bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy-Efficient Dynamic Spatial Resolution Control for Wireless Sensor Clusters
Authors: Liang Biyu , Frolik Jeff , Wang X. Sean
Published: July 2009

In very large-scale dense sensor network applications, more sensor nodes may be deployed than are required to provide the initial desired spatial resolution. Such over-deployment can extend network life, improve robustness, and accommodate network dynamic. To enable large deployments, tiered and clustered network structures may be adopted for scalability and manageability. This article presents a highly scalable, distributed control method to manage the activity of sensors in each cluster so that dynamic application-specific spatial resolution requirement can be achieved with minimum energy cost and with uniform participation of sensors. The method, Look-Ahead Resolution Control (LARC), utilizes a look-ahead prediction of activities of sensors in the cluster and provides feedback to nodes as part of acknowledgments to transmissions. LARC is shown to be highly responsive to system dynamics such as changes in the resolution requested, node failures or replenishment. Existing control methods not only fall short in network life and scalability, but also do not provide such responsiveness and uniform participation to ensure a diverse representation of sensed data. LARC is extended to tradeoff between energy and delay in recovery from failures of large number of nodes, by multiplexing sleeping, listening, and transmissions probabilistically in such a way that the control overhead is minimized while the delay is bounded. The article presents the control strategy for LARC along with performance studies showing near-uniform participation and near-optimal cluster lifetime.
Distributed Phased Arrays and Wireless Beamforming Networks
Authors: Jenn David , Loke Yong , Matthew Tong Chin Hong , Choon Yeo Eng , Siang Ong Chin , Yam Yeo Siew
Published: July 2009

Distributed phased arrays have advantages over conventional arrays in many radar and communication applications. Additional advantages are realized by replacing the microwave beamforming circuit by a wireless network, thus forming a wirelessly networked distributed sensor array. This article examines various aspects of a distributed phased array that incorporates wireless beamforming. First, the fundamental array theory and digital signal processing are reviewed. Basic equations are presented and compared to simulations for a ship-based radar application. Next the basic array architecture is described and the critical techniques and components that are required to realize the design are discussed. Methods are introduced for time and phase synchronization, transmit-receive isolation, sensor location issues, and bandwidth and frequency dispersion.
Toroidal rotation in tokamak plasmas
Authors: Callen J.D. , Cole A.J. , Hegna C.C.
Published: July 2009

A comprehensive transport equation for the evolution of toroidal rotation in tokamak plasmas is developed self-consistently from the two-fluid momentum equations taking account of the constraints imposed by faster time scale processes. The resultant plasma toroidal rotation equation includes the effects of collision-induced perpendicular viscosities, anomalous transport due to microturbulence in the plasma, momentum sources and collision-based parallel viscous forces due to 3D non-axisymmetric (NA) magnetic field components produced by external fields and MHD-type instabilities in the plasma. Non-resonant NA fields produce a toroidal torque throughout the plasma that relaxes the toroidal flow to an ‘intrinsic’ or ‘offset’ ion-temperature-gradient diamagnetic-type flow in the direction counter to the plasma current. A NA resonant field error causes a toroidal torque localized near its rational surface. The combination of resonant and non-resonant NA field components is found to predict scalings for error field penetration and mode locking thresholds that are in closer agreement with empirical data from tokamak plasmas.
Automated estimation of L/H transition times at JET by combining Bayesian statistics and support vector machines
Authors: Vega J. , Murari A. , Vagliasindi G. , Rattá G.A.
Published: July 2009

This paper describes a pattern recognition method for off-line estimation of both L/H and H/L transition times in JET. The technique is based on a combined classifier to identify the confinement regime (L or H) at any time instant during a discharge. The classifier is a combination of two different classification systems: a Bayesian classifier whose likelihood is computed by means of a non-parametric statistical classifier (Parzen window) and a support vector machine classifier. They are combined through a fuzzy aggregation operator, in particular the Einstein sum. The success rate achieved exceeds 99% for the L to H transition and 96% for the H to L transition. The estimation of transition times is accomplished by following the temporal evolution of the confinement regimes.
The Role of Th17 in Neuroimmune Disorders: Target for CAM Therapy. Part II
Authors: Vojdani Aristo , Lambert Jama
Published: July 2009

Decades of research went into understanding the role that Th1 autoreactive T‐cells play in neuroinflammation. Here we describe another effector population, the IL‐17‐producing T‐helper lineage (Th17), which drives the inflammatory process. Through the recruitment of inflammatory infiltration neutrophils and the activation of matrix metalloproteinases, IL‐17, a cytokine secreted by Th17 cells, contributes to blood‐brain barrier breakdown and the subsequent attraction of macrophages and monocytes into the nervous system. The entry of cells along with the local production of inflammatory cytokines leads to myelin and axonal damage. This activation of the inflammatory response system is induced by different pathogenic factors, such as gut bacterial endotoxins resulting in progressive neurodegeneration by Th17 cells. Through the understanding of the role of bacterial endotoxins and other pathogenic factors in the induction of autoimmune diseases by Th17 cells, CAM practitioners will be able to design CAM therapies targeting IL‐17 activity. Targeted therapy can restore the integrity of the intestinal and blood‐brain barriers using probiotics, N‐acetyl‐cysteine, α‐lipoic acid, resveratrol and others for their patients with autoimmunities, in particular those with neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.
The Role of Th17 in Neuroimmune Disorders: A Target for CAM Therapy. Part III
Authors: Vojdani Aristo , Lambert Jama , Kellermann Gottfried
Published: July 2009

