bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Granada Agar Plate for Detection of
Streptococcus agalactiae
in Urine Specimens from Pregnant Women
Authors: Tamayo Javier , Gómez-Garcés José-Luis , Alós Juan-Ignacio
Published: August 2004

The Granada agar plate (GAP; Biomedics SL, Madrid, Spain) was evaluated for the detection of group B streptococci (GBS) in urine specimens from pregnant women submitted for testing for asymptomatic bacteriuria and was compared with blood agar (BA [Columbia agar with 5% sheep blood]; bioMérieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France). The GAP detected 103 out of 105 GBS, whereas BA detected only 50. Use of the GAP could be a good method for the detection of GBS in urine specimens from pregnant women.
Clonal Spread of
emm
Type 28 Isolates of
Streptococcus pyogenes
That Are Multiresistant to Antibiotics
Authors: Mihaila-Amrouche Liliana , Bouvet Anne , Loubinoux Julien
Published: August 2004

Fifty-three pharyngitis-related and invasive isolates of
Streptococcus pyogenes
that are resistant to bacitracin were collected. They were also resistant to streptomycin, kanamycin, macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramin B. These multiresistant isolates were of
emm
type 28 and clonally related as shown by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.
V-Antigen Genotype and Phenotype Analyses of Clinical Isolates of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Allmond Leonard R. , Ajayi Temitayo , Moriyama Kiyoshi , Wiener-Kronish Jeanine P. , Sawa Teiji
Published: August 2004

The
pcrV
genotype was analyzed in clinical isolates of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
which showed a negative phenotype for secretion of V-antigen PcrV. The suppression of PcrV secretion in these isolates was due not to a lack of the
pcrV
gene but rather to suppression of PcrV expression.
Detection of Human Papillomavirus DNA in Cervical Samples: Analysis of the New PGMY-PCR Compared To the Hybrid Capture II and MY-PCR Assays and a Two-Step Nested PCR Assay
Authors: Giovannelli Lucia , Lama Anna , Capra Giuseppina , Giordano Viviana , Aricò Pietro , Ammatuna Pietro
Published: August 2004

The PGMY-PCR for human papillomavirus (HPV) was evaluated, in parallel with nested PCR (
n
PCR), in samples with noted Hybrid Capture II (HCII) and MY-PCR results. PGMY-PCR detected HPV DNA in 2.5% of HCII-negative-MY-PCR-negative samples and in 71.7% of HCII-positive-MY-PCR-negative samples; also, it detected the MY-PCR-negative-
n
PCR-negative types HPV-42, HPV-44, HPV-51, HPV-87, and HPV-89.
Distribution of
Porphyromonas gingivalis
Biotypes Defined by Alleles of the
kgp
(Lys-Gingipain) Gene
Authors: Nadkarni Mangala A. , Nguyen Ky-Anh , Chapple Cheryl C. , DeCarlo Arthur A. , Jacques Nicholas A. , Hunter Neil
Published: August 2004

Paired subgingival plaque samples representing the most-diseased and least-diseased sites were collected from 34 adult patients with diagnosed chronic periodontitis. The percentage of
Porphyromonas gingivalis
relative to the total anaerobic and gram-negative bacterial load at each site was determined by real-time PCR. Based on variations in the noncatalytic C terminus of the Lys-gingipain (Kgp), it was reasoned that DNA sequence variation in the 3′-coding region of the
kgp
gene might determine functional biotypes. Perusal of the available sequence information in GenBank indicated three such forms of the
kgp
gene corresponding to
P. gingivalis
strains HG66, 381, and W83. Analysis of patient samples revealed the presence of a fourth genotype (W83v) that showed duplication of a sequence recognized by the W83 reverse primer. The four biotypes, HG66, 381, W83, and W83v, were present in the study group in the ratio 8:11:6:5, respectively. Each subject was colonized by one predominant biotype, and only three patients were colonized by a trace amount of a second biotype.
Surveillance of Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
in a Pediatric Hospital in Mexico City during a 7-Year Period (1997 to 2003): Clonal Evolution and Impact of Infection Control
Authors: Velazquez-Meza M. E. , Aires de Sousa M. , Echaniz-Aviles G. , Solórzano-Santos F. , Miranda-Novales G. , Silva-Sanchez J. , de Lencastre H.
Published: August 2004

Between 1997 and 2000 a single multidrug-susceptible methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
clone, M (sequence type 30 [ST30]-staphylococcal cassette chromosome
mec
[SCC
mec
] type IV), was present in a pediatric hospital in Mexico City, Mexico. In 2001 the international multidrug-resistant New York-Japan clone (ST5-SCC
mec
type II) was introduced into the hospital, completely replacing clone M by 2002.
Mucoid Nitrate-NegativeMoraxella nonliquefaciensfrom Three Patients with Chronic Lung Disease
Authors: Davis Jennifer M. , Whipp Margaret J. , Ashhurst-Smith Christopher , DeBoer Jim C. , Peel Margaret M.
Published: August 2004

