at low risk. According to receiver-operating characteristic curves, WHtR was the best and BMI was the worst indicator of CHD risk for both sexes. For both men and women, 0·55 was the optimal cut-off point for WHtR for CHD risk.

Conclusions

BMI should not be used alone for evaluating obesity when estimating cardiometabolic risks. WHtR was found to be a successful measurement for determining cardiovascular risks. A cut-off point of ‘0·5’ can be used for categorizing WHtR in order to target people at high CHD risk for preventive actions.
Characteristics of fast-food/takeaway-food and restaurant/café-food consumers among New Zealand adults
Authors: Smith Claire , Gray Andrew Robert , Fleming Elizabeth Ann , Parnell Winsome Ruth
Published: October 2013

Objective

To investigate: (i) the percentage of the New Zealand (NZ) population reporting fast food/takeaway food and restaurant/café food per day; (ii) examine demographic factors associated with their use; (iii) quantify their contribution to energy intake; and (iv) describe the specific types of foods reported from both sources.

Design

Twenty-four hour diet recalls from the cross-sectional 2008/09 NZ Adult Nutrition Survey were used to identify fast-food and restaurant-food consumers.

Setting

NZ households.

Subjects

Adults aged 15 years and older (n4721).

Results

Overall 28 % reported consuming at least one fast food and 14 % a restaurant food within the 24 h diet recall. Fast-food consumption was not associated with level of education or an area-based measure of socio-economic status, but a higher education was positively associated with restaurant-food consumption. Individual factors such as ethnicity, household size, age, sex and marital status were found to be important influences on the use of fast food and restaurant food. Fast-food consumption was more prevalent among participants living in urban areas, young adults (19–30 years) and Māori compared with NZ European and Others. The most frequently reported fast foods were bread-based dishes, potatoes (including fries) and non-alcoholic beverages.

Conclusions

Given the high reported consumption of fast food by young adults, health promotion initiatives both to improve the nutritional quality of fast-food menus and to encourage healthier food choices would likely make a large impact on the overall diet quality of this group.
Osmium Tetroxide Labeling of (Poly)Methyl Methacrylate Corrosion Casts for Enhancement of Micro-CT Microvascular Imaging
Authors: Mondy William L. , Casteleyn Christophe , Loo Denis V. , Raja Muthkrishna , Singleton Christopher , Jacot Jeffrey G.
Published: October 2013

In order to enhance micro-computer tomography (micro-CT) imaging of corrosion casts of fine vasculature, metals can be added to the casting resin before perfusion. However, perfused metals lead to vasoconstriction or vessel damage resulting in nonphysiologic vascular casts. A novel method for coating methyl methacrylate vascular casts with osmium tetroxide has been developed in order to increase micro-CT contrast without affecting the vascular structure. This technique was verified using corrosion casts of the lung vasculature of New Zealand white rabbits. Osmium tetroxide coating of methyl methacrylate vascular corrosion casts resulted in an increase in overall sample contrast that translated into an increase in the resolution of the vasculature. This method can therefore lead to increased resolution in the characterization of fine vascular structures.
Multi-Scale Correlative Microscopy Investigation of Both Structure and Chemistry of Deformation Twin Bundles in Fe–Mn–C Steel
Authors: Marceau Ross K.W. , Gutierrez-Urrutia Ivan , Herbig Michael , Moore Katie L. , Lozano-Perez Sergio , Raabe Dierk
Published: October 2013

A multi-scale investigation of twin bundles in Fe–22Mn–0.6C (wt%) twinning-induced plasticity steel after tensile deformation has been carried out by truly correlative means; using electron channelling contrast imaging combined with electron backscatter diffraction, high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and atom probe tomography on the exact same region of interest in the sample. It was revealed that there was no significant segregation of Mn or C to the twin boundary interfaces.
Unfolding for CHR programs
Authors: GABBRIELLI MAURIZIO , MEO MARIA CHIARA , TACCHELLA PAOLO , WIKLICKY HERBERT
Published: October 2013

Program transformation is an appealing technique which allows to improve run-time efficiency, space-consumption, and more generally to optimize a given program. Essentially, it consists of a sequence of syntactic program manipulations which preserves some kind of semantic equivalence. Unfolding is one of the basic operations used by most program transformation systems and consists of the replacement of a procedure call by its definition. While there is a large body of literature on the transformation and unfolding of sequential programs, very few papers have addressed this issue for concurrent languages. This paper defines an unfolding system for Constraint Handling Rules programs. We define an unfolding rule, show its correctness and discuss some conditions that can be used to delete an unfolded rule while preserving the program meaning. We also prove that, under some suitable conditions, confluence and termination are preserved by the above transformation.
Resource-Free Parenting: The Not So Curious Absence of Money in Policy Discourses of Good Parenting in the UK and Japan
Authors: Dermott Esther , Yamashita Junko
Published: October 2013

