bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconnaissance Mapping for Land-use Planning in the Natal Drakensberg, South Africa
Authors: Garland Gerald G. , Chisholm J. Pelham , Christian Colin R.
Published: August 2009

Changes in land-use can have an important effect on rates of erosion and denudation. In order to avoid accelerating erosion rates, decision makers in land-use planning require adequate information on the contemporary geomorphological processes and hydrology of areas where modifications in the land-use pattern are envisaged. The first phase in the acquisition of the information is the reconnaissance survey, which shows where and how the erosional status of an area is likely to be affected, and also acts as a foundation on which to base more detailed work in the future.

The Solitude area is an active erosional system, dominated by mass movement and fluvial processes. The rate of removal of material is likely to be increased by modifications in land-use which, from other points of view, would be considered entirely suitable for the area. Therefore, if accelerated denudation is to be avoided, projects involving land-use changes should be implemented only by those having an adequate understanding of the mechanism of geomorphological processes operating in the area.
The End of the Bank-rate?
Authors: Helliwell D. R.
Published: August 2009

The suggestion, made in two earlier papers, that the use of a standard discount rate is not appropriate the planning of the environment, is considered further. It is concluded that the approach suggested in those papers may be of general validity in investment and cost/benefit decisions of all types. This approach involves an assessment of risks, together with an assessment of the expected ratio of investment: income.
A Method of Investigating the Importance of Wildlife to Countyside Visitors
Authors: Everett Rodney D.
Published: August 2009

A total of 2,816 questionnaires were completed in the Dalby Forest Area in the period from March 1975 to March 1976. The answers to six questions were combined into a wildlife interest index. These questions were concerned with: (1) the interviewees' commitments to a wildlife organization, (2) the interviewees’ activities in the Area, (3) the elements of the Area which increased the interviewees' enjoyment, (4) benefits that the interviewees felt from visiting the Area, (5) the wildlife that interviewees has seen or hoped to see, and (6) the interviewees' desire to use a hide.

The interviewees' interest in wildlife was made up of an appreciation of the aesthetic, emotive, and psychological, elements of wildlife, as well as a purely active pursuit in nature study. These attributes of wildlife are all aspects which should be taken into consideration when assessing the role of wildlife in the recreational qualities of an area.
Cost—Benefit Aspects of Coastal Vegetation Establishment in Tampa Bay, Florida
Authors: Hoffman William E. , Rodgers James A.
Published: August 2009

Between late 1978 and mid-1979, two major coastal vegetation plantings were completed on dredge material in Tampa Bay, Florida. On the dredge material extension of Sunken Island, 1.64 ha of Smooth Cordgrass was planted via 12-cm ‘plugs’ on 1-m centres, in rows 2 m apart. After 14 months, this planting is showing 93.4% survival. On dredge-material island CDA-D, 0.52 ha of mangroves (63% Black and 37% White) was planted via 0.3–1.9 m transplants on 2-m centres. After 13 months, this planting is showing 73.3% survival.

The nature of these two plantings permits a comparison of their cost and man-power requirements. The labour requirements for Smooth Cordgrass were 995 man-hours/ha as opposed to 2,541 man-hours for mangrove transplanting. Smooth Cordgrass requires $4,566/ ha for plugs ($1.03/plug) while mangrove transplants cost $11,459/ha ($3.92/transplant). These costs are for comparison only, as they entail primarily labour and neglect most of the indirect costs that may be experienced.

An analysis of benefits for both salt-marsh and mangrove planting indicates that Smooth Cordgrass provides greater primary production on a g C/m2 basis than mangroves. Both plantings serve as colonial waterbird nesting habitat and source-areas for further planting, but Cordgrass does so in a shorter time-frame. When weighing the positive and negative aspects of both, Spartina alterniflora is preferred over mangroves where both are present.
Fertility Declines in Less-developed Countries: Components and Implications
Authors: Eberstadt Nicholas N.
Published: August 2009

Human fertility in the less-developed countries has declined substantially in aggregate over the past fifteen years. Although the declines have not occurred evenly—many countries, according to the best statistical information that is currently available, have yet to be affected—they have been felt in the major population centres of the poor world. Delays in the recognition of fertility decline are often more than a decade in less-developed countries, owing to the state of the art of collecting social statistics; analyses of the present condition, therefore, are necessarily tentative.

In the 1960s, the ‘taxonomy’ of fertility decline in the less-developed countries was simple: those nations ‘suffering’ fertility decline were either undergoing rapid development, were geographically distinct as islands, or were ethnically distinct as largely Chinese populations. Such a simple categorization no longer holds up; in fact, it is hard to make any ‘big picture’ generalizations about the nations that are now experiencing a decrease in family size. Future research workers should take this as a cue to look more closely at the ‘micro’ aspects of fertility—those incentives which affect couples directly in their decisions about children—for in the final analysis it is couples and not nations which decide to become parents.