Mucoid strains ofMoraxella nonliquefacienswere recovered from the sputa of three indigenous Australians with chronic lung disease. These atypical strains failed to reduce nitrate, and one strain produced β-lactamase. While the mucoid phenotype ofM. nonliquefacienshas rarely been reported, the mucoid nitrate-negative biovar has never been previously reported.
Solitary Neurocysticercosis Case Caused by Asian Genotype of
Taenia solium
Confirmed by Mitochondrial DNA Analysis
Authors: Yamasaki Hiroshi , Matsunaga Shigeo , Yamamura Koji , Chang Chia-Cheng , Kawamura Shunji , Sako Yasuhito , Nakao Minoru , Nakaya Kazuhiro , Ito Akira
Published: August 2004

A Japanese woman presenting with neurologic symptoms was presumptively diagnosed with neurocysticercosis based on imaging findings. Hooklets in the scolex of the resected lesion were not confirmed through histopathological observation. However, the illness was confirmed by mitochondrial DNA analysis to be a solitary neurocysticercosis case caused by the Asian genotype of
Taenia solium
.
Response of trembling and hybrid aspens to phosphorus and sulfur fertilization in a Gray Luvisol: growth and nutrient uptake
Authors: Liang He , Chang Scott X
Published: August 2004

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of P and S fertilization on the growth and nutrition of two aspens, a clonal aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and a hybrid aspen (a mixture of Populus tremu loides × P. tremula L. and Populus tremula × P. tremuloides), grown in a Gray Luvisol fertilized with N. Phosphorus application significantly increased basal diameter (BD) increment and most other growth parameters for both clonal and hybrid aspens, whereas S application increased BD increment only for the hybrid aspen. Diameter increment, leaf area, and seedling biomass were generally increased by P application, regardless of S levels, but they responded to S application only if P was also applied. Phosphorus application significantly increased foliar P concentrations and foliar N and P contents and their uptake for the clonal aspen. For the hybrid aspen, P application increased foliar N, P, and S concentrations, contents, and uptake. Sulfur application significantly increased foliar S concentration, content, and uptake for the hybrid aspen but not foliar N concentration, content, and uptake for the clonal aspen. Except for height increment, growth parameters were significantly related to foliar percent P and N/P ratios and percent S and N/S ratios. It can be concluded that both P and S were deficient, but P was more limiting after potential N limitation was removed.
Loblolly pine seedling growth after inoculation with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and ozone exposure
Authors: Estes B L , Enebak S A , Chappelka A H
Published: August 2004

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria promote plant growth and induce biocontrol, but are affected by soil type, water stress, microbial competition, and environmental conditions. One unexplored factor is the interaction of rhizobacteria-inoculated plants exposed to ozone. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seeds were inoculated with either Bacillus subtilis (Ehrenberg) Cohn or Paenibacillus macerans (Schardinger) Ash. In field trials, 4-week-old seedlings were exposed for 12 weeks to carbon-filtered (CF ≈ 12 ppb), 1× (≈46 ppb), or 2× (≈97 ppb) ozone for 12 h·d1 in open-top chambers (OTC) in 1998 and 1999. In three greenhouse trials, 5-week-old seedlings were exposed to ozone at 0× (≈8 ppb), 1× (≈105 ppb), 2× (≈199 ppb), and 3× (≈298 ppb) for 4 h·d1, 5 d·week1 for 8 weeks in continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR). In both the CSTRs and the OTCs, ozone-exposed seedlings exhibited 20%50% less biomass and more foliar injury as compared with nonexposed seedlings. In CSTRs, at the 3× exposure, B. subtilis-inoculated seedlings had 12% less foliar injury than noninoculated seedlings. Foliar injury was 65% less for B. subtilis-treated seedlings in 1998, and root surface area, total root length, and root diameter was 25%35% greater when seedlings were exposed to 2× ozone in the OTCs. This is the first report of rhizobacteria protecting seedlings against the negative effects of ozone exposure.
Seasonal patterns of fine-root production and mortality in Prunus avium in Scotland
Authors: Baddeley John A , Watson Christine A
Published: August 2004

The seasonal pattern of root dynamics in Prunus avium (L.) L. (wild cherry) was determined using mini rhizotron observations of the production and disappearance of individual roots over a 2-year period at a site in northeast Scotland. The largest percentage of observed root appearance and disappearance took place at a depth of 10 cm (34%) compared with approximately 20% at each of three lower depths down to 30 cm. Of the 37 574 roots·m2 produced in total over the 2-year observation period, some 78% disappeared during the study. Over 90% of new root production occurred between March and October. Root production was highest in June 1998 (2263 roots·m2) and lowest in January of 1998 and 1999 (31 roots·m2). Combination of these data with counts of root disappearance showed that there was a net increase in root numbers per tree between March and June. From June onwards, the rate of root disappearance exceeded the rate of production. Thus, any annual increase in the number of roots depended upon a short period of major root production in late spring  early summer.
Projecting vector-based road networks with a shortest path algorithm
Authors: Anderson Axel E , Nelson John
Published: August 2004

