bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Coasts Under Stress project: a Canadian case study of interdisciplinary methodology
Authors: OMMER ROSEMARY E.
Published: November 2010

Interdisciplinary research requires scholars to learn by doing, and thus interdisciplinary work will be constantly undergoing development. This paper reviews how a large truly integrated interdisciplinary research team capable of handling complex interdependent social and environmental issues was created, developed and managed. The Canadian Coasts Under Stress bicoastal research project (CUS) constitutes a case study, aimed at providing a detailed analysis of a successful relatively ‘mature’ template for interdisciplinary team research that can be transferred to other teams and other research problems. CUS was created to address coastal social-ecological stress, and it uncovered linkages (‘pathways’) between the main drivers of social-ecological health in both human and environmental communities. In so doing, the team produced a comprehensive new way to understand restructuring and its impact on social-ecological health. In organizational terms, the team was divided into two coastal sub-teams (east and west) and five main research components that were reflected in the team logo as the arms of a seastar. To achieve integration of all components and subcomponents, a methodology for research construction and integration was employed that operated in tandem with the methodologies employed in the various subcomponents. Team members shared their vision of what they wished to achieve and meetings were facilitated in a variety of ways such that cross-fertilization and discussion were ongoing, and team members always knew exactly where their work fitted into the greater whole. In the process, significant student training occurred, and the challenge of equitable publication processes were met such that the output of the team achieved both disciplinary rigour and interdisciplinary understanding.
Interdisciplinary training in environmental conservation: definitions, progress and future directions
Authors: NEWING HELEN
Published: November 2010

The development of interdisciplinary approaches to environmental conservation is obviously related to interdisciplinary training in undergraduate and postgraduate conservation-oriented degree programmes. This paper therefore examines interdisciplinary training in environmental conservation, with a focus on conservation biology. The specific objectives are: (1) to analyse debates about the nature of ‘interdisciplinarity’ in conservation biology; (2) to examine the status of interdisciplinary training in current academic programmes in conservation biology; and (3) to make recommendations in terms of interdisciplinary or other non-natural science content that should be prioritized for inclusion in the curriculum. The term ‘interdisciplinarity’ has been used in relation to conservation training to refer to (1) any social science content; (2) vocational skills training; (3) integrative or practice-based exercises, sometimes with no indication of disciplinary content; (4) the (variously defined) ‘human dimensions’ of conservation, and (5) interaction between different academic disciplines (usually crossing the natural science–social science divide). In terms of training, the natural sciences have remained predominant in almost all reported academic programmes, but there now appears to be more coverage of non-natural science issues than previously. However the lack of consistency in the use of terms makes it difficult to assess progress. Further debate about curriculum development in conservation would be aided greatly by recognizing the distinction between the different aspects of non-natural science training, and treating each of them in its own right. Most degree programmes in environment-related disciplines specialize to varying degrees either in the natural sciences or the social sciences, and a comprehensive programme covering both of these in depth is likely to be problematic. However, some understanding of different disciplinary perspectives is increasingly important in a career in environmental conservation, and it is argued that, as a minimum, a primarily natural science-based undergraduate programme in environmental conservation should include: (1) an introduction to social science perspectives on the environment; (2) basic training in social science methods, research design and science theory; (3) vocational skills training, to the extent that it can be built into existing curricular components; and (4) integrative problem-solving tasks that can be used in relation to any or all of the above. A similar list could be constructed for social science-based environmental degree programmes, incorporating some basic training in natural science perspectives. Postgraduate training programmes are more varied in what they aim to achieve in terms of disciplinary breadth; they can develop students’ existing specialist expertise, offer supplementary training to allow students to increase the disciplinary breadth of their expertise, or focus on the issue of interdisciplinarity itself.
Distributive Justice and Freedom: Cohen on Money and Labour
Authors: FABRE CÉCILE
Published: November 2010

In his recent Rescuing Justice and Equality, G. A. Cohen mounts a sustained critique of coerced labour, against the background of a radical egalitarian conception of distributive justice. In this article, I argue that Cohenian egalitarians are committed to holding the talented under a moral duty to choose socially useful work for the sake of the less fortunate. As I also show, Cohen's arguments against coerced labour fail, particularly in the light of his commitment to coercive taxation. In the course of defending those claims, I claim that Cohen's remarks on freedom of occupational choice and taxation exhibit partiality towards the interests of the better-off to the detriment of the less fortunate – a partiality which is in tension with his commitment to equality
Measuring the Consequences of Rules
Authors: SMITH HOLLY M.
Published: November 2010

Recently two distinct forms of rule-utilitarianism have been introduced that differ on how to measure the consequences of rules. Brad Hooker advocates fixed-rate rule-utilitarianism (which measures the expected value of the rule's consequences at a 90 percent acceptance rate), while Michael Ridge advocates variable-rate rule-utilitarianism (which measures the average expected value of the rule's consequences for all different levels of social acceptance). I argue that both of these are inferior to a new proposal, optimum-rate rule-utilitarianism. According to optimum-rate rule-utilitarianism, an ideal code is the code whose optimum acceptance level is no lower than that of any alternative code. I then argue that all three forms of rule-utilitarianism fall prey to two fatal problems that leave us without any viable form of rule-utilitarianism.
Can Consequentialists Honour the Special Moral Status of Persons?
Authors: PETERSON MARTIN
Published: November 2010

