bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Space Weather and Nonlinear Waves and Processes Prize announced for 2013
Authors: Thompson Victoria
Published: January 2012

At the 2011 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, Calif., AGU announced the creation of a new award: the Space Weather and Nonlinear Waves and Processes Prize. The prize, which is being made possible by a generous contribution from longtime AGU members and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, scientists Bruce Tsurutani and Olga Verkhoglyadova, will recognize an AGU member scientist and will come with a $10,000 award. Tsurutani has served as a researcher with JPL since 1972 and is currently a senior research scientist. He was also the president of AGU's Space Physics and Aeronomy section from 1990 to 1992 and is a recipient of AGU's John Adam Fleming Medal, given “for original research and technical leadership in geomagnetism, atmospheric electricity, aeronomy, space physics, and related sciences.” Verkhoglyadova served as a professor of space physics in the Department of Astrophysics and Space Physics at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, in the Ukraine, prior to coming to the United States. Their leadership and dedication to AGU and to their field are apparent in their passion for this prize.
Clouds not important for control of short‐term surface temperatures
Authors: Schultz Colin
Published: January 2012

In two recent papers, R. W. Spencer and W. D. Braswell (Remote Sens., 3(8), 1603– 1613, doi:10.3390/rs3081603, 2011) (SB) and R. S. Lindzen and Y.‐S. Choi (Asia Pac. J. Atmos. Sci., 47(4), 377–390, doi:10.1007/s13143‐011‐0023‐x, 2011) (LC) argue that clouds act as a primary initiator of surface temperature changes in Earth's climate system. The two sets of authors reached this conclusion by developing a method that tries to determine the Earth's surface temperature by calculating how much energy is stored in the ocean's upper layers, how much of this heat is transferred to the rest of the climate system, how clouds affect the rate at which energy escapes Earth's atmosphere, and how the surface's energy flux changes with temperature. Both studies spurred substantial debate within the media and the public, with the research by SB causing the editor of the journal in which it was published to resign, claiming it should not have been accepted by the journal. Assessing the two studies,Dessler found what he suggests are a number of methodological errors.
Winds drive dune movement on Mars
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: January 2012

Sand dunes, a common feature on the surface of Mars, can provide a record of recent and past changes. Some dunes near Mars's polar areas have recently been observed to change due to carbon dioxide ice sublimation, but it has not been confirmed whether dunes are still active all over Mars. Winds contribute to dune movement on Earth, but wind tunnel and atmospheric computer simulations have suggested that strong winds would be rare in the current Martian atmosphere. In a new study, Silvestro et al. observe recent dune movement in Mars's tropical regions, which are not affected by seasonal changes in carbon dioxide frost. Focusing on the Arabia Terra and Meridiani regions on Mars, the researchers analyzed images from the High Resolution Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as well as other sources of data. They measured migration rates of two groups of ripples in the sand in a dune field in Meridiani Planum and found that dunes advanced about 0.4–1 meter in a Martian year.
The hyporheic zone as an invertebrate refuge: a review of variability in space, time, taxa and behaviour
Authors: Stubbington Rachel
Published: January 2012

The hyporheic zone is a potential refuge that can promote persistence of benthic invertebrates during adverse conditions in surface streams. For decades, changes in invertebrate depth distribution have been investigated in relation to flood, low flow and drying events, but evidence for use of the hyporheic refuge remains equivocal. This review examines the evidence for the hyporheic zone’s refugial role during adverse hydrological conditions. Refuge potential is influenced by determinants in four categories. First, refuge use varies spatially in relation to physical habitat parameters, including sediment porosity and hydrologic exchange. Second, refuge use is temporally variable and reflects disturbance characteristics including rate of onset. Third, refuge use is taxon-specific, depending on a range of morphological, behavioural and physiological traits. Fourth, the behaviours governing refuge use vary, with both active migrations and passive habitat use playing important roles in community persistence. These four determinants interact to influence refuge use; for example, the physical habitat providing an adequate refuge will vary between taxa. Despite this variability, the hyporheic zone is an important component in the suite of refuges that facilitate community resilience to disturbance events. As such, its ecological integrity should be safeguarded through sensitive management and effective rehabilitation schemes.
Kar2p availability defines distinct forms of endoplasmic reticulum stress in living cells
Authors: Lajoie Patrick , Moir Robyn D. , Willis Ian M. , Snapp Erik L.
Published: January 2012

Accumulation of misfolded secretory proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) activates the unfolded protein response (UPR) stress pathway. To enhance secretory protein folding and promote adaptation to stress, the UPR upregulates ER chaperone levels, including BiP. Here we describe chromosomal tagging of KAR2, the yeast homologue of BiP, with superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) to create a multifunctional endogenous reporter of the ER folding environment. Changes in Kar2p-sfGFP fluorescence levels directly correlate with UPR activity and represent a robust reporter for high-throughput analysis. A novel second feature of this reporter is that photobleaching microscopy (fluorescence recovery after photobleaching) of Kar2p-sfGFP mobility reports on the levels of unfolded secretory proteins in individual cells, independent of UPR status. Kar2p-sfGFP mobility decreases upon treatment with tunicamycin or dithiothreitol, consistent with increased levels of unfolded proteins and the incorporation of Kar2p-sfGFP into slower-diffusing complexes. During adaptation, we observe a significant lag between down-regulation of the UPR and resolution of the unfolded protein burden. Finally, we find that Kar2p-sfGFP mobility significantly increases upon inositol withdrawal, which also activates the UPR, apparently independent of unfolded protein levels. Thus Kar2p mobility represents a powerful new tool capable of distinguishing between the different mechanisms leading to UPR activation in living cells.
The Italian Corporate Network After the “Golden Age” (1972–1983): From Centrality to Marginalization of State-Owned Enterprises
Authors: Rinaldi Alberto , Vasta Michelangelo
Published: January 2012

