bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Blurring of Distinction: Performance and Jewish Identities in Late Nineteenth-Century Vienna
Authors: Hoedl Klaus
Published: November 2009

In fin-de-siècle Vienna, Jews constituted about ten percent of the city’s population. They formed a visible community, and some of its members played a major role in Austrian political, cultural and scholarly life. Even if they faced myriad forms of discrimination, Viennese Jews socialized with non-Jews. Such interactions across ethnic and religious boundaries often blurred the lines that separated their respective cultural spheres.

These intimate ties between Jews and other inhabitants of the city raises the question about the circumscription of Jews and the determination of “things Jewish.” Is it possible to differentiate Jews from non-Jews without drawing upon some essentialized notion of Jewishness? What might be the best way to explore the relationship between Jews and society at large? Against the background of Viennese Jewish history, this article will explore how notions of performance might help to write Jewish history and to develop a de-essentialized concept of “things Jewish.”
Foreign vs. Local New Horizons, and Ancient Dilemmas and Strategies?
Authors: Touwaide Alain
Published: November 2009

Capitalizing on the data presented in the three papers in this issue, the comments and conclusions here elaborate on the concept of transfer of knowledge in the field of materia medica and pharmacy. They evidence different mechanisms in three contexts, the Holy Roman Empire, the Western world and China, and trace the possible ancient roots of the phenomena under consideration. In so doing, they contextualize the processes under study in the three essays, and suggest also a possible new interpretation of the practice of science from the Late Middle Ages to the Scientific Revolution.
Men’s Help Seeking for Depression: The Efficacy of a Male-Sensitive Brochure About Counseling
Authors: Hammer Joseph H. , Vogel David L.
Published: November 2009

Although depression among men is becoming better understood, men still underuse counseling services. Hence, there is an important need for improved ways to reach out to depressed men. This study examined the efficacy of a male-sensitive brochure aimed toward improving attitudes about seeking counseling and reducing the self-stigma of seeking counseling among 1,397 depressed men who had not previously sought help for their depression. Results indicate that the male-sensitive brochure, which incorporated current knowledge from the psychology of men and masculinity and mental health marketing, improved participants’ attitudes and reduced their self-stigma toward counseling. Furthermore, the new brochure improved attitudes and reduced stigma to a greater degree than previously developed brochures. Implications for mental health marketing, practice, and research are discussed.
Identifying Black Swans in NextGen: Predicting Human Performance in Off-Nominal Conditions
Authors: Wickens Christopher D. , Hooey Becky L. , Gore Brian F. , Sebok Angelia , Koenicke Corey S.
Published: November 2009

Objective: The objective is to validate a computational model of visual attention against empirical data—derived from a meta-analysis—of pilots’ failure to notice safety-critical unexpected events. Background: Many aircraft accidents have resulted, in part, because of failure to notice nonsalient unexpected events outside of foveal vision, illustrating the phenomenon of change blindness. A model of visual noticing, N-SEEV (noticing— salience, expectancy, effort, and value), was developed to predict these failures. Method: First, 25 studies that reported objective data on miss rate for unexpected events in high-fidelity cockpit simulations were identified, and their miss rate data pooled across five variables (phase of flight, event expectancy, event location, presence of a head-up display, and presence of a highway-in-the-sky display). Second, the parameters of the N-SEEV model were tailored to mimic these dichotomies. Results: The N-SEEV model output predicted variance in the obtained miss rate ( r = .73). The individual miss rates of all six dichotomous conditions were predicted within 14%, and four of these were predicted within 7%. Conclusion: The N-SEEV model, developed on the basis of an independent data set, was able to successfully predict variance in this safety-critical measure of pilot response to abnormal circumstances, as collected from the literature. Applications: As new technology and procedures are envisioned for the future airspace, it is important to predict if these may compromise safety in terms of pilots’ failing to notice unexpected events. Computational models such as N-SEEV support cost-effective means of making such predictions.
Skin Bleaching Among Togolese: A Preliminary Inventory of Motives
Authors: Kpanake Lonzozou , Muñoz Sastre Maria Teresa , Mullet Etienne
Published: November 2009

The motives underlying the practice of regular skin bleaching among Togolese people were examined, using Apter’s metamotivational theory as the framework. Factor analysis using scree test and a varimax rotation showed eight independent types of basic motives that are characteristic of this theory. Four motives appeared as clearly dominant. Participants practiced skin bleaching on a regular basis mainly (a) to appear important, (b) to look attractive, (c) because they enjoyed their light-colored skin, and (d) because skin bleaching was fashionable. They did not practice skin bleaching as a demonstration of opposition to African culture or to their relatives or as a demonstration of compliance with others’ wishes. They also sometimes practiced skin bleaching as a means of securing a job. Implications in terms of health policy are discussed.
The Clinical and Psychometric Validation of a Questionnaire to Assess the Quality of Life of Adult Patients Treated With Long‐Term Parenteral Nutrition
Authors: Baxter Janet P. , Fayers Peter M. , McKinlay Alastair W.
Published: November 2009

Background:

Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is an established treatment for the management of patients with chronic intestinal failure. No quality‐of‐life assessment tools have been developed and validated specifically for this patient population, and previous studies have used generic instruments or techniques not validated in HPN. The assessment of quality of life (QOL) should produce clinically relevant data reflecting patients' issues. The HPN‐QOL was designed to assess the QOL of HPN patients. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesized scale structure of the questionnaire with regard to reliability and validity in a sample of patients.

