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Initial Process (initial + process)
Selected AbstractsSoil organic carbon in density fractions of tropical soils under forest , pasture , secondary forest land use changesEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2008S. Paul Summary Our knowledge of effects of land use changes and soil types on the storage and stability of different soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions in the tropics is limited. We analysed the effect of land use (natural forest, pasture, secondary forest) on SOC storage (depth 0,0.1 m) in density fractions of soils developed on marine Tertiary sediments and on volcanic ashes in the humid tropics of northwest Ecuador. The origin of organic carbon stored in free light (< 1.6 g cm,3) fractions, and in two light fractions (LF) occluded within aggregates of different stability, was determined by means of ,13C natural abundance. Light occluded organic matter was isolated in a first step after aggregate disruption by shaking aggregates with glass pearls (occluded I LF) and in a subsequent step by manual destruction of the most stable microaggregates that survived the first step (occluded II LF). SOC storage in LFs was greater in volcanic ash soils (7.6 ± 0.6 Mg C ha,1) than in sedimentary soils (4.3 ± 0.3 Mg C ha,1). The contribution of the LFs to SOC storage was greater in natural forest (19.2 ± 1.2%) and secondary forest (16.6 ± 1.0%) than in pasture soils (12.8 ± 1.0%), independent of soil parent material. The amount of SOC stored in the occluded I LF material increased with increasing silt + clay content (sedimentary soils, r = 0.73; volcanic ash soils, r = 0.58) and aggregation (sedimentary soils, r = 0.52; volcanic ash soils, r = 0.45). SOC associated with occluded I LF, had the smallest proportion of new, pasture-derived carbon, indicating the stabilizing effect of aggregation. Fast turnover of the occluded II LF material, which was separated from highly stable microaggregates, strongly suggested that this fraction is important in the initial process of aggregate formation. No pasture-derived carbon could be detected in any density fractions of volcanic ash soils under secondary forest, indicating fast turnover of these fractions in tropical volcanic ash soils. [source] MEK mediates in vitro neural transdifferentiation of the adult newt retinal pigment epithelium cells: Is FGF2 an induction factor?PIGMENT CELL & MELANOMA RESEARCH, Issue 5 2007Kanako Susaki Summary Adult newts can regenerate their entire retinas through transdifferentiation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. As yet, however, underlying molecular mechanisms remain virtually unknown. On the other hand, in embryonic/larval vertebrates, an MEK [mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase] pathway activated by fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) is suggested to be involved in the induction of transdifferentiation of the RPE into a neural retina. Therefore, we examined using culture systems whether the FGF2/MEK pathway is also involved in the adult newt RPE transdifferentiation. Here we show that the adult newt RPE cells can switch to neural cells expressing pan-retinal-neuron (PRN) markers such as acetylated tubulin, and that an MEK pathway is essential for the induction of this process, whereas FGF2 seems an unlikely primary induction factor. In addition, we show by immunohistochemistry that the PRN markers are not expressed until the 1,3 cells thick regenerating retina, which contains retinal progenitor cells, appears. Our current results suggest that the activation of an MEK pathway in RPE cells might be involved in the induction process of retinal regeneration in the adult newt, however if this is the case, we must assume complementary mechanisms that repress the MEK-mediated misexpression of PRN markers in the initial process of transdifferentiation. [source] Mitochondrial DNA patterns in the Macaronesia islands: Variation within and among archipelagosAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Cristina Santos Abstract Macaronesia covers four Atlantic archipelagos: the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, and the Cape Verde islands. When discovered by Europeans in the 15th century, only the Canaries were inhabited. Historical reports highlight the impact of Iberians on settlement in Macaronesia. Although important differences in their settlement are documented, its influence on their genetic structures and relationships has yet to be ascertained. In this study, the hypervariable region I (HVRI) sequence and coding region polymorphisms of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in 623 individuals from the Azores (120) and Canary Islands (503) were analyzed. Combined with published data, these give a total of 1,542 haplotypes from Macaronesia and 1,067 from the Iberian Peninsula. The results obtained indicate that Cape Verde is the most distinctive archipelago, with an mtDNA pool composed almost exclusively of African lineages. However, the other archipelagos present an mtDNA profile dominated by the presence of West-Eurasian mtDNA haplogroups with African lineages present in varying proportions. Moreover, no signs of integration of typical Canarian U6 lineages in the other archipelagos were detected. The four Macaronesia archipelagos currently have differentiated genetic profiles, and the Azores present the highest intra-archipelago differentiation and the lowest values of diversity. The analyses performed show that the present-day genetic profile of the Macaronesian archipelagos was mainly determined by the initial process of settlement and further microdifferentiation probably as a consequence of the small population size of some islands. Moreover, contacts between archipelagos seem to have had a low impact on the mtDNA genetic pool of each archipelago. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Preferred Functionalization of Metallic and Small-Diameter Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Nucleophilic Addition of Organolithium and -Magnesium Compounds Followed by ReoxidationCHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 5 2008David Wunderlich Dipl.