Abundant research has mapped the inflammatory pathways leading to autoimmunity and neuroinflammatory disorders. The latest T helper to be identified, Th17, through its proinflammatory cytokine IL‐17, plays a pathogenic role in many inflammatory conditions. Today, healthcare providers have a wealth of anti‐inflammatory agents from which to choose. On one hand, pharmaceutical companies market brand‐name drugs direct to the public and physicians. Medical botanical knowledge, on the other hand, has been passed down from generation to generation. The demands for natural healing therapies have brought corresponding clinical and laboratory research studies to elucidate the medicinal properties of alternative practices. With a variety of options, it can be difficult to pinpoint the proper anti‐inflammatory agent for each case presented. In this review, the authors highlight a vast array of anti‐inflammatory medicaments ranging from drugs to vitamins and from botanicals to innate molecules. This compilation may serve as a guide for complimentary and alternative healthcare providers who need to target neuroinflammation driven by Th17 and its inflammatory cytokine IL‐17. By understanding the mechanisms of anti‐inflammatory agents, CAM practitioners can tailor therapeutic interventions to fit the needs of the patient, thereby providing faster relief from inflammatory complaints.
Quantitative phenotyping via deep barcode sequencing
Authors: Smith Andrew M. , Heisler Lawrence E. , Mellor Joseph , Kaper Fiona , Thompson Michael J. , Chee Mark , Roth Frederick P. , Giaever Guri , Nislow Corey
Published: July 2009

Next-generation DNA sequencing technologies have revolutionized diverse genomics applications, including de novo genome sequencing, SNP detection, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and transcriptome analysis. Here we apply deep sequencing to genome-scale fitness profiling to evaluate yeast strain collections in parallel. This method, Barcode analysis by Sequencing, or “Bar-seq,” outperforms the current benchmark barcode microarray assay in terms of both dynamic range and throughput. When applied to a complex chemogenomic assay, Bar-seq quantitatively identifies drug targets, with performance superior to the benchmark microarray assay. We also show that Bar-seq is well-suited for a multiplex format. We completely re-sequenced and re-annotated the yeast deletion collection using deep sequencing, found that ∼20% of the barcodes and common priming sequences varied from expectation, and used this revised list of barcode sequences to improve data quality. Together, this new assay and analysis routine provide a deep-sequencing-based toolkit for identifying gene–environment interactions on a genome-wide scale.
Audit Quality, Corporate Governance, and Earnings Management: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Lin Jerry W. , Hwang Mark I.
Published: July 2009

Earnings management is of great concern to corporate stakeholders. While numerous studies have investigated the effects of various corporate governance and audit quality variables on earnings management, empirical evidence is rather inconsistent. This meta‐analysis identifies 12 significant relationships by integrating results from 48 prior studies. For corporate governance, the independence of the board of directors and its expertise have a negative relationship with earnings management. Similar negative relationships exist between earnings management and the audit committee's independence, its size, expertise, and the number of meetings. The audit committee's share ownership has a positive effect on earnings management. For audit quality, auditor tenure, auditor size, and specialization have a negative relationship with earnings management. Auditor independence, as measured by fee ratio and total fee, is also a deterrent to earnings management.
Determining whether there are any Effects of Incentive Compensation and Stock Ownership on Internal Audit Procedures
Authors: Schneider Arnold
Published: July 2009

This study examines whether internal auditor incentive compensation and stock ownership affect internal auditors' decisions to extend audit procedures when warranted. Internal auditors may be reluctant to extend audit procedures in situations that could adversely impact the company's earnings, as this could have a negative impact on the internal auditor's compensation and/or stock value. Since this involves a sensitive issue, the randomized response technique is used to elicit responses. The results indicate that while a sizeable proportion of internal auditors were reluctant to extend audit procedures when warranted, neither incentive compensation nor stock ownership affected the audit planning decisions.
Spatial monitoring of a non‐stationary soil property: phosphorus in a Florida water conservation area
Authors: Marchant B. P. , Newman S. , Corstanje R. , Reddy K. R. , Osborne T. Z. , Lark R. M.
Published: July 2009

Ecological restoration plans in the Florida Everglades require detailed information about the status and change of the nutrient content of the soil. The soil total phosphorus (TP) content is of particular importance as the system is naturally P limited and the TP enrichment has led to changes in the wetland vegetation communities. One way to provide the relevant information is by geostatistical prediction from sampled data. However, conventional geostatistical models assume that properties being monitored are realizations of second‐order stationary random functions. The assumption of second‐order stationarity is not appropriate for soil TP in Water Conservation Area 1 (WCA‐1) of the Florida Everglades because the mean and variance of soil TP are larger at sites adjacent to the canals which bound WCA‐1 and deliver P to the system than at sites in the interior of the region.

