bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular characterization of the Glu-Ay gene from Triticum urartu for its potential use in quality wheat breeding
Authors: Gutiérrez M. V. , Guzmán C. , Martín L. M. , Alvarez J. B.
Published: March 2011

Triticum urartu Thum. ex Gandil. is a wild species identified as A-genome donor for polyploid wheats, which could be used as gene source for wheat breeding. The high-molecular weight glutenin subunits are endosperm storage proteins that are associated with bread-making quality. In T. urartu, these proteins are encoded by the Ax and Ay genes at the Glu-Au1 locus. The Ay gene of 17 Glu-Au1 allelic variants previously detected in this species has been analysed using PCR amplification and digestion of the PCR products with two endonucleases (DdeI and PstI). The combination of two restriction patterns has revealed variations between the active and inactive alleles, and within each type. This variation, especially that detected among the active alleles, could enlarge the high-quality genetic pool of modern wheat and be used for bread-making quality improvement in durum and common wheat.
Nicht-alkoholische Steatohepatitis - von NAFLD zu MAFLD
Authors: Balmer Maria Luisa , Dufour Jean-François
Published: March 2011

Die nicht-alkoholische Steatohepatitis (NASH) als eine Entität der nicht-alkoholischen Fettlebererkrankung (NAFLD) wird als hepatische Manifestation des metabolischen Syndroms betrachtet und begleitet die steigende Inzidenz an Übergewicht, Diabetes mellitus, arterieller Hypertonie und Hyperlipidämie in der westlichen Welt. Bis heute ist nicht bekannt, weshalb ein Teil der Patienten im Stadium der einfachen Fettleber (Steatose) verbleiben und andere eine NASH oder sogar NASH-Zirrhose entwickeln. Diese birgt, wie die Leberzirrhose anderer Ätiologie, ein kanzerogenes Risiko und geht mit erhöhter Morbidität und Mortalität einher. Es ist deshalb entscheidend, den Schweregrad einer NAFLD zu bestimmen, um Patienten mit fortgeschrittenen Stadien engmaschig zu kontrollieren und einer Behandlung zuzuführen. Das einzig verfügbare zuverlässige diagnostische Mittel hierzu ist nach wie vor die Leberbiopsie, welche nebst dem Grad der Steatose auch die nekroinflammatorische Aktivität und das Fibrosestadium erfasst. Die meisten Therapieansätze zielen auf die Behandlung der Risikofaktoren (Gewichtsreduktion, Insulinsensitizer) oder pathophysiologische Merkmale der NAFLD (Antioxidantien). Patienten mit alkoholischer Fettlebererkrankung (AFLD) haben die gleichen histologischen Veränderungen wie NAFLD-Patienten und zeigen oft auch Charakteristika des Metabolischen Syndroms. Deshalb würde MAFLD (metabolic syndrome-associated fatty liver disease) beide Patientengruppen eigentlich besser umschreiben und auch die pathophysiologischen Veränderungen der Erkrankung berücksichtigen.
Hereditäre Lebererkrankungen
Authors: Büttner Nico , Spangenberg Hans-Christian
Published: March 2011

Angeborene Lebererkrankungen werden in der Regel durch einen Defekt in einem einzelnen Enzym ausgelöst, welches zu einer gestörten Synthese oder Katabolismus eines Proteins, von Kohlenhydraten oder Lipiden führt. Zu den betroffenen Stoffwechselwegen gehören der Aminosäure-, Kohlenhydrat-, Proteoglykan- und Sphingolipidstoffwechsel sowie der Eisen- und Bilirubinstoffwechsel, die Blutgerinnungskaskade, der Harnstoffzyklus und eine Reihe von Transportprozessen. Diese angeborenen Störungen können zu einem strukturellen Leberschaden oder zu Schäden an anderen Organsystemen führen. In dieser Arbeit werden Pathogenese, Klinik, Diagnostik und Therapie der drei häufigsten angeborenen Lebererkrankungen, der hereditären Hämochromatose, des Morbus Wilson und des alpha1-Antitrypsin-Mangel, zusammenfassend dargestellt.
Betreuung des Patienten mit Leberzirrhose
Authors: Pfefferle Maria , Bihl Florian , Terziroli Benedetta , Cerny Andreas
Published: March 2011

Die Betreuung von Patienten mit Leberzirrhose ist komplex, da die Leber mit ihren multiplen physiologischen Funktionen eine Vielzahl von homöostatischen Systemen beeinflusst. In der vorliegenden Übersicht haben wir versucht, die im klinischen Alltag wichtigsten Aspekte zu diskutieren und praktisch anwendbare Informationen zu vermitteln. Die Unterscheidung in kompensierte und dekompensierte Zirrhose ist klinisch hilfreich, um das Risiko von Komplikationen und damit die Art und Intensität der klinischen Kontrollen zu bestimmen. Patienten mit Leberzirrhose und ihre Angehörigen müssen über mögliche Komplikationen informiert sein, um Alarmsymptome zu erkennen und rasch ärztliche Hilfe ersuchen zu können.
IIP-32: Entwicklung, Validierung und Normierung einer Kurzform des Inventars zur Erfassung interpersonaler Probleme
Authors: Thomas Andrea , Brähler Elmar , Strauß Bernhard
Published: March 2011

