bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salicylic acid alleviates the toxicity effect of cadmium on germination, seedling growth, and amylase activity of rice
Authors: He Junyu , Ren Yanfang , Pan Xuebo , Yan Yuping , Zhu Cheng , Jiang Dean
Published: February 2010

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy‐metal pollutant in the environment. Salicylic acid (SA) is an essential component of plant resistance to pathogens and also plays an important role in mediating plant responses to some abiotic stresses. In the present investigation, the potential effects of SA in alleviating Cd toxicity during seedling stage of rice were studied. Seeds of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Xiushui 11) were sterilized and divided into two groups. Half of the seeds were presoaked in 0.1 mM SA solution for 24 h, then both groups were allowed to germinate under various Cd concentrations for 7 d. Cadmium treatments caused a gradual decrease in vigor index, root length, α‐amylase activity, and the mitotic index of root tips. However, pretreatment with SA partially alleviated the negative effect of Cd on germination parameters and increased enzyme activity and mitotic index. Cadmium uptake by seedlings increased with increasing Cd concentration and followed Michaelis‐Menten kinetics. Salicylic acid pretreatment of seeds influenced the Cd level in the seedlings by decreasing Vmax. The results suggest that SA plays a positive role in rice‐seed germination and early seedling growth by protecting it against Cd toxicity.
Does the pelleting process affect the nutritive value of a pre‐starter diet for suckling piglets? Ex vivo studies on mineral absorption
Authors: Delgado‐Andrade Cristina , Rufián‐Henares José A , Nieto Rosa , Aguilera José F , Navarro M Pilar , Seiquer Isabel
Published: February 2010

BACKGROUND: The effects of pelleting on the extent of the Maillard reaction (MR) and on calcium, magnesium and zinc solubility and absorption were analysed in a conventional pre‐starter diet for suckling piglets. Development was tested measuring colour, absorbance (280/420 nm), fluorescence, residual free lysine, furosine, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural contents before and after pelleting. Fluorescence, absorbance and mineral solubility were also measured after in vitro digestion of diets. The effects on mineral absorption were tested using Caco‐2 cells.

RESULTS: MR indexes confirmed the development of the reaction during the pelleting of this particular diet compared with the meal diet. The CIE‐Lab colour parameters showed a decrease in luminosity (L*) and progress of the colour to the red zone (a*) in the pelleted diet. A 36% decrease in free lysine content was observed. Significant correlations were observed between fluorescence intensity and furosine levels, HMF and furfural. The pelleting process did not modify calcium and magnesium solubility after in vitro digestion, but soluble zinc increased. The efficiency of calcium and zinc transport across Caco‐2 cell monolayers was greater in the pelleted diet.

CONCLUSIONS: Evidence of MR development is shown, resulting in various nutritional consequences. Optimisation of pelleting could result in a better formulation of diets for feedstuffs. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Purification and characterization of parvalbumins from silver carp (Hypophthalmichthy molitrix)
Authors: Liu Guang‐Ming , Wang Ning , Cai Qiu‐Feng , Li Teng , Sun Le‐Chang , Su Wen‐Jin , Cao Min‐Jie
Published: February 2010

BACKGROUND: As the largest producer and consumer of freshwater fish in the world, many people suffer from allergy for consuming freshwater fish in China. However, the allergen profiles of freshwater fish are rarely known.

RESULTS: Parvalbumins (PVs) from the white muscle of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthy molitrix) were purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and column chromatography including DEAE‐Sepharose and Superdex 75. Three PV isoforms—PV‐I, PV‐II, and PV‐III—were obtained and their molecular masses as estimated by tricine–sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were 12, 11, and 14 kDa, respectively. All the PVs could be detected by anti‐frog PV monoclonal antibody. PV‐I and PV‐II were quite possibly glycoproteins, while PV‐III was not glycosylated, as analyzed by periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) staining. Thermal stability revealed that PV‐I and PV‐II easily formed polymers, while these proteins were stable in a pH range of 4.0–10.0. A PV gene encoding 110 amino acid residues was cloned and it revealed high identity with PVs from other species of fish.

CONCLUSION: Three isotypes of PV were purified to homogeneity and one distinct PV gene was cloned in silver carp white muscle. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Synergistic effect of boron containing substances on flame retardancy and thermal stability of clay containing intumescent polypropylene nanoclay composites
Authors: Doğan Mehmet , Bayramlı Erdal
Published: February 2010

The functions of nanoclay and three different boron containing substances, zinc borate (ZnB), borophosphate (BPO4), and boron silicon containing preceramic oligomer (BSi), were studied to improve the flame retardancy of polypropylene (PP)‐nanoclay‐intumescent system composed of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and pentaerythritol (PER). The flame retardancy of PP composites was investigated using limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL‐94 standard, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and cone calorimeter.

