bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Holding the Line
Authors: Plowman David H.
Published: December 2011

Employer organisations have had greater difficulties than trade unions in creating top-level representation, as this 1989 volume shows. Within Australia, national coordination of employers in fact predates the Australian Council of Trade Unions by over two decades, and provides a story of growth and development of interest to those involved in the changing face of industrial relations. This book examines the coordinating bodies that were established by the middle-sized and larger employers, including the Confederation of Australian Industry. It considers the difficulties which these coordinating bodies have faced. It also examines the symbiotic relationship that existed between Australian employers' associations and the arbitration systems which have played such an important role in regulating the industrial relations of Australia. Dr Plowman's study thus illuminates the unique Australian arbitration and labour relations system with fresh insights and perspectives.
Histoire de la Révolution Française
Authors: Blanc Louis
Published: December 2011

Louis Blanc (1811–82) was a French historian and politician whose writings had a considerable influence on the development of French socialism. In his famous Organisation du travail (1839) he called for social reform by action of the State, an unusual position at the time. As a member of the provisional government established after the 1848 Revolution, he campaigned for workers' rights, advocating the creation of cooperative workshops. His twelve-volume Histoire de la Révolution Française (1847–62), most of which he wrote while in exile in England, combines years of thorough research with Blanc's characteristic socialist and republican enthusiasm. Volume 4, first published in 1852, focuses on the administrative reorganisation of France from 1790. It includes details on the new status of the clergy, who had been turned into employees of the state by the Civil Constitution of the Clergy passed on 12 July 1790.
Histoire de la Révolution Française
Authors: Blanc Louis
Published: December 2011

Louis Blanc (1811–82) was a French historian and politician whose writings had a considerable influence on the development of French socialism. In his famous Organisation du travail (1839) he called for social reform by action of the State, an unusual position at the time. As a member of the provisional government established after the 1848 Revolution, he campaigned for workers' rights, advocating the creation of cooperative workshops. His twelve-volume Histoire de la Révolution Française (1847–62), most of which he wrote while in exile in England, combines years of thorough research with Blanc's characteristic socialist and republican enthusiasm. Volume 8, first published in 1856, opens with the execution of Louis XVI in 1793. It focuses on the political situation that year, including the beginning of the war in the Vendée in March 1793, and the rise and fall of the Girondins.
Histoire de la Révolution Française
Authors: Blanc Louis
Published: December 2011

Louis Blanc (1811–82) was a French historian and politician whose writings had a considerable influence on the development of French socialism. In his famous Organisation du travail (1839) he called for social reform by action of the State, an unusual position at the time. As a member of the provisional government established after the 1848 Revolution, he campaigned for workers' rights, advocating the creation of cooperative workshops. His twelve-volume Histoire de la Révolution Française (1847–62), most of which he wrote while in exile in England, combines years of thorough research with Blanc's characteristic socialist and republican enthusiasm. Volume 11, first published in 1861, focuses on the Thermidorian Reaction, a movement against the excesses of the Reign of Terror, which took place in 1794 and led to the execution of Robespierre. It charts the beginnings of the counter-revolution and its consequences for the French political sphere.
HELICOIDAL MINIMAL SURFACES IN ℍ2×ℝ
Authors: KIM YOUNG WOOK , KOH SUNG-EUN , SHIN HEAYONG , YANG SEONG-DEOG
Published: December 2011

It is shown that a minimal surface in ℍ2×ℝ is invariant under a one-parameter group of screw motions if and only if it lies in the associate family of helicoids. It is also shown that the conjugate surfaces of the parabolic and hyperbolic helicoids in ℍ2×ℝ are certain types of catenoids.
Ex vivo intestinal studies on calcium and phosphate transport in growing goats fed a reduced nitrogen diet
Authors: Muscher Alexandra S. , Wilkens Mirja R. , Mrochen Nina , Schröder Bernd , Breves Gerhard , Huber Korinna
Published: December 2011

In ruminant feeding, the reduction of dietary protein is an effective approach for decreasing the excretion of N. In non-ruminant species, the intestinal absorption of Ca was affected when dietary protein was reduced. Therefore, it was the aim of the present study to characterise the intestinal absorption of Ca and inorganic phosphate (Pi) in goats fed different N and Ca diets. Intestinal flux rates of Ca and Pi were determined in goats fed a reduced N and Ca diet by Ussing chamber experiments. For a more mechanistic approach, the uptake of Ca and Pi in intestinal brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV), the expression levels of the epithelial Ca channel transient receptor potential vanilloid channel type 6 (TRPV6), the sodium-dependent Pi transporter (NaPi) IIb and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) were measured. In goats fed a reduced N and Ca diet, the intestinal flux rates of Ca and Pi were elevated. However, the reduced N and Ca diet had no effect on the uptake of Ca and Pi in intestinal BBMV, while the expression of TRPV6 and NaPi IIb protein in the corresponding intestinal segments was even decreased. The mRNA expression of NaPi IIb and VDR was not affected. Therefore, a post-transcriptional regulation of TRPV6 and NaPi IIb protein was suggested in goats fed a reduced N and Ca diet. From these data, it can be concluded that the intestinal absorption of Ca and Pi in growing goats was affected by changes in dietary N and Ca intake like those in single-stomached animals but differently modulated.
Glucose tolerance factor extracted from yeast: oral insulin-mimetic and insulin-potentiating agent: in vivo and in vitro studies
Authors: Weksler-Zangen Sarah , Mizrahi Tal , Raz Itamar , Mirsky Nitsa
Published: December 2011

