bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in gill H+-ATPase and Na+/K+-ATPase expression and activity during freshwater acclimation of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
Authors: Bystriansky Jason S. , Schulte Patricia M.
Published: June 2011

Few studies have examined changes in salmon gill ion transporter expression during the transition from seawater to freshwater, a pivotal moment in the salmonid life cycle. Seawater-acclimated Atlantic salmon were transferred to freshwater and blood and gill tissue were sampled over 30 days of acclimation. Salmon held in seawater had stable plasma osmolality and sodium and chloride levels throughout the experiment. Following freshwater exposure, plasma sodium and chloride levels and total osmolality decreased significantly before returning towards control levels over time. Gill H+-ATPase activity increased by more than 45% 14 days after exposure to freshwater, whereas H+-ATPase mRNA levels were not affected by the salinity change. Within 4 days of freshwater exposure, gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity increased ∼43% over control levels, remaining significantly higher until the 30 day sampling group when it declined back to control levels. This increase in activity was associated with a more than 7-fold increase in Na+/K+-ATPase isoform α1a mRNA level and a ∼60% decrease in Na+/K+-ATPase isoform β1b mRNA level. The mRNA levels of Na+/K+-ATPase isoforms α1c and α3 did not change as a result of freshwater exposure. The time courses for mRNA expression of the small membrane protein FXYD 11 and the β1-subunit were very similar, with levels increasing significantly 7 days following freshwater exposure before subsiding back to control levels at 30 days. Taken together, these data suggest an important role for Na+/K+-ATPase in freshwater acclimation in Atlantic salmon.
A tale of three taxes: photo-gyro-gravitactic bioconvection
Authors: Williams C. Rosie , Bees Martin Alan
Published: June 2011

The term bioconvection encapsulates the intricate patterns in concentration, due to hydrodynamic instabilities, that may arise in suspensions of non-neutrally buoyant, biased swimming microorganisms. The directional bias may be due to light (phototaxis), gravity (gravitaxis), a combination of viscous and gravitational torques (gyrotaxis) or other taxes. The aim of this study is to quantify experimentally the wavelength of the initial pattern to form from an initially well-mixed suspension of unicellular, swimming green algae as a function of concentration and illumination. As this is the first such study, it is necessary to develop a robust and meticulous methodology to achieve this end. The phototactic, gyrotactic and gravitactic alga Chlamydomonas augustae was employed, with various red or white light intensities from above or below, as the three not altogether separable taxes were probed. Whilst bioconvection was found to be unresponsive to changes in red light, intriguing trends were found for pattern wavelength as a function of white light intensity, depending critically on the orientation of the illumination. These trends are explored to help unravel the mechanisms. Furthermore, comparisons are made with theoretical predictions of initial wavelengths from a recent model of photo-gyrotaxis, encouragingly revealing good qualitative agreement.
Electrolocation based on tail-bending movements in weakly electric fish
Authors: Sim Miyoung , Kim DaeEun
Published: June 2011

Weakly electric fish generate an electric field with their electric organ to navigate in space, detect objects and communicate with conspecifics. Several studies have examined how electric fish identify objects with their electroreceptors and use electric images for electrolocation. It has been argued that sensor readings from electroreceptors along the rostrocaudal line allow fish to determine the location of a target object. It is well known that the ratio between the maximal slope and the maximal amplitude of the electric image can allow the discrimination of object distances, regardless of object size and conductivity. In order to understand the temporal pattern of electric images, we used a model of electric field perturbation. Using the model, we suggest that the temporal pattern generated at an electrosensor during tail bending is another cue that can be used by the fish to discriminate object distances. The time course of electric sensor signals from a specific electroreceptor when tail-bending movements are applied can provide information about the lateral distance of a target object.
How do tiger moths jam bat sonar?
Authors: Corcoran Aaron J. , Barber Jesse R. , Hristov Nickolay I. , Conner William E.
Published: June 2011

The tiger moth Bertholdia trigona is the only animal in nature known to defend itself by jamming the sonar of its predators – bats. In this study we analyzed the three-dimensional flight paths and echolocation behavior of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) attacking B. trigona in a flight room over seven consecutive nights to determine the acoustic mechanism of the sonar-jamming defense. Three mechanisms have been proposed: (1) the phantom echo hypothesis, which states that bats misinterpret moth clicks as echoes; (2) the ranging interference hypothesis, which states that moth clicks degrade the bats' precision in determining target distance; and (3) the masking hypothesis, which states that moth clicks mask the moth echoes entirely, making the moth temporarily invisible. On nights one and two of the experiment, the bats appeared startled by the clicks; however, on nights three through seven, the bats frequently missed their prey by a distance predicted by the ranging interference hypothesis (∼15–20 cm). Three-dimensional simulations show that bats did not avoid phantom targets, and the bats' ability to track clicking prey contradicts the predictions of the masking hypothesis. The moth clicks also forced the bats to reverse their stereotyped pattern of echolocation emissions during attack, even while bats continued pursuit of the moths. This likely further hinders the bats' ability to track prey. These results have implications for the evolution of sonar jamming in tiger moths, and we suggest evolutionary pathways by which sonar jamming may have evolved from other tiger moth defense mechanisms.
Anterior lateral eyes ofLycosa tarantula(Araneae: Lycosidae) are used during orientation to detect changes in the visual structure of the substratum
Authors: Ortega-Escobar Joaquin
Published: June 2011