It is widely believed that consequentialists are committed to the claim that persons are mere containers for well-being. In this article I challenge this view by proposing a new version of consequentialism, according to which the identities of persons matter. The new theory, two-dimensional prioritarianism, is a natural extension of traditional prioritarianism. Two-dimensional prioritarianism holds that well-being matters more for persons who are at a low absolute level than for persons who are at a higher level and that it is worse to be deprived of a given number of units than it is good to gain the same number of units, even if the new distribution is a permutation of the original one. If a fixed amount of well-being is transferred from one person to another and then transferred back again, two-dimensional prioritarianism implies that it would have been better to preserve the status quo.
The (Stabilized) Nash Bargaining Solution as a Principle of Distributive Justice
Authors: MOEHLER MICHAEL
Published: November 2010

It is argued that the Nash bargaining solution cannot serve as a principle of distributive justice because (i) it cannot secure stable cooperation in repeated interactions and (ii) it cannot capture our moral intuitions concerning distributive questions. In this article, I propose a solution to the first problem by amending the Nash bargaining solution so that it can maintain stable cooperation among rational bargainers. I call the resulting principle thestabilized Nash bargaining solution. The principle defends justice in the form ‘each according to her basic needs and above this level according to her relative bargaining power’. In response to the second problem, I argue that the stabilized Nash bargaining solution can serve as a principle of distributive justice in certain situations where moral reasoning is reduced to instrumental reasoning. In particular, I argue that rational individuals would choose the stabilized Nash bargaining solution in Rawls’ original position.
How the Sufficiency Minimum Becomes a Social Maximum
Authors: WIDERQUIST KARL
Published: November 2010

This article argues that, under likely empirical conditions, sufficientarianism leads not to an easily achievable duty to maintain a social minimum but to the onerous duty of maintaining a social maximum at the sufficiency level. This happens because sufficientarians ask us to give no weight at all to small benefits for people above the sufficiency level if the alternative is to relieve the suffering of people below it. If we apply this judgment in a world where there are rare diseases and hard-to-prevent accidents that cause people to fall below the sufficiency threshold, all of our discretionary spending will have to be devoted to bringing harder and harder cases up to sufficiency. Nothing will be left for anyone to consume above the sufficiency level.
Situationist Social Psychology and J. S. Mill's Conception of Character
Authors: CARD ROBERT F.
Published: November 2010

The situationist challenge to global character traits claims that on the basis of findings in social psychology, we should only accept at most the existence of local or context-sensitive traits. In this article I explore a neglected area of J. S. Mill's work to outline an account of context-sensitive traits. This account of traits, coupled with a sophisticated consequentialist ethical framework, suggests an interesting view on which persons govern the circumstances of their actions (to the extent possible) in order to best promote overall well-being.
Foreign direct investment and environmental pollution in China: a simultaneous equations estimation
Authors: BAO QUN , CHEN YUANYUAN , SONG LIGANG
Published: November 2010

This study investigates the effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) on emissions of five pollutants in China using a panel data set of 29 provinces over the period 1992–2004. The study applies a simultaneous equations estimation technique to estimate the scale, technique and composition effects of FDI on China's overall and regional pollution emissions. The estimation results show that FDI in general helps reduce pollution emissions in China, contributing largely to its technique effect. Capturing both the direct and indirect technique effects improves the accuracy in assessing the environmental impact of the FDI. The study also finds that the environmental impacts of FDI vary significantly among different regions and for different pollutants in China.
Bilingual language acquisition and theories of diachronic change: Bilingualism as cause and effect of grammatical change
Authors: MEISEL JÜRGEN M.
Published: November 2010

Children acquiring their first languages are frequently regarded as the principal agents of diachronic change. The causes and the precise nature of the processes of change are, however, far from clear. The following discussion focuses on possible changes of core properties of grammars which, in terms of the theory of Universal Grammar, can be characterized as reflecting different settings of parameters. In such cases, learners develop grammatical competences differing from those of speakers of the previous generation who provided the primary data serving as input for the developmental processes. It has been argued that reanalyses of this type must be conceived of as instances of transmission failure. Yet acquisition research has demonstrated that the human Language Making Capacity is extraordinarily robust, thus leading to the question of what might cause unsuccessful acquisition. Changing frequencies in use or exposure to data containing ambiguous or even contradictory evidence are unlikely to suffice as causes for this to happen. Language acquisition in multilingual settings may be a more plausible source of grammatical reanalysis than monolingual first language development. The study of contemporary bilingualism can therefore contribute to an explanation of diachronic change. Yet one such insight is that simultaneous acquisition of two languages (2L1) typically leads to a kind of grammatical knowledge in each language which is qualitatively not different from that of the respective monolinguals, obliging us to look for other sources of transmission failure. 2L1 acquisition in settings where one language is “weaker” than the other has been claimed to qualify as such. But I will argue that even such problematic cases do not provide convincing evidence of reanalysis. If, on the other hand, children receive sustained input from second language learners, or if their onset of acquisition is delayed, this can indeed lead to incomplete acquisition. I conclude that successive acquisition of bilingualism plays a crucial role as a source of grammatical change. In order for such changes to happen, however, grammar-internal and language-external factors may have to concur.
SOME COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS ON THE MONTREUX DOCUMENT
Authors: Tougas Marie-Louise
Published: November 2010

