bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Militarized Spaces and Open Range: Piñon Canyon and (Counter)Cartographies of Rural Resistance
Authors: Havlick David G , Perramond Eric
Published: February 2015

This paper examines how rural communities in Colorado have confronted military expansion. Against the backdrop of a series of base realignments and closures during the past three decades that have streamlined US military holdings nationwide, the US Army base at Fort Carson, Colorado, has been growing. In 1983 Fort Carson expanded into a 95 500-hectare training area in southeastern Colorado known as the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS). In 2006 the Army announced plans to expand the PCMS by 169 000 hectares. Under the Army's proposal, a significant portion of southeastern Colorado would be transformed into the largest Army training ground in the US. This prospect galvanized a diverse coalition of rural residents to oppose the Piñon Canyon expansion. Our research critically considers how the principal actors in this case—the US Army and a rural citizen opposition coalition—mobilized different narrative and political strategies based substantially upon contrasting cartographic representations to shape the debate and construct contested geographies of this space as military training ground versus open range. As of 2014, the expansion of PCMS is on hold, although there is no guarantee that base or military area expansion will not proceed in the future.
How French shepherds create meal sequences to stimulate intake and optimise use of forage diversity on rangeland
Authors: Meuret Michel , Provenza Fred
Published: February 2015

European rangelands have rugged terrain with highly diverse patchworks of vegetation communities. They are mostly public lands that were abandoned for more than 50 years, because they served no purpose at the time of animal husbandry modernisation. The European Union’s policy now promotes the reintroduction of grazing on rangelands to prevent wildfires and to restore habitats for biodiversity conservation. Facing the lack of knowledge to implement such a policy, researchers, nature managers, and pastoral advisors began working closely with shepherds and goat herders in France, who had persisted in using rangelands. The research presented here is part of this collective effort to understand and assess the experiential knowledge and feeding practices that herders use for livestock. The study required in situ and simultaneous recording of several types of information at different levels of organisation – herder, herd, individual animal – using methods from scientific disciplines ranging from ethnology to animal behavioural ecology and landscape ecology. The results for herded animals were surprising; they had daily intake levels often twice those observed in controlled studies with forages of similar nutritive values. The reason became clear when we learned that herders use grazing circuits that sequence a meal into a succession of contrasting and complementary grazing ‘sectors’ that boost appetite and intake. Our modelling of this practice in MENU, a model conceived and developed with experienced herders, shows how a herder can use understanding of complementarities among sectors to sequence meals that increase appetite and intake and ensure renewal of resources at the landscape level, or conversely, to apply more intensive grazing impact on particular target sectors.
Temporal dynamics in the foraging decisions of large herbivores
Authors: Fortin Daniel , Merkle Jerod A. , Sigaud Marie , Cherry Seth G. , Plante Sabrina , Drolet Amélie , Labrecque Myriam
Published: February 2015

The foraging decisions involved in acquiring a meal can have an impact on an animal’s spatial distribution, as well as affect other animal species and plant communities. Thus, understanding how the foraging process varies over space and time has broad ecological implications, and optimal foraging theory can be used to identify key factors controlling foraging decisions. Optimality models are based on currencies, options and constraints. Using examples from research on free-ranging bison (Bison bison), we show how variations in these model elements can yield strong spatio-temporal variation in expected foraging decisions. First, we present a simple optimal foraging model to investigate the temporal scale of foraging decisions. On the basis of this model, we identify the foraging currency and demonstrate that such a simple model can be successful at predicting animal distribution across ecosystems. We then modify the model by changing (1) the forager’s option, from the selection of individual plants to the selection of food bites that may include more than one plant species, (2) its constraints, from being omniscient to having incomplete information of resource quality and distribution and (3) its currency, from the maximisation of energy intake rate (E) to the maximisation of the ratio between E and mortality risk (u).We also show that, where the maximisation of E fails, the maximisation of E/u can explain the circadian rhythm in the diet and movements of bison. Simple optimal foraging-theory models thus can explain changes in dietary choice of bison within a foraging patch and during the course of a day.
Understanding and manipulating diet choice in grazing animals
Authors: Villalba J. J. , Provenza F. D. , Catanese F. , Distel R. A.
Published: February 2015

Conventional models of foraging, such as optimal foraging theory, generally take the univariate approach to explain the decisions of consumers on the basis of the intrinsic properties of foods, including nutrient concentration and abundance. However, the food environment is inherently diverse and, as a consequence, foraging decisions are influenced by the interactions among multiple food components and the forager. Foraging behaviour is affected by the consumer’s past experiences with the biochemical context in which a food is ingested, including the kinds and amounts of nutrients and plant secondary compounds in a plant and its neighbours. In addition, past experiences with food have the potential to influence food preference and intake through a mechanism, namely, food hedonics, which is not entirely dependent on the classical homeostatic model of appetite control. Research on the impacts of experience with food context and its behavioural expression in natural settings should pioneer innovative management strategies aimed at modifying food intake and preference of herbivores to enhance their nutrition, health and welfare, as well as the health and integrity of the landscapes they inhabit.
Translating physiological signals to changes in feeding behaviour in mammals and the future effects of global climate change
Authors: Moore Ben D. , Wiggins Natasha L. , Marsh Karen J. , Dearing M. Denise , Foley William J.
Published: February 2015

