bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expert Evidence of Delay in Complaint in Childhood Sexual Abuse Prosecutions
Authors: Lewis Penney
Published: July 2006

This article reviews the use of expert evidence to explain delay in complaint in prosecutions for childhood sexual abuse in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, Ireland, Scotland and England and Wales. Such expert evidence is ‘counterintuitive evidence’ designed to dispel myths, misconceptions or misunderstandings in the minds of jurors which may adversely affect their evaluation of the complainant's evidence.
Wear Scar Prediction Based on Wear Simulator Input Data—A Preliminary Artificial Neural Network Approach
Authors: Orozco D , Schwenke T , Wimmer MA
Published: July 2006

A significant difference in wear scar formation between tested and retrieved knee implants of the same type has been reported. In this study, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model has been designed with the aim to gain knowledge of relationships between simulator input parameters and generated wear scars. One hundred twenty-four short-term tests were conducted with four implants of a single design using a four-station knee simulator in load control mode. Data points of the wear scar boundaries were transferred into bitmap images for computer analysis. Eighty percent of these discretized wear scars formed the output training set for a back-propagation neural network. The input training set was selected from the related simulator input motion and load parameters. The remainder of the testing matrix was used for network cross-validation and testing. Training resulted in 82.9% accuracy of the input-to-output relationship and 69.3% predictive capability. The predictive capabilities of the network may be further enhanced by utilizing a modification of the learning algorithm.
Effect of Aggregate Particle Size on Determining Alkali-Silica Reactivity by Accelerated Tests
Authors: Lu D , Fournier B , Grattan-Bellew P
Published: July 2006

For assessing the rock applicability of accelerated tests for alkali-aggregate reactivity and the effect of aggregate particle size on determining alkali reactivity of concrete aggregates in accelerated tests, experimental studies on microstructure and expansion behaviors of Potsdam sandstone and a Norwegian quartzite were conducted in Concrete Prism Test and in various accelerated tests, i.e., Accelerated Mortar Bar Test, Chinese Autoclave Method, and Chinese Accelerated Mortar Bar Test. Results indicate that, in comparison with Concrete Prism Test results, the alkali expansivity of both rocks are generally underestimated in these accelerated tests. It is mainly attributed to the use of a large proportion of very fine aggregate particles in which the original microtexture characteristic of rocks was lost during sample preparation. The effects of microtexture and the particle size of aggregate on reasonable prediction of alkali expansivity of aggregates in concrete by accelerated tests were discussed.
Precision Neutron Total Cross-Sectional Measurements for Natural Carbon at Reactor Neutron-Filtered Beams
Authors: Gritzay O , Kolotyi V , Klimova N , Kaltchenko O , Gnidak M , Vorona P
Published: July 2006

An experimental investigation of the total neutron cross section for natural carbon was made at Kyiv Research Reactor using neutron-filtered beams with energies 24, 59, and 148 keV. The intense neutron beams formed by composite neutron filters at reactor horizontal channels) had fluxes of about 106 to 107 neutron/cm2 s at the fixed neutron energies, which enabled us to measure the neutron cross sections with accuracy better than 1%. Transmission method was used in these measurements. The results of the measurements are presented together with the analysis of the known previous experimental data and the evaluated nuclear data from ENDF libraries. Sample thickness dependence of the observed neutron cross section, measured at the 148-keV filter, has been detected which hypothetically may be connected with existence of a very strong resonance in the 13C neutron cross section in the energy range 119 to 157 keV.
Influence of Response Variability on the Coding Performance of Central Gustatory Neurons
Authors: Lemon Christian H. , Smith David V.
Published: July 2006

We explored how variability in responding to taste stimuli could impact the signaling of taste quality information by neuron types and individual cells in the nucleus of the solitary tract. One hundred sixty-two neurons recorded from anesthetized rats were grouped using multivariate analysis of taste responses to the following (inm): 0.5 sucrose, 0.1 NaCl, 0.01 HCl, and 0.01 quinine-HCl. Neurons fell into one of three groups corresponding to cell types that responded optimally to sucrose, NaCl, or HCl. A statistical model was used to examine whether responses observed among neurons within each group could be correctly attributed to the optimal stimulus or another tastant on the basis of spike count. Results revealed poor classification performance in some cases attributable to wide variations in the sensitivities of neurons that compose a cell type. This outcome leads us to question whether neuron types could faithfully encode a single taste quality. We then theoretically explored whether a hypothetical observer of individual neurons could discriminate between spiking rates to different tastants during the first second of stimulus processing. Spike rate was found to be an unreliable predictor of stimulus quality for each neuron tested. However, additional analyses suggested that taste stimuli could be identified by a reader that attends to the relative spiking activities of different kinds of neurons in parallel. Rather than assigning meaning to individual neurons or categories of them, central gustatory circuits may signal quality information using a strategy that involves the relative activities of neurons with different sensitivities to tastants.
Phenotypic Diversity of Lake Trout in Great Slave Lake: Differences in Morphology, Buoyancy, and Habitat Depth
Authors: Zimmerman Mara S. , Krueger Charles C. , Eshenroder Randy L.
Published: July 2006