Research workers might also with advantage pay closer attention to the connection between economic development and fertility, for the vast array of societies and economies that are now found to have declining fertility rates, would seem to call into question many of the assumptions about the so-called ‘demographic transition’, with which we have lived so comfortably for more than a generation.
Optimal Management of Karst Sites with Cave Fauna Protection
Authors: Tercafs Raymond
Published: August 2009

An optimal management of large Karst sites, with emphasis on the conservation of cave fauna while allowing recreational use, is proposed. A detailed study of the relative biological value of each section in a reference cave, the east Belgian ‘Grottes de Han’ Cave, was made in comparison with 40 others in Belgium.

Computer analysis provided a selection of optimal routes through the Cave. Each different route reflects the synthetic coefficients derived to weight biological and aesthetic values. This method of optimal cave resource control, developed to prevent deterioration in underground environments, can also be applied to other natural sites visited by humans.
The Ecology of Rawa Aopa, a Peat-swamp in Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Zwahlen Robert
Published: August 2009

Rawa Aopa is a large swamp in South-East Sulawesi, Indonesia — the only major peat-swamp in this mainly mountainous island. Its vegetation and fauna are still quite poorly known. The existing information is summarized here. With the creation of new villages as part of Indonesia's transmigration programme, the human population in this area has increased very rapidly. Pressure on natural resources — especially soils and forests — is increasing, and primary forests are dwindling rapidly. This in turn increases the threats to Rawa Aopa, as erosion in its catchment area inevitably leads to a rapid silting up of the swamp. The swamp has a potential as a source of food (fish and sago) and income (rattan and other products), and it might to some degree become a tourist attraction.

From a scientific point of view, the gaps in the knowledge about water-regime, vegetation, and fauna, ought to be remedied. In order to attain sustainable utilization of this area, a thorough plan ought to be made for the whole catchment of Rawa Aopa. The most important measure to take is the protection of the forests covering the hills and the surroundings of the swamp. Also important very widely is the protection of soils. Furthermore, it is recommended to include the northern part of the swamp in the already-existing Rawa Aopa—Watumohai National Park.
Threat to Unique Terrestrial and Marine Environments and Biota in a Japanese National Park
Authors: Moyer Jack T. , Higuchi Hiroyoshi , Matsuda Kozue , Hasegawa Masami
Published: August 2009

Miyake-jima, one of the Izu Islands of southern Japan and a part of the Fuji–Hakone–Izu National Park, has been designated by the governments of Japan and the United States of America as the site for a proposed military airport. Construction of the proposed facility would destroy lands especially designated, by the Environmental Agency of Japan and the Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, for special protection. Relocation of farmland and housing from the proposed site would result in destruction of valuable National Park land on other parts of the island.
Americans' Social Policy Preferences in the Era of Rising Inequality
Authors: McCall Leslie , Kenworthy Lane
Published: August 2009

Rising income inequality has been a defining trend of the past generation, yet we know little about its impact on social policy formation. We evaluate two dominant views about public opinion on rising inequality: that Americans do not care much about inequality of outcomes, and that a rise in inequality will lead to an increase in demand for government redistribution. Using time series data on views about income inequality and social policy preferences in the 1980s and 1990s from the General Social Survey, we find little support for these views. Instead, Americans do tend to object to inequality and increasingly believe government should act to redress it, but not via traditional redistributive programs. We examine several alternative possibilities and provide a broad analytical framework for reinterpreting social policy preferences in the era of rising inequality. Our evidence suggests that Americans may be unsure or uninformed about how to address rising inequality and thus swayed by contemporaneous debates. However, we also find that Americans favor expanding education spending in response to their increasing concerns about inequality. This suggests that equal opportunity may be more germane than income redistribution to our understanding of the politics of inequality.
Looking for Sex in All the Wrong Places: Press Coverage and the Electoral Fortunes of Gubernatorial Candidates
Authors: Fowler Linda L. , Lawless Jennifer L.
Published: August 2009

Although female candidates have achieved parity on some dimensions, political institutions remain deeply gendered in how they structure the parameters of electoral competition. We rely on a new data set of gubernatorial races from the 1990s to address the theoretical and empirical challenges created by the interaction of gender, media content, and electoral institutions. Based on an analysis of 1,365 newspaper articles for 27 contests in which a woman held a major party nomination, we uncover evidence of continuing bias in media coverage. Yet significant coefficients on candidate sex tell only part of the story. Gendered contextual factors linked to the contest and state in which candidates compete, as well as the newspapers that cover their races, also affect women's experiences on the campaign trail. The major finding, however, is the presence of a powerful baseline effect favoring male candidates that is deeply embedded in U.S. politics. All else equal, women gubernatorial candidates suffer a substantial vote deficit that results from non-observable influences. The results support the emerging consensus among feminist theorists that greater focus on the political context is likely to produce bigger scholarly payoffs than is continued attention to observable differences between male and female candidates.
The Primacy of Economics versus the Primacy of Politics: Understanding the Ideological Dynamics of the Twentieth Century
Authors: Berman Sheri
Published: August 2009

