bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HYDROLOGICAL CONNECTIVITY OF ABANDONED CHANNEL WATER BODIES ON A COASTAL PLAIN RIVER
Authors: Phillips Jonathan D.
Published: September 2011

Oxbow lakes, sloughs and other floodplain depressions associated with former channel positions are critical elements of floodplain hydrology, geomorphology and ecology. They comprise key elements of wetland and aquatic habitats and have important influence on the storage and routing of floodwaters. The hydrological connectivity between active river channels and floodplain depressions varies considerably in a qualitative sense, even within a single fluvial system. Several oxbows, sloughs and paleochannels were examined on the lower Sabine River, Texas/Louisiana, during a period of high but sub‐bankfull flow as well as at lower flows. Six different types of surface water connectivity with the main, active channel were identified: (i) flow through—a portion of the river flow regularly passes through the feature and returns to the main channel; (ii) flood channel—there is no hydraulic connection at normal flows, but at high flows the channels convey discharge, at least part of which returns to the main channel; (iii) fill and spill—the features fill to a threshold level at high flows and then overflow (mainly via ephemeral channels) into flood basins; (iv) fill and drain—the features fill at high river discharges but do not (except in large floods) overflow because as river discharge declines, water drains back to the river; (v) tributary occupied—tributaries draining to the abandoned channel continue to occupy it, flowing through it to the active channel; and (vi) disconnected—no flow is exchanged except during large floods. The age or stage of infilling and the relative elevation of abandoned channels are important first‐order controls of hydrological connectivity, but the lateral distance from the active channel is poorly related. Other critical controls are whether the cutoff section receives tributary input and whether a tie channel forms. The alluvial valley geomorphic context—specifically the presence of a meander belt ridge and flood basins—is also critical. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A proposed security scheme against Denial of Service attacks in cluster‐based wireless sensor networks
Authors: Han Guangjie , Shen Wen , Duong Trung Q. , Guizani Mohsen , Hara Takahiro
Published: September 2011

Traditional security schemes developed for sensor networks are not suitable for cluster‐based wireless sensor networks (WSNs) because of their susceptibility to Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. In this paper, we provide a security scheme against DoS attacks (SSAD) in cluster‐based WSNs. The scheme establishes trust management with energy character, which leads nodes to elect trusted cluster heads. Furthermore, a new type of vice cluster head node is proposed to detect betrayed cluster heads. Theoretical analyses and simulation results show that SSAD can prevent and detect malicious nodes with high probability of success. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Subdiaphragmatic vagotomy increases the sensitivity of lumbar Aδ primary afferent neurons along with voltage‐dependent potassium channels in rats
Authors: Furuta Sadayoshi , Watanabe Lisa , Doi Seira , Horiuchi Hiroshi , Matsumoto Kenjiro , Kuzumaki Naoko , Suzuki Tsutomu , Narita Minoru
Published: September 2011

Subdiaphragmatic vagal dysfunction causes chronic pain. To verify whether this chronic pain is accompanied by enhanced peripheral nociceptive sensitivity, we evaluated primary afferent neuronal excitability in subdiaphragmatic vagotomized (SDV) rats. SDV rats showed a decrease in the electrical stimuli‐induced hind limb‐flexion threshold at 250 Hz, but showed no similar effect at 5 or 2000 Hz, which indicated that lumbar primary afferent Aδ sensitivity was enhanced in SDV rats. The whole‐cell patch‐clamp technique also revealed the hyper‐excitability of acutely dissociated medium‐sized lumbar dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons isolated from SDV rats. The contribution of changes in voltage‐dependent potassium (Kv) channels was assessed, and transient A‐type K+ (IA) current density was apparently decreased. Moreover, Kv4.3 immunoreactivity in medium‐sized DRG neurons was significantly reduced in SDV rats compared to sham. These results indicate that SDV causes hyper‐excitability of lumbar primary Aδ afferent neurons, which may be induced along with suppressing IA currents via the decreased expression of Kv4.3. Thus, peripheral Aδ neuroplasticity may contribute to the chronic lower limb pain caused by SDV. Synapse, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adaptable platform‐based engineering: Key enablers and outlook for the future
Authors: Madni Azad M.
Published: September 2011

Platform‐Based Engineering (PBE) is a cost‐effective, risk‐mitigated system development approach that employs a common structure from which high‐quality derivative products can be developed rapidly. PBE is especially effective in decreasing development cost, risks, and lead times while increasing product quality. Appropriately scoped, platforms simplify and accelerate the development of families of systems for a particular problem domain. They encompass domain‐specific components and services that reflect the commonalities of systems in the domain (which can be configured as reusable physical or informational components), and variabilities across the domain (which need to be individually developed to achieve a domain product line), along with interface conventions that ensure that they can plug‐and‐play with the domain infrastructure and common components. However, PBE has a potential downside. Locking into a platform strategy for the long term can severely limit an organization's ability to evolve a product. It is this recognition that spurred the development of the adaptable PBE paradigm. Adaptable PBE offers the customary benefits of PBE without compromising the long‐term evolvability of the system. This paper presents the game changing technologies under the adaptable PBE rubric, and discusses the key concepts and advances needed to make adaptable PBE an enabler of evolvable systems. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng
Outcome of fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia and associated intrafetal fluid effusions managed in the era of fetal surgery
Authors: Van Mieghem T. , Cruz‐Martinez R. , Allegaert K. , Dekoninck P. , Castanon M. , Sandaite I. , Claus F. , Devlieger R. , Gratacos E. , Deprest J.
Published: September 2011

Objective

Fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and for whom additional ultrasound findings are abnormal typically are considered to have a dismal prognosis. Our aim was to assess the outcome of fetuses with CDH and associated intrafetal fluid effusions.

