bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of electrical properties of Mn doped tin oxide nanoparticles using impedance spectroscopy
Authors: Azam Ameer , Ahmed Arham S. , Chaman M. , Naqvi A. H.
Published: November 2010

Manganese doped tin oxide nanoparticles with manganese content varying from 0 to 15 mol % were synthesized using sol-gel method. The structural and compositional analysis was carried out using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDAX). Dielectric and impedance spectroscopy was carried out at room temperature to explore the electrical properties of Mn doped SnO2. XRD analysis indicated the formation of single phase rutile type tetragonal structure of all the samples. The crystallite size was observed to vary from 16.2 to 7.1 nm as the Mn content was increased. The XRD, SEM, and EDAX results corroborated the successful doping of Mn in the SnO2 matrix. Complex impedance analysis was used to distinguish the grain and grain boundary contributions to the system, suggesting the dominance of grain boundary resistance in the doped samples. The dielectric constant ε′, dielectric loss tan δ and ac conductivity σac were studied as a function of frequency and composition and the behavior has been explained on the basis of Maxwell–Wagner interfacial model. All the dielectric parameters were found to decrease with the increase in doping concentration. Moreover, it has been observed that the dielectric loss approaches to zero in case of high dopant concentration (9%, 15%) at high frequencies.
Effects of a thin InGaAs layer on carrier dynamics of InAs quantum dots
Authors: Lee Hi Jong , Ryu Mee-Yi , Kim Jin Soo
Published: November 2010

Carrier dynamics of self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) have been investigated by introducing a thin In0.32Ga0.68As layer between InAs QD layer and InAlGaAs layer, which was lattice-matched to an InP substrates. With increasing thickness of In0.32Ga0.68As layer the photoluminescence (PL) emission of the InAs QDs is red-shifted and the PL decay time increases due to increase in QD size and improved QD shape and density. It is found that increases in QD size and/or density lead to a corresponding increase in the PL decay time.
Dielectric properties and effect of electrical aging on space charge accumulation in polyimide/TiO2 nanocomposite films
Authors: Zha Jun-Wei , Dang Zhi-Min , Song Hong-Tao , Yin Yi , Chen George
Published: November 2010

In situ polymerized polyimide/TiO2 (PI/TiO2) nanocomposite films with good electrical aging resistance are studied. Space charge distribution in the PI/TiO2 nanocomposite films are measured using the pulsed electroacoustic method. Dielectric properties of the films are measured in the frequency range of 102 Hz–106 Hz by an impedance analyzer (Agilent 4294A) at room temperature. These nanocomposite films are also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is demonstrated that the nano-TiO2 particles strongly affect dielectric breakdown, lifetime and space charge distribution, and increase the voltage endurance of the nanocomposite films significantly. SEM analyses show that the nanocomposite films are destroyed after corona aging. The relation of space charge distribution with the concentration of the nano-TiO2 particles and the aging time is explored. Results show that an increase in dielectric permittivity of the nanocomposite films is observed with increasing filler concentration. However, the accumulation of space charge decreases with increasing nano-TiO2 particles concentration for the same corona aging time, and depends on the dielectric permittivity of the nanocomposite films.
Current density and plasma displacement near perturbed rational surfaces
Authors: Boozer Allen H. , Pomphrey Neil
Published: November 2010

The current density in the vicinity of a rational surface of a force-free magnetic field subjected to an ideal perturbation is shown to be the sum of both a smooth and a delta-function distribution, which give comparable currents. The maximum perturbation to the smooth current density is comparable to a typical equilibrium current density and the width of the layer in which the current flows is shown to be proportional to the perturbation amplitude. In the standard linearized theory, the plasma displacement has an unphysical jump across the rational surface, but the full theory gives a continuous displacement. A resolution of the paradox of a jump in the displacement is required for interpreting perturbed tokamak equilibria.
Crossbar memory array of organic bistable rectifying diodes for nonvolatile data storage
Authors: Asadi Kamal , Li Mengyuan , Stingelin Natalie , Blom Paul W. M. , de Leeuw Dago M.
Published: November 2010

Cross-talk in memories using resistive switches in a cross-bar geometry can be prevented by integration of a rectifying diode. We present a functional cross bar memory array using a phase separated blend of a ferroelectric and a semiconducting polymer as storage medium. Each intersection acts simultaneously as a bistable rectifying diode. A logic table of a 4-bit memory and integration into a 3×3 cross bar array are demonstrated. The most difficult state, a high resistance bit completely surrounded by low resistance bits could be unambiguously identified.
(A)geostrophic adjustment of dipolar perturbations, formation of coherent structures and their properties, as follows from high-resolution numerical simulations with rotating shallow water model
Authors: Ribstein Bruno , Gula Jonathan , Zeitlin Vladimir
Published: November 2010

