bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of gecko GSK‐3β promotes elongation of neurites and oligodendrocyte processes but decreases the proliferation of blastemal cells
Authors: Wang Yingjie , Gu Qing , Dong Yingying , Zhou Weijuan , Song Honghua , Liu Yan , Liu Mei , Yuan Ying , Ding Fei , Gu Xiaosong , Wang Yongjun
Published: January 2012

GSK‐3β signaling is involved in regulation of both neuronal and glial cell functions, and interference of the signaling affects central nervous system (CNS) development and regeneration. Thus, GSK‐3β was proposed to be an important therapeutic target for promoting functional recovery of adult CNS injuries. To further clarify the regulatory function of the kinase on the CNS regeneration, we characterized gecko GSK‐3β and determined the effects of GSK‐3β inactivation on the neuronal and glial cell lines, as well as on the gecko tail (including spinal cord) regeneration. Gecko GSK‐3β shares 91.7–96.7% identity with those of other vertebrates, and presented higher expression abundance in brain and spinal cord. The kinase strongly colocalized with the oligodendrocytes while less colocalized with neurons in the spinal cord. Phosphorylated GSK‐3β (pGSK‐3β) levels decreased gradually during the normally regenerating spinal cord ranging from L13 to the 6th caudal vertebra. Lithium injection increased the pGSK‐3β levels of the corresponding spinal cord segments, and in vitro experiments on neurons and oligodendrocyte cell line revealed that the elevation of pGSK‐3β promoted elongation of neurites and oligodendrocyte processes. In the normally regenerate tails, pGSK‐3β kept stable in 2 weeks, whereas decreased at 4 weeks. Injection of lithium led to the elevation of pGSK‐3β levels time‐dependently, however destructed the regeneration of the tail including spinal cord. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) staining demonstrated that inactivation of GSK‐3β decreased the proliferation of blastemal cells. Our results suggested that species‐specific regulation of GSK‐3β was indispensable for the complete regeneration of CNS. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 1842–1851, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Overexpression of the long non‐coding RNA MEG3 impairs in vitro glioma cell proliferation
Authors: Wang Pengjun , Ren Zhongqiao , Sun Piyun
Published: January 2012

Gliomas are the most common type of primary brain tumor in the central nervous system of adults. Maternally Expressed Gene 3 (MEG3) is an imprinted gene located at 14q32 that encodes a non‐coding RNA (ncRNA) associated with tumorigenesis. However, little is known about whether and how MEG3 regulates glioma development. In the present study we assayed the expression of MEG3 in glioma tissue samples by real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay, and defined the biological functions and target genes by CCK‐8 assay, flow cytometry, and RNA immunoprecipitation. We first demonstrated that MEG3 expression was markedly decreased in glioma tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Moreover, ectopic expression of MEG3 inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis in U251 and U87 MG human glioma cell lines. We further verified that MEG3 was associated with p53 and that this association was required for p53 activation. These data suggest an important role of MEG3 in the molecular etiology of glioma and implicate the potential application of MEG3 in glioma therapy. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 1868–1874, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Human umbilical cord wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells do not transform to tumor‐associated fibroblasts in the presence of breast and ovarian cancer cells unlike bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Subramanian Arjunan , Shu‐Uin Gan , Kae‐Siang Ngo , Gauthaman Kalamegam , Biswas Arijit , Choolani Mahesh , Bongso Ariff , Chui‐Yee Fong
Published: January 2012

Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs) were shown to transform into tumor‐associated fibroblasts (TAFs) when in the vicinity of breast cancer tumors and played an important role in tumor enhancement and metastasis. In early human development MSCs migrating from the yolk sac and aorta‐gonad‐mesonephros (AGM) via the umbilical cord to the placenta and back to the fetal bone marrow were shown to get trapped in the gelatinous Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord. The common origin of the Wharton's jelly MSCs and the finally homed hBMMSCs prompted us to evaluate whether hWJSCs are also involved in TAF transformation. hWJSCs and hBMMSCs were grown in the presence of breast and ovarian cancer cell conditioned medium (MDA‐TCM, TOV‐TCM) for 30 days. No changes were observed in the hWJSCs but the hBMMSCs transformed from short to thin long fibroblasts, their proliferation rates increased and CD marker expression decreased. The transformed hBMMSCs showed positive staining for the tumor‐associated markers FSP, VEGF, EGF, and Tn‐C. Real‐time PCR and multiplex luminex bead analysis showed upregulation of TAF‐related genes (FSP, FAP, Tn‐C, Tsp‐1, EGF, bFGF, IL‐6, α‐SMA, VEGF, and TGF‐β) for hBMMSCs with low expression for hWJSCs. The luciferase assay showed that hWJSCs previously exposed to MDA‐TCM or TOV‐TCM had no stimulatory growth effect on luciferase‐tagged MDA or TOV cells unlike hBMMSCs. The results confirmed that hWJSCs do not transform to the TAF phenotype and may therefore not be associated with enhanced growth of solid tumors making them a safe MSC for cell based therapies. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 1886–1895, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Humeral head resurfacing in central bone defects: In vitro stability of different implants with increasing defect size
Authors: Kasten Philip , Neubrech Christine , Raiss Patric , Nadorf Jan , Rickert Markus , Jakubowitz Eike
Published: January 2012

