Abboud, M, Puglisi, DA, Davies, BN, Rybchyn, M, Whitehead, NP, Brock, KE, Cole, L, Gordon-Thomson, C, Fraser, DR & Mason, RS 2013, 'Evidence for a Specific Uptake and Retention Mechanism for 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) in Skeletal Muscle Cells', Endocrinology, vol. 154, no. 9, pp. 3022-3030.
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Little is known about the mechanism for the prolonged residence time of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) in blood. Several lines of evidence led us to propose that skeletal muscle could function as the site of an extravascular pool of 25OHD. In vitro studies investigated the capacity of differentiated C2 murine muscle cells to take up and release 25OHD, in comparison with other cell types and the involvement of the membrane protein megalin in these mechanisms. When C2 cells are differentiated into myotubes, the time-dependent uptake of labeled 25OHD is 2–3 times higher than in undifferentiated myoblasts or nonmuscle osteoblastic MG63 cells (P < .001). During in vitro release experiments (after 25OHD uptake), myotubes released only 32% ± 6% stored 25OHD after 4 hours, whereas this figure was 60% ± 2% for osteoblasts (P < .01). Using immunofluorescence, C2 myotubes and primary rat muscle fibers were, for the first time, shown to express megalin and cubilin, endocytotic receptors for the vitamin D binding protein (DBP), which binds nearly all 25OHD in the blood. DBP has a high affinity for actin in skeletal muscle. A time-dependent uptake of Alexafluor-488-labeled DBP into mature muscle cells was observed by confocal microscopy. Incubation of C2 myotubes (for 24 hours) with receptor-associated protein, a megalin inhibitor, led to a 40% decrease in 25OHD uptake (P < .01). These data support the proposal that 25OHD, after uptake into mature muscle cells, is held there by DBP, which has been internalized via membrane megalin and is retained by binding to actin.
Abraham, J, Champod, C, Lennard, C & Roux, C 2013, 'Modern statistical models for forensic fingerprint examinations: A critical review', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 232, no. 1-3, pp. 131-150.
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Over the last decade, the development of statistical models in support of forensic fingerprint identification has been the subject of increasing research attention, spurned on recently by commentators who claim that the scientific basis for fingerprint identification has not been adequately demonstrated. Such models are increasingly seen as useful tools in support of the fingerprint identification process within or in addition to the ACE-V framework. This paper provides a critical review of recent statistical models from both a practical and theoretical perspective. This includes analysis of models of two different methodologies: Probability of Random Correspondence (PRC) models that focus on calculating probabilities of the occurrence of fingerprint configurations for a given population, and Likelihood Ratio (LR) models which use analysis of corresponding features of fingerprints to derive a likelihood value representing the evidential weighting for a potential source.
Abraham, J, Champod, C, Lennard, C & Roux, C 2013, 'Spatial analysis of corresponding fingerprint features from match and close non-match populations', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 230, no. 1-3, pp. 87-98.
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The development of statistical models for forensic fingerprint identification purposes has been the subject of increasing research attention in recent years. This can be partly seen as a response to a number of commentators who claim that the scientific basis for fingerprint identification has not been adequately demonstrated. In addition, key forensic identification bodies such as ENFSI [1] and IAI [2] have recently endorsed and acknowledged the potential benefits of using statistical models as an important tool in support of the fingerprint identification process within the ACE-V framework. In this paper, we introduce a new Likelihood Ratio (LR) model based on Support Vector Machines (SVMs) trained with features discovered via morphometric and spatial analyses of corresponding minutiae configurations for both match and close non-match populations often found in AFIS candidate lists. Computed LR values are derived from a probabilistic framework based on SVMs that discover the intrinsic spatial differences of match and close non-match populations. Lastly, experimentation performed on a set of over 120,000 publicly available fingerprint images (mostly sourced from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) datasets) and a distortion set of approximately 40,000 images, is presented, illustrating that the proposed LR model is reliably guiding towards the right proposition in the identification assessment of match and close non-match populations. Results further indicate that the proposed model is a promising tool for fingerprint practitioners to use for analysing the spatial consistency of corresponding minutiae configurations.
Aharonovich, I, Lee, JC, Magyar, AP, Bracher, DO & Hu, EL 2013, 'Bottom-up engineering of diamond micro- and nano-structures', LASER & PHOTONICS REVIEWS, vol. 7, no. 5, pp. L61-L65.
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Aharonovich, I, Woolf, A, Russell, KJ, Zhu, T, Niu, N, Kappers, MJ, Oliver, RA & Hu, EL 2013, 'Low threshold, room-temperature microdisk lasers in the blue spectral range', APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, vol. 103, no. 2, pp. 1-4.
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InGaN-based active layers within microcavity resonators offer the potential of low threshold lasers
in the blue spectral range. Here, we demonstrate optically pumped, room temperature lasing in high
quality factor GaN microdisk cavities, containing InGaN quantum dots (QDs) with thresholds as
low as 0.28 mJ/cm2
. The demonstration of lasing action from GaN microdisk cavities with QDs in
the active layer, provides a critical step for the nitrides in realizing low threshold photonic devices
with efficient coupling between QDs and an optical cavity
Ajani, P, Brett, S, Krogh, M, Scanes, P, Webster, G & Armand, L 2013, 'The risk of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the oyster-growing estuaries of New South Wales, Australia', Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, vol. 185, no. 6, pp. 5295-5316.
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Ajani, P, Murray, S, Hallegraeff, G, Brett, S & Armand, L 2013, 'First reports of Pseudo-nitzschia micropora and P-hasleana (Bacillariaceae) from the Southern Hemisphere: Morphological, molecular and toxicological characterization', PHYCOLOGICAL RESEARCH, vol. 61, no. 3, pp. 237-248.
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Pseudo-nitzschia H. Peragallo is a marine diatom genus found worldwide in polar, temperate, subtropical and tropical waters. It includes toxigenic representatives that produce domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxin responsible for Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning. In this study we characterized two species of Pseudo-nitzschia collected from Port Stephens and the Hawkesbury River (south eastern Australia) previously unreported from Australian waters. Clonal isolates were sub-sampled for (i) light and transmission electron microscopy; (ii) DNA sequencing, based on the nuclear-encoded partial large subunit ribosomal RNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2 rDNA regions and, (iii) DA production as measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Morphological and molecular data unambiguously revealed the species to be Pseudo-nitzschia micropora Priisholm, Moestrup & Lundholm (Port Stephens) and Pseudo-nitzschia hasleana Lundholm (Hawkesbury River). This is the first report of the occurrence of these species from the Southern Hemisphere and the first report of P.?micropora in warm-temperate waters. Cultures of P.?micropora, tested for DA production for the first time, proved to be non-toxic. Similarly, no detectable toxin concentrations were observed for P.?hasleana. Species resolution and knowledge on the toxicity of local Pseudo-nitzschia species has important implications for harmful algal bloom monitoring and management.
Ajani, P, Murray, S, Hallegraeff, G, Lundholm, N, Gillings, M, Brett, S & Armand, L 2013, 'THE DIATOM GENUS PSEUDO-NITZSCHIA (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) IN NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA: MORPHOTAXONOMY, MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY, TOXICITY, AND DISTRIBUTION', JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 765-785.
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Species belonging to the potentially harmful diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia, isolated from 16 localities (31 sampling events) in the coastal waters of south-eastern Australia, were examined. Clonal isolates were characterized by (i) light and transmission electron microscopy; (ii) phylogenies, based on sequencing of nuclear-encoded ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) regions and, (iii) domoic acid (DA) production as measured by liquid chromatographymass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Ten taxa were unequivocally confirmed as Pseudo-nitzschia americana, P. arenysensis, P. calliantha, P. cuspidata, P. fraudulenta, P. hasleana, P. micropora, P. multiseries, P. multistriata, and P. pungens. An updated taxonomic key for south-eastern Australian Pseudo-nitzschia is presented. The occurrence of two toxigenic species, P. multistriata (maximum concentration 11 pg DA per cell) and P. cuspidata (25.4 pg DA per cell), was documented for the first time in Australia. The Australian strains of P. multiseries, a consistent producer of DA in strains throughout the world, were nontoxic. Data from 5,888 water samples, collected from 31 oyster-growing estuaries (2,000 km coastline) from 2005 to 2009, revealed 310 regulatory exceedances for Total Pseudo-nitzschia, resulting in six toxic episodes. Further examination of high-risk estuaries revealed that the P. seriata group had highest cell densities in the austral summer, autumn, or spring (species dependent), and lowest cell densities in the austral winter, while the P. delicatissima group had highest in winter and spring
Alexander, TJ & Gladstone, W 2013, 'Assessing the effectiveness of a long-standing rocky intertidal protected area and its contribution to the regional conservation of species, habitats and assemblages', AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 111-123.
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The acceptance of reserves as a useful management strategy relies on evidence of their effectiveness in preserving stocks of harvested species and conserving biodiversity. A history of ad hoc decisions in terrestrial and marine protected area planning has meant that many of these areas are contributing inefficiently to conservation goals. The conservation value of existing protected areas should be assessed when planning the placement of additional areas in a reserve network. This study tested (1) the effectiveness of protection for intertidal molluscs of a marine reserve (Bouddi Marine Extension, NSW, Australia) established in 1971, and (2) the contribution of the protected area to the conservation of regional species, assemblages, and habitats. The shell length and population density of one harvested (Cellana tramoserica), and three non-harvested species (Bembicium nanum, Morula marginalba, Nerita atramentosa) of intertidal molluscs were examined in the protected area and two reference locations over two seasons. The heavily collected limpet C. tramoserica was significantly larger in the protected area and was the only species to exhibit a significant difference. No species significantly differed in population density between the protected area and reference locations. Temporally replicated surveys of macro-molluscs at 21 locations over 75?km of coastline identified that the existing protected area included 50% of species, two of five assemblage types and 19 of 20 intertidal rocky shore habitats surveyed in the study region. Reservation of a further three rocky reefs would protect a large proportion of species (71%), a representative of each assemblage and all habitat types. Despite originally being selected in the absence of information on regional biodiversity, the protected area is today an effective starting point for expansion to a regional network of intertidal protected areas.
Allen-Hall, A & McNevin, D 2013, 'Non-cryogenic forensic tissue preservation in the field: a review', Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 450-460.
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Ammit, AJ 2013, 'Glucocorticoid insensitivity as a source of drug targets for respiratory disease', Current Opinion in Pharmacology, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 370-376.
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Ang, KCS & van Reyk, D 2013, ''Teach me chemistry like a ladder and make it real'-barriers and motivations students face in learning chemistry for bioscience', International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 1-12.
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Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing program come with diverse academic abilities, age, language skills and experience. Many enrol without any prior knowledge of the supporting sciences including chemistry. Moreover, whilst some do possess such prior knowledge, they may have had a substantial break since they last studied chemistry. This paper draws from surveys and interviews conducted to investigate students' prior knowledge of chemistry and experiences around learning. These were first year students enrolled in a core unit of anatomy and physiology for which, albeit implicitly some prior knowledge of chemistry is assumed. It explores barriers and motivations to learning chemistry and offers insights into what students need in order to gain a mastery of the foundational chemical principles that underlie anatomy and physiology. This research is of considerable importance given that the teaching of anatomy and physiology relies heavily on foundation-level chemistry knowledge. It is of great significance if students can be better supported in the successful learning, retention and completion of their nursing studies. Insights reveal that problems stem from various factors including length of time since their last chemistry studies, language difficulties, students' interests and motivations in the subject, pace and structure of sessions, relevance of information and the students' ability to manage the amount of content. This informs future practice suggesting that it is important to scaffold the learning for all students in a structured and relevant manner. Additionally, it supports the development and provision of resources to support students transitioning into higher education from diverse backgrounds.
Asatryan, AA, Botten, LC, Fang, K, Fan, S & McPhedran, RC 2013, 'Local density of states of chiral Hall edge states in gyrotropic photonic clusters', PHYSICAL REVIEW B, vol. 88, no. 3.
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Asgekar, A, Oonk, JBR, Yatawatta, S, Weeren, RJV, McKean, JP, White, G, Jackson, N, Anderson, J, Avruch, IM, Batejat, F, Beck, R, Bell, ME, Bell, MR, Bemmel, IV, Bentum, MJ, Bernardi, G, Best, P, Birzan, L, Bonafede, A, Braun, R, Breitling, F, Brink, RHVD, Broderick, J, Brouw, WN, Bruggen, M, Butcher, HR, Cappellen, WV, Ciardi, B, Conway, JE, Gasperin, FD, Geus, ED, Jong, AD, Vos, MD, Duscha, S, Eisloffel, J, Falcke, H, Fallows, RA, Ferrari, C, Frieswijk, W, Garrett, MA, Griesmeier, J-M, Grit, T, Gunst, AW, Hassall, TE, Heald, G, Hessels, JWT, Hoeft, M, Iacobelli, M, Intema, H, Juette, E, Karastergiou, A, Kohler, J, Kondratiev, VI, Kuniyoshi, M, Kuper, G, Law, C, Leeuwen, JV, Maat, P, Macario, G, Mann, G, Markoff, S, McKay-Bukowski, D, Mevius, M, Miller-Jones, JCA, Mol, JD, Morganti, R, Mulcahy, DD, Munk, H, Norden, MJ, Orru, E, Paas, H, Pandey-Pommier, M, Pandey, VN, Pizzo, R, Polatidis, AG, Reich, W, Rottgering, H, Scheers, B, Schoenmakers, A, Sluman, J, Smirnov, O, Sobey, C, Steinmetz, M, Tagger, M, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, Vermeulen, R, Vocks, C, Wijers, RAMJ, Wise, MW, Wucknitz, O & Zarka, P 2013, 'LOFAR detections of low-frequency radio recombination lines towards Cassiopeia A', ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS, vol. 551.
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Cassiopeia A was observed using the Low-Band Antennas of the LOw Frequency
ARray (LOFAR) with high spectral resolution. This allowed a search for radio
recombination lines (RRLs) along the line-of-sight to this source. Five
carbon-alpha RRLs were detected in absorption between 40 and 50 MHz with a
signal-to-noise ratio of > 5 from two independent LOFAR datasets. The derived
line velocities (v_LSR ~ -50 km/s) and integrated optical depths (~ 13 s^-1) of
the RRLs in our spectra, extracted over the whole supernova remnant, are
consistent within each LOFAR dataset and with those previously reported. For
the first time, we are able to extract spectra against the brightest hotspot of
the remnant at frequencies below 330 MHz. These spectra show significantly
higher (15-80 %) integrated optical depths, indicating that there is
small-scale angular structure on the order of ~1 pc in the absorbing gas
distribution over the face of the remnant. We also place an upper limit of 3 x
10^-4 on the peak optical depths of hydrogen and helium RRLs. These results
demonstrate that LOFAR has the desired spectral stability and sensitivity to
study faint recombination lines in the decameter band.
Austin, C, Smith, TM, Bradman, A, Hinde, K, Joannes-Boyau, R, Bishop, D, Hare, DJ, Doble, P, Eskenazi, B & Arora, M 2013, 'Barium distributions in teeth reveal early-life dietary transitions in primates', NATURE, vol. 498, no. 7453, pp. 216-+.
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Early-life dietary transitions reflect fundamental aspects of primate evolution and are important determinants of health in contemporary human populations1, 2. Weaning is critical to developmental and reproductive rates; early weaning can have detrimental health effects but enables shorter inter-birth intervals, which influences population growth3. Uncovering early-life dietary history in fossils is hampered by the absence of prospectively validated biomarkers that are not modified during fossilization4. Here we show that large dietary shifts in early life manifest as compositional variations in dental tissues. Teeth from human children and captive macaques, with prospectively recorded diet histories, demonstrate that barium (Ba) distributions accurately reflect dietary transitions from the introduction of mothers milk through the weaning process. We also document dietary transitions in a Middle Palaeolithic juvenile Neanderthal, which shows a pattern of exclusive breastfeeding for seven months, followed by seven months of supplementation.
Ayub, A, Ashfaq, UA, Idrees, S & Haque, A 2013, 'Global Consensus Sequence Development and Analysis of Dengue NS3 Conserved Domains', BioResearch Open Access, vol. 2, no. 5, pp. 392-396.
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Baffour, B, Brown, JJ & Smith, PWF 2013, 'An investigation of triple system estimators in censuses', Statistical Journal of the IAOS, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 53-68.
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The value of a census cannot be overstated, given that no other data resource provides such detailed information about the population. Further, censuses are often the only historical data source to map out change over time due the consistency of questions asked. However, it is often the most expensive undertaking-other than going to war-that a country embarks on. Countries are thus seeking more cost-effective alternatives. This paper details some exploratory research into one such alternative, based on capture-recapture methods. Capture recapture methods have been used for population estimation for decades, but the focus has been on dual system estimation. Dual system measurement of the population has been criticized for its reliance on the independence assumption between the two systems. This assumption is untestable, and failure introduces bias into the estimates of the population. The most logical improvement of dual system estimation is triple system estimation. In this paper, a simulation study is carried out to compare the performance of different dual and triple system estimators of the population size under various dependency scenarios. Performance is explored through both the bias and variability. The study shows that the dual system estimator copes well with dependence, provided the coverage of both lists are reasonably high. In addition, although the triple system estimators yield less biased estimates of the population, the dual system estimator is shown to be robust enough to cope with low levels of dependence.
Bahl, J, Krauss, S, Kühnert, D, Fourment, M, Raven, G, Pryor, SP, Niles, LJ, Danner, A, Walker, D, Mendenhall, IH, Su, YCF, Dugan, VG, Halpin, RA, Stockwell, TB, Webby, RJ, Wentworth, DE, Drummond, AJ, Smith, GJD & Webster, RG 2013, 'Influenza A Virus Migration and Persistence in North American Wild Birds', PLoS Pathogens, vol. 9, no. 8, pp. e1003570-e1003570.
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Baird, ME, Ralph, PJ, Rizwi, F, Wild-Allen, K & Steven, ADL 2013, 'A dynamic model of the cellular carbon to chlorophyll ratio applied to a batch culture and a continental shelf ecosystem', LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY, vol. 58, no. 4, pp. 1215-1226.
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A novel parameterization of the dynamical relationship between cellular carbon (C) and chlorophyll (Chl) is developed using a Chl synthesis term that includes the physiological status of the cell and the effect of packaging of pigments within cells. The geometric derivation highlights the non-linear relationship between Chl content and absorption due to the package effect. When parameterized for a generic 3 mm radius phytoplankton cell, the model reproduces the magnitude and daily variations of C: Chl and C: nitrogen ratios of the diatom Skeletonema costatum in published laboratory experiments. The parameterization is then applied in a three-dimensional biogeochemical model containing three phytoplankton classes in the coastal waters off southeast Tasmania, Australia, which demonstrates the behavior of the dynamic Chl parameterization over a range of light- and nutrient-limiting environments for phytoplankton of different sizes and growth rates. The model produces C: Chl ratios of , 1220 (weight : weight) and , 6080 for phytoplankton communities dominated by fast-growing small and fast-growing large cells, respectively, close to the ratios of 17 and 76 observed at two sampling stations during periods with diatom- and flagellate-dominated communities. Throughout the simulation, community C: Chl ratios generally vary between 12 and 200, which is similar to the range observed globally. In the new parameterization, C: Chl ratios are most influenced by the package effect for light-limited, slow-growing large microalgae, with physiological processes becoming important for smaller, nutrient-limited, fast-growing microalgae.
Baldeaux, J & Platen, E 2013, 'Credit Derivative Evaluation and CVA under the Benchmark Approach', Asia-Pacific Financial Markets, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 305-331.
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In this paper, we discuss how to model credit risk under the benchmark approach. Firstly we introduce an affine credit risk model. We then show how to price credit default swaps (CDSs) and introduce credit valuation
adjustment (CVA) as an extension of CDSs. In particular, our model can capture right-way - and wrong-way exposure. This means, we capture the dependence structure of the default event and the value of the transaction under
consideration. For simple contracts, we provide closed-form solutions. However, due to the fact that we allow for a dependence between the default event and the value of the transaction, closed-form solutions are difficult to obtain
in general. Hence we conclude this paper with a reduced form model, which is more tractable.
Baldeaux, JF, Grasselli, M & Platen, E 2013, 'Pricing Currency Derivatives Under the Benchmark Approach', Journal of Banking and Finance, vol. 53, pp. 34-48.
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This paper considers the realistic modelling of derivative contracts on exchange rates. We propose a stochastic
volatility model that recovers not only the typically observed implied volatility smiles and skews
for short dated vanilla foreign exchange options but allows one also to price payoffs in foreign currencies,
lower than possible under classical risk neutral pricing, in particular, for long dated derivatives. The main
reason for this important feature is the strict supermartingale property of benchmarked savings accounts
under the real world probability measure, which the calibrated parameters identify under the proposed
model. Using a real dataset on vanilla option quotes, we calibrate our model on a triangle of currencies
and find that the risk neutral approach fails for the calibrated model, while the benchmark approach still
works.
Balogh, ZJ, McIlroy, DJ, Smith, DW & Hansbro, PM 2013, 'The origin and the role of mitochondrial DNA in postinjury inflammation', Journal of Critical Care, vol. 28, no. 6, pp. 1099-1100.
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Banihashemi, N & Yalçın Kaya, C 2013, 'Inexact Restoration for Euler Discretization of Box-Constrained Optimal Control Problems', Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications, vol. 156, no. 3, pp. 726-760.
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Banks, CC, Elder, M & Willis, GA 2013, 'Simple groups of automorphisms of trees determined by their actions on finite subtrees', Journal of Group Theory, vol. 18, pp. 235-261.
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We introduce the notion of the $k$-closure of a group of automorphisms of a
locally finite tree, and give several examples of the construction. We show
that the $k$-closure satisfies a new property of automorphism groups of trees
that generalises Tits' Property $P$. We prove that, apart from some degenerate
cases, any non-discrete group acting on a tree with this property contains an
abstractly simple subgroup.
Barba-Bon, A, Costero, AM, Parra, M, Gil, S, Martínez-Máñez, R, Sancenón, F, Gale, PA & Hiscock, JR 2013, 'Neutral 1,3-Diindolylureas for Nerve Agent Remediation', Chemistry - A European Journal, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 1586-1590.
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Barbosa, SS, Klanten, SO, Puritz, JB, Toonen, RJ & Byrne, M 2013, 'Very fine-scale population genetic structure of sympatric asterinid sea stars with benthic and pelagic larvae: influence of mating system and dispersal potential', Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, vol. 108, no. 4, pp. 821-833.
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Barnes, RJ, Bandi, RR, Wong, WS, Barraud, N, McDougald, D, Fane, A, Kjelleberg, S & Rice, SA 2013, 'Optimal dosing regimen of nitric oxide donor compounds for the reduction ofPseudomonas aeruginosabiofilm and isolates from wastewater membranes', Biofouling, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 203-212.
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Barraud, N, Buson, A, Jarolimek, W & Rice, SA 2013, 'Mannitol Enhances Antibiotic Sensitivity of Persister Bacteria in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 12, pp. e84220-e84220.
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Bateman, JE, Dalgliesh, R, Duxbury, DM, Helsby, WI, Holt, SA, Kinane, CJ, Marsh, AS, Rhodes, NJ, Schooneveld, EM, Spill, EJ & Stephenson, R 2013, 'The OSMOND detector', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, vol. 698, pp. 168-176.
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Beckett, EL, Stevens, RL, Jarnicki, AG, Kim, RY, Hanish, I, Hansbro, NG, Deane, A, Keely, S, Horvat, JC, Yang, M, Oliver, BG, van Rooijen, N, Inman, MD, Adachi, R, Soberman, RJ, Hamadi, S, Wark, PA, Foster, PS & Hansbro, PM 2013, 'A new short-term mouse model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease identifies a role for mast cell tryptase in pathogenesis', Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, vol. 131, no. 3, pp. 752-762.e7.
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Belov, PA, Slobozhanyuk, AP, Filonov, DS, Yagupov, IV, Kapitanova, PV, Simovski, CR, Lapine, M & Kivshar, YS 2013, 'Broadband isotropic mu-near-zero metamaterials', APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, vol. 103, no. 21.
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Bendiks, ZA, Lang, JM, Darling, AE, Eisen, JA & Coil, DA 2013, 'Draft Genome Sequence of Microbacterium sp. Strain UCD-TDU (Phylum Actinobacteria )', Genome Announcements, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 1-2.
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ABSTRACT
Here, we present the draft genome sequence of
Microbacterium
sp. strain UCD-TDU, a member of the phylum
Actinobacteria
. The assembly contains 3,746,321 bp (in 8 scaffolds). This strain was isolated from a residential toilet as part of an undergraduate student research project to sequence reference genomes of microbes from the built environment.
Ben-Nissan, B, Choi, AH & Bendavid, A 2013, 'Mechanical properties of inorganic biomedical thin films and their corresponding testing methods', Surface and Coatings Technology, vol. 233, no. 1, pp. 39-48.
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Coatings on implants are aimed to achieve some or all of the improvements in abrasion, corrosion resistance, metal ion release protection, increased bioactivity, biocompatibility, and ultimately an improved environment and structure for new bone attachme
Bera, A & Pal, AJ 2013, 'Molecular rectifiers based on donor/acceptor assemblies: effect of orientation of the components' magnetic moments', Nanoscale, vol. 5, no. 14, pp. 6518-6518.
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We perform density functional theory (DFT) calculations on molecular junctions consisting of a single molecule between two Au(111) electrodes. The molecules consist of an alkane or aryl bridge connecting acceptor, donor or thiol endgroups in various combinations. The molecular geometries are optimized and wavefunctions and eigenstates of the junction calculated using the DFT method, and then the electron transport properties for the junction are calculated within the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formalism. The currentvoltage or i(V) characteristics for the various molecules are then compared. Rectification is observed for these molecules, particularly for the donorbridgeacceptor case where the bridge is an alkane, with rectification being in the same direction as the original findings of Aviram and Ratner (1974 Chem. Phys. Lett. 29 27783), at least for relatively large negative and positive applied bias. However, at smaller bias rectification is in the opposite direction and is attributed to the lowest unoccupied orbital associated with the acceptor group.
Bilton, K, Hammer, L & Zaslawski, C 2013, 'Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis: A Modern Interpretation of an Ancient and Traditional Method', Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, vol. 6, no. 5, pp. 227-233.
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Botman, A, Bahm, A, Randolph, S, Straw, M & Toth, M 2013, 'Spontaneous Growth of Gallium-Filled Microcapillaries on Ion-Bombarded GaN', PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, vol. 111, no. 13.
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Braasch, K, de la Hunty, M, Deppe, J, Spindler, X, Cantu, AA, Maynard, P, Lennard, C & Roux, C 2013, 'Nile red: Alternative to physical developer for the detection of latent fingermarks on wet porous surfaces?', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 230, no. 1-3, pp. 74-80.
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This paper describes the application of a luminescent lipid stain, nile red, for the development of latent fingermarks on porous surfaces. An optimised formulation is presented that provides rapid development of latent fingermarks on porous surfaces that are or have been wet. A comparison with physical developer (PD), the method of choice to enhance such fingermarks, indicated that nile red was a simpler and more stable technique for the development of fingermarks. The nile red formulation showed similar performance to PD across a range of substrates and ageing conditions, although PD still showed greater sensitivity on five-year-old examination booklets used in a pseudo-operational study. The pseudo-operational trial also indicated that nile red consistently developed different fingermarks to those enhanced by PD, suggesting that it preferentially targets a different fraction of the latent fingermark deposit. Significantly, the compatibility of nile red in a detection sequence with indanedione-zinc, ninhydrin and PD is reported.
Bradfield, LA & Balleine, BW 2013, 'Hierarchical and binary associations compete for behavioral control during instrumental biconditional discrimination.', Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 2-13.
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Bradfield, LA, Bertran-Gonzalez, J, Chieng, B & Balleine, BW 2013, 'The Thalamostriatal Pathway and Cholinergic Control of Goal-Directed Action: Interlacing New with Existing Learning in the Striatum', Neuron, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 153-166.
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Bradfield, LA, Hart, G & Balleine, BW 2013, 'The role of the anterior, mediodorsal, and parafascicular thalamus in instrumental conditioning', Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, vol. 7, no. OCT.
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The traditional animal model of instrumental behavior has focused almost exclusively on structures within the cortico-striatal network and ignored the contributions of various thalamic nuclei despite large and specific connections with each of these structures. One possible reason for this is that the thalamus has been conventionally viewed as a mediator of general processes, such as attention, arousal and movement, that are not easily separated from more cognitive aspects of instrumental behavior. Recent research has, however, begun to separate these roles. Here we review the role of three thalamic nuclei in instrumental conditioning: the anterior thalamic nuclei (ANT), the mediodorsal (MD), and parafascicular thalamic nuclei (PF). Early research suggested that ANT might regulate aspects of instrumental behavior but, on review, we suggest that the types of tasks used in these studies were more likely to recruit Pavlovian processes. Indeed lesions of ANT have been found to have no effect on performance in instrumental free-operant tasks. By contrast the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) has been found to play a specific and important role in the acquisition of goal-directed action. We propose this role is related to its connections with prelimbic cortex (PL) and present new data that directly implicates this circuit in the acquisition of goal-directed actions. Finally we review evidence suggesting the PF, although not critical for the acquisition or performance of instrumental actions, plays a specific role in regulating action flexibility. © 2013 Bradfield, Hart and Balleine.
Brading, P, Warner, ME, Smith, DJ & Suggett, DJ 2013, 'Contrasting modes of inorganic carbon acquisition amongst Symbiodinium (Dinophyceae) phylotypes', New Phytologist, vol. 200, no. 2, pp. 432-442.
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Summary
Growing concerns over ocean acidification have highlighted the need to critically understand inorganic carbon acquisition and utilization in marine microalgae. Here, we contrast these characteristics for the first time between two genetically distinct dinoflagellate species of the genus Symbiodinium (phylotypes A13 and A20) that live in symbiosis with reef‐forming corals.
Both phylotypes were grown in continuous cultures under identical environmental conditions. Rubisco was measured using quantitative Western blots, and radioisotopic 14C uptake was used to characterize light‐ and total carbon dioxide (TCO2)‐dependent carbon fixation, as well as inorganic carbon species preference and external carbonic anhydrase activity.
A13 and A20 exhibited similar rates of carbon fixation despite cellular concentrations of Rubisco being approximately four‐fold greater in A13. The uptake of CO2 over was found to support the majority of carbon fixation in both phylotypes. However, A20 was also able to indirectly utilize by first converting it to CO2 via external carbonic anhydrase.
These results show that adaptive differences in inorganic carbon acquisition have evolved within the Symbiodinium genus, which thus carries fundamental implications a...
Bramucci, A, Han, S, Beckers, J, Haas, C & Lanoil, B 2013, 'Composition, Diversity, and Stability of Microbial Assemblages in Seasonal Lake Ice, Miquelon Lake, Central Alberta', Biology, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 514-532.
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The most familiar icy environments, seasonal lake and stream ice, have received little microbiological study. Bacteria and Eukarya dominated the microbial assemblage within the seasonal ice of Miquelon Lake, a shallow saline lake in Alberta, Canada. The bacterial assemblages were moderately diverse and did not vary with either ice depth or time. The closest relatives of the bacterial sequences from the ice included Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and Cyanobacteria. The eukaryotic assemblages were less conserved and had very low diversity. Green algae relatives dominated the eukaryotic gene sequences; however, a copepod and cercozoan were also identified, possibly indicating the presence of complete microbial loop. The persistence of a chlorophyll a peak at 25-30 cm below the ice surface, despite ice migration and brine flushing, indicated possible biological activity within the ice. This is the first study of the composition, diversity, and stability of seasonal lake ice. © 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Bresin, M, Toth, M & Dunn, KA 2013, 'Direct-write 3D nanolithography at cryogenic temperatures', Nanotechnology, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 035301-035301.
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Direct-write three-dimensional nanolithography is demonstrated using cryogenic electron beam-induced deposition (EBID). Cryogenic cooling and an electron beam were used to condense and expose the precursor methylcyclopentadienyl(trimethyl) platinum (MeCp
Brito, BP, Perez, AM, Jamal, SM, Belsham, GJ, Pauszek, SJ, Ahmed, Z & Rodriguez, LL 2013, 'Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Serotype O Phylodynamics: Genetic Variability Associated with Epidemiological Factors in Pakistan', Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, vol. 60, no. 6, pp. 516-524.
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Bryant, C, Suen, H, Brown, R, Yang, S, Favaloro, J, Aklilu, E, Gibson, J, Ho, PJ, Iland, H, Fromm, P, Woodland, N, Nassif, N, Hart, D & Joshua, DE 2013, 'Long-term survival in multiple myeloma is associated with a distinct immunological profile, which includes proliferative cytotoxic T-cell clones and a favourable Treg/Th17 balance', BLOOD CANCER JOURNAL, vol. 3, pp. 1-7.
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Despite improved outcomes in multiple myeloma (MM), a cure remains elusive. However, even before the current therapeutic era, 5% of patients survived
for >10 years and we propose that immune factors contribute to this longer survival. We identified patients attending our clinic, who had survived
for >10 years (n=20) and analysed their blood for the presence of T-cell clones, T-regulatory cells (Tregs) and T helper 17 (Th17) cells. These results were compared with MM patients with shorter follow-up and age-matched healthy control donors. The frequency of cytotoxic T-cell clonal expansions in patients with <10 years follow-up (MM patients) was 54% (n=144), whereas it was 100% (n=19/19) in the long-survivors (LTS-MM). T-cell clones from MM patients proliferated poorly in vitro, whereas those from LTS-MM patients proliferated readily (median proliferations 6.1% and 61.5%, respectively (P<0.0001)). In addition, we found significantly higher Th17 cells and lower Tregs in the LTS-MM group when compared with the MM group. These results indicate that long-term survival in MM is associated with a distinct immunological profile, which is consistent with decreased immune suppression.
Burke, C, Liu, M, Britton, W, Triccas, JA, Thomas, T, Smith, AL, Allen, S, Salomon, R & Harry, E 2013, 'Harnessing Single Cell Sorting to Identify Cell Division Genes and Regulators in Bacteria', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 1-13.
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Cell division is an essential cellular process that requires an array of known and unknown proteins for its spatial and temporal regulation. Here we develop a novel, high-throughput screening method for the identification of bacterial cell division genes and regulators. The method combines the over-expression of a shotgun genomic expression library to perturb the cell division process with high-throughput flow cytometry sorting to screen many thousands of clones. Using this approach, we recovered clones with a filamentous morphology for the model bacterium, Escherichia coli. Genetic analysis revealed that our screen identified both known cell division genes, and genes that have not previously been identified to be involved in cell division. This novel screening strategy is applicable to a wide range of organisms, including pathogenic bacteria, where cell division genes and regulators are attractive drug targets for antibiotic development.
Busschaert, N & Gale, PA 2013, 'Small-Molecule Lipid-Bilayer Anion Transporters for Biological Applications', Angewandte Chemie International Edition, vol. 52, no. 5, pp. 1374-1382.
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Busschaert, N, Bradberry, SJ, Wenzel, M, Haynes, CJE, Hiscock, JR, Kirby, IL, Karagiannidis, LE, Moore, SJ, Wells, NJ, Herniman, J, Langley, GJ, Horton, PN, Light, ME, Marques, I, Costa, PJ, Félix, V, Frey, JG & Gale, PA 2013, 'Towards predictable transmembrane transport: QSAR analysis of anion binding and transport', Chemical Science, vol. 4, no. 8, pp. 3036-3036.
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Butler, IR, Sommer, B, Zann, M, Zhao, J-X & Pandolfi, JM 2013, 'The impacts of flooding on the high-latitude, terrigenoclastic influenced coral reefs of Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia', Coral Reefs, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 1149-1163.
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Cai, H, An, X, Cui, J, Li, J, Wen, S, Li, K, Shen, M, Zheng, L, Zhang, G & Shi, X 2013, 'Facile Hydrothermal Synthesis and Surface Functionalization of Polyethyleneimine-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications', ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 1722-1731.
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Camp, EF, Lohr, KE, Barry, SC, Bush, PG, Jacoby, CA & Manfrino, C 2013, 'Microhabitat Associations of Late Juvenile Nassau Grouper (<I>Epinephelus Striatus</I>) Off Little Cayman, BWI', Bulletin of Marine Science, vol. 89, no. 2, pp. 571-581.
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Campos, GEP, Moran, MS, Huete, A, Zhang, Y, Bresloff, C, Huxman, TE, Eamus, D, Bosch, DD, Buda, AR, Gunter, SA, Scalley, TH, Kitchen, SG, McClaran, MP, McNab, WH, Montoya, DS, Morgan, JA, Peters, DPC, Sadler, EJ, Seyfried, MS & Starks, PJ 2013, 'Ecosystem resilience despite large-scale altered hydroclimatic conditions', NATURE, vol. 494, no. 7437, pp. 349-352.
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Climate change is predicted to increase both drought frequency and duration, and when coupled with substantial warming, will establish a new hydroclimatological model for many regions1. Large-scale, warm droughts have recently occurred in North America, Africa, Europe, Amazonia and Australia, resulting in major effects on terrestrial ecosystems, carbon balance and food security2, 3. Here we compare the functional response of above-ground net primary production to contrasting hydroclimatic periods in the late twentieth century (19751998), and drier, warmer conditions in the early twenty-first century (20002009) in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. We find a common ecosystem water-use efficiency (WUEe: above-ground net primary production/evapotranspiration) across biomes ranging from grassland to forest that indicates an intrinsic system sensitivity to water availability across rainfall regimes, regardless of hydroclimatic conditions. We found higher WUEe in drier years that increased significantly with drought to a maximum WUEe across all biomes; and a minimum native state in wetter years that was common across hydroclimatic periods. This indicates biome-scale resilience to the interannual variability associated with the early twenty-first century droughtthat is, the capacity to tolerate low, annual precipitation and to respond to subsequent periods of favourable water balance. These findings provide a conceptual model of ecosystem properties at the decadal scale applicable to the widespread altered hydroclimatic conditions that are predicted for later this century. Understanding the hydroclimatic threshold that will break down ecosystem resilience and alter maximum WUEe may allow us to predict land-surface consequences as large regions become more arid, starting with water-limited, low-productivity grasslands.
Carey, AJ, Huston, WM, Cunningham, KA, Hafner, LM, Timms, P & Beagley, KW 2013, 'Characterization ofIn Vitro Chlamydia muridarumPersistence and Utilization in anIn VivoMouse Model of Chlamydia Vaccine', American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, vol. 69, no. 5, pp. 475-485.
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Carrillo, MC, Rowe, CC, Szoeke, C, Masters, CL, Ames, D, O'Meara, T, Macaulay, SL, Milner, A, Ellis, KA, Maruff, P, Rainey‐Smith, SR, Martins, RN, Bain, LJ & Head, RJ 2013, 'Research and standardization in Alzheimer's trials: Reaching international consensus', Alzheimer's & Dementia, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 160-168.
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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an epidemic facing the entire world. Increased knowledge gained during the past 25 years indicates that AD falls along a clinical and neuropathological spectrum represented as a continuum that extends from preclinical disease in which there are no symptoms, through early symptomatic phases, and finally to AD dementia. The Alzheimer's research community recognizes that imaging, body fluids, and cognitive biomarkers contribute to enhanced diagnostic confidence for AD. There has also been emerging consensus regarding the use of AD biomarkers in clinical trials. The use of biomarkers in clinical trials and practice is hampered by the lack of standardization. In response to the emerging need for standardization, an international meeting of AD researchers was held in Melbourne, Australia, in March 2012 to bring together key researchers, clinicians, industry, and regulatory stakeholders with the aim of generating consensus on standardization and validation of cognitive, imaging, and fluid biomarkers, as well as lifestyle parameters used in research centers worldwide.
Carroll, LD, Pattison, DI, Fu, S, Storkey, C, Schiesser, CH, Davies, MJ & Hawkins, CL 2013, 'Selenium Containing Compounds React with MPO-derived Oxidants with High Second Order Rate Constants', FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE, vol. 65, pp. S122-S122.
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Carroll, RJ, Delaigle, A & Hall, P 2013, 'Unexpected properties of bandwidth choice when smoothing discrete data for constructing a functional data classifier', Annals of Statistics, vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 2739-2767.
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The data functions that are studied in the course of functional data analysis
are assembled from discrete data, and the level of smoothing that is used is
generally that which is appropriate for accurate approximation of the
conceptually smooth functions that were not actually observed. Existing
literature shows that this approach is effective, and even optimal, when using
functional data methods for prediction or hypothesis testing. However, in the
present paper we show that this approach is not effective in classification
problems. There a useful rule of thumb is that undersmoothing is often
desirable, but there are several surprising qualifications to that approach.
First, the effect of smoothing the training data can be more significant than
that of smoothing the new data set to be classified; second, undersmoothing is
not always the right approach, and in fact in some cases using a relatively
large bandwidth can be more effective; and third, these perverse results are
the consequence of very unusual properties of error rates, expressed as
functions of smoothing parameters. For example, the orders of magnitude of
optimal smoothing parameter choices depend on the signs and sizes of terms in
an expansion of error rate, and those signs and sizes can vary dramatically
from one setting to another, even for the same classifier.
Castorina, A, D’Amico, AG, Scuderi, S, Leggio, GM, Drago, F & D’Agata, V 2013, 'Dopamine D3 receptor deletion increases tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) activity in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus', Neuroscience, vol. 250, pp. 546-556.
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Ceh, J, Kilburn, MR, Cliff, JB, Raina, J-B, van Keulen, M & Bourne, DG 2013, 'Nutrient cycling in early coral life stages:Pocillopora damicornislarvae provide their algal symbiont (Symbiodinium) with nitrogen acquired from bacterial associates', Ecology and Evolution, vol. 3, no. 8, pp. 2393-2400.
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Cervenka, J, Lau, DWM, Dontschuk, N, Shimoni, O, Silvestri, L, Ladouceur, F, Duvall, SG & Prawer, S 2013, 'Nucleation and Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth of Polycrystalline Diamond on Aluminum Nitride: Role of Surface Termination and Polarity', Crystal Growth & Design, vol. 13, no. 8, pp. 3490-3497.
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We have investigated the growth and atomic interface structures of diamond on aluminum nitride (AlN). The two-step chemical vapor deposition technique is used to control diamond nucleation density, crystal size, and AlN surface orientation and polarity. Highly uniform diamond layers with a nucleation density in the range of 1051011 cm2 and a grain size of 0.15 µm are fabricated. Crystallographically abrupt interfaces between polycrystalline diamond and single-crystal AlN(0001) layers have been observed via high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. A majority of the diamond crystals have been found to have the diamond(111)/AlN(0001) interface relationship. Atomistic models of the bonding mechanism at the heterointerface are used to elucidate experimental observations and the role of hydrogen plasma on the growth of diamond on AlN. Nonpolar and semipolar AlN surfaces have been found to have higher resistance to process plasma and led to better crystallinity of the diamond/AlN heterointerfaces. These results underline the potential of nonpolar and semipolar AlN surfaces for the growth of high-crystal quality diamond/AlN heterointerfaces.
Červený, J, Sinetova, MA, Valledor, L, Sherman, LA & Nedbal, L 2013, 'Ultradian metabolic rhythm in the diazotrophic cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 110, no. 32, pp. 13210-13215.
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The unicellular cyanobacterium
Cyanothece
sp. American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 51142 is capable of performing oxygenic photosynthesis during the day and microoxic nitrogen fixation at night. These mutually exclusive processes are possible only by temporal separation by circadian clock or another cellular program. We report identification of a temperature-dependent ultradian metabolic rhythm that controls the alternating oxygenic and microoxic processes of
Cyanothece
sp. ATCC 51142 under continuous high irradiance and in high CO
2
concentration. During the oxygenic photosynthesis phase, nitrate deficiency limited protein synthesis and CO
2
assimilation was directed toward glycogen synthesis. The carbohydrate accumulation reduced overexcitation of the photosynthetic reactions until a respiration burst initiated a transition to microoxic N
2
fixation. In contrast to the circadian clock, this ultradian period is strongly temperature-dependent: 17 h at 27 °C, which continuously decreased to 10 h at 39 °C. The cycle was expressed by an oscillatory modulation of net O
2
evolution, CO
2
uptake, pH, fluorescence emission, glycogen content, cell division, and culture optical density. The corresponding ultradian modulation was also observed in the transcription of nitrogenase-related
nifB
and
nifH
genes and in nitrogenase activities. We propose that the control by the newly identified metabolic cycle adds another rhythmic component to the circadian clock that reflects the true metabolic state depending on the actual temperatu...
Çetin, U, Novikov, A & Shiryaev, AN 2013, 'Bayesian Sequential Estimation of a Drift of Fractional Brownian Motion', Sequential Analysis, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 288-296.
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We solve explicitly a Bayesian sequential estimation problem for the drift parameter of a fractional Brownian motion under the assumptions that a prior density of is Gaussian and that a penalty function is quadratic or Dirac-delta. The optimal stopping time for this case is deterministic. Keywords: Fractional Brownian motion; Penalty function; Sequential estimation. Subject Classifications: 62L12; 62F15; 60G22.
Chan, CW, Deadman, BJ, Manley-Harris, M, Wilkins, AL, Alber, DG & Harry, E 2013, 'Analysis of the flavonoid component of bioactive New Zealand mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honey and the isolation, characterisation and synthesis of an unusual pyrrole', Food Chemistry, vol. 141, no. 3, pp. 1772-1781.
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The flavonoid components of New Zealand manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honey have been quantified in a series of 31 honeys of varying non-peroxide antibacterial activity to clarify discrepancies between previous studies reported in the literature. Total
Chan, CY-Y, Kendig, M, Boakes, RA & Rooney, K 2013, 'Low-volume exercise can prevent sucrose-induced weight gain but has limited impact on metabolic measures in rats', European Journal of Nutrition, vol. 52, no. 7, pp. 1721-1732.
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Chavez-Dozal, A, Gorman, C, Erken, M, Steinberg, PD, McDougald, D & Nishiguchi, MK 2013, 'Predation Response of Vibrio fischeri Biofilms to Bacterivorus Protists', Applied and Environmental Microbiology, vol. 79, no. 2, pp. 553-558.
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ABSTRACT
Vibrio fischeri
proliferates in a sessile, stable community known as a biofilm, which is one alternative survival strategy of its life cycle. Although this survival strategy provides adequate protection from abiotic factors, marine biofilms are still susceptible to grazing by bacteria-consuming protozoa. Subsequently, grazing pressure can be controlled by certain defense mechanisms that confer higher biofilm antipredator fitness. In the present work, we hypothesized that
V. fischeri
exhibits an antipredator fitness behavior while forming biofilms. Different predators representing commonly found species in aquatic populations were examined, including the flagellates
Rhynchomonas nasuta
and
Neobodo designis
(early biofilm feeders) and the ciliate
Tetrahymena pyriformis
(late biofilm grazer).
V. fischeri
biofilms included isolates from both seawater and squid hosts (
Euprymna
and
Sepiola
species). Our results demonstrate inhibition of predation by biofilms, specifically, isolates from seawater. Additionally, antiprotozoan behavior was observed to be higher in late biofilms, particularly toward the ciliate
T. pyriform...
Chen, C, Greene, AM, Robertson, AW, Baethgen, WE & Eamus, D 2013, 'Scenario development for estimating potential climate change impacts on crop production in the North China Plain', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, vol. 33, no. 15, pp. 3124-3140.
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It is important to investigate potential changes in temperature, precipitation and solar radiation for assessing the impacts of future climate change on agricultural production for specific regions. In this study, climate scenarios of precipitation, temperature and solar radiation for the North China Plain (NCP) were constructed in terms of stochastic daily weather sequences. A nonhomogeneous hidden Markov model (NHMM) was used to downscale daily precipitation projections at 32 stations during winter wheat and summer maize growing seasons for a baseline (19662005) and a 21st century (20802099) A1B scenario, using selected general circulation models (GCMs). A climatological seasonal cycle of regional-averaged daily reanalysis precipitation was used as input to the down-scaling for the baseline simulation; this input was then scaled by the precipitation changes from GCM projections to generate down-scaled stochastic simulations of precipitation in the 21st century. Temperature was generated using a weakly stationary generating process, conditional on precipitation occurrence, with 21st century additive changes taken from the GCMs at the regional scale. Three hypotheses about changes in solar radiation (-20%, 0% and 20%) were made considering the large uncertainty in its future change. The down-scaled simulations exhibit station increases in the mean daily rainfall of 13.969.7% in the scenarios driven by the GCM with the projected largest and multi-model mean precipitation increase for the wheat season, with changes of 0.429.9% for the maize season. In the scenario driven by the GCM with the largest projected precipitation decrease, the simulated rainfall decreases at all stations, with changes ranging from -24.6 to -0.1% for the wheat and maize seasons, respectively. Temperature increases by about 3.7?°C for the wheat season and 3.6?°C for the maize season.
Chen, H, Al-Odat, I, Pollock, C & Saad, S 2013, 'Fetal Programming of Renal Development?Influence of Maternal Smoking', Journal of Diabetes & Metabolism, vol. 01, no. S9, pp. 1-7.
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Smoking is a known risk factor for non-communicable illness including pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Smoking also contributes significantly to the rising `epidemic of chronic kidney disease. It is increasingly recognised that maternal programming of fetal development during pregnancy predisposes offspring to future disease. Maternal smoking, particularly in the first trimester, imposes a significant adverse impact on fetal renal development that determines the future risk of chronic kidney disease. Several mechanisms may contribute. Firstly, epigenetic modification of fetal nuclear or mitochondrial DNA, induced by intrauterine exposure to chemicals within the cigarette smoke, may result in an increased risk for metabolic and renal disorders. Secondly, nicotine and other chemicals within the cigarette smoke can cross the blood placental barrier concentrate in the fetus and result in direct toxicity. Thirdly, malnutrition due to the anorexigenic effect of smoking results in nutritional deficits in the fetus and impairs organ growth and development. 10-45% of pregnant women from diverse populations smoke during pregnancy. Hence it is considered a major and significant public health issue that imposes adverse health consequences not only to the pregnant women, but also inherited by their offspring, and potentially affecting future generations.
Chen, H, Dorrigan, A, Saad, S, Hare, DJ, Cortie, MB & Valenzuela, SM 2013, 'In Vivo Study of Spherical Gold Nanoparticles: Inflammatory Effects and Distribution in Mice', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 1-8.
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Objectives Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of 21 nm have been previously well characterized in vitro for their capacity to target macrophages via active uptake. However, the short-term impact of such AuNPs on physiological systems, in particular resident macrophages located in fat tissue in vivo, is largely unknown. This project investigated the distribution, organ toxicity and changes in inflammatory cytokines within the adipose tissue after mice were exposed to AuNPs. Methods Male C57BL/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally (IP) with a single dose of AuNPs (7.85 µg AuNPs/g). Body weight and energy intake were recorded daily. Tissues were collected at 1 h, 24 h and 72 h post-injection to test for organ toxicity. AuNP distribution was examined using electron microscopy. Proinflammatory cytokine expression and macrophage number within the abdominal fat pad were determined using real-time PCR.
Chen, L, Ge, Q, Black, JL, Deng, L, Burgess, JK & Oliver, BGG 2013, 'Differential Regulation of Extracellular Matrix and Soluble Fibulin-1 Levels by TGF-β1 in Airway Smooth Muscle Cells', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. e65544-e65544.
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Fibulin-1 (FBLN-1) is a secreted glycoprotein that is associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) formation and rebuilding. Abnormal and exaggerated deposition of ECM proteins is a hallmark of many fibrotic diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary
Chen, Q, Li, K, Wen, S, Liu, H, Peng, C, Cai, H, Shen, M, Zhang, G & Shi, X 2013, 'Targeted CT/MR dual mode imaging of tumors using multifunctional dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles', Biomaterials, vol. 34, no. 21, pp. 5200-5209.
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Chen, S, Bao, P, Xiao, L & Wang, G 2013, 'Large-scale and low cost synthesis of graphene as high capacity anode materials for lithium-ion batteries', CARBON, vol. 64, no. 1, pp. 158-169.
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Graphene has emerged as an intriguing and attractive functional material for a wide range of applications, owing to its unique physical, chemical and mechanical properties. Herein, we report large-scale production of high quality single crystalline graphene sheets based on the ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) method using acetylene (C2H2) as the carbon source and coral-like iron with body-centered-cubic structure as the catalyst. The process can be scaled up for large quantity production at a low cost. The optimum APCVD temperature has been identified to be 850 °C, which is much lower than that catalyzed by other metals. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy characterizations show the single crystalline and high quality nature of the as-prepared graphene produced by the bottom-up APCVD approach. A new horizontal dissolutiondepositiongrowth mechanism is proposed and verified by high resolution TEM. When applied as anode materials in lithium ion batteries, graphene sheets exhibited a high lithium storage capacity and an excellent cyclability. The capability of preparing crystalline graphene on a large scale with low cost opens an avenue for technological applications of graphene in many fields.
Chen, SK, Tan, KY, Halim, AS, Xu, X, De Silva, KSB, Yeoh, WK, Dou, SX, Kursumovic, A & MacManus-Driscoll, JL 2013, 'Reaction method control of impurity scattering in C-doped MgB2: proving the role of defects besides C substitution level', SUPERCONDUCTOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, vol. 26, no. 12.
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Chen, X, Suwarno, SR, Chong, TH, McDougald, D, Kjelleberg, S, Cohen, Y, Fane, AG & Rice, SA 2013, 'Dynamics of biofilm formation under different nutrient levels and the effect on biofouling of a reverse osmosis membrane system', Biofouling, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 319-330.
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Chen, Y-H, Chatterjee, N & Carroll, RJ 2013, 'Using shared genetic controls in studies of gene-environment interactions', Biometrika, vol. 100, no. 2, pp. 319-338.
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Choi, AH, Ben-Nissan, B, Matinlinna, JP & Conway, RC 2013, 'Current Perspectives: Calcium Phosphate Nanocoatings and Nanocomposite Coatings in Dentistry', JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH, vol. 92, no. 10, pp. 853-859.
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The purpose of coatings on implants is to achieve some or all of the improvements in biocompatibility, bioactivity, and increased protection from the release of harmful or unnecessary metal ions. During the last decade, there has been substantially incre
Choi, AH, Matinlinna, J & Ben-Nissan, B 2013, 'Effects of micromovement on the changes in stress distribution of partially stabilized zirconia (PS-ZrO2) dental implants and bridge during clenching: A three-dimensional finite element analysis', Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 72-81.
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Objective. This investigation aims to evaluate the changes in stress magnitudes and distributions on Partially Stabilized Zirconia (PS-ZrO2) dental implants and bridges and on the mandible caused by fibrous encapsulations during clenching. Materials and methods. Four 3.26 mm diameter PS-ZrO2 dental implants with lengths of 12 mm were modelled and placed in the second premolar and first molar region on both sides of the mandible model. A rigid zirconia bridge with a thickness of 0.5 mm connects the PS-ZrO2 dental implants placed in the second premolar and first molar. Four periodontal ligament (PDL) case studies were examined: PDL in the second premolars; PDL in the first molars; PDL in both the second premolars and first molars; and no PDL present. Results. The results reveal the magnitudes and distributions of stresses on the dental implants and connecting bridges were governed by the PDLs. A significant drop in stress levels were recorded when the PDL encapsulates the roots of the dental implants. Of the four PDL case studies, it was found that when the PDLs are present in both the second premolars and first molars the lowest stress magnitudes are generated. The analysis also revealed that, during the healing process after implant insertion and the result of fibrous encapsulation, the dental implant system will experience a varying amount of stress levels. Conclusion. This study was intended to produce more insight into the influence of the PDL on the changes in stress distribution on the dental implant system during clenching.
Choi, S, Ton-That, C, Phillips, MR & Aharonovich, I 2013, 'Observation of whispering gallery modes from hexagonal ZnO microdisks using cathodoluminescence spectroscopy', APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, vol. 103, no. 17.
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Chou, J, Green, DW, Singh, K, Hao, J, Ben-Nissan, B & Milthorpe, B 2013, 'Adipose Stem Cell Coating of Biomimetic β-TCP Macrospheres by Use of Laboratory Centrifuge', BioResearch Open Access, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 67-71.
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Biomimetic materials such as coral exoskeletons possess unique architectural structures with a uniform and interconnected porous network that can be beneficial as a scaffold material. In addition, these marine structures can be hydrothermally converted to calcium phosphates, while retaining the original structural properties. The ability of biomaterials to stimulate the local microenvironment is one of the main focuses in tissue engineering, and directly coating the scaffold with stem cells facilitates future potential applications in therapeutics and regenerative medicine. In this article we describe a new and simple method that uses a laboratory centrifuge to coat hydrothermally derived beta-tricalcium phosphate macrospheres from coral exoskeleton with stem cells. In this research the optimal seeding duration and speed were determined to be 1?min and 700 g. Scanning electron micrographs showed complete surface coverage by stem cells within 7 days of seeding. This study constitutes an important step toward achieving functional tissue-engineered implants by increasing our understanding of the influence of dynamic parameters on the efficiency and distribution of stem cell attachment to biomimetic materials and how stem cells interact with biomimetic materials.
Chou, J, Hao, J, Ben-Nissan, B, Milthorpe, B & Otsuka, M 2013, 'Coral Exoskeletons as a Precursor Material for the Development of a Calcium Phosphate Drug Delivery System for Bone Tissue Engineering', Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, vol. 36, no. 11, pp. 1662-1665.
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With the global rise in aging of populations, the occurrence of osteoporosis will continue to increase. Biomaterial and pharmaceutical scientists continue to develop innovative strategies and materials to address this disease. In this article, we describe a new perspective and approach into the use of coral exoskeletons as a precursor material to synthesize a calcium phosphate-based drug delivery system. Studies detailing the methodology of the conversion methods and the strategies and approach for the development of these novel drug delivery systems are described. Furthermore, in vivo studies in osteoporotic mice using a drug loaded and chemically modified version of the biomimetic delivery system showed significant cortical and cancellous bone increases. These studies support the notion and the rationale for future research and development of the use of coral exoskeletons as materials for drug delivery applications
Chou, J, Hao, J, Hatoyama, H, Ben-Nissan, B, Milthorpe, B & Otsuka, M 2013, 'The Therapeutic Effect on Bone Mineral Formation from Biomimetic Zinc Containing Tricalcium Phosphate (ZnTCP) in Zinc-Deficient Osteoporotic Mice', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 8, pp. e71821-e71821.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of biomimetic zinc-containing tricalcium phosphate (ZnTCP) produced by hydrothermally converting calcium carbonate exoskeletons from foraminifera, in the treatment of osteoporotic mice. X-Ray powder diffraction showed crystallographic structures matching JCPDS profile for tricalcium phosphate. Mass spectroscopy used to calculate total composition amount showed similar amount of calcium (5×104 µg/g) and phosphate (4×104 ppm) after conversion and the presence of zinc (5.18×103 µg/g). In vitro zinc release showed no release in PBS buffer and <1% zinc release in 7 days. In vivo evaluation was done in ovariectomized mice by implanting the ZnTCP samples in the soft tissues near the right femur bone for four weeks. Thirty ddY mice (5 weeks old, average weight of 21 g) were divided into six experimental groups (normal, sham, OVX, ß-TCP, ZnTCP and direct injection of zinc). CT images were taken every two weeks where the bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were calculated by software based on CT images. The ZnTCP group exhibits cortical and cancellous bone growth of 45% and 20% respectively. While sham, OVX and ß-TCP suffered from bone loss. A correlation was made between the significant body weight increase in ZnTCP with the significant increase in plasma zinc level compared with OVX. The presented results indicate that biomimetic ZnTCP were effective in preventing and treating bone loss in osteoporotic mice model.
Chou, J, Hao, J, Kuroda, S, Bishop, D, Ben-Nissan, B, Milthorpe, B & Otsuka, M 2013, 'Bone Regeneration of Rat Tibial Defect by Zinc-Tricalcium Phosphate (Zn-TCP) Synthesized from Porous Foraminifera Carbonate Macrospheres', Marine Drugs, vol. 11, no. 12, pp. 5148-5158.
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Foraminifera carbonate exoskeleton was hydrothermally converted to biocompatible and biodegradable zinc-tricalcium phosphate (Zn-TCP) as an alternative biomimetic material for bone fracture repair. Zn-TCP samples implanted in a rat tibial defect model for eight weeks were compared with unfilled defect and beta-tricalcium phosphate showing accelerated bone regeneration compared with the control groups, with statistically significant bone mineral density and bone mineral content growth. CT images of the defect showed restoration of cancellous bone in Zn-TCP and only minimal growth in control group. Histological slices reveal bone in-growth within the pores and porous chamber of the material detailing good bone-material integration with the presence of blood vessels. These results exhibit the future potential of biomimetic Zn-TCP as bone grafts for bone fracture repair.
Chou, J, Ito, T, Bishop, D, Otsuka, M, Ben-Nissan, B & Milthorpe, B 2013, 'Controlled Release of Simvastatin from Biomimetic β-TCP Drug Delivery System', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. e54676-e54676.
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Simvastatin have been shown to induce bone formation and there is currently a urgent need to develop an appropriate delivery system to sustain the release of the drug to increase therapeutic efficacy whilst reducing side effects. In this study, a novel drug delivery system for simvastatin by means of hydrothermally converting marine exoskeletons to biocompatible beta-tricalcium phosphate was investigated. Furthermore, the release of simvastatin was controlled by the addition of an outer apatite coating layer. The samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction analysis, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and mass spectroscopy confirming the conversion process. The in-vitro dissolution of key chemical compositional elements and the release of simvastatin were measured in simulated body fluid solution showing controlled release with reduction of approximately 25% compared with un-coated samples. This study shows the potential applications of marine structures as a drug delivery system for simvastatin.
Chou, J, Ito, T, Otsuka, M, Ben-Nissan, B & Milthorpe, B 2013, 'Simvastatin-Loaded beta-TCP Drug Delivery System Induces Bone Formation and Prevents Rhabdomyolysis in OVX Mice', ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS, vol. 2, no. 5, pp. 678-681.
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Bone formation and regeneration is a prolonged process that requires a slow drug release system to assist in the long-term recovery. A drug-delivery system is developed that allows for the controlled release of simvastin, without exhibiting the side effects associated with high concentrations of simvastatin, and is still capable of inducing constant bone formation.
Chou, J, Ito, T, Otsuka, M, Ben-Nissan, B & Milthorpe, B 2013, 'The Controlled Release of Simvastatin from Biomimetic Macrospheres', BIOCERAMICS 24, vol. 529-530, pp. 461-464.
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Simvastatin has been shown to succesfully stimulate bone regeneration and attention has being focussed on developing appropriate delivery carriers for its release. The challenge of deliverying therapeutic concentration of pharmaceutical compunds has bein
Chua, SL, Tan, SY-Y, Rybtke, MT, Chen, Y, Rice, SA, Kjelleberg, S, Tolker-Nielsen, T, Yang, L & Givskov, M 2013, 'Bis-(3′-5′)-Cyclic Dimeric GMP Regulates Antimicrobial Peptide Resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa', Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, vol. 57, no. 5, pp. 2066-2075.
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ABSTRACT
Bis-(3′-5′)-cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP) is an intracellular second messenger that controls the lifestyles of many bacteria. A high intracellular level of c-di-GMP induces a biofilm lifestyle, whereas a low intracellular level of c-di-GMP stimulates dispersal of biofilms and promotes a planktonic lifestyle. Here, we used the expression of different reporters to show that planktonic cells, biofilm cells, and cells dispersed from biofilms (DCells) had distinct intracellular c-di-GMP levels. Proteomics analysis showed that the low intracellular c-di-GMP level of DCells induced the expression of proteins required for the virulence and development of antimicrobial peptide resistance in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. In accordance with this,
P. aeruginosa
cells with low c-di-GMP levels were found to be more resistant to colistin than
P. aeruginosa
cells with high c-di-GMP levels. This finding contradicts the current dogma stating that dispersed cells are inevitably more susceptible to antibiotics than their sessile counterparts.
Chung, L, Shibli, S, Moore, K, Elder, EE, Boyle, FM, Marsh, DJ & Baxter, RC 2013, 'Tissue biomarkers of breast cancer and their association with conventional pathologic features', British Journal of Cancer, vol. 108, no. 2, pp. 351-360.
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Clark, JS, Poore, AGB, Ralph, PJ & Doblin, MA 2013, 'POTENTIAL FOR ADAPTATION IN RESPONSE TO THERMAL STRESS IN AN INTERTIDAL MACROALGA', JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 630-639.
