bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors affecting farmers' crop diversity decisions: An integrated approach
Authors: Cutforth Laurence B. , Francis Charles A. , Lynne Gary D. , Mortensen David A. , Eskridge Kent M.
Published: October 2009

Sustainable cropping systems use crop diversity as a foundation to reduce the environmental impacts of agrichemicals and risks of pest and disease outbreaks. Although greater diversity in the agricultural landscape is an important goal, the decisions of individual farmers determine the diversity of crops used in each farming system. Therefore, it is essential to gain an understanding of important factors in farmers' decisions as part of any proposed solution to low crop diversity. Our objective was to develop and test an integrated socioeconomic model of farmers' decisions on crop rotations as an indicator of overall crop diversity. The model incorporated measures of farmers' attitudes, net household income, control over decisions, social norms, and regional location to address the social, economic, and environmental factors of crop diversity. Mail survey responses from 197 farmers from a western Corn Belt county in 1998 supplied the data for the analysis. Location had the strongest influence on crop diversity in the model, on the basis of a standardized beta statistic of 0.46 in the ordinary least squares regression analysis. Farmers in the region with the highest degree of sloping land had significantly higher crop diversity than farmers in the most productive, relatively flat area. Lower household net income and positive attitudes toward crop rotations were also associated with higher crop diversity. We believe social norms and control would exert more influence in uncertain decisions. The results of this study suggest that, to maintain and possibly expand crop diversity in the future, targeting farmers in sloping landscapes with positive attitudes toward rotations would be the best approach to focus economic incentives for diverse crop rotations and technical support from Extension. In any effort to support crop diversity greater than a typical cornsoybean rotation, it is also critical to preserve integrated forage/crop/livestock systems. Further adaptation and application of our behavioral model in other settings would help to better evaluate, understand, and target the integrated decisions people make relative to crop diversity.
IPM adoption in northeastern U.S.: An examination of the IPM continuum
Authors: Hollingsworth Craig S. , Coli William M.
Published: October 2009

Survey data from sweet corn, strawberry, apple, and potato growers in nine northeastern U.S. states were used to assess relative levels of adoption of integrated pest management (IPM). Grower adoption of an IPM system was measured by assigning numerical values for completion of specific management practices, and summing the number of practice points. Practices included those for management of soil, nutrients, weeds, diseases and insects, and education. Numerical scores were used to describe IPM adoption as a continuum, with growers classified as low, moderate, or high adopters based on their completion of practices. The relative level of IPM adoption varied among crops and states. Forty-nine percent of sweet corn growers were found to be moderateto high-level IPM adopters, while 76% of strawberry growers, 90% of potato growers, and 69% of apple growers were moderate- to high-level adopters, respectively. Variation among states with respect to adoption of IPM is described and discussed.
Organic fruit production in Switzerland: Research and development to resolve cultural, management, and marketing problems
Authors: Weibel Franco P.
Published: October 2009

The area devoted to organic table fruit production in Switzerland remained virtually unchanged from the 1930s to the mid-1980s. However, during the last decade there has been a fivefold increase in the production area, approaching a total of 340 ha in 2000 (4.8% of the total area of table fruit production). Factors contributing to this dramatic increase include (1) new and effective non-chemical methods for pest and disease control, (2) improved management and production techniques from research and extension programs, (3) increased marketing of organic produce by supermarkets due to consumer demand, and (4) change in Swiss government policy that began to subsidize ecological performance rather than farm production. A 1994 poll of consumer demand indicated that 3 to 5% of the total apples marketed in Switzerland was organically grown, and projected a total market share of 10% in the near future. Despite this, conventional fruit growers are hesitant to convert to organic production methods because of certain risks involving (1) selection of varieties, (2) pest and disease control, (3) crop hectarage controls, (4) weed control, and (5) tree nutrition. Research and development programs are attempting to deal with these problems, to reduce the level of risk with organic production. Nevertheless, ecological considerations to optimize fruit production are strongly dictated by market conditions and consumer demand. Finally, the development of a stable organic fruit production sector will require that retailers and supermarkets make certain concessions for marketing organic fruit.
The concept of integrated systems in lower input/sustainable agriculture
Authors: Edwards Clive A.
Published: October 2009

Conventional agriculture has caused economic problems associated with overproduction of crops, increased costs of energy-based inputs and lessened farm incomes. It has also produced ecological problems such as poor ecological diversity, soil erosion, and soil and water pollution. The adoption of integrated systems of agricultural production involving lower inputs of fertilizer, pesticides and cultivations can alleviate these economic and ecological problems. Such systems are dependent upon a good understanding of the nature of interactions between the four main components of such systems, which are fertilizers, pesticides, cultivations and rotations and how these interactions influence crop yields and farm income. Alternatives to energy-based inputs include legume rotations, use of waste organic matter as well as that from animals and crops, integrated pest management, pest and disease forecasting, biological and cultural pest control, living mulches and mechanical weed control, conservation tillage methods, and specialized innovative cultural techniques, including intercropping, strip cropping, undersowing, trap crops, double-row cropping. Two commercial farms in Europe operated on integrated lower input systems have increased farm incomes by 5–20 percent. Further research on such techniques is needed, as well as computer-aided management systems, appropriate extension aids and farmer education.
Energy savings via FDI? Empirical evidence from developing countries
Authors: HÜBLER MICHAEL , KELLER ANDREAS
Published: October 2009

