bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Near-wall turbulence statistics and flow structures over three-dimensional roughness in a turbulent channel flow
Authors: HONG JIARONG , KATZ JOSEPH , SCHULTZ MICHAEL P.
Published: January 2011

Utilizing an optically index-matched facility and high-resolution particle image velocimetry measurements, this paper examines flow structure and turbulence in a rough-wall channel flow forReτin the 3520–5360 range. The scales of pyramidal roughness elements satisfy the ‘well-characterized’ flow conditions, withh/k≈ 50 andk+= 60 ~ 100, wherehis half height of the channel andkis the roughness height. The near-wall turbulence measurements are sensitive to spatial resolution, and vary with Reynolds number. Spatial variations in the mean flow, Reynolds stresses, as well as the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) production and dissipation rates are confined toy< 2k. All the Reynolds stress components have local maxima at slightly higher elevations, but the streamwise-normal component increases rapidly aty<k, peaking at the top of the pyramids. The TKE production and dissipation rates along with turbulence transport also peak near the wall. The spatial energy and shear spectra show an increasing contribution of large-scale motions and a diminishing role of small motions with increasing distance from the wall. As the spectra steepen at low wavenumbers, they flatten and develop bumps in wavenumbers corresponding tok− 3k, which fall in the dissipation range. Instantaneous realizations show that roughness-scale eddies are generated near the wall, and lifted up rapidly by large-scale structures that populate the outer layer. A linear stochastic estimation-based analysis shows that the latter share common features with hairpin packets. This process floods the outer layer with roughness-scale eddies, in addition to those generated by the energy-cascading process. Consequently, although the imprints of roughness diminish in the outer-layer Reynolds stresses, consistent with the wall similarity hypothesis, the small-scale turbulence contains a clear roughness signature across the entire channel.
Planar channel flow in Braginskii magnetohydrodynamics
Authors: DELLAR PAUL J.
Published: January 2011

Braginskii magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) is a single-fluid description of large-scale motions in strongly magnetised plasmas. The ion Larmor radius in these plasmas is much shorter than the mean free path between collisions, so momentum transport across magnetic field lines is strongly suppressed. The relation between the strain rate and the viscous stress becomes highly anisotropic, with the viscous stress being predominantly aligned parallel to the magnetic field. We present an analytical study of the steady planar flow across an imposed uniform magnetic field driven by a uniform pressure gradient along a straight channel, the configuration known as Hartmann flow, in Braginskii MHD. The global momentum balance cannot be satisfied by just the parallel viscous stress, so we include the viscous stress perpendicular to magnetic field lines as well. The ratio of perpendicular to parallel viscosities is the key small parameter in our analysis. When another parameter, the Hartmann number, is large the flow is uniform across most of the channel, with boundary layers on either wall that are modifications of the Hartmann layers in standard isotropic MHD. However, the Hartmann layer solution predicts an infinite current and infinite shear at the wall, consistent with a local series solution of the underlying differential equation that is valid for all Hartmann numbers. These singularities are resolved by inner boundary layers whose width scales as the three-quarters power of the viscosity ratio, while the maximum velocity scales as the inverse one-quarter power of the viscosity ratio. The inner wall layers fit between the Hartmann layers, if present, and the walls. The solution thus does not approach a limit as the viscosity ratio tends to zero. Essential features of the solution, such as the maximum current and maximum velocity, are determined by the size of the viscosity ratio, which is the regularising small parameter.
The worldwide utilization of the Chinese soybean germplasm collection
Authors: Qiu Li-Juan , Chen Peng-Yin , Liu Zhang-Xiong , Li Ying-Hui , Guan Rong-Xia , Wang Li-Hui , Chang Ru-Zhen
Published: January 2011

This article focuses on advances in both basic and applied research on soybean germplasm resources collected from China and dispersed to the world. Many landraces developed over the course of the 4500 years since its domestication in the Huangdi period. Systematic germplasm collection was begun in the early 20th century by Professor Shou Wang, and since then over 170,000 accessions have been conserved worldwide. Evaluation with respect to key morphological characteristics, pest resistance, abiotic stress tolerance and nutritional quality attributes has been widely carried out. In addition, genetic diversity has been assessed at the DNA level, and used to establish core collections for both cultivated (Glycine max) and wild (Glycine soja) soybean. Some core sets have targeted the most used parental lines, and others have focused on specific traits, such as resistance to the soybean cyst nematode or to soybean mosaic virus, or enhanced phosphorus use efficiency. The recent acquisition of the soybean genome sequence should accelerate the utilization of not only the Chinese soybean germplasm collection, but also those maintained elsewhere in the world.
Neuronal mechanisms for visual stability: progress and problems
Authors: Wurtz Robert H. , Joiner Wilsaan M. , Berman Rebecca A.
Published: January 2011