The current economic crisis has once again bought debates about capitalism and globalization to the forefront of the political agenda. Until very recently almost everyone seemed to be convinced that the world was at the dawn of a new era. Yet, the issue at the heart of globalization debates—whether political forces can dominate economic ones or must bow before them—is not new at all. I show that many of the great ideological and political battles of the last century were fought over precisely this ground, and argue that because we have forgotten or misunderstood these earlier debates our current discourse is thin and impoverished. To understand where we are and where we are going, we have to first step back and look closely at where we have been.
Imagining Terror in an Era of Globalization: U.S. Foreign Policy and the Construction of Terrorism after 9/11
Authors: Scott Catherine V.
Published: August 2009

Many analyses of U.S. foreign policy after September 11 have rested upon readings of the U.S. as a traditional imperialist power. In so doing, the constructions of Al Qaeda as a decentralized corporation and a virtual network are often ignored. Corporate and network constructions place less stress on conventional threats to the nation-state and instead portray terrorism in distinctively post-Fordist terms. This in turn helps explain the short-lived and partial patriotic responses to the terrorist attacks, as well as the contradictory place of race in portrayals of the threat facing the U.S. Together these discourses point to new ways of thinking about U.S. nationalism and terrorism in the twenty-first century.
Yeltsin, Putin, and Clinton: Presidential Leadership and Russian Democratization in Comparative Perspective
Authors: Rivera David W. , Rivera Sharon Werning
Published: August 2009

Immediately after coming to power, the Clinton administration declared the consolidation of market and democratic institutions in Russia to be a vital American interest. The administration's central tactic for promoting this outcome was to help Boris Yeltsin remain in power. In a major assault on Clinton's historical legacy, much of the scholarly community maintains that U.S. policy was fundamentally flawed, both morally and strategically. In the view of these analysts, post-Soviet Russia's founding president was an autocratic leader who derailed the country's progress toward democracy. However, this body of research focuses exclusively on the Russian Federation and fails to utilize comparative referents. In contrast, we analyze the experiences of the full population of post-communist states of Eastern Europe and Eurasia from 1991 to the present. Whether examined in cross-national or longitudinal perspective, we find that Russian democracy under Yeltsin was, relatively speaking, a success. We conclude that the Clinton administration's policy of support for Yeltsin both served various American foreign policy interests and strengthened the prospects for democratic consolidation in Russia, thereby fulfilling the dictates of bothreal-andidealpolitik. In addition, the relative success of Russia's democratization in the 1990s, the reversal of that pattern in this decade, and the magnitude of the transformation of the polity under Putin all demonstrate the pivotal role played by presidential leadership in Russia's transition.
All Politics Is Local: The Reemergence of the Study of City Politics
Authors: Trounstine Jessica
Published: August 2009

The study of local politics has been relegated to the periphery of political science and many explanations have been offered for the marginalization of the subfield. I offer three related arguments for why scholars should revisit the study of sub-state politics. First, the local level is the source of numerous political outcomes that matter because they represent a large proportion of political events in the United States. Secondly, there are methodological advantages to studying local politics. Finally, analyzing politics at the sub-state level can generate thoroughly different kinds of questions than a purely national-level focus and can offer different answers to questions that apply more generally. Research on local politics can and should contribute to broader debates in political science and ensure that we understand both how and why cities are unique.
Evaluation of high‐resolution sea ice models on the basis of statistical and scaling properties of Arctic sea ice drift and deformation
Authors: Girard L. , Weiss J. , Molines J. M. , Barnier B. , Bouillon S.
Published: August 2009

Sea ice drift and deformation from models are evaluated on the basis of statistical and scaling properties. These properties are derived from two observation data sets: the RADARSAT Geophysical Processor System (RGPS) and buoy trajectories from the International Arctic Buoy Program (IABP). Two simulations obtained with the Louvain‐la‐Neuve Ice Model (LIM) coupled to a high‐resolution ocean model and a simulation obtained with the Los Alamos Sea Ice Model (CICE) were analyzed. Model ice drift compares well with observations in terms of large‐scale velocity field and distributions of velocity fluctuations although a significant bias on the mean ice speed is noted. On the other hand, the statistical properties of ice deformation are not well simulated by the models: (1) The distributions of strain rates are incorrect: RGPS distributions of strain rates are power law tailed, i.e., exhibit “wild randomness,” whereas models distributions remain in the Gaussian attraction basin, i.e., exhibit “mild randomness.” (2) The models are unable to reproduce the spatial and temporal correlations of the deformation fields: In the observations, ice deformation follows spatial and temporal scaling laws that express the heterogeneity and the intermittency of deformation. These relations do not appear in simulated ice deformation. Mean deformation in models is almost scale independent. The statistical properties of ice deformation are a signature of the ice mechanical behavior. The present work therefore suggests that the mechanical framework currently used by models is inappropriate. A different modeling framework based on elastic interactions could improve the representation of the statistical and scaling properties of ice deformation.
Process‐based simulation of contrail cirrus in a global climate model
Authors: Burkhardt Ulrike , Kärcher Bernd
Published: August 2009

