bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between Profile of the Respondent and Impact of Integrated Farming System in Terms of Change in Employment Generation
Authors: Ruikar B. A.  , Gaikawad A. B.  , Dangore A. P.  , Kadam J. R.
Published: February 2024

The present study highlights about impact of integrated farming system on doubling farmers’ income. The study was conducted in four district of Konkan regions of Maharashtra namely Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Raigad and Palghar district, India. For farmers with limited resources, the Integrated Farming System (IFS) is the only way to ensure a stable living and a means of subsistence. Sustainable livelihood through crop diversification, including the introduction of high-value crops, planned strategies for overcoming various obstacles, and the road of successful marketing, all made possible by integrated farming modules that are ideal for farmers to encourage scientific farming practices.  The present study was conducted in four district of Konkan region of Maharashtra. A multistage sampling procedure was adopted for the selection of integrated farming system adopters. In all 200 respondents were selected for study from the four districts of Konkan region. The “Ex-Post-Facto” research design was used for the proposed study. The impact of the integrated farming system was found to be significantly correlated with thirteen selected independent variables, including age, farming experience, major occupation, annual income, cropping pattern, livestock possession, information seeking behavior, economic motivation, irrigation status, and risk orientation. Additionally, the impact of the integrated farming system was found to be highly correlated with education, land holding, and productivity level, particularly in terms of the change in employment generation.
Circadian Variation of Stroke in a Tertiary Level Hospital
Authors: Rahman Mahmudur , Rahman Md. Matiur , Ahmed Moniruzzaman , Chowdhury Suman Kanti , Hossan Md. Alamgir , Hasan Sayful , Islam Nazrul , Rashid Shakila
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Stroke, a primary global health concern, is the fifth leading cause of death in Bangladesh, with a prevalence of 0.3%. While 85% of stroke cases globally are cerebral infarctions, Asian countries exhibit stroke patients on average 15 years younger than developed countries. Survival studies reveal strokes exceeding coronary events in hypertensive patients. Observational data suggests circadian, circaseptan, and circannual variations in stroke occurrence, with a morning peak. Circadian rhythm in ischemic stroke is higher in the early morning. Thrombotic strokes, influenced by platelet aggregation and fibrinolysis, often occur in the morning. Haemorrhagic strokes result from blood vessel ruptures. Population-specific circadian patterns remain unconfirmed.

Aim of the Study: The study aims to find out the relation of circadian variation of stroke.

Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh, analyzed 100 stroke patients over six months. Ethical approval was obtained, and informed consent was taken. Inclusion criteria covered patients with clinical and imaging stroke diagnoses, while exclusion criteria excluded transient ischemic attack, previous stroke, head injury history, and refusal to participate. Stroke onset time was categorized into four six-hour intervals. Demographic data, risk factors, and comorbidities were recorded, and brain CT scans were performed. Data analysis used SPSS version 22, employing descriptive statistics, Chi-square Test, and Student's t-test. Significance was set at p<0.05. Results were presented in tables.

Results: The study involves 100 participants, primarily aged 60-70 (50%), predominantly male (76%), residing 62% in urban and 38% in rural areas. Occupationally, 35% are businessmen, 24% are housewives, and 15% are service holders and laborers. Smoking status shows 58% smokers. Stroke types include 57% ischemic strokes and 39% hemorrhagic strokes. Hypertension (72%) is the significant risk factor. Stroke symptoms predominantly occur between 06:01 and 12:00 (46%). These insights comprehensively understand the study population's demographics, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics.

Conclusion: The study established circadian patterns in stroke onset, with the highest frequency between 06:00-12:00 and the lowest between 18:01-24:00. Ischemic stroke was the most common subtype, followed by hemorrhagic stroke and fewer subarachnoid hemorrhages. Managing blood pressure and coagulation during peak onset times could aid stroke prevention, but further extensive studies are needed for validation.
Analysis of the Influence of Envelope Heat Gain on Hygrothermal Comfort in Tropical Housing: The Case of Benin
Authors: Nathaniels Dirk Rudy , Semassou Guy Clarence , Ahouansou Roger Houêchéné
Published: February 2024

The current construction of residential buildings in Benin neglects the importance of thermal insulation of their envelopes. Instead, it relies on active systems as a solution to mitigate over-consumption of electrical energy and guarantee a certain level of thermal comfort inside these buildings. It should be noted that Beninese architects are generally unfamiliar with these thermal aspects.

The main aim of this study is to assess the effects of thermal insulation on walls and roof, determine the optimum thickness of insulating materials, and integrate a controlled mechanical ventilation system to improve thermal comfort in a humid tropical climate. The investigations were carried out on an example of a typical residential building located in Cotonou, Benin, with precise geographical coordinates (latitude 6°38' North, longitude 2°34' East). To analyze the thermal behavior of this building, a series of dynamic thermal simulations were carried out using TRNSYS software, which was used both to model the building structure and to run the various simulations.

