bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Weckud Wetch of the Wast: Lexical Adaptation to a Novel Accent
Authors: Maye Jessica , Aslin Richard N. , Tanenhaus Michael K. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractTwo experiments investigated the mechanism by which listeners adjust their interpretation of accented speech that is similar to a regional dialect of American English. Only a subset of the vowels of English (the front vowels) were shifted during adaptation, which consisted of listening to a 20‐min segment of the “Wizard of Oz.” Compared to a baseline (unadapted) condition, listeners showed significant adaptation to the accented speech, as indexed by increased word judgments on a lexical decision task. Adaptation also generalized to test words that had not been presented in the accented passage but that contained the shifted vowels. A control experiment showed that the adaptation effect was specific to the direction of the shift in the vowel space and not to a general relaxation of the criterion for what constitutes a good exemplar of the accented vowel category. Taken together, these results provide evidence for a context‐specific vowel adaptation mechanism that enables a listener to adjust to the dialect of a particular talker.
Perceptual Processing Affects Conceptual Processing
Authors: Van Dantzig Saskia , Pecher Diane , Zeelenberg René , Barsalou Lawrence W. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractAccording to the Perceptual Symbols Theory of cognition (), modality‐specific simulations underlie the representation of concepts. A strong prediction of this view is that perceptual processing affects conceptual processing. In this study, participants performed a perceptual detection task and a conceptual property‐verification task in alternation. Responses on the property‐verification task were slower for those trials that were preceded by a perceptual trial in a different modality than for those that were preceded by a perceptual trial in the same modality. This finding of a modality‐switch effect across perceptual processing and conceptual processing supports the hypothesis that perceptual and conceptual representations are partially based on the same systems.
The Benefits of Sensorimotor Knowledge: Body–Object Interaction Facilitates Semantic Processing
Authors: Siakaluk Paul D. , Pexman Penny M. , Sears Christopher R. , Wilson Kim , Locheed Keri , Owen William J. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThis article examined the effects of body–object interaction (BOI) on semantic processing. BOI measures perceptions of the ease with which a human body can physically interact with a word's referent. In Experiment 1, BOI effects were examined in 2 semantic categorization tasks (SCT) in which participants decided if words are easily imageable. Responses were faster and more accurate for high BOI words (e.g., mask) than for low BOI words (e.g., ship). In Experiment 2, BOI effects were examined in a semantic lexical decision task (SLDT), which taps both semantic feedback and semantic processing. The BOI effect was larger in the SLDT than in the SCT, suggesting that BOI facilitates both semantic feedback and semantic processing. The findings are consistent with the embodied cognition perspective (e.g., , Perceptual Symbols Theory), which proposes that sensorimotor interactions with the environment are incorporated in semantic knowledge.
LIFEWORLDS IN AN ENLARGED EUROPE
Authors: Masso Anu 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT
This article analyses the personal spatiality of people with different economic and cultural backgrounds, using Estonia as an example of a ‘new’ EU country and Sweden as an example of an ‘old’ one. On the basis of survey data, the contacts, interest and feeling of cultural closeness of different cultures and the connections of these with socio-demographic variables, societal trust, and regional identities are analysed. The results show that personal spatiality is spread homogeneously over social groups in Sweden. In Estonia, personal spatiality differentiates socio-demographic groups and is related to general social trust. The society is separated into a personally ‘globalised’ group and a group that feels uncertainty in connection with EU enlargement and globalisation. In the new member states of the EU, cultural adaptation without overcoming transition trauma may cause cultural isolation, even xenophobia. Avoiding resistance against transcultural communication patterns contributes to the development of common values and interregional economic cooperation between EU member states.
