A Rice, S & Kjelleberg, S 2007, 'The slippery business of slime control', Microbiology Australia, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 118-118.
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What do that scummy feeling on your teeth in the morning, corrosion of oil and gas pipelines, and the slick film building up on the mystery food in the back of your refrigerator have in common? They are all manifestations of microbial slime, which is the result of bacteria growing as a community on a surface held together in an extracellular matrix. These are more commonly referred to as biofilms, which we constantly encounter in everyday life. Bacteria seem to favour growing as biofilms because this provides a range of distinct advantages, including better access to nutrients that partition to surfaces, protection from external stresses such as UV and inhibitors produced by competing microorganisms, and resistance to protozoan grazing that is otherwise one of the main mortality factors for bacteria.
Aharonovich, I, Lifshitz, Y & Tamir, S 2007, 'Growth mechanisms of amorphous SiOx nanowires', APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, vol. 90, no. 26, p. 263109.
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Amorphous SiOx nanowires (NWs) 10-50 nm thick and tens of microns long were grown by laser ablation of silicon containing targets onto different substrates held at elevated temperatures. The influence of the growth parameters on the NWs growth and struct
Akbari-Nakhjavani, F, Mirsalehian, A, Hamidian, M, Kazemi, B, Mirafshar, M, Jabal Ameli, F, Pajand, O & Peymani, A 2007, 'Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Escherichia coli strains isolated from urinary tract infections to fluoroquinolones and detection of gyrA mutations in resistant strains', Daru, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 94-99.
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Widespread uses of fluoroquinolones have resulted in increasing incidences of resistance against these agents all over the world. The aim of this study was to assess, susceptibility of Escherichia coli strains from patients with Urinary Tract Infection against common fluoroquinolones and detection of mutations in the gyrA gene. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of 164 E.coli isolates from patients with UTI, was evaluated by disk agar diffusion (DAD) and MIC methods. Polymerase chain reaction of E.coli strains were performed by amplification of Quinolone Resistance Determining Region (QRDR) of gyrA gene. PCR products were tested by Conformational Sensitive Gel Electrophoresis (CSGE) and those with hetrodublexes were selected and examined by DNA sequencing. According to disc agar diffusion, 49.3% were resistant to nalidixic acid, 41.4% to norfloxacin, 44.5% to ofloxacin and 40.2 % to ciprofloxacin. By Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) testing a high-level of resistance (42.1%) to ciprofloxacin was observed. Mutations in codons 83 and 87 in all 81 isolates were positive by CSGE method.
Ammit, AJ, Moir, LM, Oliver, BG, Hughes, JM, Alkhouri, H, Ge, Q, Burgess, JK, Black, JL & Roth, M 2007, 'Effect of IL-6 trans-signaling on the pro-remodeling phenotype of airway smooth muscle', American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, vol. 292, no. 1, pp. L199-L206.
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Increased levels of IL-6 are documented in asthma, but its contribution to the pathology is unknown. Asthma is characterized by airway wall thickening due to increased extracellular matrix deposition, inflammation, angiogenesis, and airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass. IL-6 binds to a specific membrane-bound receptor, IL-6 receptor-α (mIL-6Rα), and subsequently to the signaling protein gp130. Alternatively, IL-6 can bind to soluble IL-6 recpetor-α (sIL-6Rα) to stimulate membrane receptor-deficient cells, a process called trans-signaling. We discovered that primary human ASM cells do not express mIL-6Rα and, therefore, investigated the effect of IL-6 trans-signaling on the pro-remodeling phenotype of ASM. ASM required sIL-6Rα to activate signal transducer and activator 3, with no differences observed between cells from asthmatic subjects compared with controls. Further analysis revealed that IL-6 alone or with sIL-6Rα did not induce release of matrix-stimulating factors (including connective tissue growth factor, fibronectin, or integrins) and had no effect on mast cell adhesion to ASM or ASM proliferation. However, in the presence of sIL-6Rα, IL-6 increased eotaxin and VEGF release and may thereby contribute to local inflammation and vessel expansion in airway walls of asthmatic subjects. As levels of sIL-6Rα are increased in asthma, this demonstration of IL-6 trans-signaling in ASM has relevance to the development of airway remodeling.
Armstrong, N, Hoft, RC, McDonagh, A, Cortie, MB & Ford, MJ 2007, 'Exploring the performance of molecular rectifiers: Limitations and factors affecting molecular rectification', NANO LETTERS, vol. 7, no. 10, pp. 3018-3022.
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There has been significant work investigating the use of molecules as nanoscale rectifiers in so-called 'molecular electronics'. However, less attention has been paid to optimizing the design parameters of molecular rectifiers or to their inherent limitations. Here we use a barrier tunneling model to examine the degree of rectification that can be achieved and to provide insight for the design and development of molecules with optimum rectification responses. © 2007 American Chemical Society.
Arnold, MD & Blaikie, RJ 2007, 'Subwavelength optical imaging of evanescent fields using reflections from plasmonic slabs', OPTICS EXPRESS, vol. 15, no. 18, pp. 11542-11552.
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Reflection can significantly improve the quality of subwavelength near-field images, which is explained by appropriate interference between forward and reflected waves. Plasmonic slabs may form approximate super-mirrors. This paper develops general theor
Asatryan, AA, Botten, LC & Byrne, MA 2007, 'Evidence of a mobility edge for photons in two dimensions', PHYSICAL REVIEW E, vol. 75, no. 1.
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Asatryan, AA, Botten, LC, Byrne, MA, Freilikher, VD, Gredeskul, SA, Shadrivov, IV, McPhedran, RC & Kivshar, YS 2007, 'Suppression of Anderson localization in disordered metamaterials', PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, vol. 99, no. 19, pp. 0-0.
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We study wave propagation in mixed, 1D disordered stacks of alternating right- and left-handed layers and reveal that the introduction of metamaterials substantially suppresses Anderson localization. At long wavelengths, the localization length in mixed stacks is orders of magnitude larger than for normal structures, proportional to the sixth power of the wavelength, in contrast to the usual quadratic wavelength dependence of normal systems. Suppression of localization is also exemplified in long-wavelength resonances which largely disappear when left-handed materials are introduced. © 2007 The American Physical Society.
Asatryan, AA, Botten, LC, Nicorovici, NA, McPhedran, RC & de Sterke, CM 2007, 'Tailoring the enhanced frequency shift in two-dimensional photonic clusters', PHYSICA B-CONDENSED MATTER, vol. 394, no. 2, pp. 213-216.
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The frequency shift of sources embedded in a two-dimensional photonic cluster composed of circular cylinders is considered and the effects of cluster shape and orientation are investigated. It is found that by carefully tailoring the shape of the cluster
Ashhurst-Smith, C, Hall, ST, Walker, P, Stuart, J, Hansbro, PM & Blackwell, CC 2007, 'Isolation ofAlloiococcus otitidisfrom Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian children with chronic otitis media with effusion', FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology, vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 163-170.
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Ashmore, J, Bishop, R, Craig, DC & Scudder, ML 2007, 'Chlorine-Influenced Changes in the Molecular Inclusion and Packing Properties of a Diquinoline Host', Crystal Growth & Design, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 47-55.
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Axelrad, DA, Bellinger, DC, Ryan, LM & Woodruff, TJ 2007, 'Dose-response relationship of prenatal mercury exposure and IQ: An integrative analysis of epidemiologic data', ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES, vol. 115, no. 4, pp. 609-615.
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Background: Prenatal exposure to mercury has been associated with adverse childhood neurologic outcomes in epidemiologic studies. Dose-response information for this relationship is useful for estimating benefits of reduced mercury exposure. Objectives: We estimated a dose-response relationship between maternal mercury body burden and subsequent childhood decrements in intelligence quotient (IQ), using a Bayesian hierarchical model to integrate data from three epidemiologic studies. Methods: Inputs to the model consist of dose-response coefficients from studies conducted in the Faroe Islands, New Zealand, and the Seychelles Islands. IQ coefficients were available from previous work for the latter two studies, and a coefficient for the Faroe Islands study was estimated from three IQ subtests. Other tests of cognition/achievement were included in the hierarchical model to obtain more accurate estimates of study-to-study and end point-to-end point variability. Results: We find a central estimate of -0.18 IQ points (95% confidence interval, -0.378 to -0.009) for each parts per million increase of maternal hair mercury, similar to the estimates for both the Faroe Islands and Seychelles studies, and lower in magnitude than the estimate for the New Zealand study. Sensitivity analyses produce similar results, with the IQ coefficient central estimate ranging from -0.13 to -0.25. Conclusions: IQ is a useful end point for estimating neurodevelopmental effects, but may not fully represent cognitive deficits associated with mercury exposure, and does not represent deficits related to attention and motor skills. Nevertheless, the integrated IQ coefficient provides a more robust description of the dose-response relationship for prenatal mercury exposure and cognitive functioning than results of any single study.
Baird, HT, Fullmer, S, Johnston, NP & Eggett, DL 2007, 'Varying Ratios of Omega-6:Omega-3 Fatty Acids Had No Effect on the Pre- and Post Mortem Bone Mineral Density, Bone Ash and Bone Breaking Strength of 58 Week Old Laying Chickens', Journal of the American Dietetic Association, vol. 107, no. 8, pp. A37-A37.
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Baker, AC, Murray, BR & Hose, GC 2007, 'Relating pine-litter intrusion to plant-community structure in native eucalypt woodland adjacent to Pinus radiata (Pinaceae) plantations', AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY, vol. 55, no. 5, pp. 521-532.
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Radiata pine (Pinus radiata D.Don) plantations are often found in close proximity to vegetation set aside for biodiversity conservation. We examined the intrusive effects of radiata pine beyond the confines of plantations by quantifying the penetration of pine litter (needles, cones, twigs and seeds) and wildings from plantations into adjacent eucalypt woodland in the Jenolan Caves Karst Conservation Reserve (south-eastern Australia). We then investigated the relationship between pine-litter intrusion and plant-community structure in adjacent woodland vegetation. We found significantly higher quantities of pine litter and wildings at all sites adjacent to plantations than at reference woodland sites that were not adjacent to plantations. At adjacent sites, pine litter decreased significantly with increasing distance from plantations. Alarmingly, native plant species richness declined and exotic plant species richness increased with increasing quantities of pine litter. Thus, there were fewer native plant species and more exotics in areas bordering pine plantations. Our findings suggest a potentially important link between the intrusion of pine litter and a loss of native biodiversity and facilitation of exotic-species invasion. We suggest the provision of a buffer zone around plantations in order to minimise intrusive impacts of plantations on native biodiversity. © CSIRO 2007.
Bates, GW, Triyanti, Light, ME, Albrecht, M & Gale, PA 2007, '2,7-Functionalized Indoles as Receptors for Anions', The Journal of Organic Chemistry, vol. 72, no. 23, pp. 8921-8927.
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Behnia, S, Akhshani, A, Ahadpour, S, Mahmodi, H & Akhavan, A 2007, 'A fast chaotic encryption scheme based on piecewise nonlinear chaotic maps', Physics Letters A, vol. 366, no. 4-5, pp. 391-396.
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Bell, TDM, Ghiggino, KP, Haynes, A, Langford, SJ & Woodward, CP 2007, 'Charge separation in a conformationally-flexible porphyrin-fullerene dyad synthesised using cross-metathesis', Journal of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines, vol. 11, no. 06, pp. 455-462.
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The synthesis of a Zn (II) porphyrin-fullerene dyad in which the two chromophore units are tethered by a conformationally-flexible linker, is described. The synthesis is highlighted by the use of a cross metathesis strategy to prepare the linker between the chromophores. Photoexcitation of the Zn (II) porphyrin unit of the dyad in tetrahydrofuran leads to substantial (77%) quenching of porphyrin fluorescence. The multiple exponentials fluorescence decay kinetics observed are attributed to different rates of electron transfer from photoexcited porphyrin to fullerene in the various conformers present. A charge-separated state with a 330 ns lifetime is observed by transient spectroscopy.
Bhargava, A & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Prospects for light-activated nano-devices based on shape-memory polymers', JOURNAL OF NANOPHOTONICS, vol. 1, pp. 1-13.
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The recent development of new types of light-activated, conformation-changing polymers has stimulated much interest. These 'smart' materials offer new functionalities and may enable diverse novel devices. One possible application of these substances may be in optically-driven nanoscale actuators, especially in the case of devices in which a plasmon resonance in a precious-metal nanostructure is actively modulated. A one-way or two-way shape memory effect is possible, however, application at the nanoscale will necessitate certain design changes. Nanoscale devices based on these materials could conceivably be used for drug-release or to switch the spectral selectivity of a coating.
Bhosale, SV & Langford, SJ 2007, 'The development of yoctowells as a basis for modeling biological systems', Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, vol. 5, no. 23, pp. 3733-3733.
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Biro, PA, Post, JR & Booth, DJ 2007, 'Mechanisms for climate-induced mortality of fish populations in whole-lake experiments', PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, vol. 104, no. 23, pp. 9715-9719.
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The effects of climate change on plant and animal populations are widespread and documented for many species in many areas of the world. However, projections of climate impacts will require a better mechanistic understanding of ecological and behavioral responses to climate change and climate variation. For vertebrate animals, there is an absence of whole-system manipulative experiments that express natural variation in predator and prey behaviors. Here we investigate the effect of elevated water temperature on the physiology, behavior, growth, and survival of fish populations in a multiple whole-lake experiment, by using 17 lake-years of data collected over 2 years with differing average temperatures. We found that elevated temperatures in excess of the optimum reduced the scope for growth through reduced maximum consumption and increased metabolism in young rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Increased metabolism at high temperatures resulted in increased feeding activity (consumption) by individuals to compensate and maintain growth rates similar to that observed at cooler (optimum) temperatures. However, greater feeding activity rates resulted in greater vulnerability to predators that reduced survival to only half that of the cooler year. Our work therefore identifies temperature-dependent physiology and compensatory feeding behavior as proximate mechanisms for substantial climate-induced mortality in fish populations at the scale of entire populations and waterbodies. © 2007 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA.
Bishop, MJ, Kelaher, BP, Alquezar, R, York, PH, Ralph, PJ & Skilbeck, CG 2007, 'Trophic cul-de-sac, Pyrazus ebeninus, limits trophic transfer through an estuarine detritus-based food web', OIKOS, vol. 116, no. 3, pp. 427-438.
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The importance to food-webs of trophic cul-de-sacs, species that channel energy flow away from higher trophic levels, is seldom considered outside of the pelagic systems in which they were first identified. On intertidal mudflats, inputs of detritus from saltmarshes, macroalgae or microphytobenthos are generally regarded as a major structuring force underpinning food-webs and there has been no consideration of trophic cul-de-sacs to date. A fully orthogonal three-factor experiment manipulating the density of the abundant gastropod, Pyrazus ebeninus, detritus and macrobenthic predators on a Sydney mudflat revealed large deleterious effects of the gastropod, irrespective of detrital loading or the presence of predators. Two months after experimental manipulation, the standing-stock of microphytobenthos in plots with high (44 per m2) densities of P. ebeninus was 20% less than in plots with low (4 per m2) densities. Increasing densities of P. ebeninus from low to high halved the abundance of macroinvertebrates and the average number of species. In contrast, the addition of detritus had differing effects on microphytobenthos (positively affected) and macroinvertebrates (negatively affected). Over the two-months of our experiment, no predatory mortality of P. ebeninus was observed and high densities of P. ebeninus decreased impacts of predators on macroinvertebrate abundances. Given that the dynamics of southeast Australian mudflats are driven more by disturbance than seasonality in predators and their interactions with prey, it is likely that Pyrazus would be similarly resistant to predation and have negative effects on benthic assemblages at other times of the year, outside of our study period. Thus, in reducing microphytobenthos and the abundance and species richness of macrofauna, high abundances of the detritivore P. ebeninus may severely limit the flow of energy up the food chain to commercially-important species. This study therefore suggests that trop...
Blaber, MG, Arnold, MD, Harris, N, Ford, MJ & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Plasmon absorption in nanospheres: A comparison of sodium, potassium, aluminium, silver and gold', PHYSICA B-CONDENSED MATTER, vol. 394, no. 2, pp. 184-187.
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The optical absorption for nanospheres made from Na, K, Al, Ag and Au are compared as a precursor to choosing the ideal metal for use in a negative permittivity (NP) near-field superlens. The relationship between optical absorption of the metal nanosphere and the ability of the NP lens to reconstruct the near field is one to one. Metals with low dielectric losses have large plasmon absorption cross-sections and absorb over a very narrow wavelength range; they are consequently excellent materials for superlenses. Numerical solutions to Mie theory were used to calculate the absorption efficiency, Qabs, for nanospheres varying in radius between 5 and 100 nm in vacuum. We show that, although silver is the most commonly used material for superlensing, its absorption efficiency, as a nanosphere, at the plasmon resonance is not as strong as materials such as the alkali metals. Of all these materials, potassium spheres with a radius of 21 nm have an optimum absorption efficiency of 14.7, resulting in the ability of a film with thickness of 40 nm to reconstruct a grating with a period of 57 nm. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Bobryshev, YV, Killingsworth, MC, Huynh, TG, Lord, RSA, Grabs, AJ & Valenzuela, SM 2007, 'Are calcifying matrix vesicles in atherosclerotic lesions of cellular origin?', Basic Research in Cardiology, vol. 102, no. 2, pp. 133-143.
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Over recent years, the role of matrix vesicles in the initial stages of arterial calcification has been recognised. Matrix calcifying vesicles have been isolated from atherosclerotic arteries and the biochemical composition of calcified vesicles has been studied. No Studies have yet been carried out to examine the fine structure of matrix vesicles in order to visualise the features of the consequent stages of their cacification in arteries. In the present work, a high resolution ultrastructural analysis has been employed and the study revealed that matrix vesicles in human atherosclerotic lesions are heterogeneous with two main types which we classified. Type I calcified vesicles were presented by vesicles surrounded by two electron-dense layers and these vesicles were dound to be resistant to the calcification process in atherosclerotic lesions in situ. Type II matrix vesicles were presnted by vesicles surrounded by several electron-dense layers and these vesicles were dound to represent calcifying vesicles in atherosclerotic lesions. To test the hypothesis that calcification of matrix vesicles surrounded by multilayer sheets may occur simply as a physiochemical process, independently from the cell regulation, we produced multilamellar liposomes and induced their calfcification in vitro in a manner similar to that ocurring in matrix vesicles in atherosclerotic lesions in situ.
Bolanos-Gonzalez, MA, Paz-Pellat, F, Palacios-Velez, E, Mejia-Saenz, E & Huete, A 2007, 'Modelation of the sun-sensor geometry effects in the vegetation reflectance', AGROCIENCIA, vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 527-537.
Boonyaratanakornkit, V, McGowan, E, Sherman, L, Mancini, MA, Cheskis, BJ & Edwards, DP 2007, 'The Role of Extranuclear Signaling Actions of Progesterone Receptor in Mediating Progesterone Regulation of Gene Expression and the Cell Cycle', Molecular Endocrinology, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 359-375.
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Booth, D, Provan, J & Maggs, CA 2007, 'Molecular approaches to the study of invasive seaweeds', botm, vol. 50, no. 5-6, pp. 385-396.
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Abstract A wide range of vectors is currently introducing a plethora of alien marine species into indigenous marine species assemblages. Over the past two decades, molecular studies of non-native seaweeds, including cryptic invaders, have successfully identified the species involved and their sources; we briefly review these studies. As yet, however, little research has been directed towards examining the genetic consequences of seaweed invasions. Here we provide an overview of seaweed invasions from a genetic perspective, focusing on invader species for which the greatest amount of information is available. We review invasion processes, and rationalize evolutionary and genetic consequences for the indigenous and invader species into two main groups: (1) changes in gene-pool composition, in population structure and allele frequencies; and (2) changes in genome organization at the species level through hybridization, and in individual gene expression profiles at the levels of expressed messenger RNA and the proteome (i.e., all proteins synthesized) and thus the phenotype. We draw on studies of better-known aquatic and terrestrial organisms to point the way forward in revealing the genetic consequences of seaweed invasions. We also highlight potential applications of more recent methodological and statistical approaches, such as microarray technology, assignment tests and mixed stock analysis.
Booth, DJ, Figueira, WF, Gregson, MA, Brown, L & Beretta, G 2007, 'Occurrence of tropical fishes in temperate southeastern Australia: Role of the East Australian Current', ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE, vol. 72, no. 1-2, pp. 102-114.
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Dispersal of larval propagules is the major mechanism facilitating connectivity of marine populations. However, only a fraction of larvae settle in suitable habitat. For coral reef fishes, many larvae are advected away from coral reefs, often despite strong behavioural mechanisms (including swimming), and some may travel long distances away from the tropics. Here we document the occurrence of tropical reef fishes along the southeast coast of Australia between 2003 and 2005 and evaluate the role of the East Australian Current (EAC) in driving this pattern. In total we observed 47 species of tropical fishes from 11 families during the summer recruitment season (January to May) at locations spanning most of the length of the New South Wales coast (28° S-37.5° S latitude, ∼1700 km from the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef). Southern locations tended to have reduced richness and density relative to northern ones. In general, the southward extent of distribution of the most commonly observed species was well explained by their planktonic larval durations. Recruitment events tended to be much more episodic in Merimbula (37° S) than Sydney (34° S), but there was little evidence for interannual similarity in the spatial patterns of recruitment of individual species with exception of the numerical dominance of Abudefduf vaigiensis and Abudefduf sexfasciatus (Pomacentridae) at the Sydney location and of Chaetodon auriga and Chaetodon flavirostris (Chaetodontidae) at the Merimbula location. Despite strong evidence for the role of the EAC in the transport of these species at a coastal scale, we found little evidence that individual recruitment events were correlated with local increases in water temperature that would be associated with EAC ingress. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Borovkov, K & Novikov, A 2007, 'On exit times of Levy-driven Ornstein--Uhlenbeck processes', Statistics and Probability Letters, vol. 78, no. 12, pp. 1517-1525.
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We prove two martingale identities which involve exit times of Levy-drivenOrnstein--Uhlenbeck processes. Using these identities we find an explicitformula for the Laplace transform of the exit time under the assumption thatpositive jumps of the Levy process are exponentially distributed.
Bosman, M, Keast, VJ, Watanabe, M, Maaroof, AI & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Mapping surface plasmons at the nanometre scale with an electron beam', NANOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 18, no. 16, pp. 1-5.
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The optical response from metal nanoparticles and nanostructures is dominated by surface plasmon generation and is critically dependent on the local structure and geometry. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), combined with recent developments in spectrum imaging and data processing, has been used to observe the energy and distribution of surface plasmons excited by fast electrons. The energy of the plasmon responses is consistent with the optical response and with calculations. For gold and silver rods and ellipsoids, longitudinal, transverse and distinct cluster modes were readily identified and mapped. The spatial resolution of the presented maps is one order of magnitude better than that achievable with scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM)-based techniques. © IOP Publishing Ltd.
Botten, LC, Asatryan, AA, Nicorovici, NA, McPhedran, RC & de Sterke, CM 2007, 'Generalisation of the transfer matrix formulation of the theory of electron and photon conductance', PHYSICA B-CONDENSED MATTER, vol. 394, no. 2, pp. 320-324.
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The usual technique for calculating the mesoscopic conductance of materials is based on Pichard's transfer matrix method [J.L. Pichard, Thesis, University of Paris, Orsay, 1984]. The essential ideas of the theory of conductance for electronic systems also extend to electromagnetic systems such as waveguides and photonic devices. In the standard formulation of Pichard's treatment, there is an explicit assumption that thenumber of channels (or 'leads) in the input and output media is identical. In this paper, we extend the theory to handle the general situation when the input and output media may support different numbers of (propagating) channels, as is needed to study the photon conductance of semi-infinite waveguides. We show that the pivotal conclusions of Pichard's original derivation,including the existence of the key polar decomposition ofthe transfer matrix, continue to hold even though the premise on thwihc the original formulation was based (i.e. that the matrices involved are square and invertible) no longer hold. We also demonstrate this generalisation by calculating the conductance ladder for a photonic crystal waveguide terminated in free space.
Britton, WJ, Fernando, SL, Saunders, BM, Sluyter, R & Wiley, JS 2007, 'The genetic control of susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.', Novartis Found Symp, vol. 281, pp. 79-89.
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Mycobacterium tuberculosis is one of the most successful human pathogens, surviv ing in latent foci of infection in one third of humanity, yet causing lung necrosis in sufficient individuals to ensure its transmission. Each stage of the host response to M. tuberculosis is under genetic control, including the initial encounter with mycobacteria by macrophages, epithelial cells and dendritic cells in the lung, induction of the inductive T cell response, and killing by activated macrophages within granulomas. Although environmental factors are important determinants of progression to disease, there is a genetic component underlying susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB), the basis of which may vary in different populations. Recent studies using a variety of methods have defined a number of susceptibility alleles for the development of active TB. Many of these influence macrophage responses to mycobacteria. We have studied the influence of loss of function polymorphisms in the human P2X7 gene on the capacity of macrophages to kill M. tuberculosis. Activation of the P2X7 receptor, an ATP-gated Ca2+ channel, leads to the formation of pores, the activation of phospholipase D, and the induction of apoptosis with death of the infecting mycobacteria. Macrophages from subjects who are heterozygote, homozygote or compound heterozygote for these polymorphisms fail to undergo apoptosis and show partial or complete inhibition of mycobacterial killing. One of these non-functioning polymorphisms was significantly associated with increased susceptibility to TB disease, particularly extrapulmonary disease, in two unrelated cohorts of TB patients. Insights into the genetic regulation of susceptibility to human TB may identify novel methods for controlling latent M. tuberculosis and reducing the burden of tuberculosis.
Brooks, SJ, Gale, PA & Light, ME 2007, 'Extending the Hydrogen-bonding Array in ortho-Phenylenediamine Based Bis-ureas', Supramolecular Chemistry, vol. 19, no. 1-2, pp. 9-15.
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Brooks, SJ, García‐Garrido, SE, Light, ME, Cole, PA & Gale, PA 2007, 'Conformational Control of Selectivity and Stability in Hybrid Amide/Urea Macrocycles', Chemistry – A European Journal, vol. 13, no. 12, pp. 3320-3329.
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AbstractThe anion‐binding properties of two similar hybrid amide/urea macrocycles containing either a 2,6‐dicarboxamidophenyl or a 2,6‐dicarboxamidopyridine group are compared. Significant differences in anion affinity and mode of interaction with anions are attributed to the presence of intramolecular hydrogen bonds in the pyridine system. In fact, remarkably, the phenyl macrocycle undergoes amide hydrolysis under neutral conditions in DMSO/water. The anion binding abilities of the receptors are compared to those of acyclic analogues of the macrocycles that show that the phenyl receptor behaves in a similar fashion to acyclic urea‐containing receptors (i.e., showing little selectivity amongst oxo anions), whilst the pyridine‐containing receptor shows a high affinity and selectivity for carboxylates.
Brown, BE, Rashid, I, van Reyk, DM & Davies, MJ 2007, 'Glycation of low-density lipoprotein results in the time-dependent accumulation of cholesteryl esters and apolipoprotein B-100 protein in primary human monocyte-derived macrophages', FEBS JOURNAL, vol. 274, no. 6, pp. 1530-1541.
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Nonenzymatic covalent binding (glycation) of reactive aldehydes (from glucose or metabolic processes) to low-density lipoproteins has been previously shown to result in lipid accumulation in a murine macrophage cell line. The formation of such lipid-laden cells is a hallmark of atherosclerosis. In this study, we characterize lipid accumulation in primary human monocyte-derived macrophages, which are cells of immediate relevance to human atherosclerosis, on exposure to low-density lipoprotein glycated using methylglyoxal or glycolaldehyde. The time course of cellular uptake of low-density lipoprotein-derived lipids and protein has been characterized, together with the subsequent turnover of the modified apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB) protein. Cholesterol and cholesteryl ester accumulation occurs within 24 h of exposure to glycated low-density lipoprotein, and increases in a time-dependent manner. Higher cellular cholesteryl ester levels were detected with glycolaldehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein than with methylglyoxal-modified low-density lipoprotein. Uptake was significantly decreased by fucoidin (an inhibitor of scavenger receptor SR-A) and a mAb to CD36.
Bruti-Liberati, N & Platen, E 2007, 'Strong approximations of stochastic differential equations with jumps', JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED MATHEMATICS, vol. 205, no. 2, pp. 982-1001.
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This paper is a survey of strong discrete time approximations of jump-diffusion processes described by stochastic differential equations (SDEs). It also presents new results on strong discrete time approximations for the specific case of pure jump SDEs. Strong approximations based on jump-adapted time discretizations, which produce no discretization error in the case of pure jump processes, are analyzed. The computational complexity of these approximations is proportional to the jump intensity. By exploiting a stochastic expansion for pure jump processes, higher order discrete time approximations, whose computational complexity is not dependent on the jump intensity, are proposed. For the specific case of pure jump SDEs, the strong order of convergence of strong Taylor schemes is established under weaker conditions than those currently known in the literature. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Buckley, BW, Leslie, LM, Leplastrier, M & Qi, L 2007, 'The active tropical cyclone season of 2005–2006 over Northwest Australia: Operational model performance and high resolution case studies', Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics, vol. 97, no. 1-4, pp. 69-91.
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Buckley, BW, Leslie, LM, Sullivan, W, Leplastrier, M & Qi, L 2007, 'A rare East Indian Ocean autumn season tropical cut-off low: impacts and a high-resolution modelling study', Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics, vol. 96, no. 1-2, pp. 61-84.
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Byrt, CS, Platten, JD, Spielmeyer, W, James, RA, Lagudah, ES, Dennis, ES, Tester, M & Munns, R 2007, 'HKT1;5-like cation transporters linked to Na+ exclusion loci in wheat, Nax2 and Kna1', PLANT PHYSIOLOGY, vol. 143, no. 4, pp. 1918-1928.
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Byrt, CS, Platten, JD, Spielmeyer, W, James, RA, Lagudah, ES, Dennis, ES, Tester, M & Munns, R 2007, 'HKT1;5-Like Cation Transporters Linked to Na+ Exclusion Loci in Wheat, Nax2 and Kna1', Plant Physiology, vol. 143, no. 4, pp. 1918-1928.
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Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) has a greater ability to exclude Na+ from its leaves and is more salt tolerant than durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum [Desf.]). A novel durum wheat, Line 149, was found to contain a major gene for Na+ exclusio
Cafe, PF, Larsen, AG, Yang, W, Bilic, A, Blake, IM, Crossley, MJ, Zhang, J, Wackerbarth, H, Ulstrup, J & Reimers, JR 2007, 'Chemisorbed and physisorbed structures for 1,10-phenanthroline and dipyrido[3,2-a : 2 ',3 '-c]phenazine on au(111)', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 111, no. 46, pp. 17285-17296.
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Cai, Z-L & Reimers, JR 2007, 'The lowest singlet (n,pi*) and (pi,pi*) excited states of the hydrogen-bonded complex between water and pyrazine', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A, vol. 111, no. 5, pp. 954-962.
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Cai, Z-L, Lopez, P, Reimers, JR, Cui, Q & Elstner, M 2007, 'Application of the computationally efficient self-consistent-charge density-functional tight-binding method to magnesium-containing molecules', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A, vol. 111, no. 26, pp. 5743-5750.
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Campbell, S, Botten, LC, De Sterke, CM & McPhedran, RC 2007, 'Fresnel formulation for multi-element lamellar diffraction gratings in conical mountings', WAVES IN RANDOM AND COMPLEX MEDIA, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 455-475.
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A formulation of the modal method for multi-element dielectric lamellar diffraction gratings is presented. It combines the conventional semi-analytic Kronig-Penny formulation with a Fresnel scattering matrix approach to the solution of the diffraction problem. The theory is intuitive, applicable to complex geometries, and provides insight into diffraction grating physics. With the Fresnel matrix extensions the method potentially has greater generality than other formulations, and is applicable to non-trivial waveguide problems, such as characterizing the coupling between 1D photonic crystal waveguides. A numerically stable way of using the modal method for multilayer stacks of lamellar gratings is described.
Carpenter, RJ, Jordan, GJ, Leigh, A & Brodribb, TJ 2007, 'Giant cuticular pores in Eidothea zoexylocarya (Proteaceae) leaves', American Journal of Botany, vol. 94, no. 8, pp. 1282-1288.
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Ubiquitous, large diameter pores have not previously been adequately demonstrated to occur in leaf cuticles. Here we show conclusively that such structures occur in Eidothea zoexylocarya, a rainforest tree species of Proteaceae restricted to the Australian Wet Tropics. The pores are abundant, large‐diameter apertures (∼1 μm), that extend perpendicularly most of the way through the cuticle from the inside. They occur on both sides of the leaf, but are absent from the cuticle associated with stomatal complexes on the abaxial side. No such pores were found in any other species, including the only other species of Eidothea, E. hardeniana from New South Wales, and other species that have previously been purported to possess cuticular pores. To determine whether these pores made the cuticles more leaky to water vapor, we measured astomatous cuticular conductances to water vapor for E. zoexylocarya and seven other Proteaceae species of the Wet Tropics. Cuticular conductance for E. zoexylocarya was relatively low, indicating that the prominent pores do not increase conductance. The function of the pores is currently obscure, but the presence of both pores and an adaxial hypodermis in E. zoexylocarya but not E. hardeniana suggests evolution in response to greater environmental stresses in the tropics.
Carroll, RJ & Maity, A 2007, 'Comments on: Nonparametric inference with generalized likelihood ratio tests', TEST, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 456-458.
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Carroll, RJ & Ruppert, D 2007, 'Comment on article by Dominici et al.', Bayesian Analysis, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 37-42.
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Carroll, RJ & Ruppert, D 2007, 'Discussion: Conditional growth charts', Annals of Statistics, vol. 34, no. 5, pp. 2098-2104.
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Discussion of Conditional growth charts [math.ST/0702634]
Celedon, JC, Milton, DK, Ramsey, CD, Litonjua, AA, Ryan, L, Platts-Mills, TAE & Gold, DR 2007, 'Exposure to dust mite allergen and endotoxin in early life and asthma and atopy in childhood', JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, vol. 120, no. 1, pp. 144-149.
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Background: There has been no longitudinal study of the relation between concurrent exposure to dust mite allergen and endotoxin in early life and asthma and atopy at school age. Objectives: To examine the relation between exposure to dust mite allergen and endotoxin at age 2 to 3 months and asthma, wheeze, and atopy in high-risk children. Methods: Birth cohort study of 440 children with parental history of atopy in the Boston metropolitan area. Results: In multivariate analyses, early exposure to high levels of dust mite allergen (≥10 μg/g) was associated with increased risks of asthma at age 7 years (odds ratio [OR], 3.0; 95% CI, 1.1-7.9) and late-onset wheeze (OR, 5.0; 95% CI, 1.5-16.4). Exposure to endotoxin levels above the lowest quartile at age 2 to 3 months was associated with reduced odds of atopy at school age (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.2-0.9). In contrast with its inverse association with atopy, endotoxin exposure in early life was associated with an increased risk of any wheeze between ages 1 and 7 years that did not change significantly with time (hazard ratio for each quartile increment in endotoxin levels, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.07-1.43). Conclusion: Among children at risk of atopy, early exposure to high levels of dust mite allergen is associated with increased risks of asthma and late-onset wheeze. In these children, endotoxin exposure is associated with a reduced risk of atopy but an increased risk of wheeze. Clinical implications: Early endotoxin exposure may be a protective factor against atopy but a risk factor for wheeze in high-risk children. © 2007 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Chalasani, R, Poole-Warren, L, Conway, RM & Ben-Nissan, B 2007, 'Porous orbital implants in enucleation: A systematic review', SURVEY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY, vol. 52, no. 2, pp. 145-155.
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Orbital implants have been used for cosmesis following surgical removal of the eyeball, or enucleation, for over a century. Implant design has progressed significantly in recent years with the use of porous devices, with the theoretical advantages of red
Chan, CX, Beiko, RG, Darling, AE & Ragan, MA 2007, 'Protein domains as units of genetic transfer'.
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Genomes evolve as modules. In prokaryotes (and some eukaryotes), geneticmaterial can be transferred between species and integrated into the genome viahomologous or illegitimate recombination. There is little reason to imaginethat the units of transfer correspond to entire genes; however, such units havenot been rigorously characterized. We examined fragmentary genetic transfers insingle-copy gene families from 144 prokaryotic genomes and found thatbreakpoints are located significantly closer to the boundaries of genomicregions that encode annotated structural domains of proteins than expected bychance, particularly when recombining sequences are more divergent. Thiscorrelation results from recombination events themselves and not fromdifferential nucleotide substitution. We report the first systematic studyrelating genetic recombination to structural features at the protein level.
Chase, J, Donaldson, L, Duflou, J & Gorrie, C 2007, 'Safety restraint injuries in fatal motor vehicle collisions', Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 258-263.
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The presence of an apparent seat belt mark (SBM) on a car crash occupant is often used as evidence for use of a seat belt at the time of the crash and, conversely, the lack of a SBM is used as an indication that no seat belt was used. This study examined whether there are clear indications of seat belt use to be found at autopsy and evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of apparent SBM and whether the use of a seat belt and seating location affects the type and severity of injuries sustained. Information on the type of injuries sustained and seatbelt use was retrieved from autopsy reports and police reports, respectively, for cases of fatal motor vehicle collisions occurring in Sydney, Australia over a 5-year period. In this study, a SBM was only found on restrained occupants. The proportion of restrained occupants with evidence of a SBM was 36% (sensitivity), whilst unrestrained occupants showed no evidence of a SBM (100% specificity). A SBM was also found to reliably reflect the seating position of the occupant. We conclude that restrained occupants can be expected to show evidence of the seat belt in just over one third of cases and that the absence of a SBM is not necessarily an indication that no seat belt was used. Spurious SBM is very unlikely to be present if the occupant was unrestrained. © 2007 Humana Press Inc.
Chen, H & Morris, MJ 2007, 'Maternal smoking—A contributor to the obesity epidemic?', Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 155-163.
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The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide, and the rising number of obese children and adolescents is of particular concern. In humans, smoking is a predisposing factor for abdominal obesity, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Maternal smoking is associated with preterm birth and low birth weight. On the other hand, the incidence of obesity is higher in children and adults born of smoking mothers. Disorders in eating behaviour, reduced physical activity, and increased risk of hypertension and nicotine addiction have been observed in the offspring of smoking mothers. Evidence from animal and human studies suggests that intrauterine smoke exposure may alter peripheral and central mediators involved in the regulation of appetite and energy metabolism. Smoking cessation during pregnancy is desirable to improve health outcomes in offspring. Crown Copyright © 2007.
Chen, H, Hansen, MJ, Jones, JE, Vlahos, R, Anderson, GP & Morris, MJ 2007, 'Detrimental metabolic effects of combining long-term cigarette smoke exposure and high-fat diet in mice', American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, vol. 293, no. 6, pp. E1564-E1571.
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Obesity and cigarette smoking are both important risk factors for insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Smoking reduces appetite, which makes many people reluctant to quit. Few studies have documented the metabolic impact of combined smoke exposure (se) and high-fat-diet (HFD). Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a powerful hypothalamic feeding stimulator that promotes obesity. We investigated how chronic se affects caloric intake, adiposity, plasma hormones, inflammatory mediators, and hypothalamic NPY peptide in animals fed a palatable HFD. Balb/c mice (5 wk old, male) were exposed to smoke (2 cigarettes, twice/day, 6 days/wk, for 7 wk) with or without HFD. Sham-exposed mice were handled similarly without se. Plasma leptin, hypothalamic NPY, and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) mRNA were measured. HFD induced a 2.3-fold increase in caloric intake, increased adiposity, and glucose in both sham and se cohorts. Smoke exposure decreased caloric intake by 23%, with reduced body weight in both dietary groups. Fat mass and glucose were reduced only by se in the chow-fed animals. ATGL mRNA was reduced by HFD in se animals. Total hypothalamic NPY was reduced by HFD, but only in sham-exposed animals; se increased arcuate NPY. We conclude that although se ameliorated hyperphagia and reversed the weight gain associated with HFD, it failed to reverse fat accumulation and hyperglycemia. The reduced ATGL mRNA expression induced by combined HFD and se may contribute to fat retention. Our data support a powerful health message that smoking in the presence of an unhealthy Western diet increases metabolic disorders and fat accumulation.