The results of this study revealed that thermal insulation of the walls and roof, using polystyrene, significantly reduced the need for air conditioning. What's more, the integration of a controlled mechanical ventilation system not only ensured indoor air quality, but also helped regulate indoor humidity, reducing it from 67% to 76%.
Modeling Self Help Groups’ Impact on Livelihoods in Murang’a East Sub-County: A Logistic Regression Approach
Authors: Runo Jane Wangui , Anapapa Ayubu , Nyarige Euna
Published: February 2024

According to the World Bank (2022), approximately 8.9 million people, or 17% of Kenya’s population, live below the poverty line of 1.9 USD on a daily basis, majority of them in the rural areas. This research aimed to analyze the impact of self-help groups on the livelihoods of rural areas of Kenya, with the goal of promoting sustainable livelihoods and reducing poverty. To achieve this, the study employed machine learning specifically the logistic regression algorithm to model the impact of self-help groups on livelihoods in Murang’a East sub-county. The study used primary data obtained through the issuance of structured questionnaires to SHG members, on their wealth status since joining the self-help groups on areas such as ability to save, access to credit services and acquiring assets, both income generating and household. A total of 969 members of self-help groups were issued with the questionnaire. The study’s findings helped identify the key predictors of members’ livelihoods and provided insights into how self-help groups influence them. The results of logistic regression indicated that 91.33% of the members had seen a significant improvement on their wealth status since joining self-help groups and the significant predictor variables were income generating assets, access to basic commodities and access to loans. The model’s accuracy was 88.04%. The ethical considerations in this study included ensuring no coercion or pressure to participate in the study and confidentiality and privacy of the respondents.
Effect of Different Storage Vessels on the Microbiological and Physicochemical Properties of Rainwater Harvested from Different Rooftops in Owerri, Nigeria
Authors: Nwachukwu M. I.  , Ihenetu F. C.  , Obasi C. C.
Published: February 2024

This study evaluated the effect of different storage vessels on the microbiological and physicochemical properties of rainwater harvested from different rooftops in Owerri. Different storage vessels were assembled and used to stored rainwater delivered by using different catchments. The catchments used were corrugated iron sheet roof, asbestos roof, stone coated roof, aluminum roof, and thatched roof. Rainwater was also collected directly from rainfall, in the open environment and stored in the vessels. The storage vessels were plastic contain, metal tank, earthen ware pot, and block/cemented tank. The study was designed in such a way that each of the storage vessels received water from each of the catchments for storage. In all, a total of 24 storage vessels were used. Each of the catchment delivered rainwater to a peculiar plastic container, metal samples were allowed to stay in the vessels for some days before they were taken to the laboratory for analysis using standard methods. From the results observed, the storage vessels made more microbial impact on the stored rainwater samples that physicochemical impact. Six bacterial and mould organisms were isolated from the stored rainwater samples. However, the molecular identification study for the bacterial organisms revealed plasmid possessed E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and Enterobacter sp., which made them resistant to the antibacterial drugs. From the observation of the present study, storage vessels may impact more on bacterial contamination than physicochemical or metal contamination. This study has shown the effect of different storage vessels on the microbiological and physicochemical properties of rainwater harvested from different rooftops in Owerri, Nigeria.
Groundwater Contamination with Nitrate and Human Health Risk Assessment of North East Alluvial Plains of Bihar, India
Authors: Kumar Ajeet , Singh Sanjay Kumar , Meena Sunita Kumari , Sinha S.K. , Rana Lalita
Published: February 2024

Groundwater is natural resources which supplies almost half of all drinking water in the world and plays a key role in food production. Consuming water containing high nitrate concentration have immediate effect on infant and could cause the risk of diseases Methemoglobinemia in which blood lacks the ability to carry sufficient oxygen to the individual body cells. As difference in nitrate concentration in water, made it important to study the undesirable effect of it. In rural areas, groundwater contamination is a problem related to the excessive use of chemical fertilizers by local farmers. Shallow groundwater plays a vital role in water use and the yield of Maize. Nitrogen application significantly affects crop uptake and utilization of water from irrigation, but little is known about groundwater use. Farmers are applying nitrogen on an average 278 kg/ha in Kharif maize, which is about 131.72% more than the RDN of Kharif maize i.e. 120 KgN/ha. The mean value of N application by farmers ranges from 251-323 kg/ha. The Maximum rate of N application was observed in Khagaria (323 kg N/ha) followed by Madhepura (275.08 kg N/ha) and minimum in case of Saharsa district (251.16 kg N/ha). The application rate of nitrogenous fertilizer, varying from 109.25% to 169.16% over the RDN, resulting in NO3- leaching. The groundwater and surfacewater from 12 villages was collected and various quality parameters were analysed. The nitrate in ground water varied (1.87- 6.19 mg/L) and surface water (1.87 – 3.84 mg/L) being maximum concentration of nitrate in Madhepura district. The present study on nitrate leaching in soil, its level of contamination in ground water and human health risk assessment by chronic daily intake of nitrate and Hazard Quotient (H.Q) values in the study area of Khagaria, Saharsa, Madhepura and Supaul has been carried out in the eastern alluvial region of Bihar.
Ultrafilter in Digraph: Directed Tangle and Directed Ultrafilter
Authors: Fujita Takaaki
Published: February 2024

Tangle is a concept in graph theory that has a dual relationship with tree-width which is well-known graph width parameter. Ultrafilter is a fundamental notion in mathematics. In this concise paper, we will reconsider the relationship between Tangle and Ultrafilter in digraph.
Documentation of Honeybees Flora and Blooming Period in Major Horticultural and Agricultural Crops Growing in Dryland Regions of Northern Karnataka, India
Authors: Hosamani Venkatesh
Published: February 2024