Methods:

A provisional questionnaire was prepared following recognized guidelines and then subjected to field testing. The questionnaire was administered to 100 adult patients receiving HPN. Psychometric tests examined the reliability and validity of the questionnaire, and patients' debriefing comments were analyzed.

Results:

The provisional questionnaire was adapted using evidence from quantitative and qualitative analysis. Multitrait scaling analysis and face validity refined the questionnaire to 48 items. Compliance rates were high, and the questionnaire was well accepted.

Conclusions:

A method of objectively assessing the QOL of patients treated with HPN has been developed. The HPN‐QOL has been rigorously prepared and demonstrates psychometric and clinical validity to assess the QOL of long‐term HPN patients.
Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents: Factorial Validity in a Canadian Sample
Authors: Canivez Gary L. , Beran Tanya N.
Published: November 2009

The core syndrome factor structure of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA) was examined with a sample of 375 randomly selected Canadian youths in a large western city. The 6 ASCA core syndrome raw scores produced an identical two-factor solution as observed in samples of American youths. Principal axis exploratory factor analysis with varimax and promax rotations produced similar factor structure coefficients. It was concluded that the ASCA measures two independent dimensions of youth psychopathology (overactivity and underactivity), similar to the conduct problems/externalizing and withdrawal/internalizing dimensions commonly found in the child psychopathology assessment literature.
Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Version of the Student Engagement Instrument
Authors: Moreira Paulo A. S. , Machado Vaz Filipa , Dias Paulo C. , Petracchi Paulo
Published: November 2009

Student engagement is an emergent research domain in educational psychology, as research increasingly supports the connection between academic achievement, school-related behaviours, and student engagement. In spite of the important role of student engagement in academic achievement across cultures, little is known about the cross-cultural validation of the factorial structure of students’ school engagement instruments. This study explores the psychometric properties of The Student Engagement Instrument (Appleton & Christenson, 2004) in a population with a culture different from that in which the original version was developed and validated. The participants were 760 high school Portuguese students. Results confirm the factorial structure of the original version and reinforce the empirical support for a six-factor structure. However, some items loaded in different subscales, raising questions about the cultural specificities of the student engagement construct.
Forming Identities in Residential Care for Children
Authors: Stokholm Anja
Published: November 2009

The general goal of Danish residential care institutions with a therapeutic objective is to change children’s behaviour and redirect their identity formation. This goal is pursued through an individualized focus on development. Dynamics of the resident group is rarely targeted directly in the pedagogical work. This article challenges the implicit understanding that social work is the primary source of identity transformation and that peer group interaction is mainly an obstacle to overcome. On the contrary, this article argues that learning about the social dynamics of the children’s group is a precondition for understanding how social work influences individual children.
The Holocene landscape history of the NW Italian coasts
Authors: Bellini Cristina , Mariotti-Lippi Marta , Montanari Carlo
Published: November 2009

Cores from four coastal plains of the Mar Ligure Sea in N Tuscany and E Liguria (Italy) were investigated by means of pollen analysis to delineate the Holocene landscape history of the NW Italian coasts. In the first half of the Holocene ( c. 9800—7000 cal. yr BP) all four sites show elevated percentages of Abies pollen which suggest the local presence of fir woods (with Ulmus, Tilia, etc.). In the second half of the Holocene (from 7000 cal. yr BP), Abies becomes locally extinct along the coasts leaving space for the development of mosaic landscapes formed by open meso-thermophilous woods (with deciduous Quercus, Alnus , Corylus) and Mediterranean maquis (with Erica cf. arborea). The new data represent a significant contribution to the reconstruction of the landscape history of the NW Italian coasts and of the history of fir in Italy. Along all examined cores discontinuous pollen records show that initially the coastal areas were characterized by retrodunal wetlands; after c. 6000 cal. yr BP only the larger plains in N Tuscany remained extensively damp while the smaller plains in E Liguria were buried (and/or drained). Thus, these buried deposits of ‘fossil’ coastal wetlands proved to be only partially useful for high-resolution environmental archaeology and history studies. Nonetheless they are unique traces of ecosystems that provided important local economic resources for millennia and formed elements of the coastal cultural landscapes which have almost totally disappeared today.
Holocene agriculture in the Guanzhong Basin in NW China indicated by pollen and charcoal evidence
Authors: Li Xiaoqiang , Shang Xue , Dodson John , Zhou Xinying
Published: November 2009

