bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rethinking Religious Divides
Authors: Eaton Richard M.
Published: June 2014

Notwithstanding the considerable body of scholarship on South Asian history that has appeared over the past several decades, we still live with the image of a monolithic and alien Islam colliding with an equally monolithic Hinduism, construed as indigenous, and from the eleventh century on, politically suppressed. Such a cardboard-cutout caricature survives in much of India's tabloid media, as well as in textbooks informed by a revivalist, aggressively political strand of Hinduism, or “Hindutva.” Though useful for stoking primordial identities or mobilizing support for political agendas, this caricature thrives on a pervasive ignorance of South Asia's past. Removing such ignorance is precisely the endeavor to which academic institutions, and scholarship more generally, are properly committed.
Editor's Preface: Commentaries on the Partition
Authors: Wasserstrom Jeffrey
Published: June 2014

The February 2014 issue of the Journal of Asian Studies opened with a section made up of two brief “Reflections” on partition—the traumatic South Asian developments of the late 1940s that accompanied the end of British rule over the subcontinent and led to the founding of India and Pakistan as separate nation-states. The first of this pair of short pieces was an introductory look at partition by Gerald James Larson, which I asked this prominent scholar of religion to write. I suggested that it take the form of an at-most lightly footnoted overview of the topic, which would provide basic information of a sort that would help nonspecialists understand the historical background of the partition and would serve to frame the main commentary to follow. That second piece, a meditation on memory and loss by historian Manan Ahmed Asif, was experimental in form for an academic article (a hallmark of the Journal's one-year-old “Reflections” genre) and accompanied by photographs. The trio of essays that follow here, titled “Further Reflections on Partition,” are part of a two-stage effort to respond to and carry forward discussion of issues raised in the earlier pieces. This sort of sequel to previously published work is unusual for the JAS, and is not something I expect to run with any regularity as editor, so some further remarks are in order.
Comparison of chronic suppurative otitis media in rural and urban primary school children in Bangladesh
Authors: Shaheen M M , Nahar S
Published: June 2014

Objectives:

To compare chronic suppurative otitis media prevalence in rural and urban primary school children in Bangladesh, and to determine its relationship with specific sociodemographic factors.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional survey, 681 rural primary school children from Shibpur upazilla, Narsingdi district, and 964 urban primary school children from Dhaka Metropolitan City, underwent an ENT check-up by doctors trained in ENT. Their parents or guardians were interviewed with regard to their sociodemographic status and other related issues using a pre-tested protocol.

Results:

In this study, 6.02 per cent of the rural primary school children and 2.07 per cent of the urban primary school children had chronic suppurative otitis media. (Overall, 3.71 per cent of the children had the disorder.) The disorder was slightly more prevalent among girls than boys in both rural (6.05vs5.98 per cent) and urban (2.33vs1.82 per cent) communities. There was a significant association between the presence of chronic suppurative otitis media in children and: parents' or guardians' occupation and their annual income, housing type, family size, maternal education, and bathing habit.

Conclusion:

Improvement of associated sociodemographic factors would reduce the prevalence and resultant complications of chronic suppurative otitis media in primary school children in developing countries.
Cnidaria in UK coastal waters: description of spatio-temporal patterns and inter-annual variability
Authors: Pikesley Stephen K. , Godley Brendan J. , Ranger Sue , Richardson Peter B. , Witt Matthew J.
Published: June 2014

Concern has been expressed over future biogeographical expansion and habitat capitalization by species of the phylum Cnidaria, as this may have negative implications on human activities and ecosystems. There is, however, a paucity of knowledge and understanding of jellyfish ecology, in particular species distribution and seasonality. Recent studies in the UK have principally focused on the Celtic, Irish and North Seas, but all in isolation. In this study we analyse data from a publicly-driven sightings scheme across UK coastal waters (2003–2011; 9 years), with the aim of increasing knowledge on spatial and temporal patterns and trends. We describe inter-annual variability, seasonality and patterns of spatial distribution, and compare these with existing historic literature. Although incidentally-collected data lack quantification of effort, we suggest that with appropriate data management and interpretation, publicly-driven, citizen-science-based, recording schemes can provide for large-scale (spatial and temporal) coverage that would otherwise be logistically and financially unattainable. These schemes may also contribute to baseline data from which future changes in patterns or trends might be identified. We further suggest that findings from such schemes may be strengthened by the inclusion of some element of effort-corrected data collection.
Diel observation on the trade-off between covering and sheltering behaviours of male and female Strongylocentrotus intermedius in laboratory
Authors: Zhao Chong , Tian Xiaofei , Feng Wenping , Hu Lunchao , Zhou Haisen , Chang Yaqing
Published: June 2014

In the field, both covering materials and shelters are commonly available to sea urchins. The behavioural decision between covering and sheltering thus obviously exists. However, no information is available on the preference between the two natural behaviours. Two conditions were designed with covering and sheltering materials to comparatively describe the diel trade-off between covering and sheltering behaviours in male and female Strongylocentrotus intermedius. In the present study S. intermedius had an obvious diel trade-off between covering and sheltering behaviours, preferring covering over sheltering when both behaviours were possible. Sex did not significantly affect the trade-off between the two behaviours, no matter whether covering materials were inside or outside the shelters. The rhythm of covering behaviour was not well correlated with intensity of light in the trade-off with sheltering behaviour. The present study provides new insights into behavioural ecology of sea urchins.
Choice of handedness and automated suturing for anthropomorphic dual-arm surgical robots
Authors: Ding Jienan , Simaan Nabil
Published: June 2014