Growing concerns that PMSCs were operating in a legal vacuum led to increasing calls for further clarification on the role of such entities in conflict zones and to mounting pressure to develop a regulative framework under international law. In September 2008, 17 States endorsed the Montreux Document, an initiative sponsored by the Swiss government and the ICRC. The Montreux Document is a non-binding document aimed at identifying and reasserting the most relevant international legal obligations that govern the conduct of PMSCs during armed conflicts. It also provides for a set of guidelines on ‘good practices’ for States in regard to the operation of PMSCs in armed conflicts. Although it does not create any legal obligations, and only recalls existing ones, it is the first intergovernmental document to address international obligations in respect to the activities of PMSCs. It can thus be seen as a first step toward the establishment of a better regulative framework of PMSCs' activities in conflict zones. This article provides an overview of the process that led to the endorsement of this document and an analysis of its content. It also addresses some of the questions left unanswered by the Montreux Document.
ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL OF NATIONAL ACTION PLANS TO ADVANCE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1325
Authors: Swaine Aisling
Published: November 2010

‘Women, peace, security’ has now firmly emerged as a distinct category for attention by international law, international policy and programming approaches for governments and activists alike. UN Security Council Resolution 1325 is the pillar of this agenda and there is questionable evidence of whether the kind of reforms envisioned through SCR 1325 have truly taken place and whether progress, if any, has been made towards its implementation. High expectations are pinned to the more recent and related resolutions SCR1820 (2008), SCR1888 (2009) and SCR1889 (2009) recently adopted by the Security Council. Increasingly, the focus has been on the potential offered through the development of ‘action plans’ as possible ‘solutions’ to the current deficit. In this article action plans are examined and a snap-shot of the ways in which ‘National Action Plans for the implementation of SCR 1325’ are being developed and the increasing role they are playing in international debate on the theme of ‘women, peace and security’ is presented. The article argues that implementation of these resolutions requires reformist and radical interventions that create fundamental change. Factors affecting the potential of these plans to encompass this kind of approach are outlined, focusing on the process and content aspects of developing action plans. The article highlights that while action plans are generating positive incentives to compel states to act, caution is required before proclaiming them to be the ‘antidote’ to the existing gulf between the principles of the Resolution and effective policy response and implementation. Commentary on emerging trends and some suggestions on possible avenues for moving forward conclude the article.
Mechanics and aerodynamics of insect flight control
Authors: TAYLOR GRAHAM K.
Published: November 2010

Insects have evolved sophisticated flight control mechanisms permitting a remarkable range of manoeuvres. Here, I present a qualitative analysis of insect flight control from the perspective of flight mechanics, drawing upon both the neurophysiology and biomechanics literatures. The current literature does not permit a formal, quantitative analysis of flight control, because the aerodynamic force systems that biologists have measured have rarely been complete and the position of the centre of gravity has only been recorded in a few studies. Treating the two best‐known insect orders (Diptera and Orthoptera) separately from other insects, I discuss the control mechanisms of different insects in detail. Recent experimental studies suggest that the helicopter model of flight control proposed for Drosophila spp. may be better thought of as a facultative strategy for flight control, rather than the fixed (albeit selected) constraint that it is usually interpreted to be. On the other hand, the so‐called ‘constant‐lift reaction’ of locusts appears not to be a reflex for maintaining constant lift at varying angles of attack, as is usually assumed, but rather a mechanism to restore the insect to pitch equilibrium following a disturbance. Differences in the kinematic control mechanisms used by the various insect orders are related to differences in the arrangement of the wings, the construction of the flight motor and the unsteady mechanisms of lift production that are used. Since the evolution of insect flight control is likely to have paralleled the evolutionary refinement of these unsteady aerodynamic mechanisms, taxonomic differences in the kinematics of control could provide an assay of the relative importance of different unsteady mechanisms. Although the control kinematics vary widely between orders, the number of degrees of freedom that different insects can control will always be limited by the number of independent control inputs that they use. Control of the moments about all three axes (as used by most conventional aircraft) has only been proven for larger flies and dragonflies, but is likely to be widespread in insects given the number of independent control inputs available to them. Unlike in conventional aircraft, however, insects’ control inputs are likely to be highly non‐orthogonal, and this will tend to complicate the neural processing required to separate the various motions.
Sexual segregation in ungulates: a comparative test of three hypotheses
Authors: RUCKSTUHL K. E. , NEUHAUS P.
Published: November 2010