The emergence and rapid spread of agriculture from the early Holocene has made a great impact on the development of human societies and landscape change. Guanzhong Basin in the middle of Yellow River valley has a long continuous history of agriculture since the Neolithic. The pollen and charcoal records from Xindian in western Guanzhong Basin, together with the known distribution of archaeological sites, provide proxies to reconstruct the history of agricultural activity and landscape change. The concentration and percentage of Poaceae pollen increase from about 7700 yr BP ago and the concentration of charcoal shows the same trend. These records indicate that the ‘slash-and-burn’ cultivation for agriculture began around 7700 years ago. Between 7700 and 5500 yr BP, the evidence of cereal crops remained strong and charcoal concentration and archaeological sites increased greatly, which all indicate increased agricultural activity and the expansion of human populations. This was enhanced by the continuous development of new cultivation tools and techniques between 4700 and 3300 yr BP, especially in the Bronze Age of the pre-Zhou Dynasty. The original agricultural landscape had been settled after 3300 yr BP. Buckwheat became an important crop from around 5500 yr BP, perhaps because of increasing aridity. This is the earliest record of cultivated buckwheat in Neolithic China.
Autologous mesenchymal stem cell treatment increased T regulatory cells with no effect on disease activity in two systemic lupus erythematosus patients
Authors: Carrion F. , Nova E. , Ruiz C. , Diaz F. , Inostroza C. , Rojo D. , Mönckeberg G. , Figueroa FE
Published: November 2009

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exert suppressive effects in several disease models including lupus prone mice. However, autologous MSC therapy has not been tested in human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We evaluate the safety and efficacy of bone marrow (BM)-derived MSCs in two SLE patients; the suppressor effect of these cells in-vitro and the change in CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells in response to treatment. Two females (JQ and SA) of 19 and 25 years of age, fulfilling the 1997 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for SLE were infused with autologous BM-derived MSCs. Disease activity indexes and immunological parameters were assessed at baseline, 1, 2, 7 and 14 weeks. Peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) subsets and Treg cells were quantitated by flow cytometry, and MSCs tested for in-vitro suppression of activation and proliferation of normal PBLs. No adverse effects or change in disease activity indexes were noted during 14 weeks of follow-up, although circulating Treg cells increased markedly. Patient MSCs effectively suppressed in-vitro PBL function. However, JQ developed overt renal disease 4 months after infusion. MSC infusion was without adverse effects, but did not modify initial disease activity in spite of increasing CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ cell counts. One patient subsequently had a renal flare. We speculate that the suppressive effects of MSC-induced Treg cells might be dependent on a more inflammatory milieu, becoming clinically evident in patients with higher degrees of disease activity. Lupus (2010) 19, 317—322.
Social Nation and Social Europe
Authors: Burgoon Brian
Published: November 2009

This article investigates citizen support for welfare provisions, where these can be provided at both the national and the EU level. The guiding question is whether welfare provisions at one level dampen, increase or have little effect on support for assistance at the other level. Analysis of data on support for national and EU-level welfare assistance suggests only one-way tension between governance levels: generous national welfare may modestly diminish support for EU-level welfare assistance, as well as the degree to which economic insecurities encourage such support; but the currently meagre EU-level Structural Funds and other transfers have little effect on support for national compensation. This analysis clarifies the possibilities and dilemmas of welfare compensation where governance is multi-level in character.
The Sociology of the European Union
Authors: Favell Adrian , Guiraudon Virginie
Published: November 2009

We seek to shape an agenda for the growing interest in using sociological approaches to study the European Union (EU). In order to deepen and broaden the Europeanization agenda, the article points to how sociology can help reveal the ‘social bases’ of European integration (i.e. processes of European Union), as well as identify effects on European society that might reconnect EU studies with key comparative political economy debates about the European ‘varieties of capitalism’ and its models of economy and society. Unfortunately, however, ‘sociological’ approaches towards the EU have mostly been wrongly equated with the ‘constructivist turn’ in EU studies, and its characteristic preference for ‘soft’ qualitative discursive methods and meta-theory. We argue that, rather than turning to culture, identity or social theory for inspiration, an empirical sociological approach to the EU would reintroduce social structural questions of class, inequality, networks and mobility, as well as link up with existing approaches to public opinion, mobilization and claims-making in the political sociology of the EU. To conclude, the article identifies some exemplary studies along these lines.
‘Mama’s family’
Authors: Kim Esther Chihye
Published: November 2009

Undocumented workers create social cohesion, which serves as a source of solidarity and identification for individuals who are otherwise pushed to the periphery by the dominant society. This article is based on a larger study examining the personal, social, and working lives of undocumented restaurant workers using an ethnographic approach in conjunction with the life history method. Based on observation of their day-to-day interactions in the restaurant and in conversations, this article discusses the ‘family’ or fictive kin relationship they establish with their co-workers and their employer. Despite their illegal status and low earnings, this group of undocumented workers is able to maintain their dignity, find ways of bringing joy to their lives, and attain a sense of belonging. Integration into the restaurant’s pseudo-family averts feelings of frustration and loneliness that are often the consequences of marginalization.
Urban ethnography and research integrity
Authors: Short James F. , Hughes Lorine A.
Published: November 2009