How our vision remains stable in spite of the interruptions produced by saccadic eye movements has been a repeatedly revisited perceptual puzzle. The major hypothesis is that a corollary discharge (CD) or efference copy signal provides information that the eye has moved, and this information is used to compensate for the motion. There has been progress in the search for neuronal correlates of such a CD in the monkey brain, the best animal model of the human visual system. In this article, we briefly summarize the evidence for a CD pathway to frontal cortex, and then consider four questions on the relation of neuronal mechanisms in the monkey brain to stable visual perception. First, how can we determine whether the neuronal activity is related to stable visual perception? Second, is the activity a possible neuronal correlate of the proposed transsaccadic memory hypothesis of visual stability? Third, are the neuronal mechanisms modified by visual attention and does our perceived visual stability actually result from neuronal mechanisms related primarily to the central visual field? Fourth, does the pathway from superior colliculus through the pulvinar nucleus to visual cortex contribute to visual stability through suppression of the visual blur produced by saccades?
Visual attention and stability
Authors: Mathôt Sebastiaan , Theeuwes Jan
Published: January 2011

In the present review, we address the relationship between attention and visual stability. Even though with each eye, head and body movement the retinal image changes dramatically, we perceive the world as stable and are able to perform visually guided actions. However, visual stability is not as complete as introspection would lead us to believe. We attend to only a few items at a time and stability is maintained only for those items. There appear to be two distinct mechanisms underlying visual stability. The first is a passive mechanism: the visual system assumes the world to be stable, unless there is a clear discrepancy between the pre- and post-saccadic image of the region surrounding the saccade target. This is related to the pre-saccadic shift of attention, which allows for an accurate preview of the saccade target. The second is an active mechanism: information about attended objects is remapped within retinotopic maps to compensate for eye movements. The locus of attention itself, which is also characterized by localized retinotopic activity, is remapped as well. We conclude that visual attention is crucial in our perception of a stable world.
Computational models of spatial updating in peri-saccadic perception
Authors: Hamker Fred H. , Zirnsak Marc , Ziesche Arnold , Lappe Markus
Published: January 2011

Perceptual phenomena that occur around the time of a saccade, such as peri-saccadic mislocalization or saccadic suppression of displacement, have often been linked to mechanisms of spatial stability. These phenomena are usually regarded as errors in processes of trans-saccadic spatial transformations and they provide important tools to study these processes. However, a true understanding of the underlying brain processes that participate in the preparation for a saccade and in the transfer of information across it requires a closer, more quantitative approach that links different perceptual phenomena with each other and with the functional requirements of ensuring spatial stability. We review a number of computational models of peri-saccadic spatial perception that provide steps in that direction. Although most models are concerned with only specific phenomena, some generalization and interconnection between them can be obtained from a comparison. Our analysis shows how different perceptual effects can coherently be brought together and linked back to neuronal mechanisms on the way to explaining vision across saccades.
Epicatechin gallate and catechin gallate are superior to epigallocatechin gallate in growth suppression and anti‐inflammatory activities in pancreatic tumor cells
Authors: Kürbitz Claudia , Heise Daniel , Redmer Torben , Goumas Freya , Arlt Alexander , Lemke Johannes , Rimbach Gerald , Kalthoff Holger , Trauzold Anna
Published: January 2011

Green tea catechins are considered as possible cancer preventive agents for several cancer types but little is known regarding their effects on pancreatic cancer cells. The best studied catechin and the major polyphenol present in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). In the present study, we investigated the in vitro anti‐tumoral properties of EGCG on human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells PancTu‐I, Panc1, Panc89 and BxPC3 in comparison with the effects of two minor components of green tea catechins, catechin gallate (CG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG). We found that all three catechins inhibited proliferation of PDAC cells in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. Interestingly, CG and ECG exerted much stronger anti‐proliferative effects than EGCG. Western blot analyses performed with PancTu‐I cells revealed catechin‐mediated modulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins (cyclins, cyclin‐dependent kinases [CDK], CDK inhibitors). Again, these effects were clearly more pronounced in CG or ECG than in EGCG‐treated cells. Importantly, catechins, in particular ECG, inhibited TNFα‐induced activation of NF‐κB and consequently secretion of pro‐inflammatory and invasion promoting proteins like IL‐8 and uPA. Overall, our data show that green tea catechins ECG and CG exhibit potent and much stronger anti‐proliferative and anti‐inflammatory activities on PDAC cells than the most studied catechin EGCG. (Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 728–734)
Apoptotic effect of tolfenamic acid in androgen receptor‐independent prostate cancer cell and xenograft tumor through specificity protein 1
Authors: Choi Eun‐Sun , Shim Jung‐Hyun , Jung Ji‐Youn , Kim Hyeong‐Jin , Choi Kyeong‐Hee , Shin Ji‐Ae , Nam Jeong‐Seok , Cho Nam‐Pyo , Cho Sung‐Dae
Published: January 2011