Zusammenfassung. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird die Entwicklung, Validierung und Normierung der Kurzform des Inventars zur Erfassung interpersonaler Probleme (IIP-32) dargestellt. Anhand einer per Zufall gezogenen Teilstichprobe (N = 996) einer repräsentativen Bevölkerungsstichprobe wurden entlang der 8 Skalen des IIP 32 Items nach ihren psychometrischen Eigenschaften und Circumplexkriterien ausgewählt. Zwei nicht klinische (N1 = 1000, N2 = 1054) sowie zwei klinische Stichproben (Nklin1 = 245, Nklin2 = 305) dienten der Überprüfung der psychometrischen und circumplexbezogenen Item- und Skalenparameter sowie der konfirmatorischen Prüfung des Instruments. Zudem wurde das IIP-32 im Rahmen einer bevölkerungsrepräsentativen Befragung an 2115 Personen im Alter von 14 bis 98 Jahren bundesweit normiert. Die Kurzform erweist sich als ein der Langform weitgehend vergleichbares Instrument und empfiehlt sich sowohl für den Einsatz in klinischen als auch in nicht klinischen Studien.
Entwicklung, Implementierung und erste Ergebnisse eines webbasierten Erhebungsrasters für die telefonische Anlaufstelle der Unabhängigen Beauftragten zur Aufarbeitung des sexuellen Kindesmissbrauchs in Deutschland
Authors: Spröber Nina , König Lilith , Rassenhofer Miriam , König Cornelia , Seitz Alexander , Fegert Jörg M.
Published: March 2011

Im Rahmen der Aufarbeitung des sexuellen Missbrauchs von Kindern wurde durch die Unabhängige Beauftragte eine telefonische Anlaufstelle eingerichtet. Anrufer haben die Möglichkeit, Erfahrungen, Kritik und Anregungen an die Politik zu äußern; diese sollen in die Empfehlungen der Unabhängigen Beauftragten an den Runden Tisch „Sexueller Kindesmissbrauch in Abhängigkeits- und Machtverhältnissen in privaten und öffentlichen Einrichtungen und im familiären Bereich“ und an die Bundesregierung einfließen. Um die Informationen der Betroffenen für die Arbeit der Unabhängigen Beauftragten nutzbar zu machen, wurde ein webbasiertes Dokumentationsraster zur anonymen Erfassung der Anliegen der Anrufenden entwickelt. Von den Ende Mai bis Mitte Juli 2010 eingegangenen Anrufen (N = 962) liegen N = 510 auswertbare Datensätze vor. Neben der Darstellung des Dokumentationsrasters, werden die ersten deskriptiven und qualitativen Ergebnisse vorgestellt und hinsichtlich ihrer Anforderungen an die Politik diskutiert. Das am häufigsten genannte Anliegen der Anrufenden ist eine Verbesserung der Qualität von Traumatherapien und eine Ausweitung der psychotherapeutischen Angebote (z. B. auf ältere Menschen, Männer). Weitere zentrale Themen waren Entschädigung/Strafverfolgung, Fortbildung/Weiterbildung von Fachpersonen, Enttabuisierung/Prävention und das Thema Vertrauen in die Politik.
Alternation Frequency Thresholds for Stereopsis as a Technique for Exploring Stereoscopic Difficulties
Authors: Rychkova Svetlana , Ninio Jacques
Published: March 2011

When stereoscopic images are presented alternately to the two eyes, stereopsis occurs at F ⩾ 1 Hz full-cycle frequencies for very simple stimuli, and F ⩾ 3 Hz full-cycle frequencies for random-dot stereograms (eg Ludwig I, Pieper W, Lachnit H, 2007 “Temporal integration of monocular images separated in time: stereopsis, stereoacuity, and binocular luster” Perception & Psychophysics 69 92–102). Using twenty different stereograms presented through liquid crystal shutters, we studied the transition to stereopsis with fifteen subjects. The onset of stereopsis was observed during a stepwise increase of the alternation frequency, and its disappearance was observed during a stepwise decrease in frequency. The lowest F values (around 2.5 Hz) were observed with stimuli involving two to four simple disjoint elements (circles, arcs, rectangles). Higher F values were needed for stimuli containing slanted elements or curved surfaces (about 1 Hz increment), overlapping elements at two different depths (about 2.5 Hz increment), or camouflaged overlapping surfaces (> 7 Hz increment). A textured cylindrical surface with a horizontal axis appeared easier to interpret (5.7 Hz) than a pair of slanted segments separated in depth but forming a cross in projection (8 Hz). Training effects were minimal, and F usually increased as disparities were reduced. The hierarchy of difficulties revealed in the study may shed light on various problems that the brain needs to solve during stereoscopic interpretation. During the construction of the three-dimensional percept, the loss of information due to natural decay of the stimuli traces must be compensated by refreshes of visual input. In the discussion an attempt is made to link our results with recent advances in the comprehension of visual scene memory.
Superior Encoding Enhances Recall in Color-Graphemic Synesthesia
Authors: Gross Veronica C , Neargarder Sandy , Caldwell-Harris Catherine L , Cronin-Golomb Alice
Published: March 2011

