bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interspecies variation in hypoxia tolerance, swimming performance and plasticity in cyprinids that prefer different habitats
Authors: Fu Shi-Jian , Yan Guan-Jie , Cao Zhen-Dong , Fu Cheng , Zhang An-Jie , Pang Xu
Published: November 2013

This study quantified and compared hypoxia tolerance and swim performance among cyprinid fish species from rapid-flow, slow-flow and intermediate-flow habitats (4 species per habitat) in China. In addition, we explored effects of short-term acclimation on swim performance, maximum metabolic rate (Mo2 max) and gill remodelling to detect habitat-associated patterns of plastic response to hypoxia. Indices of hypoxia tolerance included oxygen threshold for loss of equilibrium (LOE50) and aquatic surface respiration (ASR50) and critical oxygen tension for routine metabolic rate (Pcrit). Critical swimming speed (Ucrit) and Mo2 max were measured under normoxic and hypoxic conditions after 48 hours acclimation to normoxia and hypoxia, and gill remodelling was estimated after 48 hours of hypoxia exposure. Both traditional ANCOVA and phylogenetically independent contrast (PDANOVA) analyses showed that fish species from rapid-flow habitat exhibited lower LOE50 compared to fish from intermediate and slow-flow habitats. Habitat-specific difference in Pcrit and Ucrit were detected using PDANOVA but not traditional ANCOVA analyses, with fish species from rapid-flow habitat exhibited lower Pcrit but higher Ucrit compared to fish from intermediate and slow-flow habitats. Fish species from rapid-flow habitats were also characterized by less plasticity in swim performance and gill morphology in response to hypoxia acclimation compared to species from slow-flow habitats, but a greater drop in swim performance in response to acute hypoxia exposure. The study detected a habitat-specific difference in hypoxia tolerance, swimming performance and its plasticity among fish from habitats with different flow conditions possibly due to the long-term adaptation to the habitat caused by selection stress. The phylogenetically independent contrasts were more powerful than traditional statistical analyses according to the habitat effects in both hypoxia tolerance and swimming performance in this study.
Potential for sexual conflict assessed via testosterone-mediated transcriptional changes in liver and muscle of a songbird
Authors: Peterson Mark P. , Rosvall Kimberly A. , Taylor Charlene A. , Lopez Jacqueline A. , Choi Jeong-Hyeon , Ziegenfus Charles , Tang Haixu , Colbourne John K. , Ketterson Ellen D.
Published: November 2013

Males and females can be highly dimorphic in metabolism and physiology despite sharing nearly identical genomes, and males and females both respond phenotypically to elevated testosterone, a steroid hormone that alters gene expression. Only recently has it become possible to learn how a hormone like testosterone affects global gene expression in non-model systems, and whether it affects the same genes in males and females. To investigate the transcriptional mechanisms by which testosterone exerts its metabolic and physiological effects on the periphery, we compared gene expression by sex and in response to experimentally elevated testosterone in a well-studied bird species, the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis). We identified 291 genes in the liver, and 658 in the pectoralis muscle that were differentially expressed between males and females. In addition, we identified 1,727 genes that were differentially expressed between testosterone-treated and control individuals in at least one tissue and sex. Testosterone-treatment altered the expression of only 128 genes in both males and females in the same tissue, and 847 genes were affected significantly differently by testosterone-treatment in the two sexes. These substantial differences in transcriptional response to testosterone suggest that males and females may employ different pathways when responding to elevated testosterone, despite the fact that many phenotypic effects of experimentally elevated testosterone are similar in the sexes. In contrast, of the 121 genes that were affected by testosterone-treatment in both sexes, 78% were regulated in the same direction (e.g. either higher or lower in testosterone-treated than control) in both males and females. Thus, it appears that testosterone acts through both unique and shared transcriptional pathways in males and females, suggesting multiple mechanisms by which sexual conflict can be mediated.
The involvement of the brain region containing pigment-dispersing factor-immunoreactive neurons in the photoperiodic response of the bean bugRiptortus pedestris
Authors: Ikeno Tomoko , Numata Hideharu , Goto Shin G. , Shiga Sakiko
Published: November 2013

The concept of insect photoperiodism based on a circadian clock has been supported by many studies demonstrating that the behavioural circadian rhythm and the photoperiodic response are driven by the same circadian clock genes. However, the neuronal mechanism of the circadian clock underlying photoperiodism has been poorly understood. To examine whether circadian rhythm and photoperiodism share a neuronal mechanism, we focused on the neurons that express neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) in the bean bug Riptortus pedestris. PDF has been identified as an important regulator of the insect circadian rhythm and is expressed in circadian clock neurons of various insect species. In R. pedestris, PDF immunoreactivity was detected in some clusters of cells and their fibres in the optic lobe and the protocerebrum. cDNA encoding a PDF precursor protein was highly conserved between R. pedestris and many other insects. Differences between day and night were not observed in the immunolabelling intensity in cell bodies of PDF-immunoreactive neurons and pdf mRNA expression levels in the head. Surgical removal of the region containing PDF-immunoreactive cell bodies at the medulla disrupted the photoperiodic regulation of diapause. However, gene suppression of pdf by RNA interference did not affect the photoperiodic response. These results suggest that the region containing PDF-immunoreactive somata is important for the photoperiodic response in R. pedestris, but pdf mRNA expression is probably not required for the response.
Intraspecific variation in flight metabolic rate in the bumblebeeBombus impatiens: repeatability and functional determinants in workers and drones
Authors: Darveau Charles-A. , Billardon Fannie , Bélanger Kasandra
Published: November 2013

