bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is Regional Planning Dead or Just Coping? The Transformation of a State Sociospatial Project into Growth-Oriented Strategies
Authors: Galland Daniel
Published: June 2012

How is regional planning transformed in increasingly changing socioeconomic and political contexts? How are regional planning policies and practices ultimately shaped and why? With this paper, the author proposes and applies an analytical model based on notions of state theory, state spatial selectivity, new planning spaces, and policy discourses to examine how regional planning has evolved in the course of the past four or so decades. On the basis of an analysis concerned with the history and evolution of Danish regional planning, he argues that regional planning has shifted away from being a sociospatial and welfarist state project towards being a domain characterised by growth-oriented strategies that stand for neoliberal political agendas. In examining this process the author suggests that hierarchical forms of governance and the statutory mechanisms embedded within them have been largely substituted by emerging soft spaces of governance and flexible policies intended to destabilise formal planning arenas. Finally, he discusses the fact that the ‘classical–modernist’ steering role of regional planning that once sought to tackle socioeconomic disparities has been replaced by a facilitating role that promotes competitiveness through growth-oriented policy instruments.
Molecular Metal Oxide Cluster-Surface Modified Titanium(IV) Dioxide Photocatalysts
Authors: Nolan Michael , Iwaszuk Anna , Tada Hiroaki
Published: June 2012

The surface modification of TiO2 with molecular sized metal oxide clusters has recently been shown to be a promising approach for providing TiO2 with visible-light activity and/or improved UV activity. This short review summarizes the effects of the surface modification of TiO2 with the oxides of iron and tin selected from d- and p-blocks, respectively, on the photocatalytic activity. Fe(acac)3 and [Sn(acac)2]Cl2 chemisorption on the TiO2 surface occurs by ligand-exchange and ion-exchange, respectively. Taking advantage of the strong adsorption, we formed extremely small metal oxide clusters on TiO2 by the chemisorption–calcination cycle (CCC) technique with their loading amount strictly controlled. The iron oxide surface modification of P-25 (anatase/rutile = 4 : 1, w/w, Degussa) gives rise to a high level of visible-light activity and a concomitant increase in the UV-light activity for the degradation of model organic pollutants. On the other hand, only the UV-light activity is increased by the tin oxide surface modification of ST-01 (anatase, Ishihara Sangyo). This striking difference can be rationalized on the basis of the material characterization and DFT calculations, which show that FeOx surface modification of rutile leads to visible-light activity, while SnO2-modified anatase enhances only the UV-light activity. We propose the mechanisms behind the FeOx and SnO2 surface modification, where the surface-to-bulk and bulk-to-surface interfacial electron transfer are taken into account in the former and the latter, respectively.
Enhanced Water Splitting on Thin-film Hematite Photoanodes Functionalized with Lithographically Fabricated Au Nanoparticles
Authors: Iandolo Beniamino , Zäch Michael
Published: June 2012

Iron oxide in its crystalline form (hematite, α-Fe2O3) is an interesting candidate as a photoanode material for photoelectrochemical cells, in spite of its non-optimal optoelectronic properties. We report here on the beneficial effect of Au nanodisks on the photocurrent of α-Fe2O3. Photoanodes consisting of ultra-thin α-Fe2O3 films lithographically functionalized with Au nanodisks of varying size were characterized and tested. We found a significant increase in photocurrent for the functionalized samples. The highest increase in incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency is roughly one order of magnitude compared with a reference sample without Au nanodisks and was found for incident light of 420 nm in wavelength. A detailed understanding of the phenomena underlying such an increase in efficiency is crucial to fully exploit the beneficial effect of the metallic nanostructures. This would contribute to make Fe2O3 more competitive in the race for the development of a commercially viable device for water splitting.
Preparation and Characterization of Catalysts for Clean Energy: A Challenge for X-rays and Electrons
Authors: Hocking Rosalie K. , Chang Shery L. Y. , MacFarlane Douglas R. , Spiccia Leone
Published: June 2012

One of the most promising approaches to addressing the challenges of securing cheap and renewable energy sources is to design catalysts from earth abundant materials capable of promoting key chemical reactions including splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen (2H2O → 2H2 + O2) as well as both the oxidation (H2 → 2H+) and reduction (2H+ → H2) of hydrogen. Key to elucidating the origin of catalytic activity and improving catalyst design is determining molecular-level structure, in both the ‘resting state’ and in the functioning ‘active state’ of the catalysts. Herein, we explore some of the analytical challenges important for designing and studying new catalytic materials for making and using hydrogen. We discuss a case study that used the combined approach of X-ray absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy to understand the fate of the molecular cluster, [Mn4O4L6]+, in Nafion.
Structure, Dynamics, and Function in the Major Light-Harvesting Complex of Photosystem II
Authors: Schlau-Cohen Gabriela S. , Fleming Graham R.
Published: June 2012

