bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is Broadcasting Seed an Effective Winter Cover Crop Planting Method?
Authors: Fisher K. A. , Momen B. , Kratochvil R. J.
Published: February 2014

Agricultural nutrient runoff to the Chesapeake Bay has been under intense scrutiny for more than a decade in Maryland. One method for capturing these nutrients, especially N, is the use of winter cover crops. This study compared various broadcast cover crop treatments with and without soil incorporation to planting winter cover crop seed with a no‐till drill. Seedling emergence and N uptake were the dependent variables measured for two planting dates and seven planting methods. The effects of planting date and planting method for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) following corn (Zea mays L.) harvest were investigated at two locations. The study was conducted over two winter cover crop growing seasons: 2007–2008 and 2008–2009. Treatments that incorporated the seed into the soil consistently established better stands of cover crops and took up more N regardless of fluctuations in temperature, rainfall, and planting date. Early planted cover crops consistently took up more N than those planted on the later planting date. Performance of the broadcast treatments was highly dependent on rainfall and mild temperatures for success, but did take up notable amounts of N when planted early under good growing conditions. The few differences that were found in the N uptake between wheat and rye within the same planting treatment always indicated that the rye achieved better N uptake than wheat.
Production and Economics of Grazing Rye–Annual Ryegrass and Tall Fescue Systems
Authors: Islam M. Anowarul , Biermacher Jon T. , Interrante Sindy M. , Reuter Ryan R. , Hopkins Andrew A. , Cook Billy J. , Bouton Joseph H. , Butler Twain J.
Published: February 2014

Use of cool‐season perennial grasses may decrease annual establishment cost and improve returns to stocker cattle producers. The objective of this 5‐yr field study was to compare the performance of two stocker cattle grazing forage systems: cool‐season annual (rye [Secale cereale L.]–annual ryegrass [Lolium multiflorum Lam.]) vs. cool‐season perennial tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort; formerly Festuca arundinacea Schreb., ‘Texoma’], with a nontoxic endophyte (MaxQ II). Paddocks of four replicates consisted of a cereal rye and annual ryegrass mixture that was planted annually in early September 2005 through 2009, whereas tall fescue was planted once in late September 2005. Steers (273 ± 55 kg initial body weight) were weighed every 28 d of each grazing season, and stocking rates were adjusted with put‐and‐take steers based on forage mass. In each 28‐d grazing period, forage mass, forage nutritive value, and stocker average daily gain (ADG) and total gain (TG) were measured. Animals performed well in both systems with ADG of 1.05 and 0.93 kg d−1, and TG of 491 and 349 kg ha−1 for rye–annual ryegrass and tall fescue, respectively. The 5‐yr average annual production cost was less for the tall fescue system ($336 ha−1) than for the rye–annual ryegrass system ($455 ha−1). The assumed amortization of the tall fescue was especially influential on net return; with a 5‐yr amortization, net return was greater for the rye–annual ryegrass ($279 ha−1) than for the tall fescue ($217 ha−1) system, but with 12‐yr amortization, the net return of these two systems was identical.
Native Perennial Grassland Species for Bioenergy: Establishment and Biomass Productivity
Authors: Mangan Margaret E. , Sheaffer Craig , Wyse Donald L. , Ehlke Nancy J. , Reich Peter B.
Published: February 2014

Proposed perennial bioenergy cropping systems include both native grass monocultures and polycultures of grasses and forbs. We determined the effect of species richness and composition on establishment and initial biomass production of native plant polycultures. Twelve treatments with varying levels of species richness (1–24 species) were established. Establishment success and yield varied over eight locations. The number of species established in polyculture increased linearly as the number of species seeded increased. Average biomass yield ranged from 1.2 to 6.0 Mg ha−1with the highest yielding treatments being grass monocultures or an eight species grass–legume mixture. An increase in species richness from one to eight species increased yield an average of 28%, but increasing species richness from 8 to 12 or 24 species had no yield advantage at most locations. Early successional species, Canada milkvetch (Astragalus canadensisL.) and Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximilianSchrad.), were dominant in mixtures and contributed a majority of the biomass to the yield. Even in high diversity plots, biomass was from only a few plant species with a single species dominating the mixture. Our results suggest that selected low diversity mixtures (one to five species) likely offer the best combination of species establishment and high yield during stand establishment. However, we expect that early successional species that were dominant during the establishment phase of our experiment will contribute less biomass as stands mature and later successional species will become dominant and provide greater biomass.
Reduced Nitrogen Fertilization to Corn following Alfalfa in an Irrigated Semiarid Environment
Authors: Cela Sebastián , Salmerón Montserrat , Isla Ramón , Cavero José , Santiveri Francisca , Lloveras Jaime
Published: February 2014

