bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crystal structure of importin‐α bound to a peptide bearing the nuclear localisation signal from chloride intracellular channel protein 4
Authors: Mynott Andrew V. , Harrop Stephen J. , Brown Louise J. , Breit Samuel N. , Kobe Bostjan , Curmi Paul M. G.
Published: March 2011

It has been reported that a human chloride intracellular channel (CLIC) protein, CLIC4, translocates to the nucleus in response to cellular stress, facilitated by a putative CLIC4 nuclear localization signal (NLS). The CLIC4 NLS adopts an α‐helical structure in the native CLIC4 fold. It is proposed that CLIC4 is transported to the nucleus via the classical nuclear import pathway after binding the import receptor, importin‐α. In this study, we have determined the X‐ray crystal structure of a truncated form of importin‐α lacking the importin‐β binding domain, bound to a CLIC4 NLS peptide. The NLS peptide binds to the major binding site in an extended conformation similar to that observed for the classical simian virus 40 large T‐antigen NLS. A Tyr residue within the CLIC4 NLS makes surprisingly favourable interactions by forming side‐chain hydrogen bonds to the importin‐α backbone. This structural evidence supports the hypothesis that CLIC4 translocation to the nucleus is governed by the importin‐α nuclear import pathway, provided that CLIC4 can undergo a conformational rearrangement that exposes the NLS in an extended conformation.

Database
 Structural data are available in the protein Data Bank under the accession number 3OQS.

Structured digital abstract

CLIC4
 and importin alpha bind by x‐ray crystallography (View interaction)
EFFECT OF PARTICLE DENSITY AND COMPOSITION ON MIXTURES DURING NONELECTROSTATIC AND ELECTROSTATIC POWDER COATING
Authors: SOMBOONVECHAKARN CHANUN , BARRINGER SHERYL A.
Published: March 2011

Nonelectrostatic and electrostatic coating processes cause the proportion of each powder in a mixture to be different on the target than in the initial mixture. First, some loss of powder occurs during the targeting step; thus, not all of the powder lands on the target. This targeting loss is caused by the individual powder characteristics and interactions that occur between powders in the mixture. Also, an uneven distribution is produced on the target because of the way the powder is dispersed. Finally, adhesion loss occurs on the target, also because of individual and mixture characteristics. During nonelectrostatic coating, a mixture of fine NaCl and starch particles changed in proportion due to the differences between individual targeting, and mixture adhesion, losses. Little change in proportion occurred in the coarse NaCl and starch mixture. During electrostatic coating of both mixtures, proportions changed because of differences between individual adhesion losses.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Food coatings usually consist of mixtures of powders with different densities and compositions, which cause separation of the powders. For maximum consumer acceptance, the powder should be evenly coated on the surface, with the same proportion of ingredients as in the original powder. In fine powder mixtures, during nonelectrostatic coating, targeting loss is the biggest cause of separation. Therefore, when mixtures of different density and composition are used, the coating systems need to be designed to minimize the targeting loss difference between the powders. Electrostatic coating reduced targeting loss of the fine powders by a large amount; therefore, it is one way to decrease separation. Electrostatic coating of both mixtures had high adhesion loss; therefore, the electrostatic coating system needs to be designed to minimize adhesion loss, such as by addition of oil or other tack agents, when powder mixtures are coated.
FRYING CHARACTERISTICS OF CASHEW SPLITS
Authors: LATHA R. BABY , NAGAPRABHA P. , BHAT K.K. , BHATTACHARYA SUVENDU
Published: March 2011

Split cashew kernels are subjected to frying at different temperatures (140–180C) and time of frying (0–240 s), and different product attributes such as color, texture and sensory attributes have been determined. The dominant wavelength or hue of raw cashew sample is 593.2 nm, while it varies between 593.0 and 600.6 nm for fried samples. Brightness decreases due to frying, while chroma increases markedly. The instrumental texture parameters are characterized by indices like maximum force, firmness, energy for shearing, engineering strain at shear failure and the number of major fractures prior to complete shearing. Raw cashew shows higher maximum force values compared with fried samples, while the latter exhibits brittleness as evidenced by more number of major fractures prior to shearing compared with the raw sample. The extent of brittleness depends on the conditions of the frying process. Sensory assessments indicate that a frying temperature between 160 and 180C and frying time of 150–180 s produce fried cashew kernel splits of acceptable quality.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Fried cashew is an important snack in the international market mostly for its delicious taste and attractive soft texture. The present paper is focused on the quality attributes of fried cashew splits with particular references to appearance/color, texture and sensory evaluation such that the generated data and findings are useful for the development of cashew nut‐based fried products.
ADHESION OF FOOD POWDERS WITH NONELECTROSTATIC AND ELECTROSTATIC COATING
Authors: HUANG YANG , BARRINGER SHERYL A.
Published: March 2011