Little is known about the phenotypic diversity of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in large North American lakes outside the Laurentian Great Lakes. This study tested the hypothesis that phenotypic diversity in Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada, is associated with water depth, as was observed during similar studies of lake trout in Lake Superior. We describe the association of body size with color, buoyancy, and morphology; compare these phenotypic traits among depth strata; and establish whether lake trout phenotypes occur as discrete groups. Phenotypic diversity increased among fish longer than 43 cm standard length. In water less than 50 m deep, large lake trout (≥43 cm) were light in color, buoyantly heavy, and streamlined and possessed short pectoral fins. In water deeper than 50 m, large lake trout were dark in color, buoyantly light, and deep bodied (less streamlined) and had long pectoral fins. Without assigning descriptions to individuals before the analysis, we identified two phenotypic groups. These groups represented nondiscrete phenotypes; lake trout of intermediate shape had intermediate fin lengths, capture depths, and buoyancies. The phenotypic patterns observed in Great Slave Lake were similar to the lean and siscowet forms that currently exist in Lake Superior. Deepwater forms, previously believed to be endemic to the Great Lakes, are more geographically widespread and may represent diversity typical of this species in large, deep lakes. We suggest that the lake trout phenotype associated with deep water (buoyantly light, long pectoral fins) is adaptive for daily vertical migrations.
The Contingencies of Life and Reading: Para Gloria
Authors: Spitta Silvia
Published: July 2006

Knowing of Gloria Anzaldúa's work from her 1981 coedited volume This Bridge Called My Back: Writings By Radical Women of Color when I came across Borderlands / La Frontera: The New Mestiza (1987) at a gay and lesbian bookstore, I immediately picked it up. It would not be altogether hyperbolic to say that amid the contingencies of life and reading, that was one of my luckiest finds.
Bridging Islands: Gloria Anzaldúa and the Caribbean
Authors: Negrón-Muntaner Frances
Published: July 2006

In time, the Texas-born and California-rooted Gloria E. Anzaldúa (1942–2004) may be regarded as a key American writer of our late twentieth century. In the interim, she is a foundational figure for the fields, markets, and affects known as Latina/o—studies, literature, theory, and metaphysics. Her most traveled concepts, such as “borderlands,” have also made a good impression in more legitimized areas of intellectual inquiry, including postcolonial theory and cultural studies. This last achievement has led the critic Frances R. Aparicio to note that the notion of “border subject” elaborated by Anzaldúa and others has “been the most important concept that Latino studies has contributed to cultural studies in the United States, Europe, and Latin America” (13).
Gloria Anzaldúa: Place, Race, Language, and Sexuality in the Magic Valley
Authors: Herrera-Sobek María
Published: July 2006

The Rio Grande Valley, also known as the Magic Valley, is situated in the southeastern tip of Texas, circumscribed on the east by the Gulf of Mexico and on the south by the Rio Grande and the Mexican borderlands. Here, among the tall, green, swaying palm trees, the short, squatty mesquite trees, and the endless rows of verdant agricultural fields, Gloria Anzaldúa grew up in the 1940s and 1950s. The Magic Valley has produced a series of distinguished scholars, poets, and novelists, including Rolando Hinojosa-Smith, the Saldivar clan (Sonia Saldivar-Hull, Ramon Saldivar, and José Saldivar), Américo Paredes, and of course Anzaldúa. Although I do not claim the same stature as the above luminaries, I too grew up in the Rio Grande Valley in the 1940s and 1950s, in a tiny town called Rio Hondo, population 701, which is but a few miles from Hargill, Texas, where Anzaldúa was born (1942) and raised. It is from this personal perspective, of one who grew up in the rich farmlands of the Magic Valley and experienced the economic and sociohistorical context of the era, that I propose to discuss Anzaldúa's Borderlands / La Frontera: The New Mestiza (1987). Specifically, I focus on the sense of place, race, language, and sexuality that characterized the area and Anzaldúa's brilliant insights in the narrative she wove and reconfigured in the pages of Borderlands.
Endocrinology: the next 60 years
Authors: Dhillo Waljit S , Murphy Kevin G , Bloom Steve
Published: July 2006

The next 60 years promise to arouse the interest of scientists and clinicians while challenging the central dogmas of endocrine physiology. In this review we consider the fundamental changes in the understanding of endocrine physiology that have taken place in recent years and the new hormones discovered. We discuss how the brain is emerging as an important regulator of endocrine and neuroendocrine circuits. Advances in molecular biology techniques and the use of genomics and other -omics in furthering our understanding of endocrine physiology are also discussed. Finally, we propose that in 2066 we may prescribe designer hormones to healthy subjects.
Mode of Biosorption of Chromium(III) by Spirulina Species Cells from Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Jagiełło Monika , Minta Ewelina , Chojnacka Katarzyna , Kafarski Paweł
Published: July 2006

