bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Poly(methacrylamide‐co‐2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐1‐propanesulfonic acid) hydrogels: Investigation of pH‐ and temperature‐dependent swelling characteristics and their characterization
Authors: Çavuş Selva
Published: September 2010

Novel poly(methacrylamide‐co‐2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐ 1‐propanesulfonic acid) (poly(MAAm‐co‐AMPS)) hydrogels were synthesized by free radical polymerization of methacrylamide (MAAm) and 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐1‐propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) in deionized water at 60 °C by using ammonium peroxydisulfate (APS), N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBAAm) and N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED) as initiator, crosslinker, and activator, respectively. To investigate the effects of feed content on the pH‐ and temperature‐dependent swelling behavior of poly(MAAm‐co‐AMPS), molar ratio of MAAm to AMPS in feed was varied from 90/10 to 10/90. Structural characterization of gels was performed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy using attenuated total reflectance (ATR) technique. Thermal and morphological characterizations of gels were performed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Although an apparent pH‐sensitivity was not observed for the poly(MAAm‐co‐AMPS) gels during the swelling in different buffer solutions, their temperature‐sensitivity became more evident with the increase in AMPS content of copolymer. Thermal stability of poly(MAAm‐co‐AMPS) gels increased with MAAm content. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2010
Choosing appropriate quantitative safety risk criteria: Applications from the new CCPS guidelines
Authors: Frank Walt , Jones Dave
Published: September 2010

In some situations, risk can be best understood, and therefore managed, through risk quantification. Establishing quantitative risk criteria can be a key component in informed risk decision making. Currently many companies use quantitative risk criteria, either formally or informally. Some companies base their criteria on regulatory precedents (e.g., Netherlands, UK HSE, etc.), while others have developed “home grown” criteria, involving company‐specific judgments. This article will provide an overview of the new American Institute of Chemical Engineers, CCPS Guidelines for Developing Quantitative Safety Risk Criteria, which is intended to provide assistance to companies seeking to develop such criteria and highlight challenges to be addressed by any company attempting to establish risk criteria. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2010
Summary–challenges in managing a national emphasis program inspection
Authors: Hanchey Ken
Published: September 2010

OSHA has recently emphasized an added commitment to do more Refinery and Chemical National Emphasis Program inspections. This article outlines company methods to (a) limit exposure and expense by supplying the agency with requested information, (b) minimize site disruptions, and (c) make compliance improvements efficiently. A successful inspection requires the development of a strategy, tactics, teams, procedures, interview process, and general management of the inspection process. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2010
Composite‐system models
Authors: Klein D. J. , Oliva J. M.
Published: September 2010

Composite many‐electron systems are considered in terms of the wave‐functions for the different component subsystems (e.g., atoms). In this weak‐interaction limit, there may be degrees of freedom, which arise from that of the degeneracies of the wave‐functions for each of the isolated subsystems, and which then are describable in terms of an effective Hamiltonian for the couplings and liftings of these degeneracies in the composite system. The representation of an ordinary Schrödinger Hamiltonian in such a 0‐order model space is developed in the context of an example of a (possibly macroscopically large) set of H atoms interacting with one another, to obtain a Heisenberg spin‐Hamiltonian, which is formally “complete” in not neglecting any higher‐order permutations. At the same time, the interactions are hierarchically ordered to manifest the more important ones first, all in a “linked” size‐consistent manner, avoiding various earlier‐encountered “catastrophes.” A classical electrostatic interpretation of the higher order exchange matrix elements is made, and some novel spin‐coupling dependences are found with a decay like an inverse power‐law range (rather than exponential). © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010
The Pluripotency Regulator Zic3 Is a Direct Activator of the Nanog Promoter in ESCs
Authors: Lim Linda Shushan , Hong Felicia Huimei , Kunarso Galih , Stanton Lawrence W.
Published: September 2010

The transcription factor Zic3 is required for maintenance of ESC pluripotency. By genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-chip) in ESCs, we have identified 379 direct Zic3 targets, many of which are functionally associated with pluripotency, cell cycle, proliferation, oncogenesis, and early embryogenesis. Through a computational analysis of Zic3 target sequences, we have identified a novel Zic3 consensus binding motif (5′-CCC/TGCTGGG-3′). ChIP results and in vitro DNA binding assays revealed that Zic3 binds with high affinity and specificity on the Nanog promoter. Here, we demonstrate that Zic3 functions as a transcriptional activator of the Nanog promoter in three ways: (a) Nanog transcript levels are sustained with Zic3 overexpression in differentiating ESCs, (b) Zic3 depletion in ESCs downregulates Nanog promoter activity, and (c) Zic3 overexpression leads to increased Nanog promoter activity. Furthermore, the activity of a mutant Nanog promoter with ablated Oct4/Sox2 binding is rescued by Zic3 overexpression to nearly wild-type levels. This indicates that Nanog is a positive transcriptional target of Zic3 in a mechanism that is independent of Oct4/Sox2 binding. Hence, we demonstrate an important pathway for regulation of Nanog expression in pluripotent ESCs through direct activation by Zic3.
Vakuum und Musik
Authors: Hix Peter
Published: September 2010