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Understanding responses of marine algae to changing ocean temperatures requires knowledge of the impacts of elevated temperatures and the likelihood of adaptation to thermal stress. The potential for rapid evolution of thermal tolerance is dependent on the levels of heritable genetic variation in response to thermal stress within a population. Here, we use a quantitative genetic breeding design to establish whether there is a heritable variation in thermal sensitivity in two populations of a habitat-forming intertidal macroalga, Hormosira banksii (Turner) Descaisne. Gametes from multiple parents were mixed and growth and photosynthetic performance were measured in the resulting embryos, which were incubated under control and elevated temperature (20°C and 28°C). Embryo growth was reduced at 28°C, but significant interactions between male genotype and temperature in one population indicated the presence of genetic variation in thermal sensitivity. Selection for more tolerant genotypes thus has the ability to result in the evolution of increased thermal tolerance. Furthermore, genetic correlations between embryos grown in the two temperatures were positive, indicating that those genotypes that performed well in elevated temperature also performed well in control temperature. Chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements showed a marked decrease in maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) under elevated temperature. There was an increase in the proportion of energy directed to photoinhibition (nonregulated nonphotochemical quenching) and a concomitant decrease in energy used to drive photochemistry and xanthophyll cycling (regulated nonphotochemical quenching). However, PSII performance between genotypes was similar, suggesting that thermal sensitivity is related to processes other than photosynthesis.
Cleverly, J, Boulain, N, Villalobos-Vega, R, Grant, N, Faux, R, Wood, C, Cook, PG, Yu, Q, Leigh, A & Eamus, D 2013, 'Dynamics of component carbon fluxes in a semi-arid Acacia woodland, central Australia', JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES, vol. 118, no. 3, pp. 1168-1185.
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Vast areas in the interior of Australia are exposed to regular but infrequent periods of heavy rainfall, interspersed with long periods at high temperatures, but little is known of the carbon budget of these remote areas or how they respond to extreme precipitation. In this study, we applied three methods to partition net ecosystem photosynthesis into gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Re) during two years of contrasting rainfall. The first year was wet (>250 mm above average rainfall), while little precipitation fell during the second year (>100 mmbelow average). During the first year of study, rates of GPP were large (793 g C m_2 yr_1) in this semi-arid Mulga (Acacia aneura) and grass savanna due to complementary photosynthetic responses by the canopy and C4 understorey to cycles of heavy rainfall. Patterns in GPP during the summer and autumn matched those in leaf area index (LAI), photosynthetic activity, and autotrophic respiration. During the dry year, small but positive photosynthetic uptake by Mulga contributed to the neutral carbon budget (GPP / Re = 1.06 ± 0.03). Small rates of photosynthesis by evergreen Mulga when dry were supported by storage of soil moisture above a relatively shallow hardpan. Little soil organic matter (1.1%) was available to support heterotrophic respiration (Rh) without input of fresh substrate. The two largest sources of Re in this study were autotrophic respiration by the seasonal understorey and Rh through decomposition of fresh organic matter supplied by the senescent understorey.
Clifton, LA, Skoda, MWA, Daulton, EL, Hughes, AV, Le Brun, AP, Lakey, JH & Holt, SA 2013, 'Asymmetric phospholipid: lipopolysaccharide bilayers; a Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane mimic', Journal of The Royal Society Interface, vol. 10, no. 89, pp. 20130810-20130810.
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The Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane (OM) is a complex and highly asymmetric biological barrier but the small size of bacteria has hindered advances in
in vivo
examination of membrane dynamics. Thus, model OMs, amenable to physical study, are important sources of data. Here, we present data from asymmetric bilayers which emulate the OM and are formed by a simple two-step approach. The bilayers were deposited on an SiO
2
surface by Langmuir–Blodgett deposition of phosphatidylcholine as the inner leaflet and, via Langmuir–Schaefer deposition, an outer leaflet of either Lipid A or
Escherichia coli
rough lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The membranes were examined using neutron reflectometry (NR) to examine the coverage and mixing of lipids between the bilayer leaflets. NR data showed that in all cases, the initial deposition asymmetry was mostly maintained for more than 16 h. This stability enabled the sizes of the headgroups and bilayer roughness of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-
sn
-glycero-3-phosphocholine and Lipid A, Rc-LPS and Ra-LPS to be clearly resolved. The results show that rough LPS can be manipulated like phospholipids and used to fabricate advanced asymmetric bacterial membrane models using well-known bilayer deposition techniques. Such models will enable OM dynamics and interactions to be studied under
in vivo
-like conditions.
Coenen, MJJ, den Boer, D, van den Bruele, FJ, Habets, T, Timmers, KAAM, van der Maas, M, Khoury, T, Panduwinata, D, Crossley, MJ, Reimers, JR, van Enckevort, WJP, Hendriksen, BLM, Elemans, JAAW & Speller, S 2013, 'Polymorphism in porphyrin monolayers: the relation between adsorption configuration and molecular conformation', PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS, vol. 15, no. 30, pp. 12451-12458.
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Self-assembled monolayers of meso-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(undecyl)porphyrin copper(II) on a graphite/1-octanoic acid interface have been studied by Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy. Four distinct polymorphs were observed, varying in their unit cell size. Arrays of unit cells of the various polymorphs seamlessly connect to each other via shared unit cell vectors. The monolayers are not commensurate, but coincident with the underlying graphite substrate. The seamless transition between the polymorphs is proposed to be the result of an adaptation of the molecular conformations in the polymorphs and at the boundaries, which is enabled by the conformational freedom of the alkyl tails of these molecules.
Coil, DA, Doctor, JI, Lang, JM, Darling, AE & Eisen, JA 2013, 'Draft Genome Sequence of Kocuria sp. Strain UCD-OTCP (Phylum Actinobacteria )', Genome Announcements, vol. 1, no. 3.
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ABSTRACT
Here, we present the draft genome of
Kocuria
sp. strain UCD-OTCP, a member of the phylum
Actinobacteria
, isolated from a restaurant chair cushion. The assembly contains 3,791,485 bp (G+C content of 73%) and is contained in 68 scaffolds.
Coles, SJ, Gale, PA, Tizzard, GJ, Horton, PN, Pitak, MB, Milsted, SJ & Wilson, C 2013, 'Service crystallography – right tools for the challenge', Acta Crystallographica Section A Foundations of Crystallography, vol. 69, no. a1, pp. s681-s681.
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Collison, A, Siegle, JS, Hansbro, NG, Kwok, C-T, Herbert, C, Mattes, J, Hitchins, M, Foster, PS & Kumar, RK 2013, 'Epigenetic changes associated with disease progression in a mouse model of childhood allergic asthma', Disease Models & Mechanisms, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 993-1000.
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Summary
Development of asthma in childhood is linked to viral infections of the lower respiratory tract in early life, with subsequent chronic exposure to allergens. Progression to persistent asthma is associated with a Th2-biased immunological response and structural remodelling of the airways. The underlying mechanisms are unclear, but could involve epigenetic changes. To investigate this, we employed a recently developed mouse model in which self-limited neonatal infection with a pneumovirus, followed by sensitisation to ovalbumin via the respiratory tract and low-level chronic challenge with aerosolised antigen, leads to development of an asthmatic phenotype. We assessed expression of microRNA by cells in the proximal airways, comparing changes over the period of disease progression, and used target prediction databases to identify genes likely to be up- or downregulated as a consequence of altered regulation of microRNA. In parallel, we assessed DNA methylation in pulmonary CD4+ T cells. We found that a limited number of microRNAs exhibited marked up- or downregulation following early-life infection and sensitisation, for many of which the levels of expression were further changed following chronic challenge with the sensitizing antigen. Targets of these microRNAs included genes involved in immune or inflammatory responses (e.g. Gata3, Kitl) and in tissue remodelling (e.g. Igf1, Tgfbr1), as well as genes for various transcription factors and signalling proteins. In pulmonary CD4+ T cells, there was significant demethylation at promoter sites for interleukin-4 and interferon-γ, the latter increasing following chronic challenge. We conclude that, in this model, progression to an asthmatic phenotype is linked to epigenetic regulation of genes associated with inflammation and structural remodelling, and with T-cell commitment to a Th2 immunological response. Epigenetic changes associated with this pattern of gene a...
Constable, EC & Gale, PA 2013, 'Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Alfred Werner', Chemical Society Reviews, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 1427-1427.
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Cooper, ER, McGrath, KCY & Heather, AK 2013, 'In Vitro Androgen Bioassays as a Detection Method for Designer Androgens', SENSORS, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 2148-2163.
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Androgens are the class of sex steroids responsible for male sexual characteristics, including increased muscle mass and decreased fat mass. Illicit use of androgen doping can be an attractive option for those looking to enhance sporting performance and/or physical appearance. The use of in vitro bioassays to detect androgens, especially designer or proandrogens, is becoming increasingly important in combating androgen doping associated with nutritional supplements. The nutritional sports supplement market has grown rapidly throughout the past decade. Many of these supplements contain androgens, designer androgens or proandrogens. Many designer or proandrogens cannot be detected by the standard highly-sensitive screening methods such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry because their chemical structure is unknown. However, in vitro androgen bioassays can detect designer and proandrogens as these assays are not reliant on knowing the chemical structure but instead are based on androgen receptor activation. For these reasons, it may be advantageous to use routine androgen bioassay screening of nutraceutical samples to help curb the increasing problem of androgen doping.
Cortie, MB, Coutts, MJ, Ton-That, C, Dowd, A, Keast, VJ & McDonagh, AM 2013, 'On the Coalescence of Nanoparticulate Gold Sinter Ink', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 117, no. 21, pp. 11377-11384.
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We examine the mechanism by which thiol-protected gold nanoparticle inks can sinter at surprisingly low temperatures. At room temperature the sample is comprised of randomly close-packed gold nanoparticles of about 2.3 nm diameter with a ligand shell of
Cortie, MB, Nafea, EH, Chen, H, Valenzuela, SM, Ting, SRS, Sonvico, F & Milthorpe, B 2013, 'Nanomedical research in Australia and New Zealand', NANOMEDICINE, vol. 8, no. 12, pp. 1999-2006.
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Although Australia and New Zealand have a combined population of less than 30 million, they have an active and interlinked community of nanomedical researchers. This report provides a synopsis and update on this network with a view to identifying the main topics of interest and their likely future trajectories. In addition, our report may also serve to alert others to opportunities for joint projects. Australian and New Zealand researchers are engaged in most of the possible nanomedical topics, but the majority of interest is focused on drug and nucleic acid delivery using nanoparticles or nanoporous constructs. There are, however, smaller programs directed at hyperthermal therapy and radiotherapy, various kinds of diagnostic tests and regenerative technologies.
Craddock, MJ & Hogan, JA 2013, 'The Fractional Clifford-Fourier Kernel', JOURNAL OF FOURIER ANALYSIS AND APPLICATIONS, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 683-711.
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The Clifford-Fourier transform was introduced by Brackx, De Schepper and Sommen who subsequently computed its kernel in dimension d=2. Here we compute the kernel of a fractional version of the transform when d=2 and 4. In doing so we solve appropriate wa
Croak, BM, Crowther, MS, Webb, JK & Shine, R 2013, 'Movements and Habitat Use of an Endangered Snake, Hoplocephalus bungaroides (Elapidae): Implications for Conservation', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 1-10.
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A detailed understanding of how extensively animals move through the landscape, and the habitat features upon which they rely, can identify conservation priorities and thus inform management planning. For many endangered species, information on habitat use either is sparse, or is based upon studies from a small part of the species range. The broad-headed snake (Hoplocephalus bungaroides) is restricted to a specialized habitat (sandstone outcrops and nearby forests) within a small geographic range in south-eastern Australia. Previous research on this endangered taxon was done at a single site in the extreme south of the species geographic range. We captured and radio-tracked 9 adult broad-headed snakes at sites in the northern part of the species distribution, to evaluate the generality of results from prior studies, and to identify critical habitat components for this northern population. Snakes spent most of winter beneath sun-warmed rocks then shifted to tree hollows in summer. Thermal regimes within retreat-sites support the hypothesis that this shift is thermally driven. Intervals between successive displacements were longer than in the southern snakes but dispersal distances per move and home ranges were similar. Our snakes showed non-random preferences both in terms of macrohabitat (e.g., avoidance of some vegetation types) and microhabitat (e.g., frequent use of hollow-bearing trees). Despite many consistencies, the ecology of this species differs enough between southern and northern extremes of its range that managers need to incorporate information on local features to most effectively conserve this threatened reptile.
Croak, BM, Webb, JK & Shine, R 2013, 'The benefits of habitat restoration for rock-dwelling velvet geckos Oedura lesueurii', JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 432-439.
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Worldwide, efforts to restore habitat quality are rarely matched by efforts to evaluate the effects of those restoration attempts. Simply documenting usage of the newly created habitats by biota is not enough, because such areas may serve as sink populations. We need to monitor viability (growth, survival, reproduction) of individuals that colonize the newly created habitat, compared with conspecifics in non-restored areas. In the Sydney region in south-eastern Australia, humans have degraded sandstone rock outcrops by removing natural rocks for landscaping urban gardens. We restored degraded rock outcrops by placing artificial rocks at sites where natural rocks had been removed. We measured growth rates and survival in velvet geckos Oedura lesueurii at control and restored sites over a 2-year period. Gecko growth rates were unaffected by habitat restoration, but restoring sites with artificial rocks increased the overall numbers of lizards detected (both adults and juveniles). The apparent survival rates of adult male lizards (as estimated using mark) were not significantly affected by habitat restoration. However, apparent survival rates of juvenile geckos were higher at restored sites than at unrestored sites. Synthesis and applications. Habitat restoration using artificial rocks has had measurable conservation benefits on these degraded rocky outcrops. Quantifying those benefits in terms of species' survival and growth rates enables management decisions about habitat restoration to be based upon evidence rather than wishful thinking or untested intuition.
Cruz, RDL, Meza, C, Arribas-Gil, A & Carroll, RJ 2013, 'Bayesian Regression Analysis of Data with Random Effects Covariates from Nonlinear Longitudinal Measurements', JOURNAL OF MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS, vol. 143, pp. 94-106.
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Joint models for a wide class of response variables and longitudinal
measurements consist on a mixed-effects model to fit longitudinal trajectories
whose random effects enter as covariates in a generalized linear model for the
primary response. They provide a useful way to asses association between these
two kinds of data, which in clinical studies are often collected jointly on a
series of individuals and may help understanding, for instance, the mechanisms
of recovery of a certain disease or the efficacy of a given therapy. The most
common joint model in this framework is based on a linear mixed model for the
longitudinal data. However, for complex datasets the linearity assumption may
be too restrictive. Some works have considered generalizing this setting with
the use of a nonlinear mixed-effects model for the longitudinal trajectories
but the proposed estimation procedures based on likelihood approximations have
been shown De la Cruz et al. (2011) to exhibit some computational efficiency
problems. In this article we propose an MCMC-based estimation procedure in the
joint model with a nonlinear mixed-effects model for the longitudinal data and
a generalized linear model for the primary response. Moreover, we consider that
the errors in the longitudinal model may be correlated. We apply our method to
the analysis of hormone levels measured at the early stages of pregnancy that
can be used to predict normal versus abnormal pregnancy outcomes. We also
conduct a simulation study to asses the importance of modelling correlated
errors and quantify the consequences of model misspecification.
Cui, PH, Rawling, T, Gillani, TB, Bourget, K, Wang, X-S, Zhou, F & Murray, M 2013, 'Anti-proliferative actions of N′-desmethylsorafenib in human breast cancer cells', Biochemical Pharmacology, vol. 86, no. 3, pp. 419-427.
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d The multi-kinase inhibitor sorafenib is used for the treatment of renal and hepatic carcinomas and is undergoing evaluation for treatment of breast cancer in combination with other agents. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 converts sorafenib to multiple metabo
Cunningham, K, Stansfield, SH, Patel, P, Menon, S, Kienzle, V, Allan, JA & Huston, WM 2013, 'The IL-6 response to Chlamydia from primary reproductive epithelial cells is highly variable and may be involved in differential susceptibility to the immunopathological consequences of chlamydial infection', BMC IMMUNOLOGY, vol. 14.
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Cvitanovic, C, Wilson, SK, Fulton, CJ, Almany, GR, Anderson, P, Babcock, RC, Ban, NC, Beeden, RJ, Beger, M, Cinner, J, Dobbs, K, Evans, LS, Farnham, A, Friedman, KJ, Gale, K, Gladstone, W, Grafton, Q, Graham, NAJ, Gudge, S, Harrison, PL, Holmes, TH, Johnstone, N, Jones, GP, Jordan, A, Kendrick, AJ, Klein, CJ, Little, LR, Malcolm, HA, Morris, D, Possingham, HP, Prescott, J, Pressey, RL, Skilleter, GA, Simpson, C, Waples, K, Wilson, D & Williamson, DH 2013, 'Critical research needs for managing coral reef marine protected areas: Perspectives of academics and managers', Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 114, pp. 84-91.
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Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a primary policy instrument for managing and protecting coral reefs. Successful MPAs ultimately depend on knowledge-based decision making, where scientific research is integrated into management actions. Fourteen coral reef MPA managers and sixteen academics from eleven research, state and federal government institutions each outlined at least five pertinent research needs for improving the management of MPAs situated in Australian coral reefs. From this list of 173 key questions, we asked members of each group to rank questions in order of urgency, redundancy and importance, which allowed us to explore the extent of perceptional mismatch and overlap among the two groups. Our results suggest the mismatch among MPA managers and academics is small, with no significant difference among the groups in terms of their respective research interests, or the type of questions they pose. However, managers prioritised spatial management and monitoring as research themes, whilst academics identified climate change, resilience, spatial management, fishing and connectivity as the most important topics. Ranking of the posed questions by the two groups was also similar, although managers were less confident about the achievability of the posed research questions and whether questions represented a knowledge gap. We conclude that improved collaboration and knowledge transfer among management and academic groups can be used to achieve similar objectives and enhance the knowledge-based management of MPAs.
D’Amico, AG, Castorina, A, Leggio, GM, Drago, F & D’Agata, V 2013, 'Hippocampal Neurofibromin and Amyloid Precursor Protein Expression in Dopamine D3 Receptor Knock-out Mice Following Passive Avoidance Conditioning', Neurochemical Research, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 564-572.
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D’Amico, AG, Scuderi, S, Leggio, GM, Castorina, A, Drago, F & D’Agata, V 2013, 'Increased Hippocampal CREB Phosphorylation in Dopamine D3 Receptor Knockout Mice Following Passive Avoidance Conditioning', Neurochemical Research, vol. 38, no. 12, pp. 2516-2523.
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D’Amico, AG, Scuderi, S, Saccone, S, Castorina, A, Drago, F & D’Agata, V 2013, 'Antiproliferative Effects of PACAP and VIP in Serum-Starved Glioma Cells', Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 503-513.
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Dafforn, KA, Kelaher, BP, Simpson, SL, Coleman, MA, Hutchings, PA, Clark, GF, Knott, NA, Doblin, MA & Johnston, EL 2013, 'Polychaete Richness and Abundance Enhanced in Anthropogenically Modified Estuaries Despite High Concentrations of Toxic Contaminants', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 9, pp. 1-10.
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Ecological communities are increasingly exposed to multiple chemical and physical stressors, but distinguishing anthropogenic impacts from other environmental drivers remains challenging. Rarely are multiple stressors investigated in replicated studies over large spatial scales (.1000 kms) or supported with manipulations that are necessary to interpret ecological patterns. We measured the composition of sediment infaunal communities in relation to anthropogenic and natural stressors at multiple sites within seven estuaries. We observed increases in the richness and abundance of polychaete worms in heavily modified estuaries with severe metal contamination, but no changes in the diversity or abundance of other taxa. Estuaries in which toxic contaminants were elevated also showed evidence of organic enrichment. We hypothesised that the observed response of polychaetes was not a `positive response to toxic contamination or a reduction in biotic competition, but due to high levels of nutrients in heavily modified estuaries driving productivity in the water column and enriching the sediment over large spatial scales. We deployed defaunated field-collected sediments from the surveyed estuaries in a small scale experiment, but observed no effects of sediment characteristics (toxic or enriching). Furthermore, invertebrate recruitment instead reflected the low diversity and abundance observed during field surveys of this relatively `pristine estuary. This suggests that differences observed in the survey are not a direct consequence of sediment characteristics (even severe metal contamination) but are related to parameters that covary with estuary modification such as enhanced productivity from nutrient inputs and the diversity of the local species pool. This has implications for the interpretation of diversity measures in large-scale monitoring studies in which the observed patterns may be strongly influenced by many factors that covary with anthropogenic modification.
Dahan-Pasternak, N, Nasereddin, A, Kolevzon, N, Pe'er, M, Wong, W, Shinder, V, Turnbull, L, Whitchurch, CB, Elbaum, M, Gilberger, TW, Yavin, E, Baum, J & Dzikowski, R 2013, 'PfSec13 is an unusual chromatin-associated nucleoporin of Plasmodium falciparum that is essential for parasite proliferation in human erythrocytes', JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE, vol. 126, no. 14, pp. 3055-3069.
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In Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest form of human malaria, the nuclear periphery has drawn much attention due to its role as a sub-nuclear compartment involved in virulence gene expression. Recent data have implicated components of the nuclear envelo
Dalton, JP, Robinson, MW, Mulcahy, G, O'Neill, SM & Donnelly, S 2013, 'Immunomodulatory molecules of Fasciola hepatica: Candidates for both vaccine and immunotherapeutic development', VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY, vol. 195, no. 3-4, pp. 272-285.
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tThe liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica, causes fascioliasis in domestic animals (sheep, cattle),a global disease that is also an important infection of humans. As soon as the parasiteinvades the gut wall its interaction with various host immune cells (e.g. dendritic cells,macrophages and mast cells) is complex. The parasite secretes a myriad of molecules thatdirect the immune response towards a favourable non-protective Th2-mediate/regulatoryenvironment. These immunomodulatory molecules, such as cathepsin L peptidase (FhCL1),are under development as the first generation of fluke vaccines. However, this peptidase andother molecules, such as peroxiredoxin (FhPrx) and helminth defence molecule (FhHDM-1), exhibit various immunomodulatory properties that could be harnessed to help treatimmune-related conditions in humans and animals.
D'Amico, AG, Castorina, A, Leggio, GM, Imbesi, R, Drago, F & D'Agata, V 2013, 'Dopamine D3 receptor knockout mice exhibit increased hippocampal cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) following acquisition of passive avoidance memory', Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology, vol. 118, no. 2 SUPPL.
Danforn, L 2013, 'Number and Necessity of Tests Performed In the Last Week of Life of a Cancer Patient', Journal of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, vol. 1, no. 1.
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Davies, KM, Hare, DJ, Cottam, V, Chen, N, Hilgers, L, Halliday, G, Mercer, JFB & Double, KL 2013, 'Localization of copper and copper transporters in the human brain', METALLOMICS, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 43-51.
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Disturbances in brain copper result in rare and severe neurological disorders and may play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Our current understanding of mammalian brain copper transport is based on model systems outside the central nervous system and no data are available regarding copper transport systems in the human brain. To address this deficit, we quantified regional copper concentrations and examined the distribution and cellular localization of the copper transport proteins Copper transporter 1, Atox1, ATP7A, and ATP7B in multiple regions of the human brain using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, Western blot and immunohistochemistry. We identified significant relationships between copper transporter levels and brain copper concentrations, supporting a role for these proteins in copper transport in the human brain. Interestingly, the substantia nigra contained twice as much copper than that in other brain regions, suggesting an important role for copper in this brain region. Furthermore, ATP7A levels were significantly greater in the cerebellum, compared with other brain regions, supporting an important role for ATP7A in cerebellar neuronal health. This study provides novel data regarding copper regulation in the human brain, critical to understand the mechanisms by which brain copper levels can be altered, leading to neurological disease.
Davis, J, Short, K, Wuhrer, R, Phillips, MR, Lumpkin, GR & Whittle, KR 2013, 'Electron backscatter diffraction characterization of plasma immersion ion implantation effects in stainless steel', NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS IN PHYSICS RESEARCH SECTION B-BEAM INTERACTIONS WITH MATERIALS AND ATOMS, vol. 295, pp. 38-41.
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In these experiments plasma immersion ion implantation is utilised to simulate some of the radiation effects in a nuclear reactor environment. Scanning electron microscopy using the angular selective backscatter detector has revealed observable changes in crystallographic contrast after irradiation with helium ions. Further studies using electron backscatter diffraction in both plan and cross section view allow us to visualize the extent and depth of damage and observe differences in the behavior of different crystalline phases present in several grades of stainless steel.
De Silva, KSB, Aboutalebi, SH, Xu, X, Wang, XL, Li, WX, Konstantinov, K & Dou, SX 2013, 'A significant improvement in both low- and high-field performance of MgB2 superconductors through graphene oxide doping', SCRIPTA MATERIALIA, vol. 69, no. 6, pp. 437-440.
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De Silva, KSB, Xu, X, Gambir, S, Wong, DCK, Li, WX & Hu, QY 2013, 'Effect of Sintering Temperature on the Superconducting Properties of Graphene Doped MgB2', IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON APPLIED SUPERCONDUCTIVITY, vol. 23, no. 3.
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de Sterke, CM, Kabakova, IV, Uddin, I, Jeyaratnam, J & Malomed, BA 2013, 'Spontaneous symmetry breaking in a double-defect nonlinear grating', Physical Review A, vol. 88, no. 3.
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Delémont, O, Margot, P, Biedermann, A, Anthonioz, NE, Eudes, M, Grossrieder, L, Champod, TH, Koenig, A & Moret, S 2013, 'Notes in forensic sciences', Revue Internationale de Criminologie et de Police Technique et Scientifique, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 502-507.
Delmas, S, Duggin, IG & Allers, T 2013, 'DNA damage induces nucleoid compaction via the Mre11-Rad50 complex in the archaeon Haloferax volcanii', MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 87, no. 1, pp. 168-179.
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In prokaryotes the genome is organized in a dynamic structure called the nucleoid, which is embedded in the cytoplasm. We show here that in the archaeon Haloferax volcanii, compaction and reorganization of the nucleoid is induced by stresses that damage the genome or interfere with its replication. The fraction of cells exhibiting nucleoid compaction was proportional to the dose of the DNA damaging agent, and results obtained in cells defective for nucleotide excision repair suggest that breakage of DNA strands triggers reorganization of the nucleoid. We observed that compaction depends on the Mre11-Rad50 complex, suggesting a link to DNA double-strand break repair. However, compaction was observed in a radA mutant, indicating that the role of Mre11-Rad50 in nucleoid reorganisation is independent of homologous recombination. We therefore propose that nucleoid compaction is part of a DNA damage response that accelerates cell recovery by helping DNA repair proteins to locate their targets, and facilitating the search for intact DNA sequences during homologous recombination
Deng, W, Buzas, DM, Ying, H, Robertson, M, Taylor, J, Peacock, WJ, Dennis, ES & Helliwell, C 2013, 'Arabidopsis Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 binding sites contain putative GAGA factor binding motifs within coding regions of genes', BMC GENOMICS, vol. 14.
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Dennis, PG, Seymour, J, Kumbun, K & Tyson, GW 2013, 'Diverse populations of lake water bacteria exhibit chemotaxis towards inorganic nutrients', The ISME Journal, vol. 7, no. 8, pp. 1661-1664.
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Chemotaxis allows microorganisms to rapidly respond to different environmental stimuli; however, understanding of this process is limited by conventional assays, which typically focus on the response of single axenic cultures to given compounds. In this study, we used a modified capillary assay coupled with flow cytometry and 16S rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing to enumerate and identify populations within a lake water microbial community that exhibited chemotaxis towards ammonium, nitrate and phosphate. All compounds elicited chemotactic responses from populations within the lake water, with members of Sphingobacteriales exhibiting the strongest responses to nitrate and phosphate, and representatives of the Variovorax, Actinobacteria ACK-M1 and Methylophilaceae exhibiting the strongest responses to ammonium. Our results suggest that chemotaxis towards inorganic substrates may influence the rates of biogeochemical processes.
Diep, AL, Lang, JM, Darling, AE, Eisen, JA & Coil, DA 2013, 'Draft Genome Sequence of Dietzia sp. Strain UCD-THP (Phylum Actinobacteria )', Genome Announcements, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 198-204.
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ABSTRACT
Here, we present the draft genome sequence of an actinobacterium,
Dietzia
sp. strain UCD-THP, isolated from a residential toilet handle. The assembly contains 3,915,613 bp. The genome sequences of only two other
Dietzia
species have been published, those of
Dietzia alimentaria
and
Dietzia cinnamea
.
Dietmann, A, Millonig, A, Combes, V, Couraud, P-O, Kachlany, SC & Grau, GE 2013, 'Effects of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans leukotoxin on endothelial cells', Microbial Pathogenesis, vol. 61-62, pp. 43-50.
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Ding, Y, Zhang, Y, Peng, T, Lu, Y, Jin, D, Ren, Q, Liu, Y, Han, J & Xi, P 2013, 'Observation of mesenteric microcirculatory disturbance in rat by laser oblique scanning optical microscopy', SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, vol. 3.
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Djordjevic, SP, Stokes, HW & Chowdhury, PR 2013, 'Mobile elements, zoonotic pathogens and commensal bacteria: conduits for the delivery of resistance genes into humans, production animals and soil microbiota', Frontiers in Microbiology, vol. 4, no. 86, pp. 1-12.
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Multiple antibiotic resistant pathogens represent a major clinical challenge in both human and veterinary context. It is now well-understood that the genes that encode resistance are context independent. That is, the same gene is commonly present in otherwise very disparate pathogens in both humans and production and companion animals, and among bacteria that proliferate in an agricultural context. This can be true even for pathogenic species or clonal types that are otherwise confined to a single host or ecological niche. It therefore follows that mechanisms of gene flow must exist to move genes from one part of the microbial biosphere to another. It is widely accepted that lateral (or horizontal) gene transfer (L(H)GT) drives this gene flow. LGT is relatively well-understood mechanistically but much of this knowledge is derived from a reductionist perspective. We believe that this is impeding our ability to deal with the medical ramifications of LGT. Resistance genes and the genetic scaffolds that mobilize them in multiply drug resistant bacteria of clinical significance are likely to have their origins in completely unrelated parts of the microbial biosphere.
Dong Yan, DY, Zhengwen Yang, ZY, Jiayan Liao, JL, Hangjun Wu, HW, Jianbei Qiu, JQ, Zhiguo Song, ZS, Dacheng Zhou, DZ, Yong Yang, YY & Zhaoyi Ying, ZY 2013, 'Investigation of the mechanism of upconversion luminescence in Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped Bi2Ti2O7 inverse opal', Chinese Optics Letters, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 041602-41605.
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Donovan, C, Royce, SG, Esposito, J, Tran, J, Ibrahim, ZA, Tang, MLK, Bailey, S & Bourke, JE 2013, 'Differential Effects of Allergen Challenge on Large and Small Airway Reactivity in Mice', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 9, pp. e74101-e74101.
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The relative contributions of large and small airways to hyperresponsiveness in asthma have yet to be fully assessed. This study used a mouse model of chronic allergic airways disease to induce inflammation and remodelling and determine whether in vivo hyperresponsiveness to methacholine is consistent with in vitro reactivity of trachea and small airways. Balb/C mice were sensitised (days 0, 14) and challenged (3 times/week, 6 weeks) with ovalbumin. Airway reactivity was compared with saline-challenged controls in vivo assessing whole lung resistance, and in vitro measuring the force of tracheal contraction and the magnitude/rate of small airway narrowing within lung slices. Increased airway inflammation, epithelial remodelling and fibrosis were evident following allergen challenge. In vivo hyperresponsiveness to methacholine was maintained in isolated trachea. In contrast, methacholine induced slower narrowing, with reduced potency in small airways compared to controls. In vitro incubation with IL-1/TNFα did not alter reactivity. The hyporesponsiveness to methacholine in small airways within lung slices following chronic ovalbumin challenge was unexpected, given hyperresponsiveness to the same agonist both in vivo and in vitro in tracheal preparations. This finding may reflect the altered interactions of small airways with surrounding parenchymal tissue after allergen challenge to oppose airway narrowing and closure. © 2013 Donovan et al.
Dossou, KB, Botten, LC & Poulton, CG 2013, 'Semi-analytic impedance modeling of three-dimensional photonic and metamaterial structures', JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA A-OPTICS IMAGE SCIENCE AND VISION, vol. 30, no. 10, pp. 2034-2047.
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We define the concept of an impedance matrix for three-dimensional (3D) photonic and metamaterial structures relative to a reference medium and show that it satisfies a matrix generalization of the basic algebraic properties of the wave impedance between
Dowse, R, Tang, D, Palmer, CG & Kefford, BJ 2013, 'Risk assessment using the species sensitivity distribution method: Data quality versus data quantity', ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY, vol. 32, no. 6, pp. 1360-1369.
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Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) are cumulative distributions of measures of species sensitivity to a stressor or toxicant, and are used to estimate concentrations that will protect p% of a community (PCp). There is conflict between the desire to use high-quality sensitivity data in SSDs, and to construct them with a large number of species forming a representative sample. Trade-offs between data quality and quantity were investigated using the effects of increasing salinity on the macroinvertebrate community from the Hunter River catchment, in eastern Australia. Five SSDs were constructed, representing five points along a continuum of data quality versus data quantity and representativeness. This continuum was achieved by the various inclusion/exclusion of censored data, nonmodeled data, and extrapolation from related species. Protective concentrations were estimated using the Burr type III distribution, Kaplan-Meier survival function, and two Bayesian statistical models. The dominant taxonomic group was the prime determinant of protective concentrations, with an increase in PC95 values resulting from a decrease in the proportion of Ephemeropteran species included in the SSD. In addition, decreases in data quantity in a SSD decreased community representativeness. The authors suggest, at least for salinity, that the inclusion of right censored data provides a more representative sample of species that reflects the natural biotic assemblage of an area to be protected, and will therefore improve risk assessment
Duchene, D, Klanten, SO, Munday, PL, Herler, J & van Herwerden, L 2013, 'Phylogenetic evidence for recent diversification of obligate coral-dwelling gobies compared with their host corals', Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, vol. 69, no. 1, pp. 123-132.
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Dunlop, RA, Cox, PA, Banack, SA & Rodgers, KJ 2013, 'The Non-Protein Amino Acid BMAA Is Misincorporated into Human Proteins in Place of L-Serine Causing Protein Misfolding and Aggregation', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 9, pp. 1-8.
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Mechanisms of protein misfolding are of increasing interest in the aetiology of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by protein aggregation and tangles including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD),
Edson, J, Brooks, EM, McLaren, C, Robertson, J, McNevin, D, Cooper, A & Austin, JJ 2013, 'A quantitative assessment of a reliable screening technique for the STR analysis of telogen hair roots', Forensic Science International: Genetics, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 180-188.
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Eftekhari, P, Hajizadeh, S, Reza Raoufy, M, Reza Masjedi, M, Yang, M, Hansbro, N, Li, JJ & Foster, PS 2013, 'Preventive effect of N-acetylcysteine in a mouse model of steroid resistant acute exacerbation of asthma', EXCLI Journal, vol. 12, pp. 184-192.
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Oxidative stress appears to have an important role in glucocorticoid insensitivity, as a crucial problem in asthma therapy. We studied the preventive effect of antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) and the accumulation of inflammatory cells in the airways in an animal model of steroid resistant acute exacerbation of asthma. Systemically sensitized Balb/C mice were exposed to Ovalbumin aerosol on days 13, 14, 15 and 16, followed by intratracheal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce acute exacerbation. NAC (intraperitoneal, 320 mg/kg 30 min before and 12 hours after each challenge) reduced hyperresponsiveness with/out dexamethasone. LPS application caused neutrophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and eosinophil count was higher than respective control in BALF as well as neutrophils after dexamethasone treatment. NAC significantly decreased neutrophil and eosinophil count in BALF as well as inflammatory cytokines (IL-13 and IL-5).We concluded that addition of NAC to asthma therapy has beneficial preventive effects in an animal model of steroid resistant acute exacerbation of asthma.
Egan, S, Harder, T, Burke, C, Steinberg, P, Kjelleberg, S & Thomas, T 2013, 'The seaweed holobiont: understanding seaweed-bacteria interactions', FEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS, vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 462-476.
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Seaweeds (macroalgae) form a diverse and ubiquitous group of photosynthetic organisms that play an essential role in aquatic ecosystems. These ecosystem engineers contribute significantly to global primary production and are the major habitat formers on
Eggleton, BJ, Poulton, CG & Pant, R 2013, 'Inducing and harnessing stimulated Brillouin scattering in photonic integrated circuits', Advances in Optics and Photonics, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 536-536.
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We review recent progress in inducing and harnessing stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in integrated photonic circuits. Exciting SBS in a chip-scale device is challenging due to the stringent requirements on materials and device geometry. We discuss these requirements, which include material parameters, such as optical refractive index and acoustic velocity, and device properties, such as acousto-optic confinement. Recent work on SBS in nano-photonic waveguides and micro-resonators is presented, with special attention paid to photonic integration of applications such as narrow-linewidth lasers, slow- and fast-light, microwave signal processing, Brillouin dynamic gratings, and nonreciprocal devices.
Eilenberger, F, Kabakova, IV, de Sterke, CM, Eggleton, BJ & Pertsch, T 2013, 'Cavity Optical Pulse Extraction: ultra-short pulse generation as seeded Hawking radiation', Scientific Reports, vol. 3, no. 1.
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El-Assaad, F, Wheway, J, Mitchell, AJ, Lou, J, Hunt, NH, Combes, V & Grau, GER 2013, 'Cytoadherence of Plasmodium berghei-Infected Red Blood Cells to Murine Brain and Lung Microvascular Endothelial Cells In Vitro', Infection and Immunity, vol. 81, no. 11, pp. 3984-3991.
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ABSTRACT
Sequestration of infected red blood cells (iRBC) within the cerebral and pulmonary microvasculature is a hallmark of human cerebral malaria (hCM). The interaction between iRBC and the endothelium in hCM has been studied extensively and is linked to the severity of malaria. Experimental CM (eCM) caused by
Plasmodium berghei
ANKA reproduces most features of hCM, although the sequestration of RBC infected by
P. berghei
ANKA (PbA-iRBC) has not been completely delineated. The role of PbA-iRBC sequestration in the severity of eCM is not well characterized. Using static and flow cytoadherence assays, we provide the first direct
in vitro
evidence for the binding of PbA-iRBC to murine brain and lung microvascular endothelial cells (MVEC). We found that basal PbA-iRBC cytoadherence to MVECs was significantly higher than that of normal red blood cells (NRBC) and of RBC infected with
P. berghei
K173 (PbK173-iRBC), a strain that causes noncerebral malaria (NCM). MVEC prestimulation with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) failed to promote any further significant increase in mixed-stage iRBC adherence. Interestingly, enrichment of the blood for mature parasites significantly increased PbA-iRBC binding to the MVECs prestimulated with TNF, while blockade of VCAM-1 reduced this adhesion. Our study provides evidence for the firm, flow-resistant binding to endothelial cells of iRBC from strain ANKA-infected mice,...
Elbadawi, C, Toth, M & Lobo, CJ 2013, 'Pure Platinum Nanostructures Grown by Electron Beam Induced Deposition', ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, vol. 5, no. 19, pp. 9372-9376.
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Platinum has numerous applications in catalysis, nanoelectronics, and sensing devices. Here we report a method for localized, mask-free deposition of high-purity platinum that employs a combination of room-temperature, direct-write electron beam induced deposition (EBID) using the precursor Pt(PF3)4, and low temperature (=400 °C) postgrowth annealing in H2O. The annealing treatment removes phosphorus contaminants through a thermally activated pathway involving dissociation of H2O and the subsequent formation of volatile phosphorus oxides and hydrides that desorb during annealing. The resulting Pt is indistinguishable from pure Pt films by wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDS).
Elder, M & Taback, J 2013, '$\mathcal C$-graph automatic groups', JOURNAL OF ALGEBRA, vol. 413, pp. 289-319.
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We generalize the notion of a graph automatic group introduced by
Kharlampovich, Khoussainov and Miasnikov (arXiv:1107.3645) by replacing the
regular languages in their definition with more powerful language classes. For
a fixed language class $\mathcal C$, we call the resulting groups $\mathcal
C$-graph automatic. We prove that the class of $\mathcal C$-graph automatic
groups is closed under change of generating set, direct and free product for
certain classes $\mathcal C$. We show that for quasi-realtime counter-graph
automatic groups where normal forms have length that is linear in the geodesic
length, there is an algorithm to compute normal forms (and therefore solve the
word problem) in polynomial time. The class of quasi-realtime counter-graph
automatic groups includes all Baumslag-Solitar groups, and the free group of
countably infinite rank. Context-sensitive-graph automatic groups are shown to
be a very large class, which encompasses, for example, groups with unsolvable
conjugacy problem, the Grigorchuk group, and Thompson's groups $F,T$ and $V$.
Elder, M, Rechnitzer, A & Rensburg, EJJV 2013, 'Random sampling of trivials words in finitely presented groups', Experimental Mathematics, vol. 24, pp. 391-409.
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We describe a novel algorithm for random sampling of freely reduced words
equal to the identity in a finitely presented group. The algorithm is based on
Metropolis Monte Carlo sampling. The algorithm samples from a stretched
Boltzmann distribution \begin{align*}\pi(w) &= (|w|+1)^{\alpha} \beta^{|w|}
\cdot Z^{-1} \end{align*} where $|w|$ is the length of a word $w$, $\alpha$ and
$\beta$ are parameters of the algorithm, and $Z$ is a normalising constant. It
follows that words of the same length are sampled with the same probability.
The distribution can be expressed in terms of the cogrowth series of the group,
which then allows us to relate statistical properties of words sampled by the
algorithm to the cogrowth of the group, and hence its amenability.
We have implemented the algorithm and applied it to several group
presentations including the Baumslag-Solitar groups, some free products studied
by Kouksov, a finitely presented amenable group that is not subexponentially
amenable (based on the basilica group), and Richard Thompson's group $F$.
Elzer, AL, Pike, DA, Webb, JK, Hammill, K, Bradstock, RA & Shine, R 2013, 'Forest-fire regimes affect thermoregulatory opportunities for terrestrial ectotherms', AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 190-198.
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Fire-induced changes in canopy openness may affect sunlight penetration to the forest floor, and thus the operative temperatures available to terrestrial ectotherms. We examined thermal regimes for two types of ectotherms: diurnally active species that utilize sun-exposed patches to regulate their body temperatures, and nocturnally active species that depend upon solar radiation striking the rocks under which they shelter. We measured canopy openness, shrub height, radiation transmission and operative environmental temperatures in the open and inside reptile retreat-sites, at 24 study sites in eucalypt forests in two regions (Gosford and Yengo) in south-eastern Australia. All sites were last burnt in 20002001, but had experienced different fire frequencies (14 fires over the previous 37 years). In Gosford, higher fire frequencies reduced canopy openness and radiation transmission at ground and shrub level, and thus reduced environmental temperatures and the thermal quality of reptile habitats. Our modelling based on thermal preferenda of an endangered snake species (the broad-headed snake Hoplocephalus bungaroides) suggests that increased fire frequency at Gosford halved the amount of time an animal could spend within its preferred (set-point) range, regardless of whether it thermoregulated beneath rocks or basked out in the open. At Yengo, however, fire frequency did not affect the thermal quality of reptile habitats. Thus, the effects of fire frequency on forest structure and the thermal environment at ground level differed between adjacent areas, and relatively small changes in canopy openness translated into major effects on thermoregulatory opportunities for reptiles. Although fire is a useful management tool for creating open habitats, we need to understand more about the effects of fire frequency on vegetation structure and thermal environment before we can use fire to manage habitats for reptiles
Erken, M, Lutz, C & McDougald, D 2013, 'The Rise of Pathogens: Predation as a Factor Driving the Evolution of Human Pathogens in the Environment', Microbial Ecology, vol. 65, no. 4, pp. 860-868.
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Evans, SJ, Renison, CA, Williams, DBG & Muller, A 2013, 'P,P-Bis[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]-N,N-bis(propan-2-yl)phosphinic amide', Acta Crystallographica Section E Structure Reports Online, vol. 69, no. 2, pp. o195-o195.
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The molecular structure of the title compound, C22H34N3OP, adopts a distorted tetrahedral geometry at the P atom, with the most noticeable distortion being for the O—P—N angle [117.53 (10)°]. An effective cone angle of 187° was calculated for the compound. In the crystal, weak C—H...O interactions create infinite chains along [100], whereas C—H...π interactions propagating in [001] generate a herringbone motif.
Evans, SJ, Renison, CA, Williams, DBG & Muller, A 2013, 'rac-[2-(Dicyclohexylphosphanyl)phenyl](phenyl)phosphinic diisopropylamide–borane hemihydrate', Acta Crystallographica Section E Structure Reports Online, vol. 69, no. 2, pp. o282-o283.
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In the title compound, C30H48BNOP2·0.5H2O, the water molecule is disordered about an inversion centre. Both phosphorus atoms shows distortions in their tetrahedral environments with the cyclohexyl substituents disordered over two orientations in a 0.851 (3):0.149 (3) occupancy ratio. The crystal structure is assembledviaO—H...O interactions between pairs of phosphininc amide molecules and water molecules, creating hydrogen-bonded dimers with graph-setR24(8) along [001]. Weak C—H...O interactions are also observed.
Exton, DA, Suggett, DJ, McGenity, TJ & Steinke, M 2013, 'Chlorophyll-normalized isoprene production in laboratory cultures of marine microalgae and implications for global models', Limnology and Oceanography, vol. 58, no. 4, pp. 1301-1311.
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We used laboratory cultures of marine microalgae to investigate the effects of growth conditions and their taxonomic position on the production of isoprene, a gas that has major effects on atmospheric chemistry and provides stress tolerance to many primary producers. Isoprene was quantified from 21 microalgal strains sampled during exponential growth, using purge-and-trap pre-concentration and gas chromatography with flameionization detection. Isoprene production rates varied by two orders of magnitude between strains (0.03 1.34 mmol [g chlorophyll a]21 h21), and were positively correlated with temperature (r2 5 0.52, p , 0.001, n 5 59). Three distinct sea surface temperature (SST)dependent relationships were found between isoprene and chlorophyll a (mmol [g chlorophyll a]21 h21), an improvement in resolution over the single relationship used in previous models: for three polar strains grown at 21uC (slope 5 0.03, R2 5 0.76, p , 0.05, n 5 9), nine strains grown at 16uC (slope 5 0.24, R2 5 0.43, p , 0.05, n 5 27 with Dunaliella tertiolecta excluded), and eight strains grown at 26uC (slope 5 0.39, R2 5 0.15, p , 0.05, n 5 24). We then used a simple model that applied the SSTdependent nature of isoprene production to three representative bioregions for the growth temperatures used in this study. This approach yielded an estimate of global marine isoprene production that was 51% higher than previous attempts using an SST-independent single relationship. Taking into account the effect of temperature therefore potentially allows more precise modeling of marine isoprene production, and suggests that increasing the SST-based resolution of data beyond the three groups used here could further improve future modeling simulations.
Fahimnia, B, Sarkis, J, Dehghanian, F, Banihashemi, N & Rahman, S 2013, 'The impact of carbon pricing on a closed-loop supply chain: an Australian case study', JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 210-225.
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Concerns about industrial and supply chain implications on our natural environment have existed for decades. Climate change and greenhouse gas emissions have caused countries to implement various instruments ranging from taxes, permits and voluntary incentives to required regulatory policies. Given this environment, we develop a unified optimization model for a closed-loop supply chain in which the carbon emission is expressed in terms of dollar carbon cost. This study is one of the first to evaluate the forward and reverse supply chain influences on the carbon footprint. A comparative analysis is completed with a decomposition of cost and environmental influences across supply chain functions. We utilize data from a company located in Australia, where the government is currently introducing a carbon pricing scheme. We find that variations in cost and environmental impacts occur over ranges of carbon pricing. Characteristics and patterns of the numerical results over these ranges provide insights for corporate key strategies and potential additional government policies. These results and implications are analyzed along with limitations and directions for future research
Fair, KM, Cui, XY, Li, L, Shieh, CC, Zheng, RK, Liu, ZW, Delley, B, Ford, MJ, Ringer, SP & Stampfl, C 2013, 'Hydrogen adsorption capacity of adatoms on double carbon vacancies of graphene: A trend study from first principles', PHYSICAL REVIEW B, vol. 87, no. 1, pp. 1-7.
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Structural stability and hydrogen adsorption capacity are two key quantities in evaluating the potential of metal-adatom decorated graphene for hydrogen storage and related devices. We have carried out extensive density functional theory calculations for the adsorption of hydrogen molecules on 12 different adatom (Ag, Au, Ca, Li, Mg, Pd, Pt, Sc, Sr, Ti, Y, and Zr) decorated graphene surfaces where the adatoms are found to be stabilized on double carbon vacancies, thus overcoming the clustering problem that occurs for adatoms on pristine graphene. Ca and Sr are predicted to bind the greatest number, namely six, of H2 molecules. We find an interesting correlation between the hydrogen capacity and the change of charge distribution with increasing H2 adsorption, where Ca, Li, Mg, Sc, Ti, Y, Sr, and Zr adatoms are partial electron donors and Ag, Au, Pd, and Pt are partial electron acceptors. The 18-electron rule for predicting maximum hydrogen capacity is found not to be a reliable indicator for these systems
Faiz, A, Tjin, G, Harkness, L, Weckmann, M, Bao, S, Black, JL, Oliver, BGG & Burgess, JK 2013, 'The Expression and Activity of Cathepsins D, H and K in Asthmatic Airways', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. e57245-e57245.
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Tumstatin is an anti-angiogenic collagen IV alpha 3 fragment, levels of which are reduced in the airways of asthmatics. Its reduction may be due to the degradation by extracellular matrix (ECM) proteases. Cathepsins play a role in ECM remodelling, with c
Farrell, H, Brett, S, Ajani, P & Murray, S 2013, 'Distribution of the genus Alexandrium (Halim) and paralytic shellfish toxins along the coastline of New South Wales, Australia', MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN, vol. 72, no. 1, pp. 133-145.
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Blooms of Alexandrium species, in particular the species Alexandrium catenella, accounted for more than 50% of algal related, shellfish aquaculture harvest zone closures in New South Wales (NSW) Australia since 2005. While there are indications that species of Alexandrium are more abundant than they were formerly, there is little data available on the spatial and temporal distribution and abundance of the genus in NSW. A six and a half year dataset comprising a total of 8649 fortnightly samples from 31 estuaries spread over 2000 km of NSW coastline was analysed. The greatest abundances of Alexandrium spp. were observed during the austral Spring and Summer, in estuaries in the mid and southern latitudes of the state. In identifying these high risk zones, we propose variables such as season, temperature, rainfall and estuarine flushing to be targeted in intensive site specific studies, to support the development of predictive tools for resource managers.
Fatima-Shad, K 2013, 'Peripheral markers of Alzheimer's disease: Surveillance of white blood cells', Synapse (New York), vol. 67, no. 8, pp. 541-543.
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Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular
tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. This is a
mechanism of innate immunity, which may cause an increase in the number of monocytes and neutrophils circulating in the blood. Literature indicated that chronic
inflammation might be a factor in developing neurological problems, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other similar illnesses. Our main objective is to identify peripheral markers of Alzheimer’s disease and for that purpose; we are looking at the profile of white blood cells focusing on monocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes and basophils.
Twenty-seven patients of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological tests were observed for their blood profile. Key observations during this study were that the levels of monocytes in the blood of the diagnosed AD patients were high irrespective of their age and sex. For those patients whose monocytes were in normal range their neutrophil levels were significantly high.
Whereas blood levels of lymphocytes and basophils were found to be constantly low.
Escalated levels of monocytes and neutrophils are hallmarks of chronic inflammation
and may be precursor to Alzheimer’s disease. A low lymphocyte count specifies that
the body’s resistance to fight infection is substantially reduced, whereas low basophil
levels indicates their over utilization due to chronic allergic inflammatory condition.
Future studies involved closer look at the cytokines produced by these white blood
cells especially TNF IL-1, and IL-12, which are products of monocytes. Likewise, blood glucose and creatinine levels were high whereas calcium ions were low. Our studies indicated that white blood cells along with other inflammatory byproducts may act as peripheral markers for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Feary, DA, Burt, JA, Bauman, AG, Al Hazeem, S, Abdel-Moati, MA, Al-Khalifa, KA, Anderson, DM, Amos, C, Baker, A, Bartholomew, A, Bento, R, Cavalcante, GH, Chen, CA, Coles, SL, Dab, K, Fowler, AM, George, D, Grandcourt, E, Hill, R, John, DM, Jones, DA, Keshavmurthy, S, Mahmoud, H, Tapeh, MMO, Mostafavi, PG, Naser, H, Pichon, M, Purkis, S, Riegl, B, Samimi-Namin, K, Sheppard, C, Samiei, JV, Voolstra, CR & Wiedenmann, J 2013, 'Critical research needs for identifying future changes in Gulf coral reef ecosystems', MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN, vol. 72, no. 2, pp. 406-416.
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Expert opinion was assessed to identify current knowledge gaps in determining future changes in Arabian/Persian Gulf (thereafter `Gulf) coral reefs. Thirty-one participants submitted 71 research questions that were peer-assessed in terms of scientific importance (i.e., filled a knowledge gap and was a research priority) and efficiency in resource use (i.e., was highly feasible and ecologically broad). Ten research questions, in six major research areas, were highly important for both understanding Gulf coral reef ecosystems and also an efficient use of limited research resources. These questions mirrored global evaluations of the importance of understanding and evaluating biodiversity, determining the potential impacts of climate change, the role of anthropogenic impacts in structuring coral reef communities, and economically evaluating coral reef communities. These questions provide guidance for future research on coral reef ecosystems within the Gulf, and enhance the potential for assessment and management of future changes in this globally significant region.
Fierro, AO & Leslie, LM 2013, 'Links between Central West Western Australian Rainfall Variability and Large-Scale Climate Drivers', Journal of Climate, vol. 26, no. 7, pp. 2222-2246.
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AbstractOver the past century, and especially after the 1970s, rainfall observations show an increase (decrease) of the wet summer (winter) season rainfall over northwest (southwest) Western Australia. The rainfall in central west Western Australia (CWWA), however, has exhibited comparatively much weaker coastal trends, but a more prominent inland increase during the wet summer season. Analysis of seasonally averaged rainfall data from a group of stations, representative of both the coastal and inland regions of CWWA, revealed that rainfall trends during the 1958–2010 period in the wet months of November–April were primarily associated with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and with the southern annular mode (SAM) farther inland. During the wet months of May–October, the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) showed the most robust relationships. Those results hold when the effects of ENSO or IOD are excluded, and were confirmed using a principal component analysis of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, rainfall wavelet analyses, and point-by-point correlations of rainfall with global SST anomaly fields. Although speculative, given their long-term averages, reanalysis data suggest that from 1958 to 2010 the increase in CWWA inland rainfall largely is attributable to an increasing cyclonic anomaly trend over CWWA, bringing onshore moist tropical flow to the Pilbara coast. During May–October, the flow anomaly exhibits a transition from an onshore to offshore flow regime in the 2001–10 decade, which is consistent with the observed weaker drying trend during this period.
Finkelstein, DI, George, JL, Adlard, PA, Masters, CL, Hare, DJ, Doble, PA, Gautier, E, Parsons, J, Kok, G, Huggins, P, Barnham, KJ, Bush, AI & Cherny, RA 2013, 'PBT434, a novel 8-hydroxyquinazolinone, preserves nigro-striatal circuitry, improves motor performance and inhibits alpha synuclein accumulation in animal models of Parkinson's disease by modulation of iron homeostasis', MOVEMENT DISORDERS, vol. 28, pp. S369-S369.
Flanagan, JC, Lang, JM, Darling, AE, Eisen, JA & Coil, DA 2013, 'Draft Genome Sequence of Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens Strain UCD-AKU (Phylum Actinobacteria )', Genome Announcements, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 1-2.
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ABSTRACT
Here we present the draft genome of an actinobacterium,
Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens
strain UCD-AKU, isolated from a residential carpet. The genome assembly contains 3,692,614 bp in 130 contigs. This is the first member of the
Curtobacterium
genus to be sequenced.
Fletcher, S, Van Hal, S, Andresen, D, McLaws, M-L, Stark, D, Harkness, J & Ellis, J 2013, 'Gastrointestinal pathogen distribution in symptomatic children in Sydney, Australia', Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 11-11.
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There is limited information on the causes of paediatric diarrhoea in Sydney. This cross-sectional study used clinical and microbiological data to describe the clinical features and pathogens associated with gastrointestinal illnesses for children presenting to two major public hospitals in Sydney with diarrhoea, for the period January 2007December 2010. Of 825 children who tested positive for an enteric pathogen, 430 medical records were reviewed. Adenovirus, norovirus and rotavirus were identified in 20.8%, 20.3% and 21.6% of reviewed cases, respectively. Younger children were more likely to have adenovirus and norovirus compared with rotavirus (P = 0.001). More viruses were detected in winter than in the other three seasons (P = 0.001). Rotavirus presented a distinct seasonal pattern with the lowest rates occurring in the warm months and peaking in the cooler months. Adenovirus showed a less consistent monthly trend, and norovirus detection increased in the cooler months (P = 0.008). A decline in the number of rotavirus cases was observed after mid-2008. The majority of childhood diarrhoeal illnesses leading to hospital presentations in Sydney are caused by enteric viruses with most infections following clear seasonal patterns. However, a sustained decrease in the incidence of rotavirus infections has been observed over the study period.
Fletcher, SM, McLaws, M-L & Ellis, JT 2013, 'Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Pathogens in Developed and Developing Countries: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis', Journal of Public Health Research, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. jphr.2013.e9-jphr.2013.e9.
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Diarrhoeal illness is a leading cause of child mortality and morbidity worldwide. There are no precise or current estimates of the types and prevalence of pathogens associated with diarrheal illnesses in developed and developing settings. This systematic review assessed data from 60 studies published in the English language from five developing regions and developed countries worldwide to provide regional estimates of enteric pathogens affecting children. The random-effect method was used to establish the weighted average prevalence of pathogens in adults and children for each region. Significantly more pathogens were reported by studies from developing regions compared with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries (P<0.016). The identification rates of pathogens from community based and hospital based studies were similar (58.5% and 58.1% respectively, P<0.619). The overall detection of enteric pathogens in developing countries was higher in adults (74.8%; 95% CI 63.1-83.8%) compared with children (56.7%; 95% CI 53.0-60.4%) (P<0.001). Rotavirus was the most frequently detected pathogen in all regions with the highest rate, 24.8% (95% CI 18.0-33.1%), detected in the developed countries. This systematic review is the first to provide an estimate of the prevalence of enteric pathogens associated with diarrhoeal illnesses in adults and children in developed and developing settings. While pathogen detection rate is greater in developing regions the consistently high prevalence of rotavirus in both developed and developing settings underscores the urgent need for access to rotavirus vaccines. Increased travel between developing and developed countries increases disease risk, and hence developed countries have a vested interest in supporting vaccine accessibility in developing settings.
Flórido, M, Grima, MA, Gillis, CM, Xia, Y, Turner, SJ, Triccas, JA, Stambas, J & Britton, WJ 2013, 'Influenza A Virus Infection Impairs Mycobacteria-Specific T Cell Responses and Mycobacterial Clearance in the Lung during Pulmonary Coinfection', The Journal of Immunology, vol. 191, no. 1, pp. 302-311.
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Abstract
Individuals infected with mycobacteria are likely to experience episodes of concurrent infections with unrelated respiratory pathogens, including the seasonal or pandemic circulating influenza A virus strains. We analyzed the impact of influenza A virus and mycobacterial respiratory coinfection on the development of CD8 T cell responses to each pathogen. Coinfected mice exhibited reduced frequency and numbers of CD8 T cells specific to Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in the lungs, and the IFN-γ CD8 T cell response to BCG-encoded OVA was decreased in the lungs of coinfected mice, when compared with mice infected with BCG alone. Moreover, after 2 wk of infection, mice coinfected with both pathogens showed a significant increase in the number of mycobacteria present in the lung compared with mice infected with BCG only. Following adoptive transfer into coinfected mice, transgenic CD8 T cells specific for OVA257–264 failed to proliferate as extensively in the mediastinal lymph nodes as in mice infected only with BCG-OVA. Also noted was a reduction in the proliferation of BCG-specific CD4 transgenic T cells in mice coinfected with influenza compared with mice infected with BCG alone. Furthermore, phenotypic analysis of CD11c+ dendritic cells from mediastinal lymph nodes of the infected mice showed that coinfection was associated with decreased surface expression of MHC class II and class I. Thus, concurrent pulmonary infection with influenza A virus is associated with decreased MHC expression on dendritic cells, reduced activation of BCG-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells, and impaired clearance of mycobacteria.
Foster, PS, Plank, M, Collison, A, Tay, HL, Kaiko, GE, Li, J, Johnston, SL, Hansbro, PM, Kumar, RK, Yang, M & Mattes, J 2013, 'The emerging role of microRNAs in regulating immune and inflammatory responses in the lung', Immunological Reviews, vol. 253, no. 1, pp. 198-215.
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SummaryChronic inflammatory diseases of the lung are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Many of these disorders can be attributed to abnormal immune responses to environmental stimuli and infections. As such, understanding the innate host defense pathways and their regulatory systems will be critical to developing new approaches to treatment. In this regard, there is increasing interest in the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the regulation of pulmonary innate host defense responses and the inflammatory sequelae in respiratory disease. In this review, we discuss recent findings that indicate an important role for miRNAs in the regulation in mouse models of various respiratory diseases and in host defense against bacterial and viral infection. We also discuss the potential utility and limitations of targeting these molecules as anti‐inflammatory strategies and also as a means to improve pathogen clearance from the lung.
Fotheringham, I, Meakin, G, Punekar, Y, Riley, J, Cockle, S & Singh, S 2013, 'P40 Systematic review of the repeatability, reproducibility, sensitivity and comparability of key exercise capacity tests used in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)', Thorax, vol. 68, no. Suppl 3, pp. A93.1-A93.
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Fowler, AM & Booth, DJ 2013, 'Seasonal Dynamics of Fish Assemblages on Breakwaters and Natural Rocky Reefs in a Temperate Estuary: Consistent Assemblage Differences Driven by Sub-Adults', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 9, pp. e75790-e75790.
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Development of infrastructure around cities is rapidly increasing the amount of artificial substrate (termed artificial reef, 'AR') in coastal marine habitats. However, effects of ARs on marine communities remain unknown, because it is unclear whether ARs can maintain similar communities to natural reefs. We investigated whether well-established (> 30 years old) breakwaters could consistently approximate fish assemblages on interspersed rocky reefs in a temperate estuary over 6 consecutive seasons using regular visual surveys between June 2009 (winter) and November 2010 (spring). We examined whether assemblage differences between reef types were driven by differences in juvenile recruitment, or were related to differences in older life-stages. Assemblages on both reef types were dominated by juveniles (61% of individuals) and sub-adults (34% of individuals). Seasonal fluctuations in assemblage parameters (species richness, diversity, sub-adult abundance) were similar between reef types, and levels of species diversity and assemblage composition were generally comparable. However, abundance and species richness were consistently higher (1.9-7.6 and 1.3-2.6 times, respectively) on breakwaters. These assemblage differences could not be explained by differences in juvenile recruitment, with seasonal patterns of recruitment and juvenile species found to be similar between reef types. In contrast, abundances of sub-adults were consistently higher (1.1-12 times) at breakwaters, and assemblage differences appeared to be driven by this life-stage. Our results indicate that breakwaters in temperate estuaries are capable of supporting abundant and diverse fish assemblages with similar recruitment process to natural reefs. However, breakwaters may not approximate all aspects of natural assemblage structure, with differences maintained by a single-life stage in some cases.
Frederiksen, M, Bochenkov, VE, Cortie, MB & Sutherland, DS 2013, 'Plasmon Hybridization and Field Confinement in Multilayer Metal-Dielectric Nanocups', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 117, no. 30, pp. 15782-15789.
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Large-area arrays of dispersed multilayer gold-dielectric nanocups were fabricated by colloidal lithography and studied by extinction spectroscopy. Hybridization of the elemental plasmons of the individual nanocups gave rise to new resonance peaks in the visible and near-infrared regions of the extinction spectrum. Transmission electron microscopy was used to confirm the fabricated structure geometry, and the optical properties of the arrays were studied by UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. The nature of the resonances was elucidated from Efield plots and charge plots showing clear hybridized modes. We observe a dominant hybridized dipolar mode combining a bonding and antibonding mode at the two caps. A high-energy antibonding (antisymmetric) quadrupolar mode of an individual nanocup is revealed through hybridization with an elemental mode on the second nanocup. A lowenergy tunable cavity mode with a very small mode volume is observed in the near-IR range.
Froelich, S, Johnson, M, Robinson, M, Entzeroth, R & Wallach, M 2013, 'The spatial organization and extraction of the wall-forming bodies of Eimeria maxima', PARASITOLOGY, vol. 140, no. 7, pp. 876-887.