Mammals cannot avoid ingesting secondary metabolites, often in significant amounts. Thus, their intake must be regulated to avoid intoxication. Three broad mechanisms have been described by which this can be achieved. These are conditioned aversions mediated by nausea, non-conditioned aversions and the recognition of limits to detoxification. Although there is some overlap between these, we know little about the way that mechanisms of toxin avoidance interact with regulation of nutrient intake and whether one has priority over the other. Nonetheless, regulation of meal length and inter-meal length allows the intake of some plant secondary metabolites to be matched with an animal’s capacity for detoxification and its nutritional requirements. Toxicity itself is not a fixed limitation and recent work suggests that ambient temperature can be a major determinant of the toxicity of plant secondary metabolites, largely through effects on liver function. These effects are likely to be of major importance in predicting the impact of global climate change on herbivores.
Continuous bite monitoring: a method to assess the foraging dynamics of herbivores in natural grazing conditions
Authors: Bonnet Olivier J. F. , Meuret Michel , Tischler Marcelo R. , Cezimbra Ian M. , Azambuja Julio C. R. , Carvalho Paulo C. F.
Published: February 2015

Accurate estimates of bite mass and variations in the short-term intake rate of grazing herbivores has been historically considered as a fundamental methodological difficulty, a difficulty that increases with the complexity of the feeding environment. Improving these methodologies will help understand foraging behaviours in natural grazing conditions, where habitat structure and interactions among different forages influence feeding decisions and patterns. During the past 30 years, we have been developing the ‘continuous bite-monitoring’ method, an observational method that allows continuous assessment of foraging behaviours, including bite mass, instantaneous intake rate and food selection, in simple to complex feeding environments. The centrepiece of the method is a ‘bite-coding grid’ where bites are categorised by structural attributes of the forage to reflect differences in bite masses. Over the years, we have been using this method with goats, sheep, llamas and cattle across a range of different habitats. After reviewing the development of the method, we detail its planning and execution in the field. We illustrate the method with a study from southern Brazilian native Pampa grassland, showing how changes in the forages consumed by heifers strongly affect short-term intake rate during meals. Finally, we emphasise the importance of studying animals grazing in their natural environments to first identify the relevant processes that can later be tested in controlled experiments.
Can animal performance be predicted from short-term grazing processes?
Authors: Carvalho P. C. F. , Bremm C. , Mezzalira J. C. , Fonseca L. , da Trindade J. K. , Bonnet O. J. F. , Tischler M. , Genro T. C. M. , Nabinger C. , Laca E. A.
Published: February 2015

Despite all the biotic and abiotic factors affecting foraging by ruminants, there is a common and fundamental process, which is bite gathering. We hypothesised that because the mechanics of bite formation dominate the foraging process, changes in short-term bite mass are reflected in longer-term animal performance across a wide range of sward conditions. We focus at the meal level of foraging, using experiments in which the effect of abiotic factors and digestive constrains are minimised, making intake rate the main currency. We estimated bite mass across a wide range of structural challenges to large-herbivore foraging in a long-term experiment with heterogeneous native grasslands. A conceptual model was developed for average daily gain, where energy gain and energy costs were proximate causal variables. Energy gain was a function of diet quality and components of daily intake rate, where bite mass was the main component estimated. In turn, components of intake rate were determined by sward structure and bodyweight. Energy costs were a function of bodyweight and abiotic conditions. Finally, sward structure, bodyweight and abiotic conditions were determined by experimental treatments, seasons and years. Then, the conceptual model was translated into statistical models that included variables measured or estimated, and coefficients representing all links in the conceptual model. Weight gain was a function of bite mass, forage characteristics, and animal and abiotic conditions. Models were set up to test whether forage and stocking conditions affected monthly gain beyond the effects through bite mass, after correcting for abiotic factors. Forage mass, height and disappearance did help predict monthly gain after bite mass was included in the model, which supported our hypothesis. However, stocking treatments and season had significant effects not incorporated in bite mass. Although the model explained 77.9% of liveweight gain variation, only 35.2% was due to fixed effects, with 10.8% accounted by bite mass and its interactions. Concomitant experiments showed that sward structure (first with sward height and the second with tussock cover) does determine bite mass and short-term intake rate in the complex native grasslands we studied. Yet, other temporal varying components of monthly gain not correlated with bite mass, temperature or wind, added most of the observed variation in monthly animal performance. Part of the model failure to account for variation in performance may be related to a significant and temporally variable grazing of tussocks. We used a bite mass model that assumed no tussock grazing. In light of these results and a parallel experiment, we conclude that tussock grazing must be incorporated in future versions of the model.
Synthesis: foraging decisions link plants, herbivores and human beings
Authors: Provenza F. D. , Gregorini P. , Carvalho P. C. F.
Published: February 2015