EUROPE'S OTHER
Authors: Strasser Sabine 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT
As ‘Eurobarometer’ surveys indicate, European populations are increasingly sceptical about further EU enlargement, especially as far as Turkey is concerned. Austria's rejection of negotiations with Turkey has been remarkable. While the Austrian government has been in line with European council resolutions, policy makers of different parties have reiterated their claim for alternatives to full membership for Turkey. Furthermore, opinion polls have shown that the Austrian population's refusal of Turkey is above EU average. Embedded in the popular arguments why Turkey should stay outside the EU, we find what Ralf Grillo has called ‘cultural anxiety’: essentialist views of ‘our’ and ‘their’ culture cause fears about a fast growing and predominantly Muslim population that would flow into EU labour markets and threaten ‘us’, in particular ‘our’ democracy, equality and human rights. Against this backdrop my interest will neither be focused on a further analysis of whether Turkey is sufficiently prepared for EU accession nor on the European Union's absorption capacity. In this paper I will rather focus on the emergence of hegemonic and counter-hegemonic cultural practices of selfing and othering in order to better understand the extensive refusal of Turkey's EU accession in Austria.
EUROPEAN CULTURAL SPACE IN THE EUROPEAN CITIES OF CULTURE
Authors: Sassatelli Monica 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT
This article considers the role of European Union (EU) cultural policy within the process of Europeanization. It will trace the development of EU competence on cultural matters in general, and of the flagship programme ‘European City of Culture’ in particular. The latter will be observed both in its overall implementation and in the exceptional edition of 2000, when in order to celebrate the millennium nine cities shared the title, allegedly bringing the European reconfiguration of space into full light. This will show that the minutiae of cultural policy-making are never far removed from far-reaching discourses on European identity. How the gap is overcome, rhetorically and practically, provides the strategic vantage point for analyzing how the creation of a ‘European cultural space’ may be suggesting new ways to think of spatiality in its connection to culture and identity formation.
THE SUBSIDIARIZATION OF SOCIAL POLICIES: ACTORS, PROCESSES AND IMPACTS
Authors: Kazepov Yuri 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT
This paper seeks to disentangle analytically the trends towards the subsidiarization of social policies in Europe addressing how the social policy reforms changed actors’ governance arrangements and altered the government scales involved over the last few decades. Following an introductory analysis of the main causes of the subsidiarization of social policies (sections 1 and 2), attention is devoted to the differences between welfare systems in Europe (section 3) and the way they influence the directions of change. The hypothesis is that, despite the fact that the subsidiarization of social policies is a converging rhetoric in most European countries’ social policy reforms, the impact of the process varies according to the specificities of the respective regulatory frames at the national or sub-national scales. This is exemplified in the final part of the paper (section 4) which considers the Italian case and the main critical dimensions that emerge through these processes.
Organism impact assessment: risk analysis for post-incursion management
Authors: Campbell Marnie L. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Campbell, M. L. 2008. Organism impact assessment: risk analysis for post-incursion management. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 795–804. Risk analysis is a management tool that is becoming increasingly common in biosecurity because it aids decision-making in the face of uncertainty. A risk analysis model [referred to as an organism impact assessment (OIA)] is described, one that was developed in New Zealand to facilitate the management of incursions of introduced aquatic species in a post-border (after quarantine is breached) scenario. The New Zealand biosecurity risk-management framework assesses ecological, cultural, social, and economic values congruently, ensuring that a transparent and objective framework is established with clearly stated ecological and socio-political imperatives. Using expert heuristics and published and observed data, the present study assesses the likelihood that a target introduced species will have ecological, cultural, social, and economic impacts. The consequences (impact and/or change) of such events are then determined, to establish a relative risk ranking, using consequence matrices to aid assessment of the ecological, cultural, social, and economic value impacts of species unintentionally introduced to New Zealand. To illustrate the risk model, the OIA for the incursion of the fresh-water diatom Didymosphenia geminata is presented. The likelihood and consequences resulting in risk pertaining to the introduction of D. geminata varied across regions, but based on public perception at the initial incursion location, Southland, D. geminata was considered to be an extreme risk across all core values.