According to the results obtained, the addition of 20 wt% intumescent flame retardant (IFR) improved the flame retardancy by increasing the char formation. Addition of clay slightly increases the LOI value and reduces the maximum heat release rate (HRR). Addition of clay also increases the barrier effect due to intumescent char, especially in thin samples. Boron compounds show their highest synergistic effect at about 3 wt% loading. According to UL‐94 test and LOI test, 3 wt% ZnB containing composite shows the highest rating (V0) and BPO4 containing sample shows the highest LOI value (26.5). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The leaving group dependence in the rates of solvolysis of 1,2‐diphenylethyl system
Authors: Santhosh Kumar D. , Jayakumar K. P. , Balachandran S.
Published: February 2010

1,2‐Diphenylethyl chloride undergoes solvolysis by SN1 mechanism in aqueous organic solvents. The α‐phenyl group of 1,2‐diphenylethyl chloride enters into conjugation with the developing carbocationic centre. The β‐phenyl group on the other hand was unable to extend its conjugation via neighbouring group participation due to steric inhibition of resonance in the formation of non‐classical carbocation. 1,2‐Diphenylethyl chloride thus behaves similar to 1‐phenylethyl chloride in its solvolysis pattern. The solvolytic rate studies of chloride and methanesulphonate of 1,2‐diphenylethyl alcohol in various aqueous organic solvents show that the dispersion observed in the Winstein–Grunwald plot is not due to a change in leaving group but due to the difference in solvation requirements of aromatic and aliphatic groups. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Direct communication, the unquestionable ideal? Oncologists' accounts of communication of bleak prognoses
Authors: Rogg Lotte , Aasland Olaf Gjerløw , Graugaard Peter Kjær , Loge Jon Håvard
Published: February 2010

Objective: To explore the factors that influence the clinical practice of oncologists concerning disclosure of prognostic information.

Methods: Focus group interviews with oncologists in three Norwegian university hospitals. Interview guide consisting of three patient cases where challenging aspects of prognostic information delivery were presented to the participants. Each group consisted of six participants, all groups with a mix of men and women, and ranging from very experienced consultants to relatively inexperienced residents in oncology. Transcribed interviews were qualitatively analyzed through categorization and condensation.

Results: The importance of openness when dealing with prognostic information towards the end of life was strongly advocated by all participants. However, there was a reluctance to give tangible information regarding survival, and a feeling that this part of clinical practice was a challenge. Skills in how to communicate negative prognostic information were attained primarily by observing colleagues, but also from personal experience. Existing guidelines for communication were not perceived as useful.

Conclusion: Primarily focusing on open communication regarding bleak prospects of life expectancy entails a risk of overrunning the information needs of individual patients. Oncologists still see communication skills primarily as personal, and are at risk of not exploring and responding to the individual patient's wish for information. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electroweak corrections to W+W‐Z and ZZZ production at the linear collider
Authors: Boudjema F. , Le D.N. , Sun H. , Weber M.M.
Published: February 2010

We calculate the electroweak corrections to the production of W+W‐Z and ZZZ at the linear collider in the Standard Model. These processes are important for the extraction of the quartic couplings of the massive gauge bosons which can be a window on the mechanism of spontaneous symmetry breaking. We find that the weak corrections to some kinematic distributions show new features and hence cannot be explained by an overall scale factor.
Characterization of AlN films deposited by r.f. reactive sputtering aiming MEMS applications
Authors: Pelegrini Marcus V. , Pereyra Inés
Published: February 2010

Aluminium Nitride (AlN) films deposited by reactive r.f. magnetron sputtering, of a pure aluminium target in an argon (Ar) / nitrogen (N2) mixture atmosphere, onto Si (100) and Si (111) substrates are studied. A series of samples was obtained varying the Ar and N2 gaseous mixture maintaining the process pressure fixed. The AlN films were characterized by FTIR, X‐ray diffraction, visible optical absorption, ellipsometry and stress measurements. X‐ray results showed a preferential orientation in the planes (100) and (002). Films obtained in an Ar rich atmosphere presented only one vibration mode corresponding to a composition of the AlN A1 (TO) and E1 (LO) modes. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The rotation‐vibration spectrum for Scarf II potential
Authors: Qiang Wen‐Chao , Dong Shi‐Hai
Published: February 2010

The arbitrary l‐state solutions of the Schrödinger equation with Scarf II potential are presented by taking a new approximate scheme to the centrifugal term. This is realized by expanding the variable around the minimum equilibrium point of the potential. The wave functions can be expressed by hypergeometric functions. It is shown that the calculated energy levels are in good agreement with accurate numerical ones. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010
Describing ‘orderly differentiation’: compiling the Corpus of English in Finland
Authors: Laitinen Mikko
Published: February 2010

Reporting on a new research project describing and analysing English in Finland in the early twenty-first century.

In a recent article, Taavitsainen and Pahta (2008) conclude that English in today's Finland has entered a new phase in which it is increasingly used alongside the country's national languages (also McArthur, 2002; Graddol, 2006). The new uses, they suggest, constitute a new form of second language in which English is used (a) as a lingua franca, and (b) as a language serving ‘glocalized’ needs to express local meanings in a global setting. Their evidence consists of various forms of language mixing in public discourse. Other forms of evidence, with similar conclusions, come from the recent national survey on Finns' uses of and attitudes to English, carried out at the University of Jyväskylä in 2007 (Leppänen et al. 2009). This survey provides evidence on the changing role of English in Finland, and attempts to answer questions such as where, how and by whom English is used alongside the other languages in the country.
Language and identity in Switzerland
Authors: Davidson Keith
Published: February 2010

