bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction of the chemical trends of oxygen vacancy levels in binary metal oxides
Authors: Yin Wan-Jian , Wei Su-Huai , Al-Jassim Mowafak M. , Yan Yanfa
Published: October 2011

We propose simple principles to predict qualitatively the chemical trends of oxygen vacancy levels in binary metal oxides by analyzing the atomic wavefunction characters of the conduction-band minimum (CBM). We show that if the CBM is a metal-oxygen antibonding state due to either s-s coupling, p-p coupling, or p-d coupling, then, in general, the oxygen vacancy level is deep. The stronger coupling leads to deeper levels. If the CBM is a non-bonding d state, then the oxygen vacancy level could be shallow. These principles are confirmed by the calculated trends of oxygen vacancy levels in representative binary metal oxides using hybrid density-functional method.
Communication: Broken-ergodicity and the emergence of solid behaviour in amorphous materials
Authors: Williams Stephen R.
Published: October 2011

Using a combination of theory and molecular dynamics simulations, we show how solid behaviour emerges in amorphous materials from microscopic considerations. The effect on the systems response to a sudden change in strain, upon entering the history dependent glass state, is focused on. An important symmetry that is always present in a fluid state, is shown to be broken for a simulated history dependent amorphous solid. Details of how this applies to a single sample and an ensemble of independent samples are discussed, along with the dependence on the time scale the system is monitored on.
Microstructure evolution and the modification of the electron field emission properties of diamond films by gigaelectron volt Au-ion irradiation
Authors: Teng Kuang-Yau , Chen Huang-Chin , Tang Chen-Yau , Sundaravel Balakrishnan , Amirthapandian Sankarakumar , Lin I-Nan
Published: October 2011

The effect of 2.245 GeV Au-ion irradiation and post-annealing processes on the microstructure and electron field emission (EFE) properties of diamond films was investigated. For the microcrystalline diamond (MCD) films, Au-ion irradiation with a fluence of approximately 8.4×1013 ions/cm2 almost completely suppressed the EFE properties of the films. Post-annealing the Au-ion irradiated MCD films at 1000°C for 1 h effectively restored these properties. In contrast, for ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films, the Au-ion irradiation induced a large improvement in the EFE properties, and the post-annealing process slightly degraded the EFE properties of the films. The resulting EFE behavior was still better than that of pristine UNCD films. TEM examination indicated that the difference in Au-ion irradiation/post-annealing effects on the EFE properties of the MCD and UNCD films is closely related to the different phase transformation process involved. This difference is dependent on the different granular structures of these films. The MCD films with large-grain microstructure contain very few grain boundaries of negligible thickness, whereas the UNCD films with ultra-small-grain granular structure contain abundant grain boundaries of considerable thickness. Au-ion irradiation disintegrated the large grains in the MCD films into small diamond clusters embedded in an amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix that suppressed the EFE properties of the MCD films. In contrast, the Au-ion irradiation insignificantly altered the crystallinity of the grains of the UNCD films but transformed the grain boundary phase into nano-graphite, enhancing the EFE properties. The post-annealing process recrystallized the residual a-C phase into nano-graphites for both films.
From Fair Trade to Responsible Soy: Social Movements and the Qualification of Agrofood Markets
Authors: Wilkinson John
Published: October 2011

The explosive growth of food commodity markets in the wake of massive, sustained demand from the ‘emerging economies’ might seem to mark a rupture with the niche quality markets which many authors have identified as the dominant tendencies in agrofood since the 1980s and a return to the mass markets of yesteryear. In this paper it is argued, however, that the distinguishing characteristics of special quality markets, and particularly the role of new social movements in their construction, are now being extended to the marketing of basic food commodities. Rather than a return to the commodity economy, therefore, we are witnessing a struggle to incorporate the values associated with fair trade, organics, and sustainability as benchmarks for global commodity trade in food, feed, fuels, and forestry products. I illustrate these tendencies through a discussion of the fair trade and responsible soy movements, representing the niche quality and the resurgent commodity markets, respectively, illustrating not only their similar dynamics but also their continuity in terms of leading actors and networks. Brazil provides a privileged vantage point for analysing this interface between global commodity markets and social movements. The strategic role of networks, in which civil society organisations and social movements are key both for the definition and the subsequent functioning of these markets points to the considerable weakening and possible demise of the traditional commodity economy. I draw attention, however, to the North–South and particularly European roots of these tendencies whose survival power is threatened as the axis for trade and investment shifts increasingly South–South with China as its principal driving force.
Remaking Place: The Social Construction of a Geographical Indication for Feni
Authors: Rangnekar Dwijen
Published: October 2011

A range of social movements mobilise around and seek to valorise ‘place-based’ imageries. There is, these movements argue, vitality in place. As anthropologists remind us, people continue to construct some form of boundaries around place, however permeable and transient those boundaries might be. In the context of global agrifood, a diversity of socially generated marks indicating conditions of origin have emerged that seek to speak to a range of moral economies. Within this constellation, Geographical Indication (GI) appears as a remarkable place-based intellectual property which the author appreciates as the juridical reification of a place-based stabilisation of cultural norms. However, rather than idealise GIs, the paper also probes a ‘politics in place’ through a fieldwork-based study of a recently acquired GI for Feni, a liquor distilled from either coconut or cashew apples. Juxtaposing observations of Feni distilling with the specifications that constitute the GI, the paper explains these differences in terms of the local social relations of power. The Goa government aligned itself with the recently established Feni Association, composed mainly of large distillers with bottling operations, to acquire the GI and was successful because of the complicity of the GI Registry office.
The Synergistic Influence of Light Rail Stations and Zoning on Home Prices
Authors: Duncan Michael
Published: October 2011