In diesem Beitrag wird ein neues Verfahren beschrieben, das auf den Einsatz und die Nützlichkeit der Vakuumtechnologie beim Bau von Musikinstrumenten hinweist und an Experimenten diese Behauptung beweist.
Brushing
Authors: Theus Martin
Published: September 2010

Interactive data analysis tools strongly depend on the ability to select data of interest and select options that quickly modify the display of information. The definition of Visual Analytics even explicitly includes that this science is ‘supported by interactive visual interfaces’. Brushing is the oldest and most generic term that refers to the selection of data. In its first appearance in interactive statistical graphics, brushing was introduced for scatterplot matrices (SPLOMs) by Becker and Cleveland1, but the basic idea of the selection and isolation of a subset of data was already mentioned in Tukey's landmark paper on PRIM‐92. This review gives a broad overview over selection tools and selection modes in general and illustrates actual implementations of these ideas. WIREs Comp Stat 2010 2 704–710 DOI: 10.1002/wics.132

This article is categorized under:

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Statistical Graphics and Visualization

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Analysis of High Dimensional Data
Viral nanoparticles and virus‐like particles: platforms for contemporary vaccine design
Authors: Plummer Emily M. , Manchester Marianne
Published: September 2010

Current vaccines that provide protection against infectious diseases have primarily relied on attenuated or inactivated pathogens. Virus‐like particles (VLPs), comprised of capsid proteins that can initiate an immune response but do not include the genetic material required for replication, promote immunogenicity and have been developed and approved as vaccines in some cases. In addition, many of these VLPs can be used as molecular platforms for genetic fusion or chemical attachment of heterologous antigenic epitopes. This approach has been shown to provide protective immunity against the foreign epitopes in many cases. A variety of VLPs and virus‐based nanoparticles are being developed for use as vaccines and epitope platforms. These particles have the potential to increase efficacy of current vaccines as well as treat diseases for which no effective vaccines are available. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2011 3 174–196 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.119

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease
Protein microarrays for genome‐wide posttranslational modification analysis
Authors: Merbl Yifat , Kirschner Marc W.
Published: September 2010

Protein microarray technology has emerged as a powerful tool for comparing binding interactions, expression level, substrate specificities, and posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of different proteins in a parallel and high‐throughput manner. The ability to immobilize proteins to a solid surface and register the specific address of each protein has bridged major limitations for investigating the proteome in biological samples, namely, the wide dynamic range of protein concentrations and the perturbation of the physical and chemical properties of proteins by their modification. Recent advances introduced the use of functional mammalian cell extracts to assay PTMs under different cellular conditions. This assay offers a new approach for performing large‐scale complex biochemical analysis of protein modifications. Here, we review studies of PTM profiling using protein microarrays and discuss the limitations and potential applications of the system. We believe that the information generated from such proteomic studies may be of significant value in our elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that govern human physiology. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2011 3 347–356 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.120

This article is categorized under:

Laboratory Methods and Technologies > Proteomics Methods
Dietary choices by four captive slender lorises (Loris tardigradus) when presented with various insect life stages
Authors: Clayton Jonathan B. , Glander Kenneth E.
Published: September 2010

The slender loris (Loris tardigradus) is a rare, nocturnal prosimian found only in the tropical rainforest of southern India and Sri Lanka. Little is known about their diet, though it is assumed that insects comprise a majority of their wild diet. Based on this assumption, captive lorises are offered a variety of insects or insect life stages; the species of insect or the life stage is often determined by what is easiest to buy or rear. Captive lorises at the Duke Lemur Center (DLC) were offered the opportunity to choose which life stage of mealworms (Tenebrio molito), superworms (Zophobus morio), or waxworms (Galleria mellonella) they preferred. The DLC captive lorises did not select the largest life stages of any insect offered. They preferred the larvae stage to the adult stage in all three insect species, and males and females had different insect species and life stage preferences. Zoo Biol 30:189–198, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Student Experiences of the Adolescent Diversion Project: A Community‐Based Exemplar in the Pedagogy of Service‐Learning
Authors: Davidson William S. , Jimenez Tiffeny R. , Onifade Eyitayo , Hankins Sean S.
Published: September 2010

