bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of porcine rotavirus vp6 protein based ELISA for differentiation of this virus and other viruses
Authors: Zhu Jiayi , Yang Qing , Cao Liyan , Dou Xiujing , Zhao Jianguo , Zhu Weijuan , Ding Fan , Bu Ri-e , Suo Siqingaowa , Ren Yudong , Li Guangxing , Ren Xiaofeng
Published: March 2013

Background

The context and purpose of the study included 1) bacterial expression of viral protein 6 (VP6) of porcine rotavirus (PRV) and generation of rabbit polyclonal antiserum to the VP6 protein; 3) establishment of a discrimination ELISA to distinguish PRV from a panel of other porcine viruses.

Results

The VP6 gene of PRV isolate DN30209 amplified by reverse transcription-PCR was 1356 bp containing a complete open reading frame (ORF) encoding 397 amino acids. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis indicated that PRV DN30209 may belong to group A of rotavirus. Bacterially expressed VP6 was expressed in E.coli and anti-VP6 antibody was capable of distinguishing PRV from Porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus, Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, Porcine circovirus type II, Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, Porcine pseudorabies virus and Porcine parvovirus.

Conclusions

PRV VP6 expressed in E. coli can be used to generate antibodies in rabbit; anti-VP6 serum antibody can be used as good diagnostic reagents for detection of PRV.
The shape of the radiation dose response for DNA double-strand break induction and repair
Authors: Barnard Stephen , Bouffler Simon , Rothkamm Kai
Published: March 2013

DNA double-strand breaks are among the most deleterious lesions induced by ionising radiation. A range of inter-connected cellular response mechanisms has evolved to enable their efficient repair and thus protect the cell from the harmful consequences of un- or mis-repaired breaks which may include early effects such as cell killing and associated acute toxicities and late effects such as cancer. A number of studies suggest that the induction and repair of double-strand breaks may not always occur linearly with ionising radiation dose. Here we have aimed to identify and discuss some of the biological and methodological factors that can potentially modify the shape of the dose response curve obtained for these endpoints using the most common assays for double-strand breaks, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and microscopic scoring of radiation-induced foci.
Phosphorylation of histone H3 on Ser10 by auto-phosphorylated PAK1 is not essential for chromatin condensation and meiotic progression in porcine oocytes
Authors: Wang Bingyuan , Ma Wei , Xu Xiaoling , Wang Chao , Zhu Yubo , An Na , An Lei , Wu Zhonghong , Tian Jianhui
Published: March 2013

Background

The p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is essential for mitosis and plays an important role in the regulation of microtubule assembly during oocyte meiotic maturation in mice; however, little is known about its role in porcine oocytes.

Result

Total p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) and phosphorylated PAK1 at Thr423 (PAK1Thr423) were consistently expressed in porcine oocytes from the germinal vesicle (GV) to the second metaphase (MII) stages, but phosphorylation of histone H3 at Ser10 (H3Ser10) was only expressed after the GV stage. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that PAK1Thr423 and H3Ser10 colocalized on chromosomes after the GV stage. Blocking of endogenous PAK1Thr423 by injecting a specific antibody decreased the phosphorylation level of H3Ser10; however, it had no impact on chromatin condensation, meiotic progression, cleavage rate of blastomeres or the rate of blastocyst formation.

Conclusion

Phosphorylation of PAK1Thr423 is a spontaneous activation process and the activated PAK1Thr423 can promote the phosphorylation of H3Ser10; however, this pathway is not required for meiotic maturation of porcine oocytes or early embryonic development.
Flood modelling for cities using Cloud computing
Authors: Glenis Vassilis , McGough Andrew Stephen , Kutija Vedrana , Kilsby Chris , Woodman Simon
Published: March 2013

Urban flood risk modelling is a highly topical example of intensive computational processing. Such processing is increasingly required by a range of organisations including local government, engineering consultancies and the insurance industry to fulfil statutory requirements and provide professional services. As the demands for this type of work become more common, then ownership of high-end computational resources is warranted but if use is more sporadic and with tight deadlines then the use of Cloud computing could provide a cost-effective alternative. However, uptake of the Cloud by such organisations is often thwarted by the perceived technical barriers to entry. In this paper we present an architecture that helps to simplify the process of performing parameter sweep work on an Infrastructure as a Service Cloud. A parameter sweep version of the urban flood modelling, analysis and visualisation software “CityCat” was developed and deployed to estimate spatial and temporal flood risk at a whole city scale – far larger than had previously been possible. Performing this work on the Cloud allowed us access to more computing power than we would have been able to purchase locally for such a short time-frame (∼21 months of processing in a single calendar month). We go further to illustrate the considerations, both functional and non-functional, which need to be addressed if such an endeavour is to be successfully achieved.
Investigation of herb-drug interactions with ginkgo biloba in women receiving hormonal treatment for early breast cancer
Authors: Vardy Janette , Dhillon Haryana M , Clarke Stephen J , Olesen Inger , Leslie Felicity , Warby Anne , Beith Jane , Sullivan Anne , Hamilton Anne , Beale Philip , Rittau Anneliese , McLachlan Andrew J
Published: March 2013