Aviation induces changes in global cirrus cloudiness by producing contrails. In the past, line shaped contrail coverage has been parameterized relying on the scaling of contrail formation frequency to observed values. Coverage due to irregularly shaped contrail cirrus, that develop from line shaped contrails, could not be estimated with this method. We introduce a process‐based parameterization of contrail cirrus in a global climate model that does not rely on scaling and that is not restricted to line shaped contrails. A new prognostic cloud class, contrail cirrus, is introduced that is allowed to develop in the parameterized, fractional ice supersaturated area. Initial dimensions of the contrails and a parameter controlling their spreading in a sheared flow are constrained by observational data. In an idealized experiment contrail cirrus coverage is found to be dominated by a major contrail outbreak and scales with supersaturation rather than contrail formation frequency. The global distribution of young contrail coverage is smoothed out due to transport but overall values are similar compared to older estimates. Interannual variability of young contrail coverage can be as large as the mean coverage. The sensitivity of the model simulations to physical model parameters and to parameters concerning the comparison with observational data is studied. The associated uncertainty of global line shaped contrail coverage can be as high as 60% of the reference estimate (0.05%). The simulated coverage due to young contrails agrees reasonably well with most satellite observations of regional line shaped contrail coverage considering the sensitivity to the above parameters and the interannual variability.
Enhanced Geothermal Systems: Mitigating Risk in Urban Areas
Authors: Kraft Toni , Mai Paul Martin , Wiemer Stefan , Deichmann Nicholas , Ripperger Johannes , Kästli Philipp , Bachmann Corinne , Fäh Donat , Wössner Jochen , Giardini Domenico
Published: August 2009

With the global challenge to satisfy an increasing demand for energy while at the same time stabilizing or reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere, geothermal energy from enhanced geothermal systems (EGSs) increasingly is being recognized as an attractive alternative energy source throughout the world. However, the risks associated with the seismicity necessarily induced during the development of an EGS constitute a significant challenge for the widespread implementation of this technology. This article provides a preliminary overview of lessons learned from an attempt to develop an EGS beneath the city of Basel, Switzerland.
Mapping Giant Scours in the Deep Ocean
Authors: Huvenne Veerle A. I. , McPhail Stephen D. , Wynn Russell B. , Furlong Maaten , Stevenson Peter
Published: August 2009

Mapping the deep‐ocean floor in high resolution (i.e., meter scale) is a technological challenge. However, with increasing interest in submarine geohazards and deep‐sea habitats, understanding the detailed morphology of the seafloor is vital for the correct interpretation of geological and biological processes. Such high‐resolution data are now becoming increasingly accessible for the scientific community, as demonstrated during the first scientific missions of Autosub6000, the new UK purpose‐built deepwater autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The missions, carried out on board the RRS James Cook in August 2008, were aimed at mapping giant erosional scours in several submarine canyons along the northeastern Atlantic margin. Scours are seafloor depressions that are generated through erosion beneath submarine flows. Scours are most commonly associated with high‐energy environments, such as submarine canyons and channels.
Plume 1400 Meters High Discovered at the Seafloor off the Northern California Margin
Authors: Gardner James V. , Malik Mashkoor , Walker Sharon
Published: August 2009

On 17 May 2009, the Kongsberg EM302 multibeam echo sounder on board the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Okeanos Explorer was collecting bathymetry and water column acoustic data offshore of northern California when it suddenly imaged a previously undiscovered 1400‐meter‐high plume (Figure 1) rising from the seafloor at 40°32.13′N, 124°47.01′W. The ship was mapping in water depths of approximately 1830 meters and heading east up the northern California continental margin 20 kilometers north of the Gorda escarpment. The continental shelf in this area is known to have subsurface and water column thermogenic and methane gas, although no plumes from this area previously have been reported from deeper than the continental shelf.
Documenting Precision and Accuracy in the Open Data Policy Era
Authors: Moldwin Mark B. , Rose Sara
Published: August 2009

How often do research papers discuss measurement uncertainty or present error bars in observational or statistical analysis figures?

In an attempt to address this issue using space physics as an example, we conducted a survey of 102 observational Journal of Geophysical Research‐Space Physics articles that were published over a time span of 7 months. Unfortunately, the majority (56) did not discuss measurement uncertainty or present error bars in observational or statistical analysis figures.
AGU Announces Open Review Experiment
Authors: Albarède Francis
Published: August 2009

Beginning in September, several AGU journals will introduce an option for “open review,” a public discussion forum on submitted manuscripts that takes place simultaneously with the formal review process. This is a 1‐year experiment to measure community interest.