This study investigated the effects of powder resistivity, coating voltage, relative humidity (RH) and coating density on adhesion. Cocoa powder with a high resistivity (1.15 × 1013 Ωm) showed a stronger electrostatic adhesion than starch powder with a medium resistivity (2.56 × 1010 Ωm) and NaCl powder with a low resistivity (7.31 × 105 Ωm). The adhesion of starch and cocoa powders coated at 0, 40 and 95 kV increased with increasing voltage. The adhesion at 0 kV should be dominated by the van der Waals force, at 40 and 95 kV by the electrostatic image force and at high RH by capillary force. Theoretical calculations were in the correct range, but the assumptions in those calculations make them unreliable. For nonelectrostatic coating (0 kV), there was no significant change in adhesion when RH increased from 30 to 60%, while adhesion increased when RH increased from 60 to 80%. For electrostatic coating, the adhesion decreased when RH increased from 30 to 60%, but the adhesion at 80% RH was larger than the adhesion at 30 and 60% RH. For both nonelectrostatic and electrostatic coating, the adhesion force decreased as coating density increased to 1.0 mg/cm2, but there was no significant change from 1.0 mg/cm2 to 2.0 mg/cm2.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The adhesion of seasoning powders on snack foods plays an important role in the product quality, but insufficient adhesion between food powders and the surface of snacks results in the seasonings falling off the snacks, leading to a poor distribution and waste of seasonings. This study suggests that the adhesion between food powders and targets can be effectively improved by controlling the properties of the powders, as well as optimizing coating conditions. For example, using food powders with a high resistivity and high voltage during electrostatic coating and increasing relative humidity will increase adhesion.
Developing indicators to detect changes in the seasonality, frequency and duration of medium and high river flows
Authors: Morris S. E. , Cobby D. C. , Donovan B.
Published: March 2011

Indicators specifically designed to detect changes in the seasonality, frequency and duration of medium and high river flows have been developed to monitor river flow regimes. Four primary methods to display and interpret the indicator results have been developed to meet the needs of different target audiences. The variability in annual indicator values is accommodated by comparing the probability distributions of the annual values rather than seeking to identify trends in annual values themselves. Changes in the distribution of indicator values are consistent with those anticipated to arise as a result of climate change. This finding is confirmed by calculating the indicators from example flow data for catchments across England and Wales, which has been perturbed to reflect climate change scenario model outputs.
Vasopressin and social odor processing in the olfactory bulb and anterior olfactory nucleus
Authors: Wacker Douglas W. , Engelmann Mario , Tobin Vicky A. , Meddle Simone L. , Ludwig Mike
Published: March 2011

Central vasopressin facilitates social recognition and modulates numerous complex social behaviors in mammals, including parental behavior, aggression, affiliation, and pair‐bonding. In rodents, social interactions are primarily mediated by the exchange of olfactory information, and there is evidence that vasopressin signaling is important in brain areas where olfactory information is processed. We recently discovered populations of vasopressin neurons in the main and accessory olfactory bulbs and anterior olfactory nucleus that are involved in the processing of social odor cues. In this review, we propose a model of how vasopressin release in these regions, potentially from the dendrites, may act to filter social odor information to facilitate odor‐based social recognition. Finally, we discuss recent human research linked to vasopressin signaling and suggest that our model of priming‐facilitated vasopressin signaling would be a rewarding target for further studies, as a failure of priming may underlie pathological changes in complex behaviors.
Does the pituitary somatotrope play a primary role in regulating GH output in metabolic extremes?
Authors: Luque Raul M. , Gahete Manuel D. , Cordoba‐Chacon Jose , Childs Gwen V. , Kineman Rhonda D.
Published: March 2011

Circulating growth hormone (GH) levels rise in response to nutrient deprivation and fall in states of nutrient excess. Because GH regulates carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism, defining the mechanisms by which changes in metabolism alter GH secretion will aid in our understanding of the cause, progression, and treatment of metabolic diseases. This review will summarize what is currently known regarding the impact of systemic metabolic signals on GH‐axis function. In addition, ongoing studies using the Cre/loxP system to generate mouse models with selective somatotrope resistance to metabolic signals will be discussed, where these models will serve to enhance our understanding of the specific role the somatotrope plays in sensing the metabolic environment and adjusting GH output in metabolic extremes.
Physiopathology of somatolactotroph cells: from transduction mechanisms to cotargeting therapy
Authors: Cuny Thomas , Gerard Corinne , Saveanu Alexandru , Barlier Anne , Enjalbert Alain
Published: March 2011

In pituitary somatolactotroph cells, G protein–coupled receptors and receptor tyrosine kinases binding their specific ligands trigger an enzymatic cascade that converges to MAP kinase activation in the subcellular compartment. Different signaling pathways, such as AC/cAMP/PKA and PI3K/Akt pathways, interact with MAP kinase to regulate key physiological functions, such as hormonal secretion and cell proliferation. Abnormalities affecting these signaling pathways have been identified as preponderant factors of pituitary tumorigenesis. In addition to trans‐sphenoidal surgery, somatostatin analogs are used to control hormonal hypersecretion in GH‐secreting adenomas. However, a subset of these tumors remains uncontrolled with these treatFments, calling for new therapeutic approaches. In these cases, novel multivalent somatostatin analogs or new somatostatin–dopamine chimeric molecules could be of interest. Another attractive therapeutic approach may be to use one or several inhibitors acting downstream in the signaling pathway, such as mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor. Cotargeting therapy and gene therapy are promising tools for these problematic pituitary tumors.
Evolution of POMC: origin, phylogeny, posttranslational processing, and the melanocortins
Authors: Dores Robert M. , Baron Andrea J.
Published: March 2011

The proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene was most likely derived from an ancestral opioid‐coding gene following the 1R chordate genome duplication event. During the radiation of the jawless fish, the POMC organization plan emerged multiple melanocortin sequences (α‐MSH/ACTH and β‐MSH) and a C‐terminally extended opioid sequence (β‐endorphin). Following the 2R genome duplication event, the γ‐MSH sequence was gained. Among the jawed vertebrates, three distinct trends in the evolution of the POMC gene are apparent: the gain of the δ‐MSH sequence (cartilaginous fish), the loss of the γ‐MSH sequence (ray‐finned fish), and the retention of the post 2R POMC organization plan (lobe‐finned fish/tetrapods). POMC is synthesized in the pituitary gland and in neurons of the hypothalamus, where an array of posttranslational processing mechanisms, such as endoproteolytic cleavage and N‐acetylation, generate distinct sets of end‐products in these tissues. A striking feature of the melanocortin end‐products is the rigorous conservation of the primary sequence of α‐MSH and the first 25 amino acids of ACTH.
Neuroendocrinology: a short historical review
Authors: Guillemin Roger
Published: March 2011

A short historical review from the early days of neuroendocrinology is presented recognizing hormones secreted by the pituitary gland; control of its functions by nuclei of the hypothalamus through the release of unknown substances in special capillary vessels; characterization of these releasing factors as peptides; studies of their mode of action; their use in clinical medicine; new and still ongoing demonstration of their ubiquity though not random in the brain and peripheral organs; and recent implications in control of behavior in animals and humans.
Development of the zebrafish hypothalamus
Authors: Machluf Yossy , Gutnick Amos , Levkowitz Gil
Published: March 2011

Hypothalamic neurons regulate fundamental body functions including sleep, blood pressure, temperature, hunger and metabolism, thirst and satiety, stress, and social behavior. This is achieved by means of the secretion of various hypothalamic neuropeptides and neurotransmitters that affect endocrine, metabolic, and behavioral activities. Developmental impairments of hypothalamic neuronal circuits are associated with neurological disorders that disrupt both physiological and psychological homeostasis. Hypothalamic cell specification and morphogenesis can be uniquely studied in zebrafish, a vertebrate organism readily amenable to genetic manipulations. As embryos are optically transparent and develop externally, they provide a powerful tool for in vivo analyses of neurons and their circuits. Here, we discuss the current knowledge regarding the neuroanatomy of the zebrafish hypothalamus and recent studies identifying critical determinants of hypothalamic differentiation. Taken together, these reports demonstrate that the molecular pathways underlying development of the hypothalamus are largely conserved between zebrafish and mammals. We conclude that the zebrafish has proved itself a valuable vertebrate model for understanding the patterning, specification, morphogenesis, and subsequent function of the hypothalamus.
PACAP: a master regulator of neuroendocrine stress circuits and the cellular stress response
Authors: Stroth Nikolas , Holighaus Yvonne , Ait‐Ali Djida , Eiden Lee E.
Published: March 2011

The neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide (PACAP) is released from stress‐transducing neurons. It exerts postsynaptic effects required to complete the hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) and hypothalamo–sympatho–adrenal (HSA) circuits activated by psychogenic and metabolic stressors. Upon activation of these circuits, PACAP‐responsive (in cell culture models) and PACAP‐dependent (in vivo) transcriptomic responses in the adrenal gland, hypothalamus, and pituitary have been identified. Gene products produced in response circuits during stress include additional neuropeptides, neurotransmitter biosynthetic enzymes, and neuroprotective factors. Major portions of HPA and HSA stress responses are abolished in PACAP‐deficient mice. This deficit occurs at the level of both the hypothalamus (HPA axis) and the adrenal medulla (HSA axis). PACAP‐dependent transcriptional stress responses are conveyed through noncanonical cyclic AMP‐ and calcium‐initiated signaling pathways within the HSA circuit. PACAP transcriptional regulation of the HPA axis, in the hypothalamus, is likely to be mediated via canonical cyclic AMP signaling through protein kinase A.
Truncated somatostatin receptors as new players in somatostatin–cortistatin pathophysiology
Authors: Córdoba‐Chacón José , Gahete Manuel D. , Durán‐Prado Mario , Luque Raul M. , Castaño Justo P.
Published: March 2011