Women receiving treatment for breast cancer commonly ingest herbal medicines. Little is known about the potential for herb-drug interactions in this population. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of ginkgo biloba co-administration on the pharmacokinetics of tamoxifen, anastrozole and letrozole. This was a prospective open-label cross-over study in 60 women with early stage breast cancer taking either tamoxifen, anastrozole or letrozole (n=20/group). Participants received ginkgo biloba (EGb 761) for 3 weeks (120 mg twice daily). Trough concentrations of drugs were measured before and after ginkgo biloba treatment using LC-MS/MS. Toxicities were graded according to National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Trough concentrations before and after treatment with ginkgo biloba were not significantly different for tamoxifen (93.5 ± 29.0, 86.5 ± 25.3 ng/mL; p=0.16), letrozole (91.1 ± 50.4, 89.6 ± 52.14 ng/mL; p=0.60) or anastrozole (29.1 ± 8.6, 29.1 ± 7.6 ng/mL; p=0.97). Ginkgo biloba was well tolerated, with no difference in toxicity during ginkgo biloba. Co-administration of ginkgo biloba does not significantly affect the pharmacokinetics of tamoxifen, anastrozole or letrozole. There was no difference in the toxicity profile of hormone therapy with ginkgo biloba use in women with early stage breast cancer.
Postcards from the EDge: 5-year outcomes of a randomised controlled trial for hospital-treated self-poisoning
Authors: Carter Gregory L. , Clover Kerrie , Whyte Ian M. , Dawson Andrew H. , D'Este Catherine
Published: March 2013

Background

Repetition of hospital-treated self-poisoning and admission to psychiatric hospital are both common in individuals who self-poison.

Aims

To evaluate efficacy of postcard intervention after 5 years.

Method

A randomised controlled trial of individuals who have self-poisoned: postcard intervention (eight in 12 months) plus treatment as usualv.treatment as usual. Our primary outcomes were self-poisoning admissions and psychiatric admissions (proportions and event rates).

Results

There was no difference between groups for any repeat-episode self-poisoning admission (intervention group: 24.9%, 95% CI 20.6-29.5; control group: 27.2%, 95% CI 22.8-31.8) but there was a significant reduction in event rates (incidence risk ratio (IRR)=0.54, 95% CI 0.37-0.81), saving 306 bed days. There was no difference for any psychiatric admission (intervention group: 38.1%, 95% CI 33.1-43.2; control group: 35.5%, 95% CI 30.8-40.5) but there was a significant reduction in event rates (IRR=0.66, 95% CI 0.47-0.91), saving 2565 bed days.

Conclusions

A postcard intervention halved self-poisoning events and reduced psychiatric admissions by a third after 5 years. Substantial savings occurred in general hospital and psychiatric hospital bed days.
Dicer Deficiency Reveals MicroRNAs Predicted to Control Gene Expression in the Developing Adrenal Cortex
Authors: Krill Kenneth T. , Gurdziel Katherine , Heaton Joanne H. , Simon Derek P. , Hammer Gary D.
Published: March 2013

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, endogenous, non-protein–coding RNAs that are an important means of posttranscriptional gene regulation. Deletion of Dicer, a key miRNA processing enzyme, is embryonic lethal in mice, and tissue-specific Dicer deletion results in developmental defects. Using a conditional knockout model, we generated mice lacking Dicer in the adrenal cortex. These Dicer-knockout (KO) mice exhibited perinatal mortality and failure of the adrenal cortex during late gestation between embryonic day 16.5 (E16.5) and E18.5. Further study of Dicer-KO adrenals demonstrated a significant loss of steroidogenic factor 1-expressing cortical cells that was histologically evident as early as E16.5 coincident with an increase in p21 and cleaved-caspase 3 staining in the cortex. However, peripheral cortical proliferation persisted in KO adrenals as assessed by staining of proliferating cell nuclear antigen. To further characterize the embryonic adrenals from Dicer-KO mice, we performed microarray analyses for both gene and miRNA expression on purified RNA isolated from control and KO adrenals of E15.5 and E16.5 embryos. Consistent with the absence of Dicer and the associated loss of miRNA-mediated mRNA degradation, we observed an up-regulation of a small subset of adrenal transcripts in Dicer-KO mice, most notably the transcripts coded by the genes Nr6a1 and Acvr1c. Indeed, several miRNAs, including let-7, miR-34c, and miR-21, that are predicted to target these genes for degradation, were also markedly down-regulated in Dicer-KO adrenals. Together these data suggest a role for miRNA-mediated regulation of a subset of genes that are essential for normal adrenal growth and homeostasis.
Specificity of Lucigenin Solubility, and Solvent and Base Effects on Lucigenin Chemiluminescence
Authors: Tahara Chiaki , Toyose Yasushi , Ogawa Hiroaki I , Yamaguchi Toshio , Yoshinaga Tetsutaro
Published: March 2013