The goal of the present study was to determine the variety of nectariferous and polleniferous bee flora in the Koppal district of Northern Karnataka in order to enhance the bees' blooming season. When the blooming plants were visited, the honeybees' presence and foraging activity were documented. In a ten-minute interval when at least three honeybees visited the flowers, the plants were identified as bee foraging species. The various plant groupings that worker bees visit, including as fruit crops, vegetable cops, field crops, plantations, flower and ornamental plants, etc., are included in the identified bee flora. The detected flora was further divided into plants that yielded nectar, pollen, and both. A total of sixty-four crops were identified as forage crops.  Of those, the Koppal district had plants that yielded nectar (14), pollen (13), and both (36), according to documentation. The major dearth times were discovered to be mid-April to mid-June, whereas the honey flow seasons were determined to be mid-December to mid-February and mid-July to mid-September. Based on the flora's availability, utility status, and duration of flowering, a floral calendar was established for the study area. The listed species (Syzygium, Cassia, Citrus, Pongamia, Azadirachta, Brassica, Areca, Cocos, Guizotia, Hilianthus, Albezia, Lagerstroemia, Polinathus, Sapindus, Tecoma) and others are some of the common and significant bee food plants.
Income Inequality Trends in Central Uttar Pradesh Districts, India
Authors: Ahmad Ana , Khan Nisar Ahmad
Published: February 2024

Nearly six decades following independence, some parts of Uttar Pradesh remain extremely backward and are home to the majority of the nation's impoverished. The state has long suffered from regional inequities and inequality. Intraregional differences provide huge issues because of their compounding effects on governance and living circumstances. The Paper aims to study the growth performance and the convergence/divergence in growth among districts from 2011–12 to 2017–18 in Central Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh is divided into four regions: Western region, Central region, Bundelkhand region and Eastern region. The central region had been chosen for study through Cluster sampling technique. We used two Convergence measures: Beta convergence, which relies on neoclassical growth theory, and Sigma convergence, which uses the coefficient of variation to measure the spread of per capita net income. We found a negative relationship between the two variables in estimating a regression equation linking growth to the PCNI's initial per capita income log. Growth and starting per capita net income had a statistically insignificant negative association the whole time. The levels of PCNI (Per capita Net Income) depicts inter-district disparity decline as shown by the decreasing coefficient of variation. The study offers a policy suggestion that a comprehensive policy strategy that takes into account economic, social and infrastructural element is necessary.
Coupled axial–radial segregation in rotating drums with high fill levels
Authors: Kuo H. P. , Shih P. Y. , Hsu R. C.
Published: April 2006

Axial segregation and radial segregation within the granular bed in a rotating drum with a fill level > 50% were experimentally investigated. The axial segregated patterns and the radial segregated patterns were coupled within the bed, resulting in observation of new segregated patterns at the plane along the rotational shaft. The segregated patterns are different from the previous axial band and radial core patterns and show coupled new patterns, including the “cross” patterns, the “band‐core‐in‐core” patterns, and other geometric patterns. The new segregation patterns are strong functions of the fill level and the rotational speed of the drum. The formation of the axial–radial coupled patterns was attributed to the fill level, the free flowing surface of the bed. A virtual drum hypothesis is proposed to explain the formation of the complex segregated patterns. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006
Cationic copolymerization behavior of a bicyclic orthoester having hydroxy group with glycidyl phenyl ether and volume change on their copolymerization
Authors: Kume Makoto , Endo Takeshi
Published: April 2006

This article describes cationic ring‐opening copolymerization of a bicyclic orthoester having hydroxy group (BOE‐OH) and glycidyl phenyl ether (GPE), and the volume shrinkage behavior during the copolymerization. THF soluble polyethers [poly(BOE‐OH‐co‐GPE)] were obtained by the copolymerizations at 80–180°C, while crosslinked poly(BOE‐OH‐co‐GPE) was obtained by the copolymerizations at 220–250°C. This crosslinking reaction may originate from the dehydration of methylol groups in the side chain of poly(BOE‐OH‐co‐GPE). The volume shrinkage during the cationic copolymerization reduced as the increase of the BOE‐OH feed ratio. By contrast, the volume shrinkage on the crosslinking polymerization was almost independent on the BOE‐OH feed ratio. Poly(BOE‐OH‐co‐GPE)s with higher BOE‐OH composition showed lower thermal weight loss temperature owing to the release of H2O by dehydration of methylol groups. The BOE‐OH component in the THF soluble poly(BOE‐OH‐co‐GPE)s lowered the glass transition temperature (Tg), while that in the crosslinked poly(BOE‐OH‐co‐GPE) increased the Tg probably because of the higher crosslinking density. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 1356–1361, 2006
Selective inhibition of Rab prenylation by a phosphonocarboxylate analogue of risedronate induces apoptosis, but not S‐phase arrest, in human myeloma cells
Authors: Roelofs Anke J. , Hulley Philippa A. , Meijer Annemieke , Ebetino Frank H. , Russell R. Graham G. , Shipman Claire M.
Published: April 2006

