bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salinity effects on food habits in three coastal, rural villages in Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman M.H. , Lund T. , Bryceson I.
Published: February 2011

Since shrimp farming started in Bangladesh in the 1970s, it has spread throughout the coastal region, increasing soil and water salinity levels. The water salinity in 2005 in the coastal districts of Khulna, Bagherat and Satkhira ranged from 0.3 to 20.7, 0.4 to 27.1 and 0.7 to 24.8 dS m−1, respectively, whereby it was highly saline for several months of the year. Water salinity above 2.5 dS m−1 is not suitable for irrigation, and may cause animal health problems. Irrigation with saline water may cause ion toxicity and osmotic stress, reducing plant growth and yield. Salinity has reduced the agro-biodiversity in the coastal regions of Bangladesh, and this paper investigates how these changes have impacted human food habits in the three coastal, rural villages Putia (Satkhira district), Srifaltala (Bagerhat district) and Hogolbunia (Khulna district). Fieldwork was conducted from July to December 2006 and Participatory Rural Appraisal methods including transect walks, key informant interviews, group discussions and personal interviews were carried out. In total, 121 respondents were interviewed and historical data from 1975 to 2006 were collected. For historical data, respondents aged above 50 years were sampled, but additional criteria such as socio-economic condition and farm location were applied to assure a sample representative for the population of the coastal areas. The sampled households had characteristics similar to the major part of Bangladeshi households (rural, agrarian based, regarding family size and food habits), and were thus representative of a broader cross-section of households in Bangladesh. As all sampled villages faced increasing salinity and spread of shrimp farming, they were representative of villages in the coastal areas. When salinity increased, the production of vegetables, seasonal fruits, animal species, eggs and milk declined. As the price of the mentioned animal commodities rose, cheaper commodities such as broilers, exotic and marine fish species and exotic oils were introduced. The decision on what to cultivate was also influenced by non-residents converting the farmers' land into shrimp ponds, increasing the salinity in the surroundings and killing the farmers' ducks. These agro-biodiversity changes caused reduced frequency of consumption of beef, goat, native chicken, egg, local freshwater fish, seasonal fruits, vegetables and milk, while broilers, exotic fish, exotic oils and marine fish species were increasingly consumed. Still, the total fish consumption declined. These changed food habits may lead to considerable negative health consequences for the rural, coastal populations.
Reassessing catastrophic health-care payments with a Nigerian case study
Authors: Ataguba John Ele-Ojo
Published: February 2011

Health financing reforms have recently received much attention in developing countries. However, out-of-pocket payments remain substantial. When such payments involve expenditures above some given proportion of household resources, they are often deemed ‘catastrophic’. The research literature on defining catastrophe leaves open a number of important questions and as a result there still exists a lack of consensus on the issue. This paper argues that there is a need to examine the question of what might constitute fair indices of catastrophic payment, which explicitly recognize diminishing marginal utility of income as reflected in some principle of vertical equity. It proposes the use of rank-dependent weights to allow variations in threshold payment levels across individuals on the income ladder. These are then applied to a Nigerian data set. It emerged that the catastrophic headcount (positive gap) obtained using a fixed threshold – weighted or not by the concentration index – is lower (higher) than that predicted by the rank-dependent threshold. More fundamentally there is a need for more research effort to take the ideas in this paper further and examine in various different contexts what a fair construct of catastrophe might look like.
The character, volume and implications of sediment impounded in mill dams in Scotland: the case of the Baldernock Mill dam in East Dunbartonshire
Authors: Bishop Paul , Muñoz-Salinas Esperanza , MacKenzie Angus B. , Pulford Ian , McKibbin Jan
Published: February 2011

Reservoir sedimentation provides a valuable source of data on sediment flux. This paper assesses the record of sedimentation in the Baldernock Mill dam, a small mill dam in western Scotland. That record is based on the volume of sediment in the dam, and the detailed analysis of a continuously sampled stratigraphic section through the impounded sediment, with a chronology for mill dam construction and subsequent breaching based on historical maps and the impounded sediment’s content of 137Cs and lead isotopes. The mill dam was constructed in c. 1820, was initially partially breached in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century and then fully breached by about the mid 1920s. The dam trapped relatively low volumes of sediment and the correspondingly low rate of sediment flux indicated by the volume of impounded sediment reflects the dam’s very low trap efficiency. The basal Unit 1 in the impounded sediments was deposited between dam construction and the initial breaching of the wall. The unit consists of repeated ‘triplets’ of a basal sand (flood deposit) grading upwards into a mud deposit (post-flood deposition), which is in turn overlain by an organic-rich layer of leaves and twigs (the subsequent autumn leaf fall). Unit 2 is similar to Unit 1 but lacks the organic layer, indicating the lack of ongoing standing water to trap the autumn leaf fall, and Unit 3 was deposited after full breaching of the wall. Mill dams in Scotland generally impound small steep bedrock channels – the latter reflecting a strong glacial legacy in Scotland – and are only small structures designed to ensure water for mills during dry periods in a climate of otherwise generally moderate to high and reliable rainfall. The small sizes of these dams and their low wall heights mean that they trap relatively low volumes of sediment that have minimal to minor downstream impacts if the dams fail.
The postcranial skeleton of the iguanodontian ornithopod Jinzhousaurus yangi from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Pan Rui , Butler Richard J. , Barrett Paul M.
Published: February 2011