■ Problems of data reliability and validity continue to plague the social and behavioral sciences. Enhanced reliability of quantitative data has been achieved by such means as greater attention to instrument construction and testing, improvements in survey technology and sampling of targeted populations, and careful operationalization of theoretical ideas. The integrity of much quantitative research is compromised, however, when quantitative measures lack validity, especially when properties of groups and other collectivities are measured by responses obtained from individuals. Ethnographic and other forms of observational data offer important correctives to this problem. We illustrate the interplay of quantitative and qualitative research methods by examining studies extending ideas from Elijah Anderson’s Code of the Street to ‘neighborhood codes of violence’, the violence-avoiding function of street codes, and special problems of evaluation research as they apply to programs designed to control street gangs.
Addressing obesity through social marketing: ‘Liverpool’s Challenge’
Authors: Thomas Jane
Published: November 2009

Jane Thomas, Head of Insight and Social Marketing at Liverpool PCT, describes how the obesity epidemic is being tackled in a city heavily affected
The nature, development and contribution of social marketing to public health practice since 2004 in England
Authors: French Jeff
Published: November 2009

Social marketing is a highly systematic approach to health improvement that sets out unambiguous success criteria focused on behaviour change. This paper reviews the key concepts and principles of social marketing and its recent rapid development across government in England in the public health field. This paper outlines the role of the National Social Marketing Centre and concludes with a discussion of the probable future impact of social marketing on public health practice. The paper argues that there is a close ideological match between social marketing and liberal democratic imperatives. Social marketing’s focus on outcome, return on investment and its emphasis on developing interventions that can respond to diverse needs, means it is probable that social marketing will increasingly be required by governments as a standard part of public health programmes.
Evaluating social marketing: Lessons from ShowCase
Authors: Christopoulos Alex , Reynolds Lucy
Published: November 2009

In April 2009, the National Social Marketing Centre launched its new case study resource, ShowCase: a collection of 40 best practice social marketing programmes, predominantly from the UK. The process of collecting and researching these case studies has provided a unique opportunity to look at the current state of ‘evaluation’ within the field of social marketing. This paper shares some of the observations made during the review, exploring common challenges faced when evaluating social marketing. It also provides recommendations for improving this process to guide future social marketing delivery.
Pyrochlore formation and its dielectric properties within Bi2O3–TiO2–WO3 ternary system
Authors: Udovic M. , Meden A. , Suvorov D.
Published: November 2009

Using X-ray diffraction and SEM methods, as well as measurements of the microwave dielectric properties, a section of the ternary Bi2O3–TiO2–WO3 system has been investigated at 1100°C. Within this system the formation of pyrochlore has been detected, and it was revealed that WO3 incorporates into the B sites of the pyrochlore crystal lattice. Charge compensation due to W6+ incorporation occurs primarily via the formation of A site vacancies. With this addition the pyrochlore's unit cell decreases, and reaches its lowest value for ∼13 mol.-% of added WO3. The permittivity of the pyrochlore phase is relatively high and decreases with increasing W content, whereas Q × f increases with increasing W content.
Induction of immune tolerance to FIX by intramuscular AAV gene transfer is independent of the activation status of dendritic cells
Authors: Bharadwaj Arpita S. , Kelly Meagan , Kim Dongsoo , Chao Hengjun
Published: November 2009

The nature of viral vectors is suggested to be a significant contributor to undesirable immune responses subsequent to gene transfer. Such viral vectors, recognized as danger signals by the host immune system, activate dendritic cells (DCs), causing unwanted antivector and/or transgene product immunity. We recently reported efficient induction of immune tolerance to coagulation factor IX (FIX) by direct intramuscular injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV)–FIX. AAV vectors are nonpathogenic and elicit minimal inflammatory response. We hypothesized that the nonpathogenic nature of AAV plays a critical role in induction of tolerance after AAV gene transfer. We observed inefficient recruitment and activation of DCs subsequent to intramuscular injection of AAV. To further validate our hypothesis, we examined immune responses to FIX after intramuscular injection of AAV with simultaneous activation of DCs. We were able to achieve phenotypic and functional activation of DCs after administration of lipopolysaccharide and anti-CD40 antibody. However, we observed efficient induction of FIX tolerance irrespective of DC activation in mice with different genetic and major histocompatibility complex backgrounds. Furthermore, activation of DCs did not exaggerate the immune response induced after intramuscular injection of AAV serotype 2 vector. Our results demonstrate that induction of FIX tolerance after AAV gene transfer is independent of DC activation status.
Different Forms of Glycine- and GABAA-Receptor Mediated Inhibitory Synaptic Transmission in Mouse Superficial and Deep Dorsal Horn Neurons
Authors: Anderson Wayne B , Graham Brett A , Beveridge Natalie J , Tooney Paul A , Brichta Alan M , Callister Robert J
Published: November 2009

Background

Neurons in superficial (SDH) and deep (DDH) laminae of the spinal cord dorsal horn receive sensory information from skin, muscle, joints and viscera. In both regions, glycine-(GlyR) and GABAA-receptors (GABAARs) contribute to fast synaptic inhibition. For rat, several types of GABAAR coexist in the two regions and each receptor type provides different contributions to inhibitory tone. Recent work in mouse has discovered an additional type of GlyR, (containing alpha 3 subunits) in the SDH. The contribution of differing forms of the GlyR to sensory processing in SDH and DDH is not understood.