Laparoscopic and Single Port Access Surgery (SPAS) present unique dexterity challenges related to dual-arm operations in confined spaces and tele-manipulation of highly dexterous surgical slaves. In an effort to reduce tele-manipulation burden, new paradigms for semi-automating surgical tasks are needed. This paper presents a new minimal constraint suturing and automated choice of handedness for anthropomorphic dual-arm robots. The automated choice of handedness supports surgeons during tele-manipulation of complex robotic slaves where dexterity and workspace constraints are difficult to learn. This criterion is also used to support automated dual-arm rendezvous for quicker suture exchange during dual-arm suturing. The minimal constraint algorithm presented in this paper allows surgeons to operate within a shared-control tele-manipulation framework whereby the surgeon controls the needle insertion speed and the robot controls the needle orientation while respecting a minimalistic set of tissue constraints. This framework is evaluated on a novel insertable robotic end-effectors platform for SPAS. A simulation study demonstrates the effectiveness of the automated choice of handedness criterion through a study of dexterity limitations of each arm. Additional simulations show the proposed algorithm for automated rendezvous and suture exchange.
COSTS FOR STROKE IN SWEDEN 2009 AND DEVELOPMENTS SINCE 1997
Authors: Ghatnekar Ola , Persson Ulf , Asplund Kjell , Glader Eva-Lotta
Published: June 2014

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate direct and indirect excess costs attributable to stroke in Sweden in 2009 and to compare these with similar estimates from 1997.

Methods: Data on first-ever stoke admissions in the first half of 2009 from the Swedish national stroke register (RS) were used for cost calculations and compared with results from 1997 also using RS data. A societal perspective was taken including the acute and follow-up phase, rehabilitation, stroke re-admissions, drugs, home- and residential care services for activities of daily life (ADL) support, and indirect costs for premature death and productivity losses (2009 prices). Survival was extrapolated to estimate the lifetime present value cost of stroke.

Results: The societal lifetime present value cost for stroke in 2009 was €68,800 per patient (ADL support: 59 percent; productivity losses: 21 percent). Women had higher costs than men in all age groups as a result from greater need for ADL support. Patients treated at a stroke unit indicated low incremental cost per life-year gained compared with those who had not. The total lifetime cost increased between 1997 and 2009. Hospitalization costs per patient were stable, while long-term costs for home- and residential care services increased.

Conclusions: Changes in patient characteristics, longer expected survival, and possibly in the Swedish stroke care, have led to higher annual and lifetime costs per patient in 2009 compared with 1997. A comprehensive national stroke care performance register like RS may be suitable for health economic assessments.
Introduction: new dimensions in genitive variation
Authors: PAYNE JOHN , BERLAGE EVA
Published: June 2014

This special issue concerns English genitive variation: the choice between the s-genitive and the of-genitive. It has grown out of the workshop ‘Genitive variation in English’, which was held at the conference of the International Society for the Linguistics of English at the University of Boston in June 2011. While previous research on genitive variation has already unearthed a wealth of factors predicting the variation, the aim of this volume is to add new dimensions to existing parameters.
Daily Fluctuations in Work Engagement
Authors: Bakker Arnold B.
Published: June 2014

This article presents an overview of the literature on daily fluctuations in work engagement. Daily work engagement is a state of vigor, dedication, and absorption that is predictive of important organizational outcomes, including job performance. After briefly discussing enduring work engagement, the advantages of diary research are discussed, as well as the concept and measurement of daily work engagement. The research evidence shows that fluctuations in work engagement are a function of the changes in daily job and personal resources. Particularly on the days that employees have access to many resources, they are able to cope well with their daily job demands (e.g., work pressure, negative events), and likely interpret these demands as challenges. Furthermore, the literature review shows that on the days employees have sufficient levels of job control, they proactively try to optimize their work environment in order to stay engaged. This proactive behavior is called job crafting and predicts momentary and daily work engagement. An important additional finding is that daily engagement has a reciprocal relationship with daily recovery. On the days employees recover well, they feel more engaged; and engagement during the day is predictive of subsequent recovery. Finding the daily balance between engagement while at work and detachment while at home seems the key to enduring work engagement.
The Neuropsychology of Self-Objectification
Authors: Riva Giuseppe , Gaudio Santino , Dakanalis Antonios
Published: June 2014

According to the objectification theory ( Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997 ) girls and women are thought to adopt a self-objectified view of themselves as objects to be evaluated on the basis of their appearance. More, this experience is proposed to have a direct link with the health and well being of female subjects. The paper analyzes and discusses the objectification theory within the context of recent research on memory and spatial cognition. On one side, it describes self-objectification as a specific cognitive process: a woman internalizes an objectified self image, when she uses an allocentric frame of reference (observer mode) to remember events in which she evaluates herself based upon bodily appearance. On the other side it directly connects the objectification theory with the Allocentric Lock Hypothesis ( Riva, 2012 ), suggesting that eating disorders have as antecedent an allocentric (objective, from outside) negative image schema of the body that is no more updated by egocentric sensory inputs from perception. Both the similarities between the allocentric lock and the out-of-body experience and a review of the recent studies supporting this claim are also presented and discussed.
Highly Energized Inhibitory Interneurons are a Central Element for Information Processing in Cortical Networks
Authors: Kann Oliver , Papageorgiou Ismini E , Draguhn Andreas
Published: June 2014