Manually designing road networks for planning purposes is labour-intensive. As an alternative, we have developed a computer algorithm to generate road networks under a variety of assumptions related to road design standards. This method does not create an optimized road network, but rather mimics the procedure a professional might use when projecting roads by hand. Because many feasible road networks are possible, sensitivity analysis is required to choose the best ones. Such analysis gives forest planners additional information with which to assess the long-term consequences of road density and road standards common in forest management decisions. The procedures used to create road networks are presented in this paper, along with a sensitivity analysis of assumptions on total network length, percentage of landings connected, grades, and horizontal and vertical alignment for a case study. We also include a sensitivity analysis of spatial detail such as node density and link characteristics. Although the road network generation algorithm requires manipulation of many input parameters to create desired road networks, and variation between outputs is a concern, the method still offers considerable improvement over manual methods, especially for applications in strategic planning, and appears to be suitable for all types of topography and road standards.
Morphological and physiological traits influencing biomass productivity in short-rotation coppice poplar
Authors: Rae A M , Robinson K M , Street N R , Taylor G
Published: August 2004

Fast-growing hybrid poplar (Populus spp.) have potential as a short-rotation coppice crop grown for biomass energy. This work identifies traits for fast growth studied in an American interspecific pedigree derived from Populus trichocarpa Torr. & A. Gray × Populus deltoides Marsh. grown in the United Kingdom for the first time. The biomass yield after the first coppice rotation was estimated to range from 0.04 to 23.68 oven-dried t·ha1·year1. This great range suggests that genotypes from this pedigree may be used to understand the genetic basis of high yield in short-rotation coppice, which would be advantageous for informing breeding programs for biomass crops. Relationships between stem, leaf, cell traits, and biomass yield were investigated. Partial least-squares analysis was used to order the traits by importance. The traits most influential on biomass were maximum stem height throughout the growing season, basal diameter, number of stems, and number of sylleptic branches, which showed high heritability, indicating excellent potential for breeding programs. The leaf traits, leaf area, number of leaves on the leading stem, and plastochron index were also associated with an increase in biomass, leading to a better understanding of this trait.
The influence of habitat diversity and structure on bird use of riparian buffer strips in coastal forests of British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Shirley Susan
Published: August 2004

I investigated the role of habitat structure in explaining bird species richness and abundance in riparian buffer strips of old-growth coniferous forest on western Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Using buffer strips of varying widths and a control from undisturbed riparian forest, I tested the hypothesis that vegetation differs in buffer strips of varying width. I selected 10 summary variables to represent broad-scale vegetation attributes of riparian habitat. Deciduous tree density was higher, and shrub richness was lower in wide buffers compared with narrow buffers. I then used Akaike information criterion to examine whether vegetation structure or buffer width best explained patterns of bird richness and abundance in riparian habitats. Species richness and abundance in several foraging guilds were explained better by buffer width than by vegetation. Abundances of three bird habitat guilds: riparian specialists, forest-interior, and open-edge species, and 6 of 10 species were best explained by specific vegetation features. Differences in vegetation, particularly deciduous tree density and shrub cover, explained part of the variation in abundance of several riparian forest-dwelling species and may be useful in evaluating specific forest management practices. Because deciduous tree density is also positively correlated with buffer width, wide buffers (>100 m) may benefit not only those species associated with coniferous upland forests and forest generalists sensitive to buffer width, but also those species whose abundance is associated with deciduous trees.
Predicting landscape patterns of aspen dieback: mechanisms and knowledge gaps
Authors: Frey Brent R , Lieffers Victor J , Hogg EH (Ted) , Landhäusser Simon M
Published: August 2004

Sudden dieback and deterioration of mature aspen stands is commonly observed throughout North America. This dieback process has tremendous ecological and economic importance, yet remains poorly understood. This paper summarizes our understanding of aspen dieback in North America, identifies potential processes that contribute to reduced vigour and dieback of aspen stands, and examines the scales (stand, ecosite, regional) at which these processes operate. Many factors including pathogens, nutrition, or successional changes may be involved in the decline of aspen vigour and thereby contribute to the dieback process. However, insect defoliation, drought, and thawfreeze events appear to be the most likely factors initiating dieback in mature aspen stands. Further study is clearly needed to elucidate the mechanisms and landscape patterns of dieback. Information needs related to identifying processes and modeling landscape patterns of dieback are indicated.
ANOMALIES IN FIELD THEORIES WITH EXTRA DIMENSIONS
Authors: SCRUCCA CLAUDIO A. , SERONE MARCO
Published: August 2004

We give an overview of the issue of anomalies in field theories with extra dimensions. We start by reviewing in a pedagogical way the computation of the standard perturbative gauge and gravitational anomalies on noncompact spaces, using Fujikawa's approach and functional integral methods, and discuss the available mechanisms for their cancellation. We then generalize these analyses to the case of orbifold field theories with compact internal dimensions, emphasizing the new aspects related to the presence of orbifold singularities and discrete Wilson lines, and the new cancellation mechanisms that are becoming available. We conclude with a very brief discussion on global and parity anomalies.
THE TENSOR CURRENT DIVERGENCE EQUATION IN U(1) GAUGE THEORIES IS FREE OF ANOMALIES
Authors: SUN WEI-MIN , ZONG HONG-SHI , CHEN XIANG-SONG , WANG FAN
Published: August 2004