We develop a novel linear mixed‐model framework for spatial monitoring of a property for which this assumption is not valid. Specifically we use this non‐stationary model to map the status and change of TP within WCA‐1 from surveys carried out in 1991 and 2003. We fit the parameters of the model by residual maximum likelihood (REML) and compare the effectiveness of this non‐stationary model with the conventional stationary model.

Conventional second‐order stationary models fail to represent accurately the large uncertainty in predictions of TP adjacent to the canals. The non‐stationary model predicts an invading front of P entering the interior of the region which is not evident in the predictions from the stationary model. Tests on the log‐likelihood and the standardized squared prediction error of the fitted models provide further evidence in favour of the non‐stationary model.

The sampling intensity required to ensure a certain precision of TP predictions varies across WCA‐1 with the variance of TP. Therefore we apply a spatial simulated annealing optimization algorithm to design future monitoring surveys based upon our non‐stationary model which ensure that the status and change are efficiently and effectively predicted across the region.
Trophometric index: a predictor for fish density, biomass and production in Mediterranean reservoirs in Spain
Authors: LARA G. , ENCINA L. , RODRÍGUEZ –RUIZ A.
Published: July 2009

Abstract  A trophometric index (TMI) is proposed to estimate fish density, biomass and production in Mediterranean reservoirs. It consists of simple and integrated environmental variables such as the form index (IF = S/V ), the volume percentage of water with sufficient oxygen to sustain fish life, conductivity, chlorophyll a concentration and perimeter, the synergic effect of which explains the fish structure and accounts for the functioning of the ecosystems. This index was tested in eight reservoirs in the Guadalquivir River basin, showing a good fit with a potential model for fish density and a linear model for fish biomass and production (P < 0.01; r2 > 0.8). The TMI is a valuable tool for evaluating fishery production in Mediterranean reservoirs and allows these to be classified by type for better management and evaluation in the framework of the European Water Directive.
Xylem root and shoot hydraulics is linked to life history type in chaparral seedlings
Authors: Pratt Robert B. , North Gretchen B. , Jacobsen Anna L. , Ewers Frank W. , Davis Stephen D.
Published: July 2009

1. Shrubs in fire prone chaparral communities have evolved different life history types in response to fire. A key to understanding the evolution of life history type differences is to understand how physiological traits are linked to differences in life history type. Vascular adaptations are important for delivering an efficient and stable water supply to evergreen chaparral shrub leaves. This study tested for a link between vascular physiology and life history type in chaparral shrubs.

2. Chaparral shrub species along the south‐western coast of North America survive wildfire by three different life histories. Non‐sprouters are killed by fire and re‐establish exclusively through germination of fire‐stimulated seeds, facultative sprouters re‐establish by a combination of vegetative sprouting and fire‐stimulated seeds, and obligate sprouters re‐establish exclusively by vegetative sprouting because their seeds do not survive fire. Non‐sprouters and facultative sprouters establish seedlings in the open canopy post fire environment, whereas obligate sprouters establish seedlings in the shady understory of the mature chaparral canopy.

3. Seedlings of nine species (Rhamnaceae) representing three each of the different life history types were grown in deep containers in a common garden under treatments of sun and shade. Hydraulic conductance was measured using a high‐pressure flow meter for all organs, and a vacuum technique was used to measure conductance of fine and woody roots. We predicted that non‐sprouters would exhibit greater hydraulic efficiency than the sprouting species, and that facultative sprouters would be more efficient than the shade tolerant obligate sprouters.

4. Non‐sprouters had the greatest hydraulic conductance per unit leaf and sapwood area at the whole seedling level, whereas facultative and obligate sprouters were not different. Comparing hydraulic conductance across major organs (from fine roots to leaves) showed that the hydraulic system was well coordinated. At the whole seedling level, the root system was more of a bottleneck than the shoot system. This pattern was consistent with high resistance extraxylary pathways in roots and differences in root architecture.

5. The greater hydraulic efficiency of the non‐sprouter life history type is attributed to its post‐fire pioneering habit and may partially explain the relatively high speciation in the non‐sprouters. Lower hydraulic efficiency is associated with a sprouting life history and greater shade tolerance. The seedling root systems represent a hydraulic bottleneck that may place roots under especially intense selection.
Variation in leaf functional trait values within and across individuals and species: an example from a Costa Rican dry forest
Authors: Hulshof Catherine M. , Swenson Nathan G.
Published: July 2009

1. Patterns of species co‐existence and species diversity in plant communities remain an important research area despite over a century of intensive scrutiny. To provide mechanistic insight into the rules governing plant species co‐existence and diversity, plant community ecologists are increasingly quantifying functional trait values for the species found in a wide range of communities.