Tolfenamic acid (Tol) is a non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug that was reported to exhibit anticancer activity in pancreatic and colorectal cancer models. This study examined the role of Tol in the death regulation of PC‐3 and DU145 human androgen‐independent prostate cancer cells. The results showed that Tol inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis, as evidenced by nuclear fragmentation and cleaved caspase 3 and poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase. Tol suppressed the specificity protein 1 (Sp1) protein in both PC‐3 and DU145 cells. Tol also attenuated Sp1 mRNA and its promoter activity in DU145 cells, but did not alter them in PC‐3 cells, indicating that Tol degrades Sp1 protein in these cells. Tol also downregulated protein levels, mRNA levels and promoter activities of survivin and myeloid cell leukemia‐1, which are downstream targets of Sp1. The expressions of survivin and Mcl‐1 and cancer cell growth were lower in the PC‐3 cells treated with Sp1 interfering RNA and mithramycin A. Moreover, an oral injection of Tol decreased tumor growth and downregulated the Sp1 protein in athymic nude mice bearing DU145 cell xenografts without hepatotoxicity. Overall, Tol downregulates the Sp1 protein to inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in androgen‐refractory prostate cancers, both in vitro and in vivo, that show resistance against many chemotherapeutic agents. (Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 742–748)
Identification of differentially expressed genes in a resistant versus a susceptible blueberry cultivar after infection by Colletotrichum acutatum
Authors: MILES TIMOTHY D. , DAY BRAD , SCHILDER ANNEMIEK C.
Published: January 2011

Anthracnose fruit rot, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum acutatum, is an important disease of blueberry worldwide. The cultivar Elliott is resistant, severely restricting fungal growth and sporulation relative to the susceptible cultivar Jersey. The objectives of this research were as follows: (i) to analyse pre‐penetration events in ‘Elliott’ and ‘Jersey’ at different stages of fruit development; (ii) to identify putative defence genes in ‘Elliott’ fruit; and (iii) to monitor the timing of the oxidative burst in both cultivars. Light microscopy revealed no differences in the pre‐penetration activities of C. acutatum on the immature fruit of both cultivars. However, at fruit ripening, conidia germinated and formed appressoria more rapidly on ‘Jersey’ than on ‘Elliott’ fruit. Using suppression subtractive hybridization, 37 differentially expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were detected in ‘Elliott’ versus ‘Jersey’ upon infection. Several of the ESTs had homology to known plant defence genes, such as a class II chitinase, pathogenesis‐related protein 10 (PR10) and β‐1,3‐glucanase. Two putative genes involved in oxidative stress were identified: a metallothionein‐like protein and monodehydroascorbate reductase. ESTs of fungal origin were also detected. Many ESTs had no homology to known genes. Using semi‐quantitative and quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), the expression of most of the candidate genes was detected earlier in ‘Elliott’ than in ‘Jersey’, some within 24 h post inoculation (hpi). Monitoring of the oxidative burst showed that the overall H2O2 concentration was two to three times higher in ‘Elliott’ than in ‘Jersey’ at 24 hpi. The elucidation of the basis of resistance to C. acutatum in blueberry will facilitate the development of new anthracnose fruit rot‐resistant cultivars.
Mapping of fertility traits in Finnish Ayrshire by genome‐wide association analysis
Authors: Schulman N. F. , Sahana G. , Iso‐Touru T. , McKay S. D. , Schnabel R. D. , Lund M. S. , Taylor J. F. , Virta J. , Vilkki J. H.
Published: January 2011

A whole‐genome scan using single marker association was used to detect chromosome regions associated with seven female fertility traits in Finnish Ayrshire dairy cattle. The phenotypic data consisted of de‐regressed estimated breeding values for 340 bulls which were estimated using a single trait model. Genotypes were obtained with the Illumina BovineSNP50 panel and a total of 35 630 informative, high‐quality single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were used. The association analysis was performed using a mixed‐model approach which fitted a fixed effect for each SNP and a random polygenic effect. We detected eleven genome‐wide significant associations on eight different chromosomes. With at least chromosome‐wise significance after Bonferroni correction, sixteen SNPs on nine chromosomes showed significant associations with one or more fertility traits. The results confirmed quantitative trait loci on three chromosomes (1, 2 and 20) for fertility traits previously reported for the same breed and one on chromosome four previously detected in Holstein cattle.
Impact of land management practices on high‐affinity methanotrophic bacterial populations: evidence from long‐term sites at Rothamsted
Authors: Maxfield P. J. , Brennand E. L. , Powlson D. S. , Evershed R. P.
Published: January 2011

The impacts of land‐use change and long‐term agricultural practices on the bacterial and methanotrophic biomass in the soils comprising the Classical Experiments at Rothamsted Research were investigated by using 13CH4 phospholipid fatty acid stable isotope probing (PLFA SIP). Nine sites were studied, including six arable plots, two regenerated woodlands and a regenerated grassland. The regenerating sites had all been in arable cropping for at least 200 years (and probably much longer) before commencing regeneration approximately 120 years ago. Six sites were plots within the Broadbalk Wheat Experiment, which had been cultivated, and on which winter wheat was grown annually for 163 years with different fertilizer and manure treatments; the field had been in arable cropping for at least 200 years previously. Triplicate soil samples were incubated under 2 ppmv 13CH4 for up to 100 days. Extraction and 13C‐PLFA analysis revealed that overall methanotrophic biomass was smaller in the Rothamsted soils compared with the other mineral soils studied to date, as indicated by poor 13C incorporation. High‐affinity methanotrophs similar to known type II methanotrophs were most abundant in all of the soils studied, except in two plots receiving farmyard manure (FYM and FYM + N). Manuring resulted in a shift to a population similar to known type I methanotrophs. Methanotrophic biomass was elevated in soils that had received the largest input of N fertilizer, though without detectable differences in CH4 oxidation rates, indicating the potential mediation of atmospheric CH4 oxidation by non‐methanotrophs, which are most likely to be nitrifying bacteria.
Soil carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change: a critical re‐examination to identify the true and the false
Authors: Powlson D. S. , Whitmore A. P. , Goulding K. W. T.
Published: January 2011

