bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statistical Games and Human Affairs
Authors: Bowden Roger J.
Published: February 2012

This book was first published in 1989. Inference and prediction in human affairs are characterised by a cognitive and reactive sample space, the elements of which are aware both of the statistician and of each other. It is therefore not surprising that methodologies borrowed from classical statistics and the physical sciences have yielded disappointingly few lasting empirical insights and have sometimes failed in predictive mode. This book puts the underlying methodology of socioeconomic statistics on a firmer footing by placing it within the ambit of inferential and predictive games. It covers such problems as learning, publication, non-response, strategic response, the nature and possibility of rational expectations, time inconsistency, intrinsic nonstationarity, and the existence of probabilities. Ideas are introduced such as real-time survey schemes, argument instability and reaction-proof forecasting based on stochastic approximation. Applications are canvassed to such topics as attitude measurement, political polling, econometric modelling under heterogeneous information, and the forecasting of hallmark events.
The Theory and Scholarship of Talcott Parsons to 1951
Authors: Wearne Bruce C.
Published: February 2012

The most influential sociologist to have emerged in the United States, Talcott Parsons developed a distinctive theoretical synthesis which drew on Weber, Smobart, Durkheim and Marx. He was the moving spirit behind the interdisciplinary Department of Social Relations at Harvard, and he became a central figure in the development of the social sciences in post-war America. Interest in his theories is now reviving, after a period of neglect, and Bruce C. Wearne's study will help a generation of scholars to reassess his work. Drawing on unpublished papers, Wearne describes Parson's religious background and his education and traces the impact of German and other social theory on his development as a scholar. The book concludes with a thorough and fresh reading of his classic work, The Social System.
The Manuscripts of Westminster Abbey
Authors: Robinson Joseph Armitage , James Montague Rhodes
Published: February 2012

Joseph Armitage Robinson (1858–1933) was an internationally regarded scholar of early Christian texts, as well as an influential churchman, theologian, historian and pioneer of Anglican–Catholic ecumenical dialogue. While he was Dean of Westminster, he collaborated with the outstanding medievalist and palaeographer M. R. James, then Provost of King's College, Cambridge, on this study, originally published in 1908. It documents the history of the library at Westminster Abbey and its accompanying scriptorium from 1060 to 1660, the original library having been dispersed at the dissolution of the monasteries and its successor destroyed by a fire in 1694. The authors present surprisingly detailed information, compiled from surviving sources, about the buildings, furniture and holdings of the library, its administration, the budget for buying and restoring books, and acquisitions from gifts and legacies. James even succeeds in identifying some manuscripts once owned by Westminster that have survived in other collections.
Industry and Inequality
Authors: Holmström Mark
Published: February 2012

This study focuses on the uneasy relationship between permanent 'organised sector' and temporary 'unorganised sector' workers in India. Does India indeed have a dual economy and society in which these two groups of workers, only one side enjoying the protection of the Factory Acts and Trades Unions, regard themselves and act as distinct classes with opposed interests? Drawing upon his own extensive fieldwork amongst Indian workers, employers and unionists, and on his familiarity with the anthropological and sociological literature, Dr Holmström strives to come to a better understanding of the thoughts and actions of the workers and the wider economic and political aspects of their situation. He uses a wide range of material, from the opinions and life stories of workers to accounts of recent union movements in the 'unorganized sector', and contributes critically to the- debate on 'dualism' and its underlying assumptions.
Rationality and Dynamic Choice
Authors: McClennen Edward F.
Published: February 2012

This is a major contribution to the theory of rational choice which will be of particular interest to philosophers and economists. The author sets out the foundations of rational choice, and then sketches a dynamic choice framework in which principles of ordering and independence follow from a number of apparently plausible conditions. However, there is potential conflict among these conditions, and when they are weakened to avoid it the usual foundations of rational choice no longer prevail. The thrust of the argument is to suggest that the theory of rational choice is less deterministic than many suppose.
Basic Aerodynamics
Authors: Flandro Gary A. , McMahon Howard M. , Roach Robert L.
Published: February 2012

In the rapidly advancing field of flight aerodynamics, it is especially important for students to master the fundamentals. This text, written by renowned experts, clearly presents the basic concepts of underlying aerodynamic prediction methodology. These concepts are closely linked to physical principles so that they are more readily retained and their limits of applicability are fully appreciated. Ultimately, this will provide students with the necessary tools to confidently approach and solve practical flight vehicle design problems of current and future interest. This book is designed for use in courses on aerodynamics at an advanced undergraduate or graduate level. A comprehensive set of exercise problems is included at the end of each chapter.
Travels and Discoveries in North and Central Africa
Authors: Barth Heinrich
Published: February 2012

Born in Hamburg, Henry (Heinrich) Barth (1821–1865) studied history, archaeology, geography and Arabic. He joined James Richardson's 1849 expedition to Africa, which aimed to open the interior to trade and to study slavery. Following the deaths of Richardson (1851) and his colleague Overweg (1852), Barth led the expedition alone. His travels extended to Lake Chad in the east, Cameroon in the south and Timbuktu in the west. He was the first European to use the oral traditions of the local tribes for historical research, learning several African languages, and studying the history, resources and civilisations of the people he encountered. Barth's five-volume account includes plates, engravings and detailed annotated maps. Published in both English and German in 1857–1858, it is still regarded as a major source on African culture. Volume 3 describes the peoples and terrain around Lake Chad, and experiences including the party's arrest and Overweg's death.
The Life of John William Colenso, D.D.
Authors: Cox George William
Published: February 2012

