bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meritorious Evaluation Bias: How Chinese Undergraduates Perceive and Evaluate Chinese and Foreign Creators
Authors: YUE XIAODONG
Published: December 2011

This study examined how Chinese young people perceived Chinese and foreign creators with a meritorious evaluation bias. Two separate studies were conducted. In Study 1, a pool of the most noted Chinese creators was generated and they were rated on degree of creativity and social contribution. In Study 2, a pool of the most noted foreign creators was generated and they were rated on degree of creativity and social contribution. In addition, 20 most noted historical and modern Chinese creators were singled out from Study 1 and were rated on degree of creativity and social contribution as well. 414 and 212 undergraduates from two universities in Hong Kong and Guangzhou were sampled to participate in these studies respectively. The results showed that the Chinese and foreign creators who distinguished themselves in meritorious salience of a person's creativity were more likely to be nominated and were rated higher on social contribution than on creativity. Scientists, inventors, and to some extent, politicians were the most often nominated figures of creativity. Artists, musicians and entertainers were the least often nominated figures of creativity.
Differences in Gender and Ethnicity as Measured by Ratings of Three Writing Tasks
Authors: KAUFMAN JAMES C. , BAER JOHN , GENTILE CLAUDIA A.
Published: December 2011

The issue of racial/ethnic and gender differences in intelligence and academic abilities is fiercely and frequently debated, yet the examination of these differences in creativity is less studied. Our goal in this study was to use the Consensual Assessment Technique, in which experts judge a product's creativity, to examine differences in creativity among gender and ethnic groups. We conducted three separate analyses in which 13 experts rated 103 poems, 104 fictional stories, and 103 personal narratives written by Caucasian, African American, Latino/a, and Asian eighth‐grade students. There were no significant African American‐Caucasian differences on any of the writing tasks and there were no gender differences on all three tasks. The only significant differences in the creativity ratings on any of the tasks occurred in poetry, between the Latino/ a‐Caucasian groups and Latino/a‐Asian groups. Implications and future directions are discussed.
The Dynamics of Creative Teaching
Authors: LILLY FRANK R. , BRAMWELL‐REJSKIND GILLIAN
Published: December 2011

The following is a qualitative portrait of a creative teacher and her teaching process. Over a period of six months, five interviews were conducted with the teacher before, during, and following a university course in teacher education on instructing diverse learners. Additional interviews were conducted with six students at the beginning and end of the course and with the teacher's husband following the course. Additional data sets include classroom observations revealed in field notes, personal memos, and course materials. The overarching themes represented constructs involving intense and thorough course preparation, teacher‐student connections, and reflective teaching. Sub‐themes guiding the process of creative teaching emerged including constraints placed on preparation and reflective teaching, an awareness of self and students within the process of preparation and connection, feedback from colleagues and students guiding the connection and reflective teaching, and the values and goals formed from personal history and philosophy of life shaping all three major themes. This case study of creative teaching possesses characteristics resembling creative acts in other domains (e.g., art, literature, physics, economics) and presents a model for the education of future teachers.
Reactions to Creative Problem Solving Training: Does Cognitive Style Make a Difference?
Authors: PUCCIO GERARD J. , WHEELER RUSSELL A. , CASSANDRO VINCENT J.
Published: December 2011

Creative Problem Solving (CPS), a well‐documented methodology for developing creative‐thinking skills, has often been the focus of studies that have examined the impact of creativity training. The purpose of the present study was to extend this line of research in two ways. The first objective was to evaluate participants' reactions to specific elements of a CPS course. Here participants were asked to rate the CPS components, stages, principles, and tools for enjoyment and future value. The second objective was to examine whether participants' reactions to the CPS training varied in accordance to their cognitive style preferences. The inventory used to measure cognitive style is called FourSight. FourSight identifies respondents' preferences in terms of four key elements of the creative process: problem identification (i.e., Clarifier), idea generation (i.e., Ideator), solution development (i.e., Developer), and implementation (i.e., Implementer). Eighty‐four participants were enrolled in various graduate and undergraduate courses in CPS. Participants completed FourSight at the beginning of their respective course and at the conclusion they responded to a survey in which they evaluated various aspects of CPS for enjoyment and value. Overall evaluation of the CPS courses indicated that participants associated the greatest enjoyment and future value with tools, principles, and stages that were primarily orientated towards divergent thinking. Analysis of participants' reactions in light of their FourSight preferences revealed two distinct types of reactions to the course content. One form of response was labeled true‐to‐type, for example, individuals who expressed high Clarifier preferences found learning the Gather Data stage of CPS to be more enjoyable than those with low Clarifier preferences. The second type of reaction was referred to as a complementary relationship. This type of relationship between the course and the participant's style seemed to indicate a desire to develop a skill that is perhaps outside of one's style preference. For example, participants with strong Ideator preferences were more likely to associate higher levels of future value with the Prepare for Action component of the CPS process. The implications of these and other findings are discussed.
Boundless Creativity: Evidence for the Domain Generality of Individual Differences in Creativity
Authors: CHEN CHUANSHENG , HIMSEL AMY , KASOF JOSEPH , GREENBERGER ELLEN , DMITRIEVA JULIA
Published: December 2011

