bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ferromagnetic nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia and thermoablation therapy
Authors: Kita Eiji , Oda Tatsuya , Kayano Takeru , Sato Suguru , Minagawa Makoto , Yanagihara Hideto , Kishimoto Mikio , Mitsumata Chiharu , Hashimoto Shinji , Yamada Keiichi , Ohkohchi Nobuhiro
Published: November 2010

The use of ferromagnetic nanoparticles for hyperthermia and thermoablation therapies has shown great promise in the field of nanobiomedicine. Even local hyperthermia offers numerous advantages as a novel cancer therapy; however, it requires a remarkably high heating power of more than 1 kW g−1 for heat agents. As a candidate for high heat generation, we focus on ferromagnetic nanoparticles and compare their physical properties with those of superparamagnetic substances. Numerical simulations for ideal single-domain ferromagnetic nanoparticles with cubic and uniaxial magnetic symmetries were carried out and MH curves together with minor loops were obtained. From the simulation, the efficient use of an alternating magnetic field (AMF) having a limited amplitude was discussed. Co-ferrite nanoparticles with various magnitudes of coercive force were produced by co-precipitation and a hydrothermal process. A maximum specific loss power of 420 W g−1 was obtained using an AMF at 117 kHz with H
0 = 51.4 kA m−1 (640 Oe). The relaxation behaviour in the ferromagnetic state below the superparamagnetic blocking temperature was examined by Mössbauer spectroscopy.
Designing novel nano-immunoassays: antibody orientation versus sensitivity
Authors: Puertas S , Moros M , Fernández-Pacheco R , Ibarra M R , Grazú V , de la Fuente J M
Published: November 2010

There is a growing interest in the use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for their application in quantitative and highly sensitive biosensors. Their use as labels of biological recognition events and their detection by means of some magnetic method constitute a very promising strategy for quantitative high-sensitive lateral-flow assays.

In this paper, we report the importance of nanoparticle functionalization for the improvement of sensitivity for a lateral-flow immunoassay. More precisely, we have found that immobilization of IgG anti-hCG through its polysaccharide moieties on MNPs allows more successful recognition of the hCG hormone.

Although we have used the detection of hCG as a model in this work, the strategy of binding antibodies to MNPs through its sugar chains reported here is applicable to other antibodies. It has huge potential as it will be very useful for the development of quantitative and high-sensitive lateral-flow assays for its use on human and veterinary, medicine, food and beverage manufacturing, pharmaceutical, medical biologics and personal care product production, environmental remediation, etc.
Direct synthesis of L10 FePt nanoparticles within carbon nanotubes by wet chemical procedure
Authors: Capobianchi A , Laureti S , Fiorani D , Foglia S , Palange E
Published: November 2010

This paper reports on the low temperature synthesis of L10 iron–platinum (FePt) particles within multiwall carbon nanotubes using a novel wet chemical method that allows the filling of the nanotube cavity keeping clean its external wall. In the proposed procedure, nanotubes are filled with a precursor salt of hexaaquairon(II) hexachloroplatinate, ([Fe(H2O)6][PtCl6]) and nanoparticles of the magnetically hard phase are directly obtained by heating at 400 °C in a reductive atmosphere. The advantage of such a precursor, allowing one to obtain at low temperature the L10 phase without passing through the soft fcc phase, is due to its structure, where the Fe and Pt atoms are arranged in alternating planes, as in the fct FePt structure. Morphological, structural and magnetic properties of the filled nanotubes have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and magnetization measurements. The results show the coexistence of nanoparticles in the superparamagnetic and blocked state, depending on the temperature, due to the particle size distribution.
Development of a Quick Quantitative Real-Time PCR for the In Vivo Detection and Quantification of Peach latent mosaic viroid
Authors: Parisi Olivier , Lepoivre Philippe , Jijakli M. Haissam
Published: November 2010

Viroids are plant pathogens infecting a broad range of herbaceous and tree crops. Among them, the Peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd) infects mainly peach trees, causing a loss of production with no curative options. Detecting this viroid is thus important for certification procedures aiming to avoid the release of infected material into orchards. Presented here is a complete detection method based on reverse transcription (RT) followed by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). New primers were selected and optimal reaction conditions determined for routine application of the method. The technique is 105 times more sensitive than the endpoint RT-PCR used for PLMVd detection, and permits earlier detection of PLMVd in infected plants. The quick, low-cost extraction procedure used and the quality of the results obtained make this method suitable for routine testing.
Simultaneous carriage of multiple genotypes of Staphylococcus aureus in children
Authors: Mongkolrattanothai Kanokporn , Gray Barry M. , Mankin Peggy , Stanfill Amy B. , Pearl Richard H. , Wallace Lizabeth J. , Vegunta Ravindra K.
Published: November 2010