In search for an effective oral treatment for diabetes, we examined the capacity of glucose tolerance factor (GTF) extracted from yeast and administered orally to reduce hyperglycaemia in rat models exhibiting insulin deficiency. The cellular effect of GTF on the insulin signalling pathway was investigated in vitro. GTF (oral bolus), insulin (intraperitoneal) or their combination was administered to streptozotocin-diabetic (STZ) or hyperglycaemic Cohen diabetic-sensitive (hyp-CDs) rats. Blood glucose (BG) and insulin levels were measured in the postprandial (PP) state and during an oral glucose tolerance test. Deoxy-glucose transport and insulin signal transduction were assessed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and myoblasts incubated with the GTF. Low dose of insulin produced a 34 and 12·5 % reduction in the PP-BG levels of hyp-CDs and STZ rats, respectively. GTF induced a 33 and 17 % reduction in the PP-BG levels of hyp-CDs and STZ rats, respectively. When combined with insulin, a respective decrease (58 and 42 %) in BG levels was observed, suggesting a partially additive (hyp-CDs) or synergistic (STZ rats) effect of the GTF and insulin. GTF did not induce insulin secretion in hyp-CDs rats, yet it lowered their BG levels, proposing an effect on glucose clearance by peripheral tissues. GTF induced a dose-dependent increase in deoxy-glucose transport into myoblasts and fat cells similar to insulin, while the combined treatment resulted in augmented transport rate. GTF induced a dose- and time-dependent phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1, Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase independent of insulin receptor phosphorylation. GTF exerts remarkable insulin-mimetic and insulin-potentiating effects, both in vivo and in vitro. It produces an insulin-like effect by acting on cellular signals downstream of the insulin receptor. These results demonstrate a potential source for a novel oral medication for diabetes.
The prevalence of malnutrition in spinal cord injuries patients: a UK multicentre study
Authors: Wong Samford , Derry Fadel , Jamous Ali , Hirani Shashivadan P. , Grimble George , Forbes Alastair
Published: December 2011

Data on the prevalence of malnutrition among patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are lacking. The aim of the present study was to assess nutritional risk at admission, and the status of nutritional support in the UK SCI Centres (SCIC); a cross-sectional, multicentre study in four SCIC. A standardised questionnaire was used and distributed to the participating SCIC. After obtaining informed consent, baseline demographic data, nutritional risk score by the ‘Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool’, BMI and routine blood biochemistry were collected from every patient admitted to an SCIC. The four SCIC, comprising 48·2 % of the total UK SCI beds, contributed data from 150 patients. On admission, 44·3 % of patients were malnourished or at risk of undernutrition. Nutritional risk was more common in patients with acute high cervical SCI than those with lower SCI (60·7 v. 34·5 %), and nutritional risk was more common in those with additional complications including ventilatory support (with tracheostomy, 56·3 v. 38·7 %). Also, 45 % of patients were at risk of overnutrition (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). The prevalence of malnutrition in SCI patients admitted to SCIC is higher than national figures focused on general hospitalised patients, indicating that SCI patients are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition. Patients with SCI who have a tracheostomy may need additional attention. Given the potential negative impact of malnutrition on clinical outcomes, an emphasis on mandatory nutrition screening, followed by detailed assessment for at-risk individuals should be in place in the SCIC.
Soya protein hydrolysates modify the expression of various pro-inflammatory genes induced by fatty acids in ovine phagocytes
Authors: Politis Ioannis , Theodorou Georgios , Lampidonis Antonios D. , Chronopoulou Roubini , Baldi Antonella
Published: December 2011

The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that fatty acids are the circulating mediators acting in a pro-inflammatory manner towards activated circulating ovine monocyte/macrophages and neutrophils. Furthermore, whether soya protein hydrolysates (SPH) inhibit the fatty acid-induced increase in the production of pro-inflammatory responses by ovine phagocytes was testedin vitro. All the fatty acids tested (myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic and oleic) increased (P < 0·01; C18>C16>C14) membrane-bound urokinase plasminogen activator (u-PA) and u-PA free binding sites in cell membranes of activated ovine blood monocytes/macrophages, but only the C18fatty acids (stearic, oleic) were effective towards blood neutrophils. The C18fatty acids up-regulated (P < 0·05) the gene expression of u-PA, u-PA receptor, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and inducible NO synthase (in monocytes) but not that of cyclo-oxygenase-2, integrin α X and plasminogen activator inhibitor types 1 and 2 by ovine phagocytes. SPH blocked completely or partially all C18fatty acid-induced changes in the expression of various pro-inflammatory genes. In conclusion, fatty acids selectively ‘activate’ ovine phagocytes, suggesting that these cells ‘sense’ metabolic signals derived from adipocytes. Soya protein peptides inhibit all changes in gene expression induced by fatty acids in ovine phagocytesin vitro. This constitutes a novel mechanism of action.
In vitrofermented nuts exhibit chemopreventive effects in HT29 colon cancer cells
Authors: Lux Stefanie , Scharlau Daniel , Schlörmann Wiebke , Birringer Marc , Glei Michael
Published: December 2011