Synesthesia is a phenomenon in which particular stimuli, such as letters or sound, generate a secondary sensory experience in particular individuals. Reports of enhanced memory in synesthetes raise the question of its cognitive and neurological substrates. Enhanced memory in synesthetes could arise from the explicit or implicit use of a synesthetic cue to aid memory, from changes unique to the synesthete brain, or from both, depending on the task. To assess this question, we tested nine color-graphemic synesthetes using standardized neuropsychological measures that should not trigger color-graphemic synesthesia (visuo-spatial tests) and measures that should trigger color-graphemic synesthesia (verbal tasks). We found a synesthetic advantage on both types of tests, primarily in the initial encoding of information. The pattern of results adds to existing evidence of advantages in synesthetic memory, as well as provides novel evidence that synesthetes may have enhanced encoding rather than superior recall. Synesthetes learn more initially, rather than forgetting less over time.
Perceived Motion is Influenced by Random Dynamic Information
Authors: Bowns Linda , Barlow Horace B
Published: March 2011

Distortions of the local spatial-frequency power spectrum caused by motion blur may be used by the visual system to improve motion analysis (eg Barlow and Olshausen, 2004 Journal of Vision4 415–426). We tested this hypothesis by measuring the error of perceived motion direction of moving patterns in the presence of random noncoherent motion manipulated to create different spatial power spectra. The results showed that error increased when the background power spectrum was similar to the motion power spectrum; however, when the background power spectrum had an anisotropy consistent with motion blur, the error was reduced. Shifting the power spectrum away from the motion power spectrum reduced the error.
On Representation of Solids: A Note
Authors: Deręgowski Jan B , Allen Roy , McGeorge Peter
Published: March 2011

Current theories of representation of 3-D objects assume that they are geometrical facsimiles of represented objects and, therefore, imply that various aspects of the representations are as concordant as are those of the objects themselves. Empirical data presented here question this as they show that subjects' choices of distinct views of objects are not mutually concordant. This being so, it seems unlikely that a facsimile representation of a solid yields a full description of the process of representation.
Effects of Sound-Marker Durations on Rhythm Perception
Authors: Hasuo Emi , Nakajima Yoshitaka , Hirose Yukiko
Published: March 2011

Our aim in this study was to examine the influence of sound-marker durations on the perception of simple rhythm patterns. These comprised three successive sounds marking two neighbouring time intervals, T1 and T2, with their onsets. We varied the durations of each of the three sound markers to make them either 20 or 60 ms. Durations of T1 and T2 were also varied, but the total duration of T1 and T2 was fixed at either 240 or 480 ms. In experiment 1, participants compared the durations of T1 and T2. In experiment 2, the subjective duration of each interval was measured separately. We found that lengthening the duration of the sound marker which terminated an interval increased the subjective duration of that interval: lengthening the duration of the second marker increased the subjective duration of T1, and lengthening the duration of the third marker increased the subjective duration of T2. Lengthening the duration of the first marker increased the subjective duration of T1 when T1 + T2 = 240 ms, especially when T1 > T2. This effect of first-marker duration, which could not be observed with single intervals used in the control conditions, seemed to enhance the contrast between T1 and T2. The effects of marker durations are associated with previous time-perception studies, in which single time intervals were used. They are discussed in the context of rhythm-perception studies, in which more complex sound patterns have been used.
I Know You are Beautiful Even without Looking at You: Discrimination of Facial Beauty in Peripheral Vision
Authors: Guo Kun , Liu Chang Hong , Roebuck Hettie
Published: March 2011

Earlier research suggests that facial attractiveness may capture attention at parafovea. However, little is known about how well facial beauty can be detected at parafoveal and peripheral vision. Participants in this study judged relative attractiveness of a face pair presented simultaneously at several eccentricities from the central fixation. The results show that beauty is not only detectable at parafovea but also at periphery. The discrimination performance at parafovea was indistinguishable from the performance around the fovea. Moreover, performance was well above chance even at the periphery. The results show that the visual system is able to use the low-spatial-frequency information to appraise attractiveness. These findings not only provide an explanation why a beautiful face could capture attention when central vision is already engaged elsewhere, but also reveal the potential means by which a crowd of faces is quickly scanned for attractiveness.
Effects of soil burn severity on germination and initial establishment of maritime pine seedlings, under greenhouse conditions, in two contrasting experimentally burned soils
Authors: Fontúrbel M. T. , Vega J. A. , Pérez-Gorostiaga P. , Fernández C. , Alonso M. , Cuiñas P. , Jiménez E.
Published: March 2011

The effects of soil burn severity on initial establishment of maritime pine in burned areas are not well known. Many factors may interact in the field, thus making it difficult to determine the exact role played by soil burn severity in the post-fire regeneration process. Monoliths of two contrasting soils – an acid, coarse-textured soil, with high organic matter content, and a neutral heavy-textured soil with low organic matter content – were experimentally burned to provide two markedly different levels of soil burn severity. The burned monoliths were sown with Pinus pinaster seeds and then placed in a greenhouse under a preselected water regime to determine the effect of burn severity on emergence and initial establishment of pine seedlings. High soil burn severity in the coarse-textured soils delayed germination, increased mortality and temporarily decreased the height of pine seedlings in the first year after sowing. This response was affected by: soil heating level, soil C consumption, post-fire soil C, depth of burn and post-fire duff-depth. Ash had no influence on the above processes. These factors did not explain the variability in the response of regeneration variables in the heavy-textured soils. The applicability of the results to field conditions is discussed.
Using hyperspectral imagery to estimate forest floor consumption from wildfire in boreal forests of Alaska, USA
Authors: Lewis Sarah A. , Hudak Andrew T. , Ottmar Roger D. , Robichaud Peter R. , Lentile Leigh B. , Hood Sharon M. , Cronan James B. , Morgan Penny
Published: March 2011