The solubility of lucigenin was measured in alcohols and aqueous alcohol mixtures. The solubility of lucigenin in normal alcohols exponentially decreased with increasing molecular weight of primary normal alcohols, whereas in alcohol–water mixtures it showed a maximum at specific alcohol concentrations. Solvent and bases effects on chemiluminescence (CL) of lucigenin have been investigated for methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, and aqueous mixtures of methanol and ethanol, and for various amine and alkaline metal bases, respectively. The CL intensities of lucigenin decreased in two-step processes: the main one with a short apparent lifetime of 0.3 ± 0.1 s and another one due to subreactions with a relatively long lifetime dependent on base concentration. At lower concentration of bases, the apparent CL lifetime increased in the order LiOH < NaOH < KOH. Both solvent and base effects on the solubility and CL of lucigenin are discussed from a standpoint of the amphipathic nature of lucigenin and solvents.
Reaction of Binuclear Ruthenium–Fulvalene Intermediates Intramolecularly Bridged by Alkyl Disulfides
Authors: Yasuhara Hiroki , Koga Kazuki , Nakashima Satoru
Published: March 2013

[{Ru(MeCN)(PPh3)}2(µ-η5:η5-C10H8)(µ-MeSSMe)](BF4)2 (2A) and its analogues were isolated as the intermediates of an intramolecular bis(thiolato)-bridging reaction, and characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray structural analysis. The intermediates of the reaction had structures with an intramolecular alkyl disulfide bridge between a pair of Ru atoms, and the disulfide bond length was extended compared with the corresponding noncoordinated disulfide bond length. The intermediates reacted spontaneously in various solvents to produce bis(thiolato)-bridged complexes, and the reaction rate constant depended on the solvent. It was found that the reaction was stepwise and the rate-determining step was that in which RCN ligands were eliminated.
Preparation of Diastereomerically Pure and Mixed (S)-PhGly/BIPHEP/Ru(II) Complexes and Their Catalytic Behavior with Li2CO3 in Asymmetric Cyanosilylation of Benzaldehyde
Authors: Kurono Nobuhito , Katayama Taiki , Ohkuma Takeshi
Published: March 2013

A diastereomerically mixed complex [Ru{(S)-phgly}2{(±)-biphep}] is readily prepared from achiral diphosphine BIPHEP in two steps. These diastereomers are then separated by silica gel column chromatography. A 61:39 equilibrium mixture of [Ru{(S)-phgly}2{(S)-biphep}] and [Ru{(S)-phgly}2{(R)-biphep}] with Li2CO3 is used to catalyze cyanosilylation of benzaldehyde to afford the R cyanated product in 92% ee. The enantioselectivity is just slightly lower than that by using the pure [Ru{(S)-phgly}2{(S)-biphep}]/Li2CO3 catalyst system of 96%. The high enantioselective ability of the diastereomerically mixed catalyst is revealed through a series of kinetic experiments in which the highly enantioselective [Ru{(S)-phgly}2{(S)-biphep}]/Li2CO3 system is shown to catalyze the reaction 16.8 times faster than the less selective [Ru{(S)-phgly}2{(R)-biphep}]/Li2CO3 system, affording the product in 2.6% ee. An equation is derived to approximate the relationship between the diastereomeric ratio of the catalyst and the ee value of the product.
The T. brucei TRM5 methyltransferase plays an essential role in mitochondrial protein synthesis and function
Authors: Paris Zdeněk , Horáková Eva , Rubio Mary Anne T. , Sample Paul , Fleming Ian M.C. , Armocida Stephanie , Lukeš Julius , Alfonzo Juan D.
Published: March 2013

All tRNAs undergo post-transcriptional chemical modifications as part of their natural maturation pathway. Some modifications, especially those in the anticodon loop, play important functions in translational efficiency and fidelity. Among these, 1-methylguanosine, at position 37 (m1G37) of the anticodon loop in several tRNAs, is evolutionarily conserved and participates in translational reading frame maintenance. In eukaryotes, the tRNA methyltransferase TRM5 is responsible for m1G formation in nucleus-encoded as well as mitochondria-encoded tRNAs, reflecting the universal importance of this modification for protein synthesis. However, it is not clear what role, if any, mitochondrial TRM5 serves in organisms that do not encode tRNAs in their mitochondrial genomes. These organisms may easily satisfy the m1G37 requirement through their robust mitochondrial tRNA import mechanisms. We have explored this possibility in the parasitic protist Trypanosoma brucei and show that down-regulation of TRM5 by RNAi leads to the expected disappearance of m1G37, but with surprisingly little effect on cytoplasmic translation. On the contrary, lack of TRM5 causes a marked growth phenotype and a significant decrease in mitochondrial functions, including protein synthesis. These results suggest mitochondrial TRM5 may be needed to mature unmethylated tRNAs that reach the mitochondria and that could pose a problem for translational fidelity. This study also reveals an unexpected lack of import specificity between some fully matured and potentially defective tRNA species.
When Do Markets Tip? A Cognitive Hierarchy Approach
Authors: Hossain Tanjim , Morgan John
Published: March 2013