Somatostatin (SST) and cortistatin (CORT) act through a family of seven transmembrane domain (TMD) receptors (sst1–5) to govern multiple functions, from growth hormone (GH) secretion to neurotransmission, metabolic homeostasis, gastrointestinal and immune function, and tumor cell growth. Thus, SST analogs are used to treat endocrine/tumoral pathologies. Yet, some SST/CORT actions cannot be explained by their interaction with known ssts. We recently identified novel sst5 variants in human, pig, mouse, and rat that lack one or more TMDs and display unique molecular/functional features: they exhibit distinct tissue distribution, divergent responses to SST/CORT, and intracellular localization as opposed to the typical plasma‐membrane distribution of full‐length ssts. When coexpressed in the same cell, truncated sst5 variants colocalize and physically interact with full‐length ssts, providing a molecular basis to disrupt normal sst2/sst5 functioning. This may explain the inverse correlation between hsst5TMD4 expression in pituitary tumors and octreotide responsiveness in acromegaly. Discovery of these new truncated sst5 variants provides novel insights on SST/CORT/sst pathophysiology and suggests new research avenues for the therapeutic potential of this system.
Extragastrointestinal functions and transcriptional regulation of secretin and secretin receptors
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Lee Leo T. O. , Ng Samuel S. , Chow Billy K. C.
Published: March 2011

The functional role of secretin outside the gastrointestinal system has been a mystery to endocrinologists for many years. With the availability of secretin‐ and secretin receptor‐knockout models and the advances of electrophysiological and immunohistochemical techniques, we are now in a good position to explore the functions of secretin outside the gastrointestinal system. There is growing evidence to support that secretin works pleiotropically at multiple levels in our body. In this paper, we review the recent findings regarding the physiological effects of secretin on extragastrointestinal sites including the cerebellum, the hippocampus, and the hypothalamus–pituitary–kidney axis. To understand the mechanisms underlying the site‐specific expression of secretin and secretin receptors in the central nervous system, we also discuss the transcriptional regulation of secretin and secretin receptor genes in neuronal cell lines.
Enhanced Self‐cleaning, Antibacterial and UV Protection Properties of Nano TiO2 Treated Textile through Enzymatic Pretreatment
Authors: Montazer Majid , Seifollahzadeh Samira
Published: March 2011

Textile materials can be treated with some enzymes to improve their functionality. The usual enzymatic treatment hydrolyzes the textile surfaces that leads to increase the functional groups. Here, the polyester/wool fabric as a blend of fibers fabric was selected and treated with the two different types of enzymes to increase the surface activity with a propose of higher nano‐TiO2 adsorption. The fabric was first treated with proteases and lipases to hydrolyze the wool and the polyester surfaces, respectively. It has been then dipped into an ultrasound bath containing nano TiO2 and cross‐linking agent followed by curing. The cross‐linking agent, butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA), also assisted to enhance the nano‐particles adsorption and stabilization on the fabric surface. The self‐cleaning properties of the fabrics were examined through evaluating the color removal from the stained fabric with Acid Blue 113. The antibacterial properties were determined by reduction growth of a Gram‐negative bacteria E. coli. and the UV protection was assessed by UV‐reflectance spectrum. The SEM pictures and EDX spectrums of some samples were also reported.
Molecular scatology: how to improve prey DNA detection success in avian faeces?
Authors: OEHM JOHANNES , JUEN ANITA , NAGILLER KARIN , NEUHAUSER SIGRID , TRAUGOTT MICHAEL
Published: March 2011

The analysis of prey DNA in faeces is a non‐invasive approach to examine the diet of birds. However, it is poorly known how gut transition time, environmental factors and laboratory treatments such as storage conditions or DNA extraction procedures affect the detection success of prey DNA. Here, we examined several of these factors using faeces from carrion crows fed with insect larvae. Faeces produced between 30 min and 4 h post‐feeding tested positive for insect DNA, representing the gut transition time. Prey detection was not only possible in fresh but also in 5‐day‐old faeces. The type of surface the faeces were placed on for these 5 days, however, affected prey DNA detection success: samples placed on soil provided the lowest rate of positives compared to faeces left on leaves, on branches and within plastic tubes. Exposing faeces to sunlight and rain significantly lowered prey DNA detection rates (17% and 68% positives in exposed and protected samples, respectively). Storing faeces in ethanol or in the freezer did not affect molecular prey detection. Extracting DNA directly from larger pieces of faecal pellets resulted in significantly higher prey detection rates than when using small amounts of homogenized faeces. A cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide‐based DNA extraction protocol yielded significantly higher DNA detection rates (60%) than three commercial kits, however, for small amounts of homogenized faeces only. Our results suggest that collecting faeces from smooth, clean and non‐absorbing surfaces, protected from sunlight and rain, improves DNA detection success in avian faeces.
A Printed Proteus: Textual Identity in Grimmelshausen's: Simplicissimus Teutsch
Authors: Fleishman Ian Thomas
Published: March 2011