Herbivores make decisions about where to forage and what combinations and sequences of foods to eat, integrating influences that span generations, with choices manifest daily within a lifetime. These influences begin in utero and early in life; they emerge daily from interactions among internal needs and contexts unique to biophysical and social environments; and they link the cells of plants with the palates of herbivores and humans. This synthesis summarises papers in the special issue of Animal Production Science that explore emerging understanding of these dynamics, and suggests implications for future research that can help people manage livestock for the benefit of landscapes and people by addressing (1) how primary and secondary compounds in plants interact physiologically with cells and organs in animals to influence food selection, (2) temporal and spatial patterns of foraging behaviours that emerge from these interactions in the form of meal dynamics across landscapes, (3) ways humans can manage foraging behaviours and the dynamics of meals for ecological, economic and social benefits, and (4) models of foraging behaviour that integrate the aforementioned influences.
Molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of the novel BK channel opener GoSlo: Involvement of the S4/S5 linker and the S6 segment
Authors: Webb Timothy I. , Kshatri Aravind Singh , Large Roddy J. , Akande Adebola Morayo , Roy Subhrangsu , Sergeant Gerard P. , McHale Noel G. , Thornbury Keith D. , Hollywood Mark A.
Published: February 2015

Significance

Large-conductance Ca
2+
-activated K
+
(BK) calcium-activated potassium channels alter the excitability of a wide variety of cells including nerves and muscle. These channels are potential targets to treat diseases such as overactive bladder, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction. We have shown that a novel compound called GoSlo opens these channels and this effect is blocked when three mutations are introduced. The identification of this potential interaction site may permit the development of more potent, efficacious BK channel modulators to help treat the above diseases.
Gold–silica quantum rattles for multimodal imaging and therapy
Authors: Hembury Mathew , Chiappini Ciro , Bertazzo Sergio , Kalber Tammy L. , Drisko Glenna L. , Ogunlade Olumide , Walker-Samuel Simon , Krishna Katla Sai , Jumeaux Coline , Beard Paul , Kumar Challa S. S. R. , Porter Alexandra E. , Lythgoe Mark F. , Boissière Cédric , Sanchez Clément , Stevens Molly M.
Published: February 2015

Significance

Therapeutic and diagnostic nanoparticles combine multiple functionalities to improve efficacy of treatment but often require assembling complex systems at the expense of overall performance. Here we present a simple strategy to synthesize a hybrid, rattle-like, gold–silica nanoparticle that very efficiently combines therapy and imaging in an animal model. The nanoparticle design is uniquely centered on enabling the use of gold quantum dots (<2 nm) in biological systems. The resulting nanoparticles are highly biocompatible and display emergent photonic and magnetic properties matching and in some instances outperforming state-of-the-art nanotechnology-based medical agents for each of the functionalities investigated, promising a tighter integration between imaging and therapy.
Muskellunge Spawning Site Selection in Northern Wisconsin Lakes and a GIS-Based Predictive Habitat Model
Authors: Nohner Joel K. , Diana James S.
Published: February 2015

Spawning habitat degradation has been linked to declines in naturally reproducing Muskellunge Esox masquinongy populations, and managers require efficient methods to identify and protect these habitats. We collected spawning habitat data from 28 lakes in northern Wisconsin to determine Muskellunge spawning habitat selection and to create a GIS-based model for predicting the locations of spawning sites. Spawning site selection by Muskellunge may be more complex than previously thought. Muskellunge showed selection for spawning in habitats with a sheltered effective fetch and east-facing shorelines. The strongest selection was for habitats with a combination of moderate slope, small flats, and concave bathymetric curvature. Muskellunge selected against steeply sloping shorelines; very large areas of shallow flats; developed shorelines; herbaceous wetlands; and complex-leafed submersed aquatic vegetation. Lake trophic status appears to interact with other habit variables to determine spawning site selection; sites without submersed aquatic vegetation were more strongly selected in eutrophic lakes than in other lake types. A GIS model of spawning site selection was created using the machine learning program MaxEnt (Maximum Entropy Modeling). The model predicted that Muskellunge would spawn in areas with moderately sheltered effective fetches, moderate to small areas of shallow flats, away from outflowing streams, and (to a lesser extent) along shorelines facing east or west. The model was tested on novel lakes using area-under-the-curve (AUC) analysis, in which values ranged from 0.5 (predictions no better than random) to 1.0 (perfect assignment). The mean AUCtest value (i.e., the expectation of model performance for a novel lake) was 0.637 (SD = 0.12). When the model was used to designate the best 20% of available spawning habitat area for Muskellunge in each lake (based on the relative probability of spawning), that area contained 32% of the spawning sites. The model provides an efficient method for management agencies and conservation groups to use in designating spawning habitat for conservation and in communicating with the public through spawning habitat maps.