The prolific nineteenth-century historian and liberal churchman George William Cox (1827–1902) published this biography of the controversial bishop John William Colenso (1814–83) in 1888. Colenso was appointed the first Bishop of Natal in 1853, and in the next few years he oversaw the completion of the cathedral in Pietermaritzburg and the building of churches in Durban and Richmond, established mission stations and learned Zulu. He was heavily criticised for his tolerance of Zulu practices and for his view that the Old Testament was not literally true. Eventually he was excommunicated, though he retained a loyal following. Cox had accompanied Colenso on his first visit to South Africa in 1853, and remained a fervent supporter of the bishop's work, eventually being nominated (unsuccessfully) as his successor. Volume 1 covers Colenso's early years in Cornwall, his education at Cambridge, his appointment as bishop, and the furore surrounding his theology.
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson
Authors: Jefferson Thomas
Published: February 2012

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) was the third United States President (1801–9) and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. An advocate of republicanism, he envisioned America as an 'Empire of Liberty' that would strive to promote freedom around the world. First published in 1853–4, this nine-volume edition of Jefferson's writings shows the breadth of his intellectual and political interests. His autobiography, letters, diaries and political memoranda reflect a life lived at the centre of pivotal events, including the French and American Revolutions, and the founding of a new nation. Through them we discover his contribution to the pursuit of world peace, the evolving relationships between the United States and the European powers, and the development of the American constitution and judicial system. Volume 7 contains letters written following the end of his term in office, covering topics from university administration to America's relations with Europe.
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson
Authors: Jefferson Thomas
Published: February 2012

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) was the third United States President (1801–9) and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. An advocate of republicanism, he envisioned America as an 'Empire of Liberty' that would strive to promote freedom around the world. First published in 1853–4, this nine-volume edition of Jefferson's writings shows the breadth of his intellectual and political interests. His autobiography, letters, diaries and political memoranda reflect a life lived at the centre of pivotal events, including the French and American Revolutions, and the founding of a new nation. Through them we discover the evolving relationships between the United States and the European powers, and the development of the American constitution and judicial system. Volume 8 contains all his inaugural addresses and messages as President, his writings on topics such as slavery, trade, and the constitution of Virginia, and biographical notes on other distinguished figures.
Aboriginal Youth and the Criminal Justice System
Authors: Gale Fay , Bailey-Harris Rebecca , Wundersitz Joy
Published: February 2012

This book is a 1990 account of the ways in which young Aborigines were at a disadvantage before laws and legislation had been introduced, intended to improve their position. Aboriginal Youth and the Criminal Justice System focuses on South Australia, where detailed statistics are available, in a sophisticated analysis of the exact nature of the discrimination experienced by young Aborigines. Fay Gale, Rebecca Bailey-Harris and Joy Wundersitz examine the criminal justice system in operation; from the initial intervention by a police officer, through the process of screening and assessment to the final outcome - which all too often is a criminal record. The research clearly shows that at every point where discretion was exercised within this system, Aboriginal youths received the harsher option. Thus disadvantage is heaped on disadvantage until young Aboriginals were imprisoned at 23 times the rate of other young Australians. Even for those who escaped detention, participation in the criminal justice system was often such an ordeal that it became a form of punishment in itself. Discretion, though preferable to inflexible rules could operate against a group whose lifestyle and values differed from mainstream society.
The People, Rhetoric, and Affect: On the Political Force of Du Bois'sThe Souls of Black Folk
Authors: ROGERS MELVIN L.
Published: February 2012

In recent decades, the concept of “the people” has received sustained theoretical attention. Unfortunately, political theorists have said very little about its explicit or implicit use in thinking about the expansion of the American polity along racial lines. The purpose of this article in taking up this issue is twofold: first, to provide a substantive account of the meaning of “the people”—what I call its descriptive and aspirational dimensions—and second, to use that description as a framework for understanding the rhetorical character of W.E.B. Du Bois's classic work,The Souls of Black Folk, and its relationship to what one might call the cognitive–affective dimension of judgment. In doing so, I argue that as a work of political theory,Soulsdraws a connection between rhetoric, on the one hand, and emotional states such as sympathy and shame, on the other, to enlarge America's political and ethical imagination regarding the status of African-Americans.
ON PERIODIC SOLUTIONS FOR FIRST-ORDER DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS INVOLVING THE DISTRIBUTIONAL HENSTOCK–KURZWEIL INTEGRAL
Authors: LIU WEI , YE GUOJU , WANG YING , ZHOU XUEYUAN
Published: February 2012