2. Despite the promise of a quantitative functional trait approach to plant community ecology, we suggest that, along with examining trait variation across species, an assessment of trait variation within species should also be a key component of a trait‐based approach to community ecology. Variability within and between individuals and populations is likely widespread due to plastic responses to highly localized abiotic and biotic interactions.

3. In this study, we quantify leaf trait variation within and across ten co‐existing tree species in a dry tropical forest in Costa Rica to ask: (i) whether the majority of trait variation is located between species, within species, within individuals or within the leaves themselves; (ii) whether trait values collected using standardized methods correlate with those collected using unstandardized methods; and (iii) to what extent can we differentiate plant species on the basis of their traits?

4. We find that the majority of variation in traits was often explained by between species differences; however, between leaflet trait variation was very high for compound‐leaved species. We also show that many species are difficult to reliably differentiate on the basis of functional traits even when sampling many individuals.

5. We suggest an ideal sample size of at least 10, and ideally 20, individuals be used when calculating mean trait values for individual species for entire communities, though even at large sample sizes, it remains unclear if community level trait values will allow comparisons on a larger geographic scale or if species traits are generally similar across scales. It will thus be critical to account for intraspecific variation by comparing species mean trait values across space in multiple microclimatic environments within local communities and along environmental gradients. Further, quantifying trait variability due to plasticity and inheritance will provide a better understanding of the underlying patterns and drivers of trait variation as well as the application of functional traits in outlining mechanisms of species co‐existence.
Optimization of the quality of South Indianparottaby modelling the ingredient composition using the response surface methodology
Authors: Indrani Dasappa , Rao Gandham Venkateswara
Published: July 2009

SummaryAn optimized formulation was developed for the preparation ofparotta.This was modelled by response surface methodology (RSM) by using a Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) with five independent variables (water, salt, sugar, egg and oil), each at five different levels. The dependent variable or response measured for each treatment was the overall sensory quality score. The response surfaces and contour maps showing the interactions of ingredients indicated that the quality ofparottacould be optimized by decreasing the percentage of water, increasing the percentage of oil and retaining salt, sugar and egg concentration within a narrow range of variation from mean levels. According to the RSM, the actual comparative amounts of ingredients at the maximum estimated overall sensory quality score of 95.9 were: wheat flour 100; water 56.3; salt 1.0; sugar 0.8; egg 9.6 and oil 16.6.
Acceleration of the drying rates of paprika fruit with drying oil and cutting
Authors: Krajayklang Mayuree , Klieber Andreas , Dry Peter R.
Published: July 2009

SummaryPaprika fruit (Capsicum annuumL.) were dipped in water (control), cold oil (10% plus 2.5% K2CO3) for 3 min, or hot oil at 65 °C, and left whole or were cut in halves or small pieces. The fruit were dried at 45 °C and ground. The quality of the powder was assessed before and after 8 weeks of storage at 37 °C. Both oil dips and cutting accelerated the drying. Hot oil dipping of whole fruit halved the drying period compared to the control, but cutting the fruit into small sections accelerated the drying most, reducing the drying times by 81%. Combining the oil with fine cutting did not further accelerate drying. The oil dips changed the structure of the surface wax, increasing the water permeability; the cutting opened alternative routes to the cuticle for water movement. Colour intensity and stability increased slightly for cut fruit, but was unaffected by oil. The aroma of water‐dipped samples was ‘hay‐like’, while that of the oil dipped samples was ‘nutty’.
Work‐related stress, education and work ability among hospital nurses
Authors: Golubic Rajna , Milosevic Milan , Knezevic Bojana , Mustajbegovic Jadranka
Published: July 2009

Title.  Work‐related stress, education and work ability among hospital nurses.

Aim.  This paper is a report of a study conducted to determine which occupational stressors are present in nurses’ working environment; to describe and compare occupational stress between two educational groups of nurses; to estimate which stressors and to what extent predict nurses’ work ability; and to determine if educational level predicts nurses’ work ability.

Background.  Nurses’ occupational stress adversely affects their health and nursing quality. Higher educational level has been shown to have positive effects on the preservation of good work ability.

Method.  A cross‐sectional study was conducted in 2006–2007. Questionnaires were distributed to a convenience sample of 1392 (59%) nurses employed at four university hospitals in Croatia (n = 2364). The response rate was 78% (n = 1086). Data were collected using the Occupational Stress Assessment Questionnaire and Work Ability Index Questionnaire.

Findings.  We identified six major groups of occupational stressors: ‘Organization of work and financial issues’, ‘public criticism’, ‘hazards at workplace’, ‘interpersonal conflicts at workplace’, ‘shift work’ and ‘professional and intellectual demands’. Nurses with secondary school qualifications perceived Hazards at workplace and Shift work as statistically significantly more stressful than nurses a with college degree. Predictors statistically significantly related with low work ability were: Organization of work and financial issues (odds ratio = 1·69, 95% confidence interval 1·22–2·36), lower educational level (odds ratio = 1·69, 95% confidence interval 1·22–2·36) and older age (odds ratio = 1·07, 95% confidence interval 1·05–1·09).