Non-hadrosaurid iguanodontians were the most diverse and abundant group of large-bodied herbivorous dinosaurs during the Early Cretaceous, and were a particularly important component of Laurasian ecosystems. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in our knowledge of the diversity of this group, with multiple new taxa being described from northeast China. The most complete of these Chinese non-hadrosaurid iguanodontians is Jinzhousaurus yangi, from the middle part of the Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous: lower Aptian) of Liaoning Province. Here, we provide the first description of the relatively complete and partially articulated postcranial skeleton of the holotype of Jinzhousaurus, and provide detailed comparisons to closely related taxa. We document additional autapomorphies of Jinzhousaurus that provide strong support for the validity of this taxon.
Finger-Number Interaction
Authors: Badets Arnaud , Pesenti Mauro
Published: February 2011

Recent findings have shown that processing numerical magnitude may interact with finger movements through goal-directed movements. Here we tested these number-finger interactions in a response-effect (R-E) paradigm. During a learning phase, participants read meaningless consonant-vowel (CV) syllables immediately followed by unrelated opening or closing finger movements; during a transfer test, they again named these CV syllables in response to processing a small or a large number. The results showed that responding to a large magnitude number during the transfer phase was slower in an incompatible situation, that is, when the answer was the CV syllable that had been associated to a grip closure during the learning phase. This interference effect demonstrates that ideomotor principles can account for the link between the meaning of numbers and the perception of actions through an anticipated-magnitude code.
The Representation of Multiplication and Division Facts in Memory
Authors: De Brauwer Jolien , Fias Wim
Published: February 2011

Recently, using a training paradigm, Campbell and Agnew (2009) observed cross-operation response time savings with nonidentical elements (e.g., practice 3 + 2, test 5 − 2) for addition and subtraction, showing that a single memory representation underlies addition and subtraction performance. Evidence for cross-operation savings between multiplication and division have been described frequently (e.g., Campbell, Fuchs-Lacelle, & Phenix, 2006) but they have always been attributed to a mediation strategy (reformulating a division problem as a multiplication problem, e.g., Campbell et al., 2006). Campbell and Agnew (2009) therefore concluded that there exists a fundamental difference between addition and subtraction on the one hand and multiplication and division on the other hand. However, our results suggest that retrieval savings between inverse multiplication and division problems can be observed. Even for small problems (solved by direct retrieval) practicing a division problem facilitated the corresponding multiplication problem and vice versa. These findings indicate that shared memory representations underlie multiplication and division retrieval. Hence, memory and learning processes do not seem to differ fundamentally between addition-subtraction and multiplication-division.
Causal Beliefs and Empirical Evidence
Authors: Müller Stephanie M. , Garcia-Retamero Rocio , Cokely Edward , Maldonado Antonio
Published: February 2011

Causal beliefs often facilitate decision making. However, strong causal beliefs can also lead to neglect of relevant empirical evidence causing errors in risky decision making (e.g., medical, financial). We investigated the impact of pre-training and post-experience on the evaluation of empirical evidence in a two-alternative medical diagnostic task. Participants actively searched for information about two patients on the basis of four available cues. The first experiment indicated that pre-training can weaken the strong influence of causal beliefs reducing neglect of empirical evidence. The second experiment demonstrated that increasing amounts of empirical evidence can improve people’s ability to decide in favor of a correct diagnosis. The current research converges with other recent work to clarify key mechanisms and boundary conditions shaping the influence of causal beliefs and empirical evidence in decisions and causal judgments.
Women’s Own-Gender Bias in Face Recognition Memory
Authors: Lovén Johanna , Herlitz Agneta , Rehnman Jenny
Published: February 2011

Women remember more female than male faces, whereas men do not seem to display an own-gender bias in face recognition memory. Why women remember female faces to a greater extent than male faces is unclear; one proposition is that women attend more to and thereby process female faces more effortfully than male faces during encoding. A manipulation that distracts attention and reduces effortful processing may therefore decrease women’s own-gender bias by reducing memory for female faces relative to male faces. In three separate experiments, women and men encoded female and male faces for later recognition in full attention and divided attention conditions. Results consistently showed that women, in contrast to men, displayed a reliable own-gender bias. Importantly, the magnitude of women’s own-gender bias was not reduced in divided attention conditions, indicating that it is not a result of effortful processing of female faces. We suggest these results reflect that women have greater perceptual expertise for female faces, facilitating recognition memory.
Beyond Procedure’s Content
Authors: Greifeneder Rainer , Müller Patrick , Stahlberg Dagmar , Van den Bos Kees , Bless Herbert
Published: February 2011