In the general context of the geostrophic adjustment, we study the formation of coherent structures in a rotating shallow water model on the f-plane starting from localized dipolar configurations. We perform direct numerical simulations with such initial conditions with the help of a well-balanced high-resolution finite-volume numerical scheme. Initializations with geostrophically balanced quasigeostrophic modons with high enough Rossby numbers lead to adjustment toward quasistationary coherent ageostrophic dipoles. Like in laboratory experiments, cyclonic potential vorticity is being detrained from the dipoles and their trajectories bend. Comparisons with recently found exact steady-moving localized dipolar solutions show similarities and differences at the same time. Initializations with unbalanced dipolar initial conditions lead to similar quasistationary configurations at high enough effective Rossby numbers. At low Rossby numbers the classical geostrophic adjustment is observed. Ageostrophic quasistationary dipoles emerging from the simulations are surprisingly robust. They undergo frontal collisions with an exchange of cyclonic partners, which are essentially elastic and do not change their structure. They also keep coherence when encountering a steep topography and ballistically transport passive tracers.
Experimental determination of the magnetization dependent part of the demagnetizing field in hard magnetic materials
Authors: Dobrynin A. N. , Gao T. R. , Dempsey N. M. , Givord D.
Published: November 2010

A method for extracting the magnetization dependent part of the demagnetizing field from minor hysteresis loops is described. It applies to hard magnetic materials with irreversible magnetization switching. The method’s validity is tested on the simulated magnetization curves of an assembly of hard magnetic grains, as well as on a thin NdFeB film with out of plane magnetization. Effective demagnetization factors are extracted from the analysis. These factors are smaller than the usually applied sample shape dependent demagnetizing factors.
Birefringence controlled room-temperature picosecond spin dynamics close to the threshold of vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser devices
Authors: Li M. Y. , Jähme H. , Soldat H. , Gerhardt N. C. , Hofmann M. R. , Ackemann T.
Published: November 2010

We analyze the spin-induced circular polarization dynamics at the threshold of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers at room-temperature using a hybrid excitation combining electrically pumping without spin preference and spin-polarized optical injection. After a short pulse of spin-polarized excitation, fast oscillations of the circular polarization degree (CPD) are observed within the relaxation oscillations. A theoretical investigation of this behavior on the basis of a rate equation model shows that these fast oscillations of CPD could be suppressed by means of a reduction of the birefringence of the laser cavity.
GaSb/GaP compliant interface for high electron mobility AlSb/InAs heterostructures on (001) GaP
Authors: El Kazzi S. , Desplanque L. , Coinon C. , Wang Y. , Ruterana P. , Wallart X.
Published: November 2010

We report on the epitaxial growth of an AlSb/InAs heterostructure on a (001) GaP substrate. We investigate the conditions for the most efficient relaxation of GaSb islands on GaP. In particular, we show that the GaP surface treatment and the growth temperature are crucial for the formation of a two-dimensional periodic array of 90° misfit dislocations at the episubstrate interface. With this relaxation process, an AlSb/InAs heterostructure exhibiting a room temperature mobility of 25 500 cm2 V−1 s−1 on GaP is demonstrated. This result paves the way to the integration of Sb-based devices on Si substrates through the use of GaP/Si templates.
Doping effects of Sb and Pb in epitaxial topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films: An in situ angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy study
Authors: Zhang Yi , Chang Cui-Zu , He Ke , Wang Li-Li , Chen Xi , Jia Jin-Feng , Ma Xu-Cun , Xue Qi-Kun
Published: November 2010

Bi 2 Se 3 is a typical three-dimensional topological insulator but always exhibits metallic behavior due to heavy n-type doping. With in situ angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we have systematically studied the doping effects of Sb and Pb on the electronic structure of Bi2Se3 films prepared by molecular beam epitaxy. The surface chemical potential of Bi2Se3 can be tuned by 110 and 145 meV by doping Sb and Pb atoms, respectively. By codoping Pb and Sb, the Fermi level can be shifted from above to below the Dirac point. The underlying mechanism in different doping effects of Sb and Pb is discussed.
Double quantum dot with tunable coupling in an enhancement-mode silicon metal-oxide semiconductor device with lateral geometry
Authors: Tracy L. A. , Nordberg E. P. , Young R. W. , Borrás Pinilla C. , Stalford H. L. , Ten Eyck G. A. , Eng K. , Childs K. D. , Wendt J. R. , Grubbs R. K. , Stevens J. , Lilly M. P. , Eriksson M. A. , Carroll M. S.
Published: November 2010

We present transport measurements of a tunable silicon metal-oxide semiconductor double quantum dot device with lateral geometry. The experimentally extracted gate-to-dot capacitances show that the device is largely symmetric under the gate voltages applied. Intriguingly, these gate voltages themselves are not symmetric. A comparison with numerical simulations indicates that the applied gate voltages serve to offset an intrinsic asymmetry in the physical device. We also show a transition from a large single dot to two well isolated coupled dots, where the central gate of the device is used to controllably tune the interdot coupling.
Excitation and recombination photodynamics in colloidal cubic SiC nanocrystals
Authors: Fan J. Y. , Li H. X. , Cui W. N. , Dai D. J. , Chu P. K.
Published: November 2010