In July, AGU journal editors were provided with guidelines and were asked to consider engaging in the experiment. For journals with multiple editors, all editors had to agree to participate. As a result of editor responses, open review will be available for five journals: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems; Global Biogeochemical Cycles; JGR—Earth Surface; JGR—Planets; and Radio Science.
Large Subduction Thrust Earthquake Shakes Southern New Zealand
Authors: Reyners Martin
Published: August 2009

At 9:22 P.M. local time on 15 July 2009, the largest earthquake in New Zealand in the past 80 years occurred in the southern Fiordland subduction zone of the country's South Island. The Mw 7.6 earthquake ruptured the interface between the subducting Australian plate and the overlying Pacific plate, with the deeper end of the rupture underlying the coast of Fiordland, a sparsely populated region in the southwestern corner of the South Island. The proximity of the rupture to land, together with the recent deployment of seismographs and continuous Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers in Fiordland as part of the GeoNet project run by GNS Science (http://www.geonet.org.nz), ensures an abundance of recordings close to the rupture. As a result, this event promises to be one of the better recorded subduction thrust earthquakes to date.
Reconstructing Climate Dynamics Over the Past Millennium: Synoptic‐Scale Climate Dynamics Over the Last Millennium: A Case Study for the MCA‐LIA Transition; Kippel, Switzerland, 17–20 May 2009
Authors: Trouet Valerie , Baker Andy
Published: August 2009

An increasing number of terrestrial and marine proxy records for temperature, hydrology, and oceanic circulation over the past millennium are becoming available, providing a reference frame for the assessment of current and future climate change. The spatial and temporal resolution of these proxies, however, is still limited, hindering the analysis of dynamical processes of regional to global climate changes. These processes can be simulated and interpreted using coupled climate models, which can also aid in separating externally forced climate signals (e.g., solar variability and anthropogenic forcing) from internal climate variability. Understanding of natural climate variability and underlying dynamics can be further improved by relating past variations to statistical models of climate processes.
Hafnium and neodymium isotope variations in NE Atlantic seawater
Authors: Godfrey L. V. , Zimmermann B. , Lee D.‐C. , King R. L. , Vervoort J. D. , Sherrell R. M. , Halliday A. N.
Published: August 2009

The 176Hf/177Hf ratio of seawater is measured directly with 143Nd/144Nd in a composite vertical profile in the NE Atlantic. The value of ɛHf of intermediate and deep water exhibits little variation and averages +1.0 ± 0.8; surface water shows a wider range, −5.7 to +3.3. While intermediate and deep water samples plot on, or close to, the seawater Hf‐Nd isotope array, defined by ferromanganese deposits, near‐surface seawater samples plot between the seawater and terrestrial rock ɛHf − ɛNd arrays. It is likely that the shallow water variability in ɛHf arises from a short residence time of Hf in surface water and isotopically heterogeneous inputs. The difference between surface and intermediate‐deep water ɛHf may be maintained by the release of surface scavenged Hf at depth from a subset of sinking particles; the composition of εNd at middepths reflects overlying surface water and water advected along isopycnals from areas where they outcrop in winter. Uniform ɛHf values below 1000 m suggest the residence time of Hf may be longer than that of Nd. The radiogenic isotopic composition of seawater Hf relative to Nd and terrestrial rocks suggests that minerals with high Lu/Hf ratios may be preferentially weathered, providing a source of radiogenic Hf to the oceans.
Using S wave receiver functions to estimate crustal structure beneath ice sheets: An application to the Transantarctic Mountains and East Antarctic craton
Authors: Hansen Samantha E. , Julià Jordi , Nyblade Andrew A. , Pyle Moira L. , Wiens Douglas A. , Anandakrishnan Sridhar
Published: August 2009

For seismic stations deployed on ice sheets, determining crustal structure using P wave receiver functions can be difficult since ice reverberations may mask P‐to‐S (Ps) conversions from the crust‐mantle boundary (Moho). In this study, we assess the usefulness of S wave receiver functions (SRFs), which are not affected by ice multiples, for investigating crustal structure beneath ice sheets by analyzing broadband seismic data recorded across the Transantarctic Mountains (TAMs) and the East Antarctic (EA) craton. Clear S‐to‐P (Sp) conversions from the Moho are obtained using standard SRF processing methods and are easier to interpret than the corresponding Ps conversion on PRFs. When the Sp‐S times are modeled together with 16–20 s Rayleigh wave group velocities, we obtain Moho depth estimates of ∼40–45 km for the EA craton, consistent with average Precambrian crustal thickness found globally but ∼9 km thicker than previously reported estimates. A somewhat thinner crust (∼35–40 km) is obtained beneath the TAMs, suggesting that crustal buoyancy is at most a minor contributor to the uplift of the mountain range in this region.
Evaluating restoration success and applying adapative management in the Middle Rio Grande Bosque
Authors: Hummel Ondrea , Caplan Todd
Published: August 2009

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Albuquerque District, in collaboration with various local partners, has been implementing restoration projects in the Albuquerque Reach of the Middle Rio Grande. These projects have included the removal of the metal jetty jacks, debris, and dense thickets of non-native vegetation (salt cedar, Russian olive, and Siberian elm) that occur in the bosque (riparian forest), creation of wet habitats (such as willow swales and high-flow channels), and revegetation schemes focused on increasing the diversity and quality of wildlife habitat. The goal of many of these projects is to develop a framework to restore the bosque into a more functional and sustainable ecosystem. Projects implemented on the ground are being monitored for various restoration success components – such as vegetation response, wildlife use and response, and surface water-ground water interaction. This monitoring has provided important information in regards to planning future restoration efforts that meet all project objectives. Monitoring has also pointed out where improvement is needed and adaptive management can be implemented. This presentation will give an overview of the various projects and monitoring that has taken place and how information gained has been beneficial.
The S‐phase checkpoint: targeting the replication fork
Authors: Segurado Mónica , Tercero José Antonio
Published: August 2009