Procedural justice concerns play a critical role in economic settings, politics, and other domains of human life. Despite the vast evidence corroborating their relevance, considerably less is known about how procedural justice judgments are formed. Whereas earlier theorizing focused on the systematic integration of content information, the present contribution provides a new perspective on the formation of justice judgments by examining the influence of accessibility experiences. Specifically, we hypothesize that procedural justice judgments may be formed based on the ease or difficulty with which justice-relevant information comes to mind. Three experiments corroborate this prediction in that procedures were evaluated less positively when the retrieval of associated unfair aspects was easy compared to difficult. Presumably this is because when it feels easy (difficult) to retrieve unfair aspects, these are perceived as frequent (infrequent), and hence the procedure as unjust (just). In addition to demonstrating that ease-of-retrieval may influence justice judgments, the studies further revealed that reliance on accessibility experiences is high in conditions of personal certainty. We suggest that this is because personal uncertainty fosters systematic processing of content information, whereas personal certainty may invite less taxing judgmental strategies such as reliance on ease-of-retrieval.
Conscious and Unconscious Reward Cues Can Affect a Critical Component of Executive Control
Authors: Capa Rémi L. , Bustin Gaëlle M. , Cleeremans Axel , Hansenne Michel
Published: February 2011

The present study investigates whether updating an important function of executive control can be driven by unconscious reward cues. Participants had to memorize several numbers and update those numbers independently according to a sequence of arithmetic operations. At the beginning of each trial, a reward (1 euro or 5 cents) was presented, either subliminally or supraliminally. Participants could earn the reward if they found the correct response on the updating task. Results showed better performance when a high (conscious or unconscious) reward was at stake compared to a low reward. This suggests that subliminal information can influence a component process of executive control traditionally thought to require consciousness.
Streamflow responses to past and projected future changes in climate at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, United States
Authors: Campbell John L. , Driscoll Charles T. , Pourmokhtarian Afshin , Hayhoe Katharine
Published: February 2011

Climate change has the potential to alter streamflow regimes, having ecological, economic, and societal implications. In the northeastern United States, it is unclear how climate change may affect surface water supply, which is of critical importance in this densely populated region. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of climate change on the timing and quantity of streamflow at small watersheds at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire. The site is ideal for this analysis because of the availability of long‐term hydroclimatological records for analyzing past trends and ample data to parameterize and test hydrological models used to predict future trends. In this study, future streamflow projections were developed with the forest watershed model PnET‐BGC, driven by climate change scenarios from statistically downscaled outputs of atmospheric‐ocean general circulation models. Results indicated that earlier snowmelt and the diminishing snowpack is advancing the timing and reducing the magnitude of peak discharge associated with snowmelt. Past increases in precipitation have caused annual water yield to increase significantly, a trend that is expected to continue under future climate change. Significant declines in evapotranspiration have been observed over the long‐term record, although the cause has not been identified. In the future, evapotranspiration is expected to increase in response to a warmer and wetter environment. These increases in evapotranspiration largely offset increases in precipitation, resulting in relatively little change in streamflow. Future work should aim to decrease uncertainty in the climate projections, particularly for precipitation, obtain a better understanding of the effect of CO2 on vegetation, determine if climate‐induced changes in tree species composition will influence discharge, and assess the impacts of changing hydrology on downstream water supplies.
Using time domain and geographic source tracers to conceptualize streamflow generation processes in lumped rainfall‐runoff models
Authors: Birkel Christian , Tetzlaff Doerthe , Dunn Sarah M. , Soulsby Chris
Published: February 2011

The temporal dynamics and geographical sources of streamflow were conceptualized in a lumped rainfall‐runoff model (isoSAMdyn) using isotopic and geochemical tracers derived from a field study in a 3.6 km2upland catchment in Scotland. High‐resolution (daily) sampling of stable isotopes in precipitation and streamflow over a hydrological year, supplemented by fortnightly sampling of groundwater and riparian saturation zones, allowed hypotheses of runoff generation processes to be tested. These were conceptualized in a previously developed model (SAMdyn) based only on geochemically defined geographic source tracers, which showed that the nonlinear dynamic expansion and contraction of riparian saturation areas is the dominant mechanism for storm runoff generation in the catchment. While SAMdynresulted in reasonable simulation of streamflows and alkalinity (as a source tracer), it was unable to reproduce the rainfall‐runoff dynamics of deuterium (δ2H). Using the model in a learning framework, incorporation of parameters for passive storage in catchment hillslopes and groundwater mixing in riparian saturation zones, along with associated isotopic fractionation, improvedδ2H simulations in stream water and the major catchment water stores. The resulting model provided a conceptualization of rainfall‐runoff processes that broadly reconciled hydrometric data and geochemical and isotopic signals. However, in this particular catchment, fractionation of water in surface saturation zones appears to be a complex process that prevents the simulation of short‐term isotope dynamics in the stream during the summer period.
Regenerating the epigenome
Authors: Barrero Maria J , Izpisua Belmonte Juan Carlos
Published: February 2011