Gamma oscillations (~30 to 100 Hz) provide a fundamental mechanism of information processing during sensory perception, motor behavior, and memory formation by coordination of neuronal activity in networks of the hippocampus and neocortex. We review the cellular mechanisms of gamma oscillations about the underlying neuroenergetics, i.e., high oxygen consumption rate and exquisite sensitivity to metabolic stress during hypoxia or poisoning of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Gamma oscillations emerge from the precise synaptic interactions of excitatory pyramidal cells and inhibitory GABAergic interneurons. In particular, specialized interneurons such as parvalbumin-positive basket cells generate action potentials at high frequency (‘fast-spiking’) and synchronize the activity of numerous pyramidal cells by rhythmic inhibition (‘clockwork’). As prerequisites, fast-spiking interneurons have unique electrophysiological properties and particularly high energy utilization, which is reflected in the ultrastructure by enrichment with mitochondria and cytochrome c oxidase, most likely needed for extensive membrane ion transport and γ-aminobutyric acid metabolism. This supports the hypothesis that highly energized fast-spiking interneurons are a central element for cortical information processing and may be critical for cognitive decline when energy supply becomes limited (‘interneuron energy hypothesis’). As a clinical perspective, we discuss the functional consequences of metabolic and oxidative stress in fast-spiking interneurons in aging, ischemia, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia.
Evaporative cooling of speleothem drip water
Authors: Cuthbert M. O. , Rau G. C. , Andersen M. S. , Roshan H. , Rutlidge H. , Marjo C. E. , Markowska M. , Jex C. N. , Graham P. W. , Mariethoz G. , Acworth R. I. , Baker A.
Published: June 2014

This study describes the first use of concurrent high-precision temperature and drip rate monitoring to explore what controls the temperature of speleothem forming drip water. Two contrasting sites, one with fast transient and one with slow constant dripping, in a temperate semi-arid location (Wellington, NSW, Australia), exhibit drip water temperatures which deviate significantly from the cave air temperature. We confirm the hypothesis that evaporative cooling is the dominant, but so far unattributed, control causing significant disequilibrium between drip water and host rock/air temperatures. The amount of cooling is dependent on the drip rate, relative humidity and ventilation. Our results have implications for the interpretation of temperature-sensitive, speleothem climate proxies such as δ18O, cave microecology and the use of heat as a tracer in karst. Understanding the processes controlling the temperature of speleothem-forming cave drip waters is vital for assessing the reliability of such deposits as archives of climate change.
Interfacial Free Energy Controlling Glass-Forming Ability of Cu-Zr Alloys
Authors: Kang Dong-Hee , Zhang Hao , Yoo Hanbyeol , Lee Hyun Hwi , Lee Sooheyong , Lee Geun Woo , Lou Hongbo , Wang Xiaodong , Cao Qingping , Zhang Dongxian , Jiang Jianzhong
Published: June 2014

Glass is a freezing phase of a deeply supercooled liquid. Despite its simple definition, the origin of glass forming ability (GFA) is still ambiguous, even for binary Cu-Zr alloys. Here, we directly study the stability of the supercooled Cu-Zr liquids where we find that Cu64Zr36 at a supercooled temperature shows deeper undercoolability and longer persistence than other neighbouring compositions with an equivalent driving Gibbs free energy. This observation implies that the GFA of the Cu-Zr alloys is significantly affected by crystal-liquid interfacial free energy. In particular, the crystal-liquid interfacial free energy of Cu64Zr36 in our measurement was higher than that of other neighbouring liquids and, coincidently a molecular dynamics simulation reveals a larger glass-glass interfacial energy value at this composition, which reflects more distinct configuration difference between liquid and crystal phase. The present results demonstrate that the higher crystal-liquid interfacial free energy is a prerequisite of good GFA of the Cu-Zr alloys.
Highly sensitive and selective determination of uranium in natural waters through a novel solidified floating organic drop microextraction method coupled with spectrophotometric determination
Authors: Ghiasvand Ali Reza , Heidari Nahid , Hashemi Payman
Published: June 2014

Ultra trace amounts of uranyl ions were extracted using a reliable, simple and selective solidified floating organic drop microextraction (SFODME) method, and determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry.
Coordination polymers for catalysis: enhancement of catalytic activity through hierarchical structuring
Authors: Bu Fan-Xing , Hu Ming , Xu Li , Meng Qi , Mao Gui-Yun , Jiang Dong-Mei , Jiang Ji-Sen
Published: June 2014

Hierarchical Prussian white (PW) crystals were synthesized by using a self-aggregation and etching strategy. The crystals exhibit superior catalytic activity in degradation of methylene blue to the non-hierarchical PW crystals.
Copper-catalyzed Hiyama cross-coupling using vinylsilanes and benzylic electrophiles
Authors: Cornelissen L. , Cirriez V. , Vercruysse S. , Riant O.
Published: June 2014

Copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of vinylsiloxanes with benzyl bromides allowing a mild and simple access to important allyl arene compounds.
Recent developments in anion induced capsular self-assemblies
Authors: Dutta Ranjan , Ghosh Pradyut
Published: June 2014

This Feature Article covers recent developments in anion induced capsular self-assemblies, with particular focus on important reports from 2011 to 2013.
Infrared absorption spectra of methylidene radicals in solid neon
Authors: Lu Hsiao-Chi , Lo Jen-Iu , Lin Meng-Yeh , Peng Yu-Chain , Chou Sheng-Lung , Cheng Bing-Ming , Ogilvie J. F.
Published: June 2014

Infrared absorption lines of methylidene radicals dispersed in solid neon at 3 K, recorded after photolysis of methane precursors with vacuum-ultraviolet light.
Magnetic, superhydrophobic and durable silicone sponges and their applications in removal of organic pollutants from water
Authors: Li Lingxiao , Li Bucheng , Wu Lei , Zhao Xia , Zhang Junping
Published: June 2014

Magnetic, superhydrophobic and durable silicone sponges are fabricated for selectively absorbing floating oils, heavy oils and even emulsified oils.
Facile synthesis of 3D Pd–P nanoparticle networks with enhanced electrocatalytic performance towards formic acid electrooxidation
Authors: Zhang Jingfang , Xu You , Zhang Bin
Published: June 2014

3D Pd–P nanoparticle networks (NNs) have been successfully synthesized using a facile one-step soft-template-assisted method. The as-prepared Pd–P NNs exhibit markedly improved activity and stability towards formic acid electrooxidation over Pd NNs, commercial Pd/C and Pd–P nanoparticle aggregates (NAs).
Tuning pore size in a zirconium–tricarboxylate metal–organic framework
Authors: Liang Weibin , Chevreau Hubert , Ragon Florence , Southon Peter D. , Peterson Vanessa K. , D'Alessandro Deanna M.
Published: June 2014

The water-stable frameworks, [Zr6O4(OH)4(X)6(btc)2]·nH2O, where X = formate, acetate, or propionate, exhibit tunable porosity by virtue of systematic modulation of the chain length of the monocarboxylate ligand X.
The solvatochromic, spectral, and geometrical properties of nifenazone: a DFT/TD-DFT and experimental study
Authors: Bani-Yaseen Abdulilah Dawoud , Al-Balawi Mona
Published: June 2014

The negative solvatochromic behavior, structural, and spectral properties of nifenazone observed experimentally and theoretically are interpreted in terms frontier orbital (HOMO, LUMO) energies.
Structural, spectroscopic and functional investigation into Fe-substituted MnSOD from human pathogen Clostridium difficile
Authors: Li Wei , Wang Hongfei , Wang Qingli , Tan Xiangshi
Published: June 2014

SODcdcould modulate the Fe and Mn dependent activity through its active site microenvironment.
In(OTf)3-catalysed one-pot versatile pyrrole synthesis through domino annulation of α-oxoketene-N,S-acetals with nitroolefins
Authors: Srivastava Abhijeet , Shukla Gaurav , Nagaraju Anugula , Verma Girijesh Kumar , Raghuvanshi Keshav , Jones Raymond C. F. , Singh Maya Shankar
Published: June 2014

An operationally simple and efficient one-pot direct access to pyrroles has been achieved by annulation of α-oxoketene-N,S-acetals with β-nitrostyrenes catalyzed by In(OTf)3under solvent-free conditions.
Theoretical study on the light harvesting efficiency of zinc porphyrin sensitizers for DSSCs
Authors: Chaitanya Kadali , Ju Xue-Hai , Heron B. Mark
Published: June 2014

DFT and TDDFT calculations have been carried out to investigate the effect of donor and acceptor groups on the electronic properties of zinc-porphyrin sensitizers. The calculated results show that increasing the electron releasing strength of a meso-donor group opposite to a meso substituted acceptor group increases the light harvesting efficiency and short circuit current density.
Evolution of the electrochemical capacitance of transition metal oxynitrides with time: the effect of ageing and passivation
Authors: Kartachova Olga , Chen Ying , Jones Robert , Chen Yanhui , Zhang Hongzhou , Glushenkov Alexey M.
Published: June 2014

Changes in the electrochemical properties of transition metal oxynitrides upon storage in ambient air are explored for the first time, and the role of passivation is studied.
Si-based nanocomposites derived from layered CaSi2: influence of synthesis conditions on the composition and anode performance in Li ion batteries
Authors: Oh Song-Yul , Imagawa Haruo , Itahara Hiroshi
Published: June 2014

A novel fabrication method and Si-based nanocomposite anode materials, containing CaxSi2 and nickel silicide, with tunable capacity and electrical conductivity.
One-pot synthesis of carbon nanoribbons and their enhanced lithium storage performance
Authors: Mei Tao , Zhang Liu , Wang Xianbao , Qian Yitai
Published: June 2014

The manuscript reports a new one-pot synthesis of carbon nanoribbons with enhanced lithium storage performances for lithium ion batteries.
Functional gold nanoparticles for the storage and controlled release of nitric oxide: applications in biofilm dispersal and intracellular delivery
Authors: Duong Hien T. T. , Adnan Nik Nik M. , Barraud Nicolas , Basuki Johan S. , Kutty Samuel K. , Jung Kenward , Kumar Naresh , Davis Thomas P. , Boyer Cyrille
Published: June 2014