Methods

This was a retrospective bicentric cohort study on the perinatal management of fetuses with CDH and intrafetal fluid effusions.

Results

The incidence of effusions was 5.2% (n = 14) in 269 consecutive cases of left‐sided CDH and 29.2% (n = 14) in 48 cases of right‐sided CDH. Hydrothorax (n = 19 (68%)) and ascites (n = 16 (57%)) were the most common effusions. A combination of both was present in 11 (39%) fetuses. Of 20 ongoing pregnancies with CDH and fluid effusions, without other anomalies, five with moderate or mild pulmonary hypoplasia were managed without fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO). The 15 other cases underwent FETO because of severe pulmonary hypoplasia. Neonatal survival rate was similar in both groups (n = 2/5 and n = 6/15, respectively (P = 1.0)). Survival among those who underwent FETO was similar to previously published results concerning isolated cases undergoing FETO.

Conclusions

Our observations do not support the view that intrafetal effusions are an adverse prognostic factor in fetuses with CDH. In CDH fetuses with effusions and severe pulmonary hypoplasia treated with FETO, neonatal survival is similar to that in isolated cases undergoing the intervention. Whether pleural effusions should be addressed by thoracic drainage procedures remains unproven. Copyright © 2011 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ultrasound assessment of the peri‐implantation uterus: a review
Authors: Abdallah Y. , Naji O. , Saso S. , Pexsters A. , Stalder C. , Sur S. , Raine‐Fenning N. , Timmerman D. , Brosens J. J. , Bourne T.
Published: September 2011

Emerging evidence suggests that early embryo implantation is a more active maternal process than hitherto appreciated, involving active encapsulation of the implanting blastocyst by maternal decidual cells and coordinated changes in the underlying inner myometrium, known as the junctional zone. These concepts raise the possibility that early ultrasound markers predictive of adverse pregnancy outcome could be identified. In this review we assess the role of ultrasound in predicting the likelihood of different pregnancy outcomes and highlight potential novel markers that could be tested. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Protective effect of fetal pulmonary sequestration in two cases of postnatal manifestation of congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Authors: Lee M.‐Y. , Won H.‐S. , Shim J.‐Y. , Lee P.‐R. , Lee B. S. , Kim E. A.‐R. , Kim K.‐S. , Kim A.
Published: September 2011

We describe two cases of postnatally diagnosed congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) combined with pulmonary sequestration, both of which were diagnosed as isolated pulmonary sequestration on prenatal ultrasound. In these cases, prenatal ultrasonography demonstrated only a hyperechoic mass on the left lower lung and the diaphragm seemed intact. In each case both lungs showed otherwise normal development throughout pregnancy. Pulmonary sequestration may serve as a ‘protector’, preventing herniation of abdominal contents into the thoracic cavity. The co‐occurrence of CDH may be obscured by a lung mass, especially on the left lower lung, and therefore it is necessary to deliver these infants at a tertiary center and parents should be counseled about the possibility of postnatal CDH. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A simple frequency‐domain method for stress analysis of stall‐regulated wind turbines
Authors: Merz Karl O. , Muskulus Michael , Moe Geir
Published: September 2011

A simple method, based in the frequency domain, was developed for calculating the dynamic response of a stall‐regulated wind turbine. Emphasis is placed on two aspects of the method, which are necessary in order to obtain a reasonable linearization of behavior when the blades are stalled. First, the tangential (in‐plane) component of turbulence is included, in addition to the axial component. Second, the linearized relationship between lift coefficient and angle‐of‐attack is adjusted to account for the effects of dynamic stall: separate linearizations are used for excitation and damping of vibration. A thorough comparison is made between linear and non‐linear dynamic‐stall methods, with the conclusion that the accuracy of the linear method depends upon the frequency and amplitude of oscillation. The linear dynamic‐stall method is accurate at blade vibrational frequencies, but it can be inaccurate at frequencies in the vicinity of 1P or below, when the angle‐of‐attack oscillates with an amplitude of 3° or more. Load spectra of a Nordtank 500 turbine, calculated using the frequency‐domain method, are compared with measurements. The frequency‐domain method provides estimates of load spectra and aerodynamic damping (stability) that are useful for preliminary design and optimization, but the method lacks sufficient accuracy and generality to be used for certification. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
No man’s land? A comparative analysis of the EU and Russia’s influence in the Southern Caucasus
Authors: Pardo Sierra Oscar B.
Published: September 2011