We examined the rotary motions of two distinct cementless surface replacement arthroplasties of the shoulder that were implanted on humeri with central spherical bone defects of 8%, 17%, and 37% of the head volume (n = 5 each). Rotary motions were measured under a cyclic torque application and translated into relative micromotions. Implant A with a perforated central crown had micromotions < 150 µm in all bony defects and during all simulated shoulder activities. Implant B with a central tapered tri‐fin pin had no micromotions > 150 µm in defects of 0% and 8% during a strenuous activity like lifting 10 kg, but did exhibit micromotion > 150 µm in 40% of the experiments in defects of 17% and 37%, which could impair bony ingrowth. Implant B displayed a significant increase in micromotions for defects of 8% and 17% (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that implant A could be used without risk in spherical head defects up to 37% of volume, even in strenuous shoulder activities immediately after its implantation. Implant B, however, is recommended in spherical defects starting from 8% and only during light shoulder activities until bony integration of the implant has occurred. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:1285–1289, 2012
Development of a homogeneous immunoassay based on the AlphaLISA method for the detection of chloramphenicol in milk, honey and eggs
Authors: Zhang Yi , Huang Biao , Zhang Jue , Wang Ke , Jin Jian
Published: January 2012

BACKGROUND: A homogenous light‐induced chemiluminescence immunoassay was developed using AlphaLISA technology for the detection of chloramphenicol (CAP). This technology is based on two different kinds of bead, namely light‐sensitive donor beads and beads containing chemiluminescers, also called acceptor beads. A competitive CAP AlphaLISA method was established using artificial antigen‐coated acceptor beads, polyclonal antibodies, biotinylated goat anti‐rabbit IgG and streptavidin‐coated donor beads.

RESULTS: The sensitivity of detection was 0.0086 ng mL−1 and the working range was from 0.0096 to 25 ng mL−1. The intra‐ and inter‐assay coefficients of variation were both below 10%. The average recovery rates at spiked levels of 0.05–10 ng mL−1 were 103.2, 108.4 and 91.6% for milk, honey and eggs respectively. The data obtained from the samples showed good correlation with ELISA results.

CONCLUSION: The CAP AlphaLISA method is highly sensitive, specific and rapid and is suitable for screening large quantities of samples. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
SOIL SALINITY AND SODICITY APPRAISAL BY ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION IN SOILS IRRIGATED TO GROW COTTON
Authors: Ganjegunte G. K. , Sheng Z. , Clark J. A.
Published: January 2012

In the Far West Texas region in the USA, long‐term irrigation of fine‐textured valley soils with saline Rio Grande River water has led to soil salinity and sodicity problems. Soil salinity [measured by saturated paste electrical conductivity (ECe)] and sodicity [measured by sodium adsorption ratio (SAR)] in the irrigated areas have resulted in poor growing conditions, reduced crop yields, and declining farm profitability. Understanding the spatial distribution of ECe and SAR within the affected areas is necessary for developing management practices. Conventional methods of assessing ECe and SAR distribution at a high spatial resolution are expensive and time consuming. This study evaluated the accuracy of electromagnetic induction (EMI), which measures apparent electrical conductivity (ECa), to delineate ECe and SAR distribution in two cotton fields located in the Hudspeth and El Paso Counties of Texas, USA. Calibration equations for converting ECa into ECe and SAR were derived using the multiple linear regression (MLR) model included in the ECe Sampling Assessment and Prediction program package developed by the US Salinity Laboratory. Correlations between ECa and soil variables (clay content, ECe, SAR) were highly significant (p ≤ 0·05). This was further confirmed by significant (p ≤ 0·05) MLRs used for estimating ECe and SAR. The ECe and SAR determined by ECa closely matched the measured ECe and SAR values of the study site soils, which ranged from 0·47 to 9·87 dS m−1 and 2·27 to 27·4 mmol1/2 L−1/2, respectively. High R2 values between estimated and measured soil ECe and SAR values validated the MLR model results. Results of this study indicated that the EMI method can be used for rapid and accurate delineation of salinity and sodicity distribution within the affected area. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A class of non‐graded left‐symmetric algebraic structures on the Witt algebra
Authors: Tang Xiaomin , Bai Chengming
Published: January 2012

We classify the compatible left‐symmetric algebraic structures on the Witt algebra satisfying certain non‐graded conditions. It is unexpected that they are Novikov algebras. Furthermore, as applications, we study the induced non‐graded modules of the Witt algebra and the induced Lie algebras by Novikov‐Poisson algebras’ approach and Balinskii‐Novikov's construction.
Large‐eddy simulation of the planetary boundary layer under baroclinic conditions during daytime and sunset turbulence
Authors: Rizza Umberto , Miglietta Mario M. , Acevedo Otávio C. , Anabor Vagner , Degrazia Gervasio A. , Goulart Antonio G. , Zimmerman Hans R.
Published: January 2012

This study investigates the Large‐Eddy Simulation (LES) technique in the diurnally varying atmospheric boundary layer in conditions of realistic environmental forcing. The initial settings of meteorological fields are obtained by ‘ingesting’ into the LES domain the vertical profiles of wind, temperature and specific humidity provided by the meteorological model WRF. The surface values of potential temperature and specific humidity from the WRF simulation are used as forcing parameters for the LES runs. These forcing parameters are updated during the runs every 1 h. A methodology is developed to derive the components of the geostrophic wind profile that is used in LES to model the large‐scale horizontal mean pressure gradient and treated as an external forcing. This methodology involves the meteorological model WRF. In this context, the WRF model has a dual task: (1) providing realistic atmospheric environmental forcings to LES and (2) providing a very large dataset to investigate possible improvements of the LES setting to make the numerical prediction more realistic.