Service‐learning partnerships between universities and surrounding communities striving to create systems‐level change must consider an emphasis in critical community service; a community centered paradigm where students are taught to work with communities to better understand contexts surrounding a social problem, as opposed to merely volunteering to provide a service to a community. The Adolescent Diversion Project (ADP), which has been operating for over 30 years, demonstrates critical community service through the type of relationship built between students and the local community. This article describes: a qualitative study with ADP students, the historical context of ADP, what and how students learned through their involvement in ADP, and reframes the work of this project as a form of service‐learning pedagogy. Inductive content analysis was employed to identify underlying themes across participants related to their personal experiences of ADP and its impact in their lives. Findings were compared with service‐learning outcomes and other quantitative studies conducted with past ADP cohorts from the literature. Consistent with past studies, ADP students become more negative toward social systems involved with their youth. This finding may explain an increase in feelings of political commitment following involvement in ADP. Consistent with service‐learning outcomes, results demonstrate that ADP should be further documented as not only an effective community‐based program but also as an exemplar in the pedagogy of service‐learning. This study highlights why service‐learning opportunities for students are not just one way to teach students, they are opportunities to bridge relationships within communities, bring life to theoretical concepts, and build the foundations necessary for educated citizens that will one day take lead roles in our society.
Educating for Informed Community Involvement
Authors: Bringle Robert G. , Steinberg Kathryn
Published: September 2010

Service learning, which integrates community service into coursework, provides a pedagogical intervention that can promote the civic growth of students in unique and powerful ways. Research is reviewed that documents the capacity of service learning to meet learning objectives associated with a conceptual framework that focuses on the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of a civic‐minded college graduate. The outcomes of service learning should facilitate these students assuming influential roles in helping others become empowered, and thereby are important for enhancing the quality of life in communities. We also review research that focuses on the impact of service learning for community outcomes. Finally, we present implications for teaching community psychology, and recommendations for future research on service learning and community engagement.
Chronological changes of the amplitude‐integrated EEG in a neonate with molybdenum cofactor deficiency
Authors: Sie Sintha D. , de Jonge Rogier C. J. , Blom Henk J. , Mulder Margot F. , Reiss Jochen , Vermeulen R. J. , Peeters‐Scholte Cacha M. P. C. D.
Published: September 2010

Molybdenum cofactor (Moco) deficiency is a rare neurometabolic disorder, characterized by neurological impairment and refractive seizures, due to toxic accumulation of sulfite in the brain. Earlier it was suggested that in Moco‐deficient humans maternal clearance of neurotoxic metabolites prevents prenatal brain damage. However, limited data are available about the time profile in which neurophysiologic deterioration occurs after birth. The amplitude‐integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) is a bedside method in neonates to monitor cerebral recovery after hypoxic‐ischemic insults, detect epileptic activity, and evaluate antiepileptic drug treatment. We describe a chronological series of changes in aEEG tracings in a neonate with Moco deficiency. He presented with myoclonic spasms and hypertonicity a few hours after birth, however, the aEEG pattern was still normal. Within 2 days, the aEEG rapidly changed into a burst suppression pattern with repetitive seizures. After antiepileptic treatment, the aEEG remained abnormal. In this patient, the normal aEEG pattern at birth may have been due to maternal clearance of sulfite in utero. After birth, accumulation of sulfite causes progressive brain damage, reflected by the progressive depression of the aEEG tracings. This is in agreement with the results from a Moco‐deficient mouse model, suggesting that maternal sulfite clearance suppresses prenatal brain damage. To our knowledge, this is the first case report describing the chronological changes in the aEEG pattern in a Moco‐deficient patient. Insight into the time profile in which neurologic deterioration in Moco‐deficient humans occurs is essential, especially when potential treatment strategies are being evaluated.
Insights into novel cellular injury mechanisms by gene expression profiling in nephropathic cystinosis
Authors: Sansanwal Poonam , Li Li , Hsieh Szu‐Chuan , Sarwal Minnie M.
Published: September 2010

Nephropathic cystinosis is a rare, inherited metabolic disease caused by functional defects of cystinosin associated with mutations in the CTNS gene. The mechanisms underlying the phenotypic alterations associated with this disease are not well known. In this study, gene expression profiles in peripheral blood of nephropathic cystinosis patients (N = 7) were compared with controls (N = 7) using microarray technology. In unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis, cystinosis samples co‐clustered, and 1,604 genes were significantly differentially expressed between both groups. Gene ontology analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes in cystinosis were enriched in cell organelles such as mitochondria, lysosomes, and endoplasmic reticulum (p ≤ 0.030). The majority of the differentially regulated genes were involved in oxidative phosphorylation, apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, antigen processing and presentation, B‐cell‐receptor signaling, and oxidative stress (p ≤ 0.003). Validation of selected genes involved in apoptosis and oxidative phosphorylation was performed by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Electron microscopy and confocal imaging of cystinotic renal proximal tubular epithelial cells further confirmed anomalies in the cellular organelles and pathways identified by microarray analysis. Further analysis of these genes and pathways may offer critical insights into the clinical spectrum of cystinosis patients and ultimately lead to novel links for targeted therapy.
Purification and proteomic identification of putative upstream regulators of polo‐like kinase‐1 from mitotic cell extracts
Authors: Ji Jae-Hoon , Hwang Hyo-In , Lee Hee-Jae , Hyun Sun-Yi , Kang Hoe-Jin , Jang Young-Joo
Published: September 2010