The evolution of flight energetics requires that phenotypes be variable, repeatable and heritable. We studied intraspecific variation in flight energetics in order to assess the repeatability of flight metabolic rate and wingbeat frequency, as well as the functional basis of phenotypic variation in workers and drones of the bumblebee species Bombus impatiens. We showed that flight metabolic rate and wingbeat frequency were highly repeatable in workers, even when controlling for body mass variation using residual analysis. We did not detect significant repeatability in drones, but a smaller range of variation might have prevented us from finding significant values in our sample. Based on our results and previous findings, we associated the high repeatability of flight phenotypes in workers to the functional links between body mass, thorax mass, wing size, wingbeat frequency and metabolic rate. Moreover, differences between workers and drones were as predicted from these functional associations, where drones had larger wings for their size, lower wingbeat frequency and lower flight metabolic rate. We also investigated thoracic muscle metabolic phenotypes by measuring the activity of carbohydrate metabolism enzymes, and we found positive correlations between mass-independent metabolic rate and the activity of all enzymes measured, but in workers only. When comparing workers and drones that differ in flight metabolic rate, only the activity of the enzymes hexokinase and trehalase showed the predicted differences. Overall, our study indicates that there should be correlated evolution among physiological phenotypes at multiple levels of organization and morphological traits associated with flight.
Molt regulation in green and red color morphs of the crab,Carcinus maenas: gene expression of molt-inhibiting hormone signaling components
Authors: Abuhagr Ali M. , Blindert Jennifer L. , Nimitkul Sukkrit , Zander Ian A. , LaBere Stefan M. , Chang Sharon A. , MacLea Kyle S. , Chang Ernest S. , Mykles Donald L.
Published: November 2013

In decapod crustaceans, regulation of molting is controlled by the X-organ/sinus gland complex in the eyestalks. The complex secretes molt-inhibiting hormone (MIH), which suppresses production of ecdysteroids by the Y-organ (YO). MIH signaling involves NO and cGMP in the YO, which expresses NO synthase (NOS) and NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (GC-I). Molting can generally be induced by eyestalk ablation (ESA), which removes the primary source of MIH, or by multiple leg autotomy (MLA). In our work on Carcinus maenas, however, ESA has limited effects on hemolymph ecdysteroid titers and animals remain in intermolt by 7 days post-ESA, suggesting that adults are refractory to molt induction techniques. Consequently, the effects of ESA and MLA on molting and YO gene expression in C. maenas green and red color morphotypes were determined at intermediate (16 and 24 days) and long-term (~90 days) intervals. In intermediate-interval experiments, ESA of intermolt animals caused transient 2- to 4-fold increases in hemolymph ecdysteroid titers during the first 2 weeks. In intermolt animals, long-term ESA increased hemolymph ecdysteroid titers 4 to 5-fold by 28 days post treatment, but there was no late premolt peak (>400 pg/μl) characteristic of late premolt animals and animals did not molt by 90 days post-ESA. There was no effect of ESA and MLA on the expression of Cm-elongation factor 2 (EF2), Cm-NOS, the beta subunit of GC-I (Cm-GC-Iβ), a membrane receptor GC (Cm-GC-II), and a soluble NO-insensitive GC (Cm-GC-III) in green morphs. Red morphs were affected by prolonged ESA and MLA treatments, as indicated by large decreases in Cm-EF2, Cm-GC-II, and Cm-GC-III mRNA levels. ESA accelerated the transition of green morphs to the red phenotype in intermolt animals, indicating that molting and integument color changes are not necessarily coupled. ESA delayed molting in premolt green morphs, whereas intact and MLA animals molted by 30 days post treatment. There were significant effects on YO gene expression in intact animals; Cm-GC-Iβ mRNA increased during premolt and Cm-GC-III mRNA decreased during premolt and increased during postmolt. Cm-MIH transcripts were detected in eyestalk ganglia, brain, and thoracic ganglion from green intermolt animals and ESA had no significant effect on Cm-MIH mRNA levels in brain and thoracic ganglion. The data suggest that MIH in the brain and thoracic ganglion prevents molt induction in green ESA animals.
Figure-ground discrimination behavior in Drosophila. I. Spatial organization of wing steering responses
Authors: Fox Jessica L. , Aptekar Jacob W. , Zolotova Nadezhda M. , Shoemaker Patrick A. , Frye Mark A.
Published: November 2013