This study investigated correlates of domain‐general and domain‐specific components of creativity. 158 college students completed a questionnaire that assessed their motivational and personality traits (i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, creative personality, and originality in word association) as well as intellectual abilities (SAT verbal and quantitative scores). Under two different instruction conditions (standard instruction or explicit “be creative” instruction), students also took a battery of multi‐item, product‐based tests of creativity in three domains (artistic, verbal, and mathematical creativity). Factor analyses showed evidence of domain‐generality of creativity. Furthermore, results from structural equation models showed that motivational and personality traits and intellectual abilities were associated with the domain‐general component of creativity. Only one variable (SAT quantitative score) was found to be associated with the domain‐specific component of mathematical creativity under the explicit “be creative” instruction condition. These results affirm the domain‐generality of creativity and challenge researchers to identify correlates of domain‐specific components of creativity.
A Lighthouse In The Desert? Evaluating The Effects Of Creativity Training On Employee Innovation
Authors: BIRDI KAMAL
Published: December 2011

The contribution of three different creativity training programmes to employees' workplace idea generation and implementation was evaluated. The research was conducted within a government organization, where 191 employees (a mixture of participants and non‐participants in creativity training) were surveyed. Analyses showed that creativity training participants in one type of course only were more likely to generate ideas back at work and that this relationship was mediated by their creative ability and motivation to innovate. However, in terms of later implementation of those ideas, the environmental factors of management support and divisional climate were much more strongly related than the creativity training.
Exploring the Interactions between Asian Culture (Confucianism) and Creativity
Authors: KIM KYUNG HEE
Published: December 2011

According to Csikszentmihalyi (1988), creativity is a very complex interaction among a person, a field, and a culture. In keeping with this approach, a look at Asian culture in relation to its impact on creativity is in order. While people may vary in their native capacity for creativity, it is in the individual's interaction with the macrocosm where creative expression can be found. Therefore, this paper will explore the four principles of Confucianism, and how they compare to creativity research in order to discover how Asian culture influences creativity; and what we can do to enhance our students' creative capacity.
The Role of Risk‐Taking in Songwriting Success
Authors: MARADE ANGELO A. , GIBBONS JEFFREY A. , BRINTHAUPT THOMAS M.
Published: December 2011

Creativity involves generating novel concepts and products that are valued by the creator as well as by the public. In this paper, we argue that risk‐taking in songwriting increases the likelihood of any individual's product being valued as creative. By reviewing the case histories of several successful songwriters, we show that heightened creativity is associated with a willingness to express novel ideas as well as a willingness to repeatedly confront, and adapt to the possibility of failure.
Errors in Idea Evaluation: Preference for the Unoriginal?
Authors: BLAIR CASSIE S. , MUMFORD MICHAEL D.
Published: December 2011

Idea evaluation has, in recent years, received more attention as a critical component of creative thought. One key influence on how people evaluate new ideas may be found in the standards, or attributes, people look for in appraising ideas. The intent of the present study was to examine the influence of different attributes on people's willingness to support new ideas. Initially undergraduates were asked to generate ideas that might be funded by a foundation. Based on this material, ideas displaying different attributes were identified. Another smaller sample of undergraduates were asked to evaluate ideas for funding by the foundation. It was found that people preferred ideas that were easy to understand, provided short‐term benefits to many, and were consistent with prevailing social norms, while disregarding risky, time consuming, and original ideas. Original and risky ideas, however, were more likely to be preferred when evaluation criteria were not especially stringent and time pressure was high. The implications of these findings for understanding how people go about evaluating new ideas are discussed.
Creativity as a Matter of Choice: Prior Experience and Task Instruction as Boundary Conditions for the Positive Effect of Choice on Creativity
Authors: CHUA ROY YONG‐JOO , IYENGAR SHEENA S.
Published: December 2011

This study investigates the effects of prior experience, task instruction, and choice on creative performance. Although extant research suggests that giving people choice in how they approach a task could enhance creative performance, we propose that this view needs to be circumscribed.

Specifically, we argue that when choice is administered during problem solving by varying the number of available resources, the high combinatorial flexibility conferred by a large choice set of resources can be overwhelming. Through two experiments, we found that only individuals with high prior experience in the task domain and given explicit instruction to be creative produced more creative outcomes when given more choice. When either of these two conditions is not met (i.e., low prior experience or given non‐creativity instruction), more choice did not lead to more creative performance. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Is There a Relationship Between Literature Reading and Creative Writing?
Authors: BROEKKAMP HEIN , JANSSEN TANJA , VAN DEN BERGH HUUB
Published: December 2011

This study attempts to reliably measure literature reading and creative writing ability, and subsequently to determine whether a relationship exists between the two abilities. Participants were 19 eleventh‐grade students: 11 were known to be good readers of literature, whereas 8 were known to be poor readers of literature. Each participant read 4 literary texts and wrote 5 creative texts. Texts concerned two genres: poems and short stories. The transcriptions of reading responses and writing products were rated by different panels of 7 and 8 independent expert judges, respectively.