Conclusion.  Hospital managers should develop strategies to address and improve the quality of working conditions for nurses in Croatian hospitals. Providing educational and career prospects can contribute to decreasing nurses’ occupational stress levels, thus maintaining their work ability.
Transgressive aggression in Sceloporus hybrids confers fitness through advantages in male agonistic encounters
Authors: Robbins Travis R. , Pruitt Jonathan N. , Straub Lorelei E. , Mccoy Earl D. , Mushinsky Henry R.
Published: July 2009

1. We investigated agonistic behaviour and associated characteristics of Sceloporus woodi (Florida scrub lizard), Sceloporus undulatus (Eastern fence lizard) and their hybrids using staged territorial encounters.

2. These Sceloporus hybrids exhibit transgressive aggression and transgressive head‐girth relative to the parental species and the transgressive aggression was specifically associated with an advantage in agonistic encounters. Our results suggest a hybrid advantage in natural habitats when defending and invading territories against either parental species.

3. We further analysed general advantages in agonistic encounters across the entire three‐group system to elucidate characteristics that may be advantageous under specific circumstances. Individuals with larger body size (SVL) and greater aggression had an overall advantage in agonistic encounters; however, smaller individuals could win when slightly more aggressive and fatter, and less aggressive individuals could win when slightly larger, especially with greater head‐girth.

4. The extreme hybrid phenotypes likely occurred through transgressive segregation, which has been implicated as a process through which homoploid, hybrid speciation can occur. Some form of ecological divergence is necessary, however, to impede parental gene flow. Our data suggest that ecological divergence could manifest in territorial species through transgressive aggression.
Great tits lay increasingly smaller clutches than selected for: a study of climate‐ and density‐related changes in reproductive traits
Authors: Ahola Markus P. , Laaksonen Toni , Eeva Tapio , Lehikoinen Esa
Published: July 2009

1. The phenology of temperate environments and therefore timing of breeding has advanced in a number of bird species due to climate warming. Few studies, however, have examined the mechanisms behind the observed changes, the role of natural selection in them or the determinants of the selection. In other traits such as clutch size, even changes over years have been rarely studied.

2. We studied patterns and trends in timing of breeding, clutch size and fledgling production in the great tit Parus major in South‐West Finland during 1953–2008, as well as natural selection on the timing and clutch size, based on fledgling production. We also examined connections between these parameters and a number of climatic and population intrinsic factors.

3. Laying date was earlier when the pre‐breeding period was warm and tended to be earlier when breeding density was high, but it did not show any temporal change during the study period despite temporal increases in both explanatory factors. Number of fledglings decreased through declines in both mean clutch size and fledging success. Fledging success was better with higher breeding‐time temperature and larger clutch size. Both the clutch size and fledging success were lower at higher breeding density.

4. Selection on laying date did not change through time, but there was a selection for early laying with high breeding‐time temperature and high breeding density. Interestingly, in contrast to the decrease in reproductive output, the selection for larger than average clutch size strengthened with time, which was not explained by any tested factor.

5. We suggest that increasingly favourable conditions in winters have enhanced the survival and resulted in the observed increase in great tit breeding density. This may have most concerned young and otherwise low‐quality individuals, which also most likely end up breeding in the increasingly occupied low‐quality territories. This hypothesis was indicatively supported by increased within‐year variation in both laying date and clutch size. The changes could also explain the lack of advancement in laying date as well as the increasing selection for large clutch sizes as the fittest individuals most likely occupy the best territories and lay largest clutches.
Conception date affects litter type and foetal sex ratio in female moose in Estonia
Authors: Veeroja Rauno , Kirk Anne , Tilgar Vallo , Säde Sander , Kreitsberg Merit , Tõnisson Jüri
Published: July 2009

1. The Trivers–Willard model of optimal sex ratios predicts that in polygynous species mothers in better condition should produce more male than female offspring. However, empirical support for this hypothesis in mammals and especially ungulates has been equivocal. This may be because the fitness of mothers has been defined in different ways, reflecting morphological, physiological or behavioural measures of condition. In addition, factors other than maternal condition can influence a mother’s fitness. Given that recent studies of wild ungulates have demonstrated the importance of the timing of conception and birth on offspring fitness, litters conceived at different stages of the rut might be expected to exhibit differences in types and embryonic sex ratio.

2. Based on a 6‐year survey of the reproductive tracts of female moose harvested in Estonia, we investigated the effect of conception date on the types of litters produced and on the foetal sex ratio.

3. There was a clear relationship between conception date and litter characteristics. Overall, earlier conceived litters were more likely than those conceived late to contain multiple embryos and a high proportion of males. However, while foetal sex ratio varied nonlinearly with conception date in yearlings and subadults, no relationship was found in adults.