The ability of some organisms to regenerate parts of their body has fascinated scientists for decades. The process of regeneration depends on the potential of certain cells to proliferate and contribute to the formation of new tissue. Organisms have evolved two strategies by which to achieve this: the maintenance of adult stem cells and the induction of stem‐cell properties in differentiated cells. In both cases, cells must undergo extensive epigenetic reprogramming to attain the specialized functions of the new tissue. Ultimately, the regenerative capacity of a tissue might depend on the plasticity of the cellular epigenome, which determines the ability of the cell to respond to injury‐related signals. Understanding this epigenetic plasticity will allow the development of strategies to stimulate the regeneration of damaged tissues and organs in humans.
Cohesin subunit Rad21L, the new kid on the block has new ideas
Authors: Uhlmann Frank
Published: February 2011

Rad21L—a new meiotic cohesin described in a recent paper in EMBO reports by the Watanabe group—probably has a role in the establishment of homologous chromosome recognition.
Quantitative proteomics of the integrin adhesome show a myosin II‐dependent recruitment of LIM domain proteins
Authors: Schiller Herbert B , Friedel Caroline C , Boulegue Cyril , Fässler Reinhard
Published: February 2011

A characteristic of integrins is their ability to transfer chemical and mechanical signals across the plasma membrane. Force generated by myosin II makes cells able to sense substrate stiffness and induce maturation of nascent adhesions into focal adhesions. In this paper, we present a comprehensive proteomic analysis of nascent and mature adhesions. The purification of integrin adhesion complexes combined with quantitative mass spectrometry enabled the identification and quantification of known and new adhesion‐associated proteins. Furthermore, blocking adhesion maturation with the myosin II inhibitor blebbistatin markedly impaired the recruitment of LIM domain proteins to integrin adhesion sites. This suggests a common recruitment mechanism for a whole class of adhesion‐associated proteins, involving myosin II and the zinc‐finger‐type LIM domain.
Differential roles for the low-affinity phosphate transporters Pho87 and Pho90 inSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Ghillebert Ruben , Swinnen Erwin , De Snijder Pepijn , Smets Bart , Winderickx Joris
Published: February 2011

When starved of Pi, yeast cells activate the PHO signalling pathway, wherein the Pho4 transcription factor mediates expression of genes involved in Pi acquisition, such as PHO84, encoding the high-affinity H+/Pi symporter. In contrast, transcription of PHO87 and PHO90, encoding the low-affinity H+/Pi transport system, is independent of phosphate status. In the present work, we reveal that, upon Pi starvation, these low-affinity Pi transporters are endocytosed and targeted to the vacuole. For Pho87, this process strictly depends on SPL2, another Pho4-dependent gene that encodes a protein known to interact with the N-terminal SPX domain of the transporter. In contrast, the vacuolar targeting of Pho90 upon Pi starvation is independent of both Pho4 and Spl2, although it still requires its SPX domain. Furthermore, both Pho87 and Pho90 are also targeted to the vacuole upon carbon-source starvation or upon treatment with rapamycin, which mimics nitrogen starvation, but although these responses are independent of PHO pathway signalling, they again require the N-terminal SPX domain of the transporters. These observations suggest that other SPX-interacting proteins must be involved. In addition, we show that Pho90 is the most important Pi transporter under high Pi conditions in the absence of a high-affinity Pi-transport system. Taken together, our results illustrate that Pho87 and Pho90 represent non-redundant Pi transporters, which are tuned by the integration of multiple nutrient signalling mechanisms in order to adjust Pi-transport capacity to the general nutritional status of the environment.
p14ARF inhibits the functions of adenovirus E1A oncoprotein
Authors: Shen Jia , Zhang Shengping , Li Yang , Zhang Wen , Chen Jiandong , Zhang Mary , Wang Ting , Jiang Ling , Zou Xiuqun , Wong Jiemin , Li Xiaotao , Cui Yongping , Wang Chuangui
Published: February 2011

The tumour suppressor ARF (alternative reading frame) is one of the most important oncogenic stress sensors. ARF provides an ‘oncogenic checkpoint’ function through both p53-dependent and p53-independent mechanisms. In the present study, we demonstrate a novel p53-independent interaction between p14ARF and the adenovirus oncoprotein E1A. p14ARF inhibits E1A transcriptional function and promotes ubiquitination-dependent degradation of E1A. p14ARF overexpression relocalizes E1A into the nucleolus and inhibits E1A-induced cellular DNA replication independent of p53. Knockdown of endogenous p14ARF increases E1A transactivation. In addition, E1A can competitively inhibit ARF–Mdm2 (murine double minute 2) complex formation. These results identify a novel binding partner of p14ARF and reveal a mutually inhibitory interaction between p14ARF and E1A. We speculate that the ARF–E1A interaction may represent an additional host defence mechanism to limit viral replication. Alternatively, the interaction may allow adenovirus to sense the functional state of p53 in host cells, and fine-tune its own replication activity to prevent the triggering of a detrimental host response.
The biochemical basis of CDK phosphorylation-independent regulation of E2F1 by the retinoblastoma protein
Authors: Cecchini Matthew J. , Dick Frederick A.
Published: February 2011