The term ‘carbon sequestration’ is commonly used to describe any increase in soil organic carbon (SOC) content caused by a change in land management, with the implication that increased soil carbon (C) storage mitigates climate change. However, this is only true if the management practice causes an additional net transfer of C from the atmosphere to land. Limitations of C sequestration for climate change mitigation include the following constraints: (i) the quantity of C stored in soil is finite, (ii) the process is reversible and (iii) even if SOC is increased there may be changes in the fluxes of other greenhouse gases, especially nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane. Removing land from annual cropping and converting to forest, grassland or perennial crops will remove C from atmospheric CO2 and genuinely contribute to climate change mitigation. However, indirect effects such as conversion of land elsewhere under native vegetation to agriculture could negate the benefit through increased CO2 emission. Re‐vegetating degraded land, of limited value for food production, avoids this problem. Adding organic materials such as crop residues or animal manure to soil, whilst increasing SOC, generally does not constitute an additional transfer of C from the atmosphere to land, depending on the alternative fate of the residue. Increases in SOC from reduced tillage now appear to be much smaller than previously claimed, at least in temperate regions, and in some situations increased N2O emission may negate any increase in stored C. The climate change benefit of increased SOC from enhanced crop growth (for example from the use of fertilizers) must be balanced against greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacture and use of fertilizer. An over‐emphasis on the benefits of soil C sequestration may detract from other measures that are at least as effective in combating climate change, including slowing deforestation and increasing efficiency of N use in order to decrease N2O emissions.
The effect of competition from neighbours on stomatal conductance in lettuce and tomato plants
Authors: VYSOTSKAYA LIDIYA , WILKINSON SALLY , DAVIES WILLIAM J. , ARKHIPOVA TATYANA , KUDOYAROVA GUZEL
Published: January 2011

Competition decreased transpiration from young lettuce plants after 2 days, before any reductions in leaf area became apparent, and stomatal conductance (gs) of lettuce and tomato plants was also reduced. Stomatal closure was not due to hydraulic signals or competition for nutrients, as soil water content, leaf water status and leaf nitrate concentrations were unaffected by neighbours. Competition‐induced stomatal closure was absent in an abscisic acid (ABA)‐deficient tomato mutant, flacca, indicating a fundamental involvement of ABA. Although tomato xylem sap ABA concentrations were unaffected by the presence of neighbours, ABA/pH‐based stomatal modulation is still likely to underlie the response to competition, as soil and xylem sap alkalization was observed in competing plants. Competition also modulated leaf ethylene production, and treatment of lettuce plants with an ethylene perception inhibitor (1‐methylcyclopropene) diminished the difference in gs between single and competing plants grown in a controlled environment room, but increased it in plants grown in the greenhouse: ethylene altered the extent of the stomatal response to competition. Effects of competition on gs are discussed in terms of the detection of the absence of neighbours: increases in gs and carbon fixation may allow faster initial space occupancy within an emerging community/crop.
The role of class A1 heat shock factors (HSFA1s) in response to heat and other stresses in Arabidopsis
Authors: LIU HSIANG‐CHIN , LIAO HSIU‐TING , CHARNG YEE‐YUNG
Published: January 2011

In Arabidopsis, there are four homologs of class A1 heat shock factor (HSFA1) genes, which likely encode the master regulators of heat shock response (HSR). However, previous studies with double knockout (KO) mutants were unable to confirm this point probably due to functional redundancy. Here, we generated a quadruple KO (QK) and four triple KO mutants to dissect their functions. Our data show that members of the HSFA1 group not only play a pivotal role in HSR but also are involved in growth and development. Alterations in morphology and retardation in growth were observed in the quadruple but not in triple KO mutants. The basal and acquired thermotolerance capacity was dramatically decreased in the QK mutant but varied in triple KO mutants at different developmental stages. The transcriptomics profiles suggested that more than 65% of the heat stress (HS)‐up‐regulated genes were HSFA1 dependent. HSFA1s were also involved in the expression of several HS genes induced by H2O2, salt and mannitol, which is consistent with the increased sensitive phenotype of the QK mutant to the stress factors. In conclusion, the Arabidopsis HSFA1s function as the master regulators of HSR and participate as important components in other abiotic stress responses as well.
Practical problems in the application of the sequence stratigraphic method and key surfaces: integrating observations from ancient fluvial–deltaic wedges with Quaternary and modelling studies
Authors: BHATTACHARYA JANOK P.
Published: January 2011