Wildfire is a major forest disturbance in interior Alaska that can both directly and indirectly alter ecological processes. We used a combination of pre- and post-fire forest floor depths and post-fire ground cover assessments measured in the field, and high-resolution airborne hyperspectral imagery, to map forest floor conditions after the 2004 Taylor Complex in Alaska’s boreal forest. We applied a linear spectral unmixing model with five endmembers representing green moss, non-photosynthetic moss, charred moss, ash and soil to reflectance data to produce fractional cover maps. Our study sites spanned low to moderately high burn severity, and both black and white spruce forest types; high cover of green or non-photosynthetic moss in the remotely sensed imagery indicated low consumption, whereas high cover of charred moss, ash or soil indicated higher consumption. Strong relationships (R2 = 0.5 to 0.6) between green moss estimated from the imagery and both post-fire depth and percentage consumption suggest that potential burn severity may be predicted by a map of green (live) moss. Given that the depth of the post-fire forest floor is ecologically significant, the method of mapping the condition of the organic forest floor with hyperspectral imagery presented here may be a useful tool to assess the effect of future fires in the boreal region.
Contemporary fire regimes in a fragmented and an unfragmented landscape: implications for vegetation structure and persistence of the fire-sensitive malleefowl
Authors: Parsons Blair C. , Gosper Carl R.
Published: March 2011

Habitat fragmentation alters fire regimes by changing the spatial and temporal context in which fire operates, potentially altering ecosystem state and threatening taxa. In the fragmented wheatbelt of Western Australia, spatial patterns of contemporary fire and their effects on biodiversity conservation are poorly understood. We addressed this by: (1) determining if fire regimes differed between vegetation remnants of differing sizes and uncleared vegetation, using analysis of satellite imagery; (2) determining vegetation structural responses to time since fire in three habitats: mallee-shrub, Acacia shrublands and mallee-heath; and (3) exploring the consequences of these differences, using the fire-sensitive malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) as a case study. Fire was infrequent in small remnants, more frequent in large remnants, and most frequent in uncleared areas. Key vegetation structural attributes for malleefowl, such as canopy and litter cover, increased beyond 45 years post-fire in mallee-shrub, reached a plateau in mallee-heath after 30–40 years, and declined in Acacia shrublands after 25–40 years. Senescence in long-unburnt vegetation, combined with rare contemporary fires, suggest progressive decline in habitat quality of Acacia shrublands for malleefowl in the wheatbelt. In the adjacent, continuously vegetated landscapes, more frequent (and extensive) fires in structurally developing mallee-shrub communities are of concern for malleefowl conservation.
Effects of wildfire on stream temperatures in the Bitterroot River Basin, Montana
Authors: Mahlum Shad K. , Eby Lisa A. , Young Michael K. , Clancy Chris G. , Jakober Mike
Published: March 2011

Wildfire is a common natural disturbance that can influence stream ecosystems. Of particular concern are increases in water temperature during and following fires, but studies of these phenomena are uncommon. We examined effects of wildfires in 2000 on maximum water temperature for a suite of second- to fourth-order streams with a range of burn severities in the Bitterroot River basin, Montana. Despite many sites burning at high severity, there were no apparent increases in maximum water temperature during the fires. One month after fire and in the subsequent year, increases in maximum water temperatures at sites within burns were 1.4–2.2°C greater than those at reference sites, with the greatest differences in July and August. Maximum temperature changes at sites >1.7 km downstream from burns did not differ from those at reference sites. Seven years after the fires, there was no evidence that maximum stream temperatures were returning to pre-fire norms. Temperature increases in these relatively large streams are likely to be long-lasting and exacerbated by climate change. These combined effects may alter the distribution of thermally sensitive aquatic species.
Templated nucleoside triphosphate binding to a noncatalytic site on RNA polymerase regulates transcription
Authors: Kennedy Scott R. , Erie Dorothy A.
Published: March 2011

The regulation of RNA synthesis by RNA polymerase (RNAP) is essential for proper gene expression. Crystal structures of RNAP reveal two channels: the main channel that contains the downstream DNA and a secondary channel that leads directly to the catalytic site. Although nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) have been seen only in the catalytic site and the secondary channel in these structures, several models of transcription elongation, based on biochemical studies, propose that template-dependent binding of NTPs in the main channel regulates RNA synthesis. These models, however, remain controversial. We used transient state kinetics and a mutant of RNAP to investigate the role of the main channel in regulating nucleotide incorporation. Our data indicate that a NTP specific for the
i
 + 2 template position can bind to a noncatalytic site and increase the rate of RNA synthesis and that the NTP bound to this site can be shuttled directly into the catalytic site. We also identify fork loop 2, which lies across from the downstream DNA, as a functional component of this site. Taken together, our data support the existence of a noncatalytic template-specific NTP binding site in the main channel that is involved in the regulation of nucleotide incorporation. NTP binding to this site could promote high-fidelity processive synthesis under a variety of environmental conditions and allow DNA sequence-mediated regulatory signals to be communicated to the active site.
MicroRNA
let-7
establishes expression of β
2
-adrenergic receptors and dynamically down-regulates agonist-promoted down-regulation
Authors: Wang Wayne C. H. , Juan Aster H. , Panebra Alfredo , Liggett Stephen B.
Published: March 2011