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Eimeria maxima has been used as a model apicomplexan parasite to study sexual stage development and oocyst wall formation. A complete understanding of the wall's biochemical and biophysical properties is of great interest in research on all apicomplexan parasites. Purified gametocytes, zygotes and oocysts were analysed by three-dimensional confocal microscopy, and wide-field fluorescent microscopy was used to investigate the appearance and spatial organization of the 2 types of wall-forming bodies (WFBs). In addition, a variety of staining procedures and immunoassays were used to assess the biosynthesis, metabolic activity, intactness and molecular composition of the WFBs in situ. WFBs were extracted from gametocytes/zygotes and their composition was assessed by microscopy and SDS-PAGE analysis. It was concluded that isolated gametocytes are intact and metabolically active. Additionally, it was observed that the Type 1 WFBs are aligned at the periphery of the parasite and fuse together producing neutral lipid rich patches that appear to be inserted into the space between 2 parasite-specific membranes. Finally, it was shown that the WFBs extracted from purified gametocytes had the same shape, size and staining properties as those observed in situ, and contained the major glycoprotein antigens known to be present in these organelles.
Fronzi, M, Piccinin, S, Delley, B, Traversa, E & Stampfl, C 2013, 'CHx adsorption (x=1-4) and thermodynamic stability on CeO2(111) surface: A first-principles investigation', Enrico Traversa and Catherine Stampfl RSC Adv., vol. 4, no. 24, pp. 12245-12251.
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We present an ab initio investigation of the interaction between methane, its
dehydrogenated forms and the cerium oxide surface. In particular, the
stoichiometric CeO2(111) surface and the one with oxygen vacancies are
considered. We study the geometries, energetics and electronic structures of
various configurations of these molecules adsorbed on the surface in vacuum,
and we extend the analysis to realistic environmental conditions. A phase
diagram of the adsorbate-surface system is constructed and relevant transition
phases are analyzed in detail, showing the conditions where partial oxidation
of methane can occur.
Fronzi, M, Tateyama, Y, Marzari, N & Traversa, E 2013, 'First-principles molecular dynamics simulations of proton diffusion in cubic BaZrO3 perovskite under strain conditions', Mater Renew Sustain Energy (2016)5:14, vol. 5, no. 4.
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First-principles molecular dynamics simulations have been employed to analyze
the proton diffusion in cubic BaZrO3 perovskite at 1300K, and a non-linear
effect of an applied isometric strain of 2% on the lattice parameter has been
observed. The structural and electronic properties of BaZrO3 are analyzed,
based on Density Functional Theory calculations, and after an analysis of the
electronic structure, we provide a possible explanation for an enhanced ionic
conductivity, that can be caused by the formation of a preferential path for
proton diffusion under compressive strain conditions.
Fu, L, Tang, D, Zhuang, J, Lai, W, Que, X & Chen, G 2013, 'Hybridization-induced isothermal cycling signal amplification for sensitive electronic detection of nucleic acid', Biosensors and Bioelectronics, vol. 47, pp. 106-112.
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Fu, L, Zhuang, J, Lai, W, Que, X, Lu, M & Tang, D 2013, 'Portable and quantitative monitoring of heavy metal ions using DNAzyme-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles with a glucometer readout', Journal of Materials Chemistry B, vol. 1, no. 44, pp. 6123-6123.
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Fung, KY, Mangan, NE, Cumming, H, Horvat, JC, Mayall, JR, Stifter, SA, De Weerd, N, Roisman, LC, Rossjohn, J, Robertson, SA, Schjenken, JE, Parker, B, Gargett, CE, Nguyen, HPT, Carr, DJ, Hansbro, PM & Hertzog, PJ 2013, 'Interferon-ε Protects the Female Reproductive Tract from Viral and Bacterial Infection', Science, vol. 339, no. 6123, pp. 1088-1092.
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A Role for IFN-ɛ
Type I interferons (IFNs) are critical cytokines involved in host defense against pathogens, particularly viruses. IFN-ɛ is an IFN-like gene encoded within the type I IFN locus in mice and humans whose function has not been characterized.
Fung
et al.
(p.
1088
) created mice with a genetic deletion in
Ifn
-ɛ and found that, like other type I IFNs, IFN-ɛ signals through the IFN-α receptors 1 and 2. However, unlike these other cytokines, which are primarily expressed by immune cells and are induced upon immune cell triggering, IFN-ɛ was expressed exclusively by epithelial cells of the female reproductive tract in both mice and humans and its expression was hormonally regulated. IFN-ɛ–deficient mice were more susceptible to infection with herpes simplex virus 2 and
Chlamydia muridarum
, two common sexually transmitted pathogens.
Fung, T, Wang, JJJ & Seneta, E 2013, 'Contaminated Variance–Mean mixing model', Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, vol. 67, pp. 258-267.
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Gale, PA, Pérez-Tomás, R & Quesada, R 2013, 'Anion Transporters and Biological Systems', Accounts of Chemical Research, vol. 46, no. 12, pp. 2801-2813.
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Gao, C, Jin, X, Yan, X, An, P, Zhang, Y, Liu, L, Tian, H, Liu, W, Yao, X & Tang, Y 2013, 'A small molecular fluorescent sensor for highly selectivity of zinc ion', Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, vol. 176, pp. 775-781.
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Gao, F, Pant, R, Li, E, Poulton, CG, Choi, D-Y, Madden, SJ, Luther-Davies, B & Eggleton, BJ 2013, 'On-chip high sensitivity laser frequency sensing with Brillouin mutually-modulated cross-gain modulation', Optics Express, vol. 21, no. 7, pp. 8605-8605.
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We report the first demonstration of a photonic-chip laser frequency sensor using Brillouin mutually-modulated cross-gain modulation (MMXGM). A large sensitivity (~9.5 mrad/kHz) of the modulation phase shift to probe carrier frequency is demonstrated at a modulation frequency of 50 kHz using Brillouin MMXGM in a ~7 cm long chalcogenide rib waveguide
Garby, TJ, Walter, MR, Larkum, AWD & Neilan, BA 2013, 'Diversity of cyanobacterial biomarker genes from the stromatolites of Shark Bay, Western Australia', Environmental Microbiology, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 1464-1475.
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SummaryFamilies of closely related chemical compounds, which are relatively resistant to degradation, are often used as biomarkers to help trace the evolutionary history of early groups of organisms and the environments in which they lived. Biomarkers derived from hopanoid variations are particularly useful in determining bacterial community compositions. 2‐Methylhopananoids have been thought to be diagnostic for cyanobacteria, and 2‐methylhopanes in the geological record are taken as evidence for the presence of cyanobacteria‐containing communities at the time of sediment deposition. Recently, however, doubt has been cast on the validity of 2‐methylhopanes as cyanobacterial biomarkers, since non‐cyanobacterial species have been shown to produce significant amounts of 2‐methylhopanoids. This study examines the diversity of hpnP, the hopanoid biosynthesis gene coding for the enzyme that methylates hopanoids at the C2 position. Genomic DNA isolated from stromatolite‐associated pustular and smooth microbial mat samples from Shark Bay, Western Australia, was analysed for bacterial diversity, and used to construct an hpnP clone library. A total of 117 partial hpnP clones were sequenced, representing 12 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Phylogenetic analysis showed that 11 of these OTUs, representing 115 sequences, cluster within the cyanobacterial clade. We conclude that the dominant types of microorganisms with the detected capability of producing 2‐methylhopanoids within pustular and smooth microbial mats in Shark Bay are cyanobacteria.
Garces, E, Alacid, E, Rene, A, Petrou, K & Simo, R 2013, 'Host-released dimethylsulphide activates the dinoflagellate parasitoid Parvilucifera sinerae', ISME JOURNAL, vol. 7, no. 5, pp. 1065-1068.
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Parasitoids are a major top-down cause of mortality of coastal harmful algae, but the mechanisms and strategies they have evolved to efficiently infect ephemeral blooms are largely unknown. Here, we show that the generalist dinoflagellate parasitoid Parvilucifera sinerae (Perkinsozoa, Alveolata) is activated from dormancy, not only by Alexandrium minutum cells but also by culture filtrates. We unequivocally identified the algal metabolite dimethylsulphide (DMS) as the density-dependent cue of the presence of potential host. This allows the parasitoid to alternate between a sporangiumhosted dormant stage and a chemically-activated, free-living virulent stage. DMS-rich exudates of resistant dinoflagellates also induced parasitoid activation, which we interpret as an example of coevolutionary arms race between parasitoid and host. These results further expand the involvement of dimethylated sulphur compounds in marine chemical ecology, where they have been described as foraging cues and chemoattractants for mammals, turtles, birds, fish, invertebrates and plankton microbes.
Garcia, TP, Muller, S, Carroll, RJ, Dunn, TN, Thomas, AP, Adams, SH, Pillai, SD & Walzem, RL 2013, 'Structured variable selection with q-values', Biostatistics, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 695-707.
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Gauci, VJ, Padula, MP & Coorssen, JR 2013, 'Coomassie blue staining for high sensitivity gel-based proteomics', Journal of Proteomics, vol. 90, no. 1, pp. 96-106.
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Gel electrophoresis, particularly one- (1DE) and two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE), remain among the most widely used top-down methods for resolving and analysing proteomes. Detection of the resulting protein maps relies on staining (i.e. colloidal c
Gazioglu, S, Wei, J, Jennings, EM & Carroll, RJ 2013, 'A Note on Penalized Regression Spline Estimation in the Secondary Analysis of Case-Control Data', Statistics in Biosciences, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 250-260.
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Primary analysis of case-control studies focuses on the relationship between disease (D) and a set of covariates of interest (Y,X). A secondary application of the case-control study, often invoked in modern genetic epidemiologic association studies, is to investigate the interrelationship between the covariates themselves. The task is complicated due to the case-control sampling, and to avoid the biased sampling that arises from the design, it is typical to use the control data only. In this paper, we develop penalized regression spline methodology that uses all the data, and improves precision of estimation compared to using only the controls. A simulation study and an empirical example are used to illustrate the methodology. © 2013 International Chinese Statistical Association.
Gentle, AR, Dybdal, KL & Smith, GB 2013, 'Polymeric mesh for durable infra-red transparent convection shields: Applications in cool roofs and sky cooling', SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS, vol. 115, pp. 79-85.
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Polyethylene (PE) mesh is shown to strongly suppress convective gain at night and to have a high black body transmittance, making it suited to use in radiative cooling. Advantages over previous non-porous cover systems include; self-supporting for large areas, good mechanical stability, low cost, retractable, and a long outdoor lifetime. This study compares performance with a PE mesh cover to that of an impermeable PE cover and to no cover. Convective suppression and net cooling for different wind speeds and ambient temperatures are examined. The impact of such a mesh on night sky cooling rates for a mesh over water, then over a roof is presented. For the roof the associated rise in surface temperature is also measured and modelled in the daytime. Effective permeabilities are not the same as geometric permeability. They are extracted by comparing simulation results with data and are found to depend only weakly on wind speed. They are most sensitive to magnitude and sign of the difference between roof and ambient temperatures. They differ significantly between night and day, that is for convective warming and cooling respectively.
Gentle, AR, Smith, GB & Watkins, SE 2013, 'Discharge amplified photo-emission from ultra-thin films applied to tuning work function of transparent electrodes in organic opto-electronic devices', APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE, vol. 285, no. B, pp. 110-114.
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A novel photoemission technique utilising localised discharge amplification of photo-yield is reported. It enables fast, accurate measurement of work function and ionisation potential for ultra-thin buffer layers vacuum deposited onto single and multilay
George, AM & Jones, PM 2013, 'An Asymmetric Post-Hydrolysis State of the ABC Transporter ATPase Dimer', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. e59854-e59854.
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ABC transporters are a superfamily of enzyme pumps that hydrolyse ATP in exchange for translocation of substrates across cellular membranes. Architecturally, ABC transporters are a dimer of transmembrane domains coupled to a dimer of nucleotide binding domains (NBDs): the NBD dimer contains two ATP-binding sites at the intersubunit interface. A current controversy is whether the protomers of the NBD dimer separate during ATP hydrolysis cycling, or remain in constant contact. In order to investigate the ABC ATPase catalytic mechanism, MD simulations using the recent structure of the ADP+Pi-bound MJ0796 isolated NBD dimer were performed. In three independent simulations of the ADP+Pi/apo state, comprising a total of .0.5 ms, significant opening of the apo (empty) active site was observed; occurring by way of intrasubunit rotations between the core and helical subdomains within both NBD monomers. In contrast, in three equivalent simulations of the ATP/apo state, the NBD dimer remained close to the crystal structure, and no opening of either active site occurred. The results thus showed allosteric coupling between the active sites, mediated by intrasubunit conformational changes. Opening of the apo site is exquisitely tuned to the nature of the ligand, and thus to the stage of the reaction cycle, in the opposite site. In addition to this, in also showing how one active site can open, sufficient to bind nucleotide, while the opposite site remains occluded and bound to the hydrolysis products ADP+Pi, the results are consistent with a Constant Contact Model. Conversely, they show how there may be no requirement for the NBD protomers to separate to complete the catalytic cycle.
Gerace, D, Ren, B, Hawthorne, WJ, Byrne, MR, Phillips, PM, O'Brien, BA, Nassif, N, Alexander, IE & Simpson, AM 2013, 'Pancreatic Transdifferentiation in Porcine Liver Following Lentiviral Delivery of Human Furin-Cleavable Insulin', TRANSPLANTATION PROCEEDINGS, vol. 45, no. 5, pp. 1869-1874.
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Type I diabetes mellitus (TID) results from the autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing pancreatic ß-cells. Gene therapy is one strategy being actively explored to cure TID by affording non-ß-cells the ability to secrete insulin in response to physiologic stimuli. In previous studies, we used a novel surgical technique to express furin-cleavable human insulin (INS-FUR) in the livers of streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic Wistar rats and nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice with the use of the HMD lentiviral vector. Normoglycemia was observed for 500 and 150 days, respectively (experimental end points). Additionally, some endocrine transdifferentiation of the liver, with storage of insulin in granules, and expression of some ß-cell transcription factors (eg, Pdx1, Neurod1, Neurog3, Nkx2-2, Pax4) and pancreatic hormones in both studies. The aim of this study was to determine if this novel approach could induce liver to pancreatic transdifferentiation to reverse diabetes in pancreatectomized Westran pigs. Nine pigs were used in the study, however only one pig maintained normal fasting blood glucose levels for the period from 10 to 44 days (experimental end point). This animal was given 2.8 × 10(9) transducing units/kg of the lentiviral vector expressing INS-FUR. A normal intravenous glucose tolerance test was achieved at 30 days. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis of the liver tissue revealed expression of several ß-cell transcription factors, including the key factors, Pdx-1 and Neurod1, pancreatic hormones, glucagon, and somatostatin; however, endogenous pig insulin was not expressed.
Gladstone, W, Curley, B & Shokri, MR 2013, 'Environmental impacts of tourism in the Gulf and the Red Sea', Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 72, no. 2, pp. 375-388.
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The Gulf and Red Sea possess diverse coastal and marine environments that support rapidly expanding mass tourism. Despite the associated environmental risks, there is no analysis of the tourism-related literature or recent analysis of impacts. Environmental issues reported in 101 publications (25 from the Gulf, 76 from the Red Sea) include 61 purported impacts (27 from the Gulf, 45 from the Red Sea). Gulf literature includes quantitative studies (68% publications) and reviews (32%), and addresses mostly land reclamation and artificial habitats. Most Gulf studies come from Iran and UAE (64%). Red Sea literature includes quantitative studies (81%) and reviews (11%), with most studies occurring in Egypt (70%). The most published topics relate to coral breakage and its management. A full account of tourisms environmental impacts is constrained by limited tourism data, confounding of impacts with other coastal developments, lack of baseline information, shifting baselines, and fragmentation of research across disciplines.
Gleason, FH, van Ogtrop, F, Lilje, O & Larkum, AWD 2013, 'Ecological roles of zoosporic parasites in blue carbon ecosystems', Fungal Ecology, vol. 6, no. 5, pp. 319-327.
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Pathosystems describe the relationships between parasites, hosts and the environment. Generally these systems remain in a dynamic equilibrium over time. In this review we examine some of the evidence for the potential impacts of change in dynamic equilibrium in blue carbon ecosystems and the relationships to the amount of stored carbon. Blue carbon ecosystems are marine and estuarine ecosystems along the coasts. Virulent pathogens can be introduced into ecosystems along with non-native hosts. Alteration of environmental conditions, such as temperature, pH and salinity, may cause parasites to dominate the pathosystems resulting in significant decreases in productivity and population sizes of producer hosts and in changes in the overall species composition and function in these ecosystems. Such changes in blue carbon ecosystems may result in accelerated release of carbon dioxide back into the ocean and atmosphere, which could then drive further changes in the global climate. The resiliency of these ecosystems is not known. However, recent evidence suggests that significant proportions of blue carbon ecosystems have already disappeared.
Gloag, ES, Javed, MA, Wang, H, Gee, ML, Wade, SA, Turnbull, L & Whitchurch, CB 2013, 'Stigmergy', Communicative & Integrative Biology, vol. 6, no. 6, pp. e27331-e27331.
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Bacterial biofilms are complex multicellular communities that are often associated with the emergence of large-scale patterns across the biofilm. How bacteria self-organize to form these structured communities is an area of active research. We have recently determined that the emergence of an intricate network of trails that forms during the twitching motility mediated expansion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms is attributed to an interconnected furrow system that is forged in the solidified nutrient media by aggregates of cells as they migrate across the media surface. This network acts as a means for self-organization of collective behavior during biofilm expansion as the cells following these vanguard aggregates were preferentially confined within the furrow network resulting in the formation of an intricate network of trails of cells. Here we further explore the process by which the intricate network of trails emerges. We have determined that the formation of the intricate network of furrows is associated with significant remodeling of the sub-stratum underlying the biofilm. The concept of stigmergy has been used to describe a variety of self-organization processes observed in higher organisms and abiotic systems that involve indirect communication via persistent cues in the environment left by individuals that influence the behavior of other individuals of the group at a later point in time. We propose that the concept of stigmergy can also be applied to describe self-organization of bacterial biofilms and can be included in the repertoire of systems used by bacteria to coordinate complex multicellular behaviors.
Gloag, ES, Turnbull, L, Huang, A, Vallotton, P, Wang, H, Nolan, LM, Mililli, L, Hunt, C, Lu, J, Osvath, SR, Monahan, LG, Cavaliere, R, Charles, IG, Wand, MP, Gee, ML, Prabhakar, R & Whitchurch, CB 2013, 'Self-organization of bacterial biofilms is facilitated by extracellular DNA', PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, vol. 110, no. 28, pp. 11541-11546.
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Twitching motility-mediated biofilm expansion is a complex, multicellular behavior that enables the active colonization of surfaces by many species of bacteria. In this study we have explored the emergence of intricate network patterns of interconnected trails that form in actively expanding biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We have used high-resolution, phase-contrast time-lapse microscopy and developed sophisticated computer vision algorithms to track and analyze individual cell movements during expansion of P. aeruginosa biofilms. We have also used atomic force microscopy to examine the topography of the substrate underneath the expanding biofilm. Our analyses reveal that at the leading edge of the biofilm, highly coherent groups of bacteria migrate across the surface of the semisolid media and in doing so create furrows along which following cells preferentially migrate. This leads to the emergence of a network of trails that guide mass transit toward the leading edges of the biofilm. We have also determined that extracellular DNA (eDNA) facilitates efficient traffic flow throughout the furrow network by maintaining coherent cell alignments, thereby avoiding traffic jams and ensuring an efficient supply of cells to the migrating front. Our analyses reveal that eDNA also coordinates the movements of cells in the leading edge vanguard rafts and is required for the assembly of cells into the bulldozer aggregates that forge the interconnecting furrows. Our observations have revealed that large-scale self-organization of cells in actively expanding biofilms of P. aeruginosa occurs through construction of an intricate network of furrows that is facilitated by eDNA
Gloeckl, S, Ong, VA, Patel, P, Tyndall, JDA, Timms, P, Beagley, KW, Allan, JA, Armitage, CW, Turnbull, L, Whitchurch, CB, Merdanovic, M, Ehrmann, M, Powers, JC, Oleksyszyn, J, Verdoes, M, Bogyo, M & Huston, WM 2013, 'Identification of a serine protease inhibitor which causes inclusion vacuole reduction and is lethal to Chlamydia trachomatis', MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 89, no. 4, pp. 676-689.
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The mechanistic details of the pathogenesis of Chlamydia, an obligate intracellular pathogen of global importance, have eluded scientists due to the scarcity of traditional molecular genetic tools to investigate this organism. Here we report a chemical b
Gobler, CJ, Lobanov, AV, Tang, Y-Z, Turanov, AA, Zhang, Y, Doblin, M, Taylor, GT, Sanudo-Wilhelmy, SA, Grigoriev, IV & Gladyshev, VN 2013, 'The central role of selenium in the biochemistry and ecology of the harmful pelagophyte, Aureococcus anophagefferens', ISME JOURNAL, vol. 7, no. 7, pp. 1333-1343.
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The trace element selenium (Se) is required for the biosynthesis of selenocysteine (Sec), the 21st amino acid in the genetic code, but its role in the ecology of harmful algal blooms (HABs) is unknown. Here, we examined the role of Se in the biology and ecology of the harmful pelagophyte, Aureococcus anophagefferens, through cell culture, genomic analyses and ecosystem studies. This organism has the largest and the most diverse selenoproteome identified to date that consisted of at least 59 selenoproteins, including known eukaryotic selenoproteins, selenoproteins previously only detected in bacteria, and novel selenoproteins. The A. anophagefferens selenoproteome was dominated by the thioredoxin fold proteins and oxidoreductase functions were assigned to the majority of detected selenoproteins. Insertion of Sec in these proteins was supported by a unique Sec insertion sequence. Se was required for the growth of A. anophagefferens as cultures grew maximally at nanomolar Se concentrations. In a coastal ecosystem, dissolved Se concentrations were elevated before and after A. anophagefferens blooms, but were reduced by 495% during the peak of blooms to 0.05 nM. Consistent with this pattern, enrichment of seawater with selenite before and after a bloom did not affect the growth of A. anophagefferens, but enrichment during the peak of the bloom significantly increased population growth rates. These findings demonstrate that Se inventories, which can be anthropogenically enriched, can support proliferation of HABs, such as A. anophagefferens through its synthesis of a large arsenal of Se-dependent oxidoreductases that fine-tune cellular redox homeostasis.
Godecke, E, Armstrong, E, Bernhardt, J, Middleton, S, Rai, T, Holland, A, Cadilhac, DA, Whitworth, A, Rose, M, Ciccone, N & Hankey, GJ 2013, 'Very Early Rehabilitation in SpEech (VERSE): the development of an Australian randomised controlled trial of aphasia therapy after stroke', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF STROKE, vol. 8, pp. 44-45.
Godecke, E, Rai, T, Ciccone, N, Armstrong, E, Granger, A & Hankey, GJ 2013, 'Amount of Therapy Matters in Very Early Aphasia Rehabilitation after Stroke: A Clinical Prognostic Model', SEMINARS IN SPEECH AND LANGUAGE, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 129-141.
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Background and Aim: The effects of very early aphasia therapy on recovery are equivocal. This article examines predictors of very early aphasia recovery through statistical modeling. Methods: This study involved a secondary analysis of merged data from two randomized, single-blind trials conducted in Australian acute and subacute hospitals. Study 1 (n = 59) compared daily therapy to usual ward care for up to 4 weeks poststroke in patients with moderate to severe aphasia. Study 2 (n = 20) compared daily group therapy to daily individual therapy for 20 1-hour sessions over 5 weeks, in patients with mild to severe aphasia. The primary outcome measure was the Western Aphasia Battery Aphasia Quotient (AQ) at therapy completion. This analysis used regression modeling to examine the effects of age, baseline AQ and baseline modified Rankin Scale (mRS), average therapy amount, therapy intensity, and number of therapy sessions on aphasia recovery. Results: Baseline AQ (p = 0.047), average therapy amount (p = 0.030), and baseline mRS (p = 0.043) were significant predictors in the final regression model, which explained 30% (p < 0.001) of variance in aphasia recovery. Conclusion: The amount of very early aphasia therapy could significantly affect communication outcomes at 4 to 5 weeks poststroke. Further studies should include amount of therapy provided to enhance reliability of prognostic modeling in aphasia recovery.
Goerigk, L & Reimers, JR 2013, 'Efficient Methods for the Quantum Chemical Treatment of Protein Structures: The Effects of London-Dispersion and Basis-Set Incompleteness on Peptide and Water-Cluster Geometries', JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL THEORY AND COMPUTATION, vol. 9, no. 7, pp. 3240-3251.
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We demonstrate how quantum chemical Hartree-Fock (HF) or density functional theory (DFT) optimizations with small basis sets of peptide and water cluster structures are decisively improved if London-dispersion effects, the basis-set-superposition error (BSSE), and other basis-set incompleteness errors are addressed. We concentrate on three empirical corrections to these problems advanced by Grimme and co-workers that lead to computational strategies that are both accurate and efficient. Our analysis encompasses a reoptimized version of Hobzas P26 set of tripeptide structures, a new test set of conformers of cysteine dimers, and isomers of the water hexamer. These systems reflect features commonly found in protein crystal structures. In all cases, we recommend Grimmes DFT-D3 correction for London-dispersion. We recommend usage of large basis sets such as cc-pVTZ whenever possible to reduce any BSSE effects and, if this is not possible, to use Grimmes gCP correction to account for BSSE when small basis sets are used. We demonstrate that S-S and C-S bond lengths are very prone to basis-set incompleteness and that polarization functions should always be used on S atoms. At the double-zeta level, the PW6B95-D3-gCP DFT method combined with the SVP and 6-31G* basis sets yields accurate results. Alternatively, the HF-D3-gCP/SV method is recommended, with inclusion of polarization functions for S atoms only. Minimal basis sets offer an intriguing route to highly efficient calculations, but due to significant basis-set incompleteness effects, calculated bond lengths are seriously overestimated, making applications to large proteins very difficult, but we show that Grimmes newest HF-3c correction overcomes this problem and so makes this computational strategy very attractive. Our results provide a useful guideline for future applications to the optimization, quantum refinement, and dynamics of large proteins.
Goetz, LL, Cardenas, DD, Kennelly, M, Bonne Lee, BS, Linsenmeyer, T, Moser, C, Pannek, J, Wyndaele, J-J & Biering-Sorensen, F 2013, 'International Spinal Cord Injury Urinary Tract Infection Basic Data Set', Spinal Cord, vol. 51, no. 9, pp. 700-704.
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Gogova, D, Petrov, PP, Buegler, M, Wagner, MR, Nenstiel, C, Callsen, G, Schmidbauer, M, Kucharski, R, Zajac, M, Dwilinski, R, Phillips, MR, Hoffmann, A & Fornari, R 2013, 'Structural and optical investigation of non-polar (1-100) GaN grown by the ammonothermal method', JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, vol. 113, no. 20, pp. 203513-203513.
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We studied the structural and optical properties of state-of-the-art non-polar bulk GaN grown by the ammonothermal method. The investigated samples have an extremely low dislocation density (DD) of less than 5 × 104 cm−2, which results in very narrow high-resolution x-ray rocking curves. The a and c lattice parameters of these stress-free GaN samples were precisely determined by using an x-ray diffraction technique based on the modified Bond method. The obtained values are compared to the lattice parameters of free-standing GaN from different methods and sources. The observed differences are discussed in terms of free-electron concentrations, point defects, and DD. Micro Raman spectroscopy revealed a very narrow phonon linewidth and negligible built-in strain in accordance with the high-resolution x-ray diffraction data. The optical transitions were investigated by cathodoluminescence measurements. The analysis of the experimental data clearly demonstrates the excellent crystalline perfection of ammonothermal GaN material and its potential for fabrication of non-polar substrates for homoepitaxial growth of GaN based device structures.
Goh, F, Shaw, JG, Savarimuthu Francis, SM, Vaughan, A, Morrison, L, Relan, V, Marshall, HM, Dent, AG, O’Hare, PE, Hsiao, A, Bowman, RV, Fong, KM & Yang, IA 2013, 'Personalizing and targeting therapy for COPD – the role of molecular and clinical biomarkers', Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine, vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 593-605.
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Goh, S, Zhang, Q, Zhang, J, McDougald, D, Krantz, WB, Liu, Y & Fane, AG 2013, 'Impact of a biofouling layer on the vapor pressure driving force and performance of a membrane distillation process', Journal of Membrane Science, vol. 438, pp. 140-152.
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Gonçalves, LFFF, Kanodarwala, FK, Stride, JA, Silva, CJR & Gomes, MJM 2013, 'One-pot synthesis of CdS nanoparticles exhibiting quantum size effect prepared within a sol–gel derived ureasilicate matrix', Optical Materials, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 186-190.
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Gonçalves, LFFF, Silva, CJR, Kanodarwala, FK, Stride, JA, Pereira, MR & Gomes, MJM 2013, 'Synthesis and characterization of organic–inorganic hybrid materials prepared by sol–gel and containing ZnxCd1−xS nanoparticles prepared by a colloidal method', Journal of Luminescence, vol. 144, pp. 203-211.
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Gong, J, Luk, F, Jaiswal, R, George, AM, Grau, GER & Bebawy, M 2013, 'Microparticle drug sequestration provides a parallel pathway in the acquisition of cancer drug resistance', EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, vol. 721, no. 1-3, pp. 116-125.
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Goodswen, SJ, Kennedy, PJ & Ellis, JT 2013, 'A guide to in silico vaccine discovery for eukaryotic pathogens', BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 753-774.
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In this article, a framework for an in silico pipeline is presented as a guide to high-throughput vaccine candidate discovery for eukaryotic pathogens, such as helminths and protozoa. Eukaryotic pathogens are mostly parasitic and cause some of the most damaging and difficult to treat diseases in humans and livestock. Consequently, these parasitic pathogens have a significant impact on economy and human health. The pipeline is based on the principle of reverse vaccinology and is constructed from freely available bioinformatics programs. There are several successful applications of reverse vaccinology to the discovery of subunit vaccines against prokaryotic pathogens but not yet against eukaryotic pathogens. The overriding aim of the pipeline, which focuses on eukaryotic pathogens, is to generate through computational processes of elimination and evidence gathering a ranked list of proteins based on a scoring system. These proteins are either surface components of the target pathogen or are secreted by the pathogen and are of a type known to be antigenic. No perfect predictive method is yet available; therefore, the highest-scoring proteins from the list require laboratory validation.
Goodswen, SJ, Kennedy, PJ & Ellis, JT 2013, 'A novel strategy for classifying the output from an in silico vaccine discovery pipeline for eukaryotic pathogens using machine learning algorithms', BMC BIOINFORMATICS, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 315-327.
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An in silico vaccine discovery pipeline for eukaryotic pathogens typically consists of several computational tools to predict protein characteristics. The aim of the in silico approach to discovering subunit vaccines is to use predicted characteristics to identify proteins which are worthy of laboratory investigation. A major challenge is that these predictions are inherent with hidden inaccuracies and contradictions. This study focuses on how to reduce the number of false candidates using machine learning algorithms rather than relying on expensive laboratory validation. Proteins from Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium sp., and Caenorhabditis elegans were used as training and test datasets.
Goodswen, SJ, Kennedy, PJ & Ellis, JT 2013, 'A review of the infection, genetics, and evolution of Neospora caninum: From the past to the present', INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 133-150.
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This paper is a review of current knowledge on Neospora caninum in the context of other apicomplexan parasites and with an emphasis on: life cycle, disease, epidemiology, immunity, control and treatment, evolution, genomes, and biological databases and web resources. N. caninum is an obligate, intracellular, coccidian, protozoan parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa. Infection can cause the clinical disease neosporosis, which most notably is associated with abortion in cattle. These abortions are a major root cause of economic loss to both the dairy and beef industries worldwide. N. caninum has been detected in every country in which a study has been specifically conducted to detect this parasite in cattle. The major mode of transmission in cattle is transplacental (or vertical) transmission and several elements of the N. caninum life cycle are yet to be studied in detail. The outcome of an infection is inextricably linked to the precise timing of the infection coupled with the status of the immune system of the dam and foetus. There is no community consensus as to whether it is the dams pro-inflammatory cytotoxic response to tachyzoites that kills the foetus or the tachyzoites themselves. From economic analysis the most cost-effective approach to control neosporosis is a vaccine. The perfect vaccine would protect against both infection and the clinical disease, and this implies a vaccine is needed that can induce a non-foetopathic cell mediated immunity response. Researchers are beginning to capitalise on the vast potential of -omics data (e.g. genomes, transcriptomes, and proteomes) to further our understanding of pathogens but especially to identify vaccine and drug targets. The recent publication of a genome for N. caninum offers vast opportunities in these areas.
Gorrie, C, Larsen, L & Waite, PM 2013, 'Age and gender differences in perceptions of traffic risk and safety for older pedestrians in metropolitan Sydney, Australia', Journal of Australasian College of Road Safety, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 28-36.
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Older pedestrians are over represented in serious injury and fatality statistics compared to younger age groups and are considered to be at fault in over 72% of pedestrianmotor vehicle crashes. This study sought to investigate the perceptions of risk and safety in the local traffic environment as reported by older people in the course of everyday pedestrian journeys by asking them to complete a kerb-side survey. The majority of the older pedestrians interviewed (475 women: 265 men) considered that they engaged in safe pedestrian activity and that their own behaviour did not make them vulnerable road users. Perceptions of risk were predominantly associated with external factors such as motorist behaviour and traffic speed. Men tended to be more confident of their own abilities in traffic situations, reported less difficulty crossing roads and paid less attention to route selection than women. Increasing age (65 to 95 years) did not appear to change these perceptions. This is an important consideration for caregivers and medical practitioners when discussing road safety issues with older people, and a critical concern for professionals involved in the planning and implementation of traffic awareness and road safety campaigns for older people.
Grayson, TH, Chadha, PS, Bertrand, PP, Chen, H, Morris, MJ, Senadheera, S, Murphy, TV & Sandow, SL 2013, 'Increased caveolae density and caveolin-1 expression accompany impaired NO-mediated vasorelaxation in diet-induced obesity', Histochemistry and Cell Biology, vol. 139, no. 2, pp. 309-321.
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Diet-induced obesity induces changes in mechanisms that are essential for the regulation of normal artery function, and in particular the function of the vascular endothelium. Using a rodent model that reflects the characteristics of human dietary obesity, in the rat saphenous artery we have previously demonstrated that endothelium-dependent vasodilation shifts from an entirely nitric oxide (NO)-mediated mechanism to one involving upregulation of myoendothelial gap junctions and intermediate conductance calcium-activated potassium channel activity and expression. This study investigates the changes in NO-mediated mechanisms that accompany this shift. In saphenous arteries from controls fed a normal chow diet, acetylcholine-mediated endothelium-dependent vasodilation was blocked by NO synthase and soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitors, but in equivalent arteries from obese animals sensitivity to these agents was reduced. The expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and caveolin-3 in rat saphenous arteries was unaffected by obesity, whilst that of caveolin-1 monomer and large oligomeric complexes of caveolins-1 and -2 were increased in membrane-enriched samples. The density of caveolae was increased at the membrane and cytoplasm of endothelial and smooth muscle cells of saphenous arteries from obese rats. Dissociation of eNOS from caveolin-1, as a prerequisite for activation of the enzyme, may be compromised and thereby impair NO-mediated vasodilation in the saphenous artery from diet-induced obese rats. Such altered signaling mechanisms in obesity-related vascular disease represent significant potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
Green, D, Padula, M, Santos, J, Chou, J, Milthorpe, B & Ben-Nissan, B 2013, 'A Therapeutic Potential for Marine Skeletal Proteins in Bone Regeneration', Marine Drugs, vol. 11, no. 12, pp. 1203-1220.
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A vital ingredient for engineering bone tissue, in the culture dish, is the use of recombinant matrix and growth proteins to help accelerate the growth of cultivated tissues into clinically acceptable quantities. The skeletal organic matrices of calcifying marine invertebrates are an untouched potential source of such growth inducing proteins. They have the advantage of being ready-made and retain the native state of the original protein. Striking evidence shows that skeleton building bone morphogenic protein-2/4 (BMP) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) exist within various marine invertebrates such as, corals. Best practice mariculture and the latest innovations in long-term marine invertebrate cell cultivation can be implemented to ensure that these proteins are produced sustainably and supplied continuously. This also guarantees that coral reef habitats are not damaged during the collection of specimens. Potential proteins for bone repair, either extracted from the skeleton or derived from cultivated tissues, can be identified, evaluated and retrieved using chromatography, cell assays and proteomic methods. Due to the current evidence for bone matrix protein analogues in marine invertebrates, together with the methods established for their production and retrieval there is a genuine prospect that they can be used to regenerate living bone for potential clinical use.
Griekspoor, P, Colles, FM, McCarthy, ND, Hansbro, PM, Ashhurst‐Smith, C, Olsen, B, Hasselquist, D, Maiden, MCJ & Waldenström, J 2013, 'Marked host specificity and lack of phylogeographic population structure ofCampylobacter jejuniin wild birds', Molecular Ecology, vol. 22, no. 5, pp. 1463-1472.
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Grob, C, Ostrowski, M, Holland, RJ, Heldal, M, Norland, S, Erichsen, ES, Blindauer, C, Martin, AP, Zubkov, MV & Scanlan, DJ 2013, 'Elemental composition of natural populations of key microbial groups in Atlantic waters', Environmental Microbiology, vol. 15, no. 11, pp. n/a-n/a.
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Groszmann, M, Greaves, IK, Fujimoto, R, Peacock, WJ & Dennis, ES 2013, 'The role of epigenetics in hybrid vigour', TRENDS IN GENETICS, vol. 29, no. 12, pp. 684-690.
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Hybrid vigour, or heterosis, refers to the increased yield and biomass of hybrid offspring relative to the parents. Although this has been exploited in plants for agriculture and horticulture, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying hybrid vigour are largely unknown. Genetic analyses show that there are a large number of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that contribute to the heterotic phenotype, indicating that it is a complex phenomenon. Gene expression in hybrids is regulated by the interactions of the two parental epigenetic systems and the underlying genomes. Increasing understanding of the interplay of small RNA (sRNA) molecules, DNA methylation, and histone marks provides new opportunities to define the basis of hybrid vigour and to understand why F1 heterosis is not passed on to subsequent generations. We discuss recent findings that suggest the existence of several pathways that alter DNA methylation patterns, which may lead to transcriptional changes resulting in the heterotic phenotype.
Guenther, PM, Kirkpatrick, SI, Krebs‐Smith, SM, Reedy, J, Buckman, DW, Dodd, KW & Carroll, RJ 2013, 'Evaluation of the Healthy Eating Index‐2010 (HEI‐2010)', The FASEB Journal, vol. 27, no. S1.
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Gul, S, Ahmed, S, Gul, H, Shad, KF, Zia-Ul-Haq, M & Badiu, D 2013, 'The antioxidant potential of Brassica rapa L. on glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase enzymes and total antioxidant status', Romanian Review of Laboratory Medicine, vol. 21, no. 2.
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Gunawan, C, Sirimanoonphan, A, Teoh, WY, Marquis, CP & Amal, R 2013, 'Submicron and nano formulations of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide stimulate unique cellular toxicological responses in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii', Journal of Hazardous Materials, vol. 260, pp. 984-992.
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Gunawan, C, Teoh, WY, Marquis, CP & Amal, R 2013, 'Induced Adaptation ofBacillus sp.to Antimicrobial Nanosilver', Small, vol. 9, no. 21, pp. 3554-3560.
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Gunawan, C, Teoh, WY, Ricardo, Marquis, CP & Amal, R 2013, 'Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Induce Cell Filamentation inEscherichia coli', Particle & Particle Systems Characterization, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 375-380.
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Guo, X, Xiang, HF, Zhou, TP, Li, WH, Wang, XW, Zhou, JX & Yu, Y 2013, 'Solid-state synthesis and electrochemical performance of Li4Ti5O12/graphene composite for lithium-ion batteries', Electrochimica Acta, vol. 109, pp. 33-38.
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Guo, X, Zhang, Y-C & Xiang, H-F 2013, 'Synthesis and Electrochemical Property of Flowerlike LiFePO4 by Poly(ethylene glycol)-assisted Hydrothermal Process', Chinese Journal of Chemical Physics, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 337-340.
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Flowerlike LiFePO4 particles self-assembled by plate-like crystals with about 200 nm thickness were prepared by the poly(ethylene glycol)-assisted hydrothermal synthesis. Poly(ethylene glycol) in the hydrothermal system played an important role in reducing the thickness of the plate-like LiFePO4 crystals as a co-solvent and forming the flower-like structure as a soft template. The flowerlike LiFePO4 exhibits high discharge capacity of 140 mAh/g and shows quite good cycling performance in the lithium-ion batteries. Considering that the conductive carbon in the obtained LiFePO4 is negligible, the excellent cell performance suggests that the flowerlike LiFePO4 is a promising cathode material for the lithium-ion batteries.
Gupta, V, Thakur, RS, Reddy, CRK & Jha, B 2013, 'Central metabolic processes of marine macrophytic algae revealed from NMR based metabolome analysis', RSC Advances, vol. 3, no. 19, pp. 7037-7037.
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Gupta, V, Trivedi, N, Kumar, M, Reddy, CRK & Jha, B 2013, 'Purification and characterization of exo-β-agarase from an endophytic marine bacterium and its catalytic potential in bioconversion of red algal cell wall polysaccharides into galactans', Biomass and Bioenergy, vol. 49, pp. 290-298.
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Gustafsson, MSM, Baird, ME & Ralph, PJ 2013, 'The interchangeability of autotrophic and heterotrophic nitrogen sources in Scleractinian coral symbiotic relationships: A numerical study', ECOLOGICAL MODELLING, vol. 250, pp. 183-194.
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The success of corals in tropical oligotrophic waters depends largely on their symbiotic relationship with the dinoflagellate algae residing in their tissues. Understanding the dynamics of this symbiosis is essential to predict how corals respond to environmental stressors, such as changes in nutrients availability, water temperatures and irradiance. This study presents a numerical model of the symbiotic relationship between a heterotrophic coral (cnidarian) host and autotrophic symbiotic dinoflagellates, including the major metabolic and physical functions of the system, under non-bleaching conditions. The coral acquires nitrogen (N) through two processes, uptake of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (VH DIN) and heterotrophic feeding (ZN). Numerical experiments were used to highlight the importance of these different sources of N for coral survival and growth. The model was analyzed for four external nutrient supply scenarios, using combinations of two VH DIN rates (high and low) and two ZN rates (high and low), and for a range of light levels. The model outputs showed the importance of the algae symbionts to the coral host as a source of both N and C when the feeding rate was limited, with heterotrophic feeding providing only 14% of the N needed to sustain the host biomass for the low ZN + high VH DIN scenario. In contrast, with no light or low light, conditions under which the symbiont population dies, the host was able to survive if ZN was high. Living inside the host the symbiont population thrived as long as there was enough light, as well as, DIN and DIC in the host tissues, independent of whether N was supplied as ZN or VH DIN. Translocation and recycling of nutrient were two of the most important features of this model, emphasizing why it is essential to resolve host and symbiont in a coral model. The model highlights that the interchangeability of N sources, and the ability to exchange and recycle nutrients in the host-symbiont system, is the key to coral su...
Haav, K, Kadam, SA, Toom, L, Gale, PA, Busschaert, N, Wenzel, M, Hiscock, JR, Kirby, IL, Haljasorg, T, Lõkov, M & Leito, I 2013, 'Accurate Method To Quantify Binding in Supramolecular Chemistry', The Journal of Organic Chemistry, vol. 78, no. 16, pp. 7796-7808.
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Hall, JD, Xue, M, Ran, L & Leslie, LM 2013, 'High-Resolution Modeling of Typhoon Morakot (2009): Vortex Rossby Waves and Their Role in Extreme Precipitation over Taiwan', Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, vol. 70, no. 1, pp. 163-186.
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Abstract
A high-resolution nonhydrostatic numerical model, the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS), was used to simulate Typhoon Morakot (2009) as it made landfall over Taiwan, producing record rainfall totals. In particular, the mesoscale structure of the typhoon was investigated, emphasizing its associated deep convection, the development of inner rainbands near the center, and the resultant intense rainfall over western Taiwan.
Simulations at 15- and 3-km grid spacing revealed that, following the decay of the initial inner eyewall, a new, much larger eyewall developed as the typhoon made landfall over Taiwan. Relatively large-amplitude wave structures developed in the outer eyewall and are identified as vortex Rossby waves (VRWs), based on the wave characteristics and their similarity to VRWs identified in previous studies.
Moderate to strong vertical shear over the typhoon system produced a persistent wavenumber-1 (WN1) asymmetric structure during the landfall period, with upward motion and deep convection in the downshear and downshear-left sides, consistent with earlier studies. This strong asymmetry masks the effects of WN1 VRWs. WN2 and WN3 VRWs apparently are associated with the development of deep convective bands in Morakot’s southwestern quadrant. This occurs as the waves move cyclonically into the downshear side of the cyclone. Although the typhoon track and topographic enhancement contribute most to the record-breaking rainfall totals, the location of the convective bands, and their interaction with the mountainous terrain of Taiwan, also affect the rainfall distribution. Quantitatively, the 3-km ARPS rainfall forecasts are superior to those obtained from coarser-resolution models.
Hamidian, M & Hall, RM 2013, 'ISAba1 targets a specific position upstream of the intrinsic ampC gene of Acinetobacter baumannii leading to cephalosporin resistance', Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, vol. 68, no. 11, pp. 2682-2683.
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Hamidian, M, Hancock, DP & Hall, RM 2013, 'Horizontal transfer of an ISAba125-activated ampC gene between Acinetobacter baumannii strains leading to cephalosporin resistance', Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, vol. 68, no. 1, pp. 244-245.
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Hansbro, PM & Knight, DA 2013, 'Are Lymphoid Follicles Important in the Pathogenesis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?', American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, vol. 188, no. 3, pp. 267-269.
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Hansbro, PM, Scott, GV, Essilfie, A-T, Kim, RY, Starkey, MR, Nguyen, DH, Allen, PD, Kaiko, GE, Yang, M, Horvat, JC & Foster, PS 2013, 'Th2 cytokine antagonists: potential treatments for severe asthma', Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 49-69.
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Hansen, MJ, Chen, H, Jones, JE, Langenbach, SY, Vlahos, R, Gualano, RC, Morris, MJ & Anderson, GP 2013, 'The Lung Inflammation and Skeletal Muscle Wasting Induced by Subchronic Cigarette Smoke Exposure Are Not Altered by a High-Fat Diet in Mice', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 11, pp. e80471-e80471.
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Obesity and cigarette smoking independently constitute major preventable causes of morbidity and mortality and obesity is known to worsen lung inflammation in asthma. Paradoxically, higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with reduced mortality in smoking induced COPD whereas low BMI increases mortality risk. To date, no study has investigated the effect of a dietary-induced obesity and cigarette smoke exposure on the lung inflammation and loss of skeletal muscle mass in mice. Male BALB/c mice were exposed to 4 cigarettes/day, 6 days/week for 7 weeks, or sham handled. Mice consumed either standard laboratory chow (3.5 kcal/g, 12% fat) or a high fat diet (HFD, 4.3 kcal/g, 32% fat). Mice exposed to cigarette smoke for 7 weeks had significantly more inflammatory cells in the BALF (P<0.05) and the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines was significantly increased (P<0.05); HFD had no effect on these parameters. Sham- and smoke-exposed mice consuming the HFD were significantly heavier than chow fed animals (12 and 13%, respectively; P<0.05). Conversely, chow and HFD fed mice exposed to cigarette smoke weighed 16 and 15% less, respectively, compared to sham animals (P<0.05). The skeletal muscles (soleus, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius) of cigarette smoke-exposed mice weighed significantly less than sham-exposed mice (P<0.05) and the HFD had no protective effect. For the first time we report that cigarette smoke exposure significantly decreased insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) mRNA expression in the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior and IGF-1 protein in the gastrocnemius (P<0.05).
Harasti, D & Gladstone, W 2013, 'Does underwater flash photography affect the behaviour, movement and site persistence of seahorses?', Journal of Fish Biology, vol. 83, no. 5, pp. 1344-1353.
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The effect of flash photography on seahorse species has never been tested. An experiment was established to test the effect of flash photography and the handling of Hippocampus whitei, a medium-sized seahorse species endemic to Australia, on their behavioural responses, movements and site persistence. A total of 24 H. whitei were utilized in the experiment with eight in each of the three treatments (flash photography, handling and control). The effect of underwater flash photography on H. whitei movements was not significant; however, the effect of handling H. whitei to take a photograph had a significant effect on their short-term behavioural responses to the photographer. KaplanMeier log-rank test revealed that there was no significant difference in site persistence of H. whitei from each of the three treatments and that flash photography had no long-term effects on their site persistence. It is concluded that the use of flash photography by divers is a safe and viable technique with H. whitei , particularly if photographs can be used for individual identification purposes.
Harding, R, O'Reilly, M, Sozo, F, Hansbro, P, Horvat, J & Beckett, E 2013, 'Persistent effects of neonatal hyperoxia on bronchioles and lung function in adult mice: additional effects of concomitant growth restriction', Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, vol. 14, pp. S69-S69.
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Hare, D, Ayton, S, Bush, A & Lei, P 2013, 'A delicate balance: Iron metabolism and diseases of the brain', FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE, vol. 5.
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Hare, DJ, Adlard, PA, Doble, PA & Finkelstein, DI 2013, 'Metallobiology of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine neurotoxicity', METALLOMICS, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 91-109.
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1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is a potent toxin used to selectively destroy dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and induce parkinsonism. MPTP is metabolised to the 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP(+)) in glia, after which it enters the neuron via the dopamine transporter and results in elevated levels of oxidative stress. The mechanism through which MPP(+) causes cell death is thought to involve redox-active metals, particularly iron (Fe). This review will examine how cellular metal metabolism is altered following MPTP insult, and how this relates to metal dyshomeostasis in idiopathic Parkinson's disease. This includes both cell damage arising from increased metal concentration, and how metal-binding proteins respond to MPTP-induced neurotoxicity. Implications for using MPTP as a model for human Parkinson's disease will be discussed in terms of cell metallobiology.
Hare, DJ, Grubman, A, Ryan, TM, Lothian, A, Liddell, JR, Grimm, R, Matsuda, T, Doble, PA, Cherny, RA, Bush, AI, White, AR, Masters, CL & Roberts, BR 2013, 'Profiling the iron, copper and zinc content in primary neuron and astrocyte cultures by rapid online quantitative size exclusion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry', METALLOMICS, vol. 5, no. 12, pp. 1656-1662.
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Metals often determine the chemical reactivity of the proteins to which they are bound. Each cell in the body tightly maintains a unique metalloproteomic profile, mostly dependent on function. This paper describes an analytical online flow injection quan
Hare, DJ, Lear, J, Bishop, D, Beavis, A & Doble, PA 2013, 'Protocol for production of matrix-matched brain tissue standards for imaging by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry', ANALYTICAL METHODS, vol. 5, no. 8, pp. 1915-1921.
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Calibration with matrix-matched standards remains the most practical means for producing quantitative images of trace metal distribution in tissue sections by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). A general guide for producing matrix-matched standards for assay of trace metals in brain tissue is presented. Cortical tissue was taken from pooled sheep brains and spiked with varying approximate concentrations of standard solutions of Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Sr, Se and Zn. The tissue was homogenised and the total analyte amount accurately determined by solution nebulisation ICP-MS. The analytical ?gures of merit for LA-ICP-MS imaging were determined from these tissue standards cryosectioned at 30 mm. Repeated 8-point calibration curves were reproducibly linear, with correlation coe?cients ranging from 0.9874 (Mg) to 0.9991 (Sr). Limits of analysis were suitable for quantifying most analytes in a sample mouse brain, with the exception of Co and Se
Hassall, TE, Stappers, BW, Weltevrede, P, Hessels, JWT, Alexov, A, Coenen, T, Karastergiou, A, Kramer, M, Keane, EF, Kondratiev, VI, van Leeuwen, J, Noutsos, A, Pilia, M, Serylak, M, Sobey, C, Zagkouris, K, Fender, R, Bell, ME, Broderick, J, Eislöffel, J, Falcke, H, Grießmeier, J-M, Kuniyoshi, M, Miller-Jones, JCA, Wise, MW, Wucknitz, O, Zarka, P, Asgekar, A, Batejat, F, Bentum, MJ, Bernardi, G, Best, P, Bonafede, A, Breitling, F, Brüggen, M, Butcher, HR, Ciardi, B, de Gasperin, F, de Reijer, J-P, Duscha, S, Fallows, RA, Ferrari, C, Frieswijk, W, Garrett, MA, Gunst, AW, Heald, G, Hoeft, M, Juette, E, Maat, P, McKean, JP, Norden, MJ, Pandey-Pommier, M, Pizzo, R, Polatidis, AG, Reich, W, Röttgering, H, Sluman, J, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, Vermeulen, R, van Weeren, RJ, Wijnholds, SJ & Yatawatta, S 2013, 'Differential frequency-dependent delay from the pulsar magnetosphere', Astronomy & Astrophysics, vol. 552, pp. A61-A61.
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He, R, Tang, B, Ton-That, C, Phillips, M & Tsuzuki, T 2013, 'Physical structure and optical properties of Co-doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by co-precipitation', JOURNAL OF NANOPARTICLE RESEARCH, vol. 15, no. 11.
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Herbert, C, Siegle, JS, Shadie, AM, Nikolaysen, S, Garthwaite, L, Hansbro, NG, Foster, PS & Kumar, RK 2013, 'Development of asthmatic inflammation in mice following early-life exposure to ambient environmental particulates and chronic allergen challenge', Disease Models & Mechanisms, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 479-488.
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Summary
Childhood exposure to environmental particulates increases the risk of development of asthma. The underlying mechanisms might include oxidant injury to airway epithelial cells (AEC). We investigated the ability of ambient environmental particulates to contribute to sensitization via the airways, and thus to the pathogenesis of childhood asthma. To do so, we devised a novel model in which weanling BALB/c mice were exposed to both ambient particulate pollutants and ovalbumin for sensitization via the respiratory tract, followed by chronic inhalational challenge with a low mass concentration of the antigen. We also examined whether these particulates caused oxidant injury and activation of AEC in vitro. Furthermore, we assessed the potential benefit of minimizing oxidative stress to AEC through the period of sensitization and challenge by dietary intervention. We found that characteristic features of asthmatic inflammation developed only in animals that received particulates at the same time as respiratory sensitization, and were then chronically challenged with allergen. However, these animals did not develop airway hyper-responsiveness. Ambient particulates induced epithelial injury in vitro, with evidence of oxidative stress, and production of both pro-inflammatory cytokines and Th2-promoting cytokines such as IL-33. Treatment of AEC with an antioxidant in vitro inhibited the pro-inflammatory cytokine response to these particulates. Ambient particulates also induced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression following administration to weanling mice. However, early-life dietary supplementation with antioxidants did not prevent the development of an asthmatic inflammatory response in animals that were exposed to particulates, sensitized and challenged. We conclude that injury to airway epithelium by ambient environmental particulates in early life is capable of promoting the development of an asthmatic inflammatory...
Hermsen, W, Hessels, JWT, Kuiper, L, van Leeuwen, J, Mitra, D, de Plaa, J, Rankin, JM, Stappers, BW, Wright, GAE, Basu, R, Alexov, A, Coenen, T, Grießmeier, J-M, Hassall, TE, Karastergiou, A, Keane, E, Kondratiev, VI, Kramer, M, Kuniyoshi, M, Noutsos, A, Serylak, M, Pilia, M, Sobey, C, Weltevrede, P, Zagkouris, K, Asgekar, A, Avruch, IM, Batejat, F, Bell, ME, Bell, MR, Bentum, MJ, Bernardi, G, Best, P, Bîrzan, L, Bonafede, A, Breitling, F, Broderick, J, Brüggen, M, Butcher, HR, Ciardi, B, Duscha, S, Eislöffel, J, Falcke, H, Fender, R, Ferrari, C, Frieswijk, W, Garrett, MA, de Gasperin, F, de Geus, E, Gunst, AW, Heald, G, Hoeft, M, Horneffer, A, Iacobelli, M, Kuper, G, Maat, P, Macario, G, Markoff, S, McKean, JP, Mevius, M, Miller-Jones, JCA, Morganti, R, Munk, H, Orrú, E, Paas, H, Pandey-Pommier, M, Pandey, VN, Pizzo, R, Polatidis, AG, Rawlings, S, Reich, W, Röttgering, H, Scaife, AMM, Schoenmakers, A, Shulevski, A, Sluman, J, Steinmetz, M, Tagger, M, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, ter Veen, S, Vermeulen, R, van de Brink, RH, van Weeren, RJ, Wijers, RAMJ, Wise, MW, Wucknitz, O, Yatawatta, S & Zarka, P 2013, 'Synchronous X-ray and Radio Mode Switches: A Rapid Global Transformation of the Pulsar Magnetosphere', Science, vol. 339, no. 6118, pp. 436-439.
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Pondering Pulsars
Pulsars are rapidly rotating, magnetized neutron stars that are powered by the loss of rotational energy. Because their emission is beamed, their light appears to pulse on and off at regular intervals. Changes in radio emission behavior have been observed for a number of pulsars, manifesting themselves as switches between ordered and disordered variations in intensity and pulse shapes, but these changes have not been seen at other wavelengths. Based on simultaneous radio and x-ray observations of pulsar PSR B0943+10,
Hermsen
et al.
(p.
436
) show that changes in emission state identified in radio measurements show counterpart fluctuations in the strength and temporal behavior of x-rays. Some of these changes were unexpected in their character and physical properties, challenging pulsar emission theories.
Hirota, JA, Im, H, Rahman, MM, Rumzhum, NN, Manetsch, M, Pascoe, CD, Bunge, K, Alkhouri, H, Oliver, BG & Ammit, AJ 2013, 'The Nucleotide-Binding Domain and Leucine-Rich Repeat Protein-3 Inflammasome Is Not Activated in Airway Smooth Muscle Upon Toll-Like Receptor-2 Ligation', AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 517-524.
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Inflammasomes have emerged as playing key roles in inflammation and innate immunity. A growing body of evidence has suggested that the nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is important in chronic airway disease
Hiscock, JR, Piana, F, Sambrook, MR, Wells, NJ, Clark, AJ, Vincent, JC, Busschaert, N, Brown, RCD & Gale, PA 2013, 'Detection of nerve agent via perturbation of supramolecular gel formation', Chemical Communications, vol. 49, no. 80, pp. 9119-9119.
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Hitchcock, JN & Mitrovic, SM 2013, 'Different resource limitation by carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus between base flow and high flow conditions for estuarine bacteria and phytoplankton', Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, vol. 135, no. 1, pp. 106-115.
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Freshwater inflows can deliver substantial inputs of allochthonous organic carbon to estuaries. The role that allochthonous DOC has on structuring bacterial and phytoplankton communities is still not well understood. We performed a series of 1.25 L bioassay limitation experiments on the Bega and Clyde River estuaries in NSW, Australia, examining what resources limit bacteria and phytoplankton growth. We hypothesized that during base flow conditions bacteria would be carbon limited, and after high flow conditions they would be nutrient limited. A full factorial design was used with additions of carbon (glucose), nitrogen (KNO3) and phosphorus (KH2PO4). During the experiments that took place during base flow conditions bacteria were always primarily C-limited. After high flow conditions, bacteria were P-limited on the Clyde River, and remained C-limited on the Bega River. Phytoplankton growth was limited at all times in each estuary, tending toward N-limitation on the Bega River and P-limitation on the Clyde river. During high flow conditions on the Clyde River, when bacteria and phytoplankton were both primarily P-limited, it appeared that bacteria was able to outcompete phytoplankton for nutrients. These results suggest that freshwater inflows and allochthonous DOC maybe important in structuring estuarine microbial ecosystems and individual estuaries may behave differently in terms of their limiting resources.
Hocking, JS, Vodstrcil, LA, Huston, WM, Timms, P, Chen, MY, Worthington, K, McIver, R & Tabrizi, SN 2013, 'A cohort study of Chlamydia trachomatis treatment failure in women: a study protocol', BMC Infectious Diseases, vol. 13, no. 1.
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Holland-Moritz, HE, Bevans, DR, Lang, JM, Darling, AE, Eisen, JA & Coil, DA 2013, 'Draft Genome Sequence of Leucobacter sp. Strain UCD-THU (Phylum Actinobacteria )', Genome Announcements, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 1-2.
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ABSTRACT
Here we present the draft genome of
Leucobacter
sp. strain UCD-THU. The genome contains 3,317,267 bp in 11 scaffolds. This strain was isolated from a residential toilet as part of an undergraduate project to sequence reference genomes of microbes from the built environment.
Holt, SA, Le Brun, AP, Nelson, ARJ & Lakey, JH 2013, 'In situ study of the impact of acidic and neutral deposition pH on alkane phosphate film formation and stability on TiO2', RSC Advances, vol. 3, no. 8, pp. 2581-2581.
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Hong, Y, Burford, MA, Ralph, PJ, Udy, JW & Doblin, MA 2013, 'The cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii is facilitated by copepod selective grazing', HARMFUL ALGAE, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 14-21.
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Blooms of the toxin-producing cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii occur in tropical and subtropical lakes during spring-summer but the mechanisms behind bloom formation are unclear. This study tests the hypothesis that C. raciborskii accumulations in freshwater systems are facilitated by selective copepod grazing. Prey selection was examined in a series of experiments with C. raciborskii and the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, as well as within natural phytoplankton assemblages. Clearance rates of the copepod Boeckella sp. on a C. raciborskii diet were 24 times lower than that of a common cladoceran Ceriodaphnia sp. when both grazers had prey choice. More C. raciborskii was cleared by Boeckella sp. when in mixed natural phytoplankton assemblages, but the clearance rate declined when nutrient replete C. reinhardtii was added, demonstrating that when alternate high quality algae were present, so did C. raciborskii consumption. The clearance rates of Boeckella sp. on two toxic C. raciborskii strains were significantly lower than on a non-toxic strain, and on C. raciborskii with low cellular P content. When we tested the grazing preference of a copepod dominated mixed zooplankton community on C. raciborskii during the early bloom period, clearance rates were relatively low (0.050.20 ml individual-1 h-1), and decreased significantly as the proportion of C. raciborskii increased above 5%. These results suggest that C. raciborskii persistence could be promoted by copepods preferentially grazing on other algae, with significant loss of top-down control as C. raciborskii abundance increases.
Hoppenrath, M, Chomerat, N, Horiguchi, T, Schweikert, M, Nagahama, Y & Murray, S 2013, 'Taxonomy and phylogeny of the benthic Prorocentrum species (Dinophyceae)-A proposal and review', HARMFUL ALGAE, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 1-28.
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Based on a literature review and new morphological and molecular phylogenetic data, a summary of all described benthic Prorocentrum species is presented. Short descriptions of the 29 species are provided including information and illustrations of platelet pattern. Increasing morphological data of the same taxon from different sites has revealed unexpected morphological variability. The variability of characters used for taxonomy is discussed. Many of these may be more variable than previously thought or phenotypically plastic. We conclude that the following features are constant within a species: (1) asymmetry or symmetry of the theca in combination with (2) the shape of the periflagellar area visible on the right thecal plate, (a) arc-shaped, (b) wide or simply V-shaped, (c) narrow and deep V-shaped, and (d) linear. At the same time, we are now beginning to understand that the cell shape of some species is more variable than thought and not in others. The stability of pore patterns is not known to date nor is it known whether the presence of a starch sheath is a reliable taxonomic character. The morphology of the periflagellar area might be a very useful character. The unstable terminology to describe similar or identical structures has made it difficult to interpret the literature on these features.
Horsington, J, Lynn, H, Turnbull, L, Cheng, D, Braet, F, Diefenbach, RJ, Whitchurch, CB, Karupiah, G & Newsome, TP 2013, 'A36-dependent Actin Filament Nucleation Promotes Release of Vaccinia Virus', PLOS PATHOGENS, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. e1003239-e1003239.
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Cell-to-cell transmission of vaccinia virus can be mediated by enveloped virions that remain attached to the outer surface of the cell or those released into the medium. During egress, the outer membrane of the double-enveloped virus fuses with the plasma membrane leaving extracellular virus attached to the cell surface via viral envelope proteins. Here we report that F-actin nucleation by the viral protein A36 promotes the disengagement of virus attachment and release of enveloped virus. Cells infected with the A36YdF virus, which has mutations at two critical tyrosine residues abrogating localised actin nucleation, displayed a 10-fold reduction in virus release. We examined A36YdF infected cells by transmission electron microscopy and observed that during release, virus appeared trapped in small invaginations at the plasma membrane. To further characterise the mechanism by which actin nucleation drives the dissociation of enveloped virus from the cell surface, we examined recombinant viruses by super-resolution microscopy. Fluorescently-tagged A36 was visualised at sub-viral resolution to image cell-virus attachment in mutant and parental backgrounds. We confirmed that A36YdF extracellular virus remained closely associated to the plasma membrane in small membrane pits.