Part of the attraction of modern rail investment is the potential for such investment to influence property values and generate development impacts. The occurrence of such impacts relies upon the existence of land-use policy that permits the desired development. A hedonic price model with interaction terms is used to empirically explore the synergistic impact of proximity to light-rail stations and permissive zoning regulations on home prices in San Diego, CA. The model results provide evidence that the premium value associated with rail proximity is conditional upon permissive zoning regulation. At the same time, it is found that permissive zoning has a harmful influence on home prices except in the area immediately surrounding rail stations.
Channels of Convergence: Investor Engagement and Interlocked Directorates
Authors: Gray Taylor R
Published: October 2011

In a setting of globalized financial capitalism an issue which has received little attention to date is not whether national models of corporate governance are converging or diverging but rather the channels by which market and regulatory forces interact to promote such convergence or divergence. I herein propose the institutional investor/interlocked directorate pipeline as one such channel of potential convergence. In theory, institutional investors impart tacit knowledge to a select group of corporations by means of engagement activities; such knowledge and influence can subsequently be distributed to a wider corporate population by means of interlocked directorates originating from the engaged corporations. An analysis of the distribution of these pipelines across Canada demonstrates that such pipelines can penetrate geopolitical and industrial boundaries and interact with regulatory forces in shaping models of corporate governance. The wide distribution of such pipelines effectively transforms tacit knowledge originally conveyed by institutional investors to a geographically limited sample of corporations into explicit knowledge accessible across the country.
Land Use, Transport, and Carbon Futures: The Impact of Spatial Form Strategies in Three UK Urban Regions
Authors: Mitchell Gordon , Hargreaves Anthony , Namdeo Anil , Echenique Marcial
Published: October 2011

Land-use and transport systems are an important determinant of carbon dioxide emissions from urban regions. It is often asserted that urban compaction is the spatial policy best able to constrain travel and emissions, but evidence supporting this assertion is limited, particularly with respect to the combined emission from transport and land use. Here, using land-use–transport interaction models, a residential dwelling type model, and transport and emission models, we forecast and assess carbon dioxide emissions from transport, dwellings, and commercial space to 2031 for a range of spatial strategies realistically investigated for three English regions of decreasing size (the Wider South East region, Tyne and Wear, and Cambridge). Our results reveal that compaction can reduce emission relative to other spatial scenarios but that the differences are small, about 5% between extremes, an order of magnitude less than emission growth observed over the trend period. Form has more influence for settlements where the pattern and proximity of employment, housing, and services can make cycling, walking, and public transport provision more feasible. We conclude that pricing and technology measures offer better prospects for combating the growth in carbon emissions of urban regions, but that the type of urban form delivered is likely to be a significant determinant in the type of clean energy technology that can be implemented.
Migration and Split Households: A Comparison of Sole, Couple, and Family Migrants in Beijing, China
Authors: Fan C Cindy , Sun Mingjie , Zheng Siqi
Published: October 2011

The practice of split households among rural–urban migrants in China has persisted for more than twenty years. In this paper we compare three forms of split households, differentiated by whether the migrant's spouse and children are left behind or have joined the migrant: sole migration, couple migration, and family migration. Our survey of fifty chengzhongcun (urban villages) in Beijing conducted in 2008 shows that couple migration and family migration are outcomes of rural Chinese actively rearranging their household division of labor in order to maximize earnings from urban work opportunities. Migrants' decision to leave the children behind or to bring them along depends on the children's age and whether migrants' parents are available to help. Contrary to expectation, more household members in the city signals neither stronger intention to stay nor greater trust in the host society. These findings highlight the importance of thinking about migrants as circulators and thinking about migration, including family migration, as not necessarily a prelude to permanent settlement. They also underscore the need to address the experiences of long-term split households, a discourse that has received much less attention than one that assumes that a family lives together most of the time.
Reclaiming and Recirculating Urban Natures: Integrated Organic Waste Management in Diadema, Brazil
Authors: Yates Julian S , Gutberlet Jutta
Published: October 2011

Although developing world cities are increasingly the focus of urban political ecology perspectives, waste remains an underexplored aspect. This paper helps to fill this thematic gap by using urban political ecology as a lens for analyzing flows of food waste in the Brazilian city of Diadema. The marginal urban poor in Diadema, as in most other cities in Brazil, lack access to affordable fresh fruit and vegetables yet must cope with a disproportionate accumulation of uncollected waste. Integrated organic waste management, consisting of decentralized household-waste collection by organized recycling groups, waste processing, and the utilization of food waste for composting and urban food production, is presented as way of reclaiming and recirculating urban natures for potentially positive socioecological change. However, it is a process characterized by conflict and potential exploitation, while broader structural conditions constrain the ability of the system to offer an alternative to existing waste-management models. The paper concludes with a call for further action-oriented research within urban political ecology to reveal opportunities for new socioecological futures which should occur at multiple scales and emerge from the lived realities of marginalized actors such as catadores (recyclers) and urban gardeners.
Judgments of Reachability are Independent of Visuomotor Adaptation
Authors: de Grave Denise D J , Brenner Eli , Smeets Jeroen B J
Published: October 2011

