bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decreased insular and increased midbrain activations during decision‐making under risk in adolescents with excess weight
Authors: Delgado‐Rico Elena , Soriano‐Mas Carles , Verdejo‐Román Juan , S. Río‐Valle Jacqueline , Verdejo‐García Antonio
Published: February 2013

Objective

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to explore the brain substrates of decisions under risk in excess weight adolescents. Decreased activations of the brain regions signaling risk (orbitofrontal cortex [OFC], insula) were expected during anticipation of higher rewards and increased activations of the brain regions involved in reward processing (OFC, striatum) were expected after reward receipt in excess weight adolescents compared to normal weight controls.

Design and Methods

Fifty‐two adolescents (age range 12‐17), classified in three groups as a function of BMI: obese (n = 21), overweight (n = 15), or normal weight (n = 16) performed the Risky‐Gains task as described by Paulus et al. in the fMRI scanner.

Results

Excess weight adolescents, compared to normal weight controls, showed decreased left insular and increased midbrain activations during anticipation of risky choices. In addition, excess weight adolescents showed increased activations of the inferior frontal gyrus, parahippocampus, thalamus, and posterior brain regions after reward receipt.

Conclusions

Adolescents with excess weight showed reduced activations in brain regions signaling risk and increased activations in regions signaling reward during anticipation of decisions involving risk and reward. In addition, post‐decision reward outcomes produced increased activations of regions involved in emotional salience in excess weight adolescents versus controls.
Maternal serum protein profile and immune response protein subunits as markers for non‐invasive prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 21, 18, and 13
Authors: Narasimhan Kothandaraman , Lin Su Lin , Tong Terry , Baig Sonia , Ho Sherry , Sukumar Ponnusamy , Biswas Arijit , Hahn Sinuhe , Bajic Vladimir B. , Choolani Mahesh
Published: February 2013

Objectives

To use proteomics to identify and characterize proteins in maternal serum from patients at high‐risk for fetal trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13 on the basis of ultrasound and maternal serum triple tests.

Methods

We performed a comprehensive proteomic analysis on 23 trisomy cases and 85 normal cases during the early second trimester of pregnancy. Protein profiling along with conventional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis/Tandem mass spectrometry analysis was carried out to characterize proteins associated with each trisomy condition and later validated using Western blot.

Results

Protein profiling approach using surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass (SELDI‐TOF/MS) spectrometry resulted in the identification of 37 unique hydrophobic proteomic features for three trisomy conditions. Using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization – Time of Flight/Time of Flight (MALDI‐TOF/TOF) and western blot, glyco proteins such as alpha‐1‐antitrypsin, apolipoprotein E, apolipoprotein H, and serum carrier protein transthyretin were identified as potential maternal serum markers for fetal trisomy condition. The identified proteins showed differential expression at the subunit level. .

Conclusions

Maternal serum protein profiling using proteomics may allow non‐invasive diagnostic testing for the most common trisomies and may complement ultrasound‐based methods to more accurately determine pregnancies with fetal aneuploidies. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing Aberrant Personality in Managerial Coaching: Measurement Issues and Prevalence Rates across Employment Sectors
Authors: De Fruyt Filip , Wille Bart , Furnham Adrian
Published: February 2013

The convergent and discriminant validity of two methods to assess a broad spectrum of aberrant personality tendencies was examined in a large sample of managers who were administered the NEO–PI–R (N = 11 862) and the Hogan Development Survey (N = 6774) in the context of a professional development assessment. Five–Factor Model (FFM) aberrant compounds, defined as linear combinations of NEO–PI–R facets, converged for the antisocial, borderline, histrionic, avoidant and obsessive–compulsive tendencies with their respective Hogan Development Survey counterparts. Alternative linear FFM combinations did improve convergent results for the schizoid and obsessive–compulsive pattern. Risk for various aberrant tendencies was roughly equal across different employment sectors, with a higher prevalence of borderline, avoidant and dependent tendencies in the legal and more histrionic tendencies in the retail sector. Adopting FFM aberrant compound cut–offs developed for coaching purposes to flag at risk individuals showed that 20% to 25% of all managers qualified for at least one and 10% to 15% were flagged as at risk for two or more aberrant tendencies. The theoretical implications and the repercussions of this research for the design of professional development and coaching trajectories are discussed. Copyright © 2013 European Association of Personality Psychology
Dielectric and electromechanical studies of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) fabricated from plastisol
Authors: Ali Mohammad , Ueki Takamitsu , Hirai Toshihiro , Sato Takaaki , Sato Tamotsu
Published: February 2013

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) plastisol is used in many industrial applications and is considered an electrically inactive material. To explore the potential of plastisol as an electroactive material, the dielectric properties, space charge distribution, mechanical properties, internal structure and electromechanical behavior of plasticized PVC (PVC gel) prepared from plastisol by heating were investigated. The gel exhibited a large dielectric constant at low frequencies (1–1000 Hz), an asymmetric charge distribution and excellent mechanical properties. Various DC electric fields were applied to the gel placed parallel between two electrodes and the electrostatic adhesive force to the anode was measured. The results of small‐ and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering suggested that the electromechanical properties of the gel originated from the characteristics of the physical crosslinking distance (ca 20 nm) of PVC in the gel structure. Considering the dielectric properties, space charge density and adhesion force to the anode, PVC gels prepared from plastisol using the heating method have potential for use as electroactive materials. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
Integrated market and nonmarket strategies: Political campaign contributions around merger and acquisition events in the energy sector
Authors: Holburn Guy L. F. , Vanden Bergh Richard G.
Published: February 2013