A proposal for Federal status for English as a Swiss language. I have written previously on the role of English as a vehicular language in plurilingual Switzerland (ET42, April 1995) and more recently on the cachet of English in the Swiss media (ET95, September 2008). Switzerland sits at the heart of Europe, not as a member of the European Union but with continually negotiated bi-lateral arrangements and now relatively open borders. As elsewhere in Europe English is widely used in academia, administration and the big corporations, but there is a surprising suggestion from the Swiss scientific community that English should now be given formal recognition as a Swiss language.
The double danger of English as a global language
Authors: Gil Jeffrey
Published: February 2010

Why Australia still needs to learn Asian languages. Language learning in Australia has at times been a much debated and somewhat controversial topic. A new episode in this debate began recently with the publication of a report entitled Building an Asia-Literate Australia: An Australian Strategy for Asian Language Proficiency, which argues for a significant expansion and intensification of the learning of Asian languages and cultures at all levels of education. Much of the reaction to this report has focused on the role of English as the global language and its implications for language education. The main argument made against the report's proposals can be summarised as the ‘English is the global language’ view, a position which claims that because English is the global language, there is no need for Australia to implement a large-scale Asian languages and cultures education programme. This paper aims to refute this argument. Drawing on a range of theoretical and empirical work, it demonstrates that there is a double danger in the ‘English is the global language’ view as it both exaggerates the current number of speakers and extent of use of English in Asia, and misinterprets the likely outcomes of any further spread of English.
Calibrating the Operational Beam Width and Maximum Range of a Ship Radar Used for Bird Observations
Authors: Hilgerloh Gudrun , Caprano Tanja , Griebeler Eva Maria
Published: February 2010

In order to analyse quantitative radar observations of bird movements, one needs to know the dimensions of the air space surveyed by the radar. The present study shows how to calibrate the operational beam width and the maximum range of any radar for cross sections for different body sizes of songbirds. The trial used an X-band fan beam ship radar of 25 KW (Furuno Fr-2125) and a captive balloon. Metal spheres of different diameters, fastened to the bottom of the balloon at defined distances, corresponding to the radar cross sections of song birds, were moved in all three dimensions of the air space. Simultaneously to the location by radar, the position of the suspended sphere was measured by theodolites.
“THE GRAND STILL MIRROR OF ETERNITY”: TEMPORAL DUALISM AND SUBJECTIFICATION IN CARLYLE AND DICKENS
Authors: Prystash Justin
Published: February 2010

When Carlyle praises “wondrous Dualism” in Past and Present, he invokes a model for conceptualizing man's role in the world that held widespread, even hegemonic currency in mid-Victorian culture. The centrality of dualist discourse during the mid-Victorian period, thanks in part to Carlyle's translations of German literature and philosophy in the 1830s, cannot be overstated. Carlyle argues that dualism transhistorically frames all human activity: “In wondrous Dualism, then [in the year 1200] as now, lived nations of breathing men; alternating, in all ways, between Light and Dark; between joy and sorrow, between rest and toil” (50; bk. 2, ch. 1). The subject “man” – I use the masculine advisedly – endlessly oscillates between the opposing elements that constitute the universe. This, for Carlyle, is the position of all men. To be heroic, however, one must recognize and negotiate the most wondrous dualism of all, time and eternity: “this Earthly life, and its riches and possessions, and good and evil hap, are not intrinsically a reality at all, but are a shadow of realities eternal, infinite; that this Time-world, as an air-image, fearfully emblematic, plays and flickers in the grand still mirror of Eternity; and man's little Life has Duties that are great, that are alone great, and go up to Heaven and down to Hell” (72; bk. 2, ch. 6). Minor dualisms are subsumed in the opposition between “Time-world” and “Eternity,” and in the “mirror” of the latter, man discerns himself: his ultimate insignificance, yet the greatness of his “Duties.” Carlyle emphasizes that these duties demand the payment of obedience to one's temporal and eternal superiors – heroic ancestors, captains of industry, colonial governors, and God. Only then can heroic men once again be born, like the laboring Hercules or the humble Christ, from temporal-eternal intercourse.
“THE DISEASE, WHICH HAD HITHERTO BEEN NAMELESS”: M. E. BRADDON'S CHALLENGE TO MEDICAL AUTHORITY INBIRDS OF PREYANDCHARLOTTE'S INHERITANCE
Authors: Buscemi Nicki
Published: February 2010

Mary Elizabeth Braddonlaunched her editorship ofBelgraviamagazine by painting a picture for her readers of a murderous medical practitioner. At the outset ofBirds of Prey(1867), the serial novel which kicked off the magazine's publication, Braddon introduces us to a surgeon-dentist named Philip Sheldon. The narrator ironically explains, “Of course he was eminently respectable . . . A householder with such a door-step and such muslin curtains could not be other than the most correct of mankind” (7; bk. 1, ch. 1). Sensation novels of the 1860s have long been critically recognized as vehicles for revealing the disparity between respectable façades and seedy interior truths, and Braddon's underexamined workBirds of Preyand its sequelCharlotte's Inheritance(1868) are no exception: by the close of the second novel, the seemingly upright Sheldon has been revealed as a liar, a cheat, and a killer.
Phonological and visual similarity effects in Chinese and English language users: Implications for the use of cognitive resources in short-term memory
Authors: COLE RACHEL L. , PICKERING SUSAN J.
Published: February 2010