The behavioral algorithms and neural subsystems for visual figure-ground discrimination are not sufficiently described in any model system. The fly visual system shares structural and functional similarity with that of vertebrates, and like vertebrates, flies robustly track visual figures in the face of ground motion. This computation is crucial for animals that pursue salient objects under the high performance requirements imposed by flight behavior. Flies smoothly track small objects and use wide-field optic flow to maintain flight-stabilizing optomotor reflexes. The spatial and temporal properties of visual figure tracking and wide-field stabilization have been characterized in flies, but how the two systems interact spatially to allow flies to actively track figures against a moving ground has not. We took a systems identification approach in flying Drosophila and measured wing-steering responses to velocity impulses of figure and ground motion independently. We constructed a spatio-temporal action field (STAF) - the behavioral analog of a spatio-temporal receptive field (STRF) - revealing how the behavioral impulse responses to figure tracking and concurrent ground stabilization vary for figure motion centered at each location across the visual azimuth. The figure tracking and ground stabilization STAFs show distinct spatial tuning and temporal dynamics, confirming the independence of the two systems. When the figure tracking system is activated by a narrow vertical bar moving within the frontal field of view, ground motion is essentially ignored despite comprising over 90% of the total visual input.
Synthesis and Properties of 6-Methoxy- and 6-Dimethylamino-1-methylthio- and 1,3-Bis(methylthio)azulenes and Triflic Anhydride-Mediated Synthesis of Their Biaryl Derivatives
Authors: Shoji Taku , Maruyama Akifumi , Maruyama Mitsuhisa , Ito Shunji , Okujima Tetsuo , Higashi Junya , Toyota Kozo , Morita Noboru
Published: November 2013

6-Methoxy- and 6-dimethylaminoazulenes with methylthio groups at the 1- or 1,3-positions have been prepared by electrophilic substitution of the corresponding azulenes with DMSO in the presence of acid anhydride, followed by treatment with Et3N. The products, 1-methylthioazulenes, reacted with Tf2O to afford the corresponding 1,1′-biazulene derivatives in moderate yields. The redox behavior of these azulene and 1,1′-biazulene derivatives was examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV), which revealed reversible electron transfers under electrochemical oxidation conditions. 6-Dimethylamino-1,3-bis(methylthio)azulenes with a heteroaryl group at the 2-position were also prepared by the reaction of 6-dimethylamino-1,3-bis(methylthio)azulene with triflates of N-containing heterocycles, i.e., pyridine, quinoline, isoquinoline, acridine, and 1,10-phenanthroline, followed by treatment with KOH in alcohols.
Bilingualism and cross-cultural communication
Authors: Цветкова
Published: November 2013

The author looks at the problems of bilingualism and cross-cultural communication from the angle of professional command of a foreign language which requires both a certain degree of bilingualism and a cross-cultural competence. The author provides her own definition of professional command of a foreign language, a typology of bilingualism and a conception of its development from elementary to professional.

The author also argues that there is no direct link between bilingualism and cross-cultural competence, illustrating the statement with analysis of difficulties involved in mastering a foreign culture.
The main approaches to formation of communicative competence of the municipal employee
Authors: Романенко  , Romanenko Nadezhda
Published: November 2013

The article describes the main approaches to formation of communicative

competence of municipal employees. The author stresses that within modern education system, communicative competence is reflected in the ability to design and master new contents and technologies, capability to realize one»s professional mission and build creative interaction with the surrounding world. Efficiency of professional activity depends on optimal compliance of the subject of activity with social demands, norms, conditions.
Database Submission—Market Dynamics and User-Generated Content About Tablet Computers
Authors: Wang Xin (Shane) , Mai Feng , Chiang Roger H. L.
Published: November 2013

Our Tablet Computer data set, collected from various websites, contains market dynamics related to 2,163 products, characteristics of 794 products, more than 40,000 consumer-generated product reviews, and information about 39,278 reviewers. The market dynamic information was collected weekly for 24 weeks starting February 1, 2012. Our Tablet Computer data set comprises four tables: the Market Dynamics of Products, Product Characteristic Information, Consumer-Generated Product Reviews, and Reviewer Information tables. In turn, it offers three unique properties. First, it contains both structured product information and unstructured product reviews. Second, it comprises product characteristic information and market dynamic information. Third, this data set integrates user-generated content with manufacturer-provided content. This integrated data set (available at http://pubsonline.informs.org/page/mksc/online-databases ) is valuable for both academics and practitioners who conduct research related to marketing, information systems, computer science, and other fields using digital data readily available through the Internet.
Work that body: Distinguishing an authentic middle-aged gay self
Authors: Simpson Paul
Published: November 2013

Theorizing gay men’s sartorial tastes as a distinguishing marker from heterosexual men has neglected the way midlife gay men differentiate themselves through self-presentation from other gay men and how they respond to ageing and gay ageism. Based on interviews with gay men living in Manchester and observation sessions in its ‘gay village’, I examine what midlife gay men’s body management practices say about the construction of ageing and the discourse of ageism in local gay culture. I focus mainly on moral claims to bodily authenticity, which differentiate midlife gay men from younger or older gay men and indicate the multidirectional operation of gay ageism. Claims to authentic midlife self-presentation and sexual citizenship work in three ways: first, through reproducing ageism, especially a reverse ageism; second, by introducing ambivalences that indicate negotiation with gay ageing and ageism; and third, using resources of ageing like ‘ageing capital’ and at times age-related ‘technologies of the self’, ageism is subverted by critiquing it and re-claiming the value of age.
Fashion cultures in a small town: An analysis of fashion- and place-making
Authors: Green Denise Nicole , Lewis Van Dyk , Jirousek Charlotte
Published: November 2013