In most social ungulate species, males are larger than females and the sexes live in separate groups outside the breeding season. It is important for our understanding of the evolution of sociality to find out why sexual segregation is so widespread not only in ungulates but also in other mammals. Sexual body size dimorphism was proposed as a central factor in the evolution of sexual segregation in ungulates. We tested three hypotheses put forward to explain sexual segregation: the predation‐risk, the forage‐selection, and the activity budget hypothesis. We included in our analyses ungulate species ranging from non‐dimorphic to extremely dimorphic in body size. We observed oryx, zebra, bighorn sheep and ibex in the field and relied on literature data for 31 additional species. The predation‐risk hypothesis predicts that females will use relatively predator‐safe habitats, while males are predicted to use habitats with higher predation risk but better food quality. Out of 24 studies on different species of ungulates, females and their offspring chose poorer quality but safer habitat in only eight cases. The forage‐selection hypothesis predicts that females would select habitat based on food quality, while males should prefer high forage biomass. In fact, females selected higher quality food in only six out of 18 studies where males and females segregated, in eight studies there was no difference in forage quality and in four studies males were in better quality habitat. The activity budget hypothesis predicts that with increasing dimorphism in body size males and females will increasingly differ in the time spent in different activities. Differences in activity budgets would make it difficult for males and females to stay in mixed‐sex groups due to increased costs of synchrony to maintain group cohesion. The predictions of the activity budget hypothesis were confirmed in most cases (22 out of 23 studies). The heavier males were compared to females, the more time females spent foraging compared to males. The bigger the dimorphism in body mass, the more males spent time walking compared to females. Lactating females spent more time foraging than did non‐lactating females or males. Whether species were mainly bulk or intermediate feeders did not affect sexual differences in time spent foraging. We conclude that sexual differences in activity budgets are most likely driving sexual segregation and that sexual differences in predation risk or forage selection are additive factors.
Some recent advances on the study and understanding of the functional design of the avian lung: morphological and morphometric perspectives
Authors: MAINA J. N.
Published: November 2010

The small highly aerobic avian species have morphometrically superior lungs while the large flightless ones have less well‐refined lungs. Two parabronchial systems, i.e. the paleopulmo and neopulmo, occur in the lungs of relatively advanced birds. Although their evolution and development are not clear, understanding their presence is physiologically important particularly since the air‐ and blood flow patterns in them are different. Geometrically, the bulk air flow in the parabronchial lumen, i.e. in the longitudinal direction, and the flow of deoxygenated blood from the periphery, i.e. in a centripetal direction, are perpendicularly arranged to produce a cross‐current relationship. Functionally, the blood capillaries in the avian lung constitute a multicapillary serial arterialization system. The amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide exchanged arises from many modest transactions that occur where air‐ and blood capillaries interface along the parabronchial lengths, an additive process that greatly enhances the respiratory efficiency. In some species of birds, an epithelial tumescence occurs at the terminal part of the extrapulmonary primary bronchi (EPPB). The swelling narrows the EPPB, conceivably allowing the shunting of inspired air across the openings of the medioventral secondary bronchi, i.e. inspiratory aerodynamic valving. The defence stratagems in the avian lung differ from those of mammals: fewer surface (free) macrophages (SMs) occur, the epithelial cells that line the atria and infundibula are phagocytic, a large population of subepithelial macrophages is present and pulmonary intravascular macrophages exist. This complex defence inventory may explain the paucity of SMs in the avian lung.
Optimal onset and exhaustion of retirement savings in a life-cycle model
Authors: LACHANCE MARIE-EVE
Published: November 2010

This paper facilitates the exploration of optimal individual retirement savings strategies within a life-cycle framework by providing a convenient tool to implement a model suggested by Yaari (1965) with an uncertain lifetime and borrowing constraints. The solution is given both for the general case and for cases leading to closed-form equations such as power utility and Gompertz mortality. Illustrations for a wide range of parameters indicate that starting to save for retirement in the first phase of one's career is rarely optimal. Of course, this is not to say that young workers should not save for other motives – a limitation of this model is that risks besides mortality are not considered. The conclusion should also be interpreted cautiously as it is difficult to represent every possible individual circumstance and saving incentive in a single model. The intuition behind the result is that an efficient strategy allocates the burden of financing retirement first to periods with higher income (i.e. lower opportunity costs), creating the potential for an initial period without savings when income grows.
“A Victory for Secular India”? Hindu Nationalism in the 2004 Election
Authors: Llewellyn J. E.
Published: November 2010