The principal results obtained by the present study is that the use of geostrophic wind shear profiles improves the prognostic capability of LES in reproducing the wind field pattern in the planetary boundary layer, this is an important parameter for the proper description of the decay of the turbulent kinetic energy at sunset. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
On the 11 year solar cycle signature in global total ozone dynamics
Authors: Efstathiou Maria N. , Varotsos Costas A.
Published: January 2012

The main aim of the present study is to investigate further the association between total ozone (TOZ) and the 11 year solar cycle (SC) during the period 1979–2010, by employing satellite observations of TOZ made by Nimbus‐7, Meteor‐3, Earth Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) instrumentation. A statistically significant correlation between the annual mean TOZ over both hemispheres and sunspot number (SN) is found. On the contrary, focusing on the January and February mean monthly TOZ fluctuations from the equator to the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, no association between TOZ and SN is derived. This is attributed to the existence of the quasi‐biennial‐oscillation (QBO) and the El Niño‐Southern oscillation (ENSO) in the TOZ time series. The latter oscillation is herewith expressed by the recently introduced Ozone ENSO Index (OEI). However, when considering the TOZ zonal means centred at 17.5 and 27.5°N during the east phase years of the QBO in the equatorial zonal wind at 50 hPa, a statistically significant correlation between TOZ and SN is revealed. It is an indication that the quasi‐periodic fluctuations (i.e. QBO, ENSO) strongly contaminate the relationship between TOZ and solar activity. Plausible mechanisms are discussed, exploring the momentum flux (MF) measurements between 45 and 75°N, in the periods of increased dynamical variability. The findings obtained point to the conclusion that the 11 year solar cycle response in TOZ is caused by dynamical changes which are caused by solar activity. These are of crucial importance because solar radiation is a major driving force of the climate system. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
Free Energy Calculations by the Molecular Mechanics Poisson−Boltzmann Surface Area Method
Authors: Homeyer Nadine , Gohlke Holger
Published: January 2012

Detailed knowledge of how molecules recognize interaction partners and of the conformational preferences of biomacromolecules is pivotal for understanding biochemical processes. Such knowledge also provides the foundation for the design of novel molecules, as undertaken in pharmaceutical research. Computer‐based free energy calculations enable a detailed investigation of the energetic factors that are responsible for molecular stability or binding affinity. The Molecular Mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann Surface Area (MM‐PBSA) approach is an efficient method for the calculation of free energies of diverse molecular systems. Here we describe the concepts of this approach and outline the practical proceeding. Furthermore we give an overview of the wide spectrum of problems that have been addressed with this method and of successful analyses carried out, thereby focussing on ambitious and recent studies. Limits of the approach in terms of accuracy and applicability are discussed. Despite these limitations MM‐PBSA is a method with great potential that allows comparative free energy analyses for various molecular systems at low computational cost.
Micellar effects on aromatic nucleophilic substitution by the ANRORC mechanism. Hydrolysis of 2‐chloro‐3,5‐dinitropyridine
Authors: Al‐Shamary Mona N. , Al‐Lohedan Hamad A. , Rafiquee M. Z. A. , Issa Zuheir A.
Published: January 2012

The hydrolysis of 2‐chloro‐3,5‐dinitropyridine by sodium hydroxide in the presence of micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr), cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTACl) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) has been studied. The reaction follows a consecutive reaction path involving the formation of a long‐lived intermediate 3 and finally giving the product, 3,5‐dinitro 2‐pyridone 2. The mechanism follows an addition of the nucleophile, ring opening and ring closure (ANRORC) reaction path. The rate constant was observed to be first‐order dependent on [OH−]. The rate of reaction increased on increasing [CTABr] and, after reaching to the maxima, it started decreasing. The anionic SDS micelles inhibited the rate of hydrolysis. The results of the kinetic experiments were treated with the help of the pseudophase ion exchange model and the Menger–Portnoy model. The added salts, viz. NaBr, Na‐toluene‐4‐sulphonate, and (CH3)4NBr on varying [CTACl] and [SDS] inhibited the rate of reaction. The various kinetic parameters in the presence and absence of salts were determined and are reported herewith. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surface phonon polariton characteristics of wurtzite ZnO thin film grown on silicon substrate
Authors: Ng Sha Shiong , Ooi Poh Kok , Lee Sai Cheong , Abdullah Mat Johar , Hassan Zainuriah , Hassan Haslan Abu
Published: January 2012

