bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Ageing of Silica Gels Affected by Hydrothermal Treatment
Authors: Lutz Wolfgang , Weber Manfred , Bertram Rainer , Kurzhals Rolf , Kryukova Galina
Published: January 2011

Commercial silica gels of the pyrogenic and precipitated types were hydrothermally treated for 72 hours at temperatures between 90 °C and 210 °C in water of autogenous pressure. The samples were characterised by IR spectroscopy, water and nitrogen adsorption. Stability and sorption capacity run similarly. The more Q4 (Si(OSi)4) building units the framework of a silica gel contained, the lower was its sorption capacity. Sorption capacity increased with rising number of structural defects characterised by the presence of Q3 (Si(OSi)3OH) and Q2 (Si(OSi)2(OH)2) groups. Simultaneously, the hydrothermal stability of the silica material dropped off.
Crystal Structure of the Silicide Phosphide Gd4Co13(Si, P)9, the Isotypic Lanthanoid Cobalt Silicide Phosphides Ln4Co13(Si, P)9 (Ln = Sm, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er), and the Uranium Iron Phosphide U4Fe13P9
Authors: Jeitschko Wolfgang , Jakubowski‐Ripke Ursula , Albering Jörg
Published: January 2011

The title compounds crystallize with a new hexagonal structure type, which was determined from single‐crystal diffractometer data of Gd4Co13(Si, P)9: space group P$\bar{6}$m2, a = 1041.9(4) pm, c = 372.7(1) pm, Pearson symbol hP26. The structure was refined to a residual of R = 0.033 for 18 variable parameters and 190 structure factors. The silicon and phosphorus atoms (X) are located at three crystallographic positions with eight or nine metal neighbors forming capped trigonal prisms most likely with random occupancy. The gadolinium atoms occupy two sites, each with 6 X neighbors forming trigonal prisms. This coordination is augmented by 14 metal atoms (mostly cobalt atoms), thus increasing the coordination numbers of both gadolinium positions to 20. The four different cobalt atoms have 3, 4, or 5 X neighbors with 6 or 8 additional metal neighbors. The relative strengths of the chemical bonds correlate very well with the coordination numbers. The structure belongs to a large structural family with a metal to metalloid ratio of approximately 2:1, where all atoms are situated on two alternating mirror planes and most of the metalloid atoms (M, mainly silicon, phosphorus, and their homologues) with the coordination number 9 are situated in tricapped prisms of the metal atoms (R = large electropositive metals, mainly rare earth elements and actinoids; T = transition metals). It can be classified as the third member (n = 3) of a topological series R$_{(n-1)^2}$Tn(n+2)–2M$_{n^2}$, where the structures of WC and α‐UCr6P4 (LiCo6P4) are the members with n = 1 and n = 2, respectively.
Community Mobilization and Community‐Based Participatory Research to Prevent Youth Violence Among Asian and Immigrant Populations
Authors: Le Thao N. , Arifuku Isami , Vuong Linh , Tran Gianna , Lustig Deborah F. , Zimring Franklin
Published: January 2011

Many community mobilization activities for youth violence prevention involve the researchers assisting communities in identifying, adapting, and/or tailoring evidence‐based programs to fit the community needs, population, and cultural and social contexts. This article describes a slightly different framework in which the collaborative research/evaluation project emerged from the community mobilization activities. As will be discussed, this collaborative, sustained partnership was possible in the context of the Center on Culture, Immigration and Youth Violence Prevention's (UC Berkeley ACE) community mobilization activities that brought the issue of youth violence, particularly among immigrant and minority populations, to the forefront of many of the community partners' agendas. The East Bay Asian Youth Center (EBAYC) was one of the partners that came to the table, which facilitated the community‐based engagement/mobilization. UC Berkeley ACE collaborated with EBAYC to evaluate an after‐school program and an alternative probation program serving a diverse youth and immigrant population, including African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics. This article describes UC Berkeley ACE's community mobilization activity and the collaborative partnership with EBAYC, discusses how the evaluations incorporated community‐based principles in design and practice, and presents some findings from the evaluations.
Communication of Genetic Information by Other Health Professionals: The Role of the Genetic Counsellor in Specialist Clinics
Authors: O'Shea Rosie , Murphy Anne Marie , Treacy Eileen , Lynch Sally Ann , Thirlaway Kathryn , Lambert Debby
Published: January 2011

Many children with chronic genetic diseases are followed by specialty clinics that provide genetic information as part of the care. Health services restrictions in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) can make the wait for an appointment with a genetic counsellor long. We examined whether genetic information was being adequately understood when presented by medical, but non‐genetics staff to long term patients, using our national metabolic service as an example. The aim was to inform health professionals about the need or role of a genetic counsellor in a specialist setting. A questionnaire was used to assess knowledge among parents and patients affected by galactosaemia and Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD). Twenty seven families with galactosemia and 10 with MSUD were interviewed in clinic. Comparative analysis showed significant differences in knowledge between parents of children with galactosemia and adult patients (p = 0.001) and between ethnicities (p > 0.05). While parents are well informed, the majority expressed a wish for more information about the condition and its transmission. Adult patients with galactosemia and parents from certain ethnic backgrounds could especially benefit from genetic counselling. This study highlights the need for a genetic counsellor in specialist clinics.
Hobbes, Savagery, and International Anarchy
Authors: MOLONEY PAT
Published: January 2011