The possible anomaly of the tensor current divergence equation in U(1) gauge theories is calculated by means of perturbative method. It is found that the tensor current divergence equation is free of anomalies.
LAPLACE TRANSFORMS AND INSTALLMENT OPTIONS
Authors: ALOBAIDI GHADA , MALLIER ROLAND , STANLEY DEAKIN A.
Published: August 2004

An installment option is a derivative financial security where the price is paid in installments instead of as a lump sum at the time of purchase. The valuation of these options involves a free boundary problem in that at each installment date, the holder of the derivative has the option of continuing to pay the premiums or allowing the contract to lapse, and the decision will depend upon whether the present value of the expected pay-off is greater or less than the present value of the remaining premiums. Using a model installment option where the premiums are paid continuously rather than on discrete dates, an integral equation is derived for the position of this free boundary by applying a partial Laplace transform to the underlying partial differential equation for the value of the security. Asymptotic analysis of this integral equation allows us to deduce the behavior of the free boundary close to expiry.
Developmental Changes in Release Properties of the CA3-CA1 Glutamate Synapse in Rat Hippocampus
Authors: Wasling P. , Hanse E. , Gustafsson B.
Published: August 2004

Developmental changes in release probability ( Pr) and paired–pulse plasticity at CA3-CA1 glutamate synapses in hippocampal slices of neonatal rats were examined using field excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) recordings. Paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) at these synapses was, on average, absent in the first postnatal week but emerged and became successively larger during the second postnatal week. This developmental increase in PPF was associated with a reduction in Pr, as indicated by the slower progressive block of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) EPSP by the noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801. This developmental reduction in Pr was not homogenous among the synapses. As shown by the MK-801 analysis, the Pr heterogeneity observed among adult CA3-CA1 synapses is present already during the first postnatal week, and the developmental Pr reduction was found to be largely selective for synapses with higher Pr values, leaving Pr of the vast majority of the synapses essentially unaffected. A reduction in Pves, the release probability of the individual vesicle, possibly caused by reduction in Ca2+ influx, seems to explain the reduction in Pr. In vivo injection of tetanus toxin at the end of the first postnatal week did not prevent the increase in PPF, indicating that this developmental change in release is not critically dependent on normal neural activity during the second postnatal week.
Modulation of an Integrated Central Pattern Generator–Effector System: Dopaminergic Regulation of Cardiac Activity in the Blue CrabCallinectes sapidus
Authors: Fort Timothy J. , Brezina Vladimir , Miller Mark W.
Published: August 2004

Theoretical studies have suggested that the output of a central pattern generator (CPG) must be matched to the properties of its peripheral effector system to ensure production of functional behavior. One way that such matching could be achieved is through coordinated central and peripheral modulation. In this study, morphological and physiological methods were used to examine the sources and actions of dopaminergic modulation in the cardiac system of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. Immunohistochemical localization of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) revealed a prominent neuron in the commissural ganglion, the L-cell, that projected a large-diameter axon to the pericardial organ (PO) by an indirect and circuitous route. Within the PO, the L-cell axon gave rise to fine varicose fibers, suggesting that it releases dopamine in a neurohormonal fashion onto the heart musculature. In addition, one branch of the axon continued beyond the PO to the heart, where it innervated the anterior motor neurons and the posterior pacemaker region of the cardiac ganglion (CG). In physiological experiments, exogenous dopamine produced multiple effects on contraction and motor neuron burst parameters that corresponded to the dual central-peripheral modulation suggested by the L-cell morphology. Interestingly, parameters of the ganglionic motor output were modulated differently in the isolated CG and in a novel semi-intact system where the CG remained embedded within the heart musculature. These observations suggest a critical role of feedback from the periphery to the CG and underscore the requirement for integration of peripheral (neurohormonal) actions and direct ganglionic modulation in the regulation of this exceptionally simple system.
Weighted kneading theory of one‐dimensional maps with a hole
Authors: Rocha J. Leonel , Ramos J. Sousa
Published: August 2004

The purpose of this paper is to present a weighted kneading
theory for one‐dimensional maps with a hole. We consider
extensions of the kneading theory of Milnor and Thurston to
expanding discontinuous maps with a hole and introduce weights in
the formal power series. This method allows us to derive
techniques to compute explicitly the topological entropy, the
Hausdorff dimension, and the escape rate.
Convergence of two‐step iterative scheme with errors for two asymptotically nonexpansive mappings
Authors: Fukhar-ud-din Hafiz , Khan Safeer Hussain
Published: August 2004

A two‐step iterative scheme with errors has been studied to approximate the common fixed points of two asymptotically nonexpansive mappings through weak and strong convergence in Banach spaces.
On Jordan ideals and left (θ, θ)‐derivations in prime rings
Authors: Zaidi S. M. A. , Ashraf Mohammad , Ali Shakir
Published: August 2004