This article analyzes the structure of the Italian corporate network in the decade that followed the end of the “Golden Age” (1972–83), when the transition from the technological trajectory of the second to that of the third industrial revolution began. The article is based on a large dataset, Imita.db, which contains data on more than thirty-eight thousand Italian joint-stock companies and about three hundred thousand directors, and uses both network analysis and a prosopographic approach. The main result is that the interval considered was marked by a sharp decrease in the degree of cohesion of the Italian corporate network. In 1972, the system was very cohesive and state-owned enterprises were well represented within the most central firms. In 1983, the cohesion of the system had sharply diminished; state-owned enterprises had disappeared from the center and a new private center, hinged on Mediobanca, the only merchant bank operating in the country, had emerged.
A Critical View of Current State of Phytotechnologies to Remediate Soils: Still a Promising Tool?
Authors: Conesa Héctor M. , Evangelou Michael W. H. , Robinson Brett H. , Schulin Rainer
Published: January 2012

Phytotechnologies are often shown as an emerging tool to remediate contaminated soils. Research in this field has resulted in many important findings relating to plant and soil sciences. However, there have been scant private and public investments and little commercial success with this technology. Here, we investigate the barriers to the adoption of phytotechnologies and determine whether it is still a fertile area for future research. The terminology used in phytotechnologies includes a confusing mish-mash of terms relating to concepts and processes increasing the difficulty of developing a unique commercial image. We argue that the commercial success of phytotechnologies depends on the generation of valuable biomass on contaminated land, rather than a pure remediation technique that may not compare favourably with the costs of inaction or alternative technologies. Valuable biomass includes timber, bioenergy, feedstock for pyrolosis, biofortified products, or ecologically important species.
A Novel Murine Model for theIn VivoStudy of Transdermal Drug Penetration
Authors: Erős Gábor , Hartmann Petra , Berkó Szilvia , Csizmazia Eszter , Csányi Erzsébet , Sztojkov-Ivanov Anita , Németh István , Szabó-Révész Piroska , Zupkó István , Kemény Lajos
Published: January 2012

Enhancement of the transdermal penetration of different active agents is an important research goal. Our aim was to establish a novelin vivoexperimental model which provides a possibility for exact measurement of the quantity of penetrated drug. The experiments were performed on SKH-1 hairless mice. A skin fold in the dorsal region was fixed with two fenestrated titanium plates. A circular wound was made on one side of the skin fold. A metal cylinder with phosphate buffer was fixed into the window of the titanium plate. The concentration of penetrated drug was measured in the buffer. The skin fold was morphologically intact and had a healthy microcirculation. The drug appeared in the acceptor buffer after 30 min, and its concentration exhibited a continuous increase. The presence of ibuprofen was also detected in the plasma. In conclusion, this model allows an exactin vivostudy of drug penetration and absorption.
Do Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Affect Bone Healing? A Critical Analysis
Authors: Pountos Ippokratis , Georgouli Theodora , Calori Giorgio M. , Giannoudis Peter V.
Published: January 2012

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) play an essential part in our approach to control pain in the posttraumatic setting. Over the last decades, several studies suggested that NSAIDs interfere with bone healing while others contradict these findings. Although their analgesic potency is well proven, clinicians remain puzzled over the potential safety issues. We have systematically reviewed the available literature, analyzing and presenting the availablein vitroanimal and clinical studies on this field. Our comprehensive review reveals the great diversity of the presented data in all groups of studies. Animal andin vitrostudies present so conflicting data that even studies with identical parameters have opposing results. Basic science research defining the exact mechanism with which NSAIDs could interfere with bone cells and also the conduction of well-randomized prospective clinical trials are warranted. In the absence of robust clinical or scientific evidence, clinicians should treat NSAIDs as a risk factor for bone healing impairment, and their administration should be avoided in high-risk patients.
Dependence of Acute Myeloid Leukemia on Adhesion within the Bone Marrow Microenvironment
Authors: Becker Pamela S.
Published: January 2012

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells home to the endosteal region of the bone marrow. They interact with bone marrow stromal components including extracellular matrix proteins, glycosaminoglycans, and stromal cells, by which they derive proliferative and growth inhibitory signals. Furthermore, adhesion to marrow stroma confers chemotherapy drug resistance and thereby promotes leukemia survival. A subpopulation of the leukemic blasts, known as leukemia stem cells, that are capable of propagating the leukemia, remain sheltered in the bone marrow microenvironment, exhibit resistance to chemotherapy, and serve as the origin of relapse after a variable period of remission. Detachment of these cells from the bone marrow in combination with chemotherapy may improve the outcome of therapy for AML.
Biodegradation of Sewage Wastewater Using Autochthonous Bacteria
Authors: Dhall Purnima , Kumar Rita , Kumar Anil
Published: January 2012