In natural light-harvesting systems, pigment-protein complexes (PPC) convert sunlight to chemical energy with near unity quantum efficiency. PPCs exhibit emergent properties that cannot be simply extrapolated from knowledge of their component parts. In this Perspective, we examine the design principles of PPCs, focussing on the major light-harvesting complex of Photosystem II (LHCII), the most abundant PPC in green plants. Studies using two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) provide an incisive tool to probe the electronic, energetic, and spatial landscapes that enable the efficiency observed in photosynthetic light-harvesting. Using the information about energy transfer pathways, quantum effects, and excited state geometry contained within 2D spectra, the excited state properties can be linked back to the molecular structure. This understanding of the structure-function relationships of natural systems constitutes a step towards a blueprint for the construction of artificial light-harvesting devices that can reproduce the efficacy of natural systems.
Towards Hydrogen Energy: Progress on Catalysts for Water Splitting
Authors: Swiegers Gerhard F. , MacFarlane Douglas R. , Officer David L. , Ballantyne Amy , Boskovic Danijel , Chen Jun , Dismukes G. Charles , Gardner Graeme P. , Hocking Rosalie K. , Smith Paul F. , Spiccia Leone , Wagner Pawel , Wallace Gordon G. , Winther-Jensen Bjorn , Winther-Jensen Orawan
Published: June 2012

This article reviews some of the recent work by fellows and associates of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES) at Monash University and the University of Wollongong, as well as their collaborators, in the field of water oxidation and reduction catalysts. This work is focussed on the production of hydrogen for a hydrogen-based energy technology. Topics include: (1) the role and apparent relevance of the cubane-like structure of the Photosystem II Water Oxidation Complex (PSII-WOC) in non-biological homogeneous and heterogeneous water oxidation catalysts, (2) light-activated conducting polymer catalysts for both water oxidation and reduction, and (3) porphyrin-based light harvesters and catalysts.
A New Quinoxalinyl-Substituted Nitronyl Nitroxide Radical and its Five-Spin CuII and Four-Spin MnII Complexes: Syntheses, Crystal Structures, and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Wang Chao , Ma Yue , Wang Yali , Wang Qinglun , Li Licun , Cheng Peng , Liao Daizheng
Published: June 2012

A new radical of QNXL-2NIT (1) (QNXL-2NIT = 2-(2-quinoxalinyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-imidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide) and its complexes [Cu(hfac)2]3(QNXL-2NIT)2·2CHCl3 (2) and [Mn(hfac)2]2(QNXL-2NIT)2 (3) (hfac = 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexfluoroacetylacetone) were first reasonably designed and synthesised in this paper. The X-ray structure determination revealed that by introducing the quinoxalinyl ring group to the nitronyl nitroxide radical, QNXL-2NIT affords more coordination sites for metal ions. We successfully obtained its copper complex with linear tri-nuclear five-spin structure. However, when we substituted MnII as the central metal, complex 3 exhibits a rectangle-like four-spin framework containing two MnII ions and two radicals in one molecule. The magnetic study of the two complexes shows that there are strong antiferromagnetic interactions between the radical and the terminal CuII ions with g = 2.25, J = –291.67 cm–1 and zJ′ = –0.25 cm–1 and the dominating interactions between the MnII ion and the radical in complex 3 are also antiferromagnetic with the parameters of g = 1.99, J 1 = –77.00 cm–1 and J 2 = 0.34 cm–1.
Novel Phosphopeptides as Surface-Active Agents in Iron Nanoparticle Synthesis
Authors: Peltier Raoul , Siah Wai Ruu , Williams Grant V. M. , Brimble Margaret A. , Tilley Richard D. , Williams David E.
Published: June 2012

We report the dramatic effect of rationally-designed phosphopeptides on the size and shape of iron-iron oxide core-shell nanoparticles prepared in a one-pot synthesis by sodium borohydride reduction of an iron salt. These phosphopeptides are effective at small ratios of peptide to metal, in contrast to the behaviour of conventional capping agents, which must be added at high concentration to control the particle growth.
Greenhouse gas emissions profile for 1 tonne of wheat produced in Central Zone (East) New South Wales: a life cycle assessment approach
Authors: Brock Philippa , Madden Patrick , Schwenke Graeme , Herridge David
Published: June 2012

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has become an increasingly common approach across different industries, including agriculture, for environmental impact assessment. A single-issue LCA focusing on greenhouse gas emissions was conducted to determine the emissions profile and total carbon footprint of wheat produced in the Central Zone (East) of New South Wales. Greenhouse gas emissions (in carbon dioxide equivalents; CO2-e) from all stages of the production process, both pre-farm and on-farm, were included. Total emissions were found to be 200 kg CO2-e per t of wheat at the farm gate, based on a 3.5 t/ha grain yield. The relative contribution of greenhouse gas emissions from different components of the production system was determined, with most emissions (37%) coming from pre-farm production and transport of fertiliser (30%) and lime (7%) and from the nitrous oxide (N2O) emitted from the nitrogenous fertiliser applied to the crop (26%). Other important emissions included the CO2 emissions from the use of fertiliser and lime (15%) and the production, transport and use of diesel (16%). The relative importance of other minor emissions is also discussed. For a higher yielding crop (5.0 t/ha), total emissions were found to be 150 kg CO2-e per t of wheat. This paper considers the effect of different management scenarios on the emissions profile and the effect of adopting a N2O emissions factor, which is based on current New South Wales field research, rather than the current Australian National Greenhouse Accounts National Inventory Report default value. This LCA provides a template from which comparative farming systems LCA can be developed and provides data for the Australian Life Cycle Inventory.
Drought-tolerance indices in a tall fescue population and its polycross progenies
Authors: Ebrahimiyan Maryam , Majidi Mohammad Mahdi , Mirlohi Aghafakhr , Gheysari Mahdi
Published: June 2012