Bisphosphonates (BPs) are widely used in the treatment of osteolytic bone disease associated with multiple myeloma, and have been demonstrated to exert antitumor effects both in vitro and in vivo. However, the precise molecular mechanisms involved in the direct antitumor effects of BPs in vitro are not known. Nitrogen‐containing BPs, such as risedronate (RIS), act by inhibiting protein prenylation. A phosphonocarboxylate analogue of RIS, 3‐PEHPC, has previously been shown in osteoclasts and macrophages to specifically inhibit prenylation of Rab GTPases. The aim of this study was to identify the molecular targets of RIS and 3‐PEHPC in human myeloma cells and to determine the cellular effects of selective inhibition of Rab prenylation by 3‐PEHPC as compared to nonspecific inhibition of protein prenylation by RIS in human myeloma cells. RIS dose‐dependently inhibited prenylation of both Rap1A and Rab6, whereas 3‐PEHPC only inhibited Rab6 prenylation. Both RIS and 3‐PEHPC dose‐dependently increased apoptosis in human myeloma cells. RIS induced an accumulation of cells in the S‐phase of the cell cycle, associated with inhibition of DNA replication. In contrast, 3‐PEHPC did not cause cell‐cycle arrest. Furthermore, geranylgeraniol could prevent inhibition of prenylation, induction of apoptosis, and cell‐cycle arrest in response to RIS, but not inhibition of Rab prenylation and apoptosis induced by 3‐PEHPC, consistent with specific inhibition of Rab geranylgeranyl transferase by 3‐PEHPC. In conclusion, our studies demonstrate that selective inhibition of Rab prenylation induces apoptosis, but not S‐phase arrest, thus identifying distinct molecular pathways that mediate the antimyeloma effect of nitrogen‐containing BPs. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Differing molecular pathology of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in Egyptian and United States patients
Authors: Soliman Amr S. , Bondy Melissa , Webb Charity Renee , Schottenfeld David , Bonner Joseph , El‐Ghawalby Nabih , Soultan Ahmed , Abdel‐Wahab Mohamed , Fathy Omar , Ebidi Gamal , Zhang Qing , Greenson Joel K. , Abbruzzese James L. , Hamilton Stanley R.
Published: April 2006

Variations in genetic mutations in pancreatic carcinoma between different populations have not been studied extensively, especially in developing countries where pancreatic cancer is rare. We studied the molecular pathology of 44 pancreatic carcinomas from patients residing in a heavily polluted region in the Nile River delta and compared the findings with tumors from 44 United States (US) patients. We evaluated K‐ras mutations in codon 12, p53 mutations in exons 5–8, and Gadd45a mutations in exons 1 and 4. Overall, rates of K‐ras, p53 and Gadd45 mutations were not statistically different in tumors of patients from Egypt and the US (67.4 vs. 63.4%; 27.3 vs. 36.4% and 9.1 vs. 4.5%, respectively). However, there were distinct differences in the specific types of K‐ras and p53 mutations between the 2 groups. In K‐ras, G → T transversion mutation was more frequent in the tumors from Egypt than from the US (58.6 vs. 26.9%), whereas G → C transversion was detected in 26.9% of US tumors but none from Egypt (p = 0.003). We also found a trend toward differences in the p53 exons in which mutations occurred, with higher frequency of exon 5 mutation and lower frequency of exon 6 mutation in Egyptian tumors. Logistic regression showed that K‐ras G → T transversion mutations and p53 exon 6 mutations were predicted by the country of residence of the patients. Our study identifies that there are differences in the types of mutations found in tumors from pancreatic carcinoma patients in Egypt and the US, and suggests that environmental factors may explain these differences. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Branched peptide‐amphiphiles as self‐assembling coatings for tissue engineering scaffolds
Authors: Harrington Daniel A. , Cheng Earl Y. , Guler Mustafa O. , Lee Leslie K. , Donovan Jena L. , Claussen Randal C. , Stupp Samuel I.
Published: April 2006

An important challenge in regenerative medicine is the design of suitable bioactive scaffold materials that can act as artificial extracellular matrices. We reported previously on a family of peptide‐amphiphile (PA) molecules that self‐assemble into high‐aspect ratio nanofibers under physiological conditions, and can display bioactive peptide epitopes along each nanofiber's periphery. One type of PA displays its epitope at a branched site using a lysine dendron, a molecular feature that improves epitope availability on the nanofiber surface. In this work, we describe the application of these branched PA (b‐PA) systems as self‐assembling coatings for fiber‐bonded poly(glycolic acid) scaffolds. b‐PAs bearing variations of the RGDS adhesion epitope from fibronectin were shown by elemental analysis to coat repeatably onto fiber scaffolds. The retention of supramolecular organization after coating on the scaffold was demonstrated through spectroscopic identification of β‐sheet structures and the close association of hydrophobic tails in a model pyrene‐containing PA system. Primary human bladder smooth muscle cells demonstrated greater initial adhesion to b‐PA‐functionalized scaffolds than to bare scaffolds or to those coated with linear PAs. This strategy of molecular design and coating may have potential application in bladder tissue regeneration. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006
Reduction of anabolic signals and alteration of osteoblast nuclear morphology in microgravity
Authors: Hughes‐Fulford Millie , Rodenacker Karsten , Jütting Uta
Published: April 2006