Hosta-Rigau, L, Shimoni, O, Städler, B & Caruso, F 2013, 'Advanced Subcompartmentalized Microreactors: Polymer Hydrogel Carriers Encapsulating Polymer Capsules and Liposomes', Small, vol. 9, no. 21, pp. 3573-3583.
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The design of compartmentalized carriers for advanced drug delivery systems or artificial cells and organelles is of interest for biomedical applications. Herein, a polymer carrier microreactor that contains two different classes of subcompartments, multilayered polymer capsules and liposomes, is presented. 50 nm-diameter liposomes and 300 nm-diameter polymer capsules are encapsulated into a larger polymer carrier capsule, demonstrating control over the spatial positioning of the subcompartments, which are either `membrane-associated or 'free-floating in the aqueous interior. Selective and spatially dependent degradation of the 300 nm-diameter subcompartments (without destroying the structural integrity of the enzyme-loaded liposomes) is also shown, by performing an encapsulated enzymatic reaction using the liposomal subcompartments. These findings cover several important aspects toward the development of engineered compartmentalized carrier vessels for the creation of artificial cell mimics or advanced therapeutic delivery systems.
Hovis, KM, Mojica, S, McDermott, JE, Pedersen, L, Simhi, C, Rank, RG, Myers, GSA, Ravel, J, Hsia, R-C & Bavoil, PM 2013, 'Genus-optimized strategy for the identification of chlamydial type III secretion substrates', Pathogens and Disease, vol. 69, no. 3, pp. 213-222.
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Howlett, C, Ferreira, J-A, Seini, M & Matthews, C 2013, 'Indigenising the Griffith School of Environment Curriculum: Where to From Here?', The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 68-74.
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This article presents a discussion on a study undertaken by academics within the Griffith School of Environment, Brisbane, Australia that sought to explore the potential of an Indigenised curriculum to attract and retain Indigenous students, and thereby facilitate greater participation of Indigenous students in science. The article highlights the need for staff to be both reflective and reflexive about the limitations their particular knowledge systems may impose on Indigenous ways of knowing and knowledge systems. The article also acknowledges the need for professional development opportunities for staff prior to any attempts towards Indigenisation of the curriculum.
Hu, H, Harmer, C, Anuj, S, Wainwright, CE, Manos, J, Cheney, J, Harbour, C, Zablotska, I, Turnbull, L, Whitchurch, CB, Grimwood, K, Rose, B & Investigators, ACFBALS 2013, 'Type 3 secretion system effector genotype and secretion phenotype of longitudinally collected Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from young children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis following newborn screening', CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 266-272.
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Studies of the type 3 secretion system (T3SS) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from chronically infected older children and adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) show a predominantly exoS+/exoU) (exoS+) genotype and loss of T3SS effector secretion over time. Relatively little is known about the role of the T3SS in the pathogenesis of early P. aeruginosa infection in the CF airway. In this longitudinal study, 168 P. aeruginosa isolates from 58 children diagnosed with CF following newborn screening and 47 isolates from homes of families with or without children with CF were genotyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and T3SS genotype and phenotype determined using multiplex PCR and western blotting. Associations were sought between T3SS data and clinical variables and comparisons made between T3SS data of clinical and environmental PFGE genotypes. Seventy-seven of the 92 clinical strains were exoS+ (71% secretors (ExoS+)) and 15 were exoU+ (93% secretors (ExoU+)). Initial exoS+ strains were five times more likely to secrete ExoS than subsequent exoS+ strains at first isolation. The proportion of ExoS+ strains declined with increasing age at acquisition. No associations were found between T3SS characteristics and gender, site of isolation, exacerbation, a persistent strain or pulmonary outcomes. Fourteen of the 23 environmental strains were exoS+ (79% ExoS+) and nine were exoU+ (33% ExoU+). The exoU+ environmental strains were significantly less likely to secrete ExoU than clinical strains. This study provides new insight into the T3SS characteristics of P. aeruginosa isolated from the CF airway early in life.
Huang, A & Wand, MP 2013, 'Simple Marginally Noninformative Prior Distributions for Covariance Matrices', Bayesian Analysis, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 439-452.
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A family of prior distributions for covariance matrices is studied. Members of the family possess the attractive property of all standard deviation and correlation parameters being marginally noninformative for particular hyper-parameter choices. Moreove
Huang, X, Sun, B, Li, K, Chen, S & Wang, G 2013, 'Mesoporous graphene paper immobilised sulfur as a flexible electrode for lithium-sulfur batteries', JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A, vol. 1, no. 43, pp. 13484-13489.
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Free-standing flexible mesoporous graphene-sulfur nanocomposite electrodes have been prepared by a sulfur vapor treatment approach. Amorphous sulfur homogeneously was distributed in the mesoporous architectures of porous graphene paper, in which sulfur was immobilized. The as-prepared mesoporous graphenesulfur papers can be directly applied as electrodes in lithiumsulfur batteries without using a binder, conductive additives or an extra current collector. The conductive flexible porous graphene networks can effectively facilitate electron transfer and electrolyte diffusion. The free-standing sulfurgraphene nanocomposite electrodes achieved a high discharge capacity of 1393 mA h g-1 with an enhanced cycling stability and good rate performance.
Humphrys, MS, Creasy, T, Sun, Y, Shetty, AC, Chibucos, MC, Drabek, EF, Fraser, CM, Farooq, U, Sengamalay, N, Ott, S, Shou, H, Bavoil, PM, Mahurkar, A & Myers, GSA 2013, 'Simultaneous Transcriptional Profiling of Bacteria and Their Host Cells', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 12, pp. e80597-e80597.
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We developed an RNA-Seq-based method to simultaneously capture prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression profiles of cells infected with intracellular bacteria. As proof of principle, this method was applied to Chlamydia trachomatis-infected epithelial cell monolayers in vitro, successfully obtaining transcriptomes of both C. trachomatis and the host cells at 1 and 24 hours post-infection. Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens that cause a range of mammalian diseases. In humans chlamydiae are responsible for the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infections and trachoma (infectious blindness). Disease arises by adverse host inflammatory reactions that induce tissue damage & scarring. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying these outcomes. Chlamydia are genetically intractable as replication outside of the host cell is not yet possible and there are no practical tools for routine genetic manipulation, making genome-scale approaches critical. The early timeframe of infection is poorly understood and the host transcriptional response to chlamydial infection is not well defined. Our simultaneous RNA-Seq method was applied to a simplified in vitro model of chlamydial infection. We discovered a possible chlamydial strategy for early iron acquisition, putative immune dampening effects of chlamydial infection on the host cell, and present a hypothesis for Chlamydia-induced fibrotic scarring through runaway positive feedback loops. In general, simultaneous RNA-Seq helps to reveal the complex interplay between invading bacterial pathogens and their host mammalian cells and is immediately applicable to any bacteria/host cell interaction.
Hutchinson, AT, Malik, A, Berkahn, MB, Agostino, M, To, J, Tacchi, JL, Djordjevic, SP, Turnbull, L, Whitchurch, CB, Edmundson, AB, Jones, DR, Raison, RL & Ramsland, PA 2013, 'Formation of assemblies on cell membranes by secreted proteins: molecular studies of free lambda light chain aggregates found on the surface of myeloma cells', BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 454, no. 3, pp. 479-489.
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We have described the presence of cell membrane-associated ? free immunoglobulin light chains (FLC) on the surface of myeloma cells. Notably, the anti-?FLC mAb, MDX-1097, is being assessed in clinical trials as a therapy for ? light chain isotype multiple myeloma. Despite the clinical potential of anti-FLC mAbs, there have been limited studies on characterizing membrane-associated FLCs at a molecular level. Furthermore, it is not known if ?FLCs can associate with cell membranes of myeloma cells. In this study, we describe the presence of ?FLCs on the surface of myeloma cells. We found that cell surface-associated ?FLC are bound directly to the membrane and in an aggregated form. Subsequently, membrane interaction studies revealed that ?FLCs interact with saturated zwitterionic lipids such as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, and using automated docking, we characterize a potential recognition site for these lipids. Atomic force microscopy confirmed that membrane-associated ?FLCs are aggregated. Given our findings, we propose a model whereby individual FLCs show modest affinity for zwitterionic lipids, with aggregation stabilizing the interaction due to multivalency. Notably, this is the first study to image FLCs bound to phospholipids and provides important insights into the possible mechanisms of membrane association by this unique myeloma surface antigen.
Huyang, G, Canning, J, Petermann, I, Bishop, D, McDonagh, A & Crossley, MJ 2013, 'Room temperature sol-gel fabrication and functionalization for sensor applications', Photonic Sensors, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 168-177.
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The structure and physical properties of a thin titania sol-gel layer prepared on silicon and silica surfaces were examined. Spectroscopic (FTIR, UV-VIS spectroscopy), refractive index (ellipsometry) and microscopic (light microscopy and SEM/EDS) tools were used to examine both chemical uniformity and physical uniformity of the sol-gel glass layers. The conditions for the fabrication of uniform layers were established, and room temperature dopant incorporation was examined. The absorption bands of porphyrin-containing titania sol-gel layers were characterized. By addition of a metal salt to the titania layer, it was possible to metallate the free-base porphyrin within and change the UV-VIS absorbance of the porphyrin, the basis of metal detection using porphyrins. The metalloporphyrins were detected by localized laser ablation inductive coupled mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS), indicating fairly uniform distribution of metals across the titania surface.
Iacobelli, M, Haverkorn, M, Orrú, E, Pizzo, RF, Anderson, J, Beck, R, Bell, MR, Bonafede, A, Chyzy, K, Dettmar, R-J, Enßlin, TA, Heald, G, Horellou, C, Horneffer, A, Jurusik, W, Junklewitz, H, Kuniyoshi, M, Mulcahy, DD, Paladino, R, Reich, W, Scaife, A, Sobey, C, Sotomayor-Beltran, C, Alexov, A, Asgekar, A, Avruch, IM, Bell, ME, van Bemmel, I, Bentum, MJ, Bernardi, G, Best, P, Bırzan, L, Breitling, F, Broderick, J, Brouw, WN, Brüggen, M, Butcher, HR, Ciardi, B, Conway, JE, de Gasperin, F, de Geus, E, Duscha, S, Eislöffel, J, Engels, D, Falcke, H, Fallows, RA, Ferrari, C, Frieswijk, W, Garrett, MA, Grießmeier, J, Gunst, AW, Hamaker, JP, Hassall, TE, Hessels, JWT, Hoeft, M, Hörandel, J, Jelic, V, Karastergiou, A, Kondratiev, VI, Koopmans, LVE, Kramer, M, Kuper, G, van Leeuwen, J, Macario, G, Mann, G, McKean, JP, Munk, H, Pandey-Pommier, M, Polatidis, AG, Röttgering, H, Schwarz, D, Sluman, J, Smirnov, O, Stappers, BW, Steinmetz, M, Tagger, M, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, Toribio, C, Vermeulen, R, Vocks, C, Vogt, C, van Weeren, RJ, Wise, MW, Wucknitz, O, Yatawatta, S, Zarka, P & Zensus, A 2013, 'Studying Galactic interstellar turbulence through fluctuations in synchrotron emission', Astronomy & Astrophysics, vol. 558, pp. A72-A72.
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Ibacache-Quiroga, C, Ojeda, J, Espinoza-Vergara, G, Olivero, P, Cuellar, M & Dinamarca, MA 2013, 'The hydrocarbon-degrading marine bacteriumCobetiasp. strain MM1IDA2H-1 produces a biosurfactant that interferes with quorum sensing of fish pathogens by signal hijacking', Microbial Biotechnology, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 394-405.
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Idrees, S & Ashfaq, UA 2013, 'RNAi: antiviral therapy against dengue virus', Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 232-236.
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Idrees, S & Ashfaq, UA 2013, 'Structural analysis and epitope prediction of HCV E1 protein isolated in Pakistan: an in-silico approach', Virology Journal, vol. 10, no. 1.
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Idrees, S, Ashfaq, UA & Idrees, N 2013, 'Development of global consensus sequence of HCV glycoproteins involved in viral entry', Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling, vol. 10, no. 1.
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Idrees, S, Ashfaq, UA & Khaliq, S 2013, 'HCV Envelope protein 2 sequence comparison of Pakistani isolate and In-silico prediction of conserved epitopes for vaccine development', Journal of Translational Medicine, vol. 11, no. 1.
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Abstract
Background
HCV is causing hundreds of cases yearly in Pakistan and has become a threat for Pakistani population. HCV E2 protein is a transmembrane protein involved in viral attachment and thus can serve as an important target for vaccine development but because of its variability, vaccine development against it has become a challenge. Therefore, this study was designed to isolate the HCV E2 gene from Pakistani HCV infected patients of 3a genotype, to perform In-silico analysis of HCV E2 isolated in Pakistan and to analyze HCV E2 protein sequence in comparison with other E2 proteins belonging to 3a and 1a genotypes to find potential conserved B-cells and T-cell epitopes that can be important in designing novel inhibitory compounds and peptide vaccine against genotype 3a and 1a.
Patients and methods
Patients were selected on the basis of elevated serum ALT and AST levels at least for six months, histological examination, and detection of serum HCV RNA anti-HCV antibodies (3rd generation ELISA). RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis, amplification, cloning and sequencing was performed from 4 patient’s serum samples in order to get the HCV E2 sequence. HCV E2 protein of Pakistani origin was analyzed using various bioinformatics tools including sequence and structure tools.
Results
HCV E1 protein modeling was performed with I-TASSER online server and quality of the model was assessed with ramchandran plot and Z-score. A total of 3 B-cell and 3 T-cell epitopes were found to be highly conserved among HCV 3a and 1a genotype.
Conclusi...
Im, H, Hirota, J, Rahman, M, Rumzhum, N, Manetsch, M, Pascoe, C, Oliver, B & Ammit, A 2013, 'The NLRP3 inflammasome is not activated in airway smooth muscle upon TLR2 ligation', EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL, vol. 42, no. S57, pp. 559-559.
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Inflammasomes have emerged as playing key roles in inflammation and innate immunity. A growing body of evidence has suggested that the nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is important in chronic airway diseases such as asthma and COPD. Inflammasome activation results, in part, in pro-IL-1ß processing and secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1ß. Because asthma exacerbations are associated with elevated levels of secreted IL-1ß we addressed whether the NLRP3 inflammasome is activated under in vitro conditions that mimic infectious exacerbation in asthma. Primary cultures of airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells were treated with infectious stimuli (mimicked using the TLR2 agonist Pam3CSK4, a synthetic bacterial lipopeptide). While Pam3CSK4 robustly upregulated ASM cytokine expression in response to TNFa and significantly enhanced IL-1ß mRNA expression, we were unable to detect IL-1ß in the cell supernatants. Thus, IL-1ß was not secreted and therefore unable to act in an autocrine manner to promote amplification of ASM inflammatory responses. Moreover, TLR2 ligation did not enhance NLRP3 mRNA expression in ASM cells, nor was NLRP3 protein detected in the airway smooth muscle layer of tracheal sections from human donors. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that enhanced synthetic function of ASM cells, induced by infectious exacerbation of airway inflammation, is NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1ß-independent. Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by invading pathogens may prove cell-type specific in exacerbation of airway inflammation in asthma.
Irga, PJ, Torpy, FR & Burchett, MD 2013, 'Can hydroculture be used to enhance the performance of indoor plants for the removal of air pollutants?', ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT, vol. 77, no. 1, pp. 267-271.
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The indoor plant, Syngonium podophyllum, grown in both conventional potting mix and hydroculture, was investigated for its capacity to reduce two components of indoor air pollution; volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and CO2. It was found that, with a moderate increase in indoor light intensity, this species removed significant amounts of CO2 from test chambers, removing up to 61% 2.2 of 1000 ppmv over a 40 min period. It was also found that the hydroculture growth medium facilitated increased CO2 removal over potting mix. The VOC removing potential of hydroculture plants was also demonstrated. Whilst the rate of VOC (benzene) removal was slightly lower for hydroculture-grown plants than those grown in potting mix, both removed 25 ppmv from the test chambers within 7 days. The effect of benzene on the community level physiological profiles of rhizospheric bacteria was also assessed. There was less variability in the carbon substrate utilisation profile of the bacterial community from the rhizosphere of hydroculture plants compared to potting mix, however the species present encompassed at least those involved with VOC removal. Overall, we propose that plants grown in hydroculture can simultaneously deplete CO2 and VOCs, and thus may have potential for improving indoor air quality.
Islam, A, Labbate, M, Djordjevic, SP, Alam, M, Darling, A, Melvold, J, Holmes, AJ, Johura, FT, Cravioto, A, Charles, IG & Stokes, HW 2013, 'Indigenous Vibrio cholerae strains from a non-endemic region are pathogenic', OPEN BIOLOGY, vol. 3, p. 120181.
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Of the 200þ serogroups of Vibrio cholerae, only O1 or O139 strains are reported to cause cholera, and mostly in endemic regions. Cholera outbreaks elsewhere are considered to be via importation of pathogenic strains. Using established animal models, we show that diverse V. cholerae strains indigenous to a nonendemic environment (Sydney, Australia), including non-O1/O139 serogroup strains, are able to both colonize the intestine and result in fluid accumulation despite lacking virulence factors believed to be important. Most strains lacked the type three secretion system considered a mediator of diarrhoea in nonO1/O13 V. cholerae. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) showed that the Sydney isolates did not form a single clade and were distinct from O1/O139 toxigenic strains. There was no correlation between genetic relatedness and the profile of virulence-associated factors. Current analyses of diseases mediated by V. cholerae focus on endemic regions, with only those strains that possess particular virulence factors considered pathogenic. Our data suggest that factors other than those previously well described are of potential importance in influencing disease outbreaks.
Jackson, F, Maynard, P, Cavanagh-Steer, K, Dusting, T & Roux, C 2013, 'A survey of glass found on the headwear and head hair of a random population vs. people working with glass', Forensic Science International, vol. 226, no. 1-3, pp. 125-131.
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This study investigated the prevalence of glass particles on the headwear and head hair of two different population groups; the general public who do not work with glass, and glaziers from OBrien® Glass Industries who work with glass and have regular contact with broken glass. The 232 samples collected from the head hair and headwear from the random population resulted in the recovery of 6 glass fragments in total on 6 individuals (i.e. one fragment each). All of these fragments were from head hair samples with no multiple fragments recovered. The two headwear samples that were taken revealed no fragments. These results were in contrast to the survey that was conducted on the head hair and headwear of 25 glaziers from OBrien®, in which 138 glass fragments were found in total on 24 of the 25 glaziers. The size and number of fragments found in each sample were also generally larger for the glaziers group. The results from this study indicate that the prevalence of glass on the head hair and head wear of the random population is very low in comparison to the head hair and headwear of those who have regular contact with breaking glass. The significance of this finding with respect to the interpretation of glass evidence is also discussed
Jennings, EM, Morris, JS, Carroll, RJ, Manyam, GC & Baladandayuthapani, V 2013, 'Bayesian methods for expression-based integration of various types of genomics data', EURASIP Journal on Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, vol. 2013, no. 1.
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Abstract
We propose methods to integrate data across several genomic platforms using a hierarchical Bayesian analysis framework that incorporates the biological relationships among the platforms to identify genes whose expression is related to clinical outcomes in cancer. This integrated approach combines information across all platforms, leading to increased statistical power in finding these predictive genes, and further provides mechanistic information about the manner in which the gene affects the outcome. We demonstrate the advantages of the shrinkage estimation used by this approach through a simulation, and finally, we apply our method to a Glioblastoma Multiforme dataset and identify several genes potentially associated with the patients’ survival. We find 12 positive prognostic markers associated with nine genes and 13 negative prognostic markers associated with nine genes.
Jeong, S, Naidu, G, Vigneswaran, S, Ma, CH & Rice, SA 2013, 'A rapid bioluminescence-based test of assimilable organic carbon for seawater', Desalination, vol. 317, pp. 160-165.
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The accumulation of biological materials and bacteria on water purification membranes, termed biofouling, is associated with decreased membrane performance and increased cost of operation. One strategy to minimize biofouling is pretreatment of the influent water. In this regard, tools and indicators that can assess the influent water are required, enabling an optimum selection of pretreatment methods. One parameter directly linked to biofouling potential is the concentration of assimilable organic carbon (AOC) in the feed-water. High AOC levels are associated with increased growth potential of the microbial fouling community. This work focused on the development of a new method for rapid and accurate quantification of AOC concentration in seawater. The method is based on the quantification of the bioluminescence response of the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri MJ-1. Compared to previous methods, this new V. fischeri method was rapid (within 1 h), sensitive (detection limit = 0.1 µg-C glucose equivalents/L) and highly suitable for seawater samples. V. fischeri method was evaluated using real seawater samples. The results showed positive reproductive AOC values. The new V. fischeri AOC method developed has a highly promising potential to be practically adopted as a rapid indicator of AOC concentration and hence biofouling potential of influent marine water.
Jessop, TS, Letnic, M, Webb, JK & Dempster, T 2013, 'Adrenocortical stress responses influence an invasive vertebrate's fitness in an extreme environment', PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, vol. 280, no. 1768, pp. 1-9.
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Continued range expansion into physiologically challenging environments requires invasive species to maintain adaptive phenotypic performance. The adrenocortical stress response, governed in part by glucocorticoid hormones, influences physiological and behavioural responses of vertebrates to environmental stressors. However, any adaptive role of this response in invasive populations that are expanding into extreme environments is currently unclear. We experimentally manipulated the adrenocortical stress response of invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) to investigate its effect on phenotypic performance and fitness at the species' range front in the Tanami Desert, Australia. Here, toads are vulnerable to overheating and dehydration during the annual hotdry season and display elevated plasma corticosterone levels indicative of severe environmental stress. By comparing unmanipulated control toads with toads whose adrenocortical stress response was manipulated to increase acute physiological stress responsiveness, we found that control toads had significantly reduced daily evaporative water loss and higher survival relative to the experimental animals. The adrenocortical stress response hence appears essential in facilitating complex phenotypic performance and setting fitness trajectories of individuals from invasive species during range expansion.
Johnson, A, Archer, M, Leigh-Shaw, L, Brown, M, O’Donnell, C & Wallman, J 2013, 'Non-invasive visualisation and volume estimation of maggot masses using computed tomography scanning', International Journal of Legal Medicine, vol. 127, no. 1, pp. 185-194.
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Johnson, AP, Mikac, KM & Wallman, JF 2013, 'Thermogenesis in decomposing carcasses', Forensic Science International, vol. 231, no. 1-3, pp. 271-277.
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Jones, K, Benson, S & Roux, C 2013, 'The forensic analysis of office paper using carbon isotope ratio mass spectrometry – Part 1: Understanding the background population and homogeneity of paper for the comparison and discrimination of samples', Forensic Science International, vol. 231, no. 1-3, pp. 354-363.
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Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) has been shown to be a useful tool in the comparison of materials that are chemically identical either through man-made production processes or for materials that have been naturally produced. Paper therefore, is an ideal material for this type of measurement given that it is manufactured from a naturally produced product that can be difficult to discriminate based on physical feature comparison alone. To determine whether carbon isotopes are useful for discriminating document papers, 125 samples from Australia and New Zealand were collected over a 24-month period. When measured, a range of 8 was observed. A homogeneity study was undertaken to examine the range of values expected from paper sources including single sheets, single reams and multiple reams from the same brand. These results can also be used to suggest how best to sample from these different sources. After characterizing the natural variation of the material, a range of 1 was defined for use as a benchmark for discrimination. Utilizing this threshold, 68% of the 125 collected samples (when paired against each other) could be discriminated using the carbon isotope abundances alone. Additionally, correlation was observed when measured values were plotted against their production region of origin.
Jones, K, Benson, S & Roux, C 2013, 'The forensic analysis of office paper using carbon isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Part 3: Characterizing the source materials and the effect of production and usage on the δ13C values of paper', Forensic Science International, vol. 233, no. 1-3, pp. 355-364.
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When undertaking any study of the isotope abundance values of a bulk material, consideration should be given to the source materials and how they are combined to reach the final product being measured. While it is demonstrative to measure and record the values of clean papers, such as the results published as part one of this series, the majority of forensic casework samples would have undergone some form of writing or printing process prior to examination. Understanding the effects of these processes on the d13C values of paper is essential for interpretation and comparison with clean samples, for example in cases where printed documents need to be compared to paper from an unprinted suspect ream. This study was undertaken so that the source materials, the effects of the production process and the effects of printing and forensic testing could be observed with respect to 80 gsm white office papers. Samples were taken sequentially from the paper production facility at the Australian Paper Mill (Maryvale, VIC). These samples ranged from raw wood chips through the pulping, whitening and refinement steps to the final formed and packed paper. Cellulose was extracted from each sample to observe both fractionation and mixing steps and their effect on the d13C values. Overall, the mixing steps were observed to have a larger effect on the isotopic values of the bulk materials than any potential fractionation. Printing of papers using toner and inkjet printing processes and forensic testing were observed to have little effect on d13C.
Jones, K, Benson, S & Roux, C 2013, 'The forensic analysis of office paper using carbon isotope ratio mass spectrometry—Part 2: Method development, validation and sample handling', Forensic Science International, vol. 231, no. 1-3, pp. 364-374.
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This paper describes the development and validation of a method for the analysis of office papers by measuring carbon isotopes using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). The method development phase included testing protocols for storage, sample materials, set-up of the analytical run; and examining the effects of other paper examination procedures on IRMS results. A method validation was performed so that the Deltaplus XP IRMS instrument (Thermo Finnigan, Bremen, Germany) with Flash EA 1112 could be used to measure document paper samples for forensic casework. A validation protocol that would meet international standards for laboratory accreditation (international standard ISO 17025) was structured so that the instruments performance characteristics could be observed. All performance characteristics measured were found to be within an acceptable range and an expanded measurement uncertainty for the measurement of carbon isotopes in paper was calculated at 0.26, with a coverage factor of 2. This method was utilized in a large-scale study, published as part one of this series, that showed that IRMS of document papers is useful as a chemical comparison technique for 80 gsm white office papers
Jones, PM & George, AM 2013, 'Mechanism of the ABC transporter ATPase domains: catalytic models and the biochemical and biophysical record', Critical Reviews in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 39-50.
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ABC transporters comprise a large, diverse, and ubiquitous superfamily of membrane active transporters. Their core architecture is a dimer of dimers, comprising two transmembrane domains that bind substrate and form the channel, and two ATP-binding cassettes, which bind and hydrolyze ATP to energize the translocase function. The prevailing paradigm for the ABC transport mechanism is the Switch Model, in which the nucleotide binding domains are proposed to dimerise upon binding of two ATP molecules, and thence dissociate upon sequential hydrolysis of the ATP. This idea appears consistent with crystal structures of both isolated subunits and whole transporters, as well as with a significant body of biochemical data. Nonetheless, an alternative Constant Contact Model has been proposed, in which the nucleotide binding domains do not fully dissociate, and ATP hydrolysis occurs alternately at each of the two active sites. Here, we review the biochemical and biophysical data relating to the ABC catalytic mechanism, to show how they may be construed as consistent with a Constant Contact Model, and to assess to what extent they support the Switch Model.
Jones, PM, Curmi, PMG, Valenzuela, SM & George, AM 2013, 'Computational Analysis of the Soluble Form of the Intracellular Chloride Ion Channel Protein CLIC1', BioMed Research International, vol. 2013, pp. 1-14.
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The chloride intracellular channel (CLIC) family of proteins has the remarkable property of maintaining both a soluble form and an integral membrane form acting as an ion channel. The soluble form is structurally related to the glutathione-S-transferase family, and CLIC can covalently bind glutathione via an active site cysteine. We report approximately 0.6 μs of molecular dynamics simulations, encompassing the three possible ligand-bound states of CLIC1, using the structure of GSH-bound human CLIC1. Noncovalently bound GSH was rapidly released from the protein, whereas the covalently ligand-bound protein remained close to the starting structure over 0.25 μs of simulation. In the unliganded state, conformational changes in the vicinity of the glutathione-binding site resulted in reduced reactivity of the active site thiol. Elastic network analysis indicated that the changes in the unliganded state are intrinsic to the protein architecture and likely represent functional transitions. Overall, our results are consistent with a model of CLIC function in which covalent binding of glutathione does not occur spontaneously but requires interaction with another protein to stabilise the GSH binding site and/or transfer of the ligand. The results do not indicate how CLIC1 undergoes a radical conformational change to form a transmembrane chloride channel but further elucidate the mechanism by which CLICs are redox controlled.
Kabakova, IV, Pant, R, Choi, D-Y, Debbarma, S, Luther-Davies, B, Madden, SJ & Eggleton, BJ 2013, 'Narrow linewidth Brillouin laser based on chalcogenide photonic chip', OPTICS LETTERS, vol. 38, no. 17, pp. 3208-3211.
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We present the first demonstration of a narrow linewidth, waveguide-based
Brillouin laser which is enabled by large Brillouin gain of a chalcogenide
chip. The waveguides are equipped with vertical tapers for low loss coupling.
Due to optical feedback for the Stokes wave, the lasing threshold is reduced to
360 mW, which is 5 times lower than the calculated single-pass Brillouin
threshold for the same waveguide. The slope efficiency of the laser is found to
be 30% and the linewidth of 100 kHz is measured using a self-heterodyne method.
Kaemper, W, Webb, JK, Crowther, MS, Greenlees, MJ & Shine, R 2013, 'Behaviour and survivorship of a dasyurid predator (Antechinus flavipes) in response to encounters with the toxic and invasive cane toad (Rhinella marina)', AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 136-143.
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Australia's biogeographical isolation has rendered many endemic species vulnerable to invaders. The recent spread of the cane toad (Rhinella marina) has caused serious population declines for some predatory reptile and mammal species. To determine a priori whether or not cane toad poisoning endangers native species, we can test the fates of predators in laboratory trials. We investigated whether an Australian marsupial whose range is increasingly being occupied by cane toads (the yellow-footed antechinus, Antechinus flavipes) is at risk of toad poisoning by testing (1) whether yellow-footed antechinuses approach or attack cane toads and, if so, whether they die as a result; and (2) if they survive, whether they then learn to avoid toads in subsequent encounters. We also investigated the effects of sympatry with toads on the feeding response. In all, 58% of antechinuses from eastern New South Wales approached or attacked a toad (over 4 or 5 opportunities to do so, on successive nights), and none showed ill effects after doing so. Antechinuses that attacked (killed or ingested) toads rapidly learnt to avoid them. Antechinuses from toad-exposed populations ingested more toad flesh, but otherwise reacted in the same ways as did conspecifics from toad-free areas. Hence, the yellow-footed antechinus is unlikely to face population declines via toad poisoning.
Karagiannidis, LE, Hiscock, JR & Gale, PA 2013, 'The influence of stereochemistry on anion binding and transport', Supramolecular Chemistry, vol. 25, no. 9-11, pp. 626-630.
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Kardaras, C & Platen, E 2013, 'MULTIPLICATIVE APPROXIMATION OF WEALTH PROCESSES INVOLVING NO-SHORT-SALES STRATEGIES VIA SIMPLE TRADING', MATHEMATICAL FINANCE, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 579-590.
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A financial market model with general semimartingale asset-price processes and where agents can only trade using no-short-sales strategies is considered. We show that wealth processes using continuous trading can be approximated very closely by wealth processes using simple combinations of buy-and-hold trading. This approximation is based on controlling the proportions of wealth invested in the assets. As an application, the utility maximization problem is considered and it is shown that optimal expected utilities and wealth processes resulting from continuous trading can be approximated arbitrarily well by the use of simple combinations of buy-and-hold strategies.
Keast, VJ, Zwan, B, Supansomboon, S, Cortie, MB & Persson, POA 2013, 'AuAl2 and PtAl2 as potential plasmonic materials', JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS, vol. 577, no. 1, pp. 581-586.
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The dielectric functions of PtAl2, AuAl2 and hypothetical intermediate alloys of the two in the form of AuxPt1-xAl2 were calculated from first principles using density functional theory (DFT) and the random phase approximation (RPA). From these, the refl
Keglowich, L, Roth, M, Philippova, M, Resink, T, Tjin, G, Oliver, B, Lardinois, D, Dessus-Babus, S, Gosens, R, Hostettler Haack, K, Tamm, M & Borger, P 2013, 'Bronchial Smooth Muscle Cells of Asthmatics Promote Angiogenesis through Elevated Secretion of CXC-Chemokines (ENA-78, GRO-α, and IL-8)', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 12, pp. e81494-e81494.
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Background: Airway wall remodelling is a key pathology of asthma. It includes thickening of the airway wall, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of bronchial smooth muscle cells (BSMC), as well as an increased vascularity of the sub-epithelial cell layer. BSMC a
Kelaher, BP, Van Den Broek, J, York, PH, Bishop, MJ & Booth, DJ 2013, 'Positive responses of a seagrass ecosystem to experimental nutrient enrichment', MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES, vol. 487, no. 1, pp. 15-25.
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Nutrient enrichment of coastal waters is widely recognized as a major driver of seagrass decline. Under conditions where seagrasses are nutrient-limited, however, moderately elevated nutrient loads can enhance seagrass biomass and increase above- and below-ground consumers that support higher order predators. To improve understanding of bottom-up processes in seagrass ecosystems, we conducted a manipulative field experiment to simultaneously evaluate the responses of primary producers (seagrass and epiphytes) and the epiphyte- and the sediment-based components of seagrass food webs to moderate and high levels of waterborne nutrients. Fifteen 7 m2 sites in Zostera muelleri meadows were assigned randomly to control, moderate or high nutrient treatments and were enriched with 0, 1800 g and 3600 g respectively of slow-release fertilizer in above-ground dispensers. The experiment ran for 9 mo (August 2006 to April 2007) and the fertilizer was replaced every 2 mo to ensure continuous enrichment. The biomass of primary producers (seagrasses Z. muelleri, Halophila ovalis and associated epiphytes) and the abundance of predators in the epiphyte- and the sediment-based components of the food web were greater in nutrient-enriched treatments than in controls. Epiphyte grazers, deposit feeders/detritivores, suspension feeders and benthic grazers did not respond significantly to the nutrient enrichment. In general, responses to nutrient enrichment were similar for medium and high nutrient treatments except that the biomass and surface area of seagrass was greater in high enrichment sites. These results demonstrate that Z. muelleri-dominated seagrass meadows in oligotrophic systems may be resilient to greater nutrient loads. Effective conservation strategies for Z. muelleri meadows should continue to consider interactions among nutrient enrichment and other key anthropogenic stressors, particularly non-nutrient pollutants in runoff and sewage discharge.
Keltie, SM, Gale, PA, Light, ME & Tromp, M 2013, 'A linear rod-packing coordination polymer constructed from a non-linear dicarboxylate and the [Zn4O]6+ cluster', Journal of Coordination Chemistry, vol. 66, no. 17, pp. 3058-3062.
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Kendig, MD, Rooney, KB, Corbit, LH & Boakes, RA 2013, 'Comparison of the behavioral and metabolic effects of chronic 10% sucrose drink consumption in Albino and Hooded Wistar rats', Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, vol. 7, pp. e110-e111.
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Kennard, JE, Hadden, JP, Marseglia, L, Aharonovich, I, Castelletto, S, Patton, BR, Politi, A, Matthews, JCF, Sinclair, AG, Gibson, BC, Prawer, S, Rarity, JG & O'Brien, JL 2013, 'On-Chip Manipulation of Single Photons from a Diamond Defect', PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, vol. 111, no. 21.
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Khachadorian, S, Papagelis, K, Ogata, K, Hofmann, S, Phillips, MR & Thomsen, C 2013, 'Elastic Properties of Crystalline-Amorphous Core-Shell Silicon Nanowires', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, vol. 117, no. 8, pp. 4219-4226.
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The pressure behavior of Raman frequencies and line widths of crystalline core-amorphous shell silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with two different core-to-shell ratio thicknesses was studied at pressures up to 8 GPa. The obtained isothermal compressibility (bulk modulus) of SiNWs with a core-to-shell ratio of about 1.8 is 20% higher (lower) than reported values for bulk Si. For SiNWs with smaller core-to-shell ratios, a plastic deformation of the shell was observed together with a strain relaxation. A significant increase in the full width at half-maximum of the Raman LTO-peak due to phonon decay was used to determine the critical pressure at which LTO-phonons decay into LO + TA phonons. Our results reveal that this critical pressure in strained coreshell SiNWs (4 GPa) is different from the reported value for bulk Si (7 GPa), whereas no change is observed for relaxed coreshell SiNWs
Khaw, LT, Ball, HJ, Golenser, J, Combes, V, Grau, GE, Wheway, J, Mitchell, AJ & Hunt, NH 2013, 'Endothelial Cells Potentiate Interferon-γ Production in a Novel Tripartite Culture Model of Human Cerebral Malaria', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 7, pp. e69521-e69521.
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Kim, JJY, Tan, Y, Xiao, L, Sun, Y-L & Qu, X 2013, 'Green Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Enhance Glycogen Synthesis and Inhibit Lipogenesis in Hepatocytes', BioMed Research International, vol. 2013, pp. 1-8.
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The beneficial effects of green tea polyphenols (GTP) against metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes by suppressing appetite and nutrient absorption have been well reported. However the direct effects and mechanisms of GTP on glucose and lipid metabolism remain to be elucidated. Since the liver is an important organ involved in glucose and lipid metabolism, we examined the effects and mechanisms of GTP on glycogen synthesis and lipogenesis in HepG2 cells. Concentrations of GTP containing 68% naturally occurring (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) were incubated in HepG2 cells with high glucose (30 mM) under 100 nM of insulin stimulation for 24 h. GTP enhanced glycogen synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. 10 μM of EGCG significantly increased glycogen synthesis by 2fold (P<0.05) compared with insulin alone. Western blotting revealed that phosphorylation of Ser9 glycogen synthase kinase 3βand Ser641 glycogen synthase was significantly increased in GTP-treated HepG2 cells compared with nontreated cells. 10 μM of EGCG also significantly inhibited lipogenesis (P<0.01). We further demonstrated that this mechanism involves enhanced expression of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinaseαand acetyl-CoA carboxylase in HepG2 cells. Our results showed that GTP is capable of enhancing insulin-mediated glucose and lipid metabolism by regulating enzymes involved in glycogen synthesis and lipogenesis.
Kim, SB, Paudel, KR & Kim, DW 2013, 'Preventive Effect of Traditional Korean Formulations on Intimal Thickening of Rat Carotid Artery Injured by Balloon Catheter', Korean Journal of Plant Resources, vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 678-685.
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Kimizuka, H, Fronzi, M & Ogata, S 2013, 'Effect of alloying elements on in-plane ordering and disordering of solute clusters in Mg-based long-period stacking ordered structures: A first-principles analysis', Scripta Materialia, vol. 69, no. 8, pp. 594-597.
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Kirby, IL, Brightwell, M, Pitak, MB, Sparkes, HA, Wenzel, M, Wilson, C, Coles, SJ & Gale, PA 2013, 'Structural systematics of anion–receptor complexes: insights from electron-density distributions', Acta Crystallographica Section A Foundations of Crystallography, vol. 69, no. a1, pp. s418-s418.
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Kirby, IL, Brightwell, M, Pitak, MB, Sparkes, HA, Wenzel, M, Wilson, C, Coles, SJ & Gale, PA 2013, 'Structural systematics of anion–receptor complexes: insights from electron-density distributions', Acta Crystallographica Section A Foundations of Crystallography, vol. 69, no. a1, pp. s93-s93.
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Kirby, IL, Pitak, MB, Wenzel, M, Wilson, C, Sparkes, HA, Coles, SJ & Gale, PA 2013, 'Systematic structural analysis of a series of anion receptor complexes', CrystEngComm, vol. 15, no. 44, pp. 9003-9003.
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Koilraj, P, Antonyraj, CA, Gupta, V, Reddy, CRK & Kannan, S 2013, 'Novel approach for selective phosphate removal using colloidal layered double hydroxide nanosheets and use of residue as fertilizer', Applied Clay Science, vol. 86, pp. 111-118.
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Kopp, C, Pernice, M, Domart-Coulon, I, Djediat, C, Spangenberg, JE, Alexander, DTL, Hignette, M, Meziane, T & Meibom, A 2013, 'Highly Dynamic Cellular-Level Response of Symbiotic Coral to a Sudden Increase in Environmental Nitrogen', mBio, vol. 4, no. 3.
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ABSTRACT
Metabolic interactions with endosymbiotic photosynthetic dinoflagellate
Symbiodinium
spp. are fundamental to reef-building corals (Scleractinia) thriving in nutrient-poor tropical seas. Yet, detailed understanding at the single-cell level of nutrient assimilation, translocation, and utilization within this fundamental symbiosis is lacking. Using pulse-chase
15
N labeling and quantitative ion microprobe isotopic imaging (NanoSIMS; nanoscale secondary-ion mass spectrometry), we visualized these dynamic processes in tissues of the symbiotic coral
Pocillopora damicornis
at the subcellular level. Assimilation of ammonium, nitrate, and aspartic acid resulted in rapid incorporation of nitrogen into uric acid crystals (after ~45 min), forming temporary N storage sites within the dinoflagellate endosymbionts. Subsequent intracellular remobilization of this metabolite was accompanied by translocation of nitrogenous compounds to the coral host, starting at ~6 h. Within the coral tissue, nitrogen is utilized in specific cellular compartments in all four epithelia, including mucus chambers, Golgi bodies, and vesicles in calicoblastic cells. Our study shows how nitrogen-limited symbiotic corals take advantage of sudden changes in nitrogen availability; this opens new perspectives for functional studies of nutrient storage and remobilization in microbial symbioses in changing reef environments.
IMPORTANCE
The methodology applied, combining transmission electron microscopy with nanoscale secondary-ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) imaging of coral tissue labeled with stable isotope tracers, allows quantification and submicrometric localization of metabolic fluxes in an intact symbiosis. ...
Korbel, KL, Hancock, PJ, Serov, P, Lim, RP & Hose, GC 2013, 'Groundwater Ecosystems Vary with Land Use across a Mixed Agricultural Landscape', JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 380-390.
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Changes in surface land use may threaten groundwater quality and ecosystem integrity, particularly in shallow aquifers where links between groundwater and surface activities are most intimate. In this study we examine the response of groundwater ecosystem to agricultural land uses in the shallow alluvial aquifer of the Gwydir River valley, New South Wales, Australia. We compared groundwater quality and microbial and stygofauna assemblages among sites under irrigated cropping, non-irrigated cropping and grazing land uses. Stygofauna abundance and richness was greatest at irrigated sites, with the composition of the assemblage suggestive of disturbance. Microbial assemblages and water quality also varied with land use. Our study demonstrates significant differences in the composition of groundwater ecosystems in areas with different surface land use, and highlights the utility of groundwater biota for biomonitoring, particularly in agricultural landscapes.
Korbel, KL, Lim, RP & Hose, GC 2013, 'An inter-catchment comparison of groundwater biota in the cotton-growing region of north-western New South Wales', CROP & PASTURE SCIENCE, vol. 64, no. 11-12, pp. 1195-1208.
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Groundwater is essential to crop production in many parts of the world, and the provision of clean groundwater is dependent on healthy groundwater ecosystems. To understand better the functioning of groundwater ecosystems, it is necessary to understand h
Kraemer, WE, Schrameyer, V, Hill, R, Ralph, PJ & Bischof, K 2013, 'PSII activity and pigment dynamics of Symbiodinium in two Indo-Pacific corals exposed to short-term high-light stress', MARINE BIOLOGY, vol. 160, no. 3, pp. 563-577.
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This study examined the capacity for photoprotection and repair of photo-inactivated photosystem II in the same Symbiodinium clade associated with two coexisting coral species during high-light stress in order to test for the modulation of the symbionts photobiological response by the coral host. After 4 days exposure to in situ irradiance, symbionts of the bleaching-sensitive Pocillopora damicornis showed rapid synthesis of photoprotective pigments (by 44 %) and strongly enhanced rates of xanthophyll cycling (by 446 %) while being insufficient to prevent photoinhibition (sustained loss in F v/F m at night) and loss of symbionts after 4 days. By contrast, Pavona decussata showed no significant changes in F v/F m, symbiont density or xanthophyll cycling. Given the association with the same Symbiodinium clade in both coral species, our findings suggest that symbionts in the two species examined may experience different in hospite light conditions as a result of different biometric properties of the coral host.
Krug, LA, Gherardi, DFM, Stech, JL, Leão, ZMAN, Kikuchi, RKP, Hruschka, ER & Suggett, DJ 2013, 'The construction of causal networks to estimate coral bleaching intensity', Environmental Modelling & Software, vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 157-167.
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Current metrics for predicting bleaching episodes, e.g. NOAA's Coral Reef Watch Program, do not seem to apply well to Brazil's marginal reefs located in Bahia state and alternative predictive approaches must be sought for effective long term management.
Kumar, M, Reddy, CRK & Jha, B 2013, 'The ameliorating effect of Acadian marine plant extract against ionic liquids-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage in marine macroalga Ulva lactuca', Journal of Applied Phycology, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 369-378.
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Ionic liquids (ILs) are generally considered as the green replacement for conventional volatile organic solvents. Nonetheless, their high solubility in water with proven toxic effects on aquatic biota has questioned their green credentials. In the present study, the detoxification potential of Acadian marine plant extract powder (AMPEP) prepared from the brown alga Ascophyllum nodosum was investigated against the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide [C12mim]Br ionic liquid-induced toxicity and oxidative stress in marine macroalga Ulva lactuca. The IL ([C12mim]Br) at LC50 (70 μM) exposure triggered the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as O 2 ·− , H2O2 and OH· causing membrane and DNA damage together with inhibition of antioxidant systems in the alga. The supplementation of AMPEP (150 μg mL−1) to the culture medium significantly reduced the accumulation of ROS and lipid peroxidation together with the inhibition of lipoxygenase (LOX) activity specially LOX-2 and LOX-3 isoforms. This is for the first time wherein comet assay was performed to ascertain the protective role of AMPEP against DNA damage in algal tissue grown in medium supplemented with IL and AMPEP. The AMPEP showed protective role against DNA damage (5–45 % tail DNA) when compared to those of grown in IL alone (45–70 % tail DNA). Further, specific isomorphs of different antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD-1, ~150 kDa), ascorbate peroxidase (APX-4, ~55 kDa), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px-2, ~55 kDa) and glutathione reductase (GR-1, ~180 kDa) responded specifically to AMPEP supplementation. It is evident from these findings that AMPEP could possibly be used for circumventing the negative effects arising from ILs-induced toxicity in marine ecosystem.
Kumar, P, Mehta, M, Satija, S & Garg, M 2013, 'Enzymatic in vitro Anti-diabetic Activity of Few Traditional Indian Medicinal Plants', Journal of Biological Sciences, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 540-544.
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Controlling post-prandial hyperglycaemia through enzymatic inhibition of starch degradation is an effective therapeutic approach in the management of diabetes mellitus. To achieve this, twelve indigenous antidiabetic Indian medicinal plants such as Trigonella foenum-graecum, Ocimum sanctum, Aegle marmelos, Plantago ovata, Catharanthus roseus, Alium cepa, Azadirachta indica, Aloe vera, Magnifera indica, Terminalia chebula, Eugenia jambolana and Linum usitatisumum were subjected to sequential solvent extraction and thereafter, 48 fractions were screened for their a-amylase inhibitory potential at three dosage levels in vitro. Out of the 144 samples, Eugenia jambolana water extract showed maximum a-amylase inhibitory activity with IC50 value 1.33 mg mL-1 in comparison with standard drug acarbose (IC50 value 0.86 mg inL-1). Quantitative phytochemical analysis of the lead extract revealed the presence of phenolic content as 69.68 mg tannic acid equivalent g-1 while flavonoidal content as 57.39 mg rutin equivalent g-1. Present study indicated Eugenia jambolana as a potential a-amylase inhibitor in the management of diabetes. © 2013 Asian Network for Scientific Information.
Kutty, SK, Barraud, N, Pham, A, Iskander, G, Rice, SA, Black, DS & Kumar, N 2013, 'Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Fimbrolide–Nitric Oxide Donor Hybrids as Antimicrobial Agents', Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, vol. 56, no. 23, pp. 9517-9529.
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Kuzhiumparambil, U & Fu, S 2013, 'Effect of hydrogen peroxide oxidation systems on human urinary steroid profiles', ANALYTICAL METHODS, vol. 5, no. 17, pp. 4402-4408.
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In sports drug testing the steroid profile is the most versatile and informative screening tool for the detection of steroid abuse. Despite the introduction of observed urine collection procedures by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), chemical manipulation of urine specimens by athletes to conceal drug use still occurs and poses an ongoing challenge for doping control laboratories worldwide. In vitro urine adulteration using highly oxidative chemicals have been reported several times in the past. In this study we report the effect of two oxidising agents, Fenton's reagent and peroxidaseperoxide system on the human urinary steroid profile. Varying concentrations of these oxidants were reacted with urine and the reactions monitored by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A significant decrease in the absolute concentrations of androsterone, etiocholanolone, 5a-androstane-3a,17ß-diol, 5ß-androstane-3a,17ß-diol and epitestosterone was observed with consequent alteration of the steroid profile ratios. Adulteration of urine sample with these oxidants can thus mask the abnormality in a steroidal profile following steroid abuse. Drug testing authorities should take into account the effects of these oxidizing adulterants while interpreting the steroid profile data for doping control purposes.
Kuzhiumparambil, U & Fu, S 2013, 'Effect of oxidizing adulterants on human urinary steroid profiles', STEROIDS, vol. 78, no. 2, pp. 288-296.
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Steroid profiling is the most versatile and informative technique adapted by doping control laboratories for detection of steroid abuse. The absolute concentrations and ratios of endogenous steroids including testosterone, epitestosterone, androsterone, etiocholanolone, 5a-androstane-3a,17ß-diol and 5ß-androstane-3a,17ß-diol constitute the significant characteristics of a steroid profile. In the present study we report the influence of various oxidizing adulterants on the steroid profile of human urine. Gas chromatographymass spectrometry analysis was carried out to develop the steroid profile of human male and female urine. Oxidants potassium nitrite, sodium hypochlorite, potassium permanganate, cerium ammonium nitrate, sodium metaperiodate, pyridinium chlorochromate, potassium dichromate and potassium perchlorate were reacted with urine at various concentrations and conditions and the effect of these oxidants on the steroid profile were analyzed. Most of the oxidizing chemicals led to significant changes in endogenous steroid profile parameters which were considered stable under normal conditions. These oxidizing chemicals can cause serious problems regarding the interpretation of steroid profiles and have the potential to act as masking agents that can complicate or prevent the detection of the steroid abuse
Lai, S, Yang, Z, Wang, R, Wu, H, Liao, J, Qiu, J, Song, Z, Yang, Y & Zhou, D 2013, 'Preparation and blue–white luminescence properties of Bi3+-doped Ba5SiO4Cl6', Journal of Materials Science, vol. 48, no. 24, pp. 8566-8570.
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Lai, W, Tang, D, Fu, L, Que, X, Zhuang, J & Chen, G 2013, 'A squaric acid-stimulated electrocatalytic reaction for sensing biomolecules with cycling signal amplification', Chemical Communications, vol. 49, no. 42, pp. 4761-4761.
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Lambropoulos, NA, Reimers, JR, Crossley, MJ, Hush, NS & Silverbrook, K 2013, 'A multiscale simulation technique for molecular electronics: design of a directed self-assembled molecular n-bit shift register memory device', NANOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 24, no. 50.
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A general method useful in molecular electronics design is developed that integrates modelling on the nano-scale (using quantum-chemical software) and on the micro-scale (using finite-element methods). It is applied to the design of an n-bit shift register memory that could conceivably be built using accessible technologies. To achieve this, the entire complex structure of the device would be built to atomic precision using feedback-controlled lithography to provide atomic-level control of silicon devices, controlled wet-chemical synthesis of molecular insulating pillars above the silicon, and controlled wet-chemical self-assembly of modular molecular devices to these pillars that connect to external metal electrodes (leads). The shift register consists of n connected cells that read data from an input electrode, pass it sequentially between the cells under the control of two external clock electrodes, and deliver it finally to an output device. The proposed cells are trimeric oligoporphyrin units whose internal states are manipulated to provide functionality, covalently connected to other cells via dipeptide linkages. Signals from the clock electrodes are conveyed by oligoporphyrin molecular wires, and mu-oxo porphyrin insulating columns are used as the supporting pillars. The developed multiscale modelling technique is applied to determine the characteristics of this molecular device, with in particular utilization of the inverted region for molecular electron-transfer processes shown to facilitate latching and control using exceptionally low energy costs per logic operation compared to standard CMOS shift register technology.
Lang, JM, Darling, AE & Eisen, JA 2013, 'Phylogeny of Bacterial and Archaeal Genomes Using Conserved Genes: Supertrees and Supermatrices', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 1-15.
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Over 3000 microbial (bacterial and archaeal) genomes have been made publically available to date, providing an unprecedented opportunity to examine evolutionary genomic trends and offering valuable reference data for a variety of other studies such as me
Langford, NK 2013, 'Errors in quantum tomography: diagnosing systematic versus statistical errors', New Journal of Physics, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 035003-035003.
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Lapine, M, Krylova, AK, Belov, PA, Poulton, CG, McPhedran, RC & Kivshar, YS 2013, 'Broadband diamagnetism in anisotropic metamaterials', PHYSICAL REVIEW B, vol. 87, no. 2, pp. 1-7.
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We discuss the strategy for achieving the values of the effective magnetic permeability much smaller than unity by employing an appropriate arrangement of metamaterial elements (meta-atoms). We demonstrate that strong diamagnetism over a very wide frequency range can be realized in metamaterials by employing nonresonant elements with deeply subwavelength dimensions. We analyze the effect of the lattice parameters on the diamagnetic response and find that selecting an appropriate lattice type is crucial for optimal performance. Finally, we discuss the optimal characteristics required to obtain the lowest possible values of magnetic permeability and point out an efficient tuning possibility.
Latham, SL, Chaponnier, C, Dugina, V, Couraud, P, Grau, GER & Combes, V 2013, 'Cooperation between β‐ and γ‐cytoplasmic actins in the mechanical regulation of endothelial microparticle formation', The FASEB Journal, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 672-683.
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Lau, N-SS, Gorrie, CA, Chia, JY, Bilston, LE & Clarke, EC 2013, 'Severity of Spinal Cord Injury in Adult and Infant Rats after Vertebral Dislocation Depends upon Displacement but not Speed', JOURNAL OF NEUROTRAUMA, vol. 30, no. 15, pp. 1361-1373.
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Spinal cord injury (SCI) is less common in children than in adults, but in children it is generally more severe. Spinal loading conditions (speed and displacement) are also thought to affect SCI severity, but the relationship between these parameters is not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the effects of vertebral speed and displacement on the severity of SCI in infants and adults using a rodent model of vertebral dislocation. Thoracolumbar vertebral dislocation was induced in anaesthetized infant rats (~30?g, 13-15 days postnatal, n=40) and adult rats (~250?g, n=57). The 12th thoracic vertebra was secured, whereas the first lumbar vertebra was dislocated laterally. Dislocation speed and magnitude were varied independently and scaled between adults and infants (Adults: 100-250mm/s, 4-10mm; Infants: 40-100mm/s, 1.6-4mm). At 5?h post-injury, rats were euthanized and spinal cords harvested. Spinal cord sections were stained to detect hemorrhage (hematoxylin and eosin) and axonal injury (ß-amyloid precursor protein). For each millimeter increase in vertebral displacement, normalized hemorrhage volume increased by 1.9×10(-3) mm(3) (p=0.028) and normalized area of axonal injury increased by 2.2×10(-1)mm(2) (p<0.001). Normalized hemorrhage volume was 3.3×10(-3) mm(3) greater for infants than for adults (p<0.001). Magnitude of dislocation was found to have a different effect on the normalized area of axonal injury in adults than in infants (p=0.003). Speed of dislocation was not found to have a significant effect on normalized hemorrhage volume (p=0.427) or normalized area of axonal injury (p=0.726) independent of displacement for the range of speeds tested. The findings of this study suggest that both age and amount of spinal motion are key factors in the severity of acute SCI
Laucht, A, Kalra, R, Muhonen, JT, Dehollain, JP, Mohiyaddin, FA, Hudson, F, McCallum, JC, Jamieson, DN, Dzurak, AS & Morello, A 2013, 'High-fidelity adiabatic inversion of a $^{31}\mathrm{P}$ electron spin qubit in natural silicon', APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, vol. 104, no. 9.
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The main limitation to the high-fidelity quantum control of spins in
semiconductors is the presence of strongly fluctuating fields arising from the
nuclear spin bath of the host material. We demonstrate here a substantial
improvement in single-qubit gate fidelities for an electron spin qubit bound to
a $^{31}$P atom in natural silicon, by applying adiabatic inversion instead of
narrow-band pulses. We achieve an inversion fidelity of 97%, and we observe
signatures in the spin resonance spectra and the spin coherence time that are
consistent with the presence of an additional exchange-coupled donor. This work
highlights the effectiveness of adiabatic inversion techniques for spin control
in fluctuating environments.
Lawrence, FJ, de Sterke, CM, Botten, LC, McPhedran, RC & Dossou, KB 2013, 'Modeling photonic crystal interfaces and stacks: impedance-based approaches', ADVANCES IN OPTICS AND PHOTONICS, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 385-455.
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In many research areas, the reflective properties of a bulk medium are characterized by its impedance or an impedance-like quantity. Such a quantity is essential for the efficient design of stacked structures such as antireflection coatings and thin-film filters. For 2D photonic crystals and metamaterials, the literature contains multiple definitions of impedance, not all of which are consistent. We review these proposed definitions, evaluate their regions of applicability, and numerically test their accuracy in a variety of salient photonic crystal examples.
Lawrenz, E, Silsbe, G, Capuzzo, E, Ylöstalo, P, Forster, RM, Simis, SGH, Prášil, O, Kromkamp, JC, Hickman, AE, Moore, CM, Forget, M-H, Geider, RJ & Suggett, DJ 2013, 'Predicting the Electron Requirement for Carbon Fixation in Seas and Oceans', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. e58137-e58137.
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Marine phytoplankton account for about 50% of all global net primary productivity (NPP). Active fluorometry, mainly Fast Repetition Rate fluorometry (FRRf), has been advocated as means of providing high resolution estimates of NPP. However, not measuring
Lazenby, JJ, Griffin, PE, Kyd, J, Whitchurch, CB & Cooley, MA 2013, 'A Quadruple Knockout of lasIR and rhlIR of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 That Retains Wild-Type Twitching Motility Has Equivalent Infectivity and Persistence to PAO1 in a Mouse Model of Lung Infection', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 1-10.
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It has been widely reported that quorum-sensing incapable strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are less virulent than wild type strains. However, quorum sensing mutants of P. aeruginosa have been shown to develop other spontaneous mutations under prolonged culture conditions, and one of the phenotypes of P. aeruginosa that is frequently affected by this phenomenon is type IV pili-dependent motility, referred to as twitching motility. As twitching motility has been reported to be important for adhesion and colonisation, we aimed to generate a quorum-sensing knockout for which the heritage was recorded and the virulence factor production in areas unrelated to quorum sensing was known to be intact. We created a lasIRrhlIR quadruple knockout in PAO1 using a published technique that allows for the deletion of antibiotic resistance cartridges following mutagenesis, to create an unmarked QS knockout of PAO1, thereby avoiding the need for use of antibiotics in culturing, which can have subtle effects on bacterial phenotype. We phenotyped this mutant demonstrating that it produced reduced levels of protease and elastase, barely detectable levels of pyoverdin and undetectable levels of the quorum sensing signal molecules N-3-oxododecanoly-L-homoserine lactone and N-butyryl homoserine lactone, but retained full twitching motility. We then used a mouse model of acute lung infection with P. aeruginosa to demonstrate that the lasIRrhlIR knockout strain showed equal persistence to wild type parental PAO1, induced equal or greater neutrophil infiltration to the lungs, and induced similar levels of expression of inflammatory cytokines in the lungs and similar antibody responses, both in terms of magnitude and isotype. Our results suggest, in contrast to previous reports, that lack of quorum sensing alone does not significantly affect the immunogenicity, infectiveness and persistence of P. aeruginosa in a mouse model of acute lung infection
Le Brun, AP, Clifton, LA, Halbert, CE, Lin, B, Meron, M, Holden, PJ, Lakey, JH & Holt, SA 2013, 'Structural Characterization of a Model Gram-Negative Bacterial Surface Using Lipopolysaccharides from Rough Strains of Escherichia coli', Biomacromolecules, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 2014-2022.
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Lee, JC, Magyar, AP, Bracher, DO, Aharonovich, I & Hu, EL 2013, 'Fabrication of thin diamond membranes for photonic applications', DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 45-48.
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High quality, thin diamond membranes containing nitrogen-vacancy centers provide critical advantages in the fabrication of diamond-based structures for a variety of applications, including wide field magnetometry, photonics and biosensing. In this work we describe, in detail, the generation of thin, optically-active diamond membranes by means of ion implantation and overgrowth. To establish the suitability of our method for photonic applications, photonic crystal cavities with quality factor of 1000 are fabricated.
Lee, KWK, Arumugam, K, Purbojati, RW, Tay, QXM, Williams, RBH, Kjelleberg, S & Rice, SA 2013, 'Draft Genome Sequence of Klebsiella pneumoniae Strain KP-1', Genome Announcements, vol. 1, no. 6.
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ABSTRACT
Klebsiella pneumoniae
is ubiquitous in the environment and is a member of a three-species biofilm model. We compared the genome sequence of an environmental isolate,
K. pneumoniae
strain KP-1, to those of two clinical strains (NTUH-K2044 and MGH 78578). KP-1 possesses strain-specific prophage sequences that distinguish it from the clinical strains.
Lee, SH, Bae, K-H, Kim, GO, Nam, MH, Choi, YB, Kwon, H-M, Ryu, Y & Soh, K-S 2013, 'Primo Vascular System in the Lymph Vessel from the Inguinal to the Axillary Nodes', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2013, no. Article ID 472704, pp. 1-6.
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The primo vascular system (PVS) in a lymph system was observed mostly in large caliber ducts around the caudal vena cava of rabbits, rats, and mice. This required a severe surgery with laparectomy and massive removal of fat tissues in the abdomen to expose the lymph vessel. In the current brief report, we presented a new method to evade these shortcomings by observing the PVS in a less large caliber duct in the skin, that is, the lymph vessel from the inguinal to the axillary nodes. The Alcian blue injection into the inguinal node revealed the desired primo vessel in the target lymph vessel. This opened a new perspective for the investigation of the lymphatic PVS without severe damage to subject animals and for monitoring of the PVS in a long period of time.
Lek, A, Evesson, FJ, Lemckert, FA, Redpath, GMI, Lueders, A-K, Turnbull, L, Whitchurch, CB, North, KN & Cooper, ST 2013, 'Calpains, Cleaved Mini-Dysferlin(C72), and L-Type Channels Underpin Calcium-Dependent Muscle Membrane Repair', JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, vol. 33, no. 12, pp. 5085-5094.
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Dysferlin is proposed as a key mediator of calcium-dependent muscle membrane repair, although its precise role has remained elusive. Dysferlin interacts with a new membrane repair protein, mitsugumin 53 (MG53), an E3 ubiquitin ligase that shows rapid recruitment to injury sites. Using a novel ballistics assay in primary human myotubes, we show it is not full-length dysferlin recruited to sites of membrane injury but an injury-specific calpain-cleavage product, mini-dysferlin(C72). Mini-dysferlin(C72)-rich vesicles are rapidly recruited to injury sites and fuse with plasma membrane compartments decorated by MG53 in a process coordinated by L-type calcium channels. Collective interplay between activated calpains, dysferlin, and L-type channels explains how muscle cells sense a membrane injury and mount a specialized response in the unique local environment of a membrane injury. Mini-dysferlin(C72) and MG53 form an intricate lattice that intensely labels exposed phospholipids of injury sites, then infiltrates and stabilizes the membrane lesion during repair. Our results extend functional parallels between ferlins and synaptotagmins. Whereas otoferlin exists as long and short splice isoforms, dysferlin is subject to enzymatic cleavage releasing a synaptotagmin-like fragment with a specialized protein-or phospholipid-binding role for muscle membrane repair.
Lewis, J, Shimmon, R & Fu, S 2013, 'Pethidinic Acid: Corroboration of a Doctors Denial of Pethidine Re-Use', JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL TOXICOLOGY, vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 179-181.
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Pethidine (meperidine), a synthetic opiate, formally used as an analgesic in surgery and obstetrics, has been an abused drug of choice for some doctors. A case is presented in which a doctor, who previously admitted to using pethidine, was suspected of re-using, following a second positive urine test. A laboratory had reported the presence of pethidine in the doctor's urine; however, the doctor denied re-use. The norpethidine (normeperidine) metabolite, normally found in urine, had not been detected, raising concern over the laboratory's conclusion and necessitating an independent investigation. Because the major metabolite of pethidine is pethidinic acid (meperidinic acid), accounting for approximately 40% of the excreted dose, its presence or absence were deemed to be important criteria in interpreting the laboratory result. Pethidinic acid was synthesized by alkaline hydrolysis of pethidine and used as a control. Urine samples from a patient receiving pethidine for pain, from the previous pethidine use of the doctor, and the urine under question plus the control were analyzed for the presence of pethidinic acid using electrospray mass spectrometry. Pethidinic acid was found in all samples except the one under dispute. The absence of pethidinic acid appeared to corroborate the doctor's denial of re-use.