Nitrogen fertilization of corn (Zea mays L.) following alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) can be reduced due to the considerable amounts of N released by this legume, but most research on this subject has been conducted in rainfed areas. The objective of this study was to determine the response of corn to N fertilization following high‐yielding alfalfa in irrigated semiarid conditions. Seven field experiments were conducted between 2006 and 2008 in the Ebro Valley, Northeast Spain. Fields were sprinkler, furrow, or flood irrigated. Treatments comprised six N rates (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 300 kg N ha−1) applied to corn as two sidedressings. The N contained in the alfalfa roots and crowns ranged from 54 to 212 kg N ha−1, depending on the field. Alfalfa provided enough N to the subsequent corn to achieve from 10.3 to 16.7 Mg ha−1 of grain yield without N fertilization. Nitrogen fertilization was not required to maximize corn yields in three of seven fields. In the other four sites, the optimum nitrogen rates (ONR) that maximized corn yields ranged from 115 to 196 kg N ha−1 The highest ONR generally were observed in flood‐irrigated fields than in sprinkler‐irrigated fields. Net economic return from N fertilization was maximized at N rates between 0 and 150 kg N ha−1, suggesting that N applications for corn succeeding alfalfa can be greatly reduced compared to rates normally applied in irrigated semiarid areas (300 kg N ha−1).
Genetic Variation for Puccinia emaculata Infection in Switchgrass
Authors: Gustafson D. M. , Boe A. , Jin Y.
Published: February 2014

Seed yields, forage quality, and biomass of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) can be negatively impacted by diseases. Genetic vulnerability is a concern when one switchgrass cultivar is grown in monoculture for long periods of time. Thus, genetic variation is key to improvement in pest resistance through selection. Our objectives were to develop a rust rating system for Puccinia emaculata Schwein and to determine genetic variation for P. emaculata infection among and within four improved switchgrass populations from the northern and central Great Plains. Populations were evaluated in replicated family‐row nurseries at two locations (Aurora and Kimball) in eastern South Dakota. Disease ratings were taken after heading in 2000 and 2001 utilizing a 0 (highly resistant) to 9 (highly susceptible) scale. Population mean rust ratings averaged across families and years ranged from 3.7 to 8.0, and 3.2 to 5.0, at Aurora and Kimball, respectively. Significant variation among populations and among and within families within populations was observed for disease ratings. Data suggested the presence of both additive and nonadditive genetic variation and indicated selecting the best individuals from the best families for resistance to the rust disease may be an effective approach in utilizing genetic variation for improvement in switchgrass for the northern and central Great Plains.
Forage Yield and Economic Losses Associated with the Brown‐Midrib Trait in Sudangrass
Authors: Casler M. D. , Pedersen J. F. , Undersander D. J.
Published: February 2014

Brown‐midrib genes increase digestibility due to reduced lignification in sudangrass, Sorghum bicolor subsp. drummondii (Nees ex Steud.) de Wet & Harlan. Brown‐midrib lines are known to be low in forage yield potential, but this reduction in forage yield has not been previously quantified. The objectives of this study were to quantify the increase in forage quality and decrease in forage yield and to provide an economic assessment of this dichotomy. Piper and Greenleaf (normal leaves) were compared with their brown‐midrib counterparts and to four highly selected brown‐midrib (FG) lines at two locations for 2 yr. Brown‐midrib lines averaged 9.0% lower in lignin and 7.2% higher in in vitro fiber digestibility than normal lines. The reduction in first‐harvest forage yield was highly variable across germplasms and locations. Greenleaf and the FG lines showed severe forage yield reductions in Wisconsin but not in Nebraska, whereas forage yield of Piper was uniformly reduced across locations. Reduced tillering and plant height of the brown‐midrib plants appeared to be mechanisms for reducing forage yield. The brown‐midrib phenotype of sudangrass, caused by the homozygous condition of the bmr‐6 allele, appears to be environmentally sensitive, particularly limiting production in cooler and shorter growing seasons. Conversely, uniform reductions in second‐harvest forage yield suggested a fundamental limitation to regrowth potential associated with the brown‐midrib phenotype. Predicted net returns from feeding sudangrass hay were similar for first‐harvest normal and brown‐midrib lines, but severely depressed for brown‐midrib lines in second harvest, due to the severe yield reductions.
Stability of Internal Heat Necrosis and Specific Gravity in Tetraploid × Diploid Potatoes
Authors: Sterrett S. B. , Henninger M. R. , Yencho G. C. , Lu W. , Vinyard B. T. , Haynes K. G.
Published: February 2014

Internal heat necrosis (IHN) is a severe physiological disorder of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers, characterized by brown spots that first appear near the apical end of the tuber parenchyma, although most of the parenchyma tissue is involved in severe cases. The purposes of this study were to evaluate 4x‐2x clones of S. tuberosum × S. phureja Juz. & Bukasov–S. stenotomum Juz. & Bukasov (phu‐stn) for specific gravity (SG) and incidence and severity of IHN in the mid‐Atlantic states, and identify clones with low incidence and severity of IHN and high SG for future enhancement efforts in S. tuberosum In 1999 and 2000, 26 and 88 4x‐2x clones, respectively, and the check cultivar ‘Atlantic’ were grown in North Carolina, Virginia, and New Jersey, in a randomized complete block design with two replications. At harvest, tubers > 64 mm in diameter were rated for IHN. The SG was also determined. The correlation between incidence and severity of IHN was very high; however, there was no correlation between IHN and SG. There were significant differences among the clones for SG and IHN. There were also significant clone × location interactions for SG and IHN. Several 4x‐2x clones were identified each year with significantly less IHN, and higher SG than Atlantic. The majority of these clones were stable both before and after removal of environmental heterogeneity. These results indicate that phu‐stn has the potential to expand the tetraploid potato breeding base for both high SG and resistance to IHN in the mid‐Atlantic states.
Heterotic Patterns among Flint Maize Populations
Authors: Soengas Pilar , Ordás Bernardo , Malvar Rosa A. , Revilla Pedro , Ordás Amando
Published: February 2014