Bone loss has been repeatedly documented in astronauts after flight, yet little is known about the mechanism of bone loss in space flight. Osteoblasts were activated during space flight in microgravity (µg) with and without a 1 gravity (1 g) field and 24 genes were analyzed for early induction. Induction of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), cyclo‐oxygenase‐2 (cox‐2), cpla2, osteocalcin (OC), c‐myc, fibroblast growth factor‐2 (fgf‐2), bcl2, bax, and fgf‐2 message as well as FGF‐2 protein were significantly depressed in µg when compared to ground (gr). Artificial onboard gravity normalized the induction of c‐myc, cox‐2, TGFβ, bax, bcl2, and fgf‐2 message as well as FGF‐2 protein synthesis in spaceflight samples. In normal gravity, FGF‐2 induces bcl2 expression; we found that bcl2 expression was significantly reduced in microgravity conditions. Since nuclear shape is known to elongate in the absence of mitogens like FGF‐2, we used high‐resolution image‐based morphometry to characterize changes in osteoblast nuclear architecture under microgravity, 1 g flight, and ground conditions. Besides changes in cell shape (roundish/elliptic), other high‐resolution analyses show clear influences of gravity on the inner nuclear structure. These changes occur in the texture, arrangement, and contrast of nuclear particles and mathematical modeling defines the single cell classification of the osteoblasts. Changes in nuclear structure were evident as early as 24 h after exposure to microgravity. This documented alteration in nuclear architecture may be a direct result of decreased expression of autocrine and cell cycle genes, suggesting an inhibition of anabolic response in µg. Life on this planet has evolved in a normal gravity field and these data suggest that gravity plays a significant role in regulation of osteoblast transcription. J. Cell. Biochem. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Serum and glucocorticoid‐regulated protein kinases: Variations on a theme
Authors: Tessier Maude , Woodgett James R.
Published: April 2006

The phosphatidylinositol 3′ kinase (PI3K)‐signaling pathway plays a critical role in a variety of cellular responses such as modulation of cell survival, glucose homeostasis, cell division, and cell growth. PI3K generates important lipid second messengers—phosphatidylinositides that are phosphorylated at the 3′ position of their inositol ring head‐group. These membrane restricted lipids act by binding with high affinity to specific protein domains such as the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. Effectors of PI3K include molecules that harbor such domains such as phosphoinositide‐dependent kinase (PDK1) and protein kinase B (PKB), also termed Akt. The mammalian genome encodes three different PKB genes (α, β, and γ; Akt1, 2, and 3, respectively) and each is an attractive target for therapeutic intervention in diseases such as glioblastoma and breast cancer. A second family of three protein kinases, termed serum and glucocorticoid‐regulated protein kinases (SGKs), is structurally related to the PKB family including regulation by PI3K but lack a PH domain. However, in addition to PH domains, a second class of 3′ phosphorylated inositol phospholipid‐binding domains exists that is termed Phox homology (PX) domain: this domain is found in one of the SGKs (SGK3). Here, we summarize knowledge of the three SGK isoforms and compare and contrast them to PKB with respect to their possible importance in cellular regulation and potential as therapeutic targets. J. Cell. Biochem. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Regulatory processes affecting androgen receptor expression, stability, and function: Potential targets to treat hormone‐refractory prostate cancer
Authors: Reddy G. Prem Veer , Barrack Evelyn R. , Dou Q. Ping , Menon Mani , Pelley Ronald , Sarkar Fazlul H. , Sheng Shijie
Published: April 2006

Prostate cancer cells rely on androgen receptor (AR) for proliferation and survival. Therefore, curing prostate cancer will require elimination of AR. Although androgen is the natural ligand that activates AR, AR activity is also subject to regulation by growth factor/growth factor receptor‐stimulated signaling pathways that control the cell cycle. Cell cycle regulatory proteins and protein kinases in signaling pathways affected by growth factors can lead to AR activation in the absence of androgen. While downstream signaling proteins such as cyclins, cyclin‐dependent kinases (CDKs), and pRB can modulate AR activity, upstream signaling pathways involving protein kinases such as mitogen‐activated protein kinases, protein kinase A, and protein kinase B/Akt can affect post‐translational modification of AR to affect not only AR function but also AR stability. Calcium and calmodulin (CaM), essential for proliferation and viability of a number of cells, including prostate cancer cells, play an important role in AR expression, stability, and function. CaM affects AR partly by interacting directly with AR and partly by activating protein kinases such as Akt and DNA‐PK that can phosphorylate AR. The ubiquitin/26S proteasome pathway responsible for timely destruction of cell cycle regulatory proteins whose levels impede cell cycle progression also induces AR expression by activating NF‐κB, and promotes AR activity by participating in the assembly of an AR transcription complex. Maspin, a serine protease inhibitor that is known mostly for its role as a tumor suppressor can also regulate AR intracellular localization and function by competing with AR for binding to the chaperone protein Hsp90 and co‐repressor HDAC1, respectively. This perspective reviews the experimental evidence implicating these diverse cellular processes in AR expression, stability, and/or function, and presents a rationale for disrupting these cellular processes as a viable option for the treatment of both the hormone‐sensitive and the hormone‐insensitive prostate cancer. J. Cell. Biochem. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Determination of electronic energy levels for the heteromolecular ions HeH2+, LiH3+, and BeH4+ from the Hamilton–Jacobi equation
Authors: Campos J. A. , Nascimento D. L. , Cavalcante D. T. , Fonseca A. L. A. , Nunes A. O. C.
Published: April 2006