Mutation of a Rice Gene Encoding a Phenylalanine Biosynthetic Enzyme Results in Accumulation of Phenylalanine and Tryptophan
Authors: Yamada Tetsuya , Matsuda Fumio , Kasai Koji , Fukuoka Shuichi , Kitamura Keisuke , Tozawa Yuzuru , Miyagawa Hisashi , Wakasa Kyo 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Two distinct biosynthetic pathways for Phe in plants have been proposed: conversion of prephenate to Phe via phenylpyruvate or arogenate. The reactions catalyzed by prephenate dehydratase (PDT) and arogenate dehydratase (ADT) contribute to these respective pathways. The Mtr1 mutant of rice (Oryza sativa) manifests accumulation of Phe, Trp, and several phenylpropanoids, suggesting a link between the synthesis of Phe and Trp. Here, we show that the Mtr1 mutant gene (mtr1-D) encodes a form of rice PDT with a point mutation in the putative allosteric regulatory region of the protein. Transformed callus lines expressing mtr1-D exhibited all the characteristics of Mtr1 callus tissue. Biochemical analysis revealed that rice PDT possesses both PDT and ADT activities, with a preference for arogenate as substrate, suggesting that it functions primarily as an ADT. The wild-type enzyme is feedback regulated by Phe, whereas the mutant enzyme showed a reduced feedback sensitivity, resulting in Phe accumulation. In addition, these observations indicate that rice PDT is critical for regulating the size of the Phe pool in plant cells. Feeding external Phe to wild-type callus tissue and seedlings resulted in Trp accumulation, demonstrating a connection between Phe accumulation and Trp pool size.
Freeform Deformation Versus B-Spline Representation in Inverse Airfoil Design
Authors: Amoiralis Eleftherios I. , Nikolos Ioannis K. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Freeform deformation (FFD) is a well established technique for 3D animation applications, used to deform two—or three-dimensional geometrical entities. Over the past few years, FFD technique has aroused growing interest in several scientific communities. In this work, an extensive bibliographic survey of the FFD technique is initially introduced, in order to explore its capabilities in shape parametrization. Moreover, FFD technique is compared to the classical parametrization technique using B-spline curves, in the context of the airfoil design optimization problem, by performing inverse airfoil design tests, with a differential evolution algorithm to serve as the optimizer. The criterion of the comparison between the two techniques is the achieved accuracy in the approximation of the reference pressure distribution. Experiments are presented, comparing FFD to B-spline techniques under the same flow conditions, for various numbers of design variables. Sensitivity analysis is applied for providing further insight into the differences in the performance of the two techniques.
Planktonic and Sediment-Associated Aerobic Methanotrophs in Two Seep Systems along the North American Margin
Authors: Tavormina Patricia L. , Ussler William , Orphan Victoria J. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

Methane vents are of significant geochemical and ecological importance. Notable progress has been made toward understanding anaerobic methane oxidation in marine sediments; however, the diversity and distribution of aerobic methanotrophs in the water column are poorly characterized. Both environments play an essential role in regulating methane release from the oceans to the atmosphere. In this study, the diversity of particulate methane monooxygenase (
pmoA
) and 16S rRNA genes from two methane vent environments along the California continental margin was characterized. The
pmoA
phylotypes recovered from methane-rich sediments and the overlying water column differed. Sediments harbored the greatest number of unique
pmoA
phylotypes broadly affiliated with the
Methylococcaceae
family, whereas planktonic
pmoA
phylotypes formed three clades that were distinct from the sediment-hosted methanotrophs and distantly related to established methanotrophic clades. Water column-associated phylotypes were highly similar between field sites, suggesting that planktonic methanotroph diversity is controlled primarily by environmental factors rather than geographical proximity. Analysis of 16S rRNA genes from methane-rich waters did not readily recover known methanotrophic lineages, with only a few phylotypes demonstrating distant relatedness to
Methylococcus
. The development of new
pmo
primers increased the recovery of monooxygenase genes from the water column and led to the discovery of a highly diverged monooxygenase sequence which is phylogenetically intermediate to Amo and pMMO. This sequence potentiates insight into the
amo/pmo
superfamily. Together, these findings lend perspective into the diversity and segregation of aerobic methanotrophs within different methane-rich habitats in the marine environment.