Received January 26, 2014; accepted October 7, 2014
Seasonal Migration Behaviors and Distribution of Adult Pacific Lampreys in Unimpounded Reaches of the Snake River Basin
Authors: McIlraith Brian J. , Caudill Christopher C. , Kennedy Brian P. , Peery Christopher A. , Keefer Matthew L.
Published: February 2015

Complex life histories render anadromous fishes particularly susceptible to environmental and anthropogenic change. Adult Pacific Lampreys Entosphenus tridentatus migrating in the Columbia River and its tributaries must ascend a series of dams to reach interior spawning sites. While considerable research has focused on improving dam passage for lampreys, little is known about adult Pacific Lamprey behavior and distribution patterns within free-flowing environments, particularly within the interior portions of their distribution. In this 3-year study, we monitored the movements of 146 adult Pacific Lampreys in the Snake River and its tributaries upstream from Lower Granite Dam, the eighth dam from the Pacific Ocean. Our objectives were to characterize migration and test several hypotheses about adult upstream movement after dam passage. A majority of radio-tagged adults, released above Lower Granite Dam, migrated upstream after release and many moved hundreds of kilometers upstream into Snake River tributaries. Of those with telemetry records after release, 59–70% were recorded in the Clearwater River, 16–25% were in the Snake River, and 13–16% were in the Salmon River. Lampreys that passed the Snake River–Clearwater River confluence were significantly more likely, in most years, to enter the lower-discharge Clearwater River. Adults moved primarily at night during the summer–fall migration and did not exhibit a consistent response to changes in water temperature or discharge. These findings highlight the importance of the Clearwater River to Pacific Lampreys in the lower Snake River basin and indicate that adults that successfully pass through the Columbia–Snake hydrosystem can continue upstream migration into many Snake River subbasins. This distribution suggests that improved passage efficiency at dams may increase the number of adult Pacific Lampreys available for spawning within the interior portions of their distribution.

Received May 12, 2014; accepted November 5, 2014
Berlusconi's impact and legacy: political parties and the party system
Authors: Donovan Mark
Published: February 2015

Silvio Berlusconi impacted massively on Italy's party politics. He restructured the right via Forza Italia and the People of Freedom co-creating a bipolar party system whilst championing a radical personalisation of politics. The new party system appeared to rotate around him, creating an unusual version of ‘moderate pluralism’. Thus, whilst there was government alternation, there was also gladiatorial confrontation more typical of ‘polarised pluralism’. More effective as an electoral mobiliser than a government leader, Berlusconi's fourth government collapsed in the face of the 2011 economic crisis. His party, whose institutionalisation had been prevented by the extreme personalisation of his leadership, began to fall apart, whilst voter disillusion boosted support for a new party, the Five Star Movement. By 2014, it appeared that Berlusconi's major legacies were the rise of Matteo Renzi, the new Prime Minister and leader of the Democratic Party; his failure to construct an enduring, moderate conservative party; and the exceptional success of the Five Star Movement.
The features, impact and legacy of Berlusconi's campaigning techniques, language and style
Authors: Vaccari Cristian
Published: February 2015

This essay empirically evaluates three aspects of Berlusconi's legacy for Italian political communication: his pioneering of political marketing and modern electioneering; his ability to appropriate and popularise his particular rhetorical formulae; and his approach to increasingly relevant digital media. Berlusconi skilfully imported professional televised-centric campaigning in Italy, opening a wide competitive gap that his centre-left opponents took two decades to close. He also managed deeply to influence political discourse by spreading his signature catchphrases among most journalists and politicians, including his opponents. He was, however, less innovative, and generally outperformed by his main competitors, in the use of digital media to inform and engage voters. These findings suggest that Berlusconi's impact on Italian political communication has been massive, but his legacy may be less lasting to the extent that media and electioneering are evolving towards models that differ from those dominated by Berlusconi.
Review of Twitter for Infectious Diseases Clinicians: Useful or a Waste of Time?
Authors: Goff Debra A. , Kullar Ravina , Newland Jason G.
Published: February 2015

Twitter is a social networking service that has emerged as a valuable tool for healthcare professionals (HCPs). It is the only platform that allows one to connect, engage, learn, and educate oneself and others in real time on a global scale. HCPs are using social media tools to communicate, educate, and engage with their peers worldwide. Twitter allows HCPs to deliver easily accessible “real-time” clinical information on a global scale. Twitter has more than 500 million active users who generate more than 58 million tweets and 2.1 billion search queries every day. Here, we explain why Twitter is important, how and when an infectious diseases (ID) HCP should use Twitter, the impact it has in disseminating ID news, and its educational value. We also describe various tools within Twitter, such as Twitter Chat, that connect and bond HCPs on a specific topic. Twitter may help ID HCPs teach others about the global responsible use of antimicrobials in a world of escalating antimicrobial resistance.
Moral Hazard and Government Guarantees in the Banking Industry
‡‡
Authors: Allen Franklin , Carletti Elena , Goldstein Itay , Leonello Agnese
Published: February 2015