Chen, H, Hansen, MJ, Jones, JE, Vlahos, R, Bozinovski, S, Anderson, GP & Morris, MJ 2007, 'Regulation of hypothalamic NPY by diet and smoking', Peptides, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 384-389.
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Appetite is regulated by a number of hypothalamic neuropeptides including neuropeptide Y (NPY), a powerful feeding stimulator that responds to feeding status, and drugs such as nicotine and cannabis. There is debate regarding the extent of the influence of obesity on hypothalamic NPY. We measured hypothalamic NPY in male Sprague-Dawley rats after short or long term exposure to cafeteria-style high fat diet (32% energy as fat) or laboratory chow (12% fat). Caloric intake and body weight were increased in the high fat diet group, and brown fat and white fat masses were significantly increased after 2 weeks. Hypothalamic NPY concentration was only significantly decreased after long term consumption of the high fat diet. Nicotine decreases food intake and body weight, with conflicting effects on hypothalamic NPY reported. Body weight, plasma hormones and brain NPY were investigated in male Balb/c mice exposed to cigarette smoke for 4 days, 4 and 12 weeks. Food intake was significantly decreased by smoke exposure (2.32 ± 0.03 g/24 h versus 2.71 ± 0.04 g/24 h in control mice (non-smoke exposed) at 12 weeks). Relative to control mice, smoke exposure led to greater weight loss, while pair-feeding the equivalent amount of chow caused an intermediate weight loss. Chronic smoke exposure, but not pair-feeding, was associated with decreased hypothalamic NPY concentration, suggesting an inhibitory effect of cigarette smoking on brain NPY levels. Thus, consumption of a high fat diet and smoke exposure reprogram hypothalamic NPY. Reduced NPY may contribute to the anorexic effect of smoke exposure. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Chen, ZJ, Scheffler, BE & Dennis, E 2007, 'Toward Sequencing cotton (Gossypium) Genomes', PLANT PHYSIOLOGY, vol. 145, no. 4, pp. 1303-1310.
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Cheng, YY, Yu, J, Wong, YP, Man, EPS, To, KF, Jin, VX, Li, J, Tao, Q, Sung, JJY, Chan, FKL & Leung, WK 2007, 'Frequent epigenetic inactivation of secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) by promoter methylation in human gastric cancer', British Journal of Cancer, vol. 97, no. 7, pp. 895-901.
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CHIARELLA, CARL, SKLIBOSIOS, CHRISTINANIKITOPOULOS & SCHLÖGL, ERIK 2007, 'A MARKOVIAN DEFAULTABLE TERM STRUCTURE MODEL WITH STATE DEPENDENT VOLATILITIES', International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Finance, vol. 10, no. 01, pp. 155-202.
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The defaultable forward rate is modelled as a jump diffusion process within the Schönbucher [26,27] general Heath, Jarrow and Morton [20] framework where jumps in the defaultable term structure fd(t,T) cause jumps and defaults to the defaultable bond prices Pd(t,T). Within this framework, we investigate an appropriate forward rate volatility structure that results in Markovian defaultable spot rate dynamics. In particular, we consider state dependent Wiener volatility functions and time dependent Poisson volatility functions. The corresponding term structures of interest rates are expressed as finite dimensional affine realizations in terms of benchmark defaultable forward rates. In addition, we extend this model to incorporate stochastic spreads by allowing jump intensities to follow a square-root diffusion process. In that case the dynamics become non-Markovian and to restore path independence we propose either an approximate Markovian scheme or, alternatively, constant Poisson volatility functions. We also conduct some numerical simulations to gauge the effect of the stochastic intensity and the distributional implications of various volatility specifications.
Chivers, WJ, Herbert, RD & Gladstone, W 2007, 'Within-generational and diversitydependent effects in an individual-based model of predator-prey interaction', NATURAL RESOURCE MODELING, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 405-413.
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In this paper we report the use of an individual-based model of predator-prey interaction to explore the effects of within generational and `between generational updating of a system level variable. We also report the importance of diversity within the simulated populations. Our findings support those of Grimm and Uchmánski [1994] in regard to the importance of the timing of system level variables, and support Grimm and Uchmañski and others in regard to the importance of the level of diversity across the population. The significance of these findings is emphasized by the fundamental differences between our model and that of Grimm and Uchmánski in regard to the assumptions made about resource flow in the system.
Choi, AH & Ben-Nissan, B 2007, 'Sol-Gel Production of Bioactive Nanocoatings for Medical Applications. Part II: Current Research and Development', Nanomedicine, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 51-61.
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Over the years, the use of hydroxyapatite as coatings for medical devices and drug-delivery systems has gone through a revolution – from being a rarity to being an absolute necessity. Without these coatings, many medical implants and devices would never reach their true potential in their intended applications, such as in the dental and orthopedic fields. Coatings of hydroxyapatite are often applied to metallic implants to alter their surface properties. The aim of this article is to present an evaluation of the published work regarding current research and applications and to review the methods used for the production of hydroxyapatite nanocoatings.
Choi, MJ, Smoother, T, Martin, AA, McDonagh, AM, Maynard, PJ, Lennard, C & Roux, C 2007, 'Fluorescent TiO2 powders prepared using a new perylene diimide dye: Applications in latent fingermark detection', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 173, no. 2-3, pp. 154-160.
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A new, highly fluorescent dye was synthesised using oleylamine combined with a perylene dianhydride compound. The new dye was characterised by 1H NMR, UV-vis spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy as well as quantum yield. The dye was absorbed onto titanium dioxide nanoparticles for use as a fingerprint detection powder. The new fluorescent powder was applied to latent fingermarks deposited onto different non-porous surfaces and compared with commercial fluorescent powders. The powder exhibits strong fluorescence at 650-700 nm under excitation at 505 nm. On glass surfaces, the new powder gave images showing tertiary-level detail of the fingermark ridges with almost no background development. Compared with current magnetic fluorescent powders, the new powder was slightly weaker in fluorescence intensity but produced significantly less background development, resulting in good contrast between the fingermark and the substrate. © 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Chowdhury, H & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Thermal stresses and cracking in absorptive solar glazing', CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 464-468.
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The emerging popularity of absorptive, as opposed to reflective, solar glazing coatings on windows has generated renewed interest in thermally induced cracking of glass structures. Here we analyse the stresses on glass coated with absorptive solar glazin
CHRISTENSEN, MM & PLATEN, E 2007, 'SHARPE RATIO MAXIMIZATION AND EXPECTED UTILITY WHEN ASSET PRICES HAVE JUMPS', International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Finance, vol. 10, no. 08, pp. 1339-1364.
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We analyze portfolio strategies which are locally optimal, meaning that they maximize the Sharpe ratio in a general continuous time jump-diffusion framework. These portfolios are characterized explicitly and compared to utility based strategies. We show that in the presence of jumps, maximizing the Sharpe ratio is generally inconsistent with maximizing expected utility, in the sense that a utility maximizing individual will not choose a strategy which has a maximal Sharpe ratio. This result will hold unless markets are incomplete or jump risk has no risk premium. In case of an incomplete market we show that the optimal portfolio of a utility maximizing individual may 'accidentally' have maximal Sharpe ratio. Furthermore, if there is no risk premium for jump risk, a utility maximizing investor may select a portfolio having a maximal Sharpe ratio, if jump risk can be hedged away. We note that uncritical use of the Sharpe ratio as a performance measure in a world where asset prices exhibit jumps may lead to unreasonable investments with positive probability of ruin.
Christian, K, Webb, JK, Schultz, T & Green, B 2007, 'Effects of seasonal variation in prey abundance on field metabolism, water flux, and activity of a tropical ambush foraging snake', PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ZOOLOGY, vol. 80, no. 5, pp. 522-533.
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The responses of animals to seasonal food shortages can have important consequences for population dynamics and the structure and function of food webs. We investigated how an ambush foraging snake, the northern death adder Acanthophis praelongus, respon
Claeskens, G & Carroll, RJ 2007, 'An asymptotic theory for model selection inference in general semiparametric problems', Biometrika, vol. 94, no. 2, pp. 249-265.
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Clark, DE, Ryan, LM & Lucas, FL 2007, 'A multi-state piecewise exponential model of hospital outcomes after injury', JOURNAL OF APPLIED STATISTICS, vol. 34, no. 10, pp. 1225-1239.
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To allow more accurate prediction of hospital length of stay (LOS) after serious injury or illness, a multi-state model is proposed, in which transitions from the hospitalized state to three possible outcome states (home, long-term care, or death) are assumed to follow constant rates for each of a limited number of time periods. This results in a piecewise exponential (PWE) model for each outcome. Transition rates may be affected by time-varying covariates, which can be estimated from a reference database using standard statistical software and Poisson regression. A PWE model combining the three outcomes allows prediction of LOS. Records of 259,941 injured patients from the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample were used to create such a multi-state PWE model with four time periods. Hospital mortality and LOS for patient subgroups were calculated from this model, and time-varying covariate effects were estimated. Early mortality was increased by anatomic injury severity or penetrating mechanism, but these effects diminished with time; age and male sex remained strong predictors of mortality in all time periods. Rates of discharge home decreased steadily with time, while rates of transfer to long-term care peaked at five days. Predicted and observed LOS and mortality were similar for multiple subgroups. Conceptual background and methods of calculation are discussed and demonstrated. Multi-state PWE models may be useful to describe hospital outcomes, especially when many patients are not discharged home.
Cleary, S, Elder, M, Rechnitzer, A & Taback, J 2007, 'Random subgroups of Thompson's group $F$', Groups Geom. Dyn. 4 (2010), no. 1, 91-126, vol. 4, pp. 91-126.
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We consider random subgroups of Thompson's group $F$ with respect to twonatural stratifications of the set of all $k$ generator subgroups. We find thatthe isomorphism classes of subgroups which occur with positive density are notthe same for the two stratifications. We give the first known examples of {\em persistent} subgroups, whoseisomorphism classes occur with positive density within the set of $k$-generatorsubgroups, for all sufficiently large $k$. Additionally, Thompson's groupprovides the first example of a group without a generic isomorphism class ofsubgroup. Elements of $F$ are represented uniquely by reduced pairs of finiterooted binary trees. We compute the asymptotic growth rate and a generating function for thenumber of reduced pairs of trees, which we show is D-finite and not algebraic.We then use the asymptotic growth to prove our density results.
Cole, JN, Aquilina, JA, Hains, PG, Henningham, A, Sriprakash, KS, Caparon, MG, Nizet, V, Kotb, M, Cordwell, SJ, Djordjevic, SP & Walker, MJ 2007, 'Role of group A Streptococcus HtrA in the maturation of SpeB protease', PROTEOMICS, vol. 7, no. 24, pp. 4488-4498.
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AbstractThe serine protease high‐temperature requirement A (HtrA) (DegP) of the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus; GAS) is localized to the ExPortal secretory microdomain and is reportedly essential for the maturation of cysteine protease streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B (SpeB). Here, we utilize HSC5 (M5 serotype) and the in‐frame isogenic mutant HSC5ΔhtrA to determine whether HtrA contributes to the maturation of other GAS virulence determinants. Mutanolysin cell wall extracts and secreted proteins were arrayed by 2‐DE and identified by MALDI‐TOF PMF analysis. HSC5ΔhtrA had elevated levels of cell wall‐associated M protein, whilst the supernatant had higher concentrations of M protein fragments and a reduced amount of mature SpeB protease, compared to wild‐type (WT). Western blot analysis and protease assays revealed a delay in the maturation of SpeB in the HSC5ΔhtrA supernatant. HtrA was unable to directly process SpeB zymogen (proSpeB) to the active form in vitro. We therefore conclude that HtrA plays an indirect role in the maturation of cysteine protease SpeB.
Collier, CJ, Lavery, PS, Masini, RJ & Ralph, PJ 2007, 'Morphological, growth and meadow characteristics of the seagrass Posidonia sinuosa along a depth-related gradient of light availability', MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES, vol. 337, pp. 103-115.
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Morphological and growth characteristics of the meadow-forming seagrass Posidonia sinuosa (Cambridge et Kuo), were measured along a depth-related gradient of light to infer its response to long-term differences in light availability. Morphometric measurements were carried out at 6 depths between 1.6 and 9.0 m in summer and winter at Cockburn Sound and summer only at Warnbro Sound in south-western Australia. The minimum light requirement for P. sinuosa of 8.5 % sub-surface light was among the lower range reported for seagrasses. Its slow growth rate (0.5-1.5 mgdry shoot-1 d -1), relative to similarly sized species, may contribute to the low light requirements of this species. Shoot density, leaf area index and biomass showed pronounced and consistent differences among depths (up to 88-fold reduction of above-ground biomass from shallow to deep sites). At the deeper sites, the reduced shoot density probably reduces respiratory demand and alleviates self-shading. Morphological differences (leaf length, width and thickness and number of leaves per shoot) did not follow a clear and consistent trend with depth. Despite a 70 % reduction in light availability at the canopy level between the shallowest and deepest sites, leaf growth rate was unaffected by depth during summer, and in winter differed between only a few depths. We propose that the reduction in shoot density partially alleviates the effects of self-shading and permits comparable leaf growth rates across the depth range. These results suggest that for interpreting long-term responses to light availability, shoot density is the most sensitive of the morphological characteristics measured here. © Inter-Research 2007.
Colwell, D, El-Hassan, N & Kwon, O 2007, 'Hedging Diffusion Processes by Local Risk Minimization with Applications to Index Tracking', Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, vol. 31, no. 7, pp. 2135-2151.
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This paper extends the local risk-minimization criterion for hedging contingent claims, as introduced in F?er and Sondermann [Hedging of non-redundant contingent claims. In: Hildenbrand, W., Mas-Colell, A. (Eds.), Contributions to Mathematical Economics. Elsevier Science, North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp. 205?223], F?er and Schweizer [Hedging of contigent claims under incomplete information. In: Davis, M., Elliot, R. (Eds.), Applied Stochastic Analysis, Stochastic Monographs, vol. 5, Gordon and Breach, London/New York, pp. 389?414] and Schweizer [Option hedging for semimartingales. Stochastic Processes and their Applications 37, 339?363], to the hedging of entire stochastic processes, and determines the necessary and sufficient conditions under which this is possible. The results are then applied to the problem of stock index tracking to obtain simple criteria for selecting the optimal set of assets with which to form tracker portfolios, and to derive a value-at-risk type measure for the set of assets used.
Cortie, M & Ford, M 2007, 'A plasmon-induced current loop in gold semi-shells', NANOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 18, no. 23, pp. 1-6.
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We perform a computational investigation of the optical properties of nanoscale gold 'semi-shells' and show how additional plasmon resonances develop as the shape is successively mutated from 'nanoshell' to 'nano-cup', 'half-shell' and finally to 'nano-cap'. The effects of aspect ratio, surface roughness and cut-off height are explored. Of special interest is a new longitudinal resonance that generates an electric current loop. We predict that this will induce an orthogonal magnetic component that will sum with the magnetic component of incident light at certain orientations. Exploitation of this phenomenon in an ordered array of semi-shells may produce anomalous optical effects due to an altered magnetic permeability. © IOP Publishing Ltd.
Cortie, MB, Dowd, A, Harris, N & Ford, MJ 2007, 'Core-shell nanoparticles with self-regulating plasmonic functionality', PHYSICAL REVIEW B, vol. 75, no. 11.
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Cortie, MB, Harris, N & Ford, M 2007, 'Plasmonic heating and its possible exploitation in nanolithography', PHYSICA B-CONDENSED MATTER, vol. 394, no. 2, pp. 188-192.
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Gold nanoparticles manifest one or more plasmon resonances, resulting in enhanced absorption and scattering of light at the resonant frequencies. The absorbed light is converted to heat. Here we analyze how the resulting localized heat generation might be exploited to generate nanoscale polymer arteifacts. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Cortie, MB, Maaroof, AI, Stokes, N & Mortari, A 2007, 'Mesoporous gold sponge', AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY, vol. 60, no. 7, pp. 524-527.
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Mesoporous gold sponge may be prepared by the removal of aluminium from AuAl2 by an alkaline leach. The resulting material has nanosclae pores and channels, with a high specific surface area that can be exploited in electrochemical applications. For example, the material may serve as the basis of a more sensitive capacitive sensor or biosensor, as an electrode material for a high efficiency ultracapacitor as the semi-transparent current collector in a dye sensitized photovoltaic cell, or as the lithium storage electrode in a lithium ion cell. The properties of the sponge may be controlled by varying its density, pore suze distribution fctors which are in turn controlled by the microstructure of the precursor compound and the conditions of deposition.
Craddock, M & Lennox, KA 2007, 'Lie group symmetries as integral transforms of fundamental solutions', Journal of Differential Equations, vol. 232, no. 2, pp. 652-674.
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We obtain fundamental solutions for PDEs of the form u(t) = sigma x(gamma)u(xx) + f(x)u(x) - mu x(r)u by showing that if the symmetry group of the PDE is nontrivial, it contains a standard integral transform of the fundamental solution. We show that in this case the problem of finding a fundamental solution can be reduced to inverting a Laplace rtansform or some other classical transform.
Curiel, D, Ohkubo, K, Reimers, JR, Fukuzumi, S & Crossley, MJ 2007, 'Photoinduced electron transfer in a beta,beta '-pyrrolic fused ferrocene-(zinc porphyrin)-fullerene', PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS, vol. 9, no. 38, pp. 5260-5266.
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Dang, L, Seale, JP & Qu, X 2007, 'Effects of Hypocrellin A on Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Endothelin-1 in Human Umbilical Endothelial Cells', The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, vol. 35, no. 04, pp. 713-723.
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Increased endothelin-1 (ET-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and activation of protein kinase C (PKC) are co-contributors to endothelial hyperpermeability in diabetes. Several lines of evidence have suggested a hypothesis that activation of specific PKC isoforms are the causative factor in ET-1 and VEGF mediated endothelial dysfunction. In the present study, we tested this hypothesis with hypocrellin A, a naturally occurring PKC inhibitor from a Chinese plant. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were incubated with 20 mM glucose in both the presence and absence of hypocrellin A, after which, the protein expression and release of VEGF and mRNA expression and release of ET-1 were measured. VEGF and ET-1 were released into the medium and expressions of VEGF protein and ET-1 mRNA were significantly increased in HUVECs incubated with 20 mM glucose. Hypocrellin A (150 nM) significantly decreased VEGF release (117 ± 3 vs. 180 ± 11 pg/mg, p < 0.05) and VEGF protein expression (from 130 ± 14% to 88 ± 18.5%, p < 0.05). ET-1 release was also reduced in hypocrellin A treated HUVECs (63.3 ± 9.9 vs. 75.2 ± 12.6 ng/mg). Hypocrellin A significantly reversed the effect of high glucose on ET-1 mRNA expression ( p < 0.05). The results revealed that PKC activation plays a pivotal role in VEGF and ET-1 mediated endothelial permeability. The naturally occurring compound hypocrellin A may be a potentially novel treatment for endothelial dysfunction in diabetes.
Darling, AE, Treangen, TJ, Messeguer, X & Perna, NT 2007, 'Analyzing Patterns of Microbial Evolution Using the Mauve Genome Alignment System', Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), vol. 396, pp. 135-152.
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During the course of evolution, genomes can undergo large-scale mutation events such as rearrangement and lateral transfer. Such mutations can result in significant variations in gene order and gene content among otherwise closely related organisms. The Mauve genome alignment system can successfully identify such rearrangement and lateral transfer events in comparisons of multiple microbial genomes even under high levels of recombination. This chapter outlines the main features of Mauve and provides examples that describe how to use Mauve to conduct a rigorous multiple genome comparison and study evolutionary patterns.
Darling, AE, Treangen, TJ, Messeguer, X & Perna, NT 2007, 'Analyzing Patterns of Microbial Evolution Using the Mauve Genome Alignment System', Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 396, pp. 135-152.
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During the course of evolution, genomes can undergo large-scale mutation events such as rearrangement and lateral transfer. Such mutations can result in significant variations in gene order and gene content among otherwise closely related organisms. The Mauve genome alignment system can successfully identify such rearrangement and lateral transfer events in comparisons of multiple microbial genomes even under high levels of recombination. This chapter outlines the main features of Mauve and provides examples that describe how to use Mauve to conduct a rigorous multiple genome comparison and study evolutionary patterns. © Humana Press Inc.
Dastoor, PC, McNeill, CR, Frohne, H, Foster, CJ, Dean, B, Fell, CJ, Belcher, WJ, Canipbell, WM, Officer, DL, Blake, IM, Thordarson, P, Crossley, MJ, Hush, NS & Reimers, JR 2007, 'Understanding and improving solid-state Polymer/C-60-fullerene bulk-heterojunction solar cells using ternary porphyrin blends', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 111, no. 42, pp. 15415-15426.
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Davila, YC & Wardle, GM 2007, 'Bee boys and fly girls: Do pollinators prefer male or female umbels in protandrous parsnip, Trachymene incisa (Apiaceae)?', AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, vol. 32, no. 7, pp. 798-807.
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de Sterke, CM, Walker, J, Dossou, KB & Botten, LC 2007, 'Efficient slow light coupling into photonic crystals', OPTICS EXPRESS, vol. 15, no. 17, pp. 10984-10990.
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We study light coupling between two photonic crystal waveguides, one of which supports slow light. We show theoretically that a short photonic crystal waveguide between the two that need to be coupled, can lead to a vanishingly small reflectivity. The design relies on the analogy with a λ/4 anti-reflection layer in thin-film optics. We find that some of the usual relationships between the Fresnel coefficients at an interface no longer hold. © 2007 Optical Society of America.
Dennis, ES & Peacock, WJ 2007, 'Epigenetic regulation of flowering', CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY, vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 520-527.
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Dilda, PJ & Hogg, PJ 2007, 'Arsenical-based cancer drugs', Cancer Treatment Reviews, vol. 33, no. 6, pp. 542-564.
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Dison, W, Elder, M, Riley, T & Young, R 2007, 'The Dehn function of Stallings' group', Geometric and Functional Analysis, 19(2), pages 406-422, 2009, vol. 19, pp. 406-422.
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We prove that the Dehn function of a group of Stallings that is finitelypresented but not of type F_3 is quadratic. To appear in Geometric andFunctional Analysis.
Dixon, S, Brown, RCD & Gale, PA 2007, 'A biaryl cross-coupling strategy for functionalisation of benzocrown ethers', Chemical Communications, no. 34, pp. 3565-3565.
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Djordjevic, SP, Unicomb, LE, Adamson, PJ, Mickan, L & Rios, R 2007, 'Clonal Complexes of Campylobacter jejuni Identified by Multilocus Sequence Typing Are Reliably Predicted by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analyses of the flaA Gene', Journal of Clinical Microbiology, vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 102-108.
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ABSTRACT Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) has provided important new insights into the population structure of Campylobacter jejuni and is rapidly becoming the gold standard for typing this species. However, the methodology is comparatively costly and slow to perform for the routine surveillance testing of large numbers of isolates required by public health laboratories. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the flaA gene (RFLP- flaA ) and sequencing of the variable region in the fla locus (SVR- fla ) were compared to MLST to determine if a low cost alternative could be found that reliably predicts clonal lineage (as determined by MLST). An isolate of C. jejuni from each of 153 patients from New South Wales, Australia, collected sequentially over a period of 30 months from 1999 to 2001 and comprising 40 sequence types (ST) from 15 clonal complexes (CC) was examined. Of 15 CC, 12 were represented by more than one isolate and a predominant RFLP- flaA type was found for 10 (83%). Of these, seven (70%) correctly predicted the predominant MLST CC with a probability of >0.8. Of 40 STs detected, 19 were reported for the first time, 9 of which were represented by more than one isolate. Eight of these were represented by a single RFLP- flaA type. Only two of eight major SVR- fla types were able to predict CC with a probability of >0.8, indicating that flaA -RFLP is a more reliable pred...
Doblin, MA, Coyne, KJ, Rinta-Kanto, JM, Wilhelm, SW & Dobbs, FC 2007, 'Dynamics and short-term survival of toxic cyanobacteria species in ballast water from NOBOB vessels transiting the Great Lakes - implications for HAB invasions', HARMFUL ALGAE, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 519-530.
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We measured the presence, viability and potential toxicity of cyanobacteria in ships' ballast tanks during three domestic voyages through the North American Great Lakes. Using molecular methods, the toxin-producing forms of Microcystis and Anabaena were monitored in ballast water after ships' ballast tanks were filled at their first port of call, and at subsequent ports as ships transited the Great Lakes. Microcystis weas detected in ballast water at intermidiate and final ports of call in all three experiemnts, but the presence of Anabaena was more variable, suggesting low abundance or patchy distribution in ballast tanks. Both species were detected in ballast water up to 11 days old. Detection of the mucrocystin synthetase gene, mcyE, in ballst tanks indicated entrained cells were capable of producing mycrocystin, and further analyses of RNA indicated the toxin was being expressed by Microcystis, even after 11 days in dark transit. These data demonstrate within-basin transport and delivery of planktonic harmful algal bllom (HAB) species to distant ports in the world's largest freshwater resevoir, with potential implications for drinking water quality. These implications are discussed with respect to management of microbial invasions and the fate of introduced phytoplankton in their receiving environment.
Dooley, AH & Mortiss, G 2007, 'The critical dimensions of Hamachi shifts', TOHOKU MATHEMATICAL JOURNAL, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 57-66.
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Dooley, AH & Raffoul, RW 2007, 'Matrix coefficients and coadjoint orbits of compact Lie groups', PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY, vol. 135, no. 8, pp. 2567-2571.
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Dossou, KB, Botten, LC, Wilcox, S, McPhedran, RC, de Sterke, CM, Nicorovici, NA & Asatryan, AA 2007, 'Exact modelling of generalised defect modes in photonic crystal structures', PHYSICA B-CONDENSED MATTER, vol. 394, no. 2, pp. 330-334.
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An exact theory for modelling modes of generalised defects in 2D photonic crystals (PCs) with a genuinely infinite cladding is presented. The approach builds on our fictitious source superposition method for simple defects and permits an elegant extension allowing the modelling of arbitrary defects. Numerical results that demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the extended method are presented. We also use the method to study the evolution of the mode generated by varying the refractive index of a single defect cylynder and find significant differences between the behaviour of defects in rod-type and hole-type PCs.
Dossou, KB, McPhedran, RC, Botten, LC, Asatryan, AA & de Sterke, CM 2007, 'Gap-edge asymptotics of defect modes in two-dimensional photonic crystals', OPTICS EXPRESS, vol. 15, no. 8, pp. 4753-4762.
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We consider defect modes created in complete gaps of 2D photonic crystals by perturbing the dielectric constant in some region. We study their evolution from a band edge with increasing perturbation using an asymptotic method that approximates the Green function by its dominant component which is associated with the bulk mode at the band edge. From this, we derive a simple exponential law which links the frequency difference between the defect mode and the band edge to the relative change in the electric energy. We present numerical results which demonstrate the accuracy of the exponential law, for TE and TM polarizations, hexagonal and square arrays, and in each of the first and second band gaps. © 2007 Optical Society of America.
Drake, LA, Doblin, MA & Dobbs, FC 2007, 'Potential microbial bioinvasions via ships' ballast water, sediment, and biofilm', MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN, vol. 55, no. 7-9, pp. 333-341.
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A prominent vector of aquatic invasive species to coastal regions is the discharge of water, sediments and biofilm from ships' ballast-water tanks. During eight years of studying ships arriving to the lower Chesapeake Bay, we developed an undertsnading of th mechanisms by which invasive microorganisms might arrive to the region via ships. Within a given ship, habitats included ballast water, unpumpable water and sediment (collectively known as residuals) and biofilms formed on internal surfaces of ballast-water tanks. We sampled 69 vessels arriving from foreign and domestic ports, largely from Western Europe and Mediterranean region and the US East and Gulf coasts. All habitats contained bacteria and viruses. By extrapolating the measured concentration of a microbial metric to the estimated volume of ballast water, biofilm or residual sediment and water within an average vessel, we calculated the potential total number of microorganisms contained by each habitat, thus creating a hierarchy of risk of delivery. The estimated concentration of microorganisms was greatest in ballast water >> sediment and water residuals >> biofilms. From these results, it is clear microorganisms may be transported within ships ina varierty of ways. Using temperature tolerence as a measure of survivability and the temperature difference between ballst-water samples and the water into which the ballast water was discharged, we estimated 56% of microorganisms could survive in the lower Bay. Extrapolated delivery and survival of microorganisms to thePort of Hampton Roads in lower Chesapeake Bay shows on the order of 10 20 microorganisms are discharged annually into the region.
Duke, NC, Meynecke, J-O, Dittmann, S, Ellison, AM, Anger, K, Berger, U, Cannicci, S, Diele, K, Ewel, KC, Field, CD, Koedam, N, Lee, SY, Marchand, C, Nordhaus, I & Dahdouh-Guebas, F 2007, 'A World Without Mangroves?', Science, vol. 317, no. 5834, pp. 41-42.
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At a meeting of world mangrove experts held last year in Australia, it was unanimously agreed that we face the prospect of a world deprived of the services offered by mangrove ecosystems, perhaps within the next 100 years. Mangrove forests once covered more than 200,000 km2 of sheltered tropical and subtropical coastlines (1). They are disappearing worldwide by 1 to 2% per year, a rate greater than or equal to declines in adjacent coral reefs or tropical rainforests (2-5). Losses are occurring in almost every country that has mangroves, and rates continue to rise more rapidly in developing countries, where >90% of the world's mangroves are located. The veracity and detail of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization data (2) on which these observations are based may be arguable, but mangrove losses during the last quarter century range consistently between 35 and 86%. As mangrove areas are becoming smaller or fragmented, their long-term survival is at great risk, and essential ecosystem services may be lost.
Earnest, A, Morgan, G, Mengersen, K, Ryan, L, Summerhayes, R & Beard, J 2007, 'Evaluating the effect of neighbourhood weight matrices on smoothing properties of Conditional Autoregressive (CAR) models', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH GEOGRAPHICS, vol. 6, no. 54.
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Earp, A, Smith, G & Franklin, J 2007, 'Simplified BRDF of a non-lambertian diffuse surface', LIGHTING RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 265-281.
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For real diffuse surfaces, the bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is non-Lambertian, and may require a more complex model in ray tracing simulations. The BRDF of a diffuse white surface is studied at multiple angles of incidence, and an additional reflectance component is observed, which becomes more specular as the angle of incidence increases. For angles of incidence >85°, the BRDF may be regarded as specular. In this article, a two-part model is proposed in which the BRDF of a diffuse surface consists of a Lambertian diffuse component and a Lorentzian pseudo-specular component - both of which vary with angle of incidence. This model may be used to reduce computation times for ray tracing simulations, as an alternative to large three-dimensional BRDF datasets. © The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers 2007.
Fatima Shad, K & Saeed, SA 2007, 'The metabolism of serotonin in neuronal cells in culture and platelets', Experimental Brain Research, vol. 183, no. 3, pp. 411-416.
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The aim of this study is to find a relationship between serotonin (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindol acetic acid (5-HIAA) in hippocampus, frontal neocortex and platelets. Serotonin and 5-HIAA were measured in cultured neurons and compared with those produced by human platelets. The cortical neuronal 5-HIAA/serotonin ratio was 4.7 and for hippocampal neurons it was 3.2. In human platelets, this ratio was 1.35 suggesting that the highest serotonin metabolism occurs in the frontal neocortex followed by the hippocampus and platelets. In the presence of 0.3 M of p-chlorophenylalanine both cultured neurons and platelets exhibited an approximately 50% decrease in serotonin and 5-HIAA concentration suggesting similarities in the metabolic profile in both preparations. In addition, we found that serotonin by itself does not play any role in platelet aggregation but potentates this phenomenon in the presence of calcium ionophore A23187. This synergistic interaction between serotonin (2–5 M) and A23187 (0.5–2 M) was inhibited by serotonin receptor blockers [methysergide (IC50 = 18 M) and cyproheptadine (IC50, 20 M)] and calcium channel blockers (verapamil and diltiazem, IC50 = 20 and 40 M, respectively) that indicate both mechanisms are receptor mediated. Similarly, U73122, an inhibitor of phospholipase C (PLC), blocked the synergistic effect of serotonin and ionophore at an IC50 value of 9.2 M. Wortmannin, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-K) inhibitor, also blocked the response (IC50 = 2.6 M) by inhibiting respiratory burst. However, neither genistein, a tyrosine-speciWc protein kinase inhibitor, nor chelerythrine, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, affected aggregation. Our results are strongly suggestive of a synergistic interaction between serotonin type-2 and Ca-ionophore via a PLC/Ca signalling pathway.
Fernando, SL, Saunders, BM, Sluyter, R, Skarratt, KK, Goldberg, H, Marks, GB, Wiley, JS & Britton, WJ 2007, 'A Polymorphism in the P2X7Gene Increases Susceptibility to Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis', American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, vol. 175, no. 4, pp. 360-366.
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Ferreira, NC, Ferreira, LG, Huete, AR & Ferreira, ME 2007, 'An operational deforestation mapping system using MODIS data and spatial context analysis', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING, vol. 28, no. 1-2, pp. 47-62.
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The Brazilian Amazon has the world's highest absolute rate of forest loss, currently averaging nearly 2 million hectares per year. In this study, we present a near-real-time automated deforestation mapping system for the Brazilian Amazon based on the analysis of spatial context information and MODIS Vegetation Index products and implemented on an ArcGIS 9.0 platform. This system, already validated and operational, was developed as part of the 'Integrated Warning Deforestation System for the Amazon' (SIAD), an initiative of the Brazilian government within the scope of the Amazon Protection System (SIPAM), which also comprises: (1) a spatial information module, aimed at the assessment of the causes and impacts of the deforested areas; (2) a prediction module, indicative of deforestation trends; and (3) a data and information gateway based on map server technology.
Fierro, AO, Leslie, L, Mansell, E, Straka, J, MacGorman, D & Ziegler, C 2007, 'A high-resolution simulation of microphysics and electrification in an idealized hurricane-like vortex', Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics, vol. 98, no. 1-2, pp. 13-33.
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Cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning bursts in the eyewall of mature tropical cyclones (TCs) are believed to be good indicators of imminent intensification of these systems. While numerous well-documented observational cases exist in the literature, no modeling studies of the electrification processes within TCs have previously been conducted. At present, little is known about the evolution of charge regions and lightning activity in mature TCs. Towards this goal, a numerical cloud model featuring a 12-class bulk microphysics scheme with electrification and lightning processes is utilized to investigate the evolution of the microphysics fields and subsequent electrical activity in an idealized hurricane-like vortex. Preliminary results show that the highest total lightning flash rates (CG plus intracloud) are primarily found within the eyewall where updraft speeds tend to be larger than elsewhere in the TC, though rarely exceeding 10 m s-1. Smaller total flash rates are also found within the strongest cells forming the outer bands, where updraft speeds sometimes reach 15 m s-1. As expected, these two regions of the storm are generally characterized by moderate total graupel mixing ratio (≥0.5 g kg-1) and moderate cloud water content (≥0.2 g m-3). When the model uses the Saunders and Peck non-inductive (NI) charging scheme and moderate inductive charging settings, the inner eyewall region exhibits a complex charge structure. However, the charge regions involved in lightning can be described as a normal tripole charge structure in the eyewall, while a normal dipole is observed in the outer eyewall stratiform region and in the strongest cells forming the outer rainbands. The charges forming the normal dipole in the outer eyewall are generated within the eyewall via NI charging in the mixed-phase region at mid-levels (near the -10°C isotherm) and later, are ejected radially outward by the storm's intense circulation. © Springer-Verlag 2007.
Finnegan, EJ & Dennis, ES 2007, 'Vernal ization-induced trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 at FLC is not maintainedin mitotically quiescent cells', CURRENT BIOLOGY, vol. 17, no. 22, pp. 1978-1983.
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Vernalization promotes flowering in Arabidopsis through epigenetic repression of the floral repressor, FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) [1-3]. Vernalization, like other polycomb-mediated repression events [4], occurs in two stages; FLCrepression is established at
Finnegan, EJ, Bond, DM, Sheldon, CC, Helliwell, CA, Peacock, WJ & Dennis, ES 2007, 'Epigenetic basis of responses to the environment - insights from flowering plants', EARLY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, vol. 83, pp. S31-S31.
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Fisher, MG, Gale, PA & Light, ME 2007, 'A simple benzimidazole-based receptor for barbiturate and urea neutral guests that functions in polar solvent mixtures', New Journal of Chemistry, vol. 31, no. 9, pp. 1583-1583.
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Ford, MJ, de Bas, BS & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Stability of the tetrahedral motif for small gold clusters in the size range 16-24 atoms', MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING B-SOLID STATE MATERIALS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, vol. 140, no. 3, pp. 177-181.
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A 20-atom tetrahedral cluster of gold atoms is known to be anomalously stable, relative to more disordered structures. Here, we systematically investigate the nature of this stability and the extent to which it also applies to clusters derived from the tetrahedron by adding or removing Au atoms. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Fotedar, R, Stark, D, Beebe, N, Marriott, D, Ellis, J & Harkness, J 2007, 'Laboratory diagnostic techniques for Entamoeba species', CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 511-532.
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The genus Entamoeba contains many species, six of which (Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar, Entamoeba moshkovskii, Entamoeba polecki, Entamoeba coli and Entamoeba hartmanni) reside in the human intestinal lumen. Entmoeba histolytica is the onl species definitely associated with pathological sequelae in humnas; the others are considered non-pathogenic (31,57). Although recent studies highlight the recovery of E. dispar and E. moshkovskii from patients with gastrointestinal symptoms (52, 73, 130, 189, 201), there is sitll no definitive evidence of a causa link between the presence of these two species and the symptoms of the host.
Fotedar, R, Stark, D, Beebe, N, Marriott, D, Ellis, J & Harkness, J 2007, 'PCR detection of Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar, and Entamoeba moshkovskii in stool samples from Sydney, Australia', JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 1035-1037.
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This study investigated the presence of Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar, and Entamoeba moshkovskii in stool samples from a patient population in Sydney, Australia. Stool samples were tested by microscopy and PCR. Five patients were found with E. histolytica infections, while E. dispar and E. moshkovskii were observed in 63 (70.8%) and 55 (61.8%) patients, respectively, by PCR. This is the first study in Australia using molecular techniques to determine the presence of E. histolytica, E. dispar, and E. moshkovskii. Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Frols, S, Gordon, PMK, Panlilio, MA, Duggin, IG, Bell, SD, Sensen, CW & Schleper, C 2007, 'Response of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus to UV damage', JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY, vol. 189, no. 23, pp. 8708-8718.
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In order to characterize the genome-wide transcriptional response of the hyperthermophilic, aerobic crenarchaeote Sulfolobus solfataricus to UV damage, we used high-density DNA microarrays which covered 3,368 genetic features encoded on the host genome, as well as the genes of several extrachromosomal genetic elements. While no significant up-regulation of genes potentially involved in direct DNA damage reversal was observed, a specific transcriptional UV response involving 55 genes could be dissected. Although flow cytometry showed only modest perturbation of the cell cycle, strong modulation of the transcript levels of the Cdc6 replication initiator genes was observed. Up-regulation of an operon encoding Mre11 and Rad50 homologs pointed to induction of recombinational repair. Consistent with this, DNA double-strand breaks were observed between 2 and 8 h after UV treatment, possibly resulting from replication fork collapse at damaged DNA sites. The strong transcriptional induction of genes which potentially encode functions for pilus formation suggested that conjugational activity might lead to enhanced exchange of genetic material. In support of this, a statistical microscopic analysis demonstrated that large cell aggregates formed upon UV exposure. Together, this provided supporting evidence to a link between recombinational repair and conjugation events. Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Fu, D, van Dam, EM, Brymora, A, Duggin, IG, Robinson, PJ & Roufogalis, BD 2007, 'The small GTPases Rab5 and Ra1A regulate intracellular traffic of P-glycoprotein', BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH, vol. 1773, no. 7, pp. 1062-1072.