This study investigated the encoding strategies employed by Chinese and English language users when recalling sequences of pictured objects. The working memory performance of native English participants (n = 14) and Chinese speakers of English as a second language (Chinese ESL; n = 14) was compared using serial recall of visually-presented pictures of familiar objects with three conditions: (i) phonologically and visually distinct, (ii) phonologically similar and visually distinct, and (iii) phonologically distinct and visually similar. Digit span, visual pattern span and articulation rate were also measured. Results indicated that whilst English participants were affected by the phonological but not the visual similarity of items, the performance of Chinese ESL participants was comparable across all three conditions. No significant differences in digit span, visual memory or articulation rate were found between groups. These results are discussed in the light of our understanding of the use of cognitive resources in short-term memory in users of diverse orthographies.
Effects of pharmacological inhibition of NADPH oxidase or iNOS on pro-inflammatory cytokine, palmitic acid or H2O2-induced mouse islet or clonal pancreatic β-cell dysfunction
Authors: Michalska Marta , Wolf Gabriele , Walther Reinhard , Newsholme Philip
Published: February 2010

Various pancreatic β-cell stressors including cytokines and saturated fatty acids are known to induce oxidative stress, which results in metabolic disturbances and a reduction in insulin secretion. However, the key mechanisms underlying dysfunction are unknown. We investigated the effects of prolonged exposure (24 h) to pro-inflammatory cytokines, H2O2 or PA (palmitic acid) on β-cell insulin secretion, ATP, the NADPH oxidase (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase) component p47phox and iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase) levels using primary mouse islets or clonal rat BRIN-BD11 β-cells. Addition of a pro-inflammatory cytokine mixture [IL-1β (interleukin-1β), TNF-α (tumour necrosis factor-α) and IFN-γ (interferon-γ)] or H2O2 (at sub-lethal concentrations) inhibited chronic (24 h) levels of insulin release by at least 50% (from islets and BRIN-BD11 cells), while addition of the saturated fatty acid palmitate inhibited acute (20 min) stimulated levels of insulin release from mouse islets. H2O2 decreased ATP levels in the cell line, but elevated p47phox and iNOS levels as did cytokine addition. Similar effects were observed in mouse islets with respect to elevation of p47phox and iNOS levels. Addition of antioxidants SOD (superoxide dismutase), Cat (catalase) and NAC (N-acetylcysteine) attenuated H2O2 or the saturated fatty acid palmitate-dependent effects, but not cytokine-induced dysfunction. However, specific chemical inhibitors of NADPH oxidase and/or iNOS appear to significantly attenuate the effects of cytokines, H2O2 or fatty acids in islets. While pro-inflammatory cytokines are known to increase p47phox and iNOS levels in β-cells, we now report that H2O2 can increase levels of the latter two proteins, suggesting a key role for positive-feedback redox sensitive regulation of β-cell dysfunction.
Extraction simulations and emittance measurements of a Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility electron beam plasma source for radioactive ion beams
Authors: Mendez A. J. , Liu Y.
Published: February 2010

The Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has a variety of ion sources used to produce radioactive ion beams (RIBs). Of these, the workhorse is an electron beam plasma (EBP) ion source. The recent addition of a second RIB injector, the Injector for Radioactive Ion Species 2 (IRIS2), for the HRIBF tandem accelerator prompted new studies of the optics of the beam extraction from the EBP source. The source was modeled using SIMION V8.0, and results will be presented, including comparison of the emittances as predicted by simulation and as measured at the HRIBF offline ion source test facilities. Also presented will be the impact on phase space shape resulting from extraction optics modifications implemented at IRIS2.
Double-filled skutterudites of the type YbxCayCo4Sb12: Synthesis and properties
Authors: Salvador J. R. , Yang J. , Wang H. , Shi X.
Published: February 2010

Filled skutterudites based on CoSb3 exhibit high ZT values due to the inclusion of filler atoms into voids that comprise the crystal structure of CoSb3. These atoms act as electron-donating species that dope the parent material, thereby decreasing the electrical resistivity. Additionally, the loosely bound nature of the filler species acts to scatter heat carrying phonons, which reduce the thermal conductivity. Recently it has been reported that filler atoms from different chemical groups could be cofilled into CoSb3, which further reduces the thermal conductivity, likely by scattering a wider spectrum of phonons. Presented here is the synthesis and transport property evaluation of a series of double-filled skutterudites of the type YbxCayCo4Sb12. Good power factors, S2/ρ comparable to Yb-filled skutterudites are obtained for samples with a high Yb to Ca filling ratio. Filling with Ca and Yb did not yield a significant reduction in the thermal conductivity and as a result the ZT values are not improved as compared to Yb-only filled skutterudites although they are much improved as compared to Ca-only filled.
A cryogenic analog to digital converter operating from 300 K down to 4.4 K
Authors: Okcan Burak , Merken Patrick , Gielen Georges , Van Hoof Chris
Published: February 2010