The massive use of public funds in the financial sector and the large costs for taxpayers are often used to justify the idea that public intervention should be limited. This conclusion is based on the idea that government guarantees always induce financial institutions to take excessive risk. In this article, we challenge this conventional view and argue that it relies on some specific assumptions made in the existing literature on government guarantees and on a number of modelling choices. We review the theory of government guarantees by highlighting and discussing the role that these underlying assumptions play in the assessment of the desirability and effectiveness of government guarantees and propose a new framework for thinking about them.
Indirect evidence of GeV dark matter
Authors: Chan Man Ho
Published: February 2015

Recently, an excess of GeV gamma-ray near the Galactic Centre has been reported. The spectrum obtained can be best fitted with the annihilation of 30–40 GeV dark matter particles through $b \bar{b}$ channel. In this Letter, I show that this annihilation model can also solve the mysteries of heating source in X-ray plasma and the unexpected high gamma-ray luminosity. The cross-section constrained by these observations give excellent agreements with both the predicted range by using Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) data and the canonical thermal relic abundance cross-section.
Systemic Inflammatory Response during Cardiac Surgery: A Pilot Study
Authors: Fitzgerald David C. , Holmes Sari D. , Onge John R. St. , Ioanou Chidima , Martin Lisa M. , Ad Niv
Published: February 2015

Objective

There is a growing body of evidence indicating that perioperative fluid management during cardiac surgery influences patient care and outcome. The choice of fluid therapy and the degree of systemic inflammatory response triggered during surgery control the effects of tissue edema formation and end-organ function. As such, “goal-directed” fluid resuscitation protocols that measure colloid osmotic pressure (COP) may promote improvements in patient morbidity and mortality.

Methods

Thirty patients scheduled for primary coronary artery bypass grafting were prospectively randomized for perioperative fluid treatment under COP guidance [albumin (ALB), n = 17] or conventional fluid protocols without COP support (control, n = 13). Whole-blood samples were drawn at four different time intervals including (A) anesthesia induction, (B) 10 minutes after the initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass, (C) at the completion of sternal skin approximation, and (D) 3 hours after admission to the cardiac intensive care unit. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-8 were measured by immunometric, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays as well as C-reactive protein. Colloid osmotic pressure values were measured using a colloid osmometer.

Results

As compared with conventional fluid protocols, the patients treated in the intervention (ALB) group received significantly less total perioperative fluid [7893.6 (1874.5) vs 10,754.8 (2403.9), P = 0.001], and this relationship remained after controlling for age, sex, and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk score (β = −0.5, t = −3.1, P = 0.005). Colloid osmotic pressure values were significantly higher in the ALB group at time point D after surgery (P= 0.03). There were no significant differences in IL-6, IL-8, and C-reactive protein values between the groups at any of the time blood draw intervals. Perioperative outcomes were evaluated by treatment group. For both groups, the incidence of perioperative morbidity was low and did not differ by treatment group.

Conclusions

The use of COP-guided fluid resuscitation was associated with a significant reduction in perioperative fluid demand. However, patients prescribed to COP-guided fluid therapy did not experience a reduction in whole-body inflammation or improved surgical outcome as compared with conventional fluid management techniques.
Safety Perceptions of Health Care Leaders in 2 Canadian Academic Acute Care Centers
Authors: Goldstein David H. , Nyce James M. , Van Den Kerkhof Elizabeth G.
Published: February 2015

Objectives

An estimated 7.4% of patients admitted to acute care facilities in Canada experience injury or death due to health care mishaps, and 38% of these events are deemed preventable. Commitment of executive leaders to a culture of safety is important for the reduction of risk to Canadian patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the safety climate from a leader's perspective in 2 Canadian acute care settings, with attention paid to high reliability organization (HRO) principles.

Methods

The Patient Safety Culture in Healthcare Organizations questionnaire was administered to leaders in 2 acute care hospitals in Ontario between June and January 2009. The primary outcome measures were senior leadership support for safety and supervisory leadership support for safety. Misalignment between the safety climate and HRO principles was defined as greater than 10% of respondents reporting problematic or neutral leadership support for safety.

Results

Of the 142 respondents (67% response rate), both medical/nursing leaders and tertiary care clinical leaders were significantly more likely than board/administrative leaders to report problematic/neutral responses. Overall, executive leadership perceptions of the safety climate were not aligned with HRO principles.

Conclusions

The significant differences in response between board/administrative leaders and those involved in frontline patient care suggest that a weak safety culture exists in these 2 health care organizations. The cultivation of a stronger organizational safety culture, in alignment with HRO principles, could lead to lower rates of preventable mishaps and support risk identification and mitigation in perioperative settings.
Approaching birds with drones: first experiments and ethical guidelines
Authors: Vas Elisabeth , Lescroël Amélie , Duriez Olivier , Boguszewski Guillaume , Grémillet David
Published: February 2015

Unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly called drones, are being increasingly used in ecological research, in particular to approach sensitive wildlife in inaccessible areas. Impact studies leading to recommendations for best practices are urgently needed. We tested the impact of drone colour, speed and flight angle on the behavioural responses of mallards
Anas platyrhynchos
in a semi-captive situation, and of wild flamingos (
Phoenicopterus roseus
) and common greenshanks (
Tringa nebularia
) in a wetland area. We performed 204 approach flights with a quadricopter drone, and during 80% of those we could approach unaffected birds to within 4 m. Approach speed, drone colour and repeated flights had no measurable impact on bird behaviour, yet they reacted more to drones approaching vertically. We recommend launching drones farther than 100 m from the birds and adjusting approach distance according to species. Our study is a first step towards a sound use of drones for wildlife research. Further studies should assess the impacts of different drones on other taxa, and monitor physiological indicators of stress in animals exposed to drones according to group sizes and reproductive status.
Stay or stray? Evidence for alternative mating strategy phenotypes in both men and women
Authors: Wlodarski Rafael , Manning John , Dunbar R. I. M.
Published: February 2015

In all comparative analyses, humans always fall on the borderline between obligate monogamy and polygamy. Here, we use behavioural indices (sociosexuality) and anatomical indices (prenatal testosterone exposure indexed by 2D : 4D digit ratio) from three human populations to show that this may be because there are two distinct phenotypes in both sexes. While males are more promiscuous and display higher prenatal testosterone exposure than females overall, our analyses also suggest that the within-sex variation of these variables is best described by two underlying mixture models, suggesting the presence of two phenotypes with a monogamous/promiscuous ratio that slightly favours monogamy in females and promiscuity in males. The presence of two phenotypes implies that mating strategy might be under complex frequency-dependent selection.
Fluid fragmentation shapes rain-induced foliar disease transmission
Authors: Gilet T. , Bourouiba L.
Published: February 2015

Plant diseases represent a growing threat to the global food supply. The factors contributing to pathogen transmission from plant to plant remain poorly understood. Statistical correlations between rainfalls and plant disease outbreaks were reported; however, the detailed mechanisms linking the two were relegated to a black box. In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we focus on the impact dynamics of raindrops on infected leaves, one drop at a time. We find that the deposition range of most of the pathogen-bearing droplets is constrained by a hydrodynamical condition and we quantify the effect of leaf size and compliance on such constraint. Moreover, we identify and characterize two dominant fluid fragmentation scenarios as responsible for the dispersal of most pathogen-bearing droplets emitted from infected leaves: (i) the
crescent-moon ejection
is driven by the direct interaction between the impacting raindrop and the contaminated sessile drop and (ii) the
inertial detachment
is driven by the motion imparted to the leaf by the raindrop, leading to catapult-like droplet ejections. We find that at first, decreasing leaf size or increasing compliance reduces the range of pathogen-bearing droplets and the subsequent epidemic onset efficiency. However, this conclusion only applies for the crescent moon ejection. Above a certain compliance threshold a more effective mechanism of contaminated fluid ejection, the inertial detachment, emerges. This compliance threshold is determined by the ratio between the leaf velocity and the characteristic velocity of fluid fragmentation. The inertial detachment mechanism enhances the range of deposition of the larger contaminated droplets and suggests a change in epidemic onset pattern and a more efficient potential of infection of neighbouring plants. Dimensionless parameters and scaling laws are provided to rationalize our observations. Our results link for the first time the mechanical properties of foliage with the onset dynamics of foliar epidemics through the lens of fluid fragmentation. We discuss how the reported findings can inform the design of mitigation strategies acting at the early stage of a foliar disease outbreak.
Branching instability in expanding bacterial colonies
Authors: Giverso Chiara , Verani Marco , Ciarletta Pasquale
Published: February 2015

Self-organization in developing living organisms relies on the capability of cells to duplicate and perform a collective motion inside the surrounding environment. Chemical and mechanical interactions coordinate such a cooperative behaviour, driving the dynamical evolution of the macroscopic system. In this work, we perform an analytical and computational analysis to study pattern formation during the spreading of an initially circular bacterial colony on a Petri dish. The continuous mathematical model addresses the growth and the chemotactic migration of the living monolayer, together with the diffusion and consumption of nutrients in the agar. The governing equations contain four dimensionless parameters, accounting for the interplay among the chemotactic response, the bacteria–substrate interaction and the experimental geometry. The spreading colony is found to be always linearly unstable to perturbations of the interface, whereas branching instability arises in finite-element numerical simulations. The typical length scales of such fingers, which align in the radial direction and later undergo further branching, are controlled by the size parameters of the problem, whereas the emergence of branching is favoured if the diffusion is dominant on the chemotaxis. The model is able to predict the experimental morphologies, confirming that compact (resp. branched) patterns arise for fast (resp. slow) expanding colonies. Such results, while providing new insights into pattern selection in bacterial colonies, may finally have important applications for designing controlled patterns.
Promoting effect of 1,25(OH)
2
vitamin D
3
in osteogenic differentiation from induced pluripotent stem cells to osteocyte-like cells
Authors: Kato Hiroshi , Ochiai-Shino Hiromi , Onodera Shoko , Saito Akiko , Shibahara Takahiko , Azuma Toshifumi
Published: February 2015