In this work, p‐polarized far infrared attenuated total reflection (ATR) with Otto configuration technique is employed to study the surface phonon polariton (SPP) characteristics of wurtzite ZnO thin film grown on Si(111) substrate. One prominent dip corresponding to the leaky SPP mode of the ZnO is detected at 532 cm−1. The obtained result is in good agreement with the calculated ATR spectrum simulated based on the transfer matrix formulation. The origin of the observed dip is verified with the surface polariton dispersion curves based on a three anisotropic layer model (air–ZnO–Si). The results also reveal that the real SPP and the interface phonon polariton modes for this studied structure are barely observable experimentally.
Operating characteristics of a Simon two‐stage phase II clinical trial design incorporating continuous toxicity monitoring
Authors: Ray H.E. , Rai S.N.
Published: January 2012

Phase II clinical trials are usually designed to measure efficacy, but safety is also an important end point. Previous authors recommended a method to monitor toxic events after each patient is enrolled, which is also known as continuously monitoring the toxicity. In this work, we investigate combining the usual Simon two‐stage design to monitor response with the continuous toxicity monitoring methodology. Theoretical justification is given for the nominal size, probability of early termination, and average sample size under the null hypothesis of the combined testing procedure. A series of simulations are performed to investigate the performance of the combined procedure. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Warranty Data Analysis: A Review
Authors: Wu Shaomin
Published: January 2012

Warranty claims and supplementary data contain useful information about product quality and reliability. Analysing such data can therefore be of benefit to manufacturers in identifying early warnings of abnormalities in their products, providing useful information about failure modes to aid design modification, estimating product reliability for deciding on warranty policy and forecasting future warranty claims needed for preparing fiscal plans.

In the last two decades, considerable research has been conducted in warranty data analysis (WDA) from several different perspectives. This article attempts to summarise and review the research and developments in WDA with emphasis on models, methods and applications. It concludes with a brief discussion on current practices and possible future trends in WDA. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Circle Chart for Monitoring of Periodic Measurements
Authors: Xie M. , Goh T. N. , Deng P. P.
Published: January 2012

Measurements with a periodicity are common in practice but there have been no specific monitoring control techniques for them. In this paper, we propose a type of control chart that plots measurements around a circle so that information from the same stage of different cycles can be readily compared. Some basic properties of such charts are investigated, and further developments are discussed. The basic circle chart can be applied under various kinds of control chart schemes, and there is potential for further development. Some application examples are also shown in this paper. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factors affecting conception date variation in white‐tailed deer
Authors: Dye Michael P. , Demarais Stephen , Strickland Bronson K. , Jones Phillip D. , Mcdonald Christopher G. , Prochaska Dale F.
Published: January 2012

Understanding the factors that influence timing of reproduction can be of value to wildlife managers. We used estimated breeding dates of captive individual white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Texas and Mississippi, USA, and wild deer populations in Mississippi, to document natural variation within individuals and populations, and to determine whether body condition, age, or moon phase explained conception date variation. Mean conception date of captive individual deer was 1 December with a median of 26 November, a standard deviation of 13.6 days, and a mean range of 33 days. Overall mean conception date for wild populations in Mississippi was 1 January with a standard deviation of 13.4 days and a mean range of 46 days. Annual population mean conception date had a standard deviation of 4 days and a range of 12 days. Moon phase did not predict accurately conception date for individuals or populations of deer. Body condition did not influence conception date at the population level. Individual females 2.5 years old bred earlier than females 1.5 and 3.5 years old; however, the difference was minimal and may have been influenced by the mean gestation used to determine conception date. When scheduling recreational hunting opportunities relative to population breeding dates, managers should rely on local reproductive data and should not rely on predictions based on moon schedules. Further assessment of the individual variation in conception date and potential environmental cues is warranted. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
Possible ecological implications of floating microbial assemblages lifted from the lakebed on an Antarctic lake
Authors: Tanabe Yukiko , Kudoh Sakae
Published: January 2012

Microbial assemblages can be found drifting/floating in lake water and being washed ashore in continental Antarctica. Two field studies in early and late January 2008 measured the light utilization properties and photosynthetic responses of these assemblages, which were then compared with those of pelagic and benthic microbial communities to evaluate the ecological implications of this phenomenon. The nutrient concentrations were low in the lake water, indicating oligotrophic conditions. Based on microscopic and pigment analysis, both the floating and benthic communities were mainly composed of Oedogonium sp. (Chlorophyceae), followed by cyanobacteria, diatoms, and dinoflagellates. Floating assemblages had a firmer and denser structure, and possessed more rich carotenoids than the benthic community. Measurements of photosynthesis conducted in early January indicated that the activities of the floating assemblages were considerably low. In late January almost all floating assemblages on the lakeshore turned white because of freezing and drying by the ambient temperature decrease, and had no photosynthetic signals. These results suggest that the floating assemblages could spontaneously lift off from the lakebed because of the bubbles created by photosynthesis and then repeatedly roll, flip, sink, or float depending on buoyancy. In addition, this phenomenon seemed to greatly change the cycling of matter by transporting the lake's photosynthetic products to the surrounding ecosystems, then give the benthic subsurface communities in dark regions a chance to reactivate such as gap regeneration in the case of climax forest, and also allow the floating assemblages to restart photosynthesis at the top of the lakebed by resinking.
Cardiovascular fitness is associated with altered cortical glucose metabolism during working memory in ε4 carriers
Authors: Deeny Sean P. , Winchester Jeanna , Nichol Kathryn , Roth Stephen M. , Wu Joseph C. , Dick Malcolm , Cotman Carl W.
Published: January 2012

Background

The possibility that ε4 may modulate the effects of fitness in the brain remains controversial. The present exploratory FDG‐PET study aimed to better understand the relationship among ε4, fitness, and cerebral metabolism in 18 healthy aged women (nine carriers, nine noncarriers) during working memory.