The furthest distance that is judged to be reachable can change after participants have used a tool or if they are led to misjudge the position of their hand. Here we investigated how judged reachability changed when visual feedback about the hand was shifted. We hoped to distinguish between various ways in which visuomotor adaptation could influence judged reachability. Participants had to judge whether they could reach a virtual cube without actually doing so. They indicated whether they could reach this virtual cube by moving their hand. During these hand movements, visual feedback about the position of the hand was shifted in depth, either away from or toward the participant. Participants always adapted to the shifted feedback. In a session in which the hand movements in the presence of visual feedback were mainly in depth, perceived reachability shifted in accordance with the feedback (more distant cubes were judged to be reachable when feedback was shifted further away). In a second session in which the hand movements in the presence of visual feedback were mainly sideways, for some participants perceived reachability shifted in the opposite direction than we expected. The shift in perceived reachability was not correlated with the adaptation to the shift in visual feedback. We conclude that reachability judgments are not directly related to visuomotor adaptation.
Contrasting demographic patterns of Ceriops tagal (Rhizophoraceae) populations in the South China Sea
Authors: Liao Pei-Chun , Hwang Shih-Ying , Huang Shong , Chiang Yu-Chung , Wang Jenn-Che
Published: October 2011

Demographic history and dispersal ability are significant factors in determining the genetic composition of a population. In this study, we examined the phylogeographic patterns of Ceriops tagal from the Hainan Island and the Gulf of Thailand in the South China Sea, where there are abundant mangrove species. Nucleotide variations in two chloroplast DNA spacers were compared with trace Ceriops propagule dispersal routes and demographic history. An analysis of Templeton, Crandall and Sing’s (TCS) parsimonious networks and population demographics suggests that the Ceriops population gradually expanded from the northern parts of the South China Sea to the south-western populations in the Gulf of Thailand. Such phylogeographic inferences reflect a postglacial southward shift in the mangrove genetic diversity centre and a connection between the demographic dynamics and the coastal range expansion caused by the sea-level rise in the Pleistocene. Therefore, the phylogeographic pattern and historical demography of mangrove species were affected by glaciations during the Pleistocene such as temperate biota.
Fire responses and survival strategies of mistletoes (Loranthaceae) in an arid environment in Western Australia
Authors: Start A. N.
Published: October 2011

Between 1982 and 2008, data were collected on Loranthaceous mistletoes, their hosts and the fire responses of both, in and adjacent to the Pilbara, an arid region in Western Australia where hummock grasslands (dominated by Triodia sp. R.Br., Poaceae) and mulga woodlands (dominated by Acacia aneura Benth., Mimosaceae) are widespread. Hummock grasslands are fire prone and highly flammable. Mulga woodlands are less so, except in an inter-zone where Triodia in the understorey may be sufficiently dense to carry fire. The foliage (and fresh seed) of all mistletoe species was killed if scorched. Moreover, none had any means of long-term, in situ seed-storage. Three fire-survival strategies were observed across the 16 mistletoe taxa. One species (two varieties) was a resprouter. The other 14 were obligate seeders. Post-fire regeneration of those taxa depended on fresh seed being imported and deposited in suitable host canopies by birds. Twelve of them reduced fire risk by varying degrees of host specificity, favouring hosts that grew in fire-sheltered sites. However, two species had very low host specificity and grew on fire-vulnerable hosts in fire-prone hummock grasslands. Their low host specificity increased the likelihood that imported seed would be deposited on suitable hosts. Since pastoral settlement, fire regimes have changed and current regimes are eroding many mistletoe populations. None of the species occurring in the study area is threatened at bioregional or National levels. Nevertheless, the outlook is bleak for mistletoes growing in areas dominated by hummock grasslands, subregional extinction is likely and there are broader implications for biodiversity.
Bundle sheath ontogeny in Kranz and non-Kranz species of Cyperaceae (Poales)
Authors: Martins Shirley , Scatena Vera Lucia
Published: October 2011

Cyperaceae possesses both non-Kranz and Kranz species, with four subtypes that differ in the number and continuity of the bundle sheaths and by presence of chloroplasts. The ontogeny of the bundle sheaths of leaves and scapes of Cyperaceae species was studied to determine primary homologies and standardise the terminology used for its description. Two non-Kranz species and 11 Kranz species from different subtypes were studied. The non-Kranz species have two bundle sheaths, with the outer one originating from the ground meristem (endodermis) and the inner one from the procambium (pericycle). Kranz species of the chlorocyperoid and eleocharoid subtypes possess two sheaths derived from the procambium (biseriate pericycle). Kranz species of the rhynchosporoid subtype have only one bundle sheath, which develops from the procambium (pericycle). Kranz species of the fimbristyloid subtype possess three bundle sheaths; the outer one originates from the ground meristem (endodermis), whereas the middle and inner ones develop from the procambium (biseriate pericycle). The outer bundle sheaths of non-Kranz and Kranz fimbristyloid species are homologues. The inner bundle sheath in non-Kranz species, the outer sheath in Kranz chlorocyperoid and eleocharoid species, the middle one in Kranz fimbristyloid species and the single sheath in Kranz rhynchosporoid species are also homologues.
Floral phenology and morphology of colchicine-induced tetraploid Acacia mangium compared with diploid A. mangium and A. auriculiformis: implications for interploidy pollination
Authors: Nghiem C. Q. , Harwood C. E. , Harbard J. L. , Griffin A. R. , Ha T. H. , Koutoulis A.
Published: October 2011