The ability of commercial Spirulina species to remove chromium(III) [Cr(III)] from an aqueous environment was studied under photoautotrophic conditions. Biomass displayed high adsorptive capacity, with recorded sorption rates up to 99% at a concentration range of 0.02 to 0.18 mg chromium ions/mL of medium. Using isolated cell wall preparations, it was shown that Cr(III) is mainly sorbed onto the surface of cell walls and that the sorption capacity of the walls is enormously high. Living cells of cyanobacteria show the tendency to form multilayer sorption systems, as indicated electron microscopy.
Low‐Temperature Inactivation of Fecal Coliforms in Sludge Digestion
Authors: Puchajda Bartek , Oleszkiewicz Jan , Sparling Richard , Reimers Robert
Published: July 2006

The goal of this research was to demonstrate the ability to achieve Class A pathogen standards in nonthermophilic acid digesters. It was proposed that the key mechanism responsible for fecal coliform inactivation was the presence of un‐ionized volatile fatty acids. Lab‐scale acid digesters were assembled and operated in a batch mode for 5 days at mesophilic (38°C) and low‐mesophilic (21°C) temperatures and at different solids concentrations. The key factor recognized for successful pathogen inactivation was pH, which is also the main factor driving the shift in organic acids toward the un‐ionized form. Compared to conventional mesophilic acid digestion, low‐mesophilic acid digestion was effective in fecal coliform inactivation because the process maintained lower pH throughout the duration of the experiment, offered continuous release of organic acids, and showed higher concentrations of organic acids in un‐ionized form, including acetate, propionate, butyrate, and valerate.
The Mechanism of Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Washout and Temperature Relationships
Authors: Erdal Ufuk G. , Erdal Zeynep K. , Randall Clifford W.
Published: July 2006

In this study, the combined effects of temperature and solids retention time (SRT) on enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) performance and the mechanism of EBPR washout were investigated. Two pilot‐scale University of Cape Town (South Africa) systems fed with synthetic wastewater were operated at 5 and 10°C. The results showed that the phosphorus removal performance was optimum at total SRT ranges of 16 to 24 days and 12 to 17 days for 5 and 10°C, respectively, and steady‐state phosphorus removal was greater at the lower temperature. Higher SRT values of up to 32 days at 5°C and 25 days at 10°C slightly reduced EBPR performance as a result of increased extent of endogenous respiration, which consumed internally stored glycogen, leaving less reducing power for poly‐hydroxy alkanoate (PHA) formation in anaerobic stages. The phosphorus‐accumulating organism (PAO) washout SRTs of the systems were determined as 3.5 days at 5°C and 1.8 days at 10°C, considerably less than the washout SRTs of nitrifiers. Polyphosphorus, the main energy reserve of the EBPR bacterial consortium, was not completely depleted, even at washout points. The inability of EBPR biomass to use glycogen to generate reducing power for PHA formation was the major reason for washout. The results not only suggest that glycogen mechanism is the most rate‐limiting step in EBPR systems, but also that it is an integral part of EBPR biochemistry, as proposed originally by Mino et al. (1987), and later others (Pereira et al., 1996, Erdal et al., 2002; Erdal, Z. K., 2002). The aerobic washout SRT values (2.1 and 1.2 days for 5 and 10°C, respectively) of this study did not fit the linear line for PAO washout developed by Mamais and Jenkins (1992). Perhaps this was because the feeds used during this study were chemical‐oxygen‐demand‐limited (acetate‐based synthetic feed), whereas the feeds used for their study were phosphorus‐limited (external acetate added to domestic wastewater), resulting in different ratios of PAOs and nonPAOs in the biomass.
Effect of Surfactants at Low Concentrations on the Sorption of Atrazine by Natural Sediment
Authors: Tao Qing H. , Wang Dong S. , Tang Hong X.
Published: July 2006

A series of experiments were carried out to determine the effect of surfactants at low concentrations on the sorption of atrazine by natural sediments. With surfactant concentrations ranging from 0 to 20 mg/L, anionic and cationic surfactants appreciably reduce the adsorption of atrazine, while nonionic surfactant decreases the adsorption of atrazine at concentrations equal to or less than 1 mg/L and increases adsorption at higher concentrations. Desorption of atrazine in the presence of different sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) concentrations shows that a portion of the bound pesticide resists desorption in the SDBS free system. However, the addition of SDBS accelerates the desorption of atrazine. Furthermore, the nature of sediment and the contacting sequence of SDBS, at 10 mg/L, with the sediment, also influence the adsorption of atrazine. The conclusions in this study could be explained partially by the effect of the type and concentration of surfactants and the characteristics of sediments.
Globalization and Wage Inequality in the Canadian Manufacturing Sector: A Time Series Analysis
Authors: Grenier Gilles , Tavakoli Akbar
Published: July 2006

The deteriorating economic position of low-skilled workers relative to high-skilled workers appears to be one harmful effect of the economic globalization that took place during the 1980s and 1990s. In the present paper, we perform a time series investigation for Canada using as the dependent variable the relative wages of production and non-production workers in the manufacturing sector between 1970 and 2001. The independent variables include R&D, union density, immigration, imports from non-OECD countries, foreign direct investment, capital labor ratio, and number of workers in each group. The results show that the R&D expenditures and union density are two important variables in the explanation of the widening wage gap. The effects of immigration, imports, and FDI on wage inequality are found to be moderate.
Terrorism as Economic Warfare
Authors: Lutz James M , Lutz Brenda J
Published: July 2006