Let R be a ring and S a nonempty subset of R. Suppose that θ and ϕ are endomorphisms of R. An additive mapping δ : R → R is called a left (θ, ϕ)‐derivation (resp., Jordan left (θ, ϕ)‐derivation) on S if δ(xy) = θ(x)δ(y) + ϕ(y)δ(x) (resp., δ(x2) = θ(x)δ(x) + ϕ(x)δ(x)) holds for all x, y ∈ S. Suppose that J is a Jordan ideal and a subring of a 2‐torsion‐free prime ring R. In the present paper, it is shown that if θ is an automorphism of R such that δ(x2) = 2θ(x)δ(x) holds for all x ∈ J, then either J⫅Z(R) or δ(J) = (0). Further, a study of left (θ, θ)‐derivations of a prime ring R has been made which acts either as a homomorphism or as an antihomomorphism of the ring R.
Protein Glycation
Authors: Wautier Jean-Luc , Schmidt Ann Marie
Published: August 2004

The advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a heterogeneous class of molecules, including the following main subgroups: bis(lysyl)imidazolium cross-links, hydroimidazolones, 3-deoxyglucosone derivatives, and monolysyl adducts. AGEs are increased in diabetes, renal failure, and aging. Microvascular lesions correlate with the accumulation of AGEs, as demonstrated in diabetic retinopathy or renal glomerulosclerosis. On endothelial cells, ligation of receptor for AGE (RAGE) by AGEs induces the expression of cell adhesion molecules, tissue factor, cytokines such as interleukin-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. A chief means by which AGEs via RAGE exert their effects is by generation of reactive oxygen species, at least in part via stimulation of NADPH oxidase. Diabetes-associated vascular dysfunction in vivo can be prevented by blockade of RAGE. Thus, agents that limit AGE formation, increase the catabolism of these species, or antagonize their binding to RAGE may provide new targets for vascular protection in diabetes.
Applying Ecological Input‐Output Flow Analysis to Material Flows in Industrial Systems: Part I: Tracing Flows
Authors: Bailey Reid , Allen Janet K. , Bras Bert
Published: August 2004

Input‐output mathematics, which allows a modeler to fully consider direct and indirect relationships among conserved flows in a system, has a long history in economics with prominent use dating to Leontief in the 1930s. Nearly all previous industrial applications of input‐output analysis have been grounded in the monetary flows of an economy. Here however, because of the central nature of physical flows in the environmental impact of industry, we consider physical flows to be a fundamental component of an industrial economy. Hence, we propose an input‐output based approach for modeling physical flows in industry independent of their monetary implications.

In this first part of a two‐part article, a framework for using input‐output mathematics to model material and energy flows is constructed from a foundation laid by previous research in nutrient and energy cycling in natural ecosystems. The mathematics of input‐output flow analysis is presented from an ecological perspective, culminating in two core capabilities: tracing of flows with environs (investigated in this article) and characterizing system behavior with flow metrics (presented in the second article). We assert that environ analysis is an effective means for tracing flows through industrial systems while fully considering direct and indirect flow paths. We explore material flows of aluminum and five other metals in depth using environ analysis in this article.
Process Knowledge, System Dynamics, and Metal Ecology
Authors: Verhoef E. V. , Dijkema Gerard P. J. , Reuter Markus A.
Published: August 2004

A key principle in industrial ecology is the cyclic use of materials, a characteristic of natural ecosystems but a challenge in economic systems. Indeed, in society, metal retention, that is, the ongoing use or ready availability of metal in the economy between the life‐cycle stages of resource extraction and final disposal back into the lithosphere, is finite because of the limited grade of secondary (recycled) metals. Currently, the utility of metals is maintained through the addition of high primary (virgin) metals, bringing the concentration of the recycled metals to desired levels. This mixing with high‐grade primary metals keeps these recycled metals in the cycle. Long term, this practice of dilution of the undesired substances prevents a closure of the material cycles, whereas recovery without dilution reduces the quality (or quantity) of recycled metals.

Metals participate in a system of linked cycles and thus cannot be produced or recovered independently from one another. The metal wheel is introduced in this article as a concise but powerful instrument for the communication of available process knowledge in process metallurgy, the science and technology of producing metals from natural ores and societal raw materials, residues, and end‐of‐life products. It summarizes the chemical and physical linkages between metals found in ores and the set of metallurgical processes that has been developed to accommodate these linkages.

A dynamic mass‐flow model is introduced to characterize the global metal cycles. The model facilitates the visualization of the evolution of their structure and technological content.

To illustrate the interdependency of metal cycles using the metal wheel and the dynamic model, the transition to lead‐free solder is evaluated. Neglect of metal‐cycle linkages and dynamics in policy formulation may lead to a shortage of lead substitutes. In case of an extended ban on lead, both the availability and recovery of a range of metals will be affected.
Trade, Materials Flows, and Economic Development in the South: The Example of Chile
Authors: Giljum Stefan
Published: August 2004