The purpose of this paper is to study the existence of periodic solutions and the topological structure of the solution set of first-order differential equations involving the distributional Henstock–Kurzweil integral. The distributional Henstock–Kurzweil integral is a general integral, which includes the Lebesgue and Henstock–Kurzweil integrals. The main results extend some previously known results in the literature.
Chrysin abrogates cisplatin-induced oxidative stress, p53 expression, goblet cell disintegration and apoptotic responses in the jejunum of Wistar rats
Authors: Khan Rehan , Khan Abdul Quaiyoom , Qamar Wajhul , Lateef Abdul , Ali Farrah , Rehman Muneeb U. , Tahir Mir , Sharma Swati , Sultana Sarwat
Published: February 2012

Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP)) is a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of numerous forms of cancer, but it has pronounced adverse effects, namely nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, diarrhoea and nausea. CDDP-induced emesis and diarrhoea are also marked toxicities that may be due to intestinal injury. Chrysin (5,7-dihydroxyflavone), a natural flavone commonly found in many plants, possesses multiple biological activities, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of chrysin against CDDP-induced jejunal toxicity. The plausible mechanism of CDDP-induced jejunal toxicity includes oxidative stress, p53 and apoptosis via up-regulating the expression of caspase-6 and -3. Chrysin was administered to Wistar rats orally in maize oil. A single intraperitoneal injection of CDDP was given and the animals were killed after 24 h of CDDP injection. Chrysin ameliorated CDDP-induced lipid peroxidation, increase in xanthine oxidase activity, glutathione depletion, decrease in antioxidant (catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) and phase-II detoxifying (glutathione-S-transferase and quinone reductase) enzyme activities. Chrysin attenuated CDDP-induced goblet cell disintegration, enhanced expression of p53 and apoptotic tissue damage. Histological findings further substantiated the protective effects of chrysin against CDDP-induced damage in the jejunum. The results of the present study demonstrate that oxidative stress and apoptosis are closely associated with CDDP-induced toxicity and chrysin shows the protective efficacy against CDDP-induced jejunum toxicity possibly via attenuating the oxidative stress and apoptotic tissue damage.
A comparison of the FMRFamide-like peptide proteolytic activities of preparations from two plant-parasitic nematodes (Heterodera glycines and Meloidogyne incognita): possible targets for novel control
Authors: Masler E.P.
Published: February 2012

Proteolytic activities in extracts from the plant-parasitic nematodes Heterodera glycines and Meloidogyneincognita were examined for their abilities to digest three FRET-modified peptide substrates representing members of the large FMRFamide-like peptide (FLP) family in nematodes. Included were sequences distributed across all nematode species (KSAYMRFa and KHEYLRFa) and a sequence confined to a narrow range of plant-parasitic nematodes (KHEFVRFa). Species variations were observed among substrate affinities, reaction rates and effect of protease inhibitors. Km values for KHEYLRFa (1.48 ± 0.34 μm) and KSAYMRFa (2.13 ± 0.24 μm) in H. glycines were each lower (P< 0.05) than those for the same substrates in M. incognita (5.26 ± 1.30 μm and 3.90 ± 0.61 μm, respectively). The Km of KHEFVRFa was lower (P< 0.05) in M. incognita (5.83 ± 0.36 μm) than in H. glycines (11.01 ± 1.26 μm). Reaction rates (Vmax/min/μg) for KHEYLRFa were the same for both species, but KSAYMRFa and KHEFVRFa digestion rates were each nearly twofold higher (P< 0.05) in M. incognita than in H. glycines. Digestion of KSAYMRFa was strongly inhibited in both species by 4-(2-aminoethyl)-benzenesulfonyl-fluoride-HCl (AEBSF) and EDTA, but M. incognita was more sensitive (P< 0.05) to inhibition. AEBSF and EDTA (both at 1 mm) inhibited M. incognita activity 62.3% and 36.6% more, respectively, than H. glycines activity. Serine protease inhibition differed significantly (P< 0.05) between the two species. Maximum inhibition of M. incognita (76%) occurred at 1.85 mm AEBSF while maximum inhibition of H. glycines was 40% at 1.19 mm AEBSF.
Effect of polyvinyl acetal sponge nasal packing on post-operative care of nasal polyposis patients: a randomised, controlled, partly blinded study
Authors: Saedi B , Sadeghi M , Farschi S
Published: February 2012

Objective:

To compare the effects of routine nasal packing with polyvinyl acetal sponge (Merocel) versus no packing, after endoscopic sinus surgery for nasal polyposis.

Subjects and methods:

This clinical, randomised, controlled trial was performed in an academic tertiary referral centre between 2008 and 2011. Sixty patients with resistant nasal polyposis underwent endoscopic sinus surgery, and were then randomly divided into two groups: packed and non-packed. The amount of bleeding and pain in each group during pack removal was documented.

Results:

There was no significant difference between the two groups in the outcome of surgery and complications. One patient in each group needed extra packing. In the packed group, the mean ± standard deviation pain score on pack removal was 61 ± 3 (using a visual analogue scale in which 0 = no pain and 100 = worst pain imaginable).