Identification of a Cellobiose Utilization Gene Cluster with Cryptic β-Galactosidase Activity inVibrio fischeri
Authors: Adin Dawn M. , Visick Karen L. , Stabb Eric V. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTCellobiose utilization is a variable trait that is often used to differentiate members of the familyVibrionaceae. We investigated howVibrio fischeriES114 utilizes cellobiose and found a cluster of genes required for growth on this β-1,4-linked glucose disaccharide. This cluster includes genes annotated as a phosphotransferase system II (celA,celB, andcelC), a glucokinase (celK), and a glucosidase (celG). Directly downstream ofcelCBGKAiscelI, which encodes a LacI family regulator that repressesceltranscription in the absence of cellobiose. When thecelCBGKAIgene cluster was transferred to cellobiose-negative strains ofVibrioandPhotobacterium, the cluster conferred the ability to utilize cellobiose. Genomic analyses of naturally cellobiose-positiveVibriospecies revealed thatV. salmonicidahas a homolog of thecelCBGKAIcluster, butV. vulnificusdoes not. Moreover, bioinformatic analyses revealed that CelG and CelK share the greatest homology with glucosidases and glucokinases in the phylumFirmicutes. These observations suggest that distinct genes for cellobiose utilization have been acquired by different lineages within the familyVibrionaceae. In addition, the loss of thecelIregulator, but not the structural genes, attenuated the ability ofV. fischerito compete for colonization of its natural host,Euprymna scolopes, suggesting that repression of thecelgene cluster is important in this symbiosis. Finally, we show that theV. fischericellobioase (CelG) preferentially cleaves β-d-glucose linkages but also cleaves β-d-galactose-linked substrates such as 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-β-d-galactoside (X-gal), a finding that has important implications for the use oflacZas a marker or reporter gene inV. fischeri.
Preferential Use of an Anode as an Electron Acceptor by an Acidophilic Bacterium in the Presence of Oxygen
Authors: Malki Moustafa , De Lacey Antonio L. , Rodríguez Nuria , Amils Ricardo , Fernandez Victor M. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

Several anaerobic metal-reducing bacteria have been shown to be able to donate electrons directly to an electrode. This property is of great interest for microbial fuel cell development. To date, microbial fuel cell design requires avoiding O
2
diffusion from the cathodic compartment to the sensitive anodic compartment. Here, we show that
Acidiphilium
sp. strain 3.2 Sup 5 cells that were isolated from an extreme acidic environment are able to colonize graphite felt electrodes. These bacterial electrodes were able to produce high-density electrocatalytic currents, up to 3 A/m
2
at a poised potential of +0.15 V (compared to the value for the reference standard calomel electrode) in the absence of redox mediators, by oxidizing glucose even at saturating air concentrations and very low pHs.
Biosynthetic Intermediate Analysis and Functional Homology Reveal a Saxitoxin Gene Cluster in Cyanobacteria
Authors: Kellmann Ralf , Mihali Troco Kaan , Jeon Young Jae , Pickford Russell , Pomati Francesco , Neilan Brett A. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTSaxitoxin (STX) and its analogues cause the paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) syndrome, which afflicts human health and impacts coastal shellfish economies worldwide. PSP toxins are unique alkaloids, being produced by both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Here we describe a candidate PSP toxin biosynthesis gene cluster (sxt) fromCylindrospermopsis raciborskiiT3. The saxitoxin biosynthetic pathway is encoded by more than 35 kb, and comparative sequence analysis assigns 30 catalytic functions to 26 proteins. STX biosynthesis is initiated with arginine,S-adenosylmethionine, and acetate by a new type of polyketide synthase, which can putatively perform a methylation of acetate, and a Claisen condensation reaction between propionate and arginine. Further steps involve enzymes catalyzing three heterocyclizations and various tailoring reactions that result in the numerous isoforms of saxitoxin. In the absence of a gene transfer system in these microorganisms, we have revised the description of the known STX biosynthetic pathway, with in silico functional inferences based onsxtopen reading frames combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of the biosynthetic intermediates. Our results indicate the evolutionary origin for the production of PSP toxins in an ancestral cyanobacterium with genetic contributions from diverse phylogenetic lineages of bacteria and provide a quantum addition to the catalytic collective available for future combinatorial biosyntheses. The distribution of these genes also supports the idea of the involvement of this gene cluster in STX production in various cyanobacteria.