Methods

Participants were evaluated using maximal level of oxygen consumption, California Verbal Learning Test, and FDG‐PET, which were collected at rest and during completion of the Sternberg working memory task.

Results

Resting FDG‐PET did not differ between carriers and noncarriers. Significant effects of fitness on FDG‐PET during working memory were noted in the ε4 carriers only. High fit ε4 carriers had greater glucose uptake in the temporal lobe than the low fit ε4 carriers, but low fit ε4 carriers had greater glucose uptake in the frontal and parietal lobes.

Conclusions

We demonstrate that fitness differentially affects cerebral metabolism in ε4 carriers only, consistent with previous findings that the effects of fitness may be more pronounced in populations genetically at risk for cognitive decline.
Improved moraine age interpretations through explicit matching of geomorphic process models to cosmogenic nuclide measurements from single landforms
Authors: Applegate Patrick J. , Urban Nathan M. , Keller Klaus , Lowell Thomas V. , Laabs Benjamin J.C. , Kelly Meredith A. , Alley Richard B.
Published: January 2012

The statistical distributions of cosmogenic nuclide measurements from moraine boulders contain previously unused information on moraine ages, and they help determine whether moraine degradation or inheritance is more important on individual moraines. Here, we present a method for extracting this information by fitting geomorphic process models to observed exposure ages from single moraines. We also apply this method to 94 10Be apparent exposure ages from 11 moraines reported in four published studies. Our models represent 10Be accumulation in boulders that are exhumed over time by slope processes (moraine degradation), and the delivery of boulders with preexisting 10Be inventories to moraines (inheritance). For now, we neglect boulder erosion and snow cover, which are likely second-order processes. Given a highly scattered data set, we establish which model yields the better fit to the data, and estimate the age of the moraine from the better model fit. The process represented by the better-fitting model is probably responsible for most of the scatter among the apparent ages. Our methods should help resolve controversies in exposure dating; we reexamine the conclusions from two published studies based on our model fits.
Population structure and genetic diversity analysis inGynaikothrips uzeli(Zimerman, 1909) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) by RAPD markers
Authors: Brito R.O. , Artoni R.F. , Vicari M.R. , Nogaroto V. , Silva J.C. , Matiello R.R. , Almeida M.C.
Published: January 2012

Thrips are small insects (0.5–3.0 mm) with distinct habits and life histories characterized by haplodiploid sex determination. In general, low levels of genetic diversity have been reported in haplodiploid insects, although most reports focus on the order Hymenoptera. Therefore, we used RAPD markers to evaluate the structure and both inter- and intra-population genetic variability ofGynaikothrips uzeli(Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae). Six populations, three from Paraná state, southern Brazil, and three from Bahia, northeastern Brazil, were studied. Similarly to other haplodiploid insects, the genetic diversity ofG. uzeliwas reduced. This result is putatively related to the haplodiploid sex determination system, which yields little genetic variation, and to ecological traits of the studied species, such as the low dispersal abilities and life mode in leaf galls. All individuals were homogeneously clustered in their respective collection sites, forming two main groups in which populations from similar environments were more closely related. The analyzed populations were highly structured, and the genetic variation was higher among than within populations.
A ctenochasmatid pterosaur from the Stonesfield Slate (Bathonian, Middle Jurassic) of Oxfordshire, England
Authors: BUFFETAUT ERIC , JEFFERY PAUL
Published: January 2012

The anterior end of a lower jaw bearing long slender teeth, from the Bathonian Stonesfield Slate of Oxfordshire, was hitherto referred to the crocodilian Teleosaurus. It is reinterpreted as belonging to a ctenochasmatid pterosaur reminiscent of Gnathosaurus. It is the earliest known representative of the Ctenochasmatidae, and one of the earliest known pterodactyloids. The diversity of pterosaurs from the Stonesfield Slate is higher than previously recognized, comprising at least three taxa.
Theorising theorising: Critical Realism and the quest for certainty
Authors: HERBORTH BENJAMIN
Published: January 2012

Discussing matters of philosophy of science within the boundaries of an academic field, which seems to have a fairly well-delineated subject matter, a carefully circumscribed universe of cases to struggle with, is a distinct deviation from normal science. Yet, meta-theoretical quarrels have been lurking on the boundaries of International Relations (IR) ever since the field constituted itself as a relatively autonomous academic enterprise. Never at the centre of the discipline, philosophy of science debates have still been among the most tenacious ones, so there doesn't seem to be a need to justify or legitimate such intellectual pursuits. Suffice it to say that among the many niches of International Relations as a discipline there may also be one dealing with meta-theoretical inquiry.
On logic, intersubjectivity, and meaning: is reality an assumption we just don't need?
Authors: KESSLER OLIVER
Published: January 2012