The co-existence of multiple genotypes in colonization by Staphylococcus aureus has not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the heterogeneity of S. aureus carriage in children. We evaluated 125 nasal and perianal swab samples that were positive for S. aureus from 76 children scheduled for elective surgery. For each sample, at least four colonies with the same or different morphotypes were selected for analysis. Multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat fingerprinting was used to determine the genetic relatedness and to characterize the clonality of the S. aureus strains. Of the 125 swabs, 91 (73 %) contained meticillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), 8 (6 %) contained meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and 26 (21 %) contained MSSA and MRSA simultaneously. A total of 738 S. aureus strains were evaluated with a mean of 6 colonies (range 4–15) picked from each culture. Of the 125 swabs, 32 (26 %) samples contained two genetically distinct S. aureus strains and 6 (5 %) contained three different genotypes. Multiple S. aureus strains simultaneously carried by individual children were genetically unrelated to each other. We concluded that the co-existence of multiple genotypes of S. aureus was common. The significance of multiple carriage is yet to be determined, but this intraspecies interplay could be important to pathogenicity and virulence in S. aureus.
Fur regulation of the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and iron-acquisition systems in Klebsiella pneumoniae CG43
Authors: Lin Ching-Ting , Wu Chien-Chen , Chen Yu-Sheng , Lai Yi-Chyi , Chi Chia , Lin Jing-Ciao , Chen Yeh , Peng Hwei-Ling
Published: November 2010

The ferric uptake regulator Fur has been reported to repress the expression ofrmpA, a regulatory gene for the mucoid phenotype, leading to decreased capsular polysaccharide (CPS) biosynthesis inKlebsiella pneumoniaeCG43. Here, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses and electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that Fur also repressed the expression of the CPS regulatory genesrmpA2andrcsA. Interestingly, deletion ofrmpAorrcsAbut notrmpA2from the Δfurstrain was able to suppress the deletion effect of Fur. The availability of extracellular iron affected the amount of CPS, suggesting that Fur regulates CPS biosynthesis in an Fe(II)-dependent manner. Increased production of siderophores was observed in the Δfurstrain, suggesting that uptake of extracellular iron inK. pneumoniaeis regulated by Fur. Fur titration assays and qRT-PCR analyses demonstrated that at least six of the eight putative iron-acquisition systems, identified by ablastsearch in the contig database ofK. pneumoniaeCG43, were directly repressed by Fur. We conclude that Fur has a dual role in the regulation of CPS biosynthesis and iron acquisition inK. pneumoniae.
Physiological role of the respiratory quinol oxidase in the anaerobic nitrite-reducing methanotroph ‘Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera’
Authors: Wu Ming L. , de Vries Simon , van Alen Theo A. , Butler Margaret K. , Op den Camp Huub J. M. , Keltjens Jan T. , Jetten Mike S. M. , Strous Marc
Published: November 2010

The anaerobic nitrite-reducing methanotroph ‘CandidatusMethylomirabilis oxyfera’ (‘Ca.M. oxyfera’) produces oxygen from nitrite by a novel pathway. The major part of the O2is used for methane activation and oxidation, which proceeds by the route well known for aerobic methanotrophs. Residual oxygen may serve other purposes, such as respiration. We have found that the genome of ‘Ca.M. oxyfera’ harbours four sets of genes encoding terminal respiratory oxidases: two cytochromecoxidases, a third putativebo-type ubiquinol oxidase, and a cyanide-insensitive alternative oxidase. Illumina sequencing of reverse-transcribed total community RNA and quantitative real-time RT-PCR showed that all four sets of genes were transcribed, albeit at low levels. Oxygen-uptake and inhibition experiments, UV–visible absorption spectral characteristics and EPR spectroscopy of solubilized membranes showed that only one of the four oxidases is functionally produced by ‘Ca.M. oxyfera’, notably the membrane-boundbo-type terminal oxidase. These findings open a new role for terminal respiratory oxidases in anaerobic systems, and are an additional indication of the flexibility of terminal oxidases, of which the distribution among anaerobic micro-organisms may be largely underestimated.
The effect of anaesthesia and aortic clamping on cardiac output measurement using arterial pulse power analysis during aortic aneurysm repair*
Authors: Beattie C. , Moores C. , Thomson A. J. , Nimmo A. F.
Published: November 2010

The LiDCOTMplus monitor (LiDCO Ltd, Cambridge, UK) uses pulse contour analysis of the arterial pressure waveform to indicate changes in stroke volume and cardiac output. Calibration against a lithium indicator dilution method is required to permit display of absolute values in addition to trends. The effect of haemodynamic changes during anaesthesia and surgery on this calibration factor has not previously been studied. Therefore, we investigated whether it remained constant during elective abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery in 15 patients. Comparison between the calibration factor values at different time points was made by repeated recalibration throughout the peri‐operative period. Calibration factor increased by a mean of 53% after anaesthesia (epidural plus general) (p = 0.03) and decreased by a mean of 40% after aortic clamping (p = 0.0001). Recalibration should be undertaken after induction of anaesthesia and after aortic clamping if absolute values of cardiac output and stroke volume are required.
Long‐term impact of changes in sheep Ovis aries densities on the breeding output of the hen harrier Circus cyaneus
Authors: Amar Arjun , Davies Jacob , Meek Eric , Williams Jim , Knight Andy , Redpath Steve
Published: November 2010

1. Livestock grazing is an important form of land use across the globe and changes in grazing pressure can have profound effects on vertebrate populations.