The article investigates, through a comparative analysis, the different mechanisms of influence that the EU and Russia are projecting in their shared neighborhood in shaping domestic politics. It focuses on the economic and energy sectors in order to analyze two relevant policies for contrasting EU and Russia’s influence in the case of the Southern Caucasus. Contrary to commonly held opinions, Russian influence is receding in both areas and is a dominant external actor only in Armenia. In contrast, the EU is slowly increasing its presence in the economic area and has become a key player in the energy sector.
The proportion of lycopene isomers in human plasma is modulated by lycopene isomer profile in the meal but not by lycopene preparation
Authors: Richelle Myriam , Lambelet Pierre , Rytz Andreas , Tavazzi Isabelle , Mermoud Anne-France , Juhel Christine , Borel Patrick , Bortlik Karlheinz
Published: September 2011

Dietary lycopene consists mostly of the (all-E) isomer. Upon absorption, (all-E) lycopene undergoes isomerisation into various (Z)-isomers. Because these isomers offer potentially better health benefits than the (all-E) isomer, the aim of the present study was to investigate if the profile of lycopene isomers in intestinal lipoproteins is affected by the profile of lycopene isomers in the meal and by the tomato preparation. Six postprandial, crossover tests were performed in healthy men. Three meals provided about 70 % of the lycopene as (Z)-isomers, either mainly as 5-(Z) or 13-(Z), or as a mixture of 9-(Z) and 13-(Z) lycopene, while three tomato preparations provided lycopene mainly as the (all-E) isomer. Consumption of the 5-(Z) lycopene-rich meal led to a high (60 %) proportion of this isomer in TAG-rich lipoproteins (TRL), indicating a good absorption and/or a low intestinal conversion of this isomer. By contrast, consumption of meals rich in 9-(Z) and 13-(Z) lycopene isomers resulted in a low level of these isomers but high amounts of the 5-(Z) and (all-E) isomers in TRL. This indicates that the 9-(Z) and 13-(Z) isomers were less absorbed or were converted into 5-(Z) and (all-E) isomers. Dietary (Z)-lycopene isomers were, therefore, differently isomerised and released in TRL during their intestinal absorption in men. Consuming the three meals rich in (all-E) lycopene resulted in similar proportions of lycopene isomers in TRL: 60 % (all-E), 20 % 5-(Z), 9 % 13-(Z), 2 % 9-(Z) and 9 % unidentified (Z)-isomers. These results show that the tomato preparation has no impact on the lycopene isomerisation occurring during absorption in humans.
Emergence of ageing-related changes in insulin secretion by pancreatic islets of male rat offspring of mothers fed a low-protein diet
Authors: Morimoto S. , Calzada L. , Sosa T. C. , Reyes-Castro L. A. , Rodriguez-González G. L. , Morales A. , Nathanielsz P. W. , Zambrano E.
Published: September 2011

Maternal low-protein (LP) diets programme β-cell secretion, potentially altering the emergence of ageing of offspring pancreatic function. We hypothesised that isolated pancreatic islet β-cell secretory responses are blunted in offspring exposed to LP during development and age-related reduction is influenced by the developmental stage of exposure to decreased nutrition. We studied male offspring of rats fed control (C) or LP protein (R) diets in pregnancy, first letter and/or lactation second letter of CC, RR, CR or RC groups. Serum glucose, insulin and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) were measured. Pancreatic islets were isolated and in vitro insulin secretion quantified in low (LG – 5 mm) or high glucose (HG – 11 mm). Body weight and serum values between groups were similar at all ages. Insulin and HOMA rose with age and were highest at postnatal day (PND) 450 in all groups. At PND 36, insulin secretion was greatest in RR and RC. Only CC increased insulin secretion to HG. By PND 110, restricted groups responded less to LG but increased secretion to HG. By PND 450, CC offspring alone increased secretion to HG. Despite minimal differences in circulating insulin and glucose, reduced maternal protein intake affected insulin secretion at all ages. In addition, ageing reduced function in all R groups compared with CC by PND 110 and further by PND 450 most markedly in RC. We conclude that maternal LP diet during pregnancy and/or lactation impairs offspring insulin secretory response to a glucose challenge and alters the trajectory of ageing of pancreatic insulin secretion.
Life history traits of the exploited limpet Patella candei (Mollusca: Patellogastropoda) of the north-eastern Atlantic
Authors: Henriques P. , Sousa R. , Pinto A.R. , Delgado J. , Faria G. , Alves A. , Khadem M.
Published: September 2011

Life history traits of Patella candei were studied for the first time, including weight versus length relationship, growth, age structure, sexual maturity, recruitment pattern, mortality rates and yield and biomass-per-recruit of an exploited population in Madeira Island, north-eastern Atlantic using monthly length–frequency data from January to December 1999. The growth pattern of P. candei showed positive allometric nature of growth (b > 3, P < 0.05). The estimated growth parameters showed an asymptotic length (L∞) and growth coefficient (K) estimated at 80.81 mm and K at 0.32 year−1 with a growth performance index (φ′) calculated as 3.32 based on the collected data. This species is moderately long-lived reaching up to 9.36 years and achieving sexual maturity at 36.7 mm of shell length. The recruitment pattern was continuous, displaying a major peak event per year, occurring in January (25.12%). The estimated total mortality rate (Z) was 1.79 year−1 while natural mortality rate (M) was 0.55 year−1 and fishing mortality rate (F) was 1.24 year−1. The probability of capture shows that the length at first capture (Lc) was 42.7 mm, the exploitation rate (E) 0.693 and the maximum allowable limit of exploitation (Emax) was 0.779 for the highest yield. The exploitation rate was less than the predicted Emax values, showing that the stock of P. candei was found to be under-exploited in the investigated area; however, its slow growth and long life make it extremely vulnerable to over-exploitation.
Do changes in microhabitat availability within a Marine Reserve reduce the species richness of small mobile macrofauna and meiofauna?
Authors: Lee Matthew R. , Castilla Juan Carlos
Published: September 2011