Previous studies in the wolf spider Lycosa tarantula (Linnaeus 1758) have shown that homing is carried out by path integration and that, in the absence of information relative to the sun's position or any pattern of polarized light, L. tarantula obtains information as to the angle it must turn to home through the anterior lateral eyes (ALEs). In the present study, spiders were trained to walk over a black-and-white grating and afterwards tested either over a white substratum, the same substratum used for training or the same substratum rotated 90 deg (two groups: ALEs covered and only ALEs uncovered; they were tested first without their eyes covered and then with their eyes covered). The directional bearing was measured both in training and test conditions. Under the white or the same substratum in test conditions, the directional bearing had the same mean direction and a distribution similar to that of the training sessions. When the substratum was rotated 90 deg, the directional bearing had the same mean direction but the distribution was significantly different from that of the training sessions. Moreover, if ALEs were covered, spiders behaved as if the substratum had not been rotated and the directional bearing distribution was similar to that of the training sessions. But, if ALEs were the only eyes uncovered, spiders behaved as if no eyes were covered and directional bearing distribution was similar to that of the test condition. It is suggested that, when homing, L. tarantula uses both idiothetic information and visual information gathered through ALEs. These findings present the first evidence that spiders can use the visual structure of the substratum to return home.
A model for group-size-dependent behaviour decisions in insects using an oscillator network
Authors: Funato Tetsuro , Nara Masahito , Kurabayashi Daisuke , Ashikaga Masatoshi , Aonuma Hitoshi
Published: June 2011

Aggressive behaviour within pairs of male crickets leads to the establishment of a dominance hierarchy. Defeated males avoid their victorious adversaries for several hours before regaining aggressiveness. However, the defeated male does not regain aggressiveness if repeated fighting occurs. Loss of individual aggressiveness is limited by group size, which constrains the number of crickets fighting at any given time. Thus, group aggressive behaviour is modulated by an environmental factor, group size, which is ultimately determined by individual actions, i.e. fighting between two individuals. We developed a robot model to elucidate the mechanism of group-size-dependent behaviour alternation in crickets. The behaviour of individual robots was evaluated experimentally with mobile robots and the group behaviour of the robots was evaluated by computer simulation. We demonstrated that the group-size-dependent strategy in crickets could be generated by local interactions between robots, where the behaviour was governed by an oscillator and memory of the outcome of previous fights.
Illiquidity and All Its Friends
Authors: Tirole Jean
Published: June 2011

The recent crisis was characterized by massive illiquidity. This paper reviews what we know and don't know about illiquidity and all its friends: market freezes, fire sales, contagion, and ultimately insolvencies and bailouts. It first explains why liquidity cannot easily be apprehended through a single statistic, and asks whether liquidity should be regulated given that a capital adequacy requirement is already in place. The paper then analyzes market breakdowns due to either adverse selection or shortages of financial muscle, and explains why such breakdowns are endogenous to balance sheet choices and to information acquisition. It then looks at what economics can contribute to the debate on systemic risk and its containment. Finally, the paper takes a macroeconomic perspective, discusses shortages of aggregate liquidity, and analyzes how market value accounting and capital adequacy should react to asset prices. It concludes with a topical form of liquidity provision, monetary bailouts and recapitalizations, and analyzes optimal combinations thereof; it stresses the need for macro-prudential policies. (JEL E44, G01, G21, G28, G32, L51)
In vitro effect of calcium dobesilate on oxidative/inflammatory stress in human varicose veins
Authors: Alda O , Valero M S , Pereboom D , Serrano P , Azcona J M , Garay R P
Published: June 2011

Aim

To determine whether calcium dobesilate can act in chronic venous insufficiency by similar antioxidant, anti-inflammatory mechanisms as in diabetic retinopathy.

Methods

Calcium dobesilate was tested in vitro for its protective action against oxidative/inflammatory stress in human varicose veins. Varicose greater saphenous veins were obtained from 14 patients (11 men, 3 women) aged 53–65 years. Oxidative stress was induced exogenously in the vein segments, with the phenazine methosulphate (PMS)/NADH couple. Total antioxidant status (TAS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were used as markers of oxidative stress.

Results

Calcium dobesilate significantly prevented oxidative disturbances in the micromolar range. PMS/NADH-dependent TAS decrease was fully prevented with IC50 = 11.4 ± 2.3 µmol/L ( n = 6 veins), whereas MDA increase was fully prevented with IC50 = (102 ± −3) µmol/L ( n = 6 veins). Calcium dobesilate acted quali- and quantitatively like rutin, the reference compound. Comparison with pharmacokinetic data suggests that calcium dobesilate can act at therapeutic concentrations.

Conclusion

Calcium dobesilate protected human varicose veins against oxidative stress in vitro at levels that correspond to therapeutic concentrations. Further studies are required to investigate whether a similar action is found in varicose veins from patients orally treated with calcium dobesilate.
CEO Overconfidence and Innovation
Authors: Galasso Alberto , Simcoe Timothy S.
Published: June 2011

Are the attitudes and beliefs of chief executive officers (CEOs) linked to their firms' innovative performance? This paper uses a measure of overconfidence, based on CEO stock-option exercise, to study the relationship between a CEO's “revealed beliefs” about future performance and standard measures of corporate innovation. We begin by developing a career concern model where CEOs innovate to provide evidence of their ability. The model predicts that overconfident CEOs, who underestimate the probability of failure, are more likely to pursue innovation, and that this effect is larger in more competitive industries. We test these predictions on a panel of large publicly traded firms for the years from 1980 to 1994. We find a robust positive association between overconfidence and citation-weighted patent counts in both cross-sectional and fixed-effect models. This effect is larger in more competitive industries. Our results suggest that overconfident CEOs are more likely to take their firms in a new technological direction.

