bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Image-Based Fluidic Sorting System for Automated Zebrafish Egg Sorting into Multiwell Plates
Authors: Graf Siegfried F. , Hötzel Sebastian , Liebel Urban , Stemmer Andreas , Knapp Helmut F.
Published: March 2011

The global demand for the reduction of animal testing has led to the emergence of Zebrafish eggs/larvae as model organisms to replace current adult animal testing in, for example, toxicity testing. Because of the egg size (diameter 1.6 mm) and the relatively easy maintenance of Zebrafish farms the eggs also offer high-throughput screening (HTS). However, the current bottleneck for HTS is the cost-efficient placing of individual organisms into single wells of a multiwell plate (MWP). The system presented here is capable of storing, sorting, and placing individual organisms in a highly reproducible manner. In about 11 min a complete 96-MWP is filled, which corresponds to about 8 sec per egg. The survival rate of fertilized transgenic and wild-type eggs was comparable to the one of the control (control 6.7%, system 7.6%). Furthermore, it was also possible to place dechorionated eggs into individual wells. The results demonstrate that the cost efficient system works gentle and reliable enough to disburden scientists from the exhausting and monotonous job of placing single eggs into single wells, such that they can concentrate on the scientific aspects of their experiments and create results with a higher statistical relevance.
Automated Extraction of DNA from Blood and PCR Setup using a Tecan Freedom EVO Liquid Handler for Forensic Genetic STR Typing of Reference Samples
Authors: Stangegaard Michael , Frøslev Tobias G. , Frank-Hansen Rune , Hansen Anders J. , Morling Niels
Published: March 2011

We have implemented and validated automated protocols for DNA extraction and PCR setup using a Tecan Freedom EVO liquid handler mounted with the Te-MagS magnetic separation device (Tecan, Mannedorf, Switzerland). The protocols were validated for accredited forensic genetic work according to ISO 17025 using the Qiagen MagAttract DNA Mini M48 kit (Qiagen GmbH, Hilden, Germany) from fresh whole blood and blood from deceased individuals. The workflow was simplified by returning the DNA extracts to the original tubes minimizing the risk of misplacing samples. The tubes that originally contained the samples were washed with MilliQ water before the return of the DNA extracts. The PCR was setup in 96-well microtiter plates. The methods were validated for the kits: AmpFSTR Identifier, SGM Plus and Yfiler (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA), GenePrint FFFL and PowerPlex Y (Promega, Madison, Wl). The automated protocols allowed for extraction and addition of PCR master mix of 96 samples within 3.5 h. In conclusion, we demonstrated that (1) DNA extraction with magnetic beads and (2) PCR setup for accredited, forensic genetic short tandem repeat typing can be implemented on a simple automated liquid handler leading to the reduction of manual work, and increased quality and throughput.
Why don't we learn from poor choices? The consistency of expectation, choice, and memory clouds the lessons of experience
Authors: Schwarz Norbert , Xu Jing
Published: March 2011

Why do consumers need advice on how to spend their money to improve their enjoyment of life? Why don't they learn this from daily experience? We propose that consumers' opportunity to learn from experience is impaired because hedonic experiences are fleeting. Once some time has passed, consumers rely on their general knowledge to reconstruct what the experience must have been, which is also the knowledge they use in hedonic prediction and choice. Given this overlap in inputs, prediction, choice and memory usually converge, leaving consumers with the impression that their predictions were correct and their choices wise. The actual in situ experience, however, may have been quite different. We illustrate these dynamics with a product many consumers want to spend their money on, namely, a luxury car.
Attacks by Jaguars (Panthera onca) on Humans in Central Brazil: Report of Three Cases, with Observation of a Death
Authors: Neto Manoel Francisco Campos , Garrone Neto Domingos , Haddad Vidal
Published: March 2011

Conflicts between humans and big cats have been known for centuries throughout the world, but have intensified in recent decades. Recently, attacks by Panthera onca on humans in Brazil have been brought to the forefront through exposure in the press and because of the severity of the attacks. We report 3 cases of patients attacked by jaguars in provoked and predatory situations. Two patients survived the attacks and one died. Attack mechanisms and lesions in victims are discussed. The attacks demonstrate a real risk of accidents from jaguars in certain regions, such as the Pantanal and the Amazon.
Intestinal cell conversion ofdl-2-hydroxy-(4-methylthio)butanoic acidin vitro: dietary up-regulation by this methionine precursor
Authors: Martín-Venegas Raquel , Teresa Brufau M. , Mercier Yves , Geraert Pierre-André , Ferrer Ruth
Published: March 2011

dl-2-Hydroxy-(4-methylthio)butanoic acid (HMTBA) is a synthetic source of dietary methionine (Met) widely used in poultry nutrition. HMTBA is transported in the intestinal epithelium by the monocarboxylate transporter 1, after which its biological utilisation relies on its conversion tol-Met. This process involves stereospecific HMTBA oxidation to 2-keto-(4-methylthio)butanoic acid (KMB) and transamination tol-Met. In the present study, we examined HMTBA conversion tol-Met, further incorporation into cellular proteins and the regulation of both processes by HMTBA supplementation in differentiated intestinal Caco-2 cells. The results showedd- andl-HMTBA oxidation in the enterocytes, this process being up-regulated by HMTBA. The data also revealed that KMB transamination is not linked to a specific amino group donor. However, the branched-chain amino acidl-leucine is the preferred amino group donor. Furthermore, transamination was not affected by HMTBA availability. The incorporation of radioactivity from HMTBA into cellular proteins was not significantly different from that ofl-Met and was not affected by HMTBA supplementation. In conclusion, the results reveal the capacity of Caco-2 cells to convert HMTBA tol-Met and the up-regulation of conversion by nutritional HMTBA supplementation, thus highlighting the contribution of the intestinal epithelium in the utilisation of HMTBA as a dietary source of Met.
Selection and Sanctioning in European Parliamentary Elections
Authors: Hobolt Sara B. , Høyland Bjørn
Published: March 2011