Extensive beds of the mussel Perumytilus purpuratus are a common feature of the mid-intertidal along the Chilean coast. The beds are an alternative stable state that results from the anthropogenic removal of the keystone predator Concholepas concholepas. The mussel beds constitute an important microhabitat that supports a large number of small mobile macrofaunal and meiofaunal species. This paper seeks to determine if the absence of extensive mussel beds within a Marine Reserve results in a reduced species richness. We used ‘live’ artificial mussel beds on plates to determine the species richness of fauna both inside and outside the Marine Reserve. There were no significant differences in the species richness (Smean) on plates inside and outside the Marine Reserve but there were differences with the natural mussel beds. Though the assemblages on the plates did not reach maturity ‘live’, artificial mussel beds could prove a useful tool for assessing the species richness of small mobile macrofauna and meiofauna.
Feeding biology of carnivore and detritivore Mediterranean pycnogonids
Authors: Soler-Membrives Anna , Arango Claudia P. , Cuadrado Montserrat , Munilla Tomás
Published: September 2011

The digestive system of sea spiders (Pycnogonida) presents peculiarities that have not been discussed in the context of their ecology or feeding behaviour. We investigated the digestive system of two Mediterranean species, a carnivorous speciesAmmothella longipesand a detritivorousEndeis spinosa, with special focus on its correlation with behavioural feeding habits. The midgut and hindgut sections did not present significant differences between the two species, but major differences were observed in the foregut, reflecting concordance to their diet and their feeding behaviour. Jaws, setose lips, the structure of the pharyngeal filter and musculature of the proboscis are the main differential elements when comparing feeding habits ofA. longipesandE. spinosa. These elements are responsible for the reduction of the food pulp down to subcellular size. The digestion process observed in the species studied agrees with that observed in other pycnogonid lineages, but differs from most marine arthropods mainly because of the absence of midgut gland cells and the presence of a unique multifunctional type of midgut epithelial cell. Epithelial digestive cells are present in a small ‘resting’ form during starvation periods. During digestion, secretion granules possibly containing zymogen move to their apical border to be secreted to the midgut lumen, secondary lysosomes are formed and intracellular digestion occurs within them. Residual bodies are formed within the epithelial cell and released to the midgut lumen to be transported towards the hindgut. The characteristics of the digestive process of the pycnogonids studied seem to reflect a plesiomorphic state in arthropods.
In vitro culture and developmental cycle of the parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium sp. from the blue crab Callinectes sapidus
Authors: LI CAIWEN , MILLER TERRENCE L. , SMALL HAMISH J. , SHIELDS JEFFREY D.
Published: September 2011

Hematodinium is a genus of parasitic dinoflagellates whose species have caused significant mortalities in marine crustacean fisheries worldwide. A species of Hematodinium infects the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus on the eastern seaboard of the USA. The mode of transmission of the parasite in blue crabs is unknown. We established several continuous in vitro cultures of Hematodinium sp. isolated from the haemolymph of infected blue crabs. One isolate has been continuously maintained in our laboratory through serial subcultivation for over 12 months, and is capable of infecting new hosts when inoculated into healthy crabs. Cells of the parasite undergo characteristic developmental changes in vitro consistent with the identifiable stages of Hematodinium sp.: filamentous trophonts, amoeboid trophonts, arachnoid trophonts and sporonts, sporoblasts, prespores and dinospores (macrospores and microspores). Additionally, we describe an unusual shunt in the life cycle wherein presumptive schizonts derived from arachnoid sporonts developed into filamentous and arachnoid trophonts that can then initiate arachnoid sporonts in new cultures. This may explain the rapid proliferation of the parasite in blue crab hosts. We also found that temperature and light intensity affected the growth and development of the parasite in vitro.
Is ideal theory practical?
Authors: SAGAR RAHUL
Published: September 2011

This article examines how the exemplars of ideal theory have addressed what I term ‘the problem of preservation’. The ‘problem’ in question is not so much that a political community must make provisions for its self-preservation, but rather that its provisions must correspond to the intentions and capabilities of its neighbours. This constraint implies that the ability of a political community to pursue ideals rather than power depends heavily on who its neighbours happen to be. This article shows how Aristotle, Rousseau, Kant, and Rawls address this problem by recommending measures such as defensive fortification, collective security, and democratic peace, which, they claim, will dampen the anarchic nature of the international system. It argues that the implausibility of these measures renders the ability of political communities to heed the moral guidance offered by ideal theory contingent at best and impractical at worst. If proponents of ideal theory wish to resist this conclusion, then they must offer a more persuasive answer to the problem of preservation.
Minimizing conservation conflict for endemic primate species in Atlantic forest and uncovering knowledge bias
Authors: PINTO MÍRIAM PLAZA , GRELLE CARLOS EDUARDO VIVEIROS
Published: September 2011