The idea that our world is not just a mixture of unrelated incidents but shows some intelligible characteristics is probably the starting point of every analysis in International Relations (IR). We assume that what happens shows structure and significant connections of processes and flows. Unfortunately, opinions diverge soon thereafter: how does that assumed structure relate to our minds? Is it independent of our theories, cultural presuppositions, or opinions? What kind of objectivity can we hope for? Critical realists and radical constructivists seem to entertain different ideas about what the ‘ontological status of reality’ is and whether and how we can know about it. An intellectual encounter between Colin Wight and Friedrich Kratochwil has shown to what extent related questions about intersubjectivity, reference, and meaning touch upon questions aboutthe logos. Interestingly enough, both agree that the ‘classic’ bivalent logic provides only an insufficient grounding for an adequate understanding of the world. Yet both are silent on providing reasons why this is the case. Hence, it might well be that constructivists and critical realists actually do share some reservation or critique.
Introduction: the historical legacy of suburbs in South Asia
Authors: CHATTOPADHYAY SWATI
Published: January 2012

The edges of Indian cities have become nebulous, their morphology uncertain. They appear to extend for miles in Mumbai and Kolkata as an ‘assorted chaos’ of middle-class residences, slums and bazaars, blurring into smaller provincial towns. The latter seem to distinguish themselves through the sameness of their ‘taste for strident politics, violent films, ostentatious architecture, lewd music, rumour-mongering newspapers and overcooked food’. The stretch between Delhi and Gurgaon is a series of real estate fictions of spurious capital and inadequate infrastructure. Spurred by the liberalization of the economy in the early 1990s and supported by state policies that have lifted many of the restrictions on rent and land use, the structural transformation of Indian metropolises manifests itself on the edges of the city as a struggle between vast slums and corporate developers’ vision of up-scale real estate, between landscapes of rice and wheat fields and expanding airports and golfing greens.
Between country and city: fluid spaces of provincial administrative towns in nineteenth-century Bengal
Authors: SENGUPTA TANIA
Published: January 2012

By looking at the spatial cultures of nineteenth-century provincial administrative towns in colonial Bengal, this article problematizes notions of city, town or country and their relationships. It looks at colonial provincial governance within a framework that extended far beyond ‘formal’ governmental administrative spaces and thus engages with the complex overlap between categories like work, home and leisure. It argues that provincial urbanism in colonial Bengal defied clear-cut categories and in effect created a ‘fluid’ spatial culture, which was distinct from, but also calibrated between, metropolitan centres on the one hand and a vast rural hinterland on the other.
The troubled passage from ‘village communities’ to planned new town developments in mid-twentieth-century South Asia
Authors: GLOVER WILLIAM J.
Published: January 2012

This article begins with an examination of how rural and urban society in India were conceptualized in relation to one another at different moments during the twentieth century, arguing that rapid urbanization during the middle decades forced important changes in those conceptualizations. If in an earlier period analysts saw the world of the village dweller as radically separate from that of the urban dweller, then rapid urbanization destabilized this idea and forced analysts to entertain the implications of there being a kind of ‘sliding scale’ between the two. This discursive shift helped produce a new object of concern in mid-century urban sociology – that of the ‘villager in the city’. While this sociological object formed the core of numerous mid-century (and later) studies of existing large cities, it played a more determinate role asa priorigrounds for planned new towns than it did for perhaps any other model of urban growth. The article argues that proponents of planned new towns favoured their conservative potential: namely, the new town promised to nurture ‘inherited tendencies and habits’ in first-generation urban migrants, rather than produce wholly new modes of urban subjectivity.
A fast and flexible architecture for very large word n-gram datasets
Authors: FLOR MICHAEL
Published: January 2012

This paper presentsTrendStream, a versatile architecture for very large word n-gram datasets. Designed for speed, flexibility, and portability, TrendStream uses a novel trie-based architecture, features lossless compression, and provides optimization for both speed and memory use. In addition to literal queries, it also supports fast pattern matching searches (with wildcards or regular expressions), on the same data structure, without any additional indexing. Language models are updateable directly in the compiled binary format, allowing rapid encoding of existing tabulated collections, incremental generation of n-gram models from streaming text, and merging of encoded compiled files. This architecture offers flexible choices for loading and memory utilization: fast memory-mapping of a multi-gigabyte model, or on-demand partial data loading with very modest memory requirements. The implemented system runs successfully on several different platforms, under different operating systems, even when the n-gram model file is much larger than available memory. Experimental evaluation results are presented with the Google Web1T collection and the Gigaword corpus.
Do internal flow measurements improve the calibration of rainfall‐runoff models?
Authors: Lerat J. , Andréassian V. , Perrin C. , Vaze J. , Perraud J. M. , Ribstein P. , Loumagne C.
Published: January 2012