We examine how firms use political strategies to protect economic rents created by mergers and acquisitions against dissipation by regulators. In regulated industries, regulators can impose costly merger conditions, for instance consumer rate reductions in the utilities sector, thereby reducing shareholder gains. We investigate empirically whether and how firms use election campaign contributions to politicians as a method of influencing regulatory merger approvals. In a statistical analysis of campaign contributions by all electric utilities from 1998 to 2006, we find that utilities increased their contributions in the year before they announced a merger and that merging utilities increased their contributions more in states with greater political party competition. Our findings contribute to political strategy research by providing novel evidence that firms integrate market and nonmarket strategies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Make, buy, organize: The interplay between research, external knowledge, and firm structure
Authors: Arora Ashish , Belenzon Sharon , Rios Luis A.
Published: February 2013

We bridge current streams of innovation research to explore the interplay between R&D, external knowledge, and organizational structure—three elements of a firm's innovation strategy, which we argue should logically be studied together. Using within‐firm patent assignment patterns, we develop a novel measure of structure for a large sample of American firms. We find that centralized firms invest more in research, and patent more per R&D dollar, than decentralized firms. Both types access technology via mergers and acquisitions, but their acquisitions differ in terms of frequency, size, and integration. Consistent with our framework, their sources of value creation differ: while centralized firms derive more value from internal R&D, decentralized firms rely more on external knowledge. We discuss how these findings should stimulate more integrative work on theories of innovation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Continuous Coaxial Electrohydrodynamic Atomization System for Water‐Stable Wrapping of Magnetic Nanoparticles
Authors: Kim Sang‐Yoon , Yang Jaemoon , Kim Bongjune , Park Jungmin , Suh Jin‐Suck , Huh Yong‐Min , Haam Seungjoo , Hwang Jungho
Published: February 2013

An electrohydrodynamic atomization (EHDA) system that generates an electrospray can achieve particle formation and encapsulation by accumulating an electric charge on liquid flowing out from the nozzle. A novel coaxial EHDA system for continuous fabrication of water‐stable magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) is established, based on a cone‐jet mode of electrospraying. Systemic variables, such as flow rates from dual nozzles and inducing voltages, are controlled to enable the preparation of water‐soluble MNPs coated by polysorbate 80. The PEGylated MNPs exhibit water stability. The magnetic resonance imaging potential of these MNPs is confirmed by in vivo imaging using a gastric cancer xenograft mouse model. Thus, this advanced coaxial EHDA system demonstrates remarkable capabilities for the continuous encapsulation of MNPs to render them water‐stable while preserving their properties as imaging agents.
Neue Eisenbahnbrücke am Bahnhof Hamburg‐Dammtor
Authors: Starke Peter
Published: February 2013

Der Bericht befasst sich mit der Erneuerung einer vierteiligen Eisenbahnbrücke “unter dem rollenden Rad“, die neben dem Durchgangsbahnhof “Dammtor“ an einem belebten Straßenknotenpunkt gelegen ist (Bilder 1 und 2). Zur Erhaltung der vorhandenen Ost‐West‐Verbindung innerhalb der Stadt sind diese Arbeiten im Jahr 2010 ausgeschrieben worden und wurden im November 2012 abgeschlossen. Beim Altbau handelt es sich um eine Stahlkonstruktion auf Stützen von 1902, die als Vollwandträger mit Nietverbindungen ausgebildet ist und nach jetzt 110 Jahren noch den vollen Bahnbetrieb einwandfrei ertragen hat. Im neuen Entwurf sollen die Stützen entfallen, dafür aber die Wände erneuert werden. Die Brücke ist schiefwinklig 30 bis 40° und im Grundriss zu den Bahnsteigen hin leicht fächerförmig ausgebildet.

Der unmittelbar angrenzende Bahnhof hat zwei Bahnsteige innerhalb einer geschlossenen Halle mit stählernem Gewölbedach. Die Bahnsteige dienen dem Fernverkehr Hamburg–Berlin und dem Stadtbahnverkehr Hauptbahnhof–Altona.

Es werden unter anderem die Bauhilfsmaßnahmen beschrieben, die zur Erstellung der neuen Widerlagerwände erforderlich waren. Den Abschluss bilden einige Bilder vom Transport der trogförmigen Überbauten zur Einbaustelle.

New railway bridge at station Hamburg‐Dammtor. The following report concernes the renewing of a four part railway bridge “beyond the rolling wheels“, which is situated besides the through‐traffic station “Dammtor“ near a vivid street knot (Figs. 1 and 2). To beware east‐west connection within the town, this project was advertised in 2010 and will be finished at the end of 2012. The old bridge has been a steel‐construction on columns from 1902. It was formed as a sheet metal girder with riveted connections. The bridge has carried the full railwayload after now 110 years. In future the 16 columns were to be released, but the walls were to be renewed.