We studied the photodynamics of the different-sized colloidal cubic SiC nanocrystals in distinct polar and nonpolar solvents. The UV-visible absorption spectral study indicates that the SiC nanocrystals with an average size of 4 nm retain an indirect energy gap; whereas the smaller quantum dots about 1 nm in size exhibit discrete and sharp absorption features indicating their discrete energy levels and the result agrees well with theoretical results. The colloidal SiC nanocrystals exhibit triple-exponential photoluminescence decay with nanosecond-order lifetimes which show slight size-dependence.
Increased open-circuit voltage in bulk-heterojunction solar cells using a C60 derivative
Authors: Kim Heejoo , Seo Jung Hwa , Park Eun Young , Kim Tae-Dong , Lee Kwanghee , Lee Kwang-Sup , Cho Shinuk , Heeger Alan J.
Published: November 2010

The fullerene derivative C60-fused N-methyl-2-(3-hexylthiophen-2-yl)pyrrolidine (C60-TH-Hx) is used as the acceptor material in bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells fabricated with the low band-gap polymer poly[(4,4′-bis(2-ethylhexyl)dithiene[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]silole)-2,6-diyl-alt-(4,7-bis(2-thienyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)-5,5′-diyl]. Direct comparison with BHJ solar cells based on [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric methyl ester and Si-PCPDTBT indicates that the C60-TH-Hx acceptor yields a larger open-circuit voltage because of higher lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy level of C60-TH-Hx.
The effect of recognizability on figure–ground processing: Does it affect parsing or only figure selection?
Authors: Navon David
Published: November 2010

Though figure–ground assignment has been shown to be probably affected by recognizability, it appears sensible that object recognition must follow at least the earlier process of figure–ground segregation. To examine whether or not rudimentary object recognition could, counterintuitively, start even before the completion of the stage of parsing in which figure–ground segregation is done, participants were asked to respond, in a go/no-go fashion, whenever any out of 16 alternative connected patterns (that constituted familiar stimuli in the upright orientation) appeared. The white figure of the to-be-attended stimulus—target or foil—could be segregated from the white ambient ground only by means of a frame surrounding it. Such a frame was absent until the onset of target display. Then, to manipulate organizational quality, the greyness of the frame was either gradually increased from zero (in Experiment 1) or changed abruptly to a stationary level whose greyness was varied between trials (in Experiments 2 and 3). Stimulus recognizability was manipulated by orientation angle. In all three experiments the effect of recognizability was found to be considerably larger when organizational quality was minimal due to an extremely faint frame. This result is argued to be incompatible with any version of a serial thesis suggesting that processing aimed at object recognition starts only with a good enough level of organizational quality. The experiments rather provide some support to the claim, termed here “early interaction hypothesis”, positing interaction between early recognition processing and preassignment parsing processes.
Impaired goal-directed behavioural control in human impulsivity
Authors: Hogarth Lee , Chase Henry W. , Baess Kathleen
Published: November 2010

Two dissociable learning processes underlie instrumental behaviour. Whereas goal-directed behaviour is controlled by knowledge of the consequences, habitual behaviour is elicited directly by antecedent Pavlovian stimuli without knowledge of the consequences. Predominance of habitual control is thought to underlie psychopathological conditions associated with corticostriatal abnormalities, such as impulsivity and drug dependence. To explore this claim, smokers were assessed for nicotine dependence, impulsivity, and capacity for goal-directed control over instrumental performance in an outcome devaluation procedure. Reduced goal-directed control was selectively associated with the Motor Impulsivity factor of Barrett's Impulsivity Scale (BIS), which reflects propensity for action without thought. These data support the claim that human impulsivity is marked by impaired use of causal knowledge to make adaptive decisions. The predominance of habit learning may play a role in psychopathological conditions that are associated with trait impulsivity.
Experimental fishing with an “umbrella-and-stones” system to reduce interactions of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) and seabirds with bottom-set longlines for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) in the Southwest Atlantic
Authors: Goetz Sabine , Laporta Martín , Martínez Portela Julio , Santos M. Begoña , Pierce Graham J.
Published: November 2010

Goetz, S., Laporta, M., Martínez Portela, J., Santos, M. B., and Pierce, G. J. 2011. Experimental fishing with an “umbrella-and-stones” system to reduce interactions of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) and seabirds with bottom-set longlines for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) in the Southwest Atlantic. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 228–238. Depredation, i.e. the damage or removal, of Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) from longlines by sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) can cause considerable economic loss for Spanish fishing vessels in the Southwest Atlantic. The fishery also suffers high bycatch rates of seabirds. The main goal of the study was to assess the extent of depredation and seabird bycatch and to test the potential of the so-called “umbrella” system, coupled with attached stones for faster sinking, for minimizing both. Moreover, we investigated the relationships between sightings of sperm whales, depredation, catches, and environmental variables using generalized additive modelling. Data were collected during 297 hauls on a longliner in 2007/2008 in international waters of the Southwest Atlantic. Sperm whales were sighted during 35% of the hauls, always during gear retrieval, and their presence was positively related to fish damage. The overall depredation rate (0.44% of the total catch) was low, but is assumed to be underestimated because sperm whales were suspected of also taking fish without leaving visual evidence. The “umbrella-and-stones” system was highly effective in preventing bycatch and appeared to restrict depredation, but significantly reduced the catches. The results demonstrate that there is still some way to go to solve the problem of depredation.
N-Acylhomoserine lactone quorum-sensing signalling in antagonistic phenazine-producing Pseudomonas isolates from the red cocoyam rhizosphere
Authors: De Maeyer K. , D'aes J. , Hua G. K. H. , Perneel M. , Vanhaecke L. , Noppe H. , Höfte M.
Published: November 2010