Gold nanoparticles (size 10 nm) were designed to store and release nitric oxide (NO), by functionalizing their surfaces with functional polymers modified with NO-donor molecules.
High-performance ultralow dielectric constant carbon-bridged mesoporous organosilica films for advanced interconnects
Authors: Jiang Tao , Zhu Bao , Ding Shi-Jin , Fan Zhongyong , Zhang David Wei
Published: June 2014

Mesoporous organosilica (MO) films are prepared using precursor 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTEE) and porogen template poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) (P123).
Novel and efficient local coordinated freeway ramp metering strategy with simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation‐based parameter learning
Authors: Zhao Xinjie , Xu Jianxin , Srinivasan Dipti
Published: June 2014

In this study, a novel and efficient fuzzy logic control (FLC) ‐based local coordinated ramp metering strategy is studied for networked freeway traffic control. Local traffic measurements are exchanged among neighbouring controllers. Based on both local and exchanged traffic measurement, the FLC based coordinated decision‐making algorithms determine the reference mainstream densities, which are consequently tracked by local controllers using feedback control‐based strategy. The parameters of the FLC algorithm are adjusted by a simple and efficient simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation based parameter learning algorithm, which finds the optimal coordinated decision‐making policies without interruption to normal freeway operations. Due to the limited communication among neighbouring controllers, communication cost is reduced compared with existing centralised control‐based strategies. Furthermore, the structure of the proposed strategy is simple without involvement of complex model‐based calculation. Case studies show the potential of the proposed strategy for coordinated freeway ramp metering problems with significantly improved system efficiency. In particular, using the proposed local coordinated ramp metering strategy, the system cost function is reduced by over 48% compared with no control case, and by over 18% compared with uncoordinated feedback control‐based ramp metering case. The queue volumes at the on‐ramp links are well balanced both temporally and spatially.
Fast solid‐state on‐load tap change using two current‐controlled voltage‐source inverters
Authors: Ekström Rickard , Thomas Karin , Leijon Mats
Published: June 2014

A new topology for on‐load tap change using two current‐controlled voltage‐source inverters is demonstrated. With this topology, no additional tap change circuitry is required. This configuration can be useful when optimising the power extraction from renewable energy sources, and may replace a DC/DC converter. It is possible to run the inverters in parallel for higher current capacity, or run them in series across the transformer to improve the harmonic output. The topology can be extended to any number of taps, adding one mechanical contactor per tap. The procedure for the tap change, including the control implementations to keep active and reactive grid power flows constant throughout the tap change, is described. Experimental results are presented to show the viability of the proposed topology. Tap changes are conducted on all phases simultaneously, and individually at each phase current zero‐crossing. Variations in grid power are investigated for the two strategies. Also, a dead‐time in the tap change is introduced to evaluate how control system delays will appear as grid power dips.
Caring for the Collective: Biopower and Agential Subjectification in Wildlife Conservation
Authors: Srinivasan Krithika
Published: June 2014

This paper explores turtle conservation in Odisha, India, to map the complicated ways in which animal well-being is pursued in the contemporary world. Using insights from Foucault's work on biopolitics, it offers an account of conservation as population politics, questioning the entanglement of harm and care that infuses this space of more-than-human social change. In doing this, the paper elaborates the concept of agential subjectification in order to track the mechanisms that underlie the asymmetric circulation of biopower in human-animal interactions and to develop Foucauldian scholarship for the examination of present-day manifestations of the ‘will to improve’.
Signs of wildlife activity and Eucalyptus wandoo condition
Authors: Moore T. L. , Craig M. D. , Valentine L. E. , Hardy G. E. St J. , Fleming P. A.
Published: June 2014

Soil disturbance by terrestrial vertebrates when foraging for food and shelter is not only a sign of activity but an ecosystem function required for soil health. Many forests and woodlands worldwide are currently showing signs of a decline in condition due to various causes. Eucalyptus wandoo, endemic to south-west Western Australia, has undergone a decline in condition over the last decade. This paper explores the influence of E. wandoo condition (e.g. loss of canopy) and the associated changes in the habitat (e.g. changes in leaf litter and bare ground cover) on the foraging activities and soil disturbance by vertebrates. The number of diggings and scats, a representation of the foraging effort by some vertebrates, were recorded in Dryandra Woodland and Wandoo Conservation Park, Western Australia. Mixed-model ANOVAs were used to explore the relationships between the number of scats and diggings with tree and habitat characteristics. More vertebrate diggings and scats were recorded beneath healthier E. wandoo trees. Diggings and scats were also correlated with time since last fire and seasonal differences, with more time since last fire and wetter months related to more diggings and scats. Changes in foraging effort, or turnover of soil by vertebrates, could be a result modification of the level of soil turnover and alter many ecosystem services such as tree recruitment and nutrient cycling, in turn altering the habitat quality and even tree condition itself.
Solvatochromism in Diketopyrrolopyrrole Derivatives: Experimental and Computational Studies
Authors: Szabadai Rebecca S. , Roth-Barton Jesse , Ghiggino Kenneth P. , White Jonathan M. , Wilson David J. D.
Published: June 2014