Methods and Results

Here we compare fast inhibitory synaptic transmission in mouse (P17-37) SDH and DDH using patch-clamp electrophysiology in transverse spinal cord slices (L3-L5 segments, 23°C). GlyR-mediated mIPSCs were detected in 74% (25/34) and 94% (25/27) of SDH and DDH neurons, respectively. In contrast, GABAAR-mediated mIPSCs were detected in virtually all neurons in both regions (93%, 14/15 and 100%, 18/18). Several Gly- and GABAAR properties also differed in SDH vs. DDH. GlyR-mediated mIPSC amplitude was smaller (37.1 ± 3.9 vs. 64.7 ± 5.0 pA; n = 25 each), decay time was slower (8.5 ± 0.8 vs. 5.5 ± 0.3 ms), and frequency was lower (0.15 ± 0.03 vs. 0.72 ± 0.13 Hz) in SDH vs. DDH neurons. In contrast, GABAAR-mediated mIPSCs had similar amplitudes (25.6 ± 2.4, n = 14 vs. 25. ± 2.0 pA, n = 18) and frequencies (0.21 ± 0.08 vs. 0.18 ± 0.04 Hz) in both regions; however, decay times were slower (23.0 ± 3.2 vs. 18.9 ± 1.8 ms) in SDH neurons. Mean single channel conductance underlying mIPSCs was identical for GlyRs (54.3 ± 1.6 pS, n = 11 vs. 55.7 ± 1.8, n = 8) and GABAARs (22.7 ± 1.7 pS, n = 10 vs. 22.4 ± 2.0 pS, n = 11) in both regions. We also tested whether the synthetic endocanabinoid, methandamide (methAEA), had direct effects on Gly- and GABAARs in each spinal cord region. MethAEA (5 μM) reduced GlyR-mediated mIPSC frequency in SDH and DDH, but did not affect other properties. Similar results were observed for GABAAR mediated mIPSCs, however, rise time was slowed by methAEA in SDH neurons.

Conclusion

Together these data show that Gly- and GABAARs with clearly differing physiological properties and cannabinoid-sensitivity contribute to fast synaptic inhibition in mouse SDH and DDH.
The PAPS transporter PST-1 is required for heparan sulfation and is essential for viability and neural development inC. elegans
Authors: Bhattacharya Raja , Townley Robert A. , Berry Katherine L. , Bülow Hannes E.
Published: November 2009

Sulfations of sugars, such as heparan sulfates (HS), or tyrosines require the universal sulfate donor 3′-phospho-adenosine-5′-phosphosulfate (PAPS) to be transported from the cytosol into the Golgi. Metazoan genomes encode two putative PAPS transporters (PAPST1 and PAPST2), which have been shown in vitro to preferentially transport PAPS across membranes. We have identified the C. elegans orthologs of PAPST1 and PAPST2 and named them pst-1 and pst-2, respectively. We show that pst-1 is essential for viability in C. elegans, functions non-redundantly with pst-2, and can act non-autonomously to mediate essential functions. Additionally, pst-1 is required for specific aspects of nervous system development rather than for formation of the major neuronal ganglia or fascicles. Neuronal defects correlate with reduced complexity of HS modification patterns, as measured by direct biochemical analysis. Our results suggest that pst-1 functions in metazoans to establish the complex HS modification patterns that are required for the development of neuronal connectivity.
A theoretical investigation of the development of physical activity habits in retirement
Authors: Beck Fay , Gillison Fiona , Standage Martyn
Published: November 2009

Objectives. This study examined the impact of retirement on physical activity (PA) patterns. More specifically, the process of initiating and maintaining behaviour changes in PA were explored using a self‐determination theory perspective.

Design. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted to explore the formation of lifestyle habits post‐retirement, and the role of PA within these. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis and an informal comparison made between physically active and inactive retired adults.

Methods. A total of 11 participants (7 female, 4 male; 6 physically active, 5 physically inactive) were recruited from churches and a local newspaper advertisement in South West England. On average, participants (M age=62.91 years; SD =2.3) had been retired 2 years and 8 months (SD =20.03).