Conclusion:

This study found no significant difference between polyvinyl acetal packed and non-packed groups, following endoscopic sinus surgery for nasal polyposis. This confirms the findings of similar studies, and supports the reconsideration of routine post-operative packing in selected cases.
In vitroactivity of the F-6 fraction of oregano againstGiardia intestinalis
Authors: RUFINO-GONZÁLEZ YADIRA , PONCE-MACOTELA MARTHA , GONZÁLEZ-MACIEL ANGÉLICA , REYNOSO-ROBLES RAFAEL , JIMÉNEZ-ESTRADA MANUEL , SÁNCHEZ-CONTRERAS ÁNGELES , MARTÍNEZ-GORDILLO MARIO N.
Published: February 2012

Giardiosis is a neglected parasitic disease that produces diarrhoea and different degrees of malabsorption in humans and animals. Its treatment is based on derivatives of 5-nitroimidazoles, benzimidazoles, nitrofuranes, acridine and nitrotiazoles. These drugs produce undesirable secondary effects, ranging from a metallic taste in the mouth to genetic damage and the selection of resistant strains; therefore, it is necessary to develop new therapeutic alternatives. We demonstrated that a 2-h treatment with 2·87μg ml−1of fraction 6 ofLippia graveolens(F-6) was sufficient to kill half of an experimentalGiardia intestinalis(Syn.G. duodenalis, G. lamblia) population, based on the reduction of MTT-tetrazolium salt levels. F-6 breaks the nuclear envelope and injures the ventral suckling disc. The major compounds of F-6 were characterized as naringenin, thymol, pinocembrin and traces of compounds not yet identified. The results suggest thatLippiais a potential source to obtain compounds with anti-Giardiaactivity. This knowledge is an important starting point to develop new anti-giardial drugs. Future studies will be required to establish the efficacy of F-6in vivousing an animal model.
Modelling the transmission dynamics of Theileria annulata: model structure and validation for the Turkish context
Authors: SUTTON A. J. , KARAGENC T. , BAKIRCI S. , SARALI H. , PEKEL G. , MEDLEY G. F.
Published: February 2012

A mathematical model that describes the transmission dynamics of Theileria annulata is proposed that consists of 2 host components: the Hyalomma tick population and a compartmental model of T. annulata infection in the cattle population. The model was parameterized using data describing tick infestation and the infection status of cattle in Turkey from 2006 to 2008. The tick attachment rates are highly seasonal and because of the temporal separation of infectious and susceptible ticks virtually all ticks are infected by carrier cattle, so that annual peaks of disease in cattle do not impact on infection in the Hyalomma tick population. The impact of intervention measures that target the tick population both on the host and in the environment and their impact on the transmission of T. annulata were investigated. Interventions that have a limited ‘one-off’ impact and interventions that have a more permanent impact were both considered. The results from the model show the importance of targeting ticks during the period when they have left their first host as nymphs but have yet to feed on their second host.
Branchiobdellidan infestation on endangered white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) in the UK
Authors: ROSEWARNE P. J. , MORTIMER R. J. G. , DUNN A. M.
Published: February 2012

Branchiobdellidans or crayfish worms are clitellate annelids and ectosymbionts of freshwater crayfish. An investigation of branchiobdellidan infestation was undertaken in a population of endangered white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) in the river Aire, UK. Thirty two percent of animals were infested either by the adult parasite or their cocoons (n=107). Parasite burden increased with host size, but did not differ with sex. Observations of crayfish gill tissue revealed a strong positive relationship between melanization of filaments and parasite prevalence and burden. Taxonomic identification revealed that 1 species of branchiobdellidan was present,Branchiobdella astaci. The first sequences were generated for this species and phylogenetically analysed alongside published sequences for 5 other branchiobdellidan species in Europe. The position ofB. astaciwithin the genusBranchiobdellawas confirmed, and it was found to cluster as a sister group toB. parasita.
Patterns of trunk spine growth in two congeneric species of acanthocephalan: investment in attachment may differ between sexes and species
Authors: HERNÁNDEZ-ORTS JESÚS S. , TIMI JUAN T. , RAGA JUAN A. , GARCÍA-VARELA M. , CRESPO ENRIQUE A. , AZNAR FRANCISCO J.
Published: February 2012

Acanthocephalans have evolved a hooked proboscis and some taxa have trunk spines to attach to their definitive hosts. These structures are generated before being used, thus a key question is how investment in attachment could optimally be allocated through the ontogeny. The number and arrangement of hooks and spines are never modified in the definitive host, but it is unclear whether these structures grow during adult development. A comparison of the size of trunk spines between cystacanths and adults of Corynosoma cetaceum and C. australe indicated that spines grow in both species, but only in females, which also had significantly larger spines than males. This sexual dimorphism did not result from pure allometry because the body of females was smaller, and did not grow more than that of males. However, having a longer lifespan, females would need to withstand the extreme flow conditions prevailing in marine mammals for longer, inducing different investment and development schedules for spines. Patterns of spine growth also differed between species: fore-trunk spines grew in both species, but hind-trunk spines did only in C. cetaceum. In conclusion, investment strategies on attachment may differ, not only between congeneric species of acanthocephalan, but also between sexes of the same species.
Breeding biology and population increase of the Endangered Bermuda Petrel Pterodroma cahow
Authors: MADEIROS JEREMY , CARLILE NICHOLAS , PRIDDEL DAVID
Published: February 2012