We recently reported a new method to purify the induced pluripotent stem (iPS)-derived osteoprogenitors (iPSop). In this paper, we optimized the procedure and characterized cells at each process step. We observed that 10 days of treatment with FGF-2, IGF-1 and TGF-β (FIT) resulted in early-phase osteoblasts and 14 days of treatment resulted in late-phase osteoblasts. We found that treatment with 1,25(OH)
2
vitamin D
3
increased expression of osteocalcin and decreased expression of tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) in iPSop-day14 cells (cells treated with FIT for 14 days). Therefore, iPSop-day14 cells were promoted to mature osteoblasts by 1,25(OH)
2
vitamin D
3
treatment. In addition, we found that 1,25(OH)
2
vitamin D
3
treatment for 14 days enhanced not only mineralization but also expression of osteocyte markers, including dentin matrix protein-1 and fibroblast growth factor-23, in iPSop cells. Therefore, 1,25(OH)
2
vitamin D
3
is a potent promoter of osteoblast–osteocyte transition. The results of this study suggest that it is possible to evaluate both early- and late-phase osteoblasts and to apply cells to drug screening for anabolic drugs that stimulate bone formation.
Extension of shelf-life in golden needle mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) according to pressure composition packaging using oriented polypropylene film
Authors: Lim Sooyeon , Hong Yoon Pyo , Lee Eun Jin , Kim Jongkee , Lee Ji Hyun , Choi Ji Weon
Published: February 2015

The shelf-life of fresh mushrooms is notably limited because their browning, texture change, and decay are too fast after immediately harvest. Especially, the best management for extending golden needle mushroom’s shelf-life is modified atmosphere packaging under pressure vacuum at cold storage. In this study, three types of films, 20 μm polyethylene+polypropylene (PE+PP), oriented polypropylene (OPP), and low density polyethylene (LDPE) were tested to extend the shelf-life of golden needle mushrooms. Mushrooms were packed under pressure vacuum and stored at 10 °C for 2 weeks. The golden mushrooms in LDPE film as a commercial packaging, were highly perishable and immediately proceed deterioration as browning, elongation, fluctuation of respiratory quotient (RQ) and softening within 7 days after packaging. On the other hand, the mushrooms in OPP and PE+PP film shown that shelf-life were extend to 14 days from 7 days, causing delay breakup of vacuum and maintenance of color, length, and RQ during storage. The breakup of vacuum in PE+PP film was faster few days than OPP film packaging. This present study indicated that the golden needle mushrooms by OPP packaging under pressure vacuum treatment might be extended the shelf-life until approximately 14 days during cold storage.
Nutritional quality of Peucedanum japonicum Thunb. leaves in relation to ripening time, growing condition and blanching
Authors: Jin Yong-Xie , Cho Young-Sook , Choi Youngmin
Published: February 2015

This work aimed to investigate the changes in the nutrient contents and antioxidant activity of Peucedanum japonicum Thunb. by ripening stage, growing condition, and blanching. The crude protein content of the young leaves (3.6~4.3%) was higher than that of the mature leaves (3.1~3.9%). Higher calcium contents were observed in the greenhouse-cultivated samples (225.9~259.2 mg/100 g) compared to the field-cultivated samples (178.5~199.5 mg/100 g). The vitamin C and folate contents (18.1~83.8 and 175.8~220.2 mg/100 g, respectively) of the field-cultivated samples were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those of the greenhouse-cultivated samples (13.1~57.7 and 133.0~148.8 mg/100 g, respectively). The growing condition and blanching were significant factors affecting the changes in the vitamin and polyphenol contents. The β carotene contents of the blanched samples increased 2.6-fold compared to those of the raw samples. The total polyphenol contents (10.2~17.1 mg/g extract) and DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50=2.0~3.0 mg/ml) of the blanched samples were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those of the raw samples (1.8~4.3 and IC50=16.2~21.1 mg/ml, respectively).
Nutritional compositions and antioxidative activities of two blueberry varieties cultivated in South Korea
Authors: Song Hyo-Nam , Park Myoung-Su , Youn Ho-Sik , Park Sung-Jin , Hogstrand Christer
Published: February 2015