The market structure of platform competition is critically important to managers and policy makers. Network effects in these markets predict concentrated industry structures, whereas competitive effects and differentiation suggest the opposite. Standard theory offers little guidance—full rationality models have multiple equilibria with wildly varying market concentration. We relax full rationality in favor of a boundedly rational cognitive hierarchy model. Even small departures from full rationality allow sharp predictions—there is a unique equilibrium in every case. When participants single-home and platforms are vertically differentiated, a single dominant platform emerges. Multihoming can give rise to a strong–weak market structure: one platform is accessed by all, and the other is used as a backup by some agents. Horizontal differentiation, in contrast, leads to fragmentation. Differentiation, rather than competitive effects, mainly determines market structure.
Cheap-Talk Advertising and Misrepresentation in Vertically Differentiated Markets
Authors: Gardete Pedro M.
Published: March 2013

I consider a cheap-talk model in which a firm has a chance to communicate its product quality to consumers. The model describes how advertising can be both informative to consumers and profitable for the firm through its content in a vertically differentiated market. I find that advertising content may be effective in inducing search even if incentives for misrepresentation exist. In particular, a firm with an undesirable (low-quality) product is able to attract consumers who would have not incurred a search cost had they known its true quality. In this case, a semiseparating equilibrium occurs where the lowest firm types pool upward in order to increase the expected product quality while simultaneously signaling that the product is affordable. Although consumers always benefit from truth in advertising, total welfare may decrease if an undesirable firm is required to reveal its type. Finally, I show that the extent to which misrepresentation can take place increases with the cost of advertising coverage.
Differentiate or Imitate? The Role of Context-Dependent Preferences
Authors: Narasimhan Chakravarthi , Turut Özge
Published: March 2013

Laboratory and field experiments show that when choosing among a set of objects, consumers could be subjected to context-dependent preferences and evaluate options by considering both the absolute utilities and their relative standing in the choice set. Using this premise we construct a game-theoretic model of competition between two firms and investigate how a firm's decision to differentiate or imitate is affected when consumers' preferences are context-dependent. We consider two horizontally differentiated firms where some consumers own the product of one firm and the rest own the other firm's product. One firm upgrades its existing product by adding a new feature. In the absence of any cost or capability constraints, to protect its competitive position, the other firm would prefer to upgrade its product by adding a differentiated new feature. We show that if consumers' preferences are context-dependent and the new feature is of an incremental type, the second mover prefers to imitate the first mover by adding the same feature even when there is no cost disadvantage to differentiate itself. This happens because context-dependent preferences cause consumers to dislike brands that are very differentiated from one another. Thus, if the second mover mimics the first mover, both firms can charge higher prices for their upgraded products (i.e., imitation leads to higher prices). This outcome, in turn, leads the first mover to pick a new feature such that it would induce the second mover to imitate. Therefore, our analysis shows that the need for context management leads not just to imitation but also to accommodating imitation.
Gaps in the Traceability Chain of Human Growth Hormone Measurements
Authors: Boulo Sébastien , Hanisch Katja , Bidlingmaier Martin , Arsene Cristian-Gabriel , Panteghini Mauro , Auclair Guy , Sturgeon Catharine , Schimmel Heinz , Zegers Ingrid
Published: March 2013

BACKGROUND

Human growth hormone (hGH) is measured for the diagnosis of secretion disorders. These measurements fall under the EU Directive 98/79/EC on in vitro diagnostic medical devices requiring traceability of commercial calibrator values to higher-order reference materials or procedures (Off J Eur Communities 1998 Dec 7;L 331:1–37). External quality assessment schemes show large discrepancies between results from different methods, even though most methods provide results traceable to the recommended International Standard (IS 98/574). The aim of this study was to investigate possible causes for these discrepancies.

METHODS

We investigated the commutability and recovery of hGH in reconstituted IS 98/574. We tested different reconstitution protocols and used 4 different serum matrices for spiking. These IS preparations were measured together with serum samples. We quantified hGH by 5 different methods in 4 different laboratories.

RESULTS

Results from the different methods correlated well for the serum samples. Mean discrepancies between results from different methods were ≤20%. None of the IS preparations was commutable for all the method comparisons. The recovery of hGH in preparations of IS 98/574 depended on the reconstitution protocol (>10-fold differences) and BACKGROUND matrix (relative differences ≤17% for different serum matrices).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of different protocols for reconstitution and spiking of hGH reference preparations affects quantification by immunoassays, potentially leading to a bias between commercial methods, despite the use of calibrators with values claimed to be traceable to the same higher-order reference material.
Reconstituted Cement Kiln Dust–Rice Husk Ash Stabilization of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement as Highway Pavement Material
Authors: Edeh Joseph Ejelikwu , Ameh Augustine Ameh , Osinubi Kolawole Juwonlu
Published: March 2013