Forty fluorescent Pseudomonas strains isolated from white and red cocoyam roots were tested for their ability to synthesize N-acyl-l-homoserine lactones (acyl-HSLs). Remarkably, only isolates from the red cocoyam rhizosphere that were antagonistic against the cocoyam root rot pathogen Pythium myriotylum and synthesized phenazine antibiotics produced acyl-HSLs. This supports the assumption that acyl-HSL production is related to the antagonistic activity of the strains. After detection, the signal molecules were identified through TLC-overlay and liquid chromatography-multiple MS (LC-MS/MS) analysis. In our representative strain, Pseudomonas CMR12a, production of the signal molecules could be assigned to two quorum-sensing (QS) systems. The first one is the QS system for phenazine production, PhzI/PhzR, which seemed to be well conserved, since it was genetically organized in the same way as in the well-described phenazine-producing Pseudomonas strains Pseudomonas fluorescens 2-79, Pseudomonas chlororaphis PCL1391 and Pseudomonas aureofaciens 30-84. The newly characterized genes cmrI and cmrR make up the second QS system of CMR12a, under the control of the uncommon N-3-hydroxy-dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone (3-OH-C12-HSL) and with low similarity to other Pseudomonas QS systems. No clear function could yet be assigned to the CmrI/CmrR system, although it contributes to the biocontrol capability of CMR12a. Both the PhzI/PhzR and CmrI/CmrR systems are controlled by the GacS/GacA two-component regulatory system.
Coexistence of giant blue nevus of the scalp with hair loss and alopecia areata
Authors: TAKEICHI Sachiko , KUBO Yoshiaki , MURAO Kazutoshi , INOUE Natsuko , ANSAI Shin‐ichi , ARASE Seiji
Published: November 2010

A 43‐year‐old Japanese man presented with a 13‐year history of a grayish macule measuring 7 cm in diameter with sparse hairs on the vertex. Histopathological examination demonstrated two types of melanocytes, spindle‐shaped and ovoid cells, with abundant melanin aggregated around the upper part of the pilosebaceous apparatus. Fibrous, thick collagen bundles were also seen surrounding the upper part of the small hair follicles. There was no infiltration of melanocytes or lymphocytes in the lower dermis or adipose tissue. Based on these findings, a diagnosis of blue nevus, cellular type, was made. Giant cellular blue nevi on the scalp are rare, and 11 cases reported in the published work have shown characteristic features such as hair loss and cranial invasion of nevus cells. It should be noted that melanocytes of giant blue nevi have a high potential to damage other organs such as underlying bone and hair follicles. The patient also showed a typical lesion of alopecia areata on the left temporal which was successfully treated with topical corticosteroid.
Ecological and evolutionary implications of plant tolerance to herbivory
Authors: Fornoni Juan
Published: November 2010

1. Plant tolerance to herbivory has been accepted as a mechanism of defense that can be expressed jointly with resistance. Recent advances have partially validated previous theoretical predictions and improved our understanding of tolerance. Here, I highlight the necessity of integrating tolerance into ecological and co‐evolutionary theory to better understand the biology of this defensive mechanism.

2. Existing work has been biased toward understanding the adaptive nature and constraints acting on tolerance rather than its ecological implications. Increasing consensus that tolerance may alter the classical antagonistic dynamic between plants and herbivores suggests possible avenues to explore its population and community consequences.

3. In this review, I summarize previous advances in the ecology and evolution of tolerance to herbivory. I also discuss recent evidence that improves our understanding of unresolved issues such as the specificity of tolerance in response to herbivory, its role as an agent of selection on herbivores, and its ecological and evolutionary consequences which include a role of tolerance during biological invasions.

4. Although there is good support for an adaptive role of tolerance in response to herbivory damage, tolerance can itself impose selection on herbivores. Furthermore, tolerance can influence herbivore population dynamics and coexistence, as recent studies show that tolerance responses increase diversity of the associated herbivore communities on individual host plants.

5. Future studies that take into account the role of herbivores on the expression of tolerance will provide novel insight that will help disentangle the mechanisms of tolerance and its ecological and evolutionary implications.
Evaluation of forage legumes for introduction into natural pastures of semi‐arid rangelands of Kenya
Authors: Macharia P. N. , Kinyamario J. I. , Ekaya W. N. , Gachene C. K. K. , Mureithi J. G. , Thuranira E. G.
Published: November 2010