Most maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids cultivated in Europe follow the heterotic pattern European flint × Corn Belt dent. However, at present, no commercial hybrids have been obtained from European flint inbreds exclusively. A flint × flint heterotic pattern could be an alternative to use in breeding programs to obtain early maturity, high‐yielding hybrids, potentially useful for producing high quality flours. The objective of this work was to search for heterotic patterns within flint germplasm adapted to temperate conditions. Ten open‐pollinated flint maize cultivars were crossed in a diallel design without reciprocals and evaluated in four environments in northwestern Spain. Cultivar effects explained most of the sum of squares for traits analyzed, except for yield. Crosses yielded 30% more than parental cultivars. Yield of crosses ranged from 3.94 to 5.61 Mg ha−1 Midparent heterosis values ranged from 2.5 to 64.7%. The crosses ‘Gallego’ × ‘Basto/Enano Levantino’ and Basto/Enano Levantino × ‘Longfellow’ showed high heterosis and the best averages for grain yield. On the basis of these results, these crosses could be included in a recurrent reciprocal selection breeding program to increase heterosis among the cultivars and improve their hybrids. A cluster analysis made with midparent heterosis for grain yield as a measure of distance revealed that the flint germplasm probably had similar origins and were related to the ‘Northern Flint’ race. Some differences among these cultivars were detected. ‘Norteño Largo’ was closely related to Northern Flint, while Basto/Enano Levantino was different from the rest of the cultivars. It was concluded that the development of hybrids combining good yield and the typical agronomic characteristics of flint maize is feasible.
Base Temperatures for Seedling Growth and Their Correlation with Chilling Sensitivity for Warm‐Season Grasses
Authors: Madakadze I. C. , Stewart K. A. , Madakadze R. M. , Smith D. L.
Published: February 2014

Initial screening of warm‐season grasses for cultivation in cool, short season growing areas has been focused on frost and chilling tolerance. Adoption of warm‐season grasses in these areas has resulted in an increase in degree‐day modeling of their growth. These predictive models are dependent on accurate determination of the basal temperatures for growth. In this study, base temperatures for seedling growth were estimated for switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans L. Nash), and prairie sandreed [Calamovilfa longifolia (Hook) Scribn.]. Seedlings at the two‐leaf stage were grown at 4, 8, 12, 16, and 24°C in growth chambers for 4 wk with representative harvests every week. Relative growth rates were calculated for each species at each temperature and these were used, in conjunction with regression techniques, to estimate base temperatures for growth. The base temperatures were then correlated with chilling sensitivity of the plants, estimated using visual scores, chlorophyll fluorescence, and electrolyte leakage. The estimated base temperatures ranged from 2.6 to 7.3°C. There were variations among and within species in base temperatures for seedling growth. There were positive correlations between base temperatures for growth and rate of electrolyte leakage (r = 0.73), chlorophyll fluorescence (FV/FM; r = 0.80) and leaf damage (visual score; r = 0.76). These correlations confirm the differences in adaptation of warm‐season grasses, both within and across species. They also support the differences in base temperatures. This highlights the need to use different base temperatures in statistical growth models for different species or cultivars.
Glyphosate and Water‐Stress Effects on Fruiting and Carbohydrates in Glyphosate‐Resistant Cotton
Authors: Pline Wendy A. , Wells Randy , Little Gary , Edmisten Keith L. , Wilcut John W.
Published: February 2014

Water stress and glyphosate treatments to glyphosate‐resistant (GR) cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) can cause abscission of young bolls although the interaction of these factors is not well defined. Studies were conducted to quantify the effects of water stress and glyphosate treatments on fruit retention, fruit placement, and carbohydrate partitioning in GR and conventional cotton varieties grown in a phytotron environment. Glyphosate‐resistant plants treated with glyphosate at the four‐leaf stage, postemergence (POST), and at the eight‐leaf stage, POST‐directed (PDIR), had fewer first‐position bolls after 0 and 1 d of water stress than nontreated GR and conventional plants but did not differ after 2 and 3 d of water stress. Glyphosate‐treated GR plants reached first bloom 3 to 4 d later than nontreated plants. Five‐day‐old bolls from plants of one genotype, SG 125RR, treated with glyphosate had lower fructose content than bolls from nontreated plants. Subtending leaf carbohydrates and boll sucrose, glucose, and starch content did not differ after glyphosate treatments. Increasing water stress caused reductions in subtending leaf glucose, sucrose, and starch content, as well as reductions in boll starch and sucrose content. Reductions in boll starch and sucrose content in response to water stress may indicate the potential for abscission. Water stress and glyphosate treatments to GR cotton do not alter carbohydrate profiles in boll or leaf tissues in a like manner. Differences in carbohydrate profiles of young bolls and leaves from glyphosate‐treated and water‐stressed cotton plants suggest that water stress and glyphosate treatments may promote fruit abscission in different manners.
Quantitative Relationships between Pollen Shed Density and Grain Yield in Maize
Authors: Westgate Mark E. , Lizaso Jon , Batchelor William
Published: February 2014