At least since the last decade of the 20th century, there has been strong scholarly interest in a perceived global wave of religious nationalism. Critical to that movement was the most important recent development in Indian politics, the rise of the Hindu right. Commentators lamented a fundamental change in the Indian body politic, the demise of India's celebrated secularism. However, others predicted that the Hindu nationalists would be forced to move to the center to gain votes, jettisoning much of their peculiar ideology in the process. The 2004 national parliamentary election was a crucial test of these contending interpretations. Would the Bharatiya Janata Party rely on its established arsenal of communally controversial issues? Would it emphasize themes designed to appeal to a broader audience? Analyzing reports published in national newspapers and news magazines, I will reach the surprising conclusion that the answer to both of these questions is yes.
Differentialdiagnostik der Depression
Authors: Beck Johannes , Holsboer-Trachsler Edith
Published: November 2010

Depressive Patienten berichten oft nicht spontan von depressiven Symptomen, daher müssen diese aktiv exploriert werden. Da depressive Symptome bei einer Vielzahl von psychiatrischen und somatischen Erkrankungen auftreten können, ist eine sorgfältige Differentialdiagnostik wichtig. Der vorliegende Artikel gibt einen Überblick über die wichtigsten Differentialdiagnosen und empfiehlt einen Stufenplan der diagnostischen Abklärung.
Das Burnout Syndrom – eine Übersicht
Authors: Brand Serge , Holsboer-Trachsler Edith
Published: November 2010

Burnout ist ein arbeitspsychologisches Konstrukt, welches durch emotionale Erschöpfung, Depersonalisation und verminderte subjektive Leistungsfähigkeit gekennzeichnet ist. Die Prävalenzrate schwankt in Abhängigkeit von Beruf, Erhebungsmethodik und Population zwischen 10 % und 50 %. Männer und Frauen erleiden gleichhäufig Burnout. Der Schlaf scheint spezifisch durch die emotionale und physische Erschöpfung, und weniger durch Depressivität beeinträchtigt zu sein. Die Behandlung von Burnout fokussiert auf Veränderungen am Arbeitsplatz und auf Veränderungen subjektiver Standards zur Bedeutsamkeit von Arbeit und Arbeitsleistung.
Ätiologie von depressiven Störungen – das „biopsychosoziale Modell“
Authors: Cattapan-Ludewig Katja , Seifritz Erich
Published: November 2010

Das aus der allgemeinen Systemtheorie entwickelte biopsychosoziale Modell beschreibt die Zusammenhänge zwischen Leib und Seele. Die unipolare Depression hat eine komplexe und individuell sehr unterschiedliche Pathogenese. Im Artikel werden im Bereich der biologischen Faktoren Heritabilität, Neurotransmitterveränderungen, endokrinologische Faktoren und chronobiologische Zusammenhänge vorgestellt; als psychosoziale Faktoren werden kritische Lebensereignisse, soziale Belastungen, kognitive und lerntheoretische Faktoren sowie Persönlichkeitsfaktoren herausgearbeitet. Es zeigt sich, dass die an der Äthiopathogenese beteiligten biologischen, psychologischen und (öko-)sozialen Faktoren häufig miteinander interagieren. Das biopsychosoziale Modell stellt eine gute Möglichkeit dar, die äthiopathogenetisch an einer Depression beteiligten Faktoren für die Diagnostik zu erfassen. Es ist damit eine Grundlage für eine individuell ausgerichtete Therapie, auch hat es einen wertvollen Einsatz in der Psychoedukation.
Bündnis gegen Depression – die Rolle des Hausarztes/der Hausärztin
Authors: Kläui Heinrich
Published: November 2010

Eines der vier Hauptziele der Bündnisse gegen Depression ist die verbesserte Diagnostik und Therapie der Depression durch die HausärztInnen. In diesem kurzen Artikel wird diskutiert, welche Daten der angeblich niedrigen Detektionshäufigkeit in der hausärztlichen Praxis zugrunde liegen und wie die Zusammenarbeit zwischen den ÄrztInnen der Grundversorgung und den psychiatrisch tätigen KollegInnen und Institutionen aus hausärztlicher Sicht verbessert werden kann.
A multidimensional, generalized coupled Markov chain model for surface and subsurface characterization
Authors: Park Eungyu
Published: November 2010

This paper develops a Markov chain‐based geostatistical model for multidimensional field predictions of the categorical attributes. An efficient conditional probability equation that considers directional asymmetry was derived, and a computational algorithm was devised with numerical code. The developed model was applied to two‐dimensional case studies and compared with the representative conventional sequential indicator simulation (SIS) model. On the basis of engaged comparisons with the SIS model, it was concluded that this new model performs as well as or better than the SIS model, especially for lithologic predictions and structural estimations for the case studies with sparse sampled data, which is more or less realistic. The model was also applied to a three‐dimensional case and validated by its plausible results. It is expected that the developed Markov chain‐based geostatistical model will become a sound option for multidimensional subsurface predictions in cases when the heterogeneities and uncertainties in the media properties are an important issue.
Determination of pore size distribution and hydraulic properties using nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry: A comparative study of laboratory methods
Authors: Stingaciu L. R. , Weihermüller L. , Haber‐Pohlmeier S. , Stapf S. , Vereecken H. , Pohlmeier A.
Published: November 2010