The bridge is oblique‐angled 30 to 40 degrees and in the ground plan lightly fan shaped leading to the platforms. The directly bordering station has two platforms. They are serving for the long distance traffic Hamburg–Berlin and for the town traffic Mainstation–Altona, both within a closed hall with a steel‐vault roof. Described are among others the devices, which were needed for rising the new walls under the bridge. Finally there are pictures about the transport oft he prefabricated trough shaped superstructures.
Ersatzneubau für die Schnettkerbrücke in Dortmund: Bauwerksentwurf (Teil 1)
Authors: Hamme Markus , Prenting Adele , Neumann Winfried
Published: February 2013

Im Zuge des Ausbaus der Autobahn A 40 wurde ein Ersatzneubau für die Schnettkerbrücke in Dortmund erforderlich. Neben den technischen Schwierigkeiten, die sich aus dem Bauen unter Aufrechthaltung des Verkehrs ergeben, war die Bauaufgabe auch durch besondere Anforderungen an die Gestaltung der neuen Brücke geprägt. Die außergewöhnliche Lösung ist eine technisch und optisch anspruchsvolle Brücke, bei der verschiedene Tragwirkungen miteinander kombiniert werden. Die Ausführung erfolgt als robuste Stahlverbundbrücke mit einer maximalen Stützweite von 132 m.

Replacement of the Schnettker Bridge in Dortmund: Design of the bridge (part 1). In course of the expansion of the autobahn A 40 the bridge Schnettkerbrücke had to be replaced. Beside of technical difficulties, resulting from the request to build the new bridge while maintaining the traffic, there have been a lot of architectural requirements to the new bridge. The extraordinary solution is a technical and optical ambitious bridge, which combines different types of load carrying actions. The maximal span of the robust composite bridge is 132 m.
Large‐scale tests on a composite bridge with prefabricated concrete deck and dry deck joints
Authors: Hällmark Robert , Collin Peter , Nilsson Martin
Published: February 2013

This paper describes the large‐scale tests on a composite bridge with prefabricated deck elements and dry joints between the elements. The work is part of the European R
Der Lamellenstoß im Stahl‐ und Verbundbrückenbau
Authors: Kuhlmann Ulrike , Kudla Konrad
Published: February 2013

Angeregt durch Erfahrungen von Ingenieurbüros und Stahlbaufirmen mit den neuen Ermüdungsnachweisen der europäischen Normen im Brückenbau, wurde im Rahmen eines DASt/IGF‐Forschungsvorhabens zur Weiterentwicklung und Spezifizierung der Ermüdungsnachweise für Straßen‐ und Eisenbahnbrücken unter anderem das Konstruktionsdetail des Lamellenstoßes untersucht. Dabei handelt es sich um einen typischen Montagestoß von Vollwandträgern aus Stahl mit mehrteiligen Gurten, der in Deutschland zwar übliche Baupraxis darstellt, aber im Ausland weitgehend unbekannt ist. Im Kerbfallkatalog von Eurocode 3 Teil 1‐9 zur Einordnung der Ermüdungsdetails fehlt deshalb der Lamellenstoß auch. Der Beitrag stellt erste Forschungsergebnisse vor, die es in Zukunft ermöglichen, auch bei Anwendung von Eurocode 3 das Konstruktionsdetail Lamellenstoß als Kerbfall einzuordnen und auszuführen.

The lamella joint for steel and composite bridges, State of the Art in research and Eurocode design. Initiated by the experiences of consulting offices and steel companies applying the fatigue verification according to the new European rules in bridge design, in the frame of a DASt/IGF‐Research project dealing with the evolution and the specification of the fatigue assessment for highway and railway steel bridges the construction detail of a lamella joint has been investigated. This joint represents a typical butt welding joint during erection of plated steel girders with flanges consisting of several lamellas. This detail is typical of German bridge design in practice, but nearly unknown in other European countries. In the fatigue detail catalogue of Eurocode 3 Part 1‐9 the lamella joint is therefore missing. The paper presents first research results which will in future allow applying the construction detail of the lamella joint also in the frame of Eurocode design.
Die neue Rheinbrücke Wiesbaden‐Schierstein – Wettbewerb und Entwurf
Authors: Pelke Eberhard , Dieter Alwin
Published: February 2013

Oft unterschätzt, stand die bestehende Rheinbrücke Wiesbaden‐Schierstein am Wendepunkt vom statischen zum fertigungsgerechten Ingenieurbauwerk. Der Siegerentwurf des Realisierungswettbewerbes 2007 bestätigte die Grundlagen von Entwurf und Ausführung der Jahre 1959 bis 1962 und zieht Schlüsse aus der Unter‐ und baulichen Erhaltung des bestehenden Bauwerks. Der Aufsatz beschreibt Entstehung des bestehenden Bauwerks, wesentliche Instandsetzungsschritte, die sich daraus ableitende Erfordernis zum Neubau und abschließend dessen Ausschreibungsentwurf.