The choice of targets for terrorist attacks is often considered to be random or illogical. In other cases targets are seen as being chosen for their symbolic importance to the audience the terrorists are seeking to reach or to indicate that no area of the country is safe. Terrorist groups, however, also choose their targets because of the economic impact that the attacks will have. There are patterns in economic attacks since different groups choose different kinds of targets. There may be increases in economic targeting, especially in the tourism sector where attacks create economic hardship and to reduce revenues for the governments. Foreign investment projects have also become frequent targets because of their economic potential for increasing government capacities. Trade activities and foreign aid projects have also become targets. In an increasingly global economy, such attacks have an even greater potential for destabilization effects.
The Effectiveness of Fed Intervention on the USD/DM Foreign Exchange Market
Authors: Huang Zhaodan , Neun Stephen
Published: July 2006

This study empirically examines the effectiveness of Fed intervention on the USD/DM exchange market using an event study approach. The event window is defined as 4 (8) days prior/post an intervention. Based on the empirical analysis, the results show that when the Fed follows an "against the wind" policy, exchange rate movements are smoothed and may switch direction. The results are robust and hold for different event window definitions and sample ranges. To test whether the results are due to the exchange rate movement itself, we conduct a simple test using customer trades by the Fed. The results do not exhibit a systematic pattern. We also find that a joint intervention has a stronger impact on the exchange rate level when the Fed buys US dollars. The policy implication of our findings is that intervention in foreign exchange markets on the part of the Fed to impact the value of the US dollar is a viable policy option.
Trade Liberalisation in Environmental Services: Why So Little Progress?
Authors: Kirkpatrick Colin , George Clive , Scrieciu Serban S
Published: July 2006

WTO-led trade liberalisation in environmental services is often seen as having considerable potential for generating 'win-win' outcomes for the economy and the environment. Despite this, progress in liberalising environmental services within the GATS framework has been limited. This paper argues that a major barrier to progress in environmental services liberalisation is uncertainty about the development impact of environmental services liberalisation in developing countries. We develop this argument using the example of water services, where market opening needs to be accompanied by effective domestic regulatory measures. The paper argues that uncertainty on the interpretation of the GATS rules on domestic regulation acts as a further constraint on countries' willingness to make new commitments for trade liberalisation in environmental services. The final section of the paper makes a number of proposals for `accompanying policies' that may be needed to be adopted if progress is to be made in meeting the Doha Development Agenda's commitment to the reduction or elimination of barriers to trade in environmental services.
Inefficiency in a Bilateral Trading Problem with Cooperative Investment
Authors: Hori Kazumi
Published: July 2006

A bilateral trading model with investment is considered. In a cooperative investment version of the model, the seller's investment stochastically determines the buyer's valuation of the good. The value and cost of the good are realized only after the investment is made, and the investment level and the realization of the good's value and cost are private information. I show that, under these assumptions, no contract made before the investment can simultaneously induce efficient investment and efficient ex post trade when the buyer's type is continuously distributed. This inefficiency result contrasts sharply with the efficiency result under the standard selfish investment model, where the seller's investment stochastically determines the seller's cost.
Are Experienced Managers Experts at Overcoming Coordination Failure?
Authors: Cooper David J
Published: July 2006

This paper studies experiments set in a corporate environment where a manager attempts to overcome a history of coordination failure by employees using either financial incentives or communication. I compare the choices of subject managers drawn from a standard undergraduate population with subject managers drawn from the executive MBA (EMBA) program at Case's Weatherhead School of Management. The EMBA subjects are a group of experienced, successful managers; all of the EMBA subjects have at least ten years of work experience, including at least five years in a supervisory role, and have average annual earnings in excess of $120,000. The EMBA subject managers are able to overcome a history of coordination failure significantly faster than the undergraduate subject managers. This superior performance is driven neither by differences in the financial incentives offered to the employees nor by use of an inherently different communications strategy. Instead, EMBA subject managers are significantly more likely to use the same "good" communication strategy as is identified for undergraduate subject managers through systematic coding of managers messages to employees.
Measuring the Effect of Multimarket Contact on Competition: Evidence from Mergers Following Radio Broadcast Ownership Deregulation
Authors: Waldfogel Joel , Wulf Julie
Published: July 2006

This paper examines the effects of multimarket contact on advertising prices in the U.S. radio broadcasting industry. While it is in general difficult to measure the effect of multimarket contact on competition, the 1996 Telecommunications Act substantially relaxed local radio ownership restrictions, giving rise to a major and exogenous consolidation wave. Between the years of 1995 to 1998, the average extent of multimarket contact in major U.S. media markets increased by 2.5 times. Importantly, the extent of change in multimarket contact varies across markets, and the change in multimarket contact varies separately from the change in concentration. Using a panel data set on 248 geographic U.S. radio broadcast markets, 1995-1998, we find that multimarket contact has little effect on advertising prices. This paper contributes to the empirical literature on multimarket contact by analyzing a different industrial context and using longitudinal data surrounding an ownership deregulation.
Disability Insurance Adjudication Criteria and the Incidence of Hard-to-Diagnose Medical Conditions
Authors: Campolieti Michele
Published: July 2006