To address the potential of legumes to contribute to improved quality and quantity of natural pastures in the semi‐arid rangelands of Kenya, five legume species were introduced and evaluated in a small‐plot field experiment over three growing seasons. The investigated species were glycine (Neonotonia wightii), siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum), dolichos (Lablab purpureus cv. Rongai), velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) and shrubby stylo (Stylosanthes scabra cv. seca). Treatments included two cutting heights (ground level and 15 cm) and two cutting intervals (at 2 and 4 months). The mean dry matter (DM) yields of glycine and siratro were highest when the legumes were harvested at ground level at 2‐month intervals (10·31 and 7·81 t ha−1 year−1 respectively). Mean DM yield of stylo was highest when the legume was harvested at 15 cm after 4 months (3·52 t ha−1 year−1). These three legumes also produced high organic matter through litter fall, which contributed to soil fertility. Evidence from a supporting pot experiment showed effective nodulation and potential for N fixation. These legumes also possessed deep tap roots and withstood heavy defoliation. These three legumes were selected for further integration with grasses in natural pastures. The DM yields of dolichos and velvet bean when harvested at 15 cm after 2 or 4 months were low (2·48 and 1·91 t ha−1 year−1), and these species were considered inappropriate for further investigation.
Preserving frugivorous birds in agro‐ecosystems: lessons from Spanish olive orchards
Authors: Rey Pedro J.
Published: November 2010

1. Frugivorous birds are a priority for conservation. They are experiencing the transformation of natural habitats to agro‐ecosystems worldwide and some are taking advantage of agricultural production of fleshy‐fruited plants. However, the mechanisms through which some birds are able to thrive in agricultural landscapes while others become extinct are poorly known.

2. This manuscript provides an overview of avian frugivory in olive orchards, one of the principal agro‐ecosystems in the Mediterranean region and an important winter refuge for birds. The hypothesis that Mediterranean avian frugivores are pre‐adapted to olive orchards is used to consider potential constraints to bird occupation of wider agro‐ecosystems.

3. Agricultural practices and artificial selection of fruit cause habitat and landscape simplification and reduction of bird food resources in orchards, with resulting negative effects on bird diet and body condition, as well as on bird abundance and diversity. Some of these constraints can be partially overcome by the presence of small hedgerows and copses in the agricultural landscape.

4. Five pre‐adaptive features determine the successful occurrence of a bird species in olive orchards: (1) frugivorism intensity; (2) ability to track variation in fruit availability; (3) diet plasticity to cope with low fruit diversity and unbalanced food; (4) fruit handling plasticity to cope with oversized fruits; and (5) ecomorphology and foraging niche conditions which increase the ability to respond to habitat simplification.

5. Synthesis and applications. Management practices have the potential to alleviate the constraints that habitat simplification puts on bird movement and diet. Two inter‐related approaches to management are proposed: increasing landscape and habitat diversity by the occurrence of hedgerows and forest remnants; and increasing food availability through reducing the use of pesticides and promoting fruit diversity in hedges.
Interspecific exchange of avian influenza virus genes in Alaska: the influence of trans‐hemispheric migratory tendency and breeding ground sympatry
Authors: PEARCE JOHN M. , REEVES ANDREW B. , RAMEY ANDREW M. , HUPP JERRY W. , IP HON S. , BERTRAM MARK , PETRULA MICHAEL J. , SCOTTON BRADLEY D. , TRUST KIMBERLY A. , MEIXELL BRANDT W. , RUNSTADLER JONATHAN A.
Published: November 2010

The movement and transmission of avian influenza viral strains via wild migratory birds may vary by host species as a result of migratory tendency and sympatry with other infected individuals. To examine the roles of host migratory tendency and species sympatry on the movement of Eurasian low‐pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) genes into North America, we characterized migratory patterns and LPAI viral genomic variation in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) of Alaska in comparison with LPAI diversity of northern pintails (Anas acuta). A 50‐year band‐recovery data set suggests that unlike northern pintails, mallards rarely make trans‐hemispheric migrations between Alaska and Eurasia. Concordantly, fewer (14.5%) of 62 LPAI isolates from mallards contained Eurasian gene segments compared to those from 97 northern pintails (35%), a species with greater inter‐continental migratory tendency. Aerial survey and banding data suggest that mallards and northern pintails are largely sympatric throughout Alaska during the breeding season, promoting opportunities for interspecific transmission. Comparisons of full‐genome isolates confirmed near‐complete genetic homology (>99.5%) of seven viruses between mallards and northern pintails. This study found viral segments of Eurasian lineage at a higher frequency in mallards than previous studies, suggesting transmission from other avian species migrating inter‐hemispherically or the common occurrence of endemic Alaskan viruses containing segments of Eurasian origin. We conclude that mallards are unlikely to transfer Asian‐origin viruses directly to North America via Alaska but that they are likely infected with Asian‐origin viruses via interspecific transfer from species with regular migrations to the Eastern Hemisphere.
Heterospecific Vocal Interactions in a Frog from the Southern Temperate Forest, Batrachyla taeniata
Authors: Penna Mario , Velásquez Nelson
Published: November 2010

Animals using sound communication employ different strategies to overcome interferences from biotic and abiotic sources. However, interactions among acoustically active species have been studied to a very limited extent. The evoked vocal responses of 20 male frogs Batrachyla taeniata from the temperate austral forest in Chile were tested with conspecific calls and with the calls of two sympatric species: B. antartandica and B. leptopus, broadcast at amplitudes of 73, 79, 85, 91 and 97 dB peak SPL. The subjects responded actively to the conspecific call, but only responded weakly to the call of B. leptopus at the highest intensity. The preferential responses to conspecific calls could contribute to the typical segregation in monospecific choruses observed in areas where these frogs breed in sympatry.
Appearance of large scavenger receptor A‐positive cells and increased small scavenger receptor A positive cells in peripheral blood is associated with mortality in systemic inflammatory response syndrome and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome
Authors: Emura Iwao , Usuda Hiroyuki
Published: November 2010