2. In Scotland, over the last decade sheep numbers in many areas have declined from historically high levels, providing an opportunity to explore the implications of these declines for biodiversity.

3. The hen harrier Circus cyaneus is a bird of high conservation importance in the UK, and a species that may be heavily influenced by the indirect effects of sheep on habitat and prey. The hen harrier population on the Orkney Islands in Scotland has been monitored since 1975 and represents an ideal case study for considering the impact of sheep de‐stocking on a key predator.

4. Declines in the harrier population were associated with a doubling in sheep numbers between the early 1980s and the late 1990s. Subsequently, as sheep numbers have fallen the harrier population has recovered. These changes indicate an association but no clear mechanism, so we tested whether reductions in sheep numbers have led to increases in harrier prey or preferred foraging habitat. We then tested whether breeding output over the last 33 years correlates with sheep stocking levels or variation in weather conditions (rainfall and temperature).

5. Orkney sheep numbers declined by about 20% between 1998 and 2008. Surveys in 1999/2000 and repeated in 2008 showed increases in rough grassland, the preferred harrier foraging habitat, and increases in a key prey species, the Orkney vole Microtus arvalis orcadensis.

6. Overall, hen harrier breeding output over the last 33 years was significantly negatively correlated to both sheep abundance and spring rainfall.

7. Synthesis and application. This study provides strong evidence for the consequences of changes in sheep numbers on a top predator. Our results indicate that reductions in sheep numbers are likely to prove beneficial for some upland species, particularly small mammals and their predators.
Genetic basis of infectivity evolution in a bacteriophage
Authors: SCANLAN PAULINE D. , HALL ALEX R. , LOPEZ‐PASCUA LAURA D. C. , BUCKLING ANGUS
Published: November 2010

Antagonistic coevolution between hosts and parasites is probably ubiquitous. However, very little is known of the genetic changes associated with parasite infectivity evolution during adaptation to a coevolving host. We followed the phenotypic and genetic changes in a lytic virus population (bacteriophage; phage Φ2) that coevolved with its bacterial host, Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25. First, we show the rapid evolution of numerous unique phage infectivity phenotypes, and that both phage host range and bacterial resistance to individual phage increased over coevolutionary time. Second, each of the distinct phage phenotypes in our study had a unique genotype, and molecular evolution did not act uniformly across the phage genome during coevolution. In particular, we detected numerous substitutions on the tail fibre gene, which is involved in the first step of the host–parasite interaction: host adsorption. None of the observed mutations could be directly linked with infection against a particular host, suggesting that the phenotypic effects of infectivity mutations are probably epistatic. However, phage genotypes with the broadest host ranges had the largest number of nonsynonymous amino acid changes on genes implicated in infectivity evolution. An understanding of the molecular genetics of phage infectivity has helped to explain the complex phenotypic coevolutionary dynamics in this system.
Disease in the dark: molecular characterization of Polychromophilus murinus in temperate zone bats revealed a worldwide distribution of this malaria‐like disease
Authors: MEGALI A. , YANNIC G. , CHRISTE P.
Published: November 2010

For a better understanding of the complex coevolutionary processes between hosts and parasites, accurate identification of the actors involved in the interaction is of fundamental importance. Blood parasites of the Order Haemosporidia, responsible for malaria, have become the focus of a broad range of studies in evolutionary biology. Interestingly, molecular‐based studies on avian malaria have revealed much higher species diversity than previously inferred with morphology. Meanwhile, studies on bat haemosporidian have been largely neglected. In Europe, only one genus (Polychromophilus) and two species have been morphologically described. To evaluate the presence of potential cryptic species and parasite prevalence, we undertook a molecular characterization of Polychromophilus in temperate zone bats. We used a nested‐PCR approach on the cytochrome b mitochondrial gene to detect the presence of parasites in 237 bats belonging to four different species and in the dipteran bat fly Nycteribia kolenatii, previously described as being the vector of Polychromophilus. Polychromophilus murinus was found in the four bat species and in the insect vector with prevalence ranging from 4% for Myotis myotis to 51% for M. daubentoni. By sequencing 682 bp, we then investigated the phylogenetic relationships of Polychromophilus to other published malarial lineages. Seven haplotypes were found, all very closely related, suggesting the presence of a single species in our samples. These haplotypes formed a well‐defined clade together with Haemosporidia of tropical bats, revealing a worldwide distribution of this parasite mostly neglected by malarial studies since the 1980s.
Immunological therapy in urological malignancy: Novel combination strategies
Authors: Finley David S , Pouliot Frederic , Chin Arnold I , Shuch Brian , Pantuck Alan J , Belldegrun Arie S , Dekernion Jean B
Published: November 2010

At present, immunotherapy in urological malignancy is experiencing a renaissance, particularly with the emergence of a host of innovative cancer vaccines. Herein, we will review promising immunotherapeutic approaches and evaluate the data supporting their inclusion in novel combination strategies.
The role of the organisational psychologist in disasters and emergency situations
Authors: San Juan Guillén César
Published: November 2010