The performance of isolated designed consortia comprisingBacillus pumilus, Brevibacterium sp, and Pseudomonas aeruginosafor the treatment of sewage wastewater in terms of reduction in COD (chemical oxygen demand), BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) MLSS (mixed liquor suspended solids), and TSS (total suspended solids) was studied. Different parameters were optimized (inoculum size, agitation, and temperature) to achieve effective results in less period of time. The results obtained indicated that consortium in the ratio of 1 : 2 (effluent : biomass) at 200 rpm, 35°C is capable of effectively reducing the pollutional load of the sewage wastewaters, in terms of COD, BOD, TSS, and MLSS within the desired discharge limits, that is, 32 mg/L, 8 mg/L, 162 mg/L, and 190 mg/L. The use of such specific consortia can overcome the inefficiencies of the conventional biological treatment facilities currently operational in sewage treatment plants.
Aqp 9 and Brain Tumour Stem Cells
Authors: Fossdal Guri , Vik-Mo Einar O. , Sandberg Cecilie , Varghese Mercy , Kaarbø Mari , Telmo Emily , Langmoen Iver A. , Murrell Wayne
Published: January 2012

Several studies have implicated the aquaporins (aqp) 1, 4, and 9 in the pathogenesis of malignant brain tumours, suggesting that they contribute to motility, invasiveness, and oedema formation and facilitate metabolism in tumour cells under hypoxic conditions. We have studied the expression of aqp1, 4, and 9 in biopsies from glioblastomas, isolated tumour stem cells grown in a tumoursphere assay and analyzed the progenitor and differentiated cells from these cultures. We have compared these to the situation in normal rat brain, its stem cells, and differentiated cells derived thereof. In short, qPCR in tumour tissue showed presence of aqp1, 4, and 9. In the tumour progenitor population, aqp9 was markedly more highly expressed, whilst in tumour-derived differentiated cells, aqp4 was downregulated. However, immunostaining did not reveal increased protein expression of aqp9 in the tumourspheres containing progenitor cells; in contrast, its expression (both mRNA and protein) was high in differentiated cultures. We, therefore, propose that aquaporin 9 may have a central role in the tumorigenesis of glioblastoma.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls-Induced Oxidative Stress on Rat Hippocampus: A Neuroprotective Role of Quercetin
Authors: Selvakumar Kandaswamy , Bavithra Senthamilselvan , Krishnamoorthy Gunasekaran , Venkataraman Prabhu , Arunakaran Jagadeesan
Published: January 2012

Present study is aimed to evaluate the ameliorative role of quercetin on PCBs-induced oxidative stress in hippocampus of Wistar rats.Group Irats received vehicle (corn oil) intraperitoneally (i.p);Group IIreceived quercetin 50 mg/kg bwt/day (gavage);Group IIIreceived PCB 2 mg/kg bwt/day (i.p);Group IVreceived PCB (i.p) and simultaneously quercetin through gavage. After 30 days, rats were euthanized and hippocampus was dissected from each rat brain. Oxidative stress was assessed by determining the levels of H2O2, LPO, Pcc, and alteration in the functional markers such as CK, AchE, and ATPases activities in the hippocampus of control and experimental animals. A significant increase in the levels of stress markers and decrease in level of functional markers were observed in PCBs-treated rats. Moreover DNA fragmentation and histological studies were ascertained to confirm PCBs toxicity. In conclusion, quercetin shows a protective role against PCBs-induced oxidative damage in rat hippocampus.
Retrotransposon Ty1 integration targets specifically positioned asymmetric nucleosomal DNA segments in tRNA hotspots
Authors: Mularoni Loris , Zhou Yulian , Bowen Tyson , Gangadharan Sunil , Wheelan Sarah J. , Boeke Jef D.
Published: January 2012

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome contains about 35 copies of dispersed retrotransposons called Ty1 elements. Ty1 elements target regions upstream of tRNA genes and other Pol III-transcribed genes when retrotransposing to new sites. We used deep sequencing of Ty1-flanking sequence amplicons to characterize Ty1 integration. Surprisingly, some insertions were found in mitochondrial DNA sequences, presumably reflecting insertion into mitochondrial DNA segments that had migrated to the nucleus. The overwhelming majority of insertions were associated with the 5′ regions of Pol III transcribed genes; alignment of Ty1 insertion sites revealed a strong sequence motif centered on but extending beyond the target site duplication. A strong sequence-independent preference for nucleosomal integration sites was observed, in distinction to the preferences of the Hermes DNA transposon engineered to jump in yeast and the Tf1 retrotransposon of Schizosaccharomyces pombe, both of which prefer nucleosome free regions. Remarkably, an exquisitely specific relationship between Ty1 integration and nucleosomal position was revealed by alignment of hotspot Ty1 insertion position regions to peak nucleosome positions, geographically implicating nucleosomal DNA segments at specific positions on the nucleosome lateral surface as targets, near the “bottom” of the nucleosome. The specificity is observed in the three tRNA 5′-proximal nucleosomes, with insertion frequency dropping off sharply 5′ of the tRNA gene. The sites are disposed asymmetrically on the nucleosome relative to its dyad axis, ruling out several simple molecular models for Ty1 targeting, and instead suggesting association with a dynamic or directional process such as nucleosome remodeling associated with these regions.
Does the cylinder model of gastric evacuation predict observed evacuation of mixed meals of prey of contrasting geometries in a piscivorous fish?
Authors: Karlsen J. D. , Andersen N. G.
Published: January 2012