Elections are inherently about selecting good candidates for public office and sanctioning incumbents for past performance. Yet, in the low salience context of ‘second-order elections’ to the European Parliament, empirical evidence suggests that voters sanction first-order national incumbents. However, no previous study has examined whether voters also use these elections to select good candidates. This article draws on a unique dataset on the political experience of party representatives in eighty-five national elections to the European Parliament to evaluate the extent to which voters prefer candidates with more political experience. The results show that selection considerations do matter. Parties that choose experienced top candidates are rewarded by voters. This effect is greatest when European elections are held in the middle of the national electoral cycle.
Use of genomic models to study genetic control of environmental variance
Authors: YANG YE , CHRISTENSEN OLE F. , SORENSEN DANIEL
Published: March 2011

Vast amount of genetic marker information is being used to obtain insight into the genetic architecture of complex traits, for locating genomic regions (quantitative trait loci (QTL)) affecting disease and for enhancing the accuracy of prediction of genetic values in selection programmes. The genomic model commonly found in the literature, with marker effects affecting mean only, is extended to investigate putative effects at the level of the environmental variance. Two classes of models are proposed and their behaviour, studied using simulated data, indicates that they are capable of detecting genetic variation at the level of mean and variance. Implementation is via Markov chain Monte Carlo (McMC) algorithms. The models are compared in terms of a measure of global fit, in their ability to detect QTL effects and in terms of their predictive power. The models are subsequently fitted to back fat thickness data in pigs. The analysis of back fat thickness shows that the data support genomic models with effects on the mean but not on the variance. The relative sizes of experiment necessary to detect effects on mean and variance is discussed and an extension of the McMC algorithm is proposed.
Triassic shoshonitic dykes from the northern North China craton: petrogenesis and geodynamic significance
Authors: FU LEBING , WEI JUNHAO , KUSKY TIMOTHY M. , CHEN HUAYONG , TAN JUN , LI YANJUN , KONG LINGJUN , JIANG YONGJIAN
Published: March 2011

Zircon U–Pb ages, major and trace element geochemistry and Sr, Nd and Pb isotope compositions of diorite and diorite porphyry dykes from the Jinchanggouliang (JCGL) gold ore field on the northern margin of the North China craton (NCC) were studied to investigate their sources, petrogenesis and geodynamic significance. LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb dating reveals three major age groups of 2500 Ma (n = 2), 253 ± 7 Ma (n = 5) and 227 ± 1 Ma (n = 9). The inherited ages of 2500 Ma, contemporary with the Archaean NCC continental growth, imply that crustal material was involved in the magma source. The igneous zircons with a concordia age of 227 ± 1 Ma may record the emplacement age of the JCGL dykes. Both diorite and diorite porphyry exhibit a wide range of SiO2and MgO contents and are characterized by high concentrations of Na2O+K2O and Al2O3, and low abundances of P2O5and TiO2. They are enriched in large ion lithophile elements and light rare earth elements without significant Eu anomalies, and depleted in high-field-strength elements; all are categorized as shoshonitic rocks. All samples show a narrow range of Sr isotope compositions with initial87Sr/86Sr ratios from 0.70394 to 0.70592, variableεNd(t) values (1.1 to −12.0) and TDM2ages of 913–1972 Ma. Their Pb isotope compositions form continuous variation trends and plot in the fields between enriched mantle 1 (EM1) and lower continental crust (LCC). The above results suggest that the JCGL dykes studied could have been derived from mixing of lower crust, lithospheric mantle of the NCC and ascending asthenospheric melt in a post-orogenic extensional geodynamic setting. These shoshonitic dykes, together with the geochronological data of regional ENE-trending retrograded eclogites, ophiolites, continental arc magmatic belt, A-type granite, alkaline intrusions and metamorphic core complex from the northern NCC and Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) suggest that closure of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean (i.e. stage of pre-collision to collision) had completed during latest Permian to earliest Triassic time, and that the CAOB was subsequently tectonically dominated by post-orogenic extensional regimes. The involvement of asthenospheric melt in the magma source implies that the sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) of the NCC had been modified, and the onset of lithospheric destruction and thinning beneath the northern NCC may have occurred in Middle–Late Triassic time as a result of post-orogenic subducting slab detachment and lithospheric delamination.
Three-dimensional extension of Lighthill's large-amplitude elongated-body theory of fish locomotion
Authors: CANDELIER FABIEN , BOYER FREDERIC , LEROYER ALBAN
Published: March 2011