Interventions in extreme situations, such as natural or technological disasters, terrorist attacks or emergencies in general, take place in settings of great uncertainty and are always accompanied by extraordinary circumstances. For this reason, there are various processes related to implementing intervention protocols that must be carefully examined, including an evaluation of work scenarios, personnel selection, within‐group relationships in work teams, decision‐making processes, or certain peculiarities of burnout among emergency personnel. In the view of this author, an ad hoc review of the role of the organisational psychologist can highlight interesting analysis and performance possibilities that could make work in emergency and disasters contexts more effective. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the role of the organisational psychologist pre‐and post‐disaster. Furthermore, it supports the idea that professional profiles must be designed that take into account specific knowledge and skills, as well as certain aptitudes and values.
Religious Appeals and Implicit Attitudes
Authors: Albertson Bethany L.
Published: November 2010

This article explores the effects of religious appeals by politicians on attitudes and behavior. Although politicians frequently make religious appeals, the effectiveness of these appeals and the mechanisms of persuasion are unknown. This article explores the possibility that religious language can affect political attitudes through implicit processes. Because religious attachments are formed early in the lives of many Americans, religious language may influence citizens without their awareness. Implicit and explicit attitudes are related but distinct constructs, and implicit attitudes may have behavioral implications in the political realm. I test these hypotheses experimentally, relying on a widely used implicit measure, the Implicit Association Test. I find that a Christian religious appeal affects implicit attitudes and political behavior among people who currently or previously identify as Christian. Furthermore, an explicit preference for less religion in politics does not moderate implicit effects.
Exploring the Valence‐Framing Effect: Negative Framing Enhances Attitude Strength
Authors: Bizer George Y. , Larsen Jeff T. , Petty Richard E.
Published: November 2010

In his now‐classic research on inoculation theory, McGuire (1964) demonstrated that exposing people to an initial weak counterattitudinal message could lead to enhanced resistance to a subsequent stronger counterattitudinal message. More recently, research on the valence‐framing effect (Bizer & Petty, 2005) demonstrated an alternative way to make attitudes more resistant. Simply framing a person's attitude negatively (i.e., in terms of a rejected position such as anti‐Democrat) led to more resistance to an attack on that attitude than did framing the same attitude positively (i.e., in terms of a preferred position such as pro‐Republican). Using an election context, the current research tested whether valence framing influences attitude resistance specifically or attitude strength more generally, providing insight into the effect's mechanism and generalizability. In two experiments, attitude valence was manipulated by framing a position either negatively or positively. Experiment 1 showed that negatively framed attitudes were held with more certainty than were positively framed attitudes. In Experiment 2, conducted among a representative sample of residents of two U.S. states during political campaigns, negatively framed attitudes demonstrated higher levels of attitude certainty and attitude‐consistent behavioral intentions than did attitudes that were framed positively. Furthermore, the effect of valence framing on behavioral intentions was mediated by attitude certainty. Valence framing thus appears to be a relatively low‐effort way to impact multiple features associated with strong attitudes.
The End of the Solidly Democratic South: The Impressionable‐Years Hypothesis
Authors: Osborne Danny , Sears David O. , Valentino Nicholas A.
Published: November 2010

The partisan realignment of the White South, which transformed this region from being solidly Democratic to being the base of the Republican Party, has been the focus of much scholarship. Exactly how it occurred is unclear. Widespread individual‐level attitude changes would be contrary to the well‐known within‐person stability of party identification. However, according to the impressionable‐years hypothesis, events that occur during adolescence and early adulthood may have a lasting impact on later political attitudes. This would suggest that cohort replacement may be driving partisan realignment. We test this possibility using data from the American National Election Studies from 1960 to 2008. Consistent with the impressionable‐years hypothesis, Southern Whites from the pre‐Civil Rights cohort (born before 1936) maintained their Democratic Party identification longer than their younger counterparts. However, all cohorts in the South have changed their partisan attitudes at comparable rates over time, contrary to the impressionable‐years hypothesis. These data suggest that the partisan realignment of the South was driven by both cohort replacement and within‐cohort attitude change. More targeted case studies of older cohorts living through the civil rights era, and of younger cohorts in the post‐Reagan era, yield results generally consistent with the impressionable‐years hypothesis. More generally, our findings suggest that very large scale events are required to disrupt the normal continuity of party identification across the life span.
Children and Politics: An Empirical Reassessment of Early Political Socialization
Authors: van Deth Jan W. , Abendschön Simone , Vollmar Meike
Published: November 2010

Demands for the inclusion of children, the youngest citizens, in democratic decision making are increasing. Although there is an abundance of empirical research on the political orientations of adolescents, there is a paucity of research on younger children's orientations. Our panel study of more than 700 children in their first year of primary school shows that these young children already exhibit consistent, structured political orientations. We examine the distribution and development of political knowledge, issue orientations, and notions of good citizenship. We find achievement differences between subgroups at the beginning of the school year, and these differences do not disappear. Children from ethnic minorities and lower socioeconomic residence areas show relatively less developed political orientations, and they do not improve as much over the school year as other children. Furthermore, normative political orientations and cognitive orientations differ in their development.
The Slow Creation of Humanity
Authors: McFarland Sam
Published: November 2010