In her introduction to this issue, Kaiser advances a perspective that highlights dimensions of place and time in a dynamic and non-stereotypical way. Rather than treating these dimensions as background factors in the architecture of interaction context, she critically unpacks the ways in which time and place impact individual and collective fashion meanings. In our article we draw on Kaiser’s focus by using ethnographic methods to investigate how fashion is ‘produced’ to convey identification with place, group and/or a temporary alliance in a rural community where landscape is constitutive of social configurations and the student population is always transient. To that end we replace the notion of fixed visual identities with phatic communities, which are ad hoc groupings sharing a cause or a circumstance (Tseëlon 2010). Next, we address the problem of how to preserve the meanings and looks of ad hoc fashions, which exist in a constant state of change. We apply the logic of phatic communities to the building of a museum collection, which has to meet the challenge of capturing a fleeting and evolving phenomenon without freezing it into fixed categories. Contrary to the logic of traditional museums, a museum documenting ongoing clothing changes invites a different mode of engagement: one that is participatory and interactive. Finally, our conception of the sartorial museum, which documents changing time in a particular place, replaces the notion of the museum as a ‘space of death’ with the notion of a ‘space of regeneration’. The regeneration is the recycling, which repositions clothes in a ‘second life’.
THE SHMUSHKEVICH METHOD FOR HIGHER SYMMETRY GROUPS OF INTERACTING PARTICLES
Authors: Bodner Mark , Chadzitaskos Goce , Patera Jiří , Tereszkiewitz Agnieszka
Published: November 2013

About 60 years ago, I. Shmushkevich presented a simple ingenious method for computing the relative probabilities of channels involving the same interacting multiplets of particles, without the need to compute the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients. The basic idea of Shmushkevich is “isotopic non-polarization” of the states before the interaction and after it. Hence his underlying Lie group was SU(2). We extend this idea to any simple Lie group. This paper determines the relative probabilities of various channels of scattering and decay processes following from the invariance of the interactions with respect to a compact simple a Lie group. Aiming at the probabilities rather than at the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients makes the task easier, and simultaneous consideration of all possible channels for given multiplets involved in the process, makes the task possible. The probability of states with multiplicities greater than 1 is averaged over. Examples with symmetry groups O(5), F(4), and E(8) are shown.
ON RENORMALIZATION OF POISSON–LIE T-PLURAL SIGMA MODELS
Authors: Hlavatý Ladislav , Navrátil Josef , Šnobl Libor
Published: November 2013

Covariance of the one-loop renormalization group equations with respect to Poisson–Lie T-plurality of sigma models is discussed. The role of ambiguities in renormalization group equations of Poisson–Lie sigma models with truncated matrices of parameters is investigated.
Clinical and morphological characteristics, management and prognosis for acute coronary syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Kakorin Sergey Valentinovich , Kruglyi Lev Borisovich , Mkrtumyan Ashot Musaelovich
Published: November 2013

This review addresses clinical picture of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the corre- sponding epidemiology data, morphological characteristics and prognosis. ACS in patients with T2DM features fulminant development, and its high lethality is due to chronic ischemic alterations in myocardium (the so-called ?metabolic ischemia?), as well as concomitant microangiopathy. It is more common for patients with T2DM to develop such complications of ACS as cardiogenic shock, acute left ventricular failure and arrhythmia that result in increased lethality during early hours of hospital admission when myocardial necrosis is yet to occur. Percutaneous translumenal intervention is by far the most effective method of ACS management in patients with T2DM. Whenever it is not available, a thrombolytic approach is indicated.
Black-Box Hartree–Fock Solver by Tensor Numerical Methods
Authors: Khoromskaia Venera
Published: November 2013

The Hartree–Fock eigenvalue problem governed by the 3D integro-differential operator
is the basic model in ab initio electronic structure calculations.
Several years ago the idea to solve the Hartree–Fock equation by a
fully 3D grid based numerical approach seemed to be a fantasy, and
the tensor-structured methods did not exist.
In fact, these methods evolved during the work on this challenging problem.
In this paper, our recent results on the topic are outlined
and the black-box Hartree–Fock solver by tensor numerical methods is presented.
The approach is based on the rank-structured calculation of the
core hamiltonian and of the two-electron integrals tensor
using the problem adapted basis functions discretized on $n\times n\times n$ 3D Cartesian
grids. The arising 3D convolution transforms with the Newton kernel are
replaced by a combination of 1D convolutions and 1D Hadamard and scalar products.
The approach allows huge spatial grids, with $n^3\simeq 10^{15}$,
yielding high resolution at low cost.
The two-electron integrals are computed via multiple factorizations.
The Laplacian Galerkin matrix can be computed “on-the-fly” using the quantized
tensor approximation of $O(\log n)$ complexity.
The performance of the black-box solver in Matlab implementation is compatible with the benchmark
packages based on the analytical (pre)evaluation of the multidimensional convolution integrals.
We present ab initio Hartree–Fock calculations of the ground state energy
for the amino acid molecules, and of the “energy bands” for the model examples
of extended (quasi-periodic) systems.
Analysis of lignin and extractives in the oak wood of the 17th century warship Vasa
Authors: Dedic Dina , Sandberg Teresia , Iversen Tommy , Larsson Tomas , Ek Monica
Published: November 2013