Multilevel analyses indicated that agreement among judges was high and that individual student performance relative to other students was fairly consistent among tasks, both for reading and writing tasks. Moreover, average reading and average writing performance appeared to be related even when the a priori selection was taken into account.

The results support our hypothesis that a positive relationship exists between literature reading and creative writing ability. Moreover, it shows that both constructs can be measured in reliable ways. Implications for further research and for the position of creative writing within the literature curriculum are discussed.
From Walls to Windows: Using Barriers as Pathways to Insightful Solutions
Authors: WALINGA JENNIFER
Published: December 2011

The purpose of this study was to explore and develop a conceptual model for how individuals unlock insight. The concept of insight — the ‘out of the box’ or ‘aha!’ solution to a problem — offers a framework for exploring and understanding how best to enhance problem solving skills due to the cognitive shift insight requires. Creative problem solving (CPS) is inherent to a variety of performance realms including effective decision making, innovation, and organizational development; however, related processes of insight, innovation and creativity remain intangible. The model, based on a review of the problem solving literature, proposes that insight involves a five stage, cyclical process emerging as: primary appraisal of the problem, secondary appraisal based on prior knowledge, initial focus, problem representation, and solution generation when, if no solution is found, the cycle begins again. The research has implications for individual, team and organizational settings suggesting that performance on a wide variety of problems may be improved by utilizing an integrated focus rather than a barrier or goal focus alone.
Child and Adult Reports of Graphic Strategies Used to Portray Figures with Contrasting Emotional Characteristics
Authors: BURKITT ESTHER , BARRETT MARTYN
Published: December 2011

This study assessed children's graphic flexibility and their ability to report on their use of drawing strategies when drawing characterized figures. 253 children (129 boys, 124 girls) aged between 4 years 3 months and 11 year 10 months formed three groups, either drawing a man, a dog or a tree. Each group was asked to draw three emotionally contrasting versions of the topics. The children's self‐reported views about their drawing strategies and adults' judgements of the children's use of drawing strategies were content analyzed and compared. It was found that the children's verbal reports and the adults' observations were very similar to each other, at all ages. Moreover, children utilized a range of drawing strategies flexibly at all ages. It is argued that Karmiloff‐Smith's (1992) Representational Redescription Model may underestimate not only young children's graphic flexibility but also their ability to provide verbal reports on their own drawing behaviour.
Redefining Creativity — Analyzing Definitions, Collocations, and Consequences
Authors: KAMPYLIS PANAGIOTIS G. , VALTANEN JURI
Published: December 2011

How holistically is human creativity defined, investigated, and understood? Until recently, most scientific research on creativity has focused on its positive side. However, creativity might not only be a desirable resource but also be a potential threat. In order to redefine creativity we need to analyze and understand definitions, collocations, and consequences of creativity. In this paper, we reviewed 42 explicit definitions and 120 collocations. The thematic analysis of our data reveals that the vast majority of creativity definitions do not emphasize the positive/negative aspects of the concept. Neither are the negative aspects of creativity emphasized in its numerous collocations. Thus, we propose a comprehensive definition of creativity and a three‐dimensional analytical framework for investigating its consequences, positive and/or negative. Finally, we highlight the need to move to a new era ofconscientious creativity, in which all humans are considered able and wise enough tocreate something ethical and constructivefor everyone in society.
Formulation of Policy and Strategy in Developing Creativity Education in Four Asian Chinese Societies: A Policy Analysis
Authors: HUI ANNA N. N. , LAU SING
Published: December 2011

The present study sought to compare and contrast educational policies on creativity education in four Asian Chinese societies, namely mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan. It establishes five criteria on creativity education policy, including policies regarding legislation on creativity education, definitions of creativity, standard implementation, explicit identification of special populations of creative students, and creativity education in the community. Among the four societies, Taiwan has an official document — the White Paper on Creative Education published in 2003 — whereas in Hong Kong and Singapore, creativity has been identified as an ability to be nurtured in students of all levels in their national curriculum reform. In mainland China, innovation is regarded as a synonym for creativity. Definitions of creativity have at times not been clearly defined, although multiple levels of creativity development (individual, school, societal, industrial, and cultural) have been discussed in Taiwan. In Hong Kong, creativity has been defined as a generic skill in various key learning areas (e.g., language education, mathematics education, science education, etc.) in the school curriculum. In Singapore, creativity is a learning outcome to be developed in students. None of these societies use standard creativity assessment tests as evidence of creative competence in students. When creativity has entered the central stage in the curriculum reform and creativity education is made available to every student, efforts have been made to identify highly creative students and provide them enrichment opportunities, mainly using performance assessments and performance in creativity competitions in these societies. But mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore do not sufficiently emphasize creativity education in the larger community.
Who are the Best‐Known National and Foreign Creators — a Comparative Study Among Undergraduates in China and Germany
Authors: YUE XIAO DONG , BENDER MICHAEL , CHEUNG CHAU‐KIU
Published: December 2011