This essay concerns itself primarily with the fifth book and the Continuatio to Grimmelshausen's Der Abenteuerliche Simplicissimus Teutsch in order to demonstrate that the protagonist‐narrator's quest for self‐discovery is ineluctably subverted by the very nature of text. Reading the work as a trauma narrative, the article explores Simplicius's relation to writing in an era when the phenomenon of print is still a novelty—ultimately revealing text itself as antithetical to the notion of Bildung too often associated with the protagonist's apparent growth. This article contends that Simplicius never achieves a sturdy sense of self through his written project and that this failure is due to the unstable identity of text (in part the hesitation between orality, manuscript and printed type) during the Baroque.
Veiled Narratives: Novalis'Heinrich von Ofterdingenas a Staging of Orientalist Discourse
Authors: Pnevmonidou Elena
Published: March 2011

This examination of representations of the Orient in Novalis'sHeinrich von Ofterdingenmediates early romantic aesthetics, normative mainstream and feminist readings of the novel, and post‐colonial theory. The novel is often read as a foundation myth that depicts the genesis of the romantic poet out of the encounter with the feminine, which appears as a spiritual anchor and guarantor of poetic fulfillment. The article reveals a systematic juxtaposition of the feminine with the Orient at all crucial junctures of the developmental narrative of the poet, which suggests that this variant of Romanticneue Mythologieis vaster in scope than normally believed, as the novel is both the myth of a poet and the myth of a nation. Accordingly, the dual nature of the encounter with the other is suggestive of a double‐contest, one addressing the issue of sexual difference, the other the cultural difference of Occident and Orient.
On Genealogy: Biology, Religion, and Aesthetics in E.T.A. Hoffmann's Elixiere des Teufels (1815–16) and Erasmus Darwin's Zoonomia (1794–96)1
Authors: Lehleiter Christine
Published: March 2011

The first scientific works that describe corporeal and mental qualities as the result of hereditary transmission appeared around 1800. While the Enlightenment had assumed or posited a potentially free self, new findings in medicine and biology indicated an inherited burden which determines the individual. Reading E.T.A. Hoffmann's Elixiere des Teufels in the context of Erasmus Darwin's Zoonomia, this paper suggests the necessity of opening a new dimension of the discourse on the novel by highlighting the significance of the heredity debate in the life sciences for both the novel's definition of the individual and the novel's self‐understanding. The paper argues that Hoffmann questions the empirically justified truth claim of the emerging scientific disciplines and rejects attempts to apply biological models to human psychological and moral behavior. E.T.A. Hoffmann's Elixiere are presented as a key moment in the formation of the novel as that area of the modern world which functions as a meta‐critical space for the sciences.
A new method for estimating animal abundance with two sources of data in capture–recapture studies
Authors: Madon Bénédicte , Gimenez Olivier , McArdle Brian , Scott Baker C. , Garrigue Claire
Published: March 2011

1. Mark–recapture studies are often used to estimate population size based on a single source of individual identification data such as natural markings or artificial tags. However, with the development of molecular ecology, multiple sources of identification can be obtained for some species and combining them to obtain population size estimates would certainly provide better information about abundance than each survey can provide alone.

2. We propose an extension of the Jolly–Seber model to infer abundance by combining two sources of capture–recapture data. The need to merge both sources of data was motivated by studies of humpback whales in which both photo‐identification and DNA from skin biopsy samples are often collected. As whales are not necessarily available by both sampling methods on any given occasion, they can appear twice in the combined data set if no combined sampling ever occurred during the survey, i.e. being photographed and genotyped on the same occasion. Our model thus combines the two sources of information by estimating the possible overlap. Monte Carlo simulations are used to assess the properties of the present estimator that is then used to estimate the size of the humpback whale population in New Caledonia. The new open‐population estimator is also compared with classic closed‐population estimators incorporating either temporal and/or individual heterogeneity in the capture probability: the purpose was to evaluate which approach (closed or open population) was the least biased for an open population with individual heterogeneous capture probabilities.

3. When all assumptions are met, the estimator is unbiased as long as the probability of being double‐tagged (e.g. photographed and biopsied on the same occasion) on every occasion is above 0·2.

4. The humpback whale case study in New Caledonia shows that our two‐source Jolly–Seber (TSJS) estimator could be more efficient in estimating population size than models based only on one type of data. For monitoring purposes, the proposed method provides an efficient alternative to the existing approaches and a productive direction for future work to deal with multiple sources of data to estimate abundance.

5. R‐codes formatting the data and implementing the TSJS model are provided in Resource S5.
Measuring functional connectivity using long‐term monitoring data
Authors: Powney Gary D. , Roy David B. , Chapman Daniel , Brereton Tom , Oliver Tom H.
Published: March 2011

1. We use population synchrony as a new empirical method to assess functional connectivity – the permeability of landscapes given species dispersal attributes. Functional connectivity is important because well‐connected metapopulations are expected to be more resistant to stochastic events causing extinction.

2. A variety of factors impact population synchrony, and we attempt to account for several of these (shared climate, distance, habitat similarity and location within the range) before investigating impacts of the suitability of the landscape between populations – a proxy for permeability to dispersal.

3. For the Speckled Wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria), we find that population synchrony is positively correlated with landscape suitability, suggesting that synchrony might be used to measure functional connectivity.