The Bermuda Petrel Pterodroma cahow was thought to have become extinct early in the 17th century due to a combination of hunting by human colonists and predation by introduced rats, cats, dogs and pigs. However, single individuals were found on four occasions during the first half of the 20th century, and in 1951 a small population was discovered breeding on several rocky islets in north-east Bermuda. Recovery actions began in 1962 when the population numbered just 18 pairs, dispersed among five small islets. Although rats extirpated one of these five colonies in 1967, the population has grown steadily to 56 breeding pairs in 2000. We investigated the breeding phenology, productivity and population size of the Bermuda Petrel between 2000/2001 and 2007/2008. Each year, the birds began arriving in Bermuda around mid-October. They departed on a pre-breeding exodus between 19 November and 14 December, returning after 32–56 days to lay a single egg between 31 December and 31 January. Eggs hatched from 16 February to 26 March after a mean (± SD) incubation period of 53 ± 2 days, and young fledged from 15 May to 25 June after a mean fledging period of 91 ± 5 days. Between 2000/2001 and 2007/2008, reproductive output ranged from 29 to 40 fledglings per annum. Mean annual breeding success (62%) was reasonably high relative to other Procellariiformes, largely due to the provision of artificial (concrete) nesting burrows. In 2008, the population numbered 85 breeding pairs. Monitoring since 1961 indicates the population has been increasing exponentially, doubling approximately every 22 years. This rate of increase, together with the increased incidence of storm damage, is making it progressively more impracticable to construct sufficient concrete burrows on the current nesting islets to accommodate all breeding pairs. The vulnerability of these sites to accelerating storm damage and erosion as a result of anthropomorphic climate change is now the greatest threat to the Bermuda Petrel.
First description of unilateral lung agenesis and anomalous pulmonary venous connection in a newborn with Goldenhar syndrome
Authors: Fischer Markus , Gorenflo Matthias , Eichhorn Joachim
Published: February 2012

We present a unique case of unilateral lung agenesis and anomalous pulmonary venous return in a newborn with Goldenhar syndrome.
Transcranial direct current stimulation treatment protocols: should stimulus intensity be constant or incremental over multiple sessions?
Authors: Gálvez Verònica , Alonzo Angelo , Martin Donel , Loo Colleen K.
Published: February 2012

Interest in transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a new tool in neuropsychiatry has led to the need to establish optimal treatment protocols. In an intra-individual randomized cross-over design, 11 healthy volunteers received five tDCS sessions to the left primary motor cortex on consecutive weekdays at a constant or gradually increasing current intensity, in two separate weeks of testing. Cortical excitability was assessed before and after tDCS at each session through peripheral electromyographic recordings of motor-evoked potentials. Both conditions led to significant cumulative increases in cortical excitability across the week but there were no significant differences between the two groups. Motor thresholds decreased significantly from Monday to Friday in both conditions. This study demonstrated that, in the motor cortex, administration of tDCS five times per week whether at a constant intensity or at a gradually increasing intensity was equally effective in increasing cortical excitability.
Tsunami waveform inversion incorporating permanent seafloor deformation and its application to tsunami forecasting
Authors: Tsushima Hiroaki , Hino Ryota , Tanioka Yuichiro , Imamura Fumihiko , Fujimoto Hiromi
Published: February 2012

We propose a method of tsunami waveform inversion to accurately estimate a tsunami source by incorporating the effect of permanent seafloor deformation recorded by ocean‐bottom pressure gauges (OBPGs) within the source region. We developed a general expression of water‐depth fluctuation recorded at an OBPG following seafloor deformation of arbitrary spatiotemporal distribution. By assuming that coseismic rupture propagates with infinite velocity, the general expression can be reduced to an equation relating observed OBPG waveforms to initial sea‐surface displacement at the source by using a Green's function consisting of two terms: the Green's function used in regular tsunami inversion and a correction term to account for water‐depth change in response to permanent seafloor deformation. By using the two‐term Green's functions, the effect of seafloor deformation can be taken into account in tsunami source estimation. We applied the revised inversion method to observations of coseismic seafloor deformation and tsunami during the 2003 Tokachi‐oki earthquake (Mw 8.3) at two OBPG stations near the Kuril Trench. The tsunami source model we estimated is consistent with models previously derived using various other geophysical data sets. Furthermore, the coastal tsunami waveforms we modeled match the observed tsunami well. Forecasts of tsunami arrival times and first peak amplitudes by our method can be obtained 20 min after an earthquake, and can be provided to the coastal communities nearest to the source with a lead time of ∼10 min.
Millennial scale changes in sea surface temperature and ocean circulation in the northeast Pacific, 10–60 kyr BP
Authors: Pak Dorothy K. , Lea David W. , Kennett James P.
Published: February 2012