This article examines recent Japanese and UK policy recommendations on parenting practices and highlights the absence of material resources in these discussions. Parenting has gained increased prominence in recent decades. In the realm of policy, there has been an expansive shift; from a narrowly focused concern with detecting neglect and abuse to the wider project of promoting ‘good’ parenting. Focusing on advice offered in relation to education and food, we note that in both Japan and the UK the relationship between money and the ability to perform idealised parenting practices is rarely mentioned. Our comparative analysis also highlights that this silence is handled differently in the two national contexts, and we suggest that this reflects different historical interests in poverty and inequality. In Japan, parents are encouraged to undertake activities that require financial resources, but the question of how poor parents should manage is left largely unanswered: in the UK, the parenting activities given greatest attention are those that do not rely on money, meaning that poverty can be left off the positive parenting agenda.
Factors affecting crop diversity in farmers' fields in Nepal
Authors: Pandey Sushil
Published: October 2013

A study was conducted on the spatial dimension of crop diversity in Jutpani Village Development Committee (VDC) in central Nepal. Many crop diversity studies focus only on home gardens, but this study aimed to investigate the crop diversity among different production systems, and the factors affecting variations in the crop diversity on a household level. A survey of inter-household variation in cultivated crop diversity in different land-use types among 134 households indicates that 96 different types of annual crops, perennial crops and fruit trees are cultivated. Individual farms cultivated an average of 26 different crops, with this number ranging from 11 to 45. Crops were used as food by the households and, based on their adaptive characters, they were grown either in home gardens or in upland, Tandikhet and lowland. Research showed that home gardens have the highest crop diversity (a total of 78 different crops grown) compared to upland, Tandikhet and lowland. Statistical analysis to understand the factors affecting the variation in crop diversity in the household level showed that the total number of crops grown (crop diversity) on a farm is significantly higher (P<0.001) in the Indo-Aryan ethnic group compared to the Tibeto-Burman group. Farmers with three different production domains maintained higher (P<0.001) crop diversity compared to having only one or two production domains. Poor farmers with small land holdings were associated with higher crop diversity (P<0.001) compared to rich farmers with large land holdings. Therefore, planning for agrobiodiversity management should focus on the production systems, and social and economic settings within the farming community.
Progranulin does not inhibit TNF and lymphotoxin‐α signalling through TNF receptor 1
Authors: Etemadi Nima , Webb Andrew , Bankovacki Aleksandra , Silke John , Nachbur Ueli
Published: October 2013

Progranulin (proepithelin, granulin precursor) has been recently suggested to exhibit anti‐inflammatory properties by directly binding to tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptors and thereby inhibiting TNF signalling by Tang et al. This finding was challenged by Chen et al. and no interaction between progranulin and TNF receptor (TNFR) 1 or 2 was observed. We tested the ability of recombinant progranulin from different commercial sources to inhibit TNF‐ or lymphotoxin‐α‐induced signalling through TNFR1. We observed that progranulin does not affect signalling and cell death induction downstream of TNF or lymphotoxin‐α. Our results suggest that the anti‐inflammatory role of progranulin is not mediated through direct inhibition of TNFR1.
A negative genetic interaction map in isogenic cancer cell lines reveals cancer cell vulnerabilities
Authors: Vizeacoumar Franco J , Arnold Roland , Vizeacoumar Frederick S , Chandrashekhar Megha , Buzina Alla , Young Jordan T F , Kwan Julian H M , Sayad Azin , Mero Patricia , Lawo Steffen , Tanaka Hiromasa , Brown Kevin R , Baryshnikova Anastasia , Mak Anthony B , Fedyshyn Yaroslav , Wang Yadong , Brito Glauber C , Kasimer Dahlia , Makhnevych Taras , Ketela Troy , Datti Alessandro , Babu Mohan , Emili Andrew , Pelletier Laurence , Wrana Jeff , Wainberg Zev , Kim Philip M , Rottapel Robert , O'Brien Catherine A , Andrews Brenda , Boone Charles , Moffat Jason
Published: October 2013