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P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a plasma membrane glycoprotein that can cause multidrug resistance (MDR) of cancer cells by acting as an ATP-dependent drug efflux pump. The regulatory effects of the small GTPases Rab5 and RalA on the intracellular trafficking of P-gp were investigated in HeLa cells. As expected, overexpressed enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-tagged P-gp (P-gp-EGFP) is mainly localised to the plasma membrane. However, upon cotransfection of either dominant negative Rab5 (Rab5-S34N) or constitutively active RalA (RalA-G23V) the intracellular P-gp-EGFP levels increased approximately 9 and 13 fold, respectively, compared to control P-gp-EGFP cells. These results suggest that Rab5 and RalA regulate P-gp trafficking between the plasma membrane and an intracellular compartment. In contrast, coexpression of constitutively active Rab5 (Rab5-Q79L) or dominant negative RalA (RalA-S28N) had no effect on the localisation of P-gp-EGFP. Furthermore, the intracellular accumulation of daunorubicin, a substrate for P-gp, increased significantly with an increased intracellular localisation of P-gp-EGFP. These results imply that it may be possible to overcome MDR by controlling the plasma membrane localisation of P-gp.
Fu, L, Jain, A, Cranfield, C, Xie, H & Gu, M 2007, 'Three-dimensional nonlinear optical endoscopy', JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL OPTICS, vol. 12, no. 4.
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Gagliardi, A, Solomon, GC, Pecchia, A, Frauenheim, T, Di Carlo, A, Hush, NS & Reimers, JR 2007, 'A priori method for propensity rules for inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy of single-molecule conduction', PHYSICAL REVIEW B, vol. 75, no. 17.
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Gale, PA 2007, 'Supramolecular chemistry anniversary', Chemical Society Reviews, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 141-141.
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Gale, PA, Garric, J, Light, ME, McNally, BA & Smith, BD 2007, 'Conformational control of HCl co-transporter: imidazole functionalised isophthalamide vs. 2,6-dicarboxamidopyridine', Chemical Communications, no. 17, pp. 1736-1736.
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Ganderton, T, Berndt, MC, Chesterman, CN & Hogg, PJ 2007, 'Hypothesis for control of von Willebrand factor multimer size by intra‐molecular thiol‐disulphide exchange', Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 204-206.
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Ganguli, B & Wand, MP 2007, 'Feature significance in generalized additive models', Statistics and Computing, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 179-192.
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This paper develops inference for the significance of features such as peaks and valleys observed in additive modeling through an extension of the SiZer-type methodology of Chaudhuri and Marron (1999) and Godtliebsen et al. (2002, 2004) to the case where the outcome is discrete. We consider the problem of determining the significance of features such as peaks or valleys in observed covariate effects both for the case of additive modeling where the main predictor of interest is univariate as well as the problem of studying the significance of features such as peaks, inclines, ridges and valleys when the main predictor of interest is geographical location. We work with low rank radial spline smoothers to allow to the handling of sparse designs and large sample sizes. Reducing the problem to a Generalised Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) framework enables derivation of simulation-based critical value approximations and guards against the problem of multiple inferences over a range of predictor values. Such a reduction also allows for easy adjustment for confounders including those which have an unknown or complex effect on the outcome. A simulation study indicates that our method has satisfactory power. Finally, we illustrate our methodology on several data sets. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007.
Gentle, A, Maaroof, AI & Smith, GB 2007, 'Nanograin VO2 in the metal phase: a plasmonic system with falling dc resistivity as temperature rises', NANOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 025202-25209.
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Thin films of vanadium dioxide with grain size smaller than 60nm have a metallic phase with excellent plasmonic response,but their dc resistivity falls as temperature rises to values above the metal-insulator transition. At the transition optical switching is complete, but the switch in dc resistance is incomplete. In the metallic phase nanograin and large grain samples have similar values of both plasma frequency and relaxation rate. However, plasmonic response in nanograins is stronger due to the absence of a low energy interband transition foun din large grain fims. Conductivity rises with thermal activation energy of 108 meV, which is well below that in rthe semiconductor phase. Possible mechanisms for non-metal' like dc behaviour in this plasmonic system are briefly discussed. They include fluctuations which are coherent in nanograins but incoherent for larger grains. Nanoscale systems seem preferable for optical switching applications and large grain structures for dc switching work.
GERELTUYA, A, FALKINGHAM, J & BROWN, J 2007, 'DETERMINANTS OF CURRENT CONTRACEPTIVE USE AND METHOD CHOICE IN MONGOLIA', Journal of Biosocial Science, vol. 39, no. 6, pp. 801-817.
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SummaryThis study examines the determinants of current contraceptive use and method choice in Mongolia using data from the 1998 Mongolian Reproductive Health Survey and 2000 Mongolian Population and Housing Census. Since 1976, access to modern contraceptives has been liberalized and all restrictions on the use, distribution and import of contraceptives were removed in 1989. There were some increases in the use of modern contraceptives among married women in the 1990s; however, at the start of the twenty-first century the IUD and periodic abstinence remain the most widely used methods. Women with higher levels of education are more likely to be current users of contraception, and if they are current users, they are more likely to choose the IUD and traditional methods. Women living in rural areas have a higher probability of using contraception and are more likely to choose the IUD and traditional methods. Significant variations exist between primary sampling units in current contraceptive use and in the choice of modern methods. Community-level variables were important predictors in reducing variation between primary sampling unit, when other modern methods were compared with traditional methods.
Ghiggino, KP, Hutchison, JA, Langford, SJ, Latter, MJ, Lee, MAP, Lowenstern, PR, Scholes, C, Takezaki, M & Wilman, BE 2007, 'Porphyrin‐Based Molecular Rotors as Fluorescent Probes of Nanoscale Environments', Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 805-813.
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AbstractThe synthesis, characterization, and photophysical properties of a series of supramolecular triads consisting of a tin(IV) porphyrin with axial ligands of ortho‐, meta‐, and para‐hydroxyphenyl naphthalenediimides are presented. For the meta‐ and para‐hydroxyphenyl derivatives, efficient and solvent‐viscosity‐dependent quenching of porphyrin fluorescence is observed. Experimental and theoretical studies demonstrate that, in these compounds, photoinduced electron transfer from the phenolate to the porphyrin is modulated by large amplitude rotational motions of the naphthalenediimide. These compounds are novel examples of fluorescent molecular rotors, and their potential use as environmental probes of local viscosity and temperature are discussed.
Gibbs, MJ, Wayper, P, Fourment, MLA, Wood, JT, Ohshima, K, Armstrong, JS & Gibbs, AJ 2007, 'The variable codons of H3 influenza A virus haemagglutinin genes', Archives of Virology, vol. 152, no. 1, pp. 11-24.
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Gilman, E, Kobayashi, D, Swenarton, T, Brothers, N, Dalzell, P & Kinan-Kelly, I 2007, 'Reducing sea turtle interactions in the Hawaii-based longline swordfish fishery', BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION, vol. 139, no. 1-2, pp. 19-28.
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The reduction of sea turtle mortality in fisheries may contribute to recovering populations. To reduce turtle interactions, regulations for the Hawaii-based longline swordfish fishery required vessels to switch from using a J-shaped hook with squid bait
Gladstone, W 2007, 'Requirements for marine protected areas to conserve the biodiversity of rocky reeffishes', AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 71-87.
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This study describes spatial patterns in the biodiversity (species, assemblages) of rocky reef fishes at a spatial scale relevant to management, and compared the outcomes for this biodiversity from alternative procedures for selecting marine protected areas (MPAs) and from the selection of MPAs for fisheries-related objectives. 2. The study area included 104 species in two assemblage types; 36 species and 14 species occurred only in one or two locations respectively. 3. MPAs selected by hotspot richness, greedy richness complementarity, and summed irreplaceability included similar percentages of species and signi?cantly more species than randomly selected MPAs. A combined species-assemblage selection ensured representation of assemblage diversity. Representation of all species and assemblage types required 92% of locations. 4. MPAs chosen using density of all fishes or density of exploitable ?shes as selection criteria included fewer species (than MPAs selected using species identity) and the percentage of species accumulated did not di?er from a random selection. 5. Use of an established MPA as the seed for an expanded network was inefficient, leading to additional locations being required and an accumulation of species that did not di?er from a random selection. 6. The smallest MPA network that fulfilled multiple management objectives (representation of assemblage diversity and majority of species, population viability, support for fisheries, connectivity) required 30% of the surveyed locations
Gladstone, W 2007, 'Selection of a spawning aggregation site by Chromis hypsilepis (Pisces : Pomacentridae): habitat structure, transport potential, and food availability', MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES, vol. 351, pp. 235-247.
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Spawning aggregations form when fishes migrate to a site from their normal feeding grounds and form temporary groupings for breeding. Spawning aggregation sites are spatially rare, and demonstrating differences between a spawning aggregation site and unselected sites nearby is the first step towards understanding the benefits provided by the aggregation site. Chromis hypsilepis (Pomacentridae) is a demersally spawning reef fish, one population of which reproduces in a large, single aggregation at a rocky reef off the central coast of New South Wales, Australia. This study compared the habitat structure (rugosity, reef slope, substratum particle size, and abundance of preferred spawning microhabitat) of the spawning aggregation site and several non-spawning sites, and tested the hypotheses that the spawning aggregation site provided greater off-reef larval transport and prey availability for brooding males. Substratum rugosity was significantly greater and the preferred spawning microhabitat was significantly more abundant at the spawning aggregation site. Reef relief and substratum particle size were not significantly different from non-spawning sites. Passively drifting surface current drogues released at the spawning aggregation site were more rapidly transported off the reef, but did not travel further or faster, than drogues released at a non-spawning site over a 12 h period. Biomass of the preferred prey (copepods of 0.441 to 1.49 mm equivalent spherical diameter) was not significantly greater, but was less variable, at the spawning aggregation site
Gladstone, W 2007, 'Temporal patterns of spawning and hatching in a spawning aggregation of the temperate reef fish Chromis hypsilepis (Pomacentridae)', MARINE BIOLOGY, vol. 151, no. 3, pp. 1143-1152.
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Descriptions of temporal patterns in the reproduction of damselfishes (family Pomacentridae) and adaptive hypotheses for these patterns are derived mostly from studies of coral reef species. It is unclear whether the types of temporal patterns and the explanatory power of the adaptive hypotheses are applicable to damselfishes of temperate rocky reefs. This study tested hypotheses about the existence of lunar spawning cycles, the diel timing of hatching, and the synchronization of temporal patterns in hatching and tides in the schooling planktivorous damselfish Chromis hypsilepis on a rocky reef in New South Wales, Australia. Reproductive behaviour was observed daily for 223 days between August 2004 and March 2005. C. hypsilepis formed large spawning aggregations of 3,575-33,075 individuals. Spawning occurred at a uniform rate throughout the day on a semi-lunar cycle. The greatest number of spawnings occurred 1 day after the new moon and 1 day before the full moon. The cost to males from brood care was an 85% reduction in their feeding rate. The semi-lunar spawning cycle may be an outcome of the use of the lunar cue to synchronize the aggregation for spawning of widely dispersed individuals and the need for males to recuperate after brooding. Eggs hatched 3-7 h after sunset following a 4.5-day incubation period. This study provides no support for hypotheses that link temporal patterns in hatching with particular tidal regimes believed to facilitate early survival of larvae and their dispersal. The result that hatching occurred over the tidal cycle was due to the rapid off-reef dispersal of larvae from the spawning ground at all stages of the tide. C. hypsilepis is similar to other planktivorous damselfishes in its semi-lunar spawning cycle, cost of brood care, and protracted diel spawning regime. It differs in its lengthy period of hatching and its breeding in spawning aggregations, believed to be rare among demersally spawning fishes. © 2006 Springer-Verlag.
Gloag, RS, Ritchie, RJ, Chen, M, Larkum, AWD & Quinnell, RG 2007, 'Chromatic photoacclimation, photosynthetic electron transport and oxygen evolution in the Chlorophyll d-containing oxyphotobacterium Acaryochloris marina', Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics, vol. 1767, no. 2, pp. 127-135.
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Changes in photosynthetic pigment ratios showed that the Chlorophyll d-dominated oxyphotobacterium Acaryochloris marina was able to photoacclimate to different light regimes. Chl d per cell were higher in cultures grown under low irradiance and red or green light compared to those found when grown under high white light, but phycocyanin/Chl d and carotenoid/Chl d indices under the corresponding conditions were lower. Chl a, considered an accessory pigment in this organism, decreased respective to Chl d in low irradiance and low intensity non-white light sources. Blue diode PAM (Pulse Amplitude Modulation) fluorometry was able to be used to measure photosynthesis in Acaryochloris. Light response curves for Acaryochloris were created using both PAM and O2 electrode. A linear relationship was found between electron transport rate (ETR), measured using a PAM fluorometer, and oxygen evolution (net and gross photosynthesis). Gross photosynthesis and ETR were directly proportional to one another. The optimum light for white light (quartz halogen) was about 206 ± 51 μmol m- 2 s- 1 (PAR) (Photosynthetically Active Radiation), whereas for red light (red diodes) the optimum light was lower (109 ± 27 μmol m- 2 s- 1 (PAR)). The maximum mean gross photosynthetic rate of Acaryochloris was 73 ± 7 μmol mg Chl d- 1 h- 1. The gross photosynthesis/respiration ratio (Pg/R) of Acaryochloris under optimum conditions was about 4.02 ± 1.69. The implications of our findings will be discussed in relation to how photosynthesis is regulated in Acaryochloris. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Godlewski, M, Bożek, R, Miasojedovas, S, Juršėnas, S, Kazlauskas, K, Žukauskas, A, Phillips, MR, Czernecki, R, Targowski, G, Perlin, P, Leszczyński, M, Böttcher, T, Figge, S & Hommel, D 2007, 'Micro‐analysis of light emission properties of GaN‐based laser diodes', physica status solidi c, vol. 4, no. 7, pp. 2818-2821.
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AbstractIn‐depth and in‐plane changes of emission intensity from GaN‐based laser diode structures were studied using cathodoluminescence, photoluminescence (PL), micro‐PL and a Kelvin probe (potential fluctuations). We show that even at high excitation density potential fluctuations are not screened in active layers of laser diode structures. Potential fluctuations are enhanced in p‐type doped layers. We also found that dislocations are formed there, which can penetrate to active region of LD devices. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Godlewski, M, Skrobot, M, Guziewicz, E & Phillips, MR 2007, 'Color tuning of white light emission from thin films of ZnSe', JOURNAL OF LUMINESCENCE, vol. 125, no. 1-2, pp. 85-91.
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In this paper we discuss light emission from thin films of ZnSe obtained by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Due to the color mixing of band edge and two deep defect-related emissions of ZnSe, the ALD films emit white light. Tuning of color temperature is demonstrated in cathodoluminescence experiments. We report that chromaticity parameters can be varied by a change of accelerating voltage or excitation density. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Godlewski, M, Yatsunenko, S, Ivanov, VY, Drozdowicz-Tomsia, K, Goldys, EM, Phillips, MR, Klar, PJ & Heimbrodt, W 2007, 'Mechanisms of enhancement of light emission in nanostructures of II-VI compounds doped with manganese', LOW TEMPERATURE PHYSICS, vol. 33, no. 2-3, pp. 192-196.
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Intra-shell transitions of transition metal and rare earth ions are parity forbidden processes. For Mn2+ ions this is also a spin forbidden process, i.e., light emission should be inefficient. Surprisingly, it has been reported that in nanostructures of ZnMnS the T14 to A16 intra-shell transition of Mn2+ results in a bright photoluminescence characterized by a short PL decay time. The model of a quantum confined atom was introduced to explain the observed experimental results. It was later claimed that this model is incorrect. Based on the results of our photoluminescence, photoluminescence kinetics, time-resolved photoluminescence, electron spin resonance, and optically detected magnetic resonance investigations, we confirm photoluminescence enhancement and decrease of photoluminescence lifetime and relate these effects to spin dependent magnetic interactions between localized spins of Mn2+ ions and spins/magnetic moments of free carriers. This mechanism is active in both bulk and in low-dimensional structures, but is significantly enhanced in nanostructure samples. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.
Gorrie, CA, Rodriguez, M, Sachdev, P, Duflou, J & Waite, PME 2007, 'Mild neuritic changes are increased in the brains of fatally injured older motor vehicle drivers', ACCIDENT ANALYSIS AND PREVENTION, vol. 39, no. 6, pp. 1114-1120.
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Given the expected increase in the older population and driving in this age group, concerns have been raised about the safety of older drivers. People over 65 years are over-represented in motor vehicle fatalities when calculated by distance driven. They
Greenlees, MJ, Brown, GP, Webb, JK, Phillips, BL & Shine, R 2007, 'Do invasive cane toads (Chaunus marinus) compete with Australian frogs (Cyclorana australis)?', AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, vol. 32, no. 8, pp. 900-907.
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Despite widespread concern about the ecological impacts of invasive species, mechanisms of impact remain poorly understood. Cane toads (Chaunus [Bufo] marinus) were introduced to Queensland in 1935, and have now spread across much of tropical Australia.
Gueidan, C, Roux, C & Lutzoni, F 2007, 'Using a multigene phylogenetic analysis to assess generic delineation and character evolution in Verrucariaceae (Verrucariales, Ascomycota)', Mycological Research, vol. 111, no. 10, pp. 1145-1168.
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Gunawan, C, Satianegara, G, Chen, AK, Breuer, M, Hauer, B, Rogers, PL & Rosche, B 2007, 'Yeast pyruvate decarboxylases: variation in biocatalytic characteristics for (R)-phenylacetylcarbinol production', FEMS Yeast Research, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 33-39.
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Based on previous studies, Candida utilis pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) proved to be a stable and high productivity enzyme for the production (R)-phenylacetylcarbinol (PAC), a pharmaceutical precursor. However, a portion of the substrate pyruvate was lost to by-product formation. To identify a source of PDC which might overcome this problem, strains of four yeasts - C. utilis, Candida tropicalis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus - were investigated for their PDC biocatalytic properties. Biotransformations were conducted with benzaldehyde and pyruvate as substrates and three experimental systems were employed (in the order of increasing benzaldehyde concentrations): (I) aqueous (soluble benzaldehyde), (II) aqueous/benzaldehyde emulsion, and (III) aqueous/octanol-benzaldehyde emulsion. Although C. utilis PDC resulted in the highest concentrations of PAC and was the most stable enzyme, C. tropicalis PDC was associated with the lowest acetoin formation. For example, in system (III) the ratio of PAC over acetoin was 35 g g-1 for C. tropicalis PDC and 9.2 g g-1 for C. utilis PDC. The study thereby opens up the potential to design a PDC with both high productivity and high yield characteristics. © 2006 Federation of European Microbiological Societies.
Hahn, MA & Marsh, DJ 2007, 'Nucleolar localization of parafibromin is mediated by three nucleolar localization signals', FEBS Letters, vol. 581, no. 26, pp. 5070-5074.
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Parafibromin is a putative tumor suppressor encoded by HRPT2 and implicated in parathyroid tumorigenesis. We previously reported a functional bipartite nuclear localization signal (NLS) at residues 125–139. We now demonstrate that parafibromin exhibits nucleolar localization, mediated by three nucleolar localization signals (NoLS) at resides 76–92, 192–194 and 393–409. These NoLS represent clusters of basic amino acids arginine and lysine, similar to those found in other nucleolar proteins, as well as being characteristic of NLSs. While parafibromin's bipartite NLS is the primary determinant of nuclear localization, it does not mediate nucleolar localization. In contrast, the three identified NoLSs play only a minor role in nuclear localization, but are critical for the nucleolar localization of parafibromin.
Harris, CJ, Murray, BR, Hose, GC & Hamilton, MA 2007, 'Introduction history and invasion success in exotic vines introduced to Australia', DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 467-475.
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The ecological damage caused by invasive vines poses a considerable threat to many natural ecosystems. However, very little data are available for this potentially environmentally destructive functional group in Australia. In order to address this paucity of information, we assembled the first inventory of exotic vines that have become established in natural ecosystems across Australia. The influence that introduction history attributes, variables that relate to the introduction of a species to a new area, may have on the occurrence and distribution of exotic vines was also determined. We asked whether the continent of origin, reason for introduction, and residence time related to the prevalence and distribution of exotic vines across Australia. A total of 179 exotic climbing plant species from 40 different families were found to have become established across continental Australia. However, five families accounted for over 50% of these species. Most exotic vines originated from South America, and were introduced for ornamental purposes. The length of time in which an exotic vine had been present in its new range was significantly related to its distribution, with a positive relationship found between residence time and area of occupancy across the continent. No other introduction history attribute was significantly related to the area of occupancy, or distribution, of a species. This suggests that while the trends found among introduction history attributes are important in explaining the prevalence of exotic vines in Australia, only residence time is currently a useful predictor of their future success. © 2007 The Authors.
Harris, N, Ford, MJ, Cortie, MB & McDonagh, AM 2007, 'Laser-induced assembly of gold nanoparticles into colloidal crystals', NANOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 18, no. 36, pp. 1-4.
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Micron-sized colloidal crystals comprised of gold nanospheres have been synthesized directly from a gold nanoparticle/methyl methacrylate colloid by application of a 514 nm laser at 500 mW. An array of colloidal crystals can be created by translation of the glass substrate under the laser beam, after 2 min of irradiation at each site. We demonstrate through a series of control experiments and calculations that plasmon-induced, localized heating of the gold nanoparticles contributes to the mechanism responsible for the formation of these colloidal crystals. © IOP Publishing Ltd.
Hauser, R, Meeker, JD, Singh, NP, Silva, MJ, Ryan, L, Duty, S & Calafat, AM 2007, 'DNA damage in human sperm is related to urinary levels of phthalate monoester and oxidative metabolites', HUMAN REPRODUCTION, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 688-695.
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BACKGROUND: The ubiquitous use of phthalate esters in plastics, personal care products and food packaging materials results in widespread general population exposure. In this report, we extend our preliminary study on the relationship between urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites and sperm DNA damage among a larger sample of men and include measurements of mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHAIR) and mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), two oxidative metabolites of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). METHODS: Among 379 men from an infertility clinic, urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites were measured using isotope-dilution high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Sperm DNA damage measurements, assessed with the neutral comet assay, included comet extent (CE), percentage of DNA in tail (Tail%) and tail distributed moment (TDM). RESULTS: Monoethyl phthalate (MEP), a metabolite of diethyl phthalate, was associated with increased DNA damage, confirming our previous findings. Mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MERP), a metabolite of DEHP, was associated with DNA damage after adjustment for the oxidative DEHP metabolites. After adjustment for MEHHP, for an interquartile range increase in urinary MEHP, CE increased 17.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 8.7-25.7%], TDM increased 14.3% (95% CI = 6.8-21.7%) and Tail% increased 17.5% (95% CI = 3.5-31.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Sperm DNA damage was associated with MEP and with MEHP after adjusting for DEHP oxidative metabolites, which may serve as phenotypic markers of DEHP metabolism to 'less toxic' metabolites. The urinary levels of phthalate metabolites among these men were similar to those reported for the US general population, suggesting that exposure to some phthalates may affect the population distribution of sperm DNA damage.
Hibbett, DS, Binder, M, Bischoff, JF, Blackwell, M, Cannon, PF, Eriksson, OE, Huhndorf, S, James, T, Kirk, PM, Lücking, R, Thorsten Lumbsch, H, Lutzoni, F, Matheny, PB, McLaughlin, DJ, Powell, MJ, Redhead, S, Schoch, CL, Spatafora, JW, Stalpers, JA, Vilgalys, R, Aime, MC, Aptroot, A, Bauer, R, Begerow, D, Benny, GL, Castlebury, LA, Crous, PW, Dai, Y-C, Gams, W, Geiser, DM, Griffith, GW, Gueidan, C, Hawksworth, DL, Hestmark, G, Hosaka, K, Humber, RA, Hyde, KD, Ironside, JE, Kõljalg, U, Kurtzman, CP, Larsson, K-H, Lichtwardt, R, Longcore, J, Miądlikowska, J, Miller, A, Moncalvo, J-M, Mozley-Standridge, S, Oberwinkler, F, Parmasto, E, Reeb, V, Rogers, JD, Roux, C, Ryvarden, L, Sampaio, JP, Schüßler, A, Sugiyama, J, Thorn, RG, Tibell, L, Untereiner, WA, Walker, C, Wang, Z, Weir, A, Weiss, M, White, MM, Winka, K, Yao, Y-J & Zhang, N 2007, 'A higher-level phylogenetic classification of the Fungi', Mycological Research, vol. 111, no. 5, pp. 509-547.
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Hill, R & Ralph, PJ 2007, 'Post-bleaching viability of expelled zooxanthellae from the scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis', MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES, vol. 352, pp. 137-144.
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Coral bleaching events have been linked to elevated seawater temperatures in combination with intense light and can be characterised by the loss of symbionts (zooxanthellae, genus Symbiodinium) from the host tissue, as well as a reduction in photosynthetic pigments in these zooxanthellae. The long-term (days) viability of expelled zooxanthellae in the water column from the scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis was explored in this study through measurements of photosynthetic health and morphological condition. After initial expulsion, zooxanthellae were found to be photosynthetically competent and structurally intact. However, within 6 to 12 h following this time, photosystem II photochemical efficiency dramatically declined in these cells and photosynthetic damage was gradually manifested in the loss of structural integrity of the cell. The time of expulsion during bleaching exposure, as well as ambient water temperature, greatly influenced survivorship. Expelled zooxanthellae were collected at 4 different time intervals (0-6, 6-12, 12-24 and 24-36 h) following the onset of exposure to bleaching conditions (32°C and 400 μmol photons m-2 s-1) and then maintained at 28, 30 or 32°C and 100 μmol photons m-2 s-1 for up to 96 h. Those cells expelled within the first 6 h of bleaching and held at 28°C (lagoon temperature) had the greatest longevity, although even in this treatment, long-term photosynthetic viability was restricted to 5 d in the water column. This suggests that unless expelled zooxanthellae inhabit other environments of coral reefs (such as sediments) which may be more favourable for survival, their capacity for persistence in the environment is extremely limited. © Inter-Research 2007.
Hoffman, FO, Ruttenber, AJ, Apostoaei, AI, Carroll, RJ & Greenland, S 2007, 'THE HANFORD THYROID DISEASE STUDY: AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW OF THE FINDINGS', Health Physics, vol. 92, no. 2, pp. 99-111.
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Hoft, RC, Armstrong, N, Ford, MJ & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Ab initio and empirical studies on the asymmetry of molecular current-voltage characteristics', JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-CONDENSED MATTER, vol. 19, no. 21, pp. 1-14.
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We perform theoretical calculations of the tunnelling current through various small organic molecules sandwiched between gold electrodes by using both a tunnel barrier model and an ab initio transport code. The height of the tunnelling barrier is taken to be the work function of gold as modified by the adsorbed molecule and calculated from an ab initio electronic structure code. The current-voltage characteristics of these molecules are compared. Asymmetry is introduced into the system in two ways: an asymmetric molecule and a gap between the molecule and the right electrode. The latter is a realistic situation in scanning probe experiments. The asymmetry is also realized in the tunnel barrier model by two distinct work functions on the left and right electrodes. Significant asymmetry is observed in the ab initioi(V) curves. The tunnel barrier i(V) curves show much less pronounced asymmetry. The relative sizes of the currents through the molecules are compared. In addition, the performance of the WKB approximation is compared to the results obtained from the exact Schrödinger solution to the tunnelling barrier problem. © IOP Publishing Ltd.
Hoft, RC, Ford, MJ & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Electron tunneling in the presence of adsorbed molecule', SURFACE SCIENCE, vol. 601, no. 24, pp. 5715-5720.
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We perform ab initio density functional theory calculations of the tunneling current through an electrode-molecule-electrode system with four different small organic molecules, benzenedithiol (BDT), benzenedimethanethiol (XYL), diethynylbenzene (DEB) and dodecanethiol (C12), sandwiched between two gold (1 1 1) electrodes. For the XYL molecule, we test the effect of alternate bonding types and sites. Although this reduces the current considerably, it does not account for the orders of magnitude differences between experimental and theoretical results in the literature. We also model a typical STM experimental setup with a gold nanoparticle absorbed on a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of the molecule with a gap between the nanoparticle and probing tip and show that such a gap could account for these differences. Finally, we describe the effect that the gap has on the ability of STS measurements to distinguish between the i(V) characteristics and thicknesses of self-assembled monolayers of different molecules. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Hoft, RC, Ford, MJ & Cortie, MB 2007, 'The effect of reciprocal-space sampling and basis set quality on the calculated conductance of a molecular junction', MOLECULAR SIMULATION, vol. 33, no. 11, pp. 897-904.
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We perform density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green's function calculations of the conductance of a gold wire and a 1,4-phenylenedimethanethiol (XYL) molecule adsorbed between Au(111) electrodes using the TranSIESTA software package. The effect of varying different computational parameters is investigated. We find that the conductance is more sensitive to the reciprocal-space sampling grid than the quality of the basis set employed. The conductance can vary up to a factor of five as a result of the choice of computational parameters. We report a set of computational parameters that yields a well-converged conductance value.
Hoft, RC, Ford, MJ, McDonagh, AM & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Adsorption of amine compounds on the Au(111) surface: A density functional study', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 111, no. 37, pp. 13886-13891.
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A Density Functional Theory study of the adsorption energetics of various amine compounds on the gold-(111) surface revealed that preferential binding occurs in under-coordinated sites. The largest binding energy is obtained when a gold adatom is placed in the fee position and the amine positioned with the nitrogen above the adatom. The results are compared with previous calculations for thiols, phosphines, and ethynylbenzene molecules to provide a meaningful comparison within a consistent computational framework. The systematic increase in binding energy with methyl group substitution previously observed for phosphine compounds is not observed for the amine analogues. The binding energy of the amines is considerably lower than that for thiols and binding is indicated for only the adatom geometry-a result consistent with experimental data. © 2007 American Chemical Society.
Hoile, R, Walsh, SJ & Roux, C 2007, 'Bioterrorism: Processing Contaminated Evidence, the Effects of Formaldehyde Gas on the Recovery of Latent Fingermarks*', Journal of Forensic Sciences, vol. 52, no. 5, pp. 1097-1102.
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Abstract: In the present age of heightened emphasis on counter terrorism, law enforcement and forensic science are constantly evolving and adapting to the motivations and capabilities of terrorist groups and individuals. The use of biological agents on a population, such as anthrax spores, presents unique challenges to the forensic investigator, and the processing of contaminated evidence. In this research, a number of porous and nonporous items were contaminated with viable anthrax spores and marked with latent fingermarks. The test samples were then subjected to a standard formulation of formaldehyde gas. Latent fingermarks were then recovered postdecontamination using a range of methods. Standard fumigation, while effective at destroying viable spores, contributed to the degradation of amino acids leading to loss of ridge detail. A new protocol for formaldehyde gas decontamination was developed which allows for the destruction of viable spores and the successful recovery of latent marks, all within a rapid response time of less than 1 h.
Horvat, JC, Beagley, KW, Wade, MA, Preston, JA, Hansbro, NG, Hickey, DK, Kaiko, GE, Gibson, PG, Foster, PS & Hansbro, PM 2007, 'Neonatal Chlamydial Infection Induces Mixed T-Cell Responses That Drive Allergic Airway Disease', American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, vol. 176, no. 6, pp. 556-564.
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RATIONALE: Chlamydial lung infection has been associated with asthma in children and adults. However, how chlamydial infection influences the development of immune responses that promote asthma remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of chlamydial infection at various ages on the development of allergic airway disease (AAD). METHODS: Mouse models of chlamydial lung infection and ovalbumin-induced AAD were established in neonatal and adult BALB/c mice. Neonatal or adult mice were given a chlamydial infection and 6 weeks later were sensitized and subsequently challenged with ovalbumin. Features of AAD and inflammation were compared between uninfected or unsensitized controls. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Mild Chlamydia-induced lung disease was observed 10-15 days after infection, as evidenced by increased bacterial numbers and histopathology in the lung and a reduction in weight gain. After 6 weeks, infection and histopathology had resolved and the rate of weight gain had recovered. Neonatal but not adult infection resulted in significant decreases in interleukin-5 production from helper T cells and by the numbers of eosinophils recruited to the lung in response to ovalbumin exposure. Remarkably, the effects of early-life infection were associated with the generation of both type 1 and 2 ovalbumin-specific helper T-cell cytokine and antibody responses. Furthermore, although neonatal infection significantly attenuated eosinophilia, the generation of the mixed T-cell response exacerbated other hallmark features of asthma: mucus hypersecretion and airway hyperresponsiveness. Moreover, infection prolonged the expression of AAD and these effects were restricted to early-life infection. CONCLUSIONS: Early-life chlamydial infection induces a mixed type 1 and 2 T-cell response to antigen, which differentially affects the development of key features of AAD in the adult.
Houseman, EA, Marsit, C, Karagas, M & Ryan, LM 2007, 'Penalized item response theory models: Application to epigenetic alterations in bladder cancer', BIOMETRICS, vol. 63, no. 4, pp. 1269-1277.
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Increasingly used in health-related applications, latent variable models provide an appealing framework for handling high-dimensional exposure and response data. Item response theory (IRT) models, which have gained widespread popularity, were originally developed for use in the context of educational testing, where extremely large sample sizes permitted the estimation of a moderate-to-large number of parameters. In the context of public health applications, smaller sample sizes preclude large parameter spaces. Therefore, we propose a penalized likelihood approach to reduce mean square error and improve numerical stability. We present a continuous family of models, indexed by a tuning parameter, that range between the Rasch model and the IRT model. The tuning parameter is selected by cross validation or approximations such as Akaike Information Criterion. While our approach can be placed easily in a Bayesian context, we find that our frequentist approach is more computationally efficient. We demonstrate our methodology on a study of methylation silencing of gene expression in bladder tumors. We obtain similar results using both frequentist and Bayesian approaches, although the frequentist approach is less computationally demanding. In particular, we find high correlation of methylation silencing among 16 loci in bladder tumors, that methylation is associated with smoking and also with patient survival. © 2007, The International Biometric Society.
Huston, WM, Harhangi, HR, Leech, AP, Butler, CS, Jetten, MSM, Op den Camp, HJM & Moir, JWB 2007, 'Expression and characterisation of a major c-type cytochrome encoded by gene kustc0563 from Kuenenia stuttgartiensis as a recombinant protein in Escherichia coli', Protein Expression and Purification, vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 28-33.
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Huston, WM, Swedberg, JE, Harris, JM, Walsh, TP, Mathews, SA & Timms, P 2007, 'The temperature activated HtrA protease from pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis acts as both a chaperone and protease at 37 °C', FEBS Letters, vol. 581, no. 18, pp. 3382-3386.
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Characterization of the protease, HtrA, from pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis is presented. The purified recombinant protein was a serine endoprotease, specific for unfolded proteins, and temperature activated above 34 °C. Chaperone activity was observed, although this appeared target‐dependent. Inactive protease (S247A) was able to chaperone insulin B‐chain, irrespective of temperature, but at 30 °C only HtrA and not S247A displayed significant chaperone activity for α‐lactalbumin. These data demonstrate that chaperone activity may involve functional protease domain and that C. trachomatis HtrA functions as both a chaperone and protease at 37 °C. These properties are consistent with the developmental cycle of this obligate intracellular bacterium.
Ichii, K, Hashimoto, H, White, MA, Potters, C, Hutyra, LR, Huete, AR, Myneni, RB & Nemanis, RR 2007, 'Constraining rooting depths in tropical rainforests using satellite data and ecosystem modeling for accurate simulation of gross primary production seasonality', GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 67-77.
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Accurate parameterization of rooting depth is difficult but important for capturing the spatio-temporal dynamics of carbon, water and energy cycles in tropical forests. In this study, we adopted a new approach to constrain rooting depth in terrestrial ecosystem models over the Amazon using satellite data [moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) enhanced vegetation index (EVI)] and Biome-BGC terrestrial ecosystem model. We simulated seasonal variations in gross primary production (GPP) using different rooting depths (1, 3, 5, and 10m) at point and spatial scales to investigate how rooting depth affects modeled seasonal GPP variations and to determine which rooting depth simulates GPP consistent with satellite-based observations. First, we confirmed that rooting depth strongly controls modeled GPP seasonal variations and that only deep rooting systems can successfully track flux-based GPP seasonality at the Tapajos km67 flux site. Second, spatial analysis showed that the model can reproduce the seasonal variations in satellite-based EVI seasonality, however, with required rooting depths strongly dependent on precipitation and the dry season length. For example, a shallow rooting depth (1-3m) is sufficient in regions with a short dry season (e.g. 0-2 months), and deeper roots are required in regions with a longer dry season (e.g. 3-5 and 5-10m for the regions with 3-4 and 5-6 months dry season, respectively). Our analysis suggests that setting of proper rooting depths is important to simulating GPP seasonality in tropical forests, and the use of satellite data can help to constrain the spatial variability of rooting depth. © 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Islam, MH, Wuhrer, R, Berkahn, M, Cornell, B, Valenzuela, SM & Martin, DK 2007, 'Nanostructured TiN thin films suitable for medical applications', Materials Forum, vol. 32, pp. 129-136.
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Titanium nitride thin films are widely used in biomedical implants because of their biocompatibility, good mechanical properties and high corrosion resistance. Titanium nitride (TiN) thin films on silicon and glass substrates were prepared using a dc magnetron sputtering system under conditions of systematically varying the nitrogen pressure and titanium magnetron power. The nano-structure and microstructure of the coatings was examined using a scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope. The present studies show that the surface structure, grain size, deposition rate and microhardness of the coatings are strongly dependent on the nitrogen pressure and titanium magnetron power. The grain diameter increased from 35 to 100 nm with the increase in nitrogen partial pressure from 0.4 to 1.0 mTorr. The optimal nitrogen partial pressure found for making gold colour TiN thin films and increased hardness (about 2550 Vickers number) was determined to be between 0.4 - 0.6 mTorr. The grain size was found to decrease from 60 to 28 nm and the microhardness increased from 1600 to 2550 (Vickers number) as the titanium magnetron power increased from 100 to 250 W. © Institute of Materials Engineering Australasia Ltd.
Jahansooz, MR, Yunusa, IAM, Coventry, DR, Palmer, AR & Eamus, D 2007, 'Radiation- and water-use associated with growth and yields of wheat and chickpea in sole and mixed crops', EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 275-282.
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A renewed interest in mixed cropping for its potential to boost yields through increased capture and use of solar radiation and soil-water by the component species. This led to the present study, in which we assessed the performance of wheat and chickpea
Jenkins, C, Geary, SJ, Gladd, M & Djordjevic, SP 2007, 'The Mycoplasma gallisepticum OsmC-like protein MG1142 resides on the cell surface and binds heparin', Microbiology, vol. 153, no. 5, pp. 1455-1463.
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Mycoplasma gallisepticum is an avian pathogen that causes a chronic respiratory disease of chickens and results in significant economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. Colonization of the host and the establishment of chronic disease are initiated by the cytadherence of M. gallisepticum to the host respiratory epithelium. While several proteins involved in cytadhesion have been characterized, molecules that interact with components of the host extracellular matrix, a process that is central to pathogenesis, are only now being identified. In this study, M. gallisepticum whole cells were shown to bind heparin in a specific and saturable manner. Heparin also significantly inhibited the binding of M. gallisepticum to the human lung fibroblast cell line MRC-5, suggesting a potential role for glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in cytadherence. M. gallisepticum protein MG1142 (encoded by mga_1142), which displays homology to the osmotically induced (OsmC) family of proteins, binds strongly to heparin, is highly expressed during in vitro culture, and is surface accessible. Recombinant MG1142 bound heparin in a dose-dependent and saturable manner with a dissociation constant (Kd) of 10±1.8 nM, which is within a physiologically significant range, compared to that of other heparin-binding proteins. Binding to heparin was inhibited by the heavily sulfated polysaccharide fucoidan, but not by mucin or chondroitin sulfate A or B, suggesting that electrostatic interactions between the sulfate groups of heparin and the positively charged basic residues of the MG1142 protein are important in binding. The ability of M. gallisepticum to bind GAGs may contribute to host adherence and colonization.
Jin, D, Connally, R & Piper, J 2007, 'Practical time‐gated luminescence flow cytometry. I: Concepts', Cytometry Part A, vol. 71A, no. 10, pp. 783-796.