The wood in the 17th century Swedish warship Vasa is weak. A depolymerization of the wood’s cellulose has been linked to the weakening, but the chemical mechanisms are yet unclear. The objective of this study was to analyze the lignin and tannin moieties of the wood to clarify whether the depolymerization of cellulose via ongoing oxidative mechanisms is indeed the main reason for weakening the wood in the Vasa. Lignin was analyzed by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance [cross-polarization/magic-angle spinning (CP/MAS) 13C NMR] and by means of wet chemical degradation (thioacidolysis) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of the products. No differences could be observed between the Vasa samples and the reference samples that could have been ascribed to extensive lignin degradation. Wood extracts (tannins) were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) combined with time-of-flight (TOF) MS and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The wood of the Vasa contained no discernible amounts of tannins, whereas still-waterlogged Vasa wood contained ellagic acid and traces of castalagin/vescalagin and grandinin. The results indicate that the condition of lignin in the Vasa wood is similar to fresh oak and that potentially harmful tannins are not present in high amounts. Thus, oxidative degradation mechanisms are not supported as a primary route to cellulose depolymerization.
DNA barcoding for identification of the endangered species Aquilaria sinensis: comparison of data from heated or aged wood samples
Authors: Jiao Lichao , Yin Yafang , Cheng Yeming , Jiang Xiaomei
Published: November 2013

Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Gilg is an evergreen tree and produces agarwood used for incense and as a uniquely precious medicine. It is in danger of disappearing due to illegal logging and its identification and protection is crucial. However, it is difficult or impossible to distinguish A. sinensis from other species of the genus Aquilaria Lam. and its closely related genus Gyrinops Gaertn. based on wood anatomical characteristics. Probably, DNA barcoding technology might provide an improvement in species identification. In this study, wood samples were tested, which were submitted to high-temperature drying and were stored for a long period in a xylarium. The factors should be identified that hinder the efficiency of wood DNA extraction from this species. The results indicate that the DNA from the wood tissues could be successfully amplified, apart from some DNA regions from the heartwood of the dried samples and the xylarium samples. The DNA sequences from the wood tissues mostly matched with the sequences of A. sinensis deposited in the GenBank. Moreover, analyses of phylogenetic trees based on trnL-trnF and ITS1 regions indicated that the wood tissues in the tests clustered together with the A. sinensis species from the GenBank, with bootstrap values of 74% and 94%, respectively. Consequently, it is feasible to identify A. sinensis wood on a species level based on the DNA barcoding technology.
Accounting for Legal Pluralism: The Impact of Pre-colonial Institutions on Crime
Authors: Larcom Shaun
Published: November 2013

This article investigates the impact of non-state legal institutions on crime by exploiting differences in pre-colonial legal institutions. In relation to criminal law, it is suggested that colonisation can be best characterised as the imposition of almost identical criminal law on a diverse set of pre-existing legal institutions; in this sense, this analysis inverts the legal origins and institutions literature. Given that remnants of pre-colonial institutions persist, it is suggested that the type of pre-colonial legal institution should have a direct effect on state crime control and the crime rate. This is so, as societies that were relatively stateless prior to colonisation are more likely to have high magnitude non-state sanctions that can act as substitutes for state punishments, but the presence of such non-state legal institutions also reduces the productivity of state enforcement, contributing to an overall increase in crime. This is tested using a measure for pre-colonial institutions on a dataset of 86 post-colonial states. Private enforcement of high magnitude punishments, despite the deterrent effect, results in a net increase in crime.
TheAspergillus nidulansATM Kinase Regulates Mitochondrial Function, Glucose Uptake and the Carbon Starvation Response
Authors: Krohn Nadia Graciele , Brown Neil Andrew , Colabardini Ana Cristina , Reis Thaila , Savoldi Marcela , Dinamarco Taísa Magnani , Goldman Maria Helena S , Goldman Gustavo Henrique
Published: November 2013