This article argues that Hobbes constructed the sovereignty acknowledged among European states on the supposition of the absence of sovereignty in the New World. The notion of international anarchy found in Hobbes before the twentieth century was not the anarchy of interstate relations later posited by realism, but the anarchy of prepolitical societies outside the ordered system of European states. The modern geography of sovereignty that Hobbes established is demonstrated with reference to the cartographic traditions that informed his representation of the state of nature and the civil state, and to the historical context of the law of nations as it was understood to manage colonial rivalry in the seventeenth century. By constructing savages as absolutely free individuals in the state of nature, he precluded their recognition as free sovereign states. He thus contributed a set of premises to natural jurisprudence that denied indigenous societies statehood and excluded them from the family nations. A sketch of the Hobbesian legacy among theorists of the law of nations and international law is made, showing how his motif of savage anarchy remained central to our conceptualization of the sovereign state within the international realm into the twentieth century.
Mrs Janet Taylor's ‘Mariner's Calculator’: assessment and reassessment
Authors: CROUCHER JOHN S. , CROUCHER ROSALIND F.
Published: January 2011

Vanished from history is the story of the ‘Mariner's Calculator’, invented and patented at the Great Seal Patent Office, London, by Mrs Janet Taylor, in 1834. Dismissed by the Admiralty, it had no commercial future and only one instrument is known to remain in existence. The article traces the invention from its inception and provides relevant biographical details of its inventor. The authors then analyse the assessment by the Admiralty to determine if it was fair and outline the endeavour in 2004 to reassess the achievement by a reconstruction of the Mariner's Calculator from its original patent.
Influence of the dietary protein:lipid ratio and fish oil substitution on fatty acid composition and metabolism of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) reared at high water temperatures
Authors: Karalazos Vasileios , Bendiksen Eldar Å. , Dick James R. , Tocher Douglas R. , Gordon Bell John
Published: January 2011

A factorial, two-way, experimental design was used for this 10-week nutritional trial, aiming to elucidate the interactive effects of decreasing dietary protein:lipid level and substitution of fish oil (FO) with rapeseed oil (RO) on tissue fatty acid (FA) composition and metabolism of large Atlantic salmon (Salmo salarL.) reared at high water temperatures (sub-optimal, summer temperatures: 11·6°C). The six experimental diets were isoenergetic and formulated to include either FO or RO (60 % of the added oil) at three dietary protein:lipid levels, specifically (1) 350 g/kg protein and 350 g/kg lipid, (2) 330 g/kg protein and 360 g/kg lipid, (3) 290 g/kg protein and 380 g/kg lipid. Final weight, specific growth rate and thermal growth coefficient were positively affected by the dietary RO inclusion at the expense of FO, while no significant effects were seen on growth due to the decreasing protein level. The oil source had a significant effect on muscle and liver FA composition. However, the changes in muscle and liver FA indicate selective utilisation or retention of individual FA and moderate reductions in tissue EPA and DHA. Pyloric caeca phospholipid FA composition was significantly affected by the two factors and, in some cases, significant interactions were also revealed. Liver and red muscle β-oxidation capacities were significantly increased due to RO inclusion, while an interactive effect of protein level and oil source was shown for white muscle β-oxidation capacity. The results could explain, at least partially, the better performance that was shown for the RO groups and the enhanced protein-sparing effect.
Supplementary dietary calcium stimulates faecal fat and bile acid excretion, but does not protect against obesity and insulin resistance in C57BL/6J mice
Authors: de Wit Nicole J. W. , Bosch-Vermeulen Hanneke , Oosterink Els , Müller Michael , van der Meer Roelof
Published: January 2011

There is increased interest in the potential protective role of dietary Ca in the development of metabolic disorders related to the metabolic syndrome. Ca-induced intestinal precipitation of fatty acids and bile acids as well as systemic metabolic effects of Ca on adipose tissue is proposed to play a causal role. In this experiment, we have studied all these aspects to validate the suggested protective effect of Ca supplementation, independent of other dietary changes, on the development of diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. In our diet intervention study, C57BL/6J mice were fed high-fat diets differing in Ca concentrations (50 v. 150 mmol/kg). Faecal excretion analyses showed an elevated precipitation of intestinal fatty acids (2·3-fold; P < 0·01) and bile acids (2-fold; P < 0·01) on the high-Ca diet. However, this only led to a slight reduction in fat absorption (from 98 to 95 %; P < 0·01), mainly in the distal small intestine as indicated by gene expression changes. We found no effect on body-weight gain. Lipolysis and lipogenesis-related parameters in adipose tissue also showed no significant changes on the high-Ca diet, indicating no systemic effects of dietary Ca on adiposity. Furthermore, early gene expression changes of intestinal signalling molecules predicted no protective effect of dietary Ca on the development of insulin resistance, which was confirmed by equal values for insulin sensitivity on both diets. Taken together, our data do not support the proposed protective effect of dietary Ca on the development of obesity and/or insulin resistance, despite a significant increase in faecal excretion of fatty acids and bile acids.
Effects of soya isoflavones and exercise on body composition and clinical risk factors of cardiovascular diseases in overweight postmenopausal women: a 6-month double-blind controlled trial
Authors: Choquette Stéphane , Riesco Éléonor , Cormier Éric , Dion Tommy , Aubertin-Leheudre Mylène , Dionne Isabelle J.
Published: January 2011