Li, CCY, Eaton, SA, Young, PE, Lee, M, Shuttleworth, R, Humphreys, DT, Grau, GE, Combes, V, Bebawy, M, Gong, J, Brammah, S, Buckland, ME & Suter, CM 2013, 'Glioma microvesicles carry selectively packaged coding and non-coding RNAs which alter gene expression in recipient cells', RNA BIOLOGY, vol. 10, no. 8, pp. 1333-1344.
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Interactions between glioma cells and their local environment are critical determinants of brain tumor growth, infiltration and neovascularisation. Communication with host cells and stroma via microvesicles represents one pathway by which tumors can modify their surroundings to achieve a tumor-permissive environment. Here we have taken an unbiased approach to identifying RNAs in glioma-derived microvesicles, and explored their potential to regulate gene expression in recipient cells. We find that glioma microvesicles are predominantly of exosomal origin and contain complex populations of coding and noncoding RNAs in proportions that are distinct from those in the cells from which they are derived. Microvesicles show a relative depletion in microRNA compared with their cells of origin, and are enriched in unusual or novel noncoding RNAs, most of which have no known function. Short-term exposure of brain microvascular endothelial cells to glioma microvesicles results in many gene expression changes in the endothelial cells, most of which cannot be explained by direct delivery of transcripts. Our data suggest that the scope of potential actions of tumor-derived microvesicles is much broader and more complex than previously supposed, and highlight a number of new classes of small RNA that remain to be characterized.
Li, JJ, Tay, HL, Plank, M, Essilfie, A-T, Hansbro, PM, Foster, PS & Yang, M 2013, 'Activation of Olfactory Receptors on Mouse Pulmonary Macrophages Promotes Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 Production', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 11, pp. e80148-e80148.
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Li, K, Wen, Larson, AC, Zhang, Z, Shen, Chen, Shi, X & Zhang 2013, 'Multifunctional dendrimer-based nanoparticles for in vivo MR/CT dual-modal molecular imaging of breast cancer', International Journal of Nanomedicine, vol. 8, pp. 2589-2589.
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Li, WX, Xu, X, De Silva, KSB, Xiang, FX & Dou, SX 2013, 'Graphene Micro-Substrate Induced High Electron-Phonon Coupling in MgB2', IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON APPLIED SUPERCONDUCTIVITY, vol. 23, no. 3.
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Li, X-H, McGrath, KCY, Tran, VH, Li, Y-M, Duke, CC, Roufogalis, BD & Heather, AK 2013, 'Attenuation of Proinflammatory Responses byS-[6]-Gingerol via Inhibition of ROS/NF-Kappa B/COX2 Activation in HuH7 Cells', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2013, pp. 1-8.
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Introduction. Hepatic inflammation underlies the pathogenesis of chronic diseases such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus.S-[6]-Gingerol has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. Important inflammatory mediators of interleukins include nuclear factorκB (NFκB) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2). We now explore the mechanism of anti-inflammatory effects ofS-[6]-gingerol in liver cells.Methods. HuH7 cells were stimulated with IL1βto establish anin vitrohepatic inflammatory model.Results.S-[6]-Gingerol attenuated IL1β-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in HuH7 cells, as evidenced by decreasing mRNA levels of inflammatory factor IL6, IL8, and SAA1, suppression of ROS generation, and increasing mRNA levels of DHCR24. In addition,S-[6]-gingerol reduced IL1β-induced COX2 upregulation as well as NFκB activity. Similar to the protective effects ofS-[6]-gingerol, both NS-398 (a selective COX2 inhibitor) and PDTC (a selective NFκB inhibitor) suppressed mRNA levels of IL6, IL8, and SAA1. Importantly, PDTC attenuated IL1β-induced overexpression of COX2. Of particular note, the protective effect ofS-[6]-gingerol against the IL1β-induced inflammatory response was similar to that of BHT, an ROS scavenger.Conclusions. The findings of this study demonstrate thatS-[6]-gingerol protects HuH7 cells against IL1β-induced inflammatory insults through inhibition of the RO...
Li, X-H, McGrath, KCY, Tran, VH, Li, Y-M, Mandadi, S, Duke, CC, Heather, AK & Roufogalis, BD 2013, 'Identification of a Calcium Signalling Pathway ofS-[6]-Gingerol in HuH-7 Cells', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2013, pp. 1-7.
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Calcium signals in hepatocytes control cell growth, proliferation, and death. Members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channel superfamily are candidate calcium influx channels. NFκB activation strictly depends on calcium influx and often induces antiapoptotic genes favouring cell survival. Previously, we reported thatS-[6]-gingerol is an efficacious agonist of the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1) in neurones. In this study, we tested the effect ofS-[6]-gingerol on HuH-7 cells using the Fluo-4 calcium assay, RT-qPCR, transient cell transfection, and luciferase measurements. We found thatS-[6]-gingerol induced a transient rise in[Ca2+]iin HuH-7 cells. The increase in[Ca2+]iinduced byS-[6]-gingerol was abolished by preincubation with EGTA and was also inhibited by the TRPV1 channel antagonist capsazepine. Expression of TRPV1 in HuH-7 cells was confirmed by mRNA analysis as well as a test for increase of
Li, Y, Wang, N & Carroll, RJ 2013, 'Selecting the Number of Principal Components in Functional Data', Journal of the American Statistical Association, vol. 108, no. 504, pp. 1284-1294.
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Liao, J, Yang, Z, Wu, H, Yan, D, Qiu, J, Song, Z, Yang, Y, Zhou, D & Yin, Z 2013, 'Enhancement of the up-conversion luminescence of Yb3+/Er3+ or Yb3+/Tm3+ co-doped NaYF4 nanoparticles by photonic crystals', Journal of Materials Chemistry C, vol. 1, no. 40, pp. 6541-6541.
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A new method for enhancing the upconversion (UC) emission of rare-earth doped nanoparticles is reported, in which Yb3+/Er3+ or Yb3+/Tm3+ co-doped NaYF4 nanoparticles are deposited on to the surface of photonic crystal (PC) films. The UC emission of the Yb3+/Er3+ or Yb3+/Tm3+ co-doped NaYF4 nanoparticles on the PC surface was notably enhanced when the UC emission bands of the Yb3+/Er3+ or Yb 3+/Tm3+ co-doped NaYF4 nanoparticles were within the range of the photonic band gap of the PCs, indicating that the PCs were efficient and selective reflection mirrors. The results show that PCs may have potential applications in UC optoelectronics and lighting devices. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
Liao, X, Spiegelman, D & Carroll, RJ 2013, 'Regression Calibration Is Valid When Properly Applied', Epidemiology, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 466-467.
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Liao, Y, Li, C-M, Chen, H, Wu, Q, Shan, Z & Han, X-Y 2013, 'Site-Directed Mutagenesis Improves the Thermostability and Catalytic Efficiency of Aspergillus niger N25 Phytase Mutated by I44E and T252R', Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, vol. 171, no. 4, pp. 900-915.
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Lim, CED & Cheng, NCL 2013, 'Acupuncture for allergic rhinitis: active and sham acupuncture both seem to work', Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 136-137.
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Lim, CED & Cheng, NCL 2013, 'Electroacupuncture for symptom improvement in benign prostatic hyperplasia', Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 199-200.
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Lim, CED, Ng, RWC & Xu, K 2013, 'Non-hormonal methods for induction of labour', Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology, vol. 25, no. 6, pp. 441-447.
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Lim, HY, Thiam, CH, Yeo, KP, Bisoendial, R, Hii, CS, McGrath, KCY, Tan, KW, Heather, A, Alexander, JSJ & Angeli, V 2013, 'Lymphatic Vessels Are Essential for the Removal of Cholesterol from Peripheral Tissues by SR-BI-Mediated Transport of HDL', Cell Metabolism, vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 671-684.
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Removal of cholesterol from peripheral tissues to the bloodstream via reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is a process of major biological importance. Here we demonstrate that lymphatic drainage is required for RCT. We have previously shown that hypercho
Limbri, H, Gunawan, C, Rosche, B & Scott, J 2013, 'Challenges to Developing Methane Biofiltration for Coal Mine Ventilation Air: A Review', Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, vol. 224, no. 6.
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Lin, G, Baraban, L, Han, L, Karnaushenko, D, Makarov, D, Cuniberti, G & Schmidt, OG 2013, 'Magnetoresistive Emulsion Analyzer', Scientific Reports, vol. 3, no. 1.
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Liu, B, Ray, A & Thomas, PS 2013, 'Investigation of autoclaved cement systems with reactive MgO and Al2O3-SiO2 rich fired clay brick', Advances in Cement Research, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 281-287.
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Portland cement (PC) is one of the world's most important building materials, as it is a fundamental component of concrete. However, the manufacture of PC is highly energy intensive and leads to the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2). One promising control measure is the use of industrial wastes and by-products as supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) in order to minimise PC consumption, thereby producing greener cement-based products. This study investigates mechanical properties and phase development of hydrothermally treated cement–ground quartz sand blends with the incorporation of fired clay-brick (CB) waste and reactive magnesia (MgO). The addition of CB waste in autoclaved PC–quartz mortar mixes showed that the alumina–silica rich CB waste was pozzolanic when the Al2O3 accelerated formation and increased crystallinity of Al substituted 1·1 nm tobermorite, resulting in the observed strength gain. Autoclaved mortar specimens incorporating reactive MgO showed a reduction in strength with increasing MgO addition. This was a result of dilution when the relative proportion of PC available for the formation of the strength contributing hydration products including tobermorite is decreased.
Liu, H, Chen, S, Wang, G & Qiao, SZ 2013, 'Ordered Mesoporous Core/Shell SnO2/C Nanocomposite as High-Capacity Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries', CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, vol. 19, no. 50, pp. 16897-16901.
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An ordered mesoporous core/shell structured SnO2/C nanocomposite was obtained from a facile vacuum-assisted impregnation route by using SBA-15 as a hard template. The nanocomposoite exhibits high specific capacity and excellent high-rate performance as an anode material for lithium-ion battery (see graph).
Liu, H, Xu, Y, Wen, S, Chen, Q, Zheng, L, Shen, M, Zhao, J, Zhang, G & Shi, X 2013, 'Targeted Tumor Computed Tomography Imaging Using Low-Generation Dendrimer-Stabilized Gold Nanoparticles', Chemistry - A European Journal, vol. 19, no. 20, pp. 6409-6416.
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Liu, H, Xu, Y, Wen, S, Zhu, J, Zheng, L, Shen, M, Zhao, J, Zhang, G & Shi, X 2013, 'Facile hydrothermal synthesis of low generation dendrimer-stabilized gold nanoparticles for in vivo computed tomography imaging applications', Polymer Chemistry, vol. 4, no. 6, pp. 1788-1788.
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Liu, M, Powell, DA, Shadrivov, IV, Lapine, M & Kivshar, YS 2013, 'Self-oscillations in nonlinear torsional metamaterials', New Journal of Physics, vol. 15, no. 7, pp. 073036-073036.
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Liu, M, Sun, Y, Powell, DA, Shadrivov, IV, Lapine, M, McPhedran, RC & Kivshar, YS 2013, 'Nonlinear response via intrinsic rotation in metamaterials', Physical Review B, vol. 87, no. 23.
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Lloyd, A, Russell, M, Blanes, L, Doble, P & Roux, C 2013, 'Lab-on-a-chip screening of methamphetamine and pseudoephedrine in samples from clandestine laboratories', Forensic Science International, vol. 228, no. 1-3, pp. 8-14.
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The clandestine manufacture of methamphetamine in New Zealand predominantly involves the reduction of pseudoephedrine, extracted from pharmaceutical preparations, using hydrogen iodide. This method of illicit manufacture leaves a variety of materials at the scene that are a rich source of information. Efficient processing and preliminary identification of extraction and reaction mixtures, precursors and products is essential to minimise exposure to potential hazardous materials and to provide investigative and intelligence information. In this study, we employed a portable lab-on-a-chip instrument for the rapid and cost effective screening of methamphetamine, pseudoephedrine and ephedrine in a variety of sample types found in typical clandestine laboratory scenarios
Lo, JR, Lang, JM, Darling, AE, Eisen, JA & Coil, DA 2013, 'Draft Genome Sequence of an Actinobacterium, Brachybacterium muris Strain UCD-AY4', Genome Announcements, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 1-2.
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ABSTRACT
Here we present the draft genome of an actinobacterium,
Brachybacterium muris
UCD-AY4. The assembly contains 3,257,338 bp and has a GC content of 70%. This strain was isolated from a residential bath towel and has a 16S rRNA gene 99.7% identical to that of the original
B. muris
strain, C3H-21.
Lord, MS, Tsoi, B, Gunawan, C, Teoh, WY, Amal, R & Whitelock, JM 2013, 'Anti-angiogenic activity of heparin functionalised cerium oxide nanoparticles', Biomaterials, vol. 34, no. 34, pp. 8808-8818.
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Lothian, A, Hare, DJ, Grimm, R, Ryan, TM, Masters, CL & Roberts, BR 2013, 'Metalloproteomics: principles, challenges, and applications to neurodegeneration', FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE, vol. 5.
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Lowe, AC, Beresford, DV, Carter, DO, Gaspari, F, O'Brien, RC, Stuart, BH & Forbes, SL 2013, 'The effect of soil texture on the degradation of textiles associated with buried bodies', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 231, no. 1-3, pp. 331-339.
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There are many factors which affect the rate of decomposition in a grave site including; the depth of burial, climatic conditions, physical conditions of the soil (e.g. texture, pH, moisture), and method of burial (e.g. clothing, wrappings). Clothing is often studied as a factor that can slow the rate of soft tissue decomposition. In contrast, the effect of soft tissue decomposition on the rate of textile degradation is usually reported as anecdotal evidence rather than being studied under controlled conditions. The majority of studies in this area have focused on the degradation of textiles buried directly in soil. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of soil texture on the degradation and/or preservation of textile materials associated with buried bodies. The study involved the burial of clothed domestic pig carcasses and control clothing in contrasting soil textures (silty clay loam, fine sand and fine sandy loam) at three field sites in southern Ontario, Canada. Graves were exhumed after 2, 12 and 14 months burial to observe the degree of degradation for both natural and synthetic textiles. Recovered textile samples were chemically analyzed using infrared (IR) spectroscopy and gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GCMS) to investigate the lipid decomposition by-products retained in the textiles. The findings of this study demonstrate that natural textile in contact with a buried decomposing body will be preserved for longer periods of time when compared to the same textile buried directly in soil and not in contact with a body. The soil texture did not visually impact the degree of degradation or preservation. Furthermore, the natural-synthetic textile blend was resistant to degradation, regardless of soil texture, contact with the body or time since deposition. Chemical analysis of the textiles using GCMS correctly identified a lipid degradation profile consistent with the degree of soft tissue decomposition
Lu, J, Carter, DA, Turnbull, L, Rosendale, D, Hedderley, D, Stephens, J, Gannabathula, S, Steinhorn, G, Schlothauer, RC, Whitchurch, CB & Harry, EJ 2013, 'The Effect of New Zealand Kanuka, Manuka and Clover Honeys on Bacterial Growth Dynamics and Cellular Morphology Varies According to the Species', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. e55898-e55898.
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Treatment of chronic wounds is becoming increasingly difficult due to antibiotic resistance. Complex natural products with antimicrobial activity, such as honey, are now under the spotlight as alternative treatments to antibiotics. Several studies have shown honey to have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity at concentrations present in honey dressings, and resistance to honey has not been attainable in the laboratory. However not all honeys are the same and few studies have used honey that is well defined both in geographic and chemical terms. Here we have used a range of concentrations of clover honey and a suite of manuka and kanuka honeys from known geographical locations, and for which the floral source and concentration of methylglyoxal and hydrogen peroxide potential were defined, to determine their effect on growth and cellular morphology of four bacteria: Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. While the general trend in effectiveness of growth inhibition was manuka.manuka-kanuka blend.kanuka.clover, the honeys had varying and diverse effects on the growth and cellular morphology of each bacterium, and each organism had a unique response profile to these honeys. P. aeruginosa showed a markedly different pattern of growth inhibition to the other three organisms when treated with sub-inhibitory concentrations of honey, being equally sensitive to all honeys, including clover, and the least sensitive to honey overall. While hydrogen peroxide potential contributed to the antibacterial activity of the manuka and kanuka honeys, it was never essential for complete growth inhibition. Cell morphology analysis also showed a varied and diverse set of responses to the honeys that included cell length changes, cell lysis, and alterations to DNA appearance. These changes are likely to reflect the different regulatory circuits of the organisms that are activated by the stress of honey treatment.
Lu, J, Paulsen, IT & Jin, D 2013, 'Application of Exonuclease III-Aided Target Recycling in Flow Cytometry: DNA Detection Sensitivity Enhanced by Orders of Magnitude', Analytical Chemistry, vol. 85, no. 17, pp. 8240-8245.
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Luts, J & Wand, MP 2013, 'Variational inference for count response semiparametric regression', BAYESIAN ANALYSIS, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 991-1023.
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Fast variational approximate algorithms are developed for Bayesian
semiparametric regression when the response variable is a count, i.e. a
non-negative integer. We treat both the Poisson and Negative Binomial families
as models for the response variable. Our approach utilizes recently developed
methodology known as non-conjugate variational message passing. For
concreteness, we focus on generalized additive mixed models, although our
variational approximation approach extends to a wide class of semiparametric
regression models such as those containing interactions and elaborate random
effect structure.
Lutz, C, Erken, M, Noorian, P, Sun, S & McDougald, D 2013, 'Environmental reservoirs and mechanisms of persistence of Vibrio cholerae', Frontiers in Microbiology, vol. 4.
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Ma, X, Huete, A, Yu, Q, Coupe, NR, Davies, K, Broich, M, Ratana, P, Beringer, J, Hutley, LB, Cleverly, J, Boulain, N & Eamus, D 2013, 'Spatial patterns and temporal dynamics in savanna vegetation phenology across the North Australian Tropical Transect', REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT, vol. 139, no. 1, pp. 97-115.
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The phenology of a landscape is a key parameter in climate and biogeochemical cycle models and its correct representation is central to the accurate simulation of carbon, water and energy exchange between the land surface and the atmosphere. Whereas biogeographic phenological patterns and shifts have received much attention in temperate ecosystems, much less is known about the phenology of savannas, despite their sensitivity to climate change and their coverage of approximately one eighth of the global land surface. Savannas are complex assemblages of multiple tree, shrub, and grass vegetation strata, each with variable phenological responses to seasonal climate and environmental variables. The objectives of this study were to investigate biogeographical and inter-annual patterns in savanna phenology along a 1100 km ecological rainfall gradient, known as North Australian Tropical Transect (NATT), encompassing humid coastal Eucalyptus forests and woodlands to xeric inland Acacia woodlands and shrublands. Key phenology transition dates (start, peak, end, and length of seasonal greening periods) were extracted from13 years (20002012) of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) data using Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA). Two distinct biogeographical patterns in phenology were observed, controlled by different climate systems. The northern (mesic) portion of the transect, from 12°S, to around 17.7°S, was influenced by the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) seasonal monsoon climate system, resulting in strong latitudinal shifts in phenology patterns, primarily associated with the functional response of the C4 grass layer.
Macha, IJ, Ozyegin, LS, Chou, J, Samur, R, Oktar, FN & Ben-Nissan, B 2013, 'An Alternative Synthesis Method for Di Calcium Phosphate (Monetite) Powders from Mediterranean Mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) Shells', JOURNAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 122-128.
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Marine species, such as corals, sea shells and nacres, attract special interest in bioceramics field for bone graft, bone cements and drug delivery applications. Most of the marine structures are made up of pure calcium carbonate (calcite or aragonite) with a very small amount of an organic matrix. In the past the most common way to transform these structures to hydroxyapatite was hydrothermal transformation method. This current work introduces a new approach for producing fine powders of calcium phosphates from Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) shells. A comparative study was carried out to investigate the differences of these powders under only hot plate heating and hot plate heating together with ultrasonic agitation while H3PO4 was added. The temperature of the hotplate was kept constant at 80 °C and then, H3PO4 was added drop wise into the solution for 2 hrs. The mixture was then placed into an oven at 100 °C for 24 hrs. They were further calcined at 800 °C for 3 hrs. XRD, FTIR and ICP-MS were used to identify the structure and composition. It was found that the final powders were predominantly monetite, with some tricalcium phosphate as a secondary phase. This relatively simple and efficient method can be easily applied to produce calcium phosphate precursor powders for a range of biomedical applications.
Magyar, AP, Aharonovich, I, Baram, M & Hu, EL 2013, 'Photoluminescent SiC Tetrapods', NANO LETTERS, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 1210-1215.
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Recently, significant research efforts have been made to develop complex nanostructures to provide more sophisticated control over the optical and electronic properties of nanomaterials. However, there are only a handful of semiconductors that allow control over their geometry via simple chemical processes. Herein, we present a molecularly seeded synthesis of a complex nanostructure, SiC tetrapods, and report on their structural and optical properties. The SiC tetrapods exhibit narrow line width photoluminescence at wavelengths spanning the visible to near-infrared spectral range. Synthesized from low-toxicity, earth abundant elements, these tetrapods are a compelling replacement for technologically important quantum optical materials that frequently require toxic metals such as Cd and Se. This previously unknown geometry of SiC nanostructures is a compelling platform for biolabeling, sensing, spintronics, and optoelectronics.
Mahendru, AA & Morris, E 2013, 'Cardiovascular disease in menopause: Does the obstetric history have any bearing?', Menopause International, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 115-120.
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Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in menopausal women in spite of the overall reduction in age-adjusted mortality from the disease in the last few years. It is now clear that mechanisms of cardiovascular disease in menopausal women are similar to men and rather than midlife acceleration of cardiovascular disease in women, the final impact of cardiovascular disease in later life may be a reflection of cardiovascular changes during reproductive years as a result of woman’s obstetric history. A decade after the Women’s Health Initiative trial, there is upcoming evidence to suggest that hormone replacement therapy in young recently menopausal women has a cardioprotective effect. Cardiovascular changes during normal pregnancy or pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia may affect a woman’s long-term cardiovascular health. Therefore, it is plausible that the cardioprotective benefit of hormone replacement therapy depends on occult pre-existing cardiovascular risks in women in relation to their previous obstetric history. In this review, we describe the cardiovascular changes during and after pregnancy in obstetric complications such as recurrent miscarriage, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm labour and gestational diabetes; existing evidence regarding their association with cardiovascular disease later in life, and hypothesize possible mechanisms. Our aim is to improve the understanding and highlight the importance of including obstetric history in risk assessment in menopausal women and individualizing their risks before prescribing hormone replacement therapy. Future research in risk benefit assessment of hormone replacement therapy should also account for a woman’s background cardiovascular risk in the light of her obstetric history.
Malaei, F, Hesaraki, M, Saadati, M, Ahdi, AM, Sadraeian, M, Honari, H & Nazarian, S 2013, 'Immunogenicity of a new recombinant IpaC from Shigella dysenteriae type I in guinea pig as a vaccine candidate.', Iran J Immunol, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 110-117.
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BACKGROUND: Recombinant vaccine technology is one of the most developed means in controlling infectious diseases. However, an effective vaccine against Shigella is still missing. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate recombinant IpaC protein of Shigella as a vaccine candidate. METHODS: In this study we cloned IpaC gene into an expression vector in prokaryotic system. The protein expression was evaluated by SDS-PAGE and Western-Blotting analysis. The recombinant protein was purified using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. Guinea pigs were immunized with the recombinant protein and the level of immunogenicity was examined by ELISA and Western blotting of IpaC. Challenge test was done through the intraoculary injection of Shigella dysenteriae (6×108 CFU/eye) and after 48 hours was scored for keratoconjunctivitis. RESULTS: The results showed a remarkable level of immunogenicity in terms of antibody response and protection against keratoconjunctivitis in tested animals. The recombinant IpaC protein provided a protective system against Shigella dysenteriae type I during the challenge test. CONCLUSION: The results showed the potential of using recombinant IpaC in preparation of vaccine in perspective studies.
Manetsch, M, Rahman, MM, Patel, BS, Ramsay, EE, Rumzhum, NN, Alkhouri, H, Ge, Q & Ammit, AJ 2013, 'Long-Acting β2-Agonists Increase Fluticasone Propionate-Induced Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase 1 (MKP-1) in Airway Smooth Muscle Cells', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. e59635-e59635.
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Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1 (MKP-1) represses MAPK-driven signalling and plays an important anti-inflammatory role in asthma and airway remodelling. Although MKP-1 is corticosteroid-responsive and increased by cAMP-mediated signalling, the upregulation of this critical anti-inflammatory protein by long-acting β2-agonists and clinically-used corticosteroids has been incompletely examined to date. To address this, we investigated MKP-1 gene expression and protein upregulation induced by two long-acting β2-agonists (salmeterol and formoterol), alone or in combination with the corticosteroid fluticasone propionate (abbreviated as fluticasone) in primary human airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells in vitro. β2-agonists increased MKP-1 protein in a rapid but transient manner, while fluticasone induced sustained upregulation. Together, long-acting β2-agonists increased fluticasone-induced MKP-1 and modulated ASM synthetic function (measured by interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) secretion). As IL-6 expression (like MKP-1) is cAMP/adenylate cyclase-mediated, the long-acting β2-agonist formoterol increased IL-6 mRNA expression and secretion. Nevertheless, when added in combination with fluticasone, β2-agonists significantly repressed IL-6 secretion induced by tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα). Conversely, as IL-8 is not cAMP-responsive, β2-agonists significantly inhibited TNFα-induced IL-8 in combination with fluticasone, where fluticasone alone was without repressive effect. In summary, long-acting β2-agonists increase fluticasone-induced MKP-1 in ASM cells and repress synthetic function of this immunomodulatory airway cell type.
Manfrino, C, Jacoby, CA, Camp, E & Frazer, TK 2013, 'A Positive Trajectory for Corals at Little Cayman Island', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. e75432-e75432.
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Coral reefs are damaged by natural disturbances and local and global anthropogenic stresses. As stresses intensify, so do debates about whether reefs will recover after significant damage. True headway in this debate requires documented temporal trajectories for coral assemblages subjected to various combinations of stresses; therefore, we report relevant changes in coral assemblages at Little Cayman Island. Between 1999 and 2012, spatiotemporal patterns in cover, densities of juveniles and size structure of assemblages were documented inside and outside marine protected areas using transects, quadrats and measurements of maximum diameters. Over five years, bleaching and disease caused live cover to decrease from 26% to 14%, with full recovery seven years later. Juvenile densities varied, reaching a maximum in 2010. Both patterns were consistent within and outside protected areas. In addition, dominant coral species persisted within and outside protected areas although their size frequency distributions varied temporally and spatially. The health of the coral assemblage and the similarity of responses across levels of protection suggested that negligible anthropogenic disturbance at the local scale was a key factor underlying the observed resilience.
Manos, J, Hu, H, Rose, BR, Wainwright, CE, Zablotska, IB, Cheney, J, Turnbull, L, Whitchurch, CB, Grimwood, K, Harmer, C, Anuj, SN, Harbour, C & Grp, ACFBALS 2013, 'Virulence factor expression patterns in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from infants with cystic fibrosis', EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES, vol. 32, no. 12, pp. 1583-1592.
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF). This study examines the role of organism-specific factors in the pathogenesis of very early P. aeruginosa infection in the CF airway. A total of 168 longitudinally collected P. aeruginosa isolates from children diagnosed with CF following newborn screening were genotyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and phenotyped for 13 virulence factors. Ninety-two strains were identified. Associations between virulence factors and gender, exacerbation, persistence, timing of infection and infection site were assessed using multivariate regression analysis. Persistent strains showed significantly lower pyoverdine, rhamnolipid, haemolysin, total protease, and swimming and twitching motility than strains eradicated by aggressive antibiotic treatments. Initial strains had higher levels of virulence factors, and significantly higher phospholipase C, than subsequent genotypically different strains at initial isolation. Strains from males had significantly lower pyoverdine and swimming motility than females. Colony size was significantly smaller in strains isolated during exacerbation than those isolated during non-exacerbation periods. All virulence factors were higher and swimming motility significantly higher in strains from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and oropharyngeal sites than BAL alone. Using unadjusted regression modelling, age at initial infection and age at isolation of a strain showed U-shaped profiles for most virulence factors. Among subsequent strains, longer time since initial infection meant lower levels of most virulence factors. This study provides new insight into virulence factors underpinning impaired airway clearance seen in CF infants, despite aggressive antibiotic therapy. This information will be important in the development of new strategies to reduce the impact of P. aeruginosa in CF
Mansour, H, McColm, JR, Cole, L, Weible, M, Korlimbinis, A & Chan-Ling, T 2013, 'Connexin 30 Expression and Frequency of Connexin Heterogeneity in Astrocyte Gap Junction Plaques Increase with Age in the Rat Retina', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. e57038-e57038.
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Marcon, F, Purtell, L, Santos, J, Hains, PG, Escoubas, P, Graudins, A & Nicholson, GM 2013, 'Characterization of monomeric and multimeric snake neurotoxins and other bioactive proteins from the venom of the lethal Australian common copperhead (Austrelaps superbus)', BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY, vol. 85, no. 10, pp. 1555-1573.
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Envenomation by Australian copperheads results mainly in muscle paralysis largely attributed to the presence of postsynaptic a-neurotoxins. However, poorly reversible neurotoxic effects suggest that these venoms may contain snake presynaptic phospholipase A2 neurotoxins (SPANs) that irreversibly inhibit neurotransmitter release. Using size-exclusion liquid chromatography, the present study isolated the first multimeric SPAN complex from the venom of the Australian common copperhead, Austrelaps superbus. The multimeric SPAN P-elapitoxin-As1a (P-EPTX-As1a) along with two novel monomeric SPANs and a new postsynaptic a-neurotoxin were then pharmacologically characterized using the chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation. All SPANs inhibited nerve-evoked twitch contractions at the neuromuscular junction without inhibiting contractile responses to cholinergic agonists or KCl. These actions are consistent with a prejunctional action to inhibit neurotransmitter release, without direct myotoxicity. Furthermore, the multimeric P-EPTX-As1a caused tetanic `fade in muscle tension under high frequency nerve stimulation, and produced a triphasic alteration to neurotransmitter release. These actions have been previously noted with other multimeric SPAN complexes such as taipoxin. Moreover, the neurotoxic a-subunit of P-EPTX-As1a shows high homology to taipoxin a-chain. Several other coagulopathic and myotoxic high mass proteins including a class PIII snake venom metalloproteinase, C- type lectin, L-amino acid oxidase, acetylcholinesterase and phospholipase B were also identified that may contribute to the overall toxicity of A. superbus venom. In conclusion, clinicians should be aware that early antivenom intervention might be necessary to prevent the onset of irreversible presynaptic neurotoxicity caused by multimeric and monomeric SPANs and that A. superbus venom is potentially capable of producing coagulopathic and myotoxic effects.
Mariotto, I, Thenkabail, PS, Huete, A, Slonecker, ET & Platonov, A 2013, 'Hyperspectral versus multispectral crop-productivity modeling and type discrimination for the HyspIRI mission', REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT, vol. 139, no. 1, pp. 291-305.
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Precise monitoring of agricultural crop biomass and yield quantities is critical for crop production management and prediction. The goal of this study was to compare hyperspectral narrowband (HNB) versus multispectral broadband (MBB) reflectance data in studying irrigated cropland characteristics of five leading world crops (cotton, wheat, maize, rice, and alfalfa) with the objectives of: 1. Modeling crop productivity, and 2. Discriminating crop types. HNB data were obtained from Hyperion hyperspectral imager and field ASD spectroradiometer, and MBB data were obtained from five broadband sensors: Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM +), Advanced Land Imager (ALI), Indian Remote Sensing (IRS), IKONOS, and QuickBird. A large collection of field spectral and biophysical variables were gathered for the 5 crops in Central Asia throughout the growing seasons of 2006 and 2007. Overall, the HNB and hyperspectral vegetation index (HVI) crop biophysical models explained about 25% greater variability when compared with corresponding MBB models. Typically, 3 to 7 HNBs, in multiple linear regression models of a given crop variable, explained more than 93% of variability in crop models. The evaluation of ?1 (4002500 nm) versus ?2 (4002500 nm) plots of various crop biophysical variables showed that the best two-band normalized difference HVIs involved HNBs centered at: (i) 742 nm and 1175 nm (HVI742-1175), (ii) 1296 nm and 1054 nm (HVI1296-1054), (iii) 1225 nm and 697 nm (HVI1225-697), and (iv) 702 nm and 1104 nm (HVI702-1104).
Markin, DM, Solntsev, AS & Sukhorukov, AA 2013, 'Generation of orbital-angular-momentum-entangled biphotons in triangular quadratic waveguide arrays', Physical Review A, vol. 87, no. 6.
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Marsh, J, Lott, W, Tyndall, J & Huston, W 2013, 'Proteolytic activation of Chlamydia trachomatis HTRA is mediated by PDZ1 domain interactions with protease domain loops L3 and LC and beta strand β5', Cellular and Molecular Biology Letters, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 522-537.
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AbstractChlamydia trachomatis is a bacterial pathogen responsible for one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections worldwide. Its unique development cycle has limited our understanding of its pathogenic mechanisms. However, CtHtrA has recently been identified as a potential C. trachomatis virulence factor. CtHtrA is a tightly regulated quality control protein with a monomeric structural unit comprised of a chymotrypsin-like protease domain and two PDZ domains. Activation of proteolytic activity relies on the C-terminus of the substrate allosterically binding to the PDZ1 domain, which triggers subsequent conformational change and oligomerization of the protein into 24-mers enabling proteolysis. This activation is mediated by a cascade of precise structural arrangements, but the specific CtHtrA residues and structural elements required to facilitate activation are unknown. Using in vitro analysis guided by homology modeling, we show that the mutation of residues Arg362 and Arg224, predicted to disrupt the interaction between the CtHtrA PDZ1 domain and loop L3, and between loop L3 and loop LD, respectively, are critical for the activation of proteolytic activity. We also demonstrate that mutation to residues Arg299 and Lys160, predicted to disrupt PDZ1 domain interactions with protease loop LC and strand β5, are also able to influence proteolysis, implying their involvement in the CtHtrA mechanism of activation. This is the first investigation of protease loop LC and strand β5 with respect to their potential interactions with the PDZ1 domain. Given their high level of conservation in bacterial HtrA, these structural elements may be equally significant in the activation mechanism of DegP and other HtrA family members.
Martin, AA, Phillips, MR & Toth, M 2013, 'Dynamic Surface Site Activation: A Rate Limiting Process in Electron Beam Induced Etching', ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, vol. 5, no. 16, pp. 8002-8007.
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We report a new mechanism that limits the rate of electron beam induced etching (EBIE). Typically, the etch rate is assumed to scale directly with the precursor adsorbate dissociation rate. Here, we show that this is a special case, and that the rate can instead be limited by the concentration of active sites at the surface. Novel etch kinetics are expected if surface sites are activated during EBIE, and observed experimentally using the electron sensitive material ultra nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD). In practice, etch kinetics are of interest because they affect resolution, throughput, proximity effects, and the topography of nanostructures and nanostructured devices fabricated by EBIE.
Martin, LJ & Murray, BR 2013, 'A preliminary assessment of the response of a native reptile assemblage to spot-spraying invasive Bitou Bush with glyphosate herbicide', Ecological Management & Restoration, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 59-62.
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During recent work examining the effects of Bitou Bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. rotundata) invasion on native reptile assemblages in coastal heathland vegetation in Eastern Australia, unplanned spot-spraying of glyphosate occurred at some of our
Martinez, JG, Bohn, KM, Carroll, RJ & Morris, JS 2013, 'A Study of Mexican Free-Tailed Bat Chirp Syllables: Bayesian Functional Mixed Models for Nonstationary Acoustic Time Series', Journal of the American Statistical Association, vol. 108, no. 502, pp. 514-526.
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McClements, L, Yakkundi, A, Papaspyropoulos, A, Harrison, H, Ablett, MP, Jithesh, PV, McKeen, HD, Bennett, R, Donley, C, Kissenpfennig, A, McIntosh, S, McCarthy, HO, O'Neill, E, Clarke, RB & Robson, T 2013, 'Targeting Treatment-Resistant Breast Cancer Stem Cells with FKBPL and Its Peptide Derivative, AD-01, via the CD44 Pathway', Clinical Cancer Research, vol. 19, no. 14, pp. 3881-3893.
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AbstractPurpose: FK506-binding protein like (FKBPL) and its peptide derivative, AD-01, have already shown tumor growth inhibition and CD44-dependent antiangiogenic activity. Here, we explore the ability of AD-01 to target CD44-positive breast cancer stem cells (BCSC).Experimental Design: Mammosphere assays and flow cytometry were used to analyze the effect of FKBPL overexpression/knockdown and AD-01 treatment ± other anticancer agents on BCSCs using breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7/MDA-231/ZR-75), primary patient samples, and xenografts. Delays in tumor initiation were evaluated in vivo. The anti–stem cell mechanisms were determined using clonogenic assays, quantitative PCR (qPCR), and immunofluorescence.Results: AD-01 treatment was highly effective at inhibiting the BCSC population by reducing mammosphere-forming efficiency and ESA+/CD44+/CD24− or aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH)+ cell subpopulations in vitro and tumor initiation in vivo. The ability of AD-01 to inhibit the self-renewal capacity of BCSCs was confirmed; mammospheres were completely eradicated by the third generation. The mechanism seems to be due to AD-01–mediated BCSC differentiation shown by a significant decrease in the number of holoclones and an associated increase in meroclones/paraclones; the stem cell markers, Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2, were also significantly reduced. Furthermore, we showed additive inhibitory effects when AD-01 was combined with the Notch inhibitor, DAPT. AD-01 was also able to abrogate a chemo- and radiotherapy-induced enrichment in BCSCs. Finally, FKBPL knockdown led to an increase in Nanog/Oct4/Sox2 and an increase in BCSCs, highlighting a role for endogenous FKBPL in stem cell signaling.Conclusions: AD-01 has dual antiangiogenic and anti-BCSC activity, which will be advantageous as this agent enters clinical trial. Clin Cancer Res; 19(14); 3881–93. ©2013 AACR.
McGinley, MP, Suggett, DJ & Warner, ME 2013, 'Transcript patterns of chloroplast-encoded genes in cultured Symbiodinium spp. (Dinophyceae): testing the influence of a light shift and diel periodicity', Journal of Phycology, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 709-718.
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Microalgae possess numerous cellular mechanisms specifically employed for acclimating the photosynthetic pathways to changes in the physical environment. Despite the importance of coral-dinoflagellate symbioses, little focus has been given as to how the symbiotic algae (Symbiodinium spp.) regulate the expression of their photosynthetic genes. This study used real-time PCR to investigate the transcript abundance of the plastid-encoded genes, psbA (encoding the D1 protein of photosystem II) and psaA (encoding the P700 protein in photosystem I), within the cultured Symbiodinium ITS-2 (internal transcribed spacer region) types A20 and A13. Transcript abundance was monitored during a low to high-light shift, as well as over a full diel light cycle. In addition, psaA was characterized in three isolates (A20, A13, and D4-5) and noted as another example of a dinoflagellate plastid gene encoded on a minicircle. In general, the overall incongruence of transcript patterns for both psbA and psaA between the Symbiodinium isolates and other models of transcriptionally controlled chloroplast gene expression (e.g., Pisum sativum [pea], Sinapis alba [mustard seedling], and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 [cyanobacteria]) suggests that Symbiodinium is reliant on posttranscriptional mechanisms for homeostatic regulation of its photosynthetic proteins.
McNevin, D, Santos, C, Gómez-Tato, A, Álvarez-Dios, J, de Cal, MC, Daniel, R, Phillips, C & Lareu, MV 2013, 'An assessment of Bayesian and multinomial logistic regression classification systems to analyse admixed individuals', Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. e63-e64.
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Multinomial logistic regression (MLR) has been applied to the prediction of hair and eye colour. Here we apply it to the prediction of biogeographical ancestry (BGA) in a test set of 1092 admixed and non-admixed genotypes from the 1000 Genomes Project using a training set of 571 non-admixed genotypes from the HGDP CEPH cell line panel. Predicted BGAs are consistent with those of Structure, a naïve Bayesian classifier. © 2013.
Meakin, G & Jamieson, A 2013, 'DNA transfer: Review and implications for casework', Forensic Science International: Genetics, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 434-443.
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Medek, D, Vicendese, D, Jaggard, A, Campbell, B, Johnston, F, Godwin, I, Huete, A, Green, B, Newnham, R, Bowman, D, Newbigin, E, Erbas, B, Beggs, P, Haberle, S & Davies, J 2013, 'REGIONAL AND SEASONAL VARIATION IN AIRBORNE GRASS POLLEN LEVELS BETWEEN CITIES OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND', INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL, vol. 43, pp. 7-7.
Mehta, B, Daniel, R & McNevin, D 2013, 'High resolution melting (HRM) of forensically informative SNPs', Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. e376-e377.
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© 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd The SNaPshot® assay is commonly used for forensic SNP analysis. However, it is a multi-step process with potential post-PCR contamination risk. The single tube high resolution melting (HRM) temperature real-time PCR method is an alternative, eliminating the post-PCR tube transfer of SNaPshot®. Eight individual DNA samples were genotyped at the six IrisPlex SNP loci using both the IrisPlex published primer set and a set of custom designed HRM primers. The performance of MeltDoctor™ (Life Technologies®) and SensiFast™ (Bioline®) HRM mastermixes was examined on the ViiA™ 7 Real Time PCR platform for 10 ng and 1 ng DNA template amounts. The resultant genotypes were compared with those derived from SNaPshot®. This preliminary study demonstrates HRM potentially offers a fast and flexible alternative to SNaPshot® for small numbers of SNP loci without the associated contamination risk from post-PCR processes.
Mehta, M, Satija, S, Nanda, A & Garg, M 2013, 'Nanotechnologies for Boswellic Acids', American Journal of Drug Discovery and Development, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 1-11.
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Boswellic Acids (BAs) are the main ingredients of Boswellia serrata (Family: Burseraceae) gum resin extract for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases besides acting as both internal and external stimulant, expectorant, diuretic and stomachic. Despite its multipurpose benefits, BAs have low oral bioavailability especially 11-keto-β-boswellic acid (KBA) and 3-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA), (the most therapeutically potential BAs) because these BAs are lipophilic in nature and not solubilises into the intestinal fluid thus limiting its systemic availability. For decades, many attempts have been made to compensate for these disadvantages, with the development of improved delivery platforms as the feasible approaches. The past ten years has witnessed the encouraging progress in the use of nano scale drug delivery systems on BAs such as loading BAs into liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles as well as the latest reported technologies such as niosomes, phytosomes and nanomicelles etc. This review summarizes the recent works on the design and development of nanoscale delivery systems of BAs, with the goal of harnessing the true difficulties of this multifunctional agent in the clinical arena. © 2014 Academic Journals Inc.
MEIKLEJOHN, KA, DOWTON, M, PAPE, T & WALLMAN, JF 2013, 'A key to the Australian Sarcophagidae (Diptera) with special emphasis on <i>Sarcophaga</i> (<i>sensu lato</i>)', Zootaxa, vol. 3680, no. 1, pp. 148-148.
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Meiklejohn, KA, Wallman, JF & Dowton, M 2013, 'DNA Barcoding Identifies all Immature Life Stages of a Forensically Important Flesh Fly (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)', Journal of Forensic Sciences, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 184-187.
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MEIKLEJOHN, KA, WALLMAN, JF & PAPE, T 2013, 'Updates on the taxonomy and nomenclature of Australian <i>Sarcophaga</i> (<i>sensu lato</i>) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), with descriptions of two new species', Zootaxa, vol. 3680, no. 1, pp. 139-139.
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Meiklejohn, KA, Wallman, JF, Pape, T, Cameron, SL & Dowton, M 2013, 'Utility of COI, CAD and morphological data for resolving relationships within the genus Sarcophaga (sensu lato) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae): A preliminary study', Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, vol. 69, no. 1, pp. 133-141.
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Mengoni, A, Focardi, A, Bacci, G & Ugolini, A 2013, 'High genetic diversity and variability of bacterial communities associated with the sandhopper Talitrus saltator (Montagu) (Crustacea, Amphipoda)', Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, vol. 131, pp. 75-82.
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Menictas, M & Wand, MP 2013, 'Variational inference for marginal longitudinal semiparametric regression', Stat, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 61-71.
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We derive a variational inference procedure for approximate Bayesian inference in marginal longitudinal semiparametric regression. Fitting and inference is much faster than existing Markov chain Monte Carlo approaches. Numerical studies indicate that the new methodology is very accurate for the class of models under consideration. Copyright 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Merson, TD, Castelletto, S, Aharonovich, I, Turbic, A, Kilpatrick, TJ & Turnley, AM 2013, 'Nanodiamonds with silicon vacancy defects for nontoxic photostable fluorescent labeling of neural precursor cells', OPTICS LETTERS, vol. 38, no. 20, pp. 4170-4173.
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Nanodiamonds (NDs) containing silicon vacancy (SiV) defects were evaluated as a potential biomarker for the labeling and fluorescent imaging of neural precursor cells (NPCs). SiV-containing NDs were synthesized using chemical vapor deposition and silicon ion implantation. Spectrally, SiV-containing NDs exhibited extremely stable fluorescence and narrow bandwidth emission with an excellent signal to noise ratio exceeding that of NDs containing nitrogen-vacancy centers. NPCs labeled with NDs exhibited normal cell viability and proliferative properties consistent with biocompatibility. We conclude that SiV-containing NDs are a promising biomedical research tool for cellular labeling and optical imaging in stem cell research.
Metcalf, BJ, Thomas-Peter, N, Spring, JB, Kundys, D, Broome, MA, Humphreys, PC, Jin, X-M, Barbieri, M, Steven Kolthammer, W, Gates, JC, Smith, BJ, Langford, NK, Smith, PGR & Walmsley, IA 2013, 'Multiphoton quantum interference in a multiport integrated photonic device', Nature Communications, vol. 4, no. 1.
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Mitchell, JG, Seuront, L, Doubell, MJ, Losic, D, Voelcker, NH, Seymour, J & Lal, R 2013, 'The Role of Diatom Nanostructures in Biasing Diffusion to Improve Uptake in a Patchy Nutrient Environment', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 5, pp. e59548-e59548.
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Background Diatoms are important single-celled autotrophs that dominate most lit aquatic environments and are distinguished by surficial frustules with intricate designs of unknown function. Principal Findings We show that some frustule designs constrain diffusion to positively alter nutrient uptake. In nutrient gradients of 4 to 160 times over <5 cm, the screened-chambered morphology of Coscincodiscus sp. biases the nutrient diffusion towards the cell by at least 3.8 times the diffusion to the seawater. In contrast, the open-chambers of Thalassiosira eccentrica produce at least a 1.3 times diffusion advantage to the membrane over Coscincodiscus sp. when nutrients are homogeneous. Significance Diffusion constraint explains the success of particular diatom species at given times and the overall success of diatoms. The results help answer the unresolved question of how adjacent microplankton compete. Furthermore, diffusion constraint by supramembrane nanostructures to alter molecular diffusion suggests that microbes compete via supramembrane topology, a competitive mechanism not considered by the standard smooth-surface equations used for nutrient uptake nor in microbial ecology and cell physiology.
Miura, T, Turner, JP & Huete, AR 2013, 'Spectral Compatibility of the NDVI Across VIIRS, MODIS, and AVHRR: An Analysis of Atmospheric Effects Using EO-1 Hyperion', IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING, vol. 51, no. 3, pp. 1349-1359.
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We evaluated the cross-sensor compatibilities of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) across the Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-14 and NOAA-19 Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) (AVHRR/2 and AVHRR/3) bandpasses using a global set of Earth Observing One Hyperion hyperspectral data. Five levels of atmospheric correction were simulated to examine the impact of the atmosphere on intersensor NDVI compatibility. These were the uncorrected âtop-of-atmosphereâ; Rayleigh (RAY); Rayleigh and ozone (RO); Rayleigh, ozone, and water vapor (ROW); and total atmosphere-corrected âtop-of-canopy (TOC)â reflectances. Among all possible sensor pairs examined, the highest compatibility was observed for VIIRS versus MODIS. Cross-sensor NDVI relationships between the two sensor bandpasses remained nearly the same throughout all levels of atmospheric correction. AVHRR/3-versus-AVHRR/2 NDVI relationships changed very little and also showed an equivalent level of compatibility to VIIRS versus MODIS across all levels of atmospheric correction although they were subject to systematic differences. Intersensor NDVI compatibilities of VIIRS and MODIS to AVHRR/2 and to AVHRR/3 were lower due primarily to the differential sensitivities of these sensorsâ near-infrared bands to the atmospheric water vapor effects. Comparisons of cross-sensor NDVI compatibilities where operational atmospheric correction schemes were assumed for each of the sensors suggest the need of VIIRS TOC NDVI for long-term continuity with MODIS and AVHRR, which is not currently produced as part of the standard VIIRS Vegetation Index Environmental Data Record.
Moezzi, A, Cortie, M & McDonagh, AM 2013, 'Formation of Zinc Hydroxide Nitrate by H+-Catalyzed Dissolution-Precipitation', EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, vol. 8, no. 8, pp. 1326-1335.
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The formation of zinc hydroxide nitrate, Zn5(OH)8(NO3)2·2H2O, by reaction between zinc oxide and aqueous zinc nitrate solution was examined. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis were used to analyze the conversion of nanoscale ZnO particles into much larger crystals of the hydroxide nitrate. The rate of the reaction displayed sigmoidal behavior with the maximum conversion rate at ca. 75 min. The reaction stoichiometry involves a 1:1 ZnO/Zn(NO3)2 molar ratio. The data indicate that an amorphous zinc-containing intermediate phase is formed during the transition, and that the zinc hydroxide nitrate crystals nucleate and grow from this phase. The crystals of zinc hydroxide nitrate are several µm in size, but are formed from zinc oxide crystals of only a few hundred nanometers in size, indicating that mass transfer in the aqueous phase plays an important role. We propose that H+-catalyzed dissolution/precipitation is the key process in the mechanism of the reaction. The zinc hydroxide nitrate is stable to about 110 °C, but decomposes above that temperature to a series of less hydrated phases, with associated loss of mass, until zinc oxide is formed at about 190 °C. The solubility product, Ksp, of Zn5(OH)8(NO3)2·2H2O in water was measured by two independent techniques and found to be in the range of 7.48.5?×?1011
Moezzi, A, Cortie, MB & McDonagh, AM 2013, 'Zinc hydroxide sulphate and its transformation to crystalline zinc oxide', DALTON TRANSACTIONS, vol. 42, no. 40, pp. 14432-14437.
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The thermal transformation of zinc hydroxide sulphate hydrate to zinc oxide has been examined using synchrotron X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and surface area measurements. By collecting X-ray diffraction da
Moezzi, A, Cortie, MB, Shimmon, R & McDonagh, AM 2013, 'On the Reactivity of Zinc Hydroxide Acetate Dihydrate in Ethanol', EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, vol. 2013, no. 29, pp. 5133-5137.
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Zinc hydroxide acetate dihydrate, Zn-5(OH)(8)(CH3CO2)(2)2H(2)O, reacts in ethanol at room temperature to yield a mixture of zinc oxide and anhydrous zinc acetate. The process is driven by dehydration of the starting salt. Dehydration of Zn-5(OH)(8)(CH3CO
Moezzi, A, McDonagh, A, Dowd, A & Cortie, M 2013, 'Zinc Hydroxyacetate and Its Transformation to Nanocrystalline Zinc Oxide', INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 95-102.
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The synthesis of nanocrystalline ZnO by thermal decomposition of zinc hydroxyacetate, Zn-5(OH)(8)(CH3CO2)(2)center dot nH(2)O, was investigated. The decomposition process was examined using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, mass spectrometry
Molnar, A, Lewis, J & Fu, S 2013, 'Recovery of spiked Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol in oral fluid from polypropylene containers', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 227, no. 1-3, pp. 69-73.
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Oral fluid is currently used by Australian and international law enforcement agencies and employers to detect recent use of cannabis and other drugs of abuse. The main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is highly lipophilic and losses occur when in contact with plastic, possibly due to its adsorption onto the plastic surface. This study aims to investigate factors governing the interaction of THC with plastic and search for ways of overcoming such interaction so to improve THC recovery. As polypropylene is one of the most common types of plastic used in collection devices, it was the focus of this study. All experiments were done by preparing neat oral fluid samples spiked with THC in 2-mL polypropylene centrifuge tubes. Samples were transferred with or without prior addition of Triton® X-100 (0.25%) to glass tubes containing d3-THC as internal standard and 0.1M phosphate buffer was then added. Samples were extracted by liquidliquid extraction using hexane/ethyl acetate (9:1, v/v), dried and analysed by gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GCMS) after derivatisation. No significant difference was found in terms of THC loss to plastic when the concentration ranged from 25 to 1000ng/mL in the same volume of oral fluid. Varying the oral fluid volume (0.51.5mL) while keeping THC at a constant concentration showed an upward trend with more loss associated with lower volumes. The use of Triton® X-100 significantly decreased the adherence of THC to the plastic tubes and increased the THC transfer (>96%) at all volumes tested. Degradation of THC during storage was also studied over a 4-week period and it was found that azide did not seem to play a significant role in preserving THC in oral fluid.
Monahan, LG & Harry, EJ 2013, 'Identifying how bacterial cells find their middle: a new perspective', MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 87, no. 2, pp. 231-234.
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Bacterial cell division begins with the polymerization of the FtsZ protein to form a Z ring at the division site. This ring subsequently recruits the division machinery to allow cytokinesis. How the Z ring is positioned correctly remains a challenging qu
Mondal, AK, Su, D, Wang, Y, Chen, S & Wang, G 2013, 'Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nickel Oxide Nanosheets for Lithium-Ion Batteries and Supercapacitors with Excellent Performance', CHEMISTRY-AN ASIAN JOURNAL, vol. 8, no. 11, pp. 2828-2832.
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Nickel oxide nanosheets have been successfully synthesized by a facile ethylene glycol mediated hydrothermal method. The morphology and crystal structure of the nickel oxide nanosheets were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission SEM, and TEM. When applied as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, nickel oxide nanosheets exhibited a high, reversible lithium storage capacity of 1193 mAhg-1 at a current density of 500 mAg-1, an enhanced rate capability, and good cycling stability. Nickel oxide nanosheets also demonstrated a superior specific capacitance of 999 Fg-1 at a current density of 20 Ag-1 in supercapacitors.
Mondal, D, Sharma, M, Mukesh, C, Gupta, V & Prasad, K 2013, 'Improved solubility of DNA in recyclable and reusable bio-based deep eutectic solvents with long-term structural and chemical stability', Chemical Communications, vol. 49, no. 83, pp. 9606-9606.
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Monteiro, AT, Fava, F, Goncalves, J, Huete, A, Gusmeroli, F, Parolo, G, Spano, D & Bocchi, S 2013, 'Landscape context determinants to plant diversity in the permanent meadows of Southern European Alps', BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 937-958.
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In the Southern Alps, the role of landscape context on meadows plant diversity was evaluated using a multi-model information theoretic approach and five competing hypotheses of landscape context factors: habitat quality (H1), matrix quality (H2), habitat change (H3), matrix quality change (H4) and topography-environmental conditions (H5)- measured at three spatial scales (125, 250 and 500 m). Shannon diversity index and species richness represented plant diversity obtained in 34 plots (100 m2 size). Landscape context affected plant diversity measures differently. Matrix quality change at larger scale (500 m) was the most supported hypothesis explaining Shannon diversity index, while species richness responded mostly to topography-environmental conditions in the immediate surroundings (125 m). No effects of present-day habitat and matrix quality (H1 and H2) were found. Matrix quality change affected positively Shannon diversity index through an effect of landscape neighbourhood context on farming management practices. Due to the importance of exposure and inclination of slopes, topography-environmental conditions influenced species richness mostly through energy-driven processes and farming management strategies. In terms of scale, matrix quality change was the strongest hypothesis explaining Shannon diversity index at all scales, while the underlying process affecting species richness changed with scale (H5 or H3). Overall, landscape context explained only 2528 % of the variation in plant diversity, suggesting that landscape management may support biodiversity conservation when comprised in a global strategy including farming practices. In the study area, change in landscape diversity may be a good indicator for Shannon diversity index and south-eastern facing meadows should be preserved.
Morelato, M, Beavis, A, Kirkbride, P & Roux, C 2013, 'Forensic applications of desorption electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (DESI-MS)', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 226, no. 1-3, pp. 10-21.
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Desorption electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) is an emerging analytical technique that enables in situ mass spectrometric analysis of specimens under ambient conditions. It has been successfully applied to a large range of forensically relevant materials. This review assesses and highlights forensic applications of DESI-MS including the analysis and detection of illicit drugs, explosives, chemical warfare agents, inks and documents, fingermarks, gunshot residues and drugs of abuse in urine and plasma specimens. The minimal specimen preparation required for analysis and the sensitivity of detection achieved offer great advantages, especially in the field of forensic science.
Morelato, M, Beavis, A, Tahtouh, M, Ribaux, O, Kirkbride, P & Roux, C 2013, 'The use of forensic case data in intelligence-led policing: The example of drug profiling', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 226, no. 1-3, pp. 1-9.
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To date, forensic science has predominantly focused on generating evidence for judicial proceedings. While many recognise its broader and important contribution to the initial stages of the forensic process, resources do not seem to be employed efficiently. It is often discovered retrospectively that necessary information was previously available in a database or within existing files. Such information could have been proactively used in order to solve a particular case, a number of linked cases or better understand the criminal activity as a whole. This article reviews this broader contribution of forensic science, with a particular emphasis on drug intelligence at the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in Australia. Using the AFP as a model organisation, an overview of the current situation and the contribution of physical and chemical profiling are first discussed. The situation in Europe, and in particular in Switzerland, is also presented. It is argued that a change of attitude towards a more intelligence-led perspective is required in forensic science in general, and in drug profiling in particular.
Moret, S, Becue, A & Champod, C 2013, 'Cadmium-free quantum dots in aqueous solution: Potential for fingermark detection, synthesis and an application to the detection of fingermarks in blood on non-porous surfaces', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 224, no. 1-3, pp. 101-110.
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Mueller, P, Alber, DG, Turnbull, L, Schlothauer, RC, Carter, DA, Whitchurch, CB & Harry, EJ 2013, 'Synergism between Medihoney and Rifampicin against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. e57679-e57679.
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Skin and chronic wound infections caused by highly antibiotic resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are an increasing and urgent health problem worldwide, particularly with sharp increases in obesity and diabetes. New Zealand manuka honey has potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, has been shown to inhibit the growth of MRSA strains, and bacteria resistant to this honey have not been obtainable in the laboratory. Combinational treatment of chronic wounds with manuka honey and common antibiotics may offer a wide range of advantages including synergistic enhancement of the antibacterial activity, reduction of the effective dose of the antibiotic, and reduction of the risk of antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Medihoney in combination with the widely used antibiotic rifampicin on S. aureus. Using checkerboard microdilution assays, time-kill curve experiments and agar diffusion assays, we show a synergism between Medihoney and rifampicin against MRSA and clinical isolates of S. aureus. Furthermore, the Medihoney/rifampicin combination stopped the appearance of rifampicin-resistant S. aureus in vitro. Methylglyoxal (MGO), believed to be the major antibacterial compound in manuka honey, did not act synergistically with rifampicin and is therefore not the sole factor responsible for the synergistic effect of manuka honey with rifampicin. Our findings support the idea that a combination of honey and antibiotics may be an effective new antimicrobial therapy for chronic wound infections.
Munasinghe, VS, Vella, NGF, Ellis, JT, Windsor, PA & Stark, D 2013, 'Cyst formation and faecal-oral transmission of Dientamoeba fragilis - the missing link in the life cycle of an emerging pathogen', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY, vol. 43, no. 11, pp. 879-883.
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Dientamoeba fragilis is a protozoan parasite emerging as a cause of diarrhoea and irritable-bowel-like gastrointestinal disease in humans with a propensity for establishing long-term, chronic infections in humans. Although Dientamoeba was discovered over a century ago its life cycle and mode of transmission is not known. No cyst stage has been described and no animal models are presently available for the study of this parasite. Here we describe the establishment of an animal model using laboratory rodents, the fulfilling of Kochs postulates, and the discovery of a new cyst stage in the life cycle of D. fragilis. Our demonstration of long-term parasite carriage by rodents and prolonged shedding of cysts, together with elevated levels of calprotectin in the stool, confirms the capacity of this organism to cause disease and indicates dientamoebiasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Finally, we suggest that the cyst stage described here is the vehicle that mediates faecaloral transmission of D. fragilis between hosts.
Murray, BR, Hardstaff, LK & Phillips, ML 2013, 'Differences in Leaf Flammability, Leaf Traits and Flammability-Trait Relationships between Native and Exotic Plant Species of Dry Sclerophyll Forest', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 11.
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Naderi, N, Hashim, MR, Rouhi, J & Mahmodi, H 2013, 'Enhanced optical and electrical stability of thermally carbonized porous silicon', Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 542-546.
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Naidu, G, Jeong, S, Vigneswaran, S & Rice, SA 2013, 'Microbial activity in biofilter used as a pretreatment for seawater desalination', Desalination, vol. 309, pp. 254-260.
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Biofilters as a pretreatment process in seawater desalination can reduce biofoulants through adsorption and biodegradation. In this study, the performance of granular activated carbon (GAC) biofilter with three different filtration velocities was studied in terms of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal. This apart, the microbial activities in the biofilters were measured in terms of concentration of active biomass (adenosine tri-phosphate; ATP) and total cell count. Biofouling potential in biofilter effluents were assessed in terms of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) and assimilable organic carbon (AOC) concentration. AOC was carried out using a new rapid bioluminescence method. Upon reaching mature stage, the GAC biofilters achieved high DOC removal efficiency of more than 60%, especially the low molecular weight organics. This organic removal was mostly attributed to active biomass on the GAC media. In addition, GAC biofilters led to significant reduction of the AOC and TEP concentration amounting to only 0.6 ± 0.2 µg-C glucose/L and 5.3 ± 1.1 µg-C/L, respectively in effluents. Thus, GAC biofilter is an effective pretreatment in reducing biofouling potential
Newall, AT, Dehollain, JP, Creighton, P, Beutels, P & Wood, JG 2013, 'Understanding the Cost-Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccination in Children: Methodological Choices and Seasonal Variability', PharmacoEconomics, vol. 31, no. 8, pp. 693-702.
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Nielsen, DA, Schramm, A, Nielsen, LP & Revsbech, NP 2013, 'Seasonal Methane Oxidation Potential in Manure Crusts', Applied and Environmental Microbiology, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 407-410.
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ABSTRACT
Organic crusts on liquid manure storage tanks harbor ammonia- and nitrite-resistant methane oxidizers and may significantly reduce methane emissions. Methane oxidation potential (0.6 mol CH
4
m
−2
day
−1
) peaked during fall and winter, after 4 months of crust development. Consequences for methane mitigation potential of crusts are discussed.
Nikeghbali, A & Platen, E 2013, 'A reading guide for last passage times with financial applications in view', FINANCE AND STOCHASTICS, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 615-640.
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In this survey on last passage times, we propose a new viewpoint which provides a unified approach to many different results which appear in the mathematical finance literature and in the theory of stochastic processes. In particular, we are able to improve the assumptions under which some well-known results are usually stated. Moreover we give some new and detailed calculations for the computation of the distribution of some large classes of last passage times. We have kept in this survey only the aspects of the theory which we expect potentially to be relevant for financial applications.
Noginov, M, Lapine, M, Podolskiy, V & Kivshar, Y 2013, 'Focus issue: hyperbolic metamaterials', Optics Express, vol. 21, no. 12, pp. 14895-14895.
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Norris, RP, Afonso, J, Bacon, D, Beck, R, Bell, M, Beswick, RJ, Best, P, Bhatnagar, S, Bonafede, A, Brunetti, G, Budavári, T, Cassano, R, Condon, JJ, Cress, C, Dabbech, A, Feain, I, Fender, R, Ferrari, C, Gaensler, BM, Giovannini, G, Haverkorn, M, Heald, G, Van der Heyden, K, Hopkins, AM, Jarvis, M, Johnston-Hollitt, M, Kothes, R, Van Langevelde, H, Lazio, J, Mao, MY, Martínez-Sansigre, A, Mary, D, Mcalpine, K, Middelberg, E, Murphy, E, Padovani, P, Paragi, Z, Prandoni, I, Raccanelli, A, Rigby, E, Roseboom, IG, Röttgering, H, Sabater, J, Salvato, M, Scaife, AMM, Schilizzi, R, Seymour, N, Smith, DJB, Umana, G, Zhao, G-B & Zinn, P-C 2013, 'Radio Continuum Surveys with Square Kilometre Array Pathfinders', Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, vol. 30.