A new centennial‐scale Mg/Ca temperature record from the California margin (ODP Site 1017E) reveals large millennial‐scale oscillations between 10 to 60 kyr. This record indicates that sea surface temperature on the California Margin warmed rapidly on the deglacial by 7.4 ± 0.8°C, and was preceded by a pre‐Bølling temperature oscillation of 2.6 ± 1.2°C. Millennial‐scale events of the last glacial episode were marked by sea surface temperature oscillations of between 3 and 7°C on the California margin, and interstadials were associated with an increase in surface water salinity. The data are consistent with evidence for a glacial southward shift in the polar jet stream and concomitant strengthening of the relatively cold, fresh California Current during stadial events. The data also support previous hypotheses suggesting a tight coupling between the North Atlantic and northeast Pacific response to climate instability of the last glacial episode.
Lunar images alter understanding of impact history
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: February 2012

New images of the Moon from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter could change our view of the history of impacts on the Moon. In 1972 the Apollo 17 mission took samples from the region of the Serenitatis impact basin. Scientists believed that the impact that created the Serenitatis basin was responsible for the formation of the Apollo 17 impact melt samples, which were dated to 3.8 billion years ago. A geological feature known as the Sculptured Hills, which surround the Apollo 17 landing site, was also believed to have been created from ejecta from the Serenitatis impact.
Pamela Silver: Synthesizing a new biology
Authors: Sedwick Caitlin
Published: February 2012

Silver's lab uses systems biology to inform the design of novel synthetic functions in cells.
The Limitations of Hierarchical Organization
Authors: Potochnik Angela , McGill Brian
Published: February 2012

The concept of levels of organization is prominent in science and central to a variety of debates in philosophy of science. Yet many difficulties plague the concept of universal and discrete hierarchical levels, and these undermine implications commonly ascribed to hierarchical organization. We suggest the concept of scale as a promising alternative. Investigating causal processes at different scales allows for a notion of quasi levels that avoids the difficulties inherent in the classic concept of levels. Our primary focus is ecology, but we suggest how the results generalize to other invocations of hierarchy in science and philosophy of science.
Reassessing Discovery: Rosalind Franklin, Scientific Visualization, and the Structure of DNA
Authors: Gibbons Michelle G.
Published: February 2012

Philosophers have traditionally conceived of discovery in terms of internal cognitive acts. Close consideration of Rosalind Franklin's role in the discovery of the DNA double helix, however, reveals some problems with this traditional conception. This article argues that defining discovery in terms of mental operations entails problematic conclusions and excludes acts that should fall within the domain of discovery. It proposes that discovery be expanded to include external acts of making visible. Doing so allows for a reevaluation of Franklin's role in the discovery of the structure of DNA.
Accuracy, Language Dependence, and Joyce's Argument for Probabilism
Authors: Fitelson Branden
Published: February 2012

In this article, I explain how a variant of David Miller's argument concerning the language dependence of the accuracy of predictions can be applied to Joyce's notion of the accuracy of “estimates of numerical truth-values” (i.e., Joycean credences). This leads to a potential problem for Joyce's accuracy-dominance-based argument for the conclusion that credences (understood as “estimates of numerical truth-values” in Joyce's sense) should obey the probability calculus.
Insights from genomic comparisons of genetically monomorphic bacterial pathogens
Authors: Achtman Mark
Published: February 2012

Some of the most deadly bacterial diseases, including leprosy, anthrax and plague, are caused by bacterial lineages with extremely low levels of genetic diversity, the so-called ‘genetically monomorphic bacteria’. It has only become possible to analyse the population genetics of such bacteria since the recent advent of high-throughput comparative genomics. The genomes of genetically monomorphic lineages contain very few polymorphic sites, which often reflect unambiguous clonal genealogies. Some genetically monomorphic lineages have evolved in the last decades, e.g. antibiotic-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
, whereas others have evolved over several millennia, e.g. the cause of plague,
Yersinia pestis
. Based on recent results, it is now possible to reconstruct the sources and the history of pandemic waves of plague by a combined analysis of phylogeographic signals in
Y. pestis
plus polymorphisms found in ancient DNA. Different from historical accounts based exclusively on human disease,
Y. pestis
evolved in China, or the vicinity, and has spread globally on multiple occasions. These routes of transmission can be reconstructed from the genealogy, most precisely for the most recent pandemic that was spread from Hong Kong in multiple independent waves in 1894.
The Polynesian gene pool: an early contribution by Amerindians to Easter Island
Authors: Thorsby Erik
Published: February 2012

It is now generally accepted that Polynesia was first settled by peoples from southeast Asia. An alternative that eastern parts of Polynesia were first inhabited by Amerindians has found little support. There are, however, many indications of a ‘prehistoric’ (i.e. before Polynesia was discovered by Europeans) contact between Polynesia and the Americas, but genetic evidence of a prehistoric Amerindian contribution to the Polynesian gene pool has been lacking. We recently carried out genomic HLA (human leucocyte antigen) typing as well as typing for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome markers of blood samples collected in 1971 and 2008 from reputedly non-admixed Easter Islanders. All individuals carried HLA alleles and mtDNA types previously found in Polynesia, and most of the males carried Y chromosome markers of Polynesian origin (a few had European Y chromosome markers), further supporting an initial Polynesian population on Easter Island. The HLA investigations revealed, however, that some individuals also carried HLA alleles which have previously almost only been found in Amerindians. We could trace the introduction of these Amerindian alleles to before the Peruvian slave trades, i.e. before the 1860s, and provide suggestive evidence that they were introduced already in prehistoric time. Our results demonstrate an early Amerindian contribution to the Polynesian gene pool on Easter Island, and illustrate the usefulness of typing for immunogenetic markers such as HLA to complement mtDNA and Y chromosome analyses in anthropological investigations.
Bioremediation of Agro-Based Pulp Mill Effluent by Microbial Consortium Comprising Autochthonous Bacteria
Authors: Kumar Virendra , Dhall Purnima , Kumar Rita , Prakash Singh Yogendra , Kumar Anil
Published: February 2012