Results from a pilot project indicate that isoflavones and exercise could have an additive effect on body composition and clinical risk factors of CVD in postmenopausal women. The objective of the present study was to assess the combined effect of exercise and isoflavones in overweight-to-obese postmenopausal women. In this double-blind randomised controlled trial, 100 overweight-to-obese (BMI 29·9 (sd3·2) kg/m2) postmenopausal women were assigned to four groups: (1) placebo (PLA); (2) isoflavones (ISO); (3) exercise and placebo (Ex+PLA); (4) exercise and isoflavones (Ex+ISO). The supplementation contained 70 mg/d of isoflavones. Exercise consisted of three weekly sessions of resistance training and aerobics. Outcome measures included fat mass (FM), lean body mass (LBM), bone mineral density, lipid profile, fasting glucose, fasting insulin and insulin resistance (homeostasis assessment model). The main effects of exercise were observed for total FM (P = 0·02), FM% (P < 0·01), trunk FM% (P = 0·05), arm FM% (P < 0·01), leg FM% (P = 0·02), arm LBM (P < 0·01), leg LBM (P = 0·02) and C-reactive protein (P < 0·01). A main effect was detected for isoflavones in improving leg FM% (P = 0·05). No interactions were observed between isoflavones and exercise. In conclusion, it was observed that 6 months of exercise brought favourable changes in total FM, FM% and LBM in overweight postmenopausal women. No synergistic effects were observed between exercise and isoflavones. However, isoflavones could have a beneficial effect on leg FM%.
Trans-10,cis-12-conjugated linoleic acid modulates NF-κB activation and TNF-α production in porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells via a PPARγ-dependent pathway
Authors: Kim Dong-In , Kim Keun-Hwa , Kang Ji-Houn , Jung Eui-Man , Kim Sung-Soo , Jeung Eui-Bae , Yang Mhan-Pyo
Published: January 2011

The activation of PPARγ by ligands, including conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers, plays an important role in the immune response. Among CLA isomers,trans-10,cis-12 (t10c12)-CLA is known to participate in the modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect oft10c12-CLA on PPARγ activation, NF-κB activation and TNF-α expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-naive and LPS-stimulated porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In addition, the effect of PPARγ inhibition on NF-κB activation and TNF-α expression in porcine PBMC was examined.t10c12-CLA was found to increase TNF-α expression and NF-κB activity in LPS-naive porcine PBMC. In contrast,t10c12-CLA decreased TNF-α expression and NF-κB activity in LPS-stimulated porcine PBMC.t10c12-CLA up-regulated PPARγ activity and mRNA expression in both LPS-naive and LPS-stimulated porcine PBMC. GW9662, a PPARγ antagonist, completely negated the modulating effects oft10c12-CLA on TNF-α expression and NF-κB activity in both LPS-naive and LPS-stimulated porcine PBMC. These results suggest thatt10c12-CLA can modulate TNF-α production and NF-κB activation by a PPARγ-dependent pathway in porcine PBMC.
Increased energy intake entirely accounts for increase in body weight in women but not in men in the UK between 1986 and 2000
Authors: Scarborough Peter , Burg Melanie R. , Foster Charlie , Swinburn Boyd , Sacks Gary , Rayner Mike , Webster Premila , Allender Steven
Published: January 2011

There is debate over the casual factors for the rise in body weight in the UK. The present study investigates whether increases between 1986 and 2000 for men and women were a result of increases in mean total energy intake, decreases in mean physical activity levels or both. Estimates of mean total energy intake in 1986 and 2000 were derived from food availability data adjusted for wastage. Estimates of mean body weight for adults aged 19–64 years were derived from nationally representative dietary surveys conducted in 1986–7 and 2000–1. Predicted body weight in 1986 and 2000 was calculated using an equation relating body weight to total energy intake and sex. Differences in predicted mean body weight and actual mean body weight between the two time points were compared. Monte Carlo simulation methods were used to assess the stability of the estimates. The predicted increase in mean body weight due to changes in total energy intake between 1986 and 2000 was 4·7 (95 % credible interval 4·2, 5·3) kg for men and 6·4 (95 % credible interval 5·9, 7·1) kg for women. Actual mean body weight increased by 7·7 kg for men and 5·4 kg for women between the two time points. We conclude that increases in mean total energy intake are sufficient to explain the increase in mean body weight for women between 1986 and 2000, but for men, the increase in mean body weight is likely to be due to a combination of increased total energy intake and reduced physical activity levels.
National Debates, Local Responses: The Origins of Local Concern about Immigration in Britain and the United States
Authors: Hopkins Daniel J.
Published: January 2011