It is proven that nuts contain essential macro- and micronutrients, e.g. fatty acids, vitamins and dietary fibre (DF). Fermentation of DF by the gut microflora results in the formation of SCFA which are recognised for their chemopreventive potential, especially by influencing cell growth. However, little is known about cellular response to complex fermentation samples of nuts. Therefore, we prepared and analysed (pH, SCFA, bile acids, tocopherol, antioxidant capacity) fermentation supernatant (fs) fractions of nuts (almonds, macadamias, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts) afterin vitrofermentation and determined their effects on growth of HT29 cells as well as their genotoxic/anti-genotoxic potential. The fermented nut samples contained 2- to 3-fold higher amounts of SCFA than the faeces control, but considerable reduced levels of bile acids. While most of the investigated native nuts comprised relatively high amounts of tocopherol (α-tocopherol in almonds and hazelnuts and γ- and δ-tocopherol in pistachios and walnuts), rather low concentrations were found in the fs. All nut extracts and nut fs showed a strong antioxidant potential. Furthermore, all fs, except the fs pistachio, reduced growth of HT29 cells significantly. DNA damage induced by H2O2was significantly reduced by the fs of walnuts after 15 min co-incubation of HT29 cells. In conclusion, this is the first study which presents the chemopreventive effects (reduction of tumour-promoting desoxycholic acid, rise in chemopreventive SCFA, protection against oxidative stress) of different nuts afterin vitrodigestion and fermentation, and shows the potential importance of nuts in the prevention of colon cancer.
Reduced glycaemic and insulinaemic responses following trehalose and isomaltulose ingestion: implications for postprandial substrate use in impaired glucose-tolerant subjects
Authors: van Can Judith G. P. , van Loon Luc J. C. , Brouns Fred , Blaak Ellen E.
Published: December 2011

The impact of slowly digestible sugars in reducing the risk of developing obesity and related metabolic disorders remains unclear. We hypothesised that such carbohydrates (CHO), resulting in a lower glycaemic and insulinaemic response, may lead to greater postprandial fat oxidation rates in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). The present study intends to compare the postprandial metabolic responses to the ingestion of glucose (GLUC) v. trehalose (TRE) and sucrose (SUC) v. isomaltulose (IMU). In a randomised, single-blind, cross-over design, ten overweight IGT subjects were studied four times, following ingestion of different CHO drinks either at breakfast or in combination with a mixed meal at lunch. Before and 3 h after CHO ingestion, energy expenditure, substrate utilisation and circulating metabolite concentrations were determined. Ingestion of CHO drinks with a meal resulted in an attenuated rise in GLUC ( − 33 %) and insulin ( − 14 %) concentrations following TRE when compared with GLUC and following IMU, an attenuation of 43 and 34 % when compared with SUC ingestion, respectively. Additionally, there was less inhibition of the rise in NEFA concentrations and less decline in postprandial fat oxidation (22 %) after IMU when compared with SUC, whereas TRE did not differ from GLUC. The attenuated rise in GLUC and insulin concentrations following IMU ingestion attenuated the postprandial inhibition of fat oxidation compared with SUC when co-ingested with a meal. This suggests that exchange of SUC in the diet for IMU may result in a more favourable metabolic response and may help to reduce the risks associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
A promising new technique for closed reduction of arytenoid dislocation
Authors: Leelamanit V , Sinkijcharoenchai W
Published: December 2011

Objectives:

To study the effect of a new technique for closed reduction of dislocated arytenoids.

Methods:

The study included 21 females (72.4 per cent) and eight males (27.6 per cent) with a diagnosis of arytenoid dislocation. There were 18 cases of left arytenoid dislocation and 11 of right arytenoid dislocation.Twenty-eight cases had anteromedial dislocation and one had posterolateral dislocation. All patients were treated with closed reduction using custom-made metal rods and an operating microscope, under general anaesthesia.

Results:

Post-operatively, 21 patients’ voices returned completely to normal (including full vocal fold mobility), five had an improved voice and three failed to show any improvement. There were no post-operative complications.

Conclusion:

This new closed reduction technique is a safe procedure for patients with dislocated arytenoids. It is repeatable and the outcome is reliable and effective. Closed reduction can be a useful treatment for arytenoid dislocation.
Laser generated 300 keV electron beams from water
Authors: Uhlig Jens , Wahlström Claes-Göran , Walczak Monika , Sundström Villy , Fullagar Wilfred
Published: December 2011

300 keV electron beams with energy peaked in the range 280–390 keV were generated by focusing a high contrast ratio but temporally double pulsed 800 nm ultrafast laser onto a flowing water jet under both helium atmosphere at ambient pressure and water aspirator vacuum conditions, using laser intensities in the range 1015–1018 Wcm−2. Their characteristics have been investigated as functions of inter-pulse delay, incidence geometry and laser pulse chirp. Shot-to-shot variation of the beams' equatorial and azimuthal distributions was also recorded in real time. Measurements of the emitted charge and energy have been performed. Secondary X-ray emission arising from impingement of the electron beams on the target chamber walls and other parts of the apparatus have been identified. Preliminary results after transition to a high repetition rate laser system have shown similar behavior. Approaches for improvements and applications are suggested.
On the observed energy of runaway electron beams in air
Authors: Mesyats G.A. , Reutova A.G. , Sharypov K.A. , Shpak V.G. , Shunailov S.A. , Yalandin M.I.
Published: December 2011