4. We conclude that female moose adjust foetal sex ratio and litter type/size depending on their age and the date of conception, and that these adjustments are in accordance with the Trivers–Willard hypothesis if females that conceive earlier are in better condition.
Use of resource selection functions to identify conservation corridors
Authors: Chetkiewicz Cheryl‐Lesley B. , Boyce Mark S.
Published: July 2009

Corridors are commonly used to connect fragments of wildlife habitat, yet the identification of conservation corridors typically neglects processes of habitat selection and movement for target organisms. New technologies and analytical tools make it possible to better integrate landscape patterns with behavioural processes. We illustrate the integration of resource selection functions (RSFs) and least‐cost path (LCP) analyses for the purpose of corridor planning for two large carnivores.

 We used RSFs developed from Global Positioning System telemetry data to predict the seasonal distribution of two large carnivores: grizzly bears Ursus arctos and cougars Puma concolor. We then applied LCP analyses to identify potential corridors in two fragmented montane landscapes – Canmore and Crowsnest Pass – in Alberta, Canada.

 Grizzly bear habitat selection in both areas positively correlated with greenness in all seasons and soil wetness and proximity to water in the summer when both variables were associated with bear forage. During spring, grizzly bear occurrence in Canmore inversely correlated with road density.

 For cougars, habitat selection varied by region: it negatively correlated with road density in Canmore during non‐winter and positively correlated with terrain ruggedness in Crowsnest Pass. Cougar occurrence during the non‐winter season in Canmore positively correlated with greenness.

 For each species, seasonal RSFs were used to develop a cost surface for LCP analyses to identify potential corridor locations in each study area. Overlaying the paths for the two species highlighted where the landscape could support corridors for both species and potential highway crossing zones. The telemetry data supported some of these modelled crossings.

 Synthesis and applications. We show how to integrate RSFs and least‐cost modelling to identify corridors for conservation. We focus on two large carnivores in the Canadian Rocky Mountains to identify potential corridors in Canmore and provide a framework for corridor planning in Crowsnest. We suggest that our approach is applicable to many other target species in addition to large carnivores in human‐dominated landscapes.
Competitive interactions and the effect of herbivory on Bt‐Brassica napus, Brassica rapa and Lolium perenne
Authors: Damgaard Christian , Kjær Christian
Published: July 2009

1.  The probability of a transgenic crop establishing a feral population outside cultivated areas and possibly outcompeting naturally occurring species needs to be assessed to make an ecological risk assessment of the transgenic crop.

2.
 The interaction between herbivory and competition is thought to determine the ecological success of insect‐resistant plants, and this interaction was investigated in a competition experiment with transgenic insect‐resistant Bt‐Brassica napus, Brassica rapa, Lolium perenne, and herbivory from the large white butterfly Pieris brassicae.

3.
 As expected, herbivory had a negative effect on the biomass of B. rapa at high plant densities. The competitive ability of L. perenne, when growing with B. rapa, increased significantly with the level of herbivory on B. rapa.

4.
 To predict the effect of herbivory in a natural ecosystem, plant competition between the two annual Brassica species was analysed in a population ecological model. It was concluded that it is probable that transgenic Bt‐B. napus plants may invade a natural habitat if herbivory is sufficiently high and the habitat is suitable for B. napus.

5.
 Synthesis and applications. The results indicate that it is important to study the interaction between herbivory and competition when assessing the ecological risk of insect‐resistant genetically modified crops. Furthermore, combining ecological data from manipulated experiments with population ecological modelling is a fruitful approach when conducting environmental risk assessments.
Fresh insights into long‐term changes in flora, vegetation, land use and soil erosion in the karstic environment of the Burren, western Ireland
Authors: Feeser Ingo , O’Connell Michael
Published: July 2009

1.
 The study focuses on species‐rich, upland, heathy vegetation with arctic‐alpine floristic affinities and Sesleria grasslands in the karstic Burren region, western Ireland. The investigations aimed at reconstructing the long‐term development of these high conservation‐value communities and the role of farming in their formation and long‐term survival.

2.
 The methods used included pollen analysis and 14C‐dating of short monoliths and investigation of grykes (fissures in karstic limestone) for evidence of soil erosion. Special attention was paid to fossil, coprophilous fungal spores as indicators of local grazing. The strong local character of the pollen records facilitated identification of inter‐site differences as well as regional patterns. It is shown that open pine woodland characterized the Cappanawalla uplands between c. 1500 BC and 500 BC. It is proposed that such woodlands, with floristic affinities to Scandinavian open pine woodlands on calcareous soils, provided a suitable environment for the present‐day, open heath vegetation with species such as Dryas octopetala, Arctostaphylos uva‐ursi, Geranium sanguineum and Empetrum nigrum.

3.  Burning of vegetation as a management tool was important in the uplands over most of the last two millennia. Firing seems to have ceased with the onset of more intensive grazing regimes in the 18th century.