MINT‐7996345: PAK3
(uniprotkb:O75914)
physically interacts
(MI:0915) with
PLK1
(uniprotkb:P53350) by
pull down
(MI:0096)
Malassezia pachydermatis and M nana predominate amongst the cutaneous mycobiota of Sphynx cats
Authors: Volk Andrea V. , Belyavin Clare E. , Varjonen Katarina , Cadiergues Marie-Christine , Stevens Kim B. , Bond Ross
Published: September 2010

Carriage of Malassezia species yeasts in healthy Sphynx cats was compared with that in Devon Rex cats (DRC), Cornish Rex cats (CRC) and domestic shorthair (DSH) cats. Swab samples from the external ear, anus and claw folds, and contact plate samples from the axillae and groins, were incubated on modified Dixon's agar at 32°C for 7 days. Malassezia species were isolated from all 18 Sphynx cats; M pachydermatis accounted for 118/140 isolates. Of 20 isolates of M nana, 16 were recovered from the ear canal. M slooffiae was isolated from the claw fold of one cat and the left groin of another. The high counts of M pachydermatis obtained from the axillae, groins and claw folds of the Sphynx cats exceeded those of healthy DSH, CRC and DRC; axillary populations were comparable to those of seborrhoeic DRC. These data support recent reports of high Malassezia species colonisation in Sphynx cats.
Food & health forum meeting: evidence-based nutrition
Authors: Mitchell Helen L. , Aggett Peter J. , Richardson David P. , Stowell Julian D.
Published: September 2010

The present report summarises a meeting held by the Food & Health Forum at the Royal Society of Medicine, London, on 27 May 2010. The objective of the meeting was to review the problems associated with the use of evidence-based nutrition and to discuss what constitutes the efficacy for foods and food constituents and how the strength and consistency of the evidence can be assessed and adapted to circumstances in which health claims are to be used on food products. The meeting highlighted the limitations with the present evidence-based nutrition models with the prospect that this may have long-term consequences for nutrition science and ultimately the consumer who may not benefit from new science that could have an impact on health.
‘If Shanxi's Coal is Lost, then Shanxi is Lost!’: Shanxi's Coal and an Emerging National Movement in Provincial China, 1898–1908
Authors: THOMPSON ROGER R.
Published: September 2010

The land-locked north China province of Shanxi, identified in 1870 by the geologist Baron Richthofen as ‘one of the most remarkable coal and iron regions in the world’, was the site of a provincially‑defined national movement far removed from the better‑studied treaty ports and their articulate and prolific nationalists. This late-Qing provincialism may be read as a mediating symbol of an emerging national consciousness.

Social tensions were exacerbated by external challenges brought by foreign agents, and their Chinese collaborators, of cultural and economic imperialism. Opposition to missionaries and Chinese Christians had begun as early as the 1860s. In 1898 the British Pekin Syndicate and its extra-provincial Chinese associates, with the backing of the central government, secured rights to Shanxi's rich coal and iron resources. These rights were ceded back ten years later after a successful ‘rights-recovery’ movement that possesses similarities to (but also significant differences from) the well-studied oppositional movements in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan, and Shandong in the period 1905–1911. The duration of Shanxi's struggle, along with its extra-bureaucratic elite activism, popular mobilization, and cooperation with Beijing, makes its rights-recovery movement distinctive. The rhetoric and practices of the movement, which began before the Boxer Uprising of 1900 and reflects the rhetorical influence of these earlier protests, contributed to a strong regional solidarity that was backed by central state authority. There were various patterns of protest, one indigenous and provincial, one extra-provincial and nationalist, that interacted in the period 1902–1908. Provincial activists, including merchants, peasants, students, degree-holders, and officials, insisted that Shanxi's coal was for the use of the community, the province, and the nation on terms established by and for the people of Shanxi. In their victory, localism, provincialism, and the national project, had come together.
The Hollow State: Rural Governance in China
Authors: Smith Graeme
Published: September 2010

Over the last decade, rural township governments have been subjected to intensive streamlining and rationalization programmes. This article examines which ongoing reforms and processes are causing township governments to become “hollow shells,” and explores the effects of “hollowing out” on township government leaders, staff and rural residents. While the aim of local government reform was to transform extractive township governments into “service-oriented” agencies, this article finds that the current logic of rural governance has produced township governments which are squeezed from above and below. From above, township leaders face the political imperatives of inspections, annual assessments, the need to attract industrial investment and an ongoing process of “soft centralization” by higher levels of government. From below, township staff are drawn out to the villages to enforce family planning policies and maintain social stability. Unprecedented numbers are working as “sent-down cadres” in villages where their capacity to deliver services has been weakened by village amalgamations and the lifting of agricultural taxes and fees. Despite significant boosts to rural health and education investment, rural residents still face a level of government that regards them as problems to be dealt with, rather than citizens to be served.
The Peacock and the Dragon: How to Grapple with the Rising Global Ambitions of India and China
Authors: Kavalski Emilian
Published: September 2010