Floral phenology and morphology of colchicine-induced auto-tetraploid trees of Acacia mangium Willd. (AM-4x) growing in Vietnam were compared with adjacent diploid A. mangium (AM-2x) and A. auriculiformis A.Cunn. ex Benth (AA-2x). Flowering lasted for several months with a slightly later peak flowering period for A. auriculiformis (December–January), than for A. mangium (November–December). Flower spikes of AM-4x were shorter and had fewer flowers per spike than those of AM-2x, but were longer and had more flowers than AA-2x. Percentages of male to hermaphrodite flowers were less than 23% for all three species/ploidy combinations. Flowers of AM-4x had slightly shorter styles than did AM-2x, but AM-4x stigma and polyad diameters were greater. For all polyad-stigma combinations among species/ploidy levels, at least one polyad could be accommodated. AM-4x had fewer (13) ovules per ovary, compared with AM-2x and AA-2x (14–16). AM-4x set fewer (less than 3) seeds per pod than did AM-2x and AA-2x (7–8 and 5–6, respectively). Foraging behaviour of the main insect pollinators (honeybees) and examination of polyads collected from them suggested interspecific and interploidy pollination would occur. There appeared to be no phenophase or flower structure barriers to interploidy pollination.
The transcription factors E2A and HEB act in concert to induce the expression of FOXO1 in the common lymphoid progenitor
Authors: Welinder Eva , Mansson Robert , Mercer Elinore M. , Bryder David , Sigvardsson Mikael , Murre Cornelis
Published: October 2011

Recent studies have identified a number of transcriptional regulators, including E proteins, EBF1, FOXO1, and PAX5, that act together to orchestrate the B-cell fate. However, it still remains unclear as to how they are linked at the earliest stages of B-cell development. Here, we show that lymphocyte development in HEB-ablated mice exhibits a partial developmental arrest, whereas B-cell development in E2A
+/−
HEB
−/−
mice is completely blocked at the LY6D
−
common lymphoid progenitor stage. We show that the transcription signatures of E2A- and HEB-ablated common lymphoid progenitors significantly overlap. Notably, we found that
Foxo1
expression was substantially reduced in the LY6D
−
HEB- and E2A-deficient cells. Finally, we show that E2A binds to enhancer elements across the FOXO1 locus to activate
Foxo1
expression, linking E2A and FOXO1 directly in a common pathway. In summary, the data indicate that the earliest event in B-cell specification involves the induction of FOXO1 expression and requires the combined activities of E2A and HEB.
Climate change and the current 'food crisis'.
Authors: Gregory P. J. , Ingram J. S. I.
Published: October 2011

Many reasons are being advanced for the current 'food crisis' including financial speculation, increased demand for grains, export bans on selected foodstuffs, inadequate grain stocks, higher oil prices, poor harvests and the use of crop lands for the production of biofuels. This paper reviews the present knowledge of recorded impacts of climate change and variability on crop production, in order to estimate its contribution to the current situation. Many studies demonstrate increased regional temperatures over the last 40 years (often through greater increases in minimum rather than maximum temperatures), but effects on crop yields are mixed. Distinguishing climate effects from changes in yield resulting from improved crop management and genotypes is difficult, but phenological changes affecting sowing, maturity and disease incidence are emerging. Anthropogenic factors appear to be a significant contributory factor to the observed decline in rainfall in southwestern and southeastern Australia, which reduced tradable wheat grain during 2007. Indirect effects of climate change through actions to mitigate or adapt to anticipated changes in climate are also evident. The amount of land diverted from crop production to biofuel production is small but has had a disproportionate effect on tradable grains from the USA. Adaptation of crop production practices and other components of the food system contributing to food security in response to variable and changing climates have occurred, but those households without adequate livelihoods are most in danger of becoming food insecure. Overall, we conclude that changing climate is a small contributor to the current food crisis but cannot be ignored.
Alternative crops for biodiesel feedstock.
Authors: Razon L. F.
Published: October 2011