Development of drought-tolerant cultivars is hampered by a lack of effective selection criteria. In this research, drought tolerance of 75 genotypes of tall fescue in three sets (25 parental, 25 early, 25 late-flowering progenies) was evaluated under no soil moisture stress and soil moisture stress in the field during 2009 and 2010. Five drought-tolerance indices were calculated: stress tolerance (TOL), mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), stress susceptibility index (SSI), and stress tolerance index (STI). These calculations were based on forage yield (dry matter basis) under drought (Ys) and non-drought (Yp) conditions. Soil moisture stress caused significant reduction in forage yield. Considerable genetic variation for drought tolerance was found among genotypes. A moderately high relationship was found between Yp and Ys using regression analysis, with a clear relationship in the second year. Indices GMP and STI were found to be valuable aids in the selection of drought-tolerant, high-yielding genotypes. Plots of the first and second principal components identified drought-tolerant genotypes in each set. Results indicated that selection for drought-tolerant genotypes should be planned separately for first year (establishment stage) and second year (productive stage) in tall fescue.
Selection for late flowering and greater number of basal branches increases the leaf dry matter yield in Melilotus albus Desr.
Authors: Zabala J. M. , Schrauf G. , Baudracco J. , Giavedoni J. , Quaino O. , Rush P.
Published: June 2012

Melilotus albus is recognised as an important source of forage for ruminant animals in rangelands, particularly some of the germplasm of Melilotus collected in Argentina. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of 2 years of selection in M. albus for late flowering and branching on forage yield in a 2-year field plot experiment and to evaluate the effects of selection for late flowering on photoperiodic requirements in a 1-year pot experiment under natural and artificial lighting conditions. Three populations were evaluated, namely original population (T), a population selected for late flowering and greater number of basal branches (ET1), and a population selected only for late-flowering plants (ET2).
The field plot experiment showed that total DM yield per year was higher for ET1 and T than for ET2 in Year 1 and higher for ET1 than T and ET2 in Year 2. Relative leaf yield was higher for ET1 and ET2 than for T in both years. Leaf number was greater for ET1 than for ET2 and T in both years. The number of new basal and total branches was greater in ET1 than in ET2 and T for both years.
The pot experiment showed that days to flowering, calculated as the average of natural and artificial lighting treatments, were higher in ET2 and ET1 (83.4 days ± 15 and 72.8 days ± 19, respectively), than in T (61.2 days ± 21). Supplementary lighting reduced days to flowering compared with natural lighting conditions for all populations (58.7 days ± 13 v. 86.1 days ± 12).
Results showed that 2 years of selection proved to be efficient in breeding for late flowering and greater number of basal branches in M. albus. The longer vegetative stage observed in the improved populations can be explained by the selection of plants which require a longer photoperiod to flower. Selection for late flowering and greater number of basal branches resulted in a population with more leaves and higher relative leaf yield.
The storage protein activator gene Spa-B1 and grain quality traits in southern Australian wheat breeding programs
Authors: Eagles H. A. , Cane Karen , Appelbee Marie , Kuchel Haydn , Eastwood R. F. , Martin P. J.
Published: June 2012

Grain quality is an important determinant of market value of wheat in southern Australia and in many other parts of the world. Identification of the genes that influence grain quality traits and estimation of effects of alleles of these genes can improve the effectiveness of wheat breeding. An efficient method for estimating the effects of alleles of recently discovered genes is to use mixed-model analyses in large plant breeding datasets that have already been characterised for previously known genes. We used this method to estimate the effects of two alleles of Spa-B1, a storage protein activator gene that is linked to Glu-B1, on grain quality traits. Alleles of the two genes tracked together as haplotypes for generations, but recombination events were identified. These recombination events were used to enhance confidence in identification of the alleles. The effects of the alleles of Spa-B1 were small and statistically not significant for all of the grain quality traits in our population.
Resistance of standing milkvetch (Astragalus adsurgens) varieties to Embellisia astragali
Authors: Yu B. H. , Nan Z. B. , Li Y. Z. , Lin H. L.
Published: June 2012