We investigated the association of scavenger receptor A‐positive (SRA+) cells in peripheral blood (PB) with mortality in subjects with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). A total of 467 subjects with SIRS (62 of 467 satisfied the diagnostic criteria of MODS) were prospectively examined. The subjects were classified into three groups according to the SRA index (number of small SRA+ cells in 10 high power field, normal upper limit <30) and the appearance of large SRA+ cells as follows: group A, large SRA+ cells were not detected; group B, large SRA+ cells were detected but SRA index did not exceed 30; group C, the two factors (appearance of large SRA+ cells and SRA index >30) coincided. The duration from the diagnosis of SIRS to death in groups A and B was significantly shorter than in group C. The mortality rate in group C was significantly higher than in groups A and B. Kaplan‐Meier curves of group C showed significantly worse survival than groups A and B. These results indicate that the coincidence of two factors (appearance of large SRA+ cells and SRA index >30) may be useful to predict the outcome in patients with SIRS or MODS.
Kantian Cosmopolitanism beyond ‘Perpetual Peace’: Commercium, Critique, and the Cosmopolitan Problematic
Authors: Milstein Brian
Published: November 2010

Abstract: Most contemporary attempts to draw inspiration from Kant's cosmopolitan project focus exclusively on the prescriptive recommendations he makes in his article, ‘On Perpetual Peace’. In this essay, I argue that there is more to his cosmopolitan point of view than his normative agenda. Kant has a unique and interesting way of problematizing the way individuals and peoples relate to one another on the stage of world history, based on a notion that human beings who share the earth in common ‘originally’ constitute a ‘commercium’ of thoroughgoing interaction. By unpacking this concept of ‘commercium’, we can uncover in Kant a more critical perspective on world history that sets up the cosmopolitan as a specific kind of historical‐political challenge. I will show that we can distinguish this level of problematization from the prescriptive level at which Kant formulates his familiar recommendations in ‘Perpetual Peace’. I will further show how his particular way of framing the cosmopolitan problematic can be expanded and expatiated upon to develop a more critical, reflexive, and open‐ended conception of cosmopolitan thinking.
LIFE SATISFACTION AND INCOME INEQUALITY
Authors: Verme Paolo
Published: November 2010

Do people care about income inequality and does income inequality affect subjective well‐being? Welfare theories can predict either a positive or a negative impact of income inequality on subjective well‐being and empirical research has found evidence of a positive, negative, or non‐significant relation. This paper attempts to determine some of the possible causes of such empirical heterogeneity. Using a very large sample of world citizens we test the consistency of the effect of income inequality in predicting life satisfaction. We find that income inequality has a negative and significant effect on life satisfaction. This result is robust to changes of regressors and estimation choices and also persists across different income groups and across different types of countries. However, this relation is easily obscured or reversed by multicollinearity generated by the use of country and year fixed effects. This is particularly true if the number of data points for inequality is small, which is a common feature of cross‐country or longitudinal studies.
A novel technique to minimise energy and pollution in the dyeing of linen fabric
Authors: Ibrahim Nabil A , El‐Sayed Wafaa A , Ameen Naglaa A
Published: November 2010

Garments made from linen fabrics have a natural feel and drape. Most commercially available direct and reactive dyes have only a moderate affinity for this cellulosic fibre, although this lack of affinity can be overcome by the use of electrolytes. As a result, high volumes of wastewater containing large amounts of chemicals are discharged from the typical cellulosic material dyehouse. The ‘no‐salt dyeing’ of linen fabric with reactive and direct dyes was achieved by treating linen fabrics with chitosan in a microwave oven. After using the novel dye method, no observed enhancement of either wash or light fastness properties was seen. Dyebath reuse for both reactive and direct dyes was carried out in order to reduce the environmental impact of the dyes. This dyeing method was then applied to dyeing linen fabrics, with each of the items of clothing subjected to layout and cutting according to the design’s patterns; the dyeing results are discussed in this paper.
Omphalomesenteric Duct Remnants: Umbilical versus Umbilical Cord Lesions
Authors: Hsu Jessica W. , Tom Wynnis L.
Published: November 2010

Abstract: The omphalomesenteric duct is an embryologic connection between the digestive tract and yolk sac, which typically involutes by the time of birth. Failure of the obliteration process can result in omphalomesenteric duct remnants. We present two cases of children with such remnants, one with an umbilical polyp requiring traditional excisional therapy and one more unusual case of an umbilical cord cyst resolving spontaneously without intervention. The differential diagnosis, which includes urachal remnants and umbilical pyogenic granulomas, is discussed, along with management and special considerations that practioners should be aware of when treating pediatric umbilical and umbilical cord lesions.
Usefulness and Limitation of Transthoracic Echocardiography in the Diagnosis of Large Coronary Artery Fistula
Authors: Kimura Masayoshi , Shiraishi Jun , Ito Daisuke , Ariyoshi Makoto , Matsui Akihiro , Arihara Masayasu , Irie Hidekazu , Hyogo Masayuki , Shima Takatomo , Kohno Yoshio , Sawada Takahisa , Matsubara Hiroaki
Published: November 2010