Human population is a predictor of mammal extinction risk, an indicator of conservation conflict and habitat conversion, and is thus associated with the threats to primate species. Priority areas that represent endemic primates in Atlantic Forest were identified where all counties had the same cost or where the costs of counties varied according to human population size (HPS); networks for both approaches consisted of nine counties. In the networks without human constraint, the average HPS was not higher than expected by chance alone. In the approach with human population constraint, HPS was not lower than the average of the null distribution. Although it is possible to minimize human conservation conflict, available occurrence data of endemic primates seems to be related to highly populated areas. The sum of HPS is greater in counties with some occurrence data than expected by chance. Conservation conflicts in the Atlantic Forest will continue to exist once this is the Brazilian most populous region, and data availability is directly related to counties' HPS. Field surveys are necessary to minimize Wallacean shortfall and efforts must be made to maintain the few natural areas remaining in this biome to promote the conservation of endemic primates and other biodiversity elements.
Paying the forest for electricity: a modelling framework to market forest conservation as payment for ecosystem services benefiting hydropower generation
Authors: ARIAS MAURICIO E. , COCHRANE THOMAS A. , LAWRENCE KEITH S. , KILLEEN TIMOTHY J. , FARRELL TRACY A.
Published: September 2011

The operation and longevity of hydropower dams are often negatively impacted by sedimentation. Forest conservation can reduce soil erosion, and therefore efforts to maintain upstream forest cover within a watershed contribute to the economic life span of a hydropower facility. The cost of forest conservation can be viewed as an investment in hydropower and be financed via a payment for ecosystem services (PES) scheme. A novel modelling framework is used to estimate payments for forest conservation consisting of: (1) land-use change projection; (2) watershed erosion modelling; (3) reservoir sedimentation estimation; (4) power generation loss calculation; and (5) PES scheme design. The framework was applied to a proposed dam in Cambodia (Pursat 1). The estimated net present value of forest conservation was US$ 4.7 million when using average annual climate values over 100 years, or US$ 6.4 million when considering droughts every eight years. This can be remunerated with annual payments of US$ 4.26 ha−1 or US$ 5.78 ha−1, respectively, covering forest protection costs estimated at US$ 0.9 ha−1 yr−1. The application of this type of PES represents a rational option that allows for conservation and development of hydropower watersheds susceptible to erosion and sedimentation.
Application of Colloidal Palladium Nanoparticles for Labeling in Electron Microscopy
Authors: Vancová Marie , Šlouf Miroslav , Langhans Jan , Pavlová Eva , Nebesářová Jana
Published: September 2011

The application of palladium nanoparticles as electron-dense markers for labeling in both transmission and scanning electron microscopy requires their conjugation to a specific protein. The conjugation protocol described here includes the dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) capping of Pd nanoparticles (8 nm equivalent diameter) and their subsequent covalent attachment to functional protein molecules such as streptavidin, protein A, or avidin. The single-step reaction was mediated using the cross-linking agent ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC). The final Pd conjugates were fully functional, as demonstrated by labeling of ultrathin resin sections of either bovine serum albumin or secretory granules of the salivary gland isolated from the partially fed femaleIxodes ricinustick. The results of bovine serum labeling were quantified, statistically evaluated, and compared with results obtained using commercially available gold particle conjugates (10 nm diameter). The highest values of labeling density were achieved using both streptavidin-Pd (106 ± 7 particles/μm2) and protein A-Au conjugates (130 ± 18 particles/μm2) compared to a commercial streptavidin-Au (66 ± 16 particles/μm2) and protein A-Pd conjugates (70 ± 11 particles/μm2). The concentrations of both DHLA and EDC, pH during conjugation, and finally thorough washing away of unbound proteins crucially influenced conjugation.
SWING detection vacuum tunnel
Authors: Dalle D. , Perez J. , Lyon O. , Feret P. , Menneglier C. , Daussan X.
Published: September 2011

The SWING beamline is dedicated to the study of the small-angle X-ray scattering. In order to have the possibility to detect scattered intensity very close to the incident beam, it is absolutely necessary to install the detector at a long distance from the sample. In addition, it is easy to change the detector's position to access a wider angular range. A long and large vacuum chamber, the ‘tunnel’, has been designed with specific mechanisms inside to control the detector's position with micrometre resolution. Special attention has been given so as to offer a very useful device to the users. The paper will present the general design of the tunnel equipped with ancillary devices such as very narrow and stiff beam stoppers, diode holders and beam attenuators.
Lights, camera, action…critique? Submit videos to AGU communications workshop
Authors: Viñas Maria‐José
Published: September 2011