The goal of this paper is to derive expressions for the pressure forces and moments acting on an elongated body swimming in a quiescent fluid. The body is modelled as an inextensible and unshearable (Kirchhoff) beam, whose cross-sections are elliptic, undergoing prescribed deformations, consisting of yaw and pitch bending. The surrounding fluid is assumed to be inviscid, and irrotational everywhere, except in a thin vortical wake. The Laplace equation and the corresponding Neumann boundary conditions are first written in terms of the body coordinates of a beam treating the body as a fixed surface. They are then simplified according to the slenderness of the body and its kinematics. Because the equations are linear, the velocity potential is sought as a sum of two terms which are linked respectively to the axial movements of the beam and to its lateral movements. The lateral component of the velocity potential is decomposed further into two sub-components, in order to exhibit explicitly the role of the two-dimensional potential flow produced by the lateral motion of the cross-section, and the role played by the curvature effects of the beam on the cross-sectional flow. The pressure, which is given by Bernoulli's equation, is integrated along the body surface, and the expressions for the resultant and the moment are derived analytically. Thereafter, the validity of the force and moment obtained analytically is checked by comparisons with Navier–Stokes simulations (using Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations), and relatively good agreements are observed.
Age estimation of marine tucuxi dolphins (Sotalia fluviatilis) in south-eastern Brazil
Authors: de O. Santos M.C. , Rosso S. , Ramos R.M.A.
Published: March 2011

This study reports the age estimation of marine tucuxi dolphins (Sotalia fluviatilis) found dead along the south-east coast of Brazil (24°40′S–25°30′S). The investigated specimens were collected from August 1995 to December 1998. Ages were estimated through the number of Growth Layer Groups (GLGs) from decalcified and stained thin sections of teeth. A total of 36 individuals was investigated. Estimated ages of marine tucuxis varied from zero to 29 years. The growth curve was attained from a modification of the von Bertalanffy equation applied to body length and age data. It was possible to estimate the total length of 97·8 cm in newborns, physical maturity was attained at seven years of age, and an asymptotic length of 179·8 cm.
Is oxidative stress involved in the loss of neem (Azadirachta indica) seed viability?
Authors: Sacandé Moctar , Hoekstra Folkert A. , van Aelst Adriaan C. , Ric De Vos C.H.
Published: March 2011

Neem (Azadirachta indica) is a valuable multipurpose tree of tropical arid and semi-arid regions. The use of its seeds is hindered by their short storage longevity. The possible causes of rapid loss of viability were investigated on different seed lots during exposure to 32% and 75% RH at 20°C. Within 6 months the seeds almost lost germinability at 75% RH, whereas at 32% RH viability decreased only slightly. On rehydration, the axis cells from nongerminable seeds had lost turgor, whereas those from viable seeds were turgescent as visualized by low temperature scanning electron microscopy images of fractured axes. Glutathione oxidation status was used to estimate oxidative stress during storage. Oxidative stress was much higher at 75% RH storage than at 32% RH, mainly caused by the rapid loss of reduced glutathione at 75% RH. Oligosaccharides and phospholipids decreased, and free fatty acids increased during storage at the high RH but remained at a constant level at the low RH. However, the degree of fatty acid unsaturation between viable and nonviable seed lots was similar. During the (slow) dehydration of fresh seeds, total glutathione, oligosaccharides and phospholipids accumulated, particularly in the initially more hydrated seeds. We interpret this accumulation as a post-maturation process associated with acquisition of the capability for long-term survival in the dry state. The mass ratio of oligosaccharides to sucrose was 0.19 on average in dehydrated neem seeds. The data suggest that the storage behaviour of neem seeds has features that characterize it as orthodox.
Learning opinions in user-generated web content
Authors: SOKOLOVA M. , LAPALME G.
Published: March 2011

The user-generated Web content has been intensively analyzed in Information Extraction and Natural Language Processing research. Web-posted reviews of consumer goods are studied to find customer opinions about the products. We hypothesize that nonemotionally charged descriptions can be applied to predict those opinions. The descriptions may include indicators of product size (tall), commonplace (some), frequency of happening (often), and reviewer certainty (maybe). We first construct patterns of how the descriptions are used in consumer-written texts and then represent individual reviews through these patterns. We propose a semantic hierarchy that organizes individual words into opinion types. We run machine learning algorithms on five data sets of user-written product reviews: four are used in classification experiments, another one for regression and classification. The obtained results support the use of non-emotional descriptions in opinion learning.
Retrospective Reports of the Development of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Extending Knowledge of the Protracted Symptom Phase
Authors: Coles Meredith E. , Johnson Emily M. , Schubert Jessica R.
Published: March 2011

Background: In contrast to a wealth of research on the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), there is a relative paucity of work examining how OCD begins. Available data suggest that there is often a slow progression from the onset of symptoms to meeting criteria for a diagnosis of OCD. Aims: The current study sought to add to existing data documenting the slow-development of OCD, and to extend previous findings by examining potential moderators of this symptom phase and to examine patients’ explanations for the transition from symptoms to disorder. Method: One hundred and ninety-nine individuals with OCD reported on the start of their symptoms and the disorder via an internet-based survey. Results: Over two-thirds of respondents reported that the development of their OCD was gradual. Further, participants reported having experienced obsessions and/or compulsions for an average of 5 years before experiencing full-blown OCD. This extended symptom phase was observed in individuals with early- and late-onset OCD, with an even more protracted symptom phase in the later group. Female gender and onset of compulsions prior to obsessions were also associated with slower progression to full-blown OCD. Finally, explanations for the transition from symptoms to disorder suggest that changes in daily routines and general stress may be particularly important in this transition for individuals that develop clinical OCD at age 18 or later. Conclusions: Existence of a protracted symptom phase may present opportunities for elucidating risk factors for OCD disease progression and a window of opportunity for indicated prevention programs.
Influence of Education on Subcortical Hyperintensities and Global Cognitive Status in Vascular Dementia
Authors: Lane Elizabeth M. , Paul Robert H. , Moser David J. , Fletcher Thomas D. , Cohen Ronald A.
Published: March 2011