Yellow stunt and root rot caused by Embellisia astragali are major factors contributing to declining yields of standing milkvetch (Astragalus adsurgens). The resistance of ten varieties of standing milkvetch to E. astragali was evaluated under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. Seed germination/emergence, shoot and root length, plant dry weight, disease incidence, mortality, and disease severity index were monitored. The results show that Shanxi and Zhongsha No. 1 varieties had the best agronomic traits and lowest levels of disease in all experiments, while the varieties Neimeng and Ningxia had the highest susceptibility to disease. Germination/emergence differed significantly (P < 0.05) between varieties after inoculation, and compared with the control, germination/emergence of inoculated treatments of nine varieties decreased on average by 1.5% in laboratory experiments and by 4.1% in greenhouse experiments at 15 days after inoculation. Inoculation reduced shoot length by an average of 24.4% and 41.5% (P < 0.05) in laboratory and greenhouse experiments, respectively, in six of ten varieties. All varieties showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower plant dry weight following inoculation, with reductions ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 mg in the laboratory and from 82.6 to 149.4 mg in the greenhouse. Resistance to the pathogen was evaluated on the basis of disease incidence, a disease severity index (DSI), and mortality; varieties showing different resistance were grouped using cluster analysis. There were significant correlations between the results of laboratory and greenhouse experiments (r = 0.79; P < 0.01) and between greenhouse and field experiments (r = 0.83; P < 0.01) across all varieties. Multiple regression analysis between laboratory/greenhouse and field experiments on DSI suggested that screening in the laboratory/greenhouse could be an alternative method of rapidly estimating DSI under field conditions.
Evolving specialization of the arthropod nervous system
Authors: Jarvis Erin , Bruce Heather S. , Patel Nipam H.
Published: June 2012

The diverse array of body plans possessed by arthropods is created by generating variations upon a design of repeated segments formed during development, using a relatively small “toolbox” of conserved patterning genes. These attributes make the arthropod body plan a valuable model for elucidating how changes in development create diversity of form. As increasingly specialized segments and appendages evolved in arthropods, the nervous systems of these animals also evolved to control the function of these structures. Although there is a remarkable degree of conservation in neural development both between individual segments in any given species and between the nervous systems of different arthropod groups, the differences that do exist are informative for inferring general principles about the holistic evolution of body plans. This review describes developmental processes controlling neural segmentation and regionalization, highlighting segmentation mechanisms that create both ectodermal and neural segments, as well as recent studies of the role of Hox genes in generating regional specification within the central nervous system. We argue that this system generates a modular design that allows the nervous system to evolve in concert with the body segments and their associated appendages. This information will be useful in future studies of macroevolutionary changes in arthropod body plans, especially in understanding how these transformations can be made in a way that retains the function of appendages during evolutionary transitions in morphology.
Evolution of brains and behavior for optimal foraging: A tale of two predators
Authors: Catania Kenneth C.
Published: June 2012

Star-nosed moles and tentacled snakes have exceptional mechanosensory systems that illustrate a number of general features of nervous system organization and evolution. Star-nosed moles use the star for active touch—rapidly scanning the environment with the nasal rays. The star has the densest concentration of mechanoreceptors described for any mammal, with a central tactile fovea magnified in anatomically visible neocortical modules. The somatosensory system parallels visual system organization, illustrating general features of high-resolution sensory representations. Star-nosed moles are the fastest mammalian foragers, able to identify and eat small prey in 120 ms. Optimal foraging theory suggests that the star evolved for profitably exploiting small invertebrates in a competitive wetland environment. The tentacled snake’s facial appendages are superficially similar to the mole’s nasal rays, but they have a very different function. These snakes are fully aquatic and use tentacles for passive detection of nearby fish. Trigeminal afferents respond to water movements and project tentacle information to the tectum in alignment with vision, illustrating a general theme for the integration of different sensory modalities. Tentacled snakes act as rare enemies, taking advantage of fish C-start escape responses by startling fish toward their strike—often aiming for the future location of escaping fish. By turning fish escapes to their advantage, snakes increase strike success and reduce handling time with head-first captures. The latter may, in turn, prevent snakes from becoming prey when feeding. Findings in these two unusual predators emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for understanding the evolution of brains and behavior.
Evolution of centralized nervous systems: Two schools of evolutionary thought
Authors: Northcutt R. Glenn
Published: June 2012

Understanding the evolution of centralized nervous systems requires an understanding of metazoan phylogenetic interrelationships, their fossil record, the variation in their cephalic neural characters, and the development of these characters. Each of these topics involves comparative approaches, and both cladistic and phenetic methodologies have been applied. Our understanding of metazoan phylogeny has increased greatly with the cladistic analysis of molecular data, and relaxed molecular clocks generally date the origin of bilaterians at 600–700 Mya (during the Ediacaran). Although the taxonomic affinities of the Ediacaran biota remain uncertain, a conservative interpretation suggests that a number of these taxa form clades that are closely related, if not stem clades of bilaterian crown clades. Analysis of brain–body complexity among extant bilaterians indicates that diffuse nerve nets and possibly, ganglionated cephalic neural systems existed in Ediacaran organisms. An outgroup analysis of cephalic neural characters among extant metazoans also indicates that the last common bilaterian ancestor possessed a diffuse nerve plexus and that brains evolved independently at least four times. In contrast, the hypothesis of a tripartite brain, based primarily on phenetic analysis of developmental genetic data, indicates that the brain arose in the last common bilaterian ancestor. Hopefully, this debate will be resolved by cladistic analysis of the genomes of additional taxa and an increased understanding of character identity genetic networks.
Evolution of columns, modules, and domains in the neocortex of primates
Authors: Kaas Jon H.
Published: June 2012