The concept of “humanity”—the belief that “all humanity is one undivided and indivisible family”—has been created slowly in human consciousness since the fifteenth century. Humanity has found increasing expression in international law through the ending of slavery, the creation of “crimes against humanity,” and the advancement of human rights. This slow creation of humanity is described by reviewing the vital contributions of Bartolomé de Las Casas, Granville Sharp, Edmund Dene Morel, H. G. Wells, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Still, the creation of humanity is incomplete. The author's research on “identification with all humanity” is summarized. Finally, speculation is offered on the social and psychological foundations of identification with all humanity, on factors that undermine it, and on how it might be enlarged.
House Sparrows Passer domesticus with larger uropygial glands show reduced feather wear
Authors: MORENO‐RUEDA GREGORIO
Published: November 2010

This study assesses whether uropygial gland size is related to improved feather quality. To address this question, I analysed the relationship between uropygial gland size and feather wear in the House Sparrow Passer domesticus. The results show that birds with larger uropygial glands had less worn feathers, suggesting that uropygial gland secretions improve feather resistance to abrasion.
The effects of dairy cow weight on selected soil physical properties indicative of compaction
Authors: Herbin T. , Hennessy D. , Richards K. G. , Piwowarczyk A. , Murphy J. J. , Holden N. M.
Published: November 2010

The effect of treading by dairy cows of three different weights on soil physical properties was investigated under different soil moisture deficit (SMD) treatments in the south of Ireland. SMD was used as a readily predicable surrogate for volumetric water content. Animal treading in grassland ecosystems is known to affect soil and vegetation properties, which can influence agricultural system productivity. Treading action can result in reduced soil water infiltration and increased runoff. In Ireland short winter housing and early spring turnout are key elements of low cost grass based production. However, there is potential for soil damage as a consequence of animal treading during early spring and late autumn. This study shows that SMD is the main factor affecting changes in bulk density (BD), soil shear strength, penetration resistance (PR) and total porosity. At high SMD (dry), soil was less sensitive to trampling damage than at low SMD (wet). At SMD 0 mm, BD increased by 6.1% post trampling, whereas it only increased by 3.1, 4.0 and 0.5% at SMD 11, 14, and 29 mm, respectively. Average soil BD was 2.3% greater immediately post trampling, and 4.6% greater in the hoof marks. PR was significantly greater following trampling by the heavy weight cow compared with the light or medium weight cow. There was no significant effect of cow weight on soil water content or soil BD. The results indicate that forecasted SMD can be used as a management input for rotational grazing systems to protect soil quality.
Polyomavirus BK: Possibly Associated Skin Eruption in a Patient with Hemorrhagic Cystitis
Authors: MEDEIROS PATRICIA V. , ABAGGE KERSTIN T. , CARVALHO VÂNIA O. , BONFIM CARMEM M. , RABONI SONIA M.
Published: November 2010

Abstract:  A 14‐year‐old girl with Fanconi anemia was submitted to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. After 17 days she developed hemorrhagic cystitis due to polyoma BK virus (BKV), confirmed by PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Two weeks after the appearance of the urinary symptoms the patient presented numerous papules and vesicles on both hands and feet. PCR of the skin lesions and plasma was positive for BKV. The relationship of BKV with frequent infections in immunocompromised patients is well established. The positive PCR of vesicular fluid suggests that this was the causative agent of the skin lesion in this case. There are no reports of skin lesions with positive PCR for BKV.
Dimensionality Reduction and Visualization of the Environmental Impacts of Domestic Appliances
Authors: Gutiérrez Ester , Lozano Sebastián , Adenso‐Díaz Belarmino
Published: November 2010

There is an increasing worldwide concern about the problem of dealing with the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), given the high volume of appliances that are disposed of every day. In this article, an environmental evaluation of WEEE is performed that combines life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and multivariate statistical techniques. Because LCA handles a large number of data in its different phases, when one is trying to uncover the structure of large multidimensional data sets, multivariate statistical techniques can provide useful information. In particular, principal‐component analysis and multidimensional scaling are two important dimension‐reducing tools that have been shown to be of help in understanding this type of complex multivariate data set. In this article, we use a variable selection method that reduces the number of categories for which the environmental impacts have to be computed; this step is especially useful when the number of impact categories or the number of products or processes to benchmark increases. We provide a detailed illustration showing how we have used the proposed approach to analyze and interpret the environmental impacts of different domestic appliances.
Sampling Hymenoptera along a precipitation gradient in tropical forests: the effectiveness of different coloured pan traps
Authors: Abrahamczyk Stefan , Steudel Bastian , Kessler Michael
Published: November 2010