The new Rhine Bridge Wiesbaden‐Schierstein, Germany – Competition and Design. The underestimated, existing Rhine Bridge Wiesbaden‐Schierstein was the watershed between static and erection optimization. The winner of the design competition in 2007 for a new Rhine Bridge between Wiesbaden and Mainz confirms the basic design and construction ideas of the former engineers. His design gathers experience of maintenance and retrofitting of the older bridge. The article describes the main steps of design, construction and retrofitting of the older bridge, need and tender design of a new bridge.
Development of an Empirically Based Questionnaire to Investigate Young Students' Ideas About Nature of Science
Authors: Chen Sufen , Chang Wen‐Hua , Lieu Sang‐Chong , Kao Huey‐Lien , Huang Mao‐Tsai , Lin Shu‐Fen
Published: February 2013

This study developed an empirically based questionnaire to monitor young learners' conceptions of nature of science (NOS). The questionnaire, entitled Students' Ideas about Nature of Science (SINOS), measured views on theory‐ladenness, use of creativity and imagination, tentativeness of scientific knowledge, durability of scientific knowledge, coherence and objectivity in science, the science for girls stereotype, and the science for boys stereotype. SINOS was constructed based on the written responses of 431 sixth graders, elementary students' quotations in theses and books related to NOS, and student interviews. The draft questionnaire was administered to 1,139 third to sixth graders (aged 9–12) in Taiwan. According to the results of an item analysis, and reliability and validity tests, 47 out of 62 items were selected for the current version. It was further validated by a sample of 1,091 5th and 6th graders. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that all of the 5th graders, 6th graders, girls, and boys' data could be explained by the 7‐factor structure. The overall reliability as measured by Cronbach's alpha was 0.85. The relations between the SINOS scores and the achievement scores are presented. The instrument yields valid and reliable data useful for inferential statistics, and allows researchers and educators to relate NOS views to other measurable educational outcomes. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 50: 408‐430, 2013
Calcium ion channels: challenges and successes in drug discovery
Authors: McDonough Stefan I.
Published: February 2013

There are both opportunities and challenges in developing improved or novel therapeutics based on targeting voltage‐gated calcium channels. Calcium channels are technically difficult with respect to target‐based drug discovery but unquestionably are key points for influencing human physiology and pathophysiology. Many marketed drugs, including nifedipine, nimodipine, ethosuximide, pregabalin, and ziconotide, exert therapeutic efficacy via inhibition of calcium channels. Although there is no obvious path to improving these existing drugs, recent clinical results with dihydropyridine drugs point to testable strategies for treatment of Parkinson's disease and possibly other CNS disorders by inhibiting L‐type calcium channels. Roles of T‐type calcium channels in pain and in abnormal sleep are plausible and may soon be tested with clinical trials of novel therapeutics. Success with any of these trials certainly will be followed by intensive efforts for further refinements around the target class. WIREs Membr Transp Signal 2013, 2:85–104. doi: 10.1002/wmts.71

For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Image‐guided resection of malignant gliomas using ﬂuorescent nanoparticles
Authors: Su Xinhui , Cheng Kai , Wang Charlie , Xing Lei , Wu Hua , Cheng Zhen
Published: February 2013

Intraoperative fluorescence imaging especially near‐infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging has the potential to revolutionize neurosurgery by providing high sensitivity and real‐time image guidance to surgeons for defining gliomas margins. Fluorescence probes including targeted nanoprobes are expected to improve the specificity and selectivity for intraoperative fluorescence or NIRF tumor imaging. The main focus of this article is to provide a brief overview of intraoperative fluorescence imaging systems and probes including fluorescein sodium, 5‐aminolevulinic acid, dye‐containing nanoparticles, and targeted NIRF nanoprobes for their applications in image‐guided resection of malignant gliomas. Moreover, photoacoustic imaging is a promising molecular imaging modality, and its potential applications for brain tumor imaging are also briefly discussed. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2013, 5:219–232. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1212

This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > Diagnostic Nanodevices

Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Neurological Disease

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease
A scattering approach to some aspects of the Schwarzschild black hole
Authors: Raffaelli Bernard
Published: February 2013

Abstract

In this paper, we consider a massless field, with spin j, in interaction with a Schwarzschild black hole in four dimensions, focusing mainly our study on the s-wave scattering. First, using a Fourier analysis, we show that one can have a simple and natural description of the Physics near the event horizon without using any conformal field approaches. Then, within the same “scattering picture”, we derive analytically the imaginary part of the highly damped quasinormal complex frequencies and, as a natural consequence of our analysis, we show that thermal effects and in particular Hawking radiation, can be understood through the scattering of an ingoing s-wave by the non null barrier of the Regge-Wheeler potential associated with the Schwarzschild black hole. Finally, with the help of the well-known expression of the highly damped quasinormal complex frequencies, we propose a heuristic extension of the “tripled Pauli statistics” suggested by Motl, some years ago.
Improve carbon metabolic flux inSaccharomyces cerevisiaeat high temperature by overexpressedTSL1gene
Authors: Ge Xiang-Yang , Xu Yan , Chen Xiang
Published: February 2013

This study describes a novel strategy to improve the glycolysis flux of Saccharomyces cerevisiae at high temperature. The TSL1 gene-encoding regulatory subunit of the trehalose synthase complex was overexpressed in S. cerevisiae Z-06, which increased levels of trehalose synthase activity in extracts, enhanced stress tolerance and glucose consuming rate of the yeast cells. As a consequence, the final ethanol concentration of 185.5 g/L was obtained at 38 °C for 36 h (with productivity up to 5.2 g/L/h) in 7-L fermentor, and the ethanol productivity was 92.7 % higher than that of the parent strain. The results presented here provide a novel way to enhance the carbon metabolic flux at high temperature, which will be available for the purposes of producing other primary metabolites of commercial interest using S. cerevisiae as a host.
GATE Teamware: a web-based, collaborative text annotation framework
Authors: Bontcheva Kalina , Cunningham Hamish , Roberts Ian , Roberts Angus , Tablan Valentin , Aswani Niraj , Gorrell Genevieve
Published: February 2013