The specialized regions of neocortex of mammals, called areas, have been divided into smaller functional units called minicolumns, columns, modules, and domains. Here we describe some of these functional subdivisions of areas in primates and suggest when they emerged in mammalian evolution. We distinguish several types of these smaller subdivisions. Minicolumns, vertical arrays of neurons that are more densely interconnected with each other than with laterally neighboring neurons, are present in all cortical areas. Classic columns are defined by a repeating pattern of two or more types of cortex distinguished by having different inputs and neurons with different response properties. Sensory stimuli that continuously vary along a stimulus dimension may activate groups of neurons that vary continuously in location, producing “columns” without specific boundaries. Other groups or columns of cortical neurons are separated by narrow septa of fibers that reflect discontinuities in the receptor sheet. Larger regions of posterior parietal cortex and frontal motor cortex are parts of networks devoted to producing different sequences of movements. We distinguish these larger functionally distinct regions as domains. Columns of several types have evolved independently a number of times. Some of the columns found in primates likely emerged with the first primates, whereas others likely were present in earlier ancestors. The sizes and shapes of columns seem to depend on the balance of neuron activation patterns and molecular signals during development.
Math, monkeys, and the developing brain
Authors: Cantlon Jessica F.
Published: June 2012

Thirty thousand years ago, humans kept track of numerical quantities by carving slashes on fragments of bone. It took approximately 25,000 y for the first iconic written numerals to emerge among human cultures (e.g., Sumerian cuneiform). Now, children acquire the meanings of verbal counting words, Arabic numerals, written number words, and the procedures of basic arithmetic operations, such as addition and subtraction, in just 6 y (between ages 2 and 8). What cognitive abilities enabled our ancestors to record tallies in the first place? Additionally, what cognitive abilities allow children to rapidly acquire the formal mathematics knowledge that took our ancestors many millennia to invent? Current research aims to discover the origins and organization of numerical information in humans using clues from child development, the organization of the human brain, and animal cognition.
Human brain evolution: From gene discovery to phenotype discovery
Authors: Preuss Todd M.
Published: June 2012

The rise of comparative genomics and related technologies has added important new dimensions to the study of human evolution. Our knowledge of the genes that underwent expression changes or were targets of positive selection in human evolution is rapidly increasing, as is our knowledge of gene duplications, translocations, and deletions. It is now clear that the genetic differences between humans and chimpanzees are far more extensive than previously thought; their genomes are not 98% or 99% identical. Despite the rapid growth in our understanding of the evolution of the human genome, our understanding of the relationship between genetic changes and phenotypic changes is tenuous. This is true even for the most intensively studied gene,FOXP2, which underwent positive selection in the human terminal lineage and is thought to have played an important role in the evolution of human speech and language. In part, the difficulty of connecting genes to phenotypes reflects our generally poor knowledge of human phenotypic specializations, as well as the difficulty of interpreting the consequences of genetic changes in species that are not amenable to invasive research. On the positive side, investigations ofFOXP2, along with genomewide surveys of gene-expression changes and selection-driven sequence changes, offer the opportunity for “phenotype discovery,” providing clues to human phenotypic specializations that were previously unsuspected. What is more, at least some of the specializations that have been proposed are amenable to testing with noninvasive experimental techniques appropriate for the study of humans and apes.
A hierarchical model of the evolution of human brain specializations
Authors: Barrett H. Clark
Published: June 2012

The study of information-processing adaptations in the brain is controversial, in part because of disputes about the form such adaptations might take. Many psychologists assume that adaptations come in two kinds, specialized and general-purpose. Specialized mechanisms are typically thought of as innate, domain-specific, and isolated from other brain systems, whereas generalized mechanisms are developmentally plastic, domain-general, and interactive. However, if brain mechanisms evolve through processes of descent with modification, they are likely to be heterogeneous, rather than coming in just two kinds. They are likely to be hierarchically organized, with some design features widely shared across brain systems and others specific to particular processes. Also, they are likely to be largely developmentally plastic and interactive with other brain systems, rather than canalized and isolated. This article presents a hierarchical model of brain specialization, reviewing evidence for the model from evolutionary developmental biology, genetics, brain mapping, and comparative studies. Implications for the search for uniquely human traits are discussed, along with ways in which conventional views of modularity in psychology may need to be revised.
To flock or fight: Neurochemical signatures of divergent life histories in sparrows
Authors: Goodson James L. , Wilson Leah C. , Schrock Sara E.
Published: June 2012