Improved efforts are necessary to define the functional product of cancer mutations currently being revealed through large‐scale sequencing efforts. Using genome‐scale pooled shRNA screening technology, we mapped negative genetic interactions across a set of isogenic cancer cell lines and confirmed hundreds of these interactions in orthogonal co‐culture competition assays to generate a high‐confidence genetic interaction network of differentially essential or differential essentiality (DiE) genes. The network uncovered examples of conserved genetic interactions, densely connected functional modules derived from comparative genomics with model systems data, functions for uncharacterized genes in the human genome and targetable vulnerabilities. Finally, we demonstrate a general applicability of DiE gene signatures in determining genetic dependencies of other non‐isogenic cancer cell lines. For example, the PTEN−/− DiE genes reveal a signature that can preferentially classify PTEN‐dependent genotypes across a series of non‐isogenic cell lines derived from the breast, pancreas and ovarian cancers. Our reference network suggests that many cancer vulnerabilities remain to be discovered through systematic derivation of a network of differentially essential genes in an isogenic cancer cell model.
Temporal control of self‐organized pattern formation without morphogen gradients in bacteria
Authors: Payne Stephen , Li Bochong , Cao Yangxiaolu , Schaeffer David , Ryser Marc D , You Lingchong
Published: October 2013

Diverse mechanisms have been proposed to explain biological pattern formation. Regardless of their specific molecular interactions, the majority of these mechanisms require morphogen gradients as the spatial cue, which are either predefined or generated as a part of the patterning process. However, using Escherichia coli programmed by a synthetic gene circuit, we demonstrate here the generation of robust, self‐organized ring patterns of gene expression in the absence of an apparent morphogen gradient. Instead of being a spatial cue, the morphogen serves as a timing cue to trigger the formation and maintenance of the ring patterns. The timing mechanism enables the system to sense the domain size of the environment and generate patterns that scale accordingly. Our work defines a novel mechanism of pattern formation that has implications for understanding natural developmental processes.
Integrated Solid/Nanoporous Copper/Oxide Hybrid Bulk Electrodes for High-performance Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Hou Chao , Lang Xing-You , Han Gao-Feng , Li Ying-Qi , Zhao Lei , Wen Zi , Zhu Yong-Fu , Zhao Ming , Li Jian-Chen , Lian Jian-She , Jiang Qing
Published: October 2013

Nanoarchitectured electroactive materials can boost rates of Li insertion/extraction, showing genuine potential to increase power output of Li-ion batteries. However, electrodes assembled with low-dimensional nanostructured transition metal oxides by conventional approach suffer from dramatic reductions in energy capacities owing to sluggish ion and electron transport kinetics. Here we report that flexible bulk electrodes, made of three-dimensional bicontinuous nanoporous Cu/MnO2 hybrid and seamlessly integrated with Cu solid current collector, substantially optimizes Li storage behavior of the constituent MnO2. As a result of the unique integration of solid/nanoporous hybrid architecture that simultaneously enhances the electron transport of MnO2, facilitates fast ion diffusion and accommodates large volume changes on Li insertion/extraction of MnO2, the supported MnO2 exhibits a stable capacity of as high as ~1100 mA h g−1 for 1000 cycles and ultrahigh charge/discharge rates. It makes the environmentally friendly and low-cost electrode as a promising anode for high-performance Li-ion battery applications.
Macrophages lift off surface-bound bacteria using a filopodium-lamellipodium hook-and-shovel mechanism
Authors: Möller Jens , Lühmann Tessa , Chabria Mamta , Hall Heike , Vogel Viola
Published: October 2013

To clear pathogens from host tissues or biomaterial surfaces, phagocytes have to break the adhesive bacteria-substrate interactions. Here we analysed the mechanobiological process that enables macrophages to lift-off and phagocytose surface-bound Escherichia coli (E. coli). In this opsonin-independent process, macrophage filopodia hold on to the E. coli fimbriae long enough to induce a local protrusion of a lamellipodium. Specific contacts between the macrophage and E. coli are formed via the glycoprotein CD48 on filopodia and the adhesin FimH on type 1 fimbriae (hook). We show that bacterial detachment from surfaces occurrs after a lamellipodium has protruded underneath the bacterium (shovel), thereby breaking the multiple bacterium-surface interactions. After lift-off, the bacterium is engulfed by a phagocytic cup. Force activated catch bonds enable the long-term survival of the filopodium-fimbrium interactions while soluble mannose inhibitors and CD48 antibodies suppress the contact formation and thereby inhibit subsequent E. coli phagocytosis.
Ultrafast optical control using the Kerr nonlinearity in hydrogenated amorphous silicon microcylindrical resonators
Authors: Vukovic N. , Healy N. , Suhailin F. H. , Mehta P. , Day T. D. , Badding J. V. , Peacock A. C.
Published: October 2013