What does it take to create a science video that engages the audience and draws thousands of views on YouTube? Those interested in finding out should submit their research‐related videos to AGU's Fall Meeting science film analysis workshop, led by oceanographer turned documentary director Randy Olson. Olson, writer‐director of two films (Flock of Dodos: The Evolution‐Intelligent Design Circus andSizzle: A Global Warming Comedy) and author of the bookDon't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style, will provide constructive criticism on 10 selected video submissions, followed by moderated discussion with the audience. To submit your science video (5 minutes or shorter), post it on YouTube and send the link to the workshop coordinator, Maria‐José Viñas (mjvinas@agu.org), with the following subject line: Video submission for Olson workshop. AGU will be accepting submissions from researchers and media officers of scientific institutions until 6:00 P.M. eastern time on Friday, 4 November. Those whose videos are selected to be screened will be notified by Friday, 18 November. All are welcome to attend the workshop at the Fall Meeting.
Severe 2010 Amazon drought in historical context
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: September 2011

In 2005 a severe once‐in‐a‐century drought struck the Amazon rain forest. Just 5 years later, an even more severe and widespread drought struck the region. How do these extreme events fit into the context of historical droughts? Marengo et al. looked at historical rainfall and river data sets to find out. They found that the 2010 drought was unique. It started in early summer during an El Niño event and intensified due to warming of the tropical North Atlantic, which was warmer than in any previous year in the records since 1903, including 2005. Their analysis indicates that warming in the tropical North Atlantic affects the hydrology of the Amazon region by promoting a longer dry season, which can be aggravated if there was low rainfall in the previous wet season. They observe that there has been an increase in dry and very dry events in the whole Amazon region since the middle 1970s as well as an increase in the length of the dry season. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL047436, 2011)
Balancing family and work
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: September 2011

More than 45% of women scientists at top universities in the United States have indicated that their careers have kept them from having as many children as they want, according to an 8 August study, “Scientists want more children,” which appears in the journal PLoS ONE. The study, by sociologists Elaine Howard Ecklund of Rice University and Anne Lincoln of Southern Methodist University, indicates that 24.5% of male scientists surveyed indicated the same concerns. The study also found that among junior scientists, 29% of women indicated concern that a science career would prevent them from having a family; 7% of men indicated the same concern.
Atomic oxygen emission intensity ratio: Observation and theory
Authors: Slanger Tom G. , Sharpee Brian D. , Pejaković Dušan A. , Huestis David L. , Bautista Manuel A. , Gattinger Richard L. , Llewellyn Edward J. , McDade Ian C. , Siskind David E. , Minschwaner Kenneth R.
Published: September 2011

What constitutes reality: observation or theory? In the search for truth, observations can sometimes diverge from theory, forcing scientists to rethink fundamental approaches and question the idea of what it means for a system to exhibit “standard” behavior. In this Forum we argue that agreement among theoreticians on the numerical value of a particular physical parameter must still withstand the test of observation.
Tohoku earthquake shook the ionosphere
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: September 2011

The giant 11 March 2011 magnitude 9 Tohoku earthquake not only shook the Earth and caused devastating tsunamis but also rattled the ionosphere, according to a new study. The surface seismic waves and tsunamis triggered waves in the atmosphere. These atmospheric waves propagated upward into the ionosphere, creating ripples in ionized gas nearly 350 kilometers above the Earth. Liu et al. measured these disturbances, called seismotraveling ionospheric disturbances (STID), using GPS receivers in Japan. The first disturbance appeared as a disk‐shaped increase in electron density in the ionosphere about 7 minutes after the earthquake. Sequences of concentric waves of increased electron density then traveled from the STID center. Similar ionospheric disturbances have been observed following other earthquakes, but these were the largest ever seen, the authors report. (Journal of Geophysical Research‐Space Physics, doi:10.1029/2011JA016761, 2011)
Classifying freakish and nonfreakish days on the ocean
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: September 2011

Freak waves—ocean waves more than twice the average wave height—can rise up without warning on otherwise calm seas. Because they can form suddenly and be quite large, these waves, also known as rogue waves, present a danger to ships. To work toward better understanding of the conditions under which these monster waves form, Waseda et al. analyzed wind and wave records from the northern North Sea from 2003 to 2005 and classified days into “freakish” and “nonfreakish” based on freak wave occurrence. They found that on freakish days, an atmospheric pressure condition known as the Icelandic low was enhanced. This atmospheric pressure difference may promote the formation of freak waves by encouraging nonlinear focusing of waves. Knowing the meteorological conditions under which potentially dangerous freak waves are more likely to occur could help ships navigate safely. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL047779, 2011)
New data refine the travels of Gondwana
Authors: Schultz Colin
Published: September 2011