By making use of the Hamilton–Jacobi equation, we obtain the exact value of the electronic energy levels for the heteromolecular ions HeH2+, LiH3+, and BeH4+ as a function of nuclear distance. The Hylleraas method in association with the series established by Wind–Jaffé was applied to these molecular ions. The results are in good agreement with those found in the literature. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006
Permissibility and use of options for hedging purposes in Islamic Finance
Authors: Smolarski Jan , Schapek Michael , Tahir Mohammad Iqbal
Published: April 2006

The debate concerning permissibility and use of options in Islamic finance is ongoing, and the issue is far from settled. Current analyses on this issue appear to focus on taking of unnecessary risks ( gharar), the perceived lack of a physical asset in an options contract, and the possibility of exploitation of the ignorant. To the extent that these factors are involved, options are not permitted under Islamic teachings (the Shariah).

In this article, we investigate whether options may be permitted for hedging purposes in Islamic finance. We use equity options as an example in our analysis. After providing a brief overview of options markets, we review the existing literature and critically examine other work such as the religious decrees (fatwas). We also provide two examples, one each of call and put options, to illustrate the managerial issue of use of options for hedging purposes.

Our analysis shows that options may be permitted for hedging purposes in Islamic finance as long as the underlying economic activities are themselves permissible (halal) from an Islamic point of view. The analysis also indicates that one of the key issues is related to unnecessary risk taking. The avoidance or reduction of such risks in hedging situations is largely dependent on the settlement and clearing function of the exchanges trading options, which effectively provides a guarantee of delivery. Mutual consent for entering into or canceling contracts and the issue of intangible assets also play a role in determining if options are permissible under the Shariah. We conclude the article by urging experts of Islamic jurisprudence to understand the theory and mechanics of options and use group ijitihad (consensus opinion of Islamic scholars) in conjunction with academics and experts in financial markets and instruments on this vital issue in contemporary finance for the benefit of the Islamic world as well as those trading with the Islamic world. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the Edge of Diversity: Bringing African Americans and Latinos Together in a Neighborhood Group
Authors: Berryhill Joseph C. , Linney Jean Ann
Published: April 2006

This article describes challenges we encountered when organizing a group of African Americans and Latinos in a community where ethnic tensions had been normative. We relate how the first author, a Caucasian with a university affiliation, entered this diverse community and employed ethnographic methods in an attempt to understand it. The ethnography provides a context for the principal challenge we encountered: ensuring that the group had ethnic balance. Focusing on the group's first meeting, we describe the uncertainty of whether our work would be helpful or harmful to the community. We conclude with reflections on the gaps between science and practice in diverse communities; the utility and limits of ethnography; the multiple ecological levels of influence on the community; dilemmas around a White male taking proactive stances while trying to empower a group consisting mostly of women of color; and the influence of values we brought to the community.
A JUSTICE TO COME: THE ROLE OF ETHICS IN LA FARCE DE MAISTRE PIERRE PATHELIN
Authors: Guynn Noah D.
Published: April 2006

There is a long-standing tradition in theatre criticism of disparaging medieval farce as an essentially vulgar, inconsequential, and even immoral genre. As many scholars both past and present would have it, these short, comic “crowd pleasers” not only thematize moral corruption but actually injure public morals by pandering to the baser instincts of the lower classes. In her bold revisionist study of the genre, Bernadette Rey-Flaud cites Arthur Pougin's 1885 definition of farce as an “exemplary” one: “Short little plays, of a low, trivial, burlesque comedy and for the most part very licentious; plays that sought above all to incite the coarse laughter of the rabble.” According to Rey-Flaud, this definition encapsulates the four centuries of criticism that precede it and anticipates the consensus of much contemporary scholarship as well: “Farce has not been rehabilitated in our time” (8, emphasis mine).
Ethnic Drag: Performing Race, Nation, Sexuality in West Germany
Authors: Steen Shannon
Published: April 2006

Here's a familiar story: a white director produces a play with black and Middle Eastern characters. Director decides to cast white actors in those roles, controversy ensues. To American readers of Ethnic Drag, this controversy will seem so routine as to be nearly unremarkable. What makes this rendition of the story interesting is that it takes place not in the United States, but in Germany.
The Idea of the Theater in Latin Christian Thought: Augustine to the Fourteenth Century
Authors: Cueva Edmund P.
Published: April 2006

This is an unusual but good and sensible book. I write that it is unusual because The Idea of the Theater in Latin Christian Thought does not follow the predictable pattern of looking at the “materiality of medieval theater practices and historiography” (2). It instead looks at theatre as it appears in medieval thought and as “moments in European intellectual history” (4). Dox leads the reader through a thorough and erudite survey of the writings of some of the Latin Christian authors. She begins with Saint Augustine of Hippo and ends with Bartholomew of Bruges. The text has three major goals. First, the author examines what different postclassical, Christian authors knew about or thought of Greco-Roman theatre as a function of written discourse. The second goal is to keep the discussion of the late-antique and medieval understanding of ancient classical theatre in the intellectual contexts in which the texts were used. Lastly, Latin Christian views on classical theatre are examined in detail. The conclusion of this analysis demonstrates that the idea of “truth” as different from “falsehood” in the writings by the Latin Christian authors was the focus of their texts, rather than any actual interest in classical tragedy and comedy as genres in their own right.
Sails of the Herring Fleet: Essays on Beckett
Authors: Golub Spencer
Published: April 2006