Theories of inter-group threat hold that local concentrations of immigrants produce resource competition and anti-immigrant attitudes. Variants of these theories are commonly applied to Britain and the United States. Yet the empirical tests have been inconsistent. This paper analyses geo-coded surveys from both countries to identify when residents’ attitudes are influenced by living near immigrant communities. Pew surveys from the United States and the 2005 British Election Study illustrate how local contextual effects hinge on national politics. Contextual effects appear primarily when immigration is a nationally salient issue, which explains why past research has not always found a threat. Seemingly local disputes have national catalysts. The paper also demonstrates how panel data can reduce selection biases that plague research on local contextual effects.
The Moving Centre: Preferences for Government Activity in Britain, 1950–2005
Authors: Bartle John , Dellepiane-Avellaneda Sebastian , Stimson James
Published: January 2011

The political ‘centre’ is often discussed in debates about public policy and analyses of party strategies and election outcomes. Yet, to date, there has been little effort to estimate the political centre outside the United States. This article outlines a method of estimating the political centre using public opinion data collected for the period between 1950 and 2005. It is demonstrated that it is possible to measure the centre in Britain, that it moves over time, that it shifts in response to government activity and, furthermore, that it has an observable association with general election outcomes.
Review Article: Comparative Political Science and the Study of Education
Authors: Busemeyer Marius R. , Trampusch Christine
Published: January 2011

The study of education has long been a neglected subject in political science. Recently, however, scholarly interest in the field has been increasing rapidly. This review essay introduces the general readership to this burgeoning literature with a particular focus on work in comparative public policy and political economy. Particular topics discussed are the historical and political foundations of contemporary education systems, the political and institutional determinants of education policies, the internationalization and Europeanization of education, the political economy of skill formation in varieties of capitalism and the effects of education policies. The article also introduces scholarship in related disciplines such as economics, sociology and comparative education sciences, and points out avenues for future interdisciplinary dialogue between political science and these disciplines.
Multiple origins of outbreak populations of a native insect pest in an agro-ecosystem
Authors: Kobayashi T. , Sakurai T. , Sakakibara M. , Watanabe T.
Published: January 2011

Native insects can become epidemic pests in agro-ecosystems. A population genetics approach was applied to analyze the emergence and spread of outbreak populations of native insect species. Outbreaks of the mirid bug,Stenotus rubrovittatus, have rapidly expanded over Japan within the last two decades. To characterize the outbreak dynamics of this species, the genetic structure of local populations was assessed using polymorphisms of the mtDNACOIgene and six microsatellite loci. Results of the population genetic analysis suggested thatS. rubrovittatuspopulations throughout Japan were genetically isolated by geographic distance and separated into three genetic clusters occupying spatially segregated regions. Phylogeographic analysis indicated that the genetic structure ofS. rubrovittatusreflected post-glacial colonization. Early outbreaks ofS. rubrovittatusin the 1980s occurred independently of genetically isolated populations. The genetic structure of the populations did not fit the pattern of an outbreak expansion, and therefore the data did not support the hypothesis that extensive outbreaks were caused by the dispersal of specific pestiferous populations. Rather, the historical genetic structure prior to the outbreaks was maintained throughout the increase in abundance of the mirid bug. Our study indicated that changes in the agro-environment induced multiple outbreaks of native pest populations. This implies that, given suitable environmental conditions, local populations may have the potential to outbreak even without invasion of populations from other environmentally degraded areas.
Argentine stem weevil (Listronotus bonariensis, Coleoptera: Curculionidae) population dynamics in Canterbury, New Zealand dryland pasture
Authors: Goldson S.L. , Barron M.C. , Kean J.M. , van Koten C.
Published: January 2011

The Argentine stem weevil (Listronotus bonariensis) was an economically important pest in New Zealand pastures until the release of the parasitoidMicroctonus hyperodae. This contribution uses historical data to investigate the regulation of the pest populations prior to, and somewhat during, the establishment of this parasitoid in dryland Canterbury, New Zealand. Thus, a significant goal of this study is to provide anL. bonariensispopulation dynamics baseline for any future work that aims to analyse the full effects ofM. hyperodaeon the weevil, now that equilibrium with the weevil host has been reached.

The population dynamics ofL. bonariensis, based on a life-table approach, were investigated using data collected regularly for eight years from populations in Canterbury, New Zealand. The key factor affecting end-of-seasonL. bonariensisdensity was found to be variation in second generation fourth instar prepupal and pupal mortality. This may have been caused by arrested development and ongoing mortality resulting from the onset of cooler autumnal conditions.

A compensatory response was found in recruitment to the second summer weevil generation, whereby the realised fecundity of the emergent first summer generation of weevils was found to be negatively related to the density of adult weevils per ryegrass tiller. This is the first time that this has been found via long-term population analysis ofL. bonariensis, although indications of this have been found elsewhere in caging, pot and small plot experiments.

In this study, the effect of the parasitoid biocontrol agentMicroctonus hyperodaeonL. bonariensispopulation dynamics was unclear, as the analysis covered a period when the parasitoidMicroctonus hyperodaewas introduced and still establishing. It does, however, raise important questions for future analysis in terms of the interaction between parasitism and unrealised fecundity.