The pRB (retinoblastoma protein) has a central role in the control of the G1–S phase transition of the cell cycle that is mediated in part through the regulation of E2F transcription factors. Upon S-phase entry pRB is phosphorylated extensively, which in turn releases bound E2Fs to drive the expression of the genes required for S-phase progression. In the present study, we demonstrate that E2F1-maintains the ability to interact with ppRB (hyperphosphorylated pRB). This interaction is dependent upon the ‘specific’ E2F1-binding site located in the C-terminal domain of pRB. A unique region of the marked box domain of E2F1 contacts the ‘specific’ site to mediate the interaction with ppRB. The mechanistic basis of the interaction between E2F1 and ppRB is subtle. A single substitution between valine and proline residues in the marked box distinguishes E2F1's ability to interact with ppRB from the inability of E2F3 to bind to the ‘specific’ site in ppRB. The E2F1–pRB interaction at the ‘specific’ site also maintains the ability to regulate the transcriptional activation of E2F1 target genes. These data reveal a mechanism by which E2F1 regulation by pRB can persist, when pRB is hyperphosphorylated and presumed to be inactive.
p65 controls NF-κB activity by regulating cellular localization of IκBβ
Authors: Valovka Taras , Hottiger Michael O.
Published: February 2011

NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) controls diverse cellular processes and is frequently misregulated in chronic immune diseases or cancer. The activity of NF-κB is regulated by IκB (inhibitory κB) proteins which control nuclear–cytoplasmic shuttling and DNA binding of NF-κB. In the present paper, we describe a novel role for p65 as a critical regulator of the cellular localization and functions of NF-κB and its inhibitor IκBβ. In genetically modified p65−/− cells, the localization of ectopic p65 is not solely regulated by IκBα, but is largely dependent on the NLS (nuclear localization signal) and the NES (nuclear export signal) of p65. Furthermore, unlike IκBα, IκBβ does not contribute to the nuclear export of p65. In fact, the cellular localization and degradation of IκBβ is controlled by the p65-specific NLS and NES. The results of our present study also reveal that, in addition to stimulus-induced redistribution of NF-κB, changes in the constitutive localization of p65 and IκBβ specifically modulate activation of inflammatory genes. This is a consequence of differences in the DNA-binding activity and signal responsiveness between the nuclear and cytoplasmic NF-κB–IκBβ complexes. Taken together, the findings of the present study indicate that the p65 subunit controls transcriptional competence of NF-κB by regulating the NF-κB/IκBβ pathway.
Beyond the endoplasmic reticulum: atypical GRP78 in cell viability, signalling and therapeutic targeting
Authors: Ni Min , Zhang Yi , Lee Amy S.
Published: February 2011

GRP78 (glucose-regulated protein of 78 kDa) is traditionally regarded as a major ER (endoplasmic reticulum) chaperone facilitating protein folding and assembly, protein quality control, Ca2+ binding and regulating ER stress signalling. It is a potent anti-apoptotic protein and plays a critical role in tumour cell survival, tumour progression and angiogenesis, metastasis and resistance to therapy. Recent evidence shows that GRP78 can also exist outside the ER. The finding that GRP78 is present on the surface of cancer but not normal cells in vivo represents a paradigm shift on how GRP78 controls cell homoeostasis and provides an opportunity for cancer-specific targeting. Cell-surface GRP78 has emerged as an important regulator of tumour cell signalling and viability as it forms complexes with a rapidly expanding repertoire of cell-surface protein partners, regulating proliferation, PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)/Akt signalling and cell viability. Evidence is also emerging that GRP78 serves as a receptor for viral entry into host cells. Additionally, a novel cytosolic form of GRP78 has been discovered prominently in leukaemia cells. These, coupled with reports of nucleus- and mitochondria-localized forms of GRP78, point to the previously unanticipated role of GRP78 beyond the ER that may be critical for cell viability and therapeutic targeting.
Molecular targets of oxidative stress
Authors: Avery Simon V.
Published: February 2011

Aerobic life requires organisms to resist the damaging effects of ROS (reactive oxygen species), particularly during stress. Extensive research has established a detailed picture of how cells respond to oxidative stress. Attention is now focusing on identifying the key molecular targets of ROS, which cause killing when resistance is overwhelmed. Experimental criteria used to establish such targets have differing merits. Depending on the nature of the stress, ROS cause loss of essential cellular functions or gain of toxic functions. Essential targets on which life pivots during ROS stress include membrane lipid integrity and activity of ROS-susceptible proteins, including proteins required for faithful translation of mRNA. Protein oxidation also triggers accumulation of toxic protein aggregates or induction of apoptotic cell death. This burgeoning understanding of the principal ROS targets will offer new possibilities for therapy of ROS related diseases.
Addressing the new regulatory landscape: IT compliance and E-Discovery at KMCO Gaming
Authors: Outlay Christina N , Krishnan Poornima , Ranganathan Chandrasekaran
Published: February 2011