Measuring species richness of tropical insects is an important but considerable challenge. Several techniques have been developed to quantitatively sample the non‐formicid Hymenoptera (bees and wasps). One of the most common is the use of colored pan traps. Although it is known that Hymenoptera are attracted differently by different colors, it is not yet known if these preferences shift in different habitats and hence affect comparisons of Hymenoptera diversity. We studied the effectiveness of differently‐colored pan traps along a latitudinal, climatic, and forest structure gradient from tropical to subtropical forests. Overall, we found a strong increase in individual numbers from north to south. Yellow traps sampled significantly more individuals than blue ones, mainly due to the responses of the families Ichneumonidae, Nyssonidae, Pompilidae, and Crabronidae, but trap catch was also related to canopy cover. Notably, traps located at forest edges had yellow/blue ratios similar to those of forests with comparable canopy cover. This suggests that, in contrast to the overall number of individuals caught, the relative effectiveness of yellow vs. blue traps was driven by canopy cover and hence light conditions or visibility of the traps. Thus comparisons of pan trap results between forests having different structures should only be made with great care.
The Subaru Lyα blob survey: a sample of 100-kpc Lyα blobs at z = 3
Authors: Matsuda Y. , Yamada T. , Hayashino T. , Yamauchi R. , Nakamura Y. , Morimoto N. , Ouchi M. , Ono Y. , Kousai K. , Nakamura E. , Horie M. , Fujii T. , Umemura M. , Mori M.
Published: November 2010

We present results of a survey for giant Lyα blobs (LABs) at z = 3 with Subaru/Suprime-Cam. We obtained Lyα imaging at z = 3.09 ± 0.03 around the SSA22 protocluster and in several blank fields. The total survey area is 2.1 deg2, corresponding to a comoving volume of 1.6 × 106 Mpc3. Using a uniform detection threshold of 1.4 × 10−18 erg s−1 cm−2 arcsec−2 for the Lyα images, we construct a sample of 14 LAB candidates with major-axis diameters larger than 100 kpc, including five previously known blobs and two known quasars. This survey triples the number of known LABs over 100 kpc. The giant LAB sample shows a possible ‘morphology—density relation’: filamentary LABs reside in average density environments as derived from compact Lyα emitters, while circular LABs reside in both average density and overdense environments. Although it is hard to examine the formation mechanisms of LABs only from the Lyα morphologies, more filamentary LABs may relate to cold gas accretion from the surrounding intergalactic medium (IGM) and more circular LABs may relate to large-scale gas outflows, which are driven by intense starbursts and/or by active galactic nucleus activities. Our survey highlights the potential usefulness of giant LABs to investigate the interactions between galaxies and the surrounding IGM from the field to overdense environments at high redshift.
Diffusive cosmic-ray acceleration at the Galactic Centre
Authors: Melia F. , Fatuzzo M.
Published: November 2010

The diffuse TeV emission detected from the inner ∼2° of the Galaxy appears to be strongly correlated with the distribution of molecular gas along the Galactic ridge. Although it is not yet entirely clear whether the origin of the TeV photons is due to hadronic or leptonic interactions, the tight correlation of the intensity distribution with the molecular gas strongly points to a pionic-decay process involving relativistic protons. However, the spectrum of the TeV radiation – a power law with index α ≈ −2.3 — cannot be accommodated easily with the much steeper distribution of cosmic rays seen at the Earth. In earlier work, we examined the possible sources of these relativistic protons and concluded that neither the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*[identified with the High-Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) source J1745−290] nor several pulsar wind nebulae dispersed along the Galactic plane could produce a TeV emission profile morphologically similar to that seen by the HESS. We concluded from this earlier study that only relativistic protons accelerated throughout the intercloud medium could account for the observed diffuse TeV emission from this region. In this Letter, we develop a model for diffusive proton acceleration driven by a turbulent Alfvénic magnetic field present throughout the gaseous medium. Though circumstantial, this appears to be the first evidence that at least some cosmic rays are accelerated diffusively within the inner ∼300 pc of the Galaxy.
Purinergic signalling in epithelial ion transport: regulation of secretion and absorption
Authors: Novak I.
Published: November 2010

Intracellular ATP, the energy source for many reactions, is crucial for the activity of plasma membrane pumps and, thus, for the maintenance of transmembrane ion gradients. Nevertheless, ATP and other nucleotides/nucleosides are also extracellular molecules that regulate diverse cellular functions, including ion transport. In this review, I will first introduce the main components of the extracellular ATP signalling, which have become known as the purinergic signalling system. With more than 50 components or processes, just at cell membranes, it ranks as one of the most versatile signalling systems. This multitude of system components may enable differentiated regulation of diverse epithelial functions. As epithelia probably face the widest variety of potential ATP‐releasing stimuli, a special attention will be given to stimuli and mechanisms of ATP release with a focus on exocytosis. Subsequently, I will consider membrane transport of major ions (Cl−, HCO3−, K+and Na+) and integrate possible regulatory functions of P2Y2, P2Y4, P2Y6, P2Y11, P2X4, P2X7 and adenosine receptors in some selected epithelia at the cellular level. Some purinergic receptors have noteworthy roles. For example, many studies to date indicate that the P2Y2 receptor is one common denominator in regulating ion channels on both the luminal and basolateral membranes of both secretory and absorptive epithelia. In exocrine glands though, P2X4 and P2X7 receptors act as cation channels and, possibly, as co‐regulators of secretion. On an organ level, both receptor types can exert physiological functions and together with other partners in the purinergic signalling, integrated models for epithelial secretion and absorption are emerging.
Targeted Oxidation of Torpedo californica Acetylcholinesterase by Singlet Oxygen
Authors: Weiner Lev , Roth Esther , Silman Israel
Published: November 2010