Materials flow analysis (MFA) is internationally recognized as a key tool to assess the biophysical metabolism of societies and to provide aggregated indicators for environmental pressures of human activities. Economy‐wide MFAs have been compiled for a number of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, but so far very few studies exist for countries in the South. In this article, the first materials‐flow‐based indicators for Chile are presented. The article analyzes the restructuring of the Chilean economy toward an active integration in the world markets from the perspective of natural resource use in a time series from 1973 to 2000. Special emphasis is placed on the assessment of materials flows related to Chile's international trade relations. Results show that material inputs to the Chilean economy increased by a factor of 6, mainly as a result of the promotion of resource‐intensive exports from the mining, fruit growing, forestry, and fishery sectors. At more than 40 tons, Chile's resource use per capita at present is one of the highest in the world. The article addresses the main shortcomings of the MFA approach, such as weightbased aggregation and the missing links between environmental pressures and impacts, and gives suggestions for methodological improvements and possible extensions of the MFA framework, with the intent of developing MFA into a more powerful tool for policy use.
Improving Environmental Performance Assessment: A Comparative Analysis of Weighting Methods Used to Evaluate Chemical Release Inventories
Authors: Toffel Michael W. , Marshall Julian D.
Published: August 2004

Managers, management scholars, regulators, nonprofit organizations, and the media are increasingly using emissions inventory data to measure organizations' environmental performance. Whereas some analysts use total mass emitted, others have applied one or more of the growing number of toxicity‐weighting databases aimed at predicting the environmental and health impacts of emissions. Little research is available to guide analysts in selecting among these databases. This article compares 13 methods in terms of their sophistication, complexity, and comprehensiveness. Seven of these methods are then evaluated as to their usefulness in weighting emissions data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA's) toxic release inventory, and three pair‐wise comparisons are conducted. We recommend the U.S. EPA's Risk Screening Environmental Indicators for estimating impacts to human health. We recommend the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical Impacts for estimating impacts to human health and the environment.
Applying Ecological Input‐Output Flow Analysis to Material Flows in Industrial Systems: Part II: Flow Metrics
Authors: Bailey Reid , Bras Bert , Allen Janet K.
Published: August 2004

This article, continuing with the themes of the companion article, expounds the capabilities of input‐output techniques as applied to material flows in industrial systems. Material flows are the primary focus because of their role in directly linking natural and industrial systems and thereby being fundamental components of environmental issues in industrial economies. The specific topic in this article concerns several material flow metrics used to characterize system behavior that are derived from the ecological development of input‐output techniques; most notable of these metrics are several measures of material cycling and a measure of the number of processes visited by material while in a system. These metrics are shown to be useful in analyzing the state of material flow systems. Further‐more, the metrics are shown to be a central link in connecting input‐output flow analysis to synthesis (i.e., the process of using measurements of system behavior to design changes to that system). By connecting the flow metrics to both environmental objectives and controllable aspects of flow models, changes to existing flow systems are synthesized to generate improved system behavior. To bring this pair of articles to a close, several limitations of input‐output flow analysis are summarized with the goal of stimulating further interest and research.
The Doctrinal Development of “Maraḍ Al-Mawt” in the Formative Period of Islamic Law
Authors: Yanagihashi Hiroyuki
Published: August 2004

Muslim jurists were at first reluctant to place restrictions on gratuitous dispositions by a dying person. During the first quarter of the second century/second quarter of the eighth century, however, they created a concept of “a sickness causing a fear of death” (al-maraḍ al-mukhawwif) to safeguard the interests of heirs and creditors. They did so by introducing the principle that a gratuitous disposition made by a sick person for the purpose of modifying the inheritance rules should be subject to the bequest restrictions. At the same time, Muslim jurists permitted the wife divorced by her dying husband to inherit from him by according her, retrospectively, inheritance rights at the moment when her husband contracted a sickness which led irrevocably to his death. By the end of the third quarter of the second century/end of the eighth century, the jurists had combined these two definitions of sickness to form the classical theory of death-sickness (Maraḍ Al-Mawt).
Orphaned Grandchildren in Islamic Law of Succession: Reform and Islamization in Pakistan
Authors: Carroll Lucy
Published: August 2004

The Islamic law of succession, worked out in precision by the classical jurists from a few Qurʾanic verses, is regarded as the central core and prime achievement of the shariʿa. However, in the changed circumstances of the fifteenth century Hijra, attention has focused on some perceived inequities of the traditional scheme, raising challenging questions of whether and how the traditional law can be reformed. This essay examines Pakistan's attempt to deal with the problem of the “orphaned grandchild.” It then turns to a consideration of the fate of the reformist legislation in the context of “Islamization” and the institutional heritage of the Zia period.
The Art of the Judicial Opinion: On Tawlīj in Fifteenth-Century Tunis
Authors: Powers David
Published: August 2004

In an effort to circumvent the constraints of Islamic inheritance law, a Muslim proprietor may attempt to shift assets to his or her desired heir/s by means of an inter vivos transaction, e.g., a gift, acknowledgement of a debt, sale, or creation of a family endowment. In the present essay, I analyze a case that occurred in fifteenth-century Tunis in which a father, taking advantage of his role as the guardian of his minor children, engages in a series of financial transactions that appear to have as their goal the disinheritance of certain other children. The differing responses to this case by two Mālikī jurists provides an opportunity to explore the relationship between the choice of a judicial style and the direction of a judicial outcome.
Retrieving sequences of enzymes experimentally characterized but erroneously annotated : the case of the putrescine carbamoyltransferase
Authors: Naumoff Daniil G , Xu Ying , Glansdorff Nicolas , Labedan Bernard
Published: August 2004

Background

Annotating genomes remains an hazardous task. Mistakes or gaps in such a complex process may occur when relevant knowledge is ignored, whether lost, forgotten or overlooked. This paper exemplifies an approach which could help to ressucitate such meaningful data.