Although β
2
-adrenergic receptors (β
2
AR) are expressed on most cell types, mechanisms that establish expression levels and regulate expression by chronic agonist remain unclear. The 3′ UTR of
ADRB2
has a conserved 8-nucleotide seed region that we hypothesized is targeted by the
let-7
family of miRNAs leading to translational repression. In luciferase assays with transfected cells, luc-β
2
WT3′UTR had decreased expression when cotransfected with
let-7f
, but a mutated luc-β
2
3′UTR lacking the seed was unaffected by
let-7f
; a mutated
let-7f
also had no effect on luc-β
2
WT3′UTR expression.
ADRB2
mRNA was in greater abundance in immunoprecipitates of Ago2, a core component of the miRNA-induced silencing complex, when cells were transfected with
let-7f
, but not with a mutated
let-7f
, indicating a direct interaction with the silencing mechanism. H292 cells transfected with
let-7f
caused ∼60% decrease in native β
2
AR expression, but transfection with
let-7f
–specific locked nucleic acid anti-miRNA increased β
2
AR expression by ∼twofold. We considered that an increase in
let-7f
leading to greater repression of translation contributes to agonist-promoted down-regulation. Paradoxically, in cells and in lungs from mice treated in vivo, an ∼50% decrease in
let-7f
occurs during long-term agonist exposure, indicating a counterregulatory event. Consistent with this notion,
let-7f
locked nucleic acid transfection caused depressed agonist-promoted down-regulation. Thus,
let-7f
miRNA regulates baseline β
2
AR expression and decreases in
let-7f
evoked by agonist attenuate down-regulation. This positive feedback loop has not previously been described for a G protein-coupled receptor and its miRNA. Methods to decrease
let-7f
expression in targeted cells may increase therapeutic responses to β-agonist by increasing β
2
AR expression or minimizing tachyphylaxis.
On the unreasonable effectiveness of the post-Newtonian approximation in gravitational physics
Authors: Will Clifford M.
Published: March 2011

The post-Newtonian approximation is a method for solving Einstein’s field equations for physical systems in which motions are slow compared to the speed of light and where gravitational fields are weak. Yet it has proven to be remarkably effective in describing certain strong-field, fast-motion systems, including binary pulsars containing dense neutron stars and binary black hole systems inspiraling toward a final merger. The reasons for this effectiveness are largely unknown. When carried to high orders in the post-Newtonian sequence, predictions for the gravitational-wave signal from inspiraling compact binaries will play a key role in gravitational-wave detection by laser-interferometric observatories.
The Superman as salamander: symbols of transformation or transformational symbols?
Authors: Bishop Paul
Published: March 2011

Taking its cue from David Holt's discussion of Jung and Marx in relation to alchemy, Christianity, and the work against Nature, this paper discusses Goethe, Nietzsche, and Jung in relation to alchemy and the work on the self. It focuses on the idea of transformation as central to Jung's understanding of both Goethe's Faust and Nietzsche's Thus spoke Zarathustra. And it argues that, in alchemical terms, the Superman becomes the salamander – while suggesting, in the hidden and unspoken part of its title, that the Superman does not just become a salamander, he becomes the philosophers’ stone.
Synthesis and improved electrochemical properties of Li2MnSiO4 cathodes
Authors: Aravindan V , Karthikeyan K , Lee J W , Madhavi S , Lee Y S
Published: March 2011

Superior performance Li2MnSiO4 cathodes with flower-like morphology are prepared by hydrothermal route for the first time. An x-ray diffraction pattern confirms the formation of the orthorhombic structure with Pmn21 space group. The prepared Li2MnSiO4 materials are subjected to heat treatment at 700 °C to achieve complete crystallization in the presence of adipic acid. The Li/Li2MnSiO4 cells delivered an initial discharge capacity 73 and 100 mAh g−1 for as-synthesized and heat-treated Li2MnSiO4, respectively. It is surprising to note that heat-treated Li2MnSiO4 exhibits more stable and superior cycling performance than reported values elsewhere, which is due to the unique morphology as well as carbon coating derived from the carbonization of adipic acid.
Effect of interface gradient on the optical properties of multilayered porous silicon photonic structures
Authors: Ariza-Flores A David , Gaggero-Sager L M , Agarwal V
Published: March 2011

The effect of gradually varying refractive index at each interface of a multilayered porous silicon photonic structure is studied experimentally and theoretically. The variation of refractive index at the interface, between any two consecutive layers, is done in small ladder-like steps (increasing/decreasing) and the resulting optical properties are compared with the standard structures with the flat interface and similar optical thickness. The proposed structures are proved to be useful in reducing the stress between the layers of high contrast, resulting in the mechanically more stable structures.
Simulation of the A–X and B–X transition emission spectra of the InBr molecule for diagnostics in low-pressure plasmas
Authors: Briefi S , Fantz U
Published: March 2011

Inductively coupled low-pressure discharges containing InBr have been investigated spectroscopically. In order to obtain plasma parameters such as the vibrational and rotational temperature of the InBr molecule, the emission spectra of the
and the
transitions have been simulated. The program is based on the molecular constants and takes into account vibrational states up to v = 24. The required Franck–Condon factors and vibrationally resolved transition probabilities have been computed solving the Schrödinger equation using the Born–Oppenheimer approximation. The ground state density of the InBr molecule in the plasma has been determined from absorption spectra using effective transition probabilities for the A–X and B–X transition according to the vibrational population. The obtained densities agree well with densities derived from an Arrhenius type vapour pressure equation.
Effect of mechanical pre-stretch on the stabilization of dielectric elastomer actuation
Authors: Li Bo , Chen Hualing , Qiang Junhua , Hu Shulin , Zhu Zicai , Wang Yongquan
Published: March 2011