The results in this contribution also highlighted regional differences. Overwintering mortality of adult weevils in Canterbury was constant between years, whilst earlier studies in the North Island Waikato region indicated this mortality was density dependent. In addition, the availability of tillers in endophyte-free ryegrass pastures in Canterbury had no influence on egg and early-instar larval survival, which contrasts with the finding from endophytic Waikato pastures.
Analysis of the workers head transcriptome of the Asian subterranean termite, Coptotermes gestroi
Authors: Leonardo F.C. , da Cunha A.F. , da Silva M.J. , Carazzolle M.F. , Costa-Leonardo A.M. , Costa F.F. , Pereira G.A.
Published: January 2011

The lower termite, Coptotermes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), is originally from Southeast Asia and has become a pest in Brazil. The main goal of this study was to survey C. gestroi transcriptome composition. To accomplish this, we sequenced and analyzed 3003 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) isolated from libraries of worker heads. After assembly, 695 uniESTs were obtained from which 349 have similarity with known sequences. Comparison with insect genomes demonstrated similarity, primarily with genes from Apis mellifera (28%), Tribolium castaneum (28%) and Aedes aegypti (10%). Notably, we identified two endogenous cellulases in the sequences, which may be of interest for biotechnological applications. The results presented in this work represent the first genomic study of the Asian subterranean termite, Coptotermes gestroi.
Stratigraphy and geochemistry of the Early Carboniferous Clyde Plateau Lavas in south Bute, Midland Valley of Scotland
Authors: YOUNG G. M. , CALDWELL W. G. E.
Published: January 2011

A succession of Viséan (mid- to late Holkerian) volcanic rocks up to 340 m thick is preserved in three fault-blocks at the south end of the Isle of Bute in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. These rocks form part of the Clyde Plateau Volcanic Formation, which, in this area, disconformably overlies sandstones of the lower Millport Member of the Clyde Sandstone Formation. The lower part of the volcanic succession in south Bute,c. 140 m thick, corresponds to the lower Strathgryfe lavas of the Renfrewshire Hills. This part of the succession is composed dominantly of feldspar-macrophyric and feldspar-microphyric basaltic rocks and mugearites. It is present in all three fault-blocks, whereas the succeeding volcanic rocks (middle and upper divisions) are only preserved in the median St Blane's block where they have a combined thickness of about 200 m. The two younger subdivisions are respectively correlative to the Misty Law Trachytic Centre, which forms a lens between the lower and upper Strathgryfe Members, and the upper Strathgryfe Member of the North Ayrshire section. Lavas of the lower division are feldspar-macrophyric and feldspar-microphyric basaltic rocks and mugearites, but those of the middle and upper divisions display a wider compositional spectrum, including feldspar-macro- and microphyric rocks but ranging from olivine-augite-macrophyric and olivine-augite-feldspar-macrophyric basalts to trachytes. The mafic lavas of south Bute have chondrite-normalized multi-element plots similar to those of ocean island basalts, with enrichment in incompatible elements. The trachytic lavas have similar patterns but are strongly depleted in Sr, P and Ti, reflecting fractionation of such minerals as plagioclase, apatite and magnetite/ilmenite during evolution of the parent magmas. Distribution of high field strength elements favours a within-plate origin for the south Bute lavas and supports derivation from a relatively deep (>50 km) mantle source (garnet lherzolite). Chondrite-normalized REE plots for basaltic lavas of the lower division show enrichment in LREEs and lack strong Eu anomalies. Strong positive Eu anomalies in both felsic and mafic lavas of the middle and upper divisions may be attributable to high oxygen fugacities, but hydrothermal activity or feldspar fractionation may also have played a role. Fe-rich weathering profiles attest to intermittent extrusion and intense weathering processes.
GEOMETRIC INVARIANT THEORY FOR HOLOMORPHIC FOLIATIONS ON ℂℙ2 OF DEGREE 2
Authors: ALCÁNTARA CLAUDIA R.
Published: January 2011

Let 2 be the space of the holomorphic foliations on ℂℙ2 of degree 2. In this paper we study the linear action PGL(3, ℂ) × 2 → 2 given by gX = DgX ^(g−1) in the sense of the Geometric Invariant Theory. We obtain a characterisation of unstable and stable foliations according to properties of singular points and existence of invariant lines. We also prove that if X is an unstable foliation of degree 2, then X is transversal with respect to a rational fibration. Finally we prove that the geometric quotient of non-degenerate foliations without invariant lines is the moduli space of polarised del Pezzo surfaces of degree 2.
The spatial coverage of dairy cattle urine patches in an intensively grazed pasture system
Authors: MOIR J. L. , CAMERON K. C. , DI H. J. , FERTSAK U.
Published: January 2011