Herbert Blau's Sails of the Herring Fleet: Essays on Beckett is, in some sense, an inevitable book. Blau has been rehearsing his valedictory for some time, penning eulogies to the art of disappearance that encapsulates his theatre and his life. Is it any wonder then that in his work Blau repeatedly turns to Beckett, his pained and painfully optimistic (now late) friend of some forty years? Anyone who has read Blau's work or heard Blau speak knows about his strategic use of repetition, almost as if he is transcribing the workings of Godot in his own hand and in his own time. Blau's hand has always been evident in his elegant writing style, his time(s) now even more visibly generational, in the artists he has influenced and in his abiding taste for the Beckett he knew and whom we all have yet to know.
Carbon storage on exposed continental shelves during the glacial‐interglacial transition
Authors: Montenegro Alvaro , Eby Michael , Kaplan Jed O. , Meissner Katrin J. , Weaver Andrew J.
Published: April 2006

We present analyses of new and previously published estimates of total (vegetation plus soil) carbon storage on exposed continental shelves during the LGM. Carbon stock estimates from environmental reconstructions vary from 113 to 202 Pg C. Estimates from vegetation models range from 112 to 323 Pg C. After standardization of exposed shelf area by a topographic model the range of best estimates for reconstructions and models converge to 182–266 Pg C. Up to ∼10000 years before present, the time dependent estimate of the amount of inundated carbon is in good qualitative agreement with the increase in the atmospheric carbon reservoir. Given its relative size compared to the change in terrestrial carbon storage and the potential link between inundated carbon and atmospheric CO2 increase, the carbon stock of the LGM exposed shelves cannot be ignored and merits more detailed attention from modelling and reconstruction efforts.
Intercomparison and validation of ILAS‐II version 1.4 target parameters with MIPAS‐B measurements
Authors: Wetzel G. , Oelhaf H. , Friedl‐Vallon F. , Kleinert A. , Lengel A. , Maucher G. , Nordmeyer H. , Ruhnke R. , Nakajima H. , Sasano Y. , Sugita T. , Yokota T.
Published: April 2006

A flight of the balloon‐borne version of the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS‐B) was performed from Kiruna (Sweden, 68°N, 21°E) on 20/21 March 2003 as part of the validation program of the chemistry instruments MIPAS, GOMOS, and SCIAMACHY aboard the European environmental satellite ENVISAT. The 15 hour long duration of this flight provided a good match with the Japanese Improved Limb Atmospheric Spectrometer (ILAS)‐II sensor aboard the ADEOS‐II satellite, launched in December 2002, in addition to the primary goal of ENVISAT validation. The MIPAS‐B flight data coincided nicely with one of the early operational periods of the ILAS‐II instrument, offering one of the sparse opportunities to validate the whole set of trace species measured by ILAS‐II during its unfortunately short lifetime. Radiance spectra were observed by MIPAS‐B at nearly the same location that was observed by ILAS‐II about 5.5 hours prior to the sampling of MIPAS‐B. The intercomparison of ILAS‐II atmospheric target parameters (version 1.4) to profiles measured by MIPAS‐B has shown that for the species O3, N2O, CH4 (below about 22 km), HNO3, ClONO2, and CFC‐11 (CCl3F), a predominantly good consistency with MIPAS‐B has been achieved within the combined errors. However, atmospheric parameters like temperature, H2O, NO2, and N2O5 are widely characterized by low biases compared to MIPAS‐B results while CFC‐12 (CCl2F2) exhibits a high bias in comparison to the balloon‐borne observations. Therefore ILAS‐II profile retrievals of temperature, H2O, NO2, N2O5, and CFC‐12 cannot be assumed to be validated at the present time.
Molecular dynamics simulations of melting and the glass transition of nitromethane
Authors: Zheng Lianqing , Luo Sheng-Nian , Thompson Donald L.
Published: April 2006

Molecular dynamics simulations have been used to investigate the thermodynamic melting point of the crystalline nitromethane, the melting mechanism of superheated crystalline nitromethane, and the physical properties of crystalline and glassy nitromethane. The maximum superheating and glass transition temperatures of nitromethane are calculated to be 316 and 160K, respectively, for heating and cooling rates of 8.9×109K∕s. Using the hysteresis method [Luo et al., J. Chem. Phys. 120, 11640 (2004)] and by taking the glass transition temperature as the supercooling temperature, we calculate a value of 251.1K for the thermodynamic melting point, which is in excellent agreement with the two-phase result [Agrawal et al., J. Chem. Phys. 119, 9617 (2003)] of 255.5K and measured value of 244.73K. In the melting process, the nitromethane molecules begin to rotate about their lattice positions in the crystal, followed by translational freedom of the molecules. A nucleation mechanism for the melting is illustrated by the distribution of the local translational order parameter. The critical values of the Lindemann index for the C and N atoms immediately prior to melting (the Lindemann criterion) are found to be around 0.155 at 1atm. The intramolecular motions and molecular structure of nitromethane undergo no abrupt changes upon melting, indicating that the intramolecular degrees of freedom have little effect on the melting. The thermal expansion coefficient and bulk modulus are predicted to be about two or three times larger in crystalline nitromethane than in glassy nitromethane. The vibrational density of states is almost identical in both phases.
Bonding analysis using localized relativistic orbitals: Water, the ultrarelativistic case and the heavy homologues H2X (X=Te, Po, eka-Po)
Authors: Dubillard S. , Rota J.-B. , Saue T. , Faegri K.
Published: April 2006