Pollen production generally is not considered a limiting factor in modern maize (Zea mays L.) production. In some modern hybrids, however, smaller tassel size, use of male sterile blends, and top cross production may limit pollen availability. This study was conducted to establish the lower limits for pollen production needed to ensure maximum kernel set, and to devise a method for predicting pollen production from simple measures of tassel development. Isolated blocks of male fertile plants were established in a field of male sterile plants. The level of male fertility was varied from 0 to 100% by detasselling (Pioneer 3978) or by using mixtures of male fertile and male sterile isolines (Pioneer 3925 and 3925S). Pollen shed was measured daily with passive pollen traps. A Population Index, derived from the percentage of plants shedding pollen and the average pollen production per plant, accurately predicted the seasonal pattern and total pollen shed for each male fertility treatment. Hybrids used in this study shed pollen for 10 to 12 d, with a peak intensity 2 to 3 d after anthesis (50% plants shedding pollen). Individual tassels produced 4.5 × 106 pollen grains on average, and shed pollen for 5 or 6 d. Variation in grain yield across male fertility treatments was closely correlated to kernels per plant (r2 = 0.998). Seasonal pollen production limited kernels per plant at pollen densities less than 3000 pollen grains silk−1 This lower limit for effective kernel set occurred at male fertility levels less than 50% for both hybrids. Grain yield, however, was maintained at male fertility levels as low as 20% because of compensation in grain size. These results demonstrate that a minimum pollen shed density per exposed silk is required to achieve maximum kernel set and grain yield. They also show that the seasonal pattern of pollen shed can be predicted from simple measures of staminate flower development. Together, these results provide a rational basis for achieving high kernel set under field conditions in which pollen production might be limiting.
Profile Layering, Root Zone Permeability, and Slope Affect on Soil Water Content during Putting Green Drainage
Authors: Prettyman G. W. , McCoy E. L.
Published: February 2014

Laterally uniform soil water content should aid in turf management on high sand content putting greens. This study examined soil profile layering, root zone permeability, and slope effects on soil water content within experimental putting green root zones. Either a one‐tier (subgrade underlying root zone) or two‐tier (gravel underlying root zone) putting green soil profile was used, with each containing root zones having either 530 mm h−1 (higher permeability, HP) or 320 mm h−1 (lower permeability, LP) water permeability of the freshly prepared root zone. The 1.2‐ by 7.3‐m greens were adjusted to slopes of 0, 2, and 4% and simulated rain was applied at either 45 or 112 mm h−1 for 3 h. Soil water contents at five lateral locations and three depths within each green were monitored during rainfall and for 48 h after rain stopped. In the early drainage period (1 to 9 h), the two‐tier greens had smaller water contents that were more uniform laterally and with root zone depth. The one‐tier greens showed effects of drainpipe spacing with greater water contents midway between the drainage elements. Expected greater water contents were observed for the LP than the HP root zones. Later in the drainage period (27 to 45 h), increased green slope contributed to upslope drying of all root zones with larger lateral water content gradients occurring in the LP and one‐tier systems. The presence of a gravel layer beneath the root zone yielded reduced and more uniform water contents than in its absence. Slope‐induced lateral water movement was apparent, however, in all greens.
Forage Yield and Persistence of Chicory and English Plantain
Authors: Sanderson Matt A. , Labreveux Maria , Hall Marvin H. , Elwinger Gerald F.
Published: February 2014

Graziers in the northeast USA often face forage shortages in midsummer. Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) and English plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) have been introduced in the USA as sumer‐active perennial herbs for pastures. We conducted two experiments at Rock Springs, PA, to evaluate chicory and plantain for yield and persistence under clipping. ‘Grasslands Puna’, ‘Lacerta’, and ‘Forage Feast’ chicory, and ‘Ceres Tonic’ and ‘Grasslands Lancelot’ plantain were sown in field plots in May 1997 (Exp. 1) and 1999 (Exp. 2). Plots were cut every 3 or 5 wk in 1998 and 1999 in Exp. 1 and every 4 wk during 2000 and 2001 in Exp. 2. Dry matter yield was determined at each harvest. Stand densities were determined in each experiment. Forage Feast chicory yielded 25% less than Puna (6000 vs. 8100 kg dry matter ha−1; P < 0.05) in 1998, whereas yields of both cultivars were similar (P > 0.05) in 1999 and 2000. Lacerta chicory yielded 9 to 16% less than Puna and Forage Feast in Exp. 2. Forage Feast and Puna chicory had 20 to 50% stand loss in Exp. 1 and 40 to 60% stand loss in Exp. 2. Lacerta chicory lost 80% of the stand during Exp. 2. The plantain cultivars yielded 6 to 14% less dry matter than Puna chicory in 1998 and 33 to 39% less in 2000. Both plantain cultivars, however, suffered a nearly complete loss of plants during the second winter after establishment in both experiments. Ceres Tonic and Lancelot plantain are not suited for the northeastern USA.
Range of Confidence Scale and Consumer Knowledge Calibration
Authors: Pillai Kishore Gopalakrishna
Published: February 2014