The simple surface abstraction of the cylinder model (each prey as well as the total stomach contents is considered a cylinder that is gradually reduced by successive peeling off its curved side) was challenged by data on evacuation of a meal composed of three sandeels Ammodytes tobianus and a dab Limanda limanda fed to Atlantic cod Gadus morhua. While the body shape of A. tobianus comes close to that of a cylinder, the flatfish L. limanda takes a discoid form. As opposed to a modified form of the cylinder model, where the contrasting geometries of the fish prey were implemented, the simple, original cylinder model held the potential to predict evacuation of the individual prey types as well as the total stomach contents. Thus, the present study adds significantly to the increasing evidence that points to the generic nature of the model and its implicit square root function. Also, the present study corroborated a basic assumption that the variability of evacuation data not accounted for by the cylinder model primarily can be ascribed to the intraspecific variation in gastric performance of the predator.
The effects of turbidity, prey density and environmental complexity on the feeding of juvenile Murray codMaccullochella peelii
Authors: Allen‐Ankins S. , Stoffels R. J. , Pridmore P. A. , Vogel M. T.
Published: January 2012

Juvenile Murray codMaccullochella peeliiexhibited a type II functional response while preying on blackwormsLumbriculus variegatus, and the parameters of the type II model did not differ significantly between clear (0 NTU) and turbid (150 NTU) treatments. Further experiments showed that vision may not be necessary for prey detection and capture by juvenileM. peelii; consumption of inanimate prey was not significantly different between light and dark (<1 × 10−4µE m−2s−1) trials. These results imply that the sensory physiology ofM. peeliiis well adapted to a turbid visual environment. In addition, habitat complexity increased the food consumption rate of juvenileM. peelii, perhaps by relaxing innate predator avoidance behaviours that depress foraging in more open environments.
Effects of weather‐related episodic events in lakes: an analysis based on high‐frequency data
Authors: JENNINGS ELEANOR , JONES STUART , ARVOLA LAURI , STAEHR PETER A. , GAISER EVELYN , JONES IAN D. , WEATHERS KATHLEEN C. , WEYHENMEYER GESA A. , CHIU CHIH‐YU , DE EYTO ELVIRA
Published: January 2012

1. Weather‐related episodic events are typically unpredictable, and their duration is often short. Abiotic and biological responses are often missed in routine monitoring. These responses are, however, now of particular relevance given projected changes in extreme weather conditions.

2. We present data from high‐frequency monitoring stations from lakes in Europe, North America and Asia that illustrate two classes of abiotic effects of weather events: (i) generally short‐lived effects of storms on lake thermal structure and (ii) the more prolonged effects of high rainfall events on dissolved organic matter levels and water clarity. We further relate these abiotic effects to changes in dissolved oxygen or in chlorophyll a levels.

3. Three differing causes for weather‐related decreases in surface dissolved oxygen levels were observed: (i) entrainment of anoxic water from depth, (ii) reduction in primary productivity and (iii) increased mineralisation of organic carbon delivered from the catchment.

4. The duration of in‐lake effects tended to be longer for events driven by weather conditions with a longer return period, that is, conditions that were relatively more severe and less frequent at a site. While the susceptibility of lakes to change was related in part to the severity of the meteorological drivers, the impacts also depended on site‐specific factors in some cases.

5. The availability of high‐frequency data at these sites provided insight into the capacity of the lakes to absorb current and future pressures. Several of the changes we observed, including increases in carbon availability, decreases in photosynthetically active radiation and increased disturbance, have the capacity to shift lakes towards an increased degree of heterotrophy. The magnitude and direction of any such change will, however, also depend on the magnitude and direction of climate change for a given location and on lake and catchment characteristics.
Intravascular recovery of VWF and FVIII following intraperitoneal injection and differences from intravenous and subcutaneous injection in mice
Authors: SHI Q. , KUETHER E. L. , SCHROEDER J. A. , FAHS S. A. , MONTGOMERY R. R.
Published: January 2012