Separate studies of Chinese and Western individuals have suggested that there are cultural differences in perceptions of creativity, particularly in an emphasis on meritorious salience versus aesthetic salience as bases for creativity, but cross‐cultural studies are needed to substantiate that difference. In this study, undergraduates from Giessen in Germany and Hong Kong and Nanjing in China provided data on the recognition of famous creative persons. Chinese undergraduates in Hong Kong and Nanjing mostly nominated politicians, scientists or inventors, but rarely nominated artists, musicians. German undergraduates mostly nominated philosophers, artists, and writers but rarely nominated politicians. This supports our assumption that the Chinese evaluation of creators emphasizes the meritorious salience of creativity whereas the German evaluation of creators emphasizes the aesthetic salience of creativity. Implications and limitations of this study are discussed at the end of the paper.
Effects of Quantity and Quality Instructions on Brainstorming
Authors: PAULUS PAUL B. , KOHN NICHOLAS W. , ARDITTI LAUREN E.
Published: December 2011

One of the basic presumptions of brainstorming is that a focus on generating a large number of ideas enhances both the number of ideas generated and the number of good ideas (original and useful). Prior research has not clearly demonstrated the utility of such a quantity focus in comparison to a condition in which quantity is not emphasized. There have been some comparisons of the impact of quantity and quality focus on the number and quality of ideas, but the results of these comparisons have been mixed. The present study examined brainstorming with four different types of instructions: no specific focus, a quantity goal, a quality goal, or a joint quantity and quality goal. The quantity goal condition was superior to the other three conditions in leading to the generation of more ideas and more good ideas. These findings support Osborn's (1953) assumption that a quantity focus is most beneficial for brainstorming.
Overcoming Organizational Fixation: Creating and Sustaining an Innovation Culture
Authors: STEMPFLE JOACHIM
Published: December 2011

Fixation on established paradigms and practices can severely limit the capability of organizations to change, thereby jeopardizing the ability of organizations to keep up with changes in their environment and new technological developments. Overcoming organizational fixation is therefore a requirement for any organization that strives to achieve sustained success. Based on a discussion of individual, social and organizational causes of organizational fixation, a framework for overcoming organizational fixation and establishing an innovation culture is presented. Elaborating on the important role of leaders in creating an innovation culture, competencies and behaviors of innovation leaders are discussed, and a comprehensive leadership development strategy is outlined.
Non‐Cognitive Constructs and Self‐Reported Creativity by Domain
Authors: DAVIS CANDICE D. , KAUFMAN JAMES C. , McCLURE FAITH H.
Published: December 2011

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which non‐cognitive constructs (personality, thinking styles, motivation, and psychological well‐being) would predict self‐reported creativity across different domains among 266 college students. Consistent with hypotheses, openness, legislative thinking styles, and intrinsic motivation were significant predictors of overall self‐reported creativity and across several domains. Extraversion was also a key predictor. Some other relationships consistent with past research (such as disagreeableness and math/science creativity) were also noted.
Exploring Collective Mathematical Creativity in Elementary School
Authors: LEVENSON ESTHER
Published: December 2011

This study combines theories related to collective learning and theories related to mathematical creativity to investigate the notion of collective mathematical creativity in elementary school classrooms. Collective learning takes place when mathematical ideas and actions, initially stemming from an individual, are built upon and reworked, producing a solution which is the product of the collective. Referring to characteristics of individual mathematical creativity, such as fluency, flexibility, and originality, this paper examines the possibility that collective mathematical creativity may be similarly characterized. The paper also explores the role of the teacher in fostering collective mathematical creativity and the possible relationship between individual and collective mathematical creativity.

Many studies have investigated ways of characterizing, identifying, and promoting mathematical creativity. Haylock (1997), for example, and more recently, Kwon, Park, and Park (2006) assessed students' mathematical creativity by employing open‐ended problems and measuring divergent thinking skills. Leikin (2009) explored the use of multiple solution tasks in evaluating a student's mathematical creativity. These studies focused on an individual's mathematical creativity as it manifests itself in the solving of various problems. Yet students, acting in a classroom community, do not necessarily act on their own. Ideas are interchanged, evaluated, and built‐upon, often with the guidance of the teacher. The resultant mathematical creativity of an individual may be a product of collective community practice. The question which then arises is: Who is being mathematically creative, the individual or the community? This study focuses on the collective, not as the aggregation of a few individuals, but as a unit of study. Although some of the studies mentioned above acknowledged the effect of classroom culture on the development of mathematical creativity, and others considered the creative range of a group of students, those studies did not necessarily investigate mathematical creativity as a collective process or as the product of participating in a collective endeavour.