I examine the effects of a change in Canada Pension Plan disability program adjudication criteria on individual reports of medical problems. The estimates from this paper suggest that more stringent screening requirements are associated with a statistically significant decline in the reports of hard-to-diagnose conditions, such as low back pain. On the other hand, my estimates also indicate that changes in adjudication requirements do not have a statistically significant effect on the reports of easier to diagnose conditions.
The Politics and Psychology of Intelligence and Intelligence Reform
Authors: Jervis Robert
Published: July 2006

Policy-makers always say they want the best intelligence, but in fact they do not because good intelligence often raises doubts and challenges policy. They also always claim to be working to improve intelligence, but in fact do not understand the problems, and many "reforms," such as the recent establishment of a Director of National Intelligence, are useless if not harmful.
Public Evaluation of Presidential Performance During Foreign Policy Crises
Authors: Dempsey Jason
Published: July 2006

This paper examines criteria the public use when evaluating a presidents action in foreign policy. It attempts to discern who has the upper hand in shaping public opinion on foreign policy choices pursued by the president: policymaking elites in Congress or the media? Previous studies have shown that media cues are generally inconsequential in determining public support for presidential actions in a foreign policy crisis, particular when placed in a Cold War framework. Even without the Cold War framework, however, the media appears largely irrelevant in determining public interpretation of presidential actions during a crisis. This finding supports prior understandings of a rational public not susceptible to media slant, but also suggests that the president, with Congressional support, has considerable leeway to provide frames of evaluation, and control basic facts early in the crisis to win public support. The implications for democratic accountability are discussed.
Zealous Realism: Comments on Mearsheimer and Walt
Authors: Landy Marc
Published: July 2006

This article provides a detailed empirical and analytic critique of the Mearsheimer and Walt article. It examines the claim that U.S. Middle East policy is at variance with U.S. national interest and tries to understand how that claim jibes with the principles of the Realist School of international relations theory to which the authors belong. It then examines the explanation offered for this misguided policy, the political strength of the Israel Lobby. It looks at their account of the structure and dynamics of the Israel Lobby. Then it evaluates how well that account fits the realities of modern interest group composition and behavior, and the degree to which that account provides an adequate explanation of U.S. Middle East policy.
VPO Transient Oxidation Kinetics
Authors: Patience Gregory S. , Lorences Maria-Jesus
Published: July 2006

Transient and steady state reactor data for the partial oxidation of butane to maleic anhydride were collected in a fluid bed over DuPont commercial vanadium pyrophosphate catalyst (VPO) principally under butane rich, oxygen deficient operating conditions. Under moderate reducing conditions, oxygen becomes the determining factor for maleic anhydride productivity and selectivity. As the oxygen becomes depleted, minor changes in butane conversion impacts the selectivity substantially. However, when VPO catalyst is pre-exposed to oxygen for a substantial period of time (as practiced in Circulating Fluidized Bed technology), selectivity may be improved and maleic anhydride yields four times the steady state operation values are achieved. As the butane-to-oxygen ratio rises above 1, carbon deposits onto the surface of the catalyst, resulting in lower activity and selectivity. Based on a detailed reaction engineering model, the re-oxidation rate of the adsorbed carbon is 1st order with respect to the carbon adsorption sites and ½ order in oxygen. The re-oxidation rate of the reduced catalyst appears to be 1st order in sites and oxygen.
Letter: Consider the Consumer Side of the Market for Catastrophe Insurance
Authors: Helfand Gloria E.
Published: July 2006

Gloria Helfand argues that consumer misperception of risk or the availability of disaster relief may reduce consumer participation in a catastrophe insurance market.
Toying with Death and Taxes: Some Lessons from Down Under
Authors: Gans Joshua S , Leigh Andrew
Published: July 2006

Economists think many (most?) things are subject to incentives. The evidence from ''Down Under'' suggests that even the timing of death could vary with a repeal of estate taxes.
A New Agenda for Global Warming
Authors: Stiglitz Joseph
Published: July 2006

Joseph E. Stiglitz presents his plan for getting the United States and the Developing World to address global warming, and argues that by failing to address this problem, the United States is implicitly subsidizing energy usage and engaging in unfair trade practices.
Bi-Objective Generation Scheduling of Fixed Head Hydrothermal Power Systems through an Interactive Fuzzy Satisfying Method and Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Basu Mousumi
Published: July 2006

This paper presents particle swarm optimization based interactive fuzzy satisfying method for bi-objective generation scheduling of fixed head hydro plants and thermal plants with nonsmooth fuel cost and emission level functions. The bi-objective problem is formulated considering two objectives (i) economy and (ii) emission. These two objectives are mutually conflicting and equally important. Assuming that the decision maker has imprecise or fuzzy goals for each of the objective functions, the bi-objective problem is transformed into a minimax problem, which is then handled by the particle swarm optimization technique. The solution methodology can offer a global or near-global noninferior solution for the decision maker. Numerical results for a sample test system have been presented to demonstrate the performance and applicability of the proposed method. The results obtained from the proposed method are compared to those found by interactive fuzzy satisfying method based on evolutionary programming technique.
Hourly Emission Target Constrained Economic Dispatch - A Renewable Energy Approach
Authors: Chinnasamy Palanichamy , Nadarajan Sundar Babu
Published: July 2006