In this paper we examine the influence of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows on energy intensities of developing countries empirically. We first replicate a simple ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation, as it is found in the literature, that suggests energy-intensity reductions from FDI inflows. However, the OLS estimation turns out to be spurious and only a starting point for further research. In our regressions we use macro-level panel data on 60 developing countries for the period 1975–2004, including other potential determinants of energy intensities, and carry out robustness checks with more specific data. The results do not confirm the hypothesis that aggregate FDI inflows reduce energy intensity of developing countries. Rather, foreign development aid seems to be related to energy efficiency gains.
Electoral Rights beyond Territory and beyond Citizenship? The Case of South Korea
Authors: KALICKI KONRAD
Published: October 2009

Current world migration is disrupting conceptual boundaries of national democratic polities. One area where the traditional sense of political community is being challenged concerns electoral rights fornon-resident citizensandnon-citizen residents. With the right to vote being an ultimate expression of political membership in a democratic nation-state, any debates about these two groups’ suffrage rights constitute a critical source of empirical insights into how democracies re-imagine themselves away from fixed identities under the pressure of globalization. In view of this, this paper examines the understudied case of South Korea, utilizing the most systematic theoretical framework currently available: one developed by Rainer Bauböck. It provides direct empirical evidence that undermines the conventional wisdom that Koreans define their polity purely on the basis of their ethnicity. Contrary to our expectations, a close scrutiny of the Korean debates in question reveals ample references to the civic ideals of political community. The line of reasoning that emphasizes duties towards the welfare of the polity has produced powerful justifications for denying political franchise to overseas compatriots, while granting limited electoral rights to qualified resident foreigners. A broader implication of this empirical finding is that it highlights a fundamental limitation of Bauböck's theoretical framework: it conceives political franchise only as an expression of people's rights in regard to law-making. The case of South Korea, thus, suggests that Bauböck's scheme should be modified to address both the rights-based logics and the somewhat obsolete duty-based logic of franchise extension.
The Pattern of Cooperation and Conflict between Korea and Japan: Theoretical Expectations and Empirical Realities
Authors: PARK CHEOL HEE
Published: October 2009

Over the past few decades, cooperation between Korea and Japan has increased and deepened, but frictions continue to persist. Which direction is the relationship between Korea and Japan heading? This is the question that this article attempts to address.

From an analytical standpoint, this article applies contemporary international relations theories – realism, liberalism, and constructivism – to the pattern of cooperation and conflict in Korea–Japan relations. After reviewing both optimistic and pessimistic positions drawn from diverse perspectives, the author makes a synthesis, where he suggests the case for cautious optimism.

What we find in reality is long-term progress in an upward movement, interrupted by recurring frictions in the short term. Empirical evidence supports the case that Korea–Japan relations are making steady progress towards deeper, heightened, and multilayered cooperation. However, such issues as historical controversy and territorial disputes are the hurdles that both nations need to overcome. Whether Korea and Japan can maximize the effects of optimism, while they effectively minimize the impacts of pessimism will determine the nature of the ties between the two countries.

Cooperation between the two countries is not necessarily guaranteed, but we find irreversible trends of improved cooperation over time. However, lingering suspicions, submerged nationalist sentiments, and sporadic surges of extremism remain. They should be carefully managed by the leaders of the two countries.
Medium selection in tissue culture of japonica rice cultivar Nipponbare and preparation of transgenic plants with an elicitor-coding gene from Magnaporthe grisea
Authors: Jian-Jun Mao , Xiu-Fen Yang , Hong-Mei Zeng , Jing-Jing Yuan , De-Wen Qiu
Published: October 2009

N6 medium, Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium and BNBN medium were adopted in tissue cultures of Nipponbare (japonica) scutellum for performance comparison. Results indicated that, among the three kinds of culture media, the NB medium worked best in callus induction and gene transformation and was most suitable for tissue culture of Nipponbare scutellum. Based on this, the elicitor-encoding gene pemG1 from Magnaporthe grisea was introduced into the genome of Nipponbare via the Agrobacterium-mediated method. Transgenic rice plants were obtained. The integration, transcription and expression of pemG1 in rice were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Northern blot and Western blot, respectively. Genetic analysis showed that the transgenes were segregated normally in the progenies.
Effect of nanoparticles on the bacterial community of the cucumber phyllosphere
Authors: Li-Yan Chang , Qi Wang , Ru-Hong Mei
Published: October 2009

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, the security of nanomaterials has been an increasing cause for concern. In this study, the impact of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2) on the phyllosphere bacterial community were analysed by both a culturable-dependent method and a polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) method. The quantity of culturable phyllosphere bacteria was significantly reduced with an increased concentration of nano-TiO2. With increasing concentrations from 0.002 to 20 mg/ml of nano-TiO2, the quantity of culturable phyllosphere bacteria decreased from 1.8×106to 3.1×105cfu/g. The phyllosphere bacteria community was analysed by PCR-DGGE, and when the concentrations of nano-TiO2were higher than 0.02 mg/ml, the DGGE bands were significantly lower than in the control. Sequencing results of the bands from the DGGE gel showed that there were at least seven genera in the phyllosphere bacteria. Only one uncultured bacterium was unaffected by the concentration of nano-TiO2.
Cloning and eukaryotic expression of olfaction-related Gqα-protein gene in English grain aphid (Sitobion avenae)
Authors: Jia Fan , Ju-Lian Chen , Deng-Fa Cheng , Jing-Rui Sun
Published: October 2009