Mitochondria supply cellular energy and also perform a role in the adaptation to metabolic stress. In mammals, the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase acts as a redox sensor controlling mitochondrial function. Subsequently, transcriptomic and genetic studies were utilized to elucidate the role played by a fungal ATM homolog during carbon starvation. In Aspergillus nidulans, AtmA was shown to control mitochondrial function and glucose uptake. Carbon starvation responses that are regulated by target of rapamycin (TOR) were shown to be AtmA-dependent, including autophagy and hydrolytic enzyme secretion. AtmA also regulated a p53-like transcription factor, XprG, inhibiting starvation-induced XprG-dependent protease secretion and cell death. Thus, AtmA possibly represents a direct or indirect link between mitochondrial stress, metabolism, and growth through the influence of TOR and XprG function. The coordination of cell growth and division with nutrient availability is crucial for all microorganisms to successfully proliferate in a heterogeneous environment. Mitochondria supply cellular energy but also perform a role in the adaptation to metabolic stress and the cross-talk between prosurvival and prodeath pathways. The present study of Aspergillus nidulans demonstrated that AtmA also controlled mitochondrial mass, function, and oxidative phosphorylation, which directly or indirectly influenced glucose uptake. Carbon starvation responses, including autophagy, shifting metabolism to the glyoxylate cycle, and the secretion of carbon scavenging enzymes were AtmA-dependent. Transcriptomic profiling of the carbon starvation response demonstrated how TOR signaling and the retrograde response, which signals mitochondrial dysfunction, were directly or indirectly influenced by AtmA. The AtmA kinase was also shown to influence a p53-like transcription factor, inhibiting starvation-induced XprG-dependent protease secretion and cell death. Therefore, in response to metabolic stress, AtmA appears to perform a role in the regulation of TOR signaling, involving the retrograde and SnfA pathways. Thus, AtmA may represent a link between mitochondrial function and cell cycle or growth, possibly through the influence of the TOR and XprG function.
A High-Density Gene Map of Loblolly Pine (Pinus taedaL.) Based on Exome Sequence Capture Genotyping
Authors: Neves Leandro Gomide , Davis John M , Barbazuk William B , Kirst Matias
Published: November 2013

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is an economically and ecologically important conifer for which a suite of genomic resources is being generated. Despite recent attempts to sequence the large genome of conifers, their assembly and the positioning of genes remains largely incomplete. The interspecific synteny in pines suggests that a gene-based map would be useful to support genome assemblies and analysis of conifers. To establish a reference gene-based genetic map, we performed exome sequencing of 14729 genes on a mapping population of 72 haploid samples, generating a resource of 7434 sequence variants segregating for 3787 genes. Most markers are single-nucleotide polymorphisms, although short insertions/deletions and multiple nucleotide polymorphisms also were used. Marker segregation in the population was used to generate a high-density, gene-based genetic map. A total of 2841 genes were mapped to pine’s 12 linkage groups with an average of one marker every 0.58 cM. Capture data were used to detect gene presence/absence variations and position 65 genes on the map. We compared the marker order of genes previously mapped in loblolly pine and found high agreement. We estimated that 4123 genes had enough sequencing depth for reliable detection of markers, suggesting a high marker conversation rate of 92% (3787/4123). This is possible because a significant portion of the gene is captured and sequenced, increasing the chances of identifying a polymorphic site for characterization and mapping. This sub-centiMorgan genetic map provides a valuable resource for gene positioning on chromosomes and guide for the assembly of a reference pine genome.
Chemical Suppression of Defects in Mitotic Spindle Assembly, Redox Control, and Sterol Biosynthesis by Hydroxyurea
Authors: McCulley Andrew , Haarer Brian , Viggiano Susan , Karchin Joshua , Feng Wenyi
Published: November 2013

We describe the results of a systematic search for a class of hitherto-overlooked chemical-genetic interactions in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome, which exists between a detrimental genetic mutation and a chemical/drug that can ameliorate, rather than exacerbate, that detriment. We refer to this type of interaction as “chemical suppression.” Our work was driven by the hypothesis that genome instability in a certain class of mutants could be alleviated by mild replication inhibition using chemicals/drugs. We queried a collection of conditionally lethal, i.e., temperature-sensitive, alleles representing 40% of the yeast essential genes for those mutants whose growth defect can be suppressed by hydroxyurea (HU), known as a potent DNA replication inhibitor, at the restrictive temperature. Unexpectedly, we identified a number of mutants defective in diverse cellular pathways other than DNA replication. Here we report that HU suppresses selected mutants defective in the kinetochore-microtubule attachment pathway during mitotic chromosome segregation. HU also suppresses an ero1-1 mutant defective for a thiol oxidase of the endoplasmic reticulum by providing oxidation equivalents. Finally, we report that HU suppresses an erg26-1 mutant defective for a C-3 sterol dehydrogenase through regulating iron homeostasis and in turn impacting ergosterol biosynthesis. We further demonstrate that cells carrying the erg26-1 mutation show an increased rate of mitochondrial DNA loss and delayed G1 to S phase transition. We conclude that systematic gathering of a compendium of “chemical suppression” of yeast mutants by genotoxic drugs will not only enable the identification of novel functions of both chemicals and genes, but also have profound implications in cautionary measures of anticancer intervention in humans.
Sustainable construction and low-carbon dioxide concrete: Algeria case
Authors: Kenai Said , Menadi Belkacem , Khatib Jamal M
Published: November 2013

Climate change seems to have had a notable effect on the environment. Natural disasters such as flooding are occurring more frequently but the human effect on the built environment and transportation is the greatest single cause of greenhouse gas emissions. The construction industry consumes a large amount of energy and natural resources, especially in construction materials. Hence, action is needed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, increase recycling and the reuse of materials and reduce water consumption. In this paper, the negative effect of the construction industry on climate is examined and remedial actions are proposed. A review of construction-related effects on climate change and sustainable construction is followed by a presentation of the authors' research on low-carbon dioxide concrete. Some examples of actions taken in Algeria to mimimise the effects of the industry on climate through research and practice are given. This mainly includes the use of cement replacement materials, recycling and efficient utilisation of resources.
Preparing Community Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurses to Deliver Level IIIA Care
Authors: Keegan Lynne Marie , Fields Willa
Published: November 2013