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AbstractThe method of time‐gated detection of long‐lifetime (1–2,000 μs) luminescence‐labeled microorganisms following rapid excitation pulses has proved highly efficient in suppressing nontarget autofluorescence (<0.1 μs), scatterings, and other prompt stray light (Hemmila and Mukkala, Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2001;38:441–519). The application of such techniques to flow cytometry is highly attractive but there are significant challenges in implementing pulsed operation mode to rapid continuous flowing sample to achieve high cell analysis rates (Leif R, Vallarino L, Rare‐earth chelates as fluorescent markers in cell separation and analysis, In: Cell Separation Science and Technology, ACS Symposium Series 464, American Chemical Society, 1991, pp 41–58; Condrau et al., Cytometry 1994;16:187–194; Condrau et al., Cytometry 1994;16:195–205; Shapiro HM, Improving signals from labels: Amplification and other techniques, In: Practical Flow Cytometry, 4th ed., Wiley, New York, 2002, p 345). We present here practical approaches for achieving high cell analysis rates at 100% detection efficiency, using time‐gated luminescence (TGL) flow cytometry. In particular, we report that new‐generation UV LEDs are practical sources in TGL flow cytometry.Spatial effects of long‐lived luminescence from the target fluorophore in a fast‐flowing sample stream have been investigated; excitation and detection requirements in TGL flow cytometry were theoretically analyzed; two practical approaches, a triggered model and a continuous flow‐section model, were considered as a function of flow speed, sizes and relative positions of the excitation/detection spots, label lifetime, excitation pulse duration/intensity, and detection duration. A particular configuration using LED excitation to detect europium dye‐labeled targets in such a system has been modeled in detail.In the triggered model, TGL mode is confined to a low ...
Jin, D, Connally, R & Piper, J 2007, 'Practical time‐gated luminescence flow cytometry. II: Experimental evaluation using UV LED excitation', Cytometry Part A, vol. 71A, no. 10, pp. 797-808.
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AbstractIn the previous article [Part 1 (8)], we have modelled alternative approaches to design of practical time‐gated luminescence (TGL) flow cytometry and examined the feasibility of employing a UV LED as the excitation source for the gated detection of europium dye labelled target in rapid flow stream. The continuous flow‐section approach is well suited for rare‐event cell counting in applications with a large number of nontarget autofluorescent particles. This article presents details of construction, operation and evaluation of a TGL flow cytometer using a UV LED excitation and a gated high‐gain channel photomultiplier tube (CPMT) for detection. The compact prototype TGL flow cytometer was constructed and optimised to operate at a TGL cycle rate of 6 kHz, with each cycle consisting of 100 μs LED pulsed excitation and ∼60 μs delay‐gated detection. The performance of the TGL flow cytometer was evaluated by enumerating 5.7 μm Eu3+ luminescence beads (having comparable intensity to europium‐chelate‐labeled Giardia cysts) in both autofluorescence‐rich environmental water concentrates and Sulforhodamine 101 (S101) solutions (broadband red fluorescence covering the spectral band of target signals), respectively.The prototype TGL flow cytometer was able to distinguish the target beads, and a maximum signal to background ratio of 38:1 was observed. Neither the environmental water concentrates nor S101 solution contributed to the background in the TGL detection phase. The counting efficiency of the TGL flow cytometer was typically >93% of values determined using conventional counting methods. © 2007 International Society for Analytical Cytology
Jones, A, Gladstone, W & Hacking, N 2007, 'Australian sandy-beach ecosystems and climate change: ecology and management', Australian Zoologist, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 190-202.
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Despite their great socio-economic importance, sandy beaches have attracted little ecological research. This is unfortunate since, contrary to popular belief, they support diverse ecological assemblages whose species are mostly small and buried and which deserve protection as part of ecologically sustainable development (ESD). Moreover, the management of beaches and linked adjacent ecosystems is becoming increasingly important because of their vulnerability to burgeoning human pressures including climate change. Although there are large uncertainties involved, some of the climate-related environmental changes and their ecological consequences for sandy beaches are explored in this paper, some management issues discussed and research proposed.Temperature-related changes include the likelihood that the geographical ranges of some species will change, some cool-adapted species will decline in abundance, possibly to extinction, and the rate of processes such as decomposition and photosynthesis will increase. The increasing acidification of the ocean may affect many beach species directly via reduced calcification and indirectly via changes to the phytoplankton on which some beach species depend for food.
Jones, AC, Arns, CH, Sheppard, AP, Hutmacher, DW, Milthorpe, BK & Knackstedt, MA 2007, 'Assessment of bone ingrowth into porous biomaterials using MICRO-CT', BIOMATERIALS, vol. 28, no. 15, pp. 2491-2504.
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The three-dimensional (3D) structure and architecture of biomaterial scaffolds play a critical role in bone formation as they affect the functionality of the tissue-engineered constructs. Assessment techniques for scaffold design and their efficacy in bone ingrowth studies require an ability to accurately quantify the 3D structure of the scaffold and an ability to visualize the bone regenerative processes within the scaffold structure. In this paper, a 3D micro-CT imaging and analysis study of bone ingrowth into tissue-engineered scaffold materials is described. Seven specimens are studied in this paper; a set of three specimens with a cellular structure, varying pore size and implant material, and a set of four scaffolds with two different scaffold designs investigated at early (4 weeks) and late (12 weeks) explantation times. The difficulty in accurately phase separating the multiple phases within a scaffold undergoing bone regeneration is first highlighted. A sophisticated three-phase segmentation approach is implemented to develop high-quality phase separation with minimal artifacts. A number of structural characteristics and bone ingrowth characteristics of the scaffolds are quantitatively measured on the phase separated images. Porosity, pore size distributions, pore constriction sizes, and pore topology are measured on the original pore phase of the scaffold volumes. The distribution of bone ingrowth into the scaffold pore volume is also measured. For early explanted specimens we observe that bone ingrowth occurs primarily at the periphery of the scaffold with a constant decrease in bone mineralization into the scaffold volume. Pore size distributions defined by both the local pore geometry and by the largest accessible pore show distinctly different behavior. The accessible pore size is strongly correlated to bone ingrowth. In the specimens studied a strong enhancement of bone ingrowth is observed for pore diameters>100 μm. Little difference in ...
Jones, PM & George, AM 2007, 'Nucleotide-dependent Allostery within the ABC Transporter ATP-binding Cassette', Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 282, no. 31, pp. 22793-22803.
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ATP-binding cassette transporters perform energy-dependent transmembrane solute trafficking in all organisms. These proteins often mediate cellular resistance to therapeutic drugs and are involved in a range of human genetic diseases. Enzymological studies have implicated a helical subdomain within the ATP-binding cassette nucleotide-binding domain in coupling ATP hydrolysis to solute transport in the transmembrane domains. Consistent with this, structural and computational analyses have indicated that the helical subdomain undergoes nucleotide-dependent movement relative to the core of the nucleotide-binding domain fold. Here we use theoretical methods to examine the allosteric nucleotide dependence of helical subdomain transitions to further elucidate its role in interactions between the transmembrane and nucleotide-binding domains. Unrestrained 30-ns molecular dynamics simulations of the ATP-bound, ADP-bound, and apo states of the MJ0796 monomer support the idea that interaction of a conserved glutamine residue with the catalytic metal mediates the rotation of the helical subdomain in response to nucleotide binding and hydrolysis. Simulations of the nucleotide-binding domain dimer revealed that ATP hydrolysis induces a large transition of one helical subdomain, resulting in an asymmetric conformation of the dimer not observed previously. A coarse-grained elastic network analysis supports this finding, revealing the existence of corresponding dynamic modes intrinsic to the contact topology of the protein. The implications of these findings for the coupling of ATP hydrolysis to conformational changes in the transmembrane domains required for solute transport are discussed in light of recent whole transporter structures.
Jones, PM, Turner, KM, Djordjevic, JT, Sorrell, TC, Wright, LC & George, AM 2007, 'Role of Conserved Active Site Residues in Catalysis by Phospholipase B1 from Cryptococcus neoformans', Biochemistry, vol. 46, no. 35, pp. 10024-10032.
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Phospholipase B1 (PLB1), secreted by the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, has an established role in virulence. Although the mechanism of its phospholipase B, lysophospholipase, and lysophospholipase transacylase activities is unknown, it possesses lipase, subtilisin protease aspartate, and phospholipase motifs containing putative catalytic residues S146, D392, and R108, respectively, conserved in fungal PLBs and essential for human cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) catalysis. To determine the role of these residues in PLB1 catalysis, each was substituted with alanine, and the mutant cDNAs were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The mutant PLB1s were deficient in all three enzymatic activities. As the active site structure of PLB1 is unknown, a homology model was developed, based on the X-ray structure of the cPLA2 catalytic domain. This shows that the two proteins share a closely related fold, with the three catalytic residues located in identical positions as part of a single active site, with S146 and D392 forming a catalytic dyad. The model suggests that PLB1 lacks the 'lid' region which occludes the cPLA2 active site and provides a mechanism of interfacial activation. In silico substrate docking studies with cPLA 2 reveal the binding mode of the lipid headgroup, confirming the catalytic dyad mechanism for the cleavage of the sn-2 ester bond within one of two separate binding tracts for the lipid acyl chains. Residues specific for binding arachidonic and palmitic acids, preferred substrates for cPLA 2 and PLB1, respectively, are identified. These results provide an explanation for differences in substrate specificity between lipases sharing the cPLA2 catalytic domain fold and for the differential effect of inhibitors on PLB1 enzymatic activities. © 2007 American Chemical Society.
Kadish, KM, Wenbo, E, Sintic, PJ, Ou, Z, Shao, J, Ohkubo, K, Fukuzumi, S, Govenlock, LJ, McDonald, JA, Try, AC, Cai, Z-L, Reimers, JR & Crossley, MJ 2007, 'Quinoxalino[2,3-b']porphyrins behave as pi-expanded porphyrins upon one-electron reduction: Broad control of the degree of delocalization through substitution at the macrocycle periphery', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B, vol. 111, no. 30, pp. 8762-8774.
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Kanaji, S, Tanaka, Y, Sakata, Y, Takeshita, K, Arima, K, Ohta, S, Hansell, EJ, Caffrey, C, Mottram, JC, Lowther, J, Donnelly, S, Stack, C, Kadowaki, T, Yamamoto, K, McKerrow, JH, Dalton, JP, Coombs, GH & Izuhara, K 2007, 'Squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1 is an inhibitor of parasite-derived cysteine proteases', FEBS LETTERS, vol. 581, no. 22, pp. 4260-4264.
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The physiological significance of the squamous cell carcinoma antigens 1 (SCCA1) and SCCA2, members of the ovalbumin serpin family, remains unresolved. In this study, we examined whether SCCA1 or SCCA2 inhibits protozoa- or helminth-derived cysteine proteases. SCCA1, but not SCCA2, potently inhibited the cysteine protease activities of CPB2.8 from Leishmania mexicana, cruzain from Trypanosoma cruzi, rhodesain from Trypanosoma brucei rhodesience, and cathepsin L2 from Fasciola hepatica. The inhibitory activities of SCCA1 were due to its resistance to cleavage by the cysteine proteases. The findings indicate that induction of cysteine protease inhibitors might be a novel defense mechanism against parasite development. © 2007 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
Kelley, G, O'Grady, AP, Hutley, LB & Eamus, D 2007, 'A comparison of tree water use in two contiguous vegetation communities of the seasonally dry tropics of northern Australia: the importance of site water budget to tree hydraulics', AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY, vol. 55, no. 7, pp. 700-708.
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Tree water use in two contiguous communities (eucalypt open-forest and Melaleuca paperbark forest) was measured in tropical Australia, over a 2-year period. The aims of the study were to (1) quantify daily and seasonal patterns of water use in each community, (2) compare patterns of water use among the communities and (3) compare relationships among tree size, sapwood area and water use within the two contrasting vegetation communities. Access to deep soil water stores and the effect of run-on from the eucalypt forest resulted in a relatively high pre-dawn water potential throughout the year, particularly for Melaleuca forest. There were no differences in daily rates of water use, expressed on a sapwood area (Q s) basis, between the two eucalypt species examined (Eucalyptus miniata Cunn. Ex Schauer and E. tetrodonta F.Muell) at any time in the eucalypt forest. For both the eucalypt and Melaleuca forests, there was less seasonal variation in water use expressed on a leaf area (Q l) basis than on a Q s basis, and neither year nor season were significant factors in Q l. In the mono-specific Melaleuca forest, Q s was not significantly different between years or seasons. Water use on a Q l basis was similarly not significantly different between years or seasons in the Melaleuca forest. Leaf area index (LAI) of the eucalypt forest was about half of that of the Melaleuca forest throughout the year but sapwood area per hectare was 33% larger in the eucalypt than the Melaleuca forest, despite the basal area of the Melaeuca forest being almost double that of the eucalypt forest.
Kelly, T, Doble, P & Dawson, M 2007, 'A fast CE method for the achiral separation of methadone and its major metabolites, 2‐ethylidene‐1,5‐dimethyl‐3,3‐diphenylpyrrolidine and 2‐ethyl‐5‐methyl‐3,3‐diphenyl‐1‐pyrroline', ELECTROPHORESIS, vol. 28, no. 19, pp. 3566-3569.
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AbstractThe utilization of dynamic doubly coated capillaries for a fast separation of methadone and its two major metabolites, 2‐ethylidene‐1,5‐dimethyl‐3,3‐diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP) and 2‐ethyl‐5‐methyl‐3,3‐diphenyl‐1‐pyrroline (EMDP) was investigated. The coated capillaries were prepared using a polycation of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and a polyanion of dextran sulfate. A fast achiral separation was developed using the coated capillaries with a BGE of 100 mM phosphate buffer at pH 2.6. Complete achiral separation of methadone, EDDP and EMDP was achieved, with migration times of approximately 4 min. The method offers considerable advantages with respect to BGE simplicity and analysis time compared to previously published CE methods for methadone and its related analytes.
Keogh, JS, Webb, JK & Shine, R 2007, 'Spatial genetic analysis and long-term mark-recapture data demonstrate male-biased dispersal in a snake', BIOLOGY LETTERS, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 33-35.
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Dispersal is an important life-history trait, but it is notoriously difficult to study. The most powerful approach is to attack the problem with multiple independent sources of data. We integrated information from a 14-year demographic study with molecular data from five polymorphic microsatellite loci to test the prediction of male-biased dispersal in a common elapid species from eastern Australia, the small-eyed snake Rhinoplocephalus nigrescens. These snakes have a polygynous mating system in which males fight for access to females. Our demographic data demonstrate that males move farther than females (about twice as far on average, and about three times for maximum distances). This sex bias in adult dispersal was evident also in the genetic data, which showed a strong and significant genetic signature of male-biased dispersal. Together, the genetic and demographic data suggest that gene flow is largely mediated by males in this species.
Kirov, SM, Webb, JS, O'May, CY, Reid, DW, Woo, JKK, Rice, SA & Kjelleberg, S 2007, 'Biofilm differentiation and dispersal in mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from patients with cystic fibrosis', Microbiology, vol. 153, no. 10, pp. 3264-3274.
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Ko, HCH, Milthorpe, BK & McFarland, CD 2007, 'Engineering thick tissues - The vascularisation problem', EUROPEAN CELLS & MATERIALS, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 1-18.
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The ability to create thick tissues is a major tissue engineering challenge, requiring the development of a suitable vascular supply. Current trends are seeing the utilization of cells seeded into hybrid matrix/scaffold systems to create in vitro vascular analogues. Approaches that aim to create vasculature in vitro include the use of biological extracellular matrices such as collagen hydrogels, porous biodegradable polymeric scaffolds with macro- and micro-lumens and micro-channels, co-culture of cells, incorporation of growth factors, culture in dynamic bioreactor environments, and combinations of these. Of particular interest are those approaches that aim to create bioengineered tissues in vitro that can be readily connected to the host's vasculature following implantation in order to maintain cell viability.
Koh, KS, Lam, KW, Alhede, M, Queck, SY, Labbate, M, Kjelleberg, S & Rice, SA 2007, 'Phenotypic Diversification and Adaptation ofSerratia marcescensMG1 Biofilm-Derived Morphotypes', Journal of Bacteriology, vol. 189, no. 1, pp. 119-130.
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ABSTRACTWe report here the characterization of dispersal variants from microcolony-type biofilms ofSerratia marcescensMG1. Biofilm formation proceeds through a reproducible process of attachment, aggregation, microcolony development, hollow colony formation, and dispersal. From the time when hollow colonies were observed in flow cell biofilms after 3 to 4 days, at least six different morphological colony variants were consistently isolated from the biofilm effluent. The timing and pattern of variant formation were found to follow a predictable sequence, where some variants, such as a smooth variant with a sticky colony texture (SSV), could be consistently isolated at the time when mature hollow colonies were observed, whereas a variant that produced copious amounts of capsular polysaccharide (SUMV) was always isolated at late stages of biofilm development and coincided with cell death and biofilm dispersal or sloughing. The morphological variants differed extensively from the wild type in attachment, biofilm formation, and cell ultrastructure properties. For example, SSV formed two- to threefold more biofilm biomass than the wild type in batch biofilm assays, despite having a similar growth rate and attachment capacity. Interestingly, the SUMV, and no other variants, was readily isolated from an established SSV biofilm, indicating that the SUMV is a second-generation genetic variant derived from SSV. Planktonic cultures showed significantly lower frequencies of variant formation than the biofilms (5.05 × 10−8versus 4.83 × 10−6, respectively), suggesting that there is strong, diversifying selection occurring within biofilms and that biofilm dispersal involves phenotypic radiation with divergent phenotypes.
Koos, C, Jacome, L, Poulton, C, Leuthold, J & Freude, W 2007, 'Nonlinear silicon-on-insulator waveguides for all-optical signal processing', Optics Express, vol. 15, no. 10, pp. 5976-5976.
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Values up to γ = 7 × 106/(Wkm) for the nonlinear parameter are feasible if silicon-on-insulator based strip and slot waveguides are properly designed. This is more than three orders of magnitude larger than for state-of-the-art highly nonlinear fibers, and it enables ultrafast all-optical signal processing with nonresonant compact devices. At λ = 1.55 μm we provide universal design curves for strip and slot waveguides which are covered with different linear and nonlinear materials, and we calculate the resulting maximum γ. © 2007 Optical Society of America.
Koos, C, Poulton, CG, Zimmermann, L, Jacome, L, Leuthold, J & Freude, W 2007, 'Ideal Bend Contour Trajectories for Single-Mode Operation of Low-Loss Overmoded Waveguides', IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, vol. 19, no. 11, pp. 819-821.
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Bend designs for single-mode operation of low-loss overmoded waveguides are presented. A class of contour trajectories for minimum radiation loss is derived analytically, and numerical optimization is used to find ideal trajectory parameters. Three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulations predict bend losses below 0.1 dB for 180°-bends of overmoded silicon-on-insulator waveguides with a radius of R=1.5 μm. These findings are supported experimentally. © 2007 IEEE.
Krishnamurthy, V, Luk, KY, Cornell, B, Prashar, J, di Maio, IL, Islam, H, Battle, AR, Valenzuela, SM & Martin, DK 2007, 'Gramicidin Ion Channel-Based Biosensors: Construction, Stochastic Dynamical Models, and Statistical Detection Algorithms', IEEE Sensors Journal, vol. 7, no. 9, pp. 1281-1288.
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This paper deals with the experimental construction, stochastic modeling, and statistical signal processing of a novel, artificially constructed biosensor comprised of biological ion channels. Such nanoscale biosensors have been built by incorporating dimeric gramicidin A (bis-gA) ion channels into bilayer membranes of giant unilamellar liposomes, and then excising small patches of the membrane loaded with ion channels. We present a stochastic model for the response of the biosensor and present statistical model validation tests to verify the adequacy of the model., We show that in the presence of specific target molecules, the statistics of the gating mechanisms of the gA channels are altered. By capturing the change in real time, we devise a maximum-likelihood detector to detect the presence of target molecules. To test the sensitivity of this model, we conducted patch-clamp experiments with two compounds known to inhibit conduction of the gA channels. We found experimentally that the real-time detection algorithm was able to accurately identify the addition of the compounds even when the alterations in the patch-clamp recordings were very small. This algorithm provides the sensitive detection system for ongoing development of lipid-based nanosensors.
Krishnamurty, S, Shafai, GS, Kanhere, DG, de Bas, BS & Ford, MJ 2007, 'Ab initio molecular dynamical investigation of the finite temperature behavior of the tetrahedral Au-19 and Au-20 clusters', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A, vol. 111, no. 42, pp. 10769-10775.
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Density functional molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out to understand the finite temperature behavior of Au19 and Au 20 clusters. Au20 has been reported to be a unique molecule having tetrahedral geometry, a large HOMO-LUMO energy gap, and an atomic packing similar to that of the bulk gold (Li, J.; et al. Science 2003, 299, 864). Our results show that the geometry of Au19 is exactly identical with that of Au20 with one missing corner atom (called a vacancy). Surprisingly, our calculated heat capacities for this nearly identical pair of gold clusters exhibit dramatic differences. Au20 undergoes a clear and distinct solid-like to liquid-like transition with a sharp peak in the heat capacity curve around 770 K. On the other hand, Au19 has a broad and flat heat capacity curve with continuous melting transition. This continuous melting transition turns out to be a consequence of a process involving a series of atomic rearrangements along the surface to fill in the missing corner atom. This results in a restricted diffusive motion of atoms along the surface of Au19 between 650 to 900 K during which the shape of the ground state geometry is retained. In contrast, the tetrahedral structure of Au20 is destroyed around 800 K, and the cluster is clearly in a liquid-like state above 1000 K. Thus, this work clearly demonstrates that (i) the gold clusters exhibit size sensitive variations in the heat capacity curves and (ii) the broad and continuous melting transition in a cluster, a feature that has so far been attributed to the disorder or absence of symmetry in the system, can also be a consequence of a defect (absence of a cap atom) in the structure. © 2007 American Chemical Society.
Kucheyev, SO, Toth, M, Baumann, TF, Hamza, AV, Ilavsky, J, Knowles, WR, Saw, CK, Thiel, BL, Tileli, V, van Buuren, T, Wang, YM & Willey, TM 2007, 'Structure of Low-Density Nanoporous Dielectrics Revealed by Low-Vacuum Electron Microscopy and Small-Angle X-ray Scattering', Langmuir, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 353-356.
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Aerogels (AGs) are ultralow-density nanoporous solids that have numerous potential applications. However, as most AGs are strong insulators with poor mechanical properties, direct studies of the complex nanoporous structure of AGs by methods such as atomic force and conventional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have not proven feasible. Here, we use low-vacuum SEM to image directly the ligament and pore size and shape distributions of representative AGs over a wide range of length scales (∼100-105 nm). The structural information obtained is used for unambiguous, real-space interpretation of small-angle X-ray scattering curves for these complex nanoporous systems. Low-vacuum SEM permits imaging of both cross-sections and skin layers of AG monoliths. Images of skin layers reveal the presence of microcracks, which alter the properties of cast monolithic AGs. © 2007 American Chemical Society.
Kulygin, O & Silverstein, MS 2007, 'Porous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels synthesized within high internal phase emulsions', SOFT MATTER, vol. 3, no. 12, pp. 1525-1529.
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Hydrogels, such as those based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), are hydrophilic three dimensional network structures that undergo extensive swelling in water. PolyHIPEs are highly porous, crosslinked polymers typically synthesized within high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). This research describes materials with enhanced water absorption that combine hydrogel water absorption with capillary action by synthesizing PHEMA-based polyHIPEs within oil-in-water HIPEs. The variation in the N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAM) crosslinking comonomer content yields a narrow synthesis window in which water-swollen micro-gel particles phase separate, agglomerate, and form a heterogeneous polyHIPE wall structure with nanoscale porosity. Surprisingly, a hydrogel polyHIPE with a relatively high MBAM content also had the highest surface area and the highest water absorption. Ultimately, it is the influence of the MBAM content on the polymer hydrophilicity and on the porous structure that determines its effects on the properties.
Labbate, M, Zhu, H, Thung, L, Bandara, R, Larsen, MR, Willcox, MDP, Givskov, M, Rice, SA & Kjelleberg, S 2007, 'Quorum-Sensing Regulation of Adhesion in Serratia marcescens MG1 Is Surface Dependent', Journal of Bacteriology, vol. 189, no. 7, pp. 2702-2711.
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ABSTRACT Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic pathogen and a major cause of ocular infections. In previous studies of S. marcescens MG1, we showed that biofilm maturation and sloughing were regulated by N -acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-based quorum sensing (QS). Because of the importance of adhesion in initiating biofilm formation and infection, the primary goal of this study was to determine whether QS is important in adhesion to both abiotic and biotic surfaces, as assessed by determining the degree of attachment to hydrophilic tissue culture plates and human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells. Our results demonstrate that while adhesion to the abiotic surface was AHL regulated, adhesion to the HCE cell biotic surface was not. Type I fimbriae were identified as the critical adhesin for non-QS-mediated attachment to the biotic HCE cell surface but played no role in adhesion to the abiotic surface. While we were not able to identify a single QS-regulated adhesin essential for attachment to the abiotic surface, four AHL-regulated genes involved in adhesion to the abiotic surface were identified. Interestingly, two of these genes, bsmA and bsmB , were also shown to be involved in adhesion to the biotic surface in a non-QS-controlled fashion. Therefore, the expression of these two genes appears to be cocontrolled by regulators other than the QS system for mediation of attachment to HCE cells. We also found that QS in S. marcescens regulates other potential cell surface adhesins, including exopolysaccharide and the outer membrane protein OmpX. We concluded that S. marcescens ...
Langford, SJ & Woodward, CP 2007, 'Supramolecular self-assembly of dihydroxy tin(iv) porphyrin stabilized helical water chains', CrystEngComm, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 218-218.
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Langford, SJ & Woodward, CP 2007, 'Synthesis, characterisation and X-ray structure of a novel porphyrin array employing Zn–O and O–H…O bonding motifs', Polyhedron, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 338-343.
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Lanyon, BP, Weinhold, TJ, Langford, NK, Barbieri, M, James, DFV, Gilchrist, A & White, AG 2007, 'Experimental Demonstration of a Compiled Version of Shor’s Algorithm with Quantum Entanglement', Physical Review Letters, vol. 99, no. 25.
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Lapine, M 2007, 'The Age of Metamaterials', Metamaterials, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 1-1.
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Lapine, M & Tretyakov, S 2007, 'Contemporary notes on metamaterials', IET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 3-11.
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The essence of the metamaterial concept from the structural point of view. Particular attention is paid to the macroscopic description of metamaterials and to the corresponding requirements and precautions for using that concept. General advantages of metamaterials are also pointed out. Next, the main research directions related to metamaterials are briefly overviewed and the key references are provided. Finally, the most probable sources of disagreement and misunderstanding within the field are summarised. © 2007 The Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Lapine, M & Tretyakov, S 2007, 'Contemporary notes on metamaterials', IET MICROWAVES ANTENNAS & PROPAGATION, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 3-11.
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Larkum, A, Ip, C, Chen, M & Jermiin, L 2007, 'Phylogeny of Prochlorococcus marinus: how is this species related to the rest of the Cyanobacteria?', PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH, vol. 91, no. 2-3, pp. 272-273.
Larkum, A, Lockhart, P & Howe, C 2007, 'The origin of plastids: A shopping bag model', PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH, vol. 91, no. 2-3, pp. 272-272.
Larkum, A, Zhang, Y, Churdh, B & Jermiin, L 2007, 'Modelling the IsiA-PSI supermolecular complex of cyanobacteria', PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH, vol. 91, no. 2-3, pp. 172-172.
Larkum, AWD, Lockhart, PJ & Howe, CJ 2007, 'Shopping for plastids', Trends in Plant Science, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 189-195.
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Lawandi, J, O'Brien, B & Simpson, AM 2007, 'An Insulin Secreting Liver Cell Line, Tao, Is Resistant To The Cytotoxic Effects Of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines Via Nf-kb-dependent Pathways', Journal Of Gene Medicine, vol. 9, no. 6, pp. 527-527.
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Lee, RS, Pritchard, TR, Ajani, PA & Black, KP 2007, 'The influence of the East Australian Current eddy field on phytoplankton dynamics in the coastal zone', Journal of Coastal Research, no. SPEC. ISSUE 50, pp. 576-584.
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Phytoplankton blooms are often studied too late in their development when the surface expression of predominantly senescent cells triggers an investigation. As a result studies typically depict an environment exhausted of nutrients and provide limited information on the mechanisms that caused the bloom. The purpose of the study reported here is to quantify the oceanographic and meteorological conditions leading to nutrient enrichment and subsequent phytoplankton responses (blooms) through a series of cross-shelf flux studies undertaken over spring/summer seasons in the 1990's along Australia's east-coast. The region is impacted by western boundary current encroachments of the East Australian Current (EAC), and anthropogenic inputs from the Newcastle-Sydney-Wollongong conurbation. Synoptically triggered responsive sampling transects along a 300km section of the shelf, identified coherent diatom - dinoflagellate successions over several weeks after oceanic nutrient enrichment of shelf waters. Concurrent physical observations identified perturbations of the East Australian Current into meanders, eddies and back-eddies by coastal and shelf topography as a key influence in determining the local nutrient budget and phytoplankton distributions. Response of the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans (Macartney) occurred after sufficient critical prey mass of diatoms was achieved and overwhelmed zooplankton communities. The extent and duration of these blooms were unprecedented in these coastal waters, and were mitigated by local prevailing circulation patterns. Suggestions that preferential diatom feeding by Noctiluca may control its abundance, and that climatic variance may determine the dominant diatom population, indicate these events fluctuate inter-annually rather than seasonally.
Leiger, K, Freiberg, A, Dahlbom, MG, Hush, NS & Reimers, JR 2007, 'Pressure-induced spectral changes for the special-pair radical cation of the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center', JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS, vol. 126, no. 21.
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Leslie, LM, Karoly, DJ, Leplastrier, M & Buckley, BW 2007, 'Variability of tropical cyclones over the southwest Pacific Ocean using a high-resolution climate model', Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics, vol. 97, no. 1-4, pp. 171-180.
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Leslie, LM, Karoly, DJ, Leplastrier, M & Qi, L 2007, 'Editorial: Special Issue on Tropical Cyclones', Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics, vol. 97, no. 1-4, pp. 1-1.
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Levings, RS, Partridge, SR, Djordjevic, SP & Hall, RM 2007, 'SGI1-K, a Variant of the SGI1 Genomic Island Carrying a Mercury Resistance Region, in Salmonella enterica Serovar Kentucky', Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 317-323.
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ABSTRACT A multiple-antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky strain was found to contain SGI1-K, a variant form of the Salmonella genomic island 1 (SGI1) with an In4-type class 1 integron that contains only one cassette array, aacCA5-aadA7 , and an adjacent mercury resistance module. Part of the 3′-conserved segment (3′-CS) of the integron, together with the inverted short segment from the right-hand end of the integron transposition module normally found between the 3′-CS and IS 6100 in In4 family integrons, has been removed by an IS 6100 -mediated deletion. IRt, the right-hand inverted repeat found at the outer end of the integron, abuts a mercury resistance region instead of the usual SGI1 backbone segment. The mer module is a hybrid of those found in Tn 501 and Tn 21 . This mer region and a further uncharacterized segment of at least 10 kb appear to have been incorporated between IRt and the SGI1 backbone. These findings demonstrate that the multidrug resistance region in SGI1 can incorporate new DNA segments in the same way as multiple antibiotic resistance regions in plasmids.
Li, A, Chandrakanthan, V, Chami, O & O'Neill, C 2007, 'Culture of Zygotes Increases p53 Expression in B6 Mouse Embryos, which Reduces Embryo Viability1', Biology of Reproduction, vol. 76, no. 3, pp. 362-367.
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Li, Y, Guolo, A, Hoffman, FO & Carroll, RJ 2007, 'Shared Uncertainty in Measurement Error Problems, with Application to Nevada Test Site Fallout Data', Biometrics, vol. 63, no. 4, pp. 1226-1236.
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SummaryIn radiation epidemiology, it is often necessary to use mathematical models in the absence of direct measurements of individual doses. When complex models are used as surrogates for direct measurements to estimate individual doses that occurred almost 50 years ago, dose estimates will be associated with considerable error, this error being a mixture of (a) classical measurement error due to individual data such as diet histories and (b) Berkson measurement error associated with various aspects of the dosimetry system. In the Nevada Test Site(NTS) Thyroid Disease Study, the Berkson measurement errors are correlated within strata. This article concerns the development of statistical methods for inference about risk of radiation dose on thyroid disease, methods that account for the complex error structure inherence in the problem. Bayesian methods using Markov chain Monte Carlo and Monte‐Carlo expectation–maximization methods are described, with both sharing a key Metropolis–Hastings step. Regression calibration is also considered, but we show that regression calibration does not use the correlation structure of the Berkson errors. Our methods are applied to the NTS Study, where we find a strong dose–response relationship between dose and thyroiditis. We conclude that full consideration of mixtures of Berkson and classical uncertainties in reconstructed individual doses are important for quantifying the dose response and its credibility/confidence interval. Using regression calibration and expectation values for individual doses can lead to a substantial underestimation of the excess relative risk per gray and its 95% confidence intervals.
Li, Y, Wang, N, Hong, M, Turner, ND, Lupton, JR & Carroll, RJ 2007, 'Nonparametric estimation of correlation functions in longitudinal and spatial data, with application to colon carcinogenesis experiments', Annals of Statistics, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 1608-1643.
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In longitudinal and spatial studies, observations often demonstrate strongcorrelations that are stationary in time or distance lags, and the times orlocations of these data being sampled may not be homogeneous. We propose anonparametric estimator of the correlation function in such data, using kernelmethods. We develop a pointwise asymptotic normal distribution for the proposedestimator, when the number of subjects is fixed and the number of vectors orfunctions within each subject goes to infinity. Based on the asymptotic theory,we propose a weighted block bootstrapping method for making inferences aboutthe correlation function, where the weights account for the inhomogeneity ofthe distribution of the times or locations. The method is applied to a data setfrom a colon carcinogenesis study, in which colonic crypts were sampled from apiece of colon segment from each of the 12 rats in the experiment and theexpression level of p27, an important cell cycle protein, was then measured foreach cell within the sampled crypts. A simulation study is also provided toillustrate the numerical performance of the proposed method.
Liang, F, Liu, C & Carroll, RJ 2007, 'Stochastic Approximation in Monte Carlo Computation', Journal of the American Statistical Association, vol. 102, no. 477, pp. 305-320.
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Liu, J, McBean, KE, Harris, N & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Optical properties of suspensions of gold half-shells', MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING B-SOLID STATE MATERIALS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, vol. 140, no. 3, pp. 195-198.
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Suspensions of mesoscale gold half-shells of controlled size were produced by microsphere-templated vapour deposition and their optical proper-ties were studied. The transmission spectra of the particles exhibited an extinction peak that could be tuned f
Liu, L, Gu, HY & Xi, YG 2007, 'Robust scheduling in a Just-in-time single machine system with processing time uncertainty', Kongzhi yu Juece/Control and Decision, vol. 22, no. 10.
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A two-loop co-evolutionary genetic algorithm is proposed to solve the absolute robust scheduling for a Just-in-time single machine with significant processing time uncertainty. The worst-case performance of a predictive schedule over the range of job processing times is optimized. The outer loop of the proposed algorithm is to determine the job sequence on machine and the inner loop searches for the processing time scenario with worst-case performance for a given sequence. The simulation results show the proposed method is very effective compared with the deterministic scheduling method based on expected job processing times.
Liu, L, Gu, H-Y & Xi, Y-G 2007, 'Robust and stable scheduling of a single machine with random machine breakdowns', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY, vol. 31, no. 7-8, pp. 645-654.
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Liu, Z, Rank, R, Kaltenboeck, B, Magnino, S, Dean, D, Burall, L, Plaut, RD, Read, TD, Myers, G & Bavoil, PM 2007, 'Genomic Plasticity of therrn-nqrFIntergenic Segment in theChlamydiaceae', Journal of Bacteriology, vol. 189, no. 5, pp. 2128-2132.
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ABSTRACTInChlamydiaceae, the nucleotide sequence between the 5S rRNA gene and the gene for subunit F of the Na+-translocating NADH-quinone reductase (nqrFordmpP) has varied lengths and gene contents. We analyzed this site in 45Chlamydiaceaestrains having diverse geographical and pathological origins and including members of all nine species.
Lou, W, Jin, D, Wang, D, Xu, X, Kuang, T & Qin, X 2007, 'An analysis of clinico-pathologic features of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas', Frontiers of Medicine in China, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 173-176.
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Lovell, D, Wu, Y, White, R, Machado, A, Llewellyn, DJ, Dennis, ES & Anderssen, RS 2007, 'Phenotyping cotton ovule fibre initiation with spatial statistics', AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY, vol. 55, no. 6, pp. 608-616.
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Yield in cultivated cotton (Gossypium spp.) is affected by the number and distribution of fibres initiated on the seed surface but, apart from simple statistical summaries, little has been done to assess this phenotype quantitatively. Here we use two typ
Lucas, NT, Zareie, HM & McDonagh, AM 2007, 'Self-ogranization of a discotic coordination complex bearing orthogonal discotic ligands', ACS NANO, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 348-354.
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A new coordination complex that incorporates discotic ligands oriented orthogonally to a central discotic unit has been synthesized, and images of self-organized structures on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite have been obtained. Scanning tunneling microscopy images show that the combination of the orthogonally disposed discotic components results in significantly different self-organized structures compared to those of the ligand, which contains a single discotic unit. © 2007 American Chemical Society.
Maaroof, AI, Cortie, MB, Gentle, A & Smith, GB 2007, 'Mesoporous gold sponge as a prototype 'metamaterial'', PHYSICA B-CONDENSED MATTER, vol. 394, no. 2, pp. 167-170.
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Mesoporous gold sponge has optical properties that can be intermediate between those of metals and insulators with a flat spectral response that is unlike that of bulk gold. Films of different thicknesses were produced and an extension of the Lorentz-Drude (LD) model used to model their spectral behaviour. We found that it was necessary to include an additional special oscillator centered at 1.4eV in order to model the unusual spectral response. This is quite unlike bulk gold, which can be mideled using a standard two-oscillator LD model.
Maaroof, AI, Gentle, A, Smith, GB & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Bulk and surface plasmons in highly nanoporous gold films', JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS, vol. 40, no. 18, pp. 5675-5682.
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The far field plasmonic behaviour of nanoporous gold films with void densities ranging from 60% to 90% has been investigated and modelled. These layers have good dc conductivity and quite different nanostructure to traditional porous layers in which the metal percolates. Our gold films with void density f above 70% have high thermal emittance fora conductor at their thickness and their flat spectral response at visible and near infrared wavelengths is not metal like. We derive effective optical constants which become plasmonic at wavelengths between 1.8 and 4um for f from 72 to 87%. This onset is much longer than that in bulk gold. For void densities below 70% the onset of plasmonic behaviour is much closer to the dense material. A simple test is implemented to test for surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) under illumination. The more porous films show no evidence of SPP, while the less porous films display weak evidence. Thus by tailoring void content in these nanostructures we can taolor the onset of efefctive plasmonic response across a wide range from 0.8 to 4 um and emittance from around0.9 down to low values. An effective uniform metal response is this found in the presence o fsurface nanostructure without the interface absorption found in dense gold layers with sturctured surfaces.
MacDiarmid, JA, Mugridge, NB, Weiss, JC, Phillips, L, Burn, AL, Paulin, RP, Haasdyk, JE, Dickson, K-A, Brahmbhatt, VN, Pattison, ST, James, AC, Al Bakri, G, Straw, RC, Stillman, B, Graham, RM & Brahmbhatt, H 2007, 'Bacterially Derived 400 nm Particles for Encapsulation and Cancer Cell Targeting of Chemotherapeutics', Cancer Cell, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 431-445.
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Systemic administration of chemotherapeutic agents results in indiscriminate drug distribution and severe toxicity. Here we report a technology potentially overcoming these shortcomings through encapsulation and cancer cell-specific targeting of chemotherapeutics in bacterially derived 400 nm minicells. We discovered that minicells can be packaged with therapeutically significant concentrations of chemotherapeutics of differing charge, hydrophobicity, and solubility. Targeting of minicells via bispecific antibodies to receptors on cancer cell membranes results in endocytosis, intracellular degradation, and drug release. This affects highly significant tumor growth inhibition and regression in mouse xenografts and case studies of lymphoma in dogs despite administration of minute amounts of drug and antibody; a factor critical for limiting systemic toxicity that should allow the use of complex regimens of combination chemotherapy. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Macfarlane, C, Arndt, SK, Livesley, SJ, Edgar, AC, White, DA, Adams, MA & Eamus, D 2007, 'Estimation of leaf area index in eucalypt forest with vertical foliage, using cover and fullframe fisheye photography', FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT, vol. 242, no. 2-3, pp. 756-763.