4.
 Synthesis. Upland palaeoarchives, derived from shallow peaty deposits, show that the upland Burren supported mainly plagioclimax Corylus‐dominated woody vegetation and grasslands from c. 1500 BC (beginning of present record), until possibly as late as the 17th century AD. In the uplands of the north‐western Burren, open, species‐rich pinewoods with hazel dominated. The northern‐arctic elements in the present‐day upland flora survived clearances, involving initially Pinus sylvestris (c. 500 BC) and subsequently Corylus avellana (c. AD 1600). Colluvial material retrieved from grykes supports the idea of considerable soil loss occurring as late as the first and early 2nd millennium AD. The investigations highlight the potential of upland palaeoarchives, consisting of short sequences, for elucidating vegetation and land‐use dynamics in karstic environments such as the Burren.
Staff attributions towards men with intellectual disability who have a history of sexual offending and challenging behaviour
Authors: MacKinlay L. , Langdon P. E.
Published: July 2009

Background  Staff working within secure services for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are likely to work with sexual offenders, but very little attention has been paid to how they think about this sexual offending behaviour.

Method  Forty‐eight staff working within secure services for people with ID were recruited and completed the Attribution Style Questionnaire in relation to the sexual offending behaviour and challenging behaviour of men with mild ID. Attributions towards challenging behaviour and sexual offending were compared and relationships between level of ID and seriousness of the sexual offence were explored.

Results  The results indicated that staff attributed sexual offending as more external to the staff group than they did for challenging behaviour. Sexual offending behaviour was also seen as more stable, and less controllable by people with ID than was challenging behaviour. Sexual offending was also attributed as more uncontrollable by the staff group than challenging behaviour. There was a significant negative correlation between general intellectual functioning and several attributional dimensions regarding sexual offending, but not challenging behaviour. Sexual offending that was coded as more serious was attributed as universal and uncontrollable by the staff group.

Conclusions  The differences between staff attributions regarding challenging behaviour and sexual offending potentially relate to the decision‐making processes involved in deciding whether or not to involve criminal justice agencies when someone with ID commits a sexual offence. Further research within this area is warranted.
Overcoming the barriers experienced in conducting a medication trial in adults with aggressive challenging behaviour and intellectual disabilities
Authors: Oliver‐Africano P. , Dickens S. , Ahmed Z. , Bouras N. , Cooray S. , Deb S. , Knapp M. , Hare M. , Meade M. , Reece B. , Bhaumik S. , Harley D. , Piachaud J. , Regan A. , Ade Thomas D. , Karatela S. , Rao B. , Dzendrowskyj T. , Lenôtre L. , Watson J. , Tyrer P.
Published: July 2009

Background  Aggressive challenging behaviour in people with intellectual disability (ID) is frequently treated with antipsychotic drugs, despite a limited evidence base.

Method  A multi‐centre randomised controlled trial was undertaken to investigate the efficacy, adverse effects and costs of two commonly prescribed antipsychotic drugs (risperidone and haloperidol) and placebo.

Results  The trial faced significant problems in recruitment. The intent was to recruit 120 patients over 2 years in three centres and to use a validated aggression scale (Modified Overt Aggression Scale) score as the primary outcome. Despite doubling the period of recruitment, only 86 patients were ultimately recruited.

Conclusions  Variation in beliefs over the efficacy of drug treatment, difficulties within multidisciplinary teams and perceived ethical concerns over medication trials in this population all contributed to poor recruitment. Where appropriate to the research question cluster randomised trials represent an ethically and logistically feasible alternative to individually randomised trials.
Stator assembly and activation mechanism of the flagellar motor by the periplasmic region of MotB
Authors: Kojima Seiji , Imada Katsumi , Sakuma Mayuko , Sudo Yuki , Kojima Chojiro , Minamino Tohru , Homma Michio , Namba Keiichi
Published: July 2009

Torque generation in the Salmonella flagellar motor is coupled to translocation of H+ ions through the proton‐conducting channel of the Mot protein stator complex. The Mot complex is believed to be anchored to the peptidoglycan (PG) layer by the putative peptidoglycan‐binding (PGB) domain of MotB. Proton translocation is activated only when the stator is installed into the motor. We report the crystal structure of a C‐terminal periplasmic fragment of MotB (MotBC) that contains the PGB domain and includes the entire periplasmic region essential for motility. Structural and functional analyses indicate that the PGB domains must dimerize in order to form the proton‐conducting channel. Drastic conformational changes in the N‐terminal portion of MotBC are required both for PG binding and the proton channel activation.
The Spitzenkörper: a signalling hub for the control of fungal development?
Authors: Harris Steven D.
Published: July 2009

In Aspergillus nidulans, asexual development culminates in the formation of a multicellular conidiophore that bears spores known as conidia. Although several factors required for conidiophore formation have been characterized, the mechanisms underlying the transition from vegetative growth to development remain obscure. However, the recent characterization of two of these factors, FlbB and FlbE, provides important new insight. Notably, these studies suggest that the Spitzenkörper (i.e. apical body), which is known to regulate hyphal morphogenesis, might also serve as a signalling hub that co‐ordinates development transitions.
Attitudes of pregnant women towards participation in perinatal epidemiological research
Authors: Nechuta Sarah , Mudd Lanay M. , Biery Lynette , Elliott Michael R. , Lepkowski James M. , Paneth Nigel ,   the Michigan Alliance for the National Children's Study
Published: July 2009

We assessed attitudes of a multi‐ethnic sample of pregnant women in regard to participation in five data collection procedures planned for use in the National Children's Study. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted in nine prenatal clinics in Kent County, Michigan between April and October 2006. Women were approached in clinic waiting rooms at the time of their first prenatal visit and 311 (91.0%) participated. Women were asked about their willingness to participate, and the smallest amount of compensation required for participation in a 45‐min in‐person interview, a 15‐min telephone interview, maternal and infant medical record abstraction, and an infant physical examination.