A dielectric elastomer is capable of giant electromechanical actuation but fails at breakdown due to instability under certain conditions with a small deformation. By applying a mechanical pre-stretch, one obtains a stabilized large actuation. In this paper, we measured the dielectric constant and critical voltage of a polyacrylic dielectric elastomer subjected to both equal and unequal biaxial stretch, and modelled its actuation by employing the Gent strain energy function with a microscopic view to characterize the nonlinear stiffening behaviour and the electrostrictive effect in the deformation. The mechanical pre-stretch contributes in several ways to the stabilization of dielectric elastomer, by eliminating the pull-in instability, by generating electrostriction, by improving the breakdown strength, as well as by reducing the membrane thickness which consequently lowers the voltages required for activation.
Quantifying fishers' and citizens' support for Dutch flatfish management policy
Authors: Groeneveld Rolf A.
Published: March 2011

Groeneveld, R. A. 2011. Quantifying fishers' and citizens' support for Dutch flatfish management policy. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 919–928. Fisheries policy is most effective when supported by fishers and the general public. Dutch citizens' and fishers' support for a selection of policy alternatives to enhance the sustainability of the Dutch North Sea cutter fleet is estimated, and the same groups' support for policy alternatives is expressed in monetary terms. A stated-choice survey was held among a representative sample of the Dutch population to assess their average willingness to pay for a selection of policy objectives, and among Dutch flatfish fishers to estimate their willingness to accept a selection of policy measures. The results indicate that citizens are most concerned about the impact of beam trawling on benthic megafauna, because they are on average willing to pay €21.46 per year to reduce the impact, but reducing fishing pressure in the plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) spawning period and restoring spawning-stock biomass of plaice and sole (Solea solea) to the levels of maximum sustainable yield are also supported. Fishers seem to support enhanced fines for the use of illegal fishing gear, but they are most opposed to increasing the minimum landing size of sole.
Chronic Diarrhoea
Authors: Khan Farooq , Simon Chantal
Published: March 2011

Diarrhoea is a common clinical problem seen in UK general practice. The perception of diarrhoea varies widely among patients as well as clinicians. Although there is no uniformly accepted definition, diarrhoea is generally agreed to be the abnormal passage of more than three loose or liquid stools per day. Diarrhoea may be termed acute or, if it lasts for more than 4 weeks, chronic. Chronic diarrhoea affects 4–5% of the adult population in the UK.
Effect of Growing Environment of Soft Wheats on Amylose Content and Its Relationship with Cookie and Sponge Cake Quality and Solvent Retention Capacity
Authors: Nishio Zenta , Miyazaki Yuri , Seki Masako , Ito Miwako , Tabiki Tadashi , Nagasawa Koichi , Yamauchi Hiroaki , Miura Hideho
Published: March 2011

The effect of growing environments of soft wheat on amylose content and its relationship with baking quality and solvent retention capacities (SRC) was investigated. Near‐isogenic soft wheat lines of Norin 61 differing in granule‐bound starch synthase (Wx protein) activity and grown in three different regions of Japan: Hokkaido (spring‐sown) for 2006 and 2007, Kanto (autumn‐sown), and Kyushu (autumn‐sown) for 2007 were evaluated. Spring‐sown samples produced grains of greater protein content (10.9–12.4%) than autumn‐sown samples (7.3–9.1%). In contrast, spring‐sown samples of 2007 with higher maturing temperature had lower amylose content (25.5% for Norin 61) compare to the autumn‐sown and spring‐sown samples of 2006 (27.6–28.4% for Norin 61). Amylose content was strongly correlated to sugar snap cookie (SSCD) diameter (r = 0.957–0.961; n = 10, all samples; P ≤ 0.001, r = 0.701–0.976; n = 7 partial waxy and nonwaxy samples; and Japanese sponge cake (JSCV) volume r = 0.971–0.993; n = 10; P≤ 0.001, r = 0.764–0.922; n = 7 partial waxy and nonwaxy samples), regardless of seeding season and growing conditions. The strength of the JSVC‐amylose relationship (slope) was similar among the three regions, whereas the strength of the SSCD‐amylose relationship was slightly weaker for spring‐sown samples and slightly stronger for partial waxy and nonwaxy autumn‐sown samples. Among of the four solvents (water, solutions of sodium carbonate, sucrose, or lactic acid), water‐SRC showed the greatest correlation to amylose content (r = –0.969 to –0.996; n = 10; P ≤ 0.001, r = –0.629 to –0.983; n = 7 partial waxy and nonwaxy samples), indicated that amylose content can be accurately estimated from the water‐SRC within the samples from the same grown environment.
Single‐Screw Extrusion Processing of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS)‐Based Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) Feeds
Authors: Ayadi Ferouz Y. , Muthukumarappan Kasiviswanathan , Rosentrater Kurt A. , Brown Michael L.
Published: March 2011