The photosensitizer, methylene blue (MB), is a strong reversible inhibitor of Torpedo californica acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the dark. Under illumination it causes irreversible inactivation. Loss of fluorescence of the singlet oxygen (1O2) trap, 9,10‐dimethylanthracene, was retarded in the presence of AChE, and the rate of photo‐inactivation was increased in the presence of D2O, indicating that inactivation was due to 1O2 generated by the photosensitizer. CD revealed slightly reduced far‐UV ellipticity, and slightly enhanced binding of an amphiphilic probe, indicating limited unfolding of the photo‐oxidized AChE. However, both near‐UV ellipticity and intrinsic fluorescence were markedly reduced, suggesting photo‐oxidative damage to tryptophans, (Trp) supported by appearance of novel emission peaks ascribed to N′‐formylkynurenine and/or kynurenine. Like other partially unfolded forms, the photo‐oxidized AChE was sensitive to proteolysis. Photosensitized inactivation produced exclusively chemically cross‐linked dimers, whereas irradiation of a partially unfolded state generated higher‐order oligomers. The active‐site gorge of AChE contains Trp in inhibitor‐binding sites that might be targets for photo‐oxidation. Indeed, reversible inhibitors retard photo‐inactivation, and photo‐inactivation destroys their binding sites. An excess of AChE protects paraoxonase from photo‐inactivation by sequestering the photosensitizer. Affinity photo‐oxidation of AChE by MB thus provides a valuable model for studying site‐specific photo‐inactivation of enzymes in both fundamental and clinical contexts.
Differential Roles of T‐cell Subsets in Regulation of Ultraviolet Radiation Induced Cutaneous Photocarcinogenesis
Authors: Nasti Tahseen H. , Iqbal Omer , Tamimi Iman A. , Geise James T. , Katiyar Santosh K. , Yusuf Nabiha
Published: November 2010

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, in particular the midwavelength range (UVB; 290–320 nm), is one of the most significant risk factors for the development of nonmelanoma skin cancer. UVB radiation‐induced immunosuppression, which occurs in both humans and laboratory animals, contributes to their pathogenesis. However, there are conflicting reports on the relative role of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in UVB induced skin cancer. The purpose of this study was to delineate the contribution of these two cell subpopulations to UVB induced immunosuppression and tumor development using C3H/HeN (WT), CD4 knockout (CD4−/−) and CD8 knockout (CD8−/−) mice. We observed that UVB induced skin carcinogenesis was retarded in terms of number of tumors per group, tumor volume and percentage of mice with tumors, in mice deficient in CD4+ T cells compared with wild‐type mice, whereas significantly greater (P < 0.05) numbers of tumors occurred in CD8−/− mice. These results indicate that, CD4+ T cells promote tumor development while CD8+ T cells have the opposite effect. Further, we found that CD4+ T cells from tumor‐bearing mice produced interleukin (IL)‐4, IL‐10, and IL‐17 whereas CD8+ T cells produced interferon‐γ. Manipulation of T‐cell subpopulations that are induced by UVB radiation could be a means of preventing skin cancers caused by this agent.
Icons, Liturgy, Saints: Ecological insights from Orthodox spirituality1
Authors: Chryssavgis John
Published: November 2010

The technical language and specific images that we adopt when we speak about preservation of the natural environment depend on values and images that we promote and even presume in our daily behaviour and lifestyle. In Orthodox Christian spirituality, such language and images certainly play a crucial role. This presentation considers the central importance of: 1) the world of icons as the way we view and perceive creation; 2) the beauty of liturgy as the way we celebrate and respond to creation; and 3) asceticism in the lives of the saints as the way we respect and treat creation. It draws on classic Orthodox Christian texts as well as contemporary literature to provide fundamental spiritual insights into the way we comprehend God's creation and the way we should confront its exploitation in modern times.
Assessment of welfare on 24 commercial UK dairy goat farms based on direct observations
Authors: Anzuino K. , Bell N. J. , Bazeley K. J. , Nicol C. J.
Published: November 2010

The preliminary findings from an investigation into the health and welfare of goats on commercial dairy goat farms in the UK are described. An assessment protocol involving direct observations of the goats was developed in order to assess their welfare. Twenty‐four dairy goat farms in England and Wales were visited and assessed during the period autumn 2004 to summer 2005. The main welfare issues identified were lameness and claw overgrowth, udder and teat lesions, skin lesions and pruritus.
Association mapping for phenological, morphological, and quality traits in canola quality winter rapeseed (Brassica napusL.)This article is one of a selection of papers from the conference “Exploiting Genome-wide Association in Oilseed Brassicas: a model for genetic improvement of major OECD crops for sustainable farming”.
Authors: Honsdorf Nora , Becker Heiko C. , Ecke Wolfgang
Published: November 2010