Summary.  Intravenous infusion studies in humans suggest that both von Willebrand factor (VWF) and factor VIII (FVIII) remain intravascular in contrast to other coagulation proteins. We explored whether infusion of VWF and FVIII by either intraperitoneal (i.p.) or subcutaneous (s.c.) injection would result in efficient absorption of these large proteins into the vascular circulation. FVIIInull or VWFnull mice were infused with plasma‐derived or recombinant VWF and/or FVIII by i.p., s.c., or intravenous (i.v.) injection. Both VWF and FVIII were absorbed into the blood circulation after i.p. injection with a peak between 2 and 4 h at levels similar to those observed in mice infused intravenously. In contrast, neither VWF nor FVIII was detected in the plasma following s.c. injection. Although i.v. injection achieved peak plasma levels quickly, both human VWF and FVIII rapidly decreased during the first 2 h following i.v. injection. Following both i.v. and i.p. infusion of VWF, the multimeric structure of circulating VWF was similar to that observed in the infusate. These results demonstrate that both VWF and FVIII can be efficiently absorbed into the blood circulation following i.p., but not s.c. injection, indicating that i.p. administration could be an alternative route for VWF or FVIII infusion.
Investigation of disease‐associated factors in haemophilia A patients without detectable mutations
Authors: HALLDÉN C. , KNOBE K. E. , SJÖRIN E. , NILSSON D. , LJUNG R.
Published: January 2012

Summary.  To investigate disease causing mechanism in haemophilia A patients without detectable mutation. Screening for F8 mutations in 307 haemophilia A patients using: re‐sequencing and inversion PCR, reverse transcription (RT‐PCR) of mRNA, MLPA analysis, haplotyping using SNP and microsatellite markers. No F8 mutations were detected in 9 of the 307 patients (2.9%) using re‐sequencing and inversion PCR. MLPA analysis detected duplication in exon 6 in one patient and RT‐PCR showed no products for different regions of mRNA in four other patients, indicating failed transcription. No obvious associations were observed between the phenotypes of the nine patients, their F8 haplotypes and the putative mutations detected. The mutation‐positive patients carrying the same haplotypes as the mutation‐negative patients show a multitude of different mutations, emphasizing the lack of associations at the haplotype level. VWF mutation screening and factor V measurements ruled out type 2N VWD and combined factor V and VIII deficiency respectively. To further investigate a possible role for FVIII interacting factors the haplotypes/diplotypes of F2, F9, F10 and VWF were compared. The nine patients had no specific haplotype/diplotype combination in common that can explain disease. Duplications and faulty transcription contribute to the mutational spectrum of haemophilia A patients where conventional mutation screening fail to identify mutations.
Hydraulic conductivity traits predict growth rates and adult stature of 40 Asian tropical tree species better than wood density
Authors: Fan Ze‐Xin , Zhang Shi‐Bao , Hao Guang‐You , Ferry Slik J.W. , Cao Kun‐Fang
Published: January 2012

1. Stem xylem characteristics have a great impact on growth and adult stature of trees because of their role in mechanical support, long‐distance water transport and whole‐plant carbon allocation. Yet, despite the potential causal link between xylem traits and plant growth/adult stature, most studies have tried to link wood density, an indirect but easy to measure proxy for wood properties, to tree growth and size.

2. To determine whether xylem traits outperform wood density as predictors of tree growth and stature, we evaluated the covariation among wood density, xylem anatomical traits, tree diameter growth rate and adult stature in 40 Asian tropical tree species through principal component analyses and through bivariate correlation, both across species and across phylogenetically independent contrasts.

3. Vessel diameter exhibited a tight negative relationship with vessel frequency. Wood density showed a significant correlation with vessel diameter and density, but not with vessel fraction. Most correlations between functional traits indicate adaptive coordination, demonstrated by significant correlations between phylogenetically independent contrasts.

4. Across species, diameter growth rate and adult stature were positively correlated with vessel lumen diameter and potential hydraulic conductivity, but not with wood density. Thus, our results suggest that xylem anatomical traits that are linked to hydraulic conductivity are better predictors of tree growth rate and adult stature than wood density.

5. Synthesis. We found that xylem anatomical traits have a more significant influence on whole‐plant performance due to their direct association with stem hydraulic conductivity, whereas wood density is decoupled from hydraulic function due to complex variations in xylem components.
The Behavior Problems Inventory‐Short Form for individuals with intellectual disabilities: Part II: reliability and validity
Authors: Rojahn J. , Rowe E. W. , Sharber A. C. , Hastings R. , Matson J. L. , Didden R. , Kroes D. B. H. , Dumont E. L. M.
Published: January 2012

Background  The Behavior Problems Inventory‐01 (BPI‐01) is an informant‐based behaviour rating instrument for intellectual disabilities (ID) with 49 items and three sub‐scales: Self‐injurious Behavior, Stereotyped Behavior and Aggressive/Destructive Behavior. The Behavior Problems Inventory‐Short Form (BPI‐S) is a BPI‐01 spin‐off with 30 items.

Methods  The psychometric properties of these two versions of the scale were computed using aggregated archival data from nine different sites in the USA, Wales, England, the Netherlands and Romania with a total of 1122 cases with a BPI‐01 total score >0.

Results  The internal consistency of the BPI‐01 and the BPI‐S ranged from fair to excellent with the BPI‐01 showing slightly stronger reliability. Construct validity (confirmatory and discriminant) was computed by comparing BPI sub‐scale scores with the scores of four other behaviour rating scales (the Aberrant Behavior Checklist, the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped‐II, the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form and the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning). Strong evidence for confirmatory and discriminant validity was found for both the BPI‐01 and the BPI‐S. Confirmatory fit indices for the BPI and the BPI‐S were comparable and suggesting that the factor structures fit the data well.