Due to the more stringent environmental requirements imposed on electric utilities, utilities must adopt new technologies for the cleaner production of electricity. This paper suggests the introduction of renewable energy and energy storage systems to fossil fueled existing electric utilities for the cleaner production of electricity with hourly emission target. A cost effective dispatching algorithm for clean and economic operation of electric utilities has been proposed. The efficacy of the proposed approach is illustrated with the help of a 25-bus, 6-generator sample utility. This paper would be useful for electric utilities, consultants, regulatory bodies, policy makers and planners.
IEC 60060-1 Requirements in Impulse Current Waveform Parameters
Authors: Sato Shuji , Harada Tatsuya , Hanai Masahiro
Published: July 2006

There are IEC 60060-1 requirements on three impulse current waveforms. For the damped-oscillating waves, margins of the front time T1 and the time to half the peak T2 are 10 per cent whilst any value after the polarity reversal has to be less than 20 per cent of the peak value. Authors have tried to construct impulse current calibrator for reference measuring system, which would generate a waveform having the time parameters quite close to ideals. After numerous simulations in selecting values for circuit composing components, authors came to an impression that a damped-oscillating current generator whose output waveform has parameter values close to standard, cannot be realised. In the paper, authors' "impression" is theoretically proved and mathematically possible margins for the parameters are to be presented in detail.
Plutonium - Burn It or Bury It?: Using the Richardson Model, and Its Non-Linear Extensions, as a "Decision Tool" in Helping to Choose Between the Use and Disposal of Surplus Nuclear Weapons Materials
Authors: Saperstein Alvin M.
Published: July 2006

Public consideration of nuclear-security matters, such as what to do with surplus fissionable materials from retired nuclear weapons, is often overwhelmed by the pro- or anti-nuclear energy biases of the discussants. Clearly a ground for such discussion is required which is explicitly independent of such biases. The Richardson Model and its linear and non-linear extensions link the onset of war to the "interactions" between the participants in the international system. These "interactions" include competitions for resources as well as military and economic components. The disposal of surplus nuclear weapons materials contributes to both the resource and the military aspects of these "interactions". Hence the proper disposal method might be linked to international security: the best option is that which maximizes the stability of the system, as determined by a Richardsonian model. Several simple models are developed and investigated in this paper. Admittedly, these models do not do full justice to the complexities of the real world problem.. But they do allow simple answers which should provide clues to the eventual development of more realistic models as well as some possibly unbiased insights into how to deal with the real problem. The simple models of this paper indicate that it may be better to "burn" rather than "bury" the fission components of surplus nuclear weapons.
Rheological Studies of Rice Four and Whey Protein Isolate
Authors: Pogaku Ravindra , Kallu Upender Reddy
Published: July 2006

Rheological behavior of gelatinized rice flour dispersions (10%) of three varieties (Sona masoori, Hansa and Parboiled) has been investigated using flow tests. Effect of addition of Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) to the three varieties of rice flours has also been studied. All rice flours exhibited pseudo plastic behaviour. There was a decrease in flow behavior index and consistency index values with the increase in whey protein isolate concentration but exhibited synergistic behaviour at 1:1 concentration of WPI with all the rice flours. The time dependent rheological characteristics of all rice flours with and without protein combinations were studied and shown to follow antithixotropic behavior. All the data was correlated with the power law model. These studies carry commercial significance as mixed suspensions can be used as fat replacers in food industry and also economic viability.
Demand Effects of Recent Changes in Prescription Drug Promotion
Authors: Rosenthal Meredith B. , Berndt Ernst R. , Donohue Julie M. , Epstein Arnold M. , Frank Richard G.
Published: July 2006

The release of clarified Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines and independent changes in consumer behavior provide an opportunity to study the effects of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) in the prescription drug market alongside the effects of various physician-oriented promotions. We examine the effects of DTCA and detailing for brands in five therapeutic classes of drugs, using monthly aggregate U.S. data from August 1996 through December 1999. In terms of impact of DTCA on demand, we provide evidence on two issues: (1) do increases in DTCA increase the market size of an entire therapeutic class? and (2) does DTCA increase within-class market share of advertised drugs? Our findings suggest that, for these classes of drugs, DTCA has been effective primarily through increasing the size of the entire class. Overall, we estimate that 13 to 22 percent of the recent growth in prescription drug spending is attributable to the effects of DTCA.
Employee Costs and the Decline in Health Insurance Coverage
Authors: Cutler David M.
Published: July 2006

This paper examines why health insurance coverage fell despite the lengthy economic boom of the 1990s. I show that insurance coverage declined primarily because fewer workers took up coverage when offered it, not because fewer workers were offered insurance or were eligible for it. The reduction in take-up is associated with the increase in employee costs for health insurance. Estimates suggest that increased costs to employees can explain the entire decline in take-up rates in the 1990s.
Health Insurance Expansions and the Content of Coverage: Is Something Better Than Nothing?
Authors: Glied Sherry
Published: July 2006