Coming to terms with the nascent international agency of regional powers with global intentions has become a dominant topic in the study of world affairs. This rash of attention to the emergent dynamics of international interactions has been facilitated by the break-up of the Cold War order which has allowed a number of actors to extend their international roles and outreach. India and China feature prominently among those actors and their agency in global life is subject to a growing public, policy, and scholarly scrutiny.
Opportunity for selection in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina): the effect of spatial scale of analysis
Authors: Galimberti Filippo , Fabiani Anna , Sanvito Simona
Published: September 2010

The opportunity for selection, I, calculated as the variance in relative fitness, sets an upper limit to the amount of adaptive change that selection may produce. Therefore, it is a potentially valuable, and frequently used, measure of the potential of action of phenotypic selection. Although many different aspects of I calculation and analysis have been explored, the effect of the spatial scale chosen for calculation received little attention, notwithstanding the growing evidence that natural populations are not homogeneous and present a hierarchical spatial structure. The effect of scale on the estimation of I was examined from data collected in two populations of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), an easily observable and strongly polygynous species. A significant effect of spatial scale on three important aspects of I calculation and analysis was found: dependence of I on mean fitness, between population variation of I, and effect of local demography on I.
Marking methods in small mammals: ear‐tattoo as an alternative to toe‐clipping
Authors: Lindner Elke , Fuelling Olaf
Published: September 2010

In a field study on the behavioural response of grey‐sided voles Clethrionomys rufocanus to predator odour ear tattoos were used for individual marking of the voles in the field. The study was conducted over three summer seasons in the tundra of northern Norway. In this paper we report our experience with ear‐tattooing in order to compare it with other methods used for marking small mammals. Methods should be compared for their different influences on physiology and behaviour and to find alternatives to the widely used toe‐clipping. Looking for alternatives becomes mandatory because in many countries this method needs a special permit or is totally prohibited by law. Marking a vole with ear‐tattoos took us 2 min on average. The rate for the first recapture after marking voles was 87%. This is much higher than reported recapture rates for toe‐clipped voles. From all recaptured individuals we were able to identify > 89.9% of the codes. The time lag between marking and first recapture was higher than the lag between second and third recapture, which indicates a trauma caused by the marking procedure. However, there was no evidence of any weight loss as reported for other marking methods, and most of the tattooed animals did not show any behaviour indicating irritation after being marked. It is concluded that ear‐tattooing, as an alternative to other methods of marking small mammals is useful even in the field. However, to assess different advantages and disadvantages in other circumstances, the chosen method should be examined critically before use.
A new species of horseshoe bat (Microchiroptera: Rhinolophidae) from south‐central Africa: with comments on its affinities and evolution, and the characterization of rhinolophid species
Authors: Cotterill F. P. D.
Published: September 2010

A new species of horseshoe bat,Rhinolophus sakejiensis, is described from south‐central Africa, near the source of the Zambezi River in north‐west Zambia. A distinct combination of noseleaf, cranial and baculum characters are diagnostic of the species. It is a member of theferrumequinumgroup, and its evolutionary affinities lie closest toR. clivosusCretzschmar, 1828 and particularly the West AfricanR. hillorumKoopman, 1989. This discovery of a new species ofRhinolophusin theclivosuscomplex required reappraisal of these and other related taxa. Known only from high forest in West Africa,hillorumis the closest relative ofsakejiensiscollected in mesic savanna in south‐central Africa. Comparisons of this new species with other large AfrotropicalRhinolophusshows thathillorumis specifically distinct fromclivosus, and endorses the specific status ofdeckeniandsilvestris. The contemporary taxonomy of AfrotropicalRhinolophuswas incapable of accommodating this new taxon, and the latter part of this paper argues for a more objective characterization of rhinolophids as evolutionary species.
Demographic processes in colonizing populations of isard (Rupicapra pyrenaica) and ibex (Capra ibex)
Authors: Loison Anne , Toïgo Carole , Appolinaire Joel , Michallet Jacques
Published: September 2010