Results

We show that a set of closely related sequences which have been annotated as ornithine carbamoyltransferases are actually putrescine carbamoyltransferases. This demonstration is based on the following points : (i) use of enzymatic data which had been overlooked, (ii) rediscovery of a short NH2-terminal sequence allowing to reannotate a wrongly annotated ornithine carbamoyltransferase as a putrescine carbamoyltransferase, (iii) identification of conserved motifs allowing to distinguish unambiguously between the two kinds of carbamoyltransferases, and (iv) comparative study of the gene context of these different sequences.

Conclusions

We explain why this specific case of misannotation had not yet been described and draw attention to the fact that analogous instances must be rather frequent. We urge to be especially cautious when high sequence similarity is coupled with an apparent lack of biochemical information. Moreover, from the point of view of genome annotation, proteins which have been studied experimentally but are not correlated with sequence data in current databases qualify as "orphans", just as unassigned genomic open reading frames do. The strategy we used in this paper to bridge such gaps in knowledge could work whenever it is possible to collect a body of facts about experimental data, homology, unnoticed sequence data, and accurate informations about gene context.
Lymphoedema management knowledge and practices among patients attending filariasis morbidity control clinics in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka
Authors: Chandrasena TGA Nilmini , Premaratna Ranjan , de Silva Nilanthi R
Published: August 2004

Background

Little information is available on methods of treatment practiced by patients affected by filarial lymphoedema in Sri Lanka. The frequency and duration of acute dematolymphangioadenitis (ADLA) attacks in these patients remain unclear. This study reports the knowledge, practices and perceptions regarding lymphoedema management and the burden of ADLA attacks among patients with lymphoedema.

Methods

A semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess morbidity alleviation knowledge, practices and perceptions. The burden of ADLA attacks was assessed using one-year recall data.

Results

66 patients (22 males, 44 females) with mean age 51.18 years (SD ± 13.9) were studied. Approximately two thirds of the patients were aware of the importance of skin and nail hygiene, limb elevation and use of footwear. Washing was practiced on a daily and twice daily basis by 40.9% and 48.5% respectively. However, limb elevation, exercise and use of footwear were practiced only by 21–42.4% (while seated and lying down), 6% and 34.8% respectively. The majority of patients considered regular intake of diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) important. Approximately two thirds (65.2%) had received health education from filariasis clinics. Among patients who sought private care (n = 48) the average cost of treatment for an ADLA attack was Rs. 737.91. Only 18.2% had feelings of isolation and reported community reactions ranging from sympathy to fear and ridicule.

Conclusions

Filariasis morbidity control clinics play an essential role in the dissemination of morbidity control knowledge. Referral of lymphoedema patients to morbidity control clinics is recommended.
Autoimmune progesterone dermatitis in a patient with endometriosis: case report and review of the literature
Authors: Baptist Alan P , Baldwin James L
Published: August 2004

Autoimmune progesterone dermatitis (APD) is a condition in which the menstrual cycle is associated with a number of skin findings such as urticaria, eczema, angioedema, and others. In affected women, it occurs 3–10 days prior to the onset of menstrual flow, and resolves 2 days into menses. Women with irregular menses may not have this clear correlation, and therefore may be missed. We present a case of APD in a woman with irregular menses and urticaria/angioedema for over 20 years, who had not been diagnosed or correctly treated due to the variable timing of skin manifestations and menses. In addition, we review the medical literature in regards to clinical features, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment options.
Identification of proteases employed by dendritic cells in the processing of protein purified derivative (PPD)
Authors: Mohamadzadeh Mansour , Mohamadzadeh Hamid , Brammer Melissa , Sestak Karol , Luftig Ronald B
Published: August 2004

Dendritic cells (DC) are known to present exogenous protein Ag effectively to T cells. In this study we sought to identify the proteases that DC employ during antigen processing. The murine epidermal-derived DC line Xs52, when pulsed with PPD, optimally activated the PPD-reactive Th1 clone LNC.2F1 as well as the Th2 clone LNC.4k1, and this activation was completely blocked by chloroquine pretreatment. These results validate the capacity of XS52 DC to digest PPD into immunogenic peptides inducing antigen specific T cell immune responses. XS52 DC, as well as splenic DC and DCs derived from bone marrow degraded standard substrates for cathepsins B, C, D/E, H, J, and L, tryptase, and chymases, indicating that DC express a variety of protease activities. Treatment of XS52 DC with pepstatin A, an inhibitor of aspartic acid proteases, completely abrogated their capacity to present native PPD, but not trypsin-digested PPD fragments to Th1 and Th2 cell clones. Pepstatin A also inhibited cathepsin D/E activity selectively among the XS52 DC-associated protease activities. On the other hand, inhibitors of serine proteases (dichloroisocoumarin, DCI) or of cystein proteases (E-64) did not impair XS52 DC presentation of PPD, nor did they inhibit cathepsin D/E activity. Finally, all tested DC populations (XS52 DC, splenic DC, and bone marrow-derived DC) constitutively expressed cathepsin D mRNA. These results suggest that DC primarily employ cathepsin D (and perhaps E) to digest PPD into antigenic peptides.
Optimizing the HIV/AIDS informed consent process in India
Authors: Sastry J , Pisal H , Sutar S , Kapadia-Kundu N , Joshi A , Suryavanshi N , Bharucha KE , Shrotri A , Phadke MA , Bollinger RC , Shankar AV
Published: August 2004