Occurrence and Genetic Diversity of
Bacillus anthracis
Strains Isolated in an Active Wool-Cleaning Factory
Authors: Wattiau Pierre , Klee Silke R. , Fretin David , Van Hessche Mieke , Ménart Marie , Franz Tatjana , Chasseur Camille , Butaye Patrick , Imberechts Hein 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

Culturable microorganisms from various samples taken at an active factory performing wool and goat hair cleaning were isolated and analyzed.
Bacillus anthracis
was found in air filter dust, wastewater, and goat hairs, where it accounted for approximately 1% of the total counts of viable bacteria. Consistent with the countries of origin of the processed material (South Caucasian and Middle Eastern), all
B. anthracis
isolates belonged to the same phylogenetic cluster, as determined by variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) typing at eight loci. Within this cluster, five closely related VNTR subtypes could be identified, of which two were previously unreported. Additional diversity was observed when more sensitive genetic markers were assayed, demonstrating the multifocal nature of goat hair contamination. Goat hair originating from areas where anthrax is endemic remains a material with high biological risk for modern woolworkers.
Effectiveness of
Bacillus thuringiensis
-Transgenic Chickpeas and the Entomopathogenic Fungus
Metarhizium anisopliae
in Controlling
Helicoverpa armigera
(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Authors: Lawo N. C. , Mahon R. J. , Milner R. J. , Sarmah B. K. , Higgins T. J. V. , Romeis J. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

The use of genetically modified (Bt) crops expressing lepidopteran-specific Cry proteins derived from the soil bacterium
Bacillus thuringiensis
is an effective method to control the polyphagous pest
Helicoverpa armigera
. As
H. armigera
potentially develops resistance to Cry proteins, Bt crops should be regarded as one tool in integrated pest management. Therefore, they should be compatible with biological control. Bioassays were conducted to understand the interactions between a Cry2Aa-expressing chickpea line, either a susceptible or a Cry2A-resistant
H. armigera
strain, and the entomopathogenic fungus
Metarhizium anisopliae
. In a first concentration-response assay, Cry2A-resistant larvae were more tolerant of
M. anisopliae
than susceptible larvae, while in a second bioassay, the fungus caused similar mortalities in the two strains fed control chickpea leaves. Thus, resistance to Cry2A did not cause any fitness costs that became visible as increased susceptibility to the fungus. On Bt chickpea leaves, susceptible
H. armigera
larvae were more sensitive to
M. anisopliae
than on control leaves. It appeared that sublethal damage induced by the
B. thuringiensis
toxin enhanced the effectiveness of
M. anisopliae
. For Cry2A-resistant larvae, the mortalities caused by the fungus were similar when they were fed either food source. To examine which strain would be more likely to be exposed to the fungus, their movements on control and Bt chickpea plants were compared. Movement did not appear to differ among larvae on Bt or conventional chickpeas, as indicated by the number of leaflets damaged per leaf. The findings suggest that Bt chickpeas and
M. anisopliae
are compatible to control
H. armigera
.
Isolation of Bacteria Whose Growth Is Dependent on High Levels of CO
2
and Implications of Their Potential Diversity
Authors: Ueda Kenji , Tagami Yudai , Kamihara Yuka , Shiratori Hatsumi , Takano Hideaki , Beppu Teruhiko 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

Although some bacteria require an atmosphere with high CO
2
levels for their growth, CO
2
is not generally supplied to conventional screening cultures. Here, we isolated 84 bacterial strains exhibiting high-CO
2
dependence. Their phylogenetic affiliations imply that high-CO
2
culture has potential as an effective method to isolate unknown microorganisms.
Synthesis of the Compatible Solute Ectoine in
Virgibacillus pantothenticus
Is Triggered by High Salinity and Low Growth Temperature
Authors: Kuhlmann Anne U. , Bursy Jan , Gimpel Silvy , Hoffmann Tamara , Bremer Erhard 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

The quantification of the intracellular concentration of ectoine in
Virgibacillus pantothenticus
revealed that the production of this compatible solute is triggered either by an increase in the external salinity or by a reduction in the growth temperature. This finding reflects increased transcription of the ectoine biosynthetic operon (
ectABC
) under both environmental conditions.