This study was conducted to investigate the production of balanced diets for juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens) feeds. Six isocaloric (≈3.21 kcal/g), isonitrogenous (30.1 ± 0.4% db) ingredient blends were formulated with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), and appropriate amounts of soybean meal, fish meal, vitamins, and minerals. Extrusion cooking was performed using a laboratory‐scale single‐screw extruder at a constant barrel temperature profile of 40–90–100°C, and a constant screw speed of 230 rpm (24.1 rad/sec). The mass flow rate was determined during processing; it generally increased with progressively higher DDGS content. Additionally, moisture content, water activity, unit density, expansion ratio, compressive strength, compressive modulus, pellet durability index, water stability, and color were extensively analyzed to quantify the effects of DDGS content on the physical properties of the resulting extrudates. Significant differences (P < 0.05) between blends were observed for color and water activity for both the raw material and extrudates, respectively, and for the unit density of the extrudates. There were significant changes in brightness (L), redness (a), and yellowness (b) among the final products when increasing the DDGS content of the blends. Expansion ratio and compressive strength of the extrudates were low. On the other hand, all blends showed high pellet durability (PDI ≥ 96.18%). Overall, it was ascertained that DDGS could be successfully included at rates of <50%, and that each of the ingredient blends resulted in viable, high quality extrudates.
First Report of Phytophthora ramorum Infecting Mistletoe in California
Authors: Riley Kathleen L. , Chastagner Gary A.
Published: March 2011

In 2005 and 2006, white fir and Douglas-fir growing in a Christmas tree plantation near Los Gatos, CA, under a black walnut tree infected with mistletoe tested positive for Phytophthora ramorum, the cause of Sudden Oak Death. Isolation from a symptomatic mistletoe inflorescence stalk was positive for P. ramorum. In 2007, fresh mistletoe leaves, stems, inflorescence stalks, and berries were inoculated with a zoospore suspension of the mistletoe isolate. All of the plant parts developed symptoms, and P. ramorum was isolated from each of them. This is the first report of an infection of a hemiparasite with P. ramorum.

Accepted for publication 20 January 2011. Published 9 February 2011.
Mycobiota on Wild Oat (Avena fatua L.) Seed and Their Caryopsis Decay Potential
Authors: de Luna L. Z. , Kennedy A. C. , Hansen J. C. , Paulitz T. C. , Gallagher R. S. , Fuerst E. P.
Published: March 2011

Wild oat is a serious weed in cereals that is difficult to control due to long-term survival in the weed seed bank. The mycobiota associated with dormant wild oat (Avena fatua L.) seeds buried for six months in a no-till wheat field were evaluated for their caryopsis decay potential. Of the 118 representative isolates tested, only 15% were found to have caryopsis decay potential. One isolate of Fusarium avenaceum and three isolates of Fusarium culmorum completely decayed wild oat caryopses within two weeks. Only a few isolates were susceptible to the antifungal activity from water or acetone extracts of wild oat hulls, suggesting that soluble chemicals from the hull play a minor role in resistance to decay. The procedures developed here can be used to isolate and screen individual organisms to determine their potential for seed decay and weed biocontrol.

Accepted for publication 20 December 2010. Published 10 February 2011.
Evaluation of Soil Fumigants for Management of Verticillium Wilt of Peanut in Texas
Authors: Woodward J. E. , Wheeler T. A. , Cattaneo M. G. , Russell S. A. , Baughman T. A.
Published: March 2011

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of the fumigants chloropicrin and metam sodium on soil populations of Verticillium dahliae, disease incidence, and peanut yield and grade. Chloropicrin was ineffective at reducing soil populations of V. dahliae. The application of chloropicrin provided a 7 to 10% reduction in incidence of Verticillium wilt; however, there was no effect on yield or grade. Applications of metam sodium reduced soil populations of V. dahliae, but did not impact disease incidence, yield, or grade. Although fumigants had a minor effect on V. dahliae and disease incidence, the lack of a response in yield or quality limits the use of these chemicals in a production system.

Accepted for publication 13 January 2011. Published 23 March 2011.
Androgen receptor
gene polymorphisms are associated with aggression in Japanese Akita Inu
Authors: Konno Akitsugu , Inoue-Murayama Miho , Hasegawa Toshikazu
Published: March 2011

We tested for an association between variable number of tandem repeats in the canine
androgen receptor
(
AR
) gene and personality differences in Japanese Akita Inu dogs. The polymorphic trinucleotide (CAG) repeat region coding for glutamine in exon 1 of the
AR
gene was genotyped using genomic DNA obtained from 171 dogs. Three alleles (
23
,
24
and
26
repeats) were detected, and the allele frequency differed with the coat colour. We assessed the personality profiles of 100 fawn-coloured dogs (54 males and 46 females) based on a questionnaire answered by each dog's owner. The questionnaire consisted of five sub-scales (sociability, playfulness, neuroticism, aggressiveness, distractibility), and the psychometric properties were acceptable based upon internal consistency of the subscales. We found that male dogs with a short allele conferring increased
AR
function had higher aggressiveness scores than male dogs with longer alleles. By contrast, no evidence was found for a relationship between
AR
gene variants and personality in females. To our knowledge, our findings provide the first evidence of polymorphism in the
AR
gene being associated with canine aggression.
Taxonomic variation in size–density relationships challenges the notion of energy equivalence
Authors: Isaac Nick J. B. , Storch David , Carbone Chris
Published: March 2011

The relationship between body mass and abundance is a major focus for research in macroecology. The form of this relationship has been suggested to reflect the partitioning of energy among species. We revisit classical datasets to show that size–density relationships vary systematically among taxonomic groups, with most variation occurring at the order level. We use this knowledge to make a novel test of the ‘energy equivalence rule’, at the taxonomic scale appropriate for the data. We find no obvious relationship between order-specific exponents for abundance and metabolic rate, although most orders show substantially shallower (less negative) scaling than predicted by energy equivalence. This finding implies greater energy flux among larger-bodied animals, with the largest species using two orders of magnitude more energy than the smallest. Our results reject the traditional interpretation of energy equivalence as a predictive rule. However, some variation in size–density exponents is consistent with a model of geometric constraints on foraging.
Long-term research sites as refugia for threatened and over-harvested species
Authors: Campbell G. , Kuehl H. , Diarrassouba A. , N'Goran P. K. , Boesch C.
Published: March 2011