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This study compared fullframe fisheye photography and cover photography with destructive leaf area index (L) estimation and the Licor LAI-2000 plant canopy analyser (PCA) in plantations of the vertical leaved species Eucalyptus globulus. Fullframe fisheye photography differs from circular fisheye photography in that the images have reduced field of view such that the zenithal range of 0-90° extends to the corners of the rectangular image, roughly doubling image resolution compared to circular images. Cover images instead are obtained by pointing a 70 mm equivalent focal length lens (in 35 mm format) straight upwards. Measurements of cover and indirect estimates of plant area index (Lt) were made in 12 stands of 6-8 years old Eucalyptus globulus. L was measured using destructive sampling and allometry in nine of these stands and ranged from 2.5 to 6.6. Both foliage cover and Lt from the PCA were well correlated with L from allometry, but fullframe fisheye photography provided poor estimates of L despite corrections for foliage clumping. Sampling location had a significant effect on estimates of crown porosity, crown cover and zenithal clumping index from cover photography. The zenithal extinction coefficient (k), calculated from L, crown porosity and cover, ranged from 0.14 to 0.25 and appeared to decrease as L increased; hence, we were unable to obtain an unambiguous estimate of k for E. globulus stands. Nonetheless, the study showed that L can be estimated from foliage cover with similar certainty to that of the PCA. We conclude that the greatest challenge facing indirect estimation of L in forests using photographic methods is to separate the effects of foliage angle from those of foliage clumping. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Macfarlane, C, Hoffman, M, Eamus, D, Kerp, N, Higginson, S, McMurtrie, R & Adams, M 2007, 'Estimation of leaf area index in eucalypt forest using digital photography', AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY, vol. 143, no. 3-4, pp. 176-188.
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We tested whether leaf area index (L) in eucalypt vegetation could be accurately estimated from gap fraction measurements made using both fisheye and non-fisheye digital photography. We compared methods that measure the gap fraction at a single zenith angle (0° or 57°), with fisheye photography that measures the gap fraction at multiple zenith angles. We applied these methods in an unthinned stand of the broadleaf tree species Eucalyptus marginata that had an initial L of 3. We removed one-third of the trees and reapplied the methods, and then removed another one-third of the trees and applied the methods a third time. L from the photographic methods was compared to L obtained from destructive sampling and allometry. We found that L was accurately estimated from non-fisheye images taken at the zenith, providing that the total gap fraction was divided into large, between-crown gaps and smaller, within-crown gaps, prior to using the Beer-Lambert law to estimate L. This rapid and simple method corrected for foliage clumping and provided estimates of crown porosity, crown cover, foliage cover and the foliage clumping index at the zenith, but required an assumption about the light extinction coefficient at the zenith. Fisheye photography also provided good estimates of L but only if the images were corrected for the gamma function of the digital camera, and the combined Chen-Cihlar and Lang-Xiang method of correcting for foliage clumping was used. The clumping index derived from fisheye images was insensitive to thinning but the calculated foliage projection coefficient was. Methods of obtaining and analysing gap fraction and gap size distributions from fisheye photography need further improvement to separate the effects of foliage clumping and leaf angle distribution. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Maharaj, FJD, McDonagh, AM & Colbran, SB 2007, 'The instructive redox behaviour of 4‐ferrocenylcatechol on nanocrystalline titanium dioxide electrodes', Applied Organometallic Chemistry, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 73-75.
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AbstractAn investigation into the redox behaviour of 4‐ferrocenylcatechol bound to nanocrystalline TiO2 electrodes identified a limitation to the use of catechol as an electron‐transfer facilitating anchoring group. 4‐Ferrocenylcatechol was adsorbed to transparent nanocrystalline TiO2 electrodes. UV–visible spectra of the modified electrode were recorded in an acetonitrile‐electrolyte solution. At an applied potential of + 0.45 mV (vs Ag/AgCl/Cl−) the ferrocenyl group oxidized to the ferrocenium cation and the catecholate group oxidized to the benzoquinone form. Subsequent application of a potential of 0 V reduced the ferrocenium to ferrocene but, owing to the irreversibility of the catechol oxidation in aprotic solvents, benzoquinone is not reduced to catecholate and subsequently desorbs and is lost due into solution. Electrochromic switching of the ferrocenyl electrochromophore on TiO2 with aprotic electrolyte is, therefore, irreversible. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Malcolm, HA, Gladstone, W, Lindfield, S, Wraith, J & Lynch, TP 2007, 'Spatial and temporal variation in reef fish assemblages of marine parks in New South Wales, Australia - baited video observations', MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES, vol. 350, pp. 277-290.
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Baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS) were used to examine variation in assemblages of reef fishes at scales of 100s of kilometres (between 3 marine parks in New South Wales, Australia) and kilometres (between 4 sites within each park). Temporal variation over 5 yr was also examined in 1 park (Solitary Islands). BRUVS were able to sample the relative abundance and distribution of species from a wide range of trophic groups, and were particularly effective for detecting cryptic predators. Significant variability in the fish assemblages occurred between each park consistent with the latitudinal distribution of the parks. Fish assemblages also varied significantly between sites within each park. Contrary to expectations, total species richness did not follow the expected latitudinal gradient. However, observed geographical patterns in species richness of certain families such as Labridae (greater richness in the most northern park) and Monacanthidae (greater species richness in southern parks) followed expectations. Abundant schooling species, common to all 3 parks, were important contributors to variation between sites. Temporal variation over 5 yr at 1 park was relatively minor compared to the spatial variation among the 3 parks. This suggests large-scale spatial separation is more important for structuring fish assemblages than time. A network of marine parks will therefore be required to represent variation in reef fish assemblages over this latitudinal scale.
Markhotina, N, Liu, GJ & Martin, DK 2007, 'Contractility of retinal pericytes grown on silicone elastomer substrates is through a protein kinase A-mediated intracellular pathway in response to vasoactive peptides', IET Nanobiotechnology, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 44-51.
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The normal function of retinal capillaries to distribute blood within the retina depends on appropriate contractility of retinal pericytes, which is thought to be modulated by agents that alter intracellular cyclic adenosine-3-monophosphate (cAMP) levels
Marsh, DJ, Hahn, MA, Howell, VM & Gill, AJ 2007, 'Molecular diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism in familial cancer syndromes', Expert Opinion on Medical Diagnostics, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 377-392.
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In the last few years, causative genes have been identified for most of the familial hyperparathyroidism conditions. Germline mutations in the tumour suppressors multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) and hyperparathyroidism 2 (HRPT2) provide a molecular diagnosis of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 and hyperparathyroidism jaw tumour syndrome, respectively. Germline mutations in the proto-oncogene RET (rearranged during transfection) provide a molecular diagnosis of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. Germline mutations of both MEN1 and, less frequently HRPT2, have been found in familial isolated hyperparathyroidism. A molecular diagnosis can now be incorporated into the management of patients with these conditions, however, the ease of diagnostics and value of genetic information in the context of clinical screening and early surgical intervention varies between these disorders. This review focuses on familial hyperparathyroidism and its known causative genes in the setting of neoplastic syndromes, with particular discussion of recent developments in the molecular diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma. © 2007 Informa UK Ltd.
Marshall, GD, Kan, DJ, Asatryan, AA, Botten, LC & Withford, MJ 2007, 'Transverse coupling to the core of a photonic crystal fiber: the photo-inscription of gratings', OPTICS EXPRESS, vol. 15, no. 12, pp. 7876-7887.
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The effect of the microstructure on transversely coupled laser light into the core of a photonic crystal fiber is investigated. Computational two-dimensional modeling and direct experimental measurements indicate that there exist angles and positions of the fiber microstructure, relative to a transversely launched laser beam, that preferentially couple laser light into the fiber core. The implications of these observations on long period and fiber-Bragg grating fabrication in photonic crystal fibers are discussed. © 2007 Optical Society of America.
Matsumoto, H, Moir, LM, Oliver, BGG, Burgess, JK, Roth, M, Black, JL & McParland, BE 2007, 'Comparison of gel contraction mediated by airway smooth muscle cells from patients with and without asthma', Thorax, vol. 62, no. 10, pp. 848-854.
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Backgrounds: Exaggerated bronchial constriction is the most significant and life threatening response of patients with asthma to inhaled stimuli. However, few studies have investigated the contractility of airway smooth muscle (ASM) from these patients.
Matthews, CJ, Newton, DB, Braddock, RD & Yu, B 2007, 'Analysing the sensitivity behaviour of two hydrology models', Environmental Modeling & Assessment, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 27-41.
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Recently, the New Morris Method has been presented as an effective sensitivity analysis tool for mathematical models. The New Morris Method estimates the sensitivity of an output parameter to a given set of input parameters (first-order effects) and the extent these parameters interact with each other (second-order effects). This method requires the specification of two parameters (runs and resolution) that control the sampling of the output parameter to determine its sensitivity to various inputs. The criteria for these parameters have been set on the analysis of a well-behaved analytical function (see Cropp and Braddock, Reliab. Eng. Syst. Saf. 78:77-83, 2002), which may not be applicable to other physical models that describe complex processes. This paper will investigate the appropriateness of the criteria from (Cropp and Braddock, 2002) and hence the effectiveness of the New Morris Method to determine the sensitivity behaviour of two hydrologic models: the Soil Erosion and Deposition System and Griffith University Representation of Urban Hydrology. In the first case, this paper will separately analyse the sensitivity of an output parameter on a set of input parameters (first- and second-order effects) for each model and discuss the physical meaning of these sensitivities. This will be followed by an investigation into the sampling criteria by exploring the convergence of the sensitivity behaviour for each model as the sampling of the parameter space is increased. By comparing these trends to the convergence behaviour from Cropp and Braddock (2002), we will determine how well the New Morris Method estimates the sensitivity for each model and whether the sampling criteria are appropriate for these models. It will be shown that the New Morris Method can provide additional insight into the functioning of these models, and that, under a different metric, the sensitivity behaviour of these models does converge confirming the sampling criteria set by Cropp and Brad...
Maumela, M, Blann, K, de Bod, H, Dixon, J, Gabrielli, W & Williams, DB 2007, 'Efficient Synthesis of Novel N-Substituted Bulky Diphosphinoamines', Synthesis, vol. 2007, no. 24, pp. 3863-3867.
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McCarty, KM, Chen, Y-C, Quamruzzaman, Q, Rahman, M, Mahiuddin, G, Hsueh, Y-M, Su, L, Smith, T, Ryan, L & Christiani, DC 2007, 'Arsenic methylation, GSTT1, GSTM1, GSTP1 polymorphisms, and skin lesions', ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES, vol. 115, no. 3, pp. 341-345.
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Objective: We investigated whether primary and secondary arsenic methylation ratios were associated with skin lesions and whether GSTT1, GSTP1, and GSTM1 polymorphisms modify these relationships. Methods: A case-control study of 600 cases and 600 controls that were frequency matched on age and sex was conducted in Pabna, Bangladesh, in 2001-2002. Individual well water, urine, and blood samples were collected. Water arsenic concentration was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Urinary arsenic speciation was determined using high performance liquid chromatography hydride with generator atomic absorption spectrometry and ICP-MS. Genotyping was conducted using multiplex polymerase chain reaction and TaqMan. Results: A 10-fold increase in primary methylation ratio [monomethylarsonic acid (MMA)/(arsenite + arsenate) was associated with a 1.50-fold increased risk of skin lesions (multivariate odds ratio = 1.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-2.26). We observed significant interaction on the multiplicative scale between GSTT1 wildtype and secondary methylation ratio [dimethylarsinic acid/MMA; likelihood ratio test (LRT), p = 0.01]. No significant interactions were observed for GSTM1 or GSTP1 or for primary mathylation ratios. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that increasing primary methylation ratios are associated with an increase in risk of arsenic-related skin lesions. The interaction between GSTT1 wildtype and secondary methylation ratio modifies risk of skin lesions among arsenic-exposed individuals.
McCarty, KM, Ryan, L, Houseman, EA, Williams, PL, Miller, DP, Quamruzzaman, Q, Rahman, M, Mahiuddin, G, Smith, T, Gonzalez, E, Su, L & Christiani, DC 2007, 'A case-control study of GST polymorphisms and arsenic related skin lesions', ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, vol. 6, no. 5, pp. 1-10.
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Background. Polymorphisms in GSTT1, GSTM1 and GSTP1 impact detoxification of carcinogens by GSTs and have been reported to increase susceptibility to environmentally related health outcomes. Individual factors in arsenic biotransformation may influence disease susceptibility. GST activity is involved in the metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds, including catalyzing the formation of arsenic-GSH conjugates. Methods. We investigated whether polymorphisms in GSTT1, GSTP1 and GSTM1 were associated with risk of skin lesions and whether these polymorphisms modify the relationship between drinking water arsenic exposure and skin lesions in a case control study of 1200 subjects frequency matched on age and gender in community clinics in Pabna, Bangladesh in 2001-2002. Results and discussion. GSTT1 homozygous wildtype status was associated with increased odds of skin lesions compared to the null status (OR1.56 95% CI 1.10-2.19). The GSTP1 GG polymorphism was associated with greater odds of skin lesions compared to GSTP1 AA, (OR 1.86 (95%CI 1.15-3.00). No evidence of effect modification by GSTT1, GSTM1 or GSTP1 polymorphisms on the association between arsenic exposure and skin lesions was detected. Conclusion. GSTT1 wildtype and GSTP1 GG are associated with increased risk of skin lesions. © 2007 McCarty et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
McCarty, KM, Smith, TJ, Zhou, W, Gonzalez, E, Quamruzzaman, Q, Mahiuddin, G, Ryan, L, Su, L & Christiani, DC 2007, 'Polymorphisms in XPD (Asp312Asn and Lys751Gln) genes, sunburn and arsenic-related skin lesions', CARCINOGENESIS, vol. 28, no. 8, pp. 1697-1702.
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Background: Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in genes related to DNA repair capacity and ultraviolet exposure have not been well investigated in relation to skin lesions associated with arsenic exposure. This population based case-control study, of 600 ca
McDonagh, AM, Zareie, HM, Ford, MJ, Barton, CS, Ginic-Markovic, M & Matisons, JG 2007, 'Ethynylbenzene monolayers on gold: A metal-molecule binding motif derived from a hydrocarbon', JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, vol. 129, no. 12, pp. 3533-3538.
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Exposure of a Au(111) surface to ethynylbenzene in solution leads to the formation of a bound monolayer. A chemisorption process occurs to give a stable layer consisting of oxygen-containing hydrocarbon species. Ethynylbenzene itself does not oxidize under the deposition conditions indicating that the gold surface facilitates the oxidation process. Calculations show that ethynylbenzene and its oxidation products phenylacetic acid and phenyloxirane have positive binding energies to the gold surface. 1,4-Diethynylbenzene also binds to Au(111) and anchors gold nanoparticles deposited from solution to form dense, semiregular arrays. © 2007 American Chemical Society.
McDougald, D, Rice, SA & Kjelleberg, S 2007, 'Bacterial quorum sensing and interference by naturally occurring biomimics', Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, vol. 387, no. 2, pp. 445-453.
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McGowan, EM, Russell, AJ, Boonyaratanakornkit, V, Saunders, DN, Lehrbach, GM, Sergio, CM, Musgrove, EA, Edwards, DP & Sutherland, RL 2007, 'Progestins Reinitiate Cell Cycle Progression in Antiestrogen-Arrested Breast Cancer Cells through the B-Isoform of Progesterone Receptor', Cancer Research, vol. 67, no. 18, pp. 8942-8951.
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Abstract Estrogen treatment of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells allows the reinitiation of synchronous cell cycle progression in antiestrogen-arrested cells. Here, we report that progestins also reinitiate cell cycle progression in this model. Using clonal cell lines derived from progesterone receptor (PR)–negative MCF-7M13 cells expressing wild-type or mutant forms of PRA and PRB, we show that this effect is mediated via PRB, not PRA. Cell cycle progression did not occur with a DNA-binding domain mutant of PRB but was unaffected by mutation in the NH2-terminal, SH3 domain interaction motif, which mediates rapid progestin activation of c-Src. Thus, the progestin-induced proliferative response in antiestrogen-inhibited cells is mediated primarily by the transcriptional activity of PRB. Analysis of selected cell cycle targets showed that progestin treatment induced levels of cyclin D1 expression and retinoblastoma protein (Rb) phosphorylation similar to those induced by estradiol. In contrast, progestin treatment resulted in only a 1.2-fold induction of c-Myc compared with a 10-fold induction by estradiol. These results support the conclusion that progestin, in a PRB-dependent manner, can overcome the growth-inhibitory effects of antiestrogens in estrogen receptor/PR-positive breast cancer cells by the induction of cyclin D1 expression. The mediation of this effect by PRB, but not PRA, further suggests a mechanism whereby abnormal regulation of the normal expression ratios of PR isoforms in breast cancer could lead to the attenuation of antiestrogen-mediated growth arrest. [Cancer Res 2007;67(18):8942–51]
McMinn, A, Ryan, KG, Ralph, PJ & Pankowski, A 2007, 'Spring sea ice photosynthesis, primary productivity and biomass distribution in eastern Antarctica, 2002-2004', MARINE BIOLOGY, vol. 151, no. 3, pp. 985-995.
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While it is known that Antarctic sea ice biomass and productivity are highly variable over small spatial and temporal scales, there have been very few measurements from eastern Antarctic. Here we attempt to quantify the biomass and productivity and relate patterns of variability to sea ice latitude ice thickness and vertical distribution. Sea ice algal biomass in spring in 2002, 2003 and 2004 was low, in the range 0.01-8.41 mg Chl a m-2, with a mean and standard deviation of 2.08 ± 1.74 mg Chl a m-2 (n = 199). An increased concentration of algae at the bottom of the ice was most pronounced in thicker ice. There was little evidence to suggest that there was a gradient of biomass distribution with latitude. Maximum in situ production in 2002 was approximately 2.6 mg C m-2 h-1 with assimilation numbers of 0.73 mg C (mg Chl a)-1 h-1. Assimilation numbers determined by the 14C incubations in 2002 varied between 0.031 and 0.457 mg C (mg Chl a)-1 h-1. Maximum fluorescence quantum yields of the incubated ice samples in 2002 were 0.470 ± 0.041 with Ek indices between 19 and 44 μmol photons m-2 s-1. These findings are consistent with the shade-adapted character of ice algal communities. In 2004 maximum in situ production was 5.9 mg C m-2 h-1 with an assimilation number of 5.4 mg C (mg Chl a)-1 h-1. Sea ice biomass increased with ice thickness but showed no correlation with latitude or the time the ice was collected. Forty-four percent of the biomass was located in bottom communities and these were more commonly found in thicker ice. Surface communities were uncommon. © 2006 Springer-Verlag.
McNevin, DB, Badger, MR, Whitney, SM, von Caemmerer, S, Tcherkez, GGB & Farquhar, GD 2007, 'Differences in Carbon Isotope Discrimination of Three Variants of D-Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase Reflect Differences in Their Catalytic Mechanisms', Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 282, no. 49, pp. 36068-36076.
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McPhedran, RC, Botten, LC & Nicorovici, N-AP 2007, 'Null trajectories for the symmetrized Hurwitz zeta function', PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES, vol. 463, no. 2077, pp. 303-319.
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We consider the Hurwitz zeta function zeta(s, a) and develop asymptotic results for a = p/q, with q large, and, in particular, for p/q tending to 1/2. We also study the properties of lines along which the symmetrized parts of zeta(s, a), zeta(+)(s, a) an
McPhedran, RC, Botten, LC, Nicorovici, NA & Kuhlmey, BT 2007, 'Preface', Physica B: Condensed Matter, vol. 394, no. 2, pp. xiii-xiv.
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McPhedran, RC, Botten, LC, Nicorovici, NA & Zucker, IJ 2007, 'Systematic investigation of two-dimensional static array sums', JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS, vol. 48, no. 3, pp. 1-25.
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We discuss general properties of doubly periodic sums over the square lattice, linking phased, Bloch-type sums in the direct lattice with displaced sums in the reciprocal lattice using the Poisson summation formula. We discuss cardinal points, where the
McPhedran, RC, Botten, LC, Nicorovici, N-AP & Zucker, IJ 2007, 'Symmetrization of the Hurwitz zeta function and Dirichlet L functions', PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES, vol. 463, no. 2077, pp. 281-301.
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We consider the Hurwitz zeta function zeta(s, a), and form two parts zeta(+) and zeta(-) by symmetric and antisymmetric combinations of zeta(s, a) and zeta(s, 1-a). We consider the properties of zeta(+) and zeta(-), and then show that each may be decompo
Meakin, GE, Bueno, E, Jepson, B, Bedmar, EJ, Richardson, DJ & Delgado, MJ 2007, 'The contribution of bacteroidal nitrate and nitrite reduction to the formation of nitrosylleghaemoglobin complexes in soybean root nodules', Microbiology, vol. 153, no. 2, pp. 411-419.
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Meier, PC & Rogers, C 2007, 'The need for traditional Chinese medicine morbidity research', COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES IN MEDICINE, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 284-288.
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Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long justified its practice on empirical phenomenology. Questions remain, however, as to the legitimacy of this approach and its relevance to TCM practice and educational developments in the 21st century. General medical practice (GMP) has used practice-based data collected over the past 25 years to develop relevant medical curriculum and enhance patient care. As TCM becomes ever more incorporated into Western educational and health systems, it too must concern itself with providing a solid evidence base to be used in enhancing patient care and educational curriculum. Computer generated data related to patient problems or problem complexes abstracted from TCM clinical records can provide the basis for practitioner development and the enhancement of training programs that will lead to improvements in patient care. Such locally valid and representative data can also be used to inform research programs, public policy and evidence-based commissioning. The key to developing such systems is standardising TCM terminology and data collection protocols. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Mickan, L, Doyle, R, Valcanis, M, Dingle, KE, Unicomb, L & Lanser, J 2007, 'Multilocus sequence typing of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from New South Wales, Australia', Journal of Applied Microbiology, vol. 102, no. 1, pp. 144-152.
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Mortari, A, Maaroof, A, Martin, D & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Mesoporous gold electrodes for sensors based on electrochemical double layer capacitance', SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL, vol. 123, no. 1, pp. 262-268.
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he use of mesoporous gold as electrode material for measurement of electrochemical capacitance is investigated. The electrodes possess a pore size in the range of 10-30nm and are prepared by de-alloying films of AuAl"x, where x>=2....
Motlan, Zhu, G, Drozdowicz-Tomsia, K, McBean, K, Phillips, MR & Goldys, EM 2007, 'Annealing of ZnS nanocrystals grown by colloidal synthesis', OPTICAL MATERIALS, vol. 29, no. 12, pp. 1579-1583.
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ZnS nanocrystals (NCs) capped with tetramethylammonium (TMAH) were synthesized from ZnCl2 · 2H2O and thiourea using a wet chemical process. Further treatments of the nanocrystals such as aging, and annealing have been conducted to examine the stability of the grown samples. The X-ray diffraction spectra show that the crystal has a zinc blende structure with particle size of about 2 nm. The evidence of nanocrystalline character is also clear in the UV-Vis absorption that shows an excitonic peak at about 236 nm (5.2 eV) arising from band edge transitions. A photoluminescence emission peak centered at about 450 nm (2.7 eV) is attributed to transitions between shallow donors and Zn+ vacancies. Both absorption and photoluminescence spectra show that sample aging does not affect the characteristics of the sample, possibly due to protection by TMAH capping. Annealing at 700 °C and 900 °C results in the red shift of the photoluminescence. © 2006.
Mueller, RS, McDougald, D, Cusumano, D, Sodhi, N, Kjelleberg, S, Azam, F & Bartlett, DH 2007, 'Vibrio cholerae Strains Possess Multiple Strategies for Abiotic and Biotic Surface Colonization', Journal of Bacteriology, vol. 189, no. 14, pp. 5348-5360.
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ABSTRACT Despite its notoriety as a human pathogen, Vibrio cholerae is an aquatic microbe suited to live in freshwater, estuarine, and marine environments where biofilm formation may provide a selective advantage. Here we report characterization of biofilms formed on abiotic and biotic surfaces by two non-O1/O139 V. cholerae strains, TP and SIO, and by the O1 V. cholerae strain N16961 in addition to the isolation of 44 transposon mutants of SIO and TP impaired in biofilm formation. During the course of characterizing the mutants, 30 loci which have not previously been associated with V. cholerae biofilms were identified. These loci code for proteins which perform a wide variety of functions, including amino acid metabolism, ion transport, and gene regulation. Also, when the plankton colonization abilities of strains N16961, SIO, and TP were examined, each strain showed increased colonization of dead plankton compared with colonization of live plankton (the dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum and the copepod Tigriopus californicus ). Surprisingly, most of the biofilm mutants were not impaired in plankton colonization. Only mutants impaired in motility or chemotaxis showed reduced colonization. These results indicate the presence of both conserved and variable genes which influence the surface colonization properties of different V. cholerae subspecies.
Munce, CG, Parker, GK, Holt, SA & Hope, GA 2007, 'A Raman spectroelectrochemical investigation of chemical bath deposited CuxS thin films and their modification', Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, vol. 295, no. 1-3, pp. 152-158.
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Murray, S, de Salas, M, Luong-Van, J & Hallegraeff, G 2007, 'Phylogenetic study of Gymnodinium dorsalisulcum comb. nov from tropical Australian coastal waters (Dinophyceae)', PHYCOLOGICAL RESEARCH, vol. 55, no. 2, pp. 176-184.
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Murray, S, Nagahama, Y & Fukuyo, Y 2007, 'Phylogenetic study of benthic, spine-bearing prorocentroids, including Prorocentrum fukuyoi sp nov.', PHYCOLOGICAL RESEARCH, vol. 55, no. 2, pp. 91-102.
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Myers, GSA, Parker, D, Al-Hasani, K, Kennan, RM, Seemann, T, Ren, Q, Badger, JH, Selengut, JD, DeBoy, RT, Tettelin, H, Boyce, JD, McCarl, VP, Han, X, Nelson, WC, Madupu, R, Mohamoud, Y, Holley, T, Fedorova, N, Khouri, H, Bottomley, SP, Whittington, RJ, Adler, B, Songer, JG, Rood, JI & Paulsen, IT 2007, 'Genome sequence and identification of candidate vaccine antigens from the animal pathogen Dichelobacter nodosus', Nature Biotechnology, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 569-575.
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Nagler, PL, Glenn, EP, Kim, H, Emmerich, W, Scott, RL, Huxman, TE & Huete, AR 2007, 'Relationship between evapotranspiration and precipitation pulses in a semiarid rangeland estimated by moisture flux towers and MODIS vegetation indices', JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS, vol. 70, no. 3, pp. 443-462.
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We used moisture Bowen ratio flux tower data and the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) from the moderate resolution imaging spectrometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite to measure and scale evapotranspiration (ET) over sparsely vegetated grassland and shrubland sites in a semiarid watershed in southeastern Arizona from 2000 to 2004. The grassland tower site had higher mean annual ET (336 mm yr-1) than the shrubland tower site (266 mm yr-1) (P<0.001). ET measured at the individual tower sites was strongly correlated with EVI (r=0.80-0.94). ET was moderately correlated with precipitation (P), and only weakly correlated with net radiation or air temperature. The strong correlation between ET and EVI, as opposed to the moderate correlation with rainfall, suggests that transpiration (T) is the dominant process controlling ET at these sites. ET could be adequately predicted from EVI and P across seasons and tower sites (r2 = 0.74) by a single multiple regression equation. The regression equation relating ET to EVI and P was used to scale ET over 25 km2 areas of grassland and shrubland around each tower site. Over the study, ratios of T to ET ranged from 0.75 to 1.0. Winter rains stimulated spring ET, and a large rain event in fall, 2000, stimulated ET above T through the following year, indicating that winter rain stored in the soil profile can be an important component of the plants' water budget during the warm season in this ecosystem. We conclude that remotely sensed vegetation indices can be used to scale ground measurements of ET over larger landscape units in semiarid ranglelands, and that the vegetation communities in this landscape effectively harvest the available precipitation over a period of years, even though precipitation patterns are variably seasonally and interannually. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Nakhjavani, FA, Mirsalehian, A, Hamidian, M, Kazemi, B, Mirafshar, M & Jabalameli, F 2007, 'Antimicrobial susceptibility testing for Escherichia coli strains to fluoroquinolones, in urinary tract infections', Iranian Journal of Public Health, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 89-92.
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Background: Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections diseases diagnosed all over the world. Meanwhile most episode of UTIs is caused by Echerichia coli (up to 85%) and frequently fluoroquinolones are preferred as initial agents for empiric therapy of UTIs. Widespread use of fluoroquinolones has resulted in an increasing incidence of resistance these agents all over the world The aim of this study was to assess, susceptibility of Escherichia coli strains from UTI patients against common fluoroquinolones. Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was determined by disk agar diffusion (DAD) and Minimal Inhibitory Concentration methods as described by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). Results: One hundred sixty four clinical isolates of E. coli were collected by urine cultures from patients with UTI. The extent of resistant to nalidixic acid, ofloxacin, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin, by disk diffusion method was 49.3%, 44.5%, 41.4% and 40.2%, respectively. Resistance to ciprofloxacin by MIC method was 42.1%. Conclusion: This study represents high level resistant of E. coli isolates from UTI patients. It is because of inappropriate and incorrect administration of antimicrobial agents in blind cases. This problem remarks significance of performing antimicrobial susceptibility testing before empiric antibiotic therapy. To overcome this problem use of unnecessary antibiotics therapy should be limited.
Nedbal, L, Červený, J, Rascher, U & Schmidt, H 2007, 'E-photosynthesis: a comprehensive modeling approach to understand chlorophyll fluorescence transients and other complex dynamic features of photosynthesis in fluctuating light', Photosynthesis Research, vol. 93, no. 1-3, pp. 223-234.
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NELSON, LA, WALLMAN, JF & DOWTON, M 2007, 'Using COI barcodes to identify forensically and medically important blowflies', Medical and Veterinary Entomology, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 44-52.
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Abstract The utility of cytochrome oxidase I (COI) DNA barcodes for the identification of nine species of forensically important blowflies of the genus Chrysomya (Diptera: Calliphoridae), from Australia, was tested. A 658‐bp fragment of the COI gene was sequenced from 56 specimens, representing all nine Chrysomya species and three calliphorid outgroups. Nucleotide sequence divergences were calculated using the Kimura‐two‐parameter distance model and a neighbour‐joining (NJ) analysis was performed to provide a graphic display of the patterns of divergence among the species. All species were resolved as reciprocally monophyletic on the NJ tree. Mean intraspecific and interspecific sequence divergences were 0.097% (range 0–0.612%, standard error [SE] = 0.119%) and 6.499% (range 0.458–9.254%, SE = 1.864%), respectively. In one case, a specimen that was identified morphologically was recovered with its sister species on the NJ tree. The hybrid status of this specimen was established by sequence analysis of the second ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS2). In another instance, this nuclear region was used to verify four cases of specimen misidentification that had been highlighted by the COI analysis. The COI barcode sequence was found to be suitable for the identification of Chrysomya species from the east coast of Australia.
Nicorovici, N-AP, Milton, GW, McPhedran, RC & Botten, LC 2007, 'Quasistatic cloaking of two-dimensional polarizable discrete systems by anomalous resonance', OPTICS EXPRESS, vol. 15, no. 10, pp. 6314-6323.
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Discrete systems of infinitely long polarizable line dipoles are considered in the quasistatic limit, interacting with a two-dimensional cloaking system consisting of a hollow plasmonic cylindrical shell. A numerical procedure is described for accurately calculating electromagnetic fields arising in the quasistatic limit, for the case when the relative permittivity of the cloaking shell has a very small imaginery part. Animations are given which illustrate cloaking of discrete systems, both for the case of induced dipoles and induced quadrupoles on the interacting particles. The simulations clarify the physical mechanism for the cloaking.
Novikov, A & Kordzakhia, N 2007, 'Martingales and first passage times of AR(1) sequences', Stochastics, vol. 80, no. 2-3, pp. 197-210.
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Using the martingale approach we find sufficient conditions for exponentialboundedness of first passage times over a level for ergodic first orderautoregressive sequences (AR(1)). Further, we prove a martingale identity to beused in obtaining explicit bounds for the expectation of first passage times.
Novikov, A & Shiryaev, A 2007, 'On a solution of the optimal stopping problem for processes with independent increments', Stochastics, vol. 79, no. 3-4, pp. 393-406.
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We discuss a solution of the optimal stopping problem for the case when a reward function is a power function of a process with independent stationary increments (random walks or Levy processes) on an infinite time interval. It is shown that an optimal stopping time is the first crossing time through a level defined as the largest root of the Appell function associated with the maximum of the underlying process.
Oakes, SR, Robertson, FG, Kench, JG, Gardiner-Garden, M, Wand, MP, Green, JE & Ormandy, CJ 2007, 'Loss of mammary epithelial prolactin receptor delays tumor formation by reducing cell proliferation in low-grade preinvasive lesions', Oncogene, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 543-553.
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Top quartile serum prolactin levels confer a twofold increase in the relative risk of developing breast cancer. Prolactin exerts this effect at an ill defined point in the carcinogenic process, via mechanisms involving direct action via prolactin receptors within mammary epithelium and/or indirect action through regulation of other hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. We have addressed these questions by examining mammary carcinogenesis in transplants of mouse mammary epithelium expressing the SV40T oncogene, with or without the prolactin receptor, using host animals with a normal endocrine system. In prolactin receptor knockout transplants the area of neoplasia was significantly smaller (7 versus 17%; P<0.001 at 22 weeks and 7 versus 14%; P=0.009 at 32 weeks). Low-grade neoplastic lesions displayed reduced BrdU incorporation rate (11.3 versus 17% P=0.003) but no change in apoptosis rate. Tumor latency increased (289 days versus 236 days, P<0.001). Tumor frequency, growth rate, morphology, cell proliferation and apoptosis were not altered. Thus, prolactin acts directly on the mammary epithelial cells to increase cell proliferation in preinvasive lesions, resulting in more neoplasia and acceleration of the transition to invasive carcinoma. Targeting of mammary prolactin signaling thus provides a strategy to prevent the early progression of neoplasia to invasive carcinoma. © 2007 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved.
Och, DJ, Percival, IG & Leitch, EC 2007, 'Ordovician conodonts from the Watonga Formation, Port Macquarie, northeast New South Wales', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, vol. 128, no. N/A, pp. 209-216.
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Conodonts of Middle to Late Ordovician age, obtained from cherts of the Watonga Formation exposed in the Port Macquarie Block of the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, establish this unit as the oldest biostratigraphically-dated part of the southern New England Fold Belt subduction-accretion complex. Correlation of the Watonga Formation with the Woolomin Formation, faunas from which are no older than Pridoli, cannot be sustained. This revised age provides evidence of possible early Palaeozoic subduction-accretion in this region at the same time as arc magmatism, volcaniclastic sedimentation and exhumation of high-pressure metamorphic rocks were proceeding further west.
Oliver, SN, Dennis, ES & Dolferus, R 2007, 'ABA Regulates Apoplastic Sugar Transport and is a Potential Signal for Cold-Induced Pollen Sterility in Rice', Plant and Cell Physiology, vol. 48, no. 9, pp. 1319-1330.
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Cold temperatures cause pollen sterility and large reductions in grain yield in temperate rice growing regions of the world. Induction of pollen sterility by cold involves a disruption of sugar transport in anthers, caused by the cold-induced repression
Oliver, SN, Dennis, ES & Dolferus, R 2007, 'ABA regulates apoplastic sugar transport and is a potential signal for cold-induced pollen sterility in rice', PLANT AND CELL PHYSIOLOGY, vol. 48, no. 9, pp. 1319-1330.
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Park, M, Needham, SA, Wang, G, Kang, Y, Park, J, Dou, S & Liu, H 2007, 'Nanostructured SnSb/Carbon Nanotube Composites Synthesized by Reductive Precipitation for Lithium‐Ion Batteries.', ChemInform, vol. 38, no. 32.
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AbstractChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Park, M, Wang, G, Kang, Y, Wexler, D, Dou, S & Liu, H 2007, 'Preparation and Electrochemical Properties of SnO2 Nanowires for Application in Lithium‐Ion Batteries', Angewandte Chemie, vol. 119, no. 5, pp. 764-767.
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Park, M, Wang, G, Kang, Y, Wexler, D, Dou, S & Liu, H 2007, 'Preparation and Electrochemical Properties of SnO2 Nanowires for Application in Lithium‐Ion Batteries', Angewandte Chemie International Edition, vol. 46, no. 5, pp. 750-753.
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Long and thin: SnO2 nanowires with tetragonal structure were successfully synthesized by a thermal evaporation method without any conventional metal catalysts. The enhanced electrochemical performance of SnO2 nanowires is believed to result from the combination of unique nanostructures with a high length/diameter ratio and the absence of traditional metal catalysts. (Figure Presented). © 2007 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
Park, M-S, Needham, SA, Wang, G-X, Kang, Y-M, Park, J-S, Dou, S-X & Liu, H-K 2007, 'Nanostructured SnSb/Carbon Nanotube Composites Synthesized by Reductive Precipitation for Lithium-Ion Batteries', Chemistry of Materials, vol. 19, no. 10, pp. 2406-2410.
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Nanosized particles of SnSb alloy were coated on the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by reductive precipitation of metal chloride salts within a CNT suspension. The SnSb-CNT nanocomposite snowed a high reversible capacity of 480 mAh g-1 and stable cyclic retention until the 50th cycle. The improvement of reversible capacity and cyclic performance of the SnSb-CNT composite is attributed to the nanoscale dimension of the SnSb alloy particles (<50 nm) and the structural advantages of CNTs as a framework material. The CNTs could be pinning the SnSb alloy particles on their surfaces so as to hinder the agglomeration of SnSb particles, while maintaining electronic conduction as well as accommodating drastic volume variation during electrochemical reactions. © 2007_American Chemical Society.
Park, MS, Wang, GX, Kang, YM, Kim, SY, Liu, HK & Dou, SX 2007, 'Mesoporous organo-silica nanoarray for energy storage media', Electrochemistry Communications, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 71-75.
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A SnO2-mesoporous organo-silica nanoarray (MOSN) composite was prepared by surfactant mediated synthesis combined with a sol-gel vacuum suction method in which SnO2 has been successfully incorporated inside the periodic nanoholes in the MOSN or coated on its surface. The MOSN with a high aspect ratio of length to width could not only maintain its structure but also effectively accommodate the volume expansion of the SnO2 during electrochemical reactions with Li+. The SnO2-MOSN composite showed a higher reversible capacity of 420 mA h g-1 with greatly improved capacity retention and lower initial irreversible capacity compared to SnO2 powder. This interesting anodic performance of SnO2-MOSN composite supports the potential use of MOSN for lithium ion batteries. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Patra, RW, Chapman, JC, Lim, RP & Gehrke, PC 2007, 'The effects of three organic chemicals on the upper thermal tolerances of four freshwater fishes', ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY, vol. 26, no. 7, pp. 1454-1459.
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The upper temperature tolerance limits of four freshwater fish species, silver perch Bidyanus bidyanus, eastern rainbowfish Melanotaenia duboulayi, western carp gudgeon Hypseleotris klunzingeri, and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, were determined usin
Paz-Pellat, F, Palacios-Velez, E, Bolanos-Gonzalez, M, Palacios-Sanchez, LA, Martinez-Menes, M, Mejia-Saenz, E & Huete, A 2007, 'Design of a vegetation spectral index: NDVIcp', AGROCIENCIA, vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 539-554.
Pearce, GJ, Wiederhecker, GS, Poulton, CG, Burger, S & St. J. Russell, P 2007, 'Models for guidance in kagome-structured hollow-core photonic crystal fibres', Optics Express, vol. 15, no. 20, pp. 12680-12680.
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We demonstrate by numerical simulation that the general features of the loss spectrum of photonic crystal fibres (PCF) with a kagome structure can be explained by simple models consisting of thin concentric hexagons or rings of glass in air. These easily analysed models provide increased understanding of the mechanism of guidance in kagome PCF, and suggest ways in which the high-loss resonances in the loss spectrum may be shifted. © 2007 Optical Society of America.