Accurate field data on the paddock area affected by cow urine depositions are critical to the estimation and modelling of nitrogen (N) losses and N management in grazed pasture systems. A new technique using survey-grade global positioning system (GPS) technology was developed to precisely measure the paddock spatial area coverage, diversity and distribution of dairy cattle urine patches in grazed paddocks over time. A 4-year study was conducted on the Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF), Canterbury, New Zealand, from 2003 to 2007. Twelve field plots, each 100 m2in area, were established on typical grazing areas of the farm. All urine and dung deposits within the plots were visually identified, the pasture response area (radius) measured and position marked with survey-grade GPS. The plots were grazed as part of the normal grazing rotation of the farm and urine and dung deposits measured at 12-week intervals. The data were collated using spatial (GIS) software and an assessment of annual urine patch coverage and spatial distribution was made. Grazing intensities ranged from 17 645 to 30 295 cow grazing h/ha/yr. Mean annual areas of urine patches ranged from 0·34 to 0·40 m2(4-year mean 0·37±0·009 m2), with small but significant variation between years and seasons. Mean annual urine patch numbers were 6240±124 patches/ha/yr. The mean proportional area coverage for a single sampling event or season was 0·058 and the mean proportional annual urine patch coverage was 0·232±0·0071. There was a strong linear relationship between annual cow grazing h/ha and urine patch numbers/ha (R2=0·69) and also annual urine patch area coverage (R2=0·77). Within the stocking densities observed in this study, an annual increase of 10 000 cow grazing h/ha increased urine patch numbers by 1800 urine patches/ha/yr and annual urine patch area coverage by 0·07. This study presents new quantitative data on urine patch size, numbers and the spatial coverage of patches on a temporal basis.
New opportunities to control livestock diseases in the post-genomics era
Authors: SHIRLEY M. W. , CHARLESTON B. , KING D. P.
Published: January 2011

Throughout the 21st century, livestock diseases will impact upon the productivity of domesticated livestock and compromise the ability to feed a growing global population. The focus of the present review is to outline how the recent rapid expansion of genetic sequence data available for both pathogens and hosts can be exploited to develop new tools to improve the ways in which livestock diseases can be controlled. In the post-genomics era of the future, there will be a more intimate understanding of the way in which pathogens interact with their hosts and the key molecules that define host–pathogen relationships; knowledge that can be utilized to generate novel diagnostics and vaccination strategies. However, experience from the global rinderpest eradication programme highlights that effective disease control is a multifactorial process. Clearly, appropriate new therapeutic and diagnostic tools can play a critical role in our ability to monitor and limit the spread of diseases. However, adequate resources are also required: these are principally financial and also include the availability of trained personnel and veterinary infrastructure; international cooperation, transparency between different countries and sharing of epidemiological data and ownership of disease; acceptance of the difference in perception of importance of diseases in the developed world v. the developing world.
The application of science and technology development in shaping current and future aquaculture production systems
Authors: BOSTOCK J.
Published: January 2011

Aquaculture development over the past 50 years has been facilitated largely by the application of science and the introduction of new technologies. Although aquaculture is a very diverse sector in products, production systems and business structures, almost every activity has benefited from scientific advances. However, the impact of technological progress is most clearly seen where there has also been substantial industrial consolidation. This has provided greater capital resources for investment and a more attractive market for suppliers of innovations to target. It has also encouraged consolidation of research capacity and stronger articulation between private and publicly funded research efforts. Further development along current trajectories is possible through advances in genomics, information technology, materials science and other areas. However, there may also be substantial disruptions if, for instance, energy becomes much more expensive, or large mono-cultures are impacted by climate change. Substantial change could also be driven by policies that aim at bringing realistic external costs of environmental services into company accounts. Research into more resilient aquaculture systems that comply more with ecological than financial accounting principles is under way, but will require substantial development to meet the challenges of rising food needs and social aspirations.
Motion of a two-dimensional elastic capsule in a branching channel flow
Authors: WOOLFENDEN H. C. , BLYTH M. G.
Published: January 2011

The transit of a two-dimensional elastic fluid-filled capsule through a channel with a side branch is investigated numerically. The mathematical formulation allows for a capsule carried in a pressure-driven flow of fluid of generally different viscosity to that inside the capsule. Far upstream and downstream in the main channel, and downstream in the side branch, the fluid velocity profiles are assumed to adopt those of unidirectional Poiseuille flow with prescribed flow rates. The capsule boundary is treated as a two-dimensional elastic membrane developing elastic tensions and bending moments according to simple constitutive laws. A boundary-integral formulation allows for the explicit computation of the fluid pressures upstream and downstream of the branching. The novelty of the approach is the inclusion of a notional boundary at the entrance to the side branch, which avoids the need to collocate the channel ends. The deformation experienced by the capsule in the region of the junction is found to depend strongly on the branch angle. The deformation is ameliorated by increasing the membrane stiffness or lowering the viscosity of the suspending fluid relative to the encapsulated fluid. When a capsule exits the branch region, a distance of many decades of capsule diameters is required before the capsule relaxes to an equilibrium shape. Capsule residence times in the vicinity of the branch region can be considerable, depending on the line of approach into the junction and the capsule deformability. The path selection of a cell at a branch junction can depend crucially on capsule deformability: capsules with different elastic properties may follow different routes out of the junction in otherwise identical flow conditions.
Optimal two-layer approximation for continuous density stratification
Authors: CAMASSA R. , TIRON R.
Published: January 2011