This paper presents GATE Teamware—an open-source, web-based, collaborative text annotation framework. It enables users to carry out complex corpus annotation projects, involving distributed annotator teams. Different user roles are provided (annotator, manager, administrator) with customisable user interface functionalities, in order to support the complex workflows and user interactions that occur in corpus annotation projects. Documents may be pre-processed automatically, so that human annotators can begin with text that has already been pre-annotated and thus making them more efficient. The user interface is simple to learn, aimed at non-experts, and runs in an ordinary web browser, without need of additional software installation. GATE Teamware has been evaluated through the creation of several gold standard corpora and internal projects, as well as through external evaluation in commercial and EU text annotation projects. It is available as on-demand service on GateCloud.net, as well as open-source for self-installation.
Risk Factors for Problem Gambling Among Indigenous Australians: An Empirical Study
Authors: Hing Nerilee , Breen Helen , Gordon Ashley , Russell Alex
Published: February 2013

Despite a long history of gambling amongst many Indigenous peoples, knowledge about contemporary Indigenous gambling is sparse. In Australia, previous studies of Indigenous gambling have been severely limited in number, scope and rigour. The research reported in this paper is based on the first Indigenous-specific quantitative gambling research undertaken in Australia since 1996 and draws on the largest sample to date. This study examined numerous aspects of gambling among Indigenous Australians. After appropriate consultations and permission, the study collected surveys from 1,259 self-selected Indigenous adults in 2011 at three Indigenous festivals, online and in several Indigenous communities. This paper draws on these data to identify problem gambling risk factors by comparing selected socio-demographic characteristics, early exposure to gambling, gambling motivations, gambling behaviour, gambling cognitions, and substance use while gambling, amongst non-problem, low risk, moderate risk and problem gamblers. A logistic regression investigated the difference between problem gamblers and all other PGSI groups. Risk factors associated with being a problem gambler were: being older, commencing gambling when under 10 years old, always being exposed to adults gambling as a child, using alcohol and/or drugs while gambling, having family and friends who gamble, having an addiction to gambling and not gambling to socialise, having a high expenditure on commercial gambling, and living in a state or territory other than NSW or QLD. Public health measures to address these risk factors are identified.
Snow evens fragmentation effects and food determines overwintering success in ground‐dwelling voles
Authors: Haapakoski Marko , Ylönen Hannu
Published: February 2013

Climate instability strongly affects overwintering conditions in organisms living in a strongly seasonal environment and consequently their survival and population dynamics. Food, predation and density effects are also strong during winter, but the effect of fragmentation of ground vegetation on ground‐dwelling small mammals is unknown. Here, we report the results of a winter experiment on the effects of habitat fragmentation and food on experimental overwintering populations of bank voles Myodes glareolus. The study was conducted in large outdoor enclosures containing one large, two medium‐sized or four small habitat patches or the total enclosure area covered with protective tall‐grass habitat. During the stable snow cover of midwinter, only food affected the overwintering success, body condition, trappability and earlier onset of breeding in bank voles. However, after the snow thaw in spring, habitat fragmentation gained importance again, and breeding activities increased the movements of voles in the most fragmented habitat. The use of an open, risky matrix area increased along the habitat fragmentation. Our experiment showed that long‐lasting stable snow cover protects overwintering individuals in otherwise exposed and risky ground habitats. We conclude that a stable winter climate and snow cover should even out habitat fragmentation effects on small mammals. However, along prolonged snow‐free early winter and in an earlier spring thaw, this means loss of protection by snow cover both in terms of thermoregulation and predation. Thus, habitat cover is important for the survival of small ground‐dwelling boreal mammals also during the non‐breeding season.
Inhibitory Effect of N‐Acyl Dopamines on IgE‐Mediated Allergic Response in RBL‐2H3 Cells
Authors: Yoo Jae‐Myung , Park Eun Seok , Kim Mee Ree , Sok Dai‐Eun
Published: February 2013

Recently, endogenous N‐acyl dopamines have been found to show anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. However, the effect of the N‐acyl dopamines on allergic responses was not reported. In this study, we investigated whether N‐acyl dopamines might inhibit immunoglobulin E‐mediated degranulation in RBL‐2H3 cells. When RBL‐2H3 cells were exposed to palmitoyl dopamine (NP‐DA), oleoyl dopamine (NO‐DA) or arachidonoyl dopamine (NA‐DA) at micromolar levels, all these compounds significantly inhibited the release of β‐hexosaminidase, a marker of degranulation, as well as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α. In comparison, NP‐DA, potently suppressing the release of β‐hexosaminidase (IC50, 3.5 μM) and TNF‐α (IC50, 2.2 μM), was more potent than NO‐DA or NA‐DA. Additionally, NP‐DA markedly suppressed the formation of prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin D2 and leukotriene C4, corresponding to pro‐inflammatory lipid mediators in asthma. In the mechanistic analyses, where the effect of NP‐DA on the FcεRI cascade was examined, NP‐DA significantly inhibited the phosphorylation and expression of Syk, but not Lyn. And, NP‐DA also suppressed phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Akt. Further, NP‐DA decreased the phosphorylation of cPLA2 and 5‐lipoxygenase (5‐LO), but not cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2). Based on these results, it is suggested that NP‐DA exert anti‐allergic effect on allergic response through suppressing the activation of Syk, ERK1/2, Akt, cPLA2 and 5‐LO. Besides, a strong inhibition of COX‐2 activity by NP‐DA may be additional mechanism for its anti‐allergic action. Such an anti‐allergic action of N‐acyl dopamines may contribute to further information about biological functions of N‐acyl dopamines.
Reading the Bible in America: The Moral and Political Attitude Effect
Authors: Franzen Aaron B.
Published: February 2013