(Echocardiography 2010;27:1291‐1295)
Revaluating genetic causation: Biology, economy, and kinship in Dakar, Senegal
Authors: FULLWILEY DUANA
Published: November 2010

In this article, I call for enlarging the conceptual terrain for viewing local biological expressions of illness. To date, a specific DNA sequence pattern, called “the Senegalese sickle cell haplotype,” has enjoyed extraordinary purchase on explanations for why Senegalese people may live with a “milder” form of sickle cell anemia when compared with other African populations. I argue, however, that “mild sickle cell” in Senegal emerges as a lived construct through a constitutive bond of biology, economy, and kinship. I show how patients’ enactments of biological difference are situated within larger informal economies and North–South donor priorities for health. In the absence of state funding to address patients’ needs, Senegalese sicklers create networks of care, health, and normalcy by drawing on Wolof idioms of “shared blood” that come to life in ways beyond metaphor. Their biosocial kinships result in therapeutic economies that restructure valuations of sickle cell despite serious medical constraints in this global context.
A tale of three buildings: Certifying virtue in the new moral economy
Authors: BROWN MICHAEL F.
Published: November 2010

One expression of the spread of auditing and bureaucratic accountability in global society is the emergence of certifications of virtue, typically after completion of a review process designed to ensure objectivity. In this article, I analyze regulatory interactions in a U.S. construction project, including the procedure for formally certifying buildings as energy efficient and “sustainable,” to bring into focus the sometimes‐paradoxical effects that highly rationalized regulations have on those obliged to comply with them. The case illustrates how virtue is reduced to a checklist of measurable properties whose integrity is maintained through rituals of verification and rigorous risk management. The issues involved lead me to reflect on anthropologists’ inclination to demonize bureaucratic regulation in their ethnographic accounts even as they insist on formal accountability in their own communities and professional networks.
In and out of focus
Authors: KRATZ CORINNE A.
Published: November 2010

In this article, I trace the history of focus groups as a method and consider how they produce and filter knowledge, interaction, and engagement; their nature as communicative settings; and their political–ideological associations. I analyze focus groups conducted for a primary health care project in Kenya that involved health officials, Washington, DC‐ and Nairobi‐based staff, a U.S. photographer, a U.S. anthropologist, and local women from the project area. This case provides insights into knowledge production in the context of the transnational development industry, how anthropological methods are incorporated and represented in the process, and the epistemological grounds of ethnographic methods.
Enhanced Unipolar Fatigue Resistance in Ferroelectric Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3O3)–PbTiO3 Ceramics Prepared via Glycerol‐Assisted Solid‐State Reaction
Authors: Ye Yin , Huang Haitao , Zhou Limin , Mai Yiu‐Wing
Published: November 2010

It is experimentally observed that PNN–PT ceramics processed with glycerol possess superior unipolar fatigue resistance; but the same ceramics processed without glycerol are vulnerable to unipolar fatigue. For PNN–PT–glycerol fatigued by 5 × 107 unipolar cycles, there are no losses in the maximum polarization (Pmax) and remnant polarization (Pr). But for PNN–PT, these losses are ∼14% and 22%, respectively. In addition, strain asymmetryγS and internal bias field Ebias of PNN–PT–glycerol are much less than those of PNN–PT. However, the ferroelectric properties can be recovered by bipolar cycles and thermal annealing; and such recovery is much easier and larger in PNN–PT–glycerol than in PNN–PT ceramics. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs show that the significant loss in properties of the fatigued PNN–PT ceramics is accompanied by a measurable number of severely damaged grains in the samples, especially in the region near the electrode surface, whereas the much less damaged grains in the PNN–PT–glycerol ceramics contribute to their good fatigue performance.
Dynamic refugia and species persistence: tracking spatial shifts in habitat through time
Authors: Graham Catherine H. , VanDerWal Jeremy , Phillips Steven J. , Moritz Craig , Williams Stephen E.
Published: November 2010

Historical climate is known to influence contemporary patterns of biological diversity. Species distribution modeling methods, combined with paleoclimatic surfaces, have been used to identify regions that were likely stable across long periods of time. To date, this approach has produced a static representation of refugia by identifying regions of suitable climate across a series of time‐slices. However, suitable habitat for a given species (or suite of species) may have shifted contiguously in response to changing climates through geologic time. We develop a new approach that takes into consideration habitat connectivity through time. We use the Australian Wet Tropics as a case study to demonstrate how our method works and suggest additional insights the method might give for understanding the determinants of biological diversity.
Amphibian phenotypic variation along a gradient in canopy cover: species differences and plasticity
Authors: Van Buskirk Josh
Published: November 2010