Sequence stratigraphy solved the basic problem that genetically related, but different, lithofacies were routinely assigned to different lithostratigraphic units defined by arbitrary vertical and horizontal cutoffs. Stratigraphically important stratal relationships, and especially stratal terminations (for example, lapout) can be observed in seismic data and can be documented in continuous outcrops, such as in the deserts of the Western Interior of North America and in closely spaced well‐log data sets. In sparse data sets, interpolation of lapout patterns introduces uncertainty in correlation and designation of sequences and systems tracts and their associated surfaces. Diachroneity of fluvial terrace deposits is documented using detailed facies architectural studies, and calls into question the assumed chronostratigraphic significance of many so‐called sequence boundaries identified in the rocks of the Cretaceous Interior Seaway of North America. Sequence boundaries, formed during prolonged sea‐level falls, may be less chronostratigraphically significant than transgressive surfaces formed during rapid rises. As a consequence, flooding surfaces are theoretically more significant, and also have greater utility as allostratigraphic boundaries, although they may also exhibit diachroneity. Tectonic unconformities produce differential lithospheric deformation, which results in angular unconformities, although the angle of discordance may be very small. In the Cretaceous Interior Seaway of North America, such unconformities may be expressed by marine erosion in distal basin settings. Regional isochronous bentonites provide useful marker beds that clearly illustrate angular discordance. In the fluvial realm, such tectonic discontinuities may be indicated by changes in palaeocurrent orientations, as well as by provenance changes. Although sequence stratigraphy provides a powerful methodology and theoretical framework for correlating and understanding the evolution of stratigraphic successions in the context of changing accommodation, allostratigraphy remains the only accepted scheme for the formal naming of stratigraphic units based on bounding discontinuities. Whatever type of sequence stratigraphy or allostratigraphy is preferred, in all cases it is key to recognize that sequence stratigraphy, at its heart, is the re‐ordering, correlation, and sometimes renaming of stratigraphic units on the basis of bounding discontinuities and their correlative surfaces, as opposed to the arbitrary lithofacies‐oriented approach using broad facies zones (for example, ‘shazam lines’) or arbitrary cutoffs, such as is used in traditional lithostratigraphy.
Tectonic sedimentology: sediment systems deciphering global to local tectonics
Authors: LEEDER MICHAEL R.
Published: January 2011

Tectonic sedimentology has broad appeal because it can be applied at many time and length scales, such as sedimentary consequences of: changing rates of plate creation at mid‐ocean ridges, continent–continent collisions, plateaux uplift, active plate margins, extensional rift tectonics and the birth, growth and death of individual folds and faults. Tectonic sedimentology deals with the direct influence of neotectonics on sedimentation and basin development, and with the inverse problem of reconstructing the order and development of palaeotectonic structures. This review attempts to show how the scope and importance of the subject has developed over the last decade and is divided into five themes: (i) At the largest tectonic scale, constraints on mid‐ocean ridge activity and continent–continent collisions come from: (a) precise chemical analyses of fluid inclusions in marine halite deposits dating back to ca 550 Ma; (b) Sr‐isotopic ratios of marine Phanerozoic calcitic fossils; and (c) chemical composition of Archaean and Proterozoic banded iron formations. (ii) At regional scales, constraints on the timing and extent of continental plateau uplift/incision and cratonic tilting are given by: (a) palaeoaltimetry estimates from oxygen isotope depletion in carbonate palaeosols; (b) radiometric dating of palaeowater‐table speleothems; and (c) preferential river migration. (iii) At basin scales, catchment processes are emphasized as key controls on sediment flux from tectonic uplands to sedimentary basins. The inadequacy of sediment transport algorithms based on tractive stress and flow power to describe erosion, incision and sediment transport during the most formative catchment hydrological events is emphasized. (iv) Rates of basin‐scale fault and fold growth, displacement, death and basement uplift are provided by application of facies analysis and sequence stratigraphy to accurately‐dated sediments in sedimentary basins. (v) The effects of changing climate and varying basin base‐level in modifying tectonic influences on erosion and sedimentation are examined. In such cases, experimental and numerical modelling using multi‐variate parameters of subsidence rate, sediment supply and sea‐level change can shed light on the problem. Future developments will undoubtedly improve such models, hopefully establishing full linkage and feedback between sediment/water supply and changing climate within an overall tectonic framework that may itself be changing.
Enhanced levels of vitamin B6 increase aerial organ size and positively affect stress tolerance in Arabidopsis
Authors: Raschke Maja , Boycheva Svetlana , Crèvecoeur Michèle , Nunes‐Nesi Adriano , Witt Sandra , Fernie Alisdair R. , Amrhein Nikolaus , Fitzpatrick Teresa B.
Published: January 2011

Vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient in the human diet derived primarily from plant sources. While it is well established as a cofactor for numerous metabolic enzymes, more recently, vitamin B6 has been implicated as a potent antioxidant. The de novo vitamin B6 biosynthesis pathway in plants has recently been unraveled and involves only two proteins, PDX1 and PDX2. To provide more insight into the effect of the compound on plant development and its role as an antioxidant, we have overexpressed the PDX proteins in Arabidopsis, generating lines with considerably higher levels of the vitamin in comparison with other recent attempts to achieve this goal. Interestingly, it was possible to increase the level of only one of the two catalytically active PDX1 proteins at the protein level, providing insight into the mechanism of vitamin B6 homeostasis in planta. Vitamin B6 enhanced lines have considerably larger vegetative and floral organs and although delayed in pre‐reproductive development, do not have an altered overall morphology. The vitamin was observed to accumulate in seeds and the enhancement of its levels was correlated with an increase in their size and weight. This phenotype is predominantly a consequence of embryo enlargement as reflected by larger cells. Furthermore, plants that overaccumulate the vitamin have an increased tolerance to oxidative stress providing in vivo evidence for the antioxidant functionality of vitamin B6. In particular, the plants show an increased resistance to paraquat and photoinhibition, and they attenuate the cell death response observed in the conditional flu mutant.
Posteromedial diaphragmatic hernia following pediatric liver transplantation
Authors: Moon Suk‐Bae , Jung Soo‐Min , Kwon Choon‐Hyuk , Kim Sung‐Joo , Joh Jae‐Won , Seo Jeong‐Meen , Lee Suk‐Koo
Published: January 2011

Moon S‐B, Jung S‐M, Kwon C‐H, Kim S‐J, Joh J‐W, Seo J‐M, Lee S‐K. Posteromedial diaphragmatic hernia following pediatric liver transplantation.

Abstract:  Diaphragmatic hernia is a rare complication following pediatric LT. Here, four children who developed right‐sided posteromedial diaphragmatic hernias after LT are reported. The primary disease was biliary atresia in two patients, hemangioendothelioma in one, and angiosarcoma in one patient. All of the patients underwent living‐donor LT using a left lateral graft. The patients presented with abdominal and/or pulmonary signs and symptoms. The diaphragmatic hernias were diagnosed at 28 days to seven months post‐transplant by standard radiographs or chest CT. The defects were located at the posteromedial aspect of the diaphragm and were closed by primary closure. After diaphragm repair, the post‐operative course was unremarkable and there were no recurrences. Thermal or mechanical injuries to the bare area, especially in cases of excessive adhesion between the liver and diaphragm after Kasai operation, were the possible causes of the posteromedial diaphragmatic hernia after pediatric LT.
West Nile virus encephalitis acquired via liver transplantation and clinical response to intravenous immunoglobulin: case report and review of the literature
Authors: Rhee C. , Eaton E.F. , Concepcion W. , Blackburn B.G.
Published: January 2011

C. Rhee, E.F. Eaton, W. Concepcion, B.G. Blackburn. West Nile virus encephalitis acquired via liver transplantation and clinical response to intravenous immunoglobulin: case report and review of the literature. Transpl Infect Dis 2011: 13: 312–317. All rights reserved

Abstract: A patient developed West Nile virus (WNV) encephalitis 2 weeks after receiving a liver transplant and recovered fully, following treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). Laboratory testing documented transmission from the organ donor. Clinicians should be suspicious for organ‐transmitted WNV in any post‐transplant patient who develops fever and neurological symptoms. We review previous cases of organ‐transmitted WNV, the use of IVIg for WNV encephalitis, and the issue of organ donor screening.
Isolation and characterization of simple sequence repeat markers for the tetraploid forage grass Dactylis glomerata
Authors: Hirata Mariko , Yuyama Nana , Cai Hongwei
Published: January 2011

With 1 table

To isolate simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers from Dactylis glomerata, four SSR‐enriched genomic libraries for different repeat motifs from genomic DNA of a Japanese orchardgrass variety, ‘Akimidori II’, were constructed. A total of 969 unique SSR‐containing clones were identified and used for primer design. A BLAST search revealed that 63 of the sequences showed significant homology with sequences of other plant species including 18 that showed significant gene homology. After screening of a panel consisting of eight orchardgrass individuals, 606 SSR markers showed polymorphism, 70 generated monomorphic bands and the other primers either generated multiple bands or did not provide any amplification product. In the 606 polymorphic SSR markers, most had a large number of alleles, ranging from 1 to 13 with an average of 4.5 alleles per SSR primer pair. The number of alleles per individual ranged from 1 to 4. These SSR markers developed in this study will have broad utility for genotyping applications in this species, including gene targeting, quantitative trait locus mapping, variety or species identification and marker‐assisted selection.
Selection of pigeonpea genotypes for tolerance to aluminium toxicity
Authors: Choudhary Arbind K. , Singh Dharmendra , Iquebal Mir A.
Published: January 2011

With 2 tables

Aluminium toxicity is a major growth limiting factor for pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh] production in acid soils. Thus, screening and selection of pigeonpea genotypes for aluminium tolerance is important. The effects of five aluminium concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30 and 50 ppm Al) on 32 genotypes of pigeonpea were studied in hydroponic and sand assays (growth response methods). Ratings of genotypes were similar for the two screening methods, suggesting that either of the two could be used for evaluation of genotypes for aluminium tolerance. Root and shoot aluminium contents were significantly lower in the tolerant (‘IPA 7‐10′ and ‘T 7’) than sensitive genotypes (‘Bahar’ and ‘Pusa 9’), indicating that aluminium tolerance mechanism per se in the tolerant genotypes involved aluminium exclusion. Genotypes ‘IPA 7‐10’ and ‘T 7’ will be useful in breeding programmes to improve aluminium tolerance in pigeonpea.
Dependability of Personality, Life Satisfaction, and Affect in Short‐Term Longitudinal Data
Authors: Anusic Ivana , Lucas Richard E. , Donnellan M. Brent
Published: January 2011