In this study, we evaluate the feasibility of using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry measurements to characterize pore size distribution and hydraulic properties in four porous samples with different texture and composition. We compare NMR with two classical techniques based on water retention and mercury intrusion measurements. Both T2 and T1 NMR relaxation measurements at 6.47 MHz were carried out for three saturated model samples (medium sand, fine sand, and a homogenous sand/kaolin clay mixture) and one saturated natural silt loam soil. Cumulative pore size distribution functions and mean pore diameters were calculated assuming average surface relaxivity parameters and a cylindrical capillary model of the pores. The mean pore diameters derived from T2 and T1 distributions as well as the cumulative pore size distribution functions agree satisfactorily with those derived from mercury intrusion and retention curves. The observed deviations are due to limitations of each method, sample preparation, and sample composition. To evaluate the influence of the variations observed in the hydraulic properties of the samples, the pore size distribution functions were scaled back to water retention functions, and the van Genuchten hydraulic parameters were estimated by inversion using the RETC software. The comparison shows that both T2 and T1 NMR relaxation measurements can be used to estimate pore size distribution and mean pore diameter, as well as the retention function and corresponding hydraulic properties.
Nature's neutron probe: Land surface hydrology at an elusive scale with cosmic rays
Authors: Desilets Darin , Zreda Marek , Ferré Ty P. A.
Published: November 2010

Fast neutrons are generated naturally at the land surface by energetic cosmic rays. These “background” neutrons respond strongly to the presence of water at or near the land surface and represent a hitherto elusive intermediate spatial scale of observation that is ideal for land surface studies and modeling. Soil moisture, snow, and biomass each have a distinct influence on the spectrum, height profile, and directional intensity of neutron fluxes above the ground, suggesting that different sources of water at the land surface can be distinguished with neutron data alone. Measurements can be taken at fixed sites for long‐term monitoring or in a moving vehicle for mapping over large areas. We anticipate applications in many previously problematic contexts, including saline environments, wetlands and peat bogs, rocky soils, the active layer of permafrost, and water and snow intercepted by vegetation, as well as calibration and validation of data from spaceborne sensors.
Modeling hydrologic and water quality extremes in a changing climate: A statistical approach based on extreme value theory
Authors: Towler Erin , Rajagopalan Balaji , Gilleland Eric , Summers R. Scott , Yates David , Katz Richard W.
Published: November 2010

Although information about climate change and its implications is becoming increasingly available to water utility managers, additional tools are needed to translate this information into secondary products useful for local assessments. The anticipated intensification of the hydrologic cycle makes quantifying changes to hydrologic extremes, as well as associated water quality effects, of particular concern. To this end, this paper focuses on using extreme value statistics to describe maximum monthly flow distributions at a given site, where the nonstationarity is derived from concurrent climate information. From these statistics, flow quantiles are reconstructed over the historic record and then projected to 2100. This paper extends this analysis to an associated source water quality impact, whereby the corresponding risk of exceeding a water quality threshold is examined. The approach is applied to a drinking water source in the Pacific Northwest United States that has experienced elevated turbidity values correlated with high streamflow. Results demonstrate that based on climate change information from the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report, the variability and magnitude of extreme streamflows substantially increase over the 21st century. Consequently, the likelihood of a turbidity exceedance increases, as do the associated relative costs. The framework is general and could be applied to estimate extreme streamflow under climate change at other locations, with straightforward extensions to other water quality variables that depend on extreme hydroclimate.
Effect of error in theoretical Earth tide on calibration of borehole strainmeters
Authors: Langbein John
Published: November 2010

Since the installation of borehole strainmeters into the ground locally distorts the strain in the rock, these strainmeters require calibration from a known source which typically is the Earth tide. Consequently, the accuracy of the observed strain changes from borehole strainmeters depends upon the calibration derived from modeling the Earth tide. Previous work from the mid‐1970s, which is replicated here, demonstrate that the theoretical tide can differ by 30% from the tide observed at surface‐mounted, long‐baseline strainmeters. In spite of possible inaccurate tidal models, many of the 74 borehole strainmeters installed since 2005 can be “calibrated”. However, inaccurate tidal models affect the amplitude and phase of observed transient strain changes which needs to be considered along with the precision of the data from the inherent drift of these borehole instruments. In particular, the error from inaccurate tidal model dominates the error budget in the observation of impulsive, sub‐daily, strain‐transients.
Contribution of sea ice loss to Arctic amplification
Authors: Kumar Arun , Perlwitz Judith , Eischeid Jon , Quan Xiaowei , Xu Taiyi , Zhang Tao , Hoerling Martin , Jha Bhaskar , Wang Wanqui
Published: November 2010