This paper presents a cryogenic successive approximation register (SAR) based analog to digital converter (ADC) implemented in a standard 0.35 μm complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. It operates from room temperature down to 4.4 K, achieving 10.47 effective number of bits (ENOB) at room temperature. At 4.4 K, the ADC achieves 8.53 ENOB at 50 kS/s sampling rate with a current consumption of 90 μA from a 3.3 V supply. The ADC utilizes an improved comparator architecture, which performs offset cancellation by using preamplifiers designed for cryogenic operation. The conventional offset cancellation algorithm is also modified in order to eliminate the effect of cryogenic anomalies below freeze-out temperature. The power efficiency is significantly improved compared to the state of the art semiconductor ADCs operating in the same temperature range.
Shape measurement of objects using an ultrafast optical Kerr gate of bismuth glass
Authors: Tan Wenjiang , Yang Yi , Si Jinhai , Tong Junyi , Yi Wenhui , Chen Feng , Hou Xun
Published: February 2010

An ultrafast optical Kerr gate of Bi2O3–B2O3–SiO2 oxide glass (BI glass) was used in an ultrafast time-resolved imaging system for shape measurement of objects. The experimental results showed that the longitudinal resolution of the imaging system using the ultrafast optical Kerr gate was less than 20 μm and the measurements of object shape using the ultrafast optical Kerr gate of BI glass had more advantages compared with that using CS2.
Experiments and simulations on self-organization of confined quasi-two-dimensional turbulent flows with discontinuous topography
Authors: Tenreiro M. , Sansón L. Zavala , van Heijst G. J. F. , Trieling R. R.
Published: February 2010

Decaying, quasi-two-dimensional turbulent flows in a rotating rectangular domain with a step-like topography are investigated by means of laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. The aim is to describe the role of a discontinuous topography on the evolution and organization of the vortices. Initially, vortex interactions lead to the self-organization of the flow, as in two-dimensional turbulence. Afterwards, the interaction of vortices with the step leads to a flow along the topography that always maintains the shallow region on the right. The simulations have revealed the existence of a critical value determined by the strength of the flow and the step height, after which structures are not able to cross the topography. As a result, the flow evolves almost independently at the shallow and deep regions affecting the efficiency of the organization and therefore the final distribution of vorticity. The existence of a preferential distribution of vorticity due to the step for long times (several rotation periods) is discussed. Different distributions are found when using slightly different flow parameters, and therefore the existence of such a preferential final state is analyzed by using statistical methods.
Mechanically controlled defect mode in cholesteric elastomers
Authors: Mota Adriana E. , Palomares Laura O. , Reyes Juan Adrian
Published: February 2010

We consider an axially elongated cholesteric elastomer having a twist defect. We show that its localized mode can be mechanically tuned, and the scaling of the inverse relative line width can be largely enhanced when the values of the deformation and shape anisotropy are near the pseudoisotropic curve. This choice causes a tremendous variation in the behavior of the photon dwell time in the defect mode, which then grows linearly versus the sample thickness. The shift of the defect wavelength, the reflection band width, and the angle between the electric and magnetic fields are also calculated.
Pneumatically tunable optofluidic dye laser
Authors: Song Wuzhou , Psaltis Demetri
Published: February 2010

We presented a tunable optofluidic dye laser with integrated elastomeric air-gap etalon controlled by air pressure. The chip was fabricated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) via replica molding. It comprises a liquid waveguide and microscale air-gap mirrors providing the feedback. The lasing wavelength is chosen by the interference between two parallel PDMS-air interfaces inside the internal tunable air-gap etalon, of which pneumatic tuning can be realized by inflating the air-gap etalon with compressed air. This dye laser exhibits a pumping threshold of 1.6 μJ/pulse, a lasing linewidth of 3 nm, and a tuning range of 14 nm.
Improved measurement accuracy of the quadrant detector through improvement of linearity index
Authors: Cui Song , Soh Yeng Chai
Published: February 2010

This paper presents a set of formulae for estimating the beam position projected on a quadrant detector (QD). Our new formulae are designed through a systematic procedure to improve the measurement accuracy of the QD. It can be applied to different beam profiles. It is shown in simulations that our new formulae have achieved a much better measurement accuracy. It is also shown through experimental study that our approach is robust and able to achieve very good performance in practice.
High-excitation effect on photoluminescence of sol-gel ZnO nanopowder
Authors: Chia C. H. , Lai Y. J. , Han T. C. , Chiou J. W. , Hu Y. M. , Chou W. C.
Published: February 2010

We studied the power-dependent photoluminescence of ZnO nanopowder grown by sol-gel method at low temperature. At moderate optical pumping intensity, two nonlinear emission bands due to the radiative recombination of free biexciton and the inelastic exciton–exciton scattering were detected. We found that the threshold of the excitation density for the emergence of the nonlinear emission bands is low (<18 W/cm2) in sol-gel ZnO nanopowders.
Charge regularization in phase separating polyelectrolyte solutions
Authors: Muthukumar M. , Hua Jing , Kundagrami Arindam
Published: February 2010