Many bird species exhibit dramatic seasonal switches between territoriality and flocking, but whereas neuroendocrine mechanisms of territorial aggression have been extensively studied, those of seasonal flocking are unknown. We collected brains in spring and winter from male field sparrows (Spizella pusilla), which seasonally flock, and male song sparrows (Melospiza melodia), which are territorial year-round in much of their range. Spring collections were preceded by field-based assessments of aggression. Tissue series were immunofluorescently multilabeled for vasotocin, mesotocin (MT), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, tyrosine hydroxylase, and aromatase, and labeling densities were measured in many socially relevant brain areas. Extensive seasonal differences are shared by both species. Many measures correlate significantly with both individual and species differences in aggression, likely reflecting evolved mechanisms that differentiate the less aggressive field sparrow from the more aggressive song sparrow. Winter-specific species differences include a substantial increase of MT and CRH immunoreactivity in the dorsal lateral septum (LS) and medial amygdala of field sparrows but not song sparrows. These species differences likely relate to flocking rather than the suppression of winter aggression in field sparrows, because similar winter differences were found for two other emberizids that are not territorial in winter—dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), which seasonally flock, and eastern towhees (Pipilo erythropthalmus), which do not flock. MT signaling in the dorsal LS is also associated with year-round species differences in grouping in estrildid finches, suggesting that common mechanisms are targeted during the evolution of different life histories.
In vitro selection of a peptide antagonist of growth hormone secretagogue receptor using cDNA display
Authors: Ueno Shingo , Yoshida Sayaka , Mondal Anupom , Nishina Kazuya , Koyama Makoto , Sakata Ichiro , Miura Kenju , Hayashi Yujiro , Nemoto Naoto , Nishigaki Koichi , Sakai Takafumi
Published: June 2012

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are major drug targets, and their ligands are currently being explored and developed by many pharmaceutical companies and independent researchers. Class A (rhodopsin-like) GPCRs compose a predominant GPCR family; therefore, class A GPCR ligands are in demand. Growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) is a class A GPCR that stimulates food intake by binding to its peptide ligand, ghrelin. Therefore, antagonists of GHS-R are expected to exert antiobesity function. In this article, we describe the use of cDNA display to screen for successfully and identify an antagonistic peptide of GHS-R. The antagonistic peptide inhibited the ghrelin-induced increase in intracellular Ca
2+
in vitro (IC
50
 = approximately 10 μM) and repressed the contraction of isolated animal stomach in response to ghrelin. Furthermore, peripheral administration of the peptide inhibited the food intake of mice. This work provides new insight into the development of antiobesity drugs and describes a method for the discovery of unique peptide ligands for class A GPCRs.
Rainfall-induced carbon dioxide pulses result from sequential resuscitation of phylogenetically clustered microbial groups
Authors: Placella Sarah A. , Brodie Eoin L. , Firestone Mary K.
Published: June 2012

The pulse of carbon dioxide (CO2) resulting from the first rainfall after the dry summer in Mediterranean ecosystems is so large that it is well documented at the landscape scale, with the CO2released in a few days comparable in magnitude to the annual net carbon exchange of many terrestrial ecosystems. Although the origin of this CO2is debated, we show that the pulse of CO2is produced by a three-step resuscitation of the indigenous microbial community. Specific phylogenetic groups of microorganisms activate and contribute to the CO2pulse at different times after a simulation of the first rainfall following the severe summer drought. Differential resuscitation was evident within 1 h of wet-up, with three primary response strategies apparent according to patterns of relative ribosomal quantity. Most bacteria could be classified as rapid responders (within 1 h of wet-up), intermediate responders (between 3 and 24 h after wet-up), or delayed responders (24–72 h after wet-up). Relative ribosomal quantities of rapid responders were as high in the prewet dry soils as at any other time, suggesting that specific groups of organisms may be poised to respond to the wet-up event, in that they preserve their capacity to synthesize proteins rapidly. Microbial response patterns displayed phylogenetic clustering and were primarily conserved at the subphylum level, suggesting that resuscitation strategies after wet-up of dry soil may be a phylogenetically conserved ecological trait.
Integration of faces and vocalizations in ventral prefrontal cortex: Implications for the evolution of audiovisual speech
Authors: Romanski Lizabeth M.
Published: June 2012

The integration of facial gestures and vocal signals is an essential process in human communication and relies on an interconnected circuit of brain regions, including language regions in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Studies have determined that ventral prefrontal cortical regions in macaques [e.g., the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC)] share similar cytoarchitectonic features as cortical areas in the human IFG, suggesting structural homology. Anterograde and retrograde tracing studies show that macaque VLPFC receives afferents from the superior and inferior temporal gyrus, which provide complex auditory and visual information, respectively. Moreover, physiological studies have shown that single neurons in VLPFC integrate species-specific face and vocal stimuli. Although bimodal responses may be found across a wide region of prefrontal cortex, vocalization responsive cells, which also respond to faces, are mainly found in anterior VLPFC. This suggests that VLPFC may be specialized to process and integrate social communication information, just as the IFG is specialized to process and integrate speech and gestures in the human brain.
Distribution of U.S. Atlantic Salmon Postsmolts in the Gulf of Maine
Authors: Lacroix Gilles L. , Knox Derek , Sheehan Timothy F. , Renkawitz Mark D. , Bartron Meredith L.
Published: June 2012