Based on conserved homologous amino-acid sequences of the Gq protein α subunit in arthropods, a pair of degenerate primers were designed to amplify the gene from the English grain aphid (Sitobion avenae), using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and (3′/5′)-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (3′/5′ RACE) techniques. A Gqα protein was obtained from the alate adult aphids. The open reading-frame was 1062 bp, encoding 352 amino-acid residues with a calculated molecular weight of 40.8 kDa. The cDNA sequence was deposited in GenBank with accession no. EF638906. The deduced amino-acid sequence of Gqα shared a high identity (≥82.17%) with reported Gqα from other insects and even vertebrates, and had the typical characteristics of Gqα protein. In order to explore the function of the Gqα gene, a eukaryotic expressional system (baculovirus expression vector system, BEVS) was constructed by TOPO and Gateway techniques. After the recombinant reaction occurring between pUC-Gqα and the Gateway-adapted baculovirus DNA fromAutographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus(AcMNPV), the construct recombinant viruses containing V5-His6Gqα were transfected singly into the insect cell line of Tn-5B1-4. After collecting the infected cell, detection was conducted by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and western blotting. The result showed that the system comprising recombinant baculovirus and Tn could express Gqα protein successfully.
Development of AFLP markers linked to stem nematode resistance gene in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.)
Authors: Qin Jie , Hua Li , Hong Zhai , Yu-Ping Wang , Qiang Li , Dai-Fu Ma , Yi-Ping Xie , Qing-Chang Liu
Published: October 2009

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers linked to the stem nematode resistance gene were developed in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.). Using bulked segregant analysis (BSA), 800 AFLP primer combinations were screened in the resistant and susceptible bulked DNA from the 186 progeny of an F1 single-cross population of Xu781 (resistant parent)×Xushu18 (susceptible parent), and 245 of these AFLP primers showed polymorphic bands between resistant and susceptible DNA. Primer combinations detecting polymorphism between the two bulks were used to screen the parents and eight individuals from each of the bulks. The results showed that E2M23 and E33M20 produced a specific band of about 500 bp and 200 bp in length, respectively, in the resistant plants but not in the susceptible plants, suggesting that the markers named E2M23500 and E33M20200 linked to a gene for stem nematode resistance. Amplified analysis of the 186 F1 individuals indicated that the genetic distance between these two markers and the stem nematode resistance gene was 6.9 cM and 11.1 cM, respectively, measured with Mapmaker 3.0. These two AFLP markers were used to identify ten sweet potato varieties planted widely in China and the results were consistent with those of conventional resistance identification, indicating that the two markers can be used in molecular marker-assisted breeding for stem nematode resistance in the sweet potato.
Population genetic diversity ofPhytophthora infestansfrom China as revealed by SSRs and RAPDs
Authors: Ben-Jin Li , Xin Lv , Qing-He Chen , Cheng-Zhong Lan , Jian Zhao , Rong-Zhou Qiu , Qi-Yong Weng
Published: October 2009

Simple sequence repeats (SSR) and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) molecular markers were used to assess the genetic diversity of 80 isolates ofPhytophthora infestansin potato (Solanum tuberosum) from Fujian, Heilongjiang, Hebei and Inner Mongolia Provinces in China. Polymorphism was identified by 13 SSR primers and 14 RAPD primers in the isolates ofP. infestansin potato. A total of 76 bands were amplified by SSRs, with the percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB) being 78.9% and the similarity coefficient ranging between 0.00 and 0.42. A total of 189 bands were amplified by RAPDs, with the percentage of polymorphic bands being 95.2% and the similarity coefficient ranging between 0.04 and 0.66. Analysis of genetic diversity showed that there exists higher genetic variation in the Fujian population in comparison to the populations of Heilongjiang, Hebei and Inner Mongolia. Nei's genetic identity analysis indicates that the genetic similarity between populations of Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia is the highest and that between Fujian and Hebei is the lowest. A cluster analysis revealed that isolates from Fujian, in the south of China, are distantly related to those from Heilongjiang, Hebei and Inner Mongolia in the north, and the Fujian population is distributed among more groups than the other three, exhibiting a higher genetic diversity.
What factors influence seniors’ desire for choice among health insurance options? Survey results on the Medicare prescription drug benefit
Authors: Rice Thomas , Hanoch Yaniv , Cummings Janet
Published: October 2009