The distributions of many freshwater organisms correlate with a gradient in canopy cover, ranging from sunny wetlands to closed woodland ponds. Little is known about mechanisms that exclude species from some sections of the gradient while allowing persistence in others. I addressed this question by manipulating shading in 740‐l outdoor mesocosms and measuring several ecologically‐relevant traits in three species of amphibian larva (Rana temporaria and Triturus alpestris, generalists occupying the entire gradient; and Hyla arborea, a specialist in open habitats). Shading caused delayed development, but had no effect on survival and increased the growth rate of R. temporaria. Body and tail color were darker in the shade. Plasticity in morphological shape, consisting of reduced gut width and increased tail size under shaded conditions, may reflect poor food availability and low dissolved oxygen. The canopy generalist R. temporaria increased activity in the shade, spent more time basking in shallow water, and maintained high larval performance. Unexpectedly, the specialist H. arborea was also highly plastic. These results describe extensive phenotypic plasticity induced by shade, and highlight traits that may influence performance along the canopy gradient.
Interaction of nitric oxide and the cytochrome P‐450 system on blood pressure and renal function in the rat: dependence on sodium intake
Authors: Kuczeriszka M. , Olszyński K. H. , Gąsiorowska A. , Sadowski J. , Kompanowska‐Jezierska E.
Published: November 2010

Aim:  Interaction was examined of nitric oxide (NO) and cytochrome P‐450 (CYP‐450)‐dependent arachidonic acid derivatives, 20‐HETE and EETs, in control of arterial pressure (MABP) and renal function. Modification of this interaction by changing sodium intake was also studied.

Methods:  On low, standard or high Na diet (LS, STD and HS rats respectively) effects of sequential blockade of NO synthases (NOS) and CYP‐450 enzyme activity on MABP, renal blood flow (RBF, Transonic probe), renal medullary perfusion (MBF, laser‐Doppler technique), medullary tissue NO (selective electrode) and renal excretion were examined in anaesthetized rats. All NOS were blocked with Nϖ‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester (l‐NAME), the neuronal NOS with S‐methyl‐l‐thiocitrulline (SMTC), and CYP‐450 with 1‐aminobenzotriazole (ABT).

Results:  In each diet group the baseline MABP was highest in rats pre‐treated with l‐NAME. CYP‐450 inhibition significantly decreased MABP only in LS (−9%) and HS rats (−22%) pre‐treated with l‐NAME. This MABP decrease correlated directly with the dietary sodium content (r = 0.644, P < 0.001). CYP‐450 inhibition decreased RBF in LS and HS rats (not in HS pre‐treated with l‐NAME). Acute exclusion of CYP‐450 significantly increased MBF only in STD, SMTC pre‐treated rats; in HS group it significantly increased medullary tissue NO by about 1.0 nA. The post‐ABT changes in renal excretion occurred in LS and HS rats, irrespective of the status of NO synthesis.

Conclusions:  Both NO‐ and CYP‐450‐dependent agents contribute to blood pressure and kidney function control, however, the role of 20‐HETE and EETs becomes crucial only under conditions of high sodium intake or after NOS inhibition.
“Converted and always converting”: Transformational spirituality as metanoia
Authors: Cruchley‐Jones Peter
Published: November 2010

This paper reflects from the local context on the issues of living in creation, and explores to what extent, if at all, our theology of creation leads our ethics and spirituality of creation. It begins by examining the theology of creation that is voiced within the author's church. Then it goes on to explore whether the ethics match that theology. The exploration of the disconnection between our theology and ethics leads a critique of world view illustrated in the graffiti of Banksy. The paper contends that the outlook we need to bring to “earth community” is one of metanoia, a readiness to repent and convert towards a life‐style that brings us into greater communion with the earth. But, grounded in this context, the paper asserts this is not in theology's gift. Only by beginning in a spirituality of companionship can we be helped to make the continuous creative changes needed if we are to convert our life‐style and our theology to treat earth as our neighbour.
Optomechanically Induced Transparency
Authors: Weis Stefan , Rivière Rémi , Deléglise Samuel , Gavartin Emanuel , Arcizet Olivier , Schliesser Albert , Kippenberg Tobias J.
Published: November 2010

Mechanical Transparency

In atomic gases and other solid-state systems with appropriate energy levels, manipulation of the optical properties can be induced with a control pulse, allowing the system to transmit light of specific wavelengths that would otherwise have been absorbed.

Weis
et al.

(p.
1520
, published online 11 November) now report electromagnetically induced transparency in an optomechanical system whereby the coupling of a cavity to a light pulse is used to control the transmission of light through the cavity. This approach may help to allow the engineering of light storage and routing on an optical chip.
Health service research: the square peg in human subjects protection regulations: Table 1
Authors: Gittner L S , Roach M J , Kikano G , Grey S , Dawson N V
Published: November 2010

Protection of human participants is a fundamental facet of biomedical research. We report the activities of a health service research study in which there were three institutional review boards (IRBs), three legal departments and one research administration department providing recommendations and mandating changes in the study methods. Complying with IRB requirements can be challenging, but can also adversely affect study outcomes. Multiple protocol changes mandated from multiple IRBs created a research method that was not reflective of how substance use screening would be performed in a clinical setting. There was direct conflict between the IRBs' perceptions of participants' protection with the researchers' need to use research methodology that assures the clinical relevancy of results.