Peisah, C, Snowdon, J, Gorrie, C, Kril, J & Rodriguez, M 2007, 'Investigation of Alzheimer's disease-related pathology in community dwelling older subjects who committed suicide', Journal of Affective Disorders, vol. 99, no. 1-3, pp. 127-132.
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Background: Older people have a higher risk of completed suicide than any other age group worldwide. The contribution of neurodegenerative disease to this risk remains controversial. Aims: To investigate prevalence of Alzheimer's disease-related (AD) pat
Pernice, M, Destoumieux-Garzon, D, Peduzzi, J, Rebuffat, S & Boucher-Rodoni, R 2007, 'Identification of a Vibrio strain producing antimicrobial agents in the excretory organs of Nautilus pompilius (Cephalopoda : Nautiloidea)', REVIEWS IN FISH BIOLOGY AND FISHERIES, vol. 17, no. 2-3, pp. 197-205.
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Pernice, M, Pichon, D, Domart-Coulon, I, Favet, J & Boucher-Rodoni, R 2007, 'Primary co-culture as a complementary approach to explore the diversity of bacterial associations in marine invertebrates: the example of Nautilus macromphalus (Cephalopoda : Nautiloidea)', MARINE BIOLOGY, vol. 150, no. 5, pp. 749-757.
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Pernice, M, Wetzel, S, Gros, O, Boucher-Rodoni, R & Dubilier, N 2007, 'Enigmatic dual symbiosis in the excretory organ of Nautilus macromphalus (Cephalopoda : Nautiloidea)', PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, vol. 274, no. 1614, pp. 1143-1152.
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Perriman, AW, Henderson, MJ, Holt, SA & White, JW 2007, 'Effect of the Air−Water Interface on the Stability of β-Lactoglobulin', The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, vol. 111, no. 48, pp. 13527-13537.
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Peters, J, Wilson, DP, Myers, G, Timms, P & Bavoil, PM 2007, 'Type III secretion à la Chlamydia', Trends in Microbiology, vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 241-251.
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Peters, PC, Migocki, MD, Thoni, C & Harry, EJ 2007, 'A new assembly pathway for the cytokinetic Z ring from a dynamic helical structure in vegetatively growing cells of Bacillus subtilis', MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 64, no. 2, pp. 487-499.
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The earliest event in bacterial cell division is the formation of a Z ring, composed of the tubulin-like FtsZ protein, at the division site at midcell. This ring then recruits several other division proteins and together they drive the formation of a division septum between two replicated chromosomes. Here we show that, in addition to forming a cytokinetic ring, FtsZ localizes in a helical-like pattern in vegetatively growing cells of Bacillus subtilis. FtsZ moves rapidly within this helix-like structure. Examination of FtsZ localization in individual live cells undergoing a single cell cycle suggests a new assembly mechanism for Z ring formation that involves a cell cycle-mediated multistep remodelling of FtsZ polymers. Our observations suggest that initially FtsZ localizes in a helical pattern, with movement of FtsZ within this structure occurring along the entire length of the cell. Next, movement of FtsZ in a helical-like pattern is restricted to a central region of the cell. Finally the FtsZ ring forms precisely at midcell. We further show that another division protein, FtsA, shown to interact with FtsZ prior to Z ring formation in B. subtilis, also localizes to similar helical patterns in vegetatively growing cells. © 2007 The Authors.
Phillips, BL, Brown, GP, Greenlees, M, Webb, JK & Shine, R 2007, 'Rapid expansion of the cane toad (Bufo marinus) invasion front in tropical Australia', AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 169-176.
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Cane toads (Bufo marinus) are large toxic anurans that have spread through much of tropical Australia since their introduction in 1935. Our surveys of the location of the toad invasion front in 2001 to 2005, and radiotracking of toads at the front near Darwin in 2005, reveal much faster westwards expansion than was recorded in earlier stages of toad invasion through Queensland. Since reaching the wet-dry tropics of the Northern Territory, the toads have progressed an average of approximately 55 km year(-1) (mean rate of advance 264 m night(-1) along a frequently monitored 55-km road transect during the wet season of 2004-2005). Radiotracking suggests that this displacement is due to rapid locomotion by free-ranging toads rather than human-assisted dispersal; individual toads frequently moved > 200 m in a single night. One radiotracked toad moved > 21 800 m in a 30-day period; the fastest rate of movement yet recorded for any anuran. Daily displacements of radiotracked toads varied with time and local weather conditions, and were highest early in the wet season on warm, wet and windy nights. The accelerated rate of expansion of the front may reflect either, or both: (i) evolved changes in toads or (ii) that toads have now entered an environment more favourable to spread. This accelerated rate of expansion means that toads will reach the Western Australian border and their maximal range in northern Australia sooner than previously predicted.
Pissuwan, D, Cortie, CH, Valenzuela, SM & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Gold nanosphere-antibody conjugates for hyperthermal therapeutic applications', GOLD BULLETIN, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 121-129.
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Gold nanoparticles can be conjugated with antibodies or other proteins, and the resulting composite particles will selectively attach to various kinds of biological material. Although exploitation of this for staining microscopy specimens is well known, there has recently been interest in attaching gold nanoparticles to live cells for therapeutic reasons. One motication is that gold nanoparticles display a strong plasmon resonance with light, which can be exploted in principle for an 'in vivo' photothermal therapy. The treatment of cancer by this technique has recently received attention by others, but here we show how gold nanoparticle based therapies can be developed to target live macrophage cells. We have employed 'active targeting' a scheme in which gold nanoparticles are functionalised with an antibody specific to the target macrophage cell. We describe how to prepare the conjugated particles, demonstrate that they will selectively attach 'in vitro' to their target macrophage cell but not to a non-target cell type and show that their presence renders the target cell susceptible to destruction by a low power laser.
Pissuwan, D, Valenzuela, SM, Killingsworth, MC, Xu, X & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Targeted destruction of murine macrophage cells with bioconjugated gold nanorods', JOURNAL OF NANOPARTICLE RESEARCH, vol. 9, no. 6, pp. 1109-1124.
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Gold nanorods manifest a readily tunable longitudinal plasmon resonance with light and consequently have potential for use in photothermal therapeutics. Recent work by others has shown how gold nanoshells and rods can be used to target cancer cells, which can then be destroyed using relatively high power laser radiation (similar to 1x10(5) to 1x10(10) W/m(2)). Here we extend this concept to demonstrate how gold nanorods can be modified to bind to target macrophage cells, and show that high intensity laser radiation is not necessary, with even 5x10(2) W/m(2) being sufficient, provided that a total fluence of similar to 30 J/cm(2) is delivered. We used the murine cell line RAW 264.7 and the monoclonal antibody CD11b, raised against murine macrophages, as our model system and a 5 mW solid state diode laser as our energy source. Exposure of the cells labeled with gold nanorods to a laser fluence of 30 J/cm(2) resulted in 81% cell death compared to only 0.9% in the control, non-labeled cells.
Pissuwan, D, Valenzuela, SM, Miller, CM & Cortie, MB 2007, 'A golden bullet? Selective targeting of toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites using anti body-functionalized gold nanorods', NANO LETTERS, vol. 7, no. 12, pp. 3808-3812.
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Conjugates of gold nanoparticles and antibodies have useful functionalities. Here we show how they can be used to selectively target and destroy parasitic protozoans. Gold nanorods were conjugated with an anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody and used to target the extracellular tachyzoite which is an infectious from on an obligate parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Subsequent laser irradiation was used to kill the targeted protozoans. This concept provides a new paradigm for the treatment of parasitic protozoans.
Pissuwan, D, Valenzuela, SM, Miller, CM & Cortie, MB 2007, 'A golden bullet? Selective targeting of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites using antibody-functionalized gold nanorods.', Nano Lett, vol. 7, no. 12, pp. 3808-3812.
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Conjugates of gold nanoparticles and antibodies have useful functionalities. Here, we show how they can be used to selectively target and destroy parasitic protozoans. Gold nanorods were conjugated with an anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody and used to target the extracellular tachyzoite which is an infectious form of an obligate parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Subsequent laser irradiation was used to kill the targeted protozoans. This concept provides a new paradigm for the treatment of parasitic protozoans.
Platen, E & Rendek, R 2007, 'Empirical Evidence on Student-t Log-Returns of Diversified World Stock Indices', Journal of Statistical Theory and Practice, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 233-251.
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The aim of this paper is to document some empirical facts related to log-returns of diversified world stock indices when these are denominated in different currencies. Motivated by earlier results, we have obtained the estimated distribution of log-returns for a range of world stock indices over long observation periods. We expand previous studies by applying the maximum likelihood ratio test to the large class of generalized hyperbolic distributions, and investigate the log-returns of a variety of diversified world stock indices in different currency denominations. This identifies the Student-t distribution with about four degrees of freedom as the typical estimated log-return distribution of such indices. Owing to the observed high levels of significance, this result can be interpreted as a stylized empirical fact.
Platen, E & Runggaldier, W 2007, 'A Benchmark Approach to Portfolio Optimization under Partial Information', Asia Pacific Financial Markets, vol. 14, no. 1-2, pp. 25-43.
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This paper proposes a filtering methodology for portfolio optimization when some factors of the underlying model are only partially observed. The level of information is given by the observed quantities that are here supposed to be the primary securities and empirical log-price covariations. For a given level of information we determine the growth optimal portfolio, identify locally optimal portfolios that are located on a corresponding Markowitz efficient frontier and present an approach for expected utility maximization. We also present an expected utility indifference pricing approach under partial information for the pricing of nonreplicable contracts. This results in a real world pricing formula under partial information that turns out to be independent of the subjective utility of the investor and for which an equivalent risk neutral probability measure need not exist.
Podlipensky, A, Szarniak, P, Joly, NY, Poulton, CG & Russell, PSJ 2007, 'Bound soliton pairs in photonic crystal fiber', Optics Express, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 1653-1653.
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We demonstrate experimentally the formation and stable propagation of bound soliton pairs in a highly nonlinear photonic crystal fiber. The bound pairs occur at a particular power as the consequence of high-order soliton fission. They propagate over long distances with constant inter-soliton frequency and time separation. During propagation, the soliton self-frequency shift causes the central frequency of the pairs to move towards longer wavelength. The formation and characteristics of the bound soliton pairs are confirmed numerically. We believe this to be the first experimental observation of such bound soliton pairs. © 2007 Optical Society of America.
Poinsignon, C, Klein, H, Strobel, P, Roux, C & Surcin, C 2007, 'Electrochemical Response of Nanocrystalline Tetragonal Manganese Dioxides Prepared by Spray Vapor Pyrolysis and Ball Milling', The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, vol. 111, no. 27, pp. 9644-9651.
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Poulton, CG, Schmidt, MA, Pearce, GJ, Kakarantzas, G & Russell, PSJ 2007, 'Numerical study of guided modes in arrays of metallic nanowires', Optics Letters, vol. 32, no. 12, pp. 1647-1647.
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We numerically investigate the band structure and guided modes within arrays of metallic nanowires. We show that bandgaps appear for a range of array geometries and that these can be used to guide light in these structures. Values of attenuation as low as 1.7 dB/cm are predicted for arrays of silver wires at communications wavelengths. This is more than 100 times smaller than the attenuation of the surface plasmon polariton modes on a single silver nanowire. © 2007 Optical Society of America.
Prasil, O, Suggett, DJ, Cullen, JJ, Babin, M & Govindjee 2007, 'Aquafluo 2007: chlorophyll fluorescence in aquatic sciences, an international conference held in Nové Hrady', Photosynthesis Research, vol. 95, no. 1, pp. 111-115.
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Preston, JA, Essilfie, A-T, Horvat, JC, Wade, MA, Beagley, KW, Gibson, PG, Foster, PS & Hansbro, PM 2007, 'Inhibition of allergic airways disease by immunomodulatory therapy with whole killed Streptococcus pneumoniae', Vaccine, vol. 25, no. 48, pp. 8154-8162.
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Pyne, SG, Ung, AT, Jatisatienr, A & Mungkornasawakul, P 2007, 'The pyrido[1,2-a]azepine Stemona alkaloids', MAEJO INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 157-165.
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This paper reviews the isolation, structure elucidation, proposed biosynthesis and biological activities of the small, but increasing, number of pyrido[1,2-a]azepine Stemona alkaloids.
Qiao, J, Sun, K, Zhang, N, Sun, B, Kong, J & Zhou, D 2007, 'Ni/YSZ and Ni-CeO2/YSZ anodes prepared by impregnation for solid oxide fuel cells', JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES, vol. 169, no. 2, pp. 253-258.
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Raghu, AV, Unnikrishn, KP, Hashim, KM, Balachandr, I & Mohanan, KV 2007, 'Studies on Morphological and Phytochemical Variability of Different Populations of Tribulus terrestris', International Journal of Plant Breeding and Genetics, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 95-100.
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Ralph, PJ, Durako, MJ, Enriquez, S, Collier, CJ & Doblin, MA 2007, 'Impact of light limitation on seagrasses', JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY, vol. 350, no. 1-2, pp. 176-193.
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Seagrass distribution is controlled by light availability, especially at the deepest edge of the meadow. Light attenuation due to both natural and anthropogenically-driven processes leads to reduced photosynthesis. Adaptation allows seagrasses to exist under these sub-optimal conditions. Understanding the minimum quantum requirements for growth (MQR) is revealed when light conditions are insufficient to maintain a positive carbon balance, leading to a decline in seagrass growth and distribution. Respiratory demands of photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic tissues strongly influence the carbon balance, as do resource allocations between above- and below-ground biomass. Seagrass light acclimation occurs on varying temporal scales, as well as across spatial scales, from the position along a single leaf blade to within the canopy and finally across the meadow. Leaf absorptance is regulated by factors such as pigment content, morphology and physical properties. Chlorophyll content and morphological characteristics of leaves such as leaf thickness change at the deepest edge. We present a series of conceptual models describing the factors driving the light climate and seagrass responses under current and future conditions, with special attention on the deepest edge of the meadow. Crown Copyright © 2007.
Ralph, PJ, Larkum, AWD & Kuehl, M 2007, 'Photobiology of endolithic microorganisms in living coral skeletons: 1. Pigmentation, spectral reflectance and variable chlorophyll fluorescence analysis of endoliths in the massive corals Cyphastrea serailia, Porites lutea and Goniastrea australensis', MARINE BIOLOGY, vol. 152, no. 2, pp. 395-404.
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We used microscopy, reflectance spectroscopy, pigment analysis, and photosynthesis-irradiance curves measured with variable fluorescence techniques to characterise the endolithic communities of phototrophic microorganisms in the skeleton of three massive
Ralph, PJ, Ryan, KG, Martin, A & Fenton, G 2007, 'Melting out of sea ice causes greater photosynthetic stress in algae than freezing in', JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, vol. 43, no. 5, pp. 948-956.
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Sea ice is the dominant feature of polar oceans and contains significant quantities of microalgae. When sea ice forms and melts, the microalgal cells within the ice matrix are exposed to altered salinity and irradiance conditions, and subsequently, their photosynthetic apparatuses become stressed. To simulate the effect of ice formation and melting, samples of sea-ice algae from Cape Hallett (Antarctica) were exposed to altered salinity conditions and incubated under different levels of irradiance. The physiological condition of their photosynthetic apparatuses was monitored using fast and slow fluorescence-induction kinetics. Sea-ice algae exhibited the least photosynthetic stress when maintained in 35‰ and 51‰ salinity, whereas 16, 21, and 65‰ treatments resulted in significant photosynthetic stress. The greatest photosynthetic impact appeared on PSII, resulting in substantial closure of PSII reaction centers when exposed to extreme salinity treatments. Salinity stress to sea-ice algae was light dependent, such that incubated samples only suffered photosynthetic damage when irradiance was applied. Analysis of fast-induction curves showed reductions in J, I, and P transients (or steps) associated with combined salinity and irradiance stress. This stress manifests itself in the limited capacity for the reduction of the primary electron receptor, QA, and the plastoquinone pool, which ultimately inhibited effective quantum yield of PSII and electron transport rate. These results suggest that sea-ice algae undergo greater photosynthetic stress during the process of melting into the hyposaline meltwater lens at the ice edge during summer than do microalgae cells during their incorporation into the ice matrix during the process of freezing. © 2007 Phycological Society of America.
Ralph, PJ, Smith, RA, Macinnis-Ng, CMO & Seery, CR 2007, 'Use of fluorescence-based ecotoxicological bioassays in monitoring toxicants and pollution in aquatic systems: Review', Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry, vol. 89, no. 4, pp. 589-607.
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Chlorophyll a fluorescence has the potential to become a valuable ecotoxicological endpoint, which could be used with a range of aquatic phototrophs. Chlorophyll a fluorescence bioassays have been applied in the assessment of heavy metals, herbicides, petrochemicals and nutrients. The strengths of this endpoint are that it is rapid, non-invasive and non-destructive, while the major weakness is the lack of clear ecological relevance. We provide an overview of chlorophyll a fluorescence applications in ecotoxicology. We reviewed test conditions, parameters and protocols used to date and found standardised protocols to be lacking. The most favoured fluorescence parameters were maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) and effective quantum yield (ΦPSII); microalgae were the most widely used tested organism, herbicides the most commonly tested toxicant, while most studies lacked a summary statistic (such as EC50). We recommend that future research in aquatic chlorophyll a fluorescence ecotoxicology focus on standardisation of test protocols and statistical techniques. © 2007 Taylor & Francis.
Ramsey, CD, Gold, DR, Litonjua, AA, Sredl, DL, Ryan, L & Celedon, JC 2007, 'Respiratory illnesses in early life and asthma and atopy in childhood', JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, vol. 119, no. 1, pp. 150-156.
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Background: The relation between respiratory illnesses in early life and the development of asthma and atopy in childhood is incompletely understood. Objective: We sought to examine the relationship between respiratory illnesses in early life and atopic diseases at school age. Methods: We performed a prospective birth cohort study of the relationship between respiratory illnesses in the first year of life and asthma, atopy (sensitization to ≥1 allergen), and allergic rhinitis at school age in 440 children with a parental history of atopy. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between respiratory illnesses and asthma, atopy, and allergic rhinitis. The relationship between respiratory illnesses in early life and repeated measures of wheezing between the ages of 1 and 7 years was investigated by using a proportional hazards models. Results: Physician-diagnosed croup (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.30; 95% CI, 0.12-0.72) and having 2 or more physician-diagnosed ear infections (adjusted OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.35-0.98) in the first year of life were inversely associated with atopy at school age. Physician-diagnosed bronchiolitis before age 1 year was significantly associated with asthma at age 7 years (adjusted OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.23-6.22). Recurrent nasal catarrh (≥3 episodes of a runny nose) in the first year of life was associated with allergic rhinitis at age 7 years (adjusted OR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.03-8.67). Conclusion: The relationship between early-life respiratory illnesses and asthma and atopy is complex and likely dependent on the type of infection and immune response it initiates. Clinical implications: Certain respiratory illnesses in early life modify the risk of atopy and asthma at school age. © 2007 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Rashid, I, van Reyk, DM & Davies, MJ 2007, 'Carnosine and its constituents inhibit glycation of low-density lipoproteins that promotes foam cell formation in vitro', FEBS LETTERS, vol. 581, no. 5, pp. 1067-1070.
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Gycation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by reactive aldehydes, such as glycolaldehyde, can resultin the cellular accumulation of cholesterol in macrophages. In this study, it is shown that carnosis, or its constituent amino acids beta-alanine and L-histidine, can inhibit the modification of LDL by glycolaldehyde when prsent at equimolar concentrations to the modifying agent,. This protective effect was accompanied by inhibition of cholesterol and cholesteryl ester accumulation in human monocyte-derived macrophages incubated with the glycated LDL. This carnosine and its constituent amino acids may have therapeutic potential in preventing diabetes-induced atherosclerosis.
Raven, JA & Larkum, AWD 2007, 'Are there ecological implications for the proposed energetic restrictions on photosynthetic oxygen evolution at high oxygen concentrations?', PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH, vol. 94, no. 1, pp. 31-42.
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Rawling, T & McDonagh, A 2007, 'Ruthenium phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine complexes: Synthesis, properties and applications', Coordination Chemistry Reviews, vol. 251, no. 9-10, pp. 1128-1157.
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This article reviews the synthesis of ruthenium phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine complexes highlighting important advances, and examines their physical properties and applications. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Rawling, T, Xiao, H, Lee, S-T, Colbran, SB & McDonagh, AM 2007, 'Optical and Redox Properties of Ruthenium Phthalocyanine Complexes Tuned with Axial Ligand Substituents', Inorganic Chemistry, vol. 46, no. 7, pp. 2805-2813.
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The optical and electrochemical properties of the ruthenium phthalocyanine complexes [{(t-Bu)4Pc}Ru(4-Rpy)2], where R = NO 2, Me, NH2, and NMe2, are reported. The electron density at the macrocycle may be adjusted using the axial ligand substituents, which have varying electron-donating/withdrawing strengths. Electrochemical data show that the axial pyridine ligand substituents exert significant influence over the phthalocyanine ring-based redox processes. The axial ligands also influence the electronic absorption properties of the complexes with influence also being observed in the electrogenerated oxidized and reduced species. © 2007 American Chemical Society.
Reichel, MP, Ellis, JT & Dubey, JP 2007, 'Neosporosis and hammondiosis in dogs', JOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, vol. 48, no. 6, pp. 308-312.
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The dog is a definitive host of the protozoan parasite Neospora caninum, and in many parts of the world, infection is relatively common as determined by serology. Reported seroprevalences usually range from 0 to 20 per cent, however, reports of clinically affected dogs are infrequent. Affected dogs are generally less than six months old and predominantly have signs of an ascending hindleg paralysis, with the associated lesions of polyradiculoneuritis and granulomatous polymyositis. Although any organ may be affected, infections are more common in the central nervous system, muscles, lungs and skin. Ante-mortem diagnosis is difficult but serology and cytology can aid diagnosis. The diagnosis can be confirmed by histology, immunohistochemistry, the use of molecular techniques on biopsy material, or on post-mortem examination. Neospora caninum oocysts are rarely found in faeces and must be differentiated from oocysts of related coccidians such as Hammondia heydorni and Toxoplasma gondii. Hammondia heydorni can cause diarrrhoea in immunosuppressed dogs. Neosporosis should be suspected in young pups with an ascending paralysis of the hindlegs. Treatment with clindamycin and potentiated sulphonamides may be useful in cases where muscular atrophy and fibrosis are absent. Feeding of raw meat is a potential risk factor for infection of dogs and should be discouraged.
Reimers, JR, Solomon, GC, Gagliardi, A, Bilic, A, Hush, NS, Frauenheim, T, Di Carlo, A & Pecchia, A 2007, 'The green's function density functional tight-binding (gDFTB) method for molecular electronic conduction', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A, vol. 111, no. 26, pp. 5692-5702.
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Ren, B, O'Brien, BA, Swan, MA, Koina, ME, Nassif, N, Wei, MQ & Simpson, AM 2007, 'Long-term correction of diabetes in rats after lentiviral hepatic insulin gene therapy', DIABETOLOGIA, vol. 50, no. 9, pp. 1910-1920.
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Aims/hypothesis: Type 1 diabetes results from the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells. Exogenous insulin therapy cannot achieve precise physiological control of blood glucose concentrations, and debilitating complications develop. Lentiviral vectors are promising tools for liver-directed gene therapy. However, to date, transduction rates in vivo remain low in hepatocytes, without the induction of cell cycling. We investigated long-term transgene expression in quiescent hepatocytes in vitro and determined whether the lentiviral delivery of furin-cleavable insulin to the liver could reverse diabetes in rats. Materials and methods: To improve transduction efficiency in vitro, we optimised hepatocyte isolation and maintenance protocols and, using an improved surgical delivery method, delivered furin-cleavable insulin alone or empty vector to the livers of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by means of a lentiviral vector. Rats were monitored for changes in body weight and blood glucose, and intravenous glucose tolerance tests were performed. Expression of insulin was determined by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Results: We achieved long-term transgene expression in quiescent hepatocytes in vitro (87 ± 1.2% transduction efficiency), with up to 60 ± 3.2% transduction in vivo. We normalised blood glucose for 500 days-a significantly longer period than previously reported-making this the first successful study using a lentiviral vector. This procedure resulted in the expression of genes encoding several beta cell transcription factors, some pancreatic endocrine transdifferentiation, hepatic insulin storage in granules, and restoration of glucose tolerance. Liver function tests remained normal. Importantly, pancreatic exocrine transdifferentiation did not occur. Conclusions/interpretation: Our data suggest that this regimen may ultimately be employed for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. © 2007 Springer-Verlag.
Ren, D, Karoly, DJ & Leslie, LM 2007, 'Temperate Mountain Glacier-Melting Rates for the Period 2001–30: Estimates from Three Coupled GCM Simulations for the Greater Himalayas', Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, vol. 46, no. 6, pp. 890-899.
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Abstract The temperate glaciers in the greater Himalayas (GH) and the neighboring region contribute to the freshwater supply for almost one-half of the people on earth. Under global warming conditions, the GH glaciers may melt more rapidly than high-latitude glaciers, owing to the coincidence of the accumulation and ablation seasons in summer. Based on a first-order energy balance approach for glacier thermodynamics, the possible imposed additional melting rate was estimated from three climate simulations using the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Global Coupled Climate Model version 2.1 (GFDL-CM2.1), the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate 3.2, high-resolution version (MIROC3.2-hires), and the Met Office’s Third Hadley Centre Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere General Circulation Model (HadCM3). The simulations were carried out under the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A1B scenario. For the 30-yr period of 2001–30, all three CGCMs indicate that the glacial regions most sensitive to regional warming are the Tianshan–Altai Mountains to the north and Hengduan Mountains to the south. A map of potential melting was produced and was used to calculate the glacier-melting speed, yielding an additional spatially averaged glacier depth reduction of approximately 2 m for the 2001–30 period for those areas located below 4000 m. Averaged over the entire GH region, the melting rate is accelerating at about 5 mm yr−2. The general circulation over the GH region was found to have clear multidecadal variability, with the 30-yr period of 2001–30 likely to be wetter than the previous 30-yr period of 1971–2000. Considering the possible trend in precipitation from snow to rain, the actual melting rates of the GH glaciers may even be larger than those obtained in this research.
Ren, W, Reimers, JR, Hush, NS, Zhu, Y, Wang, J & Guo, H 2007, 'Models for the structure and electronic transmission of carbon nanotubes covalently linked by a molecular bridge via amide couplings', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 111, no. 9, pp. 3700-3704.
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Resch, KJ, O’Brien, JL, Weinhold, TJ, Sanaka, K, Lanyon, BP, Langford, NK & White, AG 2007, 'Entanglement Generation by Fock-State Filtration', Physical Review Letters, vol. 98, no. 20.
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Rice, SA & La Hai, IJ 2007, 'A Partial Rotation Formulation of the Circular Near-Field-to-Far-Field Transformation (CNFFFT)', IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 209-214.
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Ritchie, AJ, Whittall, C, Lazenby, JJ, Chhabra, SR, Pritchard, DI & Cooley, MA 2007, 'The immunomodulatory Pseudomonas aeruginosa signalling molecule N‐(3‐oxododecanoyl)‐l‐homoserine lactone enters mammalian cells in an unregulated fashion', Immunology & Cell Biology, vol. 85, no. 8, pp. 596-602.
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The Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum‐sensing signal molecule N‐3‐oxododecanoyl)‐l‐homoserine lactone (OdDHL) has been reported to affect the function of a wide range of mammalian cell types, including cells of the immune system. In T cells, it has been reported to inhibit the production of most cytokines, and it has been reported to inhibit the function of antigen‐presenting cells. The intracellular target of OdDHL in these cells remains to be identified, although the lipophilic nature of the molecule suggested that the target could be membrane associated. We explored the association of radiolabelled OdDHL with the membrane and cytoplasm of Jurkat T‐cell lines and of primary murine T cells and dendritic cells. We found that not only did 3H‐OdDHL enter the cytoplasm of Jurkat cells without disproportionate association with the cell membrane, it also reached maximum levels in the cytoplasm very quickly, and that the intracellular concentration was proportional to the extracellular concentration. Similar results were obtained when 3H‐OdDHL was incubated with primary murine T cells or cultured dendritic cells. In addition, we show that the cellular distribution of OdDHL does not significantly alter after stimulation of Jurkat cells or primary murine CD4 T cells with immobilized anti‐CD3, with little activity being associated with nuclear fractions. Together, these data strongly suggest that OdDHL enters mammalian cells by passive mechanisms, and that it does not preferentially associate with the membrane or nucleus upon T‐cell receptor ligation.
Roberts, DO & Novikov, A 2007, 'Pricing European and Discretely Monitored Exotic Options under the Levy Process Framework', The Mathematica Journal, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 489-500.
Robertson, KS, McNevin, D & Robertson, J 2007, 'STR genotyping of exogenous hair shaft DNA', Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 107-122.
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Most hairs found at crime scenes yield low quality and/or low quantities of nuclear DNA. This DNA is further depleted when stringent hair cleaning procedures are applied in the laboratory, suggesting that detectable DNA exists exogenously. The phenomenon of exogenous hair DNA is the subject of this study. DNA was extracted from washed and unwashed hairs and the resulting Profiler Plus STR genotypes were compared with those of reference (buccal) swabs from the hair donors. The DNA extraction procedure involved no prior cleaning of the hair sample and no dissolution of the hair during digestion, in contrast to standard procedures. The STR genotyping success was measured by recording the two dominant alleles at each locus and comparing them with the reference DNA profile. The effect of hair cleanliness was examined by leaving donors' hair unwashed for periods of 1, 3 and 7 days before sampling. It was found that the genotyping success for unwashed hair was significantly higher than that for freshly washed hair, with the majority of clean hair samples producing little or no DNA. Genotyping success was also lower for donors with cosmetically treated hair compared with those having untreated hair. Although the quality of STR profiles (i.e. allele dropout, differential amplification) from hair shafts or telogen hair clubs is reduced compared with those from other biological sources, the genotypes obtained in this study may be usable and are certainly discriminating if alternative interpretational methods are applied. © 2007 Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences. TM
Roy Chowdhury, P, Pay, J & Braithwaite, M 2007, 'Isolation, identification and ecology ofEwingella americana(the causal agent of internal stipe necrosis) from cultivated mushrooms in New Zealand', Australasian Plant Pathology, vol. 36, no. 5, pp. 424-424.
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Internal stipe necrosis of cultivated mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) is caused by the bacterium Ewingella americana, a member of the Enterobacteriaceae. Recently, E. americana was isolated from healthy cultivated button mushrooms grown in New Zealand and from mushrooms showing mild stipe browning. E. americana forms a part of the endogenous bacterial population present in mushroom sporocarp tissues. This is the first time that E. americana has been isolated from a non-human host in New Zealand. Previously, the bacterium has been found associated with human blood and sputum samples. Presented here are the details of the identification methods used in providing evidence that this strain of E. americana has the capacity to induce typical symptoms of internal stipe necrosis. Ecological studies give a possible explanation as to why E. americana has previously been unnoticed in New Zealand. © Australasian Plant Pathology Society 2007.
Ruggles, JL, Baldwin, KM, Holt, SA, Foran, GJ & Gentle, IR 2007, 'Rigid Films of an Anionic Porphyrin and a Dialkyl Chain Surfactant', The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, vol. 111, no. 20, pp. 5651-5657.
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Saeed, SA, Shad, KF & Simjee, SU 2007, 'Dual inhibition of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes by human cerebrospinal fluid', Experimental Brain Research, vol. 178, no. 4, pp. 560-564.
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Thromboxane A2 (TXA2) formed in damaged brain tissue and after thromboembolism and subarachnoid haemorrhage is responsible for cerebral vasospasm. In the present study, we examined the effect of human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on the production of thromboxane-A2 (TXA2) and 12-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) by human blood platelets. CSF was drawn by lumbar puncture from normal healthy volunteers (n = 17) and samples judged to be normal after routine examination in the clinical laboratories and were used fresh. We found that CSF inhibited the production of TXA2 and 12-HETE by blood platelets incubated with C14 labelled arachidonic acid (AA) in a concentration-related manner. Further biochemical analysis using proteolytic enzymes, gel filtration and membrane partition chromatography showed that the inhibitory activity was peptidic in nature and associated with a peptide of low molecular weight (1,400 Da). This study is the first to demonstrate that human CSF contains a dual inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase enzymes in CSF.
Saeed, SA, Shad, KF, Saleem, T, Javed, F & Khan, MU 2007, 'Some new prospects in the understanding of the molecular basis of the pathogenesis of stroke', Experimental Brain Research, vol. 182, no. 1, pp. 1-10.
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Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in advanced countries of the world. Despite the fact that reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) are the by-products of normal metabolic processes and mediate important physiological processes, they can inflict damage to the cell if produced in excess due to oxidative stress. In the present review, we focus on the cellular and molecular aspects of ROS and RNS generation and its role in the pathogenesis of stroke produced by hypoxia-reperfusion (H-R) phenomena that elicit oxidative stress. We outline the reasons for the vulnerability of the brain to ischaemic insult, chronic infection and inflammation as well as the natural defence mechanisms against radical mediated injury. We deal with the effect of ROS and RNS on intracellular signaling pathways together with the phenomena of apoptosis, mitochondrial injury and survival associated with these pathways. The intracellular signaling mechanisms influenced by reactive species can have significant effects on the outcome of the condition. Future studies should focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the action of anti-radicals agents, and their mode of action.
Santabarbara, S, Chen, M, Larkum, AWD & Evans, MCW 2007, 'An electron paramagnetic resonance investigation of the electron transfer reactions in the chlorophyll d containing photosystem I of Acaryochloris marina', FEBS Letters, vol. 581, no. 8, pp. 1567-1571.
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Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy reveals functional and structural similarities between the reaction centres of the chlorophyll d‐binding photosystem I (PS I) and chlorophyll a‐binding PS I. Continuous wave EPR spectrometry at 12 K identifies iron–sulphur centres as terminal electron acceptors of chlorophyll d‐binding PS I. A transient light‐induced electron spin echo (ESE) signal indicates the presence of a quinone as the secondary electron acceptor (Q) between and the iron–sulphur centres. The distance between and Q− was estimated within point‐dipole approximation as 25.23 ± 0.05 Å, by the analysis of the electron spin echo envelope modulation.
Santacroce, PV, Davis, JT, Light, ME, Gale, PA, Iglesias-Sánchez, JC, Prados, P & Quesada, R 2007, 'Conformational Control of Transmembrane Cl- Transport', Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 129, no. 7, pp. 1886-1887.
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Saunders, BM & Britton, WJ 2007, 'Life and death in the granuloma: immunopathology of tuberculosis', Immunology & Cell Biology, vol. 85, no. 2, pp. 103-111.
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During tuberculosis (TB) infection, the granuloma provides the microenvironment in which antigen‐specific T cells colocate with and activate infected macrophages to inhibit the growth ofMycobacterium tuberculosis. Although the granuloma is the site for mycobacterial killing, virulent mycobacteria have developed a variety of mechanisms to resist this macrophage‐mediated killing. These surviving mycobacteria become dormant, however, if host cellular immunity or the signals maintaining granuloma structure wane, or if mycobacteria resume replication, leading to reactivation of TB. This balance of life and death applies not only to the mycobacterium but also to the host macrophages that may undergo apoptosis or necrosis, leading to the characteristic caseous necrosis within the granuloma, and the potential spread of TB infection. The immunological factors controlling the development and maintenance of the granuloma will be reviewed.
Schmidt, B & Hogg, PJ 2007, 'Search for allosteric disulfide bonds in NMR structures', BMC Structural Biology, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 49-49.
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Schmidt, MA, Sempere, LNP, Tyagi, HK, Poulton, CG & Russell, PSJ 2007, 'Waveguiding and Plasmon Resonances in Two-Dimensional Photonic Lattices of Gold and Silver Nanowires', Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 1-4.
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We report the fabrication of triangular lattices of parallel gold and silvernanowires of high optical quality, with diameters down to 500 nm andlength-to-diameter ratios as high as 100,000. The nanowires are supported by asilica glass matrix and are disposed around a central solid glass core, i.e., amissing nanowire. These cm-long structures make it possible to trap lightwithin an array of nanowires and characterize the plasmon resonances that format specific optical frequencies. Such nanowire arrays have many potentialapplications, e.g., to imaging on the sub-wavelength scale.
Scirica, CV, Gold, DR, Ryan, L, Abulkerim, H, Celedon, JC, Platts-Mills, TAE, Naccara, LM, Weiss, ST & Litonjua, AA 2007, 'Predictors of cord blood IgE levels in children at risk for asthma and a atopy', JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, vol. 119, no. 1, pp. 81-88.
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Background: Increased cord blood IgE levels, in conjunction with a family history of atopy, are associated with the development of allergic diseases in children. However, little is known about predictors of cord blood IgE levels. Objective: Our objective was to identify predictors of cord blood IgE levels among infants at increased risk of atopy. Methods: Cord blood IgE levels were measured in 874 infants who were screened for participation in a birth cohort. Questionnaires were administered after birth of the infant, and maternal and cord blood was obtained for measurement of IgE levels. Logistic and tobit regression models were used to study the association between perinatal factors and cord blood IgE levels. Results: In multivariable models infant male sex, increased maternal total IgE level, maternal allergen sensitization, Hispanic ethnicity, and residence in low-income areas were associated with detectable or increased cord blood IgE levels, whereas increasing maternal age was associated with undetectable or lower cord blood IgE levels. Although maternal smoking during pregnancy was positively associated with cord blood IgE levels in univariable models, the effect did not persist after adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusion: Maternal allergen sensitization, markers of socioeconomic disadvantage and race/ethnicity, maternal age, and infant sex might influence fetal production of IgE. We found no association of maternal parity, mode of delivery, gestational age, or season of birth with cord blood IgE levels. Clinical implications: The identification of these definable familial and environmental factors that predict cord blood IgE levels might help in the early detection of infants at risk for atopic disorders. © 2007 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Seebacher, F & Murray, SA 2007, 'Transient Receptor Potential Ion Channels Control Thermoregulatory Behaviour in Reptiles', PLOS ONE, vol. 2, no. 3, p. e281.
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Seuront, L, Lacheze, C, Doubell, MJ, Seymour, JR, Van Dongen-Vogels, V, Newton, K, Alderkamp, AC & Mitchell, JG 2007, 'The influence of Phaeocystis globosa on microscale spatial patterns of chlorophyll a and bulk-phase seawater viscosity', BIOGEOCHEMISTRY, vol. 83, no. 1-3, pp. 173-188.
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A two-dimensional microscale (5 cm resolution) sampler was used over the course of a phytoplankton spring bloom dominated by Phaeocystis globosa to investigate the structural properties of chlorophyll a and seawater excess viscosity distributions. The microscale distribution patterns of chlorophyll a and excess viscosity were never uniform nor random. Instead they exhibited different types and levels of aggregated spatial patterns that were related to the dynamics of the bloom. The chlorophyll a and seawater viscosity correlation patterns were also controlled by the dynamics of the bloom with positive and negative correlations before and after the formation of foam in the turbulent surf zone. The ecological relevance and implications of the observed patchiness and biologically induced increase in seawater viscosity are discussed and the combination of the enlarged colonial form and mucus secretion is suggested as a competitive advantage of P. globosa in highly turbulent environments where this species flourishes.
Seymour, JR, Humphreys, WF & Mitchell, JG 2007, 'Stratification of the microbial community inhabiting an anchialine sinkhole', AQUATIC MICROBIAL ECOLOGY, vol. 50, no. 1, pp. 11-24.