With the advent of federal regulations such as the Sarbanes Oxley act and the amended Federal Rules for Civil Procedure guidelines, KMCO Gaming, a leading manufacturer of casino gaming systems, is grappling with managing electronic data and records in compliance with legal requirements. In the midst of a major lawsuit against a rival company, KMCO has decided to purchase an electronic discovery (E-Discovery) solution. E-Discovery is the process of finding and producing digital information needed as evidence for legal matters. To implement such a solution, KMCO would need to develop a formal governance structure, processes for electronic file storage and sharing, and technology tools to support the new E-Discovery system. This case provides an overview of the regulatory landscape that impacts management of electronic records and highlights some of the organizational challenges that may impede the ability for IT management to successfully deliver IT compliance initiatives. Names and identifying facts related to the company, key players and key events described in the case have been changed.
Direct perturbation theory in terms of energy derivatives: Fourth-order relativistic corrections at the Hartree–Fock level
Authors: Stopkowicz Stella , Gauss Jürgen
Published: February 2011

In this work, the quantum-chemical treatment of relativistic effects by means of direct perturbation theory is extended from its lowest order, DPT2, to the next higher order, DPT4. The required theory is given in terms of energy derivatives with the DPT4 energy correction defined as the corresponding second derivative with respect to the relativistic perturbation parameter λrel = c2 and c as the speed of light. To facilitate the implementation in standard quantum-chemical program packages, a general formulation of DPT starting from a nonrelativistic Lagrangian is developed, thereby expanding both wave function and operators in terms of λrel. The corresponding expressions, which incorporate in an additive manner scalar-relativistic and spin-orbit contributions, are given at the Hartree–Fock level and have been implemented in the CFOUR program package using the available analytic second-derivative techniques. The accuracy of the DPT4 corrections at the HF level is investigated by comparison with rigorous four-component calculations. Scalar-relativistic and spin-orbit contributions are analyzed individually and the importance of the various terms to those corrections is discussed. Furthermore, the basis-set dependence of the computed DPT4 corrections is investigated.
Application of stochastic system identification to the study of the compliance of electroactive polymers
Authors: Pillai Priam V. , Hunter Ian W. , Hernandez Emanuel
Published: February 2011

Electroactive polymers have shown promising applications as transducers that can mimic biological muscle. The modulus or the compliance of many of these devices can change significantly as they are actuated making these materials attractive for applications that require tunable stiffness. We have developed a dynamic mechanical analyzer that is capable of making in situ measurements of the dynamic compliance transfer function of conducting polymers as a function of an electrochemical stimulus. We do this by simultaneously applying a stochastic stress waveform over a potential waveform and calculating the compliance as it changes over the course of electrochemical excitation. Using these signals we can calculate the compliance transfer function between 0.1 and 100 Hz and the impulse response function with up to 3% variation in its parameters. These functions are then computed as charge is injected into the polymer and it is shown that the low frequency gain of the transfer function can change by 30%–40% in the electrochemical system tested.
Atom chips on direct bonded copper substrates
Authors: Squires Matthew B. , Stickney James A. , Carlson Evan J. , Baker Paul M. , Buchwald Walter R. , Wentzell Sandra , Miller Steven M.
Published: February 2011

We present the use of direct bonded copper (DBC) for the straightforward fabrication of high power atom chips. Atom chips using DBC have several benefits: excellent copper/substrate adhesion, high purity, thick (>100 μm) copper layers, high substrate thermal conductivity, high aspect ratio wires, the potential for rapid (<8 h) fabrication, and three-dimensional atom chip structures. Two mask options for DBC atom chip fabrication are presented, as well as two methods for etching wire patterns into the copper layer. A test chip, able to support 100 A of current for 2 s without failing, is used to determine the thermal impedance of the DBC. An assembly using two DBC atom chips is used to magnetically trap laser cooled 87Rb atoms. The wire aspect ratio that optimizes the magnetic field gradient as a function of power dissipation is determined to be 0.84:1 (height:width).
Monte Carlo simulations of microchannel plate detectors. II. Pulsed voltage results
Authors: Kruschwitz Craig A. , Wu Ming , Rochau Greg A.
Published: February 2011

This paper is the second part of a continuing study of straight-channel microchannel plate (MCP)-based x-ray detectors. Such detectors are a useful diagnostic tool for two-dimensional, time-resolved imaging and time-resolved x-ray spectroscopy. To interpret the data from such detectors, it is critical to develop a better understanding of the behavior of MCPs biased with subnanosecond voltage pulses. The subject of this paper is a Monte Carlo computer code that simulates the electron cascade in a MCP channel under an arbitrary pulsed voltage, particularly those pulses with widths comparable to the transit time of the electron cascade in the MCP under DC voltage bias. We use this code to study the gain as a function of time (also called the gate profile or optical gate) for various voltage pulse shapes, including pulses measured along the MCP. In addition, experimental data of MCP behavior in pulsed mode are obtained with a short-pulse UV laser. Comparisons between the simulations and experimental data show excellent agreement for both the gate profile and the peak relative sensitivity along the MCP strips. We report that the dependence of relative gain on peak voltage is larger in pulsed mode when the width of the high-voltage waveform is smaller than the transit time of cascading electrons in the MCP.
High resolution slit-jet infrared spectroscopy of ethynyl radical: 2Π–2Σ+ vibronic bands with sub-Doppler resolution
Authors: Sharp-Williams Erin N. , Roberts Melanie A. , Nesbitt David J.
Published: February 2011