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AbstractIn the lead-up to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, several next-generation radio telescopes and upgrades are already being built around the world. These include APERTIF (The Netherlands), ASKAP (Australia),e-MERLIN (UK), VLA (USA), e-EVN (based in Europe), LOFAR (The Netherlands), MeerKAT (South Africa), and the Murchison Widefield Array. Each of these new instruments has different strengths, and coordination of surveys between them can help maximise the science from each of them. A radio continuum survey is being planned on each of them with the primary science objective of understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies over cosmic time, and the cosmological parameters and large-scale structures which drive it. In pursuit of this objective, the different teams are developing a variety of new techniques, and refining existing ones. To achieve these exciting scientific goals, many technical challenges must be addressed by the survey instruments. Given the limited resources of the global radio-astronomical community, it is essential that we pool our skills and knowledge. We do not have sufficient resources to enjoy the luxury of re-inventing wheels. We face significant challenges in calibration, imaging, source extraction and measurement, classification and cross-identification, redshift determination, stacking, and data-intensive research. As these instruments extend the observational parameters, we will face further unexpected challenges in calibration, imaging, and interpretation. If we are to realise the full scientific potential of these expensive instruments, it is essential that we devote enough resources and careful study to understanding the instrumental effects and how they will affect the data. We have established an SKA Radio Continuum Survey working group, whose prime role is to maximise science from these instruments by ensuring we share resources and expertise across ...
Novikov, A & Kordzakhia, N 2013, 'Pitman Estimators: An Asymptotic Variance Revisited', Theory of Probability & Its Applications, vol. 57, no. 3, pp. 521-529.
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We provide an analytic expression for the variance of ratio of integral functionals of fractional Brownian motion which arises as an asymptotic variance of Pitman estimators for a location parameter of independent identically distributed observations. The expression is obtained in terms of derivatives of a logarithmic moment of the integral functional of limit likelihood ratio process (LLRP). In the particular case when the LLRP is a geometric Brownian motion, we show that the established expression leads to the known representation of the asymptotic variance of Pitman estimator in terms of Riemann zeta-function.
Novikov, A & Shiryaev, A 2013, 'Remarks on moment inequalities and identities for martingales', Statistics & Probability Letters, vol. 83, no. 4, pp. 1260-1261.
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We present some comments on moment inequalities and identities for martingales in the context of the paper of Langovoy
Nuchtavorn, N, Smejkal, P, Breadmore, MC, Guijt, RM, Doble, P, Bek, F, Foret, F, Suntornsuk, L & Macka, M 2013, 'Exploring chip-capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence field-deployable platform flexibility: Separations of fluorescent dyes by chip-based non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis', Journal of Chromatography A, vol. 1286, no. 1, pp. 216-221.
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Microfluidic chip electrophoresis (chip-CE) is a separation method that is compatible with portable and on-site analysis, however, only few commercial chip-CE systems with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and light emitting diode (LED) fluorescence detection are available. They are established for several application tailored methods limited to specific biopolymers (DNA, RNA and proteins), and correspondingly the range of their applications has been limited. In this work we address the lack of commercially available research-type flexible chip-CE platforms by exploring the limits of using an application-tailored system equipped with chips and methods designed for DNA separations as a generic chip-CE platform this is a very significant issue that has not been widely studied. In the investigated Agilent Bioanalyzer chip-CE system, the fixed components are the Agilent chips and the detection (LIF at 635 nm and LEDIF at 470 nm), while the chemistry (electrolyte) and the programming of all the high voltages are flexible. Using standard DNA chips, we show that a generic CE function of the system is easily possible and we demonstrate an extension of the applicability to non-aqueous CE (NACE). We studied the chip compatibility with organic solvents (i.e. MeOH, ACN, DMF and DMSO) and demonstrated the chip compatibility with DMSO as a non-volatile and non-hazardous solvent with satisfactory stability of migration times over 50 h. The generic CE capability is illustrated with separations of fluorescent basic blue dyes methylene blue (MB), toluidine blue (TB), nile blue (NB) and brilliant cresyl blue (BC).
Nunn, J, Langford, NK, Kolthammer, WS, Champion, TFM, Sprague, MR, Michelberger, PS, Jin, X-M, England, DG & Walmsley, IA 2013, 'Enhancing Multiphoton Rates with Quantum Memories', Physical Review Letters, vol. 110, no. 13.
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Obata, K, Miura, T, Yoshioka, H & Huete, AR 2013, 'Derivation of a MODIS-compatible enhanced vegetation index from visible infrared imaging radiometer suite spectral reflectances using vegetation isoline equations', JOURNAL OF APPLIED REMOTE SENSING, vol. 7.
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O'Brien, CJ, Peloquin, JA, Vogt, M, Heinle, M, Gruber, N, Ajani, P, Andruleit, H, Arístegui, J, Beaufort, L, Estrada, M, Karentz, D, Kopczyńska, E, Lee, R, Poulton, AJ, Pritchard, T & Widdicombe, C 2013, 'Global marine plankton functional type biomass distributions: coccolithophores', Earth System Science Data, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 259-276.
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Abstract. Coccolithophores are calcifying marine phytoplankton of the class Prymnesiophyceae. They are considered to play an import role in the global carbon cycle through the production and export of organic carbon and calcite. We have compiled observations of global coccolithophore abundance from several existing databases as well as individual contributions of published and unpublished datasets. We make conservative estimates of carbon biomass using standardised conversion methods and provide estimates of uncertainty associated with these values. The quality-controlled database contains 57 321 individual observations at various taxonomic levels. This corresponds to 11 503 observations of total coccolithophore abundance and biomass. The data span a time period of 1929–2008, with observations from all ocean basins and all seasons, and at depths ranging from the surface to 500 m. Highest biomass values are reported in the North Atlantic, with a maximum of 127.2 μg C L−1. Lower values are reported for the Pacific (maximum of 20.0 μg C L−1) and Indian Ocean (up to 45.2 μg C L−1). Maximum biomass values show peaks around 60° N and between 40 and 20° S, with declines towards both the equator and the poles. Biomass estimates between the equator and 40° N are below 5 μg C L−1. Biomass values show a clear seasonal cycle in the Northern Hemisphere, reaching a maximum in the summer months (June–July). In the Southern Hemisphere the seasonal cycle is less evident, possibly due to a greater proportion of low-latitude data. The original and gridded datasets can be downloaded from Pangaea (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.785092).
O'Carroll, SJ, Gorrie, CA, Velamoor, S, Green, CR & Nicholson, LFB 2013, 'Connexin43 mimetic peptide is neuroprotective and improves function following spinal cord injury', NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 256-267.
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Connexin43 (Cx43) is a gap junction protein up-regulated after spinal cord injury and is involved in the on-going spread of secondary tissue damage. To test whether a connexin43 mimetic peptide (Peptide5) reduces inflammation and tissue damage and improves function in an in vivo model of spinal cord injury, rats were subjected to a 10 g, 12.5 mm weight drop injury at the vertebral level T10 using a MASCIS impactor. Vehicle or connexin43 mimetic peptide was delivered directly to the lesion via intrathecal catheter and osmotic mini-pump for up to 24 h after injury. Treatment with Peptide5 led to significant improvements in hindlimb function as assessed using the BassoBeattieBresnahan scale. Peptide5 caused a reduction in Cx43 protein, increased Cx43 phosphorylation and decreased levels of TNF-a and IL-1ß as assessed by Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry of tissue sections 5 weeks after injury showed reductions in astrocytosis and activated microglia as well as an increase in motor neuron survival. These results show that administration of a connexin mimetic peptide reduces secondary tissue damage after spinal cord injury by reducing gliosis and cytokine release and indicate the clinical potential for mimetic peptides in the treatment of spinal cord patients.
Offringa, AR, de Bruyn, AG, Zaroubi, S, Koopmans, LVE, Wijnholds, SJ, Abdalla, FB, Brouw, WN, Ciardi, B, Iliev, IT, Harker, GJA, Mellema, G, Bernardi, G, Zarka, P, Ghosh, A, Alexov, A, Anderson, J, Asgekar, A, Avruch, IM, Beck, R, Bell, ME, Bell, MR, Bentum, MJ, Best, P, Bîrzan, L, Breitling, F, Broderick, J, Brüggen, M, Butcher, HR, de Gasperin, F, de Geus, E, de Vos, M, Duscha, S, Eislöffel, J, Fallows, RA, Ferrari, C, Frieswijk, W, Garrett, MA, Grießmeier, J, Hassall, TE, Horneffer, A, Iacobelli, M, Juette, E, Karastergiou, A, Klijn, W, Kondratiev, VI, Kuniyoshi, M, Kuper, G, van Leeuwen, J, Loose, M, Maat, P, Macario, G, Mann, G, McKean, JP, Meulman, H, Norden, MJ, Orru, E, Paas, H, Pandey-Pommier, M, Pizzo, R, Polatidis, AG, Rafferty, D, Reich, W, van Nieuwpoort, R, Röttgering, H, Scaife, AMM, Sluman, J, Smirnov, O, Sobey, C, Tagger, M, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, Veen, ST, Toribio, C, Vermeulen, R, Vocks, C, van Weeren, RJ, Wise, MW & Wucknitz, O 2013, 'The brightness and spatial distributions of terrestrial radio sources', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 435, no. 1, pp. 584-596.
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Offringa, AR, de Bruyn, AG, Zaroubi, S, van Diepen, G, Martinez-Ruby, O, Labropoulos, P, Brentjens, MA, Ciardi, B, Daiboo, S, Harker, G, Jelić, V, Kazemi, S, Koopmans, LVE, Mellema, G, Pandey, VN, Pizzo, RF, Schaye, J, Vedantham, H, Veligatla, V, Wijnholds, SJ, Yatawatta, S, Zarka, P, Alexov, A, Anderson, J, Asgekar, A, Avruch, M, Beck, R, Bell, M, Bell, MR, Bentum, M, Bernardi, G, Best, P, Birzan, L, Bonafede, A, Breitling, F, Broderick, JW, Brüggen, M, Butcher, H, Conway, J, de Vos, M, Dettmar, RJ, Eisloeffel, J, Falcke, H, Fender, R, Frieswijk, W, Gerbers, M, Griessmeier, JM, Gunst, AW, Hassall, TE, Heald, G, Hessels, J, Hoeft, M, Horneffer, A, Karastergiou, A, Kondratiev, V, Koopman, Y, Kuniyoshi, M, Kuper, G, Maat, P, Mann, G, McKean, J, Meulman, H, Mevius, M, Mol, JD, Nijboer, R, Noordam, J, Norden, M, Paas, H, Pandey, M, Pizzo, R, Polatidis, A, Rafferty, D, Rawlings, S, Reich, W, Röttgering, HJA, Schoenmakers, AP, Sluman, J, Smirnov, O, Sobey, C, Stappers, B, Steinmetz, M, Swinbank, J, Tagger, M, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, van Ardenne, A, van Cappellen, W, van Duin, AP, van Haarlem, M, van Leeuwen, J, van Weeren, RJ, Vermeulen, R, Vocks, C, Wijers, RAMJ, Wise, M & Wucknitz, O 2013, 'The LOFAR radio environment', Astronomy & Astrophysics, vol. 549, pp. A11-A11.
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Oktar, FN, Agathopoulos, S, Ozyegin, LS, Turner, IG, Gunduz, O, Demirkol, N, Brück, S, Ben-Nissan, B, Samur, R, Kayali, ES & Aktas, C 2013, 'Nano-Bioceramic Production via Mechano-Chemical Conversion (Ultrasonication)', Key Engineering Materials, vol. 529-530, no. 1, pp. 609-614.
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The production of nano-calcium phosphate powders, such as HA (hydroxyapatite), from synthetic chemicals can be expensive and time consuming. The skeleton or shells of sea creatures (e.g. sea urchins, shells, corals) could be an alternative source of materials to produce very fine and even nano-structured calcium phosphate biomaterial powders. Ηydrothermal conversion under very high pressures or methods such as hot-plating (chemical) or ultrasonication (mechano-chemical), have been proposed to transform naturally derived CaCO3, e.g. aragonite, into apatite based materials. The aim of the present work was to prepare inexpensive nano-sized HA and TCP bioceramics powders from a local sea snail shells as a possible raw material for HA/TCP bioceramics. Empty shells of a local sea snail (Nassarius hinia reticulatus) from Marmara Sea, Turkey were collected from a beach near Istanbul. The collected shells were ground to a particle size <75µm. Thermal analyses (DTA/TGA) were performed to determine the exact CaCO3content and thermal behavior. The raw powder was suspended in an aqueous media which was placed in an ultrasonic bath. The temperature was set at 80°C for 15min. Then, an equivalent (to CaO content) amount of H3PO4was added drop by drop very gently into the solution. The reaction continued for 8h, following which the liquid component was evaporated off in an incubator at 100°C for 24h. The dried sediment was collected and heat treated at two different temperatures, 400 and 800°C. The morphology of the powders produced was examined using SEM. The crystalline phases were indentified using X-ray analysis. X-ray diffractograms indicated the presence of two calcium phosphate phases, namely HA and whitlockite. SEM observations showed that the powder produced comprised nano-sized particles. FTIR results also indicated the presence of HA and whitlockite...
Ong, VA, Marsh, JW, Lawrence, A, Allan, JA, Timms, P & Huston, WM 2013, 'The protease inhibitor JO146 demonstrates a critical role for CtHtrA for Chlamydia trachomatis reversion from penicillin persistence', FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 3.
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Orr, RJS, Stuken, A, Murray, SA & Jakobsen, KS 2013, 'Evolution and Distribution of Saxitoxin Biosynthesis in Dinoflagellates', MARINE DRUGS, vol. 11, no. 8, pp. 2814-2828.
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Numerous species of marine dinoflagellates synthesize the potent environmental neurotoxic alkaloid, saxitoxin, the agent of the human illness, paralytic shellfish poisoning. In addition, certain freshwater species of cyanobacteria also synthesize the same toxic compound, with the biosynthetic pathway and genes responsible being recently reported. Three theories have been postulated to explain the origin of saxitoxin in dinoflagellates: The production of saxitoxin by co-cultured bacteria rather than the dinoflagellates themselves, convergent evolution within both dinoflagellates and bacteria and horizontal gene transfer between dinoflagellates and bacteria. The discovery of cyanobacterial saxitoxin homologs in dinoflagellates has enabled us for the first time to evaluate these theories. Here, we review the distribution of saxitoxin within the dinoflagellates and our knowledge of its genetic basis to determine the likely evolutionary origins of this potent neurotoxin
Orr, RJS, Stuken, A, Murray, SA & Jakobsen, KS 2013, 'Evolutionary Acquisition and Loss of Saxitoxin Biosynthesis in Dinoflagellates: the Second 'Core' Gene, sxtG', APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 79, no. 7, pp. 2128-2136.
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Saxitoxin and its derivatives are potent neurotoxins produced by several cyanobacteria and dinoflagellate species. SxtA is the initial enzyme in the biosynthesis of saxitoxin. The dinoflagellate full mRNA and partial genomic sequences have previously been characterized, and it appears that sxtA originated in dinoflagellates through a horizontal gene transfer from a bacterium. So far, little is known about the remaining genes involved in this pathway in dinoflagellates. Here we characterize sxtG, an amidinotransferase enzyme gene that putatively encodes the second step in saxitoxin biosynthesis. In this study, the entire sxtG transcripts from Alexandrium fundyense CCMP1719 and Alexandrium minutum CCMP113 were amplified and sequenced. The transcripts contained typical dinoflagellate spliced leader sequences and eukaryotic poly(A) tails. In addition, partial sxtG transcript fragments were amplified from four additional Alexandrium species and Gymnodinium catenatum. The phylogenetic inference of dinoflagellate sxtG, congruent with sxtA, revealed a bacterial origin. However, it is not known if sxtG was acquired independently of sxtA. Amplification and sequencing of the corresponding genomic sxtG region revealed noncanonical introns. These introns show a high interspecies and low intraspecies variance, suggesting multiple independent acquisitions and losses. Unlike sxtA, sxtG was also amplified from Alexandrium species not known to synthesize saxitoxin. However, amplification was not observed for 22 non-saxitoxin-producing dinoflagellate species other than those of the genus Alexandrium or G. catenatum. This result strengthens our hypothesis that saxitoxin synthesis has been secondarily lost in conjunction with sxtA for some descendant species.
Pant, R, Li, E, Poulton, CG, Choi, D-Y, Madden, S, Luther-Davies, B & Eggleton, BJ 2013, 'Observation of Brillouin dynamic grating in a photonic chip', Optics Letters, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 305-305.
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We report demonstration of a Brillouin dynamic grating (BDG) in a photonic chip. A BDG was characterized in a 6.5 cm long chalcogenide (As2S3) rib waveguide using CW pumps in x polarization and read using a CW probe in y polarization. The measured reflectivity, onoff ratio, and 3 dB bandwidth (f3??dB) for the BDG were 0.4%, ~28??dB, and ~6??GHz, respectively.
Parker, L, Ross, P, O'Connor, W, Pörtner, H, Scanes, E & Wright, J 2013, 'Predicting the Response of Molluscs to the Impact of Ocean Acidification', Biology, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 651-692.
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Elevations in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2 are anticipated to acidify oceans because of fundamental changes in ocean chemistry created by CO2 absorption from the atmosphere. Over the next century, these elevated concentrations of atmospheric CO2 are expected to result in a reduction of the surface ocean waters from 8.1 to 7.7 units as well as a reduction in carbonate ion (CO32- concentration. The potential impact that this change in ocean chemistry will have on marine and estuarine organisms and ecosystems is a growing concern for scientists worldwide. While species-specific responses to ocean acidification are widespread across a number of marine taxa, molluscs are one animal phylum with many species which are particularly vulnerable across a number of life-history stages. Molluscs make up the second largest animal phylum on earth with 30,000 species and are a major producer of CaCO3. Molluscs also provide essential ecosystem services including habitat structure and food for benthic organisms (i.e., mussel and oyster beds, purification of water through filtration and are economically valuable. Even sub lethal impacts on molluscs due to climate changed oceans will have serious consequences for global protein sources and marine ecosystems. © 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Peng, D, Jiang, Z, Huete, AR, Ponce-Campos, GE, Nguyen, U & Luvall, JC 2013, 'Response of Spectral Reflectances and Vegetation Indices on Varying Juniper Cone Densities', REMOTE SENSING, vol. 5, no. 10, pp. 5330-5345.
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Juniper trees are widely distributed throughout the world and are common sources of allergies when microscopic pollen grains are transported by wind and inhaled. In this study, we investigated the spectral influences of pollen-discharging male juniper cones within a juniper canopy. This was done through a controlled outdoor experiment involving ASD FieldSpec Pro Spectroradiometer measurements over juniper canopies of varying cone densities. Broadband and narrowband spectral reflectance and vegetation index (VI) patterns were evaluated as to their sensitivity and their ability to discriminate the presence of cones. The overall aim of this research was to assess remotely sensed phenological capabilities to detect pollen-bearing juniper trees for public health applications. A general decrease in reflectance values with increasing juniper cone density was found, particularly in the Green (545565 nm) and NIR (7501,350 nm) regions. In contrast, reflectances in the shortwave-infrared (SWIR, 2,000 nm to 2,350 nm) region decreased from no cone presence to intermediate amounts (90 g/m2) and then increased from intermediate levels to the highest cone densities (200 g/m2). Reflectance patterns in the Red (620700 nm) were more complex due to shifting contrast patterns in absorptance between cones and juniper foliage, where juniper foliage is more absorbing than cones only within the intense narrowband region of maximum chlorophyll absorption near 680 nm. Overall, narrowband reflectances were more sensitive to cone density changes than the equivalent MODIS broadbands. In all VIs analyzed, there were significant relationships with cone density levels, particularly with the narrowband versions and the two-band vegetation index (TBVI) based on Green and Red bands, a promising outcome for the use of phenocams in juniper phenology trait studies. These results indicate that spectral indices are sensitive to certain juniper phenologic traits that can potentially be used for juniper c...
Pergolesi, D, Fronzi, M, Fabbri, E, Tebano, A & Traversa, E 2013, 'Growth mechanisms of ceria- and zirconia-based epitaxial thin films and hetero-structures grown by pulsed laser deposition', Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy, vol. 2, no. 1.
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Petrou, K, Jimenez-Denness, I, Chartrand, K, McCormack, C, Rasheed, M & Ralph, PJ 2013, 'Seasonal heterogeneity in the photophysiological response to air exposure in two tropical intertidal seagrass species', MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES, vol. 482, pp. 93-106.
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Photosynthesis, chlorophyll a fluorescence, leaf bio-optical properties and pigments were measured in 2 tropical intertidal seagrass species, Zostera muelleri ssp. capricorni and Halophila ovalis before, during and after air-exposure over a tidal cycle. Data were collected across 4 seasons (October and January-growing seasons; May and July-senescent seasons) to determine seasonal dynamics in physiological responses to air exposure. Both species showed clear light-dependent responses with a decline in photosynthetic efficiency and increased photoprotection during periods of combined maximum daily irradiance and air exposure for all seasons. In Z. muelleri ssp. capricorni there was a negative correlation between air-exposed effective quan - tum yield and light intensity, suggesting exposure was driving this decline. Conversely, sensitivity (decline in effective quantum yield of photosystem II) to increased irradiance dominated the response in H. ovalis, with no change in the magnitude of this response between air-exposed and submerged blades. The response to air exposure observed in Z. muelleri ssp. capricorni showed seasonal variation, with a greater decline in photosynthesis during the spring (October). Tidal exposure did not provide intertidal seagrasses a 'window' of photosynthetic respite (increase in photosynthesis) from high natural or anthropogenic turbidity. However, the periods immediately prior to and after exposure were important for providing an optimum period for net photosynthetic gain.
Pham, AQN, Kelly, T & Fu, S 2013, 'Urine adulteration: can bleach be used to mask MDMA use?', ANALYTICAL METHODS, vol. 5, no. 16, pp. 3948-3955.
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Concerns regarding specimen integrity have long been a major issue of urine drug testing due to acts of urine adulteration. At a high concentration, in vitro urine adulteration using sodium hypochlorite (bleach) produced false-negative results for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in CEDIA immunoassay screening with strong negative readings. However, these strong negative readings may act as a warning sign for further investigation of the sample where the detection of a unique marker in the form of N-chloroMDMA will suggest urine adulteration via bleach. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) identi?ed N-chloroMDMA is a major product formed between hypochlorite and MDMA in urine. N-ChloroMDMA was found stable at 4 C for at least 10 h, but decomposed over time at room temperature (20 C) with MDMA being identified as one of its main decomposition products
Pham, TH, Ormerod, JT & Wand, MP 2013, 'Mean field variational Bayesian inference for nonparametric regression with measurement error', Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, vol. 68, no. 1, pp. 375-387.
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A fast mean field variational Bayes (MFVB) approach to nonparametric regression when the predictors are subject to classical measurement error is investigated. It is shown that the use of such technology to the measurement error setting achieves reasonable accuracy. In tandem with the methodological development, a customized Markov chain Monte Carlo method is developed to facilitate the evaluation of accuracy of the MFVB method.
Philp, M, Shimmon, R, Stojanovska, N, Tahtouh, M & Fu, S 2013, 'Development and validation of a presumptive colour spot test method for the detection of piperazine analogues in seized illicit materials', ANALYTICAL METHODS, vol. 5, no. 20, pp. 5402-5410.
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The increasingly large quantities of potentially illicit samples received for confirmatory analysis highlights the importance and demand for preliminary testing procedures that are simple, rapid, selective, inexpensive and able to be used in the field. C
Phyu, YL, Palmer, CG, Warne, MSJ, Dowse, R, Mueller, S, Chapman, J, Hose, GC & Lim, RP 2013, 'Assessing the Chronic Toxicity of Atrazine, Permethrin, and Chlorothalonil to the Cladoceran Ceriodaphnia cf. dubia in Laboratory and Natural River Water', ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY, vol. 64, no. 3, pp. 419-426.
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The majority of ecotoxicological data are generated from standard laboratory-based experiments with organisms exposed in nonflowing systems using highly purified water, which contains very low amounts of dissolved organic matter and suspended particulates. However, such experimental conditions are not ecologically relevant. Thus, there is a need to develop more realistic approaches to determining toxicity, including both lethal and sublethal effects. This research provides information on the effect of natural water constituents, such as suspended particulates and dissolved organic matter, in river water (RW) on the chronic toxicity (7-day reproductive impairment) of the pesticides atrazine, chlorothalonil, and permethrin to the freshwater cladoceran Ceriodaphnia cf. dubia. Standard bioassays were conducted under standard laboratory and more environmentally realistic conditions (using RW). The 7-day IC25 (reproduction impairment) values of atrazine, chlorothalonil, and permethrin to C. cf. dubia ranged from 862.4 to >1000, 51.3 to 66.4, and 0.19 to 0.23 µg/L, respectively. Using the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, atrazine is classified as moderately to highly toxic, whereas permethrin and chlorothalonil were both highly toxic. The presence of dissolved organic matter and suspended particles in natural RW did not significantly (p > 0.05) change the toxicity of any of the pesticides to C. cf. dubia compared with that tested in laboratory water (LW). For the tested pesticides, toxicity testing in LW provided an adequate estimate of the hazard posed.
Pilz, KF & Schloegl, E 2013, 'A hybrid commodity and interest rate market model', QUANTITATIVE FINANCE, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 543-560.
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A joint model of commodity price and interest rate risk is constructed analogously to the multi-currency LIBOR Market Model (LMM). Going beyond a simple `re-interpretationï½ of the multi-currency LMM, issues arising in the application of the model to actual commodity market data are specifically addressed. Firstly, liquid market prices are only available for options on commodity futures, rather than forwards, thus the difference between forward and futures prices must be explicitly taken into account in the calibration. Secondly, we construct a procedure to achieve a consistent fit of the model to market data for interest options, commodity options and historically estimated correlations between interest rates and commodity prices. We illustrate the model by an application to real market data and derive pricing formulas for commodity spread options.
Pla, JJ, Tan, KY, Dehollain, JP, Lim, WH, Morton, JJL, Jamieson, DN, Dzurak, AS & Morello, A 2013, 'A single-atom electron spin qubit in silicon', Nature, vol. 489, no. 7417, pp. 541-545.
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A single atom is the prototypical quantum system, and a natural candidate for
a quantum bit - the elementary unit of a quantum computer. Atoms have been
successfully used to store and process quantum information in electromagnetic
traps, as well as in diamond through the use of the NV-center point defect.
Solid state electrical devices possess great potential to scale up such
demonstrations from few-qubit control to larger scale quantum processors. In
this direction, coherent control of spin qubits has been achieved in
lithographically-defined double quantum dots in both GaAs and Si. However, it
is a formidable challenge to combine the electrical measurement capabilities of
engineered nanostructures with the benefits inherent to atomic spin qubits.
Here we demonstrate the coherent manipulation of an individual electron spin
qubit bound to a phosphorus donor atom in natural silicon, measured
electrically via single-shot readout. We use electron spin resonance to drive
Rabi oscillations, while a Hahn echo pulse sequence reveals a spin coherence
time (T2) exceeding 200 \mu s. This figure is expected to become even longer in
isotopically enriched 28Si samples. Together with the use of a device
architecture that is compatible with modern integrated circuit technology,
these results indicate that the electron spin of a single phosphorus atom in
silicon is an excellent platform on which to build a scalable quantum computer.
Pla, JJ, Tan, KY, Dehollain, JP, Lim, WH, Morton, JJL, Zwanenburg, FA, Jamieson, DN, Dzurak, AS & Morello, A 2013, 'High-fidelity readout and control of a nuclear spin qubit in silicon', Nature, vol. 496, no. 7445, pp. 334-338.
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A single nuclear spin holds the promise of being a long-lived quantum bit or
quantum memory, with the high fidelities required for fault-tolerant quantum
computing. We show here that such promise could be fulfilled by a single
phosphorus (31P) nuclear spin in a silicon nanostructure. By integrating
single-shot readout of the electron spin with on-chip electron spin resonance,
we demonstrate the quantum non-demolition, electrical single-shot readout of
the nuclear spin, with readout fidelity better than 99.8% - the highest for any
solid-state qubit. The single nuclear spin is then operated as a qubit by
applying coherent radiofrequency (RF) pulses. For an ionized 31P donor we find
a nuclear spin coherence time of 60 ms and a 1-qubit gate control fidelity
exceeding 98%. These results demonstrate that the dominant technology of modern
electronics can be adapted to host a complete electrical measurement and
control platform for nuclear spin-based quantum information processing.
Platen, E & Shi, L 2013, 'On the numerical stability of simulation methods for SDEs under multiplicative noise in finance', QUANTITATIVE FINANCE, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 183-194.
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When simulating discrete-time approximations of solutions of stochastic differential equations (SDEs), in particular martingales, numerical stability is clearly more important than some higher order of convergence. Discrete-time approximations of solutions of SDEs with multiplicative noise, similar to the BlackScholes model, are widely used in simulation in finance. The stability criterion presented in this paper is designed to handle both scenario simulation and Monte Carlo simulation, i.e. both strong and weak approximations. Methods are identified that have the potential to overcome some of the numerical instabilities experienced when using the explicit Euler scheme. This is of particular importance in finance, where martingale dynamics arise frequently and the diffusion coefficients are often multiplicative. Stability regions for a range of schemes are visualized and analysed to provide a methodology for a better understanding of the numerical stability issues that arise from time to time in practice. The result being that schemes that have implicitness in the approximations of both the drift and the diffusion terms exhibit the largest stability regions. Most importantly, it is shown that by refining the time step size one can leave a stability region and may face numerical instabilities, which is not what one is used to experiencing in deterministic numerical analysis.
Popic, TJ, Davila, YC & Wardle, GM 2013, 'Evaluation of Common Methods for Sampling Invertebrate Pollinator Assemblages: Net Sampling Out-Perform Pan Traps', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 6.
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Popic, TJ, Wardle, GM & Davila, YC 2013, 'Flower-visitor networks only partially predict the function of pollen transport by bees', AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 76-86.
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Potgieter, AB, Lawson, K & Huete, AR 2013, 'Determining crop acreage estimates for specific winter crops using shape attributes from sequential MODIS imagery', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION, vol. 23, pp. 254-263.
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There are increasing societal and plant industry demands for more accurate, objective and near real-time crop production information to meet both economic and food security concerns. The advent of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite platform has augmented the capability of satellite-based applications to monitor large agricultural areas at acceptable pixel scale, cost and accuracy. Fitting parametric profiles to growing season vegetation index time series reduces the volume of data and provides simple quantitative parameters that relates to crop phenology (sowing date, flowering). In this study, we modelled various Gaussian profiles to time sequential MODIS enhanced vegetation index (EVI) images over winter crops in Queensland, Australia. Three simple Gaussian models were evaluated in their effectiveness to identify and classify various winter crop types and coverage at both pixel and regional scales across Queensland's main agricultural areas. Equal to or greater than 93% classification accuracies were obtained in determining crop acreage estimates at pixel scale for each of the Gaussian modelled approaches. Significant high to moderate correlations (log-linear transformation) were also obtained for determining total winter crop (R2 = 0.93) areas as well as specific crop acreage for wheat (R2 = 0.86) and barley (R2 = 0.83). Conversely, it was much more difficult to predict chickpea acreage (R2 = 0.26), mainly due to very large uncertainties in survey data. The quantitative approach utilised here further had additional benefits of characterising crop phenology in terms of length of growing season and providing regression diagnostics of how well the fitted profiles matched the EVI time series.
Poulos, DE, Harasti, D, Gallen, C & Booth, DJ 2013, 'Biodiversity value of a geographically restricted soft coral species within a temperate estuary', AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 838-849.
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1. A threatened and uncommon soft coral species, Dendronephthya australis found in large abundance in Port Stephens, within the Port StephensGreat Lakes Marine Park (PSGLMP), New South Wales, Australia, was hypothesized to be an important habitat for many marine fishes and invertebrates, but is currently under threat from boat anchors, fishing debris entanglement and sand inundation. 2. Surveys were undertaken to assess the biodiversity associated with the soft coral habitat and its adjacent habitats (sponge, seagrass and unvegetated sand), using a combination of Underwater Visual Census (UVC) and Baited Remote Underwater Video System (BRUVS) techniques. 3. In total, 77 fish species and 21 invertebrate species utilized the D. australis habitat, and multivariate fish assemblages associated with soft corals were significantly different to those associated with nearby sponges, seagrass and sand habitats. Species richness of fishes and invertebrates were significantly higher in soft coral and sponge habitats than seagrass. 4. The D. australis habitat was found to be of high importance to juvenile snapper (Pagrus auratus: Sparidae), a species of recreational and commercial fishery importance, which occurred in highest abundance within D. australis, and were significantly smaller in size within the soft coral habitat than the adjacent sponge habitat. 5. Evidently, this rare soft coral habitat supports an extensive marine assemblage, potentially providing a valuable source of food and shelter for fishes and invertebrates, and given it is threatened by human-induced impacts, its protection should be a priority.
Poulton, CG, Pant, R & Eggleton, BJ 2013, 'Acoustic confinement and Stimulated Brillouin Scattering in integrated optical waveguides', Journal Of The Optical Society Of America B-Optical Physics, vol. 30, no. 10, pp. 2657-2664.
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We examine the effect of acoustic mode confinement on Stimulated Brillouin
Scattering in optical waveguides that consist of a guiding core embedded in a
solid substrate. We find that SBS can arise due to coupling to acoustic modes
in three different regimes. First, the acoustic modes may be guided by total
internal reflection; in this case the SBS gain depends directly on the degree
of confinement of the acoustic mode in the core, which is in turn determined by
the acoustic V-parameter. Second, the acoustic modes may be leaky, but may
nevertheless have a sufficiently long lifetime to have a large effect on the
SBS gain; the lifetime of acoustic modes in this regime depends not only on the
contrast in acoustic properties between the core and the cladding, but is also
highly dependent on the waveguide dimensions. Finally SBS may occur due to
coupling to free modes, which exist even in the absence of acoustic
confinement; we find that the cumulative effect of coupling to these
non-confined modes results in significant SBS gain. We show how the different
acoustic properties of core and cladding lead to these different regimes, and
discuss the feasibility of SBS experiments using different material systems.
Pravadali, S, Bassanese, DN, Conlan, XA, Francis, PS, Smith, ZM, Terry, JM & Shalliker, RA 2013, 'Comprehensive sample analysis using high performance liquid chromatography with multi-detection', Analytica Chimica Acta, vol. 803, pp. 188-193.
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Price, HL, Teasdale, PR & Jolley, DF 2013, 'An evaluation of ferrihydrite- and Metsorb™-DGT techniques for measuring oxyanion species (As, Se, V, P): Effective capacity, competition and diffusion coefficients', Analytica Chimica Acta, vol. 803, pp. 56-65.
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Price-Rees, SJ, Webb, JK & Shine, R 2013, 'Reducing the impact of a toxic invader by inducing taste aversion in an imperilled native reptile predator', ANIMAL CONSERVATION, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 386-394.
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It is virtually impossible to eradicate invasive organisms once they have spread widely, and even low densities of invaders may have devastating impacts. We need to explore alternative management options that accept the inevitability of encounters between alien and native taxa, but reduce the negative consequences of those encounters. Conditioned taste aversion (CTA) is one approach that offers promise in this respect. The spread of the invasive cane toad Rhinella marina across northern Australia is devastating populations of predators such as the blue-tongued skink Tiliqua scincoides intermedia. Predators unable to tolerate the toads' powerful bufadienolide chemical defences are likely to die if they ingest a toad. We trained field-caught skinks to avoid eating cane toad flesh, by offering them toad sausages laced with a nausea-inducing chemical (lithium chloride). These individuals (and controls) were then released and radio-tracked as toads arrived at our study site in north-western Australia. Skinks that regurgitated after consuming the toad sausage survived after release, whereas most untrained animals were fatally poisoned by toad ingestion. Even if we cannot eradicate invasive cane toads, we can ameliorate their ecological impact by CTA training of vulnerable predators.
Pugh, JD, Twigg, DE, Martin, TL & Rai, T 2013, 'Western Australia facing critical losses in its midwifery workforce: A survey of midwives' intentions', MIDWIFERY, vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 497-505.
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Objective the ongoing attrition of the midwifery workforce frustrates future workforce planning and the provision of maternity services in Western Australia. This project determined factors contributing to the intention of the midwives to move jobs and/or leave the profession. Design a cross-sectional survey approach was taken for this descriptive research utilising a self-administered questionnaire developed by the Nursing and Midwifery Office, Department of Health, Western Australia. Setting public and private health sectors in Western Australia, AprilMay 2010. Participants 1,600 midwives employed in the public and private health sectors throughout Western Australia were invited to participate: 712 responded (44.5%), one-fifth of the state's registered midwives. Findings most midwives worked part-time in a clinical role in public hospitals. Almost half intended moving jobs within 5 years and/or leaving midwifery. Excluding midwives of retirement age, the most common reasons for intending to move jobs were family commitments, working conditions and role dissatisfaction. Those intending to leave midwifery cited work-life balance, career change and family commitments. Midwives thought addressing the following issues would improve midwifery retention: flexible work arrangements, remuneration, staffing and caseload, workplace culture, professional development and models of care.
Que, X, Chen, X, Fu, L, Lai, W, Zhuang, J, Chen, G & Tang, D 2013, 'Platinum-catalyzed hydrogen evolution reaction for sensitive electrochemical immunoassay of tetracycline residues', Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, vol. 704, pp. 111-117.
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Que, X, Liu, B, Fu, L, Zhuang, J, Chen, G & Tang, D 2013, 'Molecular Imprint for Electrochemical Detection of Streptomycin Residues Using Enzyme Signal Amplification', Electroanalysis, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 531-537.
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Radchik, A, Skryabin, I, Maisano, J, Novikov, A & Gazarian, T 2013, 'Ensuring long term investment for large scale solar power stations: Hedging instruments for green power', SOLAR ENERGY, vol. 98, no. Part B, pp. 167-179.
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There is a general consensus that solar power is one of the cleanest energy technologies available. Nevertheless, investment in large-scale Solar Power Generators (SPGs) is largely impeded by the intermittent nature of solar power. Since the electricity market has a critical responsibility to maintain the reliability of energy supply, the SPG can be registered only as the market semi-scheduled generator (AEMC, 2011). This option excludes the advantages of providing baseload supply, which in turn impedes efficient market contracting for SPGs. The existing approach relies on energy storage or co-generation facilities to be built at the same connection point as the SPG to compensate for output shortages when there is insufficient sunlight. The co-located facilities require significant additional investment in infrastructure. This paper proposes a market based financial approach that does not require an additional construction effort. The approach financially links solar or other intermittent power generation with a gas-fired station through a set of tailored swap-type instruments.
Rahman, MA, Hasegawa, H, Rahman, MM, Maki, T & Lim, RP 2013, 'Effect of Iron (Fe2+) Concentration in Soil on Arsenic Uptake in Rice Plant (Oryza sativa L.) when Grown with Arsenate [As(V)] and Dimethylarsinate (DMA)', Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, vol. 224, no. 7.
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Raina, J-B, Tapiolas, DM, Forêt, S, Lutz, A, Abrego, D, Ceh, J, Seneca, FO, Clode, PL, Bourne, DG, Willis, BL & Motti, CA 2013, 'DMSP biosynthesis by an animal and its role in coral thermal stress response', Nature, vol. 502, no. 7473, pp. 677-680.
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Globally, reef-building corals are the most prolific producers of
dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP)1,2, a central molecule in
the marine sulphur cycle and precursor of the climate-active gas
dimethylsulphide3,4. At present, DMSP production by corals is
attributed entirely to their algal endosymbiont, Symbiodinium2.
Combining chemical, genomic and molecular approaches, we show
that coral juveniles produce DMSP in the absence of algal symbionts.
DMSP levels increased up to 54% over time in newly settled
coral juveniles lacking algal endosymbionts, and further increases,
up to 76%, were recorded when juveniles were subjected to thermal
stress. We uncovered coral orthologues of two algal genes recently
identified in DMSP biosynthesis, strongly indicating that corals
possess the enzymatic machinery necessary for DMSP production.
Our results overturn the paradigm that photosynthetic organisms
are the sole biological source of DMSP, and highlight the double
jeopardy represented by worldwide declining coral cover, as the
potential to alleviate thermal stress through coral-produced DMSP
declines correspondingly.
Rajia, S, Chen, H & Morris, MJ 2013, 'Voluntary post weaning exercise restores metabolic homeostasis in offspring of obese rats', Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 574-581.
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Aim Physical exercise reduces obesity, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. We previously found that maternal obesity alters central appetite circuits and contributes to increased adiposity, glucose intolerance and metabolic disease in offspring. Here we hypothesized that voluntary exercise would ameliorate the adverse metabolic effects of maternal obesity on offspring. Methods and Results SpragueDawley females fed chow (C) or high-fat diet HFD (H) were mated. Female offspring from C dams were weaned onto chow (CC); those from H dams recieved chow (HC) or HFD (HH). Half of each group was provided with running wheels (CCEX, HCEX, HHEX; n = 1012). Maternal obesity increased body weight (12%), adiposity, plasma lipids and induced glucose intolerance (HC vs CC; P < 0.05). These were exaggerated by postweaning HFD (HH vs HC; P < 0.01), showed doubled energy intake, a 37% increase in body weight, insulin resistance and glucose intolerance (HH vs HC; P < 0.01). Exercise reduced fat mass, plasma lipids, HOMA and fasting glucose in HCEX (vs HC; P < 0.05) and HHEX (vs HH; P < 0.01). Values in HCEX were indistinguishable from CC, however in HHEX these metabolic parameters remained higher than the sedentary HC and CC rats (P < 0.01). mRNA expression of hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin, and adipose tumour necrosis factor a and 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 were reduced by exercise in HHEX (vs HH; P < 0.05).
Ralston, KE, Harvey, LA, Batty, J, Lee, BB, Ben, M, Cusmiani, R & Bennett, J 2013, 'Functional electrical stimulation cycling has no clear effect on urine output, lower limb swelling, and spasticity in people with spinal cord injury: a randomised cross-over trial', Journal of Physiotherapy, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 237-243.
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Raman, H, Raman, R, Eckermann, P, Coombes, N, Manoli, S, Zou, X, Edwards, D, Meng, J, Prangnell, R, Stiller, J, Batley, J, Luckett, D, Wratten, N & Dennis, E 2013, 'Genetic and physical mapping of flowering time loci in canola (Brassica napus L.)', THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS, vol. 126, no. 1, pp. 119-132.
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Ramsey, DM, Islam, MA, Turnbull, L, Davis, RA, Whitchurch, CB & McAlpine, SR 2013, 'Psammaplysin F: A unique inhibitor of bacterial chromosomal partitioning', BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS, vol. 23, no. 17, pp. 4862-4866.
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Described is the antibiotic activity of a marine natural product. Psammaplysin F (1) inhibited the growth of four Gram-positive strains by >80% at 50 o(sic)M, and the amine at position C-20 is responsible for the observed antibacterial activity. When tes
Randolph, SJ, Botman, A & Toth, M 2013, 'Capsule-free fluid delivery and beam-induced electrodeposition in a scanning electron microscope', RSC Advances, vol. 3, no. 43, pp. 20016-20016.
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Gold coated borosilicate nanocapillaries are used to locally deliver aqueous, electrolytic CuSO4 solution into the low vacuum chamber of an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). Capillary flow of the liquid is induced by bringing a nanocapil
Randolph, SJ, Botman, A & Toth, M 2013, 'Deposition of Highly Porous Nanocrystalline Platinum on Functionalized Substrates Through Fluorine-Induced Decomposition of Pt(PF3)4 Adsorbates', Particle & Particle Systems Characterization, vol. 30, no. 8, pp. 672-677.
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Nanocrystalline platinum is synthesized at room temperature by co-injecting Pt(PF3)4 and XeF2 vapors onto solid supports in vacuum. The Pt nucleation time scales with chemisorbed fluorine coverage, which is controlled by pre-dosing supports with XeF2, and by optional electron or ion beam irradiation under flowing XeF2. The latter is used to increase the chemisorbed fluorine coverage and localize the Pt growth process.
Rands, CM, Darling, A, Fujita, M, Kong, L, Webster, MT, Clabaut, C, Emes, RD, Heger, A, Meader, S, Hawkins, MB, Eisen, MB, Teiling, C, Affourtit, J, Boese, B, Grant, PR, Grant, BR, Eisen, JA, Abzhanov, A & Ponting, CP 2013, 'Insights into the evolution of Darwin’s finches from comparative analysis of the Geospiza magnirostris genome sequence', BMC Genomics, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 1-15.
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AbstractBackgroundA classical example of repeated speciation coupled with ecological diversification is the evolution of 14 closely related species of Darwin’s (Galápagos) finches (Thraupidae, Passeriformes). Their adaptive radiation in the Galápagos archipelago took place in the last 2–3 million years and some of the molecular mechanisms that led to their diversification are now being elucidated. Here we report evolutionary analyses of genome of the large ground finch,Geospiza magnirostris.Results13,291 protein-coding genes were predicted from a 991.0 Mb G. magnirostrisgenome assembly. We then defined gene orthology relationships and constructed whole genome alignments between theG. magnirostrisand other vertebrate genomes. We estimate that 15% of genomic sequence is functionally constrained betweenG. magnirostrisand zebra finch. Genic evolutionary rate comparisons indicate that similar selective pressures acted along theG. magnirostrisand zebra finch lineages suggesting that historical effective population size values have been similar in both lineages. 21 otherwise highly conserved genes were identified that each show evidence for positive selection on amino acid changes in the Darwin's finch lineage. Two of these genes (Igf2randPou1f1) have been implicated in beak morphology changes in Darwin’s finches. Five of 47 genes showing evidence of positive selection in early passerine evolution have cilia related functions, and may be examples of adaptively evolving reproductive proteins.ConclusionsThese results provide insights into past evolutionary processes that have shapedG...
Rapa, RA, Shimmon, R, Djordjevic, SP, Stokes, HW & Labbate, M 2013, 'Deletion of Integron-Associated Gene Cassettes Impact on the Surface Properties of Vibrio rotiferianus DAT722', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 3.
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Rathner, JA, van Reyk, D & Crane, JW 2013, 'Editorial-volume 21, numbers 2 & 3', International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, vol. 21, no. 2.
Raven, JA, Beardall, J, Larkum, AWD & Sánchez-Baracaldo, P 2013, 'Interactions of photosynthesis with genome size and function', Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 368, no. 1622, pp. 20120264-20120264.
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Photolithotrophs are divided between those that use water as their electron donor (Cyanobacteria and the photosynthetic eukaryotes) and those that use a different electron donor (the anoxygenic photolithotrophs, all of them Bacteria). Photolithotrophs with the most reduced genomes have more genes than do the corresponding chemoorganotrophs, and the fastest-growing photolithotrophs have significantly lower specific growth rates than the fastest-growing chemoorganotrophs. Slower growth results from diversion of resources into the photosynthetic apparatus, which accounts for about half of the cell protein. There are inherent dangers in (especially oxygenic) photosynthesis, including the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and blue light sensitivity of the water spitting apparatus. The extent to which photolithotrophs incur greater DNA damage and repair, and faster protein turnover with increased rRNA requirement, needs further investigation. A related source of environmental damage is ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation (280–320 nm), whose flux at the Earth's surface decreased as oxygen (and ozone) increased in the atmosphere. This oxygenation led to the requirements of defence against ROS, and decreasing availability to organisms of combined (non-dinitrogen) nitrogen and ferrous iron, and (indirectly) phosphorus, in the oxygenated biosphere. Differential codon usage in the genome and, especially, the proteome can lead to economies in the use of potentially growth-limiting elements
Raymond, BBA, Tacchi, JL, Jarocki, VM, Minion, FC, Padula, MP & Djordjevic, SP 2013, 'P159 from Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae Binds Porcine Cilia and Heparin and Is Cleaved in a Manner Akin to Ectodomain Shedding', Journal of Proteome Research, vol. 12, no. 12, pp. 5891-5903.
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Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae colonizes the ciliated epithelial lining of the upper respiratory tract of swine and results in chronic infection. Previously, we have observed that members of P97 and P102 paralog families of cilium adhesins undergo endoproteolytic processing on the surface of M. hyopneumoniae. We show that P159 (MHJ_0494), an epithelial cell adhesin unrelated to P97 and P102 paralog families, is a cilium adhesin that undergoes dominant cleavage events at S/T-X-F?X-D/E-like motifs located at positions 233F?Q234 and 981F?Q982, generating P27, P110, and P52. An unrelated cleavage site 738L-K-V?G-A-A743 in P110 shows sequence identity with a cleavage site (L-N-V?A-V-S) identified in the P97 paralog, Mhp385, and generates 76 (P76) and 35 kDa (P35) fragments. LCMS/MS analysis of biotinylated surface proteins identified six peptides with a biotin moiety on their N-terminus indicating novel, low abundance neo-N-termini. LCMS/MS of proteins separated by 2D-PAGE, 2D immunoblotting using monospecific antiserum raised against recombinant fragments spanning P159 (F1P159-F4P159), and proteins that bound to heparin-agarose were all used to map P159 cleavage fragments. P159 is the first cilium adhesin not belonging to the P97/P102 paralog families and is extensively processed in a manner akin to ectodomain shedding in eukaryotes.
Razakandrainibe, R, Combes, V, Grau, GE & Jambou, R 2013, 'Crossing the wall: The opening of endothelial cell junctions during infectious diseases', The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, vol. 45, no. 7, pp. 1165-1173.
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Reichel, MP, Alejandra Ayanegui-Alcerreca, M, Gondim, LFP & Ellis, JT 2013, 'What is the global economic impact of Neospora caninum in cattle - The billion dollar question', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY, vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 133-142.
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Neospora caninum is regarded as one of the most important infectious causes of abortions in cattle worldwide, yet the global economic impact of the infection has not been established. A systematic review of the economic impact of N. caninum infections/abortions was conducted, searching PubMed with the terms 'cattle' and 'Neospora'. This yielded 769 publications and the abstracts were screened for economically relevant information (e.g. abortion prevalence and risk, serological prevalence). Further analysis was restricted to countries with at least five relevant publications. In total, 99 studies (12.9%) from 10 countries contained data from the beef industry (25 papers (25.3%)) and 72 papers (72.8%) from the dairy industry (with the remaining two papers (2.0%) describing general abortion statistics). The total annual cost of N. caninum infections/abortions was estimated to range from a median US $1.1 million in the New Zealand beef industry to an estimated median total of US $546.3 million impact per annum in the US dairy population. The estimate for the total median N. caninum-related losses exceeded US $1.298 billion per annum, ranging as high as US $2.380 billion. Nearly two-thirds of the losses were incurred by the dairy industry (US $842.9 million). Annual losses on individual dairy farms were estimated to reach a median of US $1,600.00, while on beef farms these costs amounted to just US $150.00. Pregnant cows and heifers were estimated to incur, on average, a loss due to N. caninum of less than US $20.00 for dairy and less than US $5.00 for beef. These loss estimates, however, rose to ~US $110.00 and US $40.00, respectively, for N. caninum-infected pregnant dairy and beef cows. This estimate of global losses due to N. caninum, with the identification of clear target markets (countries, as well as cattle industries), should provide an incentive to develop treatment options and/or vaccines.
Reid, AL, Millward, M, Pearce, R, Lee, M, Frank, MH, Ireland, A, Monshizadeh, L, Rai, T, Heenan, P, Medic, S, Kumarasinghe, P & Ziman, M 2013, 'Markers of circulating tumour cells in the peripheral blood of patients with melanoma correlate with disease recurrence and progression', BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, vol. 168, no. 1, pp. 85-92.
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Background:â Multimarker quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) represents an effective method for detecting circulating tumour cells in the peripheral blood of patients with melanoma. Objectives:â To investigate whether the phenotype of circulating melanoma cells represents a useful indicator of disease stage, recurrence and treatment efficacy. Methods:â Peripheral blood was collected from 230 patients with melanoma and 152 healthy controls over a period of 3 years and 9 months. Clinical data and blood samples were collected from patients with primary melanoma (early stages, 0âII, n = 154) and metastatic melanoma (late stages, IIIâIV, n = 76). Each specimen was examined by qRT-PCR analysis for the expression of five markers: MLANA, ABCB5, TGFβ2, PAX3d and MCAM. Results:â In total, 212 of the patients with melanoma (92%) expressed markers in their peripheral blood. Two markers, MLANA and ABCB5, had the greatest prognostic value, and were identified as statistically significant among patients who experienced disease recurrence within our study period, being expressed in 45% (MLANA) and 49% (ABCB5) of patients with recurrence (P = 0·001 and P = 0·031, respectively). For patients administered nonsurgical treatments, MCAM expression correlated with poor treatment outcome. Conclusions:â Circulating tumour cells were detectable at all stages of disease and long after surgical treatment, even when patients were considered disease free. Specifically, expression of ABCB5 and MLANA had significant prognostic value in inferring disease recurrence, while MCAM expression was associated with poor patient outcome after treatment, confirming multimarker qRT-PCR as a potential technique for monitoring disease status.
Reid, BL, Briggs, SB, Karagiannidis, LE, Muzzioli, S, Raiteri, P, Light, ME, Stagni, S, Brulatti, P, Gale, PA, Ogden, MI & Massi, M 2013, 'Blue emitting C2-symmetrical dibenzothiazolyl substituted pyrrole, furan and thiophene', Journal of Materials Chemistry C, vol. 1, no. 11, pp. 2209-2209.
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Reimers, JR, Cai, Z-L, Kobayashi, R, Raetsep, M, Freiberg, A & Krausz, E 2013, 'Assignment of the Q-Bands of the Chlorophylls: Coherence Loss via Q(x) - Q(y) Mixing', SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, vol. 3, pp. 1-8.
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We provide a new and definitive spectral assignment for the absorption, emission, high-resolution fluorescence excitation, linear dichroism, and/or magnetic circular dichroism spectra of 32 chlorophyllides in various environments. This encompases all data used to justify previous assignments and provides a simple interpretation of unexplained complex decoherence phenomena associated with Q(x)-> Q(y) relaxation. Whilst most chlorophylls conform to the Gouterman model and display two independent transitions Q(x) (S-2) and Q(y) (S-1), strong vibronic coupling inseparably mixes these states in chlorophyll-a. This spreads x-polarized absorption intensity over the entire Q-band system to influence all exciton-transport, relaxation and coherence properties of chlorophyll-based photosystems. The fraction of the total absorption intensity attributed to Q(x) ranges between 7% and 33%, depending on chlorophyllide and coordination, and is between 10% and 25% for chlorophyll-a. CAM-B3LYP density-functional-theory calculations of the band origins, relative intensities, vibrational Huang-Rhys factors, and vibronic coupling strengths fully support this new assignment.
Rembach, A, Hare, DJ, Lind, M, Fowler, CJ, Cherny, RA, McLean, C, Bush, AI, Masters, CL & Roberts, BR 2013, 'Decreased Copper in Alzheimer’s Disease Brain Is Predominantly in the Soluble Extractable Fraction', International Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 2013, pp. 1-7.
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Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia and represents a significant burden on the global economy and society. The role of transition metals, in particular copper (Cu), in AD has become of significant interest due to the dyshomeostasis of these essential elements, which can impart profound effects on cell viability and neuronal function. We tested the hypothesis that there is a systemic perturbation in Cu compartmentalization in AD, within the brain as well as in the periphery, specifically within erythrocytes. Our results showed that the previously reported decrease in Cu within the human frontal cortex was confined to the soluble (P<0.05) and total homogenate (P<0.05) fractions. No differences were observed in Cu concentration in erythrocytes. Our data indicate that there is a brain specific alteration in Cu levels in AD localized to the soluble extracted material, which is not reflected in erythrocytes. Further studies using metalloproteomics approaches will be able to elucidate the metabolic mechanism(s) that results in the decreased brain Cu levels during the progression of AD.
Ren, B, O'Brien, BA, Byrne, MR, Ch'ng, E, Gatt, PN, Swan, MA, Nassif, NT, Wei, MQ, Gijsbers, R, Debyser, Z & Simpson, AM 2013, 'Long-term reversal of diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice by liver-directed gene therapy', The Journal of Gene Medicine, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 28-41.
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Background Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from an autoimmune attack against the insulin-producing ß-cells of the pancreas. The present study aimed to reverse T1D by gene therapy. Methods We used a novel surgical technique, which involves isolating the liver from the circulation before the delivery of a lentiviral vector carrying furin-cleavable human insulin (INS-FUR) or empty vector to the livers of diabetic non-obese diabetic mice (NOD). This was compared with the direct injection of the vector into the portal circulation. Mice were monitored for body weight and blood glucose. Intravenous glucose tolerance tests were performed. Expression of insulin and pancreatic transcription factors was determined by the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy was used to localise insulin. Results Using the novel surgical technique, we achieved long-term transduction (42% efficiency) of hepatocytes, restored normoglycaemia for 150 days (experimental endpoint) and re-established normal glucose tolerance. We showed the expression of ß-cell transcription factors, murine insulin, glucagon and somatostatin, and hepatic storage of insulin in granules. The expression of hepatic markers, C/EBP-ß, G6PC, AAT and GLUI was down-regulated in INS-FUR-treated livers. Liver function tests remained normal, with no evidence of intrahepatic inflammation or autoimmune destruction of the insulin-secreting liver tissue. By comparison, direct injection of INS-FUR reduced blood glucose levels, and no pancreatic transdifferentiation or normal glucose tolerance was observed.
Ren, D, Leslie, LM & Lynch, MJ 2013, 'Antarctic ice sheet mass loss estimates using Modified Antarctic Mapping Mission surface flow observations', Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, vol. 118, no. 5, pp. 2119-2135.
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Ren, D, Leslie, LM & Lynch, MJ 2013, 'Verification of model simulated mass balance, flow fields and tabular calving events of the Antarctic ice sheet against remotely sensed observations', Climate Dynamics, vol. 40, no. 11-12, pp. 2617-2636.
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Richman, MB & Leslie, LM 2013, 'Classification of Changes in Extreme Heat Over Southeastern Australia', Procedia Computer Science, vol. 20, pp. 148-155.
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Riglar, DT, Rogers, KL, Hanssen, E, Turnbull, L, Bullen, HE, Charnaud, SC, Przyborski, J, Gilson, PR, Whitchurch, CB, Crabb, BS, Baum, J & Cowman, AF 2013, 'Spatial association with PTEX complexes defines regions for effector export into Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes', NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, vol. 4.
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Rinke, C, Schwientek, P, Sczyrba, A, Ivanova, NN, Anderson, IJ, Cheng, J-F, Darling, A, Malfatti, S, Swan, BK, Gies, EA, Dodsworth, JA, Hedlund, BP, Tsiamis, G, Sievert, SM, Liu, W-T, Eisen, JA, Hallam, SJ, Kyrpides, NC, Stepanauskas, R, Rubin, EM, Hugenholtz, P & Woyke, T 2013, 'Insights into the phylogeny and coding potential of microbial dark matter', Nature, vol. 499, no. 7459, pp. 431-437.
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Genome sequencing enhances our understanding of the biological world by providing blueprints for the evolutionary and functional diversity that shapes the biosphere. However, microbial genomes that are currently available are of limited phylogenetic breadth, owing to our historical inability to cultivate most microorganisms in the laboratory. We apply single-cell genomics to target and sequence 201?uncultivated archaeal and bacterial cells from nine diverse habitats belonging to 29?major mostly uncharted branches of the tree of life, so-called `microbial dark matter. With this additional genomic information, we are able to resolve many intra- and inter-phylum-level relationships and to propose two new superphyla. We uncover unexpected metabolic features that extend our understanding of biology and challenge established boundaries between the three domains of life. These include a novel amino acid use for the opal stop codon, an archaeal-type purine synthesis in Bacteria and complete sigma factors in Archaea similar to those in Bacteria. The single-cell genomes also served to phylogenetically anchor up to 20% of metagenomic reads in some habitats, facilitating organism-level interpretation of ecosystem function. This study greatly expands the genomic representation of the tree of life and provides a systematic step towards a better understanding of biological evolution on our planet.
Robbins, WD, Peddemors, VM, Broadhurst, MK & Gray, CA 2013, 'Hooked on fishing? Recreational angling interactions with the Critically Endangered grey nurse shark Carcharias taurus in eastern Australia', Endangered Species Research, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 161-170.
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Roberts, T, Stark, D, Harkness, J & Ellis, J 2013, 'Subtype distribution of Blastocystis isolates from a variety of animals from New South Wales, Australia', VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY, vol. 196, no. 1-2, pp. 85-89.
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A total of 438 stool samples from 38 different species of animal from seven different locations were studied for the presence of Blastocystis. PCR analysis was completed on all samples and DNA sequence data from the rDNA were submitted to subtype allocation. There was a total of 80 (18%) sequences from 18 species, and nine different subtypes were identified ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4, ST5, ST7, ST11, ST12 and ST13. This is the first report of Blastocystis from the eastern grey kangaroo, red kangaroo, wallaroo, snow leopard and ostrich. This study highlights the need for further investigation into the genetic diversity of Blastocystis which could help show the zoonotic potential of Blastocystis.
Roberts, T, Stark, D, Harkness, J & Ellis, J 2013, 'Subtype distribution of Blastocystis isolates identified in a Sydney population and pathogenic potential of Blastocystis', EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 335-343.
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Blastocystis is one of the most common enteric parasites present in humans. There is still much uncertainty about the pathogenic potential of this parasite, and it was suggested that its pathogenicity could be subtype-related. This report aimed to study 98 Blastocystis isolates found in human stool specimens to identify the subtypes present and carry out phylogenetic analysis on these isolates. This study also aimed to show the relationship between subtype and symptoms. Five-hundred and thirteen stool samples were submitted to five different diagnostic techniques for the detection of Blastocystis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive samples were then sequenced and the small subunit (SSU) rDNA sequences were aligned and submitted to phylogenetic analysis. Ninety-eight samples were positive by any of the diagnostic methods for Blastocystis and 96 were positive by PCR. There were seven different subtypes (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8) identified by PCR and sequencing. This is the first large-scale study to examine the occurrence of Blastocystis in Australia. This study reports the high incidence of subtype 3 (44 %) in this population and discusses the emerging idea of subtype-dependent pathogenicity
Robinson, MW, Buchtmann, KA, Jenkins, C, Tacchi, JL, Raymond, BBA, To, J, Chowdhury, PR, Woolley, LK, Labbate, M, Turnbull, L, Whitchurch, CB, Padula, MP & Djordjevic, SP 2013, 'MHJ_0125 is an M42 glutamyl aminopeptidase that moonlights as a multifunctional adhesin on the surface of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae', OPEN BIOLOGY, vol. 3.
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Robinson, MW, Dalton, JP, O'Brien, BA & Donnelly, S 2013, 'Fasciola hepatica: The therapeutic potential of a worm secretome', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY, vol. 43, no. 3-4, pp. 283-291.
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The success of helminth parasites is partly related to their ability to modulate host immune responses towards an anti-inflammatory/regulatory phenotype. This ability resides with the molecules contained in the secretome of various helminths that have been shown to interact with host immune cells and influence their function. Consequently, there exists a unique opportunity to exploit these molecules for the prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of human pro- and auto-inflammatory disorders (for example septic shock, transplant rejection and autoimmune disease). In this review, we describe the mechanisms used by the trematode parasite, Fasciola hepatica, to modulate the immune responses of its host and discuss the potent immune-modulatory effects of three individual molecules within the secretome; namely cathepsin L1, peroxiredoxin and helminth defence molecule. With a focus on the requirements from industry, we discuss the strategies by which these molecules may be clinically developed to control human immune responses in a way that is conducive to the prevention of immune-mediated diseases.
Robinson, MW, Donnelly, S & Dalton, JP 2013, 'Helminth defence molecules-immunomodulators designed by parasites!', FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 4.
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Roseblade, A, Luk, F, Rawling, T, Ung, A, Grau, GER & Bebawy, M 2013, 'Cell-Derived Microparticles: New Targets in the Therapeutic Management of Disease', JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 238-253.
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Intercellular communication is essential to maintain vital physiological activities and to regulate the organisms phenotype. There are a number of ways in which cells communicate with one another. This can occur via autocrine signaling, endocrine signaling or by the transfer of molecular mediators across gap junctions. More recently communication via microvesicular shedding has gained important recognition as a significant pathway by which cells can coordinate the spread and dominance of selective traits within a population. Through this communication apparatus, cells can now acquire and secure a survival advantage, particularly in the context of malignant disease. This review aims to highlight some of the functions and implications of microparticles in physiology of various disease states, and present a novel therapeutic strategy through the regulation of microparticle production.