The Bible is an important text in American history, but research analyzing the social consequences of reading the Bible is very limited. Research focusing on religious practices or religiosity with Bible reading as part of a scale shows a tendency towards conservatism and traditionalism, as do more literalist views of the Bible. In the present study, biblical literalism is treated as a powerful context guiding one's reading. The focus here is a quantitative view of Bible reading, deploying two ‘conservative’ and two ‘liberal’ moral/political scales and two competing views for how Bible reading may function. Results indicate that Bible reading is positively related to both of the liberal scales as well as the conservative scales for non-literalists, but not for those with literalist Bible views. The findings begin to show the importance of independent Bible reading, how it may function differently for literalists and non-literalists, and highlights the degree to which literalism and Bible reading are different constructs.
Existence and qualitative properties of solutions to a quasilinear elliptic equation involving the Hardy–Leray potential
Authors: Montoro Luigi , Peral Ireneo , Sciunzi Berardino , Merchán Susana
Published: February 2013

In this work we deal with the existence and qualitative properties of the solutions to a supercritical problem involving the

−\mathrm{\Delta }_{p}( \cdot )

operator and the Hardy–Leray potential. Assuming

0 \in \Omega

, we study the regularizing effect due to the addition of a first order nonlinear term, which provides the existence of solutions with a breaking of resonance. Once we have proved the existence of a solution, we study the qualitative properties of the solutions such as regularity, monotonicity and symmetry.
Isoproterenol stimulates transient SNAP23–VAMP2 interaction in rat parotid glands
Authors: Takuma Taishin , Shitara Akiko , Arakawa Toshiya , Okayama Miki , Mizoguchi Itaru , Tajima Yoshifumi
Published: February 2013

Snap23 physically interacts with Vamp8, Syn‐4 and Vamp2 by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction: 1, 2)
Identification of Candidate Transcription Factor Binding Sites in the Cattle Genome
Authors: Bickhart Derek M. , Liu George E.
Published: February 2013

A resource that provides candidate transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) does not currently exist for cattle. Such data is necessary, as predicted sites may serve as excellent starting locations for future omics studies to develop transcriptional regulation hypotheses. In order to generate this resource, we employed a phylogenetic footprinting approach—using sequence conservation across cattle, human and dog—and position-specific scoring matrices to identify 379,333 putative TFBSs upstream of nearly 8000 Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC) annotated genes within the cattle genome. Comparisons of our predictions to known binding site loci within the PCK1, ACTA1 and G6PC promoter regions revealed 75% sensitivity for our method of discovery. Additionally, we intersected our predictions with known cattle SNP variants in dbSNP and on the Illumina BovineHD 770k and Bos 1 SNP chips, finding 7534, 444 and 346 overlaps, respectively. Due to our stringent filtering criteria, these results represent high quality predictions of putative TFBSs within the cattle genome. All binding site predictions are freely available at http://bfgl.anri.barc.usda.gov/BovineTFBS/ or http://199.133.54.77/BovineTFBS.
On the best design for undulatory swimming
Authors: Eloy Christophe
Published: February 2013

Most aquatic vertebrates swim by passing a bending wave down their bodies, a swimming mode known as undulatory propulsion. Except for very elongated swimmers like eels and lampreys, these animals have generally evolved to a similar shape: an anterior streamlined region of large volume separated from a caudal fin by a caudal peduncle of reduced cross-section. However, the link between this particular shape and the hydrodynamical constraints remains to be explored. Here, this question is addressed by seeking the optimal design for undulatory swimmers with an evolutionary algorithm. Animals of varying elliptic cross-section are considered whose motions are prescribed by arbitrary periodic curvature laws. In the elongated-body limit, reactive and resistive forces can be formulated at any cross-section, allowing the recoil motion and the mean swimming speed of a given animal to be calculated. A bi-objective optimization problem then consists of finding body shapes and corresponding motions associated with the lowest energetic costs, the highest stride lengths (which is a dimensionless measure of swimming speed) or any trade-offs between the two. For biologically relevant parameters, this optimization calculation yields two distinct ‘species’: one specialized in economical swimming and the other in large stride lengths. By comparing the attributes and performance of these numerically obtained swimmers with data on undulatory-swimming animals, it is argued that evolution is consistent with the selection of species with low energetic costs.
Interaction between feedback aeroacoustic and acoustic resonance mechanisms in a cavity flow: a global stability analysis
Authors: Yamouni Sami , Sipp Denis , Jacquin Laurent
Published: February 2013