The purpose of this quality initiative was to increase NICU nurse competency to meet the care needs of higher acuity infants. A multifaceted educational approach with individual bedside education, a clinical practicum, inservices, and case presentations was based on results from a needs assessment, observational feedback, and chart audits. Results of this educational intervention included increased nurse competency and a change in admission criteria to care for higher acuity infants without transporting them to another hospital miles away. As the admission criteria changed, the volume of higher acuity infants increased, and the nurses were able to maintain their competency in caring for these infants.
Oral Clonidine in the Management of Acquired Opioid Dependency
Authors: Beaulieu Michele J.
Published: November 2013

Clonidine is a nonnarcotic analgesic historically used as a nasal decongestant and more recently established as an antihypertensive agent in adults. Because of its sedative properties with few adverse effects, clonidine has also been reported to be an effective pharmacologic agent for the treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). The use of oral clonidine as a primary or secondary agent in the treatment of NAS has been found to reduce hospitalization and duration of treatment in this population.
Research Paradigms and Methods
Authors: Raines Deborah A.
Published: November 2013

A research paradigm or research tradition is a set of practices and beliefs. Whether one approaches the study of a phenomenon of concern to nursing using an inductive or deductive approach is determined by the research paradigm guiding the design of the study. This column introduces and describes characteristics of research designs in both a qualitative and a quantitative research paradigm.
Scale-Inhibitor Consumption in Long-Term Static Barium Sulfate Inhibition Efficiency Tests
Authors: Shaw S.S.. S. , Sorbie K.S.. S.
Published: November 2013

In typical bulk barite inhibition-efficiency (IE) experiments testing scale inhibitors (SIs), the IE is determined by comparing the concentrations of the barium ion in the mix to that in an uninhibited "blank" solution. That is, [Ba2+] vs. time is monitored for both a blank and an inhibited solution. The fate of the SI itself over this test time period is rarely monitored, although this can give some important insights into the inhibition mechanism. This paper presents a series of long-term (up to 96 hours) barium sulfate static IE experiments in which both the supernatant SI concentration, [SI], and [Ba2+] are assayed at multiple sampling times after initial mixing of seawater (SW) and formation-water (FW) brines. In standard IE tests to determine SI minimum inhibitor concentration (MIC), sampling is normally carried out at 2 hours and 22 hours only. The long-term IE experiments described in this paper involve up to eleven sampling times, typically at t = 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 22, 48, 72, and 96 hours after mixing.

The aim of this type of experiment is to determine the fate of the SI over time and to determine whether the IE and percentage of SI (%SI) in solution vs. time profiles correlate with each other. Clearly, SI removed from solution is consumed into the forming barium sulfate lattice in the barite precipitate. IE and solution SI often continue to decline beyond 22 hours, up to 96 hours after the mixing stage. In these experiments, the SI concentration is set at a pre-2-hour MIC threshold concentration, such that the IE and %SI consumption profiles will both decline sufficiently over time, possibly even as early as one-half hour after mixing. The SI consumption profiles obtained by testing an extensive range of phosphonate and polymeric SIs are compared and discussed. Normally, a phosphorus-containing SI is selected for evaluation to facilitate assay of SI by means of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy. However, some novel results are also presented in which selected polymeric SIs were assayed by non-ICP analytical techniques. We interpret this extensive series of SI lattice-consumption experiments in terms of the mechanisms of barite inhibition and Type 1/Type 2 SI classifications presented in previous papers (Shaw et al. 2012a, b). The relevance and practical application of these findings are also discussed.
Gas-Rate Forecasting in Boundary-Dominated Flow: Constant-Bottomhole-Pressure Decline Analysis by Use of Rescaled Exponential Models
Authors: Zhang M.. , Ayala H. L.F.. F.
Published: November 2013

Gas-well performance forecasting during boundary-dominated flow (BDF) is largely based on the application of pseudopressure, pseudotime, and material-balance-pseudotime concepts to rate, pressure, and time data. Recently, Ayala H. and Ye (2012; 2013) and Ye and Ayala H. (2013) demonstrated the convenience and importance of a rescaled exponential model that successfully forecasted gas-well decline in BDF by use of density-based dimensionless parameters in place of pseudovariables. In this study, the interdependability and interchangeability of these methodologies is formally demonstrated with a rigorous derivation for rescaled exponential models on the basis of fundamental physical principles applicable to BDF conditions. The rescaled exponential equation is demonstrated to be a rigorous rate/time equation modeling gas-rate decline in wells produced against a constant-bottomhole-pressure specification. The proposed BDF decline equation is shown to be able to be expressed in terms of a dimensionless fluid parameter (B¯) that quantifies the μgcg dependency on density for the depletion process of interest, which has been directly tied to the hyperbolic decline coefficient experienced by a declining gas well. Case studies are presented to demonstrate the capabilities of the rescaled exponential model for gas-rate forecasting for wells producing at a constant bottomhole pressure, and its performance is compared with all other available models in the literature.
Metallurgical and electrochemical characterization of contemporary silver-based soldering alloys
Authors: Ntasi Argyro , Jabbari Youssef Al , Mueller Wolf Dieter , Eliades George , Zinelis Spiros
Published: November 2013

Objective:

To investigate the microstructure, hardness, and electrochemical behavior of four contemporary Ag-based soldering alloys used for manufacturing orthodontic appliances.