Two-layer fluids of finite depth under gravity are the simplest configuration capable of supporting internal wave motion. The extent to which such systems can be used to provide quantitative information on smoothly stratified fluids, in configurations relevant for geophysical applications, is analysed and a model of practical interest derived. The model is based on long-wave asymptotic expansions and on first-principle criteria for an optimal choice of effective two-layer parameters for the incompressible, smoothly stratified Euler equations. The accuracy of the model is extensively tested, via fully resolved numerical computations, on the class of travelling wave solutions supported by smooth stratification systems. It is found that, despite the severe restrictions posed by the discrete two-layer density assumption, solitary wave solutions corresponding to experimentally realizable parametric values can be accurately predicted, in both wave and fluid parcel markers, such as phase speed and density fields, respectively. Thanks to this analysis, explicit closed-form solutions are available for all relevant physical quantities. The agreement between the simple, optimized two-layer model and the parent smooth-stratification Euler system persists up to extreme cases, such as that of internal fronts, and even up to thicknesses of the pycnocline comparable to that of the effective layers.
Monogenean parasites of introduced pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus (Centrarchidae) in the Danube River Basin
Authors: Ondračková M. , Dávidová M. , Přikrylová I. , Pečínková M.
Published: January 2011

The pumpkinseed, Lepomis gibbosus, a centrarchid fish native to eastern North America, was introduced into Europe at the end of the 19th century. Lepomis gibbosus now represents one of the most successful of introduced fish species, having spread widely throughout many European countries. In this study, we collected monogenean parasites of L. gibbosus from four sites in the Danube River Basin. We recorded four monogenean species: Gyrodactylus sp., probably acquired in the area of introduction, and Onchocleidus similis, O. dispar and Actinocleidus recurvatus, species introduced together with their host. Onchocleidus similis dominated the parasite community at all sampling sites. Actinocleidus recurvatus has only been reported from southern Europe to date and, therefore, this is the first report of A. recurvatus from Central Europe and the Danube River Basin. We observed high morphological variability in both anchor pairs of A. recurvatus. Only in O. similis was there a positive correlation observed between haptor metric traits and fish host length. Differences in metric traits between native and introduced O. similis populations may reflect a difference in fish host size, the introduced fish host achieving a smaller size than fish from native populations. A detailed analysis of microhabitat distribution indicated a preference for the second gill arch for both dominant species O. similis and A. recurvatus, with dissimilar site segregation.
Adenoidectomy plus tympanostomy tube insertion versus adenoidectomy plus myringotomy in children with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome
Authors: Vlastos I M , Houlakis M , Kandiloros D , Manolopoulos L , Ferekidis E , Yiotakis I
Published: January 2011

Objective:

To determine whether tympanostomy tube insertion has benefit, compared with simple myringotomy, in children with otitis media with effusion who receive concurrent adenoidectomy as treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome caused by adenoid hypertrophy.

Methods:

Fifty-two children older than three years with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome were randomly assigned to receive either adenoidectomy plus tympanostomy tube insertion (group one, n = 25) or adenoidectomy plus myringotomy (group two, n = 27). Pre- and post-operative health-related quality of life was assessed using the otitis media-6 (OM-6) tool, and audiological outcomes were recorded six and 12 months post-operatively.

Results:

Group one showed better quality of life scores six months post-operatively (score difference −0.38, confidence interval −0.65 to −0.10) but not 12 months post-operatively (score difference −0.23, confidence interval −0.76 to 0.11), compared with pre-operative values. Audiological outcomes did not differ significantly at either time point, compared with pre-operative values.

Conclusion:

Tympanostomy tube insertion confers a short term benefit, compared with simple myringotomy, in children older than three years with otitis media with effusion who receive concurrent adenoidectomy as treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Further studies are necessary to identify which of these children will receive long-lasting benefit from tympanostomy tube insertion.
Defining failure after parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism: case series
Authors: Charlett S D , Aye M , Atkin S L , England R J A
Published: January 2011

Objective:

To identify the cause of operative failure in patients who have undergone parathyroid surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism.

Design:

Retrospective case review.

Participants:

Patients who had undergone a primary procedure for primary hyperparathyroidism between July 2003 and December 2007. Cases with incomplete post-operative serum calcium data were excluded.

Main outcome measure:

Operative failure was defined as failure to achieve normalisation of serum adjusted calcium levels post-operatively.

Results:

A total of 220 primary procedures were conducted over 4.5 years. Data were not available for 16 patients. Thirteen procedures (6.4 per cent) were considered failures, and these cases were individually reviewed and classified according to the reason for failure.

Conclusion:

Establishing the cause of failure following surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism can be a complex task. In some instances, diagnostic uncertainty remains despite detailed biochemical and radiological assessment. This paper outlines our approach to maximising the cure rate at primary surgery.
Relationship between surface area and volume of the mastoid air cell system in adult humans
Authors: Swarts J D , Doyle B M Cullen , Doyle W J
Published: January 2011

Introduction:

The geometry of the adult human mastoid air cell system has not previously been described over a large range of mastoid air cell volumes.