Biodiesel, the name popularly given to fatty acid alkyl esters, has become an attractive option for the replacement of petroleum diesel ('petrodiesel'). While its overall impact on the greenhouse effect continues to be debated, other qualities of biodiesel are unquestioned. Biodiesel is biodegradable, generally non-toxic and has superior lubricity to petrodiesel. Overall emissions are greatly reduced. The bulk of the feedstock for its production comes from renewable resources and when biodiesel is used as a blend (up to 20%); no changes are required for existing diesel engines. However, it is still too costly and about 60-80% of the cost for biodiesel comes from the feedstock. Concerns have been raised about the propriety of using food for fuel. Proposed alternative feedstock such as
Jatropha curcas
address some of these concerns but have their own disadvantages. This paper is a comprehensive review of recent progress on alternative crops for feedstock and addresses the issues that may ultimately lead to their success or failure: engine performance, yield, fatty acid profile, unique minor components, unique fatty acids, toxicity and harvestability. The use of agricultural wastes, used or waste oil and microbial fats is also discussed. The conclusion is reached that a blend of oils and used oils may be the best approach for the immediate future while genetically modified plants and microalgae may provide a longer term solution.
Establishment of urban trees.
Authors: Bühler O. , Balder H. , Kristoffersen F.
Published: October 2011

Trees are an integral part of the urban green structure, providing a number of beneficial effects exceeding purely architectural and aesthetic functions. However, as growth conditions in cities differ considerably from growth conditions at natural sites, urban tree establishment has always demanded special knowledge and procedures, and urban trees require intensive maintenance in the establishment period after planting. The challenging growth conditions of urban trees are reflected in increased tree mortality rates and reduced tree growth and vitality compared with trees in non-disturbed sites. This paper is a review of selected parts of the establishment process of urban trees, focusing on the difficult sites along streets or in paved areas. It addresses research with regard to the selection of species, preparation of the planting site and provisions that can be taken after planting in order to ensure a fast and safe establishment.
Protein nutrition and nitrogen balance in buffalo cows.
Authors: Campanile G. , Neglia G. , Vecchio D. , Palo R. di , Gasparrini B. , Zicarelii L.
Published: October 2011

The buffalo species represents the mainstay of the rural economy of small farmers in many developing countries, and is also an important source of protein. Because of its area of origin, it shows some peculiar characteristics regarding protein requirements and nitrogen balance. Therefore, this review aims at clarifying some aspects of protein digestibility and, consequently, manure management in buffalo cows.
Comparison of antimicrobial treatments for citrus juices.
Authors: Valero M. , Micol V. , Saura D. , Muñoz N. , Lorente J. , Martí N.
Published: October 2011

Citrus juices are the most popular fruit juices, orange being the predominant processed juice by the beverage industry worldwide. Although thermal processing remains the most widely employed pasteurization technique, there is growing interest in the development of alternative techniques that minimize changes in organoleptic and nutritional properties. Ohmic heating, an electromagnetic technique, appears to be promising and effective in juice processing. Novel non-thermal techniques offering potential include high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), high-intensity pulsed electric fields (HIPEF), radio frequency electric fields (RFEF), ultrasound, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and ozonation, among others. Antimicrobial efficiencies of thermal and non-thermal processes applied alone or in combination with conventional and novel non-thermal technologies to control pathogenic micro-organisms in orange juice are discussed.
On the Fourier coefficients of 2-dimensional vector-valued modular forms
Authors: Mason Geoffrey
Published: October 2011

Let

ρ
:
S
L
(
2
,

Z

)
→
G
L
(
2
,

C

)

\rho : SL(2, \mathbb {Z}) \rightarrow GL(2, \mathbb {C})

be an irreducible representation of the modular group such that

ρ
(
T
)

\rho (T)

has finite order

N
N

. We study holomorphic vector-valued modular forms

F
(
τ
)

F(\tau )

of integral weight associated to

ρ
\rho

which have rational Fourier coefficients. (These span the complex space of all integral weight vector-valued modular forms associated to

ρ
\rho

.) As a special case of the main theorem, we prove that if

N
N

does not divide

120
120

, then every nonzero

F
(
τ
)

F(\tau )

has Fourier coefficients with unbounded denominators.
Functional Characteristics of an Endophyte Community Colonizing Rice Roots as Revealed by Metagenomic Analysis
Authors: Sessitsch A. , Hardoim P. , Döring J. , Weilharter A. , Krause A. , Woyke T. , Mitter B. , Hauberg-Lotte L. , Friedrich F. , Rahalkar M. , Hurek T. , Sarkar A. , Bodrossy L. , van Overbeek L. , Brar D. , van Elsas J. D. , Reinhold-Hurek B.
Published: October 2011

Roots are the primary site of interaction between plants and microorganisms. To meet food demands in changing climates, improved yields and stress resistance are increasingly important, stimulating efforts to identify factors that affect plant productivity. The role of bacterial endophytes that reside inside plants remains largely unexplored, because analysis of their specific functions is impeded by difficulties in cultivating most prokaryotes. Here, we present the first metagenomic approach to analyze an endophytic bacterial community resident inside roots of rice, one of the most important staple foods. Metagenome sequences were obtained from endophyte cells extracted from roots of field-grown plants. Putative functions were deduced from protein domains or similarity analyses of protein-encoding gene fragments, and allowed insights into the capacities of endophyte cells. This allowed us to predict traits and metabolic processes important for the endophytic lifestyle, suggesting that the endorhizosphere is an exclusive microhabitat requiring numerous adaptations. Prominent features included flagella, plant-polymer-degrading enzymes, protein secretion systems, iron acquisition and storage, quorum sensing, and detoxification of reactive oxygen species. Surprisingly, endophytes might be involved in the entire nitrogen cycle, as protein domains involved in N2-fixation, denitrification, and nitrification were detected and selected genes expressed. Our data suggest a high potential of the endophyte community for plant-growth promotion, improvement of plant stress resistance, biocontrol against pathogens, and bioremediation, regardless of their culturability.
Antimicrobial Activity of Chestnut Extracts for Potential Use in Managing Soilborne Plant Pathogens
Authors: Hao Jianjun J. , Liu Huawei , Donis-Gonzalez Irwin Ronaldo , Lu Xiao Hong , Jones A. Daniel , Fulbright Dennis W.
Published: October 2011