This study combines theories related to collective learning and theories related to mathematical creativity to investigate the notion of collective mathematical creativity. The notion of collective creativity has been used to investigate creativity in several contexts including the work place (Hargadon & Bechky, 2006) and the global community (Family, 2003). In those cases, collective creativity was considered to occur when the social interactions between individuals yielded new interpretations that the individuals involved, thinking alone, could not have generated. Can the notion of collective creativity also be applied to the classroom community?
miRNA expression profile during osteogenic differentiation of human adipose‐derived stem cells
Authors: Zhang Zi‐ji , Zhang Hao , Kang Yan , Sheng Pu‐yi , Ma Yuan‐chen , Yang Zi‐bo , Zhang Zhi‐qi , Fu Ming , He Ai‐shan , Liao Wei‐ming
Published: December 2011

Human adipose‐derived stem cells (hADSC) are capable of differentiating into an osteogenic lineage. It is believed that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in regulating this osteogenic differentiation of human adipose‐derived cells, although its molecular mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the miRNA expression profile during osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs, and assessed the roles of involved miRNAs during the osteogenic differentiation. We obtained and cultured human adipose‐derived stems cells from donors who underwent elective liposuction or other abdominal surgery at our institution. miRNA expression profiles pre‐ and post‐osteogenic induction were obtained using microarray essay, and differently expressed miRNAs were verified using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). The expression of osteogenic proteins was detected using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Putative targets of the miRNAs were predicted using online software MiRanda, TargetScan, and miRBase. Eight miRNAs were found differently expressed pre‐ and post‐osteogenic induction, among which four miRNAs (miR‐17, miR‐20a, miR‐20b, and miR‐106a) were up‐regulated and four miRNAs (miR‐31, miR‐125a‐5p, miR‐125b, and miR‐193a) were down‐regulated. qRT‐PCR analysis further confirmed the results. Predicted target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs based on the overlap from three public prediction algorithms: MiRanda, TargetScan, and miRBase Target have the known functions of regulating stem cell osteogenic differentiation, self‐renewal, signal transduction, and cell cycle control. We identified a group of miRNAs that may play important roles in regulating hADSC cell differentiation toward an osteoblast lineage. Further study of these miRNAs may elucidate the mechanism of hADSC differentiation into adipose tissue, and thus provide basis for tissue engineering. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 888–898, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Uniform two‐class regular partial Steiner triple systems
Authors: Keranen Melissa S. , Kreher Donald L. , Özkan Sibel
Published: December 2011

A 2‐class regular partial Steiner triple system is a partial Steiner triple system whose points can be partitioned into 2‐classes such that no triple is contained in either class and any two points belonging to the same class are contained in the same number of triples. It is uniform if the two classes have the same size. We provide necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of uniform 2‐class regular partial Steiner triple systems.
Comparison of single and joint effects of Zn and Cu in continuous flow and batch reactors
Authors: Şengör Sema Sevinç , Gikas Petros , Moberly James G , Peyton Brent M , Ginn Timothy R
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Microbial behavior in batch reactors may be different from that in continuous flow reactors, which is expected to affect microbial response to heavy metal exposure. Four parallel continuous flow reactors and batch growth tests were used to investigate the single and joint toxicity of Zn and Cu to Artrobacter sp. JM018.

RESULTS: The results indicated that Cu is more toxic than Zn under all conditions. In the batch reactors, all Zn concentrations showed a stimulatory effect on microbial growth. However in the continuous system, 125 µmol L−1 Zn exposure produced inhibition. In the case of mixed Zn and Cu exposures in the batch system, the presence of Zn reduced the severity of Cu inhibition, with a net impact of reduced growth in all cases, whereas in the continuous system microbial growth and substrate utilization rates sharply decreased and ceased.

CONCLUSION: The results clearly showed that growth in batch reactors underestimated significantly the heavy metal inhibition, compared with the continuous system. Therefore, the results of batch reactor tests should not be used directly when heavy metal inhibition is to be interpreted for continuous flow systems. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
The locomotory system of pearlfish Carapus acus: What morphological features are characteristic for highly flexible fishes?
Authors: Schwarz Cathrin , Parmentier Eric , Wiehr Stefan , Gemballa Sven
Published: December 2011