Questions about the design of the new US Medicare prescription drug benefit were raised even before its passage, where one of the most heated issues has been the number of plans offered to beneficiaries. Whether beneficiaries believe that there should be extensive or limited choice is still an open question. To study this issue, we analyzed data from the Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health Survey, which included 718 individuals aged 65 years and above. The survey asked these older adults (i) whether they prefer having dozens of plans or for Medicare to offer a restricted number of plans and (ii) whether they think there are too many, too few or the right amount of plans. Our findings show that the majority of beneficiaries (69%) preferred that Medicare offer a limited number of options while only 29% wanted to see dozens of plans on the market. We also examine the effect of education level, income, political affiliation, race and health status on the desire for more or fewer plans. One surprising finding is that seniors with higher education appear to prefer fewer, not more, plan choices. Overall, our results question the merit of offering so many prescription drugs plan choices to Medicare beneficiaries.
Cross‐equatorial influences of submonthly scale southerly surges over the eastern Indian Ocean during Southern Hemisphere winter
Authors: Fukutomi Yoshiki , Yasunari Tetsuzo
Published: October 2009

Lower‐tropospheric southerly surges occurring at submonthly timescales over the eastern Indian Ocean (EIO) during Southern Hemisphere (SH) winter are extratropical‐tropical interaction phenomena involving various processes. This study examined the physical mechanism driving equatorial wave disturbances associated with surge‐induced cross‐equatorial flow over the EIO. Japanese 25‐Year Reanalysis (JRA25) and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Satellite (TRMM) 3B42 data products from June to August for the 7 years from 1998 to 2004 were analyzed. Composite analyses of low‐level wind and vorticity fields reveal that an equatorial clockwise gyre develops just after cross‐equatorial penetration of southerly surge winds. This gyre is interpreted as an equatorially trapped Rossby wave that develops asymmetrically around the equator in response to surge‐induced cross‐equatorial flow. Eddy vorticity budget analysis demonstrates the dynamic role of the southerly surge in the genesis of the equatorial clockwise gyre. The result indicates that an injection of negative absolute vorticity into the equatorial tropics due to both advective and convergent processes associated with the surge winds is primarily responsible for the gyre genesis. Cross‐equatorial advection of basic state absolute vorticity by the surge (eddy) winds and vortex stretching by surge wind convergence are most effective in spinning up the equatorial clockwise gyre. Wave activity flux analysis further emphasizes that Rossby wave energy propagation from the SH extratropics into the equatorial EIO region is caused by the southerly surge. These dynamic diagnostics suggest that the southerly surge plays a lateral forcing role in exciting the equatorial wave disturbance over the EIO. Composite analyses of moisture flux and precipitation anomalies characterize the equatorial clockwise gyre as a convectively coupled equatorial Rossby wave. Enhanced cross‐equatorial moisture transport due to the southerly surge appears to be linked to precipitation along the west coast of the southern Indo‐China Peninsula. A case study of the southerly surge event during August 2000 illustrates the formation of the equatorial clockwise gyre and its convectively coupled equatorial Rossby wave signature.
Surface melt area variability of the Greenland ice sheet: 1979–2008
Authors: Bhattacharya Indrajit , Jezek Kenneth C. , Wang Lei , Liu Hongxing
Published: October 2009

The surface melt‐area time‐series (1979–2008) of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) shows large spatio‐temporal variability. The overall melt‐area time‐series is characterized by a step‐like increase in 1995. The melt‐area trend for the entire ice‐sheet between 1979–1994 is 7.64 × 103 ± 4.79 × 103km2/year, which is 8‐times higher than the period between 1995–2008 (9.64 × 102 ± 1.10 × 104km2/year). This step‐like increase of melt area in 1995 coincides well with mean summer air temperature patterns at 8 coastal sites. We find that the melt area and temperature change in 1995, both coincide to a general sign‐reversal in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index in 1995. We also find that the northerly sectors of the ice sheet do not clearly coincide with changes in the NAO suggesting the influence of NAO is being felt predominantly on the central‐eastern and central‐western sectors of the ice sheet.
Efficient cyanide formation due to impacts of carbonaceous bodies on a planet with a nitrogen‐rich atmosphere
Authors: Sugita Seiji , Schultz Peter H.
Published: October 2009

Asteroidal/cometary impacts should have delivered a large amount of organic matter to Earth and other planets during the heavy bombardment period. Most of the delivered organics, however, would decompose through either severe shock heating upon impact or intense aerodynamic interaction with the ambient atmosphere. Here, we demonstrate that organics decomposed by intense aerodynamic interactions following oblique impacts will be converted to CN radicals under a wide range of redox conditions within primitive atmospheres. High‐speed spectroscopic observations reveal that the nitrogen and the carbon comprising CN are derived from both the atmosphere and impact‐fragmented projectile materials, respectively. The yield of CN relative to C2 (a direct vaporization product of projectile materials) increases with both impact velocity and the ratio of N2 partial pressure to the total atmospheric pressure. Such impact‐driven cyanide synthesis may have significantly contributed to basic compounds (particularly nitrogen‐rich ones) necessary for the origin of life.
Testicular descent, sperm maturation and capacitation. Lessons from our most distant relatives, the monotremes
Authors: Ecroyd Heath , Nixon Brett , Dacheux Jean-Louis , Jones Russell C.
Published: October 2009