This paper was accepted by Kamalini Ramdas, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Bicruciate-stabilised total knee replacements produce more normal sagittal plane kinematics than posterior-stabilised designs
Authors: Ward T. R. , Burns A. W. , Gillespie M. J. , Scarvell J. M. , Smith P. N.
Published: June 2011

Bicruciate-stabilised total knee replacement (TKR) aims to restore normal kinematics by replicating the function of both cruciate ligaments. We performed a prospective, randomised controlled trial in which bicruciate- and posterior-stabilised TKRs were implanted in 13 and 15 osteo-arthritic knees, respectively. The mean age of the bicruciate-stabilised group was 63.9 years (sd 10.00) and that of the posterior-stabilised group 63.2 years (sd 6.7). A control group comprised 14 normal subjects with a mean age of 67.9 years (sd 7.9). The patellar tendon angle (PTA) was measured one week pre-operatively and at seven weeks post-operatively during knee extension, flexion and step-up exercises.

At near full extension during step-up, the bicruciate-stabilised TKR produced a higher mean PTA than the posterior-stabilised TKR, indicating that the bicruciate design at least partially restored the kinematic role of the anterior cruciate ligament. The bicruciate-stabilised TKR largely restored the pre-operative kinematics, whereas the posterior-stabilised TKR resulted in a consistently lower PTA at all activities. The PTA in the pre-operative knees was higher than in the control group during the step-up and at near full knee extension. Overall, both groups generated a more normal PTA than that seen in previous studies in high knee flexion. This suggested that both designs of TKR were more effective at replicating the kinematic role of the posterior cruciate ligament than those used in previous studies.
Role of transcription factors in neurogenesis after cerebral ischemia
Authors: Zhang Cuiling , Wu Huiwen , Zhu Xuejiang , Wang Yingwei , Guo Jun
Published: June 2011

Studies have revealed that the adult mammalian brain has the capacity to regenerate some neurons after cerebral ischemia. And this perspective on neurogenesis adds to the conceptual framework for strategies for the repair of ischemia-induced brain injury, that is, if the effect of ischemia-induced neurogenesis is enhanced, then the recovery of brain function after stroke can be promoted. Neurogenesis is a multistep process that requires the proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells, migration and that new cells differentiate, survive and integrate into existing neural networks. For that to occur, the same concerted action of various factors is needed, especially transcription factors which regulate the expression of many moleculars and interact with them to promote neurogenesis. This review article gives a brief overview of some transcription factors (NF-κB, Hes, STAT3, AP-1, CREB, HIF1, Pax6, Tcf/Lef, Gli, Sox2, Olig2, Dlx2, TLX, Bmi-1) in ischemia-induced neurogenesis.
The Influence of Prior Experience on Research Participants' Perspectives: A Research Agenda
Authors: Mitchell Nick , Hobson Andrew J.
Published: June 2011

A small preliminary study of 15 teachers who had participated in education research in England examined the effects of prior experience as research participants on why they participated and how they perceived the methodology and ethics of the research. Nine participants were research novices, while six were research experienced. The latter group were found to be more perceptive and critical of the ethics of the research and focused on the research purposes and adequacy of the methods. The findings are discussed in the context of how a future research agenda might be informed by an understanding of participants' prior research experience. This study has particular relevance to research where participants are likely to have had prior experience or contact as participants (e.g., subject pools, participants in longitudinal studies).
How Do IRB Members Make Decisions? A Review and Research Agenda
Authors: Pritchard Ivor A.
Published: June 2011

Many factors have been found to influence the nature and quality of the human research ethics review process. These are reviewed along with discussion of ways in which normal psychological characteristics and group decision-making processes may affect the decisions of institutional review board (IRB) members when reviewing proposed research activities, and may contribute to the acknowledged variability of IRB responses to identical research proposals. Three salient features of human judgment and decision-making illuminated by the existing psychological research literature are used to illustrate this idea: Research findings related to (a) risk perception and acceptance, (b) the standards people use to make decisions, and (c) some nonrational influences on group decision-making suggest how psychological characteristics may affect some outcomes of convened IRB meetings. Recognizing such influences may enable the improvement of IRB decision-making.
“If I Could in a Small Way Help”: Motivations for and Beliefs About Sample Donation for Genetic Research
Authors: Michie Marsha , Henderson Gail , Garrett Joanne , Corbie-Smith Giselle
Published: June 2011

Human genome research depends upon participants who donate genetic samples, but few studies have explored in depth the motivations of genetic research donors. This mixed methods study examines telephone interviews with 752 sample donors in a U.S. genetic epidemiology study investigating colorectal cancer. Quantitative and qualitative results indicate that most participants wanted to help society, and that many also wanted information about their own health, even though such information was not promised. Qualitative analysis reveals that donors believed their samples contributed to a scientific “common good”; imagined samples as information rather than tissues; and often blurred distinctions between research and diagnostic testing of samples. Differences between African American and White perspectives were distinct from educational and other possible explanatory factors.
Ethnographic Study of Alternative Sports by Alternative Means: List Mining as a Method of Data Collection
Authors: Griggs Gerald
Published: June 2011