A large volume of cement kiln dust is generated as a solid waste by-product from the pre-heater by-pass systems during the manufacture of Portland cement clinker. It is disposed of on production sites, and sometimes in landfills. Pavement rehabilitation and reconstruction also generate a large volume of reclaimed asphalt pavement waste that is disposed of along road alignments, and rice husk ash is generated by the combustion of rice husk and disposed of as waste in large quantities in rice mills. This paper presents the results of a laboratory evaluation of the characteristics of reclaimed asphalt pavements stabilized using reconstituted cement kiln dust and rice husk ash waste with a view to determining its suitability for use as a flexible pavement material. The mixtures were subjected to British Standard light (standard Proctor) compactive efforts to determine the compaction characteristics and California bearing ratio. The test results show that the properties of reclaimed asphalt pavement waste improved with reconstituted cement kiln dust–rice husk ash waste treatment. The maximum dry density decreased and the optimum moisture content increased with increasing rice husk ash (RHA) content and decreasing cement kiln dust (CKD) and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) contents in the mixes. Optimum California bearing ratio values of 34.0 % (unsoaked) and 54.0 % (soaked for 24 h) were recorded for 50 % RAP + 50 % (50 % CKD + 50 % RHA) mix. With the potential for time-dependent increases in strength in view, the optimum mixture satisfied durability requirements with insignificant water absorption and can be used as sub-base material in flexible pavement construction. This research provides results of the evaluation of RAP waste stabilized using reconstituted CKD and RHA wastes as highway construction material, as based on California bearing ratio determination. Further work is encouraged to assess the resilient modulus of this material under cyclic load.
Engaging residents' groups in planning using focus groups
Authors: Brookfield Katherine , Bloodworth Alan , Mohan John
Published: March 2013

Involving residents in decisions on the planning and design of the built environment can deliver numerous benefits, but soliciting their productive and meaningful engagement is not easy. There are various pitfalls to navigate and issues to address. This paper reflects on several of these by drawing on the experience of conducting focus groups with a variety of residents' groups where attitudes to environmental design were discussed. The paper considers issues around the process of identifying and selecting groups to engage with, barriers to group and individual participation in engagement exercises, and the process of opinion formation and evolution in a group setting (and the implications of this for the interpretation of focus group data). Interestingly, for some residents' groups, preferences for the design and development of the built environment appeared to be rather conservative although there was scepticism of the agenda and activities of local government and property developers. The paper considers what this might mean for efforts to involve these groups in consultation and engagement activities on planning and development matters. Overall, it is hoped that this paper will form a useful resource for those embarking on consultation and engagement activities, particularly those wishing to work with residents' groups or seeking to employ focus groups.
Short-term traffic-flow forecasting with auto-regressive moving average models
Authors: Mai Tiep , Ghosh Bidisha , Wilson Simon
Published: March 2013

Short-term traffic-flow forecasting, the process of predicting future traffic conditions based on historical and real-time observations, is an essential aspect of intelligent transportation systems. The existing well-known algorithms used for short-term traffic flow include time-series analysis-based techniques, of which the seasonal auto-regressive moving average model is one of the most precise methods used in this field. The effectiveness of short-term traffic flow in an urban transport network can be fully realised only in its multivariate form where traffic flow is predicted at multiple sites simultaneously. In this paper, this concept in explored utilising an additive seasonal vector auto-regressive moving average model to predict traffic flow in the short-term future considering the spatial dependency among multiple sites. The dynamic linear model representation of the auto-regressive moving average model is used to reduce the number of latent variables. The parameters of the model are estimated in a Bayesian inference framework employing a Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling method. The efficiency of the proposed prediction algorithm is evaluated by modelling real-time traffic-flow observations available from a certain junction in the city centre of Dublin, Ireland.
Phenological cues drive an apparent trade‐off between freezing tolerance and growth in the family Salicaceae
Authors: Savage Jessica A. , Cavender-Bares Jeannine
Published: March 2013

With increasing concern about the ecological consequences of global climate change, there has been renewed interest in understanding the processes that determine species range limits. We tested a long‐hypothesized trade‐off between freezing tolerance and growth rate that is often used to explain species range limits. We grew 24 willow and poplar species (family Salicaceae) collected from across North America in a greenhouse common garden under two climate treatments. Maximum entropy models were used to describe species distributions and to estimate species‐specific climate parameters. A range of traits related to freezing tolerance, including senescence, budburst, and susceptibility to different temperature minima during and after acclimation were measured. As predicted, species from colder climates exhibited higher freezing tolerance and slower growth rates than species from warmer climates under certain environmental conditions. However, the average relative growth rate (millimeters per meter per day) of northern species markedly increased when a subset of species was grown under a long summer day length (20.5 h), indicating that genetically based day‐length cues are required for growth regulation in these species. We conclude that the observed relationship between freezing tolerance and growth rate is not driven by differences in species' intrinsic growth capacity but by differences in the environmental cues that trigger growth. We propose that the coordinated evolution of freezing tolerance and growth phenology could be important in circumscribing willow and poplar range limits and may have important implications for species' current and future distributions.
Identification and Mapping of Adult Plant Stripe Rust Resistance in Soft Red Winter Wheat VA00W‐38
Authors: Christopher Mark D. , Liu Shuyu , Hall Marla D. , Marshall David S. , Fountain Myron O. , Johnson Jerry W. , Milus Eugene A. , Garland‐Campbell Kimberly A. , Chen Xianming , Griffey Carl A.
Published: March 2013