The nutritional compositions and antioxidative activities of the Kimcheon lowbush and Pyungtaek highbush blueberries cultivated in South Korea were investigated. The approximate compositions, pH, and soluble-solid and mineral contents of P, Ca, Mg, Na, and Zn were determined. Both blueberry cultivars had mainly fructose and glucose as free sugars while disaccharides such as sucrose, maltose, and lactose were not detected in both. Oleic, linoleic, and linolenic fatty acids were the major fatty acids in both types of blueberries. The total of 16 free amino acids, including seven essential and nine non-essential amino acids, were higher in the Pyungtaek highbush blueberry. Among the amino acids, arginine was especially much higher in the Pyungtaek highbush blueberry. The anthocyanin, resveratrol, and polyphenol compounds, which are the important biologically active compounds in blueberries, were found. The anthocyanin contents of the Kimcheon lowbush and Pyungtaek highbush blueberries were 22.0 and 18.1 mg/100 g, respectively; the resveratrol contents by HPLC, 0.12 and 0.11 mg/100 g; and the total polyphenol contents, 141.3 and 138.4 mg/100 g. The electron-donating ability determined based on the DPPH radical scavenging activity was increased in a concentration-dependent manner, and it was higher than that of the Pyungtaek highbush blueberries, which implies that it is highly correlated with the higher amounts of total polyphenol, anthocyanin, and resveratrol in it. In conclusion, the two varieties of Korean blueberries can be suggested as potential sources of high-value-added functional foods.
Quality characteristics of muffins added with Pholiota adiposa powder
Authors: Noh Jae-Gwan , Yoon Hyang-Sik , Oh Eun Young , Kim Ji Won , Kim Sang Hee , Kim Yee Gi , Han Nam Soo , Eom Hyun-Ju
Published: February 2015

This study was carried out to investigate the quality characteristics of muffins with added Pholiota adiposa powder. Muffins were prepared with different amounts of Pholiota adiposa powder (in 0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 15% ratios to the flour quantity). For analyzing the quality characteristics during the manufacturing of muffins, the pH, moisture content, dough density, height, specific volume, baking loss, texture, color, antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content, and sensory test results were determined. As the Pholiota adiposa powder content increased, the moisture content of the muffins decreased from 26.72 to 22.56%. The hardness of the muffins was increased with increasing Pholiota adiposa powder content, with the muffins with 15% Pholiota adiposa powder the hardest among all the samples. The inner color of the muffins, particularly the L and b values, decreased with increasing powder content compared to those of the control, but the a value increased. As the Pholiota adiposa powder content increased, the antioxidant activity and total polyphenol content of the muffins also increased. In the sensory evaluation, the muffins with 5% Pholiota adiposa powder showed higher values than the control and the other samples in all aspects, showing that 5% Pholiota adiposa powder could be incorporated into muffins to meet the taste and functional needs of the consumers.
Reduction in the contents of acetaldehyde, methanol and fusel alcohols in the Muscat Bailey A wine fermented by Korean indigenous sugar-tolerant yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae S13 and D8
Authors: Kim Mi-Sun , Park Heui-Dong
Published: February 2015

Muscat Bailey A (MBA) wine was fermented using the indigenous Korean Saccahromyces cerevisiae strains S13 and D8, and the fermentation characteristics were compared with those of S. cerevisiae W-3, an industrial wine yeast. The strains S13 and D8 showed delayed alcohol fermentation compared with the W-3 strain, but the final alcohol contents of the S13 and D8 wines after fermentation were similar to those of the W-3 wine. The S13 wine showed significantly lower malic-acid content than the W-3 wine, but the D8 wine showed a similar level. Both the wines fermented using the S13 and D8 strains showed significantly lower acetaldehyde, methanol, and fusel oil contents, including n-propanol, iso-butyl alcohol, and iso-amyl alcohol, compared to the W-3 wine. Especially, the methanol content was 98.6 mg/L in the S13 wine and 112.0 mg/L in the D8 wine, which were much lower than 192.8 mg/L in the W-3 wine. The S13 wine obtained the highest score in terms of color among the three wines in the sensory evaluation, with lower Hunter’s L, a, and b values compared to the W-3 wine.
Fermentation characteristics of mulberry (Cudrania tricuspidata) fruits produced using microbes isolated from traditional fermented food, and development of fermented soybean food
Authors: Lee Eun-Sil , Jo Seung-Wha , Yim Eun-Jung , Kim Yun-Sun , Park Hae-Suk , Kim Myung-Kon , Cho Sung-Ho
Published: February 2015

The aim of this study was to develop a new functional traditional fermented soybean food using Cudrania tricuspidata fruits and fermentation microbes isolated from traditional fermented food. Aspergillus oryzae koji, LactoBacillus sp., and Bacillus sp. were used for the selection of a suitable microbe for the fermentation of Cudrania tricuspidata fruits, and as a result, Bacillus licheniformis SCDB 1234 was selected. SCDB 1234 enhanced the concentration of kaempferol in the Cudrania tricuspidata fruits from 9.54 to 217.04 μg/g (about 22 times). The DPPH radical scavenging activity of the fermented materials was similar to that of BHA and BHT (92~99 ppm). The tyrosinase inhibitory activity was high with arbutin (95 ppm) and kojic acid (90 ppm). Doenjang-added fermentation materials of the Cudrania tricuspidata fruits were developed, and the organic acid, reducing sugar, and free amino acid of the developed Doenjang were analyzed. The pancreatic lipase inhibitory (PLI) activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory (AGI) activity of the fermentation materials of the Cudrania tricuspidata fruits and the developed Doenjang were investigated, and it was found that after fermentation, the PLI and AGI activities of the fermentation materials of the Cudrania tricuspidata fruits were higher than those before fermentation, and that the AGI activity of the developed Doenjang after aging (91.25±0.04%) was higher than that before aging (84.89±0.08%).