Experiments with an air electrode gap have been performed where the current/charge of a picosecond beam of runaway electrons was measured over a wide range (up to four orders of magnitude) downstream of the absorbing foil filters. Measurements and calculations have made it possible to refer the beam current to the rise time of the accelerating voltage pulse to within picoseconds. It has been shown that, in contrast to a widespread belief, the runaway electron energies achieved are no greater than those corresponding to the mode of free acceleration of electrons in a nonstationary, highly nonuniform electric field induced by the cathode voltage. The experimental data agree with predictions of a numerical model that describes free acceleration of particles. It has been confirmed that the magnitude of the critical electric field that is necessary for electrons to go into the mode of continuous acceleration of electrons in atmospheric air corresponds to classical notions.
Self-focusing up to the incident laser wavelength by an appropriate density ramp
Authors: Sadighi-Bonabi R. , Moshkelgosha M.
Published: December 2011

This work is devoted to improving relativistic self-focusing of intense laser beam in underdense unmagnetized plasma. New density profiles are introduced to achieve beam width parameter up to the wavelength of the propagating laser. By investigating variations of the beam width parameter in presence of different density profiles it is found that the beam width parameter is considerably decreased for the introduced density ramp comparing with uniform density and earlier introduced density ramp profiles. By using this new density profile high intensity laser pulses are guided over several Rayleigh lengths with extremely small beam width parameter.
Effects of dielectric discontinuity on the dispersion characteristics of the tape helix slow-wave structure with two metal shields
Authors: Zhang Yu , Liu Jinliang , Wang Shiwen , Fan Xuliang , Zhang Hongbo , Feng Jiahuai
Published: December 2011

In the tape helix slow-wave system, discontinuous dielectrics have great effects on the dispersion characteristics. In this paper, the tape helix slow-wave system, including an inner and an outer metal shield, tape helix, nylon support and de-ionized water as filling dielectric, was analyzed. Effects of dielectric discontinuity caused by the support dielectric and filling dielectric on the dispersion characteristics were studied in detail. The dispersion relations, phase velocities, slow-wave coefficients and electric lengths of the spatial harmonics in the system were calculated. Results showed that, if the permittivity of support dielectric was smaller than that of the filling dielectric, frequencies of the spatial harmonics in the system rose, phase velocities and slow-wave coefficients increased, the slow-wave effect of the system was weakened so that the previous electric length was shortened. The reverse condition corresponded to the reverse results, and the electromagnetic simulation also proved it. By use of the helical pulse forming line of accelerator based on the studied tape helix slow-wave system, the electric lengths of the system were tested as 188.5 ns and 200 ns in experiment when the thicknesses of nylon support were 6 mm and 3 mm, respectively. The theoretical calculation results 198 ns and 211 ns basically corresponded to experimental results, which only had relative errors as 5 and 5.5%, respectively.
Nonlinear electromagnetic Eigen modes of a self created magnetized plasma channel and its stimulated Raman scattering
Authors: Verma Updesh , Sharma A.K.
Published: December 2011

A theoretical formalism is developed to obtain the mode structure of right circularly polarized nonlinear laser Eigen mode in a self created plasma channel in the presence of an axial magnetic field. The nonlinearity in electron response arises due to relativistic mass effect and ponderomotive force induced density redistribution. The Eigen mode is seen to be unstable to stimulated Raman backscattering involving an electrostatic quasi-mode and a scattered electromagnetic wave. The growth rate increases with ambient magnetic field.
The Repatriation of the G'psgolox Totem Pole: A Study of its Context, Process, and Outcome
Authors: Jessiman Stacey R.
Published: December 2011

In July 2006, after 77 years at the Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm, the 134 year-old G'psgolox totem pole was welcomed home to Kitimaat on British Columbia's northwest coast by the Haisla First Nation. The event was important not only because it was among the first voluntary repatriations by a foreign museum of a cultural artifact to a North American aboriginal community, but also because it marked the end of a negotiation process that had been long and challenging and yet ultimately, according to the parties involved, mutually beneficial and restorative.
Selling Germany in South-Eastern Europe: Economic Uncertainty, Commercial Information and the Leipzig Trade Fair 1920–40
Authors: GROSS STEPHEN
Published: December 2011

On the eve of the Second World War Germany dominated the exports and imports of south-eastern Europe. Yet the institutions that supported Germany's trade in the 1930s were formed during the previous decade. This article shows how one institution, the Leipzig trade fair, helped overcome many of the problems that had disrupted German commerce with Yugoslavia after the First World War. During a decade when German firms were only slowly returning to the region, the fair built an extensive trading network in south-eastern Europe that relayed economic news, found agents for German firms, and advertised for German products. By the 1930s the fair's representatives had become the backbone of Germany's trade network in south-eastern Europe.
Surviving in the Global Market: ‘Americanisation’ and the Relaunch of Italy's Car Industry after the Second World War
Authors: FAURI FRANCESCA
Published: December 2011