The study examined the effect of range of a confidence scale on consumer knowledge calibration, specifically whether a restricted range scale (25%–100%) leads to difference in calibration compared to a full range scale (0%–100%), for multiple-choice questions. A quasi-experimental study using student participants ( N = 434) was employed. Data were collected from two samples; in the first sample ( N = 167) a full range confidence scale was used, and in the second sample ( N = 267) a restricted range scale was used. No differences were found between the two scales on knowledge calibration. Results from studies of knowledge calibration employing restricted range and full range confidence scales are thus comparable.
Mediating Factors in Martial Arts and Combat Sports: An Analysis of the Type of Martial Art, Characteristics, and Social Background of Young Participants
Authors: Vertonghen Jikkemien , Theeboom Marc , Pieter Willy
Published: February 2014

To date, most studies regarding the social-psychological effects of martial arts and combat sports (MA&CS) on young people focus on measuring effects without considering mediating factors. The aim of the present study was to analyze three mediating factors that might be influential when examining outcomes of MA&CS for youth (i.e., the type of MA&CS, participants' characteristics, and social background). Young MA&CS participants ( N = 477, M age = 14.0 yr., SD = 2.13) practicing judo, aikido, kick-/Thai boxing or karate, as well as their parents ( N = 307), were assessed in terms of their goal orientations, aggressiveness, psychosocial behavior, and social background. It was concluded that differences exist in the characteristics and social background of participants depending on the type of MA&CS being practiced. The fact that differences in these mediating factors can be identified indicates that in future research these and possible other mediating factors should be considered when trying to determine social-psychological outcomes of MA&CS.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Dospert Scale with Chinese University Students
Authors: Wu Joseph , Cheung Hoi Yan
Published: February 2014

The factor structure of the 30-item Domain Specific Risk Taking Attitude (DOSPERT) scale (Blais & Weber, 2006) was examined with a convenience sample of 205 Chinese undergraduate students from Macao. A comparison of five competing models via confirmatory factor analysis yielded empirical support for the perspective that risk-taking attitude was content-dependent. After removing the items in the Financial subscale of the DOSPERT scale and some post hoc modifications, a reasonably good fit to the four-correlated-factor model was achieved, in concordance with the theoretical framework. However, items in some scales needed further revision to purify their factor structure so that the DOSPERT scale would be a more psychometrically sound measure for investigating one's risk-taking attitudes in different life domains.
Association of Leg Bias with Bipedal Speed and Power in Developing Soccer Players
Authors: Witkowski Zbigniew , Lipecki Krzysztof , Lyakh Vladimir
Published: February 2014

The aim of this research was to determine whether there is any association between leg bias and bipedal locomotion in young male soccer players. 227 participants, members of a Polish football club, were tested. Leg dominancy and maximal specific power of each leg were recorded.
Temporal Coupling of Eye Gaze and Cursor on Key Buttons during Text-Entry Tasks
Authors: Hong Seung-Kweon , Myung Rohae
Published: February 2014

Coupling patterns of eye gaze and cursor movements on key buttons were investigated during a practical text-entry task. A text-entry task can be described as a series of goal-directed aiming tasks. In a typical goal-directed aiming task, eye movements generally lead cursor movements; eye gaze arrives at the target and starts moving to the next target before the cursor. However, in 10% of cases in this experiment, the cursor arrived at the target earlier than the eye gaze did, regardless of text entry speed. Eye gaze started toward the next target key button after the start of the cursor's movement in 57% of cases, which also varied with text-entry speed. The coupling patterns, which differed from those observed in typical goal-directed aiming tasks, might be due to the speed requirement of practical text-entry tasks, memory of key button positions, and the use of peripheral vision.
Effects of Anticipation on Perception of Facial Expressions
Authors: Ran Guang Ming , Chen Xu , Pan Yan Gu , Hu Tian Qiang , Ma Jing
Published: February 2014

Human beings do not passively perceive the facial expressions of other people, but predict observed facial expressions by employing past experiences. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether and how anticipation affected the perception of facial expressions. A 3-way repeated-measures ANOVA on anticipation, orientation, and facial expression was performed on RTs and recognition accuracy in Experiments 1 and 2. The results showed that anticipation reduced susceptibility to negative facial expressions. In this regard, anticipation might be considered as an effective emotion-regulation strategy. In addition, a decreased inversion effect for positive facial expressions was found in the predictable condition, which might reflect a switch from feature-based to holistic processing.
Natural hazard and disaster tourism
Authors: Rucińska Dorota , Lechowicz Maciej
Published: February 2014