Chestnut extracts were studied for antimicrobial activity against selected microorganisms, including plant pathogens. Chestnut extract on paper discs was applied to an agar medium to evaluate the inhibition to multiple microorganisms or the extract was added at various concentrations to a culture medium to evaluate the growth of target microorganisms. Chestnut type, tissue of plants (shell, pellicle, and leaf), extraction methods, and physical characteristics were studied to determine antimicrobial activity. Most test microorganisms were inhibited by the extracts at different effective concentrations for 50% growth inhibition (EC50). Pseudomonas fluorescens was the most sensitive (EC50 = 4.4 μg/μl), Phytophthora cambivora was one of the least inhibited (EC50 = 185 μg/μl), and Cryphonectria parasitica was not inhibited. Extracts of the Japanese × European chestnut (Castanea crenata × C. sativa) ‘Colossal’ showed a greater inhibition than those of wild trees of the Chinese species (C. mollissima). High temperature did not affect the inhibitory effect. Extracts from chestnut pellicle had the highest concentration of antimicrobial compound, compared with leaf and shell. The active fraction contained several substances with molecular masses consistent with one flavonol glycoside and several terpenoid substances. Pellicle and shell tissue reduced radish scab disease caused by Streptomyces scabies in the greenhouse.
Characterization and Distribution of a Potyvirus Associated with Passion Fruit Woodiness Disease in Uganda
Authors: Ochwo-Ssemakula M. , Sengooba T. , Hakiza J. J. , Adipala E. , Edema R. , Redinbaugh M. G. , Aritua V. , Winter S.
Published: October 2011

This article describes the incidence and etiology of a viral disease of passion fruit in Uganda. Symptoms, including those characteristic of passion fruit woodiness disease (PWD), were observed on 32% of plants in producing areas. Electron microscopic observations of infected tissues revealed flexuous filaments of ca. 780 nm. Enzymelinked immunosorbent assays indicated a serological relationship with Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV) and Passion fruit ringspot virus (PFRSV). In host range studies, only species in the families Solanaceae and Chenopodiaceae were susceptible, and neither Vigna unguiculata nor Phaseolus vulgaris became infected. Coat protein (CP) gene sequences of eight isolates exhibited features typical of potyviruses and were highly similar (88 to 100% identity). However, the sequences had limited sequence identity with CP genes of two of the three potyviruses reported to cause PWD: East Asian Passiflora virus and Passion fruit woodiness virus (PWV). Deduced amino acid sequences for the CP of isolates from Uganda had highest identity with Bean common mosaic necrosis virus (BCMNV) (72 to 79%, with evolutionary divergence values between 0.17 and 0.19) and CABMV (73 to 76%, with divergence values between 0.21 and 0.25). Based on these results and in accordance with International Committee for Taxonomy of Viruses criteria for species demarcation in the family Potyviridae, we conclude that a previously unreported virus causes viral diseases on passion fruit in Uganda. The name “Ugandan Passiflora virus” is proposed for this virus.
Effect of Glyphosate on Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat and Barley Under Different Soil Tillages
Authors: Bérubé Marie-Eve , Vanasse Anne , Rioux Sylvie , Bourget Nicole , Dion Yves , Tremblay Gilles
Published: October 2011

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a serious disease in the wet conditions of eastern Canada. Tillage practices and herbicide applications have been reported to influence disease intensity. This study aimed to determine the effect of glyphosate on FHB development in wheat and barley and on Fusarium graminearum inoculum production under different soil tillages. The experiment was performed during 2 years (2007 and 2008) at two different sites in Quebec, Canada. Six trials were set in both sites, combining two cereal species (wheat and barley) and three soil tillages: moldboard plow, spring tillage (minimum-till), and direct drilling. For each trial, glyphosate or other herbicides were applied on Roundup Ready soybean the year preceding cereal crops, constituting the main plots. The next year, three wheat and three barley cultivars were sown as subplots. FHB index, Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK), deoxynivalenol (DON) content, and F. graminearum inoculum production were measured. Glyphosate had no significant effect on FHB index, FDK, or DON content, whatever the trial and the site. F. graminearum inoculum production was enhanced by glyphosate in only 1 of 12 trials. Cultivar effect was highly significant on DON content. The relationship between F. graminearum inoculum from soybean residues and DON content was weak.
Survival, Host–Pathogen Interaction, and Management of Macrophomina phaseolina on Strawberry in Israel
Authors: Zveibil Aida , Mor Neta , Gnayem Nabeel , Freeman Stanley
Published: October 2011