The Virginia Tech experimental wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) line VA00W‐38 has adult plant resistance to race PST‐100, which was the predominant race of stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) in the United States from 2003 to 2006. Resistance was characterized in a cross between VA00W‐38 and Pioneer Brand ‘26R46’. The mapping population consisted of 182 recombinant inbred lines, which were evaluated in field tests for stripe rust infection type (IT) in Georgia in 2008 and 2009 and for IT and severity in North Carolina in 2009 and 2010. A genome‐wide molecular screen with 143 simple sequence repeat and 405 diversity arrays technology markers was used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for stripe rust resistance. QTL on chromosomes 2AS and 4BL of VA00W‐38 were identified; they explained 58.9 and 19.3% of the variation for IT and 51.9 and 12.1% of the variation for severity, respectively. QTL on chromosomes 6BL and 3BL of Pioneer 26R46 were identified and explained 8.9 and 2.1% of the variation for IT and 11.7 and 3.9% of the variation for severity. Markers Xgwm296b, Xbarc163, and Xwmc756 were most tightly linked to QTL on chromosomes 2AS, 4BL, and 6BL. Use of these markers and development of additional diagnostic markers will facilitate the incorporation and pyramiding of stripe rust resistance into soft red winter wheat lines via marker‐assisted selection.
Expression of Key Genes of the Isoflavonoid Pathway in Hypocotyls and Cotyledons During Soybean Seed Maturation
Authors: Artigot Marie‐Pierre , Daydé Jean , Berger Monique
Published: March 2013

Soybean [Glycine max(L.) Merr.] seed accumulates large amounts of isoflavones, which are known for their phytoestrogenic activities. Three isoflavones (genistein, daidzein, and glycitein) are found in the seed. They are 4 to 10 times more concentrated in hypocotyls than in cotyledons. Isoflavone composition markedly diverges between these two seed parts and their accumulation begins in cotyledons at 40 d after flowering (DAF) once completed in hypocotyls. The relation between the genes of the isoflavonoid pathway and the isoflavone content has been investigated through (i) the variability of isoflavone synthase (IFS) genomic sequences in six cultivars with contrasted isoflavone content and (ii) the expression of key genes in two cultivars at 25, 40, and 60 DAF in hypocotyls and cotyledons.IFS1andIFS2polymorphism was not related to the isoflavone content. The expression of chalcone synthases (CHS7andCHS8) was related to isoflavone accumulation kinetics in the cotyledons but not with the total content at maturity.CHS9was the most expressedCHSisoform and the only one correlated with the hypocotyl isoflavone accumulation kinetics. The chalcone reductase (CHR) andCHIexpression profiles were significantly different between the two seed parts. These results indicate that the regulation of the isoflavone pathway is controlled differently in cotyledons and hypocotyls during seed maturation. This discrepancy should be taken into account in the studies on genetic and environmental effects on isoflavone contents.
Comparison of Two Perennial Grass Breeding Systems with Switchgrass
Authors: Vogel K. P.
Published: March 2013

Two breeding systems, between‐ and within‐family selection (BWFS) and multistep family selection (MFS), were compared using three switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) populations to determine which system was the most effective in improving biomass yield and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD). With BWFS, half‐sib families are produced and evaluated on a family basis and then the best plants within the best families are selected for crossing to produce a new strain. With MFS, parent genotypes of the half‐sib families being evaluated in the BWFS selection nursery are maintained and the genotypes whose progeny were the best in the BWFS evaluation trial are selected and polycrossed to produce a new strain. Methods were compared using two populations in which improved biomass yield and IVDMD were the selected traits and with a population for which improved IVDMD and winter survival were the selected traits. For the populations for which yield was a selection criteria, the BWFS breeding system produced strains with significantly greater biomass yields than the MFS system. For one of these populations, the BWFS and MFS systems did not differ for IVDMD but the MFS system produced a strain with higher IVDMD for the other population. For the population in which IVDMD and winter survival were the selection criteria, the BWFS strain had greater IVDMD than the MFS strain. Overall, the BWFS system was superior and required less work.
Combined open microsurgical and endoscopic resection of hypothalamic hamartomas
Authors: Roth Jonathan , Bercu Marian M. , Constantini Shlomi
Published: March 2013

Hypothalamic hamartomas (HHs) are typically located within the vicinity of the third ventricle. They can be attached to the walls of the third ventricle, within the interpeduncular cistern (third ventricle floor), and/or attached to the mammillary bodies and hypothalamus. Depending on their location, resection is performed either through the third ventricle, approaching from above, or via a frontotemporal craniotomy (pterional or frontoorbital), approaching from below. “Above” approaches typically include the transcallosal–anterior interforniceal approach, and recently, purely endoscopic approaches performed transforaminally.