Rates of increase, survival and reproduction were studied in two re‐introduced populations of mountain ungulates, the Pyrenean chamois (also named isard, Rupicapra pyrenaica) and the ibex (Capra ibex) in the French Alps. The populations were monitored from 1983 to 1998 (ibex) or 1984 to 1999 (isard) using capture, marking and resighting of individuals. Population rates of increase were estimated during the colonizing phase from: (1) a time series of estimates of population size; (2) projection matrices based on rates of survival and fecundity. Both populations had exponential rates of increase, with annual multiplication rates of 1.28 for isard and 1.30 for ibex. Age of first reproduction was 2 years in both species, with 77% of females breeding at this age in isard and 43% in ibex. From 3 years of age onwards, 90% of isard and 87% of ibex females bred each year. Survival rates of adult females, estimated using capture–recapture models, equalled 0.94 for isard and 0.98 for ibex, whatever the age and year. The projection matrix led to a slightly lower asymptotic multiplication rate than the time series of population size. Despite adult body size of the ibex being about twice that of the isard, no difference was detected in the intrinsic rate of increase between the two species. This supported the hypotheses of homogeneous life‐history traits among ungulates, varying little with body size.
Time allocation to foraging in the mahogany glider Petaurus gracilis (Marsupialia, Petauridae) and a comparison of activity times in exudivorous and folivorous possums and gliders
Authors: Jackson Stephen M. , Johnson Christopher N.
Published: September 2010

The timing and duration of activity and foraging behaviour of mahogany gliders Petaurus gracilis was studied every 2 months over 2 years by direct observation. The amount of time spent active each night throughout the year ranged from 8 to 10.1 h (or 63–80% of the dark phase) and did not change significantly between the wet and dry seasons. Although gliders generally had one continuous period of activity, they were observed on eight occasions to return to their dens during the night for a mean of 85 min, with a mean entrance and exit being 22:59 and 00:25, respectively. The amount of time spent foraging (i.e. feeding and travelling) ranged from 40% of the time outside the den in January to 77% in September. The overall mean was 61.1%, with the remainder of the night spent either stationary (mean 24.3%), grooming (mean 11.8%), in the den and then re‐emerging (mean 2.5%) or vocalizing (mean 0.3%). Activity comprised mostly the behaviours associated with foraging: feeding (44.9%), climbing (13.2%) and gliding (3.0%). The amount of time spent active and feeding was similar to that observed for other petaurid marsupials such as yellow‐bellied glider P. australis, sugar glider P. breviceps and squirrel glider P. norfolcensis. There is a general relationship between diet, body size and amount of time spent feeding among the exudivorous gliders and folivorous possums, with feeding time increasing with increasing body mass in exudivorous possums and decreasing with increasing body mass in folivorous possums.
The physical and morphological characteristics of the red‐fronted gazelle (Gazella rufifrons kanuri Gray 1846) in Waza National Park, Cameroon
Authors: Nchanji A. C , Amubode F. O.
Published: September 2010

The physical and morphological characteristics of red‐fronted gazelles Gazella rufifrons kanuri Gray 1846 were determined in Waza National Park between September 1989 and December 1993 by describing body colour code and coloration, measuring body weight, body length, ear length, head length, horn length, hip height, shoulder height, tail length, and counting orbital glands from 141 carcasses. Mean body weight of red‐fronted gazelles ranged from 7.8 kg for the young to 29.7 kg for the adult, while shoulder height varied from 38.7 cm in the young to 68.7 cm in the adult. Irrespective of age and sex, the shoulder height was lower than hip height by a fixed ratio of c. 1.04. Regardless of age and sex, orbital glands, though deeper in the adults, numbered nine with the highest concentration of four in the inter‐digital fossae. The relationship between body weight and body length and horn length were significantly (P < 0.05, r= 0.8) positively correlated. The spatial appearance of horns, when viewed from the muzzle direction, is the most obvious physical and morphological characteristic for age and sex differenation of red‐fronted gazelles in the field.
Morphometric analysis of growth and development in wild‐collected vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops), with implications for growth patterns in Old World monkeys, apes and humans
Authors: Bolter Debra R. , Zihlman Adrienne L.
Published: September 2010

A study was undertaken of a unique sample of 63 wild vervet monkeys Cercopithecus aethiops from a single population in Uganda collected over 35 days in 1947. Twenty‐five were immature (12 females and 13 males) and 38 were adults (16 females and 22 males). Body mass, external measurements, masticatory and other masses were recorded for each individual at the time of collection, and for a few specimens, the development of the reproductive organs. Each individual was evaluated for cranial capacity, limb length and dental eruption. The comparison of immature and adult animals illustrates the mosaic nature of growth in the different body systems, as well as female–male differences. An ancestral model is proposed for catarrhine growth and development, with particular reference to sex differences. This model provides a framework for assessment of immatures and for the reconstruction of socio‐ecological effects on life‐history stages in populations of fossil monkeys, apes and early hominids.
Changes in lichen diversity and community structure with fur seal population increase on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands
Authors: Favero-Longo Sergio E. , Cannone Nicoletta , Roger Worland M. , Convey Peter , Piervittori Rosanna , Guglielmin Mauro
Published: September 2010