The supercontinent Pangea, which existed roughly 300–200 million years ago as the only landmass on Earth, plays a special role in the history of geophysics. The geological, biological, and paleontological similarities between now distant shores—once connected in Pangea—gave the first evidence for the theory of continental drift. That Pangea came apart to form the modern world is well established, but exactly how, when, and where the individual plates moved are still up for debate. Drawing on new high‐quality paleomagnetic data, Domeier et al. describe the movements of Gondwana that, until its separation from Laurasia 200 million years ago, formed the southern half of Pangea. The authors collected samples drawn from the Sierra Chica, a band of ancient volcanic rocks in central Argentina. Within the samples the magnetic minerals hematite and titanomagnetite were used to calculate the geographic location of the magnetic pole 263 million years ago. Because the Earth's magnetic poles drift only slightly over time and have well‐known reversal episodes, deviations in the location of the calculated pole (paleopole) from the present location are an indication that the plate underlying the volcanic rock has moved since the lava solidified. Changes in the paleopole drawn from samples of different ages from the same plate give a map for the plate's movement. (Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi:10.1029/2011GC003616, 2011)
Reply to “Limusaurus and bird digit identity”
Authors: Xu Xing , Clark James , Choiniere Jonah , Hone David , Sullivan Corwin
Published: September 2011

Vargas et al. agree with us that a lateral shift in theropod dinosaur digits occurred prior to the origin of birds, but contend that it occurred as a single “frameshift” with little outward change to the three main digits involved^1^. We consider the digital morphology of Limusaurus, other ceratosaurs, and non-avian tetanurans to provide evidence that the shift was stepwise, and that a stepwise shift better explains theropod manual morphology than a hidden frameshift.
BioPax and SBML output from Reactome: where we are, where we are heading
Authors: Croft David
Published: September 2011

Reactome is a free, open-source, open access, pathway database. Currently, Reactome has over 5000 human proteins, involved in over 4000 manually curated reactions. Additionally, it has nearly 30,000 reactions inferred by orthology projection from human to 20 other model organisms. Facilities exist for exporting single pathways or the entire database to either BioPax or SBML. SBML generation now uses libSBML, ensuring syntactic correctness, and has adopted MIRIAM URIs for references to external databases. For the future, we anticipate that users will be able to submit a list of species to Reactome and obtain as an output customized BioPax or SBML, based on reactions extracted from Reactome.
Spatial navigation and multiscale representation by hippocampal place cells
Authors: Prentice Jason , Merel Josh , Balasubramanian Vijay
Published: September 2011

Hippocampal lesions are known to impair success in navigation tasks. While such tasks could be solved by memorizing complete paths from a starting location to the goal, animals still perform successfully when placed in a novel starting position. We propose a navigation algorithm to solve the latter problem by exploiting two facts about hippocampal organization: (1) The size of the place fields of hippocampal place cells varies systematically along the dorsoventral axis, with dorsal place cells having smaller place fields than ventral (Kjelstrup et. al. 2008); and (2) the theta oscillation propagates as a traveling wave from dorsal to ventral hippocampus (Lubenov and Siapas, 2009). Taken together, these observations imply that the hippocampal representation of space progresses from fine- to coarse-grained within every theta cycle.The algorithm assumes that place cells can be activated by the animal's imagining a goal location, in addition to physically standing in the appropriate location. In the proposed algorithm, place cell activation propagates from small scale to large scale until place cells are found which respond strongly to both the physical location and the goal location. These place fields have their centers aligned roughly in the direction of the goal, providing a crude estimate of which direction the animal should step to approach the goal. Fine-grained directional information is contained in the smaller scale place fields within these large ones. Our algorithm therefore identifies a sequence of place cells, one from each scale, whose centers lie roughly along the line to the goal.Simulations reveal successful navigation to the goal, even around obstacles. By minimizing the number of steps the animal takes to reach the goal, we predict the organization of the optimal place field "map"; specifically the fraction of place cells which should be allocated to each spatial scale. This prediction is, in principle, experimentally testable.The set of place fields with centers lying along a line to the goal is used to compute a step direction by maximizing the probability that those cells will be active in the next time step, given that a particular step direction is chosen.The proposed algorithm handles navigation around obstacles by including "border cells" (Solstad et. al. 2008) which inhibit place cells in proportion to the degree of overlap between the place field and the obstacle. Furthermore, including firing rate adaptation of place cells prevents the animal from getting stuck in one spot.
Impact of control strategies on bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia L.) mortality, seedling recruitment, population dynamics, pasture yield and cost analysis
Authors: Bebawi Faiz F. , Vitelli Joseph S. , Campbell Shane D. , Mayer Robert J.
Published: September 2011

Bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia L.) is an invasive weed that has the potential to greatly reduce biodiversity and pasture productivity in northern Australia’s rangelands. This paper reports an approach to develop best practice options for controlling medium to dense infestations of bellyache bush using combinations of control methods. The efficacy of five single treatments including foliar spraying, slashing, stick raking, burning and do nothing (control) were compared against 15 combinations of these treatments over 4 successive years. Treatments were evaluated using several attributes, including plant mortality, changes in population demographics, seedling recruitment, pasture yield and cost of treatment. Foliar spraying once each year for 4 years proved the most cost-effective control strategy, with no bellyache bush plants recorded at the end of the study. Single applications of slashing, stick raking and to a lesser extent burning, when followed up with foliar spraying also led to significantly reduced densities of bellyache bush and changed the population from a growing one to a declining one. Total experimental cost estimates over 4 successive years for treatments where burning, stick raking, foliar spraying, and slashing were followed with foliar spraying were AU$408, AU$584, AU$802 and AU$789 ha–1, respectively. Maximum pasture yield of 5.4 t ha–1 occurred with repeated foliar spraying. This study recommends that treatment combinations using either foliar spraying alone or as a follow up with slashing, stick raking or burning are best practice options following consideration of the level of control, changes in pasture yield and cost effectiveness.
The effect of bovine saliva on growth attributes and forage quality of two contrasting cool season perennial grasses grown in three soils of different fertility
Authors: Gullap M. Kerim , Erkovan H. Ibrahim , Koc Ali
Published: September 2011