Crown and root rot of strawberry, caused by Macrophomina phaseolina, have become predominant soilborne diseases of strawberry in Israel over the past 5 years. In total, 151 isolates of the pathogen were isolated from infected strawberry plants of commercially grown cultivars in Israel onto a modified agar medium for the genus Macrophomina. Sclerotia viability declined more rapidly in soil maintained at 25°C or at soil temperatures fluctuating from 18 to 32°C under greenhouse conditions, compared with sclerotia viability in soil kept at 30°C. After 30 to 40 weeks of exposure in soil, inocula maintained at 25 or 30°C or at fluctuating temperatures in a greenhouse declined to negligible levels. A significant increase in plant mortality was observed in infested soils maintained at 30 versus 25°C, whereas water stress at 25 or 30°C did not affect plant mortality in M. phaseolina-infested soils. This demonstrated the importance of elevated soil temperature, not moisture stress, on plant mortality caused by M. phaseolina. Host specificity was not evident when strawberry plants were inoculated with each of seven Israeli isolates of M. phaseolina obtained from six other plant species, suggesting the importance of keeping strawberry crops out of rotation with other host crops of the pathogen. The soil fumigants methyl bromide (applied at 500 kg/ha) and metam sodium (730 liter/ha) caused 90 and 95% pathogen mortality in field experiments, respectively, indicating that fumigation may be an effective method of managing this pathogen in infested soils. The increase in prevalence of crown and root rot caused by M. phaseolina in strawberry crops in Israel may be related to the phase-out of methyl bromide.
Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight and Deoxynivalenol Accumulation in Virginia Barley
Authors: Khatibi Piyum A. , Berger Greg , Liu Shuyu , Brooks Wynse S. , Griffey Carl A. , Schmale David G.
Published: October 2011

Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph Gibberella zeae), is a devastating disease of barley (Hordeum vulgare) in the United States. Recent epidemics of FHB in the mid-Atlantic region have underscored the need to develop new commercial varieties of barley that are resistant to FHB and restrict accumulation of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON). FHB incidence, FHB index, and DON levels of Virginia hulled and hulless barley genotypes were evaluated over five years (2006 to 2010) in FHB nurseries in Virginia. FHB incidence ranged from 22.5% (2010) to 80.1% (2008), and mean DON levels ranged from 0.5 ± 0.4 (2008) to 2.4 ± 2.1 ppm (2010). Barley genotype played a significant role in determining FHB resistance in 2006 to 2009. DON levels were significantly different among barley genotypes in 2007, 2008, and 2009. FHB incidence was positively correlated with FHB index in all 5 years studied. In 2006 and 2010, FHB incidence and index were positively correlated with DON. Early spike emergence resulted in higher FHB incidence and index in 2007, 2008, and 2010. This preliminary work has identified some promising hulled and hulless barley genotypes for targeted breeding and commercialization efforts in FHB nurseries in the future; ‘Eve’ (hulless) and ‘Thoroughbred’ (hulled) ranked among the most FHB resistant genotypes.
First Report of Sorghum mosaic virus Causing Mosaic in Miscanthus sinensis
Authors: Grisham M. P. , Maroon-Lango C. J. , Hale A. L.
Published: October 2011

Miscanthus is being evaluated as a bioenergy feedstock because of its potentially significant biomass production, perennial habit, and lack of major diseases and pests. It is also a valuable parent in sugarcane breeding programs as a source of cold tolerance. In May 2010, mosaic symptoms were observed on a clone of Miscanthus sinenesis Anderss. maintained at the USDA, ARS, Sugarcane Research Unit. All plants of the Miscanthus clone in our germplasm collection are from vegetative cuttings of the original infected plant and show mosaic symptoms. Leaves from the ratoon of a single plant tested positive in a reverse transcription-PCR with the Potyvirus Group PCR Test (Agdia, Inc., Elkhart, IN) with two primer sets, Poty-F1/Poty-R1 and Poty-F2/Poty-R2. After sequencing the potyvirus amplicons, a BLAST search in GenBank revealed that these sequences had the highest identities (81 and 69%) with Sorghum mosaic virus (SrMV) at the nucleic acid level and a 72 and 95% similarity at the amino acid level. Extracts from the Miscanthus clone prepared by the indirect extraction buffer (Agdia) containing sodium carbonate also tested positive for potyvirus by indirect ELISA with the ‘universal’ potyvirus monoclonal antibody, PTY1. To our knowledge, this is the first report of SrMV on Miscanthus. The only other member of the genus Potyvirus reported on Miscanthus is Sugarcane mosaic virus (1,2). Mosaic caused by SrMV could become an economically important disease of Miscanthus if this crop is grown for bioenergy feedstock on large areas. An SrMV-infected Miscanthus crop could pose a threat to established crops of susceptible sugarcane and sorghum since the virus is transmitted in a nonpersistent manner by several aphids, as well as, contributing to geographic shifts of the pathogen.

References: (1) B. O. Agindotan et al. J. Virol. Methods 169:119, 2010. (2) D.-L. Xu et al. Arch. Virol. 153:1031, 2008.
Shifts in Cell-type Expression Accompany a Diminishing Role of Spinal P38-Mapkinase Activation over Time during Prolonged Postoperative Pain
Authors: Huang Liang , Gao Yong-Jing , Wang Jeffrey , Strichartz Gary
Published: October 2011

Background

Surgery often causes prolonged postoperative pain, the mechanisms of which are unknown. The authors investigated the role of p38, a pain-associated mitogen-activated protein kinase, in induction and maintenance of such pain.