The presence of researchers, ecotourists or rangers inside protected areas is generally assumed to provide a protective effect for wildlife populations, mainly by reducing poaching pressure. However, this assumption has rarely been empirically tested. Here, we evaluate and quantify the conservation benefits of the presence of a long-term research area in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. A wildlife survey following 225 km of line transects revealed considerably higher primate and duiker encounter rates within the research area when compared with adjacent areas. This positive effect was particularly pronounced for threatened and over-harvested species, such as the endangered red colobus monkey (Procolobus badius). This pattern was clearly mirrored by a reversed gradient in signs of poaching, which decreased towards and inside the research area, a trend that was also supported with park-wide data. This study demonstrates that even relatively simple evidence-based analytical approaches can bridge the gap between conservation theory and practice. In addition, it emphasizes the value of establishing long-term research sites as an integral part of protected area management.
Host-switching by a vertically transmitted rhabdovirus in
Drosophila
Authors: Longdon Ben , Wilfert Lena , Osei-Poku Jewelna , Cagney Heather , Obbard Darren J. , Jiggins Francis M.
Published: March 2011

A diverse range of endosymbionts are found within the cells of animals. As these endosymbionts are normally vertically transmitted, we might expect their evolutionary history to be dominated by host-fidelity and cospeciation with the host. However, studies of bacterial endosymbionts have shown that while this is true for some mutualists, parasites often move horizontally between host lineages over evolutionary timescales. For the first time, to our knowledge, we have investigated whether this is also the case for vertically transmitted viruses. Here, we describe four new sigma viruses, a group of vertically transmitted rhabdoviruses previously known in
Drosophila
. Using sequence data from these new viruses, and the previously described sigma viruses, we show that they have switched between hosts during their evolutionary history. Our results suggest that sigma virus infections may be short-lived in a given host lineage, so that their long-term persistence relies on rare horizontal transmission events between hosts.
Progressive failure of a constrained creeping landslide
Authors: Puzrin Alexander M. , Schmid Andreas
Published: March 2011

The ski resort town of St Moritz, Switzerland, is partially constructed on a large creeping landslide, which has been causing damage to buildings and infrastructure. At the town centre, the landslide is constrained by a rock outcrop, creating a compression zone in the sliding mass. After decades of gradual slowing down,s in the beginning of 1990s the landslide started to accelerate, in spite of the fact that the average yearly precipitation and the pore water pressure on the sliding surface remained fairly constant. The paper shows that a constrained creeping landslide experiences progressive failure caused by the propagation of a zone of intense shearing along the slip surface resulting in significant earth pressure increase and visco-plastic yielding of soil in the compression zone. This basic physical mechanism, relying on extensive laboratory and field tests and long-term displacement monitoring, explains the paradox of the St Moritz landslide acceleration. Although the model predicts that the landslide could eventually slow down, its displacements may become excessive for some buildings, requiring an early warning system and further stabilization of the historic Leaning Tower. In general, by predicting the onset of yielding, the model can provide an important timeframe for stabilization of constrained landslides.
A solution for folding rigid tall shopping bags
Authors: Wu Weina , You Zhong
Published: March 2011

Rigid origami is concerned with the folding of rigid thin-walled structures. The materials from which the structures are made are not allowed to deform or bend, but can rotate freely about pre-arranged creases. One of the challenges in rigid origami is the flat folding of a shopping bag with a rectangular base if the bag is made of rigid materials. The problem is not only mathematically interesting but also has practical implications as many consumer goods are packaged in box-shaped cartons or cardboard boxes. In this paper, a new crease pattern has been proposed that allows a tall box-shaped bag with a rectangular base to be rigidly folded flat. Rigid folding conditions are established, and solutions that meet these conditions are found numerically. Simulations and experiments carried out demonstrate that the solution works. The new pattern represents the first practical solution for tall bags and can lead to direct applications in the packaging industry. Moreover, the folding analysis can be used to design an automated packaging process for folding box-shaped stiff cartons.
Natural ‘poor start’ does not increase mortality over the lifetime
Authors: Drummond H. , Rodríguez C. , Oro D.
Published: March 2011

Poor nutrition and other challenges during infancy can impose delayed costs, and it has been proposed that expression of costs during adulthood should involve increased mortality rather than reduced reproduction. Demonstrations of delayed costs come mostly from experimental manipulations of the diet and hormones of captive infants of short-lived species, and we know very little about how natural poor starts in life affect wild animals over their lifetimes. In the blue-footed booby, sibling conflict obliges younger brood members to grow up suffering aggressive subordination, food deprivation and elevated stress hormone, but surviving fledglings showed no deficit in reproduction over the first 5–10 years. A study of 7927 individuals from two-fledgling and singleton broods from 20 cohorts found no significant evidence of a higher rate of mortality nor a lower rate of recruitment in younger fledglings than in elder fledglings or singletons at any age over the 20 year lifespan. Development of boobies may be buffered against the three challenges of subordination. Experimental challenges to neonates that result in delayed costs have usually been more severe, more prolonged and more abruptly suspended, and it is unclear which natural situations they mimic.