Atmospheric climate models are subjected to the observed sea ice conditions during 2007 to estimate the regionality, seasonality, and vertical pattern of temperature responses to recent Arctic sea ice loss. It is shown that anomalous sea ice conditions accounted for virtually all of the estimated Arctic amplification in surface‐based warming over the Arctic Ocean, and furthermore they accounted for a large fraction of Arctic amplification occurring over the high‐latitude land between 60°N and the Arctic Ocean. Sea ice loss did not appreciably contribute to observed 2007 land temperature warmth equatorward of 60°N. Likewise, the observed warming of the free atmosphere attributable to sea ice loss is confined to Arctic latitudes, and is vertically confined to the lowest 1000 m. The results further highlight a strong seasonality of the temperature response to the 2007 sea ice loss. A weak signal of Arctic amplification in surface based warming is found during boreal summer, whereas a dramatically stronger signal is shown to develop during early autumn that persisted through December even as sea ice coverage approached its climatological values in response to the polar night.
Escape of O+ through the distant tail plasma sheet
Authors: Kistler L. M. , Galvin A. B. , Popecki M. A. , Simunac K. D. C. , Farrugia C. , Moebius E. , Lee M. A. , Blush L. M. , Bochsler P. , Wurz P. , Klecker B. , Wimmer‐Schweingruber R. F. , Opitz A. , Sauvaud J.‐A. , Thompson B. , Russell C. T.
Published: November 2010

In February 2007, the STEREO‐B spacecraft encountered the magnetosheath, plasma sheet and plasma sheet boundary layer from about 200 RE to 300 RE downtail. This time period was during solar minimum, and there was no storm activity during this month. Using data from the PLASTIC instrument, we find that even during quiet times, O+ is a constant feature of the deep magnetotail, with an O+ density of about 15% of the O+ density in the near‐earth plasma sheet for similar conditions. The tailward flux of the O+ is similar to the flux of O+ beams that have been observed in the lobe/mantle region of the deep tail. The total outflow rate of the O+ down the plasma sheet is 1.1 × 1024 ions/s, which is 10% of the total outflow rate of 1 × 1025 ions/s, and of the same order as the estimated loss from dayside transport.
Global warming shifts Pacific tropical cyclone location
Authors: Li Tim , Kwon MinHo , Zhao Ming , Kug Jong‐Seong , Luo Jing‐Jia , Yu Weidong
Published: November 2010

A global high‐resolution (∼40 km) atmospheric general circulation model (ECHAM5 T319) is used to investigate the change of tropical cyclone frequency in the North Pacific under global warming. A time slice method is used in which sea surface temperature fields derived from a lower‐resolution coupled model run under the 20C3M (in which historical greenhouse gases in 20th century were prescribed as a radiative forcing) and A1B (in which carbon dioxide concentration was increased 1% each year from 2000 to 2070 and then was kept constant) scenarios are specified as the lower boundary conditions to simulate the current and the future warming climate, respectively. A significant shift is found in the location of tropical cyclones from the western to central Pacific. The shift to more tropical cyclones in the central and less in the western Pacific is not attributable to a change in atmospheric static stability, but to a change in the variance of tropical synoptic‐scale perturbations associated with a change in the background vertical wind shear and boundary layer divergence.
An atlas of gene regulatory networks reveals multiple three‐gene mechanisms for interpreting morphogen gradients
Authors: Cotterell James , Sharpe James
Published: November 2010

The interpretation of morphogen gradients is a pivotal concept in developmental biology, and several mechanisms have been proposed to explain how gene regulatory networks (GRNs) achieve concentration‐dependent responses. However, the number of different mechanisms that may exist for cells to interpret morphogens, and the importance of design features such as feedback or local cell–cell communication, is unclear. A complete understanding of such systems will require going beyond a case‐by‐case analysis of real morphogen interpretation mechanisms and mapping out a complete GRN ‘design space.’ Here, we generate a first atlas of design space for GRNs capable of patterning a homogeneous field of cells into discrete gene expression domains by interpreting a fixed morphogen gradient. We uncover multiple very distinct mechanisms distributed discretely across the atlas, thereby expanding the repertoire of morphogen interpretation network motifs. Analyzing this diverse collection of mechanisms also allows us to predict that local cell–cell communication will rarely be responsible for the basic dose‐dependent response of morphogen interpretation networks.
Quantitative analysis of regulatory flexibility under changing environmental conditions
Authors: Edwards Kieron D , Akman Ozgur E , Knox Kirsten , Lumsden Peter J , Thomson Adrian W , Brown Paul E , Pokhilko Alexandra , Kozma‐Bognar Laszlo , Nagy Ferenc , Rand David A , Millar Andrew J
Published: November 2010