We perform a global stability analysis of a flow over an open cavity, characterized by a Reynolds number, based on the upstream velocity and the cavity length, of $7500$. We compute base flows and unstable global modes of the flow for different Mach numbers ranging from $0$ to $0. 9$. In the incompressible regime ($M= 0$), we show that the flow is subject to global instabilities due to Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities in the shear layer, which become strengthened by a hydrodynamic pressure feedback. The influence of the boundary-layer thickness and of the length-to-depth ratio of the cavity on these shear-layer modes has been investigated. In the compressible regime ($M\gt 0$), we have shown that all unstable global modes are continuously connected to the incompressible shear-layer modes as $M\rightarrow 0$. These shear-layer modes correspond to the beginning of branches of global modes, whose frequencies evolve (as a function of the Mach number), in accordance with the feedback aeroacoustic mechanism (Rossiter, Tech. Rep. Aero. Res. Counc. R. & M., 1964). We have also identified branches of global modes behaving in agreement with acoustic resonance mechanisms (East, J. Sound Vib., vol. 3, 1966, pp. 277–287; Tam, J. Sound Vib., vol. 49, 1976, pp. 353–364; Koch, AIAA J., vol. 43, 2005, pp. 2342–2349). At the intersections between both types of branches, the growth rate of the global modes is seen to display a local maximum. Along the aeroacoustic feedback branches, the number of vortical structures in the shear layer is kept constant, while the pressure pattern inside the cavity is conserved along the acoustic resonance branches. We show that both the feedback aeroacoustic and acoustic resonance mechanisms are at play over the entire subsonic regime, from $M= 0$ to $M= 0. 9$. At low Mach numbers, we suggest that it is still the feedback aeroacoustic mechanism that selects the frequency, even though the fundamental acoustic resonance mode is also important due to enhancing the response. At higher Mach numbers, we observe that the pressure pattern of the acoustic resonance modes (fundamental acoustic modes, first longitudinal acoustic modes, first longitudinal-depth acoustic modes) inside the cavity determines the directivity of the radiated noise. Links with experimental results are finally discussed.
Reynolds number and aspect ratio effects on the leading-edge vortex for rotating insect wing planforms
Authors: Harbig R. R. , Sheridan J. , Thompson M. C.
Published: February 2013

Previous studies investigating the effect of aspect ratio ($\mathit{AR}$) for insect-like regimes have reported seemingly different trends in aerodynamic forces, however no detailed flow observations have been made. In this study, the effect of$\mathit{AR}$and Reynolds number on the flow structures over insect-like wings is explored using a numerical model of an altered fruit fly wing revolving at a constant angular velocity. Increasing the Reynolds number for an$\mathit{AR}$of 2.91 resulted in the development of a dual leading-edge vortex (LEV) structure, however increasing$\mathit{AR}$at a fixed Reynolds number generated the same flow structures. This result shows that the effects of Reynolds number and$\mathit{AR}$are linked. We present an alternative scaling using wing span as the characteristic length to decouple the effects of Reynolds number from those of$\mathit{AR}$. This results in a span-based Reynolds number, which can be used to independently describe the development of the LEV. Indeed, universal behaviour was found for various parameters using this scaling. The effect of$\mathit{AR}$on the vortex structures and aerodynamic forces was then assessed at different span-based Reynolds numbers. Scaling the flow using the wing span was found to apply when a strong spanwise velocity is present on the leeward side of the wing and therefore may prove to be useful for similar studies involving flapping or rotating wings at high angles of attack.
Three-vortex quasi-geostrophic dynamics in a two-layer fluid. Part 1. Analysis of relative and absolute motions
Authors: Sokolovskiy M. A. , Koshel K. V. , Verron J.
Published: February 2013

The results presented here examine the quasi-geostrophic dynamics of a point vortex structure with one upper-layer vortex and two identical bottom-layer vortices in a two-layer fluid. The problem of three vortices in a barotropic fluid is known to be integrable. This fundamental result is also valid in a stratified fluid, in particular a two-layer one. In this case, unlike the barotropic situation, vortices belonging to the same layer or to different layers interact according to different formulae. Previously, this occurrence has been poorly investigated. In the present work, the existence conditions for stable stationary (translational and rotational) collinear two-layer configurations of three vortices are obtained. Small disturbances of stationary configurations lead to periodic oscillations of the vortices about their undisturbed shapes. These oscillations occur along elliptical orbits up to the second order of the Hamiltonian expansion. Analytical expressions for the parameters of the corresponding ellipses and for oscillation frequencies are obtained. In the case of finite disturbances, vortex motion becomes more complicated. In this case we have made a classification of all possible movements, by analysing phase portraits in trilinear coordinates and by computing numerically the characteristic trajectories of the absolute and relative vortex motions.
Three-vortex quasi-geostrophic dynamics in a two-layer fluid. Part 2. Regular and chaotic advection around the perturbed steady states
Authors: Koshel K. V. , Sokolovskiy M. A. , Verron J.
Published: February 2013

We study fluid-particle motion in the velocity field induced by a quasi-stationary point vortex structure consisting of one upper-layer vortex and two identical vortices in the bottom layer of a rotating two-layer fluid. The regular regimes are investigated, and the possibility of chaotic regimes (chaotic advection) under the effect of quite small non-stationary disturbances of stationary configurations has been shown. Examples of different scenarios are given for the origin and development of chaos. We analyse the role played by the stochastic layer in the processes of mixing and in the capture of fluid particles within a vortex area. We also study the influence of stratification on these effects. It is shown that regular and chaotic advection situations exhibit significant differences in the two layers.
Longitudinal and transverse flow over a cavity containing a second immiscible fluid
Authors: Schönecker Clarissa , Hardt Steffen
Published: February 2013