Signy Island has experienced a dramatic increase in fur seal numbers over recent decades, which has led to the devastation of lowland terrestrial vegetation, with the eradication of moss turfs and carpets being the most prominent feature. Here we demonstrate that fur seals also affect the other major component of this region’s typical cryptogamic vegetation, the lichens, although with a lower decrease in variability and abundance than for bryophytes. Classification (UPGMA) and ordination (Principal Coordinate Analysis) of vegetation data highlight differences in composition and abundance of lichen communities between areas invaded by fur seals and contiguous areas protected from these animals. Multivariate analysis relating lichen communities to environmental parameters, including animal abundance and soil chemistry (Canonical Correspondence Analysis), suggests that fur seal trampling results in the destruction of muscicolous-terricolous lichens, including several cosmopolitan and bipolar fruticose species. In addition, animal excretion favours an increase in nitrophilous crustose species, a group which typically characterizes areas influenced by seabirds and includes several Antarctic endemics. The potential effect of such animal-driven changes in vegetation on the fragile terrestrial ecosystem (e.g. through modification of the ground surface temperature) confirms the importance of indirect environmental processes in Antarctica.
The process of setting micronutrient recommendations: a cross-European comparison of nutrition-related scientific advisory bodies
Authors: Timotijevic Lada , Barnett Julie , Brown Kerry , Shepherd Richard , Fernández-Celemín Laura , Dömölki Livia , Ruprich Juri , Dhonukshe-Rutten Rosalie A , Sonne Anne-Mette , Hermoso Maria , Koletzko Berthold , Frost-Andersen Lene , Timmer Arnold , Raats Monique M
Published: September 2010

Objective

To examine the workings of the nutrition-related scientific advisory bodies in Europe, paying particular attention to the internal and external contexts within which they operate.

Design

Desk research based on two data collection strategies: a questionnaire completed by key informants in the field of micronutrient recommendations and a case study that focused on mandatory folic acid (FA) fortification.

Setting

Questionnaire-based data were collected across thirty-five European countries. The FA fortification case study was conducted in the UK, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Spain, Czech Republic and Hungary.

Results

Varied bodies are responsible for setting micronutrient recommendations, each with different statutory and legal models of operation. Transparency is highest where there are standing scientific advisory committees (SAC). Where the standing SAC is created, the range of expertise and the terms of reference for the SAC are determined by the government. Where there is no dedicated SAC, the impetus for the development of micronutrient recommendations and the associated policies comes from interested specialists in the area. This is typically linked with anad hocselection of a problem area to consider, lack of openness and transparency in the decisions and over-reliance on international recommendations.

Conclusions

Even when there is consensus about the science behind micronutrient recommendations, there is a range of other influences that will affect decisions about the policy approaches to nutrition-related public health. This indicates the need to document the evidence that is drawn upon in the decisions about nutrition policy related to micronutrient intake.
Mass spectrometry-based proteomics in biomedical research: emerging technologies and future strategies
Authors: Walsh Geraldine M. , Rogalski Jason C. , Klockenbusch Cordula , Kast Juergen
Published: September 2010

In recent years, the technology and methods widely available for mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics have increased in power and potential, allowing the study of protein-level processes occurring in biological systems. Although these methods remain an active area of research, established techniques are already helping answer biological questions. Here, this recent evolution of MS-based proteomics and its applications are reviewed, including standard methods for protein and peptide separation, biochemical fractionation, quantitation, targeted MS approaches such as selected reaction monitoring, data analysis and bioinformatics. Recent research in many of these areas reveals that proteomics has moved beyond simply cataloguing proteins in biological systems and is finally living up to its initial potential – as an essential tool to aid related disciplines, notably health research. From here, there is great potential for MS-based proteomics to move beyond basic research, into clinical research and diagnostics.
Micro-scale characterization of deformation and distortion in ductile (poly)crystals by synchrotron X-ray beams
Authors: Korsunsky Alexander M. , Abbey Brian , Hofmann Felix , Dolbnya Igor , Collins Steve P. , Xie Mengyin , Song Xu
Published: September 2010

Most engineering structural metallic alloys are used in polycrystalline form. The nature of the mechanical response of these systems is complex and hierarchical, spanning a range of scales. Lattice strains, distortions and defects (notably, dislocations) nucleate, interact, pile up at grain boundaries and self-organize at the (sub)micrometre scale. Individual grains experience strong interactions with their neighbours and geometric features (cracks, notches). Groups of grains sharing common orientation find themselves embedded within large ensembles possessing certain statistical properties (size distributions, preferred orientation, etc.). Ultimately, the macroscopic properties of grain aggregates are determined by this hierarchy of interactions. Notably, while collective properties such as stiffness are relatively well represented by averages, strength properties associated with fracture, fatigue crack propagation, creep and damage show a strong dependence on the local microscopic conditions of the ‘weakest link’. Ongoing improvements in the spatial resolution of X-ray imaging and tomography and the availability of micro-focused X-ray beams open up a number of opportunities for the study of the structure and deformation at (sub)micrometre scales. Fundamental questions concerning the scale dependence and strain gradient effects in solids can now be tackled by the combination of synchrotron X-ray methods and suitably refined deformation modelling. In this study, a range of methodologies and experimental configurations are presented that have allowed us to develop improved insight into the physical mechanisms of plastic deformation in ductile metallic alloys. Examples include white-beam energy-dispersive diffraction, micro-beam Laue diffraction, scanning micro-beam diffraction topography, high-resolution reciprocal space mapping and imaging. Connections are established with advanced numerical models of polycrystal deformation using strain gradient plasticity and discrete dislocation dynamics modelling.
Implicit Stereotype Content
Authors: Carlsson Rickard , Björklund Fredrik
Published: September 2010