Roudnew, B, Lavery, TJ, Seymour, JR, Smith, RJ & Mitchell, JG 2013, 'Spatially varying complexity of bacterial and virus-like particle communities within an aquifer system', AQUATIC MICROBIAL ECOLOGY, vol. 68, no. 3, pp. 259-266.
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Hydrological and geological heterogeneity in the subsurface can isolate groundwater bodies in an aquifer system and create hydrologically distinct aquifers overlying each other with varying amounts of water exchange and unknown amounts of biological exchange. The heterogeneous nature of these subsurface waters likely drives changes in groundwater microbiological parameters. In the present study, flow cytometry was used to examine the abundance and cytometrically defined subpopulation structure of bacteria and virus-like particles (VLPs) in 3 distinct, vertically stratified aquifer layers consisting of an unconfined aquifer, a confining layer and a confined aquifer. Despite total microbial abundances remaining constant, the composition of bacterial and VLP communities varied among the aquifer layers. Cytometrically defined subpopulations were defined by nucleic acid content and size and ranged from 1 bacterial and VLP subpopulation in the unconfined aquifer to 4 bacterial and 3 VLP subpopulations in the confined aquifer. This variability in the subpopulation assemblages is likely driven by a combination of hydrological heterogeneity and biological interactions. The results presented here indicate complexity in microbial communities in discrete aquifer layers that may be overlooked when reporting general abundances. Groundwater bacteria and VLPs appear to be a sensitive indicator of the biological dynamics of aquifer systems and may be used to identify heterogeneous water bodies and help distinguish individual aquifer layers in an aquifer system.
Rowe, CC, Bourgeat, P, Ellis, KA, Brown, B, Lim, YY, Mulligan, R, Jones, G, Maruff, P, Woodward, M, Price, R, Robins, P, Tochon‐Danguy, H, O'Keefe, G, Pike, KE, Yates, P, Szoeke, C, Salvado, O, Macaulay, SL, O'Meara, T, Head, R, Cobiac, L, Savage, G, Martins, R, Masters, CL, Ames, D & Villemagne, VL 2013, 'Predicting Alzheimer disease with β‐amyloid imaging: Results from the Australian imaging, biomarkers, and lifestyle study of ageing', Annals of Neurology, vol. 74, no. 6, pp. 905-913.
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Biomarkers for Alzheimer disease (AD) can detect the disease pathology in asymptomatic subjects and individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but their cognitive prognosis remains uncertain. We aimed to determine the prognostic value of β-amyloid imaging, alone and in combination with memory performance, hippocampal atrophy, and apolipoprotein E ε4 status in nondemented, older individuals.A total of 183 healthy individuals (age = 72.0 ± 7.26 years) and 87 participants with MCI (age = 73.7 ± 8.27) in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle study of ageing were studied. Clinical reclassification was performed after 3 years, blind to biomarker findings. β-Amyloid imaging was considered positive if the (11) C-Pittsburgh compound B cortical to reference ratio was ≥1.5.Thirteen percent of healthy persons progressed (15 to MCI, 8 to dementia), and 59% of the MCI cohort progressed to probable AD. Multivariate analysis showed β-amyloid imaging as the single variable most strongly associated with progression. Of combinations, subtle memory impairment (Z score = -0.5 to -1.5) with a positive amyloid scan was most strongly associated with progression in healthy individuals (odds ratio [OR] = 16, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.7-68; positive predictive value [PPV] = 50%, 95% CI = 19-81; negative predictive value [NPV] = 94%, 95% CI = 88-98). Almost all amnestic MCI subjects (Z score ≤ -1.5) with a positive amyloid scan developed AD (OR = ∞; PPV = 86%, 95% CI = 72-95; NPV = 100%, 95% CI = 80-100). Hippocampal atrophy and ε4 status did not add further predictive value.Subtle memory impairment with a positive β-amyloid scan identifies healthy individuals at high risk for MCI or AD. Clearly amnestic patients with a positive amyloid scan have prodromal AD and a poor prognosis for dementia within 3 years.
Sackett, O, Petrou, K, Reedy, B, De Grazia, A, Hill, R, Doblin, M, Beardall, J, Ralph, P & Heraud, P 2013, 'Phenotypic Plasticity of Southern Ocean Diatoms: Key to Success in the Sea Ice Habitat?', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 11.
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Sadraeian, M, Ghoshoon, MB, Mohkam, M, Karimi, Z, Rasoul-Amini, S & Ghasemi, Y 2013, 'Modification in media composition to obtain secretory production of STxB-based vaccines using Escherichia coli', Virologica Sinica, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 43-48.
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Sadraeian, M, Khoshnood Mansoorkhani, MJ, Mohkam, M, Rasoul-Amini, S, Hesaraki, M & Ghasemi, Y 2013, 'Prevention and Inhibition of TC-1 Cell Growth in Tumor Bearing Mice by HPV16 E7 Protein in Fusion with Shiga Toxin B-Subunit from shigella dysenteriae.', Cell J, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 176-181.
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OBJECTIVE: For immunotherapy of human papillomavirus (HPV) -16-associated cervical cancers the E7 protein is considered a prime candidate. However it is a poor inducer of cytotoxic T-cell response, when being used as a singular antigen in protein vaccination. Hence, in this study we focused on the utilization of a vaccine delivery system for prevention or treatment of cervical cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, we designed and evaluated a novel fusion protein comprising HPV16 E7 antigen fused to Shiga toxin B-subunit (STxB) as both an antigen vector and an adjuvant. Then we designed two preventive and therapeutic tumor models to investigate the prevention and inhibition of TC-1 cell growth in female C57BL/6 mice, respectively. In each model, mice were immunized with the recombinant protein of E7-STxB or E7 without any adjuvant. RESULTS: We demonstrated that prophylactic immunization of E7-STxB protected mice against TC-1 cells. Also in the therapeutic model, E7-STxB inhibited TC-1 tumor growth inlungs. The results were significant when compared with the immunization of E7 singularly. CONCLUSION: We concluded that immunization with the E7-STxB protein without any adjuvant could generate anti-tumor effect in mice challenged with TC-1 cells.This research verifies the clinical applications and the future prospects of developing HPV16 E7 therapeutic vaccines fused to immunoadjuvants.
Sadraeian, M, Rasoul-Amini, S, Mansoorkhani, MJK, Mohkam, M, Ghoshoon, MB & Ghasemi, Y 2013, 'Induction of Antitumor Immunity Against Cervical Cancer by Protein HPV-16 E7 in Fusion With Ricin B Chain in Tumor-Bearing Mice', International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer, vol. 23, no. 5, pp. 809-814.
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ObjectiveIn immunotherapy of HPV-16–associated cervical cancers, the E7 protein is considered as a prime candidate. However, it is a poor inducer of a cytotoxic T-cell response when used as a singular antigen in protein vaccination. Therefore, to design effective cancer vaccines, the best tumor antigens should be combined with the most effective immunogens or drug delivery tools to achieve positive clinical results. In this study, we fused HPV-16 E7 with the lectin subunit of ricin toxin (RTB) from castor plant as a vaccine adjuvant/carrier.Materials and MethodsAfter reaching the soluble form of the recombinant protein, we designed 2 preventive and inhibition tumor models for investigation of the prevention and rejection of TC-1 cell growth in female C57BL/6 mice, respectively. In each model, mice were immunized with the recombinant protein of E7-RTB or E7 without any adjuvant.ResultsWe demonstrated that prophylactic immunization of E7-RTB protected mice against challenge from TC-1 cells. Also in the therapeutic model, E7-RTB could inhibit TC-1 tumor growth in the lung. The results were significant compared with the immunization of E7 singularly.ConclusionsWe concluded that immunization with E7-RTB protein without any adjuvant could generate antitumor effects in mice challenged with TC-1 cells. This research verifies the clinical applications and the future prospects for development of HPV-16 E7 therapeutic vaccines fused to immunoadjuvants.
Sampson, JN, Chatterjee, N, Carroll, RJ & Muller, S 2013, 'Controlling the local false discovery rate in the adaptive Lasso', Biostatistics, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 653-666.
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Sánchez-Bayo, F, Hyne, RV, Kibria, G & Doble, P 2013, 'Calibration and Field Application of Chemcatcher® Passive Samplers for Detecting Amitrole Residues in Agricultural Drain Waters', Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, vol. 90, no. 6, pp. 635-639.
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A passive sampler device suitable for monitoring of residues of the hydrophilic ionic herbicide amitrole in irrigation waterways was developed. Uptake of amitrole on styrenedivinylbenzene-reverse phase sulfonated Empore disks was linear and proportional to its water concentration over the range of 110 µg/L with a sampling rate of 23.1 mL/day under laboratory flow-through conditions. Performance of the sampler was evaluated by deployment in an agricultural irrigation drain for 10 days. The amount of amitrole adsorbed by the passive samplers compared well with the cumulative mean water concentrations calculated from daily spot samplings of the drain water.
Schellart, P, Nelles, A, Buitink, S, Corstanje, A, Enriquez, JE, Falcke, H, Frieswijk, W, Hörandel, JR, Horneffer, A, James, CW, Krause, M, Mevius, M, Scholten, O, ter Veen, S, Thoudam, S, van den Akker, M, Alexov, A, Anderson, J, Avruch, IM, Bähren, L, Beck, R, Bell, ME, Bennema, P, Bentum, MJ, Bernardi, G, Best, P, Bregman, J, Breitling, F, Brentjens, M, Broderick, J, Brüggen, M, Ciardi, B, Coolen, A, de Gasperin, F, de Geus, E, de Jong, A, de Vos, M, Duscha, S, Eislöffel, J, Fallows, RA, Ferrari, C, Garrett, MA, Grießmeier, J, Grit, T, Hamaker, JP, Hassall, TE, Heald, G, Hessels, JWT, Hoeft, M, Holties, HA, Iacobelli, M, Juette, E, Karastergiou, A, Klijn, W, Kohler, J, Kondratiev, VI, Kramer, M, Kuniyoshi, M, Kuper, G, Maat, P, Macario, G, Mann, G, Markoff, S, McKay-Bukowski, D, McKean, JP, Miller-Jones, JCA, Mol, JD, Mulcahy, DD, Munk, H, Nijboer, R, Norden, MJ, Orru, E, Overeem, R, Paas, H, Pandey-Pommier, M, Pizzo, R, Polatidis, AG, Renting, A, Romein, JW, Röttgering, H, Schoenmakers, A, Schwarz, D, Sluman, J, Smirnov, O, Sobey, C, Stappers, BW, Steinmetz, M, Swinbank, J, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, Toribio, C, van Leeuwen, J, van Nieuwpoort, R, van Weeren, RJ, Vermaas, N, Vermeulen, R, Vocks, C, Vogt, C, Wijers, RAMJ, Wijnholds, SJ, Wise, MW, Wucknitz, O, Yatawatta, S, Zarka, P & Zensus, A 2013, 'Detecting cosmic rays with the LOFAR radio telescope', Astronomy & Astrophysics, vol. 560, pp. A98-A98.
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SCHLIEP, M, CAVIGLIASSO, G, QUINNELL, RG, STRANGER, R & LARKUM, AWD 2013, 'Formyl group modification of chlorophylla: a major evolutionary mechanism in oxygenic photosynthesis', Plant, Cell & Environment, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 521-527.
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We discuss recent advances in chlorophyll research in the context of chlorophyll evolution and conclude that some derivations of the formyl side chain arrangement of the porphyrin ring from that of the Chl a macrocycle can extend the photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) of these molecules, for example, Chl d and Chl f absorb light in the near-infrared region, up to ~750 nm. Derivations such as this confer a selective advantage in particular niches and may, therefore, be beneficial for photosynthetic organisms thriving in light environments with particular light signatures, such as red- and near-far-red light-enriched niches. Modelling of formyl side chain substitutions of Chl a revealed yet unidentified but theoretically possible Chls with a distinct shift of light absorption properties when compared to Chl a.
Schlögl, E 2013, 'Option pricing where the underlying assets follow a Gram/Charlier density of arbitrary order', Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 611-632.
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If a probability distribution is sufficiently close to a normal distribution, its density can be approximated by a Gram/Charlier Series A expansion. In option pricing, this has been used to fit risk-neutral asset price distributions to the implied volatility smile, ensuring an arbitrage-free interpolation of implied volatilities across exercise prices. However, the existing literature is restricted to truncating the series expansion after the fourth moment. This paper presents an option pricing formula in terms of the full (untruncated) series and discusses a fitting algorithm, which ensures that a series truncated at a moment of arbitrary order represents a valid probability density. While it is well known that valid densities resulting from truncated Gram/Charlier Series A expansions do not always have sufficient flexibility to fit all market-observed option prices perfectly, this paper demonstrates that option pricing in a model based on these densities is as tractable as the (far less flexible) original model of Black and Scholes (1973), allowing non-trivial higher moments such as skewness, excess kurtosis and so on to be incorporated into the pricing of exotic options: Generalising the Gram/Charlier Series A approach to the multiperiod, multivariate case, a model calibrated to standard option prices is developed, in which a large class of exotic payoffs can be priced in closed form. Furthermore, this approach, when applied to a foreign exchange option market involving several currencies, can be used to ensure that the volatility smiles for options on the cross exchange rate are constructed in a consistent, arbitrage-free manner
Schulte, J 2013, 'Editorial', PAM Review Energy Science & Technology, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 1-1.
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UTS ePRESS PAM Review Editorial 2017
Scott, ML, Whiting, MJ, Webb, JK & Shine, R 2013, 'Chemosensory discrimination of social cues mediates space use in snakes, Cryptophis nigrescens (Elapidae)', ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR, vol. 85, no. 6, pp. 1493-1500.
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Snakes have traditionally been viewed as solitary, asocial animals whose habitat use is driven by temperature, prey and predators. However, recent studies suggest that snake spatial ecology may also be socially mediated. We examined the influence of conspecific chemical cues on refuge selection in a small nocturnal snake (the small-eyed snake) that engages in male contest competition. Females preferred refuges containing scent cues from conspecifics (of either sex) rather than scentless refuges. Males preferred female-scented rather than male-scented refuges, and preferred the scent of larger (and hence, more fecund) females than smaller females. Males spent more time in refuges containing the scent of smaller rather than larger males, but males that lost a contest did not avoid the refuge scented by the winner and therefore did not show evidence of the winnerloser effect. Females preferred refuges scented by larger males. Small-eyed snakes can distinguish conspecific sex and body size using chemical cues, and they use these cues to select alternative refuge sites. We suggest that social factors play a significant role in driving snake spatial distribution patterns in the wild and that snakes may exhibit more complex social systems than has generally been believed.
Scuderi, S, D’Amico, AG, Castorina, A, Imbesi, R, Carnazza, ML & D’Agata, V 2013, 'Ameliorative effect of PACAP and VIP against increased permeability in a model of outer blood retinal barrier dysfunction', Peptides, vol. 39, pp. 119-124.
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Segele, ZT, Leslie, LM & Lamb, PJ 2013, 'Weather Research and Forecasting Model simulations of extended warm-season heavy precipitation episode over the US Southern Great Plains: data assimilation and microphysics sensitivity experiments', Tellus A: Dynamic Meteorology and Oceanography, vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 19599-19599.
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Serban, N, Staicu, A-M & Carroll, RJ 2013, 'Multilevel Cross-Dependent Binary Longitudinal Data', Biometrics, vol. 69, no. 4, pp. 903-913.
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Sergeyev, A, Geiss, R, Solntsev, AS, Steinbrück, A, Schrempel, F, Kley, E-B, Pertsch, T & Grange, R 2013, 'Second-harmonic generation in lithium niobate nanowires for local fluorescence excitation', Optics Express, vol. 21, no. 16, pp. 19012-19012.
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Setiadi, J, Arnold, MD & Ford, MJ 2013, 'Li-Ion Adsorption and Diffusion on Two-Dimensional Silicon with Defects: A First Principles Study', ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, vol. 5, no. 21, pp. 10690-10695.
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Using first principles calculations we investigate the binding and diffusion of Li on silicene and evaluate the prospects for application to Li-ion batteries. We find that the defect formation energy for silicene is half that of graphene, showing that silicene is more likely to contain defects. The overall lithium adsorption energy on silicene with defects is greater than the bulk cohesive energy of lithium giving stability for use in storage. Our results predict high mobility for lithium atoms on the surface of silicene with energy barriers in the range of 0.280.30 eV. Further, we find that the diffusion barrier through silicene is significantly lower than the diffusion barrier through graphene, with a value of 0.05 eV for the double vacancy and 0.88 eV for the single vacancy. The low diffusion barriers, both on the surface and through the hollow site, suggest a suitable material for use in Li-ion batteries.
Shabannia, R, Abu Hassan, H, Mahmodi, H, Naderi, N & Abd, HR 2013, 'ZnO nanorod ultraviolet photodetector on porous silicon substrate', Semiconductor Science and Technology, vol. 28, no. 11, pp. 115007-115007.
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Shanmuganatham, K, Feeroz, MM, Jones-Engel, L, Smith, GJD, Fourment, M, Walker, D, McClenaghan, L, Alam, SMR, Hasan, MK, Seiler, P, Franks, J, Danner, A, Barman, S, McKenzie, P, Krauss, S, Webby, RJ & Webster, RG 2013, 'Antigenic and Molecular Characterization of Avian Influenza A(H9N2) Viruses, Bangladesh', Emerging Infectious Diseases, vol. 19, no. 9, pp. 1393-1402.
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Sheppard, SK, Didelot, X, Jolley, KA, Darling, AE, Pascoe, B, Meric, G, Kelly, DJ, Cody, A, Colles, FM, Strachan, NJC, Ogden, ID, Forbes, K, French, NP, Carter, P, Miller, WG, Mccarthy, ND, Owen, R, Litrup, E, Egholm, M, Affourtit, JP, Bentley, SD, Parkhill, J, Maiden, MCJ & Falush, D 2013, 'Progressive genome-wide introgression in agricultural Campylobacter coli', MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 1051-1064.
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Shimoni, O, Yan, Y, Wang, Y & Caruso, F 2013, 'Shape-Dependent Cellular Processing of Polyelectrolyte Capsules', ACS Nano, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 522-530.
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Particle shape is emerging as a key design parameter for tailoring the interactions between particles and cells. Herein, we report the preparation of rod-shaped layer-by-layer (LbL)-assembled polymer hydrogel capsules with tunable aspect ratios (ARs). By templating spherical and rodlike silica particles, disulfide-stabilized poly(methacrylic acid) hydrogel capsules (PMA HCs) with different ARs (from 1 to 4) are generated. The influence of capsule AR on cellular internalization and intracellular fate was quantitatively investigated by flow cytometry, imaging flow cytometry, and fluorescence deconvolution microscopy. These experiments reveal that the cellular internalization kinetics of PMA HCs are dependent on the AR, with spherical capsules being internalized more rapidly and to a greater extent compared with rod-shaped capsules. In contrast, the capsules with different ARs are colocalized with the lysosomal marker LAMP1, suggesting that the lysosomal compartmentalization is independent of shape for these soft polymer capsules.
Shokri, MR & Gladstone, W 2013, 'Integrating Vulnerability Into Estuarine Conservation Planning: Does the Data Treatment Method Matter?', ESTUARIES AND COASTS, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 866-880.
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Protected areas will more efficiently protect biodiversity if threats to the persistence of populations are addressed. Seagrass meadows are globally regarded as critical habitats because of their ecosystem services, human use values, and their diminishing extent. While selecting priority areas for conservation of seagrass meadows is largely aimed at maximizing the protection of their biodiversity, little attention is paid to consider simultaneously the representation of biodiversity and the minimization of threats. This study developed and tested an approach for integrating vulnerability of seagrass meadows to anthropogenic disturbance with the selection of estuarine-protected areas. Vulnerability was measured by data on different land use types in subcatchments. Conservation value was measured by irreplaceability, diversity indices, and rarity of macroinvertebrate species in seagrass meadows. Vulnerability was incorporated into conservation planning by plotting grid cell scores for conservation value versus their scores for vulnerability. The results showed that the performance of the model for the integration of vulnerability into estuarine conservation planning was sensitive to the data treatment. The vulnerability of seagrass meadows and accordingly the arrangement of priority areas for conservation and management attention may change if more information is incorporated into the measurement of vulnerability.
Shokri, MR & Gladstone, W 2013, 'Limitations of habitats as biodiversity surrogates for conservation planning in estuaries', ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT, vol. 185, no. 4, pp. 3477-3492.
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Increasing pressures on global biodiversity and lack of data on the number and abundance of species have motivated conservation planners and researchers to use more readily available information as proxies or surrogates for biodiversity. "Habitat" is one of the most frequently used surrogates but its assumed value in marine conservation planning is not often tested. The present study developed and tested three alternative habitat classification schemes of increasing complexity for a large estuary in south-east Australia and tested their effectiveness in predicting spatial variation in macroinvertebrate biodiversity and selecting estuarine protected areas to represent species. The three habitat classification schemes were: (1) broad-scale habitats (e.g., mangroves and seagrass), (2) subdivision of each broad-scale habitat by a suite of environmental variables that varied significantly throughout the estuary, and (3) subdivision of each broad-scale habitat by the subset of environmental variables that best explained spatial variation in macroinvertebrate biodiversity. Macroinvertebrate assemblages differed significantly among the habitats in each classification scheme. For each classification scheme, habitat richness was significantly correlated with species richness, total density of macroinvertebrates, assemblage dissimilarity, and summed irreplaceability. However, in a reserve selection process designed to represent examples of each habitat, no habitat classification scheme represented species significantly better than a random selection of sites. Habitat classification schemes may represent variation in estuarine biodiversity; however, the results of this study suggest they are inefficient in designing representative networks of estuarine protected areas.
Simpson, AM, Ren, B, O'Brien, BA & Nassif, NT 2013, 'Comment on the letter to the editor by M. Elsner et al.', The Journal of Gene Medicine, vol. 15, no. 8-9, pp. n/a-n/a.
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Simpson, JL, McDonald, VM, Baines, KJ, Oreo, KM, Wang, F, Hansbro, PM & Gibson, PG 2013, 'Influence of Age, Past Smoking, and Disease Severity on TLR2, Neutrophilic Inflammation, and MMP-9 Levels in COPD', Mediators of Inflammation, vol. 2013, pp. 1-13.
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Sinutok, S, Hill, R, Doblin, MA & Ralph, PJ 2013, 'Diurnal photosynthetic response of the motile symbiotic benthic foraminiferan Marginopora vertebralis', MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES, vol. 478, pp. 127-138.
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Movement of the symbiont-bearing foraminiferan Marginopora vertebralis and photo physiological response to diurnal fluctuations in irradiance were investigated in field and laboratory experiments. The abundance of M. vertebralis from both light-exposed and sheltered habitats was determined 5 times during the day, from pre-dawn to post-dusk. M. vertebralis abundance was significantly higher in sheltered compared to exposed habitats at midday under high irradiance, and this movement enabled the algal symbionts to avoid excessive photoinhibition. The diurnal changes in photosynthetic efficiency were not consistent with the typical midday solar maximum downregulation of photosystem II observed in other photoautotrophs and was likely due to the negatively phototactic capacity of the foraminifera. To confirm the light-dependent movement of foraminifera, individuals in exposed and sheltered habitats were exposed to the photosynthetic inhibitor 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) in the laboratory. The lack of movement in DCMU-exposed specimens confirmed light-dependent movement and subsequent disruption of signalling between the host foraminiferan and the algal symbionts. Analysis of chlorophyll and xanthophyll pigments, as well as symbiont density, indicated that under high irradiance, foraminiferal symbionts have the capacity to reduce light stress by activating photo-protective mechanisms. The negatively phototactic behaviour prevented chlorophyll degradation, symbiont loss and bleaching, suggesting that it is the primary mechanism for controlling light exposure in these foraminifera. This behaviour provides a competitive advantage over other sessile organisms in avoiding photoinhibition and bleaching by moving away from over-saturating irradiance, towards less damaging light fields.
Slobozhanyuk, AP, Lapine, M, Powell, DA, Shadrivov, IV, Kivshar, YS, McPhedran, RC & Belov, PA 2013, 'Flexible Helices for Nonlinear Metamaterials', ADVANCED MATERIALS, vol. 25, no. 25, pp. 3409-3412.
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Smith, GB, Golestan, D & Gentle, AR 2013, 'The insulator to correlated metal phase transition in molybdenum oxides', APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, vol. 103, no. 5.
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Smith, RJ, Jeffries, TC, Roudnew, B, Seymour, JR, Fitch, AJ, Simons, KL, Speck, PG, Newton, K, Brown, MH & Mitchell, JG 2013, 'Confined aquifers as viral reservoirs', ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 725-730.
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Knowledge about viral diversity and abundance in deep groundwater reserves is limited. We found that the viral community inhabiting a deep confined aquifer in South Australia was more similar to reclaimed water communities than to the viral communities in the overlying unconfined aquifer community. This similarity was driven by high relative occurrence of the single-stranded DNA viral groups Circoviridae, Geminiviridae and Microviridae, which include many known plant and animal pathogens. These groups were present in a 1500-year-old water situated 80?m below the surface, which suggests the potential for long-term survival and spread of potentially pathogenic viruses in deep, confined groundwater. Obtaining a broader understanding of potentially pathogenic viral communities within aquifers is particularly important given the ability of viruses to spread within groundwater ecosystems.
Sobinoff, AP, Beckett, EL, Jarnicki, AG, Sutherland, JM, McCluskey, A, Hansbro, PM & McLaughlin, EA 2013, 'Scrambled and fried: Cigarette smoke exposure causes antral follicle destruction and oocyte dysfunction through oxidative stress', Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, vol. 271, no. 2, pp. 156-167.
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Somaweera, R, Shine, R, Webb, J, Dempster, T & Letnic, M 2013, 'Why does vulnerability to toxic invasive cane toads vary among populations of Australian freshwater crocodiles?', Animal Conservation, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 86-96.
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The ecological impact of an invasive species can be heterogeneous through space and time. One such case in Australia involves native freshwater crocodiles Crocodylus johnstoni, which are highly sensitive to invasive cane toads Rhinella marina in some areas, whereas other populations experience little or no mortality from ingestion of the toxic toads. We studied the impact of toad invasion on three crocodile populations: one crashed, one showed a minor decrease and one appeared unaffected. We tested three hypotheses for the cause of this spatial variation in impact: differences among populations in toadcrocodile encounter rates (proximity of toads to crocodiles during spotlight surveys), differences in crocodile feeding responses (trials of prey preference in the laboratory) and differences in crocodile physiology (reduction of swim speed after receiving a dose of toad toxin). We found little divergence among populations in any of these traits: crocodiles from the three populations all encountered cane toads in the wild, and exhibited similar feeding responses and toxin tolerances. Thus, we cannot confidently identify causation for the impact heterogeneity. Reliance on alternative food resources and an ability to rapidly learn taste aversion may have allowed crocodiles to deal with toad arrival in Lake Argyle and the Daly River. Future work could usefully evaluate potential explanations for the failure of these adaptive mechanisms in the severely affected (Victoria River) population. We suggest that spatial variation in the availability of alternative prey (and thus the willingness of crocodiles to attack a novel toxic prey item) may have contributed to that variation in impact.
Song, EJ, Gordon-Thomson, C, Cole, L, Stern, H, Halliday, GM, Damian, DL, Reeve, VE & Mason, RS 2013, '1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 reduces several types of UV-induced DNA damage and contributes to photoprotection', The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 136, pp. 131-138.
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Sonuga-Barke, EJS, Cartwright, KL, Thompson, MJ, Brown, J, Bitsakou, P, Daley, D, Gramzow, RH, Psychogiou, L & Simonoff, E 2013, 'Family Characteristics, Expressed Emotion, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder', Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, vol. 52, no. 5, pp. 547-548.e2.
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Sotomayor-Beltran, C, Sobey, C, Hessels, JWT, de Bruyn, G, Noutsos, A, Alexov, A, Anderson, J, Asgekar, A, Avruch, IM, Beck, R, Bell, ME, Bell, MR, Bentum, MJ, Bernardi, G, Best, P, Birzan, L, Bonafede, A, Breitling, F, Broderick, J, Brouw, WN, Brüggen, M, Ciardi, B, de Gasperin, F, Dettmar, R-J, van Duin, A, Duscha, S, Eislöffel, J, Falcke, H, Fallows, RA, Fender, R, Ferrari, C, Frieswijk, W, Garrett, MA, Grießmeier, J, Grit, T, Gunst, AW, Hassall, TE, Heald, G, Hoeft, M, Horneffer, A, Iacobelli, M, Juette, E, Karastergiou, A, Keane, E, Kohler, J, Kramer, M, Kondratiev, VI, Koopmans, LVE, Kuniyoshi, M, Kuper, G, van Leeuwen, J, Maat, P, Macario, G, Markoff, S, McKean, JP, Mulcahy, DD, Munk, H, Orru, E, Paas, H, Pandey-Pommier, M, Pilia, M, Pizzo, R, Polatidis, AG, Reich, W, Röttgering, H, Serylak, M, Sluman, J, Stappers, BW, Tagger, M, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, ter Veen, S, Vermeulen, R, van Weeren, RJ, Wijers, RAMJ, Wijnholds, SJ, Wise, MW, Wucknitz, O, Yatawatta, S & Zarka, P 2013, 'Calibrating high-precision Faraday rotation measurements for LOFAR and the next generation of low-frequency radio telescopes', Astronomy & Astrophysics, vol. 552, pp. A58-A58.
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Spring, JB, Metcalf, BJ, Humphreys, PC, Kolthammer, WS, Jin, X-M, Barbieri, M, Datta, A, Thomas-Peter, N, Langford, NK, Kundys, D, Gates, JC, Smith, BJ, Smith, PGR & Walmsley, IA 2013, 'Boson Sampling on a Photonic Chip', Science, vol. 339, no. 6121, pp. 798-801.
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Spring, JB, Salter, PS, Metcalf, BJ, Humphreys, PC, Moore, M, Thomas-Peter, N, Barbieri, M, Jin, X-M, Langford, NK, Kolthammer, WS, Booth, MJ & Walmsley, IA 2013, 'On-chip low loss heralded source of pure single photons', Optics Express, vol. 21, no. 11, pp. 13522-13522.
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Stansfield, SH, Patel, P, Debattista, J, Armitage, CW, Cunningham, K, Timms, P, Allan, J, Mittal, A & Huston, WM 2013, 'Proof of concept: A bioinformatic and serological screening method for identifying new peptide antigens for Chlamydia trachomatis related sequelae in women', Results in Immunology, vol. 3, pp. 33-39.
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This study aimed to identify new peptide antigens from Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis in a proof of concept approach which could be used to develop an epitope-based serological diagnostic for C. trachomatis related infertility in women. A bioinformatics analysis was conducted examining several immunodominant proteins from C. trachomatis to identify predicted immunoglobulin epitopes unique to C. trachomatis. A peptide array of these epitopes was screened against participant sera. The participants (all female) were categorized into the following cohorts based on their infection and gynecological history; acute (single treated infection with C. trachomatis), multiple (more than one C. trachomatis infection, all treated), sequelae (PID or tubal infertility with a history of C. trachomatis infection), and infertile (no history of C. trachomatis infection and no detected tubal damage). The bioinformatics strategy identified several promising epitopes. Participants who reacted positively in the peptide 11 ELISA were found to have an increased likelihood of being in the sequelae cohort compared to the infertile cohort with an odds ratio of 16.3 (95% c.i. 1.65-160), with 95% specificity and 46% sensitivity (0.19-0.74). The peptide 11 ELISA has the potential to be further developed as a screening tool for use during the early IVF work up and provides proof of concept that there may be further peptide antigens which could be identified using bioinformatics and screening approaches.
Starkey, MR, Essilfie, AT, Horvat, JC, Kim, RY, Nguyen, DH, Beagley, KW, Mattes, J, Foster, PS & Hansbro, PM 2013, 'Constitutive production of IL-13 promotes early-life Chlamydia respiratory infection and allergic airway disease', Mucosal Immunology, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 569-579.
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Starkey, MR, Jarnicki, AG, Essilfie, A-T, Gellatly, SL, Kim, RY, Brown, AC, Foster, PS, Horvat, JC & Hansbro, PM 2013, 'Murine models of infectious exacerbations of airway inflammation', Current Opinion in Pharmacology, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 337-344.
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STARKEY, MR, NGUYEN, DH, KIM, RY, NAIR, PM, BROWN, AC, ESSIFIE, A-T, HORVAT, JC & HANSBRO, PM 2013, 'Programming of the Lung in Early Life by Bacterial Infections Predisposes to Chronic Respiratory Disease', Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology, vol. 56, no. 3, pp. 566-576.
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Stewart, J, Robbins, WD, Rowling, K, Hegarty, A & Gould, A 2013, 'A multifaceted approach to modelling growth of the Australian bonito, Sarda australis (Family Scombridae), with some observations on its reproductive biology', MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH, vol. 64, no. 7, pp. 671-678.
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Stojanovska, N, Fu, S, Tahtouh, M, Kelly, T, Beavis, A & Kirkbride, KP 2013, 'A review of impurity profiling and synthetic route of manufacture of methylamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine, amphetamine, dimethylamphetamine and p-methoxyamphetamine', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 224, no. 1-3, pp. 8-26.
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Amphetamine-type substances (ATS), like other synthetically derived compounds, can be produced by a multitude of synthetic pathways using a variety of precursors and reagents, resulting in a large number of possible contaminants (by-products, intermediates and impurities). This review article describes the common contaminants found in preparations of methylamphetamine (MA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA), amphetamine (AP), N,N-dimethylamphetamine (DMA) and p-methoxyamphetamine (PMA) synthesised via common synthetic pathways including reductive amination, Leuckart method, Nagai method, Emde method, Birch reduction, Moscow method, Wacker process, Nitrostyrene method and the Peracid oxidation method. Contaminants can facilitate identification of the synthetic route, origin of precursors and may suggest information as to the location of manufacture of these illicit drugs. Contaminant profiling can provide vital intelligence for investigations in which linking seizures or identifying the synthetic pathway is essential. This review article presents an accessible resource; a compilation of contaminants resulting from a variety of manufacturing methods used to synthesise the most common ATS. It is important for research in this field to continue as valuable information can be extracted from illicit drug samples, increasing discrimination amongst ATS, and in turn, leading to an increase in evidential value and forensic drug intelligence from forensic drug samples.
Sturmberg, BCP, Dossou, KB, Botten, LC, Asatryan, AA, Poulton, CG, McPhedran, RC & de Sterke, CM 2013, 'Absorption enhancing proximity effects in aperiodic nanowire arrays', OPTICS EXPRESS, vol. 21, no. 22, pp. A964-A969.
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Aperiodic Nanowire (NW) arrays have higher absorption than equivalent periodic arrays, making them of interest for photovoltaic applications. An inevitable property of aperiodic arrays is the clustering of some NWs into closer proximity than in the equivalent periodic array. We focus on the modes of such clusters and show that the reduced symmetry associated with cluster formation allows external coupling into modes which are dark in periodic arrays, thus increasing absorption. To exploit such modes fully, arrays must include tightly clustered NWs that are unlikely to arise from fabrication variations but must be created intentionally.
Su, D & Wang, G 2013, 'Single-Crystalline Bilayered V2O5 Nanobelts for High-Capacity Sodium-Ion Batteries', ACS Nano, vol. 7, no. 12, pp. 11218-11226.
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Single-crystalline bilayered vanadium oxide nanobelts were synthesized by a simple solvothermal method. FESEM and AFM analyses identified the nanobelt morphology of the as-prepared vanadium oxide with a rectangular cross-section and a thickness of approximately 50 nm. XRD and TEM characterizations revealed the presence of a large (001) interlayer spacing (11.53 Å), which can accommodate Na-ion insertion and extraction. When applied as cathode materials in Na-ion batteries, vanadium oxide nanobelts exhibited a high capacity of 231.4 mA h g1 at a current density of 80 mA g1. This corresponds to the theoretical capacity to form Na2V2O5 on Na-ion insertion. Vanadium oxide nanobelts also demonstrated an excellent high-rate performance and a satisfactory cyclability. These superior electrochemical performances could be ascribed to the unique bilayered vanadium oxide nanobelts with dominantly exposed {100} crystal planes, which provide large interlayer spacing for facile Na-ion insertion/extraction. Single-crystalline bilayered vanadium oxide nanobelts could be promising cathode materials for high-performance Na-ion batteries.
Su, D, Ahn, H-J & Wang, G 2013, 'Hydrothermal synthesis of alpha-MnO2 and beta-MnO2 nanorods as high capacity cathode materials for sodium ion batteries', JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A, vol. 1, no. 15, pp. 4845-4850.
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Two types of MnO2 polymorphs, α-MnO2 and β-MnO2 nanorods, have been synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Their crystallographic phases, morphologies, and crystal structures were characterized by XRD, FESEM and TEM analysis. Different exposed crystal planes have been identified by TEM. The electrochemical properties of α-MnO2 and β-MnO2 nanorods as cathode materials in Na-ion batteries were evaluated by galvanostatic charge/discharge testing. Both α-MnO2 and β-MnO2 nanorods achieved high initial sodium ion storage capacities of 278 mA h gâ1 and 298 mA h gâ1, respectively. β-MnO2 nanorods exhibited a better electrochemical performance such as good rate capability and cyclability than that of α-MnO2 nanorods, which could be ascribed to a more compact tunnel structure of β-MnO2 nanorods. Furthermore, the one-dimensional architecture of nanorods could also contribute to facile sodium ion diffusion in the charge and discharge process.
Su, D, Ahn, H-J & Wang, G 2013, 'One-dimensional magnetite Fe3O4 nanowires as electrode material for Li-ion batteries with improved electrochemical performance', Journal of Power Sources, vol. 244, no. 1, pp. 742-746.
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One-dimensional magnetite (Fe3O4) nanowires were synthesized by the low temperature hydrothermal method. The as-prepared Fe3O4 nanowires were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy have confirmed the cubic structure of Fe3O4 nanowires with a space group of Fdm. Electrochemical properties of Fe3O4 nanowires were tested as anodes in lithium-ion cells by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge. Fe3O4 nanowires exhibited an excellent reversible lithium storage capacity and a satisfactory cycling performance.
Su, D, Ahn, H-J & Wang, G 2013, 'SnO2@graphene nanocomposites as anode materials for Na-ion batteries with superior electrochemical performance', Chemical Communications, vol. 49, no. 30, pp. 3131-3131.
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An in situ hydrothermal synthesis approach has been developed to prepare SnO2@graphene nanocomposites. The nanocomposites exhibited a high reversible sodium storage capacity of above 700 mA h gâ1 and excellent cyclability for Na-ion batteries. In particular, they also demonstrated a good high rate capability for reversible sodium storage.
Su, D, Ahn, H-J & Wang, G 2013, 'β-MnO2 nanorods with exposed tunnel structures as high-performance cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries', NPG Asia Materials, vol. 5, no. 11, pp. e70-e70.
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Sodium-ion batteries are being considered as a promising system for stationary energy storage and conversion, owing to the natural abundance of sodium. It is important to develop new cathode and anode materials with high capacities for sodium-ion batteries. Herein, we report the synthesis of ß-MnO2 nanorods with exposed tunnel structures by a hydrothermal method. The as-prepared ß-MnO2 nanorods have exposed {111} crystal planes with a high density of (1 × 1) tunnels, which leads to facile sodium ion (Na-ion) insertion and extraction. When applied as cathode materials in sodium-ion batteries, ß-MnO2 nanorods exhibited good electrochemical performance with a high initial Na-ion storage capacity of 350?mAh ?g-1. ß-MnO2 nanorods also demonstrated a satisfactory high-rate capability as cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries.
Su, D, Fu, H, Jiang, X & Wang, G 2013, 'ZnO nanocrystals with a high percentage of exposed reactive facets for enhanced gas sensing performance', Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, vol. 186, pp. 286-292.
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Zinc oxide single crystals with a high percentage of exposed {4?2¯?2¯?3¯} reactive facet were prepared by a facile hydrothermal route. X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and high resolution transmission microscopy confirmed the faceted single crystal structure. Through the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, it is validated that the {4?2¯?2¯?3¯} surface of ZnO crystals has high surface energy. When used as a sensing material in gas sensors, ZnO crystals with dominating exposed {4?2¯?2¯?3¯} planes exhibited a superior sensitivity toward toxic and flammable gases.
Su, D, Kim, H-S, Kim, W-S & Wang, G 2013, 'A study of PtxCoy alloy nanoparticles as cathode catalysts for lithium-air batteries with improved catalytic activity', Journal of Power Sources, vol. 244, pp. 488-493.
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A series of PtxCoy (x:y ¼ 4, 2, 1, and 0.5) alloy nanoparticles deposited on Vulcan XC-72 carbon was prepared through a chemical reduction method. The structures and morphologies of the as-prepared nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, which revealed the formation of PteCo alloys during the co-reduction process. PtxCoy alloy nanoparticles were applied as catalysts in lithium-air batteries. Through electrochemical testing, we found that the Pt based alloy nanocatalysts significantly increased the specific capacity of lithium-air batteries and the increase of Co content in PtxCoy alloy nanoparticles further enhanced the catalytic activity. This result illustrated that PtxCoy alloy nanoparticles could be used as an efficient catalyst material for lithium-air batteries with the feature of much reduced cost, but drastically increased catalytic activity.
Su, D, Wang, C, Ahn, H & Wang, G 2013, 'Octahedral tin dioxide nanocrystals as high capacity anode materials for Na-ion batteries', Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, vol. 15, no. 30, pp. 12543-12543.
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Single crystalline SnO2 nanocrystals (60 nm in size) with a uniform octahedral shape were synthesised using a hydrothermal method. Their phase and morphology were characterized by XRD and FESEM observation. TEM and HRTEM analyses identified that SnO2 octahedral nanocrystals grow along the [001] direction, consisting of dominantly exposed {221} high energy facets. When applied as anode materials for Na-ion batteries, SnO2 nanocrystals exhibited high reversible sodium storage capacity and excellent cyclability (432 mA h g-1 after 100 cycles). In particular, SnO2 nanocrystals also demonstrated a good high rate performance. Ex situ TEM analysis revealed the reaction mechanism of SnO2 nanocrystals for reversible Na ion storage. It was found that Na ions first insert into SnO2 crystals at the high voltage plateau (from 3 V to 0.8 V), and that the exposed (1 × 1) tunnel-structure could facilitate the initial insertion of Na ions. Subsequently, Na ions react with SnO2 to form NaxSn alloys and Na2O in the low voltage range (from 0.8 V to 0.01 V). The superior cyclability of SnO2 nanocrystals could be mainly ascribed to the reversible NaSn alloying and de-alloying reactions. Furthermore, the reduced Na2O matrix may help retard the aggregation of tin nanocrystals, leading to an enhanced electrochemical performance.
Su, D, Wang, C, Ahn, H-J & Wang, G 2013, 'Single Crystalline Na0.7MnO2Nanoplates as Cathode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries with Enhanced Performance', Chemistry - A European Journal, vol. 19, no. 33, pp. 10884-10889.
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Single crystalline rhombus-shaped Na0.7MnO2 nanoplates have been synthesized by a hydrothermal method. TEM and HRTEM analyses revealed that the Na0.7MnO2 single crystals predominantly exposed their (100) crystal plane, which is active for Na+-ion insertion and extraction. When applied as cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries, Na0.7MnO2 nanoplates exhibited a high reversible capacity of 163 mA?h?g-1, a satisfactory cyclability, and a high rate performance. The enhanced electrochemical performance could be ascribed to the predominantly exposed active (100) facet, which could facilitate fast Na+-ion insertion/extraction during the discharge and charge process.
Su, DW, Liu, H, Ahn, HJ & Wang, GX 2013, 'Synthesis of Highly Ordered Mesoporous Co3O4 for Gas Sensing', JOURNAL OF NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 3354-3359.
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Highly ordered mesoporous Co3O4 nanostructures were prepared using SBA-15 silica as hard templates. The mesoporous structures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and N-2 adsorption/desorption isotherm analysis. The results demonstrated that the as-prepared mesoporous Co3O4 has an ordered P6mm symmetric mesoporous structure. The optical absorption properties of the mesoporous Co3O4 were investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy and the results indicate that the mesoporous Co3O4 materials are semiconducting with direct band gaps of 2, 1.385 and 0.38 eV. The gas-sensing performance of the mesoporous Co3O4 was tested towards a series of typical solvents. They demonstrated a good sensing performance towards these vapour with rapid response and high sensitivity at low operating temperature.
Suggett, DJ, Dong, LF, Lawson, T, Lawrenz, E, Torres, L & Smith, DJ 2013, 'Light availability determines susceptibility of reef building corals to ocean acidification', Coral Reefs, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 327-337.
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Elevated seawater pCO(2), and in turn ocean acidification (OA), is now widely acknowledged to reduce calcification and growth of reef building corals. As with other environmental factors (e.g., temperature and nutrients), light availability fundamentally
Sukhorukov, AA, Solntsev, AS & Sipe, JE 2013, 'Classical simulation of squeezed light in optical waveguide arrays', Physical Review A, vol. 87, no. 5.
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Sun, B, Munroe, P & Wang, G 2013, 'Ruthenium nanocrystals as cathode catalysts for lithium-oxygen batteries with a superior performance', SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, vol. 3.
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Sun, B, Wang, Y, Wang, B, Kim, H-S, Kim, W-S & Wang, G 2013, 'Porous LiFePO4/C Microspheres as High-Power Cathode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries', JOURNAL OF NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 3655-3659.
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Porous LiFePO4/C microspheres were synthesized by a novel hydrothermal reaction combined with high-temperature calcinations. The morphology of the prepared material was investigated by fieldemission scanning electron microscopy. Porous microspheres with diameters around 1â3m were obtained, which consisting of primary LiFePO4 nanoparticles. The electrochemical performances of the as-prepared LiFePO4 microspheres were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic chargeâdischarge cycling. The carbon coated LiFePO4 microspheres showed lower polarization, higher rate capability, and better cycling stability than that of pristine LiFePO4 microspheres, indicating the potential application as the cathode material for high-power lithium ion batteries.
Sun, B, Zhang, J, Munroe, P, Ahn, H-J & Wang, G 2013, 'Hierarchical NiCo2O4 nanorods as an efficient cathode catalyst for rechargeable non-aqueous Li-O-2 batteries', ELECTROCHEMISTRY COMMUNICATIONS, vol. 31, pp. 88-91.
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NiCo2O4 nanorods were synthesized by a hydrothermal method followed by low temperature calcination. FESEM and TEM analyses confirmed that the as-prepared materials consist of a hierarchical nanorod structure. When applied as cathode catalysts in rechargeable LiO2 batteries, NiCo2O4 nanorods exhibited a superior catalytic activity, including low charge over-potential, high discharge capacity and high-rate capability.
Sun, S, Kjelleberg, S & McDougald, D 2013, 'Relative Contributions of Vibrio Polysaccharide and Quorum Sensing to the Resistance of Vibrio cholerae to Predation by Heterotrophic Protists', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. e56338-e56338.
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Tan, SY-Y, Chua, S-L, Chen, Y, Rice, SA, Kjelleberg, S, Nielsen, TE, Yang, L & Givskov, M 2013, 'Identification of Five Structurally Unrelated Quorum-Sensing Inhibitors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a Natural-Derivative Database', Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, vol. 57, no. 11, pp. 5629-5641.
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ABSTRACT
Bacteria communicate by means of small signal molecules in a process termed quorum sensing (QS). QS enables bacteria to organize their activities at the population level, including the coordinated secretion of virulence factors. Certain small-molecule compounds, known as quorum-sensing inhibitors (QSIs), have been shown to effectively block QS and subsequently attenuate the virulence of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, as well as increasing its susceptibility to both antibiotics and the immune system. In this study, a structure-based virtual screening (SB-VS) approach was used for the discovery of novel QSI candidates. Three-dimensional structures of 3,040 natural compounds and their derivatives were obtained, after which molecular docking was performed using the QS receptor LasR as a target. Based on docking scores and molecular masses, 22 compounds were purchased to determine their efficacies as quorum-sensing inhibitors. Using a live reporter assay for quorum sensing, 5 compounds were found to be able to inhibit QS-regulated gene expression in
P. aeruginosa
in a dose-dependent manner. The most promising compound, G1, was evaluated by isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based proteomic analysis, and it was found to significantly affect the abundance of 46 proteins (19 were upregulated; 27 were downregulated) in
P. aeruginosa
PAO1. It specifically reduced the expression of several quorum-sensing-regulated virulence facto...
Tan, X, Alrashdan, YA, Alkhouri, H, Oliver, BGG, Armour, CL & Hughes, JM 2013, 'Airway smooth muscle CXCR3 ligand production: regulation by JAK-STAT1 and intracellular Ca2+', AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LUNG CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PHYSIOLOGY, vol. 304, no. 11, pp. L790-L802.
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In asthma, airway smooth muscle (ASM) chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 3 (CXCR3) ligand production may attract mast cells or T lymphocytes to the ASM, where they can modulate ASM functions. In ASM cells (ASMCs) from people with or without asthma, we aimed to investigate JAK-STAT1, JNK, and Ca2+ involvement in chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (CXCL)10 and CXCL11 production stimulated by interferon-?, IL-1ß, and TNF-a combined (cytomix). Confluent, growth-arrested ASMC were treated with inhibitors for pan-JAK (pyridone-6), JAK2 (AG-490), JNK (SP-600125), or the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase (SERCA) pump (thapsigargin), Ca2+ chelator (BAPTA-AM), or vehicle before and during cytomix stimulation for up to 24 h. Signaling protein activation as well as CXCL10/CXCL11 mRNA and protein production were examined using immunoblot analysis, real-time PCR, and ELISA, respectively. Cytomix-induced STAT1 activation was lower and CXCR3 ligand mRNA production was more sensitive to pyridone-6 and AG-490 in asthmatic than nonasthmatic ASMCs, but CXCL10/CXCL11 release was inhibited by the same proportion. Neither agent caused additional inhibition of release when used in combination with the JNK inhibitor SP-600125. Conversely, p65 NF-?B activation was higher in asthmatic than nonasthmatic ASMCs. BAPTA-AM abolished early CXCL10/CXCL11 mRNA production, whereas thapsigargin reduced it in asthmatic cells and inhibited CXCL10/CXCL11 release by both ASMC types. Despite these inhibitory effects, neither Ca2+ agent affected early activation of STAT1, JNK, or p65 NF-?B. In conclusion, intracellular Ca2+ regulated CXCL10/CXCL11 production but not early activation of the signaling molecules involved. In asthma, reduced ASM STAT1-JNK activation, increased NF-?B activation, and altered Ca2+ handling may contribute to rapid CXCR3 ligand production and enhanced inflammatory cell recruitment.
Tan, Y, Lao, W, Xiao, L, Wang, Z, Xiao, W, Kamal, MA, Seale, JP & Qu, X 2013, 'Managing the Combination of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Metabolic Syndrome with Chinese Herbal Extracts in High-Fat-Diet Fed Rats', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2013, no. 1, pp. 1-10.
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Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of Chinese herbal extracts fromSalvia miltiorrhizaandGardenia jasminoides(SGE) on the combination of NAFLD and MetS induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in rats. After 6 weeks of HFD feeding, rats (n=10each group) were treated with saline, rosiglitazone (RSG), and SGE for 4 weeks. HFD rats were obese, hyperinsulinemic, hyperlipidemic and increased hepatic enzymes with the histological images of NAFLD. Treatment with SGE significantly reduced serum triglycerides (TG), nonesterified fatty acids and enhanced insulin sensitivity, and ameliorated the elevated serum hepatic enzymes compared with HFD-saline group. SGE treatment also attenuated hepatic TG by 18.5% (P<0.05). Histological stains showed SGE decreased lipids droplets in hepatocytes (P<0.05) and normalized macrovesicular steatosis in HFD rats. Significant reduction of TNF-αand IL6 in adipose tissue was detected in SGE treated rats. The anti-inflammatory action may be, at least in part, the mechanism of SGE on MetS associated with NAFLD. This study discovered that SGE is capable of managing metabolic and histological abnormalities of NAFLD and MetS. SGE may be an optimal treatment for the combination of NAFLD and MetS.
Tapiolas, DM, Raina, J-B, Lutz, A, Willis, BL & Motti, CA 2013, 'Direct measurement of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in reef-building corals using quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) spectroscopy', Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, vol. 443, pp. 85-89.
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Reef building corals are among the largest producers of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), a sulfur molecule synthesized by their endosymbiotic dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium. DMSP is potentially involved in important physiological and ecological processes in corals, but investigating the functional role of this molecule requires rapid and accurate quantification techniques. Here we introduce a simple method enabling direct quantification of DMSP and one of its breakdown products acrylate using quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) spectroscopy. The method was tested on a range of coral genera and presents a number of advantages over currently used quantification techniques, including simultaneous and direct quantification of multiple molecules from the same extract, and rapid processing with high reproducibility enabling analyses of large numbers of samples in short time periods. The method was successfully applied to environmental samples and provides the first baseline information on diel variation of DMSP and acrylate concentrations in the coral Acropora millepora.
Taudte, RV, Beavis, A, Wilson-Wilde, L, Roux, C, Doble, P & Blanes, L 2013, 'A portable explosive detector based on fluorescence quenching of pyrene deposited on coloured wax-printed mu PADs', LAB ON A CHIP, vol. 13, no. 21, pp. 4164-4172.
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A new technique for the detection of explosives has been developed based on fluorescence quenching of pyrene on paper-based analytical devices (µPADs). Wax barriers were generated (150 °C, 5 min) using ten different colours. Magenta was found as the most suitable wax colour for the generation of the hydrophobic barriers with a nominal width of 120 µm resulting in fully functioning hydrophobic barriers. One microliter of 0.5 mg mL-1 pyrene dissolved in an 80:20 methanolwater solution was deposited on the hydrophobic circle (5 mm diameter) to produce the active microchip device. Under ultra-violet (UV) illumination, ten different organic explosives were detected using the µPAD, with limits of detection ranging from 100600 ppm. A prototype of a portable battery operated instrument using a 3 W power UV light-emitting-diode (LED) (365 nm) and a photodiode sensor was also built and evaluated for the successful automatic detection of explosives and potential application for field-based screening.
Tekwe, CD, Lei, J, Yao, K, Rezaei, R, Li, X, Dahanayaka, S, Carroll, RJ, Meininger, CJ, Bazer, FW & Wu, G 2013, 'Oral administration of interferon tau enhances oxidation of energy substrates and reduces adiposity in Zucker diabetic fatty rats', BioFactors, vol. 39, no. 5, pp. 552-563.
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Thivierge, K, Cotton, S, Schaefer, DA, Riggs, MW, To, J, Lund, ME, Robinson, MW, Dalton, JP & Donnelly, SM 2013, 'Cathelicidin-like Helminth Defence Molecules (HDMs): Absence of Cytotoxic, Anti-microbial and Anti-protozoan Activities Imply a Specific Adaptation to Immune Modulation', PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES, vol. 7, no. 7, pp. 1-14.
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Host defence peptides (HDPs) are expressed throughout the animal and plant kingdoms. They have multifunctional roles in the defence against infectious agents of mammals, possessing both bactericidal and immune-modulatory activities. We have identified a
Thorburn, AN, Brown, AC, Nair, PM, Chevalier, N, Foster, PS, Gibson, PG & Hansbro, PM 2013, 'Pneumococcal Components Induce Regulatory T Cells That Attenuate the Development of Allergic Airways Disease by Deviating and Suppressing the Immune Response to Allergen', The Journal of Immunology, vol. 191, no. 8, pp. 4112-4120.
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Abstract
The induction of regulatory T cells (Tregs) to suppress aberrant inflammation and immunity has potential as a therapeutic strategy for asthma. Recently, we identified key immunoregulatory components of Streptococcus pneumoniae, type 3 polysaccharide and pneumolysoid (T+P), which suppress allergic airways disease (AAD) in mouse models of asthma. To elucidate the mechanisms of suppression, we have now performed a thorough examination of the role of Tregs. BALB/c mice were sensitized to OVA (day 0) i.p. and challenged intranasal (12–15 d later) to induce AAD. T+P was administered intratracheally at the time of sensitization in three doses (0, 12, and 24 h). T+P treatment induced an early (36 h–4 d) expansion of Tregs in the mediastinal lymph nodes, and later (12–16 d) increases in these cells in the lungs, compared with untreated allergic controls. Anti-CD25 treatment showed that Treg-priming events involving CD25, CCR7, IL-2, and TGF-β were required for the suppression of AAD. During AAD, T+P-induced Tregs in the lungs displayed a highly suppressive phenotype and had an increased functional capacity. T+P also blocked the induction of IL-6 to prevent the Th17 response, attenuated the expression of the costimulatory molecule CD86 on myeloid dendritic cells (DCs), and reduced the number of DCs carrying OVA in the lung and mediastinal lymph nodes. Therefore, bacterial components (T+P) drive the differentiation of highly suppressive Tregs, which suppress the Th2 response, prevent the Th17 response and disable the DC response resulting in the effective suppression of AAD.
Ting, SRS, Whitelock, JM, Tomic, R, Gunawan, C, Teoh, WY, Amal, R & Lord, MS 2013, 'Cellular uptake and activity of heparin functionalised cerium oxide nanoparticles in monocytes', Biomaterials, vol. 34, no. 17, pp. 4377-4386.
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Cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) are effective in scavenging intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study nanoceria synthesized by flame spray pyrolysis (dXRD ¼ 12 nm) were functionalised with heparin via an organosilane linker, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. Nanoceria were functionalised with approximately 130 heparin molecules per nanoparticle as determined by thermo gravimetric analysis. Heparin functionalised nanoceria were more effectively internalised by the human monocyte cell line, U937, and U937 cells that had been activated with phorbol 12 myristate 13-acetate (PMA) than bare nanoceria. The heparin functionalised nanoceria were also more effective in scavenging ROS than nanoceria in both activated and unactivated U937 cells. Heparin coupled nanoceria were found to be biologically active due to their ability to bind fibroblast growth factor 2 and signal through FGF receptor 1. Additionally, the heparin-coupled nanoceria, once internalised by the cells, were found to be degraded by 48 h. Together these data demonstrated that heparin enhanced the biological properties of nanoceria in terms of cellular uptake and ROS scavenging, while the nanoceria themselves were more effective at delivering heparin intracellularly than exposing cells to heparin in solution.
Tingay, SJ, Kaplan, DL, McKinley, B, Briggs, F, Wayth, RB, Hurley-Walker, N, Kennewell, J, Smith, C, Zhang, K, Arcus, W, Bhat, NDR, Emrich, D, Herne, D, Kudryavtseva, N, Lynch, M, Ord, SM, Waterson, M, Barnes, DG, Bell, M, Gaensler, BM, Lenc, E, Bernardi, G, Greenhill, LJ, Kasper, JC, Bowman, JD, Jacobs, D, Bunton, JD, deSouza, L, Koenig, R, Pathikulangara, J, Stevens, J, Cappallo, RJ, Corey, BE, Kincaid, BB, Kratzenberg, E, Lonsdale, CJ, McWhirter, SR, Rogers, AEE, Salah, JE, Whitney, AR, Deshpande, A, Prabu, T, Udaya Shankar, N, Srivani, KS, Subrahmanyan, R, Ewall-Wice, A, Feng, L, Goeke, R, Morgan, E, Remillard, RA, Williams, CL, Hazelton, BJ, Morales, MF, Johnston-Hollitt, M, Mitchell, DA, Procopio, P, Riding, J, Webster, RL, Wyithe, JSB, Oberoi, D, Roshi, A, Sault, RJ & Williams, A 2013, 'ON THE DETECTION AND TRACKING OF SPACE DEBRIS USING THE MURCHISON WIDEFIELD ARRAY. I. SIMULATIONS AND TEST OBSERVATIONS DEMONSTRATE FEASIBILITY', The Astronomical Journal, vol. 146, no. 4, pp. 103-103.
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Ton-That, C, Nguyen, T-P & Dan, Y 2013, 'Enhanced photoluminescence of polyfluorene by incorporation of Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles', THIN SOLID FILMS, vol. 538, pp. 85-88.
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Photoluminescent and structural properties of nanocomposite films consisting of green-emitting polyfluorene (PF) and Al-doped ZnO (AZO) nanoparticles were investigated. Topographical analysis shows that AZO nanoparticles can be homogeneously dispersed in PF films with less than 10 wt.% AZO. Photoluminescence of the composite films was investigated under wavelength selective excitation of AZO. Photoexcitation with laser energy below the AZO bandgap produces a slight increase in the PF emission intensity with increasing AZO concentration, accompanied by a spectral blueshift. These effects are attributed to separation of polymer chains and twisting of the PF backbone as revealed by Raman spectroscopy. On the other hand, photoexcitation above the AZO bandgap shows a remarkable enhancement, with the intensity at 510 wt.% AZO being three times greater than that of pure PF. The luminescence enhancement is attributed to the efficient transfer of energy from AZO nanoparticles to PF.
Tooze, JA, Troiano, RP, Carroll, RJ, Moshfegh, AJ & Freedman, LS 2013, 'A Measurement Error Model for Physical Activity Level as Measured by a Questionnaire With Application to the 1999-2006 NHANES Questionnaire', American Journal of Epidemiology, vol. 177, no. 11, pp. 1199-1208.
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Torpy, FR, Irga, PJ, Brennan, J & Burchett, MD 2013, 'Do indoor plants contribute to the aeromycota in city buildings?', AEROBIOLOGIA, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 321-331.
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Do indoor plants contribute to the aeromycota in city buildings?
Torpy, FR, Irga, PJ, Moldovan, D, Tarran, J & Burchett, MD 2013, 'Characterization and Biostimulation of benzene biodegradation in the potting-mix of indoor plants', Journal of Applied Horticulture, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 10-15.
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Over 900 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been detected in indoor air, where they cause acute and chronic health problems to building occupants. Potted-plants can significantly reduce VOC levels in indoor air, the root-zone bacteria of the potting mix effecting most of the VOC biodegradation. In this study, a baseline community level physiological profile (CLPP) was established for the potting mix bacteria of the indoor plant species, Spathiphyllum wallisii 'Petite', using Biolog EcoPlates, to provide information on the functional abilities of this community. Changes in the CLPP resulting from benzene exposure were then determined and following the identification of the carbon sources associated with changes in the CLPP, biostimulant solutions were formulated and applied to fresh potted-plant specimens. Biostimulation of benzene removal was observed, with increases in removal rates of about 15%, providing proof-of-concept for the biostimulation of this process. The findings further elucidate the mechanisms of bacterial activity associated with removal of indoor airborne benzene, and could be applied to increase VOC biodegradation rates, augmenting the uses of indoor plants in improving building environmental quality.
Torpy, FR, Irga, PJ, Moldovan, D, Tarran, J & Burchett, MD 2013, 'Characterization and biostimulation of benzene biodegradation in the potting-mix of indoor plants', Journal of Applied Horticulture, vol. 15, no. 01, pp. 10-15.
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Treangen, TJ, Koren, S, Sommer, DD, Liu, B, Astrovskaya, I, Ondov, B, Darling, AE, Phillippy, AM & Pop, M 2013, 'MetAMOS: a modular and open source metagenomic assembly and analysis pipeline', GENOME BIOLOGY, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 1-20.
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We describe MetAMOS, an open source and modular metagenomic assembly and analysis pipeline. MetAMOS represents an important step towards fully automated metagenomic analysis, starting with next-generation sequencing reads and producing genomic scaffolds,
Trivedi, N, Gupta, V, Reddy, CRK & Jha, B 2013, 'Detection of ionic liquid stable cellulase produced by the marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. isolated from brown alga Sargassum polycystum C. Agardh', Bioresource Technology, vol. 132, pp. 313-319.
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Trivedi, N, Gupta, V, Reddy, CRK & Jha, B 2013, 'Enzymatic hydrolysis and production of bioethanol from common macrophytic green alga Ulva fasciata Delile', Bioresource Technology, vol. 150, pp. 106-112.
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Tu, Z, Teng, Y, Zhou, J, Zhou, S, Zeng, H & Qiu, J 2013, 'Raman spectroscopic investigation on femtosecond laser induced residual stress and element distribution in bismuth germanate glasses', Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 307-311.
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Localized microstructure and elemental redistribution were induced in bismuth germanate glasses by irradiation with high repetition rate 800 nm femtosecond laser pulses. The confocal Raman spectra were examined to study the redistribution of elements and residual thermal stress. The microscopic Raman spectra indicated that the residual thermal stress increases from the unmodified region to the center of the laser modified region, while Bi is enriched at the boundary area of the inner structure of the laser modified region relative to Ge. Electron microprobe analysis further confirmed the elemental redistribution of Bi and Ge, which agrees well with the Raman spectral analysis. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Umsumarng, S, Pintha, K, Pitchakarn, P, Sastraruji, K, Sastraruji, T, Ung, AT, Jatisatienr, A, Pyne, SG & Limtrakul, P 2013, 'Inhibition of P-Glycoprotein Mediated Multidrug Resistance by Stemofoline Derivatives', CHEMICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN, vol. 61, no. 4, pp. 399-404.