Theoretical investigations of phase separation in polyelectrolyte solutions have so far assumed that the effective charge of the polyelectrolyte chains is fixed. The ability of the polyelectrolyte chains to self-regulate their effective charge due to the self-consistent coupling between ionization equilibrium and polymer conformations, depending on the dielectric constant, temperature, and polymer concentration, affects the critical phenomena and phase transitions drastically. By considering salt-free polyelectrolyte solutions, we show that the daughter phases have different polymer charges from that of the mother phase. The critical point is also altered significantly by the charge self-regularization of the polymer chains. This work extends the progress made so far in the theory of phase separation of strong polyelectrolyte solutions to a higher level of understanding by considering chains which can self-regulate their charge.
Decadal trends in marine reserves reveal differential rates of change in direct and indirect effects
Authors: Babcock R. C. , Shears N. T. , Alcala A. C. , Barrett N. S. , Edgar G. J. , Lafferty K. D. , McClanahan T. R. , Russ G. R.
Published: February 2010

Decadal-scale observations of marine reserves suggest that indirect effects on taxa that occur through cascading trophic interactions take longer to develop than direct effects on target species. Combining and analyzing a unique set of long-term time series of ecologic data in and out of fisheries closures from disparate regions, we found that the time to initial detection of direct effects on target species (±SE) was 5.13 ± 1.9 years, whereas initial detection of indirect effects on other taxa, which were often trait mediated, took significantly longer (13.1 ± 2.0 years). Most target species showed initial direct effects, but their trajectories over time were highly variable. Many target species continued to increase, some leveled off, and others decreased. Decreases were due to natural fluctuations, fishing impacts from outside reserves, or indirect effects from target species at higher trophic levels. The average duration of stable periods for direct effects was 6.2 ± 1.2 years, even in studies of more than 15 years. For indirect effects, stable periods averaged 9.1 ± 1.6 years, although this was not significantly different from direct effects. Populations of directly targeted species were more stable in reserves than in fished areas, suggesting increased ecologic resilience. This is an important benefit of marine reserves with respect to their function as a tool for conservation and restoration.
Incorporating biogeography into evaluations of the Channel Islands marine reserve network
Authors: Hamilton Scott L. , Caselle Jennifer E. , Malone Dan P. , Carr Mark H.
Published: February 2010

Networks of marine reserves are increasingly a major component of many ecosystem-based management plans designed to conserve biodiversity, protect the structure and function of ecosystems, and rebuild and sustain fisheries. There is a growing need for scientific guidance in the design of network-wide monitoring programs to evaluate the efficacy of reserves at meeting their conservation and management goals. Here, we present an evaluation of the Channel Islands reserve network, which was established in 2003 off the coast of southern California. This reserve network spans a major environmental and biogeographic gradient, making it a challenge to assess network-wide responses of many species. Using fish community structure data from a long-term, large-scale monitoring program, we first identified persistent geographic patterns of community structure and the scale at which sites should be grouped for analysis. Fish communities differed most among islands with densities of individual species varying from 3- to 250-fold. Habitat structure differed among islands but not based on reserve status. Across the network, we found that, after 5 years, species targeted by fishing had higher densities (1.5×) and biomass (1.8×) inside reserves, whereas nontargeted species showed no significant differences. Examining trophic groups, piscivore and carnivore biomass was significantly greater inside reserves (1.8× and 1.3× more, respectively), whereas the biomass of planktivores and herbivores was similar inside and out. A framework for incorporating biogeographic variation into reserve network assessments is critical as we move from the evaluation of single reserves to networks of reserves.
Functional specializations for music processing in the human newborn brain
Authors: Perani Daniela , Saccuman Maria Cristina , Scifo Paola , Spada Danilo , Andreolli Guido , Rovelli Rosanna , Baldoli Cristina , Koelsch Stefan
Published: February 2010

In adults, specific neural systems with right-hemispheric weighting are necessary to process pitch, melody, and harmony as well as structure and meaning emerging from musical sequences. It is not known to what extent the specialization of these systems results from long-term exposure to music or from neurobiological constraints. One way to address this question is to examine how these systems function at birth, when auditory experience is minimal. We used functional MRI to measure brain activity in 1- to 3-day-old newborns while they heard excerpts of Western tonal music and altered versions of the same excerpts. Altered versions either included changes of the tonal key or were permanently dissonant. Music evoked predominantly right-hemispheric activations in primary and higher order auditory cortex. During presentation of the altered excerpts, hemodynamic responses were significantly reduced in the rig1ht auditory cortex, and activations emerged in the left inferior frontal cortex and limbic structures. These results demonstrate that the infant brain shows a hemispheric specialization in processing music as early as the first postnatal hours. Results also indicate that the neural architecture underlying music processing in newborns is sensitive to changes in tonal key as well as to differences in consonance and dissonance.
Arabidopsis thaliana
life without phytochromes
Authors: Strasser Bárbara , Sánchez-Lamas Maximiliano , Yanovsky Marcelo J. , Casal Jorge J. , Cerdán Pablo D.
Published: February 2010