Small-scale agro-based pulp and paper mills are characterized as highly polluting industries. These mills use Kraft pulping process for paper manufacturing due to which toxic lignified chemicals are released into the environment. Lack of infrastructure, technical manpower, and research and development facilities restricts these mills to recover these chemicals. Therefore, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the emanating stream is quite high. For solving the above problem, four bacteria were isolated from the premises of agro-based pulp and paper mill which were identified as species ofPseudomonas, Bacillus, Pannonibacter, andOchrobacterum. These bacteria were found capable of reducing COD up to 85%–86.5% in case of back water and 65-66% in case of back water : black liquor (60 : 40), respectively, after acclimatization under optimized conditions (pH 6.8, temperature 35°C, and shaking 200 rpm) when the wastewater was supplemented with nitrogen and phosphorus as trace elements.
A Population Survey in Italy Based on the ICF Classification: Recognizing Persons with Severe Disability
Authors: Leonardi Matilde , Martinuzzi Andrea , Meucci Paolo , Sala Marina , Russo Emanuela , Buffoni Mara , Raggi Alberto
Published: February 2012

Aim of this paper is to describe functioning of subjects with “severe disability” collected with a protocol based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. It included sections on body functions and structures (BF and BS), activities and participation (A&P), and environmental factors (EF). In A&P, performance without personal support (WPS) was added to standard capacity and performance. Persons with severe disability were those reporting a number of very severe/complete problems in BF or in A&P-capacity superior to mean + 1SD. Correlations between BF and A&P and differences between capacity, performance-WPS, and performance were assessed with Spearman's coefficient. Out of 1051, 200 subjects were considered as severely disabled. Mild to moderate correlations between BF and A&P were reported (between 0.148 and 0.394 when the full range of impairments/limitations was taken into account; between 0.198 and 0.285 when only the severe impairments/limitations were taken into account); performance-WPS was less similar to performance than to capacity. Our approach enabled identifying subjects with “severe disability” and separating the effect of personal support from that of devices, policies, and service provision.
Blood-Brain Barrier Abnormalities Caused by HIV-1 gp120: Mechanistic and Therapeutic Implications
Authors: Louboutin Jean-Pierre , Strayer David S.
Published: February 2012

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is compromised in many systemic and CNS diseases, including HIV-1 infection of the brain. We studied BBB disruption caused by HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein 120 (gp120) as a model. Exposure to gp120, whether acute [by direct intra-caudate-putamen (CP) injection] or chronic [using SV(gp120), an experimental model of ongoing production of gp120] disrupted the BBB, and led to leakage of vascular contents. Gp120 was directly toxic to brain endothelial cells. Abnormalities of the BBB reflect the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). These target laminin and attack the tight junctions between endothelial cells and BBB basal laminae. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were upregulated following gp120-injection. Gp120 reduced laminin and tight junction proteins. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) activate MMPs. Injecting gp120 induced lipid peroxidation. Gene transfer of antioxidant enzymes protected against gp120-induced BBB abnormalities. NMDA upregulates the proform of MMP-9. Using the NMDA receptor (NMDAR-1) inhibitor, memantine, we observed partial protection from gp120-induced BBB injury. Thus, (1) HIV-envelope gp120 disrupts the BBB; (2) this occurs via lesions in brain microvessels, MMP activation and degradation of vascular basement membrane and vascular tight junctions; (3) NMDAR-1 activation plays a role in this BBB injury; and (4) antioxidant gene delivery as well as NMDAR-1 antagonists may protect the BBB.
Clinical Characteristics of Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in High-Incidence Area
Authors: Li Jia-Xin , Lu Tai-Xiang , Huang Ying , Han Fei
Published: February 2012

Background. To describe the clinical characteristics of the patients who suffered from relapse after conventional irradiation for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Methods. Three hundred and fifty-one consecutive patients with first-time recurrent NPC between January 1999 and July 2005 were included. The patients’ clinical data were reviewed, including recurrent interval time, symptoms, signs, imaging characteristics, pathologic features, and restaging.Results. The median interval of relapse was 26.0 months. The most common symptoms in symptomatic patients were nasal bloody discharge (37.9%) and headache (31.1%). Local recurrence alone accounted for 73.5%. Most patients were restaged as stage III (23.1%) and stage IV (51.1%). Subgroup analysis suggested a significantly higher proportion of the long-latent relapses originated from early primary. A series of postreirradiation complications were more frequent in patients with longer latency at reception.Conclusions. Most recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma is advanced disease. Patients with different recurrent interval time show different nature behavior.
Ammonia Volatilization from Urea-Application Influenced Germination and Early Seedling Growth of Dry Direct-Seeded Rice
Authors: Qi Xiaoli , Wu Wei , Shah Farooq , Peng Shaobing , Huang Jianliang , Cui Kehui , Liu Hongyan , Nie Lixiao
Published: February 2012