A series of seven thiophen-substituted diketopyrrolopyrrole derivatives were synthesised and their solution absorption spectra characterised in a range of solvents of varying polarity. The absorption spectra of these diketopyrrolopyrrole derivatives exhibited significant negative solvatochromism. The behaviour is consistent with results of time-dependent density-functional theory calculations of excitation energies. Calculated electronic structures suggest that there is significant charge transfer between the electron-donating thiophen substituents and the diketopyrrolopyrrole core but that the magnitude of this charge shift is reduced in the excited state compared with the ground state. The resulting reduction in polarity of the excited state accounts for the negative solvatochromism observed. The implications of the results for the potential application of diketopyrrolopyrrole compounds as photovoltaic materials are considered.
Major Differences Between Mononuclear and Binuclear Manganese Carbonyl Cyanides and Isoelectronic Binary Chromium Carbonyls Arising from Basicity of the Cyanide Nitrogen Atom
Authors: Jia Ruixue , Wang Chaoyang , Qiong Luo , Li Qian-Shu , Xie Yaoming , King R. Bruce , Schaefer Henry F.
Published: June 2014

The manganese carbonyl cyanides Mn(CO)n(CN) and Mn2(CO)n(CN)2 have been investigated by density functional theory. The lowest energy structure for Mn(CO)5(CN) is found to be the experimentally known C-bonded cyanide. The experimentally unknown N-bonded Mn(CO)5(NC) lies ~60 kJ mol–1 above its cyanide isomer. The Mn(CO)4(CN) isomers are obtained by removal of a CO group in various ways from Mn(CO)5(CN) or Mn(CO)5(NC). Three structures, cyanide Mn(CO)3(CN), isocyanide Mn(CO)3(NC), and Mn(CO)3(η2-CN), are found for the tricarbonyl. All low-energy binuclear Mn2(CO)n(CN)2 structures have two end-to-end bridging CN groups. These two η2-CN bridges can be oriented in the same or opposite directions. The Mn2(CO)7(CN)2 structures of this type can be derived from these Mn2(CO)8(CN)2 structures by removal of a CO group with relatively little change in the remainder of the structure. These low-energy Mn2(CO)n(CN)2 structures (n = 8, 7) are very different from the previously studied isoelectronic Cr2(CO)n+2 structures in which low-energy end-to-end CO bridged structures are not found.
Condensation and localization of the partitioning protein ParB on the bacterial chromosome
Authors: Broedersz Chase P. , Wang Xindan , Meir Yigal , Loparo Joseph J. , Rudner David Z. , Wingreen Ned S.
Published: June 2014

Significance

The ParABS system is responsible for chromosome and plasmid segregation in many bacteria. A large, coherent ParB–DNA complex forms the partitioning module at the heart of this segregation machinery. Here we provide a simple theoretical model for interacting proteins on DNA to elucidate the structure of the ParB–DNA complex. We show that that both 3D bridging and 1D spreading interactions between DNA-bound ParB proteins are required to ensure the formation of a coherent protein–DNA complex. This combination of protein–protein interactions implies a surface tension that drives the condensation of ParB proteins on the DNA. The formation of such a condensed protein complex is essential for understanding how a single centromeric
parS
site can localize ParB on the DNA.
GroEL from the endosymbiont
Buchnera aphidicola
betrays the aphid by triggering plant defense
Authors: Chaudhary Ritu , Atamian Hagop S. , Shen Zhouxin , Briggs Steven P. , Kaloshian Isgouhi
Published: June 2014

Significance

Aphids are sap-feeding plant pests of great agricultural importance. Aphid saliva is known to modulate plant immune responses, but limited information exists about the composition of aphid saliva. By means of mass spectrometry, we identified 105 proteins in the saliva of the potato aphid
Macrosiphum euphorbiae
. Among these proteins were some originating from the proteobacterium
Buchnera aphidicola
, which lives endosymbiotically within bacteriocytes in the hemocoel of the aphid. We demonstrate that one of these endosymbiont-derived proteins, the chaperonin GroEL, is recognized by the plant immune surveillance system and activates pattern-triggered immunity. Our findings indicate that the outcome of plant–aphid interactions critically depends on a third element, the aphid endosymbiotic prokaryotic component, which induces plant immunity.
Development of a Nonlethal Health Assessment for Wild Red Drum Using a Health Index
Authors: Bourtis Carla M. , Francis-Floyd Ruth , Reyier Eric A. , Yanong Roy P. , Guillette Louis J.
Published: June 2014

Nonlethal methods are needed to assess the health of wild fish and quantify the robustness of the broader population. Results could be used to indicate exposure to various stressors, such as contaminants, infectious disease, external parasite loads, and fishing pressure, to monitor changes in fish population health over time. The wild Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus population in the Kennedy Space Center Reserve of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was used to develop a protocol to define the health of free-ranging fish using nonlethal techniques. This health index incorporated morphometric measurements, weight, an evaluation for external parasite fauna, notation of physical deformities, and the presence of lesions. A total of 126 adult Red Drum were collected using hook-and-line angling during prespawning (May), spawning (September and October), and postspawning (December) periods. All fish were released alive back into their environment. The nonlethal health assessment scored fish in the “healthy” range of the health index during the prespawning and spawning periods. Fish caught during the postspawning period scored slightly below this range. Parasite load contributed to the depressed score during the postspawning period. Fish collected in all sampling periods were rated on average as “excellent” for condition factor, which suggests that the sampled population in the reserve were thriving.