Subcortical hyperintensities (SH) on neuroimaging are a prominent feature of vascular dementia (VaD) and SH severity correlates with cognitive impairment in this population. Previous studies demonstrated that SH burden accounts for a degree of the cognitive burden among VaD patients, although it remains unclear if individual factors such as cognitive reserve influence cognitive status in VaD. To address this issue, we examined 36 individuals diagnosed with probable VaD (age = 77.56; education = 12). All individuals underwent MMSE evaluations and MRI brain scans. We predicted that individuals with higher educational attainment would exhibit less cognitive difficulty despite similar levels of SH volume, compared to individuals with less educational attainment. A regression analysis revealed that greater SH volume was associated with lower scores on the MMSE. Additionally, education moderated the relationship between SH volume and MMSE score, demonstrating that individuals with higher education had higher scores on the MMSE despite similar degrees of SH burden. These results suggest that educational attainment buffers the deleterious effects of SH burden on cognitive status among VaD patients. (JINS, 2011,17, 531–536)
A Simplified Implementation of Edge Detection in MATLAB is Faster and More Sensitive than Fast Fourier Transform for Actin Fiber Alignment Quantification
Authors: Kemeny Steven Frank , Clyne Alisa Morss
Published: March 2011

Fiber alignment plays a critical role in the structure and function of cells and tissues. While fiber alignment quantification is important to experimental analysis and several different methods for quantifying fiber alignment exist, many studies focus on qualitative rather than quantitative analysis perhaps due to the complexity of current fiber alignment methods. Speed and sensitivity were compared in edge detection and fast Fourier transform (FFT) for measuring actin fiber alignment in cells exposed to shear stress. While edge detection using matrix multiplication was consistently more sensitive than FFT, image processing time was significantly longer. However, when MATLAB functions were used to implement edge detection, MATLAB's efficient element-by-element calculations and fast filtering techniques reduced computation cost 100 times compared to the matrix multiplication edge detection method. The new computation time was comparable to the FFT method, and MATLAB edge detection produced well-distributed fiber angle distributions that statistically distinguished aligned and unaligned fibers in half as many sample images. When the FFT sensitivity was improved by dividing images into smaller subsections, processing time grew larger than the time required for MATLAB edge detection. Implementation of edge detection in MATLAB is simpler, faster, and more sensitive than FFT for fiber alignment quantification.
Analysis of mineral matrices of planetary soil analogues from the Utah Desert
Authors: Kotler J.M. , Quinn R.C. , Foing B.H. , Martins Z. , Ehrenfreund P.
Published: March 2011

Phyllosilicate minerals and hydrated sulphate minerals have been positively identified on the surface of Mars. Studies conducted on Earth indicate that micro-organisms influence various geochemical and mineralogical transitions for the sulphate and phyllosilicate minerals. These minerals in turn provide key nutrients to micro-organisms and influence microbial ecology. Therefore, the presence of these minerals in astrobiology studies of Earth–Mars analogue environments could help scientists better understand the types and potential abundance of micro-organisms and/or biosignatures that may be encountered on Mars. Bulk X-ray diffraction of samples collected during the EuroGeoMars 2009 campaign from the Mancos Shale, the Morrison and the Dakota formations near the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah show variable but common sedimentary mineralogy with all samples containing quantities of hydrated sulphate minerals and/or phyllosilicates. Analysis of the clay fractions indicate that the phyllosilicates are interstratified illite–smectites with all samples showing marked changes in the diffraction pattern after ethylene glycol treatment and the characteristic appearance of a solvated peak at ∼17 Å. The smectite phases were identified as montmorillonite and nontronite using a combination of the X-ray diffraction data and Fourier–Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The most common sulphate mineral in the samples is hydrated calcium sulphate (gypsum), although one sample contained detectable amounts of strontium sulphate (celestine). Carbonates detected in the samples are variable in composition and include pure calcium carbonate (calcite), magnesium-bearing calcium carbonate (dolomite), magnesium, iron and manganese-bearing calcium carbonate (ankerite) and iron carbonate (siderite). The results of these analyses when combined with organic extractions and biological analysis should help astrobiologists and planetary geologists better understand the potential relationships between mineralogy and microbiology for planetary missions.
Training Angehöriger von Computerspiel- und Internetabhängigen
Authors: Kasmi Jamil El , Peukert Peter , Schlipf Sarah , Barth Gottfried , Batra Anil
Published: March 2011

Hintergrund: Aktuelle Erhebungen zeigen ein wachsendes Problemfeld bzgl. der exzessiven bzw. abhängigen Internet- und Computerspielnutzung. Gleichzeitig scheint das Inanspruchnahmeverhalten der Betroffenen bzgl. einer Beratung oder Behandlung gering. Daher ist zu vermuten, dass sich viele Spieler des Problems nicht bewusst sind, bzw. keine ausreichende Veränderungsmotivation bzgl. des Problemverhaltens zeigen. Fragestellung: Im Rahmen dieses Beitrags soll das derzeit an der Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie Tübingen durchgeführte Beratungsangebot dargestellt und anhand der derzeitigen Theoriedebatte begründet werden. Ergebnisse/Schlussfolgerungen: Es kann aufgrund erster Erfahrungen aus der Spezialambulanz für Angehörige von Internet- und Computerspielabhängigen angenommen werden, dass sich die Angehörigen durch ein hohes Maß an Belastung, resultierend aus dem Spielverhalten der Betroffenen (sog. Indexpatienten, IP) auszeichnen. Während für den Bereich der Stoffgebundenen Abhängigkeiten und des pathologischen Glücksspiels bei Anwendung eines verhaltenstherapeutisch orientierten Behandlungsprogramms für Angehörige positive Ergebnisse bzgl. der Belastungsreduktion und der Inanspruchnahme von Behandlung durch den IP vorliegen, fehlen solche Angebote für die Zielgruppe der Angehörigen von Computerspiel- und Internetabhängigen bisher gänzlich.
Psychodynamik und Konfliktstruktur bei pathologischem Internetgebrauch – erste Befunde bei Jungen in der klinischen Versorgung
Authors: Bilke-Hentsch Oliver , Sorychta Heike , Hellenschmidt Tobias
Published: March 2011