The body curvature displayed by fishes differs remarkably between species. Some nonmuscular features (e.g., number of vertebrae) are known to influence axial flexibility, but we have poor knowledge of the influence of the musculotendinous system (myosepta and muscles). Whereas this system has been described in stiff‐bodied fishes, we have little data on flexible fishes. In this study, we present new data on the musculotendinous system of a highly flexible fish and compare them to existing data on rigid fishes. We use microdissections with polarized light microscopy to study the three‐dimensional anatomy of myoseptal tendons, histology and immunohistology to study the insertion of muscle fiber types into tendons, and μ‐CT scans to study skeletal anatomy. Results are compared with published data from stiff‐bodied fishes. We identify four important morphological differences between stiff‐bodied fishes and Carapus acus: (1) Carapus bears short tendons in the horizontal septum, whereas rigid fishes have elongated tendons. (2) Carapus bears short lateral tendons in its myosepta, whereas stiff‐bodied fishes bear elongated tendons. Because of its short myoseptal tendons, Carapus retains high axial flexibility. In contrast, elongated tendons restrict axial flexibility in rigid fishes but are able to transmit anteriorly generated muscle forces through long tendons down to the tail. (3) Carapus bears distinct epineural and epipleural tendons in its myosepta, whereas these tendons are weak or absent in rigid fishes. As these tendons firmly connect vertebral axis and skin in Carapus, we consider them to constrain lateral displacement of the vertebral axis during extreme body flexures. (4) Ossifications of myoseptal tendons are only present in C. acus and other more flexible fishes but are absent in rigid fishes. The functional reasons for this remain unexplained. J. Morphol., 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Micro‐Raman study of exfoliated Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ single crystals with different thicknesses
Authors: Wang X. , You L. X. , Xie X. M. , Lin C. T. , Jiang M. H.
Published: December 2011

Exfoliated Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ (Bi‐2212) single crystals were prepared by micromechanical cleavage of bulk Bi‐2212 single crystals on SiO2/Si substrates. Room temperature micro‐Raman spectra were collected using a 532‐nm laser source. The evolutions of the spectra of A1g (Bi), A1g (Sr), and A1g (OBi) Raman modes with different thicknesses of the samples were studied. The refractive index of Bi‐2212 single crystal was obtained by studying the intensity evolutions based on the interference effect. The observed wavenumber shifts of the A1g (Bi), A1g (Sr), and A1g (OBi) modes were analyzed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Micro‐Raman and infrared analysis of medieval pottery findings from Braničevo, Serbia
Authors: Holclajtner‐Antunović Ivanka , Bajuk‐Bogdanović Danica , Bikić Vesna , Marić‐Stojanović Milica
Published: December 2011

A selection of Byzantine table pottery (17 samples) dating from the period between the beginning of the 12th century and the first half of the 13th century, discovered at Braničevo in Serbia, were analysed by Fourier transform infrared, micro‐Raman and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy and petrography analysis. The aim of the investigation was to determine the chemical and mineralogical composition of the body and of the glaze and thus to determine the production technology. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy provided data for estimating the firing temperature and the basic mineralogical composition, and micro‐Raman spectroscopy was applied to study and characterise both the glaze and the body of the analysed sherds. It was found that noncalcareous clays, characterised by a rich mineral assemblage, were fired at temperatures between 700 and 900 °C. Oxidizing atmosphere was applied in the production of the red colour pottery. The dark and grey coloured paste of one group of sherds was produced by firing organic matter‐rich clays in a reducing environment. The main type of transparent glaze was identified as lead‐rich, and two samples were alkali–lime glazed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detection of central nervous system tissue as bovine spongiform encephalopathy specified risk material in traditional Turkish meat products
Authors: Kale Mehmet , Hasırcıoglu Sibel , Ozturk Cagdas , Akcan Kale A Selcen , Dogruer Yusuf
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: This study used enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kits to investigate the presence of central nervous system (CNS) tissue in commercial raw and processed traditional Turkish meat products offered for consumption in various markets.

RESULTS: Ninety‐six raw traditional Turkish meat products (32 fresh raw beef patties, 32 cig kofta, 32 pastirma) and 64 processed traditional Turkish meat products (32 doner kebabs and 32 fresh processed beef patties) were analysed. CNS tissue was not found in pastirma, doner kebab, or fresh processed beef patty samples. The levels of CNS contamination in fresh raw beef patties were low (0.1% absorbance standard; 3.1%) and moderate (0.2% absorbance standard; 6.2%). The level of contamination in the cig kofta was low (0.1% absorbance standard; 18.8%).