4. The importance of landscape suitability for population synchrony shows a humped relationship with distance – suitability has no effect between 0 and 20 km, then showing a significant positive effect above 20 km but with reduced (still significant) effect from 160 to 200 km. This suggests that relatively close populations may exchange sufficient migrants for synchronisation, regardless of the matrix suitability. In contrast, more separate populations are synchronised only where the landscape permits functional connectivity, most likely through dispersal between intermediate stepping‐stone populations.

5.Synthesis and applications. We show that patterns of synchrony in long‐term monitoring data can be used to estimate functional connectivity of landscapes. As such, this technique might be used to test and prioritise the effectiveness of land management for conservation of species and to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Teacher beliefs, teacher characteristics, and school contextual factors: What are the relationships?
Authors: Rubie‐Davies Christine M. , Flint Annaline , McDonald Lyn G.
Published: March 2011

Background. There is a plethora of research around student beliefs and their contribution to student outcomes. However, there is less research in relation to teacher beliefs. Teacher factors are important to consider since beliefs mould thoughts and resultant instructional behaviours that, in turn, can contribute to student outcomes.

Aims. The purpose of this research was to explore relationships between the teacher characteristics of gender and teaching experience, school contextual variables (socio‐economic level of school and class level), and three teacher socio‐psychological variables: class level teacher expectations, teacher efficacy, and teacher goal orientation.

Sample. The participants were 68 male and female teachers with varying experience, from schools in a variety of socio‐economic areas and from rural and urban locations within New Zealand.

Method. Teachers completed a questionnaire containing items related to teacher efficacy and goal orientation in reading. They also completed a teacher expectation survey. Reading achievement data were collected on students. Interrelationships were explored between teacher socio‐psychological beliefs and the teacher and school factors included in the study.

Results. Mastery‐oriented beliefs predicted teacher efficacy for student engagement and classroom management. The socio‐economic level of the school and teacher gender predicted teacher efficacy for engagement, classroom management, instructional strategies, and a mastery goal orientation. Being male predicted a performance goal orientation.

Conclusions. Teacher beliefs, teacher characteristics, and school contextual variables can result in differences in teacher instructional practices and differing classroom climates. Further investigation of these variables is important since differences in teachers contribute to differences in student outcomes.
ATP‐mediated glucosensing by hypothalamic tanycytes
Authors: Frayling Cameron , Britton Ruth , Dale Nicholas
Published: March 2011

Non‐technical summary  The hypothalamus contains key neural circuits involved in the control of feeding and energy balance. Stimulated by the inexorable rise of obesity, there has been intense study of these neural circuits. However, the possible role of non‐neuronal cells in the brain has not been extensively considered. We now demonstrate that hypothalamic tanycytes, cells that lie at the interface between the ventricular cerebrospinal fluid and the brain parenchyma, respond to both neuron‐derived and circulating agents that signal energy status and arousal. Our study therefore suggests that tanycytes should now be considered as active signalling cells in the brain capable of responding to several types of input and having the potential to participate in the control of energy balance and feeding.
Microdomain [Ca2+] near ryanodine receptors as reported by L‐type Ca2+ and Na+/Ca2+ exchange currents
Authors: Acsai Karoly , Antoons Gudrun , Livshitz Leonid , Rudy Yoram , Sipido Karin R.
Published: March 2011

Non‐technical summary  The strength of the heart beat is regulated by a short‐lived increase of calcium in the cardiac muscle cells. This calcium concentration is assumed to rise particularly high in microdomains where it modulates calcium‐dependent processes and controls calcium release from the intracellular store. However, direct measurement of microdomain calcium remains a technical challenge. We have used as reporters the ionic currents from L‐type Ca2+ channels and from the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, proteins that are located in these microdomains and sensitive to local calcium. Microdomain calcium has a much sharper rise and fall than the global calcium signal and its amplitude is 20–30 times higher. Surprisingly, for different global signals, the microdomain signal remained equally high. These findings show the feasibility of reporting on microdomain calcium and demonstrate the divergence between microdomain and global calcium signals.
The electrotonic architecture of the retinal microvasculature: modulation by angiotensin II
Authors: Zhang Ting , Wu David M. , Xu Ge‐zhi , Puro Donald G.
Published: March 2011

Non‐technical summary  In the quest to understand how the circulatory system adjusts microvascular function to meet local metabolic demand, we focused on the retina whose circulatory system consists exclusively of microvessels. Since voltages induced by extracellular signals play a key role in generating vasomotor responses, we characterized the movement of voltage within the retinal microvasculature. To do this, we quantified voltage transmission between pairs of recording pipettes located at well‐defined sites in capillary/arteriole plexuses freshly isolated from the rat retina. We found that the retinal microvasculature is not simply a homogeneous syncytium, but has a complex electrotonic architecture with differing efficacies of voltage transmission. Furthermore, we discovered that the electrotonic architecture is not static, but is modulated by angiotensin. This newly appreciated action reveals that vasoactive signals can alter the functional organization of the microvasculature and, thereby, regulate the spatial extent of the circulatory system's response to voltage‐changing inputs.
Ectopic expression of cone‐specific G‐protein‐coupled receptor kinase GRK7 in zebrafish rods leads to lower photosensitivity and altered responses
Authors: Vogalis F. , Shiraki T. , Kojima D. , Wada Y. , Nishiwaki Y. , Jarvinen J. L. P. , Sugiyama J. , Kawakami K. , Masai I. , Kawamura S. , Fukada Y. , Lamb T. D.
Published: March 2011