Fragestellung: Der schwere pathologische Mediengebrauch bzw. die sog. Internetsucht mit vielmonatiger Schulabstinenz, langfristigem Abgleiten in Parallelwelten und vollständigem sozio-emotionalem Rückzug stellt eine suchtmedizinisch und entwicklungspsychiatrisch relevante Unterform des im Jugendalter häufigen dysfunktionalen Mediengebrauchs dar. Methodik: Um die individuelle Konfliktdynamik der klinisch schwer auffälligen, langjährig spielenden männlichen Jugendlichen zu erfassen, wurden 27 konsekutive Fälle im Alter von 14 bis 23 Jahren (Durchschnitt 17,5 J.) eines ambulanten Spezialangebots für Mediensüchtige im Kontext einer kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen Versorgungsklinik mittels MAS und OPD-KJ untersucht. Ergebnisse: Die Identitäts-, Autonomie- und Autarkiekonflikte als schwere Entwicklungshemmnisse prägten bei 60 % der im Durchschnitt 12 Stunden am Tag MMPORG-spielenden Klienten die Konfliktdynamik bei insgesamt mässig integrierter psychischer Struktur. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Planung einer Psychotherapie bei dieser spezifischen adoleszenten Gruppe sollte die Konfliktdynamik, die Suchtgeschichte, die familiären Faktoren und die individuelle psychiatrische Komorbidität gleichermassen berücksichtigen, um in dieser besonders vulnerablen Altersstufe auch für diese Patienten eine optimales multimodales Therapieprogramm anzubieten.
Ein modalitätsspezifisches Wortgedächtnis ist ausreichend: Wortgedächtnismodalität bei Leseanfängern und Neuronalen Netzen
Authors: Lange-Küttner Christiane , Krappmann Lothar
Published: March 2011

Zusammenfassung. Wortstruktureffekte besagen, dass bekannte Buchstabenfolgen von vertrauten Worten einfacher zu erinnern und leichter zu lesen sind, als weniger bekannte oder neue Buchstabenfolgen von seltener auftretenden Worten. Es ist daher einleuchtend, dass eine quantitative Zunahme an neuer Wortstruktur den Leseschwierigkeitsgrad vorhersagt. Z. B. sind Zahlworte leichter zu lesen als Reimworte mit neuem Wortanfang, und Reimworte sind wiederum leichter zu lesen als Nicht-Worte mit neuer Buchstabenfolge. Deutsche Leseanfänger zeigten jedoch nicht diesen häufig zu beobachtenden Wortstruktureffekt beim Lesen ( Lange-Küttner, 2005 ). Hängt dies möglicherweise damit zusammen, dass sie eine Prävalenz des auditorischen Gedächtnisses beim Lesen haben ( Gathercole & Baddeley, 1993 )? Es wurde daher bei englischsprachigen und deutschen Kindern der Zusammenhang des Lesens mit dem Wortstruktureffekt im auditiven vs. visuellen Wortgedächtnis analysiert. Während der Wortstruktureffekt im visuellen Gedächtnis bei allen Kindern vorhanden war, zeigte er sich im auditiven Gedächtnis nur bei den früh eingeschulten britischen Kindern. Lesen war mit dem visuellen Wortgedächtnis bei den englischsprachigen Kindern korreliert, jedoch mit dem auditiven Wortgedächtnis bei den deutschen Kindern. Auch neuronale Netze brauchten nur ein Arbeitsgedächtnis. Mögliche Auswirkungen der Selektivität des Arbeitsgedächtnisses auf das Lesen, sowie Folgen von unimodaler und bimodaler Wortrepräsentation bei Kindern und in neuronalen Netzen werden erörtert.
«Auf einer anderen Schule oder bei einer anderen Lehrkraft hätte es für's Gymnasium gereicht»:
Authors: Baeriswyl Franz , Wandeler Christian , Trautwein Ulrich
Published: March 2011