The circadian clock controls 24‐h rhythms in many biological processes, allowing appropriate timing of biological rhythms relative to dawn and dusk. Known clock circuits include multiple, interlocked feedback loops. Theory suggested that multiple loops contribute the flexibility for molecular rhythms to track multiple phases of the external cycle. Clear dawn‐ and dusk‐tracking rhythms illustrate the flexibility of timing in Ipomoea nil. Molecular clock components in Arabidopsis thaliana showed complex, photoperiod‐dependent regulation, which was analysed by comparison with three contrasting models. A simple, quantitative measure, Dusk Sensitivity, was introduced to compare the behaviour of clock models with varying loop complexity. Evening‐expressed clock genes showed photoperiod‐dependent dusk sensitivity, as predicted by the three‐loop model, whereas the one‐ and two‐loop models tracked dawn and dusk, respectively. Output genes for starch degradation achieved dusk‐tracking expression through light regulation, rather than a dusk‐tracking rhythm. Model analysis predicted which biochemical processes could be manipulated to extend dusk tracking. Our results reveal how an operating principle of biological regulators applies specifically to the plant circadian clock.
Structural insight to Streptococcus mitis thymidylate kinase: a potential common drug target of infective endocarditis
Authors: Priyadarshini Vani , Pradhan Dibyabhaba , Munikumar Manne , Umamaheswari Amineni
Published: November 2010

The incidence of infective endocarditis (IE) represents the fourth leading cause of life-threatening infectious disease with a yearly incidence of 15,000 to 20,000 new cases despite advances in antimicrobial therapy, development of better diagnostic and surgical techniques. The diverse group of causative microbes of IE is one of major obstacle towards development of effective antimicrobial drug. This has triggered exploration of common potential novel drug target from available whole genome sequences of predominant pathogens causing IE in SVIMS hospital through comparative subtractive genomic approach and metabolic pathway analysis. Streptococcus mitis is the most predominant IE pathogen in SVIMS hospital. Thymidylate kinase of Streptococcus mitis plays a vital role in pyrimidine metabolism in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis was identified as novel common drug target against IE. Computational tools were utilized further to gain insight on physico-chemical, structural and functional aspects of the protein for facilitating structure based drug design for discovery of novel drug molecule. Motifs and domains of thymidylate kinase were predicted. Secondary structural elements were predicted using NPS server and PROTEUS server. Three dimensional model of thymidylate kinase was constructed based on thymidylate kinase (2CCJ) of Staphylococcus aureus as template using Modeller9v7. DOPE score correlation, PROCHECK, ProSA and superpose results confirmed the predicted model is of good quality. The active site residues of thymidylate kinase were derived by incorporating natural substrate into predicted model from the template. Further, the active site was validated through multiple sequence alignment and CASTp analysis. The 3D model with predicted active site will aid in designing drug against organisms causing infective endocarditis.
Novel Nox homologues in the vasculature: focusing on Nox4 and Nox5
Authors: Montezano Augusto C. , Burger Dylan , Ceravolo Graziela S. , Yusuf Hiba , Montero Maria , Touyz Rhian M.
Published: November 2010

The Noxes (NADPH oxidases) are a family of ROS (reactive oxygen species)-generating enzymes. Of the seven family members, four have been identified as important sources of ROS in the vasculature: Nox1, Nox2, Nox4 and Nox5. Although Nox isoforms can be influenced by the same stimulus and co-localize in cellular compartments, their tissue distribution, subcellular regulation, requirement for cofactors and NADPH oxidase subunits and ability to generate specific ROS differ, which may help to understand the multiplicity of biological functions of these oxidases. Nox4 and Nox5 are the newest isoforms identified in the vasculature. Nox4 is the major isoform expressed in renal cells and appear to produce primarily H2O2. The Nox5 isoform produces ROS in response to increased levels of intracellular Ca2+ and does not require the other NADPH oxidase subunits for its activation. The present review focuses on these unique Noxes, Nox4 and Nox5, and provides novel concepts related to the regulation and interaction in the vasculature, and discusses new potential roles for these isoforms in vascular biology.
Evidence-Based Systematic Review: Effects of Oral Motor Interventions on Feeding and Swallowing in Preterm Infants
Authors: Arvedson Joan , Clark Heather , Lazarus Cathy , Schooling Tracy , Frymark Tobi
Published: November 2010

Purpose

To conduct an evidence-based systematic review and provide an estimate of the effects of oral motor interventions (OMIs) on feeding/swallowing outcomes (both physiological and functional) and pulmonary health in preterm infants.

Method

A systematic search of the literature published from 1960 to 2007 was conducted. Articles meeting the selection criteria were appraised by 2 reviewers and vetted by a 3rd for methodological quality.

Results

Twelve studies were included and focused on 3 OMIs—nonnutritive sucking (NNS), oral/perioral stimulation, and NNS plus oral/perioral stimulation. Six studies addressed the effects of OMI on the feeding/swallowing physiology outcomes of feeding efficiency or sucking pressures. Ten studies addressed the functional feeding/swallowing outcomes of oral feeding or weight gain/growth. No studies reported data on pulmonary health. Methodological quality varied greatly. NNS alone and with oral/perioral stimulation showed strong positive findings for improvement in some feeding/swallowing physiology variables and for reducing transition time to oral feeding. Prefeeding stimulation showed equivocal results across the targeted outcomes. None of the OMIs provided consistent positive results on weight gain/growth.

Conclusions

Although some OMIs show promise for enhancing feeding/swallowing in preterm infants, methodological limitations and variations in results across studies warrant careful consideration of their clinical use.