The stereotype content model (SCM) postulates that stereotype content can be mixed in terms of diverging evaluations on the warmth and competence dimensions. The present study is the first to demonstrate this with implicit measures. Two Implicit Associations Tests (IATs) were developed, one capturing the warmth dimension and the other the competence dimension. Both IATs compared preschool teachers (stereotypically warm and incompetent) with lawyers (stereotypically cold and competent). As predicted, two samples of students from various areas of study showed the mixed implicit stereotypes, while a group of preschool-teacher students showed a univalent positive implicit stereotype of their own group, suggesting in-group favoritism. The results support the SCM.
Cultural Diversity in the Classroom and its Effects on Academic Performance
Authors: Konan Paul N’Dri , Chatard Armand , Selimbegović Leila , Mugny Gabriel
Published: September 2010

Drawing on data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Program for International Student Assessment (OECD/PISA), we examined the relationship between the percentage of immigrant students and the reading and mathematics performances of native and immigrant students across nations. In line with research on cultural diversity, results indicated performance benefits as the percentage of immigrant students increased across nations. Interestingly, these effects remained significant for both native and immigrant students, once several other predictors of test performance at the national, school, and individual levels were controlled for. These findings challenge the assumption that the increasing presence of immigrant students in educational institutions represents a threat to native students’ academic performance. Potential mechanisms are proposed and discussed, offering new avenues for research.
On the origin of electric turbulence in the polar cap ionosphere
Authors: Golovchanskaya I. V. , Kozelov B. V.
Published: September 2010

We compare scaling properties of electric fields measured by the low‐altitude polar‐orbiting Dynamics Explorer 2 satellite in the auroral zone and the polar cap under interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) southward conditions. The techniques of logscale diagrams (LDs) and probability density function (PDF) are applied to demonstrate the scale‐free structure of electric fluctuations on scales from 0.5 km to 256 km in both regions. It is shown that while the amplitudes of electric field fluctuations are much smaller in the polar cap than in the auroral zone, the scaling characteristics of the fluctuations in the two domains are basically the same. To examine the possibility that electric turbulence in the polar cap may be driven directly by turbulent solar wind variations, we searched for the relationship between the RMS values of the electric fluctuations in the polar cap and solar wind variability and did not find a clear relationship. We also demonstrate that the Poynting flux associated with electric and magnetic fluctuations in the polar cap tends to subside from the flanks toward the center of the polar cap. These findings are more consistent with plasma shear flow on open field lines being the driver of turbulence in the polar cap ionosphere.
Two‐dimensional hybrid code simulation of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves of multi‐ion plasmas in a dipole magnetic field
Authors: Hu Y. , Denton R. E. , Johnson J. R.
Published: September 2010

A two‐dimensional hybrid code (particle ions and fluid electrons) is used to simulate EMIC waves in a H+‐He+‐O+ plasma in a dipole magnetic field. The waves are driven by energetic ring current protons with anisotropic temperature ( >1). The initial state of the plasma is derived from an anisotropic MHD code so that the system is in MHD equilibrium, J × B−∇·P = 0. The cold species (with temperature of ∼eV) are assumed to be isotropic and have a spatially uniform density distribution. We choose our parameters so that the EMIC waves are generated near the magnetic equator with frequencies < ω < The presence of each heavy‐ion species introduces a new dispersion surface. When the waves grow near the equator, they are dominantly left‐handed polarized and have small wave normal angle. While propagating toward high latitudes, the waves become linearly or right‐handed polarized with a larger normal angle, and they encounter the second harmonic of the O+ cyclotron frequency, the He+‐O+ bi‐ion frequency, and possibly the first harmonic of the O+ cyclotron frequency. In this process, some waves are absorbed by the wave‐particle interaction, some waves are reflected by the He+‐O+ bi‐ion frequency, some are transmitted on the same dispersion surface, and some may tunnel through the so‐called stop band. The relative importance of these effects varies with the ion composition and especially with the concentration of O+, = For instance, for ≪0.5%, essentially all the wave energy passes through the resonances to reach the ionospheric boundary. For ηO+ = 0.5% (the case examined in most detail), the time‐averaged Poynting vector at high latitudes is almost always in the poleward direction, even though clear evidence of some reflection at the He+‐O+ bi‐ion resonance is seen.