The present review examines whether monotremes may help to resolve three questions relating to sperm production in mammals: why the testes descend into a scrotum in most mammals, why spermatozoa are infertile when they leave the testes and require a period of maturation in the specific milieu provided by the epididymides, and why ejaculated spermatozoa cannot immediately fertilise an ovum until they undergo capacitation within the female reproductive tract. Comparisons of monotremes with other mammals indicate that there is a need for considerable work on monotremes. It is hypothesised that testicular descent should be related to epididymal differentiation. Spermatozoa and ova from both groups share many of the proteins that are thought to be involved in gamete interaction, and although epididymal sperm maturation is significant it is probably less complex in monotremes than in other mammals. However, the monotreme epididymis is unique in forming spermatozoa into bundles of 100 with greatly enhanced motility compared with individual spermatozoa. Bundle formation involves a highly organised interaction with epididymal proteins, and the bundles persist during incubation in vitro, except in specialised medium, in which spermatozoa separate after 2–3 h incubation. It is suggested that this represents an early form of capacitation.
Platypus chain reaction: directional and ordered meiotic pairing of the multiple sex chromosome chain in Ornithorhynchus anatinus
Authors: Daish Tasman , Casey Aaron , Grützner Frank
Published: October 2009

Monotremes are phylogenetically and phenotypically unique animals with an unusually complex sex chromosome system that is composed of ten chromosomes in platypus and nine in echidna. These chromosomes are alternately linked (X1Y1, X2Y2, …) at meiosis via pseudoautosomal regions and segregate to form spermatozoa containing either X or Y chromosomes. The physical and epigenetic mechanisms involved in pairing and assembly of the complex sex chromosome chain in early meiotic prophase I are completely unknown. We have analysed the pairing dynamics of specific sex chromosome pseudoautosomal regions in platypus spermatocytes during prophase of meiosis I. Our data show a highly coordinated pairing process that begins at the terminal Y5 chromosome and completes with the union of sex chromosomes X1Y1. The consistency of this ordered assembly of the chain is remarkable and raises questions about the mechanisms and factors that regulate the differential pairing of sex chromosomes and how this relates to potential meiotic silencing mechanisms and alternate segregation.
Eggs, embryos and the evolution of imprinting: insights from the platypus genome
Authors: Renfree Marilyn B. , Papenfuss Anthony T. , Shaw Geoff , Pask Andrew J.
Published: October 2009

Genomic imprinting is widespread in eutherian and marsupial mammals. Although there have been many hypotheses to explain why genomic imprinting evolved in mammals, few have examined how it arose. The host defence hypothesis suggests that imprinting evolved from existing mechanisms within the cell that act to silence foreign DNA elements that insert into the genome. However, the changes to the mammalian genome that accompanied the evolution of imprinting have been hard to define due to the absence of large-scale genomic resources from all extant classes. The recent release of the platypus genome sequence has provided the first opportunity to make comparisons between prototherian (monotreme, which show no signs of imprinting) and therian (marsupial and eutherian, which have imprinting) mammals. We compared the distribution of repeat elements known to attract epigenetic silencing across the genome from monotremes and therian mammals, particularly focusing on the orthologous imprinted regions. Our analyses show that the platypus has significantly fewer repeats of certain classes in the regions of the genome that have become imprinted in therian mammals. The accumulation of repeats, especially long-terminal repeats and DNA elements, in therian imprinted genes and gene clusters therefore appears to be coincident with, and may have been a potential driving force in, the development of mammalian genomic imprinting. Comparative platypus genome analyses of orthologous imprinted regions have provided strong support for the host defence hypothesis to explain the origin of imprinting.
Replication asynchrony and differential condensation of X chromosomes in female platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)
Authors: Ho Kristen K. K. , Deakin Janine E. , Wright Megan L. , Graves Jennifer A. Marshall , Grützner Frank
Published: October 2009

A common theme in the evolution of sex chromosomes is the massive loss of genes on the sex-specific chromosome (Y or W), leading to a gene imbalance between males (XY) and females (XX) in a male heterogametic species, or between ZZ and ZW in a female heterogametic species. Different mechanisms have evolved to compensate for this difference in dosage of X-borne genes between sexes. In therian mammals, one of the X chromosomes is inactivated, whereas bird dosage compensation is partial and gene-specific. In therian mammals, hallmarks of the inactive X are monoallelic gene expression, late DNA replication and chromatin condensation. Platypuses have five pairs of X chromosomes in females and five X and five Y chromosomes in males. Gene expression analysis suggests a more bird-like partial and gene-specific dosage compensation mechanism. We investigated replication timing and chromosome condensation of three of the five X chromosomes in female platypus. Our data suggest asynchronous replication of X-specific regions on X1, X3 and X5 but show significantly different condensation between homologues for X3 only, and not for X1 or X5. We discuss these results in relation to recent gene expression analysis of X-linked genes, which together give us insights into possible mechanisms of dosage compensation in platypus.
Alternatively spliced tissue factor induces angiogenesis through integrin ligation
Authors: van den Berg Y. W. , van den Hengel L. G. , Myers H. R. , Ayachi O. , Jordanova E. , Ruf W. , Spek C. A. , Reitsma P. H. , Bogdanov V. Y. , Versteeg H. H.
Published: October 2009