Increased usage and accessibility of the Internet has led to the rapid growth of cyber communities; typical of groups that have embraced this idea are those who participate in what have been termed alternative or lifestyle sports. Thus far, this online world has received little attention from ethnographers, but the potential for obtaining rich data in this area is huge, most notably through the practice of researching messages sent to Internet-based forums, known as list mining. The inclusion of list mining as a research method, however, is not without its problems and raises new ethical issues when conducting qualitative research. This paper examines in detail the ethical considerations concerning the use of list mining as a method of data collection within the alternative sporting subculture of Ultimate Frisbee.
The Performance of Notes Inégales: The Influence of Tempo, Musical Structure, and Individual Performance Style on Expressive Timing
Authors: Moelants Dirk
Published: June 2011

notes inégales is a common practice in the performance of French baroque music. It indicates that the first of a pair of equally notated notes is played longer, similar to the use of swing eighths in jazz. The performance of that inequality is an ongoing source of debate, but the actual performance has not been studied yet. In an experiment, eight harpsichordists and eight baroque violinists performed six melodies of French baroque gavottes in three tempo conditions. The mean ratio of inequality was 1.63, with mean ratios of individual performers varying between 1.89 and 1.33. Another significant source of variance was the metric structure, with larger inequality found at metrically important points. Tempo also had an important influence, but individual interpretation varied greatly. For example, while most performers played more evenly while tempo increased, some performers chose the opposite strategy. Pitch interval had only a minor impact on the execution of the notes inégales, but also showed differences between performers. The results show the importance of personal style in music performance: although the music played is highly standardized, we show how the timing of different performers can be influenced by different aspects of the musical structure.
Synchronization Error of Drum Kit Playing with a Metronome at Different Tempi by Professional Drummers
Authors: Fujii Shinya , Hirashima Masaya , Kudo Kazutoshi , Ohtsuki Tatsuyuki , Nakamura Yoshihiko , Oda Shingo
Published: June 2011

the present study examined the synchronization error (SE) of drum kit playing by professional drummers with an auditory metronome, focusing on the effects of motor effectors and tempi. Fifteen professional drummers attempted to synchronize a basic drumming pattern with a metronome as precisely as possible at tempi of 60, 120, and 200 beats per minute (bpm). In the 60 and 120 bpm conditions, the right hand (high-hat cymbals) showed small mean SE (∼2 ms), whereas the left hand (snare drum) and right foot (bass drum) preceded the metronome by about 10 ms. In the 200 bpm condition, the right hand was delayed by about 10 ms relative to the metronome, whereas the left hand and right foot showed small SE (∼1 ms). The absolute values of SE were smaller than those reported in previous tapping studies. In addition, the time series of SE were significantly correlated across the motor effectors, suggesting that each limb synchronized in relation to the other limbs rather than independently with the metronome.
Love and Vivisection: Wilkie Collins's Experiment in Heart and Science
Authors: Straley Jessica
Published: June 2011

Jessica Straley, "Love and Vivisection: Wilkie Collins's Experiment in Heart and Science"(pp. 348–373)

This essay examines the paradox of Wilkie Collins's antivivisection sensation novel, Heart and Science (1883). in the plot of the cruel vivisector Dr. Benjulia and the helpless young woman who almost becomes his latest experiment, the novel draws from a familiar bounty of antivivisectionist propaganda, but, this essay argues, the novel also reveals Collins's thinking about his own literary genre and the unfavorable comparison many critics were making between vivisection and sensation fiction: medical experiments on live animals often electrified their subjects, and sensation novels likewise shocked their readers. More than simply a metaphor, this connection between scientific and literary practices pointed to a late-Victorian anxiety about physiological sensation and moral reasoning. The focus on the body, critics of both practices maintained, bypassed the authority of the soul and turned human agents into passive receptors incapable of the higher functions of rationality and ethics. In its preface, Heart and Science disavows any relation between its narration and the medical dissection it deplores, and much of the novel progresses without the sensation genre's characteristic shocks. But Collins's text also seeks to recover and to redeem physiology as the basis for human emotion and ethics and, in so doing, to redefine sensation fiction as an aid, rather than an inhibitor, to moral agency.
Echoes of the Guillotine: Berlioz and the French Fantastic
Authors: Ritchey Marianna
Published: June 2011

The fantastic, theorized as an expression of the anxieties, fears, and political beliefs of the generation of young French writers born in the decades directly following the Revolution and Terror, has long been viewed primarily as a literary genre. Observed in light of this artistic movement, Berlioz's most famous work, Symphonie fantastique, emerges as a musical manifestation of fantastic techniques, and Berlioz himself as an important contributor to the Fantastic culture that swept nineteenth-century France. Using Tzvetan Todorov's narrative theory, I identify two techniques fantastic authors exploit that are most useful in understanding Symphonie Fantastique: an intentional ambiguity of form, and a privileging of ambiguous “thresholds” over teleological plot resolution. In pursuing a new explanation of the symphony's strange deviations from musical norms, I highlight the many different ways the symphony has been understood and analyzed by prominent musicologists over the past 180 years.