Conclusion  In summary, both BPI versions were found to be equally sound psychometrically and can be endorsed for future use. However, independent future studies are needed to replicate the psychometrics of the BPI‐S with new data.
Cytokine profiles in high risk injection drug users suggests innate as opposed to adaptive immunity in apparent resistance to hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Warshow U. M. , Riva A. , Hegazy D. , Thurairajah P. H. , Kaminski E.R. , Chokshi S. , Cramp M. E.
Published: January 2012

Summary.  A cohort of injection drug users (IDU) have been identified who despite a long history of IDU and sharing of injecting equipment remain seronegative and aviraemic for hepatitis C virus (HCV). They have been termed HCV exposed uninfected (EU). The study of potential innate or adaptive immune mechanisms of resistance to HCV infection in this group is of interest. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of a broad range of cytokines in serum of exposed, uninfected individuals to ascertain whether there is a specific cytokine profile associated with apparent resistance to HCV. Sera from 22 EU individuals were analysed for a range of cytokines and chemokines, and compared to 16 treatment‐naive chronic HCV cases (HCV Ab+ RNA+), 16 individuals with spontaneous resolution of HCV (HCV‐Ab+ and HCV‐RNA−) and 10 healthy unexposed controls. EU subjects had strikingly higher levels of both IL‐6 (on average more than 100‐fold, P = 0.001) and IL‐8 (on average more than 10‐fold, P < 0.001) than the comparison groups. Additionally higher levels of tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α; on average up to threefold, P = 0.02) were seen in EU individuals. The levels of interferon‐alpha (IFN‐α) were upregulated in all HCV exposed groups in comparison to healthy controls (P = 0.013). Adaptive immune cytokine levels were no different between the groups. Cytokine profiling demonstrated raised levels of pro‐inflammatory innate immune cytokines and chemokines in EU IDU, in particular interleukin‐6 and interleukin‐8. These findings suggest innate immune activation may be the key to prevention of infection in this cohort.
Schizophrenia as variation in the sapiens‐specific epigenetic instruction to the embryo
Authors: Crow TJ
Published: January 2012

Crow TJ. Schizophrenia as variation in the sapiens‐specific epigenetic instruction to the embryo.

The psychoses (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) occur in all populations with approximately uniform incidence and sex‐dependent age of onset. Core symptoms involve aspects of language; brain structural deviations are sex and hemisphere‐related. Genetic predisposition is unaccounted for by linkage or association. The hypothesis is proposed that the ‘missing heritability’ is epigenetic in form and generated in meiosis on a species‐specific XY chromosomal template. A duplication from Xq21.3 to Yp11.2 that occurred 6 million years ago is proposed as critical to hominin evolution. Within this block of homology the Protocadherin11XY gene pair is expressed as a cell surface adhesion factor in both X and Y forms; it has undergone a series of coding changes (16 in the Y sequence and 5 in the X including two to cysteines) in the hominin lineage. According to the hypothesis these sequence changes, together with one or more deletions and a paracentric inversion in the Y block, were successively selected; late events in this series established cerebral asymmetry (the ‘torque’) as the defining characteristic of the human brain. Built around this reference frame, an epigenetic message channels early development of the embryo in a sapiens‐specific format. Diversity in meiotic pairing is postulated as the basis for species‐specific deviations in development associated with psychosis.
Physiological ecology of desert biocrust moss following 10 years exposure to elevated CO2: evidence for enhanced photosynthetic thermotolerance
Authors: Coe Kirsten K. , Belnap Jayne , Grote Edmund E. , Sparks Jed P.
Published: January 2012

In arid regions, biomes particularly responsive to climate change, mosses play an important biogeochemical role as key components of biocrusts. Using the biocrust moss Syntrichia caninervis collected from the Nevada Desert Free Air CO2 Enrichment Facility, we examined the physiological effects of 10 years of exposure to elevated CO2, and the effect of high temperature events on the photosynthetic performance of moss grown in CO2‐enriched air. Moss exposed to elevated CO2 exhibited a 46% decrease in chlorophyll, a 20% increase in carbon and no difference in either nitrogen content or photosynthetic performance. However, when subjected to high temperatures (35–40°C), mosses from the elevated CO2 environment showed higher photosynthetic performance and photosystem II (PSII) efficiency compared to those grown in ambient conditions, potentially reflective of a shift in nitrogen allocation to components that offer a higher resistance of PSII to heat stress. This result suggests that mosses may respond to climate change in markedly different ways than vascular plants, and observed CO2‐induced photosynthetic thermotolerance in S. caninervis will likely have consequences for future desert biogeochemistry.
Structurally different flavonol glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives respond differently to moderate UV‐B radiation exposure
Authors: Neugart Susanne , Zietz Michaela , Schreiner Monika , Rohn Sascha , Kroh Lothar W. , Krumbein Angelika
Published: January 2012