An observed trend, which can be defined as tourist interest in natural hazards and disasters, has persuaded the authors to attempt to research several issues, including tourist motivations and specific tourism properties and functions of this form of activity. The objective also covered the allocation of this social and natural process in the general structure of tourism. This interest has a long history, and a new stage is currently forming, which partly results from factors affecting society, such as information and education, which provoke antagonistic reactions. Extreme natural phenomena entail a common reduction of tourist interest in the destination which hosted the event; however, it never drops to zero. Differences are visible depending on the type of phenomenon. On the other hand, natural hazards and disasters are considered to hold a specific tourism value. This article discusses the allocation of this human activity in the tourism forms known to scientists, accounting for its diversity and relating to ethics.
A Unified Knowledge-Based Content Management Framework towards Value-Added Application and Service Development and Business Marketing for Museums: The Case Study of the National Museum of Natural Science in Taiwan
Authors: Hsu Tien-Yu , Yeh Jen-Yuan
Published: February 2014

The practices of knowledge management (KM) are complicated and usually difficult of accomplishment. In most situations, KM is introduced on a departmental or even individual level, leading to the Content Silo Trap where content, applications, and services are created in isolation. To address the issue, this paper proposes, for museums, a Unified Knowledge-based Content Management Framework, which consists of the Unified Process of Knowledge Content Development, the Multi-layered Reusable Knowledge Content Structures, and the Unified Knowledge-based Content Management System. The first declares tasks for the museum staff to perform while building and utilizing knowledge. The second abstracts content in consistent structures for reuse. The last comprises subsystems serving functionalities for knowledge-based content management. The proposed framework has been successfully introduced in the National Museum of Natural Science to manage tasks and operations on a daily basis. In addition, a platform based on the framework is implemented to support knowledge-based content management, value-added application and service development, and business marketing. The overall practical experience is a valuable reference for museums, the academia, and the industry.
A Need to Archive Correct Biomedical Scientific Data and to Prevent Continued Citation of Retracted Scientific Publications
Authors: Tchao Ruy
Published: February 2014

The number of retracted peer reviewed scientific publications in the biomedical field has exponentially increased 15 times since early 2000 while the total number of publications only increased 1.44 times over the same period. Although retractions are rare (only 1 in 5,000 of all publications), the data and the science propounded by the retracted papers have significant impact because many retracted papers are published in high impact journals and are highly cited by other scientists. The scientific data contained in a retracted paper should be erased from the data bank. Even after retraction, many of these papers continue to be cited or can re-appear in future literature citation after a number of years. Recent analysis shows that in the fields of life science and medicine, 67.4% of the retracted papers are due to misconduct, of which 43.4% are due to fraud or suspected fraud. These flawed papers have high impact on public health and patient care as illustrated here by the cases of Wakefield and Potti. It is suggested here that a more stringent process of publication is necessary, including the review process and author certification of responsible citations of the literature that does not contain retractions.
A Case Study of a Digital Archives Programme: The Development of Digital Shadow Plays in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Tin-Kai
Published: February 2014

This programme aims to digitize video collections hosted by the Museum of Shadow Play of the Kaohsiung City Cultural Affairs Bureau in Taiwan. Two main studies have been made based on this programme: Firstly, this project cooperates with the museum and digitizes films kept there, whilst also constructing a Web 2.0 interactive online platform to promote the culture of shadow puppet theatre. Secondly, based on the study of the museum archives, this study designed and validated three prototypes of social interfaces representing the cultural context by taking advantage of interactive technology, namely ‘narrative media of shadow play’. Several exhibitions and interdisciplinary projects have been established, which support digital art, history and museum areas.
Effects of Task Repetition on L2 Oral (in Written Form) Production in Computer-Mediated Communication
Authors: Liao Pao-Ling , Fu Kuoen
Published: February 2014

The purpose of this study was to develop a three-phase integrative task-based course for achieving communicative effectiveness in two aspects. One aspect was to combine E-simulation with Facebook online chat in a computerised environment. E-activities may not only captivate participants and allow them to be immersed in friendly user interfaces, but also permit participants to engage in pre-task and online planning. Consequently, E-activities may enhance production performance in the complexity and accuracy dimensions, which were based on those described in previous studies. The other aspect was to observe the effects on the L2 production of learners according to the aforementioned computer-mediated communication (CMC) settings by manipulating task repetition. Whereas rehearsal can improve the performance of a task, it was also used to distinguish between the differences among tasks performed with the same partner or with a different partner. The theory of task-based language learning and teaching (TBLT) was investigated to determine whether further modification or extension was needed in these CMC settings. The results of this study showed that task repetition enhanced the performance of learners regarding syntactic variety and lexical complexity. Task repetition had more positive effects on the changed-partner group than it had on the same-partner group.
Early Austronesian Historical Voyaging in Monsoon Asia: Heritage and Knowledge for Museum Displays Utilizing Texts, Archaeology, Digital Interactive Components, and GIS Approaches
Authors: Blundell David , Zerneke Jeanette
Published: February 2014

This paper covers work using historical geographic information systems (GIS) by the Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative (ECAI) 2 to trace early navigation in Monsoon Asia. To open a scholarly Web-based platform to a broader audience, the ECAI Austronesia Team is collaborating with the Maritime Buddhism project conceived by Lewis Lancaster. The Maritime Buddhism project is being developed to reach general audiences with a high level of interactivity and 3D visualizations featuring historic timelines, ships, trade routes and trade winds, travelling monks, life at ports, and stories. To allow the information to be more accessible, mobile phone apps and multi-media museum displays are being developed. Austronesian speaking peoples made navigation a way of life across the Indian and Pacific oceans spanning thousands of years. The goal of this integration of content and technology is to enable our understanding of Monsoon Asia, its diffusion of culture, and oceanic navigation to become alive and accessible.
The Next Decade of Taiwan Digital Archives Based on the Presentations of Summary Talks: Few Recommendations
Authors: Lin Simon C.
Published: February 2014