The consistency of individual differences across time has implications for theory building and clinical applications. Indeed, personality psychologists have long worked to place constructs on the continuum of consistency of more trait‐like to more state‐like constructs. Recently, Chmielewski and Watson () highlighted the importance of dependability coefficients for interpreting the results of stability studies. These coefficients provide an estimate of how strongly short‐term transient error affects retest correlations for a given measure. In this article, we use a modified version of Kenny and Zautra's (, ) STARTS model to estimate dependability of personality, life satisfaction, and affect in a 2‐month longitudinal study of 8 waves. Results from 226 undergraduate students indicated that personality ratings were least influenced by transient state factors, whereas affect was most influenced. We discuss these findings in terms of their implications for the continuum of consistency and for the practical issue of selecting retest intervals for dependability analyses.
Uncovering the Affective Core of Conscientiousness: The Role of Self‐Conscious Emotions
Authors: Fayard Jennifer V. , Roberts Brent W. , Robins Richard W. , Watson David
Published: January 2011

We conducted 3 studies to test the idea that guilt is a key affective component of Conscientiousness and that it can account for the relation between Conscientiousness and negative affect. Study 1 used meta‐analysis to show that Conscientiousness was associated with specific emotions and overall negative affect but was most strongly associated with guilt. Conscientiousness was negatively related to guilt experience but positively related to guilt proneness. Also, guilt experience mediated the relation between Conscientiousness and negative affect. Study 2 (N = 142) examined the relation between facets of Conscientiousness and guilt. We replicated results from Study 1 and showed that the relation between Conscientiousness and guilt was not due to overlap with Extraversion and Neuroticism. Study 3 (n = 176) examined the interplay between Conscientiousness and guilt on grades in a short‐term longitudinal study. These studies showed that Conscientiousness is primarily related to guilt and highlighted the importance of examining the emotional substrate of Conscientiousness.
Ethical Behaviour in Practice: Decision Outcomes and Strategic Implications
Authors: Barraquier Anne
Published: January 2011

In this paper I analyse the ethical behaviour of managers confronted with legal compliance and ethical demands of salient stakeholders. Drawing on narratives extracted from a qualitative study in the flavours and fragrances industry, I reveal how managers, in highly regulated and knowledge‐intensive industries, make decisions involving ethical content. The findings show that ethical behaviour is determined by a three‐stage intuitive process leading to arbitration between ethics and profit. This process generates four decision outcomes: fraud, crisis, competition and innovation. The strategic implications of these outcomes are discussed.
A Survey of Real‐Time Hard Shadow Mapping Methods
Authors: Scherzer Daniel , Wimmer Michael , Purgathofer Werner
Published: January 2011

Because of its versatility, speed and robustness, shadow mapping has always been a popular algorithm for fast hard shadow generation since its introduction in 1978, first for offline film productions and later increasingly so in real‐time graphics. So it is not surprising that recent years have seen an explosion in the number of shadow map related publications. Because of the abundance of articles on the topic, it has become very hard for practitioners and researchers to select a suitable shadow algorithm, and therefore many applications miss out on the latest high‐quality shadow generation approaches. The goal of this survey is to rectify this situation by providing a detailed overview of this field. We show a detailed analysis of shadow mapping errors and derive a comprehensive classification of the existing methods. We discuss the most influential algorithms, consider their benefits and shortcomings and thereby provide the readers with the means to choose the shadow algorithm best suited to their needs.
Compact Models
Authors: Coll Narcís , Paradinas Teresa
Published: January 2011

Development of approximation techniques for highly detailed surfaces is one of the challenges faced today. We introduce a new mesh structure that allows dense triangular meshes of arbitrary topology to be approximated. The structure is constructed from the information gathered during a simplification process. Each vertex of the simplified model collects a neighbourhood of input vertices. Then, each neighbourhood is fitted by a set of local surfaces taking into account the sharp features detected. The simplified model plus the parameters of these local surfaces, conveniently stored in a file, is what we call Compact Model (CM). The input model can be approximated from its CM by refining each triangle of the simplified model. The main feature of our approach is that each triangle is refined by blending the local surfaces at its vertices, which can be done independently of the others. Consequently, adaptive reconstructions are possible, local shape deformations can be incorporated and the whole approximation process can be completely parallelized.
Adaptive Records for Irradiance Caching
Authors: Ribardière Mickaël , Carré Samuel , Bouatouch Kadi
Published: January 2011