Methods

Male rats were subjected to the skin-muscle incision retraction procedure at the saphenous region; the procedure causes ~4 weeks of secondary tactile hyperalgesia in the ipsilateral plantar region, indicating central sensitization. The spinal cord was sectioned from L3 and L4 + L5 vertebral segments and stained for activated p38 (P-p38) at postoperative day 3 (POD 3), just as secondary hyperalgesia develops; at PODs 10-12, the time of maximum hyperalgesia; and at POD 35, after the resolution of hyperalgesia. Some sections were costained for microglia, astrocytes, and neurons. Intrathecal injections of a P-p38 inhibitor were performed at POD 2 or POD 9, and subsequent changes in pain were monitored.

Results

Skin-muscle incision retraction increased the numbers of dorsal horn P-p38 positive cells in L3 by ~3-fold and in L4 + L5 by ~7-fold from POD 3 to PODs 11-12. This increase was accompanied by a shift from microglia to neurons, resulting in a ~20-fold increase in P-p38-positive neurons in L4-L5 over this time. No P-p38 was detected in astrocytes. A P-p38 inhibitor given at POD 2 prevented development of secondary hypersensitivity, but when given at POD 9 the same dose gave weak relief of pain for less than 3 h.

Conclusions

Spinal P-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, activated after incision retraction, is important for the induction of prolonged pain, but despite increased pain near the time of maximum pain, its functional importance for the maintenance of pain is not great.
Safe and Effective Procedural Sedation for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Children
Authors: van Beek Elke J.A.H. , Leroy Piet L.J.M.
Published: October 2011

Objective:

The aim of the study was to assess, by a review of published evidence, the safest and most effective way to provide procedural sedation (PS) in children undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy (GIE).

Methods:

The databases MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Embase were used. Search terms “endoscopy, gastrointestinal” or “endoscopy, digestive system” were combined with “sedation,” “conscious sedation,” “moderate sedation,” “deep sedation,” and “hypnotics and sedatives.” The final review was restricted to studies reporting specifically on safety (incidences of adverse events) and/or effectiveness (time characteristics, need for supplemental sedation, need for restraint, procedural success, provider satisfaction, and patient comfort) of PS for GIE in children younger than 18 years.

Results:

The search yielded 182 references and the final selection included 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 15 non‐RCTs. Six sedation categories were identified: propofol, opioid/benzodiazepine, premedication, ketamine‐, sevoflurane‐, and midazolam‐based. Only a few RCTs have compared different categories. Opioid/benzodiazepine‐ and propofol‐based PS have a similar safety profile and a low incidence of major adverse events. Propofol‐based sedation turned out to be the most effective regimen, with effectiveness comparable to general anesthesia. The addition of midazolam, fentanyl, remifentanil, and/or ketamine to propofol may increase the effectiveness without creating more adverse events. Data on midazolam‐, ketamine‐ and sevoflurane‐based sedation were generally too limited to draw conclusions.

Conclusions:

Despite a lack of RCTs containing all aspects of effectiveness and safety, the present evidence indicates propofol‐based PS to be the best practice for PS in children undergoing GIE. Propofol can be safely administered by specifically trained nonanesthesiologists.
What you see is
not
what you get: how sampling affects macroscopic features of biological networks
Authors: Annibale A. , Coolen A. C. C.
Published: October 2011

We use mathematical methods from the theory of tailored random graphs to study systematically the effects of sampling on topological features of large biological signalling networks. Our aim in doing so is to increase our quantitative understanding of the relation between true biological networks and the imperfect and often biased samples of these networks that are reported in public data repositories and used by biomedical scientists. We derive exact explicit formulae for degree distributions and degree correlation kernels of sampled networks, in terms of the degree distributions and degree correlation kernels of the underlying true network, for a broad family of sampling protocols that include random and connectivity-dependent node and/or link undersampling as well as random and connectivity-dependent link oversampling. Our predictions are in excellent agreement with numerical simulations.
Juvenile exposure to predator cues induces a larger egg size in fish
Authors: Segers Francisca H. I. D. , Taborsky Barbara
Published: October 2011

When females anticipate a hazardous environment for their offspring, they can increase offspring survival by producing larger young. Early environmental experience determines egg size in different animal taxa. We predicted that a higher perceived predation risk by juveniles would cause an increase in the sizes of eggs that they produce as adults. To test this, we exposed juveniles of the mouthbrooding cichlidEretmodus cyanostictusin a split-brood experiment either to cues of a natural predator or to a control situation. After maturation, females that had been confronted with predators produced heavier eggs, whereas clutch size itself was not affected by the treatment. This effect cannot be explained by a differential female body size because the predator treatment did not influence growth trajectories. The observed increase of egg mass is likely to be adaptive, as heavier eggs gave rise to larger young and in fish, juvenile predation risk drops sharply with increasing body size. This study provides the first evidence that predator cues perceived by females early in life positively affect egg mass, suggesting that these cues allow her to predict the predation risk for her offspring.