The initiator of coagulation, full-length tissue factor (flTF), in complex with factor VIIa, influences angiogenesis through PAR-2. Recently, an alternatively spliced variant of TF (asTF) was discovered, in which part of the TF extracellular domain, the transmembrane, and cytoplasmic domains are replaced by a unique C terminus. Subcutaneous tumors produced by asTF-secreting cells revealed increased angiogenesis, but it remained unclear if and how angiogenesis is regulated by asTF. Here, we show that asTF enhances angiogenesis in matrigel plugs in mice, whereas a soluble form of flTF only modestly enhances angiogenesis. asTF dose-dependently upregulates angiogenesis ex vivo independent of either PAR-2 or VIIa. Rather, asTF was found to ligate integrins, resulting in downstream signaling. asTF-αVβ3 integrin interaction induces endothelial cell migration, whereas asTF-dependent formation of capillaries in vitro is dependent on α6β1 integrin. Finally, asTF-dependent aortic sprouting is sensitive to β1 and β3 integrin blockade and a TF-antibody that disrupts asTF-integrin interaction. We conclude that asTF, unlike flTF, does not affect angiogenesis via PAR-dependent pathways but relies on integrin ligation. These findings indicate that asTF may serve as a target to prevent pathological angiogenesis.
Ecologically dependent postmating isolation between sympatric host forms ofNeochlamisus bebbianaeleaf beetles
Authors: Egan Scott P. , Funk Daniel J.
Published: October 2009

Ecological speciation is the promotion of reproductive isolation via the divergent adaptation of populations to alternative environments. A prediction peculiar to ecological speciation is that hybrids between such populations should be adapted poorly to parental environments, yielding reduced fitness and postmating isolation. However, F1analyses alone cannot demonstrate that ecological (“extrinsic”) factors contribute to such isolation. Rather, this requires documenting a “switch” in the relative fitnesses of reciprocal backcrosses between environments. Specifically, each backcross should exhibit higher fitness in the environment of its pure parent, with which it shares the most genes, including environment-specific ones. In contrast, because genetic proportions are expected to be similar for all backcrosses (≈¾ from one parental type and ≈¼ from the other), the more general genetic incompatibilities responsible for “intrinsic” isolation predict no such environment-specific fitness switches. Thus, although intrinsic isolation may contribute to the fitness reduction and variation underlying such patterns, it offers an insufficient explanation for them. Here, we present a quantitative genetic “backcross” analysis of sympatricNeochlamisus bebbianaeleaf beetle populations adapted to maple versus willow host plants. Results statistically supported ecological speciation predictions, notably the switch in relative fitness for backcross types, the expected rank order of cross type fitnesses, and appreciable extrinsic isolation. We additionally documented genetic variation in host-associated fitness, ruled out nongenetic maternal effects, and discuss the maintenance of ecological differentiation in sympatry. In summary, our study provides a rare and strongly supported demonstration of genetically based, ecologically dependent postmating isolation during ecological speciation.
Therapeutic Potential of Polar and Non‐Polar Extracts of Cyanthillium cinereum In Vitro
Authors: Guha Gunjan , Rajkumar V. , Ashok Kumar R. , Mathew Lazar
Published: October 2009

Cyanthillium cinereum (Less.) H. Rob. (Asteraceae) has been traditionally known for its medicinal properties, all aspects of which are yet to be exploited. This study was aimed at investigating the therapeutic potential of polar (methanolic and aqueous) and nonpolar (hexane and chloroform) crude extracts of the whole plant. Several parameters including free‐radical (DPPH•, ABTS•+, H2O2 and •OH) scavenging, reducing power, protection of DNA against oxidative damage, cytotoxicity, inhibition of oxidative hemolysis in erythrocytes, total phenolic content and inhibition of lipid peroxidation were examined. All the free‐radical generating assay models demonstrated positive scavenging efficiency with differential but considerable magnitudes for the four extracts. However, only the hexane extract showed significant H2O2 scavenging effect. Lipid peroxidation was estimated by thiobarbituric acid‐malondialdehyde (MDA) reaction, and a high degree of inhibition was shown by all the extracts. Reducing power of the polar extracts was higher than the non‐polar ones. All extracts showed a concentration‐dependent increase in phenolic contents. Oxidative damage to erythrocytes was hindered by all extracts in diverse degrees. XTT assay showed that all extracts have mild cytotoxic property. The aqueous extract evidently demonstrated protective effect on pBR322 plasmid DNA against oxidative breakdown. These results suggested the potential of C. cinereum as medicine against free‐radical‐associated oxidative damage and related degenerative diseases involving metabolic stress, genotoxicity and cytotoxicity.
An Overture for eCAM: Science, Technology and Innovation Initiation for Prosperous, Healthy Nepal
Authors: Kaphle Krishna , Bhuju Dinesh Raj , Jha Pramod Kr , Bhattarai Hom Nath
Published: October 2009