Irradiance Caching is one of the most widely used algorithms to speed up global illumination. In this paper, we propose an algorithm based on the Irradiance Caching scheme that allows us (1) to adjust the density of cached records according to illumination changes and (2) to efficiently render the high‐frequency illumination changes. To achieve this, a new record footprint is presented. Although the original method uses records having circular footprints depending only on geometrical features, our record footprints have a more complex shape which accounts for both geometry and irradiance variations. Irradiance values are computed using a classical Monte Carlo ray tracing method that simplifies the determination of nearby objects and the pre‐computation of the shape of the influence zone of the current record. By gathering irradiance due to all the incident rays, illumination changes are evaluated to adjust the footprint’s records. As a consequence, the record footprints are smaller where illumination gradients are high. With this technique, the record density depends on the irradiance variations. Strong variations of irradiance (due to direct contributions for example) can be handled and evaluated accurately. Caching direct illumination is of high importance, especially in the case of scenes having many light sources with complex geometry as well as surfaces exposed to daylight. Recomputing direct illumination for the whole image can be very time‐consuming, especially for walkthrough animation rendering or for high‐resolution pictures. Storing such contributions in the irradiance cache seems to be an appropriate solution to accelerate the final rendering pass.
Recognition and Social Esteem: A Case Study of the Struggles of People Affected by Leprosy
Authors: Mendonça Ricardo Fabrino
Published: January 2011

This article aims to discuss the role of social esteem in the theory of recognition. It argues that the importance of esteem for self-realization should not be reduced to the affirmation of group identities. In order to support this argument, the article analyzes the struggles of former leprosy patients in Brazil, using data gathered from: (1) a newsletter published by the Movement for the Reintegration of People Affected by Hansen's Disease; and (2) twelve conversation groups conducted in former Brazilian leprosy colonies. The article analyzes the discursive ways through which these individuals sought esteem, which include the confrontation of stigma, the claim of contributing to the accomplishment of social goals and the demonstration of personal achievements. Supporting Honneth's conception of social esteem, the article has three major conclusions. The first one is that justice should not be restricted to the universal language of rights. The second one is that the distinction between struggles based on social contributions and struggles grounded on personal achievements is hard to be made empirically, and that it is misguiding to derive direct consequences from different types of claim. Lastly, the third conclusion concerns the fruitfulness of operationalizing Honneth's abstract realms of recognition in empirical studies.
Explaining the Onset of Cohabitation under Semi-presidentialism
Authors: Elgie Robert , McMenamin Iain
Published: January 2011

Semi-presidentialism – where the constitution provides for both a directly elected fixed-term president and a prime minister and cabinet collectively responsible to the legislature – is an increasingly common form of government. For many observers cohabitation is the Achilles heel of semi-presidentialism. This article aims to identify the conditions that are associated with the onset of cohabitation. We specify a number of hypotheses that predict the conditions under which cohabitation should occur. We then test our hypotheses on the basis of a new data set that records every case of cohabitation in all semi-presidential electoral democracies from 1989 to 2008 inclusive. We confirm that cohabitation is more likely to occur in countries with a premier-presidential form of semi-presidentialism and show that it is more likely to follow an election that occurs midway through a parliamentary or presidential term, and that when cohabitation follows a presidential election, it is likely to do so in a country where there is only a very weak president. Overall, we find that the conditions under which cohabitation is most likely to occur are also the ones where it is most easily managed. Thus, our findings imply that cohabitation is not likely to be as problematic as the existing literature would suggest.
The co‐marking of aged bodies and migrant bodies: migrant workers’ contribution to geriatric medicine in the UK
Authors: Raghuram Parvati , Bornat Joanna , Henry Leroi
Published: January 2011

This article sits at the nexus between two bodies of work, gerontology and migration research, both of which have theorised the body as the locus of stigma. Gerontologists, while acknowledging the significance of perceptions of the ageing body for engagement and participation in society, have often evaded direct engagement with physical and medical understandings of older bodies. In parallel, research which focuses on migration, race and the body has focused on how the migrant body is stigmatised both because of its somatic markers and because of the status of the frail older people whom they tend. Drawing on oral history interviews with UK born and South Asian overseas‐trained geriatricians, the article argues that the two bodies, which are usually seen in negative ways, came together in meaningful ways in the development of the specialty of geriatric medicine. Thinking of the body as an assemblage with many elements, some of which are stigmatised but which can nevertheless be recuperated, helps us to think beyond stigma in the context of body work.
Negotiating Gendered Subjectivity in the Enterprise Culture: Metaphor and Entrepreneurial Discourses
Authors: Wee Lionel , Brooks Ann
Published: January 2011

An enterprise culture is one in which ‘certain enterprising qualities — such as self reliance, personal responsibility, boldness and a willingness to take risks in the pursuit of goals — are regarded as human virtues and promoted as such’. Work is not seen as a constraint upon the individual but rather as an opportunity for self‐fulfilment. The pervasiveness of enterprise culture has led to observations that it influences aspects of social life beyond the workplace. However, the kind of self that is imagined in enterprise culture is also a male self, with female entrepreneurship measured against a male norm. In this article, then, we present evidence of metaphor as a strategy for coping with the gendered expectations embodied by life in enterprise culture. We show how metaphor is simultaneously an index of and a resource for understanding gendered subjectivities in enterprise culture.