This contribution sheds light on the successful recovery strategies developed by the Italian car industry after the Second World War and in particular the ‘innovation through creative imitation policy’ that characterised its relationship with American producers. This policy was feasible because the Italian car sector, and Fiat in particular, was fairly well prepared to measure itself against the American model and aimed at technology-transfer-based Americanisation in order to make itself competitive in the global market. Mass production adapted to Italian plants and necessities, combined with Italian style and design, was seen as a path towards international relaunch. Fiat's subsequent development of its own technological resources and innovation strategy enabled it to weather the ups and downs of its long-term business history. When in 2009 an alliance with Chrysler was signed, Fiat's technological capabilities in the field of innovative ecological and fuel-saving technology and its long-standing attention to style and interior design were judged important inputs to help the American car-maker (and Fiat itself) to survive in the global market.
France's Renewed Commitment to Commercial Diplomacy in the 1960s
Authors: BADEL LAURENCE
Published: December 2011

The political and strategic aspects of General de Gaulle's policies, hisgrandeurrhetoric and his hostility to European integration have between them taken up the attention of historians. It has therefore been overlooked that the 1960s were a period of unprecedented mobilisation by the French state in the promotion of French exports. This policy is not only due to the history of commercial diplomacy. The senior civil servants in charge of this process were interested not only in selling but also in creating a fundamental change to the perception of France by those abroad. It was a keen fight, involving not only official and semi-official bodies, but also private enterprise, who together furthered the neo-corporatist programme of the French state.
Germany's Foreign Relations and the Nazi Past
Authors: HAASE CHRISTIAN , KRAIKER CHRISTIAN , KREUZER JÖRN
Published: December 2011

On 7 November 1968, the political activist Beate Klarsfeld entered the stage of a CDU party convention in Berlin, slapped the West German chancellor Kurt-Georg Kiesinger in the face and cried ‘Nazi, Nazi’. During the Third Reich, Kiesinger had worked in one of the propaganda departments of the Auswärtiges Amt (Foreign Office). The history of the German foreign office received additional attention in 1968 due to the fact that the then vice-chancellor and foreign secretary of the Grand Coalition, Willy Brandt, was a former resistance fighter, who had been stripped of his citizenship by the Auswärtiges Amt in 1938. Despite numerous scandals about the post-war careers of former Nazi diplomats in the 1950s and 60s, the Auswärtiges Amt escaped closer scrutiny until 2005, when the then foreign secretary Joschka Fischer set up a historical inquiry commission. In his memoirs, Fischer has argued that his decision was influenced by the events of 1968.
Testing the nonce borrowing hypothesis: Counter-evidence from English-origin verbs in Welsh
Authors: STAMMERS JONATHAN R. , DEUCHAR MARGARET
Published: December 2011

According to the nonce borrowing hypothesis (NBH), “[n]once borrowings pattern exactly like their native counterparts in the (unmixed) recipient language” (Poplack & Meechan, 1998a, p. 137). Nonce borrowings (Sankoff, Poplack & Vanniarajan, 1990, p. 74) are “lone other-language items” which differ from established borrowings in terms of frequency of use and recognition. Lone other-language items are singly occurring words from the “donor” language which are preceded and followed by words or phrases from the “recipient” language. Whether such other-language words belong only to the donor language (and are classed as codeswitches) or to both the donor and the recipient language (and are classed as borrowings) is both a theoretical and a practical issue. Poplack & Meechan (1998a) suggest that this question can be settled by measuring the linguistic integration of donor-language words, so that infrequent donor-language words which behave like their recipient-language counterparts are categorised as (nonce) borrowings. This suggests that frequency of use need play no role in the extent to which other-language items are linguistically integrated into the recipient language. We challenge this hypothesis with an analysis of soft mutation on English-origin verbs in Welsh, which shows that integration is related to frequency.
What is the “Nonce Borrowing Hypothesis” anyway?
Authors: DEUCHAR MARGARET , STAMMERS JONATHAN R.
Published: December 2011

In this rejoinder to Shana Poplack's response to Stammers & Deuchar (this issue), we argue that our reformulation of the nonce borrowing hypothesis (NBH) to include specific reference to frequency was needed in order to make the hypothesis more precise and testable. Furthermore, in order to test the assumption that codeswitching (CS) and borrowing (B) are two distinct categories, it was necessary to suspend this assumption in our study. This led us to find support for a possible CS/B distinction, but not for the categorical integration of all borrowings regardless of frequency. In discussing our methods, we maintain that soft mutation is an appropriate measure of morphosyntactic integration in Welsh, and is no more purely phonetic than any other morphosyntactically triggered process.
The Sanriku‐Oki low‐seismicity region on the northern margin of the great 2011 Tohoku‐Oki earthquake rupture
Authors: Ye Lingling , Lay Thorne , Kanamori Hiroo
Published: December 2011