CONCLUSION: CNS tissue was present in all raw traditional Turkish meat products except for pastirma. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
DCE and DW‐MRI monitoring of vascular disruption following VEGF‐Trap treatment of a rat glioma model
Authors: Hoff Benjamin A. , Bhojani Mahaveer S. , Rudge John , Chenevert Thomas L. , Meyer Charles R. , Galbán Stefanie , Johnson Timothy D. , Leopold Judith Sebolt , Rehemtulla Alnawaz , Ross Brian D. , Galbán Craig J.
Published: December 2011

Vascular‐targeted therapies have shown promise as adjuvant cancer treatment. As these agents undergo clinical evaluation, sensitive imaging biomarkers are needed to assess drug target interaction and treatment response. In this study, dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE‐MRI) and diffusion‐weighted MRI (DW‐MRI) were evaluated for detecting response of intracerebral 9 L gliosarcomas to the antivascular agent VEGF‐Trap, a fusion protein designed to bind all forms of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor‐A (VEGF‐A) and Placental Growth Factor (PGF). Rats with 9 L tumors were treated twice weekly for two weeks with vehicle or VEGF‐Trap. DCE‐ and DW‐MRI were performed one day prior to treatment initiation and one day following each administered dose. Kinetic parameters (Ktrans, volume transfer constant; kep, efflux rate constant from extravascular/extracellular space to plasma; and vp, blood plasma volume fraction) and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) over the tumor volumes were compared between groups. A significant decrease in kinetic parameters was observed 24 hours following the first dose of VEGF‐Trap in treated versus control animals (p < 0.05) and was accompanied by a decline in ADC values. In addition to the significant hemodynamic effect, VEGF‐Trap treated animals exhibited significantly longer tumor doubling times (p < 0.05) compared to the controls. Histological findings were found to support imaging response metrics. In conclusion, kinetic MRI parameters and change in ADC have been found to serve as sensitive and early biomarkers of VEGF‐Trap anti‐vascular targeted therapy. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring c‐Met kinase flexibility by sampling and clustering its conformational space
Authors: Asses Yasmine , Venkatraman Vishwesh , Leroux Vincent , Ritchie David W. , Maigret Bernard
Published: December 2011

It is now widely recognized that the flexibility of both partners has to be considered in molecular docking studies. However, the question how to handle the best the huge computational complexity of exploring the protein binding site landscape is still a matter of debate. Here we investigate the flexibility of c‐Met kinase as a test case for comparing several simulation methods. The c‐Met kinase catalytic site is an interesting target for anticancer drug design. In particular, it harbors an unusual plasticity compared with other kinases ATP binding sites. Exploiting this feature may eventually lead to the discovery of new anticancer agents with exquisite specificity. We present in this article an extensive investigation of c‐Met kinase conformational space using large‐scale computational simulations in order to extend the knowledge already gathered from available X‐ray structures. In the process, we compare the relevance of different strategies for modeling and injecting receptor flexibility information into early stage in silico structure‐based drug discovery pipeline. The results presented here are currently being exploited in on‐going virtual screening investigations on c‐Met. Proteins 2012;. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Railway satellite channel at Ku band and above: Composite dynamic modeling for the design of fade mitigation techniques
Authors: Arapoglou Pantelis‐Daniel , Liolis Konstantinos P. , Panagopoulos Athanasios D.
Published: December 2011

Past studies on the railway satellite channel (RSC) at Ku band and above consider exclusively the attenuation coming from the metal power arches (PAs) along the railway route, producing significant though deterministic periodical fast fading. Nevertheless, limited attention has been given to model tropospheric effects on the RSC. The present paper takes a more comprehensive view of the RSC by introducing a novel stochastic dynamic model of rain fading in mobile satellite systems on top of the diffraction because of PAs. The proposed approach builds upon well‐established research on rain attenuation time series synthesizers employing stochastic differential equations. It is shown that this propagation tool may provide significant aid, in general, in mobile satellite system simulations and in the design of fade mitigation techniques (FMTs), particularly aiming at the railway scenario. The tool enables the generation of fade events, fade duration statistics, rain attenuation power spectrum and predicting the necessary FMT control loop margin. This is particularly useful for the RSC because most of the proposed FMTs focusing on PAs are not appropriate for compensating atmospheric fading. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Indirect interaction between butterfly species mediated by a shared pupal parasitoid
Authors: van Nouhuys Saskya , Kraft Thomas S.
Published: December 2011

Indirect interactions among species can greatly affect their abundances and the structure of the community they live in. Using a field experiment, we tested the hypothesis that congeneric butterfly species interact indirectly through a shared pupal parasitoid. We predicted that symmetrical apparent competition would lead to high parasitism of both species, and the effect would increase with regional butterfly abundance. Instead, parasitism of one host,Melitaea cinxia, was reduced in the presence of the second host,M.athalia. Parasitism ofM.athaliadid not differ whether or notM.cinxiawas present. This pattern did not vary with regional butterfly abundance, though overall rate of parasitism did. Details of the experiment suggest that the apparent commensalism occurred becauseM.cinxiapupae are protected by silk tents whereasM.athaliaare exposed, causing locally foraging parasitoids to favour the more accessible host where the two are present together. The local short‐term apparent commensalism favouringM.cinxiaopposes the landscape scale trend, in which parasitism increases where butterfly density is high. The outcome of this study illustrates short‐term apparent commensalism, that host suitability can depend on relative accessibility, and that indirect interactions occurring at different scales may be in opposition.
Mechanism of mammalian germ cell development: toward assisted new reproductive technologies
Authors: Suzuki Atsushi , Kurihara Yasuyuki , Saga Yumiko
Published: December 2011