-Chem Abstract Covalent sidewall addition to single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) of a series of organolithium and organomagnesium compounds (nBuLi, tBuLi, EtLi, nHexLi, nBuMgCl, tBuMgCl) followed by reoxidation is reported. The functionalized Rn -SWNTs were characterized by Raman and NIR emission spectroscopy. The reaction of SWNTs with organolithium and magnesium compounds exhibits pronounced selectivity: in general, metallic tubes are more reactive than semiconducting ones. The reactivity of SWNTs toward the addition of organometallic compounds is inversely proportional to the diameter of the tubes. This was determined simultaneously and independently for both metallic and semiconducting SWNTs. The reactivity also depends on the steric demands of the addend. Binding of the bulky t- butyl addend is less favorable than addition of primary alkyl groups. Significantly, although tBuLi is less reactive than, for example, nBuLi, it is less selective toward the preferred reaction with metallic tubes. This unexpected behavior is explained by fast electron transfer to the metallic SWNTs having low-lying electronic states close to the Fermi level, a competitive initial process. The NIR emission of weakly functionalized semiconducting SWNTs, also reported for the first time, implies interesting applications of functionalized tubes as novel fluorescent reporter molecules. [source] Environmental Effects on the Photochemistry of A2-E, a Component of Human Retinal Lipofuscin,PHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2001Laura Ragauskaite ABSTRACT Several retinal dystrophies are associated with the accumulation of lipofuscin, a pigment mixture, in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). One of the major fluorophores of this mixture has been identified as the bis-retinoid pyridinium compound, A2-E. Because this compound absorbs incident radiation that is transmitted by the anterior segment of the human eye, photophysical and photochemical studies were performed to determine if A2-E could photosensitize potentially damaging reactions. Steady-state fluorescence measurements indicate that the fluorescence emission maximum and quantum yield are very sensitive to the chemical environment and a correlation between these two parameters and the solvent dielectric constant is observed. Time-resolved absorption experiments of A2-E in pure organic solvents showed no formation of transient species on the timescale of our experiments. However, when these measurements were repeated for A2-E in Triton X-100 micelles, a short-lived (,, 14 ,s), weak absorption was observed. This species is quenched by oxygen (k= 2 × 109M,1 s,1) and by the addition of the antioxidants, cysteine and N,N,N,,N, -tetramethylphenylenediamine. Quenching of this species by 2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone results in the formation of the 2,3,5-trimethylsemiquinone free radical and an increase in yield of the A2-E,derived species. Sensitization of the A2-E triplet excited state indicates that the species observed in micelles upon direct excitation is not consistent with the triplet excited state. Based on these data we tentatively assign this absorption to a free radical. In the RPE these initial processes can ultimately lead to damage to the tissue through the formation of peroxides and other oxidized species. [source] Primate remains from African crowned eagle (Stephanoaetus coronatus) nests in Ivory Coast's Tai Forest: Implications for primate predation and early hominid taphonomy in South AfricaAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2006W. Scott McGraw Abstract Understanding the initial processes of deposition can help with interpretations of fossil assemblages. Here we discuss the taphonomy of primate remains collected under 16 nests of African crowned eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus) in the Tai Forest, Ivory Coast. From 1,200 bones collected, including 669 primate bones, we calculated minimum number of individuals (MNI), survivability profiles, and damage profiles using methods identical to those employed by Sanders et al. (2003 J. Hum. Evol. 44:87,105) in their analysis of bones from eagle nests in Uganda. Crowned eagles leave a consistent taphonomic signature on their prey remains; hence, results from our analysis of the Tai assemblage are similar to those from the Ugandan sample. Hindlimb and cranial bones are relatively abundant in the sample, while ribs, vertebrae, carpals, and tarsals do not survive well. Primate crania typically display puncture marks around the eye, long bones remain largely intact, and scapulae exhibit raked breakage. These data have implications for understanding the dynamic between extant primates and one of their principle predators, as well as the taphonomy of hominid-bearing caves in South Africa. We concur with Berger and Clarke (1995 J. Hum. Evol. 29:275,299) that a large raptor could have been responsible for the death of the Taung child, Australopithecus africanus. Am J Phys Anthropol 131:151,165, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Creating University Spin-Offs: A Science-Based Design Perspective,THE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2008Elco Van Burg Academic entrepreneurship by means of university spin-offs commercializes technological breakthroughs, which may otherwise remain unexploited. However, many universities face difficulties in creating spin-offs. This article adopts a science-based design approach to connect scholarly research with the pragmatics of effectively creating university spin-offs. This approach serves to link the practice of university spin-off creation, via design principles, to the scholarly knowledge in this area. As such, science-based design promotes the interplay between emergent and deliberate design processes. This framework is used to develop a set of design principles that are practice based as well as grounded in the existing body of research on university spin-offs. A case-study of spin-off creation at a Dutch university illustrates the interplay between initial processes characterized by emergent design and the subsequent process that was more deliberate in nature. This case study also suggests there are two fundamentally different phases in building capacity for university spin-off creation. First, an infrastructure for spin-off creation (including a collaborative network of investors, managers and advisors) is developed that then enables support activities to individual spin-off ventures. This study concludes that to build and increase capacity for creating spin-offs, universities should do the following: (1) create university-wide awareness of entrepreneurship opportunities, stimulate the development of entrepreneurial ideas, and subsequently screen entrepreneurs and ideas by programs targeted at students and academic staff; (2) support start-up teams in composing and learning the right mix of venturing skills and knowledge by providing access to advice, coaching, and training; (3) help starters in obtaining access to resources and developing their social capital by creating a collaborative network organization of investors, managers, and advisors; (4) set clear and supportive rules and procedures that regulate the university spin-off process, enhance fair treatment of involved parties, and separate spin-off processes from academic research and teaching; and (5) shape a university culture that reinforces academic entrepreneurship by creating norms and exemplars that mo ivate entrepreneurial behavior. These and other results of this study illustrate how science-based design can connect scholarly research to the pragmatics of actually creating spin-offs in academic institutions. [source] | ||||||||||