Results. Three main themes emerged from the interviews specific to retired adults; social factors, lifelong tendencies, and sense of purpose. All retired adults searched for purpose in their lives, and for physically active adults having an exercise schedule contributed to this on a daily basis. PA also represented a source of personal challenge, whereas physically inactive retirees sought meaning and challenge from non‐exercise domains. All participants were acutely aware of their mortality, but active participants felt that PA would increase their chances of enjoying a healthy retirement, rather than accepting a decline in physical function.

Conclusions. The results highlighted how global aspirations for life after retirement can influence one's post‐retirement lifestyle. The implications for future research and potential health promotion approaches are discussed.
Heterogeneous Au and Rh catalysts for cycloisomerization reactions of γ-acetylenic carboxylic acids
Authors: Neaţu Florentina , Toullec Patrick Y. , Michelet Véronique , Pârvulescu Vasile I.
Published: November 2009

Au- and Rh-based heterogeneized catalytic systems have been prepared and analyzed. Their efficiency has been evaluated for the cycloisomerization of γ-acetylenic carboxylic acids leading to valuable γ-alkylidene γ-butyrolactones. Bulk AuO3 was found to be a valuable and easy-to-handle catalyst for selective transformations, whereas [C6mim][AuCl4] presented a high activity and Au/β-zeolite was recyclable.
Terminology for reversible-deactivation radical polymerization previously called "controlled" radical or "living" radical polymerization (IUPAC Recommendations 2010)
Authors: Jenkins Aubrey D. , Jones Richard G. , Moad Graeme
Published: November 2009

This document defines terms related to modern methods of radical polymerization, in which certain additives react reversibly with the radicals, thus enabling the reactions to take on much of the character of living polymerizations, even though some termination inevitably takes place. In recent technical literature, these reactions have often been loosely referred to as, inter alia, "controlled", "controlled/living", or "living" polymerizations. The use of these terms is discouraged. The use of "controlled" is permitted as long as the type of control is defined at its first occurrence, but the full name that is recommended for these polymerizations is "reversible-deactivation radical polymerization".
De cónsul a ministro: Gilberto Crespo y Martínez en La Habana.
Authors: Muñoz Laura
Published: November 2009

Este trabajo examina la labor del representante de México en Cuba en los primeros años del siglo XX. Sostiene que sus labores como cónsul interino y luego como cónsul general y más tarde enviado extraordinario correspondieron a dos etapas diferentes en la percepción mexicana respecto de esa Antilla. Además, que en cada una de esas etapas, en las que las condiciones en la región y en México fueron diferentes, la diplomacia mexicana tuvo que tomar en consideración la presencia de los Estados Unidos en la región del Golfo-Caribe. Dichas etapas evidencian cómo las percepciones reflejaron, a su vez, dos momentos con condiciones regionales y situaciones internas diversas, en las que la presencia e intereses norteamericanos tuvieron que ser contemplados en el diseño de la diplomacia que podía promover México.

This article studies the work of the Mexican agent in Cuba during the early twentieth century. It argues that his functions as temporary consul and later on as general consul and extraordinary envoy reflect two different stages in the Mexican perception of the Antillean Island. It also claims that in each one of these stages, when conditions both in the region and in Mexico were different, Mexican diplomacy had to ponder the presence of the United States in the Gulf-Caribbean region. These stages clearly express two different moments with regional conditions and internal situations in which American presence had to be considered in the design of Mexican diplomacy.
Darwin and Darwinism: The (Alleged) Social Implications of The Origin of Species
Authors: Orr H Allen
Published: November 2009

Most scientific theories, even revolutionary ones, change the practice of a particular science but have few consequences for culture or society at large. But Darwinism, it has often been said, is different in this respect. Since the publication of The Origin of Species, many have claimed that Darwinism has a number of profound social implications. Here, I briefly consider three of these: the economic, the political, and the religious. I suggest that, for the most part, these supposed implications have been misconstrued or exaggerated. Indeed, it is reasonably clear that the chain of implication sometimes primarily ran in the opposite direction—from, for instance, economics and political theory to Darwinism.
Predicting avian distributions to evaluate spatiotemporal overlap with locust control operations in eastern Australia
Authors: Szabo Judit K. , Davy Pamela J. , Hooper Michael J. , Astheimer Lee B.
Published: November 2009