We examine a region of the megathrust fault offshore of northeastern Honshu (38.75°–40.25°N, 141.5°–143.25°E) that we designate as the Sanriku‐Oki low‐seismicity region (SLSR). The SLSR, located near the northern termination of the 2011 Tohoku‐Oki (Mw 9.0) rupture, lacks historical great earthquake ruptures and has relatively low levels of moderate‐size (Mj ≥ 5.0) earthquakes, with subregions having many small events (Mj 2.5–5.0) in the Japan Meteorological Agency unified catalog. The SLSR is located downdip along the megathrust from the rupture zone of the great 1896 Sanriku tsunami earthquake and the great 1933 Sanriku outer trench slope normal‐faulting event; weak seismic coupling of the SLSR had been deduced based on the occurrences of those unusual events. Relatively low slip deficit on the SLSR megathrust was estimated based on GPS deformations prior to 2011 compared with adjacent areas with strong inferred locking to the south and north. The southern portion of the SLSR appears to have had, at most, modest levels (<5 m) of coseismic slip during the 2011 event. Some thrust‐faulting aftershocks did occur in the SLSR, primarily at depths near 40 km where there had previously been small (Mj ∼5.0) repeating earthquakes (e.g., the Kamaishi repeater). An Mw ∼ 7.4 underthrusting aftershock occurred near the northeastern edge of the SLSR ∼22.5 min after the great 2011 event. Postseismic convergence along the megathrust is peaked in the SLSR. The collective observations indicate that the SLSR is primarily undergoing quasi‐static aseismic convergence, and the lack of regional strain accumulation likely delimited the northern extent of the great 2011 rupture as well as the downdip extent of the 1896 rupture. The triggering of the Mw 7.4 aftershock and heightened activity in the downdip repeater regions suggest that high postseismic strain rates drove the region to have ephemerally increased seismic failure, but it appears unlikely that a great earthquake will nucleate or rupture through this region. Similar properties may exist on the megathrust near the southern end of the 2011 rupture.
High‐dimensional posterior exploration of hydrologic models using multiple‐try DREAM(ZS) and high‐performance computing
Authors: Laloy Eric , Vrugt Jasper A.
Published: December 2011

Spatially distributed hydrologic models are increasingly being used to study and predict soil moisture flow, groundwater recharge, surface runoff, and river discharge. The usefulness and applicability of such complex models is increasingly held back by the potentially many hundreds (thousands) of parameters that require calibration against some historical record of data. The current generation of search and optimization algorithms is typically not powerful enough to deal with a very large number of variables and summarize parameter and predictive uncertainty. We have previously presented a general‐purpose Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm for Bayesian inference of the posterior probability density function of hydrologic model parameters. This method, entitled differential evolution adaptive Metropolis (DREAM), runs multiple different Markov chains in parallel and uses a discrete proposal distribution to evolve the sampler to the posterior distribution. The DREAM approach maintains detailed balance and shows excellent performance on complex, multimodal search problems. Here we present our latest algorithmic developments and introduce MT‐DREAM(ZS), which combines the strengths of multiple‐try sampling, snooker updating, and sampling from an archive of past states. This new code is especially designed to solve high‐dimensional search problems and receives particularly spectacular performance improvement over other adaptive MCMC approaches when using distributed computing. Four different case studies with increasing dimensionality up to 241 parameters are used to illustrate the advantages of MT‐DREAM(ZS).
A metagenome of a full-scale microbial community carrying out enhanced biological phosphorus removal
Authors: Albertsen Mads , Hansen Lea Benedicte Skov , Saunders Aaron Marc , Nielsen Per Halkjær , Nielsen Kåre Lehmann
Published: December 2011

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) is widely used for removal of phosphorus from wastewater. In this study, a metagenome (18.2 Gb) was generated using Illumina sequencing from a full-scale EBPR plant to study the community structure and genetic potential. Quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (qFISH) was applied as an independent method to evaluate the community structure. The results were in qualitative agreement, but a DNA extraction bias against gram positive bacteria using standard extraction protocols was identified, which would not have been identified without the use of qFISH. The genetic potential for community function showed enrichment of genes involved in phosphate metabolism and biofilm formation, reflecting the selective pressure of the EBPR process. Most contigs in the assembled metagenome had low similarity to genes from currently sequenced genomes, underlining the need for more reference genomes of key EBPR species. Only the genome of ‘Candidatus Accumulibacter’, a genus of phosphorus-removing organisms, was closely enough related to the species present in the metagenome to allow for detailed investigations. Accumulibacter accounted for only 4.8% of all bacteria by qFISH, but the depth of sequencing enabled detailed insight into their microdiversity in the full-scale plant. Only 15% of the reads matching Accumulibacter had a high similarity (>95%) to the sequenced Accumulibacter clade IIA strain UW-1 genome, indicating the presence of some microdiversity. The differences in gene complement between the Accumulibacter clades were limited to genes for extracellular polymeric substances and phage-related genes, suggesting a selective pressure from phages on the Accumulibacter diversity.
Heterotrophic organisms dominate nitrogen fixation in the South Pacific Gyre
Authors: Halm Hannah , Lam Phyllis , Ferdelman Timothy G , Lavik Gaute , Dittmar Thorsten , LaRoche Julie , D'Hondt Steven , Kuypers Marcel M M
Published: December 2011