Atlantic salmon Salmo salar of U.S. hatchery origin were captured as postsmolts by surface trawling during spatial surveys in late May to mid‐June in the northeastern Gulf of Maine in 2002 and 2003. Most marked and unmarked postsmolts were from the Penobscot River, but some were also from the Dennys and other rivers of the Gulf of Maine. The capture rate of stocked smolts was very low (≤0.01%), and it was highest for marked smolts from known rivers and proportional to numbers stocked. Marked postsmolts were caught 16–43 d after their release as smolts and 89–240 km from their river of origin. The rate of migration from different rivers differed and varied annually, and it accounted for some of the observed differences in capture rate. The weight of postsmolts from known rivers was greater than at smolt stocking and river exit, indicating early marine growth. The distribution of U.S. postsmolts from different rivers was similar, and they were often caught together, as were those from the same river. As a result of this close association during migration, postsmolt catches were aggregated at a few adjacent locations in several areas of the Gulf of Maine. Postsmolts crossing the Gulf of Maine were found east of Jordan Basin and most were along a corridor near shore at the eastern edge of the area surveyed along the southwest coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Postsmolts of U.S. origin were found in areas used by other salmon populations also leaving the Bay of Fundy during May and June. This seasonal occurrence in a specific coastal area provides an opportunity to manage activities within that corridor to mitigate potential losses of Atlantic salmon from endangered and threatened populations in North America.
Being ‘fun’ at work: emotional labour, class, gender and childcare
Authors: Vincent Carol , Braun Annette
Published: June 2012

This paper reports on data drawn from an Economic and Social Research Council‐funded project investigating the experiences of UK‐based students training on level‐2 and level‐3 childcare courses. We focus on the concept of emotional labour in relation to learning to care for and educate young children and the ways in which the students’ experiences of emotional labour and the expectations placed upon their behaviour and attitudes are shaped by class and gender. We consider the ways in which students are encouraged to manage their own and the children's emotions and we identify a number of ‘feeling rules’ that demarcate the vocational habitus of care work with young children. We conclude by emphasising the importance of specific contexts of employment in order to understand workers’ emotional labour and argue for more recognition of the intense demands of emotional labour in early childhood education and care work.
Describing free groups
Authors: Carson J. , Harizanov V. , Knight J. , Lange K. , McCoy C. , Morozov A. , Quinn S. , Safranski C. , Wallbaum J.
Published: June 2012

We consider countable free groups of different ranks. For these groups, we investigate computability theoretic complexity of index sets within the class of free groups and within the class of all groups. For a computable free group of infinite rank, we consider the difficulty of finding a basis.
Differential recognition of a dileucine-based sorting signal by AP-1 and AP-3 reveals a requirement for both BLOC-1 and AP-3 in delivery of OCA2 to melanosomes
Authors: Sitaram Anand , Dennis Megan K. , Chaudhuri Rittik , De Jesus-Rojas Wilfredo , Tenza Danièle , Setty Subba Rao Gangi , Wood Christopher S. , Sviderskaya Elena V. , Bennett Dorothy C. , Raposo Graça , Bonifacino Juan S. , Marks Michael S.
Published: June 2012

Cell types that generate unique lysosome-related organelles (LROs), such as melanosomes in melanocytes, populate nascent LROs with cargoes that are diverted from endosomes. Cargo sorting toward melanosomes correlates with binding via cytoplasmically exposed sorting signals to either heterotetrameric adaptor AP-1 or AP-3. Some cargoes bind both adaptors, but the relative contribution of each adaptor to cargo recognition and their functional interactions with other effectors during transport to melanosomes are not clear. Here we exploit targeted mutagenesis of the acidic dileucine–based sorting signal in the pigment cell–specific protein OCA2 to dissect the relative roles of AP-1 and AP-3 in transport to melanosomes. We show that binding to AP-1 or AP-3 depends on the primary sequence of the signal and not its position within the cytoplasmic domain. Mutants that preferentially bound either AP-1 or AP-3 each trafficked toward melanosomes and functionally complemented OCA2 deficiency, but AP-3 binding was necessary for steady-state melanosome localization. Unlike tyrosinase, which also engages AP-3 for optimal melanosomal delivery, both AP-1– and AP-3–favoring OCA2 variants required BLOC-1 for melanosomal transport. These data provide evidence for distinct roles of AP-1 and AP-3 in OCA2 transport to melanosomes and indicate that BLOC-1 can cooperate with either adaptor during cargo sorting to LROs.
Knockdown ofttc26disrupts ciliogenesis of the photoreceptor cells and the pronephros in zebrafish
Authors: Zhang Qi , Liu Qin , Austin Chrissy , Drummond Iain , Pierce Eric A.
Published: June 2012