Materials and Methods:

The Ag-based alloys tested were Dentaurum Universal Silver Solder (DEN), Orthodontic Solders (LEO), Ortho Dental Universal Solder (NOB), and Silver Solder (ORT). Five disk-shaped specimens were produced for each alloy, and after metallographic preparation their microstructural features, elemental composition, and hardness were determined by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and Vickers hardness testing. The electrochemical properties were evaluated by anodic potentiodynamic scanning in 0.9% NaCl and Ringer's solutions. Hardness, corrosion current (Icorr), and corrosion potential (Ecorr) were statistically analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey test (α  =  .05).

Results:

EDX analysis showed that all materials belong to the Ag-Zn-Cu ternary system. Three different mean atomic contrast phases were identified for LEO and ORT and two for DEN and NOB. According to XRD analysis, all materials consisted of Ag-rich and Cu-rich face-centered cubic phases. Hardness testing classified the materials in descending order as follows: DEN, 155 ± 3; NOB, 149 ± 3; ORT, 141 ± 4; and LEO, 136 ± 8. Significant differences were found for Icorr of NOB in Ringer's solution and Ecorr of DEN in 0.9% NaCl solution.

Conclusion:

Ag-based soldering alloys demonstrate great diversity in their elemental composition, phase size and distribution, hardness, and electrochemical properties. These differences may anticipate variations in their clinical performance.
Lower Glucose Variability and Hypoglycemia Measured by Continuous Glucose Monitoring With Novel Long-Acting Insulin LY2605541 Versus Insulin Glargine
Authors: Bergenstal Richard M. , Rosenstock Julio , Bastyr Edward J. , Prince Melvin J. , Qu Yongming , Jacober Scott J.
Published: November 2013

OBJECTIVE

To use continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to evaluate the impact of the novel, long-acting basal insulin analog LY2605541 on hypoglycemia and glycemic variability in patients with type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Hypoglycemia and glucose variability were assessed with CGM of interstitial glucose (IG) in a subset of patients with type 2 diabetes from a phase II, randomized, open-label, parallel study of LY2605541 (n = 51) or insulin glargine (GL) (n = 25). CGM was conducted on 3 consecutive days (72–84 h) during the week before week 0, 6, and 12 study visits.

RESULTS

Measured by CGM for 3 days prior to the 12-week visit, fewer LY2605541-treated patients experienced hypoglycemic events overall (50.0 vs. 78.3%, P = 0.036) and nocturnally (20.5 vs. 47.8%, P = 0.027) and spent less time with IG ≤70 mg/dL than GL-treated patients during the 24-h (25 ± 6 vs. 83 ± 16 min, P = 0.012) and nocturnal periods (11 ± 5 vs. 38 ± 13 min, P = 0.024). These observations were detected without associated differences in the average duration of individual hypoglycemic episodes (LY2605541 compared with GL 57.2 ± 5.4 vs. 69.9 ± 10.2 min per episode, P = NS). Additionally, LY2605541-treated patients had lower within-day glucose SD for both 24-h and nocturnal periods.

CONCLUSIONS

By CGM, LY2605541 treatment compared with GL resulted in fewer patients with hypoglycemic events and less time in the hypoglycemic range and was not associated with protracted hypoglycemia.
Obesity as a Mediator of the Influence of Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Cardiometabolic Risk: A Mediation Analysis
Authors: Díez-Fernández Ana , Sánchez-López Mairena , Mora-Rodríguez Ricardo , Notario-Pacheco Blanca , Torrijos-Niño Coral , Martínez-Vizcaíno Vicente
Published: November 2013

OBJECTIVE

The relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is well known, although the extent to which body weight may act as a confounder or mediator in this relationship is uncertain. The aim of this study was to examine whether the association between CRF and cardiometabolic risk factors is mediated by BMI.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study including 1,158 schoolchildren aged 8–11 years from the province of Cuenca, Spain, was undertaken. We measured height, weight, waist circumference (WC), blood pressure, fasting plasma lipid profile and insulin, and CRF (20-m shuttle run test). A validated cardiometabolic risk index was estimated by summing standardized z scores of WC, log triglyceride-to-HDL cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-c), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and log fasting insulin. To assess whether the association between CRF and cardiometabolic risk was mediated by BMI, linear regression models were fitted according to Baron and Kenny procedures for mediation analysis.

RESULTS

In girls, BMI acts as a full mediator in the relationship between CRF and cardiometabolic risk factors, with the exception of log TG/HDL-c ratio. In boys, BMI acts as a full mediator in the relationship between CRF and both log TG/HDL-c ratio and MAP, and as a partial mediator in the relationship between CRF and cardiometabolic risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

BMI mediates the association between CRF and MetS in schoolchildren. Overall, good levels of CRF are associated with lower cardiometabolic risk, particularly when accompanied by weight reduction.