By now, musicologists have effectively demonstrated that Berlioz was not the “incompetent genius” (in Charles Rosen's wry formulation) he was long considered to be; however, the fact that there is still disagreement and debate over Symphonie Fantastique's deviations from normative form and content, as well as what those deviations might mean, demonstrates the highly fraught signifying structure of the music. Locating the symphony's use of fantastic tropes and techniques demonstrates that many of its strangest aspects—those “failures” that have been the subject of musicological debate since 1835—come into focus when we take its title seriously and regard the work as a symphony in the fantastic genre.
Mechanism of the anti-proliferative action of 25-hydroxy-19-nor-vitamin D3 in human prostate cells
Authors: Munetsuna Eiji , Nakabayashi Sachie , Kawanami Rie , Yasuda Kaori , Ohta Miho , Arai Midori A , Kittaka Atsushi , Chen Tai C , Kamakura Masaki , Ikushiro Shinichi , Sakaki Toshiyuki
Published: June 2011

According to the prevailing paradigm, 1α-hydroxylation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) and its analogs is a pre-requisite step for their biological effects. We previously reported that 25-hydroxy-19-nor-vitamin D3 (25(OH)-19-nor-D3) had anti-proliferative activity in a cell line, PZ-HPV-7, which was derived from human non-cancerous prostate tissue, and suggested that 25(OH)-19-nor-D3 acted after 1α-hydroxylation by vitamin D 1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1). However, metabolic studies of 25(OH)-19-nor-D3 using recombinant CYP27B1 revealed that 25(OH)-19-nor-D3 was rarely subjected to 1α-hydroxylation. Therefore, in this report, we attempted to clarify the mechanism of 25(OH)-19-nor-D3 action in intact cells using PZ-HPV-7 prostate cells. After incubating the cells with 25(OH)-19-nor-D3, eight metabolites of 24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1) were detected, whereas no products of CYP27B1 including 1α,25-dihydroxy-19-nor-vitamin D3 (1α,25(OH)2-19-nor-D3) were found. Furthermore, the time-dependent nuclear translocation of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and the subsequent transactivation of cyp24A1 gene in the presence of 25(OH)-19-nor-D3 were almost identical as those induced by 1α,25(OH)2-19-nor-D3. These results strongly suggest that 25(OH)-19-nor-D3 directly binds to VDR as a ligand and transports VDR into the nucleus to induce transcription of cyp24A1 gene. In addition, knock down of cyp27B1 gene did not affect the anti-proliferative activity of 25(OH)-19-nor-D3, whereas knock down of VDR attenuated the inhibitory effect. Thus, our results clearly demonstrate that the anti-proliferative activity of 25(OH)-19-nor-D3 is VDR dependent but 1α-hydroxylation independent, suggesting that 25(OH)D3 analogs such as 25(OH)-19-nor-D3 could be attractive candidates for anticancer therapy.
Imputation of Missing Genotypes From Sparse to High Density Using Long-Range Phasing
Authors: Daetwyler Hans D , Wiggans George R , Hayes Ben J , Woolliams John A , Goddard Mike E
Published: June 2011

Related individuals share potentially long chromosome segments that trace to a common ancestor. We describe a phasing algorithm (ChromoPhase) that utilizes this characteristic of finite populations to phase large sections of a chromosome. In addition to phasing, our method imputes missing genotypes in individuals genotyped at lower marker density when more densely genotyped relatives are available. ChromoPhase uses a pedigree to collect an individual’s (the proband) surrogate parents and offspring and uses genotypic similarity to identify its genomic surrogates. The algorithm then cycles through the relatives and genomic surrogates one at a time to find shared chromosome segments. Once a segment has been identified, any missing information in the proband is filled in with information from the relative. We tested ChromoPhase in a simulated population consisting of 400 individuals at a marker density of 1500/M, which is approximately equivalent to a 50K bovine single nucleotide polymorphism chip. In simulated data, 99.9% loci were correctly phased and, when imputing from 100 to 1500 markers, more than 87% of missing genotypes were correctly imputed. Performance increased when the number of generations available in the pedigree increased, but was reduced when the sparse genotype contained fewer loci. However, in simulated data, ChromoPhase correctly imputed at least 12% more genotypes than fastPHASE, depending on sparse marker density. We also tested the algorithm in a real Holstein cattle data set to impute 50K genotypes in animals with a sparse 3K genotype. In these data 92% of genotypes were correctly imputed in animals with a genotyped sire. We evaluated the accuracy of genomic predictions with the dense, sparse, and imputed simulated data sets and show that the reduction in genomic evaluation accuracy is modest even with imperfectly imputed genotype data. Our results demonstrate that imputation of missing genotypes, and potentially full genome sequence, using long-range phasing is feasible.
Effect of bentonite and zeolite on an acidic sandy soil
Authors: Kátai János , Jakab Anita , Sándor Zsolt , Zsuposné Oláh Ágnes , Tállai Magdolna
Published: June 2011