QTL mapping by association analysis has recently gained interest in plant breeding research as an alternative to QTL mapping in segregating populations from biparental crosses. In a first experiment on whole-genome association analysis in rapeseed, 684 mapped AFLP markers were tested for association with 14 traits in a set of 84 canola quality winter rapeseed cultivars. For association analysis a general linear model was used. By testing significance of marker–trait associations against a false discovery rate of 0.2, between 1 and 34 associated markers were found for 10 of the 14 traits. Taking into account linkage disequilibrium between the significant markers, these markers represent between 1 and 22 putative QTL for the respective traits. The minimum phenotypic variance explained by the QTL for the different traits ranged from 15% to 53%. A subset of 27 markers were significantly associated with two or more traits. These markers were predominantly shared between traits that were significantly correlated at the phenotypic level. The results show clearly that in rapeseed, QTL mapping by association analysis is a viable alternative to QTL mapping in segregating populations.
Genome-wide association analyses of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) germplasm identifies multiple loci for aluminium resistanceThis article is one of a selection of papers from the conference “Exploiting Genome-wide Association in Oilseed Brassicas: a model for genetic improvement of major OECD crops for sustainable farming”
Authors: Raman Harsh , Stodart Benjamin , Ryan Peter R. , Delhaize Emmanuel , Emebiri Livinus , Raman Rosy , Coombes Neil , Milgate Andrew
Published: November 2010

Aluminium (Al3+) toxicity restricts productivity and profitability of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) crops grown on acid soils worldwide. Continued gains will be obtained by identifying superior alleles and novel Al3+resistance loci that can be incorporated into breeding programs. We used association mapping to identify genomic regions associated with Al3+resistance using 1055 accessions of common wheat from different geographic regions of the world and 178 polymorphic diversity arrays technology (DArT) markers. Bayesian analyses based on genetic distance matrices classified these accessions into 12 subgroups. Genome-wide association analyses detected markers that were significantly associated with Al3+resistance on chromosomes 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 2D, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4D, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B. Some of these genomic regions correspond to previously identified loci for Al3+resistance, whereas others appear to be novel. Among the markers targeting TaALMT1 (the major Al3+-resistance gene located on chromosome 4D), those that detected alleles in the promoter explained most of the phenotypic variance for Al3+resistance, which is consistent with this region controlling the level of TaALMT1 expression. These results demonstrate that genome-wide association mapping cannot only confirm known Al3+-resistance loci, such as those on chromsomes 4D and 4B, but they also highlight the utility of this technique in identifying novel resistance loci.
Exploring and exploiting epigenetic variation in cropsThis article is one of a selection of papers from the conference “Exploiting Genome-wide Association in Oilseed Brassicas: a model for genetic improvement of major OECD crops for sustainable farming”.
Authors: King Graham J , Amoah Stephen , Kurup Smita
Published: November 2010

This review addresses the mechanisms by which epigenetic variation modulates plant gene regulation and phenotype. In particular we explore the scope for harnessing such processes within the context of crop genetic improvement. We focus on the role of DNA methylation as an epigenetic mark that contributes to epiallelic diversity and modulation of gene regulation. We outline the prevalence and distribution of epigenetic marks in relation to eukaryote developmental processes, and in particular identify where this may be relevant to crop traits both in terms of specific developmental stages and in relation to physiological responses to environmental change. Recent whole genome surveys have identified specific characteristics of the distribution of DNA methylation within plant genomes. Together with greater understanding of the mode of action of different maintenance and de novo methyltransferases, this provides an opportunity to modulate DNA methylation status at specific loci as an intervention strategy in crop genetic improvement. We discuss alternative approaches that may be suitable for harnessing such induced epiallelic variation. Most of the discussion is associated with Brassica crops, which demonstrate considerable morphological plasticity, segmental chromosomal duplication, and polyploidy.
Association mapping of seed oil content in Brassica napus and comparison with quantitative trait loci identified from linkage mappingThis article is one of a selection of papers from the conference “Exploiting Genome-wide Association in Oilseed Brassicas: a model for genetic improvement of major OECD crops for sustainable farming”.
Authors: Zou Jun , Jiang Congcong , Cao Zhengying , Li Ruiyuan , Long Yan , Chen Sheng , Meng Jinling
Published: November 2010

Association mapping has been used increasingly in natural populations with rich genetic diversity to detect DNA-based markers that are associated with important agronomic traits. Brassica napus is an important oil crop with limited genetic diversity. “New-type” B. napus that is introgressed with subgenomic components from related species has been developed to broaden the genetic basis of “traditional” B. napus . In this study, new-type B. napus lines and a collection of traditional B. napus varieties from different countries were used as two different populations to evaluate seed oil content and to determine the efficacy of association mapping by comparison with previous study of linkage mapping. Relatively rich genetic diversity, but a higher level of linkage disequilibrium was observed in the new-type B. napus as compared with the traditional B. napus . Similarly, a larger variation in oil content and a greater number of associated markers were detected in the population of new-type B. napus . Meanwhile, more than half of the genetic loci, to which the associated markers corresponded, were located within the quantitative trait loci intervals identified previously in linkage mapping experiments, which demonstrated the power of association mapping in B. napus .