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Resistance to chemotherapy in cancer patients has been correlated to the overexpression of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) drug transporters including P-glycoprotein (P-gp) that actively efflux chemotherapeutic drugs from cancer cells. We examined the mutidrug resistance reversing property of stemofoline derivatives in drug-resistance human cervical carcinoma (KB-V1) and human leukemic (K562/Adr) cell lines that overexpress P-gp. Didehydrostemofoline and eleven of its derivatives were synthesized and the cytotoxicity and their effect on doxorubicin, vinblastine and paclitaxel sensitivity in drug resistant (KB-V1 and K562/Adr) and drug sensitive (KB-3-1 and K562) cell lines by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay were determined. We found that three out of the twelve stemofoline derivatives including OH-A1, NH-B6 and NH-D6 showed commitment efficiency to increase sensitivity to doxorubicin, vinblastine and paclitaxel in KB-V1 cells and increase sensitivity to doxorubicin, and paclitaxel in K562/Adr cells whereas the effects have not been seen in their parental sensitive cancer cell lines (KB-3-1 and K562). These results indicate that stemofoline derivatives reversed P-gp-mediated multidrug resistance in vitro, and thus could be developed as effective. chemosensitizers to treat multidrug-resistant cancers. The molecular mechanism of modulation of P-gp would be further determined.
Ung, AT, Pyne, SG, Bischoff, F, Lesage, ASJ, Skelton, BW & White, AH 2013, 'Synthesis and inhibitory activities at mGluRs of 3-alkylated and N-alkylated cyclopentyl-glutamate analogues', TETRAHEDRON, vol. 69, no. 12, pp. 2577-2587.
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The conformationally restricted glutamate analogues, 3-alkyl-1-amino-2-cyclopentene-1,3-dicarboxylates and N-alkylated analogues have been prepared in a regioselective and diastereoselective manner. From the biological studies of the 3-alkylated analogue
Valenzuela, SM, Alkhamici, H, Brown, LJ, Almond, OC, Goodchild, SC, Carne, S, Curmi, PMG, Holt, SA & Cornell, BA 2013, 'Regulation of the Membrane Insertion and Conductance Activity of the Metamorphic Chloride Intracellular Channel Protein CLIC1 by Cholesterol', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 1-8.
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The Chloride Intracellular ion channel protein CLIC1 has the ability to spontaneously insert into lipid membranes from a soluble, globular state. The precise mechanism of how this occurs and what regulates this insertion is still largely unknown, although factors such as pH and redox environment are known contributors. In the current study, we demonstrate that the presence and concentration of cholesterol in the membrane regulates the spontaneous insertion of CLIC1 into the membrane as well as its ion channel activity. The study employed pressure versus area change measurements of Langmuir lipid monolayer films; and impedance spectroscopy measurements using tethered bilayer membranes to monitor membrane conductance during and following the addition of CLIC1 protein. The observed cholesterol dependent behaviour of CLIC1 is highly reminiscent of the cholesterol-dependent-cytolysin family of bacterial pore-forming proteins, suggesting common regulatory mechanisms for spontaneous protein insertion into the membrane bilayer.
van Haarlem, MP, Wise, MW, Gunst, AW, Heald, G, McKean, JP, Hessels, JWT, de Bruyn, AG, Nijboer, R, Swinbank, J, Fallows, R, Brentjens, M, Nelles, A, Beck, R, Falcke, H, Fender, R, Hörandel, J, Koopmans, LVE, Mann, G, Miley, G, Röttgering, H, Stappers, BW, Wijers, RAMJ, Zaroubi, S, van den Akker, M, Alexov, A, Anderson, J, Anderson, K, van Ardenne, A, Arts, M, Asgekar, A, Avruch, IM, Batejat, F, Bähren, L, Bell, ME, Bell, MR, van Bemmel, I, Bennema, P, Bentum, MJ, Bernardi, G, Best, P, Bîrzan, L, Bonafede, A, Boonstra, A-J, Braun, R, Bregman, J, Breitling, F, van de Brink, RH, Broderick, J, Broekema, PC, Brouw, WN, Brüggen, M, Butcher, HR, van Cappellen, W, Ciardi, B, Coenen, T, Conway, J, Coolen, A, Corstanje, A, Damstra, S, Davies, O, Deller, AT, Dettmar, R-J, van Diepen, G, Dijkstra, K, Donker, P, Doorduin, A, Dromer, J, Drost, M, van Duin, A, Eislöffel, J, van Enst, J, Ferrari, C, Frieswijk, W, Gankema, H, Garrett, MA, de Gasperin, F, Gerbers, M, de Geus, E, Grießmeier, J-M, Grit, T, Gruppen, P, Hamaker, JP, Hassall, T, Hoeft, M, Holties, HA, Horneffer, A, van der Horst, A, van Houwelingen, A, Huijgen, A, Iacobelli, M, Intema, H, Jackson, N, Jelic, V, de Jong, A, Juette, E, Kant, D, Karastergiou, A, Koers, A, Kollen, H, Kondratiev, VI, Kooistra, E, Koopman, Y, Koster, A, Kuniyoshi, M, Kramer, M, Kuper, G, Lambropoulos, P, Law, C, van Leeuwen, J, Lemaitre, J, Loose, M, Maat, P, Macario, G, Markoff, S, Masters, J, McFadden, RA, McKay-Bukowski, D, Meijering, H, Meulman, H, Mevius, M, Middelberg, E, Millenaar, R, Miller-Jones, JCA, Mohan, RN, Mol, JD, Morawietz, J, Morganti, R, Mulcahy, DD, Mulder, E, Munk, H, Nieuwenhuis, L, van Nieuwpoort, R, Noordam, JE, Norden, M, Noutsos, A, Offringa, AR, Olofsson, H, Omar, A, Orrú, E, Overeem, R, Paas, H, Pandey-Pommier, M, Pandey, VN, Pizzo, R, Polatidis, A, Rafferty, D, Rawlings, S, Reich, W, de Reijer, J-P, Reitsma, J, Renting, GA, Riemers, P, Rol, E, Romein, JW, Roosjen, J, Ruiter, M, Scaife, A, van der Schaaf, K, Scheers, B, Schellart, P, Schoenmakers, A, Schoonderbeek, G, Serylak, M, Shulevski, A, Sluman, J, Smirnov, O, Sobey, C, Spreeuw, H, Steinmetz, M, Sterks, CGM, Stiepel, H-J, Stuurwold, K, Tagger, M, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, Thomas, I, Thoudam, S, Toribio, MC, van der Tol, B, Usov, O, van Veelen, M, van der Veen, A-J, ter Veen, S, Verbiest, JPW, Vermeulen, R, Vermaas, N & et al. 2013, 'LOFAR: The LOw-Frequency ARray', Astronomy & Astrophysics, vol. 556, pp. A2-A2.
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Van Ly, D, De Pedro, M, James, P, Morgan, L, Black, JL, Burgess, JK & Oliver, BGG 2013, 'Inhibition of phosphodiesterase 4 modulates cytokine induction from toll like receptor activated, but not rhinovirus infected, primary human airway smooth muscle', RESPIRATORY RESEARCH, vol. 14.
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Background: Virus-induced exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are a significant health burden and occur even in those receiving the best current therapies. Rhinovirus (RV) infections are responsible for half of all COPD exacerba
Van Ly, D, Faiz, A, Jenkins, C, Crossett, B, Black, JL, McParland, B, Burgess, JK & Oliver, BGG 2013, 'Characterising the Mechanism of Airway Smooth Muscle β2 Adrenoceptor Desensitization by Rhinovirus Infected Bronchial Epithelial Cells', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. e56058-e56058.
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Rhinovirus (RV) infections account for approximately two thirds of all virus-induced asthma exacerbations and often result in an impaired response to beta 2 agonist therapy. Using an in vitro model of RV infection, we investigated the mechanisms underlyi
Veasey, SC, Lear, J, Zhu, Y, Grinspan, JB, Hare, DJ, Wang, S, Bunch, D, Doble, PA & Robinson, SR 2013, 'Long-Term Intermittent Hypoxia Elevates Cobalt Levels in the Brain and Injures White Matter in Adult Mice', SLEEP, vol. 36, no. 10, pp. 1471-1481.
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Study Objectives: Exposure to the variable oxygenation patterns in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes oxidative stress within the brain. We hypothesized that this stress is associated with increased levels of redox-active metals and white matter injury. Design: Participants were randomly allocated to a control or experimental group (single independent variable). Setting: University animal house. Participants: Adult male C57BL/6J mice. Interventions: To model OSA, mice were exposed to long-term intermittent hypoxia (LTIH) for 10 hours/day for 8 weeks or sham intermittent hypoxia (SIH).
Venturini, C, Hassan, KA, Roy Chowdhury, P, Paulsen, IT, Walker, MJ & Djordjevic, SP 2013, 'Sequences of Two Related Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Virulence Plasmids Sharing a Unique IS26-Related Molecular Signature Isolated from Different Escherichia coli Pathotypes from Different Hosts', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 11, pp. e78862-e78862.
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Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (aEPEC) are important zoonotic pathogens that increasingly are becoming resistant to multiple antibiotics. Here we describe two plasmids, pO26-CRL125 (125 kb) from a human O26:H- EHEC, and pO111-CRL115 (115kb) from a bovine O111 aEPEC, that impart resistance to ampicillin, kanamycin, neomycin, streptomycin, sulfathiazole, trimethoprim and tetracycline and both contain atypical class 1 integrons with an identical IS26-mediated deletion in their 3´-conserved segment. Complete sequence analysis showed that pO26-CRL125 and pO111-CRL115 are essentially identical except for a 9.7 kb fragment, present in the backbone of pO26-CRL125 but absent in pO111-CRL115, and several indels. The 9.7 kb fragment encodes IncI-associated genes involved in plasmid stability during conjugation, a putative transposase gene and three imperfect repeats. Contiguous sequence identical to regions within these pO26-CRL125 imperfect repeats was identified in pO111-CRL115 precisely where the 9.7 kb fragment is missing, suggesting it may be mobile. Sequences shared between the plasmids include a complete IncZ replicon, a unique toxin/antitoxin system, IncI stability and maintenance genes, a novel putative serine protease autotransporter, and an IncI1 transfer system including a unique shufflon. Both plasmids carry a derivate Tn21 transposon with an atypical class 1 integron comprising a dfrA5 gene cassette encoding resistance to trimethoprim, and 24 bp of the 3´-conserved segment followed by Tn6026, which encodes resistance to ampicillin, kanymycin, neomycin, streptomycin and sulfathiazole.
Vijaykrishna, D, Deng, Y-M, Su, YCF, Fourment, M, Iannello, P, Arzey, GG, Hansbro, PM, Arzey, KE, Kirkland, PD, Warner, S, O'Riley, K, Barr, IG, Smith, GJD & Hurt, AC 2013, 'The Recent Establishment of North American H10 Lineage Influenza Viruses in Australian Wild Waterfowl and the Evolution of Australian Avian Influenza Viruses', Journal of Virology, vol. 87, no. 18, pp. 10182-10189.
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ABSTRACT
Influenza A H10N7 virus with a hemagglutinin gene of North American origin was detected in Australian chickens and poultry abattoir workers in New South Wales, Australia, in 2010 and in chickens in Queensland, Australia, on a mixed chicken and domestic duck farm in 2012. We investigated their genomic origins by sequencing full and partial genomes of H10 viruses isolated from wild aquatic birds and poultry in Australia and analyzed them with all available avian influenza virus sequences from Oceania and representative viruses from North America and Eurasia. Our analysis showed that the H10N7 viruses isolated from poultry were similar to those that have been circulating since 2009 in Australian aquatic birds and that their initial transmission into Australia occurred during 2007 and 2008. The H10 viruses that appear to have developed endemicity in Australian wild aquatic birds were derived from several viruses circulating in waterfowl along various flyways. Their hemagglutinin gene was derived from aquatic birds in the western states of the United States, whereas the neuraminidase was closely related to that from viruses previously detected in waterfowl in Japan. The remaining genes were derived from Eurasian avian influenza virus lineages. Our analysis of virological data spanning 40 years in Oceania indicates that the long-term evolutionary dynamics of avian influenza viruses in Australia may be determined by climatic changes. The introduction and long-term persistence of avian influenza virus lineages were observed during periods with increased rainfall, whereas bottlenecks and extinction were observed during phases of widespread decreases in rainfall. These results extend our understanding of factors affecting the dynamics of avian influenza and provide important considerations for surveillance and disease control strategies.
Vorimore, F, Hsia, R-C, Huot-Creasy, H, Bastian, S, Deruyter, L, Passet, A, Sachse, K, Bavoil, P, Myers, G & Laroucau, K 2013, 'Isolation of a New Chlamydia species from the Feral Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus): Chlamydia ibidis', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 9, pp. e74823-e74823.
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Voyer, M, Dreher, T, Gladstone, W & Goodall, H 2013, 'Who cares wins: The role of local news and news sources in influencing community responses to marine protected areas', OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT, vol. 85, no. A, pp. 29-38.
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Mass media is a key tool by which environmental interventions, such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are communicated to the public. The way in which local news outlets present and explain MPAs to local communities is likely to be influential in determining how they respond to the proposal. In particular the tendency of news media to focus on areas of conflict and dispute ensures ideology and politics play a central role in reporting of MPA proposals, often simplifying debate into an `us versus them or `fishers versus conservationists ideological conflict. This can lead to the outright rejection of an MPA or undermine acceptance of the park within local communities. The media coverage of two marine parks in NSW, Australia was compared to determine the way in which news presented the parks to each community and how this may have influenced public acceptance of the parks. In particular the study examined the role ideology and politics played in the news coverage of each park by investigating the way in which the news was framed and the positions of key media spokespeople. Media coverage of the Batemans Marine Park appears to have been highly politicised and heavily influenced by the strong convictions of a small handful of prominent spokespeople. By way of contrast media coverage of the Port Stephens Great Lakes Marine Park was more nuanced and drew from a wide range of sources. This research provides insight into how areas of conflict could be reframed as opportunities that enhance MPA planning exercises and highlights how ideology can help shape community sentiment. Acknowledging the role of ideology in contested areas such as these allows for the development of strategies that can accommodate as well as moderate its influence. These strategies may include the incorporation of `bottom up approaches into MPA planning, the promotion and support of a range of voices within the community, and seeking out and building upon common ground and shared values.
Wagner, MR, Callsen, G, Reparaz, JS, Kirste, R, Hoffmann, A, Rodina, AV, Schleife, A, Bechstedt, F & Phillips, MR 2013, 'Effects of strain on the valence band structure and exciton-polariton energies in ZnO', PHYSICAL REVIEW B, vol. 88, no. 23.
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Walters, SB, Kieckbusch, J, Nagalingam, G, Swain, A, Latham, SL, Grau, GER, Britton, WJ, Combes, V & Saunders, BM 2013, 'Microparticles from Mycobacteria-Infected Macrophages Promote Inflammation and Cellular Migration', The Journal of Immunology, vol. 190, no. 2, pp. 669-677.
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AbstractMycobacterium tuberculosis infection is characterized by a strong inflammatory response whereby a few infected macrophages within the granuloma induce sustained cellular accumulation. The mechanisms coordinating this response are poorly characterized. We hypothesized that microparticles (MPs), which are submicron, plasma membrane-derived vesicles released by cells under both physiological and pathological conditions, are involved in this process. Aerosol infection of mice with M. tuberculosis increased CD45+ MPs in the blood after 4 wk of infection, and in vitro infection of human and murine macrophages with mycobacteria enhanced MP release. MPs derived from mycobacteria-infected macrophages were proinflammatory, and when injected into uninfected mice they induced significant neutrophil, macrophage, and dendritic cell recruitment to the injection site. When incubated with naive macrophages, these MPs enhanced proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine release, and they aided in the disruption of the integrity of a respiratory epithelial cell monolayer, providing a mechanism for the egress of cells to the site of M. tuberculosis infection in the lung. In addition, MPs colocalized with the endocytic recycling marker Rab11a within macrophages, and this association increased when the MPs were isolated from mycobacteria-infected cells. M. tuberculosis–derived MPs also carried mycobacterial Ag and were able to activate M. tuberculosis–specific CD4+ T cells in vivo and in vitro in a dendritic cell–dependent manner. Collectively, these data identify an unrecognized role for MPs in host response against M. tuberculosis by promoting inflammation, intercellular communication, and cell migration.
Wang, B, Wang, Y, Sun, B, Munroe, P & Wang, G 2013, 'Coral-like V2O5 nanowhiskers as high-capacity cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries', RSC ADVANCES, vol. 3, no. 15, pp. 5069-5075.
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Coral-like V2O5 nanowhiskers were prepared by a direct electrolytic synthesis method. The as-prepared V2O5 nanowhiskers are approximately 1 μm in length and 50â60 nm in width, which was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis. When applied as cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries and combined with an ionic liquid electrolyte, the V2O5 nanowhiskers exhibited an initial capacity of 461 mAh gâ1, which is a significant enhancement compared to commercial V2O5 powders. The high rate performance of the V2O5 nanowhiskers was further improved at an elevated working temperature of 50 °C. The V2O5 nanowhiskers demonstrated a high specific capacity and an excellent high-rate performance at elevated temperatures.
Wang, G, Norton, AS, Pokharel, D, Song, Y & Hill, RA 2013, 'KDEL peptide gold nanoconstructs: promising nanoplatforms for drug delivery', Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 366-374.
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Wang, JJJ, Choy, STB & Chan, JSK 2013, 'Modelling stochastic volatility using generalizedtdistribution', Journal of Statistical Computation and Simulation, vol. 83, no. 2, pp. 340-354.
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Wang, S, Wu, Y, Guo, R, Huang, Y, Wen, S, Shen, M, Wang, J & Shi, X 2013, 'Laponite Nanodisks as an Efficient Platform for Doxorubicin Delivery to Cancer Cells', Langmuir, vol. 29, no. 16, pp. 5030-5036.
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Wang, Y, Sharma, N, Su, D, Bishop, D, Ahn, H & Wang, G 2013, 'High capacity spherical Li[Li0.24Mn0.55Co0.14Ni0.07]O2 cathode material for lithium ion batteries', Solid State Ionics, vol. 233, pp. 12-19.
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Li[Li0.24Mn0.55Co0.14Ni0.07]O2 cathode materials with controlled spherical morphology and particle size in the range of 5â10 μm were synthesized by a modified co-precipitation method. The crystal structure of Li[Li0.24Mn0.55Co0.14Ni0.07]O2 was investigated by Rietveld analysis of structural models using X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data, indicating the presence of Li2MnO3 in the final product. Li[Li0.24Mn0.55Co0.14Ni0.07]O2 shows low initial irreversible capacity loss (47.2 mAh/g), high reversible capacity (264.6 mAh/g), good capacity retention (90.4% over 50 cycles) and satisfactory rate capability when used as the cathode material in lithium ion batteries. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the pristine, charged and discharged electrodes of Li[Li0.24Mn0.55Co0.14Ni0.07]O2 reveals that the Mn4 +/Mn3 + redox couple participates in the delithiation/lithiation process. Overall, the improved electrochemical performance of the Li[Li0.24Mn0.55Co0.14Ni0.07]O2 electrode can be ascribed to the controlled and specially designed morphology and the composition of the sample that is produced by the co-precipitation method.
Wang, Y, Su, D & Wang, G 2013, 'The Effect of Carbon Coating on the Electrochemical Performance of Nanosized Li2FeSiO4 Cathode Materials', ACTA PHYSICA POLONICA A, vol. 123, no. 2, pp. 279-282.
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Carbon-coated Li2FeSiO4/C cathode materials have been synthesized through a modified ball-milling process. The physical characterizations of Li2FeSiO4 were conducted by using X-ray powder diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy techniques. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images revealed that Li2FeSiO4/C consists of nanosized particles coated with an amorphous carbon layer. The electrochemical performances of Li2FeSiO4/C cathode materials were evaluated through fully assembled lithium batteries via cyclic voltammetry, charge/discharge test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The Li2FeSiO4/C cathode materials showed a much improved electrochemical performance in terms of higher specific capacity, better cycling performance and less charge transfer resistance than that of the pristine Li2FeSiO4.
Wang, Y, Su, D, Wang, C & Wang, G 2013, 'SnO2@MWCNT nanocomposite as a high capacity anode material for sodium-ion batteries', Electrochemistry Communications, vol. 29, pp. 8-11.
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We report the synthesis and characterization of SnO2@multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposite as a high capacity anode material for sodium-ion battery. SnO2@MWCNT nanocomposite was synthesized by a solvothermal method. SEM and TEM analyses show the uniform distribution of SnO2 nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes. When applied as anode materials in Na-ion batteries, SnO2@MWCNT nanocomposite exhibited a high sodium storage capacity of 839 mAh gâ 1 in the first cycle. SnO2@MWCNT nanocomposite also demonstrated much better cycling performance than that of bare SnO2 nanoparticles and bare MWCNTs. Furthermore, the nanocomposite electrode also showed a good cyclability and an enhanced Coulombic efficiency on cycling.
Watts, AL, Singh, N, Poulton, CG, Magi, EC, Kabakova, IV, Hudson, DD & Eggleton, BJ 2013, 'Photoinduced axial quantization in chalcogenide microfiber resonators', Journal of the Optical Society of America B, vol. 30, no. 12, pp. 3249-3249.
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We investigate axial quantization in chalcogenide (As2S3) whispering gallery mode microfiber resonators. A microcavity is fabricated using a positive photoinduced index perturbation in the microfiber, and the modes are excited through evanescent field co
Weber, FH, Jackson, JA, Sobecki, B, Choromanski, L, Olsen, M, Meinert, T, Frank, R, Reichel, MP & Ellis, JT 2013, 'On the Efficacy and Safety of Vaccination with Live Tachyzoites of Neospora caninum for Prevention of Neospora-Associated Fetal Loss in Cattle', CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 99-105.
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Infection of cattle with Neospora caninum may result in abortion or the birth of a congenitally infected calf. Vaccination with live N. caninum protects against experimental infection of cattle and mice, and the naturally attenuated Nc-Nowra strain of N. caninum is of particular interest as a potential vaccine candidate. Vaccination of heifers prior to breeding with live Nc-Nowra tachyzoites by either the subcutaneous or the intravenous route reduced the rate of abortion and the presence of the parasite in calves as determined by PCR and serology after infection of cows with a virulent isolate. Protected fractions were 55.6% to 85.2% depending on the route of vaccination and growth conditions of the vaccine strain, with cryopreserved Nc-Nowra tachyzoites being less effective, with a 25.9% protected fraction. Vaccination appeared to reduce the rate of pregnancy after artificial insemination in some groups compared to nonvaccinated, nonchallenged controls. One animal that was vaccinated but not challenged experienced an abortion, but Nc-Nowra could not be detected in any of the cows in this group or their progeny. This study confirms that live vaccination can be an effective method of preventing neosporosis in cattle and yet highlights the technical hurdle of preservation of live parasites that must be overcome for a vaccine to be commercially successful.
Wei, J, Carroll, RJ, Müller, UU, Keilegom, IV & Chatterjee, N 2013, 'Robust Estimation for Homoscedastic Regression in the Secondary Analysis of Case–Control Data', Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B: Statistical Methodology, vol. 75, no. 1, pp. 185-206.
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SummaryPrimary analysis of case–control studies focuses on the relationship between disease D and a set of covariates of interest (Y, X). A secondary application of the case–control study, which is often invoked in modern genetic epidemiologic association studies, is to investigate the interrelationship between the covariates themselves. The task is complicated owing to the case–control sampling, where the regression of Y on X is different from what it is in the population. Previous work has assumed a parametric distribution for Y given X and derived semiparametric efficient estimation and inference without any distributional assumptions about X. We take up the issue of estimation of a regression function when Y given X follows a homoscedastic regression model, but otherwise the distribution of Y is unspecified. The semiparametric efficient approaches can be used to construct semiparametric efficient estimates, but they suffer from a lack of robustness to the assumed model for Y given X. We take an entirely different approach. We show how to estimate the regression parameters consistently even if the assumed model for Y given X is incorrect, and thus the estimates are model robust. For this we make the assumption that the disease rate is known or well estimated. The assumption can be dropped when the disease is rare, which is typically so for most case–control studies, and the estimation algorithm simplifies. Simulations and empirical examples are used to illustrate the approach.
Wen, S, Li, K, Cai, H, Chen, Q, Shen, M, Huang, Y, Peng, C, Hou, W, Zhu, M, Zhang, G & Shi, X 2013, 'Multifunctional dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles for dual mode CT/MR imaging applications', Biomaterials, vol. 34, no. 5, pp. 1570-1580.
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Wen, S, Liu, H, Cai, H, Shen, M & Shi, X 2013, 'Targeted and pH-Responsive Delivery of Doxorubicin to Cancer Cells Using Multifunctional Dendrimer-Modified Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes', Advanced Healthcare Materials, vol. 2, no. 9, pp. 1267-1276.
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Wen, S, Zheng, F, Shen, M & Shi, X 2013, 'Surface modification and PEGylation of branched polyethyleneimine for improved biocompatibility', Journal of Applied Polymer Science, vol. 128, no. 6, pp. 3807-3813.
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Wen, S, Zheng, F, Shen, M & Shi, X 2013, 'Synthesis of polyethyleneimine-stabilized gold nanoparticles for colorimetric sensing of heparin', Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, vol. 419, pp. 80-86.
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Wheeler, S, Robbins, WD & McIllwain, J 2013, 'Reef sharks clean up with a novel inshore mutualistic interaction', CORAL REEFS, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 1089-1089.
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Wheway, J, Obeid, S, Couraud, P-O, Combes, V & Grau, GER 2013, 'Correction: The Brain Microvascular Endothelium Supports T Cell Proliferation and Has Potential for Alloantigen Presentation', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 4.
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Wheway, J, Obeid, S, Couraud, P-O, Combes, V & Grau, GER 2013, 'The Brain Microvascular Endothelium Supports T Cell Proliferation and Has Potential for Alloantigen Presentation', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. e52586-e52586.
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Whitley, R, Taylor, D, Macinnis-Ng, C, Zeppel, M, Yunusa, I, O'Grady, A, Froend, R, Medlyn, B & Eamus, D 2013, 'Developing an empirical model of canopy water flux describing the common response of transpiration to solar radiation and VPD across five contrasting woodlands and forests', HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, vol. 27, no. 8, pp. 1133-1146.
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A modified Jarvisï½Stewart model of canopy transpiration (Ec) was tested over five ecosystems differing in climate, soil type and species composition. The aims of this study were to investigate the model's applicability over multiple ecosystems; to determine whether the number of model parameters could be reduced by assuming that site-specific responses of Ec to solar radiation, vapour pressure deficit and soil moisture content vary little between sites; and to examine convergence of behaviour of canopy water-use across multiple sites. This was accomplished by the following: (i) calibrating the model for each site to determine a set of site-specific (SS) parameters, and (ii) calibrating the model for all sites simultaneously to determine a set of combined sites (CS) parameters. The performance of both models was compared with measured Ec data and a statistical benchmark using an artificial neural network (ANN). Both the CS and SS models performed well, explaining hourly and daily variation in Ec. The SS model produced slightly better model statistics [R2?=?0.75ï½0.91; model efficiency (ME)?=?0.53ï½0.81; root mean square error (RMSE)?=?0.0015ï½0.0280?mm h-1] than the CS model (R2?=?0.68ï½0.87; ME?=?0.45ï½0.72; RMSE?=?0.0023ï½0.0164?mm h-1). Both were highly comparable with the ANN (R2?=?0.77ï½0.90; ME?=?0.58ï½0.80; RMSE?=?0.0007ï½0.0122?mm h-1). These results indicate that the response of canopy water-use to abiotic drivers displayed significant convergence across sites, but the absolute magnitude of Ec was site specific.
Whitney, M & Ryan, L 2013, 'Uncertainty due to low-dose extrapolation: modified BMD methodology for epidemiological data', ENVIRONMETRICS, vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 289-297.
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Traditional environmental risk assessment methodologies, including benchmark dose (BMD) estimation, were originally developed to be used with animal toxicology data. We discuss some problems that can occur when toxicology-based methods are applied to hum
Whitney, M, Ryan, L & Walkowiak, J 2013, 'On the Use of Bayesian Model Averaging for Covariate Selection in Epidemiological Modeling', Journal of Statistical Theory and Practice, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 233-247.
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Bayesian model averaging (BMA) is a powerful technique to address model selection uncertainty and recent computational advances have led to a proliferation of usage. BMA methods are of particular interest in environmental health risk assessment because of the high degree of uncertainty that typically arises in that context. In this article, we review a variety of approaches to conducting BMA and compare four implementations in a setting where there are a number of potential predictors. We then use these four methods to calculate risk assessment measures that account for the uncertainty involved in modeling environmental exposures. These methods are used to reexamine data from a study conducted by Walkowiak et al. (2001) to investigate the effects of maternal polychlorinated biphenyl exposure on cognitive development in early childhood. This case study reveals that different strategies for implementing BMA can yield varying risk assessment results. We conclude with some practical recommendations.
Willenborg, C & Stelzer-Braid, S 2013, 'Sneezing leads to wheezing: microorganisms important in asthma', Microbiology Australia, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 125-125.
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Wilson, CH, Indarto, D, Doucet, A, Pogson, LD, Pitman, MR, McNicholas, K, Menz, RI, Overall, CM & Abbott, CA 2013, 'Identifying Natural Substrates for Dipeptidyl Peptidases 8 and 9 Using Terminal Amine Isotopic Labeling of Substrates (TAILS) Reveals in Vivo Roles in Cellular Homeostasis and Energy Metabolism', Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 288, no. 20, pp. 13936-13949.
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Winful, HG, Kabakova, IV & Eggleton, BJ 2013, 'Model for distributed feedback Brillouin lasers', Optics Express, vol. 21, no. 13, pp. 16191-16191.
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Wong, FWS & Lim, DCE 2013, 'Factors influencing the choice of hysterectomy approach for the management of fibroid uterus', Gynecology and Minimally Invasive Therapy, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 61-64.
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Aim: The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing the choice between different approaches in hysterectomy for uterine fibroids. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 285 women who had undergone hysterectomy for uterine fibroids at the Liverpool Hospital, New South Wales, Australia. Results: This study shows that several factors influenced the choice of hysterectomy approach. First, concomitant adnexal surgery increased the likelihood of undergoing an abdominal hysterectomy rather than either a vaginal or a laparoscopic hysterectomy by 10- and fivefold (both p<0.01), respectively. Second, women with a larger uterus (>280g) had a 20 (. p<0.05) and 10 (. p<0.01) times greater chance of undergoing an abdominal hysterectomy than either a vaginal or a laparoscopic hysterectomy, respectively. Third, gynecologic endoscopists were more likely to perform laparoscopic hysterectomy than gynecologic generalists (. p<0.001). Conclusion: Certain clinical parameters determine the choice of hysterectomy approach. Surgeons' expertise also has significant influence over the choice between laparoscopic and traditional approaches for hysterectomy. © 2013.
Wong, KKY, Rockman, S, Ong, C, Bull, R, Stelzer-Braid, S & Rawlinson, W 2013, 'Comparison of influenza virus replication fidelity in vitro using selection pressure with monoclonal antibodies', Journal of Medical Virology, vol. 85, no. 6, pp. 1090-1094.
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Woo, JKK, McElroy, K, Rice, SA, Kirov, SM, Thomas, T & Kjelleberg, S 2013, 'Draft Genome Sequence of the Chronic, Nonclonal Cystic Fibrosis Isolate Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain 18A', Genome Announcements, vol. 1, no. 2.
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ABSTRACT
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
strain 18A is a clinical, nonclonal isolate retrieved from the sputum of a chronically infected cystic fibrosis patient. The genome of 18A was sequenced for comparison with environmental and clinical isolates to identify genes that might facilitate its persistence during infection.
Wood, M, Maynard, P, Spindler, X, Roux, C & Lennard, C 2013, 'Selective targeting of fingermarks using immunogenic techniques', AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 211-226.
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Latent fingermark detection remains one of the most commonly utilised forensic practices when dealing with scenes of crime or related items. Although many options are available to detect and visualise these marks, the quest for techniques with greater sensitivity and selectivity continues. This has led to many improvements in detection methods and also numerous new techniques being developed. However, these have largely only led to incremental advancements despite the desire for transformational improvements. The use of immunology in the detection of latent fingermarks is an area that has been investigated more recently as a possible proposal to provide these transformational improvements, specifically to overcome sensitivity and selectivity issues currently seen with existing methods. This paper reviews the attempts to harness the detection capabilities of immunology and utilise them in the field of latent fingermark detection. Results achieved to date have highlighted many advantages and possibilities in detection and visualisation of latent marks, including the possibility of gaining `intelligence from the marks themselves. This paper also presents a brief introduction to the use of aptamers as the next logical step in immunogenic techniques for investigation.
Woodcock, S, Besemer, K, Battin, TJ, Curtis, TP & Sloan, WT 2013, 'Modelling the effects of dispersal mechanisms and hydrodynamic regimes upon the structure of microbial communities within fluvial biofilms', ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 1216-1225.
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The spatial distribution of microbial taxa is determined primarily by physical and chemical environments and by dispersal. In a homogeneous landscape with limited dispersal, the similarity in abundance of taxa in samples declines with separation distance. We present a one-dimensional model for the spatial autocorrelation in abundances arising from immigration from some remote community and dispersal between environmentally similar landscape patches. Spatial correlation in taxa abundances were calculated from biofilms from the beds of two flumes which differed only in their bedform profiles; one flat and the other a periodic sawtooth shape. The hydraulic regime is approximately uniform over the flat bed, whereas the sawtooth induces fast flow over the peaks and recirculation in the troughs. On the flat bed, the correlation decline between samples was reproduced by a model using one biologically reasonable parameter. A decline was apparent in the other flume; however, a better fit was achieved when dispersal was not assumed constant everywhere. However, analysis of finer-resolution data for the heterogeneous flume suggested even this model did not adequately capture the community's complexity. We conclude that hydrodynamics are a strong driver of taxa-abundance patterns in stream biofilms. However, local adaptability must also be considered to build up a complete mechanistic model.
Woolley, LK, Fell, SA, Djordjevic, SP, Eamens, GJ & Jenkins, C 2013, 'Plasmin activity in the porcine airways is enhanced during experimental infection with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, is positively correlated with proinflammatory cytokine levels and is ameliorated by vaccination', Veterinary Microbiology, vol. 164, no. 1-2, pp. 60-66.
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In Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhp) infection of swine, the host immune response is considered a major driver of lung pathology; however the underlying inflammatory mechanisms are not well understood. The serine protease plasmin is being increasingly recognised as a significant player in inflammatory processes. Here we compare plasmin activity in tracheobronchial lavage fluid (TBLF) from pigs experimentally challenged with Mhp that were either unvaccinated (n = 10), or vaccinated with the commercial vaccine Suvaxyn® M.hyo (n = 10). TBLF collected immediately prior to challenge and at 21 d and 35 d post-challenge was also assayed for levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1ß and IL-6), and for bacterial load (by qPCR). Clinical signs, pathology, cytokine analyses and qPCR all indicated that vaccinated pigs had significantly reduced disease relative to unvaccinated animals. Plasmin activity increased significantly in TBLF collected at 21 d post-challenge compared to pre-challenge TBLF in unvaccinated (P < 0.01), but not vaccinated animals (P > 0.05). A significant correlation was observed between bacterial load and plasmin activity in the 21 d (r = 0.66; P < 0.01) and the 35 d post-challenge samples, (r = 0.62; P < 0.01). Plasmin activity was also significantly correlated with levels of TNF-a, IL-1ß and IL-6 at 21 d (r = 0.78, P < 0.0001; r = 0.77, P < 0.0001; r = 0.64, P < 0.005) and with TNF-a and IL-1ß at 35 d post-challenge (r = 0.77, P < 0.0001; r = 0.74, P < 0.0005). Our results indicate that plasminogen is activated to plasmin in the respiratory tract of pigs as part of the host inflammatory response to Mhp infection and that this effect is ameliorated by vaccination.
Wu, H, Yang, Z, Liao, J, Yan, D, Qiu, J, Song, Z, Zhou, D, Yin, Z & Wang, R 2013, 'Investigation of Long Afterglow Emission Property in Photonic Crystals', ECS Solid State Letters, vol. 2, no. 8, pp. Q66-Q68.
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Xia, YC, Redhu, NS, Moir, LM, Koziol-White, C, Ammit, AJ, Al-Alwan, L, Camoretti-Mercado, B & Clifford, RL 2013, 'Pro-inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions of airway smooth muscle: Emerging concepts', Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 64-74.
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Xiang, FX, Wang, XL, Xun, X, De Silva, KSB, Wang, YX & Dou, SX 2013, 'Evidence for transformation from delta T-c to delta l pinning in MgB2 by graphene oxide doping with improved low and high field J(c) and pinning potential', APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, vol. 102, no. 15.
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Xiao, L, Bhadbhade, M & Baker, AT 2013, 'catena-Poly[[copper(I)-l-2,6-bis[4- (pyridin-2-yl)thiazol-2-yl]pyridine] hexafluoridophosphate acetonitrile monosolvate] from single-crystal synchrotron data', Acta Crystallographica Section E: Structure Reports Online, vol. 69, no. 4, pp. 1-11.
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The title complex, {[Cu(C21H13N5S 2)]PF6·CH3CN}n, was formed immediately on adding together a methanol solution containing copper(I) ions and a methanol solution of 2,6-bis[4-(pyridin-2-yl)thiazol-2-yl]pyridine. Crystallographic studies of the complex re
Xiao, T, Hou, W, Cao, X, Wen, S, Shen, M & Shi, X 2013, 'Dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles modified with folic acid for targeted gene delivery applications', Biomaterials Science, vol. 1, no. 11, pp. 1172-1172.
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Xiao, T, Wen, S, Wang, H, Liu, H, Shen, M, Zhao, J, Zhang, G & Shi, X 2013, 'Facile synthesis of acetylated dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles with enhanced gold loading for CT imaging applications', Journal of Materials Chemistry B, vol. 1, no. 21, pp. 2773-2773.
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Xie, H, Liu, Y, Jin, D, Santangelo, PJ & Xi, P 2013, 'Analytical description of high-aperture STED resolution with 0–2π vortex phase modulation', Journal of the Optical Society of America A, vol. 30, no. 8, pp. 1640-1640.
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Xun, X, Cao, J, Mallick, B, Maity, A & Carroll, RJ 2013, 'Parameter Estimation of Partial Differential Equation Models', Journal of the American Statistical Association, vol. 108, no. 503, pp. 1009-1020.
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Yakkundi, A, McCallum, L, O’Kane, A, Dyer, H, Worthington, J, McKeen, HD, McClements, L, Elliott, C, McCarthy, HO, Hirst, DG & Robson, T 2013, 'The Anti-Migratory Effects of FKBPL and Its Peptide Derivative, AD-01: Regulation of CD44 and the Cytoskeletal Pathway', PLoS ONE, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. e55075-e55075.
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Yang, K, Xiang, J, Bao, G, Dang, Q & Bai, X 2013, 'Synthesis of Highly Substituted 4H-Pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidines via a One-Pot Three-Component Condensation Reaction', ACS Combinatorial Science, vol. 15, no. 9, pp. 519-524.
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Yang, Z, Liao, J, Lai, S, Wu, H, Fan, Z, Qiu, J, Song, Z, Yang, Y & Zhou, D 2013, 'Energy transfer and photoluminescence properties in Bi<SUP>3+</SUP> and Eu<SUP>3+</SUP> co-doped ZnGa<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>4</SUB>', Materials Express, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 350-354.
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Yang, Z, Wu, H, Liao, J, Li, W, Song, Z, Yang, Y, Zhou, D, Wang, R & Qiu, J 2013, 'Infrared to visible upconversion luminescence in Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped CeO2 inverse opal', Materials Science and Engineering: B, vol. 178, no. 15, pp. 977-981.
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Yatawatta, S, de Bruyn, AG, Brentjens, MA, Labropoulos, P, Pandey, VN, Kazemi, S, Zaroubi, S, Koopmans, LVE, Offringa, AR, Jelić, V, Martinez Rubi, O, Veligatla, V, Wijnholds, SJ, Brouw, WN, Bernardi, G, Ciardi, B, Daiboo, S, Harker, G, Mellema, G, Schaye, J, Thomas, R, Vedantham, H, Chapman, E, Abdalla, FB, Alexov, A, Anderson, J, Avruch, IM, Batejat, F, Bell, ME, Bell, MR, Bentum, M, Best, P, Bonafede, A, Bregman, J, Breitling, F, van de Brink, RH, Broderick, JW, Brüggen, M, Conway, J, de Gasperin, F, de Geus, E, Duscha, S, Falcke, H, Fallows, RA, Ferrari, C, Frieswijk, W, Garrett, MA, Griessmeier, JM, Gunst, AW, Hassall, TE, Hessels, JWT, Hoeft, M, Iacobelli, M, Juette, E, Karastergiou, A, Kondratiev, VI, Kramer, M, Kuniyoshi, M, Kuper, G, van Leeuwen, J, Maat, P, Mann, G, McKean, JP, Mevius, M, Mol, JD, Munk, H, Nijboer, R, Noordam, JE, Norden, MJ, Orru, E, Paas, H, Pandey-Pommier, M, Pizzo, R, Polatidis, AG, Reich, W, Röttgering, HJA, Sluman, J, Smirnov, O, Stappers, B, Steinmetz, M, Tagger, M, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, ter Veen, S, Vermeulen, R, van Weeren, RJ, Wise, M, Wucknitz, O & Zarka, P 2013, 'Initial deep LOFAR observations of epoch of reionization windows', Astronomy & Astrophysics, vol. 550, pp. A136-A136.
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Ye, S, Zhou, J, Wang, S, Hu, R, Wang, D & Qiu, J 2013, 'Broadband downshifting luminescence in Cr^3+-Yb^3+ codoped garnet for efficient photovoltaic generation', Optics Express, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 4167-4167.
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The Cr3+-Yb3+ codoped YAG crystals were synthesized by the solid state reaction method, in which the intense near-infrared emission around 1000 nm originated from Yb3+ 2F5/2→2F7/2 transition was obtained due to the efficient energy transfer from Cr3+ to Yb3+. The stable and transient spectral measurements revealed that the phonon assistant energy transfer process is responsible for the energy transfer from Cr3+ to Yb3+ upon both the excitations of Cr3+: 4T1 and 4T2 energy levels. Due to the effective absorption of Cr3+ in the visible region in YAG and the efficient energy transfer to Yb3+, this material can be developed as spectral convertors to improve silicon solar cell photovoltaic conversion efficiency.
Ye, Z, Suggett, DJ, Robakowski, P & Kang, H 2013, 'A mechanistic model for the photosynthesis–light response based on the photosynthetic electron transport of photosystem II in C3 and C4 species', New Phytologist, vol. 199, no. 1, pp. 110-120.
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Summary
A new mechanistic model of the photosynthesis–light response is developed based on photosynthetic electron transport via photosystem II (PSII) to specifically describe light‐harvesting characteristics and associated biophysical parameters of photosynthetic pigment molecules. This model parameterizes ‘core’ characteristics not only of the light response but also of difficult to measure physical parameters of photosynthetic pigment molecules in plants.
Application of the model to two C3 and two C4 species grown under the same conditions demonstrated that the model reproduced extremely well (r2 > 0.992) the light response trends of both electron transport and CO2 uptake.
In all cases, the effective absorption cross‐section of photosynthetic pigment molecules decreased with increasing light intensity, demonstrating novel operation of a key mechanism for plants to avoid high light damage.
In parameterizing these previously difficult to measure characteristics of light harvesting in higher plants, the model provides a new means to understand the mechanistic processes underpinning variability of CO2 uptake, for example, photosynthetic down‐regulation or reversible photoinhibition induced by high light and photoprotection. However, an important next step is validating this parameterization, possibly through application to less structurally complex organisms ...
Ye, Z-P, Robakowski, P & Suggett, DJ 2013, 'A mechanistic model for the light response of photosynthetic electron transport rate based on light harvesting properties of photosynthetic pigment molecules', Planta, vol. 237, no. 3, pp. 837-847.
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Models describing the light response of photosynthetic electron transport rate (ETR) are routinely used to determine how light absorption influences energy, reducing power and yields of primary productivity; however, no single model is currently able to
Yebra, M, Van Dijk, A, Leuning, R, Huete, A & Guerschman, JP 2013, 'Evaluation of optical remote sensing to estimate actual evapotranspiration and canopy conductance', REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT, vol. 129, pp. 250-261.
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We compared estimates of actual evapotranspiration (ET) produced with six different vegetation measures derived from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and three contrasting estimation approaches using measurements from eddy covariance flux towers at 16 FLUXNET sites located over six different land cover types. The aim was to assess optimal approaches in using optical remote sensing to estimate ET. The first two approaches directly regressed various MODIS vegetation indices (VIs) and products such as leaf area index (LAI) and fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (fPAR) with ET and evaporative fraction (EF). In the third approach, the PenmanâMonteith (PM) equation was inverted to obtain surface conductance (Gs), for dry plant canopies. The Gs values were then regressed against the MODIS data products and used to parameterize the PM equation for retrievals of ET. Jack-Knife cross-validation was used to evaluate the various regression models against observed ET. The PM-Gs approach provided the lowest root mean square error (RMSE), and highest determination coefficients (R2) across all sites, with an average RMSE= 38 W mâ2 and R2=0.72. Direct regressions of observed ET against the VIs resulted in an average RMSE= 60 W mâ2 and R2=0.22, while the EF regressions an average RMSE=42 W mâ2 and R2=0.64. The MODIS LAI and fPAR product produced the poorest estimates of ET (RMSE>44 W mâ2 and R2b0.6); while the VIs each performed best for some of the land cover types. The enhanced vegetation index (EVI) produced the best ET estimates for evergreen needleleaf forest (RMSE=28.4 W mâ2, R2=0.66). The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) best estimated ET in grassland (RMSE=23.8 W mâ2 and R2=0.68), cropland (RMSE=29.2 W mâ2 and R2=0.86) and woody savannas (RMSE=25.4 W mâ2 and R2=0.82), while the VI-based crop coefficient (Kc) yielded the best estimates for evergreen and deciduous broadleaf forests (RMSE=27 W mâ2 and R2=0.7 in both cases). U...
Yeganeh, B, Xia, C, Movassagh, H, Koziol-White, C, Chang, Y, Al-Alwan, L, Bourke, JE & Oliver, BGG 2013, 'Emerging mediators of airway smooth muscle dysfunction in asthma', Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 105-111.
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Phenotypic changes in airway smooth muscle are integral to the pathophysiological changes that constitute asthma namely inflammation, airway wall remodelling and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that the proliferativ
Yepuri, NR, Barraud, N, Mohammadi, NS, Kardak, BG, Kjelleberg, S, Rice, SA & Kelso, MJ 2013, 'Synthesis of cephalosporin-3′-diazeniumdiolates: biofilm dispersing NO-donor prodrugs activated by β-lactamase', Chemical Communications, vol. 49, no. 42, pp. 4791-4791.
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Use of biofilm dispersing NO-donor compounds in combinationwith antibiotics has emerged as a promising new strategy fortreating drug-resistant bacterial biofilm infections.This paper detailsthe synthesis and preliminary evaluation of six cephalosporin-30-diazeniumdiolates as biofilm-targeted NO-donor prodrugs. Eachof the compounds is shown to selectively release NO followingreaction with the bacteria-specific enzymeb-lactamas and totrigger dispersion ofPseudomonas aeruginosa biofilmsin vitro.
York, PH, Gruber, RK, Hill, R, Ralph, PJ, Booth, DJ & Macreadie, PI 2013, 'Physiological and Morphological Responses of the Temperate Seagrass Zostera muelleri to Multiple Stressors: Investigating the Interactive Effects of Light and Temperature', PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 10.
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Yuan, X, Wen, S, Shen, M & Shi, X 2013, 'Dendrimer-stabilized silver nanoparticles enable efficient colorimetric sensing of mercury ions in aqueous solution', Analytical Methods, vol. 5, no. 20, pp. 5486-5486.
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Yunusa, IAM, Manoharan, V, Harris, R, Lawrie, R, Pal, Y, Quiton, JT, Bell, R & Eamus, D 2013, 'Differential growth and yield by canola (Brassica napus L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) arising from alterations in chemical properties of sandy soils due to additions of fly ash', JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, vol. 93, no. 5, pp. 995-1002.
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Background There is a need for field trials on testing agronomic potential of coal fly ash to engender routine use of this technology. Two field trials were undertaken with alkaline and acidic fly ashes supplied at between 3 and 6 Mg ha1 to acidic soils and sown to wheat and canola at Richmond (Eastern Australia) and to wheat only at Merredin (Western Australia). Results Ash addition marginally (P< 0.10) raised the pH in the top soil layers at both sites. The exceptionally dry season at both sites constrained yields and thwarted any likelihood of gaining yield benefits from ash-induced improvements in soil conditions. Yield improvements due to ash addition were absent at Merredin and only marginal at Richmond, where no elevated accumulation of B, Mo, Se, P or S in either the straw or seeds of wheat was observed; canola increased accumulation of Mo and Se in its shoot with acidic fly ash, but it was well below phyto toxic levels. Simulations of wheat using APSIM at Richmond over a 100-year period (19092008) predicted yield increases in 52% of years with addition of ash at 3.0 Mg ha1 compared with 24% of years with addition of ash at 6.0 Mg ha1. The simulated yield increases did not exceed 40% over the control with addition of 6 Mg ha1 ash, but was between 40% and 50% with an addition rate of 3 Mg ha1. Conclusion We found no evidence of phytotoxicity in either crop in this unusually dry year and there is still a need for further field assessment in years with favourable rainfall to enable development of clear recommendations on fly ash rates for optimum yield benefits
Zaslawski, C 2013, 'Editorial', Australian Journal of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, vol. 8, no. 1, p. 1.
Zhang, J, Sun, B, Ahn, H-J, Wang, C & Wang, G 2013, 'Conducting polymer-doped polyprrrole as an effective cathode catalyst for Li-O-2 batteries', MATERIALS RESEARCH BULLETIN, vol. 48, no. 12, pp. 4979-4983.
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Polypyrrole conducting polymers with different dopants have been synthesized and applied as the cathode catalyst in Li-O2 batteries. Polypyrrole polymers exhibited an effective catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction in lithium oxygen batteries. It was discovered that dopant significantly influenced the electrochemical performance of polypyrrole. The polypyrrole doped with Cl- demonstrated higher capacity and more stable cyclability than that doped with ClO4-. Polypyrrole conducting polymers also exhibited higher capacity and better cycling performance than that of carbon black catalysts.
Zhang, L, McKay, A & Jin, D 2013, 'High-throughput 3-dimensional time-resolved spectroscopy: simultaneous characterisation of luminescence properties in spectral and temporal domains', RSC Advances, vol. 3, no. 23, pp. 8670-8670.
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Zhang, Y, Moran, MS, Nearing, MA, Campos, GEP, Huete, AR, Buda, AR, Bosch, DD, Gunter, SA, Kitchen, SG, McNab, WH, Morgan, JA, McClaran, MP, Montoya, DS, Peters, DPC & Starks, PJ 2013, 'Extreme precipitation patterns and reductions of terrestrial ecosystem production across biomes', JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES, vol. 118, no. 1, pp. 148-157.
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Precipitation regimes are predicted to shift to more extreme patterns that are characterized by more heavy rainfall events and longer dry intervals, yet their ecological impacts on vegetation production remain uncertain across biomes in natural climatic conditions. This in situ study investigated the effects of these climatic conditions on aboveground net primary production (ANPP) by combining a greenness index from satellite measurements and climatic records during 2000â2009 from 11 long-term experimental sites in multiple biomes and climates. Results showed that extreme precipitation patterns decreased the sensitivity of ANPP to total annual precipitation (PT) at the regional and decadal scales, leading to decreased rain use efficiency (RUE; by 20% on average) across biomes. Relative decreases in ANPP were greatest for arid grassland (16%) and Mediterranean forest (20%) and less for mesic grassland and temperate forest (3%). The cooccurrence of heavy rainfall events and longer dry intervals caused greater water stress conditions that resulted in reduced vegetation production. A new generalized model was developed using a function of both PT and an index of precipitation extremes and improved predictions of the sensitivity of ANPP to changes in precipitation patterns. Our results suggest that extreme precipitation patterns have substantially negative effects on vegetation production across biomes and are as important as PT. With predictions of more extreme weather events, forecasts of ecosystem production should consider these nonlinear responses to altered extreme precipitation patterns associated with climate change.
Zhao, C, Liu, C, Zhao, J, Xia, J, Yu, Q & Eamus, D 2013, 'Zooplankton in highly regulated rivers: Changing with water environment', ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 323-334.
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The Huai River Basin (HRB) of China is well-known globally for the extent of severe human activities (e.g., waste disposal and water project construction) which have resulted in severe water pollution and subsequently degraded water ecosystem quality in recent decades. However, influence of water pollution on water ecosystems has not yet been fully realized due to lack of water ecosystem data. In food webs of freshwater ecosystems, zooplankton occupy a critical position but they are highly susceptible to pollutants and temperature which in turn impact the community structure and biodiversity of zooplankton to a great extent. This paper aimed to assess impact of water chemistry variation on zooplankton through ecological-niche models and spatial heterogeneity of zooplankton along with water chemistry in the HRB. We investigated the impacts of nine dominant water chemistry indicators on zooplankton distribution and composition via ecological niche models based on water chemistry status and zooplankton communities at 71 typical sites of the HRB. A fuzzy clustering method (FCM) was employed to help study the impact characteristics and the spatial heterogeneity. Results indicate that across the nine water chemistry indicators, changes in water temperature has minimal impact on the zooplankton community of the Huai River while small variation in ammonianitrogen exerts significant stress on the community; with respect to water temperature and total phosphorous zooplankton species in the HRB are coexisting with little competition; as to spatial heterogeneity of zooplankton communities, communities in the southwest and southeast mountainous regions may adapt well to habitat variations, while those in the middle and northeast areas have a weak adaptability to habitat changes.
Zhao, CS, Liu, CM, Sun, Y, Yang, G, Mitrovic, SM & Wang, H 2013, 'Heterogeneity of water quality in Huai River, China by using bio-monitoring data', WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY-WATER SUPPLY, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 1524-1533.
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A new approach by combining bioindicators (BiI) and biotic indices (BIs) for evaluating water quality is presented in this paper. It is then applied to the Huai River basin (HRB), China, which is well-known globally for its heavy anthropogenic influences. Results indicate that the spatial distribution of BI-indicated water quality has roughly the same pattern as that shown by BiI, but the pollution level using BI was, on average, greater than that by BiI; the northern plain area has a degraded water quality (ranging from `a-mesosaprobic to `a-polysaprobic in a wet season) while the southern mountain area and the southern part of the East Line of South-North Water Transfer Project has a better water quality (`ß-mesosaprobic). Water quality is worse in the dry season than in the wet season. We concluded that zoobenthos and zooplankton are more reliable indicators of water quality; biological indices are more sensitive to water quality but less reliable than BiI. These results will be of use in the ecological restoration of the Huai River and benefit water resource management in HRB in the future.
Zhao, J, Jin, D, Schartner, EP, Lu, Y, Liu, Y, Zvyagin, AV, Zhang, L, Dawes, JM, Xi, P, Piper, JA, Goldys, EM & Monro, TM 2013, 'Single-nanocrystal sensitivity achieved by enhanced upconversion luminescence', Nature Nanotechnology, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 729-734.
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Zhao, J, Lu, Z, Yin, Y, McRae, C, Piper, JA, Dawes, JM, Jin, D & Goldys, EM 2013, 'Upconversion luminescence with tunable lifetime in NaYF4:Yb,Er nanocrystals: role of nanocrystal size', Nanoscale, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 944-952.
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Zheng, F, Wang, S, Wen, S, Shen, M, Zhu, M & Shi, X 2013, 'Characterization and antibacterial activity of amoxicillin-loaded electrospun nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) composite nanofibers', Biomaterials, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 1402-1412.
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Zhou, J, Chen, G, Wu, E, Bi, G, Wu, B, Teng, Y, Zhou, S & Qiu, J 2013, 'Ultrasensitive Polarized Up-Conversion of Tm3+–Yb3+ Doped β-NaYF4 Single Nanorod', Nano Letters, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 2241-2246.
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Up-conversion luminescence in rare earth ions (REs) doped nanoparticles has attracted considerable research attention for the promising applications in solid-state lasers, three-dimensional displays, solar cells, biological imaging, and so forth. However, there have been no reports on REs doped nanoparticles to investigate their polarized energy transfer up-conversion, especially for single particle. Herein, the polarized energy transfer up-conversion from REs doped fluoride nanorods is demonstrated in a single particle spectroscopy mode for the first time. Unique luminescent phenomena, for example, sharp energy level split and singlet-to-triplet transitions at room temperature, multiple discrete luminescence intensity periodic variation with polarization direction, are observed upon excitation with 980 nm linearly polarized laser. Furthermore, nanorods with the controllable aspect ratio and symmetry are fabricated for analysis of the mechanism of polarization anisotropy. The comparative experiments suggest that intraions transition properties and crystal local symmetry dominate the polarization anisotropy, which is also confirmed by density functional theory calculations. Taking advantage of the REs based up-conversion, potential application in polarized microscopic multi-information transportation is suggested for the polarization anisotropy from REs doped fluoride single nanorod or nanorod array.
Zhou, J, Deng, J, Zhu, H, Chen, X, Teng, Y, Jia, H, Xu, S & Qiu, J 2013, 'Up-conversion luminescence in LaF3:Ho3+via two-wavelength excitation for use in solar cells', Journal of Materials Chemistry C, vol. 1, no. 48, pp. 8023-8023.
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An efficient broadband excited near-infrared to visible up-conversion is observed in LaF3:Ho3+ as the result of a two-wavelength excitation. The visible up-conversion emission intensity is greatly enhanced upon simultaneous excitation at 970 nm and 1150 nm, due to an energy transfer up-conversion mechanism. Multi-wavelength excitation based on the ground-state absorption, excited-state absorption, and phonon-coupled absorption of rare-earth ions results in an efficient broadband excited up-conversion emission, which may provide a new approach to fully harvest NIR solar energy and has potential application in solar cells.
Zhou, J, Shirahata, N, Sun, H-T, Ghosh, B, Ogawara, M, Teng, Y, Zhou, S, Chu, RGS, Fujii, M & Qiu, J 2013, 'Efficient Dual-Modal NIR-to-NIR Emission of Rare Earth Ions Co-doped Nanocrystals for Biological Fluorescence Imaging', JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 402-408.
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A novel approach has been developed for the realization of efficient near-infrared to near-infrared (NIR-to-NIR) upconversion and down-shifting emission in nanophosphors. The efficient dual-modal NIR-to-NIR emission is realized in a β-NaGdF4/Nd3+@NaGdF4/Tm3+–Yb3+ core–shell nanocrystal by careful control of the identity and concentration of the doped rare earth (RE) ion species and by manipulation of the spatial distributions of these RE ions. The photoluminescence results reveal that the emission efficiency increases at least 2-fold when comparing the materials synthesized in this study with those synthesized through traditional approaches. Hence, these core–shell structured nanocrystals with novel excitation and emission behaviors enable us to obtain tissue fluorescence imaging by detecting the upconverted and down-shifted photoluminescence from Tm3+ and Nd3+ ions, respectively. The reported approach thus provides a new route for the realization of high-yield emission from RE ion doped nanocrystals, which could prove to be useful for the design of optical materials containing other optically active centers.
Zhu, J, Yu, J, Wang, P, Yu, Q & Eamus, D 2013, 'Distribution patterns of groundwater-dependent vegetation species diversity and their relationship to groundwater attributes in northwestern China', ECOHYDROLOGY, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 191-200.
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The study of the patterns of plant species diversity and the factors influencing these patterns is the basis of ecology and is also fundamental to conservation biology. Groundwater-dependent vegetation (GDV) must have access to groundwater to maintain their growth and function, and this is especially common in arid and semi-arid regions, including north-western China. In this paper, plant species diversity and groundwater attributes (composition and depth) were investigated in 31 plots in the Ejina Delta in north-western China to determine whether groundwater attributes influenced patterns species diversity in GDV. Detrended canonical correspondence analyses and generalised additive models were performed to analyse the data. A total of 29 plant species were recorded in the 31 plots; perennial herbs with deep roots had an advantage over all other groups, and GDV species diversity was primarily affected by groundwater depth (GWD), salinity (SAL) and total dissolved solids (TDS), HCO3, Ca2+, pH, and SO42. The herb layer species diversity and total species diversity reached their maximum in similar, moderate environmental conditions. The diversity of the tree species was influenced by SAL and TDS and was maximal at large values of GWD and low values of SAL and TDS. The diversity of shrub species was affected by Ca2+ and Mg2+ and was maximal low GWD and high SAL and TDS. Patrick's and ShannonWiener's index of the total community diversity presented a bimodal pattern along gradients of GWD and SAL, whilst Simpson's and Pielou's index showed a partially unimodal pattern. On the basis of field investigation and the analysis of field data, we concluded that the perfect combination of GWD and SAL for GDV species diversity is 2m and 1 center dot 8gl1, respectively. The appropriate combination range is 25m and 1 center dot 84 center dot 2gl1, and the critical combination for the damaged GDV species diversity is 5m and 4 center dot 2gl1.
Zhu, L, Ton-That, C & Phillips, MR 2013, 'Nitrogen incorporation in ZnO nanowires using N2O dopant gas', MATERIALS LETTERS, vol. 99, no. 1, pp. 42-45.
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Aligned nitrogen-doped ZnO nanowires were grown by chemical vapour deposition using Au catalyst. N incorporation was achieved through the introduction of N2O gas as a dopant source and con?rmed by Raman spectroscopy, which reveals additional N-related modes at 275, 580 and 642 cm1 . The nanowires have a hexagonal faceted shape and are predominantly grown along the [001] direction. The nanowire morphology is unaffected by N incorporation. The luminescence peak at 3.24 eV was monitored as a function of N2O content. Intensity analysis of this band reveals that it can be partly attributed to donoracceptor pair (DAP) emission originating from the N doping
Zhu, Q-H, Stephen, S, Kazan, K, Jin, G, Fan, L, Taylor, J, Dennis, ES, Helliwell, CA & Wang, M-B 2013, 'Characterization of the defense transcriptome responsive to Fusarium oxysporum-infection in Arabidopsis using RNA-seq', GENE, vol. 512, no. 2, pp. 259-266.
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We analyzed analyzed the dynamic defense transcriptome responsive to Fusarium oxysporum infection in Arabidopsis using a strand-specific RNA-sequencing approach. Following infection, 177 and 571 genes were up-regulated, 30 and 125 genes were down-regulat
Zhuang, J, Fu, L, Lai, W, Tang, D & Chen, G 2013, 'Target-stimulated metallic HgS nanostructures on a DNA-based polyion complex membrane for highly efficient impedimetric detection of dissolved hydrogen sulfide', Chemical Communications, vol. 49, no. 95, pp. 11200-11200.
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Zhuang, J, Fu, L, Tang, D, Xu, M, Chen, G & Yang, H 2013, 'Target-induced structure-switching DNA hairpins for sensitive electrochemical monitoring of mercury (II)', Biosensors and Bioelectronics, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 315-319.
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Zhuang, J, Fu, L, Xu, M, Yang, H, Chen, G & Tang, D 2013, 'Sensitive electrochemical monitoring of nucleic acids coupling DNA nanostructures with hybridization chain reaction', Analytica Chimica Acta, vol. 783, pp. 17-23.
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Zhuang, J, Fu, L, Xu, M, Zhou, Q, Chen, G & Tang, D 2013, 'DNAzyme-based magneto-controlled electronic switch for picomolar detection of lead (II) coupling with DNA-based hybridization chain reaction', Biosensors and Bioelectronics, vol. 45, pp. 52-57.
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Zinder, Y, Memar, J & Singh, G 2013, 'Discrete optimization with polynomially detectable boundaries and restricted level sets', JOURNAL OF COMBINATORIAL OPTIMIZATION, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 308-325.
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The paper describes an optimization procedure for a class of discrete optimization problems which is defined by certain properties of the boundary of the feasible region and level sets of the objective function. It is shown that these properties are possessed, for example, by various scheduling problems, including a number of well known NP-hard problems which play an important role in scheduling theory. For one of these problems the presented optimization procedure is compared with a version of the branch-and-bound algorithm by means of computational experiments
Zou, LE, Kabakova, IV, Mägi, EC, Li, E, Florea, C, Aggarwal, ID, Shaw, B, Sanghera, JS & Eggleton, BJ 2013, 'Efficient inscription of Bragg gratings in As_2S_3 fibers using near bandgap light', Optics Letters, vol. 38, no. 19, pp. 3850-3850.
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