Non‐technical summary  When rod and cone photoreceptors in the eye respond to light, they need to recover, and the first step in recovery involves a protein called G‐protein receptor kinase (GRK). Rods, which underlie night vision, employ a variant called GRK1, whereas cones, which mediate day vision, typically employ a variant called GRK7. We have engineered rod cells in the zebrafish retina that additionally express the cone variant, GRK7. By recording electrically from these modified rods, we have found that they are less sensitive to light than normal rods, in that regard mimicking cones. We have also found evidence to suggest that the size of the cell's response to a single photon (the smallest particle of light) is normal when recovery is mediated by GRK1, but is small (and hence somewhat cone‐like) when mediated by GRK7. These results help us understand the differences between rod and cone photoreceptors.
Activation of glycine receptor phase‐shifts the circadian rhythm in neuronal activity in the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus
Authors: Mordel Jérôme , Karnas Diana , Inyushkin Alexey , Challet Etienne , Pévet Paul , Meissl Hilmar
Published: March 2011

Non‐technical summary  In mammals, an internal timing system in the suprachiasmatic nucleus generates circadian (24 h) rhythms and communicates its circadian signal to other brain areas by means of action potentials where it regulates our daily schedules of physiological and endocrine processes. Several input pathways of the suprachiasmatic nucleus can influence the endogenous timing system and synchronize it with environmental timing cues. We show here that the inhibitory neurotransmitter glycine can modulate the activity of clock neurons and can reset their rhythmic activity depending on the phase of the daily cycle. The knowledge of these synchronizing mechanisms is of importance for understanding the consequences of perturbations of the circadian timing system that could lead to serious health impairments.
Exacerbation of pathology by oxidative stress in respiratory and locomotor muscles with Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Lawler John M.
Published: March 2011

Abstract  Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most devastating type of muscular dystrophy, leading to progressive weakness of respiratory (e.g. diaphragm) and locomotor muscles (e.g. gastrocnemius). DMD is caused by X‐linked defects in the gene that encodes for dystrophin, a key scaffolding protein of the dystroglycan complex (DCG) within the sarcolemmal cytoskeleton. As a result of a compromised dystroglycan complex, mechanical integrity is impaired and important signalling proteins (e.g. nNOS, caveolin‐3) and pathways are disrupted. Disruption of the dystroglycan complex leads to high susceptibility to injury with repeated, eccentric contractions as well as inflammation, resulting in significant damage and necrosis. Chronic damage and repair cycling leads to fibrosis and weakness. While the link between inflammation with damage and weakness in the DMD diaphragm is unresolved, elevated oxidative stress may contribute to damage, weakness and possibly fibrosis. While utilization of non‐specific antioxidant interventions has yielded inconsistent results, recent data suggest that NAD(P)H oxidase could play a pivotal role in elevating oxidative stress via integrated changes in caveolin‐3 and stretch‐activated channels (SACs). Oxidative stress may act as an amplifier, exacerbating disruption of the dystroglycan complex, upregulation of the inflammatory transcription factor NF‐κB, and thus functional impairment of force‐generating capacity.
Thermal Investigation and Placement Design of High-Brightness LED Array Package on PCB for Uniform Illuminance
Authors: Yung K. C. , Liem H. , Choy H. S. , Lun W. K.
Published: March 2011

This paper reports the thermal performance of a high-brightness light-emitting diode (LED) array package with a novel placement method on a printed circuit board (PCB). The precise heat transfer analysis and modeling using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) were performed according to the practical working conditions of the LED array. Emphasis was placed upon investigating how the temperature of the surface of LEDs changed in accordance with different placement methods. A significant drop in the surface temperature of the LEDs was found when the triangular and arithmetic spacing placement methods were used; hence, the overall heat dissipating capability of the LED array to the PCB was improved. By optimizing the placement design, the average surface temperature of the LED array achieved a decrease of about 20%, from 120°C to 100°C. The illuminance level of each placement design was measured and compared. Both CFD simulation and experimental results are provided to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach for LED array thermal management.
Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Laminar Channel Flow With a Transparent Wall
Authors: He Jing , Liu Liping , Jacobi Anthony M.
Published: March 2011