The Taiwan e-Learning and Digital Archives Program (TELDAP) is one of the few large-scale national programs focusing on cultural heritage among the world. It is unique due to its inter-disciplinary program that will enhance the cultural, academic, social-economic and educational values of Taiwan Digital Archives. TELDAP is archiving the repository to preserve culture heritage and to support innovative researches and applications. It is crucial that users be able to access the right content at the right context while ensuring the integrity and utility of data. How to sustain the accomplishment of TELDAP becomes an important issue. Linked data, sustainable business model and international collaboration are the keys to lead Taiwan Digital Archives to the next decade. Linking up with new data infrastructure such as DARIAH and RDA, digital archives in Taiwan could continue its work in new ways.
Electromagnetic Wave Scattering by Small Impedance Particles of an Arbitrary Shape and Applications
Authors: Ramm Alexander
Published: February 2014

The proposal deals with electromagnetic (EM) wave scattering by one and many small impedance particles of an arbitrary shape. Analytic formula is derived for EM wave scattering by one small impedance particle of an arbitrary shape and an integral equation for the effective field in the medium where many such particles are embedded. These results are applied for creating a medium with a desired refraction coefficient. The proposed theory has no analogs in the literature. (Mathematical Subject Classiffication: 35J05, 35J25, 65N12, 78A25, 78A48.)
A Symmetric Chaos-Based Image Cipher with an Improved Bit-Level Permutation Strategy
Authors: Fu Chong , Huang Jun-Bin , Wang Ning-Ning , Hou Qi-Bin , Lei Wei-Min
Published: February 2014

Very recently, several chaos-based image ciphers using a bit-level permutation have been suggested and shown promising results. Due to the diffusion effect introduced in the permutation stage, the workload of the time-consuming diffusion stage is reduced, and hence the performance of the cryptosystem is improved. In this paper, a symmetric chaos-based image cipher with a 3D cat map-based spatial bit-level permutation strategy is proposed. Compared with those recently proposed bit-level permutation methods, the diffusion effect of the new method is superior as the bits are shuffled among different bit-planes rather than within the same bit-plane. Moreover, the diffusion key stream extracted from hyperchaotic system is related to both the secret key and the plain image, which enhances the security against known/chosen plaintext attack. Extensive security analysis has been performed on the proposed scheme, including the most important ones like key space analysis, key sensitivity analysis, plaintext sensitivity analysis and various statistical analyses, which has demonstrated the satisfactory security of the proposed scheme.
Discovery of a Leptospirosis Cluster Amidst a Pneumonic Plague Outbreak in a Miners’ Camp in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Bertherat Eric , Mueller Melissa , Shako Jean-Christophe , Picardeau Mathieu
Published: February 2014

Conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo provide an ideal environment for leptospirosis and plague, both of which can cause severe pulmonary manifestations. In December 2004, an outbreak of lethal pneumonia occurred in a local mining camp, affecting 130 persons and killing 57 of them. Clinical signs, fast disease spread, and initial laboratory investigations suggested pneumonic plague. While leptospirosis had not recently been described in the region, it was considered as a differential diagnosis. Anti-Leptospira antibodies were detected by microscopic agglutination test (MAT). A confirmed case of leptospirosis was defined as having consistent clinical signs and any one of the following: seroconversion or four-fold increase in MAT titre for paired serum samples, or a MAT titre ≥ 1:400 for acute-phase serum samples. Twenty-nine of the 54 patients or convalescents tested for leptospirosis were seropositive. Two cases showed a confirmed infection for both plague and leptospirosis. While evidence supports the plague nature of this outbreak, the results suggest that some of the suspected plague cases might be due to leptospirosis. In any case, this diagnosis will have to be evoked in the future if a similar outbreak occurs in this region of Africa.
Higher Household Income and the Availability of Electronic Devices and Transport at Home Are Associated with Higher Waist Circumference in Colombian Children: The ACFIES Study
Authors: Gómez-Arbeláez Diego , Camacho Paul , Cohen Daniel , Rincón-Romero Katherine , Alvarado-Jurado Laura , Pinzón Sandra , Duperly John , López-Jaramillo Patricio
Published: February 2014

Background: The current “epidemic” of childhood obesity is described as being driven by modern lifestyles with associated socioeconomic and environmental changes that modify dietary habits, discourage physical activity and encourage sedentary behaviors. Objective: To evaluate the association between household income and the availability of electronic devices and transport at home, and the values of waist circumference (WC), as an indicator of abdominal obesity, in children and adolescents from Bucaramanga, Colombia. Methods: Cross-sectional study of public elementary and high school population, of low-middle socioeconomic status. Results: A total of 668 schoolchildren were recruited. After adjusting for potential confounders, significant positive associations between waist circumference and higher household income (p = 0.011), and waist circumference and the availability of electronic devices and transport at home (p = 0.026) were found. Conclusions: In low-middle socioeconomic status schoolchildren in a developing country, those from relatively more affluent families had greater waist circumference, an association that is opposite to that observed in developed countries. This finding could be related to higher income family’s ability to purchase electronic devices and motorized transport which discourage physical activity and for their children to buy desirable and more costly western fast food.
Correlates of the Intention to Implement a Tailored Physical Activity Intervention: Perceptions of Intermediaries
Authors: Peels Denise , Mudde Aart , Bolman Catherine , Golsteijn Rianne , De Vries Hein , Lechner Lilian
Published: February 2014