This paper compares four calibration strategies for a daily semidistributed rainfall‐runoff model. The model is applied over 187 French catchments where streamflow data are available at the catchment outlet and at internal gauging stations. In the benchmark calibration strategy, the model parameters were optimized against the outlet flow only, with internal points considered as ungauged. In the three multisite alternative strategies, the parameters were optimized against the flow at the outlet and at one internal gauge. On 53 catchments, a second interior gauge was used as an independent validation point. The four methods were compared for their ability to estimate flow at the two internal points and at the catchment outlet, in calibration and validation modes, and considering three performance metrics. The results in validation indicate that interior flow data provided limited improvement in model performance. When the performance was evaluated at the outlet point, multisite calibrations led to nearly identical performance as the single‐site calibrations, regardless of the number of calibrated parameters. Unexpectedly, similar results were obtained for most performance statistics when the model was evaluated at interior points. A sensitivity analysis performed on streamflow data confirmed that this conclusion still holds in presence of errors in flow data. Last, the comparison between lumped and semidistributed parameterizations clearly favored the lumped schemes, which show more stable parameters and equivalent performance for the simulation at independent interior points. The finding from this study provides confidence in lumped parameterization schemes, even for predicting the flow at interior gauges in a catchment.
Routine low‐damage apatite U‐Pb dating using laser ablation–multicollector–ICPMS
Authors: Thomson Stuart N. , Gehrels George E. , Ruiz Joaquin , Buchwaldt Robert
Published: January 2012

Apatite is a common U‐bearing accessory mineral with a U‐Pb closure temperature of ∼500°C, making U‐Pb dating of apatite a potentially valuable thermochronometer. However, its low U concentration and tendency to incorporate common lead has limited widespread application to destructive isotope dilution methods. We overcome previous limitations by using a Nu Plasma multicollector ICPMS with an attached short‐pulse excimer laser, and by identifying two new matrix‐matched reference apatites to correct for elemental fractionation: gem‐quality 485 Myr old apatite from Madagascar which we independently characterized by ID‐TIMS analysis, and 523.5 Ma apatite from the McClure Mountain syenite (source of the40Ar/39Ar reference MMhb). Common Pb is corrected using measured 204Pb isobarically corrected for Hg interference and a five‐step iterative process using Stacey and Kramers' common Pb model. We accurately reproduce ages of numerous independently characterized apatites, regularly achieving precision of <2% (2σ) by pooling as few as five 30 μm spot analyses. Data quality in apatite with low U concentrations, low 206Pb/204Pb values (<∼30) and young ages (<∼75 Ma) is compromised by the goal of avoiding significant grain damage. Such limitations can be overcome by using spot sizes 65 μm or greater, but at the expense of substantial grain damage. For single detrital apatite grains with ages of ∼500 Ma, precision of <4% (2σ) was achieved by pooling 2 to 3 spots per grain. The accuracy of our detrital results is supported by a good age match with similar closure temperature 40Ar/39Ar detrital hornblende ages from the same sediment.
VS and density structure beneath the Colorado Plateau constrained by gravity anomalies and joint inversions of receiver function and phase velocity data
Authors: Bailey Iain W. , Miller Meghan S. , Liu Kaijian , Levander Alan
Published: January 2012

The Colorado Plateau is a physiographic province in the western US with an average elevation of ∼1.9 km where, in contrast to neighboring provinces, there is little evidence of large scale tectonic deformation or magmatism. Recent availability of Earthscope/USArray seismic data allow us to better examine the crust and upper mantle structure beneath the region and test proposed explanations for the plateau's uplift and relative stability. Using phase velocities for fundamental mode Rayleigh waves and P receiver functions, we perform over 800 joint inversions for 1‐D shear wave velocity VS profiles sampling the plateau and surrounding regions down to 150 km depth. We image a sharp change in crustal thickness at the western edge of the Colorado Plateau with a more gradual increase eastward moving into the Rocky Mountains. A relatively thick (≳100 km) lithosphere beneath the plateau extends into the Rocky Mountains to the north. We use empirical scaling relations to estimate densities from our VS results, and predict the associated gravity anomalies, which are inconsistent with the observed distribution of the Bouguer gravity anomalies. We somewhat reconcile the prediction and observations by assuming that lateral density variations below 50 km can be ignored and the lithospheric root is therefore neutrally buoyant. While there is some evidence for small scale convection and lithospheric removal at its edges, the shape of the lithospheric mantle anomaly is consistent with a large scale uplift of the plateau by heating since removal of the Farallon slab. We conclude that the lithospheric root is key to the long term stability of the Colorado Plateau, leading to a colder, stronger crust.
Multicomponent cubic oxide exsolution in synthetic basalts: Temperature dependence and implications for magnetic properties
Authors: Bowles Julie A. , Tatsumi‐Petrochilos Lisa , Hammer Julia E. , Brachfeld Stefanie A.
Published: January 2012