The authors present a combined open and endoscopic approach for resection of HHs located within the third ventricle. They used this approach in 2 young girls with relatively small lateral and third ventricles. Following an interhemispheric, transcallosal approach and exposure of the right foramen of Monro, an endoscope was inserted through the foramen, which enabled safe resection of the HH.

The main advantage of the combined approach is when the lateral and third ventricles are relatively small, making a purely endoscopic approach more challenging and possibly riskier.
Microsatellite markers in the western prairie fringed orchid, Platanthera praeclara (Orchidaceae)
Authors: Ross Andrew A. , Aldrich‐Wolfe Laura , Lance Stacey , Glenn Travis , Travers Steven E.
Published: March 2013

• Premise of the study: Primers for 31 microsatellite‐containing loci were developed for the threatened orchid Platanthera praeclara to enable characterization of the population genetics of this tallgrass prairie native.

• Methods and Results: Sixteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were identified from four populations. Six of these loci were not in linkage disequilibrium. The average number of alleles per locus per population ranged from 6.4 to 8.9.

• Conclusions: The results indicate that six of the polymorphic loci will be useful in future studies of population structure, gene flow, and genetic diversity.
Authoring of Serious Games for Education
Authors: Mehm Florian , Reuter Christian , Göbel Stefan
Published: March 2013

Serious Games (SG) place requirements on all members of a development team, from the designers and domain experts to artists and programmers. In order to support the collaborative work required in serious game production, authoring tools can be introduced in the development process. They allow members of the team to work in one common environment and to have one uniform vision of the project, as opposed to a work environment in which each group uses some software tools exclusively and multiple visions of the finished game do exist simultaneously. Presenting a range of examples including the authoring framework StoryTec, the use of authoring tools for the development of SG is explained in this chapter.
Personalized, Adaptive Digital Educational Games using Narrative Game-Based Learning Objects
Authors: Göbel Stefan , Mehm Florian
Published: March 2013

Storytelling and gaming approaches are used as motivational instruments for suspenseful, engaging learning. This chapter describes the concept of Narrative Game-Based Learning Objects (NGLOB), providing a model of how to combine these different axes (narration, gaming, and learning) and how to apply it within personalized, adaptive Digital Educational Games (DEG). From a research perspective, this results in one of the main technical challenges of Serious Games (SG): personalization and adaptation. Here, the central question might be summarized with “How does one create and control a game during play considering the game context and characteristics of individual users or user groups?” This question and the use of NGLOBs are illustrated through the example of “Save the Earth” for teaching and learning geography.
Serious Games as an Instrument of Non-Formal Learning
Authors: Winny Steffen
Published: March 2013

This chapter contains a systematic overview of various didactic designs, which are used to provide learning experiences via the Internet. Using the example of renewable energy, the development and status quo of Web-didactic offers is reconstructed on the basis of concrete cases ranging from simple replication of classical teaching materials to different kinds of serious games. This bottom-up approach provides a practical introduction on how to evaluate serious games or other digital learning offers by identifying the most essential criteria for a didactic game analysis, but can also be used for benchmarking as some of the examples might also be inspiring for actual game design. Furthermore, this review indicates a significant gap between the high didactic standards for designing self-administrated learning environments and the factual realization as it is shown in most of the examined cases. A basic understanding of the requirements of different learning settings is given in the introduction.
Play Yourself Fit
Authors: Marston Hannah R. , McClenaghan Philip A.
Published: March 2013

Exergames and Exergaming have become a new phenomenon in recent years due to the release of the Nintendo Wii console and more recently the Microsoft Kinect. Videogames are categorized into genres based upon the actions that gamers are expected to execute to achieve goals and overcome challenges. However, with the development of new technology, and this notion of exergaming, is it actually activity or gameplay that defines the notion of exergames as a genre into current categories? This chapter reviews several genre/taxonomy theories to gain a greater understanding of exergames within the serious games arena, with several facets proposed by the authors to provide a more succinct progress within this sector.
Game-Enhanced Learning
Authors: Ott Michela , Popescu Maria Magdalena , Stanescu Ioana Andreea , de Freitas Sara
Published: March 2013

This chapter tackles the issue of Serious Games (SGs) curriculum integration approached from different perspectives (different levels, subject areas, instructional contexts, pedagogies, views, and visions over what it is already in practice and what is yet to be implemented). In light of the title of this book, it refers to Game-Enhanced Learning and not simply to game-based learning, thus supporting the concept that games can really contribute to improving and enhancing both collaborative and individual learning processes. The chapter is meant to trigger reflections on the potential of Serious Games in the present learning/teaching panorama and to explore how SGs can be considered suitable tools for sustaining the development of some relevant skills required to live and be proactive actors in the Knowledge Society, namely the so-called 21st Century Skills. Further, key challenges in the field of game-enhanced learning, with particular regard to pedagogical aspects are also in-depth explored by emphasizing the important role of teachers as to the choice of the SGs, their deployment, and the overall conduction of learning experiences.
Teachers and Students as Game Designers
Authors: Osman Kamisah , Bakar Nurul Aini
Published: March 2013