Zusammenfassung. Empirische Studien der jüngeren Vergangenheit haben gezeigt, dass die Schulformempfehlungen, die die Schüler am Ende der Grundschule erhalten, nicht nur von ihrer Leistungsfähigkeit bestimmt werden. Bei Kontrolle der Schulleistung der Schüler finden sich vielmehr auch Einflüsse der sozialen Herkunft der Schüler sowie der Leistungsstärke der Klassenkameraden. Dagegen ist bislang wenig darüber bekannt, in welchem Ausmaß zusätzliche Unterschiede im Sinne von Härte-/Mildeeffekten zwischen einzelnen Lehrkräften sowie Grundschulen auftreten. In der vorliegenden Studie mit Daten aus 16 Schuljahren von 209 Lehrkräften aus 30 Primarschulen im Kanton Freiburg (Schweiz), die in 631 Klassen bei insgesamt 10654 Schülern eine Übertrittsempfehlung aussprachen, wird dieser Frage nachgegangen. In Mehrebenenanalysen fanden sich Belege für Referenzgruppeneffekte (bei gleicher individueller Leistung fiel die Übertrittsempfehlung in leistungsstarken Klassen niedriger aus), aber auch für Unterschiede in substantieller Größe zwischen einzelnen Schulen und Lehrkräften.
Warum die durch die Schüler und Schülerinnen individuell und subjektiv erlebte Gerechtigkeit des Lehrerhandelns wichtig ist
Authors: Dalbert Claudia
Published: March 2011

Zusammenfassung. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird das Konstrukt der durch die Schüler subjektiv und individuell erlebten Gerechtigkeit im Handeln der Lehrer und Lehrer (kurz: Lehrergerechtigkeit) vorgestellt. Zunächst wird die auf der Gerechte-Welt-Forschung aufbauende Gerechtigkeitsmotivtheorie vorgestellt, vor deren Hintergrund dann Hypothesen über die Bedeutung und die Funktion der Lehrergerechtigkeit entwickelt werden. Anschließend wird Forschung zu den Aspekten des Lehrerhandelns zusammengetragen, die von Schüler eher als gerecht oder ungerecht bewertet werden, um damit zu verdeutlichen, welche Aspekte des Lehrerhandelns zur subjektiv und individuell wahrgenommenen Gerechtigkeit im Handeln der Lehrer und Lehrerinnen beitragen können. Im dritten Abschnitt wird schließlich die Forschung zu den Korrelaten der Lehrergerechtigkeit dargestellt, die aufzeigt, dass die Lehrergerechtigkeit zur Erklärung zahlreicher Aspekte des Verhaltens (z. B. Bullying) und Erlebens (z. B. Belastungserleben) von Schülern und Schülerinnen beitragen kann.
Combined evaporation and salt precipitation in homogeneous and heterogeneous porous media
Authors: Nachshon Uri , Weisbrod Noam , Dragila Maria I. , Grader Abraham
Published: March 2011

While soil evaporation studies have typically focused on pure or low salinity water evaporation, higher salinity soil conditions are becoming more prevalent. This work explores the combined effect of matrix heterogeneity and salt precipitation on evaporation from soils. Long‐term evaporation processes were studied using sand columns, in which heterogeneity consisted of two layers with different grain sizes, and X‐ray computed tomography (CT) scanning to quantify salt deposition within pores. For saline solutions, three new stages of evaporation were defined: SS1, SS2, and SS3. SS1 exhibits a low and gradual decrease in evaporation rate because of increasing osmotic potential. During SS2, evaporation rate falls progressively because of salt‐crust formation. SS3 is characterized by a constant low evaporation rate. Even though phenomenologically similar to the well‐defined classical evaporation stages for pure water, these saline stages correspond to different mechanisms. It is shown that SS2 and SS3 take place while matrix water content can still support first‐stage evaporation. Salinity suppressed evaporation more strongly in homogeneous rather than in heterogeneous media. CT scans indicated preferential salt precipitation in the fine‐textured regions. Heterogeneous spatial distribution of salt precipitates within the media enabled vapor transport via large pores, while small pores were clogged with precipitated salts. A mathematical model was formulated that simulates evaporation for saline solutions from homogeneous and heterogeneous soils. The model was used to differentiate and quantify the mechanisms controlling each stage of the evaporation process.
Modeling the hydrologic responses of the Pampanga River basin, Philippines: A quantitative approach for identifying droughts
Authors: Jaranilla‐Sanchez Patricia Ann , Wang Lei , Koike Toshio
Published: March 2011

Drought in the Philippines has been monitored for agricultural and economic losses, but spatial and temporal characterization at the basin scale has not been quantified. The relationship between different drought types, and how these can be integrated into timely water‐resource‐management planning in the agriculture and water sector of the Pampanga River basin, were considered. Specifically, the objectives of this study are as follows: (1) to propose a standardized anomaly (SA) index for assessing different types of drought impacts at the basin scale; (2) to quantify vulnerability of the agriculture and water sectors using physically consistent hydrological parameters with temporal variation and spatial heterogeneity; (3) to develop a method for combining the drought index calculated from the inputs and outputs of WEB‐DHM on the basis of sturdy algorithms for the physics of water and energy movement in the basin using monthly and seasonal differences of various drought types; and (4) to combine hydrological parameters with crop production to determine its effects on rice. The SA was calculated for the variables related to each drought type: rainfall (meteorological), streamflow and groundwater (hydrological), and soil moisture (agricultural) during 1983, 1987, 1990–1992, and 1998 droughts. El Niño is one of the major driving forces leading to drought in the country. The drought intensified on the second year of the average two‐year El Niño Southern‐Oscillation (ENSO) composites with a 1 to 7 month time lag between parameters and hot spots in the upland and central plains of the basin. Recommended adaptation strategies include crop scheduling, crop/livelihood substitutes, and alternative water sources.
Non‐proteolytic ubiquitylation counteracts the APC/C‐inhibitory function of XErp1
Authors: Hörmanseder Eva , Tischer Thomas , Heubes Simone , Stemmann Olaf , Mayer Thomas U
Published: March 2011