The S‐phase checkpoint is a surveillance mechanism, mediated by the protein kinases Mec1 and Rad53 in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ATR and Chk2 in human cells, respectively) that responds to DNA damage and replication perturbations by co‐ordinating a global cellular response necessary to maintain genome integrity. A key aspect of this response is the stabilization of DNA replication forks, which is critical for cell survival. A defective checkpoint causes irreversible replication‐fork collapse and leads to genomic instability, a hallmark of cancer cells. Although the precise mechanisms by which Mec1/Rad53 maintain functional replication forks are currently unclear, our knowledge about this checkpoint function has significantly increased during the last years. Focusing mainly on the advances obtained in S. cerevisiae, the present review will summarize our understanding of how the S‐phase checkpoint preserves the integrity of DNA replication forks and discuss the most recent findings on this topic.
A novel protein, sperm head and tail associated protein (SHTAP), interacts with cysteine‐rich secretory protein 2 (CRISP2) during spermatogenesis in the mouse
Authors: Jamsai Duangporn , Rijal Sewa , Bianco Deborah M. , O'Connor Anne E. , Merriner Donna J. , Smith Stephanie J. , Gibbs Gerard M. , O'Bryan Moira K.
Published: August 2009

Background information. CRISP2 (cysteine‐rich secretory protein 2) is a sperm acrosome and tail protein with the ability to regulate Ca2+ flow through ryanodine receptors. Based on these properties, CRISP2 has a potential role in fertilization through the regulation of ion signalling in the acrosome reaction and sperm motility. The purpose of the present study was to determine the expression, subcellular localization and the role in spermatogenesis of a novel CRISP2‐binding partner, which we have designated SHTAP (sperm head and tail associated protein).

Results. Using yeast two‐hybrid screens of an adult testis expression library, we identified SHTAP as a novel mouse CRISP2‐binding partner. Sequence analysis of all Shtap cDNA clones revealed that the mouse Shtap gene is embedded within a gene encoding the unrelated protein NSUN4 (NOL1/NOP2/Sun domain family member 4). Five orthologues of the Shtap gene have been annotated in public databases. SHTAP and its orthologues showed no significant sequence similarity to any known protein or functional motifs, including NSUN4. Using an SHTAP antiserum, multiple SHTAP isoforms (∼20–87 kDa) were detected in the testis, sperm, and various somatic tissues. Interestingly, only the ∼26 kDa isoform of SHTAP was able to interact with CRISP2. Furthermore, yeast two‐hybrid assays showed that both the CAP (CRISP/antigen 5/pathogenesis related‐1) and CRISP domains of CRISP2 were required for maximal binding to SHTAP. SHTAP protein was localized to the peri‐acrosomal region of round spermatids, and the head and tail of the elongated spermatids and sperm tail where it co‐localized with CRISP2. During sperm capacitation, SHTAP and the SHTAP—CRISP2 complex appeared to be redistributed within the head.

Conclusions. The present study is the first report of the identification, annotation and expression analysis of the mouse Shtap gene. The redistribution observed during sperm capacitation raises the possibility that SHTAP and the SHTAP—CRISP2 complex play a role in the attainment of sperm functional competence.
Angiopoietin-1-induced ubiquitylation of Tie2 by c-Cbl is required for internalization and degradation
Authors: Wehrle Christina , Van Slyke Paul , Dumont Daniel J.
Published: August 2009

Tie2 [where ‘Tie’ is an acronym from tyrosine kinase with Ig and EGF (epidermal growth factor) homology domains] is a receptor tyrosine kinase expressed predominantly on the surface of endothelial cells. Activated by its ligands, the angiopoietins, Tie2 initiates signalling pathways that modulate vascular stability and angiogenesis. Deletion of either the Tie2 or Ang1 (angiopoietin-1) gene in mice results in lethal vascular defects, signifying their importance in vascular development. The mechanism employed by the Tie2 signalling machinery to attenuate or cause receptor trafficking is not well defined. Stimulation of Tie2-expressing cells with Ang1 results in its ubiquitylation, suggesting that this may provide the necessary signal for receptor turnover. Using a candidate molecule approach, we demonstrate that Tie2 co-immunoprecipitates with c-Cbl in an Ang1-dependent manner and its ubiquitylation can be inhibited by the dominant-interfering molecule v-Cbl (a viral form of c-Cbl that contains only the tyrosine kinase-binding domain region). Inhibition of the Tie2–Cbl interaction by overexpression of v-Cbl blocks ligand-induced Tie2 internalization and degradation. In summary, our results illustrate that c-Cbl interacts with the Tie2 signalling complex in a stimulation-dependent manner, and that this interaction is required for Tie2 ubiquitylation, internalization and degradation.
First report of a haemagglutinin-induced apoptotic pathway in breast cancer cells
Authors: Lam Sze Kwan , Ng Tzi Bun
Published: August 2009