The aim of this study was to determine the response of Dactylis glomerata L. (Orchardgrass) and Festuca ovina L. (Sheep fescue), to bovine saliva application in a loamy soil (most fertile), a sandy loam and a sandy soil (least fertile). The effects of cutting and cutting + saliva on relative height growth rate (RHGR), above- and belowground biomass and forage quality attributes [crude protein, NDF (neutral detergent fibre) and ADF (acid detergent fibre)] were investigated. The results showed that the cutting and cutting + saliva treatments resulted in greater RHGR than the control, but only with D. glomerata in the sandy soil did the application of saliva increase the RHGR. However, saliva applied after cutting increased the aboveground biomass averaged over all species and all three soils. Saliva applied to D. glomerata increased the belowground biomass in the sandy loam and sandy soils but decreased it in F. ovina in the sandy soil. The application of saliva had no effect on the crude protein or the NDF content of either species in any of the soils. On the other hand, the application of saliva after clipping increased the ADF of F. ovina but decreased that of D. glomerata averaged over all three soils. Averaged over both species, the ADF was increased by the addition of saliva in the sandy soil, had no significant effect in the sandy loam (P > 0.05) and was slightly increased in the loam.
Intake by goats browsing kermes oak alone or choices of different browse combinations: implications for Mediterranean grazing systems
Authors: Papachristou Thomas G. , Platis Panayiotis D.
Published: September 2011

The objective of this study was to determine if (1) intake by goats of kermes oak (Quercus coccifera L.), the main forage in Mediterranean kermes oak shrublands, was affected by availability of white mulberry (Morus alba L.) and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), two nutritious woody plants projected for introduction to Mediterranean grazing systems and (2) how a combination of the three species might influence the total intake by goats. The experiment consisted of a 9-day adaptation period, and 7 days of testing. Twenty-eight goats were used in four browse treatments (7 goats/treatment). In treatment 1, goats had kermes oak available during the entire feeding period, which lasted from 0800 to 1600 hours. In the other three treatments, goats had available kermes oak from 0800 to 1400 hours but from 1400 to 1600 hours had three different browse choices: kermes oak and black locust (treatment 2), kermes oak and white mulberry (treatment 3), and kermes oak, black locust and white mulberry (treatment 4). When goats were fed only kermes oak, their daily intake was lower (685 g/day DM; P ≤ 0.001) than when kermes oak was fed in combination with the other fodder browse (882, 811, and 1029 g/day for treatments 2, 3, and 4, respectively). Goats fed with browse combinations gained weight while those fed only kermes oak lost weight. In both feeding periods, goats in all treatments ingested similar amounts of kermes oak. However, the total intake in the second feeding period (kermes oak plus fodder browse) differed (P ≤ 0.001) among treatments, goats ate kermes oak + black locust + white mulberry (650 g DM) > kermes oak + black locust (530 g DM) > kermes oak + white mulberry (441 g DM) > kermes oak (287 g DM). These results indicate that the presence of nutritious fodder browse does not affect the consumption of kermes oak and suggest that goats browsing a variety of woody species will have a higher intake than goats browsing only kermes oak, and that the combination of all three browse species is best in terms of total intake.
Rail survey plans to remote sensing: vegetation change in the Mulga Lands of eastern Australia and its implications for land use
Authors: Fensham Roderick J. , Powell Owen , Horne James
Published: September 2011

There is a prevailing paradigm that woody vegetation is expanding at the expense of grassland with reduced burning under pastoralism in the Mulga Lands biogeographic region in eastern Australia. This raises the possibility that the region is acting as a carbon sink. Vegetation boundaries were precisely positioned from rail survey plans dating from 1895 to 1900. This baseline was compared with the position of boundaries on 1952 aerial photography and 2010 Google Earth imagery. The conversion of forest to non-forest by mechanical clearing was also mapped from satellite imagery. There was no consistent trend in the direction of boundary movement for mulga (Acacia aneura F.Muell. ex Benth.), gidgee (Acacia cambagei R.T. Baker) forest or miscellaneous other forest types. The stability of the boundaries, despite the transition from aboriginal management to rangeland pastoralism, contrasts with dramatic declines in tree cover resulting from mechanical clearing. Mapping of forest cover from satellite imagery reveals that conversion of forest to non-forest has reduced mulga forest to 74%, gidgee forest to 30% and miscellaneous forest types to 82% of their original area. Annual clearing rates for the period between 1997 and 2005 were 0.83, 0.95 and 0.43% for those forest types, respectively. Clearing has declined substantially in the period 2005–09 since the advent of recent regulations in Queensland. The area remains a source of carbon emissions but this situation may reverse if restoration of mulga dry forest becomes an attractive land use with an emerging carbon market.