Received June 19, 2013; accepted January 9, 2014
Association of Mitochondrial Dysfunction with Oxidative Stress and Immune Suppression in Blunt Snout Bream Megalobrama amblycephala Fed a High-Fat Diet
Authors: Lu Kang-Le , Xu Wei-Na , Liu Wen-Bin , Wang Li-Na , Zhang Chun-Nuan , Li Xiang-Fei
Published: June 2014

High-fat diets may have favorable effects on growth, partly based on protein sparing, but high-fat diets often lead to fatty liver (excessive fat deposition in the liver), which may be deleterious to fish growth and health. The goal of this study was therefore to investigate possible adverse effects and how they develop. Juvenile Blunt Snout Bream Megalobrama amblycephala (initial weight ± SE = 17.70 ± 0.10 g) were fed two diets (5% fat [control] or 15% fat). After 8 weeks, fish that were fed the 15% fat diet showed a high rate of mortality and poor growth. The histological results clearly showed that the high fat intake resulted in fat and glycogen accumulation and structural alterations of the hepatocytes, mitochondria, and nuclei. In the high-fat group, impairments of the mitochondria included mitochondrial swelling and the loss of cristae and matrix. Fish that were given the 15% fat diet exhibited low succinate dehydrogenase and Na+,K+-ATPase activities and increased cytochrome-c release from the mitochondria. Expression of genes for complex I and III subunits of the mitochondrial respiratory chain were down-regulated in fish that received the high-fat diet. Increases in malondialdehyde level and the ratio of oxidized glutathione to reduced glutathione suggested oxidative stress in the livers of fish from the high-fat diet group. Moreover, the lower leukocyte count, lysozyme and alternative complement activities, and globulin level in fish that received the high-fat diet indicated suppressive immune responses. Overall, the intake of excessive fat impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics and physiological functions. The dysfunction of the mitochondria subsequently mediated oxidative stress and hepatocyte apoptosis, which in turn led to the reduced efficacy of the immune system.

Received July 15, 2013; accepted January 30, 2014.
Cranial Nerves Three, Four, Six, and Their Syndromes
Authors: Wray Shirley H.
Published: June 2014

is the longest chapter in the book and perhaps the most important. Syndromes of the oculomotor nuclear complex, the fasciculus and the nerve[BluM2] include disorders such as acute dilation of the pupil due to uncal herniation, aneurysmal compression of the nerve with pupil involvement or with pupil sparing, and microinfarction of the nerve with pupil sparing due to ischemia associated diabetes mellitus. Important syndromes of the sphenocavernous sinus characterized by painful ophthalmoplegia are generally associated with multiple unilateral cranial nerve palsies. Common lesions include aneurysms, meningiomas, pituitary tumors, lymphoma, and infectious and idiopathic granulomatous infiltration (the Tolosa-Hunt syndrome). A patient with primary aberrant regeneration of the oculomotor nerve due to prolonged compression by a meningioma in the cavernous sinus is illustrated by video display.
Trade-offs between and within scales: environmental persistence and within-host fitness of avian influenza viruses
Authors: Handel Andreas , Lebarbenchon Camille , Stallknecht David , Rohani Pejman
Published: June 2014

Trade-offs between different components of a pathogen's replication and transmission cycle are thought to be common. A number of studies have identified trade-offs that emerge across scales, reflecting the tension between strategies that optimize within-host proliferation and large-scale population spread. Most of these studies are theoretical in nature, with direct experimental tests of such cross-scale trade-offs still rare. Here, we report an analysis of avian influenza A viruses across scales, focusing on the phenotype of temperature-dependent viral persistence. Taking advantage of a unique dataset that reports both environmental virus decay rates and strain-specific viral kinetics from duck challenge experiments, we show that the temperature-dependent environmental decay rate of a strain does not impact within-host virus load. Hence, for this phenotype, the scales of within-host infection dynamics and between-host environmental persistence do not seem to interact: viral fitness may be optimized on each scale without cross-scale trade-offs. Instead, we confirm the existence of a temperature-dependent persistence trade-off on a single scale, with some strains favouring environmental persistence in water at low temperatures while others reduce sensitivity to increasing temperatures. We show that this temperature-dependent trade-off is a robust phenomenon and does not depend on the details of data analysis. Our findings suggest that viruses might employ different environmental persistence strategies, which facilitates the coexistence of diverse strains in ecological niches. We conclude that a better understanding of the transmission and evolutionary dynamics of influenza A viruses probably requires empirical information regarding both within-host dynamics and environmental traits, integrated within a combined ecological and within-host framework.
Do avian cooperative breeders live longer?
Authors: Beauchamp Guy
Published: June 2014