A numerical and experimental investigation is undertaken for developing laminar flow in a duct with one opaque, uniformly heated wall and one transparent wall. In the numerical model, mixed convection, radiative exchange, as well as two-dimensional conduction in the substrate are considered. Experiments are conducted in a high-aspect-ratio rectangular channel using infrared thermography to validate the numerical model and visualize the temperature field on a heated surface. An extended parametric study using the validated model is also carried out to assess the impact of channel height, and thermal conductivity and thickness of the substrate. For a channel height of H=6 mm and a heating power of qs=257 W/m2, as Re increases from 150 to 940 the fraction of heat transfer by convection from the heated surface rises from 65% to 79%. At Re=150, as H increases from 6 mm to 25 mm, radiation from the heated surface increases from 35% to 70% of the total heating power. The influence of substrate conductivity and thickness on local flux distributions is limited to regions near the channel inlet and outlet. Over the entire parametric space considered, radiation loss from the interior duct surfaces to the inlet and outlet apertures is less than 2% of the total heat input and thus unimportant.
Measuring the Thermal Conductivity of Porous, Transparent SiO2 Films With Time Domain Thermoreflectance
Authors: Hopkins Patrick E. , Kaehr Bryan , Phinney Leslie M. , Koehler Timothy P. , Grillet Anne M. , Dunphy Darren , Garcia Fred , Brinker C. Jeffrey
Published: March 2011

Nanocomposites offer unique capabilities of controlling thermal transport through the manipulation of various structural aspects of the material. However, measurements of the thermal properties of these composites are often difficult, especially porous nanomaterials. Optical measurements of these properties, although ideal due to the noncontact nature, are challenging due to the large surface variability of nanoporous structures. In this work, we use a vector-based thermal algorithm to solve for the temperature change and heat transfer in which a thin film subjected to a modulated heat source is sandwiched between two thermally conductive pathways. We validate our solution with time domain thermoreflectance measurements on glass slides and extend the thermal conductivity measurements to SiO2-based nanostructured films.
Anharmonic Phonon Interactions at Interfaces and Contributions to Thermal Boundary Conductance
Authors: Hopkins Patrick E. , Duda John C. , Norris Pamela M.
Published: March 2011

Continued reduction in characteristic dimensions in nanosystems has given rise to increasing importance of material interfaces on the overall system performance. With regard to thermal transport, this increases the need for a better fundamental understanding of the processes affecting interfacial thermal transport, as characterized by the thermal boundary conductance. When thermal boundary conductance is driven by phononic scattering events, accurate predictions of interfacial transport must account for anharmonic phononic coupling as this affects the thermal transmission. In this paper, a new model for phononic thermal boundary conductance is developed that takes into account anharmonic coupling, or inelastic scattering events, at the interface between two materials. Previous models for thermal boundary conductance are first reviewed, including the diffuse mismatch model, which only considers elastic phonon scattering events, and earlier attempts to account for inelastic phonon scattering, namely, the maximum transmission model and the higher harmonic inelastic model. A new model is derived, the anharmonic inelastic model, which provides a more physical consideration of the effects of inelastic scattering on thermal boundary conductance. This is accomplished by considering specific ranges of phonon frequency interactions and phonon number density conservation. Thus, this model considers the contributions of anharmonic, inelastically scattered phonons to thermal boundary conductance. This new anharmonic inelastic model shows improved agreement between the thermal boundary conductance predictions and experimental data at the Pb/diamond and Au/diamond interfaces due to its ability to account for the temperature dependent changing phonon population in diamond, which can couple anharmonically with multiple phonons in Pb and Au. We conclude by discussing phonon scattering selection rules at interfaces and the probability of occurrence of these higher order anharmonic interfacial phonon processes quantified in this work.
Numerical Simulation of Particle Dispersion Behavior Under the Reduced Gravity Conditions
Authors: Liu Xue , Li Guohui , Liu Yang
Published: March 2011

An Euler-Euler two-fluid model based on the second-order-moment closure approach and the granular kinetic theory of dense gas-particle flows was presented. Anisotropy of gas-solid two-phase stress and the interaction between two-phase stresses are fully considered by two-phase Reynolds stress model and the transport equation of two-phase stress correlation. Under the microgravity space environments, hydrodynamic characters and particle dispersion behaviors of dense gas-particle turbulence flows are numerically simulated. Simulation results of particle concentration and particle velocity are in good agreement with measurement data under earth gravity environment. Decreased gravity can decrease the particle dispersion and can weaken the particle-particle collision as well as it is in favor of producing isotropic flow structures. Moreover, axial-axial fluctuation velocity correlation of gas and particle in earth gravity is approximately 3.0 times greater than those of microgravity and it is smaller than axial particle velocity fluctuation due to larger particle inertia and the larger particle turbulence diffusions.
MEMS-Based Microfluidic Devices
Authors: Gao Z. , Ng K. , Furlani E. , Chwalek J. , Hawkins G.
Published: March 2011

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology can be integrated with microfluidic functionality to enable the generation of microdrops with unprecedented throughput and precise control of drop volume, speed, and placement. The most prominent examples of microdrop generators are in the field of inkjet printing where printheads with thousands of nozzles produce steady streams of microdrops at kilohertz repetition rates. In this paper, we discuss a proposed MEMS-based microfluidic drop generator that operates on the basis of a thermally induced Marangoni effect. We describe the physics of droplet generation and discuss operating performance relative to the fluid rheology, thermal modulation, and wavelength dependencies.