In our effort to understand genetic disorders of the photoreceptor cells of the retina, we have focused on intraflagellar transport in photoreceptor sensory cilia. From previous mouse proteomic data we identified a cilia protein Ttc26, orthologue of dyf-13 in Caenorhabditis elegans, as a target. We localized Ttc26 to the transition zone of photoreceptor and to the transition zone of cilia in cultured murine inner medullary collecting duct 3 (mIMCD3) renal cells. Knockdown of Ttc26 in mIMCD3 cells produced shortened and defective primary cilia, as revealed by immunofluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. To study Ttc26 function in sensory cilia in vivo, we utilized a zebrafish vertebrate model system. Morpholino knockdown of ttc26 in zebrafish embryos caused ciliary defects in the pronephric kidney at 27 h postfertilization and distension/dilation of pronephros at 5 d postfertilization (dpf). In the eyes, the outer segments of photoreceptor cells appeared shortened or absent, whereas cellular lamination appeared normal in retinas at 5 dpf. This suggests that loss of ttc26 function prevents normal ciliogenesis and differentiation in the photoreceptor cells, and that ttc26 is required for normal development and differentiation in retina and pronephros. Our studies support the importance of Ttc26 function in ciliogenesis and suggest that screening for TTC26 mutations in human ciliopathies is justified.
A balance of FGF and BMP signals regulates cell cycle exit andEquarinexpression in lens cells
Authors: Jarrin Miguel , Pandit Tanushree , Gunhaga Lena
Published: June 2012

In embryonic and adult lenses, a balance of cell proliferation, cell cycle exit, and differentiation is necessary to maintain physical function. The molecular mechanisms regulating the transition of proliferating lens epithelial cells to differentiated primary lens fiber cells are poorly characterized. To investigate this question, we used gain- and loss-of-function analyses to modulate fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and/or bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signals in chick lens/retina explants. Here we show that FGF activity plays a key role for proliferation independent of BMP signals. Moreover, a balance of FGF and BMP signals regulates cell cycle exit and the expression of Ccdc80 (also called Equarin), which is expressed at sites where differentiation of lens fiber cells occurs. BMP activity promotes cell cycle exit and induces Equarin expression in an FGF-dependent manner. In contrast, FGF activity is required but not sufficient to induce cell cycle exit or Equarin expression. Furthermore, our results show that in the absence of BMP activity, lens cells have increased cell cycle length or are arrested in the cell cycle, which leads to decreased cell cycle exit. Taken together, these findings suggest that proliferation, cell cycle exit, and early differentiation of primary lens fiber cells are regulated by counterbalancing BMP and FGF signals.
Characterization of an apical ceramide-enriched compartment regulating ciliogenesis
Authors: He Qian , Wang Guanghu , Dasgupta Somsankar , Dinkins Michael , Zhu Gu , Bieberich Erhard
Published: June 2012

We show that in Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, an apical ceramide-enriched compartment (ACEC) at the base of primary cilia is colocalized with Rab11a. Ceramide and Rab11a vesicles isolated by magnetic sorting contain a highly similar profile of proteins (atypical protein kinase C [aPKC], Cdc42, Sec8, Rab11a, and Rab8) and ceramide species, suggesting the presence of a ciliogenic protein complex associated with ceramide at the ACEC. It is intriguing that C16 and C18 ceramide, although less abundant ceramide species in MDCK cells, are highly enriched in ceramide and Rab11a vesicles. Expression of a ceramide-binding but dominant-negative mutant of aPKC suppresses ciliogenesis, indicating that the association of ceramide with aPKC is critical for the formation of this complex. Our results indicate that ciliogenic ceramide is derived from apical sphingomyelin (SM) that is endocytosed and then converted to the ACEC. Consistently, inhibition of acid sphingomyelinase with imipramine disrupts ACEC formation, association of ciliogenic proteins with Rab11a vesicles, and cilium formation. Ciliogenesis is rescued by the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor trichostatin A, indicating that ceramide promotes tubulin acetylation in cilia. Taken together, our results suggest that the ACEC is a novel compartment in which SM-derived ceramide induces formation of a ciliogenic lipid–protein complex that sustains primary cilia by preventing deacetylation of microtubules.
Trafficking defects inWASH-knockout fibroblasts originate from collapsed endosomal and lysosomal networks
Authors: Gomez Timothy S. , Gorman Jacquelyn A. , Artal-Martinez de Narvajas Amaia , Koenig Alexander O. , Billadeau Daniel D.
Published: June 2012

The Arp2/3-activator Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein and Scar homologue (WASH) is suggested to regulate actin-dependent membrane scission during endosomal sorting, but its cellular roles have not been fully elucidated. To investigate WASH function, we generated tamoxifen-inducible WASH-knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts (WASHout MEFs). Of interest, although EEA1+endosomes were enlarged, collapsed, and devoid of filamentous-actin and Arp2/3 in WASHout MEFs, we did not observe elongated membrane tubules emanating from these disorganized endomembranes. However, collapsed WASHout endosomes harbored segregated subdomains, containing either retromer cargo recognition complex–associated proteins or EEA1. In addition, we observed global collapse of LAMP1+lysosomes, with some lysosomal membrane domains associated with endosomes. Both epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and transferrin receptor (TfnR) exhibited changes in steady-state cellular localization. EGFR was directed to the lysosomal compartment and exhibited reduced basal levels in WASHout MEFs. However, although TfnR was accumulated with collapsed endosomes, it recycled normally. Moreover, EGF stimulation led to efficient EGFR degradation within enlarged lysosomal structures. These results are consistent with the idea that discrete receptors differentially traffic via WASH-dependent and WASH-independent mechanisms and demonstrate that WASH-mediated F-actin is requisite for the integrity of both endosomal and lysosomal networks in mammalian cells.