Prior research on health insurance expansions has ignored the content of coverage, yet the nature of coverage offered is likely to affect both take-up by the uninsured and the public policy  relevant consequences of the expansion. This paper uses the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, the Survey of Program Dynamics, and the Rand Health Insurance Experiment to show that uninsured people are likely to value certain types of coverage more than others. Using a simulation model of the value of coverage expansions, I show that front-end coverage with a low-benefit maximum is likely to be perceived as more valuable than catastrophic coverage by low-income uninsured people. Some high-deductible coverage may make uninsured people subjectively worse off.
Imagery Use During Rehabilitation from Injury
Authors: Evans Lynne , Hare Rebecca , Mullen Richard
Published: July 2006

The purpose of the present study was to explore the use of imagery by injured athletes during rehabilitation. Four athletes were interviewed about their imagery use at three phases of their rehabilitation; early, mid, and late. Athletes primarily used cognitive, healing, and pain management imagery. Cognitive specific imagery, which involved the rehearsal of specific performance skills was used largely to enhance self-confidence, and healing and pain management imagery were used to promote healing and deal with pain. However, differences emerged between athlete's use of imagery at different time phases and in response to different sources of stress/concerns. The study provided support for the effect of a number of variables on athlete's responses to injury, proposed by Wiese-Bjornstal et al.'s (1998) integrated model of response.
The heterogeneity of ion channels in chromaffin granule membranes
Authors: Hordejuk Renata , Szewczyk Adam , Dołowy Krzysztof
Published: July 2006

Chromaffin granules are involved in catecholamine synthesis and traffic in the adrenal glands. The transporting membrane proteins of chromaffin granules play an important role in the ion homeostasis of these organelles. In this study, we characterized components of the electrogenic 86Rb+ flux observed in isolated chromaffin granules. In order to study single channel activity, chromaffin granules from the bovine adrenal medulla were incorporated into planar lipid bilayers. Four types of cationic channel were found, each with a different conductance. The unitary conductances of the potassium channels are 360 ± 10 pS, 220 ± 8 pS, 152 ± 8 pS and 13 ± 3 pS in a gradient of 450/150 mM KCl, pH 7.0. A multiconductance potassium channel with a conductivity of 110 ± 8 pS and 31 ± 4 pS was also found. With the exception of the 13 pS conductance channel, all are activated by depolarizing voltages. One type of chloride channel was also found. It has a unitary conductance of about 250 pS in a gradient of 500/150 mM KCl, pH 7.0.
A comparison of the in vitro antimicrobial activity of liposomes containing meropenem and gentamicin
Authors: Drulis-Kawa Zuzanna , Gubernator Jerzy , Dorotkiewicz-Jach Agata , Doroszkiewicz Włodzimierz , Kozubek Arkadiusz
Published: July 2006

The antimicrobial activity of eight cationic, two neutral and three anionic liposome compositions containing meropenem and gentamicin was tested in vitro in broth and serum medium. The cationic formulations showed better antibacterial efficacy against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria than the anionic and neutral ones, regardless of the encapsulated drug. The most effective formulations were the cationic PC/DOPE/DOTAP 3:4:3 and PC/Chol/DOTAP 3:4:3, as the MICs with meropenem were 2 to 4 times lower than those of the free drug.
The effect of auxins (IAA and 4-Cl-IAA) on the redox activity and medium pH of Zea mays L. root segments
Authors: Lekacz Halina , Karcz Waldemar
Published: July 2006

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid (4-Cl-IAA) were tested at different concentrations and times for their capacity to change the redox activity and medium pH of maize root segments. The dose-response surfaces (dose-response curves as a function of time) plotted for redox activity and changes in medium pH (expressed as ΔpH) had a similar shape for both auxins, but differed significantly at the optimal concentrations. With 4-Cl-IAA, the maximal values of redox activity and medium pH changes were observed at 10−10 M, which was a 100-fold lower concentration than with IAA. Correlations were observed between redox activity and medium pH changes at the optimal concentrations of both IAA and 4-Cl-IAA. The results are discussed herein, taking into account both the concentration of the auxins and the effects produced by them.
Sweet's syndrome in chronic lymphocytic leukemia associated with neutropenic fever and granulocyte colony stimulation factor
Authors: Thompson Michael A. , Dyson Senait W. , Faderl Stefan
Published: July 2006

Granulocyte colony stimulation factor (G‐CSF) is commonly used in the treatment of chemotherapy‐induced myelosuppression. We report the case of a 62‐year‐old man with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who presented with neutropenic fever and sepsis. After treatment with G‐CSF he developed Sweet's syndrome. Sweet's syndrome is a rare disorder but has been associated with cancer recurrence as well as administration of G‐CSF. We present clinical and pathologic images that highlight the salient features of this entity. Am. J. Hematol., 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Thymoma followed by paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: A unique clinical association in the context of multiorgan autoimmunity with a potential role for CD8+ T lymphocytes
Authors: Palmieri Giovannella , Selleri Carmine , Montella Liliana , Bulgarelli Goffredo , Vitiello Laura , Merkabaoui Ghassan , Ricci Patrizia , Del Vecchio Luigi , Masci Annamaria , Racioppi Luigi , Rotoli Bruno
Published: July 2006