Percentages for willingness to participate were highest for telephone interview (83%), followed by in‐person interview (60%), infant examination (57%), and maternal (56%) and infant medical records (54%). About 34–48% of women reported that no compensation would be required for participation by data procedure. Some women reported unwillingness to participate in telephone (9%) or personal (17%) interview, record abstraction (34%) or infant examination (26%), even with compensation. Education greater than high school was associated with increased odds of refusal for infant physical examination, adjusted odds ratio 2.44 [95% confidence interval 1.41, 4.23]. In conclusion, 9–34% of pregnant women, depending on procedure, stated they would not participate in non‐invasive research procedures such as medical record abstraction and infant examination, even with compensation. Resistance to these research procedures was especially noted among more highly educated women. Planning for the National Children's Study will have to address potential resistance to research among pregnant women.
Hormonal regulation of temperature‐induced growth in Arabidopsis
Authors: Stavang Jon A. , Gallego‐Bartolomé Javier , Gómez María D. , Yoshida Shigeo , Asami Tadao , Olsen Jorunn E. , García‐Martínez José L. , Alabadí David , Blázquez Miguel A.
Published: July 2009

Successful plant survival depends upon the proper integration of information from the environment with endogenous cues to regulate growth and development. We have investigated the interplay between ambient temperature and hormone action during the regulation of hypocotyl elongation, and we have found that gibberellins (GAs) and auxin are quickly and independently recruited by temperature to modulate growth rate, whereas activity of brassinosteroids (BRs) seems to be required later on. Impairment of GA biosynthesis blocked the increased elongation caused at higher temperatures, but hypocotyls of pentuple DELLA knockout mutants still reduced their response to higher temperatures when BR synthesis or auxin polar transport were blocked. The expression of several key genes involved in the biosynthesis of GAs and auxin was regulated by temperature, which indirectly resulted in coherent variations in the levels of accumulation of nuclear GFP–RGA (repressor of GA1) and in the activity of the DR5 reporter. DNA microarray and genetic analyses allowed the identification of the transcription factor PIF4 (phytochrome‐interacting factor 4) as a major target in the promotion of growth at higher temperature. These results suggest that temperature regulates hypocotyl growth by individually impinging on several elements of a pre‐existing network of signaling pathways involving auxin, BRs, GAs, and PIF4.
A locus conferring resistance to Colletotrichum higginsianum is shared by four geographically distinct Arabidopsis accessions
Authors: Birker Doris , Heidrich Katharina , Takahara Hiroyuki , Narusaka Mari , Deslandes Laurent , Narusaka Yoshihiro , Reymond Matthieu , Parker Jane E. , O’Connell Richard
Published: July 2009

Colletotrichum higginsianum is a hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen that causes anthracnose disease on Arabidopsis and other crucifer hosts. By exploiting natural variation in Arabidopsis we identified a resistance locus that is shared by four geographically distinct accessions (Ws‐0, Kondara, Gifu‐2 and Can‐0). A combination of quantitative trait loci (QTL) and Mendelian mapping positioned this locus within the major recognition gene complex MRC‐J on chromosome 5 containing the Toll‐interleukin‐1 receptor/nucleotide‐binding site/leucine‐rich repeat (TIR‐NB‐LRR) genes RPS4 and RRS1 that confer dual resistance to C. higginsianum in Ws‐0 (Narusaka et al., 2009). We find that the resistance shared by these diverse Arabidopsis accessions is expressed at an early stage of fungal invasion, at the level of appressorial penetration and establishment of intracellular biotrophic hyphae, and that this determines disease progression. Resistance is not associated with host hypersensitive cell death, an oxidative burst or callose deposition in epidermal cells but requires the defense regulator EDS1, highlighting new functions of TIR‐NB‐LRR genes and EDS1 in limiting early establishment of fungal biotrophy. While the Arabidopsis accession Ler‐0 is fully susceptible to C. higginsianum infection, Col‐0 displays intermediate resistance that also maps to MRC‐J. By analysis of null mutants of RPS4 and RRS1 in Col‐0 we show that these genes, individually, do not contribute strongly to C. higginsianum resistance but are both required for resistance to Pseudomonas syringae bacteria expressing the Type III effector, AvrRps4. We conclude that distinct allelic forms of RPS4 and RRS1 probably cooperate to confer resistance to different pathogens.