High resolution infrared spectra for four 2Π–2Σ+ bands of jet-cooled ethynyl radical (i.e., C2H) in the gas phase are reported. The combination of (i) slit-jet cooling (Trot ≈ 12 K) and (ii) sub-Doppler resolution (≈ 60 MHz) permits satellite branches in each 2Π–2Σ+ band to be observed and resolved for the first time as well as help clarify a systematic parity misassignment from previous studies. The observed lines in each band are least squares fit to a Hamiltonian model containing rotational, spin-rotational, spin-orbit, and lambda-doubling contributions for the 2Π state, from which we report revised excited state constants and band origins for the observed bands. Three of the four bands fit extremely well within a conventional 2Π model (i.e., σ < 20 MHz), while one band exhibits a local perturbation due to an avoided crossing with a near resonant dark state. Vibronic assignments are given for the observed bands, with the dark state clearly identified as a highly excited stretch and bending overtone level $\tilde X$X̃ (1,22,0) by comparison with high level ab initio efforts
Calculation of the Helmholtz potential of an elastic strand in an external electric field
Authors: Khaliullin Renat N. , Schieber Jay D.
Published: February 2011

We derive from statistical mechanics the Gibbs free energy of an elastic random-walk chain affected by the presence of an external electric field. Intrachain charge interactions are ignored. In addition, we find two approximations of the Helmholtz potential for this system analogous to the Gaussian and Cohen–Padé approximations for an elastic strand without the presence of an electric field. Our expressions agree well with exact numerical calculations of the potential in a wide range of conditions. Our analog of the Gaussian approximation exhibits distortion of the monomer density due to the presence of the electric field, and our analog of the Cohen–Padé approximation additionally includes finite chain extensibility effects. The Helmholtz potential may be used in modeling the dynamics of electrophoresis experiments.
The fate of optical excitations in small polyhedral ZnS clusters: A theoretical study of the excitation and localization of electrons in Zn4S4 and Zn6S6
Authors: Zwijnenburg Martijn A. , Sousa Carmen , Illas Francesc , Bromley Stefan T.
Published: February 2011

We explore the excited state energy landscape of small polyhedral zinc sulfide clusters (Zn4S4 and Zn6S6) using time-dependent density functional theory and correlated wave function based methods. We predict the optical absorption and photoluminescence spectra of the polyhedral clusters and demonstrate that, upon relaxation of the excited state, these nanostructures break symmetry and an electron and a hole localize on a small number of Zn (electron) and S (hole) centers. We further test several exchange-correlation potentials for their ability to recover the correlated wave function description of the excited state. Finally, we discuss how the degeneracy of excited states in nanostructures, such as those considered here, results in a Jahn–Teller distortion of the excited state geometry, and how numerical problems arising from this can be circumvented by starting the optimization of excited states from structures distorted along the ground state vibrational normal modes.
Hydrophobicity within the three-dimensional Mercedes-Benz model: Potential of mean force
Authors: Dias Cristiano L. , Hynninen Teemu , Ala-Nissila Tapio , Foster Adam S. , Karttunen Mikko
Published: February 2011

We use the three-dimensional Mercedes-Benz model for water and Monte Carlo simulations to study the structure and thermodynamics of the hydrophobic interaction. Radial distribution functions are used to classify different cases of the interaction, namely, contact configurations, solvent separated configurations, and desolvation configurations. The temperature dependence of these cases is shown to be in qualitative agreement with atomistic models of water. In particular, while the energy for the formation of contact configurations is favored by entropy, its strengthening with increasing temperature is accounted for by enthalpy. This is consistent with our simulated heat capacity. An important feature of the model is that it can be used to account for well-converged thermodynamics quantities, e.g., the heat capacity of transfer. Microscopic mechanisms for the temperature dependence of the hydrophobic interaction are discussed at the molecular level based on the conceptual simplicity of the model.
Methanol synthesis on ZnO(000$\mathbf {\overline{1}}$1¯). III. Free energy landscapes, reaction pathways, and mechanistic insights
Authors: Kiss Janos , Frenzel Johannes , Nair Nisanth N. , Meyer Bernd , Marx Dominik
Published: February 2011

The interplay of physical and chemical processes in the heterogeneous catalytic synthesis of methanol on the ZnO(000\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\overline{1}$\end{document}1¯) surface with oxygen vacancies is expected to give rise to a complex free energy landscape. A manifold of intermediate species and reaction pathways has been proposed over the years for the reduction of CO on this catalyst at high temperature and pressure conditions as required in the industrial process. In the present study, the underlying complex reaction network from CO to methanol is generated in the first place by using ab initiometadynamics for computational heterogeneous catalysis. After having “synthesized” the previously discussed intermediates in addition to finding novel species, mechanistic insights into this network of surface chemical reactions are obtained based on exploring the global free energy landscape, which is refined by investigating individual reaction pathways. Furthermore, the impact of homolytic adsorption and desorption of hydrogen at the required reducing gas phase conditions is probed by studying such processes using different charge states of the F–center.
Bulk and interface trap generation under negative bias temperature instability stress of p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors with nitrogen and silicon incorporated HfO2 gate dielectrics
Authors: Choi Changhwan , Lee Jack C.
Published: February 2011