Seven years after a surgically resected thymoma, a female patient affected by myasthenia gravis and Good's syndrome presented with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Co‐culture experiments and spectratyping analyses indicated that CD8+ lymphocytes were involved in damaging hematopoietic precursors. While PNH clones have been identified in various hematological disorders, the sequential association of thymoma and PNH has been unreported so far. Am. J. Hematol., 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome: Review of the phenotype
Authors: Hennekam Raoul C.M.
Published: July 2006

Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare but well known entity characterized by extreme short stature, low body weight, early loss of hair, lipodystrophy, scleroderma, decreased joint mobility, osteolysis, and facial features that resemble aged persons. Cardiovascular compromise leads to early demise. Cognitive development is normal. Data on 10 of our own cases and 132 cases from literature are presented. The incidence in the last century in the Netherlands was 1:4,000,000. Sex ratio was 1.2:1. Main first symptoms were failure to thrive (55%), hair loss (40%), skin problems (28%), and lipodystrophy (20%). Mean age at diagnosis was 2.9 years. Growth in weight was more disturbed than growth in height, and growth delay started already prenatally. Mean height > 13 years was 109.0 cm, mean weight was 14.5 kg. Osteolysis was wide‐spread but not expressed, except in the viscerocranium, and remained limited to membranous formed bone. Lipodystrophy is generalized, only intra‐abdominal fat depositions remain present. Cardiovascular problems are extremely variable, both in age of onset and nature. Stroke and coronary dysfunctioning are most frequent. Pathologic findings in coronaries and aorta resemble sometimes the findings in elderly persons, but can also be much more limited. Loss of smooth muscle cells seems the most important finding. Mean age of demise was 12.6 years. Patients can be subdivided in patients with classical HGPS, which follows an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance, (almost) all cases representing spontaneous mutations, and in non‐classical progeria, in whom growth can be less retarded, scalp hair remains present for a longer time, lipodystrophy is more slowly progressive, osteolysis is more expressed except in the face, and survival well into adulthood is not uncommon. Pattern of inheritance of non‐classical progeria is most probably autosomal recessive. The cause of HGPS is an abnormally formed Lamin A, either directly by a mutated LMNA gene, or through abnormal posttranslational processing (ZMPSTE24 gene mutations). Of 34 LMNA mutations found in progeria patients, there were 26 classical p.G608G mutations (76%). Pathogenesis is most likely to follow several different pathways. Potential therapeutic strategies are developed along these lines and include RNA interference techniques and inhibition of the dominant‐negative influence of abnormally formed Lamin A on polymerization with normally formed Lamin A. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cantu syndrome in a woman and her two daughters: Further confirmation of autosomal dominant inheritance and review of the cardiac manifestations
Authors: Grange Dorothy K. , Lorch Steven M. , Cole Patricia L. , Singh Gautam K.
Published: July 2006

Cantu syndrome, or hypertrichosis‐osteodysplasia‐cardiomegaly syndrome, is a rare disorder of unknown etiology, associated with hypertrichosis, characteristic facial features, skeletal abnormalities, cardiomegaly, and occasional pericardial effusions. Although autosomal recessive inheritance was originally proposed, a man with three affected children has been reported, making autosomal dominant inheritance likely. We report on a woman and her two daughters with Cantu syndrome, further confirming dominant inheritance. All three of our patients have cardiac involvement, and symptomatic pericardial effusions requiring surgical intervention occurred in the mother and one of her daughters. Chromosome microarray analysis was normal in one of the girls. The etiology of the cardiomegaly and pericardial effusions in Cantu syndrome is unknown. We review all previously reported cases of Cantu syndrome and the associated cardiac manifestations. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Extensive acrochordons and pancreatic islet‐cell tumors in tuberous sclerosis associated with TSC2 mutations
Authors: Merritt J. Lawrence , Davis Dawn Marie R. , Pittelkow Mark R. , Babovic‐Vuksanovic Dusica
Published: July 2006

Acrochordons are frequently encountered benign skin lesions that may occasionally represent underlying pathology. Pancreatic islet‐cell tumors are rare neoplasms and few cases have been described in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). A 39‐year‐old man presenting in acute renal failure was referred to us for further diagnostic evaluation of coincidentally noted dysmorphic features. Physical examination revealed over 1,000 acrochordons in addition to findings meeting criteria for TSC. The diagnosis was confirmed by disclosure of mutation in the TSC2 gene. Further evaluation revealed pancreatic islet cell tumors. Acrochordons are a common skin lesion, but when presenting in an atypical manner or unusual number may be a sign of TSC and underlying occult pathology thereby warranting evaluation of TSC2. Additionally, mutations in TSC2 gene may be a risk factor for developing pancreatic islet‐cell tumors. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.