Background

While the basic ethical issues regarding consent may be universal to all countries, the consent procedures required by international review boards which include detailed scientific and legal information, may not be optimal when administered within certain populations. The time and the technicalities of the process itself intimidate individuals in societies where literacy and awareness about medical and legal rights is low.

Methods

In this study, we examined pregnant women's understanding of group education and counseling (GEC) about HIV/AIDS provided within an antenatal clinic in Maharashtra, India. We then enhanced the GEC process with the use of culturally appropriate visual aids and assessed the subsequent changes in women's understanding of informed consent issues.

Results

We found the use of visual aids during group counseling sessions increased women's overall understanding of key issues regarding informed consent from 38% to 72%. Moreover, if these same visuals were reinforced during individual counseling, improvements in women's overall comprehension rose to 96%.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that complex constructs such as informed consent can be conveyed in populations with little education and within busy government hospital settings, and that the standard model may not be sufficient to ensure true informed consent.
Sunscreens containing physical UV blockers can increase transdermal absorption of pesticides
Authors: Brand Rhonda M , Pike James , Wilson Roselyn M , Charron Anna R
Published: August 2004

People are encouraged to wear sunscreens because of their effectiveness at reducing the risk of skin cancer. The dermal penetration of the herbicide 2,4-D can be enhanced by commercial formulations containing chemical ultraviolet (UV) absorbers, the absorbers themselves and the insect repellent DEET. This work has been extended to determine whether commercially available sunscreens containing the physical UV absorbers titanium dioxide (TiO2) or zinc oxide (ZnO) enhance the transdermal absorption of pesticides. Hairless mouse skin was pretreated with either commercially available sunscreens or the UV absorbers themselves, dissolved in phenyl trimethicone. In vitro permeability studies were performed with the pesticides 2,4-D, paraquat, parathion or malathion. The data demonstrate that pretreatment with five of the nine sunscreens tested increased the transdermal absorption of 2,4-D ( P <0.05). Transdermal studies using paraquat, parathion and malathion pretreated with a representative sunscreen all demonstrated significant penetration enhancement when compared to controls ( P <0.05). Repeated 2,4-D and sunscreen applications resulted in either no change between pulses or an increase in absorption after the second pulse depending on the washing regimen. Examining penetration of individual UV absorbers formulated in phenyl trimethicone showed that that ZnO can impede 2,4-D penetration and TiO2 had no effect. Combining UV absorbers in the presence of trimethicone resulted in ‘sunscreens’ that could actually inhibit 2,4-D penetration. Inert ingredients therefore control the increased absorption seen in commercial sunscreen products and this enhancement can be eliminated by substituting phenyl trimethicone as the solvent. Sunscreen use must still be encouraged even with the undesirable side effect of increased penetration through the skin.
The concentration, dry deposition, composition study of ambient air particulate and metallic pollutants at a traffic sampling site
Authors: Fang Guor-Cheng , Wu Yuh-Shen , Chu Chia-Chium , Huang Shih-Han , Rau Jui-Yeh
Published: August 2004

Aerosol samples were collected by total suspended particulate (TSP) and dry deposition plate (downward, upward) from August to November in 2003 in central Taiwan. The particulate metallic elements (Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mg and Mn) were also measured in this study during the summer and autumn periods of 2003. The results obtained in this study indicated that the ambient air particulate mass concentrations in the daytime period (averaged 975.4 mg/m3) were higher than the night-time period (averaged 542.1 mg/m3). And the downward dry deposition fluxes (averaged 58.12 mg/m2-sec) were about 2.2 times that of upward dry deposition fluxes (averaged 26.37 mg/m2-sec) in the daytime period. Furthermore, the average downward dry deposition fluxes (averaged 26.54 mg/m2-sec) were also about 2.3 times that of upward dry deposition fluxes (averaged 11.52 mg/m2-sec) in the nighttime period. Moreover, the average downward dry deposition fluxes are greater than the upward dry deposition fluxes for all the heavy metals in either daytime or night-time period. In addition, the deposition velocity for mass, metallic elements (Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mg and Mn) during daytime and night-time period were also calculated. In addition, the average TSP composition (mg/g) in the daytime period of the metallic elements (Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mg and Mn) is 1.73, 0.26, 1.16, 0.28, 0.43 and 0.12 mg/g, respectively. And the average TSP composition in the night-time period of the metallic elements (Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mg and Mn) is 3.02, 0.33, 1.57, 0.41, 0.58 and 0.13 mg/g, respectively at traffic sampling site of central Taiwan.