Nepal the “Shangri‐La” in the lap of the Himalayas is gearing up for modern times as it starts rebuilding after a decade of senseless violence and destruction. The nation one of the poorest in the global development index is rich in natural resources and biodiversity. Reports of medicinal plants far exceeding those recorded and reported so far are encouraging and at the same time concerns for medicinal plants under threat as a result of overexploitation are emerging from Nepal. The harsh mountain terrains, lack of industrialization and harnessing potentiality of its areas of strength; water; natural resources and tourism make it poor in per capita income which averages ~ 300 US$, with half the population living under >1$ a day. Nepal is beginning to realize that the way ahead is only possible through the path of Science and Technology (ST). Nepal Academy of Science and Technology formerly known as Royal Academy of Science and Technology organized the fifth national conference held every 4 years that took place in the capital Kathmandu during November 10‐12, 2008. The ST initiation event saw the participation of ~ 1400 people representing over 150 organizations from the country and experts from abroad. The theme for the fifth national meet was “Science, Technology and Innovation for Prosperous Nepal”. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) was an important theme in the event as the realization for the need of ST research focused in CAM for harnessing the chemo diversity potential was univocally approved.
Auricular Acupunctures Are Effective for the Prevention of Postoperative Agitation in Old Patients
Authors: Arai Young-Chang P. , Ito Akihiro , Hibino Soki , Niwa Sinnosuke , Ueda Wasa
Published: October 2009

Postoperative cognitive problems and delirium are not uncommon in the elderly. We reported four cases in which auricular acupunctures on the ‘Shenmen’ and ‘Point Zero’ points successfully managed postoperative problematic behaviors of the three patients with dementia and the one patient postoperatively demonstrating an agitated behavior.
Effects of parental larval diet on egg size and offspring traits in
Drosophila
Authors: Vijendravarma Roshan K. , Narasimha Sunitha , Kawecki Tadeusz J.
Published: October 2009

If a mother's nutritional status predicts the nutritional environment of the offspring, it would be adaptive for mothers experiencing nutritional stress to prime their offspring for a better tolerance to poor nutrition. We report that in
Drosophila melanogaster
, parents raised on poor larval food laid 3–6% heavier eggs than parents raised on standard food, despite being 30 per cent smaller. Their offspring developed 14 h (4%) faster on the poor food than offspring of well-fed parents. However, they were slightly smaller as adults. Thus, the effects of parental diet on offspring performance under malnutrition apparently involve both adaptive plasticity and maladaptive effects of parental stress.
Self-consistent mean-field magnetohydrodynamics
Authors: Courvoisier A. , Hughes D. W. , Proctor M. R. E.
Published: October 2009

We consider the linear stability of two-dimensional nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic basic states to long-wavelength three-dimensional perturbations. Following Hughes & Proctor (Hughes & Proctor 2009Proc. R. Soc. A465, 1599–1616 (doi:10.1098/rspa.2008.0493)), the two-dimensional basic states are obtained from a specific forcing function in the presence of an initially uniform mean field of strength. By extending to the nonlinear regime the kinematic analysis of Roberts (Roberts 1970Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A266, 535–558 (doi:10.1098/rsta.1970.0011)), we show that it is possible to predict the growth rate of these perturbations by applying mean-field theory toboththe momentum and the induction equations. If, these equations decouple and large-scale magnetic and velocity perturbations may grow via the kinematicα-effect and the anisotropic kinetic alpha instability, respectively. However, if, the momentum and induction equations are coupled by the Lorentz force; in this case, we show that four transport tensors are now necessary to determine the growth rate of the perturbations. We illustrate these situations by numerical examples; in particular, we show that a mean-field description of the nonlinear regime based solely on a quenchedαcoefficient is incorrect.
Correction for Wodarz and Levy, Human immunodeficiency virus evolution towards reduced replicative fitness
in vivo
and the development of AIDS
Authors: Wodarz Dominik , Levy David N.
Published: October 2009

Correction for ‘Human immunodeficiency virus evolution towards reduced replicative fitness
in vivo
and the development of AIDS’ by Dominik Wodarz and David N. Levy (Proc. R. Soc. B
274
, 2481–2490.
(doi:
10.1098/rspb.2007.0413
)).

On p. 2482, equations (2.1), (2.2) and the equation in the penultimate sentence of the paragraph following equation (2.1) as well as references to
a
x
in sections 2a, 2b and 3b were presented incorrectly.
Correction for Arellano-Aguilar and Macías Garcia, Exposure to pesticides impairs the expression of fish ornaments reducing the availability of attractive males
Authors: Arellano-Aguilar Omar , Macías Garcia Constantino
Published: October 2009

Correction for ‘Exposure to pesticides impairs the expression of fish ornaments reducing the availability of attractive males’ by Omar Arellano-Aguilar and Constantino Macías Garcia (Proc. R. Soc. B
274
, 2925–2933.
(doi:
10.1098/rspb.2008.0163
)).

On p. 1346, the caption for figure 2 was presented incorrectly.
Correction for Nicholls and Tol, Impacts and responses to sea-level rise: a global analysis of the SRES scenarios over the twenty-first century
Authors: Nicholls Robert J. , Toll Richard S. J.
Published: October 2009

Correction for ‘Impacts and responses to sea-level rise: a global analysis of the SRES scenarios over the twenty-first century’ by Robert J. Nicholls and Richard S. J. Toll (Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A
364
, 1073–1095.
(doi:
10.1098/rsta.2006.1754
)).