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Bundera Sinkhole in northwestern Australia is an anchialine ecosystem characterised by a highly stratified water column comprising a complex polymodal profile of several physico-chemical parameters. We studied the microscale and finescale dynamics of the resident microbial community within the sinkhole. Sub-millimetre scale distributions of phytoplankton abundance were measured in the top 8 m of the water column using a free-falling high resolution fluorometer. Depth profiles were characterised by a strong, 10 to 20 cm layer of elevated fluorescence, occurring at approximately 1 m depth, which despite changes in magnitude and width was found to persist during a 24 h sampling period. Near surface distributions of microbial populations were measured using a syringe sampling profiler, which allowed for collection of water samples at 5 cm resolution, and flow cytometric analysis. These samples revealed a complex microbial assemblage, with multiple sub-populations of viruses, bacteria and picophytoplankton present throughout the water column. Within 3 m profiles, the bacterial and virus populations showed marked shifts in relative abundance, with changes of over 35-fold observed across as little as 20 cm. Samples collected from the surface to a depth of 30 m by divers also revealed distinct peaks and layers in the relative abundance of the different bacteria and virus sub-populations, which often corresponded to heterogeneities in chemical and nutrient parameters, and at some depths indicated the prevalence of chemolithotrophic populations. The complex patterns described here represent the first comprehensive observations of microbial spatiotemporal dynamics throughout an anchialine ecosystem and reveal a highly structured microbial habitat consisting of discrete niches, each dominated by heterotrophic, phototrophic or chemoautotrophic microorganisms.
Seymour, JR, Marcos & Stocker, R 2007, 'Chemotactic Response of Marine Micro-Organisms to Micro-Scale Nutrient Layers', Journal of Visualized Experiments, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 1-3.
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The degree to which planktonic microbes can exploit microscale resource patches will have considerable implications for oceanic trophodynamics and biogeochemical flux. However, to take advantage of nutrient patches in the ocean, swimming microbes must overcome the influences of physical forces including molecular diffusion and turbulent shear, which will limit the availability of patches and the ability of bacteria to locate them. Until recently, methodological limitations have precluded direct examinations of microbial behaviour within patchy habitats and realistic small-scale flow conditions. Hence, much of our current knowledge regarding microbial behaviour in the ocean has been procured from theoretical predictions. To obtain new information on microbial foraging behaviour in the ocean we have applied soft lithographic fabrication techniques to develop 2 microfluidic devices, which we have used to create (i) microscale nutrient patches with dimensions and diffusive characteristics relevant to oceanic processes and (ii) microscale vortices, with shear rates corresponding to those expected in the ocean. These microfluidic devices have permitted a first direct examination of microbial swimming and chemotactic behaviour within a heterogeneous and dynamic seascape. The combined use of epifluorescence and phase contrast microscopy allow direct examinations of the physical dimensions and diffusive characteristics of nutrient patches, while observing the population-level aggregative response, in addition to the swimming behaviour of individual microbes. These experiments have revealed that some species of phytoplankton, heterotrophic bacteria and phagotrophic protists are adept at locating and exploiting diffusing microscale resource patches within very short time frames. We have also shown that up to moderate shear rates, marine bacteria are able to fight the flow and swim through their environment at their own accord. However, beyond a threshold high shea...
Seymour, JR, Seuront, L & Mitchell, JG 2007, 'Microscale gradients of planktonic microbial communities above the sediment surface in a mangrove estuary', ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE, vol. 73, no. 3-4, pp. 651-666.
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The microscale (1 and 4 cm sampling resolution) distributions of chemical (O2, NH3, NO3-, NO2-, PO43-) and biological (Chl a, phytoplankton, bacterioplankton, viruses) parameters were measured in the 16 cm of water immediately overlaying the sediment-water interface (SWI) within a temperate mangrove estuary in South Australia during December 2003 and March 2004. Shear velocities (u*) during the time of sampling were very low (<0.1 cm s-1), and we consequently predict that resuspension of organisms and materials was negligible. In December 2003, profiles were often characterised by strong gradients in nutrients and organisms, with the highest concentrations often observed within 0.5 cm of the SWI. Microscale patterns in O2, NH3, NO3- and NO2- indicated that a variety of anaerobic and aerobic transformation processes probably occurred at the SWI and within profiles. Strong gradients in PO43- were indicative of nutrient flux across the SWI as a consequence of degradation processes in the sediments. Pico- and nanophytoplankton concentrations were strongly correlated (p < 0.01) to PO43-, and exhibited 12- and 68-fold changes in abundance, respectively, with highest concentrations observed nearest to the SWI. Several bacterial subpopulations were discriminated using flow cytometry and significant shifts in the `cytometric structure of the bacterial community were observed within microscale profiles.
Shad, KF, Al-Salam, S & Hamza, AA 2007, 'Sesame Oil as a Protective Agent Against Doxorubicin Induced Cardio Toxicity in Rat', American Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 159-163.
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Shah, DS, Thomas, MB, Phillips, S, Cisneros, DA, Le Brun, AP, Holt, SA & Lakey, JH 2007, 'Self-assembling layers created by membrane proteins on gold', Biochemical Society Transactions, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 522-526.
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Membrane systems are based on several types of organization. First, amphiphilic lipids are able to create monolayer and bilayer structures which may be flat, vesicular or micellar. Into these structures membrane proteins can be inserted which use the membrane to provide signals for lateral and orientational organization. Furthermore, the proteins are the product of highly specific self-assembly otherwise known as folding, which mostly places individual atoms at precise places in three dimensions. These structures all have dimensions in the nanoscale, except for the size of membrane planes which may extend for millimetres in large liposomes or centimetres on planar surfaces such as monolayers at the air/water interface. Membrane systems can be assembled on to surfaces to create supported bilayers and these have uses in biosensors and in electrical measurements using modified ion channels. The supported systems also allow for measurements using spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance and atomic force microscopy. By combining the roles of lipids and proteins, highly ordered and specific structures can be self-assembled in aqueous solution at the nanoscale.
Shine, R, Branch, WR, Webb, JK, Harlow, PS, Shine, T & Keogh, JS 2007, 'Ecology of cobras from southern Africa', JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, vol. 272, no. 2, pp. 183-193.
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Large slender-bodied snakes that forage actively for a generalized array of small vertebrates are conspicuous elements of the terrestrial snake fauna of most continents; the venomous elapid species fill this role in much of Asia, Africa and Australia. Our dissections of eight species of cobras from southern Africa Aspidelaps, Hemachatus, Naja; Serpentes and Elapidae (total of 1290 specimens) provide extensive data on sexual dimorphism, reproductive biology and food habits. Females grow larger than males in Aspidelaps lubricus and Naja nigricincta, but (perhaps reflecting selection on male body size due to male-male combat) males grow as large as females in Naja anchietae, Naja melanoleuca, Naja mossambica, Naja nivea and Hemachatus haemachatus, and males grow larger than females in Naja annulifera. Overall, the degree of male size superiority is higher in species with a larger absolute mean adult body size. Male cobras typically have larger heads and longer tails than conspecific females. Fecundity increases with maternal body size, and is higher in the viviparous rhinkals H. haemachatus than in the oviparous Naja species studied. Diets are broad in all eight species, comprising a wide variety of amphibians, reptiles, mammals and (less often) birds. Ontogenetic (size-related) shifts in dietary composition (amphibian to reptile to mammal) are significant within some taxa (N. annulifera, N. nigricincta) but absent in others (notably N. nivea, the most arid-adapted species). Overall, despite substantial interspecific variation among the eight study species, strong parallels are evident between the cobras of southern Africa and their ecological counterparts in other continents.
Siboni, N, Lidor, M, Kramarsky-Winter, E & Kushmaro, A 2007, 'Conditioning film and initial biofilm formation on ceramics tiles in the marine environment', FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, vol. 274, no. 1, pp. 24-29.
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Skropeta, D, Settasatian, C, McMahon, MR, Shearston, K, Caiazza, D, McGrath, KC, Jin, W, Rader, DJ, Barter, PJ & Rye, K-A 2007, 'N-Glycosylation regulates endothelial lipase-mediated phospholipid hydrolysis in apoE- and apoA-I-containing high density lipoproteins', Journal of Lipid Research, vol. 48, no. 9, pp. 2047-2057.
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Endothelial lipase (EL) is a member of the triglyceride lipase gene family with high phospholipase and low triacylglycerol lipase activities and a distinct preference for hydrolyzing phospholipids in HDL. EL has five potential N-glycosylation sites, four of which are glycosylated. The aim of this study was to determine how glycosylation affects the phospholipase activity of EL in physiologically relevant substrates. Site-directed mutants of EL were generated by replacing asparagine (N) 62, 118, 375, and 473 with alanine (A). These glycan-deficient mutants were used to investigate the kinetics of phospholipid hydrolysis in fully characterized preparations of spherical reconstituted high density lipoprotein (rHDL) containing apolipoprotein E2 (apoE2) [(E2)rHDL], apoE3 [(E3)rHDL], apoE4 [(E4)rHDL], or apoA-I [(A-I)rHDL] as the sole apolipoprotein. Wild-type EL hydrolyzed the phospholipids in (A-I)rHDL, (E2)rHDL, (E3)rHDL, and (E4)rHDL to similar extents. The phospholipase activities of EL N118A, EL N375A, and EL N473A were significantly diminished relative to that of wild-type EL, with the greatest reduction being apparent for (E3)rHDL. The phospholipase activity of EL N62A was increased up to 6-fold relative to that of wild-type EL, with the greatest enhancement of activity being observed for (E2)rHDL. These data show that individual N-linked glycans have unique and important effects on the phospholipase activity and substrate specificity of EL. Copyright © 2007 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Sloan, WT, Woodcock, S, Lunn, M, Head, IM & Curtis, TP 2007, 'Modeling taxa-abundance distributions in microbial communities using environmental sequence data', MICROBIAL ECOLOGY, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 443-455.
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We show that inferring the taxa-abundance distribution of a microbial community from small environmental samples alone is difficult. The difficulty stems from the disparity in scale between the number of genetic sequences that can be characterized and the number of individuals in communities that microbial ecologists aspire to describe. One solution is to calibrate and validate a mathematical model of microbial community assembly using the small samples and use the model to extrapolate to the taxa-abundance distribution for the population that is deemed to constitute a community. We demonstrate this approach by using a simple neutral community assembly model in which random immigrations, births, and deaths determine the relative abundance of taxa in a community. In doing so, we further develop a neutral theory to produce a taxa-abundance distribution for large communities that are typical of microbial communities. In addition, we highlight that the sampling uncertainties conspire to make the immigration rate calibrated on the basis of small samples very much higher than the true immigration rate. This scale dependence of model parameters is not unique to neutral theories; it is a generic problem in ecology that is particularly acute in microbial ecology. We argue that to overcome this, so that microbial ecologists can characterize large microbial communities from small samples, mathematical models that encapsulate sampling effects are required. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.
Smith, GB, Gentle, AR & Maaroof, AI 2007, 'Metal-insulator nanocomposites which act optically like homogeneous conductors', JOURNAL OF NANOPHOTONICS, vol. 1.
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Smith, GB, Maaroof, AI & Gentle, A 2007, 'Homogenized Lorentz-Drude optical response in highly nanoporous conducting gold layers produced by de-alloying', OPTICS COMMUNICATIONS, vol. 271, no. 1, pp. 263-268.
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Nanoporousgold films produced by de-alloying AuAl2 with void densities between 45% and 65% retain high infra-red reflectance and good conductivity. They act optically like a homogenous Lorentz-Drude metal with a unique wp and an inter-band transition energy unchanged from that of dense gold. The link between wp and wp in dense gold is found using a cimplification of the Bergmann expansio for permittivity valid at infra-red wavelengths. The carrier relaxation time of the effective metal becomes the actual relaxation time in the Au netowork and the complex refractive indices (n.k) found using normal incidence spectrophotometry and oblique incidence ellipsometry agree closely with each other. The single pole approximation for the ratio wp/wp in the infra-red allows estimates of void content and the apparent shift in carrier effective mass. It is then possible to model with no adjustable parameters, the full UV-visible-NR spectral response, giving excellent agreemtn with data. A range of films with these properties are presented.
Stack, CM, Donnelly, S, Lowther, J, Xu, W, Collins, PR, Brinen, LS & Dalton, JP 2007, 'The major secreted cathepsin L1 protease of the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica - A Leu(-12) to Pro(-12) replacement in the nonconserved C-terminal region of the prosegment prevents complete enzyme autoactivation and allows definition of the molecular events in prosegment removal', JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY, vol. 282, no. 22, pp. 16532-16543.
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A protease secreted by the parasitic helminth Fasciola hepatica, a 37-kDa procathepsin L1 (FheproCL1), autocatalytically processes and activates to its mature enzyme (FheCL1) over a wide pH range of 7.3 to 4.0, although activation is more rapid at low pH. Maturation initiates with cleavages of a small proportion of molecules within the central region of the prosegment, possibly by intramolecular events. However, activation to fully mature enzymes is achieved by a precise intermolecular cleavage at a Leu-12-Ser -11↓His-10 sequence within the nonconserved C-terminal region of the prosegment. The importance of this cleavage site in enzyme activation was demonstrated using an active site variant FheproCL1Gly26 (Cys26 to Gly26) and a double variant FheproCL1Pro-12/Gly26 (Leu-12 to Pro-12), and although both of these variants cannot autocatalytically process, the former is susceptible to trans-processing at a Leu -12-Ser-11↓His-10 sequence by pre-activated FheCL1, but the latter is not. Another F. hepatica secreted protease FheCL2, which, unlike FheCL1, can readily accept proline in the S2 subsite of its active site, can trans-process the double variant FheproCL1Pro-12/Gly26 by cleavage at the Pro -12-Ser-11↓His-10 sequence. Furthermore, the autoactivation of a variant enzyme with a single replacement, FheproCL1Pro-12, was very slow but was increased 40-fold in the presence of FheCL2. These studies provide a molecular insight into the regulation of FheproCL1 autocatalysis. © 2007 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Stack, CM, Lowther, J, Cunningham, E, Donnelly, S, Gardiner, DL, Trenholme, KR, Skinner-Adams, TS, Teuscher, F, Grembecka, J, Mucha, A, Kafarski, P, Lua, L, Bell, A & Dalton, JP 2007, 'Characterization of the Plasmodium falciparum M17 leucyl aminopeptidase - A protease involved in amino acid regulation with potential for antimalarial drug development', JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY, vol. 282, no. 3, pp. 2069-2080.
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Amino acids generated from the catabolism of hemoglobin by intra-erythrocytic malaria parasites are not only essential for protein synthesis but also function in maintaining an osmotically stable environment, and creating a gradient by which amino acids that are rare or not present in hemoglobin are drawn into the parasite from host serum. We have proposed that a Plasmodium falciparum M17 leucyl aminopeptidase (PfLAP) generates and regulates the internal pool of free amino acids and therefore represents a target for novel antimalarial drugs. This enzyme has been expressed in insect cells as a functional 320-kDa homo-hexamer that is optimally active at neutral or alkaline pH, is dependent on metal ions for activity, and exhibits a substrate preference for N-terminally exposed hydrophobic amino acids, particularly leucine. PfLAP is produced by all stages in the intra-erythrocytic developmental cycle of malaria but was most highly expressed by trophozoites, a stage at which hemoglobin degradation and parasite protein synthesis are elevated. The enzyme was located by immunohistochemical methods and by transfecting malaria cells with a PfLAP-green fluorescent protein construct, to the cytosolic compartment of the cell at all developmental stages, including segregated merozoites. Amino acid dipeptide analogs, such as bestatin and its derivatives, are potent inhibitors of the protease and also block the growth of P. falciparum malaria parasites in culture. This study provides a biochemical basis for the antimalarial activity of aminopeptidase inhibitors. Availability of functionally active recombinant PfLAP, coupled with a simple enzymatic readout, will aid medicinal chemistry and/or high throughput approaches for the future design/discovery of new antimalarial drugs. © 2007 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Stark, D, Beebe, N, Marriott, D, Ellis, J & Harkness, J 2007, 'Dientamoeba fragilis as a cause of travelers' diarrhea: Report of seven cases', JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 72-73.
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Dientamoeba fragilis is a pathogenic trichomonad parasite that causes gastrointestinal disease in humans. We report seven cases of travelers' diarrhea caused by D fragilis in patients who had traveled to overseas destinations within Asia or the Pacific which occurred over an 8-month period. Patients presented with diarrhea lasting from 5 days to over 4 weeks. Dientamoeba fragilis should be considered as a cause of diarrhea in returning travelers.
Stark, D, Fotedar, R, Van Hal, S, Beebe, N, Marriott, D & Ellis, JT 2007, 'Prevalence of enteric protozoa inhuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative men who have sex with men from Sydney, Australia', AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE, vol. 76, no. 3, pp. 549-552.
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A prospective, comparative study of the prevalence of enteric protozoa was determined among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)â positive and HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM) in Sydney, Australia. A total of 1,868 patients submitted stool specimens; 1,246 were from MSM (628 HIV positive and 618 HIV positive) and 622 from non-MSM were examined over a 36-month period. A total of 651 (52.2%) stool specimens from MSM were positive for protozoa compared with 85 (13%) from non-MSM. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of Blastocystis hominis, Endolimax nana, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar complex, Entamoeba hartmanni, Iodamoeba butschlii, and Enteromonas hominis detected between MSM and non-MSM (P < 0.001). The only notable difference between HIV-negative and HIV-positive MSM was that HIV-infected MSM were found to more likely have a Cryptosporidium parvum infection. Entamoeba histolytica was found in 3 patients, E. dispar in 25, and E. moshkovskii in 17, all of whom were MSM. When compared with a control group, MSM were significantly more likely to harbor intestinal protozoa and have multiple parasites present. The results of this study show high rates of enteric parasites persist in MSM and highlight the importance of testing for intestinal parasites in MSM. This is the first report of E. moshkovskii from MSM.
Stark, D, van Hal, S, Marriott, D, Ellis, J & Harkness, J 2007, 'Irritable bowel syndrome: A review on the role of intestinal protozoa and the importance of their detection and diagnosis', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 11-20.
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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder in which abdominal pain is associated with a defect or a change in bowel habits. Gut inflammation is one of the proposed mechanisms of pathogenesis. Recent studies have described a possible role for protozoan parasites, such as Blastocystis hominis and Dientamoeba fragilis, in the etiology of IBS. Dientamoeba fragilis is known to cause IBS-like symptoms and has a propensity to cause chronic infections but its diagnosis relies on microscopy of stained smears, which many laboratories do not perform, thereby leading to the misdiagnosis of dientamoebiasis as IBS. The role of B. hominis as an etiological agent of IBS is inconclusive, due to contradictory reports and the controversial nature of B. hominis as a human pathogen. Although Entamoeba histolytica infections occur predominately in developing regions of the world, clinical diagnosis of amebiasis is often difficult because symptoms of patients with IBS may closely mimic those patients with non-dysenteric amoebic colitis. Clinical manifestations of Giardia intestinalis infection also vary from asymptomatic carriage to acute and chronic diarrhoea with abdominal pain. These IBS-like symptoms can be continuous, intermittent, sporadic or recurrent, sometimes lasting years without correct diagnosis. It is essential that all patients with IBS undergo routine parasitological investigations in order to rule out the presence of protozoan parasites as the causative agents of the clinical signs.
Stokes, N, McDonagh, AM & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Preparation of nanoscale gold structures by nanolithography', GOLD BULLETIN, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 310-320.
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Gold is the material of first choice for the realisation of a large number of interesting nanoscale devices and structures due to its unique chemical and optical properties. However, conventional photolithographic processes cannot be used to manufacture such tiny structures in gold (or any other material) due to limitations imposed by the diffraction of light. New methods of lithography have been developed to overcome this limitation. In this article we review these new nanolithographic techniques, describe how they have been used to produce nanoscale precious metal artefacts, and briefly survey some of the existing and potential applications for these structures.
Sudhakar R, S, Unnikrishn, KP, George, S, Remashree, AB, Udayan, PS, Tushar, KV & Balachandr, I 2007, 'Variation in Vasicine Content and Pharmacognostic Characters of Morphotypes of Adhatoda zeylanica Medic.', Journal of Plant Sciences, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 61-68.
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As part of the gene bank activity of CMPR many collections of Adhatoda zeylanica Medic. were made from varying agroecological regions in South India. These collections could be grouped into four morphotypes based on growth habits and other morphological characters. These four morphotypes were evaluated for their chemical and pharmacognostical characters and significant differences among the morphotypes were noticed. Among quality characters vasicine content, fingerprint profiles, stomatal index, leaf architecture and venation pattern showed significant variation indicating the predominance of additive gene effects. A reverse phase HPLC method for the quantitative determination of vasicine in the morphotypes was developed based on which variation in the vasicine content was observed. Thin layer chromatographic analysis showed variation in the chemical composition of these morphotypes. These studies indicated variability in the chemical composition and pharmacognostic characters among the morphotypes of A. zeylanica. Two of the morphotypes containing significantly higher vasicine indicated the presence of chemical diversity, providing adequate scope for selection of superior chemotypes having high therapeutic value and economic benefit. © 2008 Academic Journals Inc.
Sufang, G 2007, 'Delivery settings and caesarean section rates in China', Bulletin of the World Health Organization, vol. 85, no. 10, pp. 755-762.
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Objective: To quantify the influence of increasing use of health-care services on rising rates of caesarean section in China. Methods: We used data from a population-based survey conducted by the United Nations Population Fund during September 2003 in 30 selected counties in three regions of China. The study sample (derived from birth history schedule) consisted of 3803 births to mothers aged less than 40 years between 1993 and 2002. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate the effect of health-care factors on the odds of a caesarean section, controlling for time and selected variables. Findings: Institutional births increased from 53.5% in 1993-1994 to 82.2% in 2001-2002, while the corresponding increase in births by caesarean section was from 8.9% to 24.8%, respectively. Decomposition analysis showed that 69% of the increase in rates of caesarean section was driven by the increase in births within institutions. The adjusted odds of a caesarean section were 4.6 times (95% confidence interval, CI: 3.4-11.8) higher for recent births. The adjusted odds were also significantly higher for mothers who had at least one antenatal ultrasound test. Rates of caesarean section in secondary-level facilities markedly increased over the last decade to the same levels as in major hospitals ( P < 0.001). Conclusion: The upsurge in rates of births by caesarean section in this population cannot be fully explained by increases in institutional births alone, but is likely to be driven by medical practice within secondary-level hospitals and women's demand for the procedure.
Sufang, G, Padmadas, SS, Fengmin, Z, Brown, JJ & Stones, RW 2007, 'Delivery settings and caesarean section rates in China.', Bull World Health Organ, vol. 85, no. 10, pp. 755-762.
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OBJECTIVE: To quantify the influence of increasing use of health-care services on rising rates of caesarean section in China. METHODS: We used data from a population-based survey conducted by the United Nations Population Fund during September 2003 in 30 selected counties in three regions of China. The study sample (derived from birth history schedule) consisted of 3803 births to mothers aged less than 40 years between 1993 and 2002. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate the effect of health-care factors on the odds of a caesarean section, controlling for time and selected variables. FINDINGS: Institutional births increased from 53.5% in 1993-1994 to 82.2% in 2001-2002, while the corresponding increase in births by caesarean section was from 8.9% to 24.8%, respectively. Decomposition analysis showed that 69% of the increase in rates of caesarean section was driven by the increase in births within institutions. The adjusted odds of a caesarean section were 4.6 times (95% confidence interval, CI: 3.4-11.8) higher for recent births. The adjusted odds were also significantly higher for mothers who had at least one antenatal ultrasound test. Rates of caesarean section in secondary-level facilities markedly increased over the last decade to the same levels as in major hospitals (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The upsurge in rates of births by caesarean section in this population cannot be fully explained by increases in institutional births alone, but is likely to be driven by medical practice within secondary-level hospitals and women's demand for the procedure.
Suggett, DJ, Le Floc’H, E, Harris, GN, Leonardos, N & Geider, RJ 2007, 'Different strategies of photoacclimation by two strains of Emiliania huxleyi (Haptophyta)1', Journal of Phycology, vol. 43, no. 6, pp. 1209-1222.
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Photoacclimation involves the modification of components of the light and dark reactions to optimize photosynthesis following changes in available light. All of the energy required for photosynthesis comes from linear electron transport through PSII and PSI and is dependent upon the amount of light harvested by PSII relative to PSI (a*PSII and a*PSI). The amount of light harvested is determined by the effective absorption cross‐sections (σPSII, σPSI) and cellular contents of the PSII and PSI reaction center complexes (RCII, RCI). Here, we examine the effective absorption cross‐sections and reaction center contents for calcifying (B11) and noncalcifying (B92) strains of the globally important coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi (Lohmann) W. H. Hay et H. Mohler when grown under various photon flux densities (PFDs). The two strains displayed different “strategies” of acclimation. As growth PFD increased, B11 preferentially changed σ and the cellular content of chl a per cell over PSU “size” (the total cellular chl a content associated with the reaction center complexes); strain B92 preferentially changed PSU size over the cellular content of reaction complexes. Neither strategy was specifically consistent with the majority of previous studies from other microalgal species. For both strains, cellular light absorption for PSII and PSI was maintained close to unity across the range of growth PFDs since changes of σPSII and σPSI were reciprocated by those of RCIIs and RCIs per cell. Our results demonstrate a significant adaptive flexibility of E. huxleyi to photoacclimate. Finally, we calculated the amount of chl a associated with either photos...
Surkan, PJ, Ryan, LM, Vieira, LMC, Berkman, LF & Peterson, KE 2007, 'Maternal social and pyschological conditions and physical growth in low-income children in Piaui, Northeast Brazil', SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE, vol. 64, no. 2, pp. 375-388.
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Prevalence of child undernutrition remains high in many developing countries. In settings with scarce resources, modifiable maternal social conditions may influence feeding and parenting practices, in turn affecting child growth. This study aims to quantify the association between maternal social support and depression to children's physical growth outcomes in Teresina, Piauí, northeast Brazil. Interviews were conducted with a random sample of 595 mothers of children 6-24 months old in four low-income sections of Teresina, Piauí. We collected data on sociodemographic factors, mothers' social support, mothers' depressive symptomatology, and child's weight and recumbent length. Weight-for-height z-scores (WHZ), height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) and weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) were calculated using the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Center SAS program based on the 2000 Centers for Disease Control reference growth curves. Multivariable linear regression was used to model the association between maternal social support and depression to child growth, adjusting for biological and socio-demographic variables. Interviewer and neighborhood variation was accounted for through the inclusion of random effects. In adjusted models, material support, measured by number of friends or family members available to mothers when needing food or milk, was related to 0.3 higher average WHZ and 0.2 higher average WAZ in their children. Maternal positive social interaction, which reflects engagement in leisure-time activities with others, was associated with 0.3 higher average WHZ. Mothers' affectionate support was related to 0.2 higher average children's WHZ and WAZ, whereas social support for resolving a conflict was associated with 0.2 lower average HAZ. Maternal depression was not associated with child growth. It is concluded that inadequate growth in children may be sensitive to maternal social support. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Tadesse, M, He, Q, Carroll, R & Ramos, K 2007, 'Comparison of High-Density Short Oligonucleotide Microarray Platforms', Current Bioinformatics, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 203-213.
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Tahtouh, M, Despland, P, Shimmon, R, Kalman, JR & Reedy, BJ 2007, 'The application of infrared chemical imaging to the detection and enhancement of latent fingerprints: Method optimization and further findings', JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, vol. 52, no. 5, pp. 1089-1096.
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Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) chemical imaging allows the collection of fingerprint images from backgrounds that have traditionally posed problems for conventional fingerprint detection methods. In this work, the suitability of this technique for the imaging of fingerprints on a wider range of difficult surfaces (including polymer banknotes, various types of paper, and aluminum drink cans) has been tested. For each new surface, a systematic methodology was employed to optimize settings such as spectral resolution, number of scans, and pixel aggregation in order to reduce collection time and file-size without compromising spatial resolution and the quality of the final fingerprint image. The imaging of cyanoacrylate-fumed fingerprints on polymer banknotes has been improved, with shorter collection times for larger image areas. One-month-old fingerprints on polymer banknotes have been successfully fumed and imaged. It was also found that FTIR chemical imaging gives high quality images of cyanoacrylate-fumed fingerprints on aluminum drink cans, regardless of the printed background. Although visible and UV light sources do not yield fingerprint images of the same quality on difficult, nonporous backgrounds, in many cases they can be used to locate a fingerprint prior to higher quality imaging by the FTIR technique. Attempts to acquire FTIR images of fingerprints on paper-based porous surfaces that had been treated with established reagents such as ninhydrin were all unsuccessful due to the swamping effect of the cellulose constituents of the paper. © 2007 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
Taylor, SR, Ung, AT & Pyne, SG 2007, 'Synthesis of benzo[c]chromen-6-ones via novel cyclic aryl-Pd(II)-ester enolate intermediates', TETRAHEDRON, vol. 63, no. 45, pp. 10889-10895.
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The examination of the palladium catalysed arylation reactions of mono-iodo derivatives of the phenyl and benzyl esters of benzoic acid, phenylacetic acid and dehydrocinnamic acid has resulted in the formation of benzo[c]chromen-6-ones, unexpected cinnamate and succinate products and diphenyl dimers. Many of these products can be rationalised as arising from novel cyclic ArPd(II)enolate intermediates, formed by intramolecular CH activation by ArPd(II).
Taylor, SR, Ung, AT & Pyne, SG 2007, 'The synthesis of 2 ',2 '-bis-benzylisoquinolines and their cytostatic activities', TETRAHEDRON, vol. 63, no. 45, pp. 10896-10901.
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The novel laudanosine dimers in which two laudanosine units are linked via a C-2′ biaryl bond have been prepared by a sequence that involves formation of the biaryl bond first and then formation of the isoquinoline rings. Two of these compounds showed higher cytostatic activity on three cancer cell lines than thalicarpine. Crown Copyright © 2007.
Taylor, SR, Ung, AT, Pyne, SG, Skelton, BW & White, AH 2007, 'Intramolecular versus intermolecular oxidative couplings of ester tethered di-aryl ethers', TETRAHEDRON, vol. 63, no. 46, pp. 11377-11385.
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The oxidative cyclization of 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetate, through intramolecular biphenyl bond formation, was successful and gave the target seven-membered lactone in good yield (8586%). All other ester substrates gave biphenyl products or their further oxidized products via intermolecular coupling of their radical cation intermediate with the neutral substrate. It appears that matching of the oxidation potentials and nucleophilicity of the two phenyl rings, the positioning of the ring substituents and the ease of E to Z isomerization about the ester CO bond are important factors contributing to these product outcomes.
Teuscher, F, Lowther, J, Skinner-Adams, TS, Spielmann, T, Dixon, MWA, Stack, CM, Donnelly, S, Mucha, A, Kafarski, P, Vassiliou, S, Gardiner, DL, Dalton, JP & Trenholme, KR 2007, 'The m18 aspartyl aminopeptidase of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum', JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY, vol. 282, no. 42, pp. 30817-30826.
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A member of the M18 family of aspartyl aminopeptidases is expressed by all intra-erythrocytic stages of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (PfM18AAP), with highest expression levels in rings. Functionally active recombinant enzyme, rPfM18AAP, and native enzyme in cytosolic extracts of malaria parasites are 560-kDa octomers that exhibit optimal activity at neutral pH and require the presence of metal ions to maintain enzymatic activity and stability. Like the human aspartyl aminopeptidase, the exopeptidase activity of PfM18AAP is exclusive to N-terminal acidic amino acids, glutamate and aspartate, making this enzyme of particular interest and suggesting that it may function alongside the malaria cytosolic neutral aminopeptidases in the release of amino acids from host hemoglobin-derived peptides. Whereas immunocytochemical studies using transgenic P. falciparum parasites show that PfM18AAP is expressed in the cytosol, immunoblotting experiments revealed that the enzyme is also trafficked out of the parasite into the surrounding parasitophorous vacuole. Antisense-mediated knockdown of PfM18AAP results in a lethal phenotype as a result of significant intracellular damage and validates this enzyme as a target at which novel antimalarial drugs could be directed. Novel phosphinic derivatives of aspartate and glutamate showed modest inhibition of rPfM18AAP but did not inhibit malaria growth in culture. However, we were able to draw valuable observations concerning the structure-activity relationship of these inhibitors that can be employed in future inhibitor optimization studies. © 2007 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Thiébaut, ACM, Freedman, LS, Carroll, RJ & Kipnis, V 2007, 'Is It Necessary to Correct for Measurement Error in Nutritional Epidemiology?', Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 146, no. 1, pp. 65-67.
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Ton-That, C, Dowd, A, Shard, AG, Dhanak, VR, Taninaka, A, Shinohara, H & Welland, ME 2007, 'Electronic structure of potassium-doped La@C-82 metallofullerene studied with photoelectron spectroscopy', PHYSICAL REVIEW B, vol. 76, no. 16, pp. 1-7.
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The electronic structure of potassium-doped La@ C82 has been studied with synchrotron-radiation photoelectron spectroscopy. Ultraviolet photoemission measurements indicate evolution of the valence-band states of La@ C82 with increasing potassium content, but Kx La@ C82 remains semiconducting for all x between 0 and 6, with a band gap of at least 0.4 eV, in contrast to K-doped C60. The valence-band features, including those which arise from the interactions of C82 cages with La and K, show oscillatory behavior of photoemission intensity with incident photon energy. The strength of the oscillations varies between the states, and we associate diminished oscillations with increased localization of electron density. Finally, although core and valence states of La@ C82 change considerably with potassium dosage, the encapsulated La atom is well shielded from the outside chemical environment and its valency remains close to 3+. © 2007 The American Physical Society.
Toperverg, BP, Kampmann, R, Lauter-Pasyuk, VV, Lauter, HJ, Tietze, U, Solina, D & Schreyer, A 2007, 'Larmor encoding and Fourier reconstruction for wavelength dispersive reflectometry', Physica B: Condensed Matter, vol. 397, no. 1-2, pp. 141-143.
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As is well known the Larmor precession of the neutron polarization passing through a range of homogeneous magnetic field can efficiently be used for perfectly harmonic modulation of incoming (or scattered) intensity as a function of neutron wavelength. We show that the Fourier analysis of a few reflection curves obtained at a proper set of Larmor frequencies allows to numerically reconstruct the genuine reflectivity curve in great details even in the case it has been measured with a rather purely monochromatized beam. It is argued that the method can be used to substantially improve wave length resolution with moderate increase in measuring time. Further applications of the method, e.g. to small angle scattering at grazing incidence (GISANS), are briefly discussed. © 2007.
Toth, M, Knowles, R & Phillips, M 2007, 'Imaging Deep Trap Distributions by Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy', Microscopy and Microanalysis, vol. 13, no. S02.
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Toth, M, Knowles, WR & Phillips, MR 2007, 'Imaging deep trap distributions by low vacuum scanning electron microscopy', APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, vol. 90, no. 7, pp. 0-0.
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The distribution of deep traps in a bulk dielectric (Al2 O3) is imaged by low vacuum scanning electron microscopy (LVSEM). The image contrast corresponds to spatial variations in radiation-induced, field-enhanced conductivity. A methodology is presented for identification of such contrast, the behavior of which is explained by a model of charge generation and transport in dielectrics imaged by LVSEM. The technique presented is applicable to studies of charge traps in dielectrics, device failure modes, and contrast mechanisms in electron microscopy. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.
Toth, M, Lobo, C, Knowles, R, Phillips, M, Postek, M & Vladar, A 2007, 'Nanostructure Fabrication by Ultra-high Resolution Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy', Microscopy and Microanalysis, vol. 13, no. S02.
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Toth, M, Lobo, CJ, Hartigan, G & Ralph Knowles, W 2007, 'Electron flux controlled switching between electron beam induced etching and deposition', Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 101, no. 5, pp. 054309-054309.
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Electron beam induced deposition (EBID) and etching (EBIE) are promising methods for the fabrication of three-dimensional nanodevices, wiring of nanostructures, and repair of photolithographic masks. Here, we study simultaneous EBID and EBIE, and demonstrate an athermal electron flux controlled transition between material deposition and etching. The switching is observed when one of the processes has both a higher efficiency and a lower precursor partial pressure than the other. This is demonstrated in two technologically important systems: during XeF2-mediated etching of chrome on a photolithographic mask and during deposition and etching of carbonaceous films on a semiconductor surface. Simultaneous EBID and EBIE can be used to enhance the spatial localization of etch profiles. It plays a key role in reducing contamination buildup rates during low vacuum electron imaging and deposition of high purity nanostructures in the presence of oxygen-containing gases.
Toth, M, Lobo, CJ, Knowles, WR, Phillips, MR, Postek, MT & Vladar, AE 2007, 'Nanostructure fabrication by ultra-high-resolution environmental scanning electron microscopy', NANO LETTERS, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 525-530.
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Electron beam induced deposition (EBID) is a maskless nanofabrication technique capable of surpassing the resolution limits of resist-based lithography. However, EBID fabrication of functional nanostructures is limited by beam spread in bulk substrates, substrate charging, and delocalized film growth around deposits. Here, we overcome these problems by using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) to perform EBID and etching while eliminating charging artifacts at the nanoscale. Nanostructure morphology is tailored by slimming of deposits by ESEM imaging in the presence of a gaseous etch precursor and by pre-etching small features into a deposit (using a stationary or a scanned electron beam) prior to a final imaging process. The utility of this process is demonstrated by slimming of nanowires deposited by EBID, by the fabrication of gaps (between 4 and 7 nm wide) in the wires, and by the removal of thin films surrounding such nanowires. ESEM imaging provides a direct view of the slimming process, yielding process resolution that is limited by ESEM image resolution (~1 nm) and surface roughening occurring during etching. © 2007 American Chemical Society.
Toth, M, Uncovsky, M, Ralph Knowles, W & Baker, FS 2007, 'Secondary electron imaging at gas pressures in excess of 1kPa', Applied Physics Letters, vol. 91, no. 5, pp. 053122-053122.
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Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) enables electron imaging of gas-mediated, direct-write nanolithography processes, liquids, and hydrated biomaterials. However, ESEM is limited by poor image quality at gas pressures in excess of ∼600Pa. Here the authors achieve high quality secondary electron imaging at 2kPa of H2O by optimizing boundary conditions that govern beam scatter and the energy distribution of low energy electrons in the gas, dielectric breakdown of the gas, and detector collection efficiency. The presented high pressure imaging method will enable imaging of hydrated materials at close to room temperature, and gas-mediated surface modification processes occurring at high pressures.
Tran, ATK, Hyne, RV & Doble, P 2007, 'Calibration of a passive sampling device for time-integrated sampling of hydrophilic herbicides in aquatic environments', ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 435-443.
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two types of solid-phase materials, a styrenedivinylbenzene copolumer sorbent (embedded in a SDB-XC Empore disk) and a styrenedivinylbenzene copolymer sorbent modified with sulfonic acid functional groups (embeddedin a SCB-RPS Empore disk) were compared as a receiving phase in a passive sampling device for monitoring polar pesticied. The SDB-XC Empore disk was selected for further evaluation, pverlayed with either a polysulfone or a polyethersulfone diffusion membrane. The target herbicides included five nonionized herbicides (simazine, atrazine, diuron, clomazone and metolachlor) and four phenoxy acid herbicideds (diacamba, 92,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid [2,4-D], (4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid [MCPA} and triclopyr) with log octanol/water partitian coefficient (log Kow) values of less than three in water. Uptake of these herbicides generally was higher into a device constructed of a SDB-XC Empore disk as a receiving phase covered with a polyethersulfone membrane compared to a similar device covered with a polysufone membrane.Using the device with a SDB-XC Empore disk covred with a polyethersulfone membrane,linear uptake of simazine, atrazine, diuron, clomazone and metoachlor was observed foruo tp 21 d, and daily sampling rates of the herbiccides from water in a laboratory flow-through system were setermined. Theuptake rate of each nonionized herbicide by the Empore disk-based passive sampler was linearly proportional to irs concentration in the water, and the sampling rate was independent of the water concentrations over the 21-d period. Uptake of the phenoxy acid herbicides (2,4-D, MCPA and triclopyr) obeyed first-order kinetics and rapidly reached equilibrium in the pasasive sampler after approximately 12d of exposure. The Empore disn-based passive sampler displayed isotropic kinetics, with a release half-life for triclopyr of approximately 6 d.
Tran, ATK, Hyne, RV & Doble, P 2007, 'Determination of commonly used polar herbicides in agricultural drainage waters in Australia by HPLC', CHEMOSPHERE, vol. 67, no. 5, pp. 944-953.
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The present study describes the application of different extraction techniques for the preconcentration of ten commonly found acidic and non-acidic polar herbicides (2,4-D, atrazine, bensulfuron-methyl, clomazone, dicamba, diuron, MCPA, metolachlor, sima
Tran, ATK, Hyne, RV, Pablo, F, Day, WR & Doble, P 2007, 'Optimisation of the separation of herbicides by linear gradient high performance liquid chromatography utilising artificial neural networks', TALANTA, vol. 71, no. 3, pp. 1268-1275.