Oceanic subtropical gyres are considered biological deserts because of the extremely low availability of nutrients and thus minimum productivities. The major source of nutrient nitrogen in these ecosystems is N2-fixation. The South Pacific Gyre (SPG) is the largest ocean gyre in the world, but measurements of N2-fixation therein, or identification of microorganisms involved, are scarce. In the 2006/2007 austral summer, we investigated nitrogen and carbon assimilation at 11 stations throughout the SPG. In the ultra-oligotrophic waters of the SPG, the chlorophyll maxima reached as deep as 200 m. Surface primary production seemed limited by nitrogen, as dissolved inorganic carbon uptake was stimulated upon additions of 15N-labeled ammonium and leucine in our incubation experiments. N2-fixation was detectable throughout the upper 200 m at most stations, with rates ranging from 0.001 to 0.19 nmn h−1. N2-fixation in the SPG may account for the production of 8–20% of global oceanic new nitrogen. Interestingly, comparable 15N2-fixation rates were measured under light and dark conditions. Meanwhile, phylogenetic analyses for the functional gene biomarker nifH and its transcripts could not detect any common photoautotrophic diazotrophs, such as, Trichodesmium, but a prevalence of γ-proteobacteria and the unicellular photoheterotrophic Group A cyanobacteria. The dominance of these likely heterotrophic diazotrophs was further verified by quantitative PCR. Hence, our combined results show that the ultra-oligotrophic SPG harbors a hitherto unknown heterotrophic diazotrophic community, clearly distinct from other oceanic gyres previously visited.
Verminephrobacter eiseniae type IV pili and flagella are required to colonize earthworm nephridia
Authors: Dulla Glenn F J , Go Ruth A , Stahl David A , Davidson Seana K
Published: December 2011

The bacterial symbiont Verminephrobacter eiseniae colonizes nephridia, the excretory organs, of the lumbricid earthworm Eisenia fetida. E. fetida transfers V. eisenia into the egg capsule albumin during capsule formation and V. eiseniae cells migrate into the earthworm nephridia during embryogenesis, where they bind and persist. In order to characterize the mechanistic basis of selective tissue colonization, methods for site-directed mutagenesis and colonization competence were developed and used to evaluate the consequences of individual gene disruptions. Using these newly developed tools, two distinct modes of bacterial motility were shown to be required for V. eiseniae colonization of nascent earthworm nephridia. Flagella and type IV pili mutants lacked motility in culture and were not able to colonize embryonic earthworms, indicating that both twitching and flagellar motility are required for entrance into the nephridia.
Freshwater bacterioplankton richness in oligotrophic lakes depends on nutrient availability rather than on species–area relationships
Authors: Logue Jürg Brendan , Langenheder Silke , Andersson Anders F , Bertilsson Stefan , Drakare Stina , Lanzén Anders , Lindström Eva S
Published: December 2011

A central goal in ecology is to grasp the mechanisms that underlie and maintain biodiversity and patterns in its spatial distribution can provide clues about those mechanisms. Here, we investigated what might determine the bacterioplankton richness (BR) in lakes by means of 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. We further provide a BR estimate based upon a sampling depth and accuracy, which, to our knowledge, are unsurpassed for freshwater bacterioplankton communities. Our examination of 22 669 sequences per lake showed that freshwater BR in fourteen nutrient-poor lakes was positively influenced by nutrient availability. Our study is, thus, consistent with the finding that the supply of available nutrients is a major driver of species richness; a pattern that may well be universally valid to the world of both micro- and macro-organisms. We, furthermore, observed that BR increased with elevated landscape position, most likely as a consequence of differences in nutrient availability. Finally, BR decreased with increasing lake and catchment area that is negative species–area relationships (SARs) were recorded; a finding that re-opens the debate about whether positive SARs can indeed be found in the microbial world and whether positive SARs can in fact be pronounced as one of the few ‘laws’ in ecology.
Viral infections stimulate the metabolism and shape prokaryotic assemblages in submarine mud volcanoes
Authors: Corinaldesi Cinzia , Dell'Anno Antonio , Danovaro Roberto
Published: December 2011

Mud volcanoes are geological structures in the oceans that have key roles in the functioning of the global ecosystem. Information on the dynamics of benthic viruses and their interactions with prokaryotes in mud volcano ecosystems is still completely lacking. We investigated the impact of viral infection on the mortality and assemblage structure of benthic prokaryotes of five mud volcanoes in the Mediterranean Sea. Mud volcano sediments promote high rates of viral production (1.65–7.89 × 109 viruses g−1 d−1), viral-induced prokaryotic mortality (VIPM) (33% cells killed per day) and heterotrophic prokaryotic production (3.0–8.3 μgC g−1 d−1) when compared with sediments outside the mud volcano area. The viral shunt (that is, the microbial biomass converted into dissolved organic matter as a result of viral infection, and thus diverted away from higher trophic levels) provides 49 mgC m−2 d−1, thus fuelling the metabolism of uninfected prokaryotes and contributing to the total C budget. Bacteria are the dominant components of prokaryotic assemblages in surface sediments of mud volcanoes, whereas archaea dominate the subsurface sediment layers. Multivariate multiple regression analyses show that prokaryotic assemblage composition is not only dependant on the geochemical features and processes of mud volcano ecosystems but also on synergistic interactions between bottom-up (that is, trophic resources) and top-down (that is, VIPM) controlling factors. Overall, these findings highlight the significant role of the viral shunt in sustaining the metabolism of prokaryotes and shaping their assemblage structure in mud volcano sediments, and they provide new clues for our understanding of the functioning of cold-seep ecosystems.
Recapitulation of the Association of the Val66Met Polymorphism of BDNF Gene With BMI in Koreans
Authors: Hong Kyung‐Won , Lim Ji‐Eun , Go Min Jin , Shin Yoon Shin , Ahn Younjhin , Han Bok‐Ghee , Oh Bermseok
Published: December 2011