A dimeric 64 kDa HA (haemagglutinin) was isolated with a high yield from dried Phaseolus vulgaris cultivar ‘French bean number 35’ seeds. It inhibited the proliferation of hepatoma HepG2 cells and breast cancer MCF-7 cells with an IC50 of 100 and 2 μM respectively. After exposure of MCF-7 cells to the HA for 24 h, a number of changes were detected in the cells. Growth arrest in the G0/G1 and G2/M phases was observed. The number of cells undergoing early apoptosis and late apoptosis increased. Disruption of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and disorganization of the inner mitochondrial membrane were induced. Western-blot analysis disclosed that the HA induced apoptosis through the death receptor-mediated pathway.
Characterization of functional activity of ABCB1 and ABCC1 proteins in eggs and embryonic cells of the sea urchin Echinometra lucunter
Authors: De Souza Mônica Queiroz Vasconcelos , Barros Taíssa Valéria , Torrezan Elis , Cavalcanti Airlla Laana de Medeiros , Figueiredo Regina Celia Bressan Queiroz , Marques-Santos Luis Fernando
Published: August 2009

ABC transporter (ATP-binding-cassette transporter) proteins have been strongly associated with the phenomenon of multidrug resistance in cancer cells. Furthermore, their physiological expression has been studied in many organisms, including bacteria, fungi, plants and vertebrate or invertebrate animals. Their widespread expression through the evolution demonstrates their relevance to the survival of living things. In the present study, we characterized the functional activity of ABCB1 and ABCC1 proteins in gametes and embryonic cells of the sea urchin Echinometra lucunter. The ABC transporter proteins' functional activity was up-regulated post-fertilization. Eggs and spermatozoa of E. lucunter accumulated more C-AM (calcein acetoxymethyl ester), a fluorescent substrate of ABCB1 and ABCC1 proteins, than embryonic cells. Verapamil, reversin 205 and indomethacin were able to increase C-AM influx in eggs and embryos. However, verapamil and reversin 205 were more efficient than indomethacin, suggesting a predominance of ABCB1 protein over ABCC1 protein activity. Multidrug resistance modulating agents, at the concentration range that inhibited ABC transporter proteins, did not block the embryonic development until blastula stage. However, inhibition of ABCB1-mediated efflux by reversin 205 circumvented resistance of embryos to the antimitotic vinca alkaloid vinblastine. Embryonic development was more efficiently blocked when colchicine was previously added to eggs than to embryos 5 min after fertilization. This set of results suggests that these proteins act as a fundamental biochemical barrier conferring a protective physiological role against toxic xenobiotics in E. lucunter embryos.
Ionic debris measurement of three extreme ultraviolet sources
Authors: Sporre J. , Castaño C. H. , Raju R. , Ruzic D. N.
Published: August 2009

Generation of debris in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources is an inherent and real threat to the lifetime of collection optics. Debris measurement of these sources is useful to enable source suppliers to estimate collector lifetime. At the Center for Plasma Material Interactions (CPMI) at the University of Illinois, an Illinois calibrated spherical sector electrostatic energy analyzer (ICE) was built to measure the ion debris flux in absolute units. In addition to ion flux, the detector is also capable of identifying different ion species present in the plasma utilizing energy-to-charge ratio discrimination. The lifetime of the collector optics is calculated using the measured ion flux. In the current investigation we compare the measurement of ion debris production in three different EUV sources: the Energetiq EQ-10M, the AIXUV-100, and the XTREME XTS 13-35. In the EQ-10M source, three angular measurements are coupled with three variations in operating pressure to measure consequent effects on debris production. These measurements reveal four predominant ion species in the energetic debris analysis: C+, Si+, Xe+, and Xe2+. The amount of debris is reduced as pressure is increased. Various debris mitigation methods are implemented in the AIXUV-100 source and results reveal that four ion species are observed (Ar+, Xe+, Xe2+, and W+), though there does not seem to be a dominant species. The first mitigation technique, backstreaming argon toward the source, reduces the amount of Ar+, Xe2+, and W+, yet increases the amount of Xe+ The increase in Xe+ flux is explained based on charge exchange phenomena. The ICE machine was then attached 1.92 m away from the pinch of XTS 13-35 source, and placed at 25° away from the normal line. The comparison of results reveals that the XTS 13-35 and the EQ-10M sources produced comparable amounts of energetic ion flux per watt of EUV light produced. The AIXUV-100 source generated more ion debris flux per watt of EUV light than the other two sources, though it should be noted that the AIXUV-100 source was capable of producing more than ten times the amount of EUV light power compared to any of the other sources.
Origin of nanoscale potential fluctuations in two-dimensional semiconductors
Authors: Landrock S. , Jiang Y. , Wu K. H. , Wang E. G. , Urban K. , Ebert Ph.
Published: August 2009