Negative bias temperature instabilities (NBTIs) of p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor with HfO2, HfOxNy, and HfSiON were investigated. Higher bulk trap generation (ΔNot) is mainly attributed to threshold voltage shift rather than interface trap generation (ΔNit). ΔNit, ΔNot, activation energy (Ea), and lifetime were exacerbated with incorporated nitrogen while improved with adding Si into gate dielectrics. Compared to HfO2, HfOxNy showed worse NBTI due to nitrogen pile-up at Si interface. However, adding Si into HfOxNy placed nitrogen peak profile away from Si/oxide interface and NBTI was reduced. This improvement is ascribed to reduced ΔNot and ΔNit, resulting from less nitrogen at Si interface.
Double-hybrid density-functional theory made rigorous
Authors: Sharkas Kamal , Toulouse Julien , Savin Andreas
Published: February 2011

We provide a rigorous derivation of a class of double-hybrid approximations, combining Hartree–Fock exchange and second-order Møller–Plesset correlation with a semilocal exchange-correlation density functional. These double-hybrid approximations contain only one empirical parameter and use a density-scaled correlation energy functional. Neglecting density scaling leads to a one-parameter version of the standard double-hybrid approximations. We assess the performance of these double-hybrid schemes on representative test sets of atomization energies and reaction barrier heights, and we compare to other hybrid approximations, including range-separated hybrids. Our best one-parameter double-hybrid approximation, called 1DH-BLYP, roughly reproduces the two parameters of the standard B2-PLYP or B2GP-PLYP double-hybrid approximations, which shows that these methods are not only empirically close to an optimum for general chemical applications but are also theoretically supported.
Analytical model of the temperature dependent properties of microresonators immersed in a gas
Authors: Ilin E. A. , Kehrbusch J. , Radzio B. , Oesterschulze E.
Published: February 2011

A comprehensive theoretical model of microresonators immersed in a viscous gas of varying temperature is presented and verified by experiments. Analytical expressions for both the temperature dependent resonant frequency and quality factor of the first flexural eigenmode were derived extending Sader’s theory of viscous damping to small temperature variations. The model provides useful implications for the thermal stabilization of microresonators immersed in a gas as well as for the reduction in the influence of the temperature dependent gas properties on the resonant frequency. Finally, an analytical expression is deduced for the mass detection capability of a microresonator that undergoes temperature variations.
Far field coherent thermal emission from a bilayer structure
Authors: Drevillon J. , Joulain K. , Ben-Abdallah P. , Nefzaoui E.
Published: February 2011

Recent years, there has been an increased interest in the conception of micro/nanostructures with unusual radiative properties, far away from those of blackbody, especially thermal sources with temporal and/or spatial coherent emission. Such structures are indeed extremely interesting for energy conversion systems, radiative cooling devices, etc. The present study numerically investigates temporal coherent emission from a very simple structure composed of one layer of germanium and one of silicon carbide. Our investigation shows that, for well-defined thicknesses, this two-layer structure is able to emit in narrow spectral peak.
Humidity effects on (001) BaTiO3 single crystal surface water adsorption
Authors: He D. Y. , Qiao L. J. , Volinsky Alex A. , Bai Y. , Wu M. , Chu W. Y.
Published: February 2011

Water adsorption on (001) BaTiO3 single crystal surface under varying relative humidity conditions was studied by ab initio calculations and scanning probe microscopy utilizing different operation modes. At 95% relative humidity water droplets nucleated only on c domains, preferential adsorption location for water dipoles. BaTiO3 (001) surface long 65% relative humidity exposure lead to no contrast between a and c domains observed by electrostatic force microscopy. Ab initio calculations confirm that water molecules prefer to adsorb on c domains due to their higher surface energy.
A master equation approach to the dynamics of zero electron kinetic energy (ZEKE) states and ZEKE spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Yi-Hsieh , Mineo H. , Chao S. D. , Selzle H. L. , Neusser H. J. , Schlag E. W. , Teranishi Y. , Lin S. H.
Published: February 2011

We have theoretically studied important dynamic processes involved in zero electron kinetic energy (ZEKE) spectroscopy using the density matrix method with the inverse Born–Oppenheimer approximation basis sets. In ZEKE spectroscopy, the ZEKE Rydberg states are populated by laser excitation (either a one- or two-photon process), which is followed by autoionizations and l-mixing due to a stray field. The discrimination field is then applied to ionize loosely bound electrons in the ZEKE states. This is followed by using the extraction field to extract electrons from the ZEKE levels which have a strength comparable to that of the extraction field. These extracted electrons are measured for the relative intensities of the ion states under investigation. The spectral positions are determined by the applied laser wavelength and modified by the extraction electric field. In this paper, all of these processes are conducted within the context of the density matrix method. The density matrix method can provide not only the dynamics of system's population and coherence (or phase) but also the rate constants of the processes involved in the ZEKE spectroscopy. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the theoretical treatments.