Recent evidence suggests that brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates food intake and the control of body weight. A common polymorphism in human BDNF, Val66Met (single‐nucleotide polymorphism database (dbSNP) no. rs6265), impairs intracellular trafficking, resulting in the reduced secretion of BDNF. Several European studies have indicated that Val66Met is associated with BMI. In this study, we examined the association of the Val66Met polymorphism with BMI in Koreans (n = 20,270) from three independent epidemiological cohorts. All three studies observed a consistent association of this polymorphism with BMI, and their combined analysis demonstrated a robust correlation (β = −0.17 ± 0.03 and P = 5.6 × 10−8). We also examined the effect of smoking on the link between Val66Met and BMI. The association of Val66Met with BMI was statistically significant only in the smoking group, reflecting a possible interaction between smoking and the BDNF polymorphism for BMI. Thus, we have confirmed BDNF as a genetic risk factor for BMI in an Asian population and hypothesize that the Val66Met mutation influences individual differences in BMI. In addition, smoking might interact with BDNF Val66Met to modulate BMI.
Race Differences in the Association of Oxidative Stress With Insulin Sensitivity in African‐ and European‐American Women
Authors: Fisher Gordon , Alvarez Jessica A. , Ellis Amy C. , Granger Wesley M. , Ovalle Fernando , Man Chiara Dalla , Cobelli Claudio , Gower Barbara A.
Published: December 2011

Excessive metabolism of glucose and/or fatty acids may impair insulin signaling by increasing oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to examine the association between insulin sensitivity and protein carbonyls, a systemic marker of oxidative stress, in healthy, nondiabetic women, and to determine if the relationship differed with race. Subjects were 25 African‐Americans (AA, BMI 28.4 ± 6.2 kg/m2, range 18.8–42.6 kg/m2; age 33.1 ± 13.5 years, range 18–58 years) and 28 European‐Americans (EA, BMI 26.2 ± 5.9 kg/m2, range 18.7–48.4 kg/m2; age 31.6 ± 12.4 years, range 19–58 years). Insulin sensitivity was determined using an intravenous glucose tolerance test incorporating [6,6‐2H2]‐glucose, and a two‐compartment mathematical model. Multiple linear regression results indicated that insulin sensitivity was inversely associated with protein carbonyls in AA (standardized regression coefficient −0.47, P < 0.05) but not EA (0.01, P = 0.945), after adjusting for %body fat. In contrast, %body fat was significantly and positively associated with insulin sensitivity in EA (−0.54, P < 0.01) but not AA (−0.24, P = 0.196). Protein carbonyls were associated with free fatty acids (FFA) in AA (r = 0.58, P < 0.01) but not EA (r = −0.11, P = 0.59). When subjects were divided based on median levels of fasting glucose and FFA, those with higher glucose/FFA concentrations had a significantly greater concentration of circulating protein carbonyls compared to those with lower glucose/FFA concentrations (P < 0.05). These results suggest that oxidative stress independently contributes to insulin sensitivity among AA women. Further, this association in AA may be mediated by circulating FFA and/or glucose.
Effects of Chronic Oral Rimonabant Administration on Energy Budgets of Diet‐Induced Obese C57BL/6 Mice
Authors: Zhang Li‐Na , Gamo Yuko , Sinclair Rachel , Mitchell Sharon E. , Morgan David G. , Clapham John C. , Speakman John R.
Published: December 2011

The endocannabinoids have been recognized as an important system involved in the regulation of energy balance. Rimonabant (SR141716), a selective inverse agonist of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), has been shown to cause weight loss. However, its suppressive impact on food intake is transient, indicating a likely additional effect on energy expenditure. To examine the effects of rimonabant on components of energy balance, we administered rimonabant or its vehicle to diet‐induced obese (DIO) C57BL/6 mice once daily for 30 days, by oral gavage. Rimonabant induced a persistent weight reduction and a significant decrease in body fatness across all depots. In addition to transiently reduced food intake, rimonabant‐treated mice exhibited decreased apparent energy absorption efficiency (AEAE), reduced metabolizable energy intake (MEI), and increased daily energy expenditure (DEE) on days 4–6 of treatment. However, these effects on the energy budget had disappeared by days 22–24 of treatment. No chronic group differences in resting metabolic rate (RMR) or respiratory quotient (RQ) (P > 0.05) were detected. Rimonabant treatment significantly increased daily physical activity (PA) levels both acutely and chronically. The increase in PA was attributed to elevated activity during the light phase but not during the dark phase. Taken together, these data suggested that rimonabant caused a negative energy balance by acting on both energy intake and expenditure. In the short term, the effect included both reduced intake and elevated PA but the chronic effect was only on increased PA expenditure.