Although the compositional unmixing of cubic‐structured iron oxides has profound effects on the magnetic properties of rocks that contain them, a basic understanding of the kinetics and thermodynamics of this process has not been achieved in experimental studies due to sluggish reaction rates in binary oxide phases. Exploiting the fact that many natural Fe‐oxides contain multiple additional cations, including Ti, Mg and Al, we perform novel “forward” laboratory experiments in which cubic‐cubic phase exsolution proceeds from initially homogeneous multicomponent oxides. A variety of Fe‐Ti‐Mg‐Al cubic iron oxides were nucleated and grown in synthetic, multicomponent basalt under different fO2 environments, and annealed at temperatures ranging from 590–790°C for up to 88 days. Fine‐scale lamellar intergrowths of Fe‐Ti‐Al‐Mg oxides, interpreted to represent cubic phase exsolution, were observed in seven samples, one that was synthesized and annealed at approximately constant fO2 (the quartz‐fayalite‐magnetite, or QFM, buffer) and six that were synthesized at very oxidizing conditions (∼QFM + 6 log units) and then annealed at moderately oxidizing (∼QFM) conditions. Results demonstrate that the consolute temperature of the multicomponent system is significantly higher than anneal temperatures and Curie temperatures, suggesting that samples that undergo this type of exsolution can carry a total thermal remanent magnetization. Exsolved samples are characterized by a dramatic increase in magnetization and coercivity, and a shift in Curie temperature(s), confirming predictions that this type of exsolution exerts strong control on the strength and stability of magnetization.
Effect of lightning activity on surface NOx and O3 over a tropical station during premonsoon and monsoon seasons
Authors: Pawar Vidya , Pawar S. D. , Beig Gufran , Sahu S. K.
Published: January 2012

We study the effect of lightning activity on surface NOx and O3 over Pune, India (18.54°N, 73.81°E) for the years 2005 to 2008 during thunderstorm events in premonsoon and monsoon periods. Surface concentration of NOx is found to be increased significantly at the dissipation stage of thunderstorms. It is observed that increase in NOx greater than titration threshold level reduces the surface ozone concentration. However, in some cases when NOx increases but it does not reach the titration threshold limit, it helps in the production of ozone. Thus, results suggest that lightning production of NOx inside a thunderstorm can lead to significant impacts on surface ozone concentrations in the tropics. Enhancement in NOx at the surface after thunderstorm activity is much greater in premonsoon periods compared to the monsoon period.
Lunar radiation environment and space weathering from the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER)
Authors: Schwadron N. A. , Baker T. , Blake B. , Case A. W. , Cooper J. F. , Golightly M. , Jordan A. , Joyce C. , Kasper J. , Kozarev K. , Mislinski J. , Mazur J. , Posner A. , Rother O. , Smith S. , Spence H. E. , Townsend L. W. , Wilson J. , Zeitlin C.
Published: January 2012

The Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) measures linear energy transfer by Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) and Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Mission in a circular, polar lunar orbit. GCR fluxes remain at the highest levels ever observed during the space age. One of the largest SEP events observed by CRaTER during the LRO mission occurred on June 7, 2011. We compare model predictions by the Earth‐Moon‐Mars Radiation Environment Module (EMMREM) for both dose rates from GCRs and SEPs during this event with results from CRaTER. We find agreement between these models and the CRaTER dose rates, which together demonstrate the accuracy of EMMREM, and its suitability for a real‐time space weather system. We utilize CRaTER to test forecasts made by the Relativistic Electron Alert System for Exploration (REleASE), which successfully predicts the June 7th event. At the maximum CRaTER‐observed GCR dose rate (∼11.7 cGy/yr where Gy is a unit indicating energy deposition per unit mass, 1 Gy = 1 J/kg), GCRs deposit ∼88 eV/molecule in water over 4 billion years, causing significant change in molecular composition and physical structure (e.g., density, color, crystallinity) of water ice, loss of molecular hydrogen, and production of more complex molecules linking carbon and other elements in the irradiated ice. This shows that space weathering by GCRs may be extremely important for chemical evolution of ice on the Moon. Thus, we show comprehensive observations from the CRaTER instrument on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter that characterizes the radiation environment and space weathering on the Moon.
Reduced GABA-B/GIRK-mediated regulation of the VTA following a single exposure to cocaine
Authors: Cadle Brian , Varnell Andrew , Cooper Donald
Published: January 2012

In this paper, Arora and colleagues expand on their previous work on GIRK channels in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) presenting evidence that a single exposure to cocaine reduces inhibitory GABAergic transmission to dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area. Mice receiving i.p. injections of cocaine saw a short lived (1-5 days) decrease in GABAb mediated G-protein coupled inwardly-rectifying potassium (GIRK) currents in DA neurons in the VTA. This decrease parallels an NMDA-mediated increase in the frequency of glutamatergic neurotransmission. Chronic cocaine injections had no additional effects beyond those seen with single injections. Though they found no change in mRNA levels for GABAb receptors, GIRK channels, or RGS-2 (a G-protein regulator), immunoelectron microscopy indicated a decrease in levels of GIRK channels in the plasma membrane of the dendrites of VTA DA neurons. The cocaine-mediated decrease in GIRK currents was abolished in the presence of D2/3R antagonist sulpiride, but not in the presence of D1/5 antagonist SCH23390, indicating a link between D2/3 receptor activation and GIRK activity. Interestingly, the addition of quinpirole, a D2/3 agonist, elicited similar GIRK currents, though they were smaller than those mediated by GABAb receptors. Similarly, acute injections of cocaine significantly diminished quinpirole-evoked currents.