Plants use light as a source of energy for photosynthesis and as a source of environmental information perceived by photoreceptors. Testing whether plants can complete their cycle if light provides energy but no information about the environment requires a plant devoid of phytochromes because all photosynthetically active wavelengths activate phytochromes. Producing such a quintuple mutant of
Arabidopsis thaliana
has been challenging, but we were able to obtain it in the
flowering locus T
(
ft
) mutant background. The quintuple phytochrome mutant does not germinate in the
FT
background, but it germinates to some extent in the
ft
background. If germination problems are bypassed by the addition of gibberellins, the seedlings of the quintuple phytochrome mutant exposed to red light produce chlorophyll, indicating that phytochromes are not the sole red-light photoreceptors, but they become developmentally arrested shortly after the cotyledon stage. Blue light bypasses this blockage, rejecting the long-standing idea that the blue-light receptors cryptochromes cannot operate without phytochromes. After growth under white light, returning the quintuple phytochrome mutant to red light resulted in rapid senescence of already expanded leaves and severely impaired expansion of new leaves. We conclude that
Arabidopsis
development is stalled at several points in the presence of light suitable for photosynthesis but providing no photomorphogenic signal.
Mutation-selection models of coding sequence evolution with site-heterogeneous amino acid fitness profiles
Authors: Rodrigue Nicolas , Philippe Hervé , Lartillot Nicolas
Published: February 2010

Modeling the interplay between mutation and selection at the molecular level is key to evolutionary studies. To this end, codon-based evolutionary models have been proposed as pertinent means of studying long-range evolutionary patterns and are widely used. However, these approaches have not yet consolidated results from amino acid level phylogenetic studies showing that selection acting on proteins displays strong site-specific effects, which translate into heterogeneous amino acid propensities across the columns of alignments; related codon-level studies have instead focused on either modeling a single selective context for all codon columns, or a separate selective context for each codon column, with the former strategy deemed too simplistic and the latter deemed overparameterized. Here, we integrate recent developments in nonparametric statistical approaches to propose a probabilistic model that accounts for the heterogeneity of amino acid fitness profiles across the coding positions of a gene. We apply the model to a dozen real protein-coding gene alignments and find it to produce biologically plausible inferences, for instance, as pertaining to site-specific amino acid constraints, as well as distributions of scaled selection coefficients. In their account of mutational features as well as the heterogeneous regimes of selection at the amino acid level, the modeling approaches studied here can form a backdrop for several extensions, accounting for other selective features, for variable population size, or for subtleties of mutational features, all with parameterizations couched within population-genetic theory.
Computational identification of gene–social environment interaction at the humanIL6locus
Authors: Cole Steven W. , Arevalo Jesusa M. G. , Takahashi Rie , Sloan Erica K. , Lutgendorf Susan K. , Sood Anil K. , Sheridan John F. , Seeman Teresa E.
Published: February 2010

To identify genetic factors that interact with social environments to impact human health, we used a bioinformatic strategy that couples expression array–based detection of environmentally responsive transcription factors with in silico discovery of regulatory polymorphisms to predict genetic loci that modulate transcriptional responses to stressful environments. Tests of one predicted interaction locus in the humanIL6promoter (SNP rs1800795) verified that it modulates transcriptional response to β-adrenergic activation of the GATA1 transcription factor in vitro. In vivo validation studies confirmed links between adverse social conditions and increased transcription of GATA1 target genes in primary neural, immune, and cancer cells. Epidemiologic analyses verified the health significance of those molecular interactions by documenting increased 10-year mortality risk associated with late-life depressive symptoms that occurred solely for homozygous carriers of the GATA1-sensitive G allele of rs1800795. Gating of depression-related mortality risk byIL6genotype pertained only to inflammation-related causes of death and was associated with increased chronic inflammation as indexed by plasma C-reactive protein. Computational modeling of molecular interactions, in vitro biochemical analyses, in vivo animal modeling, and human molecular epidemiologic analyses thus converge in identifying β-adrenergic activation of GATA1 as a molecular pathway by which social adversity can alter human health risk selectively depending on individual genetic status at theIL6locus.
The PPH1 phosphatase is specifically involved in LHCII dephosphorylation and state transitions in Arabidopsis
Authors: Shapiguzov Alexey , Ingelsson Björn , Samol Iga , Andres Charles , Kessler Felix , Rochaix Jean-David , Vener Alexander V. , Goldschmidt-Clermont Michel
Published: February 2010

The ability of plants to adapt to changing light conditions depends on a protein kinase network in the chloroplast that leads to the reversible phosphorylation of key proteins in the photosynthetic membrane. Phosphorylation regulates, in a process called state transition, a profound reorganization of the electron transfer chain and remodeling of the thylakoid membranes. Phosphorylation governs the association of the mobile part of the light-harvesting antenna LHCII with either photosystem I or photosystem II. Recent work has identified the redox-regulated protein kinase STN7 as a major actor in state transitions, but the nature of the corresponding phosphatases remained unknown. Here we identify a phosphatase of
Arabidopsis thaliana
, called PPH1, which is specifically required for the dephosphorylation of light-harvesting complex II (LHCII). We show that this single phosphatase is largely responsible for the dephosphorylation of Lhcb1 and Lhcb2 but not of the photosystem II core proteins. PPH1, which belongs to the family of monomeric PP2C type phosphatases, is a chloroplast protein and is mainly associated with the stroma lamellae of the thylakoid membranes. We demonstrate that loss of PPH1 leads to an increase in the antenna size of photosystem I and to a strong impairment of state transitions. Thus phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of LHCII appear to be specifically mediated by the kinase/phosphatase pair STN7 and PPH1. These two proteins emerge as key players in the adaptation of the photosynthetic apparatus to changes in light quality and quantity.
Structural mechanism of host Rab1 activation by the bifunctional
Legionella
type IV effector SidM/DrrA
Authors: Zhu Yongqun , Hu Liyan , Zhou Yan , Yao Qing , Liu Liping , Shao Feng
Published: February 2010