Locusts and grasshoppers cause considerable economic damage to agriculture worldwide. The Australian Plague Locust Commission uses multiple pesticides to control locusts in eastern Australia. Avian exposure to agricultural pesticides is of conservation concern, especially in the case of rare and threatened species. The aim of this study was to evaluate the probability of pesticide exposure of native avian species during operational locust control based on knowledge of species occurrence in areas and times of application. Using presence–absence data provided by the Birds Australia Atlas for 1998 to 2002, we developed a series of generalized linear models to predict avian occurrences on a monthly basis in 0.5° grid cells for 280 species over 2 million km2in eastern Australia. We constructed species‐specific models relating occupancy patterns to survey date and location, rainfall, and derived habitat preference. Model complexity depended on the number of observations available. Model output was the probability of occurrence for each species at times and locations of past locust control operations within the 5‐year study period. Given the high spatiotemporal variability of locust control events, the variability in predicted bird species presence was high, with 108 of the total 280 species being included at least once in the top 20 predicted species for individual space–time events. The models were evaluated using field surveys collected between 2000 and 2005, at sites with and without locust outbreaks. Model strength varied among species. Some species were under‐ or over‐predicted as times and locations of interest typically did not correspond to those in the prediction data set and certain species were likely attracted to locusts as a food source. Field surveys demonstrated the utility of the spatially explicit species lists derived from the models but also identified the presence of a number of previously unanticipated species. These results also emphasize the need for special consideration of rare and threatened species that are poorly predicted by presence–absence models. This modeling exercise was a useful a priori approach in species risk assessments to identify species present at times and locations of locust control applications, and to discover gaps in our knowledge and need for further focused data collection.
Oceanic, riverine, and genetic influences on spring chinook salmon migration timing
Authors: Anderson James J. , Beer W. Nicholas
Published: November 2009

Migrating salmonids often return to their spawning habitats in overlapping timing patterns of multiple stocks (populations) collectively called a run that varies in its genetic makeup across and within years. Managers, tasked with developing harvest strategies on these runs, may have preseason estimates of total run size but little information on run timing. Without both it is difficult to assess a run's status in real time. Consequently, to avoid overharvest, managers tend to control the timing of harvest. However, this strategy may inadvertently affect the component stocks disproportionately and therefore the run's diversity. Thus, accurate estimates of run timing are needed to improve management.

We developed a model that includes genetic and environmental factors to predict the mean run timing of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, Oregon, USA. The model predicted mean run timing (P < 0.00001, r2 = 0.78) by characterizing genetic run timing components from the arrival timing of precocious males returning one year prior to the remainder of the adults and environmental influences of oceanic and riverine flows that impede or advance the run timing. Variations in the relative abundances of the populations in the run explain 62% of the interannual variation in mean run timing while the oceanic and riverine factors combined account for 15.5%. We suggest that when genetic run timing characteristics are preserved in species with multiple maturation strategies the information can be used to improve run time predictions and maintain genetic diversity of harvested species.
Not all ski slopes are created equal: Disturbance intensity affects ecosystem properties
Authors: Burt Jennifer W. , Rice Kevin J.
Published: November 2009

In mountain regions around the world, downhill ski areas represent a significant source of anthropogenic disturbance while also providing recreation and revenue. Ski‐run creation always results in some level of disturbance, but disturbance intensity varies greatly with construction method. Ski runs may be established either by clearing (cutting and removing tall vegetation) or by clearing and then machine‐grading (leveling the soil surface with heavy equipment). To quantify how these different intensities of initial disturbance affect ecosystem properties, we extensively surveyed vegetation, soils, and environmental characteristics on cleared ski runs, graded ski runs, and adjacent reference forests across seven large downhill ski resorts in the northern Sierra Nevada, USA. We found that the greater disturbance intensity associated with grading resulted in greater impacts on all ecosystem properties considered, including plant community composition and diversity, soil characteristics relating to processes of nutrient cycling and retention, and measures of erosion potential. We also found that cleared ski runs retained many ecological similarities to reference forests and might even offer some added benefits by possessing greater plant species and functional diversity than either forests or graded runs. Because grading is more damaging to multiple indicators of ecosystem function, clearing rather than grading should be used to create ski slopes wherever practical.
Alpha and beta diversity of plants and animals along a tropical land‐use gradient
Authors: Kessler Michael , Abrahamczyk Stefan , Bos Merijn , Buchori Damayanti , Putra Dadang Dwi , Gradstein S. Robbert , Höhn Patrick , Kluge Jürgen , Orend Friederike , Pitopang Ramadhaniel , Saleh Shahabuddin , Schulze Christian H. , Sporn Simone G. , Steffan-Dewenter Ingolf , Tjitrosoedirdjo Sri S. , Tscharntke Teja
Published: November 2009

Assessing the overall biological diversity of tropical rain forests is a seemingly insurmountable task for ecologists. Therefore, researchers frequently sample selected taxa that they believe reflect general biodiversity patterns. Usually, these studies focus on the congruence of α diversity (the number of species found per sampling unit) between taxa rather than on β diversity (turnover of species assemblages between sampling units). Such approaches ignore the potential role of habitat heterogeneity that, depending on the taxonomic group considered, can greatly enhance β diversity at local and landscape scales. We compared α and β diversity of four plant groups (trees, lianas, terrestrial herbs, epiphytic liverworts) and eight animal groups (birds, butterflies, lower canopy ants, lower canopy beetles, dung beetles, bees, wasps, and the parasitoids of the latter two) at 15 sites in Sulawesi, Indonesia, that represented natural rain forest and three types of cacao agroforests differing in management intensity. In total, we recorded 863 species. Patterns of species richness per study site varied strongly between taxonomic groups. Only 13–17% of the variance in species richness of one taxonomic group could be predicted from the species richness of another, and on average 12–18% of the variance of β diversity of a given group was predicted by that in other groups, although some taxon pairs had higher values (up to 76% for wasps and their parasitoids). The degree of congruence of patterns of α diversity was not influenced by sampling completeness, whereas the indicator value for β diversity improved when using a similarity index that accounts for incomplete sampling. The indication potential of α diversity for β diversity and vice versa was limited within taxa (7–20%) and virtually nil between them (0–4%). We conclude that different taxa can have largely independent patterns of α diversity and that patterns of β diversity can be more congruent. Thus, conservation plans on a landscape scale need to put more emphasis on the high heterogeneity of agroforests and the overarching role of β diversity shaping overall diversity patterns.
Are pine plantations valid tools for restoring Mediterranean forests? An assessment along abiotic and biotic gradients
Authors: Gómez-Aparicio Lorena , Zavala Miguel A. , Bonet Francisco J. , Zamora Regino
Published: November 2009