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An artificial neural network (ANN) was employed to model the chromatographic response surface for the linear gradient separation of 10 herbicides that are commonly detected in storm run-off water in agricultural catchments. The herbicides (dicamba, simaz
Trevaskis, B, Hemming, MN, Dennis, ES & Peacock, WJ 2007, 'The molecular basis of vernalization-induced flowering in cereals', TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE, vol. 12, no. 8, pp. 352-357.
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Genetic analyses have identified three genes that control the vernalization requirement in wheat and barley; VRN1, VRN2 and FT (VRN3). These genes have now been isolated and shown to regulate not only the vernalization response but also the promotion of
Trevaskis, B, Tadege, M, Hemming, MN, Peacock, WJ, Dennis, ES & Sheldon, C 2007, 'Short Vegetative Phase-like MADS-box genes inhibit floral meristem identity in barley', PLANT PHYSIOLOGY, vol. 143, no. 1, pp. 225-235.
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Analysis of the functions of Short Vegetative Phase (SVP)-like MADS-box genes in barley (Hordeum vulgare) indicated a role in determining meristem identity. Three SVP-like genes are expressed in vegetative tissues of barley: Barley MADS1 (BM1), BM10, and
Ulstrup, KE, van Oppen, MJH, Kuehl, M & Ralph, PJ 2007, 'Inter-polyp genetic and physiological characterisation of Symbiodinium in an Acropora valida colony', MARINE BIOLOGY, vol. 153, no. 2, pp. 225-234.
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Corals harbouring genetically mixed communities of endosymbiotic algae (Symbiodinium) often show distribution patterns in accordance with differences in light climate across an individual colony. However, the physiology of these genetically characterised communities is not well understood. Single stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses were used to examine the genetic diversity of the Symbiodinium community in hospite across an individual colony of Acropora valida at the spatial scale of single polyps. The physiological characteristics of the polyps were examined prior to sampling with a combined O2 microelectrode with a fibre-optic microprobe (combined sensor diameter 50-100 μm) enabling simultaneous measurements of O2 concentration, gross photosynthesis rate and photosystem II (PSII) quantum yield at the coral surface as a function of increasing irradiances. Both sun- and shade-adapted polyps were found to harbour either Symbiodinium clade C types alone or clades A and C simultaneously. Polyps were grouped in two categories according to (1) their orientation towardps light, or (2) their symbiont community composition. Physiological differences were not detected between sun- and shade-adapted polyps, but O2 concentration at 1,100 μmol photons m-2 s-1 was higher in polyps that harboured both clades A and C symbionts than in polyps that harboured clade C only. These results suggest that the acclimatisation of zooxanthellae of individual polyps of an A. valida colony to ambient light levels may not be the only determinant of the photosynthetic capacity of zooxanthellae. Here, we found that photosynthetic capacity is also likely to have a strong genetic basis and differs between genetically distinct Symbiodinium types.
Unnikrishn, KP, Fathima, A, Hashim, KM & Balachandr, I 2007, 'Antioxidant Studies and Determination of Wedelolactone in Eclipta alba', Journal of Plant Sciences, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 459-464.
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The present research reports the results of the phytochemical studies carried out to identify the diagnostic features of the E. alba. A high performance thin layer chromatographic method was standardized to determine the wedelolactone content in whole plant of E. alba. Methanolic extracts of samples from three different sources were used for analysis. The mean assay of wedelolactone was of range 0.481-0.702 mg g-1 of drug powder. Radical scavenging activity of methanolic extract was evaluated by DPPH assay method superoxide radical scavenging activity in riboflavin/light/NBT system and nitric oxide radical scavenging activity in sodium nitroprusside/Griess reagent system. The assay results indicate that the DPPH, superoxide and nitric oxide scavenging activity were intense (19.25, 39.25 and 58.26 μg mL-1, respectively). The phytochemical features identified in the present study can be used as identification markers of this important analgesic agent. © 2007 Academic Journals Inc.
Vahn, G-Y, White, TP, Steel, MJ, de Sterke, CM, Dossou, K & Botten, LC 2007, 'Modeling light propagation in photonic crystal devices: Simplification of the Bloch mode scattering matrix method', Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 102, no. 5, pp. 053103-053103.
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We derive semianalytic models of two types of photonic crystal resonators by simplifying the Bloch mode scattering matrix method. Essential to the models are two parameters, which are interpreted to be the phase change upon reflection and the measure of orthogonality between modes of adjacent waveguides. The models can predict the resonance position to better than 0.02% and the full width at half maximum to within 10%.
Vallas, V, Farrugia, W, Raison, RL, Edmundson, AB & Ramsland, PA 2007, 'Dissimilar aggregation processes govern precipitation and gelation of human IgM cryoglobulins', JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR RECOGNITION, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 90-96.
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Cryoglobulinemia is associated witha range of diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, B-cell malignancies, and chronic viral infections. This "cold sensitivity" condition is caused by cryoglobulins that precipitate, gel, or occasionally crystallise in the cold. Clinical manifestations vary widely in severity, depending on many factors, including the type of cryoglobulin (monoclonal or mixed immunoglobulins) and the physical nature of the aggregates (precipitate, gel or crystal). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to examine the cold-induced precipitation or gelation of two human cryoglobulins, namely, Pot IgM and Yvo IgM. The DLS assay was highly reproducible, sensitive and had low intra-assay variations for both igM, cryoglobulins. Distinct processes were revealed to contribute to precipitation and gelation of cryoglobulins. The precipitation of Pot IgM displayed a rapid transition from solution to solid phases, with a wide distribution of aggregated sizes. in contrast, the gelation fo Yvo IgM progressed gradually across a broad temperature range to produce a relatively uniform gel matrix. Initial cryoglobulin concentrations determined the kinetics and critical temperatures for both precipitation and gelation. Moreover, the Yvo IgM was observed to have a distinct relationship between concentrations and mean hydrodynamic diameters or particle sizes. Concentration-dependent effects on particle sizes were present but not as pronounced for the pot IgM. Precipitation and gelation of cryoglobulins were also found to be differentially responsive to changes in the aqueous environment. Our results indicate that DLS is a rapid, reliable and sensitive method for characterising the nature of disease-associated cryoglobulins.
van Hal, SJ, Stark, DJ, Fotedar, R, Marriott, D, Ellis, JT & Harkness, JL 2007, 'Amoebiasis: current status in Australia', MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA, vol. 186, no. 8, pp. 412-416.
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Entamoeba histolytica is one of the most common parasitic infections worldwide, infecting about 50 million people and resulting in 40 000â100 000 deaths a year. In Australia, people at risk of infection include immigrants, travellers returning from countries of high endemicity, Indigenous people, and men who have sex with men. Clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic carriage to invasive disease. Amoebic colitis and amoebic liver abscess are the most common invasive manifestations observed in Australia. Diagnosis depends on a high index of suspicion and laboratory investigations. Molecular methods (using the polymerase chain reaction) are the most sensitive for identifying and differentiating Entamoeba species. Treatment should always include a luminal agent to eradicate colonisation, prevent spread and/or reduce the risk of invasive disease. Medical therapy can successfully cure invasive disease, including amoebic liver abscesses.
Van Keilegom, I & Carroll, RJ 2007, 'Backfitting versus profiling in general criterion functions', Statistica Sinica, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 797-816.
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We study the backfitting and profile methods for general criterion functions that depend on a parameter of interest β and a nuisance function θ9. We show that when different amounts of smoothing are employed for each method to estimate the function θ, the two estimation procedures produce estimators of β with the same limiting distributions, even when the criterion functions are non-smooth in β and/or θ. The results are applied to a partially linear median regression model and a change point model, both examples of non-smooth criterion functions.
Veal, TD, Piper, LFJ, Phillips, MR, Zareie, MH, Lu, H, Schaff, WJ & McConville, CF 2007, 'Doping-dependence of subband energies in quantized electron accumulation at InN surfaces', PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI A-APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, vol. 204, no. 2, pp. 536-542.
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Electron tunnelling spectroscopy is used to investigate the quantized electron accumulation at the surfaces of wurtzite InN with different doping levels. The tunnelling spectra of InN-oxide-tip junctions recorded in air at room temperature exhibit a -0.6 V plateau, corresponding to the band gap of InN, and a gap between onsets of 1.3 V, consistent with the separation between the valence band maximum and the pinned Fermi level at the oxidized InN surface. Also observed within the tunnelling spectra are additional features between the conduction band minimum and the pinned Fermi level. These features are attributed to surface-bound quantized states associated with the. potential well formed by the downward band bending at the InN-oxide interface. Their energetic positions are dependent upon the doping level of the InN films and coincide with calculated subband energies. © 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
Verbout, SM, Schultz, DM, Leslie, LM, Brooks, HE, Karoly, DJ & Elmore, KL 2007, 'Tornado outbreaks associated with landfalling hurricanes in the North Atlantic Basin: 1954–2004', Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics, vol. 97, no. 1-4, pp. 255-271.
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Villavedra, M, Lemke, S, To, J, Broady, K, Wallach, M & Raison, RL 2007, 'Carbohydrate epitopes are immunodominant at the surface of infectious Neoparamoeba spp.', JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 191-199.
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Amoebic gill disease, the main disease of concern to the salmon industry is Tasmania is caused by the amoeba Neoparamoeba spp. Experimental infection can onlybe induced by exposure to wild-type (WT) oarasites isolated from the gills of infected fish, as cultured amoeba are non-infective. To characterise the surface antigens of WT parasites, we produced monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) using subtractive immunization. Mice inoculated with non-infective parasites were treated with cyclophosphamide, to deplete reactive lumphocytes, and then immunized with different antigen preparations from infective parasites. When whole parasites were used for boosting the percentage of WT unique mAbs was very high (86%) as was the percentage of mAbs specific for carbohydrate pritopes (89%). When degloycosylated membranes were used, the numbers of mAbs spefic for non-carbohydrate spitopes id not increase, but the total number of WT unique mAbs was reduced (86-40%). Using an untreated membrane preparation, the total number of mAbs to surface molecules was very high, but all recognized carbohydrate epitopes. The total number of MAbs recognising carbohydrate epitopes on the surface of the WT parasites was 97%, suggesting that the dominant epitopes on the surface molecules unique to WT parasites are carbohydrate in nature.
Wallace-Kunkel, C, Lennard, C, Stoilovic, M & Roux, C 2007, 'Optimisation and evaluation of 1,2-indanedione for use as a fingermark reagent and its application to real samples', Forensic Science International, vol. 168, no. 1, pp. 14-26.
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1,2-Indanedione is an emerging fingermark reagent used on porous surfaces. The general consensus is that this reagent is at least as sensitive as DFO, with some research showing higher sensitivity for 1,2-indanedione as opposed to DFO. However, a number of discrepancies existed in the literature as to which formulation and which development procedure produces optimal results. This project set out to investigate the best formulation and development procedure under Australian conditions, encompassing all published recommendations as well as some novel approaches. 1,2-Indanedione formulations were compared with respect to initial colour, fluorescence, concentration of reagent, acetic acid concentration, and the effect of different carrier solvents. Numerous development conditions were investigated, including a conventional oven, a heat press and humidity. Further enhancement using metal salt treatment and liquid nitrogen was also evaluated. The heat press set at 165 °C for 10 s proved to give the best initial colour and most intense luminescence. Secondary metal salt treatment improved initial colour and luminescence. The Polilight, the VSC 2000, and the Condor Chemical Imaging macroscope have been used to detect the fingerprints developed with 1,2-indanedione on a variety of high- and low-quality porous and semi-porous surfaces, with impressive results overall. Laboratory and field tests were conducted to compare 1,2-indanedione with DFO and ninhydrin as well as to investigate the position of 1,2-indanedione in the sequence of reagents for fingermark detection on porous surfaces. Overall, 1,2-indanedione proved to be a viable alternative to traditional methods for the detection of fingermarks on porous surfaces, with more fingermarks being developed using this reagent on real samples than both DFO and ninhydrin and a combination of the two reagents. © 2006.
Wallace-Kunkel, C, Lennard, C, Stoilovic, M & Roux, C 2007, 'Optimisation and evaluation of 1,2-indanedione for use as a fingermark reagent and its application to real samples', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 168, no. 1, pp. 14-26.
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Walsh, SJ, Mitchell, RJ, Torpy, F & Buckleton, JS 2007, 'Use of subpopulation data in Australian forensic DNA casework', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-GENETICS, vol. 1, no. 3-4, pp. 238-246.
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DNA profiling evidence presented in court should be accompanied by a reliable estimate of its evidential weight. In calculating such statistics, allele frequencies from commonly employed autosomal microsatellite loci are required. These allele frequencies should be collected at a level that appropriately represents the genetic diversity that exists in the population. Typically this occurs at broadly defined bio-geographic categories, such as Caucasian or Asian. Datasets are commonly administered at the jurisdictional level. This paper focuses on Australian jurisdictions and assesses whether this current practice is appropriate for Aboriginal Australian and Caucasian populations alike. In keeping with other studies we observe negligible differences between Caucasian populations within Australia when segregated geographically. However segregation of Aboriginal Australian population data along contemporary State and Territory lines appears to mask the diversity that exists within this subpopulation. For this reason datasets collated along more traditional lines may be more appropriate, particularly to distinguish the most genetically differentiated populations residing in the north of the continent. © 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Wand, MP 2007, 'Fisher information for generalised linear mixed models', Journal of Multivariate Analysis, vol. 98, no. 7, pp. 1412-1416.
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The Fisher information for the canonical link exponential family generalised linear mixed model is derived. The contribution from the fixed effects parameters is shown to have a particularly simple form. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Wand, MP & Ormerod, JT 2007, 'On semiparametric regression with O'Sullivan penalised splines', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Statistics, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 179-198.
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This is an expos\'e on the use of O'Sullivan penalised splines incontemporary semiparametric regression, including mixed model and Bayesianformulations. O'Sullivan penalised splines are similar to P-splines, but havean advantage of being a direct generalisation of smoothing splines. Exactexpressions for the O'Sullivan penalty matrix are obtained. Comparisons betweenthe two reveals that O'Sullivan penalised splines more closely mimic thenatural boundary behaviour of smoothing splines. Implementation in moderncomputing environments such as Matlab, R and BUGS is discussed.
Wang, G, Park, J, Wexler, D, Park, MS & Ahn, J-H 2007, 'Synthesis, Characterization, and Optical Properties of In2O3 Semiconductor Nanowires', Inorganic Chemistry, vol. 46, no. 12, pp. 4778-4780.
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In2O3 semiconductor nanowires were synthesized by the chemical vapor deposition method through carbon thermal reduction at 900 °C with 95% Ar and 5% O2 gas flow. The In2O3 nanowires were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). For the first time, we observed the formation of corundum-type h-In2O3 nanowires and branched In2O3 nanowires. The PL spectra of In2O 3 nanowires show strong visible red emission at 1.85 eV (670 nm) at low temperature, possibly caused by a small amount of oxygen vacancies in the nanowire crystal structure. © 2007 American Chemical Society.
Wang, J, Chew, SY, Wexler, D, Wang, GX, Ng, SH, Zhong, S & Liu, HK 2007, 'Nanostructured nickel sulfide synthesized via a polyol route as a cathode material for the rechargeable lithium battery', ELECTROCHEMISTRY COMMUNICATIONS, vol. 9, no. 8, pp. 1877-1880.
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Nanostructured nickel sulfide (NiS) was synthesized via a simple polyol route. The NiS powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electrochemical testing. The results revealed that the cycle life of the annealed NiS sample was improved over that of the as-prepared sample. The electrochemical performance was also tested using 1 M lithium trifluoromethanesulfonimide (LiTFSI) in a solvent of poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether (PEGDME) in order to compare with a sample tested in the conventional electrolyte of 1 M LiPF6 in a mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC). The results showed that the electrochemical properties were improved by using the 1 M LiTFSI/PEGDME electrolyte. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Wang, J, Maitra, A, Poulton, CG, Freude, W & Leuthold, J 2007, 'Temporal Dynamics of the Alpha Factor in Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers', Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 891-900.
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The temporal evolution of the α-factor during pump-probe experiments in semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) is not constant but varies strongly with time. It even takes on negative values for short periods of time. As a consequence, cross-phase modulation (XPM) effects usually lag behind cross-gain modulation effects by several picoseconds. This delay has important consequences for ultrafast operation of all-optical devices based on SOAs. It actually means that not every scheme will be suited for ultrafast operation. In order to properly model the XPM and phase variations within an SOA during a pump-probe experiment, a new parameterization for the α-factor is introduced. Inclusion of this model leads to an excellent agreement with the recent 160-Gb/s experiments for both phase and amplitude evolutions of the respective signals with time. © 2007 IEEE.
Wang, J, Ng, SH, Chew, SY, Wexler, D, Wang, GX & Liu, HK 2007, 'Characterization of nanosize molybdenum trisulfide for lithium batteries and MoS3 structure confirmation via electrochemistry', ELECTROCHEMICAL AND SOLID STATE LETTERS, vol. 10, no. 9, pp. A204-A207.
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Wang, L, Wang, M-B, Tu, J-X, Helliwell, CA, Waterhouse, PM, Dennis, ES, Fu, T-D & Fan, Y-L 2007, 'Cloning and characterization of microRNAs from Brassica napus', FEBS LETTERS, vol. 581, no. 20, pp. 3848-3856.
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A library containing approximately 40,000 small RNA sequences was constructed for Brassica napus. Analysis of 3025 sequences obtained from this library resulted in the identification of 11 conserved miRNA families, which were validated by secondary struc
Wang, XF & Gu, HY 2007, 'Improved scheduling strategy for batching tools in semiconductor wafer fabrication', Jisuanji Jicheng Zhizao Xitong/Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, CIMS, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 1115-1120.
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The scheduling problem for parallel batching tools with incompatible families in semiconductor wafer fabrication was studied. To improve the performance of on-time delivery in semiconductor manufacturing, aimed to minimize the Total Weighted Tardiness (TWT), an improved Apparent Tardiness Cost (ATC)-Batch Apparent Tardiness Cost (BATC) scheduling rule was proposed, which controlled SUBsection of Work in Process (SUBWIP). Result of simulation showed that TWT was effectively reduced by proposed method.
Wang, Y, Hush, NS & Reimers, JR 2007, 'Formation of gold-methanethiyl self-assembled monolayers', JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, vol. 129, no. 47, pp. 14532-+.
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Wang, Y, Hush, NS & Reimers, JR 2007, 'Simulation of the Au(111)-(22 x root 3) surface reconstruction', PHYSICAL REVIEW B, vol. 75, no. 23.
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Wang, Y, Hush, NS & Reimers, JR 2007, 'Understanding the chemisorption of 2-methyl-2-propanethiol on au(111)', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 111, no. 29, pp. 10878-10885.
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Wang, Y, Tasevski, V, Wallace, EM, Gallery, ED & Morris, JM 2007, 'Reduced maternal serum concentrations of angiopoietin‐2 in the first trimester precede intrauterine growth restriction associated with placental insufficiency', BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, vol. 114, no. 11, pp. 1427-1431.
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The aim of this study was to investigate whether maternal serum levels of angiopoietin‐2 (Ang‐2) and pregnancy‐associated plasma protein A (PAPP‐A) are associated with subsequent intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Ang‐2 was measured in 29 nonpregnant and 44 pregnant women at 10–13 weeks of gestation. The median concentration of Ang‐2 was 26.61 ng/ml in normal pregnant women compared with 1.71 ng/ml in nonpregnant controls (P < 0.01). Women who subsequently developed severe IUGR had lower levels of Ang‐2 compared with normal pregnant controls (P < 0.01). PAPP‐A levels were similar in all pregnant groups. These findings suggest that Ang‐2 should be evaluated for its ability to predict pregnancies that later are affected by IUGR.
Webb, R, Doble, P & Dawson, M 2007, 'A rapid CZE method for the analysis of benzodiazepines in spiked beverages', ELECTROPHORESIS, vol. 28, no. 19, pp. 3553-3565.
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A rapid CZE method was developed for the simultaneous determination of nine benzodiazepines in spiked beverages (nitrazepam oxazepam, alprazolam, flunitrazepam, temazepam, diazepam, 7-aminoflunitrazepam, 7-aminonitrazepam and 7-aminoclonazepam). The meth
Weckmann, M, Collison, A, Simpson, JL, Kopp, MV, Wark, PAB, Smyth, MJ, Yagita, H, Matthaei, KI, Hansbro, N, Whitehead, B, Gibson, PG, Foster, PS & Mattes, J 2007, 'Critical link between TRAIL and CCL20 for the activation of TH2 cells and the expression of allergic airway disease', Nature Medicine, vol. 13, no. 11, pp. 1308-1315.
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The role of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in immune responses mediated by T-helper 2 (TH2) lymphocytes is unknown. Here we characterize the development of allergic airway disease in TRAIL-deficient (Tnfsf10-/-) mice and in mice exposed to short interfering RNA targeting TRAIL. We show that TRAIL is abundantly expressed in the airway epithelium of allergic mice and that inhibition of signaling impairs production of the chemokine CCL20 and homing of myeloid dendritic cells and T cells expressing CCR6 and CD4 to the airways. Attenuated homing limits T H2 cytokine release, inflammation, airway hyperreactivity and expression of the transcriptional activator STAT6. Activation of STAT6 by interleukin-13 restores airway hyperreactivity in Tnfsf10-/- mice. Recombinant TRAIL induces pathognomic features of asthma and stimulates the production of CCL20 in primary human bronchial epithelium cells. TRAIL is also increased in sputum of asthmatics. The function of TRAIL in the airway epithelium identifies this molecule as a target for the treatment of asthma. © 2007 Nature Publishing Group.
Werneck, GL, Costa, CHN, Walker, AM, David, JR, Wand, M & Maguire, JH 2007, 'Multilevel modelling of the incidence of visceral leishmaniasis in Teresina, Brazil', EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION, vol. 135, no. 2, pp. 195-201.
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WERNECK, GL, COSTA, CHN, WALKER, AM, DAVID, JR, WAND, M & MAGUIRE, JH 2007, 'Multilevel modelling of the incidence of visceral leishmaniasis in Teresina, Brazil', Epidemiology and Infection, vol. 135, no. 2, pp. 195-201.
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Epidemics of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in major Brazilian cities are new phenomena since 1980. As determinants of transmission in urban settings probably operate at different geographic scales, and information is not available for each scale, a multilevel approach was used to examine the effect of canine infection and environmental and socio-economic factors on the spatial variability of incidence rates of VL in the city of Teresina. Details on an outbreak of greater than 1200 cases of VL in Teresina during 1993–1996 were available at two hierarchical levels: census tracts (socio-economic characteristics, incidence rates of human VL) and districts, which encompass census tracts (prevalence of canine infection). Remotely sensed data obtained by satellite generated environmental information at both levels. Data from census tracts and districts were analysed simultaneously by multilevel modelling. Poor socio-economic conditions and increased vegetation were associated with a high incidence of human VL. Increasing prevalence of canine infection also predicted a high incidence of human VL, as did high prevalence of canine infection before and during the epidemic. Poor socio-economic conditions had an amplifying effect on the association between canine infection and the incidence of human VL. Focusing interventions on areas with characteristics identified by multilevel analysis could be a cost-effective strategy for controlling VL. Because risk factors for infectious diseases operate simultaneously at several levels and ecological data usually are available at different geographical scales, multilevel modelling is a valuable tool for epidemiological investigation of disease transmission.
White, P, Golianu, B, Zaslawski, C & Seung-Hoon, C 2007, 'Standardization of Nomenclature in Acupuncture Research (SoNAR)', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 267-270.
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As more clinical acupuncture trials for pain are published, it becomes increasingly difficult to compare and evaluate the merits and shortcomings of such studies. A major contributory factor to this centers on the description of, and the assumptions made about, the control intervention used. In considering an acupuncture control, it is important to evaluate its physiological activity and thus far, this has not been done. A variety of different and sometimes very novel controls have been tried and used in the research setting and the inevitable consequence of this is confusion, particularly when attempting to interpret the results of trials. Researchers and other interested parties such as patients, primary care practitioners, funding agencies etc., searching for evidence in the literature are likely to be misled or confused by such variability. There is therefore a need to define and standardize many of these terms, to clarify reporting and to convey the correct information in a way that it is not misleading. This paper details the background and need for this and is primarily intended to assist those who intend to publish primary and secondary acupuncture research. However, standardization of reporting will be of benefit to anybody who will need to examine the literature for evidence. This article proposes and recommends a nomenclature when reporting future acupuncture clinical research. This nomenclature arose through discussion at a meeting convened by the World Health Organisation (Western Pacific Regional Office) and will be incorporated into their policy document later this year.
White, R, Thomas, PS, Philips, MR, Wuhrer, R & Guerbois, JP 2007, 'TG-MS characterization of the reaction products of cadmium yellow and malachite artist's pigments', JOURNAL OF THERMAL ANALYSIS AND CALORIMETRY, vol. 88, no. 1, pp. 181-184.
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The deleterious interaction of some traditional sulphide artists pigments and copper ions results in the formation of black copper sulphides, in particular, covellite (CuS), and, hence, the discolouration of valuable artworks. In this paper the interaction of malachite, a source of copper(II) ions, with the pigment cadmium yellow, a sulphide pigment comprising of a solid solution of cadmium and zinc sulphides, is investigated by XRD and TG-MS. XRD showed the presence of the copper sulphide and cadmium carbonate phases, produced by a simple ion exchange mechanism. TG-MS showed the complexity of the range of metastable phases produced. The identification of these phases, however, requires further work. © Springer-Verlag 2007.
Williams, DBG & Shaw, ML 2007, 'P–alkene bidentate ligands: an unusual ligand effect in Pd-catalysed Suzuki reactions', Tetrahedron, vol. 63, no. 7, pp. 1624-1629.
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Williams, DBG, Ajam, M & Ranwell, A 2007, 'High Rate and Highly Selective Vinyl Acetate Hydroformylation in Ionic Liquids as Solvent or Cosolvent', Organometallics, vol. 26, no. 18, pp. 4692-4695.
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Williams, DBG, Traut, T, Kriel, FH & van Zyl, WE 2007, 'Bidentate amino- and iminophosphine ligands in mono- and dinuclear gold(I) complexes: Synthesis, structures and AuCl displacement by AuC6F5', Inorganic Chemistry Communications, vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 538-542.
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Williams, DJL, Guy, CS, Smith, RF, Ellis, J, Bjorkman, C, Reichel, MP & Trees, AJ 2007, 'Immunization of cattle with live tachyzoites of Neospora caninum confers protection against fetal death', INFECTION AND IMMUNITY, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 1343-1348.
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Neospora caninum is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that causes abortion in cattle. It is normally found as a latent infection controlled by a T-helper-cell type 1 response involving CD4+ cytotoxic T cells and gamma interferon. Cattle may be infected by two different routes: transplacentally as a result of activation of the latent infection in the mother causing congenital infection or abortion and by ingestion of oocysts, which, if it occurs during gestation, can also result in abortion. Here, for the first time, we establish proof that live vaccination protects against fetal death, whereas immunization using whole-tachyzoite lysate in different adjuvants fails to protect against fetal death. Strong antibody responses were induced in all the vaccinated groups, and the quality and magnitude of these responses were similar in the live- and the lysate-vaccinated groups. In contrast, only the group immunized with live tachyzoites had strong cellular and gamma interferon responses prior to challenge, and these responses correlated with protection against fetopathy. These results suggest that a cellular immune response may be important in the mechanisms involved in protection against N. caninum-associated abortions. Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Woodcock, S, van der Gast, CJ, Bell, T, Lunn, M, Curtis, TP, Head, IM & Sloan, WT 2007, 'Neutral assembly of bacterial communities', FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, vol. 62, no. 2, pp. 171-180.
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Two recent, independent advances in ecology have generated interest and controversy: the development of neutral community models (NCMs) and the extension of biogeographical relationships into the microbial world. Here these two advances are linked by predicting an observed microbial taxa-volume relationship using an NCM and provide the strongest evidence so far for neutral community assembly in any group of organisms, macro or micro. Previously, NCMs have only ever been fitted using species-abundance distributions of macroorganisms at a single site or at one scale and parameter values have been calibrated on a case-by-case basis. Because NCMs predict a malleable two-parameter taxa-abundance distribution, this is a weak test of neutral community assembly and, hence, of the predictive power of NCMs. Here the two parameters of an NCM are calibrated using the taxa-abundance distribution observed in a small waterborne bacterial community housed in a bark-lined tree-hole in a beech tree. Using these parameters, unchanged, the taxa-abundance distributions and taxa-volume relationship observed in 26 other beech tree communities whose sizes span three orders of magnitude could be predicted. In doing so, a simple quantitative ecological mechanism to explain observations in microbial ecology is simultaneously offered and the predictive power of NCMs is demonstrated. © 2007 Federation of European Microbiological Societies.
Wressnig, A & Booth, DJ 2007, 'Feeding preferences of two seagrass grazing monacanthid fishes', JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 272-278.
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Two seagrass grazing fishes, Meuschenia freycineti and Meuschenia trachylepis (Monacanthidae), were offered three choices of Posidonia australis seagrass blades of different epiphyte coverage and leaf age to determine whether these fishes exhibit a preference for epiphyte-covered seagrass blades. Both species removed significantly more biomass of the epiphyte-covered blades than of the two other blade types in multiple-choice tests. This clear preference for epiphyte-covered seagrass blades results in a preferred removal of older blades within the seagrass shoot of P. australis. © 2007 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.
Wu, Y, Llewellyn, DJ, White, R, Ruggiero, K, Al-Ghazi, Y & Dennis, ES 2007, 'Laser capture microdissection and cDNA microarrays used to generate gene expression profiles of the rapidly expanding fibre initial cells on the surface of cotton ovules', PLANTA, vol. 226, no. 6, pp. 1475-1490.
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Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fibre initial cells undergo a rapid cellular re-programming around anthesis to form the long cellulose fibres prized for textile manufacture. On the day of anthesis the cotton fibre initial cells balloon out from the ovule
Xia, S, Pan, G, Cai, Z-L, Wang, Y & Reimers, JR 2007, 'The manganite-water interface', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 111, no. 28, pp. 10427-10437.
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Xie, G, Bruce, DC, Challacombe, JF, Chertkov, O, Detter, JC, Gilna, P, Han, CS, Lucas, S, Misra, M, Myers, GL, Richardson, P, Tapia, R, Thayer, N, Thompson, LS, Brettin, TS, Henrissat, B, Wilson, DB & McBride, MJ 2007, 'Genome Sequence of the Cellulolytic Gliding Bacterium Cytophaga hutchinsonii', Applied and Environmental Microbiology, vol. 73, no. 11, pp. 3536-3546.
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ABSTRACT The complete DNA sequence of the aerobic cellulolytic soil bacterium Cytophaga hutchinsonii , which belongs to the phylum Bacteroidetes , is presented. The genome consists of a single, circular, 4.43-Mb chromosome containing 3,790 open reading frames, 1,986 of which have been assigned a tentative function. Two of the most striking characteristics of C. hutchinsonii are its rapid gliding motility over surfaces and its contact-dependent digestion of crystalline cellulose. The mechanism of C. hutchinsonii motility is not known, but its genome contains homologs for each of the gld genes that are required for gliding of the distantly related bacteroidete Flavobacterium johnsoniae. Cytophaga-Flavobacterium gliding appears to be novel and does not involve well-studied motility organelles such as flagella or type IV pili. Many genes thought to encode proteins involved in cellulose utilization were identified. These include candidate endo-β-1,4-glucanases and β-glucosidases. Surprisingly, obvious homologs of known cellobiohydrolases were not detected. Since such enzymes are needed for efficient cellulose digestion by well-studied cellulolytic bacteria, C. hutchinsonii either has novel cellobiohydrolases or has an unusual method of cellulose utilization. Genes encoding proteins with cohesin domains, which are characteristic of cellulosomes, were absent, but many proteins predicted to be involved in polysaccharide utilization had putative D5 domains, which are thought to be involved in anchoring proteins to the cell surface.
Xu, X & Cortie, MB 2007, 'Precious metal core-shell spindles', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 111, no. 49, pp. 18135-18142.
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A simplified method to produce spindle-shaped particles with a hematite core and a silica shell is described. The silica shell can, in turn, serve as the substrate for an outer coating of Ag or Au nanoparticles. The resulting multilayer core-shell particles display a flexible optical extinction spectrum, due primarily to the sensitivity of their plasmon resonance to the morphology of the precious metal outer coating. © 2007 American Chemical Society.
Yan, Z, Hanyu, G & Yugeng, X 2007, 'Modified bottleneck-based heuristic for large-scale job-shop scheduling problems with a single bottleneck', JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND ELECTRONICS, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 556-565.
Yan, Z, Hanyu, G & Yugeng, X 2007, 'Modified bottleneck-based heuristic for large-scale job-shop scheduling problems with a single bottleneck', Journal of Systems Engineering and Electronics, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 556-565.
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A modified bottleneck-based (MB) heuristic for large-scale job-shop scheduling problems with a welldefined bottleneck is suggested, which is simpler but more tailored than the shifting bottleneck (SB) procedure. In this algorithm, the bottleneck is first scheduled optimally while the non-bottleneck machines are subordinated around the solutions of the bottleneck schedule by some effective dispatching rules. Computational results indicate that the MB heuristic can achieve a better tradeoff between solution quality and computational time compared to SB procedure for medium-size problems. Furthermore, it can obtain a good solution in a short time for large-scale jobshop scheduling problems. © 2007 The Second Academy of China Aerospace Science & Industry Cooperation.
Yin, S, Dahlbom, MG, Canfield, PJ, Hush, NS, Kobayashi, R & Reimers, JR 2007, 'Assignment of the Q(y) absorption spectrum of photosystem-i from Thermosynechococcus elongatus based on CAM-B3LYP calculations at the PW91-Optimized protein structure', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B, vol. 111, no. 33, pp. 9923-9930.
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Yong, SR, Ung, AT, Pyne, SG, Skelton, BW & White, AH 2007, 'Syntheses of spiro[cyclopropane-1,3 '-oxindole]-2-carboxylic acid and cyclopropa[c]quinoline-7b-carboxylic acid and their derivatives', TETRAHEDRON, vol. 63, no. 5, pp. 1191-1199.
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The synthesis of spiro[cyclopropane-1,3?-oxindole]-2-carboxylic acid, including novel 3-(2- and 3-pyridyl)-substituted analogues and the novel cyclopropa[c]quinoline-7b-carboxylic acid and their ester and amide derivatives is described. These syntheses involve diastereoselective cyclopropanation reactions of methyl 2-(2-nitrophenyl)acrylate and (3E)-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)- and (3E)-(pyridin-3-ylmethylene)-1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one with ethyl (dimethyl sulfuranylidene) acetate (EDSA). The synthesis of methyl cyclopropa[c]quinoline-7b-carboxylate involves a regioselective reductive cyclization of a nitro-diester precursor. The relative stereochemistry of key compounds has been determined by single-crystal X-ray structural analysis.
Yong, SR, Ung, AT, Pyne, SG, Skelton, BW & White, AH 2007, 'Synthesis of novel 3 '-spirocyclic-oxindole derivatives and assessment of their cytostatic activities', TETRAHEDRON, vol. 63, no. 25, pp. 5579-5586.
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The synthesis of some novel 3′-spirocyclic-oxindole compounds, based on the spiro[indole-3,5′-isoxazolidin]-2(1H)-one, the 2′H-spiro[indole-3,6′-[1,3]oxazinane]-2,2′(1H)-dione and the 2′H-spiro[indoline-3,3′-pyrrolo[1,2-c][1,3′]oxazine]-1′,2(1H)-dione heterocyclic structures, is described. These compounds were prepared from methyl α-(2-nitrophenyl)acrylate via [1,3]-dipolar cycloaddition reactions with two acyclic nitrones and one cyclic nitrone followed by reduction of the cycloadducts and then treatment with triphosgene. Two of these compounds showed significant cytostatic activity on three cancer cell lines with GI50 values of 2.6-4.1 μM on the human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. Crown Copyright © 2007.
Yuan, L, Liu, HK, Maaroof, A, Konstantinov, K, Liu, J & Cortie, M 2007, 'Mesoporous gold as anode material for lithium-ion cells', JOURNAL OF NEW MATERIALS FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL SYSTEMS, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 95-99.
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Mesoporous goldsponges were prepared by chemical removal of Al from thin films of an AuAl2 precursor that had been deposited on Cu sheet. The morphology of the An was characterised by interconnected pores and channel,v of between 5 and 20 nm in diameter.
Zareie, MH, Xu, X & Cortie, MB 2007, 'In situ organization of gold nanorods on mixed self-assembled-monolayer substrates', SMALL, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 139-145.
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A method is described for assembling gold nanorods, end-to-end, into long chains attached on top of a mixed self-assembled monolayer that has been functionalized with streptavidin. Methods to prepare chains Of nanorods in colloidal suspension have been reported by others, but our protocol offers a way to directly form such structures on a substrate. The rods are spaced ~~5 nm apart i the resulting chains, which extend for over a micrometer in length. The assembly and morphology of the nanorods structures were characterised by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy as well as by scanning electron microscopy and scanning probe microscopy. Strcutures of this type could concievably serve as plasmonic waveguides in future nanodevices.
Zhang, H-Y, Gu, H-Y & Xi, Y-G 2007, 'A Benders decomposition algorithm for base station planning problem in WCDMA networks', COMPUTERS & OPERATIONS RESEARCH, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 1674-1687.
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Zhang, HY, Xi, YG & Gu, HY 2007, 'Planning WCDMA wireless networks using rolling window', Zidonghua Xuebao/Acta Automatica Sinica, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 432-434.
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The large scale optimization problem of WCDMA wireless networks base station planning is studied by means of the basic principle of rolling window optimization. A WCDMA base station planning method based on rolling windows is presented, where the global optimization problem is decomposed into small scale optimization problems in rolling windows. An effective shifting strategy is designed to move the windows in two-dimensional space, and the inter-interference in WCDMA networks is predicted for each rolling window. It is proved that our method keeps the global objective of the original problem non-increasing during optimization. In simulation, three different shifting strategies are tested, and the results are analyzed. This paper shows the importance of shifting strategy for rolling windows in two-dimensional space.
Zhang, H-Y, Xi, Y-G & Gu, H-Y 2007, 'A rolling window optimization method for large-scale WCDMA base stations planning problem', EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH, vol. 183, no. 1, pp. 370-383.
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Zhang, Y, Chen, M, Zhou, BB, Jermiin, LS & Larkum, AWD 2007, 'Evolution of the Inner Light-Harvesting Antenna Protein Family of Cyanobacteria, Algae, and Plants', Journal of Molecular Evolution, vol. 64, no. 3, pp. 321-331.
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Two hypotheses account for the evolution of the inner antenna light-harvesting proteins of oxygenic photosynthesis in cyanobacteria, algae, and plants: one in which the CP43 protein of photosytem II gave rise to the extrinsic CP43-like antennas of cyanobacteria (i.e. IsiA and Pcb proteins), as a late development, and the other in which CP43 and CP43-like proteins derive from an ancestral protein. In order to determine which of these hypotheses is most likely, we analyzed the family of antenna proteins by a variety of phylogenetic techniques, using alignments of the six common membrane-spanning helices, constructed using information on the antenna proteins' three-dimensional structure, and surveyed for evidence of factors that might confound inference of a correct phylogeny. The first hypothesis was strongly supported. As a consequence, we conclude that the ancestral photosynthetic apparatus, with 11 membrane-spanning helices, split at an early stage during evolution to form, on the one hand, the reaction center of photosystem II and, on the other hand, the ancestor of inner antenna proteins, CP43 (PsbC) and CP47 (PsbB). Only much later in evolution did the CP43 lineage give rise to the CP43' proteins (IsiA and Pcb) of cyanobacteria. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.
Zhu, Q-H, Dennis, ES & Upadhyaya, NM 2007, 'compact shoot and leafy head 1, a mutation affects leaf initiation and developmental transition in rice (Oryza sativa L.)', PLANT CELL REPORTS, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 421-427.
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The shoot apical meristem (SAM) produces lateral organs in a regular spacing (phyllotaxy) and at a regular interval (phyllochron) during the vegetative phase. In a Dissociotion (Ds) insertion rice population, we identified a mutant, compact shoot and lea