Bacterial pathogens deliver effector proteins with diverse biochemical activities into host cells, thereby modulating various host functions.
Legionella pneumophila
hijacks host vesicle trafficking to avoid phagosome–lysosome fusion, a mechanism that is dependent on the
Legionella
Dot/Icm type IV secretion system. SidM/DrrA, a
Legionella
type IV effector, is important for the interactions of
Legionella
-containing vacuoles with host endoplasmic reticulum–derived vesicles. SidM is the only known protein that catalyzes both the exchange of GDP for GTP and GDI displacement from small GTPase Rab1. We determined the crystal structures of SidM alone (residues 317–647) and SidM (residues 193–550) in complex with nucleotide-free WT Rab1. The SidM structure contains an N-terminal helical domain with a potential new function, a Rab1-activation domain, and a C-terminal phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate–binding P4M domain. The Rab1-activation domain has extensive strong interactions mainly with Rab1 switch I and II regions that undergo substantial conformational changes on SidM binding. Mutations of switch-contacting residues in SidM attenuate both the nucleotide exchange and GDI displacement activities. Structural comparisons of Rab1 in the SidM complex with Rab1-GDP and Ypt1-GDP in the GDI complex identify key conformational changes that disrupt the nucleotide and GDI binding of Rab1. Further biochemical and structural analyses reveal a unique mechanism of coupled GDP release and GDI displacement likely triggered by the SidM-induced drastic displacement of switch I of Rab1.
Input-specific synaptic plasticity in the amygdala is regulated by neuroligin-1 via postsynaptic NMDA receptors
Authors: Jung Sang-Yong , Kim Juhyun , Kwon Oh Bin , Jung Jung Hoon , An Kyongman , Jeong A Young , Lee C. Justin , Choi Yun-Beom , Bailey Craig H. , Kandel Eric R. , Kim Joung-Hun
Published: February 2010

Despite considerable evidence for a critical role of neuroligin-1 in the specification of excitatory synapses, the cellular mechanisms and physiological roles of neuroligin-1 in mature neural circuits are poorly understood. In mutant mice deficient in neuroligin-1, or adult rats in which neuroligin-1 was depleted, we have found that neuroligin-1 stabilizes the NMDA receptors residing in the postsynaptic membrane of amygdala principal neurons, which allows for a normal range of NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission. We observed marked decreases in NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic currents at afferent inputs to the amygdala of neuroligin-1 knockout mice. However, the knockout mice exhibited a significant impairment in spike-timing-dependent long-term potentiation (STD-LTP) at the thalamic but not the cortical inputs to the amygdala. Subsequent electrophysiological analyses indicated that STD-LTP in the cortical pathway is largely independent of activation of postsynaptic NMDA receptors. These findings suggest that neuroligin-1 can modulate, in a pathway-specific manner, synaptic plasticity in the amygdala circuits of adult animals, likely by regulating the abundance of postsynaptic NMDA receptors.
“Don't Suffer in Silence” — Applying the Integrated Model for Social Marketers to Campaigns Targeting Victims of Domestic Violence
Authors: Cismaru Magdalena , Lavack Anne M.
Published: February 2010

We conducted a review and analysis of multicomponent social marketing campaigns targeting victims of domestic violence, which were gathered from a variety of websites in five English-speaking countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. We examined the degree to which these campaigns conform to the Integrated Model for Social Marketers developed by Cismaru, Lavack, Hadjistavropoulos, and Dorsch (2008). This model describes the variables salient in each stage of behavioral change and provides a description of the most effective strategies for persuasion. Key recommendations for enhancing future initiatives targeting victims of domestic violence suggest that it is important to emphasize the benefits of changing, as well as to convince victims of domestic violence that they can improve their lives.
Interfacial shear strengths between carbon nanotubes
Authors: Li Chengxiang , Liu Yilun , Yao Xuefeng , Ito Masaei , Noguchi Toru , Zheng Quanshui
Published: February 2010

Interfacial shear strengths or static frictions between carbon nanotubes (CNT) in contact at different cross angles are studied by using atomic mechanics. It is shown that the axial interfacial shear strengths between parallel CNTs in commensurate are two orders of magnitude greater than those in incommensurate. This strong chiral dependence is not surprising and is similar to that of the friction between two graphite basal planes. In contrast, we find that the interfacial shear strengths of crossly contacted CNT pairs are much less dependent upon chirality. The estimated values of interfacial shear strengths, ranging from 0.05 to 0.35 GPa, agree very well with experimentally measured results available in the literature. These results may thus be used as a basis for explaining the observed tension strengths of CNT bundles and films that are mainly bonded by van der Waals interactions and the mechanical behaviors of composite materials with highly concentrated CNTs.