The ecological impacts of forest plantations are a focus of intense debate, from studies that consider plantations as “biological deserts” to studies showing positive effects on plant diversity and dynamics. This lack of consensus might be influenced by the scarcity of studies that examine how the ecological characteristics of plantations vary along abiotic and biotic gradients. Here we conducted a large‐scale assessment of plant regeneration and diversity in plantations of southern Spain. Tree seedling and sapling density, plant species richness, and Shannon's (H′) diversity index were analyzed in 442 pine plantation plots covering a wide gradient of climatic conditions, stand density, and distance to natural forests that act as seed sources.

Pronounced variation in regeneration and diversity was found in plantation understories along the gradients explored. Low‐ to mid‐altitude plantations showed a diverse and abundant seedling bank dominated byQuercus ilex, whereas high‐altitude plantations showed a virtually monospecific seeding bank ofPinus sylvestris. Regeneration was null in plantations with stand densities exceeding 1500 pines/ha. Moderate plantation densities (500–1000 pines/ha) promoted recruitment in comparison to low or null canopy cover, suggesting the existence of facilitative interactions.Quercus ilexrecruitment diminished exponentially with distance to the nearestQ. ilexforest. Richness andH′ index values showed a hump‐shaped distribution along the altitudinal and radiation gradients and decreased monotonically along the stand density gradient.

From a management perspective, different strategies will be necessary depending on where a plantation lies along the gradients explored. Active management will be required in high‐density plantations with arrested succession and low diversity. Thinning could redirect plantations toward more natural densities where facilitation predominates. Passive management might be recommended for low‐ to moderate‐density plantations with active successional dynamics (e.g., toward oak or pine–oak forests at low to mid altitudes). Enrichment planting will be required to overcome seed limitation, especially in plantations far from natural forests. We conclude that plantations should be perceived as dynamic systems where successional trajectories and diversity levels are determined by abiotic constraints, complex balances of competitive and facilitative interactions, the spatial configuration of native seed sources, and species life‐history traits.
Analysis of the predator community of a subterranean herbivorous insect based on polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Lundgren Jonathan G. , Ellsbury Michael E. , Prischmann Deirdre A.
Published: November 2009

The identity and impact of trophic linkages within subterranean arthropod communities are challenging to establish, a fact that hinders the development of conservation biological control programs of subterranean herbivores. Diabrotica virgifera (the western corn rootworm) is a severe agricultural pest that lives subterraneously during its pre‐imaginal stages and succumbs to high levels of pre‐imaginal mortality from unknown agents. The guts of 1500 field‐collected arthropod predators were analyzed for D. virgifera‐specific DNA sequences using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). These gut analyses were used to generate relative and taxon‐specific prey consumption indices for the major predator taxa and to determine relative consumption levels during D. virgifera egg and larval stages by predator feeding guilds. Laboratory feeding assays were used to determine the meal size consumed during 5 min and digestion rates of D. virgifera DNA of four predators abundant in D. virgifera‐infested cornfields. More than 17 taxa consumed D. virgifera in the field. Harvestmen and small rove beetles were the most abundant predators captured, and the most frequent predators within the community to consume D. virgifera. The largest proportions of individual species' populations testing positive for D. virgifera DNA were found in ground beetles (Scarites quadriceps and Poecilus chalcites) and spiders, wolf spiders, and predaceous mites. Because of the longer duration of the egg stage, significantly more predators consumed D. virgifera eggs than larvae, but a similar proportion of the predator community fed on eggs and larvae. Predators with sucking mouthparts had a higher consumption index than chewing predators. Laboratory assays confirmed that sucking predators consume more D. virgifera DNA during 5 min than the chewing predators, and all four predators digested this DNA at a similar rate. This research substantiates that a diverse community of soil‐dwelling and subterranean predators contribute to the high level of mortality incurred by D. virgifera in cornfields (∼99% pre‐adult mortality). Moreover, qPCR is a useful tool for describing trophic relationships within subterranean food webs, a crucial step in determining the relative contributions of a diverse predator community to the population dynamics of an herbivorous arthropod.