Poor seed germination and early seedling growth associated with urea-induced soil ammonia volatilization are major constraints in the adoption of dry direct-seeded rice. To directly examine soil ammonia volatilization and its damage to seed germination and early seedling growth of dry direct-seeded rice when urea is applied at seeding, two Petri-dish incubation experiments and a field experiment were conducted. Ammonia volatilization due to urea application significantly reduced seed germination and early seedling growth of dry direct-seedling rice. NBPT significantly reduced ammonia volatilization following urea application. The application of ammonium sulfate, instead of urea at seeding, may mitigate poor crop establishment of dry direct-seeded rice. Root growth of dry direct-seeded rice was more seriously inhibited by soil ammonia volatilization than that of shoot. Results suggest that roots are more sensitive to soil ammonia toxicity than shoots in dry direct-seeded rice system when N is applied as urea at seeding.
Chlorine Dioxide-Iodide-Methyl Acetoacetate Oscillation Reaction Investigated by UV-Vis and Online FTIR Spectrophotometric Method
Authors: Shi Laishun , Wang Xiaomei , Li Na , Liu Jie , Yan Chunying
Published: February 2012

In order to study the chemical oscillatory behavior and mechanism of a new chlorine dioxide-iodide ion-methyl acetoacetate reaction system, a series of experiments were done by using UV-Vis and online FTIR spectrophotometric method. The initial concentrations of methyl acetoacetate, chlorine dioxide, potassium iodide, and sulfuric acid and the pH value have great influence on the oscillation observed at wavelength of 289 nm. There is a preoscillatory or induction period, and the amplitude and the number of oscillations are associated with the initial concentration of reactants. The equations for the triiodide ion reaction rate changing with reaction time and the initial concentrations in the oscillation stage were obtained. Oscillation reaction can be accelerated by increasing temperature. The apparent activation energies in terms of the induction period and the oscillation period were 26.02 KJ/mol and 17.65 KJ/mol, respectively. The intermediates were detected by the online FTIR analysis. Based upon the experimental data in this work and in the literature, a plausible reaction mechanism was proposed for the oscillation reaction.
B Cell Responses to CpG Correlate with CXCL16 Expression Levels in Common Variable Immunodeficiency
Authors: Lougaris Vassilios , Baronio Manuela , Vitali Massimiliano , Tampella Giacomo , Soresina Annarosa , Badolato Raffaele , Plebani Alessandro
Published: February 2012

Broad Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) signalling defects after CpGin vitrostimulation have been described in common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). CXCL16, a surface receptor, was recently shown to influence cell responses to CpG. We evaluated the expression and function of CXCL16 on B cells from healthy controls and CVID patients. We report that CXCL16 is normally expressed on B cells throughout peripheral maturation. Decreased B cell expression of CXCL16 was observed in a subgroup of CVID patients that correlated with defectivein vitroresponses to CpG (such as upregulation of CD69, CD86, AICDA, IL-6, and TLR9). Our data suggest that expression levels of a surface receptor, namely, CXCL16, correlate with B cell responses mediated by TLR9 in common variable immunodeficiency.
Beyond fecundity control: which weeds are most containable?
Authors: Panetta F. Dane , Cacho Oscar J.
Published: February 2012

1. Eradication is often the preferred strategy in the management of new weed invasions, but recent research has shown that the circumstances under which eradication can be achieved are highly constrained. Containment is a component of an eradication strategy and also a management objective in its own right. Just as for eradication, containment of a weed invasion should be attempted only if it is considered feasible. However, very little guidance exists for the assessment of containment feasibility for weeds.

2. Numerous factors have been proposed as influencing feasibility of containment, but those that relate to the potential for management of dispersal pathways and timely detection of new foci of infestation appear to be critical. Theory suggests that the rate of spread is largely driven by long‐distance dispersal (LDD). However, LDD is generally unpredictable and often occurs for species that do not appear to be adapted for it. Furthermore, many (if not most) LDD events fail to give rise to new infestations.

3. As the probability of colonisation is related to the numbers of propagules immigrating (‘propagule pressure’) at a point in the landscape, dispersal pathways that move relatively large numbers of propagules simultaneously and/or repeatedly should most enhance weed spread. It is these pathways whose potential for management has the greatest bearing upon containment feasibility. A key impediment to containment is undetected spread; this need not occur through LDD and is more likely to occur through dispersal to lesser distances.

4. Synthesis and applications. Feasibility of containment should be viewed in terms of the effort required to reduce weed spread rate, as well as the effectiveness of relevant management actions. Where dispersal vectors are not readily manageable and the probability of detection via structured and/or unstructured surveillance is low, a much greater reliance upon fecundity control will be needed to contain a weed. A combination of empirical and theoretical approaches should be used to develop and refine estimates of containment feasibility. Such estimates will aid decision‐making with regard to whether to attempt to reduce weed spread and assist in prioritisation of different weeds for containment.