The aim of this study was to investigate the modifying influence of moderate ultraviolet‐B (UV‐B) radiation exposure on structurally different flavonol glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives during pre‐harvest using kale, a leafy Brassica species with a wide spectrum of different non‐acylated and acylated flavonol glycosides. Juvenile kale plants were treated with short‐term (1 day), moderate UV‐B radiation [0.22–0.88 kJ m−2 day−1 biologically effective UV‐B (UV‐BBE)]. Twenty compounds were quantified, revealing a structure‐specific response of flavonol glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives to UV‐B radiation. A dose‐ and structure‐dependent response of the investigated phenolic compounds to additional UV‐B radiation was found. The investigated quercetin glycosides decreased under UV‐B; for kaempferol glycosides, however, the amount of sugar moieties and the flavonol glycoside hydoxycinnamic acid residue influenced the response to UV‐B. Monoacylated kaempferol tetraglucosides decreased in the investigated UV‐B range, whereas the monoacylated kaempferol diglucosides increased strongly with doses of 0.88 kJ m−2 day−1 UV‐BBE. The UV‐B‐induced increase in monoacylated kaempferol triglucosides was dependent on the acylation pattern. Furthermore, the hydroxycinnamic acid glycosides disinapoyl‐gentiobiose and sinapoyl‐feruloyl‐gentiobiose were enhanced in a dose‐dependent manner under UV‐B. While UV‐B radiation treatments often focus on flavonol aglycones or total flavonols, our investigations were extended to structurally different non‐acylated and acylated glycosides of quercetin and kaempferol.
C1A cysteine‐proteases and their inhibitors in plants
Authors: Martínez Manuel , Cambra Inés , González‐Melendi Pablo , Santamaría María E. , Díaz Isabel
Published: January 2012

Plant cysteine‐proteases (CysProt) represent a well‐characterized type of proteolytic enzymes that fulfill tightly regulated physiological functions (senescence and seed germination among others) and defense roles. This article is focused on the group of papain‐proteases C1A (family C1, clan CA) and their inhibitors, phytocystatins (PhyCys). In particular, the protease–inhibitor interaction and their mutual participation in specific pathways throughout the plant's life are reviewed. C1A CysProt and PhyCys have been molecularly characterized, and comparative sequence analyses have identified consensus functional motifs. A correlation can be established between the number of identified CysProt and PhyCys in angiosperms. Thus, evolutionary forces may have determined a control role of cystatins on both endogenous and pest‐exogenous proteases in these species. Tagging the proteases and inhibitors with fluorescence proteins revealed common patterns of subcellular localization in the endoplasmic reticulum–Golgi network in transiently transformed onion epidermal cells. Further in vivo interactions were demonstrated by bimolecular fluorescent complementation, suggesting their participation in the same physiological processes.
Song Amplitude of Rival Males Modulates the Territorial Behaviour of Great Tits During the Fertile Period of Their Mates
Authors: Ritschard Mathias , van Oers Kees , Naguib Marc , Brumm Henrik
Published: January 2012

Bird song is a widely used model in the study of sexual selection. Variation in the expression of sexually selected traits is thought to reflect variation in male genetic and/or phenotypic quality. Vocal amplitude is a song parameter that has received little attention in the context of sexual selection, but there is some evidence that the intensity of bird song affects female preferences. Here, we tested whether the amplitude of broadcast song plays a role in male–male competition. We used song playback with varying song amplitude (within the natural amplitude range of the species) and a dummy bird taxidermy to simulate territorial intrusions in the great tit, Parus major, during the fertile period of the female and measured the response of the local male. The results show that playback amplitude significantly affected the subjects’ behaviour: after approaching to within 25 m around the loudspeaker, territorial males stayed longer within that perimeter after the playback of high‐amplitude songs compared with low‐amplitude songs. Our findings add to the small but growing body of evidence suggesting that vocal amplitude may be a sexually selected song trait.
Carbohydrate Dynamics in Leaves of Rapeseed (Brassica napus) Under Drought
Authors: Müller T. , Lentzsch P. , Müller M. E. H.
Published: January 2012

Until now, the carbohydrate dynamics in leaves of rapeseed under drought have largely been unknown. For this reason, a growth chamber study was conducted to examine whether the accumulation of carbohydrates under drought stress contributes to osmotic adjustment in leaf tissue. Plants of the cultivar Titan were subjected to temporary drought in the vegetative and reproductive stages. A third variant of long‐term drought covered the period from leaf development to flowering. The level of sucrose decreased under moderate water deficit, but accumulated under severe long‐term drought. Concentrations of glucose, fructose and trehalose were significantly enhanced and that of raffinose decreased in all the variants of drought. There was no evidence that any of the carbohydrates analysed in this study or the activities of soluble acid and cell wall invertases contributed to a drought‐induced accumulation of osmolytes. The results of this study indicate that osmotic adjustment in response to drought in leaves of the rapeseed cultivar Titan is only limited. It is virtually impossible that carbohydrates function as osmoprotectants in leaves of this cultivar, rising above that of the frequently detected accumulation of proline in rapeseed under water deficit.
Genetic influence on disease spread following arrival of infected carriers
Authors: Fellous Simon , Duncan Alison B. , Quillery Elsa , Vale Pedro F. , Kaltz Oliver
Published: January 2012