We demonstrate a direct atomically resolved visualization and quantification of the impact of inhomogeneities in the dopant distribution on the nanoscale potential fluctuations in a two-dimensional semiconducting 3×3 Ga overlayer on Si(111) using scanning tunneling microscopy. By a quantitative analysis, two regimes of the potential at nanometer scale are found, which arise from the local distribution of charge carriers in the bands and from electron-electron interactions.
Strong asymmetry of microwave absorption by bilayer conducting ferromagnetic films in the microstrip-line based broadband ferromagnetic resonance
Authors: Kostylev M.
Published: August 2009

Peculiarities of broadband ferromagnetic resonance response of conducting magnetic bilayer films have been studied theoretically. The film thickness was assumed to be smaller than the microwave magnetic skin depth. Excitation of magnetization precession by a homogeneous microwave field incident from one surface of the film has been considered, which mimics the microwave field of a wide microstrip transducer. Strong asymmetry of the response has been found. Depending on the order of layers with respect to the transducer location either the first higher-order standing spin-wave mode or the fundamental mode shows the largest response. This effect is explained as shielding of the transducer field by eddy currents in the films. This shielding remains very efficient for films with thicknesses below the microwave magnetic skin depth. This effect may be useful for studying buried magnetic interfaces and should be accounted for in future development of broadband inductive ferromagnetic resonance methods.
Structural properties of tensily strained Si layers grown on SiGe(100), (110), and (111) virtual substrates
Authors: Destefanis V. , Rouchon D. , Hartmann J. M. , Papon A. M. , Baud L. , Crisci A. , Mermoux M.
Published: August 2009

We have studied the structural properties of tensily strained Si (t-Si) layers grown by reduced pressure–chemical vapor deposition on top of SiGe(100), (110), and (111) virtual substrates (VSs). Chemical mechanical planarization has been used beforehand to eliminate the as-grown surface crosshatch on all orientations and reduce by 10 up to 100 times the surface roughness. A definite surface roughening has occurred after the epitaxy of t-Si on (110) and (111). For the lowest Ge contents investigated, top Si(100) and (110) layers are locally “defect-free” whereas numerous {111} stacking faults are present in the t-Si(111) layers. For higher Ge content SiGe VS, a degradation of the crystallographic quality of (110) and (111) t-Si layers has been evidenced, with the presence of dislocations, stacking faults, and twins. Quantification of the strain level in the t-Si layers has been carried out using visible and near-UV Raman spectroscopy. The Ge contents in the VS determined by Raman spectroscopy were very close to the ones previously obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry or x-ray diffraction. Stress values obtained for t-Si(100) layers were whatever the Ge content similar to those expected. Stress values corresponding to pseudomorphic t-Si growths have been obtained on (110) and (111) SiGe VSs, for Ge contents up to 35% and 25%, respectively. The stress values obtained on (110) surfaces for such Ge contents were high, with a noticeable anisotropy along the [001] and [1-10] directions. Degradations of the (110) and (111) Raman profiles likely coming from twin-assisted strain relaxation have been noticed for t-Si layers on SiGe VS with Ge contents higher than 35% and 25%, respectively. UV and visible Raman mapping of the growth plane strain fluctuations has finally been carried out. Original surface arrays have been highlighted for each surface orientation. Such strain fields are related to the plastic relaxation of strain in the SiGe graded layer underneath through the emission of misfit dislocations, twins, and stacking faults. Promising results have been obtained for t-Si layers on (110) SiGe VS while the technological usefulness of the (111) ones is more questionable.
dc field effect on stability of piezoelectric PZN-0.06PT single crystals under compressive stress
Authors: Okawara Chiaki , Amin Ahmed
Published: August 2009

A reversible elastic instability was observed in PZN-0.06PT high coupling single crystals when subjected to uniaxial compressions similar to those used in sound projectors. The strain magnitude at the onset of the instability supported a free energy prediction of a ferroelectric rhombohedral (FR)-ferroelectric orthorhombic (FO) phase transition. The thermal response of the normalized phase transition strain is in a good agreement with model calculation. A dc bias field drastically enhanced the crystal stability under compression. dc bias and compressive stress levels that are required for their stable operation in sound projectors have been deduced and will be presented.
Experimental and theoretical studies on the elasticity of molybdenum to 12 GPa
Authors: Liu Wei , Liu Qiong , Whitaker Matthew L. , Zhao Yusheng , Li Baosheng
Published: August 2009

Experiments have been conducted to measure compressional (VP) and shear wave (VS) velocities as well as unit-cell volumes (densities) of molybdenum to 12.0 GPa at room temperature using ultrasonic interferometry in conjunction with synchrotron x-radiation. Both VP and VS as well as the adiabatic bulk (KS) and shear (G) moduli exhibit monotonic increase with increasing pressure. A finite strain equation of state analysis of the directly measured velocities and densities yields KS0=260.7(5) GPa, G0=125.1(2) GPa, KS0′=4.7(1), and G0′=1.5(1) for the elastic bulk and shear moduli and their pressure derivatives at ambient conditions. Complimentary to the experimental data, VP and VS as well as the elastic bulk and shear moduli were also computed using density functional theory (DFT) at pressures comparable to the current experiment. Comparing with experimental results, the velocities and elastic moduli from DFT calculations exhibit close agreement with the current experimental data both in their values as well as in their pressure dependence.