Figure 10 in the print version of this paper is incorrect; the correct figure is shown in the next page. The first full paragraph of p. 1089 in the print version of this paper is incorrect; the correct paragraph is as follows.
Correction for Peach and Marshall, The pit organs of elasmobranchs: a review
Authors: Peach Meredith B. , Marshall N. Justin
Published: October 2009

Correction for ‘The pit organs of elasmobranchs: a review’ by Meredith B. Peach and N. Justin Marshall (Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B
355
, 1131–1134.
(doi:
10.1098/rstb.2000.0653
)).

On page 1132, figure 2 depicts a pit organ from the grey nurse shark
Carcharias taurus
, not the epaulette shark
Hemiscyllium ocellatum
as stated in the figure caption. Page 1133, 3rd paragraph, 5th line, ‘(1 in = 0.025 m)’ was inserted incorrectly and should not be present.
Cell surface expression of adhesins for fibronectin correlates with virulence in Sporothrix schenckii
Authors: Teixeira Pedro Antônio Castelo , de Castro Rafaela Alves , Nascimento Rosana Cícera , Tronchin Guy , Pérez Torres Armando , Lazéra Márcia , de Almeida Sandro Rogério , Bouchara Jean-Philippe , Loureiro y Penha Carla Veronica , Lopes-Bezerra Leila M.
Published: October 2009

The virulence of four Sporothrix schenckii isolates was compared in a murine model of sporotrichosis, together with the protein pattern of the yeast cell surface and the capacity to bind the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin. Virulence was determined by the mortality rate, fungal burden and histopathology. Two clinical isolates were more virulent for C57BL/6 mice, but no direct correlation was seen between virulence and the clinical or environmental origin of the isolates. The lowest virulence was observed for an isolate recovered from a patient with meningeal sporotrichosis. Although all isolates could effectively disseminate, the dissemination patterns were not similar. Using flow cytometry analysis, we investigated the interaction of all the strains with fibronectin, and showed that the binding capacity correlated with virulence. Western blot analysis of S. schenckii cell wall extracts revealed positive bands for fibronectin in the range of 37–92 kDa. The 70 kDa adhesin was also recognized by a protective monoclonal antibody raised against a gp70 antigen of S. schenckii (mAb P6E7). Confocal microscopy confirmed the co-localization of fibronectin and mAb P6E7 on the yeast cell surface. To our knowledge, this is the first report identifying adhesins for fibronectin on the surface of this human pathogen.
Identification of a second β-glucoside phosphoenolpyruvate : carbohydrate phosphotransferase system in Corynebacterium glutamicum R
Authors: Tanaka Yuya , Teramoto Haruhiko , Inui Masayuki , Yukawa Hideaki
Published: October 2009

The phosphoenolpyruvate : carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS) catalyses carbohydrate transport by coupling it to phosphorylation. Previously, we reported aCorynebacterium glutamicumRβ-glucoside PTS encoded bybglF. Here we report thatC. glutamicumR contains an additionalβ-glucoside PTS gene,bglF2, organized in a cluster with a putative phospho-β-glucosidase gene,bglA2, and a putative antiterminator,bglG2. While single gene disruption strains of eitherbglForbglF2were able to utilize salicin or arbutin as sole carbon sources, a double disruption strain exhibited defects in utilization of both carbon sources. Expression of bothbglFandbglF2was induced in the presence of either salicin or arbutin, although disruption ofbglG2affected onlybglF2expression. Moreover, in the presence of either salicin or arbutin, glucose completely repressed the expression ofbglFbut only slightly repressed that ofbglF2. We conclude that BglF and BglF2 have a redundant role inβ-glucoside transport even though the catabolite repression control of their encoding genes is different. We also show that expression of bothbglFandbglF2requires the general PTS.
Formation of specialized aerial architectures by Rhodococcus during utilization of vaporized p-cresol
Authors: Veeranagouda Yaligara , Lim Eun Jin , Kim Dong Wan , Kim Jin-Kyoo , Cho Kyungyun , Heipieper Hermann J. , Lee Kyoung
Published: October 2009

When grown with vaporized alkylphenols such as p-cresol as the sole carbon and energy source, several isolated Rhodococcus strains formed growth structures like miniature mushrooms, termed here specialized aerial architectures (SAA), that reached sizes of up to 0.8 mm in height. Microscopic examination allowed us to view the distinct developmental stages during the formation of SAA from a selected strain, Rhodococcus sp. KL96. Initially, mounds consisting of long rod cells arose from a lawn of cells, and then highly branched structures were formed from the mounds. During the secondary stage of development, branching began after long rod cells grew outward and twisted longitudinally, serving as growth points, and the cells at the base of the mound became short rods that supported upward growth. Cells in the highly fluffy structures were eventually converted, via reductive division, into structures that resembled cocci, with a diameter of approximately 0.5 μm, that were arranged in chains. Most cells inside the SAA underwent a phase variation in order to form wrinkled colonies from cells that originally formed smooth colonies. Approximately 2 months was needed for complete development of the SAA, and viable cells were recovered from SAA that were incubated for more than a year. An extracellular polymeric matrix layer and lipid bodies appeared to play an important role in structural integrity and as a metabolic energy source, respectively. To our knowledge, similar formation of aerial structures for the purpose of substrate utilization has not been reported previously for Gram-positive bacteria.