Laboratóriumi vizsgálatok keretében tanulmányoztuk a különböző bentonit- és zeolitkezelések (5, 10, 15 és 20 g·kg-1) hatását a homoktalaj vízemelő és víztartó képességére. Továbbá tenyészedényes vizsgálatban az alkalmazott anyagok hatását tanulmányoztuk a talaj néhány kémiai és mikrobiológiai paraméterére, valamint az angolperje (Lolium perenne L.) tesztnövény biomassza szárazanyag mennyiségére. A kísérlet beállítása a DE MÉK Agrokémiai és Talajtani Intézetében történt 2007 és 2010 között, savanyú [pH(H2O) = 5,6], humuszos homoktalajon (Pallag) három ismétlésben. Összesen harminc 6 kg-os, alul perforált edény beállítására került sor. Az alkalmazott bentonit és zeolit a vályog fizikai féleségű talajhoz hasonló (KA = 40–41), kémhatásuk gyengén lúgos [pH(H2O) = 7,3–7,8] volt.
A kísérletsorozat négy év átlageredményeit az alábbiakban foglalhatjuk össze:
A bentonit és a zeolit alkalmazott dózisainak növekedésével párhuzamosan a homoktalaj kapilláris vízemelésének mértéke csökkent. A nagy dózisú zeolit-kezelésben a vízemelés mértéke kisebbnek bizonyult, mint a bentonit ugyanezen dózisa mellett. Mind a bentonit, mind a zeolit víztartó képessége a homokéhoz képest szignifikánsan nagyobb volt. A dózisok növekedésével a homoktalajban megtartott víz mennyisége nőtt. Eredményeink szerint a homoktalaj víztartó képességéhez mérten a bentonit 10%-kal több vizet tartott meg, mint a zeolit.
A talaj kémhatása [pH(H2O), pH(KCl)] minden bentonit- és zeolitdózis hatására szignifikánsan nőtt, a hidrolitos aciditás értékei csökkentek. Már a kis dózisok is szignifikánsan növelték a kémhatás értékeit.
A talaj könnyen felvehető tápanyagkészlete mindkét természetes anyag hatására növekedést mutatott. Kismértékben nőtt a talaj nitrát-N-tartalma, míg a talaj AL-oldható foszfor- és káliumtartalma szignifikánsan.
A bentonit – kivéve a mikroszkopikus gombák mennyiségét – a vizsgált öt talajmikrobiológiai tulajdonságot egyértelműen pozitívan befolyásolta. Szignifikánsan pozitív hatású volt a kis és közepes dózis is. A zeolit esetében szintén a közepes és közepes–nagy dózisok mellett határoztuk meg a nagyobb értékeket. A zeolit-dózisok a vizsgált talajmikrobiológiai tulajdonságok többségét nagyobb mértékben serkentették, mint a bentonit.
A növényi biomassza mennyisége nőtt, mindkét kőzetőrlemény esetében a közepes dózis mellett mértük a legnagyobb szárazanyag-produkciót. A zeolit termésnövelő hatása nagyobbnak bizonyult, mint a bentonité.
Effect of soybean inoculation on chernozem soil
Authors: Ködöböcz László , Zsíros László Róbert , Murányi Attila
Published: June 2011

A szójaoltás hatékonyságát és az oltóanyagtörzsek gazdanövény specificitását vizsgáltuk csernozjom talajon, szántóföldi körülmények között.
A szóját (Glycine max L., Kurca) 80 kg vetőmag/5×1011 CFU arányban oltottuk. Az oltást a vegetációs periódus folyamán mikroelem tápoldattal egészítettük ki. Az eredményeket kezelésenként 5×1 folyóméter növény- és talajminta vizsgálata alapján értékeltük. A mikroszimbionta baktériumtörzsek összehasonlító jellemzését BOX-PCR módszerrel végeztük el.
Megállapítottuk, hogy a vizsgált kontrollnövényeken nem volt gümőképződés. A szója magoltása sikeres volt. Az oltóanyagtörzsek infekciós- és N-kötő aktivitása megfelelő volt, növényenként átlagosan 6–7 összetett, aktív gümő képződött. Az oltás hatására a növények száraztömege 25%-kal nőtt. A kiegészítő mikroelem tápoldat nem növelte szignifikánsan a növények száraztömegét és virágszámát. Az oltóanyagban lévő törzsek közül csak egy volt képes hatékony szimbiózist kialakítani a szójával, ami a gazdanövény és mikroszimbionta közötti kapcsolat nagyfokú specificitására utal. Ezt a PCR vizsgálat eredményei is alátámasztották.
A talaj fizikai féleségre vonatkozó adatok harmonizálása egy Balaton környéki mintaterületen
Authors: Sisák István , Pőcze Tamás
Published: June 2011

Az Európai Unió 2002-es „Egy tematikus talajvédelmi stratégia felé” című közleményében definiálta a talaj funkcióit és a talajainkat veszélyeztető legfontosabb nyolc tényezőt, melyek a következők: erózió, talaj szervesanyag-csökkenés, talajszennyezés, talajlefedés, talajtömörödés, talaj biodiverzitás csökkenés, szikesedés, árvizek és földcsuszamlások. Az „Environmental Assessment of Soil for Monitoring” (ENVASSO) Projekt az EU 25 tagállamának részvételével, egy harmonizált módszertan kidolgozását tűzte ki célul a talajtulajdonságokban bekövetkező változások nyomon követésére. Ennek érdekében minden egyes talajt veszélyeztető tényező vizsgálatára egy indikátor hármast (TOP3) dolgozott ki. A talajainkat veszélyeztető nyolc tényező közül a talaj biodiverzitás csökkenésével foglalkozunk részletesen, melynek legfontosabb kiválasztott indikátorai: a földigiliszta (BIO1) és ugróvillás (BIO2) diverzitás (fajdiverzitás), és a mikrobiológiai talajlégzés (BIO3) (biológiai funkció).
Kutatásunk célkitűzése az volt, hogy az ENVASSO által javasolt módszertan kivitelezhetőségét teszteljük a Szent István Egyetem Tangazdaságában egy eróziós katéna mentén. Megállapítottuk, hogy a talaj biodiverzitása csökkent az erózió mértékének növekedésével, valamint a módszertan megfelelő tervezéssel alkalmas monitoring célra.
Root analysis in stands of beech, hornbeam–pedunculate oak and Turkey oak
Authors: Führer Ernő , Czupy György , Kocsisné Antal Judit , Jagodics Anikó
Published: June 2011