Microresonators are ideal systems for probing nonlinear phenomena at low thresholds due to their small mode volumes and high quality (Q) factors. As such, they have found use both for fundamental studies of light-matter interactions as well as for applications in areas ranging from telecommunications to medicine. In particular, semiconductor-based resonators with large Kerr nonlinearities have great potential for high speed, low power all-optical processing. Here we present experiments to characterize the size of the Kerr induced resonance wavelength shifting in a hydrogenated amorphous silicon resonator and demonstrate its potential for ultrafast all-optical modulation and switching. Large wavelength shifts are observed for low pump powers due to the high nonlinearity of the amorphous silicon material and the strong mode confinement in the microcylindrical resonator. The threshold energy for switching is less than a picojoule, representing a significant step towards advantageous low power silicon-based photonic technologies.
Both High Reliability and Giant Electrocaloric Strength in BaTiO3 Ceramics
Authors: Bai Yang , Han Xi , Zheng Xiu-Cheng , Qiao Lijie
Published: October 2013

BaTiO3 has a giant electrocaloric strength, |ΔT|/|ΔE|, because of a large latent heat and a sharp phase transition. The electrocaloric strength of a new single crystal, as giant as 0.48 K·cm/kV, is twice larger than the previous best result, but it remarkably decreased to 0.18 K·cm/kV after several times of thermal cycles accompanied by alternating electric fields, because the field-induced phase transition and domain switching resulted in numerous defects such as microcracks. The ceramics prepared from nano-sized powders showed a high electrocaloric strength of 0.14 K·cm/kV, comparable to the single crystals experienced electrocaloric cycles, because of its unique microstructure after proper sintering process. Moreover, its properties did not change under the combined effects of thermal cycles and alternating electric fields, i.e. it has both large electrocaloric effect and good reliability, which are desirable for practical applications.
Impact of ICT-Enabled Product and Process Innovations at the Bottom of the Pyramid: A Market Separations Perspective
Authors: Tarafdar Monideepa , Singh Ramendra , Anekal Prashanth
Published: October 2013

Innovations in products and processes enabled by ICT such as mobile phones and the Internet constitute a rapidly emerging means of market development at the Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP), which consists of people who earn less than US$2 a day. However, these ICT-enabled market development efforts have not always yielded positive developmental outcomes, in part because market development is hindered by remote location and geographic dispersion of BOP communities, their low and uncertain incomes, and informal local markets having exploitative intermediaries. These conditions imply that BOP consumers and producers are ‘separated’ from marketers and customers, respectively, through physical distance, lack of financial ability, and information asymmetry. The paper examines the question: How do ICT innovations in products and processes impact development at the BOP? Drawing perspectives from the information systems (IS) and marketing literatures, we analyze how and why ICT-enabled innovations in products and processes deployed for market development at the BOP, enable developmental outcomes through reduction of market separations. Analyzing qualitative data gathered from interviews with 33 respondents in India, including BOP individuals, social entrepreneurs, and managers from private organizations, we find that ICT-enabled product and process innovations do have the potential to reduce four types of separations that ‘disconnect’ BOP consumers (producers) from marketers (customers). However, situated social conditions influence the impact of ICT innovations on reduction of separations. The reduction of separations leads to developmental outcomes at the BOP. Implications of our findings for theory, practice, and policy are discussed.
Photo-induced doping and strain in exfoliated graphene
Authors: Alexeev E. , Moger J. , Hendry E.
Published: October 2013

The modification of single layer graphene due to intense, picoseconds near-infrared laser pulses is investigated. We monitor the stable changes introduced to graphene upon photoexcitation using Raman spectroscopy. We find that photoexcitation leads to both a local increase in hole doping and a reduction in compressive strain. Possible explanations for these effects, due to photo-induced oxygenation and photo-induced buckling of the graphene, are discussed.
Photoinduced work function modifications and their effect on photoelectron spectroscopy
Authors: Wegkamp Daniel , Meyer Michael , Richter Clemens , Wolf Martin , Stähler Julia
Published: October 2013

We investigate the effect of a spatially varying work function on photoemission experiments. It is demonstrated that a photoinduced work function change when probed by ultraviolet and two-photon photoemission spectroscopy can have pronounced effects on photoemission spectra. These effects are simulated by a simple model that reproduces the data remarkably well and allows for quantitative interpretation of the modified low energy region of the photoemission spectra. These findings are highly relevant when discussing work function determinations by photoemission spectroscopy and moreover may have substantial impact on the energy level alignment of molecule-metal or -semiconductor interfaces.