We report the implementation of Pipek-Mezey [J. Chem. Phys. 90, 4916 (1989)] localization of molecular orbitals in the framework of a four-component relativistic molecular electronic structure theory. We have used an exponential parametrization of orbital rotations which allows the use of unconstrained optimization techniques. We demonstrate the strong basis set dependence of the Pipek-Mezey localization criterion and how it can be eliminated. We have employed localization in conjunction with projection analysis to study the bonding in the water molecule and its heavy homologues. We demonstrate that in localized orbitals the repulsion between hydrogens in the water molecule is dominated by electrostatic rather than exchange interactions and that freezing the oxygen 2s orbital blocks polarization of this orbital rather than hybridization. We also point out that the bond angle of the water molecule cannot be rationalized from the potential energy alone due to the force term of the molecular virial theorem that comes into play at nonequilibrium geometries and which turns out to be crucial in order to correctly reproduce the minimum of the total energy surface. In order to rapidly assess the possible relativistic effects we have carried out the geometry optimizations of the water molecule at various reduced speed of light with and without spin-orbit interaction. At intermediate speeds, the bond angle is reduced to around 90°, as is known experimentally for H2S and heavier homologues, although our model of ultrarelativistic water by construction does not allow any contribution from d orbitals to bonding. At low speeds of light the water molecule becomes linear which is in apparent agreement with the valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) model since the oxygen 2s1∕2 and 2p1∕2 orbitals both become chemically inert. However, we show that linearity is brought about by the relativistic stabilization of the (n+1)s orbital, the same mechanism that leads to an electron affinity for eka-radon. Actual calculations on the series H2X (X=Te, Po, eka-Po) show the spin-orbit effects for the heavier species that can be rationalized by the interplay between SO-induced bond lengthening and charge transfer. Finally, we demonstrate that although both the VSEPR and the more recent ligand close packing model are presented as orbital-free models, they are sensitive to orbital input. For the series H2X (X=O, S, Se, Te) the ligand radius of the hydrogen can be obtained from the covalent radius of the central atom by the simple relation rlig(H)=0.67rcov(X)+27 (in picometers).
Terahertz photo-Hall measurements of carrier mobility in GaAs and InP
Authors: Heyman J. N. , Bell D. , Khumalo T.
Published: April 2006

We have developed a sensitive ultrafast technique for measuring the mobility of photocarriers in semiconductors. High-resistivity samples are photoexcited with a femtosecond laser, and carrier mobilities are determined by polarization-sensitive terahertz emission measurements in a magnetic field. Measurements on a semi-insulating GaAs sample at T=280K yielded μe=4400±600cm2∕Vs and μh=850±400cm2∕Vs within 0.5ps of excitation with λ=800nm radiation. In GaAs, this zero-background technique requires ∼10pJ∕pulse photoexcitation and can be easily implemented with an unamplified Ti:S laser oscillator.
Nanosecond time scale, high power electrical wire explosion in water
Authors: Grinenko A. , Krasik Ya. E. , Efimov S. , Fedotov A. , Gurovich V. Tz. , Oreshkin V. I.
Published: April 2006

Experimental and magnetohydrodynamic simulation results of nanosecond time scale underwater electrical explosions of Al, Cu, and W wires are presented. A water forming line generator with current amplitude up to 100kA was used. The maximum current rise rate and maximum Joule heating power achieved during wire explosions were dI∕dt⩽500A∕ns and 6GW, respectively. Extremely high energy deposition of up to 60 times the atomization enthalpy was registered compared to the best reported result of 20 times the atomization enthalpy for energy deposition with a vacuum wire explosion. Discharge channel evolution and surface temperature were analyzed by streak shadow imaging and by a fast photodiode with a set of interference filters, respectively. A 1D magnetohydrodynamic simulation demonstrated good agreement with experimental parameters such as discharge channel current, voltage, radius, and temperature. Material conductivity was calculated to produce the best correlation between the simulated and experimentally obtained voltage. It is shown that material conductivity may significantly vary as a function of energy deposition rate.
Performance of a spin-based insulated gate field effect transistor
Authors: Hall Kimberley C. , Flatté Michael E.
Published: April 2006

Fundamental physical properties limiting the performance of spin field effect transistors are compared to those of ordinary (charge-based) field effect transistors. Instead of raising and lowering a barrier to current flow these spin transistors use static spin-selective barriers and gate control of spin relaxation. The different origins of transistor action lead to distinct size dependences of the power dissipation in these transistors and permit sufficiently small spin-based transistors to surpass the performance of charge-based transistors at room temperature or above. This includes lower threshold voltages, smaller gate capacitances, reduced gate switching energies, and smaller source-drain leakage currents.