The public health impact of health behaviour interventions is highly dependent on large-scale implementation. Intermediaries—intervention providers—determine to a large extent whether an intervention reaches the target population, and hence its impact on public health. A cross-sectional study was performed to identify the correlates of intermediaries’ intention to implement a computer-tailored physical activity intervention. According to theory, potential correlates are intervention characteristics, organisational characteristics, socio-political characteristics and intermediary characteristics. This study investigated whether intermediary characteristics mediated the association between the intervention, organisational and socio-political characteristics and intention to implement the intervention. Results showed that intervention characteristics (i.e., observability (B = 0.53; p = 0.006); relative advantage (B = 0.79; p = 0.020); complexity (B = 0.80; p < 0.001); compatibility (B = 0.70; p < 0.001)), organisational characteristics (i.e., type of organization (B = 0.38; p = 0.002); perceived task responsibility (B = 0.66; p ≤ 0.001); capacity (B = 0.83; p < 0.001)), and the social support received by intermediary organisations (B = 0.81; p < 0.001) were associated with intention to implement the intervention. These factors should thus be targeted by an implementation strategy. Since self-efficacy and social norms perceived by the intermediary organisations partially mediated the effects of other variables on intention to implement the intervention (varying between 29% and 84%), these factors should be targeted to optimise the effectiveness of the implementation strategy.
Characterization and Antioxidant Properties of Six Algerian Propolis Extracts: Ethyl Acetate Extracts Inhibit Myeloperoxidase Activity
Authors: Boufadi Yasmina , Soubhye Jalal , Riazi Ali , Rousseau Alexandre , Vanhaeverbeek Michel , Nève Jean , Boudjeltia Karim , Van Antwerpen Pierre
Published: February 2014

Because propolis contains many types of antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols and flavonoids, it can be useful in preventing oxidative damages. Ethyl acetate extracts of propolis from several Algerian regions show high activity by scavenging free radicals, preventing lipid peroxidation and inhibiting myeloperoxidase (MPO). By fractioning and assaying ethyl acetate extracts, it was observed that both polyphenols and flavonoids contribute to these activities. A correlation was observed between the polyphenol content and the MPO inhibition. However, it seems that kaempferol, a flavonoid, contributes mainly to the MPO inhibition. This molecule is in a high amount in the ethyl acetate extract and demonstrates the best efficiency towards the enzyme with an inhibiting concentration at 50% of 4 ± 2 µM.
Expression of a Deschampsia antarctica Desv. Polypeptide with Lipase Activity in a Pichia pastoris Vector
Authors: Rabert Claudia , Gutiérrez-Moraga Ana , Navarrete-Gallegos Alejandro , Navarrete-Campos Darío , Bravo León , Gidekel Manuel
Published: February 2014

The current study isolated and characterized the Lip3F9 polypeptide sequence of Deschampsia antarctica Desv. (GeneBank Accession Number JX846628), which was found to be comprised of 291 base pairs and was, moreover, expressed in Pichia pastoris X-33 cells. The enzyme was secreted after 24 h of P. pastoris culture incubation and through induction with methanol. The expressed protein showed maximum lipase activity (35 U/L) with an optimal temperature of 37 °C. The lipase-expressed enzyme lost 50% of its specific activity at 25 °C, a behavior characteristic of a psychrotolerant enzyme. Recombinant enzyme activity was measured in the presence of ionic and non-ionic detergents, and a decrease in enzyme activity was detected for all concentrations of ionic and non-ionic detergents assessed.
Membrane Vesicles as a Novel Strategy for Shedding Encrusted Cell Surfaces
Authors: Shao Paul , Comolli Luis , Bernier-Latmani Rizlan
Published: February 2014

Surface encrustation by minerals, which impedes cellular metabolism, is a potential hazard for microbes. The reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) by Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 leads to the precipitation of the mineral uraninite, as well as a non-crystalline U(IV) product. The wild-type (WT) strain can produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), prompting precipitation of U some distance from the cells and precluding encrustation. Using cryo-transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy we show that, in the biofilm-deficient mutant ∆mxdA, as well as in the WT strain to a lesser extent, we observe the formation of membrane vesicles (MVs) as an additional means to lessen encrustation. Additionally, under conditions in which the WT does not produce EPS, formation of MVs was the only observed mechanism to mitigate cell encrustation. Viability studies comparing U-free controls to cells exposed to U showed a decrease in the number of viable cells in conditions where MVs alone are detected, yet no loss of viability when cells produce both EPS and MVs. We conclude that MV formation is a microbial strategy to shed encrusted cell surfaces but is less effective at maintaining cell viability than the precipitation of U on EPS.