Cooperative breeding is not common in birds but intriguingly over-represented in several families, suggesting that predisposing factors, similar ecological constraints or a combination of the two facilitate the evolution of this breeding strategy. The life-history hypothesis proposes that cooperative breeding is facilitated by high annual survival, which increases the local population and leads to a shortage of breeding opportunities. Clutch size in cooperative breeders is also expected to be smaller. An earlier comparative analysis in a small sample of birds supported the hypothesis but this conclusion has been controversial. Here, I extend the analysis to a larger, worldwide sample and take into account potential confounding factors that may affect estimates of a slow pace of life and clutch size. In a sample of 81 species pairs consisting of closely related cooperative and non-cooperative breeders, I did not find an association between maximum longevity and cooperative breeding, controlling for diet, body mass and sampling effort. However, in a smaller sample of 37 pairs, adult annual survival was indeed higher in the cooperative breeders, controlling for body mass. There was no association between clutch size and cooperative breeding in a sample of 93 pairs. The results support the facilitating effect of high annual survival on the evolution of cooperative breeding in birds but the effect on clutch size remains elusive.
Social evolution of toxic metal bioremediation in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: O'Brien Siobhán , Hodgson David J. , Buckling Angus
Published: June 2014

Bacteria are often iron-limited, and hence produce extracellular iron-scavenging siderophores. A crucial feature of siderophore production is that it can be an altruistic behaviour (individually costly but benefitting neighbouring cells), thus siderophore producers can be invaded by non-producing social ‘cheats’. Recent studies have shown that siderophores can also bind other heavy metals (such as Cu and Zn), but in this case siderophore chelation actually reduces metal uptake by bacteria. These complexes reduce heavy metal toxicity, hence siderophore production may contribute to toxic metal bioremediation. Here, we show that siderophore production in the context of bioremediation is also an altruistic trait and can be exploited by cheating phenotypes in the opportunistic pathogen
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. Specifically, we show that in toxic copper concentrations (i) siderophore non-producers evolve
de novo
and reach high frequencies, and (ii) producing strains are fitter than isogenic non-producing strains in monoculture, and vice versa in co-culture. Moreover, we show that the evolutionary effect copper has on reducing siderophore production is greater than the reduction observed under iron-limited conditions. We discuss the relevance of these results to the evolution of siderophore production in natural communities and heavy metal bioremediation.
Inhibition of protein translation by the DISC1-Boymaw fusion gene from a Scottish family with major psychiatric disorders
Authors: Ji Baohu , Higa Kerin K. , Kim Minjung , Zhou Lynn , Young Jared W. , Geyer Mark A. , Zhou Xianjin
Published: June 2014

The t(1; 11) translocation appears to be the causal genetic lesion with 70% penetrance for schizophrenia, major depression, and other psychiatric disorders in a Scottish family. Molecular studies identified the disruption of the DISC1 (disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1) gene by chromosome translocation at chromosome 1q42. Our previous studies, however, revealed that the translocation also disrupted another gene, Boymaw (also termed DISC1FP1), on chromosome 11. After translocation, two fusion genes (the DISC1-Boymaw (DB7) and the Boymaw-DISC1 (BD13)) are generated between the DISC1 and Boymaw genes. In the present study, we report that expression of the DB7 fusion gene inhibits both intracellular NADH oxidoreductase activities and protein translation. We generated humanized DISC1-Boymaw mice with gene targeting to examine thein vivofunctions of the fusion genes. Consistent with thein vitrostudies on the DB7 fusion gene, protein translation activity is decreased in the hippocampus and in cultured primary neurons from the brains of the humanized mice. Expression of Gad67, Nmdar1, and Psd95 proteins are also reduced. The humanized mice display prolonged and increased responses to the NMDA receptor antagonist, ketamine, on various mouse genetic backgrounds. Abnormal information processing of acoustic startle and depressive-like behaviors are also observed. In addition, the humanized mice display abnormal erythropoiesis, which was reported to associate with depression in humans. Expression of the DB7 fusion gene may reduce protein translation to impair brain functions and thereby contribute to the pathogenesis of major psychiatric disorders.
Boymaw, Overexpressed in Brains with Major Psychiatric Disorders, May Encode a Small Protein to Inhibit Mitochondrial Function and Protein Translation
Authors: Ji Baohu , Kim Minjung , Higa Kerin K. , Zhou Xianjin
Published: June 2014

The t(1,11) chromosome translocation co-segregates with major psychiatric disorders in a large Scottish family. The translocation disrupts the DISC1 and Boymaw (DISC1FP1) genes on chromosomes 1 and 11, respectively. After translocation, two fusion genes are generated. Our recent studies found that the DISC1-Boymaw fusion protein is localized in mitochondria and inhibits oxidoreductase activity, rRNA expression, and protein translation. Mice carrying the DISC1-Boymaw fusion genes display intermediate behavioral phenotypes related to major psychiatric disorders. Here, we report that the Boymaw gene encodes a small protein predominantly localized in mitochondria. The Boymaw protein inhibits oxidoreductase activity, rRNA expression, and protein translation in the same way as the DISC1-Boymaw fusion protein. Interestingly, Boymaw expression is up-regulated by different stressors at RNA and/or protein translational levels. In addition, we found that Boymaw RNA expression is significantly increased in the postmortem brains of patients with major psychiatric disorders. Our studies therefore suggest that the Boymaw gene is a potential susceptibility gene for major psychiatric disorders in both the Scottish t(1,11) family and the general population of patients.