Mature Xenopus oocytes are arrested in meiosis by the activity of XErp1/Emi2, an inhibitor of the ubiquitin‐ligase anaphase‐promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C). On fertilization, XErp1 is degraded, resulting in APC/C activation and the consequent degradation of cell‐cycle regulators and exit from meiosis. In this study, we show that a modest increase in the activity of the ubiquitin‐conjugating enzyme UbcX overrides the meiotic arrest in an APC/C‐dependent reaction. Intriguingly, XErp1 remains stable in these conditions. We found that UbcX causes the ubiquitylation of XErp1, followed by its dissociation from the APC/C. Our data support the idea that ubiquitylation regulates the APC/C‐inhibitory activity of XErp1.
Changes to Articulatory Kinematics in Response to Loudness Cues in Individuals With Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Darling Meghan , Huber Jessica E.
Published: March 2011

Purpose

Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) exhibit differences in displacement and velocity of the articulators as compared with older adults. The purpose of the current study was to examine effects of 3 loudness cues on articulatory movement patterns in individuals with PD.

Method

Nine individuals diagnosed with idiopathic PD and 9 age- and sex-matched healthy controls produced sentences in 4 conditions: (a) comfortable loudness, (b) targeting 10 dB above comfortable, (c) twice as loud as comfortable, and (d) in background noise. Lip and jaw kinematics and acoustic measurements were obtained.

Results

Both groups significantly increased sound pressure level (SPL) in the loud conditions as compared with the comfortable condition. For the loud conditions, both groups had the highest SPL in the background noise and the 10 dB conditions, and the lowest SPL in the twice as loud condition. Control participants produced the largest opening displacement in the background noise condition and the smallest opening displacement in the twice as loud condition. Conversely, individuals with PD produced the largest opening displacement in the twice as loud condition and the smallest opening displacement in the background noise condition.

Conclusions

Control participants and individuals with PD responded to cues to increase loudness in different ways. Changes in SPL may explain differences in kinematics for the control participants, but they do not explain such differences for individuals with PD.
Biotechnology in the Treatment of Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Foundations and Future of Hair Cell Regeneration
Authors: Parker Mark A.
Published: March 2011

Purpose

To provide an overview of the methodologies involved in the field of hair cell regeneration. First, the author provides a tutorial on the biotechnological foundations of this field to assist the reader in the comprehension and interpretation of the research involved in hair cell regeneration. Next, the author presents a review of stem cell and gene therapy and provides a critical appraisal of their application to hair cell regeneration. The methodologies used in these approaches are highlighted.

Method

The author conducted a narrative review of the fields of cellular, molecular, and developmental biology, tissue engineering, and stem cell and gene therapy using the PubMed database.

Results

The use of biotechnological approaches to the treatment of hearing loss—approaches such as stem cell and gene therapy—has led to new methods of regenerating cochlear hair cells in mammals.

Conclusions

Incredible strides have been made in assembling important pieces of the puzzle that comprise hair cell regeneration. However, mammalian hair cell regeneration using stem cell and gene therapy are years—if not decades—away from being clinically feasible. If the goals of the biological approaches are met, these therapies may represent future treatments for hearing loss.
Object Knowledge Modulates Colour Appearance
Authors: Witzel Christoph , Valkova Hanna , Hansen Thorsten , Gegenfurtner Karl R
Published: March 2011

We investigated the memory colour effect for colour diagnostic artificial objects. Since knowledge about these objects and their colours has been learned in everyday life, these stimuli allow the investigation of the influence of acquired object knowledge on colour appearance. These investigations are relevant for questions about how object and colour information in high-level vision interact as well as for research about the influence of learning and experience on perception in general. In order to identify suitable artificial objects, we developed a reaction time paradigm that measures (subjective) colour diagnosticity. In the main experiment, participants adjusted sixteen such objects to their typical colour as well as to grey. If the achromatic object appears in its typical colour, then participants should adjust it to the opponent colour in order to subjectively perceive it as grey. We found that knowledge about the typical colour influences the colour appearance of artificial objects. This effect was particularly strong along the daylight axis.
Fungus-mediated Biological Approaches Towards 'Green' Synthesis of Oxide Nanomaterials
Authors: Bansal Vipul , Ramanathan Rajesh , Bhargava Suresh K.
Published: March 2011

A promising avenue of research in materials science is to follow the strategies used by nature to fabricate ornate hierarchical materials. For many ages, organisms have been engaged in on-the-job testing to craft structural and functional materials and have evolved extensively to possibly create the best-known materials. Some of the strategies used by nature may well have practical implications in the world of nanomaterials. Therefore, the efforts to exploit nature’s ingenious work in designing strategies for nanomaterials synthesis has led to biological routes for materials synthesis. This review outlines the biological synthesis of a range of oxide nanomaterials that has hitherto been achieved using fungal biosynthesis routes. A critical overview of the current status and future scope of this field that could potentially lead to the microorganism-mediated commercial, large-scale, environmentally benign, and economically-viable ‘green’ syntheses of oxide nanomaterials is also discussed.
Characterization of the Uptake and Intracellular Trafficking of G4 Polyamidoamine Dendrimers
Authors: Pai Chin-Ling , Shieh Ming-Jium , Lou Pei-Jen , Huang Fei-Hong , Wang Tzu-Wen , Lai Ping-Shan
Published: March 2011

Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers are highly branched spherical polymers that have emerged as potent synthetic drug and gene carriers; however, much remains to be learned about the mechanism of dendrimer-mediated cellular uptake. In this study, the endocytic pathway and intracellular trafficking of generation 4 (G4) PAMAM dendrimers were evaluated via fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugation. We found that the G4-FITC dendrimers were internalized by energy-dependent and non-specific endocytic pathways. Interesting, G4-FITC dendrimers can not only buffer the endosomal/lysosomal pH but also co-localize with lysosomal markers over a period of 3 to 12 h, after which the signal decreased in the lysosomes and began to co-localize with the mitochondrial marker. This study contributes to the understanding of the molecular behaviour of G4 PAMAM dendrimers in a cellular environment and will facilitate the development of more effective PAMAM-mediated drug and gene delivery systems.
The Synthesis of Fluorescent DNA Intercalator Precursors through Efficient Multiple Heck Reactions
Authors: Lengkeek Nigel A. , Boulos Ramiz A. , McKinley Allan J. , Riley Thomas V. , Martinac Boris , Stewart Scott G.
Published: March 2011

A highly efficient synthesis of p-carboethoxy-tristyryl and carboethoxy-terastyrenyl benzene derivatives through a multiple Heck cross coupling reaction is reported. This reaction provides an efficient route to DNA intercalator precursors containing a benzene core.
Towards the Preparation of Novel Re/99mTc Tricarbonyl-Containing Peptide Nucleic Acid Bioconjugates
Authors: Gasser Gilles , Sosniak Anna M. , Leonidova Anna , Braband Henrik , Metzler-Nolte Nils
Published: March 2011

A novel azido derivative of the di-(2-picolyl)amide (Dpam) ligand, namely 3-azido-N,N-bis-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-propionamide (3), was prepared from 3-bromo-N,N-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)propanamide (2) with an excess of sodium azide in DMSO. 3 was then reacted, by CuI-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition (often referred to as ‘Click Chemistry’), with the previously reported alkyne-containing peptide nucleic acid (PNA) monomer Fmoc-1-OtBu to give the Dpam-containing PNA monomer (Fmoc-4-OtBu) in 44% yield. It was also demonstrated that 3 could be reacted by Click Chemistry, on the solid phase, to an alkyne-containing PNA oligomer (Alkyne-PNA) to yield Dpam-PNA. Our attempts to complex Dpam-PNA with [NEt4]2[ReBr3(CO)3] and [99mTc(CO)3(H2O)3]+ are also discussed in detail.
The pH of Australian soils: field results from a national survey
Authors: de Caritat Patrice , Cooper Michelle , Wilford John
Published: March 2011

The pH is one of the fundamental soil properties governing nutrient availability, metal mobility, elemental toxicity, microbial activity, and plant growth. The field pH of topsoil (0–0.10 m depth) and subsoil (~0.60–0.80 m depth) was measured on floodplain soils collected near the outlet of 1186 catchments covering >6 Mkm2 (6 × 1012 m2) or ~80% of Australia. Field pH duplicate data, obtained at 124 randomly selected sites, indicate a precision of 0.5 pH unit (or 7%), and mapped pH patterns are consistent and meaningful. The median topsoil pH is 6.5, while the subsoil pH has a median of 7 but is strongly bimodal (6–6.5 and 8–8.5). In most cases (64%) the topsoil and subsoil pH values are similar; among the sites exhibiting a pH contrast, those with more acidic topsoils are more common (28%) than those with more alkaline topsoils (7%). The distribution of soil pH at the national scale indicates the strong controls exerted by precipitation and ensuing leaching (e.g. low pH along the coastal fringe, high pH in the dry centre), aridity (e.g. high pH where calcrete is common in the regolith), vegetation (e.g. low pH reflecting abundant soil organic matter), and subsurface lithology (e.g. high pH over limestone bedrock). The new data, together with existing soil pH datasets, can support regional-scale decision-making relating to agricultural, environmental, infrastructural, and mineral exploration decisions.
Reversible modulations of neuronal plasticity by VEGF
Authors: Licht Tamar , Goshen Inbal , Avital Avi , Kreisel Tirzah , Zubedat Salman , Eavri Ronen , Segal Menahem , Yirmiya Raz , Keshet Eli
Published: March 2011

Neurons, astrocytes, and blood vessels are organized in functional “neurovascular units” in which the vasculature can impact neuronal activity and, in turn, dynamically adjust to its change. Here we explored different mechanisms by which VEGF, a pleiotropic factor known to possess multiple activities vis-à-vis blood vessels and neurons, may affect adult neurogenesis and cognition. Conditional transgenic systems were used to reversibly overexpress VEGF or block endogenous VEGF in the hippocampus of adult mice. Importantly, this was done in settings that allowed the uncoupling of VEGF-promoted angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and memory. VEGF overexpression was found to augment all three processes, whereas VEGF blockade impaired memory without reducing hippocampal perfusion or neurogenesis. Pertinent to the general debate regarding the relative contribution of adult neurogenesis to memory, we found that memory gain by VEGF overexpression and memory impairment by VEGF blockade were already evident at early time points at which newly added neurons could not yet have become functional. Surprisingly, VEGF induction markedly increased in vivo long-term potentiation (LTP) responses in the dentate gyrus, and VEGF blockade completely abrogated LTP. Switching off ectopic VEGF production resulted in a return to a normal memory and LTP, indicating that ongoing VEGF is required to maintain increased plasticity. In summary, the study not only uncovered a surprising role for VEGF in neuronal plasticity, but also suggests that improved memory by VEGF is primarily a result of increasing plasticity of mature neurons rather than the contribution of newly added hippocampal neurons.