An analytical solution for the low-Reynolds-number flow field of a shear flow over a rectangular cavity containing a second immiscible fluid is derived. While flow of a single-phase fluid over a cavity is a standard case investigated in fluid dynamics, flow over a cavity that is filled with a second immiscible fluid has received little attention. The flow field inside the cavity is considered to define a boundary condition for the outer flow, which takes the form of a Navier slip condition with locally varying slip length. The slip-length function is determined heuristically from the related problem of lid-driven cavity flow. Based on the Stokes equations and complex analysis, it is then possible to derive a closed analytical expression for the flow field over the cavity for both the transverse and the longitudinal case. The result is a comparatively simple function, which displays the dependence of the flow field on the cavity geometry and the medium filling the cavity. The analytically computed expression agrees well with results obtained from a numerical solution of the Navier–Stokes equations.
Scaling behaviour in Rayleigh–Bénard convection with and without rotation
Authors: King E. M. , Stellmach S. , Buffett B.
Published: February 2013

Rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection provides a simplified dynamical analogue for many planetary and stellar fluid systems. Here, we use numerical simulations of rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection to investigate the scaling behaviour of five quantities over a range of Rayleigh ($1{0}^{3} \lesssim \mathit{Ra}\lesssim 1{0}^{9} $), Prandtl ($1\leq \mathit{Pr}\leq 100$) and Ekman ($1{0}^{- 6} \leq E\leq \infty $) numbers. The five quantities of interest are the viscous and thermal boundary layer thicknesses, ${\delta }_{v} $ and ${\delta }_{T} $, mean temperature gradients, $\beta $, characteristic horizontal length scales, $\ell $, and flow speeds, $\mathit{Pe}$. Three parameter regimes in which different scalings apply are quantified: non-rotating, weakly rotating and rotationally constrained. In the rotationally constrained regime, all five quantities are affected by rotation. In the weakly rotating regime, ${\delta }_{T} $, $\beta $ and $\mathit{Pe}$, roughly conform to their non-rotating behaviour, but ${\delta }_{v} $ and $\ell $ are still strongly affected by the Coriolis force. A summary of scaling results is given in table 2.
Naturally bounded plumes
Authors: Mehaddi Rabah , Candelier Fabien , Vauquelin Olivier
Published: February 2013

This paper investigates theoretically the vertical evolution of a turbulent plume into a linearly stratified ambient fluid, by regarding it as composed of two distinct regions. In the first region, called the positive buoyant region, the plume buoyancy and the plume momentum act in the same upward direction, whereas in the second region, called the negative buoyant region, they act in opposite directions. In a first step, analytical expressions for the plume variables at the transition height (i.e. between the two regions) are obtained from one-dimensional conservation equations, using the plume entrainment model and under the Boussinesq approximation. In a second step, these variables are used in order to determine analytically the buoyancy and volume fluxes as well as the density deficit of the plume at its top. In this investigation, the transition height (denoted ${z}_{t} $) and the total plume height (denoted ${z}_{p} $) are obtained in the form of two integrals. These integrals are evaluated asymptotically in three different cases associated with particular flow regimes. Finally, the limit of the Boussinesq assumption for such flows is discussed.
On the scaling of air layer drag reduction
Authors: Elbing Brian R. , Mäkiharju Simo , Wiggins Andrew , Perlin Marc , Dowling David R. , Ceccio Steven L.
Published: February 2013

Air-induced drag reduction was investigated on a 12.9 m long flat plate test model at a free stream speed of$6. 3~\mathrm{m} ~{\mathrm{s} }^{- 1} $. Measurements of the local skin friction, phase velocity profiles (liquid and gas) and void fraction profiles were acquired at downstream distances to 11.5 m, which yielded downstream-distance-based Reynolds numbers above 80 million. Air was injected within the boundary layer behind a 13 mm backward facing step (BFS) while the incoming boundary layer was perturbed with vortex generators in various configurations immediately upstream of the BFS. Measurements confirmed that air layer drag reduction (ALDR) is sensitive to upstream disturbances, but a clean boundary layer separation line (i.e. the BFS) reduces such sensitivity. Empirical scaling of the experimental data was investigated for: (a) the critical air flux required to establish ALDR; (b) void fraction profiles; and (c) the interfacial velocity profiles. A scaling of the critical air flux for ALDR was developed from balancing shear-induced lift forces and buoyancy forces on a single bubble within a shear flow. The resulting scaling successfully collapses ALDR results from the current and past studies over a range of flow conditions and test model configurations. The interfacial velocity and void fraction profiles were acquired and scaled within the bubble drag reduction (BDR), ALDR and transitional ALDR regimes. The BDR interfacial velocity profile revealed that there was slip between phases. The ALDR results showed that the air layer thickness was nominally three-quarters of the total volumetric flux (per unit span) of air injected divided by the free stream speed. Furthermore, the air layer had an average void fraction of 0.75 and a velocity of approximately 0.2 times the free stream speed. Beyond the air layer was a bubbly mixture that scaled in a similar fashion to the BDR results. Transitional ALDR results indicate that this regime was comprised of intermittent generation and subsequent fragmentation of an air layer, with the resulting drag reduction determined by the fraction of time that an air layer was present.