Methods:

Twenty subjects with a wide range of mastoid air cell pneumatised areas, as determined by X-ray, underwent computed tomography scanning of the middle ear. Mastoid air cell surface areas and volumes were then reconstructed from serial imaging sections, using Image J software.

Results:

Mastoid air cell volumes varied from 0.7 to 21.4 ml, and were linearly related to the pneumatised area. Right and left mastoid air cell volumes and surface areas were highly correlated. The mastoid air cell surface area was a linear function of volume.

Conclusion:

The relationship between mastoid air cell surface area and volume is similar over a wide range of volumes. Given that the rate of gas exchange across the mastoid air cell mucosa is related to the mastoid air cell surface area, that rate will thus also be a direct linear function of the mastoid air cell volume.
Observation of amplification of light by Langmuir waves and its saturation on the electron kinetic timescale
Authors: KIRKWOOD R. K. , PING Y. , WILKS S. C. , MEEZAN N. , MICHEL P. , WILLIAMS E. , CLARK D. , SUTER L. , LANDEN O. , FISCH N. J. , VALEO E. J. , MALKIN V. , TURNBULL D. , SUCKEWER S. , WURTELE J. , WANG T. L. , MARTINS S. F. , JOSHI C. , YIN L. , ALBRIGHT B. J. , ROSE H. A. , BOWERS K. J.
Published: January 2011

Experiments demonstrate the ~77× amplification of 0.5 to 3.5-ps pulses of seed light by interaction with Langmuir waves in a low density (1.2 × 1019 cm−3) plasma produced by a 1-ns, 230-J, 1054-nm pump beam with 1.2 × 1014 W/cm2 intensity. The waves are strongly damped (kλD = 0.38, Te = 244 eV) and grow over a ~ 1 mm length, similar to what is experienced by scattered light when it interacts with crossing beams as it exits an ignition target. The amplification reduces when the seed intensity increases above ~1 × 1011 W/cm2, indicating that saturation of the plasma waves on the electron kinetic time scale (<0.5 ps) limits the scatter to ~1% of the available pump energy. The observations are in agreement with 2D PIC simulations in this case.
Turbulence changes from magnetic fields in a stationary plasma
Authors: ALEXANDER A. B. , RAYNOR C. T. , WIGGINS D. L. , ROBINSON M. K. , AKPOVO C. C. , JOHNSON J. A.
Published: January 2011

When the krypton plasma in a DC glow discharge tube is exposed to an axial magnetic field, the turbulent energy and the characteristic dominant mode in the turbulent fluctuations are systematically and unexpectedly reduced with increasing magnetic field strength. When the index measuring the rate of transfer of energy through fluctuation scales is monitored, a lambda-like dependence on turbulent energy is routinely observed in all magnetic fields. From this, a critical turbulent energy is identified, which also decreases with increasing magnetic field strength.
A comparative study between effects of shadowing potential and ODS on Coulomb crystal formation
Authors: BARUAH SWATI , DAS NILAKSHI
Published: January 2011

In dusty plasma, the overlapping Debye spheres around dust grains produce an attractive force. Shadowing force is exerted between neighboring particles because of mutual distortion of ion or neutral flux to the particles. A comparative study has been made on the role of these two forces on 2D structure of dusty system. Radial distribution function for the particles is a comparative study between the effect of the coupled Yukawa-shadowing potential and the coupled Yukawa-Overlapping Debye Sphere (ODS) potential on 2D dust crystal formation, which has been performed by using molecular dynamics simulation. The structure of the system is investigated by calculating the radial distribution function (g(r)) for different values of Γ, κ and dust number densities nd. It is seen from our study that the Coulomb coupling parameter does not have significant effect on both ODS and shadowing forces. The attractive shadowing force is more dominant for grains with large screening parameter. However, the ODS force becomes dominant with the increasing value of the dust number density. The results for the Yukawa-Shadowing and the ODS potential are also compared with experimental results and a close agreement is obtained for attractive shadowing force.
Optimal sample sizes and allelic diversity in studies of the genetic variability of mycobiont and photobiont populations
Authors: WERTH Silke
Published: January 2011

Population genetic studies of lichen-forming fungi and their algae require appropriate sampling schemes that ensure representative sampling of the genetic variability. One question is whether mycobiont and photobiont populations require different sampling strategies. Here, I applied rarefaction methods to a dataset containing three microsatellite loci of Lobaria pulmonaria and three microsatellite loci of its green-algal photobiont, Dictyochloropsis reticulata. I analysed the sample sizes required for 1) the number of individuals per population, 2) the number of individuals required across a landscape and 3) the number of populations. The analyses were performed separately for the mycobiont and photobiont loci to detect any differences in the accumulation of genetic diversity among the symbionts that would require different sampling schemes. About 20 individuals were sufficient at the population level; within landscapes, 300–400 samples and about 25–30 populations covered most of the allelic diversity. The results indicated that a slightly higher sampling effort was required for the photobiont than for the mycobiont. The optimal sampling strategy strongly depends on the research question, the spatial scale of investigation, and the type of analysis to be performed with the data.