Három klímajelző fafajú – egy bükkös, egy gyertyános–kocsányos tölgyes és egy cseres – faállományban végzett összehasonlító gyökérvizsgálatok eredményeit mutatja be a dolgozat. Az állományok talajtani és hidrológiai tulajdonságai többé-kevésbé megegyeznek. Klímájuk azonban különbözik, a bükkös a legnedvesebb, a cseres pedig a legszárazabb adottságú. A legfontosabb eredmények az alábbiak: – Az 50 mm-nél vastagabb gyökerek a talajba lefelé hatolva kizárólag a törzs alatt fordultak elő, a többi vastagsági csoportba (20–50, 5–20, 2–5 és 0–2 mm) tartozó gyökerek mennyisége viszont a törzstől távolodva fokozatosan csökkent. – Az egyes talajrétegekben (10–150 cm) lévő gyökerek összes tömege fölülről lefelé haladva fokozatosan csökkent. – A szívgyökérzettel rendelkező árnyéktűrő bükkösben a felső 30 cm-es rétegben a durva gyökerek (Ø>2 mm) aránya 66%, a fénykedvelő, karógyökérzetű csernél és kocsányos tölgyesnél pedig 50, ill. 45% volt. – Mindhárom ökoszisztémában a felső 100 cm-es talajrétegben elhelyezkedő gyökérzet tömege meghaladta az összes gyökértömeg 90%-át. – A fizikai talajféleség az egyes talajszintek finomgyökér-behálózottságát (Ø<2 mm) nagymértékben befolyásolta. – A finomgyökérzet és a hajtás (Ø<1 cm) tömegének aránya a legcsapadékosabb, azaz a legjobb vízellátottságú bükk esetében volt a legnagyobb (2,49), a kocsányos tölgynél 2,14, a legkedvezőtlenebb vízellátottságú csernél pedig 1,9 volt. – A föld alatti dendromassza aránya az egészhez (föld feletti és föld alatti dendromassza) faállományonként különböző volt: bükkösben 17%, a gyertyános–kocsányos tölgyesben 24%, a cseresben pedig 27%. – A kedvezőbb ökológiai, elsősorban klímaadottságok a szervesanyag-produkcióra pozitívan hatottak, mert a föld feletti dendromassza a jobb körülmények mellett abszolút értékben és arányában is nagyobb volt.
A Mynas-kódex és VII. Konstantin történeti kivonatgyűjteménye
Authors: Németh András
Published: June 2011

Egy vegyes tartalmú kódex, a 10. század közepéről származó ún. Mynas-kódex (Párizs, BnF, suppl. gr. 607) kivonatgyűjteményt őrzött meg különféle városok ostromáról több görög történetíró művéből. A tanulmányom e kivonatoknak és VII. Konstantin császár (945–959) Excerpta Constantiniana néven ismert „történeti enciklopédiájának” kapcsolatát vizsgálja. A Bizáncot kutató tudósok egybehangzó véleménye tagadja a két vállalkozás közti kapcsolatot, éspedig a kivonatokba került szövegek hagyományozódásának feltételezett modellje alapján. A kapcsolatot tagadó vélemény mögött meghúzódó előfeltevéseket e tanulmány cáfolja. A szorosabb kapcsolatot pedig a két vállalkozás módszertani elemzésével igyekszik megmutatni egy Prokopios- és egy Arrianos-részlet alapján. A két vállalkozás közti hasonlóságok nagyobb súllyal támasztják alá a szoros kapcsolat meglétét, mint a korábbi hipotézisek annak cáfolatát. A kapcsolatot alátámasztó sajátos módszertani jellemzők közé tartozik a teljes történeti szövegek sorrendjének megőrzése a kivonatolás során, a szövegtömörítés és az átfogalmazás tudatos kerülése, továbbá olyan összefüggő tartalmú szövegegységek kihagyása a kivonatokból, melyek a császári szempontrendszert tükröző 53 elemű témakörcsoport egyikéhez sorolhatók.
Polysubstance Use Patterns in Underground Rave Attenders: A Cluster Analysis
Authors: Fernández-Calderón Fermín , Lozano Óscar M. , Vidal Claudio , Ortega Josefa Gutiérrez , Vergara Esperanza , González-Sáiz Francisco , Bilbao Izaskun ,   ENERGY CONTROL TEAM: Marta Caluente, Tomás Cano, Francisco Cid, Celia Dominguez, Emcarni Izquierdo, Maria I. Pérez
Published: June 2011

Drug use in mainstream rave parties has been widely documented in a large number of studies. However, not much is known about drug use in underground raves. The purpose of this study is to find out the polysubstance use patterns at underground raves. Two hundred and fifty-two young people between the ages of 18 and 30 who went to underground raves were interviewed. They were given a questionnaire to collect information on drug use at raves. Ravers used a mean of 4.9 different drugs at the last rave they had been to. Over 75% of them used tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and amphetamine, and over half also used powder ecstasy. Two differentiated use patterns were found: one pattern concentrated more on the use of stimulants and the other on the use of hallucinogens. Underground ravers have a “standard” sociodemographic profile. The use of drugs is much higher than equivalent age group. Higher drug use prevalence than in mainstream rave parties is also observed. Different patterns of use appear which will be necessary to consider in designing preventions and risk reduction strategies.
Investigating TPACK: Knowledge Growth in Teaching with Technology
Authors: Niess Margaret L.
Published: June 2011

Technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) presents a dynamic framework for describing teachers' knowledge required for designing, implementing, and evaluating curriculum and instruction with technology. TPACK strategic thinking includes knowing when, where, and how to use domain-specific knowledge and strategies for guiding students' learning with appropriate information and communication technologies. Multiple visual and verbal descriptions reflect evolving recognitions of teacher educators and educational researchers as they have struggled to respond to the challenges in describing and developing teachers' TPACK. This extensive reflection maps the historical acceptance of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) with the emerging views of and challenges with TPACK. A review of empirical progress in the investigation of TPACK serves to illuminate potential insights, values, and challenges for directing future educational implementations designed to identify a teacher's learning trajectory in the development of a more robust and mature TPACK for supporting them in teaching with current and emerging technologies.
I Believe I Can Fly: Re-Examining Individual Differences in Imaginative Involvement
Authors: Webster Russell J. , Saucier Donald A.
Published: June 2011

Many humans seemingly crave imaginative involvement, especially fantasy, spending billions of dollars on its industry (e.g., Harry Potter). However, we argue that individuals subjectively experience imaginative involvement at different levels of cognitive (imagery vividness) and emotional (engagement) intensity. Two studies examined the effects of fantasy proneness and absorption on imagery vividness and engagement after completing various flying or control visualization tasks. After having first confirmed the structure of fantasy proneness as comprising three dimensions—fantasy intensity, childhood make-believe, and extrasensory experiences—our studies showed that across visualization tasks, fantasy intensity best predicted imagery vividness, while absorption best predicted engagement. Further, increased positive mood fully mediated the relationship between absorption and engagement. Ultimately, not everyone experiences imaginative involvement the same: certain individuals report greater engagement and a more emotionally enriching experience.
Value-Added of HESI Exam as a Predictor of Timely First-Time RN Licensure
Authors: Lavandera Reynel , Whalen Dara M. , Perkel Linda K. , Hackett Virginia , Molnar David , Steffey Christine , Hershorin Indra R. , Rafalko Sharon , Little Daniel J , Harris Jennifer
Published: June 2011

The purpose of this research was to determine the extent to which HESI tests scores improve the prediction of timely first-time nursing licensure beyond prediction based only on academic performance in the nursing curriculum. Licensure in less than 140 days post-graduation was the dependent variable used as the operational definition for first-time NCLEX-RN success. Logistic regression was used to estimate the value-added of the HESI as a predictor after controlling for measures of academic performance in the nursing curriculum (GPA in nursing courses and the presence of D or F grades in nursing-relevant courses). HESI exit exam scores substantially improved the prediction of timely licensure. Nurse educators who seek cost-effective interventions for remediation benefit from using both HESI exit scores and data on academic performance in the nursing curriculum to better identify students who are a risk of failure to achieve timely first-time licensure.
Research Ethics: Principles, Practices, and Reporting
Authors: Jacobsen Kathryn H.
Published: June 2011

Ethical concerns are a common reason for the rejection of manuscripts submitted to biomedical research journals. Professional organizations and journals strongly encourage researchers to follow widely accepted research protocols and to report on what ethics‐related methods they employ in their research projects. At least three issues should be addressed by all reports on human subjects research: the review and approval of the protocol by an ethics committee, the acquisition of informed consent from all participants, and the disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. Authors must also adhere to publication rules that forbid plagiarism, duplicate submission, and redundant publication.
Exploring Biomedical Workforce Development and Productivity: Gendered Reflections and Challenges
Authors: Schintler Laurie , McNeely Connie L. , Galiazzo Giacomo
Published: June 2011

We conduct an exploratory analysis of gender differences in collaboration and productivity in the United States in two biomedical and behavioral science fields: biology and psychology. While the particular trajectories look somewhat different for the two fields, the trend in both has been toward a growing presence of women with advanced degrees and as faculty in related programs. We explore whether or not the productivity of women relative to men is consistent with these trends, how patterns of collaboration differ by gender, and if either is mediated by field. To examine these issues, we develop a set of gendered metrics on collaboration and productivity based on Thomson Reuters Web of Science citations for 2008. In both biology and psychology, women tended to collaborate more than men, but still were found to be disadvantaged overall in productivity outcomes. In general, the analysis provided useful insights and directions for future research. Of particular note is the need to move beyond static analyses in order to capture the dynamic complexity of gender as an interactive and dynamic factor in processes affecting biomedical workforce development and productivity.
Scientific Misconduct: A Response to Davies and Fielding
Authors: Avery George H
Published: June 2011

The author responds to criticism regarding his recent paper, “Scientific Misconduct: The Perversion of Scientific Evidence for Policy Advocacy,” (Avery 2010).
Anti‐Microbial Drug Resistance: A Human Disaster in the Making
Authors: Nicogossian Arnauld , Zimmerman Thomas , Kloiber Otmar , Septimus Edward J.
Published: June 2011

Anti‐microbial drug resistance (AMR or AMDR) is a complex multi‐dimensional and systemic failure in health education, social behavior, health care legislation and/or policies and practices. AMDR is a life threatening infection extending beyond national boundaries. Collaboration among the health care, pharmaceutical, agricultural and consumer communities is a prerequisite to ward off this unraveling human made pandemic. Education of stakeholders, proper hygiene practices, infection prevention and responsible antibiotic “stewardship” are essential strategic elements of remedial and preventive programs.