Ecology Letters (2012)

Epidemiology in host meta‐populations depends on parasite ability to disperse between, establish and persist in distinct sub‐populations of hosts. We studied the genetic factors determining the short‐term establishment, and long‐term maintenance, of pathogens introduced by infected hosts (i.e. carriers) into recipient populations. We used experimental populations of the freshwater ciliate Paramecium caudatum and its bacterial parasite Holospora undulata. Parasite short‐term spread (approximately one horizontal transmission cycle) was affected mainly by carrier genotype, and its interactions with parasite and recipient genotypes. By contrast, parasite longer term spread (2–3 horizontal transmission cycles) was mostly determined by parasite isolate. Importantly, measures of parasite short‐term success (reproductive number, R) were not good predictors for longer term prevalence, probably because of the specific interactions between host and parasite genotypes. Analogous to variation in vectorial capacity and super‐spreader occurrence, two crucial components of epidemiology, we show that carrier genotype can also affect disease spread within meta‐populations.
Dispersal‐mediated trophic interactions can generate apparent patterns of dispersal limitation in aquatic metacommunities
Authors: Verreydt Dino , De Meester Luc , Decaestecker Ellen , Villena María‐José , Van Der Gucht Katleen , Vannormelingen Pieter , Vyverman Wim , Declerck Steven A.J.
Published: January 2012

Ecology Letters (2012)

Dispersal is a major organising force in metacommunities, which may facilitate compositional responses of local communities to environmental change and affect ecosystem function. Organism groups differ widely in their dispersal abilities and their communities are therefore expected to have different adaptive abilities. In mesocosms, we studied the simultaneous compositional response of three plankton communities (zoo‐, phyto‐ and bacterioplankton) to a primary productivity gradient and evaluated how this response was mediated by dispersal intensity. Dispersal enhanced responses in all three planktonic groups, which also affected ecosystem functioning. Yet, variation partitioning analyses indicated that responses in phytoplankton and bacterial communities were not only controlled by dispersal directly but also indirectly through complex trophic interactions. Our results indicate that metacommunity patterns emerging from dispersal can cascade through the food web and generate patterns of apparent dispersal limitation in organisms at other trophic levels.
The Impact of Labour Market Reforms and Economic Performance on the Matching of the Short‐term and the Long‐term Unemployed
Authors: Klinger Sabine , Rothe Thomas
Published: January 2012

As a reaction to high and persistent unemployment in Germany, the largest labour market reforms in post‐war history were implemented between 2003 and 2005. We analyse the impact of the reforms and its coincidence with an economic expansion on the efficiency of matching out of unemployment. Especially focussing on searcher heterogeneity, we estimate a system of stock‐flow matching functions for short‐term and long‐term unemployment (three‐stage least squares) on the basis of administrative data. In sum, the reforms increased matching efficiency for both groups, but the effect was larger for the long‐term unemployed. The interaction of reforms and economic expansion, however, was not influential.
Metaphors We Teach By: The Language of “Learning Outcomes”
Authors: Batten Alicia J.
Published: January 2012

This article employs George Lakoff and Mark Johnson's work on metaphor (1980) to examine the current use of the term “learning outcomes” within higher education. It argues that “learning outcomes” is an ontological metaphor (education becomes focused on results that one can understand and measure) that resonates with contemporary academic capitalism. Yet because metaphors highlight some things and conceal others, thinking about teaching and disciplines using “learning outcomes” hides other dimensions of academic capitalism and obscures unquantifiable and highly complex aspects of education. Finally, the article explores ways in which an emphasis upon outcomes has consequences for the field of Religious Studies.
Home is My Area Code: Thinking About, Teaching, and Learning Globalization in Introductory World Religions Classes
Authors: DeTemple Jill
Published: January 2012

There has been significant and growing interest in teaching religious studies, and specifically world religions, in a “global” context. Bringing globalization into the classroom as a specific theoretical and pedagogical tool, however, requires not just an awareness that religions exist in an ever‐globalizing environment, but a willingness to engage with globalization as a cultural, spatial, and theoretical arena within which religions interact. This article is concerned with the ways that those of us interested in religion employ globalization in the classroom conceptually and pedagogically, and argues that “lived religion” provides a useful model for incorporating globalization into religious studies settings.
Spanish society of liver transplantation (SETH) consensus recommendations on hepatitis C virus and liver transplantation
Authors: Berenguer Marina , Charco Ramón , Manuel Pascasio Juan , Ignacio Herrero Jose
Published: January 2012

In November 2010, the Spanish Society of Liver Transplantation (Sociedad Española de Trasplante Hepático, SETH) held a consensus conference. One of the topics of debate was liver transplantation in patients with hepatitis C. This document reviews (i) the natural history of post‐transplant hepatitis C, (ii) factors associated with post‐transplant prognosis in patients with hepatitis C, (iii) the role of immunosuppression in the evolution of recurrent hepatitis C and response to antiviral therapy, (iv) antiviral therapy, both before and after transplantation, (v) follow‐up of patients with recurrent hepatitis C and (vi) the role of retransplantation.