The amount of research done on educational game integration has lately witnessed a large development. Many scholars believe that games can motivate, engage, and stimulate students’ higher order thinking skills, and studies have shown that the integration of commercial and popular games in the classroom provide positive impact on students’ learning. On the other hand, there are other voices that reveal the multitude of factors hampering the integration of these games into the educational environment. Generally, these factors are derived from the lack of instructional games designed to cater for classroom teaching and learning processes. In this respect, there are efforts made by the educational researchers and game designers to minimize the hampering factors. One alternative some scholars offered to this was for teachers and students to act as game designers, developing games to be used for classroom integration. This chapter explores the possibilities for both trainers and trainees to design games tailored for classroom integration.
Integrating Games into the Classroom
Authors: Ketamo Harri , Kiili Kristian , Arnab Sylvester , Dunwell Ian
Published: March 2013

The game-based learning approach has already shown its strengths from the learners’ point of view. However, there are numerous unrevealed ways to support teachers’ work within the game-based approach. Unfortunately, games that exclude the teacher from the game-based learning process dominate the markets, which is of great concern. Thus, the aim of this chapter is to study the use of novel game features that enable teachers to participate in game-based learning events. In this chapter, the teacher’s role in the game-based learning process is considered through several different game examples that are designed to fulfill both learners’ and teachers’ needs. The examples show that there are both computational and non-computational methods that can be used to support learning and teachers’ work in the game world. Based on previous results it can be argued that the diffusion of game-based learning can be facilitated only if both learners’ and teachers’ needs and goals are taken into account.
Integrating Game-Enhanced Mathematics Learning into the Pre-Service Training of Teachers
Authors: Meletiou-Mavrotheris Maria
Published: March 2013

Mathematical literacy is a core literacy that functions as a critical gatekeeper for participation in many aspects of modern society. Research has shown that the way mathematics is taught at school is highly associated with students’ achievement and interest levels. Declining interest in mathematics and the need to raise the educational standards of youth in this discipline set a critical agenda for the revision of pedagogical practices. Digital games hold a lot of promise as tools for improving mathematics instruction at the school level. This chapter reports the main insights gained from a study that implemented a game-enhanced learning environment for the training of pre-service elementary school teachers. Teachers experienced some of the ways in which online educational games could help students internalize key mathematical concepts across the school curriculum and build their problem-solving skills, while at the same time improving their attitudes towards the subject. The course also familiarized teachers with the design principles for constructivist gaming environments. Findings indicate a positive impact on teachers’ competence in selecting, evaluating, and productively using online games as an instructional tool.
Using the Sims 3 for Narrative Construction in Secondary Education
Authors: Monjelat Natalia , Checa Mirian , Varela Ana Belén García , Del Castillo Héctor , Herrero David
Published: March 2013

In this chapter, the authors explore an innovative educational classroom scenario where commercial video games are used as an educational tool. They analyse an experiment involving students between the ages of 12 and 13, during the second semester of 2010, in a “Language and Literature” class of a Spanish Secondary School. The main aim of this chapter is to develop new literacies through new educational strategies. These relate commercial video games with the curriculum in order to improve students’ specific cultural competences and social skills. The authors show how the social simulation video game “The Sims 3” can be used as a learning resource for students to create narratives and descriptions using a variety of media.
Games in Higher Education
Authors: Ribeiro Cláudia , Monteiro Micaela , Corredoura Sofia , Candeias Fernanda , Pereira João
Published: March 2013

Medical knowledge has increased exponentially in the last decades. Healthcare professionals face a lifetime challenge in keeping abreast with current medical education. Continuing Medical Education (CME) is an ongoing challenge. Traditional adult education, largely used in medical training, shows little effectiveness. Problem-based-learning has been proposed as a student-centred pedagogy to overcome failure of traditional medical instruction. In this chapter, the authors review the status quo of medical education, certification, and recertification in Europe. A summary of the history of simulation in medical education is presented. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in using video games for educational purposes. This is also true for medical education. The use of serious games in medical education is reviewed, and its integration in medical curricula is discussed. The efforts to raise awareness of policy makers are described. Finally, a critical assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of these technologies as well as a proposal to overcome some of its limitations are made.
Differential Evolution-Based Optimization of Kernel Parameters in Radial Basis Function Networks for Classification
Authors: Dash Ch. Sanjeev Kumar , Behera Ajit Kumar , Dehuri Satchidananda , Cho Sung-Bae
Published: March 2013

In this paper a two phases learning algorithm with a modified kernel for radial basis function neural networks is proposed for classification. In phase one a new meta-heuristic approach differential evolution is used to reveal the parameters of the modified kernel. The second phase focuses on optimization of weights for learning the networks. Further, a predefined set of basis functions is taken for empirical analysis of which basis function is better for which kind of domain. The simulation result shows that the proposed learning mechanism is evidently producing better classification accuracy vis-à-vis radial basis function neural networks (RBFNs) and genetic algorithm-radial basis function (GA-RBF) neural networks.