Approximately 10% of Japanese couples who want to have children experience infertility, and the majority of these individuals have either abnormal egg cell or abnormal sperm development. In addition, currently, there is a low birth rate in many parts of the developed world; therefore, it is critical to elucidate the mechanisms of germ cell development. Thus, the study of assisted reproductive technologies has scientific significance, and is a key to solving infertility problems. This review summarizes the development of mouse germ cells, particularly focusing on the role of Nanos genes, which are essential for the development of mouse germ cells and have been identified as genes that are involved in human infertility. We also briefly introduce a study in which this information is applied to assisted reproductive technologies.
Formation of supramolecular structures of a native‐like protein in the presence of amphiphilic peptides: Variations in aggregate morphology
Authors: Artemova Natalya , Stein-Margolina Vita , Smirnova Ekaterina , Gurvits Bella
Published: December 2011

A striking potential of the amphiphilic dipeptides, Arg‐Phe or Asp‐Phe, to induce aggregation of a model protein, alcohol dehydrogenase in its native‐like state, has been demonstrated under physiologically relevant conditions, using dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism, transmission electron‐ and atomic force microscopy. The peptide action resulted in accumulation of a variety of morphologically distinct supramolecular structures profoundly differing from those generated by the heat‐induced aggregation at the early stages of the process, when amyloid fibril assemblies were not detectable. The biogenic amphiphilic agents are suggested to act as regulators of structural transformations of native‐like proteins.
A novel family of toxin/antitoxin proteins in Bacillus species
Authors: Holberger Laura E. , Garza-Sánchez Fernando , Lamoureux James , Low David A. , Hayes Christopher S.
Published: December 2011

YezG
binds to
YeeF
by pull down (View interaction)
Manipulating basic taste perception to explore how product information affects experience
Authors: Litt Ab , Shiv Baba
Published: December 2011

We introduce a novel physiologically‐based methodology to consumer research—using the glycoprotein miraculin to manipulate the ability to sense and perceive specific taste elements in gustatory experiences. We apply this approach to exploring how information extrinsic (e.g., product reviews) to a product's inherent sensory facets influences reported consumption experiences and experienced utility. Results from two experiments suggest that extrinsic information distorts the basic sensory and perceptual character of consumption experiences, rather than simply biasing self‐reports of the experiences or serving as an independent input to overall taste and utility evaluations. Such evaluations are distorted in the direction of extrinsic product information only when the ability to actually perceive the experience as being consistent with the extrinsic signal is not disrupted by miraculin. Conversely, disruption by miraculin of the ability to perceive an experience as being consistent with an extrinsic signal ablates or reverses such effects. Implications, applications to brands and branding, and other possible research directions for the miraculin taste‐manipulation methodology are also discussed.
Are exchange rates serially correlated? New evidence from the Euro FX markets
Authors: Cheung Adrian Wai‐Kong , Su Jen‐Je , Choo Astrophel Kim
Published: December 2011

This paper examines the serial uncorrelatedness hypothesis in the Euro FX markets by testing for autocorrelation in daily FX returns of 82 countries over the period of 1999–2010. We use three newly developed tests that are robust to conditional heteroskedasticity of unknown forms and that do not choose a lag parameter arbitrarily. They are Escanciano & Lobato (2009)'s automatic Box–Pierce Qp test, Nankervis & Savin (2010)'s generalized Andrews–Ploberger test and Deo (2000)'s robust Durlauf test. We find no significant autocorrelation in the FX returns of around 58 to 62 countries, suggesting that majority of the Euro FX markets are weak‐form efficient.
Strange Parallels: Japan
Authors: Hellyer Robert
Published: December 2011

In chapter 1 of volume 2 of Strange Parallels, Victor Lieberman urges the reader to understand that: “The excitement of Eurasian comparisons derives not from a spurious superficial identity, but from the juxtaposition of overarching similarities with idiosyncratic local outcomes” (Lieberman 2009, 119). In “Creating Japan,” Chapter 4 of the same volume, Lieberman convincingly shows that Eurasian comparisons offer a valuable, and truly exciting, lens to explore Japan from circa 800 to 1830. He identifies numerous and provocative parallels with other states that present not only fresh ways to consider Japan within world history, but also to locate and assess idiosyncratic elements of the Japanese experience.
Science, Values and People: The Three Factors that Will Define the Next Generation of International Conservation Agreements
Authors: Gillespie Alexander
Published: December 2011

This paper is concerned with three emerging issues that define the way in which international conservation law moves forward in the coming decades. The three issues are those related to the use of science to frame regimes; the use of philosophy to examine the values of what is trying to be achieved; and the use of politics to ensure that local communities are linked to conservation efforts. Consideration of each of these three areas is relatively recent, none of them having being at the forefront of conservation considerations of international importance in the past. In the future, this is likely to change.